A/N: I hope that everyone enjoyed the epilogue of "The Nekomata Guardian." ScarletCamellia managed to review before I posted this so thank you for the lovely review. I have to thank everyone who reviewed. "TNG" now has more reviews than any of my other stories at 174. As promised, here is the prologue of "Family Reunion." This takes place two years after the end of the last story. The Higurashis are about to meet the Taisho clan. Need I remind everyone to read the previous four stories first to avoid confusion?

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

Family Reunion

Prologue

Kagome stared out the kitchen window belonging to her son and strained to see across the expansive yard to the temple. People milled around, enjoying the traditional festival whose theme was the Feudal Era. Miroku put one on every year and for the last few her grandfather had been attending. Now she saw the familiar uniforms of her old middle school wandering around. "Mother, come away from the window," Shippou said in affectionate exasperation.

"There, isn't that Souta?" she pointed to a tall figure, hoping the kitsune's sharper eyes could confirm her suspicions.

"It looks like him," her son agreed, under strict instructions not to encourage his mother in her need to hurry things along to her liking. In less than a week they'd be reunited with the rest of Kagome's family.

"I'm so nervous, Shippou," the miko admitted, sighing and going to sit at the table.

"Everything will be fine," he reassured for the umpteenth time. Shippou had lost track of how often the words had come out of his mouth.

"What do you think of your father's idea to offer Souta a scholarship to learn kendo? Inuyasha had begun teaching him but was never able to finish."

"I think it's a wonderful idea. It's just the introduction we need." He had been spouting the platitudes and reassurances so often lately, it had become routine.

"All right then." The priestess smiled and stood up again. She was full of nervous energy and wanted something to do. "How about lunch?"

"Sounds good," the fox demon answered. He still couldn't boil water to save his life. "Can we have ramen?" he asked and watched his mother turn green. Since she had become pregnant six months ago, the beloved treat had not been able to be anywhere near her. While he rejoiced in the fact that he would finally have a younger sibling again, Shippou didn't enjoy the fact that he had to sneak his ramen fix out of Kagome's sight and sense of smell. Inuyasha was doubly troubled because while Shippou had an apartment separate from his parents and could escape to there to eat the noodles, his father couldn't.

"Forget I mentioned it," he said hurriedly.

"Good thinking." Kagome turned to find something else to fix for lunch. "Well, if it's one thing that we won't have to celebrate having our family reunion, it's those noodles."

"I doubt Obaa-san would allow it," her son returned.

"This is true. And while your father is a full grown man, not even the half demon Inuyasha is brave enough to go against Mama's edicts."

"I'm really going to enjoy meeting her."

"What you'll enjoy is her spoiling."

"Yes," he said, unrepentant.