Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, I do believe he and company are Rumiko Takahashi's
This fanfiction involes InuYasha/Shippo, but trust me its not yaoi, although they end up together...Its NOT YAOI!!

Father's Gift, My Curse by: Oblivionosity

Prologue (Part 1)

I had always expected our adventures to come to an end sooner or later, but I never thought that they'd end the way they did. I remember when Kagome used to tell Shippo stories, which she called "furry tails" or something, from a book when it was about time for the group to get their rest. And in those stories there was always a happy ending, one where everyone was happy and united...

Kagome tried to tell me that our story was a great happy ending that deserved to be in a book of its own, but I could never believe her...

I thought our story was going to end up like one of, what she called, the "class-ick furry tail" endings. One in which the bad guy was defeated, the good guy won and got the girl, and all their friends were happy. But most of all, they all stayed together by the end of the book...

--Flashback--

It was silent in the Feudal Era, almost calmly so. Few would believe it could be so peaceful after the many sounds that filled the vast forestry, only hours before. The sky's complexion was the softest shades of orange and red, a sign many had acknowledge as sunrise and early morning.

The silence was as nature intended it to be, neither too powerful nor to weak. However, for a small group of five travelers settled deep within the wooded environment, the silence only brought anticipation as its morning present. A pleasant breeze wandered through the trees and embraced the warrior's spent and aching bodies, almost as though it was trying to soothe away the tension they all held.

Amidst her fellow companions, the young priestess Kagome stood. Her eyes filled with compassion momentarily as she gazed over the ones that risked their lives to bring peace to their entire world.

In her hands she held two halves of a purple jewel, many had come to know as the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls, and the very thing that had caused all of their troubles. Everyone watched and knew without a second guess what was coming next. The young miko inhaled deeply to calm herself as she closed her eyes and placed her palms together, as if she were in prayer.

Time seemed suspended in mid-air as the group of friends waited for a response to come from the jewel or the girl. Then, a gentle purple glow emitted from the girl's hands and encased the whole forest before it shot a straight beam into the sky.

The Shikon jewel had been made whole once more.

Looking up from her cupped hands as the aura faded back in the jewel, Kagome's eyes wandered over the group before she smiled softly and declared, "It's done...It's over." Her eyes continued to scan over the group, watching and waiting for someone to break the tension that was quickly returning. No sooner than she had silently pleaded for someone to speak, the youngest and smallest of their pack spoke up, "So what are you going to do with it Kagome?"

"Don't be stupid Shippo," cut in a rather calm InuYasha, "She's going to protect it here with us."

The silence began to descend upon them once more, until Miroku spoke up, "Wait! So this whole time we were going to get the Shikon no Tama...just to protect it?!"

A sigh flew from the second girl of their group, "Miroku don't play dumb, we all knew that Kagome would end up being the one to protect it, did you think that we were going to use it?', it was a rather scratched up and dirty demon hunter, Sango.

"Yeah monk! Since none of us are planning on doing anything with it, its Kagome's job to protect it!" snapped InuYasha impatiently.

Miroku sighed heavily as he moved to sit on the earth below him, his body almost demanding it as he closed his sore eyes and spoke carefully, "All I'm trying to say is. We all assumed either different or similar things about what Kagome should do with the jewel, but none of us have taken the time to consider what she wants to do with it."

Once he had finished explaining what his previous words were about, he opened his violet eyes and rested them on the priestess, an action that was soon mirrored by his comrades. "Well Kagome?" asked the hanyou sternly, a frown placed traditionally upon his features, "What did you plan about it?"

Her voice seemed to be lost, as though the words she wished to speak were clear in mind, but the physical manifestation wouldn't leave her mouth.

It seemed to take her a moment, before she composed herself and found her voice in the process. Once she spoke, her voice was filled with unknown authority and resolution.

"I've actually thought a lot about what we-, I mean I, was going to do with the Shikon jewel once it was finished." she began, her eyes slowly lowering to the floor as she spoke, "I know that wishing on it would send me back home, away from all of the friends I've made in this time,b-but...I also know th-..that if I wished on the jewel."

Gods, how was she going to say this without crying, tears were already pooling behind her eyes, but she had to be strong and tell them her logic. "That it would ensure the safety of my friends, be-...because no one would try to attack us...I mean you guys, for something that no longer exists r-r..right?"

"What are you saying Kagome?" voiced the small kitsune who emerald eyes were glistening with fresh tears. Thoughts were swirling in Shippo's mind and he hated to have to feel them. 'She-she's planning on leaving us...Th-that's not fair! She can't just do this to us, we need her! I need her, and InuYasha needs her! How can she be so selfish!'

"What I'm saying Sh-..ship...-po...is that," she began, tears forgetting to dare to fall as they slid down her cheeks as she spoke to the fox demon she had come to consider a little brother, "I'm going to leave. I'm going to go back to my time, where I belong and then when I feel strong enough...I'll make a wish."

--Flashback End--

It was then.

Right then and there that I told myself that I needed to hate her. Hate her for believing that we meant too much for her to lose, so she decided to protect us. Were we not strong enough to defend ourselves against pathetic demon who would want the jewel?

Did she forget that we had completely destroyed Naraku!?

And his incarnations?!

I had to hate her because she had made this choice without us and wouldn't change her mind no matter what we said or did. Hate her for being so kind to all of us.

Hate her for saying that we were her best and truest friends.

But most of all, I had to hate her because she made me care for her, like I never would have for anyone else.

She had stayed with us for a few days before the day she said, was the day that she could let go of us. The inner demon half of me wanted her gone the moment she sprang her proposal on us at the final battle site.

It was natural youkai instinct, and my demon side knew that if a potential "mate" refused to be with me, then there was no further purpose for the female to be around.I wanted so badly to side with this part of my being, but my human side wouldn't allow it. Even though my demon half was saying to ditch the girl since she refused me, my human mirror still held onto Kago-...her as a dear friend. I...almost said her name...

Grrr...whatever, anyway. I 'found out' from Miroku, Sango, and Shippo that she had left and that she seemed disappointed that she didn't get to say goodbye to me.

Feh! I knew she was leaving already! I didn't want to see her go or give her the pleasure of any form of closure, but I couldn't let the others know of my prior knowledge. She didn't deserve closure as far as I was concerned anymore. I knew who my real friends were...or so I thought.

It had been no more than a week since the priestess's leave that Miroku and Sango expressed that they were going to head back to her old village to start a family together.

I tried to be happy for them, I really did. But the same youkai part of me felt like my pack was leaving me to fend for myself. It was as though none of the humans understood my inner pack mentality, we were supposed to stay together. At least I still had Shippo, for a few more months anyway.

Yeah...he left eventually, but he waited longer than the monk and the demon slayer, so I wasn't as angry with him when he told me. He said that his inner demon was telling him to leave, to get away from me. That's what hurt the most. The fact that his instinct was telling him to go, just like the others.

I almost asked him what was wrong with me, why everyone was leaving me, but he already started explaining himself further.He said it wasn't me, but at the same time it was. He said that his gut was telling him something was about to happen in his life, something big. Unfortunately I wouldn't be there to witness it.

Whew! Okay so that's part one of the two part prologue. What!? I know! But don't worry, the second half is probably going to be short and will lead into Chapter 1.

Let me know how I'm doing, this is my first fanfiction ever to be typed out, so give me feedback!! Am I in character? Am I rambling? What did you like/dislike? Spelling/Grammar errors? Interested in more?