3
It was freezing. Kagome stood in waist deep water, a white yukata keeping her modest. By Kaede's standards at least, Kagome couldn't really care who saw her. She could protect herself from creeps. She stepped further into the freezing water and shivered slightly. That was the problem with wanting a bath so early in the year. April springs were either freezing from the mountain snow melting, or overly warm from an odd heatwave. She pushed her hair back from her face and went even further into the water. Eventually her head went under, and she found herself floating withing the clear water, simply watching as bugs and birds flew over the surface. She felt her lungs burning and broke the surface, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.
"Is there something you need, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked the half demon as she pulled her hair to the side and wrang the water out of it.
"There is no way in hell that you could sense me!" Inuyasha exclaimed and she paused for a few seconds, sending him a wide-eyed look that made her seem completely different from before.
"Can't I?" She asked, "You have a very particular air about you, it's almost brattish in nature…it reminds me of my little brother actually."
That got a growl out of the other teen and the corners of her mouth quirked upwards in a smile. Kaede sighed at the sight before fixing her single eye on Inuyasha, watching as a contemplative look appeared on his face. It was as though the boy was figuring out that Kagome was quite different from Kikyo, something that Kaede had come to grips with the longer she was around the girl. She tossed another stick into the fire and gave a tired sigh.
"So, you are here, Inuyasha," Kaede stated and Inuyasha jumped to the fireside and crouched with a frown.
"I just want the jewel," Inuyasha snapped.
"Then you'll be wanting it for the next century," Kagome informed him as she walked up to the fire wearing the clothes of a priestess, her unruly hair free of a hair tie for once.
"The future looks very bleak," Kaede stated, and the two teens turned towards her with matching frowns, "unless you two can join forces there is no foreseeable way that the fragments will be found."
Kagome made a soft cough as she recognized the old woman's attempt at guilt tripping. She could find the shards with or without Inuyasha, even if she wanted the company on her journey. Inuyasha's hackles raised, and the teenage girl let out a suffering sigh before turning towards the heavens. Why did she have to be stuck with such a destiny? Which Kami did she piss off? She looked back down towards So'unga and placed in its usual place at the small of her back. Saya came out the second that he sensed her energy and relaxed on the girl's shoulder as she hung up her newly washed kendo uniform and school uniform.
"You might have to see about getting a kimono to blend in better," Saya offered, and she nodded.
"I can see what I have at home for festivals, if not mama and I can go shopping for one," Kagome quietly stated, "she'll understand that it's my duty to find the shards and make this right."
"She's a very smart woman," Kaede complimented, and she watched the teenager puff up with pride at her mother.
It was interesting that the girl started to go through her Kata's after making sure everything was set to dry. Kaede watched the fluid movement and saw the concentration as the girl easily slid her feet on the sand bank. Inuyasha found himself scowling at the sight before mentally noting the fancier footwork. She was continuing to train with So'unga to get used to it. So she wouldn't be slow like that, not again.
"I'm tellin' you that I'm only helping for the sake of the sacred jewel," Inuyasha snapped at the two elders who eyed him in disbelief, "I'll put up with the dumb girl, so stop worryin'!"
"You really hate me," Kagome mused, her voice light as she swung the sword in an arch, "oh well, can't win everyone over."
"Dumb?" Saya mumbled with a frown.
"Of course, I hate ya!" Inuyasha scoffed and Kagome smiled slightly.
He didn't. She could tell. She finished her Kata's and sat down on the ground next to Kaede, sharpening the So'unga while the woman quietly lectured her on the nature of her holy powers. She finished the blade and gave it a once over before nodding. She liked the edge she had gotten on it, it would be able to cut with ease. Saya propped himself on the top of her head and overlooked her work. He found himself impressed with the care she gave her weapons; in fact, all of her items were in great condition. He braced himself with the dark tresses when she moved to look at the foliage. A woman with a baby on her back stepped forward and Kaede slowly got up to her feet borrowing the younger girl's shoulder to do so.
"Lady Kaede, it's my daughter," The woman softly stated, "she collapsed, and so did several of the others."
"I will follow," Kaede nodded before turning towards the two teens with a stern look, "you two would do your best to get along."
It was quiet for a while after the old woman left them. Inuyasha watched as Kagome kept the fire going and checked on her drying clothes. The strange green and white clothing was dry, and she gently folded it and kept it in her lap. She was waiting on the kendo clothing to dry, and it took a bit longer due to the sturdy material. She brought a hand up and pulled on the kosode, obviously uncomfortable with the harsh fabric.
"What's up?" Kagome asked him, not even looking up from the fire as Saya found himself braiding her hair to keep busy.
"I'd say you look just like Kikyo, but you don't," Inuyasha informed her, and she blinked at that.
Sure, he could see the likeness between the two but there was something different about them. Kagome gave him a withering look before smiling at Saya as she looked at the braids. He was going for something classical and fit for a lady. She just liked people playing with her hair. Emiko Higurashi adored the softness and the lose curled texture. It stood out a bit in Japan, and it made sense seeing as her husband had been a foreigner.
"Thank you," Kagome sighed standing up and stretching, "I'm going to go check the well, and hopefully I don't get distracted this time."
"Why are you doing that?" Inuyasha found himself asking.
"Why not?" She countered, "It can't help but to trace my steps and start at the beginning…I'll be back if it turns out I can return home, I wouldn't leave you hanging with all the pieces of the jewel scattered."
Inuyasha scoffed as she walked off. He laid in front of the small fire and glared into its embers. A part of him gathered he should go with her, but a louder part pointed out she'd be fine. He couldn't help but think back to the sight he had seen the day before. Her serious face covered in blood, the red liquid dripping from her hair. She hadn't seemed to notice, or rather she didn't care to. He would be the first to admit that he was the slightest bit scared of her.
"My lady?" Saya prodded as he rested in the teenager's dark tresses, she gave a soft hum to let him know that she was listening, "Why is it that you seem so at ease with someone like Inuyasha?"
"Inuyasha is just a normal guy," She stated, but he could hear the unsure nature of her tone, "yet, at the same time he's incredibly rough around the edges…Inuyasha isn't a bad person but someone who's been hurt time and time again."
"You seem as though you know what that's like, my lady," Saya commented.
"I don't."
Saya paused at that and watched as she brought a hand up and moved a branch from her path. She seemed deep in thought, making her way through the forest as though it was second nature. Kagome didn't mind the branches that reached down and gently brushed against the top of her head, rustling her freshly cleaned hair. She came across the well and took a deep breath.
"My lady?" Saya questioned.
"Hang on tight, Saya," She softly commanded and he latched onto the hair under his ghostly palms as she easily lifted herself into the air.
Kagome's head twitched as she heard something move in the air. She was already above the well, she didn't have time to go and investigate. Besides, she couldn't help but mentally shrug, it was most likely something moving in the trees. She let herself drop down into the well, watching as the world around her turned dark, a soft blue light coming from her as her holy abilities flared up. She felt the bottom of the well come up to meet her foot and steadily landed. She took one breath and knew that she had made it back. It wasn't as easy to breathe in the modern era then it had been in the feudal era.
"We've looked in this well many times, Souta," Her grandfather's voice caused her to blink.
"Hey! Can someone let me out please?!" Kagome called up.
Saya took his time to return to the sheathe, but kept an ear out for his master if she needed him. Kagome, on the other hand, was suddenly blinded by a light. She made a sound of disbelief and brought a hand up to rub at her eyes. God, she hadn't been expecting the sudden light. Her grandfather had impressive timing, she would be the first to admit that.
"Kagome!" Souta exclaimed, a relieved grin on his face.
Akira looked at his granddaughter before swiftly finding a ladder. Whatever that girl was going to tell him wasn't enough to surprise him. He tossed the small rope ladder down and watched as she swiftly pulled herself up it. Souta cheered as his sister came out of the well and immediately gave her a hug. Kagome winced slightly, but put her hands on his shoulders in response. He had hit her right where mistress centipede did.
"Did I miss anything?" Kagome asked and Akira gave his granddaughter a look.
She was pushing down her feeling so that Souta wouldn't see her break down. He swiftly herded the two of them out and watched as she looked at the goshinboku and her expression softened slightly. That tree was incredibly important to the Higurashi family, and always brought them good luck. Kagome wasn't just looking at the tree, but also at the telephone poles and shapes of the buildings. She gathered she was so ready to use the abandoned temple was for the style of her home. The temple was reminiscent of it.
"What happened?" Akira asked, "You were gone for three days."
"Sis, what happened?" Souta questioned, getting his sister's attention.
Kagome felt something wet go down her face and watched as Souta blanched. He wasn't used to seeing his older sister cry, it was such a rare occurrence that it always left him uneasy. Akira was more used to it and held his arms out. It reminded him of when she was little, and she reacted just the same. Kagome welcomed the familiar feeling of being hugged by her grandfather, the warmth that came from him was a consistency in her life for as long as she could remember.
"I…I was scared," Kagome admitted in a soft voice.
"Let's go inside and talk about what happened," Akira said to his grandchildren and Souta gave him a look, "a story is always best when told with tea."
"Sounds good," Kagome stated standing back and easily composing herself.
The Higurashi house looked just like it always had. Pictures of the family were hung up on the wall and everything was neat and tidy, yet homely at the same time. Kagome almost felt out of place wearing the garbs of a priestess, yet her grandfather seemed to be more interested in making tea. Her mother, on the other hand, was gently touching her face and making sure she was all right. She even took a look at the stitches on her stomach and frowned in thought. A bath and some modern medicine would help stop infection from settling in.
"Now what happened? Souta said you fell down the well," Akira stated as he placed the tea on the table.
"I didn't say fall, I said she had been dragged," Souta corrected with a frown.
"He's right, I was dragged down the well by a demon," Kagome admitted watching as steam floated from her cup, "the Shikon-no-tama was inside of my stomach, and that resurrected it."
"So where did you go?" Emiko asked in a gentle manner.
"I went back to the sengoku period, four hundred years ago…five or take," Kagome answered as she reached for her cup of tea and took a small sip while her family digested her words.
"We must seal the well!" Akira stated and she was so happy he was quick on the uptake.
Emiko watched the sad expression appear on her daughters face and knew one thing. Her journey in the past wasn't over yet. Her baby was becoming a grown woman. Still, she wondered why she needed to go back.
"Why must you go back?" Emiko asked and Akira paused at the question.
"Because I shattered the jewel," Kagome admitted, "it wouldn't sit right with me to come back here without correcting my mistake."
Emiko raised her daughter right. She felt proud of her children and nodded her head. No one went to stop Akira as he rushed to the well house to seal it up. Kagome shook her head in amusement before turning towards her mother. She needed sturdy clothing for the feudal era.
"Oh, before I forget you got a large package in the mail on your birthday," Emiko informed her daughter, "your grandfather wanted to open it, but we were able to steer him away from it."
"Thank you, mama," Kagome softly said, "I'll open it up in here."
"It's on your bed," Emiko informed her daughter as she got up from her chair and hurried up the stairs.
That was the liveliest she had seen her in a while. Perhaps that journey will be good for her. She was brought out of her musings as her daughter came back down with the rather large box. A startled expression on her face at the sheer size of it. Who would send her something so big? Why would they send it? She couldn't think of anyone that would do such a thing. It was strange. Still, she placed the box on the dining table just as her grandfather came back in. His proud look made her smile a bit. His seals wouldn't do anything to stop things coming from the well, but it was a sweet thought.
"I'm almost scared," Souta stated as Emiko passed Kagome a box cutter.
"It shouldn't be anything dangerous," Kagome quietly told her brother as she easily sliced through the packing tape.
The Higurashi family held their breath and Kagome was the first person to break the silence. A single "huh" came out of her as she gently pulled out a kimono from the package. Emiko held a hand to her mouth in surprise before looking into the box and seeing more items of similar make. Kimono's and hair pins were inside the box and it seemingly stumped her daughter as well. Still, she was thankful her daughter would be able to blend in a bit better in the past.
"Such a pretty design," Emiko noted, "I don't think I've seen one with a single design on the top."
Kagome gently placed her fingers against the stripes. Two of them, one large and the other thin. Both were blue, almost indigo in colour. It was familiar, yet she couldn't place it. She shifted through the other kimono's and hair pins for a note. She found obi's, ones that seemed to be interchangeable with the different kimono's, and then a piece of parchment. She blanched. It was just a child's drawing of a dog?!
"I can't help but feel like someone is messing with me," She grumbled before looking down at the kimono in her hand.
"It's a good joke," Emiko chuckled, "why don't you take these back up and we can create a pack tomorrow."
"Thank you, mama," Kagome smiled, placing the kimono in her hands back into the box before heading back up to her room.
She was able to take a bath, and she couldn't help but wince as the warm water hit her stitches. They were looking good, but it was taking them a while to heal. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, allowing her mind to focus on the package she had been given. It was giving her credence to her theory that she was always going to go back in time. Perhaps it was from a demon that she'd become friends with. She knew it wasn't from herself. She was human, she wouldn't live that long. Her eyes opened and she stared at the bathroom ceiling. Right? Why did she get the feeling that was wrong?
"Kagome?" Emiko called from the hallway.
"Yes?" Kagome asked.
"Dinner is going to be a while, do you want to take a nap?" Emiko questioned.
Kagome hadn't been asked such a thing in years, and gave her a positive before standing up in the tub. It was time for her to go back to her room and get some rest. She welcomed the familiar feel of her dark pyjamas and was even happier to welcomed the comfortable mattress of her bed. Emiko checked on her daughter, something she hadn't done in years, and noted the soft smile on her daughters face as she slept. She went back down the stairs with a small smile of her own.
"Is Kagome okay?" Souta asked.
"Your sister will be all right," Emiko answered, "you two are such wonderful children."
Souta smiled at that. He was always happy to make his mother happy. They left the teen alone and went to start dinner. Missing the soft light coming from the dark room. Saya was back out of the sheathe seal and was studying the kimono she had picked up from the package. It was too familiar, and he could sense something coming from the sturdy silk. It had been too long. He looked towards his master and gave a soft sigh. Her life was going to be far too strange for the girl. He went to sit on her desk, she had placed So'unga closer to the furniture so he didn't have to worry about being so far away from the temperamental sword.
"It smells delicious," Kagome complimented Emiko as she put the hotpot ingredients inside the heated up pan.
"Thank you," Emiko winked at her daughter and Kagome smiled softly.
"Gramps, will the seals on the well ever come off?" Souta asked their grandfather as Kagome drank her tea with a calm expression.
"Never! Each seal contains powerful words of magic that can't be broken," Akira answered, "no matter what kind of evil spirit, it will be impossible."
Kagome placed her tea cup down and stared at the ripples the movement had created. It felt oddly symbolic to her and she couldn't figure out why. She watched the food cook with a calmness that startled her brother. He expected her to be livelier, yet she was just as calm per usual. He couldn't wait to be as cool as her. She picked up her chopsticks and smiled at the food, her eyes lighting up at the sight of bamboo sprouts.
"Let's start eating," She stated, and Souta happily grabbed his as Emiko joined them.
Kagome didn't even get to enjoy a single bamboo sprout when the shoji door to the dining room was slammed open. Instead, she watched as it slipped back into the pan her expression crestfallen. Inuyasha stood there in his full glory. His full dirty footed glory. Kagome almost wished to hear the reprimand from her mother but knew it wasn't going to happen.
"Is there a reason why you slammed the door, Inuyasha?" Kagome found herself asking as she picked up the bamboo sprout again and this time ate it with a tiny smile.
"Who said you could go home?" Inuyasha questioned.
"I did," Kagome answered without missing a beat, "so, what happened?"
"Where did you come from?" Akira questioned the silver haired teen as his granddaughter got to her feet.
"The well," Inuyasha answered.
"Do not lie!" Akira exclaimed and Emiko watched as Inuyasha and Kagome gave him identical looks of surprise, "Those oracles have been used in this shrine since ancient times and cannot fail!"
"You mean this flimsy piece of paper?" Inuyasha questioned, holding up a piece of paper with seals written on it, "They don't work."
Kagome looked at the sutras and frowned in thought. If Inuyasha was surprised by the sudden shock when she touched it then he was phenomenal at hiding his expressions. She held onto the sutra and scratched the back of her head in thought.
"Why did you come to get me?" Kagome finally asked.
"Kaede said to," Inuyasha shrugged.
Kagome made a face at that as Emiko stepped up and tweaked Inuyasha's ears. She had been eyeing the velvety appendages for a while and it shocked the boy. Few people would approach him and do that. Half demons were feared and hated. Yet here was a group of humans who didn't seem to care about his heritage.
"Are your ears real?" Emiko questioned.
"Lemme try too!" Souta exclaimed as he eyed the small dog ears on Inuyasha's head.
Kagome couldn't help but smile at her family's antics. She took the other teens distracted state as a perfect excuse to grab So'unga from her room. She could come back for extra supplies after she figured out why Inuyasha hunted her down. Her eyes narrowed slightly. What allowed him to travel through time? She could only guess it was her holy powers allowing her to do so. So, was it the subjugation beads? She didn't know.
"What's with the hair on your shoulder?" Kagome asked as she came back down the stairs.
She was given confused looks from everyone around her. She tilted her head in thought and walked up to him, plucking a. Single strand of black hair from his shoulder. He stared at her as though it suddenly made sense to him. Her family, on the other hand, seemed to think she was a bit touched. Kagome made a face and wrapped the hair around her hand, hoping that the increased opacity would make it easier to see. Instead, she felt it move and watched as blood began to weep from the sudden slice in her hand.
"Kagome, you're bleeding," Akira pointed out, reaching towards the table for a napkin to press against the wound.
"It's moving," Kagome commented as she thought out loud, "but…where's it coming from?"
Inuyasha watched as she quickly figured it out. One second she was there in the dining room and the next she was pulling on sandals and heading outside. She was briskly making her way to the well house and even he didn't want to mess with her. She was furious that her family was being put in danger by a demon. He almost wanted to stay back with her family, but shook such thoughts from his head. He was stopped by a gentle hand to the arm. He looked down and blanched slightly, her mother reminded him of his. He couldn't snap at her!
"Please keep her safe," Emiko requested.
"Oh…sure," Inuyasha nodded, and the woman let him go.
He hurried to catch up with Kagome as she keenly looked in the air. She moved to the side as a bundle of hair rushed towards her. Her hair moved due to the force of the attack. She barely spared it a glance, simply noting the speed the hair could get. Saya felt her holy powers flare and came out of the seal. He quickly dropped to her shoulder as hair went towards him. He could barely sense it!
"Old Kaede was right," Inuyasha commented, "you have the vision."
"So, you brought it with you?" Kagome asked him with a sharp tone, and he bristled at the implications.
"No, it followed me!" He snapped back and she nodded in understanding.
"Sorry, that came out wrong," She apologized, unsheathing So'unga and blocking another attack from the hair, "do you know the demon responsible for this?"
She narrowed her eyes and quickly shoved him to the side before he could answer. Hair slammed into the doors of the well house, and he looked towards them as she jumped back to dodge it's second attack. She was used to doing such maneuvers. Those that went to hell were always ready to use attacks that were dirty. She simply adjusted her fighting style to combat them. She was brought from her thoughts as Inuyasha's ears twitched and he dodged some of the hair. He brought a hand up and clawed at it, breaking the strands. She watched as they reformed.
"It reformed, even though you cut the strands," She commented in a dry tone, "because of course it does."
"Keh, enough with the sarcasm," Inuyasha stated, and she smirked slightly as she cut through several strands of the hair.
She was looking for the main hair, so that she could stab it. She had to duck and dodge several attacks from the hair. She jumped in the air and narrowed her eyes at it when it barely missed her legs. She heard something moving and looked towards the well. There! That was the main string. She dropped to the wood ground and felt her knees protest at the sudden weight, but she still pushed forward and brought So'unga down on the main strand. As it broke apart the other hair swerved around and slammed into the walls, as though trying to cause some last-minute destruction before slithering down the well again.
"It retreated," Inuyasha commented and Kagome nodded in agreement.
"Let's get going," Kagome stated and he blinked at that.
"I thought you'd want to stay," He pointed out.
"I can always come back for more supplies after this," She stated, "right now, this demon is a bit more of a pressing matter…it put my family in danger, I don't take kindly to those that do."
Inuyasha contemplated something before removing his robe. He plopped it on Kagome's head and she looked at him in confusion before placing her arms through it. She looked so small in it that it was laughable that she carried such a long sword and could wield it with ease. He scratched the back of his head in thought before looking down at the well.
"It was woven with the fur of the fire rat," Inuyasha informed her, "it's much stronger than ordinary armor."
"I appreciate it, thank you," Kagome said before hoisting herself onto the lip of the well, "let's get going."
"It's only because you look so weird."
Inuyasha's insult was met with a laugh before they headed down the well. He shivered slightly at the feeling of traveling though the well. He had a hold on Kagome's arm and watched as she landed with as much ease as he did. If he wasn't so sure that she was human then he'd think she was a demon. He didn't wait for her to completely get her bearings before jumping out of the well.
"There's hair everywhere," Kagome commented, "let's follow the main strand, we'll find whoever's controlling it at the end of it."
Inuyasha nodded and Saya gulped slightly as they quickly launched into the air. Kagome couldn't help but watch as Inuyasha seemingly ignored the hair all together as he ran through it. She was keeping her senses prepped for the hair to attack them, so far she didn't sense anything. She held onto his clothing and winced as he broke a large piece of hair without blinking. They passed through a camp and Kagome winced at all the bodies without a head.
"Seems like this demon likes to collect heads," Kagome stated as they continued onwards.
"Demons are weird like that," Inuyasha shrugged, "they must've gotten tangled in the hair strands."
"You must be thick skinned if you can continue to run through the strands without even flinching," Kagome complimented, and he smirked.
"Yeah, if you tried to do it, you'd end up just like them," Inuyasha stated, "want to race?"
"Oh shush, you'd miss me," She countered with an amused smirk.
He continued to run forward and he heard Kagome make a small sound as she noticed something. The strands had to be gathering! They were closing in on their prey. Saya watched as the two moved in a pack mentality and questioned how a human could even do so. Not even his late master's human lover could do so, she only knew about Inu's due to reading up on them. Kagome was acting like a pack leader without even thinking.
"Get ready, the main lines are starting to gather," Kagome warned and Inuyasha nodded, "behind you, and then to the right."
He followed her instructions and they went sliding down a hillside. She tilted her head back to watch the large strands of hair as they passed by them. It was the large ropes of hair that created pillars that surprised Kagome. She brought an arm up and deflected a strand of hair that would've sliced her into pieces.
"Seriously, you can't feel any of this?" Kagome asked as her eyebrow twitched, "Shit, there's too many coming this way. I'm dropping from your back."
Inuyasha nodded at that and released the hold he had on her legs. Kagome went sliding down the grassy hill on her own. She found that her sandals were the worst thing to wear to battle. She easily brought the So'unga from its sheathe and used it to deflect the hair. She took a deep breath and drew on the blades power. She knew that her holy powers wouldn't allow her full control of the blades ultimate attack, but she could figure something out. She brought So'unga back and released her breath, swinging the sword in a graceful arch. A purple tornado with black streaks in it swirled around the area, destroying the large pillars of hair. Inuyasha let out a sound of surprise as he landed a safe distance away.
"What the hell?!" Inuyasha questioned as he surveyed the damage done to the surrounding area.
"So'unga is a demon blade," She answered, "this attack is why I didn't unleash its full power in the village."
"We shouldn't lose any fights in the future," He commented, "getting the shards will be too easy."
"In theory…also don't jinx us!" She huffed.
"Oh my!" A female voice exclaimed and they both looked towards the source, "What fine prey!"
The woman who spoke had short raven hair styled in a bob, a red hair band keeping it in place. Her red eyes stared at the two, a glint of danger shone in them. Kagome narrowed her eyes and watched as the woman narrowed hers as well. It should bother her that she shared traits with a demon. It almost distracted her from the giant sphere made from hair.
"Who are you?" Kagome asked, her polite tone too ingrained for it to be genuine.
"I'm Yura, mistress over hair," The demon answered, a soft pout on her face, "that must be Inuyasha."
"How do you know me?" Inuyasha asked.
"You are one of the few people that have silver hair in Japan," Kagome reminded him, "it's a fairly rare hair colour."
"I heard the gossip in the wind about you and your hair," Yura confirmed, "the gossip was that a half demon named Inuyasha was serving the reincarnation of a shrine maiden and helping her to search for the Shikon jewel."
"What?!" Inuyasha snapped before growling when he was suddenly surrounded by hair and held in place by it, "The hell do you mean serving?!"
"That's right, I am the only servant to my lady!" Saya piped up and Kagome couldn't help the slightly fond look on her face.
Saya truly was proud of those he served. First the great dog general and then the true master of a hellish sword. She was a strong alpha and he would gladly follow her. He held onto the dark strands when Yura looked towards him and tilted her head. A curious look on her face.
"I see," Yura commented, "I fear your mistress is brainless for turning the shikon jewel into pieces."
"Wow, you make one mistake in fifteen years and suddenly you're brainless," Kagome dryly muttered.
"In any case," Yura said in a clear voice to cut through the snort from Inuyasha, "I'll deal with you two and go look for the other fragments."
Inuyasha scoffed as Kagome took stock of her surroundings. She paused when she noticed something glowing in the cocoon of hair. There, that was her weak spot. She couldn't unleash another Gokuryūha, not without seriously injuring Inuyasha. That was definitely something she didn't want to do.
"Deal with me?" Inuyasha sneered at Yura, "You're the one who'll rue the day you appeared before my eyes!"
Kagome let them battle it out. Saya felt her calmness as she walked up to the giant hair sphere, grasping into the strands and pulling herself up. She marvelled at how soft the strands were for the time, a part of her wondered if people of the past had better hair care products. It was impressive.
"My lady?" Saya asked and she spared him a glance.
"There's something within the hair that keeps glowing," She answered as she kept climbing up the hair strands, "it has to be tied to Yura."
Saya turned his attention towards the battle that Inuyasha was having. No matter how many times he stabbed the demon she easily fixed herself with hair. Loss of limbs didn't stop her. He could see the half demons annoyance and understood it. She pulled on the hair and tried to unravel it just a bit to get to the glowing object. That seemingly caught Yura's attention.
"You…" Yura stated, lowering herself to be eye level with the human, "you feel strange."
"…Thank you," Kagome stated.
"That's not a compliment idiot!" Inuyasha yelled at her and she raised a brow.
"Release him," Kagome ordered Yura.
"Release Inuyasha you say?" Yura questioned with a knowing smirk on her face, "You two must be quite chummy."
"He's my friend," Kagome stated before Inuyasha could say anything, "my friends are just as important as my family, and you threatened and hurt them…big mistake."
Inuyasha felt a chill roll down his spine at those words. For someone who was so soft spoken it was chilling to hear her speak in anger. Yura laughed in her face and Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull. Even he knew better than to push the girls buttons. The laughter stopped when Kagome sent the tip of So'unga through the demons throat.
"The larynx is quite an interesting part of the throat isn't it?" Kagome asked in her usual quiet tone, "it allows us humanoids to form sounds to speak, it's makes us unique. I gather that you can't really fix something you can't see or don't know that much about, right?"
Yura glared at the teenager and brought her hands down, causing hair to capture Kagome. The impassive calm nature never left the teen even as hair wrapped around her throat. Fire began to form and Inuyasha wondered just how angered the demon was for her to attempt to kill the teenager. Kagome smirked slightly as she was engulfed in flames. Yura wouldn't be able to remove So'unga from her throat. The sword knew who it's master was and would never betray her. She never had to worry about someone she didn't trust touching her sword. The robe of the fire rat kept her protected and she allowed the hair holding onto her burn. It allowed her to drop to the ground, she landed with as much grace and silence she could muster.
"Keh, it's nice that you were shut up," Inuyasha informed Yura as he fought her again.
Kagome picked up a rock and put it in her shorts pockets before climbing up the hair again. She was going to destroy whatever it was that was glowing in the hair. She reached the top and found a strand of hair that stood out. She grabbed the rock from her pocket and thanked the many hours of kendo she had gone through for the upper body strength to hold onto the hair with one hand. She brought the rock up and sliced through that hair, causing the entire sphere to unravel. She grit her teeth as she went down with the flowing strands.
"Nicely done!" Inuyasha complimented as he was freed from the hair.
Yura's fury caused her demonic aura to flare up to such a degree that even Inuyasha gave her a sharp look. Kagome quickly found what she was looking for as Yura got ready to attack. Perhaps it was a cruel joke on the Kami's part, but the red skull that kept Yura on that plane of existence was broken by a foot being stomped on it. Kagome was used to unruly demons, used to destroying them to keeping peace. For her soul to be as pure as it was, was a complete mystery. She watched as the hair, and Yura herself, began to dissolve into light blue dust. Kagome picked up the red comb that had been left behind and silently sighed. Saya quietly vanished into the sheathe, he was tired.
"That's the Adornment Comb of the Dead," Inuyasha informed her as he limped towards her, "it was used to comb the hair of the dead…that's how it got bewitched."
"I don't doubt that in this time it's uncommon to have so many enchanted combs around," Kagome commented in a light tone as she shuffled towards So'unga.
"Man, you really don't have much of a reaction to anything," Inuyasha found himself pointing out and he watched as she thoughtfully looked towards the moon.
"Losing my head doesn't help anyone," She simply said before turning towards him and removing his robe, "thank you, you didn't have to let me use the robe of the fire rat."
"It's nothing," Inuyasha grumbled as he accepted it back with a swipe of the hand, "so…friends huh?"
"Yeah, friends," She confirmed, "let's go get you patched up before I head back to grab my supplies…knowing mama she'll send me back with a first aid kit to help."
"She seemed nice," Inuyasha didn't mind the conversation.
"She is," Kagome confirmed with a happy smile.
Inuyasha dropped her off at the well before heading back to the village. Kaede would patch him up before he headed to the temple. She may dislike him, but she'd never turn him away for medical attention. He looked up towards the moon and he found himself smirking, their victory was well won.
"Kagome, you've grown," Emiko stated as her daughter came back for supplies, "your father would be proud of you for being the right thing."
Kagome looked at her mother in surprise as she paused in gently folding one of the kimono's. She had a bag to bring all of her things with her, a light tan one she had gotten years previously that she used to go camping when Akira was a bit younger. Her mother hadn't talked about her father years. Not since the crash. Not when she was letting her know it wasn't her fault.
"Mama," Kagome softly said as she noticed the tears in her mothers eyes, "I'll come home as much as I can…please don't let grandpa come up with anything too unusual for my absences."
"You better," Emiko gave a watery smile, her daughter had inherited her soft spoken nature, "if you find anyone you care for in the past, please bring them here."
Kagome's cheeks turned a light pink before she nodded. Emiko helped her into one of the kimono. The white one with the two indigo stripes. She even picked out the obi, the red colour standing out. Even the red nagajuban was picked by the older woman. Emiko studied her daughter before clapping her hands together.
"Be safe," Emiko pleaded as her daughter put her sword into her obi at the back and made sure she could draw her sword with ease.
"I will." Kagome stated.
She hurried back to the well after saying goodbye to her family. The area around the well was empty, and the temple was as well. She sat in the main room and rolled her shoulders. She could take a nap while waiting for Inuyasha, or the sun to rise.