Author Note: I would like to thank everybody for there responses to my story. I'm glad you all like it. If you see (****), it denotes a flashback or memory scene coming up.
DISCLAIMER: I forgot to put this in before. I guess I figured it went without having to say it. I do NOT own Inuyasha (sad, but true). Their, now everyone knows, (as if you didn't already, hmm.)
Chapter 3
Kagome sighed as she heaved herself up and over the edge of the Bone Eaters Well. Kagome sat down on the edge of the well with another heavy sigh to herself or at herself, she wasn't sure.
She was back in the Sengoku Jidai. When she was given the choice of coming here again she was sure that that was what she wanted to do. Of, course after some heavy thinking and talking to her mother, she was sure that coming back was what she wanted. Tie up some loose ends, see Sango, Shippou, Mirouku and Kirara, and maybe go to Inuyasha's grave. Assuming he had one, of course, and if he didn't make damn sure one was made. She also wanted to see Kaede and maybe get a glimpse of Sesshoumaru. Okay maybe more than a glimpse, but she wasn'tadmitting that aloud to anyone. And thinking of Sango, she would really like to know what happened with Kohaku now that Naraku was dead. She hoped the boy still lived.
Kagome sighed again as she looked around. Now that she was here though, she wasn't so sure it was a good idea anymore. All her reasons for coming just didn't sound all that good anymore. Now she just wanted to go back home.
"Oh, no Kagome. Don't think that. You know what happens when you think of some place you want to be," she said aloud to herself.
Kagome had to giggle to herself at that thought. She still couldn't get over one of the new...abilities she had acquired from fusing with the Shikon no Tama. If she thought of being in a place and wanted to be there badly enough, then in a blink she'd be there. She'd feel this warmness come all around her body from her head to her toes. Then she'd begin to glow with this fuscia colored light, just like that of the shikon jewel. Then before she knew it, she'd be exactly where she wanted to be.
She still laughed when she thought about the first time it happened. She'd been upstairs in her room and she'd become hungry. She was thinking to herself how'd she'd give anything for a bowl of ramen right about then, when the next thing she knew she was glowing. Then in an instant she was in the kitchen with her mother.
Her mother had almost jumped completely out of her skin when her daughter had just appeared in the kitchen out of nowhere. Kagome had laughed at the look of horror and shock on her mother's face. Of course, after making sure her mother was okay she started laughing. After she'd pulled herself together, it didn't take her and her mother long to realize what had made Kagome able to do that. The Shikon no Tama that was embedded within her heart had and it gave her the ability to do much more. She still hadn't learned everything she can do. Midoriko told her, after the jewel had made its choice, that she'd be able to do alot of stuff with its powers.
Midoriko had also told her that it would take a couple of days before the Shikon would begin to react to her heart and mind, but Kagome had appeared in the kitchen only the day after ...acquiring the jewel. So, all Kagome could come up with from this was that the Shikon jewel must be reacting faster to her because it already knew and trusted her. At least, she hoped thats what it meant. Even her archery skills had improved, greatly improved actually. She could now hit a target, no matter how small, from any distance and her arrows could go through solid objects to get to its target and not hurt the object it went through. She should know, she'd shot an arrow through the house when Souta had come up to her from behind and startled the crap out of her making her arrow fly in the wrong direction completely. At seeing her arrow go through the walls, of her home, literally, she'd wanted to ask someone, anyone, some questions. But she couldn't.
Midoriko was no longer around to ask, but if she really needed to ask her she could have just summon her. Of, course, Kagome didn't know that at the time, but Midoriko had come to her, after watching her worry about it all evening, and told her. Since Midoriko created the jewel and Kagome was now the wielder of the jewel, they were connected. So, she alone held the power to call on Midoriko at anytime and Midoriko in turn, could come to her as well. In a sense, Midoriko lived on inside of Kagome. It was interesting thought, but Kagome didn't call forth Midoriko to find out why the jewel was showing its powers so soon. It wasn't really that important though.
Which made Kagome sigh again. The Shikon jewel was showing its powers and it had only been apart of her for two days. Two days. Thats all its been since she'd participated in the Test. Oh, and the Test, there was a moment during the test when she was sure the Shikon was not going to pick her and that made her worried. Thats when Kagome had realized she wanted the jewel to pick her.
Kagome looked up at the darkening sky as she thought back on that night, two nights ago. When her life had changed forever...
****
After Kagome had given her agreement to participate in the Test, Midoriko's eyes began to glow a bright green. Then the bright light that had signaled Midoriko's arrival came back. The light grew brighter and larger this time. It grew and grew until it encompassed the entire room.
Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and covered them with her hand to shield her eyes once more from the brightness of the light. She had to wonder what Midoriko was doing or if she was still there since she could no longer see her. After a while of this Kagome had to voice her concern.
"Midoriko!" Kagome called out, her worry showing in her voice.
"Its alright Kagome. We are here," answered Midoriko with her soft voice.
Kagome removed her hand from her eyes, but did not open them right away. She lifted her face up, eyes still shut, to see if the bright light was still there ready to blind her if she opened them. Kagome didn't feel any warmth on her face or detect any light behind her closed eyelids. They must have really arrived at their destination she decided and opened one eye first.
She could see Midoriko standing a few feet in front of her, with her back towards her, but as she figured there was no more bright light. Kagome opened her other eye and had to blink a couple of times to get the strain out of her eyes. She hadn't had her eyes shut for very long, but she must have had them shut tighter then she thought to have them feel like this, she thought to herself as she looked around at there surroundings.
The sky above them, if you choose to call it that, was not a blue color, but more like a soft pink. There was a, warm feeling all around them that was soothing to the skin. The ground was covered in a soft mist so she could not see what they were standing on, but the funny thing about is that when she moved a step closer to Midoriko she couldn't feel and ground beneath her feet either.
Kagome knew there had to be a ground though, for she didn't fall over or fall through the mist that was covering her feet as well as the ground. As far as her eyes could see, all around her was that pink sky and the mist. Where was they at she wondered to herself.
"We are on an astro-plain."
Kagome heard Midoriko's voice answer her, but didn't know how that was possible, because she didn't voice her question aloud, 'did she?' She didn't think so, so how...
"On the astro-plain your thoughts are your voice," answered Midoriko once more, as she turned around to face Kagome. Without moving her lips at all, she continued, "I can hear your thoughts and speak to you through your mind here. Lips are not necessary here."
"Huh!" Kagome gasped in shock. Does this mean she can't speak aloud Kagome wondered to herself.
"Of course, you can speak Kagome," said Midoriko, aloud this time to prove it.
Well, from the look on Midoriko's face, Kagome figured the question must have been a stupid one. 'But, its not like she asked the question to anyone in particular, so if she'd get out of her head she wouldn't have to worry about it, so there'. Said Kagome to herself... or so she thought.
"I'm not in your head Kagome. The astro-plain makes everyone's thoughts open to everyone inside it. It is a protection device. If you will just stop wondering and listen you will be able to hear my thoughts as well. I cannot stop you from hearing mine anymore then you can stop me from hearing yours."
'Well, I'm not grasping on to this little concept quickly, am I??' Kagome asked herself. When she saw Midoriko's lips begin to move she hurriedly cut her off.
"THAT, was not a question Midoriko... at least not for you to answer. It was retorical."
Midoriko smiled her understanding to the girl, than looked around.
'Now, where is that girl at? I told her we have to begin this right at midnight or we'll have to wait another day and I really don't want to have to go through this again and besides, Kagome looks like she could use a goodnights sleep. We only have five minutes until midnight.' Kagome could hear Midoriko's thoughts in her head now. Now that she was quiet.
'Ah, here she is. Better late then never. They seem to have one more thing in common.' Midoriko thought to herself.
"I heard that," said Kagome with a frown on her lovely face.
"As did I," came another voice from behind Kagome.
"Hm." Midoriko smiled and gave a little laugh. "Now, I'm the one who forgets." Midoriko tilted her head to the side as her eyes focused on the young miko coming towards them.
"So, nice of you to join us Kikyo."
Kagome had refused to turn and look at the other miko when she had voiced her comment, but as the priestess came to a stop beside Kagome she couldn't help, but turn her head in the other girl's direction.
Kikyo still wore the red and white priestess garb that she always wore. Her dark hair was pulled loosely back, into a ponytail, which fell down her back to her waist. Kagome couldn't help but compare her own looks to that of the other girls.
She noted that her and Kikyo now stood eye to eye with each other, which meant she would also stand eye to eye with Inuyasha, but still many inches shorter then Sesshoumaru. Her own hair, which was given to curl, fell loosely to her waist too, now. Like her hair, her body was given to curve more than Kikyo's as well. Her bust and hips were much more pronounced then Kikyo's were. Kagome had come to accept her body though, and no longer felt like she was fat. As for their faces... they were exactly alike. That did not wash over well with Kagome and she doubted Kikyo liked it either.
"Well, I guess its a good think Inuyasha is not here. He'd definitely think of you when looking at me, now," Kagome commented aloud. What was the use of saying in her head, she'd here her anyway, she thought ruefully. Her eyes went sad with the thought of why Inuyasha wouldn't be anywhere else either.
At this, Kikyo finally turned her head to look at the miko who had stolen her Inuyasha from her. She gave the girl one of her stony stares that did not belay her thoughts. She saw the sadness in the other girl's eyes and knew what the girl was thinking. 'So, she doesn't know. Interesting.' Kikyo said to herself in wonderment.
"Don't know what, Kikyo?" asked Kagome.
Ignoring her question, Kikyo responded to her other comment instead. "He would likely see me and think of you. It is how its been for a long time now, you just never realized it."
"Wha-"
"Enough," Midoriko cut her off. "We have no more time for this. Kagome you will learn of what she speaks soon enough."
Both mikos turned to look at the other miko. Midoriko took a deep breath and lifted her right hand up, fist upwards, and stretched it out towards them both. Uncurling her fingers, sitting in the palm of her hands sat the Shikon no Tama. As it began to glow a bright fuscia, it levitated itself out of its creator's hand.
Midoriko watched both girls begin to glow with the same fuscia light surrounding them and then, they too, were lifted into the air. Their heads were thrown back, eyes closed, and hair streaming out around them. She could here both girls' thoughts. The older girl had no worries. She knew she would be the one chosen. As for the other, the one from the strange world, she too had no worries, but not because she knew she would be chosen. No, she had no worries because she knew the jewel would choose right... whatever that was.
Midoriko sighed and said to both girls with her mind, "there is no turning back now." Focusing her mind on the Shikon jewel, Midoriko closed her eyes and said to it, "Now, make your choice and be done with it."
And at that the Shikon no Tama flew at the two mikos. Then stopping in the middle for a second, spinning around and around, then in a flash it shot of to the right and fused with a young girls heart.
The Shikon had made its final choice... for whatever reasons.
****************************************
Kagome sighed at the memory of the shikon jewel fusing with her heart. It was a short process, but not without pain. Kagome rubbed her chest over her heart. She could sometimes still feel the jewel fuse through her skin. The memory was still very fresh. After the jewel had made its choice. Midoriko told her she could go now, to whatever world she chose. She didn't need a sledgehammer to know that Midoriko was telling her that she had the power to come here, to Sengoku Jidai. Then Midoriko told her she had to be on her way. She had to go and help Kikyo more.
If Kikyo had been choosen then, Kaede what have been the one to help the girl in the living, Midoriko had told her when she asked the question. Then they had said their farewells. Kagome did not worry over not seeing the priestess again though, for she knew she could see her whenever she wished.
So, here she was. Kagome sighed again. She really needed to stop sighing to herself, she thought. She'd come here to see her friends and... for other reasons. So, she'll do what she came to do, and that was that.
"Kagome?"
Kagome started and turned towards the sound of her name. This time it wasn't in her head. When she turned around she was eye to eye with a pair of familiar amber eyes.
"Kagome... it is you, isn't it?"
'Oh, my God. It can't be.' She thought to herself as she looked up and down the familiar figure dressed all in red.
"Kagome? You smell like Kagome. Even after all this time, but how did you get here? The Bone Eaters Well is broke." Asked the dog-demon facing her. Widening his eyes he yelled, "WHATS WRONG WITH YOU. WHY ARE YOU STARING AT ME LIKE THAT?"
"Inu...yasha??"
Then with a quiet sigh Kagome did the one thing she'd never done before... she fainted.