Theme 24: No Time

Kagome's leg healed faster in her time and the wounds on her arms became lift scars to join the many others and it only took two weeks. While she wasn't completely healed, she was eager to get back for once.

Inuyasha's human night was approaching and she wasn't sure how the new Inuyasha would react to it.

"Mama, I'm going" she called from the well house.

Kagome's mother sighed. Her daughter was so eager to go back, she knew it was Kagome's duty and she knew Kagome couldn't run from her problems, but after seeing her breakdown in tears before, she was reluctant to let her go back.

"Your leg is not completely healed" she called "Why not wait till later?"

Kagome smiled brightly, not a trace of her pain and sorrow from the previous nights showed, she refused to let this Inuyasha see. "No time like the present mama, I'm fine." Her hands gripped the sides of the well which hummed quietly under her fingertips like it always did "Tell Souta I said bye" she called as she jumped into the mass of swirling colours in the well.

X-X-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-XX

Sesshomaru stood before the bone eaters well in contemplation. It had been a few days already and the Miko had not yet returned from where she came from. This was the second time she had returned to her 'home', the first being when Sesshomaru first arrived in Inuyasha's body. But at the time, it did not concern him, so he did not care to know where she was. But now he found himself curious.

"This is the Priestess Kagome's home" he asked Miroku, who had shown him the well.

When he asked Miroku why they had to return to the village by the well to return her to her homeland, Miroku had spun him a wild tale of a whole other world and a gateway to it. A sceptical side of Sesshomaru refused to believe in such foolishness, another knew that there were powers in this world that he knew not of, and so this may be one of them.

"No" Miroku sighed "Like I said Inuyasha, this well connects us to her home. It's is the door way between her land and ours. There are only two people who are able to go through the gateway, the Priestess of the shrine and for some inexplicable reason, you."

"I?" Sesshomaru inquired, looking up. Inuyasha was able to travel through to the other world? "Why?"

Miroku shook his head "I do not know. But now you see, Kagome will return from her realm when she is ready, until then, we wait." He turned and walked back towards the village.

Sesshomaru remained behind, staring into the blood scented abyss of the well. Was it because Inuyasha was half human, was that why he could pass through the well?

Living in a Hanyou's body, meant sometimes, humans emotion would overwhelm reason, leading to bouts of spontaneity. This was one of those times as Sesshomaru leapt into the well on a whim. But he landed at the bottom. "Tch" he said, leaping out. "The monk lied, Inuyasha's half breed body holds no special properties that allow travel between worlds."

As he stared at the well with distaste, he heard whispers "You shall not pass"

He stared around and saw them. They were as small as children, but their eyes held such age he had no doubt they were as old as time itself.

"Spirits" he whispered. Earth spirits.

Spirits were rare in this world, only the purest blood Youkai could even see them, only very rarely and only if they allowed themselves to be seen. They did not take kindly to most youkai. They were beings of the earth and heavens, creatures of pure energy that resided within the earth and sometimes in settlements.

"Are you the spirits of this well?" he asked, showing them the respect they deserved. Such old and powerful beings.

They looked at him with glassy eyes, their translusent wings fluttering like heartbeats "We are the children of the earth, we are the bone eaters of the ages" one called its voice was like a whisper and a cry, like the shrill hiss of the wind and a song.

"Our priestess, Priestess who has crossed over time to finish a task left behind by her ancestors" another sang.

"Sweet priestess with the burden of 500 years and a heart of a girl, a child, we protect this well as her family has protected our land, their shrine built for us"

"We protect our priestess"

"You shall not trespass"

"Yes, you shall not fall though the portal"

"One who wears the skin of another, we won't let you through

"Only one who wishes to protect our priestess as much as we do can enter"

"Only one. Child who wears a Hanyou's skin"

And with that they faded, returning to the centre in the earth. The well itself hummed quietly.

Sesshomaru turned from the well without a word.

Spirits were far greater being than himself. Even one such as he had respect for their existence. They seemed clear in their message, Sesshomaru would not pass.

He had scorned Inuyasha for his concern over the human girl, his deep desire to protect her even in the middle of their most dire battles. He had detested him for it, finding such behaviours beneath them.

But at the same time, that behaviour gave him a right that no one else would have. He was one who could cross time to fulfil his duty.

As for the girl.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, the sight of her face, pale and terrified, clutching to the body of a writhing deadly Youkai, desperately calling the name of the Hanyou. He still hated it.

But he no longer found it repulsive.