Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch.
ONE HEART – Chapter 2
Ji-chan, Mama, and Souta had returned from their errands. Mama was already busy putting away the family's groceries and Souta had plopped down in front of the TV and was already busy with his favorite video game. Ji-chan was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for the water for his tea to heat. He looked up as Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha came into the room. By his expression, it was obvious that he didn't recognize Inu-Yasha.
"Ah, Kagome. Is this one of your friends from school?" Ji-chan was busy opening a tea bag and placing it in his cup.
"Feh!" Human Inu-Yasha said, sitting heavily in a chair across the table from Ji-chan. "You need your eyes checked."
Kagome gave him a warning look and turned to her grandfather. "Ji-chan, I think I told you before how Inu-Yasha loses his youkai powers on the night of a new moon."
Ji-chan squinted at Human Inu-Yasha. "Not only is it not a new moon, but it isn't even night."
Kagome signed and took a seat next to Human Inu-Yasha. "That's the problem. We're hoping that maybe you can help."
Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha told Ji-chan what happened. Mama stopped her work to sit down and listen. When they had told the entire story, Ji-chan just shook his head.
"I'm not sure what kind of spell it was, but I would bet that it was a spell of some kind. Maybe if we examine the well." The old man pushed back his chair and hurried out of the kitchen, enthused that he had been asked for help. This would show those young people that he was not a doddering old fool. Maybe now they would start to listen to his stories and legends.
Ji-chan led the way to the mini shrine. He pushed the doors open and stepped inside, glancing from side to side. When he could find nothing out of the ordinary he worked his way down the steps to the old bone eater's well. Several scraps of discarded spell scrolls lay scattered on the floor, evidence that Ji-chan's power was not enough to keep Inu-Yasha from coming through the well.
The old man walked around the well several times, each time peering into the dark opening and rubbing his chin. The floor of the well was invisible in the darkness.
After a few minutes, Human Inu-Yasha's patience faded. "Well, can you figure out what happened? Do you know what to do to get me back to normal?"
Ji-chan smiled triumphantly. "There is no sign of a spell being placed on this well. The only answer can be that someone powerful has placed a spell on the well in your time. Apparently they had a reason to separate your human half from your youkai half."
"So, can you undo it?" Human Inu-Yasha looked at Ji-chan expectantly.
Kagome's grandfather sighed heavily and shook his head. "Unfortunately, the only way to undo this spell is to go to the well in your time and perform the counter spell there."
"So, I'll just go back through the well…." Before anyone could stop him, Human Inu-Yasha jumped into the well. Almost immediately everyone heard a thump and a curse from Human Inu-Yasha. He had landed on the floor of the well. It seemed apparent that he was not going to be able to travel back through the well.
Kagome gasped. Every other time Inu-Yasha had jumped into the well from her time, he had managed successfully to go through. Then again, there was one difference.
"You never tried going through the well while you were human before." It was a statement, but the implications were there. In order to be able to go back through the well, he would have to undo the spell. But, to undo the spell, he had to go back through the well.
Ji-chan broke the silence. "You mentioned that there were now two Inu-Yasha's. Where is the second one?"
Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha looked at each other. They both knew that tracking Youkai Inu-Yasha would be almost impossible. Neither Kagome or Human Inu-Yasha could follow his scent, and since he was acting independent of Human Inu-Yasha, there was no way to know where he might have gone.
"We have to find your other half," Kagome looked at Human Inu-Yasha, trying to hide the worry she felt. Human Inu-Yasha was too consumed with his own worries to notice.
"And, I suppose you know how to find him?"
Ji-chan stepped between them. "If my guess is right, the youkai Inu-Yasha will come back. Eventually. After all, Kagome is here. He won't stay away from her for very long."
"What are you implying, old man!" Human Inu-Yasha balled his hands into fists, trying desperately to stay calm. It was a losing battle.
"Well, it's pretty obvious how you feel about Kagome. At least, in your normal state." Ji-chan turned and started up the stairs.
Kagome looked at Human Inu-Yasha. Could he actually be blushing? she thought. She shook the thought from her head and took his hand.
"We had better get started if we are going to find him. I mean you. You know what I mean." She stammered, suddenly aware of the way he was holding her hand.
Human Inu-Yasha simply nodded as they made their way back to the house.
Mama found Human Inu-Yasha some old blue jeans and a t-shirt to wear so that he could more easily blend in while he and Kagome searched for Youkai Inu-Yasha. She told him that he could change in Souta's room.
He struggled with the clothing, having never worn anything with zippers or that fit so tightly. When he finally managed to finish zipping up the jeans, he walked out of Souta's room, looking almost like any other normal boy his apparent age, except for the fact that his hair trailed down his back past his waist.
Kagome's mouth gaped and it took her every effort not to stare. She was so used to seeing Inu-Yasha in his loose-fitting kimono. He wore a red t-shirt and jeans. The jeans fit, but were rather snug, hugging his hips.
Kagome quickly looked away and hoped he wouldn't see her stare. Luckily, he was busy tugging at the waist of the pants, trying to get them to fit more comfortably. He failed to see her looking at him or her blush as she turned away.
Suddenly Human Inu-Yasha felt something on his hair. Kagome had grasped the ends and split it into three sections. Now she quickly braided it, securing the end with a small rubber band.
"Why the hell did you do that?" He turned to face her.
"You'll fit in better like that. After all, we need to start looking for your other half." She had to fight the urge to stare at him.
"Turn around," she instructed him, making sure he would not stand out too much while they searched for the other Inu-Yasha.
Kagome couldn't help but stare again as he turned his butt in her direction, the snug-fitting jeans leaving little to her imagination.
This time, however, Human Inu-Yasha caught her looking, although he acted like he hadn't noticed. He smiled to himself. Perhaps he would have to wear this modern clothing more often, if this is how Kagome reacted to him in it.
"We need to get going if we are going to hope to find your other half," Kagome had already walked to the stairs and had one foot on the top step.
"Feh!" he followed her grudgingly. She seemed a little too anxious to find his youkai half. He was starting to dislike the guy.