InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Search for the Shikon ❯ Partner ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Kagome opened her bleary eyes to focus on the clock sitting on the bedside table and a muffled scream escaped her lips. “I'M LATE!”

From somewhere down stairs the startled yell of her grandfather and the sound of him falling from his chair rattled up through the ceiling. The noise of it didn't filter through to Kagome's ears as she jumped out of bed.

“What ever is the matter, girl?” Gramps shouted up to her.

“No time, Grandpa!” Kagome yelped as she rushed out of her room, wearing her blue puppy pajamas. “I have to get ready!”

Mr. Higurashi just shook his head as he picked his newspaper up off the floor, thinking to himself. Fool girl may be a woman, but she still has the mentality of a teenager.

He could hear a shower starting up and the scream of his granddaughter again. “COLD!”

Three minutes later he watched her toweled body slide from the bathroom to crash into her bedroom. Sounds of boxes falling over made it evident what she'd landed upon. He howled in anguish at the thought of his mementos breaking in those boxes. “Kagome? What are you doing?!”

Sounds of a muffled response were followed by another thud.

“What did you say?” He shouted back.

“I said,” Kagome huffed coming out of her room, hopping up and down trying to put on a pair of socks and brush her hair at the same time, “I only have an hour until my new partner shows and I have yet to get everything perfect for him.”

He sighed. “I still don't understand why you are so worked up about this.”

Kagome slid down the banister to land in front of him and kissed his cheek before running to the kitchen. “I am worked up because I don't want Mr. Nakamura's brother to look at me as if I were an amateur! I want him to understand that I'm in charge and not the other way around.”

Gramps shook his head and smiled proudly at her as he followed her in the kitchen. “He will know how wonderful you are when he meets you.”

Kagome sighed in exasperation. “I really appreciate that, Gramps, but you have no idea what this guy has accomplished!” She grabbed a bowl from the cupboard to make a hasty breakfast. “When I met with Mr. Nakamura, the thought of having a partner was not really welcomed, but I accepted it because I needed the money. He showed me his brother's credentials.” She slapped her bowl of cereal onto the table in vexation before walking to the fridge. “The man should be running a university, not doing library work with me!”

“I'm sure you're just being dramatic.” Gramps waved her off and sat at the table after he had poured himself some tea.

“Oh really?” Kagome took a folder, close to an inch thick, out of the bag that rested beside her at the kitchen table and slapped it down in front of him.

Gramps raised an eyebrow. “Eh? What's that?”

“His credentials.” She slumped down in her chair beside him and proceeded to pour milk into her cereal. “He has a B.A. in history, philosophy AND mathematics Where was he when I was in school?” She whined and shoved a spoonful of cereal into her unhappy mouth.

“That's not so bad.” He looked at her with a supportive smile.

“He has an M.A. in ancient history and archaeology.”

“So do you.”

“And Business! He has a PhD in archaeology and history on top of a diploma in applied ethics. He speaks seventeen languages; I didn't even know there were that many!” Kagome rubbed her eyes despairingly and she pushed her cereal bowl away from her, her appetite long gone. “He even spent two years at Harvard studying law!”

“Oh my… only two?” Gramps muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“He got bored! And quit the program!” Kagome grimaced in despair and flopped her face on the folder in front of her.

“He got bored? Are you sure he wasn't just kicked out?”

Kagome looked up at him wearily, knowing her grandfather was clutching at straws trying to make her feel better, so she tossed the sheet in front of him.

“TOP OF HIS CLASS AND HE QUIT?” His eyes looked like leaking saucers.

“I know!” Kagome covered her eyes. “And this man is my partner. Aside from all the education, he has experience as well, he must be about sixty years old from all that he's accomplished. I feel like Mr. Nakamura just sent his brother to be my babysitter, not my partner. That's why I have to make it perfect, so he can see what a responsible and serious person I am!”

Gramps looked at her skeptically. “Well, if that is what you want to accomplish, maybe you should replace your shirt.”

Kagome glanced down at her t-shirt shirt with `Naughty Boy, Go To My Room!' plastered across her breasts. She blushed furiously. “I can't believe I grabbed this one! Thanks, Gramps!” She bolted back upstairs, resulting again in the storage boxes in her room being knocked over. “Sorry!” A muted voice called down.

Gramps just shook his head. Fool girl just might have cause for worry.

~~@~~

InuYasha stood at the top of the shrine steps, looking around steadily and frowned, it had been awhile. The place may have changed its exterior, but it felt the same. He inhaled deeply and let it out in a grunted sigh. “It smells… different than it once did.” He muttered to himself, but then why is this scent familiar? He shrugged it off.

InuYasha cast one more glance around casually before he flicked back a lock of his long black hair. He decided to leave it free today, if anything to piss of this woman his brother had sent him to meet, whom he was sure to be a prude. However, he did dress to impress. He wore a tailored gray suit, and carried a black satchel with his laptop and a few other folders. One such folder held the woman's credentials.

The man sighed. So this is where the shrew lives huh? Best get this over with and meet the old bat. Hope she doesn't mind me being early. He thought to himself before heading along.

He hadn't been too pleased when Sesshomaru told him he'd arranged for a partner for him. For years he had been searching for the Shikon jewel alone, the last thing he wanted was a partner. He thought he had made that point quite clear when he met with Sesshomaru last week, but leave it for his older half-brother to complicate things. Sesshomaru believed this woman would have better knowledge of the Shikon Jewel than any of the others he'd met so far, and thought her services would prove be useful. Then to top it off he told InuYasha that he refused to support him anymore unless he took the wench along.

But then again, having a partner may not be too bad. It wasn't like she was going to get the jewel, just tell him where to find it. All she was good for was getting the information they needed and then she could go on her merry way, while he used the information to seek the jewel without further assistance or nuisance.

Besides, where most were concerned, the Shikon Jewel was just a legend, like the Loch Ness monster or the Holy Grail. Only a select few get by their biases to seek the truth behind them, and he highly doubted this woman would be one of them. She was just gathering information for a stupid paper or so Sesshomaru said. InuYasha would ultimately just use her research to search for the real thing. That is of course; if the old wench had any relevant information that he did not already have himself, but that remained to be seen. This year was for her to gather more information inconspicuously with his help, then she could go away and he would carry on his search alone. Assuming he could stand the woman for a whole year.

He already had pictured what she was like after skimming over her curriculum vitae. A greasy haired, knobby kneed, bucktoothed biddy. Fuck, her credentials pretty much spelled recluse! She had a B.A. in archaeology, physical anthropology AND folklore. She had an M.A. in archaeology and ancient history, a diploma in heritage resources and now getting a PhD in whatever. She held a 3.7 grade point average and had worked in four different major museums, as well as been on as many acclaimed digs! This woman reeked of business and no personality. Even her hobbies were dull: herb gardens, bike riding and archery? Even her name had sounded boring… what was it again?

Stepping up to the Shrine keeper's house, his hand poised above the door about to knock when he heard a crash some where off the other side of the house. His ears perked in curiosity and he went around to the side of the house to have a look. His eyes widened as a cloud of dust wafted from the open door of the temple's storage shed. What surprised him even more was the shapely figure of a woman carrying boxes walking through the dust towards him. His mouth dropped.

“InuYasha?” Kagome looked surprised and then smiled brightly. “What are you doing here?”

The dark haired man dragged his eyes up her. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt, which showed her perfectly curvy figure. Her beautiful body was covered in dust and scrolls poked out between her arms. All of a sudden a dawning realization lit up inside him. “Howdy, partner!” He smiled.

The dropping of boxes on the ground was her only response.

~~@~~

Kagome fussed in the kitchen trying to get the tea in order. “I still can't believe it!”

InuYasha grinned as he sat watching her move from one end of the kitchen to the other. “Am I that unbelievable?”

She shot him a wry glance and poured hot water into the teapot. “Stop kidding yourself.”

He winked. “Who's kidding whom? I can always show you.”

Kagome sighed and grinned. “Where do you come up with all that?” She set the tray with the cups and teapot down on the table and poured it for him.

“I have a good teacher, but I am no where near his lecherous skills.” He laughed as he sipped the tea. His eyes widened slightly in pleasure, normally he hated tea and drank it out of politeness, but this stuff was actually good, sweet and fresh. What the hell was in it?

“Like it?” Kagome smiled. “It's my own blend. A mixture of herbs and berries I grew in the garden back home. Not only does it taste good, it's good for you. I only managed to smuggle over a few tea bags, so consider yourself lucky.”

He smiled. Herb gardens, huh?

Kagome looked him over approvingly, scanning his gray suit and gray eyes, but then cast her gaze down and smiled slightly when she realized he was watching her appraisal of him.

“What?” He asked as he sipped his tea again.

She looked at him, or more specifically at his rosary. “Nothing really. I had this whole visit planned out. But now that I know you're my partner, it doesn't seem fitting anymore.”

“Oh, and why is that?” He studied her briefly before looking down at his tea. Damn she smells good. Sweet and fresh.

“Namely a lot of information we have to go through is stored away.” She looked him over, grinning slightly as her eyes narrowed in challenge. “And my bedroom is one of the storage places.”

He flicked his eyes up at her and laughed. “Sorry, that would be too easy.”

“I'm glad you think that way, so I've changed my tactics.” She smiled slyly.

“So no bedroom?” He sulked and then grinned.

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Let's go.” She stood and walked to the door leading to the shrine grounds.

InuYasha downed the rest of his tea and followed after her.

Outside, the morning was fresh and alive, the sun was warm though a cool wind flowed through the holy grounds. As Kagome stepped out into it, the soft wind lifted a few strands of her ebony hair to tickle her cheek. With easy grace she tucked the strands behind one of her ears.

InuYasha did not realize how such a small gesture could look so beautiful. He stopped suddenly and cringed. What the hell is coming over me?

Kagome turned to look at him thoughtfully and saw his mind was somewhere else. His eyes almost looked sad.

“Yasha?” Kagome tilted her head. “You okay there, sport?”

He looked up at her quickly and smirked. “Yeah, I'm fine, think the tea is giving me heart burn.”

She scowled and stuck her tongue out at him. “What heart? Come on.”

He chuckled and followed behind her.

Kagome walked over towards a closed hut. “This shrine has been in our family for twelve generations,” she smiled proudly, “and everything you see here has a legend.”

“Uh huh.” InuYasha flicked his eyes around and settled on looking bored.

Kagome sighed. “Okay, I can see giving you the grand tour will be pointless and aggravating, so I'll just show you the major highlights so you don't get lost… ingrate.” She muttered.

InuYasha chuckled softly.

“This is the Bone Eaters Well.” Kagome slid open the door to the hut they were standing in front of and walked into the darkness.

InuYasha moved to stand at the open doorway to gaze in. Kagome was sitting on the lip of the well below. He grinned and walked down the stairs to stand in front of her, scanning around and settling on her. “Bone Eaters Well, huh? Sounds sexy.”

Kagome groaned. “You're worse than Souta.”

“Souta?” InuYasha's eyes turned hard, thankful that Kagome could not see them in the darkness.

“My little brother.” She replied. “He's supposed to take over the responsibilities of the shrine when Gramps passes, but like you, he doesn't understand the seriousness of the shrine.”

InuYasha felt oddly relieved at the mention of her brother, but then grimaced at her slight scolding. “I'm sorry. I'm listening, really.” He sat next to her on the wooden rim.

Kagome flushed guiltily. “No, you shouldn't feel sorry, I'm not much better at honoring the shrine either in all honesty.” She then laughed at what seemed to be a fond memory. “You see, the Bone Eaters Well was said to be a link through various dimensions or planes of existence, or something like that, because bones of the dead would be dropped into this well and the next day the bones were gone. Souta and I were always freaked out. Every time we came to visit Gramps we would drop chicken bones into it just to see if they disappeared. He was so pissed at us. He said that we were desecrating the shrine. That didn't stop us from doing it though.” Kagome grinned and pointed down behind her. “See?”

InuYasha turned to look at the dried dirt at the base of the well and could make out small bones.

“I had hot wings last night.” Kagome whispered beside him. “Shhhh.”

InuYasha barked out a laugh.

Kagome shivered suddenly and hopped off the well. “Let's get out of here.”

InuYasha smirked. “Still freaked out by it?”

Kagome shook her head. “Not because of the story. There's lots of bugs in here, and centipedes the size of your head.” She pointed to one crawling near where she had been sitting, then made to walk up the stairs before InuYasha stopped her.

“What's that?”

“What's what?” She looked back towards the well.

“That scratching noise.” InuYasha said, frowning.

Kagome walked past him, moving around to the other side of the well. “Oh, Buyo.” She hefted a fat calico cat into her arms. “You're not supposed to be in here.”

She carried the cat up and out of the well house, while InuYasha slid the door shut behind them. “Buyo?” InuYasha looked at the cat warily. “Doesn't that imply…?”

“Fat?” Kagome tried to drop the cat on the ground, instead the cat oozed out of her arms like jell-o out of a mould. “Gramps wasn't too imaginative when he named him. He's not very fond of cats.”

“Then why have him?” InuYasha nudged the obese cat with his foot, making the cat flop over on its side.

Kagome shook her head at him. “Remember that I said everything here has a legend?”

“Buyo has a legend?” InuYasha scoffed and kept nudging the cat, making the fat feline meow in protest but still it wouldn't move.

“Stop that!” Kagome giggled, pulling the man away from the poor thing. “No, not Buyo specifically, cats in general. Apparently cats are guardian creatures and are considered very lucky and Gramps is very superstitious - enough in fact, to get a guardian for the shrine even though he hates cats.”

“Ah,” InuYasha watched the fat calico heave its body up and waddle away. “Keh. He appears well looked after.”

“Which could also probably explain the missing bones in the well.” Kagome grinned and gestured InuYasha to follow. She stopped suddenly and turned to face him. “You know, Bone Eaters Well really does sound sleazy.”

“Sexy, not sleazy.” InuYasha reminded her and winked.

Kagome looked at him lazily. “Mhmm.” She smirked. “Come on.”

He grinned and followed.

She led him to the back of the main house towards a large tree. “So what do you know of the Shikon legend?” Kagome asked as she sat on a bench near the tree while InuYasha sat beside her.

InuYasha didn't reply at first, casting his gaze at one of the lower branches, his face thoughtful. “As much as the next I suppose - the Jewel of Four Souls was guarded by a miko, some demon wanted it and stole it, miko killed him, miko died, jewel never seen again.”

“Ah the gist of it.” Kagome smiled. “Got to love the cliff notes of a good story.”

InuYasha grinned and moved to sit beside her. “So why don't you tell me the story, Ms. Higurashi?” His eyes gleamed shrewdly.

Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed. “Well, I don't know if you know, but this tree part of the legend.”

InuYasha nodded. “The Goshinboku Tree.”

Kagome looked at him stunned and nodded. “Yeah, the God Tree. How did you know that?”

InuYasha's lips turned in a small smile. “I grew up around here. I used to come to this very tree when I was a boy just to get away from the everyday. Guess I heard the story somewhere.” He shrugged.

“Hmm. Most likely from Gramps, he's very proud of the legends of the Shrine.” Kagome looked up into the branches. “I came to this tree too. See that branch right there?” She pointed to the branch he was looking at when they first arrived.

He nodded.

“When I was sad or upset I used to climb the God Tree and sit on that very branch. Many times Momma or Gramps would see me sleeping up there and used to yell at me because they thought I would fall.” She looked at InuYasha smugly. “I never did though, I always felt safe as if there was someone there to protect me from all the pain and confusion. It was there that I felt most at peace.” She sighed. “I know, weird, huh?”

InuYasha let his eyes flow from the girl beside him to the branch overhead. He frowned slightly. “Yeah, a little.”

Kagome flicked her head at the tree. “You said you came here as a kid?” She looked him over quickly. “You don't look much older than me. Maybe we met before.”

InuYasha turned to look into her light brown eyes and gave a slight shrug. “Maybe.”

Kagome smiled. “Well, it feels like we've met before. I don't think I've ever gotten along with anyone as well as I do with you.”

InuYasha just smiled and nodded toward the tree. “So what part of the legend makes this tree so important that you brought me out here?”

“Oh, right, yeah.” Kagome waved nonchalantly. “Guess if I have to tell the story I should start at the beginning.” She sighed. “Okay. The Shikon no Tama, Jewel of Four Souls, was given to a miko, a holy priestess, of high regard. She was said to have the power to purify the jewel and be able to keep it safe from the evil miasmas that could taint it. For years she kept the jewel, but because she carried the lone responsibility of protecting it, she lived her life in solitary.”

InuYasha shot his gaze over to her. “I never heard that part of the story. Why would she force herself to live separate from everyone?”

Kagome smiled. “Many mikos make it a point to be with others, since it is their calling, but the miko in this story was often described as a loner, so I just assumed she made it a choice. It was something I believed she did because she did not have confidence in her heart.” She looked away in reflection. “If a heart is true to itself no one could taint it, but I believe this miko doubted her powers, doubted her heart. So she decided to keep her self at a distance so her doubt could not be corrupted and used against her. She worried it might taint the jewel.”

InuYasha blinked at her then looked at the tree as if trying to see through it. “I guess.”

“But she did allow one to be close to her.” Kagome said softly.

InuYasha flicked his gaze up along the tree as if looking for something interesting and waited for her to continue. “Oh?”

“A young demon had heard of the jewel, and had tried to steal it many times. Each time she thwarted his attempts, but she never killed him. She must have seen that he was alone as well. I think she took pity on him, because she saw he was very much like her.”

“What makes you think that?” His silver eyes darted to her face while he frowned in consternation.

“According to the legend, he wanted to wish on the jewel to make him into a full fledged demon. I think perhaps he must have felt very alone if he wanted to use the jewel so badly for such a selfish and evil purpose.” Kagome looked thoughtful. “He wanted to be better than all those around him and I suppose the only way he could have felt so awful about himself in the first place, was if someone else convinced him he was weak.”

InuYasha studied her silently before looking down to the ground as she continued.

“I also think this demon was a hanyou, a half demon. Because if he were already full demon, why would he wish upon the jewel to be one or need more power if he is already strong enough?”

“That's an interesting assumption.” InuYasha said distractedly as he leaned his elbows onto his thighs. Dark strands fell from his shoulders to mask his face as examined a blade of grass between his feet intently before reaching down and plucking it.

Kagome looked over at him and smiled softly. “I think the miko and demon found a kindred spirit within each other. They saw each other as someone solitary like themselves and I think they really needed someone, so in a way they had each other. Not the best way to start a relationship though.”

InuYasha tore the blade of grass between his fingers strip by strip. “Oh, and why is that?”

Kagome tilted her head slightly at him, confused by his attitude. “Because of doubt. The miko already had doubt in her heart toward others, and the demon had felt doubt of others towards his heart. It is because of all this doubt that their love ended so tragically.”

Kagome could hear the smirk in his tone. “You sound like a Literature major.”

“Hardly!” Kagome scoffed. “Next to math it was one of my worse subjects. But I grew up with this story, as you can see.” She waved her hand around the shrine grounds.

“Humph.” He snorted wistfully.

She sighed and stood up gracefully. She softly walked over to the tree, placing both hands upon it for a moment, as if drawing the story from deep within its trunk. “The legend states they turned against each other. One night the demon stole the jewel and ran from the village. The miko followed and shot him with an arrow pinning him to this very tree.” She traced her fingers over the bark as if to feel the body of the demon still there.

InuYasha shivered slightly, watching her. His voice was gruff as he spoke. “To be held for all eternity.”

“Yeah, but then the legend gets muddled.” Kagome pressed her forehead to the trunk of the tree thinking for a moment, before turning to face him.

“What do you mean?” InuYasha frowned as he watched the hand she still rested on the trunk unconsciously caress the bark.

“Well, the legend says the miko died of her injuries and the demon was cast under a spell. But I don't understand that part.” Kagome frowned and bit her bottom lip.

“What part?” InuYasha asked, his eyes finally flicking to her face only to watch her worrying her lip. She looked innocently sexy and a slight twinge echoed in his chest. A scowl pierced his face as he tried to shake off the feeling.

“The consequences of their fight.” Kagome looked him over carefully. “Are you okay?”

InuYasha shot his eyes up to lock onto her own. He flushed slightly and coughed. “Yeah, sorry just caught up in the story. Go on.”

She smiled brightly and InuYasha's heart sped up slightly. He turned his head quickly to watch as an old man exited the main house and began to sweep the shrine grounds. Her voice soon brought his attention back at hand.

“Well, the legend never really stated how or why they fought or what happened to the jewel. It just said the miko died from her injuries and the jewel disappeared, after cursing the demon, but even that is vague. The demon in the legend supposedly died upon this very tree, but that does not explain why the miko would place a curse on him if he were just to die by her hand. But it's the end where the legend gets interesting.”

“Yeah, like what happened to the jewel.” He yawned, his mind starting to drift as he listened to the soft whoosh of the distant broom on the cobbles.

“No,” Kagome smiled slyly as she leaned her back against the tree, “what happened to the demon.”

InuYasha's eyes widened as he turned quickly to look at her. “Why would you care about him?”

Kagome flushed slightly. “I don't know, I guess I felt sorry them - for him mostly. He trusted a woman who could not trust him in return and it turned into his folly.”

InuYasha looked her over and smirked. “Sounds like you have a crush on this guy. Should I be jealous?”

Kagome smirked back. “Always. But no, I just think that if you found out about the demon, maybe you would find out about the jewel. Since both are shrouded in the same mystery: the miko's curse and the miko's death.”

InuYasha crossed his arms. “Yeah, well, he shouldn't matter since demons don't exist. He's just a part of the story.”

Kagome smiled slightly. “Do you think it's just a story?”

“What do you mean?” InuYasha flicked his eyes over hers questionably, she doesn't honestly think…?

“Come here.” She reached her hand out to him.

He looked at her hand cautiously and stood up.

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Geez, Yasha, I won't bite!” She grabbed his hand and flushed as an electric tingle shot through her body. She looked up at him and pinked slightly. His eyes looked a bit glazed as he looked down at their hands, then up at her. His silver eyes looked deep and she thought she could see bits of amber gold. She cleared her throat and brought his hand quickly to the tree.

InuYasha stood slightly stunned as she placed his hand over a slight hole in the trunk. “What are you doing?” He looked confused as he tried to pull his hand away, but Kagome held it there fast.

Kagome smiled. “That's where the arrow struck the demon, pinning him to the tree.”

InuYasha's eyes widened in shock. His fingers traced around the outer edge of the hole. Getting a hold of himself, he shook his head, pulling his hand from the tree and her touch. “Nah, looks like a woodpecker hole or something.”

Kagome's smile faded slightly. She looked around quickly as if to make sure they were alone, before settling her gaze on him. She looked him over quickly, pursing her lips before nodding her head slightly as if coming to a decision. She bit her lip and reluctantly reached into her pocket to bring out a silk wrapping.

InuYasha frowned at it. He didn't like the feeling that was coming from her hand. “What is it?”

Kagome looked at the silk bundle in her hand, her expression softening at the memory. “My father used to tell me the legend every night to get me to go to sleep. He told it in such a way that I refused to believe it was just a story, and he never told me otherwise. He said,” She smiled sadly, “…he said that we're all part of a story, all part of someone's tale. Legends are just lives so wonderful that no one remembers how they really lived, but it never stopped them from living. When I was little, I believed in it so much I wanted nothing more than for that demon to be real and for him to live forever,” Kagome looked up at InuYasha and smiled shyly, “so one day he would know someone believed in him, and that he could trust someone.”

InuYasha searched her eyes and opened his mouth to say something, but instead watched silently as Kagome unwrapped the silk.

“I told you I came to the tree when ever I needed to be alone. Being a child mind you, I thought for sure if I stayed here long enough, maybe I would see him. One night, as I climbed the tree, I hitched my finger in this hole, and I found this.” Kagome held her hand out for him to see.

InuYasha's eyes widened. An arrowhead.

“You,” he swallowed, unable to move his eyes from it, “really think that it's the same arrow that shot the demon?”

Kagome grinned and rewrapped it carefully. “I had it dated. It's estimated to be of that time, so roughly five hundred years old. Its make and material were used by the people of the Sengoku-jidai, the Warring states era. It could very well be the same arrow.”

“You're sure?” InuYasha frowned and crossed his arms in annoyance. “Maybe some punk from that time just shot the tree one day.”

Kagome smiled, her eyes gleamed in excitement. “Yeah, that is a possibility. But it was the idea that this was the very arrowhead that started my search for him.”

InuYasha looked at her warily. “You do realize we are talking about demons here right? Fictional characters? It's just a legend you know.”

Kagome looked him over and then nodded. “A legend, yes, but every legend starts somewhere with someone. It's just a matter of finding the fact behind the fantasy.”

InuYasha was stunned. “Kagome?”

She smiled secretively. “I think it's time I show you what else I've found.”