---------------------------------------- Dubious Reunion ---------------------------------------

"Inuyasha… Inuyasha please stop crying," pleaded a young fox girl as she knelt behind the little half-demon. "I don't want to leave here. But my dad, he-" The young girl sighed and hugged Inuyasha tightly around the shoulders.

"You're," Inuyasha began, sobbing. "You're my best friend. What am I going to do without you?"

Akemi smiled and pulled out the two bead-and-shell necklaces she made. She handed one over to Inuyasha.

"I may not be here with you but… well I'll always have you in my heart. You'll always be my bestest friend." Akemi slipped it around Inuyasha's neck and hugged him again.

"Now come on," she said as she bit back her own tears. "Let's go into the village and pull some pranks on those boys. Ones they'll never forget."

Akemi's eyes opened slowly as her dream came to an end. She heard birds chirping in the trees overhead and she heard the happy chatter of people talking.

"Shippo, don't eat it so fast or you'll get a tummy ache," chided Kagome as she tapped his chopsticks with her own.

"But it's so good," Shippo replied wincing slightly.

Miroku laughed heartily at the little fox-demon as he helped himself to the instant noodles that Kagome had made. Sango had opted to eat some fruit instead and was polishing her boomerang off to the side with Kirara watching her intently. The dark-haired girl herself was eating noodles as was the silver-haired demon sitting next to her. Akemi sat up in her covers, auburn hair flowing freely around her shoulders and down her back. She watched the happy group with curious eyes, but most of all she watched Inuyasha.

"I can't believe I've found him," she said to herself as she looked down at her body. She was still fully dressed and her right hand was still clenched in a tight fist. She opened her hand and glanced down at the four jewel shards, the shards that her father died to protect. She let out a soft sigh and placed the jewel fragments within the small pouch that was attached to her sash that wrapped her taiko-cut happi around her waist.

"Hey you guys, Akemi's awake," cried Shippo as he stood on a log, tail swaying happily as he looked at Akemi. The half-fox demon smiled and held up a hand in hello to the group. She pushed her hair away from her face and blushed softly.

"Morning," she said quietly, rising to her feet in the process. She stretched her arms overhead before she straightened her clothes that consisted of a green-and-black taiko-cut happi with black shorts trimmed in green. Her sash was tied tightly around her tiny waist and there were several kunai blades tucked into the sash along with a small, brown pouch. She glanced at the group of people, green-eyes blinking a few times in confusion before she settled upon Inuyasha, who was also staring back at her.

Akemi stepped forward in her bare feet and clasped her hands behind her back. "Inuyasha," she said with a broad grin. "I can't believe that," she cut herself off and stepped forward again.

"Akemi," Inuyasha said in Akemi's pause. He was unsure of how to act with the fox since it had been several years since he had seen her. It was Akemi however that took the initiative and bounded forward to stand in front of him.

"You haven't changed little brother!" She reached up and messed with his hair. "Though you have grown taller." She smiled and turned around to introduce herself to the others only to find that Miroku had somehow snuck up on her and was holding her hand.

"Beautiful girl," he said as he stroked her hand. "I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of bearing my children." He was about to lean in to kiss her hand when a large boomerang found its mark upon his head.

Miroku's eyes narrowed and he chuckled sheepishly. "I believe I may have made a mistake in asking you in front of my companions." He slunk away, hand rubbing the knot on his head vigorously. Akemi's smile was confused to say the least as she glanced at the monk and then at the young woman who was holding the boomerang.

"Don't mind him," she said with a wave of her hand. "He asks everyone to bear his children." Sango grinned and held out a hand to the girl. "My name is Sango."

Akemi grinned and shook the hand slowly but remained silent as she tried to take in her surroundings. She wasn't sure why Inuyasha was with these people, these humans, when all their young life it had been the humans who shunned them. And by the looks of things, the girl who had just introduced herself to Akemi was a demon-slayer.

It didn't make sense to the pretty half-demon and her confusion manifested itself upon her face until she was pulled out of her quiet thoughts by something tugging on her leg. She looked down to find the little fox demon gazing up at her with starry eyes. Akemi smiled and bent down to pick him up.

"Well hello there," she said with a grin as she cradled him in her arms. "Do you know my Inuyasha?"

Kagome turned at the mention of "my Inuyasha" but remained quiet, busying herself by looting through her backpack. Sango noticed Kagome's sideways glance toward Inuyasha and Akemi and sighed. She felt sorry for Kagome knowing that deep down the young student held deep feelings for the half-demon.

"I do," Shippo said a bit star struck. "Inuyasha's told us all about you," he added with a grin. Akemi glanced at Inuyasha from the corner of her eyes.

"Is that so," Akemi said with a smirk. "Well, I bet I have some stories about Inuyasha that I could tell you. And what's your name?" Her smile was gentle and inviting though her green-eyes held a twinkle of mischievousness in them.

"Shippo," he replied a bit shyly. The young fox demon opened his mouth to say something else when Inuyasha strode forward.

"Hey," the half-demon interrupted gruffly as he glared at Shippo. "We don't have time for that." He chased the little fox demon away from Akemi and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What were you doing fighting that demon," he asked her in a slightly gruff manner.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice rang out like a bell.

"What!"

"She just woke up and you're going to bombard her with questions?" Kagome rose from her spot and approached Akemi with an outstretched hand. "I'm Kagome Higurashi."

Akemi warily took the girl's hand and shook it slowly while her eyes examined Kagome's clothing.

"You're dressed so oddly," she began as she let go of Kagome's hand and began to round her, seemingly fragile hands touching the green fabric of the pleated skirt curiously. "Where are you from," she asked finally as she stopped her examination.

Kagome had remained still the entire time, a look of amusement drawn upon her face. "I'm from the present," she answered easily as she tucked a strand of ebony hair behind her ear.

"The present?" Akemi's voice expressed her confusion.

"Inuyasha, where is the "present?" Is it a village that I've not yet visited?" Her tail swished back and forth as she looked at the silver-haired half-demon.

"No," Kagome interrupted. "It's not a place. Well it is, but it's not anyplace here in the Feudal Era. It's a time, in the present. It's… well…" Kagome stammered as she tried to explain but noticed that Akemi grew more and more confused. "It's a place far, far away," she settled upon finally.

Akemi seemed content with this answer until she realized that Kagome was staring at her strangely. The agile female half-demon backed away instinctively and narrowed her eyes. She turned to Inuyasha who was not looking at her but at Kagome.

"Kagome, what's the matter," asked Inuyasha as he moved forward.

Kagome's brown-eyes were staring directly at Akemi. "She has Shikon shards!"

Inuyasha looked from Kagome and then toward Akemi and chided himself under his breath. Because of the chaos following his reunion with Akemi, Inuyasha had forgotten that he spied jewel shards in his friend's hand during the battle.

"Akemi, I know you have jewel shards," Inuyasha said as he took a careful step towards her. Akemi looked from her friend to the group of people behind him who were now also advancing towards her. Her hand reached for her pouch and she grasped at it tightly with her right hand.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I can't give them to you. Not yet." She continued to back away while her left hand reached for something behind her back. If Inuyasha and his companions were going to attack her, if they were going to forcefully try to take the jewel shards from her, she would fight them, even her friend.

Inuyasha stopped and held out an arm to stop the others from advancing. The golden-eyed hanyou crossed his arms over his chest.

"In case you were wondering," he began with an arrogant tone. "We need those jewel shards."

"And I need them, too," she said and stuck her tongue out at them. Inuyasha scoffed, his thoughts wandering back to a time when Akemi's answer to everything seemed to be to stick her tongue out at it.

Miroku stepped forward this time, his staff held upright in his right hand. "Please, we mean you no harm but we really do need those jewel shards. Keeping them in your possession could bring you unnecessary danger." His eyes reflected the concern in his voice as he took another careful step forward.

"I'm used to danger," Akemi retorted. "I'm a half-demon, remember?" Her hand grabbed onto the pouch more tightly.

"Akemi, this is serious!" Inuyasha's tone was growing impatient. "We don't have time to deal with this right now!"

The half-fox demon glared at Inuyasha and gritted her teeth. "Don't tell me what you don't have time to deal with, Inuyasha. I'd tell you what I've had to deal with in the past two days; hell, what I've had to deal with since the time I left you but it's obvious that the only thing you care about are these damn shards." She indicated to the pouch by her side. "And I'm telling you right now, all of you, that if you want these shards you're going to have to pry them from my dead hands."