Chapter 3: Down The Well & Back Again
The day after the dance was pretty dull to Kagome compared to the fun night she had had, but it gave her time to recover and catch up on the homework she had neglected to do. To be honest she was shocked that she enjoyed herself as much as she had. And of course she couldn't resist thinking of a certain blue eyed boy.
Although her mind drifted to Kouga every once in a while, she tried her hardest to convince herself that she didn't have a crush. She wasn't like her boy crazy friends; although she had to admit that she also wasn't the most mature or put together person out of the group.
Throughout the day she had to remind herself that she had goals she was striving towards. She needed to improve her math scores if she wanted to attend the same high school as her friends. She was fortunate enough to be enrolled in the prestigious school she was in now, but Kagome knew that the next steps of her academic career were only going to get harder. It wouldn't matter how much money her mother paid if she couldn't make the marks. Her average grades were a large reason why she felt as if she didn't belong at Asano Junior High. She wasn't a math whiz like Yuka, or a poetry genius like Ayumi, even Eri had above average grades and could speak four languages fluently. Compared to her peers, Kagome often felt inadequate. But on this particular day, with revived vigor- she wanted to change that! So she locked herself in her bedroom all day, working hard on her assignments. She made sure to spend extra time on geometry but was frustrated since her calculations kept on being off by a few numbers.
She wanted to continue her studying but by dinnertime her mother insisted that she come downstairs. They had seen very little of Kagome in the last two days, and were curious as to what she was up to.
After enjoying dinner and catching up with her family, Kagome decided it was time for her to take a break. Her relaxation was cut very short however, when her grandfather asked her to help him unpack merchandise in the shrine's shop.
Kagome followed her grandfather, but couldn't help but brood that she was prevented from having fun, 'Why couldn't he ask Souta to help?'
While they exited the house and made their way towards her grandfather's shop, a pair of eyes watched them from a distance.
Kagome wasn't sure if it was the fall of night that she made her feel nervous- but it felt as if a presence was following them. She peered into the darkness as they walked down the path to the shop, but all she could make out was the shape of the Sacred Tree and an empty plaza. Shaking the strange feeling off, she continued on with her grandfather and they made it to their destination in no time.
"I need your help opening these boxes and stocking the shelves, Kagome," her grandfather explained while he unlocked the door and switched on the light.
"Mmhmm, okay grandpa," Kagome replied and took one last glance over her shoulder before closing the door behind her.
She walked past the old man and stopped behind the counter where the cash register was. She rummage through a drawer until she found a box cutter and went over to the three boxes in the center of the room. She kneeled and methodically sliced through the packing tape, and pulled open the flaps.
"Ahh!" her grandfather cried in fright. When she turned around, she noticed the family cat Buyo was rubbing himself against her grandfather's leg.
"Buyo! How did you get in here?" she asked trying to hide her chuckle.
"This cat is a demon I tell you!" her grandfather said while he pushed the fat cat aside with his foot and shuffled over to the boxes she opened.
Kagome pursed her lips, "You think everything's a demon."
"Well they are always around," he replied, "which is why it's great that I finally received this!"
Kagome watched as her grandfather kneeled beside her and opened up the flaps to reveal the contents of his shipment. The boxes contained hundreds of keychains with kanji placards and colored jewels attached to them.
"Oh pretty!" she cried in girlish fashion.
Her grandfather frowned at her lack of recognition, "It's not just a pretty ornament. It's the Shikon no Tama."
"The Shikon no- what?" Kagome asked.
"The Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls," he repeated and grabbed a pink one to show off.
Kagome grabbed a purple one for herself and raised it to eye level so she could examine it. She translated the kanji in her head and took note that it said 'Shikon no Tama keyholder.' Her eyes moved down to the jewel in question, "You don't actually think tourists are going to buy these dumb keychains, do you?"
"That is not just a keychain. That crystal there at the end is a replica of an ancient jewel which-" her grandfather began to explain but was interrupted by Buyo reaching over Kagome's lap to swat at the keychain. "Hmm?"
"Ah-hem!" he coughed to regain his granddaughter's attention, "As I was saying, that crystal is a replica of an ancient jewel which-" but once more Buyo decided to interrupt by jumping onto Kagome's lap while she held the keychain out of reach.
Her grandfather raised the pink keychain in his hand before he began to speak again, "Mmm… an ancient jewel-"
"You do remember it's my birthday tomorrow right?" Kagome asked excitedly while he was in mid-sentence. She clasped her hands and issued the best puppy dog eyes she could muster.
Her grandfather smiled, unable to get mad at her excitement, "Hehehe, I planned to wait another day my dear."
"So you did get something? Hand it over," Kagome cried.
Surprisingly her grandfather wasn't upset at her rude outburst and even complied to her demand. He got to his feet and walked over to a nearby closet where he retrieved a small box covered in festive wrapping paper.
When he handed the gift to Kagome, she eagerly ripped away at its wrappings and opened the box. Unfortunately she was terrified at what she found.
"That my dear is an authentic mummified hand of a water imp which-" her grandfather started to say.
He never got to finish his lecture though because Kagome offered the hand to the cat sitting before her, "Here Buyo, eat."
"Wah! That's an antique!" her grandfather cried and fell forward in shock.
"There's not much I can do with it," Kagome said, "how about I keep one of these Shikon no Tama keychains and we call it even?"
He seemed a little more pleased with that answer, so he continued relaying the tale of the Jewel of Four Souls to his granddaughter after seeing her interest in keeping the keychain. It was important to him that she know Japanese history and mythology since their family was allegedly descended from a lineage of spiritual beings. He hoped that Kagome would take over the shrine when he exited the world of the living; his son was gone and his daughter-in-law had no interest. Kagome seemed most receptive to his story telling out of everyone in the house.
And after having her ear talked off about the Heian period and the legend of the Sacred Jewel, Kagome excused herself so she could get ready for bed.
'Replica this, authentic that, here everything's got a story,' Kagome thought to herself moodily.
Walking back towards her house, she continued with her angsty teen musings, 'A thousand year old Sacred Tree, the legend of a hidden well. I've heard these stories all my life and I never believed a word of it… Well except when I was younger. I guess it was really entertaining then.' And if she was really telling the truth, even as a young adult she tried imagining what it must have been like to be a priestess during the warring era. Her grandfather had told her many stories of what her ancestors had gone through as keepers of the shrine, she was sure a holy duty such as that was a tough job.
Before she knew it, she had returned to her room. The walk back had been much more peaceful than when she had originally left. Or maybe her mind was too preoccupied to think that someone was watching her every move.
Despite whatever the reason was, she did not dwell on it. She quickly changed out of her pink sweater and pastel jeans into her comfortable checkered pajamas. She collapsed onto her bed after that and cocooned herself within the quilts, she reached over to her desk lamp and switched it off before she dropped her head on the pillow. It only took a few moments for her to fall asleep.
'I wonder what it will be like to be fifteen,' was her last thought that night.
Kagome was awoken by anguished screams filling the air. She rose to her feet as quickly as she could, a slightly larger stomach than usual slowing down her movements. Without hesitation she ran out of hut she was in and made sure to grab the bow and arrow that was near the door.
There was the smell of smoke in the air. She could hear a ruckus coming from the nearby village. The sounds of terrified inhabitants only made her run faster.
When she arrived at the outskirts of the village she could clearly see the destruction that was going on. Demon hordes were attacking and had set the village aflame in the process. There were people running everywhere, desperately trying to get away. It was complete chaos.
Kagome fearlessly ran into the fray. Some cried out in relief when they saw her appear, others pushed by her in self-preservation. She aimed her bow at a nearby demon that grabbed a man by his head. She released her arrow and a glowing lavender light encompassed it. The arrow pierced the demon's torso and it disintegrated before her very eyes. The man dropped to the ground and scrambled to his feet to run away, unfortunately he was left with a limp.
She didn't get to see if he was able to escape because she turned her attention to a screaming group of women who were surrounded by humanoid demons. They were armed with swords and made lewd comments towards the terrified women.
"Oh no you don't!" Kagome yelled, notching her arrows and releasing them in record time, all hitting the male demons. "Run!" she ordered the women and proceeded to run over to the next spot she could help.
"Kaede!" she called, "Rin!"
But she didn't receive the answers she wanted. Trying her best not to worry, she continued to free the villagers she could reach. There were some she came across that didn't make it, but she pushed past the pain of recognition. Mourning wasn't going to help at all.
This routine went on for a while, and for the most part she wasn't wounded terribly. Her body only had a few scratches and bruises from battling one demon after the other, but she was lucky enough to come out on top.
There was someone she was hoping for to return. Someone that could help her defeat these demons in no time. But that person wasn't in the village at this point in time and it made her stomach tie in knots and her heart ache.
'Where is he?' she thought as another arrow went through a demon.
Suddenly Kagome heard a familiar scream. She ran over without thinking. She crossed a wooden bridge that went over a river. A short distance away, she found the source of the scream.
"Rin!"
Kagome gasped at the sight she saw, Kaede was down on one knee, blood pouring from a wound on her shoulder. She was breathing heavy; Kagome was sure she had fought valiantly. But her eyes went to Rin, who was behind the old woman, tears in her eyes and hands clasped. Demons surrounded the pair, all armed- but some appeared to be injured.
"Hehehe, this little girl thinks she has friends in high places," one laughed sinisterly.
"As if the Lord of The West would care if we killed such a pathetic creature," another stated.
"Why don't we have a little fun with this one after we get rid of the old crone?" another suggestively asked while licking his lips.
Kagome's blood boiled at the idea of these disgusting creatures putting their hands on the innocent girl.
"Don't you dare, you monsters!" she called out with an arrow aimed at the lecherous one.
Seven pairs of eyes turned their attention to Kagome.
"Another priestess, huh?" the one that resembled a snake hissed.
"This one's a looker at least!" the lecherous one added.
"Are you blind? This one's with child!" said another.
"Gross. Bringing another human into this world" said the more rugged one out of the group, he almost looked like a bear.
"Let the girl go!" Kagome commanded.
"Oh a tough one," grinned the demon who looked more catlike than humanoid, he stepped forward.
"You will not harm a hair on her head," Kagome said. She glared at them and closely watched their movements.
"We aren't scared of you wench!" yelled the cat while he leapt towards her.
Quickly Kagome aimed her arrow and released it. The cat turned to dust, which sprinkled lightly in the nighttime breeze.
'Six more to go,' She thought to herself. The group gasped in shock at how swiftly their friend had been disposed. Now realizing how strong the priestess before them was, they readied themselves.
Another two charged at her, completely underestimating her accuracy and how fast she could move to notch her arrows. They were disintegrated almost as fast as the first one had. Meanwhile, Kagome mentally cursed at the fact that she was running low on arrows. She only had two left.
She looked over at Kaede who was silently guarding Rin. Kagome guessed she didn't want to attract their attention by moving. She was probably too injured to get far with the girl anyway.
'If I can get to Kaede, we'll be alright,' Kagome thought while she eyed the injured priestess's quiver of arrows. It was at that moment when Kagome took the offensive and started circling around the remaining demons.
"What kind of priestess has sex?" mocked the lecherous one, which made his lackeys laugh.
Kagome's jaw clenched but she bit back a retort. She wouldn't let these evil beings get under her skin.
"What's that I smell? Is that a fellow dog?" asked the demon with floppy ears. He made a dramatic show of sniffing the air once more, "No way! This priestess is some dog's bitch," he announced to the trio.
"Oooooooh! She likes our kind huh?" grinned the lecherous one.
"And I'll show you just who the alpha bitch is here," Kagome challenged, throwing the demon's words back at him.
The floppy-eared dog demon ran towards her on all fours, growling ferociously at being talked to in such a manner. He dodged from side to side so he could avoid her arrow, and tackled her to the ground.
Kagome braced herself for the fall and had the arrow in her hand. She stabbed the demon in the back when he landed on her. The dog demon screamed in agony when his skin was pierced and turned to dust just like the rest of his peers. Kagome sat up and shook her head to get the remnants of him off her face.
"Enough of this! Let's just kill the girl!" shouted the bear demon. The snake followed his lead but was much faster at reaching the young priestess.
Kagome had just gotten to her feet when the snake demon pushed by her numerous times to show off his speed. She aimed her last arrow at him, praying it'd hit him but it missed.
She could see the bear demon running towards her in her peripheral vision and she wasn't sure what she should do. She didn't have time to think of a strategy because the snake demon sliced her arm quickly with a sword and jumped out of the way before she could react.
Just when the bear arrived in front of her, with his naginata raised for a final blow, bright pink light rose from behind him. He too disintegrated the moment the light subsided. Kagome looked back at her savior and it was shocked to see it was the old priestess.
'Kaede!' she gasped, 'You managed to summon spiritual energy to save me.'
Kagome ran toward the woman, but was kicked down by the snake demon. She had momentarily forgotten about his presence. From the ground she looked up in terror as the lecherous demon no longer had a twinkle of playfulness in his eye. He walked over to the old woman and took hold of her head while Rin cried in horror.
Before Kagome could scream out an objection, he snapped her neck like a twig. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. She wiped the blurriness out of her eyes and barely managed to roll out of the way of the snake demon's sword.
"Ready to meet a s-s-similar end?" he hissed in delight.
Kagome wobbled up into a standing position. She held a defensive stance, 'I need to end this now before they kill Rin.'
The snake dived forward for a final attack. Kagome dodged his move, but still received a cut on collarbone in the process. She reached out her hands and grabbed his wrists. He pushed down attempting to stab her, but Kagome used all her strength to prevent it from reaching her. They remained like this for a few short moments before Kagome's arms began to falter.
She closed her eyes and held her breath, 'I could really use your help right now,' she thought, thinking of the very same person she was wishing for earlier.
Suddenly she felt warmth in her hands and heard shrieks of pain. Kagome opened her eyes and saw the snake demon was trying to pull out her grasp. Her fingertips were burning the skin on his wrists. With determination she squeezed harder and concentrated on channeling the energy through her hands.
The sword was close to her face. She wasn't sure if she should let him go so she wouldn't be stabbed or if she should end this once and for all. 'I can't keep up with him,' she thought to herself, 'if I let go, I might not get another opportunity to stop him.'
Locking eyes on each other for a final time, Kagome let out a cry while heat left her hands. The demons shrieks turned into screams until his body illuminated for a brief second. And just like that, he was gone.
The sword he had been wielding dropped and cut Kagome's left cheek. She hissed in pain and felt the warm blood leak down. It stung like hell. But she didn't attempt to heal herself because there was one last foe she needed to take care of.
She heard slow clapping and looked over to the demon who had been so crass earlier. She hadn't thought he'd be the last one standing, but now that she could take a good look at him, she could see his menacing red eyes.
He smirked at her, "Well, well little priestess- I'm impressed!"
Kagome wiped off her cheek with her shoulder and proceeded to roll them back. With no bow and arrows at hand or nearby, she was going to have to fight hand-to-hand.
The lecherous demon kicked at Kaede's limp body before he glanced between Rin and Kagome, "Hmm, who should go first?'
Rin flinched in fear, but did not run away.
"Only a coward would go after a child," Kagome said in hopes of baiting him.
He laughed at Kagome's courage. He turned towards her and cracked his knuckles, "You might have killed my comrades, but don't get too cheeky human."
"I'll kill you too, I swear it," Kagome called out.
And with that said he descended upon her. He was in front of Kagome before she could even blink.
"Rin! Run to the river!" Kagome shouted.
The little girl nodded and began to run just like she had been ordered to do. The demon looked back and was about to stop the girl in her tracks, but he felt a weak punch to the side of his face.
He looked down at Kagome, "Was that supposed to hurt?"
She threw another punch, trying to summon the same power that destroyed the snake only moments ago.
The demon grabbed her arm and flung Kagome into the nearest tree. Her back stung with pain, and naturally she grabbed hold of her stomach almost in apology to her baby.
He loomed over her and grabbed her by the shoulders. He dragged her upwards so she could stand before him, "You're lucky you're already with child woman, or else I'd put one in you."
Kagome glanced past him and saw that Rin was almost at the river. 'Hurry!' she pleaded in her mind.
Seeing his words hadn't gotten much of a reaction, he leaned down and licked the blood running down her cheek, "Mmm…"
Kagome kneed his groin with all her might and pushed him back, "You're vile."
She frantically looked around, and saw Kaede's quiver and bow a few meters behind him. 'I don't know if I can reach it,' she thought. She returned her attention to the demon who had recovered from her assault. She took a deep breath and concentrated on feeling her energy. Eventually she felt the warmth throughout her whole body instead of just her hands.
"I'm going to tear you apart," he threatened.
Kagome threw her hand forward and a blast of lavender light flashed before her eyes, the demon flew back and she ran towards the bow. She saw Rin at the edge of the river, looking back at her. 'Why is she stopping?'
"Come with me Kagome!" Rin called out.
Seeing her assailant get to his feet and turn his attention to the small girl terrified her, "RIN GO!"
Rin's lip trembled, but she turned around and jumped into the river, letting the current carry her away from the atrocities being committed at that village. Kagome was relieved to see the girl had listened.
The demon growled and whipped back to face Kagome, "If I can't take away the life of that child, I guess I'll just have to settle for yours."
Kagome shivered at his words but tried to remain calm. He was trying to break her focus. Instead of letting herself get shake by his words, she made it to Kaede's body and grabbed her bow and arrows, and continued to run deeper into the forest.
'My love, where are you? I need your strength!' she cried in her head while she ran toward the village. Her energy was depleting fast, but she hoped someone there could be of assistance to her.
Sensing her attacker was nearby she dived to the ground and rolled. His impressively sharp claws swiped through the air where her torso had been.
"I didn't think you'd run with your tail between your legs," he said, "I guess that mutt in your womb is telling you it'd be best to fall back."
Kagome aimed an arrow at him and let it loose, but it missed, and so did another and another. She tried to fight back the anxiety that she felt with each dodge he did.
He jumped up to the tree branches above and hopped to a different one so quickly that he was only a blur. He kept doing this until she lost sight of him. He descended upon her and grabbed hold of her left arm, knocking out the bow from her hand. He pulled back until he heard a painful snap and heard Kagome's screams and sobs.
She threw her right arm forward with the arrow clenched in her hand. It landed in the center of the demon's chest, but it wasn't deep enough to cause a mortal wound.
Ignoring the arrow, he unsheathed his sword and looked down at the broken human before him, "Any last words?"
Kagome's broken arm fell limp at her side but with new fervor for survival she felt the warmth in her hand turn into a scorching heat. She retightened her grip on the arrow, she felt it grow hotter and screamed at the immense power leaving her body.
The demon looked in shock as her sapphire blue eyes were enveloped by lavender light. He yelled in pain as the light surrounded the arrow and traveled up to him. He grit his teeth and swung his sword down towards the woman causing him agony.
The light engulfed his body and his cries were eventually silenced the moment he exited the world as a dust pile.
Kagome fell back, while the sword collapsed to the ground. Her eyes slowly returned to normal as she lay there wheezing. She gasped for air. It felt like she was drowning.
She felt pain all over her body, but there was a searing spot in her abdomen. Her right arm reached over her stomach, and she trailed her hand lower to find what was wrong. Her hand met a warm and wet spot, she pulled her hand up to her eyes and saw the blood.
'No. No.'
Tears fell down her cheek. Her hand shook at the sight and dropped down towards her wound as if it could hold her together.
'No, not the baby, please not the baby' she thought.
She broke down and sobbed despite how much it hurt to do so. There was nothing in the world that could console her at that very moment.
'Where were you?' she asked, but received no answer. She felt the sting of betrayal and loneliness like never before.
"Where were you, Inuyasha?" she whispered.
'Baby… I'm sorry.'
'So sorry.'
'Sorr-'
'S-'
And there was nothing but darkness after that.
Kagome's eyes snapped open. She quickly sat up and gasped for breath. She took in her surroundings and recognized the lavender wall paper in her room. "I- I'm home?" she asked herself, "Was it all just a dream?"
'It felt so real…' she couldn't help but note while she hugged herself to calm her shivering body. 'I can still smell the smoke and blood… What is going on?'
She took a few steadying breaths and wiped away the tears forming in her eyes. She proceeded to comfort herself by snuggling into her pink blanket. She wasn't sure why the dream had affected her so deeply. Sure it was vivid and morbid, but she shouldn't feel such an emptiness in her soul. It was almost as if her heart was actually broken. 'Who was I looking for?'
With a tired sigh she looked at the alarm clock on her nightstand. 05:25 a.m. it read. She grumbled and was almost tempted to lay back down until she remembered she had a geometry test later that day.
Slowly she climbed out of the comforts of her warm bed and gathered her toiletries so she could get ready for school. The only bright side to waking up so early was that she didn't have to wrestle Souta for the bathroom.
After she bathed and dressed for the day, Kagome quietly walked down the stairs, hoping not to wake anyone.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Kagome nearly tripped on the last step when she heard the chant of the three figures in her home, but she recovered enough to not fall flat on her face.
"Always the graceful one!" Souta laughed.
Kagome huffed indignantly at his response and stuck her tongue out at him to show she wasn't truly mad at him.
"What are all you doing up?" she asked.
"It's not every day that you turn fifteen sweet heart," her mother said while she wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder and guided her into the kitchen.
"Ye' were also making noise in your sleep, Kagome. Woke us all up!" her grandfather added while followed them.
Kagome dipped her head in embarrassment, "Did I? I'm sorry… I had a strange dream."
Her grandfather frowned, "Nearly thought you were possessed by a demo-"
"Well I think that's enough dad. Can't you see she's bothered by it?" her mom said in a concerned tone. She released Kagome's shoulder and walked over to the counter where she was arranging her daughter's birthday breakfast.
"I made your favorite dear, western style, just like daddy used to make it!" her mother said in as cheery of a voice as possible.
Kagome's lips formed a sad smile, she could see through her mother's faux cheerfulness at the mention of her father, but she didn't have the heart to say anything about it, "Thanks mom."
"Souta, can you help me set the table?" her mother asked before turning her attention to the birthday girl, "Go sit down in the washitsu. Breakfast will be served shortly."
Her grandfather followed into the traditional dining room that they used for special occasions. He took a seat on the tatami mat across from his granddaughter. He studied her face closely, "Are you okay, Kagome?"
Kagome fiddled with the hem of her skirt. She looked up at her grandfather and adjusted in her position on the mat before speaking, "I'm alright grandpa. I think your talk of demons last night really got to me. I had a dream about them."
Her grandfather's eyes bulged, "What kind of dream?"
"They were attacking me… Killing me, really. I don't know why. This might be silly since it was only a nightmare, but it really bothered me." Kagome admitted.
"Hmm…" her grandfather stroked his beard while he thought of what to say to the girl, "Dreams of death can have many meanings."
Kagome nodded her head to show she was listening.
"Dreaming of death can signify that a part of you has died or a new beginning. It can also mean that you are looking for an escape, or a quality that you feel you're lacking, or that there is some resentment in your heart. But it can also be interpreted as wakeup call or that you've made a great sacrifice."
"I do feel as if this dream was important. I feel different now all of a sudden… I always felt as if I didn't belong, but I've had this foreboding feeling that started only a few days ago. Like something big is going to happen." Kagome admitted, "What else can you say about my nightmare?"
Her grandfather crossed his arms in his haori and closed his eyes before he spoke again, "Well since your dream involved murder it could suggest a significant relationship has been severed. You're trying to disconnect yourself from your emotions, but it can also mean that you have unused talents. To see a killer might mean you feel that you're losing your identity. Alternatively, it can represent purification and healing, such as standing up for yourself and putting a dramatic end to something."
Kagome frowned to herself. She hadn't lost any of her friends, so that couldn't be it. And she couldn't say she experienced any trauma that needed healing. Sure she questioned her identity sometimes, but she was a teenager after all, from what she had heard it was normal at this age to be unsure of oneself.
"To dream that you've actually been killed goes along with the drastic changes you're trying to make. There are characteristics you want to get rid of. But it may also mean that you feel let down or betrayed by someone in your life."
"And to see demons?" Kagome asked and bit her lip in anticipation of her grandfather's response.
"To see demons means that you're experiencing fear or abuse. Demons are also symbolic of ignorance, negative habits or your shadow self, perhaps a past secret is haunting you." he suggested, "I can't think of much more to say on the matter though."
Kagome locked eyes with her grandfather, "Do you think there's something wrong with me?"
Her grandfather saw her concern and decided it would be best to not worry her, so he laughed, "Of course not! It could just be that you had a silly dream. You just celebrated that ridiculous western holiday, Hallows Eve after all."
She sighed in relief, "You're probably right, I did see plenty of people dressed as monsters this weekend."
"Dad! I hope you're not bothering Kagome in there!" Kagome's mother called out from the kitchen.
"Well I never!" the old man cried.
Kagome covered her mouth to hide her laughter, while her brother boisterously laughed as he entered the room with plates and utensils in hand, "Mom's just teasing you grandpa."
"Don't laugh at your elders!" their grandfather huffed.
Souta and Kagome looked at each other knowingly and smiled. Souta broke their eye contact and proceeded to set the table. He took a seat beside his sister and babbled on about what he was up to at school. Moments later their mother entered holding a tray with an arrangement of food.
"How's the birthday girl?" she asked while she stopped a moment to kiss Kagome on the cheek, and then moved over to lay out the plates at the center of the table.
"Good," Kagome lied and turned her attention to the food, "thank you for this. We haven't had a good western breakfast in ages."
Her mother served her a large plate with pancakes, eggs and bacon. "Well I'm glad you're excited about this. I wanted your day to start off nice, I know how nervous you are about that exam you have later today.
"Oh you have no idea mom," she said while shoveling food into her mouth.
Kagome and her family chatted away while they ate; meanwhile outside their home, their cat Buyo was being terrorized by a foreboding aura. Buyo's ears twitched at the sound of a growl, and with a hiss he leapt off the bench he rested on near the Sacred Tree. The aura followed him as he ran, which made his tail and fur stand up. He ran towards the well house and entered through the open door. A tan hand slid the shoji door closed once he was inside, leaving the terrified cat meowing in its trap.
Eventually Kagome had to end the conversation with her family so she could get ready to leave for school. She went upstairs to grab her book bag. When she returned, she was shocked to hear her brother had left without her.
"What a brat," she said and checked the clock which showed 07:00 a.m.
Kagome rushed towards the door and put on her school shoes, "I'm leaving!" she called and closed the door behind her.
Jogging through the shrine's plaza, she saw Souta hadn't actually left. He was holding a bowl of cat food in his hand and stood outside the well house, with its door open.
"Hey, what are you doing?" she asked with as much authority as she could manage.
"Nothing." Souta said guiltily and turned around to face his older sister.
"You're not supposed to play in there," she chastised.
"I'm not, it's the cat," Souta said and returned his attention to the open doorway.
Kagome let her black book bag slide down her arm and dropped it on the well house's patio, "Did he go down to the well?"
"Buyo!" she called, but heard nothing in response except for the birds chirping in nearby trees.
"I don't know where else he could be," Souta said and kneeled down so he could get a better look.
Kagome put her hands on her hips and squatted down beside her brother, "So go down."
"Why do I gotta be the one?" Souta whined at the suggestion.
"Because you're the one that's looking for him," she said making a fist and bringing it up to her chin while her elbow took a comfortable position on her thigh to support her head's weight.
There was a knock on the wooden planks covering the well. She glanced at the sutra her grandfather placed on its center. Grandfather had always been superstitious and gullible enough to believe the legends of a cursed well. That's the reason why he sealed it and told them to never enter, it was also the reason why he sold sutras in family shop. He thought it was their responsibility as shrine keepers to provide trinkets that would help visitors exorcise bad spirits out of their homes.
'How on earth did Buyo manage to get past that?' Kagome wondered while she watched the wood quiver.
"Something's down there!" Souta cried and jumped behind his sister.
"Uh yeah, the cat," Kagome said sassily and stood up once more.
She huffed and went down the stairs that led to the well. At the last step there was more creaking from the wooden planks, 'That sound, from inside the well-'
"Ahhhhh!" she let out a high pitched scream when a figure jumped out from the side of the well to reveal itself. Souta also fell back and let out a yelp until he realized what it was their cat who scared them, "Buyo!"
The cat in question purred and rubbed himself up against Kagome's ankle. She bent down and picked up the chubby trouble maker.
"You make fun of me because I'm scared and then you're all like 'aaaa-hwa-ahhhh,'" Souta yelled from his seated position.
Kagome turned around indignantly, "Eh, look who's talking mister, 'why do I have to go?'" she mocked.
Souta's mouth dropped with a lack of response. He was alerted by the banging sound on the wooden planks again. A light shined from between the cracks of the wood, "Behind you!" he shouted.
The planks flew upwards and a strong breeze from the sudden movement blew her hair and clothes forward. Bright white lights engulfed her body and pairs of arms grabbed hold of her shoulders and waist. The force pulling her back caused her to drop Buyo while she was pulled down the well.
Her brother looked on in horror and took a step forward, "What's going on?" he cried.
The white light she was surrounded by quickly turned into a brilliant shade of sparkling blue the further down she was pulled into the well. Slowly Kagome was turned by the hands holding her captive and was shocked to be facing a pale topless woman with six arms. Kagome gasped looking at the woman's face, she had black hair and eyeballs that had no iris, but a tiny pupil. The terrifying woman smiled at her with rosy lips.
It felt like they had been falling forever. A pair of the woman's hands held Kagome's face in place while she threw her head back, "Alive, oh to be alive once more."
Below the woman's torso was a bone-like tail which regenerated before Kagome's very eyes. It resembled that of a centipede with its many bug looking legs. She couldn't help but gag at the sight of it.
"You have it, don't you?" the centipede mistress asked while Kagome struggled in her hold, "Give it to me!" she commanded and stuck out her long tongue and stroked it against Kagome's face.
Kagome flinched at the disgusting feeling and tried to fight her off, "What are you doing?"
"Let go!" Kagome screamed and grabbed hold of the mistress's face, her left hand emitting a lavender light much like the dream she had the night prior.
"What? I must have the Sacred Jewel," the creature shrieked as it flew back into the blue abyss.
An arm remained tightly gripped around Kagome's upper arm, while she looked at the distance grow between her and the monster. Her eyes showed confusion and an overall freaked out expression.
"The Sacred Jewel?" she repeated as she continued to fall and the mistress's remaining hand lost its grip. A bright lavender light enveloped her once more and in the blink of an eye Kagome collapsed on her hands and knees.
Kagome huffed and puffed until she finally calmed down. She looked at the dirt ground and up the stone walls that surrounded her, "I must have fallen down the well."
She sighed and rubbed her sore arm. 'Maybe I bumped my head,' she thought in disbelief of what she just experienced. She glanced over and saw at the pale arm beside her, "Uh maybe not."
Kagome looked up at the opening of the well, "Either way…" She stood up and called for her brother, "Hey Souta! Get grandpa!"
When she didn't receive a reply, she grabbed hold of the vines on the wall of the well. 'He probably took off, little-' Kagome began to think while she climbed the vines, but was distracted by a white butterfly that flew near her.
She watched it flutter deeper into the well, but shook her head and returned to her climb. Kagome saw a clear blue sky and fluffy clouds when she reached the lip of the well. She pulled her body up over its edge and was shocked at the sight she saw. The well she was climbing out of was located in the middle of a field. And the more she looked around, the more she noticed the lush greenery and butterflies surrounding her; it almost looked like almost like the scene of a fairytale.
"What the-"
One leg went over the lip of the well and then the other, 'I could be wrong- but Toto, I don't think we're in Tokyo anymore.'
Kagome walked forward and called out, "Grandpa! Mom! Are you there?"
She frantically looked around but no one responded.
"Where am I?"
