Prolog
"She's not back yet," Inu-Yasha grumbled, clearing at the well. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo exchanged looks with each other. Inu-Yasha always got angry whenever Kagome was late in returning from her homeland, but he'd spent most of the day staring at the well that she always traveled through.
"Should we say something to him?" Sango whispered to Miroku.
"No. It'd just make him even angrier," Miroku responded.
"Stop talking about me! You know I can hear you!" Inu-Yasha growled, flexing his claws while his ears moved in quick, agitated jerks.
The group settled in a strained silence for another few moments.
"Hey...Inu-Yasha?" Shippo asked.
"What is it?" the hanyou snarled back.
"Y' know...I've been thinking. Since Naraku is dead, and the Shikon-no-Tama is in one piece again..."
"What?"
"Well...maybe Kagome decided to stay home." Inu-Yasha gave a warning growl at this, but Shippo marched right on. "After all...there really isn't any reason to... Shippo never got to finish his sentence, because Inu-Yasha punched him in the back of the head, sending the young kitsue sprawling.
"That does it! I'm going to go get her! I've had it with waiting!" Inu-Yasha's eyes blazed with fury as he jumped into the well.
"Why is he always hitting me?" Shippo groaned, rubbing his bruised skull as he sat up.
"Because sometimes you say some really stupid things, Shippo", Sango answered.
"Well...there's nothing to do now but wait. The well only works for Kagome and Inu-Yasha. We should probably head back to the village before it gets dark," Miroku said in his normal I'm-a-priest-of-virtue-and-wisdom voice.
"What a nightmare that math test was! I didn't know any of the problems! At this rate, I'll be stuck in school for the rest of my life!"
"Kagome?" Sango turned to the voice coming from the well.
"Hi everyone! Hey...where's Inu-Yasha? He's usually right here when I come back", Kagome looked around, but didn't see the silver-haired hanyou anywhere.
"Didn't you see him? He just went to get you," Miroku asked the logical question, for the others just stared uncomprehending.
"What?" Kagome squeaked. "But he wasn't there!"
"Oh, great," Shippo moaned. "At this rate, we'll be stuck here forever." (why do little kids always say that?)
"Well...maybe I can bring you all with me. It'd be easier to find Inu-Yasha with more people looking," Kagome reasoned.
"Will that work?" came Miroku's question.
"I don't know. There's nothing to do but try, right?" Kagome waved the worry away with a cheery smile. That said, the four of them jumped into the well...
Something...something is wrong! Kagome thought. The Shikon-no-Tama around he neck started to glow brilliantly. What...what is going on? Why...? There was a sudden feeling of falling faster, of head and cold and heat again...We've gone too far! Usually I'm through by now! Inu-Yasha...Inu-Yasha!