Chapter Twenty-six:
The air was warm with a soft and gentle breeze of cold coming in from beneath the door of the house. I stretched my stiff my body and took in the wonderful scent of Keade's morning cooking. "Nmm...Morning Lady Keade", I cooed through my sleepyness. My body seemed to purr with a physical contentment as I stretched out again with a yawn.
Keade smiled and greeted me warmly. "Morning child". I laid back down and stared up at the cieling for a bit in silence. The gang was gone, I have no idea where they might have gone, and yet right now I don't even care where to or for how long.
"So do ye remember what happened yesterday?", asked Keade as she looked to me from her cooking. I strained my head to think back on it. Aslen, a what did they call her? I don't remember, but she was like a cat; and I remember that we faught. "Who won the spar"? I asked looking at the old face of the sweet woman. "Neither of ye won. Does thee recall the light or the energy ye held during said spar"? Light? Energy? Oh yeah! That light which has saved my life a time or two, and aided me in a fight. I nodded my head. "What is that?", I asked her with a sort of smile on my sleepy face.
"It is pure power in essence, a sort of magic", she told me as she stirred food around over the fire she cooked on. "So then, what happens today"? "Well I do not think I am the right person to be training ye", Keade started to explain with a stiff face of sorts. "What do you mean? You're the only person I know", I told her with growing worry and confustion. Is she not going to train me anymore? Why is she acting like something is wrong? Am I being cast out for magic? Or is it something more? "Keade... what is going on"?
"I do not have what it takes to train you properly, and you need to learn to master the power inside you", she said as she spoke slowly. Keade spoke slowly so that I would every word carefully. "The main road from here will you lead into the Kinshin forest. Travel forward, and through it to an abandoned village. There a powerful witch will live. Convince her of your pwer that awakened when you got here and she'll consider training you". "Wait, what about Kagome, Miroku and the others"? "I have sent them on a lead for Naraku, something I don't think you are quite ready for yet". What? I am not ready to keep traveling with my friends? That is riddiculous! I was a little offended by her words, but I know she means well.
"I can't travel to this place alone though", I said to her. Keade smiled, and was expecting that I would react this way I guess. "That is why I have asked your new friend, Aslen to stay back and aide you in your quest for training". What? Aslen? The crazy new girl? "Have you lost your mind old woman"? I said. My eyes grew wide when I heard my own words and I slapped my hands over my mouth. "I am so sorry Lady"! How could I be so rude? Keade nodded and forgave me as our talk of the serious business subsided.
I rose from my bed now, and went to the potty corner. I don't think I will ever get used to peeing and number two-ing in a bowl. I hiked my panties down and squatted over the ground while the cold air greeted my sleepy skin.
Walking back to the main room Lady Keade handed me a bowl. The warm steam from the eggs, bacon, and sausage greeted my watering mouth and filled my nose as I dug in. The fresh food she cooks is always delish! It made me think of my mom's home cooking, and that made me a little home sick. I knew then what I would do today.
I was in the guest house later that morning packing my back pack when I heard the door open. "Hey, would you grab my brush and deodorant please? They're the green plastic thing with bristles, and the blue and white smelly tube", I explained for Aslen. The floor down stairs creaked some before I heard the steps being used. I looked back and took it from her. "Thanks", I told her as I used them.
"You have a lot of weird stuff", she said squinching her face at the stuff spilled out across the floor. "Yeah, where I am from this stuff is super normal". "What is it all even for"? Aslen asked as her ears twitched forward in curiosity. I explained to her that a brush keeps hair tangle free, and neater looking, shampoo which cleans the hair of oils, the advanced clothing, soap that kills bacteria and cleans the skin, and she listend intently with awe and wonder as I did.
"I need to actually get back to my uh... my time", I told her. "Before we see this witch". Aslen nodded her head and helped me get my stuff together. "Well then we need to hurry, because that witch won't stay for more than a week", Aslen warned me. "Why not"? "Well she doesn't live there. She just dropped in for business", she explained as I put on fresh panties and a bra. Then I slipped into a dark tank with a warm sweater over it. I coverd my feet in socks, and wiggled into some form fitting jeans then danced terribly into my sneakers. Brushed my teeth, and then swung my packed bag over my back.
Outside and on the open road I felt the air thicken and move. Like a baby tornado forming. I watched in wonder as Aslen turned into this monsterous animal. Like a massive cat demon. Her true form perhaps? She lowered her head and poked my entire body with her wet nose. "Ew"! I rubbed the slime off myself as she laughed with a series of soft purrs before she lowered herslef down to the ground. I grabbed long tuffts of fur as I climbed up onto her back. I straddled her neck and held onto her excess neck fur.
The ride to the well was fun, and a lot shorter than I had expected. I guess Inuyasha was moving slow for the humans. Kagome, Miroku, and myself becuase Inuyasha could have made it to Keade in a matter of hours. I dismounted Aslen as she transformed back into the human with ears and six tails. "I would invite you back with me, but I am not really supposed to have people form this time in the future where I am from", I told her with a stiff frown. "You better be back tonight then, or I will go down there and get you", she said as she sat down at the stump of a tree. I nodded my head, and dropped myself down into the well to be swallowed by what I am not calling the time tunnel.