She was nervous, but she was so close to escaping. The forest was just in view before her, and as her long legs carried her across the fields, the more nervous she became.
"Well, there are demons out there,"
Kagome paused, remembering the words Kosuke had said to her during lunch. There were demons out there in the woods, and she was sure it wasn't as safe as it was during the day. 'What are you doing, Kagome? Don't let this hold you back.'
Taking a deep breath, Kagome slowly made her way towards the entrance of the woods. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she tried to ignore it. The Goshinboku Tree was somewhere in the woods; if it brought her here, then surely it would take her back home. Right?
Yet as she pressed on, the distinct sounds of twigs snapping behind her brought her to a complete halt. That sinking feeling within her grew stronger, and she had every nerve to just run, but fear caused her to pause. Something or someone was behind her.
Was it a demon? Maybe it was a dog?
But before she could ascertain just who or what it was, she was immediately grabbed from behind, a rough and calloused hand covering her mouth which prevented her from screaming. As she struggled to fight off her captor, she found it difficult to do so as her arms were pinned to her sides. To her worst fear, she was dragged into the woods, desperately kicking her legs to escape.
Deeper and deeper into the woods she was dragged, and along the way, she had lost her straw sandals. Her feet were scratched up, bleeding as she relentlessly struggled, but this person wouldn't release her. Multiple scenarios crossed her mind in that moment. Was she going to be killed? Was she going to be harmed in any way? What was going to happen to her?
As she was pulled deeper into the woods, Kagome felt the hairs on her arms stand up and she refused to give up her struggles. They were far from the village and Kagome kept looking back, hoping someone would save her, but there was no one. No one but the tall, looming trees around her.
Eventually her captor stopped, and Kagome quickly took that moment to bite down hard on the person's hand. To her slight relief, the person cried out in pain, before pushing her to the ground roughly.
Kagome's eyes widened at the familiar sound of a masculine voice, cursing at her for biting him. It couldn't be. As she looked up at the tall man standing before her, she saw it was none other than Satouru.
His footsteps quickened as he ran through the village. The lanterns led him towards Lady Kaede's hut, and as he forced his way inside, without showing the proper respect to the High Priestess seated within, he fell to his knees. Panic was etched into his face, and he cried out to the elderly woman.
"What is wrong, Tadashi?" Kaede asked, her eyes widened alarmingly as she was not expecting any one to run into her hut.
Kosuke, who was sitting across from the elderly woman, drinking a small bowl of tea, acknowledged the man warily. From the look on his face, and his heavy breathing, something must have happened. "What's going on?"
"That girl, Kagome! She has been dragged into the Forest of Inuyasha!" Tadashi blurted.
Kaede's eyebrows furrowed, but as she attempted to stand, Kosuke held out a hand to stop her. "Who would do such a thing?"
"S-Satouru!" The man cried out, throwing his head to the floor before the woman. "I-I saw it with my own eyes while I was patrolling around the village! I fear the worst will happen to her!"
In an instant Kosuke was on his feet and out of the hut without a moment's pause. As he left, Kaede motioned for Tadashi to wake the men of the village immediately to begin a search party, and he left as well, leaving Kaede's hut.
As he ran down the street, he was called after by Aiko, who was only now beginning her trek back to her hut. He only stopped briefly, telling her to go inside, but she grasped his arm in confusion.
"What's happening? Why are you running like that?" She asked. Yet as she looked into his eyes, noticing the seriousness behind his stare, she was caught off guard when she heard the village bell ring loudly throughout the village. The bell signified that there was something wrong, either they were under attack or the situation was more complicated.
"Kagome. Satouru has dragged her into the forest," He replied hastily before pulling his arm from Aiko's grasp.
Aiko turned back to Kosuke, her eyes widening in alarm. "Oh my goodness!"
Although she was frightened by the situation, watching as the villagers sprang from their huts, the men gathering their farming tools in hand, she watched as Kosuke took off through the night, towards the Forest of Inuyasha.
Aiko's face paled. It couldn't be. While she was away, Satouru got his hands on her friend. One by one, the men of the village darted past her, and she did her best to avoid any collision with their sharp hoes and scythes.
"What am I doing..." She questioned herself. Now was not the time to stand idly by while this was happening. Without a moment to spare, she fled in the direction Kosuke ran off, her steps quickening as she reached the steep incline of the hill. Her heart drummed loudly within her chest, her pants quickening as she forced herself further. Before she knew it, she was standing before the entrance to the woods, outside the safety of the barrier.
Somewhere, deep within the darkness of the woods, Kagome was struggling to resist Satouru's wrath. What was he going to do to her? As Aiko squinted, trying to pinpoint any silhouettes within that might seem familiar, she saw nothing but the numerous lofty trees. Her legs trembled, and although her thought process told her to move, she couldn't; her feet were completely grounded to their spot, frozen. Aiko was frightened; she was frightened of Satouru, and she was frightened of demons.
"Kagome…" She cried out, but there was no answer. As she moved in place nervously, she felt something brush up against her feet. Curious, she looked down, noticing familiar clothing lying strewn upon the ground. Bending down to pick it up, Aiko recognized the clothing belonging to Kagome. "You were planning to run away…" She collapsed onto her knees.
Kagome scooted away, her eyes widened at the man towering before her. Satouru. It was definitely that creep. From the looks of it, his cheek was slightly swollen, and he had an obvious black eye, his lip bleeding since earlier.
"You little bitch … I told you you'd pay!" He seethed, approaching her slowly. "You thought you could get away with your insolence earlier? You were wrong to think so…"
She gulped, struggling to back herself away from him. He was going to kill her. "Get away from me!" She cried out frightfully, but this only seemed to amuse him. "I'm warning you!"
When he refused to stop, she only continued backing away, yet as she moved her hands around the ground, hoping to find something to defend herself with, she felt something small and rough brush across her fingertips. Without even looking, she knew it was a rock; it was better than nothing.
"Frightened, are we?" He asked her, smirking at her retreating form. Eventually she would find herself backed into a tree, her escape entirely cut off, and then he would deal out the revenge he'd been dreaming of since that afternoon.
Without a moment's pause, Kagome chucked the stone at Satouru's skull, and to her relief, he stopped, holding his hands to his head achingly. With this distraction, she got up and ran for it.
Her best choice was to run back to the village; it was her best option, as much as she didn't want to. As she ran, dodging past trees and bushes, she heard Satouru directly behind her. He just wouldn't let up.
'Someone will save me, right? They've got to!' Her mind screamed as she looked back at the man chasing after her. "Grandpa! Mom! Anybody?! Whoever you are, please, somebody help me!"She cried out, hoping someone within the woods would hear her plea, but there was no answer. If only this were a nightmare she could wake up from at any moment, but that wasn't the case; this was real, as unbelievable as it seemed.
"You can't run forever, Kagome!"
As she glanced back, she saw he was gaining on her. She was scared. She wanted to return to the safety of her mother's arms, to the safety of a locked door, anything to get away from all this.
With every twist and turn she took, she realized she wasn't nearing the village at all. It was to her absolute horror she was most undoubtedly delving deeper into the woods, further away from anyone who could save her.
To her absolute horror, the most cliché thing happened to her at that moment; her foot snagged itself onto a fallen log, and she tumbled onto the ground, her arms and legs scraping against some stones. Struggling to pull herself up, she was about to get back up to run, but she was grabbed from behind once more, her back pressed against his chest.
"Let me go!"
Annoyed by her persistence, Satouru pants came out heavy, his grip tight up on her. "Quit your yapping! No one can hear you!" When she refused to stop, his hold upon her became rough, warning her to stop. With one arm wrapped tightly against her waist, he used his free hand to grasp her chest, gripping her painfully.
Kagome cried out. This wasn't happening. He was going to rape her! As much as she tried to struggle, her arms were pinned down to her sides as he fondled her disgustingly, smelling her hair in the process. "No!"
He chuckled darkly, enjoying the feel her body against his. As he fiddled with her brown kimono, he attempted to slip his hand into it to get better access to her soft flesh underneath, but Kagome made it difficult to do so.
With a hard kick to his foot, unprotected by any shoes, he cried out painfully, but his hold on her did not loosen. Instead, she was pushed down onto all fours, his body pressed up against her back. His harsh pants brushed against her ears as he nimbly tried to untie the obi around her waist, his knee pushing apart her legs to separate them.
Unable to even keep herself upright with his weight upon her, her face was pushed into the cold soil, and Kagome felt her kimono become looser on her as her obi fell onto the ground. This wasn't happening. It couldn't happen! But it was happening.
His hands roamed her body, slipping past her open kimono, kneading her breasts, and she cried out helplessly for him to stop, but he wouldn't. He squeezed her breasts, while his other hand found her panties, his fingers mercilessly trying to slip in between the fabric to feel her, but her persistent struggling made it difficult.
"No! Get your hands off me, you pervert!"
A dark chuckle escaped him as he licked her neck, enjoying her gasps from his ministrations. "But your body is responding well to my touch, Kagome."
He was a liar. His touch made her skin crawl, and she wanted so badly to vomit. He was trying his utmost to get his hands into her underwear, but she only pressed her thighs tighter together, preventing him from going any further. "Get off me!"
"Not until you are completely submissive to me, bitch!"
"I'm not a b—" Before she could say anything, he had turned her onto her back, one hand holding her arms above her head while the other reached to untie his pants. Kagome's eyes widened, and she tried her best to get out of his grasp, but it was futile.
Kagome kicked her legs, hitting him in the sides with her knees before delivering a swift kick to his upper chest, which forced him back somewhat, but not enough for him to completely get off her. As he struggled to hold her down while attempting to remove his pants, he eventually pressed his entire weight upon her, preventing her from moving any further.
He was heavy, and she found it difficult to breathe. Yet he was leaning into her, his face nearing her own as he hoped to kiss her, but she turned her head away fearfully. Not her first kiss. Not any of this.
To her dismay, he grasped her face roughly and her lips met his, his tongue forced into her mouth as he explored her inner and moist cavern. It was disgusting. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. Satouru wasn't pulling away from her, and he only prolonged the kiss, but Kagome couldn't take this any longer.
Determined to hopefully put an end to this, she bit down hard on his tongue, the taste of blood suddenly filling her own mouth. In an instant, he pushed his weight off her, still looming over her form, holding a hand to his mouth as the blood slipped from his lips.
"You fucking wench!"
His large hands found her neck suddenly, squeezing it in hopes of knocking her unconscious, but Kagome held on, trying her best to pull his hands from her neck. Relentlessly, she kicked her legs, her mouth opening to regain oxygen, but he was determined to end her here and now.
It was to her relief; her prayers had been answered. One moment Satouru was choking her, and the next, he was lying flat on his back a short distance away from her. Immediately sitting up, closing her kimono around her to hide her shame, her blue eyes looked up at the person standing before her, shielding her from harm.
"Kosuke!" He had come to her rescue, and just in time!
After having finally caught up to them, following the trail left behind by Kagome's struggling, he almost didn't make it in time. Yet the sight of Satouru sitting above Kagome completely set him off, and he pulled him off her, kneeing him hard in the stomach before throwing him onto the forest ground.
He was relieved she was alright, and by her appearance, it didn't seem like she had been harmed. Kneeling at her side, her scrutinized her disheveled appearance, his hands brushing against her cheeks worryingly. "Did he touch you?"
As she fiddled with her obi, tying it around her waist as tightly as she could, she nodded to him. "I'm alright. Thank you for saving me." However, she couldn't stop her body from trembling at what could have happened. If he hadn't arrived like he did, she would have suffered and quite possibly would have been killed.
Although he still wasn't convinced, noticing the handprints around her neck where he'd choked her, he turned his glare over his shoulder, watching as Satouru grumbly tried to regain his standing. Realizing he would be on his feet within moments, Kosuke turned back to Kagome, helping her to her feet before pushing her away from the area. "Go in that direction back to the village. I'll take care of him."
"But Kosuke!" She cried, shaking her head disapprovingly. She was thankful he saved her, but she wouldn't leave him out in the woods alone with this creep. There was no telling what Satouru would do to him. When she noticed the creep reach out towards Kosuke in a threatening manner, Kagome shrieked. "Watch out!"
Unable to avoid his approach, Kosuke was tossed to the ground, where he painfully fell onto sharp rocks. The stone's rough edges pushed themselves into his flesh, and he did his best not to cry out in pain. "K-Kagome run!"
She didn't. Instead she knelt at his side, trying her best to help him up. "I'm not leaving you behind."
"You should mind your own business Kosuke and stay out of my affairs! This doesn't concern you!" Satouru growled, stepping close to the two. Since Kosuke had fallen, he turned his sights back to Kagome, who was glaring angrily at him. "Now then, where were we?"
At his approach, Kosuke regained his standing, placing himself between Kagome and Satouru. "You'll have to go through me first!"
"Kosuke…"
Satouru's gaze narrowed. It seemed he had lost his erection, no thanks to this bastard. Since the girl was still hanging around, he was sure he could get her again and have his way with her, but first he had to get rid of this annoyance.
"Kagome run back to the village!" Kosuke replied. "I'll try holding him off."
It was now clear to her what Satouru's intentions were, and she felt nervousness in the pit of her stomach. He was going to kill Kosuke. Could she outrun him back to the village? Was it ok to leave him alone against this brute?
"Kosuke … are you sure?" She didn't want to leave him. Everything in her gut told her to stay with him, but he wanted her to flee to safety.
"If you are away from here, I'll be able to focus on the fight. I don't want any more danger to fall upon you," He replied. "Don't worry yourself. Just hurry up."
Nodding, Kagome quickly darted around Kosuke, narrowingly missing Satouru who tried to grab her at the last minute, and as she fled through the woods, in the direction he had pointed, Kagome wondered if she should take that chance to escape from everyone entirely.
The village was just beyond the trees and as she paused on her trek half way, Kagome couldn't help but worry about the young man who had stepped in to save her. Would he be alright? Something told her to simply return to Kaede's hut but the rational side of her said to go back and help the guy.
Grimacing from his place on the ground, Kosuke struggled to stand up, watching his opponent cautiously. So far, he hadn't chased after the young girl, but he was pissed he lost his chance. Standing up, he dodged another punch, side stepping before grabbing Satouru by the waist, forcing him down onto the ground. It was difficult holding him there.
"Satouru enough! You're a better man than this! What has gotten into you?"
He growled before kicking him off, this time pinning the young man below him. "I warned you to back off! Why should you care what I do with that wench?"
Kosuke struggled beneath him. "Don't you understand that she deserves better than that?"
"Deserves better? The wench had it coming parading around the woods dressed like some whore! Of course, I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity like this!"
He was an animal, and Kosuke wondered just how many women he had come to harm during his years. If Kaede knew, he would literally be kicked from the village. "Sorry to break it to you but you can't have her!"
At this, Kosuke managed to raise his knee into the man's gut, and as his opponent winced at the slight injury, he rolled out of the way to regain his standing, but Satouru was quick to retaliate, knocking him from his feet once more, causing Kosuke to hit the back of his head on a rock.
The injury caused him to pause, grimacing as fresh blood seeped from the wound. The sight of Satouru hovering over him urged Kosuke to back away, but his efforts proved useless when he backed into a tree.
"I'll teach you never to interfere again!" With a raise of his arm, he hurdled his fist straight for Kosuke's face, but the hit never came. Instead, a resounding smack was heard, the sound resonating all throughout the woods, followed after by the sound of a body falling onto the forest floor.
To Kosuke's surprise and relief, it was Kagome. She had returned, and with a rather large tree branch in hand, she had smacked Satouru in the back of the head, and he laid there, unmoving at his feet. "Kagome…"
Her hand was held to her chest, and as she tried regaining her breathing, she stepped closer to him. "Are you okay?" She asked, chucking the branch as she bent down to help Kosuke to his feet. As he struggled to stand, Kagome noticed a trail of blood staining his clothing. From the sight of fresh blood oozing from the side of his head, she jumped back. "You're bleeding!"
He waved it off. "I'm fine. Come." Now wasn't the time to be standing in the woods. He was bleeding, they both were, what with Kagome's feet cut up during her struggles prior. If they remained any longer in these woods, he was sure the scent of their blood would bring danger upon them. "We must quickly return to the village."
"Here, let me help you. You're bleeding pretty badly…" She despondently replied, but he only ignored it. As she looked down at Satouru, lying unconscious before them, Kagome couldn't help but feel her eye twitch. "What about him?"
Kosuke looked him over. As much as he would love to leave the idiot behind to be feasted upon by the demons, he knew he would eventually be overwhelmed by guilt. "We should carry him back. Lady Kaede will be informed about this matter in great detail. Whatever punishment he receives will be of no consequence to us."
Carry him back? But how could they manager that? With Kosuke injured, Kagome knew her strength wasn't enough to lift the man and carry him all the way without having to stop multiple times to catch their breaths and rest. She wanted to flat out leave him behind, but her better judgement got the better of her. "Fine…"
Yet as they attempted to lift him from the ground, a strange wind blew through the forest, followed after by a high-pitched growl. The wind chilled them, and they turned their heads in question at the sudden drop in temperature.
The hairs on Kosuke's arms immediately sprang up, and his eyes cautiously searched the woods, eying the trees suspiciously. Something was out there, and that something wasn't human. "We must go."
She saw the fear in his eyes, the sudden rigidness in his posture as he pulled Kosuke ahead. As she glanced behind her, she thought she saw something move through the trees, but her better judgement told her to quickly follow after Kosuke. Was it a demon?
Before either of them could put any distance between themselves and the source of their alarm, a fierce wind swept past them, knocking them off their feet entirely. Satouru's body was flung a short distance away as the two struggled to regain their standing.
"What was that?" Kagome cried as she slowly rose to her feet, but before she could say anything more, she was immediately silenced when Kosuke raised his arm in front of her. As her eyes followed his, the sight of a horrifying creature towered before them.
Numerous black insect legs moved on their own accord, its length abnormally long for any normal sized bug Kagome had ever laid eyes upon. What made this insect even more strange was it had the torso and head of an ample breasted human woman with fair skin, her eye brows small and rounded above her wide eyes. Long black hair fell along its slithering reddened body, and its six arms held out on either side of its torso.
It couldn't be. It was impossible! How could it be that this demon was alive once more? Kosuke backed away, his brown eyes widening fearfully at the sight of Mistress Centipede. Somehow, she had revived once more, and this time, to terrorize them.
The sight of this creature frightened her, and she couldn't help but tremble as its body slithered this way and that, inching its way closer to the pair. "W-What is that thing?!"
"I thought I sensed incredible powers … it's you, isn't it?"
What was it talking about? Its voice sent chills down her spine, and Kagome couldn't help but suddenly notice its large fangs peeking out from its mouth. That thing was a demon. Of course, it had to be a bug demon!
Not bothering to pay the creature's words any attention, Kosuke bent down and grasped a few stones in hand, putting himself between Kagome and Mistress Centipede. "Back away demon!"
In an instant, its tail like body swung towards them, knocking him off his feet and hurdled him out of its path. The effects of its attack pushed Kagome off her feet, and she fell onto the ground, her blue eyes startled as she saw Kosuke lying a distance away from her, struggling to lift himself up.
"Kosuke!" She cried.
It turned on Kagome, lifting its body higher into the air, its multiple hands opening and closing as it hoped to fling itself at her to obtain the power from her little human body. "I must have it! I must!"
All at once, it sprang towards her, and Kagome quickly dodged the attack, falling onto her side as it passed her. Its legs barely brushed across her skin, causing her to slightly tense up.
"Kagome don't let it touch you!" He cried out. "This monster is capable of paralyzing its victims!"
Well wasn't that lovely? As it hurdled its body for her once more, its arms extended out to grab her, Kagome flung herself out of its path once more before jumping to her feet seconds later.
With one last look behind her, Kagome sprinted away from the beast, realizing it was following after, not at all interested in Kosuke or Satouru. 'This demon … it's after me!'
"Kagome!"
As she fled behind trees, and leapt over bushes, she briefly glanced back over her shoulder where Kosuke was struggling to back to his feet. "I'll lure it away! Quick get help!" She wasn't sure if he heard her or not, but the sounds of trees snapping behind her, toppling to the ground noisily urged her forward.
The men of the village bustled from the huts, scythes and farming tools in hand as they awaited their lady's orders near the entrance to the forest. Kaede emerged, her aged form seated upon a brown horse, the reins held tightly in her grasp as she ushered it forward.
"We must find Kagome!" She replied, her voice loud as her eyes narrowed at the dangerous woods before her. The child was dragged there, and although she didn't know the intentions behind it, she knew of the unspeakable dangers outside the barrier. Satouru was a fool for doing this.
Yet as she ushered the horse forward, her men following behind quickly, she sensed a demonic energy on the wind, one very familiar to her, one she remembered years before. It couldn't be. This energy was foreboding and filled with malicious intent, the same energy belonging to a terrifying demon which perished fifty years ago.
"It can't be … how is it possible…" Was she mistaken? No. She recognized the demonic aura all too well.
"Lady Kaede?" One of the village men called out, noticing a sudden shift in the High Priestess's behavior.
She narrowed her gaze, her grip tightening on the reins as she ushered the horse forward into a full gallop, despite the village men protesting behind. If this creature was indeed alive, then that child's safety was a top priority. Then again, perhaps this was what was needed to bring about the child's full potential, the power lying dormant within her small body.
As the horse galloped around the never-ending trees, her five men following quickly behind on horseback, the remaining on foot, a fierce wind swept past them. Her horse reared its body back, shaking its head as it refused to go any further, but Kaede was persistent, nudging its sides with her feet.
"Lady Kaede, I think there might be a demon nearby!"
Kaede nodded. There surely was. "Search that way!" She ordered those on foot to search the surrounding area, and as instructed, they did just that, disappearing past the trees in search of the ebony haired girl. "We must not leave one inch of this forest unsearched! Find Kagome!"
There was a shout up ahead from one of her men, and Kaede turned at this, her heart caught in her throat. They had found something. Pulling on her reins, she pushed her horse on, those on horseback following just as quickly.
Eventually they arrived upon an area where the trees were forcibly uprooted from the ground, lying all over the small clearing, branches lying strewn here and there messily. The work was obviously that of a demon, and there was only one demon capable of doing just that.
Those on foot crowded around Kosuke, who was slightly injured from his fall mere moments ago. As he was helped to his feet, while the others assisted Satouru, who was still unconscious from his hit in the head, Kaede called out to Kosuke.
"Are ye alright? Where is Kagome? What has happened here?!"
Straining to keep himself upright with the support from the guys, he looked off in the direction Kagome had fled, the path where the trees were uprooted. "We were attacked. You spoke long ago about a monster that once dwelled within these woods when you were a child. I believe that same monster has resurfaced! It was as fearsome as you once described!"
"It is as I feared…" She followed Kosuke's line of sight before looking back at her men. "Get those two back to the village!"
Kagome wasn't sure how much longer she could keep running. Her legs were hurting from her long strides through the forest, the terrifying monster hot on her trail. It seemed no matter which direction she turned, it was determined to sink its fangs into her.
"Get back here!" It screeched.
She had to keep moving. By now she was sure Kosuke had returned to the village safely. Now the only question for her was, should she head back in that direction?
'I just want to go home…'
Ducking under a fallen log, her legs carried her down a familiar path, one she remembered traveling over a week ago. The area was less dense, and as she pressed on, she ran past two familiar graves, her eyes widening as a sense of excitement filled her.
The graves! That meant she was almost to the tree! Just a little further; she could do that, right? As her steps quickened, Kagome briefly glanced over her shoulder, but to her astonishment, the monster was gone. For some reason, it had completely backed off, and it gave Kagome just enough time to put some distance between herself and it.
The Goshinboku tree came into sight not long after, and as she finally stood before it, her hands brushing onto the rough bark, she couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes. She had finally made it, back to the tree which had brought her to this hellish place.
When she finally stopped before it, Kagome raised her fists, pounding onto its rough exterior. "M-Mom … Souta … grandpa!" She cried out.
It had to work. Somehow it had to take her back home, back to her family, back to her own era. Kagome didn't belong in this world; she didn't understand it and she feared the monsters.
"Take me back! Take me back home!" She cried, pounding onto the tree harder, her hands scraping against the bark, but that didn't stop her. "Please!"
To her disappointment, nothing was happening, and she found herself staring intently at the tree, looking for any signs of distortion like before. There was nothing.
"Souta! Anyone!"
"Great spirit of the tree, bring Kagome back to us!"
The loud jingling of bells resonated upon the Higurashi Shrine that fateful night as the full moon was well above them, its light gleaming upon the elderly priest and his ceremonial staff.
As he stood before the great Goshinboku, his staff raised high above his head, he continued his chants. Beside him, Souta was holding a small bucket of clean water, purified since that morning by his grandfather. One after another, the boy threw water onto the bark of the tree as his grandfather circled it.
"It's not working…" Souta muttered dismally, but his grandfather only ignored it, resuming his repetitive chants.
More over a week ago, his sister had been taken by the tree, pulled through and gone without a trace. It was the craziest thing he had ever witnessed in his life, and if he had heard of trees swallowing people, he wouldn't have believed it.
"Great spirit of the tree, bring Kagome back to us!"
Mrs. Higurashi watched from her kitchen window as she prepared a midnight snack for the two. Since this morning, for days on end, her grandfather and her son stood before the old tree, murmuring chants and sprinkling water onto its bark in hopes of bringing back Kagome.
"How long has it been…" Mrs. Higurashi pondered this as she rinsed her hands in the sink, her eyes downcast as she thought of her daughter.
Well over a week ago, after her graduation, they had returned home to have supper and celebrate. Nothing had seemed off; Kagome was helping Souta practice with his soccer, and shortly after, that's when she heard Kagome and Souta's screams from the yard. Mrs. Higurashi thought nothing of it at first, but when she heard Kagome's scream continuing, she knew something was wrong.
When she ran out the door, followed after by grandpa, she saw Souta pounding mercilessly upon the old tree, tears falling from his eyes. Her daughter was nowhere within the vicinity, and when they approached Souta, he explained that the tree had swallowed Kagome.
It was an unbelievable story, at least to anyone else who would have heard it, but she believed her son. Souta had never lied to her, and having seen the fear upon his face, she knew it had to be true.
Grandpa had been sure the tree was cursed, spouting nonsense that it was a demon, like usual. She knew better than to call the police, and she wanted to believe her daughter would return to them soon, but she was growing wary as the days dragged on. Was her daughter okay?
"Great spirit of the tree, bring Kagome back to us!"
Sighing, she returned what was left of the lunch meat and cheese back to the refrigerator and returned the bread back into the cabinet. With two plates filled with sandwiches for the two, Mrs. Higurashi set the plates onto the dining table in the living room and exited the house to join her family outside.
With the bucket completely emptied of its contents, Souta looked at his grandfather, who was already making his hundredth oscillation around the tree, his staff jingling with each swing. "Grandpa, I think we should stop for the night."
Lowering his staff, he looked at Souta and back at the tree. It was no use. No matter how many times he said his chants, it just wasn't working. Perhaps he was doing something wrong? Surely he was doing everything by the book, just like his ancestors.
"Why don't you two come in? I've made snacks," Mrs. Higurashi said, standing behind the two, her hands pressed gently into the old man's shoulders. "It's getting cooler out. You'll both catch cold."
The old priest sighed, his staff lowered as he followed beside his daughter. "I just don't understand why my chants aren't working…"
As he watched the two slowly approach the house, Souta looked back at the tree where he had thrown the holy water. Kagome. Was she alright? Where inside the tree did she go? He was sure he hadn't imagined the whole thing.
"Souta, come inside dear," Mrs. Higurashi called from the porch, his grandfather beside her looking back dismally.
Looking back towards the house, he couldn't help but release a sigh. With the bucket held loosely in his hand, he began his slow walk towards the house, but a sudden wind brushed past him and with it, he heard a voice.
"Souta! Anyone!"
Brown eyes widened at the sound, and Souta turned towards the tree behind him. That voice! He recognized it all too well. "Kagome?!" He cried out, approaching the tree suddenly, his hands gliding upon the rough bark. "Kagome! Kagome, are you there?!"
Upon seeing her son return before the tree, calling out to her daughter, Mrs. Higurashi immediately ran from the porch, her heart pounding anxiously. Did something happen? Had grandfather's chants started to work?
"Kagome! Can you hear me?!" Souta cried out, banging his fists onto the tree repetitively. He was sure he heard her voice just now.
"Souta?" Mrs. Higurashi called, her hand pressed onto his shoulder curiously. Her eyes scanned the tree, hoping to find some sign of her daughter within in, but she didn't see anything. "What happened?"
"Souta! Mom is that you?!"
Mrs. Higurashi's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes widening as tears flooded her vision. Her baby girl, her baby girl was there! "Kagome! Kagome, are you alright?!"
"Sis! Where are you?!" Souta cried.
As grandpa Higurashi approached the tree, his eyes squinting past his daughter and grandson's shoulder, he suddenly saw the tree's bark distort, swirling before their very eyes. It had worked! His chant had finally worked!
As the family stared at this strange phenomenon, the swirling distortion suddenly showed a forest on the other side of the bark and right before their eyes, they saw Kagome. Their daughter was dressed in a ragged brown kimono, her face dirtied and her hair in tangles along her back. All in all, she was there before their very eyes, and she was alive.
Kagome's eyes widened, and she pushed herself closer to the tree, feeling the familiar rippling effects before her, but she couldn't seem to push herself into the bark to return home. "Mom! Souta! Grandpa!" Tears fell from her eyes.
"Kagome, where are you?" Souta asked, looking past Kagome at the strange woods behind her.
As she wiped at her tears, she couldn't help but cautiously look back, hoping there were no signs of that centipede monster. Thankful the area around her was peaceful, she turned back to her family. "I know this sounds unbelievable … but I think the tree took me back in time. I'm in the Feudal Era."
"The Feudal Era? How is that even possible?" Grandpa asked, eyeing the tree warily. He never knew this old thing had such powers. Perhaps it really was demonic. "Don't worry Kagome. We'll get you out of there!"
Her hands pressed against the hard bark, but she couldn't fight off the tears from falling. She could finally see her family again, and they were so close yet so far from her.
"Demon, bring back my granddaughter!" The old man bellowed, raising his staff before the Goshinboku expectantly. "With the power of my staff, I command you to bring Kagome back!"
"Don't cry, honey," Mrs. Higurashi said soothingly, touching the bark as she looked upon her crying daughter. "We'll get you back."
"Mom…" Her shoulders trembled, and she wanted so badly to hug her family again. "This world is awful…"
As grandpa continued his chants, more aggressively this time, Souta couldn't help put hit the bark with his fist once more, not caring if his knuckles bled. Despite his mother's worry, she didn't stop him. To his relief, the area around his hand felt like liquid and it slipped through onto the other side. It worked!
When his hand slipped through the bark somehow, Kagome's eyes widened at the sight. The tree was once again allowing someone to passage through, and she realized this was probably her final chance returning home.
"Sis, my hand! Take it!"
He didn't have to ask her twice. She reached for his hand, and grasping tightly onto her, he pulled with all his strength, managing to partially bring her wrist on the other side of the tree. So far it was working, but his strength alone wasn't enough.
To Souta's relief, his mother joined in while grandpa continued his chanting, believing that by doing so would keep the portal open longer to bring Kagome back entirely. As the two struggled to pull, something unexpected happened and a strange jolt of electricity pushed them apart.
Falling back onto her rump, Kagome looked up at the tree, her family on the other side just as surprised. It was as if there was a barrier keeping her from returning home.
Souta almost cursed, his fists banging onto the bark once more. "What happened?!"
"A barrier?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.
As perplexing as it seemed, grandpa didn't give up, and he felt sweat accumulate upon his forehead, dripping down the sides of his face as he waved around his staff. Eventually, exhaustion overwhelmed him and he lowered it.
Something on the other side of the portal caught Souta's attention. It was fast, its enormous body slithering just behind his sister, it's hands reaching out towards Kagome. "Sis, behind you!"
She turned suddenly, witnessing a few trees toppling over beside her, and she saw the towering form of the centipede before her, its fangs glistening in the moonlight.
"I must have it! I must!" The demon bellowed.
Upon seeing the entire form of Mistress Centipede, the Higurashi Family nearly shrieked at the sight. It was a terrifying creature, the likes of which they had only heard of in grandpa's stories. "What the heck is that thing?!" Souta cried.
"Demon begone!" Grandpa showed, waving his staff before the tree, but his efforts were futile.
This wasn't happening. As she warily watched it, she turned back to the tree, her face streaked with tears as she banged her fists onto the bark. The tree had to take her back. It just had to! "Please, take me back! Take me back home!"
As Mistress Centipede began closing in behind the young girl, her family watching in horror, grandpa pushed Souta of the way and forced his fist into the bark of the tree, the bark distorting around his entire wrist. When he did this, his hand reappeared on the other side with his staff held out to his granddaughter.
Kagome gasped, recognizing the golden and elaborate staff mainly used in ceremonies. The look on her grandpa's face told her it was her battle to win against. Without a second thought, she took the staff from his outstretched hand and turned as quickly as she could towards the centipede demon.
"Give me the sacred jewel!"
"Stop it!" She cried, pushing the staff towards the approaching demon.
As the demon opened its arms to grab onto the girl, a sudden gust of wind propelled itself from the staff, and the centipede fell back, its entire body collapsing onto the ground.
Though her eyes were closed when this happened, the young girl couldn't help but open her eyes, gasping when she saw the demon sprawled out on the ground, its three arms ripped from its torso. Had the staff injured it?
"How did that happen?"
Her family was left speechless at the sight, and her grandpa couldn't help but rejoice in a celebratory dance. Unfortunately, the situation between the demon and Kagome was far from over.
It's eyes suddenly shot open, bleeding red as its true form emerged. Kagome fell back at the sight of its sudden transformation. It's once porcelain skin had unexpectedly shed itself before her very eyes, revealing blotchy reddish purple flesh underneath. Its appearance was more demonic and frightening than before.
It wasn't over yet! She held the staff before her in defense, her legs spread apart as she prepared to leap out of the way if it should jump at her. But it was merely staring at her, its body convulsing as heaved before her. There was a hungry thirst in its eyes, and Kagome stepped away.
It was going to eat her, she was sure of it. Swallowing her fear, she held the staff tightly before her, aiming it at the beast. "I'm not afraid of you!"
Mistress Centipede moved suddenly and her movements were so fast, its entire body had wrapped itself around Kagome tightly. It was done playing cat and mouse with its victim, and it approached her form, its teeth prepared to sink into her flesh where it sensed the power.
"It's crushing me…" Kagome gritted her teeth, her arms bound at her sides as it's disgusting body tightened around her. She couldn't move. Any tighter and she was sure her bones would break.
How strange, even as its body constricted around the human, for some reason she was not affected by its paralysis. Inside her, or more precisely, it sensed the Shikon No Tama, a Jewel once said to exist years ago. It had resurfaced, and it was within the human's chest, shining brightly before its very eyes.
With that power, it could become whole once more and more powerful! It leaned into her, its fangs inching closer to the child. Yet even as it approached the girl, Mistress Centipede couldn't help but hear mysterious screams somewhere within the woods calling out for it to stop. Wherever those voices were coming from, it paid it no attention.
"L-let … go! Let go of me!"
Without any warning, a sudden burst of blue energy radiated off the girl. The light was so bright and intense, it blinded the demon, burning its flesh with an incredible amount of power.
Releasing its hold on the girl, it slithered away, covering its face with one of its arms agonizingly. "It hurts! It hurts!"
As Kagome fell onto the ground, scraping her arm and legs from her fall, she achingly pushed herself onto her hands and knees and looked back briefly at the monster. The demon collided dangerously against the trees of the woods, its elongated body swiping this way and that as it shrieked.
"Kagome!" Souta cried out suddenly.
Looking back, Kagome saw that his hand had once again forced itself through the bark of the tree, and determined to try once more, she leapt to her feet and reached out.
An arrow, blessed with spiritual powers, suddenly soared past the girl, its aim directed at the beast. As Kagome grabbed onto Souta's hand, unaware of the arrow, a blinding pink light lit up the woods behind her suddenly. Witnessing the bright light, Mrs. Higurashi, Souta and Grandpa pulled with all their might, and with their strength combined, they finally broke through the barrier.
Propelled through the barrier of the Goshinboku, the momentum behind her fall forced Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome onto the ground, her daughter held tightly in her arms. It had worked!
"Mom!" She cried, hugging her mother just as tightly.
"Kagome! Are you alright?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, pulling away to smooth back her daughter's tangled hair. There was dirt all over her baby's face, and on closer inspection, she noticed a trail of dried blood at her bottom lip. Had someone hit her?
Before Souta could jump for joy and embrace his sister, something smacked him in the back, and he turned questionably. Looking down at his feet, he fell back onto his butt at the sight of the demon's head lying upon the ground, its bleeding red eyes gazing back at him unmoving. "Ahh!"
Upon seeing this, Mrs. Higurashi held her daughter tightly in her arms, gasping at the sight. Grandpa was fast, and reaching for the staff at Kagome's side, he picked it up and slammed its non-decorative base at the head of the foul beast.
In an instant, its head suddenly disintegrated, its ashes returning back into the bark of the tree, back to that terrifying world. Believing his priest powers were still just as great as they were years ago, he turned to his family, his chest puffed outwards proudly.
As the boy looked at his grandfather in amazement, he saw the distortion upon the bark of the tree suddenly close. It was as if there hadn't been a portal there to begin with. "Whoa. Gramps you did it!"
"Of course! I told you we would bring Kagome back. It takes a rigorous amount of time and effort, Souta," He preached, and the child couldn't help but smile brightly.
Since the Goshinboku tree had returned to normal, and the fact that she was back home with her family, Kagome could do nothing more but let her tears fall. It was like she had woken up from a bad nightmare, but the memories and the bruises remained.
"It's alright Kagome … You're safe now," Her mother soothed, rubbing her back softly.