AN: Ok, I have some time between studying and stuff, plus I'm keep getting such great support from everyone! To answer some of you who are wondering, yes, this sort of a Kag &Joey fic, but it's also much more. Just stay alert, and keep reviewing! BTW, when ever Yami's in control of Yugi's body, and It's his point of view, he will be referred to as Yami/Yugi. And for future reference, all dream sequences will be marked this way at the beginning and end: ~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 5
Complicated
"Where are we?" Mai asked as she, Yugi, Tea, Tristan, and Joey looked around at the strange forest they were standing in.
"Is this real?" asked Tea, stepping forward, looking for any sign of the shrine that should be there.
"It's real, Tea," said Yami/Yugi. "I can't quite explain it, but I feel as though we are still in Tokyo, yet we aren't."
"Don't talk in riddles, man," said Joey impatiently. "We can't possibly be anywhere near Tokyo. Besides, we gotta save Kagome, and there's no sign of where that beast took her."
"There is, Joey," said Yami/Yugi, "We just can't see it. But I may have something that can help us." He took the back pack off his shoulders, set it down, and took out the Millennium Ring.
"How did you know to pack that?" asked Tea.
"When I woke up this morning, I felt that I would need them, so I put them in my pack."
"We can use it to find Kagome?" asked Tristan.
"Correct," replied Yami/Yugi.
"Well then let's stop flappin our gums and get goin." said Joey.
"We will, Joey. But if you plan to help her, you must calm down."
"Yugi's right," said Mai, "You can't go in fighting with no idea how you're going to beat that dog monster."
"Fine, I'll calm down," said Joey.
"Alright," said Yami/Yugi. He closed his eyes, and calling up the ancient powers within him, he held out the Ring. "Millennium Ring," he said in a commanding voice, "Guide us to our friend Kagome. Help us find the right path!" Then, the prongs on the Ring pointed right, through the forest.
"This way!" said Yami/Yugi, going in the direction the Ring was leading them. The others followed close, but Joey was soon running beside Yami/Yugi. The Game King looked at his loyal friend, and saw the look of anger, fear, and determination on his face. He prayed that if they had to fight that creature, that Joey would be careful….
********************************
"What the heck were you thinking, Inu-yasha!" Kagome shouted. After Inu-yasha carried her out of the well, he took her immediately to the hut they all now shared near the forest. Shippo, Sango, and Miroku were glad to see her back, and Kagome missed them too, but she was mad at Inu-yasha. What he did was dangerous and stupid.
"Bringing you home!" he shouted back. "We need you here to find jewel shards. Besides, you think I'm gonna let that sleaze bag back in your time have his hands all over you?"
"He was just holding my hand, and he was taking me to school! And he's not a sleaze bag! His name's Joey, and he's a nice guy!"
"Yeah right." Inu-yasha said sarcastically.
"He is," Kagome said again. "And what you did was stupid, Inu-yasha. You were acting just like Kouga!"
"What? I'm nothing like that mangy wolf!"
"Really? Then tell me, Inu-yasha, what does he do every time he sees you with me?"
"What I did was completely different! He grabs you and goes off with you cause he thinks you're his woman. I did it cause you're….."
"Uh huh?"
"D@%*" Inu-yasha said softly. He realized I was right, Kagome thought. At least he's not a total idiot.
"Well," said Inu-yasha, "At least we got rid of him. He can't go down the well, so he can't come after you."
"But he thinks you kidnapped me"
"Well, you're mom or somebody can tell him different. Then, when you go Baca gain, you can confirm it."
"What am I supposed to tell him?!"
"I don't know! Tell him he dreamed the whole thing!"
"He's not stupid, Inu-yasha. No one would fall for that!"
"Then you come up with something!"
"Wait!" Interrupted, Sango, "How did all of this get started in the first place? Miroku said you were just having another fight."
"That stupid monk told me go back to the future and get Kagome."
"Don't drag me into this," Miroku said, "I thought that another man was courting Kagome. You never gave me all the facts."
"You never asked!" Inu-yasha snarled.
"Inu-yasha, Kagome," said Shippo, tugging at Inu-yasha's pant leg.
"What!?" everyone yelled.
"There are people coming out of the woods. They're in weird clothes, too."
"What?" said Kagome. She went through the door, and saw Joey coming out of the woods, followed by his friends, and a blond woman she'd never seen before. She was confused by all the feelings she was feeling. She was beyond surprised to see any of them here, in Feudal Japan, she was afraid of what his being here would mean, since this meant she wasn't the only one who could come through the portal anymore, and she was touched that Joey was brave enough to come rescue her.
"Joey!" she cried out, smiling, as she started running to him.
*******************************
"Kagome!" Joey cried out, seeing her coming towards him. "You're ok!"
As they neared, Joey could not stop from being so joyful to see her. He vowed then and there to never let anyone come between them again. He would protect her from anything that dared to hurt her.
His joy was short lived, though. As they were mere feet away, Yugi shouted out, "Joey! Look out!"
"That monster's behind her!" screamed Tea.
Joey looked over Kagome's shoulder, and saw Inu-yasha charging at them, his claws extended. "Kagome, get down!" Joey yelled as he dove, and pushed her down, covering her body from Inu-yasha's attack, just barely missing those claws himself. He got up, and let her sit up. He looked at Kagome, looking for any sign of injury, and asked, "Are you ok? Did that thing hurt you?"
"I'm alright Joey." she said, looking into his eyes. "But, wh…?"
"Hey!" shouted Inu-yasha. "What do you think you're doing on top of her?!"
"THAT DOES IT!" SCREAMED Joey, getting up, guarding Kagome from this demon. "You can tear me apart, but as long as I breath, you won't get near Kagome!"
"Fine by me!" shouted Inu-yasha as he came charging again. Joey closed his eyes, prepared to meet his death, not regretting that it was for a girl like Kagome. Then he heard two voies shouting.
"Inu-yasha," said the male voice, "Stop this madness!"
"Kagome!" said the girl's voice. "Stop him!"
"SIT!!!" Kagome cried out. Joey opened his eyes, and saw that Inu-yasha was face down on the ground, and couldn't get up!
"What happened?" he said, unbelieving that this beast was defeated, and that he was still alive.
"I told him to behave." Kagome said, getting up and putting her hand on Joey's arm. She looked up into his eyes again, and asked him sweetly, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, but," he said, looking from her to Inu-yasha, who was starting to get up, "How did you do that?"
"It's complicated," she said, "but basically, as long as he wears those prayer beads, I say a word, and he behaves."
"How?"
"Darn it!" said In-yasha, on his feet again. "You know that kills my back! And what are you doing looking at her like that!"
"Like this," said Kagome. "Sit, boy!" Then Inu-yasha was down again.
"Whoa," said Joey, "cool."
"Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, SIT!" Kagome said, making Inu-yasha go further into the ground. "He should be stuck that way for a while."
"Joey!" hollered Tea. His friends were coming to them, as amazed as he was at what had transpired.
"It seems things were switched," observed Yugi, with a light chuckle. "We came with Joey to rescue you, Kagome, but You rescued Joey instead."
"Well, glad I could help." she said, smiling. Joey loved that smile, but it was strange that she was so calm about all this. And he was confused. If she had known how to deal with Inu-yasha, why didn't she stop him before. And since she knew how to control him….
"Kagome," Joey said, pulling away a bit. "Did you know he looked like this?"
"Well…um…" she said, looking down, "Yes."
"Then, why did…?"
"He was never a danger to you, was he, Kagome?" asked Yugi.
Kagome looked at them all, a look of shame and fear in her eyes. "No. He'd never hurt me." said softly.
"Then why did he bring you here?" asked Tea.
"Because…" she said, "because last year, I fell down the well, and landed here, in the Feudal Era. I released him from an enchanted sleep, so he could save this village. Then, I found out that a sacred Jewel was born inside me, and it could give power to anyone who possessed it. Then, when a demon tried to take the jewel, I accidentally shattered it, and now I have to find the shards, before someone else does and uses it for evil."
"But why are you with him?" Joey asked, pointing to Inu-yasha. He was so confused. Why had she lied to him?
"The necklace binds him to me. We're helping each other find the shards. I can see the shards, and when I locate them, he fights whoever has them."
"Then," Joey said, looking behind her, seeing a young man in robes, a girl dressed in old farming clothes, and a child with a fox tail coming up behind them. "Are those…?"
"Yes," she said, her voice getting quieter. "They're my friends, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo. They're helping us, too."
"Kagome," Joey said, looking at her again. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before?"
"I…" she said, still loking down. "I couldn't."
"Why? Kagome, look at me! Why didn't you-"
"Because I didn't want you to think I was a freak!" she said, looking at him in tears. "You wouldn't have believed me. You would have thought I was crazy or something. Now, you probably think I'm just some lying witch!"
"What? No! Kagome, I'd never think that. Trust me, I've seen enough weird stuff in my life time to believe pretty much anything." He couldn't believe that she'd kept something like this a secret for so long. It must have been tearing her up in side to keep something so huge from the world.
She looked at him, looking so guilty and sad, then, she put her arms around him, buried her head in his chest, and said, "Joey, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" He looked down at the top of her head, and hugged her back.
"It's ok. I understand." he pushed her away, just to look at her face as he wiped a tear from her cheek. "I mean, we've go some secrets, too."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Then please," Sango interrupted, "Come with us inside, and we'll all have everything out in the open."
The group began to head for the hut, Kagome waliking with Joey. Her head rested against his shoulder as they walked arm in arm. Joey couldn't stop from thinking that she was an amazing girl.
And she's mine, thought Joey.
"Hey!" yelled Inu-yasha from his immobile position on the ground. "What the heck are you doing?! You can't just leave me here like this! Hey!"
******************************
As the day grew on into the afternoon, the new group of friends shared their stories, leaving out no detail. Soon, they all knew of Kagome and her friend's fight against the demon, Naraku, as well as the quest for the shards of the Shikon Jewel. And they also knew about Yugi's puzzle, the spirit Yami, and the on going quest to collect all the Millennium Items, and keep the world from plunging into chaos.
It was all very complicated on both parties, but once all the facts were stated, it wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. But Kagome was still amazed. She had feared that Joey wouldn't want to be with her anymore if he found out about her double life, but now she was relieved. They had more in common than she'd realized, and tha just made things so much better! Plus, having her secret shared with others who she trusted was great.
In the late afternoon, they all sat together, eating some of the food Kagome had left behind from her last trip. She ate a cup of soup, and was sitting next to Joey. It would have been heaven if Inu-yasha wasn't on her left, and if Mai wasn't crowding Joey on their left. She knew she shouldn't have been worried about Mai, though. She figured out that Mai was the girl Joey had liked before they had met; the girl who broke his heart. And since Joey said he was over Mai, Kagome shouldn't have cared if Mai was with them. But she did care, a little, After all, Inu-yasha had told her he cared about her millions of times, and when Kikyo came back, he dropped her immediately to go back to his first love.
But that was all a moot point. Joey wasn't anything like Inu-yasha. She trusted him, and she cared about him deeply. Nothing would spoil this for Kagome.
"You know," Tea said suddenly, "This place is really beautiful. I mean, all the trees, and the simplicity of the village. It's so different form our time."
"I know what you mean," added Trisatn. "It's different from a place filled with buildings made of steel and glass."
"I would think that such a place would be magical," said Songo. "I've never heard or one having windows or doors made of glass."
"I agree with Songo," said Miroku. "A time with such wonders is very intriguing to us. I would like to come to your time, someday. Especially to meet more angels, like Lady Tea and Lady Mai."
"Oh, no." whispered Kagome.
"What?" Joey whispered back.
"Just wait. He's at it again."
"By the way," said Miroku slyly, "I was wondering if either of you enchanting angels would do me the honor of bearing my child?"
"WHAT!!!!" screeched Mai and Tea. Tristan burst out laughing, Joey tried to hold back his snickering, and poor Yugi choked on his noodles. Everyone else was laughing as Tea and Mai immediately began hitting Miroku. Kagome was used to him asking girls that; it was his quirk. He was harmless, but it still made some women very angry. She stopped laughing, though, when she looked at Yugi. He was the Yugi from school again, though earlier he was the Yugi that was controlled by the sprirt, Yami. She knew it was confusing and hard being someone's reincarnation. But she didn't have to deal with sharing a body with Kikyo. She was Kagome, no matter what. But Yugi had two parts f him, and neither was completely whole without the other. And to add to that, Yugi was obviously in love with Tea. Any girl can pick up on the vibe Yugi made when he was with Tea. But, remembering the other night at the club, Kagome wondered if Yami loved Tea too. And who was Tea in love with, if she loved either of them?
Oh well, she decided. It's none of my business.
"Speaking of our time," little Yugi said, "how do we get home, Kagome? I figure that the puzzle brought us here, but how do we go back?"
"It's actually easy," Kagome said, "Just go back to the well and jump in. If the puzzle's magic made it work before, it should work now, too."
"Well, then," Yugi said, cleaning up from where he'd been eating, "We should be getting back. Our families must be worried sick."
"Ok," said Kagome, "I'll come with you."
"Wait," interjected Inu-yasha. "You just goy back. Why are you going back now?"
"Because I have to make up the test you made me miss, and I got to pack some supplies. We're almost out of extra food and first aid stuff. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"Fine, but if you're late, I'm coming to get you. And I'd better not catch you goofing off with your new pretty boy."
"Hey," said Joey, getting mad.
"Both of you, back off. I'll come back, Inu-yasha, don't worry." With that, she and the other time travelers started walking to the well.
*******************************
After the teens from the future had returned to their time, Joey began to mull over everything that had happened. He knew Kagome needed to go back to the Feudal Era, but he was scared. They were up against such frightening and powerful beings; what would happen if she got hurt? Or worse…..He couldn't bear the though of losing Kagome. It would tear him apart. He came to his decision as they were walking down the Shrine steps. But he couldn't keep his decision from his friends.
"Hey guys," he said, seriously. "I'm going with her."
"What are you talking about?" asked Yugi.
"When Kagome goes back in time tomorrow," Joey explained. "I'm going to follow her. I know you're gonna tell me that I shouldn', but she's one of the best things to happen to me. I can't lose her."
"We know, man, said Tristan.
"So if you're going, we're going." said Yugi.
"Really?" asked Joey.
"Yeah," said Tea. "We'd be the worst friends on earth if we let you go alone."
"Wow, guys, I.."Joey began, touched.
"Wait a sec," Mai interrupted, "I'm you're friend, too, Joey. I'm going too."
"But, Mai-"
"I know we have our past," she said, "But I also know that you've made your decision, and all I can do is support it. I'm going, and that's that."
"Wow," Joey said. All he could say to such loyalty was, "Wow."
*******************************
Unseen in the forest, in the Feuding States Era, a menacing being had watched the entire episode that had played out. He heard all that these new time travelers had said, and new their minds and hearts as well. He chuckled t the young fools. To bring such power here was a folly, for them. He knew the importance and the strength these Millennium Items would bring him, along with the Shikon Jewel. If he possessed all these things, he would be unstoppable. All he had to do was manipulate these pawns. Indeed, he didn't have to do much. The roots of jealously were already planted. All he needed to do was feed them….
AN: Please good people, do not stay silent. Review!
Chapter 5
Complicated
"Where are we?" Mai asked as she, Yugi, Tea, Tristan, and Joey looked around at the strange forest they were standing in.
"Is this real?" asked Tea, stepping forward, looking for any sign of the shrine that should be there.
"It's real, Tea," said Yami/Yugi. "I can't quite explain it, but I feel as though we are still in Tokyo, yet we aren't."
"Don't talk in riddles, man," said Joey impatiently. "We can't possibly be anywhere near Tokyo. Besides, we gotta save Kagome, and there's no sign of where that beast took her."
"There is, Joey," said Yami/Yugi, "We just can't see it. But I may have something that can help us." He took the back pack off his shoulders, set it down, and took out the Millennium Ring.
"How did you know to pack that?" asked Tea.
"When I woke up this morning, I felt that I would need them, so I put them in my pack."
"We can use it to find Kagome?" asked Tristan.
"Correct," replied Yami/Yugi.
"Well then let's stop flappin our gums and get goin." said Joey.
"We will, Joey. But if you plan to help her, you must calm down."
"Yugi's right," said Mai, "You can't go in fighting with no idea how you're going to beat that dog monster."
"Fine, I'll calm down," said Joey.
"Alright," said Yami/Yugi. He closed his eyes, and calling up the ancient powers within him, he held out the Ring. "Millennium Ring," he said in a commanding voice, "Guide us to our friend Kagome. Help us find the right path!" Then, the prongs on the Ring pointed right, through the forest.
"This way!" said Yami/Yugi, going in the direction the Ring was leading them. The others followed close, but Joey was soon running beside Yami/Yugi. The Game King looked at his loyal friend, and saw the look of anger, fear, and determination on his face. He prayed that if they had to fight that creature, that Joey would be careful….
********************************
"What the heck were you thinking, Inu-yasha!" Kagome shouted. After Inu-yasha carried her out of the well, he took her immediately to the hut they all now shared near the forest. Shippo, Sango, and Miroku were glad to see her back, and Kagome missed them too, but she was mad at Inu-yasha. What he did was dangerous and stupid.
"Bringing you home!" he shouted back. "We need you here to find jewel shards. Besides, you think I'm gonna let that sleaze bag back in your time have his hands all over you?"
"He was just holding my hand, and he was taking me to school! And he's not a sleaze bag! His name's Joey, and he's a nice guy!"
"Yeah right." Inu-yasha said sarcastically.
"He is," Kagome said again. "And what you did was stupid, Inu-yasha. You were acting just like Kouga!"
"What? I'm nothing like that mangy wolf!"
"Really? Then tell me, Inu-yasha, what does he do every time he sees you with me?"
"What I did was completely different! He grabs you and goes off with you cause he thinks you're his woman. I did it cause you're….."
"Uh huh?"
"D@%*" Inu-yasha said softly. He realized I was right, Kagome thought. At least he's not a total idiot.
"Well," said Inu-yasha, "At least we got rid of him. He can't go down the well, so he can't come after you."
"But he thinks you kidnapped me"
"Well, you're mom or somebody can tell him different. Then, when you go Baca gain, you can confirm it."
"What am I supposed to tell him?!"
"I don't know! Tell him he dreamed the whole thing!"
"He's not stupid, Inu-yasha. No one would fall for that!"
"Then you come up with something!"
"Wait!" Interrupted, Sango, "How did all of this get started in the first place? Miroku said you were just having another fight."
"That stupid monk told me go back to the future and get Kagome."
"Don't drag me into this," Miroku said, "I thought that another man was courting Kagome. You never gave me all the facts."
"You never asked!" Inu-yasha snarled.
"Inu-yasha, Kagome," said Shippo, tugging at Inu-yasha's pant leg.
"What!?" everyone yelled.
"There are people coming out of the woods. They're in weird clothes, too."
"What?" said Kagome. She went through the door, and saw Joey coming out of the woods, followed by his friends, and a blond woman she'd never seen before. She was confused by all the feelings she was feeling. She was beyond surprised to see any of them here, in Feudal Japan, she was afraid of what his being here would mean, since this meant she wasn't the only one who could come through the portal anymore, and she was touched that Joey was brave enough to come rescue her.
"Joey!" she cried out, smiling, as she started running to him.
*******************************
"Kagome!" Joey cried out, seeing her coming towards him. "You're ok!"
As they neared, Joey could not stop from being so joyful to see her. He vowed then and there to never let anyone come between them again. He would protect her from anything that dared to hurt her.
His joy was short lived, though. As they were mere feet away, Yugi shouted out, "Joey! Look out!"
"That monster's behind her!" screamed Tea.
Joey looked over Kagome's shoulder, and saw Inu-yasha charging at them, his claws extended. "Kagome, get down!" Joey yelled as he dove, and pushed her down, covering her body from Inu-yasha's attack, just barely missing those claws himself. He got up, and let her sit up. He looked at Kagome, looking for any sign of injury, and asked, "Are you ok? Did that thing hurt you?"
"I'm alright Joey." she said, looking into his eyes. "But, wh…?"
"Hey!" shouted Inu-yasha. "What do you think you're doing on top of her?!"
"THAT DOES IT!" SCREAMED Joey, getting up, guarding Kagome from this demon. "You can tear me apart, but as long as I breath, you won't get near Kagome!"
"Fine by me!" shouted Inu-yasha as he came charging again. Joey closed his eyes, prepared to meet his death, not regretting that it was for a girl like Kagome. Then he heard two voies shouting.
"Inu-yasha," said the male voice, "Stop this madness!"
"Kagome!" said the girl's voice. "Stop him!"
"SIT!!!" Kagome cried out. Joey opened his eyes, and saw that Inu-yasha was face down on the ground, and couldn't get up!
"What happened?" he said, unbelieving that this beast was defeated, and that he was still alive.
"I told him to behave." Kagome said, getting up and putting her hand on Joey's arm. She looked up into his eyes again, and asked him sweetly, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, but," he said, looking from her to Inu-yasha, who was starting to get up, "How did you do that?"
"It's complicated," she said, "but basically, as long as he wears those prayer beads, I say a word, and he behaves."
"How?"
"Darn it!" said In-yasha, on his feet again. "You know that kills my back! And what are you doing looking at her like that!"
"Like this," said Kagome. "Sit, boy!" Then Inu-yasha was down again.
"Whoa," said Joey, "cool."
"Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, SIT!" Kagome said, making Inu-yasha go further into the ground. "He should be stuck that way for a while."
"Joey!" hollered Tea. His friends were coming to them, as amazed as he was at what had transpired.
"It seems things were switched," observed Yugi, with a light chuckle. "We came with Joey to rescue you, Kagome, but You rescued Joey instead."
"Well, glad I could help." she said, smiling. Joey loved that smile, but it was strange that she was so calm about all this. And he was confused. If she had known how to deal with Inu-yasha, why didn't she stop him before. And since she knew how to control him….
"Kagome," Joey said, pulling away a bit. "Did you know he looked like this?"
"Well…um…" she said, looking down, "Yes."
"Then, why did…?"
"He was never a danger to you, was he, Kagome?" asked Yugi.
Kagome looked at them all, a look of shame and fear in her eyes. "No. He'd never hurt me." said softly.
"Then why did he bring you here?" asked Tea.
"Because…" she said, "because last year, I fell down the well, and landed here, in the Feudal Era. I released him from an enchanted sleep, so he could save this village. Then, I found out that a sacred Jewel was born inside me, and it could give power to anyone who possessed it. Then, when a demon tried to take the jewel, I accidentally shattered it, and now I have to find the shards, before someone else does and uses it for evil."
"But why are you with him?" Joey asked, pointing to Inu-yasha. He was so confused. Why had she lied to him?
"The necklace binds him to me. We're helping each other find the shards. I can see the shards, and when I locate them, he fights whoever has them."
"Then," Joey said, looking behind her, seeing a young man in robes, a girl dressed in old farming clothes, and a child with a fox tail coming up behind them. "Are those…?"
"Yes," she said, her voice getting quieter. "They're my friends, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo. They're helping us, too."
"Kagome," Joey said, looking at her again. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before?"
"I…" she said, still loking down. "I couldn't."
"Why? Kagome, look at me! Why didn't you-"
"Because I didn't want you to think I was a freak!" she said, looking at him in tears. "You wouldn't have believed me. You would have thought I was crazy or something. Now, you probably think I'm just some lying witch!"
"What? No! Kagome, I'd never think that. Trust me, I've seen enough weird stuff in my life time to believe pretty much anything." He couldn't believe that she'd kept something like this a secret for so long. It must have been tearing her up in side to keep something so huge from the world.
She looked at him, looking so guilty and sad, then, she put her arms around him, buried her head in his chest, and said, "Joey, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" He looked down at the top of her head, and hugged her back.
"It's ok. I understand." he pushed her away, just to look at her face as he wiped a tear from her cheek. "I mean, we've go some secrets, too."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Then please," Sango interrupted, "Come with us inside, and we'll all have everything out in the open."
The group began to head for the hut, Kagome waliking with Joey. Her head rested against his shoulder as they walked arm in arm. Joey couldn't stop from thinking that she was an amazing girl.
And she's mine, thought Joey.
"Hey!" yelled Inu-yasha from his immobile position on the ground. "What the heck are you doing?! You can't just leave me here like this! Hey!"
******************************
As the day grew on into the afternoon, the new group of friends shared their stories, leaving out no detail. Soon, they all knew of Kagome and her friend's fight against the demon, Naraku, as well as the quest for the shards of the Shikon Jewel. And they also knew about Yugi's puzzle, the spirit Yami, and the on going quest to collect all the Millennium Items, and keep the world from plunging into chaos.
It was all very complicated on both parties, but once all the facts were stated, it wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. But Kagome was still amazed. She had feared that Joey wouldn't want to be with her anymore if he found out about her double life, but now she was relieved. They had more in common than she'd realized, and tha just made things so much better! Plus, having her secret shared with others who she trusted was great.
In the late afternoon, they all sat together, eating some of the food Kagome had left behind from her last trip. She ate a cup of soup, and was sitting next to Joey. It would have been heaven if Inu-yasha wasn't on her left, and if Mai wasn't crowding Joey on their left. She knew she shouldn't have been worried about Mai, though. She figured out that Mai was the girl Joey had liked before they had met; the girl who broke his heart. And since Joey said he was over Mai, Kagome shouldn't have cared if Mai was with them. But she did care, a little, After all, Inu-yasha had told her he cared about her millions of times, and when Kikyo came back, he dropped her immediately to go back to his first love.
But that was all a moot point. Joey wasn't anything like Inu-yasha. She trusted him, and she cared about him deeply. Nothing would spoil this for Kagome.
"You know," Tea said suddenly, "This place is really beautiful. I mean, all the trees, and the simplicity of the village. It's so different form our time."
"I know what you mean," added Trisatn. "It's different from a place filled with buildings made of steel and glass."
"I would think that such a place would be magical," said Songo. "I've never heard or one having windows or doors made of glass."
"I agree with Songo," said Miroku. "A time with such wonders is very intriguing to us. I would like to come to your time, someday. Especially to meet more angels, like Lady Tea and Lady Mai."
"Oh, no." whispered Kagome.
"What?" Joey whispered back.
"Just wait. He's at it again."
"By the way," said Miroku slyly, "I was wondering if either of you enchanting angels would do me the honor of bearing my child?"
"WHAT!!!!" screeched Mai and Tea. Tristan burst out laughing, Joey tried to hold back his snickering, and poor Yugi choked on his noodles. Everyone else was laughing as Tea and Mai immediately began hitting Miroku. Kagome was used to him asking girls that; it was his quirk. He was harmless, but it still made some women very angry. She stopped laughing, though, when she looked at Yugi. He was the Yugi from school again, though earlier he was the Yugi that was controlled by the sprirt, Yami. She knew it was confusing and hard being someone's reincarnation. But she didn't have to deal with sharing a body with Kikyo. She was Kagome, no matter what. But Yugi had two parts f him, and neither was completely whole without the other. And to add to that, Yugi was obviously in love with Tea. Any girl can pick up on the vibe Yugi made when he was with Tea. But, remembering the other night at the club, Kagome wondered if Yami loved Tea too. And who was Tea in love with, if she loved either of them?
Oh well, she decided. It's none of my business.
"Speaking of our time," little Yugi said, "how do we get home, Kagome? I figure that the puzzle brought us here, but how do we go back?"
"It's actually easy," Kagome said, "Just go back to the well and jump in. If the puzzle's magic made it work before, it should work now, too."
"Well, then," Yugi said, cleaning up from where he'd been eating, "We should be getting back. Our families must be worried sick."
"Ok," said Kagome, "I'll come with you."
"Wait," interjected Inu-yasha. "You just goy back. Why are you going back now?"
"Because I have to make up the test you made me miss, and I got to pack some supplies. We're almost out of extra food and first aid stuff. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"Fine, but if you're late, I'm coming to get you. And I'd better not catch you goofing off with your new pretty boy."
"Hey," said Joey, getting mad.
"Both of you, back off. I'll come back, Inu-yasha, don't worry." With that, she and the other time travelers started walking to the well.
*******************************
After the teens from the future had returned to their time, Joey began to mull over everything that had happened. He knew Kagome needed to go back to the Feudal Era, but he was scared. They were up against such frightening and powerful beings; what would happen if she got hurt? Or worse…..He couldn't bear the though of losing Kagome. It would tear him apart. He came to his decision as they were walking down the Shrine steps. But he couldn't keep his decision from his friends.
"Hey guys," he said, seriously. "I'm going with her."
"What are you talking about?" asked Yugi.
"When Kagome goes back in time tomorrow," Joey explained. "I'm going to follow her. I know you're gonna tell me that I shouldn', but she's one of the best things to happen to me. I can't lose her."
"We know, man, said Tristan.
"So if you're going, we're going." said Yugi.
"Really?" asked Joey.
"Yeah," said Tea. "We'd be the worst friends on earth if we let you go alone."
"Wow, guys, I.."Joey began, touched.
"Wait a sec," Mai interrupted, "I'm you're friend, too, Joey. I'm going too."
"But, Mai-"
"I know we have our past," she said, "But I also know that you've made your decision, and all I can do is support it. I'm going, and that's that."
"Wow," Joey said. All he could say to such loyalty was, "Wow."
*******************************
Unseen in the forest, in the Feuding States Era, a menacing being had watched the entire episode that had played out. He heard all that these new time travelers had said, and new their minds and hearts as well. He chuckled t the young fools. To bring such power here was a folly, for them. He knew the importance and the strength these Millennium Items would bring him, along with the Shikon Jewel. If he possessed all these things, he would be unstoppable. All he had to do was manipulate these pawns. Indeed, he didn't have to do much. The roots of jealously were already planted. All he needed to do was feed them….
AN: Please good people, do not stay silent. Review!