I've been dying to put this one up. I think you guys are really gonna like it. And if not... pfft.

disclaimer: I own Inuyasha as much as I own Cinderella. and I own Cinderella as much as I own... I dunno, the Great Wall of China. (which, obviously, I don't. so there. nyeh.)

translation: Hinoko no Otome- from what I understand, this is some kind of translation of 'girl of sparks,' which was about as close as I could get to the name 'Cinderella.' so, moving right along...

Hinoko no Otome

by Dragon of Venus

Chapter One

The Feudal era of Japan was a difficult time to live in. Some people were fighting wars. Some were at home raising children. Some were even protecting villages from evil, mythical creatures.

Some had it worse. This is one of their stories.

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"KAGOME!"

A teenaged girl walked into the main room of the house by her sister's request. "What?" she groaned.

"Is that any way to talk to me?" the sister snapped. "I'm older than you, Kagome--"

"Yeah, by five minutes!"

Her sister went on as if uninterrupted. "So you'll do as I say!"

Blah, blah, blah, Kagome thought, Like I don't get this every other day of my life. She sighed. "So why'd you call me?"

"Oh, right. Well, you see, I noticed we've run out of herbs in the medicine cabinet, so--"

"Say no more." Kagome turned to walk outside when something smacked the back of her head. She turned back and saw a basket on the floor.

"You forgot that," her twin informed her. Kagome glared at her. "Hey, all you said was 'Say no more.' And technically, I didn't say anything, I just--"

"Yeah. I get it." Kagome picked up the basket and left.

"Not bad," said another voice in the house. Kagome's twin, Kikyo, turned around to see the oldest of the three sisters standing behind her.

She stared at her strangely. "What are you talking about, Yura?"

The house's oldest resident smiled at her younger sister. "'Technically, I didn't say anything.' Seriously, sis, that was pretty good."

Kikyo's eyes widened a little. "Really?"

Yura nodded. "I'm impressed."

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Hmm... What are we gonna need? Kagome thought to herself in the herb garden growing beside the girls' house. I honestly couldn't care less if those two got sick because of something I might forget. But, they are my sisters. I'm sure they'd kick me out if they wanted to. And if I let them get sick, they'd at least have a reason. She went on gently picking the small plants and placing them in her basket, when the most unexpected thing happened.

Kagome looked up from the garden hearing a noise, and saw a man in front of her sitting on a horse.

"Do you live here?" the man asked, pointing to Kagome's house.

She rose an eyebrow. Why was it any of this guy's business? "Who wants to know?"

"I do for one thing, and so does the guy that sent me. I'm on business for Lord InuTaisho, so cut me a break, miss. Do ya live here or not?"

Wow. It really amazed Kagome how much patience this guy had. But despite her silent questioning as to whether he really was sent by the lord, she answered him, considering he had at least attempted to be polite. "Yeah, I live here. Why?"

"Then this..." The man took something out of the bag he was carrying, and threw it to Kagome. She caught it, fortunately. "Is yours," he went on, "And be sure any other women you happen to live with see it, too." With that, he left.

Kagome looked down at what she held in her hand. It was a scroll, tied with a red ribbon. For a moment, she wondered if she should show it to Kikyo and--

"Hey, Kagome!" Yura yelled, "Are you gonna come back in some time today?"

She groaned. Sliding the scroll into the bottom of her basket and grabbing another handful of herbs for good measure, Kagome headed back for the house.

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"What took you?" Kikyo snapped.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Kagome replied. Then she muttered to herself, "Not that you ever do anyway..."

"What was that?" said Yura.

"Nothing," she sighed.

Her sister smiled. "That's what I thought."

Kagome pulled the herbs out of her basket and placed them on the table in the dining room of their small house.Then she turned around with a roll of her eyes, and walked off to her tiny hole in the wall that Yura and Kikyo called her room.Of course, she, however, begged to differ. Then again, it was either the smallest room in the house or sleeping outside in the demon-infested cold.

Hmm, tough decision. (Yeah right.)

So anyway, she crept through the curtain that separated her "room" from the rest of the house and sat down on the side of her bed-- a tiny, scrawny mattress pushed against the corner farthest from the doorway. She reached for her basket when,

"Hi, Kagome!"

She looked up at her window --which Kagome often wondered why she was lucky enough to have-- and saw a small boy with a bushy little tail sitting there.

She smiled. "Oh, hey Shippo."

"So, what's up?"

With a light sigh, she shrugged. "Nothing much." Then she reached into her basket and pulled out the red-ribbon scroll, gazing at it curiously.

"Hey, what is that?" Shippo asked.

"I don't really know..." Kagome then gave the ribbon a gentle tug, and the bow it was tied into came undone. Pulling off the silky red cloth, she carefully unrolled the paper. She took in a breath and her eyes widened as she read it.

"What does it say?" Shippo asked curiously. Kagome was silent, still in amazement. So he hopped off the window and scurried onto her bed."Can I see?" She seemed to nod, and he crawled into her lap and began reading aloud: "You are c-- cr, cu, co, cor, um--"

"Cordially."

"cordially invited to the Imperial Ball, hosted by Lord InuTaisho and the Royal Family."

He looked up at Kagome. All he got was a breathless "...Wow." He then went back to the scroll and continued reading.

"Please arrive at the Palace tomorrow evening no later than moonrise. We can't wait to see you there, and we simply wish for you to have a good time.

"Best Wishes, the Royal Family."

Now it was Shippo's turn: "Wooow." Then he looked up at Kagome and smiled. "Are you gonna wear something pretty?" he asked in a cute tone.

Kagome replied, having apparently come out of her daze. "Well, I guess I should. I mean it is an Imperial Ball and everything." She sighed and rested her head in her hand. "But, I don't think I can go."

Shippo hopped up and jumped back to the windowsill, indicating for Kagome to follow him. She watched as he stood there, brave and triumphant, like a little soldier. "Kagome, don't you always tell me that one day you're gonna stand up to your sisters and tell them to stop bullying you around?"

"Well... yeah, I guess."

"How long are you gonna guess before you know?" he asked as if to be her general in the army.

Kagome looked up at him. "Yeah. You know what, Shippo? You're absolutely right!" She stood up, bravely holding up a fist.

"What're you gonna do, Kagome?"

"Stand up for myself!"

"Who are you gonna stand up to?"

"My sisters!"

"You're gonna walk up to them, look 'em head on, and what're you gonna say?"

"I'm goin' to that Ball and I don't care what you tell me!"

"Why don't you care?"

"'Cause I'm going no matter what, and you can't stop me!"

"Woo-hoo!"

"Kagome?"

Yura!

Kagome suddenly shifted back down. "Quick, Shippo, hide!"

Shippo hopped behind the window in a puff of smoke moments before Yura stepped into the room, looking around suspiciously.

"...I could've sworn I just heard somebody cheer."

"Oh, uh... that was me! Just, uh, cheering myself on, y'know, 'Go me! Woo!'" Kagome sweatdropped.

"M-hm." Yura obviously didn't believe her. She walked over to Kagome's window --the younger girl gasped-- and looked outside. It looked normal enough. Blue sky, green grass, orange-and-blue flower... what?

...Oh well.

She shrugged and stuck her head back in.

The flower sprouted a tail and sweatdropped.

"Phew." Close call.

"I was sure I heard voices," Yura went on.

Kagome laughed, then muttered, "Might be a possibility."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing," she smiled.

Yura narrowed her eyes only a bit at her sister. "Yeah." Suddenly, she noticed Kagome was holding something behind her back. "What is that?" she asked curiously.

"...What's what?" The drop of sweat rolling down Kagome's head was painfully noticeable. She clenched the scroll in her hands, nervous (well, obviously).

Yura shrugged. "Eh... nevermind." She began to walk away. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. All of a sudden, Yura darted back and reached for the scroll. Kagome tried to move aside...

But she wasn't fast enough.

Yura took the scroll and ran away to show it to Kikyo.

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DUN DUN DUN! Gasp! What happens next, you ask? oh, come on, people, have some patience!

but r&r in the meantime: )