Yumi's Story

"So, there is a stronger power?" Naraku said as he stared into Kanna's mirror. He had felt that same presence before, but it was over fifty years ago. He smiled when he knew who it was. "Kagura, I want you to take some demons with you and capture someone for me." Kagura stepped forward and smiled.

"Who would you like me to bring to you?" A roar of thunder muted the sound, but Kagura had heard him with her demon ears. She threw her feather down and flew into the sky as Naraku laughed in his miasma.

Yumi sat on the edge of the lake with her knees to her chest. How could I be so stupid? I should have known that he wouldn't remember me. It must have been almost fifty years since he has seen me last. I'm sure him and Kikyo have grown closer since she sent me into the future. Kagome, Sango, and Miroku hid in the bushes and watched Yumi think to herself. "You can come out and join me." They were surprised when she said this. They all came out and sat by her.

"We are sorry about eavesdropping," Miroku said.

"It's alright. I suppose you are all wondering about what just happened."

"We are a little leery," Sango said.

"I know. You just met me. I don't blame you."

"Could you tell us why you came back here?" Kagome said. Yumi sighed and started her story.

"Well, it must have been about sixty years ago. I was only about five years old and still human, believe it or not. A gang of bandits just destroyed my village. I was the only survivor, but only barely." In the bushes behind them, Inuyasha and Shippou listened carefully.

"Why can't we sit by them and listen?" Shippou asked.

"Shh…we have to keep a safe distance," Inuyasha whispered. He did remember this girl from somewhere, but he couldn't remember from where. He wanted to find out what Yumi was about, and this was the only way to do it.

"I was caught up in a fire in my house," Yumi continued. "The rafter was about to fall on me, so I closed my eyes. Then I felt something lift me out of the house. When I opened my eyes, I saw a pair of dog ears and fainted.

"When I woke up, I was covered in bandages. I looked up and saw the boy with dog ears again. He was so handsome in his red kimono and long, white hair. But I remember those confident, golden eyes the most. He took care of me and nursed me back to help. He told me that he couldn't find my parents. He said that he didn't have any parents either and that we could live together. He said his name was Inuyasha." Inuyasha's ears perked up when he heard his name.

"He raised me up and taught me everything he knew about fighting. I was fast, but I couldn't quite keep up with him. He always gave me crap about being weak, but he always waited for me and helped me along. I soon fell in love with him. He told me he would always be there for me. And he was until she came along.

"Inuyasha said that his one wish was to become a full-fledged demon. The only way he could do that was to steal the Sacred Shikon Jewel of Four Souls, which was guarded by a priestess named Kikyo. I watched him go after the jewel so many times, but Kikyo would always manage to pin him down with her arrows. I gasped whenever she would pointed her arrow at his heart, but she always stopped before finishing him. She told him that she didn't want to waste anymore arrows on him.

"After that, he told me not to follow him. He would come back to check up on me after he was done. At first, he was gone for one day. Then it was a week, then a month. Pretty soon he stopped coming back all together. I thought he had abandoned me.

"One year went by, so I went looking for him. When I found him, he was by the lake with Kikyo. I thought he was going to finally take the jewel, but instead he let Kikyo fall into his arms. He started embracing and kissing her. He said that he loved me. Now he left me for a priestess. I was so angry with him. I wanted to kill them both, but I knew he wouldn't want that. I went back to camp and got the one thing he gave to me, the blue fire rat kimono. He told me it was stronger than the best armor and it would protect me, just like he said he would protect me. He never said it could protect me from him breaking my heart.

"I was about to leave when he finally came back. I was so glad to see him. I went to give him a hug, but I stopped. He looked different. I'm not sure what it was, but his eyes looked…cold.

"'Inuyasha,' I said. 'Where were you? You've been gone for so long.' 'You love me, right, Yumi?' he asked. I nodded with a smile. 'I was planning on how to get the Shikon Jewel from Kikyo.' 'So you don't love her?' I asked. He nodded with a smile and told that I would be able to steal the Shikon Jewel while he distracted Kikyo. He had gained her trust and he would use it to his advantage. 'I will always love you and you alone, Yumi.'

"So during the night, I snuck into the village and took the jewel from its holder. Little did I know that Kikyo was waiting for me in that same room. I thought she was going to kill me, but she didn't. Instead she put a curse on me that turned me into a half-demon. She didn't want me to be able to steal the jewel, so she sent me to the future. She wanted me to pay for my deed.

"Before she sent me away, I caught Inuyasha's eye for the last time. He looked so disappointed in me. I asked him to tell them the truth about what he told me to do, but he denied it all. He told Kikyo to send me away, then he walked away into the crowd. It felt like someone had ripped my heart out. Kikyo might as well have killed me then.

"But now I can get him back. I can find a way to see who I am." They all gave her grim looks. When she noticed it, her voice became sad again. "Unless there is someone else."

Poor Yumi, Kagome thought. Inuyasha has enough problems between me and Kikyo. It sounds like Inuyasha love Yumi a lot too. But he's forgotten her. What could be more painful than finding your one, true love and they love someone else? Kagome turned around and just caught a glimpse of Inuyasha walking away into the forest. What are we going to do?

Hey, thanks for the reviews. I think I have a grand total of two. Come on people. Work with me. I can't write more if you don't review. Please?