Chapter 2
On the other side of Edo, Japan, a group of unusual characters sat around a fire inside a tattered hut waiting for their friend to return. Sango, a demon huntress with long black hair pulled back in a sporty ponytail, sat with her neko demon companion, Kirara, in her lap. Sango stroked the miniature fire cat demon as she talked with her friends. Miroku, a wondering monk who's clothing was the only thing monk-like about him, was sitting to Sango's left. His shoulder length hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and his staff rested comfortably within hands reach of him. His right hand was wrapped in a purple cloth and tied with prayer beads. Beneath the cloth was a menacing wind tunnel that could suck up anything and everything if he released it, including demons too much for the rest of the group. But it wasn't all for good, this wind tunnel. The fate of Miroku's future lays in curse a horrible demon named Naraku placed on Miroku's family. The wind tunnel will consume everything in it's path, until it has consumed the very person owning the hand it rests on as well. Miroku had seen his father perish before his very eyes. If something wasn't done to lift the curse, he will face the exact same fate.
To the left of Miroku, sat Shippo. Despite the fact he had walked the earth for 50 years, he was still a child, in demon standards. His face was chubby with that of baby fat and his furry tail bounced in excitement over the toys he played with. He wore a light blue haori with a darker blue hakama and a beige vest. His reddish brown hair was tied back high and accented his youthfulness.
Besides him, sat the biggest, thickheaded one of them all, Inuyasha. He was clad in red fire rat clothing that was torn with wear with no shoes to adorn his feet. His clawed hands were nestled in the sleeves of his haori as he sat cross-legged beside a grand tree. Atop his head were two dog ears that twitched in the direction of every sound. His eyes were closed as he meditated. While Sesshomaru's face resembled that of his mother's, Inuyasha was the spitting image of his father, save for the honorific markings. Unlike Sesshomaru, Inuyasha had no markings that told of status or rank, seeing how he had not earned any. It wasn't like he wanted it either. He had always bore the brunt of his father's mistake. It wasn't the fact that he fell in love with a human. It wasn't so unheard of. It was the fact that the Inu Taisho had betrayed his mate of several centuries, betrayed an oath, betrayed the royal name, and most of all, betrayed his first son. Oh how Sesshomaru adored his mother. The years she had slaved over raising him and maintaining the palace while she new of her mate's affair. Yet, she had held her head above the rumors and snickers of other Lords and Ladies and proved herself time and again. Despite her powerful, regal appearance, she was miserable inside. And it was all because of Inuyasha's father.
His own mother was no better off. She was long dead, but in her prime, she was a beautiful maiden. Where Sesshomaru's mother was brute and ruthless, Izayoi was soft and gentle. Her tender heart broke ten fold at each crude remark made at her innocent son. The son mocked for simply being in existence. He was hated by humans for his demon blood, and despised by demons for his human blood. His father died in a fire as he battled to save his family after reviving Izayoi, and his brother didn't want a thing to do with either of them. His mother was all he had in his lonely life.
That was until he met Kikyo. He opened his gold eyes, the only similarity he shared with Sesshomaru along with the long white hair, to look up at the transparent spirit collectors dancing in the night sky as the called for him to follow them to their master. Their master was not even really living. She was a shadow of the powerful maiden she used to be. Kikyo passed long ago because of the same demon that had cursed Miroku's hand. Through black miko magic, Kikyo's body was able to be reconstructed and a piece her soul stolen from another. The other girl was just an innocent victim to a love triangle forged five hundred years before her time.
Suddenly, the well beside the strange group began to shimmer in a blue light. Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippo picked up on the familiar sense of a miko in their midst and all stood. A hideious yellow backpack was thrown over the top of the well and landed with a loud thud on the ground below. Inuyasha sped inside it and jumped out with a bundle clinging to his back. Inuyasha crouched low and person he was carrying moved to stand back and collect the bag. Kagome turned and smiled brightly at her pack and was attacked by an anxious Shippo. She cooed at her adopted son and whispered how she had missed him the most. Then she turned to hug Sango and wave a hello at Miroku. Opening her bag, she tossed Kirara a little bundle and soon Kirara was rolling on the floor in a fit of purrs and growls. Oh, the wonders of Catnip, Kagome thought.
She reached again in her back to reveal a cup of pudding for Shippo, some new undergarments for Sango which she kept out of sight of Miroku's perverted eye, and a book of mathematics for Miroku since he had asked for it. All the while, Inuyasha kept staring at her bag, waiting for what he knew was in there. Kagome giggled and snatched something out of it, hiding it behind her back. Inuyasha's nose twitched and his eyes glossed over in ecstasy of the sheer smell of it. Kagome turn to face him fully and held the item in a tight fist in front of her. Inuyasha dropped to his hind legs and waited for it. She drew her arm back and thrust forward, her arm following as she tossed the item far into the distance. In a heartbeat Inuyasha raced towards it. He came running back and raced up the tree to gnaw on the chew toy. Each time he bit down, it made a high pitched squeak noise. The entire group burst out laughing and Kagome took her seat around the fire.
"So, Mama, when do we continue looking for the shards?" Shippo asked as he licked off the pudding inside its cup. Kagome smiled at her little kit. It wasn't too long ago he had first called her mama. He was having a nightmare about some demons attacking and he had screamed out for her in his sleep. Waking to her son's wailing, she picked him up and cradled him, humming a tune her mother used to sing when she was upset. When his screams quieted, he looked up at her with teary eyes and said in the softest voice, "I love you, Mama." Kagome's heart had filled with such joy she couldn't even breathe. She could only reply her love in kisses and hugs through her own tears. Since then, he never referred to her as anything else.
"In the morning, Shippo-kun. You need to rest because the minute the sun rises, I have a feeling we will need to be up and out of bed," she replied. Setting him down onto the sleeping bag she shared with him, she gathered some bathing supplies from her bag. "Sango, do you want to bathe tonight? I bought some new shampoos you might like," Kagome asked her friend.
"Do you even have to ask?" Sango remarked in mock shock. Grabbing her towel with her name embroided into it from her own bag that Kagome had bought for her, she raced her sister-like friend to the hot spring.
"Pfft, women," Inuyasha scoffed as he bit down on his toy again. The squeak echoed through the sleepy woods and he never felt so elated. Gods, what was this thing? Miroku laughed and took his spot beside the fire and readied himself for sleep, although he wasn't planning on resting until the women returned for their own protection.
At the spring, Kagome and Sango quickly undressed into their swimwear and nearly dived into the awaiting warm water. In the Feudal Era, two women bathing shouldn't bathe totally in the nude. From peeping toms to demons looking for a meal, one most always be ready for a fight.
"Oh! I almost forgot, I brought some pictures of my family and friends back home to show you guys," Kagome said as she scooted in the hot spring for her bag. She pulled out a bundle of photos and Sango joined her at the edge so the pictures wouldn't get wet. Kagome first showed her a picture of her with her grandpa, mother and brother, all standing by the shrine smiling joyously.
"Wow, Kagome, your family looks really beautiful. But how did they manage to get the paint to look so life like and smooth?" asked Sango as she ran her fingers over the smooth texture of the photograph. Kagome laughed feeling foolish as to have forgotten to explain what a camera was to her friend. She reached in her bag and pulled out an instant photo camera.
"Okay, I'd try to explain it, but I think showing it to you would be more affective. Just stand there and smile," Kagome ordered. Feeling a little confused, Sango did as she was told. Soon a flash filled the darkened area and she was seeing stars. After her sight returned to normal, she fixated on her friend's hand that was held out to her. She took the item and nearly gasped. She saw herself standing in the water where she was only moments before. Knowing it was some contraption from the future, Sango was again awed at the mysteries of the future. Then her mind began to delve into all the mischievousness Miroku could come up with if this fell into his hands.
"That's really something amazing, Kags. But if I were you, I'd keep that well out of Miroku's cursed hands. God knows he'd run wild with that," Sango remarked cracking her knuckles in preparation for the monk's coming smackings. Kagome's laughed reverberated in the forest as the girls continued looking on at the pictures. "Hold on a second!" Sango said suddenly. She paused over one photo of Kagome sitting at a table with another girl as they were having lunch. But she wasn't paying attention to her friend's image. She was fixated on the girl beside her. "Who is this?"
"Who? Kuri? That's one of my best friends from school. Why?" came Kagome's confused response. After a few moments, Sango shook her head.
"I thought I knew her from somewhere, but that's impossible. As far as I know, you're the only girl from the future I know," Sango finally answered shaking her head.
"Well I am from 500 years in the future. Maybe you knew her ancestor or incarnation? Everyone says I resemble Kikyo, so maybe it's a similar situation," Kagome offered sadly. She hated the fact she looked like Kikyo. Hated the fact that every time Inuyasha looked at her, he saw her previous embodiment. Sure, they had the same soul. But they were nothing alike. There was a huge difference between their spirits and their souls.
Sensing her friends angst, Sango put down the pictures and started splashing her friend. Soon their laughter again filled the area around them and not a soul that heard could maintain a foul mood. Not even the shadow lurking in the distance watching them. In fact, it was so lively, the shadow shot jealous glares and sulked away cursing the girl from the future.