A/N: Thanks to reviewers Ringdingding, Flower of Venus, Novert-A-Rex, and Lorien Legacy for their kind comments in the last chapter. About the Kagome/Inuyasha/Kikyou love triangle, there will be a bit of it in this story, but it will not be the main focus. I hope to use this to build the respective characters of the three individuals, particularly Kagome, as her increased number of interactions with Kikyou in this alternate universe will have some profound effects on Kikyou's fate. Hope you will enjoy the plot twists as they come up soon! With that said, here is the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.


A Different Journey

The story of Inuyasha, and the miko he loved who had survived death


Chapter 11

Kagome had never been too attentive during algebra class, but today was by far the worst. All the x's and y's went completely over her head, and as a result, she made such a fool of herself on the blackboard that Satou-sensei gave her an earful after class.

She did not have a good night's sleep. She thought that her warm bed would do wonders for her fatigue, but the moment she shut her eyes, the events from her time travels replayed themselves in her mind again and again like a broken tape. And it frustrated her when a certain red-clad dog-boy reappeared in those memories. Why was she thinking about him? Okay, so he was her first companion on her Fixing-Magic-Marble voyage – it was only natural he'd be integral to her adventures. But the moment Kagome realized this, she became frustrated at being frustrated that she was thinking of him. Ugh. It was a vicious cycle.

She should probably go back. Like it or not, she caused a havoc back there in the Sengoku timeline, and she had to fix it. But as she dragged her feet across the schoolyard, dread rose within her. After she had helped Inuyasha retrieve the Tessaiga, she had felt better about her usefulness. But what if that was all just one-sided wishful thinking on her part? She admitted that she relied heavily on luck, and if things played out just slightly differently, Inuyasha, Miroku, and she would probably have died by that youkai lord, Sesshoumaru's hands. Going back meant putting herself in danger again. She could suck it up and deal with it due to her sense of responsibility, but what if nobody even wanted her to go back? Inuyasha certainly didn't seem to care too much for her – she wasn't Kikyou-san after all.

The thought really disturbed her. Why did it even matter whether Inuyasha cared about her? It wasn't like she was going back for his sake…right? The argument didn't even sound convincing in her own brain. Kagome tried to walk it off. Instead of crossing the school gate to the path that would lead to the station, she stayed on the school grounds, wandering aimlessly. Before she knew it, she was behind the gymnasium where the archery range stood. Archery? What kind of joke was this? Even here in the modern times, Kikyou-san's image just kept following her. It was giving her a headache.

"Higurashi-san?" someone called to her just as she was turning to leave. Oh great, turns out the archery team captain was none other than her class representative, Hirose-san. She clearly didn't know this until now. Talk about being asocial.

"Hirose-san," she greeted. Hirose walked up to Kagome and gave a polite smile.

"I heard from Houjou-kun that you have been sick for much of last week. I hope you are doing better now."

Sick? It must have been Grandpa making up nonsense excuses for her absence from school. But how would Houjou have heard? Whatever. She had so much on her mind already – she didn't have spare time for him.

"I am better now. Thank you for your concern, Hirose-san."

Kagome thought her concise answer was enough of a hint for Hirose to let her go, but Hirose spoke up again.

"I asked that Houjou-kun deliver the survey of future career plans for you. Have you received it? Satou-sensei asked me to collect them, but I have yet to receive yours."

Kagome couldn't remember. She had been exhausted when she returned last night, so had not the chance to even glance through the pile of homework her classmates had kindly delivered. Kagome swore that she had been a diligent student up till the day she time-travelled, but while fighting demons and putting her life on the line, things like "future career plans" seemed oh so trivial all of a sudden.

"I am sorry, I haven't had the chance to fill out the form yet. I will get it to you tomorrow." …if she didn't end up jumping into the well again the next morning, but Kagome left that unsaid.

Whether Hirose read Kagome's mind or not, she nodded, but looked clearly unconvinced. "I understand that you may have difficulties, Higurashi-san. Please do not mistake that I am rushing you. I just wanted to remind you, as this survey is more important than meets the eye. Be it proceeding to college or joining the work force, many positions are extremely competitive and require much planning in advance. Is Higurashi-san going to cram school?"

Kagome couldn't exactly tell Hirose off for being nosy, so she could only smile awkwardly. "Not regularly."

"In that case, perhaps you should consider extracurricular activities. They would look good on your resume."

A resume for what? She clearly didn't need a club activity to qualify as a Sengoku Jidai miko.

"Would Higurashi-san like to try out archery? I know this is not the usual time of the year to recruit new members, but Higurashi-san is always welcome. Here, if you have some time, why not watch us practice now?"

Kagome wanted to say no, but that would just be mean when Hirose-san was doing her best to help her. And it wasn't as though Kagome didn't want to be closer to her classmates. When she had realized that she knew next to nothing about Hirose, she did rethink a bit about her life choices. Over there in the Sengoku timeline, she had been ranting to the others about how great modern life was and how much she had missed her friends and family, but in all honestly she hadn't really invested much in this life she now knew was so precious. Thinking about it just made it seem even more regrettable. Then what made Kagome hesitate to follow Hirose? As she looked out onto the range where the other members were practicing, the answer became clear as day.

"Higurashi-san?"

"It's nothing. Please don't let me disturb you from your practice, Hirose-san. I will be fine watching from here."

"Are you sure? Would you like to try your hands on a bow? I can definitely get you started with the basics."

"It is fine. I will watch first."

"Alright."

Hirose went back to her place at the range. She was very tall, with deep, chiselled features. She looked nothing like Kikyou-san, but as she drew from the bow, Kagome seemed to see the two overlap. At first, it brought a bump to Kagome's throat. She had nothing to hate about Kikyou-san – the older miko did save her life not once but twice now. But she disliked the way everybody compared her to Kikyou. She wasn't sure if she really was Kikyou's reincarnation – the idea of reincarnation was still too fantastical for her to wrap her head around, even if she had grown up on a shrine. But if this were true then so be it. What made Kagome uncomfortable was how she seemed defined by who she was in her past life. And perhaps what frightened her most was the possibility that she really was just reliving Kikyou's life…including those inexplicable feelings for the red-clad dog-boy.

I am not her copy.

"Higurashi-san, what are you doing!?"

Somebody was shouting at her. Probably Hirose-san. Kagome had just picked up a bow and arrow and tried to shoot at the target far in the distance. Needless to say, that arrow flew well short of the target and landed somewhere in the middle of the course. It brought Kagome a sigh of relief. See? She was not Kikyou-san. Kikyou-san wouldn't have such shitty aim.

"Are you hurt, Higurashi-san?" Hirose hurried over to make sure Kagome was fine. "Without proper training and equipment, you could have easily strained your arm."

"I am fine. I am sorry I got caught up in the moment."

"I am glad you found some enthusiasm for the sport, but please do let me instruct you before you proceed. I would hate to see you injured on my watch."

With that, Hirose helped Kagome into a chest guard and arm guard, then taught her how to draw from the bow.

"The draw should be fluid. Do not force yourself. It does take some strength to make a complete draw, but if your form is correct, it shouldn't be too difficult. Keep yourself steady. Not just your arms, but your whole body. Even your breath would influence your aim. Now that you are at anchor, you want to make a slow, steady exhale as you keep expanding from your shoulder. You should be releasing in a relaxed state. Visualize the arrow piercing the target, and it will land where you want it to be."

Something about Hirose's instructions clicked. When Kagome followed it, the draw was easier and the release was clean. The arrow travelled farther this time, and though it did not find bull's eye, it did hit the side of the target. Hirose seemed impressed. "You have some talent, Higurashi-san," she said. It was true. She was Kikyou-san's reincarnation after all. She should be good at this.

But she got that arrow to the target by herself. With her own power. Not Kikyou's. The thought brought a sense of satisfaction to Kagome. She tried again, drew an arrow, and just concentrated her mind on visualizing how it would pierce the target. It was weird, because when she first started, she had thought that archery was the active act of trying to strike the target. Now that she had gotten a few shots in, she realized it was more passive. So many forces were at play. The weight of gravity, the strength of the wind. When you released the arrow, it was like setting it free. It was the act of letting go. The feeling cleansed doubt from her mind. Was she living like Kikyou-san? It did not matter. This was her life and she chose it by her own will. She did not need validation, from Inuyasha or anybody else for that matter. She was going to make the decision of going back to the Sengoku Jidai or not on her own.

And she would go back. She let the arrow fly and it struck a bit closer to the red circle this time. Bit by bit, she would get better at this, by her own effort, in her own time. She had lived fifteen years here in the modern age and grew little – days in the Sengoku Jidai had brought her such strength. It had been scary, of course. Many things were scary back there. But it was worth it. She experienced things that many would never experience in all their life. It was exciting and rewarding.

She also decided that she liked everybody's smile. Kaede-san's, even that lecherous monk, Miroku's. She wanted to preserve them. As little power as she had, she wanted to lend them her strength.

Even if it were a strength she inherited from Kikyou, she could live with it. She thanked Kikyou in her heart. After all, had she not been Kikyou's reincarnation, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to learn so much. The appreciation warmed her heart. She let another arrow fly and smiled when it landed roughly where it had last time. She would need much more time before she got good at this, but somehow, the outcome of her shots didn't matter as much anymore. By the end of the day, she decided to join the archery club, much to Hirose-san's surprise and relief. Kagome would secretly pity Hirose-san, seeing as she probably wouldn't be attending many practices from hereon forward. But whenever she was in town, she wanted to do some archery. It would help her miko resume, for one, and she was loving it too.

Alright, now time to go back!


Let's see…bicycle, cup ramen, history textbook for studying for the upcoming exam and as a reference for the Sengoku timeline, Grandpa's sacred bow and arrows, a goddamn box of matches because she was so done with flint and steel, survival kit with purifying tablets for the water so that she wouldn't get gastroenteritis, and…sushi knife? Okay, sushi knife was out because it was sort of useless for youkai hunting. She had a smaller knife for food prep in the survival kit anyway. A sleeping bag and tent? Maybe a tent was too lavish and she'd get laughed at by Inuyasha, but the sleeping bag was a good idea. Those nights out in the wilderness were really darn cold. On a second thought, maybe she would bring the tent. She didn't fancy the idea of getting rained on. Inuyasha could shove his rants up his own ass – Kagome would make him shut up by her voice-activated body-slamming magic if need be.

Satisfied with her preparations, Kagome bid her family farewell and entered the well, promising to be back within the week. If she had some free time, she'd start investigating into cross-dimension communication channels. Would be convenient if she could somehow call her parents from the Sengoku Jidai.

In no time, she was on the other side of the time-transcending tunnel. It was daytime there, the sun mercilessly battering on everybody and everything below. Kagome felt like she was breaking a sweat already, the thought of which reminded her that she had forgotten to bring soap! How could she have forgotten? The one thing she really, really hated about her adventurous days was how downright filthy she'd get, sleeping on literal dirt and travelling kilometers by foot everyday. Oh well, she'd just have to live with it for the time being. But next time she swore soap would be top of her list!

She made a trip down to Kaede-san's first. "Kagome-chan, you're back!" Kaede welcomed her.

"Yup! I just had to go back for classes. I can't take too many days off else they'd make me stay the grade. It's fine now, though. I'll be around the next couple days. So where are the others?"

Kaede-san looked a little hesitant as she delivered her answer. "Inuyasha took Miroku with him towards the mountains where he said he sensed a strong jaki. He thinks that it might be related to a Shikon shard."

"Damn that Inuyasha…took off without me again," Kagome mumbled.

"I can take you to Master Inuyasha if you wish!"

Both Kagome and Kaede snapped their attention towards the source of the voice. It came from Myouga the flea, resting upon a wooden ladle hanging from the wall.

"I know you are loyal to Inuyasha, but you ought to think a little about the sake of others too. How can you guarantee the safety of Kagome-chan if she does as you suggest by travelling alone?" Kaede scolded. Myouga flew lazily off the ladle.

"It should not be too dangerous. I can smell Master Inuyasha's scent nearby. He has not gone too far."

"But you know that Inuyasha took off because he didn't want to burden…"

"It is fine, Kaede-san. I want to retrieve the Shikon shards with Inuyasha and Miroku. It is no burden."

Kagome's firm voice surprised Kaede. Her gaze softened.

"Are you sure? It is a tough journey ahead. You don't have to feel obligated to follow through with it the whole way. I already really appreciate the efforts you have exerted thus far."

"I am sure. If this is about Naraku and the threat he posses, I understand the risks. I am not going into this blind. I know it's more dangerous than we thought at first, but I am still willing to do it."

"In that case, I will not stop you. Please be careful."

Kagome nodded and took off with Myouga. She was glad she brought along a bicycle, because without it, she wouldn't have covered as much distance as she had. By noon, she had gotten to the foot of the mountain Kaede-san had mentioned. It looked vaguely familiar. She might have hiked here before on a school trip or something. But unfortunately for her, no trail awaited here in the Sengoku Jidai. There was no way she could bike up there.

"I am hating this already," Kagome said to herself. She would have to leave her bike behind, so she hid it in the undergrowth in case it'd get stolen by a curious villager. She then followed where the vegetation seemed stunted, probably from being regularly trodden. "Myouga-san, you better be spot on about your directions. I will not be happy if we get lost around here."

"Do not worry, we are already close to where Master Inuyasha is. I am sure we will find him soon."

Kagome started her ascent. It was tough. She prided herself with being at least half-decent in PE, but climbing a mountain like this was next level difficult. She found a long stick and used that to steady herself, carefully picking her way around bushes and giant tree roots. The oversized cedars formed a canopy that blocked much of the sunlight. The view was gorgeous, as though the light was filtered and glowed with a surreal greenish hue, but Kagome couldn't exactly enjoy it in her exertion. She was practically hulling herself over the last stretch that led her out the forest onto a rocky ridge about a kilometer above where she started. The height was dizzying. She sat down to recover her breath, the sunset around her flaring with bright golds and reds.

"I don't think I can go any further today. Let's set up camp here," Kagome said to Myouga. The flea demon didn't seem to hear her. He buzzed over, hiding behind her back.

"I feel something bad," Myouga said.

"Bad?"

"Yes. I can't tell what it is exactly, but there is a power lurking…"

The sunset disappeared, eclipsed instantly by darkness. This was not right. Night should not have set so suddenly, and the clear skies should not be devoid of the moon and stars. A storm? No. There were no clouds. There was no wind. Kagome gulped, her heart pounding. She willed herself not to be afraid, digging her soles into the dirt while she pulled back an arrow from her bow.

"I am ready for anything," she said.


End of Chapter - reviews appreciated