Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha and co. I don't own any of the songs that I put into the story, except on cd's. But I do own Shiori, Miyu & Koshin Hakogami, Kil Kai-another snow demon from feudal times & Aisu- female snow demon from feudal times, they are all mine.

AN: " " is speaking, ' ' is thought

AN. Just to let you know that I've made spelling/grammer corrections and added a little more detail to the story's chapters. I'm reposting the corrected chapters. But this is still the same story & story line. See if you notice the corrections. And thanks to those that read & review. The reviews mean a lot.

Glossary:

youkai-demon

inu-youkai-dog demon

ningen-human

ookami-wolf demon

osuwari-sit

aisu-ice

Chapter 4: A Bit of Background

She took a deep breath and looked at the group. Then said, "I'm a hanyou."

Everyone but Kagome was surprised. They just barely got over the fact that she was a Guardian, now they find out that she is also a half demon.
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Miroku spoke first, "I didn't think that demons and Guardians were allowed to have children together."

Shiori shrugged, "I guess they can in my time, or maybe my parents didn't care. We didn't have too much trouble growing up. I don't know." She turned towards the direction that Kagome had been walking and started off.

Kagome was walking with her and for once staying quiet.

"Hey, monk, what's the big deal about a Guardian and a demon mating?" Inu Yasha asked, confused.

Miroku looked at him, then answered in a quiet voice, "Because, it's a Guardian's job to destroy demons, to protect humans. To put it bluntly, she's got more demon stopping power than a regular miko. A lot more," he emphasized the words 'a lot.'

"So, they're supposed to be mortal enemies?" Sango asked.

Miroku turned to her, "Yes, but somehow, a Guardian and a demon managed to fall in love and have a family. And from the sound of it, survive long enough to have them grow up. Interesting." With that said, the others began to walk to the village. When they got there, Kaede was outside her hut talking to Shiori and Kagome.

"So, you are Guardian, but I sense more from you, child. Could it be that you are also a half-demon?" Kaede asked kindly.

"Yes, I'm a half-breed. My father is a full youkai, from Mt.Fuji. His family has lived there for centuries," Shiori answered. "The monk mentioned that it was rare for the two to be together and have a family. Is it so different here?"

Kaede nodded her head, "Yes, child, but remember these are hard and dangerous times. There are more powerful demons of many different kinds and in great number. There are also a lot of dangerous humans to be wary of, too. Even young Kagome has a trying time here because she's a miko."

"Yeah, it's not been easy to be accepted. Everyone is suspicious or scared and you don't even have to mention your birthright. I've even been mistaken for a demon myself by scared villagers," Kagome admitted to her cousin.

Her cousin smiled brightly, "Yeah, you do look sooo ferocious. I wonder how people can not be afraid of the terrible Kagome, Master Klutz."

"Hey, I'm not that bad," Kagome pouted.

"Reeaallyy!! That's why you trip over your own two feet when walking down the street. Or the time you almost fell off the ridge we were camping on one summer," Shiori reminded her.

Of course by this time, the others had walked up and caught part of the conversation. They decided to join in. "And what about the time that you almost set your 'sleeping bag' on fire because you set it too close to the fire," Miroku added.

"Or the time that you almost knocked yourself out with my boomerang when you tried to throw it," Sango mentioned.

Inu Yasha was about to say something, but Kagome gave him a hard glare and he wisely kept his mouth shut about her accidents. He put his hands in the air in surrender.

"Okay, so I'm a klutz, sue me," she then stuck her tongue out at everyone.

This caused her cousin to laugh. "Don't worry, we still love you anyway."

Kagome smiled, "Yeah, I know, but I hate being a klutz. Oh, well." She then looked down and noticed that her cousin was carrying two swords, not just one. "Hey, why do you have two swords? One would have been enough."

"Oh, you'll have to wait till tonight for that. I was told by Mom to bring her sword."

"Her sword? Why? I thought she would never part with it."

"Because, it's to be yours," Shiori answered. "I'm to give it to you."

Kagome was stunned. "But, why? I thought that only a Guardian can wield your mother's sword."

Shiori shook her head, and answered. "Only a Guardian or a miko. Guess what that means?"

"That the sword is mine? Really? But I thought that it would be yours."

"Yes. And I'm to give it to you tonight, or rather give you to the sword. Don't worry, I have my own sword."

"Huh?!" Inu Yasha was a little puzzled, along with everyone else.

"I'm surprised that you don't understand, Inu Yasha, what with you carrying that sword. Like this sword, I can sense that it has a power of it's own," Shiori explained. "It will have a bit of say in who its owner will be. That choice will be made tonight, after sundown."

"Why tonight?" Miroku asked, "Why not now?" Truly interested about the sword being passed to Kagome.

"Because, I would like to rest first. There's a little rite that must be performed and then the sword will be given the choice along with Kagome. They will decide then."

"Why don't we get inside then, so everyone can eat and relax," Kaede motioned for everyone to follow her inside.

"Kaede-baba, do you understand any of this?" Inu Yasha asked, following everyone inside.

Kaede sighed at his disrepect, but answered his question. "Yes, I do. It is like that with weapons or relics of power. They seem to have a life of their own, at least in regards to their owner. You and your half-brother have experienced this first hand with the two swords your father had made for you. They chose to go to their rightful owners, just as he had hoped."

"That is true. Remember when the Tensaiga saved your brother from dying when you used the Wind Scar?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah, he didn't want the sword, but the sword decided to save his worthless butt anyway. I think it made a bad choice."

"Oh, Kaede-chan, Shiori has been having recurring visions and they are starting to bother her. Can you help her in any way?" Kagome asked, remembering why her cousin had come with her to the Feudal Era.

Kaede turned to look at Shiori. "What kind of visions are you having, child? What do you feel when you have them?"

Shiori clammed up, and looked around. "Well, it's kind of hard to explain."

"Go ahead, child. No one will judge you here, I promise," Kaede reassured the young hanyou.

She nodded her head. "Well, I don't remember a whole lot of details, but I know it's the same because it all feels like it's happened before. The same dream over and over. In the dream, I do remember that there is one youkai that I've never met. He keeps reappearing. I swear, I've never met nor seen the youkai before. It also seems to take place in this time, too. Weird."

"What do your instincts tell you about him," Kaede probbed.

"Well, he's caught in the middle. He's not wholely evil, but not wholely good either. He has the potential for both. I feel that he goes out of his way to keep people away from him. I mean, really tries." Shiori shook her head, then continued. "He's not from my time. No one there knows him. I've asked. I just don't know."

"Would you know him if you saw him?" Sango asked, trying to help.

"Oh yeah! You couldn't miss him." Just then, she looked at Inu Yasha, then turned her gaze away to continue, "But I'm more worried about whether or not I should even try to find him or let him find me," Shiori admitted. She was quiet for a few heartbeats, then sat up straighter and took a deep breath. "The important thing right now is that I just want the visions to stop. I doubt I'll run into him anytime soon, so I want him out of my head."

Kaede looked at the young hanyou. "You never know, child. You could run into him at any time while you are here. Maybe you were meant to."

"Yeah, I was sent here to 'mend his broken heart,' or some junk like that. Sorry, I mean no disrespect, but my life is complicated enough without having a. . . a Greek tragedy on my hands."

"How do you know it would be a tragedy," Kaede asked.

"Because me and males don't get along romantically," Shiori answered. "I scare them off."

Everyone turns to Kagome for confirmation. "She's telling the truth. No guy would date her because she was so tough. I think it had a little to do with that time she sent one poor guy to the hospital."

They turned to look at the female hanyou. "What?! He had it coming. If he hadn't tried to grope me, he wouldn't have been planted in the wall."

Miroku looked a little nervous.

Sango just smiled. "Now, that's my kinda girl! I thought I liked you!"

Shiori looked at her, then relaxed. Kagome had been proud of her, too, at the time, but it had been hard. "Thanks. I didn't think it was so great when I punched him. His poor nose was broken and so were a few ribs. He recovered and he was still a jerk, just not to me. And the funny thing was, was that I wasn't really trying to hurt him." She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess, some guys just never learn."

"Isn't that the truth," Sango said, then glanced at Miroku.

"What did I do?" he asked guilty.

Just then, Shiori looked out the hut's one window and noticed that the sun was almost set. She got up and turned to Kagome. "Hey, it's time. Let's go." She then took both swords that had been propped by the door and walked outside.

AN: Well, hope you guys like this chapter. I'm sorry it's so short but I thought that I would let Naraku's little plot have its own chapter. And again, I'm so sorry that I have been slacking on updating. I admit that is was because of a bit of writer's block and because I got so caught up in reading the other wonderful stories on this website. How do you guys like it so far? Please read & review. Or I won't write any more!!! just kidding, please review.

I would like to thank my wonderful editor, ninjawarrior4life, my bro. glad you like it.

And thanks to everyone who has been reading this story from the beginning when I first started posting it. And to those who read and like it.

THX to all my readers.