Chapter Two: A Strange Appearance
Kagome sat down in front of the well and began to rummage through her large yellow backpack.
"Let's see" she pulled out a couple of bags, "I made sure to bring everything you asked for Shippo" she handed one of the bags to him.
"Yea! Ninja food! Thanks Kagome" he added ripping open the bag at once and beginning to munch.
"You're welcome" she grinned, "And for Sango and Miroku, there's a lot of homemade stuff in here that you said you liked the last time" she pulled out some Tupperware containers filled with food.
"Thank you Kagome" Sango smiled appreciatively.
"Yes thank you very much" Miroku nodded as she handed him a can of tea.
"And of course I have got something for you too Kilala" she replied to the two tailed her came forward meowing happily.
Kagome pulled out a couple cans of tuna with pop tops. Meanwhile Inuyasha stood on the sidelines his arms crossed and a distinct frown on his face.
"She'd better not have forgotten me again," he thought as he tapped his foot.
"And for Inuyasha" she began.
"Don't tell me it's that yucky stuff you brought with you last time," he said with a huff.
"What yucky stuff?" Kagome replied her eyebrows starting to furrow.
"Oh boy" Miroku rolled his eyes while Sango nodded her head knowningly.
"You know that stuff that burns my mouth" Inuyasha said, "I can't stand that crap!"
"Inuyasha" Kagome's body shook a little as she stared at the backpack.
"Here it comes" Sango replied taking a step back as Shippo with his lollipop ran behind her legs.
"You're in luck" Kagome finished with a smile.
"Huh?" the three of them stared at her reaction in surprise while Inuyasha lowered his hands stunned as well.
"I only brought the stuff you really want. Instant noodles" she pulled a few out of the bag, "And not to mention a couple of these" she pulled out two bag of potato chips.
"Uh" Inuyasha's mouth hung open as she handed him a big bag of chips.
"You're welcome" she replied as she zipped up her bag and swung it onto her shoulder, standing in the process.
"Thank you" he managed to squeak out.
"Well I'd better go see what Kaede is up to" she replied looking toward the village that she knew so well "I brought some health things and medicinal herbs as well this time" she dashed towards the village.
Miroku moved over closer to Inuyasha and stared at him.
"What?" Inuyasha replied irritably since he hated when anyone stared at him.
"What's going on here?" Miroku asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"Kagome didn't overreact like she normally does when you annoy her," Sango said.
"Yea what she said?" Miroku nodded, "Did something happen between you two?"
"No, what makes you think that?" Inuyasha looked away slightly embarrassed.
"Well, her attitude. It's just so different."
"Yea normally she flies off the handle and tells you to sit" Shippo interjected, "So something had to happen."
"You got me" Inuyasha shrugged scooping up the instant noodles and the bags of chips that were still on the ground, "I have no idea what is going on with her" he began to walk towards the village with the others close behind, "Still they're right. She has been acting strange, ever since last night. I wonder why?"
(Next Scene)
In another part of the Feudal Era a creature was moving fast in the grass, running faster than it ever had in all it's years. It stopped and stared up at the moon, his light green eyes softening at the sight of it.
"It's almost time" he whispered as his hazel hair flowed behind him from the soft wind that was blowing, revealing the tan ears on top of his head, "Our time. Our time will soon commence."
(Next Scene)
That evening Kagome left the safety of Kaede's hut and walked outside in the village staring at the stars a sad expression on her face. From behind her she heard quiet footsteps she turned to see Kaede the head priestess approaching.
"Kagome child" the old woman replied, "What brings ye out here on a night like this? Shouldn't ye be getting some sleep for your journey tomorrow?"
"I can't sleep" Kagome shook her head as the old woman moved up next to her, "Something keeps me awake."
"Are ye worried about something?"
"No" Kagome shook her head, "I just have a lot of things to think about. Especially lately. They're not really pleasant things either."
"I did notice that ye did look a little unhappy this evening. I'm sure the others noticed it too."
"I know" Kagome nodded a second time, "Kaede, I think I am going to take a walk to the Sacred Tree. If Inuyasha asks that's where I'll be."
"You know he will, once he finds out that you're gone. I will tell him" Kaede nodded, "But are you sure there is nothing I can do to help ye?"
"No" Kagome shook her head, "I'm sure. This is something I have to deal with on my own. My own inner demons you know" she joked.
"Of course" Kaede replied with a smile but then sighed as she saw the young girl depart from the village heading once more to the forest where the Sacred Tree was located.
(Next Scene)
Kagome walked past the Bone Eaters Well till she finally arrived at the Sacred Tree that stood near by. She moved up closer to it and placed her hand on its bark, running her hand lovingly up and down the trunk.
"This is the exact spot" she thought, "The very spot where I first met Inuyasha. Funny" she looked up into the branches as the wind shook the leaves slightly above her, "A lot of firsts happened at this tree. But they were back in the other world. Why is it? Why is it I feel so sad right now" she sank to the bottom of the tree and sat her arms over her knees, "Why is it I just want to" the tears began to well up in her eyes and she felt her head land on her knees as the tears started to fall down her face, her soft sobs echoing through the trees.
The wind began to blow again only a little sharper as a figure that was shimmering a white vapor walked towards her. He stopped in front of her and smiled his eyes becoming suddenly sad.
"Now now" the boy said, "There's no need for those. I hate to see my angel looking so sad."
Kagome lifted her head up in surprise and saw before a boy who couldn't be any older then she was. It was apparent that his hair was dark and his eyes brown just like hers. He was dressed in a very fancy looking kimono and yet there was no color surrounding him. He was completely the color of the vapor that surrounded him.
"Who?" she began, "Are you a ghost?" she asked in a timid voice.
"A spirit actually. You see if were I a ghost you'd see right through me" he chuckled, "But as you can see, you see everything on me."
"I don't understand. I thought that spirits and ghosts were the same thing?"
"No" he shook his head, "That's the misconception of the human world. There's a major difference between ghosts and spirits."
"What's that?"
"Well, ghosts tend to have unfinished business when they leave this world. So they sometimes linger behind. Spirits on the other hand have no unfinished business. They go on leaving the world content. Therefore I am a spirit."
"But" she stood up and leaned against the tree her eyes becoming a bit wide, "Why are you here?"
"To help you Kagome," he said simply.
"How do you know my name?" she asked confused.
"Oh I know you very well," he breathed in the air as if he were sighing contently, "I've watched you all your life. Right now I came to you like this so I wouldn't frighten you."
"What do you mean? I really don't understand."
"I didn't die like this, this young I mean" he sat down at the tree where she had been moments before, "The cool thing about spirits is, if we want we can visit the land of the living in any form we choose well so long as it was one of our forms" he laughed at his bad joke as Kagome as if on impulse sat down next to him, "And the truth is this is the only form I could appear in this place, since here this what I looked like last."
"What do you mean here? You said that you didn't die at this age that you look right now?"
"Well I didn't because I am not originally from the Feudal Era."
Her eyebrows raised which made her look even more confused so he chuckled a little and then turned to look at her directly.
"I'm not making any sense am I?" she shook her head, "I guess I'd better stop beating around the bush" he stood up with his back to her, "The truth is Kagome I have come back to help you."
"Help me? Help me how?"
"Help you to stop a force that I couldn't back then. You see when I left the world of the living I had no unfinished business. At least I thought I didn't. So I left in content, but as it turned out that wasn't the case and now you are the one who is dealing with my unfinished business. I am so sorry Angel" he replied his head bent low, "I never meant to put you in so much danger."
"Why do you keep calling me that?" she asked springing to her feet, "Who are you?"
"I thought it would have been obvious by now" he said turning to her, "Even if I do look like I am your age. My hair, my eyes they have not changed in all the years that you knew me."
"I knew you?"
"Mhm" he nodded, "You know me better than anyone Kagome, and I have heard your cries and prayers, especially this past week."
Kagome gasped her eyed becoming even wider as she moved forward.
"Can it, can it really be?" she said as he nodded his head slowly.
"Yes" he smiled, "My name is Aiku Higarashi."
"Dad?" she whispered as the wind around them began to pick up even more.
(To be continued…)
