We traveled through the night and reached the base of the mountain by morning. At the base of the mountain was a village, not to small, but not huge either. It looked very quaint and the sight of it made me excited. I was almost home. As we walked through the village I watched the villagers' faces. They were happy and kind and although some looked at me in confusion, I knew I was welcome. The village, unlike most, was made up of humans, demons, and half demons alike and everyone lived together peacefully. I looked behind me to Inuyasha and the others, who looked upon the villagers strangely. Not out of anger but utter confusion. Except for Inuyasha, who looked as though he was envious of them. Then again, he had lived in a human village as a child. He was probably tortured by the humans; I know he was attacked by demons as well.
As we walked through the village I heard a familiar voice call out to me. I turned around and the sight I saw shocked me. It was my mother, she looked as if she hadn't aged a day. My mother was a half demon, she had long black hair, yellow eyes, and small black wolf ears. My mother and I looked very similar, except for my tail, and my eyes which I had gotten from my father. She watched me with her soft eyes. Her look was filled with both confusion and love. She opened up her arms to me, and I ran right into them.
"Mother!" I shouted when I reached her arms.
"Shiori, what has happened to you?" She asked me, concerned.
"A demon did this to me. My friends and I have come to ask for father's help in finding the demon, seeing as Inuyasha and I cannot in this form." I explained. Her eyes shifted from me to Inuyasha, who was now hiding behind Kagome, holding onto her leg.
"Is he not the youngest son of the Inutaisho?" She asked recalling the Lord of the West. "Has he befallen under the same spell as ye, Shiori?"
"Yes, as well as my friend Sango." I confirmed. I turned around to look at them all, everyone seemed to be upset. Especially Inuyasha, his mother had died so long ago.
"I see. I shall go with you to the mountain." She told me.
"Are you sure mother?" I asked. She nodded and accompanied us up the mountain. Sango, Miroku, and Kagome rode on Kirara's back to make the journey quicker. Once we were at the top, the castle came into view. We passed through the gates easily, but once we were inside I made a decision. "Kagome, would it be okay, if Inuyasha and I went to find my father?"
"Yes, that would be fine, but why."
"Well," I looked up to my mother's face that was now as cold as stone, "there is someone with him, who despises humans. I don't want anything to happen to any of you." I told them. Kagome quickly understood, and so the demon wolves guided them inside the castle as Inuyasha, my mother, and I wandered the grounds. At last, in the garden, we found him. My father had long silver hair, dark purple eyes, a strong muscular form, and a harsh looking face. He was a scary looking man, but as you got to know him my father was actually very kind, and soft sometimes. He was watching over my younger brother in sister, who as of now, looked older than me. However, I was the oldest amongst his children and, even though I was a mixed breed, I was the strongest. I approached him slowly grabbing onto Inuyasha's arm tightly. "Father?" I called. He looked over to me and stared deep into my eyes, then his widened and he looked over to my mother accompanying me.
"Shiori, is that really you?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes, father. I may be in the form of a child, but it is truly me." I said finally loosening my grip on Inuyasha.
"Shiori," He walked toward me, "I thought you dead, yet here you are, and Reiko, you have come as well." He said staring into her eyes. She smiled at him, although she hated what had happened, she still loved him dearly.
"I am alive father, and I need your help." I told him.
"Anything," he began, "just tell me what you need."
"To leave." Said a voice from within the castle. I snarled, I knew exactly who it was. Kurono, my father's full demon wife. She had come along well after my birth, for my grandfather would not allow my father to be wed to my mother, seeing as she was a half demon. He thought it disgraceful, however, I always remember that my grandfather liked me greatly. Saying I had good blood even though some of it was tainted. He was a strange man and it was he that forced my father to marry this witch of a demon named Kurono. She of course, hated me because not only was I my father's bastard child, but I was a mixed breed not all demon, not even a half demon.
"Be silent, Kurono." My father shouted. Now my brother and sister looked on curiously.
"Kiba, I don't want either of them here. Tell them to leave." She told him.
"They are my family whether you like it or not, now leave my presence before I force you from my lands." He told her. She backed off immediately. My father looked at me again, kindly. "What is it you need, Shiori."
"I need help finding the demon named, Hinako. She transformed my friends Inuyasha and Sango, and I into children. Then she disappeared, and like this neither Inuyasha and I can track her down. Would you possibly be able to find her?" I explained. Honestly, I was annoyed with explaining this now.
"Of course." He replied. "You and your friends may stay here, and I shall search for this demon, and bring her back."
"Thank you father."
"Before I go," He began and walked over to us. He knelt down to Inuyasha and I. "Are you not Inuyasha, son of the Inutaisho and Lady Izayoi?" He asked him.
"Yes, I am." He replied slowly. My father smiled.
"You look a lot like your father. Your mother as well." His smile widened. He looked at my mother, Reiko. He gestured for her to come with him. Then the two of them left.
The entire time I was there I had not once seen Kurono. Spending time with my brother and sister was nice. I had not seen them since the day I sealed myself away. That seemed so dumb now, I'm not even sure why I did it.
The day of my father's return, I had spent the day with Inuyasha; it was strange seeing him this way, so quiet, so scared. He had almost no power, no way to defend himself. So he just sat thinking as he watched the village from the cliff on the mountain. I sat there too, just watching him. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.
"Inuyasha, are you okay?" I asked.
"I don't know. I feel so, strange?" He questioned. "I kind of understand why she did this to us Shiori." I watched him and waited for an answer. He turned to look at me. "I see differently this way, I'm so helpless, and I feel my emotions so much stronger."
"It makes me miss my old life. I see how true Hinako's words were. How the fact that I am part human, I just use it as an excuse in my mind. It's weird, being able to think this way as a child. Don't you agree?" I asked.
"I guess, but still…I'd rather have kept on going. Without this happening, I feel like this will just be a burden, this feeling meaning." Inuyasha explained.
"Then just embrace it." I told him. I sniffed the air, I breathed in the familiar scent. "My father has returned. He brings Hinako as well." I told him. He looked back at me and stared deep into my eyes.
"Then let's go, and finally become normal." He said and started to walk. I silently followed him, just thinking about nothing and yet everything all at once.