Disclaimer: I do not, sadly, own InuYasha or its characters, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Cardcaptor Sakura or its characters, I just love them more than life itself, they belong to the wonderful ladies at CLAMP.
A/N: Sorry for the hiatus. I'm back now. Problems popped up one after another. Lost internet, had to move, depression and writer's block. Its been terrible. But I'm back :)
~~Chapter 4~~
A month flew by with the two groups merging into one. The Inu-Taichi had grown now to include everyone in Sakura's group. They'd recovered 3 jewel shards in that time, though Naraku was nowhere to be found. He'd just disappeared. Demon activity was at an all-time high, however. But with an entire month gone by, Kagome's supplies had depleted.
"We need to go check the well." Kagome sighed, "We're out of everything."
"That's a 14 day trip the other direction, are you nuts?!" Inuyasha shouted.
By this point, Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol, Meiling, Tomoyo, Renaku, Nakuru, and Yukito were used to Inuyasha's rude behavior and barely batted an eye when he yelled.
"Inuyasha! This isn't about me wanting to go back for school! We need those supplies!" Kagome shouted back.
"Kagome is right, Inuyasha." Miroku cut in before the half-demon could retort, "The medicinal things from Kagome's time are far better than the things we have here."
"That stupid well has been sealed since Sakura and the others came here. Its not gonna just reopen because Kagome wants to go back and get stuff!" Inuyasha insisted.
"It doesn't hurt to check. We're making no progress here in our hunt for Naraku. Plus I could use the time to go to my village. I believe that Meiling, Renaku, and Syaoran could benefit from the weapons my people used." Sango put in.
"That makes sense, they could use demon slaying weapons." Inuyasha said, "At least your idea has a good reason behind it."
"I believe we should go check the well too." Eriol put in, "Perhaps if all of us stayed away from it while Kagome attempted to go through, it would let her through. It may be meant to only keep the rest of us from getting back for some reason."
"And if Kagome could make it through, she could at least reassure Otou-san and Sonomi-san that Tomoyo and I are okay." Sakura piped up, "They have got to be worried at this point."
"I can almost imagine Touya dwindling with despair and setting up a permanent residence with Higurashi-san until Sakura-chan comes home." Yukito said in his calm, kind manner.
Inuyasha's ears drooped, he had come to really like Sakura and her friends. They never treated him badly for being a half-demon. He hadn't thought about what their families would think with them basically being missing for a full moon cycle, or month as Kagome called it.
"Fine. We'll go back. But only so Sango can go and get those weapons from her village. I could care less if Kagome is able to get back to her time or not!"
"Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome said with a smile for him.
"Feh." he said, crossing his arms and turning away from them, refusing to show how happy her smile made him.
Shippo jumped on Kagome's shoulder as they started off, back towards Kaede's village. They had a long trip ahead of them. Thankfully they no longer had to worry about Sakura collapsing after changing a card, as she'd gotten stronger and no longer did so.
Only one week passed, between Kirara, Shippo, Kero (in his true form), Yue and Sakura, the travel time was halved. They could see Kaede's village from afar. Sango and Miroku rode upon Kirara, Eriol and Nakuru rode on Shippo transformed as a giant pink balloon, Meiling, Tomoyo, and Renaku rode upon Kero's back while Syaoran shared Sakura's staff with her and Yue flew himself while sort-of carrying Inuyasha with him. They probably made quite the spectacle as they landed outside of Kaede's hut.
"I'm exhausted." Kero complained, curling up beside Kaede's hut and laying down. Yue didn't say anything as he switched back to Yukito, Shippo's transformation ran out once more (they'd had to stop periodically so he could re-transform), and he went inside and went straight to sleep. Kagome wasted no time while the others went into Kaede's hut, and headed for the well.
"So when you going to your village Sango?" Inuyasha asked, sitting against a wall in Kaede's hut.
"As soon as Kagome gets back. She said she wouldn't be too long, she was just making a run to get supplies and let her family know that the others are okay." Sango replied, crossing her arms, "And get some things from Tomoyo's bags that she'd asked for."
"Why not go now?"
"I need them with me, so that we can figure out which weapon would be best for them. If you're that worried about Kagome, go after her." Sango retorted, already used to dealing with Inuyasha's jerk-ish nature.
"Feh, why the hell would I be worried about Kagome?" he demanded, leaving the hut and going out towards the tree he usually sat in, jumping up onto a branch and glaring up at the sky.
"Ano…" Sakura started, as she walked into the hut, "has anyone seen Eriol-kun? I was going to help him gather herbs for Kaede-sama, but I can't find him."
"Eriol already left to get the herbs." Nakuru replied with a smile, "Don't worry, Sakura-chan, he'll be back soon."
"Hai…" she replied before setting to work to cook a stew before Kaede returned from her work around the village.
X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X* Kagome *X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X
Kagome approached the well, feeling slightly nervous. She tentatively reached a hand out, managing to touch the edge of the well and sighs in relief, jumping down into it and passing easily into the future, unaware that she'd been watched by Eriol the entire time.
Once through the well, she climbed out on the ladder that her grandpa had put in for her. She hurried to the house, going inside, calling out "I'm home!"
"Kagome!" Sora came out of the kitchen, worry etched on her face, trailing behind her was Kagome's cousin and Sakura's older brother Touya, Sakura's father Fujitaka and Tomoyo's mother Sonomi.
"Mama, Touya, Uncle Fujitaka, Sonomi-san…" she sighs.
"Kagome, where is Sakura, Tomoyo, and their friends?" Sora asked her daughter, worry lacing every word, "And its okay to speak freely, I had to tell Fujitaka and Sonomi about everything."
Kagome nods, figuring her mother would have told them everything due to the bizarre circumstances surrounding their teens' disappearances, "They're through the well. They can't get back, but they're safe. Unharmed."
Fujitaka sank onto the couch, sagging in relief.
"What the hell do you mean they can't get back?" Touya demanded, glaring hard at Kagome "Why'd you take them with you if they couldn't come back?"
"I didn't take them with me. They got sucked through somehow, they're not even sure how." Kagome said, glaring right back at him, "Every time they get near the well, no one can get through. We get flung back. We think Naraku is behind it and we're trying to track him down so we can defeat him and everyone can return home!"
Touya deflated, "But they're all fine?"
"Yes" Kagome reiterated, "They're unharmed, healthy, and safe. They stayed away from the well so that I could come back and stock up on supplies, we're out of everything."
"We'll go shopping then. I'll double what I usually get you." Sora spoke up.
"I'll pay for them this time. Its for Tomoyo and Sakura-chan that you're getting extra." Sonomi spoke up.
Sora just nods, both she and Sonomi heading out the front door.
"What about Eriol, Syaoran, Meiling, Renaku, Nakuru, and Yukito's families? Did anyone tell them?" Kagome asked, curious as to why only Sakura and Tomoyo's families had shown up.
"I called Yelan Li, Syaoran's mother, and told her what happened, she said she knew her son was safe and wasn't worried, and that she was certain her niece would be fine as well. Renaku's parents asked me to keep them updated, but were too busy to come themselves, Eriol has no family other than Nakuru, and its the same for her. I couldn't get ahold of Yukito's grandparents, but Touya went by and said he'd talked to them and they said basically the same as Renaku's parents. So Touya calls and checks in with them every few days." Fujitaka replied, "I'm only here because its a weekend, I have to go back to the University tomorrow."
Kagome nodded, now kind of curious what kind of parents Syaoran had, but went upstairs to her room, finding Tomoyo's things and searching through them for the sketch book and a small sewing kit that she'd had packed, making sure to grab a bunch of pencils and a sharpener for them and tossing them in her bag before going back downstairs to wait for her mother and Sonomi to return.
X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X* Feudal Era *X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X
Inuyasha taps his leg in frustration, as the others sat about discussing the kinds of weapons Syaoran, Meiling, and Renaku would use. Meiling was getting a chain scythe like Sango's kid brother used, Syaoran a sword meant for cutting the tough hides of demons and Renaku a naginata. Sango was also going to fit them with the Slayers' armors.
Syaoran was also trying to convince Eriol and Nakuru to take lessons from them in hand-to-hand combat. Not that hand-to-hand would really make a big difference when fighting a demon, but at least they wouldn't be entirely defenseless.
Sakura was looking over her cards, "Kero-chan….the cards are starting to get so cold now. What's happening to them? The ones I've changed are fine, but the ones that are still Clow Cards are becoming cold." she asks the plush-toy creature hovering next to her.
Kero stayed quiet for a moment, with a serious expression on his face, well as serious as he could look in his current form.
"Clow Cards were made from magic, their source Clow's magic. Before he died he imbued them with plenty of magic to keep them going….but its running out. Think of the magic they pulled from Clow, and from what Clow left them as food for the Cards. Now they have to pull the magic from you. You see how the ones you have changed are fine? Its because they are linked directly into you."
"So they're starving?!" Sakura exclaimed causing Inuyasha to jump and the others to look over at her, "What will happen to them if I can't change them all in time?!"
"They'll turn into ordinary cards." Kero replied gently.
"No!" she exclaimed, jumping up, pulling the star key out.
"Sakura what are you doing?!" Kero shouted as Sakura ran out of the hut. He quickly followed after her, the others running after them as well.
"Key which hides the power of the Stars, reveal your true form before me. I, Sakura, command you under our contract. Release!" she said once she was in the clearing that the others used for training. Once the Star Staff grew to its usual form, Sakura tossed several cards into the air, "Cards created by Clow, discard your old form and be reborn, under the name of Sakura your new mistress! Glow! Maze! Float! Return! Change! Bubbles! Wave! Lock! Libra! Dash!"
Sakura turned in a circle pointing her wand at each card as she called its name, the 10 cards shimmering before turning pink and warming back up. While 9 of the cards flew into Sakura's hand easily, the 10th card did not. Dash floated in front of her, starting to glow.
"Dash what's wrong?" Sakura asked, about to reach for the card. When she touched it, the light grew brighter and a small creature that looked similar to a cat or a fennec fox with bluish-purple fur, long ears, two stars on hoops like earrings attached to its ear and a yellow star on its forehead appeared. It was trimbling and growling.
"The magic went out of control! Stop Dash before he bolts!" Kero shouted, but it was too late, Dash took off towards the trees.
"Dash!" Sakura cried, putting the cards in her pocket and taking off after him.
"Its no use! Even I can't catch up to a panicked Dash!" Kero yelled following after Sakura
Inuyasha growled, annoyed and took off telling the others to go back to Kaede's. He easily caught up to Sakura and stopped in front of her, crouching down, "Hop on!" he snaps.
Sakura hesitantly climbed onto Inuyasha's back, as Kero landed on her shoulders, "Why did this happen?" she asked as Inuyasha sped through the forest after Dash.
"You can't just change all the cards at once! Your powers are still growing and what you did was completely reckless!" Kero yelled, scolding Sakura, "The magic went out of control and Dash panicked!"
"But!" Sakura tried to defend herself.
"No buts! Turning the cards when you need to is fine. Your intentions are good and will solid! What you just did was out of panic and fear!"
Sakura didn't say anything as they closed in on Dash, "There you are furball!" Inuyasha shouted, getting ready to punch Dash.
"Don't hurt him!" Sakura said, yanking on Inuyasha's hair.
"How do ya expect to catch him otherwise?!" Inuyasha demanded.
"Its my fault, Dash is just scared!" Sakura replied, "I'll figure out how to calm him down!"
Inuyasha stopped and dropped Sakura off his back, "I'd like to see that." he sneered.
Sakura thought through the cards she had transformed, quickly dismissing them, "Kero, I need to use Loop, but would it be safe?"
"Are your intentions pure?" Kero demanded, "Not clouded?"
Sakura nodded, a look of determination on her face, "Than it should be alright."
Sakura pulled the Loop out of her pocket, tossing it in the air "Card created by Clow, discard your old form and be reborn, in the name of Sakura your new mistress! Loop!" Sakura incanted, the Loop shimmering and turning into a pink 'Sakura' card, "Loop lock Dash in a circle!"
The card glowed and shot out,setting a boundary from just ahead of Dash back to Sakura. Every time Dash passed through the line where Loop had connected where Sakura was to the where Dash was, Dash would run right passed Sakura. He made the circle several times before stopping, his back arched as he growled, still trembling.
Syaoran and Tomoyo had caught up by then, having chosen to follow instead of remaining behind with the others. Sakura held her arms out "Dash, I'm sorry" she said softly, "I didn't mean to scare you, I promise I won't do it again."
She went on speaking quietly and calmly to Dash, who was slowly going from his offensive position to a normal one, his head cocked to the side as he listened to Sakura, acutely aware of Inuyasha, Syaoran, Tomoyo, and Kero standing to the side watching.
"That's a good boy." Sakura said, kneeling on the ground, reaching out and picking Dash up, petting him. Dash mewled and licked Sakura's cheek causing her to giggle.
To Syaoran, Sakura looked beautiful as she sat on the ground in a kimono, her hair in a half pony tail, the rest hanging back, soothing Dash. He snapped out of his reverie when he heard Tomoyo giggle beside him, "What?" he snapped.
"You should tell her how you feel. Sakura is so dense, she'll never notice unless you tell her." Tomoyo replied.
Syaoran's face turned bright red, "I- what- you're crazy." he sputtered, denying his feelings for Sakura completely. He settled for looking away from Tomoyo back at Sakura as Dash turned back into a card, floating gently into her hand.
Sakura got up, smiling huge, "I did!" she said running over to Syaoran and hugging him, knocking him over. He went to push her away, when he realized she was asleep, "Uhh….some help?"
he said, pointing at Sakura. Tomoyo giggled as Kero flew over and picked Sakura up just enough for Syaoran to get up and pick her up as the Loop, back in card form, flew over and landed on the ground next to Sakura.
"Feh, lets go." Inuyasha grumbled, playing off that he wasn't relieved that Sakura hadn't lost one of her cards, and actually annoyed she'd been so careless.
Tomoyo picked up the Loop and gently took the Dash from Sakura's limp hand so it didn't fall as they walked, the group heading back towards Kaede's hoping that Kagome would be back by the time they got back.
X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X* Kagome *X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X
An hour passed with Kagome sitting talking to Touya and Fujitaka, answering their questions about the Feudal Era when Sora and Sonomi finally got home, loaded with ramen, chips, candy, a new pack of crayons for Shippo, several sketch pads, green tea in cans for Miroku, and a kind of cold coffee in a can for Sango, a small pack of various size needles, pins, a pincushion, a large set of different colored string, and tons of medical supplies.
When she was done packing it all into her bag, Kagome smiled at everyone, "Don't worry, we'll bring everyone home safe and sound." she promised, "Well, bye!"
"Be careful dear." Sora said as Kagome took off out of the house, heading to the well.
Once at the well, Kagome jumped through with no hesitation, being surrounded by the blue lights of the time stream before landing softly at the bottom of the well. She struggled a bit to climb out with how heavy her backpack was, but managed it all the same.
After getting out of the well, Kagome started walking to the village to meet up with the others. Upon arriving, she was shocked to see that Inuyasha was gone, and so was Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo.
Meiling quickly explained what happened, which only increased Kagome's worry, but she didn't have to worry long as shortly after, Inuyasha walked in with the others. Syaoran laid Sakura on the futon before sitting down. Kero explaining in more detail what had happened while Kagome handed out snacks and drinks.
~End Chap. 4~
Alright, months in the making (literally I had half of it ready ages ago, just couldn't get past the writer's block to finish it) Chapter 4 is finally finished. This chapter is dedicated to my best-friend/sister who we call "Meiling". She wouldn't leave me alone at all. Right so...here's this as its hard to keep up with some stuff…..and before people ask: No I do not have all the cards memorized. I do own Sakura Cards however and use those when I'm planning a chapter :)
Cards Turned During Previous Chapters
1. The Mirror
2. The Erase
Cards Turned During 1 month time gap
1. The Sweet
2. The Cloud
3. The Rain
4. The Storm
5. The Silent
6. The Voice
7. The Twin
8. The Wood
9. The Fly
10. The Jump
11. The Sleep
12. The Time
13. The Shadow
Cards Turned During This Chapters
1. The Loop
2. The Dash
3. The Libra
4. The Lock
5. The Wave
6. The Bubbles
7. The Change
8. The Return
9. The Float
10. The Maze
11. The Glow
Cards That Still Need to be Changed
1. The Flower 13. The Power 25. The Light
2. The Song 14. The Windy26. The Dark
3. The Sand 15. The Shield
4. The Big 16. The Freeze
5. The Little 17. The Arrow
6. The Through 18. The Create
7. The Earthy 19. The Move
8. The Dream 20. The Watery
9. The Snow 21. The Thunder
10. The Mist 22. The Illusion
11. The Firey 23. The Shot
12. The Sword 24. The Fight