Disclaimer: You know the drill, go on to the good part already.

Pairings:

Sango/Miroku

Kagome/Sesshomaru

Chapter One

"Kagome, honey your going to be late, hurry up and eat."

"Coming mom!"

Running down the stairs Kagome slide to a stop just in time to keep from hitting her Grandfather who was slowly making his way to the breakfast table and quickly sat down.

"What's your hurry this morning Kagome, school doesn't start up again for another two weeks."

"I know Grandfather, but I promised Kaede that I would help her and the villagers with their fall preparations, there doing a festival this year and since I'm from the future, Kaede asked me if I would dance at the opening."

"That's wonderful, Kagome, do you need a kimono or do you already have one?" Mom asked setting the food down on the table carefully.

"No but I thought that I might go up to the attic real quick and try and find something that would fit with the time and the dance that I want to try."

Humming softly to herself, Kagome's mother left the room and went to the very back of the house were she kept all the items that her husband had left to Kagome for when she reached the age of adulthood where she would be able to wear the items with pride.

Picking up a box she slowly made her way back to the kitchen where Sota and Grandfather were talking about what they were going to do today and Kagome was almost inhaling her food to try and get a head start on her activities.

"Kagome honey, I think its time that you were given this."

Startled everyone looked up and watched as Mom set the box down on the coffee table in the living room and motioned for Kagome to join her.

"Your father left this for you, he told me to give this to you when you reached an age to were I thought that you would appreciate it more, I think that time is now, go ahead and open it."

Astounded Kagome carefully opened the box and gasped out loud at the beautiful items that were inside, reaching inside she held up the first item and was amazed to find that it was an ancient kimono that had survived through the ages still looking beautiful and fresh as if it had just been made.

"Ohh mom, it gorgeous, but are you sure that you want me to dance in this, I mean what if I tear it or something, it would be ruined." Kagome protested feeling humble by the gift.

"Don't worry honey, I'm sure that you will take excellent care of it, why don't you try it on and I'll fix your hair real quick before you go that way your ready."

Nodding Kagome ran up to her room to change and left her mother to deal with the rest of the family who were still staring at her in disbelief especially Grandfather who was certain that his daughter had finally lost her mind.

"I cant believe you gave that to Kagome, do you know what that kimono was made for?"

"Yes, its time that she embraced her true heritage and also its high time for her to find someone that she can truly call her equal."

Sota watched the exchange with wide eyes before sneaking off to his sister's room, to try and figure out what all the fuss was about and maybe understand what his mother meant by true heritage.

'Is Kagome different like Inu-Yasha somehow, but then why didn't mom and gramps tell us, I thought we were supposed to know things like that.'

Entering his elder sister's room, Sota stood in awe at the vision that stood before him, his sister had dawned the kimono and looked like some creature that was only thought up in farire tales, that or an angel.

"Wow sis you look different, is that kimono supposed to do that to you?"

Kagome spared her brother a glance before looking back at the full length mirror in front of her and starred at herself with a critical eye, finally seeing what her baby brother had. Her face, that had once passed as cute seemed more exotic, her cheekbones were more pronounced and her eyes seemed to have taken on a life of their own, far more larger than they used to be, they nearly took up her entire face and yet they gave her a innocent vulnerable look that made her seem breathtaking.

"I guess so, I've never worn one of this quality so the pattern and design must have something to do with it." Kagome explained trying not only to convince her brother but also herself.

Unsure that his sister was correct Sota nodded his head in agreement anyways and waited for her to put on the finishing touches before going down to show off to her mother and grandfather.

Taking two of the golden pins that had been placed under the kimono Kagome proceed to pull her hair back in a difficult design that she had once seen one of the princess that they had encountered and tried vainly to remember the style before giving up and heaving a sigh of disgust. Picking up the box she made her way back downstairs with Sota tagging along still awed by the transformation.

"Mom could you help me with my hair, I have everything else under control, but I cant figure out what to do with this mop of hair!" Kagome whined feeling slightly pathetic that she couldn't figure out a simple hairstyle to match her outfit.

Smiling Mother motioned for her daughter to sit down in front of her and withdrew all the hair clips from the box and began to work on her daughter's hair, soon forgetting the others in the room and began to think of the reception that her daughter would soon receive once she crossed over to the other side of the well.

"Honey, please remember that no matter where you are that I will always love you and that you always have a place here, but that you will have to one day find someone that you love, once you do I hope you find true happiness."

Confused by what her mother had said, Kagome turned around and noticed an expression in her mothers eyes that she had never seen before and had to wonder once again what made her mother so casual about all the demons that had appeared in this time and all dangers that her daughter was facing in the past.

"Mom what's going on, is something going to happen that I need to know about?"

Shaking her head Mother gave her daughter a small smile before placing the last pin in place and lead Kagome over to the full length mirror to get a better look at herself, feeling a fierce pride rush through her body at the thought of her daughter finally becoming a woman, one that she could be proud of.

"You had better get going, you don't want to be late for you dance and remember this always Kagome, nothing is ever what it truly seems."

With that last parting word Mother kissed Kagome on the forehead and walked away slowly to the back room to where she had found the box and slowly began to pray in the words of her beloved's for the safe passage of her daughter and that she find the one in the world that could be both her savior, protector, and lover.

Kagome starred after mother for a few minutes before a beeping sound interrupted her train of thought and brought her back to the world of reality making her realize that she was going to be late if she didn't hurry.

"I gotta go you guys, don't wait up for me, this festival is supposed to last a few days!" Kagome called out as she ran for the well not realizing that her destiny lay just with in reach on the other side.

Jumping in the well Kagome watched as she was surrounded by beautiful colors, sensing something different was going on but not finding an evil presence anywhere near by, she shrugged it off for the time being and contemplated on how to get out of the well without messing up her new outfit.

"Sister Kagome, what are you doing down there!" A young voice shouted from the top of the well.

"I feel down, do you think you might find me a ladder to climb or go to Kaede's village and ask for help?" Kagome called up momentarily forgetting who travled with the young girl and protected her against all harm.

"I'll go ask Lord Sesshomaru, I'm sure that he would be happy to help you!" Rin shouted before running off to find her guardian who had just come into the clearing.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Sister Kagome is trapped down in the well and she cant seem to climb out do you think you could help her out please?" Rin asked pushing the surprised lord to the lip of the well and pointed down so that he could see what she was talking about.

Indeed there sat his brother's wench dressed up in a beautiful looking kimono with a design that he couldn't quite make out and with a expression that almost made him laugh out loud at the site she made.

"Hold on woman, I will get you out since you are good friend to Rin."

Jumping down into the well he was surprised once again to find that she was neither screaming or backing up as she had in the past but stood her ground looking at him as if he was the one being shone the favor instead of the other way around.

"I thank you for you help, I was afraid that I would have to spend the night down here." the woman said stepping closer and as she did so her scent caught his attention even more than her looks did.

Leaning closer he took a long sniff and found that she smelled of jasmine, sage, lavender and something else that he couldn't describe but he knew that if pleased him very much.

"Come Rin is waiting for you." Sesshomaru said wrapping his tail around the young female and made a clean jump up to the surface where Rin was indeed waiting along with his baby brother and friends.

"Yeah, sister your okay, I thought that you might have hurt yourself when I saw you had fallen down the well!" Rin shouted running in circles around the laughing Kagome.

"I thank you Lord Sesshomaru for you help, I might have been stuck down there awhile waiting for help." Kagome said once again this time bowing to the surprised lord before making her way over to her friends.

"Kagome is that you, you look so different in that kimono!" Sango said once her friend had gotten close enough for them to really see her.

"My mom gave it to me for the festival, it will be for my dance, its easy enough to move in."

"Lady Kagome may I be the first one to say that you look like a vision of beauty in that outfit and would please do me the honor of bearing my child?" Miroku asked only to once more get hit down by both Inu-Yasha and Sango.

"Stupid pervert, come on Kagome, the old woman is waiting for you says that you need to rehearse your dance again." Inu-Yasha said not taking his eyes off his older brother who was still standing off to the side watching the small group.

"Hey where's Shippo, I thought that he would be with you guys?" Kagome said looking around for the little kit that she had come to think of as her son.

"That's funny, he was right behind us, where could he have gotten to." Sango mused turning to look behind them when the sound of laughter caught everyone's attention.

Looking over to the meadow, Kagome breathed a small sigh of relief when she saw both Shippo and Rin playing tag bounding across the meadow with out a care in the world.

"Shippo, its time to go, Kaede is waiting for us back in the village!" Kagome called putting a slight halt to the merriment.

"Coming Kagome, see you again Rin!" Shippo called to his young playmate before bounding over to his mother.

Bending down to catch the young kit Kagome looked up and saw that even though Rin had returned to Sesshomaru's side he was still standing there looking at them as though he meant to ask something but couldn't bring himself to.

"Is there something that we can help you with Lord Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked walking forward just a bit to where her friends were still at ease and she could make a quick escape.

"Female, I would like to strike a bargain with you, I am going into an area of this land that does not take kindly to humans, I would like Rin to stay here with you until I return." Sesshomaru said nudging the reluctant girl closer to Kagome.

"I would love to watch over Rin, she and I get along great, plus she could help with the festival if she wants to."

Smiling Rin hurried over to the older girls side and started talking rapidly Shippo about all the things they were going to do while she waited for her guardian to and get her again.

"Rin will be waiting here for you, please enjoy yourself and don't worry she will be perfectly safe here, no harm will come to her." Kagome promised rising to her feet once more only to find Sesshomaru just inches from her body.

"I know she will be safe here, when I come to get her, I would like to strike another bargain with you." he said before turning and walking off into the dense undergrowth.

'What a weird guy, cute though, but weird.' Kagome thought walking back to her friends with her two charges following closely ready to get the preparations going for the festival.

"Come on guys this is going to be one outstanding festival and plus I brought some recipes, that way we can have a variety when it comes to food!"

Laughing the others started off not noticing that Kagome had stopped once again to look behind her, not quite able to shake off the feeling that something or someone was watching her, she quickly caught up with the others and stayed close to Inu-Yasha's side.

'Run all you want my beauty, you will be mine soon enough.'