Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, so don't sue me!

Yays, I got some reviews for this story, including one from another story! XD

After the debut chapter, here's the next one!

When Kaede rose in the morning and began to cook breakfast, Kaoru sat up and stretched, her wings spreading their full length behind her. She forgot about how open her yukata was as she stretched, yet Kaede only greeted, "Good morning, Chinmoku. How did ye sleep?"

Kaoru paused in her stretches. "Chinmoku"? It fits me, since it means "silence". She shrugged and stood, walking to the door and drawing the straw-woven "door" aside, looking at the sunrise, even though it didn't hurt her eyes nearly as much as bright lights at night. She felt a breeze blow across her bare skin and looked down, seeing her chest was completely exposed. She turned red, and then shook her head. It doesn't matter if they think I'm a boy. It's not like there's anything to cover up here. Another reason why I was thought as ugly: I have no boobs, in fact, I have quite the chiseled set of pectorals. I'm sure it's because I haven't hit puberty yet. I've had my growth spurt, being a normal height for a sixteen-year-old, but my hips are as narrow as ever, no acne, no signs that my body is maturing. I think the only thing that changed since my childhood is that I get embarrassed with my body not being covered. Here, it doesn't matter, because no one knows I'm a girl.

"Chinmoku? Breakfast is ready."

The teenage girl turned back into the hut and ate another bowl of soup, not even bothering to cover herself, since she was completely dry now. As she ate, Kaede was looking her over.

"Your hair seems painfully short, even for a boy. Did something happen to it?"

It isn't pleasant for me to think about why my hair is short, but it does fit my male image better than if my hair were to be the normal length it had been, to the middle of my back. Kaoru nodded, her eyes on her food.

"I see by your expression that it wasn't a pleasant experience."

You could say that.

They went out and walked amongst the villagers, who looked at the girl's pure white wings with awe. She heard the murmurs as she passed, although she tried to ignore them.

"When I first saw him, I thought he was a yokai, but those pure wings couldn't belong anything but a kami from the heavens."

"Yes, they are beautiful."

"He surely is a kami come to live among us."

Everyone bowed and began to pray. Kaoru almost choked as she ran to catch up to Kaede, feeling acutely mortified by the display. I'm no kami…why would I be? I haven't heard any kami in any religion with wings like mine. I'm just a tenshi, not someone to be worshipped like they're doing, but how am I supposed to get the point across? Going through a game of charades would be stupid, and I'm no good at that game. Why, why, why did I have to fall to the least educated part of the population? She shook her head, sighing. I guess there's no helping it.

The next thing they did was wash her clothes of all the dried mud, which wasn't easy. Kaoru scrubbed just hard enough that the dirt was released from her jeans. She took a breath in relief and shook the water from them. I just know that they'll dry stiff without a dryer. I wish I could salvage them, but how can I? Jeans don't do well when air-dried.

She hung them near the fire they'd lit and she began to wipe the caked mud off her tennis shoes. She was so intent on her work she didn't notice Kaede standing up and going over to the path they'd traveled to get to this river.

"Kaede! It's so good to see you!" a girl's voice greeted.

"Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Shippo, Miroku, welcome back," Kaede greeted back in a warm tone. "There is someone I want ye to meet that arrived at the village last night." The old miko turned and called, "Chinmoku? Would ye come over here?"

Kaoru looked up to see an odd group of people: a girl around her age in a school uniform, a young man who looked a little older than her with long silver hair, white dog ears poking out of his hair, yellow eyes, long claws instead of fingernails, wearing all red and barefoot, a monk holding some kind of staff, a girl who looked like a ninja with a two-tailed cat on her shoulder and a large boomerang on her back, and a young boy who had red hair, vivid green eyes, pointed ears and a fluffy tail that was almost as big as he was. She blinked and tilted her head as she walked over. This is quite the odd group traveling each other. I wonder who they are.

"Everyone, this is Chinmoku," Kaede introduced, placing a hand on her bare shoulder.

"By 'chinmoku', do you mean 'silence'?" the monk asked.

"Yes, and it suits him well. Ever since he arrived, he hasn't said a word."

The dog-eared young man came over to her and sniffed, his ears flattening as he began taking in deep breaths. "I can't smell him. He doesn't have a scent at all!"

"Inuyasha, that's rude to suddenly sniff someone!" the ninja girl reprimanded.

"What do you mean, Inuyasha?" the small boy asked, jumping onto his elder's shoulder and sniffing as well. "Hey, he's right! Chinmoku doesn't have a scent!"

"Shippo!" the brown-haired ninja groaned.

"It seems that they've discovered an enigma Sango," the monk observed. "His aura is quite strong and unbridled, pure, like a monk's."

Um…this is weird. I guess I'm the first one they've met that doesn't have a scent and has an "aura", whatever that is. Kaoru jerked when Shippo jumped onto her shoulder and grabbed at the base of her wing.

"Look, Inuyasha! He has wings, and they're the whitest I've ever seen!"

Her eyes nearly bugged out when Inuyasha ran around her and grabbed both her wings, spreading them out.

"What the hell are you, kid? You're not a yokai, ningen or hanyo, from what I can tell!"

The schoolgirl came over and scolded, "You guys, leave him alone! You're making him uncomfortable!"

"Oh come on, Kagome! You did the same thing when you first met me!" Inuyasha countered. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about touching these soft-as-silk wings!"

Kagome sighed and shook her head. "Inuyasha, don't make me say it."

Inuyasha stiffened and let Kaoru's wings drop. "All right, all right! I'll behave!"

"Thank you. Shippo, come here, quit pestering him."

Shippo jumped over to Kagome. The raven-haired young woman bowed and greeted, "I'm Higurashi Kagome. Sorry for all my companions' antics, they're excited to meet someone so unique. As you might've noticed, Inuyasha is a Dog hanyo, Shippo is a Fox yokai, Kirara is a two-tailed yokai Cat, Miroku is a monk, and Sango is a yokai slayer. Could you tell us what you are?"

Kaoru shrugged, not sure how to communicate what she thought she was. If only they knew how to read…then again, maybe Kagome knows how. She held out her hand, and Kagome put hers into it, only to gasp when Kaoru began to write in her palm.

"Huh? Are you writing kanji?"

Kaoru nodded, beginning again.

"Do…you…have…a…pencil…and…paper?" Kagome read, then her eyes lit up. "Yes, I do! Just a moment!"

From an enormous backpack, Kagome brought out a mechanical pencil and a spiral notebook. "Here, I hope it's not too confu—"

She watched in shock as Kaoru clicked the pencil and wrote on the paper with a speed and grace that had everyone in the group gaping. She finished and turned it to Kagome so she could read it. Kagome took it and began to read aloud.

" 'From what I can see, in my former life, I lived in your time, Kagome. I was given a second chance at life as a tenshi after a premature death at sixteen. At the time being, that is all I wish to reveal.' "

"What the hell? He lived in 'the present'?" Inuyasha exclaimed.

Kaoru turned back to her cleaning and put one clean tennis shoe down to dry and picked up the other.

"It has to be true, look at how neat his writing is, almost if not better than Kagome-sama's," Miroku pointed out.

"And those clothes," Sango added. "I've only seen clothes like those from Kagome's time."

Kagome lifted the jeans and blinked. "These are all dry and they don't feel like they air-dried."

Kaoru stood and looked at all her clothes: dry as if they'd never been wet. I guess that's all part of being what I am now. Once my other shoe is clean, it's time to change. She folded her clothes and scrubbed her shoe, before holding up a finger and disappearing into the trees.

"What's he being modest for?" Inuyasha demanded. "It's not like there's much left to hide after all he had exposed."

"Inuyasha, you're gross!" Kagome squealed. "Not all guys are completely without shame when around members of the opposite sex!"

"I'm thankful Chinmoku-kun's not a shameless man. One less person to worry about," Sango tacked on. "I wonder what caused his death at sixteen. If he was given a second chance, it must've been horrible."

Kaoru finished changing and folded the yukata, stepping back out into the small clearing by the stream.

Miroku stared the most at her. "That is quite the change in appearance. I think that he looks better this way."

Kagome stepped over and smiled. "I can really tell now that you were from my time. Why is it that you can't speak?"

Kaoru took the spiral notebook and wrote below her previous words. She then handed it over to the other girl.

" 'That is a very personal question. I'm sorry, it's something I don't want to answer right now.' "

Sango smiled and came over, patting the male-looking girl's shoulder. "I think all of us have our secrets, Chinmoku-kun." Her smile turned playful as she reached up and twirled a lock of the burnt orange hair. "I think your hair is very nice cut short. It suits you, makes you look even more handsome than if it were longer."

Kaoru felt her stomach clench. Is she…flirting with me? No, no, no, NO! NOT GOING THERE! I'm nothing if not straight! I like boys! But…since they think I'm a boy, if I try to pick up any guys, they'll think I'm gay! Why did I have to be born with such an androgynous body?

Kaede sensed that Kaoru was nervous and placed a hand on Sango's shoulder. "Sango, you're frightening the boy. Please, let us retire to my home so we may relax."

Everyone followed her, Sango's playful look making Kaoru squirm. This is going to be terrible until they leave again, even though it would be nice to travel with someone who can read. Maybe I can use someone as a shield against Sango's attraction. Then again, maybe claiming to like men might disgust her enough that she'll leave me alone.

As she sat down next to Kagome, Sango sat down on her other side, not taking her eyes off her. Kaoru looked towards the ceiling, only for Sango to squeal and slap Miroku. Okay…what just happened? Maybe I might be able to use this to my advantage.

"Miroku, keep your hands to yourself!" the yokai slayer shouted.

"But my cursed hand always has to feel your firm behind Sango-sama," the monk claimed, rubbing the red handprint on his cheek. "If Chinmoku was a girl, I would've done the same thing."

Sango snorted. "I wouldn't doubt you'd also ask 'her' to bear your child."

Kaoru shook her head. If only they knew. I guess I should use him as my shield should Sango have the need to— Sango leaned her head on her shoulder. —too late. Why me?

Kaoru did the only thing she could think of, she jumped up (making Sango fall onto the floor) and sat between Kagome and Inuyasha.

"Ow! What happened?" Sango demanded as she rubbed the side of her head.

"It seems that Chinmoku does not like the closeness Sango," Kaede answered as she stirred the contents of the cooking pot. "He decided to move to a safer place."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and leaned away. "What kind of guy are you, not liking that a girl's flirting with you?" He flinched as he thought of something. "No, that can't be it."

Kagome raised her eyebrows. "What, Inuyasha? Did you think of something strange?"

Inuyasha blushed and muttered, "I thought that he might not swing that way."

Miroku began to chuckle behind his hand, Sango turned red in humiliation (for flirting with a guy who didn't like girls), Shippo rolled his eyes, Kaede sighed and Kagome giggled as she replied, "That's terrible, Inuyasha! What would make you think that?"

"It just popped into my head, okay? It's the only explanation that made sense!" the hanyo cried, cheeks turning deeper red as his ears flattened against his skull.

Kaede broke the humorous atmosphere with an explanation of her own. "Perhaps Chinmoku is shy and doesn't wish to be courted by anyone at the time being. I doubt that he is of that preference, are ye, Chinmoku?"

If you're saying that I'm not lesbian, then no. I don't swing that way, just like Inuyasha said. Kaoru shook her head.

"There, you see? All ye have to do is ask him and he'll answer. Just because he is mute does not mean he doesn't have an opinion."

Shippo jumped on Kaoru's shoulder and whispered, "I'm sorry I picked at your wings without permission. Do you forgive me?"

Kaoru nodded and patted his head. He's cute, and I wonder how soft his tail is. I shouldn't just grab it, after what he did to me. Do unto others as others would do unto you. The golden rule is what I've been striving to master, so I can always get better by not thinking of revenge or doing things impulsively.

Sango, who was still flushed in embarrassment, bowed to her unknown fellow girl and apologized, "I'm sorry I threw myself at you, Chinmoku-kun. Can we still be friends?"

Kaoru nodded and smiled. Of course. I'd like to have a friend once I decide to come out with the fact that I'm actually a female.

Kirara jumped over to sit on her lap and curled up, purring as Kaoru began to pet her. I really like animals, and these yokais seem to be animals with ningen-like intelligence. If I were to have a preference, I would say that I like canine type animals the best: wolves, foxes, dogs, because of how playful they can be if in their comfort zone. She peeked at Inuyasha, who still had his arms crossed as he stared at the fire, his ears relaxed now. I want to scratch behind his ears, just to see if his leg would bounce, but I can tell I would never get permission. He doesn't seem the type to be teased and let people get away with it.

His head snapped in her direction and he demanded, "What the hell are you staring at me for? Keep your damn eyes to yourself!"

She shook with silent laughter. I was right. He would be very angry if I asked, if he doesn't like being stared at, even.

Kagome whispered in her ear, "Inuyasha has a chip on his shoulder about people staring at him. He's a really nice person in his own way once you get to know him."

Kaoru smiled and couldn't wait to get to know these people better.

She's already made friends with Inuyasha's group...then again, she is the type to make acquaintances quickly, but actually trusting people...that's going to be a challenge.

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