Disclaimer: I do own Inu Yasha! I really do!! Well… a plushy of him anyway… I don't own any of the characters of Inu Yasha.
Author Notes: This is the first fanfic that I have posted, not the first I have written, but the first I have posted. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions on the plot and possible pairings. I am doing my best to assure that this story is really original and not just a rip off of someone else's story. KiraraKitty, I know the first chapter was short, but it just didn't seem to fit in with the next parts. And I want to give a special thanks to the writers of Present Times and Turnabout Is Fair Play, those happen to be my two favorite Inu fics – though I do love a good Kagome/Sesshoumaru fic… Anyway, there's not much action in this chapter, but it's leading up to it, so read and enjoy anyway!
Chapter 1: As We Go Our Separate Ways
Kagome stopped her bike on top of a small hill as a light breeze blew through her hair.
"Ah, it's a beautiful day." She smiled brightly down at the small kitsune riding in her bike's basket. "Ne, Shippou-chan?"
Shippou beamed at this surrogate mother. "Hai, Kagome!"
Suddenly Shippou jumped into Kagome's arms as the wind picked up and a red streak ran past them. Kagome clung to Shippou and closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself against the wind until it died down as suddenly as it appeared.
"Oi, Kagome?"
Opening one eye slowly, Kagome was confronted by a pair of annoyed golden eyes.
"Ite!" She screamed as she jumped two feet backwards clear of her bike and landed sharply on her rear with Shippou still clutched tightly to her chest. "Baka! Don't scare me like that Inu Yasha!"
"You big jerk!" Shippou piped up.
"Keh." Inu Yasha crossed his arms and turned to the side. "What were you doing standing there like an idiot for anyway?"
Kagome glared at him and stood, brushing herself off slowly, she walked over and picked up her bike and overstuffed bag. Staring straight ahead, Kagome led her bike past Inu Yasha's back and towards a tree that stood in the center of the clearing.
Not hearing an answer, Inu Yasha turned around to glare at Kagome. "Oi wench! What are you doing we have shards to find!"
Kagome stopped when she reached the tree. Refusing to turn around, she stated flatly, "Inu Yasha…"
Inu Yasha cringed at her tone of voice and braced himself for what he knew would shortly follow.
"Oswari!"
Thump. The hanyou slammed face down into the dirt from the force of the subduing spell.
Kagome sighed and sat down. She looked up at Shippou on her shoulder and smiled, "How about some lunch?"
The small kitsune's tail swayed happily, "Chocolate?"
She giggled, "Maybe after you eat."
"Kagome-chan!"
"Kagome-sama!"
A large fire cat demon landed beside the tree and reverted to her smaller form as the two humans she was carrying dismounted. "Sango-chan! Miroku-sama! I thought this was a good place to stop for lunch, care to join us?"
"Of course." Miroku bowed as he sat down together while Kagome began boiling water for ramen.
And as always Miroku got a little too close for Sango's liking. "Hentai!" Slap. "Keep your hands to yourself, Hoshi-sama!"
Miroku sighed as he rubbed the red hand print on his check, while Sango shot him pointed glares and inched away. Kagome watched them and couldn't help but smile at their antics. She turned and handed Shippou a bag of potato chips. "Here, Shippou-chan."
Shippou squealed in delight and began stuffing his face with the greasy snack.
Suddenly a very ticked off and freed hanyou glared down at them. "Ka..go..me!" Bonk. Miroku hit Inu Yasha over the head with his staff. "Relax Inu Yasha, there is a town not too far from here. We can make it there by nightfall, find a place to stay, and search for rumors of the shards in the morning."
Inu Yasha glared at the offending monk before he mumbled about perverted priests under his breath and sat down. "Feh, and I bet there just happens to be an ominous cloud over the largest estate in town."
Miroku sighed in mock wistfulness, "A priest's duty is never finished."
Inu Yasha snorted, "You men a lecher's."
Placing a hand over his heart, Miroku blinks innocently, "You wound me Inu Yasha, I am merely a humble servant of Buddah."
"Feh," He grinned, "Tell that to your wandering hands."
"Hoshi!" Sango with her Hiraikotsu loomed over the monk and his still twitching outstretched arm.
Thud.
A tall figure slowly strolled past the trees as a soft wind stirred the leaves. He halted suddenly, lifting his delicate nose to the wind as an almost undetectable presence alerted his senses. The only physical recognition he gave to his rising anger was a slight narrowing of his golden eyes.
Laughter erupted from the bushes behind him as a small child carrying flowers ran towards the regal youkai. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!" She breathed heavily as she reached him and tugged gently on his pant leg as she held up her weeds proudly to the demon lord. "Look! Look what Rin found!"
The Lord of the Western Lands looked down on his ward dispassionately and placed a clawed hand gently on the child's head, the only gesture of approval he would deign to bestow on the human who had found a place into his cold heart. Rin smiled gaped-toothed up at her demon guardian and immediately attached herself onto his leg, dropping her flowers in the process. "Sesshoumaru-sama likes them!"
A small toad like demon stumbled out of the same bushes as his foot caught on a branch. He waved his staff of heads while he struggled to untangle himself, and only succeeded in falling over flat on his face. "Human, get back here! Sesshoumaru-sama would…"
"Jaken," the demon lord interrupted his tirade.
"Ite!" Jaken squeaked and looked up from his prone position. "Sess…Sesshoumaru-sama! This humble Jaken was watching the human," he glared at the child for emphases, "when she…"
"Jaken!"
Jaken cringed in fear and raised his eyes beseechingly to his lord. "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Take Rin and wait here. I have… business to attend to. I should return shortly."
Rin clung even tighter to his leg, "but, Rin wants to stay with her Sesshoumaru-sama!"
The demon lord glanced down at the girl, "Rin stay with Jaken, and Rin…"
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Behave." With that, Sesshoumaru turned and began to walk away, toward the disturbance in his lands.
Jaken finally breathed a sigh of relief when his master's voice came back to him. "And Jaken," The toad demon stiffened in fear and surprise, "I, Sesshoumaru, will hold you accountable if anything happens to Rin."
Jaken stuttered a reply as the Lord of the Western Lands disappeared in the distance,"Hai…hai, Sesshoumaru-sama…"