Hi guys. Yes, I know it's been a few years since this had an update, too. My apologies for the delay. I'm going to post what I have of 'Human Like Me' to finally get it out there. I'm sure in the near future, I'll get around to wrapping it up. So for now, I hope you enjoy what is here. And as a brief side note, I've chosen to keep the chapters as they were written back in 2012. Once again, a huge THANK YOU to those who still view this story! It means so much to me!
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Human Like Me

Jumper

"I smell it!"

Inuyasha was bounding out of the hut before any of the Shard hunters could question him as to what he smelled. No particular heed was paid to their companion, for kami only knew what he smelled. It was then that Sango was beginning to nestle back into bed with Miroku that Shippou's nose quirked and scented the air.

"Hey, I know that smell, too!" the fox kit leaped up from his pelts and took off after the hanyou, leaving the taijiya and the houshi to stare in befuddlement at each other. Just what had gotten into their youkai friends?

Sango stretched and reached for her sandals, grabbing Hiraikotsu as well. "I think we should investigate," she said softly, hoping not to rouse Kaede, slumbering in the corner. "Who knows what 'it' is they smell."

The two journeyed off together in search of their friends, not having to look far as they came across Inuyasha's Forest and found the kitsune and inuyoukai perched on top of the Well's rim.

"Is... is it active?" implored Miroku, coming to stand between the two and peer down the well. He could feel the influx of magic surfacing from the bottom of the well as if it had been trapped for centuries, rather than the few weeks. It was ancient and very much powerful, threatening to snuff out his own spiritual energy. "Can you go down, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's ears twitched in only Miroku could understand to be puzzlement. "I don't know..." Inuyasha began, voice uncharacteristically morose. "I can feel the energy... it just seems as though it's only connecting to one side."

"So you can't go through?" Shippou asked, discouraged.

"Maybe, maybe not," vaguely replied the hanyou, itching to find out but knowing in his gut what the answer was. Whatever had damaged the well in the first place wasn't patching itself up right away. It seemed that in another couple of days the connection to the other side would reopen, if this instance was anything to go by. It just proved that the well had taken care of itself, so why wouldn't it keep doing so?

Shippou tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve. "Can Kagome come over here?"

"I think so," he replied.

Shippou peered down into the well eagerly. "Then why isn't she here yet?"

Miroku, astute as he was, almost missed the dejected look that crossed his hanyou friend's face.

"I don't know," muttered Inuyasha. "Maybe she doesn't know it's open yet."

"Then she'll know soon!" Shippou exalted, making himself more comfortable on top of the well. "I'm staying right here until she returns!"

"That's very dutiful of you, Shippou." Sango smiled and patted the fox-kit's head, turning and heading back toward the village with Miroku. "You can stand guard and wait for Kagome. Your sense of smell is better than ours, so you can alert us right when she's here."

Shippou smiled and resumed his perch, noting that Inuyasha, also, was nestling himself on a tree branch. "Are you going to wait, too?"

Inuyasha grumbled something Shippou thought he probably shouldn't have heard, letting it be while he waited semi-patiently for Kagome to return. Oh, please come back soon!

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I want to go back.

No matter how many times Kagome repeated this over in her head like a mantra, the whole idea still did not bode well with her. She would miss this, miss being with Sesshoumaru, just the two of them. Once they returned it was a fact that he would shun her back out again, never allow her to be privy to his life once he got his youkai powers back, and that knowledge hurt worse than the whispering evil slithering through her hazy mind.

But she missed her friends far more than this, and for that she would return. Did they know already, that the well was open? If so, Inuyasha would be rampaging through the shrine and come traipsing through her household to sweep her off to the Feudal Era. The thought was certainly endearing, but there, right in her chest, was a feeling of pain implemented deeply.

Why was it so painful to think of abandoning this little la-la land she built for herself with the demon lord? Perhaps, if she thought about it in scrutiny, she would be disappointed to lose all progress she won with Sesshoumru. Yes, that had to be it. Just when she thought their lives could stay in mutual, friendly agreement, they would be ripped back in time to revert to their old lives.

Not that Kagome didn't want to be human again; she was growing sick of hearing every little thing within a half-kilometer radius and smelling things that were so foul, even to her human nose. It would be a peace of mind to regain her spiritual powers, for wielding Sesshoumaru's youki felt tenuous and slippery at best, compared to the strong, firm hold she had with her own reiki.

But how, questioned the miko solemnly. How would they turn back? It wasn't as if someone could snap their fingers and they would return to their ordinary selves. A wish would grant them their individuality back, but to what consequence? Risk having the Shikon no Tama disappear and resurface somewhere else within the world, somewhere far away that it was almost undetectable? No, the miko turned youkai thought. No, they would not waste such a precious wish when the right wish had yet to be said. Somehow, another way would have to be discovered.

Kagome, bundled up in her blankets, buried even deeper into her cocoon. Sleep came restlessly to her, but finally she managed to nod off.

xXx

"Say goodbye,"

Sesshoumaru's mellowed voice broke Kagome from her inner musings, her eyes staring listlessly at the plain white walls in her kitchen. She'd already bid her family goodbye as they slumbered, not wishing to wake them since the sun barely crested over the hillside.

Kagome began for the well. "I already did," she replied, though there was a slight waver at the end of her sentence, which didn't go unnoticed by the demon lord.

It also didn't go unnoticed to the way she sighed wistfully each time her eye caught something from her home; or the blank, void which filled her normally brilliant amber eyes. Could her source of melancholy stem from leaving her home, though she too wished to return to being a miko?

"We should make haste," said Sesshoumaru.

Kagome found herself wishing to fondle the Jewel Sesshoumaru carried with him, if only to find some sort of comfort through the familiarity. She had not been allowed to touch it, since the demon lord deemed it to be too much of a risk. She barely held a strong hold on the litany of his power, so he would not make the mistake in ushering that into provocation.

As they reached the threshold of the well, energy swept through Kagome's body, arcane and undoubtedly filled with power. There was no doubt her companions wouldn't know that the well had activated, though why Inuyasha had not taken the initiative to fetch her left her somewhat puzzled.

"Are you prepared?" questioned Sesshoumaru, taking the second to study her features. He decided he did not like the distraught expression upon her face, now unhindered of what she called make-up so that his family insignias were proudly displayed.

Swallowing thickly, the miko shook her head. Before she could take another step that would put them inside of the shrine, Sesshoumaru swiftly snatched her hand in his. It was warm and strong, nearly crushing hers in a display of silent support. Kagome nodded her head once more, journeying into the well house with her new companion until they met the lip of the well.

A deep breath signified her determination, and then they jumped.