I feel like a complete idiot.

Eyes shut and muscles tensed, Marathon stood outside motionless. It took several minutes for her to forget her own thoughts and concentrate on what was around her. From what she could tell, the wind was blowing east because of the tall blades of grass that rippled against her skin. A smell twisted its way by her nose, one of overcooked pork chops and some form of pasta, that was obviously coming from the house and it took even more concentration to stop planning a menu in her head.

The temperature dropped with each wind gust. An unpleasant scratching feeling brushed over her bare arms, and to warm up slightly she brought them up to her chest and rubbed them with her arms. This entire thing is stupid. How am I supposed to find the mutt with my eyes closed. I think he is losing it. Why in the hell am I listening to a guy who slurps up ramen like its an olympic sport and then burps like he grew up in the woods. Her right eye twiched. Oh yeah, that's because he did.

Her ears twitched when some branches broke to the west of her. She turned her head, and an almost sadistic smile came onto her face. She cracked her knuckles, extended her claws, and, stepping lightly, approached the source of the noise with her eyes still shut. I've got you now... Marathon's heart pounded in excitement as the crackling nose got louder and louder.

Then she was knocked flat on her face by an pouncing inu hanyou from the opposite direction.

"What the?" Marathon twisted over and her eyes sprung open to see InuYasha's smug grin looming over her. He pinned her securely, his knees pressed against her legs and his arms pinning hers to the ground.

"You've got a lot to learn," InuYasha scoffed obnoxiously. He lifted his head and caught a whiff of the roasted meat and smiled. "Smells good."

"Are you going to get off of me any time soon?"

"No, I was thinking of having you pinned for the next hour to see how you react."

"I hate you."

"Wow. And to think your opinion of me is so high in comparison to what I think of you."

Marathon glared a hole through InuYasha's head and rested her head on her left side. She was pissed, royally, but she couldn't hate the guy no matter how much she wanted to. His ivory hair hung in her face and was tickling the hell out of her nose. She sneezed, and InuYasha sprung back off of her.

"Achhh! Gross. Can't you cover your mouth, cat?" InuYasha hurriedly tried to wipe the snot from his hair.

Marathon sat up and did her best not to laugh, and of course it failed. She fell back on the grass and laughed long and hard, and this time it was InuYasha with the twitching brow.

"That's what you get. Sorry I didn't cover up, but my arms were pinned to the ground by some stinky hound. Maybe you should talk to him, his name is InuYasha." She finally got to her feet and dusted off the grass clippings from her black pants.

InuYasha paused a moment and looked the catgirl over. She had long black pants with several chains on them, and a black tank top with a a white, bloodied heart printed in the middle. Her claws/fingernails were painted black with red tips, and there were several black ribbons hanging from her dark brown hair.

Marathon noticed InuYasha's staring and turned her back to him. What a weirdo. She took out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and slipped a stick out in one fluid motion. She produced a lighter from her pocket, and just as she was about to light up InuYasha snatched it away with one claw.

"This again? No wonder you couldn't get me. My scent was all over the place and you still didn't find me. Its those damn poison sticks that are screwing up your senses."

"Oh ha ha. My uncle said I could smoke to my hearts content as long as I don't pull out anything illegal. If you wanna change the rules, fine, but its either one or the other." She flipped a strand of hair out of her face and turned her head just enough to stare at InuYasha evilly.

The dog hanyou rolled his eyes at Marathon's cruel looks, and swiped her entire pack out of her hand. "The rules ARE different."

"Things are a lot more leniant in Japan, so stop sniffing my ass."

"Yeah but this is the Higurashi household, and you are going to follow those rules. Keep doing this shit, keep screwing up your body, and you know whats gonna happen. Those demons who are after us are going to sneak up on you, eat you alive, and then kill the rest of your family. I can't protect everybody myself damnit.." InuYasha growled softly as his claws tore through the box and snapped several cigarettes in half. "The whole world's on my shoulders and I'm sick of it, so start pitching in. I said I need your help, what else do you want me to say."

Marathin nodded and reflected on their earlier conversation. "Yeah, I was actually flattered."

InuYasha nodded in response and held his sore side. "Its been getting worse lately. This pain, I don't know what it is..not exactly at least."

Its happening again.. Marathon's hand rested on InuYasha's where it touched his side. "Did you injure yourself?" She asked, not wanting him to know she noticed him clutching his side before.

"No, its something else. Its like my entire body is scared of something. Either way, Ms. Higurashi and Souta are home so I'm going to get something to eat. Afterwards we are going to go back to some serious training. Then we are going to get you a patch?"

"What patch?"

"I don't know, Souta told me it stopped people from smoking. " He started to the door and held it open for her, his hands in his pockets. He wore large, oversized jeans, the closest modern equivalent to his pants that he could find, and his semi-traditional red t-shirt. With his cap on, Marathon swore he looked like a normal punked out teenager, and standing in just the right position to be considered attractive.

Now, most of her concentration was used to keep herself from blushing.

Inside, Souta, his mother, and his grandfather were sitting down at the table. All at once, their eyes moved over to the two entering hanyous, and caused them both to stop in their tracks.

"What?" They both asked in unison.

"You guys have any luck with your training?" Ms. Higurashi asked in her normal soft tone.

" I wish" InuYasha snorted as he grabbed a chair at the dinner table. "But the cat here is so stupid, not to mention polluted, that she wouldn't last five seconds in my time."

"What did you say?" Marathon growled through clenched teeth as she got a seat opposite InuYasha. "I don't believe that was a dare, was it?"

"Maybe it was, but just forget it. I'm not having your blood on my hands."

"Are you calling me a weakling?"

"Now you are catching on."

Marathon filled her plate to distract her from her anger and stuffed her food in her face. Just because I can't sense his smelly behind doesn't mean I'm helpless. If he keeps talking someone will have to protect him from me.

"You know, InuYasha, " Grandpa stretched and set his utensils down, "If you want to take Marathon back to your time for some training, I think I can keep any dark spirits away with my charms for at least a day."

"I don't know. I'm not planning to turn my back on anyone again…" InuYasha's voice softened almost to a whisper at the end of his statement. That's all it took for me to lose Kagome, I can't let the rest of them down too.

"Umm…" Marathon sensed something up with the Inu-hanyou. I hate it when he gets like this. Yell at me, scream at me, just don't give me that "Im a puppy and they are going to put me to sleep look.." She grumbled to herself for even feeling sorry for the jerk, but knew she couldn't help it. Finally, an idea popped into her head, and she acted on it. She kicked him in the shin under the table.

InuYasha sprang to his feet. "What the hell was that?"

Marathon stifled a laugh. "Nothing."

He sat back down and Marathon, as if on cue, kicked him again.

"Will you cut that out?" InuYasha was fuming now, and Marathon responded by sticking her tongue out at him.

"You are nothing but a pampered brat who knows nothing of her heritage.." InuYasha stood up, but kept his ramen in hand. He slurped up the last of it and licked his fangs clean before continuing. "If you think you can hold up the fort Gramps, go ahead. I think its time Marathon here was educated."

Souta had to blink twice on this one. He had never seen InuYasha with purpose in his eye, normally he would lounge around and complain but this time he seemed dedicated to something. Additionally, this purpose was giving him the means to cope with the loss of Kagome.

"I think it's a great idea," Souta spoke up and took a sip of his soda. "You can tell me what its like over there, Marathon, I've always wanted to know."

"Fine, I'll go, but just to prove to InuYasha that he has no idea what he's talking about. Lets go, mutt." She grabbed a rice ball and was about to leave before Grandpa raised his hand.

"I think you two should do me a favor first. I have a couple errands for you to run, if you could help out an old man it would be greatly appreciated."

Ms. Higurashi nodded to her father and got out the list, "You mean this one, dad?"

"Yes, that one. Hand it over to InuYasha."

InuYasha took the list out of her hand and stared at it. "Er…."

"You can read, can't you?" Marathon crossed her arms and looked over at the list.

"…some. But you can't talk, you can't read Japanese?"

"So.."

"Okay okay…" Grandpa took out another sheet of paper and began to write. "I'll give it to you in English so you can read it Marathon. When you are done with all my errands, then you can go back to the feudal era and begin your training. I'll keep a look out, so we will be fine."

"I'll protect mom and grandpa, don't worry about us, InuYasha." Souta said as reassuringly as he could.

"I guess so." InuYasha took the new list and shoved it to Marathon. "Lets be done with this, I don't feel like hanging out with you all day. "

"I don't feel like hanging out with you at all." Marathon stepped on his foot as she walked ahead of him.

What a bitch. InuYasha grabbed his ballcap and stuck it securely on his head. Marathon checked to make sure hers wouldn't fall off.

As soon as the hanyous left, both mother and son looked at Grandpa.

"Dad," Ms. Higurashi inquired, "I was going to do those tomorrow, why send them out to do it now?"

"I have a feeling things will become much more dangerous in the times ahead. However, if those two never learn to work together, even at the small things, then we will not fair well."

Hearing this, Souta looked down at his plate. "So, you think we will be okay by ourselves."

"I'll make sure of it," Grandpa responded, in as confident a voice as he could muster.