Chapter 56

As Kagome packed to return through time, she came across the necklace Sesshoumaru had given her. Something told her to bring it with her. Just before she was getting ready to leave, Yasha called for her,

"Oka-san, Uncle is here for you."

Kagome came downstairs and greeted Sesshoumaru. She was surprised at his visit.

"What's the matter?", she queried.

"Nothing. My driver will take you to the airport. There you will board a helicopter to take you to Kyoto. That way when you perform the ritual, you will already be in Kyoto of the past."

"That will be fine. It will save me time."

"Kagome, I want to warn you again, only interact with the foreigners. And I suggest you use the necklace. I do not know if Naraku is in Kyoto. Should he be there, I don't want him to recognize you."

"Of course, I understand. How long will it be until I know if I have succeeded? Do you know?"

"The change should take about an hour. Long enough for you to get far enough away so that, should you just disappear, nobody will see it happening. The people back in that time still believed in myth and magic but it is still unsettling to see a person just disappear from sight."

"And, I'll know I succeed if I become myself in the past, correct?"

"Yes, you will wake up with all your memories intact of all that has occurred. But, you will be the only one with those memories. Inuyasha, myself, Ai ... none of us will remember. That is the way it must be. To everybody else around you, it will be just as it was."

"Ok. I'll remember that."

"And one more thing,", Sesshoumaru started, "Take this, it may come in handy.", he said, as he handed her a katana. She looked at the sword as she took it from him.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Don't be stupid. A woman. Alone. In the Feudal Era. Think Kagome. I know my half-brother had a lot of reasons for choosing you as his mate. I know he would never choose a stupid woman."

Kagome blushed. She didn't like him calling her stupid, but her remark was idiotic. Of course, without a man to protect her, she'd be vulnerable. Luckily, Sango and Inuyasha had shown her some moves so that she wasn't helpless. She knew she have to use them now. Saying goodbye to her family, Kagome left in Sesshoumaru's limo. As promised, a helicopter awaited her at the airport. She was in the air and heading to Kyoto. To say she was nervous was an understatement. She knew that by being in Kyoto when she performed the time-traveling ritual would prevent anybody she knew from seeing her. All she would have to worry about was the foreigners.

Arriving in Kyoto, a car whisked her to the Heian Jingo Shrine. She was told that she would be able to perform the ritual here in peace because it was off limits to the public today. Plus, it existed in the Feudal Ages. After arriving, her guide took her into a room where she could perform the ritual.

Kagome set up and performed what Ai had taught her. The feeling of dizziness that Ai had described would happen, began to swirl inside of her. Soon, she felt the dizziness go away. Putting everything away in her small bag, she got up and opened the door.

The shrine was now filled with people. People dressed in feudal era clothes. She had done the ceremony correctly. Ducking back inside, she put her necklace on and covered herself with a blue cloak Ai had given her. Securing the katana, she walked out amongst the throng of people. Then she realized, Kyoto was a big city even in ancient times, how would she find these men? Heading into the city, she listened to people talking. Listening carefully, she heard from folks giving directions to the east, that there was only one road to get past the mountains. This was her spot. The place she needed to be. She quickly headed out of the city, going east.

As she walked the road towards the mountain pass, she passed a horse, saddled up, beside the road. Deciding she needed more speed, she decided to "borrow" the animal. As she mounted him, a man, who had been in the process of "doing his business" behind a rock, came out with his pants around his ankles, calling for her to stop. She yelled back that she'd return the horse, not really knowing if she would. But she needed more speed.

Getting to the mountain pass, she saw that one side dropped steeply off into a chasm down to a river. The other side was mountainous. No escape. Not for the foreigners. Not for her. As she formulated her plan, she knew she had only one chance to execute it. She breathed deeply to keep herself calm. Hiding in the bushes with the horse, she waited. She could see a way down the road. The only time she left her spot was for nature's call. She had brought water and some food with her so she didn't need to leave for that. Now, it was only a matter of time.

She lost track of time, but she knew it was early morning. Her patience was paying off. In the distance, she saw the 7 man travel party. She recognized Wendell and Percy. And she saw that they had a women with them. A woman of color. Kagome mused that the woman must be from Africa. She was happy to see that Wendell was near the back of the party. This would play into her plan. As the party passed her spot, she pulled the hood of the cloak over her head and walked out behind the party, coming up behind Wendell and hissing, as she put her katana to his throat,

"I suggest you stop.", she said in a disguised voice.

Wendell stopped, terrified of the figure that held a sword to his throat. The other 6 men turned around and raised their swords. Kagome hissed louder,

"Tell them to drop the swords or you will find yourself sliced ear to ear." She had counted on these men being cowards, especially Wendell. She was correct in her assumptions.

"Drop your weapons, men.", Wendell ordered, shaking.

As the men did as they were told, Kagome hissed again,

"All weapons."

"Everything, men. Drop everything.", Wendell ordered.

The men did as they were told, as they glared at the hooded figure holding their master hostage. Kagome was surprised at all the weapons they had on their persons. She continued with her orders, yelling at the men,

"Throw everything over the chasm or he gets it. NOW!"

Confused and upset, the men followed her orders. But, she wasn't done. They had to waylaid a long enough time.

"UNDRESS!", she ordered. The men looked at the figure, shocked., "I said, UNDRESS! NOW! Or I slice his neck."

The men did as ordered and held their clothes in front of their privates. Standing there, undressed with their clothes covering their groins, they looked a pitiful crew.

"Over the chasm, boys! All your clothes, throw them into the chasm!", she ordered.

The men looked at each other and back at their master. Kagome pressed her sword deeper into his skin and he nodded frantically. He didn't want to die. The men complied and through all their clothes over the side of the cliff. Now their hands covered their groins. Backing up slightly, Kagome kept her sword pointed into Wendell's neck,

"Now you. Take all your weapons and your clothes and throw them over the side. Don't try anything funny. I know moves that will have you sliced before you get a chance to turn around.", she lied.

With his men helpless, Wendell did as he was told. He was scared and angry. As he undressed, he tried to reason with this figure. he offered the figure money, the woman, anything to save him from humiliation. The figure wanted none of it.

"Surely, you have your price. All men do.", Wendell said.

"I have no price, save for the fun I having right now.", the figure hissed in the strange voice. Once Wendell had finished stripping, he threw everything off the cliff.

Kagome couldn't resist the comment she know made. Wendell wasn't as shy as his other men, and stood up to the figure with his hands to his sides, giving the figure full view. She commented,

"No wonder you need a slave girl. You ain't got nuthin' to give a respectable woman.", Kagome said, trying to sound like Inuyasha with his brazen cockiness. The words had its effect. Wendell quickly covered himself with his hands. Finishing up with her "fun", Kagome ordered the men,

"Now, you will return to the town. Tell anyone who wants to travel this pass that I now control it and must pay to pass. You will be my examples!"

"But, who are you?", Wendell asked, nervously.

"HMPH! Your worst nightmare! That's all you need to know. Now go on ... or I'll change you all from roosters to hens in one painful slice!"

The men looked back and forth from one another, wondering what to do, when Kagome yelled, "GO!" The men quickly started to scramble as they headed back to town. The African woman, who had been watching from the side of the road, quickly followed them, casting frightened sideways glances at the hooded figure. Kagome could only guess what was going through HER mind. Kagome hurried and set the horse free, in the direction they had come from. She went and his further in the bushes. It was safe there. She could either fade from view here or, if that didn't happen, she could perform the ritual to get back home in the modern era. She sat by a maple and waited.

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"Kagome! Kagome! Wake up! Kagome!"

She felt a hand slapping her cheek and a cool rag placed on her forehead. The world was spinning. It was dark. As she opened her eyes, she saw double, no, triple the images.

"Kagome! Are you awake?", the voice said.

Turning in the direction of the voice, she came face to face with golden orbs, silvery-white hair and dog-ears.

"Inu ... yasha?"

"Yea, of course. Who the hell else would it be? You gave me quite the scare. You came out to the corral to ask me something and you just fainted into the snow. Are you ok?", Inuyasha asked worriedly.

"I had the weirdest dream. About you and Sesshoumaru and ...", she stopped as words and images flooded her head. No. It wasn't a dream, was it?

"Forget about that.", Inuyasha said, "Are you alright?"

Kagome sat up as Yasha brought her some tea. She looked around. Inuyasha was here, so were the pups. Had she succeeded?

"Where are we? When is this?", she mumbled.

"What?", Inuyasha stared at her, "Didja hit your head on the fence on the way down?", he said, looking her over.

"You're home, Mama. Where else would you be?", Kaori said to her mother.

Against Inuyasha's wishes, Kagome got up and headed to the window. The snow was falling gently outside. Reaching to her neck, the gold necklace that Sesshoumaru had given her was gone. She was back. She must have succeeded. She couldn't help but wonder what happened to Wendell and his men.

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Back in Kyoto, 7 naked men arrived in town. The stares they received were the least of their worries. Samurai came up to them,

"A little cold to be running around like that, isn't fellas?", one samurai said as his comrades laughed.

"T-T-There's a crazy person in a blue hooded cloak at the mountain pass. Made us undress and throw away our weapons. Said it was going to kill us.", Wendell said, trembling.

"Was it human or demon?", the samurai asked.

"I don't know. I never saw it's face. But, it said it would require payment from now on to get through the pass.", Wendell continued.

"Oh really? We'll see about that. Must be a pesky demon. We'll take care of him. Go get some clothes on, men. You're scaring the women.", with that the samurai and his men headed out to the mountain pass.

Arriving at the pass, they broke up, searching for the demon. One of the men called to his superior, "I think I've found it." Heading toward their comrade, the other samurai just stood and stared. There before them stood a figure in a blue-hooded cloak. Removing the cloak, they discovered it was a small tree covered in the cloak, set up to look human.

They took the "figure" back to town. When the saw Wendell and his men, the one samurai through the "figure" to him, as Wendell backed up, frightened. This caused the samurai to laugh even louder.

"There's your figure!", one said, "Obviously, you've had too much sake. Not get outta my face before I kill you for wasting our time.", the samurai said before urging his horse on. Wendell picked up the "figure" and stared at it, angrily. He was pissed that someone had pulled a trick on him and humiliated him and his men.

Somewhere else in town, a man walked away from the scene, "These humans won't be able to assist me with what I need done.", he said to himself, bitterly., "They're pitiful."

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Early Spring, 1566

The little village was beginning to awaken from its winter hibernation as the monk and the half-demon began preparing their fields for spring planting. Before winter had hit, the two families had had another successful week during Harvest Festival and had helped Kaede and the other villagers rebuild the small village near the sacred tree. The winter had been cold and bitter, but both families came through it unscathed.

As the world began to come alive once more, the women of the families happily aired out bedding, clothes and the houses, to rid the homes of the stale winter air and welcome in the fresh spring breezes. Kagome shared her bundle of fragranced oils that she burned with Sango and soon both homes smelled like strawberries, lemons, or oranges.

At Sango's urging, Kagome, Kaori, Kohana and Jasmine joined Sango and her girls at the first spring marketplace day. The marketplace was crowded with shoppers anxious to shake off the winter chills. Their little stall was crowded all day as the families sold their specialty crafts and wares. Kagome kept searching the crowds, looking for them. Sango quietly asked her,

'What's the matter, Kagome? Looking for someone?"

"Oh, No. I'm sorry Sango. My mother calls it 'people watching'. Just watching the interesting people.", Kagome said hurriedly.

Aya asked her mother if she could go visit Ronin at the castle. Her mother agreed, and Aya asked her Aunt Kagome if Kaori could come along. Kagome agreed and the girls left. The men still hadn't appeared. Kagome sighed contentedly. Now she knew for absolute certain she had succeed.

After packing up and preparing to head home, Kagome and Sango heard word that a nasty disease had struck down Kyoto and the city was quarantined. Hearing the description, Sango shuddered,

"I hope that doesn't come here.", she whispered to Kagome.

"I think we're safe.", Kagome whispered back.

After arriving home, the hanyou family sat down to dinner. Kaori excitedly announced,

"Ronin told me he's going to talk to Uncle Miroku about marrying Aya. Isn't that wonderful? But, Aya doesn't know yet. It's a secret.", Kaori bubbled.

"About time.", Inuyasha commented as Kagome just smiled. So this is what was supposed to happen. This is the way it should be.

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A/N: No, this is not the end, just the end of this arc. I've got a lot more in store for our friends - I'll leave the angst behind for now and focus on LOVE! Love for Aya, for Cho, for Yasha and for Shippou! Stay tuned! AND THANKS FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS! I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!

While waiting for my next update, check out my newest story, a one-shot called "A Hanyou Odyssey". Let me know what you think!