Hello, everybody. I'm glad to be back again, and I have my collage lab again! Yippie! Anywho, here is the first actual chapter. Also, in case you missed the note in the first chapter, here is one again: This is a SEQUAL to my previous fic, Two Weeks.
Actually, it's book two of a three book trilogy I'm calling, appropriately enough, A feudal Fairy Tale. So, if you haven't read Two Weeks, you will have absolutely no idea what on earth is going on. Read two weeks, then this one. I know it's not as well written as this, but you definitely need to read it to understand what is going on.
Also, I forgot the disclaimer. All characters in and/or pertaining to InuYasha are not mine… no matter how much I want them… So don't sue me… I have no money… otherwise I would buy the characters… and then you couldn't sue me.
All original characters are copyright of me, Garret Jax. This includes: All the dragons, Captain Morgan, Aaron, and Death. Leave them alone. If you plead REALLY REALLY nicely, and you're a REALLY REALLY good author, I might let you use them, a little.
Thank you.
*****
The birdsong cut through the early morning, piercing the deep green foliage of the woods, making a glorious transition from the half-lighted morning of spring to the deep dazzling day of summer. The sky was only partly clouded, painting masterpieces in light and dark on the hills. The brilliant yellow beams were stained green as they pierced the leaves, and lit the forest in a brilliant emerald light.
The birdsongs had been erupting like an orchestra every morning, and this day they passed easily through a pair of ears. They were not normal ears, by any means. Many would have described them as 'fuzzy,' although not necessarily to the owner's face. They were silver, pointed, and lightly furred, so that they seemed like dog ears. They stuck out of a veritable mane of messy silver hair, amazingly beautiful despite its disheveled look. The hair sat on the head of a young man, and tumbled down almost to his hips. Two locks on either side of his face framed his foreign complexion. His skin was relatively fair, and his features sharp. Thick eyebrows lounged over sharp, intelligent eyes. Those eyes were a deep, molten gold color, with cat-like, slit pupils. The mans nose was sharp, and his mouth was caught up in a cocky little grin that was worn by young men everywhere who had yet to find that they weren't invincible. His form was lithe and muscled; although that could be told more by the confident, strong way he walked more than any physical appearance. He was of medium height, standing a little less than six feet tall, not counting the ears. He wore the traditional clothing of a warrior. A lightweight, white haori hung loosely around his frame, covered by another, slightly heavier red haori, made of an odd, rough material. They were both tucked neatly into a read hakama, which hung all the way to his ankles, exposing his bare feet. He wore a sash around his waist, and tucked in the sash was an old beat up scabbard, with the slightly frayed hilt of a beat up sword sticking out of it. His arms hung loosely at his side, and his shoulders swung slightly with every step he took. His hands, like the rest of his build, were lithe and slender, each fingertip ending in a half inch long claw.
The man strode through the forest confidently. Anyone who saw him would have mistaken him for the son of a mighty lord, were it not for the telltale signs against it. His ears, and the sharp claws at his sides betrayed his nature; he was a hanyou. Born of the unholy union between a pitiful, weak human, and a noble youkai, he was shunned by all worlds, sent out to wander. Or, at least, that was his supposed fate. He had been on a journey. It had been long, and hard, but now he was going back. Back to a place where he belonged.
He emerged out of the woods, still swaggering arrogantly, and his eyes narrowed happily as he spied an old village. It was an old settlement, probably had its roots back in old religion. Even now, in fact, it bore the tell-tale signs, for it was built on a hill, and on the top of that hill was an old, beat up temple. That temple meant something to him, and at once, laying eyes on it, he felt the old, familiar pain return. He looked down, and felt at his chest through the two layered haori. He couldn't feel the scar, but he knew it was there. An old scar, where an arrow had pierced him long ago.
He shrugged off the bitter weight of nostalgia quickly, and sniffed. The village was still rusty and old, like it always was. Off to the right, farmers toiled in their rice paddies, and he could see some of the women of the village heading out there as well, probably bringing some breakfast to the workers.
He turned towards that path among the growing ponds, hoping against all hopes to be able to be able to get through without any other distractions. But it was a small town, and even the slightest thing would get around quickly. And hanyou were very, very rare. And this particular one even rarer.
"Well, InuYasha…" rang out an old, wizened voice, gritty with age. "…It seems ye have finally returned."
The hanyou shrugged and turned. The speaker was a shriveled old woman. Her hair was white, and tied up in a formal topknot. Her face was wrinkled with age, but her eyes were sharp and wise. She was a very short, wide woman, and she used an old longbow as a walking staff. Her attire was much like the hanyou's, however she lacked the frayed outer haori. On her feet she wore traditional Japanese sandals.
"Well, well, well." He said, his voice was a clear, baritone, so full of what he liked to call 'positive confidence' (But what other people knew as outright arrogance) the he could have kept the tone talking with Buddha himself. "It looks like yer still alive." He said, taking a step forward. "I thought you would have given up and kicked the bucket by now."
The woman shrugged. "Aye," she said. "It would be well for me to remain here to keep ye in line, InuYasha."
"Yeah, yeah." InuYasha said dismissively. "Same old Kaede, always yakin' about sumpthin." He crossed his arms, and (if possible) his tone became even more 'confident.' "Anyway, I need to get back to the wench, or she's gonna kill me for sure! I said I'd be back almost a week ago."
Kaede shook her head. "What, pray tell, was the reason for the obvious tardiness?" She asked. "Young Kagome was indeed rather put out. She came here, and waited for ye all day with a handmade lunch, and stomped back to the well as the twilight set in."
InuYasha winced. A handmade lunch? Oh, jeez, he was in trouble. "Well, honestly, things were a little more complicated than I had thought."
Kaede raised an eyebrow. "Ye did not find them then?" She asked.
InuYasha shook his head, for a brief moment, he arrogance in his smirk faded. "Nah…" He said. "Sesshoumaru's in control of Shinjuku now. He's moved into the old man's palace, and is calming the title of Overlord of the West." He idly kicked a stone around with his toe. "I couldn't even get in to Shinjuku. The most I could do was to get a connection inside, and hope for the best. As it is, I have a pretty big bounty out on me now."
Kaede nodded. "This seems odd." She said. "Your brother always seemed so set on killing you personally."
InuYasha grimaced. "Yeah, well, that's the problem." He said. "He wants me alive, and I don't even wanna know what Sesshoumaru's gonna do when he catches me."
Kaede shrugged. "Well, then, ye should go on to see Kagome. Ye should be safe there."
InuYasha nodded, and turned around again. "Right…" He agreed, and began to walk on down the path, towards another grove of trees. "Oh, and I'm layin' low for a while. If anyone asks, you never saw me."
Kaede wisely blinked and looked around. "Saw who?" She asked to nobody in particular. "I must be getting older than I thought. I'm starting to hear things." She turned around, and set off on the long journey across the village, back to her little hut.
****
"Kagome?" The voice was soft and warm, and accompanied by a soft, firm knock on the door. This probably said more about Kagome's mother than any words possibly could.
Kagome Higurashi, age sixteen, however, was not in the mood for anything having to do with being awake. She moaned angrily, and inversed her head to pillow relation, burying her head under the soft down of the white mass.
"Kagome…" He mothers voice came again, never losing its warm insistence.
Kagome opened one, bleary hazel eye, and moved some of her long, raven black hair out of her face. "Mfwaa time it?" She mumbled.
The doorknob rattled, and the door pushed in slightly. "Kagome, you really should get up. It's getting late, and you're friends are coming over to hear what's been going of these last few weeks."
Kagome suddenly sat bolt up, her eyes wide in horror. Oh, crap! She had completely forgotten! "Mom!" She practically yelled in panic. "Out! Now!"
Mrs. Higurashi smiled, and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
Kagome tumbled out of bed all at once, trying to get out of her pajamas with one hand and gather some suitable clothes in the other, only managing to end up getting stuck lying on the floor with her top halfway over her head.
How on earth could she have forgotten? It was all InuYasha's fault! He was supposed to have shown up a full week ago! After he didn't, she had been so worried about him that she hadn't had time to think!
She succeeded in getting her pajamas off, and quickly grabbed a suitable outfit: a blue, long sleeved shirt and a knee length blue skirt. She quickly opened the door, and, taking a peek around the corner to make sure her kid brother Souta wasn't in the hallway, she dashed across the hall to the bathroom.
Oh, man! Oh, man! What was she gonna do? How could she have not thought of this sooner? It had been almost a month since she learned of her serious internal injuries, and she still hadn't found an excuse as to why on earth InuYasha had kidnapped her out of the present.
She quickly turned on the water, and inspected her face carefully as the water heated up. She had a rather round face, with wide, bright hazel eyes, a sunny complexion, and a normally happy disposition.
But now her face was marred with worry. She had to come up with an explanation and fast! A silver haired boy dashing in and kidnapping a girl who was going to die in two weeks, and then having her show up two days before her funeral perfectly all right was not normal. She had been able to dodge explaining stuff to her friends up until now, saying that she was still recovering, and had to rest, but now it was summer break, and she had no defenses. Plus, they'd be prowling for explanations much harder now, so she had just given up, and told them to come over today. Oh, man, what was she going to do? She couldn't possible tell them the truth!
A smile cracked as she slipped into the shower, letting the warm water calm her slightly. She could just see what she's say. "Oh, hey guys. Yeah, I actually went back in time to see an ancient dragon in order to save my life. So, what are you doing this Friday?"
Her smile widened at that, but then dipped down to a frown again. She had to think of a good excuse, and fast.
She finished her shower, and shut off the water. Grabbing a towel, and rubbing herself dry, she quickly got the clothes on the floor, and slipped them on. She opened the door to the bathroom, and dashed down the hall, her bare feet pitter-pattering on the hard wood floor. Maybe, if she got breakfast first, she could think of something. That was the first rule of academics, never miss breakfast. She sniffed the air, and grinned. Especially if that breakfast happens to be your mom's famous fried eggs.
*****
InuYasha walked through the forest, looking around, taking comfort in the familiar place. His feet made no sound as they padded against the soft, lush grass of the forest floor.
Off in the distance, there was a clearing. He knew without seeing it that there was an old, dusty, wooden well in it. He wasn't ready to go there yet, though. He turned to the left, and headed though the trees until he saw it.
Towering above the rest of the forest was a titan, having been growing there for much longer than anything else that was living. It stretched up toward heaven, its thick branches grazing the sky, the emerald leaves shifting back and forth. He took an easy step, the vaulted, sailing up through the clean forest air into one of the lower branches. He leapt again, and then a third time, carrying himself to the topmost reaches of the tree. He looked up, his eyes narrowing as the amber beams of unadulterated light shone down at him. He smiled, and laughed lightly to himself, his shoulders bouncing up and down slightly with the motion.
Memory was an odd thing. He had spent fifty years pinned to this tree. He thought he would have wanted to get as far away from it as possible. But now, now it was his solace.
He gently stepped of the branch, falling back down through the branches, kicking off one every once in a while to avoid hitting everything, until he landed on the loamy earth.
He turned around, and inspected the park on the tree. It was scratchy, heard, and uniform, save one patch. That patch seemed slightly discolored and unhealthy. In the center of that patch there was a tiny little hole. He strode up to the patch, and jammed a claw into the hole. He wiggled his finger slightly, until something fell out and landed lightly in his palm. He held it up, and inspected it carefully. It was a steel arrowhead. Looked at it a moment, then carefully put it back in the hole. He turned around again, casting on glance back at the tree, and walked away.
*****
Kagome quickly shoveled a slice of fried egg into her mouth, her mind racing along with her jaw. What could she tell them? What to say? Maybe… he was a doctor. Yeah… that's it. Wait… no, InuYasha would never pass as a doctor, and why would she know a doctor like him anyway. Her friends weren't stupid… at least not Ayame anyway, but not even they would believe that. Maybe she could say he was a foreign spy… but then they'd go and call the cops, and that would be the end of any adventures in feudal Japan.
She took a big sip out of her glass of orange juice, then spewed it all over the table as a sharp, eager knock planted on the door to the house.
Kagome's mother calmly whipped some orange juice off her face, and turned to the soaked Souta. "Souta, would you get the door please." She asked, reaching for a napkin.
Souta blinked, and nodded, grabbing a napkin for himself.
He padded over to the door, his socked feet slipping slightly on the floor. He wiped his black hair and boyish face off, then opened the door.
There was a sound like a cat getting stepped on, and three girls suddenly fell on the surprised Souta, crunching him in a titanic hug, Kagome looked over, and rolled her eyes. Just who she thought it was: Yuka, Eri, and Ayame. Souta screamed as they all fell on him with great cries of "Kagome!"
Ayame, who was always the quickest of the three was the first to realize that the blushing boy that they were all hugging was not in fact Kagome, and stood up suddenly, her own face going beet red.
Slowly, like water spreading through an oil soaked cloth, the others also had this revelation, and instantly stood up, leaving Souta in an embarrassed puddle on the ground.
Kagome looked up from her breakfast and raised an eyebrow at her friends. They all had their hands clasped in front of their mouths, and tears in their eyes.
Great… The thoughts sprang unbidden to Kagome's mind. Here comes the hugging.
"Kagome!" The overdramatic, tear-filled, happy cry sprang from all their mouths at the same time. Kagome got ready to stand up, and embrace them, but underestimated their speed. They were across the living room, into the kitchen, and flying through the air at high velocity before Kagome was even half way up. Kagome's eyes widened in panic as she realized the collision about to happen.
*****
"Sorry…" Eri apologized, as Kagome slowly came to. She was sprawled out on the couch, and could feel the bump forming on her head almost immediately.
"'s alright." She grumbled, sitting up, and holding her head as the world swam around her.
"Erm…" Ayame said, sticking her head in-between Eri's and Yuka's, a habit that gave the three of them the look of a three headed monster. There was an awkward silence, and they all suddenly became increasingly interested in the floor.
Finally, Yuka broke the silence by leaning forward. "So what happened?" She asked the question they were all thinking eagerly.
Kagome blinked. "What happened where?" She asked, her voice completely monotone. Her head still hurt, and she was now in the mood to share the annoyance.
Eri whined impatiently. "C'mon, Kagome!" She said, plopping down on the couch next to her. "Even the doctors at the hospital said that they couldn't save you." She said, edging closer, putting her face very close to Kagome's. "But then that silver haired guy walks in, steals you, and suddenly you're fine again? It's not possible!" She scowled, maybe an inch from Kagome's eyes. "Now 'fess up! What happened."
Ayame smiled. "C'mon Kagome." She said, wheedling away at the defenses. "You can tell us…"
"Actually she can't." Mrs. Higurashi's voice rang from the kitchen. She walked in, holding a bowl full of cookie batter. "Kagome, not a word." She said, her voice carrying authority.
Kagome blinked, and gaped at her mother. What was she talking about? Kagome shrugged, and decided to just go with it. She smiled meagerly at her friends. "You heard her, I can't talk about it."
She could see their faces wilt. "But why?" Eri pouted, her lower lip sticking out a little.
Kagome put the cookie batter down on a pan, and walked over to the couch. "Listen girls." She said, her voice suddenly very serious. "Kagome is not allowed to talk about any of her treatments right now. Maybe you can hear more when the procedure becomes common practice…" Her eyes widened dramatically, and her hand jerked suddenly to her mouth as she saw the three girls eyes brighten.
All three girls immediately jumped to the logical conclusion. They immediately turned around, and looked wide eyed at Kagome. "You went through an experimental procedure?" The demanded in unison.
Kagome blinked, and looked up to her mom in respect. Was there nothing the woman couldn't do? In less than two seconds she had quelled all her problems. She smiled, and took up the play. "Umm." She said nervously, poking her fingers together, and looking at the floor. "My mom's right… I shouldn't talk about it…"
Their eyes widened even further. "Was it painful? Are you okay now? Is that silver haired guy a scientist?"
Kagome lived with Souta, who could spout of questions faster than reporters at a press conference. This was nothing. "Yes, Yes, and…" She paused at the last question. Much like reporters however, her friends jumped all over that.
"He is, isn't he! And he's your boyfriend, too! I knew it!" Eri screamed, clapping her hands excitedly, her face caught up in a crazed ecstatic grin.
"Now Kagome…" Kagome's mother said very sternly. "You promised the U.S. embassy that you wouldn't." Her hand slapped across her mouth at just the right time, again, and her eyes widened in face panic.
Ayame, Yuka, and Eri looked from Kagome to her mother and back again quickly. "You…" the sputtered. "Went to America?"
Kagome crossed her arms, and sniffed. "I can't say where I went." She said, then leaned forward intently, getting into the act. "Listen, you can't tell anyone anything about this, okay? If you do, I could get in real trouble."
Yuka nodded, waving her hand innocently. "Of course…" she raised her eyebrows. "Of course, maybe you would like to get in a little trouble with your silver haired handsome…"
Kagome barely managed to stifle the blush. As if!
Eri laughed, and jabbed her in the ribs. "Yeah… how much 'trouble' have you gotten in with him." She demanded suggestively.
Mrs. Higurashi rolled her eyes, and left the girls to their conversation. Kagome could handle it from there. She went back into the kitchen, and began to scoop her cookie batter into little balls for baking.
Dimly, she could hear Kagome talking about how she couldn't say anything about American Governments. Very impressive. By tomorrow, everyone in her school will be wondering what secrets of the FBI she knew… which was perfect. She hummed a little ditty to herself as she expertly placed the cookies on the cookie sheet, and shoved them carefully into the oven.
Well, then, now that that was done, she slipped upstairs, and casually walked into Kagome's room. It was a thorough mess, as usual. She reached down, picked up one of Kagome's blouses, and shook it out. Dirty, of course. She dumped it in the laundry hamper, and started to inspect a wadded up sock.
If she was surprised when a heavy thump came from the roof, and the window to Kagome's room opened, she gave to hint of it. "You're late, you know." She said before the visitor could even say anything. She picked up another blouse, and threw it, along with the sock in the hamper.
"Yeah… tell me about it." A gruff voice muttered from behind her. "How dead am I when she finds me?"
Mrs. Higurashi turned around and shrugged. Sitting on the bed was InuYasha, his arms crossed across his chest. "Well, on a scale of one to ten, she's probably going to carve you're heart out with a rusty nail."
InuYasha grimaced. He didn't quite know what a rust nail was, but it sounded very unpleasant. "So, I should get it over with do you think, or hid for a few years." He said, his voice getting glummer. He had really hoped for a joyous occasion to come home to.
Mrs. Higurashi shrugged. "I think some shock treatment is in order." She said and smiled. "You just stay here. She'll find you eventually."
InuYasha grimaced again. "Can I have the window open, incase I need to run away?"
Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "But I will bring you up some cookies when their done. Don't come downstairs though. Kagome has friends over, and you might be a little hard to explain."
InuYasha nodded, and sighed. "Damn." She said. "It feels good to be off the road and safe for a little while."
Mrs. Higurashi nodded, and leaned down against Kagome's dressed. "Did you have any luck finding your friends?"
InuYasha shook his head angrily. "No such luck. Couldn't even get to the place that I thought they were at."
Mrs. Higurashi shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll bring you some cookies." She said, and walked out the door.
InuYasha shook his head. If there was one thing this time apparently did right, it was mothers. He smiled. Kagome had better know how good of a mother she's got.
*****
My mother rules. Kagome thought happily as she waved her friends goodbye. She knew what was about to happen, of coarse. They would go out and tell everyone else, and the rumor would spread, and everyone would know that she went through experimental treatment at the hands of the U.S. FBI and that she had met the president, and that her boyfriend was a dangerous secret agent working for the Russian Mafia.
She turned around, and ran strait into the kitchen. "Mom, you're the best, she cried, giving her mother a huge hug, and a kiss on each cheek.
Mrs. Higurashi laughed, and patted her daughter on the back. "Very artfully played." She said. "You realize that you've subjected yourself to about a year or two of questions about the American government."
Kagome sighed. "Better than asking questions about feudal Japan." She muttered, and grabbed a cookie off a plate on the counter.
Mrs. Higurashi smile, and handed her the plate of cookies. "Here, take these up to your room, and give some to Souta."
Kagome nodded, and ran up the stairs, the plate of cookies carefully clutched in her hands. She made her way down the hallway, knocking on the door to Souta's room on the way to hers. "Souta, Cookies in my room." She said.
"All right!" She heard the voice yell from amid the destructive sound effects of the videogame he was playing.
She continued down the hallway, and pushed to door to her room open with her hip. She looked around, and scowled. Her room was clean; the blouses on the floor neatly put up, the bed made, and InuYasha sitting in the middle of the floor.
She growled, and put the cookies on a dresser, and rolled her eyes. "Mom…" She muttered to herself. "How many times do I have to tell you not to clean my room…" She grabbed a cookie, and began to gnaw on it.
Then her jaw stopped. Her eyes widened, and the pupils suddenly focused on InuYasha. He scowled at her, and pointed at the plate of cookies. "Hey!" He said arrogantly. "I'm hungry."