Chapter 5

Left or Right?

At first glance, the entryway looked more like the gates to certain doom, but the more Kagome forced herself to look at it, the less intimidating it became.

"Not so eager now, are you?"

She gave Jaken a sideways glance before forcing her legs to move forward. The air inside seemed different, more potent than it was outside. Even though it couldn't have been possible under normal circumstances, Kagome found herself thoroughly believing in the magic that had been woven into this place. She stared at the wall before her then looked to the left and the right, unsure of which was the better way to choose.

"Well? Which way are you going to go? Left or Right?" Grinning, Jaken stepped up beside her and looked both ways, snickering merrily at the sight.

"Which way would you go?"

"I wouldn't go either way," Jaken said simply. "It's your decision, human, not mine,"

"I guess I'll go this way then…" Kagome turned to her right and took a few steps forward, pausing when there were no steps to echo her own. "Aren't you coming?"

"Me? What the hell for?" Jaken stared at her in bewilderment. "Hey, look, girlie, I didn't do anything to provoke the great King Sesshoumaru's temper so why should I be subjected to the Labyrinth? Dismal place that it is…You'll get lost in five minutes. You should have just taken his gift like everyone else did,"

"Has anyone ever solved the Labyrinth?"

"Ha! Darling, only one person has ever dared attempt the Labyrinth, and if he had successfully solved it, you wouldn't be here right now,"

"Why is that?"

"If the Labyrinth had been solved, Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't be king and you would still be at home with that screaming baby brother of yours,"

"What happened to the person who tried to solve it?"

Jaken shrugged, snickering. "I suppose you'll find out when you run out of time,"

"You really think I'll fail, don't you?"

"What I think is of no consequence," Jaken turned back towards the entrance and paused inside of it. "Last chance to back out,"

Defiantly, Kagome took a step to the right. Jaken shrugged, "Suit yourself," and then was gone beyond the entrance.

"Annoying little chit. But what a strange creature," Her brown eyes scanned the horizon and, satisfied but still a little nervous, she moved onward.

The various monitors had, at first, intrigued him, but now they just flat out irritated him. His sensitive ears were picking up the faint beeping and continuous noises of the machines around him. Inuyasha knew nothing about these machines or what they did really, and it made him furious. He wanted very much to put an end to the sounds, but because he didn't know what they were for, save for the one he clearly recognized as Kagome's heart monitor, destroying them could cause Kagome harm.

He looked between his sleeping human and the monitors attached to her and grimaced. Ultimately, had he not been the cause of this? Was it not his own fault that he now had to sit and bare these horrid sounds while staring at Kagome's face, hoping, praying for some sign that she was going to wake up? He'd dropped her. He'd been careless, and because of that, Kagome was now unconscious. The doctor had returned late in the night and had seemed worried while he'd checked over her, and now, as Inuyasha waited for the doctor's promised return, began to grow worried himself.

Why hadn't Kagome woken yet? What was wrong?

"Come on, Kagome…" Inuyasha murmured, moving from her side to pace near the window. "Wake up, woman,"

"Well, one thing's for sure; I'll never get lost in any turns," She whirled on the spot, glaring at the miles of Labyrinth behind her. "WHAT THE HELL KIND OF A JOKE IS THIS! THERE'S NO TURNS, DAMNIT!" She released the air in her lungs in one blow and screamed until the fury left her. "Last time I checked, Labyrinth's had corners and turns and all that Jazz. Ugh!" She kicked the wall, leaned back against it and gave herself a few minutes of rest before she started to move again.

"Ok, Kagome, get it together. There has to be an end to this somewhere. Just keep walking and you'll find it," She pushed off the wall and started down the path again, soon growing extremely irritated with the lack of change in the scenery. Finally, she'd had enough, and, in a furious frenzy, threw a tantrum before she plopped down onto the hard ground.

"Give up?"