Author's Notes: I know it's been a while since I have updated and I'm sorry this isn't a new chapter, but I figured before I started a new chapter I had to complete this one. You see I was looking through my Fanfiction binder when I found these pages that weren't in their proper places and to my shock they were pages for this chapter. So, when I posted this chapter last time I worked on this story the chapter was missing a whole lot of details. I hope you enjoy the completed version of this chapter and thanks to all my lovely readers for staying with me this entire time.

Sincerely,

Purrplerose97

Why Me

Chapter 10 Changes and Reunions

Kagome awoke after spending the night deep in what would be known as Inuyasha's Forest far away from the bone eaters well after all she didn't want to be found out quite yet. She still had to get used to her new body after all and get her youki and her reiki to balance with each other. She wanted to be completely in tune with her new body before she revealed herself to her adopted family. As she thought of her adopted family her fingers ghosted over the neckless the kami had given her to hide her new appearance from the rest of the world.

She shook off the memories of the people she had left behind that came with the thoughts of the necklace and how she got as well as the decision she made though she was sad she did not regret her decision.

She lightly tugged said necklace over her head revealing her new form to outside eyes as she prepared to hunt for breakfast that day. She had barely enough control of her powers to keep her scent and aura hidden as well as her power it was very frustrating to not be able to control her powers like she used to before she transformed.

While she was out hunting she also kept a look out for a water source a fair distance away from the village if it was possible to find one because she didn't want to run into any villagers. It wouldn't due to have them run back to the village and tell anyone about her or her appearance especially Inuyasha. After all he probably heard stories of her growing up some of them describing her looks and if he put the pieces together her plans would be ruined.

She supposed she could be like any other youkai and kill them but that wasn't Kagome's style besides she had been human once and she refused to kill humans unless she absolutely had to.

Anyway, back to the reason she wanted to find a water source in the first place she a) wanted a bath (she couldn't help it that she was almost like a religious fanatic when it came to bathe and keeping clean) and b) wanted to take in her new appearance better. Right now, all she could see were the markings she now had in various places on her body, the claws that now adorned her hands and feet, the new color of her skin.

Back to hunting she stalked through the forest listening to her inner beast as it instructed her on hunting for the second time since she became a youkai. That was another thing she would have to get used to having another voice other than her own in her head all the time 24/7. In all honestly when her inner beast had shown up in the middle of her poor attempt at hunting yesterday evening she had thought she was possessed (which had earned her a snort of amusement from her inner beast).

Once her beast had gotten her to calm down it had explained firstly what it was and secondly why it had only appeared now, as well as confirmed that what Amaterasu-sama had surmised about her being an inu-youkai when she transformed was correct. Honestly her beast had told her she was lucky right now that she wasn't incapacitated after having her body and mind change so drastically. She owed that fact to the Sesshomaru she had first met because he had trained her to have excellent control otherwise she would have been incapacitated like her beast had said she should be.

As it was even with her great control if she focused on her powers for too long she became so faint she nearly passed out.

Even though the thought of hunting like an animal still churned her stomach because she still had a human's mindset she knew she couldn't avoid hunting now that she was a predator. It was now instinct to hunt and enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the kill like any other predator would.

She really wanted to know how the youkai she had met put up with their inner beasts because her beast took on a superior tone with her whenever it was teaching about being an inu. Honestly, she only put up with it because her beast at this moment in time knew more about being an inu-youkai than she did.

Sure, she had learned about youkai she was a miko after all it was part of her job description that she knew about them. She knew some of the mannerisms and how youkai society worked for the most part, but she knew little to nothing about being a youkai.

Her beast told her to make her steps more silent, so she obeyed creeping towards her pray on nearly silent feet her nose and ears twitched picking up the sounds and scent of her prey as it sat unaware of her presence. Her beast told her that the scent she picked up was that of a young male rabbit. Her dark black and blue streaked tail started to wag back and forth in her excitement and the rabbit caught the movement of her tail and bolted.

The chase was on.

About five minutes later saw Kagome triumphant after a small struggle, and quick yet messy death. Hey, she wasn't complaining even though her beast was about the less than clean kill she was just glad she had given it a swift death after she caught it she hated seeing things in pain especially at her own hands.

When she looked down she winced at seeing the bottom of her haori sleeves covered in blood at least she now had an excuse to look for water. She not only needed a bath now because she smelled like rabbit blood she also needed to skin, gut, and clean her kill the thought of which had her panicking slightly seeing as the only thing she to skin and gut the poor creature was her claws.

She wished she hadn't forgotten the little knife packed away inside her pack. Killing the little rabbit and feeling her claws ripe into flesh and smelling its blood already had her stomach churning in a strange mixture of queasiness and hunger but she knew she would just have to suck it up. It kind of sickened her that the scent of blood that had repulsed her before as a human mow made her mouth water.

Honestly the hardest part for her though was going to be forcing herself to eat the meat raw. She knew she could still eat the meat cooked her beast had told her so, but her beast also told her that it would be better for her to eat it raw. In her beast's words she was still a young growing inu female and females contrary to what most thought needed more food than males to grow properly.

She finally found a source of water an appropriate distance away from the village of Edo where she could clean her kill, her haori, and herself. She stripped out of her haori and washed it as best she could before be stripping the rest of her cloths and scrubbing herself down with sand from the bottom of the spring. She dived under the water and surfacing she combed her claws through her hair carefully she picked up her cloths and pulled them on. She skinned and gutted her kill and then cleaned it in the water before hesitantly fallowing her beast's urgings and picked up one of the discarded organs popping it into her mouth quickly.

She chewed slowly deciding that she didn't dislike the taste of the squishy flesh in fact it tasted quite good which she just equated to her no longer being human anymore. She carefully began eating the rest of her kill thinking that she would just have to get used to things being different period now that she was a youkai. Meal finished, and appetite sated for the moment she turned her attention to her new appearance while her haori dried (it's still a little chilly being late winter early spring after all).

She had a single light blue stripe on each cheek on her forehead was a light pink sphere which she judged to represent the shikon no tama that had changed her. Her eyes were now narrower and had slit pupils and were and even clearer, sharper blue than before though they were still the same shade of blue. Her hair which she knew was black with streaks of dark blue because of her tail's appearance was even softer and silkier in texture. Where her hair had once only been to her mid-back it was now down her thighs about a ½ inch shy of her knees.

Her hair which had once been soft untamable wavy curls was now silky soft and perfectly straight.

Her skin had once been golden and tan because of all the time she had spent in the sun was now white as snow and so smooth she knew instantly no human even in her time could achieve the same texture no matter how hard they tried.

Essentially, she still looked like herself but the good traits she had been gifted with when she was human had now become extraordinary now that she was youkai.

She wondered how Sesshomaru would react to her new appearance when they finally saw each other again. She could just picture his reaction eyes wide, slack jawed, and gaping like a fish she had to chuckle at mental image that thought provided her. Though it was only a hopeful wish on her part if he was still anything like the Sesshomaru she had left behind the most she was likely to get was a slight widening of the eyes.

It was as she was heading back to camp that it finally began to sink in that she was really was not human any longer. However, she would react over that realization later because as all throughout her hunt and subsequent observation of herself she had been trying to keep her warring powers under some semblance of control, so she would deal with her powers first.

She had a feeling getting her youkai and reiki to work together and come to a balance was going to be harder than she could have ever imagined.

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Two weeks later saw a very frustrated and on edge miko-youkai about ready to pull out her long black hair in frustration because not only did her powers refuse to cooperate Inuyasha had begun snooping around the forest because she had been stupid enough in a fit of temper to forget to maintain the barriers keeping her scent and aura hidden from others.

Her fit if temper might have also have been since her beast casually mentioned that she would eventually go into heat because it was spring, and spring was mating season for inu-youkai. She really wasn't looking forward to going into heat for the first time either she was no stranger to the human version of heat, but she had heard from female inu-youkai while she was in Sesshomaru's palace that heat was 10 times more painful for youkai females than for human females especially the first time.

Unfortunately, she in her curiosity read in a scroll about youkai reproduction that there was only one way to truly stop the heat pains and that was to have a mate any medical droughts or potions even the strongest only reduced the pain to a more tolerable level.

At least her beast had been kind enough to tell her the warning signs of impending heat before going silent and leaving her to destroy some poor innocent trees. Now she understood why Inuyasha had always done the same when he was pissed about something it was very therapeutic. But that brought her back to the problem she now faced on top of getting used to and training her new body, and getting her powers under control she now had to deal with avoiding detection by a nosey hanyou who she dearly loved but right now really wanted to strangle

With a single sigh she focused back on her training she lit her right hand with her reiki and her left with her youki and then she tried to force them to merge to find the balance. She only got her powers to balance for a grand total of five seconds before they began to fizz and spark before exploding and sending her sprawling on her ass for the tenth time that day.

Her beast was no help either all it would do was laugh at her or pester her about her trying to hunt at night at which time she firmly shut it out a proceeded to ignore it for the if possible.

She was seriously contemplating whether her beast understood the fact that she had only been a youkai for a total of two weeks. Yes, she was youkai, yes, most youkai could hunt at night, but she had enough to worry about without adding a new form of hunting to the mix.

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A few days later saw Kagome finally doing what she had been avoiding for as long as she could because she needed supplies she could not get or make herself, so she had to head to the village of Edo. She decided to dress in priestess robes to conserve the money she had borrowed from her adopted family before she left the farther past. Remembering there had been some things she hadn't been able to get with her priestess status during her travels with the Inutachi. Double checking that the necklace Amaterasu had given her was still secure around her neck after all she didn't want anyone to know that she was youkai especially Inuyasha she packed up her campsite and headed for Edo

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When she arrived at the outskirts of the village she took a moment to compare the Edo that she had known to the Edo that was now before her the differences were very few even the atmosphere of the village was the same. Spreading her aura out she located the most powerful aura's in the village beings the fact that there was more than one powerful aura in the village. She felt the moment the two of the three strongest auras' felt her presence and started heading for her.

She recognized Inuyasha's and Kaede's, but the third aura confused her if the aura must belong to Kikyou and that the aura she now felt was what the Miko's aura had felt like when she was alive.

As she walked down the main road into the village proper her uniform garnered her the attention of many of the villagers who stopped their work momentarily to catch a glimpse of the priestess entering their village. A crowd began to form and fallow her as she made her way to the temple prominently displayed on a hill at the center of the village. The villagers ahead of her parted to reveal Kikyou at the bottom of the temple steps with her bow on her shoulder and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back and Kaede at her side she looked ready for battle.

She was every inch the worrier priestess Kagome had always heard she was then, and Kagome thought that for the first time she was catching a glimpse of who Kikyou truly was as a person.

She sensed Inuyasha hovering nearby as Kikyou walked to stand not but three feet in front of her they eyed each other sizing each other up. Kikyou prodded her aura and she returned the favor apparently finding that neither of them wished to harm the other they bowed respectfully to each other. "Why have you come to this village miko?"

Kagome smiled and said, "I am actually a traveling miko and merely come to this village in search of supplies and a place to rest for the night before continuing on my way."

"Very well it is my duty to host priestess's and priests who travel through this village as it's resident miko you will stay in my hut for the night and I will personally see to it that you are fully resupplied before you leave this village."

"Thank you, Lady…"

"Kikyou"

"Thank you Lady Kikyou"

"My name is Himeka"

"A pleasure to meet you as well Lady Himeka" Kikyou gestured for Kaede to come forth "this is my younger sister and miko who is also a miko in training she will show you to where you may rest while I make my rounds of the village and gather the supplies I promised you."

"Again, my sincere thanks Lady Kikyou" she thanked the other miko again before fallowing Kaede to the hut she had spent so much time in during her hunt for the jewel. As Kaede pushed as the mat that served as the huts' door Kagome realized it was the same as she remembered it only it had two people living in it instead of one and Kaede was but a young child instead of an old woman. Thinking about the differences between the timeline she knew and this one where the jewel didn't exist and never had to begin with made her head spin.

So much so that she had to resist the urge to shake her head to try and relieve the headache building just thinking of the time paradoxes such as they were.

One thing troubled her though that she noticed earlier when she and Kikyou were probing each other's auras' signs of a courting mark having been placed were in Kikyou's aura. Which meant that the Kikyou of this timeline wasn't prejudiced of youkai and hanyou like the Kikyou of her timeline had been. According to Myoga the Kikyou of the previous timeline had never allowed Inuyasha to mark her. Not only that the Kikyou of the previous timeline had selfishly wanted Inuyasha to become human so society wouldn't look down on her a pure miko for being with a hanyou.

It seemed things in this timeline had changed more than she had imagined they would with her wish on the jewel. If that was the case than perhaps Onigumo had already been killed before he could even become Naraku. She was really hoping that was the case even though she normally wouldn't wish any harm on anyone, but she really wanted Inuyasha and Kikyou to be happy this time around.

In any case she would stay close after she re-supplied just in case and would only interfere if it was necessary after all she wasn't the only one that was stronger in this timeline Inuyasha was too. He could probably handle Naraku all by himself especially where it concerned his intended mate after all Inu-youkai were notoriously possessive and protective of what they considered theirs.

Later after she settled into Kikyou and Kaede's hut she decided to take a leisurely stroll around the village since she didn't really have anything to do and perhaps if she ran into Kikyou she would enquire about the Goshinboku and the bone eaters well. After all the village was famous for them because they were spiritual sights, so it wouldn't be too strange for a miko to know about them. Maybe she would even be able to get Kikyou to take her to see them though with Inuyasha always hovering near Kikyou and Kikyou being good at reading a person's body language and facial expressions she would have to be careful.

The villagers greeted her warmly as she passed, and she made it a point to speak with each vendor she passed as well as compliment any particularly fine piece of work that caught her eye.

It was as she was reaching the last vendors stall in the village proper that Kikyou found her and when the other miko motioned for her to fallow she did so without question mostly out of curiosity. After a few moments of silence Kikyou spoke "I have gotten the supplies I promised you they are back in the hut with your belongings."

Kagome nodded before inquiring "I have heard some fascinating rumors about your village Lady Kikyou"

"Like the one about a well that is said to eat the bones of youkai and that it is made from the branches of an ancient tree said to hold powerful spiritual properties?"

"Your assumption that this is the village is near those locations is correct… tell me is that the real reason you came to this village?"

"No and yes, you see what I told you about needed supplies was true, but when I realized that the closest village to my location was the village where those two locations were supposed to be located I figured I would sate my curiosity as well." They walked in companionable silence for a while as Kikyou led her in the direction of the bone eaters well before she decided to speak once more "Lady Kikyou… I believe congratulations are in order."

"Oh, why do you say that?"

"Because I could sense the courting mark on you when I was probing your aura earlier" at that the older miko blushed a pretty pink.

Kagome chuckled a little before saying "there is no need to be embarrassed Lady Kikyou after all you love him, right?" When the older miko gave a nod, she could ignore the twinge in her own heart reminding her of her own love who was still waiting for her, but she pushed that though aside for now because right now was about Kikyou not her. "See you love him so the opinions of others shouldn't matter."

"So, what's the lucky youkai's name or do I have to guess?"

Her voice took on a dreamy quality then "his name is Inuyasha he is an Inu-Hanyou and the second son of the great Inu-Daiyoukai dog general of the west."

"Wow you certainly got lucky there especially since it's said the Inu No Taisho mated for love rather than duty."

"Yes, that rumor is true according to what Inuyasha has told me his father loves his mother very much, although I haven't met his parents yet."

"Well then it seems like Inuyasha is fallowing in his father's footsteps although I have to wonder why Inuyasha hasn't taken you to see his parents yet."

Keh, could you both stop talking about me like I aren't even here even though you both could sense that I am?"

They turned twin mischievous smiles on him "but Inuyasha where would the fun be in that?" Kikyou said and Kagome just nodded her head in agreement. The white haired hanyou just scowled at them and both females burst out laughing. Meanwhile the hanyou had to wonder at the strong bond of friendship he could sense forming between the two females.

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That night as the sat around the fire in the hut Kagome listened with rapt attention as Inuyasha recounted some of his many adventures he had went on before and after he met and fell in love with Kikyou. She nearly died laughing chocking on her stew when he recounted the tail of how a witch obsessed with hair tried to steal his. And when he refused to give her his hair she cast a curse on it before he killed her that turned his hair as red as his fire rat robes. She really couldn't help herself the image of Inuyasha with bright red hair was too laughable to resist.

But, she couldn't shake the feeling that a serious conversation was coming up as soon as young ears were unable to hear it. Sure, enough as soon as Kaede had been put to bed Kikyou and Inuyasha turned to her with serious expressions on their faces. As soon as she saw how serious their expressions where she immediately put aside the rest of her uneaten stew. "What is it" she asked already having a pretty good idea of what they wanted to talk about. "A while ago Inuyasha sensed a strange presence in the forest…when he went to investigate it disappeared."

"However, Inuyasha thinks it is still there because that is what his instincts are telling him, and his instincts have never been wrong before."

"and you want to know if I sensed anything strange on my way to the village correct?"

At their nods she pretended to think for a moment and decided to throw them a bone and hopefully ease their worries. "I will admit I did sense a strange presence in the forest on my way here and that it was the aura of a powerful youkai."

"Yeah that's what Inuyasha and I sensed as well…Inuyasha was also able to sense that the youkai is female and a full-blooded Inu-youkai."

"True" Inuyasha cut in "but I also sensed something off about her it was like she was distressed as if she had been severely injured by someone or something."

"If that's the case Inuyasha" Kagome spoke up "then it might be best to leave her alone for the time being."

"After all youkai in distress especially female youkai in distress are dangerous to be around even for a hanyou as strong as you are because the likelihood their inner beast is in control is very high."

"Your right" he said with a resigned sigh "hey, look at it this way at least she hasn't attacked the village yet, so she must still have some amount of control over herself." At that he brightened a little bit "and if it makes you feel better I will postpone my journeying and stay in the village until the youkai recovers and moves on."

"You would do that" slight disbelief lacing his tone "of course we are friends after all."

"You consider me a friend?"

"Yep and Kikyou to." With that she laid down and was instantly asleep leaving a gaping hanyou and an utterly flabbergasted Kikyou awake to ponder her words.

[End Chapter]