Chapter Nine – Conflicts
Inuyasha was leading them. He ran ahead. Close on the hanyou's heels followed the firecat who was carrying the monk, the taijiya and the fox kit. Sesshoumaru and Kagome were tailing them all. There was clearly a bit of a distance kept between them and the rest of the group. Kagome was slightly surprised that Sesshoumaru had decided to tail the others when he easily could have been in the front. But then again Sesshoumaru was smart and would well understand how unwelcome he was to this group. Kagome bit her lip. Yes, he knew better than to further aggravate the others by taking the lead. Then Kagome paused and frowned as she spotted an anomaly in her thought chain. He wouldn't care, would he? Would Sesshoumaru care if the others were further aggravated? No. Sesshoumaru always pretty much did as he pleased, and usually, he would take the lead because that was what he wanted. So why was he now tailing the group?
"Sesshoumaru," the miko asked softly, bearing a frown on her face.
The daiyoukai glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"Yes?"
"Why are we tailing them instead of being in front?"
Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow gracefully at the silly question.
"Because if this Sesshoumaru were to take a lead, I'm sure the idiot I have the misfortune to call my younger half-brother, would react to such a situation most welcomingly."
Usually, Sesshoumaru's dry humour would have elicited a chuckle from the miko, but now she narrowed her eyes in annoyance. She had posed a simple question in all seriousness and in return, he was mocking her.
"I do realise that," she replied coldly.
"Hnnh."
"But you wouldn't care about that, would you? The heir of the Western throne would not give a damn if he were to piss off the disgrace of his half-brother and some of his human companions."
"That is true," Sesshoumaru admitted.
"Then why?" the miko insisted, locking her sapphire gaze onto his amber orbs that were eyeing at her cryptically.
If Sesshoumaru hadn't perfected his self-control, he might have as well laughed right at the miko's face. He just couldn't understand how a young woman so clever could appear so totally clueless at times. Sure, he would not care the slightest how the miko's companions' hate towards him would be fuelled if he were to take the lead. Whom did she think he was staying behind for?
"Because." he replied calmly, slight flicker of amusement glinting in the amber depths of his eyes.
Kagome huffed in her annoyance.
"Fine! Be the ass you are and don't tell me."
Unexpectedly, she heard a low rumble right then, and to her astonishment realised that the demon lord had just let out a chuckle.
Kagome blinked for a few times before she started to poke the demonlord's shoulder with her little finger.
"Well what do you know," she muttered to herself, though knowing that Sesshoumaru could hear her every word, "the lord of icicles can laugh after all."
"Miko…" the daiyoukai said threateningly.
Kagome knew that the warning was not a serious one though. There had been no growl to indicate that he would truly be angered.
"You know, you shouldn't be so stuck up all the time. You should let loose at times."
"Hnnh."
"I mean I know you probably have never let loose. And with the education you've received you've been brainwashed to think showing emotion, any emotion, is out of the question but you know…" Kagome paused for a moment, absentmindedly drumming her fingers on his shoulder. "If demons should appear emotionless, why were they granted with emotions in the first place?"
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. The miko did have a point. Why had that thought never crossed his mind?
He wasn't sure what he should say in response to the miko's statement, so he decided to go with his regular response.
"Hnnh."
Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Fine, suit yourself."
They travelled on in silence until finally Inuyasha decided to stop so that they could camp for the night. Setting up the camp went on easily like routine procedures usually did. Kagome set down her backpack and rolled out her sleeping bag. She dug around her bag to find the cooking utensils that she handed over to Sango, who lately had taken over the cooking duty. Miroku had already collected the wood and prepared the fire. Kagome sighed as she plopped down to sit on her sleeping bag, watching the group that had settled into a circle around the campfire. If things were back to normal, she would be in that circle among them.
To be honest, most of the time being chained to Sesshoumaru wasn't so unbearable. They were almost getting along now. She still was resenting the fact that she had been deprived of her freedom, though. But the worst thing about the chain without a doubt was that like a barrier, it separated Kagome from her friends.
And at times it felt unbearable. She felt abandoned and that feeling was like a weight strapped onto her form, it seemed to make her whole body feel heavy. It saddened her, and a selfish part of her wished that she could blame her friends, wished that she could feel hurt and angered for being treated the way she was. But even if she wanted to blame and resent her friends, she could not. Because she understood them. She knew that they felt really uncomfortable in Sesshoumaru's company and did not trust the daiyoukai one bit. That was why they had decided to keep their distance from him. It wasn't their fault that since Kagome was chained to him, they'd need to be distant from her as well.
Though, it was not Sesshoumaru's fault either. The miko glanced at the silent daiyoukai, who was sitting right by her left side, so close that they were almost touching. Then she once again turned to longingly stare at the group circling the bon fire.
She couldn't take it anymore. Biting her lip she dug around her bag once again, and then got up again when she had picked up what she had been looking for.
"What is it," an indifferent voice drawled in. Kagome's small hand balled into a fist.
"I just can't stay here any longer," she whispered.
Silent, he straightened by her side.
The two started to walk away, but didn't get far till Inuyasha leaped to block their way.
"Where d'ya think you're sneakin' off to?"
"We're not sneaking off. I just want to take a bath," Kagome replied calmly, though her tone was a tad bit colder than usual.
Inuyasha's eyes widened as his gaze bounced from the one to the other.
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"I refuse it," the hanyou announced, crossing his arms across his chest.
"You what?" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Sesshoumaru appeared as indifferent as ever, though he did raise a brow at Inuyasha's apparent stupidity. The hanyou should know better than to cross the miko's path. Her fury unleashed was quite a sight indeed.
But Inuyasha stood his ground.
"I said I'm not letting you go."
"Inuyasha," Kagome started, the corner of her eye very close to start twitching, "I want to go and take a bath. You have no right to refuse me from doing so!"
"I'm not letting you go alone with that bastard to dip naked in a pond somewhere!"
Kagome's hands balled into fists in her anger.
"Well too bad, 'cause we're going anyway! And it's not like Sesshoumaru would want to accompany me when I'm off to bathe, we just can't help the situation!"
"Kehh! If you insist on going, then go. But I ain't letting you go alone with him. I'm coming along."
For several stretching seconds, Kagome just stared at Inuyasha incredulously. Then she exploded.
"SIT SIT SIT SIT!!!!"
Sesshoumaru smirked rather evilly beside the seething miko as he saw his half-brother crash into the ground. Taking a few steps closer so that he was towering over the crater, Sesshoumaru's amber eyes gleamed.
"You have once again proven your idiocy, half-breed. There is no reason for you to get so worked up over such a trivial matter. As you know, the miko wishes to bathe on a daily basis and unless you forgot, the miko and I travelled alone for two weeks. It has already become as a kind of a routine to us."
Then Sesshoumaru swept away, a stunned Kagome in his wake, leaving behind the semi-unconscious hanyou who was busy muttering curses in his crater.
-cCc-
"I can't believe the nerve of him!" the miko ranted as she angrily stomped along the narrow forest path. "He's impossible! Unbelievable! Coming along?! As if it weren't bad enough that Sesshoumaru is there to witness me bathe!"
"Indeed."
Kagome's rant died quickly and she stopped dead on her track. In her furious state she had completely forgotten that Sesshoumaru had been following her an inch or two away.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled her apology, embarrassed. "I forgot you were here. I didn't mean – "
"It's not like the situation is favourable to either of us," Sesshoumaru cut in calmly.
Kagome nodded, relieved.
Sesshoumaru understood.
They walked together in comfortable silence until they reached a forest clearing, the middle of which laid a very innocent-looking pond. They stopped. Kagome set down the things she had been carrying. Nervously fumbling the hem of her shirt, she stole a glance of Sesshoumaru only to find him quietly studying at her.
"Uhmm…" she licked her suddenly dry lips.
Sesshoumaru frowned at the nervousness that was wafting and taking over her usually calming scent.
"This won't work like before, right," the miko said quietly. "I mean with the chain being as it is…"
She startled, when she heard a loud clanking noise and turned to look at Sesshoumaru. Her eyes widened at the sight that met her.
"I guess these is no helping it then, is there," the daiyoukai said in his usual indifferent way as he kicked off his boot to join his swords and armour he had seconds ago let fall to the ground. "I can't just stay on the shore with my back turned."
Kagome nodded mutely. Even if the situation was really awkward, at least it was not painful, like sitting at the edge of the campsite had been.
Sesshoumaru, who now was stripped to nothing but his white hakama took a step forward, leaving Kagome to stare at his exposed back.
"Rest assured, I won't look back."
"Thank you."
Kagome felt a swell of gratefulness as she quickly shed her clothing. Somehow, even if Sesshoumaru was cold and indifferent, Kagome still couldn't help but marvel at how reliable the daiyoukai was. He could be oddly considerate.
"I'm ready," she whispered quietly.
Sesshoumaru nodded, and slowly walked into the pond, Kagome following two steps behind.
Reaching the middle of the small pond, the water was almost up to Kagome's shoulders. Sesshoumaru turned slightly, his side facing the miko. He waited, silent and patient, while the woman started to wash herself. Turning to him, she offered him the soap. The daiyoukai glanced at her, and then slightly shook his head.
"I'm fine, you go ahead and wash yourself."
Kagome nodded, suddenly embarrassed. Here he was, the heir of the West, standing in the middle of a pond, over waist deep in the water, just so that she could bathe.
Turning fully to face the daiyoukai, she suddenly lowered her head.
"I'm sorry for always being a bother."
"You should not bow your head to apologise about things that are not your fault," Sesshoumaru replied quietly but firmly. Even if his voice was as void of emotion as always, somehow his statement managed to lack the usual indifference. "Besides, rather than you being a bother for me, does it not go both ways? Especially lately, my presence has been very bothersome to you."
Kagome's widened eyes rose to meet his amber stare.
"Not really," she hurriedly denied, "it's not your fault that my friends are behaving the way they are, I understand their thinking and I'm not putting the blame – "
"Then why do you think I would put the blame on you?" Sesshoumaru interrupted.
Kagome blinked in surprise. His words made her confusion grow. Why did she think Sesshoumaru would blame her and see her as nothing but a burden? She did not even know the reason to that herself.
"You should have more confidence in yourself," the daiyoukai murmured as he studied her. The raven hair cascading down to float on the surface of the water, the slender shoulders rising from the water, adorned by small bright droplets. The graceful curve of her neck, her upturned beautiful face, the widened, glimmering sapphire eyes. What made this human woman feel so inferior?
For a while they just stood in the pond, silent, the only sound reaching their ears the gentle splashing of water. Then the miko said that she was ready and Sesshoumaru lead them away from the pond. When he reached the bank he stopped and stood with his back towards the miko, waiting for her to dry herself off. Kagome dressed and then offered the towel to Sesshoumaru.
"Here. You should dry yourself too."
Sesshoumaru took the piece of canvas and nodded in thanks, drying himself. Then he handed the towel back to Kagome.
"Will you be alright with your hakama wet like that? What if you catch a cold?"
Sesshoumaru gave Kagome a long stare.
"Oh, right." Kagome blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Of course you wouldn't catch a cold," she muttered.
The daiyoukai did not reply. He pulled on his haori and then put on his armour and picked up his swords.
When they returned to camp, Inuyasha was completely ignoring them. Sango didn't say anything when she came over to Kagome to bring a bowl of the stew she had cooked. Still, there was a very worried look in the taijiya's eyes as she silently regarded her friend.
-cCc-
"It's coming!" the taijiya shrieked from behind her protective mask.
"Watch out, Sango," the monk shouted as the serpent demon launched an attack, spitting out poison to the exact spot Sango had been standing mere seconds ago.
"Keh," Inuyasha huffed and grabbed his sword tighter. "Kaze no Kizu!" he bellowed, sending the windscar roaring towards the snake.
The demon took the hit but the attack did not seem to affect it much. It shrieked and flailed then started to glow. The snake seemed to swell, then a second head erupted from its body.
"What?!"
"It can't be!"
The snake's two heads now together launched another poison-attack.
"No, you can't!" Sango said when she saw Miroku's hand automatically move to the beads sealing his wind tunnel. "You can't use the kazaana, Houshi-sama, this demon is poisonous!"
Sesshoumaru sensed well the miko's distress as the woman beside him stood helpless, unable to rush to her friends' aid. She could not draw her bow well. Sesshoumaru could not do much either. He couldn't use toukijin's youki attacks when he was so close to Kagome. He couldn't use his acid whip for using it was just too risky. Even if he could control the whip perfectly, his hand was bound to Kagome's and it would be difficult guiding the attack with the miko's weight tied to his wrist. only left him his claws or sword to fight with, but it would be impossible for the miko to keep up with his speed, and if he would carry her on her back like he had done before in a battle, with the chain more like a handcuff, his movements would be too limited for him to deal much damage. That was why the daiyoukai and miko stood side by side, watching the battle unfold.
"Hiraikotsu!" The demon slayer yelled as she hurled forth her giant boomerang, but the two-headed creature easily flicked it off with its tail. Then the snake's head plunged forward, its open mouth ready to bite defenceless Sango. She stood frozen in horror, watching the poisonous fangs closing in. And then the fangs stopped, when they hit metal with a loud clang.
"Run, Sango!" the monk yelled, using his staff to hold off the snake's head. Sango spun into action, running to where her hiraikotsu had landed.
"Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled as the snake's other head plunged into an attack targeting the monk. Lifting Tessaiga, Inuyasha leaped and brought the sword down, cutting the head off.
Inuyasha landed and turned to look at the bleeding creature.
"Feh, that'll teach 'im!"
However, the snake started to glow once again. Miroku jumped back and gritted his teeth as he saw how two heads grew to replace the one Inuyasha had severed.
Inuyasha growled in frustration.
"I don't think you should cut any more heads," Miroku advised, eyeing worriedly at their enemy. This demon would be tricky to defeat indeed.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango had reached her weapon and now threw it again. Air whistled as the weapon spun fast towards the snake demon. It hit the head in the middle and tore it to pieces. The demon retaliated by a sudden swish of its tail, which sent Sango flying through the air. The taijiya landed roughly and didn't get up.
"Sango!"
It didn't take long though till another head had grown to replace the one the snake had lost to Sango's attack. The four mouths together spat out poison simultaneously.
"Oh shit," Inuyasha cursed.
"Inuyasha! OSUWARI!"
The subjugation spell made the hanyou crash to ground just in time for the poison to barely pass him by from above. Miroku wasn't that lucky though, and the monk fell to his knees and held a hand on his nose in a vain attempt to stop himself from inhaling much of the poison.
The snake's heads all turned to regard the fallen monk and hanyou. It was clearly about to close in.
All of a sudden there was a throbbing sensation. Tenseiga pulsed. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. Then, the daiyoukai realised the sword's request.
"Miko, if you wish to help your friends, there is a way."
The woman turned to regard him, her eyes widened.
"Neither of us can fight with our own separate strengths, so let us combine them." Sesshoumaru pulled Tenseiga out and offered it hilt-first to the miko. Kagome locked her eyes with his, then nodded and took the sword.
"With your powers and this Sesshoumaru's speed, we will kill this creature. If you just can hold on." Sesshoumaru stared at Kagome. "I need my hand to guide yours, since your movements can't match my speed. Can you hold on, Kagome?"
After a moment of hesitation, Kagome nodded.
Sesshoumaru let his armour fall to the ground.
"Then get on."
If the situation had not been so serious, Kagome probably would have hesitated much more, and felt very embarrassed. Now wasn't a time for silly things such as modesty, not when the lives of her friends were in danger! Kagome held the tenseiga in her left hand and Sesshoumaru grabbed a hold of her left wrist as she hooked her right hand around his neck and then jumped up, locking her legs around the daiyoukai's waist.
"Ready?" his deep voice asked.
"Ready," the miko replied, resting her head against his shoulder. She concentrated and then the power surged from her, flowing into the blade. Sesshoumaru lunged forward.
It was a good thing that he had been carrying Kagome while running before, his speed no longer took the miko by surprise and thus she was able to hold her concentration despite the amazing speed they were moving with. In a matter of seconds Sesshoumaru was in front of the snake demon. Then he jumped and gracefully turned in the air, with his hand guiding Kagome's, which was holding the sword. Two heads were sent flying, then they evaporated in the spot. Two fast surges and the remaining two heads were gone as well. Then he plunged towards the ground, his hand stretched forward. Tenseiga sank deep into the demon's body and it convulsed violently, before the youkai dissolved into dust. Sesshoumaru landed lightly onto the ground and Kagome slid down to stand by his side. She bent down to pick up the single shikon fragment that innocently glimmered on the ground.
"Are you alright?" the miko asked her friends worriedly.
Inuyasha did not reply, the hanyou got up from the ground and just stared at the two with widened eyes.
Kagome hurried to Miroku and kneeled by his side.
"Stay still for a moment, Miroku, I'll try to purify this poison."
"Thank you, Kagome-sama."
"Inuyasha, go to see if Sango's okay."
The hanyou didn't say a word, but did as the miko had bid him to do.
After a moment Miroku found that it was easier for him to breathe, and he raised his gaze to smile at the miko. It was then that he noticed the katana that the miko was still holding.
"Kagome-sama, is that the tenseiga?" the monk asked, surprised. Sesshoumaru-sama had actually entrusted his family heirloom in the hands of a human?
"Yes. Sesshoumaru and I figured this would work. I did this once before, channelled my powers via tenseiga in order to protect myself."
The monk glanced at the daiyoukai, surprised.
"Back then, the tenseiga itself called out to the miko," Sesshoumaru explained as he held out his hand to the woman. Kagome passed him the tenseiga, and the inudaiyoukai sheathed the katana as the miko straightened herself.
Inuyasha soon came over, supporting Sango.
"Did you get the shard," the half-demon asked gruffly.
"Yes, I have it," Kagome replied.
"Good. Let's camp here till Sango comes to."
Kagome nodded and turned around. The chain tugged her arm when she had accidentally moved too far and her gaze flew to the silver bind. Then her eyes travelled further.
"Sesshoumaru!" she exclaimed, taking in the sight of his hand. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
The usually pale skin of his palm and fingers was now an angry red, an obvious burn.
"This is nothing." the daiyoukai replied indifferently.
"That's a burn on your hand! When did you get that?"
Sesshoumaru looked at her levelly.
"At that battle earlier."
Kagome's eyes widened.
"You mean I… My powers did this?"
The demon lord nodded.
Kagome bit her lip.
"I'm sorry, I did not mean to – "
"It was inevitable," the demon cut in. "I do not need your apologies."
Kagome started to search her bag. She found what she had been looking for and pulled the object out. It was a small container of salve.
"I don't need your medicine, miko," the daiyoukai objected as Kagome took the lid off. "It will heal on its own."
"I know that the regeneration abilities of demons are something to behold. But still, let me do this. I was the one to hurt you after all."
Sesshoumaru studied the miko for a moment, then he slowly nodded.
"Very well then."
Kagome flashed him a smile.
-cCc-
The miko fidgeted, tightening her grip of the strap of her backpack. The daiyoukai could smell the scent of her anxiety in the air. He turned slightly to regard the miko.
"What is wrong," he asked, for he could not detect any visible source for her restlessness.
"Nothing. It's just… There's something I need to talk to Inuyasha about, and I'm fairly certain that he won't be taking it too well."
"Honestly, miko, you should have got used to such by now."
Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru in surprise. Was that a joke? Could he be trying to cheer her up? Kagome sighed and flashed a small smile.
"Thank you, Sesshoumaru." she said quietly. "Now let's get this over and done with."
Sesshoumaru followed the miko as she walked to where the hanyou was sitting, leaning against the trunk of a tree. The half-demon raised his gaze as the woman stopped to stand before him.
"Inuyasha."
"What is it, woman?"
Kagome stood silent for a while, the calm before the inevitable storm.
"Uhm… You see, I have an exam week next week and I thought…"
"What?!" Inuyasha's eyes flashed. "You can't be seriously thinkin' of going there like that, with him!"
Sesshoumaru's interest perked up at that, even though his expression didn't change one bit. Where was the miko going? Where would they be going? And why did it upset Inuyasha that much?
"I have to attend the exams, Inuyasha, I don't really have much of a choice."
"How stupid. Exams, whatever."
"It's not 'whatever'," Kagome argued, feeling both angry and hurt by Inuyasha's words. "The exams are important to me."
"We already had to wait for you for two weeks when you were off with Sesshoumaru! We've had enough delays! There's only been one shard in three weeks! There's no way I can let you go!"
"Let me," Kagome echoed, her eyes narrowing. "I'm going, that's not negotiable. I'd rather leave with your permission, but I'll be going regardless."
"Keh! You selfish bitch!" Inuyasha snapped.
"Selfish?" Kagome's voice pitched. "You dare to call me selfish? You never care for my exams, even though they're important to me!"
"Your stupid exams are wasting our time!"
"You only ever care about the Shikon shards and defeating Naraku! You only need me to see the shards for you. When have you ever considered my feelings?"
"Shut up! You can't show up to those exams of yours in any case, not with that chain."
"This chain will not stop me and neither will you!"
"You're honestly dragging him along with you?"
"Why is it so hard for you to realise, Inuyasha? I have no other choice! I hate the way you keep acting like it's my own fault that I got chained to your brother. This all happened against my will, understand?! Still, you seem to think I'm enjoying this! Do you really believe that I'm alright like this? Do you really think I want to be chained to Sesshoumaru, possibly for the rest of my life?"
"Well you haven't seemed all that upset about it either!" the hanyou bellowed back.
"I AM UPSET!" the miko shrieked.
"Oy, this looks like it's worse than usual," Shippo whispered to Miroku's ear.
"It certainly looks bad, but we must have faith in Inuyasha and Kagome-sama," Miroku replied, patting the kitsune pup who was squatting on his shoulder.
"I'm upset that I'm chained to your brother. It upsets me that his mother is expecting me to marry him. And maybe most of all I'm upset that you have been treating me like crap because of this all!"
"And I'm upset that we have only got one Shikon shard lately. I'm upset that you're always running off on your own! What about the Shikon shards? What about Naraku?"
"See! I told you those are the only things you ever care about! Screw Naraku! And if you want those Shikon shards so bad, then go ask Kikyo to help you find them, 'cause I'm going!"
Kagome turned around and Sesshoumaru was surprised to see her eyes. Never had he seen those usually calm sapphire orbs so ablaze with fury.
The miko stormed off and Sesshoumaru followed in suit.
Inuyasha swore heavily and also left the clearing far behind when he took off in his anger.
Miroku heaved a heavy sigh.
"Ne, Miroku," Shippo asked, his voice quivering slightly, "do you think Kagome will be coming back?"
Miroku exchanged a long worried glance with Sango. The demon slayer was obviously very upset about her friend's outburst.
"I honestly don't know, Shippo," the monk replied quietly.
-cCc-
Sesshoumaru was slightly concerned. The miko had not spoken a single word since they had left the Inu-tachi behind, other than to inform him that they needed to travel back to Edo. Now they were almost there, Sesshoumaru could already see the village far below.
"We're here," he informed, and commanded his cloud of youki to start to descent.
"Good," the miko said quietly. Her voice still sounded kind of strained.
They steadily drew closer to the ground and finally the cloud dissolved as Sesshoumaru set his boot on the grass.
"This Sesshoumaru would appreciate if you told what we came here for," the daiyoukai said, turning to regard the miko.
"I have exams; therefore I need to go home. This way."
The miko started to walk, but she did not head towards the village, but the forest behind it. Sesshoumaru frowned.
"You're probably noticed that I don't seem to be a normal person," Kagome said quietly as she walked. "My clothes, some things that I carry with me, they must all seem very strange to you. In fact, you voiced your suspicions when we were trailing Aiko-san, didn't you? Well, there's a reason to that all, and it's time to reveal the truth to you. You might not believe what I'm going to tell you, but that does not matter for you shall soon experience it yourself."
They entered the forest, and Kagome kept walking on.
"You see, I wasn't born here. Well, in fact I was born in this very land, in this very region. But I was not born on this era. I don't belong here."
"What do you mean by that?"
"My home lies five hundred years to the future from here."
"The future?"
The miko nodded.
"That's it."
She stopped and turned to look at the daiyoukai, who was studying her closely. The only emotions her scent carried were confidence, and hurt from her previous fight with Inuyasha. There was absolutely nothing to indicate that she would be lying.
"The Bone Eater's well. People living in this area, in Edo, used to throw bones of perished youkai into this well, because there they would disappear."
Sesshoumaru turned his gaze from the miko to the old wooden well that innocently lay in the middle of the clearing at the edge of which the two companions were standing.
"Where do you think the bones disappear to?"
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.
"There's a portal."
"That's right. The only ones so far able to travel through it have been myself and Inuyasha, though. Two years ago I was pulled into this well and I ended up here. The Shikon no tama was discovered, it had been lodging in my body. Once out, in the course of various events my arrow accidentally shattered the jewel. That's why I've been travelling with Inuyasha ever since. Still… I have to try and take care of my education as well, that's why I return home when it's exam time."
Slowly, the miko started to walk towards the well, and Sesshoumaru followed one step behind. Reaching the ancient well, Kagome stopped and sighed, and the daiyoukai's eyes once again moved to regard her. Her apologetic blue eyes met his gaze.
"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru, but I have to drag you along with me."
"I understand."
"It will be very different from here, where I'm from," the miko warned. "And to be safe, I think we had better to be touching, as I said, the well hasn't allowed no one through but Inuyasha and me."
Sesshoumaru shrugged and then grabbed the miko, pressing her safely against his side as he stepped up to stand on the lip of the well. Staring into the opening darkness before him, he jumped.
-cCc-
Chie: School. I have a 5 page research paper to write, one summary of an academic article (only one page!), one 5 page long study journal, one 6 page paper and, finally, one 6 page comparative academic article analysis to write. And all of these need to be done in the next few weeks. -sigh-