InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reliving the Past ❯ Chapter 1 ( Prologue )

Thanks to all of who have read and reviewed Second Best. I have an idea for a fourth chapter which I intend to write soon, but in the meantime I am posting a new Inuyasha story that I am working on at the moment. It will be angsty and a little bloody in the future, hence the R rating. Hope you enjoy ^_^

Reliving the Past

by kmf

Rating: R

Warnings: Language

Genre: Supernatural/Angst/Romance

Disclaimer: I do no own Inuyasha. I only wish I did...

Chapter One

"No!"

"Inuyasha..."

"I said no!"

Kagome stood hands on hips and legs slightly akimbo. Her pack was slung over her back, the weight of which was causing her to lean towards Inuyasha in an effort to stop herself tumbling back on to her behind. She was glaring at Inuyasha who stood immovable between herself and the well, the portal to her own time. Inuyasha had folded his arms, his hands disappearing into his wide sleeves. His eyes were narrowed and he glared at her as if daring her to defy him.

She, in turn, glared back not in the least intimidated by his scowl.

For years they had played this game. She would tell him that she was returning to her time to study or sit exams or just spend time with her family. He would tell her that she couldn't as she had a responsibility to finish finding the shards of the Shikon no Tama that she had so stupidly broken. She would take offence at his tone and point out that if she hadn't done what she had done, the demon who had swallowed the jewel would have grown too powerful for Inuyasha to stop; he had been, after all, such a weak puppy when she had first encountered him. He would growl at her and tell her that he had never encountered anybody weaker than she; how many times had she been possessed so far? Three times? Four?

They would argue back and forth until Kagome had had enough and would win by uttering the small word that activated the subduing spell contained in the necklace hanging around Inuyasha's neck. She would leave, spend time in her own reality until Inuyasha would come to fetch her, complaining bitterly until she returned with him to the past.

She sighed; it was all so pointless. Inuyasha knew that she would return within a few days, she was dedicated to their shared quest and was determined to see it through to the end. And, after all, hadn't she always faithfully come back? Even when she was doing poorly at secondary school because of so many days off. Even when her grandfather had died and she hadn't known until weeks after his cremation. Even when Inuyasha had made it clear that he would rather Kikyou be at his side rather than Kagome.

It was important that she go back now; it was the beginning of a new academic year and she wanted to get a good night sleep in her own warm comfortable well springed bed before familiarising herself with her new timetable, classes and professors at the university she was attending. It was her final year and she was doing well despite many skipped lectures (although that probably had a lot to do with the fact that she was majoring in history).

She had explained this to Inuyasha as she was packing away the mountain of text books she had brought with her, together with her oil lamp and reading glasses (years of reading without proper light had caused her eyes to strain and weaken). Unfortunately, Inuyasha was being pig headed as usual. He had heard rumours of Naraku's location and had made plans to leave the village to find him before he moved on again. What he had not planned for was Kagome's refusal to go with him.

"Inuyasha, I am going. And there is nothing you can do to stop me," Kagome shifted the heavy backpack, which was beginning to cut into her shoulders. She held up a finger, "One week is all I will be away for, enough time for me to get the new textbooks I need, meet the new professors and get an idea of which lectures I can safely miss."

"No!" Inuyasha grated, stubbornly, "We need to follow this rumour now. This is our first hint of Naraku in a long time."

Kagome shook her head, "We are forever hearing rumours and forever chasing them and we never get any closer to Naraku. I am not risking my last year at University for the sake of a rumour," she paused attempting again to pacify him. "Why don't you head off without me? I am sure you don't really need me to come along this time."

"It's your fault that the shard is in so many damn pieces!" Inuyasha growled, refusing to compromise, "Why should I be the one searching for it when you sit around and do nothing!"

Kagome felt herself begin to loose her cool. It was always an effort to stay calm when Inuyasha was in one of those moods. Her mouth pulled into a thin smile, which really ought to have been enough warning for Inuyasha to stop in his tracks. However, he was so engrossed in his disgust that Kagome was leaving again, he completely missed the warning.

"I would scarcely call what I have been doing for the last four years nothing," Kagome's voice was quiet, but her hands were clenched at her sides, her eyebrow twitching slightly in barely suppressed rage.

"If you hadn't been so whiney, forever going home and whinging when you are here, we could have finished this years ago!" Inuyasha continued to growl, "Nothing is more important than-"

He was cut off by Kagome dropping her backpack and stalking towards him. He seemed to finally see that he had pushed too far, and he backed up a pace or two, his eyes suddenly nervous.

"Whiney! Are you calling me whiney?" Kagome hissed, prodding Inuyasha in the chest. "I put up with you and your tantrums for four years and you call me a whinger? I sacrifice my social life for you, I nearly flunk out of high school for you, I get a reputation as a hypochondriac for you and you...you call me whiney?"

Kagome stopped shoving his chest and waited for Inuyasha to speak, to apologise, to just say he was wrong. But he didn't. He just looked at her with a sullen expression, his eyes narrowed and unrepentant, refusing to back down.

She scowled at him for a moment or two, then did something that she very rarely did any more.

"Inuyasha!" she cried out, watching with satisfaction as his eyes widened and his ears flattened in anticipation of what was to come next, "Sit!"

The spell in the necklace activated, and yanked Inuyasha headfirst into the ground.

Hard.

"Fuck!" he swore, as the spell held him down.

Kagome turned, picked up her backpack and walked over to the well. Without a backward glance she climbed up onto the wall of the well.

"I will be back in seven days if, and I do mean if, I decide to come back," she said coldly, before jumping into the depths of the well, her hair streaming behind her.

And as she dropped out of sight, Inuyasha struggled to push his torso off the ground. Glaring at the well, he shook his head.

"What the fuck did I say?"

* * * * *

Kagome climbed out of the well in her own time, dragging her backpack up behind her. She was so angry with Inuyasha, she could just spit. How dare he call her whiney! She had devoted the best years on her life to him and his eternal quest. She had sacrificed her youth to the cause of slaying evil demons and trying to find Naraku. And what rewards had she gained? A reputation for being a reclusive old maid in her time. And now Inuyasha had added the title of 'whinger.'.

She growled as she stalked out of the wellhouse, slamming the door behind her, then winced as she realised that she was doing a fairly decent impression of a certain hanyou.

"Sis, is that you?" a deep voice called across the courtyard.

Kagome still hadn't got used to Souta's voice changing from youthful high-pitched innocent tones to the deep gravely voice of post adolescence. Somehow, she had completely missed him growing from a boy to a man. One day he had been short and pusharoundable, his hair just the right height to be ruffled. The next, he was towering over her attempting to order her around. Of course, she immediately put a stop to that and made it clear to Souta that he was still her little brother, even though she had to now go on tiptoes to ruffle his hair.

"No, its only the whinging reclusive old maid," Kagome called back sourly as she saw Souta emerge from the back door of their shared home. He was dressed smartly, his normally messy hair was combed back and he smelt faintly of warm spicy cologne. He was completely unfazed at seeing her in the courtyard of the shrine; they had all got used to Kagome's unannounced comings and goings very early on in her adventure.

Kagome grinned at her younger brother, who never normally looked this smart.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, wondering if she had forgotten some family anniversary or outing.

Souta grinned back, reaching out and effortlessly taking the backpack from Kagome's rapidly weakening arms.

"I'm taking Hitomi to the cinema, there is some fantasy movie she has been wanting to see," he turned taking the backpack into the house.

Kagome felt a sudden spike of jealousy hit her as she watched her brother move away. He had a social life that she could only dream about, and, in fact, did dream about. Souta, realising that she was not following, turned and looked at her puzzled. He smiled at her softly.

"Do you want to come with us? I am sure Hitomi wouldn't mind," he said, his eyes a little guilty as he knew that Kagome very rarely went out.

Kagome held her hands up, waving them rapidly at him. "No, no!" she said quickly, "I have lots of study to do before class tomorrow, I couldn't spare the time for a movie," She moved into the house, calling out loudly, "I'm home!" as she kicked her shoes off and put on the pair of house slippers that sat ready for her.

"You sure?" Souta asked again, putting the backpack down on the kitchen floor, running his fingers through his hair, "Mum's working nights this week; I wouldn't want you to be on your own."

Kagome felt her face break into a warm smile. Souta had certainly grown up both physically and mentally. He had become a caring and considerate adult, a man she was proud to call her brother. Part of her was tempted to go along with him, it had been at least a year since she had been to the cinema. But she also knew that Souta would be keen to spend time alone with Hitomi; what was that well-known adage? Twos company, threes a crowd.

She turned to get herself a glass of water from the tap, delighting in the fact that she didn't have to visit a working well and fetch water with a bucket.

"To be honest, I'm tired," Kagome said as she sipped the cold clean fluid, "And it would be rather nice to spend some time on my own; I never get a chance to just chill out when I'm down the well. And who needs to watch fantasy when they live it!"

Souta gazed at her for a moment, his eyes trying to determine whether or not she was being truthful with him. Then he nodded, accepting her at her word.

"Well, see you!" he said, walking out and holding a hand up casually, "Don't wait up."

"Take care!" Kagome called out after him, her face pulled into a cheerful smile.

She pulled a chair out and sat down at the table, slouching forward and resting her head on her crossed arms. She stared at the half empty glass of water, allowing the smile to fade from her face and be replaced with a scowl.

"Whinger indeed!" she said crossly.

TBC