Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

Chapter 12 - Not of the Clan

Inuyasha placed Kagome on the floor and walked towards her star. He couldn't figure out why the jewel had rejected a descendant of the four ladies. Along with that, why hadn't her star joined the others? It floated there like it was waiting for Kagome to reunite them. How he was going to reunite them, he didn't know. Inuyasha knew as long as Kagome remained in this room next to her soul, she would be fine. He needed help. He doubted Kikyo would care enough to look for Kagome. He kissed her forehead and left the lair. He hoped he was doing the right thing…

Miroku looked nervously upwards at the palace before them. It was odd that they hadn't been met with any force yet. It was too easy, and he was worried. He snapped out of his thoughts when the gates began to open. Everyone in the group tensed, preparing themselves for a fight. He looked to his left and saw Sango hold a giant bone boomerang behind her back, preparing to wield the weapon. He turned his attention back to the gate, only to see a saddened hanyou step out.

"Everyone stay on your guard!" Sesshomaru yelled to his army around him. He wasn't sure if this was a trick or not. He didn't want to be cause unawares, he promised Rin he would return safely.

Inuyasha walked straight up to Miroku and looked him in the eyes. Hopefully his cousin would believe that this was really him. He sighed and said "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what Inuyasha!" Sango didn't like what was going on. Something was wrong. And if Inuyasha was 'sad', then it probably had to do with Kagome.

Inuyasha sighed and sat down, motioning for the others to do the same. Sango and Miroku took a seat besides him, while Sesshomaru told his soldiers to form a perimeter around the palace and keep watch. He then joined the trio prepared for Inuyasha's explanation.

"When I returned here Kikyo revealed to me that she had never taken my soul. It had all been a lie to keep me here without any problems. However, after I returned she did take my soul for her stupid Shikon."

"Shikon, you mean she has it?" Sesshomaru interrupted.

"You know of it." Inuyasha was shocked, Kikyo said no one remembered the jewel.

"Of course I do. The jewel of four souls. Kikyo always wore the stupid thing and said it had been a gift from her mother. Our father saw it and recognized it from the legends. He warned me to not marry the girl. He knew it could cause problems, but he was more worried of the consequences if I did go into that marriage. When everyone thought you had left with her, he knew something was going to happen like this."

"Can someone fill us in?" Miroku hated to be out of the loop of anything.

Inuyasha quickly filled in Miroku and Sango on the origin of the jewel, and how you recreated it. "After she took my soul, I became full demon. But a horrible one. I didn't even recognize Kagome for who she was, and her mark was gone to prove we were mates. Well anyway, I caught up to her and uh…" Inuyasha paused and blushed furiously. Miroku raised an eyebrow and grinned wickedly.

"O Inuyasha, have you been a bad boy!" Both Sango and Inuyasha jumped onto the monk, thoroughly knocking him out cold.

"Anyways…afterwards, the mark reappeared. It seems that Kagome held a piece of my soul, and I hold a piece of hers. By acting like mates, she returned that part to me, making me normal again." Inuyasha finished the story of how Kikyo acquired Kagome's soul and how the jewel rejected it. "And I have no idea how to put in back into her."

"You could always try the sex thing." Miroku braced himself for the pain that was to come, after being knocked out again, Inuyasha just shook his head.

Sango picked up Miroku's arms and dragged him back towards his tent. When he woke she was going to have an important talk with him about timing. 'Stupid lecher, how can that be all he thinks about…true we've never done that…but still!'

"I think we need to have a talk with Lord Higurashi."

"Why's that Sess?" Inuyasha questioned his brother.

"Isn't it obvious? The jewel rejected Kagome's soul. Thus, she must not be truly of the Higurashi clan. And her father must know the reason behind this."

Inuyasha nodded at the simple logic and wondered why he never thought of it before. The two brothers took off into the night sky and headed south. If Kagome wasn't a Higurashi, who was she?