Chapter Five: Down the Rabbits Hole and Back Again
Inuyasha quickly scrambled to his feet and walked in Kikyo's direction. "Ki…kyo…" he forced her name out his mouth as if he were reaching for air. "Inuyasha." Kikyo replied softly, Inuyasha quickened his step in her direction, his eyes fixated on her very being. Kikyo on the other hand had her eyes on the Sagura girl. Akio mumbled in her sleep and curled into herself for warmth. "She is danger, Inuyasha." Kikyo told him, causing him to stop in his tracks. "What; what are you talking about?" he asked her confused. "This child is a descendent of a cursed clan." She informed him. Inuyasha looked back at the sleeping female's form and narrowed his eyes. "So I've heard." He said in a hushed tone. "It goes beyond their ability to not bear sons. Ah!" Kikyo bent over in pain, holding herself. Inuyasha began to run to her aid. "No, I must go… Beware of her… beware of that whole clan…" Kikyo announced to him before leaving with her soul collectors. Inuyasha stood there in dismay, knowing not what to do. He looked back at the resting female, his eyes still narrowed. 'Your innocence is a lie, isn't it?' he thought to himself as he leaped into a tree over the campsite. "A-choo!" a small sneeze came from below. Inuyasha looked down and saw Kagome shivering in her sleep. "Kagome…" a dreary voice called out softly. The sneeze had woken Akio up, strangely enough. Akio looked at Kagome with her dull blue eyes. She stood up, grabbed her sleeping bag and dragged her way over to Kagome. Akio's eyes reflected in the campfire, the hues of purple danced in her eyes as she opened the sleeping bag completely and covered Kagome with it. She smiled down on her friend as she rubbed her arms for warmth. "I should have made longer sleeves." She chastised herself as she moved closer to the fire. Akio folded her arm under her and lay as close to the fire as she could get without getting burned. Inuyasha looked down on her for a while. "I bet that tree isn't comfortable." Akio said softly, her eyes closed. "I'm fine up here." Inuyasha responded with a harsh tone. "Suite yourself buddy." She said as she stretched her legs and curled into herself. Inuyasha watched as Kagome now slept in complete comfort under the two sleeping bags. He closed his eyes and leaned against the tree. "Psst." Akio said from the base of the tree. "I'm coming up there." She announced to him. Inuyasha was already half asleep, he could still hear her but his eyes were so heavy that they wouldn't open and he couldn't vocally respond to her. "You looked cold." She said softly. Akio draped the only extra blanket Kagome had brought with her. "Listen… I know you don't like, nor do you trust me. I know none of you do. But as far as I know and can remember, I really am harmless… and I'd like it if you three could just accept me until I leave back home… at least if I ever get a chance to…" she said softly, pushing her long hair behind her. "Sleep tight…" her voice trailed as she lowered herself from the tree and made her way back to the fire.
The sun had risen and the smell of fish filled the air. Akio sat up and looked around her to see no one other than Kagome. "I smell fish…" she murmured out. "Inuyasha and Miroku are fishing out breakfast for us." Kagome answered her as she started to put the sleeping bags away. Akio nodded her head. "And where'd Sango… go…" Akio said softly through a yawn. "She's bathing right now." Kagome informed her. "Are you ok?" Akio asked her. Kagome looked at Akio with a bright smile. "Yeah, why do you ask?" "You were freezing your ass off last night. Wanted to make sure you didn't wake up with any cold symptoms." Akio informed her. "Is that why I woke up with two sleeping bags, you gave yours up?" Kagome asked her, Akio just nodded her head. Kagome smiled and hugged her friend tightly. "Thanks Akio." She told her softly. Akio nodded her head. Kagome continued to put things away in her bag. Akio slowly got up and began to head for the springs. "I think I'll join Sango…" Akio looked to her left. "You should be ok." She added as she strolled off and Inuyasha and Miroku approached Kagome with food. Inuyasha and Miroku looked at each other then at Kagome. "Where's she running off to?" Miroku asked. "To the springs, why do you ask?" Kagome responded. "Alone?" Inuyasha asked annoyed. "Its like she looks for danger!" he added. "Sango's already there Inuyasha." Kagome rolled her eyes. "You guys are so mean to her, I don't understand why." Kagome added as she grabbed her bathing supplies and left to join Akio and Sango.
Akio sat in the far end of the springs; her body emerged in the water and her head still at surface. She slowly slid her whole body under the water and let the water consume her. 'I don't think I'll ever understand people… maybe I should start looking into a way to get back home… not like I'm wanted there either…' Akio thought as she slowly began to release air from her lungs under the water. She rose up and looked around, only to see Kagome and Sango talking at the center of the springs. Akio sighed and climbed out of the spring; she at its banks, looking at her reflection. "Who are you anyways…" she mumbled as she stared at the girl staring back at her in the ripples of the water. "Akio! Come join us!" Kagome called over to her. Akio smiled and slid her body back into the water and swam her way over to them. "Hey…" She greeted them, nearly a whisper from her lips. "Good morning." Sango greeted back. "Soooo…" Akio had no idea what to say to her, she felt awkward around her. She did after all yell at her and Miroku the day before. "I'm sorry about yesterday." Sango broke the silence. "Hunh?" Akio looked at her confused, unsure as to how to respond. "You were right. You are a little strange but we have no right to judge you, we ourselves are strange. Miroku is a monk that looks for sex more than he prays and I'm a demon slayer strolling around with a hanyo. We are complete contradictions of ourselves and we've no right to say anything to you." Sango told her, her voice soft and sorrowful. She meant it all. "What's so weird about me anyways?" Akio asked as she looked at her reflection in the water. "There's just something about you Akio, something that none of us can or will be able to understand." Sango said softly. Akio's head lowered as her eyes shut. "I just want to go home already…" She said softly. "We'll find you a way home Akio, I promise." Kagome said softly with a smile. Akio smiled at her and lifted her body from the water. "I'm done." She said softly as she walked over to her clothes. "I'll go see how the foods coming along." Akio said in a soft voice that sounded that of a whisper.
Akio pushed her hair back over her shoulder and down her back as she sat by the fire that Miroku and Inuyasha were cooking over. She sighed softly and continued to stare at the flickering of the fire. "Food's ready." They announced and handed one of the fish to Akio. She ate quickly and waited for the group to head out. Everyone looked at her with strange eyes, not knowing what to say to her. Akio curled up in pain, holding her stomach and gritting her teeth. "Akio?" Sango asked softly. "It's nothing." She pushed out. "Ah…" she mumbled out softly. "Akio…" Kagome said softly as she walked over to her. "It's just stomach pain, I'm fine…" she told her softly. "You don't sound fine." Miroku said sternly as he walked over to Akio himself. "What do you feel?" "Sharp pains, like someone is pushing needles through my body…ah!" She screamed and fell over on her side holding her neck in her hands; a sharp long needle of some sort struck her. "Ah!" she started screaming. "Enjoy the poison." A snake like demon hissed out. "Why you!" Inuyasha said angrily. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" Inuyasha slashed the serpent like demon to smithereens. As the demon wasted away in death he laughed at the group. "The poisons already in her system." Then it passed on. Inuyasha and the rest of them rushed to Akio's side. "She has a fever." Sango informed them. "Not here…" Akio forced out. "I'm not dying here… am I?" she asked in a fearful voice. "Like hell you are." Inuyasha said in a rushed voice as he lifted the now barely conscious Akio in his arms. "I'm taking her back to Kaede's; she'll know what to do." Inuyasha said and Kagome nodded her head in agreement. Kagome, Sango and Miroku hitched a ride on Kirara as Inuyasha ran Akio back to the village.
Night had already fallen by the time they arrived at Kaede's home. "What seems to be the problem?" Kaede asked in a surprised voice. "Some demon shot poison into Akio!" Kagome said frantically. Inuyasha rushed her into the house and laid her down. Once the sun began to rise, Kaede managed to remove the poison from Akio's body. Kaede informed everyone so that they may rest a while before Akio had woken up and they continued their journey. Akio had awoken slowly, feeling light headed and very hungry. "What happened to me…?" she mumbled out as she sat up slowly. Akio looked around the room and saw everyone fast asleep, everyone but Inuyasha. She managed her way to her feet and quietly strolled out the hut. She made her way around till she found the sacred tree. She smiled up at it and ran her hand over the tree's scar. "So you've always been there, hunh?" she said softly. "It sure has." A male voice said from behind her. Akio turned around on the defense and scared. Her body relaxed but her expression saddened when she turned and saw Inuyasha. He made sure that his eyes were softened and he didn't look as intimidating as everyone found him. Akio felt just a little more comfortable for that. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I'm such a burden, I know and trust me, if I could get home, I would've been out of your hair a while ago." She rushed her words out and lowered her head. "No, I'm sorry…" Inuyasha murmured out. "I promised Kagome I'd protect you and in my view you got hurt… I'm sorry…" Inuyasha said softly to her. Akio smiled at him and went to take a step forward, but was frozen in place. "You are quite a strange and dangerous specimen there wench" Naraku's voice boomed through the air. "Naraku... Show yourself!" Inuyasha screamed in annoyance as he pulled out tessaiga from its sheath. "I can't move…" Akio said in a frightened voice. "Don't worry; I'll protect you Akio…" Inuyasha said to her in a reassuring voice. Suddenly Akio could feel her body being pulled to the tree. "Inuyasha, help!" she screamed as her body was violently flung around the tree. Inuyasha chased after her but caught up with her in time to watch Akio being thrown into the hallow of the tree and vanishing. "That's one problem out of the way" Naraku's laughter filled the air. "What did you do with her?" Inuyasha screamed. "I sent her back, where she can never return." And with that, Naraku's voice was gone. Inuyasha growled and ran back to the group to inform them of what had happened.
"Ow!" Akio screamed as she pulled herself from the hollow of the sacred tree. Akio fell directly onto the floor and looked up at the tree in awe. "Home?" she whispered out softly. "I'm home…" she said again happily. She jumped to her feet in joy and ran home. 'I'm going to take a hot bath and sleep in my bed, I'm-a go out shopping, maybe on another date! I'm going back to school! I'm home, I'm really home!' Akio thought in excitement as she entered her home and ran straight for her bathroom to take a long steamy hot shower and relax in the tub. "This is amazing…" she said softly as she sunk into her bath water. 'I don't have to return to that place again… even if I wanted to, I couldn't. The well doesn't work for me…' Akio thought to herself as she turned over in her tub, her hair floating behind her. "Don't worry; I'll protect you Akio" "I can still hear his voice in my head…" she said in a saddened tone as she sat up completely in her tub and stared down at the water. "I understand why Kagome stays there; he's amazing; strong, protective, caring, stubborn and beautiful…" Akio stood up and stepped out of the tub. "And now he's all hers again… I can never return…" Akio's voice cracked and tears stained her face. "Why?" she asked softly as she whipped them away. Confused as to how she really felt about leaving the feudal era, she dried off and rested in her bed, hoping it would take her mind off it all, she was proven wrong after a whole day of sleep; she wanted to go back and she wanted to go back now.
Akio spent 3 weeks away from the feudal era, missing it every day she was gone. She even began carrying her feudal era clothes with her to school just in case she could make it through the well one day. Every day she would try to go through the well, but nothing worked. Akio was destined to remain in the modern era forever. On her walk home from school and shopping with Hojo one Saturday, Akio stopped at the sacred tree and ran her fingers along its trunk. "I wish I could go back…" she said softly when suddenly the hollow of the tree had a soft lavender light began to shine from it. "Could this be…" she said in a whisper as she reached her hand through the light. 'It's so warm, I can feel the sun on the other side!' she thought excitedly, then jumped into the hollow of the sacred tree. Moments later she crawled her way out of the sacred tree and ran straight for Kaede's. Once there she saw only Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Inuyasha. 'Where's Kagome…?' Akio thought as she approached them. "Where's Kagome?" she asked. "She just went back home…" Inuyasha started then looked up at Akio in awe. He jumped to his feet and glared at her. "What happened to you? How'd you get back here? Where did you go?" he bombarded her with questioned. Akio simply laughed at him and smiled. "I missed it here…" she smiled. "Relax Inuyasha." she said softly. "I'm not sure what happened, but I was able to make it back home through the sacred tree and I was able to come back through sed tree." She stated first then took a deep breath. "I was back at home, where Kagome and I are from. I've been trying to come back for weeks! And suddenly, the sacred tree allowed me passage." She said happily. "Perhaps that's how you can travel between our worlds Akio." Miroku said in an astonished tone. "Maybe." She grinned happily. "What are you wearing Akio?" Sango asked her. "Hm? Oh, my school uniform you mean…" Akio looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a short black skirt like Kagome's green one with a red blazer and white shirt underneath and a black bow tie at her neck. She had also been wearing boot like sneakers as well. She shrugged and laughed a little. "I have extra clothes." She said happily and left the group so that she could change into her red and blue outfit again. She came back, grinning happily. "I'm so glad to be back here." She squeaked. "Why did Kagome leave home though?" Akio asked in a confused voice. "Something about exams in the week." Inuyasha said annoyed."Oh, I see… she has to make up exams." She said in a low tone as she sat down. "Do you guys mind…" Akio took a deep breath and looked at everyone in the group. "If I join you guys again…" she asked worried. "All I need is a weapon and I fend for myself! I'm a good archer and an even better swordsmen and I'm pretty good with a sickle." She said to them sounding a little desperate. "As soon as we find you a weapon, then maybe you can join us, I can't be protecting you and Kagome at all times, it's not easy!" Inuyasha told Akio. She had to hold herself back from jumping on him. "Thank you." She beamed. "For what?" he asked her. "You'll soon see." She smiled and strolled off to play with Shippo and the other children of the village. 'I wish he could understand the chill he gives me when he mentions his protection over me… it may only be because of Kagome, but he's sticking to it and it's an amazing feeling. For once someone is looking out for me.. but I swear, I won't be a burden to them any longer, I will be strong… I will be…' Akio thought as she looked out to the horizon as the sun began to set and all the colors danced across the sky in a blend. "I will be strong… And no one will stop me, no one…" she mumbled out.