Kasei: Hello all! Another chapter!

Shippou: YAY!

Kasei: Anyways I have a slide show to show!

Kagome: Can I push the button!?

Kasei: SURE! :D

Kagome: *pushes button*

Kasei: *walks up to screen* This is Inu as a baby!

Audience: AWWWW!!! KAWAII!

Inuyasha: *blushes* Feh!

Kasei: *points* This is Miroku as a baby! Look at those chubby cheeks!

Audience: AWWWW!

Kasei: And this is... ME IN A SWIMSUIT!?

Inuyasha: O.O

Miroku: *drools*

Sango: *SLAP!*

Miroku: OW!

Kagome: WHO ORGANIZED THIS SLIDE SHOW!?!?!?!

Shippou: What’s so wrong about it?

Kasei: *covers eyes* C’mon Shippou, you wanna go draw?

Shippou: Sure!

Random Smiling Monkey: *smiles*

Kagome: Where’d he come from?

Sango: *shrugs*.....

Inuyasha: Okay since Kasei isn’t here... I guess I’m in charge!

Kagome: WAIT WHO DIED AND MADE YOU KING!?

Inuyasha: Kasei

Kasei: I HEARD THAT!

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha... Nor Miroku.... Or Kagome, Sango, Kaede... Kikyou.... *sniffle* The random villagers without names.... *cries* NOT EVEN SHIPPOU!!! *runs away* *comes back* But I do own Raiden, Akako, Lady Kaiya, Tsukiko, Rini, Kihala, Matsu, Washi, Mai, and so forth! Anyways:

Chapter Seven: Hanyou

“K-Kagome.... I-I-!!!!”

Kagome’s eyes were trained at the top of her head, were two tigers ears sat on the flame colored hair. Her gaze drifted to behind her, were the jeans were slightly down, revealing a long, orange and black striped tail. The sleeves of her sweater were rolled up, revealing thick, black stripes. Her eyes were... differently colored too, they were a silver gray. Her short hair was down, and also had a few stripes to match the rest of her. The apricot colored skin was now ivory colored, and bore thick black stripes along her cheeks. On her forehead was the pattern of a star, which was also black. Her hand held the headscarf tightly, black... claws surrounding it. Even her wrists were surrounded in a black stripe, like a bracelet.

After a few moments of studying her new appearance Kagome noticed their was... writing on the back of the head scarf... And even on the shawl, that had been dropped to the floor. The once brown fabric was black. Concealing sutra.

“Akako... Are you... Youkai?”

Akako backed up, now black (yes black) lip quivering. Her silver eyes were full of shame and sorrow. She took her hands to her face and sunk to the ground crying. Her silver eyes were covered in the black striped hands and her tail wrapped around her drawn-up feet. As Kagome took a step forward she whispered “No,” Kagome crouched down beside her and held her like a mother would a broken hearted daughter “I’m hanyou.”

Kagome stayed silent for a while, listening to the quiet, muffled sobs of the younger girl. She rubbed the girl’s back until the sobs were quiet gasps and asked “Why didn’t you tell me Akako?” Though she knew full well what she was going to say. Hanyou were neither human nor demon. Humans feared them for their demon blood and demons looked down upon them for being weak and tainted with human blood. She felt sorry for the young girl, especially since Lady Kaiya was her adoptive mother. What could have happened to her real mother? What about her father? Which one was the demon and who was the human? “C’mon, let’s go to my room and talk about it.”

“But... Aren’t you... Afraid... Or hate me?” she gave a sniffle as her coal colored lips quivered again. Her silver eyes looked up from the teen’s shoulder, they were red and puffy and filled with moisture, making them look like stars in an early morning light.

“Nah.” Kagome said as she smiled lightly, sending a wave of hope through Akako “Remember that person I told you about?”

A nod.

“Inuyasha. He is hanyou too you know.” Akako’s eyes went wide.

“You’re in love with a hanyou?”

Kagome blushed a little as she smiled shyly “Well.” she blushed harder” Yah...I guess I am... Now come on. We’ll talk more in my room. And bring your stuff with you.” Kagome stood and held her hand out to help Akako up. The hanyou girl gratefully accepted and stood with her help.

~~~~~

“My father,” Akako said quietly “Was human.”

They sat together on Kagome’s bed. The room was dark except for the small lamp that lit the room, sending a dull yellowish glow through out it. Akako sat with her hands in her lap, now de-hanyoufied (love that word) and back in her regular clothes. The clock showed it was at least ten o’clock, and outside the window the moon was already high up into the sky.

“Was your mother youkai?” Kagome asked slowly. The young hanyou nodded.

“She died a few years after I was born. She got really sick...” her voice faltered “She was a Lady too, just like my sisters’ mothers.”

“You have sisters?”

Akako nodded “Two of them actually. We all share the same father. I’m the youngest.” She drew her fingers through her hair as she sighed “We’re all hanyou. But we are all different types. Myself, as you must have noticed, I’m a tiger hanyou. The next of us three is Azami, she’s cheetah. She is the most human of us three, the only sign she has of any youkai blood is the prints on her hands and a star like mine on her forehead.” She looked to Kagome for any sign of anger or fear, but their was none. She continued “The last is Michiko, she’s lion. I never really knew her, I was very young then. Maybe three. She went to live out in the lands to the far north, where snow always falls and not even the hottest day can melt it. After she left Azami took me to a miko who was a friend of my mother’s. She gave Azami these concealing sutra, which I have worn for most of my life. Kaiya took me in, knowing I was hanyou. Even though she was scared at first, she learned she could trust me... And that she had no reason to fear me. I’ve never even gone full youkai before...” She stopped as she heard Kagome’s breath intake sharply.

“I remember when Inuyasha went full youkai... I was never afraid of him... Just... Of loosing him...” She trailed off as her eyes trailed downward.

“You miss him don’t you?” Akako asked. Kagome nodded “My mother always told me that when you love someone, that love will never surrender... Never fade away.” Kagome turned and smiled slightly to the young girl.

“Thanks Akako...” she said slightly above a whisper.

“No Kagome, thank you. For accepting me being hanyou.” Akako said as she smiled slightly .

“So exactly which Lady was she?” Kagome asked after a moment. Akako reached into the neck of her kimono and pulled out a folded up paper. It was old and yellow, and creased finely, signifying that it had been unfolded and refolded again and again. She started to unfold it, and it made several noises as she did. Finally she opened it to reveal a large, painted, scroll piece that had been torn.

Akako handed Kagome the picture, and then looked back at her lap. “Her name was Honoo. She was Lady of The South.”

“She looks a lot like you Akako.” Kagome said as she stared at the picture. The woman looked no older than thirty, with medium length black, no midnight purple hair and silver eyes. But she did not have the many stripes that covered Akako. Nor did she have a tail or tiger’s ears to match. Her ears were pointed like most demons, pierced too, and one silver stripe was visible on her left cheek. Her face was the same shape as Akako’s, which was also shaped a lot like Kagome’s. There was absolutely no mistaking they were kin though.

She crossed her arms behind her head and lied down on her back. “Lady Kaiya actually mistook her for my older sister- and she mistook my grandmother for my mom.” She sighed “My grandma died a few years back from a fatal wound...” She trailed off, lost in memories.

I HAVE to get Akako to Kaiya-Sama Azami thought as she ran. The younger hanyou’s breath was becoming shallow She will be able to heal Akako. She looked down at her younger half sister Just please hang on Akako! She kept running and running... And running... And running....

“Akako wake up!” Kagome said as she shook the hanyou’s shoulders. The tiger gave a startled scream as she flailed her arms and legs in every direction as she struggled to get up from the soft mattress. Sunlight streamed into the small rectangular room and onto her silvery eyes. Her pupils went small and she sat up, wiping her now watering eyes. She looked up when she noticed Kagome staring at her eyes.

“C’mon sleepy head!” She said. Today she was dressed in a pink t-shirt, patterned with roses and a short dark pink colored skirt. Her shoes were two basic black sandals and her hair was down, reaching to her wait. Immediately Akako regretted cutting her hair. “We have to go soon. My mom wants me to pick up some groceries.”

“Groceries?” Akako repeated, confused.

“Food that’s already made but needs to be cooked. You buy it at a store.” Akako raised a brow in confusion. “Just c’mon! Gramps found some kind of bracelet that has a concealing sutra.” Akako perked up and leapt off the bed, still in her Feudal Era clothing. Her tail and ears were hidden under the sutras, but you could still see the silvery tint in her rusty eyes.

“Lead the way!” She said.

-------

“Ah. A very useful sutra. It has been passed down for centuries in this family.” Grandpa Higurashi said as he lifted the small golden chain out of a small silver box. “It was once believed to belong to a youkai named Haigara, who used its powers to conceal her youkai blood to lour away young village men in an attempt to steel their souls for power.” He handed it to the young hanyou, who eagerly took it.

“Well if it worked that well for a youkai, imagine what wonders it can do for a hanyou!” She slipped it on over her right small, clawed hand and it began to glow. On their way down to the small storage area Akako had removed her old sutra, revealing her tail and ears. Quickly it formed a small wrist fitting band. Then, slowly, her tail disappeared. As did her claws and fangs. Her ears shrunk until they could no longer be seen, and then a pair of human ears replaced those. Her eyes did not change though. Slowly her flame colored locks dulled until they were the color of ashes, then black as the midnight sky, with a tint of indigo. Finally, she slowly shrunk about four inches. Kagome just stared in awe as her grandfather nodded, as though he knew everything. After a few moments Akako blinked and asked “How do I look?”

“Human.” Said Kagome’s grandfather.

“You look wonderful!” Kagome exclaimed “Now you can actually where some of my old clothes without any worries!” Funny. The transformation kind of reminded Kagome of the New Moon, when Inuyasha turned human. Akako gave a toothy smile, showing no fangs what so ever.

“Well then,” Kagome’s grandfather said “I will go back to my business. Someone’s got to run the shop while the rest of you are slacking off.”

“Wow gramps, thanks for the compliments.” Kagome said as she sweat dropped. Her grandfather walked over to the doorway and simply waved as he left. Akako giggled slightly as Kagome breathed out a long held sigh.

“Shouldn’t we be going?” The now human hanyou asked.

Kagome sweat dropped yet again. “Sorry... But first we need to get you some clothes!”

~~~~

“What about this?” Kagome asked as she held up a pair of jeans. Akako shook her head. “This?” She said as she held up an old skirt. It was yellow with lilac colored frills near the bottom, and a small lilac colored sweater to match it. Akako nodded and stood from her small chair she had sat in as Kagome had pulled the clothes from large boxes. She was handed the clothes and she ran off towards the house, clothes in hand.

Kagome watched her go, a smile on her face and glowing in her eyes. Akako was pretty cute at times. Her smile faded and she looked down into her lap. Four years... She thought I still can’t believe it. I still can’t believe I even got back... And let alone Akako followed me through... How was she even able to pass? Her gaze shifted to a small box in the corner. It was an old box, piled high with other junk. The box was cardboard, old , dusty, and soft from pressure. She stood and walked over to it and carefully she began to shove other boxes away, then brushed off the four year-old dust. She then took her now painted nails and peeled off the strapping tape, and opened it. At first she had to hold her nose because of the stink, but then she laughed slightly. “Ha! Take that karma!" She said as she held up a large, plastic, “Ziploc” baggy. She unzipped it and took out what she had been looking for. Pictures. Shippou and Kirara, Sango and Miroku... Kagome and Inuyasha. All of them together. She remembered a time where the villagers thought it was some kind of “Soul stealing object.” She silently giggled slightly as tears ran silently down her cheeks. She went through a few more until coming to one of her favorites. A picture of Miroku and Sango kissing.

She had taken it without their knowledge, until the flash of course. They had screamed and yelled, but eventually gotten over it. That was only a few months before they were engaged. The tear trails grew bigger as Kagome remembered... The day after Miroku proposed to Sango was the day she fell back into the well, and it had been sealed off. She wiped her eyes and stared down at a group photo of themselves. They were all so happy... So care free after Naraku had been defeated. Kikyou had finally passed on, and all they could do was be happy for her finding of peace.

She looked up as she heard footsteps and shoved the group photo into her pocket. Quickly she stood and brushed off her clothes, while throwing the other pictures into the box. Just as she kicked the box back into place her mother came down the steps. “Kagome dear,” She said “Are you still planning on getting those groceries for me?”

Kagome gave a smile “Of course mom!” She ran past her mother and up the stairs, making sure that she didn’t see her face. “Just got' a get Akako!” She went up the rest of the flight and began to run back to the house from the storage room. Her mother watched her go, her smiling eyes saddening. She glanced over at the small box, and sighed.

“She’s still so depressed.” She murmured. “I thought that when she went back, she’d be happier.” She walked over to the pictures and kneeled down to take a good look. “Maybe something happened...” She whispered to herself as she handled a picture. The picture was that off the two of Inuyasha and Kagome together. Kagome stood in front of him, while Inuyasha put a pair of bunny ears behind her head. Mrs. Higurashi sighed as she placed the pictures back in the bag. “I thought for sure they would be married... What went wrong...?”

----

“What is that?” Akako asked as the two walked past a store. Kagome gulped as she realized they were in front of a “Victoria’s Secret” Akako was glaring at the ‘products’ inside with a discussed look on her face. Kagome blushed a deep scarlet as she heard someone behind her snicker, and she grabbed the younger girl’s hand.

“Come on!” She said as she dragged the hanyou behind her. Soon they were at the grocery store, standing just outside it’s doors. “Now Akako,” Kagome said in a hushed tone “These doors are going to open by themselves, so don’t freak out. And another thing, behave in here. Don’t. Touch. Anything.”

“Well then you might as well leave me out here.” She said as she eyed a teenage boy, about her age, walk by and give her a wink.

Catching on Kagome glared “Oh no you don’t!” The teenager grabbed her wrist, and then entered the large store.

~*~

“I’m hungry...” Akako complained as she eyed the raw meat section wistfully.

Kagome carefully eyed a sealed package of turkey legs, also examining a coupon. She tried to ignore the hanyou, but that was impossible. Finally the annoying complaints reached past the barriers she had created around her ears and she said over her shoulder “Just wait Akako! We’ll go to WacDonald’s after we’re done here.”

“But Kagome! This is so boring!” Akako complained. Kagome gave a sigh and stuck the poultry into the little blue basket she was carrying. She motioned for the hanyou to follow, and made her way over to the ramen.

“Pick a few flavors,” She said “We’re going to need these for our travels.”

“Whatever...” Akako said as she took a chance to glance at the noodle cups. Kagome gave a sigh and looked down the isle. It was Saturday, and barely anyone was here. She brushed her bangs from her face and watched as Akako pondered over shrimp, chicken or beef.

“Hey Kagome!” Came a voice from behind her.

“Huh...?” She turned to see Ayumi and Yuka coming her way. Oh how she wish she could just turn invisible! She put on a fake smile as her two friends neared.

“Hey Kagome how ya’ do ‘in?” Yuka asked as they stopped beside her.

Kagome shrugged “Okay I guess.”

“Still miss your old boyfriend huh Kagome?” Ayumi asked. Kagome gave a sad nod.

“Mr. Bipolar? C’mon Kagome! Get over him already.” Yuka said, patting her back. She stopped at spotting Akako. “Um... Kagome who’s that?”

“Oh! This is my little cousin Akako.” She nudged the hanyou girl who, in turn, stood up with a jolt. “Say ‘Hi’ Akako.”

“Hey,” She said as she smiled, then turned back to the ramen.

“So Kagome, we’re gonna head to WacDonald’s. You want to come with us?” Ayumi asked politely. She was wearing a simple yellow T-shirt and jeans, while Yuka wore something similar to Kagome’s outfit, although her skirt was longer... And frillier.

Kagome beamed at her two friends “Sure! Akako and I were going to head there after we were done.”

“Kagome!” Akako said.

“Hm?”

“I pick Shrimp!”

------

“I still can’t believe she drank seventeen shakes!” Yuka said disbelievingly.

“I can’t believe Kagome had the money to pay for it...” Ayumi responded. The two continued to walk down the side walk. They were still mesmerized with the visions of Akako sucking down five strawberry milkshakes at once.

“Ayumi... I think my stomach just flipped...”

“Same here!”

-----

“GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!”

“Akako are you sure you should be doing this?” Kagome yelled to the hanyou as she continued to suck down shakes. Everyone had gathered around their table, even the employees, betting on the girl. You see three boys had challenged the girl to a shake-drinking contest after watching her tear through them like a ravenous demon. They thought they could beat her, but sadly two of three boys lay on the ground, desperately trying to hold in their lunch. The third, a dark brown haired boy with chocolate eyes, glared across the table as Akako finished her... (One... Two...) Thirteenth shake.

“GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!”

“Giving up yet!?” Akako shouted to the boy.

“Ha! Takahashi Mitsuo never surrenders!”

She gave him a puzzled look and shrugged “Have it your way.” Then she set down her fifteenth cup. “Done!”

The crowd around them began to cheer, and Kagome gave a sigh as she shrank into her seat. How did she always get mixed up into these messes? Why her? Why!

“No way! YOU CHEATED!”

“Mitsuo!” Came a familiar voice. “That is no way to treat a lady!” Kagome spun around the see... No way...

HOJO!?

He casually strolled over. “But you know... You could always have a tie breaker.” Akako gave a devilish grin, Kagome gave the most horrified look possible, and Mitsuo almost turned green at the thought.

“Y-You know...” He said as he pulled out some money “You win...” He began to walk off with Hojo “I need a garbage can...”

Silence...

An awkward silence...

Then...

“What crawled up his pants?” Akako said as she reached for one of his forgotten shakes. She took a sip as the small crowd burst into laughter.

----

“I don’t think I’m going back there again...” Kagome muttered as the hanyou waved to some newly acquired friends. They all gave her a thumbs up, which she returned gladly.

After a few ‘good-bye’s’ the two walked down the sidewalk. “So,” Kagome said after a while “How many?”

“Shakes. Twenty three. Friends. Seven.”

“Good!” Kagome said as she gave the hanyou a pat on the back, although she was sick at the thought of eating twenty three shakes. Talk about a bummer... I don’t think I’m eating there for a LONG time! Kagome thought as the two girls crossed the street. Along the walk back the two girls were pretty silent, thinking about the journey ahead.

The bags of ramen, shampoo, conditioner and other essentials made soft swishing noises as the girls made their way up the shrine steps. Finally the two were at the door of Kagome’s house, and she opened her purse, searching for her key. Akako sighed slightly as Kagome unlocked the door and stepped inside...

No one was home.

“Come on, Akako. We should start packing while everyone is away,” Kagome said, a tinge of hope in her voice. Akako faked a slight grin at her words. She liked this time a lot better, what with it’s strange televisions, cars, buildings and of course... The food!

“ ‘Kay,” she said reluctantly as they climbed. Once inside the two raced up the stairs, bags in hand, and rushed to the closet.

“Okay,” Kagome said “This is my old backpack. You can use it.” She tossed the large, oversized, overused, bag to the hanyou girl, who grabbed it as best she could. Then Kagome reached inside the ‘closet’ (if that’s what you could call it) that was piled high with junk. Old magazines, mangas, and clothes. Quickly she dug through, making a big, messy, pile on the floor behind her. After a lot of digging, and a pile of junk about five feet high, Kagome suddenly appeared with a large, cerulean blue, backpack in hand.

“This thing is... HUGE!” Akako said as she stretched the old bag out.

“Yah, I know.” Kagome replied as she moved to where the bags were. She started shoving packages of instant ramen into the new bag. “I used to take it back to your time when we traveled... Back then...” Her hands stopped moving, and she seemed distant... Lost even. Her eyes held nothing but emptiness and Akako actually had to shake her.

“Kagome. Earth to KAGOME!” She said loudly as she shook the teenager. Suddenly Kagome shook her head as though some sort of demon were trying to bite it off.

Tears were forming in her eyes. “Get them out of my head!” She screamed as the tears were forcibly shaken from her eyes “I don’t want to see these things!”

“KAGOME! What’s wrong!?” Akako yelled as she gripped the eighteen-year-old’s shoulders. She made the ravened haired girl turn to her, and almost gasped at what she saw. There, on Kagome’s left cheek, was a large cut- oozing with blood. Something within the blood gave a small white shine, and Akako slowly dug it out. Kagome didn’t move, it didn’t even look like she could. Finally Akako managed to get it out, and was puzzled at what it was. “Adamant?” She whispered.

“Akako...” Kagome muttered. She groaned. “What happened?”

“I-I don’t know...” She said, barely audible. She looked around the room, spotting a mirror she grabbed it and handed it to the miko. “H-here... You should take a look.”

Kagome raised an eyebrow, and took a look. Her sharp intake of breath and rubbing of the cheek were obvious signs she didn’t know what was going on. Akako handed her the bloodied sliver of stone, and Kagome looked like she nearly had a heart attack. “T-THIS-S!”

“Is adamant.” Akako finished. “But the question is... What was it doing in your cheek?”

“I... Don’t know...” Kagome lied. Her eyes were still full of horror and she quickly shoved the piece into her pocket. Then, as quickly as she could she packed the rest of the ramen and essentials she would need. Kagome then grabbed a spare house key from her desk and a box of Pocky she had bought for Shippou, then bolted down the stairs.