Chapter Four: Demonic Dilemna

Well, I'm not entirely sure that I like the way I wrote that last chapter, (Argh, too many spelling errors!) but hopefully things will work out… anyway, I hope that you found it somewhat entertaining. Now…what should chapter four be about…

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Kagome was infinitely relieved when she looked above her and saw the ceiling of the shrine house back in her own time. She could hear her family above her; apparently they were still hard at work cleaning away the ointment.

It didn't seem like she had missed much.

"I'm back," Kagome called from the bottom of the well as she began to climb.

"I'm so sorry Sis! I didn't mean to knock into you," her brother looked at her with concern as she climbed out of the well. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Kagome gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "If no one minds, can I go inside? I'm a little tired…I could really do with some rest."

"Of course Kagome! In fact, I think we should all go in now. We've made progress. This is enough for one day." Her mother smiled, and nodded to tell her that she could go.

Kagome headed for her room as soon as she got inside the house. Once there, she flopped down on her bed and silently ran over everything that had happened since she had been pushed into the well that evening. There had to be a logical reason for everything that had happened. Think, she told herself. There is probably a perfectly normal explanation for this. Just count the facts.

Fact one: I got pushed down the well by my younger brother when he slipped on ointment that my grampa had spread around the shrine.

Fact two: I wound up at some point in the past.

Fact three: I talked to someone that said he was Sesshomaru.

Fact four: Sesshomaru has tried to kill me before.

Fact fiver: The person claiming to be Sesshomaru helped me to climb out of the well.

Kagome sighed. Normal? This situation didn't come anywhere close to it. Assuming that I actually can travel back even farther in time, Kagome reasoned with herself. There must be an explanation for why I can suddenly do this. What has changed since the last time I went to the feudal era?

Then the dawn broke. "It's the ointment," she exclaimed, sitting bolt upright. "Grampa," she cried out as she raced for the door, and then down the stairs. "Grampa! Where are you?"

She heard an answering call coming from the living room, and so she ran towards it. "Grampa," she gasped when she found him. "Can you please tell me what is in that ointment?"

Her grandfather was surprised, but he nodded sagely. At last the young people were taking an interest in the ancient magic he had tried to explain to them many times before.

"The ointment you say," he began. "Why yes, I do believe that this will broaden your horizons, Kagome. Indeed, the ointment is an artifact most precious. It was not cheap. I had to go through a lot to get that," he added conspiratorially. "Where was I? Oh yes, how I obtained the ointment…"

Kagome suppressed a cry of frustration. "Grampa, please, where did the ointment come from and what is the ointment meant to do."

"You youngsters are too interested in doing things in a hurry. 'What does it do' you ask. You should take some time to just stop and smell the roses, Kagome. Learn things as they come, and always find out the whole story when it is offered. However," he added at the look of distress on his granddaughter's face, "I will explain to you the origins of the ointment."

Her looked at her intently and then began his tale. "Legend tells of a great demon lord who was drained of his strength by a powerful miko. However, instead of killing him, she tied his soul to the earth by a large bog. There the demon waited, his hatred slowly growing. He could do nothing against the power that bound him, but he longed to get his revenge and find a way to thwart the desires of humankind." Her grandfather waited so as to produce what he obviously thought was a dramatic pause. "Even with his soul confined, the demon was still formidable, and when he died his evil intentions seeped into the earth, eventually contaminating the very waters of the bog.

"The ointment I used to bring you home," he concluded, "was made from the waters of that bog."

There were several moments of silence following this announcement.

Kagome blanched. "Why," she stammered, "did you use that!"

"I mixed up bottles."

Kagome's eye twitched. "You just mixed…them…up," she repeated "What exactly…what does that mean! What does that stuff do!"

"Well, as I told you Kagome, legend says that—"

"I remember what you said Grampa, but what I am concerned with is the ointment, not the demon Lord. Can't you tell me what the potion is for?"

"The ointment contains the demon's displeasure. It was meant to combat human dreams by pushing them out of reach."

Kagome had heard enough. She hurried into the kitchen and grabbed a bucket of water and a sponge before rushing out of the house.

Her grandfather's eyes bulged as he watched her go. "Kagome," he called frantically. "What are you doing? Don't wash away the ointment! It should not be wasted! It is rare and valuable! Kagome can you hear me…" his voice faded away as Kagome walked toward the shrine.

Upon reaching it, she opened the shrine door and slammed it shut behind her. Her shoulders trembling slightly, but her face was full of fierce determination.

"All right," she said aloud. "It's time to clean up this mess."

Several minutes later she emerged from the shrine, radiating joy. She wasn't sure how it had happened, but the ointment was completely gone.

Wow, she thought. My family must have done a really good cleanup job while I was gone!

It was time to pack her bags, take a quick nap, and head down the well once more.

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I know that this chapter was short, but I'll have another out soon, I promise. Sorry, but I need to alter the summary just a bit. I hadn't completely thought through what I was going to write, and I have decided to use part of my plot in a different story because it would have made this one really long confusing. Also, with the edits I made, Sesshomaru should get more time in the spotlight. I hope to hear from you again soon when I post chapter five!

Kagura134- Thanks! This chapter didn't have a lot of humor, but there should be plenty of opportunity for it later…

Equanimity- Thank you for your help!