Thanks for the reviews! I guess my prologue was a bit tricksy, and you'll
find out more about it now. I will tell you that the girl and demon were
not Kagome and Sesshoumaru. . . And I haven't decided who Kagome will end
up with in this story. We shall see!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Kagome. . . How long will you be staying?" Souta gazed up at his big sister eagerly.
"I'm not sure, Souta. Why?" Kagome replied, irritation in her voice.
Souta shifted his weight and glanced down at the homework Kagome was working feverishly on. He could tell by her tone that it was not homework which had her in a bad mood.
"Ehh, did you get into another fight with Inuyasha?" he asked in a small voice. By this stage of his still young life he had learned to avoid incurring the wrath of his big sister. Especially when it came to Inuyasha.
Kagome sighed loudly and put her pencil down. "Maybe. But it's none of your business. Don't worry about it," she said, forcing the irritation out of her voice and offering a smile.
"Oh. . . okay. Um, I was just wondering if you would be home for the play I'm going to be in next week. I want you to come," Souta said, looking down at his feet in embarrasment. He was surprised when Kagome suddenly grabbed him and pulled him in for a sisterly hug.
"Of course, Souta! I'm sorry I'm not around much. I will definitly make it to your play," Kagome said.
"Yay! It's going to be great! We've been rehearsing almost every night. Wait 'til you see!" Souta exclaimed, barely containing his excitement. Kagome laughed at his eagerness. She also felt a pang of guilt for not being around to spend time with her little brother. Or her mother, for that matter. Her mother. she had seemed so distant lately, as if lost in her own world. Kagome almost laughed at the thought of her mother adventuring in the feudal era of Japan with Inuyasha.
"You wanna play video games later?" Souta asked, his voice still eager.
"Maybe later. I have a big math test to study for, okay?" Kagome replied. Souta nodded, and took this as the hint to leave.
Kagome leaned back in her chair and yawned loudly, algebra equations swimming through her head. She had been studying all day and was sure her mind would explode with all the information she had crammed into it. She pushed away from the desk and rose from her chair. She stood in front of her bedroom window, the same window Inuyasha usually used as a door when coming to drag her back to the feudal era. Her thoughts darkened as she thought about the fight she had with him. She hardly even remembered what it was about, just that he was a stubborn, inconsiderate jerk.
Kagome sighed. She pondered the promise she had made to her brother, knowing that Inuyasha would be here to drag her back down the well before the day of the play. She decided to return after her test tomorrow, and then come back to her time for the play. Inuyasha wouldn't like it, but he would just have to deal with it. Kagome nodded to herself, liking that idea.
Feeling the tug of her algebra book, Kagome returned to her studies.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The next day at school passed quickly, and Kagome was relieved when she felt sure she had passed her test. She returned home with a packet of herbal remedies for Crohn's disease, the latest illness Grandpa had thought up. She wondered what Inuyasha would think of Hojo and his constant worry for her. She chuckled softly to herself and got to work packing.
With her monstrous sized backpack full of first aid, textbooks, changes of clothing, ramen, and treats for Shippou, Kagome was ready to go. She assured Souta that she would be back before his play, and told everyone a quick goodbye.
"Kagome. . . be careful." Kagome's mother glanced up from where she was washing dishes, and smiled at her daughter. Kagome gazed at her a moment, considering her mother's strange mood.
"Don't worry Mama. I have Inuyasha to protect me," she said. Kagome's mother nodded slowly, and for a second Kagome thought she saw a look of sadness in her eyes. Before she could be sure, the smile reappeared.
"Bye," Kagome said, and hurried out the door. She put thoughts of her mother's odd behavior from her mind and hurried to the well. She grunted with the effort of climbing over the edge with her load, then dropped down. She was immediately surrounded by the blue light and sensation of traveling into the past. She made her way out of the well and came face-to-face with Inuyasha.
"What took you so long?" the dog demon asked with an indignant snort. Kagome frowned at him, then pushed her way past him. A blur of reddish fur promptly smacked into her chest and a kitsune cub flashed her a toothy grin.
"Kagome! I missed you!" Shippou exclaimed, hugging her. Kagome smiled and set her bag down so she could rummage out the candy bar she had brought him. Shippou grinned eagerly as she handed it over to him. "I missed you too, Shippou," she said as he tore oprn the wrapper.
"Kagome, there has been a strange man asking about you in town," Sango said as she approached. Worry was reflected in her soft brown eyes. She pulled on the long dark hair she kept pulled back and wet her lips.
"Asking about me?" Kagome echoed. Inuyasha huffed from where Kagome had pushed him away.
"It's not just a man. A tiger youkai named Chikara. Miroku and I saw him in the village yesterday while you were gone," Sango explained.
Kagome frowned. "Could he be after the shards?" she asked.
Inuyasha shrugged. "Probably. I can take care of him," he said, cracking his knuckles.
"Oh could you?" An amused voice asked from the forest. The group froze and looked about. Inuyasha's hand went to the hilt of Tetsusaiga as a tall man approached them.
"That's him," Sango murmured softly to Kagome. Kagome nodded slightly in reply.
"I'm not here to fight. Nor am I interested in the shikon shards. I am here to speak with Kagome," the man said. He had a regal bearing and a voice which sounded used to being obeyed. Long black hair flowed down his back and fierce green eyes looked out from a face framed by black stripes. He had no weapon, though his claws looked deadly enough. He was wearing a dark cloak which kept casting his features into shadows.
"What do you want from me?" Kagome demanded as she stared into the man's eyes. His face seemed so familiar. Something in the nose, and the lips.
"I must tell you something, in private," he said as he looked Kagome up and down. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Perturbed by the youkai's strange demeanor, Kagome scowled darkly at him.
"She's not going anywhere. If you have something to say to her, say it to all of us," Inuyasha said, the hilt of Tetsusaiga still in his hand.
"Hmm. I see you are merely being protective. I must say, I am glad to see my daughter has such a fine bodyguard," Chikara said smoothly.
Silence was the reply.
"Daughter. . . What do you mean?!" Kagome finally retorted. "I'm not even from this time! My father hasn't even been born in this time," she said, her mind reeling at the stranger's statement.
"I'm afraid that you do not know the truth of your own heritage, Kagome. Your mother was from this time. She and I were mated. When she was attacked by one of my enemies, I never heard from her again. I tortured the man who was supposed to kill her, and all he knew was that she was surrounded by a blue light and disappeared. To the distant future, apparently. You look and smell just like she did the last time I saw her." Chikara trailed off, seemingly oblivious to the stunned expressions on his audience's faces. True sorrow was laced into his words.
"I suggest you have a chat with your mother, and find out the truth. I am your father," the tiger youkai finished.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hope that clears things up a bit! Haha, my plan has been revealed!! Thanks for reading!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Kagome. . . How long will you be staying?" Souta gazed up at his big sister eagerly.
"I'm not sure, Souta. Why?" Kagome replied, irritation in her voice.
Souta shifted his weight and glanced down at the homework Kagome was working feverishly on. He could tell by her tone that it was not homework which had her in a bad mood.
"Ehh, did you get into another fight with Inuyasha?" he asked in a small voice. By this stage of his still young life he had learned to avoid incurring the wrath of his big sister. Especially when it came to Inuyasha.
Kagome sighed loudly and put her pencil down. "Maybe. But it's none of your business. Don't worry about it," she said, forcing the irritation out of her voice and offering a smile.
"Oh. . . okay. Um, I was just wondering if you would be home for the play I'm going to be in next week. I want you to come," Souta said, looking down at his feet in embarrasment. He was surprised when Kagome suddenly grabbed him and pulled him in for a sisterly hug.
"Of course, Souta! I'm sorry I'm not around much. I will definitly make it to your play," Kagome said.
"Yay! It's going to be great! We've been rehearsing almost every night. Wait 'til you see!" Souta exclaimed, barely containing his excitement. Kagome laughed at his eagerness. She also felt a pang of guilt for not being around to spend time with her little brother. Or her mother, for that matter. Her mother. she had seemed so distant lately, as if lost in her own world. Kagome almost laughed at the thought of her mother adventuring in the feudal era of Japan with Inuyasha.
"You wanna play video games later?" Souta asked, his voice still eager.
"Maybe later. I have a big math test to study for, okay?" Kagome replied. Souta nodded, and took this as the hint to leave.
Kagome leaned back in her chair and yawned loudly, algebra equations swimming through her head. She had been studying all day and was sure her mind would explode with all the information she had crammed into it. She pushed away from the desk and rose from her chair. She stood in front of her bedroom window, the same window Inuyasha usually used as a door when coming to drag her back to the feudal era. Her thoughts darkened as she thought about the fight she had with him. She hardly even remembered what it was about, just that he was a stubborn, inconsiderate jerk.
Kagome sighed. She pondered the promise she had made to her brother, knowing that Inuyasha would be here to drag her back down the well before the day of the play. She decided to return after her test tomorrow, and then come back to her time for the play. Inuyasha wouldn't like it, but he would just have to deal with it. Kagome nodded to herself, liking that idea.
Feeling the tug of her algebra book, Kagome returned to her studies.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The next day at school passed quickly, and Kagome was relieved when she felt sure she had passed her test. She returned home with a packet of herbal remedies for Crohn's disease, the latest illness Grandpa had thought up. She wondered what Inuyasha would think of Hojo and his constant worry for her. She chuckled softly to herself and got to work packing.
With her monstrous sized backpack full of first aid, textbooks, changes of clothing, ramen, and treats for Shippou, Kagome was ready to go. She assured Souta that she would be back before his play, and told everyone a quick goodbye.
"Kagome. . . be careful." Kagome's mother glanced up from where she was washing dishes, and smiled at her daughter. Kagome gazed at her a moment, considering her mother's strange mood.
"Don't worry Mama. I have Inuyasha to protect me," she said. Kagome's mother nodded slowly, and for a second Kagome thought she saw a look of sadness in her eyes. Before she could be sure, the smile reappeared.
"Bye," Kagome said, and hurried out the door. She put thoughts of her mother's odd behavior from her mind and hurried to the well. She grunted with the effort of climbing over the edge with her load, then dropped down. She was immediately surrounded by the blue light and sensation of traveling into the past. She made her way out of the well and came face-to-face with Inuyasha.
"What took you so long?" the dog demon asked with an indignant snort. Kagome frowned at him, then pushed her way past him. A blur of reddish fur promptly smacked into her chest and a kitsune cub flashed her a toothy grin.
"Kagome! I missed you!" Shippou exclaimed, hugging her. Kagome smiled and set her bag down so she could rummage out the candy bar she had brought him. Shippou grinned eagerly as she handed it over to him. "I missed you too, Shippou," she said as he tore oprn the wrapper.
"Kagome, there has been a strange man asking about you in town," Sango said as she approached. Worry was reflected in her soft brown eyes. She pulled on the long dark hair she kept pulled back and wet her lips.
"Asking about me?" Kagome echoed. Inuyasha huffed from where Kagome had pushed him away.
"It's not just a man. A tiger youkai named Chikara. Miroku and I saw him in the village yesterday while you were gone," Sango explained.
Kagome frowned. "Could he be after the shards?" she asked.
Inuyasha shrugged. "Probably. I can take care of him," he said, cracking his knuckles.
"Oh could you?" An amused voice asked from the forest. The group froze and looked about. Inuyasha's hand went to the hilt of Tetsusaiga as a tall man approached them.
"That's him," Sango murmured softly to Kagome. Kagome nodded slightly in reply.
"I'm not here to fight. Nor am I interested in the shikon shards. I am here to speak with Kagome," the man said. He had a regal bearing and a voice which sounded used to being obeyed. Long black hair flowed down his back and fierce green eyes looked out from a face framed by black stripes. He had no weapon, though his claws looked deadly enough. He was wearing a dark cloak which kept casting his features into shadows.
"What do you want from me?" Kagome demanded as she stared into the man's eyes. His face seemed so familiar. Something in the nose, and the lips.
"I must tell you something, in private," he said as he looked Kagome up and down. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Perturbed by the youkai's strange demeanor, Kagome scowled darkly at him.
"She's not going anywhere. If you have something to say to her, say it to all of us," Inuyasha said, the hilt of Tetsusaiga still in his hand.
"Hmm. I see you are merely being protective. I must say, I am glad to see my daughter has such a fine bodyguard," Chikara said smoothly.
Silence was the reply.
"Daughter. . . What do you mean?!" Kagome finally retorted. "I'm not even from this time! My father hasn't even been born in this time," she said, her mind reeling at the stranger's statement.
"I'm afraid that you do not know the truth of your own heritage, Kagome. Your mother was from this time. She and I were mated. When she was attacked by one of my enemies, I never heard from her again. I tortured the man who was supposed to kill her, and all he knew was that she was surrounded by a blue light and disappeared. To the distant future, apparently. You look and smell just like she did the last time I saw her." Chikara trailed off, seemingly oblivious to the stunned expressions on his audience's faces. True sorrow was laced into his words.
"I suggest you have a chat with your mother, and find out the truth. I am your father," the tiger youkai finished.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hope that clears things up a bit! Haha, my plan has been revealed!! Thanks for reading!