Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Inuyasha, only my characters and storyline.
Chapter 4: The Change
Kasumi found herself hiding in the highest branches of the sacred tree. 'It's stupid to be so upset, I hardly know any of them.' She whipped the tears from her face, groaning in frustration. 'I don't understand why I'm feeling like this.'
She stared out into the sky, trying to rearrange her thoughts. She heard a crunch below her, she glanced down to see a white and red figure sitting below her.
"What do you want?" She asked, harsher than she had meant.
"To know why you're upset?" He sounded confused and trying to cover the fact that he knew it was something he'd done.
"I don't even know," she sighed burying her face in her arms. "I don't know any of you, I really have no reason to be feeling this way."
"A day or a year, the heart knows what it wants," he said, almost too quietly for her to hear. "It was something my mother used to tell me when I was little."
"What does that mean?"
"Well I never believed in love, until I met Kikyo. I never believed I could be loved, until I met Kagome. I never believed in soulmates, until I met you."
She felt her heartbeat increase slightly.
"I'm not saying it's going to be easy," he said quietly. "But maybe if we know each other better, it will be less hard."
"You're barely making sense," she laughed shaking her head. She felt a vibration on her branch, she glanced to her left to see him sitting a bit away from her.
"I'm not good with words," he sighed rubbing his head.
"Maybe, before leaving on a journey full of danger, we should know more about each other." She whispered. "I do want to know one thing." He stayed silent, waiting for her to say something. "Why did you decide to save me and go on this journey with me? Sango told me it was hard for you with Kagome…"
He was struck by the question. "I-I don't...the moment I woke up and saw you...I don't know, I felt a sort of resonance. Does that make any sense?"
"Kind of," Kasumi pulled her hair to one side, exposing part of her neck. "I definitely felt something last night." From the corner of her eye she noticed the red tint on his face. "Maybe you were more right than you realized last night. We can't help falling for each other." Unconsciously they had moved closer, their arms touching.
"Hey are you done making smoochy face up there!" Both their faces turned beat red.
As if out of instinct, Kasumi jumped up and yelled, "SIT!"
Inuyasha ended up breaking the branch and fell face first into the ground with a loud crash. Soon after he sat up and growled.
"What the hell was that for!"
"Sorry," she winced as she made her way down. She landed in front of him. "I panicked."
"So you were making-" Inuyasha hit Shippo on the head. "Hey I'm not a kid anymore!" He rubbed his sore head.
"You're still annoying." Inuyasha huffed, crossing his arms. "Where did wolf boy go?"
"Koga took off, said he had something he needed to do." Shippo shrugged still glaring at the half demon.
"Are we gonna go, or are you two gonna act like children?" Kasumi rolled her eyes walking passed them.
Akane and Kohaku walked over as Kasumi walked away from the boys. Akane ran up to the female hanyou.
"Are you ok?" Akane asked softly.
"I am now." Kasumi sighed, then she put on a bright smile. "We should go, try and see if we can find any shards." Akane nodded but she knew something was bothering her.
"Oh my god, it's been three days," Kasumi complained. "Can't we take a break?!"
"We've taken breaks," Inuyasha shrugged.
"When everyone can no longer walk," she marched up to him and stood in front of him, giving a very Kagome-esque look. "I am finding a hot spring with Akane, and then we can continue." She turned, grabbed Akane by the wrist and stormed off.
"Wow, I think she could be even scarier than Kagome," Shippo said with a scared look.
"Tch, nothin' I can't handle." Inuyasha said, but he still had a slight tremble to his voice.
"That girl is so impulsive," Kyoshi shook his head.
"Let's just set up a camp, it's getting close to sunset." Kohaku suggested as he headed into the trees to look for firewood.
"Wow, I think you scared them." Akane giggled.
"Well that dog has another thing coming if he thinks he's the boss," Kasumi grumbled. She sniffed around, looking for the scent of the natural hot springs. "This way." A few minutes later they'd found the hot spring. They stripped down and got in, sighing in delight. "This feels nice."
"Yeah," Akane sunk down to just below her nose.
"Do you think there's something wrong with me?" Kasumi asked, she was turned away from Akane, her arms resting on the natural wall of the spring.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, it's been three days and I haven't sensed a shard, they said I should be able to." She sighed heavily. "Maybe I just had the jewel implanted, and the real reincarnation is out there somewhere."
"There's no way you could have released Inuyasha if that were true." Akane said reasonably. She moved over next to Kasumi and placed a hand on her shoulder, in a comforting gesture.
Kasumi turned and looked into Akane's honey colored eyes. "I think he wishes I hadn't...this is all so confusing."
Suddenly Kirara jumped up next to them, she sat and watched them.
"Where did you get her?" Kasumi looked at Akane.
"Mom said she's been in our family for ages," Akane shrugged, she reached out and stroked the feline's head. "Something bothering you?"
"Kasumi," Kirara spoke, both girls eyes flew wide in shock.
"She just-you just spoke!" Akane said breathlessly.
"Indeed," Kirara nodded. "I need you to know something, but you must not tell Kyoshi I spoke to you."
"Ok," Kasumi nodded, still freaked out a bit. She knew there was a reason the twin tail had made her nervous.
"On the night of the new moon, similar to the full moon, you will transform." Kirara said. "You will take on a form similar to mine and Kyoshi's."
"Why now?"
"Because, the seal has worn off," Kirara said. "The day you released Inuyasha, is the day your full powers were released. Honestly, I'm not sure why Kyoshi has neglected to tell you all this. You should have learned it a long time ago."
"Kyoshi doesn't tell me anything," Kasumi said hotly. "I don't even know my own parents."
"You girls should head back soon," Kirara said, she hopped down and disappeared.
"That really happened, right?" Kasumi stared at Akane, she received a nod.
"L-Let's get back," Akane said as they got out.
That night after everyone was full and drifting off, Kasumi wandered away from the camp.
"Do not stray too far," Kyoshi warned as he yawned and curled up.
"Yeah, yeah," she walked until the light from the fire was gone, and she came into a clearing. She stared up at the waning moon. Her mind was buzzing with everything Kirara had told her.
"You shouldn't go off alone," her ear twitched in his direction. "It's dangerous."
"I can handle myself," she said never taking her eyes from the sky. "I wonder, do you truly believe I'm reincarnated from Kagome?"
"Yeah," he shrugged stepping closer.
"Then why do I feel like I'm insignificant?" She crossed her arms protectively over her heart. "I don't know anything of who I'm supposed to be, where I come from. I feel like Kyoshi is purposely keeping me in the dark."
"Sometimes, I wish I could forget my past." Inuyasha said staring up to the stars as well. She turned to look at him, she could see all the years of pain in his gaze. "I don't think my mother would be proud of the person I am."
"Were," Kasumi said softly. He glanced at her surprised. "I can see you're not like you were, you've seen so much...more than me I'm sure...you know who you are."
"You sound like you know me," he gave her a smirk.
"I do, in a sense," Kasumi shrugged. "I mean, I've always felt as if I were missing something. But the moment I met you, I felt like I'd found that piece, even if you are rude and arrogant most of the time."
"Do you know any of your history?"
"Just that my father was supposedly the lord of the south. My mother was the priestess of the nearby village. They were secret lovers, but the night I was born they were attacked and killed. Kyoshi took me away and has raised me since then.
"Sometimes in a dream I can almost hear their voices, as if they're trying to tell me something...but I can never grasp it."
She looked over at him, she sank down to the ground. "I don't know where I'm going, even now I feel like I'm useless. I don't know any of my powers, and I can't even sense a jewel shard-" she felt a strange pull. She stood back up, her ears were strained in the direction of the pull. "Something's coming, fast."
There was a whirlwind, a woman appeared within it, she has long black hair, and deep brown eyes. "Oh my, who do we have here?" A sultry sounding voice came from the woman. "A cat and a dog, how strange." She gave a tittering little laugh. She pulled out a paper fan, using it to fan herself. "Why have you wandered into my territory?"
"Didn't know it was claimed," Inuyasha had his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at anytime. "Why show up now, surely you noticed us earlier."
"Because, it's more fun this way. I had hoped to ambush you all, but this will do."
She moved forward quickly, stopping in front of Kasumi before either of them could react.
"My what beautiful eyes you have," she purred, taking the female hanyou's chin in her hands. "Almost familiar…" There was a small flash of recognition, it was gone as quick as it appeared. "So he's finally come after me huh? Well his little half demons won't be enough." Suddenly the surrounding area became shrouded in darkness. "Become the night, you will rest soundly in my darkness." The tendrils wrapped around Kasumi, her green eyes went blank.
"Don't let her get to you, snap out of it!" Inuyasha drew his sword, swiping away the tendrils. "Kasumi, wake up!"
"It's no use howling at her like that dog. She's mine, he should have thought twice before letting her out of his sight." She laughed as the darkness began to swallow the two of them.
"No you don't! Adamant barrage!" Spears of diamond flew at the woman, tearing through her tendrils. It weakened her hold on Kasumi, the downside was Kasumi screamed in pain, slashes appearing on her body.
"Fool, damage to me is damage to her," the woman laughed in a slightly deranged way.
Inuyasha wasn't sure what to do, when suddenly an arrow pierced the darkness. The woman squealed reeling back from the spiritual energy, it wasn't staggering like Kagome or Kikyo's energy, but it was enough that Inuyasha could pull Kasumi free.
Once she was free she went limp. "Get her out of here!" Kyoshi growled, he and Kirara were in their large forms and their hackles were raised. "Now!" He roared as Kohaku and Akane mounted Kirara. "We'll drive her off."
Inuyasha sped away from the others. He reached a river not long after and stopped, putting her down.
He pulled out some cloth from inside his robe, using the water to soak it and clean her wounds. They were already starting to heal, but it would take until morning for them to completely heal.
Kasumi came around soon after, wincing as she sat up. "Who was that?"
"I don't know, but she was determined to take you." Inuyasha stared back in the direction he'd come from, a low growl resonating in his chest.
"You almost sound like you care," she smirked as his cheeks stained pink.
"Whatever," he turned away from her.
"She almost seemed...familiar," Kasumi stared at her hands. "But I don't know from where." She glanced up. "I don't know why, but a part of me longed to go with her."
"Are you doing all right?"
"I'll be fine, it doesn't even hurt anymore." She gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks for helping me get away."
"I'm the reason you're wounded," he sighed. "When she had you, you were connected to her...I couldn't help you. If not for Akane's arrow, you would be with her."
"Kasumi!" They turned and saw the others coming up to them. "Are you alright?" Kirara had barely landed before Akane jumped down and ran over to the other girl.
"I'm fine," she waved the younger girl away as she fretted. She stared at Kyoshi. "Who was she?"
"Her name is Kaori, she was-"
Kirara growled and shot him a glare.
"She was my wife...your mother."
Kasumi felt her stomach drop to the floor, her ears flattened against her skull. Her whole world seemed to shift and fall apart.
AN: I hope everyone enjoys the chapter, sorry for such a long delay with this chapter. Life has gotten in the way of my writing, and I hope to get back to it soon. Remember to leave a review, favorite or a follow. And as always I will see you, in the next chapter. BUH-BYE!