Hello again. Thank you VGMaster04 for reviewing. As long as I get feedback I'll continue. And to my friends who have read this but haven't reviewed...cough...you know who you are!

Shanon: I know I never said what they used to jewel for...but you find out soon enough...

Charlie: Kai is just a nickname. Her full name is Kaiaya Izayoi Higurashi, but I decided that calling her 'Kai' was easier.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha...if I did some characters would go to the mall for a new wardrobe...

Chapter Three: The Stranger

Kai was stumbling in the dark. The roots of the surrounding forest seemed to jump out at her. Carefully, she ran through the undergrowth managing to keep her balance. Then the scent got stronger, and Kai looked down. Her stomach lurged as she saw a young man not much older than herself. He was seriously injuried from what Kai could tell was a demon attack. "Hello?" Kai shouted in ear knowing he wasn't conscience but it didn't hurt to check. As expected he didn't response. Kai carefully carried the man to Kaede's hut.

She was disappointed to find the old priestess was away. So Kai helped herself to the medical supplies. Running to the cabinet she flung the door open and started throwing random stuff on to the floor creating a mess. She made a mental note to clean it up later as she found the banages.

Kai fell to the floor nex to the young patient and began cleaning his wounds. It was a diffcult task because of leaves and clods of dirt. Thankfully he had stopped bleeding. "What a strange man," Kai thought aloud. Such wounds would have killed a human but he wasn't a demon...not exactly. Kai noticed a diminished demonic aura that suggested that he was less than half, like herself.

After she had bandaged his many wounds she sat back on her ankles. For the first time she got a better glimpse at him. He was handsome with soft black hair. He had hard muscles in his arms and chest. No doubt he was strong, Kai thought, slightly admiringly. But something alarmed her about his scent. It was completely unfamiliar, but something about it caused the adreline rushing through her body. Kai rocked back and forth, trying to rid herself of her unease. When nothing worked, Kai was about to leave when she heard a muffled grunt.

Turing Kai stopped the young man had awokened. His brown eyes were open and looking her over. "W-wh-ere..." he managed to croak. Kai felt her alert slipping and she looked at the man sympathically.

"I found you in the forest and I brought you here," Kai said. The man was still staring at her. With a feeling of digust she realized what he was looking at, and it wasn't her face. "I need to get some herbs for you, I'll be back soon." She added coldly. The man was baffled as Kai marched out of the hut. He wondered who the beautiful woman was and why was she upset? The man closed his eyes again. The pain was completely gone and he began to get sleepy. He wanted to know that if he woke up would the young lady still be there...

Kai had sent Kaede to finish tending to him because she was still a little shaken by the frighten vibe. She returned to her house surprised to see her parents were still awake and were talking in the 'living room.' Kai had waved when she walked in and quickly disappeared in her room, intent on changing out of her bloodstained clothes. She changed into a over-sized blue t-shirt and white shorts. She untied her hair and its fell down pass her shoulders dangling in the center of her back.

"Kai," her mother called. Kai walked out of her room and sat down next to her mother on the futon in the center of the living room. "Just after you left the prinicipal called." Kai felt a moment of dread, not knowing what they were going to accuse her of next. Her face is expressionless, but Inuyasha noticed the anxiousness in his daughter. Kagome paused, waiting to see if Kai responsed.

Kagome sighed and continued. "He says, you were fighting at school and broke Ryo Takana's nose." Kai rolled her eyes angrily.

"That weakling deserved it," She grumbled. Kagome glared at her daughter. She really loved her, but somethings she was so diffcult. Just like her father, Kagome thought. Rage filled Kai's honey colored eyes and her fists clenched as she added. "He was insulting my friends. They tried to ignore him but when he began to throw rocks at them...I just felt so angry. He was only picking on them because they are different..." Her voice trailed off.

Inuyasha remembered in his painful childhood being constantly put down because he was a half-breed. He could relate to bullies who could never accept things that were different. With the refreshment of these haunting memories, Inuyasha understood completely where his daughter's hatred coming from. But he couldn't approve of her beating up a weak human.

"Kai," Kagome said cautiously, breaking the silence. "We have talked about this before. You can't just go beating your classmates up. You are much stronger than them."

"You need to learn control," Inuyasha growled. "Otherwise, you might end up seriously hurting them." Kai looked at her dad. He rarely scolded her. And when he did she felt a thousand times worse.

"You don't understand!" Kai accused as her anger got the better of her. "You don't understand how it feels watching your friends be attacked and they don't bother to protect themselves. Ryo got what he deserved!" The walls of the hut seemed to shake as Kai stormed into her room.

Kagome sighed sadly. "Where did we go wrong?" she asked softly. Tears filled her brown eyes. Inuyasha moved to confort her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"It's not your fault, Kagome." he said. Kai was too much like me, he thought. Damn.

Angrily Kai collasped on her bed. Tears of repressed frustration streamed down her face. They couldn't understand, what it felt like wanting to protect friends who only acted helpless. When Kai thought of that unusal young man and how he caused her to be on her guard, her mood darkened more. What was her instinct trying to tell her?

Whew! Chapter three. I am sorry that Kai just seems to be a drama queen and generally misunderstood teenager, but please, please bear with me. Some things just don't look as good on paper...er...in case on a computer screen. But the whole point of this scene is to show that there is a slightly rocky relationship between Kai and her parents. I don't know if you can tell from it, but thats what is supposed to mean...sigh Oh well I guess...better luck next time.

Oh. don't forget to review. I want to know your opinions, really...as for the next chapter, it should be out soon...