Inuyasha looked down into the gaping hole in the ground. "So… this is Bone-Eater's Well?" Miroku nodded. "Yes, this is it." Inuyasha threw a pebble down into the dried-up well. It hit the ground with a thud. "So, if Kagome comes, she'll come out of here?" Miroku nodded. "Your best bet would be to stay around here incase she decides come to the festival." Inuyasha plopped down, leaning against the ominous well. "So I gotta just sit here and wait? Talk about boring!" Miroku sighed, nodding. "Yes, I agree. It does sound pretty boring. Want me to wait with you?" Inuyasha looked up at the monk in front of him and shrugged. "If you want to, go right ahead." Miroku nodded again, kneeling right next to Inuyasha. His staff rested right next to him.

After a long pause of silence, Inuyasha turned to the meditating monk next to him. "Hey, Miroku?" the monk opened an eye and it looked in Inuyasha's general direction. "hmmm?" Inuyasha tucked his hands into his raiment sleeves. "You think she's gonna come?" before, Miroku would've been sure of it. But now that the sun had just started its decent towards the horizon and the sky slowly turned a pinkish orange glow, he was starting to think otherwise. "umm…" Inuyasha shook his head. "you don't need to answer… I already know what you're gonna say." He stood up and made his way back to the village. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha." Inuyasha just waved his hand as he continued to walk. "What are you apologizing for? It's not that big a deal." Miroku frowned. Humph… he says that, but does he really mean it?

"Wow, Hojo! That's the fifth one in a row! You're getting too good at this." The man presented a stuffed puppy to Hojo, who gladly handed it off to Kagome. "Here. You have this one." Kagome smiled half-heartedly. "Thanks… how did you know I loved puppies?" Hojo smiled back and shrugged. "I don't know. Today's my lucky day! I'm out with you, I just keep winning at these midway games, and the prize I chose to give you just happened to be a puppy, which you like! I'm on a roll!"

Kagome forced a laugh. She then checked her watch. "Oh! It's getting late, and my mom will be expecting me home soon." Hojo's shoulders slumped a bit. "Oh… really? Well, then we should probably heading back to your house. I don't want your mom upset at you because I kept you out too late." Kagome nodded.

"Here it is! Higurashi Shrine. That's so cool, that your family owns a Shinto Shrine…" Kagome smiled. "Really?" Hojo nodded. "Umm… you wanna come up and take a look around?" Kagome pointed up the long stairs that led to the shrine, and Hojo nodded. "If it's ok with you, I'd love to look around. I don't know why, but shrines have always had a tendency to fascinate me." Kagome grabbed Hojo's arm and led him up the concrete steps. Hojo's eyes surveyed the area, and then rested on a colossal tree that was a bit off to the side. "Wow… what an amazing tree…" he slowly made his way toward it. He turned around, his expression filled with curiosity. "What makes this tree so special, besides its size?" Kagome smiled sadly. "Do you know the tale of the Shikon Jewel?" Hojo nodded. "A little bit… wasn't it that legendary jewel that could virtually grant anyone's wish?" Kagome nodded, a bit surprised that Hojo knew about it. "Yeah. This tree was a part of a tragic tale involving the Shikon Jewel." Hojo tilted his head. "Wow, really? Would you mind telling me about it?" Kagome nodded her head after some hesitation.

"A hanyou by the name of Inuyasha was one of the many demons after the Shikon Jewel. His wish was to become a full-fledged demon. In the process of chasing after the jewel, he ended up falling in love with the priestess protecting the jewel, Kikyou. After a while, she had persuaded him into using the Shikon Jewel to become a full human. That would purify the jewel, and she would be a free woman in return. On the day he was to use the Shikon jewel, though, an evil hanyou by the name of Naraku had transformed into Inuyasha and ran at Kikyou, cutting her deeply in the shoulder with his claws. He then took the Shikon Jewel from her hand, and ran off. Naraku then transformed into Kikyou and began shooting arrows at Inuyasha. He then began to ransack the village to get back at Kikyou, who he thought had betrayed him. Getting possession of the Shikon Jewel, he began running. With the last ounce of strength she had left, Kikyou shot a sacred arrow at Inuyasha who was then pinned to this tree. She died on that same day, and was cremated with the sacred jewel in her hands, taking it to the next world with her. Inuyasha died there after lying dormant for 52 years."

Hojo just gaped. "How… how do you know so much about this? That's amazing!" Kagome smiled weakly. I didn't tell him the whole story, but I'm sure he would think I was sick in the head if I told him that I had been going back into the feudal era and was the reincarnation of Kikyou… Kagome pointed out a small groove in the surface of the tree. "See that little crevice there? That's where the point of the arrow hit." Hojo squinted, and then his eyes grew wide. "Can… can I go touch it?" Kagome shrugged. "Umm… sure, if you'd like." Hojo stepped up to the massive tree, running his fingers over the crevice. Turning back around to Kagome, he stumbled over something. "Oh, what's this?" he bent down and picked up Tetsuseiga, which Kagome had propped up against the tree. "Ah! Don't… don't touch that. That's really special to me." Hojo blinked. "Really? I'm sorry, I tripped over it. I'm curious though… it just looks like an old katana. Why is it so special to you?" Kagome thought for a minute, feeling her cheeks growing hot. "Umm… it's a genuine artifact. That's the sword Inuyasha wielded, called Tetsuseiga. It was forged from his father's fang."

Hojo nodded, then placed it down and ran over to Kagome. "Are you feeling ok, Kagome? You look a little red in the face. Do you have a fever of some kind?" he put his hand to her forehead. "No! Err… no. I'm fine. I really must be getting inside. My mom's probably worried sick by now!" she stumbled, trying to make her way back without crying. "Oh… ok. Well, get into bed, anyways… you still look pretty sick to me with your face all red and you stumbling about like that."

Inuyasha sat in one of the lower branches of a tree. "Inuyasha, come down from there." Sango looked up at him from below. "She… didn't come. At all." Sango nodded. "I know… I'm sorry about that. I was so sure she'd come to pay respects to you, or at least see how we were doing. We were best friends. It hurts me as much as it hurt you." Inuyasha shook his head, his black hair blowing softly in the cool night breeze. "No… not as much as it hurt me. And I can't even remember her clearly." Sango nodded. "I can't really remember her much either."

Inuyasha jumped down, his shoulders slouching. "Oh, come on now. Being openly sad is not something the great Inuyasha would do! Now straighten up." Inuyasha just weakly swatted a hand at Sango. "Well, if that's the way you want to be… but weren't you the one who said that if she didn't come to you, you would go to her?" Inuyasha lifted his head. "Wait… I did say that, didn't I?" Sango nodded, and Inuyasha put his hands on his hips. "Then, that's just what I'm gonna have to do!" Sango clapped. "Yeah, so rest up! You got a big day ahead of you tomorrow!"

It was early, early morning when Inuyasha stood next to the Bone-Eater's Well with Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku. "Now remember, Kagome thinks you're still dead. Your sudden appearance might scare her." Inuyasha rolled his eyes up at the still-dark sky. "I know, I know." Inuyasha jumped up onto the rim of the Bone-Eater's Well. "I hope all goes well!" Inuyasha smirked. "I know it'll go well. And after I catch up with her, maybe I can persuade her to come back!" Sango nodded. "Of course!" Inuyasha then closed his eyes and let himself fall back into the well.

He felt a warm sensation pass over him, and he opened his eyes to find himself sprawled out on the ground. He climbed his way up and out of the old well and looked around. A flood of memories came to him of when he had come to this era, either to resolve a fight or to get Kagome when she had been late in returning to the Feudal era. But he still couldn't remember what she looked like, or smelled like, or even how her voice sounded. Knowing she existed wasn't enough. He had jumped up onto her windowsill and looked inside, yet she wasn't in her bed. He hopped around from window to window, but the house was deserted.

He wandered the dark streets of present Japan until he came across a clothing store. He looked through the store window at the mannequins dolled up in the latest styles, and then at his own red raiment. "I can't be seen walking around in this!" he pressed his hands and forehead up against the window, trying to figure out which one would be best for him. "I wish I had my claws… I could easily make my way through this…" he banged on the glass softly. "Why did I have to turn human, damn it?"

He closed his eyes, wishing he had his claws back. "Ow!" he looked down at his tightly clenched fist, which was currently bleeding. He opened his hand, and noticed he had his claws back. "Alright! Now we're getting somewhere." He cut through the glass with agile strikes, and then walked into the store. Upon the breaking of the glass he heard an alarm sound. He grabbed the whole mannequin and made a run for the Higurashi shrine.

Returning to the storehouse that had housed the Bone-Eater's Well, he changed into his new clothes and tucked his raiment into one of the nearby boxes stacked up on the shelves lining the walls. He sat down, leaning against the well. Unable to overcome the sudden drowsiness that hit him, he closed his eyes just as the sun peaked over the horizon.