Kagome Higurashi was your average high school teenager. She was bright in class, she enjoyed spending time with her friends, and overall, she was rather pleased with her life at the moment.
Though strangely, Kagome felt something was missing. She had a sense of uneasiness about something unknown to her. She every so often felt that she should be some place else, and lately she had been feeling a strange tingling sensation spread throughout her body. Her curiosity could only continue to increase as the days went by.
It was on the day of Kagome's fifteenth birthday that it all happened. "Mom. I'm Leaving" Kagome called out cheerfully, as she grabbed her school backpack and hurriedly bolted out the door.
Kagome ran past her mother's well kept garden, eager to meet some of her friends in town, when she halted in her tracks by the old Higurashi shrine. "Sota?" Kagome asked concerned, as she spotted her little brother looking into the shrine's well with a lost expression on his face.
At the sound of Kagome's voice, Sota jumped in fright. He turned to his sister, looking startled. Then he relaxed, and he gave her a slight smile. "Kagome?" he asked hesitantly as he looked back to the shrine's well and back at her again
"What is it Sota?" Kagome murmured uneasily as a feeling of dread started to weigh down her stomach. The old shrine made her feel uneasy, and she hoped that whatever the problem was that she wouldn't have to go down into the dark and grubby well.
"It's Buyo" Sota stated. "I can't find him. I think he has gotten lost somewhere in the shrine". Kagome's eyes widened. Oh great. I may possibly have to jump down the well and plus I will be late for school Kagome thought.
Kagome walked slowly into the shrine, scanning her eyes around very carefully for any sign of movement from Buyo. "Buyo" she whispered restlessly, as she moved closer to the hidden well.
A loud meow sounded throughout the shrine and both Kagome and Sota jumped as Buyo came scampering out from behind some old wood tiling.
"Buyo there you are!" Sota exclaimed happily as he picked up the cat and held him in his arms. Kagome smiled happily, and was about to stroke Buyo when a loud whooshing noise sounded from behind her.
Kagome could feel her body being dragged back towards the hidden well by a strange dynamic wind. She struggled and tried to get free, but to no avail, she could not. The extreme wind pulled her backwards. Her raven hair blew vigorously around her face, blinding her of her sight. She screamed as she lost her balance and fell into the deep dark depths of the hidden well, and the last thing she heard was Sota cry out her name
Kagome shivered. She could feel something holding her and she whimpered in fright as she saw that it was some giant woman in the form of a centipede. "Give me the jewel" the creature hissed as her face came mere inches from her own.
"J-..Jewel?" Kagome stuttered, not having any clue what she was talking about.
"The Sacred Jewel. Give it to me!" it shrieked as its grotesque tongue licked at Kagome's skin. "I don't know what you are talking about. I don't have it!" Kagome cried, as she raised her hand and struck the creature hard in the face.
Suddenly there was a blinding pink light, and Kagome fell on something hard. She groaned from the hard impact, as she opened her eyes. She was still in the well and at the bottom of it nonetheless.
"That was weird" Kagome muttered, as she stood up, dusting herself off. "Sota" she called. "Get Grandpa!"
There was no reply.
Okay this is getting weird Kagome thought, dread starting to fill her mind. She quickly climbed out of the well, and when she reached the top, her jaw dropped.
Everything looked nearly the same as home, except that there was no house and the area around her was full of trees. Oh no… Something is definitely wrong Kagome thought horrified. Where am I? I must've-
A loud crash thundered behind her, and Kagome whipped around to face the monster that had terrorised her just moments ago.
"You will pay for that wench. As soon as you give me the Jewel" it barked ferociously. "I told you I DON'T HAVE IT" Kagome yelled infuriated, as she fought hard to control her rising fear.
The creature growled and lunged at her. Kagome screamed and lost her balance as she fell down on the floor to one side. Kagome swiftly go to her feet and started running away from the centipede in whichever direction she could.
Kagome ran through a thicket of large spiky bushes, scratching her face, arms and legs in the process. The centipede however barged straight through it, destroying everything in its path.
Kagome approached a small creek and she leaped over it as fast as she could, but the centipede had gained on her and it knocked her off her feet. She fell roughly, hitting her forehead on some jagged rocks.
Kagome sat up, feeling a searing pain shoot throughout her body, and she gasped. She felt warm liquid trickle down her face and onto her clothes. She stood up and glared at the centipede.
"Are you finished yet human?" the centipede asked viciously. "Surrender. It will be so much easier" it taunted sinisterly as it slowly advanced on her.
Kagome eyes hardened, as she wiped the blood off her forehead and onto her seethes. "Never" she whispered lowly.
The centipede charged for her again, and Kagome only just dodged it in time. I need to find some place to hide she thought frantically as she ran further into the forest.
Kagome bolted through an open clearing and stopped dead in her tracks as she observed two remarkable individuals before her.
The first being was short, green and skimpy. He bared a similar resemblance to a toad, and Kagome could tell that although he didn't look like much, the creature was very wise.
Her eyes shifted to the person next to him, and her breath caught in her throat. Kagome could hardly believe her eyes. He was an amazingly beautiful sight. Not too far away from her stood a tall handsome man wearing armor, a white kimono patterned with red blossoms, a hakama, and a fluffy material she didn't recognise over his right shoulder. He had narrow golden-amber eyes, a strong muscular chin, beautiful long silvery hair, and strangely enough, magenta markings on his cheeks, and a crescent moon on his forehead.
The man was staring at her with a hard expression. His eyes shifted to her forehead, where the wound was bleeding, and then he met her eyes again. His intense gaze made Kagome feel slightly uncomfortable, and she gulped slightly. Not to mention, she thought she looked ridiculous in her current state. Her hair was tangled and stained with blood, her clothes were torn and she had scratches all over her body. Not a very impressive sight.
There was a loud crash behind her and Kagome suddenly remembered that she was being chased by a giant centipede. The centipede lashed out and swept her over with its tail, pushing her back flying into the air, and landing with a thump on her back.
"Argh" she muttered, rubbing her sore back. She stood up and stared angrily at the centipede. It licked its lips and went to strike her once more. "I told you! Leave me alone!" Kagome shouted, as she stretched out both of her hands in front of her.
The same blinding pink light emerged once again, pushing the centipede back. It got up and growled fiercely, its mouth opening wide and its teeth bared. Kagome felt her energy drain. She was exhausted and she could no longer fight. She had used up all the strength left within her.
The centipede attacked yet again and Kagome was sure she was done for, as she tucked her head in her lap, securing her arms over her small form, but the blow never came.
All of a sudden, Kagome heard a shrilling cry, and she opened her eyes slowly to see that the centipede had been hacked in half. Scarlet blood was oozing out of its body, and it now lay on the ground not too far away from her, dead.
Kagome lifted her head slightly to peer at the two individuals behind her. The attractive, silver-haired man was standing a little distance away from her. He was staring at her coldly, his eyes narrowed. He was standing in battle stance, with one of his arms stretched out and his claws lengthened. Blood was running down them. Obviously he was the one that had slayed the monster.
Kagome shuddered. Earlier she didn't have any time to reflect on her surroundings, and she realised now, with astonishment, that she had probably traveled back in time. This man was not human. He had supernatural powers, as did the centipede. She gathered from the stories told at school, in history classes, that she was most likely in the Feudal Era, also known as the warring states era, where demons and humans were constantly at war with one another.
Kagome gradually stood up, trying to regain her balance. She regarded him cautiously, and was about to thank him for saving her, when his low icy voice questioned her. "What are you doing human? And why was that demon attacking you?" he asked emotionlessly, his golden-amber eyes boring intensely into hers.
The small green toad demon came to stand beside him, and Kagome glanced quickly at him before focusing all her attention back onto the taller demon.
"I-.. I don't know" Kagome stuttered. "Th-That demon ordered me to give it the Sacred Jewel, which I do not have. When I told it I do not possess it, it attacked me" Kagome explained quickly, mumbling over her words.
The demon regarded her with a hint of curiosity. The toad demon next to him however looked up at him and opened his mouth. "Lord Sesshomaru. This human couldn't possibly mean the Shikon No Tama could she? It was said to have been burnt with the body of a human priestess fifty years ago" the toad exclaimed in disbelief.
Lord Sesshomaru? Kagome asked herself silently, registering this as a very important fact. He was a demon it seemed, and a very powerful one at that. So it shouldn't come as any surprise. It made perfect sense that he was nobility. She could tell by his countenance, his manner of speech, and by his magnificent attire. Kagome glanced at his garments, and found herself admiring his beautifully woven kimono, patterned with a few red blossoms near his shoulder blades.
"Silence Jaken!" came the icy reply of Sesshomaru, as he slowly stepped forward, moving closer to Kagome. Jaken blinked. "Of course, forgive me Lord Sesshomaru..." he mumbled, as his little nose touched the ground, as he bowed deeply.
Kagome would have thought the scene quite cute, but since Sesshomaru was advancing on her, her eyes widened considerably as she moved back a few steps. His eyes regarded her with slight amusement, though his exterior remained completely emotionless. He then stopped directly in front of her, and gave her a demanding look.
"Are you not a miko?" Sesshomaru asked coolly. Kagome's mouth twitched. Miko? What does he mean by that? Kagome asked herself, puzzled. Kagome looked up into his golden eyes, and shook her head, "No. I am nota miko" she responded frankly, as she searched his eyes for some further explanation of all these events.
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "Are you telling me, human, that you are not a miko? When you clearly demonstrated powers of purification previously in the battle with that centipede demon?" Sesshomaru asked, somewhat irritated.
Kagome's jaw dropped, and then realisation started to dawn on her. "You mean the pink light?" she asked Sesshomaru in disbelief, completely shocked at what he was getting at.
Sesshomaru simply stared at her. This girl was very strange. Her attitude, and her manner of speech was completely different from anyone he had ever encountered, and her clothes were rather indecent.
The girl continued to look at him in disbelief and confusion. Her facial features held fatigue, though her chocolate brown eyes still continued to bore into his for some possible explanation. Her raven hair was tousled, and the blood from the gash on her forehead had dried up and stained her face.
Sesshomaru glared at her. "What other light could I possibly be referring to human?" Sesshomaru asked in a slightly annoyed tone. All the while he kept on glaring at her, starting to get impatient by her lack of answers.
Kagome honestly didn't know what to say. She had fallen down her sacred shrine's well and had been transported back in time to the feudal era with no indication of how to get home. She then had been chased by a giant vicious centipede demon which almost had killed her, and now she was being interrogated by another much stronger demon lord who thought she was a priestess.
Kagome nevertheless knew she had to say something if she was going to get anywhere and the demon lord's patience looked like it had just about reached its limits. Kagome took a deep breath, to calm herself. "I have never come across any power of this sort before. I honestly don't know where the source of this power came from, let alone to think I could possess such power" Kagome explained evenly.
Sesshomaru regarded her with an indescribable expression. His features were completely emotionless, but Kagome could tell that he was thinking about something.
Kagome seemed to be lost watching him, until his voice cut through the air. "Where are you from human?" he asked indifferently, as he continued to stare coolly at her.
Kagome, tired and irritated, was beginning to get tired of this 'human' thing. Though she could see he was a demon, she thought she deserved to be addressed in a proper manner, like all people, she had a name.
"My name is Kagome!" she snapped, her eyes holding an intense flare as she glared at the demon lord in front of her. Sesshomaru's eyes darkened and his glare on her grew more intense as he advanced on her.
How dare this human woman disrespect me in such a manner? She should be groveling on the ground when addressing me he thought furiously. He was then suddenly in front of her as quick as lightening, and she frantically backed up before she hit a tree, and she could not move back any further.
He was so close to her that his face was mere inches away from her own. He grabbed a hold of her collar, and glared icily at her. Her eyes widened in fear and her lip trembled. "Do you value your life human?" he asked her coldly.
Kagome was beginning to regret her actions and she slowly nodded. "Hai. Gomen." she said carefully, trying not to infuriate him further.
Sesshomaru let go of her clothing and Kagome, who was still a little shaken from the incident, slid down to the base of the tree, her head on her knees. Her head and her muscles ached. Actually her whole body ached, and all she wanted to do was go back home to her family.
When Kagome looked up, she expected to see Sesshomaru waiting for an answer from her. However he was not standing in front of her.
Kagome looked straight ahead of her, and she saw that Sesshomaru had given up his interrogation all together. He was walking into the forest with Jaken at his side, who was mumbling something about 'good for nothing humans'.
"Mette!" Kagome cried as she ran after him. She stopped a few feet away from him, and Sesshomaru turned around to give her a rather impassive expression.
Kagome's facial features faltered into a somewhat nervous expression. She felt frightened and insecure all by herself. She had no idea where she was, or even what dangers lay just around the corner. She needed some kind of guidance and companionship, at least until she found her way back to the well again, and this demon lord and his companion would certainly know the land of Feudal Japan very well.
"Please!" Kagome pleaded. "Please, can you let me travel with you, just until I find my way home?" she asked hopefully, her eyes holding a most earnest expression.
Sesshomaru regarded her silently for a moment, his eyes scanning over her. Then unexpectedly he turned his back to her. "Do what you will" he said uncaringly,
and he continued walking.
Jaken stood there gaping at Kagome, his small yellow eyes wide like sources. He then turned around to his lord in protest. "Lord Sesshomaru! You cannot possibly allow this filthy human woman to travel with us. She-!". Jaken however, did not get to finish his sentence, because if looks could kill, the look Sesshomaru gave Jaken, would have sent him to the afterlife ten times over.
Jaken immediately dropped to the floor. "Forgive me my Lord. It is not my place to question you" he said apologetically, bowing again and again.
Sesshomaru finished glaring at him and walked on, followed by Jaken's wail of 'wait for me my lord'. Kagome followed a little distance behind them, pleased that she would have some kind of direction and company in this time, but still feeling the dread of wondering if she would ever find her way home and see her family again.