How was chapter 6? I would really love your feedback about how it went. There's a huge change in the writing style I know and I'm still doing what I can to finish this.

Chapter 7: Reason

Wisteria. Blue petals on the polish wooden floor.

Soft foot falls. The gentle pull of the wind against my hair.

The sound of an opened Shoji door.

"S-"

I opened my eyes, a weird dream again. I blinked up at the gray ceiling of Kaede's hut. It had been a day since that rendezvous with Sesshomaru. They had left as soon as Jaken had replenished their supplies. However that didn't bother me, the young girl Rin had said that there was a presence here in the village. I pushed myself off of the futon and stretched my arms over head.

I ran my hand along my face, wiping the foolish thoughts off my mind. I looked around and found everyone to be asleep. Kagome was still snuggled in her futon while Inuyasha slept against the wall. Sango was beside Kagome with Shippo between them. Miroku was at a far off corner, sleeping on his side whilst facing the wall. Kaede's futon was already kept.

I peeked out of the window of the home and it was still dark. No use trying to go back to sleep anymore. I moved out of my bed and folded it, placing the futon at a corner. I sifted through my gym bag, it was a huge one. Sometimes, I wondered where this was bought since it could house my sword and my shinai.

I took the bamboo weapon and stepped out of the hut. I breathed in the cold dawn air and looked around at the empty village. It was cold silence and I loved it. I walked around, looking for a good place to spend the early morning.

The village was sparsely populated. Huts were here and there, a scaffold at one side with some building materials at the side. There was tilled soil here and there. Agriculture was the main source of living at this time huh. I made my way further into the village and finally I found the right spot. It was the clearing where the well was.

The dim sky hardly showed the piles of bones the well contained and I couldn't suppress the shudder. Who on earth would like to throw the dead bodies of demons here? I shook off the unnecessary thought and calmed my nerves.

I sat down and proceeded to meditate. Since I can't go back to the real time, I should just make use of my time here and now. I closed my eyes and proceeded to empty my mind. A pair of golden eyes persisted but shook the thought away. I need it to be as empty as possible.

The cold air calmed me even more and no sooner I had cleared out my thoughts. I breathed in deep and opened my eyes. The sky was still dark, my shoulders felt lighter. I pushed myself off of the grass. My shinai at my hip.

I pulled it out, like a real katana and took in my stance. I swing it down whilst taking a step forward. Another swing down, a step back. A swing and step front. Once again, and another.

Sweat trickled down my brow at the repetitive strokes of the shinai. The song of birds started to fill the air but I continued on. The sky was starting to light up; the winds were much frequent now. I lost count of how many strokes I have done. My arms start to get stiff from the redundant motions. I continued on.

A strike down and a step forward, a swing and a step back. The sky was much lighter now, a morning fog heavy in the air. The sweat trickled down my nape now and the ache of my arms more prominent. A few more strokes.

"7… 8…9…200." I muttered and held the stance for a bit. I dropped my left hand and the shinai wobbled in my right hand. I bent my knee and rest my left hand upon my thigh. My eyes zeroed in on the tip of the shinai. I was about to stab the thin air but a figure was in front of me.

I relaxed my stance and sheathed the shinai. The figure from the shadows emerged, giving me a clearer look of them. These people like to be dramatic and use the shadow to show themselves to me. The sky was much lighter now and the person, or demon, can now be seen easily.

She was an old woman, hunched and talking slow deliberate steps towards me. She seemed harmless but I wouldn't be too sure. Her gray hair was long and draped her shoulders. Her kimono was a simple midnight blue hue with white vines embroidered to the bodice. Her feet clad in a white tabi socks and straw made zoris. Her face had deep lines etched on her flesh but a smile painted on her lips.

Her eyes were a deep blue, wisdom reflected on them. She sat down upon the edge of the bone eater's well. "Sit with me child." She gestured at her side and I warily sat down, maintaining a distance from her. This earned me a chuckle. "You are wise not to sit too close to me."

"Well, I guess you can't blame me. It's not like I almost got killed here." I said, the old woman chuckled at my sarcasm. I eyed her, she can't really do anything if she is human but a demon, well, that changes things. "There must be a reason why you sought me out here early in the morning, right?"

Her eyes shone at my words, "Indeed child, indeed. You are quite quick." She looked up at the sky, morning was here, the sun had risen up to take its place. "Do you know why you are unable to go back to your time?" I gripped the edge of the well, the aged wood felt sharp under the pads of my fingers.

"Of course I do." I kid and threw a glance at her.

"Your words do know seem so true, my dear. Your façade will break soon." Her eyes were now stern, no more of the chuckles. I sighed and stared up at the sky. "No, of course I don't know. I'd rather be here than back in my time."

This time a chuckle erupted from the old lady. "Indeed child, you are most needed here and not in that time." I arched a brow at her.

"There is a reason why you are here." She spoke and dusted off a bit of her hakama, "Do you dream child?"

"Everyone dreams. We just don't remember all of our dreams."

"Aye, that is true. Every one dreams. How about you, dear? What is your dream?" She asked me and I toyed with the bamboo edges of my shinai. My dream. What was my dream?

"If I do tell you baa-san, it would be too awkward." I jested and my shoulders shook in silent laughter at the stupid though.

"No dream is stupid child. It is after all what your heart desires."

I stared straight, "Well then, if you say it like that." I stabbed the tip of my shinai on the grass, even if it's unethical. I settled my chin on the base of the handle, "I am not entirely sure of my dream. A home maybe. Some place nice."

"A difficult dream that is in this time." She spoke and looked at me,"However not impossible." She smiled at me and it eased my tense nerves. "There is someone who can make dreams come true."

"Aren't you the one who makes dream come true? I mean like, shouldn't you do it yourself?"

"Ahh. That is true but there is someone who can make dreams come to life." I listened intently now, the birds faded out from my concentration. "There is someone who is called a dream weaver."

Hmm, sounds like that adobe product. Funny. "So, uh, how does this dream weaver person work?" I toyed with my shinai now, interested of this Dream weaver person.

Her eyes sparkled with mirth at my obvious interest. "There is only one individual who is a dream weaver. This dream weaver individual is unique."

"Unique? How so?" I titled my head to the side. How can someone be even more unique than being a dream weaver? Do they have horns or something? Nah those are for youkai or was it oni?

"Ahh, I cannot say child. That is quite a mystery." She spoke with laughter in my voice and I threw my arms in the air, almost falling into the bone bit behind me. "Ahh! Baa-san, you're giving me a cliffhanger!" The old lady chuckled and pushed herself off the edge of the clearing.

"There is much to know about the dream weaver, child, however I am not the right person to tell you." She hobbled off and I stood up from my perch. "You must find another old lady for this knowledge."

"Where can I find another old lady then?" I was a bit annoyed that she left me hanging.

She turned back to me, a smile on her lips. "Her name would be Satome, she lives in Mt. Tate. She is quite a queer lady this Satome."

"How will I know the old lady I'm talking to is Satome?"

"You will know child."

She hobbled off towards the village and I sat down again. It's not like I can't make a home of my own. It'd be cool to learn more about the dream weaver person though. I could ask her to bring me back and make my dreams come true in the future, right? That sounds like a good idea.

I could be the most famous scientist or something.

"Hey Baa-san, th-" I spoke but there was no figure of the old lady anymore. Strange. She was hobbling just earlier, wonder how fast she walked out.

I made my way back to Kaede's hut and everyone was up. Kagome rushed to my side, a worried look on her face, "Rei-chan, where were you?" Her brown eyes bore on me and I may have worried them unintentionally.

"I'm sorry Kagome-san. I got carried off practicing." I shifted the shinai I was carrying and she nodded. "You can just drop the –san and call me Kagome-chan." I fidgeted in front of her. I eyed the grass beneath our feet and then glanced back to her, "I'm not really into using -chan."

"Kagome, then?" She smiled reassuringly and I sighed out, "Works fine with me."

"I'm sorry I worried you. I just went to practice." I apologized and she nodded. I understood her worry, not too earlier this week I had demons hot on my trail. I do wonder why.

"Kaede-sama has cooked some porridge. I've brought in some steamed vegetables too." Sango said, gesturing to a clay pot in her hands. I nodded and we went back into the hut where Inuyasha and Miroku were seated by the firespit.

"Keh! Where were you Kurenai?!" Inuyasha spat while his arms were crossed. I arched a brow, didn't they mention he was a dog demon?

"Were you worried, Inuyasha? I've been told you're a dog demon, your nose should've found me right?" I teased as I sat down beside him. I doubt he would dare to physically injure a girl, a human more so. The hanyou gritted his teeth, "I couldn't smell you."

I tilted my head to the side, "Eh? So my scent is now a mystery?" I eyed his twitching white ears.

He glared at me and gritted his teeth, obviously holding back on beating me into a pulp. "I meant I can't even locate your scent, damn Onna!" He exclaimed and I leaned back at the volume of his voice, "You made everyone worried!"

I straightened up and looked at everyone, their faces were a bit worn. "I'm really sorry for being rash. I'm not too used to having people look for me." I muttered and Sango patted my shoulder. She smiled at me and it unsettled me.

"It's all right Rei-chan. It must be a lot to take it in. Being here, I mean." I smiled back, still unsettled and guilty. I'm not used to dealing with people.

The food was no sooner laid out in front of us and I was a bit down due to the morning excursion. I picked at the dried fish on my plate. Dream weaver. I wonder where I can meet this person. I took another mouthful of the rice.

"Hey Kagome." I spoke after swallowing some of the rice, "Do you know of anything about a person who can make dreams come true?"

She looked thoughtful and chuckled a bit, "Isn't that a bit childish?" I eyed her warily and despite sounding childish, "Well, I can't go back to our time. So why don't I try this dream person thing? I personally doubt the Shikon shard would help me."

"That is true. We haven't tried the Shikon shard though." She muttered. Miroku placed his empty bowl on the worn tatami mat. "This dream person is actually true. I've heard of stories about an individual of this ability."

By this time, everyone was listening intently to the monk's words. "I've only heard tales from the different villages I travel to. They say she's a beautiful goddess. Some say he's a wise old man. However, it doesn't change the ability that this person makes dreams come true."

"If that person is around, don't you think people would live hard lives already?" Shippo spoke while crossing his arms, giving a thoughtful look,"How so Shippo?"

"I mean, if that person's around. People can just tell them their dreams. Like how some daimyou's want more land but other damiyou's want more land too. More conflict." I messed up the small fox's hair. He was quite keen for a child, "Great intuition Shippo. You should learn a thing or two from him, Inuyasha."

"Why you, Kurenai-" Inuyasha balled his fist and was really threatening to punch him. I gave him a big grin in retaliation. Oh ho, if only I weren't a girl. I bet he'd be thinking that.

Miroku cleared his throat and directed the attention back to me, "I'm curious as to how you knew of this Dream crafter, Rei-sama." I looked at him boredly but inside I was panicking. I can't tell them this sneaky old lady told me about the dream person thingy. Why does he call it a dream crafter? Shouldn't that person be a weaver?

"Well, I read it from an old book in the Library during Junior High. It just sorta came back to me when everything settled down. Practicing really helps!" I said, a bit nervously but I managed. "I'm thinking of joining you on getting those Shikon shards back. We might get wind of that dream crafter or weaver or something."

"I must warn you Rei-chan, it's not an easy travel." Sango gave me a stern look. I looked to her direction, Kirara upon her lap.

"I know and I'm prepared to fight if I have to." I turned to the katana settled upon the wall, "and kill if I have to."

Futon - sleeping bed

Oni - ogre

Daimyou - feudal lord

Zori - lacquered black slippers

Youkai