Chapter Eighteen : Kindness And Innocence

Back in Kagome's era... Three days later...

"Mom! I'm heading to school! Love you!" Kagome called as she dashed out the door...

Her wounds were finally healing up a bit more since her and Jorn's confrontation, but her internal injuries and mental, emotional trauma still very much haunted her... She hated being home... Even though Jorn was long gone... His father was so angry about what he did to Kagome that his father sent him to an institution so he could get psychiatric help for his demented mental status... Still, Kagome felt very vulnerable without Koga and Inuyasha around...

"I wonder Inuyasha and others are doing right now... It still hurts so much... " Kagome said sighing to herself...

"Yoohoo! Ms. Higurashi!" an all too familiar way too perky voice called...

Kagome groaned...

"Not you again!" Kagome sighed irritatedly, "Why can't you people just take no for an answer?!"

"Sorry, as a reporter, it's my sworn duty to get as much info on you as I can!" Kat Kusura said smugly, "Now, either you cooperate and agree to an interview with me... Or I can follow you and record your every move... Your choice... "

Kagome gritted her teeth...

"OK, let's start out with that gorgeous wolf Koga... When did you first meet him?!" Kat asked moving in close to hear every juicy detail...

"Well... When he kidnapped me not too long after I started crossing over to the feudal era... " Kagome said remembering...

Much to Kat Kusura's delight, kagome retold the story of how she had the ability to see the secred jewel shards and how Koga had originally planned to keep her for only that purpose... But then, after having her captive for a few days, Koga had announced that he'd fallen deeply in love with Kagome... Kat gasped like a love sick school girl...

"Oh how romantic!" Kat Kusura squealed, " And what do you think about him?!"

Kagome thought about Koga, but when she did, a flash his hard naked body holding her in his arms and kissing passionately while his beast was still semi unleashed came to mind causing her to blush deep crimson...

"Ooo, I'll take that as a yes when it comes to you liking him!" Kat Kusura said with a wink, "OK guys, wrap it up! We got the info we need for now!"

And just as fast as she'd appeared, Kat Kusura was gone in the blink of an eye...

Meanwhile, with his new-found powers, Naraku had succeeded at transporting himself 500 years into the future... It was absolutely incredible to think that humans had learned in all these centuries... It was astounding! Immediately, Naraku began searching for the woman in his dreams... After what Boksuno had said about his visions, and then what little Kiisa has said, he more determined now then ever to find her... Before it was too late... Stretching out his aura, he stayed on guard in case Kikyo showed here as well... For it was she who aimed the arrows at him meant to take his life when the woman jumped in front of him... It hurt him just to think of her getting hurt... She seemed to be a pure soul of kindness and innocence... There were so many humans... So many unique scents... Eventually, Naraku's wanderings had landed him in the markets downtown... Vendors were set up all over town selling some strange but delightful smelling foods...

"Hello there... " A womans voice said from behind him, "Your aren't from around here are you?!"

"No I'm not I'm afraid... I'm looking for someone I need to find though... Would you be so kind as to... " Naraku gasped when he saw just who the woman was that had spoken to him...

'It's... It's her! The woman from my dreams!' Naraku thought, his heart bursting with joy...

"Hi, my name is Hiyuke Higurashi... Welcome to Tokyo Japan... " Hiyuke said with a brilliant smile on her face... " What is your name?"

"Naraku... " Naraku said, still frozen in place...

"Well, it's very nice to meet you Naraku... The fair is in town... Have you ever been to one?!" Hiyuke asked excitedly...

"What's a fair?" Naraku asked in confusion...

'It's so strange... ' Hiyuke thought to herself, 'I normally don't get excited over fairs and rides and silly stuff like that! Then suddenly this handsome stranger comes into town and I'm blushing like a teenage school girl! What's the matter with me?!'

"I'm sorry... We don't even know each other and here I am acting like a giddy school girl! You must think I'm so foolish... " Hiyuke said sadly... "I suppose I just let my loneliness get the better of me... "

"Are you not married already?!" Naraku asked in surprise...

"I was once... But he died right after my son was born... He barely new him... " Hiyuke said wiping a few stray tears with her hand...

"I'm terribly sorry... " Naraku said sincerely, his heart going out to the kind hearted woman, "Will you be aright?"

"Oh yes... I just get this way sometimes... It's hard being a lonely old widow raising two children on my own... I've been hoping to meet someone else..." Hiyuke said sadly, " But every time I'd try to get to know a man... There was always that cold fear that would come slinking around, coiling it's cold icy grip around my heart... "

"Fear of what?" Naraku asked unconsciously grasping Hiyuke's hand.

"That any moment they could be ripped away from me by the cold unforgiving grip of death... I'm afraid to fall in love... " Hiyuke said shuddering...

'Why?!' Hiyuke thought mentally smacking herself, 'Why in god's name did I just tell the most painful part of my life to a perfect stranger?!'

Naraku must have realized that what she had just revealed to him was something she'd chosen to keep locked away for a very long time because he looked at her with kindness and sympathy...

Thinking quickly of what he could do to cheer Hiyuke up, he looked at the vendors and gave her a warm smile... Taking her by the hand, he beconed her to follow him...

"Naraku! Wait, where are you taking me?!" Hiyuke asked in shock at his sudden enthusiasm...

"I wish for you to be my guide... I've never been to a fair before... " Naraku said smiling.

"Oh... I'm too old to go to a place like that anyway!" Hiyuke said laughing...

"Your most certainly not!" Naraku said instantly, "All of the other women here pale in comparison to your beauty... You are perhaps even to beautiful to even be considered human... "

The last part Naraku only meant for himself to hear, but with two kids in the house for sixteen years, your hearing becomes quite acute over the years... Hiyuke blushed upon hearing this and looked away with a shy smile on her face... Taking that as his cue, he led her through town until they made they're way to the strangest things he'd ever seen! Seeing his mouth drop open in awe, Hiyuke decided that it was her turn to lead and led him over to one of the noisy beasts...

"Are you certain these things are safe?" Naraku asked a bit intimidated.

"Oh yes, they're quite safe!" Hiyuke said pulling him to the platform grinning.

'Damn! She's certainly strong for a human!" Naraku thought in amazement...

When Naraku was still quite uncertain about getting on the peculiar thing, Hiyuke let go of his hand and grinned at him with her hands on her hips... It reminded him of a certain miko who did that when she wanted to pick on inuyasha... Hiyuke even had the same mischievous glint in her eyes...

'How very odd... ' Naraku mused silently, 'Perhaps she's Kagome's older sister?!'

"Come now, Naraku... Don't me a song handsome demon like you is afraid of a modern day fair ride?!" Hiyuke teased.

Naraku gasped, startled...

"How did you know?!" Naraku asked in shock...

"Well, your certainly too handsome to be an average ordinary human.. " Hiyuke said more to herself then to him... "And plus Kagome goes to the feudal era quite often... You aren't the first demon I've met, but your one of the handsomest... "

Hiyuke squaked and covered her mouth, a deep blush staining her cheeks... Naraku thought she looked quite lovely all flustered and blushing like that... In fact, he found it quite amusing that he could have such an effect on her having just met her... She on the other hand was extremely embarrassed...

'Oh no!' thought Hiyuke frantically, 'There I go again! Letting my mouth run away with me again!'

"I'm flattered that you like the way I look... " Naraku said smiling...

They still had yet to get on the ride, so without even giving it a thought, Naraku bent his head, and taking her hand in his, gently placed a kiss on her hand... Hiyuke became even more flustered... And turned bright crimson... After some more convincing, Hiyuke finally got Naraku on the ride and he really couldn't understand why Hiyuke was so excited about the ride... That is... Until it began to move... Protective demonic instincts taking over him, Naraku wrapped his arms around Hiyuke, for fear that she would fly out of the strange contraption! But she was anything but scared... She was laughing and happy, enjoying the ride as it whipped them around and around... Hiyuke's laughter was infectious, and soon, Naraku found himself enjoying the ride as well... When it was over and both Hiyuke and Naraku went to get off, both were extremely dizzy and as happy as can be...

"Well now, "Hiyuke said between giggles, "What did you think of your first ride on the scrambler, Naraku?!"

"It was quite exhilarating! " Naraku said laughing.

"So you liked it?!" Hiyuke exclaimed, "Good! Which one do you want to go on next?"

"All of them... " Naraku said smiling.

Never before had Naraku felt so happy and at peace... By the time school let out, Naraku and Hiyuke had ridden every ride in town! But Naraku's favorite ones were the scrambler, one called the casino, and the tilt a whirl... It was his favorite because between him and Hiyuke, they spun the wheel in the middle so fast that they were still spinning when the ride stopped... They're fun had not gone unnoticed either... Greg and Geana happened to be next in line when the ride stopped and Hiyuke and Naraku stopped spinning... But as they got off the ride arm and arm and walked by Greg and Geana, they did not even seem to see them... Geana, of course, was thrilled for her friend Hiyuke.. For years she'd been so alone... It was about time she meet someone who could make her happy...

"I don't like that man... " Greg suddenly said glaring at Naraku...

Naraku, being a demon, sensed the human male's hostility but simply ignored him... Nothing would spoil this wonderful evening... Later when Naraku and Hiyuke went to one of the vendors and got some hotdogs and potato chips each and went to sit down...

"This food looks a bit strange, what is it?" Naraku asked sniffing.

"It's called a hotdog." Hiyuke said sweetly... Just as Naraku was about to take a bite...

Naraku's eyes widened in horror...

"You eat dogs?!" Naraku gasped in horror...

Poor Naraku... Naraku looked at the hotdogs on his plate and his face turned a pale green...

"Oh no no! They aren't really dogs! It's just a nickname!" Hiyuke patting his hand worriedly, "They are made of chicken and beef... "

Naraku sighed in relief and delicately bit into his hotdog, immediately delighted by the unique flavor of it... While they were eating, Greg and Geana spotted the two and decided stop and talk to them for a bit...

"Hey Hiyuke, " Geana said pleasantly, " Who is your friend?!"

"This is Naraku... He's new here and we decided to get to know each other a bit... " Hiyuke said blushing.

"Well you two certainly seemed like you hit it off great!" Geana said with a wink, "We saw how much fun you guys were having... By the way, I love your kimono Naraku!"

Naraku was wearing his favorite kimono, a pair of dark purple pants and a light blue top, with a dark blue over it. It was a very stylish kimono indeed.

"Thank you. It's one of my favorites. " Naraku said pleasantly, "Hiyuke, which kimono do have that you like better?"

"Oh... I'm afraid I can't afford kimonos..." Hiyuke said sadly... "I have enough money for my family and I to live comfortably.. But I'm afraid I haven't had the luxury of owning one as of yet... Perhaps one day..."

Seeing how sad she suddenly was because of a simple type of clothing, Naraku suddenly got an idea... Standing up, Naraku smiled at Hiyuke, who along with Greg and Geana, gave him questioning looks...

"Hiyuke, would you mind standing up for me please? If you would, stand a few feet away... " Naraku asked pointing to a table not too far away...

Hiyuke gave Naraku a puzzled look but shrugged and did as he asked her to... Naraku raised his hand and smiled...

"Close your eyes... Hiyuke... " Naraku said in a silky tone...

Hiyuke did as Naraku asked and closed her eyes, her heart pounding excitedly...

'I wonder what he's planning?! ' Hiyuke thought to herself... 'What could he be up to?'

Greg and Geana looked at Hiyuke as well and couldn't help wonder about Naraku's odd behavior themselves... Naraku smiled, closing his eyes, he called forth his demonic power and let it grow until it became visible, a beautiful dark rose red... Greg and Geana gasped in horror as they watched the red light engulfed they're friend!

"What are you doing to her?! " Greg cried angrily preparing to attack Naraku...

Naraku looked at them both and smiled, holding up one finger, signaling for them to wait and watch... When the light receded, there stood Hiyuke, safe and unharmed... But instead of her outfit she had on before, she stood robed in a gorgeous kimono of shimmering green with gold lilies on it... Hiyuke, unaware of her wardrobe change, still stood with his eyes closed... Naraku rose from his seat elegantly and walked over to Hiyuke, gently taking her hand in his and leaned down to her...

'What is this?!' Hiyuke wondered, feeling the silk of her sleeve, where before was the comfortable knit of her plain jacket once was...

"You can open your eyes now... Hiyuke... " Naraku whispered...

Hiyuke opened her eyes and gasped...

"Oh wow!" Geana said in awe, "Hiyuke! You look as if you've stepped out of a fairy tale! "

"How did you do that?!" Greg asked in amazement...

Naraku turned to Greg and, smiling, answered him with one simple word...

"Magic... " Naraku said smiling...