SF: OK, here's the skinny. I confused a lot of people last chapter, so here's what's up; Chapter One takes place when Kagome was about 6 years old. That's at least {::starts to count on her fingers::} Um, how many years was that-
Silver Fox: That's about 8 years before she goes to the Feudal Era. Jeez SF, I worry about you sometimes. How in the hell did you pass?
SF: Easy, I seduced my teachers.
Silver Fox: You know, you'd pull something like that too.
Zap!
SF: Prick. Anyway, this chapter is four years after Hojo finds her underneath the God Tree.
Chapter One: Fast Forward
"Bye, Mom! I'm going to pick up Souta!" Kagome shouted as she whizzed out the back door to her car.
"Ok, honey! Be careful!"
Kagome jumped in the front seat and adjusted her rear view mirror. As she did so, she caught a glance at the well house. Instantly the tears that came at the sight of it filled her stone gray eyes. For a full week after she came back after Sango and Sesshoumaru's mating ceremony, she tried to get back through the well. She figured that since she still had the jewel, the well should still work.
She was wrong.
She cried herself to sleep every night since then.
Kagome sighed, wiped her eyes, and started the car. She turned on the air conditioner as she drove down the road to Souta's school. It was the start of summer vacation for her. Next school year she would be a sophomore at Tokyo University. Souta started summer soccer practice this week, and Kagome volunteered to pick him up in the afternoons.
As she drove, she bopped her head to the song on the radio. At the red light, she decided to sing along a little.
"I'm lyin' here on the floor where you left me. I think I took too much. I'm crying here, what have you done? I thought it would be fun."
"I can't stay on your life support, there's a shortage in the switch, I can't stay on your morphine, cuz its making me itch. I said I tried to call the nurse again but she's being a little bitch. I think I'll get outta here, where I can run."
It was exactly how she felt now. Inuyasha had been her pill, and now she was sick without him. She shook her head as the light turned green and she pulled into the parking lot of Souta's school. 'Kagome, why are you still torturing yourself? Inuyasha doesn't love you, remember?' She pulled into a parking space and waited for Souta's practice to end, still singing:
"I haven't moved from the spot where you left me. This must be a bad trip. All of the other pills, they were different. Maybe I should get some help."
'That's certainly true. There isn't another guy like Inuyasha, the jerk,' Kagome thought with a smile. She and Hojo dated for a while, but she couldn't become serious about him. 'He was just too nice.' Kagome giggled as the song ended and she stepped out of the car. Knowing better than to lean against a black car in the middle of the day, she sat down on the cub beside it as Souta ran up to her.
"Hey, Kagome!"
"Hey, brat!" she called happily. Souta stopped short of her and huffed. Kagome looked at him in mock disapproval.
"You look awful! You can't get in my car like that. You'll just have to walk beside it."
Souta scowled and ran back to change, leaving Kagome to her thoughts again. After a few minutes he came back, showered and changed into clean shorts and a t-shirt.
"Better, but not by much." She ruffled his hair. "Let's go."
The drove off in the direction of the house when Kagome thought of something.
"Hey, you want to go to Lucky's? It's certainly hot enough for it."
"Sure, if you're paying."
"You're such a mooch."
Lucky's was Lucky's Ice Cream Parlor. Kagome and Souta jumped out and walked inside. Instantly the cool air of the shop caressed their faces.
"Ok, Souta, what do you want?" As they ordered, Kagome reached into her side pocket and groaned. "Oh man, I forgot my wallet in the car. Be right back Souta. Order me a rainbow sherbet."
She dashed outside and dove under the passenger seat. After struggling for a few moments, she finally pulled out the troublesome billfold and pulled out some money. As she walked back to the door of the shop, her ears picked up something strange. Moving aside to let an older couple by, Kagome leaned against the glass, her ears easily picking up the faint voices.
"Come on, dog boy. Let us see."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do. Let us see."
A smack and a cry jerked her away from the glass and toward the sound. She peered into a nearby alley. Three kids were ganging up on a smaller kid. The poor guy was on the ground, crying his eyes out. The larger boys laughed as he tried to wipe away the blood from his nose.
"Crybaby. Let us see and we'll leave you alone."
"What do you guys think you're doing?" Kagome asked as she stepped toward them.
The three older boys turned away from the child and leered at her.
"What's it to you, bitch?"
{SF: Now we all know how Kagome feels about that word, don't we?}
Kagome glared at them for a moment, then raised her right hand. She stretched it out in front of them.
"You really must learn to respect your elders, brat."
The boys laughed at her. "And if we don't?"
Kagome sneered as her left hand pointed to her outstretched hand. "You like dogs?"
Her right hand started to glow. The boys stared as the glow moved from her hand to the ground and grew to the size of a small car. Kagome snapped her fingers and it changed into a snarling Doberman. She smiled as the boys started to back away.
"You see, my dog here doesn't like rude little boys. But he does like to eat rude little boys. I suggest you leave, before he gets upset."
The oversized dog snarled and snapped at them. The boys turned on their heels and ran down the alley past her. Kagome waited until they were gone, then dropped the illusion. She picked up the crying child's baseball cap. "Hey, kid. It's ok."
She reached for him as he looked up at her. His face was a mess. Nose bloody, one eye blackened and swollen, you would have thought that would have got her attention. Instead, she stared into his eyes. They were hazel, almost golden in their intensity. Kagome recovered her senses and stood the kid up.
"Hey. Stop crying. They're gone."
The little kid wrapped his arms around her neck, blood staining her shirt the instant he came in contact with it. Kagome picked him up and rounded the corner to the ice cream shop. People gasped and stared as she walked to the table to Souta.
"Hey. I thought you got lost. Whoa, what happened to him?" he asked as Kagome sat the child on the table. One of the employees came to help her.
"I need your first aid kit," she told him. The man nodded and ran for the back of the store. Kagome wiped away some of the blood on his face with a napkin.
"Jeez kid, you're lucky I came by."
The kid smiled at her. "Don't worry about me. I heal fast."
Kagome smiled back. "Maybe you do, but you still need to be cleaned off."
The staff worked reappeared with the first aid kit and some damp paper towels. Kagome thanked him and started to clean the child's wounds. As she cleaned off the blood form his face, she tipped her head in wonder.
"Funny, I could have sworn you had a black eye before."
The kid grinned. "See, I told you I heal fast."
After his face was free of filth, Kagome studied the child. He was cute, with wavy, chocolate brown hair and light brown eyes. She patted his head.
"What's your name, kid?"
"My mom told me not to talk to strangers."
"That's good advice, but I'm not a stranger. I'm your friend. My name's Kagome." She held out her hand for him to shake. He giggled and took it.
"I'm Miroku."
Kagome's eyes widened a moment. She stared at him intently before blinking out of her stupor.
"Nice name. I knew a guy named Miroku. You want some ice cream?"
"Yeah!"
So Kagome, Souta and Miroku sat in the shop, eating ice cream and telling kiddie jokes to make Miroku feel better. After a while the kid forgot all about the bullies. Kagome watched the boys as Souta taught him a new silly song from when they were little. 'He's a cute kid, but for some reason he looks familiar.' A sudden shift of light out the corner grabbed her attention. Kagome turned her gaze to follow it. The light shifted around Miroku as the boy yawned.
"I'm kinda sleepy," he muttered. The light continued to shake and shift until Kagome gasped. Miroku's eyes snapped open as she grabbed him and Souta and dragged them out of the parlor to her car. Shoving them both in, she leaned her head against the wheel. 'I didn't just see that.'
Souta patted her back gently.
"Kagome, what is it?"
Kagome sat back and turned to the back seat. Miroku watched her fearfully, as if she would jump on him
and rip him apart any second.
"Drop the disguise, Miroku."
"What are you talking about?"
Kagome sighed. "I've already seen through it. Now drop it."
"No, you'll pick on me."
Kagome shook her head. "No we won't, will we Souta?"
Souta shook his head, even though he was thoroughly confused. "No, little man, of course not."
"See? Now drop it."
Miroku stared at them for a while, then nodded in defeat. He gently shook his head and the light shift appeared again. It slid over him like an automatic door at a local supermarket, leaving the real Miroku behind. His pupils narrowed into slits, and his eyes became a dark amber. His hair lengthened past his shoulders to mid back, and little brown ears sprouted from the crown of his head. Souta gasped.
"Cool, you're a demon!"
"Half demon, right Miroku."
Miroku nodded dejectedly. He looked up to find the two smiling at him. Miroku smiled back as Kagome scratched behind his ears.
"There, was that so hard?"
Miroku shook his head in wonder. "How did you know?" he asked as Kagome turned around and started the car.
"I'm a miko. I saw right through it. Don't worry. I like demons."
She glanced at him as she backed out of the space and drove down the street. "Especially cute kids like you."
Miroku grinned and sat back, deciding to enjoy the ride. Kagome tilted her head as Souta leaned to her.
"What are we going to do about him?" he whispered. Kagome glanced back at Miroku and smiled.
"I'm going to drop you off at the shrine, then take Miroku home."
A whine from the back interrupted them.
"Souta can't come too?" Miroku asked, tears in his eyes. Kagome shook her head.
"No, Souta has to go home. But you and I will go to your house and ask your mommy if you can come visit us."
Miroku nodded sadly as they pulled up in the Higurashi Shrine driveway. Souta hopped out and grabbed his duffle bag from beside Miroku.
"Don't worry kid. You'll see me again."
He patted Miroku's head and zipped up the steps. Miroku moved to take his place beside Kagome as she pulled off.
"Here, put your hat back on. You should be tired after holding your disguise for so long."
Miroku plunked the hat on his head and smiled. He directed Kagome to the western part of the city. Kagome marveled as they drove past magnificent houses and condos. Kagome stopped in front of one such mansion. It was Old Word in style, with what appeared to be at least three floors.
"I live here, Kagome!" Miroku chirped as they got out of the car. Miroku grabbed her hand and skipped down the walkway to the mahogany double doors.
"I can't wait for you to meet my family!"
Kagome smiled down at him weakly. 'I get a weird feeling about this place. It's like I'm coming home.'
-----
SF: Ta Da! There's chapter two, here for your approval!
Silver Fox: Yeah right. She's bound to do something crazy to it anyway.
SF: Shut up! Anywhen, tell me what you think and holler back.
Responses:
Sugarhighs:P: Thanks a lot. I do apologize for it taking so long to get here. This story kinda slipped my mind. I don't know about another I/K story, but I do have an I/K one shot for next Monday's update. It's really cute, or at least that's what I'm told. It's called 'A Grooming Session'.
Fluffy'slova4life: I'm rather thrilled with my forefathers myself, even if the kids at school picked on me about it. I'm so glad this story's started! {;;wipes brow::} This bad boy didn't want to! I had to kick it in the...well, I'm sure you get the idea.
Narya Silver Fox: Silver Fox: Hey! She stole my name! SF: Please don't get started with that. Glad you like chapter one. Hope you like this chapter as well. I told you that Miroku was coming; I just don't think you were expecting him to be a hanyou. That's ok, it was supposed to be a surprise. I bet now you're wondering who the guy in chapter one is. Well, that's my little secret...
S1Cherry: I update this story the first Friday in January. (Unless I'm still plastered from New Year's Eve. Then there's no telling when this'll get updated. ^.^) If I tell you who the guy is, then it'll ruin the surprise. Let's just say that you know him already...
Jschu25: I can't tell you what I did, but you'll like it when you realize it. I've come back to this story, and I feel really bad for forgetting it. I honestly didn't mean to.
Em Starcatcher: Glad you approve. More's on the way!
PruningShears: There's another chapter coming soon, so don't worry! Check the bio page if you're ever lost!
Dark Neko-Chan: NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! You're not leaving me are you? {::pouts::} Oh poo. Now who's going to help me pick on Sesshou? Who's going to help me fry Inu-chan? Silver Fox: Who's going to push her on the swings. SF: {::slaps Silver upside the head::} Ignore him. Drugs are bad, m-kay! Anyway, have a great holiday and can't wait until you get back.
Tokia: Thanks a lot! This story is a tad confusing at times. Let me know if it becomes too confusing and I'll fix it.
Tessa3: Chapter one is before Kagome goes to Feudal Era Japan, and chapter two is after. Sorry to be so confusing. And if Inuyasha were in his human disguise, don't you think she would recognize him sooner or later?
Suzuko: Not a problem. I've been trying to update this story since Thanksgiving, but it just never seems to be enough time. Sorry about it being so late.
Animegirl11: Sorry about that. Chapter one is before Kagome went to the Feudal Era and chapter two is 4 years after Kagome comes back.
Stephy-chan: Sorry it took so long for this one. I agree with your mom. I don't care what math you take, finals are hell on wheels. Oh, you'll get to see that mysterious man again and maybe then you'll get a better idea as to who he is. I'm not saying that your guess was wrong, but I'm not saying it's right either...
Tenshi no Yami: Yeah, for the moment he is. He's kinda like Alexander in 'What to Do', but there's still a little brashness in him.
RuBiAx: Thanks so much for following the stories! I understand about being too busy to review. That's why I try to recommend stories in the fics. It's kinda like a review and a recommendation all in one. I love the S/K pairing myself. It's so much harder to write, and it be in character and believable. You wouldn't happen to have a favorite (besides mine) would you? I'm looking for new stories.
Gray Wolf Demon: Thanks a lot! I'll work on making the chapters longer.
F1sh-chaN: OK, I deserved that finally thing. I don't know what happened to me with this story. It's tragic. Thankies for the chocolate. It will be put to good use.