Chapter 3: Awakening Thoughts
Dawn approaches as a glow of light is painted on the horizon. It's the first gleam of light for the village of Japan on a warm spring's day of late May. Streams of light crack through the doorway and curtains as morning crawls inside the huts filled with the figures of loved ones.
An early morning riser as he is Inuyasha is the first one to see traces of daylight while sitting on a branch of a tree right next to Kaede's hut. Extending his stiff legs along the length of the branch from being up there most of the night he folds his arms touching his palms together by supporting his head from leaning on the source of the tree. The heat of the day carves on his skin feeling the warmth of the sun, and amber eyes open up as the fire in his eyes is revived from the solid ball of hot gas reaching for the sky.
Spying down at the hut he hops off the branch with enhanced speed that no human could concur on its own, and landing softly on the surface his feet scratch against the grass. Swaying his arms and legs back and forth he reached were the entire group was for the night. Stepping inside he sat down cross-legged on the wall on the far left corner and telling that everyone is still asleep he put his sword Tetsusaiga down knowing of no danger. Kagome was right next to him lying down in her blue sleeping bag with red head Shippo snuggled close to her.
That runt needs to grow up and stop sleeping with Kagome every night. He is old enough to sleep on his own now.
An annoying glare stuck to his face until he looked at Kagome's caressed one.
She was the first person to accept for who I was and what I am. Of course Kikyo was the same way before she came…but…Kagome wasn't the one who asked me to be a human so she could be a normal woman. Kagome doesn't grow tired of her job that lies in this world like Kikyo did, she accepts it. Even though I feel in love with Kikyo and she still sticks into my mind. My love for Kagome is somehow… different. It feels stronger, and my heart feels more at peace when I'm with her, happy. I can never keep my eyes off of her and I'm starting to be more protective towards her than I ever did with Kikyo.
Yawning Yuri senses the force of bright light shining on her face in which demandes her eyes to awaken from a deep sleep. Squinting her eyes from being in a dark galaxy of her subconscious into a world of daylight she moans in disgust, clouding her fingers into her short, shoulder length hair. Finally distinguishing the hanyou she studies him carefully; he seemed to be day dreamy in her mind in which did not surprise her. Since it was always in the direction of Kagome and sighing she introduces herself, "You know you really suck on trying to hide your feelings you know that."
Inuyasha jumped noticing her occurrence, "Shut up!"
"Tell her, you'll have to sooner or later."
"Keh," he crooked his head knowing exactly what she meant, "It's not as easy as you think."
"She is right you know," a faint voice popps in the argument.
Slurp, slurp, slurp, and SMACK.
"Well if it isn't Myoga the flea, where've you been you coward," states Inuyasha as he sticks out his hand and holding it on his palm the flea jumps up and down in grabbing his attention, stating his tiny size.
"Ah, Inuyasha, long time no see, and why would you accuse of a poor flea on his flee of danger cause I always have business to attend to."
"Oh sure," Inuyasha mumbled sarcastically.
"Never mind that; Yuri is right Inuyasha."
"So your on her side now bloodsucker," black eyebrows range up disappearing in silver.
"Uhh, what I'm meaning to say Lord Inuyasha is that she has a point. Time will go against you and if you don't tell your feelings to her soon she will in other words move on. Remember she is a human and human's lives are very short indeed compared to a demon, and will soon want to grow a family of her own."
The display of her with another man sickened Inuyasha more than anything, "She said to me she would never leave my side," Inuyasha growled.
"Okay, then that means she has made her move and is waiting for yours," Yuri assumed standing up and walking over by him.
"What would you know," Inuyasha was testing Yuri as she plops down next to him.
"Let's I'm sort of in the position you're in," she couldn't believe she was saying this as her head.
Yuri what are you saying you baka. Baka baka baka baka baka baka….!
"I-I uhh, and you better keep this to yourself or else I will deform you so bad nobody will recognize you and….I'll cut off your dog ears and shave you bald," she explained. Inuyasha couldn't help but flinch and blink several times in shock.
I can't believe I'm helping out this dill weed…
"I have an interest in someone but he's a demon like me, and I don't know how he feels about me…but what I'm saying is that I've got like centuries of time for me to find out. You on the other hand only got the maximum of 10 years…it may not mean a lot to a demon or a half -demon like you but to Kagome it means just about everything to her."
"Feh, who would ever fall for you. You're just making that up to try to make me feel better, in which isn't working," scolds the stubborn demon.
"I say Yuri is a beautiful woman, and her blood is very tasty," Myoga frees his words as Yuri in the other hand was furious. She didn't want to consider what that dog said.
"I bet you can't even tell her straight in the eye you stupid mutt," whispered Yuri noticing Kagome stirring in her sleep.
"Yes I can," Inuyasha joins the hall of whispering not wanting to wake up the priestess as well.
"Then if you think you can...then for practice I want you to say your feelings about her and that you love her in front of me out loud, and this is a bet!"
Silence was all there was that only the tender sounds of breathing was heard while Yuri happily smirked, "Are you a wimp Inuyasha; is my bet to powerful for you?"
"No," he refuses to back down because of some girl's ridiculous bet.
"Then say it right now, and I promise not to tell Kagome, I'll let you handle that."
"You swear."
"Do I have to say it again?"
Inuyasha helplessly caught a glimpse at Myoga for any hope to get him out of this situation with words of wisdom.
"Uh...what was that Lord Sesshomaru; oh coming, you're on your own," the flea pounced off of his hand to the dark cracks of the floor.
"Sesshomaru," to check Yuri raised her head up an inch, concentrating on her nose. Smelling his scent being carried by the wind she notes, "he is here."
Along with other familiar scents she excitingly gets up, and a faint smile glows on her face as she heads out.
"Where are you going," rudely shouts Inuyasha behind her as she stops in front of the door. Her teal pools stare back at him in annoyance.
"I'm going to welcome them back, use your nose you dimwit. You should know with your keen scent of smell whose out there."
The young man huffs securing his eyes in disgust, "Well one of those scents isn't that welcoming to me."
"Ugh, at least you have to say hi to Sesshomaru for once, he is your older brother you know."
"Half-brother, remember? And to remind you when you first came to the past he was still trying to kill me to take my sword!" aiming to get to the point.
"Yeah though but that was in the past, like a year to be exact, and I think that he has accepted that he can't steal your sword since he has that new sword, Bakusaiga. And if it wasn't for his sword we could've died. So you definitely need to say thank you to him as well."
"Not gonna happen!"
"It might even bring your relationship with him a tad closer don't you think."
Is she trying to kill me?
"He would rather die than to get along with me and I the same."
She shrugged her shoulders, "Okay, if you say so."
"And speaking of relationships...,"confused as she is she had no idea what struck his mind, and her brows were touching together, "…either I'm imagining things or is it that you are having a caring likeness towards him?"
Blushing like a tomato around the cheeks and the tip of her pointed ears the triangle marking on her right cheek almost turned into a violet red from the reaction. Giving a death glare at him she said out loud, "IT'S YOUR IMAGINATION!"
Like a blaze of fire erupted all over her Inuyasha inches back a bit from the heat wave that went through him giving her an expose look of please-don't-kill-me.
"And we'll deal with the bet later," Inuyasha had no doubt in every part of his body that she would forget; Yuri was always the type to finish what she started.
Stepping out into nature she inhaled the fresh morning air, the sun burst all its energy onto her face making her go blind of the white light. Not seeing anything around her; her vision slowly adjusts seeing the open fields of crops and the hills of forests off in the distance of the village.
As her surroundings were clearing up and everything became crystal clear a little girl races towards her with a green blob following her. The girls was spreading her hands out in the air. The four and a half foot girl stops in front of Yuri cheering with delight, "I beat you to Kaede's hut Master Jaken."
"Rin slow down, you ungrateful child," bellows the toad demon holding the staff of two heads. Stopping, Jaken stood two feet under Rin steadying his breath.
"Hey Rin, how was your trip with lady Kaede?" Yuri asks, resting her hands on her knees to level down to her height.
"Very interesting, I made a lot of friends."
"Good for you."
Kaede was pacing along by Sesshomaru as one of her arms hanged by a white used cloth that knotted around her neck to manage the weight. Yuri zooms to Kaede in shock of her injury, "What the heck happened to your arm lady Kaede?" she knew not to use harsh language in front of the village leader.
"Ye had an unpleasant visit with a centipede demon in which poisoned ye's arm."
"Are you going to be alright; how far has the poison spread?"
"No worries child, ye had healing herbs to slow the poison down, but for now ye is in no danger."
"Well that's good to know, did you meet Sesshomaru along the way?" glancing at him.
"No, ye surprisingly come in time to save Rin and me from the demon."
"Thank you for being there in time to help," he only nodded a fraction of his face so slightly that people on a daily basses wouldn't even notice.
A yawn of a fox demon is listened to as Shippo pops his head out of the dim shelter, "What's going on?"
Yuri calls out, "Oh I'm sorry; did we wake you up."
"Not really, it was mainly Sesshomaru's demonic aura that alarmed me," she apologized once more.
"No need to worry; lately these days I've woken up every time I sense a demon around," he remembers the past few days of him being alerted from his heavenly sleep because of the scent of a distinctive of a demon.
"That means your instincts are beginning to learn the basics of becoming a full fledged demon, and you're going to hear a lot about that when you train in becoming one also. It's not a bad thing," smiles Yuri giving him confidence.
"Really," Shippo was enlightened to hear that as Kagome marchs herself to him, and sheepishly mumbles, "Shippo you're letting the light in; some people still need their rest," she uses her body to block the light from shining in and checks on the monk and demon slayer who were undisturbed from the light. The half-asleep girl views out the distance of the land in setting her chocolate eyes on their friends, "Kaede, Rin, you're back...hey Sesshomaru."
The conversation of Kaede's injury went on as seconds scrolled by throughout the day until everybody went into the hut, except for Sesshomaru of course. Not really the type to sit down and talk, but silent.
"My head feels like I've been kicked by a horse," Miroku moans from the known headache throbbing. His finger tips massaging the side of his bruised head, "I don't know what happened to me in making the dent on the wall, but I guess I made a pretty big blow and my vision probably blacked out to bring me into unconsciousness."
Kagome came to Miroku's rescue with two Ibuprofens to ease the pain with an ice pack in which came from her yellow backpack that she always carried needful supplies from her time.
"And this time you swallow them not chew them," warns the priestess.
Rin chuckles at the command in remembering the monk accidentally thinking he had to chew the medicine, but brought to an explosion of bitterness in his mouth making him make a face of distaste. The young priestess handed him some fresh river water in return.
"Sango, since you there at that time, what happened to me?" the monk was looking over at his fiancée with curiosity.
"I…I'd rather not talk about it," she still had guilt over it with sadness on her face of what happened that night, and to distract her she pets her twin tail fire cat Kirara whom was laying on her lap for comfort.
"What's wrong Sango; does it hurt thinking of it?" he put his warm hand over hers.
"I feel...guilty."
"Cause you wish you could've done something?"
"No... I was the one who brought you to this stage," the poor ladies head came down. Her eyes catching the wooden floor.
"Even if it were you it was an accident."
"I know, but it was my selfishness that caused this, and I don't know if I can forgive myself Miroku."
"Sango," voices Miroku feeling sorry for her but then relizes and sofly chuckles, " but more than likely I deserved that from what I did that night that made you so upset, and I never said I was sorry. That was very impolite of me."
"You lecher," she hissed.
"Hey, you know how I am," an anime sweat drop droops down on the side of his head, "and be thankful that I'm not as thoughtless as Inuyasha," trying to give her a positive attitude while a growl was at his direction. She giggled at the last part as everyone else joined in when Kagome was trying to calm her hanyou down.
An introduction then was being called as Yuri was getting everyone's attention, "Okay, since the couple has straightened out their "problem" let's get down to business. Kagome and I have been talking about something in which we've planned yesterday, and we also though it would be a nice way to pay time off for the summer since nowadays were bored out of our minds…do you want to tell them?"
"Sure," the miko seemed a bit nervous, "Well, how do I start. How would ya'll like it if all of us went to my time and stayed there for a while, like a vacation?"
"What?" awestruck as everyone was they couldn't resist not saying that.
Yuri egged on the subject, "yeah, I mean, since me and Kagome have experience your world how about you at least get to know how we've lived most of our lives?"
Kaede questions, "But how are ye suppose to get to the other side of the well if it only lets you, Kagome, and Inuyasha through?"
"The sacred jewel of course, since it's now complete it has to have an abundance of power to bring all of us through," not letting Kagome answer that herself.
"Like Kagome I am also a priestess in my old age, and from my teachings it is possible for all of ye to get through with the power of the jewel. But I am not going if you are including me, and neither are you young child."
"Why not?" shocks little Rin, "it's like a new adventure waiting to be called for!"
"Ye need to stay here to learn the facts of becoming a woman. It's not long until you are of age and the sooner the better to learn."
"I understand," she felt like a cloud of rain was over the top of her sphere head.
"Sorry Rin," apologizes Kagome with a depressing look, Rin simply just shakes her head as she forced herself a grin, "it's okay."
Shippo then applauds, "Not to get my hopes up, but I really want to try all the candy there so I'm up for it."
"Second, third," agrees Sango and Miroku.
"Well I'm going whether all of ya'll like it or not," spits out Inuyasha, arms tangle over his chest and eyes shut. His chin resting on his chest his long hair slides down his shoulders.
"Why would we not think that you wouldn't come, about everyone generally knows that you're just going to be with Kagome," lovingly blabbering Yuri with those last few words as she teases him. She definitely knows how to get him off guard.
"N-No, I-I just go there for the ramen," saying anything that comes to his mind of thought, in which was pretty dumb.
The other teen faintly gasps; eyes getting moist by the second she turned herself away from him and pouts, not wanting to see his ignorant face. Inuyasha hated when women cried specifically if it was Kagome,
"K-"
"SIT BOY," shouting her voice box in full volume his rosary, in which was hugged around his neck, begins to glow and drags him down face first on the floor in less than a flick of a badger's tail. Ouch!
"Idiot," said Shippo as Kirara meowed seeing eye to eye. Leaving the troubled dog demon trapped in Kagome's wrath Yuri just stares at the scene trying to find words to place on her tongue, "Sooo…when do you want to leave then?"
"How about tomorrow after lunch," Miroku replies with Sango quivering her head up and down.
Acceleration when through her body, "then guys; get your things packed up and get ready to go cause were going to the future!"
Not expecting it to rain the next day they waited
for another new day to arise, and at that time Yuri went to find Sesshomaru on a tree solo. Asking calmly if he would like to come he surprisingly said alright and told Jaken to stay with Rin. Even if the lord disagreed with it he secretly thought of Rin as a daughter of his own. Jaken instead begs him to journey along with him. After that the annoying beak faced demon ends with multiples of red bumps on his head and accepted his request. Sesshomaru said that he would come for one condition, but he did not say and left Yuri puzzled alone in the forest as he hiked deeper in the woods hiring the darkness of the night to drown him.
Morning arose and everyone was packaged and ready to go. Inuyasha kindly helped Kagome pack her meds in her backpack letting him carry it since it was too heavy for her. Next, Yuri put her armor on her chest and shins as Sango went with her Hiraikosu and Miroku with his golden staff.
The group waved farewell to the old priestess, Rin, Kirara –whose stays in account to watch over Kaede-, and Jaken. And they head towards the bone-eaters well.
The narrow trees surround the team as the greenery landscapes all over the woods. Along the way Sango wonders about something, "Hey, Kagome, how long are we going to be there?"
Sango had a point and she never really thought of that in the first place, "Actually I have no idea, probably till we get homesick I guess."
"What if we don't get homesick," Shippo, with great height, jumps on Kagome's backpack having Inuyasha to carry more weight. He grunts in bother.
"Eventually all of us will at some point of time," said Miroku knowingly.
"We'll see," challengs Shippo while glancing back at Miroku.
Arriving at the well made out of the tree of ages itself they crawl out into the opening and stop in place.
"Got the jewel Kagome," checking Inuyasha.
"Yep," she pulled out the faint pink jewel out of the little pouch of her necklace showing him. Sighting the clouds Yuri was searching for any sight of Sesshomaru.
Maybe he changed his mind…he is a lord so he probably had something to attend to…
Suddenly a tall white male was in front of her in a blink of the eye, she thought to soon.
"Hey you made it," she happily opens her mouth.
"Sesshomaru?" the remaining of the team mumbles.
"What the hell do you want Sesshomaru?" yells Inuyasha speed waking towards him and hand clinging on his sword as Yuri spaced them by spreading her arms up to Inuyasha, "He is not at fault; I asked him if he would like to come."
"Dam it Yuri, why'd you invite him, I swear you're going to be the cause of my death someday!"
"Look he chose to come; I'm surprised he even said yes even though you're going with us, but if he didn't want to he wouldn't be here," she suggests growling.
"Why do you think he came then Yuri?" his eyes were like daggers from her perspective and she become blank in thought.
"Calm down Inuyasha, Sesshomaru has mentally proven himself to be a friend since he fought with us in defeating Naraku. Just give him a chance," pops Kagome, parking a hand on his shoulder from behind.
"I'm sorry, but I thought it would be nice if he where apart of something and if anything happens between you two I will take total responsibility for it," promises Yuri.
Brushing his forehead by his fingers in stress he curses to himself, "fine."
Planning on how they would jump at the same time they all evened their balance on the edge of the well forming a circle on the ledge. Hand sticking out above the opening of the well holding the jewel in her palm Kagome urged everyone to put one of their hands above hers. In order of Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippo, Sango, Yuri, and Sesshomaru the group listened in situating their hand on top of each others. Counting to three all of them leaped inside.
Gravity plummeting them down the soil then made a hole to another dimension that was filled with a blue, sapphire light that swallows them up. With another gate opening they land on the same ground in the same well, everyone settled down. All gazing up to see the roof of the well house instead of the blue jay sky.
"It wor-" Kagome says as she got halts in her saying as she was being picked up bridal style by her hanyou and in the blink of an eye she suddenly was out of the well thanks to his demon abilities, "Don't do that you scared the living crap out of me," she speaks as he places her down. He huffs, turning his head to the side.
Using their physically powerful abilities Yuri joins the two along with Sesshomaru sliding the doorway. Knowing he wouldn't vision the familiar environment that he has endured all his life he sights the homeland of the two teens in which was called the Higarashi Shrine, "Were here."
The rest of the group got help getting out of the well by a ladder and prepare themselves of what was out there as some of them took their first steps into the future.
"Whoa," gasps Shippo.
"What happened to the grass," shocks Sango making a step further.
"It was replaced by this sediment called concrete," answers Kagome.
"Is that the Goshinoku lady Kagome," as the monk points at the exact tree they just saw just moments ago in the past.
"Yep," she repeats.
"Come on guys, let's go to Kagome's house and say hi," rushes Yuri.
Heading to her two-story house a soaring sound grew louder as the group startled to hear it above their heads.
"AHH, a huge medal bird," Shippo glanced up, up in the air to see a plane coming towards them.
"I'll get it," swirling her Hiraikosu Sango aims for a blow.
"No Sango," Inuyasha, with intense speed, sprints in front of her. Grabbing her weapon before being released as he grunts , his muscles tightening at the immediate force. Tripping over the demon slayer fell to the ground from the sudden appearance of red and silver.
"Sango are you okay," Miroku pulls her up. She nodded, "Why did you stop me. It could've attacked us."
"You've got it all wrong! People are on it, and it's not a demon it's a machine that we invented to get to our destinations faster. It's what we call an airplane," said Kagome experiencing dizziness from the scene being so fast.
Eyes expanding Sango saw the plane going the other way, "Oh," the whole group glances at her as Shippo apologizes.
"Moving on," replies Yuri; chuckling a bit in her throat. Getting nearer to the house they glimpse Kagome's grandpa sweeping the outer part of the house with an old shaggy broom.
"Hi gramps I brought my friends to stay for a while. I hope ya'll won't mind," exposes Kagome in wanting to see his reaction to it. He drops his tool to the ground in amazement, "is something wrong Jii-chan I didn't expect you to be this out going about it."
"Another d-demon," shaking is words Gramp's eyes were frozen.
Being use to his behavior of other creatures of the far off history since she was but a toddler she tries to calm his storm down knowing he was talking about the lord, " It's okay his our friend, but he can be aggressive at times so try not to get him tempered." Leaving the elder in his own little world Kagome waves at everyone to come as she opens the entrance of the house.
Stepping inward the team glimpses at the sight of the huge home for the first time. It smelt of oden cooking in the kitchen in which makes their stomachs churn in greed of food. The comforting, heart-warming sensation surrounds Kagome and Yuri's souls in knowing that they were back in the shrine.
Kagome rapidly shouts out, "Momma, Souta, I'm back," faint footsteps then track through the hallways.
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