Enveloped in blue light, Kagome found herself floating seamlessly in an open space. Confused, she looked around. She was surrounded by shimmering blue light. The creature was nowhere to be seen. Where was she? She blinked when she suddenly found herself in darkness. Now what? She rubbed her eyes and saw that what she had percieved in darkness was actually a stone wall. A round and round stone wall. She was in the well. However, there was something different, something unusual about the well. Tilting her head upwards, she stared in shock at the blue skies.
Wait. Blue skies?
Just where did the roof disappear to? Groping for some support, she slowly hauled herself up, till half her body was resting on the edge of the well, and the other half was dangling in the opening. Managing to push herself out of the well, she looked around at the clearing with a dazed expression.
Was she dead?
Pinching herself, she winced. Well, that disqualified that theory. Getting on her feet, she studied her surroundings. She hadn't seen so many trees since...Her head hurt as an image of a pair of serious golden eyes swam into her vision. She groaned as the pain spread from her head to her chest. Gripping her head, she blinked as her vision finally cleared. What the hell was that?
A bird chirped somewhere, and she looked around, curiously. Now what? Taking a deep breath, she tried calling out, "Hello! Can somebody hear me? Hellooo!" A squirrel paused in the midst of collecting nuts, and gave her a strange look, before scampering off. Kagome smacked herself on her forehead. This was getting her nowhere.
Looking around, once again, she chose a random path, and started walking. She had to meet somebody, right? The forest was beautiful, and a little scary, but mostly enchanting. Her eyes fell on a large tree. It seemed the largest of the lot and she let out an excited cry, on recognizing it. Gohinboku!
Making her way past the trees and bushes, she was oblivious to the scratches she recieved as branches cut her face and arms. However, her eyes widened when she finally reached the tree. Silver hair met her eyes and she raised an arm, her eyes dazed. That hair! The sudden silence made her blink and pulled her out of of her daze. There was a boy pinned to the tree. She covered her mouth in horror as her eyes fell on the arrow protruding from his chest. Was he dead?
She looked around, warily. When she saw that the entire clearing was empty, she took a few hesitant steps forward, her eyes on the boy. He didn't look dead. He looked like he was sleeping. As she moved closer, she spotted the pair of ears on his head. Ears? Curiosity getting the best of her, she reached him, and climbing on the roots, felt his ears. They were so soft and furry! She leaned away from him, slightly disappointed when there was not even a twitch. Maybe he is dead, she wondered.
"Get away from him, youkai!"
Startled, Kagome whirled around and nearly screamed when she saw a dozen arrows pointed at her. The men had fierce expressions on their faces, and they let loose their arrows. Now she did scream, grabbing onto the red haroi the boy wore. Fortunately none of the arrows touched her. However, an hour later she found herself tied up on her knees in the middle of a village.
The looks sent her way made her cringe, and she gritted her teeth trying not to show her fear. However when an old priestess showed up and started throwing dust at her, she decided that she was stuck in a village of crackpots.
"What are you doing?" She cried out. The old woman stared at her face carefully, before grabbing her chin in her hand and twisting and turning her face to study it from all angles.
"It is true!" She declared gravely. Kagome wondered if the old woman was insane. "You look much like her."
The woman waved a hand and one of the men who had captured her, came forward with a knife, a strange look in his eye. Kagome's eyes grew wide, terror clouding her beautiful blue orbs. Was he going to kill her! She squeezed her eyes shut, ordering herself to think happy thoughts. Oh God, now she was going insane! When the rope around her hands vanished, she opened an eye to see the old woman staring at her, "Come child."
Without a second to waste, Kagome was on her feet, following her into a nearby hut, throwing a nervous glance behind her. All the villagers were staring at old woman motioned for her to sit down, and shuffled over to check on a steaming pot in the middle of the room. The smell of the brewing stew was mouth watering, but Kagome was too nervous to say anything.
As the woman stirred the pot, she spoke, "I am Kaede, the High Priestess of this village. And you, it seems, are the reincarnation of my sister, Kikyo." Kagome stared at her, uncertainly, "I'm sorry?"
Kaede laughed then, startling the young girl, "Nay, child. Forgive me. I was startled when I saw your face. However, your eyes are an unusual colour, whereas Kikyo's eyes were brown. Just who are you, child?"
Kagome blushed, "My name's Kagome." Kaede looked at her, thoughtfully, "Where is it, that you come from?"
"I was attacked by this thing, with a woman's torso and a centipede's legs. I tried to fight back and we fell down the well in my family's shrine, and I don't know what happened then. The creature disappeared, and when I climbed out of the well, I was in a forest."
Kaede looked startled, "Oh, dear Kami! It cannot be possible." She started muttering something to herself and Kagome started to become worried until the priestess finally spoke, "It seems you have travelled through time, my child."
Kagome stared at her, "Travelled through what?"
The woman sighed and shifted to find a comfortable spot, "Through time. The only well in the vicinty here is the ancient Bone Eater's well, which is said to have magical properties. Nobody approaches the well, my child. It is said that a long time ago, nearly four centuries, a miko youkai opened a link between the ancient Goshinboku and the Bone Eater's well. She had betrayed a very strong youkai and had stolen his mate. She channelled all of her youki to open a time travelling portal and she and the youkai's mate were never seen again. However, this is just a rumor, but the well is sacred and yet powerful so we stay away from it."
Ready to believe anything at this point, Kagome leaned forward and asked hopefully, "Do you think it'll take me back home." Kaede raised a brow, "You are welcome to try but you might have been sent to this era for a reason. Perhaps you should look for your reason for coming here, instead of trying to get home. The Bone-Eater's well does not allow just anyone to travel through time, you know."
Kagome closed her eyes for a minute. She just wanted to go home. However, that boy.
"Who was he? That boy with the ears?"
Kaede paled, "You would do best to stay away from Inuyasha. He is a very powerful hanyou. My sister, Kikyo, sealed him to Goshinboku, and died."
Hanyou? As in half demon? Weren't youka supposed to stuff of legends? However, Kagome flinched as she recalled the thing that had attacked her. It must have been a youkai as well!
"Inuyasha is so powerful that even my sister's power was unable to seal him completely. And Kikyo was a very powerful priestess." Kagome's eyes widened, and she swallowed, "He's that dangerous?"
Whatever the priestess was going to say next was drowned by screams from outside. One of the men who had captured her, rushed inside, holding a bow and arrow, "Lady Kaede! A youkai is attacking the village!"
Kaede's eyes narrowed, and she got to her feet, grabbing the bow and arrows from the man and rushing outside. Kagome followed her and her eyes grew wide with surprise as the same creature who had attacked her in the wellhouse showed its face.
"The Shikon no Tama! Give it to me!"
"The Shikon no Tama is no more!" Kaede's voice cried out, as she threw a purifying arrow at the creature, "Begone youkai!"
The youkai hissed and it's eyes found the stricken form of Kagome. Sneering, she hissed, "Found you. Give me the Shikon no Tama, girl!"
Kaede stared at Kagome in shock and joined two and two together. The girl had the Sacred jewel!
But how-? However, instead of wasting what precious time they had, she yelled at Kagome, "Run towards the well!"
Kagome took one look at the thing, and realized it's intentions. Terrified, she ran into the forest, letting her feet guide her. She could hear the creature rushing afterwards and a part of her was relieved that the villagers were at least left alone. But now, she was in trouble!
"Help me! Somebody help!"
At the Goshinboku, there was thrum of power and the arrow which was pinned to the tree, throbbed. Once. Twice. The boy's hand moved slightly, and clenched and amber eyes opened, "I smell it. I smell the blood of the woman who killed me."
Far away, an inuyoukai was roused from slumber as he felt a throbbing in his veins. His eyes narrowed at the familiar call. Kicking his trusty vessel , he transformed into an orb of energy and rushed towards the Tree of Ages. That call. Something was wrong!
A.N: I was planning to introduce Seshoumaru after a few chapters, you know when in Inu no Taisho's tomb, but apparently none of you wanted that, and it occurred to me, that I'm too impatient as well, so here we go. Now this was a long chapter. You guys had better review.