Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or its characters. I do own, however, the original characters: Alden, Cora, and Setsuko. Using my original characters in your own stories is not permitted, unless with my consent. Thank you.

Chapter 3

A Glint of Comfort

It was painfully dark. The blackness hastened the senses, disturbed the mind, and intimidated the soul. Light was feeble; sight was blurred. Fire rose up sporadically like horrific tongues, while steam forever blasted and burned. Torment weighed down like a terrible, unbearable gravity, and hope was completely forgotten. It was here that dwelled one out of the few that attempted to escape. That one damned spirit quivered its shackles and resisted its suffering. That one persisted, with a growing strength, pulling and tugging. Its red eyes glared with an unyielding ferocity.

Alden woke up in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding and racing, and he was completely drained of his breath. He panted and gasped for air, attempting to recover from the state of panic and terror.

"That.....was.....intense....."

It was still night out, and everyone remained sleeping. Cora had finally fallen asleep also, as Alden sat up for a moment in extreme silence. He obviously had not been thrashing about in his dreams, for someone would have surely been woken up. He couldn't believe they didn't hear all that noise he heard, the loud roaring of blazing fire, and the pulling of heavy chains, of that something. The nightmare had appeared so clear and real to him.

In the morning, everything seemed fresh and bright. The sky was once again blue and cloudless, and the air was crisp and invigorating. Alden was still sleeping, however. His sister soon woke him up after she roused herself.

"Alden, it's morning," she said. "Wake up."

"Ugh. Cora?" he mumbled. "Morning?"

"I want to leave, Alden. I want to go home. This is weird. Is this place even real? I still don't understand."

"Huh?" Alden said, shaking out of a half-conscious state.

"These people. These demons. This can't be real....."

"I know, Cora. I cannot believe what has happened. But I know this is real. It is very real."

"I'm scared."

"I know, Cora. But talk to Kagome. She seems like she knows a lot about this era and all these unbelievable demons."

Cora did not respond, but just stood there. She was so young and sensitive, so easily swayed by drastic events. Her eyes still shone with disbelief, she would perhaps never get over nor understand this bizarre experience. This fantastic travel to the Feudal Era of Japan.

"Come on, let's get up. I'm sure the others are awake already," Alden said.

"I'm hungry," Cora said. "We haven't eaten in a while."

"Yeah, I know. Let's go."

Alden and Cora stood up and got ready for a new day in the strange new era. During this process, Alden told Cora about his nightmare.

"Another nightmare, Alden? Do you have to tell me anymore? I already know you've been having nightmares ever since you were little," Cora said.

"Yeah, I know, Cora. But this nightmare was different somehow. It wasn't so confusing or bizarre like my other dreams. It seemed very realistic. Very realistic," Alden said.

"Pf! Whatever."

Alden and Cora met with the others for breakfast. Their bewildered expressions revealed their disbelief of everything, of this new world. Maybe they would never grasp it completely, nor believe it was entirely real.

Kagome decided to talk to Cora during a breakfast of fish and pastries. She knew how Cora must have felt; scared, confused, maybe even traumatized. She knew the easiest solution would to console her through regular talk, get her to open up and feel even a little bit more comfortable.

"Hey Cora," she said. "Let me tell you a little bit about my life in Japan. I think you'll like it."

Kagome cleared her throat and began to chat with a genial expression.

"Well, I guess it's a lot like your life. I have a mom, a brother, oh, and grandpa lives with us too. At our shrine. And I go to school, just like you, and have friends there and of course, dreaded homework and math tests."

Cora let a small smile show on her face.

"Hee hee. Your backpack looks like it weighs as much as mine."

"Yeah, I know. I always like to carry extra food and stuff with me. And of course my school books to study and everything."

Everyone else was also eating and talking. Shippo and Kilala were eating a type of herbal biscuit, while Inuyasha ate in silence. Miroku was interested in the conversation between Cora and Kagome, as was Sango. They liked to hear about tales of the future, even though they seemed rather trivial. Kaede and Myoga were also listening to the conversation. Alden was glad that his sister seemed to be a little bit better, even though he knew that disbelief and discomfort would always reside underneath her shining eyes. Alden also began to observe his surroundings much more attentively; he really didn't look around the town or anything due to his intense disbelief. He had initially approached this new world as if it was a dream, just letting it flow around him, him remaining passive and stasis. But now, he knew it wasn't something surreal, but something real. At least, he was determined to make himself believe it.

"I like your backpack," Kagome told Cora. "I like the cats on it."

"Thanks. I love cats. They're my favorite animal."

"I have a cat at home. His name's Buyo."

"That's cool. I wish I had a cat. My parents won't let me have one because they don't think that I would care for it good."

"My brother takes care of the cat mostly though. He's really responsible. Sometimes though he's really annoying."

"Oh, I know what you mean," Cora said, looking at Alden.

"Brat," Alden said.

"Hey!"

"But you're lucky though, Cora. You have an older brother that you can look up to."

"Pf! Yeah right."

"I'm sure she does," Kagome thought to herself.

Cora continued to talk to Kagome. Alden was surprised at how open she became with Kagome, but perhaps it was part of her unique personality. The others were now all contributing to the conversation; asking about the future in the United States. Cora answered them with a smile. Inuyasha was sitting with his legs and arms crossed, apparently tuned out to the conversing. Alden looked to the person sitting beside Inuyasha, who was Sango. Alden didn't notice her much before; he was too busy taking in the new environment and coping with the bewilderment of traveling to a bizarre era.

"Whoa," Alden thought, looking at Sango as she listened to the conversation with a gentle smile. "I never noticed her before."

After the unusual breakfast, everyone contemplated on the situation again.

"I suggest not traveling through the well any time soon," Myoga said. "It could be dangerous. Since it's magic seems to be somewhat distorted, you may use it and end up in an unwanted time period. Or some random era or place. I suggest not using it until we figured out what is behind it, and a possible means to fix it."

"Feh. Let's just take the risk. I'm sure it's okay," Inuyasha said. "We have no time for this. The jewel shards....."

"Inuyasha! I can't believe how selfish you can be sometimes," Kagome yelled at him, interrupting his sentence. "This two are lost in a completely new place and time period, and you just want to leave them here, abandoned? What's wrong with you? And there's no way we're going to try to send them back through the well!"

"Feh. Whatever."

"Ugh!"

"I have to figure out who's behind all this," Inuyasha thought. "This is making us lose time for jewel shard collecting! Naraku must behind this. He's probably trying to distort the well's magic to slow us down or use it for his own evil purposes. But how to find out? How?"

Inuyasha became very frustrated. He sniffed the ground and focused on any demonic presences. Nothing. No unusual scents, nothing.

"Kagome, you said you sensed a jewel shard nearby before," Inuyasha said. "Well? What happened?"

"How should I know?!?" the already incensed Kagome yelled. "I sensed it near the well. Before we met Alden and Cora. Then, it was gone."

"Hm. A jewel shard you say?" Myoga wondered. "You sensed it near the Bone Eater's Well before, and now, the aura has vanished?"

"Yeah. It disappeared just like that. But it's really strange, since I sensed it so strongly; it was as if it was pulling me towards it. But then, it was gone, and instead, we found Alden and Cora being attacked by a demon."

"Hm. And no shard in the demon, huh?"

"Nope. Nothing," Inuyasha said.

"Hm. Perhaps there is more to this unusual situation than meets the eye," Myoga thought. "It is indeed strange that Lady Kagome's sense was thrown into an abnormal state, the well's magic became distorted and unpredictable, and these two strangers appear here quite suddenly. I fear all of these bizarre events are some sort of harbinger."

Myoga continued to talk for quite a while, drawing on and expanding on his long-winded theories and hunches about the mysterious happenings. Everyone felt extreme tedium and became provoked after a while. They eventually decided to take baths in the hot springs and relax.

From the path on the edge of the village, it split into a fork. The girls took the left side, the boys the right.

Kagome and Sango both took off their clothes and entered the soothing waters of the left spring. The serenity and relaxation of it made Kagome think of the hot baths at home. Cora had decided not to go in; she was very shy about it.

"Don't worry, Cora," Kagome assured her. "You can go in after we get out. And I'll be sure to guard it for you."

"Thanks, Kagome," Cora thanked her.

Cora left the spring with Kilala, as her guardian and protector, and wandered around the village for a while, looking at the comforting scenery and musing about the unrealistic, confusing situation. Her sundry emotions began to storm in her eyes, as she walked aimlessly, Kilala keeping an eye on her.

Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippo, and Alden were already undressed and relaxing in the other hot spring. Inuyasha was in a deep musing state, while Shippo and Alden just talked about anything. Shippo was naturally curious about Alden's home and parents. Miroku was busy trying to sneak a peek of the girls slyly and stealthily, trying not to make too big of a rustling noise from behind the bushes. Inuyasha was well aware of what Miroku was doing, but just merely ignored him. Alden noticed Miroku's behavior as well, and guessed what he was doing. Shippo still couldn't comprehend why Miroku had to act like that all the time.

"It's well worth the risk of being caught," Miroku thought, enraptured by his lewd thoughts.

Alden was tempted to look in as well, but he maintained his dignity. He never saw a naked girl before, and so, he found it difficult to resist. His thoughts, however, were soon banished by Shippo's blatant observation.

"Miroku, how come you always do that? You know what will happen to you if they see you."

"Shippo, I'll tell you when you're older," Miroku said.

"Hey! Ugh."

Shippo turned to talk to Alden instead, yielding to a futile defeat.

"You know what he's doing, right?"

"Yeah. And he's a monk?" Alden asked.

"Yep. Sure is. Unbelievable isn't it? But he wants a woman to conceive a child for him before his wind tunnel curse gets seriously bad. He wants a son to pass on his curse and finally destroy Naraku, to have it removed, and avenge his family."

"I see," Alden said, trying to comprehend another shred of bizarre Feudal Era information.

Miroku made a sudden, quick movement that made a loud, conspicuous rustle. Kagome and Sango heard it, and saw a glimpse of Miroku's stunned face. He had seen them in the hot spring for a few seconds. Kagome and Sango hastily dressed themselves and fled, screaming his name in rage. He was later reprimanded with two slaps of two different hands to his face.

The starlit sky soon loomed overhead, as a fire smoked and cooked various fish on a skewer, its aroma wafting in the air. Everyone was now outside of Kaede's hut, gathered around the fire. They sat, preparing themselves to eat dinner. Kagome passed around some food from her time to share with everyone, such as some honey-roasted peanuts and a sweet type of candy, that Inuyasha immediately ejected from his mouth. Cora enjoyed the treats, however, from their time. She was beginning to talk more with Shippo, Sango, and Kagome, and she also became comfortable with petting Kilala, as she shone a glint of comfort in her gray eyes. Alden wasn't too hungry; he found himself entranced by Sango once again. He did not, however, make it obvious that he was gawking; he just glanced inconspicuously. Out of everyone he had met so far in this strange era of Japan, she seemed like the most distant one from him.

After the meal, everyone conversed for a while longer, and then shortly decided to head in for the night.