Update (November 2020): Chapter edited and lengthened!
Chapter 40: Two Hearts, One Mind
A new day dawns in the modern streets of Tokyo, Japan, and our viewpoint pans over the Higurashi Shrine and Residence just as our occupants gather at the kitchen table to share in a morning meal, a routine that had been lacking one member for quite a while...
Of course, while the blood relatives had their usual peace as they ate their gohan (steamed rice), miso soup, yakizakana (grilled fish) and strawberries, their adopted member was feeling the complete opposite...Yes, it's clear by the frown on Coraline's face as she drank some of her green tea, that her mind was still brooding over yesterday's fight with Inuyasha...
Sōta tries to keep the friendly atmosphere going.
"Coraline, pass the soy sauce."
Unfortunately, the girl's response would not hold a matching tone.
"Yur arms are working fine, Sōta. Feel free to use them."
"Yeesh, forget it. I'll eat it plain."
As the young boy went back to his rice, Hayato would call Coraline out on her negativity.
"Enough of your snippy attitude at the breakfast table, young lady! Maybe they don't have great table manners back in feudal Japan, but in this house, we do. This is the first time in a while that we've had breakfast together, so cheer up."
"...Uuh, I don't think that's gonna happen."
"Eh?"
(Scrape)
Both male Higurashis flinch as Coraline rises abruptly from her seat, a stoic frown on her face.
"Yo'r right; my apologies. I'll rememb'a my manners nex' time. Please excuse me."
With that, the redhead gathers her empty dishes and leaves the table...The men exhale, and Hayato asks Akari in disbelief,
"Good lord, what's wrong with her?"
The lady of the house just smiles and replies,
"She's a teenager...Bet any money it's boy trouble."
...
...
Eventually, Coraline leaves the shrine - her hair now tied back in a French braid and her body dressed in a sienna brown long-sleeve, cool gray skinny jeans and her brown hikers - with a stack of books in her leather bookbag, as well as a list of ones she'll need for the next round of her online schooling...
As she approaches the library, the young woman thinks to herself,
Dia, i' feels like an age since I last came 'ere. I'm glad this library has'a long checkout policy here, otherwise I'd be screwed with late fees.
"...Cora!"
"Sis!"
"Huh?"
Pausing at the base of the front steps, she turns around and sees her brothers Freeman and Besa rushing over to her. Their attire this round partially matches eachother, having the same plain red v-neck tees and monochrome converse sneakers, but differs with the cornrow-haired teen wearing green khaki pants while his brother sports onyx skinny jeans...
"Oh, hey guys. Long time, no see. What's up?"
"Not much. We were headin' out to grab some smoothies when we saw you."
"Anyway, you're not gonna believe what's happened while you were away in Edo."
After Coraline returns and acquires her new reading material, the twins take her over to the local middle school, just around the time Hōjō parks his bike and sets it in the racks...
"Hey, Hōjō, wait up!"
Suddenly, a girl comes running towards the boy with a hopeful smile and rose pink package in her arm. She's a rather pretty individual, with a fair complexion bringing out her long, wavy bistre brown hair brushed back into a half-ponytail with a muted pink ribbon, leaving a few short strands to drip over her forehead while highlighting her milk chocolate brown irises. On her body is a sailor fuku - a uniform consisting of a blouse with a sailor collar, a pleated skirt, penny loafers and knee-high socks - typical for many secondary schools throughout the country, this one being in a dark green and white colour scheme with a red neckerchief...
"Hey!"
"Good morning, Hōjō."
...Over yonder on the other side of the school fence, Freeman says to the other two teens,
"There she goes again, that seventh-grader that's been taggin' Mister Nice Guy for a while now."
Besa corrects with a gentle smile,
"Her name is Yumi, Freeman."
"Whatever. All I'm sayin' is that it looks like Hōjō ain't complaining regarding her company."
Coraline then asks,
"And wha's the point in showin' me this?"
"Well, aren't you sad that he might be charmed away by the girl?"
"Not at'all. If she likes 'im and he likes her, I say 'remember to invite me to the wedding'."
Both boys look at their spiritual sibling's calm expression in surprise.
"Really? I could'a sworn you liked him a little bit, even if he is somewhat clueless."
"Yeah, me too."
"(Shrug) Like I said before: Hōjō's a nice guy, but 'e's too much of'a pushover t' be with a girl like me, especially since with my life, he could easily get into trouble."
The girl musters up a half-smile and adds,
"If he's happy, I'm happy. I'd rather he be with someone who won' flake out on 'im for somethin' tha' can't be easily explained. (Frown) And won' get mad over something stupid tha' they didn't take th' time to fully analyze..."
...Freeman and Besa look at eachother with wary hums at that last sentence, before the latter cautiously asks,
"Coraline...did something happen back in Edo that caused you to come home?"
The girls stiffens slightly, an action unmissed by the perceptive eyes of her brother.
"I thought so...What happened? Did, you and Inuyasha get into an argument?"
Before Coraline could answer...the school bell rings, distracting her with a task she was given by Hayato before she left home.
"Oh! Speaking of bells, I promised Grandfath'r I'd head downtown to look into tha' one shop for a replacement bell for one of the shrine houses. Some stupid punks broke in last week and cracked it before leavin' a stree' tag."
Neither Brownlee is fooled by the fake smile on her face or the change of subject, but they choose to not comment on it...yet.
"Oh...I see."
"We'll come with you then and help."
"Sure. Let's go, guys."
With that, the three teens begin walking away from the school...just as Coraline's mind wandered back to yesterday.
(Flash)
"I slapped 'im for tryin' to 'claim me', and gave him the tongue-lashin' of a lifetime while defending you! But now I'm startin' to think it was all for naught! How can my own best friend not believe me when I say I'm not, interested?!"
"Guh, w-well you don't have to bite my head off! I was just wondering!"
"I, I thought you had more trus' in me than this, Inuyasha! Why do yeu still doubt me?!"
"Well if you think I'm too suspicious of you, then maybe you should stop taggin' along and gettin' in the way! I'm done with havin' to rescue you all the time!"
"...So tha's it, then? All tha' we've been through up to now has been bullshi'."
...
"She misses wolf-boy already, huh?"
...
"I'm goin' back to my era, you idiot! I hope yur proud of yo'self! I...I HATE YOU, INUYASHA!"
(Flash)
A tear threatens to fall from her eye again, but she immediately forces it away with a miserable frown.
...Inuyasha...Why? Why can't you understand?
Small Time Skip
"Hmm, it looks like an ordinary well...Yet, this passage leads to Coraline's world?"
"Yep! But the only ones who are able to travel through the well are her and Inuyasha."
At the same time those three modern-born teens were cruising downtown, once Kilala had returned to the rest of our titular group, they will have made the travel back to the Goshinboku Village so they could wait out for however long it would take before Coraline and Inuyasha would reconcile...
In the meantime, Shippō decides to show Sango the location responsible for starting the grand adventure, namely, the Bone Eater's Well...But playing tour guide would hardly deter his currently annoyed feelings towards the half-dog demon.
"He's the only one who can go back and get Coraline, but that stubborn dolt is too proud to do that. He'd cut off his nose to spite his face."
...Such a comment would seemingly be felt by the main topic of conversation, whom we see sitting on a fence near Kaede's herb garden.
"Ah...Aeh-choo!...Everybody's taking a shot a' me today. I can feel it; my ears are burnin'...!"
The aging priestess replies simply but sternly as she sorts out some freshly picked herbs,
"Inuyasha, stupid is as stupid does. Ye need to be more careful with your speech."
"Are you calling me stupid, ya old hag?! You don't know what happened; you weren't even there!"
"I know this, ungrateful dog: in order to find the shards of the Shikon-no-Tama, Coraline's spiritual power is essential. Yet ye made her upset with your words and sent her running home."
The silverette fruitlessly tries to defend his actions.
"That was her idea! She chose to go home; I never forced her. She said, 'I'm goin' back to my era, idiot'!"
"...Inuyasha?"
"Yeah, what?"
"That imitation was pathetic."
Inuyasha falls off the fence from such a semi-random statement, before springing up and barking,
"I'm a demon, not a comedian!"
...Moving inward the village, we spot a line of various young women smiling hopefully and in anticipation as Miroku offers palm-reading services.
"Alright, one at a time..."
He lightly grasps the hand of one lady in a burgundy kimono.
"Mm~, this is a fine palm. (Beaming smile) You will live a long life and have many children."
"Thank you, monk. Are you sure?"
"I am sure that the first father of your children could be a man of the cloth."
Knowing where he was going with that description, the young lady blushes with a smile and lightly slaps his hand.
"Haha, what about your vow of chastity?"
Another woman in a dark blue kimono comes up and comments in good spirits,
"You just gave her the exact same fortune you gave me."
"True, but I don't have to make you fortunate at the same time. We can take turns; what do you say?"
Miroku forms a semi-serious look and adds,
"Think it over carefully; denying your destiny now could throw you off course for the rest of your life."
Both girls blush and make noises of amusement.
"Ooo!"
"You're so naughty!"
The young monk just laughs along...before feeling a stare and turns to see Sango in the distance looking at him with a deadpanned expression while Shippō sat beside her atop a fence.
"He's acting like a dirty old man..."
Eventually, all three are seen walk through the village discussing the current situation regarding their other two companions...
"I agree completely: I am just as eager as you are to continue our quest for the jewel shards...But we must not get impatient. Until Inuyasha cools down and goes after Coraline, we're stuck here at a standstill."
Shippō complains after Miroku's summary,
"Inuyasha's so stubborn sometimes! He's got enough pride to choke a horse, and he can never admit when he's wrong."
"That's exactly why the three of us should never be seen near the well."
"...Huh?"
The monk explains,
"Think of Inuyasha's personality: even if he wanted to go get Coraline, he never would if someone else was watching. (Turn, smile) He's nothing but a big softie underneath that hard-nosed exterior."
Sango watches Miroku continue on with an astonished expression at such insight, considering how he acted a moment ago.
Hauh, appearances can be so deceiving...
The fox demon's internal comment would be more blunt.
I dunno who has the bigger ego...
A little more time passes...and our focus turns to a familiar red and silver figure dashing fast towards the Bone Eater's Well...They stop at the structure, and dart their eyes back and forth to make sure they weren't being spied on.
"Alright, nobody's looking..."
Inuyasha then looks down into the well with a somewhat aggravated look.
"Coraline's not getting off that easily without apologizing to me."
(Leap)
...
...
"(Low whistle) Damn, sounds like things went really screwy for ya, sis."
"What I can't believe is that someone actually had the nerve to claim you as their woman! Who does that?!"
At the same time everyone in Edo voices their restlessness, Coraline finally confides with her brothers about her most recent demonic encounter and the emotional turmoil that came with it. Of course, the teens agreed that the best way to begin this talk would be over lunch, so they head over to one of their favourite Western-inspired hangouts, Wacdonald's...
Anyway, the redhead takes a sip from her soda and replies to Freeman,
"Thank you! Glad I'm not the only one who thinks tha' idea is insane. I mean, no offense to th' people who believe in love a' first sight, bu' Kōga's personality's go' way too much baggage f'r me to handle."
"No kidding. It sounds like the dude's got an ego the size of a freakin' mountain."
Swallowing a bite of his burger, Besa argues,
"Though to be fair, this was probably the first time Kōga and his tribe have encountered a strong, independent mind like yours. Not saying I'm defending his stupidity, but there's usually a reason behind such behaviour."
"...Poin' taken, bu' my repulsion still stands."
Grabbing a few fries between her fingertips, Coraline adds,
"And while I did appreciate Inuyasha's attemp's to defend my honour, I had i' up to me neck with all th' fights...And f'r him to assume I w's prepared to turn on 'im and go for wolf-boy, after all we've been through, (shakes head) it left such'a bad taste in my mouth, I couldn' help bu' snap the way I did."
"I don't blame ya, either, sis. Much as I'm coming to respect Inuyasha as a friend, he needs to be taught a couple lessons on how to control his jealousy."
"...Huh? His jealousy?"
Freeman nods with a knowing smile, which spreads to his brother's face when he says,
"We've seen the way he looks at you, Cor. He may not say it aloud, but we're willing to bet that he's got conflicting feelings for you. Kōga's little stunts probably pushed him over the edge and that's why he chose to act the way he did."
"...Bu', tha' can't all be true. He's still harb'ring feelin's for Kikyō."
Freeman jumps back in and counters,
"Maybe, but who says those old feelings he has are binding? It's been fifty years since they last saw one another, and it doesn't sound like their encounters now are ending any differently than it did that time ago."
Besa nods in agreement as he sips from his own drink cup.
"Good point, brother. What Inuyasha and Kikyō may've had is gone, and sad as it is to say, there's really nothing they can do to get it back."
...The redhead hums in thought over the deductions of her siblings.
They aren't wrong. I've seen a couple times already tha' Kikyō's soul is still holdin' onto more negative feelings.
Any love she may've had before seems subdued by 'er misguided hate...
Meanwhile, Inuyasha is barely salvagin' the love tha' go' impaled after givin' it away to the priestess.
...The only thing they can agree on a' this poin', is the loss.
"What about you, sis?"
"Huh?"
She snaps out of her thoughts to Freeman's call.
"I said, what about you? I mean, I know you've said before that you and Inuyasha are best friends, but...is it, possible that you're crushin' on him and don't know it?"
Coraline feels her cheeks get rosy at such a thought.
W-Wha', me? I don't, love Inuyasha...do I?
Besa's knowing smile grows slightly.
"The blush says it all in my eyes, Cor: you're developing feelings for him."
Me...and Inuyasha...Is it even possible?
Inuyasha's POV
After waiting around on my butt and getting no helpful advice on how to approach the woman on the other side of that damn well, I finally get an opportunity to dive for the other era without having an audience...
Once I was in Coraline's world, I hurry out of the well house and follow her scent to a high window on that big hut she calls her house, sliding it open as quietly as possible...But when I look inside the room, I don't see her anywhere.
"Huh? What? Why isn't she here?"
I hop inside, and my senses were hit with a large dose of the girl.
"...I can smell Coraline's scent all around this room."
This must be where she sleeps and does that schoolwork...
But, where is she?
I turn back to the window and prepare to leave, when the door suddenly opens.
"What do ya know, it's Inuyasha!"
"Uaaah!"
I spring up to my feet and whirl around, only to see a familiar young boy eating those, 'potato chip' things...He walks over to me with a calm but eager smile.
"Don't you remember me from last time you were here? I'm Coraline's kid brother, Sōta."
...Oh yeah, Sōta.
I relax my stance, and he asks me,
"Did you come to visit her?"
"Well, sort-of..."
"Oh good, 'cause I was worried maybe the two of you had a fight or something."
I form a look of confusion, and he adds with a more amused expression,
"You know Coraline: when she's in a bad mood, you gotta stand clear."
...I frown and crouch back down to the ground.
"Hey, what'sa matter?"
Urgh, she's still angry with me? Man, can she ever hold a grudge...
That's when my ears pick up the sound a door open from down below.
"(Muffled) Hi, I'm back."
Uh! Coraline!
"Coraline's home. Hey sis, guess who just showed u-"
I immediately grab the kid and cover his mouth to shut him up, before grasping him by his shirt and huffing frantically,
"Quiet, and don't tell Coraline that I came, no matter what happens; you got that, kid?!"
He nods nervously in response, and I let him go to leap onto the windowsill.
"It's a promise between us, man to man."
"Man to man? (Nod) Got it."
With that, I jump for outside and head for the well house...
No POV
Shortly after Inuyasha makes his 'daring escape', Coraline comes wandering through the open door to her room, noticing Sōta sitting on the floor.
"Huh? Sōta?"
"Hey, sis, how are ya?"
"Uh, fine...What are y' doin' here in my room?"
The younger boy stands up and replies quickly,
"U-Uh, I can't tell you, it's a man to man promise," before dashing out the door...
"Well tha' was odd."
Bu' I've seen 'im act weirder...
(Sssshhhhhhh...)
We catch up with the redhead later in the evening as she takes a shower to try and relax her tense muscles...and ease the strangeness in her current thoughts.
Now tha' I've given it some thought...Inuyasha did give i' his all just to save me...
And wha' happened? I just get mad at him for reasons more directed at tha' idiot Kōga.
She pauses in scrubbing her long locks to let out a sad breath to match her expression.
"I guess I can' really blame 'im so harshly for gettin' mad like he did. I know how to le' my mouth fly when I'm pissed, and I usually can't stop meself half the time..."
She then touches the bruise on her stomach, wincing a bit from the throbbing she felt.
"Still hurts some...Blocking h's fist was a pretty stupid move on my part, bu'...I didn' want ta use the subjugation beads on him. That would've taken things a bit too far."
She lets out another sigh, before getting back to finishing her daily routine...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Bone Eater's Well, Inuyasha is seen sitting propped against the lip of the well after his failed attempt to speak with the girl.
"I don't care if Coraline is angry. I'll drop dead before I apologize."
He then moves on all fours a few inches away, and begins kicking sand and dirt into the structure with his foot...Unbeknownst to him, Shippō and Sango were watching him nearby from behind some bushes. The former comments in a whisper,
"It doesn't look like he accomplished anything."
"There is no end to his trouble-making."
"Huh?"
The two turn to see Miroku was here too, using a large leaf as further camouflage.
"Miroku! I thought you told us not to go anywhere near the well incase Inuyasha sees us!"
Said monk replies with an amused smile,
"Yeah, I know, but I couldn't resist watching Inuyasha as he makes a total fool of himself."
Time Skip, Coraline's POV
It's about eleven o' clock in the morning after a day of resting and venting, and I'm standing at the counter in that old shop I went to yesterday to pick up the replacement bell for Grandfather...
"Here we are, the order for Higurashi Shrine."
"Thank yeu, sir. I go' it from here."
I take the wrapped bell from the worker and put it in the wagon I brought with me to carry.
It'sa good thing Akari-sama held onto this from Sōta's childhood...
Just as I began making my way to the door, Sensei Yoshi suddenly comes in.
"Oh! Croft-san, good morning."
"Ah, Sensei. (Bow) Good morning to yeu as well."
"I'm guessing that Higurashi-sama sent you to pick that up for the shrine?"
"Aye, yes. One o' the bells go' vandalized by some street punks las' week, so Grandfath'r asked me to special order a new one."
"Ah, I see. (Frown) It's a shame that today's youth can be so careless in causing trouble for the sake of relieving boredom, unaware of the true damage they do in the process."
I nod in agreement, a depressed frown forming on my face as my mind drifts to the reason I'm even able to pick up this instrument.
Speaking of careless and damagin'...Inuyasha still hasn' come, and I haven't screwed up th' courage to go back m'self.
...I dunno wha' to do. Should I try again after givin' Grandfath'r the bell?
...He migh' still be mad at me...
"Croft-san?"
"Huh?"
I dart my eyes up and see Sensei giving me a concerned look.
"You seem troubled by something. Is everything alright?"
"Um, well...Hauh, no, no' exactly. I, had'a bad argument with a friend a few days ago."
"Oh dear, that's not good."
"Yeah, and I haven' tried to talk to h'm again yet...I'm, worried he migh' still be mad a' me."
Sensei hums in thought...before placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Croft-san...if you're not in a hurry to return to the shrine, would you like to come back to the dojo with me and have some tea?"
I look at him with surprise at his offer...before forming a small smile.
"I'd love to, Sensei. Than'kyeu."
Soon enough, I'm inside Master Yoshi's dojo, and after sitting down with a mug each, I tell him about Inuyasha and what happened with Kōga, careful in leaving out the parts about both of them being demons from the Sengoku Era...
"I see. So you and your friend parted on quite a bitter note, it seems."
"(Sip, nod) Thinkin' abou' it now, I probably could've held back my temper some, but I was so angry after Kōga's proclamation and havin' to constantly explain me own opinion, I was ready to lash ou' at anyone comin' my way."
"Hmm...Anger and Rage are well-known monsters in the realm of emotions that can cloud one's judgement. It sounds like you have a bit of trouble controlling such, as does this Inuyasha fellow."
I laugh dryly, recalling many instances of my friend exploding under his anger.
"No kidding. I've seen him blow up more times than th' bad-mouth drivers on the stree's of Tokyo...But, I know he was tryin' to come from a good place this round. He didn' like seeing me humiliated...an' he probably felt embarrassed by the event h'mself..."
I feel a sad look form on my face as I recall our screaming match, and how hurt I-...no, how hurt both of us were.
"I'm worried tha' if I go back now, we'll only fight again. And, that's the last thing I wan' to do...He's my best friend..."
A tear runs down from my eye, and I wipe it away with a stubborn sniffle.
"I care deeply for him, and, I don' wan'to hurt 'im, like he doesn' wan' to hurt me. (Looks up) Sensei, what should I do?"
He sips his tea and ponders over my problem for a moment...
"You want to make up with him, correct, but are afraid to face him?"
"Yes."
"(Smile) Then perhaps for now, you should wait until your fears quell more. I can see that you're still greatly overwhelmed, so going to talk to him now may not be best. Besides, it is likely that Inuyasha feels similarly: he is worried that you're also still too mad to talk, and does not know what course of action to take."
"Y' think so?"
"Yes. If you and Inuyasha truly are so close, then everything should work out for the better sooner than you think."
I smile gratefully at this man's kind words.
"...Thank yeu, Sensei. I shall take your advice."
"Good. Now..."
He puts his teacup down, and stands up while saying,
"If you are willing, I would like to check up on your sparring skills. It has been quite a while since you last attended my classes with your brothers, and I would like to make sure you're not forgetting my teachings."
I put my teacup down, and stand up with a small smirk on my face.
"Of course I haven' forgotten your lessons, Sensei. I have been practicin' dilig'ntly; I will not fall prey to loftiness as you so drilled into our heads."
He lets out a hearty laugh:
"I should hope not, Croft-san. You are one of my more disciplined students...Now, if you will follow me in the following drill."
"Lead th' way, Sensei."
Inuyasha's POV
I'm back at the well, staring into the darkness down below as I thought of what the kid said when I went there yesterday.
(Flash)
"You know Coraline: when she's in a bad mood, you gotta stand clear."
(Flash)
Coraline...
I let out a discouraged sigh, just as Shippō pops up and startles the living daylights out of me.
"Inuyasha!"
"Aaaaah!"
I fall onto my back before springing back up and shouting,
"Don't pop out at me like that; you scared the life outta me!"
He just frowns at me and says,
"Swallow your pride and go back for her. I'm sure she's forgiven you by now."
"What're you tryin' to say, that this is all my fault? She's to blame too, ya know."
"Yeah, but you're the one who accused Coraline of being involved with Kōga!"
I flinch back to a stand, remembering what the girl of conversation said in the aftermath of the Bird of Paradise battle.
(Flash)
"There isn' gonna be anymore fights today, understand? Kōga's already received enough punishment from those damn Birds of Paradise, no' to mention my own tongue-lashing, so you can pu' your salt away."
(Flash)
I sit down again with a sigh as Shippō says to me patiently,
"I know that in some respects, Coraline did protect Kōga and allowed him to escape. What I don't understand is why she protected him after he kidnapped her, especially since she made it clear she wants nothing to do with him? She even told me about a time when she killed a crazy wolf that was trying to kill her when she was only eleven."
I snap my head up at that last sentence.
"Whoa, what? She's killed a wolf before?"
"Yeah. It was sick in the head and was actin' more aggressive and bloodthirsty, and it chased her down before almost ripping her throat out! Luckily, she got her hands on a sharp rock and stabbed it, which scared off the other wolves in its pack."
...Whoa.
"She said that ever since that day, she can't really stand wolves...but, she also said she doesn't hate them...Say, you don't think there's a chance that Coraline could still fall for Kōga, even though she hates him right now?"
I growl at the thought, before snapping frantically,
"What're you asking me for?! Are you out of your mind?! There's no way Coraline could ever love Kōga, especially after what she shouted before!"
I then grab the runt and add before tossing him far away,
"If you're gonna reason with me, come up with somethin' reasonable!"
"Whoooa!"
...
...
It wouldn't be long before I found myself walking by the river and fish preserves, still fairly mad and upset about everything. The kid managed to shake off his unceremonious dismissal, and began tailing me to try and talk about the situation some more...
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. You're right: there's no way Coraline could ever love Kōga. She's just kindhearted when needing, and really knows how to yell at a man."
"Shut up already! You never change your tune, do ya? I know what you're tryin' to do: you want me to go after her, but I'm not gonna! Forget it!"
"But you want to go after her, and you know it, so just hear me out. You don't know about the mind of a woman, and neither do I, so maybe we should seek out the advice of someone older and wiser, like Kaede. It can't hurt."
That old hag? Tuh, it's already embarrassin' enough to hash it out with this twerp.
"Kuh, like this is any of her business..."
I begin walking away again, but Shippō wasn't giving up.
"Just relax. I won't tell her this is about you and Coraline. I'll pretend that I'm asking advice for a friend of mine, okay?"
...I stop, and look back in slight interest over his idea.
"Huh...Do you think it'll work?...I guess it couldn't hurt to hear her out as long as she doesn't know it's me."
I'm getting sick of waiting around not knowin' what to do, anyway...
I want Coraline to come back.
"Right on; let's go!"
He then jumps up and grabs my arm before dragging me to Kaede's hut.
"But only for a few minutes!"
No POV
"Kaede...do you have any experience with, dogs?"
Said priestess sips her tea before looking at the visiting fox demon with a perplexed expression.
"Dogs?"
She then glances at Inuyasha, who flinches in his distant seat and says defensively,
"This isn't about me, okay?"
"Alright then. (Focuses on Shippō) Tell me more about your dog friend."
"Here's the deal. (Whisper) It's a little complicated..."
The little ginger then takes a set of paper and crayons that Coraline brought him a while back to use for a visual aid...
"There once was a dog. He happened to be friends with a cat. But then a wolf appeared, and fell in love with the cat."
His first page depicts a Dog Inuyasha and Cat Coraline coming across a Wolf Kōga, who looks at Cat Coraline with heart-shaped eyes...
(Flip)
"The dog was very protective of the cat, and fought with the wolf constantly..."
The second page shows Dog Inuyasha and Wolf Kōga rolling around in the dirt with angry expressions, while Cat Coraline observes the scene with a worried look...
(Flip)
"One day, the wolf stole the cat and whisked her away."
Page three is Cat Coraline being taken away by Wolf Kōga, the latter blowing a raspberry at a furious Dog Inuyasha...
(Flip)
"But then, some big ugly bird swooped down from the sky, and pecked at the wolf, and hurt him really badly."
So is the karma depicted on page four, and we see a cartoonish Bird of Paradise beating up Wolf Kōga silly, while Cat Coraline stands off to the side and glaring defensively at the bird...
(Flip)
"Meanwhile, the dog came to rescue the cat, but when he got there, he noticed all these ugly birds! So he killed them."
Page five draws us the simplified heroics of Dog Inuyasha biting the Bird of Paradise, causing it to break into a wail while Wolf Kōga is still sprawled on the ground...
(Flip)
"The dog wanted to kill the injured wolf next, but the cat practically scratched his eyes out, and even took a hit from the dog so that the wolf could escape."
Page six starts the twist in events with Wolf Kōga is being held up by two other wolves, while Cat Coraline stands between he and Dog Inuyasha, she glaring back and forth between them, while Dog Inuyasha glares at Wolf Kōga...
(Flip)
Then come page seven, Cat Coraline takes a punch in her stomach from Dog Inuyasha...
(Flip)
But Cat Coraline bounces back to her feet on page eight, standing against Dog Inuyasha while Wolf Kōga makes a break for it...
(Flip)
"You see, the cat didn't want there to be anymore fights after what had happened, but the dog had suspected that the cat had actually fallen in love with the wolf."
So be page nine's visual summary, that is Cat Coraline and Dog Inuyasha give eachother seething glares while lightning cracks between them...
(Flip)
"So the dog was a real jerk about it, and the cat hissed at the dog, and ran down a well back home."
Our final page of the story shows two scenes, in which Cat Coraline hops towards a well, then then dives down it with a hurt expression. Shippō even went as far as drawing a few small tears near the corners of the cartoon girl's eyes, remembering them on the real face of conversation...
"So you see, that's the basic story, Kaede. I wanna know how we can get the cat and dog back together as friends again."
"Hmm, well, first the dog must acknowledge that he made a mistake."
Inuyasha springs to his feet, fist in the air and glare on his face.
"What mistake?"
"Why are ye whining? This is about Shippō's dog friend, is it not?"
...Realizing he was, 'blowing his cover' so to speak, the silverette immediately went back to sitting on the floor with a disgruntled frown.
"Fine, continue."
Kaede voices the rest of her advice.
"Cats are coy: she is probably longing for the dog to come and make amends. The cat and the dog have misunderstood one another. That is why they will be at heads until the air is cleared. Hence, the dog must go and see the cat, and they must speak about the matter frankly. That, is the most expedient solution."
...Inuyasha suddenly stands up, and calmly begins walking out of the hut, while Shippō and Kaede look at one another with knowing smiles...
By this time in the modern era, evening had come, and Coraline had returned from her private instruction with her martial arts teacher. After showering and eating dinner, she'd find herself in her room working on some homework, while Sōta sits on her bed playing with Buyo. We notice that the pajamas of the adoptive siblings share a commonality of colour, that being steel blue, but while the elementary school boy wore a tracksuit-style outfit, his older sister opted for a soft cotton short-sleeve nightgown...
"Coraline, how long are you gonna stick around this time?"
"...Hauh, I dunno, Sōta. I mean, this is m' home, isn' it? I do have other obligations besides Sengoku Edo: there's schoolwork I need to catch up on, no' to mention exams..."
She pauses to rub her shoulder and adds,
"Agh, and after tha' workou' Master Yoshi pu' me through today, I need to step i' up on practicin' my sparrin'. (...Frown) Even if I wan'ed to, I don' think I can go back to Edo jus' like that, no' now."
"Well that's never stopped you before."
"...I'll know f'r sure when Inuyasha comes to a' least talk t' me."
"Maybe he won't come."
(...Snap)
Coraline's pencil tip breaks under the pressure of her doubts, and she turns to her young brother with a pained expression.
"Sōta...please don't say things I haven' already considered. Jus', give me some privacy, please..."
He looks at the girl with worried eyes, before nodding and getting off the bed to leave...but not without giving her a hug first.
"I'm sorry if I upset you, sis."
"(...Hugs back) No, I'm sorry, Sōta, fo' the oth'r morning. I shouldn't h've been so stiff with you a' breakfast."
"It's okay, I understand."
Sōta then turns to exit his sister's room with Buyo wandering behind...The boy stops at the doorway and adds,
"But think about this, sis: if he isn't back by tomorrow, maybe you should be the first to talk."
"...I'll, keep tha' in mind."
(Ka-chank)
Coraline turns back to her desk to look at the math problems in front of her, contemplating her sibling's judgment.
"...I should be th' first to talk, huh?"
Nights like d'ese I wonder if perhaps Sōta has indeed inherited Akari-sama's intuitive nature...
Shaking her head, the young Croft then closes her textbook and puts the homework papers on top, before moving to lay under the covers of her bed.
"Dammi', it's no use; I can't think straight...I'll sleep on it'all and try again in the mornin'."
Though tha's assuming I don't have any nigh'mares...again.
This wouldn' be an issue back in Edo...but that's likely 'cause Inuyasha was near.
...I hope he's gettin' some decent sleep under the stars tonigh'.
...
...
A few hours later, the window to the redhead's bedroom slides open, and Inuyasha steals his way inside...only to discover,
"Damn, she's asleep already..."
"...Inuy'sha."
"Huh?"
She's talking in her sleep. Is she dreaming about me?
Any light eagerness over being mentioned in the girl's thoughts would quickly be snuffed out when the silverette's ears twitch to the sound of a whimper, and he watches Coraline turns to lay his direction, her face contorting into one of fear.
"I-Inuyasha..."
Huh? What's going on?...She looks scared.
"Inuyasha...K-Kikyō. No...No-Don', hur' th'm...!"
"Uh!...She's having a dream about, me and Kikyō?"
The girl's volume would climb a little as tears bead in the corners of her closed eyes.
"No! No, Inuyasha, Kikyō! Someone, h-help!"
...She's having a nightmare!
Inuyasha takes hold of the girl's shoulders and shakes them.
"Coraline...Coraline, wake up. It's me, Inuyasha. You're having a nightmare!"
"Nrh!...F-Fath'r. Father, please don' die! Not like them!"
Now her father?!
"Please, Father, help me...it hur's! Please, someone, anyone, help me! Trinity; Bishop's here! He's gonna kill mae!"
Hearing the name of the one responsible for causing his friend's life to crash into a pile of turmoil years before they met sent a cold chill through his blood. At the same time, it also made him determined to save the girl from whatever illusions were tormenting her currently.
"Coraline! Snap out of it! It's not real; you're dreaming! Wake up!"
"(...Jolt) UH!"
The redhead finally snaps awake, and Inuyasha is forced to jump back as she bolts upward into a sitting position. He lands on his backside, and grumbles slightly from the very minor ache after bumping the floor...But then he looks up, watching the girl grasping where her heart was as she breathes heavily, her eyes wide and partially bloodshot...
"Coraline?"
She snaps her head towards her fellow teen, and calms down a touch at seeing his face.
"In...Inu-yasha...?"
She wipes her eyes in a haste before asking shakily,
"Wh-When did, you ge' here?"
"Um, just a few minutes ago...Are you okay?"
"(Sniff) Well...I am now tha' I'm awake..."
Inuyasha rises to his feet, then moves to sit beside Coraline's shivering form.
"You sure?"
"...No."
The redhead feels more tears fall down her cheeks as she curses to herself quietly,
"Damn it'all. Why did i' have to come back?"
"Come back?...You mean this isn't the first time?"
She snaps her head up, realizing Inuyasha's canine ears picked up on her whisper...A part of her almost wanted to dispel her troubles, but she only avoids looking at the silverette, who in turn stares at her with worry rising in his hazel-gold irises.
"...Coraline, wha-"
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
"For, snappin' a' you and leavin' like I did. It was wrong o' me...I was jus' so pissed a' Kōga, and I didn' want you to get hurt in another figh' because of me...But instead, we had a fight with words, and..."
The girl looks up at the boy with teary sky/cerulean irises.
"Can yeu forgive me?"
Inuyasha gapes a little in shock, both from the apology and how subdued Coraline sounded...before replying softly,
"Of course...But, I should be the one apologizing."
"What?"
"For doubting you. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like I did...I know that you would never leave me for someone like him...And, I'm also sorry, for hitting you in the gut with my fist. It was pure luck that I pulled back on power at the last second, or I could've seriously hurt you."
"...Oh Inuyasha. I could nevar throw away our friendship for a fool like him. And as for the punch, that was on me; I chose t' get in th' way."
"I still shouldn't have done it...so, can you forgive me?"
"Yes, of course I forgive yeu."
The redhead gives the silverette a watery smile.
"Right now, I'm jus' really happy to see you're alive."
"...Because of the nightmare you just had?"
Coraline immediately casts her eyes downward and nods at that deduction with a sad frown...
"Hang on...Coraline, you remember when we all got tricked into going into that area with the Illusionary Death spell, right?"
"...Yes."
"I don't remember you actually saying the vines didn't do anything to you...Did they do something?"
The teenage girl feels her body shake anew, but manages a nod...
"Coraline, what did you dream? What happened?"
"I...I, dunno, i-if I..."
Letting out a sigh, Inuyasha then takes the girl's trembling hands into his, and looks at her with a mix of seriousness and concern.
"Coraline, I can't help you if you don't say anything...I, heard you calling out for me and two others."
"H-h!...Y' did?"
"Yes...Coraline, please, tell me what your nightmare was about."
"...I-Inuyasha..."
Feeling overwhelmed, the human girl springs forward and envelops her arms around the half-dog demon boy for a desperate hug!
"Uh!"
Coraline then bursts into tears, and begins telling Inuyasha about the nightmare she had.
"(Sniff) I-It started, with j's' you an' Kikyō, huggin' eachother...There was, t-two gunshots, and both of yeu fell to th' ground, d-d-dead. I-I, I tried to run to yae both, b-but, I was blocked by'a wall of, f-f-fire...Then I heard, another gunshot...and...F-Father came ou' of nowhere, an' fell to the ground, d-dead too. I screamed, b-b-b' no one came t' help...That's when, the scar on me shoulder...i' felt like the very air aroun' me sliced i' open, blindin' and paralyzin' me with'a pain...I was on th' groun'; I couldn' move, no matter how much I wanted to...D'en he came. Bishop stepped ou' from the flames, a-an' the symbol of Trinity was glowin' w'thin...Y-You woke me up...just as he pulled the trigger again! Hh-hgh..."
The one on the receiving end of this heart-wrenching confession felt his blood get colder and colder with each word.
...Coraline...
He snaps back to reality to the sound of her sobs, and does his best to calm her down.
"Coraline...Coraline, it's okay. It was just a bad dream."
He began rubbing her back soothingly, moving so the jittery bundle of nerves that was his friend was sitting in his lap.
"Shh, it's okay...I promise that nothing like that will ever happen to you, or me. Never...If I could undo what happened to your father, I would, but I can't...What I can promise you, though, is that as long as I'm here, you have nothing to be afraid of."
"(Sniff) A-Are yeu sure?"
"Positive. Besides, you're braver than this, Coraline. Look at how far you've come now...It's been five years since you left your old village, and you managed to dodge your enemies all the way here on top of making a new life for yourself...You have the Higurashis who think the world of you, those twins who've had your back before you and I met...And then there's the people waiting back in Edo...You don't let anyone tell you down, and are ready to stand up for what you believe is right, no matter what."
Inuyasha pulls back a bit, and looks at the teary redhead with a small smirk of a smile.
"You're the bravest girl that I know, Coraline. Don't let some stupid nightmare prove me wrong."
...She stares at the half-demon in awe for a moment...then forms her own tiny smile.
"(Sniff) Y-You're righ'...I am braver than this...I need t' be strong. Thank yeu, for remindin' me."
"No prob."
"...Um, Inuyasha?"
"Yeah?"
Coraline's cheeks colour a bit when she asks,
"I-If it's no' too much trouble, could yeu...please stay with me the rest of the night? I'm, still a bi' too scared to go back to sleep..."
Inuyasha takes a turn at blushing a bit.
"U-Um..."
"You, don' have to if you'd rath'r not..."
Knowing how vulnerable his friend really was, the silverette sighs before replying,
"Alright. Move over a bit."
The redhead looks at the half-demon with surprise, before nodding gratefully and shifting over to the right to allow Inuyasha to lay down on the left side of the bed...They stare at one another in silence for a moment, before Coraline quietly mutters,
"Thank you, Inuyasha...I really appreciate this."
"Yeah, you're welcome. Now go to sleep, okay? I'll be here when you wake up."
Nodding with a gentle goodnight, the girl closes her eyes to do as the boy says...He whispers a sleepy goodnight back, before he too shuts his eyes as slumber takes over his own mentality.
Time Skip, Coraline's POV
A couple hours later after finally talking to Inuyasha and, spilling more than I intended to, my eyes flutter awake as the sun streams through the window glass for a new morning...
"Mmm...mh?"
That's weird...I feel somethin' over my torso...
I turn my head a bit from the pillow...only to come face-to-face with a sleeping Inuyasha!
"Hh!"
He's still here!...Which means the weigh', must be his arm.
I look upward a bit, and my prediction is proved correct: apparently, at some point during his sleep, Inuyasha wrapped his arm over my shoulders, and...one of my hands enclosed into his free one!...I feel my face get hot.
Oh wow. This is definit'ly new...I, haven' been this close to 'm since the Spider Head Incident.
...But, it's not like we did anything last nigh', other than talked.
"(Smile) It jus' means he cares, like I do."
"Mmm...Mm-huh?"
I turn my eyes back towards Inuyasha's as they slowly blink open, showing me those mysterious hazel-gold irises I've grown to admire.
"Cora...Coraline?"
"Heh, mornin' Inuyasha."
"Mornin'...Are we, still in your era?"
"Yep. Y' stayed the nigh' with me, in my room, rememb'a?"
He and I sit up, and I watch him look around as he gradually became less groggy from sleep.
"Oh yeah...Wait, we slept in the same bed?"
"Uh-huh. You, actu'lly put an arm 'round me at some point in yur sleep."
...His face erupts with a huge blush, and I giggle a bit at this new timidness.
"It's okay, Inuyasha. It was j'st us here; no one else knew, and if they did, who cares?...We're best friends, righ'? There's nothin' wrong with sleepin' next to eachother once in a while."
Even with th' risk of teasin' and red faces in the morning...
That blush cools down some as he replies,
"R-Right. Of course, you're right...Did you sleep okay?"
"Yep. No nigh'mares."
"Good...So, any chance you're ready to come back to my era?"
I smile big at him and reply,
"I was wai'in' for ya to ask me tha' question...and, yes."
He smiles back and says,
"Cool," and I get up from my bed to stretch while stating,
"But first, I gotta ge' dressed in somethin' other than m' nigh'gown, so...could you please step ou' of the room for a moment?"
"Uh, right."
...After a few minutes, I finish dressing in my attire for the day: a white tank top under a gray long-sleeve unbuttoned shirt, blue jeans and my hikers. I also tied my hair back into two ponytails...I then grab my satchel that was previously sitting by the door of my closet, slip my math homework inside and saddle up.
Heh, lucky for me, I developed a routine of havin' my stuff ready t' go for when I head out...
I'm really glad ta be go back.
"You can come back in, Inuyasha. I'm ready."
He re-enters the room, and looks at me for a moment with a raised eyebrow.
"That was quicker than I thought."
"Heha, well, unlike mos' girls in my era, I don' take half an hour to decide on stuff like my outfit or how m' hair or face should look. I have a pretty easy style, and I like to keep i' natural."
"Ah..."
"Plus, I've subconsciously developed a routine so that my satch'l is ready to take when I head out to Edo or when you come ge' me. Saves time."
"...Wow, you've really got it all figured out, huh?"
"Mhm. I have to in order ta keep up with you."
"Oi! What's that suppose to mean?"
I begin heading out my room and down the stairs, replying lightly,
"Nothing bad, I assure you. You jus' have one of those, 'less talk, more action' outlooks of life, while I tend to analyze the world aroun' me more."
"Keh, whatever..."
"Before we head out, I jus' need to add some food provisions, alright?"
"Fine."
Once Inuyasha and I were downstairs, it would be a quick greet and goodbye with Akari-sama, Sōta and Grandfather, then filling up my surplus pack with the provisions, before we set out for the Bone Eater's Well...
No POV
One travel through the mysterious temporal portal, and both teens from opposite time periods would pop up on the other side of the well...
"So, there's something I meant to ask ya."
"What's that?"
Inuyasha lifts himself out of the structure first before asking his question.
"Shippō said you once took on a pack of wolves, and killed the leader that was sufferin' from disease which scared off the others...Was the runt makin' it up?"
Coraline replies as she sets herself on the lip of the well,
"Nope. I really did ge' hunted down by wolves in the French backwoods those years ago. If it hadn't been for tha' rock I grabbed a' the last second, I would've gotten my throat torn out."
"...Geez, and I thought I had it rough on their own."
Standing up and adjusting the weight of both her bags, the redhead shrugs simply,
"We all have our scars t' bear, Inuyasha. It's how life works...Some scars just don' always show."
"No kidding..."
They set out for the village below...
"Hey, listen...Thanks for comin' back, and, for what we talked about last night."
"O' course...and, thank yeu, for comin' to my era. I was, actually beginnin' to fear that you wouldn't."
Inuyasha slows to a stop, lightly grabbing Coraline's arm to slow her movements as well.
"Well, don't be...I..."
"You what?"
Before he could answer...he suddenly darts his head towards some bushes.
"Hang on..."
"(Turn) What is i'?"
Recognizing the scents, the half-dog demon then lets out a growl and shouts,
"Really?! Can't a guy get any privacy around here, ya bunch of spies?!"
"Spies?"
And surprise, surprise, out came Miroku, Sango and Shippō, each sporting a sheepishly guilty smile.
"Uh, it's not what you think?"
Coraline facepalms and replies with an exasperated smile,
"Really, Miroku? Because I think this looks like three friends who were too concern'd abou' mine and Inuyasha's temporary strain, tha' you would go as far as skulkin' in the cover of green to make sure Inuyasha went to me as yeu so hoped."
"...Your intuition is spot on as usual, Coraline."
She smirk-glares at the monk and replies,
"I have te be t' keep up with life, especially when i' comes to yor crazy schemes, Miroku."
Just she finishes that characterizations, Inuyasha bursts in a exasperated rage,
"Y' damn spies!"
He then proceeds to chase all three of his observers all around the clearing! Sango shouts,
"Please, forgive us, Inuyasha!"
"Neveeerrrr!"
Shippō follows in his own reasoning:
"We we're just worried for you guys, is all!"
"It's none o' your business, stupid!"
Coraline darts her head back and forth watching the action, a mildly worried if amused smile on her face all the while.
Oh broth'r...
"Don't ye worry, Coraline."
She turns to see a familiar elder priestess approaching.
"Oh, Kaede."
"He's just happy that ye returned with him, but does not wish to admit it aloud to anyone but you."
"Aye, I know."
Sighing in content, the redhead thinks to herself,
Man am I glad t' be back here with h'm, an' the others, chaos and all.