Hi.  I could really use some C&C if anyone feels like it.
No, I don't own Inuyasha, and the Hero 21 fanfic/fancomic continuum belongs
to Kristine Batey.  (It's going to be a response to one of her fic
challenges).  You can find her site here:  http://www.hibernatingbats.com/

You probably don't need to know the events of Hero 21 to enjoy this one.
Basically, it's an angsty, quasi romatic, one-shot fic.  I'll give it a
PG-13 rating.
Private comments, if you so wish, can be sent to jmreverie@hotmail.com (I'll
be soon switching to that as my main e-mail address I think, but for now I
still respond to both this and the one at charter.net.)

The Incident
By JM Reverie

Upon waking, I found my senses heightened. I could hear, I could see, and
most of all, I could smell. Really smell.

Shippo, that little whelp, was sleeping next to me and... Not only did he
snore, but also he farted, just my luck. It reeked. Still, I was happy to
see him.

I stood up and went looking for Kagome. Her smell was still lingering from
the night before.

Was this a dream? It had to be. However, when I clenched my fists, my claws
felt real. And... I could feel myself twitch my dog-daemon ears atop my
head.

She didn't sleep here last night. Her scent here was strong, but I still
needed to be reacquainted with my hanyou nose. If she were in Musashi's
domain, I would have found Shippo sleeping next to her, not me, instead.

I was Lord Inuyasha, seeker of the Shikon No Tama again, dream or no dream.
And, I was going to see my companion, The Lady Kagome, the woman I love, in
her realm of the Time That Is to Come.

~*~

Just before homeroom, Houjou sees me from across the schoolyard, his face
lights up and he runs to come see me.

When I saw him, I thought, "Oh, no. That poor guy. I can't go out with
him... I think I'm in love with..."

"Kagome! I'm so glad I found you!"

"Houjou-kun?"

I look at him and realize then that he's wearing glasses. Also, his hair was
pretty much all mussed up, as if he'd never combed it that morning. And...
"When were we ever on a first name basis?" I think to myself.

"Kagome... You don't know who I am?" He looked anxious, and he reached up to
push away a strand of hair from his face that was not there. He then leaned
forward, and I was amazed by the way he seemed to be inhaling my scent,
checking to see if I were real.

"You're Houjou-kun, from class B."

He shook his head, looking annoyed by what I said. "No, I'm not. Everyone
here just thinks I am, whoever he is."

"Excuse me?"

"Kagome... It's me. Inuyasha."

He was looking me dead straight in the eyes when he said that.

"What??"

"We have to go back to the village. I need to talk to Kaede-baba, now."

He then grabs my hand, tugging me away from the schoolyard. His fingers...
The way he held my hand, he did it gently like the real Inuyasha would--as
if he were being careful to not slice my flesh with his claws. It's that
moment when I think I forgot about breathing. I let him tug me without
putting up a fuss.

When we reach the gate, I exhale and begin to lead him in the direction of
my family's shrine. I could not even begin to think of the situation's
implications. My heart was racing.

"You're scared. I smell it. Why?" There he was, in my face again.

"I'm not scared. I'm--I'm just concerned. This is weird."

"No shit."

He didn't let go of my hand, but he turned away from me and we kept walking.
It didn't take long to return home from school. Houjou-kun/Inuyasha kept the
pace fast, almost to the point of running.

Once we were there, he didn't need any help finding the old bone-eater's
well. "Kagome. Stop. Something's strange." I looked up at him, studying his
expression. Weird. Inuyasha inhabited Houjou-kun's body; I had no doubts
then.

He approaches the shrine, listening. I swear I could almost see his ears
twitch. His nostrils were wide and he took slow, careful steps. I began to
follow, but he held his hand up, signaling me to stop.

I began to wish I had my bow and arrows as he disappeared, unarmed, into the
shrine.

~*~

Before I knew it, I was in Kagome's time. But... I was not alone, I
realized, as I climbed the ladder that lead out of the well. Kagome was near
by, but... There was also a... male?

I prepared to spring out of the well and scare away this male if he were,
indeed, a threat to Kagome.

I listened... "Kagome. Stop. Something's strange," and I let out a soundless
sigh of disappointment. I recognized that voice, that smell. I was already
here, the me from before, in my own body, protecting... My Kagome.

He entered the shrine, wearing my body, and shut the door.

That's when I sprung, tackling him to the ground. I was angry, jealous, and
disappointed. Even after we had switched places, I still was not meant to be
with her. No, the old, arrogant, rude, Inuyasha who did not know his own
heart would forever monopolize her time and her beautiful heart. When would
it ever be my turn??

My fist had actually been raised to punch him in the face, but as I stared
at him--Koinu--me... I couldn't. I lost my nerve. It wasn't the old
Inuyasha's fault. This was fate.

Then, I felt this wave of nausea and exhaustion pass over me and... I passed
out, never seeing... Kagome.

~*~

I heard sounds of struggle from within, then silence.

I knew full well that I could have been walking into a trap, but I, too
entered the shrine unarmed.

By the well, there were two familiar bodies, both passed out.

"Which one is...?"

At the sound of my voice, the hanyou stirred. "I'm ok, Kagome." He smiled.
"I'm back in my own body, too."

"How do I know you're really Inuyasha?"

He crossed his arms and looked away. "You just should. How should I know?"

I walked over to Houjou, and leaned down close to hear if he were breathing.
He was. Then I stood up again. "I wonder what we should do about
Houjou-kun?"

"Not my problem, wench."

I sat down next to Inuyasha. Normally, I would be annoyed, but this time I
was actually a bit touched that he was, indeed, jealous, all because of me.
"I'll wait a while. If he doesn't wake up, I try and call his parents." I
let my head lean on his shoulder, as I stared at my unconscious classmate.

All in all, it had been just a plain, out-and-out weird situation that we
soon both nearly forgot. It was not until many years later that I learned
the true significance of it all. And by then, it was just something my
husband and I would laugh about.

Owari*~
Jane
http://reverie.iridescentwishes.net/


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