Summary: An AU in which the world and characters of Ouran High School Host Club and the characters of Inuyasha collide. A stranger, and a really handsome one at that, comes to take Haruhi out of class. Three days later and Haruhi hasn't been seen since.

Note: This story came about from a challenge between Tsubasa Kya and me. We were discussing her idea for an Ouran High School Host Club fit, and we decided to each start the story with a similar first scene, and knowledge of what we had already discussed. We are not discussing anything before hand except for what we have already discussed. It should be interesting to see what results. We will be posting our chapters at the same time, so if one story or the other gets more reviews, we'll probably wait until the reviews are a little more even. The name of Tsubasa Kya's fic is, Experiment 23. If you like this story, you'll probably enjoy reading her's. I'm quite sure that they have already diverged into two vastly different stories. Of course, we might do something weird again and anticipate each other. You don't know how often that's happened.

Disclaimer:If people believe that I own the series this story is based on they're mad

They'd come after me with lawyers and that would be bad.

What Might Have Been

Chapter 3

Tamaki's eyes lit up when he saw Kagome being carried by Sesshoumaru. Other then the fact that this meant Sesshoumaru and Haruhi were not involved, he simply adored seeing two people who obviously were meant for each other together. Kagome was staring up at Sesshoumaru, and, well, he wasn't exactly staring at her, but he could tell.

Kagome heard a stifled giggle, and looked up. Her brow wrinkled slightly in confusion. "Sesshoumaru's been kind enough to help me get around for ages now and yet you still give us these weird looks every time it happens. Really," Kagome said admonishingly.

A slightly younger teen with white hair and a cap spoke up. "The sight of my stuck up brother relinquishing enough of his dignity to carry around will always make me laugh."

"You're an idiot," Sesshoumaru said.

Inuyasha shrugged. "You keep telling me that, and yet my grades say differently."

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he reached his destination and laid Kagome gently in her chair. He sat besides her, and Souten and Shippou quickly took their seats.

"So," Kaoru asked leaning back slightly, "What's the big secret?"

"We've been patient," Hikaru added, mirroring his brother's position with skill that years of practice had brought him.

Kagome smiled. "I do believe we should start to eat first. I'd hate to loose my appetite."

Inuyasha growled slightly, an action that startled the newcomers. "You should be grateful she's going to tell you anything. Besides, I'm hungry. We all are. We're eating."

Kaoru shrugged, acting indifferent. "If you're going to be so dictatorial about it, dog boy."

Inuyasha jumped slightly and put his hand up to his head in reflex, checking to make sure his hat was still on. He bared his teeth slightly as chuckles filled the air, then blushed slightly.

"Let's just eat," Miroku, a pleasant looking boy with a placating smile said. Inuyasha grunted slightly, still a bit red.

Everyone fell to with a will, but as the meal continued on, and more dishes were brought out, the newcomers (at least, other then Hunny) filled up, they slowed down and watched with wide eyes as everyone steadily continued to eat. Hunny was in heaven, as the servers, obviously used to appetites such as his, continued to bring him cake. Eventually, however, even he slowed down. The others, even Haruhi, continued to eat steadily. About ten minutes later as even Hunny started to look a bit green at the thought of all the food they were eating they finally started to slow down. Haruhi was the first to stop eating, and Kagome the last. She wiped her mouth delicately and smiled ruefully at the stunned faces of their guests as the servants quickly and efficiently whisked their food away.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, but it, too, is part of the explanation. Please, let us retire to the living room where we can be more comfortable," Kagome ordered, "Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Haruhi, you come with us. Shippou, Souten, you too, since I doubt you would leave us alone. Sesshoumaru of course. Everyone else, I'm sure you all have homework to do. Please get started. I'd hate for anyone's grades to drop."

A tall, slightly more mature looking woman with red eyes spoke, "You know we're all going to hear about it anyways. And MOST of us are not in danger or dropping grades," she looked pointedly at boy with white hair styled into a mohawk and another with grey and white hair. They blushed slightly and inched out of sight.

"Yes, Kagura, but for one, we will not all fit in the living room I'm planning on using. Two, we are a rather intimidating bunch, if you haven't noticed," Kagome pointed out.

Hiten smiled, baring teeth that were sharper then normal, "Us, intimidating? We're just sweet, innocent people!"

Everyone who knew the situation laughed a bit, and filtered out of the room, leaving only those Kagome had requested. She started to get up by herself, faltering slightly. Everyone rushed to help her, but since Sesshoumaru was right besides her he was the quickest to catch her.

"You should be more careful," Sesshoumaru admonished.

Kagome sighed as he picked her up. "I know, but it's annoying."

Sango decided to jump in. "Really, Kagome, you just got over your latest fight with your illness. We were worried this would be," she couldn't even finish the sentence, shaking her head slightly. Her eyes looked a little bright. Miroku laid a hand on her shoulder.

Kagome opened her mouth to apologize, but saw Haruhi's friend's too sharp eyes on them. "Shippou, Souten, why don't you lead the way to the more private living room?"

"Yes, Kagome!" they chorused. They herded the Host Club members in front of them, while everyone else followed, know the way already.

The living room they entered was exactly what might be imagined as private, at least if you weren't rich and used to living rooms that could comfortably seat fifteen people without invading each other's private space, but for the Host Club members, it was normal. Long sofas and a couple of love seats lined almost every wall, and everyone seated themselves quickly. Sesshoumaru and Kagome sat in a loveseat that faced the rest of the room, the Host Club sat on their right side, and Sango, Inuyasha, Miroku sat on the left. Haruhi wavered slightly, but decided to sit where there was more room. She missed the slightly hurt look Tamaki gave her, and the slight shuttering of the twins faces.

Kagome sighed as everyone's eyes turned to her. She wasn't quite sure how to explain this, as most of the time the people who needed to know about what had happened already knew. She decided to start with a question. "Does everyone remember when they were younger, and their parents made they stay under close supervision because of the Black Void attacks?"

Tamaki looked confused when the others nodded. Kyoya, noting Tamaki's confusion because he lived in France at the time, explained. "It started about when you were about three, Tamaki. A group called the Black Void started kidnapping children, especially the children of people that were threats to him. They kept it secret for a few months, but when an important government official's child was kidnapped, Onigumo Higurashi's daughter Kagome, it became really big. Then about three, almost four years later, something happened. The details were not made public, and the names never were, but the children were suddenly back. There isn't much available information on the subject, at least to the general population."

Tamaki looked at Kagome, startled. She smiled slightly at him. "Exactly. But, a lot of what happened, as some of you might have guessed, was covered up by the government. Almost everyone you meet here in this mansion was either among the children kidnapped or related to them. Sesshoumaru, myself, Souten, Shippou, Kagura, Hiten, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and," here Kagome hesitated, "Haruhi."

The Host Club stared at the slightly embarrassed Haruhi. Kagome smiled at her sympathetically. "The Black Void was specific in their targets. Every child that was kidnapped was kidnapped for two reasons. One, so that they could threaten their parents if they didn't cooperate. For example, my father could influence things for them politically. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's father, Touga Taisho, could provide funding and was a high priced defense lawyer. Sango's mother was a prominent police woman. Shippou's father and Haruhi's mother were both gifted offense lawyers. Souten's father was on the police force as well. Miroku's father was a doctor they needed. The second reason was that each of us, prior to the kidnapping, had just recently had a doctor's appointment, and were declared mentally and physically healthy. All of our chromosomes were normal. Now you begin to see the picture." Kagome's eyes searched each of the guest's faces as she began to see understanding in their eyes. They didn't know what had happened yet, but they were obviously able to guess something of what she was about to say.

Kagome continued now, her eyes continuing to search theirs with an intensity that was almost frightening. "The leader of the Black Void wanted to create the perfect soldiers. However, humanity was far from perfect, and even the most highly trained human had his or her own limits. So he set out to create his own. He created what he called nanobots. They were small, the size of a virus, and they acted very like a virus does. A nanobot's job was to infect a cell and incorporate its own DNA into the cell's original DNA, changing the cell to suit the nanobot's purposes. However, unlike a virus, the nanobots purpose was not solely to reproduce, but to make its host better, more efficient. In order for this to happen, each batch of nanobots was given data on particular animal. The Black Void had us under observation for a few months to decide which of us would be modeled after which animal. Then the batch of nanobots we were to receive would be given the DNA information, its programming that told it how to best combine the two sets of DNA to allow the host more protection, as well as a few basics that are pretty general across the board. All of us have enormous appetites, as you saw. That was to maintain our high metabolisms. Nanobots use a great deal of energy. All of us are far stronger then an average human and heal more quickly. However, most of us have some unique trait that sets us apart from the rest. Inuyasha, if you would?

Inuyasha huffed slightly and removed his cap, revealing two dog-like ears that twitched often. "The person observing me thought I was like a dog for some reason, and so the nanobots that infected me went a little overboard. I was one of the first subjects, and so look less human then most of the people here. Of course, we all look a bit odd, but I'm one of the ones that fits into normal society the least."

Sesshoumaru lazily tucked his now loose hair behind his ear, revealing ears that could be called elf-like, as well as revealing the additional tattoos on his wrists and arm. His smile was slightly predatory. "For some reason, they thought my personality was poisonous. The data on exactly which animal's DNA I was modified with wasn't recovered, but I have enough poison in one nail to kill a ten foot tall man. The markings indicate I don't need to blend in because I'm dangerous enough not to need camouflage. Just like in nature."

Haruhi stood, slightly nervous. These were her friends she was revealing her secret to, and how they reacted to this would influence the rest of her high school career. "They thought I acted like a cat," she said, "I'm even more flexible then anyone here, can climb up thing most people can't, and can jump pretty far."

Kyoya decided to take the initiative. After pushing up his glasses, a nervous habit he had yet to rid himself of, he asked, "I do not mean to be intrusive, but if the nanobots help you recover quickly, why are you ill?" He was especially interested in the entire story, since his family did manage a medical empire. Besides, the repercussions of all this information…his life had just gotten a lot more interesting. He relished the thought of the coming days.

Kagome opened her mouth to speak then closed it, uncertain how she could explain everything. "I'm not sure. We're not sure. It's something to do with my nanobots, but no one here has been able to figure it out, including the few scientists and doctors that could be trusted to exam us."

Shippou spoke up. "What Kagome is neglecting to mention is that she's the one who saved us all. She was perfectly healthy until she managed to escape and ran to Sango's mother, who rounded up the police, stormed the building, and saved us. After that, she started becoming weak, and then started having episodes."

"I just had the opportunity," Kagome said. She quickly changed the subject. She didn't really enjoy the attention everyone gave her for something any one of them would have been willing to do, at least to her thinking, "Why don't you go home and think about everything. I must request that you don't tell anyone. You can come up with some questions, and I'll be happy to answer them. Haruhi, why don't you walk them to the door?"

Haruhi nodded briefly, and moved closer to the Host Club, "If you would follow me?" she asked. She avoided looking at their eyes.

"So, Haruhi," Kaoru said, moving up to walk right besides her.

Haruhi closed in on her as well, "Just how flexible are you?" They both had their patented innocent/questioning looks.

"You two get away from her!" Tamaki ordered. They, as always when it didn't benefit them, ignored him.

Haruhi shrugged, not thinking much of the question. "Pretty flexible. Ever see one of those odd contortionist acts? I could beat them with my hands behind my back. Literally."

The twins grinned at each other over Haruhi's head. Tamaki groaned slightly.

"Haruhi!" Hunny moved closer to her, "If you're so flexible, then why didn't you avoid those bullies on the cliff?"

Haruhi's step faltered slightly as everyone seemed to wait for what she would say next. "We're not allowed to display any of our abilities in public unless our life is threatened. They were just high school bullies. Anything they would have done to me could have been healed."

"You still might have been severely injured!" Tamaki yelled as he moved to stand in front of her, "who made such a stupid rule?!"

"The government," Haruhi said, looking away from him, "The government dictates a lot of what we can and can't do. I've got to go." She disappeared, leaving them in front of the door that was recognizable as the one that would leave them outside. The remaining members of the Host Club looked at each other.

"Why don't we follow Ms. Kagome's suggestion," Kyoya said, "This information has a lot of ramifications, and not just in the here and now."

Everyone nodded. As they rode home in their limos, their minds raced. It did indeed mean a lot had just changed in their lives. The question was; would they be able to direct that change?

End of Chapter

More revelations coming up next chapter! I appreciate everyone's more then generous reviewing, and would like to add that I'm agreeing with Tsubasa Kya's sentiment in her last chapter. We update when we have the same number of reviews. Zero doesn't count.