Author's Note- Found this little snippet as I was cleaning out my computer in a bit of spring cleaning. I wrote this back in 2013 while traveling in Japan. This little bit came to me while actually hiking the women's pilgrimage path over Mt. Bentendake while in Koyasan.
Friends find out
"Are you sure you are up to this Kagome," Eri asked as the quartet stepped off the bus at the start of the women's pilgrimage path just outside of Mount Koya.
"Sure no problem, I'm fine and the doctor said that a little exercise would do me some good, besides I am as templed out as you are after Kyoto," Kagome replied hoisting a much lighter back pack than usual onto her shoulder. I just didn't think that my week off while everyone recuperates would involve hiking through the woods, while on a school trip.
Despite being only mid-morning and higher altitude the oppressive humidity began to take its toll on the high school girls as they began to regret their trip. "Seriously Kagome I don't know how you do it," Ayumi said leaning up again a tree on the narrow path.
"Yeah if getting sick makes you this in shape, then I want what you have." Yuka added.
"Come on spill the beans Kagome Eri said slowly working her way over the mass of tree roots over growing the path.
"It's just healthy living," Kagome replied. And fighting for your life 500 years in the past. The training with sango must really be paying off.
"Yeah right Ayumi remarked.
"She's got a point you know. We've been hiking for 30 minutes and you don't even have a scratch on you." Yuka said.
Practice and experience, besides this pedestrian compared to some of the stuff I've done. Plus it's not like it's my first time up here. I did help build this place afterall. "Um good karma," Kagome replied.
"Oh, please ... Eri began from the back of the group before stumbling over a mess of tree roots growing over the narrow mountain path.
"You know maybe we should lay off, it's probably some new medical ... Oh my god!" Ayumi screamed having turned just in time to see Eri tumble back down the path, before crashing head first into a tree with a loud crack. Her body lying in a crumpled heap, her left leg bent at a severe angle as her friends looked on in horror.
"Eri," Ayumi and Yuka screamed while Kagome leapt down the path like a demon sliding to stop next to her childhood friend.
"Hey Kagome what happened, my leg really hurts," Eri asked in a drunken slur.
"You fell," Kagome replied wishing she brought her first aid kit. Shit this isn't good her knee is twisted and she might have a broken leg, but I'm more worried about her head and neck. Kagome quickly began a scan of her head feeling for any lumps on Eri's head.
"Ouch that hurt I'm trying to get some sleep here," Eri said as Kagome probed a large contusion on her head.
"Don't go to sleep Eri," Yuka exclaimed fearing the worst as Kagome felt a rapidly growing lump on her head.
"But I'm tired," Eri replied.
"She has a concussion and a cranial bleed, you need to keep her awake," Kagome said lifting her friend's shirt as she found a purple discoloration spreading across her torso. Shit this just keeps getting better.
"You heard the lady no sleeping," Ayumi ordered.
"But I'm already sleeping," Eri replied her slurred spearhead becoming harder understand.
"Why, do you think that," Yuka asked.
"Well this has to be some kind of nightmare or else the creepy imps wouldn't be here," Eri replied.
Fuck, shit, dam, son of a bitch this isn't good, Kagome saw the emissaries of the underworld waiting in the wings, ready to take Eri's soul the minute she crossed over.
"She's delusional" Ayumi said.
"Well what are the imps doing," Yuka asked as they struggled to get a cell signal.
"I don't know I think they are waiting for something but they are afraid of Kagome?" Eri replied.
"Why are they afraid of Kagome," Ayumi asked.
"Cause she's like a freaking human light bulb and her pink light is scaring them away I think," Eri answered before drifting unconscious.
"Eri," Yuka, and Ayumi screamed.
Kagome spun around her arm shooting out as she lunged into empty space, her hand wrapped tightly around an invisible object. "Now you listen, if you know what's good for you," Kagome growled.
"Um Kagome," her friends asked wondering if she lost it.
"You know exactly who I am and what I can do." Kagome said as the messenger of the underworld nodded. "Good, now you are not taking my friend today, or else I'm going to make things very unpleasant." Kagome growled as faint wisps of smoke emanated from her hand.
"Kagome..." Yuka said tapping her on the shoulder. "What is going on?"
"Yuka, Ayumi, do you trust me?" Kagome asked as she released her invisible captive.
"Yes, we've been friends for ever, but what is going on," Yuka asked while Ayumi nodded her head in agreement.
"Good now I need your help or Eri is going to die," Kagome said knowing the messengers would only be scared off for so long.
"Anything," the pair replied desperate to help their friend.
"Good, now we are almost at the summit, and there will be a small shrine there. I need you to take Eri to the top while I prepare, and keep this on her until you get there." Kagome said quickly placing a crude warding sutra on her injured friend enveloping her in a pinkish glow.
"Ayumi, do you have any idea what is going on," Yuka asked as Kagome bounded up the path.
"Not a clue but Kagome has never been one to lie before, not in a situation like this," Ayumi replied.
"You think this has anything to do with her absences," Yuka asked.
"Yes, and lets hurry I think the light is dimming," ayumi said as the neared the summit.
"Come on you old drunk, I know your still up here somewhere," Kagome exclaimed clapping her hands together before the shrine.
"Shit looks like I'll have to do this the hard way," Kagome said as the local spirit did not answer her call.
Ripping another piece of paper out of her notebook Kagome wrote out a healing sutra Miroku showed her once. It's not ideal but it will have to do. "I just hope modern paper and ink can transmit my powers as well as the ancient varieties."
"Kagome," Yuka exclaimed as the girls made it to the small clearing at the summit.
"Good take her shirt off and lay her under the shrine gate." Kagome said drawing on her untamed potential as a Shinto Priestess.
"Um Kagome eri's not breathing," ayumi said keeping watch over her.
"Don't be scared I promise I'll explain everything later." Kagome said laying the sutra on Eri's chest. "I hope this works," Kagome said as a pinkish light began to emanate from Kagome's hands enveloping Eri and basking the entire clearing in a comforting glow. Slowly the growing bruise on Eri's torso began to recede, as the lump on her head slowly shrank. The seconds passed into minutes and beads of sweat began to trickle down her brow, Kagome's eyes clenched shut in concentration. Crap it's not going to be enough.
"Yuka the crystal shards in my bag give them to me," Kagome said barely a whisper.
"Kagome," Yuka said to stunned by what she was seeing, "It's like something out of an anime"
"The shards" Kagome spat out as Ayumi leapt into action frantically searching for them.
"Are these it," ayumi said handing over a small jar with several pinkish crystal fragments.
Kagome snatched the jar carefully placing them on the sutra, letting out a silent scream as the shards gave her a much needed power boost. Light pulsed of Kagome temporarily blinding everyone as she lit up like the sun burning away the remaining morning mist. "Dam that took a lot more out of me than I thought," Kagome said breathing heavily as she placed the shards back into the jar hanging it around her neck.
"Ugh what hit me," Eri said slowly coming to. "I had the weirdest dream. I fell and then I was talking to my grandma but she died before I was born. Then there was this pink light, and grandma said that she didn't think there were any of them left and that it was time to go back... Um why is everyone looking at me funny and why am I topless." Eri said coming out of her daze.
"Eri," Yuka and Ayumi cried out tackling their friend.
"Hey what's with all the tears," Eri said surprised by their emotion as Kagome slumped against the side of the shrine. "It was just a little bump on the head." At her admission the girls crying only intensified. "Um... It was just a bump on the head right, I was just seeing things right..." Eri asked as more of her dream came back to her.
"Eri, you died," Yuka said.
"You slipped and fell down the path it was awful," Ayumi added the tears slowly stopping.
"Um ok then why am I not dead," Eri asked checking her own pulse just to be sure.
"Kagome saved you," Yuka replied.
"Yeah she went all glowy and bam you were back to normal," Ayumi said.
"I wouldn't have said it like that but yes, and you can't tell anyone what happened up here," Kagome said slowly rising to her feet.
"Why, you have an amazing gift," Yuka said.
"Because I have something I need to do and I have no desire to become a government lab rat," Kagome replied.
"This has to do with why you are sick so much," Ayumi asked.
"Yes," Kagome replied.
"But you could ..." Yuka said as Eri cut her off.
"We won't say a word. You saved my life, pulled me back from the underworld that is something I can never repay. If you ever need anything let me know." Eri said giving Yuka and Ayumi a stern glare."
"Agreed, you've always been special, and this just proves it. Whether its fate or destiny I don't know but you've been given a gift and we will help in any way we can," Ayumi added.
"This has to do with why you are sick so often,'" Yuka said.
"Yes," Kagome replied with a nod.
"Can you at least tell us what is going on, we want to help," ayumi asked.
Kagome sat in silence for a moment before replying. "You three have always be there for me, I owe you at least that much," Kagome replied before beginning her tale.