AN: So much for keeping a good update schedule. Meh, I've been feeing uninspired lately. This chapter contains spoilers for what happens to Kagura in the manga. I don't actually follow the manga, I know the basic jist of what happens but I'm not sure I got all the details right. If I didn't, tell me and I'll fix them.

You might notice Yuri's friends are named after Kagome's trio, there's no intended relation. I just used the names because I don't know many Japanese names. Originally Sakura in chapter 3 was named Yuka, but I changed it because I thought Yuka and Yuri were too similar sounding.

Chapter 5

Yuri woke up abruptly to the sound of her blaring alarm clock. For once she was grateful, her dreams were disturbing and fretful. In more than one of them Kouga came back and boy was he angry. Then there was one dream he was in that she couldn't quite remember any of the details. Other dreams were vague images of what might have been demons Kagura had killed based on the stories Kouga had told her. For a moment she pretended everything that happened the night before was dream. However, those notions faded when she looked in the mirror. There staring back at her in her reflection was a constant reminder of the previous night. Covering almost her entire neck huge bruises had developed where Kouga had grabbed it. Yuri had the disturbing thought that these bruises would have told the coroner exactly how she died. She banished that thought almost as soon as it had appeared. She had to cover the marks; they would lead to far too many awkward questions. None of her turtlenecks went high enough so she would have to settle for a wearing a scarf all day.

She had been far to stunned to put up a decent resistance the first time. But if Kouga confronted her again Yuri decided she wasn't going down without a fight. First, she would have to determine if she really was this Kagura. If she was then she had to find out everything about this wind demon. Kouga wasn't going to catch her off guard again. Yuri caught a break after her first class. She pulled out her cell and called one of her friends from high school, Eri. Luckily Eri also had some free time. After the obligatory catch up chat Yuri came to the reason she called. "I'm writing a paper on drugs for one of my classes,' Yuri lied, since she wasn't about to go into the truth. "I was wondering what you remember from the time I got high senior year."

Eri laughed, "It's kind of hard to forget, you were so funny."

"Thanks," Yuri replied dryly. "Anyways do you remember the name I called myself."

"Um, I think it was…it's on the tip off my tongue, oh yeah that was it, Kagura."

Yuri felt her stomach sink. "Do you remember anything else like the name of the guy I was going on and on about."

"Nar…Nar…Nar-somehting,."

"Was it maybe Naraku?"

"That was it Naraku," Eri laughed at the memory. "I don't remember much but you talked about how he was always using you in his lame-brained schemes, how he made you fetch some shards or something and making you watch a baby that-something about eye sucking, I'm not sure, you lost me on that one."

"I didn't by any chance mention a guy named Kouga?"

"Kouga, no I don't recall anyone by that name. You did mention someone named something like Sesshomaru. You called Hochi a pompous ass just like that Sesshomaru guy. Then you moved you moved your hands and yelled 'dragon dance' or something." Eri sounded amused.

Sesshomaru again, she had to talk to Sesshomaru and determine how he knew Kagura. "Thanks, that was um really helpful." Yuri replied

"No problem, man Yuri, you were something else that night." Yuri hung up the phone sure of her next step, she had to find Sesshomaru.

Given that he was always hanging around campus that task didn't prove too hard. After her afternoon classes she spotted him sitting at what had become his usual table. Yuri marched right up to him planted her palms firmly on the table and demanded, "Why have you been following me? Don't bother trying to say that you're not because I know you are."

To which Sesshomaru looked up from his newspaper and remarked "Because you're Kagura's reincarnation. Scone?" He offered the plate to her.

Yuri sunk into her seat. She felt like someone had taken the wind out from under her. She had been prepared to argue with him. The last thing she expected was for him to agree with her, to admit it right away. She nibbled on a scone while she though what to say next. Sesshomaru studied her for a moment and then went back to his newspaper as if nothing had happened. "So why are you after Kagura?" Yuri asked trying to sound like she really didn't care. "Don't tell me she killed your wolf pack?" Her question came out as a kind of forced joke, but her stomach was turning- she was afraid of his answer.

Sesshomaru looked mildly insulted, "I'm a dog demon," he clarified "not a mangy wolf. Actually, Kagura stole something that belonged to me." He paused then added, "A young girl who was my ward at the time."

"So revenge then," Yuri asked trying to cover up her increasing fear by sounding blasé.

"No, Kagura was acting under Naraku's orders. My grudge was with him only. Besides I got Rin back."

"Rin, was that your charge's name?" Yuri was interested despite herself. She'd never pictured Sesshomaru as willing being some kid's guardian.

"Yes." He looked a little embarrassed. He originally referred to Rin as merely a possession. Yuri guessed that he hadn't meant to say the Rin's name, it was too sentimental and indicated he actually cared for the child. This was Sesshomaru, the discomfort soon faded and he looked as stoic as ever.

"If not for revenge then why are you keeping an eye on me? Was Kagura your enemy?"

"You as Kagura, were only my enemy when you acted as a incarnation of Naraku."

"Naraku's not here," Yuri said hastily, she certainly wouldn't want Sesshomaru as an enemy, Kouga was bad enough. "I haven't met anyone claiming to be him. I'm not acting under his orders anymore." A thought accorded to her, "I'm free," she added finally understanding the significance of that statement. Her hand went unconsciously to her heart.

"No you won't meet Naraku," Sesshomaru acknowledged. "He's gone, his enemies destroyed him."

"So then why are you following me, you never did say?'

Sesshomaru sighed, "I'm sure Kouga told you that Naraku was the one who killed Kagura. Naraku tried to control Kagura, saw her only as tool, one he could use and throw away when he was done with. Naraku created Kagura so he owned her completely. He probably never intended to give her a personality, a desire for freedom. But Kagura had a strong will, she resented the hold that Naraku had over her. One night she obtained shards of the sacred shikon jewel, I think she took them from Kouga, and she offered them to me. She told me I could have them, if I killed Naraku for her." Sesshomaru paused there for a moment. Yuri wondered if was ashamed of what came next, or simply thought this was a good place for a break in the narrative, one never could tell with Sesshomaru. He continued, "the jewel shards gave power to demons-Naraku in particular was obsessed with obtaining them. However, I neither wanted nor needed them. Kagura offered me nothing of value so I turned her down." Yuri could feel her blood broiling. What a jerk, he'd left Kagura to her horrible fate. "Naraku knew Kagura wanted to betray him. He eventually gave Kagura her heart. He told her she was free, free to die that is. He pierced her with his poison. I posses a sword my father left me with the ability to heal. By the time I reached Kagura however the poison had done its work and she was too far-gone. She died a miserable death."

Sesshomaru hadn't actually answered her question of why he was following her but Yuri had figured it out. She managed to hold her temper in check-at least until she confirmed her suspicious. "You've been protecting me. That's why I see you everywhere. You knew Kouga was planning something." Yuri stated.

Sesshomaru nodded. "I was out of town on business yesterday. When I realized Kouga was going to make his move I hurried back. I was almost too late."

Her suspicions confirmed there was one thought that rose to the top of her mind. "I don't believe this," she blurted out then continued, "You're protecting me from Kouga for the same idiotic reason Kouga's hunting me in the first place -something that happened five hundred freaking years ago with someone else. Actually yours is worse cause Kouga's got a genuine reason to be angry I mean she killed his freaking wolf pack. But you- you were too much of a self absorbed asshole to help her when she begged you. You won't even admit now, five centuries later, that the almighty Sesshomaru might have wrong. You won't even admit that you feel guilty. But you do, and it's because of this misplaced guilt that you've been protecting me. I feel sorry for Kagura she desperately needed help and all she had was you. Well I'm not Kagura so I'm not the one you failed and I don't need your help. Even if it did I don't think I could rely on it, so just forget about protecting me and find some other way to get rid of your misplaced guilt." By the end of the speech Yuri had been yelling at him. She stormed away from him.

Sesshomaru caught up with her and roughly pushed her into the wall of a nearby building reminding her of Kouga. He put his face right next to hers and snarled, "Nobody talks to Sesshomaru like that." Everybody was staring at them.

"Hey miss, is this guy harassing you?" asked a nearby teacher.

Sesshomaru had indicated during their conversation that he was a very powerful demon. Yuri had the feeling that if he wanted to hurt her he would find a way to do so later. But for now he didn't seem to want to risk it in front of all these people. "No, no problem," said Yuri readjusting her bag. "Our argument got a little heated." Maybe Sesshomaru wouldn't risk hurting her. After all it would mean lots more guilt that it would take the bastard centuries to admit he felt.