Ai ga subete – Our era starts from here

Hi there! Well, this is my first fanfic. I've read the Inuyasha manga up to chapter 389 which is the first chapter of Vol. 40. (The latest chapter published is chapter 391, I think). I can't remember every detail, but still there may be spoilers. So if there's anything you don't understand feel free to ask. I hope you enjoy reading my story!

Mysterium

P.S.: As you can guess, I don't own Inuyasha & co.! Why should I write a fic if I did? But… on second thought… maybe I just want to write how I'd like the story to end, but my producer doesn't…

Oh and…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ai ga subete – Our era starts from here

Chapter 1: Nearly prevented Return

The sun already started glowing a slight shade of red and the shadows the trees and rocks were throwing were getting longer and darker every passing minute. Slowly the estates surrounding the small village in Sengoku Jidai Japan got covered in a dim light making the scenery which would be replaced with the roads and skyscrapers of modern Tokyo only five centuries later seem even more mysterious - but still beautiful - than usual to everybody who got the chance to take a glimpse at it. Oh err…at least everybody but a certain hanyou who sat pouting in one of the branches of a huge god tree near an old well.

Inuyasha paid no attention to his surroundings for one good reason: He was angry!

Well, at least he thought it was a good reason. You will probably agree that being angry with Kagome for helping Kaede while anyhow staying at this Edo village instead of shard hunting isn't really justified – even if your name is Inuyasha!

Actually he just tried to talk himself into believing he was angry with the only person he never could be angry with - the only one he truly trusted. But of course he would never admit something like this…not even to himself!
Usually he would have headed back to Kaede's hut for supper in time - only to make sure everybody was alright. But today he was lost in thoughts about that stupid wench he was so 'angry' about.

At the same time the 'stupid wench' entered Kaede's hut followed by Sango, both of them carrying the bathing supplies they had taken with them as they went bathing (and of course a lot of chit chatting) in the hot springs near the village almost an hour ago.

'Did you enjoy yourselves?', asked the lecherous monk who was already boiling water as they entered the hut.

'Yep! Really relaxing, wasn't it, Sango?', replied Kagome.

'Yes, it was.', agreed the demon huntress while scooping up Kiara in her arms.

Kagome let her eye travel through the inside of the hut. Once again she realized how little the buildings were furnished in that time compared to hers. There was nothing else than the fire place, some pots filled with herbs and medicines, a rolled up futon and some objects you could have recognized as pots and pans.

'So where is everybody?', asked Sango after she had followed Kagome's gaze still holding the now purring demon cat.

Miroku who was leaning against the wall at the far side of the room answered immediately, 'As for Shippou, he is with Kaede-sama. I think she is still in the village taking care of the ill. And as for Inuyasha…', he paused to sigh heavily, 'I think he is somewhere in the woods, pouting again.'

Kagome blinked in astonishment 'Inuyasha isn't back yet?', she asked, 'He already went of in the morning. What should he be pouting about at all?' I didn't even say 'sit' or something. , she added to herself.

Sango sat down as far away form the lecherous monk as possible. Who wouldn't get suspicious of this all too innocent smile he put on his face?

'Probably he is just moody because we are staying here instead of go after Naraku.', she suggested.

'Yeah, I think you're right.' But Kagome still couldn't stop thinking about what Inuyasha could be angry about. After all he agreed going back because there was no sign of Naraku or one of the shards.

Suddenly something popped into her mind.
'He will definitely come back here when he smells that I'm making ramen!', she revealed to the others while approaching her yellow backpack. As she took out some packets of instant ramen she noticed a piece of paper falling to the ground. Curious about it she quickly put the ramen near the fire place in the middle of the room then turned round and bent down to pick it up. Unfortunately she didn't realize the monk who was now just behind her and neither did Sango.

'What's that?', asked Kaede who was heading for her hut with the small kitsune on her left shoulder. Shippou sighed 'Huhhh. I will never understand the grown ups!', he declared, 'I guess Miroku tried to grope Sango again. But I don't understand what that's all about.'

About one minute ago there had been a well audible shriek followed by a noise that sounded suspiciously of a huge boomerang hitting Miroku's head.

When the old priestess entered her hut she was confirmed in Shippou's guess.
Miroku - at least seven bumps on his head mumbling something about being misunderstood all the time - was sitting opposite to the two girls who were still glaring daggers at him.
After they welcomed the old priestess and Shippou Kagome remembered the note she had found and finally took a glance at it. She could recognize her mother's handwriting.

'OH NOOO', she cried, suddenly jumping to her feet.
'Kagome-chan, are you OK?', asked Sango who was just as startled as everybody else in the room.
'I have to go home', she replied. 'I'll be back in… err … about a week.'
Kagome headed for her yellow back pack and rushed out of the hut.
For one minute everyone just sat there in wonder. Well, everybody but Shippou who lay whimpering on the ground with a bump on his head. He had climbed up Kagome's shoulder and fallen down at her sudden movement.

'Err… could anybody please tell me what just happened?' Kaede asked eventually.

'I don't know', replied the demon huntress.

'Neither do I', said Miroku.

'Did she say one week?', asked Sango in disbelieve.

'She'll have a pretty fight with Inuyasha then.', snickered the monk, 'He sure is so selfish! Wouldn't even let her go for one day if it wasn't for the 'sit' spell.'

As she approached the huge god tree which was near the bone eaters well she lowered her pace not wanting to catch Inuyasha's attention.

Kagome crept through the bushes trying not to make a sound. She didn't even dare to breathe when she took a glance at the god tree expecting Inuyasha to sit on one of the branches and was startled to see that he wasn't there. That is lucky! No Inuyasha to stop me., she thought breathing a sigh of relief.

'Hey Kagome!', she heard a well known voice behind her. Kagome started and turned round to face a smirking half demon. Inuyasha who had of course sensed her approaching had decided not to wait in his tree but play a trick on that wench who was obviously trying to go back to her own time again.

'Oh. Hi Inuyasha!', greeted Kagome facing him with a faked smile.

'What are you doing out here?', asked Inuyasha provocative. 'It's already getting dark.'

What the hell is he up to?, wondered Kagome. But she decided to join in his little game.

'I was just going for a walk', she replied tying to sound as innocent as possible.

Inuyasha who just got the perfect idea to make Kagome stay grinned satisfied.

'Then I'll join you!', he said firmly.

'WHAT!' Kagome wasn't smiling anymore. Not that she'd never dreamed of her and Inuyasha walking through a forest – alone - just like they did before they met the others only a little bit more… well… romantic. But this was not the right time for something like that! She had to go back to modern Tokyo as soon as possible. And besides she had the odd feeling this was just one of Inuyasha's attempts to make her stay – only without shouting at her.

'Inuyasha…', she began, only to be interrupted. 'So where do you wanna go, Kagome? What about this direction?', he asked pointing at the path leading to the clearing with the well on it.
Sighing Kagome followed him but stopped when the well came into sight. 'Inuyasha', she repeated. 'What is it, Kagome?', he asked still smirking.

'Please don't make me say the 's'-word again!'

'Why should you say it? Did I do something wrong?', replied Inuyasha acting the innocent.

Kagome sighed. If it hadn't been for the way he said it she would have felt guilty for even trying to go home without telling him.

'You know what I'm talking about! I have to return to my time, so don't try to stop me or I'll say it!', she warned him.

Surprisingly Inuyasha didn't answer by shouting. Looking kind of disappointed he leaned against the nearest tree instead. 'You know, that's just not fair!', he complained sounding slightly sad. 'Why do you always have to leave me … and the others?!', he added, blushing a little bit.

'Well, but prohibiting me from seeing my family and friends isn't fair as well, is it?', Kagome objected.

'Feh. How long are you staying this time?' This time he turned his head so he didn't have to look at her.

Kagome mumbled something that nobody else would have heard. But Inuyasha did.

'What did you just say?!', he shouted.

'One week', repeated Kagome making herself plain enough.

'No way! I won't let you go for so long! We still have to find and fight this bastard Naraku and…'

This time Inuyasha was the one interrupted. 'But I have to go!', Kagome cried just as loud as Inuyasha.

'And why is that so?', he asked.

'My mother already told everybody I would come and besides I want to!'

'Everybody?! So it's not that damn school thing again, is it? Where do ya want to go? Tell me!' Inuyasha ordered angrily pointing his index finger at her.

Kagome gulped. Inuyasha being angry like that was kind of scary. Especially with his eyes now flashing with rage.

'I…I am…you wouldn't understand what it is!', she finally got out.

'Then explain!' His voice was still angry but he spoke not as loud this time.

'Why?', she asked being just as stubborn as Inuyasha.

'Feh. Do you think I'd let you disappear for a whole week without knowing where you are?', he said his eyes softening.

'Do you mean I can go if I tell you?', Kagome asked happily.

'No!!! … Well, maybe.' He corrected himself when he noticed salty tears welling up in Kagome's eyes. One of the things he hated most of all was seeing Kagome cry. He sat down on the root of an old oak and asked her to sit down next to him.

'OK, I'll try to explain it. I'm going on a… well, it's a… kind of trip with all of my classmates and some of the teachers. And…' she began.

Inuyasha cut her of when he asked 'Hey Kagome! What's 'classmates'?'
She thought for a moment. 'Well, I told you about school, right? That's where you learn how to write and read and stuff. But there are lots of students and not everybody is of the same age. So the students are split up into different classes. And all the students who are in the same class as me are my classmates. And everybody is about my age, you know. Do you remember Eri, Yuka and Ayumi?' The hanyou nodded. 'They are my classmates too.'

'Why do you want to go on this trip? You can travel with us, too!', said Inuyasha slightly upset.

'But I'm traveling with you all the time! And I didn't get many chances to be with my friends lately.'

Does…does that mean she… doesn't like being with me?, Inuyasha thought disappointed.

When she saw his ears drooping she realized what she had just said.
'Of course I like traveling with you more than school, but I can't really relax with all those demons attacking and things like that. Besides my mother did already tell the teachers I would come, so I have to. And there's no trace of Naraku at the moment, so you won't need me to help you anyhow.' Inuyasha whose ears weren't drooping anymore sighed.
Of course I need her. No matter if we're looking for Naraku or not.
Suddenly he got up slowly heading for the well.

'But I don't want ya to go!', he said contrary sitting down on the edge of the well folding his arms as usual.
'So if you want to go through the well you have to say your spell!'

'Inuyasha! I'm warning you! I don't want to say it, but I will if you don't get out of my way!'

'Feh. Either you stay or you say it! There is no other way. And even if there was, I bet you wouldn't be able to...'

'Hey! What is that supposed to mean?!', Kagome asked furiously.

'It means you wouldn't be able to go home on your own if there wasn't the damn necklace curse that old hag put on me. I bet you will never get through the well without yelling your bloody 'sit' spell on me!', snarled Inuyasha. He was in a bad mood again. 'Even for that you needed somebody to help you! You aren't able to do anything on your own!'

'Of course I am! I bet I can get through the well without saying you-know-what!', replied a now angry Kagome.

'I bet you can't!'

'Bet you I can!'

'I bet you can't!'

'I can!'

'Well, if I lose you will be allowed to go through the well every time you want to!' Inuyasha grinned evilly.

'What are you talking about?', asked Kagome startled.

'Thought you wanted to bet. Afraid because you already know that you'll lose?', teased Inuyasha.

'Of course not. So, what would happen if I lost?'

'If I win you'll grant me a wish.'

'As long as you don't wish me to never return to my time or never say the 's'-word again…'

Inuyasha's doggy ears drooped slightly, but still he agreed.
Damn! That wench is seeing straight through me.
'OK. I give you a 10-second start.'

'But I don't have time for something like that at the moment!', wailed Kagome. She hadn't taken Inuyasha's words seriously. But it was already too late.

'10…', shouted Inuyasha.

Kagome made a decision and turned around.

'9…8…'

There wasn't enough time left to jump through the well. Inuyasha would be able to stop her.
She started to run.

'7…6…5…'

She ran deeper and deeper into the forest trying to reach a place where the trees stood closer.

'4…3…2…1!'

She heard Inuyasha leaping into the air. Jumping from branch to branch he would catch up with her in an instant. Quickly she stepped behind one of the biggest trees making sure Inuyasha didn't see her. She waited impatiently for him to run past her. But he didn't.
He probably chose another way, Kagome told herself when she couldn't hear him anymore.
After waiting another couple of minutes she finally dared to step out of her hiding place.
When she walked round the tree trunk there was a sudden rustle in the twigs above her.

'Did you really think you could escape that easily?', asked Inuyasha.

Kagome nearly got a heart attack when he suddenly let himself hang down bat-stile, his legs wrapped around one of the stronger branches, his arms folded.

'You weren't really expecting I wouldn't be able to find you with my youkai senses, were you', he asked with a smirk.

Damn. How could I forget about that?!, Kagome chided herself. But…

Inuyasha was totally stunned when he saw her smiling.

'Well, I guess you win', said Kagome with an evil grin. 'I'm sorry Inuyasha.'

'Wha…what are you…', Inuyasha began. But he wasn't able to finish his sentence.

'Sit!', Kagome yelled. There was a loud 'THUD' ringing out through the forest.

'Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit!'

She repeated her spell all the way running back to the well, giving Inuyasha no chance to recover from it in time.
'Sorry Inuyasha!', she repeated before jumping into the bone eaters well. The last thing she heard was him cursing at her.

'Just you wait, stupid wench! You will pay for this! Do you hear me?! You will pay…'

After that there was only silence and finally the sound of the cars driving on the road near the Sunset Shrine.

I'm finally back, thought Kagome when she climbed out of the wall. I just hope Inuyasha isn't too angry. At least he won our bet. I wonder what his wish might be. She sighed, taking a last glance at the well. Then she headed for her family's house.

'Mum! Grandpa! Sota! I'm back!'

Well, that's it! The first chapter is done! I hope you like my story so far.

If you do, please review and tell me. If you don't… please review, too!
I don't mind criticism as long as it's constructive.