It was only when Kagome felt the warm bowl being pressed into her hands that her brain registered that they had made it back to the hut. She had been lost in a maelstrom of thoughts she could not hold onto.
They ate in an encompassing silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Kagome's mind had finally accepted that there has indeed been a creature/ demon/ monster/ whatever, but she was still trying to wrap her head around the other bit. Yumi seemed to sense that she had regained a bit of calm and decided that it was a good a time as any to start the conversation.
"Kagome, where are you from really that you know nothing of demons and holy power?" Yumi asked, jumping right into it. Kagome fought valiantly to keep the panic from her face and voice when she answered,
"I am from far away from here, I wish I could, but I honestly cannot tell you exactly where. Where I am from, there's no such thing as demons or holy power, we do not have the same dwellings and obviously not the same clothing, Perhaps one day, I can tell you everything, but for now; I'm not sure it is wise to do so." Yumi was quiet for a few moments processing this information and lack thereof, before seeming to accept what Kagome had said.
"Okay, well if these things do not exist there, then you and your people are very lucky indeed, But, without that knowledge here, you are a vulnerable as a new born baby. I still can't believe you have that well of power and had no idea! Well, that settles it; as a priestess, I am spiritually bound to help you. So I will teach you all that I know, so you can survive her until you decide to go home." Kagome didn't know how to tell her that she might never be going home, that she didn't know how.
Kagome greatly appreciated that Yumi had decide to help her, even though she could not be completely open and honest with her. Truth was, Kagome desperately wished she could tell Yumi everything, but she wasn't sure is that would mess up the future or cause undue damage to Yumi and the past she was currently inhabiting.
Kagome felt herself list sideways as the day's fatigue caught up with her and Yumi's voice lulled her to sleep. She probably should have tried harder to listen, Yumi was just delving into the whispers she had been hearing about unrest in within the demonic side of their world when the next thing she knew, she was waking up at the crack of dawn. As usual, Yumi was already up and gathering what looked like old world bathing supplies. Kagome suddenly became distinctly aware that she had not showered in what might have been a week; the lull of the picturesque village had wooed her into forgetting all sense of time, to her it still felt like the first day here.
"Yumi, how long have I been here?" Kagome asked suddenly causing Yumi to jump a foot in the air.
"Kagome, you startled me. I didn't expect you up until the sun had already baked the earth." Yumi said, cracking a smile.
"Haha, very funny. I'm usually an early riser though, so expect nothing less after today," Kagome said with a smile creeping across her face.
"To answer your question, you arrived in the village ten days ago; you slept the first three days, woke up for one, knocked yourself out for another five. Now you've currently been actively conscious for two, including today. Took a lot of energy keeping you alive, I'm surprised you didn't drown in the well you jumped into." Yumi rambled. Kagome could not keep the shock off her face, she wished her shock was about the easily explained mini- comas, but Yumi had just told her that the well had water in it, water she, herself, could not see nor feel. Her expression may have devolved from shock to something else, as when Yumi turned to her, her voice was filled with concern.
"Kagome, are you alright?" She asked while running calculating eyes over her form.
"I'm fine, just shocked and horrified that I haven't been clean for almost two week." Kagome lied smoothly with a sheepish smile.
"No need to worry Kagome, there's a hot spring near by." Yumi stated, obviously relieved.
Kagome realized her mind was still thinking within the realms of the future, When she heard hot springs, she had thought it would be a cosy little bath house. Instead she was greeted by a bubbling pool in a relatively secluded part of the forest, no man made shelter whatsoever. Kagome felt a blush crawl from her toes all the way to the top of her head when she realized that she would be naked, out in the open, where anyone could see. She was suddenly really glad that she was not alone.
After a few minutes, Kagome began to relax as the warm water swirled around her body, melting away the grime and trials; and soothing the tense muscles and pain she forgot she had. She sighed, stretching out fully before cleaning herself thoroughly.
Later, Yumi decided that if she was going to train her, she need the right clothing as well as some clothing of her own to wear out and about. That morning was spent at the local seamstress, taking measurements and picking out material. They were only getting a few items; priestess robes, two kimono, a sleeping yukata and some under wrappings. Yumi assured her that as a priestess, she wouldn't need much. The rest of the day was was spent by Yumi teaching Kagome all about the demons and their hierarchy. Kagome was surprised to know that there were different classes of demons, extending as far as royalty. There were base demons, like the one they say, who ran purely on instinct and bloodlust; there were also peaceful demons that stayed to themselves. Yumi told here that the ones she should be most cautious of were the ones who could take humanoid form. They were very powerful and they use their human form to trick people all the time, as people are lured in by their beautiful visage. Yumi told her that the beauty they could possess was so ethereal that we always had to be on guard, especially us females, as many had been seduced.
This brought us to our next topic, half demon children. It is said that they are mischievous and should not be trusted, they are unnaturally beautiful children that prey on innocent people. They are not accepted by the humans, nor are they accepted by the demons. As a consequence, most of them do not make it to full maturity.
Kagome was appalled, that anyone should abandon a child was abhorrent to her. She could not fathom how human, with all their faults, did not realize that by ostracising a child; they are building ill- will within these children and as such they will lash out in an attempt to be noticed if not accepted. She could not believe anyone to be so uncaring, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. The hostility with which Yumi spoke of demons (understandable) as well as these children deterred her.
Kagome spent the next year like this, learning as much as was available about demon culture as well as human culture. Yumi also taught Kagome to use a bow and how to master and control her spiritual power. She got really good at all these, but her open minded views that she grew up with stayed with her. She decided that each demon would be judged by their own merit and not by the vague generalization she had been given. Maybe it was foolish, but she refused to believe that a society capable of having a normal social structure could be all bad, the demons who stayed to themselves was proof enough of this. If Yumi noticed her refusal to spew hatred so freely, she did not comment on it.
And so it was that after a year of training and varied but smarter attempts to get home, Kagome decided that it was time she explored this time period since it had no plans of relinquishing its hold on her as yet. After many tearful goodbyes with Yumi and the villagers she had come to cherish, she left; bright and early on a warm summer morning.
