Kagome was lost.

She sat alone in her room, late into the night, staring down at the rosary that once hung around InuYasha's neck. The beads were so familiar, and smooth. Yet they were cold. Not hanging around his neck, they were lifeless.

She wondered if the spell was still within the beads anymore, or if that too, was broken. She pondered wearing it herself, wearing everything that had been his, and never letting go of them.

After all, they were all that was left of InuYasha, aside from her memories.

Kagome had been attached to his possessions for months now, still refusing to accept the dark truth. He was gone, and all that was left was a necklace, a haori, and a sword. All three of which she kept with her in the modern era.

She was terrified to be without them, and often slept in his fire rat haori. On top of that, she hadn't returned to the feudal era since he was laid to rest. She knew she needed to, that no matter what, she had to complete the jewel, and cast Naraku into oblivion, but her soul couldn't handle the pain of losing InuYasha. All she could do was cry, and keep herself locked up in her room.

Until now.

She had reached a decision. If InuYasha taught her anything, it was that life went on, no matter what happened to the ones you care about. And you couldn't stop living too, no matter how much you wished you had died too, because the ones you lost would want you to move on, and be happy.

He wouldn't want her to drown in her sorrow, he wouldn't want her to be sad. Just like she didn't want him to be sad. If only things had turned out different…

She set the rosary back inside the wooden box she had it stored in, and she then gently folded up the haori, and placed in the box as well, before closing it up slowly.

If she was going to heal, she had to let him rest, even if that meant distancing herself from what once belonged to him. She would return to it one day, when the memory wasn't so painful, and vivid.

And when his scent didn't make her heart seems as if it were being crushed by an iron vise. Even now, she could still smell him on his haori.

She slid the box under her bed, beside a few other boxes containing schoolwork she desperately needed to catch up on, and laid the sword under there as well, next to the boxes. She adjusted her bed skirt, so show no signs of anything beneath her bed, and stood slowly.

Today would be the first step she took towards healing, though the other end of the path seemed bleak, and nonexistent. Still, she had to begin moving forward, for InuYasha's sake. Truthfully, she couldn't imagine her life without him anymore, even when she thought that he would choose Kikyo over her, she still saw him in her future, but now…

All she saw was uncertainty.

And it was the worst feeling too. Despite that, she began to get ready for the first day of high school, with a new uniform, and a new course in life, and afterwards…she would go back to the warring states era to finish what was started.

After all, InuYasha needed to be avenged, and she would be the one to bring it to fruition. But before she began such a task, she had to overcome her grief, otherwise, she would simply end up dying right behind him.

She prayed for the strength to get through the day. Everyone knew that she was mourning someone close to her, and had refused to see everyone for a few months. All they knew was what her mother, or grandfather told them over the phone. And she was grateful her mother respected her wishes to have her left alone until she was ready to live again.

Now she not only had to face life, but her friends, whom she knew wouldn't be too happy with her, but once she explained just who it was that died…

She left the house without a word to anyone, and glanced down at her royal blue skirt. It was a bit longer than her middle school uniform had been, and now, she had a sweater as well. to wear with her uniform. She realized then just how sick she was of uniforms, and rules. Maybe she should take some time off, before beginning high school.

Starting it off in this frame of mind wouldn't help her to do well at all…her failing grades from missing so much school in middle school didn't help.

She made her way slowly across the shrine grounds, keeping extra care to not look at the well house, or sacred tree. Seeing such symbols, especially the tree, would only make her feel worse than she already did.

She hurried down the shrines steps, to the street, and quickened her pace, putting as much distance from herself, and every reminder of him as humanly possible. She knew that such a thought was sad in itself, but she had to do t, otherwise, she would die inside, and wouldn't ever be able to move on. InuYasha would understand…

The school grounds were crazy when she arrived. People were talking to each other, bustling about, preparing for the first day, and she suddenly felt out of place in it all. She didn't recognize a single face in the crowd as she made her way to the building

She made her way through a group of middle school girls, wearing her old style of uniform, and they seemed so…young to her, for some reason. It made her past endeavors in middle school seem like a lifetime ago. Things really did seem simpler back then...

The door was in reach, and she moved her arm out to grab the door handle when…a hand reached it first, and opened it before her.

She was one that believed in fate, not coincidence, and that all things happened for a reason. But when she turned, and looked at the face of the high school boy that opened the door for her, she felt like she had been holding her breath for too long, and inhaled sharply.

There he stood, in the black uniform all high school boys wore, with a warm smile, and a twinkle in his violet eyes. His hair was cut in a shaggy, modern style, that still retained the same shape she remembered.

"Ladies first," his voice spoke, politely.

She'd expected a different timber of voice, deeper, maybe. After all, being a reincarnation herself, she had a different voice than Kikyo had, and many small aspects were different, but his voice…

….was exactly the same it had always been.

She hurried through the door quickly, and could FEEL him following her. That was one thing about InuYasha, she could feel when he was nearby. And it was the same now, as it was then.

But then again, it could be her mind playing tricks on her, since his death was so fresh to her, though to this reincarnation, it was well over five hundred years ago. So it made sense, sort of.

She hastened her pace, and could feel his quicken as well. She hurried into her classroom, and was about to claim the seat farthest in the back when a hand landed on her shoulder. And she nearly screamed.

She spun around to meet the uncharacteristically happy face , which was holding her calculus textbook in one hand.

"Luckily, we share the same class, you dropped this by the school entrance," he explained. Her mind kept reeling.

Why now? Why now of all times did he have to be thrust into her life?

She wanted to run away, yet at the same time, she quelled the urge to embrace him. So, she simply accepted her textbook, with a weak smile.

"Thank you." she replied just as weakly.

He glanced around the room then, and bit his lower lip. For an instant, his unusually happy expression clouded into an expression all to familiar to her, and tears threatened.

"Um, I know this may sound strange, but have we met before? You seem so familiar," he asked.

The floodgates burst, and she began to cry, right there, in front of everyone. And she noted, despite the tears, and anguish, he reacted the same way InuYasha did whenever she cried. His hands waved about wildly, and he had a look of fear, and shock on his face.

"No no! Don't cry! What did I say?! I'm sorry! Please stop!" he seemed to plead at her, but she couldn't help it, it had been too much. And before what happened could register in her mind, he was ushering her out of the classroom, and out of the school completely, towards the soft grassy schoolyard.

She fell down onto the grass, with an unceremonious plop, and covered her face with her hands. He sat down too, and she silently wished him to go away. After a moment, she got her emotions back under control, and slowly moved her hands away, only to find him staring at her with an overly concerned expression.

"You're Kagome, aren't you.?" he asked. She fought the sudden urge to hit him just then.

"How did you know my name?" she asked in bewilderment. He smiled again.

"Ah, well, my family is close friends with one of your friend's family. Ayumi told me all about you." he supplied.

She groaned inwardly. Which meant, he knew she was extremely strange, always sickly, and possibly demented. But, then again, Ayumi didn't see her the way the others did. Ayumi was the most tolerable of the group. He seemed to shift slightly, to sit more comfortably, leaning back against a large tree.

"What's your name?" she asked carefully. He glanced towards the school, then back at her.

"I'm Shoji," he said. Her heart hammered in her chest. She then recalled Ayumi speaking of the son of a close family before, but they lived overseas at the time, and this was when Inuyasha was still alive too…

"Are you alright, Kagome?" he asked.

She blinked at him. Was she? For the first time, she could say that she knew exactly how Inuyasha felt back when they first met. He looked at her, and saw only Kikyo. She looked at Shoji, and saw…

She knew better than anyone, that a reincarnation was a completely different person altogether, they simply resembled their previous life. So why was he identical, save for shorter hair?

And why was he so familiar with her?

He reached forward, slicing into her thoughts, and she held her breath, as he touched her cheek, then her forehead.

"You feel a little warm, maybe I should walk you home," he offered. She wanted to refuse, and stay, but going home, and relaxing sounded like a better plan, and she conceded.

"Alright," she agreed quietly.

He helped her, up, and let her hold onto his arm, as they made their way off school grounds. Once they were down the street, she could hear the school bell chime as classes begun, and she let out a sigh.

"Ayumi said you were sick for quite a while, to be honest, I'm surprised you came to school today," he said, as they made their way down the street.

All she could do was sigh slightly. If Kagome of a year ago, saw Kagome today, she would kick her ass back into optimism.

"It comes and goes," she explained simply. What else could she say without looking completely crazy?

"It's strange, Ayumi talked about you a lot, but I never knew what you looked like. Still, you seem so familiar somehow," he seemed to wonder aloud.

"We've never met, I'd remember you," she said, with certainty. He laughed gently.

"Maybe in another life then," he teased.

His words caused her to distractedly trip, and twist her ankle, which throbbed more than any twisted ankle should be allowed to. She wanted to slap fate upside the head right now, if it even HAD a head…

Shoji held her upright, though she wanted to fall to the ground. Maybe it would swallow her up…

"Wow, that looks really swollen, you better not put any pressure on it," he began. He leaned her back against the wall to a building, and did the very last thing she expected. He crouched down in front of her.

"Hop on, I'll carry you piggyback to your house." he instructed.

She simply stared at him, and could almost see the amber eyes, and flowing silver hair…
But she was curious. Her sadness was ever slowly seeping away, the longer he was close to her. And she couldn't help but want to see exactly why he was thrust into her life so quickly, but fate was something she believed strongly in.

SO she hopped up onto his back, like she had on InuYasha's so many times before, and that's when it hit her.

He smelled the same too.

In essence, he was Inuyasha, but at the same time, he wasn't. But did that mean that InuYasha was inside him somewhere, like Kikyo had been inside of her?

He stood effortlessly, and began to walk in the direction she told him. Along the way, she rested her head on his shoulder, and wondered if this was meant to be, to get her to simply move on, without the intense pain and sorrow? Or was there something else behind all this? It would be one thing to see him in passing, but another to be interacting with him with familiarity.

He felt so warm too, and she knew she might be holding onto him a bit more tightly than necessary, but she didn't care. He did seem familiar too, in the strangest way. She was so caught up in the feel of it all, that she felt dread when he began to walk up the shrine steps.

"Ayumi told me you were shrine keepers. I've never seen one myself." he said.

"It's not much, a house, some rooms for storing ancient artifacts, and scrolls," she began.

"Wow, that's one huge tree," he said quietly. He seemed to make a beeline for the tree, and Kagome squeezed her eyes shut.

"It's our family's sacred tree." she said quietly in turn.

"It's amazing, Kagome. It has to be about a thousand years old," he said in awe. He stepped closer to the tree, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her, as if letting him get too close to it was wrong. It was InuYasha's tree.

"The house is over there," she spoke up, pointing in the direction of it. He nodded, and headed in that direction, and she let out a deep breath.

"Is your ankle bothering you?" he asked.

"It's not that bad, I've had worse," she admitted. Acid burned feet came to mind…

He brought her inside, and she frowned, realizing that no one was home. He seemed to notice this too, as he set her down on the fluffy couch.

"I'll go get you some ice," he said.

As he left the room to head for the kitchen, Kagome screamed into one of the throw pillows. Was this how InuYasha felt all the time about her? She was angry, but peaceful at the same time. Truthfully, she didn't know a word to describe how she felt…

He returned, not only with ice for her ankle, but with a warm cup of hot chocolate, of all things, with marshmallows.

"You don't have to do all this," she tried to explain, as he laid a blanket over her lap.

"Its alright, besides, just leaving you here all alone with a swollen ankle didn't feel right, after all I do sort of feel responsible, since it was my suggestion to walk you home that caused you to get hurt," he said.

"I'm just doomed to have bad luck," she muttered.

"You need anything else?" he asked.

"Um, I could read a book, but I'll get it later," she said.

"I'll get it, just tell me where it is," he said.

"I don't want you to fuss," she replied.

"Keh! It's no big deal, I promise." he said. Her heart skipped a beat. Did she hear him right? Did he just make the same sort of scoff too?! She deftly pointed up.

"First door, on the left," she answered, blinking at him in bewilderment. She sank down on the couch, and watched him walk out of the room….

**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*~**~**~**~**~*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

Ayumi said her friend Kagome was a bit mysterious, but she didn't seem all that odd as other people made her out to be. She did seem sad though, he could see it in her eyes. And it worried him, despite the fact that she was a complete stranger.

And he…was in that complete strangers bedroom…which had a pleasant smell of cherry blossoms to it.

He walked in quickly to the book, which sat on the nightstand beside her bed, and halted midstride, as a sudden spike of pain drove itself through his chest. It was so abrupt, and crippling, that he fell to his hands and knees on the floor, and gasped for air.

Of all places for it to happen, it had to be in a stranger's house, that didn't know about his condition.

It had never been so intense before, not enough to drive him to his knees in agony. He was about to stand when it happened twice more, and he fell flat to the floor with a groan. It felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Usually, the visions accompanied the pain, as always, and this time was no exception. Normally, everything went by too quick for him to make anything out but this time…

He saw her…only she was dressed differently, and she looked very happy, and he was…what was he doing?!

Before the images could play out, they faded, and his regular vision returned to him. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the bright spot from his vision, only it wasn't a bright spot, it was something glowing underneath her bed…

He crawled forward, and lifted the bed skirt gently, and peered underneath into the shadows. A faint purplish light was emanating from a small wooden box.


His curiosity got the better of him, and he carefully pulled the box out from under the bed. He rose to a sitting position, and carefully eased the lid open…..

And that's when all hell broke loose.

A few dozen bright small spheres of light rose up from the box, and darted all around the room, seemingly diving at him. He swatted at them, to no avail, as they tried to surround him. He leapt up off of one foot, and dove out of the room.

The hallway began to glow, and he knew that they were right behind him, but he didn't look back. He ran down the stairs, tripped on an area rug, and fell to floor right in front of the couch.

"What are you-OH!" Kagome gasped.

He sat up quickly, and spun around, only to find that the spheres had encircled his neck…and he closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. He held his breath…

And felt a slight weight hang around his neck.

He opened one eye, to find Kagome staring at him, wide eyed. Then he looked down, to see a sort of rosary necklace around his neck.

"What…the HELL was that?!" he exclaimed. He began to yank on the necklace, to lift it off, but it refused to be removed. Every time he yanked it too far in one direction, it began to glow, and yank itself back down around his neck.

"Get it off!" he cried, falling down onto his back, still yanking at them. Kagome was at his side in a flash, trying to help, but she too, didn't seem to be able to remove…whatever it was…maybe the kids at school were right after all…

He gave up, and remained laying on the floor, gasping for breath.
"I got attacked…by jewelry?" he wondered aloud. To his dismay, he found Kagome…wait, was she laughing?!

"I fail to see how possessed, attacking necklaces can be funny," he said.

She covered her mouth with her hands. She was crying too. Now he was extremely confused. He sat up, the possessed necklace forgotten at the moment, and looked at her.

"You didn't hurt your ankle more did you?" he asked. She shook her head slowly.

"Then….what's…wrong?" he asked. She stood up so quickly, that it caught him off guard, and he flinched slightly, as she hopped over him, favoring her hurt ankle, and dodged up the stairs, leaving him in complete bewilderment.

Serves him right for skipping school on the first day…

Not even five minutes later, she was hauling him by the arm, outside, and into what she called the well house. A backpack was slung over one shoulder, and in her hand, she held a small jar of…broken glass?

Curiosity getting the better of him as she explained the wells name, bone eaters well, he peered down into the darkness, and could see the shadows of what could be bones…

"What does this well have to do with any-HEY!!" he shouted, as she shoved him forward, while he had been peering into the well.

An intense light blinded him, and he threw his arms up over his face. So this was how he was going to die? A pretty, crazy girl pusing him down a dark well, where no one would know to look. Did the bones belonged to all her other victims? Wait, the well wasn't that deep, why hadn't he hit the bottom…

Okay, why did he float to the bottom? One second he's falling, then a light flashes, and now he floats? He glanced up the dark shaft…wait, why wasn't it dark? And WHY did he see blue skies? There wasn't a skylight in that old well house…and there were vines all over now.

He grabbed one of the said vines, and began to haul himself up the shaft to the opening above. Why did all the weird stuff always happen to him? He thought up an array of things to call Kagome the next time he saw her…IF he saw her, then again, he could be dead, and this was…

He peered over the side of the well, and, he wasn't in hell at least. Though there was a bit too much green for his liking.

He climbed free of the shaft, and looked around slowly. That strange familiar ness washed over him again, right down to the gentle breeze. He closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. He opened his eyes slowly, to find a kid hanging upside down in a tree right in his face, emerald eyes blinking a mile a minute.

"InuYasha?" his small voice asked. The little creature looked at him as if he were about to burst into tears.

Shoji took a step back. This small kid had pointy ears, and fangs. And...a tail?! He turned to flee, only to see Kagome follow him out of the well.

"You! What did you do! Kidnapping is a crime you know!" he shouted.

"Kagome! You came back!" a happy voice cried. Shoji ducked as the kid leapt through the air at them both. Kagome caught him effortlessly.

"I'm back, sorry if I worried you Shippo." she said gently. Shoji looked at the little kid closely.

"I get it," he said. Kagome looked at him with a sort of hopeful expression.

"I'm dreaming, I'm still at the bottom of the well, unconscious." he said. The kid gave him a funny look before jumping on him.

"What's with him? Why is he talking so funny?" Shippo asked. Shoji looked at him carefully.

"What are you?" he asked carefully. The kid gave him a devious little smile.

"I'm a youkai, of course." he said.

"You…kai?!" Shoji squeaked, as he tossed Shippo away, and hid behind Kagome. Shippo landed on his head nearby with a scowl.

"InuYasha! You stupid jerk!" the kid wailed.

"Why does he keep calling me that?" he asked Kagome. She sighed gently, and looked over her shoulder at him.

"It's a long story, but I can't tell you out in the open like this, follow me," she said, walking forward.

"Why should I trust a girl that pushed me down a well?" he asked.

"You're the one that went through my stuff, so you're in no position to criticize," she said, in an irritated tone. Shoji took a deep breath. It didn't matter if he wanted to go or not, she was his only way out, so…

So…that's what he gets for trying to be nice to someone!

"Wait up!" he called.

"Hurry up!" Kagome called back.

"I'm not exactly dressed for this you know," he muttered under his breath. He kicked a rock as he followed reluctantly. It wasn't really his fault he went snooping in her stuff before, but how could he explain why he ended up on her floor, and saw a glowing box where a possessed necklace was kept…

Then again, why would anyone have a possessed necklace stashed away anyways?!

She arrived to find InuYasha already transformed into his human form, curled up beside Kirara. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell in a rhythmic motion of sleep. She couldn't help but smile to herself at the sight. InuYasha was as tough as they come, but when he was asleep, he looked so innocent, and endearing. Then again, to her, he always was. He was her strength, in so many ways. She didn't know what she would do without him.

His dark eyelids fluttered gently, and his eyes opened dreamily. He smiled almost shyly, and yawned. Kagome set her backpack down, and knelt down beside him.

"Seeing you sleeping so peacefully in your human form is a great relief," she said quietly. The others were asleep nearby, and the last thing she wanted to do was wake everyone up from her severe lateness to return.

"I've got a good bodyguard," he said. Sitting up carefully he made sure not to disturb Kirara, and looked at her with sleepy eyes.

"Why are you so late?" he asked.

"Final exams," she explained.

"Tests…" he muttered. With a slight shrug, he stood, and offered her a hand. She looked up at him curiously.

"Aren't you tired?"

"Keh! I'm not THAT weak of a human to need to sleep all night," he said, his cheeks flushing slightly. She took his hand, and he helped her to stand. Much to her surprise, he kept holding her hand gently, and led her away from the others.

"Is there something on your mind?" she asked quietly.

"When isn't there?" he countered. She rolled her eyes.

"If this is about Koga trying to claim me this afternoon, save the lecture," she murmured.

"Who? No, this has nothing to do with that stinking wolf,"he said quietly.
Kagome smiled wistfully. Despite Kouga's on again, off again claim over her, InuYasha seemed to get over his insecurity about it. He didn't get riled up whenever Kouga came around, like he used to. Though, this afternoon, the wolf youkai seemed very determined to claim her, and she never saw InuYasha react the way he had. She half expected it to turn out like all the other fights, but it was different this time. InuYasha protected her honor, and she, trying to stop the fight before anyone got seriously hurt, sat him.

And she felt terrible for it.
Though he took the abuse without a word, and she told Kouga firmly where she stood. And she swore to herself to never use the subduing spell on him, not unless it was absolutely necessary. She also swore it to him as well. InuYasha led her to a grassy hill, above the campsite, which looked so small down below. She looked at him curiously, wondering what he was up to. When he was in his human form, he never usually strayed from the others like this.

"This all disappears one day, doesn't it?" he asked quietly. She looked over at him, to see his hair billow behind him in the gentle breeze, not obscuring his features.

"What?" she stammered, realizing that she was gawking at him.

"This hill, this plain, the trees beyond that, none of it exists in your era," he said.

"Yeah, this area happens to be a large part of the city in my time." she noted aloud.

"It must be nice, to be able to appreciate both sides," he remarked in a strange voice. " I'm going to miss it."

"InuYasha?" she whispered. Now he was beginning to worry her.

He looked at her then, and his eyes sparkled. Maybe it was then that she saw something new, something she never saw before in them.
She could see herself, reflected in his eyes. And something else…

"I've decided. After we complete the jewel, and get rid of it, I want to go with you," he said quickly.

"To the modern era?" she squeaked. He nodded. Her mind whirled. With her? To stay?

"I know it might be difficult, with how different your era is," he went on.

"Um, in my era, will you be a hanyou, or a full youkai?" she asked quietly. He smiled then, so gently, yet so full of conviction.

"A hanyou, of course."

She embraced him then, nearly knocking him down in her excitement. He wanted to be with her! He wanted to live in her era! He…
He chose… He held her tight.

"Everything will work out, you'll see." he spoke softly in her ear…



Kagome awoke with a start. She sat up so abruptly, that the world turned in on itself, and she fell over sideways, with an unceremonious thump loud enough to wake the dead.

Or it should have.

Close by, Shoji was sleeping soundly, and silently. His face had a serene look to it, as he dreamed. And cuddled up with him was the traitor Shippo, who had taken a liking to the carbon copy a little too quickly for her taste. Shippo and InuYasha never really got along so well as to cuddle, like she and Shippo did, but InuYasha would have sacrificed his life for the little kitsune, if need be.

She kicked the blanket she slept under free of her legs, and stood quietly. Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were in the village of the demon slayers, which was a few days away on foot. She wanted to talk to Miroku, and missed Sango desperately, so she decided, or to put it right, forced Shoji to come too. After all, they wouldn't believe it until they saw it. Or him, rather.
She was still trying to figure it all out herself. Part of her wanted to kick Shoji for looking like InuYasha so much. Part of her…longed for him to fulfill the promise he made to her on that specific afternoon before.

"Cant sleep?" his voice sliced through the silence like a knife. She looked over at him. He had that same sleepy look too, damn him!

"I don't sleep well anymore," she said evenly, trying to adopt some of the couldn't-care-less tone she heard Sesshomaru often employ.

"Are you going to treat me this way the entire time?" he asked.
She sighed. Maybe she shouldn't have told him…everything. He HAD accepted it pretty well, though pushing him down the well, and into the feudal era helped to convince him. It took an encounter with a boar youkai to completely make him admit he was indeed awake, and not unconscious at the bottom of the well. And, that he was 500 years into his past, seemingly walking the same path as her.

Almost…

"Just go back to sleep, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," she said. Shoji sighed, and turned on his mat, putting his back to her. Why was she so mean to him anyways? Its not like he did anything wrong. Except that he looked like InuYasha, which meant that he was his reincarnation, and that he was truly gone.

And she never got to say goodbye.

"Women," she heard Shoji mutter under his breath. She couldn't help but smile slightly, despite the circumstances. She did know one thing though, she held a deeper understanding of how InuYasha must have felt.

**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

The following morning they headed out. Shippo sat, to Kagome's surprise, on her shoulder as they made their way through the forest. She felt better, now that she had a bow, and a quiver of arrows, in case they ran into any more unexpected encounters.

"He smells the same," Shippo whispered quietly in her ear. His comment caught her off guard, and she felt her pulse quicken slightly.

"Huh?"

"He smells the exact same, as InuYasha in his human form." Shippo explained.

"That's not possible," she countered. He stole his scent too?!

"It's hard to trick the nose of a youkai Kagome," Shippo replied, almost annoyed.

"I should have just stayed in bed, rather than go to school," she murmured.

"Speaking of, how's your ankle?" Shoji spoke up from a little ways behind them.

"It's just fine. Keep up, or you'll get picked off by a youkai," she ordered him. He sighed slightly…again.

"Yes Ma'am," he said, halfheartedly.

"So, Shippo, any news from the wolf youkai tribe?" Kagome asked, desperate to change the subject. She could have sworn she heard Shippo snicker.

"Why? Do you think if Kouga came for you it might make InuYasha remember or something?"

"What? Remember? What are you talking about?" she asked, flushing.

"Curious, do tell." Shoji spoke up.

"Quiet you!" she shot back at him, with a glare. The anger that crossed his features was so abrupt, and familiar, that she flinched.

"What?! First you kidnap me, and now I cant talk?! You stupid girl!! You're not my keeper!" he snapped back.

Shippo's tiny claws dug into her shoulder. "Sometimes, I could swear that's him coming to the surface. His scent changes and everything!" he squeaked.

"Its…not possible Shippo. InuYasha died, remember?"

"Stranger things have happened,"

Kagome could hear Shippo's words echo over and over in her mind. "His scent changes and everything." What did it all mean? Was there some sort of connection between InuYasha and Shoji, beyond reincarnation?

"You brought me here, you've forced me on this little field trip to god knows where, and on top of that, you're being a b-" Shoji continued. Kagome didn't know where it came from, or why, all she knew was it was like instinct.

"SIT!!" she screeched angrily.

The necklace was bound to InuYasha's soul, so in actuality, the spell wouldn't have any effect on anyone else, when the word was spoken. Shoji had a sudden look of fear on his face, as the beads began to glow, and before she could let what was happening register in her mind, Shoji was doing a face plant in the soft ground.
She fell to her knees on the soft grass, staring wide eyed. It shouldn't have done that at all. The beads should have remained silent. They should never have acted ever again.

Then she felt it. It was very faint, but she felt it. There was no mistaking it at all. The familiar aura washed around them, and it was coming from Shoji.

"Oi…that wasn't very nice," he grumbled. He lifted his head ever so slightly, and as he did, his dark hair shifted, and changed until it was that familiar silvery white hue. Two white triangles now rested atop of his head as well, and one twitched slightly. He looked at her, and his violet eyes were now that warm amber shade she knew so well.

"…you promised never to do that again," he said softly. Tears welled in her eyes, and something inside her seemed to heal itself in an instant.

"InuYasha?" she whispered.




The world had gone black.

His last memory, had been pain. Intense, excruciating pain, before everything was swallowed up by darkness. Then there was nothing left but memory. And that's where he stayed.
There was no hell, no heaven, or any sort of afterlife at all. He simply drifted in nothingness, with only his thoughts to keep him company. No sound, nothing.

Except, of course, for her voice.
It was the only thing he could hear. The one, single thing that he remembered. Her voice, and her face. Even though he could not see, he could see her. Always there, always smiling.
She always HAD been there by him, no matter what was transpiring. Whether they were simply walking casually down a road, or fighting an enemy. Between time itself, or when he broke her heart, she was always there. Always reminding him that someone was there beside him.

Yet, despite that, somewhere along the ages, he began to forget things. Small things at first.
Then memory became dreams, until the dreams faded too…

He couldn't remember anymore. Memory began again, the day that light returned, and life seemed to begin all over again. But it was all new, and the darkness was like a bad dream from long ago. He grew, learned, lived life carefree, and unknowing.

Until the dreams began again.

And with the dreams came the pain in his heart, with images flashing before his eyes too quickly to see clearly. Voices mostly, calling for him, but a name strange to him.
Then one day, on the first day of high school, he met a pretty, yet very sad girl, whose sadness struck at his very soul. And with reasons he couldn't explain, he was drawn to her. He knew her somehow, but where, or how, he couldn't remember.

He helped her home. He remembered that. He remembered having another episode in her bedroom while getting her a book, and saw the strange glow from under her bed. Her room smelled so familiar somehow…

Before he knew it, he was thrust into a strange, yet familiar world, against his will at first, but he followed the girl again, as if he'd done it before. Something inside of him told him to stay beside her.

In all his confusion, he began to get angry. There was so much he didn't know, and he knew there were things that he SHOULD know, that he had forgotten. He wasn't an angry person, that he knew of anyways, but he just felt so angry with her, and he told her so.

And one moment, he's standing on his own two feet, the next…he was eating dirt.

Then he remembered that he was always eating dirt whenever he made her mad. Then again, hadn't she promised him that she wouldn't do that anymore? He knew she had said that, back before darkness obscured the light.

Memory.

Memory flooded back to him. All the way back to an arrow, and a frightened girl setting him free…and everything in between. All the way to…

He lifted his head slowly, feeling the familiar rush of power that was lost to him for five hundred years. By the scent in the air, he knew where he was, and who was nearby, and his first thoughts…

"InuYasha?" a voice asked quietly.

That voice. That sweet voice, that maybe he never forgot, but kept so close to him, that he couldn't see or hear anything at all.

"Kagome," he said softly. The young woman before him looked at him with wide eyes, full of tears. He'd never seen her in such a state. Her eyes held a deep sadness to them he'd never saw before.

Then he remembered. That fateful night, when time stopped, and he…died. It all came back to him so clearly, that it felt as it just happened.
He had been sitting alone with Kagome, during the night of the new moon. And while he was in his human state, they were attacked. He could see the evil malice that poured from the lesser demons that surrounded them. Kagome told him to run, while she lifted her bow, but he had refused.
That was when the pain came, pain unlike any he had ever felt. It tore the breath from his chest, and he could feel himself being lifted into the air, followed by a sinister laugh.

HIS laugh.

"Ku ku ku, It would seem that fate has decided to smile upon me at long last!" he said. With each word he spoke, his voice got more and more distant, as did Kagome's cries. He was trapped in Naraku's claw, each shoulder impaled completely through, immobilizing him above the area where Kagome fought.
He could feel his life draining away, as his blood ran down his pierced body. How could he have not seen this coming? This is exactly why he remained hidden on this night, but no…

He could have shouted, cursed him. He knew he was about to die, but offering the bastard his last words was something he would never give. He felt the pressure on his spine, as another claw prepared to pierce his heart from behind, and he affixed his gaze on Kagome.
There was one last thing he could give her before death took him. And he managed to say the words with all his heart, just as his heart was torn to nothingness.

"I love you!"

He didn't hear her scream, and run towards him, her entire body glowing from a power she had never before been able to tap into, nor did he feel his body hit the ground as his enemy dropped him from his claws.

By then, InuYasha was gone.

And now…he understood. Why he had the pain where there was no wound. He felt echoes of the past. His heart had been torn from his chest once. And now, it beat once more within his body. Naraku had declared fate smiled on him, when in fact, despite the sorrow, and pain, it smiled on InuYasha instead.

Still, he would rather die a thousand deaths than to see the pain he now saw in her eyes.

Raising himself to his hands and knees, he slowly crawled over to her. As he went, he wondered how in the world his school uniform had lasted THIS long. Not only that, he thought how unusual that he would be knowledgeable about stuff now, that he wasn't back then. He grew up in the modern era, as a human for seventeen years, yet he was still InuYasha, of the feudal era.

Then he realized, he had a place in the modern era now, he EXISTED there. Before, he was worried about leaving his era to live in hers, because he didn't exactly have a way to exist there, without someone realizing he didn't belong, but now…pieces began to fall into place. The sudden move from New York to Tokyo, the strange visits from his adoptive fathers acquaintance.
Sesshoumaru!
During his entire life in the Modern Era, Sesshomaru had been close by. Why?

Those thoughts seemed insignificant though, as he pulled her into his embrace without hesitation. After all, he had waited over five hundred years to hold her, to smell her…to tell her…

She held on so tight that she trembled, and he could feel her crying against his chest. He could almost feel the pain of what she must have gone through after he had died. He wished he could give her some of his strength, though at the moment, he was breaking too. He didn't care. It felt so right, and he was so relieved, and happy that he cried too.

"Uh…InuYasha?" a small voice asked. He opened his eyes slightly, to see the small redheaded kitsune child he now remembered so well, and missed dearly too. He couldn't help but smile, and offer the kit a spot in the embrace, which he took happily.

"I missed you too, Shippo." he said quietly.

He carried Kagome on his back, just like he used to, as they made their way to the demon slayers' village. Along the way, Kagome asked him questions, and he tried to answer them to the best of his ability. She couldn't help but often mention how weird she thought him knowing more about geometry than her, was. He then proceeded to tell her he'd tutor her when they weren't hunting for Naraku.

"Now I have a question," he spoke up.

"Yes?"

"Why in the hell did you push me down the well? Did you know it would let me through, or were you taking a chance, one of which might have left me with a broken neck?" he asked carefully.

"Um, well, I just had this feeling. The necklace reacted for some reason, and I don't believe in coincidence," she replied evenly. He nodded slightly in response. Kagome's feelings were usually right, never had he seen them wrong at all.

"InuYasha, are you from Kagome's time now? Does that mean you have to take tests and stuff now?" Shippo asked.

"Oi! Why did you have to ruin a perfectly good moment with THAT question of all questions?!" he growled.

"So now you can't get mad at Kagome for taking tests!" Shippo cheered.

"Well, unless we START high school, there's no tests in the foreseeable future," Kagome pointed out.

"Keh, the first few days are a waste of time anyways, getting to know your teachers, etc, I always end up hating them all anyways…" he murmured.

"I like school," she said carefully.

"Yeah, well, now I can say I understand that," he said quietly.

"So….does this mean your parents get to make up excuses for you missing school?" Kagome asked.

"Ah, now THAT'S the funny part. I'm adopted, and my parents, well, they work a lot, sometimes overseas for days at a time, and my temporary guardian watches over me during that time, so I basically am by myself most of the time. Or was, anyways," he said.

"Sounds lonely," she whispered.

"Yeah, well, guess who my guardian is?" he asked.

"Err! I have no idea!"

"My dear half brother Sesshomaru, who must have come a long way since the feudal era. I've known him as this kind, yet mysterious guy all my life, yet I still remember him as the bastard he always was…does that make sense? A shrink would have a field day with me…." he said as he leapt across a river with little effort

"What's a shrink?" Shippo asked.

**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**


"I wonder if perhaps we shouldn't go check up on Shippo, and Kaede," Miroku spoke up quietly. Beside him Sango knelt, saying a prayer, as always to her fallen people. For months now, they'd been there, slowly rebuilding the houses, despite the fact that no one inhabited any of them anymore. Sango steadily reminded him that someday the tribe of demon slayers would be rebuilt. And it was her duty as the last survivor to see that they had a place to thrive.

"It's been a few weeks now, perhaps you're right. Maybe Kaede has some news on Kagome," Sango said quietly.

"I do hope so, these endlessly quiet days can get so disconcerting," he said, his hand idly wandering to rub her smooth-THWACK! His head snapped to the side so quickly from the force of the slap, that he saw stars.

"Keh, nothing changes with you, does it, you letch," a familiar voice boomed from all around them. Both he and Sango whirled around at hearing the voice to see a very strangely dressed InuYasha, with a frazzled looking Kagome on his back.

"InuYasha?!" they exclaimed in unison. Miroku gawked. No sooner had they given his body a proper send off, and there he stood….and he sensed no deception either.

"It's a long story, but yes, its him!" Kagome said cheerfully.

"Got any food? I'm starved," InuYasha murmured quietly.

"Of course! There's some fresh fish cooking right now!" Sango said cheerfully, embracing them both. Miroku continued to gawk at InuYasha.

"If I'm not mistaken, those are Kagome's era's clothing style," he ventured.

"No, you're right, but like Kagome said, it's a long story."

"Well then, lets go eat, so we can hear this story, I am quite eager to hear it!" Miroku said, patting his returned friend on the back cheerfully. All the while, Shippo never left InuYasha's shoulder.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Normally, Kagome sat in school, eager for the day to end so she could go through the well to see InuYasha, but considering he was sitting beside her at his desk, she could surprisingly concentrate on the lesson being given, and InuYasha, or Shoji, as known by the student body, seemed as equally concentrated. Still, she glanced over at him. His normally white hair was now raven black once gain, and his eyes were that entrancing violet hue. Of course, it was just a façade. He was still a hanyou, but being in the modern era, he couldn't very well show up to school looking like one. Grandpa gave him a talisman to wear that made him look human, when in fact he wasn't. People saw what InuYasha wanted them to see.

She still wasn't used to this huge new development though. Normally, School was her refuge from all the goings on in the feudal era. She could talk about normal things here, but now…
She hadn't mentioned this to InuYasha yet, but she planned on it. Right now she was still reveling in the fact that he was back. He seemed to feel her eyes on him, because he turned slightly, and offered her a smile, before going back to jotting down notes. They had a lot to catch up on. They had been in the feudal era for a few weeks, missing the first two weeks of school. And a lot transpired in those two weeks. And she also realized something as well. InuYasha's sword came in handy, and she wished she had brought it with her…so after school, he was coming over before going home himself, and she would give him that, and the haori she kept safe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They sat alone outside at lunchtime, relaxing under the shade of a large tree. She didn't, however, miss the lingering glances of girls in passing…

"I don't think you'll have trouble fitting in here," she said. InuYasha suppressed a yawn, and looked at her.

"I'm not all that worried about fitting in," he said. Kagome picked up a rice ball, and bit into it.

"I have to admit, this is working out pretty well," she said cheerfully.

"Well, we'll see AFTER I have a talk with Sesshomaru," he replied. Kagome bit her lower lip. That's right, since he had come back, he hadn't seen his brother…in either this era, or the feudal era.

"Well, if anything becomes too tense, you can come stay at the shrine, you know. It not like you haven' spent the night with me before," she said, only realizing how bad it sounded afterwards. He chuckled softly.

"Before, I didn't understand the implications others might see that as. Still, thanks for the offer." he said, now yawning.

"Maybe we shouldn't go back tonight, we only got back just this morning, and were both exhausted," she ventured.

"Keh! Just because you're tired, doesn't mean I am, I' not some weak," he began, before looking at the glare she was offering him.

"You've been through a lot body AND soul. And you need to rest" she scolded him.

"Fine, I'll come over and hog your bed again," he teased. Kagome threw an orange at him, and he ducked with dizzying speed.

"Oi!"

"It was either that, or I stoop to darker measures," she teased back. He pointed a finger at her.

"You promised!"

She giggled at the fear on his face.

"AHEM!" someone cleared their throat. Kagome glanced up to see, Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka staring at them

"err, Hi guys!" she said nervously.

"Hi yourself," Yuka said with little enthusiasm.

"Yuka," Ayumi snapped at her.
Kagome bit her lip again. That's right, the time that InuYasha had died, she refused to see any of them, save for Ayumi once, in secret…Eri and Yuka both gave her icy stares, before walking off, leaving Ayumi behind.

Kagome fiddled with her napkin. In the times she confided with Ayumi, she had told her EVERYTHING, and judging by Ayumi's confused expression, she probably wondered why Kagome was so chummy with Shoji…

"Yo," InuYasha said to Ayumi, someone, Kagome forgot, he was familiar with.

"And where have you-" Ayumi began, only to cut herself off, and look at Kagome.

"You went back," Ayumi said finally, after looking at Kagome carefully for a moment.. Kagome nodded slowly.

"And Shoji too?" she asked. Kagome nodded.

"Oi, what's goin' on?" InuYasha asked. Ayumi looked at him strangely, focusing on the necklace about his neck.

"Why is he wearing the sit necklace?" she demanded. InuYasha spewed the juice he had been drinking.

"You TOLD her about that?!" he exclaimed. Kagome fiddled with her napkin some more.

"Err, well, I told her …more than that…"she admitted. InuYasha groaned.

"Great, as if I wasn't a big enough of a freak already!" he grumbled.

"I…didn't know you two knew each other," Ayumi said carefully.

"Its kind of complicated," Kagome began. Ayumi sat down.
With a sigh, Kagome began….

~*~*~**~*~*~*~~~~~*~*~*~*~*~

"So…where's the doggy ears?" Ayumi's first question was. InuYasha glared at her slightly.

"Safe," he said simply.

"So, do I call you InuYasha or Shoji?"

"Shoji in the modern era." Kagome said. The alarm sounding the end of lunch signaled, and Kagome sighed.

"Just like before, please keep this secret." she pleaded with Ayumi.

"Of course, you have my word!" Ayumi said quietly.

"Great, we have a test next period…I think I would rather be fighting a demon…" InuYasha said, stretching slightly.

"You'll learn that taking tests is a nice reprieve from all the countless slaying." Kagome replied, stifling a yawn.

"You both look like you could use some sleep actually. Coming to school together looking equally exhausted, people will start to talk," Ayumi said quietly.

"Talk…pfft…" InuYasha grumbled, quickly shaking his head, before running his fingers though his unruly shaggy hair.

"Looks like we may have to come up with a new story," Kagome added. InuYasha stood, offering each girl a hand to help them up.

"I already have a story, I'm your violent two timing boyfriend, if I'm not mistaken, I'm a juvenile delinquent." he spoke up with a sly smirk. Kagome shot Ayumi a look.

"I should kick both of you!"

The test turned out to be simpler than he thought it would be. History in itself was something he was actually keen on, ever since he remembered LIVING in the past. Of course, he was always a good student, but history wasn't his best subject. Now it seemed so easy…

After class had been dismissed, he still sat at his desk, slightly daydreaming about how he was going to finally show up at home since the change. He was so caught up in deciding to be his usual self, or the self Shoji had been, unaware of just who Mr. Takeshi was all along…he had to remember that the Sesshomaru of the modern ear was far different than the one he knew five hundred years in the past…that he had yet to run into since before the incident. He was so caught up in his thoughts, that he hadn't seen the group of girls slowly surround him, that now surrounded his desk. He glanced up, seeing Ayumi's sheepish expression, before Yuka, the overly opinionated one offered him a glare.

"So…you're the jerk that has been breaking Kagome's heart off and on for the past two years!" she spoke up.

"The violent two timing boyfriend!" Eri added. He rolled his eyes, and looked only at Ayumi.

"Is Kagome outside?" he asked. She nodded.

"Hey! "Yuka spoke up, pointing a finger in his face. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Get that out of my face or I'll bite it off," he warned her. Kagome warned him about her 'friends', of which Ayumi was the only one she could truly consider her a friend, that hadn't bad talked him like the other two…

Yuka held her glare in place, but he could feel her uncertainty.

"Well, lets hear your complaint then, because you're the ones keeping Kagome waiting, not me." he said.

"You just better watch you back! You're not the only guy here that has interest in Kagome you know!" Eri spoke up.

"I'll already know about Mr. Health nut," he muttered. And his ancestor…

"Hojo's a nice guy, nicer than you are!"

"You don't even know him," Ayumi spoke up finally. InuYasha looked at her again to see her angrier than he ever saw her before.

"We know enough!"

"NO you don't!" Ayumi fumed, pointing at them accusingly.

"Both of you have been so jealous of Kagome's relationship, that you just LOVE to find any problems with it, because you can't stand to see her so happy if you can't be too! I've known In-Shoji since we were children, and he's not the terrible monster you two make him out to be!" she howled. InuYasha was really impressed that she was finally sticking up for herself, and for him.

InuYasha stood beside Ayumi, who, despite being done ranting at them, still seethed in anger. It really wasn't like her at all to be angry, so it was actually kind of frightening…and the other two felt the same way, as they walked off without a word.

"You didn't have to do that you know, I just cost you two friends…" he spoke quietly, not wanting those who witnessed the spectacle to hear him.

"Real friends don't talk bad about each other behind their backs." she said quietly. InuYasha couldn't see her face, but he could smell her tears.

"Oi, lets go find Kagome," he said, leading her out by the shoulders.



"High school is harder than fighting demons…" he spoke up as they walked home. Beside him, Kagome and Ayumi walked together, arm in arm. Ayumi was till a bit rattled from her explosive behavior earlier.

"Sometimes it does seem that way," Kagome agreed.

"We should go back though, tonight, at the least. Miroku and Sango might be waiting." he pointed out.

"You have to go home first, InuYasha. You need to let everyone know that you're alright, and you need to settle things with Sesshomaru," Kagome said. He stopped walking. Was it that obvious that it was the LAST thing he wanted to do right now?

"I'll go with you," Kagome added. Beside her, Ayumi finally smiled again.

"Me too!"

"Fine," he said distractedly, seeing a bicycle speeding towards them, with a happy Hojo waving, and calling for Kagome. InuYasha narrowed his eyes. The scene was a little too familiar…

"You must be getting better! You've been at school for a week now!" the golden haired guy said to only Kagome. Kagome, much to InuYasha's relief looked more annoyed than she did whenever Koga came around…though you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at her smile. He knew what her real smile looked like. When she smiled, you could almost see her soul smile through her eyes…if that even made any sense…

"Yeah, it comes and goes," Kagome said, being nice.

"Are you free this Saturday?" Hojo asked. InuYasha fumed. Did he not SEE him standing there? Besides, she wasn't free Saturday, they had a job to do…but more importantly, she wasn't free…

"I have plans," she said. Hojo smiled his stupid idiot smile still.

"How about Sunday then?"
InuYasha sighed. The guy wasn't a jerk, he was just dense…

"I'm sorry Hojo, I have plans with Shoji." Kagome replied. InuYasha blinked as the guy, whom seemed good natured offered him a glare. There was no mistaking the iciness he saw there…no doubt Eri and Yuka's doing…

"Oh, how unfortunate. Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me." Hojo said, in a rather monotone voice. InuYasha ground his teeth.

"Hojo, I doubt that will ever happen. I have been seeing Shoji for quite a while now, and while we have our ups and downs, we always come out stronger. No relationship is without its trials. And I don't know what Eri and Yuka told you, but they were mistaken, and my advise to you is not believe everything you hear." Kagome said. Hojo scratched his head, a puzzled look coming over his face.

"I apologize," he said sheepishly.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." Kagome said. InuYasha arched a brow, as the other young man let go of his pride, and formally apologized to him for the glare. And he was so bewildered that he could do nothing but accept it.

"Will wonders never cease," Ayumi spoke up as Hojo sped off…




"Father? Hello, earth to father, come in!" a voice hollered in Sesshomaru's ear. He glanced up from the book he had been pretending to read at his daughter, adopted daughter, rather, whom stood before him, hands on her hips in a fashion her mother used to do back when she was alive. Her twin brother often adopted the same stance, whenever he was annoyed…

"Hn. What?" he asked.

"Is something wrong? You're era's away…" she said. He looked at her. She reminded him of her mother in so many ways, yet in maybe more ways, she was just like him…but even more so was how much of her uncle he saw in her.

"I am just fine, do not worry about me." he said. She arched a brow, showing that she wasn't convinced.

"Well, I'm ordering in, is pizza alright for you?" she asked. Pizza, he cringed. That girl and her love of pizza…

"As you wish," he said She smiled, phone in hand, and hit the speed dial, before rushing out of the room. He watched her retreat past the entryway, just as the front door opened, and Shoji entered. He dropped the book, as he stood quickly, and hurried over towards the young man. As he made his way across the room, he could smell it…and sense it…and it brought him to a dead stop in the middle of the room, gawking at the young man, with that familiar rosary….and the girl at his side.

That's right, it was along this time that he had died not too long ago in the past…and surely she was still grieving over his loss, and no doubt saw Shoji as a replacement, seeing the extreme resemblance. InuYasha's scent was all over the room…

"Miko, what is the meaning of this?" he asked carefully. The girl, Kagome, blinked in surprise.

Then he felt InuYasha's demonic aura stir slightly. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

"She's got nuttin' to do with this, Sesshomaru." InuYasha said softly, his voice not holding the edge to it, it had whenever he had spoken to him, the last time he saw him, hundreds of years ago. Sesshomaru's mind whirled.

"Explain yourselves," he said simply.

"First, Id like you to explain being my guardian for most of my life. You hated me back when I was alive in the feudal era, so what's changed?" Shoji…no…he wasn't Shoji, perhaps never was Shoji…asked.

"Inu…Yasha?" he asked quietly. Sesshomaru blinked quickly, as his appearance altered slightly to reveal the unruly silvery white hair, and fuzzy ears that was his half bother. His amber eyes sparkled.

"How is this possible?" he asked.


"Were not sure ourselves. I'm still Shoji, I still remember growing up, and stuff, but there was things that didn't make sense to me, memories, feelings, and the episodes I always had, are linked to my past." he said.

"Its not inconceivable," Kagome added quietly.
As if to add to the confusion, his daughter hurried down the stairs, no doubt picking up on the scent of another hanyou, besides her twin brother in the house…she halted upon seeing InuYasha, Kagome, and the girl Ayumi, and looked over at him with a quizzical expression.

"Err…what's going on? Why does Shoji….feel different?" she asked carefully.

"Hn. It seems that there is much to be discussed, mainly, as to where you've been for the past few weeks without so much as a word."

InuYasha offered him a smirk.

"Alright, you asked for it."

Kagome couldn't recall ever having a time where she sat, and listened to Sesshomaru tell a story, much less one without the immediate threat of death hanging in the air. He still looked exactly the same to her, down to his long silver hair. He wore a kimono over what looked like flannel pants and a simple white t-shirt, which seemed almost comical to her. She was almost used to the look, until she saw the fuzzy bunny slippers…

He seemed older, not physically, but in the way he spoke. Words were accompanied by expressions now, where an icy expressionless face once stood like a steel mask. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he spoke, recalling all sorts of memories, none of which sounded familiar to her.

She began to tell him about meeting Shoji, and him ending up walking her home, and coming across the necklace of subjugation. When she said the necklace came to life of its own will, his eyes widened slightly.

"So then, it seems not only the Shikon jewel has mysterious powers," he murmured aloud. He glanced to InuYasha.

"I always considered it too coincidental to have crossed your path. You have been reborn, yet your soul is the same. The necklace had sealed your yokai powers. When the spell was revived, it was returned to you, as were your memories."

"Is that why you became so involved in my life?" InuYasha asked.

"That, and I had my own regrets to atone for,"

Kagome glanced at the young woman whom sat across from her. Her hair was long and silky in appearance, and unlike InuYasha, her ears were like that of Sesshoumaru. Her amber eyes were darker than even InuYasha's, but were no less intense. A cat slept soundly on her lap, which she gently pet as her adoptive father spoke quietly, while a warm fire burned in the fireplace. Kagome felt herself more comfortable than she had in a while, sitting beside InuYasha on the very plush couch. Aiki was her name, and she didn't talk much, but rather opted to sit in silence as Sesshomaru spoke quietly. Her calmness reminded her of Rin…

"So, you all stayed in Edo up until the revolution around the mid eighteen hundreds," Kagome spoke up Once Sesshomaru sat down in one of the plush chairs.

"Well, we were sure that Edo wasn't the place to be at that time, not for everyone else that was in our household at the time. I took them all back to the West." Sesshomaru answered.

"Hiroshi was in Kyoto at that time though," Aiki spoke up. Sesshomaru made a funny noise at that.

"There was no reasoning with him back then, he was very angry," Sesshomaru said quietly.

"Why?" InuYasha finally spoke up.

"It's…complicated, and it's a story he should tell should he ever feel the need to share it." Sesshomaru said.

"Keh, figures…"

"We must be careful as to what is spoken here, if what you say is true, and that you do indeed travel back in time, to a time, I would much rather try to forget,"

"YOU would try to forget?" InuYasha asked with an arched brow.

"You will learn soon enough,"

Kagome couldn't help but marvel at it all. The impossible was now a living reality. When she first began to travel back and forth between the two dimensions of time, it was like she was living a fairy tale, and everything back then was gone now. But here they were, just as they had been then, flesh and blood. She was grateful that Sesshomaru survived the ages. Despite how he was when she first met him, she saw the change in him over the few years she'd been traveling there, and crossed paths with him. Namely, the small girl that adored him, and was always by his side…

The doorbell rang, and Aiki shot upright. The cat fell to the floor with a thump as she bolted out of the room, exclaiming that the pizza had arrived.

"She's kind of hard to figure out," Kagome spoke up quietly.

"She is a lot like her mother," Sesshomaru said, before getting more comfortable in his chair. Kagome wondered then where the little imp Jaken was…

"So…I take it daddy doesn't know who you really are," Ayumi spoke up herself finally. Kagome offered her a sidelong glance before looking to Sesshomaru to see his reaction.

"Of course not, and I expect you not to tell him either," he said sternly, more like the Sesshomaru she remembered. Kagome bit lip in surprise as Ayumi rolled her eyes. Apparently, she wasn't aware of exactly what Sesshomaru was CAPABLE of.

Aiki came back with two large boxes of pizza, which smelled heavenly, with a big smile on her face.

They ended up speaking late into the night, and when midnight approached, Kagome called home to let her mother know where she was, and that she was still with InuYasha.

Ayumi had gone home hours ago, courtesy of one of the many limo's their family owns. As she would expect, Sesshomaru was very well off. InuYasha even had his own car…which he seemed to recall as if it was something he forgot long ago. Seeing him driving down the street was something that brought a laugh out of her. He decided it was a silly thing to do, since he could run faster than he could drive.

After everyone else had gone to sleep, they went to his room….which was bigger than her entire house. Okay, so that was exaggerating…but only a little bit. He had a nice desk, which he sat down in the soft desk chair. She opted to lie down on his bed, while he explained what some of the things in his room was. There were a lot of photos of him from when he was younger, and she smiled. She finally got to see what he looked like as a small child. One of them was him as a toddler, being held by a smiling Sesshomaru, wearing the same type of talisman to mask his yokai appearance. It was so cute she wanted to hurl. If only they had those chances to be close the first time around. Maybe now they had that chance…though she was certain they would cross paths with Sesshomaru in the past, which wouldn't be at all what he's like now…

InuYasha sprawled out on the bed next to her, looking as tired as she felt.

"A lot of things are different, but somehow, nothing feels all that changed," she admitted aloud.

"It makes me wonder," he said quietly. She turned her head slightly, to look at him.

"About?"

"If any of this would have happened, if I hadn't chose to stay with you. I just can't picture a different outcome, because right now I'm where I want to be. I could be in a small shack in the middle of nowhere and I wouldn't care so long as I was with you," he said. Kagome melted, and turned on her side so that she could rest her head on his chest.

"We still have work to do," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but let's worry about that tomorrow, I'm too tired now to study for the test, and afterwards, we have to go look for Naraku,"

"Is this goose down?" she remarked.

"I think its memory foam," he said sleepily. Before Kagome could ask him anything else, she fell asleep in his arms.

**********************************************************************************************

He awoke first, with mornings first light. At first, he pondered going back to sleep, but Kagome's hair draped over his face woke him fully, and he carefully maneuvered himself so he didn't wake her up as he sat up slowly, her hair….wait, it wasn't her hair…it was his hair!! He grabbed the much longer locks, and gawked at his much longer hair. It was back to being as long as it was back then.
It slid through his fingers, and he groaned. How was he going to explain his new hair length to everyone at school??

Kagome shifted behind him, and sat up slowly, her uniform wrinkled beyond belief. He looked down at his own uniform which was likewise wrinkled. They were so tired from the long night, a night which went much better than he anticipated that they hadn't had the chance to change into something more practical to sleep in, and fell asleep in their uniforms.

"Well, I guess schools out of the question," he murmured. He scratched his head, and looked at the clock. With a half hour before school began, there was no time to wash hers, dry it, iron it, and be ready in time. He may be fast when it came to getting to school, but it didn't apply to other things…well, not that he knew of anyways.
Hopefully it didn't…

Why the hell did THAT come to mind?!

A knock at the door made him jump slightly.

"InuYasha, I have arranged for your, and the Miko's schoolwork to be picked up this afternoon. After the long night, I am sure neither of you are up to rushing to get there, when neither of you have a cleaned uniform. You need rest before you go back." Sesshomaru's voice came from the other side.

"Thanks," he answered. He wasn't used to saying thank you to him, of all the years he lived with him as a human were nothing compared to two hundred years of hostility…

He decided to take his advice, and he fell back on the bed with a sigh. Kagome opened her eyes sleepily, and smiled at him. She blinked a few times, before her eyes widened slightly. She propped up on one elbow quickly.

"You hair!" she exclaimed.

"I know…" he said groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"The time!"

"Don't worry about it, were not going. Sesshomaru took care of the school situation too," he began, he offered her a smirk.

"It looks like your reputation is still intact." he finished. She looked at him carefully, and he suddenly felt fearful. That was bold of him to say, and he was suddenly unable to read her expression…

She picked up her pillow, and smashed him as hard as she could with it.
And rather than getting the extra rest, they had a pillow fight that left his room looking like a few dozen chickens exploded.

InuYasha sat still as Kagome draped the familiar scented haori around his shoulders. She carefully moved his hair up before putting it close to his neck, where it sat comfortably. He slid his arms down the wide sleeves, feeling the warmth of the cloth against his bare skin. He always had a haori on underneath, so he wasn't used to feeling it on his bare arms, wearing a modern day t-shirt underneath. Kagome set his hair down, which seemed to have grown a few more inches since earlier that very morning. It hung past his shoulders, but it wasn't anywhere near as close to as long as it used to be. But judging by how it was growing, it would be that long in a matter of weeks…

He blinked when he felt Kagome embrace him from behind, her face against his left shoulder. He didn't see them, but he could smell her tears, as she told him why she took the haori, and apologized for taking his possessions, which she felt should have been burned with the body. He didn't understand why she had to be sorry; He was touched that she kept them, glad in fact. Not because things turned out the way they had, but because she kept part of him close to her. And if she found comfort in them for a time, it was well worth it…though….

He turned his head slightly, to meet her gaze.

"Don't apologize Kagome, please," he said, not trusting his own voice. He too, felt overcome with emotion…after all; they really haven't had time alone, privately, to speak about what had happened.

"I'm still afraid that this is a wonderful dream, and that I'll wake up…and I'll lose you all over again," she whispered, her voice shaking. InuYasha's heart constricted as he heard the pain in her words as she spoke them, as if speaking them would cause her dream to end. Naraku did more than simply kill him. He inflicted a pain on Kagome worse than a thousand deaths. And that is what was unforgivable. Naraku had committed many atrocities, but none angered him more than Kagome's pain, not even…

He turned then in her embrace, until he faced her, and pulled her up against him, to where their hearts beat against each other. His cheek was pressed against hers, and he held her tightly.

"It's not a dream Kagome, I'm here, and I'll never leave you again." he said, with determination. He expected to feel her crying more, but instead, her tears stopped, and she pressed even closer to him. He held her close, both of them wrapped in his Haori.

"Everything will work out, you'll see." he reassured her. He felt himself blush. He had always felt comfortable around her, from the very beginning, but sometimes his emotions got the better of him. And feeling her completely pressed up against him like this caused his mind to wander just a bit…considering their current position clinging to each other…

"There's something else," she said quietly, pulling back a bit. He almost, ALMOST pulled her back against him, but resisted the urge to. She turned, and reached under her bed once more, to pull something else very important to him. He figured she only kept his necklace and haori…

He looked at her before reaching out, and grasping the sheathe gently.

"You protected Tessaiga too," he said quietly. He knew she took it, as a memento, but he knew that she understood how important it was to keep the sword safe. Even if it meant never being wielded again.

"I planned to keep it safe at the shrine until the end of time…but now I don't need to." she said, her face finally lighting up with her customary sweet smile. At one time, the sword meant more to him than anything, being the only thing he had to remember his father by, and the fact that she kept it safe for him, despite his being gone, touched him so deeply…

He set the sword down, momentarily forgotten, in the light of her warm smile. He embraced her again, this time letting his tears flow.

*************************************************

After stocking up on ramen, and various other snacks, they returned to the feudal era. InuYasha still wore his blue jeans and t-shirt, but now he wore his Haori over his t-shirt like a coat, and Tessaiga was tied to one of his belt loops on his jeans. He held Kagome's hand as they walked.

"The air always smells so fresh here, I love it." she said, smiling.

"It's a lot better than the air full of exhaust," he agreed. His ears twitched slightly, as he heard the bushes beside them rustle. The scent of the Kitsune reached him long before his head full of red hair popped out in the hopes of surprising them.

"You're back!" the Kitsune cried, leaping out at them with a jubilant expression. InuYasha expected Kagome to be his target, and was caught off balance when he slammed into him full tilt, and sends him careening backwards. He let out a curse as he fell harshly in his backside. Shippo hugged him, his smile never vanishing.

"Oi! What's your problem?!" he exclaimed.

"I'm so glad you came back! I was afraid you wouldn't!" Shippo carried on.

"We have work to do, of course we were coming back." InuYasha replied. The Kitsune wouldn't let go, so InuYasha held him back to try to encourage him to let him go.

"Geeze Shippo, why are you so worked up?" he asked.

"I heard Miroku and Sango talking last night, they said that once the jewel is finished, you and Kagome can never come back!"

"Well, it's a possibility, but it's also possible that we can come and go as we always have, we just have to wait and see." InuYasha said. The Kitsune looked at him with big eyes.

"Promise you'll take me with you if you go back?" he pleaded. InuYasha felt like a deer caught in the headlights…what could he say? How could he make that promise?
NO one but he and Kagome has ever been able to pass through.
Still…he felt for the little guy, and he was sure he would miss him as much as Shippo would miss them…

"That's a ways off, but yeah, I promise Shippo." he said. The kit smiled, and finally calmed down enough to let him go.

"Gee! Where's my welcome?" Kagome teased, holding up one of Shippo's favorite snacks. Shippo hugged her, and then snagged the bag, before coming to rest on InuYasha's shoulders.

"Is Sango and Miroku with Kaede?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah, they are discussing the recent attacks on the village." Shippo said.

"What recent attacks?" InuYasha asked, looking at Shippo.

"After you guys left, a yokai keeps attacking the village. One by one a villager disappears. No one knows what kind of yokai it is, but Miroku says the aura is very similar to Naraku's," Shippo said. InuYasha's blood began to boil. Naraku wouldn't dare attack this village! This was their home!

He grabbed Kagome's hand and ran for the village.

******************************************************

"Are you serious?! Naraku randomly attacks?" InuYasha exclaimed.

"It appears that he is looking for Kagome. Since he believes you are now dead, he's been tracking her, and declared that one by one he'll slay the villagers until they give her up. They refuse of course, each one of them aware that Naraku is the one responsible for slaying first Kikyo, then you. I don't understand Naraku's tactics though. He can easily slay everyone with one blow, but hasn't done so…" Miroku replied.

"He wants Kagome to go to him….that Bastard!" InuYasha growled.

"And with this new talisman you have that can make you appear human, and hide your youki, Naraku will have no idea that you are here," Sango spoke up. InuYasha glanced at her.

"Am I sensing a trap?"

"For once, we can lay the deception, and defeat Naraku once and for all." Miroku added.
Kagome sighed.

"It's not going to be that easy. He's not going to simply be defeated if we surprise him. We need to get the jewel from him, before he gets his hands on Kohaku…and the last shard. Kikyo's light is still in the jewel, fighting him. I'm sure he wants to use me to completely corrupt the jewel." she answered quietly.

"Forget it. It won't work, and I refuse to use Kagome as bait." InuYasha said.

"We wouldn't need to, you attacking him off guard should be enough to weaken him , and do him some serious damage." Miroku said.

"I'm not going in blindly. I haven't even tried wielding the sword since before I died. Sure, I can touch it, but it doesn't mean I can still use it." InuYasha said.

"I'm sure you can, but if you wield it, Naraku will know if its whereabouts."

"He's going to die, one way or another,"

"Let it be before another innocent village had to die." Kagome spoke up.

"Don't even THINK about it!" he snapped, looking at her carefully. He knew what she was thinking. Whenever an innocent person was in danger, and she thought she was the cause, she wouldn't think twice to put herself in harm's way.

"He thinks that in my sorrow, my powers will be diminished, he's counting on it, and he's in for a nasty surprise. " Kagome said, as if not hearing him.

"You're not going!" he yelled.

"What choice do I have?!" she shot back.

"I'll carry you back through that well, and I'll…tie you to your bed so you can't leave!!" he shot back.

"Like you could make me not come back!" she hollered just as loudly.

"Not if I distract you enough to not want to!" he spoke up without thinking. Her face went red, as red as his was, of course, as both of them got the hidden meaning. She was going to sit him…he could tell by her expression…and he wouldn't blame her, promise or no promise….he didn't mean it the way it sounded…not at first anyways…

"We HAVE to defeat him." she said evenly after a long moment.

"We WILL," he added.

"Did I miss something?" Sango asked.

"Indeed, I'll be delighted to enlighten you," Miroku spoke up.

"I'll be delighted that you won't!" Kagome roared.

************************************************************

"I'm serious, promise me," InuYasha persisted. Kagome was backed up against a wall, literally. Kagome met his gaze. Even long after their argument, he was determined not to let her try to trick Naraku. Yet, after all they went through, if he felt she shouldn't, she wouldn't, no matter how badly, she wanted revenge for what happened.

"I promise," she whispered. InuYasha held her gaze. She often daydreamed of moments like this. She was behind the hut with him, leaning back against the wall. He had a hand on either side of the wall around her, his proximity like wildfire. His nose was barely an inch from hers…

"I'll check the perimeter of the village for any trouble, and I'll keep quiet too. Just keep quiet, and stay with Kaede." he insisted. Kagome realized then how much taller he was now. He was tall before, but he was probably almost as tall as his brother now. And his eyes seemed so much deeper, and his featured more defined. Yet he stayed the same inside.

"Alright, I'll protect Kaede, but if you don't come back soon, I'm coming after you." she said. He held her gaze before nodding slowly.

"I'll be back soon," he said.

"Soon then,"

And with that he leapt off into the darkness, leaving her alone in the shadows. He was always aware of danger, even from a mile away, and it wasn't like he was going off for days on end, or like when he used to go in search of Kikyo…

GAH! Why did she have to go and think about that?!
Her mind wandered. What exactly had he meant earlier when they argued? She was sure he didn't mean what she thought, and that her mind was in the gutter…then again, he was a guy…

Of course it's crossed his mind more than a few times, it had hers.
But right now, her main focus was defeating the bastard that ripped everything from her and left a void that she couldn't seem to fill, despite InuYasha's return to her…
She turned, and made her way back to the front of the hut, and stood by the doorway, waiting. Inside she could hear the others sleeping soundly. She was great full they could get some sleep for the first time in days.

"Ku ku ku…I knew you would eventually resurface," a familiar voice seemed to whisper around her. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She sun around to see the familiar form appear right before her, close enough to reach out and touch.

"To tell you the truth, I half expected you to come after me in the name of revenge." he added. She stood, frozen. This is why InuYasha didn't want her to go…because despite her anger, her fear would overpower it….

"How did it feel to watch him die? To see his blood stain the ground?" he said, trying to make her mad. She stood stock still, her fists clenched. Naraku laughed at her.

"Perhaps I killed him too quickly. I should have let you watch him die slowly, begging for death." he went on. Kagome was too concerned with him right before her to notice the tentacles until they already ensnared her in their vice like grip. Her breath constricted in her lungs as one wrapped tightly around her chest, and lifted her into the air.
"I have been searching for you for some time now. Now that the shard is no longer inside that joke of a human, I need some assistance in finding the final shard," he said. Kagome's breath caught again. It wasn't in Kohaku anymore? What did that mean?! Was Kohaku dead?!

"I'll never help you!" she managed to spit out at him, despite hardly being able to breathe. Naraku merely chuckled at her.

"I have many things in store for you, Kagome." he seemed to purr at her. She struggled in the grasp of his tentacles, which only made him chuckle more. Why couldn't she summon up any of her purifying powers at all?! She felt as if she was wrapped in a wet blanket.

"You'll have to kill me! Because I'll never help you!" she roared. Naraku stepped towards her. She was now dangling upside down in the air, her face now mere centimeters from Naraku's.

"Now where would the fun be in killing you now? I can't let you join your precious InuYasha so soon, not before I get the final shard anyways." he replied. That was when she felt it. She shouldn't have felt it at ALL, but then again, her connection to InuYasha was so strong, that not even the strongest ward could keep them apart. She knew it was coming before InuYasha's strong voice yelled into the heavens. His voice was the sweetest thing she ever heard…

"KAZE NO KIZU!!!!"

His words seemed to resonate around them, and Kagome never saw a look of pure fear on Naraku's face before. Kagome reveled in it, just before a searing pain lanced through her shoulder. She looked down, ignoring the nagging thought that she shouldn't, and saw one of the tentacles protruding through her shoulder, then was ripped free when the attack struck, sending her flying. She felt like she flew really high into the air, whipping so wildly, she wasn't sure when she was heading downwards, until a strong arm caught her around the waist. The familiar scent of his Haori told her that InuYasha now held her, and she was freed from Naraku's deadly grasp.

Naraku stood across the smoldering clearing from the specter that should not be there…the specter that he had slain himself! And the one he watched burn to ashes, with a weeping Kagome clawing at the ground….he felt the life leave him, yet, there he stood, cradling that miko with one arm, a now dragon scaled Tessaiga in the other. His eyes glowed fiercely, and Naraku noticed too that he seemed changed, not the hapless youth he was not too long ago. He was more like Sesshomaru now…

He was dressed strangely too; he wore that insufferable fire rat haori, but his other clothing was strange, like Kagome's…and that rosary hung from around his neck. His silver hair whipped wildly as the debris settled around them.

Naraku took a step back…

"Now then, where were we?" InuYasha said between clenched teeth.

Naraku swallowed hard….




InuYasha's blood boiled, not only from the repulsive being that stood across the smoldering clearing from him, but also from the freely bleeding wound on Kagome's shoulder. He didn't want to, but he set her down behind him, the scent of her blood fueling his rage. She tried to make a brave face, but he knew better. Her skin was deathly pale already. He clenched his jaw, but kept his voice steady.

"Don't worry Kagome, this won't take long." He reassured her. He had to make this battle fast, if not the final battle. Kagome was in trouble and despite all that Naraku had done to him; he was more concerned about her.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to make Naraku wish he was never born. And if Naraku DID escape this fight, he would be hurting worse than he ever had before.

That was when he noticed the strange look on Naraku's face. Like a mixture of extreme confusion, and fear. Not only that, but fear radiated from him. InuYasha gripped Tessaiga firmly in one hand and stood to his full height. Naraku didn't seem as tall as he usually did or as confident. In fact, he looked downright pathetic.

"What's the matter Naraku? I dare say you look a bit surprised." InuYasha spoke up. Naraku visibly swallowed, and finally blinked.

"I'll admit I am a bit surprised. But it is only a minor detail. I just need to make sure to finish the job this time. I thought I had rid the earth of your foul hanyou stench." Naraku spoke up, trying to grasp the confident ire he often employed.

"Not if I have anything to say about it. You're going to regret hurting Kagome like that you bastard!"

"Ah yes, I think I may have distracted her due to your abrupt and unexpected appearance. I had no intensions of harming her. If anyone is to blame, it is you InuYasha!"

"Why you-!" InuYasha sneered at him in disdain. How dare he?! Why was he wasting his time with the banter when he SHOULD be ripping Naraku to pieces! Without hesitation, he raised Tessaiga above his head, and glared at the yokai across the clearing.

No more….

He was tired of the endless battles, and constant struggle for some semblance of a life; a future that hung on the verge of nonexistence as to whether or not Naraku was finally destroyed. He was sick of his friends constantly putting themselves in harm's way, tired of all the pain this one being caused them. He wanted it to end. Naraku stood between him and all that lay beyond.

"You should know by now that your efforts are in vain!" Naraku seethed, his barrier forming a bright ring of light against the darkness.

"Well, we'll just have to see about that. I'm not the same person that faced you last time, I can assure you. You were a coward and attacked me while was a human. Such a foul tactic is unforgivable! Prepare to die Naraku!" InuYasha roared before swinging the sword in a high arc around him over and over again. The dragon scaled Tessaiga pulsed in his hand. He could feel the maelstrom of power building within the space around him from the motion of the swords swing. He did this once before, he recalled, but not with Tessaiga. His anger seemed to ebb, as the flow of energy around him increased, forming a massive sphere of energy above him that seemed to grow larger. How in all the hells had Tessaiga been able to create this much power? A Meido appeared above, one that felt much more powerful.

All his anger poured into this one attack and he blinked in surprise as Tessaiga then began to glow red as the barrier breaking power was added to the fury that radiated into the skies. He kept swinging back and forth, until finally, he launched the assault down upon the fear stricken Naraku. InuYasha watched in stunned disbelief as it hit Naraku's barrier, and dissolved it as if it were nothing. Naraku's tentacles shot out at him, and InuYasha dodged, as the tentacles hit the hard ground instead. InuYasha took the opportunity to launch a volley of Meido scars towards Naraku, severing the tentacles from his body.

Naraku regenerated of course. What he wouldn't give to have the power Bakusaiga had. He bit his lower lip for daring to covet his brothers powerful weapon. Naraku will one day regret his regeneration power. If Kagome wasn't wounded, she could have fired an arrow to combine with his own attack to cause some damage to the bastard.

Kagome! The scent of her blood was still heavy on the air, and he lunged towards Naraku. InuYasha reached towards him with his claws outstretched…

A barrier blocked him, and Naraku sneered at him. InuYasha felt a jolt as Naraku's energy revolted against InuYasha's own, and sent him flying backwards.

"Drop that barrier you coward!" he roared.

"Why would I make things easier for you?" Naraku scoffed back.

InuYasha gasped, having dropped his guard for a split second to yell at Naraku. One of the detached tentacles impaled his shoulder from behind on its way back to Naraku…he dropped to one knee.

"You're a bit slow there, InuYasha," Naraku taunted him. InuYasha tried to ignore the pain, but it was so familiar and vivid, he felt frozen in place. His eyes met Kagome's wide, fear filled ones.

And, as always, Naraku retreated up into a cloud of miasma, and streaked off across the sky.

"Keh…true to form, run away…" he muttered.

InuYasha turned and looked to Kagome, whom regarded him with a startled expression.

"Inu…Yasha?" she managed to get out before cringing. He was at her side in a flash, gathering her up into his arms.

"I'm so sorry Kagome," he apologized quietly. She rested her head against his uninjured shoulder.

"I'll be fine." she tried to reassure him. Her eyes bore into his bloodied shoulder. He cursed at himself inwardly. He swore that he would never put her in harm's way again. He'd let her down.

He bit his lower lip, and turned his face away so she couldn't see the tears that lingered. He was responsible…

"I must say, that was interesting to say the very least," A familiar voice broke the silence like a hammer on glass. InuYasha snapped his head to the side to glare at the uninvited imposer.

"Who invited you?" InuYasha asked, irritated. Sesshomaru offered him a less than enthusiastic glance before looking to Kagome.

"I thought it strange, to have watched your body burn to ashes, and suddenly smell your scent once more. Of course I came to see for myself whether or not my nose was playing tricks on me."

"It wasn't, now go away." InuYasha grumbled. He may be kind to him back in the modern era, but right now, this Sesshomaru wasn't as friendly.

"The miko is wounded. Where has Naraku gone? And what was that power from Tessaiga I sensed?" Sesshomaru asked.

"What's with the interrogation; I don't know, and I don't know!"

"You never did know much." Sesshomaru countered.

"Why you-!"

"Perhaps you should get the Miko some treatment, rather than waste your time arguing." Sesshomaru said. And with that he turned on one heel, and walked off.


"Where are you going?!" InuYasha roared.

"I have found what I had been searching for." Sesshomaru replied, as if that answered everything.

"Wait," Kagome spoke up. Sesshomaru stopped, but didn't turn around.

"It's very late, and I'm sure Rin-chan might enjoy something to eat. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you about Kohaku." She said. InuYasha stared at his brothers back. After a moment, Sesshomaru turned around, and regarded them all with a curious expression.

"Rin?" he asked.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Are you hungry?"

"A little bit, Sesshomaru-sama."

"Very well, we will stay then," he replied.





**********************************************************************


Kagome sat, InuYasha sitting behind her, acting as support, as Kaede attended her wounds. Her shoulder was badly injured, but the spiritual powers within her had begun to heal while InuYasha and Naraku had been fighting, so there wasn't a huge gaping hole anymore. Still, it hurt like crazy, and Kagome bit her lower lip as the herbs were applied to the open wound. InuYasha's firm grip on her shoulders gave her the extra strength to keep from passing out.

That or, the strange proximity to which they were sitting was too much of a distraction. She sat in his lap, his legs open, and his chest served as support, but it was the sensation of his rapid heartbeat against her back that had her so distracted, that , and his body heat. She had felt so cold before, and he took care of that problem. His own wound was almost healed. If he were in his human form, history would have certainly repeated itself. Still, Hanyou or not, seeing him injured in any way made her heart ache…

They all listened to what Sesshomaru had to say. Kagome was surprised that he had entered the hut at all, let alone sitting by the fire, the girl Rin, eating one of the fish she was offered. Kagome glanced at him. He sat cross legged, his big fury pelt splayed all around him on the floor. She couldn't recall ever seeing it anywhere than on his shoulder. His arms crossed over his chest, he was a stark contrast to the Sesshomaru she saw earlier that day…the one in a white t-shirt, flannel pants, a robe and….bunny slippers. She just couldn't fathom why he, of all people wore bunny slippers, unless they were a gift to him one Christmas from Aiki.

She couldn't get the image of Sesshomaru in bunny slippers out of her head…

"The boy is alive." Sesshomaru spoke up. This caught Sango's undivided attention, and she sat up straighter.

"How can that be?! Without the shard-" she began, Sesshomaru offered her a sidelong glance, and Kagome swore she saw the hint of an emotion there.

"During an encounter with Naraku, the shard was removed, yet before Naraku could get a hold of it, I dispatched him; at least for the time being. The boy rose after that, as if nothing had happened, without the shard. It is possible that the boy was never truly dead in the first place, the shard was used to ease the pain of his severe wounds he had received long ago, much like the Youkai exterminator, only you were all led to believe that it simply was used to keep him alive."

Kagome glanced to the weeping Sango. Another way Naraku toyed with their emotions, always thinking that Kohaku was doomed, when in fact…

"So…that means he's finally freed from Naraku." Kagome spoke up.

"And more importantly, he is still alive." Miroku added.

"But where? Where is he?" Sango cried.

They were all so caught up in the conversations topic that they never noticed the new shadow that had entered the hut. Kagome always could sense where Kohaku was, since he had a jewel shard in him, so she never expected to see him…

"I'm right here." he spoke up. Sango was at his side in a flash, embracing him. Kagome smiled to herself. It was Kohaku, she could recognize his presence. He seemed a bit taller too, growing up into a man. If he was undead, he wouldn't have grown at all. Kagome cried, watching the tearful reunion long overdue.


************************************************************************


"So the final shard…where is it?" InuYasha asked. Kohaku closed his eyes.

"I still have it. It's exactly where Naraku wouldn't look. He thinks I've lost it, and so that's why he came here. I apologize for that, I didn't think he would come after you. In fact, I didn't believe you would ever return."

"Return? What do you mean return?" Kagome asked. Her heart hammered in her chest. Just who all knew about her time travel?

"Myouga-sama told me." Kohaku explained. Kagome relaxed against InuYasha. She now wore the traditional garb of the times, which was a flowing white kimono top, and hakama, but unlike the traditional red and white, Kaede made hers green and white. She was grateful for the color change, wearing the red was too much like how Kikyo looked.

She sighed. It wasn't that she didn't like Kikyo; sure, they had their moments. She always had been jealous, it was just so complicated. She didn't want to look so much like the woman InuYasha had first loved so much, and probably still did. Yet despite all that, Kikyo's objective was the same as theirs. Defeat Naraku. Where was Kikyo anyways?

"Myouga always had a big mouth…" InuYasha grumbled.


"I find that anything that flea has to say is not worth hearing," Sesshomaru spoke up. And with that, he stood along with Rin and Kohaku. Sango stood as well.

"Wait! Are you leaving?" Sango asked.

"Wherever Sesshomaru-sama goes, I go." he said. Sango's heartbroken expression nearly broke Kagome's own heart.

"Do not worry, Youkai Exterminator, once Naraku has been defeated, you will be a family once more. The boy's decision is to accompany me for the time being, I do not force him to follow. As it was said, he is finally free." Sesshomaru said. He put the huge pelt back onto his shoulder, and glanced to the small girl, whom looked rather sleepy now. Sesshomaru made a face that made Kagome snicker a bit.

"Perhaps we will wait until morning to depart then." he said. Kohaku nodded, and turned to Sango. Rin yawned then, and curled up on the floor beside the fire. Sesshomaru sat beside her, his back against the wall.

Was this when it began? Sesshomaru did seem a bit different that his usually cold ruthless self, then again, he was no less ruthless back in the modern era, he just had adopted more qualities since…

Kagome fully relaxed in InuYasha's embrace, and closed her eyes.



***********************************************************************


"Here," Kohaku said, holding out his hand towards Kagome. InuYasha kept quiet as he watched Kohaku offer Kagome the final jewel shard.

"Are you sure you want to give this to me?" she asked.

"I understand that this was yours in the first place, besides, I can't keep it purified if something were to happen." he replied. InuYasha glanced to where Sesshomaru and the girl Rin waited by the trail, and exchanged a look with his brother.

"You seem changed," Sesshomaru said. InuYasha simply shrugged. They didn't tell him about being resurrected and everything about the modern era, it didn't seem relevant to what had been going on, besides, and Sesshomaru wasn't one to worry about details.

"So do you," InuYasha countered defensively. He didn't feel all that different, and it sort of bugged him that everyone else saw him as different.

"Indeed," Sesshomaru replied. Beside him, the small human girl smiled. InuYasha glanced back to Kagome and Kohaku, and watched her accept the jewel shard, with reverence. Kohaku then said his goodbyes to Sango, and left with Sesshomaru.

"He'll be alright," InuYasha said aloud to no one in particular. So long as he stuck with his brother, he would be just fine. Beside him, Kagome slid the jewel shard into the small glass bottle she carried still, and put it around her neck. He could still smell the wound on her shoulder, but thankfully it wasn't too bad anymore, but she had to take it easy for a while.

"I'm sorry guys. I know we have a lot of work to do, but while Kagome isn't feeling one hundred percent, I think we should go back for a little while." He spoke up. Shippo jumped up and landed on his shoulder.

"Now, this is something I'll never get used to…you WANTING to go back."

"Well, she could use the rest and the antibiotics…" he grumbled. Shippo giggled.

"You're blushing!"

"AM NOT!" InuYasha roared, knocking the Kitsune upside the head. He had to admit, he didn't hit him nowhere near as hard as he used to, and Shippo knew it too. Instead of crying, he gave him a bewildered expression.

"It's a good idea, just to be on the safe side." Sango agreed.

"That's right; you need to be at your strongest for when we face Naraku." Miroku added.

"Bring back some ninja snacks!!" Shippo squeaked. InuYasha offered him a stern expression.

"We just brought some back, are they gone already?!" he exclaimed. Shippo's face then looked fearful.

"I couldn't help it!"

"Fine…I'll get more ninja snacks…" InuYasha grumbled. After all, he wasn't one to complain, he ate everything up a few times himself.

"We better get going then." Kagome spoke up InuYasha nodded, and knelt down so she could climb up onto his back. He did want to get her some rest and antibiotics for that wound, but more importantly….tomorrow night was the night of the new moon, and he wanted to be as far away from Naraku as possible, and what better way five hundred years into the future?

Sesshoumaru felt his left eyebrow twitch involuntarily in frustration. Things had become more chaotic in recent weeks. He had managed, with help of course, to keep matters quiet. But even at his level, things had become out of hand. Humans were beginning to disappear one by one, and the news stations were getting wind of it. On top of that, the aura of yokai was increasing in the mountainside. Over the centuries, the presence of yokai had gradually diminished. Now they were rapidly increasing in number, and in power.

"Would this have anything to do with InuYasha?" a voice spoke up quietly, voicing his unspoken thought. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes, and peered at the yokai that stood in the doorway.

He still couldn't forget the small child he had come to know so many years ago. Even now, as a full grown yokai with power that rivaled his own, his wide eyed innocence always proved to be his greatest asset.

"It's a strange coincidence if you ask me," another voice spoke up from his spot next to the roaring fireplace. He met the Okami Lord's gaze briefly, his mind racing at how out of hand things were steadily becoming. Sesshoumaru peered out the window at the setting sun. That's right, tonight was a New Moon…

Even the modern era would be an unsafe place for InuYasha.

"There is no way of knowing what caused these turn of events from happening." he murmured quietly.

"Nevertheless, they are indeed happening," the third and final voice spoke up. Sesshoumaru shot the newest member of their group a glance. He still could not get used to him being on their side, let alone in the same room. Well, he being human, and not reeking of that putrid stench helped a great deal.

Naraku had been a bane to their existence so very long ago. His reincarnated form was a quiet, stoic figure that had ties everywhere and anywhere. If anything, his unique abilities put him on level with the Miko, or the Monk's descendant. Speaking of which, he glanced to the young woman sitting on the sofa next to Aiki. She was sound asleep, which wasn't unusual for her. She and Aiki were related by blood, though centuries separated them.

"Hiroshi is taking care of the recent yokai that made its way into the city. However, it's becoming more and more difficult not to be spotted by the public in our true forms." he murmured.

The talismans did well to mask their appearances when out and about in the public eye, but in the heat of battle, they were useless.

Kei, as Naraku's reincarnated soul was called, glanced out the window.

"Someone has to be behind this," he spoke up quietly.

"Why would a yokai choose now to cause this much trouble? Humans aren't as feeble as they once were. They have the means to wage war against us." Koga spoke up.

"Perhaps it's a new yokai itching to prove himself," Shippo added quietly. Sesshoumaru considered that. The yokai that filled the air was unfamiliar to him. Something had him on edge about it all. The others seemed a bit more relaxed than he did. This was no simple resurgence of yokai. Something dark was brewing.

And if things weren't complicated enough, Hiroshi's scent filled the air. Sesshoumaru's nostrils flared. His scent was heavy with the scent of blood. A heartbeat later, Hiroshi stumbled through the front door, his gear in tatters. Shippo was at his side in a flash, catching him before he fell to the floor. Blood dripped steadily from a wound on his flank.

Aiki was on her feet instantaneously, her sword drawn, and made her way out the front, with Koga on her heels. Shippo helped the wounded hanyou to the sofa, where Tsuki helped apply pressure to the wound. Hiroshi was panting heavily and it worried Sesshoumaru. His hanyou ears drooped, his pain evident.

"What happened?" Sesshoumaru asked. Hiroshi winced as Shippo inspected the wound.

"An ambush; I don't know where these yokai keep coming from but they're steadily gaining strength," he replied. His long silver ponytail was blood streaked from a wound on the back of his scalp.

"No one is to go out alone to engage them anymore." Sesshoumaru said evenly. Hiroshi met him with smoldering violet eyes.

"They won't get the drop on me again," he said with a stubborn set to his chin.

"Sounds familiar," Kei spoke up, kneeling down to check the wound himself.

"I don't see you out there doing any of the fighting Doc." Hiroshi grumbled.

"That because my area of expertise if patching you up." Kei replied simply.

Sesshoumaru stepped away, and turned to the safe that resided inside the opposite wall, concealed behind an old painting. He couldn't remember the last time he had the need to possibly wield the sword. But if even Hiroshi was bested, then things were indeed getting serious.

"Where's InuYasha?" Hiroshi asked. The moment the question was asked, InuYasha's scent filled the air, and an instant later, he walked thru the blood smeared front door with the Miko in tow, his silvery hair darkening as he walked inside.

InuYasha noticed Sesshoumaru's battle gear, and looked around at the rest of the room's occupants before sending him a questioning glance.

"You're late." Sesshoumaru stated simply.

"Yeah, well, I was a little…busy sending Naraku running for his life." he stammered, his eyes turning to lock on Kei.

"It was a draw," Shippo spoke up, his back to InuYasha.

"How would you know?" he asked. The Miko noticed who was speaking right away. His brother, it would seem, was as slow as always…

"OW! Just because I'm built of sterner stuff doesn't mean you can be rougher sewing me shut!" Hiroshi roared over the conversation.

"You're such a child sometimes," Kei murmured.

"How about you let me sew your skin for a bit and we exchange notes," Hiroshi shot back, his voice full of disdain.

"Well, someone wants to be on the naughty list this year," Kei grumbled.
"Does anyone want to tell me just what the hell is going on? It's a war zone out there! We were attacked by several yokai on the way here!" InuYasha spoke up. Sesshoumaru smelled it then, the hint of his brother's blood thick in the air. Hiroshi's own blood nearly masked it. Sesshoumaru rushed towards his brother, and pulled his kimono open without warning, which startled the Miko at his side.

There was a gaping hole in his shirt, which was stained with blood, and the skin beneath was red and enflamed, signaling there had been a wound there recently.

Very recently.

"You're being careless," he murmured.

"It was my fault." Kagome spoke up.

"Like hell it was. It was Naraku's, stop blaming yourself." InuYasha said gruffly.

"He's right Kagome," the kit spoke up, standing slowly to his full height. InuYasha looked at him skeptically, tugging his haori out of Sesshoumaru's grasp.

"Who asked you?" InuYasha asked. Shippo smirked.

"Wow, he's still so defensive." Shippo said, slightly amused.

"This is fun and all, but shouldn't someone go see if Aiki and Koga need a hand?" Hiroshi spoke up, wincing slightly.

"Stay still, whiney." Tsuki spoke up. Hiroshi sighed, and complied, glaring at the wall.

The Miko walked up to the six foot tall Kit, and smiled at him.

"I never imagined you this grown up." she spoke up.

"It's nice to be able to finally talk to you again." he replied.

"Am I missing something?" InuYasha asked.

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he removed Bakusaiga from the safe in the wall. He felt the power course through him, a power he remembered so well…and still sitting in the safe was Tenseiga…

When was the last time he had wielded that? He remembered trying, so long ago. Before InuYasha's lifeless body had been burned to ash. For some reason, Tenseiga was repelled. Pieces began to fill themselves in the puzzle, when he returned the other day with that strange rosary. Something about that necklace had a mysterious power, beyond a simple subjugation spell. Maybe had she removed the necklace before he tried back then, the outcome would have been different…

Too many what ifs; he needed to focus on the what IS.

"When aren't you?" Shippo asked playfully, cutting into Sesshoumaru's thoughts.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" InuYasha exclaimed.

"Man, I forgot how excitable he can be," Shippo murmured.

"Why you-!"

"InuYasha…calm down." Kagome said calmly, touching his arm ever so slightly. Sesshoumaru watched curiously as her touch seemed to calm him down. The bond those two shared always did mystify him so.

"I'll go check on Aiki and Koga." Shippo spoke up, dashing out the doorway in a blur of blue light.

"You two stay inside." Sesshoumaru ordered, looking at InuYasha and Hiroshi in turn, before turning to the Miko.

"Kei will see to your injury." he said quietly. She flushed slightly, her hand instinctively moving to her injured shoulder before nodding.

"Don't worry; I don't bite…that often." Kei spoke up. InuYasha's eyes narrowed slightly.

Sesshoumaru dashed out, before he heard whatever retort his brother had to say.

**********************************************************************************

"How did you get hit that badly?" InuYasha asked quietly to Hiroshi. Kagome sat down on the plush chair that faced the sofa where the hanyou that closely resembled InuYasha, clad in battle gear, had his wound tended to by…

She thought his voice was strangely familiar, but he was right there in front of her, the face of the monster that took InuYasha away from her. He was completely focused on his task, but he apparently could feel her eyes boring holes into his back.

"Just relax Miko. You of all people should know the difference in regards to a reincarnated soul." he said gently. He was human, completely human. How ironic that he was a simple human. Yet she couldn't stop her body from shaking. He finished up with Hiroshi, and knelt down beside her, looking at her shoulder carefully, before rummaging through his large medical case.

"That's a bad wound." he noted aloud.

"It's much better now though." she admitted. He filled a syringe with what looked like antibiotics, and infused it in her.

"Better safe than sorry, spiritual healing powers or not." he said. She nodded, her gaze falling to the floor, as he began to clean the wound.

"Wow…this really goes against the grain," InuYasha blurted out.

"I believe it," Kei replied with a smirk.

"So, apparently, Naraku is not the one being a pain in the ass out there right now." Hiroshi spoke up.

"No, he's very dead, hence my presence." Kei spoke up.

"Too bad you don't know how or when…" InuYasha grumbled.

"Colds were very deadly five hundred years ago. It would be proper justice for him to die in a pathetic way." Kei mused aloud, trying to lighten the situation. Kagome relaxed. Earlier, in Naraku's grasp, his aura dripped with malice, and his touch was so very cold.

Kei's hands were warm, and his brown eyes held no malice. She felt guilty for feeling so at ease in the face of the reincarnated image of her greatest enemy. He was right. Just as she was not Kikyo, Kei was not Naraku.

She let out a deep breath she didn't know she had been holding. He taped off the dressing, and leaned back, glancing over his shoulder at InuYasha.

"Let me take a look at that wound. In your present form, infection could still set in." Kagome expected a firm refusal, but he set his jaw in that stubborn way, and his shoulders drooped slightly.

"Keh…fine." he replied, peeling off the bloodied haori and t-shirt. She grimaced at the large, angry red spot the wound had left. Kei gave him a dose of antibiotics, and cleaned the wound surface, while InuYasha kept his smoldering gaze on hers. She felt her cheeks warm slightly at the intensity in his eyes.

"Yeesh, you can cut the tension in here with a knife." Hiroshi grumbled slightly.

"Be quiet and get some rest." InuYasha shot back.

"Same goes for you." Hiroshi replied quietly. Kagome had a feeling that the two hanyou had a better understanding of one another now that no one else could ever quite grasp.


******************************************************************************************

As Sesshoumaru reached Aiki, Koga went flying through the air, crashing into a building with bone crushing speed. He drew Bakusaiga on instinct, and dropped down behind Aiki, whom faced a yokai. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end at how powerful this yokai's aura was. He felt a credible threat, and a insistent need to pull Aiki to safety.

The yokai sneered at him, the energy crackling around him. People ran screaming through the streets as yokai rained from the sky upon them. It was pure madness.

"Is this your doing?" he demanded.
The yokai smirked.

"If this is anyone's doing, it's yours, Sesshoumaru-sama" the yokai replied, his tone anything but respectful.

"Explain yourself!" Aiki demanded. Koga limped up beside him.

"No good, he has a barrier…" Koga said breathlessly.

"All will be explained in due…time." he replied cryptically, and with that he leapt up into the sky, darting towards…

The Miko's home!

Sesshoumaru chased after him, every instinct in his being urging him to do so.

Sesshoumaru had a hard time trying to chase after the strange ominous yokai when lesser yokai attacked him from all sides. He could hear Aiki shout from behind him as he dashed through the overrun streets. He was in his true form, but the humans running about cared more about the yokai that were massive, mindless flesh eating monsters. Vehicles flew through they air, and fire engulfed building after building. He drew Bakusaiga as a troll lunged at him, and he dispatched it with ease, as he came into view of the old shrine that was untouched by modernization.

What was even more unsettling was the dark resonating cloud cover that began to cover the sky, blocking out the stars. Sesshoumaru dropped down to the grassy yard in a crouch, his sword at the ready. Koga arrived shortly after, with Aiki right behind him.

Standing in the courtyard with a smug expression was the yokai. He glanced over his shoulder at the three of them as if he were regarding vermin.

“Is this your doing?” He demanded to know.

“More or less. The best is yet to come.” he replied with a smirk.

“Who are you?” Koga spoke up. The yokai’s eyes flickered to the wolf briefly.

“That pains me, after all, we have known each other for a long time now.” he replied.

Sesshoumaru glanced to the sword the yokai held in his hand. It was as familiar as it was foreign to him, and the aura that suddenly engulfed the yokai was so overpowering it forced him to take a step backwards. His own Yoki revolted against the aura, repelled almost.

“And the best part is, you can’t touch me,” the yokai said with a feral grin, his eyes locked on Sesshoumaru.

“I’ll bet I can!” Koga roared, lunching at the yokai. Sesshomaru found he was unable to move at all, his body was frozen in place. And all the while, it felt as if his yoki was being drained. Aiki reached for him, but the aura that now surrounded him repelled her like an electrical current from a live wire, sending her flying. He watched as the wolf yokai lunged, and was flung aside as if her were nothing.

“Explain yourself!” Sesshomaru demanded. The yokai turned and looked at him, giving him a smile before making his way towards him, hefting the sword in his hand.

“It’s funny, I never expected It to be this easy. I thought I had quite a challenge on my hands, instead you are delivered to me on a silver platter.” he replied, ignoring his question. He slowly circled him, and Sesshoumaru’s anger began to steadily build up.

“You were all so caught up in your past, you failed to look at what was happening under your very noses. And now, the past is about to be rewritten,” he added, and with much emphasis on his last words, he thrust the blade of the sword into Sesshoumaru’s chest. It was so sudden and unexpected, it didn’t quite register in his mind. Yet no blood began to flow from it, it was much more sinister. It was draining him of his yoki, all that which made him who and what he was. His very essence was being ripped from his body.

And it wasn’t a pleasant feeling. His yoki revolted, rearing up, as if his own blood turned to poison in his veins, attacking his insides. His mind felt as if it were on fire.

“STOP!” Aiki shouted, her voice sounded so very distant.

So, was this what death felt like?

“I do need to thank you, for creating me. Your malice is all I needed through the ages to be born, and with the rest of your power, we will be unstoppable!” he sneered .

Then an explosion rocked the shrine grounds. The yokai was forced to pull back, letting go of the swords hilt to avoid the blast directed at him. Sesshomaru felt the skin on his cheek burn from the blast. And as the grip let go, so did the death grip hold on his body, and he fell to the ground in a heap. All he could do was glance up at the newcomer that had arrived on the scene, and he managed to blink.

She was wearing nothing but a simple black suit, and her hair had been cut short, all the way to her shoulders. She hardly resembled the Miko he had grown to know so long ago. Fierce and determined, she was well known in the Tokyo underworld as a ruthless assassin. The first time they crossed paths, she very nearly ended him, sent on a task to kill him from an unknown client. An unlikely mutual understanding slowly began to form, and after she learned all their secrets, she proved an invaluable ally. She looked down at him, her stone cold gaze on the sword still protruding from his chest.

“What’s this?” the yokai spoke up.

“Be careful Kikyo!” Aiki spoke, rushing to her side. Sesshomaru watched as something slid from within her sleeve into her open hand, and a brilliant light emerged from what looked like an ancient sword hilt.

“You would be a fool to think we did not know what you were up to Tokijin,” her cool edged voice spoke up.

The yokai narrowed his eyes at the mention of his name.

Tokijin!

It couldn’t be! Tokijin was a sword he wielded once, long ago. It was forged from a yokai’s fang. How was this yokai related to the sword?

“This isn’t your concern anymore,” Tokijin replied. Kikyo held her sword up, her gaze not wavering once.

“Indeed, your life is no concern of mine,” she replied, lunging at the yokai with dizzying speed. Sesshomaru fought to watch the exchange, but his eyes were going blurry. Aiki reached for him, but the swords handle repelled her efforts. All he could make out was arc after arc of intense blue light crashing around the area. Koga knelt down beside him, his expression unreadable.

“None of us can touch it,” Koga murmured.

“What sort of dark yoki is creating such a barrier? I can’t even get near it,” Aiki said quietly.

“Move aside,” Kikyo’s voice spoke up, startling them all.

“Where’s Tokijin?” Koga asked.

“He vanished within the well,” she replied evenly. The blade of light vanished, and the hilt disappeared up her sleeve as she knelt down. Sesshomaru could barely make out the shape of her face. She reached towards the sword, and he feared the same barrier would repel her too.

Her slender hand gripped the hilt, and she pulled. A blazing brilliant light engulfed the entire area as she did so, and she pulled it free of his chest. She flung the sword aside, and looked down at him.

Why was it so hard to breathe? His heart was pounding, and he struggled to breathe.

“I didn’t think such a thing possible,” she murmured. His vision cleared, but only a little. Koga helped him sit up, holding him by the shoulders for support. That’s when the long black hair fell down before him. He stared at it, knowing full well the talisman had been left behind.

“He sure smells like one,” Koga spoke up.

Sesshomaru glanced up at the one who very well may have saved his life. She regarded him with a slight smirk.

“Welcome to the world of mere mortals.”

Behind her, the discarded sword began to rise, crackling with yoki that screamed for freedom. Aiki jumped up after it as it shot like a bullet from a gun towards the well. Sesshoumaru’s shoulders slumped forward. Kikyo caught him.

“We had no idea they had this kind of power. We were on a watch and wait status.” she spoke up.

“What the hell is going on?” Koga asked.

“Yokai come in all shapes and sizes. Swords in particular absorb some unique abilities from their owners. Over time, that power begins to grow. Tokijin had been broken in the past, so he was not a threat at the time. However I seems it takes their breaking to be awakened.” she replied.

“So they have their own soul?” Aiki asked as she returned, empty handed.

“Yes. Tokijin and one other. Both formidable.” Kikyo said evenly.

“Why?” Sesshomaru finally found the strength to speak.

“They plan a new world order, and they intend to reshape the past. All we know in this world will vanish. And those strong enough to oppose them, are nothing but weak humans.” she replied.

“Not without a fight they wont!” Koga roared.

“It’s too late, it has already begun.” she snapped at him.

“What can we do?” Aiki asked.

“We take…the fight…to them…” Sesshomaru spoke up, gasping between words.

“You are going no where,” Kikyo murmured quietly.

“We’ll go then” Koga spoke up.

“You cannot.” Kikyo replied simply.

“Why not??”

“Because you’ll cause the universe to explode and kill everyone, you stinking wolf.” A voice spoke up. Sesshomaru managed to lift his head as InuYasha Kagome, Hiroshi and Shippo arrived. InuYasha knelt down beside him.

“What the hell happened? Shippo and Hiroshi freaked out when they felt this massive power surge from this direction.”

“What does it look like?” Koga grumbled. The sky began to flash and rumble.

“Not a lot of time,” Kikyo spoke up. She met his gaze, and reached out to touch his cheek ever so gently.

“You have to go…back,” Sesshomaru spoke to InuYasha.

“Back?” Kagome asked.

“They are…changing the past.” he said. Tsuki arrived last, out of breath.

“People are vanishing!” she exclaimed.

“We already know,” Koga replied. Tsuki shook her head.

“No1 Not being picked off by yokai! Vanishing into thin air as if they never existed!” she replied. Sesshomaru looked at her just as her eyes grew wide with fear, and she let out a scream as she vanished right before their eyes.

“Tsuki!” Shippo shouted, as Aiki pulled on his arm.

“Everyone to the well!” she yelled as the wind began to pick up. InuYasha looped his arm over his shoulder, hauling him to his useless feet. Kikyo took one of the arrows from Kagomes quiver as she walked past, and followed them into the well house. She stood in the doorway as everyone settled down around the well.

“Shippo, Koga, and Sesshomaru stay, the rest of you leave.” she spoke up.

“Whoa, when did Kikyo get here?” InuYasha blurted.

“Keep up!” Hiroshi grumbled.

“The rest of us will try to survive until your success,” she added, jamming the arrow into the wall of the well house. A barrier formed, encasing them from the maelstrom growing outside. That confirmed his suspicion about her latent Miko abilities.

An aura emanated from within the well. Hiroshi nodded to him, before jumping into it. Aiki followed. Then Kagome. InuYasha jumped up onto the side of the well.

“InuYasha…” he spoke up. InuYasha looked over his shoulder at him, and the human brothers shared a silent, unspoken bond.

“You do not know failure. See you soon.” he said. InuYasha nodded, and leapt into the well, and the well fell silent. Sesshomaru felt whatever strength he had left vanish like the current going back out to sea, and the world grew dark.

They emerged on the other side. It felt strange to have gone right back, considering the danger right now, but the state of the modern era was the thing of nightmares. Sesshoumaru's last words echoed through his mind as he stared at the back of the yokai that had preceded them through the well. His back was to them all. Hiroshi was being held back by his sister, and Kagome aimed her bow at him.

"I'm not sure if you're all incredibly brave or stupid." the yokai spoke up.

"I could say the same for you, you bastard." InuYasha grumbled.

"Watch your mouth half breed." the yokai replied, grumbling.

"Heh, better a half breed than a parasite." InuYasha countered. Tokijin spun around, leveling his gaze at InuYasha.

"A parasite that took down the legendary Taiyokai of the West in a single stroke."

"You used his own yokai against him!" Hiroshi roared. Tokijin smirked.

"I'm simply putting it to better use."

"Son of a-" Hiroshi growled, lunging at Tokijin. The yokai wasn't expecting the frontal attack, and took a step back as the enraged hanyou came at him with his claws extended. InuYasha couldn't blame him, but he could do nothing in his current form. Aiki drew her sword, and lunged at Tokijin.

"Get the sword!" Kagome called, firing an arrow at him. Tokijin laughed mockingly.

"This old relic? If you want it so much you can have it!" he replied, and in one deft motion, he threw it at Kagome like a throwing knife. InuYasha watched in dismay, his human feet too slow to react in time.

Standing before Kagome, seemingly out of nowhere was a tall towering form, or rather an enraged looking Sesshoumaru with glowing blood red eyes on the verge of losing control. He caught the sword by the blade, and in one twitch of his hand, tossed it to the ground.

"You're being careless Miko." he spoke in an odd, eerie tone.

"This is unexpected." Tokijin murmured.

"I would ask for an explanation, but my instincts seem to be overwhelming me with the need to kill you." Sesshoumaru nearly purred.

Kagome was frozen in place, no doubt fear stricken from the transformation taking place in Sesshoumaru. InuYasha looked to Tokijin, whom finally, wasn't smiling. He looked downright nervous.

InuYasha pondered what brought on such an abrupt reaction. Was it that his yokai was reacting to his stolen yokai?

"We can't kill him!" Hiroshi spoke up. Sesshoumaru tore his gaze from Tokijin to look at him, and blinked.

"Stay out of this hanyou," he growled. InuYasha saw Hiroshi visibly flinch at the insult. No doubt he was never spoken to by Sesshoumaru like that before.

"That yokai has stolen your yokai, that's why you're reacting so strongly. It's an act of self-preservation! If we don't get the yokai back to you in the modern era, you'll cease to exist!" Kagome finally found her voice. Sesshoumaru visibly reacted, and he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"The future world you are from?" he asked. She nodded.

"If he dies before we get it back, you die," Aiki spoke up.

"Wouldn't be very fun to be the one to inadvertently kill yourself, now would it?" Tokijin asked.

"Silence!" Sesshoumaru hissed. InuYasha made his way to Kagome's side.

"He somehow used that sword as the tool to extract the yokai. He impaled you with it, and it drained you, leaving you a dying…human." he murmured. Sesshoumaru's eyes returned to their normal amber hue, and his fangs receded.

"Reduced to being a mortal…how disgraceful," he spoke up. For some reason, calm Sesshoumaru was scarier than a visibly angry one…he glanced to the sword lying on the grass.

"I assume that the same process should work to reverse what had been done," he added. Tokijin sneered slightly.

"We're not really sure, but it would be interesting to see what happens." a new voice spoke up. InuYasha spun around to see another yokai walk into the faint light from the shadow of the trees. The giant halberd resting against his shoulder made his stomach twist in knots.

"Are you kidding me??" he spoke aloud. The yokai met his gaze.

"Ah InuYasha, the instrument of my birth, I've been looking forward to seeing you again." The yokai, which was a dead ringer for Bankotsu, said with a smile.

"And I take it you're Banryu." InuYasha murmured. The yokai's smile widened.

"What?" Kagome breathed. The yokai spun the halberd through the air before sticking it into the ground, and leaning against it.

"How can you be here with no yokai to siphon from your wielder?" InuYasha asked.

"You mean that pathetic human whose visage I'm forced to bear? I was born a Yokai, not forged from one." He replied simply. He walked towards InuYasha then, his eyes began boring into his. InuYasha took an involuntary step back, only to back up against a solid mass of Yokai.

"Not a step closer vermin." Sesshoumaru's voice spoke. InuYasha could feel his chest against his back, and the vibration from the low growl…everything was so much more menacing when he was human.

"InuYasha set me free. He is the last being I would ever harm." Banryu said with a smile. InuYasha shivered slightly.

Kagome leveled her bow at the yokai, her eyes narrowed.

"Your friend request has been declined!" she stammered. Hiroshi unsheathed his sword, and Aiki drew her two lethal looking daggers.

"They don't want to share with us." Tokijin spoke up.

"You expected it to go well?" Banryu asked in disdain.

"I'll take all the power I can get." he replied.

"Well then, why don't we see a hanyou about a stone?" Banryu said, walking back to the halberd.

"Don't turn your back on me!" Hiroshi shouted. Banryu glanced over his shoulder.

"I would have to acknowledge you to turn my back on you." he replied, almost bored.

"Return what was stolen!" Hiroshi demanded. Banryu looked to Tokijin.

"Why? It's being put to better use. He was a washed up yokai, it was wasted on him anyways."

Human or not was forgotten as InuYasha's blood boiled, and he made a dash at the yokai, only to be restrained by Sesshoumaru.

"Don't be a fool InuYasha…" he murmured.

"Bastard!" InuYasha yelled.

Tokijin retrieved his sword, and sheathed it at his side.

The two yokai vanished into the shadows, and InuYasha went slack in Sesshoumaru's arms.

"We can't do anything tonight." Kagome spoke up.

"You two have some explaining to do." Sesshoumaru spoke up.

"We already told you everything." InuYasha murmured.

"Not you two." Sesshoumaru snapped slightly. InuYasha glanced to Hiroshi and Aiki.
"Oh yeah, technically, you haven't met them yet." he murmured. Sesshoumaru leveled his gaze at Hiroshi.

"Who are you?"

Hiroshi returned the stare.

"I'm your son of course." he replied.

If ever, EVER InuYasha saw any sort of comical reaction on Sesshoumaru's face, it would be that moment. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. It took every ounce of self-control not to crack a smile let alone laugh. Aiki let out an exasperated sigh.

"What? Was I supposed to ease him into it? You know how he is!" Hiroshi growled.

"Too blunt!" she shot back.

"How are two white wolf hanyou...mine?" he asked.

Wolf, InuYasha always assumed they were Inu Hanyou…

"Adoption. "Hiroshi replied.

"Who sired you?" Sesshoumaru asked, almost…interested.

"We never knew our father and our mother…you knew, know, I dunno, this whole time space thing is confusing me…" Hiroshi grumbled.

"You vowed to our mother on her deathbed you would care for us as your own."

"She was the daughter of some ward you cared a whole lot about." Hiroshi added. They looked at each other and then looked back at him.

"Rin." they spoke in unison.

Sesshoumaru blinked, and a look of realization washed over his features.

"Rin." he murmured.
"We haven't said too much have we?" Aiki asked Kagome.

"I'm not sure, but maybe we shouldn't tell him too much." she replied.

"I know all I need to know." Sesshoumaru replied, crossing his arms over his chest, almost stubbornly.

"Oh, that expression looks familiar." Hiroshi murmured.

"Yeah, better than the almost constipated one…" Aiki agreed.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at them.

"Can we please go check on the others now? We kind of have a situation here!" InuYasha blurted.