Times of Change

Disclaimer:  Inuyasha and all of its characters don't belong to me.  Neither does Kurama (he's from the cast of Yu Yu Hakusho).  This isn't a crossover as he's the only character from that series in this.  Why?  You'll find out later.  *grins* I do claim all original characters though, even the bad ones.  Well that about wraps it up, let me know what you think at the end!

Author's Note - Umm… usually to show that they're using mind speech I bold and italize the words but since I couldn't get it to do that on this chapter.  blah will stand for that.

Okay, I forgot to add a few things.

Learian Words and their translated/loosely translated meanings:

Kreelie- idiot

Tione- sister

Tionto- brother

Chapter 7:  Hard Learned Lessons

            "You can't leave!"  Inuyasha yelled at Kagome.

            "I have to go home!  I need to study so I can pass all of my tests!"  She yelled back.

            "Feh!  If you weren't so stupid you wouldn't have to study!  Too bad you're not like Kikyo."  He taunted.

            Kagome gasped softly and her eyes filled with tears.  Why couldn't he understand?  Why did he always throw the fact that Kikyo was better than she was in her face?  She didn't even have the heart to 'sit' him.  "I'm not stupid."  She said softly instead.

            "You could have fooled me."  Inuyasha stated and Kagome fought back the tears that were threatening to overspill onto her face.

            "Enough!"  Kurama growled and stepped between the two and glared icily at Inuyasha.  "Kagome, go and study for your tests.  Destiny should be able to help you considering the fact that she actually likes school."  He said without taking his gaze off of Inuyasha's.

            "Hey!  I didn't say that she could-" Inuyasha started to yell but was interrupted by Kurama.

            "And no one was asking you if she could go home.  Now shut your mouth and keep it shut till they leave unless you have something civil to say."  He said coldly and held the hanyou's gaze a few moments more before turning to Kagome.  Destiny stood right behind her and had her hand on the girl's shoulder comfortingly as did Sango.  "Go on now little tione, and take Sango with you if she wants to go as well."  Sango nodded and he smiled at her before directing his gaze to Destiny.  She walked over to him and Kurama held her tightly for a moment before skimming his lips over hers in a loving manner and murmured something in a language that they didn't know.  When Destiny replied in kind he kissed her for real and then let her go.

            "Don't stay gone too long."  He asked simply and all three of the girls smiled at him.  Kurama managed to maintain his cool, calm, collected, and 'nice' expression until they disappeared down the well.  After that he spun around and glared down at Inuyasha, taking full advantage of his height.  "If you ever say something so deliberately cruel again I will personally beat you until some sense is knocked through that thick skull of yours and into your brain."  He said in a low dangerous tone and for a moment his emerald green eyes seemed to almost flicker.

            Shadow looked over at him and growled warningly.  Only a fool would get Kurama riled and Inuyasha was perilously close to doing just that.  Calm down tionto.  He'll learn sooner or later.  He said privately. 

We shall see.  Kurama answered but kept his eyes on Inuyasha's until he looked away.  Shad, like Miroku, didn't interfere.  Although realistically Shadow was a prince, he acknowledged Kurama as the alpha male and Destiny as the alpha female of their pack.  Inuyasha would eventually so the same when he realized that he couldn't defeat Kurama.  Until that time he would continue to try to hang on to his position as leader.  The pup probably doesn't ever realize what he's doing.  He mused, grateful that he wasn't in Kurama's place.  I wonder if Destiny will bring me anything to eat…?

            "That is one fat cat."  Destiny said with a grin as reached down to pet Buyo.

            "Yeah, but what's he doing here in the well house?"

            Since Destiny didn't have any way to answer that she turned to Sango instead.  "Too bad you didn't bring Kirara.  She might have been able to whip him into shape."  She teased and picked the cat up in her arms, petting him all the while, and was rewarded he started to purr like a motor.  Destiny looked down at the cat in her arms for a second and then started to laugh whole-heartedly, causing Sango and Kagome to look at her curiously.  They'd never heard her laugh so freely before and her laughter was lovely as her voice.

            "Come on you two, I want to introduce you to my family."  Kagome said and led them out of the well house.

            "Have you been here before, Sango?"  Destiny asked curiously.

            "No.  Before only Inuyasha and Kagome have traveled through the well."  She answered.

            "Oh."  Destiny murmured and studied the shrine that Kagome and her family were the caretakers of.  She smiled in pleasure when she saw the small pond and in welcoming home.  The whole place had a calming aura about it and she could feel the old magic in the land about them.

            "Hey Destiny!  Come on!"  Kagome called to her and she came to with a start.

            "Coming!"  She called back and carefully set the cat down and ran up the steps and joined the other two girls before walking into the house.  They were almost immediately pounced upon by Kagome's family and both Sango and Destiny stumbled back a few feet in order to avoid the questions bombarded at them.

            "Hey you've got hair like Inuyasha's!  Are you a demon too?"  Sota asked her.

            "What a female demon in the shrine!?  I will not allow this!"  The elder Higurashi yelled.

            "Aww…!  Where are her ears?"  Mrs.  Higurashi wanted to know.  "And who's your other friend Kagome?"

            "Are you related to Inuyasha?"

            "I will put a spell upon you that will stop your evil powers from-"

            "Enough!"  Destiny finally yelled when the noise got to be too much for her and glared at the offenders.  "First of all I am not a demon or a hanyou.  Second, I am not related to Inuyasha.  Third, if you even try to put one of those sticky pieces of paper on me you will regret it."  She warned Kagome's grandfather.

            "Thanks."  Sango said gratefully and came out from hiding behind Destiny.

            "Oh, how terribly rude of all of us.  Sit down please and I will get some tea."  Mrs. Higurashi told them.  After that things went much more smoothly and proper introductions were made.  Or as close as they could be.  The Higurashi family already knew about Sango and Destiny improvised a quick story to explain her presence.

            Bu they were here for a reason, not just to visit Kagome's family.  Finally the girls retreated to Kagome's room to get ready for bed, well except for Destiny.  She looks wired.  Kagome thought to herself as she pulled on her pajamas.  Destiny had kept her clothes on and was staring pensively out of the bedroom window.  What she was looking for Kagome didn't know but she could sense the restless energy that the older girl was keeping leashed.

            "Aren't you going to get ready to sleep?"  Sango asked her.

            "I never sleep at night."  Destiny answered as she turned away from the window to grin at the two of them.

            "Why not?"  Kagome asked curiously and sat down on her bed.

            Destiny groaned and sat down so she could lean against the wall.  "That's like asking why you sleep at night.  You do because that's when you're used to sleeping.  Me?  I'm used to sleeping from about four in the afternoon to about nine or eight in the evening."

            "That's very little sleep."  Sango noted quietly.

            "It's plenty for me."  She answered and turned her gaze to Kagome.  "Alright, spill it."

            Kagome blinked at the rapid change in subject and stuttered, "w-wh-what?"

            "Why do you think that Inuyasha only sees you as a 'shard detector', and why did he compare you to someone named Kikyo?  And for that matter who is she?  Why does he act like a spoiled brat when you need to come back to your time?"  She fired off impatiently.

            Sango and Kagome glanced at each other for a moment and nodded.  They would have to go back to the very beginning to satisfy Destiny's curiosity and somehow they knew that was what the girl had wanted all along.

            "Well, it all started like this…" Kagome began.

            Back in feudal Japan, Kurama and Shad had come to some rapid quick decisions concerning Inuyasha and Miroku.  If it took the two of them every minute of every day until Destiny and the other girls came back they were going to force some manners and etiquette down Inuyasha and Miroku's throats.  It was a conclusion they had agreed upon after speaking with Elder Kaede about how Inuyasha treated Kagome and how Miroku acted.  And unfortunately for the two younger men, both of their behaviors were found to be completely unacceptable.

            Inuyasha, pull out a chair for Elder Kaede.  Shad instructed from his place on the floor, he had long since shifted his form so that he was the regular size of a very large wolf.

            "I ain't got to."  He answered stubbornly, crossed his arms, and looked away.

            "I don't have to.  Do not use ain't."  Kurama corrected with a glare.

            "Feh!"  Inuyasha snorted.  "I ain't got to do what you say neither."  And just as soon as he finished that sentence his legs were swept out from underneath him and he crashed to the ground.

            "What?!"  He yelled and leaped back to his feet while Kurama very coolly coiled the black leather whip it his hand and tied it back on his belt.

            You should be more respectful pup.  Shad scolded.  Now, pull out the chair for Elder Kaede.  He repeated.  Grumbling, Inuyasha finally did as he was told.

            "Why is thee making them learn this?"  Kaede asked.

            "Because someone should have already taught them."  Kurama answered and pulled his whip back out and flicked it at Miroku, who was again trying to grope the girl Shad and Kurama had sat down for him to talk to.

            And that one needs to learn control.  Shad complained in mild disgust.  He might not understand why they were so obsessed with clothes but he knew that groping was a very serious offense.  He especially did not like it when people touched him in his human form or wolf without gaining permission.

            "Well I think this is stupid."  Inuyasha whined.

            Shad studied him thoughtfully for a moment and an evil gleam appeared in his eyes as he very deliberately sniffed the air.  Inuyasha, you need a bath.  He stated and looked over at Miroku.  As do you.

            "What?!  How come you two started doing all this two hours after Kagome left?"  Inuyasha demanded.

            "Because it wasn't until our little tione left that we realized just how big of an idiot you could be."  Kurama answered cordially.

            "Tione?  What the hell does that mean!"  Inuyasha yelled.  He better not be trying to claim Kagome as his!  He's betrothed!  He snarled mentally.

            Calm down pup.  In my language tione means sister and for the record I agree with Kurama.  What you said to Kagome was cruel and heartless and you meant for it to hurt her.  Why, I do not care or know but you will learn that there are some things that you cannot do.  Being cruel to someone just because you can't get your way is one of those things.  Shad's voice interrupted his thoughts and Inuyasha had enough shame to blush guiltily and looked away from them.

            "Alright.  Let's head down to the river.  Miroku, you're coming as well.  This way we can get both of you cleaned up at the same time."  Kurama said.

            "There ain't no way in hell you're getting me to take a bath!"  Inuyasha yelled, and in that event, sealed his fate.  Shad and Kurama glanced at each other briefly before advancing upon the hanyou.  Once they finally had him subdued they glanced over at a stunned Miroku who immediately jumped up and said, "Shall we go?"

            Two hours later they were finally done with the two.  After forcing Inuyasha to bathe they'd caught him once again and had given him a bit of a hair cut to cut off the dead ends in his hair and did the same with Miroku.  Then they introduced the two to toothbrushes and toothpaste.  When it was finally over Inuyasha wearily climbed into his tree to sleep and Miroku stumbled back to the village almost as drained as the hanyou was.

            Ugh.  That was too much work.  Shad stated as he leapt into the river and washed all the dirt he'd picked up from forcing Inuyasha to stay put away.

            "I know."  Kurama agreed as he quickly took of his own clothes and walked into the river to bathe and swim for a bit.

            So what do you think will end up happening?

            "I don't know.  I feel like we're missing some very important parts here.  It's like we're being played as surely as pawns on a chessboard are played."

            That is something you will become accustomed to.  For we are often played but remember, we control our future.

            "I think you Learians have gotten a rough deal from life."  Kurama joked.

            Shad grinned and returned, dream as if you will love forever, live as if you will die today.

            "Sounds good to me."

            Back at Kagome's house the two girls had just finished telling Destiny their long and very detailed story.  For a long moment she didn't say anything and just when Kagome was ready to question her Destiny let out a very inelegant snort and jumped to her feet.  "Your Inuyasha is very much an idiot if he cannot choose between a dead soul stealer,"  she snarled that last bit, "and the living!"

            Kagome was very surprised by the anger in the older girl's voice.  She'd never seen Destiny even remotely mad and it was sorta interesting to see her like this.  But there was something about the way she snarled 'soul stealer' that alerted something deep within Kagome.  Of what though she wasn't entirely sure.  "Why do you call her that with so much anger?"  Kagome asked.

            "Because to live she feeds on the souls of innocents and in stealing their very souls she has committed crimes that even a serial rapist murderer would call inhuman."  She growled and paced the floor silently.  Destiny's hate of creature's like those was very real and although she herself had never personally faced one she held all the memories of one of her ancestors who'd fought those things to her death.  Their one purpose is to steal the very essence of life to support their own broken bodies so that they may steal a moment more of time before they die…

            "Destiny, stop pacing!"  Sango said sharply and Destiny looked up at her in surprise and realized what she was doing.

            "My apologies.  I was just… remembering a few things."  She apologized.

            "That's alright.  So what do you think Kagome should do?"

            Destiny smiled slightly and looked at Kagome.  "Do you love him?"  She asked.

            "I…  I don't know."  Kagome answered truthfully.

            "Good.  If you had said yes I would have called you crazy."  Destiny said with a grin.

            "Why?"  Sango wanted to know.

            "Because when you're young you can never be really sure until you give up all your doubts and fears."

            "So what should I do?"  Kagome asked.

            Destiny leaned back against the wall and looked out of the window for a moment and softly quoted, "It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return.  But what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel."  Then she looked back at Kagome and shook her head.  "Do you believe that you are Kikyo's reincarnation?"  She asked.

            "Well everyone does keep telling me that I am and-"

            "Quit listening to them then and believe what's in your own heart.  Just because you are the carrier of the Jewel of Four Souls doesn't mean that you are her reincarnation."  She smiled wryly here and continued, "after all, Shad and I are Learians even though our parents were full blooded like we are.  Does that mean we are reincarnations?  No.  We are who we are, just as you are who you are.  Your identity belongs to you and only to you.  No one can take that away from you unless you let them."

            Kagome nodded and thought over Destiny's words carefully.  There was only truth in the words that she spoke but she'd been compared to Kikyo for so long that some part of her had been ready to give up.  Until it heard those simple words spoken by Destiny. 

"And as for what to do about your feelings for Inuyasha,"  Destiny began with a mischievous grin.  "Let him come to you.  I'm pretty sure he'll realize sooner or later that even if he wanted to go with Kikyo with every bit of his heart he couldn't."

"Why not?"  Sango asked curiously.

"Because, he's needed for other things and while demons may fear Kikyo I can assure you that fate does not and fate is one thing, besides the Lord above, that even Shadow and I cannot defeat."

~ Ooh!  Destiny's got an evil side!  Anyway this is an unusually long chapter to make up for the all the time it took me to post this.  (Sorry but my computer had a bit of a virus)  Anyway it's all right now and I'm ready to write, write, and write!  However, I have exams this week and I have to do well.  So keep your fingers crossed for me and I promise to get another chapter out soon.  (I'll just write between studying)  So please review!  I really want to know how you people like this!  A special thanks to all my reviewers, you guys are great! ~