Chapter 16

Huffing and puffing, Kagome focused on one step then the next, firmly ignoring the burn in her quads.

Going up and down the long series of steps to the shrine and back could be construed as a good workout at most once a day… doing it twice felt closer to torture. Although Kagome would like to think that she'd gotten way more physically fit after falling through the well, it seemed stairs would always be her downfall. It didn't matter if she could easily run several kilometers, give her stairs and it'd knock the wind out of her.

Kagome could just picture where she sat the basket down, full to the brim with medicinal herbs and then promptly forgot to bring it with her in the rush to head back to the village. It was out in the open and its contents would be ruined if it rained.

An eternity later, she dragged her jelly legs up to the last paved landing, placing one arm on the pillar of the torii for support. After catching her breath, she scanned the area sheepishly, half hoping not to run into Kikyou. There really was no real reason for it, but Kagome felt this strange need to prove to the priestess that she is make a real contribution to the village all the same.

True to her wishes, aside from the gentle rush of the breeze around the serene buildings, there was no one around. It never ceased to amaze her, how peaceful the shrine was, especially on mild days. Even though the structures were made from common materials, with the intent of utility, it was clear that the place was cared for meticulously.

Kagome spotted the target basket sitting innocently beside the paved stone path, and scooped it up, tucking it easily in the crook of an elbow.

The times, she'd visited, it had been with Kaede and they were always in a hurry… perhaps it wouldn't hurt to take little detour around the grounds, given the opportunity. There were noticeable, if subtle differences in the layout of the buildings compared with her family's shrine with some being much smaller or just a sheltered area instead of a fully erected structure. It made sense, given that this shrine served a much smaller population, even if neighbouring villages did come to worship.

She wondered at times what made them eventually relocate to the area around the dry well in the future? Or maybe this was a parallel universe? A fair share of science fiction novels had made their way into Kagome's reading material, before she got herself into this current mess.

Rounding the corner absentmindedly, her eyes landed on a familiar figure in the distance—one she one hundred percent did not expect to see. The person's back was to her, but the long glossy hair tied into a neat tail at the small of her back, and the crisp red and white of miko attire meant only one person.

A murmur of Kikyou's voice, to indistinct to make out actual words from such a distance, made Kagome freeze. She watched as the miko continued to make meditated sweeps, clearing the far cobble perimeter of debris. Eyes darting around to seek out who was with Kikyou, she saw a flash of bright red in the canopy of the woods even further away, deep beyond the shrine's grounds.

Without a second thought, not knowing what possessed her to do so, Kagome took the half step back, as quietly as she possibly could. Safely retreated behind the corner of the building, she continued to back away as softly as possible, clutching her breath and basket to her chest.

It was only until she reached the top of the stairs and stumbled several steps down that she let herself breathe again.

She didn't know why she reacted like that.

Even so, she kept descending, the part of her that had been triggered to flee still very much in control and wanting to put as much distance as possible between her and the shrine.

The normal reaction would've been to keep walking and chirp out a 'good morning'. It was clearly Kikyou and Inuyasha—because no one else wore clothes that colour and preferred to sit up in trees. It wasn't like she didn't know them. It wasn't like she wasn't friendly with, at least, one of them. Cordial at the very least. There was really no reason at all for her to have run away like she was chased by a wild animal.

But something still made her chest clutch weirdly, making it difficult for her breath to exit her throat without hitching. Why did she feel so strange seeing Kikyou and Inuyasha together? Of course they would talk sometimes. Hell, from what she gathered, he'd arrived at the village before her and befriended Kikyou and Kaede. It was just like when she and Inuyasha and Kaede hung out together while Kikyou was working. Was it any different?

Yet, even though there was so much space between the two of them, Kagome felt she was interrupting something. And she didn't want to be an intruder, so she ran.

Kagome frowned, rubbing her sternum with one hand. Maybe she was coming down with something?

Thanking the heavens she was downwind (not that she would've ever paid attention to these sorts of things before dropping into a world of youkai and their senses), she continued the steps back down to the main road. With a little luck on her side, hopefully Inuyasha wouldn't have sensed her and she wouldn't have to explain why she was being a weirdo.

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A/N: And here we are… will have to happen sometime yes?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. However, this plot, the exact sequence of words and any original characters described therein, I reserve all rights to.