Do I own Inuyasha? No, otherwise yashahime wouldn't have happened the way it did. Granted, this fic starts off strangely. I just couldn't seem to word it any other way, but it does even out. Anyway, let's get going shall we.
1
A single misstep can cause ripples in the fabric of destiny. The single death of one Kagome Higurashi caused a giant ripple that made several tears in that fabric. It hadn't been her time; she had only been five and just starting her life. Her blank blue eyes stared above her fallen father's head as police surrounded the wrecked car. One Kagome Higurashi wasn't supposed to be in it, she was never supposed to be a part of that wreck. The Kami muttered amongst themselves. The fabric needed to be mended, to be whole again.
"We have a previous life to use," Izanami-no-Kami murmured softly as she stood above the tiny body, "it will not be that priestess…no we'll use her."
No, they wouldn't use the life of the priestess before Kagome. They would use the life of a woman who fought for what she believed in. One who had seen the horrors of the modern world and still held steadfast of the goodness in humanity. One that was currently acting as their master of hell. Yes, that woman would do perfectly. It would even allow her to mess with the soul and see what she could do to it. A human's soul was such an interesting thing. She brought a glowing hand down, the skin no longer humane as it stretched across her bones, and gently brushed the dark bangs away from the girl's forehead. The light returned to the blank blue eyes, slowly turning them from the colour of a deep ocean to blue-steel. They slowly focused and slowly blinked.
"…help…" The child croaked, holding out a trembling shattered arm towards the Kami.
"Help is on the way, little one," Izanami-no-Kami softly informed her, "I want you to lead a happy and full life…do you wish to remember your horrors now? If not then when you reconnect with your weapon I'll return them to you."
The child's eyes grew glassy, and she shook her head in a negative. The soft smile of understanding from the goddess caused the child to relax as she was forced into a deep slumber. Not knowing what her future would be. A fireman came up to the wreckage and watched as the child slightly moved. His dark eyes widened, and he quickly called for his co-workers to help. The child needed medical attention, and immediately.
Kagome Higurashi had been a happy child before the accident. She was always ready to help others and spoke from her deepest feelings. The Kagome Higurashi that came back from the accident had been a quiet child, one that seemed to really think before saying something. She retained her kindness, always ready to jump up to defend others. Emiko Higurashi often found herself wondering where her daughter learned how to properly fight, it wasn't as if they had taken her to lessons before the accident.
Akira Higurashi was just happy that his granddaughter was alive, even if she sometimes took to staring into the distance with a glazed look in her eyes. He found himself going to every game his granddaughter had as she found herself interested in kendo and archery. He watched as the small child that had been in the car accident grew strong and tall. As she grew, her eyes gained a serious slant compared to the wide-eyed look that had been there as a child. Time seemed to move fast since she had been a small child.
"What can you tell me about the objects within the storehouse?" Kagome asked him one Sunday.
It was the day before her fifteenth birthday, something that she didn't seem excited for at all. He found himself pulling on his beard as he thought. It wouldn't hurt to take her inside the old storage house. So, that's what he did. It was as he talked about certain items that Kagome reached her hand out towards an old sword that sat on a shelf. The second she touched the silver gilded hilt was the second that everything seemed to click.
For Kagome it felt as though she had been walking around in a haze for years. Her steel-blue eyes cleared and for the first time she took stock in where she was. She brought a small hand up and gently touched her forehead. There…there should be a hole there. She should be dead. Why wasn't she dead? Her hands began to shake as she stared at the hilt in her hands. It was familiar.
"So'unga?" She softly questioned.
She knew this sword. She knew it so well that she had no idea why it was sitting in a store house. She blinked slightly as she listened to the sound of an old man rambling on about a kappa foot. She frowned as her mind supplied the answers. That was her grandfather. Why was her mind not wanting to focus on anything? The sword thrummed in her hands, and she narrowed her eyes at it. It would never be able to break her will or control her. She was too stubborn for that.
"Oh, how long has it been?" An old voice asked, and Kagome spared a glance towards her grandfather for a few seconds before looking down at the small spirit attached to the sword.
"A few centuries," She found herself softly answering, "how did you come to be attached to my sword?"
The old spirit blanched at that and So'unga seemingly purred at her words. She may have heavenly powers, she could feel them coursing through her soul like a riptide, but the hellish sword would always be hers. She easily unsheathed the sword and studied the long blade. It was chipped in places and seemed to have rusted in others. She could get it back to perfect condition. So'unga let out another purr and she smiled slightly. It was nice to have her weapon back.
"How is it you can hold the So'unga, you're human," The spirit questioned.
"I'll tell you later, for now I need you to disappear," Kagome softly stated as her grandfather turned around to see her holding the sword.
"You were able to unsheathe the Kusunagi-no-tsuguri?" Her Grandfather asked and she nodded.
"Wait, isn't Kusunagi housed within Atsuta Shrine?" She asked and he murmured something.
A slight smile appeared on Kagome's face as he continued to grumble. She sheathed the So'unga and welcomed the familiar demonic aura. It was strange that she was more aware of it then she had been before. She wondered if it was due to her spiritual powers. It was likely. Kagome gently ushered her grandfather into the main house. Her mother took one look at them before fondly sighing.
"You need to go get washed up before dinner," Emiko chided the two of them.
"Man, why did you get to have a sword?" Kagome's little brother Sota questioned.
"Because I'm cool like that," Kagome stated with a slight smile.
Emiko sent her a look at that, and the teenager quickly rushed up the stairs to wash her hands. She placed So'unga in her room before doing what her mother requested. Hotpot was for dinner that night and she enjoyed the casual conversation of her family as she peacefully ate. Her family seemed to be used to her staying quiet, and she was thankful for that. She wasn't the biggest talker, granted she was used to speaking mentally with So'unga to come up with battle strategies. She went up to her room and sat on the floor with So'unga in her lap.
"I was promised an explanation," The spirit stated, crossing his small arms across his chest.
"I would appreciate some more depth to your question from earlier," Kagome stated as she began to clean and sharpen So'unga.
"How is it that a human such as yourself can wield So'unga?" The spirit asked.
"What do you know of the circle of rebirth?" Kagome answered and the spirit paused at that.
"Not much, I may have lived for many centuries, but I have not the pleasure of being reborn," The spirit stated.
"I have."
That small statement chilled the spirit. He watched as she continued to sharpen the demonic blade to a beautiful point. She finished by placing it back in its sheath. She no longer had a holster for her weapon, but she supposed she could use the case that held her kendo gear for it. She removed one of her wooden bokken and placed it within the wood case. She didn't close it, after all she was still speaking with the spirt.
"I didn't catch your name," She informed the spirit, "and So'unga doesn't wish to tell me it."
"I am Saya, a servant of the great dog general," The spirit stated.
"Your name means sheath, am I allowed to find that a bit ironic?" She softly asked with an amused smile.
"It is a bit, my lady," Saya stated, knowing that the sword passing hands to a rightful wielder made her his newest master, "what are your plans?"
"Fate has it's own plans for me," Kagome informed her, "and my name is Kagome, Higurashi Kagome."
Saya hovered above the sheathe and smiled at his new master. She seemed to be a gentle young lady; he was almost scared to see how she would subvert his expectations. Touga could control the So'unga with his will, but the sword almost seemed ecstatic to see the young woman again. The sword hadn't stopped purring since she touched it within the store house. He slowly drifted off, only being woken up by a loud sound that he couldn't identify.
"What is that contraption?" He asked his new master.
"An alarm clock," She answered pulling her hair into a ponytail that reminded him of a miko, "I suppose you weren't able to watch technology evolve through your years of acting as a seal."
"Not at all my lady," Saya stated, "I saw the buildings being built, but not the technology inside."
"You'll learn more today as I bring you with me, So'unga is too active right now for it to stay here," Kagome informed him, "while I haven't seen any demons or ghouls, it doesn't mean they aren't around."
"Ghouls, my lady?" Saya questioned while she fixed her black cotton stockings.
"Ghouls are the bodies of the undead that can be created by witches, vampires, and certain demons," Kagome answered tilting her head, "perhaps my soul came from a different place then this one, it does explain why it seems so peaceful."
Saya didn't have anything to say about that as he went back into the seal before she closed the wooden case. She hoisted her gear onto her shoulder before grabbing her school bag. She wasn't too worried about her day, all she had after wards was kendo and archery. It would only be taxing if she allowed it to be. Emiko placed a bento inside her bookbag with a kiss to the top of her head. Kagome couldn't help but smile at her mother. Her past life didn't have a healthy mother figure. All she had were higher ups and a teacher that didn't know how to utilize her and So'unga. Well, it was a pleasant change. One she welcomed from the Kami.
"What would you like for dinner tonight?" Emiko asked.
"Katsudon, please," Kagome requested with a wide smile.
Emiko nodded at that and made a mental shopping list for the ingredients. Her daughter easily finished her breakfast before taking care of her dirty dishes. She got a cheerful farewell from her, and Emiko paused. She couldn't help but think another change was going to happen to her daughter, and it scared her. She just wanted her babies to be safe and happy.
"Big sis!' A small voice called, and Kagome paused as she walked across the shrine yard.
"Oh, Souta, what's wrong?" She asked her little brother before noticing where he was, "You know you aren't supposed to be playing in the well house."
"I'm not!" Souta stated with a frown, "Buyo is in there."
"Then why not go inside to get him?" Kagome questioned with a raised brow.
"It's creepy," Souta mumbled.
Kagome stared at him for a few seconds and her expression softened. He was just a boy, a normal boy. He wasn't used to the same horrors as she was. She brought a hand up and gently ruffled his hair before heading down the house's stairs. She sent the well a sharp look when she heard scratching from inside of it. She could feel something in its depths. She just wasn't too sure what it was. It was different from So'unga, but also different from Saya. Souta let out a slight yelp when a loud crash sounded in the well.
"Found him," Kagome stated as she picked up the large, fat cat.
"Nice!" Souta stated with a grin.
Kagome went to walk up the stairs again when she heard that scratching from the well. She didn't have enough time to react when the top of the well blew off and crashed into the house ceiling. It shattered into pieces and Souta shielded his head with his arms as Buyo scurried out of the area. He watched in horror as long arms dragged his older sister into the well. He couldn't help but think back to the pictures that littered the house of when she had been in the accident with their dad. His five-year-old sister had a broken arm and legs, but still held onto him with a protective grasp. He couldn't do the same for her when she was obviously in danger. He rushed forward just as her shoes vanished from sight. It didn't take him long to go find his grandfather so they could help his sister.
"I can feel my powers returning, how wonderful," The voice of a woman greeted Kagome's ears.
"Congrats, but let me go," Kagome ordered in a soft voice.
The answer to her order was a hiss like chuckle. She was turned around in a strange fashion, as though multiple arms were being used to do so. She watched in morbid fascination as the woman's body, which was shaped as a centipede of all things, began to reform the sound horrible and nearly indescribable.
"You have it, don't you?" The woman asked her, licking her cheek much to Kagome's disgust, "The Shikon-no-tama."
"Shikon?" Kagome muttered before reaching forward and calling on those strange powers she had awoken to.
A pure blue light appeared from her palm and the strange woman was thrown backwards and screamed in pain from it. So'unga let out a thrilled purr from inside the wooden case she placed it in. The sword was aching for battle, and she couldn't blame it. She wasn't bloodthirsty, no she had wielded it to protect others it was just in for the ride and ability to slay people. Her thoughts were broken when she hit hard ground and noted the darkness surrounding her. She felt something on her arm and looked down to see a hand attached to it. With a sharp tug the hand came off and she threw it away from herself. She took in a deep breath and noted how easy it was to do so.
It was quiet as well. Too quiet for a city. She quickly got to her feet and looked at the well sides. There were vines growing down it and she shrugged. She hoped that it could hold her weight as she grasped onto them. Saya slowly came out from the sheath and looked around. He had felt a burst of power from his master and wondered what had happened. He watched as she easily climbed up using the vines and soon they both had to blink to get used to the light surrounding them.
"What happened my lady?" Saya asked.
"It seems as though the well is a portal of sorts," Kagome stated looking at the well in surprise, "either that or destiny is starting…this is a convoluted destiny."
"I see, I will be with you my lady," Saya informed her.
"I need you to hide at any sign of trouble," She stated, grabbing her kendo bag and reaching inside of it, "I'll have So'unga, so please don't worry about me."
Saya quickly went back into the sheath and Kagome made a makeshift holster for the sword out of a spare obi for her practice uniform. The small spider lily pattern stood out against the swords plain sheath. She tested it and noted that So'unga wasn't going to move from her waist. She moved it to where she could unsheathe it from behind her, keeping it waist length. She picked her bag back up and started to walk through the forest she found herself in. She contemplated that. A forest that size wouldn't exist in the modern era, especially in Japan. She reached out and gently touched a tree. It thrummed under her hand, and she quickly yanked it back. That had been such a strange sensation. She continued to walk. She saw a familiar sight above the treetops and quickened her pace. The sacred tree that stood within her yard was there, but there was someone attached to it. The whole thing felt…oddly familiar.
"That's not a good place to nap," She muttered before noticing the arrow in his chest, "unless you're dead…you might be dead."
Kagome quickly walked up to the person attached to the tree and noticed something odd about him. It wasn't the silver hair that bothered her, or the claws that he had, but the dog ears on the top of his head. Without thinking she reached up and tweaked his ears. Once. Then twice. They were like velvet, and it felt heavenly to her. She stood back and placed her hands on her hips, glad she was able to get that out of her system. Something came into her senses and she quickly turned to dodge an arrow that had been heading towards her head. A few more followed and embedded themselves into the trunk of the tree. She spared it a quick glance, it was nice to know where some of the strange marks in the tree came from.
"This land is forbidden!" A man stated.
"I'll come quietly, just don't let loose any more arrows," Kagome sighed, holding her hands up.
Kagome was quickly tied up; her kendo bag being taken from her but So'unga being left alone. It was like they could sense the danger the sword brought and wisely let her keep it. The village she was taken from was small, and the style of the huts began to tell her where she was. She was pushed to the ground and she was glad that she wore stockings under her skirt so no one could see up it. She ignored the muttering about her and looked at the hair styles and clothing. Feudal Japan of all places? Why couldn't it be in her modern age? She sighed quietly and knew that life could never be that easy, that the kami wouldn't give a human such a break. She was starting to miss her days as the master of hell. Almost.
"Everyone move, Kaede-Sama has arrived!" A man snapped at the others, an elderly woman wearing an eyepatch right behind him.
"Who are you, and why were you in Inuyasha's forest?" The woman asked.
Kagome didn't know how to explain her story to the woman. It wouldn't sound believable to people in her age not to mention those in the age she found herself in were incredibly superstitious. She had salt thrown at her and she closed her eyes. She couldn't help but wonder when she had gotten so patient and thanked whatever had allowed her to learn it. Eventually the salt stopped, and her chin was grabbed by the woman.
"Let me see your face," The old woman requested turning the teenagers face to the side to study it, watching as the girls sharp eyes wearily studied her back, "you resemble Kikyo-Onee-Sama."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Kagome's words seemed to have softened the old woman and she was released, her items given back to her.
Kagome found herself in one of the huts. Listening to Kaede as she was told the story of Kikyo. So, she looked like the miko? Then was she a soul that kept being reborn? If so, for what purpose? She frowned slightly, knowing that the answer would show itself in the future. At least, she hoped it would. The Kami confused her more than the vampires did. She watched as Kaede stirred the pot of stew she was making.
"I suppose that seeing someone that looks like your sister is quite a shock to the system, I'm sorry to do that to you," Kagome apologized, "my story isn't as sad. I was pulled through the well in the forest four hundred years in the future…it was a strange creature that did so, it had the body of a centipede, yet body of a woman."
"You were pulled into the well?" Kaede asked, bringing a hand up to her chin, "Demons do have unnatural powers, it wouldn't be out of place for her to have done such a thing."
They didn't get to talk further as the body of a horse was thrown through the front of the hut. Kaede was surprised when the teenager used her body to shield her from the debris. She didn't expect that of the girl. They straightened up when the sounds of screams echoed through the village. Kagome rushed out of the hut and Kaede followed suit.
"Would that be the demon that puled you through the well?" Kaede asked.
"Yes," Kagome confirmed, "I can't use my sword in such a small area…is there any place that would give me more room to fight?"
"Lead it towards the forest child," Kaede ordered, and she watched the teen nod, "try and defeat it and push it's body back into the well."
"Give me the Shikon-no-tama!" The woman screeched and Kagome winced at the sound.
Kaede looked towards the teen who was concentrating on the demon. She spun on her heel, the strange shoes having little traction in the dirt road, and took off towards the forest. Kaede stalled for a few seconds. The jewel was supposed to have been destroyed with her sister's body! How was it that Kagome had it? She shook those thoughts away, no if the child had it then she would've said something. She was truthful about her sword being too dangerous to use in the village.
Kagome ran through the forest with the demon following closely behind. So'unga let out pulses as it felt her adrenaline rise in response to the upcoming fight. She reached behind her and unsheathed the demonic sword. Saya came out as well and took one look at the centipede demon and sent it a silent prayer. He could tell that So'unga and Kagome were starting to fall back into harmony. She brought the sword to the side and quickly slashed it towards the woman. It caught the bottom half of her body and the centipede demon let out a scream of fury.
"Give me the jewel!" The demon ordered.
"Stand down, else I strike you down," Kagome ordered, her voice stern and no longer soft.
She knew that vampire lords reacted better to her forced loudness than her naturally soft-spoken voice. She jumped as the woman charged her again and landed on the side of a small slope. She slid down it and cursed her uniform. The military uniform she had worn in her previous life had been easier to move in. She oddly missed it at that moment, even if the skirt was too short because the man who designed it had been a pervert.
"So, why aren't you finishing him off in one blow, Kikyo?" A snide voice asked her.
"Well, for one thing I'm not Kikyo," Kagome stated as she held So'unga out and parried the centipede woman into the distance, "and for another, I'm rusty with an actual sword."
"No other girl smells so disgusting like you," The voice pushed.
Kagome finally looked back to see that the boy attached to the tree was awake and glaring at her. Kagome huffed and got onto one of the giant roots and in his face. He was forced to see that he was wrong with who he was talking to. The stern expression on the face was identical but the eyes were different. There was a softness that had never been there before.
"You're not her," The boy stated.
"Congrats, you've figured it out," Kagome stated, "I'm Higurashi Kagome, I'd say it's nice to meet you but the half-naked lady yelling at me is more worrying."
"Kikyo was far more intelligent, and beautiful," The boy grumbled.
"I…Okay?" Kagome muttered to herself with a frown before they both looked towards the centipede demon as it rushed towards them again, "tch, damn."
So'unga was happy for the battle, and Saya sent the sword a look before gazing at his previous master's son. While he had grown up to look like a wonderful blend of his mother and father. His attitude left much to be desired. His new master was quite a beauty. He was thrown from his thoughts when the So'unga was used to cut into the centipede demon once again, though the woman was able to get through the defensive stance his master was using. Her fangs had grasped onto the teens stomach and was trying to tear into it to get something. A bunch of villagers appeared and Kaede watched in horror as a familiar pink jewel came out of the teenager's side. The shock seemed to distract the teen and she was forced against the tree, and into the boy.
"Can you fight?" Kagome asked the boy, and he snapped to attention.
"Yeah," The boy confirmed.
"Good, I'll let you go," She sighed, "just don't attack me, that would be a very rude thing to do."
She reached up at the centipede demon taunted the boy as she allowed the power of the jewel to work its way through her body. Kagome had figured he was a half demon, but it didn't bother her one bit it just made her hopeful for peaceful communication between species could be possible. She grabbed the shaft of the arrow just as the demon's arms and bottom half began to reform. The boy watched in surprised as she started to tug.
"Think you can fight with another person?" Kagome asked as she continued to pull, her spiritual powers starting to demolish the ones that kept the boy prisoner to the tree.
"Heh, you've got guts," The boy smirked before cracking his neck, "I don't need the help."
"You dumbass," She huffed as she gave a final tug and the arrow glided out of his chest, "have at it I suppose."
"Of course, my lady," The boy snarkily stated and she narrowed her eyes at him.
So'unga swung through the air and destroyed the demon's body where it had been constricting the two and the boy moved swiftly. The centipede seemed shocked as it was cut up by the half demon's claws. He had been able to do it with one strike, something that made Kagome respect him. She sheathed So'unga and let out a soft sigh of relief as she sensed something coming from the demon's body. Saya hovered above his master's shoulder and watched as she plucked the purple jewel from the flesh. It immediately turned a light pink and glowed at her touch. She stared at it for a few seconds and frowned in thought.
"This is something that causes trouble," She stated.
"Then why don'cha hand it over?" the Boy asked.
"No," She sighed, putting it into her skirt pocket, "if you attack me then I'll strike you down in defense."
The boy would've attacked if he wasn't sure that she was telling the truth. Her eyes were narrowed, and she was already shifted into a defensive stance, she was reaching for her sword, and he stood down. Well, until something attached itself to his neck. Kaede was giving him a sharp look and turned towards Kagome.
"Those are beads of subjugation," Kaede informed the teen and missed the dawning horror on her face, "if Inuyasha ever attacks you all you would have to say is the word of power to stop him."
"Word of power?" Kagome questioned, "What like Sit?"
She blinked as a loud crash echoed through the forest. She turned to see the boy laying on the ground with a shocked expression on his face. No, she refused to use such a thing on someone. Her hair blocked her eyes as she watched him get up. He was furious.
"What the hell is this?" Inuyasha asked.
"To struggle is useless, that rosary subdues your power," Kaede informed him.
Inuyasha cursed and went to attack only to end up on the ground with his arm behind his back. Kagome was sitting on his back with a sad expression on her face. She waved the villagers off. Kaede stayed behind and Kagome gave her a surprised look.
"I'll rejoin you soon, I wish to talk to Inuyasha," Kagome stated, "I can handle him, don't worry."
"You ain't handling anything," Inuyasha growled and his arm was twisted further.
Damn her! Just how strong was the teenager? She held a strength that was well hidden. Once the old lady left she released him and got off his back. He jumped to his feet and shifted away from her. Kagome calmly sat down on the ground and studied him. She then bowed her head forward. His surprise and shock was the only thing keeping him from attacking her, she was giving him an apology?
"I did not know she was going to do that, I am sorry," She apologized before sitting up straight and fixing him with a tiny smile, "I won't use those beads unless it's dire, so don't worry. If I ever slip up, just know that I would never use it on purpose to abuse you."
She stood up and he watched as she headed back to the village, that small spirit on her shoulder said something that caused her to smile. Inuyasha couldn't focus on what had been said, all he knew was that the girl was either stupid or crazy. Or a mixture of both. He scratched the back of his head before slowly following her to the village. Things were getting too weird for him.