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Follow sweet children
I'll show thee the way

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Pressing one hand against her temple, Kagome groaned softly as she sat up and winced. That had to be the strangest dream she'd ever had. Vanishing boys and portal doors. Maybe she'd hit her head or something because that was strange even for a dream. And so vivid too. Smacking her lips a few times, Kagome glanced around what had to be an innkeeper's lodgings looking for some evidence of her friends or more importantly of Inuyasha.

"Hello?" Kagome called out softly as she got up and stumbled towards the door. Maybe she'd gotten hurt? It felt like she was in someone else's body or something. Arms and legs going every which way and...and...

Freezing, Kagome looked down at said body as realization dawned. This wasn't her body. Those weren't her clothes and...

Thrusting open the small door, Kagome stumbled into the strange courtyard and looked around. This wasn't even the last place she remembered being. Where was the garden? The red entryway? Hell there wasn't even a little moat and all the buildings were wrong and...

"Lady Hana, are you alright?" a man asked with no lack of concern, "You look very pale."

Oh this was so not good. An illusion or something just like Tsubaki had cursed her. Maybe whatever this was meant for her not to remember and had messed up somehow. Or maybe she'd thrown the whole curse for a loop by forcing her way in so it had to create a place for her. Adjust its tactics. Either way, she needed to act fast.

"Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled before cringing at how foreign her voice sounded, "I need to find a man named Inuyasha. Its very important."

As soon as those words left her mouth, the miko realized that had been a mistake. If the spell really did intend for her to forget, then she'd just blown her cover right out the gate. Why was she so impulsive?

"I don't..." the man repeated before making a small noise of understanding,"Oh! Do you refer to Lord Inuyasha? In the North?"

Kagome blinked once as she tried to figure out what that meant. What were the odds of two people in this world having the same name? And besides, if she had been thrown into a different body, it was entirely possible that Inuyasha was wandering around as someone else too. Maybe this whole world was just some invasion of the body snatchers. Maybe her body was just out there doing god knows what and...

"Um...is the Lord Inuyasha a half-demon?" she explained slowly and the man laughed once which bothered her.

"Yes, yes the Lord," he hummed knowingly, "You're father is supposed to take you there next week, no? For the selection?"

Yeah, all of this was a little too convenient but then again, why would a spell create a reason for them to meet unless there was a point to it? Unless it was trying to help. If that was the case then what the hell was the point of all this?

"The selection," Kagome repeated as she glanced around the onlookers who were gathering around. Honest to god, it felt one of those scenes from a movie where everyone started chanting 'one of us' while ominous music played in the background. Inhaling deeply, Kagome tried to see if she still feel her powers. At least that way, she could defend herself if need be. The concerned looks though stopped her from shooting first and then asking a few questions when everyone was dead. Inuyasha would probably yell at her for hesitating if she did end up dying for it. Force his way into the underworld to kill her himself.

"You have a fair shot. Not many are sending their daughters," he hummed before motioning for one of the women to come forward, "Why don't you go with Ai here to see the shaman? You really aren't looking very well."

"Wait, Wait no," Kagome insisted as she circled back to her initial demand, "I need to find Inuyasha. Now."

"The candidates are prohibited from appearing early," the man chided gently, "You know this but it is good that you are so eager. Perhaps the Lord will take notice and..."

"You're not listening to me. My name is Kagome. Ka-Go-Me," the miko insisted as she shrugged off the random woman who'd been summoned, "Inuyasha and I travel together and...and..."

A cacophony of concerned murmurs hit her ears as the full gravity of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. Maybe they'd been sent into an alternate dimension or something. One where Inuyasha had a happy life. The one he should've had. Kagome didn't know much about his Mother except what she'd seen when Sesshomaru has that gollum impersonate her but what she'd seen made it clear she was of higher birth. If that was true, if this was a alternative version of events where she hadn't been born yet, that would explain why she'd been deposited into someone else's body. She wasn't supposed to be here in this time period. Maybe this was just her and Kikyo's former incarnation or something. Maybe this really was the past.

Or, you know, this was obvious a curse and she needed to go along with it before the caster noticed something was wrong.

"I apologize," Kagome backpedaled, "I...I must have been dreaming. You know, got confused or..."

"Well perhaps it was a prophecy," the man hummed with a nod wise, "If the Lord does choose you to be his wife among the candidates, that would offer our village many opportunities. Recover quickly Lady Hana. You won't be able to travel if you're ill."

Cringing, Kagome followed the nervous young woman who seemed overly eager to find the shaman. One thing was for certain, she needed to find a mirror and fast. Inuyasha definitely had a type and if she didn't look like Kikyo...

What on earth was happening here?

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Well there was good news and there was bad news. The good news was that it sounded like the world was bigger than just his lands. Which was the best news Inuyasha had ever heard. Maybe he could get to the village after all and there was just some trick to this madness. A barrier or something blocking his way. That was something his sword could easily fix. He just needed to find where the barrier was. He'd ran for weeks without seeming to make any headway - just endless fields forever when he should've hit some familiar landmarks - but maybe...maybe he just hadn't gone far enough. He hadn't hit the barrier. If people were coming from all across the country right now...

But the good news led to the bad news...

"You can't be serious," Inuyasha sighed as he ran one hand across his face, "You want me to pick a wife? Don't I get a say in this?"

"The selection process is a time honored tradition. Your mother would have undergone such a thing had she, um, not chosen another," an elderly man shifted uncomfortably as he tried to explain, "Your uncle made it clear before he died that a selection was to take place when you came of age. Your eighteenth birthday has arrived and, well..."

"I'm not eighteen," Inuyasha snorted derisively, "I'm..."

He trailed off as he realized that, in this world, that's how old he was being told he was. He must age like a human or maybe everyone was confused since he was ten when mother died and judging by the timeline he'd been provided this would be his eighteenth birthday. Even though, ya know, the fact was that he was over a hundred years old. Well, if that's what the spell had decided, if he did age as a human, that was morbidly comforting. Maybe he'd get to 'die' and vanish into nothingness eventually. There was an end in sight. Morbidly, that knowledge brought relief but not much. That was still a very, very long time to be stuck here. He knew that better than most seeing as he'd been alive longer than most humans lived. Kagome would have died long before him but at least he could've gotten sixty or so years with her. That would've been infinitely better than nothing. Plus it would've given him time to find a solution to the mortality problem.

But Kagome no longer knew him. He wasn't loved and wasn't going to be loved. That's just...that's just how it was in hell. Devoid of all hope and...

Shaking his head to shake away that bad train of thought, Inuyasha knew needed to make the best of this situation or else he'd go insane. The Kagome he knew wouldn't've wanted him to give up and be miserable. And the Kagome that was here...

No that couldn't be Kagome. He refused to believe Kagome could be that cruel. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't her.

"Going to be eighteen," he amended softly as he averted his eyes, "Next week."

"Yes," the elderly man acknowledged as he cast a concerned glance at the other elders, "I realize you are not familiar with the selection process. You will not be involved until the final three have passed the first two tasks. Each will present you with a gift which you will choose. The candidate who corresponds with the gift will..."

The more this whole process was explained, the more nauseous Inuyasha felt. Just when he thought this place couldn't get any worse.

"I don't want to participate," Inuyasha protested, "I don't want to get married."

"You don't have a choice," an elder who had been quiet up until this point hissed, "The selection process will take place with or without your consent. If you want to have concubines that's your business but the political instability your mother caused will not be put to rest unless you produce an heir. The line of succession must be established or else we risk civil war."

Inuyasha furrowed his brow at the memory of the destroyed palace and bones scattered in the courtyard when Kagome and he had first arrived. Since he'd been forced into this hell, he'd learned that his mother's family was pretty much royalty. A powerful shogunate at a minimum. Which made sense in retrospect. Even the wealthiest merchants' homes were a pale comparison of the place where he'd been raised. Without a clear line of succession, it also made sense that eventually everything would devolve into chaos.

Who was he kidding? None of this made any damn sense. And it sounded like it was just a political union anyway. Seeing as how none of this was real, what would it matter if he never 'produced an heir'? And if this was real, who have a shit if he died in some civil war? He'd thank whomever killed him for the privilege of dying by their hand. In the meantime, agreeing seemed easier than fighting this. He really didn't have the energy to fight today anyway.

"You will watch your tongue when speaking of my mother," Inuyasha clipped back in a more formal tone than he'd ever used, "I will agree to the selection but I will make additions from the staff."

"From the staff?!" one of the elders squeaked, "But my Lord, those not chosen will become ladies of the court. They must have connections to further the..."

"We do not need further connections," Inuyasha interrupted, "How many girls are being provided anyway?"

"Five," the first elder answered wearily, "There are traditionally nine but..."

"Then I will select other women to make it nine," Inuyasha announced as he got up and the elders looked rather horrified.

"But not from the staff. That's madness! Many vassals have daughters," the first elder begged, "Let us see whether any of them would be willing to put their daughters forward."

"Three daughters. I will pick the fourth," Inuyasha insisted as his heart broke a little. There was, of course, the possibility that Kagome was here. That the thing he saw was just a possessed version of her. Sure, in this life, she might not love him or even know him but...but he knew her and it was his job to protect her.

He had to protect her.

"Perhaps I was not clear. The problem, my Lord, is that women who participate in the selection cannot..." the snarky elder interjected with obvious exasperation, "Well they cannot return to their former lives. A servant being entitled to a life of a lady would be unheard of."

"As is a half-demon being the leader of these lands," Inuyasha countered before turning to leave, "Make the inquiries."

"We do have other matters of business to attend to," an elder who had been quiet up until this point reminded the frazzled half-demon gently, "There is famine in the eastern most regions. The appropriation of food cannot be delayed and we need your input."

Setting his jaw to keep it from trembling, Inuyasha nodded as he tried to collect himself. Of all the stupid old people who ran things, at least there was one who seemed to have his interests at heart. Who talked to him like he actually had something to offer other than just pure brute strength. Even when he was a child, this man had gone out of his way to arrange for tutors and always included him as much as one could include a child in matters of state. He was the only one of the four Inuyasha didn't hate with a passion. Sighing shakily, Inuyasha turned back and settled himself at the table.

"Fine. What do you suggest we do about the starving people?"

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Kagome was thoroughly and officially done with whatever spell this was. There was no logic to it at all. A mirror had done absolutely no good and there was no way Inuyasha would be able to tell it was her. If he remembered her anyway. The eyes were different and strange. The nose was different and unappealing. Her hair was light brown and greasy. You get the picture. She looked more akin to a field mouse than her normal self – little black eyes, very pointy small nose, and very angular features. A good foot shorter too with noticeably less muscle and stamina. Kagome didn't want to seem vain or anything and there was nothing wrong with how this girl looked, it was just…well…

Kagome's normal face was much prettier and if she had the choice, she would much rather look like herself than this. That was something reasonable to want. Completely and utterly reasonable. Besides, looking like herself would make reminding Inuyasha of his actual life a thousand times easier. At least she didn't have to find him herself. Instead, she was being offered up like a lamb for slaughter and was supposed to be grateful for the honor.

Which in a weird way she was. At least this way, she didn't have to go galivanting about this alternate universe with nothing but a hope and a prayer. Besides, this temporary life wasn't all bad. The food was actually pretty good and the people here weren't the worst she'd ever encountered. The 'father' seemed to genuinely care at least. Could've been worse. Could've been banished to an abusive household.

"Now I understand you have some concerns," an older gentleman sighed as he gestured for the servants to leave the dining room, "But this is a great opportunity for our people. The famine has hit our lands particularly hard. There is starvation in the nearby villages. A marriage to the lord would provide us resources we do not have."

Kagome cringed slightly at this news. Sure, she wasn't the person this man thought she was but that sounded just awful. Then again, this was a spell so…

"Contrary to the rumors, I've heard he is an amicable sort of fellow," her 'father' continued hesitantly, "And yes he is part demon, but he does have affection for humans. He treats his servants and vassals with nothing but kindness. The stories of uprisings that he's quashed show he is to be feared, yes, but he has also shown mercy. You know I would not place you into a situation where you may be harmed and should you be selected, it will be an amenable match."

Kagome chuckled nervously as she nodded.

"I know you have had a difficult time since your mother died," her 'father' added when he didn't get a verbal response, "And I know that putting you forward as a candidate may seem self-serving but…but please know I do not do it lightly. You'll be taken care of even if you are not selected. Fed. Clothed. Sheltered. Much better than I could ever provide and, as I said, our land is dying. I do not know…"

"You really don't have to explain," Kagome finally interjected, "I am happy to serve as a candidate. I'm looking forward to it. Really."

Her father smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You've always been a strange little bird," her father teased with a resigned sigh, "I will be very sad when you are not here to keep me company."

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Inuyasha closed his eyes and took a steadying breath as he slid down the wall onto the tatami mat. Resting the back of his head, he pulled one knee up to his chest and rested his arm atop it. Maybe if he made it to the barrier, this whole mess would be over. Sure, he'd now arranged for 'Kagome' to be part of the selection but if he was being honest with himself, that wasn't Kagome. That was just some thing using her skin. Even if she didn't know him, Kagome would never have said something like that. About anyone. The longer time passed, the more he wondered if he'd just gone insane. That everything he remembered was just an elaborate hallucination and this had been his life all along. Problem was he didn't want Kagome (the real Kagome) to be a dream. Being around her felt like being wrapped up in a warm blanket on a cold winter night. Kagome made life worth living. Gave him something to fight for, gave him purpose, gave him the happiest moments of his life and without her...

Without her, he felt lost.

Sniffling slightly, Inuyasha unsteadily pushed himself to his feet and made his way out of the sliding door. He just needed to give it one more go. Make one more run. Worst case scenario this was his life (or death) now and he'd deal with it but if he could escape...if this was just some illusion, he could get back to where he actually belonged. Kagome might be waiting for him. Might be worried sick about him. He needed to at least try one more time. For her sake.

Silver hair blew in the breeze as he stared up at the full moon. For at least a year, he'd tried to get back before giving up. It had been...

A sudden familiar scent hit him and amber eyes slowly drifted back towards the courtyard. There sitting on one of the benches like it was the most natural thing in the world was the brat who got him stuck here in the first place.

"Oh you little shit!"