Chapter Two
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'Sooooo, this is a lot harder than it looks.' I think to myself dryly, sweat beading on my forehead. It would have been good for Grandpa to have mentioned earlier that this bow had a thirty pound draw weight. To most this might not seem like much, but to an overweight and entirely nonathletic girl, it was a whole heck of a lot!
"You're going to have to build the muscles in your arms, chest, back, and core through practice." Grandpa stated, a sly smile on his face. I lower the bow then, having been trying to draw back to fire a third arrow with little success.
"I should have known you were just trying to get me to work out." I mutter disdainfully, Grandpa shrugging easily.
"You could stand to lose a little weight." He replied evenly. I threw my head back, crying out in mock indignity. Let's be honest though...he was right. More like I could lose a good fifty pounds. "It's not healthy!"
"I'm aware of this, Grandpa." I snark back, sighing as I shake my arms one at a time, arrow still clenched against the hemp string of the bow. I look at my right arm, brows furrowing as I study the leather arm-guard that had most definitely saved my forearm in the first two tries. It was beautiful, a dark black outlined in red leather stitching. The entire ensemble that this arm-guard belonged to had been in the chest, but there had been no need for any other articles of armor. As Grandpa had also pointed out, it probably wouldn't have fit. The quiver, however, laid at my feet, also black with red leather stitching.
"I'm going to have to teach you how to properly look after your bow and how to fix the fletching on your arrows." Grandpa spoke up after a moment of silence. "Also how to look after the armor. There is a reason all these things have been preserved like this over the generations, and it's not because it was left alone to mold and rot." I sigh, looking towards the target then. Yeah, the arrow that had completely missed and landed somewhere in the grass in the distance would most definitely need repair. The arrow that sat on the very edge of the target would be fine.
"Woah!" Sōta's voice rang out then as he came running towards us. I looked over towards my younger cousin as he stopped just short of me, eyeing the bow. "This is so cool, Yua! Where did you get that?!" I can't help a small smile at my cousin's eagerness and excitement.
"Grandpa saved it for me. It was my Father's." I say, trying to keep the bitter taste out of my mouth as I mentioned that man.
"My Dad didn't leave me something cool like that!" Sōta sighed enviously, and I'm struck with how easily he mentioned his own Dad. He had been young when his Dad had died in a car accident, almost too young to remember him. The only life Sōta has really ever known has been here at the Shrine.
"Tell you what, when you get old enough and strong enough to pull this string back, I'll teach you like Grandpa is teaching me." I promise warmly, Sōta lifting an eyebrow in challenge.
"Who says I'm not strong enough now?" He demands, crossing his arms in a huff. I share a mischievous look with Grandpa, before easily shrugging my shoulders and handing the younger boy the bow. I hold back a laugh, the bow twice as tall as Sōta is, as he tries to lift it up high enough off of the ground and pull the string back at the same time. He grunts and pulls until he is red in the face, before giving in with a defeated sigh. I take it back, holding in a smirk as he looks up at me impatiently.
"Okay, fine." He grumbles irritably, before turning and heading back to the house to no doubt help Aunt Miyu with breakfast.
"You'll get the hang of this soon enough with practice." Grandpa speaks up, watching as Sōta takes off as well. "Let's call it a morning. Put that back and come up for breakfast." He adds, before heading off towards the house as well. I sigh heavily, looking down at the bow in my hands before looking towards the building that contained the well.
That voice was still weighing heavily on my mind.
It took a couple of weeks for me to realize I had actually settled into a routine for the first time since I had arrived at the Shrine. I would wake up at the crack of dawn, grab my bow and arrows, and practice for an hour. I would eat breakfast, then help Grandpa with the maintenance of the gardens and walkways for the rest of the morning. Eat lunch, then practice with my bow again for another hour before putting it away for the day and helping my Aunt get supper ready for the evening. It was a simple routine, but it made the days go by much quicker than they had before.
Looking in the mirror this morning after my shower had caused me to reflect on this, as there was a noticeable difference in my body. Only to me, mind you, I doubt to anyone else. My stomach was tighter, maybe even a tad bit smaller, and my arms had gotten a little slimmer as well. Stepping onto the scale curiously my eyes widen in shock as I see I had lost a whole ten pounds!
'I haven't lost weight since my first year in junior high!' I think to myself, stunned. The only reason I had lost weight was because gym had been mandatory that first year. I had refused to take it after that and had gained all the weight back I had lost. I should have clued in sooner, to be honest. I felt better than I had in years. 'The old coot was right, I really do need to get more in shape.' I know Grandpa would never let me live it down if I let him know he was right. Getting dressed in my usual jeans and shirt I head outside. Groaning loudly I stretching my arms above my head as the sun warms my face. Today was a good day to take a small break and enjoy the nice weather.
"But maybe I'll get a couple shots in at least, just to keep me loosened up." I say to myself, figuring that everyone was still in bed. I walk over to the now familiar building, sliding the door easily open. I had worked with Grandpa to grease the slider, and that coupled with continual use had loosened the door up significantly. The sun pours in, once again illuminating the well that lay just on the edge of where the light could reach. I frown at the memory of the last time I had approached it all those weeks ago.
"MAYUMI!"
A shudder runs down my spine as I can still hear that gravelly voice shouting out, filled with grief and rage. It still hit me at my very core. Turning my attention to the chest against the wall I collect what I need, strapping my arm guard in place securely before grabbing my quiver full of arrows and my bow. I attach the quiver onto my belt; I had ran to the department store the day after I had started practicing and purchased a metal clip to make things easier. Making my way towards the door, I pause as I hear a noise coming from the lower area.
"Meow…meow…mmmeeeooowwww."
I groan, rolling my eyes at the noise Kagome's cat was making. The little shit had probably gotten locked in here yesterday. Sighing I throw my bow over my shoulder, hooking it against my body.
"Here, kitty." I sing out, mentally beating myself to try and remember the stupid cat's name. I hate cats. The dumb feline meows again, but doesn't appear. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty!" I call out a bit louder from the top of the stairs, praying I'd see the white and brown fur ball appear.
Nada.
Groaning loudly I turn away. Surely the if the mangy animal was smart enough to get in here, he'd be smart enough to get out? I take a step, and the cat meows again.
Fuck.
Resignedly I turn back around, glancing nervously at the well before mentally slapping myself. I had probably just been hearing things before, right? There was nothing to be scared of! It was just a dried up well! I take a tentative step down, pausing irrationally for a moment to listen.
No voices. Alright, we're hopefully good.
I make it the rest of the way down, squinting as I look into the dark to try and find the cat. I walk a little closer to the well, eyeing it with distrust, before nearly screaming as something rubs up against my legs. Looking down I'm equally annoyed and relieved to have found the family cat.
"You scared the shit out of me!" I exclaim down at the innocent creature, and it gives another meow in response.
Then things start to actually get scary.
I feel that warm pulse from before in the air coming from the well, and against my better judgement, I can't help but be drawn in closer.
'Why does that keep happening around here?' I frown in wonder, taking two steps forward. I was nearly to the edge, before freezing as the planks suddenly fly off with a gust of wind.
'Why can't I move?' I ask myself desperately, something reaching out like tentacles from the well. Something that feels like hands grab onto me around my shoulders and waist, dragging me forward and right into the well. I manage to close my eyes, fully expecting to hit the bottom and break my neck.
But it never comes.
Hands grab my face on either side, and I snap my eyes open as a reflex, before snapping them closed just as quickly when I see exactly what has a hold of me. A naked woman with long jet black hair, her eyes unseeing.
"Open your eyes." She hisses out the order, her voice echoing all around us in the darkness. We continuing to float, that much I can feel, and that I'd probably be lost if she didn't have me anchored down with her grip on my face…and my shoulders…and my hips? Snapping my eyes back open once more as I add up the amount of hands currently touching me, I'm horrified to see for myself that she has six arms!
"Oh to be alive once more! Already my strength returns." She croaks, her voice sounding as inhuman as she looked. I swallowed thickly, before looking over her shoulder, horrified to see that the remaining part of her body was a skeleton of a tail that looked to be a hundred feet long! I blink, but in that millisecond I can see what she means now as her bones, bit by bit, were covered by flesh and claws.
'She looks like a centipede!' I gasp inwardly. 'This isn't possible! This has to be another dream!' I manage to look around, even with her grip on my head. We were floating in a a void, dimly lit by a blue aura that surrounded us. Her grip suddenly tightens on my head.
"You have it, don't you?" She demands, and I frown in confusion.
'Have what?' I think trying to pull my head away, but her grip was too strong.
"The Sacred Jewel. Give it to me!" Her tongue then folds out of her mouth, longer than any tongue I have every seen before. With disgust I watch as it reaches out the width of the distance our bodies are apart, feeling it make landfall on my chin and slither up my cheek. It was wet, slimy, and cold.
"Get your disgusting tongue off of me!" I growl, reaching up with my free hand and grabbing onto it, pulling hard. The thing screams in pain, but it has the desired effect as she quickly snaps her tongue back into her mouth. She grabs onto my arms now on both sides, pinning them against my body at the elbows. I wince, feeling my very bones protest at the force she uses.
'Should a dream feel this real?' I think frantically, watching as her mouth opens to reveal too very sharp looking fangs.
"If you won't give it to me, I'll have to devour you instead." She hisses out.
Nope, I don't think so!
I reach down with the minimal movement I have in my left arm for my quiver, quickly clasping one of my arrows. "Let me go you bitch!" I shout angrily, stabbing the arrow upwards and into the monster's stomach. A purple light bursts forth from my arrow into her wound and the centipede lady lets out a pained scream.
'I-it looks like the arrow from my dream.' I instantly recognize, eyes wide with shock as we slowly drift apart. She falls back into the void, her voice echoing up to me.
"You little…I must have the Sacred Jewel! I must!" I hardly have time to wonder what she meant by 'Sacred Jewel' before I'm landing on my hands and knees on solid ground. Breathing heavily I take a moment to try and rationalize what just happened. Looking upwards I see light coming from the top of the well.
'Had I fallen in and lost consciousness?' I think to myself in disbelief, my entire body shaking. 'Or was everything that had just happened now all real?' I look around the floor of the well, pausing in horror as I see a pale, disembodied arm laying only feet away. Then I look down at my hands and see the arrow I had used to stab the monster still under the palm of my hand.
"I need to get the fuck outta here." I mutter to myself, gripping the arrow in my hand hard as I feel panic rising in my chest. I stand slowly on my shaking legs, looking around the well for a way out. Some vines had reached down to the bottom, but I was doubtful they could hold my weight to climb up. 'It's the only way, though.' I reason with myself, frowning more. I look down at the arrow in my hand, remembering once more how it had glowed before. Placing it carefully in my quiver, I step up to the vines and get a good foothold before starting to climb up.
'Wait…were there vines in the well before?' I frown as I think of this, halfway up. I pause for a moment as something comes fluttering down into the well, blinking as I find out it's a butterfly. Chewing on my lower lip I let it pass, heaving myself up the last couple of feet.
"Thank god I started using the bow before this happened, or I'd have no upper body strength whatsoever." I grunt as my hands clasp onto the wood at the top of the well. I give one last heave, throwing myself up onto the edge on my stomach, looking up and expecting to see the wooden walls of the building.
Instead I was met with a beautiful meadow, outlined by large trees.
Blinking a couple times, just to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, I slowly lifted my leg over the edge and rolled myself gracelessly onto the ground, landing with a grunt. I find that I'm quite comfortable to sit right then, looking around in wonder.
"Where the hell am I?" I ask myself out loud, before frowning. "Nope, this has got to be a dream." I reach for my right arm with my left hand, pinching it hard. My brows furrow as I realize just how much I had felt that. My eyes widen as I watch my pinched skin go from white to flushed with colour.
"So my dreams are detailed…" I trail off, listening to the birds chirping in the distance. I brace my hands on the edge of the well long enough to stand up, before quickly backing away from it. I look around intently, trying to find any semblance of familiarity as I do.
Deep down, though, something about all this does feel familiar.
'Should I be this calm?' I can't help thinking to myself, walking a little further away from the well. I see what looks to be a clear trail leading off from the clearing. Before I follow it I pause for a moment, reflecting that this really might not be the best idea. 'Where else do I go, though?' I start down the trail at that thought and walk a good distance, before finally seeing something above the foliage that I definitely recognized.
The Sacred Tree.
I ran towards it then, irrationally thinking that I might have found my way back to the Shrine. I push through some bushes, finally coming to the clearing and stopping short.
There, right where the smooth piece of the trunk had been on my Sacred Tree, was what looked like a man dressed in red with silver hair…pinned by an arrow. Something deep inside of me rumbles at the sight, warmth suddenly spreading through me from my fingers to my toes. I take an unconscious step closer, the warmth growing. Soon enough I find myself at the base of the tree, right under his feet.
'Are those dog ears?' My eyes widen as I take in the sight of the two silver pointed ears at the top of his head. My hand moves to rest on one of the thick vines that have wrapped up the trunk of the tree and around the man's body.
The air pulses suddenly, just like it had done just before I had fallen into the well.
I gasp in shock, stumbling backwards as my bow clatters to the ground. I look up at the silver haired man with wide eyes.
"Get away from there!" I male voice suddenly cries out from behind me, and I swing around to see a group of six men with their arrows pointed directly at me. My eyes widen as I look them over. They were all dressed in simple kimonos made of cotton, the colors dull. Their hair was all long and either placed in a ponytail or a bun on their heads. I know those outfits, I had seen them in my history text books throughout school. People didn't wear these things during my time unless it was for a special occasion.
Or you were my Grandpa.
'Maybe I shouldn't ask where I am, but when I am?!' I hold my hands up, mouth opening and closing in shock. The men take the opportunity to advance on me, a couple of them carrying ropes in their hands. I shake my head, backing up till I hit the base of the tree.
"Don't touch me!" I shout at them, trying to sound meaner than I felt. They all frowned, eyes roaming over me as mine had over them. Clearly they were just as put off by my odd appearance. "I'm serious! Don't come near me!" I go to reach for my bow, but two of the men are faster. They rush me, grabbing my arms before I have a chance to get a hold of anything.
"You're coming with us!" One of the men growl into my ear, his grip almost painful on my arm. I struggle, trying to get at least one of my hands loose. The other man grabs onto my other hand, jerking it painfully behind my back and starting to wrap the rope around it. As soon as I felt the rope bit into my skin, I lost it.
"I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME!" I shout loudly, and suddenly I feel a pulse of energy from deep inside of me rush outwards. It flashes purple in color, sending the men flying backwards with started yells. Something deep inside of me feels like it's taking over as I look to the remaining four men, all watching on nervously and clearly unsure of what to do.
Suddenly one of them let's their arrow fly.
It's like a second instinct has taken over as I raise my hand, glowing that same color of purple that the energy had as it had burst out of me. The arrow tip connects with my aura, disintegrating on contact.
'How the hell did I do that?!' My mind yells at me, but weirdly enough I feel nothing but calm. It was like someone else had the reigns right now, and I was just along for the ride. The rest of the men let their arrows fly, and one after the other burned up on contact just like the first.
"What is she?!" Someone yelled in fear, all of them backing away now.
"Mayumi?" My back snaps straight at the new voice, slowly turning to see an elderly woman dressed in a traditional priestess kimono, a black patch covering her one eye. "Is that really you?" She asks in wonder. The feeling of warmth from before returns, not as intense, and I feel the muscles in my body relax.
"Kaeda…" The name slips past my lips with a strange familiarity, and the look of amazement on her face tells me that I'm not wrong. All of a sudden it's like my energy is all gone, and I fall to my knees weakly, before my world goes dark.
'How had I known her name?'
My dry throat is the first thing that I notice when I wake, blinking my eyes to try and force the bleariness away. The next thing that I notice is that I'm definitely not in Kagome's room. I sit up, looking out the nearby window to the outside world. I could hear the people outside chatting nervously, dusk clearly setting in the sky.
"Do not mind them. They are simply curious." A familiar wise voice speaks up from my other side. I turn sharply, the elderly woman from the clearing sitting calmly by the fire. Something smelt really good, and it was wafting from the pot hanging over the flames. "Are ye hungry?" She asks, and I hesitate. "I'm not here to hurt ye, child. Now come get something to eat and drink. Ye have had a long day." I watch for a moment longer, trying to sense if she was lying. I found something deep inside of me urged me to trust her. 'I mean, if she wanted me dead or chained up I wouldn't be here, would I? And she certainly wouldn't be offering me food.' Thinking my logic fairly solid I crawled over towards the warm fire. I accepted the bowl of what looked to be stew with a nod of thanks, blowing on it to cool it before taking a sip.
God this was good.
"You cook better than my Aunt." I blurt out without thinking, before a lump seizes in my throat. Grandpa, Aunt Miyu, Kagome…Sōta. My heart aches specifically thinking about him. I don't know when, or how, but I somehow knew that I wasn't in my time anymore. I looked to Kaede, needing it confirmed.
"What year is this?" I ask, Kaede looking up from pouring herself some stew.
"The year?" She asks quizzically, frowning. "How do ye not know what year it is?"
"You called me Mayumi earlier." I state instead, realizing I wasn't going to get far with that question. "That's not my name. I'm Yua." Kaede nods, a frown on her face.
"Aye. After I brought ye here and got a good look at ye I could tell ye weren't Mayumi. Though ye look very similar." Kaede replied, poking at the fire. Sparks flew upwards, the wood crackling. "Forgive an old woman for mistaking ye for an old friend. I should have known. Mayumi died when I was a child." She states sadly, and I blink in surprise.
So Mayumi wasn't a figment of my imagination? She had actually been real?
"Where are ye from, child?" Kaede asks then as I take another sip of the stew. I snort a little, shaking my head.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I reply evenly. 'And if this is the era I think it might be, I'd be burned as a witch if they found out.'
"Ye would be surprised what I've heard over my long years." Kaede replied, not easily deflected. I frown, letting the bowl rest in my lap.
"I don't think you've ever heard this." I murmur, looking down at the flames. 'This could still be a dream after all.' I think to myself naively.
Suddenly the earth underneath us begins to shake.
'Oh god, what now?' I groan to myself, before I hear the what sounds like cracking wood echoing over the village. Kaede and I both stand, rushing to the door as a bell was rung, clearly some sort of alarm.
"What's going on?" Kaede asks in alarm, pushing the cover aside from the doorway. I follow her through, before my stomach drops as I see something I thought I wouldn't ever see again. The all too familiar form of a centipede's body crashes through houses on the opposite end of the village, rising up hundreds of feet in the air.
"I thought I had killed her!" I exclaim in shock, gripping onto the edge of the doorway. Kaede looks over her shoulder at me sharply.
"You've seen this demon before?"
Demon?!
'So that's what she is…' I frown, stepping around the old woman. I watch horrified as she continues to take out buildings, women, children, and men alike screaming in fear.
"Where is it?! I know it's here! I can sense it!" The demon's voice hisses above the chaos, and my stomach drops further knowing exactly what she was looking for.
'The Sacred Jewel. She's after me. She still thinks I have it.' I realize, making a split second decision. I turn back inside, running over to where my bow and arrows were laying against the wall. I quickly clip on my quiver and strap on the arm guard, running back outside. I grab one of my arrows, loading it and drawing back my bow.
"What are ye doing?!" Kaede cries out in disbelief. "Your arrow cannot pierce her body!"
"It did before!" I challenge, taking aim. I wait for the upper half of her body to appear, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. My arrow flies, and I watch in amazement as it seems to head directly for the demon's chest.
'Holy shit, if only Grandpa could see me now!' I think, before my grin falls as my arrow bounces off of her like a twig.
What?
"I-it worked before…in the well." I stutter out weakly to no one in particular, but my arrow has another less desirable affect.
"The well?" Kaede asks with a wide eye, before the large centipede's cry draws her attention away from me.
"You! Give me the Sacred Jewel!" She roars, before launching the upper half of her body towards me. In that moment I figure I only have one choice.
Run.
I turn, ignoring Kaede's warnings as I race away from the village. 'At least she won't be terrorizing them anymore.' I run alongside the river, hearing her massive body crashing after me. I can feel her getting closer and closer, my lungs burning for air and my legs crying out in protest.
I really should have worked on my cardio too!
I look towards the forest, my eyes centering on The Sacred Tree as it looms tall above all the other trees. Something deep inside of me tells me if I can make it to that tree, I'd be safe. I turn sharply from the river, running up the steep bank and making a beeline for it.
"GIVE IT TO ME!" The centipede lady cries out from just behind me, and I find that's enough initiative to run a little faster.
"I DON'T HAVE IT!" I scream back at her, too out of breath to manage any of the curse words I would have launched at her as well. Just as I make it to the crest of the hill the ground under me explodes, sending me flying head over heels. I skid to a hard stop, landing on my side facing away from The Sacred Tree.
"Mayumi…" A distinctly male voice murmurs lowly.
A warm shiver runs throughout my entire body. I know that gravelly voice.
I look up slowly, mouth dropping open in shock as I see the boy from before, but this time he was conscious.
It was him.
"Mayumi, what the hell are you doing? Get up!" The boy barks at me, frowning as his amber eyes gaze towards the outline of the clearing. "This isn't over yet!" I find I don't have the effort to correct him, to tell him I'm not who he thinks I am, because he's right. Just as I struggle to stand the demon bursts through into the clearing, taking out large trees in her wake.
"The Sacred Jewel is mine." She hisses out defensively, obviously eyeing the boy behind her. I grab my bow from where it had landed near me whilst grabbing an arrow, and in one fluid movement notching it.
"Hit her in the heart!" The boy behind me commands, and something deep inside of me seems to come to life. I can feel it, some sort of warm energy, licking just beneath my skin. I draw my arrow back without a word, trying not to think of how badly this went the first time. I aim for her heart, before letting the arrow fly, watching in amazement as this time it's surrounded by that purple aura again. The half lady, half centipede dodges it at the last minute, the arrow striking just to the right of her heart. The energy around the arrow bursts, her skin burning away from the wound. Crying in pain, the monster slinking off, back into the cover of the trees.
"H-how did I do that?" I whisper to myself in wonder, breathing heavily.
"Mayumi!" The silver haired boy barks at me, and I spin sharply to see him watching me with a calculated gaze. "I need you to get up here and pull this arrow from me. She'll be back, and she'll be pissed." He snarls, amber eyes now scouting around the area. Again I can't find the will or reason at the moment to correct him, instead hooking my bow over my shoulder and climbing up the vines. I finally reach as high as I can go, having to get up on my tippy toes to actually reach the arrow.
"You're not Mayumi…" The man suddenly growls low in his chest, and threatening sound. My hand snaps back instantly, leaning away. I look up to him as his amber eyes narrow at me in distrust. "You look just like her. Who the hell are you?" I frown.
"My name is-" Suddenly the woods crash around us, and before either of us can react the demon's lower body is wrapped around the tree, squeezing us together. I grunt in pain as she tightens her told around us, working me up higher on the tree, and subsequently closer to the arrow that trapped the boy against it.
"Whoever you are, you don't stand a chance without me! Get this damn thing out of my chest!" He demands lowly. I know he's right, and I try to focus on getting whatever air I can in as she gets tighter and tighter around us. I reach up, grabbing it firmly this time, yanking on it as hard as I can. Cold fear courses through me as it doesn't budge.
'I don't want to die!' I think frantically to myself, feeling dizzy now with the loss of air as I begin to unconsciously hyperventilate. A cry of pain leaves me as I can feel my bones bending under the force of her next squeeze.
"Take it out!" The boy commands, and suddenly I'm filled with that comforting warmth again, just like when I had shot the arrow just now. I groan and close my eyes, tugging at the arrow again.
That now familiar pulse rushes through the air.
My eyes snap back open as I look up, feeling the arrow disintegrate in my very hands!
'It's gone!' I think in amazement, but there isn't much time for anything else. Just as suddenly as the arrow is gone, the tightness around us leaves. I drop to the ground hard with a grunt, looking around wildly. Why did she disappear like that? The boy jumps down in front of me as I stand, crossing his arms and looking at me with guarded suspicion.
"Who are you?" He demands once more, frown on his face. I frown as well, taking a deep breath.
"My name is Yua." I reply softly, suddenly feeling timid as the boy looms over me. He's a head taller than me, making him even more intimidating. What was worse was that with his strong jaw and admittedly handsome face, he was good looking.
'Not in a traditional way, of course.' I think to myself as I first eye the fangs glinting from just under his full lips, then move up to his captivating amber eyes, and finally landing on the silver dog ears sticking out over his equally silver hair. 'Cute boys always make me so nervous!' I think in embarrassment, and I can feel the flush working it's way onto my cheeks.
"Yua…" The boy seems to test out my name on his tongue, and hearing him say it in that gravelly voice sends an unwanted and delicious shiver down my spine. "You look like her, but you smell entirely different." The boy comments, leaning forward and openly sniffing at me.
'After all this I must smell like a bag full of dirty socks!' I inwardly groan to myself, shame flaring through me.
"What's your name?" I ask then, the boy leaning back then as a mixture of emotions passes through his amber eyes. He looked sad, disappointed even. It lasted only a split second before his guard was up once more. He opened his mouth, looking like he was going to respond, but the sound of trees breaking near us cut him off.
"Get behind me!" He ordered, pushing me back between him and the tree. He crouched low, a cocky smirk on his face as the claws on his fingers elongated just slightly. "If the bitch is right, and you have The Sacred Jewel, I'm taking it for myself!" He snarls in promise, and I blink in surprise.
'Oh, so he's not trying to protect me, he's trying to protect this jewel.' I think to myself, surprised at the disappointment I feel.
Then I mentally slap myself.
'What the hell?! I don't need someone to protect me! I can protect myself!' I huff, grabbing my bow, remarkably unharmed from how she had squeezed us before. I notch an arrow, stepping to the side of the boy and taking aim. My sides ached, but I was still able to draw the bow back. "I honestly don't know what either of you are talking about. I don't have a jewel, and I most certainly have never seen a Sacred Jewel before." I claim honestly, the boy looking at me from the corner of his eye. He watched me intently, as if trying to sense if I was lying. His nose lifts in the air, and his eyes widen minutely after a second.
"It's inside of you!" He exclaims, and I blink in surprise.
Say what?!
I don't have time to voice my question, or my shock, before the centipede lady bursts through the clearing. Her tail takes the boy by surprise, flinging him to the side. I take aim as she races towards me, before letting my arrow fly.
It fell to the ground uselessly after hitting her.
"Oh crap!" I exclaim, turning sharply to try and run. It was no use, though. Seconds later I felt myself being lifted into the air, and an incredible pressure directly in my side. It was followed by pain as her fangs broke through my skin, digging deep before thrashing her head back and forth once, twice, and with a searing pain my skin finally let go. As I flip through the air something glints, catching my eye.
A pinkish purple jewel sized orb.
That was the Sacred Jewel they were going on about?
'It came from inside of me! That boy was right!' I realize with shock. 'How long has that thing been in there?!'
Better yet, how had my Doctor never seen it?!
'Note for Yua, get a new doctor.' I think hazily, the ground rushing up to meet me. I grunt as I hit her tail once before hitting the ground, the jewel clinking in front of me as it hits the ground too. Without thinking about it I reach for it, as if on instinct knowing that it would be bad for the centipede demon thing to get her hands on it.
"Give me the Jewel!" The boy shouts then as he runs back into the clearing, looking shockingly unscathed for how far he had flown. I blink in slight surprise, before frowning and clenching it in my hand tighter.
Why should I trust him?
"Yua!" Kaeda's calls, and I look over in shock to see the old woman astride a horse with a group of men from the village fanning out to either side of her. "Run child! Get away from Inuyasha!"
'Inuyasha? So that's his name.' I think as the silver haired boy looks towards Kaede in annoyance. "Suits you." I mutter out loud. One of his dog ears twitches as he snaps back around to glare at me. He heard me? He was still yards away!
"What did you say?" He demands angrily.
"Nothing!" I exclaim, holding the jewel to my chest with one hand, the other still holding tight to my bow. How I hadn't lost the thing during that demon's attack I would never know.
The centipede lady rears her ugly head again, rushing directly towards me.
"Give me the jewel!" Her voice hisses, clearly power hungry.
"No, give me the jewel!" Inuyasha demands, rushing towards me as well. I look between the demon and Inuyasha nervously.
Before turning and hightailing it away from both of them.
"What are you doing you idiot?! You're going to get us all killed!" Inuyasha gripes from somewhere behind me.
Then, as my nature would have it, I trip over an exposed root.
Crying out I land hard, the jewel launching from my hand and skipping across the grass. I watch in horror as the centipede lady races over me and leans forward over the jewel, taking that nasty tongue of hers and swallowing the damn thing whole.
"Well, that can't be good." I mutter to myself, slowly getting to my feet once more. I grab another arrow, mentally counting down to figure out I only had five left. 'I've got to make them count!'
"You stupid girl! Look what you've done!' Inuyasha yells angrily, and skids to a halt beside me. I watch in horror as I see exactly what my clumsiness has led to this time. The centipede lady starts to vibrate, arching sharply against the ground as suddenly her skin seems to rip away. In place of her arguably beautiful pale skin there was now this garish purple skin with red marks. Her face had changed as well, going from a near human face to the like of something from horror films. She had big red eyes, no nose, and a mouth full of sharp and jagged teeth that protruded outwards from her face.
All that remained the same was that fucking disgusting tongue.
"My power is complete!" The demon exclaims with pure joy, head ached back in triumph towards the sky.
"Now you've done it." Inuyasha growls lowly from beside me, and despite knowing it wasn't really my fault, I feel shame wash through me.
"Well, what can be done to fix it?" I demand then, notching my arrow.
"You can sit back and let me handle this." He replies cockily, his clawed hand reaching out and pressing my arrow downwards, forcing down my entire bow. I blink, inwardly huffing, but knowing he was right.
I was way out of my league here.
"You think you can stop me, child?!" The demon hisses at him as he steps forward, cracking his knuckles. Inuyasha huffs a laugh.
"Easily, you hag!" He exclaims, before charging towards her. I watch in amazement as he moves, almost faster than I can see. He leaps into the air, heading directly for the centipede's head.
"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" The silver haired boy shouts out, his claw glowing a yellow color as he arches his hand directly into the demon's mouth. That's the last of part of this battle that I can actually see, as the rest is a blur of silver and yellow as he runs himself directly down the monster's body from head to tail. I look around, slightly horrified at the sight of her body parts falling to the ground all over the place.
"Holy shit, this can't be real." I mutter to myself in disbelief, before jumping in fright as one of the parts of her body near me move. "Why is it still moving?!" I exclaim, jumping back from the nearest part of her, feeling like I could puke.
"Find the glowing flesh, quickly." Kaede comes up behind me. "That is where the jewel will be. It must be found at once, lest the flesh of Mistress Centipede revive." She explains, and I frown, quickly scouring the debris.
'Mistress Centipede indeed.' I think as I begin to search. My eyes land on a chuck of her tail that was glowing and I run over towards it, Kaede following me. I kneel down, feeling slightly squeamish as I dig through the meat, finally feeling the hard orb of the jewel. I pick it out, eyes widening as almost instantly the flesh of Mistress Centipede disintegrates, just leaving the bones like I had seen in the well before.
'What just happened? What is this thing?' I think to myself in wonder, finally able to actually take a good look at it. My eyes widen as it finally comes to me. Grandpa had shown me something to it's likeness when I had first arrived at the Shrine, a souvenir he had created for those who visit. He called it the The Shikon Jewel!
"Only ye must possess the Sacred Jewel." Kaede stands in front of me now, her gaze stern. I frown, shaking my head.
"Why was this in my body? Why am I the only one who can have it?" I ask, looking down at the jewel in-between my index finger and thumb once more. 'It's not like it would do me much good.' I add in afterthought, thinking of how it had affected the demon. I had a sneaking suspicion it wouldn't work the same way for humans like me.
The crunching of bone could suddenly be heard.
"Exactly. You have no use for it." Inuyasha agreed as he approached us, a strange glint in his eye. One that I wasn't entirely sure that I liked. "If you hand the jewel over right now I won't have to start sharpening my claws on you." He threatens, raising a clawed hand to emphasize his point. A deep pain resonates in my chest as his threat.
Why did I feel betrayed?
Shaking the feeling off I frown, tucking the jewel into my jean pocket, grimacing as I felt the blood that soaked the material. My blood.
'I'm going to need a bath.' I think to myself randomly. 'Do they even have soap in this time?' I watch intently as Inuyasha stares at Kaede and I with determination, clearly not backing down.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
As always I would love to hear your thoughts, whether it be simply encouraging me to continue posting, or giving me some constructive feedback to help with areas I might fall short in. Thank you again to Xxser3ndipityxX again for your words!
Guess how long the next chapter is going to be? Over 11,000 words! I actually had to upload half of the chapter and then copy and paste the other half in while editing for it to actually work in doc manager!
Let me know if it's worth editing and posting, hehe.
Until later!
T.O.T.
