Chapter One
"Mom! Do you know where my pajama shorts are?!" the 17-year-old yelled.
"In your closet where they always are, Dear!"
After finding and packing them, she ran down the stairs and into the living room where her family sat waiting.
"How long are you gonna be gone, Kagome?" her little brother asked.
"I don't know, since school's out for the summer."
"Just be careful, and let me know if you need any of my demon wards," her grandfather stated.
"Gramps, you should know that your talismans don't work. I mean, how many of those have you plastered Inuyasha with, anyway?"
"Just take care of yourself," her mother said as the family ignored the patriarch's flowing tears.
"I always do, Mom. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango make sure of that."
"I'm sure they do." She remembered something and ran into the kitchen for a moment before returning with a small grocery bag.
"What's this?"
"Some sweets for the little fox that you said you adopted, and Ramen for Inuyasha, and a pair of prayer beads for your holy friend, and a necklace for your girl friend."
"Mom, I just wish that they could meet you. They'd love you to death." Kagome hugged her family before leaving the house and heading for the Bone-Eater's Well and jumping in.
A few moments later, she climbed out on the other side, which was, oddly enough, 16th- century Japan. Just then, she realized that she had returned a day or two earlier than she had planned, meaning that her friends, who usually met the girl upon her returns, would in fact be at the village this day. Sighing at having to carry the yellow monstrosity that she knew as her backpack, she trudged toward the village alone.
She had been slowly walking for about five minutes when a little girl popped out of the woods and ran up to her, surprising her enough for her to lose her equilibrium and have the bag pull her to roughly the ground.
"Jaken, is this who we're looking for?" the child called.
Kagome, at hearing the name, looked up and indeed saw the little toad-like creature that followed Sesshoumaru around. Continuing to look around, she saw no sign of the Demon Lord, which struck her as odd. Another odd thought was, why was there a human child tagging along with Jaken?
"What's your name?"
"I am Rin. That is Jaken." To Jaken, she again asked her earlier question.
"Yes, but we have no time to chat. My life is going to be cut short for this, but you are coming with us, Human."
"Why?" she asked.
"Not now."
"I'm not going anywhere until I know where I'm going and why I'm going there." She stood firm.
"West."
"Where west?"
"Lord Sesshoumaru's castle," he answered.
"Why?"
"Lord Sesshoumaru is not well," the girl, Rin, replied quietly, eyes tearing.
"What's wrong with him? I thought that he couldn't get sick."
"Our healer believes it to be a spell or enchantment."
"If you have a healer, then why do you need me?"
"You are a miko, correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"But nothing. You are coming with us."
"And exactly how are you going to make me?"
"I'm not," he replied.
"That's what I thought."
Jaken motioned behind her. "They are."
Turning around slowly, Kagome saw three very large and mean looking neko demons, all about twice her size. A slight yank on her skirt turned her attention to Rin.
"What's your name, Lady?"
"Kagome."
"Oh. Kagome? Are you going to make Lord Sesshoumaru better?"
Unable to refuse the child's tear-filled request, and the deadly ultimatum, she sighed and knelt down in front of her.
"I'll try, okay?"
"Oh! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!" she shrieked, throwing her arms around her.
"How long will it take to get there?"
"A day and a half, since we brought transportation," Jaken explained.
"Transportation?"
"Ah-Un," the child stated, earning a confused look form the miko. Rin took her hand and pulled her toward the trees. Ah-Un!" she exclaimed, pointing.
Kagome was suddenly confronted by a sleeping two-headed dragon. The creature snorted as it woke, eliciting a curt scream from the girl as she jumped back, falling to the ground.
"This is Ah, and this is Um," she said, pointing to each head respectively.
She got up and slowly walked up to it as it sat up in order to let them on its back. She looked to see that one of the demons had taken her bag and left for the castle. Once they were in the air on the way to the castle, one thought began echoing through her mind.
'What the hell am I going to tell Inuyasha?'
"AHHH, CHOOOOO!!"
"Bless," the girl mumbled as she slowly awoke.
"I guess someone's thinking about you, huh, Inuyasha?" the raven-haired monk stated.
"Feh, whatever," the hanyou said as he jumped down from his perch in a nearby tree.
Miroku, when did Kagome say that she would be back?" the girl asked.
"I believe she said two days from now."
"Jeez, Sango. Are we not good enough company for you?" Inuyasha asked.
"Jerk. I just miss her. It's nice having another female around here, you know."
"Oh, I know," Miroku mused, before he was on the ground, swirly eyed and twitching.
"Letch," she growled as she placed her weapon back on the ground.
"Lemme guess. His hand went too far south?" Inuyasha asked.
"You got it." She then began laughing slightly. "Do you think that the Wind Scar would work on a monk?"
"Ya know, I've wondered that myself."
She stared in awe as the group entered the beautiful castle. Walking through the halls was like nothing that she had ever experienced, and Kagome was soaking it up like a sponge.
"Snap to, Human!" Jaken shouted, snapping her to reality.
"She cracked him in the head. Hey, you little Bugger! I have a name. Either use it, or don't talk to me!"
"Shhh," came Rin's small voice. She turned to see the child holding her index finger to her lips. "Lord Sesshoumaru is sleeping. He's really grumpy if we wake him up," she whispered. "He doesn't sleep very much."
Our Lord only sleeps when he wants to. He has God-like endurance," came a quiet voice from within the room.
The door opened and out stepped an Inuyoukai. He was about Inuyasha's height and very wiry in build. His gray-silver hair reached his shoulders and his dull yellow eyes and weathered skin showed that he was many years older than the youkai brothers.
"Ah, Healer! There you are!" Jaken yelled.
Rin shushed him rather loudly while Kagome kicked him down the hallway, causing a hushed chuckle form the elder demon.
And you are, my dear?"
"Kagome. Kagome Higarashi, Sir. And you?"
"I am Rojin, but please, call me Uncle." He paused, feeling her power. "Ah, a miko, I see. And quite powerful." She blushed. Modest as well."
"Anyway," she began, "I was asked, in a matter of speaking, to help. What exactly is wrong?"
"Follow me."
He opened the door and the two entered, leaving the toad and the girl outside. Once they reached the bed, Kagome gasped as her knees threatened to give way.
Lying before her, words could hardly do justice. The Taiyoukai lay sleeping, covered from the waist, down. His silver mane was spread in disarray over the pillow and his finely chiseled chest, as well as his elegant face.
"Miss Kagome?" The voice somewhat pulled her from her trance-like state.
"Y-yes? Oh, right. What's wrong?"
"I can find nothing wrong with him physically. I believe that he was somehow enchanted."
"I see. And what was he complaining about, so to speak?"
"Severely blurred and double vision, an inability to stand and intense pain in his stomach and sides. He's been asleep for about five days on my direct order. The only problem is that I've given him so much of the herbs that make him sleep, at least four times the normal amount, for an extended period of time. He may be a Great Demon Lord, but too much could kill even him."
She thought over what he had said before responding. "If he begins to wake up, let him do so. I have something that will ease the pain, but he'll be drowsy. I just hope he's not awake enough to kill me," she added on a side note.
"And why would he do that, Child?"
"On of my traveling companions is his half-brother."
His eyes grew slightly larger and brighter. "How is Lord Inuyasha? I haven't seen him since he was a pup. Such a good-natured child."
Rojin watched as her hands flew to her mouth and she began squeaking.
"Ka-Kagome?"
"InusqeakYasha?! Polite?!squeaksqueakGood-natured?!" Her body was practically convulsing, she was laughing so hard. "He's the most ill-tempered, foul-mouthed demon or human I have ever had the displeasure of meeting." The miko laughed a bit more before finally calming down. "Nothing can top that."
"One thing could."
"Try me."
"Not a day would go by where Sesshoumaru wouldn't smile. He had a way of cheering everyone up," he recollected. "He was so energetic and full of life."
"Hey Rojin?"
"Uncle."
"Sorry. Uncle, what happened to him to cause such a radical change?"
"I will not go into detail, but everything changed with the death of Lady Narai, his mother. He never truly smiled again."
"How long have you known the two?"
"I have been with them since their births. Lady Narai was my younger sister."
"I see. So you really are his uncle.
"I am. Her death devastated him, he being so young and attached to her. I, however, was able to eventually move on, and even grew to respect Lady Reina, Inuyasha's mother. It took great courage on her part to treat Sesshoumaru as her own, knowing the contempt her held for her."
"Um, depending on how long I'm here for, can you tell me about Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru? I'd really like to know more about them," she wondered shyly.
"I would be glad to."
dream
"Mama!" the child yelled, running over to the beautiful woman.
She was indeed beautiful. Her silver braids twisted around each other and were draped over her shoulder. Her golden eyes simply screamed 'look into us and lose yourself'. Not only was she outwardly beautiful, but inwardly, as well. She exuded an aura of kindness that drew to her both humans and demons alike.
"And how are you, my child?" she sang, her voice sweeter than a melody and far more pleasing to the ears.
"Papa's a bore," he pouted. "He wouldn't let me play today at all!"
"Is that so?"
"It is!"
Standing to the side stood Sesshoumaru, too stunned to move.
"M-Mama," He whispered.
"Well, Sweetie, I think that we should let Papa have a piece of our minds, don't you?" The pup nodded his head vigorously, clutching her hand.
"I remember this day. My mother had important business in the East and returned a week early for my birthday."
The mother and child were greeted at the gate by the Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands, InuTaisho.
The Taiyoukai stood at a bit over 7 feet and has the same hair and eyes as his mate. He tended to look serious at all times, yet was never able to accomplish the task when it came to his energetic only son and his exquisite mother.
"The pair stopped in front of him and Narai placed her hands on her slender waist, glaring at him.
'Uh oh. I guess he told his mother about my not letting him outside today,' he thought as he waited to see why the woman was upset with him this time.
"Now, what is this I hear about you not letting your own pup play on his birthday?!"
InuTaisho looked at his son, only to see him stick his tongue out at him, which he returned to the child.
"Don't you stick your tongue out at your son!"
"Ha ha, Papa. You're in trouble." That remark earned the boy a bop on the head by his mother.
"Sesshoumaru, don't make fun of your father, even though he deserves it. You are to respect your elders."
"Yes, Mama," he muttered, rubbing the sore spot on the top of his head. It was now the father's turn to laugh at the son.
end dream
A pair of unfamiliar scents drew him from his slumber. Vanilla and lavender invaded his senses, noticing that the two blended together in an oddly relaxing smell. The next scent that caught his attention told him that the stranger was, in fact, human.
The Taiyoukai slowly opened one eye, making sure that his vision was not as bad as earlier. When he saw an improvement, he opened the other eye and began looking toward the voices he heard.
One, he recognized as his uncle. The second, however, he recognized, but from where, he knew not.
'I suppose I am still a bit disoriented.'
Slowly, as to not relive his last experience with moving, he pushed himself into a sitting position. Sensing the movement, the girl jumped up and rushed over to him.
"You shouldn't get up. You've been asleep for quite awhile," she explained.
"How long?" he asked quietly, his voice tired.
"Five days, Nephew."
He was shocked. 'Five days?!' "Explain."
"Um, you've been heavily doped up to keep you asleep and free from pain."
"Doped up?" Confusion was evident in his slightly raspy voice.
"Highly medicated, I mean. Very highly." He nodded in understanding. She suddenly gasped. Oh! Forgive my rudness. My name is Kagome Higarashi, Lord Sesshoumaru," she introduced, bowing deeply.
'A polite human? Interesting.' "And why are you here?"
"Your retainer and ward sought me out. Rin asked that I help you. I happen to be a miko."
"I see." 'Wait. A miko dressed in strange, indecent attire. She said that her name was Kagome.'
flashback 1
"Get back, Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.
flashback 2
Suddenly, an arrow connected with his shoulder armor, shattering it. On a hill stood a human girl, arrow ready to launch. He could sense the power emanating from her as she prepared to attack.
flashback 3
He had his brother pinned and was about to strike with his poison claw attack when a cry of surprise drew the brothers' attention. This human girl held the very sword that neither brother had been able to remove.
end flashbacks
"You," he growled dangerously.
'Eep! He recognized me.' She slowly cowered behind Rojin.
"Hoe dare you enter this castle. Is that foolish hanyou waiting to kill me in my weakened state?"
Her anger got the best of her as she left her hiding place and walked right up to the Great Demon.
"Inuyasha has no idea where I am! No one does, as a matter of fact! I am here at the request of a little girl who obviously cares about you for reasons FAR beyond my comprehension! Enemy or not, I came here to help you and that is exactly what I am going to DO!!" she screamed, causing both demons to flinch at the volume. "Sorry, Uncle, but your nephew deserved that."
"Why you impertinent-"Sesshoumaru rose, only to be halted as his eyes showed him multiple wenches. "Damn." Just then, his legs buckled and he nearly hit the ground had Kagome not steadied him.
"Nephew, is it the same?" He slowly nodded as his vision got worse, blending everything together.
He shook off the girl and stumbled to gain some semblance of balance. Which turned out to be an exercise in futility as he fell to his knees, somehow unable to support his own weight.
The vanilla-lavender smell surrounded the demon as the girl tried to help him up.
"Let me help," she offered.
"Leave me be, Wench."
With that, she tightened her grip on him as she helped him to his feet and to his bed. She then rummaged through her bag that the neko youkai had left there and pulled out a bottle and emptied a few small items into her hand.
"Uncle, could you please pour him a glass of water?"
He did, and Kagome grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand and slammed the pills into it.
"These are pain relievers from my home. Swallow them with water. Your pain will fade shortly after."
He did so, but only because his uncle quite literally forced them down his nephew's throat.
"I'll be back later to check on you." She whipped around, grabbed her bag, and opened the door. "By the way, my name isn't wench, it's Kagome. Use it." She exited, slamming the door behind her.