Yeah, yeah, it took a long time to update…

But still I don't own Inuyasha! (Can we please stop putting in those stupid disclaimers?). Oh! There's a song in this chapter sung by Kappei Yamaguchi and Satsuki Yukino. The song is Aoki Yasei o Daite, which I do not own.

Chapter 7: A Day in the Modern Era

XoXoXo

Helen stared at the books on the desk before her. She and Kagome had returned to the present after she had said goodbye to Lady Shinsuke. To Helen, Shinsuke didn't feel like a mother…Yet anyway.

Now Helen focused her attention on the homework before her. She sighed. She was a straight A student and she loved homework. But now as Helen stared at the notebooks and books she wondered why she didn't feel like doing her homework.

She closed her math book with a snap. What's wrong with me today? She thought. Her eyes fell on her violin. Sighing, she picked it up and began to play. The stars and twinkled and winked through her window.

XoXoXo

There was a soft knock on the door of Sesshoumaru's study. Sesshoumaru looked up from the papers he was reading by lamplight and said, "Enter."

Takeida walked in. "If you are here about me and Kagura…" Sesshoumaru said, without looking up from the papers he was reading.

"I have not yet stated my intentions, Sesshoumaru," Takeida said. "Really do not be so quick as to judge others. See what happened when you underestimated Inuyasha?"

Sesshoumaru looked up at his mother and scowled heavily at her. Takeida had not been pleased when her precious son lost his upper left limb to a hanyou.

"What are your intentions, Hahoya?" Sesshoumaru asked, not bothering to hide the impatience in his voice.

"Simple," Takeida said. "I want you to stay in Helen's time. Accompany her."

If Sesshoumaru had never shown any emotions before, he certainly showed them now. His eyebrows were raised in a shocked way but aside from that, no other emotion registered on the young youkai's face.

"I shall not," Sesshoumaru said flatly.

"You shall."

"You cannot make me." Sesshoumaru sounded like the young spoiled pup that he once was.

His mother gave him a stern look. "That despicable hanyou, Naraku, almost absorbed her. I am asking you to accompany her for her protection."

Sesshoumaru was silent.

"I shall not," he stubbornly insisted. Takeida glared at him. "I am your mother, Sesshoumaru. And as you are still very young, you shall do as I ask."

"I am five hundred," Sesshoumaru pointed out.

"I am ten thousand," Takeida countered. Sesshoumaru looked up at her. True, he was still young. In fact his father's court officials didn't want him ruling over them and the lands at such a young age. It was only because Takeida gave her throne willingly to her son that he became Lord of the West. The court officials immediately forgot that he was underage when he began to run the lands as well as his father once did.

"Sesshoumaru, if you refuse, I shall take the throne back," Takeida threatened. Sesshoumaru looked up at her. He didn't want loose his throne. It was humiliating to have one's throne seized by one's own mother.

"Very well," he said grudgingly. Takeida gave him a sweet smile.

"Good boy," she said.

XoXoXo

Helen laid her head on her arms. The young woman had fallen asleep at her desk; her violin was on her bed.

The door slowly opened and Kagome peeked in. The miko smiled when she saw that her cousin was sound asleep.

"Kagome, what are you doing?" Inuyasha, who had come up behind her, asked loudly.

"Shush! Not so loud!" Kagome whispered. "Helen's asleep."

Inuyasha nodded as Kagome silently closed the door.

XoXoXo

Helen was running. She didn't know why, but she knew that someone was chasing her. She suddenly heard someone laugh from behind. She stumbled and fell. Kagura was in front of her, her fan held in her hand.

"You're pathetic and weak," the wind witch mocked. Kagura opened her fan and…

XoXoXo

A strong breeze blew at Helen. She woke up with a start. Her heart was hammering in her chest. What a dream…

"Hn," someone said. Helen jumped and turned around. Sesshoumaru was sitting at the window ledge.

"What are you doing here, Inu baka?" she asked. Sesshoumaru ignored the name call.

The door suddenly burst open and Inuyasha stormed in, waving Tessaiga while Kagome followed closely behind him.

"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked, menacingly.

"None of your business, hanyou," Sesshoumaru said with boredom in his voice.

"What are you truly doing here, Inu baka?" Helen asked. She looked at him.

"I was told to…" Sesshoumaru's voice trailed off. Inuyasha suddenly laughed out loud.

"You were 'told to'? By who? Your ofukuro?" Tessaiga trembled in Inuyasha's grasp as the hanyou continued to laugh. Sesshoumaru glared at him, but inside he felt embarrassed. What a nasty little slip.

"That is none of your business," Sesshoumaru said dangerously.

"Sesshoumaru…Mama's boy!" Inuyasha laughed. Even Kagome had to admit that the situation was funny.

"Could you please shut up?!" Helen was now lying down, covers drawn up to her chin. "I am trying to sleep. If you want, could the two please take it outside?" She covered her head with her blanket.

"Sesshoumaru, explain everything downstairs please," Kagome tried to sound as if she were begging. Without saying a word, Sesshoumaru walked past her and went downstairs where they soon heard the words, "Demon begone!"

"Well, come on Inuyasha," Kagome said. She hoped that Sesshoumaru hadn't killed her grandfather yet.

XoXoXo

Morning dawned in modern Japan. The sun's rays crept slowly into Helen's room. The young woman stirred softly and she slowly opened her eyes. Helen yawned and got out of bed. She made her way to the bathroom in her room and washed her face.

She came out, rubbing her face dry. "You are a late riser…" a voice said. Helen jumped and dropped her towel. Sesshoumaru was looking at her, his eyebrows raised. "…which means you are lazy." The daiyoukai finished his sentence with certain smugness about him.

Helen gritted her teeth. "Don't you have someone to kill?" she asked as she picked up her towel. She didn't even bother to look at him as she left the room.

"Kaggy!" She knocked on Kagome's door. Kagome opened her door; she was already in her uniform. "There is a youkai in my bedroom."

"Daiyoukai," Sesshoumaru corrected her as he came out of the room.

"Just pretend he doesn't exist," Kagome said giving her cousin a small, reassuring smile. With that, the miko went downstairs. Helen turned to Sesshoumaru. "Why don't you just go back to the feudal era and leave me?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru tilted his head to one side. "I do not wish to loose my throne," he said.

Helen sighed. A long day was about to begin.

XoXoXo

Kagome and Helen walked towards the school. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were left behind and Kagome hoped that she still had a home to return to when school was over.

"Kagome-chan!" Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were running towards the two of them.

"Hey," Helen said.

"Good Morning," Kagome greeted. They began to walk towards the school.

"So," Eri said. "We were wondering what happened to that guy you were talking with yesterday."

"Erm…" Helen was all Helen could say. "He…went away."

"Tsk, tsk," Yuka said dismissively. "Too bad, he was really cute."

"And dashing," added Eri.

"And sexy!" Ayumi said. Helen's eyebrow twitched as she gave Kagome a how-could-you-stand-them? Look. Kagome shrugged as they walked into the school campus.

"Helen!" a voice called out. Helen and the others turned to see Houjo pedaling his bicycle toward them.

"Hey, Houjo-kun," the young violinist said. Kagome suddenly felt her three friends tug at her arm.

"Hey!" Kagome said.

"Leave them alone, Kagome-chan," Yuka said. Kagome looked annoyed.

Houjo got off his bike and handed Helen a can of orange juice. "Er…What is this for, Houjo-kun?" she asked.

"Well, since you've got a violin recital this coming Saturday, I figured that you could use the extra energy."

Helen sighed. "I'm not even sure if I'm going to win…I haven't practiced much."

"You'll do great," Houjo said. "Oh, by the way. There's this new carnival that opened up, I was wondering if you-"

"Sorry Houjo-kun, I can't. I have stuff to do." Helen gave him a cheery smile and walked back towards Kagome and the others just as the bell rang.

XoXoXo

Darkness, everywhere Helen looked, she could see only darkness.

"Hello?" she called out.

Silence.

Then she heard laughter, taunting and superior. "Who are you?" Helen asked. A woman suddenly emerged from the darkness, her ruby red eyes sparkling with malice.
"Kagura," Helen said the name with much hatred as was possible. "What do you want?"

"You're life…" The snap of a fan opening, strong breezes rushing past her…

XoXoXo

"Helen-chan," Yuka gently poked Helen's back with the eraser of her pencil. "Wake up."

"Wha-!?" Helen opened her eyes. Her head was resting on her arms on her desk.

"You fell asleep," Yuka said.

"Did I miss anything?"

"Only the entire history class," Kagome said, trying to sound cheerful about it.

"Oh no," Helen groaned. She allowed her head to fall miserably on her arms.

"It's alright," Kagome reassured as she sat in the now empty desk in front of Helen. "We only took down notes; you can copy mine if you want."

Helen gave her cousin a small smile. "Thanks."

"Guys," Ayumi said, as she stood up. "It's recess, let's go grab a bite. I'm starving." Just as they were about to leave the room, Helen held Kagome back.

"What?" Kagome asked.

"The three of you go on," Helen said when she saw that Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were looking. The three nodded and left the room. Helen made sure no one was in the room as she slid the door closed.

"What is it?" Kagome asked.

"Kaggy…I don't if I should bother you with this…I don't think it's such a big deal…"

Kagome gave her cousin a hard, piercing look. "Just tell me."

Helen hesitated. "I've been having dreams…And they're all about…Kagura killing me…"

"They're probably just…you know the kind of dreams you get after going through something bad? I'm guessing that you've met Kagura while you were in Naraku's castle."

Helen nodded. "You're right…They're probably just…dreams…"

Both girls were startled out of their thoughts when a hard rapping noise issued from the window.

Helen and Kagome turned to the source. Inuyasha was perched on the windowsill. Kagome sighed, walked over to the window and opened so Inuyasha could get in.

"What is it this time?" the miko asked as the hanyou began looking around the classroom. "Does my okaasan want me to bring something home? Has she sent me lunch?"

Inuyasha tossed Kagome a lunch box. "Thanks…I think." The miko opened the lunch box to find it empty.

"I'm not here because of that," Inuyasha said, sitting down, cross-legged on one of the desks. "It's…My baka brother went off somewhere!"

XoXoXo

"Where on earth is he?" Helen asked in annoyance. She, Kagome and Inuyasha had just finished checking the park. Sesshoumaru wasn't there. Helen growled. She and Kagome had cut classes just to look for the baka.

"Inuyasha, you've got a good nose, try sniffing him out!" Helen said.

"He's a daiyoukai, he can hide his scent and aura whenever he wants."

"Just great," Helen said.

"Let's all think," Kagome said. "If you were Sesshoumaru, where would you go?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha said. "I don't wanna be Sesshoumaru."

"Osuwari," Kagome said. She turned to Helen just as Inuyasha uttered a muffled curse from the ground. Helen sighed and looked up at the sky. Then an idea hit her. "Let's try the carnival," she said.

The other two stared at her. "Erm…Why there?" Kagome asked.

Helen shrugged. "I just have this feeling…Kinda like…I can't really say. But let's try there."

Kagome placed Inuyasha's hat on his head before they set off.

XoXoXo

The entire place was ablaze with lights children laughed and music rang cheerfully around. To a human the place was fun and exciting. To a daiyoukai, however, the place was noisy and annoying.

Sesshoumaru didn't even know why he bothered to leave the shrine grounds. Oh yeah! It was because his brother had been annoying.

"Hey mommy! Look at that funny man over there!" a little boy pointed to him a can-I-be-like-that-someday? Look in his eyes. Sesshoumaru growled and flexed his claws. He noticed that wherever he went, humans always gawked at him as if they had never seen a demon before. But then again, he didn't detect any other demon aside from Inuyasha the moment he came to the present.

"Hiyoshi, it's rude to point," the boy's mother reprimanded.

"But mommy, look at what he's wearing! It's so cool! Can I have one? Please?" The mother took one look at Sesshoumaru, decided that he was probably mental for wearing strange clothing and dragged her son off.

Insolent humans, Sesshoumaru thought with distaste.

"Sesshoumaru!" a voice called out. Helen and Kagome were running towards him, Inuyasha following closely behind.

"What are you doing here, Inu baka?" Helen demanded.

"I don't have to answer your question," Sesshoumaru said. In truth he had no idea why he came here.

"Let's get going," Kagome suggested.

They walked along but Kagome suddenly stopped. "What is it?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome pointed to a far end of the carnival where there were people singing. "Karaoke," the miko said, longing in her voice.

Helen stared at her cousin. Kagome had always been fond of singing, but the miko hid her talent from everyone except Helen. "Go on," Helen said.

"Eh?" Kagome looked at her. "But shouldn't we get going?"

"We're in no hurry," Helen said.

"You were minutes ago," Sesshoumaru pointed out. Helen glared at him. She grabbed Kagome's wrist and began leading the miko over to where the people were singing, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru followed close behind them.

"And now," an emcee was saying. "It's time for duets!"

Kagome groaned. "Let's go, I don't have anyone to sing with."

"Nonsense," Helen said. "Inuyasha can sing with you."

"What!?" the hanyou roared catching the attention of several people.

Sesshoumaru looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but where he was.

Kagome grabbed the hanyou's hand and dragged him up to stage. Helen laughed at Inuyasha's expression.

The music started and Kagome held the mike under Inuyasha's mouth and muttered something-Helen was pretty sure she was giving instructions and a threat. Then he began to sing:

Taiyou ga kyou mo kurayami ni noboru
Kizutsuite yomigaeru yuuki mitai ni

Me no mae ni yami ga oshiyosete kitemo
Tachimukai buchiyaberu chikara awasete

Ima ore wa umarete kita imi o shitta n da
omae to au sono tame da to

Ima me o sorasanai de ikou
Aoki yasei no mama de
Doko ka ni aru taiyou no
Kirameki motomete

Saa onaji kono michi ikou
Kuraki kouya tsukinukete
Toki o koe tsunaida te
Zutto hanasazu ni hashirou

Soon enough, Inuyasha looked comfortable with what he was doing.

Kotoba ni wa shinai yakusoku ga aru sa
Hibiki au kono kimochi tsuyoi kizuna sa

Yowasa made zenbu miserareru kiseki
Kono basho ga sagashiteta ore no iru basho

Tada soba ni omae ga iru nara
Ikusen no yaiba ni demo ore wa makenai

Ima dare no sashizu mo ukenai
Aoki yasei o daite
Haruka ni aru taiyou no
Fumoto o mesashite

Saa tori kono michi ikou
Kanarazu asahi wa noboru
Toki o koe mamoru kara
Hikari no arika e mukaou

Helen thought they looked cute together and she silently envied Kagome…

Ima me o sorasanai de ikou
Aoki yasei no mama de
Doko ka ni aru taiyou no
Kirameki motomete

Saa onaji kono michi ikou
Kuraki kouya tsukinukete
Toki o koe tsunaida te
Zutto hanasazu ni hashirou

The song ended and Helen clapped along with the other members of the audience. Inuyasha looked embarrassed beyond belief while Kagome was beaming.

"Don't they-?" Helen turned to find Sesshoumaru gone.

Where did he get to now!?

Helen scowled as she turned on her heel. She'd have to look for him before he caused any trouble. She turned back to Kagome and Inuyasha and decided to go ahead.

She left the park and started looking around. She found him scowling at her from under a tree a few blocks away. She scowled back at him.

"Why did you leave-?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and turned on his heel and strode off.

"Hey! Where are you going now!?" She sounded exasperated.

"Back to my proper era," he said coolly.

She sighed and watched him go.

XoXoXo

Done, done and done!

Yeah, yeah, I'll try to update more.

Thanks to those who reviewed!