Hey hey hey! And yes I know I have not posted in almost three months now. I apologize. There I said I'm sorry. Don't make me say it again. Or I will be forced to kill you. Those of you who read my profile know why there was such a long wait. Anyway... Well only six reviews, one of them not a good one.... And a lot from new reviewers, only one old one if I remember correctly... Guess the last chapter wasn't to well done on my part. Well, I'll try and make this one better and if it doesn't do it then please tell me because I don't wanna waste my time on a project that sucks. Well that's about it... Here's Review answers.....
Inuchanluver1: yes my friend..... she is..... a cat..... now tell the gato and the oro to get off my bed!!!!!!!!!
pattycake: eh...... sorry if this wasn't a quick enough update for you...... runs before any retaliation can come his way
Sereia: well just keep workin on your story and I will keep workin on mine. Your not the only one who takes impossibly long to update on their chapters........
sasami: well if you don't like it then please tell me why, I only take constructive criticism, not someone who just says something is bad and doesn't back it up
Katgome: Thanks for readin and for the review..... funny how your name goes with my story..... irony?! I THINK NOT!!!!!!!
Kougalover: Glad you love it and don't worry I tend to go crazy too sometimes coughs football games......
Anyway that's it for that. Yes I know not much but their wasn't much reviews. So too the Disclaimer so I don't get sued. I'm poor enough as it is.......
Disclaimer: Lets get this..... I live in the US, Inuyasha, is based in Japan. Now is their any conceivable way, that a white, 17 year old, preppy jock from Orlando the house that mouse built, could own one of the most popular anime's in the world from Tokyo-a-go-go? No? Didn't think so.......
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Chapter 5: The Choices of Totosai
Clouds covered most of the sky, drowning out the light of the stars and the moon. It seemed to reflect the type of mood that settled around the completely demolished well. Fumes wafted from the large crater's bottom. All life around the area seemed to shy from the desolate hole. The area was as dead as a graveyard.
Then a small breeze wisped through the area, moving the branches and rustling the grass. From the woods came several pale glowing white serpents. So ghastly they seemed to be almost an apparition.
The serpents converged over the destroyed well. Hovering, they acted like spy planes, scoping out what it seemed to be. After several more minutes the serpents turned back to the trees and left the clearing, leaving the spot once again as desolate as it was before.
Several minutes passed as nothing changed. Then out of the trees one of the serpents appeared yet again. It moved slowly, and behind it a figure walked out of the trees, following the apparition. The priestess Kikyou followed her soul stealer to the burned out crater as the rest of them acted almost like a guard and flanked her sides and back.
The undead miko moved forward till she stood at the edge of the crater. Kneeling down onto her knees she stared into the depths of the crater.
Kikyou was no fool, she knew who had done this, and exactly how it had been done also. Kikyou's undead heart filled with more fury then it had ever held at the mere thought of the despicable demon Naraku. His betrayal ran deep in the blood flowing through her veins.
This was the priestess' last chance for the revenge she had carried for over half a century of anguish. This was her one shot to bring justice to the half-demon who had destroyed her and Inuyasha more than fifty years ago. Now was her time.
With a final glance at the surroundings of Sengoku-Jida, Kikyou stepped into the crater and passed through to the present time. Her soul stealers followed her down and the clearing became devoid of all life yet again. Except for the glowing set of eyes that followed their movements all the way down the crater.
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Inuyasha groaned and stretched out from the sitting position he held on a tree branch. Opening his eyes, the hanyou was forced to blink several times to adjust his eyes to the blinding sun in his face. Shielding his eyes with his hand till they were finally used to the light, he leaped down off the tree and surveyed his surroundings.
His eyes passed over the village and the corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile. Kikiyou had taught these people well. Already many of the destroyed buildings were well into reconstruction, villagers of all ages working tirelessly to bring their town back to order. The people of this village had a resilience that never ceased to amaze the hanyou. No matter what hit them they would always get back up and continue living on. This is what Kikiyou had taught them, what Kaede continued to teach them, what even Kagome inspired them to keep going on. They were fighters, pathetic mortals they were, but fighters none the less.
Inuyasha headed to the center of the village, ignoring the typical looks of wariness from the villagers he always got. He was used to them and they had to ceased to bother him long ago. But, with a smug grin, Inuyasha did notice how there were not nearly as many looks as their was before. 'Bout time I got some respect around here,' the hanyou thought as he made his way to the main house where all the injured and his friends were staying.
He stepped over the threshold and moved the screen to the houses entrance and walked in. He took in a deep breath and smelled all the familiar scents of his friends. There was also another new lingering scent, familiar yet not too much. Inuyasha shrugged it off. Probably just a new person admitted, someone who got hurt during the rebuilding process.
Inuyasha strolled down the halls, checking the doors of each room and seeing that the occupants were in good condition. Witch, thanks to Sesshomaru and the Tenseiga, they were all in complete recovery. Coming across his brothers room he peeked in and saw the hanyou on the floor, both arms wrapped protectively around the fairy Kouketsu as they slept on the mat. The black skinned fighter that Kagome had called an 'American' named Brandon and the fire nymph named Hinote were asleep sitting against the wall, their heads resting on each other.
Inuyasha shook his head and chuckled, ducking his head out of the room and continuing his rounds. A few minutes later he came across Sango's room and poked his head in. Sango was laying on her matt with her brother Kohaku right next to her, his head resting on her stomach as she kept one arm laid across him. Normally the slayer was the early riser in their group out of a habit she had developed as a demon slayer, but now it was Miroku who had risen with the sun, nodding once to Inuyasha as he watched the siblings and stroked a sleeping Kirara on his lap. The inu hanyou nodded back then pulled out and continued his check up coming to the last hall in the house were both Kagome and Kaede's rooms were.
He looked into Kagome's room and his brows furrowed in confusion when he did not see her there. Kagome had been dead exhausted last time he had seen her, there's no way she could be up by now. Inuyasha walked down to the end of the hallway and his ears twitched in irritation, then anger. He could smell Kagome, he could smell Kaede, the new scent he had smelled earlier was now much stronger, and he could smell the disgusting scent of death. Growling he unsheathed the Tetsusaiga and ripped the curtain aside and stood in the entrance, fully prepared to rip whatever threat he found in here to hundreds of very small pieces.
His eyes swept over the room all at once and took everything in before his poor mind could have any chance to understand a single part of it. He saw Kaede on the ground, a calm impassive look on her face, clearly dead. A sleeping form was sprawled next to her on a mat, the face obscured by flowing raven black hair and a feminine body lightly showing under a blanket. Inuyasha stuttered, trying to understand why both Kagome's scent and this new one seemed to come from the exact same form.
His stuttering woke the form up and the feminine body flexed, taking a long time to stretch each limb, reminding Inuyasha of a feline. Then the form sat up and moved her hair out of the way and deep brown eyes shown out at him, blinking away sleep. Black ears twitched in content as she stretched her hands and claws seemed to grow then retract from the otherwise normal dainty human fingers. Inuyasha stared, his eyes wide as dinner plates as he tried to summon his vocal cords to say something but they would not cooperate. Then the girls eyes seemed to focus and a small content smile came over her pink lips. A black tail seemed to appear from behind her and swished around. "Hey Inuyasha," she half hummed, half purred, the vertical slits of her pupils narrowing as she focused on the Inu-hanyou.
Inuyasha's mind tried to work but couldn't, the tail had been the final straw. He finally found his voice and spoke like he couldn't breathe, "Kagome.... you have a... tail." And then the Inu hanyou fainted, falling against the wall and creating a loud bump that reverberated through the house.
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Miroku continued to scratch at the ears of the sleeping fire cat in his arms as he watched Inuyasha duck out of the frame of the door and the curtain swished behind him. His eyes traveled back to Sango and her brother Kohaku, who rested peacefully at his feet. Miroku was surprised the Inu-hanyou hadn't taken the time to warn him to not feel her up while she slept, but he must have figured not even his lecherous hand could really take advantage of the huntress while she was in such a state. Tempting none the less, but even Miroku had his grounds, and this is one he would not trod on.
Miroku thought back to the day before and the time spent after Sesshomaru had healed Kohaku. It had been joyous and gratifying, to watch the reunion of the siblings. Kohaku remembered who Sango was, unlike the last time when Naraku had deceived them and this served to brighten Sango's mood even more. She had seen the last of her hope crushed to the darkness, only to see it come back against all odds to her.
Miroku smiled, remembering what had happened when he had tried to leave to go check to see how the others who had been healed were doing. Sango's reaction was instantaneous. She immediately had gotten up and stood in front of him, demanding firmly but quietly and politely where he was going. Chuckling, Miroku explained and Sango relented, but looked extremely disappointed and worried. With soft words he calmed her down and left, quickly making his rounds and returned to her. She had smiled warmly to him when he came back in and Miroku knew why.
'She was truly concerned for me, almost like her brother. She doesn't want me out of her sight.' The monk thought on it and knew it to be true. Sango was headstrong and brave, unlike most timid women of their time. Having lost so much already, anything else she held dear she would keep as close as possible to her.
Miroku smiled and closed his eyes. 'And it looks like I'm something she holds dear.' It surprised Miroku, who normally had a firm grip on his feelings, how much that really mint to him.
Kirara mewled in his lap as his hands stopped there ministrations on her ears while he was thinking. The monk chuckled and continued on with the rubbing, and soon the fire cat was purring contently under his hand. Miroku looked again at the siblings at his feet, then leaned back against the wall, feeling that maybe an extra hour of sleep could be spared.
The second the monks head touched the wall behind him a loud thump issued from it, like a heavy object had struck the wall on the other side. Miroku immediately shot up and Kirara leaped out of his lap and growled at the wall feraly. Sango roused out of her sleep and looked foggily at Miroku, her brother also looking to the monk, trying to blink away the sleep from his eyes.
"Miroku? What is it?," the slayer asked rising slowly to her legs and helping her brother up at the same time.
"I don't know and I really don't like it," Miroku said as he remembered it was Kaede's room on the other side of the wall. He grabbed his staff and ran for the adjoining hallway. Miroku had a bad feeling and those normally should be acted upon. Sango and the rest followed him as he got to the room and flung the curtain out of the way.
Miroku blinked to try and clear his eyes which had to be fooling him. Before him sat Kagome cross-legged on the floor, looking unmistakably like a mix between a cat and a human, bearing an apologetic look as her ears and tail flicked sheepishly. In front of Miroku, sprawled on the ground under a mess of silvery white hair was an unconscious Inuyasha. Behind Kagome was a prone Kaede, who Miroku quickly sensed was dead. After Miroku saw all of this he remembered to breathe and looked to Kagome for an answer.
He never got one though as Sango steeped right next to him. "Miroku what's going......" The young slayer's eyes swept the scene then fell on Kagome, who blushed and arched her shoulders trying to shrink herself down a bit. The gesture of apology didn't work as Sango sputtered out several incoherent words then faint when Kagome opened her mouth to reply and a glimmer of pearly white fangs shown out.
Kirara walked cautiously out to Kagome and sniffed her hand. The fire cat meowed happily and started licking it, as Kagome looked to Miroku sheepishly, who put his face in his hand and tried to make some sense of just what the hell had happened in the past twelve hours.
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It had taken almost an hour to get every one in the main room of the house and that had not been helped by the fact that Inuyasha had fainted yet again when he saw Kagome only five seconds after Miroku woke him up. Finally, by around nine o'clock in the morning, everyone was sitting down in the room, including Ryllis and his gang, who were all looking extremely confused and trying to sort out why Kagome could now hear every whispered word they spoke.
Miroku looked to Kagome and spoke softly, "Please lady Kagome, start from the beginning and tell us what happened."
And so Kagome did. It took her close to an hour, and several times she had to stop to allow herself time to clear her voice when it strained as painful memories were brought up. But her friends waited quietly and listened till she finished. Miroku looked contemplative, Sango looked worried, Inuyasha looked angry, everyone in Ryllis' gang looked like they were in shock, and Kirara just looked damned cute like always.
"Dark witch..... Where have I heard of something like this before?," Sango asked allowed, but seemed more like she was speaking to herself.
"When we took on Tsubaki remember?" Miroku reminded her. "She poisoned Kagome with tainted shards to try and bait Inuyasha into fighting her without the Tetsusaiga."
"Right...." Sango nodded as the memory came back to her. She turned back to Kagome looking more worried then ever. "And Kaede-sama said that if she didn't do this you would end up like that evil woman?"
Kagome nodded. "She said something about bringing the anger into a physical form that could be controlled..... I guess that's why I've turned into a demon. It must be the anger manifesting itself so it doesn't corrupt."
Miroku nodded as his acute mind began to put the pieces together. "And Kaede-sama must have believed the risks of your powers becoming corrupted far outweighed the risks of transforming you into a half-demon." He nodded again believing he finally had it all down and turned to the raven haired girl. "Do you feel any different at all? Besides from the physical changes of course."
Kagome sighed and tried to sort out the hurricane that was her mind. "Hai, I guess I do. Something felt almost.... trapped before. I felt sick, like if I didn't let it out..... It would explode. But the feeling is gone now."
Miroku nodded and turned to Inuyasha who had been uncharacteristically quiet during the whole time. The angered look on his face, which Miroku was undoutably sure had come from his inability to protect Kagome from the whole ordeal, was gone and had been replaced by one of thought. "Inuyasha, what do you have to say on this?"
He shrugged. "There really isn't much to say. Wish I had known but looks like the old woman has already taken care of the problem for us." He looked to Kagome, "Unless there was anything you didn't tell us."
Kagome briefly thought of how Kaede told her she would be even more vulnerable to corruption of her powers during the short periods of time she transformed back into a normal human but just as quickly brushed it off. She could handle herself, thanks to what Kaede had done for her. She shook her head, "No that's everything."
Inuyasha nodded. "Then it's out of sight and out of mind. The woman took care of it for us and now we got other fish to fry."
"Which would be?" Ryllis asked. Miroku looked to Inuyasha. He never had told any of them what he had found out while on the other side of the well.
Inuyasha quickly explained his findings. He started by pointing out that the well was now destroyed and anyone could pass through to the other side. He then turned to Kagome.
"Not only that but those police guys are looking for you and your brother." He told her.
Kagome nodded figuring it would only be a matter of time till they wondered what had happened to her in the conflagration. Then the rest of Inuyasha's sentence sunk in. "M..my brother?" She asked, her breath quickening.
The hanyou nodded. "Yep. They never found a single trace of his body. And I couldn't smell a single aota of his scent around the house when I went through there. All things concerned your kid brother is still alive."
Kagome nodded as warmth flooded her chest. This meant that her brother was in the clutches of Naraku, but that meant there was still hope in getting him back. And hope was something she had become very short on these days.
Kouketsu spoke up from her position next to Ryllis. "Wait if these Police are looking for you... doesn't that mean they'll want to see you now? And how will you explain where you've been?"
Inuyasha frowned. The fairy had hit the question dead on in the nose and he was at a loss to answer it. He had spent most of the night trying to figure it out but had only came up with a very large headache for his troubles. He turned to Kagome who thought for a second then clasped her hands together, showing a glimmer of the old cheery school girl still in her.
"I can say I was at one of my friends house. Will have to tell them everything but they will cover for me if we explain." Kagome looked to them all. "Besides with all that is probably about to happen concerning Naraku, the secrecy of my visits to the feudal era seems kinda obsolete now huh?"
Inuyasha nodded. A plan had already been formed in his mind about taking them all and going after the hanyou but with Kagome now solidifying that they had something concrete to go on.
"Where are you going to stay though Kagome?" Sango asked. "You'll need somewhere to live surely?"
Kagome smiled at her reassuringly. It was still the same warm smile too, Inuyasha noted, even with the addition of highly sharp fangs to it. "I can stay with my friends till we sort it all out."
Inuyasha nodded and stood up. "Ok then. For now just me and Kagome will go. The rest of you stay here since I doubt Kagome's friends would take care of all of us."
"What makes you think they'll put up with you?" Sango asked and every one burst out laughing.
"Who asked you!?" Inuyasha growled and advanced on her.
Sango backed up a bit, but Kagome was all over it. "Inuyasha, sit boy." The hanyou hit the ground faced first and muttered curses under his breath. The raven haired girl laughed and showed the first real smile she had shown in several days. Even with all the danger ahead this was what her life was supposed to be like. Everyone laughing and enjoying themselves. Even the frown on Inuyasha's face was cause for happiness as he picked himself up off the ground and huffed in irritation. This was how it should be and Kagome finally felt like she was ready for the next turn.
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Inuyasha and Kagome headed together to the destroyed well. They were taking there time, both of them not speaking it but knowing this would be the last time they had together in this peaceful era for a long time. They didn't speak and despite their slow speed from Kagome's disorientation from her new superhuman strength ad sences plus the constant groaning of Inuyasha trying to get over the cat smell that came off of the girl that only seemed to make the walk go longer, they arrived at the crater well before an hour had passed from them leaving the village.
Inuyasha strolled up to the rim and prepared to jump in when the wind shifted direction and a familiar scent blew his way. Kagome's head perked up in confusion and looked in all directions, still not knowing how to use her incredibly sharp sences, but Inuyasha found it's source immediately and growled. "You have three seconds wolfie, to explain why your here before I use your bones as a sharpening for my sword." Kagome's eyes found Kouga and gasped. She could see healing scars on his legs and could feel no aura of the jewel shards. "Inuyasha, his legs......"
Inuyasha's eyes went down to Kouga's scared legs and a smirk formed across his lips. "So you did loose them Kouga?" Inuyasha sighed, "Well not much of a surprise but I had hoped you would have been able to hold onto them. I'm guessing Naraku?"
Kouga growled and walked up too them, a small limp still prominent in his stride. "Hai. He..... caught me in a trap..... I had no chance...." The wolf demon admitted keeping his eyes on the hanyou.
"The great Kouga tricked by Naraku? The leader of wolves outfoxed and actually admitting it?" Inuyasha chuckled, "He must have got you good. What exactly did he do?"
Kouga glared and Inuyasha almost took a step back. "He beat Ayame within an inch of her life, and set her as bait for me to find. He jumped me when I tried to rescue her."
Kagome's hand went to her mouth as she gasped. She remembered the beautiful wolf princess, her bright cheery attitude, and her constant battle for Kouga's attention. To find that she had been so savagely beaten made her blood boil. "My god Kouga.... is she alright?"
Kouga finally turned to regard her and nodded. "She'll make a full recovery. A few more days rest and it will be back to normal. She is a lot tougher than she....." Kouga halted midscentence as he finally noticed Kagome's twitching ears and her smell overwhelmed his sences. His brain took a few seconds to process it then he blew up.
"MUTT WHAT THE HELL HAS HAPPENED TO MY WOMAN!!!!?"
Kagome grabbed her ears, whimpering in pain and Inuyasha bopped the youkai on the back of his head. "Baka! quiet down will you?" He squeezed Kagome's shoulder comfortingly. "First she is not your woman. Second she still cant control her sences like we can so keep your loud-ass mouth down. Third, it is none of your business what happened with her so shut it."
Kouga growled and took no heed to either the first or third but kept his voice down to a low volume and moved closer to Kagome. Inuyasha growled and advanced on him but was soon brought down by Kagome's word. He growled and cursed into the ground as Kouga looked into Kagome's eyes. "Are you ok Kagome?"
Kagome nodded and gave a sort of strained smile to him, still trying to get past the headache his last outburst had given her. "Hai I'm ok."
"What happened?"
Kagome sighed. "If I told you it would take all day. Just know I'm alright."
Kouga smiled brightly. "I have all day."
Kagome looked down as she tried to think of how to put it to him. "I'm sorry Kouga but....." "We don't." Inuyasha stated as he stood up from the ground and popped his neck trying to return feeling to it. "We've got a spider to kill and have no time to waste on you and your dumb questions."
Kouga raised an eyebrow. "So your going after him then?"
Inuyasha gave his normal 'feh' sound like he was irritated. "Was there any doubt in your mind?"
Kouga shook his head. "Nope. Just figured you would wait for some back up."
It was Inuyasha's turn to cock an eyebrow. "And that backup would be?"
"You think I am going to let Naraku get away for insulting me like this? He already had it coming for when he had his bitch kill my clansmen." Kouga shook his head. "No he's had this coming. He's only sped it up. The second my legs are healed and Ayame is back in full health my pack will be on the move. All of us are going to this other era on the other side of the crater. We will chase that bastard to where ever he goes."
Kagome was surprised at the seriousness in the Wolf Prince's voice but then giggled. She wondered what her school mates would think when they saw Kouga and his wolf pack come down the street.
'Probably squeal their heads off. That is if they haven't already lost their voice from screaming for Sesshomaru.' Kagome blushed and looked to the hanyou next to her while he talked to Kouga. 'And if all that doesn't get to them then Inuyasha will put them six feet under.....'
Kagome was so intent on her day dreaming she didn't even catch on the subject of Kouga and Inuyasha's conversation. A few brief words on what Kouga had seen the night before and a nod from the Inu-hanyou was all that exchanged and Kouga turned to Kagome bringing her out of her reprieve.
Kouga nodded to Inuyasha then gave Kagome a half hug that set her nerves on fire. Inuyasha growled but was only put down by another 'Sit' from the miko. "You take care of yourself Kagome. I'll be there to take care of you soon enough." With that he took off, still faster than anything on the ground even with his injuries.
Inuyasha growled and picked himself off the ground and took Kagome's hand leading her back to the well. Kagome's nerves once again raced and she wondered why in the hell such small contacts were affecting her.
"And why in the hell were you being so friendly?" Inuyasha growled at her as they jumped through, keeping a firm grip on her hand.
Kagome frowned at him. "I was not being friendly! He was just all over me!"
"Feh, didn't look like you were doin much to stop him from what I saw." Inuyasha growled and Kagome just decided not to answer him. She was used to the jealousy and knew there would be absolutely no way to get him to be quiet but ignore him. She grinned though that after a few minutes of her silence he had kept his hand latched on hers.
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Kagome breathed a huge sigh of relief as she and Inuyasha spilled out onto the crowded Tokyo sidewalk. The sun was just reaching the middle of the sky and the light glinted off the large steel buildings putting a glare over the entire city. Kagome calmed her jack hammering heart and shook her head to try and clear the fogginess inside but to no avail.
It had taken her and Inuyasha nearly thirty minutes to get away from the burned down shrine without getting seen by the police who were still investigating. This had been made much harder than it should have since Kagome's head was still having trouble catching up with her body. She had tripped, fallen, stubbed her toes, and otherwise made a complete fool of herself for nearly thirty minutes but they had still escaped detection.
They had next headed to the city in looks for attire that would make them less conspicuous. There animal like ears covered by American cowboy hats did not couple well with Kagome's school girl outfit and Inuyasha's ancient haori. But since they had no money that meant stealing. Something Kagome was dead set against. Inuyasha of course did not listen and since sitting him in public would attract a crowd, she had no choice but to follow him. Which she soon found was much easier said then done. The honks of street cars, the greasy smell of food vendors, the bright lights of neon signs, it was overwhelming Kagome's brain as they leaped from rooftop to rooftop towards the mall and a clothes store. Inuyasha carried her the whole way so she wouldn't fall and when they finally were on the mall of the rooftop she felt so bad it even topped the one hangover she had after her friends had succeeded into convincing her to drink (something she swore to never do again).
Then came the whole said business of stealing. Kagome and Inuyasha sneaked in through a roof vent, Inuyasha swearing loudly at all the noise Kagome made. They finally found themselves in a department store and Kagome pointed out things to grab and Inuyasha, quiet and quick as a shadow would move down and nab them before even a camera could spot them. When they had gotten everything they needed the two went out the way they came and Inuyasha carried her down to the street below. They changed in an alley, taking turns to watch for passerby's. It took Kagome a full five minutes to convince Inuyasha that he needed to wear boxers and even longer to make him wear the sandals (she couldn't imagine how bad it would have been with shoes and socks). But she succeeded and now the two were making there way through Tokyo, Inuyasha in baggy black denim jeans, brown sandals, a red t-shirt with some American designer name on it (which Kagome also noticed, clung to his muscles nicely), and a black hat of some Japanese baseball team. He kept their old clothes stored in a plastic bag that he held in his right hand. Kagome had on a pair of low cut, hip-hugger blue jeans that flared out at the bottom, and a white, skin tight t-shirt that showed off her belly button and had the word 'sexy kitty' inscribed on the chest with an anime looking cat under them. It was meant to be a joke but Inuyasha didn't understand the irony of the statement. Capped off with a pink beanie/cap and some dark metallic blue sunglasses to hide her cat eyes and ears, and the only thing that made the two noticeable was the way Kagome kept massaging her temples and the ever incessant growling of Inuyasha at Kagome's attire and the fact that his hair had been tucked behind his shirt so people wouldn't look. She really could care less, especially since he did not have to deal with a tail being crushed between her pants and her butt.
Once they found a place private enough, Inuyasha took them back too the rooftops and ran the rest of the way out of the city. With Kagome's directions they came to a small apartment district close to her school. Kagome had Inuyasha stop at the last one in a row of twenty and they walked around back. "So who's place is this? Their house is a lot bigger than yours." Inuyasha asked eyeing the five story apartment up.
"It's my friend Ayume's place. And it's not just her house. Each floor has someone different living on it. That way more people can fit in one space." Kagome explained to the hanyou who nodded his understanding. "She lives on the fourth level up. I didn't see her parents car so they aren't home but I know she is since her favorite show comes on at this time and she wouldn't miss that if Sesshomaru was trying to kiss her." Kagome giggled at the thought then tuned to Inuyasha. "Can you get us up there?"
"Sure." The hanyou shrugged and he scooped her up in his arms and leapt to the landing. He put her down and Kagome nodded her thanks, putting her finger to her lips to keep him quiet. She then walked over to the door and tapped loudly on it enough to catch the attention of the black haired teenage girl on the couch watching the TV with a remote in her hands. The girl stood up and looked their direction, a perplexed expression on her face on why noise was coming from the balcony.
The confused expression quickly turned to shock and the girl's eyes went wide as she rushed over to the door and let the two in. She quickly wrapped her friend into a bone-crushing hug and began talking at such a loud volume that Kagome's headache doubled in volume.
"Kagome! Where have you been!? Ohhh my god we have all been so worried about you!!! First we thought you were dead but then they said you turned up missing! And the school, you should here it! Even the teachers have been talking about what happened."
Kagome managed to get out of the hold and massaged her head. "Shhh, please Ayume not so loud. I cant really take high noises right now."
Her friend nodded and quickly led Kagome and Inuyasha over to the couch and sat them down on it. She turned off the TV and looked to Kagome. "So what happened?" She asked a little more quietly than she normally would have. "Did the terrorist set off an explosion and that's why your ears hurt?"
Kagome sighed and took hung her head. "No that's not it." She let her hands move to her hat. "Please don't scream..... I know it's weird but I'm alright." Then she took of the hat and the glasses and fixed her deep brown cat eyes onto her friend's.
Ayume gasped and sat back, putting her hand over her mouth as her eyes widened. Kagome looked embarrassed but held eye contact with her. After several seconds of her trying to clear her throat she finally spoke. "Kagome.... what the hell happened to you?"
And so Kagome told her. Told her everything from start to finish. Well an abbreviated version of it but covering everything from the day she first set foot in feudal Japan to the present. It took nearly an hour and when it was finally over Ayume pulled her friend into a tight hug. Kagome tensed up but relaxed and patted her on the back. "Daijobou Ayume, I'm alright now."
"If anyone else had said it I'd have thought they were crazy." The girl pulled back slightly and brushed a way a tear from her eye. She then looked past Kagome to the boy behind her. "So is this?"
Kagome looked at Inuyasha and smiled. "Hai this is Inuyasha. A little rough around the edges but a good puppy none the less." Inuyasha immediately jumped up and was about to give Kagome a few well chosen words till she spoke. "Inuyasha, sit boy." Inuyasha muttered his curses to the carpet as Kagome patted his head. "Good boy."
Ayume giggled. "I wish I could do that..." She said admiringly. Kagome grinned, "It comes in handy trust me." The spell wore off and the hanyou got up off the ground and glared at Kagome. "Don't we have more important things to do then you subduing me till my neck breaks?"
Ayume looked at him for a second then an expression of realization came over her face and she turned back to her friend. "That's right. Kagome the police have been looking everywhere for you and your brother. They must not know about this Nareki-guy cause they think some terrorists did it and kidnapped you and Souta."
Kagome sighed. "It's Naraku Ayume but don't worry about it." She looked down at her hands folded in her lap and closed her eyes thinking then after a few moments turned back to Ayume. "I can't tell them where I really was, they would think I was crazy. Can you cover for me? Tell them I was with you guys when it happened? If I have to tell what's really going on to your parents I will but I don't want to reveal to the police that I have a tail now."
Ayume chuckled and pulled her friend into a hug. "Of course I will cover for you Kagome-chan. And don't worry about telling my parents. They've been on a business trip for the last couple days. We won't have to tell them anything." Kagome nodded and started purring when Ayume rubbed her back. She caught herself quickly and blushed embarrassed. Ayume giggled and Kagome quickly turned to Inuyasha to try and avoid any more of Ayume's giggles. "I guess I should get going then huh? The longer I wait the longer there gonna wonder why I took so long to come in."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'I'?"
'Ohh boy.' Kagome thought and took in a deep breath then spoke. "Inuyasha you cant come to the police station, things are different now. They will want information on you that we don't have or can't answer."
"So, we won't give it to them and they can just stuff it." Inuyasha said simply.
Kagome sighed heavily and wracked her brains for something to say. Inuyasha didn't understand that you couldn't tell the police to 'stuff it' in her time. Well check that, he wouldn't understand, she had a feeling he'd still disobey whatever the police said even after she explained there authority in today's world. That left her with only one option, doing something quick so Inuyasha had no time to catch on and would have to go with it.
Kagome stood up and put on her hat and glasses. She then tuned to the inu-hanyou.
"Inuyasha, sit boy."
The hanyou went wide eyed and face planted into the ground. "What the fuck was that for?" He yelled and when the spell wore off he shot back up and came right at Kagome.
"Sit Boy! Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit boy!"
Inuyasha crashed into the ground harder than ever and swore as he heard the bones in his back pop. As he muttered curses into the rug Kagome grabbed a bewildered Ayume and rushed her to the door, giving her only one second to grab the keys for her car. She opened the door and shoved her outside and looked back at Inuyasha's crumpled form. "You stay here and don't follow us or I swear I will sit you so many times you will actually think your a dog!" And with that she closed the door on him.
As she and Ayume headed for the car and got in Kagome noticed Ayume was taking glances at her then looking away the second Kagome looked her way. It finally got to the point where Kagome sighed and looked at her. "Alright what is it?"
Ayume looked at her lap and then to Kagome and blushed. "Umm Kagome.... your ears..... can I well..... touch them?"
Kagome exhaled and took of her hat. Ayume squealed and immediately started rubbing both of them leaving Kagome to wonder how many more times she would have to go through this.
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Kagome steeled herself for what had to be the fourth time that day to not reach over and simply claw the social worker to death in front of her. 'It would be so easy too....' Thought the now neko hanyou, who was flexing her claws under the table and not listening to a word the person said, but putting up a good enough front to make it look like she was.
She stopped herself from thinking those thoughts and tried to calm herself. She had noticed one thing when she had gotten here, a new change that her demon side brought to her. Her normal cool demeanor had been replaced by an extremely short temper, one that she had quelled several times for the sake of the many government officials she had spoken to that day.
First was checking in and that was a nightmare in itself. She had immediately been ushered in, as questions were thrown left and right at her, so fast and so loud she felt like her head would explode. At one point she had to excuse herself to the bathroom to stop a small trail of blood that had been tickling the inside of her ear.
Then came the real questioning. Guys in suits had come in and immediately bombarded her with questions on what had happened and her whereabouts. They were none to happy with Kagome's answer, expecting they that they would get information from her on the 'terrorists'. They questioned Ayume too, then finally left.
Then came the absolute worse part of all. The media. Kagome had been asked to talk to them for just a few minutes and answer questions, to calm the public, who had been very frightened by what had happened to the Higurashi shrine and several other houses in the nearby area. Kagome had quickly agreed, thinking it would help, maybe put some ease to people by knowing that some people had survived.
After it she swore never to do an interview again for the rest of her life. Her eyes were swimming from the constant flash of the cameras, her ears aching worse than ever from the questions, and her head in just constant pain from the sheer weight of it all. They had not allowed Kagome to wear glasses and she was very worried someone would notice how much different her eyes had now become compared to normal human ones. But Ayume, who was watching the TV outside the pressroom since it was a live interview, had assured her that it wasn't noticeable at all unless someone was really looking for it.
After that the police briefed Kagome on what was now going on. Kagome sat, and once again put on a great act of surprise as they gave her the news that her brother was believed to be in the custody of the supposed terrorists. She had not needed to act surprised though, when the police told her what was now left to her. Over eight-hundred thousand dollars in American money. She knew the shrine had done well with tourism, but never that well. Kagome was happy though, knowing now she wouldn't have to live off Ayume or any of her friends, even though none of them would of had any problem at all with it.
Her thoughts returned to the present and she returned her attention to what had been the absolute worse part of her day. The social worker. It had been nearly an hour with her and it was almost eight o'clock at night. Inuyasha was most likely throwing a fit and Kagome really did not want to hear what the social worker had to say. She had managed to keep her mind off the very depressing fact that both her mother and grandfather were dead, and her brother was now in grave danger. And she wanted to stay that way. Not push it completely away, but put it into the back of her mind till it could be dealt with. There would be a time for mourning, but now was not it. Not while her brother was still alive. Not while he was still in the clutches of Naraku.
But the social worker had other ideas. It seemed to be all she wanted to talk about. Pointing out that she understood how traumatic it was, and not to worry the police would get her brother back. She even went as far as to mention counseling and support groups for her, stating that she, "wasn't alone as an orphan..."
Finally when Kagome felt like she could take no more, the woman left, giving Kagome a card and saying she would call every once in a while. Stephanie Apples, the name read on the card. "Well Miss Apples this is one number I won't be dialing any time in the near future." Kagome hissed like a cat and crammed the card into her pocket.
"Hey she was nice." Ayume defended. "At least she didn't ask why you wanted to have on your glasses when she spoke to you. And it is pronounced Ap-pels, not apples like the fruit." She said eyeing the card she had also been given.
"Yeah yeah. And the only reason she didn't ask why was because the woman thought I'd lost my head from what's happened!" Kagome yelled but then put her hand to her forehead and calmed herself. Ayume had done nothing wrong and taking her temper out on her was wrong and immature.
"Hey it's ok Kagome-chan." Ayume said consolingly and rubbed her back. Kagome did not bite back the purr that escaped her throat and let it go freely, relaxing into the touch. Ayume giggled. "Your so cute when you do that."
"Arigatou, Ayume-chan. I don't think I could have gotten through this day with out you." Kagome sat up and smiled at her, then gave the girl a hug. Ayume had stayed by her side the entire time, except for the interview, even though many of the police were adamant against it.
The two girls released each other when the officer that had been placed in charge of their case, Sgt. Yakugi, who had been the only person Kagome had really found no problem with. A tall broad shouldered man with blonde hair and dark eyes. He had been kind and understanding of Kagome's attitude of dealing with the loss of her parents in her own way, and had given her the space she had needed.
"Well Kagome you have had one long day and the department feels that we have gotten all we can from you." The sergeant told her as he grabbed hold of all the files on the table that had been laid there by the various people who had spoken to her over the period she was at the station. "As far as we are concerned you are free to go. I've spoken with Miss Ayume here's parents on the phone and they say it is fine for you to stay at their house till everything gets sorted out."
Kagome looked at Ayume and shook her head. "No it's ok..... I'd rather stay at a hotel or something in the city. Nothing personal, I just.... need some alone time."
Ayume opened her mouth to protest but Sgt. Yakugi stopped her. "I understand. There is a hotel very close to the precinct, houses a lot of people who visit Tokyo to do business with us. Yumi Hotel, its called. Go there. Will call them to make sure you are taken care of and wont have to pay to stay, until we can find you more suitable living conditions."
Kagome smiled. "Arigatou, Yakugi-San, for everything."
Sgt. Yakugi nodded and then spoke. "Ohh that reminds me. I had your money placed in a bank account in your name so it was safe. Theirs a limit on how much you can take out but it will be enough for you to get stuff like clothes and food to replace what you lost."
Kagome shook her head in amazement. "You are incredible."
"I know what it's like to loose a parent at an early age." The sergeant replied. "I cant bring 'em back for ya but I will do everything I can to make sure you will get through this ok." He bent over a bit to look Kagome in the face. "That includes getting your brother back. Which I will do everything in my power to do, I promise."
Kagome bit her lip and nodded her thanks then shook his hand. He escorted the two to the Ayume's car and handed her his card and told her to call in every once in a while so they knew she was doing all right. Kagome assured him she would and got into the car and they left.
She took one last look at the sergeant as he went inside and murmured a prayer for him. 'Don't make a promise that you don't have the ability to keep sergeant.'
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Kagome walked into her hotel room and whistled. It wasn't VH1's 'Life of the rich and famous' but it definitely was up there. A spacious living room with couches and arm chairs that was connected to a bar slash kitchen. There were doors on each side of the room, each leading to an incredibly luxurious bed room. Each had a king size bed and a bathroom with a spa in it. What Kagome loved best though was the adjoining balcony to the outside that came from the living room. Kagome walked out on to it and stared out at the now night skyline of Tokyo.
"Your right." Inuyasha spoke up next to her. "You cant see them at all in your time."
Kagome cocked her head to the side and looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean Inuyasha?"
The hanyou nodded up to the dark sky. "You told me that you could barely see any stars at all in your time. That's why you always liked looking up at them during the night."
Kagome smiled. "Yeah it was really beautiful." Kagome sighed. 'I am really gonna miss it.' Something told her she wouldn't be seeing the feudal era for quite some time.
The two left the porch and walked into the living room where Ayume had just gotten off the hotel phone. "That was the front desk. They said Hojo, Ari, and Yuka are here. I told them to send them up."
Kagome nodded and took of her hat and then reached behind her. With her claw she cut a slit in the back of her jeans. She stretched her tail out of it and breathed a sigh of relief. Her tail had been wedged in there the entire day and it felt like when you fell asleep on your arm in class and it got really numb. She stretched herself out fully and smiled to Ayume. "So how loud do you think there gonna scream?" She asked while her ears twitched from side to side.
Ayume thought for a second then went to the door and waited by it. "Maybe I should head them off. Just to give them a warning."
Within a minute there was a loud knock at the door and Kagome scrunched up her nose in irritation at the sound, wondering how long it would take her to get used to her powerful senses. Ayume opened up the door and spoke very quickly to the people in the doorway. When they all nodded she allowed them in and they walked in to the living room where they found Inuyasha sitting on the couch and Kagome standing in the middle of the room with her hands behind her back. "Kagome! Ohhh my god we......" Yuka was cut short though when she took another second to study Kagome's features.
The three teenagers stood looking at there friend in confusion for a few moments trying to understand what the heck they were looking at. Then Kagome's tail flicked into view and Ari gasped, going wide eyed before she fainted to the ground.
Kagome groaned and walked over, picking the girl up like she was a feather. "I am REALLY getting tired of this."
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Rin groaned and blinked several times, trying to clear her foggy vision. Her temples pounded in her head and she tried to reach up to rub them. Chains around her arms and wrists clanked, keeping her arms and hands down at her sides.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to look around in the darkness. There were other figures around her. All in chains, her blurry vision unable to make out a face. She felt so lonely. Where was Sesshomaru? He promised he would always protect her. Where was he now?
"Sesshomaru-Sama!?" She sobbed out. "Master Jaken!? Please anyone!!!!?"
Rin froze up when she heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her. Her voice quivered as a chill came over her. "Fl....Fluffy-chan? Is that you?"
A scream echoed through out the dark warehouse.
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Kagome chuckled to herself as she closed and locked the door behind her friends. "And what.... Is so goddamn funny Kagome?"
Kagome turned around to look at the growling hanyou in front of her. She was able to maintain an innocent look on her face for about five seconds till she burst out laughing. "What is so fucking funny!?" He growled at her angrily. Kagome gasped and sat down on the couch trying to calm her heartbeat. Taking several deep breaths she managed to stop, until she took one look at Inuyasha and burst into another fit of laughter. Inuyasha threw his hands up in exasperation and walked out onto the deck.
Controlling her laughter Kagome walked up behind him. "Sorry Inuyasha, just the way you reacted was soooooo...... priceless."
"I understand why you never went on a date with me....." Inuyasha slowly repeated what Hojo had said. "You should have told me you had such a cute boyfriend!?" He yelled, finishing what Hojo had spoken.
Kagome looked at Inuyasha's angry expression and tried to hold it in. She failed miserably and burst into giggles.
"I don't see why some guy saying I'm cute is FUNNY!!!!!!" He yelled at her.
Kagome held onto her stomach and laughed till tears streamed down her eyes. After a few minutes she calmed down. "Inuyasha he was just talking about your ears. He didn't mean it in a sexual way."
"Yeah like Miroku doesn't mean it in a sexual way when he flirts with a girl." Inuyasha growled.
Kagome giggled and clung to Inuyasha's arm. "Awww come on Inuyasha forget about it." She brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. "Besides he's right." She reached up and flicked one of the ears. "They are very cute."
Inuyasha arched an eyebrow at her and then looked away. "Keh."
Kagome sighed and pushed his arm. "So what now Inuyasha? Do you have a plan?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah sort of. But the only thing we are doing about it tonight is getting everyone here." He turned to look at her. "Will you be all right for a few hours or so? It's gonna take us all a while to get back without being seen."
Kagome nodded. "Yeah I will. I'll wash up and get some food."
"You sure? You can come with me if you wont be ok."
Kagome sighed and looked down at the ground. "Inuyasha will I be ok? No, not for a long time." She then lifted her head up and smiled. Although it may have dimmed the bright happy girl was still there. "But I will be alright. As long as there is some hope."
Inuyasha nodded and pulled her into a hug. "I wont be long." With that he leaped from the balcony and on to an adjoining rooftop. Kagome watched his retreating form for a few more minutes till she walked inside.
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Ryllis growled to himself and continued pacing across the floor. He was part of Inuyasha's family and silence was something that his family didn't have the patience for. And that was currently all he was getting. Ever since Kagome and Inuyasha had left. Nothing but quiet. When they repaired a house, quiet. When they pulled up a wall, quiet. When they ate, quiet. No one was talking at all and it was really beginning to irk the young hanyou.
"Ryllis come on sit down." Kouketsu asked, motioning to a spot next to her.
"What is taking them so damned long?" He growled and continued pacing across the floor. "It's nighttime and we still haven't received a single word."
"Things are probably very confused there right now Ryllis." Miroku told him with an even voice. "It may take a while for them to get into a point where we can slip in un-noticed. Until then our best plan of action is to rest and prepare for what trials are ahead of us." He looked up at him. "Now please sit down. Your making all of us dizzy."
Ryllis glared at him for a few moments then huffed and sat next to Kouketsu. The fairy rested her head on his shoulder and Ryllis allowed himself to cool down.
For the next thirty minutes they continued to sit in silence. Each person in their own world as they thought about the future and what was coming for them. Ryllis was beginning to nod off when a villager poked his head into through the door.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but there is an old man at one of the rebuilt gates. He says he is here to speak to Kagome-sama."
Miroku stood up and Sango, who had her arms wrapped around him, slowly and regretfully let go of him. He nodded to her and squeezed her shoulder to ease her then walked over to the guard. "Does he look threatening?"
"No." The guard shook his head. "It's only an old man on what looks like a cow. He looked to be holding a smiting hammer."
Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Let him in and bring him here. Arigatou for telling me."
The guard nodded and moved off quickly. Sango eyed Miroku curiously and got up, walking over to the monk. "What is it?"
"If what the guard said is true then Totosai is here." Miroku responded.
"Nani? Why?"
He shook his head and shrugged, "No idea. But I'm guessing will be finding out soon enough."
A few minutes later the guard showed up again and sure enough, behind him followed the old sword smith, hammer in hand. The guard turned from the room and left, leaving the group alone with the master smith.
"Totosai, what brings you here?" Miroku asked politely and walked up too him.
"I'm here to see Kagome. I have something for her." The man replied in his scratchy voice.
"She's not here now Totosai. There's been a lot going on here..." Miroku began but was cut off by Totosai.
"I already know about what has happened here young monk. That is indeed the reason why am here."
Totosai reached down into his robe and pulled something out of it, concealed in his fist. He then opened it and everyone in the room got up to look closer at what was there. Miroku stared down and saw two pieces of what looked like pearly white bone, cyndrilical down to a razor sharp point, one side of it rounded and curved, the other nothing but a flat plane. The two bones seemed to be pieces of each other that had been broken in half.
"I have one last fang to forge." Totosai told him as he held the broken fang of Inuyasha's father aloft in his palm.
"What did you say?" Everyone turned around to see Inuyasha standing in the doorframe.
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Sesshomaru snorted in disgust as he stood on the rooftop of one of the large buildings of the city called Tokyo. 'If this is how everything becomes in five hundred years, then I don't want to be Immortal.' Sesshomaru could not stand the polluted stench of the air, could not bear the loud noises that hammered his ears, or deal with the cramped spaces of the city.
He concentrated and opened his mind, allowing himself to speak with his servant Jaken at great distances. A useful trick he had developed a while ago. Jaken, report.
Yes mi'lord. Nothing out of the ordinary yet. And the staff of two heads has found no trace of him. The toad answered.
Alright. Go to another area and continue your search. The youkai ordered.
Hai, Sesshomaru-sama. Then Sesshomaru closed his mind and returned to his surroundings. He took a deep breath and smelled deeply. Still no scent or sound of either Rin or Naraku. But Sesshomaru was not frustrated. He knew that since it was Naraku this would not be a quick quest. It would be long and tiring. With plenty of twists to compliment the demon's twisted mind. So Sesshomaru kept his patience and took in another deep sniff.
'There.' Sesshomaru thought and sped off in the direction of one scent that had irked him all day. It wasn't Rin's. Rather one he had come across before but couldn't place. He had been smelling it all day but could never find it's source. The quicker he moved the stronger the scent became. Finally the youkai stopped in front of a very large building with many bright windows. His eyes scanned them till he came to one on one of the higher floors. Inside he saw what was unmistakably the wench who was always traveling with his brother. She was under what looked like a small waterfall of warm water with no clothes on. The youkai leaped too a taller and closer rooftop for a better view.
When he got up and focused his eyes on the girl he nearly choked. 'This girl? A hanyou? How?' He asked himself. Now he knew why he couldn't place the scent. It was slightly different now with the smell of a demon. Sesshomaru sighed and put his hand to his forehead. Things were quickly spiraling into a dangerous void. First Naraku set loose in a city of unsuspecting mortals. The kidnapping of four young children to which only Sesshomaru knew the significance of. Now a demon crossed with the powers of a miko.
Sesshomaru quickly stood and opened his mind once again. Jaken.
It took a moment for him to answer. Yes Sesshomaru-sama?
Get back to camp quickly. I have discovered something that might either complicate things or help us and will need to be ready for which ever it brings.
Yes mi'lord. I am on my way there now.
Sesshomaru took one last look at the hanyou in the shower. He had to admit one thing as his eyes swept over her bare body, which to Sesshomaru was only enhanced by the water and the new physical changes. The next time he spoke to his brother he would have to hit him over the head for not dropping the dead priestess for the beautiful thing in the shower.
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Alright boys and girls that is it for this chapter. I feel if I go any further it will be detrimental to the story. And yes I know for being Totosai's chapter he did not show up that much. Well he was the only one with a major choice in this and what happens with this choice will go more in depth later. Anyway questions, comments, concerns, and over all hate mail will all be accepted and answered. Just as long as you guys hit that magical number 5. I will see ya'll later.
Your Lord and Master,
Ryan aka The Mutt
