Jakotsu…Of The Future By — Ravyn Knyght
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha or any other of Rumiko Takahashi's characters.
As the day drew to an end the group of travellers sat around the bone eaters well waiting for Inu Yasha to return with Kagome. Kirara was basking in the last few rays of sunlight while Sango busied herself with sharpening her katana blade hoping the action would deter the advances of Miroku. A half sleeping Shippo as well as a dozing Kirara were quickly put on alert at a familiar scent.
"Hey! That smells like…" Shippo started as Kirara transformed and started growling. "What is it?" Sango asked as she and Miroku readied themselves for a fight. "…graveyard soil!" Shippo finished identifying the scent. "Is it Kikyo?" Miroku asked as his eyes searched the area.
"Hey! Is Inu Yasha with you guys?" a familiar voice called out as they emerged from the woods and waved to the group. "Jakotsu! I thought you'd died back on Mt. Hakurei?" Sango questioned the undead mercenary. "Should've, could've, would've but didn't!" he smiled as he looked about then frowned, "Where's my sweet Inu Yasha?" he asked. "Somewhere where you can't get your hands on him!" Shippo declared. "And where would that be?" he asked while staring at the kitsune intently. "Down the well and into the future to Kagome's time!" the young fox demon shot back only to receive a double hit on the head from Sango's Hiraikotsu and Miroku's staff.
"So…he's in here huh?" Jakotsu noted, poking his head down the well. "Hey! Inu Yasha!" he shouted only to get his own echo for a reply. "I don't like liars!" Jakotsu snarled and placed his hand on his sword handle, ready to kill the fox demon who quickly took refuge behind Sango and Miroku. "Draw that sword…" Miroku started a threat, "…and you'll be nothing but a mixed mass of body parts floating in a combined pool of all your blood." Jakotsu finished it for him, "Now tell me where Inu Yasha is!" he demanded.
"Honest! We're not lying! He went down the well to Kagome's time!" Shippo cried from under Miroku's robes. "Down the well huh?" Jakotsu said looking over his shoulder to the well. Before anyone could move, the last surviving member of the band of seven leapt down the well only to hit the bottom with a thud. "Ow-wiee…" was the next thing to be heard then silence.
"He didn't seem that heavy!" Miroku grunted as he pulled Jakotsu out of the well. "So what do we do with him?" Sango wondered as Jakotsu slowly came to. "Is it the future yet?" he muttered groggily, pulling himself into a sitting position. "No. You're still here with us. The well only lets Kagome and Inu Yasha through." Miroku pointed out. "We'll see about that!" Jakotsu declared getting up and dusting himself off and started back towards the well.
"What ever it is you're thinking, forget it. Besides it would be best for you to leave now. Inu Yasha will kill you when he comes back and this time you will stay dead." Sango tried to persuade the alternative killer to leave. "Not until I find out how this well works!" he insisted. As Jakotsu pondered how to go about opening the well, the others thought about the possibilities of time travel as well.
"What do you think Kagome's time is like anyway?" Shippo wondered as hopped up onto the ledge of the well and stared into the darkness. "It seems like a wondrous place with all of the incredible things she brings back." Sango remarked thinking about all the cures Kagome brought back to treat illness. "Both Inu Yasha and Kagome must have great spiritual power in order to be able to time travel." Miroku thought aloud, his statement sparking a thought within Jakotsu's mind. "Spiritual power, huh?" he murmured as he looked Miroku up and down.
"Over goes monk!" he exclaimed as he up ended a bewildered Miroku and sent him head first down the well. "Are you nuts!" Sango shrieked as she and Shippo stared on in disbelief at what just happened. "Hey monk! Are you in the future yet?" Jakotsu shouted down the well to get a low moan of pain in reply.
"Maybe he wasn't going fast enough?" Jakotsu figured as he snatched up Shippo and fired the fox demon down the well full force. "Heads up, monk!" Jakotsu shouted as a dazed Miroku was picking himself up. A loud cracking noise made Sango wince as she looked over the edge. "Shippo…Are you all right?" she asked fearfully. "I'm okay! Miroku's head broke my fall!" the little demon reported.
"Spiritual power didn't do it…neither did speed open the well…" Jakotsu muttered as he scratched his head trying to figure it out. "Here…garb this rope and I'll pull you guys up." Sango said as she tossed a rope she found down the well. "One at a time! You're too heavy!" she grunted as Kirara transformed to help her master pull the two from the well. The slayers comment sparked yet another concept in the bizarre mercenary's mind and he quickly knocked Sango over and down into the well. "Then it must be weight!" he declared triumphantly as he tried to stuff the demon cat into the tight well opening. "Oh no…" Miroku groaned as he looked up to see Sango, Kirara and Jakotsu plummeting towards him and Shippo.
"Ugh! Kirara! Transform back!" Sango demanded as the weight of her companion cat was crushing her. "Miroku…are you okay?" Sango asked only to let out a gasp of shock. "Nothing feels broken…" Miroku stated as his hands freely groped Sango's bottom as a loud crack echoed within the small confines of the well and a hand print illuminated the darkness.
After the group managed to free themselves from the well they left jakotsu at the well to be dealt with by Inu Yasha when he returned. "Shippo…Stay here and keep an eye on him. Come get us if there's any trouble." Sango told the kitsune. "Why do I have to baby sit the weirdo!" Shippo grumbled as Miroku, Sango and Kirara headed back to the village.
In modern day Japan…
"Inu Yasha! Enough! You are not getting your own way this time!" Kagome screamed as she stormed off to her room. "Until YOU complete the Shikon jewel YOU broke, YOU'LL do what I tell YOU to do…woman!" he bitterly shot back as he followed her up the stairs. Mrs. Higurashi just gave a sigh as she sat in the living room reading the newspaper. "Three…" she started the count as she reached over to hold the reading lamp in place. "…Two…" Sota followed as he quickly saved his game in preparation. "…One..." Grandpa Higurashi groaned at the words, "SIT BOY!" as the house shook from the force of Inu Yasha hitting the floor. "Still think hard wood floors were a frivolous expense?" Mrs. Higurashi dryly commented to her father.
"And YOU can SIT there until tomorrow morning! Good…Night!" Kagome huffed as she slammed her bedroom door, leaving Inu Yasha in a heap on the hallway floor that gave a groan of pain in reply.
In feudal Japan…
As the sun slowly rose, Jakotsu was still researching ways to open the well. "Come on! I'm tired!" Shippo whined as he and the mercenary were now exploring every inch of the floor of the well. "Why do I have to be here anyway?" he grumbled as plopped down on the dirt floor in exhaustion. "You're here in case there's a small crack I can't fit my hand into. It might have a secret button that opens a trap door somewhere." Jakotsu explained while searching the walls for a false panel.
Modern day Japan…
"Now can we go?" Inu Yasha growled as he sat on the floor of Kagome's room and glared at her as she loaded her backpack. "I'm almost finished." She tiredly mumbled as she tied the flap of the bulging sack shut. "About time!" Inu Yasha commented in a annoyed but relieved tone as he effortlessly slung the pack over his shoulder to Kagome's amazement. "Let's go!" he said as they headed off to the well house.
"Another day, another jewel shard…" Kagome said as she and Inu Yasha jumped down and disappeared in a blue light.
Feudal Japan….
"Maybe it's a secret password?" Jakotsu wondered after his search for a secret switch turned up nothing. "What could it be…I got it!" Jakotsu said snapping his fingers then cleared his throat. "Sit boy!" he said loud and clear as a blue light came up around them, causing Shippo to give a scream of fright. "I'm coming my beloved Inu Yasha!" Jakotsu cheered as they vanished.