Kagome's Path in Time

- Chapter 1 –

- The path meant for Kagome -

Inu-Yasha and Kagome were alone, fighting. Sango, Miroku and Shippou had left to get supplies and not even an hour later, a Bat Taiyoukai attacked them. Kagome shot an arrow with her purification energy, but the damn bat moved too quickly.

"Give me the girl!" The female Bat Taiyoukai hissed at Inu-Yasha.

"Over my dead body, you ugly hag!" Inu-Yasha yelled and kept swinging his sword towards the Bat Taiyoukai

"You cannot avoid destiny little girl!" The Bat Taiyoukai claimed. Kagome stopped

'What is this Taiyoukai talking about?!' Kagome notched another arrow and aimed once again at the Taiyoukai.

"What do you mean by that?" Kagome asked, clearly curious to the Taiyoukai's statement. The Taiyoukai laughed

"You will see soon enough" she answered devious. Inu-Yasha swung his Tetsaiga, yelling

"Wind Scar!" and at that same moment, Kagome shot her arrow, whispering

"Hit the mark!" Her attack joining Inu-Yasha's like a dance and created a beautiful light show in gold and pink. When the light show faded, Kagome couldn't see the Taiyoukai anymore, so she sighed in relief.

"You shouldn't let your guard down, priestess" Kagome heard, whispered into her ear. She immediately tensed

"Kagome!" she heard Inu-Yasha scream, before everything turned black.

'This is the path meant for you' Kagome woke up hearing a whisper in her head

'Great, now I am going crazy' Kagome opened her eyes and gasped

'What the hell?' Kagome blinked a couple of more times, confused.

'Why am I in the well?' Kagome got up painfully, hissing in pain since she had lain in an awkward position. She then climbed up and out of the well, but that only made her more confused

"If I was in the well, then why am I still in the Feudal Era?" she asked herself in a confused whisper. She couldn't remember how she got there. She had fought with Inu-Yasha against a Taiyoukai and she had.. what? Thrown her down the well? Why?

'This is the path meant for you' the words whispered again

"And what the FUCK does that mean?!" She yelled frustrated, but she didn't get an answer. Kagome looked around. Inu-Yasha was around somewhere if she was truly in the era she knew, because the more she looked, the more everything seemed… wrong… different.

"Inu-Yasha?" she called, starting to walk down towards the village of Edo.

"Inu-Yas…" suddenly someone appeared behind her. She could feel his enormous aura. She gulped and the slowly turned around and saw an Inu Taiyoukai, with long silver-ish hair, golden eyes, a crescent blue moon on his forehead

'Wait… Silver hair, golden eyes, crescent moon? Wrong Inu!' But when she got a closer look she saw that… it was not Sesshoumaru who stood before her either.

"No way…" Kagome said gasping

"… but you are dead…" she whispered while paling and all warmth in her body disappeared.

"You are mistaken human" he growled. Kagome felt every bone in her shake in fear and in disbelief of her situation.

"Wh… What year is it?" She asked looking at him, scarred for the answer.

The Taiyoukai looked at her confused

"It is the year of 998, why?" Kagome got even paler.

"No way" she whispered in disbelief, looking confused down on the ground

'What did that bat do?!' It was the last thing she thought before everything again turned black.

Kagome grunted

'What a freakish dream' She opened her eyes and froze; her face lost all color. The same Taiyoukai, from she had hoped, had been a dream, was sitting by the fire in front of her, looking at her.

"No way… Inu no Tashio" she whispered in awe and fear.

"So, you know who I am" he said suspiciously. Kagome paled even more. She then remembered her situation and got up to her feet. She would have to try the well, so she could go home

'This is the path meant for you' the familiar voice again whispered. She wouldn't hear of it. She had to try. She looked around and saw they were in a cave. And not just any cave, but Onigumo's cave! She was about to leave, forgetting all about the Taiyoukai, when she stopped because of Inu no Tashio, who in a flash, stood before her, blocking the entrance.

"Where are you going?" He asked dangerously. Kagome gulped

"Home?" she answered trying. She was not sure what this Taiyoukai would do to her, or with her! She saw him smirk. And how she hated that smirk! Especially, when it came from Sesshoumaru!

"Not until you have told me why you thought I was dead even though you know of me, and I not you" What could she tell him? The truth?

'Yeah right… he would kill me in a heartbeat if he is anything like Sesshoumaru'.

"Do not try to lie, I will know it" he growled.

'Great! And now he is a mind reader?' Kagome sighed defeated and sat back down on her spot.

"I really don't know how to tell you, without losing my head, because you might think me a lunatic"

Tashio's eyes narrowed and sat back down to.

"Try me" he said, with patience in his voice. Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes

"Fine, but it is a long story" Kagome cleared her throat, preparing it for a long talk.

"Okay, first, why I thought you were dead, is because you are, in my time, in the future" she said truthfully, but careful, not knowing on how to behave in front of him. Tashio narrowed his eyes at her.

"What do you mean with your time in the future?" Kagome sighed

"This is where it gets complicated, so I will have to ask you a few questions before I can tell anything, to know what you know, so I don't say anything I shouldn't… Like with you being dead and all… Please? It is important" She saw Tashio give her a hesitant nod.

"Is Sesshoumaru born?" He looked at her questioningly before nodding

"Have you heard of anything in the regards of the names Tenseiga and Tetsaiga?" This time Tashio narrowed his eyes and looked at her suspiciously.

"Those are the names of the two swords that are at this very moment, being crafted" Kagome nodded nervously, hearing the suspicion in his voice. Kagome took a deep breath and smiled at bit.

"By Totosai-sama, correct?" He looked at her surprised again and nodded. Kagome crossed her legs, and closed her eyes, to better concentrate on the story. He was just too intimidating!

"Okay then, I will tell you my story. My name is Kagome Higurashi. I come from the year of 2009, and live in a big village called Tokyo. On my 15th birthday I fell down my families well "The bone eaters well" thanks to a madam centipede. When I got out of the well, I was 500 years back in time. All because of a magical trinket, that I had in my body since birth. In my time I had never heard of youkai or hanyou, so imagine my surprise when youkai came for the magical trinket. The reason they want it, is because it can grant a wish or make the barer 10 times stronger, but things happened and it broke, so I travel the lands to retrieve the pieces with friends. My friends have been through many hardships because of our common enemy, who also collects the broken pieces to get his selfish wish" Kagome paused for air.

"Anyway, I was fighting with… a friend, against a bat Taiyoukai, who claimed I had a destiny to fulfill, before grabbing me, and apparently threw me down the well and… when I woke up in the well, expecting to see my time, I saw the trees and thought that I was still in the Feudal Era, but then you showed up, and tells me I am even further back in time, and an irritating voice in my head keeps saying "This is the path meant for you", but I want to go back to my friends and family!" She yelled the last bit out frustrated. She looked up to meet his gaze. He looked like one in disbelief 'Who can blame him?' Kagome thought frustrated.

"Then tell me how it is you know of me, my son, Totosai, and the swords" Kagome smiled to him.

"I know Sesshoumaru as an ally against our common enemy. I know Totosai-sama from my travels and because of Sesshoumaru, since Totosai-sama came flying panicking on his cow because Sesshoumaru was after him…" Kagome giggled at the memory

"I know of you because of your trusted adviser Myoga" Kagome got to her feet and bowed respectfully

"It is an honor to meet the Great Inu no Tashio, Lord of the Western Lands and father to the 'Killing Perfection' Sesshoumaru"'… and Inu-Yasha' she added in her thoughts, before sitting back down.

"It is difficult to believe your story, but I sense that what you have told me, is the truth" Kagome sighed in relief, and smiled at him

"Anything you would like to ask me about? I will be as truthful as I can in a situation like this" She giggled at his surprised face

"Oh come on, is there not something about the future you would…" she was then interrupted when he spoke

"You are hiding someone in your story from me" Kagome paled and gauged surprised at him

'He could tell?! Fuck! Ok, calm down Kagome, answer as truthfully as you can' Kagome took a deep breath

"Yes" She saw Tashio raise an eyebrow in curiosity

"And you cannot tell me who?" Kagome shook her head

"No" Tashio was silent for a moment before speaking again

"Has the person something to do with Sesshoumaru or me?" Kagome paled again, hesitating. Should she tell the truth?

'Well, as truthful as possible, without giving away too much'

"Both" She answered. She did not want to give away that they might be related in her answer. Tashio nodded

"I understand"

"What can you tell me of this magical trinket you spoke of?" hmm… What to tell…

"Do you know of the Shikon no Tama?" She saw him shake his head for no.

"It is a jewel, and it will some day become protected by few selected priestess' "he looked at her, as if he expected more

"And that is all you can tell?" Kagome sighed

'Man, he is tiresome, but I did ask him to ask away… Nice going Kagome' She felt frustration forming in her body

"I don't know how much I can tell, even though I do know you wouldn't try to use it" She saw Tashios eyes widen in surprise

"How can you be sure?" Kagome smiled. Looking out into the distance and imagined the stoic and proud figure of Sesshoumaru

"I know because of Sesshoumaru" She had to admit. He was a true warrior. One who trained to become stronger, by him and not gaining strength and power from some jewel. He was beyond that.

"Sesshoumaru has never showed interest in its power, because he desires true power, and not what some magical trinket can give him. And…" Kagome smiled gently at the Taiyoukai

"From the stories I have heard of you and Sesshoumaru, you are both men… Eh… youkais of honor. You both have fought for the respect and power you both have, and that can only be achieved by one self" Kagome looked passionate and felt passionate when she spoke of them both like legends of honor and power. She giggled at herself.

"And yes, you could be stronger with a magical sword by your side, made by a fang or a claw or whatever, but a wish, a selfish wish from that jewel…" She had heard stories from her grandfather of how a young woman, who wished to become the most beautiful woman in the world, since she was quite plain-looking herself. With the wish granted, she had become the most beautiful woman to have ever lived, but she had lost a part of herself. Love. She had many courtiers, but none she chose. But, men became so madly in love with her beauty that they fought to get her, and then chased her to take her for themselves. The story tells she still runs as a ghost from the ghosts of men from the past, whom have chased her to the end of the world.

"If anyone makes a selfish wish, the person will lose a part of them self and have another bad side effect you wouldn't have accepted if known. I have heard stories, one more freighting than the other, with unbelievable consequences" she looked at him again with a big smile

"And that is why I know you wouldn't take it" She saw Tashio smirk

'There is that smirk again!'

"You seem to hold a lot of respect towards my son in the future" he put some more wood into the small fire. Kagome had tried to hold it in, but she then burst out laughing

"Gomen, it is just, it might be something between fear and respect. He is like I said 'The Killing Perfection'" Tashio smirked

"It sounds like he will become a great leader one day" Kagome couldn't help but smile, even though she had not seen his leadership abilities per say, she had seen and heard of how he took care of his pack

"I would agree, but he would need to do something about that attitude problem of his. Always being cold, treats humans like pests…" Kagome shot her hand up to cover her mouth in shock. She had just insulted his son, the heir to his throne

'Nice, just get yourself killed in an unfamiliar time!' she screamed at herself mentally

"Gomen… Just forget all that. I am sure he has his good sides, even though I have only seen max. a handful… My friends always seems occupied when it happens though…" she said, now deep in thoughts. It was funny how she always was the only one, who saw him for what he really was. He had saved her and Inu-Yasha more than once. She was still convinced that he didn't want the sword, and only trained Inu-Yasha on how to use it. He was strong enough as it is

'Which is probably just me hoping…' He was kind to Rin. He cared. More than he showed. She knew. She had seen it in his eyes once. His eyes. Gold and cold, but that one time when she had seen warmth… She had felt like melting. She felt someone glare at her intense, and she looked at Tashio, and he seemed slightly annoyed

"Gomen, I was thinking of Sesshoumaru's good moments. I just feel kind of… blessed to have seen something so rare…" That got Tashios curious face back

"What do you mean?" Kagome tried to put the right words together, since it was of a man of honor and pride she spoke of, with a man of honor and pride

"Well… He has saved a friend of mine a couple of times, even though he tried hard to make it look otherwise. And he has saved me once from death, and another friend of mine from death, and in the other era, they have become companions" Kagome smiled at the thought of Rin.

"It seems there is hope for him yet" Tashio stated. Kagome giggled

"Yeah…" Kagome looked up at Tashio

"I feared with the way Sesshoumaru acts, that you would have been the same way, but you talk and sit with me like a friend, even though I am a human, and a miko" she saw Tashio smirk once again

'Must be a family thing'

"I am not a bad person, but I rule my lands with a fierce reputation, and is sometimes forced to act as such, to prevent others to get the idea of trying to take over my lands" Kagome smiled

"It is a good idea, but you sometimes need to show kindness like now or mercy, just like now so you can become truly respected" She saw Tashios curiosity

"Care to deliberate?" Kagome smiled

"If you rule and are cruel to the people and are neglecting them, they will either stop having respect towards you and fear you instead, or they will hate you and maybe try to rise up against you, behind a man they do trust and respect. But, if you show them kindness and mercy, while you also are a feared and strong warrior and leader, whose wrath no one will meet or survive, then they will respect you in both mind and heart, and not because they have to, or fear you" She saw Tashio smile big

"You sound very educated. Your family seems they are very prestige in your time" Kagome laughed

"My family does well, but we are not rich. Every child in a certain age gets to attend school for some years to become educated, and when they have finished, they can choose to go and work right after school, or go to a better school to get a better job, which means more money" Tashio nodded, and seemed to understand the bit of information, but he was Sesshoumaru's father, so of course he was intelligent. Tashio seemed deep in thoughts. Kagome yawned and looked at her wristwatch. It was 11 at night! They had talked for hours!

"Your time seems… Interesting" Kagome laughed

"It has many conveniences that do not exist in this time, but I do not think you would like it" She saw Tashios eyebrow went up

"And why not?" Kagome looked up at the stars

"Reason 1: The stars and sky are not this clear in the future because of… well… humans. Reason 2: The entire world in my time has become overpopulated by humans, and that is why there are almost nothing, like the nature you see before your eyes in your lands. As an Inu Taiyoukai, I would presume you would want a lot of green areas and forests, but there are very little of it in my time. Reason 3: In my time, there are many new things, and all those things have many different smells. One of my friends from the other era, have visited my time, and he complaints of the smells every time" Kagome looked up at Tashio who had seemed to pale a bit

"Are you okay?"

"It is just unbelievable that there will exist that many humans and what the consequences of that will be" Kagome nodded in agreement, she too was sad of all the consequences humans had been responsible for over the centuries.

"I admit I love the time before it all changed. I love this nature, the stars and sky's clarity. Even the youkai's and hanyou's in it" Tashio seemed a little taken off by that

"What of the youkais in your time?" Kagome looked up at him nervously

"Well, to tell you the truth, as I told you before, I didn't know of youkai or magic before I travelled back in time" She looked into the fire

"In my time youkai are stories and legends. I have given it a lot of thought in this matter, and when I had the time (which wasn't much) I searched for any sign of a war or a disease that could have killed all youkai or the most, but found nothing, so my guess is, since the humans began to rise in numbers and new powerful weapons created, the youkai must have hidden themselves and started their lives living like humans amongst humans… and they are now remembered as legends and myths… This is the best explanation I can come up with since I could find no data, but I have felt few youkai's in my time" Then there was an awkward silence. It was almost excruciating.

"I am sorry if it was not what you would want to hear, but the only advice I can give you, seeing I also know what happens to you in the future is that, appreciate each moment, because by the next you could be dead or a change could occur, and there will always be change. That is a fact to life. So even if you like the change or not, you would have to live with it the best that you can, so appreciate your life and the ones in it" Tashio smiled to Kagome who smiled back

"You are very wise, for a human as young as you" Kagome burst out into laughing, but stopped when she saw Tashios confused face. Of course he wouldn't understand why she thought it funny

"Gomen, but no one has ever called me wise. If anything, they would call me the opposite" Kagome smirked. She had lost count of all the 'Stupid, naïve, reckless etc.' name callings that Inu-Yasha had been so keen on calling her when she had displeased him

"And why would anyone do that?" Kagome smiled lightly at that

"You must understand that I come from another time where humans, are equals, in most countries anyway. Men AND women have the same rights. They are more open to things as sexuality and religion, beliefs and so on, and they are very much different on a lot of parts, than humans in this time or the other of mine. They are still greedy, jealous, power-hungry and so on, but they behave much different" Kagome took a deep breath

"But, I take a lot of risks. Do things without thinking. I apparently show my emotions differently from others, or I am more self-aware, since humans in my time know more of the mind and body, so that might affect me in a way, that could make me seem strange to others. But, most importantly. I follow my heart, and it is usually it, that makes me do all those things. Where people from my time would probably see it as bold and brave or kind, many people in this time, would see it as stupidity" Kagome explained

"And, I don't believe in prejudice, and many believe it strange in the other time era. But I have friends who are youkai and hanyou. I see the person inside, not what others tell me they are…" Tashio smiled. He was actually quite gorgeous when he smiled

'I wonder how Sesshoumaru looks like smiling big?' Kagome tensed a bit

'What! Why, did I just think that!?'

"You are a strange human indeed" Kagome laughed

"You are not the first one to say that, and I predict you are not the last to say so" Tashio smirked and looked outside

"It would be wise to sleep, so we can leave for my palace in the morning" Kagome paled. She looked up at him

'His palace? But… Sesshoumaru would be there… And his MATE!'

"Are Sesshoumaru and your mate present at the palace?" She asked, hoped they were NOT!

"Yes" Tashio answered. Kagome paled even more

"Maybe I should just try the well again, or find different sleeping arrangements…"

"Nonsense… You said it yourself, that your path is here now, and we can always try that. Besides, my mate would appreciate your company, as I am sure Sesshoumaru will" She saw Tashio with a glint in his eye, which only made her pale even more if human possible, and that caused Tashio to laugh

"Don't worry. My mate loves guests and Sesshoumaru usually just spends all his time hunting in the forest or train all day" Kagome looked serious at Tashio

"We shouldn't tell Sesshoumaru the truth about where I am from" Tashios eyebrow went up

"And why should we tell my mate?" There was something in the way he had said it, that sounded like it was a test, and she did not want to fail!

"For my security and yours, it would be best if you didn't have to lie or keep a secret such as this from her. If she is anything like I believe she is, then I would prefer not to feel her wrath, since I am only human and don't think I would survive it" she answered with a sheepish smile. Tashio laughed harder

"Do not worry young miko and get some sleep. I promise you my protection, so my mate will not harm you, or any other for that matter… like Sesshoumaru" He promised while laughing. Kagome sighed

"Thank god!" she whispered low

"I heard that" Kagome sent him a glare

"Gomen, but he has tried to kill me more than once, and I am pretty sure he hates me, so sorry for being just a little nervous to meet him" she said spiteful. Tashio smirked

"Just a little? I do not even have to smell your fear, I can see you shake even from here" he teased. Kagome got up to her feet, all her weight on one foot, a hand on her hip and the other hand pointing up as to make a point

"There are plenty of reasons for being afraid of Sesshoumaru, and since I do not know the Sesshoumaru in this time, I cannot imagine how he is now, and that too scares me…" She said, sounding a little deflated at the end of her statement. She saw Tashio raise his eyebrow

"And what makes you think he is not the same here as in the era you know him from?" Kagome froze. She hoped not. She looked down at the ground, unable to look Tashio in the eye with what she was about to say

"…Because of some events that happened in his life. They were really tragic, and it would change anyone. But, I fear that he is the same as the one I know, and if he is, and the events didn't affect him, then I have lost all respect to the future Sesshoumaru, and can only hope that my friend is strong enough to melt his heart of ice" She saw Tashios shocked face

"Why?" Kagome sighed

"… Because, as I said, these events would have changed anyone with a heart. And if he is the same cold-hearted Sesshoumaru in this era as well, then I fear for his heart" Kagomes looked saddened at Tashio

"I cannot respect a leader who cannot show any emotion. How is he to take care of his people if he does not understand their feelings? If he doesn't show them kindness or mercy? If he is not open-minded to change or others ideas… And what about love? I would believe you would want that for your son… But I do have hope for him still. My friend is my hope" Kagome again looked into the fire. Love. She had once thought that she loved Inu-Yasha. She did, but as a big brother, who could be overprotective. When she thought about it, she had never been in love, ever. She thought of Sesshoumaru. He had lived a very long life, but he had never found love. It saddened her to think about it. She looked up when Tashio spoke

"Why do you have such hope in a man you fear?" She could see he was curious

"… Because that is who I am. I choose to believe there is good in everyone, but it is the person who decides if they want to live like good people… And I might have made it sound like Sesshoumaru doesn't have goodness in him, but I know he has" Kagome looked at the stars once again

"Since my friend came into his life, I have seen the good in him. I fear his power, yes, but I respect him as a person… But again if he is still cold and stoic and prejudice and closed, and if he is the same Sesshoumaru in this time as he was the very first time I saw him, then I will lose that respect and instead fear for his heart"

"Who is this friend of yours, who affects my son so much?" Kagome smiled big

"Rin. A little piece of sunshine. She is always smiling. She loves to collect flowers and gives them to Sesshoumaru every time. She has a lot of energy and embraces life, and she is very contempt by staying at Sesshoumaru's side" Kagome looked back at Tashio

"They first met when Sesshoumaru had been badly wounded after a battle. Rin, who is a human child at the age of 8, found him and nursed him and brought him food" Tashio looked at her shocked

"A human child?" Kagome nodded smiling

"He saved her life with the Tenseiga, when wolves had killed her. When Sesshoumaru brought her back, she has been travelling with him ever since, since her parents were dead" Tashio nodded, and seemed deep in thought.

"And he cares for her. I have seen it. The only small smile I have ever seen him make, when Rin gave him a necklace of flowers she had used many hours to make. It was so beautiful that moment" Kagome sighed and smiled at the memory. He had been so breathtaking when he had done that

"Beautiful? Because of a mere smile?" Tashio asked, clearly confused

"Yeah… Sesshoumaru in the future does not smile. He just simply doesn't. Rin have only seen 2, 1 with me, but he mostly just have his mask on, sends a deathly glare or that famous smirk that you, yourself seem to like so much" Kagome said teasingly with the last part

"He does not smile?" Tashio whispered for himself. Kagome looked at him for a while before laying down, deciding to sleep

"Well, goodnight Tashio" Tashio smirked at the girl who had been bold enough in not calling him by his respected title

"Goodnight Kagome".