A/N- To my reviewers, thank you for the reason to keep writing. I re-read my story and was completely unimpressed by it, but I said to myself if I have at least one reviewer I'd continue, and lo and behold Rose1948 and Reishi Setsuya, reviews. This chapter is specifically made for you two, it may not have much Ranma but it's written as best as I possibly can write and if it isn't to your approval, I'll turn emo and cut myself. (P.S. Nothing wrong with being emotional and hardcore, but I'm just too damn cheerful for the role to fit naturally with me.)

Janzo- Voting is as stands. Sophisticated Ranma in first place

Sophisticated Ranma- I thank you for your kindness.

Janzo- Original Ranma in second and might I just add that you people are boring for giving so many votes to him.

Original Ranma- HEY!

Janzo- Fem-Ranma in third place, trailing by a hair's breath.

Feminine Ranma (waves) - Arigato minna-san!

Janzo- Goth Ranma in fourth.

Goth Ranma- ...Whatever...

Janzo- Timid Ranma in fifth place.

Timid Ranma (hides behind Feminine Ranma)

Janzo- Cheerful Ranma in sixth place.

Cheerful Ranma (grins) - Thanks for the votes.

Janzo- And broken Ranma hasn't even placed yet. Okay people who want this have this chapter to place final votes, after this the story starts for real, so call your friends and get them to vote for a Ranma, because after this there is no turning back... By the way DON'T BE BORING! VOTE FOR ANYONE BUT THE ORIGINAL!!

Original Ranma- Why you-! Hey GET BACK HERE!

Sophisticated Ranma- I wonder how long Janzo-san can keep up that pace...

Feminine Ranma- When he's running away from something, he's even faster than us.

Cheerful Ranma (laughs) - Don't worry I'm sure Janzo-san will come back alive.

Goth Ranma- ... Who does the disclaimer?

Timid Ranma (still hiding behind Feminine Ranma) - J-Janzo-san doesn't own R-Ranma one half...

Feminine Ranma (pats Timid Ranma's head) - Rumiko Takahashi owns it. We're just part of Janzo's overactive imagination.

Cheerful Ranma- And if you don't vote that's all we'll ever be.

Sophisticated Ranma- Indeed

Goth Ranma- ...Whatever...

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Kagome Kagome Kago no naka no Tori wa

Itsu Itsu deyaru? Yoake no ban ni

Tsuru to kame to subetta.

Ushiro no shoumen daare ?

Intro 2

Kagome Kagome

Four days... it had been four days since she'd last seen him. Four, long lingering days and already the memories were beginning to fade... Why? Why were they fading? Why couldn't she remember his face anymore? Didn't she love him? Didn't she want to go back there? To be with him? She didn't understand. All they'd done, all they'd been through... and in only a few days she had already forgotten his face...

"InuYasha..."

She murmured his name into the pillow, hoping against all hopes that it would come back to her. That all knowledge of him would be renewed... but it wasn't and it never would. The time she'd spent there was done, the adventures were over. She was no longer the Miko and Destroyer of Naraku, but simply Kagome, a high school girl, with average grades, that was always ill with... something... and no amount of wishing or hoping would ever change that. She would never again be witness to Miroku's perversity, never admire the skill of the taijiya, Sango or laugh at the antics of the chibi-kitsune Shippo... and she would never again feel the warmth of the hanyou she loved so dearly...

"InuYasha..."

She loved her life here. In this world she had her family, her friends. She had the normalcy she wanted and could experience life as a bystander, never having to get truly involved... and yet was this life truly worth what she'd given up? The answer was obvious. As much as she was used to this world, as much as she loved her family, it could not compare to the attachment she'd gained to that world... and to him...

Kagome sighed softly. Was it even worth thinking about now? She had to live even now she had to-

"Kagome, Kagome, the bird in the cage,

when will you come out?"

Time stopped. Thoughts ceased. And every logical belief seemed to leave as the children's song echoed throughout her room. Kagome didn't move... or rather she couldn't. Even as the song continued she could make no action against listening.

"In the evening of the dawn,

the crane and turtle slipped.

Who stands behind you right now?"

It repeated again, and again, until she felt like singing it herself. Yet, she couldn't. There was nothing she could do nothing she could say as the oppressive energy of the song seemed to seep into every pore of her body until it... it...

"Who stands behind you right now?"

And then it faded. The ominous final line in the song disappearing as quickly as it came. Who stands behind you right now? She paused... listened... There was nothing to indicate that there was anyone else in the room with her. But if that was the case then why exactly did she feel as though there was...?

It was always better to be safe rather than sorry, that was a lesson that had stuck with her since the first time she'd entered the Sengoku era. Even as she made the slow deliberate movements to get out of her bed, she was alert, expectant... waiting for someone, or something to make a move against her. There was none. She turned swiftly, suddenly her hands raised to defend herself a best as she could as she came face to face with... nothing...

There was nothing there. No yokai, no youma... nothing... She let out a sigh of relief and turned around-

"Kagome? What are you doing?"

-only to fall flat back to the ground in absolute shock. Just how long had her mother been standing there?

"Are you all right Kagome?"

"Hai okaasan, I'm fine." She murmured softly.

Why did she always seem to get into these kinds of situations?

"Are you sure Kagome?"

Concern, Kagome could hear it in her mother's voice, far more concern than should be there for a simple fall... Almost as if she feared something far more serious had occurred, but nothing more serious had occurred... right?

"I'm fine okaasan," she laughed, "I may have hit my head a little but-"

The effect was near instantaneous, as concern changed into full blown fear. Without warning Kagome found her head meticulously placed between her mother's hands, staring at a side of the older woman she hadn't seen in... ever.

"Okaasan?"

Her mother didn't move from the spot, but simply stared into her daughter's eyes, as though trying to probe into her offspring's very soul.

"Kagome, I need you to listen to me, and to answer every question I ask truthfully. Do you understand?"

Kagome nodded, her very first lie. She hadn't the slightest clue as to what was going on.

"What day is it?"

Kagome blinked, "Excuse me?"

"What day is it today?"

Kagome watched into her mother's face truly expecting to see some form of humour, or a sudden smile that would ease the tension. There was no humour, and her mother didn't smile. She was serious. Dead serious.

"It's Saturday." Kagome answered hesitantly.

"Who am I?"

"My okaasan-"

"Who is your brother?"

"Sota. Okaasan why are you as-"

"And your sister?"

"I don't have a sister. What is this all-"

"Your grandfather?"

"The ojiisan who gives me fish parts for my birthdays. Oka-"

"Your best friends?"

"Eri, Ayumi and Yuk-"

"Your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend. Okaasan what is this all about?"

There was a short pause...

That grew into a long pause...

That grew into an even longer pause...

"Did you just say that you didn't have a boyfriend Kagome?"

"Um... hai..."

To say Kagome was nervous, wasn't enough to do the feeling justice. The smile her mother had forced upon her face looked more appropriate on a porcelain doll than the natural features of a human.

"Are you alright Okaasan?"

"Oh I'm fine" she responded, "but you really should get dressed Kagome, after all your friend is waiting for you."

"Which friend?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"You'll find out when you get downstairs."

"Oh... Okay... Um okaasan?"

"Hai?"

"I can't get dressed if you're still holding onto me."

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A/N- I decided to quote, unquote, "end" the chapter here. Truth is I really don't like it myself, but after this long it's still the best I can do. Thanks to Reishi Setsuya for pre-reading and being my inspiration. Please Read and Reviw and VOTE!