This is the second of a series of fairy tale based one-shots.
It is rated T for the overall theme.
Disclaimer: I claim to own nothing. Do with that information what you will.
Riddle Me Not
A crescent moon hung lazily in the sky as Kagome's bare feet pounded against the murky ground and she tried to find her way in the dark forest. It had taken her a fortnight to use her own energy to reverse the spell that the witch of the glade had placed upon her, Sango and Rin. But she could only free herself and she wasn't quite sure how long it would last. She had taken one wary look at her friends, who now stood proudly as a pair of tulips, and fled into the forest to find help.
She somehow found her way to the edge of the village and immediately began her search for her lover. Fearful of waking anyone she whispered to the sky, praying that it would take her voice to his sensitive ears. "Inuyasha, where are you?" She called. Knowing that he would not be home since she had been absent without warning for so long. For a moment she feared maybe he wasn't there at all. Her eyes began to water; if she could not find him they were all doomed.
"Kagome…" She heard him whisper before she found herself in a loving embrace. "You silly wench where were you? Where are the others? We've been searching for over a week." He said softly holding her to him as though she would disappear again. And for all Kagome knew she would.
"There isn't much time… We came into a glade of flowers on our way back from the village and decided to rest there. But an enchantress called that place home and cursed us to live as flowers." Kagome recounted twisting her fingers into Inuyasha's silver hair as a panicked look held on to her features.
"What, you went through Willow's Glade? Anyone could have told you not to go through there, even Rin knows…" Inuyasha started before Kagome silenced him with a finger to his lips.
"Rin was basically sleepwalking behind us; we should have stayed the night in the village. But Sango wished to be home with her youngest that is still ill. And I knew there was a straight shot. I had no idea why Rin had taken us around before…" Kagome replied caressing his face.
"But you're here now, the curse is broken…" Inuyasha said holding her even closer.
"No it's not, I used my power to escape for tonight, but I don't even know how long this will last before I have to stand alongside Rin and Sango again… Please, go to the glade and pick me when I leave you… And maybe that will free us all." Kagome pushed her lips against his before she felt herself being pulled away by the glade's magic as sunbeams began to lick at the horizon.
"You idiot, how the hell am I supposed to know which flower you are?" Inuyasha asked feeling her slipping through his fingers, their time together almost spent.
Kagome eyes became wide. "I don't know we are identical in every way…" Her heart became downtrodden. Perhaps she should have told Sesshomaru; maybe she had doomed them all by seeking Inuyasha out because of her love for him. "I'm sorry, please Inuyasha figure something out…" She cried before she faded into nothingness and reappeared miles away alongside Rin and Sango.
And Inuyasha did travel to the glade and after much thought on his part and a failed attempt at 'ennie meanie minne mo', which he thankfully brushed off because he had chosen the wrong flower, he picked Kagome and she and her companions were returned. The question is how did the somewhat dimwitted hanyou do it without the aid of those who would most likely look down upon him?