A/N: Wow, I'm seriously full of inspiration for this one lately! I meant to start updating in a certain order: Hero, then Blame, then One Night... But yeah, not happening. So here, enjoy!

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Blame It on the Changes.

Chapter Five:

Golden eyes met bright blue and held for what seemed to be the longest moment of Inuyasha's life. His nostrils flared in annoyance as the old hag he'd sought out repeated the words he wished he hadn't just heard.

"Do ye follow my meaning, Inuyasha?"

His fangs bared angrily. "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. You're sure there ain't any other way?"

The old woman looked down at her wrinkled hands. "Aye. I'm sure."

It had been months since that fateful day when Kaede had dug him out of his premature grave and he found out that Kagome, assuming he was dead – with good reason, apparently – had left to return to her time with Shippo in tow. Ever since that fateful day, he had been trying to come up with a way to proceed. She was five hundred years in the future, and even though he was part demon and would live for a long time, he didn't think he'd live quite that long. Especially once word got out that he wasn't actually dead and didn't have his tachi to help him anymore.

He knew Kaede-baba had been racking her old brain too, and she'd at least come up with a plan that might actually work.

But could he do what she needed? Could he pay this price?

After a few moments' silence, he knew. He could do this.

For Kagome, he could do anything.

Finally, he nodded. "Okay, Kaede." He took a deep breath through his nose before meeting her eyes. "What do you need?"

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It took until after dark when my shift at the club was supposed to start before I calmed down enough to tell Eri what had happened. She had the night off, so we sat and talked about what we should do. She didn't understand why someone would do something like this to us, and I pointed out that some people didn't need a reason. We both made plans to start searching for new jobs the next day, and in time we would start searching for a new place to live. Maybe an actual house, in a better neighborhood, with a better school.

But we both knew it would take time, and that was time we had to spend away from Shippo. My heart clenched and my stomach hurt at the thought of him, alone and scared, with people he didn't know who didn't know him. Not the way I did anyway. He'd have to remain under constant illusion, sleeping outside of our little home. Only around myself, Eri, and my family was Shippo comfortable enough to leave his illusion down and walk around in his usual form. He would be exhausted all the time, my sweet boy... The only thing I had left of the Feudal Era...

Of my time with Inuyasha...

I slept in Shippo's bed that night, trying not to let myself drown anymore in despair. I needed to be strong. Like the old days.

But I sure didn't feel so strong anymore...

The next day, I got up early, despite barely sleeping the night before. I was determined to hurry up and get my boy back. After showering and brushing my teeth and hair, I dressed myself as professionally as I could – a fluttery salmon top with short sleeves tucked into black slacks with black flats. I tied my hair back in a high ponytail and hurried to the door.

As soon as it opened though, I was surprised to see something small and thin flutter to the floor just outside the doorframe. Halting before I could accidentally step on it, I stooped down to pick it up, looking over it curiously.

It was a small, thin, rectangular card, a textured off-white color with simple black kanji printed on one side:

TAISHO & OOKAMI

Law Offices

(447)910-3219

5001 Central Tokyo Drive

I blinked a few times, my nose scrunching and my brow furrowing. 'What the heck...' I wondered, flipping it over and checking out the back. I gasped when I read what was written there: Give them a call. They can help you get back your boy from the past.

Startled by the words, my head jerked back up to look up and down the hall, but it was empty save for myself. I could barely breathe as I stood there, staring down at the business card pinched between my thumb and index finger. Blinking again, I whirled around and slammed the door shut, hurrying down the hallway and down the stairs before Eri could question me about my finding. The address on the card was burned into my mind and I knew I had to get there quickly. Once I made it down the sidewalk, I started running in the direction I knew the office would be. I knew it was only a few blocks away, and I was too exhilarated from the idea that someone knew our secret – and was willing to help – to suffer the bus ride that could prove to take longer than just running the short distance.

Once I turned the corner, though, a familiar pang hit me in the chest, and I knew I was out of shape. It had been three years since I'd done anything more strenuous than shake my ass in an air-conditioned room. I had to slow down, though I didn't stop moving, just switching from a steadfast run to a pacing walk. My breathing had become somewhat labored, but it kept going. I had to get to the address on the card.

About halfway there, though, another familiar feeling stopped me, though this time it had nothing to do with my own physical state. I stopped finally, in the middle of the sidewalk, and turned, my eyes darting around. People bumped into me and mulled around, giving me strange looks as they stepped around me and went on their way, but I ignored them. My senses were on high alert after that aura brushed against mine, but it seemed to have faded.

It had been faint, but I knew what I'd felt. There was a youkai around!

All I could see, though, was a busy Tokyo street filled with cars, its sidewalks lined with humans on their way to school, work, or wherever else they could be headed at this time of day.

After a moment, when it didn't resurface, I turned and started on my way again, the pause in my journey allowing me to rest enough that I was capable of a steady jog to get me the rest of the way to the law offices. 'Ah! There it is!' As I approached it just a few minutes later, I took in its outward appearance. It seemed to be a simple, hole-in-the-wall establishment, sandwiched between a ramen shop on its left, right on the corner, and a trinket shop on its right. A single though large window took up most of the wall to the right of the door, which had another smaller window set into it. Both had bamboo blinds drawn closed, which made it easier to read the wording painted onto the glass in large, black kanji:

The Law Offices of

Taisho

Ookami

I swallowed hard as I approached the door and reached out for the doorknob. 'They look closed,' I thought as I started to turn the knob, surprised when it wasn't locked and started to open. With one more glance over my shoulder to make sure that earlier aura hadn't returned without my noticing, I pushed the door open all the way and entered, shutting it noisily behind me.

Blinking some more in my shock, I settled against the door and surveyed the inside of the office – which was much, much different from what I'd expected, given the somewhat run-down exterior. I found myself in a small but very well decorated lobby. Straight across the lobby from the front door, where I still stood, was another door with no window. Beside the door was a simple wooden desk, a young woman standing behind it. The woman had long black hair tied into pigtails and bright, pretty hazel eyes. She was dressed to the nines, much more professionally than I was, in a tight black sleeveless dress that covered her shoulders and ended just above the knee. Her stilettos were also black, and I spied a pretty anklet looped around her right ankle. It was a simple chain with a small heart attached. It tinkled with a light, airy sound as she came around the desk and gestured to the rest of the lobby, furnished with a low wooden coffee table surrounded by soft comfy living chairs with darkly stained legs and arms and white cushions, with a sweet smile.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Please take a seat."

I stared at her for a moment, realizing it was rude but too confused to care. "Don't I- Don't I need to make an appointment?"

The pretty girl – the secretary, maybe? - just smiled wider, still watching me and shaking her head. "No, Miss Higurashi. Mr. Taisho and Mr. Ookami are expecting you. They will be with you shortly."

My mouth opened and closed a few times, and if I wasn't so utterly shocked I'd have found it comical myself. When no more sound came out, I followed the her instructions and sat down in the closest chair, watching out of the corner of my eye as she herself sat down at the desk.

She'd made it sound like there would be the standard super long wait to see one of the partners, but before I knew it the door across the room was opening, and a tall man in a rather dashing black suit with a brown tie came out of the back area, pausing when he saw me. His black hair was short, and he blinked at me with familiar blue eyes.

I stood quickly, knowing from his appearance that he had to be one of the partners – I just wasn't sure which one, Mr. Taisho or Mr. Ookami.

At least, I wasn't until I suddenly found myself in a familiar spot. The legs of the wooden coffee table scraped against the floor loudly as the man shot forward, suddenly standing right in front of me, his hands grasping both of mine in his as he leaned down close to my face, a wide smile spread on his face and his eyes wide and bright.

"Kagome!" he cried out, his voice ringing with joy, and I gasped at the sound of my given name. "It's been so long since I've seen you! How are you? Much better than when we last shared company, I hope!"

Blinking some more, I looked him up and down as understanding slowly dawned and I finally figured out why he was so familiar.

"K-Kouga!" I exclaimed, no shortage of surprise on my face or in my voice. "You're Mr. Ookami?!"

He gave me a wolfish grin. The irony didn't escape me. "Not bad, right? I never really understood what muttface was going on about whenever he mentioned your time. This era is very strange compared to the way things were when I last saw you."

I gasped, my heart clenching painfully at the reference to Inuyasha. Sure, Kouga had called him that frequently, and it had been several centuries since the hanyou's death, but it still hurt. It had only been three years for me and Shippo, after all.

Suddenly I realized his proximity, and my nostrils flared as my face flushed and I pushed away a little, gaining some ground. It still felt terribly inappropriate to be so close to Kouga, and despite Inuyasha's death, I couldn't betray him. Not like this.

Somehow sensing my discomfort, Kouga also took a step back at the same time I did. His expression fell, but he kept a hold on my hands, our arms similarly outstretched. I couldn't meet his eyes, frowning at our joined hands instead.

"Wolf," another familiar voice thundered suddenly to our right, and we jumped back, our hands breaking apart as we did, both paling as we took in the newcomer to the lobby. The girl behind the desk only smirked as she stood slowly, tucking on of her pigtails behind her shoulder and clasping her hands together in front her. Beside her, shutting the door behind him, was a very tall, very imposing man who looked down his pointed nose at us with large brown eyes, long black hair tucked gathered at the nape of his neck into a ponytail. He was also wearing a striking black suit, his tie a slightly shiny silver. His hands were tucked into his slack pockets, watching Kouga and me closely with narrowed eyes.

Our gazes all shot to the giggle at his side. The girl was peering up at the scary man – who I assumed to be the other partner, Mr. Taisho – with an amused expression, and Kouga laughed beside me. "Oi, Mr. Prissy Pants, it wasn't what you think." He snickered as I glanced at him curiously.

Then my eyes settled back on Mr. Taisho, observing him more closely than I had before. There was something so familiar about him...

Suddenly it hit me. Kouga had chosen Ookami for a surname... And I had heard reference to Taisho in the Feudal Era as well...

I couldn't help gaping, but he looked so different! "S-Sesshomaru! Is that really you?" I stepped forward, my eyes widening as I took in his altered appearance and lack of demonic aura. 'Strange... Both he and Kouga look surprisingly human... And it's as though their auras have been repressed!'

Sesshomaru inclined his head to me. "Please, Miss Higurashi. If you will follow me." With that, he reopened the door to the back area and disappeared inside, followed closely by the young girl. Kouga also started to follow, his hand pressing gently on her arm as he walked past, but before he went toward the back, he darted to the front door, bolting the lock and turning the OPEN sign to read CLOSED. Giving me a quick wink, he started toward the back, gesturing for me to follow.

So follow I did. I wasn't sure what was going on or what these two were up to, but it seemed that they were the only ones who could help me.

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It had been hours since he'd finished gathering all the herbs Kaede required and gotten them to her, but the potion she'd been making still wasn't finished. He was on edge, and trying to keep calm and quiet just made it worse so he went for a quick sprint through the nearby forest.

After a few minutes of what he thought was mindless wandering, Inuyasha came up on the dry well in the very center of the forest named after him. Stopping gracefully at its edge, he peered in, a cold rush of something that felt strangely like homesickness flooding him. He couldn't stand all this waiting... Frowning deeply, he jumped into the well for what felt like the millionth time, closing his eyes and allowing him to hope one last time...

When his feet thudded roughly against the dirt at the bottom and he peered up at a fastly dimming sky, Inuyasha grunted angrily and leaped out, his claws swiping and slashing for any victim, claiming the lives of a dozen trees before his frustration finally waned.

Feeling somewhat sated for the first time since he awoke, Inuyasha returned to the village – more specifically, to Kaede's hut. Grimacing as he approached it, he covered his nose with his fire rat sleeve and stormed inside. "Oi! What's with that awful stench, old woman?!"

Kaede sighed, turning to give him an exasperated look over her shoulder. "Tis the potion, Inuyasha. It is ready."

"Keh! Good!" Inuyasha cried out, slamming himself down to the floor in the corner in his usual cross-legged sitting position. "We can finally get this show on the road."

Kaede shook her head despondently as she got up and slowly began to stride toward him. "Just one last thing to do before ye can use the potion, Inuyasha."

His nose twitched and his ears flicked as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked out the window. "Oh yeah? And what's that? We better hurry up and do it so I can-" He had continued to talk even when he felt her grip his arm, but he broke off abruptly when blazing, fire spread up his limb, into his torso, and throughout his body. He tried to jerk away, but Kaede had a surprisingly strong grip, and she held fast, refusing to release the hanyou's arm as she flooded him with purity. Flinging them both onto the ground, he yelled and screamed and writhed, his mind a blank from the pain, and all he could focus on was surviving – and that meant getting as far away from Kaede as possible.

But it wasn't proving to be an easy task. She held on with all her might, and just when he'd about passed out from the pain, the purifying reiki diminished until it left his body completely, and Inuyasha felt numb all over. He could barely move, but he propped himself up on his arms and threw Kaede away from him, sneering angrily when she collided with the floor a couple feet away. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Ya got yourself possessed, didn't you, old woman?" He coughed roughly, reaching up to cover his mouth with his hand...

And starting visibly when he saw his clawless fingers. Drawing in a ragged breath, he darted over to the bowl of clean water in the corner of the room, his eyes widening at the sight of his reflection – his very human reflection. Human ears, midnight hair, violet eyes... Spinning around, Inuyasha didn't even notice when the water spilled all over the floor of the hut. "What the hell did you do to me?!" His eyes zeroing in on her as she pulled herself up, Kaede just regarded him with an irritated stare.

"I did what was needed, Inuyasha."

"You better explain what the hell you're talkin' about, bitch!"

She sighed and sat down beside the pot with the potion, stirring it. "I am not my sister Kikyo or the young Kagome," she started. "I am a priestess myself, but I don't have the kind of control or power as either of them. My potion will not seal a demon – or a half-demon – for as long as ye need to be sealed. It will only have the desired effect on a human. So," she finished, and Inuyasha would have growled if he could when he saw that smirk on her face. "I had to turn ye human. Tis only temporary, but as long as ye are in this state when the potion is drunk, it will stick until the seal fades in five hundred years."

His darkened eyes narrowed at her and he grunted. It made sense, but he didn't have to like it. "Fine! I guess I can forgive you. Ya should've said something though."

He was surprised to hear her snort in amusement. "Would ye have allowed me to, had I warned ye first?"

A smile spread across his lips. "No, I s'pose not."

They regarded each other a moment before Kaede poured some of the potion into a cup and shuffled toward Inuyasha, who had resumed his spot in the corner. Still smiling gently, she handed him the cup. "Drink, Inuyasha. Your guardian shall be here soon to take ye, and I know they are expecting ye to be unconscious when they arrive."

He regarded her with sudden suspicion again. "Who-?"

"Worry not about your guardian, boy. Just drink and relax. The seal will take a few moments to take effect.," she shot back.

Giving her an obviously irritated look, still suspicious, he huffed into the drink. "I guess I have no choice. I have to trust you."

Kaede only nodded.

Looking down into the cup, Inuyasha could see some of his reflection in the potion. He stared for a moment before taking a deep, steadying breath, trying to dispel some of his nerves. 'I'll be with you soon, Kagome. I just hope...' He closed his eyes. 'I hope you haven't forgotten me.' Without a second thought, he drained the cup before setting it down to the side.

Without hesitation, his eyelids began to droop and his limbs refused to respond. "Wha-?" He glanced at Kaede, who had stepped away from him. "I thought you said- You said it'd be a few- A few minutes before..." He couldn't finish; he was fading fast. The seal was working through his system much more quickly than he'd anticipated, and cold, biting fear had started to work its way into his gut. However, it also began to fade, as his consciousness did. In less than another minute, he was out, his aura sealed.

Kaede sighed in relief, sagging against the far wall as her guest slowly entered the hut. Her eyes perpetually trained on Inuyasha's now sleeping form, she gestured to the newcomer to come closer. "The seal has taken effect. He will be asleep in an unchanging human form until his awakens in five hundred years." She finally looked up and regarded the one who had volunteered to guard Inuyasha until he awoke. "Ye will make sure he and Kagome meet again, will ye not? I am afraid purifying his demon blood took the rest of what little strength I still had, and it will wear off once he awakes. Ye will have to protect him, and guide him, and explain to him all that has changed with time. Are ye up for this task... Sesshomaru?"

The elder son of the Inu no Taisho didn't even look at the elderly human priestess. He simply stared at his younger half-brother with something akin to a glare – but not quite.

He nodded, and his own servants entered the hut and took hold of Inuyasha, carrying the younger son away. As he turned to leave though, Kaede tried again. "Sesshomaru?"

He stopped just inside the door. Without turning, he simply replied, "He will be safe until he awakens." With that, he slipped out and was gone.

Satisfied, Kaede sat back and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure how much time she had left, or how much she'd had prior to using the last of her strength to give Inuyasha his fighting chance to make it the full five hundred years under the seal, but she was determined to make the most of it. Settling down for as good a night's sleep as she can attain, Kaede knew she would have more work than she knew what to do with ahead of her.

After all, Kagome had spoken of a shrine in her time occupying the space where Inuyasha's Forest now presides...