Takahashi Forest

Kagome was looking in the mirror, holding a bathing suit to herself. The store wasn't packed, so she didn't have to worry about others looking. She sighed and put the suit back.

The store itself wasn't exactly Kagome's favorite, but it had all the latest fashions and some of the most colorful bathing suits. The bright pastel walls housed dresses, sexy bathing suits, shoes, jewelry, and accessories on clear hangers and clear shelves. The chandeliers were a fake gold color and sparkling with stained glass pieces. The music was jumpy, the opposite of the low energy of both retail workers and Kagome herself.

Pulling her black hair behind her ear and moving her bangs aside, Kagome looked at another swimsuit. It was so pretty with its flower patterns and chaotic red and gold colors. It was a two-piece, though. She braved the store mirror and held it against herself. Her gaze immediately went to her waist and to her hips. The top wouldn't be big enough for her chest size, either.

"This is the biggest they got," Kagome quietly complained as she looked at the size tag.

Behind the swimsuit, Kagome was wearing a jean jacket with rolled-up sleeves, a black tank top, and black shorts with black and white chucks and a rainbow beach bag with a towel and sunscreen. She'd always heard that the color black would shrink her waist and size, but her belly and noticeable rolls were hard to hide, even with the black and jacket combined. She placed her free hand against her belly, right where she'd show in the swimsuit. Meeting her own gaze, Kagome noticed the bit of fat under her chin.

With a sigh, Kagome placed the swimsuit back on the rack. Then, her phone gave a jingle, the sound of a text message. She jabbed her hand inside her large beach bag and pulled out the brick of a smartphone from the very bottom. Swiping up, the message showed it was from Hojo. Kagome perked up and immediately opened the message. Her smile dropped as soon as she saw the message.

"Hey, Kagome!" texted Hojo. "I can't make it today. I'm sorry about the late notice. Tell Sango and Miroku I said hi! Love you. 3." In his ID picture, Hojo was a warm sight with light brown hair, bright eyes, and a smile of perfectly straight teeth. His jawline was so strong, and his cheekbones were high, adding to the perfect frame of his waxed eyebrows.

In college, Hojo'd been every girl's dream boy, and he'd picked Kagome right in the middle of their senior year. They'd both been history majors and had attended almost all of the same classes together. They'd been friends until that day in the History of War when they'd become a couple on White Day. He'd given her chocolates and flowers, which he'd helped her take back home to her apartment.

Thinking back on those days, Kagome gave a heavier frown. After graduation, everything seemed harder. Hojo was busier than she was with his management job at a marketing company somewhere deep in downtown. She hardly saw him, and they lived together, which happened right after graduation five years ago. Their diplomas were on the wall right next to each other in the living room, and their pictures were framed and set atop the fake fireplace. They'd been together so long that they even shared a calendar to plan their dates together.

"It's okay," she texted back. A bitter taste was in her mouth as she continued her message. "I'll tell them you said hi. 3." With a sigh, she stuffed her phone back in her bag and walked out of the store. They were supposed to go on a double date with Sango and Miroku. It'd been the perfect plan: food at The Cheap and then Wolf's Den Beach. They were supposed to drink themselves silly, giving Kagome the perfect excuse not to look at her next subbing assignment and the courage to touch her boyfriend.

Kagome clutched at her bag. Summer was the season of romance and fun on the beach. Now, here she was, starting her summer without a swimsuit and without her boyfriend. Her chest had a heavy feeling as she thought back to Hojo's text. It occurred to her that she would have to talk to Sango and Miroku about it, and Kagome felt her mind cloud with the knowledge that Miroku would be pissed and talk absolute shit about Hojo.

"He hasn't even mentioned marriage yet!" Miroku had complained just last week. His outburst had Kagome ducking under the table to evade the stares of other people in the restaurant. Miroku had been Kagome's friend since they'd been children, and he'd been very protective of her despite his frisky nature with other women.

Pausing at the bus stop, Kagome thought about the ways she could possibly defend Hojo now. Her mind played through the possible conversation routes, running through the pages of fond memories that held Hojo in good graces of her own mother and even to herself. His past arguments kept popping up in response to any good trait she could attach to her work devoted boyfriend.

The busy street bombarded her with smells of gas and car fumes, the sounds of chatter and clicking shoes, and the feel of a too-hot day on her skin. The stores lined the sidewalk. Shining windows were plastered with eye-catching posters. People were grouped and weaving around one another like schools of fish did. There was laughter, ranting, and curses for stepping on gum or kicking discarded cups.

With it all, Kagome could only think, Miroku is going to show no mercy.

The public bus stopped right in front of her bench, and Kagome felt her stomach churn as she continued to think about what else Miroku would say. Like Sango, Kagome knew that Miroku was like a dog: once he bit down, he didn't let anything go. I have to text them, complained Kagome with chagrin hanging on the thought. She put on a Gorillaz song on her headphones as she walked through the bus aisle, hoping it would help her focus on how to frame her text to Sango and Miroku. She grumbled with her lips puckered in annoyance.

Kagome omitted Miroku from the send party on her text and instead texted Sango, "Hey, Hojo can't make it. :( Don't tell Miroku yet!" Her iPhone made a swish sound as the message sent, allowing Kagome to just sit back in her seat. Sango had been her friend since high school; she'd kicked a group of girls' asses for making fun of Kagome's weight. Since then, Kagome had a steady group of friends, eventually leading to Sango and Miroku dating in college and getting engaged a couple of years out.

There was a fairy sound that went off, notifying her of Sango's reply. "I won't say a thing. We can still have fun without Hojo." Between Sango and Miroku, Sango was more level headed, and Kagome admired how she went along with the flow of the moment.

"I'll wring his neck out!" came Miroku's sudden text. "Hojo can suck a dick!"

Kagome gaped. "Shhhit."

"Don't look at Miroku's text!" texted Sango. "His nosy self just looked over my shoulder. I'm so sorry X(."

Whining quietly, Kagome slumped in her seat. She looked out the window, seeing groups of friends and multiple couples walking arm in arm or hand in hand. Whatmore, a lot of the women were average-sized or considerably skinny, almost blending in with the models on store windows. They reminded her of the many diet magazines her dad had tried to push on her, while her mother had tossed all those magazines out when her father had turned his attention elsewhere. She'd been eleven at the time.

"I want my daughter to feel beautiful," her father had argued to her mother in their family kitchen.

"With those magazines," her mother had explained, "how could you expect her to feel beautiful. You're telling her she shouldn't!"

The speaker overhead announced her stop, and Kagome got off. She looked at her phone one more time and saw that Sango and Miroku were already in the restaurant. She looked up at the sky and begged the heavens to give her a break. The restaurant was called The Cheap, which made it a great place for late-night drinking, bar hoppers in a need of a break, and hungry broke people. It'd been a favorite of Sango's that quickly became Miroku's and Kagome's favorite.

Stuffing her phone and headphones away, Kagome entered the restaurant and immediately smelt the pizza and fries. The Cheap was a greasy palace of booths, stools, empty napkin containers, half-full ketchup bottles, and a fritzy pop machine. The clown red and offending yellow colors lined the walls and set the theme for slightly beat up booth seats. The tile was chipped here and there, showing the old flooring underneath.

With a smile, Kagome approached her friends waving her over to the corner booth. She slid into the seat across from both of them and felt the corner of her smile twitch at Miroku's disappointed face.

Miroku was a 5'11" situation with his dark short beach boy hair tied in a ponytail, and he wore piercings all over his right ear with an impressive face piercing on his chin. He wore a blue open button shirt, showing the intricate lion tattoo on his muscled chest and his detailed tattoo sleeves. He also wore white swim trunks and sandals. Throughout their school years, Miroku had been the soft jock that girls flocked to until his hands had wandered where they shouldn't have been, but he had been fierce as a protector, scaring the shit out of guys who'd thought they could get an easy layout of Kagome. He'd gone to college for accounting and had joined a fraternity. Kagome just remembered it had been an interesting time for him. Currently, he was an accountant for a big firm in downtown.

Sango, on the other hand, was Kagome's height, a simple 5 feet, but she was a tough crossfit trainer. It would've been hard to tell with her pretty eyes and magenta eyeshadow showing otherwise. She wore a one-piece bathing suit, jean shorts, and sandals, as well. Her hair was long and brown, framing her face with bangs and no hair tie to restrict it. In high school and college, she'd supported Kagome and had shown uptight assholes her fist when the times had called for it. Unlike Miroku's desk office major, Sango went to school to become an athletic trainer. To this day, Sango still practiced martial arts, even participating in MMA here and there. She'd confided to Kagome that she wanted to go pro for a year or two.

Kagome pressed her back to her side of the booth, the plastic feel of the seat already sticking to her. "It's good to see you both again," she started.

"He has to go," Miroku said without a pause.

"Didn't wait for that one, huh?" replied Sango with a frown. She narrowed her eyes at Miroku.

"I'm just saying," explained Miroku as he crossed his arms. "That piece of shit is really pissing me off."

Sango sighed and bit, "This isn't about you, you ass. Can't you consider Kagome's feelings for a second?" She leaned on the table, angling her head at her fiance.

"I thought you didn't like him, either," excused Miroku.

"I don't!"

"Then, let me protect my little sister here."

"You can't expect her to uproot herself," argued Sango. "We can't tell her what to do, either."

"Kagome can live with us if she has to," Miroku quickly said, clearly ignoring the second half of Sango's argument. He ignored Sango rolling her eyes and looked right at Kagome. "If you don't live with us, I'll help you kick him out."

Now it was Kagome's turn as she leaned in on her arms. "Big bro," she said gently, "I love him. He is sweet, and he doesn't mean to harm me." She looked pleadingly at Miroku as it wasn't her strongest argument ever. In his eyes, Kagome saw he wasn't budging one inch, and defeat was starting to weigh in on her shoulders. Last week had been worse when Miroku had gotten drunk at the restaurant and had demanded to pummel Hojo for being, as he'd claimed, a selfish prick. That time, both Kagome and Sango had to hold him down until he'd calmed down. It'd been funny if Miroku weren't so huge and heavy to handle.

"Don't you bat your puppy eyes at me," said Miroku.

Kagome groaned as she dropped her chin onto her arms. When they had been kids, her puppy eyes would get her out of trouble with adults and with him. However, Miroku had caught on during high school and had been cautious ever since. "Hojo isn't a bad guy," she tried again. "He's just busy."

"With what?" pried Miroku. He leaned in. "It's Saturday, Mey! The last time he said he was busy, you ended up crying your eyes out over him. He could be lying right now." His use of her nickname didn't go unnoticed. He used it more when he was protective of her.

"This is coming from the guy who flirts with anyone wearing a skirt," Sango said sourly. Her judgemental gaze hadn't dropped just yet.

Miroku sat back and gawked at Sango. "Don't compare my appreciation for the female anatomy with Hojo's wandering dick," he hissed.

Heart dropping, Kagome's energy took a dive as she was reminded of Hojo's infidelity just one year back. She'd noticed Hojo hadn't been kissing her or even holding her hand as much as before. He'd also been more guarded around his cellphone and had worn scarves for days at a time. One night, she'd bought Hojo his favorite ramen dinner and had been home earlier than usual to set up the living room for a night of movies and romance as it had been their anniversary.

She'd been fixing up red pillows and clearing away the pictures on their glass coffee table when Kagome had heard strange creaking noises and grunts from their bedroom. She'd felt her stomach fall into her feet as the sounds had been very distinguishable. Kagome had approached the bedroom door, which was right next to the couch, and had swung the door in with a gentle touch. She'd gotten a view of Hojo with his dick inside her old friend from college, Yuka.

Yuka had caught Kagome's eyes first and had immediately pushed herself from under Hojo, who'd followed her surprise to Kagome. At the time, Kagome had been shocked and hadn't known what to say at first. Then, the first words that had come to her were "Get out." Then, as if she'd been possessed, Kagome had screamed, "Get out!" Hojo had tried to approach her and hold her tenderly. His words had been like sweet poison, but Kagome had been adamant, summoning the fierceness she admired in Sango and the scary toughness she'd always seen in Miroku. Finally, Hojo had left, and she'd changed the locks to her apartment after throwing out his stuff in boxes onto the stairwell.

No break up could compare. Kagome had dated several men and women in college, even dating the most handsome butch woman known to break hearts. Those breakups had been mutual, less painful. There had been no betrayal as even a heartbreaker had treated Kagome like a goddess.

"Now you made her cry, you airhead," grouched Sango. She shoved past Miroku and took a seat next to Kagome, who sat up and felt the tears on her face. "Kagome, ignore him. He's being a jerk." She had an arm around Kagome's shoulders. "We can talk about Hojo and what you want later. Okay?"

Kagome nodded as she wiped her face with a torn napkin.

"Pizza!" came a waiter's voice. A pepperoni wonder pizza was placed in front of them with three root beers to accompany their food. "Enjoy!" The waiter walked off.

Miroku sighed and let his arms drop. "I know you don't want to hear it," he admitted. "I just worry about you...and quite frankly, I don't trust Hojo. The guy is off..." He reached over and held Kagome's hand. "I won't push anymore."

IIIIIIIIIII

"Last one in is a rotten egg!" declared Miroku as he stripped his shirt and sandals to run to the ocean water. Behind him, Sango was laughing and doing the same. They ran off, racing to the water. They'd made it to Wolf's Den Beach, which took its name from the cave that neighbored the small beach. The city rumored that wolves still lived in that cave, but it was a heavy tourist attraction now.

Kagome shook her head as she picked up their shirts and put them in the pit of her arm. A laugh bubbled up as Miroku dove towards the waves, effectively making Sango the rotten egg. She returned to their pink and gold blanket and sat down just in front of the big blue cooler. She kicked off her shoes and shed her jacket to sit in the heat as she took her time to fold the shirts in her arms for her friends. A large purple umbrella provided some shade for her as she looked on, seeing them laughing and splashing around like they never left high school.

She remembered those days.

For Kagome, high school was a mix of a nightmare and constant pressure. There'd been other students, then there'd been other girls talking about losing weight. If one hadn't been trying and succeeding to be pretty, bright, and skinny, then they'd become fodder for a bunch of vultures. Kagome recalled the drawn dicks and fat jokes scribbled on her desk every morning. There had been obvious stares and even outright calls for her attention with fatty or Mrs. Pots. However, among the feathers of terror had been those shining moments of just being kids with a love for pizza and playing hooky to go to Wolf's Den.

Kagome had loved playing hooky to go to the beach. At the time, Sango and Miroku hadn't been exactly on all good terms as Miroku had proven to be a flirt, not taking into account Sango's crush on him. Nonetheless, they'd been competitive to get to the water, swim, or even splash the most. Kagome had splashed with them, basking in the sun and love from the only two people who'd never looked at her like she'd been some pitiful lump.

Shaking her head with a smile, Kagome watched Sango and Miroku splash around with laughs until they set themselves to race back to the blanket. She laughed again as they took off, obviously slowed down by the sand, and snorted when Miroku fell face-first into a sandcastle. Sango pointed and laughed at him before helping him up.

"You guys are silly," said Kagome as her friends plopped down on the blanket on either side of her.

Sango beamed at Kagome. "Remember that time in high school when we came here and built the biggest sandcastle on the beach?" She was looking over at Miroku now.

"You will never let it go," said Miroku with a pout. "I fall once, and you never let me live it down." He leaned back on his hands.

"Well, you did destroy it," said Sango as she mirrored Miroku's leaning posture. "Kagome worked so hard on that mermaid."

Kagome folded her legs and smiled over at Miroku. "You proved to be a menace to sandcastles everywhere." She then tapped at her chin as she looked upward at nothing in thought. "With eight sandcastles under your belt, you're a natural."

"Sandzilla," snorted Sango before outright laughing. Kagome joined her on that one. They fell over each other as they listed all the castles that Miroku effectively demolished due to his poor balance. With each castle, they laughed harder.

A heavy sigh slipped out of Miroku before he positioned himself in front of them both, effectively getting their attention after they finished wheezing. "Let me clear my name and build the biggest sandcastle on the beach." He bowed his head. "I shall avenge the castles I destroyed."

"Is avenge even the right word here?" asked Sango with a smirk.

Miroku looked up at her and replied, "I'm just going to make the castle, then you'll have to drop Sandzilla as my nickname." He eyed Sango, who seemed to be thinking about it with a smile that made no promise.

"Does that mean I'd have to change your nickname, too?" asked Kagome. She outright grinned at Miroku's immediate answer of yes.

"I guess I'll help you," said Sango before crawling over to him and pecking him on the cheek. "Come on, Sandzilla. Let's build a castle." She stood up and began to walk to a clear spot. The sand had her exaggerating her steps and emphasizing the swing of her hips.

Watching her walk, Miroku let a corner of his mouth rise in a half-smile, while his eyes were ever so focused. Kagome knew that was his dirty-thoughts-face and immediately put her hand on his head to put him back on track. Miroku chuckled as he stood up, too, and held out his hand to Kagome, who felt absolute love radiating from just that gesture alone. Miroku never left her out of anything; he was the big brother she wished for and had in her life. Taking his hand, Kagome was pulled to her feet, and she followed after him to help build a sandcastle.

IIIIIIIIIII

Kagome waved at her friends as they drove away. She had them drop her off at Noodles For Days, Hojo's favorite ramen spot. After seeing Miroku and Sango stealing glances at each other and ending up in a flexing competition, Kagome felt the need to try to get Hojo to spend time with her at dinner. Why not ramen? It usually put them both in a good mood and opened up the floor for laughs and even intense eye gazing.

Noodles For Days was nothing like The Cheap. The tables and chairs were well kept, and the flooring was a shining white tile. The walls were a cream color with noodle prints in a richer color. There wasn't a pop fountain, but there was a station for silverware and napkins just at the end of the order counter.

Kagome kept her headphones in as she walked up to the counter and perused the menu up top. She tapped her chin and found Hojo's favorite before she found a ramen dish she'd like. The smells from the kitchen wafted over toward her, filling her senses and making her smile. The watering in her mouth had her slurping her own spit back and putting her hand to her lips to wipe away excess spit.

As the Gorillaz's Trans played, Kagome opened up the banking app on her phone and almost squeaked in panic at the low amount of money she had to spend. She thought, I'll only have enough to buy one.

Looking back up at the menu, Kagome looked between the bowl she wanted and the bowl Hojo loved. "Don't be selfish," she chided herself under her breath. She felt someone standing behind her, and she could also feel the same kind of stare coming from the cashier.

She quickly walked to the red-headed teenage cashier and ordered Hojo's favorite beef ramen bowl. The kid wore the awkward cream-colored work shirt, clashing with her hair and khakis. Kagome briefly remembered herself as a teenager working at Wacdonald's for a time; the uniform had been just as awkward then.

After paying, Kagome told herself that she had to keep the rest of her money to pay the rent soon. She walked over toward the waiting booth and took a seat, thinking about the internet bill she'd have to pay in addition to the Hulx bill.

Why is life so expensive? Kagome inwardly whined. Hojo is going to have to help a little more this month, I think.

As she dreaded her upcoming bills, she caught the eye of a woman in heels and a dress. A part of her wanted to smile as this woman was beautiful with long light brown hair and bright eyes, but Kagome quickly looked down with a blush to chastise herself. You have a boyfriend, she reminded herself. Hojo is waiting at home, and he'll want to hold you and eat his delicious ramen. He'll have no choice but to actually hang out with you.

"Higurashi," called the cashier. They held the bag with both hands.

Kagome just near jumped to her feet and went over to get her bag. She looked back at the woman before she left, and the woman was watching her leave, winking when their eyes met. Feeling her face get red, Kagome exited the restaurant.

Turning off her music, Kagome checked for her upcoming bus route when she heard laughter. She glanced around for the sound and saw a child looking right at her from the fence that surrounded the seemingly never-ending Takahashi Forest. This kid looked like they were ten years old, but they were oddly short. Their hair was covered over by the wrinkled stem of their pumpkin costume, and they wore green stockings to match the sleeves coming from the smiling gourd. The actual pumpkin's face was so sharp at the edges of the smile, while the eyes were upturned in sour delight.

The pumpkin kid put a finger to their widened lips, a perfect match to their costume, before slipping into the small cut wires of the chain fence. Kagome's brow furrowed. As far as she knew, no one was allowed in Takahashi Forest due to complications that even the government hadn't specified. According to her grandfather, the forest was a breeding ground of evil, and she and Miroku had been told numerous times as kids to never set foot in there. For her grandfather's credit, they stayed away from the place, and Kagome couldn't think of a time when anyone ever went in there unless it was a dumb joke. She knew people who'd entered, but they'd all come back saying that nothing happened.

"Crap," said Kagome as she slipped the ramen and her phone back in her bag. She walked off the pavement and onto the grass. The sun was still in the sky, so Kagome figured that she could still see this kid. As she approached the fence, she looked around herself. There weren't any adults walking around and searching for a kid. Not even a name was being thrown to the wind by chance that the pumpkin kid could hear.

"A kid shouldn't be going in here," Kagome said as she looked through the metal ringlets, not catching any signs of the pumpkin kid inside. Touching at them, the ringlets were warm and smooth, contrasting its rusty exterior. She looked down at the opening and frowned at the size. "Well, I won't fit. Damn thing is made for a bunny rabbit or something." She looked around and saw an unlocked gate. Her heart jumped.

That wasn't there a second ago, she thought. The gate itself was ajar with a broken chain and a rusted overlock. The slice in the chain looked clean like someone used giant cutters recently. A gentle breeze carried the hinges' heavy groans. A white-bordered sign hung on it with a simple Do Not Enter in large writing. There was some other writing, but it made less sense as it was framed like a one lined poem.

Speak not the name at dawn.

"What does that even mean?" asked Kagome aloud.

Looking at the forest itself, it appeared as warm as the day. The trees were bright green, and there were sprouting trees surrounding the much larger and older trunks. Everything smelled fresh as if the gas fumes never even came close to this place. When she looked up, she could spot the mix of high hills leading into the mountain range that reached the clouds.

Kagome shifted on her feet and whined, "This is a bad idea. This is some scary movie shit." She pouted as she thought of the kid just going in without worry. "You're a teacher. Suck it up and help this kid." Walking over, she pushed the gate open, the groaning heavier than before, and stepped over. For a moment, she waited to see what would happen.

Nothing.

Laughter made her jump, but Kagome searched for the familiar laugh and saw a bobbing pumpkin weaving through the trees with high pitched squeals. "Catch me if you can!" the pumpkin kid yelled. "C'mon! Catch me!"

"Hey!" called Kagome. "Wait!" She held her bag tight and ran forward, doing her best to ignore the tight feel of her chucks around her ankles. The ground crunched as she took each step, and the trunks of looming trees got thicker and thicker. "Hey! Kid, we can't be in here!" She ran until she felt herself getting slower and more tired. Her feet got heavier. Then, she stopped, watching the pumpkin kid duck behind a tree, peeking out at her with more giggles. "Thanks for waiting." She leaned on a tree and did her best to slow her breathing.

"I should hang out with Sango more at the gym," she wheezed to herself. Kagome moved to stand but grimaced at the burning feel between her thighs. Whimpering, she looked down and saw that her inner thighs were getting a burn from rubbing together. Aside from that, there was sweat building up under her jean jacket and reaching around her waist and even into her ass.

"I'm going to the gym," concluded Kagome as she decided to walk with her legs slightly further apart. Despite her effort, she could still feel her thighs rubbing together. Clutching her bag, Kagome sighed and reached down to pull her shorts down a bit to cover her skin. It wouldn't last long, but it'd do during a walk. "Hey, kid! Your parents are probably worried sick! You should come back."

When the laughter continued, Kagome sighed heavily and kept walking. "I'll never complain about substitute teaching again if I can get out of here without twisting an ankle," she mumbled to herself as she stepped over large roots. "How the hell is this kid running so fast? Their legs are shorter than mine!" Just as she stepped over a rather large root, the laughing stopped. "Huh? Hey! Where'd you go?"

Kagome looked about herself. The trees were unforgivingly huge now, and the branches were high up with a multitude of leaves shading the ground from the sun. The air was much cooler against her legs, but her arms were still so warm under her jacket. She huffed when she didn't see the pumpkin kid anywhere. Taking out her phone, Kagome looked at her bus route again and saw that she just missed the last bus.

"Why does Saturday hate me?" grumbled Kagome. She walked a little more and kept her head up as much as possible, just in case she saw the pumpkin costume. When she couldn't even hear the patter of feet or even see the kid anymore, Kagome slumped her shoulders. "Great. Saturday hates me and kids are getting stranger and luring people into forests for fun. They probably went back."

Turning around, Kagome jumped at the sight of the kid she'd been looking for. A very childish squeal escaped her lips as she backed away a step. The kid laughed, their cheeks full and pink. "Okay," said Kagome, "that wasn't cool. What are you doing out here anyways?" She waited for an answer, but the kid's face didn't change, continuing to mirror the costume's smiling face. "No answer, huh? Well, let's get back to the main street. I'll help you find your parents." She motioned to take the kid's hand but suddenly stopped.

There was a rush of goosebumps going up her arm and covering her body. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing, just like the hairs on her arm. Kagome took her hand back. The little voice inside her was telling her to turn and run. For a moment, she scoffed at the idea that she should run from a child, but then, the kid's lip twitched, sending Kagome's heart racing.

Nearly crushing her bag to her chest, Kagome took a step back, never breaking eye contact with the pumpkin kid. She watched as this kid's eyes bled a red color. "Oh shit," was all she got out before Kagome turned and took off running. A guttural roar sounded out behind her as she continued on with a heart rate that now tripled. She wanted to reach in her bag and grab her phone, but all she could do was pour her focus into her legs for now.

Glancing back over her shoulder, Kagome saw that there was an actual pumpkin the size of a bear chasing after her on viney legs. The thing had a huge tongue sticking out of its less than friendly jack-o-lantern face. Its eyes were completely red, illuminating the veiny skin around its face.

"What the hell!" screamed Kagome. She began to clumsily dig in her bag for her phone now. At the moment, she wanted Miroku and Sango. She wanted them to come back and help her. She wanted Miroku to scare this pumpkin with his deadly glare, and she wanted Sango to break this gourd in half like it was nothing. Just as she got a hold of her phone, Kagome felt a heavy force slam across the expanse of her back. Her feet left the ground as she flew forward and landed with her bag leaving her arms. The ground wasn't as soft as her chin struck the ground and the uneven flooring scraped at her cheek.

Kagome scrambled to get up, but that same force pressed down on her back. There was a burning sensation that worsened as the pumpkin creature pressed down on her. "No! Miroku!" she screamed. "Sango!" Another press made her grunt heavily; her breaths were coming in shorter. With tears spilling from her eyes, Kagome looked to nowhere. "Miroku!"

Suddenly, there was a loud breeze in the air. Kagome gasped when the pressure on her back was gone. She pushed herself to get up and scurry over toward a gnarled tree, where she clung to a root as she pressed her back to the trunk. Her thighs were stinging twice over now, and her lungs were burning with every expansion of her ribcage. She wheezed heavily and tried to control her crying fit as she glanced back. There, where she'd been pinned, waged a fight between a red blur and an enraged vegetable.

The pumpkin was jerking back and forth with groups of five gashes digging at its body. It roared and grounded itself by digging its vines into the soil before sending a whirlwind of vines to swipe at the air. As sudden as the pumpkin grounded itself, it fell. The body was sliced in half and pouring orange goop from its center.

Kagome touched her chest as she looked around, not seeing the red blur that took down her now least favorite garden vegetable in the world. When she didn't see anything, she slowly got up and limped toward her bag to pick it up, groaning at the flaring burn and ache in her back and chest. She checked her phone and saw the screen had cracked.

This looks expensive, she thought. Kagome's thoughts went from the phone to the pumpkin and back around herself. She moved her bangs up to get air on her sweaty forehead for a second before deciding to walk around the pumpkin. She could now only think of questions, so many questions.

"So humans don't say thanks anymore, hm?" came the deepest and smoothest voice from behind.

Kagome turned on her heel and came face to face with a broad chest. Looking up, Kagome met the gaze of a man with the prettiest eyes and the most enchanting hair she'd ever seen. She took a step back. This guy looked as tall or maybe taller than Miroku, and he was just as wide-shouldered and muscular. He wore red robes and a dark sword, which complemented his waist-length silver hair and made him look like some old school ronin. His eyes were like gold, framed by thick arching eyebrows. His chin was strong and angular, and his hands were large with clawed tips. The strangest of this man, though, had to be the set of white dog ears atop his head, which topped his shoeless situation altogether.

"If you're going to gawk at everything in here and get yourself killed," he said, "you shouldn't cross the barrier." His lips were perfect like they've never gone a day without moisturizer. "Hey! You hear me?"

Blinking heavy, Kagome opened her mouth for a moment, but then closed it. She flinched when he moved and settled his left hand on the sword at his hip. "Um," started Kagome as she felt herself clinging to her bag again. "Th-Thank you." She watched him bend over a little to get at eye level with her. Her heart pounded against her sore chest.

"Human girls have gotten slower and rounder, hm?" this guy said. He had a brow raised as he looked her right in her eyes. "You're unarmed and nearly became fertilizer. Pretty stupid move on your part."

Blushing and feeling goosebumps return to her, Kagome stuttered, "N-No." She gulped before dropping her gaze to her scuffed and stained shoes. "Y-You're too close."

The stranger straightened his posture with a heavy keh before crossing his arms across his chest, his gaze dipped at her. "You should get going, woman." His words were so blunt and final.

Kagome nodded. "Thank you," she repeated. For a moment, she thought about this strange situation and this strange man in this strange forest. It didn't seem real, yet she'd seen it all first hand. This guy… "You saved my life!" She looked up at her savior, who didn't seem to budge at her words. Her lip trembled as it all sank in. "I...I could've died...and no one would've known." Kagome felt the tears drop faster than the pain settling on her face, her knees, her back, and in her chest.

"H-Hey," the guy said, his expression suddenly unsettled. "D-Don't cry." He reached toward her shoulders but hesitated. "You're safe now, so stop crying!" His eyes softened, and his voice lowered sharply. "C-C'mon, I'll take you back to the barrier." Then, he settled his hands on her shoulders and turned her around.

Following his lead, Kagome turned around with him and allowed him to keep his arm around her shoulders. She sniffled and wiped her tears, hissing when her cheek burned at her own touch. Kagome's crying lessened until she was breathing past the clogging in her nose. She glanced at this guy's hand on her shoulder.

The only other guys who'd ever held her like this had been Miroku and Hojo. Miroku's hold had been gentle but firm, while Hojo's had been soft and even suggestive in the way he'd rub his thumb over her. This hand was a mix of both, and Kagome felt warmth grace her chest and face.

"My name is Kagome," said Kagome in a low voice.

Why did you save me? Kagome asked in her mind.

"Inuyasha," replied her savior.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said slowly. "You have a nice name." She tried to smile up at him, but his gaze was fixed on the stretch of trees in front of them. From there, they continued their walk in silence until they reached the fencing. The warm hand on her shoulder dropped, and Kagome wanted to protest at the removal. "Inuyasha, thank you." She turned to him, then she gasped before digging in her bag.

I still have that ramen, thought Kagome.

Inuyasha tilted his head at her with his ears at full attention. He leaned over a little, only to jump back when Kagome pulled out a paper bag. "What's that?" he asked. His eyes were wide as he sniffed at the bag. "Smells weird."

Kagome smiled as she checked inside it. "It held up," she said before holding it up to Inuyasha. "Here, take it."

"What is it?" asked Inuyasha. He sniffed at the bag again before backing off. "What do I do?"

Confusion hit Kagome before she shook it off and pulled out the plastic tub of warm ramen. The bag crumpled loudly as she put it back in her bag. Then, she sat down and set the big tub down on the ground, where she pulled the lid off, letting out the steam and smell of the brown broth. Inuyasha followed her example and sat down across from her.

"Here," said Kagome as she handed him some chopsticks and a spoon. "You eat it." She watched as Inuyasha scrutinized the ramen before pinching a wad of noodles over a spoonful of broth. His nose twitched as he sniffed it again. Then, slowly, he opened his mouth and sank his fangs into the noodles and slurped the broth. His eyes widened even more as he chewed slowly.

Inuyasha took a few more bites, chewing loudly. "This is amazing!" he exclaimed. He took a break to look at Kagome. "What is it?"

"Ramen," replied Kagome. When Inuyasha continued eating, she dropped her gaze to observe her folded hands. She thought back on the pumpkin thing and his swift takedown. Then, she thought about his lack of knowledge of the most common food in the country and his mention of a barrier. Lastly, she circled back to his saving her. Why did he save her?

What the hell is going on? Kagome asked herself.

"Aren't you going to eat any?" asked Inuyasha. "You got to be hungry, too." He offered the chopsticks and spoon. For a moment, Kagome looked him in his rich golden eyes; there wasn't any ill humor in them. He wasn't even looking at her waistline or commenting on it. It occurred to her that he genuinely asked a question without any purpose in making a fat joke. When Kagome shook her head, he wolfed down more of the noodles.

Kagome asked, "What was that thing? That pumpkin was huge and it moved." She hugged herself as she focused on her ruined shoes again.

Mouth half-full of noodles, Inuyasha answered, "Don't you know a demon when you see one?" He gulped the food down.

"A d-demon?" Kagome asked, startled. Glancing at him, she saw he didn't even bat an eye at her response. "No way!" She'd heard of demons from back home at the shrine, but she never actually believed in them. The stories she'd heard as a child were all too fantastical to be true. She caught the twitching of his ears and immediately made a connection.

He's probably a demon, too, Kagome told herself, but he looks so human.

Slurping the broth from his spoon, Inuyasha replied coolly, "Yeah, we're all sealed in here." He gestured around with his chopsticks. "I figured since you could see the barrier and everything that you'd know that. Are you some newbie priestess or something?"

"Priestess?" repeated Kagome. She tapped at her chin and thought back to her family's shrine again. Her mother, grandfather, and brother still lived there, far away from the downtown area of the city. Her grandfather hadn't taught her the ways of being a priestess; he'd insisted that the job had been too dangerous for his sweet granddaughter. "No."

"Could've fooled me," replied Inuyasha. He tapped the chopsticks against his lips, and that alone caught Kagome's attention before he spoke again. "You do look like her, you know? Kikyo… She's the one who sealed us all in here." His brow dipped and his lips pursed. His energy was suddenly low. "Figured you were related. Like a cousin? Tell me, are the lords still celebrating our destruction?"

Kagome took her turn to angle her head at him. "There are no lords," she answered plainly. "How long have you been in here?"

Inuyasha finished the ramen and set the chopsticks and spoon in the empty tub. "Few hundred years, I think," he said before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He got to his feet and inspected some of the spilled broth on his robes.

Kagome followed suit and gathered the trash, putting it back in the paper bag. "I see," she said, even though she very much wanted to say that he didn't look a day over twenty-eight. "You can't leave here, can you?"

"Like I said," explained Inuyasha. "We were locked in here. I haven't even seen the ocean in forever." He sniffed in her direction. "You smell like it."

Another blush covered Kagome's face as she noted to shower when she got home. However, she had to return back to the barrier statement. "That pumpkin looked like a kid," she said, "and it was outside the fe-barrier before re-entering… Should demons be able to do that if the barrier is supposed to keep you all in."

"That thing got out?" asked Inuyasha. He looked at the barrier, then he smirked. "Well, about damn time! I was getting sick of staying in here." He flexed his claws. "I can't wait to stretch my legs on open fields again."

Kagome fiddled with her bag. From the way Inuyasha was speaking, she figured he had been in here longer than he thought. Open fields weren't all that common unless one went to a park or garden maybe. As much as she wanted to tell him that everything he'd ever known was gone, Kagome decided against it. Sure, she'd given him ramen, but there was no way that they were exactly friends, much less acquaintances. He wouldn't care much about what she said.

"Hey," Kagome said in a low voice, "why did you save me?... It's not that I'm ungrateful! I just don't see why you would..." She watched Inuyasha and waited for him to respond, but his eyes seemed to reflect a somber thought.

When he didn't say anything, Kagome just figured she shouldn't pry. His thoughts were his own. "Inuyasha," said Kagome, a little softer this time. "I hope you liked the ramen."

Inuyasha stretched, his expression lightening just a bit. "That stuff was good!" he said as he looked up at the darkening sky. "When I get out of here, I'll eat ramen every day." He walked over toward the barrier-fencing and reached out, only to take his hand back with a growl. There as a loud sizzling sound coming from him.

Jumping at his reaction, Kagome immediately went to his aid and glimpsed his reddened hand. Without looking him in the face, she took his hand and let her finger hover over the burned skin. She could hear him starting to talk, but she was so engrossed in his hand and wishing he hadn't touched the fence that a glow poured out of her fingers. Her eyes widened as the skin beneath her fingers regained its original color. She didn't notice the way Inuyasha was watching her so closely as she pressed her hand to his. A pink orb surrounded their joined hands until Kagome felt that her wishing had been satisfied.

Removing her hand, Kagome gaped with a paused thought as she saw Inuyasha's healed palm. She touched the skin again, noting that it was rough and even calloused. They were almost like a mechanic's hands, but his handheld together better.

"Priestesses usually needed medicines to help the maimed and sick," said Inuyasha, his tone low and steady, "and there was only ever one who didn't need medicines… Kikyo… Who are you?"

Finally meeting his gaze, Kagome saw warmth in his eyes. It almost felt as if he'd missed her, but he wasn't looking into her own eyes. Whoever Kikyo was… Inuyasha clearly missed her, despite his sour note earlier. Kagome gave a sheepish smile. "I'm just a substitute teacher," she answered.

Inuyasha blinked before looking away and taking his hand back. He grunted harshly. "Well, substitute teacher," he said, "you should go home and never return. Only a priestess can step in here and survive."

Oddly perking at his words, Kagome gently asked, "Can I visit you again tomorrow?" She wasn't all sure why that question just came out, but she was sure that she didn't want to not see this guy ever again. There were more questions she had, and a lot of them were about him. His energy was drawing her closer, but she remained still. As much as she wanted to compare him to Miroku, Sango, or Hojo, Kagome couldn't place him in their light. He shined all on his own.

Inuyasha gave her a puzzled look. His ears twitched before flattening. "Didn't you just hear what I said?" He put his hands on his hips. "You'll die if you come back here."

"You said a trained priestess can enter here," said Kagome, "and survive. I'm a fast learner. If I start training, can I visit you?"

"U-Uh," stammered Inuyasha before he straightened himself out again. Then, he crossed his arms while looking up at the canopy of branches and leaves. "Do whatever you want."

With a big smile, Kagome ran over to the gate. She glanced back over her shoulder. "I'll bring you more ramen," she decided. Her smile got bigger when Inuyasha looked at her with his ears perked. "See you tomorrow!" Then, she crossed over back to modernity, seeing that night settled softly on the bright halo of the city.

Author's Note:

Hey all. I'm excited to be writing Inuyasha fic, so here's the first of my contributions. I'll see readers in the next chapter.

-W