Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story (and Hikari) belongs to me.

Hikari Tales:

The Pretty Miko Lady

Hikari's Haunting

"Don't call my Mommy names!" yelled Hikari. "Being soft is good! TV says so!"

Kagome laughed at her daughter's words. How had she already been brainwashed into thinking everything on television was truth? She turned the corner to go into the living room and dropped her laundry basket.

Hikari was alone. Alone and crouched into a fighting pose.

Kikyo.

Impossible.

Kagome had taken her children to her mothers in the future, leaving a brief message with a sleepy and confused Miroku in the middle of the night. Never in a million years would Kagome have thought that Inuyasha's first love would be back. And how was it possible she could find her way HERE?

"I won't play with you anymore if you say that again," said the little girl with a growl, a low threatening pitch. "You have to be nice! 'Ugly' is a mean word. Take it back!"

The first attempt at speaking Kagome made failed with a squeak. Then she cleared her throat and tried again.

"Hikari, sweetie... who are you talking to?"

Hikari glared at a spot near her as she sunk to the floor in silence. Kagome rubbed her arms, suddenly cold, as she tried to walk calmly to her daughter instead of making a mad dash to her and scaring the little girl. She crouched down next to Hikari and touched her shoulder with trembling fingers.

"It's okay baby, you can tell me."

"She said not to," Hikari whispered and she crossed her arms and drew herself into a small ball as she threw a dirty look to the same spot. "I don't keep secrets from Mommy," she hissed in a whisper.

Slowly Kagome drew Hikari into her arms and kissed the top of her head. "That's right, baby," she cooed to her daughter as she slowly stood and turned. "No secrets." Her heart beat so hard it hurt.

The window...

There was a reflection of a woman standing behind her in the window! An angry woman in shadows. Careful not to run, Kagome kept her eyes on the figure and moved to the stairs. She had to get her son. She had to get out of here.

Hikari laid her head on her mother's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her neck as they slowly climbed the stairs. "You're not ugly," she assured her mother before giving her a kiss on her cheek. She stuck out her tongue at the emptiness behind them. "And I'M NOT EITHER!"

"You are my beautiful baby," Kagome tried to say with a light voice, but she was afraid it cracked just a little.

"I LOVE MY EARS. MY DADDY HAS EARS LIKE MINE AND HE'S AWESOME!"

Kagome closed her eyes tightly to try to keep from crying. What was this monster saying to an innocent little girl? "Your daddy is awesome," she said hoarsly, "And so are you."

Hikari started growling and staring behind them. At the top of the stairs Kagome turned around. Her breathing was labored, and her heart was thundering. Terrified? Yes. But this ghost was seriously starting to make her angry, too.

"You leave my daughter alone," she yelled down the stairs. "Leave my family alone!"

"She's just sad," Hikari tried to explain reasonably. "She thinks you stole her family. She said I'm supposed to be hers."

No.

Oh NO.

No no no no.

She did NOT just say that!

"You..."

But before Kagome could finish her threat, the lights went out. She held on to Hikari tighter as she backed up until she came into contact with the wall. Was it always so dark in the house without lights? For some reason the inky darkness seemed… thicker. Darker.

"I think she's mad," Hikari said, again in a very reasonable voice.

"Hikari..." Kagome whispered into her daughters ear as she started feeling the little girl's necklace of beads until she found the special charmed one and twisted, "When we get your little brother... do you think you can take us to your daddy?"

Hikari was still for a moment, then she nodded. "We should get Yoshi," she said quietly. "Now."

Not wasting another moment, Kagome hurried to her son's nursery. She didn't need lights to find her way, this had been her home, after all. She had grown up here. This place was burned into her memories. She could walk it blindfolded. Now she just needed to run.

Almost there.

Hang on.

Just another moment.

Inuyasha...

Oh Inuyasha... come home.

Please come home.

Almost there six more steps almost there hang on baby we're almost there...

BAM!

Kagome screamed as the door to the nursery slammed shut, hitting her in the nose. Yoshio started screaming from the other side. Kagome pulled and twisted the doorknob, but it wouldn't move.

"Yoshi! Hang on, sweetie! Its okay, its okay. Mommy will be right there. Good boy!"

Kagome yanked at the door, but it didn't move. She tried kicking the door. Ramming her shoulder into the door. Frantically she tried to remember what was nearby that she might be able to use to knock down the door.

"She said its not fair that you get two babies and she doesn't get any."

"Thats." Whack. "Not." Shove. "My." Kick. "Fault!"

Kagome's blood turned to ice at Hikari's next words... It was the first time she ever heard fear in her daughter's voice.

"Yoshio. She's going to take my Yoshi."

Hikari screamed in anger and pushed herself from her mother. She attacked the door with claws and teeth, screaming her brother's name as her mother cried out and continued to beat at the door.

Yoshio panicked them both by falling silent.

It was too dark to see, but Kagome could feel the magic pulse as her daughter transformed from little girl to full demon with a roar unlike any other she ever heard. Together they broke down the door…

…and the lights came back on.

Yoshio was smiling at them from his crib.

Kagome's knees sagged, dropping to the ground and sobbing in relief.

Still in dog demon form, shrinking slowly as she ran to her small dog form, Hikari leapt into her brothers crib and circled him three times. Satisfied he was okay, she let herself become human once more. She put her arms around her little brother and told him that big sister was there now and he was safe. No one could hurt them.

"Yoshi is safe, Mommy," she said happily.

"Mommy?"

Hikari peeked over the side of the crib.

The hallway was dark once again... and there was no sign of their mother.

"Mommy?"

Laughter filled the air. But it wasn't Mommy.

"We need Daddy."

Hikari held on to her little brother, and they disappeared.

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Author's Note:

Thank you again for your reviews, they are much appreciated.

Oh, and before I forget to mention it, I can't write back to a response if you aren't logged in.