The Passage of Time

Chapter 1: A Changed Girl

She ran her fingers through the silky black hair that she prided herself on. School here in America was just what she had needed. Time away from that accursed well had given her time to let old wounds heal, and reflect over her time then. Really the whole thing had helped her become a better person. The past year of reflection taught her that she needed to learn patience, and the pain and loss had strengthened her resolve and taught her the value of restraining her emotions.

It didn't work…

"Kagome?" Lily's voice came through the closed door, and Kagome sighed, bracing herself for another day.

"Coming!" She yelled, pulling on her jacket over the tank-top she already had on. She came out of the bathroom, grinning at her roommate before they both left for the party. "So, where to this time?" She caught the mischievous grin on her friend's face and gave her a cautious glance.

Two years the well was sealed…

"We're going to Japan! Surprise!" They both rounded the hall corner and were suddenly surrounded by the rest of the dorm screaming happy birthdays. A suitcase and plane tickets were somehow shoved into her hands during the chaos, and the entire band carried her out of the building. In the numb shock Kagome somehow registered that she was dragged into a van where her closest friends joined her, and they began to drive.

The ecstatic friends were only too happy to explain how they'd planned this birthday surprise, and how Lizzy's parents had offered to pay for the trip, since they were airline execs. Her mother apparently already knew, and was preparing the house for the gaggle of girls.

Kagome feigned interest, and offered her sincerest thanks to those who had helped her heal over the past year. They noticed her sadness though, and the giggling conversation soon turned to worried silence.

And the girl mourned…

"I thought you said that guy wasn't in Tokyo anymore?" Lily said, not really managing to keep her tone from being accusatory.

"He's not, it's just… A lot of memories is all." Kagome allowed herself then to think about how nice it would be to see her mom and Souta again, and forced herself to enjoy this. After all, her friends would be giving her new memories to help her in that next step to recovery.

Over time the pain dimmed…

Her friends offered their condolences once more on her 'missing' boyfriend, and conversation turned back to safer topics.

But never left entirely…

"Why don't you go get her Inuyasha?" Shippou whined for the umpteenth time. Inuyasha added another bump to the kitsune's collection, and let out a low growl. What was he supposed to say? That he'd already tried that, but the well had refused him? They'd only blame him for Kagome being gone… Possibly forever.

It didn't work…

No! He mustn't think like that. The wench would be back, she always came back…

Two weeks the well was sealed…

"It's sealed, isn't it?" Miroku's cold tone came from behind, and the hanyou whipped around to face him. After a piercing glare, he frowned and nodded.

Miroku gazed toward the forest, his frown deepening. "Then I think perhaps we should unseal it." He gave Inuyasha a hard look, as if daring him to object. "If you're willing?"

And the brave hanyou grew to know fear…

The blue light that exploded from the well, then forcefully retracted into it shook the ground, and even Inuyasha lost his footing. "What the hell was that?!" Inuyasha said, jumping up and looking down the now normal well.

It didn't work…

"I don't know but I think we should-" Miroku stopped as he saw Inuyasha hop down the well, and sighed. "Wait." He finished, shaking his head at his friend's impulsiveness seating himself to wait and see if it worked.

Until today…

Then it happened for the eleventh time in two years. Those rare demons who still inhabited the modern world had now thoroughly managed to disguise themselves so well that at first Kagome couldn't sense the aura. Her friends were still chattering excitedly as they walked(having run out of cab fare) to Kagome's house. She stopped, looking hard at the shadows of the first part of what remained of Inuyasha's forest. It was getting closer.

Shit… Probably drawn by the jewel shards, like that last ones. Kagome quickly searched and found a long enough stick, and used her miko powers to form it into a bow. Plucking one of her now long hairs completed the weapon, and as she drew back the string a pinkish light in the shape of an arrow formed. It was another trick she'd learned: using an arrow that couldn't harm humans. Her damage was severely reduced by using such primitive weapons and techniques, but most of this time's youkai weren't pure-blooded, and fell much easier.

Kagome's friends watched in awe, and those who knew about her 'special powers' explained what they could to those who didn't, and spared her the questions. It was them that the tawny youth who emerged from the forest approached. He had reddish hair, and the most unnervingly familiar blue eyes… Kagome fired a warning shot when he got to close to her friends, and succeeded only in scaring the girls who were seeing this for the first time.

"Step away from them, your quarrel is with me." Her voice held a great commanding boom, and drew the boy's attention to her.

"And who might you be?" He asked, flashing her a grin that revealed his fangs, and giving Kagome a view of wolfish canine ears coming from his head. He was obviously some out-laying tribe's lost pup drawn instinctively to the power of the jewel with no actual knowledge of what he was doing here. She relaxed her grip on the bow, he didn't pose too much of a threat if she could convince him to leave peacefully.

"I am Kagome, priestess of the Higurashi shrine." Though she wasn't actually an active priestess there, it sounded official enough to make anyone serious about harming her think twice. She could almost picture the wheel creaking in the boy's head as he tried to process the name.

"Spirit!" He shouted, backing away slightly, and a pallid anger changing his thoughtful expression. "The priestess Kagome died years ago!" She gave him a look of curiosity before deciding to use him mistaking her for someone else to her advantage.

"What is your name boy? And how do you know me?" Kagome boomed, aware that those more brave of her friends were beginning to lead the others farther away from the hanyou-boy.

"I am Kuroga of the wolf demon tribe, and my grandfather Kouga told me of the priestess who lived long ago and her purifying arrows." He said, glaring at her while slowly inching back to the safety of the forest. She notched another shining arrow, and he froze.

"Take me to your grandfather."

A/N: That's got to be the best starter I've done for a series fic yet! Well, unless you count the Chasra Chronicles, but that was SOC and I never did continue it… Anyway, above you will notice the cruel and rushed cliff-hanger. I actually meant to cut it off sooner, but this was just too perfect of an ending… Sorry if the next chapter is a tiny bit shorter, but that came down to patience. Yes, I have it already written, but I like to be a chapter ahead in case I hit writer's block(posting sometimes cures me). I beg you to review, because It's what keeps the story going. If I don't get any reviews in the first couple weeks I usually pull it back for reformatting and possible reposting if I feel like giving it one more go. But you really don't' have to listen to me ramble on like this… so, until next time. This is Lili signing off.