Gema's Personal Disclaimer: I'm putting this in front of every chapter I write, so no one can miss it.
First, the obvious, I don't own anything trademarked or copyrighted.
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Now, most of you aren't the problem, but this is for the few that are. This might come across as crabby, and I'm not really like this, but I've been pushed to my limit because of certain reviews.
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Chapter 4: Bone-Eater's Well, Japan 1500AD
"Where...are we?" groaned Yu-Gi as he woke up and sat up, rubbing his head.
Near him Téa and Joe were also waking up and trying to reorient themselves. A yard away from them were Kagome and the strange man with unusual ears as well as a small child that he hadn't seen before. But that wasn't what held his attention. It was where they were that had them all stuck in spellbound silence. They had all been laid out in a grassy meadow not far away from a thick-looking forest. A wooden well sat in the middle, surrounded by long grasses. A gentle breeze blew through the leaves, bugs hummed, and the sun shone down. It would have been a very serene scene if he knew where they were and how they got there.
"Anyone get the number of the dump truck that hit me?" moan Joe.
Kagome sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I was having the worst nightmare..." She trailed off as she noticed the other three teenagers sprawled out and regaining consciousness. Her expression fell. "...and it's not over yet apparently."
"Hey Kagome! You're back!" chimed Shippō, climbing onto her shoulder. He then noticed the newcomers too. "...who are they? They're dressed as funny as you."
"What just happened?" murmured Téa, sounding like she was half-asleep.
"What are they doing here?!" shot Inu-Yasha, leaping to his feet the moment he was conscious and picked up the scent of the other teenagers. Out of instinct and reflex, he put his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.
Not feeling threatened, Yu-Gi, Joe, and Téa groggily sat up, regaining their senses and taking in the scenery around them. The murmured baffled questions under their breath and to each other, all of which went unanswered for the time being. Shippō watched them as they looked around, sitting on Kagome's shoulder who had gone rigged with tension at imagining the worst possible scenarios, especially for her life during modern times.
"It's that guy with the freaky ears!" Joe pointed dramatically, once he had turned around and noticed Inu-Yasha who was semi-poised to attack.
"Did they come through the well with you?" Shippō asked Kagome. "I thought that you and Inu-Yasha were the only ones who could go through the well. I couldn't, but maybe that was because Inu-Yasha shoved a tree down it." He paused a moment. "But...Sou'unga traveled through the well. And didn't you say a centipede demon brought you here the first time, Kagome? ...Kagome?" Kagome had hardly heard him, she was still recovering from the shock of facing modern teens with her feudal secret. Shippō moved to wave his paw in her face, but then noticed that he was getting strange looks from Téa.
"...Does that kid have a tail?" she asked at length, staring openly at Shippō.
"A tail? Dog ears? Are we in the circus sideshow?" remarked Joe.
"Are they Duel Monsters?" asked Yu-Gi.
Inu-Yasha growled lowly. "I don't know how you got here, but I already don't like you."
"Hey, where's Tristan and Duke?!" Yu-Gi suddenly exclaimed, looking frantically around. "And Bakura!"
Shippō picked up on this train of thought and also began looking around. "Sango? Miroku? Kirara? Where'd you go?"
"Do you think they're back at that shrine?" Téa asked Yu-Gi.
"But then why are we here when they're not?"
"I'm sure they're behind all this," Inu-Yasha shot to Shippō, directing his comment at Yu-Gi and his friends.
"I don't like you very much either!" snapped Joe. "We did nothing! Everything was fine until you and your ears showed up!"
"Joe, we've got bigger things to worry about than picking a fight," Yu-Gi cautioned with a sweat-drop. "Like...how do we get home?"
"Where's home?" added Téa.
As the conversation got progressively louder, ruder, and more jumbled Kagome's eye twitched slightly. Her head lowered, shrouding the upper part of her face in the shadow of her bangs. She began to mouth something without vocalizing it. Shippō noticed the rigidness in her shoulders first and involuntarily cringed.
"...Kagome?" he asked tentatively.
"What happened to our friends?!" Joe shot at Inu-Yasha.
"I'm asking you the same thing!" Inu-Yasha argued back.
Yu-Gi shuddered inwardly. "Can we figure things out somewhere else. This place doesn't seem safe."
"Somewhere else where?" asked Téa. "And we still don't even know who they are." She added the last part with some thought, referring to Inu-Yasha and Shippō.
"...be quiet..." Kagome murmured, tensely.
"Why don't you just get lost?!" Inu-Yasha continued.
"Make me!" Joe retorted.
"Joe...calm down," Yu-Gi said but his comment went unheard.
"Be quiet...stop the noise..." continued Kagome, getting more and more frustrated with each passing second.
"That tears it!" shouted Inu-Yasha as he began to draw Tetsusaiga.
"Shut up! Shut up everyone and sit!" Kagome finally snapped.
FLASH! CRASH! On her word Inu-Yasha was drug to the ground eating grass. He fumed and swore as he struggled to get to his feet again. Yu-Gi, Téa, and Joe fell silent, watching in surprise and wondering what happened. Joe watched longer than anyone else, something forming in the back of his brain as his eyes momentarily slid over to Kagome. While everyone mentally recovered in silence, Kagome took several deep, long breaths and forced herself to calm down, clenching and unclenching her fists as she did so.
"Maybe you shouldn't have commented on the ears," Téa remarked to Joe.
"What...just happened?" asked Yu-Gi, slowly.
"It might sound hard to believe, but we all just travel five-hundred years in history through that well. This is the same place in Japan that we were just in, just during feudal times. That's Inu-Yasha, he's half dog demon. This is Shippō, he's a full fox demon. And they're Yu-Gi, Téa, and...I forget his name, but they're some people from my time," Kagome explained quickly with a single breath. Yu-Gi and Téa just stared at her when her explanation was finished. Joe, however, didn't have that problem.
"Joe! Joe Wheeler! Second place finalist in Duelist Kingdom, fourth place in Battle City, and finalist in the Grand Prix too! Got it memorized?" Joe bragged rather forcefully.
"...We're hiding your Playstation2," sighed Téa with a sweat-drop.
The spell on Inu-Yasha lifted and he leapt to his feet that same moment. His golden eyes swept over the group and for a moment Kagome thought he might try to draw his sword again. However, after that moment he relaxed slightly and turned partially away from them with disdain showing in his golden eyes. "Feh, they're just weak humans from your time. Let's just dump them in the well and get on with things."
"Who you calling weak?!" fumed Joe.
"...Are we really five hundred years ago?" asked Téa as she processed Kagome's rant. Kagome and Shippō nodded in unison. "And...that well really will take us home?" Again, they both nodded.
"But, what about our other friends?" chimed Yu-Gi. "We can't just leave them!"
"And Sango and Miroku," said Shippō. "Hey, do you think they went to your time, Kagome?"
"I...don't know," Kagome said, massaging her temples slightly.
"Maybe...we should just go back..." said Téa, watching as Inu-Yasha and Joe growled, postured, trash-talked, and threatened each other.
"I...don't know. I get the feeling that we're supposed to be here right now," said Yu-Gi after glancing down at the Millennial Puzzle briefly. He hesitated, remembering the dream he had had, but he decided not to mention it just yet. "Something is going on and we're going to be involved in it whether we want to be or not."
"Scram while you have the chance!" shot Inu-Yasha, baring his claws at Joe. Although he had intended the comment at Joe, he also aimed it at the others present. "This place is way too dangerous for weaklings like you. You wouldn't last five minutes! Now get lost or do I have to drag you down that well by force?"
"Um...that might be a problem," chimed Shippō. While they had been arguing he had hopped off of Kagome's shoulder and walked over to the Bone-Eater's Well. He peered down it and frowned, although the others couldn't see what bothered him.
"Now what?" Kagome groaned internally as she joined him. Her mouth hung open for a moment when she looked.
The inside of the well had one long, vertical fissure running from the top corner all the way to the bottom where it vanished into shadows. Wooden planks and slivers were stuck into the sides with more frequency the further down she looked. Kagome also recognized the shingles mixed in with the boards—they were from the roof of the well house back at her family's shrine during the modern day. Her head slumped forward when she realized that the well was out of order.
"Are you okay?" Téa asked in a slightly comforting tone.
"I...think that weird windstorm broke the well," Kagome sighed. " ...We can't get back."
"What?!" Téa. Yu-Gi, and Joe exclaimed in unison, racing over to see what the problem was.
Kagome continued, "That debris is from our time, which means the well is also broken on the other side, too."
"You've got to be kidding me!" grumbled Inu-Yasha.
"We're...trapped?" Téa sort of squeaked.
"Until my family realizes there's a problem and fixes it," answered Kagome, sounding frustrated. "Why is all this happening?"
"We were pulled here," answered Yu-Gi after a paused and a brief exchange with Yami. "Something caused that windstorm, and that something wanted to bring us to this place. That means there's things we must do."
"That's the pharaoh's thoughts, right?" asked Téa, which Yu-Gi confirmed with a single nod.
"Pharaoh?" Kagome only briefly wondered. She took a deep breath to force away her frustration and put a knuckle to her lips in thought. It had started with the dream and then her sensing Shikon shards in the pendants Yu-Gi and Bakura wore. When they had all gathered, the strange force had dragged them all to the past.
"You might be right..." Kagome said. "I definitely think there was someone behind whatever brought us all here."
"If someone's pulling strings it has to be Naraku!" Inu-Yasha interrupted.
"Who?" asked Joe.
"We'll explain on the way," said Kagome, taking a few steps. "We need answers and the person closest who might have them in Kaede." She ignored Inu-Yasha's groans and protests and started walking to the village, letting everyone else catch up with her, answering the questions they did have to the best of her abilities.
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Inside of Kaede's hut, everyone sat on the floor around a small fire, sipping green tea in bowls that Kaede had served them. Kagome sat immediately to her left while Inu-Yasha sat further back behind her. Next to Kagome was Shippō, Téa, Yu-Gi and then Joe on the right side of Kaede. Kaede listened to their story without interrupting, only offering the occasional nod or murmur of confirmation to show that she was still paying close attention. She did her best to block out the glares that Joe and Inu-Yasha shot at each other, but that tried even her patience.
"...And that's why the pharaoh and I think there's a real reason behind all of this," finished Yu-Gi at length.
"What's this about a pharaoh?" Kagome finally asked, remembering that mentioned a pharaoh earlier that day.
Yu-Gi didn't answer, he just coughed sheepishly and looked away. Kagome tried to make eye contact with his friends to see if they had the answer but Téa quickly took a large gulp of tea and Joe started feverishly rubbing the back of his head.
"I know," answered Kaede, also noticing their strange behavior. "There is a spirit in that pendant, correct?" Her good eye dropped to the Millennial Puzzle and she started at it hard for a long second.
"Er...right...how did you know?" stammered Yu-Gi.
"I can sense that spirit's presence," Kaede answered, simply.
"What spirit?" asked Kagome, slightly surprised. She glanced at the puzzle, trying to sense an aura, but she couldn't see around the Shikon shard she sensed glowing deep inside of it.
Yu-Gi sighed and as she was watching, Kagome sensed the Millennial Puzzle pulse. A moment later Yami took control. Kagome and Kaede blinked in surprise while Shippō and Inu-Yasha completely missed the transformation.
"That would be me," answered Yami. He picked up the Millennial Puzzle with both hands, holding it up slightly for all to see. "My soul resides within the Millennial Puzzle." He looked away for an almost unnoticeable moment. "I cannot answer why...I have no memories of my life."
Inu-Yasha snorted in disbelief but no one listened to him. Kagome and Shippō stared while trying to look like they weren't staring at him. Kaede merely nodded once while Joe and Téa were completely used to this.
Kaede turned to Kagome, "Ye did not sense him as well? Your awareness is greater than mine."
Kagome stiffened, mostly out of embarrassment. "I...well..." Kaede continued to give her a placid look, waiting patiently for her to continue. "It's not my fault, I can't see anything around his Shikon shard!"
Inu-Yasha was on his feet that moment. His hand flew to Tetsusaiga's hilt as he leaned forward, ready to charge. "That's where the shard is?!" he just about roared.
Joe also reacted with nearly the same speed. His instincts from countless street fights took over and he braced himself to defend his friend. While Téa cringed back out of surprise, Joe shouted, "Hey, leave my bud alone!"
They both started forward but Kagome was faster than them both, "SIT!"
FLASH! CRASH! Inu-Yasha plowed face first with the ground, right at Joe's feet, inches away from Kaede's back.
"Kagome!" he growled.
Joe also stopped his charge when he saw his opponent fall. He paused completely, watching Inu-Yasha struggle to right himself. A devious idea formed as he put two and two together. An impish smirk spread across his face and it was all he could do to keep from laughing with glee.
"How...did you do that?" asked Téa, but no one answered her.
Kaede took a long sip out of her green tea and waited for the chaos and cacophony to subside. When it had, she set her bowl down and turned to Yami. With a calm and unreadable expression she asked, "What do ye know about this Shikon shard?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," answered Yami with complete honesty.
"I know I see it though, it's right there in your pendant," insisted Kagome, once more peering intently at the Millennial Puzzle. There was no mistaking the aura from it.
Yami just shook his head, quietly showing his disagreement. A complete silence would have fall across the hut except Inu-Yasha's subjugation spell lifted and he was on his feet a moment later, glaring eye to eye with Joe. However, Joe once again smirked impishly.
"Sit!" he exclaimed.
Nothing happened.
Joe looked dumbfounded. "Does it only work when she says it?" he wondered.
Inu-Yasha chuckled in the back of his throat and opened his mouth to tell off Joe when Kaede spoke.
"That's enough you two." She took another sip of tea and turned her attention back to Kagome while Joe and Inu-Yasha both murmured 'not worth my time' and took their seats. "Kagome, ye certain about the shard?"
Kagome nodded in affirmation and pulled out the shard in the tiny glass jar that hung around her neck. She held it up, letting Yami and the others see it. "This is the last fragment of the Shikon jewel...well, we thought it was the last..."
"Pretty..." Téa murmured with big eyes.
Yami's attention was instantly hooked. He stared at the tiny jewel shard, double and triple checking it to make sure it was what he thought it was. There was no doubt in his mind either. "That has the same power as the Millennial Items. It has to be what Bakura sensed earlier today!"
"Millennial Items?" Kagome echoed, emphasizing the plural.
Yami nodded as Kaede listened closely. She closed her remaining eye for a moment to process her thoughts. "Spirit...are this items from your era?"
"Yes," answered Yami. "Well, no...They're not from the present. They come from the time when I was alive; ancient Egypt—over five thousand years ago."
"That explains the 'pharaoh' part," noted Kagome.
"So...what does this all mean?" asked Téa.
"Hmm..." Kaede murmured in thought. She stroked her chin as she put all the information that she had just been told together. The other's waited for her to answer, Inu-Yasha snorting once in disdain and Shippō playing with his wooden snake as his attention was wandering off. "Tis strange—that long ago, the Shikon jewel did not exist. And yet, it clearly is present in these items, even though all the shards are accounted for." She stood, rather slowly considering her age, and picked up her empty tea bowl. She also gathered the bowls of those near her and set them in a bucket of water in the corner before she continued. "This is something I cannot answer. The one would would have the answers ye seek would be the spirit of Midoriko."
"Midoriko..." murmured Kagome, remembering her tragic story and the origin of the Shikon jewel.
"Um...can't we just go home?" asked Téa.
"Hrmph, as much as I want you dead-weights gone you're stuck here until that well gets fixed," grumbled Inu-Yasha. "So you might as well stay in this village so you don't drag me down and we'll go see Midoriko."
"I'm surprised you're so willing, Inu-Yasha," commented Kagome.
"Anything to get rid of them!" he shot back, causing Kagome to sweat-drop slightly.
"We're coming too," insisted Yami. "I also want to know the connection between the Puzzle and this jewel—it might help me regain my memories."
"So, it's settled then, we're coming!" chimed Joe with a type of cheer.
"No you're not!" countered Inu-Yasha.
"Yes, we (they) are!" replied Yami, Téa, Joe, Kagome, and Kaede in unison, completely vetoing him.
