Kagome felt the rough bark under her fingers, and realized she was again standing in front of a tree in a forest. She felt as though she had been in this very place before, and she was terrified to move further. She looked above her head, shaking with terror, as though something were about to swoop down and grab her in its teeth.

The orange light flickered again, and she slowly moved around the tree. She heard voices. Then she heard her own voice, louder and more urgent above the rest.

"...not safe here!" she cried. "...strange energy." This was all she could pick out.

"Feh!" spat Inu Yasha. "You already said there aren't any shards."

Shards? What was he talking about? Feeling slightly less threatened she paused for a moment to take in the scene. Everyone was dressed very strangely. She looked down at herself and realized that they would think her nightgown and slippers were just as strange in the middle of the forest. And they were all so young. Suddenly Miroku stood up, holding a staff and dressed in dark robes. And began to tell Inu Yasha that Kagome was right. Miroku? She didn't even know him at that age. She squinted her eyes, trying to see his face better. He looked so sweet, and so young, but yet so much more responsible than someone his age should be. As he moved from his spot the firelight danced upon a young girl, and she almost gasped. It was her! She was perched on a log, listening attentively to Miroku and wearing...no, that couldn't be. Kagome rubbed her eyes. She was wearing her old uniform from school! She stifled a giggle and took an awkward step backward.

Suddenly the Kagome on the log put her hands to the sides of her head and seemed to look right at her.

"There!" she cried. "I feel it again, in the trees!"

Inu Yasha was up in a flash and heading straight for her! She wasn't quite sure what to do. She was pretty positive now that she was dreaming, and Inu Yasha had never been one to frighten her before. But this Inu Yasha seemed dangerous. He was moving faster than she'd ever seen anyone move before and...he had ears. Like dog ears, on the top of his head. Fear started to creep into the edge of her senses.

"Okay, that's about enough, I'm outta here" Kagome thought to herself and turned to leave. But Inu Yasha was too fast and was there in seconds. Kagome brought her hands up to cover her face in fright. Inu Yasha tried to grab her shoulders but his claws slid through her as though she wasn't there.

"Kagome?" she slowly lowered her hands and took a closer look at him. He was gaping at her, incredulously. He lifted his hands to her again and she saw long shimmering claws at the end of each fingers. She cringed away and opened her mouth to scream, but her breath was taken away.

"Kagome? Kagome?" He was beginning to raise his voice in alarm. She wasn't sure if he was speaking to her or to the Kagome left on the log, but the group was quickly making their way to her spot.

But then she felt darkness and heard them calling her name, but she was no longer there. Again it felt as though she'd been lifted as was being dangled by some invisible rope.

"KAGOME!"


"It's just stupid, it doesn't make any sense." Kagome said, dejectedly.

"I don't care if it feels stupid, what are you dreaming about, honey? Tell me, it will make it easier." Miroku sat across from her at the kitchen table the following morning, after seeing the telltale dark circles below Kagome's eyes that told him she again did not sleep. He gently held both of her hands and looked at her expectantly.

"We're in a forest."

"Okay. We who?"

"Me and you and Sango and Inu Yasha."

"Okay."

She pulled her hands back slowly. "Except we were all kids, teenagers. I was even wearing a school uniform." She chuckled again, but then remembered that was reaction that got her caught in the first place.

"You were wearing long dark robes and talking about shards. No, Inu Yasha was talking about shards. And he had ears like a dog, Miroku," she continued with a whisper, "and claws."

Miroku laughed and waved his hands helplessly instead of interjecting a comment about Inu Yasha's sometimes dog-like nature.

Kagome turned from him angrily. "Fine, you think it's so funny..."

"No, no, I'm sorry. Please finish." Miroku said soberly.

"I was telling you guys that we weren't safe because of some strange energy."

Miroku looked thoughtful. "What kind of energy did you feel?"

Kagome paused for a moment. "It wasn't me. I mean, it was me, but I was watching everyone. I mean..." she stammered.

She took a breath. "I woke up in the forest and walked to a fire and saw MYSELF and you and Sango and Inu Yasha. So I guess there were two me's," she said emphatically.

"And it was the other me who was talking about not being safe and such, and then she put her hands on her head like she was in pain and looked into the trees where I was standing and said 'Over there,' and then Inu Yasha came running at me super fast and tried to grab me, and then I woke up."

"He never did know how to keep his hands off of other people's women." Miroku said, thoughtfully. Then ducked as he looked at Kagome to see if her spirits had improved, or if she was still too sensitive for teasing. She was looking at the table.

"He seemed really surprised to see me. That was weird."

"I'm sure it was, dear. You were wearing bunny slippers, after all."

Kagome arched an eyebrow at him and left the table.


"Ok Kagome, I want you to relax." Dr. Myouga said as he dimmed the light. Kagome lay back quietly in the chair and crossed her hands on her lap.

"I want you to think about someplace very pretty. Perhaps next to a pond on a spring day or at the beach in the sun. Something that makes you feel comfortable and safe and happy."

Kagome closed her eyes and shifted slightly. "Mmhmm." She replied

"Good, now picture yourself there. You are relaxed. You are calm. You are happy. You have not a care in the world. You are not sleepy, but your whole body feels relaxed."

Kagome was still. Dr. Myouga continued. "I am going to start to count backwards, Kagome. When I get to one, you will be completely relaxed. Can you still here me, Kagome?"

"Yes." She answered quietly.

"Then let's begin..."