Yes, here is the first chapter of my little parody. Now, please, I don't want any flames if you hate InuxKag or any flames on pairing. I mean, how juvenile!

Okay, since that's pretty much all I wanted to post on this little pre-chapter note, here's the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha (even though it is widely known that we are all conspiring to steal him from Rumiko Takahashi in the dead of night) I still won't own him…just attempt to kidnap him…

Well, enjoy the chapter!


Chapter the First

An Outcast Named Kagome


"What a strange girl."

"I hope her parents know what she does."

"How could someone waste their lives like that?"

"It's pathetic."

"It's silly!"

"I don't want my children to be influenced by her."

"My daughter is the pride of our town, she will not be allowed anywhere near that child."

"I agree."

"Ever since her father passed on, she's been nosing around in those silly books of hers."

Hearsay. It was all hearsay. Kagome could care less for their idle talk. She didn't want to grow up to be like them. What kind of sensible girl would want to spend her life primping in front of a mirror and strutting about the town like a well made-up peacock?

She most certainly didn't. It was a wonder that her mother was relatively normal when she grew up in this chatty town. Such socialites!

Kagome was always pushed around by the girls her age because of her love for books. Who needed gossip when you had another world you could lose yourself in all by yourself? She didn't need friends…at least, not friends with those prissy little pushovers. None of them could protect themselves, they all depended on some gauntly village boy to care for them.

Kagome didn't believe in 'Prince Charming'. She knew exactly who she wanted, and he most certainly would never wear tights or ride a white steed. That was something she left for her precious books.

Her man would be unpredictable, untamable…yet dashing, caring, and free-spirited. He wouldn't love her for her looks; he would love her for her brain and her personality. He wouldn't like those girls who chatted amicably in the courtyards and the streets, he wouldn't act vulgar when a well endowed girl passed by him or make lecherous remarks. He would be handsome, but not too handsome. And he most certainly would not be high ranked. She wanted a commoner, someone who didn't rely on attention to survive.

Oh yes, she had a very good idea who her Prince Charming was.

"There's that weirdo Kagome," A girl with fluffy blond hair and a pushed up nose that reminded Kagome of a pig with lipstick, "Let's move away, we don't need to catch her diseases."

Idle chatter, Kagome reminded herself, scrunching her hands into fists and biting her lip to avoid making a smarmy remark. It is all just silly, prissy, idle chatter.

Kagome settled her anger with shooting the girl a deadly glare. She passed by the rude little pig with her head held high. These girls made no difference in her life. They always got their just desserts.

She drifted happily through the streets, her book clenched safely in her arms. She winded side to side, avoiding contact with people so that her trip would move faster. She hated having to mumble apologies and receive glowers and rude remarks in return.

Kagome knew that this was an annoying town. She intended to move away on her eighteenth birthday.

The only problem was that the town was mostly isolated from the rest of the country. It was in a huge clearing of the forest, surrounded by the dangerous green on all sides. The only chance she would have of leaving would be by caravan. A convoy of carriages would come and go once a year, guided by armed soldiers and demon slayers. That was the only way the people kept up their economy after all.

Kagome sighed and smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle in her dress. Kagome was a pretty girl. She wasn't extravagantly beautiful, but she was pretty. Pretty as in common, and she liked it that way. Kagome always wore her long black hair down, it fell just below her shoulders. Kagome had chocolate brown eyes and a sun kissed complexion due to her long days spent reading sitting by the fountain in the center of town. She usually wore a green dress that reached just below her knees. It had come with a little white apron, but she'd cut it up and sowed it up into a little sash that served as a pretty white and red belt around her middle.

She also wore small brown boots that were worn with age. She always carried a pretty yellow bag with her to keep her books and little keepsakes inside.

A shopkeeper stood outside his bookstore. When Kagome came into view, his chubby old face brightened and he smiled, setting his broom aside against the wood of the doorframe, "Well if it isn't little miss Kagome. It's a surprise seeing you here." He joked.

Kagome laughed good-naturedly at him, "Well Taiyo-san, I must say that your book was a quick read. I usually take a few days, but I read in all in an afternoon yesterday!"

"That shows that it's a good little book though," Taiyo replied, winking, "And I have just the book for you today. It's new in the shop too. It just came in with the caravan last night!"

A caravan full of supplies for stores came in just about every other month. The larger caravan that carried people was the one that only could come once in a year.

"Well then," Kagome smiled, "I'd like very much to be its first reader."

"Second reader," Taiyo corrected, "I had to take a look through it first. If it's not a good read, then my number one customer can't be bothered with it of course."

Kagome laughed again. Taiyo was a kind old man. She enjoyed his company very much, "Of course."

He took her return and handed her a new book. This one had a velvety green cover and a beautiful white design on it in the shape of a crown and a rose embroidered together, "It looks positively beautiful."

"I'd like you to keep it free of charge," Taiyo told her, picking up his broom again, "I had one copy more than I ordered."

Kagome felt utterly overcome with gratitude, "Oh thank you so much Taiyo-san! You're very kind!"

"I know I am," He laughed, sweeping some dust off of the porch, "Now be off with you child, you've got some reading to do."

Kagome nodded eagerly and turned to leave, "Thank you again Taiyo-san!"

The man grunted his reply and went back into his shop, the bell on the door dinging a few short times before falling silent.

Kagome cradled the book in her arms and dashed forwards towards her fountain. She excitedly sat herself down and opened the cover gently as if the book was so sacred that the pages would turn to ash in her hands if she wasn't careful.

"Many, many years ago, in a flourishing country of riches and gold lived a beautiful castle. The inhabitants were the greatest of people who were also amongst the kindest of souls. Except for one damned soul who was riddled with anger and hatred…"

"Kagome-chan, how nice to see you here," A male voice stated, startling Kagome out of her dreamy fable world.

Kagome looked up impatiently. She knew this voice, and it was even more aggravating for him to have knocked her out of her dream-world, "Hojo-kun," She managed to grind out with fake kindness, "How nice to see you too."

The boy's face brightened and he sat down beside her, "What are you reading?"

"A book," Kagome replied dryly.

Hojo smiled, "It looks very nice, was it expensive?"

"It was complimentary." Kagome corrected, trying her very hardest not to get up and leave.

"You know, your grand father and I were talking. He said that you are a month from your sixteenth birthday. He's fixing to marry you soon. Do you have anyone in mind?"

Kagome did not miss the blush on his cheeks and the hopefulness in his eyes. She snapped her book shut and sighed, "I know that my grandfather is starting to weed out suitors for me, and no, I don't have anyone in mind."

Hojo's face fell, "Oh." He then smiled again at her. She really wanted to punch that smile off of his annoying face, "Well you do know that he suggested to me that I consider you as a bride. Of course, I feel obligated to accept his request. Still, you have the final say in it."

Kagome felt shock course through her. Her grandfather was trying to set her up with Hojo? He was far from her imagined Prince Charming. In fact, he was the exact opposite of whom she desired…whoever he was she was searching for.

"Uh, that's very nice. I will, uh, consider your invitation of marriage." Kagome stood up abruptly, hoisting her bag up onto her shoulder, "I'll be seeing you." She turned away from Hojo, angry tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Kagome did not want to marry Hojo. He was the last man in the village she'd want to take as her husband.

"Well, bye Kagome." Hojo's happy tone infuriated Kagome even further. How could he even suggest such things to her grandpa without her present? Her grandfather was so easily swayed, especially since Hojo's family was very rich, Kagome's family was very poor.

Her grandfather would marry her off to Hojo in a heartbeat, and Kagome resentfully knew that.

One thing Hojo was wrong about was that Kagome had the final say. A young woman had no say in which man she was betrothed to, and Kagome was no exception.

No chance.

She ran through the streets, ignoring who she bumped into, muttering apologies as she continued to run towards her little house behind the shrine.

Her grandpa was the shrine keeper. Kagome, her mother, and Kagome's little brother Souta lived with him. He was, as some might put it, the 'king' of the household. Grandpa's word was law.

And once her grandfather made up his senile mind, it was final.

"Grandfather!" Kagome called, "Grandfather!"

The elderly man stepped out from the hallway of the small home, "Yes my dear granddaughter?"

"How could you? How could you marry me off to Hojo?" Kagome accused, dropping her bag on the ground, "He's an idiot!"

"He's a very rich idiot." Kagome's grandfather retorted, "I want you to have a life without poverty. Imagine how many books he could buy you!"

"I would give all of the books in the world to not be married to him!" Kagome cried, the tears falling down her cheeks.

"No crying Kagome, nothing will change my mind on this." Her grandfather told her sternly. His face softened and he spoke sadly, "I am only doing this with your best interests in mind."

"They aren't my best interests!" Kagome shouted, bolting past her grandfather and towards her tiny bedroom.

Her mother was standing in their little kitchen, "Kagome, what in the world…?"

She passed her mother before the woman could finish her question. Kagome flopped onto her bed and cried her heart out.

"I hate grandpa…I hate everything…most of all though," Kagome's whispers grew fierce, "I hate Hojo."

"Can I come in honey?"

It was her mother.

"Go away." Kagome squeaked from her futon, burying her face further into it to avoid her mother.

Her mother sighed, "I will start dinner."

"Whatever."

The woman closed the wooden door.

Kagome looked about her room. It basically consisted of her futon and a large wooden box that contained everything else.

Yeah. That's how poor they were.

She stared at that box of her things. All of her precious memories stored in one wooden crate.

Kagome didn't really have any ties to this village. She didn't want to be married to Hojo. She couldn't wait until she was eighteen to leave.

Kagome knew that she had to leave. She had to run from her family. They would be fine without her, and Hojo could marry the pig-girl from the market for all she cared! Kagome was an untrained priestess, but she could still protect herself. She was a fair archer.

Kagome picked up her yellow bag. She opened it and began to pack.

"Mom," She called slyly, "I think I'm going to have a dinner picnic with Hojo in the square, can you give me some food? You know he eats a lot…and I want to impress him before we marry. I do have to get used to him after all."

Her mother's delighted voice replied brightly, "Yes, of course dear, what will you need?"

"Uh, I'll get it. Don't worry. But I want it to be a surprise for him, so I need the kitchen all to myself for a bit."

"That's good sweetie, I need to do some sweeping in the shrine anyways. Can you do it by yourself?"

"Of course!"

"Well okay then honey. I'll take Grandpa with me,"

"Where's Souta?"

"With his friends in the square."

"Okay mom!"

Kagome quickly tossed an extra dress, this one grey, into her bag. She also tossed some socks, a small ratty blanket she used, a quiver of arrows, her bow, a rock Souta had made her, some ugly little pink 'jewel' her grandfather had given her for her thirteenth birthday claiming it was some powerful jewel passed down from her great, great grandmother, and the book Taiyo-san had given her.

Well, this is it. She thought to herself.

Kagome had no doubts. She could befriend the demons…at least she hoped she could. If not she'd find another village to settle in, maybe even getting lucky enough to find a husband or something…one whose head wasn't thick as a boulder.

She wandered into the kitchen. No one there. She sighed in relief and went to the pantry. She pulled out two loaves of bread and a sharp kitchen knife. She also packed in a canteen of water. She knew where the river flowed, so if she stayed near it she could always boil some water and refill her canteen. She pulled out a pack of matches and a small pot too. They were packed into her yellow bag.

Kagome also got some fruit that wasn't soft. That consisted of two apples and an orange.

She was ready.

Kagome turned to her back door.

Was this a good idea? Was she just overreacting? She could always make Hojo hate her, and have him go after some other girl right? Was this the best course of action?

She shook the thoughts out of her head. This was no time to doubt herself. She could do this.

It was about time she did anyways.

But still…

Kagome thrust the doubts out of her mind and made her way to the back way of her house. She needed to sneak out that way. If she did that, she'd avoid her family for sure.

It took her not very long to be on the outskirts of the village. No one paid her any mind, since they didn't care what she did or what her affairs were. She was invisible.

All the better…

Kagome was at the tree line. She glanced back at the village one last time, her family shrine just visible on the other end of town.

This is it… She took a gulp, summoned all of her courage, and set off into the forest.

Her stupid grandpa…that jerk Hojo and the snobby villagers…they were all out of her hair now. She could start fresh.

She could start anew, with a new life…a better life.

A smile played on her lips. Kagome had never felt so free.

Still, little did Kagome know, an old castle with a cursed history stood in her way.

Well…

She did want a fresh start...


End of Chapter


How was that? I hope it didn't seem too rushed to you! I tried as hard as I could to keep it relatively short since it's like a second prologue. I want to keep it somewhat tied to the original Beauty and the Beast story line, so I just had to stick Hojo her fiancée in there!

Sorry to all of you Hojo lovers…he's just not meant to be with Kagome.

She's just too smart for an idiot like him.

Can you tell I don't like Hojo? But I promise! I will not bash him…he just takes the part of a less malevolent, less intelligent, less egotistical Gaston.

Review!