A/N: Finally! My favorite OC joins the story! Oh how I love him :3

Also, Happy New Year~

The Other Side

Chapter 34

Enter Zhou-Mao and Chebawi

If there was ever a time when Kagome wished that the ground would swallow her whole; it was now. How did she always manage to get herself into things like this? Although, she wasn't entirely what this was. There was moment of 'why me,' which followed, 'okay, I've got this.' Which then followed, 'maybe I don't got this...'

She blinked a few times before she finally noticed that there was absolutely nothing around her. There was herself in a black room or she hoped she was in a room. It was pitch black with no ability to see so much as an inch in front of her face. She groped around since she was too scared to walk around.

From what she could tell though, she was in the middle of a void. There was only air around her and darkness. Kagome sighed. Where was Sesshomaru? Or Fate? Why was she alone?

Kagome was on the verge of crying; she hated being alone, truly alone. Of course with her luck sadly, she wasn't actually alone per se since someone—or something decided to join her.

"Ah, well if it isn't Kagome, the confusing mix of a person." Kagome felt her eyes widen but wait—why was she confusing to this person?" Excellent question!" Oh, god, it can read her thoughts?! "Why, yes; I can read your thoughts." They heard her groan and Kagome heard them clap at her as if they were mocking her. "As to why you're confusing; you are a human—or were a human, who has the ability to control elements just like an elemental. You are a black inu with holy abilities. You are merely a confusing person to me."

She wished she could bang her head on something. "Awesome; now that we're both aware of this fact, can I leave?"

"Leave? You wish to leave?" This voice crackled at her; it made her want to hide. "You cannot leave." Say what? "You are trapped until I say otherwise."

Well...

Shit.

"Who are you to say that? What makes you think I can't just leave this place? If I use the elements; surely I could get out," Kagome pointed out, feeling a bit smug.

They made a snort that caused her to frown. "You are trapped with me, with no means of actually getting out."

"Oh stop trying to freak her out, Zhou-Mao," another voice called out; Kagome would have kissed them if she could see them. "So sorry about that Kagome, Zhou-Mao can be a bit of an ass when it comes to talking. I am Chebawi. It's finally nice to meet you!" Well, at least the voice was more welcoming that the other.

Kagome sighed. "Can I please leave—whatever this place is?" There was silence, in which she honestly hoped that the both of them poofed.

"I'm afraid not. Fate attacked your new bond with Sesshomaru. He trapped you within your mind for the time being," Chebawi explained as Kagome gasped loudly.

"Oh good; so it's only in my mind that this is happening. That's not all that bad." She felt the air change around her, it was warm and loving. She sighed in relief that whatever it was, wanted her calm. "So all I have to do is wake up then?"

She assumed that this Zhou-Mao scoffed at her question in disdain. "It's a bit more complicated then that my dear." She frowned deeper.

"Oh yeah; how so?"

"Chebawi just described what happened to you, you idiot. Fate attacked your bond with Sesshomaru." Kagome heard every emphasis on the words. She also didn't like that she was call an idiot.

"So? What does that mean then?" she asked.

"A new bond is easily damaged," Chebawi started out to say. Kagome didn't like where this was going suddenly. The voice continued, "and hurts the one that started the bond more then the other half that it's connected to. Now, while Sesshomaru can in fact feel the pain that you go through, it doesn't affect him as much as it would if you were fully bonded with him."

Kagome was quiet as the voice of Zhou-Mao added something that made her heart ache. "As of right now, you're only hope would be for Sesshomaru to accept the bond that was placed on him, which in return would revive you."

"You say that, like I'm dead? I'm not dead, right?"

"Oh you're not dead, sweetheart!" The way that Chebawi said that didn't help Kagome's nerves. "You're in between realms, sort of. On the outside, you are limp to the world. In here, you are alive and well."

"That—is not comforting at all," Kagome said dryly as Zhou-Mao laughed knowingly. "How would Sesshomaru, accepting the bond, help me?"

The voice of Chebawi was suddenly to her right and answered calmly, "Well, you are already destined for Sesshomaru anyways but by accepting the bond, on his part, would mean that he accepts you as a whole and is willing to go the distance for you."

Kagome didn't know what to think when Chebawi said that. She didn't want Sesshomaru to accept the bond out of pity or anything like that nor did she want to force him to agree to it. Honestly, why—how did she get into situations like this? This was becoming a regular thing nowadays.

"If he thinks that you're worth it, then you are. If not, well, you and I will be hearing more of each other." Kagome grumbled to herself as Zhou-Mao talked. The voice, she assumed was male... certainly sounded like one. "I am a male, you pillock." Kagome huffed at that; really, why did they have to read her thoughts? Pity that they weren't a secret to her anymore. "Now then, let us hope that your knight in shining armor comes to your rescue cause I'm almost positive that you and I are going to get annoyed with each other. And if not with each other, at least the other's voice."

"Yeah, well you're aren't on my top five best voices either."

Zhou-Mao did a combo between a scoff and a laugh as Kagome heard Chebawi sigh, "Children please." Kagome could almost imagine Chebawi shaking their head. "Alright, now down to business." Their voice got a serious tone that made Kagome want to hid under a rock. "We are not here by coincidence. We have something very important to tell you."

"Well, get on with it Chewy," Zhou-Mao commented.

"It's Chebawi!" They emphasized on the 'ba' in their name.

"Same thing!"

"It most definitely is not the same thing!"

"Um... guys?" Kagome tried to ask; she wanted to know what was so important. Well that and she didn't know how long she had while she was trapped here.

"Chewy and Chebawi sound the same in my book!"

"Throw out that book then!"

"Um—excuse me?" Kagome wished she could shut these two up.

"Pft yeah right! That is a very special book, mind you."

"Never call me Chewy again then."

Zhou-Mao took a moment to be quiet then said, "What's wrong Chewy?"

A very impressive "Argh!" was heard from Chebawi. Chebawi let out a growl then seemed to calm down before ignoring Zhou-Mao althogether and said, "Kagome, I am Chebawi, controller to wind and am one part of your elements."

"Whoa—what?"

"I am Zhou-Mao, controller to time and space and am one part of your elements as well."

"Holy shit!"

"She's taking this better then I thought she would," Chebawi uttered softly with a laugh from the other. "Honestly, I thought she would be panicking right now."

"What—I don't—how? Huh?"

"We are voices, essentially in your head and can appear from time to time should we feel the need to," Zhou-Mao said offhandedly. "And only myself and Chewy, here, have decided to communicate with you." He seemed pleased that he annoyed Chebawi further.

"And this is the important thing that you needed to say?" Kagome asked, once she controlled her voice.

"Yes and no. Yes to the fact that it is important for us to say and no to the fact that we technically didn't have to tell you but felt that it would help you down the line should you need to do something with your elements," Chebawi replied.

"So, what does this mean for me? Does that mean that I could call upon you guys if I wanted to use wind or whatever?"

"Technically you could but we don't always respond then you would have to look into your heart to understand and use the element," Zhou-Mao added with a grunt. If Kagome didn't know any better, she would swear that he sounded like he really didn't want to be here any longer with her. She didn't blame him if that was the case. She wanted out just as badly.

"Which is what I did when Sesshomaru told me that I was an elemental?"

"Exactly," the two voices said together.

"Do I have any other types of elements?" It was a good question.

Zhou-Mao sighed deeply. Kagome just knew that he was tired of her questioning, which is why Chebawi took up to answering her for a little bit. "You have seven other types of elements." If they could see Kagome, she would have her jaw dropped, eyes widened, and flailing her arms around like she was crazy. And judging by the laugh that came next, she assumed that Zhou-Mao saw what she did.

"You're kidding right?"

"Nope! You are a very powerful creature!"

"Just my luck..."

"It's nothing to be ashamed about though; being an elemental is a wonderful thing!"

"An elemental black inu with holy abilities does not sound like a wonderful thing, thank you very much."

"Well when you put it like that..."

Kagome sighed. "Can I just be alone for a little while?"

The two voices were silent then Chebawi added, "Of course. We'll be around if you need us." And then it was complete and utter silence. Kagome was so grateful for that but at the same time, it was too quiet.

She didn't know what she was going to do when and if she woke up. She didn't want Sesshomaru to force himself to her; she didn't want anyone to ever do that for her. She wasn't worth it.

Or at least that was what she kept telling herself.

Then a thought occurred to her; if she was in her mind, did that mean that she could mind talk to Sesshomaru? Perhaps she could convince him that he didn't have to accept the bond. But that would mean that she would forever be trapped in her mind right? She didn't like that thought though. Ugh, she couldn't win, could she?

'Sesshomaru?' she thought to herself while trying to accomplish a link with him. There was nothing to indicate that he even heard her, which made her depressed. 'Sesshomaru?' she tried again.

At first, there was nothing but the darkness around herself. Then, very weakly came a response, 'Miko...?' Yes! She got ahold of him! Or at least, she hoped that was him...

'Sesshomaru?'

'Yes?' Oh good, it was him and his voice was clearer than it was before!

'You have no idea how happy I am to hear from you!' And boy was she glad. The two voices from before did nothing to help calm her nerves. 'How are you holding up on the other side?'

There was a moment of nothing but her own thoughts, in which she thought that he just stopped talking to her. 'I am fine; we have found the other two items and are in the gardens back home.'

Wait what? They already found the other two items without her? Dear god, how long was she out?! 'What? But how? How long was I out? I'm not awake over there am I? I certainly don't feel like I am..."

'You are not. I would say a couple of hours you have been out.'

'How have you already found the other items?'

'The vampires from before.'

'Oh.' Sesshomaru actually worked with them to find the sword and bow? Really? She would have sworn that it would take longer to get him to accept that plan. 'Listen—there is something that I want to say...'

'As do I have something to say to you.'

Well that just made her nerves skyrocket.

'You don't have to accept the bond; I don't want to force you into anything that you don't want. And since I am the reason that you are stuck with me, I don't want you to feel obligated to accept it.'

Sesshomaru was deathly quiet. Kagome felt like she might have said the wrong thing but it was how she felt. Still though, it made her feel like utter shit.

'You would rather stay where you are?'

'What do you mean?'

'If I do not accept the bond, you will stay where you are. As of right now, I am the only one that would be able to awake.'

"As of right now, you're only hope would be for Sesshomaru to accept the bond that was placed on him, which in return would revive you." She remembered what Zhou-Mao had said and gasped. That's what he meant! Crap!

'But—But, I feel horrible that I dragged you into this! Surely there is another way?'

'There is not.'

'Crap!' she whined.

'You would rather stay where you are?' he repeated to her as Kagome took a second to understand.

Then said, 'No, I wouldn't but like I said, I don't want you to feel—'

'You are worth it.'

Despite everything, that was exactly what she needed to hear. The darkness around her suddenly vanished and what she saw was mesmerizing.

Kagome was hovering above her body. She saw the way that Sesshomaru was holding onto her, the way that he protected her as he talked to Fate and the vampires. His eyes were narrowed on the slightest movement as if something was about to jump him. Her eyes glanced to her body; it was limp in his arms, arms that wrapped around her body like it was a lifeline.

'I-I am?'

'Yes, and I accept the bond,' he whispered to her, leaning his head down to hers.

The bond flared and Kagome was suddenly thrown into a spiral of colors before she blacked out.

Reviews are welcomed.