Inuyasha unceremoniously wiped a smudge of grease from his chin, his focus entirely on the bowl of pork teriyaki he was voraciously consuming. Kagome observed his unrefined display, reaching into her school uniform pocket to retrieve a napkin.
"Here, use this, you slob."
The half-demon merely offered her an indifferent glare, ignoring the proffered item. Shippo, seated next to Kagome, graciously accepted the paper to clean his own mouth.
'At least some demons have manners,' Kagome mused, passing a red and blue paper cloth to the small fox demon.
The entire Inutachi group had withdrawn from their latest Shikon jewel hunt. The gem was halfway completed, and Kagome felt it was only fair to retreat to her own era for a much-needed, long soak in the bath accompanied by the soothing melodies of Ayumi Hamasaki. Although she had already packed her belongings, she had agreed to stay for the meal.
After ensuring everyone was well-fed, Kagome bid her companions goodbye and made her way towards the well, escorted by Inuyasha. For the sake of her safety, he had insisted. There was the recent surge in spider demon activity near the well. Surely a human weakling such as Kagome, could possibly not defend herself against such foul beasts. Even though the demons in question were barely the size of a thumbnail and posed little to no danger unless one was a flea demon - a fact that Inuyasha conveniently left out.
Still, Kagome knew the the true reason behind Inuyasha's constant insistence on seeing her off. He missed her. He just couldn't find the courage to express it. Sango had let slip that he often perched in a tree near the well or simply stared into its depths, eagerly anticipating her return. Despite his attempts at secrecy, it was nearly impossible to hide anything from a highly trained demon hunter, especially one with a nosy little kitsune accomplish. Even though Naraku would more likely be riding on unicorns on a rainbow bridge before Inuyasha admitting to such conduct. Kagome was happy, nevertheless.
Departing from her modern-day friends and family to return to an era riddled with conflict, where demons roamed freely and people succumbed to diseases as simple as the flu, was never an easy task. But the knowledge that someone was always eagerly awaiting her return at the end of that well, despite the lurking horrors, made her journeys less daunting.
Inuyasha and Kagome halted at the well. They stood in silence for a while. Lacking the bravery to extend their interaction, Kagome pivoted towards Inuyasha and said: "Well, I should be going now."
His boyish, golden eyes met hers, tentatively conveying his unvoiced feelings of hurt that she was leaving. Leaving him, again. It looked as though he was mustering the courage to articulate his thoughts, but his nerve faltered, and he averted his gaze.
"Be back soon, ok? I don wanna come down and drag yer ass back by force."
Kagome sighed, a smile dancing on her lips. "Aye, aye, boss."
'I will miss you, too.'
With a carefree wave, she plunged into the depths of the well.
Back in her own room, Kagome cast a wretched look at her desk, strewn with homework. She wasn't sure which was worse: the very real possibility of being devoured by a 15-foot serpent demon in the Feudal era or wrestling with algebra in the modern era. She tossed her backpack onto the bed and made her way downstairs.
"Hey, Grandpa!" Kagome greeted the elderly man engrossed in a newspaper in the kitchen. "What's my illness of the week?"
Roused by her voice, her grandfather set aside his paper. "Ah, Kagome, hello. If your friends ask, you're suffering from arthritis."
Kagome picked an apple from the kitchen counter and grimaced. 'C'mon, Grandpa! I'm not 86 years old!'
Once she had gathered enough food, she trudged back to her room, reluctantly returning to her seat. Her math book was next on her to-do list. Ayumi Hamasaki would have to wait.
A new day brought with it a fresh burst of energy. Kagome had managed to complete a week's worth of schoolwork and was eager to reunite with the Inutachi. Given the choice, she'd much rather face off against demons than tackle algebra any day. Approaching the shrine, her backpack loaded with food and other supplies, she peered into the well, hoping Inuyasha was already waiting. This time, she had brought him a special treat. With a smile, she leapt through time.
Emerging from the time vortex, Kagome was momentarily blinded by a burst of light. From the bottom of the well, she admired the cloudless morning sky above. Clambering up the slippery rocks, she hoisted herself over the well's edge. Disappointment washed over her when she found Inuyasha absent, but she didn't dwell on it for long. The air was crisper than ever, the sun warm and radiant. She drew in a deep breath and set out for Kaede's village.
As she traversed Inuyasha's forest, she marveled at her surroundings. She hadn't really taken the time to appreciate the beauty around her. Everything seemed fresh, new, and intriguing. Had that sapling always been there? And that trail of yellow flowers? What about that tiny pond? She frowned, promising herself to be more observant.
Upon reaching the forest's edge, she anticipated being greeted by villagers tending their fields, women carrying water, and children at play. Instead, she was met with a terrifying sight: emptiness. Only patches of grass and more woods were visible. Nothing else.
Surely she couldn't have gotten lost? She'd taken this route countless times. Being lost was virtually impossible. Kagome was about to retrace her steps back to the well when she sensed a nearby presence. A movement in her peripheral vision made her jump. "Who's there?" She called out, but only the yellow flowers, rustling in the breeze, answered. Had she imagined it? The quiet persisted.
Her features relaxed and she straightened up from her slight shrivel. She still glared at the silent edge of the woods suspiciously, but decided to head back. As she turned, she nearly collided with a tall man with silver hair who stood before her. Familiar golden eyes studied her calmly. "How did you see me, human?"