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Journey to the Future - Chapter 2

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The next afternoon found Kagome sprawled limply over the armchair in the living room. She had been busy that morning. After an unexpectedly enjoyable breakfast with Hojo, during which she was pleased to learn that he had recently become engaged to her old friend Eri, Kagome made the rounds visiting each location on her list of job ideas. After politely expressing interest and mentioning the name of her father’s clinic, she dropped her resume and moved on until she had completed the list.

If she was being honest with herself, Kagome wasn’t too hopeful that she would get very many callbacks.

“Long day so far?”

Kagome moved her arm away from its position over her eyes and blinked at her mother, who was smiling at her from over the side of the couch.

“Just a lot of people telling me in the kindest way that they were not currently looking to expand,” Kagome replied wanly. She let out a slight moan as she stretched and her back cracked satisfyingly.

“Well, don’t be too discouraged,” Hana said, running her fingers through Kagome’s mussed hair. “It was only the first day.”

“Yeah I know,” Kagome agreed with a smile. She noticed the shopping bag in her mother’s other hand and got to her feet. “Need help bringing anything else in?”

“Yes, dear, that would be lovely. There are a few more bags in the trunk. Why don’t you drag your brother along too?”

Kagome grinned slightly evilly. “Oh, good idea, mama… I’ll definitely go get Souta to help.”

She cackled softly as she crept up the stairs. When she had gotten home, her little brother had been playing a game online with some of his friends. Kagome knew from experience that once that headset went over his ears that he was oblivious to just about everything. His proximity to electronics ruled out any of the … damper ideas she had in mind, but she felt sure that she could think of something that would end up with him messy without ruining his stuff.

A few minutes later and Souta’s shriek of fury echoed through the house, followed by Kagome’s maniacal laughter. She ran down the stairs and through the house, stuffing her feet into her shoes as fast as humanly possible.

Just as Kagome was escaping through the front door, she caught a glimpse of Souta, hot on her heels, with shaving cream running down the side of his head.

“Kagome! I’m going to get you for this!” He threatened, pausing to jam on his own shoes.

“I’d like to see you try,” Kagome taunted back, running across the yard and through the shrine grounds toward her mother’s car.

As she passed by the well house, a violent shudder ripped down her spine, stopping her dead in her tracks. Kagome stared wide-eyed through the open doors at the suddenly menacing-looking well. A hazy fog emanated from the well, nearly obscuring the faint pink glow that shone from the bottom.

Souta slammed into her back, tackling her to the ground. But when his questing fingers in her most ticklish spots failed to produce any laughter, he stopped. “Kagome, what’s wrong?’

“The well… what’s wrong with the well?” Kagome’s voice was strained and the same spied-upon feeling that she had experienced the day before returned tenfold.

Souta frowned at his sister and looked up at the well house. “It looks just like it always does, Kagome,” he insisted. “Ancient and a little creepy.”

“You can’t see that… weird fog coming from it?”

“Uh… no… there’s no fog, Kagome.” He got to his feet and extended a hand to his sister. “Did you hit your head or something?”

Kagome accepted the hand, and just as she opened her mouth to respond, a hideous, rotting face burst through the billowing fog and shot out of the well house right at her.

“The jewel! I can.... ssssmell it…” the monster crooned.

Kagome screamed as four skeletal arms wrapped around her and pulled her back toward the well.

Souta shouted in shock and held onto his sister’s hands as tightly as he could, fighting against the strength of the creature that had grabbed her. “Kagome, hold on!”

“I’m trying, I’m trying!” She struggled against the arms holding her, but their grip only tightened. Kagome tried to hold on Souta’s hands, but the monster gave one mighty jerk, tearing her grip away and pulling her into the well. She was able to grab onto the lip of the well just long enough to see her brother’s frightened and shocked face. “Get jii-chan,” she yelled before she was tugged back into the depths of the well..

Kagome shrieked as the arms tightened painfully and she squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating a hard impact with the ground at the bottom of the well. However, after a moment passed without a collision, her eyes shot open in surprise. She was floating in inky blackness. Her senses returning, Kagome renewed her struggles against the arms wrapped around her, kicking out at the creature and clawing at the limbs clinging around her hips and stomach.

“Give it to me… it is mine…” a rasping voice whispered into her ear and bony fingers dug into her flesh.

“Get off!” Kagome shouted. As her desperation increased, she felt a nearly unbearable pressure building underneath her ribs. It grew to the point where it was almost painful before relieving in a wild rush of brilliant pink waves that burst from her body. The creature screamed terribly and was blown away from her.

A light appeared above them and the monster flew toward it, disappearing into the brightness. Kagome felt herself touch gently to the ground. She lay limply, breathing raggedly. Her muscles ached and she felt like she had been wrung out like a dish rag. Her abdomen throbbed where the creature’s fingers had dug into her skin and she knew that she was going to bruise horribly.

Kagome blinked rapidly until her vision cleared and frowned up at the blue sky at the top of the well. Had the thing burst through the top of the well house? And where was Souta?

Panic rushed through her at the thought of her brother and the rest of her family being terrorized by the rotting creature that had attacked her. She pushed to her feet with a groan of effort and reached out for the ladder to climb back out of the well.

“Oh, come on!” She burst out angrily. The crumbling ladder that she used just yesterday to retrieve her cat had vanished. She looked wildly around for the remnants of the ladder, thinking that the monster may have destroyed it, but there was nothing but the roots of plants sprouting through the earthen walls and ground.

Kagome squinted up the length of the well wall and was barely able to make out a thick cluster of vines that appeared to reach the top. She took a deep breath and reached up as high as she could, digging her fingers into the cold foliage. Using her legs to brace against the wall and occasionally finding footholds in the rough earth, Kagome managed to reach the top of the well.

She panted harshly from exertion but her exhaustion was forgotten at the sight that greeted her. She was in a small clearing, surrounded by trees. A path cut down the side of a slight slope to a tiny village in the distance. Kagome gaped at the sight. There was no well house, no Souta, and no shrine.

Her grip slipped slightly and she fell a few inches. Kagome’s fingers ached with the effort of clutching the vines and she pulled herself quickly over the lip of the well. She sat on the ground, back against the rough wood, and fought to contain her panic. Where was she? What happened to the shrine? And where was her family?

Kagome sat there, shivering slightly, for hours. It was the steadily darkening sky that pulled her from her thoughts and she decided that continuing to sit there wasn’t going to do any good. Ignoring her aching muscles, she got to her feet and picked her way carefully along the trail to the village. As she got closer to the collection of thatch-roofed huts, Kagome vaguely wondered if she had hit her head when Souta tackled her and was dreaming. However, when she twisted the soft flesh on the underside of her arm, she let out a yelp at the sharp pain, ruling out the dream theory.

There were a few people out in the village and they all stopped to stare at her as she approached. Feeling out of place in her filthy jeans and tank, she wrapped her arms around herself uncertainly at the hostility in their eyes. She stopped walking before she got too close and shifted her weight uncomfortably.

“Um, excuse me,” she called out, her voice surer than she felt. “Where am I?”

At her question, some of the hostility faded and the villagers exchanged glances. A stocky elder woman wearing an eye patch approached her. She was wearing a traditional, red and white miko outfit and Kagome briefly entertained the idea that she had come across some kind of historical reenactment.

“Who are you, child?” The woman asked. Her voice was gruff but the tone kind. “From where have you come?”

“My name is Kagome and… I was pulled into the well by this thing and when I climbed out, I was here,” Kagome tried to explain. She was sure she had said something wrong when the expressions of the surrounding villagers turned either frightened or angry. She took an involuntary step back.

The old woman held out her hand, stopping the mutters that had begun to spread among the people. “Fear not,” she said. “This child has a pure spirit.” She gestured at the villagers and they slowly dispersed, resuming the activities that Kagome’s arrival had interrupted.

Kagome eyed the woman warily as she came closer. “Who are you?” she asked.

“You may call me Kaede,” the old woman replied. She gestured for Kagome to follow and led the way to a large hut that looked in better condition than most of the others.

Despite her mind screaming at her to run back to the well, Kagome had a feeling that the woman meant her no harm. It was the same sort of feeling that she used to have about the well house before it had pulled an Exorcist on her, so she followed Kaede into her home.

Inside, it was warm and cozy. There were various plants and herbs hanging from the ceiling to dry and the air smelled slightly medicinal. Kaede eased herself down at a low, rough hewn table. Kagome sat across from her and allowed herself to slowly unwind.

Kaede studied her features intently. “You greatly resemble my deceased elder sister, child,” she said just as Kagome was beginning to feel uncomfortable again.

“I… beg your pardon?” Kagome asked, startled by the other woman’s random (and somewhat creepy) observation.

“Oh, just an old woman’s rambling,” Kagome responded gruffly, waving her hand dismissively. “So, child, you came through the well?”

“Yes, I…” Kagome paused after fully processing what the old woman had asked. “Wait, what do you mean through the well?” Her face paled and a cold chill swept through her veins.

Kaede reached out across the small table to pat Kagome’s arm with a calloused hand. Her knuckles looked gnarled and painful. “Breathe child, calm down.”

Kagome took a deep breath and held it for a moment, counting to ten in her head. After slowly exhaling, she felt marginally better. “Okay. So what did you mean, ‘through’?”

The old woman smiled slightly, the expression a startling change on her somber, weathered face. “The well has long been imbued with magic,” she explained matter-of-factly. “Mine own ability is low, but I can tell you are not—”

Kaede was cut off abruptly by a terrified shriek from the village. Both women jumped to their feet. “Child, you must get back to the well,” she said, firmly gripping Kagome’s shoulders and steering her toward a second door at the back of the house. She pushed her through, grabbing the bow and bulging quiver leaning on the wall. “I will distract the creature as you leave the village. Now, go!”

Kagome was too surprised to protest the old woman’s shoves and she stumbled into a jog toward the well from which she had come. Her heart pounded in her chest and adrenaline rushed through her veins. Above the shouts and screams that had erupted in the village was a sinister screech. “Give me the jewel! I can smell it! I know it is here!”

She slowed to a stop within sight of the small clearing that housed the well. Kagome clearly recognized that voice and guilt squeezed her heart as she realized that the creature had been drawn to the village because of her. She turned to look back at the village and was horrified at the chaos that had already engulfed some of the small dwellings. Smoke rose into the air as one hut caught fire from the decaying monster’s rampage.

“I have to do something…” she muttered to herself. Although the temptation to dive back into the well was strong, Kagome couldn’t allow the creature to destroy the village looking for her.

Jogging lightly back down the path, Kagome picked up a rock the size of her fist. She slowed as she got closer to the outlying huts and crept around the edge of the village, trying to circle around behind the monster.

As soon as she was close enough, Kagome flung the rock at the creature as hard as she could. The rotting face swung around and glowing red eyes landed on her triumphantly.

“I…. found you!” It cackled, flinging away the screaming villager it held in its arms and scuttling toward Kagome on numerous bug legs.

“Oh, shit,” she cursed, spinning on her heel and sprinting through the trees. She could hear the creature behind her and the wet, noisy breathing spurred her on. Kagome saw  the well out of the corner of her eye but she passed by it, not wanting to risk the monster following her back through. She veered off slightly to the right, hoping that the Goshinboku was where it should be and that the sacred tree was still sacred.

Kagome weaved through the trees, trying to lose the creature in the forest. Her heart leapt with hope as she caught a glimpse of the massive tree ahead of her. She skidded into a clearing and froze in shock at the sight that greeted her.

There was a boy pinned to the tree.

He had long white hair and was dressed in red.

“Wheeeeere are you, little girl?”

Kagome startled, whipping her head around to stare wide-eyed into the trees. She backed up toward Goshinboku and the comforting aura it emitted, despite the person attached to it. Something warm and soft touched her back and she stifled a shriek as she turned back around. She studied the boy carefully, keeping one ear open for the monster.

He appeared to be asleep, despite the arrow that pierced his chest and pinned him solidly to the wide trunk of the tree. His face looked young and peaceful. Kagome gasped softly as her eyes landed on the triangular ears that protruded from the top of his head. The fuzzy ears looked so much like Buyo’s that she felt an inappropriate urge to touch them. She stifled the desire ruthlessly.

A moment later, she was glad that she resisted as the boy’s eyes twitched and fluttered open, revealing bright golden irises that glared blearily at her. A scowl formed on his face as his eyes focused on her.

“Kikyo?” He growled, sounding unexpectedly menacing. “What do you want now, bitch? Come back to finish me off?” He broke off with a deep, wet-sounding cough. Spittle mixed with blood splattered across Kagome’s face.

“Excuse me?” She said crossly, wiping at the mess with her bare forearm. Kagome planted a hand on her hip and glared right back at him. She had had enough. She could deal with falsely kind secretaries, magical wells and rotting bug monsters. But this strange boy’s attitude after coughing blood on her face was the last straw. “I don’t know who you are or who Kikyou is, or how the hell you are even alive with an arrow in your heart, but I’m out of here!”

She fought an immature desire to stick out her tongue at the rude, mysteriously-alive boy and turned her back on him, ignoring his shouted curses as she headed back toward the well. The monster hadn’t found her yet so she thought that she might be able to sneak back home.

“I found you…”

Kagome screamed as she found herself, for the second time that day, face to face with the rotting caricature of the monster that had pulled her into the well. There was a sudden, burning heat in her side and time seemed to slow as she looked down and saw one of the skeletal arms protruding from her waist, blood seeping out to darken the fabric of her shirt. Kagome staggered back and fell to the ground hard, wrapping an arm around the gushing wound and curling into herself. She felt ill; her head spun and her breaths came in harsh gasps.

“It’s mine… it’s finally mine!”

The creature held up its bloody fist, brandishing a gently shining pink bauble. It glowed brilliantly and Kagome watched in horrified amazement as pale flesh began to encase the boney arm and spread to the entire body. The glow faded, revealing a monster with the face and torso of a beautiful woman and the body of a massive centipede. She had numerous arms which she used to caress the new smooth skin covering her form.

“Ah,” she sighed. Her voice had changed to that of a young woman. “I’m beautiful,” she crooned.

“Hey!” The boy on the tree screamed. “That belongs to me!”

Kagome blinked slowly, beginning to feel cold. The centipede woman laughed lightly, holding the steadily darkening pink jewel between her fingers.

“Silly little dog… why don’t you go back to sleep,” she sneered. “I think I will keep this treasure for myself.”

“Oi! Woman, stop her!”

Kagome was vaguely aware that the boy was shouting at her, but she couldn’t make her body move. She could only watch as the centipede woman brought the jewel up to her lips and swallowed it.

A powerful black wave pulsed from the monster, washing over Kagome and continuing onward into the forest. She shuddered at the evil feeling. Something in her heart pulsed back and she gasped at the intensity of the sensation. Her vision darkened at the edges and she felt herself sit up. Kagome felt like an observer as she saw herself stagger to her feet. She watched as her hand extended toward the woman, who was changing rapidly into a more monstrous form. Her heart pulsed again, making her breath seize in her throat, and she could see the brilliant shine of the bauble that was inside the woman. Something within her pulled at it and the jewel burst through the armored abdomen of the centipede half and flew straight into her hand. Her fingers closed automatically over it.

As soon as the smooth, hot surface of the jewel came in contact with her skin, Kagome instantly lost the fuzziness that had fallen over her mind when she was attacked. She felt strong and in control again and the aches that had plagued her since being pulled through the well vanished. The darkness that had begun to swirl within the jewel’s depths was burst away in a second wave of power that was shimmering pink. Kagome vaguely registered the choked curse from the boy as the wave passed through him and continued onward.

The centipede woman shrieked in pain as her body began to rapidly rot away again. Kagome watched dispassionately as the creature dissolved into a pile of bones and steaming meat. Then she blinked and turned away, emptying her stomach in a violent retch.

“Just… who are you?”

The boy’s voice was quietly awed. Kagome wiped her mouth shakily with the back of the hand that clutched the jewel. Her other hand pressed shakily against the painful wound where the jewel had been ripped from her body.

“My name’s Kagome,” she said with a faint smile, staggering slightly as her aches and pains returned with a vengeance. She walked unsteadily back to the tree. Something about the arrow pinning the boy to the tree nagged at her.

She stared at it blearily.

“Child! Kagome! Don’t touch that arrow! You must get away from Inuyasha!” Kaede’s voice broke through the haze in her mind and she turned her head over her should to look at the old woman. It seemed as if she had brought the entire village with her and they all stared at her with eyes full of distrust and fear.

“Something’s not right here,” Kagome slurred. She could feel her strength waning and she knew that she needed to hurry.

She wrapped slick fingers around the shaft of the arrow, grimacing at the feel of more blood seeping from her wound with every beat of her heart. Kagome looked up, meeting startled golden eyes with a faint smile.

“Don’t kill anyone, okay? Inuyasha?” she asked.

Kagome waited for the boy’s firm nod before tightening her grip upon the arrow firmly. The soft wood disappeared with a burst of pink sparks. A pink wave rippled around the entire tree before vanishing completely.

She felt the last of her strength give out and Kagome’s knees buckled. It suddenly seemed as if she were viewing and hearing things from very far away. She belatedly registered the strong arms that supported her body.

“Keep a tight hold on that jewel,” Inuyasha said gruffly, hoisting her against his chest effortlessly.

Kagome hummed in agreement, closing her eyes and resting her head against the coarse red fabric of Inuyasha’s clothing. She heard the scratch of Kaede’s voice and Inuyasha’s answering rumbled and then, nothing.
EDIT: 2/11/13 - This was originally shorter and part of chapter 1. Hope you like the additions! By the way, I forgot to mention last chapter, but yes... I did name Kagome's mother. What is it with the mothers of this series not having names!

So... things have happened! And more things are going to happen next time! I think you'll be surprised to see what I am going to do!

Previous chapter: [link]
Next chapter: [link]
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FaeHime's avatar
I have to agree with see03... as much as I love the ear part, as a small quirk of her personality trait, i think it would be so fleeting it would be a sentence just to recognize the blip on the radar.

something along the lines of, " and as her eyes moved upwards from his face she discovered... dog ears? Deciding to worry about it later, and repressing the inner child that suggested rubbing them at some point, she refocused her attention towards the surrounding trees..."

Or something. In fact, ignore me, way too much pain to write straight!