Inu Yasha: Shattering Shards
Kagome busied herself preparing an assortment of snacks as she waited for her friends to show up so they could study together for their final exam, biology. She glanced out the kitchen window at the well house. 'I can't believe nine days has gone by this fast! I wonder what the others are doing?' she thought as she tried to imagine what her friends in the feudal era were doing. Her mother soon snapped her out of her imaginings. "Kagome! Your friends are here!" she sang cheerfully announcing the arrival of the young girls.
Kagome came into the living room to find Eri, Yuka and Ayumi fussing over her little brother. "He's such a little sweetie!" Eri exclaimed while pinching both Sota's cheeks. "Ow! That hurts! Leggo!" Sota cried as he pulled away from the three girls. "You can have him for fifty bucks!" Kagome offered to the outrage of Sota. "Let's go to my room. I got everything ready." Kagome said and the four girls headed off upstairs. "I doubt they'll get much studying done." her mother remarked.
As the girls gathered on the floor around Eri's laptop to go over some of the dissection videos their teacher made up for them to prepare for the exam. "Eww! Gross! I'm failing this one for sure because no way am I doing that!" Ayumi exclaimed in disgust as the video went over the dissected parts of a fetal pig. "The poor little piggie! I'll never eat bacon again!" Yuka pronounced tearfully. "Oh grow up you guys!" Eri complained as she turned up the volume to hear the explanation. "I don't know what you're whining about, this is pretty tame to me." Kagome sighed uninterestedly as she made some notes and thought back to the countless times she was covered in demon blood and guts not to mention all of Inu Yasha's wounds she had bandaged. "I think the attitude of that psycho boyfriend of yours is starting to rub off on you." Ayumi sniped, Kagome was too busy taking notes and didn't hear what she had said.
After the first video ended, the girls went over the notes they made about while gossiping. "So Kagome, how are things with you and Hojo progressing?" Yuka probed as the other two focussed in on Kagome and waited for an answer. Kagome faltered for a moment as she tried to think of an answer. "Well I really don't have time to think about him because I'm so busy." Kagome replied trying not to get too detailed. "I can't understand why you don't drop that delinquent nut job you're seeing and go with someone as nice as Hojo. I keep expecting you to turn up on Tokyo's Most Wanted with that insane jealous guy of yours." Yuka pointed out. "He's not that bad, really!" Kagome defended Inu Yasha's honour. "Well bring him by and we'll be the judges of that." Eri insisted wanting to see this boy Kagome spoke so highly of. An image of three hens pecking at an insect sized Inu Yasha ran through Kagome's mind.
"Uh…shouldn't we get back to the next video?" Kagome asked, trying to change the subject. "Just when it was getting good…" Ayumi whispered to Yuka who nodded.
Back in the feudal era…
"So this is home, huh? Not much money around here." the young girl commented on the simplistic huts as the group reached the village. "Don't get any thieving ideas! You're here to tell everyone else what you told me! I can't wait to see the look on Kenjiro's face when he realizes he's been found out!" Inu Yasha snickered then noticed the absence of both Kenjiro's and Jakotsu's scents. "Hmph! He took off already! Was Jakotsu part of whatever he was planning? Miroku! Sango!" he called out to his friends to find out what had happened while he was gone.
Miroku was first to appear, "Inu Yasha. You're back early and I see you have a very attractive friend with you." he started, taking the young girl's hand in his as a pair of burning red eyes focussed on the back of his head. 'Here it comes.' Sango snarled to herself as she ground her teeth in agitation. "Would you do me the honour of bearing my child." he boldly asked but before Sango could react, the young thief left Miroku sprawled on the ground, semi-conscious, by a hard punch. "What the hell do you think I am!" she yelled while standing over him. "I am so sick of guys like you thinking women have nothing better to do then to crank out kids all day! I've got bigger and better things to become then just a population multiplier!" she snapped. "Wow! This girl one upped you Sango." Shippo remarked. "Keep an eye on her. I'm going back for Kagome!" Inu Yasha ordered and took off for the well.
"Inu Yasha! Wait!" Miroku called as he tried to keep pace with the impatient hanyou. "She's coming back whether she wants to or not this is too important to wait!" Inu Yasha declared brashly as he came up to the well.
Modern day Japan…
As Kagome and her friends got back to studying the videos, a blue flash from the well house announced Inu Yasha's arrival. Casually strolling out, he looked up to Kagome's window to see her light on. 'Good, she's home!' he thought as he ran across the grounds and leapt up to her window. 'Locked!' he astounded as he tried to open it, then heard voices from inside. "Did you guys hear that?" Eri asked, pausing the video. "What?" Ayumi asked. "Like something at the window." Eri answered as the all looked to the drawn curtains. "I'm sure it's nothing." Kagome assured as she got up to peek through the curtains. To her horror her eyes met with Inu Yasha's as he was perched on the windowsill. "Uh...I was right! It was nothing!" she hastily exclaimed, shutting the curtains tightly, her friends wondering why she was so panicked all of a sudden. "Let's study downstairs, in the KICTHEN!" she said loudly trying to give Inu Yasha the hint. He didn't get it. A knock at the window got everyone's attention. "Kagome? Who's out there?" Yuka inquired as she got up to take a look. "Uh...no one!" Kagome insisted. "What do you mean no one? Come on! Open this window before I smash it!" Inu Yasha angrily declared.
Surprised by the angry voice the three quickly concluded who was outside the window. "It's him!" they said in unison and tried to get past Kagome to see Inu Yasha. "It's no one really just sit down!" Kagome insisted to her friends then clasped her hands over her mouth in shock realizing she inadvertently sat Inu Yasha. An angry yelp was heard that was soon followed by a loud thud. "Where'd he go?" Ayumi wondered as she and the others looked out the window. Seeing no signs of Inu Yasha, Kagome gave a sigh of relief that was all too shortly lived when a loud pounding came on her bedroom door.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR!" Inu Yasha bellowed while Kagome's mom and Sota tried to pull him away so he wouldn't be seen. The violent tone in his voice instantly gripped Kagome's friends with fear. "He sounds really mad!" Yuka quivered. "Come out right now or I'll rip the door off!" Inu Yasha growled. "He's totally insane! What are we going to do?" Eri cried in fright as Inu Yasha pounded on the door again. "I've had enough of this!" Kagome huffed and opened the door just enough so she could slip through. "Kagome, no!" Ayumi squealed, grabbing her arm and tried to pull her back in. "Don't worry about me. Worry about what I'm going to do to him!" Kagome snarled as she closed the door behind her. "She's so brave!" Ayumi whimpered as she, Eri and Yuka listened closely at the door.
Back in the feudal era…
"So do you think what Inu Yasha and this girl says is true…about Kenjiro?" Miroku wondered as he and Sango waited by the well. "It does sound rather suspicious especially what he said about Kagome not picking up on the other jewel shards. I thought it strange too that Kenjiro didn't look for us right away after coming to this time. Shouldn't he and Jakotsu have been back by now? That would clear up some things at least." Sango said looking over to the young girl who was fussing over Shippo.
Modern day Japan…
"Inu Yasha! I don't have time for your antics! I have an exam first thing tomorrow morning! What ever it is you have to tell me can wait until then! The last thing I need to deal with right now is your high strung temper!" Kagome huffed as she pushed him along down the stairs. "Just wait a damn minute! I didn't come all this way to be sat and yelled at and pushed around!" Inu Yasha complained as he put his foot down. "Then what did you come here for?" she angrily asked while looking back to make sure her friends weren't watching. "I can't explain it and if I did you wouldn't believe me! You have to come back to hear it for yourself!" he said as he took her by the arm and started for the well house. This time Kagome put the brakes on. "Just a few more days! Can't it wait until then? Come on, it's been so long since I've been home." she pleaded hoping he'd let her have her way.
Just then a thought came to Inu Yasha's mind as he let go of her. "Fine." he grumbled, folding his arms while looking disgusted. Momentarily stunned by his quickness to give in she decided not stall too long or he'd take it back. "Thanks. I'm going to get back to studying now. You can stay but don't let my friends see you. All right?" she offered. "Whatever. Just get what ever it is you need to get done here done quick." he muttered and walked off. 'Come tomorrow I'll show her and then she'll be begging to go back with me!' he thought with a confident smirk.
Next morning…
"Well I'm off! Wish me luck!" Kagome cheerfully sang as she was about to head out to school. "Good luck dear!" her mother replied just as cheerfully as did her grandfather and brother. Inu Yasha on the other hand was more realistic, "Hurry up and fail this stupid test like all the others so we can get back!" he callously remarked, Kagome planted her fists on her hips while puffing her cheeks up and giving Inu Yasha an angry "Hmph!" as she walked out the door stopping long enough to say "You just lost your instant noodle privileges!" and strutted off.
"You don't look worried." Sota said to his idol as Inu Yasha sniffed at the breakfast plate Mrs. Higurashi set before him. "Naw…I'll just swipe Shippo's. That's not important right now kid. I need your help with something." Inu Yasha said, his request excited the young boy as he followed Inu Yasha upstairs to his sister's room.
"Take these and hide each piece in a different part of the shrine grounds." he said tossing the small vial of jewel shards to Sota. "I dunno…Kagome will get real mad when she finds out I've taken something out of her room." Sota pointed out worriedly. "Just do it! I'll deal with Kagome." he insisted as he pushed Sota along.
Feudal Japan…
"I trust Entei is well?" Kenjiro asked as they arrived at their destination. Hakudoshi gave him a cool glance, "He's quite well. Naraku has given you some very unique abilities." he commented on Kenjiro's ability to revive slain demons. "It has its advantages." he smiled then sensed someone approaching. "Well Naraku…it's been quite some time now since our last meeting." he said turning around. "I trust you delivered those fake shards to that girl." he asked his incarnation's progress. "Of course. She'll have no idea until it's too late…But surely that's not the only reason you called me here for?" Kenjiro asked wondering what Naraku really wanted. "No. I have another task for you. I believe Kagura will be seeking you out. I think she believes you will help her betray me. Do as you wish with her but return whatever shards she has to me." Naraku informed. "My only purpose is to serve you." Kenjiro stated and left. "So when do I get to kill him?" Hakudoshi asked. "He can prove to be a very valuable tool. Kanna will be back soon with everything I need to know about him." Naraku reminded. "He shouldn't have gotten greedy…" Hakudoshi noted.
Modern day Japan…
'I can't believe it! An entire day of no Inu Yasha! That is so unlike him…' Kagome thought as she sat with her friends at their usual booth talking about how they did on the exam. 'He's probably mad at me for not letting him drag me back. He's probably off sulking somewhere…'
"Well they're all hidden. Are you sure it's alright?" Sota asked again, Inu Yasha nodded. "Just leave her to me. Now all we have to do is wait for her to get back."
"Inu Yasha! I'm back!" Kagome called as she came into her house to get no reply as she came into the living room to find both Sota and Inu Yasha playing a video game. "You sure I'm doing this right?" he asked sceptically as he tried to remember what Sota had told him. "Yeah. It just takes practice." Sota grunted as he finished off Inu Yasha's character. "I see you two are having fun." she smiled as she watched Inu Yasha's facial expressions as he tried to play the game. "Oh you're back." Inu Yasha said concentrating more on the game than her. 'Yep. Sulking away.' she thought as she read his tone. 'I'll play your game.' she thought, "Well I'm going to get changed and head out for a few hours." she teased knowing Inu Yasha's impatience would erupt. "Sure…now how do I do that thing again?" Inu Yasha asked as Sota showed him the character's special move. Kagome gave an angry growl and went off to her room. "I think she's mad." Sota said worriedly, Inu Yasha just turned up his nose in indifference as they continued with the game.
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome yelled as she rushed back to the living room upon discovering the missing vial of jewel shards. "What's wrong?" Inu Yasha asked meeting her half way. "The jewel shards! They're gone!" she said in a panic then noticed Inu Yasha wasn't reacting at all. "Yeah about that…Sota went into your room and took them. I told him not too but…" he shrugged to Sota's disbelief. "You double crosser!" Sota yelled as Kagome was now looming over him. "It was Inu Yasha's idea! I swear!" he cried, fearing his sister's wrath. "Sota! What did you do with them?" she angrily demanded as both she and Inu Yasha cornered him, "Those things aren't play toys you know?" Inu Yasha added. 'Inu Yasha! I hope the next time Kagome sits you, you fall through the Earth!' Sota thought hatefully.
Leading them outside, Sota pointed to the grounds. "Inu Yasha told me to hide them all over the place." he told her as Kagome turned to Inu Yasha. "Why did you have him do a thing like that?" she asked. "I thought this was the best way to make you come back. So go and try to find them." he stated, folding his arms in his sleeves and waited for her to find them all. She gave him a curious look trying to figure out what he was up to as she went off to find the shards.
'He's knows I can sense them! What's he trying to do?' she thought as she closed her eyes and focussed on the jewel shards. 'Let's see there's two behind the well house…Huh? Where's the others?' she thought as she concentrated harder then started to sense the others. 'There thy are!' she smirked as she turned to Inu Yasha. "Found them!" she said to his surprise as she went to pick them up. "But I was certain…" Inu Yasha muttered as he watched her go about picking them up. "…They were fakes…"
"Care to explain why I had to play hide and seek just now?" she asked as she came back to him with all the shards holding them out to him in her hand. Before she could get an answer, a sharp burning pain in her hand forced her to drop the jewel shards. "What the hell…?" Inu Yasha remarked as all but one of the jewel shards they received from Kenjiro turned black and shattered before they hit the ground.
"What just happened?" Kagome panicked as she rubbed her hand. "Are you alright?" Inu Yasha asked as he examined her hand for himself. "Yeah…but what was with those jewel shards. I mean they were the ones from Kenjiro…" she asked trying to figure out what happened. "That's why I want you to go back with me. I don't think Kenjiro is who he says he is."