Disclaimer: I own NOTHING when it comes to Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2. That respectfully belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
AN: Ranma is NOT and will never BE a reincarnation of Inuyasha as long as I am the one writing the story. I just don't really respect stories that have Ranma as the reincarnation. No matter what the plot is, or how well the story is written. It's not personal. I just don't like them.
AN After an AN: Inuyasha may seem OC, but this is what I think he would be like if Kagome ever truly left, and yes, I know Kagome and Inuyasha married in canon, but hey, this is not canon so yeah.
Chapter 1: Fiancé WHO?
Kagome sighed as her head hit the pillow of her newly painted blue room. It seemed like everyday got rougher the longer she was away from them.
Who, you ask?
Simple, just the five most amazing spirits she will ever come to know in her entire life, and she had to leave them. Though, the killing part about it was that it wasn't fate's choice as she would like for her family to believe. She left on her own free will. She decided it. No one else goaded or persuaded her. It was just something she knew was right.
Kagome turned over to stare at her ceiling as she remembered the last conversation she had with the man..., no the hanyou, she once thought she would never be able to let go. The very one she had cried and fought over for a year. The one she had given up on and let go of.
Flashback
"Inuyasha, it isn't you. It's not about you," Kagome said the day she was set to leave. Trying not to fight their last day together. Trying to remain calm so she wouldn't cry. Inuyasha as always had only gathered the courage to talk to her about it at the last minute. A minute too late, he decided that he loved her.
"Then who is it about, Kagome? Kikyo! We both know what happened to her when Naraku came for the jewel!" Inuyasha yelled, and as she had thought, he wasn't over Kikyo. Even after Kikyo had forgiven them and gave her life to save Kagome and the others.
That in itself was another reason Kagome was leaving. Because of the pure love Kikyo showed at her final moments, even loving Inuyasha felt like she was some how betraying herself. It felt like she wasn't some how worthy of him. It felt like she hadn't suffered enough to be able to be with him.
"Inuyasha, stop it! Can you even fathom the way I feel when I can't even understand it? It isn't about you! You are a part of it, and so is Kikyo, but in the end, it's about me. It's about my life," Kagome said as she felt her throat constrict as Inuyasha's amber eyes stared into hers. It was filled with compassion, love, and regret, but there was still no understanding. And as always, he covered all of his 'girly' emotions with anger.
"Kagome! What the hell are you babbling about? You are leaving us. Plan and simple, and if you don't care, then I don't have the heart to stop you," Inuyasha said with a quiver in his voice as he turned his back on Kagome.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed futilely as she ran to him, but Inuyasha lashed out as he always did.
"Kagome! Leave okay! Just go!" Inuyasha said as he slightly turned his head towards Kagome. Showing the trekking tears down his tanned ivory skin. Kagome wanted to stop it all right then. She didn't want to put him through this. She wanted to forget all she had thought about, all she had planned, and all she had rehearsed to just be with him. She wanted to make his pain go away, but she knew that wouldn't solve anything. It would make it worse.
"Inuyasha...I'm sorry," Kagome said softly as she looked at his back. It was the hardest thing she had ever done to turn her back on him. It was even harder to pretend like she hadn't heard his soft sobs or when he called out for her. It was even harder to walk away from him the way she had knowing she'd never see him again.
Though none of that remotely compared to how she felt when she jumped down the well. Sealing it so that she her self would never be able to return, and so that Inuyasha wouldn't come for her when he gathered his wits about him.
Many people who if they had known Kagome's full situation would ask the question of why? Why had she left him if she loved him so? Why cry for hours in a well you, yourself, sealed to keep you two apart? Why lie to your family about how you had come to be back in the present? Just why had you done the things you had done? Why?
And at that moment, Kagome herself couldn't even answer that question.
End Flashback
When Kagome thought back on how her mother had found her sobbing at the bottom of the well, Kagome could still feel the tears well up in her eyes. She had been digging at the bottom of the damned thing with bloody torn nails. Screaming how sorry she was to Inuyasha.
She knew when she sealed the well that she was going to lose her conviction, and that was why she had made a spell so strong that she wouldn't be able to break the seal unless she gave her all, and she knew her conscious would never let her do that. No matter how much she convinced herself she had changed her mind.
That also reminded her to thank her mother for being there all the way. Bandaging up her bleeding hands and rocking away her tears. Even believing Kagome's lie when she told her about how she had just appeared in the well while preparing dinner for her makeshift family. She thanked her mother for not trying to see through her facade, but just letting her be. Letting her cry. Letting her be a child again.
"Inuyasha, I did love you," Kagome said as she lifted her body to look down at her white carpeted floor. No matter how Kagome tried, she couldn't stop herself from being a glutton for emotional punishment.
"Though, it could have never worked," Kagome said aloud, and it wasn't because Inuyasha didn't love her. He had proved he did more than over a dozen times. He loved her, and by the end of their journey, he wasn't as guarded around the subject as he had first been when they had figured out their feelings; however, Kagome knew it wasn't enough.
Kagome knew that Inuyasha loved her, but he could never shake the image of Kikyo from his mind when staring at her. He could never love Kagome the way she needed to be loved as long as there was a Kikyo, and with Inuyasha, there would always be a Kikyo.
She knew that on that day when he cried for her, that he wasn't just crying for her. He was crying over the prospect of losing another Kikyo. It hurt her to think about it, and for three months, she was a mindless drone, but she knew that she had chosen what was to happen to her. She knew she had chosen to abandon him and everyone else.
"I'm sorry you guys, I had to," Kagome said as her head hit the soft pillow. Though this time, her eyes drifted shut as she gathered the blankets around her like a shield from the outside world.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kagome chanted with a quiver in her voice as she let the heavy sleepiness take over her in a huge sweep that made her hopeful about forgetting all she had done for the last year.
The Next Day
Kagome had awoken that Saturday to chores she had around the shrine she had taken upon herself to begin doing. She had seen the way Kaede ran her village with a swift firm hand, and it made her realize it was finally time for her old jii-chan to sit down so she could finally truly take her position as priestess of the Sunset Shrine.
Though it did seem like a pleasant surprise when her mother sent her to the market for ingredients that surprisingly looked closely related to her favorite food and desert. Oden and chichi dango. Her mother had been running on a tight budget lately, and so Kagome hadn't had both in the same night for awhile.
Kagome walked around the market with the wind blowing slightly through her hair, and for once since she had left the Sengoku Jidai, she actually felt relaxed. No one bothered her, and she was aloud to walk freely through the market as she pleased without worrying about being harassed or attacked by demons.
Kagome breathed a hefty sigh as she took a whiff of the presumably fresh radish. She gave a half-hearted smile as if she was in a trance as she paid for the radish and three more just like it. She finished her shopping sooner than she had expected or hoped for, and she made her way home.
As she reached the mountain of stairs leading to her home, she gave a light smile as she walked briskly up all one hundred steps without breaking a sweat as her blue sundress fluttered around her. Even before the Inuyasha drama, Kagome found it quite easy to make her way up the stars since she had been doing it since she could walk. It had become such a normal routine for her.
Kagome made it up the stairs without breaking a sweat, and she didn't glance at the well house as she made her way to the family home. She walked through the shoji and as she usually was, Kagome's mother was in the kitchen already in the kitchen whipping up their meals.
"Oi, Kagome. You made it home just in time. I was just about to add the other ingredients. Hurry with those radishes," Kagome's mother said as her head briefly peaked out only to be swallowed whole once again by the confines of their traditional Japanese kitchen.
Kagome wasted no time in going to the kitchen as her mother hummed softly while preparing what Kagome now knew for sure was the basis of Oden. A smile found itself etching its way on to her face. The way it did every time her mother took the time and loves to make her favorite dish.
"Here ya go, kaa-san," Kagome said as she handed her mother the wool sack they always used when venturing into the market places.
"Arigatou, Kagome," Her mother said before her mother's eyes caught the sight of the light band aid located at the tip of Kagome's finger.
"Ano, Kagome, how are your hands doing? They seemed to have healed pretty nicely since the bandages are now almost completely off," Kagome's mother said with concern.
Kagome noticed the band aid, and she stared at it for a moment before it brought up an occurrence revolving around Inuyasha, Shippo, and the last piece of pocky. Let's just say poor little Shippo wasn't quite ready for the hanyou, and it ended in a mess and quite the painful sitting for Inuyasha. It still brought a smile to her face.
"Yeah, kaa-san, it pretty much has healed up, and I could actually take this band aid off right now if I wanted," Kagome said in a low voice as her mother snuck glances at her as she continued to cook. Kagome couldn't help the nostalgic smile that was upon her face.
"Though, I think I'll keep it. Just for a little while," Kagome said as she continued to stare at her hand. Her mother smiled knowingly without even knowing truly what she was thinking about. It was just a mother's way.
"Okay dear. Well, you might want to go wash up. You stayed out quite a bit later than expected, and dinner is almost done," Kagome's mother said as she turned away from her daughter. Kagome just gave a nod. Knowing although her mother couldn't see it. She knew what the unsaid message was.
Kagome went up to her room, and as always, she passed Souta's room and could hear the sounds of her brother hard at work trying to defeat the next level of his new video game he got for his birthday. She smiled a little. It was so Souta. It was so home.
Kagome went in her room and decided to take a bath since she didn't want to wear her sundress to the dinner table, and what was the point of changing twice. So she took a quick fifteen minute shower and got dressed in her jammies as her mother called her down for dinner.
She looked at her pink pajamas with the little cows on it, and couldn't help but smile as she thought of Totosai and his bull. She gave a slight giggle as she walked out of the door to almost get bull doused by her eleven year old brother who was steadily beginning to surpass her in height.
"Hey, Souta! Don't be such a pig! It'll all be there when we get to the table you little gaki, so calm down," Kagome said as he stopped at the top of the staircase to pull his bottom eyelid down as he stuck his tongue out at her.
"You little gaki!" Kagome said as she gave a half hearted chase of him down the steps. She knew she could catch him if she was truly angry, but it was fun to goof around with her brother now and then.
"Souta, Kagome, stop rough housing in the house. Dinner is set, and we don't want it to get cold," Kagome's mother said with a sweet voice that held a slight reprimanding tone in it, and as always, they quickly stopped and made their way to the table.
"Gomenasai, kaa-san," Kagome and Souta said together as their jii-chan made his way to the kotatsu. Sitting at the head of the kotatsu as he always did, and as they always did, before they began any meal, their jii-chan began a prayer to Kami as a thank you for their meal. Then when he was done, and began eating, they would follow.
"Arigatou, kaa-san," Kagome and Souta said at the same time again as they began to dig in their share of food.
"Ano, so, jii-chan, where were you all day? I haven't seen you since I got up. You are usually the first one up. Though onee-san has been taking that position lately," Souta said as he took a bite of one of his boiled eggs.
Though their grandfather seemed reluctant to say anything as he made eye contact with Kagome's mother. They seemed to share a silent understanding that went over the heads of the two younger people at the table.
"Well, Souta my boy, you know your jii-san is a very busy man, so I was just tying up some loose strings with an old friend of mine," The man said with a slight hint of mystery as he made sure not to reveal too much information.
"What kind of business?" Souta asked carelessly. Though everyone at the table knew there was nothing careless about that question. Souta was becoming quite the little sneak, and although, Kagome would have went about it differently than her brother, he was still learning.
"Well, since it doesn't concern you, I am not obligated to say, but since it does involve Kagome, your curiosity does help me quite a bit since I didn't know how to go about starting this conversation," This certainly got Kagome's attention as she lightly placed down her utensils.
"Me?" Kagome said slightly suspicious since her mother and her jii-chan seemed to be fidgeting quite a bit. For some reason, that made the food in Kagome's throat drop to the pit of her stomach as she also began to fidget.
"Well, hai, I would say it has a lot to do with you since it is concerning your betrothal," And boy was Kagome lucky she had decided to set down her eating utensils and such, or the nicely patterned china her mother had had for years would have ended up landing on the wooded floor and breaking in half.
"NANI!"
After Dinner
To say that Kagome was shocked, was an understatement of the year. She was mortified, yet at the same time she was in complete awe at how her mother and grandfather had completely under minded her right to choose the man she was to marry.
What if she had still been in love with Inuyasha? Which she still was, but what if she hadn't had the courage to leave him? She would have felt so betrayed, and she probably would have run away to be with him at the time. Actually, now that she thought about, she used to be quite love sick.
After dinner, as always when dealing with 'adult' matters, or matters Kagome is dealing with, Souta was sent to his room in a huff, but everyone, even Souta, knew he would be. Though now, her mother and grandfather sat in front of her quietly fidgeting, and she didn't quite understand why. The secret was out now, so why were they so huffy?
"Kagome, I just want you to know that me and your jii-chan still love you, and this isn't us trying to get rid of you," Kagome's mother said as she placed a hand on Kagome's. Kagome hadn't even thought of it that way, but now that actually made her begin to wonder. Had her depression caused this? She was getting better though! She really was!
"Infact, Kagome, this engagement has been in the works for many years. Even before your kaa-san married my son," Kagome's grandfather said as he looked slightly off at the window. Not really facing Kagome anymore.
"You see Kagome, the father of the boy you are engaged to, owed your father alot of money. They had been students under the same master, and they were great friends. That's why your father didn't have the heart to take that much amount of money from him. Though the amount was also too great for him to just ignore," Kagome's mother said softly.
"That's when the two came up with an idea that could benefit both of them. They agreed that each of their eldest children would marry as long as each was of the opposite gender from the other, and surprisingly, you two are not only of the opposite gender, but you are the same age," Kagome's grandfather said with a little too much glee.
"So what exactly are you saying? That I have to marry this guy?" Kagome said with outrage as she stared at her mother and grandfather with agitation. She had just gotten over the fact that she had lost Inuyasha and the gang, and she was about to lose another family.
"Yes, that was what was agreed upon, and that was the contract that was signed by your father and this young boy's father," Kagome's mother said as Kagome just stared. What could she do to stop this? How? There was no point in crying or screaming. This was a legal document that binded her to this boy, and she had to find a loophole.
"Is there anyway I can get out of it?" Kagome asked hopefully. It was best to stay calm in this sort of situation. If she blew it out of proportion, she would never know how to get out of this. Plus, she had seen and been through much worse.
"Well, I'm not su..." Kagome's mother started but was interrupted.
"Hai, if you are asking if there is a loop hole, then I can say there is," Her grandfather interrupted as Kagome's mother looked at him shocked. He seemed to expect this as he kept his eyes trained on Kagome.
"Tou-san, why didn't you tell me about this?" Kagome's mother asked, and Kagome was wondering the same thing. If she could get out of it, wouldn't he grandpa want to allow her the chance to marry who she pleases?
"I didn't tell you because it is in the contract. I can tell you of the loop hole, but I can't tell you what it is dealing with, or how it can be done. Not until Kagome has met the boy and spent substantial amount of time with him," Kagome was listening to her grandfather when the last part he said caught her attention.
"Nani? What do you mean substantial amount of time?" Kagome asked as she stared at her mother and grandfather. Though in no way did she like the reaction she received from them.
"Well, Kagome, that's really what we want to tell you. Kagome, you will be going on a journey across Tokyo starting tomorrow to travel to your husband to be," It just kept on getting weirder and weirder the more they talked.
"Kuso, this is getting weirder and weirder," Kagome said without realizing.
"Kagome, watch your mouth! Though you are quite right. What kind of person was this friend, tou-san?" Kagome's mother asked, and Kagome's grandfather gave one of the most joy filled laughters Kagome had ever seen, and his old and wise face lit up with a genuine smile.
"Genma, oh, Genma. He was one of your father's best friends, and he was quite the martial artist as well. Few could match his prowess and honor," Kagome's grandfather described, and Kagome was imagining a tall good looking man trudging through difficulties as he saved the life of a child and his mother. What a man this Genma must have been?
"Wow, tou-san. This Genma must have been quite the hero," Kagome's mother said. Imagining something similar to what Kagome was thinking. Only she imagined him saving a bus full of helpless children as it crashed into the depths of the ocean.
"Meh, actually he's a low down dirty skeeming piece of scum who I wouldn't spit on if he was on fire," Kagome's grandfather said as she and her mother face dropped on the carpeted floor.
"Wow, what a great man he must be?" Kagome said sarcastically as she set herself back on the couch, and she surprised herself. Maybe, it wasn't such a bad idea to leave. In fact, the idea was getting more and more appealing to her; however, there was one thing.
"Hey, jii-chan, how come this son of Genma doesn't come here? Why do I have to go to him?" Kagome asked as her grandfather looked at her. Seemingly unsurprised by the question.
"Well, Genma is such a retched old man that he has probably totally forgotten about the contract, and the boy probably doesn't even know he's engaged to you," Kagome's grandfather said as she and her mother looked at him with utter shock. What kind of man was this Genma?
"What the heck kind of father is this Genma? From what you say, he's a little scumming thief who wouldn't spend a dime to save his son from a betrothal! If the boy doesn't even know, why do I have to go to him?" Kagome said as she imagined what Genma's son must have been like if he was raised by such a man.
"Hai, all of what you said is true, but just because Genma is a retched man, doesn't mean we should not honor the contract that your father signed. Kagome, this is for your father, it is what he had wanted, and what he had agreed to. He wouldn't want you to disobey it," Kagome's mother said as Kagome looked at her.
Kagome knew her mother was right. It would be totally disrespectful to her father and to her honor if she were to ignore her father's wishes. Though this son of Genma didn't seem like he would be the best fiancé in the world, she still had to do it. For her family.
"Hai jii-chan. I will most definitely do it then. At least until you tell me the loophole for the contract. Well, I guess I will be leaving. However, where will I be staying?" Kagome asked as she looked at them both.
"You will be staying with Genma and his boy of course! Where else would you be staying?" Kagome's grandfather said as he looked at her.
"You will also be finishing out your high school career there. I have already succeeded in transferring you, and you will begin school the Monday after you arrive at Genma's,"Kagome's mother said as Kagome lowered her head.
She just wanted time to stop. While she had coped with the idea that she was engaged and that she would be leaving, it still felt like it was all happening too fast. Just as it had when she had first began her quest in the Sengoku Jidai. She just wanted her life to slow down for once, and it didn't seem like she would ever get that.
A silence in the room had settled around them, and Kagome was still trying to wrap her head on the idea and on how easily she had accepted this. Before she went to the Sengoku Jidai, she probably would have resisted to the end. She would have caused an unnecessary scene that would have been pointless since she was going to end up going anyways.
Though Kagome still couldn't take the eyes that she felt trained on her as if she was going to just get up and go on a rampage. She had matured from that young girl she once was. She knew when her battle was lost. Not as to say she was going to just give up and marry this boy, but she was going to play it by wits not emotions.
Kagome stood up suddenly after a few more minutes of contemplation. Slightly surprising her grandfather and mother. Kagome just stood their staring out at the wall above their heads before she began walking towards the staircase. Taking one step before she went up there to get some rest before her journey.
"Before I go to bed, I would like to know the name of my fiancé," Kagome said softly. Suddenly tired, and emotionally drained. Though she had learned a long time ago how to contain when she was tired or exhausted, so of course her mother and grandfather were fooled.
"Ranma. His name is Saotome Ranma."
AN: Rip: Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett, and Ed McMahon.
Yes this is a new story, and an Inuyasha one at that. One I haven't done for awhile. The Ranma I picture is the one BEFORE Inuyasha's voice actor joined. So picture Ranma's first voice actor.
Read, Review, and JA NE!