A/N: Thanks to reviewers Aven The BattleMage, Western White Tiger, Lorien Legacy, fabelliot, and Novert A-Rex for their kind comments in the last chapter. Sorry for the short chapter last time; it is a little longer this week. Hope you'll enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.


A Different Journey

The story of Inuyasha, and the miko he loved who had survived death


Chapter 3

"Kikyou-oneesama!" the elderly miko called after Kikyou. Kikyou stopped in her steps and turned to look at the woman who had caught up to her.

"Onee…sama?"

"It is me. Kaede. Do you not recognize me?"

Kikyou had the suspicion that her survival was not natural, and seeing Kaede like this confirmed it. Yes, this must be Kaede, for no one else should come into possession the kotodama beads she had made for Inuyasha. "Kaede? How many years have passed?"

"Fifty," Kaede said, grabbing onto Kikyou's hands with tears in her eye, "You have slept for fifty years, Oneesama. I was afraid you would never awaken."

Kikyou squeezed Kaede's hands gently. It hurt her to feel how rough and wrinkled they had become. "I am sorry, Kaede. I had not been there for you for fifty years. What could I ever do to make it up to you?"

Kaede shook her head. "No. It is I who must apologize. You left me but one task and I could not fulfill it. Instead of burning the Shikon-no-tama-"

"You had wished on it to undo my death?" Kikyou finished for her. Kaede widened her eye in surprise, but Kikyou just returned her gaze softly. "Do not blame yourself, Kaede. I know you did it out of love for me. I am the Guardian of the Shikon Jewel, and I have failed to protect it. The responsibility does not lie with you."

"But because I have not burned the jewel…though I thought it vanished when I made the wish…now it has come back and is broken…"

"There is no guarantee this would not have happened even if you did burn the jewel. Fate is an intangible thing."

"Oneesama…" Tears were falling freely from Kaede now. Kikyou reached down and took her in an embrace. It felt so familiar, so warm. She had been waiting for this for half a century, but it made her so, so afraid to lose it again.

"Kaede…I must-" Kikyou started letting go, but Kaede would not let her.

"Please take me with you!"

Kikyou held her at arm's reach. At this, Kaede knew she had been rejected. What had she been asking anyway? She could hardly travel to the next town in her poor health now, how could she travel the nation to retrieve the Shikon shards? There was no way Kikyou would take her along, not out of spite but out of love. She understood this, but it was so hard to part with her only kin after so long a wait.

"Do not worry. I will return to you once I have completed my task."

"Yes…" Kaede lowered her head. She was no longer a young child. She could not ask the impossible.

"May I leave another task for you?" Kaede raised her eye to Kikyou again, hope blazing once more in its brown depth. "Please take care of my reincarnation." Kikyou gestured to the girl arguing with the dog hanyou. "And Inuyasha. What he said may hold some merit. I shall find out what really happened fifty years ago, but that is a journey I must undertake on my own."

"Your reincarnation?" Kaede now recognized the reason for the striking similarity between the girl and her sibling. "I understand. I will do my utmost best for them."

"Thank you." Kikyou gave Kaede another hug before taking up her bow again. Kaede's hands lingered on Kikyou's arm.

"Are you sure you would not like to at least stay a few days to recover? You must still be weak from the fifty years slumber."

"Fifty years is a long time. I am sure a lot has changed. It will do me good to travel to the next village and work with them to get accustomed to the times as soon as possible. Do not worry for my condition. My body has changed since your wish, so though I have not recovered all my strength, I may well be more robust than I have been in the past due to the Shikon's senki now imbued in me."

Senki, a sacred aura, the opposite of youki. Kaede could indeed feel it radiating from Kikyou. The senki must have been what sustained her during her slumber, and though she had since awakened, it had not left her. Kikyou was now a hansen, or half-sage, and this conferred her body with quick regeneration, superhuman speed and strength, resistance to poisons and disease, and longevity in the same way that youkai blood would have. There really was nothing for Kaede to worry about. If anything, the current Kikyou was more suited for protecting the Shikon than the past Kikyou had been. Kaede should trust in her sister. If she promised to come back, she would.

"I see," she said, finally prying her hands off Kikyou. "I shall see you again soon, Oneesama. In the meantime, please take care. I wish you a safe journey."

"And you too, Kaede. All the best."


Kikyou gathered the fallen Shikon shards and left. The villagers, who now realized it was safe to go outside once more, crowded around Kaede for further instructions.

"What just happened there?"

"I saw a lot of youkai."

"Wait, is that a dog youkai over there? And who is the girl yelling at him?"

"He kicked me to the ground and stole my bow! He is dangerous!"

"Oh dear. Do you see the girl's legs. She does not think she should cover herself? How shameless!"

"Kaede-sama, should we bind them and take them back to the village? The dog youkai in particular. We must be rid of him!"

Kaede coughed to silence all of them at once. "The youkai were here for the Shikon-no-tama, but Oneesama has taken care of them…"

"Oneesama? Kaede-sama has an older sister?"

"Have you not heard about Kikyou-sama? She was the guardian of the Shikon-no-tama, but she was badly injured by a dog youkai. Could it be the one standing there?"

"Kikyou-sama is back? Even so, she must be in her seventies now. Did she really single-handedly take care of the youkai?"

"No, no. The miko who fought the youkai was a young one. Not in her seventies."

"I heard Kikyou-sama was saved by the gods. She must have been spirited away to their palace, but by the time she had recovered her strength there, it has been fifty years in the mortal world. Have you not heard of the tale of Urashima Tarou?"

The villagers interrupted Kaede in an eruption of whispers. Kaede tried to shout above them. "Listen to what I have to say. Please."

A village elder struck his walking stick three times onto the ground. That seemed to have brought the villagers' attention back. "Sorry for the interruption, Kaede-sama. We are all ears."

"Thank you." Kaede took a breath so she could phrase her next words in her mind. "Yes, my sister Kikyou has awakened. She has been blessed by the senki of the Shikon-no-tama. Now that the jewel has shattered, she will journey to recover its fragments. The youkai were here for the fragments, but now that she has taken them with her, the youkai will not be back. Kikyou-oneesama was not the only one who had fought the youkai. Inuyasha, the dog hanyou before you, has also helped, so please do not be hostile to him. I shall take care of the business relating to Inuyasha and the girl beside him. I ensure there will be no disruptions to your daily lives. Is that acceptable?"

There was more chatter amongst the villagers until the elder once again struck his walking stick. "Silence, you all. Do not bore Kaede-sama with your gossip." He turned to the miko. "Kaede-sama, we shall entrust you with the task of accommodating our guests then." After Kaede nodded, he returned to the others. "Alright, everyone, back to work! The weeds won't go away on their own!"

Left alone once more, Kaede approached Kagome and Inuyasha. She was rather surprised that the two had managed to keep arguing all this time.

"Take it off!" Inuyasha yelled, pulling at the kotodama necklace. "You broke Kikyou's seal, so you should at least be able to do this!"

"Don't wanna."

"You bitch!"

"Die!"

Bang

"Fucking sadistic wench. You must be loving this, huh?"

"What did you just call me?"

"You fucking deaf too? You heard me just fine."

"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!"

Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang

With each time Kagome commanded the kotodama beads, Inuyasha crashed farther and farther into the ground. It was making a crater on the field by now.

"Excuse my interruption. May I have a word with the two of you?" Kaede finally could get a word in as Inuyasha lay immobile in the crater he created. Kagome turned to face her, an embarrassed smile adorning her face.

"Of course, Miko-sama." Kagome scratched her face awkwardly. "If I may, I have a few questions to ask too."

"Then please come with me. Inuyasha too."

"Wha?" Inuyasha came to squat, an arm reaching back to massage his sore back. Damn that Kikyou-wannabe girl. Nearly fucking killed him with that stupid necklace curse thing. He squinted an eye at Kaede. "Who the fuck are you anyway, Old Hag?"

"Inuyasha, you do not disrespect the elderly like that!" Kagome yelled at him.

"Shut up, Bitch. And why are you calling my name as though you even know me?"

"Die!"

Bang

"Fuckin-"

"Die! Die! Die!"

Bang Bang Bang

Kaede sighed. How long was this going to take?


When they had finally settled down in Kaede's cottage, the day had turned to dusk. Kaede poured hot water for Kagome, and she sipped on it while Inuyasha scratched the side of his head with his foot. Kagome scowled. What kind of manners was that?

"I am Kaede, the miko of this village, and this is Inuyasha, an inu-hanyou acquainted with my sister, Kikyou. Fifty years ago, he stole the Shikon-no-tama and was sealed by my sister to the goshinboku. It would seem that you have freed him?"

"Um…yes…accidentally. I am Higurashi Kagome by the way. Please just call me Kagome."

"What do you mean accidentally? If not for me you would have had your ass gobbled up by that giant centipede already, you ungrateful wench!"

"Inuyasha…"

Kagome's anger was palpable. To prevent her home from coming down from Inuyasha's body slams, Kaede placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder and glared at Inuyasha.

"Now, now, please at least be civil. I would appreciate it if I can have a roof to sleep under tonight."

Kagome refrained. Inuyasha just made a snort and turned his head the other way.

"Kagome-chan, if you don't mind me calling you that…" Kaede kept speaking. Kagome nodded in approval to Kaede's address. "You must be very confused by the current situation. Oneesama recognized you as her reincarnation, and indeed both Inuyasha and I can discern your resemblance to her in both body and spirit, so you must be from the future."

"I suppose you are right…" Kagome looked at the architecture of the house, the tools within said house, and the way everyone dressed. Time travel – as fantastical as it sounded – was probably the best explanation. "So…what period is this, exactly? And where are we?"

"The era name is Kouji, and we are located near the Edo Castle. I am not sure if you recognize the name, as the castle overlooks nothing but a small fishing village. It is held by the Houjou Clan."

Kagome wasn't sure whether to tell her said small fishing village would one day become a metropolitan of thirteen million in population. Then again, it was hardly relevant. At least she now knew that she was still close to home…just five hundred years into the past, if she were remembering her history textbook right.

"I think I have an idea now. Forgive me for my manners. I am from five hundred years into the future, so…things have changed a lot."

"Five hundred years!?"

Inuyasha spared Kaede's surprised face not a single glance. "Peh…seems like humans have not gotten smarter over five hundred years…"

"What are you trying to imply now, Inuyasha? You want me to say that word again?" Kagome shouted. Kaede held her shoulder again to calm her down. "Sorry. So where were we again? Right. About me freeing Inuyasha-"

"Like I said, I don't know you, so stop calling my name like that!"

"Then what do you want me to call you?"

"Inuyasha-sama."

Kagome burst out laughing. "Look at the way you squat your butt on the ground. In what way do you think you deserve an honorific like that, Doggy?"

"What did you call me?"

"Or is Puppy better? Come here, Puppy. Sit, Puppy."

"You…"

Kaede sighed long and hard. This was going to take a while.

"So, about the Shikon-no-tama…" Kaede said. At this, Inuyasha pointed at Kagome.

"She broke it. The wench has nothing in her head and tied a piece of that stinking crow to her arrow. Like you fucking didn't think maybe the arrow would break the jewel? What a moron!"

"And how is that my fault? You shoved a bow into my hands and told me to do that miko thing. You hear that? Miko thing. As though you can be less descriptive."

"Well, I didn't expect Kikyou's reincarnation to be as dumb as you! Didn't think you'd have half her aim, but that crow was fucking big as a castle. The least you could've done was catch the tip of its wings!"

"Okay, that is enough! Both of you!" Kaede shouted above their noise. Kagome said sorry. Inuyasha snorted again, but perhaps for fear of Kagome's punishment, he did become quiet. Kaede continued. "It is not the time to cast blame for what had happened. We must discuss what we shall do from here on forward."

"I want the Shikon-no-tama, but if it is broken, then so be it, none of my business. I am going after Kikyou to get things sorted out. I betrayed her? My ass! I ain't gonna let her spout that bullshit when she was the one who tried to kill me."

"But did she really try to kill you? If she wanted to kill you, she could've done it today," Kagome answered.

"I don't fucking know so I'm gonna ask her. And what does this have to do with you anyway?"

"I am trying to help, sheesh. Look, even if you chase after her now, you have no idea where she is, and even if you find her, she is just going to say that word and slam you to the ground. At least give her some time to figure things out too."

"I think Kagome-chan is right," Kaede said, much to Inuyasha's frustrations.

"Then what the hell do you suggest me do? Sit my ass here and wait for her? Why do I have to be the one begging her or something?"

"How about you two try and find the Shikon shards together?" Kaede suggested. This time both Kagome and Inuyasha gave her the same incredulous expression.

"What? With him?"

"With her? No fucking way!"

"I know it may be too much to ask of you, Kagome-chan, but being Oneesama's reincarnation, you are the best candidate besides her to retrieve the Shikon shards. Oneesama has always been able to sense the Shikon's aura, and after what I have witnessed of your powers, I believe you may share the same ability. The Shikon-no-tama is something that cannot fall into the hands of evil. You have seen the consequences of what may happen when youkai get a hand on the jewel. The shards must be collected as soon as possible, else chaos would descend on our nation. I humbly request your help."

"Well…" Kagome mumbled, looking down to the ground with a bit of shame. "I did sorta break it, so…I can help a bit. But I can't stay here forever. As long as you let me go back to the well after collecting a couple shards, I suppose I'm fine with helping."

"Go right on ahead, Bitch. I ain't helping you the slightest bit!" Inuyasha chided. Kagome gritted her teeth.

"Can you seriously watch your language? And I have a name. It is Ka-go-me. Or are you too stupid to even remember it?"

"Why do I have to remember your fucking name? Who do you think you are, Big Fat Bitch?"

"Okay, Inuyasha. If you do not want to slam onto the ground again, I would advise you to keep your mouth shut," Kaede yelled at him. Even the elderly miko was starting to lose her temper. "And the reason why I suggest that you accompany Kagome-chan on finding the Shikon shards is because that would be the best way to encounter Oneesama. Besides, if what transpired between you and Oneesama was a misunderstanding, a trap orchestrated by a third-party, don't you think the most probable motive behind it was the Shikon-no-tama?"

Inuyasha clenched his fist, the memories of fifty years ago streaming back through his head. He held back his anger and nodded. "Fine. I'll do it. But only until I sort this all out."

"That will be alright." Kaede was glad they finally came to a compromise. "It is getting late. You two may stay the night. I will prepare bags for your travels. You can depart tomorrow."

"Whatever. I am sleeping outside. Come get me at dawn."

With that, Inuyasha walked out into the starlit skies. It had been so long since he had seen a view like this. He should be relishing his freedom, but a weight held him back. He reached a claw into the distance, following the vanishing scent of the woman he had loved. He whispered her name.

"Kikyou…"


End of Chapter - reviews appreciated