Fanfic: Twisted - Chapter 1
Title: Twisted - Chapter 1
Pairing/Character: Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha
Word Count: 3828 words
Chapters: 1 of 11
Rating: T
Genre: Mystery, action, adventure, Cannon Universe with a Twist
disclaimer: The characters and world of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Warnings: Violence
Story Description: A girl awakens to find that she is now living the life of Kagome, time travel and all. Inadvertently reshaping the world around her, Kagome begins to realize just how twisted her path is becoming.
Chapter Description: Kagome awakens in a bed she doesn't recognize, with a brother she doesn't know and a well that takes her on an eerily familiar journey to the past...
Twisted
By Sarga
Chapter 1: Great Beginnings
“Loud noise...why does it have to be so loud? Can't I keep sleeping?”
- - - - - - - - - -
“...sis? Hey sis, wake up!” the timid voice of a young boy broke through the young girl's dreams, pulling her from their enchanting depths. Her dark-brown curls floated about her like a hazy cloud, shielding her from the reality of the waking world.
Rolling over in annoyance the girl squished her eyes shut in revolt against the boy's unwelcome intrusion. Groping blindly for a spare pillow, she shoved it against her ear as her body rolled towards the wall, blocking out the annoyance that was her little brother. Finally, she could go back to sleep...
She felt a small hand shake her shoulder, once again pulling her back into the waking world.
The young girl grunted in sleep-muted rage, flinging her pillow blindly behind her. In a stubborn show of denial, she pulled her blanket swiftly above her head. Finally conceding that she had lost, the girl sighed. She would not be going back to sleep any time soon.
“Sis, Buyou's missing!” the boy's voice, laced with worry, pierced through her cocoon once more.
The girl sleepily rubbed her eyes, still hidden underneath her covers. 'Buyou? My stuffed toy cat? What is he talking about?' She sat up suddenly and ripped the blanket downwards in an annoyed huff.
“You'd better start making some sense, mister...” the girl warned, her threat trailing off into disbelief as she caught sight of her surroundings. This was most definitely not her bedroom. And the boy in front of her? He was most definitely not her brother.
“What the...?” The girl's shock was drained away at the sight of the boy's pale complexion, his face taut with worry.
“Sis,” the boy continued, oblivious to her unrecognizing stare. “We have to go find him, he's been missing for a couple of hours now.” Finally noticing her unflinching gaze, he shifted slightly, clearing his throat nervously before continuing. “He's an indoor cat, what if he got chased up a tree?”
The girl blinked. He did not seem to think she was out of place, in fact, he still called her 'Sis' like she actually was his sister. And while he may not have been her brother, he did look quite familiar. She wracked her brain to put a name with his distressed face, his tearful eyes pleading for her help.
She thought to herself as she tried to 'Wait a minute! Buyou's a cat...'
“Souta?” she asked questioningly. 'What is this, a dream? I'm stuck inside an Inuyasha episode?' She blinked to clear her thoughts as she saw the boy's panic threaten to overwhelm him, and gave in to his plea for help. What else could she do?
“I'll help you find Buyou,” she began hesitantly. “I just need...to get dressed first.” The girl shifted uncomfortably in her pyjamas. 'Even if I am in a dream, I am not going outside like this!'
Relief flooded the young boy's figure as he acknowledged her ascent. Hugging her briefly, the boy called out his thanks as he fled the room. “Thank you so much, Kagome!”
Kagome was left in a stunned silence as the boy slammed the door shut behind him.
“Kagome?” she whispered curiously. “So now I'm the main character.” The girl shook her head lightly, and peered towards her closet. “I guess I'm 'Kagome' for a while...” she muttered.
Pulling herself completely from beneath her blankets, Kagome stood and headed towards the small closet in search of something suitable to wear. Opening the closet door she was struck with a pang of distaste as she saw the contents. A strikingly familiar outfit lay before her, several outfits in fact, all the same green, white and red high school uniform.
“You've got to be kidding me?” Kagome pulled out one of the uniforms and hastily pulled it on. “Of course I would have to be in character!” Kagome groaned. She would worry about it later, for now there was a scared boy worried about a cat.
'Kagome's cat Buyou, of course,' Kagome mused with a roll of her eyes as she tucked her shirt neatly into her skirt. Pulling on her sneakers, she opened the door and was met with the sight of an anxious young boy.
“Souta?” she asked, allowing herself to get used to the name.
“Yeah sis?” Souta looked at her expectantly.
“Um...” Kagome began. “Let's go find Buyou?” she asked weakly, sighing in relief as the boy led the way out of the house.
As they exited the front door, Kagome was left to contemplate the psychological ramifications of inserting one's self into an episode of a well liked anime series via her dreams. She followed her 'brother' quietly as she lost herself in thought, the boy seemingly knowing exactly where he should look.
'I'm here, in an anime, playing the part of one of the main characters. So, where's Inuyasha? Shouldn't he be waiting to take me back to the feudal era or something? Man, I'm going to have such a headache when I wake up...'
The boy stopped in front of a dilapidated building, its door sliding easily open, despite its apparent state of disuse. Stepping inside, Kagome saw a familiar sight, an old well in the centre of a darkened building. Curiosity getting the better of her, the girl stepped down to the well's edge.
“I think I heard a sound earlier,” Souta whispered from behind her. “I know it's your birthday and everything, but could you go get Buyou?”
The girl wheeled around with a start. “My birthday...?” she asked in shock. 'This would be the first episode! I have to get away from here before...'
Too late.
As Kagome feared, a monstrous form broke forth from the well, its multitude of arms grasping for her.
“The jewel, I must have it! Give it to me!” the creature demanded as it pulled her into a surreal abyss.
'Okay, gotta think,' Kagome frantically racked her memory for what to do. With a panic-stricken recollection, she threw her hand in front of her and willed Kagome's mystical energy forth. Blazing blue energy streamed from her hand as one of the creature's arms fell to the ground with a sickening thump. As she fell to the ground, Kagome braced herself for the inevitable impact and was pleasantly surprised to find the landing gentle. Jumping quickly to her feet, Kagome was met with the solid stone walls of a shallow well.
'Well, at least I didn't faint,' she thought with a wry sense of humour as she began her ascent up the cracked mortar and stone.
Pulling herself over the edge of the well, Kagome confronted an astonishing, if expected, sight. The former buildings were all gone, replaced by a magnificent forest, its lush foliage bright and teeming with life.
“Wow,” the awe escaped from her lips as she looked towards the trees, trying to get her bearings. She let a small smile play on her lips as she headed towards the next step in her re-enactment of this interesting little charade.
As she pushed her way through the rough under-brush, Kagome saw her target looming over the rest of the forest, its ancient bark a testament to its long life. As she approached the sacred tree, she saw an eerie sight. After a brief pause, the body of a adolescent hanyou boy pinned to giant tree, seemingly bereft of life, urged her forward.
Pinned to the tree, his red clothing still bright and lifelike, the young hanyou looked to be sleeping peacefully. Snaking roots had a hold on his body, effectively adding to the security that the restraining arrow sought to instil. Kagome peered at his gentle, handsome, if somewhat rugged, face. Her eyes grew wide as she saw first-hand his defining feature.
With a sheepish grin, Kagome set forth, determined to feel for herself the soft skin of his ears. After all, she was playing her part, was she not?
Reaching gently to his ears, her grin growing in intensity, Kagome stroked Inuyasha's ears. The soft white fur, so delicate in her fingers, felt as if it were a fine silk. Were it not for the fact that they were attached to his head, she would have brushed them against her cheek to test their softness.
“Move away from the demon!” a rough voice demanded from behind her. The smile fled from her as she recognized the situation for it's parallel in the the show.
'Oh, no! What do I do!' Turning around slowly, the girl brought her hands up high above her head.
“Don't shoot,” she squeaked at the sight before her. A half dozen men surrounded her, their bows drawn taught, ready to fire at her with deadly precision. She carefully jumped down from her perch, making no further moves that might upset the obviously wary men.
Kagome found herself roughly flung to the ground as her arms and legs were bound together. Worried whispers flew about her as she tried to clear her dazed head. Panic over her immobilized state overwhelmed her. 'The demon will be after the jewel! I have to get out of here!'
“Please,” she begged. “Bring me to Lady Kaede. There's a demon that's going to attack, we need to defend the village!” Mentally applauding herself for her quick thinking, Kagome felt herself being hoisted onto the shoulder of one of the village men.
“What if she's a demon?” one of the men hissed at the man who carried her.
“What if she's telling the truth?” he spat back. “I've put Lady Kaede's special bindings on her. If she is a demon, she'll be restrained well enough until we get to the village. Her true intentions will be easily discovered under Lady Kaede's knowing eye.”
The argument seemingly won, Kagome watched the scenery from her uncomfortable vantage point. After a fair distance she was unceremoniously dropped onto a small straw mat in the middle of a hard packed dirt road. She looked about her, her vision clearing as her blood pulsed painfully in her head. 'Being carried upside down is not something I want to experience again!' she thought with a sigh.
Finally Kagome saw what she had been hoping for.
“Kaede!” Kagome squealed in joy. Story continuity be damned! She was not going to let herself become a victim of that horrible centipede thing.
“Do I know ye, child?” The old woman stared at Kagome warily as she replied.
'This could take longer than I have,' she realized in a panic. “I'm the reincarnation of your sister, Kikyo!” she blurted out, patting herself on the back for her quick thinking. While it may not be entirely true (she was just dreaming, after all), she was supposed to play her part. “I'm here from a distant village because I have seen of a great evil. I am an untrained miko and I have had visions of great peril.” A bit of a stretch, but she had seen great visions, they had just been on her television screen when she saw them. She was not actually lying...
Kaede stepped forward and pulled the young girl's face close to her own. The awkward position was quickly relinquished as the old woman gasped.
“Aye, I see the truth behind your words, child.” Reaching down to the girl's bindings, she easily loosened them, freeing her from the restraints. “What name do ye go by?” the old woman asked gently.
“My name's...” the girl paused, frowning as she thought of what to say. She didn't feel comfortable giving her real name, not here. It seemed almost sacrilegious. “My name's Kagome,” she said softly, rolling her adopted name around lightly in her head.
Standing, the old woman greeted her with a short bow.
“Welcome Kagome, please follow me to my home. Ye must be hungry.”
A sudden gurgle from her stomach made Kagome keenly aware of how hungry she was. Following the old woman obediently, she quickly came to a small hut at the edge of the village. Entering the hut, she was startled to smell a delicious aroma from within the familiar interior.
“That smells great, Kaede!” Kagome exclaimed expectantly.
“Aye, I thank ye,” the old woman replied with a small smile, moving to stir the contents of the pot located above a small cooking fire. Ladling out a portion into a small bowl, she handed it to the hungry girl. “Tell me more of this vision ye did have. I have not heard of an untrained miko who is able to see visions. This must be a strong peril to have overwhelmed your untrained senses.”
Kagome nodded solemnly and desperately searched for something that the old woman would believe. “I was forced into this vision by another, more trained miko. She gave me insight into her own vision when she knew that her life would soon be at an end.” Kagome mentally winced at the lie that she was telling. It was hard enough remembering all of the details of the anime, the last thing she needed was to add her own convoluted contributions to the plot.
Despite Kagome's dissatisfaction with her own words, the old miko simply nodded and accepted the story. Before the old woman could ask her more questions, Kagome continued onward in an attempt to realign her story with the more familiar one.
“I don't know where the miko came from, all I know is the truth to her vision. I bear within me the Shikon no Tama.” The old woman looked at Kagome with a startled glance, but let her continue uninterrupted. “I am the reincarnation of Kikyo and have been born with it as part of my body. There is a centipede demon who will try to take it back later today.” Kagome peered cautiously at the old woman and decided against telling her she would have to release Inuyasha in order to have the demon killed.
Another thought dawned on Kagome. “You'll have to move your sister's remains. There is a dark miko who seeks to resurrect your sister. With me being her reincarnation, she will only succeed in weakening me and prolonging Kikyo's suffering.”
'I hope that's all that I need to remember,' Kagome thought to herself as she allowed the old woman to absorb this startling revelation. She mentally ticked off elements on her invisible check-list. 'I have to keep the jewel on me at all times, not fire an arrow at a demon crow, wake up Inuyasha to save me from the demon...what else?' Kagome tapped her finger to her chin.
“Oh, yeah!” she exclaimed. “Would you happen to have a necklace capable of binding a hanyou to my will?” Kagome asked cryptically. She inwardly grinned at the thought of being able to pull Inuyasha to the ground with a word. It looked like so much fun in the show!
“Aye, child.” Kaede wore an expression of wary confusion on her withered face. “But why do ye be needing such a charm?”
Kagome bowed her head, unwilling to allow herself to lie again. “I...I can't tell you right now, but,” she looked up again, meeting the old woman's eye. “When I get chased out of here by the centipede demon, please bring it with you.” Kagome allowed her voice and eyes to plead with the old miko.
Kaede simply nodded her head, seemingly trusting the child before her.
“Aye, child. I have already prepared such a charm. Ye be a confusing miko, but ye seem to be telling the truth,” the old woman scratched her head and searched the room as Kagome fell deep into her own thoughts.
- - - - - - - - - -
The day slipped by quickly, the evening's light waning from the village. Kagome became nervous. The centipede demon had yet to approach and the wait was becoming almost unbearable.
Heralding the anticipated approach, the yells of several villagers resounded as wood splintered in the distance. Rushing from Kaede's hut, Kagome was met with the familiar sight of the demon who had attacked her earlier in the day.
Despite the knowledge that she would face the demon again, Kagome could not help but feel a sickening sense of foreboding as she actually came across the creature. It rushed towards her in a blindingly frenzy, demanding the jewel with a murderous lust.
“Get the necklace!” Kagome called to Kaede as she scrambled out of the demon's path. Picking herself off of the ground, Kagome raced towards the tree that restrained her hanyou savior. She could feel the demon behind her as it twisted towards her in pursuit. Momentarily distracted by the demon's sickening cries Kagome screamed as she tripped and nearly fell over a protruding tree root.
Panic welling up inside of her, Kagome let out a desperate plea for help, “Inuyasha, help me!” The frantic call was honest in its desire, borne from the real terror Kagome felt inside of herself.
Kagome screamed again as she raced blindly forward, the demon momentarily deflected from its path as the trees grew too thick for her to penetrate with her enormous form. Kagome forced herself onwards, relief flooding her as she reached the hanyou.
Inuyasha was awake.
Inuyasha was staring at her.
Inuyasha was taunting her.
“What's the matter, Kikyo. Why don't you just shoot it like you did me?” Kagome rolled her eyes as she ran up to the restrained hanyou. Relief gave her a sense of calm once more as she regained a little of her former security.
'Right, I forgot. He hates me right now because he thinks I'm Kikyo,' she thought as she pursed her lips in frustration, the pursuing demon all but forgotten.
“Do I smell like Kikyo?” Kagome demanded, moving to within inches of his restrained body. “Because I am most certainly not her. I'm Kagome. Ka-go-me!” Kagome winced as she mimicked the girl from the show. It was so trite...
Kagome looked behind her nervously as she recalled her pursuer. She lowered her voice a little, hoping that his reaction would be somewhat better this time around. “I've got the Shikon no Tama and that centipede demon is going to kill me for it. I,” she paused, not knowing how to phrase her request. “I need you to kill it.”
Inuyasha huffed. “Oh, yeah,” he rolled his eyes in disbelief. “The mighty Kikyo needs my help...”
At his words, Kagome's anger flared. Shoving her hair into his face, she screamed at him. “I said do I freaking smell like her?!”
Kagome was met with a small cough as Inuyasha barely avoided choking on some of her hair. Pulling back a bit, she felt a blush creep up her face as she realized that she was more likely to smother her 'savior' in that position.
“Okay, so your not Kikyo, but what's in it for me?” Inuyasha demanded. Kagome swore she could hear him mumble 'wench', but without his half demon senses, she could not be sure. It seemed he was going to be quite stubborn about this.
Pressing herself closer to him, the urgency of the situation weighed heavily on her shoulders. Kagome allowed her sorrow to sound through her voice as she whispered a response. “I can lead you to the one who made Kikyo betray you.”
The shock on his face was soon obscured from her view as Kagome felt herself suddenly crushed against Inuyasha in an excruciating grip. The centipede demon howled in delight at the sight and feel of her restrained quarry.
“I'll do it,” came Inuyasha's quiet response. His eyes were hidden from her view and she could feel the anger radiating from him.
Her body aching, Kagome inched forward to reach towards the arrow that restrained the hanyou to the tree. She would free him, and he would save her.
“Nay! Do not do it child. He'll kill us all!” Kagome could hear Kaede's scream as she reached the site of the monstrous display.
“I have to,” Kagome whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. “I can't let us die.” Kagome felt as the centipede tightened its grip, almost completely cutting off her air supply. With her last surge of strength, Kagome reached grasped the arrow in her hand and pulled it out. The arrow dissolved in a great shower of mystical energy and she felt the sudden pulse of the hanyou's energy as it was freed from its prison.
Kagome shivered as she felt his raw energy grate against her own. Her breath was instantly restored to her as she felt his body push past hers to tear into the restricting flesh of the demon that pinned them both to the tree.
The sickening sound of mutilated flesh ripping from bone sent chills down Kagome's spine. This was a little too real for her usual dreams, but at least it was somewhat familiar. As she caught her breath Kagome pulled herself to her feet and made her way to Kaede. Looking expectantly to the old woman, she spotted the necklace in the old woman's hands.
As Inuyasha landed on the ground, his enemy crumbling to dust, Kagome could see the pained malice that still resided in his eyes. She smirked a little at the thought of what she knew had to be done. He would, after all, kill her without a thought, right?
“Now Kaede!” Kagome pleaded with the woman.
In a swift motion that defied her age, Kaede focused her thoughts on the necklace in hand. As she closed her eyes, whispering an ancient mantra, the necklace disappeared from her grasp only to reappear on the target; Inuyasha.
“I don't know what you did that for, wench, but I'm sure as hell not going to let a...”
“SIT!” Kagome's enraged command interrupted the hanyou's tirade as he crashed face first into the ground.
Running towards the well, Kagome threw an apologetic look over her shoulder. “I'm sorry Kaede, I'll be back in the morning.”
Kagome raced to the well, hoping that Inuyasha would wait until he could tolerate her before he figured out how to follow her back to her own time. Throwing the occasional 'sit' behind her for good measure, Kagome reached the well without further incident. Leaping over the side, she found herself engulfed by a mystical light as she was transported gently to the other side.
“...just pulled down by it. She's gone!” Kagome could hear Souta talking in a frantic voice above her.
“Souta?” Kagome called tentatively. “Could you get me a ladder or something?”
- - - - - - - - - -
Sighing, Kagome flopped into her bed. 'This is turning into a very strange dream. I usually don't get to experience an entire day, full of the tedious details, in a single dream.' Turning sleepily in the warm confines of her blankets, Kagome allowed herself a final thought. 'I hope this is the end of the dream. Maybe this time I'll wake up at home...'
Read chapter 2...
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Pairing/Character: Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha
Word Count: 3828 words
Chapters: 1 of 11
Rating: T
Genre: Mystery, action, adventure, Cannon Universe with a Twist
disclaimer: The characters and world of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Warnings: Violence
Story Description: A girl awakens to find that she is now living the life of Kagome, time travel and all. Inadvertently reshaping the world around her, Kagome begins to realize just how twisted her path is becoming.
Chapter Description: Kagome awakens in a bed she doesn't recognize, with a brother she doesn't know and a well that takes her on an eerily familiar journey to the past...
Twisted
By Sarga
Chapter 1: Great Beginnings
“Loud noise...why does it have to be so loud? Can't I keep sleeping?”
- - - - - - - - - -
“...sis? Hey sis, wake up!” the timid voice of a young boy broke through the young girl's dreams, pulling her from their enchanting depths. Her dark-brown curls floated about her like a hazy cloud, shielding her from the reality of the waking world.
Rolling over in annoyance the girl squished her eyes shut in revolt against the boy's unwelcome intrusion. Groping blindly for a spare pillow, she shoved it against her ear as her body rolled towards the wall, blocking out the annoyance that was her little brother. Finally, she could go back to sleep...
She felt a small hand shake her shoulder, once again pulling her back into the waking world.
The young girl grunted in sleep-muted rage, flinging her pillow blindly behind her. In a stubborn show of denial, she pulled her blanket swiftly above her head. Finally conceding that she had lost, the girl sighed. She would not be going back to sleep any time soon.
“Sis, Buyou's missing!” the boy's voice, laced with worry, pierced through her cocoon once more.
The girl sleepily rubbed her eyes, still hidden underneath her covers. 'Buyou? My stuffed toy cat? What is he talking about?' She sat up suddenly and ripped the blanket downwards in an annoyed huff.
“You'd better start making some sense, mister...” the girl warned, her threat trailing off into disbelief as she caught sight of her surroundings. This was most definitely not her bedroom. And the boy in front of her? He was most definitely not her brother.
“What the...?” The girl's shock was drained away at the sight of the boy's pale complexion, his face taut with worry.
“Sis,” the boy continued, oblivious to her unrecognizing stare. “We have to go find him, he's been missing for a couple of hours now.” Finally noticing her unflinching gaze, he shifted slightly, clearing his throat nervously before continuing. “He's an indoor cat, what if he got chased up a tree?”
The girl blinked. He did not seem to think she was out of place, in fact, he still called her 'Sis' like she actually was his sister. And while he may not have been her brother, he did look quite familiar. She wracked her brain to put a name with his distressed face, his tearful eyes pleading for her help.
She thought to herself as she tried to 'Wait a minute! Buyou's a cat...'
“Souta?” she asked questioningly. 'What is this, a dream? I'm stuck inside an Inuyasha episode?' She blinked to clear her thoughts as she saw the boy's panic threaten to overwhelm him, and gave in to his plea for help. What else could she do?
“I'll help you find Buyou,” she began hesitantly. “I just need...to get dressed first.” The girl shifted uncomfortably in her pyjamas. 'Even if I am in a dream, I am not going outside like this!'
Relief flooded the young boy's figure as he acknowledged her ascent. Hugging her briefly, the boy called out his thanks as he fled the room. “Thank you so much, Kagome!”
Kagome was left in a stunned silence as the boy slammed the door shut behind him.
“Kagome?” she whispered curiously. “So now I'm the main character.” The girl shook her head lightly, and peered towards her closet. “I guess I'm 'Kagome' for a while...” she muttered.
Pulling herself completely from beneath her blankets, Kagome stood and headed towards the small closet in search of something suitable to wear. Opening the closet door she was struck with a pang of distaste as she saw the contents. A strikingly familiar outfit lay before her, several outfits in fact, all the same green, white and red high school uniform.
“You've got to be kidding me?” Kagome pulled out one of the uniforms and hastily pulled it on. “Of course I would have to be in character!” Kagome groaned. She would worry about it later, for now there was a scared boy worried about a cat.
'Kagome's cat Buyou, of course,' Kagome mused with a roll of her eyes as she tucked her shirt neatly into her skirt. Pulling on her sneakers, she opened the door and was met with the sight of an anxious young boy.
“Souta?” she asked, allowing herself to get used to the name.
“Yeah sis?” Souta looked at her expectantly.
“Um...” Kagome began. “Let's go find Buyou?” she asked weakly, sighing in relief as the boy led the way out of the house.
As they exited the front door, Kagome was left to contemplate the psychological ramifications of inserting one's self into an episode of a well liked anime series via her dreams. She followed her 'brother' quietly as she lost herself in thought, the boy seemingly knowing exactly where he should look.
'I'm here, in an anime, playing the part of one of the main characters. So, where's Inuyasha? Shouldn't he be waiting to take me back to the feudal era or something? Man, I'm going to have such a headache when I wake up...'
The boy stopped in front of a dilapidated building, its door sliding easily open, despite its apparent state of disuse. Stepping inside, Kagome saw a familiar sight, an old well in the centre of a darkened building. Curiosity getting the better of her, the girl stepped down to the well's edge.
“I think I heard a sound earlier,” Souta whispered from behind her. “I know it's your birthday and everything, but could you go get Buyou?”
The girl wheeled around with a start. “My birthday...?” she asked in shock. 'This would be the first episode! I have to get away from here before...'
Too late.
As Kagome feared, a monstrous form broke forth from the well, its multitude of arms grasping for her.
“The jewel, I must have it! Give it to me!” the creature demanded as it pulled her into a surreal abyss.
'Okay, gotta think,' Kagome frantically racked her memory for what to do. With a panic-stricken recollection, she threw her hand in front of her and willed Kagome's mystical energy forth. Blazing blue energy streamed from her hand as one of the creature's arms fell to the ground with a sickening thump. As she fell to the ground, Kagome braced herself for the inevitable impact and was pleasantly surprised to find the landing gentle. Jumping quickly to her feet, Kagome was met with the solid stone walls of a shallow well.
'Well, at least I didn't faint,' she thought with a wry sense of humour as she began her ascent up the cracked mortar and stone.
Pulling herself over the edge of the well, Kagome confronted an astonishing, if expected, sight. The former buildings were all gone, replaced by a magnificent forest, its lush foliage bright and teeming with life.
“Wow,” the awe escaped from her lips as she looked towards the trees, trying to get her bearings. She let a small smile play on her lips as she headed towards the next step in her re-enactment of this interesting little charade.
As she pushed her way through the rough under-brush, Kagome saw her target looming over the rest of the forest, its ancient bark a testament to its long life. As she approached the sacred tree, she saw an eerie sight. After a brief pause, the body of a adolescent hanyou boy pinned to giant tree, seemingly bereft of life, urged her forward.
Pinned to the tree, his red clothing still bright and lifelike, the young hanyou looked to be sleeping peacefully. Snaking roots had a hold on his body, effectively adding to the security that the restraining arrow sought to instil. Kagome peered at his gentle, handsome, if somewhat rugged, face. Her eyes grew wide as she saw first-hand his defining feature.
With a sheepish grin, Kagome set forth, determined to feel for herself the soft skin of his ears. After all, she was playing her part, was she not?
Reaching gently to his ears, her grin growing in intensity, Kagome stroked Inuyasha's ears. The soft white fur, so delicate in her fingers, felt as if it were a fine silk. Were it not for the fact that they were attached to his head, she would have brushed them against her cheek to test their softness.
“Move away from the demon!” a rough voice demanded from behind her. The smile fled from her as she recognized the situation for it's parallel in the the show.
'Oh, no! What do I do!' Turning around slowly, the girl brought her hands up high above her head.
“Don't shoot,” she squeaked at the sight before her. A half dozen men surrounded her, their bows drawn taught, ready to fire at her with deadly precision. She carefully jumped down from her perch, making no further moves that might upset the obviously wary men.
Kagome found herself roughly flung to the ground as her arms and legs were bound together. Worried whispers flew about her as she tried to clear her dazed head. Panic over her immobilized state overwhelmed her. 'The demon will be after the jewel! I have to get out of here!'
“Please,” she begged. “Bring me to Lady Kaede. There's a demon that's going to attack, we need to defend the village!” Mentally applauding herself for her quick thinking, Kagome felt herself being hoisted onto the shoulder of one of the village men.
“What if she's a demon?” one of the men hissed at the man who carried her.
“What if she's telling the truth?” he spat back. “I've put Lady Kaede's special bindings on her. If she is a demon, she'll be restrained well enough until we get to the village. Her true intentions will be easily discovered under Lady Kaede's knowing eye.”
The argument seemingly won, Kagome watched the scenery from her uncomfortable vantage point. After a fair distance she was unceremoniously dropped onto a small straw mat in the middle of a hard packed dirt road. She looked about her, her vision clearing as her blood pulsed painfully in her head. 'Being carried upside down is not something I want to experience again!' she thought with a sigh.
Finally Kagome saw what she had been hoping for.
“Kaede!” Kagome squealed in joy. Story continuity be damned! She was not going to let herself become a victim of that horrible centipede thing.
“Do I know ye, child?” The old woman stared at Kagome warily as she replied.
'This could take longer than I have,' she realized in a panic. “I'm the reincarnation of your sister, Kikyo!” she blurted out, patting herself on the back for her quick thinking. While it may not be entirely true (she was just dreaming, after all), she was supposed to play her part. “I'm here from a distant village because I have seen of a great evil. I am an untrained miko and I have had visions of great peril.” A bit of a stretch, but she had seen great visions, they had just been on her television screen when she saw them. She was not actually lying...
Kaede stepped forward and pulled the young girl's face close to her own. The awkward position was quickly relinquished as the old woman gasped.
“Aye, I see the truth behind your words, child.” Reaching down to the girl's bindings, she easily loosened them, freeing her from the restraints. “What name do ye go by?” the old woman asked gently.
“My name's...” the girl paused, frowning as she thought of what to say. She didn't feel comfortable giving her real name, not here. It seemed almost sacrilegious. “My name's Kagome,” she said softly, rolling her adopted name around lightly in her head.
Standing, the old woman greeted her with a short bow.
“Welcome Kagome, please follow me to my home. Ye must be hungry.”
A sudden gurgle from her stomach made Kagome keenly aware of how hungry she was. Following the old woman obediently, she quickly came to a small hut at the edge of the village. Entering the hut, she was startled to smell a delicious aroma from within the familiar interior.
“That smells great, Kaede!” Kagome exclaimed expectantly.
“Aye, I thank ye,” the old woman replied with a small smile, moving to stir the contents of the pot located above a small cooking fire. Ladling out a portion into a small bowl, she handed it to the hungry girl. “Tell me more of this vision ye did have. I have not heard of an untrained miko who is able to see visions. This must be a strong peril to have overwhelmed your untrained senses.”
Kagome nodded solemnly and desperately searched for something that the old woman would believe. “I was forced into this vision by another, more trained miko. She gave me insight into her own vision when she knew that her life would soon be at an end.” Kagome mentally winced at the lie that she was telling. It was hard enough remembering all of the details of the anime, the last thing she needed was to add her own convoluted contributions to the plot.
Despite Kagome's dissatisfaction with her own words, the old miko simply nodded and accepted the story. Before the old woman could ask her more questions, Kagome continued onward in an attempt to realign her story with the more familiar one.
“I don't know where the miko came from, all I know is the truth to her vision. I bear within me the Shikon no Tama.” The old woman looked at Kagome with a startled glance, but let her continue uninterrupted. “I am the reincarnation of Kikyo and have been born with it as part of my body. There is a centipede demon who will try to take it back later today.” Kagome peered cautiously at the old woman and decided against telling her she would have to release Inuyasha in order to have the demon killed.
Another thought dawned on Kagome. “You'll have to move your sister's remains. There is a dark miko who seeks to resurrect your sister. With me being her reincarnation, she will only succeed in weakening me and prolonging Kikyo's suffering.”
'I hope that's all that I need to remember,' Kagome thought to herself as she allowed the old woman to absorb this startling revelation. She mentally ticked off elements on her invisible check-list. 'I have to keep the jewel on me at all times, not fire an arrow at a demon crow, wake up Inuyasha to save me from the demon...what else?' Kagome tapped her finger to her chin.
“Oh, yeah!” she exclaimed. “Would you happen to have a necklace capable of binding a hanyou to my will?” Kagome asked cryptically. She inwardly grinned at the thought of being able to pull Inuyasha to the ground with a word. It looked like so much fun in the show!
“Aye, child.” Kaede wore an expression of wary confusion on her withered face. “But why do ye be needing such a charm?”
Kagome bowed her head, unwilling to allow herself to lie again. “I...I can't tell you right now, but,” she looked up again, meeting the old woman's eye. “When I get chased out of here by the centipede demon, please bring it with you.” Kagome allowed her voice and eyes to plead with the old miko.
Kaede simply nodded her head, seemingly trusting the child before her.
“Aye, child. I have already prepared such a charm. Ye be a confusing miko, but ye seem to be telling the truth,” the old woman scratched her head and searched the room as Kagome fell deep into her own thoughts.
- - - - - - - - - -
The day slipped by quickly, the evening's light waning from the village. Kagome became nervous. The centipede demon had yet to approach and the wait was becoming almost unbearable.
Heralding the anticipated approach, the yells of several villagers resounded as wood splintered in the distance. Rushing from Kaede's hut, Kagome was met with the familiar sight of the demon who had attacked her earlier in the day.
Despite the knowledge that she would face the demon again, Kagome could not help but feel a sickening sense of foreboding as she actually came across the creature. It rushed towards her in a blindingly frenzy, demanding the jewel with a murderous lust.
“Get the necklace!” Kagome called to Kaede as she scrambled out of the demon's path. Picking herself off of the ground, Kagome raced towards the tree that restrained her hanyou savior. She could feel the demon behind her as it twisted towards her in pursuit. Momentarily distracted by the demon's sickening cries Kagome screamed as she tripped and nearly fell over a protruding tree root.
Panic welling up inside of her, Kagome let out a desperate plea for help, “Inuyasha, help me!” The frantic call was honest in its desire, borne from the real terror Kagome felt inside of herself.
Kagome screamed again as she raced blindly forward, the demon momentarily deflected from its path as the trees grew too thick for her to penetrate with her enormous form. Kagome forced herself onwards, relief flooding her as she reached the hanyou.
Inuyasha was awake.
Inuyasha was staring at her.
Inuyasha was taunting her.
“What's the matter, Kikyo. Why don't you just shoot it like you did me?” Kagome rolled her eyes as she ran up to the restrained hanyou. Relief gave her a sense of calm once more as she regained a little of her former security.
'Right, I forgot. He hates me right now because he thinks I'm Kikyo,' she thought as she pursed her lips in frustration, the pursuing demon all but forgotten.
“Do I smell like Kikyo?” Kagome demanded, moving to within inches of his restrained body. “Because I am most certainly not her. I'm Kagome. Ka-go-me!” Kagome winced as she mimicked the girl from the show. It was so trite...
Kagome looked behind her nervously as she recalled her pursuer. She lowered her voice a little, hoping that his reaction would be somewhat better this time around. “I've got the Shikon no Tama and that centipede demon is going to kill me for it. I,” she paused, not knowing how to phrase her request. “I need you to kill it.”
Inuyasha huffed. “Oh, yeah,” he rolled his eyes in disbelief. “The mighty Kikyo needs my help...”
At his words, Kagome's anger flared. Shoving her hair into his face, she screamed at him. “I said do I freaking smell like her?!”
Kagome was met with a small cough as Inuyasha barely avoided choking on some of her hair. Pulling back a bit, she felt a blush creep up her face as she realized that she was more likely to smother her 'savior' in that position.
“Okay, so your not Kikyo, but what's in it for me?” Inuyasha demanded. Kagome swore she could hear him mumble 'wench', but without his half demon senses, she could not be sure. It seemed he was going to be quite stubborn about this.
Pressing herself closer to him, the urgency of the situation weighed heavily on her shoulders. Kagome allowed her sorrow to sound through her voice as she whispered a response. “I can lead you to the one who made Kikyo betray you.”
The shock on his face was soon obscured from her view as Kagome felt herself suddenly crushed against Inuyasha in an excruciating grip. The centipede demon howled in delight at the sight and feel of her restrained quarry.
“I'll do it,” came Inuyasha's quiet response. His eyes were hidden from her view and she could feel the anger radiating from him.
Her body aching, Kagome inched forward to reach towards the arrow that restrained the hanyou to the tree. She would free him, and he would save her.
“Nay! Do not do it child. He'll kill us all!” Kagome could hear Kaede's scream as she reached the site of the monstrous display.
“I have to,” Kagome whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. “I can't let us die.” Kagome felt as the centipede tightened its grip, almost completely cutting off her air supply. With her last surge of strength, Kagome reached grasped the arrow in her hand and pulled it out. The arrow dissolved in a great shower of mystical energy and she felt the sudden pulse of the hanyou's energy as it was freed from its prison.
Kagome shivered as she felt his raw energy grate against her own. Her breath was instantly restored to her as she felt his body push past hers to tear into the restricting flesh of the demon that pinned them both to the tree.
The sickening sound of mutilated flesh ripping from bone sent chills down Kagome's spine. This was a little too real for her usual dreams, but at least it was somewhat familiar. As she caught her breath Kagome pulled herself to her feet and made her way to Kaede. Looking expectantly to the old woman, she spotted the necklace in the old woman's hands.
As Inuyasha landed on the ground, his enemy crumbling to dust, Kagome could see the pained malice that still resided in his eyes. She smirked a little at the thought of what she knew had to be done. He would, after all, kill her without a thought, right?
“Now Kaede!” Kagome pleaded with the woman.
In a swift motion that defied her age, Kaede focused her thoughts on the necklace in hand. As she closed her eyes, whispering an ancient mantra, the necklace disappeared from her grasp only to reappear on the target; Inuyasha.
“I don't know what you did that for, wench, but I'm sure as hell not going to let a...”
“SIT!” Kagome's enraged command interrupted the hanyou's tirade as he crashed face first into the ground.
Running towards the well, Kagome threw an apologetic look over her shoulder. “I'm sorry Kaede, I'll be back in the morning.”
Kagome raced to the well, hoping that Inuyasha would wait until he could tolerate her before he figured out how to follow her back to her own time. Throwing the occasional 'sit' behind her for good measure, Kagome reached the well without further incident. Leaping over the side, she found herself engulfed by a mystical light as she was transported gently to the other side.
“...just pulled down by it. She's gone!” Kagome could hear Souta talking in a frantic voice above her.
“Souta?” Kagome called tentatively. “Could you get me a ladder or something?”
- - - - - - - - - -
Sighing, Kagome flopped into her bed. 'This is turning into a very strange dream. I usually don't get to experience an entire day, full of the tedious details, in a single dream.' Turning sleepily in the warm confines of her blankets, Kagome allowed herself a final thought. 'I hope this is the end of the dream. Maybe this time I'll wake up at home...'
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