The Decade that Roared

Chapter Two

1924, Manhattan

-x-x-x-

Kagome was an overall nice person.

Ever since the ripe, young age of six, she knew that she wanted a profession that would allow her to help people. That's why she became a nurse and her career was running smoothly for a while.

And then the war broke out in Europe.

Feeling it was her duty to volunteer and help wounded soldiers, Kagome became an ambulance driver for the Great War. She transported injured recruits from the battlefield, bullets still flying overhead, to safe and quiet makeshift hospitals.

The war ended, after, but Kagome felt that she still had an obligationto the soldiers.

So, she gathered up the names of all the soldiers she had met in her time there and located the ones in her hometown of Manhattan. She would pay them a visit, check up on how they were doing, and lend her help to whatever they might need.

And she'd visit every, single one of them.

Kagome happily strolled down the street, humming to herself as she glanced down at the list in her hand. At the moment, she had visited most of the people and only one was left. When she read the name to herself, her smile immediately flipped over right into a frown.

InuYasha Heinrich, a rather…well, outspoken youth.

On her adventure in the war, InuYasha was probably the most unforgettable of the men she met. He was always snapping at people and using incredibly crude language. He treated her like dirt even after all the things she did for him! She fetched him water when he was thirsty, wrapped his bandages, hell, she even told him bedtime stories!

Kagome's deepened as those humiliating memories came back; but she sighed at her anger. Maybe he was just grumpy that he'd been shot a couple of times and couldn't move his arm when she met him. Yes, that was it.

Her smile resumed its place on her face, and she set off towards 657, Dunham Street.

-x-

'653, 655, and 657!' Kagome thought, finding the correct house and running up the steps. Before she knocked on the door, however, she took a look around at the neighborhood. Everything appeared so glum and gray. She received some glances at people, who whispered to their companions behind cupped hands. Brows furrowed, Kagome resumed her earlier plan and rapped quietly on the door. Five minutes passed and not a sound could be heard inside.

So she knocked again.

And no response was heard.

After about thirty more minutes of waiting (Kagome was an incredibly persistent young woman), she was getting a little ticked off. How inconsiderate of him! It was Sunday, he should be home, and he wasn't even answering the door!

In a huff, Kagome spun on her heel and turned to leave, but the sudden clanking of locks and a muffled grumbling stopped her. The heavy, forest-green door swung open violently and a fuming, dark-haired man stuck his head out. "What the hell is your problem? You've been at this door for thirty damn minutes! Why don't you get--"

"Hello, InuYasha! You remember me, right?" Kagome interrupted. InuYasha was unprepared for her sudden outburst, but quickly recovered.

"Yeah, of course I remember you, Kikyou! Don't be so stupid!" he shouted, getting ready to close the door again.

Kagome was shocked that he could mistake her for someone and be absolutely sure he knew her. "Kikyou? No. I'm not Kikyou," she said, shaking her head from side to side.

He stopped and looked her up and down again. Then he finally tapped his chin and said, "Yeah, you're right. Kikyou didn't have so many damn split ends sticking out the side of her head…"

Now that was just mean.

Kagome, appalled by the attack, yelled, "Hey! I was at war for seven months! It's not my fault I couldn't trim my hair in that time! I didn't have a mirror!" She placed her hands on her hips and stood prepared to watch him feel hurt at this remark.

"Yeah, that could explain your horrible choice of make-up, too," he sneered, all the while a smirk growing on his face.

Having no comeback to this, Kagome changed the subject. "Anyway, I'm not Kikyou," she stated, blinking back tears of hurt that would signify his victory if they were shown (and she would not let that happen!). "My name is Kagome Elizabeth Knorr. Might I ask who Kikyou is, though?"

His expression changed entirely. No longer did it look cocky and condescending. He looked almost hurt, like it was a painful memory, and, dare she say…

Ashamed? This all disappeared when he suddenly glared at her with all ferocity.

"She's someone who's none of your goddamn business, Kagome Elizabeth Knorr." With that the door slammed loudly shut. A crack could be heard nearby and Kagome looked to see the 'Home, Sweet Home' sign that used to hang peacefully from the neighbor's door now fell to the concrete, shattering the glass in the process.

As Kagome carefully picked up the pieces of broken glass and disposed of them, she talked to herself about the insults she would tell InuYasha the next time she saw him. "Split-ends. He's one to talk! It looks like he hasn't gone outside in seven years!"

"Actually, he hasn't," came a squeaky voice from behind her. Kagome yelped in surprise and spun around to see a little red-headed boy licking a lollipop sloppily and staring at her with wide eyes. "I haven't seen him go outside since he came home from that big war"

'What? Why doesn't he?' she thought, staring up at the veteran's home. She decided that the very next day, she'd visit InuYasha again and help him with whatever problem he was facing, then she'd insult him with everything she could think of.

Because Kagome was a nice person…overall.

-x-x-x-

A/N:

Hello, everyone. This is my-name-is-pucca. I'm writing this chapter all by myself because Girl in No Man's land is in Denver and doesn't have a computer.

Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm not much of a Kagome fan, so I kind of…had no motivation to write this. (Well, except for Girl in No Man's land screaming, "Hey! We have to finish the next chapter! SO HURRY UP!) Yes, that would also explain why it's so short, too.

I also feel that I should answer some questions that might come up later. So…

-If there was a draft, why didn't Miroku go to war?

Oh, but he did. His group just didn't see much action and was only stationed in France for a month and a half. He doesn't like to talk about it. (On that note, neither do I. Let's move on.)

-Why are there three stories set in different places and different years?

Because variety is the spice of life, my friend. Instead of having all the characters know each other and such, we thought it would be more interesting for you guys and easier for us. (And it's three stories for the price of one. Yay.)

-Why isn't there Rin/Kohaku or Kouga/Ayame?

I just never thought about it and I don't think I will write--

On second thought, yes. Hey, that's actually not a bad idea! Sure, I'll write some '1920's Rin/Kohaku' or 'Kouga/Ayame' oneshots in between chapters, if you guys would like.

Well, I hope that cleared some stuff up. If you have more questions, just ask me. I will update the next chapter soon. Good-bye. I must attend to my Tare Panda army. Mwa ha ha.

Ack, the disclaimer:

We don't own InuYasha, for it belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. We'd say something incredibly clever right now, but I'm brain dead at the moment. Sorry.