Summary

Kagome lives on the streets of Toronto, she has been there so long she has almost forgotten her past. Almost. She has night terrors. Flashes of the past she doesn't want to remember. To forget her past she detaches herself off from her memories, from her emotions and from her music. She has done this for so long she has forgot herself. She becomes a shadow. Then she meets other street kids, each with a tale of grace and despair. Each of whom help to unlock one of her emotions. Then she meets one street kid's brother that wears a mask so much like what she became. Can he unlock the most important emotion of all? Love. And will he be able to help Kagome find herself and with it her voice? Eventual Sesshoumaru/Kagome, little Sango/Miroku, Kohaku/Rin, Inuyasha/Kikyo, Kouga/Ayame,

Disclaimer

I do not own Inu Yasha or anything related to it. This fanfic was inspired by the series, and song lyrics (mostly evanescence).

A/N Sorry for not updating as quickly as I did before. I no longer have as much free time as I used to as I now have a boyfriend who I spend most of my free time with :D So I wont be able to update as often as I originally hoped but will still try to update on a regular basis, I will try for once every two weeks, kk? Well anyways, onto the third chapter.

Chapter 3

Friends, can a shadow have friends? I hope they can; which is strange. Up till now I have never felt the need to even speak with anyone, now all of the sudden I feel myself get pulled in. I look at the people around me and I long to be like them so much I ache inside. I want to speak, to be heard, and to be acknowledged. I want to laugh, to be happy, and to be accepted. I want to sing, to be understood, to be myself; Even if it was for a moment I could die in satisfaction that I have felt life, that I have felt life pulse through my veins, that I have felt that pulse and let it loose. I want to sing so bad my lungs are painfully pushing against my ribcage in my effort to keep the music inside.

Instead I sit on a wall by the sidewalk and play my guitar. I let some of the music flow through me and to the ears of anyone who cares to listen. I don't really care if they do or not; I just like to play. That and the money I find in my guitar case.

After every 'performance' I look through my guitar case and I find change, lots of change. After a while I discovered that people passing put money in there.

I didn't notice before because I was always absorbed in my music. Whenever I let the music out I float away with it; I'm afraid sometimes that I will float so far away I won't be able to find my body. That's why I only let out some of the music.

I am torn away from my thoughts and music by the ache in my stomach. I have to eat something, I hope I have enough money.

I slide off the wall and crouch beside my guitar case, placing my guitar gently beside it. I sift through my old clothes I store in my guitar case and look for money, I eventually count out the money I need for a coffee and fries; Thank god! I am starving, I wonder if my friends will be there?

I take out the small piece of paper which contains Miroku's cell phone number; he was the only one of my new friends with a phone number. For, like me, they also lived on the streets.

How did Miroku get a cell phone anyhow? Oh well, it doesn't matter. What matters is that I now have someone to call if I ever want to talk, but I'm afraid to call. What if it was just a dream?

It didn't seem like a dream though…

Then maybe it was a prank? Maybe they gave me a wrong number? It wouldn't be the worst thing someone has done to me. But it would hurt more than I could bear false kindness stings more than insults; I speak from experience.

Still, even with the 'what ifs' I cannot crush this hope inside me… I long for a friend so hard it feels like a clamp on my chest. I have to call.

But not now; now is time for coffee and fries.

I carefully put my guitar in its case and arrange the clothes around it. I sling it over my back and put my black back pack over it. Everything I own is black.

I walk to a McDonalds and get a small order of fries which is all I can afford. I turn around and as I scope out a seat a small shadow appears to my left, but it disappears soon; with my fries!

I frantically look around until I see the shadow clearly, a small little thing with a dirty green jacket. I rush over and snatch back my fries. I look down at the dirty thief, which no longer looks like a dirty thief.

He is a small child with big green watery eyes. He looks scared; scared of me. I look down at the cowering small child and feel something weigh down in my stomach, it feels like a stone.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" cries the little child, tears running down his cheeks and hopping from one foot to the other.

The feeling gets worse. Something starts to grip my stomach, twisting it. I shove my fries at the kid who stops crying and walk away. Maybe I can eat tomorrow.

A/N sorry, I sorta wasn't in a properly depressed mood when I wrote this so it might not be up to depressing standards. Blame my boyfriend. :P I would dump him since it will help writing fanfics but he is way to cute!

review responses

STRANGER IN A CROWD
2005-11-03
ch 2, signed

IM HOOKED. SO FAR YOUR STORY IS REALLY GOOD AND I CAN'T WAIT TO READ YOUR NEXT CHAPTER. I'VE READ SO MANY FANFICS AND FINALLY DECIDED I SHOULD WRITE ONE MYSELF SO I HOPE MINE CAN BE AS GOOD AS YOURS.

I can't wait to read your story! I'm sure it's gonna be great! Especially if you read as many fanfics as you said you have, reading comes beefore writing in my books. If you read alot of good quality stuff then you should be able to write good quality stuff. So I'm positive you will do great! And may I say how COOL it is to have someone say that they want to write something as good as mine? I am so honoured! Thank you so much! you are soo sweet!

LynGreenTea
2005-11-03
ch 2, signed he he
write more soon
real soon
write more :pwill do!

thanks to my two new beta readers I have already been able to start writing my fourth and fifthchapters!

Sesshie's Black Dominatrix
2005-11-04
ch 2, signed yeah!
i love love love love people who update so so so so fast
i could just huge you!
so keep up the good work and please please please please
write more A.S.A.P.!
!
thank you so so so so much for giving me something great great great great story to read in my time of need!
thank you!
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

eh heh, yeah, about me updating so quickly, only reason for it was that i hurt my foot and couldn't do much considering I couldn't walk. So I did something fun and productive and didn't have to walk! But now my foot is better and I have anew boyfriend so it's not likelyI will be able to update as quickly, but i will try! sorry it was so late this time. And I am soglad to hear you enjoy reading my story!

darkmiko66
2005-11-04
ch 2, signed yay...i feel special..lolz o.O
anywayz..great chapter. And what's the age of the characters?

not so quick to review this time hmmm? poke,poke lol anyhow, the ages of the characters are still unknown, but i do plan on mentioning the ages later on, so bear with me, kk? It is a key part in the past of the characters so I can't divulge that information yet.

Kagome21
2005-11-04
ch 2, signed

Kool, so how old is Kagome? I luv ur dark, dark smmery...they're awesome. Update soon!

popular question, however I cannot answer it as of yet, it will come up in later chapters though. Oh and love the dark summaries huh? how do you like the dark summary for chapter 4 at the bottom of the page? I don't think it quite goes with the pattern, and since you seem to like them so muchI figured you are the best one to ask. So please give me your opinion?

Flames
2005-11-04
ch 2, anon. I could try to be beta reader since I don't do anything on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and Wensdays. I don't work anymore and I only have to go to college. So I can try if you want me to. If I get the internship that I applied for then I might not be able to do any reading for about a week in January. I like to correct things, but I'm not good at notes. Well, I got to go I'm on a time limit. Have a good day, Ashley aka Flames.

Yeah! a beta reader, finally! I am so gratefull! From now on I will try to get my updates to you before Wednesday so you can spend more time with them, they need work... I greatly appreciate you being my beta and any time you can spend on correcting my work will be great! good luck on the internship! and tell me if you get it so I can remember to not bother you with correcting my work; from what I hear internships are alot of hard work. Well anyways, Thank you so much!

LocketzVC
2005-11-05
ch 2, signed Great chapter! cant wait for the next one!
Ney ney

sorry this chapter was late getting up, hope you liked it!

Midnight Faerie
2005-11-05
ch 2, reply

Nice... I love it and you NEED to update soon... get Sesshomaru in it soon...
Midnight Faerie

once again i apologize for getting this chapter out so late, Sesshomaru will be introduced in a few more chapters.

Panther
2005-11-05
ch 2, anon. hello i like ur story it has a good plot i cant wate for the next chs i am also intrested in the beta reader job i love to read im on ff 24/7 and if i get this job i promise to inform you right away with my opinis and corrects respond soon please and thankyou

Yeah! a second beta reader, now I have 2! thanks for beta reading for me! I really apreciate (and need)all the help I can get.

Tohru-Uotani-Hanajima
2005-11-13
ch 2, reply oh update soon!

hope you enjoyed the chapter! sorry it was so late getting out.

A/N warning, scene containing violence ahead

Chapter 4

I watch as a young girl drops beside me, blood and tears dripping down her face. She looks at me and her twisted face dons a small, reassuring smile. But her smile doesn't reach her bright blue eyes which stay filled with pain and tears. And fear. Fear for me. She gasps and collapses, her eyes closing. No… I look at her all night, listening to her laboured breathing, listening for her next breath. I listen to her breathing for what seems like only a moment but can tell by the now rising sun, was really several hours. I listen for another gasp of breath from my sister; a gasp that never comes. I hold my own breath, hold it until I choke. And scream.