Apocalyptica Chapter 5: Secret of the Manuscript, an inuyasha fanfic

'Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.'~Harriet Tubman

Standard Disclaimer applies

"Talking"

Thoughts

Ethereal Voices/Beasts/ Spirits

Apocalyptica:

Chapter 5:

The Secret of the Manuscript

Modern Day:

Kagome Higurashi felt like she had been hit by a bus and now is a very good rendition of pavement pizza.

'Maybe I should put that as my status on Facebook...' She thought. A groan escaped her parched lips again for the second time of her waking.

'If this is what I am going to feel like every time I drink, then I swear I will never touch alcohol again!'

Not having the floating sensation anymore, Kagome decided to try and explore the workings of her other senses... again. She willed her eyes to open, but again it felt like someone had shoved two lead bricks underneath her eyelids making them way to heavy to lift. The second thing that came to her, was the lack of throbbing at the base of her neck, it was numb, and achy but not sore. She then noticed her hearing, everything seemed magnified, she could hear her own heart beat, smooth and steady, she could even sense the bloody pulsing through her body. There was someone sitting next to her, she could sense their presence, feel their aura as it where, like a energy that pulsed with the beating of their own heart beat, and it touched hers. Coupled with this is the heavy breathing she could hear, like the person was lying right next to her ear and breathing into it, the only thing that was missing was the breath over her skin. She could also hear the song of birds, chirping, through a window. And the gentle buzzing of what she could only assume was bees or flies buzzing over her head, and damn were they load.

Another groan escaped her lips as her headache reached a new level with the rise in volume, she willed her muscles to work as she brought a hand up to cover her face, and rub her now very itchy eyes. Her hand felt sluggish, heavier than she remembered, as her skin made contact with her face, it tingled, as if it were alive with power, she tried to rub her eyes, when the strong scent of metallic salt hit her now suddenly sensitive nose, she grimaced at the strong smell and tried to bite back the gagging reflex she felt constrict her throat. Then she peeled her eyes open, and was assaulted with the blinding light of day that shone through her closed curtains?

'Wait, what? My curtains are black, why is there light coming through them?'

She squinted towards the light, a blurry mix of sunlight filtered through what she could surmise was the window, she then turned her head towards the person sitting next to her, a woman she guessed, from the short brown hair, and the blurry shape, she could not make out the facial features, suppressing a groan as the smell of the individual assaulted her nose, jasmine and shortbread cookies, this was her mother she realised.

"Mom?" She croaked out, suddenly aware that she sounded drunk; the use of her mouth foreign to her from lack of use, she ran her tongue around her teeth eager to spread saliva across her parched mouth. She then had the metallic taste and smell of blood in her mouth and this time she could not suppress the gag as she swallowed the blood, having the pain of the small nick on her tongue throb from her slicing them on her new, very sharp teeth.

'Fangs? Since when do I have fangs?'

"Kagome?" the watery sob came from the person in the room. The person now hovering over her.

"Yesh Mom, itsh me, can you not talks so louds pleesh, it hurts..."

Kagome slurred, trying to lift a clawed hand up to her fore head.

'Ok, this is really creepy? What the hell happened? What do I have fangs AND claws??'

Panic began to rise from her stomach into her throat at her senses adjusted and she tried to take in all of the new smells, sights and sounds.

She reached for the vanity mirror that was kept at the side of her bed, and in a moment of sheer hesitation, she turned the reflective surface to face her and gasped at the face that peered back.

Her crystal blue eyes were swimming with emotion as she took in her features. The angle of her eyes had changed, offering a more slanted appearance, enhanced by the magenta swirls on either sides of her temples, her cheek bones were more refined and her skin was a paler shade that seemed to glow in the afternoon sun, she took in the red bags under her eyes and the pointed appearance of each ear, tucking a stray strand of glossy hair behind the pointed appendages. She then brought her trembling hand up to her mouth, and gently pushed back her plump top lip, revealing to the mirror the small set of white incisor teeth that were larger than normal.

A lone tear leaked out of the corner of her puffy eyes.

'What have I become?'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha put the borrowed SUV into park in his father's driveway; he lent his head on the steering wheel and sighed as he closed his eyes. Pushing through the developing headache and exhaustion that he was sure was going to catch-up to him soon.

'Man, I really need to change jobs 'Kagome-sitting ain't my thing... and its bloody dangerous... full bloody work out every time...'

He smiled at his thoughts. He took five minutes to just recap on the past nights events and get his facts into line before.

They had managed to find Kagome's whereabouts, then his good for nothing brother had beaten him to the punch again in creating a diversion for all the Chinese workers on the oil rig loading the narcotics, or what he assumed where masses of the narcotic that Sesshoumaru had mentioned earlier.

Once the diversion was set be began seeking out Kagome through her sent, but couldn't find her, eventually he found what 'was' Kagome in the back of a van parked just inside the oil rig's entrance. He smelt his brother in the van, beating him again to locating his best friend.

'This is becoming quite a bad habit of his... asshole' He remembers thinking at the time, and grumbling about how he owes the douche bag now for helping rescue Kagome. He then approached the van and tired again to catch a whiff of Kagome's sent, but all he could smell was a toxic concoction of something that smelled like adhesive remover and dishwashing liquid. He then set eyes on his best friend and was scared shit less at her demur. She was deathly pale, with her cocktail dress all grubby and torn in places that left a little too much revealing to his liking, he also took note of her face, how swollen it was, and how swollen her joints and certain places along her legs were. Her skin was patchy in places, and to make matters worse, there was a florescent orange looking gloop that they were feeding into her blood through the IV drip connected to her left arm, he realised that that was where the smell was coming from.

He visibly flinched at the potency of the smell as he got nearer to her. Sesshoumaru leaned over her and tried to pick her up. She moved then, a groan escaped her broken and cracked lips, and peeking through her swollen appendages were what Sesshoumaru guised as small fangs, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the new found knowledge and realisation set in.

Inuyasha was shocked out of his trance when she groaned; he moved over to her other side and saw the small fangs as well.

" What the Fuck?" He ended up almost yelling.

" Quiet Half-breed, we need to get her out of here and cool her body temperature down as its peaking with her transformation."

"Transformation? What transformation?" Inuyasha asked, his hanyou ears now flat on his head, images and memories of excruciating pain and anguish filled him as he remembered his transformation from Half Youkai, to full human on the night of the new moon.

" They have pumped some kind of concoction into her blood that transforms her from Ningen to Youkai..."

"...Fuck." Was all the Hanyou said as he took in the information his brother offered.

"Indeed..."

Inuyasha then leaned over his best friend and put his hand on her head, he could feel and almost see the heat her body radiated, she had a very high fever. As he put his hand on her forehead, another groan escaped the transforming girl and she opened her blue eyes for just a second, their eyes met. Her dilated pupils and glassy look offered the Inu brothers insight into her state; she smiled at him then and whispered a name.

"Shiro-sama..."

His heart broke at the sound of her voice and he offered her his very first apology.

" Kagome... I'm so so sorry..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inuyasha beat his head against the steering wheel, the hooter going off once breaking the silence of the front gardens.

He remembered saying those very words over and over and over again, once they had moved Kagome out of the van, they had brought her back to Sesshoumaru's car and debated about taking her to the hospital, but Sesshoumaru had insisted on her return to their parents' estate where the Higurashi's were as she would be attended to by their fathers physicians who specialise in Youkai healing. This shut the Hanyou up. The car ride home was spent in agonising silence after Sesshoumaru had called their father and informed him on the situation and the secured location of Kagome. He assumed the Kagome's parents would soon find out about it and he would be doomed.

They were greeted by a very distraught Kei and Hana Higurashi, Kei threatened to de-ball the Hanyou with a spoon for not looking after their daughter as they took her inside. Inuyasha gulped, knowing full well what the human male was capable of and at the death glare from him that followed, Inuyasha was sure that if Kei had any kind of powers, he would now be a puddle of bubbling puke on the floor.

He whispered again and again how very sorry he was, his apologies fell on deaf ears as they ushered a now unconscious and seizure wracked Kagome inside, the hanyou forgotten outside.

Then his mobile rang, the sound ACDC's Thunderstruck tune carrying out into the afternoon air.

He answered the phone.

" Hi... Dad...Ok 5 Minutes, Yes Sir." His ears flat on his head, he offered the now empty entrance hall a quiet whimper as he made for one of his dad's SUV's that were parked in the nearby garage and began the drive over to his doom.

He now sat in the car, trying to put himself together enough for his audience with his father, brought on no doubt, by his older brother.

He smacked his head once more on the steering wheel of the car and cried out in pain at the offending piece of round metal that left a small dent in the hanyou's head.

" Stupid stupid SUV not suppose to fight back..."

He sighed again in defeat, then got out of the car and made his way into his father's estate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The big mahogany doors to Yasashii Tashio's study cracked open, the older Tashio male was on the phone to his eldest, the two already piecing together what the Spider had planned with the Higurashi Heir. He turned from his position facing the huge bay windows that overlooked his winter gardens from behind his desk to the sound of the wooden doors creaking open.

Inuyasha very gently made his way through the small opening in the study and on light feet came to stand before his father, his ears flat on his head, his eyes downcast, his hands folded in front of him, trying not to shake. Yasashii was reminded of when he was a little pup and he had summoned him for something he had done and he was going to reprimand the young boy for his bad behaviour. A twinge of guilt shot up the eldest Tashio's heart strings.

He ended his conversation on the phone and addressed his youngest son.

" Inuyasha..." He said, the boy looked up at his father and as he did a lone tear ran down the hanyou's cheek.

" I am so, so sorry father..." The Hanyou began in the smallest voice, trying not to let his emotions through in his speech.

His father's heart string broke; he walked over to his son and rather awkwardly hugged him.

"Do not fear, my son, she will live..."

The hanyou was struggling with his emotions, anger, guilt, sadness, worry. He lent into his father, taking comfort in the familiar scent.

Yasashii moved back from his son, and made to sit in his chair, Inuyasha followed his father's example, his emotions now in check.

" I have arranged for the Miko Kaede to tend to Kagome's... afflictions. She will be able to offer more information on her... change, when Kagome is stable. For now, we have gathered that they have used the "Jewel' narcotic as a binding agent for a powerful transformation potion that has been used on Kagome. She should be fine, once the transformation is complete..." He trailed off, gauging his son's reactions to the new information.

" Is... Is the transformation reversible?" the hanyou asked

" As far as I know perhaps, if we can get hold of the original ingredients of the potion then perhaps we can find the cure. I have all my sources working on it now, son." He folded his hands in his lap.

"Your brother was lucky enough to find out her location..." Yasashii stated absentmindedly.

"Yeah... I owe the ass prick now..." He stated, frustration seeping into his voice.

His mind running circles around his brain relaying the knowledge his father has just provided him, something odd stuck out amongst all the flurry of activity that had had happened in the last night. When he was hovering over Kagome in the van and their eyes had met for a second, recognition had flashed in her blue orbs for a second, and he was sure that she had known he was there, but then she whispered a name... that name... Setsuna Shiro... who the hell was that? He questioned his father.

"Dad, do you know a Shiro-sama?"

His father's face contorted in contemplation, the name sounding familiar, then he paled at the recognition.

"That was my great, great grand sire pup, Setsuna Shiro he lived millennia ago, the founder of the Tashio name... Why do you ask?"

Confusion and contemplation washed over the hanyou.

" Oh, no reason, when we were in the van, Kagome had whispered the name when she saw me that all, but it must be because of the drugs in her system..." The hanyou trailed off.

"Yes... perhaps..." His father answered, deep in contemplation, he locked that information away in the confines of his mind for later inquiry, as he was sure there was no coincidence in her whispering that name.

'How would the young Higurashi heir know of my Father's, Father's sire... there is more to the mystery of Kagome Higurashi...'

Inuyasha made to stand along with his father. Yasashii reached for the phone again and Inuyasha took that as his cue to leave, he paused at the giant doors again and inquired over his shoulder to his father.

" Who...?"

" Naraku..." was his father's reply.

Determination and death flashed in the hanyou's eye before he exited the doors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome had gotten over her panic attack at the explanation of her transformation and the drug induced coma she had been put into for the better half of 24 hours. She was also informed of her spontaneous rescue by the Tashio brothers and the worry and panic she had caused with her disappearance.

Stable, and sitting up in her bed, and somewhat in denial, Kagome, turned her newly formed claws over and over in front of her, using her now sharpened eyesight, she took in her changed features, well the ones she could see from the confines of her bed. She was aware that she had sharper hearing, fangs, sharper vision claws, shaper sense of smell and a very sore head, Kaede has explained to her that she was still transforming, and will be developing more and more over the next few weeks, where they will then be able to tell what kind of Youkai she was transforming into. Kaede had given her something for the pain, and had explained her mental change that was also going to happen, but in no small amount of way was Kagome ready for any of this.

Saddened by her luck, she allowed herself some time to grieve for the loss of her human self.

'How could this happen? I was only supposed to turn 21 not into a completely different creature! How am I going to cope being a Youkai? Will my friends still accept me? What will they think! I'm going to be hideous with a horn on my head and scales and lumps all over my body...'

A small sob escaped her as her shoulders shook up and down and the tears poured down her face. She was distraught by her circumstances. Having a quiet wail was definitely allowed, she told herself.

'Dammit I think I have earned the right for a good cry...' She thought as her breath began to even our and her tears dried.

She stared for a long time at her hands. Then somewhere in the back of her mind, her conscience spoke to her.

'Come on Kagome... it's not that bad, well ok maybe it is... but you are still alive and you have your parents and Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru saved you... and... and well you have powers now?'

'And mom is pregnant...'

'And mom in pregnant? Wait WHAT?'

Her eyes budged at the new found knowledge, 'How did I know that?' She asked herself. Excitement taking over her, she leapt from her bed and stood on shaky legs, looking down at her feet, she found her legs covered in purple like patterns of swirls and twirls, going all the way along the outside of her calves, beginning just above her ankles up all the way, she was sure beyond her upper thighs.

'What the...?' her mind questioned to the now light and dark patches of colourful patterns covering her legs.

'Kinda looks like someone went ape shit on my legs with a bad botch of paint and a paint brush...'

She bent down slowly and ran a clawed finger over one of the more prominent strokes near her thy, this sent a shiver down her spine and she immediately flinched from the contact.

'Ouch, overly sensitive much? I wonder what I'm going to look like when all of this is done...Some really bad version of hand painting that a 5 year old did that people pass off as modern art?' Sighing at her thoughts, Kagome looked up to see her mother walking into her room, followed by Kaede carrying a tray.

"Kagome! You should not be out of bed!" Her mother's reprimand carried across the room. Immediately, Kagome's hands flew to cover her pointy ears.

'Stupid pointy ear,s I'm going to look like a smurf crossed with something from Lord of the Rings'

" Not so loud Mom!"

" Sorry honey, still getting use to it.." Hana said, crossing the room. Kaede offered a silent giggle to the conversation, amusement flashing in her good eye.

"Inuyasha is here to see you sweetheart, do you want him to come up?" Hana offered on her way over to her daughter.

The thought of her best friends company stirred mixed feelings within the young girl. Happy at the thought of seeing her best friend and weary of his reaction to her change, she shrank back into her covers like a young child at the thought of his possible rejection.

"Unn, no thanks... can you tell him that Im sorry but I'm not up to seeing anyone... yet."

"Sure sweetie..." Her mother said coming to her side, Kaede had automatically disappeared from her place at the door to inform the hanyou of the bad news.

As her mother approached her again, Kagome's nose was assaulted with the smell of shortbread cookies and something she can only describe as sick? This followed by what she would assume as Kaede's scent which was a mixture of a pharmaceutical store and a strong undercurrent of lavender.

This reminded Kagome of her perception on her mother's state of well being.

" Mom are you sick?" She asked.

Rather taken aback by the odd question, her mother replied.

"Umm, not that I know dearest, I felt nauseous this morning, and my boobs have been a bit more tingly than normal, but nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you ask?"

Confusion written across Kagome's face, she spoke her thoughts out loud.

"Well, you smell like shortbread, which I would assume that you always smell like that, it's comforting, but there's an underlying scent there, something developing... I think you are pregnant?"

Her mother paled at the response, realisation dawning on her.

" You know, I think I am late?" she replied, her hand automatically going to her stomach.

Kaede, back from her errand, chose that moment to interrupt their bonding, "I believe you may be right Kagome, there has been a flux in your aura Hana." The old Miko gestured towards her surrounding energy fields as she offered her opinion.

" How? How?" Her mother gasped at the realisation, she sat next to Kagome on the bed, her hand still on her stomach and the other on her head.

"Haha" The old Miko chuckled, " Do not fear, it shall al come to pass as the Kami's see to grant it... It os good to see you are figuring out your new senses Kagome, here, drink the tea have brought you, it will make you feel much better." Kaede offered her a cup of the brew from the tray.

Kagome took the cup form her, excitement dazzling her eyes, and her mind racing with all the possibilities of being an older sibling as she took a sip only to end up spitting it back into the cup.

" Yuck, what kind of concoction is this?" She questioned the now laughing Miko again

" Never mind what is in it, drink, it is good for you."

Distracted by her daughters distress, Hana offered to hold her daughters nose while she downed the foul drink.

Once she was done, Kagome lay back down at the command from her mother and the old Miko, who Kagome was convinced, was senile.

As her mother was tucking her covers around her, like she was a child again, Kagome asked. " Do you think I will get a brother or a sister?"

A smile of acceptance and hope flashed across Hana's face at the excitement her daughter showed.

" I don't know sweetie, we shall have to see..." Was her strange reply. "Now, get some rest, we will come and check up on you again soon..." Both the mother and Kaede made their way to the door. Before they exited the room, Kagome called to her mother again.

Distracted by the new information of her possibly becoming a sibling, Kagome saw this as a positive spin on her current situation.

" Mom, can you please pass me my Manuscript that you and Dad gave me, I think I should start a Journal, you know, keep track of my... changes."

Her mother smiled " Kagome, ever the optimist... Sure..." Her mother handed her the book and a pen, then disappeared through the door, following Kaede, leaving Kagome in her own thoughts.

After her mother and the old duck had disappeared from view, Kagome waited another minuet for their foot falls to disappear from her sensitive ears, she then proper herself up a bit more on her bed and looked down at the ancient book again. She ran her hand over the leather binding and over the sun clasp. Her hands tingled a little at the contact, recognition teased the back of her mind again, but she was not able to grasp onto the thought, so instead, she undid the clasp and opened the book with a groan from the leather. She flipped the first page that had her full name written in ancient Kanji on it and flipped passed the first couple of pages with the ancient writing to where the writing ended. What she did think was odd though, was the penmanship for the last bit of writing was totally different to the couple of pages written before.

She shrugged off the thought and picked up the pen, tapping the pen on her lip a couple of times as to get her creative juices flowing, she then began to write.

To whomever reads this... My name is Kagome Tomiko Higurashi, and this is my story. To date, I have had my 21st Birthday and have been accepted into adult society as women of the Higurashi line. I have been kidnapped and transformed against my will into some kind of Youkai and now await my fate...

As she wrote the words, they seemed to sink into the page, glowing a slight blueish hue then transforming into the ancient Kanji that were on the previous pages of the book. Kagome lifted the pen and stared at the book in astonishment.

'Woah, I didn't know it could do that...This is too wierd, and kinda cool?'

She brought the pen back to the paper again, but hesitated.

'What do I say now?...'

The pen finding its way back to her mouth, this time, the tip was lodged between her lips as she struggled to think of how she should phrase her next sentence.

To her utter bewilderment again, the blue hue rose from the ancient pages again and in its place was words, like an invisible hand had written them while Kagome was staring at the book..

Kagome broke the tip of the pen off in her mouth fro, her surprise, ink flowed from the broken utensil into her mouth and down her chin, dripping onto the manuscript page, Kagome threw the utensil to one side and grabbed the towel that was put next to her bed for her fever and mopped up as best she could the ink that was on her face and in her mouth.

Once she had cleaned herself up a bit, she looked back at the page, doing another double take at the new writing that had emerged; she ran her hand over the parchment, trying to feel for anything.

'Now how the hell do you explain that?' Baffled by this turn of events, Kagome got out of bed, eager to find a new pen, and on shaky legs made her way over to her vanity, where she opened the top drawer and found another pen to use, she turned to return to bed and her book. Back in her propped up position, Kagome once again tried to respond the Kanji.

Hi? I cannot understand the ancient Kanji

Her eyebrows drew together in thought and she made to scribble out what she just wrote, only to have the words disappear into the parchment like last time, blue light flashing vaguely from the open page.

'Balls, they are going to think I'm some dumbass with a response like that...'

Within seconds the blue light flashed again and a new set of Kanji appeared underneath Kagomes'. Still not understanding the Kanji, Kagome tried to break up the old fashioned characters as to try and make some sense of the words on the page, as her grandfather had taught her, all modern day words are derived from the ancient Kanji, just a more simplified version of.

After a few moments of hard thinking and reliving her history classes, Kagome managed to piece together some kind of interpretation. The response read something about, 'reading' and 'mind' she guessed. So in response she wrote, Help?

Suddenly the magic of the book took hold again, Kagome experienced a blinding flash off blue light, it blinded her with its brilliance and left her seeing dark spots once the light died down, Kagome then put the pen down and rubber her now rimmed red eyes.

'Ouch, that hurt, stupid book, should warn someone when you are going to do something magical like that again...'

A frown marring her features, Kagome picked up the book again and glanced over the Kanji, her eyes bulged at the writing across the page, she could read it.

'wowee now that was some strong voodoo shit...'

She traced the conversation back to where she had first begun and read:

Finally we meet Kagome of the Bow.

Hi? I cannot understand the ancient Kanji.

That is because you are not reading it with your heart, open your mind!

Help?

Kagome laughed once she had finished reading the words, astonishment pasted across her face as the blue light flashed once again, revealing more words, Kagome eagerly read what was written.

Can you understand now?

Picking up her pen, Kagome replied to the book.

Yes I can, thank you. What did you do to me?

Kagome didn't wait long for the reply.

I simply helped open you mind. It's about time you and I spoke, my other self.

The page took on a constant bluish hue as the conversation between Kagome and the book took place and the ancient Kanji seeped into the page.

Other self?

Yes, I am you, you are me... we are one and the same, Kagome.

I'm sorry I don't quite understand...

You are my reincarnation Kagome... Do not panic, your understanding will come to you...

Oh?

Yes.

Ummm but how can you be in the book, talking to me? Are you trapped?

I am not trapped, Kagome, a part of my soul was put here for you, for this day, and to show you what once was.

To show me what?

My story...

Oh and umm, who are you?

My name is Megumi and this is my story...

The page seemed to glow again and unnatural blue light, Kagome, still baffled by all the new information waited for the blue light to vanish, however, it didn't, and instead of the Kanji seeping into the page, it was as if Kagome's very soul itself was pulled into the book and dissolved by the pages as she saw past the blue light and began reading Megumi's story.

Ancient Japan:

It was a cold morning, just before dawn, a cool mist blanketed the valley in a layer of suspended tranquillity. She stood above the valley on one of the hillocks that overlooked the previous day's battlefield. She expected to see the bloodshed and mayhem of broken, mutilated bodies littering the field, their souls long departed for another plane, yet all she could make out was the sublime power of nature as she gazed out over the valley, the sky warming with a bluish pink hue that promised the rising of the sun in the following moments. A sigh escaped her, her breath forming smoke in the cold morning air. She closed her eyes and cast her head down, offering a silent prayer for the warrior that lost her life yesterday, her mother, the great Midoriko. She had given her life for this Earth, combining Human and Youkai alike in the only way she knew of to save the world and end the bloodshed. She gave her life, knowing that she would not die, nor live, her form would forever be suspended in the moment following her decision to form the Jewel, the Shikon No Tama. She knew that she would be leaving behind her love, the man that kept her heart, her Youkai lover, and her child, a Hanyou, comprised of Miko and Youkai power, she would be the keeper, the Jewel's protector... Megumi, her blessing.

It was that night that Megumi, young of heart and innocent of age had snuck out of her father's ancestral home, using her powers to suppress her aura so as to not alert her nanny and keepers to her absence. She had followed her mother's signature power and her father's Youki onto the battlefield; she had witnessed her father's demise at the hands of the powerful Youkai that led the other half of the war, his last attempt at defending and protecting her dear mother. Megumi had witnessed the show of power and the blinding light that had shone for a minute from the cave where her mother met her frozen death, and it was here, that the burden of her destiny would be laid before her. As she entered the cave on tiny feet, tears running down her cheeks at the confirmation of her worst fear, she found her mother, encased in stone, the pain filled expression on her face as she made her decision, the swirling of Youkai that surrounded her human form. It was where her heart should have been that the glow of the pure Shikon No Tama blinked at the young hanyou, beckoning her hands, eager for her touch.

She reached for the Jewel in her mother's chest and ran, her guilt and pain pushing her forward, she ran, until her tiny lungs burned from use. She came to a stop on the hillock, heaving for much needed air. She then cried, her heart broke with the understanding of her father and mother's death, her heart broke for her own situation, and the pain overwhelmed her at the new path she walked... alone.

It was hours of crying until her tears dried up, she grasped the jewel in her tiny hand, and closing her eyes, casting her head down, she said a silent prayer.

'Kami of the heavens, watch over my mother, keep her safe in the comfort of your arms, watch over my father, and bring him unto your heavenly kingdom... Watch over me and guide me along this path so that I make good on my mother's decision...'

With determination in her eyes, she descended the hill, ready to meet her destiny head on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Returning to her own body, Kagome could feel the pull of magic on her soul lessen, she slowly drifted back into her form and woke, her head ached from the magical ride and tears filled her eyes as she took in what she had just read.

'How sad, I had no idea the stories about the great Midoriko were true, and the Shikon, No Tama...'

Her mind buzzing with unanswered questions, she picked up her pen and tried to write something on the page.

Migumi? I had no Idea what happened? What does this all mean? Where is the Shikon No Tama now? Is that your mother's heart? What happened to you?

The page took on its blue glow as the words sank into the parchment. Kagome waited for the reply for what seemed to be years, and then it came.

Calm yourself child, all shall be reviled in time. This is just the beginning of my story. Rest, you shall need it for what is to come. You shall be visited by a special being, she will help answer your questions... bewares the red eyed spider Kagome...

Kagome waited for more, but the page did not shine with blue magic.

Megumi? She wrote, but the page remained blank.

She waited a while longer, but nothing, the magic of the book had faded, for now.

In frustration, she slammed the book shut, the sun claps setting back into place, she threw the book onto the floor and flopped back on her bed.

'Stuuuupiiid book, all it did was leave me with more questions and answers. Who is Megumi? How did she protect the Shikon No Tama? When did this all take place? Why is she showing me all this? Am I really her reincarnation? ARRG Stupid Kanji and STUUUPPPIIID reincarnation book! Why do people around me like speaking in damn riddles! Now... I have a headache...'

With an exasperated sigh, she rolled over, mulling over all that she had just learnt Kagome fell into a light slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hana Higurashi was in her kitchen, the old Miko had left her to her own devices after checking on Kagome, claiming that she had some research to do herself. Hana now found herself hovering over the stove; she decided that a nice cup of hot chocolate would soothe her now frazzled nerves. She stared at the almost boiling milk as her mind wondered on her new discovery.

'How is it possible? My boobs are really sore and sensitive, and I am late... it would make sense, but how did Kagome know? She said I smelt differently? Am I really pregnant? I wonder what Kei will say?'

Distracted by her thoughts she did not see the mill boil over onto the stove, but was brought out of her musings when she smelt the burnt milk. She quickly took the pot off the stove and cleaned the burnt milk of the stainless steel surface, before making sure that there was still enough in the pot for a cup of cocoa. She then decided to go and see her husband and take him a cup as well, as a sort of peace offering.

~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~

Hana rounded the corner of the hall and knocked on the huge study doors, the oak wood hurting her hand and the gentle pounding. She opened the huge door and poked her head inside, there she found her husband, hunched over the desk, his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose and buried in his paper work.

" Dear?" Hana addressed her husband. He looked up from his papers and smiled at his wife's intrusion.

"Come in my love, what do you have there, it smells like Hot Chocolate?" He asked, talking the glasses off his nose, welcoming the break.

Hana made her way over to the desk and sat one of the cups in front of her husband, perching herself on the edge of his desk, she made herself comfortable and blew on her own cup to cool the brown chocolate drink down.

Picking up the cup, Kei had a good whiff before he too brought the cup to his lips, he was always convinced that his wife made the best Hot Chocolate in the world.

He took a sip and sighed at the familiar taste.

" How is Kagome?" He asked, breaking the silence.

" She is doing well, still transforming, I noticed those markings on her face, like the Tashio's but hers are dark purple and...swirly, I haven't told her yet and I don't think she has seen herself in the mirror yet..." She trailed off, concern filtering into her voice.

Kei put his cup down and put his hand on his wife's leg in a sign of affection.

" She is still our Kagome, dear, she just has a few more modifications... think of it as her getting tattoos and piercings..." A contemplative look appeared on his face. " In fact I think this is a little better than her going out and covering herself in tattoos and weird exotic piercings..." Kei offered as he chuckled.

This brought a smile to Hana's face, she swatted her husband for the jibe.

" Don't say that love, she is going through a very rough time, adjusting to all her new senses... But she is still my little princess, I'm just glad she came back to us alive..." She trailed off again, emotion taking hold.

Kei rubbed her leg again.

" Yes we do owe the Tahsio's so very much for bringing her back alive to us..."

" Yes we owe them everything..."

They continued to sip the hot chocolate, both lost in their own thoughts. Kei was the one again to break the silence.

" What kind of adaptations has she shown yet, apart from the markings? Has she displayed any Miko abilities like when she was a child?"

" No love, she hasn't shown any Miko abilities, I think the Youkai in her might have drowned out the purification powers. She just has a stronger sense of smell, sight and hearing..."

"Aah" was his reply, taking another sip of his chocolate.

" Speaking..." Hana began, nerves taking over, she was not quite sure how to approach the subject with her husband.

" Speaking of stronger sense of smell, Kagome said that I smelt different and... and suggested that I might be pregnant... and, and, and..." She didn't quite know how to finish the sentence, gauging her husband's reaction.

First confusion, then understanding and finally happiness lightened up the Higurashi male's face. He jumped up from his seat and enveloped his wife in a huge bear hug in his excitement.

" I'm gonna be a Daddy again! I'm gonna be a Daddy again!" He kept saying, while swinging his wife around in circles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another slash rang through the empty dojo again, leaving a read welt on the bare back of a very frustrated Hanyou.

" How could you mess this up? I set everything up for you! All you had to do was make sure the narcotics were delivered along with the Girl!"

Another slash rang out across the room.

" You are a disgrace of a son! Now I have to deal with the Tiger!"

Another slash.

" You are no son of MINE, Naraku!"

The Spider hanyou looked up after recovering from the last slash, his back bleeding from the repetitive welts issued from his Youaki Father. His black eyes holding all the malice of the world as he remained silent while his father reprimanded him.

Once his father had finished with his lashed, heaving from the force at which he whipped his son in punishment, he gestured for his son to stand.

" I apologise father, The Dogs will pay for their interference..."

Returning to the wall of the Dojo, his father replaced the bamboo whip back onto the shelf of the armoury.

" No you shall not do a thing, I shall see to the Dogs and their interference... you obtain the girl again..."

"Yes father", anger flashing in his vision at his father's lack of trust in his abilities.

" Can I trust you with this task?" He asked, looking his son square in the eye, issuing the challenge to challenge him.

Looking down, not meeting the challenge, Naraku answered his father.

" Yes Father, I shall get it done."

"The Gala for the merging of the international companies is coming up and the Higurashi's shall be making an appearance... I trust you shall use this knowledge wisely..."

With the satisfaction of his son's submission, he left the Dojo, leaving a bleeding Naraku to brood in his thoughts and blood. He paused at the door and issued his final say on the matter.

" Naraku... Do not fail me, again."

Naraku followed his father's movements with his eyes, never once moving from his kneeled position on the ground. Of course he would agree to recapture the girl, he was going to do it anyway, whether his father wanted it or not, as far as he was concerned, she was his, as he had his own plans for her, particularly now that she should of been fully transformed.

As for his father's threat, Naraku issued a threat of his own to the now empty dojo.

" I will not fail father, and when I succeed... you will die."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End

Yasashii ~Kind, Gentle, Easy Loving

Megumi ~ Blessing

Dojo ~ Gym