A/N: This is an AU dabble inspired by Fenikkusuken's "The Price" and obviously Inuyasha. You should definitely check out "The Price," it remains one of my favorite Inuyasha fanfics of all time!

What if Inuyasha and Kagome never met in the feudal era? What if Inuyasha's spell wore off, letting him back out into the world confused and betrayed? And what if 500 years later he runs into the spitting image of his betrayer in modern Tokyo? Kagome has been plagued by a nameless anxiety for her whole life. Pushed onwards by her troubled spirit, Kagome continues to look for her purpose in this world. What if she finds it?

Chapter 1 – An Uncertain Heart

Kagome sat at her desk with her books arranged and pen poised ready for a productive night of studying. Unluckily for her, Kagome's mind was far from being ready to study let alone productive studying. Her mind was a million miles away, somewhere over the towering buildings of downtown Tokyo. The lights sparkled in the evening air, heat waves still rising from the concrete and warping the light filtering through the night sky. The sparkling beads danced in front of her.

Buyo, Kagome's lumpy calico cat, suddenly jumped into her lap drawing a startled 'Oof!' from the girl. The movement anchored her mind firmly back into her room. With a few blinks and a shake of her head Kagome eyes refocused back into her room. She smiled down at the cat, running her fingers absently through the cat's fur.

"Buyo, you really ought to lose some weight. Gotta cut back on the snacks!" The girl laughed, cuddling the cat closer. Buyo's only response was to purr, unconcerned about the girl's comment on her weight. With a sigh, Kagome turned her attention back to her books.

"Ugh, I really ought to study. Somehow my brain just doesn't want to cooperate."

Kagome's eyes fell onto the blank daruma atop some old school books on her desk. She had received the present as a gift from her grandfather when she had graduated from high school, a vast improvement from the usual gift her grandfather gave her.

The branches of the tree outside her window weaved back and forth between the lights of the city. She shifted her weight restlessly, scooching the cat from one leg to the other. The untouched daruma looked blindly into the room, a wordless accusation on its lips.

Why haven't you made your wish for the future on me yet?

Kagome's heart felt heavy. She couldn't quite put into words what was wrong, really everything had been going well for her. Not only had she gotten into the university of her dreams, but she also had convinced her grandfather that medical school was an incredibly honorable profession (impressive since he was dead set on her becoming the head of the shrine her family home resided on). And sure, her relationship with Hojo was short lived, but at least she had made an attempt at a relationship, right?

Despite her successes, Kagome felt like she was aimlessly wandering through her life. She had every reason in the world to be happy, but still a nameless worry wandered around in her heart. It was particularly bad today, especially with the reminder of the daruma on her desk.

Maybe starting that daruma will ease my worries a little…? It couldn't hurt to put some luck into my corner.

She took the doll in her hand, feeling the weight pressing against her skin. The only question was, what to wish for? Kagome closed her eyes, pressing the doll lightly to her forehead.

I wish… I wish that I will find the meaning of my life, that I'll feel like I'm on the right path and that I have some reason for being here.

Kagome grabbed a sharpie from her desk and carefully drew the required eye onto the doll. She admired her handiwork, turning the doll in the light. With a contented sigh, Kagome gently rested the half-blind doll back on her desk and rolled her shoulders. Looking down at her books forlornly, Kagome gently closed her books. Studying was going to be useless tonight.

XXX

It usually started in the middle of a cool, dark forest. The trees blocked most of the light from filtering to the ground, causing her to trip over the exposed roots. The air thrummed thickly between the trees, and some nameless worry caused her to continue moving forward despite her fear of tripping and faceplanting in the dark. She had a distinct feeling that she was looking for someone or something, but she didn't know who, or what, it was. Ah, yes. It was that dream.

But… Somehow… Unlike her past dreams where she just wandered aimlessly in the dark, the forest up ahead seemed…brighter? Kagome carefully picked her way through the maze of roots, gratefully using the thin light to protect her shins from the roots. She had been in the dark for so long that the light nearly blinded her as she dipped under a branch and stepped into the clearing.

The dark haired girls' eyes blinked rapidly, her hand coming up to her face to shield her eyes from the sudden light.

Wha…? Is that the Goshinboku?

In the light of the moon, the unmistakable features of the sacred tree that resided on her home at the Sunset Shrine stretched up into the inky sky. Kagome circled the tree in wonder, admiring the way the stars shone through the leaves of the sacred tree. Don't get a view like this at home.

"Ahhhh!" Kagome squealed, a rogue branch catching her foot and sending her tumbling to the ground. There was a person attached to the tree?

In the place of the scar on the tree at home, a man was sleeping leaned up against the tree. His hair shined silver in the starlight, a lone breeze gently tussling his hair.

Oh… he's been shot by an arrow. Maybe he isn't sleeping after all. I wonder what happened to him?

She hoisted herself off the ground, rubbing the sore area of her hip. Quietly, so as to not wake the man if he was still alive, Kagome tentatively approached the figure. She gently touched the arrow, noting the older style of the make. This sure wasn't like any of the arrows she used in her archery competitions—

This arrow was old. Incredibly old. Kagome had only seen arrows like this one in the feudal age area of the museum. A flash of the red and white costume of the feudal era priestess passed through Kagome's mind. Was this man attacked by a priestess?

Tendrils of silvery hair wandered in front of his face with the breeze. Intrigued by the color, Kagome reached out a hand to tuck his hair behind his… ear? Where was it?

Confused, the girl followed the curve of the man's face until she came across two lumps atop the man's head.

Are those dog ears?!

Tentatively, she reached out her other hand to lightly touch the ears to confirm what she was seeing. The velvety ear gently bent under the pressure of her fingers, reminding Kagome of the ear rubs she would give Buyo at home. Fascinated, she spent several minutes lightly caressing the man's ears.

Alright, now that I've gotten that out of my system…

She brought her eyes back down to the man's face, and let go of her gentle hold on his ear with a start. Golden eyes stared back at her accusingly. With a yelp Kagome fell back from the tree, the world whirling back into darkness.

Kagome sat up in her bed with a start, eyes wide and chest heaving. Her heart was beating hard in her ears, the sound echoing throughout her room. The sun peeked through her window, giving everything in her room a soft glow. Buyo looked up at the girl sleepily, giving a soft meow of protest at the girl's sudden movement. Kagome took a deep breath, working to calm her racing heart.

What a strange dream. The forest is familiar to me, but that man… Why was he in my dream?

With a stretch and a shake of her head, Kagome banished the strangeness of her dream from her head. It might be a little early, but this was a good opportunity to get a little more studying in before today's class. Sometimes, waking up early from a strange dream was a blessing in disguise. The dream already was fading quietly back into the recesses of her mind.

XXX

"Mama! I'm leaving!" Kagome called out through the house, her giant bag weighing down her shoulder.

"Bye sweetheart! Have a good day at school!" Her mother's voice called back, eliciting a smile from Kagome's face. She couldn't be more grateful for her family. If only her subconscious would allow her to feel the happiness she thought she should be feeling. She clapped her hands together.

Today's focus is to appreciate all of the good things in my life!

Readjusting the heavy bag on her shoulders, Kagome took off across the grounds of her family shrine and right into the spitting image of the man from her dream.