Disclaimer: I do not own any part of InuYasha, only my own character Kakiya.

Chapter 1

"So this is where I came from..." Running a hand along the rim of the well made Kakiya smile, "It's a lot smaller than I thought it was."

She gently sat down atop the well and peered over her shoulder into the darkness, wondering if she could get back to the world beyond the well. Kakiya was about to fall back into the well when a familiar scent was carried to her through the breeze.

'It can't be...' rising from her seat, she walked down the hill, towards the scent, and found herself on a road before she saw the person she was looking for.

Near the village, InuYasha also caught a familiar scent, "She's here?" he whispered.

Kagome turned to look at him, "Who's here?" she questioned.

InuYasha turned to the road and pointed to the figure that was walking towards them. His group of friends all followed his gaze and found what he was talking about.

As the figure neared, her face became clearer, 'She's beautiful...' Kagome thought with a hint of jealousy.

"I knew I recognized that scent." She walked up front of him, "Hello InuYasha, it's been a while." She gave a soft smile.

InuYasha looked into her amethyst eyes with a sorrowful gaze, "Kakiya, I-"

She put a finger to her lips and shook her head, silencing him. "For now let's enjoy this prolonged reunion of ours." She smiled then pinched his check, "So cheer up little bro." Kakiya suddenly told him in a loud voice.

"Hey!" InuYasha yelled at her, "Stop that!" he touched his check, "I didn't think you'd still do that after all these years." He mumbled.

"Bro, as in brother?" Sango questioned, "Is this lady your older sister?"

"What?" Kagome looked at her, 'But isn't she a human?' she gazing at her long dark hair and humanly features. 'How can they be related?' she thought, 'Maybe his mother had another child? But wait a minute; InuYasha was bound to the tree for at least fifty years! How can that be...?'

Kakiya laughed and looked at Kagome and smiled, "Hello there, my name is Kakiya, and may I ask for your name?"

Kagome was surprised when Kakiya interrupted her thoughts, "It's Kagome..."

'My... what an enchanting lady...' Captivated, Miroku ran up to her and grabbed Kakiya's hands, 'Her skin is so soft!' he thought when he first touched her hands, "Hello young Miss, I am the monk, Miroku. And my, your eyes are like sparkling gems! I do not know if you truly related to our dear friend here or not, but I wanted to know-" Miroku suddenly felt a death-like glare directed from his two party members behind him and froze.

A puzzled look grew on her face, "What is it?"

"Ah... nothing, it's nothing," he nervously smiled and tapped her hand before letting go of her hands, "Are you really InuYasha's sister?"

InuYasha scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous," he told them, "She's not related to me. We're just childhood friends." Then he glared at Kakiya, 'If you can even call her that.' He pouted on the inside, 'She was so mean!'

Kakiya nodded, "He's right. His father took me in when I was younger, and after InuYasha was born, we were raised together," she turned to InuYasha, "But I still consider him like a younger brother to me!" she concluded.

InuYasha groaned, "Not to mention you always bullied me and picked on me; my ears will never forget the torment you gave them!" he mumbled, "Some older sister you are."

'He's still so cute!' Kakiya thought and grinned at him, making InuYasha grimace in return.

Shippo, who stayed silent ever since Kakiya showed up, popped up on Kagome's shoulder, "Let's go to the village and see Kaede!"

"Oh!" Kakiya exclaimed as she saw Shippo, "What a cute fox demon!" she pat him on the head.

"Yes, let's head there; it's been awhile since we've seen her." Said Sango.

The group headed towards the village and made their way to Kaede's hut. When they reached the village, they found out that Kaede was not present at the time, as she left to go to a neighbouring village to visit. They decided to use Kaede's home as a resting place for the night despite the fact that she wasn't there. Inside the hut, they all became more familiar with Kakiya and started to question her about the Shikon Jewel and Naraku.

"Shikon Jewel?" Kakiya thought for a bit, "Ah! I believe this is what you are talking about!" she reached into her clothes and pulled out a small cloth pouch. She undid the string and shook out the contents onto her outstretched palm. The group saw three jewel shards fall into the palm of her hand, "I found these while I was exploring around."

Kagome picked one up and examined them, "Yup, these are the jewel shards alright. That's strange; I wonder why I didn't sense them earlier." She said and placed it back on her palm. Kagome took out her own bottle of shards and showed Kakiya her fragments too, "We've been trying to collect them, but Naraku recently stole most of ours."

"Why are you collecting them?" Kakiya questioned.

"Too keep them from going into the hands of evil." Miroku answered her.

"This 'Naraku' is an evil man, I'm assuming."

Kakiya looked at the shards in her hand and then looked at Kagome. She took Kagome's hand and dropped the shards on it, "You can have mine then, I really have no need for them." She smiled.

"Oh, thank you." Kagome told her as she opened up the bottle and put the shards inside, "These shards are purified already," she looked back at Kakiya, "Did you purify the shards?"

Kakiya studied her and gave her a strange look, "I found them like that." She grinned.

InuYasha glared at her, "What a liar." He grumbled.

His reply earned a laugh from Kakiya, "Still as cute as ever." She said, repeating her previous thought out loud. She crawled over to InuYasha and gently pulled on his ear.

"What are you doing now?" InuYasha exclaimed.

"You do know what is not up tonight..." she whispered.

"Yeah, I know. Your point?" he said, irritated.

Looking at the group, who were currently chatting amongst each other and eating food that Kagome had made, "Do these people know about your secret?" she asked worriedly.

'I guess there's some parts of her that makes her like an older sister,' he gave her a soft smile, "Yes, they do. I've been with them for a while now; they are all people that I can trust."

Kakiya looked at him with surprise, "I guess that's fine then." She smiled at him, 'I'm glad he has people that he cares for now.' she fondly thought.

"And? What about you?"

"Oh! Are you worried for me?" she grinned, "That's so nice of you!"

InuYasha let out a quiet 'humph' and turned away, "You didn't answer my question."

"I'll probably leave you again, and find somewhere else to hide out for a few days." She told him, sitting back against the hut's wooden wall, and turned and looked at InuYasha, "But you don't have to worry about these things." She smiled.

"You can stay here with us... even if it's for a little while." He whispered, "I might not be able to protect you for the first night, but I can after that.

"That's very thoughtful of you, InuYasha." She looked at his friends, "But would they mind me staying for awhile?"

Across the room, Kagome and them noticed Kakiya watching them and smiled back.

"Hey, Kagome, don't you think InuYasha's a bit weird when he's talking to her?" Miroku whispered to her.

Sango stole a quick glance at InuYasha, "I mean look at the way he looks at her..."

Shippo grinned, "Maybe InuYasha-"

Kagome, irritated with her friends, cut Shippo off with her hand, "Guys, they are just childhood friends. They even said so themselves. We should just let them be and not interrupt them." She concluded.

"I guess you're right." Miroku sighed.

Sango glared at him, "But why would you care in the first place, Miroku?" her eyes narrowed, "You just want more time to talk with her don't you?"

"Ah, no Sango, you've gotten it all wrong." He answered nervously, "I just..."

Shippo sighed, "Just give it a rest, Miroku."

InuYasha watched his friends bicker over something and wondered what they were talking about. "I don't think you have to worry about anything. I'd doubt that they would mind you staying with us for a night or two." He told her.

Kakiya considered her options for a moment before giving him a reply, "Then, I'll stay with you for a while longer." She happily told him.

A vein popped on InuYasha's forehead, 'She wanted to stay here from the beginning!' he angrily thought.

Noticing his expression, Kakiya grinned, "Yup!"

InuYasha suddenly jumped up and moved away from her, "Can you read minds now or something?"

Kakiya put a finger on her chin, "It's written all over your face."

"It is not!" he exclaimed. InuYasha sat down and turned away from her, even angrier than before, 'Women.' He thought distastefully.

Kagome looked outside the window and noticed that very soon, the night would fall upon them. "It's a moonless night tonight, isn't it?" she whispered.

InuYasha's ears twitched, "Yeah."

"Now then," Miroku started, "Let's prepare our sleeping quarters for tonight." He turned to InuYasha, "Would you like for us to assign posts throughout the night? To keep watch?"

InuYasha scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous; don't waste your energy on something like that. Besides, I don't plan on sleeping tonight."

Kagome sighed, "You never sleep on nights like this."

"Because something always happens when I become a human." He grumbled.

"Now, now, InuYasha, you shouldn't worry so much." Miroku stated.

Sango smiled, "We're here too, we'll protect you."

"Bah."

Kakiya looked outside in time to see the sun completely disappear from the horizon. They all watched InuYasha as his transformation took place; the blackening of his hair, his ears disappearing and his fangs and claws retracting.

"It's been awhile since I've seen that." She smiled and giggled, "Still cute, but no ears." She pouted as she pat him on the head.

"You're one to talk!" he snapped back, batting away her hand, "You're one now too."

The group looked at him, and then to Kakiya in surprise. Kagome looked at Kakiya, "So she isn't human, is she?"

He scoffed, "Do you think that a mere human can live as long as I have? She's older than me you know."

Miroku gazed at her in wonder, "Then what is she? She certainly does not have a demonic aura or anything else of that sort."

"It doesn't even look like she changed much though." Shippo said, chipping in.

"But if InuYasha said that you're now a human too, that must mean that you're a half demon." Sango concluded.

Kakiya gave them a mysterious smile, "Perhaps not a demon, but yes. I believe I am half something. So for now, I am just a half-breed. Though I haven't got a clue as to what 'breed' I am." She happily told them. She looked around to see the worried looks on their faces "Don't worry about it! I'm trying to find out what I really am myself."

"Well, I hope you do find out sometime in near future." Kagome told her after a short silence.

"Thank you." Kakiya gently replied.

As the night grew longer, sleep beckoned to the tired group as they each fell asleep, one by one. Kakiya watched their calm sleeping faces and smiled to herself, glad that InuYasha made a lot of kind friends. She stood up and slowly walked out of the hut, but didn't get far before she was stopped by someone.

"Are you really leaving?" InuYasha questioned as he stood there, leaning against the door of the hut.

She turned around and faced him, "Just wanted to sleep outside," she said pointing to the grassy hill behind the hut, "I don't really like sleeping indoors on a fine night such as this." She smiled as a soft breeze of wind blew through her long, black hair.

"You plan on sleeping outside." He stated plainly.

"Yup." She turned away from him and started walking up towards the hill, "I'm not as defenceless in this state as you are, InuYasha."

She heard him sigh behind her, "Don't blame me if you get eaten or something." He mumbled.

Kakiya let out a soft laugh, "I don't think I'd be there to blame you if I got eaten." She sat down on the hill and looked at him, "See you in the morning?"

"Yea." He looked up at the moonless sky and then turned back into the hut, "Good night."

"Good night, InuYasha." She answered.

She fell back onto the grass and looked up at the clear starry sky. Soon, she answered sleep's beckoning waves and happily welcomed it to her side.

XXX

Cheers.