Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Prince of Tennis or any of its characters.

New Beginnings
[16] Thunderstorm Passing

"I'm home!" Kagome announced happily, toeing off her shoe and stepping into the warm of the Echizen household. "Auntie? Uncle?" Besides the confrontation with Sasabe from earlier, it was a good day. Sesshomaru wasn't nearly as frightening as she had first made him out to be.

"They went out," Ryoma answered softly, stepping out to greet her—actually, if he was completely honest with himself, it was really to judge her mood before he unloaded everything to her. Kagome, he had learned from the incident with… the green-eyed man from Sesshomaru's house, was rather frightening when she wanted to be.

She smiled at him, "That's unusual."

"Mom went shopping," Ryoma answered, eyeing her expression. "The old man followed."

"Ah," she acknowledged as she stretched. "Uncle ran out of magazines, did he?" she asked, making her way to the living room only to stop dead at the figure sitting on the couch.

"Buchou's here," Ryoma supplied, rather late.

Tezuka stood up slowly, his eyes raking Kagome's form as if meeting her for the first time. He gave her a rather curious gaze but bowed and greeted her. "Higurashi-san," he murmured softly.

"Um…" Kagome faltered, narrowing her eyes at his odd behavior. Though she didn't know the man well, she knew enough to understand that this wasn't the captain's typical behavior. "Tezuka-san…"

Silence.

He was still eyeing her. With a frown Kagome turned towards her cousin about to ask him if something was wrong only to catch a sight of him, shifting uncomfortably where he stood, looking everywhere but at her. There was something odd… she gasped as realization struck, whipping around until she was completed faced towards the young tennis player. He shrunk underneath her furious gaze. "You told him!" she accused. "I can't believe you told him! I'm going to kill you!"

Her words seemed to spring Tezuka into action. He may not be familiar with the young woman but Kagome was sure that Tezuka knew, or at the very least, seen enough to understand that she was not to be underestimated. Taking a step forward, he barked, "Higurashi-san!"

"What?" Kagome snarled, whipping back around to face him. And since he already knew her secrets, she had no need to hide. Her hair flared around her uncontrollably as pink sparks danced around her skin. She watched with satisfaction as Tezuka took an involuntary step back in shock. And while she knew that they would need to tell Tezuka on way or another—she had planned on telling him sometime soon—he was, after all, more involved than anyone would have liked, Kagome was actually more angry that Ryoma had told his captain without consulting her first.

"Sasabe quit the team," Ryoma offered a bit quietly, stepping in between his cousin and captain. These were two great forces at work and although Tezuka was new to the entire situation, Ryoma knew that he was not one to back down. And Kagome… Kagome wouldn't even dream of it. Kagome had always been protective of both her friends and family, even back when she was a seven-year-old. Ryoma had no doubt in his mind that if something were to happen, Kagome would not only attempt to protect those she cared about but actually succeed.

Kagome frowned, wrinkling her nose as she took in the new information. She looked at Ryoma, taking in his familiar cap and noting the way his hands were so much rougher than a typical teenage boy's hands should be at his age from playing tennis. She sighed. "Good. In all honesty, if he hadn't, I would have made you quit the team," she finally admitted.

The revelation startled both Tezuka and Ryoma, making them stare at her in shocked silence. Ryoma narrowed his eyes and when he realized that Kagome was actually being serious, he narrowed them even further. "You can't do that."

She did not so much as to falter at the tone of is voice. "I know you like tennis, Ryoma but if Sasabe remained on the team, I'm not taking a chance of you getting hurt just because you are related to me."

"He never hurt me before." Wisely, the young prodigy chose not to let his cousin know that despite his words he had always been a bit weary of the still-mysterious man, even before Kagome's arrival. He had thought it was because Sasabe was taking Taka-senpai's place in the Regular's spot but now that he gave it more thought, perhaps it wasn't so simple, after all.

Kagome huffed. "Because he never knew you were related to me."

"It's not like he threatened to hurt you," he countered, referring to the confrontation they had with the man yesterday after the match.

"Well," Kagome spat, getting angry. Her earlier cheeriness had all but vanished, leaving a tense anger in its wake. "The thing is I don't know exactly what he wants from me. And I'm sorry if I believe that your health and life is more important to me than your love for tennis but in the end I would have made you quit if he didn't."

"I don't think Sasabe would harm Echizen in any way," Tezuka cut in. Kagome narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips in annoyance. Tezuka continued on before she could interrupt. "He quit the team yesterday, immediately after your conversation." Her eyes narrowed further, this time in suspicion as she wondered if it was just her or was his choice of words implying that he had actually overheard the conversation yesterday.

"You don't know Naraku," Kagome muttered at last.

"His father?"

"I guess you could say that," Kagome said, jaw muscle twitching at the reminder. She looked at the older male in the eye for a moment before sighing. "I don't know how much Ryoma told you, but it's obvious that the situation's a lot more serious than you—either of you—will ever imagine." She threw her book bag onto the couch and pulled out a cell-phone, twirling the attached strap between her fingers. "And I don't care what you guys think or that he has already quit the team. Stay away from Sasabe."

Ryoma frowned, obviously not used to having someone—besides Buchou—order him around like that. Was this what Sota felt like, having an older sister and all? "I don't ca—"

"Because this," Kagome emphasized, reaching down before either male could react and pulled off her shirt, "is what you get when you get in Naraku's way."

The first thing he noticed was the strange star-shaped scar decorating her side. Tezuka, not unfamiliar with scars had thought that particular one was quiet gruesome but it was nothing compared to the scars that Higurashi meant to show them. She turned around; flipping her long hair over her shoulder and Tezuka was greeted with three long, ropey scars that ran diagonally down her back. And the only way Tezuka could imagine Higurashi getting those scars were if someone—Naraku, he presumed—attempted to turn Higurashi into ribbons.

Even Echizen, whose expression usually ranged from amusement to boredom and just plain asleep looked utterly horrified. "What… what happened?"

Tezuka gave the scars another look over and for the first time since he met the young woman, took a good, hard look at Higurashi's body. He had noticed the little scars before, such as the ones on her hands and knees but had assumed it was simply because she was clumsy. Now, he was beginning to notice the scars that run up and down both her arms and legs. They were too long and narrow to be from simple falls—unless, of course, she fell on a knife or something. Not to mention the smaller—more unnoticeable—ones that littered her back.

He had thought Higurashi was pretty before and supposed that she always would be. She still is, of course, but her appearance, he noticed was less of a delicate type of beauty and more like a war-hardened, exotic beauty. No wonder everyone else was so attracted to her; there was nothing about her that people were used to no matter their background. Talk about not being like anyone else.

Whatever courage it took the young woman to pull off her shirt seemed to have fled her in those seconds and Tezuka watched as a light warm flush spread across her face. She pursed her lips stubbornly and slid her shirt back over her head and into place, smoothing out any wrinkles. "Just a demon that he decided to send our way," she explained and grew silent for the next moment as if lost in thought. "But that's not the point," she said, catching Echizen's gaze and holding it. "The reason—the only reason I got away with just this was because Inuyasha was there to protect me. It could have been a lot worst."

Worst? For a brief moment, Tezuka wondered what she meant by that and then remembered the scars and oh gods! How bad were the wounds when they were fresh? She could have died! Whatever thing the Naraku guy had sent after her was sent with the intention of killing her. And to think Sasabe may or may not be related to the guy.

"So," Higurashi continued. "Just stay away from Sasabe until I find out exactly what he wants. And since he wants all together, according to Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's coming back to Japan in a week or so… so wait until then, all right? Then ask him back onto your team if you want." She looked at the cell phone in her hands—it was Echizen's, Tezuka noticed—and sighed. "Anything else before I report this to Sesshomaru?" She visibly deflated. "He is so not going to be happy with me."

"My arm," Tezuka said. "I would like to know the actual situation surrounding my arm."

Higurashi blinked in surprise. "Didn't Ryoma explain?"

Tezuka faltered slightly. "Echizen's explanations were… less than satisfactory," he answered carefully. "He told me of your… adventures and reasons why Sasabe may have quit the team." Tezuka imagined the entire story to be much more lengthy and wordy than the young tennis prodigy would have liked, it's no wondered he received the short version.

She blinked and then turned to glare at her cousin. Tezuka was happy to see that this particular glare was a lot less intense than the one previous. "So literally, you just told him: I traveled back in time, made enemies with Naraku. Sasabe may or may not be related to him and may or may not want to kill me."

Echizen sniffed, obviously offended. "I told him about your priestess powers too."

Higurashi groaned. It was going to be a long night.

Sesshomaru flipped his cell phone shut and stared at it. Everything, he thought, was spinning wildly, wildly out of control. First it was the fact that everyone else seemed to be reincarnated, then it was the priestess telling her cousin, then Sasabe and now… now he had to deal with the fact that Echizen Ryoma's tennis captain knew.

Of all people.

Honestly.

Who the hell is Echizen's cousin anyway? Sesshomaru's brows furrowed and he could already feel the unpreventable headache. Was it the same human with the almost-but-not-quite demonic arm? Sesshomaru almost scoffed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and flipped open his phone again, dialing his brother's number before pressing the speaker botton.

It took Inuyasha three actual calls to pick up: "I'll fucking kill you!" his half-brothers rough voice greeted sleepily. "What the hell do you want? Do you know what time it is here?"

Sesshomaru felt his jaw twitch and resisted the urge to comment on his brother's language. It was a wonder how he is taken seriously in the business meetings Sesshomaru sends him on. "I don't care," he replied smoothly, his voice not betraying his inner frustration. "Get on the earliest flight back," Sesshomaru ordered. And just because he knew his brother was not one to listen to him, added, "Something else arose."

Silence.

"Naraku's incarnation is still fucking alive! What else happened?!"

"The priestess' adventures had been revealed to Echizen's tennis captain," Sesshomaru all but sneered, feeling the last of his patience snapped.

"Echi—who the fuck is that?"

Sesshomaru glared at the phone. "Just get back to Japan," he ordered flatly and hung up before his brother had a chance to comment.

He gave himself a moment, rubbing the bridge of his nose, trying to sooth away his headache. And to think that he had thought chasing Naraku around five hundred years ago had been a nuisance. With a sigh, Sesshomaru got up from his seat behind his desk and made his way to the window. He breathed in deeply only to wrinkle his nose in disgust as he breathed in the contaminated air. Ah, how he missed the time when the air was untainted by human pollution.

Gazing back onto his desk, Sesshomaru eyed the paperwork with distaste. And so, without another though he jumped through the open windows, the force of his legs propelling him into the night sky. It had been months since his last hunt. Twisting his body, Sesshomaru changed directions and headed towards the mountains off in the distance instead. The seal that usually muffled his powers was released and with full senses, Sesshomaru could almost taste his very surroundings. Besides the human pollution that tainted his senses, he preferred this much more than being coped up in a house signing his name on useless sheets of paper.

He landed on top of a tree; his aura unleashed and seemed to electrify the air around him. With his keen ears, he could hear the animals below, running away from the oncoming danger. Sesshomaru grinned; animals always did have a much better sense of danger than humans. Humans thought they were so smart, thought themselves powerful. Ha! Sesshomaru looked around, sharp eyes eying the trees below him, ears listening for a worthy disturbance.

There.

Something was in the distance, a mile and a half away from him but Sesshomaru was able to pick it up. A bear, probably from the sounds of it. Fast. But Sesshomaru was faster. Gathering his aura beneath his feet, he leapt, his energy propelling him like a rocket as he dived towards the animal. It took him five seconds to reach it; he felt his eyes bleed red with adrenaline the moment his extended claws swiped through the animal. The bear fell to the ground behind him with a satisfying thud and Sesshomaru brough his bloody claw up to his mouth, lapping at the still warm liquid.

The salty liquid did little to quench his thirst. Not enough, he thought. Red eyes scanned the woods around him, looking, listening for another prey. The leaves somewhere behind him rustled from something—not the wind—and Sesshomaru took off again. His other claw sliced through the warm flesh of a deer before the animal even had a chance to react. Sesshomaru frowned, gazing at the carcass with tinted red eyes. No, he thought, still not enough.

The lights of the city below caught his eye and Sesshomaru paused, frowning thoughtfully. When was the last time…? Not since Inuyasha, he knew, but even that was months ago. He looked around; the fool breeze on his skin, the scent of blood from his previous two kills was enough to make the blood in his own veins course with fire. But he needed more.

He grinned.

It took him all but five minutes to reach his destinations. Licking his lips in anticipation, Sesshomaru took a deep breath to calm himself. He gathered his aura around himself and compact it, feeling the illusion covering him like a second skin. Sesshomaru wiped his hands onto his black yukata—which thankfully masked the blood of his previous kills—and scratched the dried blood from his skin. He could still feel his heart pounding underneath his chest and not wanting to waste any more time fussing over his appearance, Sesshomaru raised his hand and rang the doorbell.

It was Echizen Nanjiroh that answered the door, eyeing Sesshomaru with a raised eyebrow. It took him three seconds to break into a wide grin, teeth flashing in the moonlight. "Kagome!" he bellowed, "your boyfriend's here!"

"I don't have a boyfriend!" the priestess yelled back from somewhere in the house.

Before Sesshomaru could say anything, the man grabbed him and dragged him into the warm of the house. It smelt of food. But more importantly, Sesshomaru could feel the blood running underneath the skin of the hand that was currently wrapped around his arm.

Giving his head a slight shake—it would not do to kill this man no matter how annoying Sesshomaru thought he was—and allowed himself to be manhandled into the dining room. The first thing Sesshomaru noticed, surprisingly was not the priestess but Echizen's tennis captain, looking very uncomfortable sitting between the priestess and Echizen himself. The next thing was the priestess' horrified face as she took notice of his person.

"Sesshomaru!" she squeaked, jumping up. "What are you doing here?"

Sesshomaru turned his gaze towards her, his illusion-induced brown eyes locking into her blue ones. He was still barely in control, the hunt still freshly engraved in his very being; his blood was still rushing and his heart still pounding. Even Echizen, with what little and untrained holy power he had could probably see the uncontrollable shimmer of his seal.

"Priestess," Sesshomaru greeted.

Kagome paused. Sesshomaru's voice was a lot rougher than usual.

And then, much to her horror, Nanjiroh immediately deemed that his sex voice. With a whoop, Nanjiroh gave Sesshomaru a hard pat on the back, "Way to go, man! You must a beast in bed with that voice of yours."

Kagome paled further. "Uncle. Stop. Please."

Sesshomaru paid the man none of his attention. "Come, priestess."

"Eh? What? Is something wrong?"

Sesshomaru tilted his head. "Fight me."

Kagome stared, not getting it. "What?"

"Fight me."

She continued to stare, not believing her ears. "You," she said slowly. "You want me to… fight… you?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, brown eyes flashing gold for a brief moment. "Yes."

The priestess looked him over again, noticing for the first time how not completely in control the demon lord was. Despite the seal Sesshomaru had placed around his body, Kagome could still make out the dried blood underneath his fingernails. He was a demon through and through, Kagome knew. To be sealed up within a human body and living in the twenty-first century where demons are considered nothing more but monsters under children's beds... She sucked ina breath; the only outlet Sesshomaru probably has is Inuyasha who probably annoys and frustrates Sesshomaru more than his life already did and Shippo who's a demon probably a thousand years his junior—not that she was better by any means…

"Fine," Kagome answered, placing her chopsticks down.

"The backyard's pretty isolated," Nanjiroh offered. "And big enough."

Kagome blinked, turning her attention towards her uncle who winked at her in response. "I don't want to know," she mumbled finally with a shake of her head. She gave Sesshomaru one last pointed look before heading upstairs in order to retrieve her bow.

The next two chapters shouldn't take that long to come out. I have the first draft typed, I just need to retype it a couple more times, fixing words and stuff.