"What?" The girl asked quietly? "...in the past?"
"Yes." Kagome said, stronger now that she had gotten over what she assumed to be the hardest part of the descussion. "There's a well that leads from my time to here. Don't ask me how it works," she said waving her hands dismissivly "because I'm not sure. Did you come from there?"
"I don't know!" cried the girl sorrowfully. "I didn't come from anywhere! I'm just here!"
Inu-Yasha continued to stare at the girl. Part of him didn't trust her. She was just in hit time out of nowhere? It didn't seem possible that she could just all of a sudden be where she didn't belong.
Though Inu-Yasha was skeptical, she knew, Kagome didn't care. She could feel it in her heart that this girl was not a threat. She looked so scared. How was that Inu-Yasha could even suspect her of cruel intentions? But then again, she knew. Inu-Yasha wasn't the most trusting person. He never trusted anyone. She wasn't even sure how much faith he had in the trust she herself shared with him. It pained her to admit that, but it was a fact she had to accept. If she admitted that there might not be a firm trust between them then there was still room for that trust to grow into something strong.
With what she hoped were non-threatening movements, Kagome stepped over to the girl and grabbed her hand. "Don't worry." She said cheerfully. "We'll figure out how to get you back home, but for now let's try to make the best of things. The fuedal era isn't as bad as people say it is. You can see the stars at night, there's no smog, and the hot springs are great!" She felt like she could go on forever, but deciding that would no be a wise thing to do she instead motioned for the girl to follow her.
The camp was quiet for the rest of their companions were still sleeping. With ease Kagome crept over to Sango, avoiding Miroku's dangerously close body. Lightly she shook Sango awake.
Not quite sure of what was going on, Sango looked at Kagome questioningly.
"I think you and I should take our guest to the hot springs for some relaxation."
"This early? Is something wrong?"
Kagome only nodded her head.
Quietly understanding, Sango sat up from her place around the now dead campfire and looked around.
While the girls were readying for their trip to the hot spring, Inu-Yasha stood by watching. He wasn't going to stop them from going, he wasn't even going to try. Not this time. If Kagome was going to trust this girl then he would back down from the front line. He would keep an eye on her and if she did anything suspicous...that's when he would make his move.
Carefully all of the girls undressed and eased their tired bodies into the comoforting warmth of the steaming water. There was nothing but silence. No one had any idea what to say; each thinking of the right words to break the ice.
"So," Kagome said suddenly. "Do you have any family? A mother and father?" Knowing who the question was directed at, Sango kept quiet and waited for the girl beside her to answer.
"My father died a long time ago." The girl said, all of a sudden feeling uncomfortable.
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"I too am sorry." Sango stated softly, understanding the girl's feelings.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters then?" Kagome continued.
At the word 'sister', the girl stiffened considerably. "I...I don't remember..." The girl trailed off hastily as if fearful of the subject she had been speaking of.
"That's alright." Kagome soothed. "Everything will come back eventually."
Sango nodded in agreement. "With time you will remember everything, and when you have you won't feel sad anymore."
The girl didn't reply. She merely gazed into the blurry water of the hot springs.
"Hey!" Kagome suddenly heard someone shout whom she recognized as Inu-Yasha.
"Get away from there you lecher!" His voice sounded closer now.
"Inu-Yasha!" Entered Miroku's scared voice. "Hold on! I was just-"
"I know what you were doing," Inu-Yasha shouted angrily. "You were spying on them!"
"No! I was merely keeping an eye out for the girls while they are bathing. You can never be to cautious." Miroku said with a bit more confidence.
"You're right." Inu-Yasha said while cracking his knuckles. "You can't"
Following his statement there was a loud smacking sound to be heard.
"Not so hard Inu-Yasha!" Miroku said indignantly.
"Why monk? Maybe if I actually broke something you'd learn your lesson."
Smiling, Sango called. "You make a good point, Inu-Yasha."
Kagome and Sango began to laugh. It was rare that Miroku had even the opportunity to spy on them, and though he knew full well that he would inevitably be caught, he didn't seem to care in the least. This annoyed Inu-Yasha greatly to say the least. It was always his job to baby-sit Miroku. At times like these Shippo was considered the mature one.
Later that night, as the companions sat around the campfire everything seemed strangely quiet. There was no wind, no light healthy breeze softly pushing the branches to sway. There weren't even any sounds to be heard. Nothing alive and buzzing in the forest, only quiet.
Kagome sat a little ways away from everyone else, staring at the dark night sky. To her dismay she couldn't see any stars. Blue-tinted clouds covered them up and spread across the sky like a soft, lumpy, blanket. As she sat there she became immersed in her own thoughts. School, her family, her friends-both past and future-, Inu-Yasha, and the new girl they had found. Just her presence was perplexing. She couldn't figure out how someone from her era could have ended up in the past. Though she did have to admit that if she could travel to the past it was a very reasonable idea that someone else could as well. Being lost in the contents of her mind, she didn't hear the soft steps of someone drawing close to her.
"Hey." Came Inu-Yasha's voice from behind her.
Startled, she turned her head to acknowledge his presence. "Hi." She said in return.
"What are you doing over here?" He asked casually.
"Looking for the stars." She answered simply, with the care-free spirit of a child.
"You can't seem them." He stated bluntly. "They're covered up by the clouds."
"I know." She said quietly, pausing to think to herself for a moment. "But I like trying to find them, because I know they're there...even though I can't see them.
"You should get some rest. We have a lot of traveling to do tomorrow."
"I know." She stated softly. "But I don't want to go to bed just yet. Besides, if I get tired you can carry me." She said smiling.
"Like hell I will." Inu-Yasha replied roughly, though he knew that he was kidding her. Somehow, Kagome knew it, too.
For some time they sat together, beneath the cloud-covered stars. Neither of them said a word, only secretly enjoying the other's company. It wasn't until Inu-Yasha jumped to a standing position that Kagome moved from her spot on the grass.
"What is it Inu-Yasha?" She asked tiredly.
"Stay back, Kagome." He replied sternly.
Nodding her agreement, Kagome began heading behind Inu-Yasha, stepping closer to the campsite, when she gasped suddenly. "Inu-Yasha!" She called worriedly. "Whatever it is it has jewel shards-maybe nine or ten."
Before he was given the chance to remark on her statement, a giant ogre burst into the small forest clearing they had chosen for their campsite. It's big feet shook the ground upon which it walked and it's head blotted out the greater part of the sky. Just a few feet away it came to a stop and turned to face Inu-Yasha. "Are you the half-demon, Inu-Yasha?" It asked slowly, as if it did not recognize the words coming from it's own mouth.
"Yeah." Inu-Yasha said in that cocky, trade-mark way of his. "Who's asking?"
"I am." The demon said stupidly. "I've come to collect the shards of the Shikon Jewel and your priestess companion."
"What do you want with Kagome!" Inu-Yasha asked, growing angry at the mention of her name.
"I want to take her with me. She will become my wife." The ogre never flinched as it continued to stare straight into Inu-Yasha's amber eyes.
"Over my dead body!" Inu-Yasha shouted, even more angry than he had been before. With that he leapt into the air, swinging Tetsusaiga with as much strength as he could muster. The tip of the sword pierced the dirty green flesh of the demon's arm, then dug in farther with a jab from Inu-Yasha. Unfortunately, the ogre didn't seem to mind in the least the sword protruding from his arm. He merely swung his shoulder back, shaking Inu-Yasha's hands from the Tetsusaiga and flinging him into a tree some distance away.
With himself free of the now unconcious half-demon, the ogre advanced on Kagome. His gruesome form towered above her, casting herself, and everything around her, in shadow. With grimy, pudgy fingers outstretched, it reached for Kagome. Screaming, she turned to run, but she had taken barely two steps before she felt it's hand slip around her waist.
"Inu-Yasha!" She cried desperately. "Wake up, Inu-Yasha!" Though her cries did not rouse her proclaimed rescuer, they did however awaken her sleeping companions.
"Kagome!" Sango yelled, a worried expression crossing her face as she darted into the clearing, Miroku following shortly behind.
"You have to wake Inu-Yasha!" Kagome yelled in return. Miroku nodded his understanding and dashed off to find his unconcious friend.
"Hold on Kagome!" Sango consoled her. "I'll get you down!"
Kagome nodded in response and was about to say something as she felt the ogre's hand tighten around her waist. Gasping, she choked on her unformed words and hurriedly began attempting to fill her lungs with air.
"Miroku, hurry!" Sango yelled, starting to panic. She couldn't attack the demon without hurting Kagome.
"Inu-Yasha!" Miroku screamed, finally having found him slumped against a tree. "You have to wake up!"
Inu-Yasha's ears twitched atop his head.
"Kagome needs you!"
At the mention of her name Inu-Yasha's eyes flashed open and he looked to Miroku. Before he could even say anything Miroku yelled at him.
"Go!"
Not needing anything else, Inu-Yasha took off back towards the clearing. As he broke into sight he looked up to see Kagome struggling in the ogre's firm grasp.
"Put her down!" He screamed instantly.
"No! The demon yelled childishly, squeezing his capture tightly. Kagome screamed, pain shooting through her sides and down her legs."
"Put her down, now!" Inu-Yasha yelled, rage building up inside him. 'He's hurting her.'
"No!" The ogre screamed in response, once again grasping Kagome's frail body even more firmly. A loud crack was heard and Kagome gasped, struggling to breath. Moments later she slumped against the ogre's hand and her body went limp.
Screaming Inu-Yasha launched himself into the air once more, stabbing the demon in the stomach. The ogre let out a blood curdling scream as five shikon shards fell from it's stomach, along with a flowing stream of it's blood. As it fell it's gripped slackened on Kagome's body and she was released into the air, hurtling toward the unforgiving ground.
Out of the corner of his eye, Inu-Yasha saw her fall and dashed forward, jumping up and catching her unconcious form in his arms. As they landed he looked down at her and guilt coursed through. She was hurt...and it was his fault.
Quickly his friends gathered around, but he solemnly brushed past them and made his way to the campsite. Once there he laid Kagome upon the ground and instructed Sango to treat her wounds. As she worked he turned his back and gazed up into the sky. Slowly, lazily almost, the clouds were drifting away revealing twinkling stars.
'Damn stars.' Inu-Yasha thought angrily. 'You couldn't have been out for Kagome.'
"Inu-Yasha." Sango called. "I'm finished. You can turn around now."
Quickly, Inu-Yasha made his way over to Kagome and sat by her feet, looking at her sleeping face.
"Just a few cracked ribs." He heard Sango tell him. "She'll be fine."
Inu-Yasha nodded his head in understanding, but never took his eyes off Kagome. He watched her for hours that night until finally he fell asleep. Though even in slumber he could not leave her, for he dreamed of her.
As dawn broke over the small campsite, Inu-Yasha awoke. His first instinct was to wake his friends, and that's exactly what he did. Sango only nodded sleepily as he shook her awake, but Miroku on the other hand was a little less cooperative. He swatted Inu-Yasha's hands away mumbling something about ungrateful friends. At this point the situation became ugly.
"Get up, monk!"
"Inu-Yasha please, my fragile body needs rest to run at full compacity."
"If you don't get up right now," Inu-Yasha said, his voice rising angrily. "Running at 'full compacity' will be the least of your problems."
"Alright, alright." Miroku snapped as he began to yawn. "Don't be so angry Inu-Yasha."
"I am not angry!"
At his statement Miroku and Sango only shook their heads, and that was the end of it.
Later on, as the sun rose high in the sky Kaede's village came into veiw. The companions had been traveling the entire day and all, save Inu-Yasha, were more than eager to rest. Even Kirara was ready for a nap. As the group neared the hut of the old woman she ambled out to greet them, smiling as they came closer.
"What brings you back so soon?" Kaede questioned.
"Kagome cracked a few ribs Kaede." Sango replied. "She needs some time to rest."
"Ah, I see. Will ye be staying long?"
"Just until Kagome's healed enough to travel again." Inu-Yasha said roughly. It was obvious to everyone that he was not in the best of moods.
"Inu-Yasha, that will take a long time." Kagome said casually. "Are you sure you want to wait that long?"
"I'm not risking you getting hurt again! Besides, I could use the rest." Inu-Yasha glared at Kagome as he said this. 'Does she want to get herself killed?' He was thinking.
"Are you saying that we work you too hard?" Kagome said playfully, trying to hold back her laughter.
Inu-Yasha didn't reply. He'd backed himself into a corner, he should have seen her words coming. Without glancing back at her, Inu-Yasha stomped off and out of sight
Kagome sighed a tired sigh. She shouldn't have expected any other response from Inu-Yasha, but for reason she had. Sorely she wished that Inu-Yasha would open up to her. That reminds me, Kagome thought suddenly. I have to introduce that girl to Kaede...she must feel so awkward. Kagome smiled nervously at the thought. Introducing them should have been the first thing she had done...but why hadn't Kaede asked about her by now?
"Kaede." Kagome said cheerfully, her cheeked rising with the corners of her mouth to form a genuine smile. "This," She said pointing, in what she hoped was not a rude way, to the girl beside her. "Is a girl we met in the forest. She doesn't remember who she is."
"I see." Kaede replied with the air of unspoken knowledge, as if she knew something she had yet to voice. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to restore her memories; only time will tell if they will return."
Kagome nodded understandingly. She glanced back at the girl to see the manner in which she was taking the newly disclosed news. The girl seemed untouched by Kaede's slightly saddening revelation.
"Kagome," Kaede called out, as if she had been trying to gain her attention for quite some amount of time. "Would ye be so kind as to gather some herbs for an old woman such as myself?"
Kagome smiled to Kaede a warm smile and replied that she would, indeed, help her.
"I'll go with you, Kagome." Sango said, overhearing Kaede's question. "It'll be nice to help you out for a change, Kaede."
"Why don't ye take your friend along?" Kaede said knowingly. "I'm sure a walk in the forest would do her a bit of good. Fresh air heals the spirit."
"Yes." Kagome said, knowing that what Kaede said was right. She herself loved the fresh air of the Feudal Era. It was so much more pleasing than that of her own era.
As the three of them set off, Sango and Kagome both carrying light colored baskets woven by the village women, there was silence. As at the hot spring, no one ventured to voice their thoughts for fear of treading into uncomfortable territory. When finally the reached the clearing the had been looking for, Kagome decided to break the silence. She could take no more of it.
"So," She said, directing her words towards the un-named girl. "We should give you a name. Don't you think? I, for one, certainly don't feel comfortable calling you, 'That Girl'.
The girl smiled slightly before agreeing with Kagome, and then looking to Sango. "I don't know where to begin. The both of you should start."
"Alright." Kagome said as she smiled happily, glad for the start of a conversation. "How about Ayameko? Yukino, maybe?"
"No." Sango stated. "She needs a name that fits her...like Sayuri, or Mai, or even Ayane."
"Ayane!" Kagome said, tasting the feel of the name on her tongue. "I like that, but I also like Kano, Miyo, Kasumi, and Reiko."
"Kagome," Sango said skeptically. "That's a long list of names."
"I know, but there are so many beautiful names! I wish I could have chosen my own name."
"Yeah?" Sango said, enjoying the playful feeling seeping into the air around the three of them. "What name would you have chosen?"
"Megumi." Kagome replied, showing no hesitation.
"That's a beautiful name, Kagome." Sango exclaimed softly. "Why don't we give it to her." She said indicating the girl.
Turning to face the girl, Kagome asked. "Is that alright with you?"
"Megumi is a pretty name." She replied softly, then nodded.
For the rest of the day, Kagome, Sango, and Megumi picked herbs and flowers, laughing all the while; enjoying each other's company. They created flower crowns, and threw grass into one another's hair. Even Megumi seemed to slip from her sad disposition and into a happier, more friendly one. It wasn't until the trio returned to Kaede's hut that she began to fall back into her normal quiet. When the three of them arrived, Kagome spotted Inu-Yasha resting on the room, seemingly asleep.
"Hey, Inu-Yasha!" She called cheerfully.
"What?" He called back to her irritably.
"Oh never mind! You'll just put a damper on our good moods." With that said she walked inside of the hut, brushing off Inu-Yasha's open mouth, indicating his readiness to reply, as she did so.
As night approached, the sky began to darken, the resting companions grew hungry. Kagome, happily began to cook the remaining bit of ramen. This, unfortunately, was a task that required more of her attention that it normally should have, for she had to constantly fight with Inu-Yasha to keep his hands away from the scalding hot noodles.
"You'll burn yourself!" She said, tugging at a cup of hot ramen that he had someone managed to grasp. "You've already burned yourself once, or don't you remember?"
"Feh." Was his only reply, letting go of the noodles as Kagome gave a final tug. The cup clutched tightly in her hands, Kagome fell backward, knocking over her bulging backpack, and splashing the hot water over her hands and face. She let out a scream that cause Inu-Yasha's ear to press flat against his head, then began franically scrambling for something the stop the burning sensation spreading over her fragile skin.
"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha cried, running running over to her, attempting to calm her down, fearful that she would injure herself further. "Kagome calm down!" Glancing to Sango he shouted for her to get Kaede. Without the slightest hesitation Sango jumped up and ran out the hut door, Kirara following closely behind.
Minutes later Sango returned with both Kaede and Megumi, explaining the situation.
"Calm, child." Kaede said soothingly, placing a comforting hand on Kagome's hand. Kagome nodded slightly and let the tears she'd been holding back roll down her burning cheeks. Quickly the old priestess set to work, applying ointments to the burns on Kagome's face, and bandaging her swollen hands. "There." She said kindly as she stepped back, as if to check the quality of her own work.
"With time the burns will heal." Inu-Yasha nodded at Kaede's explanation, and then moved to step outside, but he heard Kagome call out to him, and his attention immediately snapped back to her.
"Inu-Yasha," She called again. "come sit with me...please? I want to talk to you."
Inu-Yasha gulped down the fear currently rising in his throat and took sat down by Kagome, turning his away as he did so. He just couldn't seem to look at her. He didn't want to see the red marks on her face, now covered with shiny ointment, or the white bandages wrapped around Kagome's hands. It was his fault after all. If he had only waited for the ramen like she told him to...like he knew he should, she wouldn't be hurt. She hadn't even been attacked by a demon! It had been his stubborn personality that had hurt her, nothing else.
"Inu-Yasha," Kagome said gently, reaching up with a banaged hand to turn his face back in her direction, letting her eyes burn into his as she did so. "Do you think this is your fault?"
There was no answer.
"Inu-Yasha." Kagome sighed, shaking her head sadly as she removed the hand from his face. "None of this is your fault. We were just arguing like we always do and it got a little out of hand. That's all." Kagome smiled up at his serious face, trying to lighten the mood, but failing miserably.
"Kagome," Inu-Yasha said suddenly, catching the girl next to him off guard. "It is my fault...because you got hurt. That's not supposed to happen."
"It was only a little hot water, Inu-Yasha! I'm fine now."
"Does it hurt?" He asked abruptly, taking one of Kagome's bandaged hands in his own and running a clawed finger over it.
"A little," Kagome replied truthfully. "but not very much."
Inu-Yasha looked to Kagome, as if searching her eyes for the truth he felt behind her words. Seeming astisfied with what he saw, he let go of her hands and reached for a cup of now undoubtably cold ramen. "Is it done now?" He asked, only slightly mockingly, perhaps undertaking the task of raising both their spirits.
"It's probably too cold now, but I'm sure it's still edible." Kagome said, smiling at Inu-Yasha's rapidly lightening mood.
"That's all I need to hear." Inu-Yasha said as he began heeping greedy portions of the cold noodles into his mouth.
"Ah. I see that dinner is served." Came Miroku's voice from the doorway.
"It's cold, though." Kagome said. "It might not taste very good."
"That's alright, Kagome." Sango said caringly as she took a seat near her friend. "We're just glad you're OK."
"Yes, Lady Kagome. Your health holds greater importance than the quality of our meals."
Kagome smiled at all of her friends. "Thanks Miroku."
Night fell quickly as the companions ate their cold yet, tasty meal and began the preparations for sleep. The night was quiet and easy as the village inhabitants halted their daily lives and chores to lay their tired bones, hearts, and minds to rest. The wind ruslted the branches of nearby trees, speaking of things to come.
The entire group, including Megumi, nestled into their blankets and sleeping bags, curling into a comfortable sleeping position, welcoming the rest with silent gratitude. All save for Inu-Yasha sought sleep. His shadowed form rested in the corner of the night darkened hut, watchful eyes scanning over the forms of his companions...his friends. Every night he slept this way, watching first, waiting for an attack, then gradually falling into a light sleep. It would alsways be this way, for he would never allow harm to befall his friends. Never. They were the only family he had and the only family he wanted. He didn't need anything else, not that he would admit to even needing them, but still. They were everything to him. If anything every happened to anyone of them, even Kirara, he would be sad. Though he might hide it, he would be sad. Especially if anything were to happen to Kagome, she was so different from the others. He could place a title on all of them; brother, sister, son...but there was no title which he could give to Kagome. She was something else. Something else entirely and he didn't know what to call it. He was always unable to put his finger on what it was that he felt for her.
Megumi rested near the door of the hut. She too watched the night with interest. Sleep would not come easily to her, and for some reason, she welcomed this fact. Her dreams would be unpleasant, this she knew. The reason, she did not. It was a sort of feeling she had, a feeling that was attached to something. If she could find that something all her memories would come flooding back to her, like a yo-yo riding back to the hand of it's owner, guided by the string that was tied to it. She was sure this was the case. There was only a small gap in her knowledge, but this gap held all of her memories. Every moment of her childhood, every day of her life until recently.
Megumi's eyes flickered from wall to wall until they rested on the door of the hut once more. There was no movement in the darkness, nothing upon which her restless eyes could rest. She lay there for quite some time, unaware that a pair of watchful amber eyes gazed at her from the corner of the hut. After a time, Megumi noted a soft glowing light, slowly spreading into her periferal vision. It was a red glow she soon came to realize, appearing pink as if reach the wall of her hut. Curious as to where the light was coming from, Megumi sat up slowly, allowing the blanket resting on her shoulders to fall back to her stomach. It wasn't until she was fully standing that she saw the source of the luminescence. Red butterflies danced before her eyes, just beyond the reed mat covering the door. Her heart leapt to her throat and she stiffled a gasp. Not looking back, she stepped from the hut and reached out to the fluttering butterflies, but to her dismay, the flew away from her, dancing on the gentle breeze of the wind. Without hesitation she followed them out of the village and into the forest nearby.
Always, always they seemed to be close, and then suddenly far away, forcing her to run after them. They lead her deeper and deeper in the forest until she reached a giant tree; it's branches rising higher, and spreading farther than all the rest. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her, she noticed a shaped slumped against the tree. The butterflies rushed over to it, almost lovingly, fluttering around it's head, brushing it's cheeks with their crimson glowing wings. At the butterflies' touch, the stranger raised it's head, butterflies framing it's feminine face. It was a girl, Megumi realized. Abruptly the eyes of both girls locked and Megumi's mind and body alike were flooded with recognition.
"Mio?" The girl before her asked timidly, her voice reflecting the quiet around her.
Megumi rushed forward to embrace the girl at the base of the tree, letting silent tears fall as she did so. The pair stayed like that for what seemed like hours, the darkness washing over them as the butterflies faded away, all the while unaware of the half-demon watching them.
Alright, now I know that the new character hasn't been that actice, but you have to remember that the story isn't about her...entirely. It's about how the characters of Inu-Yasha deal with the presence of so many new people. As I have said I would I am putting a clue into each chapter that I introduce a new character in. So here you go! Don't forget to review please!
Clue:
"Didn't we promise that we'd always be together?"