Ametsuchi

By: lilsapphire2004

Disclaimer: Does you really think I own Inuyasha? I wished...

Author's Note: The beginning of this chapter will be told in Kagome's point of view. So it is now in the part of Inuyasha.

Chapter 4

Kagome headed down to the shrine in her new car. The car had been given to her as an early birthday present. Her birthday was in exactly two days, and then she would finally be seventeen.

'I can't believe it has been two years since I started hunting for shards with Inuyasha,' she thought.

She stopped at the curb and turned the ignition off. She grabbed her old trust yellow backpack and headed up the stairs of her shrinehome.

"Mom, I'm home," she yelled entering through the kitchen door.

"Honey, in here. I have your invitations done," said her mom from the living room.

Kagome dropped her bag at the door and went into the living room to see her mom putting the card into the last envelope.

"These look great mom," said Kagome.

"Thank you. How was your day back at school?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.

"It was great. I was late for school as always," said Kagome laughingly.

"Kagome!" said her mom.

"It wasn't my fault. We have two new students from America," she said.

"Really? Sit down and tell me about them," said Mrs. Higurashi.

Kagome sat down on the couch and got comfortable.

"They are actually pretty nice. One is named Amber and the other is named Cassie. They live in the old Shinjou place," said Kagome.

"Really? No one has lived in that place for close to twenty years," said her mom.

"Yes, they live with one other girl, but this other girl is too old to go to school," said Kagome.

"Interesting. How old are they?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.

Kagome sat up and twiddled one of the cards.

"I think they said that Amber was fifteen, Cassie was seventeen, and this other girl is eighteen," she said.

"What is this other girl's name?" asked her mom.

"Le...Lea....something around there," said Kagome. "Why don't you invite them to your little party and have them stay the night?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.

"That's a gread idea," said Kagome.

"Make sure it is alright with the people that they are staying with," said Mrs. Higurashi.

"Okay mom," said Kagome.

Kagome got up from her seat and headed back into the kitchen to get her keys.

"Don't forget the invitations!" called Mrs. Higurashi.

Kagome ran back into the living room and grabbed three of them and ran back outside to her car. She sped away and headed towards the Shinjou place where the three girls resided.

She blew down the avenue and stopped in the drive. She was surprised to see another car there.

Kagome shut her car off and headed up the porch. She pulled off her shoes and slowly opened the shoji door.

She was surprised the open door revealed a young woman she had never seen and a man she had never seen in a heated argument.

"You are trying to say....oh hello," said the girl quickly.

The guy turned his head towards where Leann was looking and saw Kagome standing in the doorway. The girl look startled.

'Do I run or do I say hello?' thought Kagome.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," said the girl apologetically.

"It alright. Are Amber and Cassie home?" asked Kagome.

"Uh yeah, hold on. I'll go get them," said Leann.

She ran through a door and called out the other girls' names. A few seconds later, Kagome could here the patter of three sets of footsteps.

"Kagome, what are you doing here?" asked Amber.

"Oh, nothing. I come visit," she said.

"Oh cool. By the way, you haven't met these two people. This is Leann, our other friend, and that's Hiyono, our translator. They were arguing over nothing and don't seem to get along," said Amber.

"It okay," said Kagome.

"Please, sit down," said Leann.

She pointed to a blanket laid out close to four others. Kagome chose one nearest Amber and graciously sat down.

"Arigotou," she said.

"You are welcome," said Leann. "Amber, these are for you and your friends," said Kagome.

She pulled out three invitations and handed them to the girls.

"Thanks," said Amber.

She opened the envelope on hers and read it.

"You want us to come to your birthday party?" she asked.

"Yes, it will be a small party. If you want, you three can stay night," said Kagome.

"We'd love to come," said Leann.

"Okay. I must go. I will see you in three days," said Kagome.

"Alright. Bye," said Leann.

Kagome left the house and headed out to her car and left. Leann got up and closed the shoji screen doors after she had left.

"Do you guys really want to go?" she asked.

"Yes, you stupid," Cassie yelled.

"Okay, now help me make something for supper," ordered Leann.

Hiyono laughed, and Amber chuckled.

"Who's made you queen of the castle?" joked Cassie.

"Well, I'm the oldest and am going to be spending the most time here," said Leann.

Cassie couldn't say anything.

"Now, let's make something to eat," said Leann.

---Two Days Later---

"I be by in hour to pick you up," said Kagome smiling.

"Alright," said Amber.

Cassie and Amber waved bye and walked up the steps into the house. In those two days, they had finally gotten a hang of their schedules and halfway knew their way around the school. Leann had been staying at the house, playing on her new computer, and making the old house halfway livable.

They now had a true living room off to the side of the big main room, and the other side was in the process of being turned into a small office and library.

"Leann, are you here?" asked Cassie.

They heard footsteps coming from the courtyard and saw Leann walking in in mudcaked clothes and a handful of flowers in her hand.

"Yeah, I'm here," said Leann.

"Look at you. We only got an hour to get ready, and you are out digging flowers. Have you forgotten about Kagome's party?" said Amber.

"I haven't forgotten. What do you think these are for?" said Leann sarcastically.

She placed the flowers on the new bookcase.

"What are you going to do with those flowers?" asked Amber.

Leann began to split the flowers into two bouquets and selecting the better flowers.

"I'm making two bouquets. One for Kagome's mother, and one for Kagome for her birthday," said Leann.

"Good idea," said Amber, "but you better hurry up. Kagome will be by in exactly fifty five minutes."

Amber and Cassie went to their rooms to gather their stuff and get ready for the party. Leann put the last finishing touches on the bouquets five minutes later and headed to her room.

All girls met about twenty minutes later, backpacks ready and in their party wear. Amber wore simple black pants and a lavender long sleeve shirt with a small v-neckline. Cassie wore a black knee length skirt and the same kind of shirt in blue. Leann wore dress jeans and a black shirt with a circle neckline. All girls had their hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

A few minutes later, a car pulled up. Kagome looked at the three girls and sensed something that she didn't notice before. She couldn't quite put it into place and got out of the car.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey to you too," said Amber.

Leann came up to Kagome and gave her a bouquet of the flowers. Kagome looked at it and smiled.

"These are from all of us," said Leann.

"Arigotou, they are beautiful," said Kagome.

She sniffed at the delicate baby's breath that decorated the sides.

"Are you ready to go?" she said slowly.

"Yes, let's go," said Amber.

All the girls crammed into the small car with their backpacks and the car set out.

"How long have you been here?" asked Kagome.

She looked into the mirror at the two girls in the back.

"We've been here about four days," answered Amber from the front seat.

"Interesting. Do you like it so far?" she asked . "Oh yes. We love it," said Leann.

They stopped a few minutes later in front of a big set of steps.

"You live here?" said Cassie.

"Yes, this is the Higurashi Shrine. It has been in my family for generations," said Kagome.

She went up the steps with the other girls right behind her.

"This is beautiful," commented Leann.

"Arigatou, what you like a tour of the grounds?" said Kagome.

"Yes," said Amber.

Kagome placed their backpacks near the kitchen door and took them towards the wellhouse. She stood them in front of the Goshinboku Tree.

"This is Goshinboku Ti," said Kagome.

"What is that in English?" asked Leann.

Kagome thought for a moment.

"Goshinboku Ti is the God Tree in English," said Kagome.

"It's huge," said Cassie looking up into the branches.

"Yes, this tree is over a thousand years old," commented Kagome.

"That is old. It looks it protects the shrine," said Leann.

"Yes, that is what the legend says," said Kagome.

She pulled them away from the tree and stopped at the front of the wellhouse.

"This is the old shrine house. It protects a well called the "Bone-Eater's Well,"" said Kagome.

Leann looked at it and went towards the door. Her arm was grabbed by Kagome.

"I wouldn't go in," said Kagome.

Leann stopped and looked at Kagome.

"Oh, I just wanted to look inside. I won't touch anything inside, I promise," said Leann.

Kagome gave in and let her inside. She began to feel anxious.

'What is she falls into the well? What if Inuyasha comes through?' thought Kagome.

Amber noticed Kagome's shoulders tense up and her biting her lip.

They saw Leann disappear through the door. Leann pushed the door open farther to let more sunlight inside. She walked into the old building and looked around. A platform went around a well that sat in the middle of the shrine. 'That must be the well that Kagome was talking about,' thought Leann.

She walked down the steps that led to the well. Leann picked up a small stone and looked into the well. The inky darkness unnerved her a little. She dropped the stone into the well and heard a small clunk.

'Nothing, but an old water well,'she thought.

Leann saw a small silvery glint at the bottom of the well, but she passed it off as her eyes playing tricks on her. She bounded up the steps and back out into the sunlight.

"Did you see anything?" asked Kagome anxiously.

Leann noted her behavior and looked perplexed.

"Nothing, just the old well. Nothing special," said Leann.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief, and motioned for the girls to follow her into the house. The girls picked their backpacks up from the door and followed her inside.

Leann, Cassie, and Amber were met by an old man in a traditional Japanese outfit screaming Japanese and slapping a piece of paper on them.

"Ojiisan!" screamed Kagome.

The old man looked at Kagome, and looked at the three girls.

Kagome pulled her grandfather to the side and started speaking to him in rapid Japanese. The old man answered in rapid Japanese and looked at the other girls every couple of words. Kagome rolled her eyes, and pointed for the old man to go upstairs. He huffed and slowly went upstairs.

"Gomen, please excuse him. That is my grandfather," said Kagome.

The girls laughed and pulled the offending papers from their clothing.

"It's alright. Not everyday you have that happen," said Amber.

"What are these anyways?" asked Leann.

Kagome looked at them.

"These are traditional Japanese charms to ward off demons," said Kagome.

"Your grandpa thought we were demons?" asked Cassie laughingly.

Kagome giggled.

"He thinks everyone is a demon," she said.

"Kagome!" called someone.

"Hai," she called.

A woman in her late thirties walked into the kitchen and went up to Kagome. They spoke in Japanese for a little bit.

Kagome introduced the woman as her mother, Mrs. Higurashi.

"It nice to meet you," Mrs. Higurashi said.

She bowed slightly to the girls.

"It's nice to meet you too," said Leann.

They all three bowed, and Leann walked up to Mrs. Higurashi giving her the bouquet.

"Arigatou. These beautiful," said Mrs. Higurashi slowly.

She walked up to the girls and gave each of them a slight kiss on the cheek.

She walked to Kagome and said something to her in Japanese.

"It seems that my mother likes you. Let's go upstairs. The rest of the guests will be here later," said Kagome.

"Okay," said Amber.

The girls followed Kagome upstairs and into her bedroom.

---This is the end of this chapter. This chapter and the next one are my favorite ones to write, because they are so funny. Thanks to all those who have reviewed. The next chapter will begin near the end of the party where everyone is leaving, and the girls about to go to bed.---