Disclaimer: moimoi819 does not own Inuyasha, Yu-Gi-Oh, or any if it's titles therein.

Hey! Guess who's writing a new fan fiction!? Can you say crossover and sequel? I've finally worked out a plot and schedule that works. So, I can finally get started on this. I hope I do "Soul Ties" and the characters justice. I'm open to criticism here guys. If a character is OOC, let me know. If I overlook something, let me know. I'm doing this for you guys as much as for me. I want to make this as enjoyable as possible. So, without further ado, I present to you… The Ties That Bind!

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Kagome sighed and pushed another piece of stray hair behind her ear. She was currently walking home after a day hanging out with her friends Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi. Kagome slipped her small hands into her jacket pockets and let out a warm breath. It had been nearly three weeks since the well had closed.

Now that she was going to live in her own time permanently, she had to live like a normal girl. This meant she had to go back to school. Miraculously, she was able to graduate from middle school. After completing countless make-up and extra-credit assignments, she had barely enough credits to graduate.

Her adventures in the Sengoku Jidai were over. She was now a regular, teenage girl again. Could she really go back to being a normal girl after all she had been through? Did she really want to forget? They only thing she had to remember her adventures were the starburst-shaped scar on her torso, miko powers, and her honed, archery skills.

Briskly, she turned left and up the large staircase that led to the shrine grounds. She passed the Goshinboku without stopping to stare at it like she usually did. It left a hollow place in her heart to remember, but what else could she do?

"I'm home," Kagome called out and removed her shoes.

"Kagome? Can you come in here, dear?" Nakoda asked her daughter, with her head sticking out of the kitchen doorway.

"Sure, mama," Kagome says and walks into the warm room. She sits at the table and looks to her mother with a questioning look. Jii-chan was sitting with her with a cup of tea in his hands. "Where's Souta?"

"He's still at soccer practice. Kagome, we need to speak with you about your behavior as of late. We're worried about you dear," Nakoda starts.

"My behavior?" Kagome asks. Had she been acting disrespectful? What had she done?

"Yes. We understand that you are upset and that you may feel as though you have lost something very important… but that is no reason to shut out those who are only trying to help," Jii-chan says with a serious tone. Kagome felt her mouth open and close. She looked to her mother questioningly.

"What Jii-chan means is, we only want you to move on dear. We are not saying this to hurt you, but the past…is in the past. It is time to move on. It is time to reconnect with your friends and family. It's time for you to live your life. We are only saying this because we love you. We only want you to be happy again," Nakoda says gently. She places a hand over her daughter's colder one and squeezes it lightly. Kagome nods and sniffles.

"I understand. I'll try Mama. I don't want to worry you or Jii-chan. I'll be alright. I'm gonna go wash up before dinner," Kagome says and stands. She leaves the kitchen before jogging up to her room. She closed the door lightly before collapsing on her bed.

They were right. It was time to move on. She had a life to live. She had completed her quest. Kagome wiped the small tear from her eye before blinking away the others that were threatening to form. Her supernatural adventures were in the past. She had to leave them there.

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"I didn't get into any of them!?" Kagome yells in a frantic scream. She stares at the different letters from every high school in the area. All read the same thing; that she was basically too stupid to get into any of them.

"It's okay, dear. You can be homeschooled this year. Then, you can try again next year!" Nakoda chimed in a happy tone, trying to cheer up her daughter.

"What's the point? So they can reject me next year?" Kagome moped and drooped over the letters. Nakoda looked at her daughter with a worried face. With a sigh, she hung her head.

"Mom! We got mail!" Souta cried out as he walked into the kitchen with some more letters. Souta shuffled through them, reading the names before tossing one in front of Kagome. "That one's yours, sis."

Kagome picked her head up slightly to read the addressee. When she read, "Domini High School", she moaned loudly. "Get it away. I don't think I can take another rejection."

"Come on, dear! Here, I'll open it for you!" Nakoda smiles.

"Don't bother. I can't go to school in Domino. How will I get there every morning?" Kagome asks in despair. "Homeschooling is starting to sound better and better…"

Nakoda ripped open the letter before pulling out the paper and scanning its contents. "Are you sure? Because they've said yes."

"What?" Kagome asks disbelievingly. She takes the letter from her mother before reading it as well. Her eyes went wide with disbelief.

"Domino High accepted you. But, you're right. Maybe we could just go ahead with the home schooling," Nakoda trails off.

"No! I'll go!" Kagome cries out and stands.

"But, what about the distance? I know Domino is rather close, but it is still a bit of a hike. Even by car, it'll be a long drive. You would have to live in the city," Nakoda says. Kagome sits back down and stares down at the letter in thought.

"Why doesn't Kagome live in the city then?" Souta asks with a casual shrug. The two women look at him as if he had grown a second head. "I mean… you let her travel throughout the Sengoku Jidai. Living in another city that's only a few hours away shouldn't be that bad. Right?"

Nakoda shot a worried look at her daughter. Kagome had been making progress and was slowly slipping out of the funk that she was in. Was it too soon to mention the Sengoku Jidai?

Kagome sees her mother's look and smiles at her. Nakoda breathes a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, Mama. I can handle myself just fine. But, if you're really worried, we can call up some of the friends you have in Domino. I'm sure one of them will have me," Kagome says.

"Okay. I'll do just that," Nakoda says and stands.

Kagome scans over her list of required materials again. "I have to go shopping, Mama! School has already started!"

"Do you want me to go with you?" Nakoda asks with the house phone in hand. She stares at her daughter questioningly.

"That's okay. I'll do it! I'm gonna go right now!" Kagome answers happily. She quickly ran upstairs to grab a jacket and her wallet. She had shopping to do.

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Moi-Moi: Hey guys!? What do you think? You'll notice that this is after Naraku and the well's stopped working. Yep, no feudal era travelling. This story will follow the Yu-Gi-Oh plot line. ;) See you next time!

Edited: 1/17/13