Introduction- uh, hello, this is my first fanfiction on So, uh, please be kind Anyway, well, this fanfic I wrote is kinda different from the type of fanfic you're probably expecting - no original characters, no high school setting, and sorry no lemon ;; And, yeah, it more or less follows the original plot of the actual anime, even. What is different, however, is the setting - you see (and this is where the story gets long), I was at an anime message board where Inuyasha's kinda popular, but a lot of people hate it, and I was thinking, "well, why do they hate it?" So I went to talking with them, and their answers were pretty diverse - a lot of people didn't like the "kiddie" feel of it, others hated the drawn-out plot with endless filler ("When are they gonna get to Naraku!"), and flat, unsympathetic characters was a big one they cited. So I was thinking, what if someone cut all that out? Changed Inuyasha like that? Then I added another element on my own - I decided that the best way to accomplish this was to give a more realistic, factual setting. I guess you can think of it like Samarai Champloo in reverse, or maybe my own version of Richard Hatch's New Battlestar Galactica applied to Inuyasha - or whatever. I'll add more details about my plans if people request, but for now I just wanna see how people react. Rate and review, please - naturally ;) Oh, and don't feel afraid to dish out your most harsh criticism either - I consider all reviews equally welcome (in fact, I encourage criticism!)

Oh, two more things -

first of all, wanna get this out of the way - Inuyasha, the characters represented theirin, and any and all other intellectual properties and copyright thereof Rumiko Takahashi and otherwise are the intellectual properties of their respective owners. I claim the right to write this fanfic under the "fair use" doctrine of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and I do not under any circumstances make any monetary value from this work whatsoever.

Secondly, I haven't yet organized this into chapters - although this fanfic so far has been heavily scruitinized for grammar, spelling, structure and plot cohesion, it's still a very rough cut, so to say. Actually, dividing this up into chapters really isn't necessary, since I'm still deciding whether to continue what I have so far as one chapter or split it into two.

Actual fanfic begins here!

Kazo no Kizu! These words echoed through the forest as a visible energy wave, once tightly wrapped around a massive, unwieldy blade, struck the ground and parted the earth before it. The demon opposing this unstoppable surge convulsed its otherworldly form in anticipation as its surroundings began to glow brightly. Escape from the whirling vortex was impossible; all the demon could do was writhe in pain and curse the name of the warrior who wielded the fang-blade.

As the demon began to disintegrate, a blinding flash concealed its final moments. Its remains, the terrible vortices, the enchanted warrior and the world around them – everything was swallowed by the light. The light subsided in a flash, retreating into nothingness in a bizarre pattern of faint stars and shrinking lines. All that was left was the reflective darkness, the mirrored image of a living room, and a young girl holding a TV remote

"Kagome!" The young girl turned away, facing the kitchen. "Help your grandfather!"

The foyer had been filled to capacity with boxes, which in turn were brimming with trinkets and knick-knacks to the point where the contents were spilling out. Kagome delicately lifted one of the charms out of its box; it was a long, thin piece of plastic with a religious incantation written on it, with a little ball hanging from a chain at one end.

"That is a scale replica of the Shikon no Tama, an ancient jewel said to…Kagome?" Kagome's thoughts trailed away, her attention shifting across the room. The only being paying attention to the keychain anymore was the cat, batting against the ball with furred mitts.

"Kagome! I'm speaking to you!" The girl couldn't be bothered any less and turned away.

"Did anybody even remember that it's my birthday tomorrow?" she spoke in a sighed, annoyed tone.

Her grandfather became indignant. "Kagome! Getting ready for the festival is more important right now! We'll make time for your birthday when we're done - tomorrow, I promise."

Kagome sighed some more. "Some festival."

"Kagome, I know this festival has kept your mother and I very busy these last few weeks, and I can't blame you for feeling ignored, even jealous. I know the timing with your birthday only makes it worse. But this festival's important – it's been a part of the family tradition for countless generations, and you know how much it meant to your father. And we need the extra income these souvenirs will bring, too."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Kagome gestured her sentiments with her hands, her fingers mimicking her grandfather's speech. Her eyes conveyed vacancy and blankness.

Her grandfather began to slump as Kagome's apathy spread to him. "If it'll make things better in the meantime…I planned to wait for tomorrow, but…."

Kagome interrupted, her body and attitude rejuvenated with excitement. "You did get something! Hand it over!"

Her grandfather pulled a paper-wrapped object from behind his back and handed it to Kagome. Kagome eagerly grabbed it; it was about the size of her forearm. She tore into the paper as remote possibilities flew through her mind. Could it be that new leather purse I've had my eye on? Maybe a make-up kit! she thought.

Such lavish dreams were dashed in a matter of seconds.

"It's an authentic mummified water nymph hand!" her grandfather proudly exclaimed. "It's an ancient, sacred artifact that's been passed down the family for generations."

Kagome's face said more than words. She handed the mummified hand to her cat.

"Here Bouyo. Eat."

Her grandfather screamed in horror. "Kagome, that's an ancient sacred relic!" As the cat casually walked off with his new prize, he stared at Kagome in rage, daggers firing from his eyes. Kagome was too busy being apathetic to notice, her head purposely pointed away.

Replica this, authentic tha, blah blah blaht. It seems like everything's got a story! thought Kagome. The Sacred Tree, the Sacred Well, the Shikon no Tama – I've heard these fairy tales all my life and never believed them.! Only a senile idiot would believe these fairy tales anymore.

The next morning brought vendors and artists from all over Tokyo lining the streets, with the usual peace and quiet replaced by religious incantations and prayer, meditation hymns, music, and the droll of amateur stage reenacting ancient fairy tales. Kagome could see the commotion through her window, her interests in the scene limited to how it's interrupting her sleep. Her mother forbade her from the ceremonies as punishment for last night's acts of insubordination – she could care less either way. Her daily plans remained unchanged; skip straight to school and meet her friends. Grabbing her backpack and stomping her foot, she left without so much as saying "bye."

Kagome's hurried trip was interrupted when something caught her eye. The door to the shrine of the Sacred Well was left ajar. She never much cared for the shrine and paid little attention to it; her only concern was for intruders. Walking closer, she could make out her brother inside amongst the shadows.

"Sota? What are you doing?"

"…nothing" replied Sota, nervously.

"You know you're not supposed to play in there, it's dangerous!"

"I'm not" replied Sota in a deadpan voice. "It's the cat."

As Kagome walked closer, she could see the food bowl in Sota's hands and the raw fish inside.

"Sota, you know better than to try and get the cat with that!" Kagome grabbed the food dish away from Sota.

"Do you think he fell down the well?"

"I don't know, but I guess we need to go check." Kagome stepped into the shrine itself; it was almost pitch black save for the few spots of light shining through the cracked wood along with the sharp beam from the doorway. The floor was bare dirt with bits of bone scattered about. In the middle sat a well, its squat, wooden lining supporting two heavy doors that were tightly locked, with a scrap of paper with a sutra written on it placed on top.

"I don't see how Bouyo could've gotten down in there with the well locked up like this" said Kagome. Sota ignored her, his cries wailing in the background – "Bouyo! Booooooouyo!" Kagome shook her head, undoing the knot that kept the doors bound.

"I really don't see how Bouyo could possibly be down there, but I'll go ahead and see just in case. Sota, help steady me."

Sota grabbed Kagome's arm as Kagome propped herself up on the well's ledge. The wood was slippery under her shoes, and Sota added little for stability.

"You should be the one going down the well!" angrily yelled Kagome.

"Why me?"

"Because you're the one who's looking for him!"

An unexplained noise frightened Sota. "Kagome, something's down there!"

"Uh, yeah, the cat!"

The darkness inside the shrine amplified Sota's fears, and he began loosing his grip on Kagome. Kagome did her best to compensate, her feet sliding along the beams. Sota felt something vaguely familiar brush up against his legs, and looked down to see the missing Bouyo. Failing to recognize the cat immediately, Sota instinctively jumped, his skin crawling. He let go of Kagome, and she fell into the abyss.

Kagome woke up, rubbing her scalp. Her head felt numb, and as she struggled to get up she staggered as if in a drunken stupor. She began to worry about possible brain damage, and then shifted her attention to getting out of the well. As her vision returned, she realized that there was an intense light from above. She wondered if maybe a rescue crew had come and had shone a spotlight or some such down the well. When her vision became fully restored and adjusted, she realized it was natural sunlight.

Did they tear the shrine down to rescue me? she thought. She began to feel mildly sorry for having caused so much trouble between yesterday and today, and began to imagine the scolding she'd receive. She called out for Sota, but received only silence.

"Lousy brat probably just took off" she said to herself. She looked around the well's interior and noticed an extensive network of thick vines.

"Hadn't noticed these here before." She grabbed hold and slowly climbed for the top. She also noticed for the first time how deep the well appeared to be – she guessed it had been minutes since leaving the bottom, but it felt like hours.

"Maybe I'm just more injured than I thought." Grabbing for the next vine, she saw directly in front of her a butterfly. She stared at it for a few minutes as it fluttered around her, the parts of her brain not dazed wondering what would such a creature be doing during this season – or perhaps rethinking the exact amount of time spent at the bottom of the well. When she reached the top, she pulled herself over the side of the well and sat upon the ledge, more dazed and confused than she had been at the well's bottom. Gently rolling green hills and thick forests had magically replaced the high-rises and streets; singing birds stood in for traffic, and deep rays of sunlight penetrated through the clouds and treetops. The air smelled sweeter and fresher than before. It appeared as if an ancient fantasy land devoid of all human contact had taken over the city.

Kagome, breathless and wide-eyed, tried to absorb her surroundings and ramifications.

I don't think I'm in Tokyo anymore.

Rising to her feet, Kagome began to wander off, looking for signs of anybody. She called for her family to no avail. Soon, however, she spotted a familiar shape amongst a grove of saplings – the Sacred Tree, the tree that had stood on her family's land for generations, said to be endowed with magical powers related to the shrine. What powers those were supposed to be, exactly, she wasn't quite sure – it was something she never bothered to pay attention too, much like the rest of the sacred grounds. Her only concern was that it was a familiar landmark, a sign pointing towards home.

She immediately made way for the tree, running past strange, delicate flowers and birds she hadn't seen before, pushing away young branches and the occasional spider web. As she grabbed the last branch, she saw something stuck to the tree's base – it almost looked like a person. As she walked closer, it became evident that it was indeed a person, wearing a long, flowing robe-like dress, its bright red color enriched by the sun. His silver hair glistened in the sunlight, almost blinding Kagome every time she focused on it. She walked up to him, and realized that it was a young boy, around her own age. As she examined him where she stood, she winced when she noticed the arrow lodged in his shoulder. Blood dripped down the shaft, and it looked like it pierced all the way through and into the tree. Kagome touched the end of the shaft with her fingertip in morbid curiosity. To her surprised, the young man began to softly groan, and she jumped back in horror. Kagome saw that his eyes were still closed, his breaths soft and erratic. Kagome looked around for anything that could be of help and saw a nearby spring. Dashing towards the sparkling water, she cupped her hands and raced back, dripping the few drops that hadn't spilled over into the young boy's mouth. The boy began to feel Kagome's presence, and his eyes slowly opened into hazy slits. He began to speak coarsely, his voice just loud enough for Kagome to make out.

"Kikyou."

"Kikyou? What's a Kikyou?"

The boy didn't answer. He lifted his head slightly, and with his eyes still half-closed focused his attention on Kagome.

"Kikyou…."

Kagome stared at him, dumbfounded. "Wh…who are you? How did you get stuck here? And for the second time what's a Kikyou!"

The boy kept silent. He reached over with his free hand and grabbed the arrow's shaft, pulling at it. He pulled harder, and his face winced and groaned more and more with each pull. Kagome joined in, pulling the shaft with both hands while she steadied herself against the tree. The boy took as deep a breath as he could, and in unison with Kagome gave a final hard pull, freeing the arrow and himself from the tree as he screamed in agony. Kagome let go, and the boy slumped to the ground.

"Kikyou" the boy kept repeating. "Kikyou…take me back to the village…."

"The village? Where's the village?" frantically asked Kagome.

"…Kikyou…." repeated the boy, using the last of his breath before fainting. Kagome gently picked his body up over her shoulder and began walking.

"I hope I can find this village on my own. At least now I know there's people around…."

Kagome could only guess how long she had been wandering through the forest. The sun may not have yet set, but to her it already felt like days. Carrying her backpack didn't help matters, either, and neither did carrying an extra body atop her shoulders – especially one as badly wounded as this. His blood began to stain through his clothes and into hers, and the arrow still lodged in his shoulder constantly poked her. The forest provided some shade, but Kagome still felt the heat. Her clothes had been drenched by her own sweat, and she began to suffer from heat exhaustion. As if by chance, she finally stumbled upon a small, medieval-looking village after cresting a large hill. The village, with its small wooden cottages circling a small, deserted square and surrounded by farming fields, was nestled within a low valley, and Kagome could see the whole valley from the hilltop. It was a spectacular view, revealing wide expanses, vast forested lands and small springs criss-crossing the valley – Kagome thought it impossible for all of this to exist where Tokyo now stands.

"This has to be some crazy dream or something!" thought Kagome, with only an unconscious boy to talk to.

As Kagome walked into the village, the people around her stopped their activities and stared at her. She didn't think much of it – she supposed that it would be unusual for a girl to be carrying around a boy with an arrow through his shoulder to suddenly pop up at a place like this. After all, she thought of this place as strange herself, with the villagers wearing an assortment of colored robes and cloths going about daily activities that seemed alien, all punctuated by a pungent perfume in the air that was anything but appeasing. She thought about asking someone if this was the right village – although she wasn't quite sure if they'd know what she was talking about – and giving the boy some medical attention. She thought she heard some yelling in the distance, and looked up to see some men running towards her. Her body froze as soon as she took in the realization. Other villagers began to gather around her and yell.

"It's Inuyasha! Quick, someone get Kaede!"

"He has a strange girl with him!"

"Is he dead!"

"Let's hope he's still alive!"

The villagers soon formed a ring around Kagome, keeping their distance. Kagome could still hear their quiet, muttered comments to each other, using phrases she didn't understand: "How did she find Inuyasha? Her appearance is strange - do you think she's a kitsume? Or even a youkai?" An old woman pushed through the crowd; Kagome recognized her dress as traditional for a priestess, like the one she wore for a school pageant years ago. Her right eye had been permanently bandaged. The old woman slowly approached Kagome, taking a hard look at her and then the boy.

"This strange woman has brought back Inuyasha. Tell me, what is your name?"

Kagome's knees started to shake, almost collapsing under the physical and mental pressure as she stuttered her response. "Uhhhhhh, uhhhhh, it's Ka…Ka-go-me."

"Ka-go-me?" repeated the old woman. "I am not familiar with that name, and your clothes I do not recognize. Where are you from?"

Kagome's next reply came out more smoothly as village men lifted the boy off her shoulders. "I'm from Tokyo."

"Tok-y-o you say? Hmmm, I'm not familiar with that place, either. Truly a strange girl." The old lady grabbed Kagome's chin, examining her more closely. "I can sense something within you, however. A strong aura surrounds you." She let go of Kagome's chin. "You have found and brought back Inuyasha, and for this we thank you. Surely, you are strong in spirit, but your body appears to have been weakened and tired. Come now, and we will feed and shelter you, and provide you with new clothing and cleanse your body."