Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, got it? Okay, good.

Chapter 2: Two different sides of a sunrise

Many years soon passed afterwards. But to the Hanyou, Inuyasha, they seemed countless.

By right, Inuyasha was supposed to inherit his parents large estate after their deaths, but Naraku made sure that he ended up with everything. Naraku was greedy, and spent what seemed to be an endless supply of money to make sure he and his horrible daughters lived in perfect comfort.

And, of course, he could care less about that Hanyou stepson of his.

"Master Inuyasha! Master Inuyasha," a shrill, annoying little voice shouted into InuYasha's ear, "Master InuYa--"

WHAM!

The flea called Myoga blinked in surprise as he was flattened by Inuyasha's palm.

Inuyasha opened one large, amber eye and looked down at the flea in his hand. "What the hell do you want now, Myoga," he yawned and sat up, "It's the middle of the night!"

"Actually, it is early morning," Myoga corrected him, and squeaked as Inuyasha gave him an annoyed look, "But…see… I was in the hall…Lord Naraku…get up, Master Inuyasha--"

"You're not making any sense." Inuyasha growled, picking some straw out of his silvery-white hair, "What's going on?"

" I was out in the hall when I heard Lord Naraku tell his daughter, Lady Kagura, that he is going on a journey to the city—now!" Myoga was frantic, running around in a frenzied circle in Inuyasha's hand.

"Now?" Inuyasha whined, giving another tremendous yawn, "He's going on a journey, now!"

"YES!"

"Okay, fine," Inuyasha slowly got up and stretched. His ears twitched. " I don't hear him coming… I just hear them." He nodded his head, indicating the horses in the stalls behind him.

"But he IS!"

"I know—I know," Inuyasha assured him, "But since we sleep here in the stables, I don't have to rush and get him a horse. Besides, he isn't very fast or anything…"

Footsteps were heard outside, and Inuyasha sighed with irritation. He began to look for Naraku's saddle.

What a beautiful sunrise!

Higurashi Kagome glanced outside her bedroom window, pushing aside her thick, velvet curtains. She was looking at the sky, enjoying the vibrant sunlight that began to appear over the horizon. Below her window, in the garden, the trees her mother had ordered planted were had a soft golden hue to them.

There was a polite knock at the door.

"Come in," Kagome turned to her bedroom door, just as a servant rushed in and set her breakfast on a little portable table. Almost as quickly as she had come, the servant disappeared back through the large door.

Kagome sighed and went to have breakfast.

As she ate her toast, she began to wish (not for the first time, either), that her bid sister Kikyou would return soon. She was the only person to talk to in the castle, for most of the servants didn't really want to talk to her. She supposed that they must feel uncomfortable talking to a princess, or maybe they just thought she was stuck up.

Kikyou was hardly ever home. She was usually on some trip out of the country, trying to learn all sorts of things that she would need later in life, when she'd become Queen. After all, she was the oldest.

She wondered where Kikyou was now.

Kagome finished eating and looked outside her window once more, before getting dressed and going to study with her tutor.

After several trying minutes, Naraku finally left on his journey…but not before throwing hidden insults at Inuyasha—informing him that the horse he had picked out was completely unacceptable, and what kind of a person could pick such a weak and sickly animal for someone of his status to ride on? But then again, what could he, Naraku, have expected of such an unintelligent, crude, and simple-minded Hanyou?

It took a lot for Inuyasha to restrain himself from blowing up, but he managed too, soothing himself (somehow) that once Naraku left, he'd be able to go back to sleep.

In fact, once Naraku did leave, he was just about to lie down when he heard banging on the stable door.

"Open the door!"

Inuyasha groaned when he realized it was Kagura. Well, he'd better go see what she wanted, or else he'd never get any sleep.

He got up, opened the door wide enough for him to be able to stick his head through the opening. Unfortunately, Kagura happened to yell "Inuyasha!" at the same instant, nearly deafening him.

"What," he roared back, "Can't you see I'm trying to--"

"I could care less what you are doing," Kagura snapped at him impaciently, "We need more wood, Inuyasha. Go chop some more."

"I'll put it on my to-do list," Inuyasha scowled, shutting the door.

Kagura re-opened it. "Now, Inubaka!"

Inuyasha's face reddened at the old childhood taunt. "Shut up, bitch!"

"What did you say," Kagura's red, pinkish eyes narrowed menacingly.

"Keh. Don't tell me you've gone deaf," He glared daggers right back at her.

There were several minutes of intense staring, and then…

"Get the wood, "Kagura snapped, "or I'll tell Father."

She left, closing the door with a hateful slam.

Several minutes later, Inuyasha was outside chopping wood, glancing at the windows of the house, wondering if Kagura was sitting inside, laughing at him. He paused, noticing the sun rise, and watching the beauty of the sky.

Would he ever be able to get away from those idiots, Naraku and his girls?

Yeah, if you ever get any money you'll be able to, he told himself, and set down another log to chop.