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Chapter 4

With Sesshomaru's first step into the night air outside the Higurashi Shrine, his senses were assaulted with a million new scents and noises. Though his face showed no discomfort, he was silently fighting the urge to pass out. A growl escaped his lips and Kagome gave him a curious look.

"Too many scents and sounds," explained Sesshomaru. He began to look around, blocking his other senses. It was rather simple-a house, shrine, small shrine store, and the building he had just exited from- but their construction seemed more advance, and there was light. Light without the use of fire. It seemed magical. The demon lord then spotted the Goshinboku tree.

"Is that the tree Inuyasha was pinned to for 50 years?" he asked Kagome, though it seemed like he couldn't really care less.

"Yes. That tree connects Inuyasha with this time, which is why he can come through the well-portal to this time. The only reason you could pass through the portal is because you were touching me- I became your link to this time. I still don't quite understand it all myself." The two stayed in silence for a few moments.

"Well, come on, then," Kagome beckoned, breaking the silence, "I can smell mom cooking dinner. You're in for a treat." She was just about to enter the house, but then had second thoughts. "Oh, and Sesshomaru, no matter what, don't attack anything or anyone in the house, or well, anywhere. Nothing with hurt you in the future."

Sesshomaru nodded, but she knew he didn't care what she said. He would do what he wanted anyway. With the house door opening and then closing behind him, Sesshomaru's sense of smell began returning. He was getting use to all the new odors of the future. He noticed a young boy immersed with a gadget of some kind connected to a box of moving pictures. Odd noises were escaping the box, annoying noises.

"Hey Souta, I'm home."

"Sis, we've been expecting you for a while. It's been a long time since you last returned." The boy's eyes never left the screen.

Sesshomaru was contemplating ripping that box issuing sounds to shreds to end the annoying pops and beeps. He tensed his claws.

Kagome saw this and made calming gestures with her hands to Sesshomaru while telling Souta, "Hey, Souta, why don't you turn off your video game. Can't you see we have a guest?"

Souta was still glued to the screen, "If it's Inuyasha, tell him to come join me. He's always easy to beat."

"No, Souta, it isn't Inuyasha. This is Lord Sesshomaru." Souta was now interested in their guest. He turned off his game and the TV and came over inspecting Sesshomaru. That's when he saw the demon lord's long bushy tail. He put out a hand to pet it, "Boy, don't touch me if you value your life," growled Sesshomaru.

Souta jumped back and hid behind Kagome, "eek, sister! You should've brought Inuyasha. He's nicer."

"You just don't know Lord Sesshomaru well enough yet. Why don't you take him up to the bathroom to clean up before supper." She then turned to Sesshomaru whispering, "please don't kill him."

Kagome walked to the kitchen to find her mom cooking, "Hey mom, I'm home."

"Welcome home Kagome. Inuyasha with you?"

"No, mom. Lord Sesshomaru is. You'll meet him at dinner. Do you need any help?"

Kagome helped her mother finish dinner and set the table while her grandfather came in and placed himself at the head of the table. "Welcome back Kagome!" he greeted.

"Hi Grandpa," said Kagome cheerfully, placing the food on the table. Souta then entered with an annoyed Sesshomaru behind him. Kagome's grandfather jumped to his feet faster than any man his age should be able to.

"Look out Souta! There's a demon behind you. Be gone demon!" Grandpa shouted, throwing a sutra at Sesshomaru's head. Sesshomaru just caught it in the air, burning it with his poison and looking ready to attack the old man.

Kagome jumped between the two, "Grandpa, how many times must I tell you that you can't go around attacking innocent visitors? This is Lord Sesshomaru, and he will be staying the night here."

"Lord Sesshomaru, eh? What happened to Inuyasha?" Grandpa eyed Sesshomaru fearfully, as if the demon lord had eaten Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha's fine. Lord Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's half-brother."

"Oh, why didn't you just say so. I remember this pair of half-brothers from my youth in the spring of..." Kagome's grandfather went into a long and pointless story that was most likely made-up anyway. Everyone just ate their supper, no one really listening to the old man. Sesshomaru never usually ate human food. He detested it. Yet he forced himself to sample the cuisine from the future, mostly out of curiosity. He found that not even he could find much bad to say about it.

After dinner, Kagome took a long bath. "This is what I miss from this time the most." She thought the same thing again when she collapsed on her bed and fell instantly asleep.

Sesshomaru was sitting on what Kagome's mother had called a "sofa." It was mildly comfortable, yet Sesshomaru didn't desire sleep. He wished to explore the area and sneaked out of the house to do so. Hours later he returned after seeing so much technology and advancement. He had to believe that this really was the future. With that in mind, Sesshomaru fell into a Kagome-filled dreamland.

"Sesshomaru, it's time to return. Are you ready?" asked Kagome the next morning, still stuffing items into the huge bag she carried with her.

Sesshomaru got up silently and followed her when she walked to the well-house. Back in feudal times, the dog demon prepared to just walk off without saying a word.

"Sesshomaru, where are you going?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I have matters to attend to," Sesshomaru answered vaguely.

"Will I see you again?" Kagome inquired with hope in her voice.

There was a long silence. Sesshomaru had paused in his tracks with Kagome staring at his back. "Yes," he answered after some time. Silently, he yearned to take Kagome into his arms...well, his right arm. He was missing his left arm do to that encounter with Inuyasha. Secretly, Sesshomaru had fallen for a human. He silently cursed himself for it, yet it couldn't be helped. He began to slip into the forest again.

Kagome stared after him for a few minutes, even after he was out of sight. She wanted to do something for him and she couldn't understand exactly why. She had an idea, but her powers weren't strong enough yet. She would have to see another village priestess and learn some more. She sighed to herself then turned back to Kaeda's village to join the group.