I do not own any of the anime mentioned in this or any of the characters. I write only because I left his unfinished and I’ve been trying to correct unfinished things in my life.
This is the only chapter ever to be posted. -EDIT: Of the original story! I'm not saying that this is the only chapter ever to be posted here, just the only chapter ever to be posted of the original story.- Several were written back in 2005 with the assistance of a friend after this chapter, but due to the loss of the computer they were written on and lack of backups, this is the only remaining chapter that was already written. I had posted it on MM, however I had made the mistake of placing in a password I wouldn’t remember and using an email address that no longer exists. I apologize to Mrs Cake if she ever reads this for never informing her that I wouldn’t be updating.
It’s not Identical to what was posted on MM. Edits were necessary.
Well, I would love to say this started on a dreary, rainy day and everyone was prepared for something to go wrong, but it didn't. The sun shone cheerily as it rose above the horizon, and the sweet fragrance of cherry blossoms woke the group. Kagome yawned and stretched, and not even Inuyasha complained. Just days before Sesshoumaru had gifted Kagome with Naraku's jewel shards, and then informed her of his love for her. It had taken nearly a day and a half to reach Kaede's Village, and Kaede had no answers for her. This was Kagome's decision to make, and no one knew what to tell her.
Kagome feared to answer Sesshoumaru. She no longer loved Inuyasha, but she didn't know if she cared enough for Sesshoumaru to stay with him in the past. She loved her family too, and at that point, Sesshoumaru didn't know about her family, or her time travel.
He was getting impatient. He wasn't used to waiting for anything, and he certainly wasn't used to waiting for a human. Of course, Kagome wasn't just a human. Inuyasha thought the only way to become a demon was to make a wish on the shikon, but there was another way, and Sesshoumaru couldn't love a human, so he had to take some measures. There was a river goddess who owed him a favor at the time, and he had to spill quite a lot of his own blood and sacrifice a hanyou to her (Naraku was ever so helpful in that part), but now the spell had been cast. There was nothing the miko could do about it. Within a few months time she would be fully demon and fit to carry his children.
Smiling as the wind blew cherry blossoms her way, Kagome decided it was time to talk with Sesshoumaru. She hadn't walked more than a few yards from her group when he appeared in front of her.
“Sesshy-kun, please, stop doing that. You'll scare the life out of me.” He grinned, knowing his sudden appearance had sped up her heartbeat for reasons entirely unrelated to fear. Kagome hesitated, trying not to be rash and fool hearted as she had so many times in the past. “I haven't decided yet. I’m starting to love you, but I love my family as well, and I'm not from your time. My family is 500 years in the future, and I would be greatly appreciative if you would allow me to visit them before I respond, especially if I must tell them goodbye.”
Sesshoumaru knew of this from his surveillance of the group, and he had expected her to ask, but he still wished she would answer him more quickly. The smell she emitted was frustrating him. He wanted to take her to his bed that instant, but he restrained himself.
“Very well. You have 2 days time. I will be waiting for your response.” Kagome hugged him and kissed him right on the tip of his nose.
“Thank you!” A few minutes later he regretted his decision as he realized that she was completely out of his reach.
* * * * *
Kagome rushed from the well, trying to think of what her mother would say. The bright sun blinded her a bit as she exited the well house. Bouyo, her cat, ran from her as she reached the front door, but she wasn't too worried about it. She almost tripped in her rush to remove her shoes, and then raced through the house while calling out for her family.
“Kagome? Kagome!” Souta ran into the room and hugged her. “Kagome, what took you so long to get back? You’ve been gone forever!” Kagome started to smile at his boyish exaggeration, but his expression stopped her. “Mom's in the hospital. Dad came by to visit and he must have been in trouble again because the men came in shooting and they shot Mom three times. Dad ran out to try to stop them and there wer gunshots and Dad and one of the men both died.” Mom had divorced Dad years before because of his gambling, but it looked like nine years had not taught him his lesson. “And Kagome, Grandpa left last week researching one of those legends of his and hasn't come home. I've been trying to take care of the shrine all alone and I'm scared!”
So that's my answer, Kagome thought. My family needs me. I’m sorry Sesshoumaru, but I won’t be coming back. “Don't worry, Souta. I'm here now. Let's see about Mom first and then we'll go look for Grandpa.” Kagome didn't know what she had in mind as she headed to the hospital with her little brother, but she knew she had to do something for her mother, even if that meant using her miko powers in her own time and tempting fate that some demon would sense them.
Their mom had been in surgery for hours the night before, but they were only able to remove two of the three bullets. The first two had managed to lodge themselves tightly into her ribs, but the third was perilously close to her spine. The doctors couldn't operate until she stabilized, but the bullet was in danger of paralyzing her.
It took nearly two hours to walk to the hospital. Kagome didn't think of it as any different, but Souta was exhausted from the fourteen-mile walk. Kagome stayed with him even though she wanted to race ahead. She didn't know what she was going to do when she reached her mother's room, but she knew she had to do something. The hospital stank of antiseptics and medication. It burned in her nose like the fumes of the passing cars. Kagome knew she had spent far too much time in the past, and this was just another sign to her that she had been neglecting her family for nearly a year.
The receptionist was a thin, pale woman with a feigned smile. She directed the two towards a third floor room and informed them sternly that visiting hours only lasted until five and there was little more than a half hour left. Kagome prayed that she had enough time to do something. Two unconscious forms occupied the little room. Kagome's mother had wires and tubes everywhere. The heartbeat on the monitor was slow and weak. Kagome's mother was as white as her sheets.
“Mom, I hope you can hear me. I'm going to try to help heal you, but I don't have any herbs and I'm not a very well trained Miko. I need you to hold on for me. Please, believe in me and come back to us.” Kagome placed her left hand on her mom's head and took her right hand in her own, then settled down beside the bed to pray. Slowly a blue glow began to emit from her hands. Souta stared in wonder, amazed that his sister could do something so cool. It seemed only moments later to Kagome when a nurse declaring the end to visiting hours interrupted her. Sighing, Kagome kissed her mom's cheek and left with Souta, happy that her mom's heartbeat was stronger and her skin better colored.
As they left the building, Kagome was surprised to see a smiling young man with bright red hair that smelled of fresh roses. He smiled at her, and then scanned the crowd like he was looking for something.
Kagome headed home. She already had enough to do without any more good looking guys around, especially not ones that were probably looking because of the short skirt on her school uniform. Souta probably hadn't had any decent food in the three days he had been alone in that house, and she knew that she needed to take care of her little brother.
* * * * *
Sesshoumaru stared at the well in shock. It didn't show on his face, but it showed in the way he lingered to inspect that she was truly gone. He did not have the freedom to sit and wait for her return. Responsibilities that he had been avoiding too long needed to be addressed.
When Kagome had first confronted him, she had intrigued him. Never had he seen a human woman with such confidence and force. He stepped up his brother's training to keep an eye on her, though he wouldn't admit it any more than he'd admit that his attacks on his brother were just to help him get stronger.
It was when he saw his brother continuously let her get hurt that he realized that he was growing protective of her. He became more violent with his brother's training and began to resent his lack of power more and more. He tried withdrawing himself, trying to become separate from the emotions starting to build. It helped that she wasn't a demon, but just the thought of Kagome as a demon elicited lust from him. Sesshoumaru refused to show his weakness and knew that Kagome would hate him if he revealed that he could only love her if she became a demon.
Searching through scrolls resulted in nothing that would help him. Time that he should have been patrolling his lands was taken in research. He had let the situation deteriorate, leaving uncontrolled demons to attack human villages and small wars had taken place nearer to his borders than he wouldn’t have normally allowed. He began to call in favors, hoping that one or another would lead to a way for Kagome to become a demon without her knowledge. The river goddess had given him the next best thing. As slow as the process would be, he could come up with a good excuse for it, and in the process he could tell her he loved her the way she was without lying. She would believe he loved her as a human.
After the appearance of his father's third sword Sesshoumaru couldn't allow her to remain with his brother any longer. Someone to protect, his father had said…. No, he would not have said it out loud then, but he did have those he protected. He protected the ugly little toad that was the spawn of the nurse who used to care for him as a child. He protected Rin, who had cared for someone she had no reason to accept. The innocence of the girl, and her total lack of fear of him, had slowly turned him toward caring for her as well. The similarities between Rin and Kagome were too much to deny. Even their smells were almost the same. At several points in the past he had allowed them to get close to each other to reveal if they were indeed related, but they had never shown any signs of recognition.
Of course he wanted to protect Kagome, but he would put her in danger in doing so. Naraku was no challenge to him as long as he kept his attentions diverted. He would not allow Naraku's attention to fall directly onto Kagome and his brother. They were no match for his full power.
Finally, sacrificing a little of his pride, Sesshoumaru had picked up his severed arm and reattached it to his body.
* * * * *
Koenma was yelling at Yusuke for his behavior on his last assignment. Kurama was enjoying the argument immensely. Of course the appearance of a cowering ogre almost went unnoticed and would have continued that way if Kurama had not spoken up. The ogre had news of an unusual reading. A strong unknown Reiki power should not exist, but it had apparently been used in a hospital only a few miles from Kurama's apartment and it appeared to be tainted. Though how they were not yet able to detect.
Yusuke didn't like the idea of going to a hospital for any reason, but relented when Kurama told him he might get to fight. Ten minutes later found the two walking up and down the halls of the hospital looking for anyone suspicious.
Kurama noticed one pretty young girl walking with her brother and smiled when she looked his way. He would have been more interested if he hadn't lost Yusuke in the crowd. Youko complained of the stench loudly in his head as he searched the building. Yellow eyes scanned the crowd looking for any signs of the one who possessed the Reiki type power.
Moments later, sounds of violence brought his attention to the roof. Nurses ran past him as he opened the door. A little freak of a man was running around from nurse to nurse, jumping onto their chests and burying himself into their cleavage. “Oh happy days happy days.” He chanted as he went from all of them. His eyes fell on Kurama, his eyes turning another color. “Oh a visitor.” He jumped into the air, nestling his head into the boy fox-demon's chest.
The old freak seemed to feel something wrong. He removed his face, taking a look at Kurama's face. He then lifted up his boxers. He gagged, turned a green color, and then fell onto the floor. After a few dry heaves, he started to cry. His little grimy hands wiped against his large eyes. “It's so cruel to fool and old man like that.”
It dawned on his perverted little mind that perhaps this boy had Ranma's curse, and would turned into a girl. He ran quickly to grab a bucket, grabbing it with his hands and then throwing it on the boy. He jumped onto his chest, trying to nustle into nonexistent cleavage. He jumped back, growling in frustration. He ran back to get a teakettle. This time the water proved exceptionally hot. After learning that the pretty girl still remained a boy, he sat on his haunches, tears filling his eyes. “You really don't turn into a girl.” The growling grew louder. “How dare you try such a sick joke on me.. It's worse than RANMA!!! At least HE has the common courtesy to turn into a girl when he's hit with cold water.” It appeared as if the little creature had a firecracker in his hand. Though it was about the size of a bowling ball. “HAPPO FIRE BURST!!!”
Kurama stared in shock. What the HELL was this thing. Its aura was demonic, but it appeared human…. Well…. UGLY human. The battle aura of the thing rose violently.
“Are you some kind of Onni?” Kurama was still shocked and disturbed by the groping and grabbing of his underwear. So shocked, in fact, that he never quite figured out how he ended up on the ground five stories below with Yusuke's unconscious form draped over him.
The freak wasn't concerned with his current victims. Instead he seemed more concerned with Botan who floated above. “A WOMAN!!! YAY!!!” He jumped into her chest, overjoyed to have someone to bury his head into. It seemed to send little tingles of horror into her chest.
Botan looked furious. Somehow she managed to use her paddle like a bat and send the offending thing flying off into the distance like a homerun. Botan was so angry that her usual composure was completely gone. “NOOOOO!!!” The thing cried as it disappeared.
The energy signature had completely disappeared nearly an hour ago. Botan had been unable to track it and feared that it might be near a shrine.
* * * *
Hiei secretly laughed at their stupidity. It had taken him a few moments to find out where the power had been released. Ms Higurashi was the most affected. Her improved health had surprised the doctors and raised their opinions from her not surviving the night to possibly even not being paralyzed by the bullet near her spine if they operated fast enough. They had been terrified of doing the surgery considering that she had lost so much blood in the previous surgery and there being very little of her blood type available to the hospital this time of year.
Her internal bleeding had almost completely stopped and her vital signs were considerably stronger. One doctor proposed that is was probably that her will was strengthened after a visit from her children earlier that day, and the others, with no better explanation, accepted that one as the obvious one they had missed.
It would have taken Hiei little effort to search through the doctor's records and hunt the onna's children down, but they probably lived at a shrine, and Hiei had no desire to run afoul of whoever had trained the child. He took up residence for the night in a tall tree that afforded him enough of a view of her door that he would be fully aware if anyone entered or exited.
As he expected, at noon the very next day, the Higurashi children entered the room. Visiting hours had just begun, and they wanted to make certain they had enough time to heal their mother. The healing blue light emitted from the girl was strong, but lacked focus. It radiated out through the hospital, exhausting the girl and dissipating too quickly with all the injured and sick around to have the same effect on others as it was having on her mother.
For nearly an hour and a half Hiei watched the girl and her brother. Finally he felt Kurama's arrival with Botan. Sighing because he knew he'd have to move from his comfortable position, Hiei called out to Kurama's mind.
“Come here. I'm in the tree to your left.”
”I was wondering where you were. What do you know?”
”Her name is Higurashi. She's on the third floor healing her mother. She's too busy to sense you and almost entirely exhausted.” Kurama smiled. So it was a girl and not a threat. Koenma had been worrying for nothing. Well, it never hurt to make friends with a cute girl. Hiei frowned at his friend's thoughts, wondering if he would ever learn.
”She's too good for you, Fox.” Hiei mocked. Even knowing Yohko's seductive abilities, there was no way the Miko would fall for his charms. If she had that much power she had to be perceptive enough to not be fooled.
* * * *
Kagome felt as if she had run a marathon. Her muscles screamed their objections as she turned to face the visitors that were entering her mother's room. In half a second she was on the defensive, ignoring her pain and exhaustion to protect her family.
Kurama stepped into the room. He smiled his most charming smile, but even he hesitated to charge in with a glowing blue shield. “Hi, you must be Higurashi-san. I wasn't expecting you to light the room with your beauty.” There was a long pause as Kurama realized that she was totally ignoring him. Kagome's eyes and senses were focused entirely on the figure standing in the doorway.
“Um, Hi.” Botan choked, feeling the Miko's energy aimed towards her.
“Away, Death. Don't come near my family.” Kurama's normally composed face nearly did a double take.
Botan shook her head frantically. “I'm not here to harm anyone! I just want to talk to you. My name is Botan.” Kagome hesitated, and then nodded, releasing her shield. She immediately fainted.