I thank ChibiChinaDoll for helping me.

Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again

The sun was shining bright in the sky as it went over the lands across the village. Rays of sunlight shined through the leaves of the trees down to the ground as the sun was high in the sky.

"I don't believe this!" Kagome shouted as she had no choice of what she was doing right now. As clear blue water was flowing down the river as it was divided by a large boulder.

"How can they not know what a bath is?!" Kagome asked as she and Mai were bare to the world in a small pool in the middle of the forest but covered themselves with their arms.

Kagome and Mai shivered as they looked at each for a moment and shook their heads as they couldn't believe they were actually doing this.

"Apparently not, otherwise we wouldn't be in this situation just to get clean." Mai said.

"Uh, cold!" Kagome said as she and Mai started to move around a little but feeling the cold water hitting their skin. Kaede sat near a fire pit as her back was to a high cliff.

"Come children. Ye'll get sick if you don't get out." Kaede said as she had her hands warming up to the fire.

"I can't! I'm covered with blood and dirt, and I feel like my hair hasn't been washed in a week!" Kagome yelled as she shifted a little.

"I don't have much choice either! I'd rather do this than feel filthy all the time!" Mai added as she turned to Kaede and then looked down at the water.

Suddenly they both dived into the water, quickly adjusting to the water's temperature.

Kaede sighed, working on some things in her hands as Inuyasha was laid back in the tree.

Underwater was crystal clear as a fish swam around but quickly swam away as Kagome and Mai were close by.

'The Jewel of Four Souls.' Kagome thought as she focused on that instead of the cold water.

'I can't believe it's come to this.' Mai thought as she was remembering the recent events that had happened.

xxx Flashback xxx

Kagome had a piece of the Jewel in her fingers, glowing bright as the light was shining from within it.

"What did you do to it?!" Inuyasha demanded as he looked at Kagome.

"Stop barking Inuyasha." Kaede said as she arranged things around the pit in her hut.

"Leave it to her to wind up breaking it!" Inuyasha said as he was blaming Kagome for the Jewel breaking.

"Technically it wasn't Kagome who broke it, but the Crow's foot she attached to her arrow that actually caused it. As ye saw, the Jewel has now been scattered into many different pieces. One hundred, one thousand who knows. Yet how many shards there may be, all it will take is one in the wrong hands to bring disaster." Kaede said poking at the fire.

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea." Kagome said as she looked at the shard in her hand. 'It's all my fault.' She thought as she stared at the shard.

"Don't blame yourself, Kagome. How were you supposed to know?" Mai put her hand on Kagome's shoulder to comfort her.

"Kagome. Mai. Inuyasha. Only by working together will the three of ye be able to recover the shards of the Jewel." Kaede said as she looked at all three of them.

"Huh?" Kagome asked in confusion.

"I see... in order to gather the shards of the Jewel we must work together." Mai said.

"Hmph. You won't catch me complaining. I'm one of the 'wrong hands' you were talking about." Inuyasha said, turning away from them in defiance.

"Oh aye. That I know too well." Kaede sighed in disappointment.

"That's why Kaede told me to keep an eye on you." Mai glared at him.

'But I wanna go back home!' Kagome thought as she was feeling homesick.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'If Inuyasha and Kagome can't work together, we will all die. What am I going to do with them?' Mai thought, shaking head unsure what the future may hold.

A minute later, Kagome and Mai resurfaced from the water, refreshed and clean.

Suddenly, they felt that they were being watched as both of them looked up to the high cliff seeing who it was...it was Inuyasha in a sitting position in their direction.

"AAHHHH!" Kagome and Mai shirked in terror and embarrassment, seeing that Inuyasha was staring at them but not in malicious intent on top of a high cliff.

"Hmm?" Kaede asked in confusion as she looked to the pool unsure of what was going on.

"Sit boy!" Kagome yelled as she ducked back into the water with her arms covering her body.

Inuyasha's necklace activated as he was dragged from the cliff and fell face first to the ground below.

"You jerk!" Mai shouted at Inuyasha.

"Thee alright, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked as she saw Inuyasha facepalm on the ground a few feet in front of her.

"Oh man, I forgot about this stupid necklace of yours!" Inuyasha grabbed the necklace around his neck, glaring at it in anger.

"It serves you right for spying on us, you Peeping Tom!" Kagome yelled as she and Mai were getting dressed behind the bushes.

"Uh… ha! Shows what you know! The reason I really came was-" Inuyasha started but was interrupted by Kaede.

"Ye really came to steal the shard, correct?" Kaede said, holding the small bag that held the Jewel shard in it.

Inuyasha sat up, crossing his arms and legs, knowing he can't do anything for now. "Think you're pretty smart, you old hag."

"May I remind you... Inuyasha...that I've got my eyes on you, and don't you forget it...We still haven't finished that match." Mai said as she wore a priestess outfit however she didn't want to wear the shoes, somehow it didn't feel right to her having her feet covered.

"Oh Yeah... What are you gonna do if I don't...Huh?" Inuyasha glared at Mai, lightly pressing her buttons. Mai smirked as she walked towards him until she was only a few inches away from him.

"Well...we still haven't finished that previous fight yet although-..." Mai momenterly said as she harshly slapped Inuyasha in the back of the head and she quickly jumped back to Kagome before he could do anything. "I can always tell Kagome...And well... you know what she'll have to say for you to behave." She finished as she sensed Inuyasha flinching internally but didn't move from his spot and turned away from her.

"By the way, Kaede. Are these really all the clothes you can lend us?" Mai asked Kaede but still grateful for some clothing until her clothes were dry.

"These ye be the only clothes I have to lend ye since they be in ye size." Kaede said. Then turned to Inuyasha. "I see. Ye think to do it alone, do ye? Ye forget that only yon girl can find those shards. While only ye Inuyasha and Mai have strength enough to take them back once found."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm still here, ain't I? I can put up with anything for the Jewel!" Inuyasha said.

"You really do hate me, don't you?" Kagome said with sternness on her face that resembled Kikyo as Inuyasha looked up at her as he suddenly seemed to have looked lost and dazed.

'Kikyo...' Inuyasha thought as he stared at her in awe and how she reminded him of the one he cared for and lost. Mai had sensed it as she felt his emotions in the connection they seem to have.

"No he doesn't. And I'm not making this up." Mai reassured Kagome.

The clothes were drying on the drying rack next to the fire and there was peace for a moment as Mai and Kagome sat down for a bit to rest.

"Uh, Kagome, why do you have your hair tied back like that?" Mai asked as she whispered to Kagome.

"What do mean by that Mai...I just want to get it out of the way right now plus...too tired to put it up higher." Kagome said as she was exhausted.

"It's just with it along with the Priestess outfit, you look too much like Kikyo. I never liked that hairstyle and it doesn't really suit you." Mai explained.

"I understand that... but it's the only clothes to wear until our clothes dry...I'll fix my hair in a few minutes." Kagome said.

Inuyasha was glaring at them, especially Kagome and then started to growl in irritation.

"And what ails ye now, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked as she looked to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha didn't answer Kaede as he kept staring at Kagome. Then a woman from the village who was behind the bushes approached Kaede.

"Lady Kaede?" The woman asked in nervousness.

"Hmm?" Kaede turned towards the woman.

"It's my daughter." The woman told Kaede with concern and Kaede understood what the woman meant.

"I see. Let's head back." Kaede stood up and headed towards the woman, then she turned back to look at Inuyasha, Kagome and Mai. "I'll be checking on ye three later. Try not to fight." Kaede said and then left to head towards the village.

For a few minutes, it was pretty quiet and then Inuyasha decided to break the silence.

"Hey." Inuyasha said as he looked at away from Kagome.

"Now what do you want?" Kagome asked as she looked at Inuyasha.

"Get undressed." Inuyasha said with all seriousness on his face, having no idea how that sounded to the girl's ears.

Kagome grabbed a large boulder and harshly hit Inuyasha on top of his head.

"Ow! That... hurt! Why did you-" Inuyasha cried but was interrupted as Kagome bumped him on the head again with the boulder.

"You're such a pig," Kagome said in disgust and irritation.

"I didn't say 'get naked' stupid! I just can't stand seeing you in those clothes!" Inuyasha shouted at her as he pointed at her clothes hanging on the drying rack.

"Why? Cause I look like Kikyo?" Kagome put her hands on her hips, making that same stern face that Mai knew all too well.

"That's got nothing to do with it, ok?" Inuyasha said quietly as he looked away from Kagome.

"Yes it does." Mai said as he looked at her as he knew that she knew the reason.

"Please, my little brother is more mature. Look, I don't want to do this either, okay? But we've gotta work together!" Kagome said, determined to have things work out for them.

"Yeah, swallow your pride, Inuyasha. You need us." Mai said all knowingly.

"I ain't gotta do nothin'! It's you who needs me!" Inuyasha said with reasurrence, not letting anyone tell him what to do.

"Oh, I get it. So you don't care if I just go back home?" Kagome said as she quickly picked up her's and Mai's clothes.

Inuyasha turned to her as his ears twitched from what she said.

"Hey, where are you going?" Inuyasha asked as he was confused of what Kagome was doing.

"What do you care? We're going home. Goodbye, Inuyasha," Kagome held her head high as she walked towards the village.

"Good luck on your own." Mai said smugly as she followed Kagome.

"You can't just leave, you-" Inuyasha said as he stood up abruptly but was interrupted.

"My name isn't 'you'. It's Kagome." Kagome said sternly, not wanting to deal with him anymore.

"And my name is Mai." Mai said, not liking to be disrespected, especially from him.

"Wait, stupid!" Inuyasha said as he stood there, unsure what to do.

"It's not stupid either." Kagome said with her back towards him still walking.

"Would you just wait and hear me out?!" Inuyasha shouted to her.

"You're the one who won't hear us." Mai said, still walking alongside Kagome.

"Why? So you can try and stop me?" Kagome asked mockingly.

"No, so you can give me your Jewel shard." Inuyasha said as he had his hand out.

"Oh, this?" Kagome said as she turned around and had the little bag in her hand.

"No way. You don't understand what a burden it is." Mai shook her head.

"Sit boy." Kagome said as he suddenly facepalmed onto the ground.

"Why you..." Inuyasha said frustrated as he lifted his face from the ground.

"It's Kagome." Kagome said, making sure that her words were clear.

"And it's Mai." Mai said as she and Kagome left Inuyasha behind, kind of like giving him a time out.

'Why that stupid, ignorant little… he never once used my name, not once!' Kagome thought as she twirled the bag in her hand walking away towards the village.

'I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this, should we really be going off like this alone.' Mai thought as they continued to walk away from Inuyasha.

The wind was blowing as the grass danced with it and the Well stood out of place in the open field as Kagome and Mai went towards it.

'That's where we came out. It should take us back, right?' Kagome thought as she gasped when she looked at the inside of the Well.

'Bones.' Kagome thought as she looked at the bottom of the Well as it was filled with demon bones.

'This must be the Well that Kaede mentioned where they put the demons they defeated in.' Mai thought.

'Those must be the bones of Mistress Centipede.' Kagome thought as she recognized the bones of Mistress Centipede.

Then she dropped the clothes as she backed away from the Well in fear of the demon popping up from the Well again.

"No way. I can't go in there now." Kagome said as she shook her head.

"I think someone might be following us...Kagome." Mai said as she looked around as she was in a fight stance on high alert of any danger coming towards them.

"What then?" Kagome said as she looked around as well. Then they saw a leaf being cut in half in the middle of the air and there was a sound of strings being taut as someone was fingering them to make music like a guitar.

Suddenly Kagome's cheek was cut and Mai was unsure how it happened there was nothing there to cut Kagome. Kagome gasped as she felt the stinging pain in her cheek.

Then Kagome saw the taut strings that were in the air that surrounded the forest.

"That looks like hair!" Kagome said as she pointed the hair strings in the air unfortunately, Mai couldn't see them.

"Oh my, oh me. You can see it, then… my net of hairs I mean. Pity, because seeing's not enough." an airy voice said.

Mai and Kagome looked around until they saw who was the owner of the hairs. It was a girl with red eyes adorned with dark red eyeshadow and wore red lipstick.

Her hair was a short bob style black hair with a green sheen to it and tied it with a red ribbon on the top, also wore a black ribbon choker around her neck. Her skin was creamy white as if it hadn't seen the sunlight or even sunburnt.

She wore a thigh length, black ninja tunic with a yellow sash around her waist. On her hands were black gloves that were holstered by her middle fingers and extended over her wrists, close to the mid-forearm.

On her feet were black cloths that acted as foot guards which started midway up her shins down to her middle toes, that were held by thin straps at the bottoms of her feet but leaving her barefoot. She had a sword on her left hip.

Mai took a deep breath and caught the scent of the girl as the dog girl made a face that was in disgust.

'Ugh...this girl reeks of perfume and blood...I don't like this.' Mai thought.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked.

"Don't go near her, Kagome. She's a nasty one." Mai said as she got in front of her to protect her.

"How do you do? I'm Yura of the Hair, though you needn't bother to remember." Yura said as gave them a little bow.

"What do you mean by that?" Kagome said.

"Because you'll be dead soon!" Yura said as she used her hair strings to attack them.

"Not if I can help it!" Mai said as she braced for the attack as the hair strings were whipping around them but they didn't hurt Mai.

"I'll be having the Jewel if you don't mind!" Yura said as she stole the pouch from Kagome.

"Oh, you naughty, naughty girl. You shattered the Jewel." Yura gasped in surprise.

"Maybe it's better that way." Mai said as she continued to stare at Yura.

"Where's the rest, or I shall be cross." Yura said.

"And why should we tell you...give that back!" Mai said.

"You give that back!" Kagome ordered.

"Answer the question. Where is the rest of it?" Yura said sternly as she looked at them as if they were inferior to her.

"I'm… I'm not really sure." Kagome answered truthfully.

"And even if we did know, we'd never tell you!" Mai shouted to Yura.

"Awww...that's too bad...I guess I'll have to do this the hard way." Yura said.

"Not if I can't help it!" Mai shifted a bit as her hair appeared more in front of her which got Yura's attention.

"Oh!? my oh me...and that hair you have, such a unique color... I must have it." Yura said as she got closer to Mai and touched her hair.

"You make me sick!" Mai said as she backed away from her and stayed close to Kagome once more.

"Hm, in that case…" Yura said as she lept in the air with a short sickle in her hand. "I may as well finish you right now!" Yura was ready to swipe her weapon towards Kagome.

Kagome gasped as Yura was ready to strike, then Mai got in front of her. The girls leaned back from the swipe as they lost their balance and began to fall. Mai managed to kick Yura in the stomach before she was gone.

"No fair escaping!" Yura said as she threw her weapon in the well but it never hit anything. Yura retrieved her weapon as she looked down the well and it was nothing but darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

High mountains emanating in the background as the sun was setting over the city.

Kagome and Mai started to stir awake, vaguely remembering what just happened.

"Oh, where are we?" Kagome asked then gasped as she realized where they were as she put her hand on the ground feeling different textures as she looked down and saw there were few bones around them.

"We're in the well. Which is where we fell when that woman pushed us back." Kagome said as she looked at Mai.

"I don't hear or smell Yura." Mai looked around then back at Kagome.

"But we've already been in here a dozen times." A voice said and it sounded exactly like Grandpa.

Kagome gasped as she recognized that voice...it was Grandpa. Mai and Kagome looked up from the Well's stone cobble walls and saw the skylight show that it was getting late.

"Well but Grandpa, I keep telling you this is where they fell." Another voice said which sounded like Sota.

"Maybe one more time shouldn't hurt looking...if Sota said that where they fell I believe him...also I want to be sure we checked every possible place where they could be." As Mai heard her dad's voice, she stiffened unsure what would happen next.

A flashlight shone down into the well and blinded Mai and Kagome for a moment as their vision came back.

"But are you sure you weren't dreaming?" Grandpa asked as he looked at Sota.

"But I wasn't!" Sota argued with Grandpa then Mai's dad tapped Sota and Grandpa shoulders as he was looking down in the Well. Both of them looked down as well and could not believe what they were seeing.

The flashlight was still shone down in the Well and there was Kagome and Mai sitting on the ground wearing Priestess Feudal Era garments.

"Gra-Grandpa?! Sota?!" Kagome asked as her voice echoed in the Well.

"Dad?!" Mai shouted.

The setting sun was blocked from the building away from the shrine as the clouds were turning color from yellow to purple.

Mai spotted her house at the distance standing at the stairs of the temple.

'I'm back... but for how long has it been?' Mai thought as she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned and saw that it was her father touching her shoulder.

"It's been three days, you wear a priestess outfit, while your hair is reddish brown, and your ears are dog ears." Mai's dad noted.

"No! Don't look at me!" Mai yelled as she covered her ears.

"It's okay...I still care about you no matter what you look like," Mai's dad said.

"Really dad?...you're not ashamed of me?" Mai asked as she looked at her father.

"Of course...My Tiánxīn...but what happened?" Mai's dad asked.

"I'll explain it all to you but you have to believe me and what I say is true." Mai said. After a while of explaining what had happened, the Well, the village, the forest, fighting demons and the transformation, there was silence for a few moments until her father nodded in understanding.

"All right...I understand that you have been through a lot in the past few days." Mai's dad said.

"Thanks dad...I'm glad you understand." Mai said as she went to Kagome as she settled down a bit and told her that she was headed back to her home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mai walked into her room, which the walls were light blue with light red strand curtains and draping red lantern. On the large dresser was a vase holding a cherry blossom and a queen-sized bed in the left side of the corner of the room with hanging lights dangling on the walls and Panda plushies on the bed.

On the vanity was a LED Battery Lighted Cherry Blossom Tree and on the opposite wall was black wall décor shelf holder. "My room is the same as when I left." Mai said as she went to take a bath.

She was relaxing in the bathtub as she left the shampoo and conditioner set in hair. Then Mai started to remember Yura and had this feeling that it wasn't over yet.

"Why do I have this bad feeling that this isn't over?" Mai said as looked at her nails. "When my nails are this long, they're not so pleasant to look at."

She then decided to put on blue nail polish.

"That's a bit better." Mai admired her nails. And back to the Well... there were events that have yet to unfold.