InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tales from Sengoku Jidai ❯ Leading Dreams ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Tales from Sengoku Jidai

By Kitsune-chan

Chapter 4
Leading Dreams



"We'll see you guys next week, right?" Sango asked, gripping Kagome's
cold hand.

"Of course," Kagome smiled, "Although, Kaname might drop in throughout
the week. Just to say hi. She'll be home by herself since my younger
brother and I have to go to school. Well, Grandpa will be there, but
I don't really think that counts. He'll be working at the shrine and
Mama has to go to work." She scratched her head thoughtfully.

Kaname patted her head, "I've probably told you this before, but you
think too much Kagome-chan. I doubt I'll be able to come back here,
from what you and Inu Yasha told me of the Shikon no Tama, only
you can use it."

"True," Miroku said, "Wonderful logic, Kaname-sama." His arm slipped
around her shoulder, hand going lower then necessary.

She removed his arm and sent him a warning, "Don't do that, you lecher."

"You've been talking with Sango, haven't you?"

"More then you know," She glared at him suspiciously.

He sighed and let it go. "Thank you for showing my reputation such kindness,
Sango. I am forever in your debt."

"Feh! Big deal, Sango warned her not to let you grope her. I don't see the problem with
that." Inu Yasha replyed with heavy sarcasm. He walked not to far behind, with his
arms crossed and Shippo on his shoulder.

"Why aren't you being a jerk today, Inu Yasha?" Shippo asked innocently.

"Shut up, Kitsune." Inu Yasha tossed the little fox to Miroku by his tail. He
went screaming through the air and landed on the monk's head.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR YOU BIG DUMMY?!"

"Feh!"

They reached the Bone Eater's well. Everyone said their goodbyes. Kaede had given Kaname a
necklace of prayer beads as a goodbye gift. Kagome was feeling relaxed now that Kaname knew
her secret; she'd been very surprised about how wonderfully her cousin accepted the
facts. The two days they'd been there had been fun, and educational. Perhaps more for
Kaname then herself.

She sat on the well, her legs hanging into it. She looked at her friends over her shoulder
and smiled. Kaname sat beside her, looking at them as well. They gripped each otehr's
hands.

"We'll be back!" Kaname winked.

"Well, if I don't have too much homework we could come tomorrow." Kagome thought outloud.

"You could always bring it with you." Kaname told her.

"No, I'd never get it finished. Knowing our luck we'd get attacked by some demon after the
jewel." She laughed.

"Most likely," Shippo nodded.

"Bye everyone!" Kagome waved. "Bye Inu Yasha."

"Just go already!" Inu Yasha yelled, "The sooner you leave, the sooner you come back. And try
NOT to bring HER along."

Kaname glared, "I think I'll come back just to smite you, Inu Baka!"

"Humph!"

Kaname stuck her tongue out at him.

Kagome chuckled and sweatdropped, "I'm guessing it's going to be like this for a while."

Sango and Miroku nodded in agreement.

"Let's go." Kaname said.

"Finally! I get a bed and good tastey sushi!!!"

They both jumped, hand in hand, down the well. Kagome felt the intense pressure of traveling through
the time warp. She kept her eyes closed her hand gripping what she thought was Kanames, but when
she opened her eyes on her side of the well, she realized fearfully, that it was just dirt.

"Kaname?"

* * * *

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Kaname began to beat the earth under her angrily. "This isn't fair! I just wanted to
go home!" Tears welled in her eyes, her fist was full of dirt in place of Kagome's hand. Full of
hatred for fate, she beat the dirt until two large holes were formed. She began to yell for someone
to help her out of the well, but no one answered.

"THhis isn't my day!" She stood and jumped up onto the stones of the well. Using the ivy as rope she
made her way up the wall, though it took some effort. She slipped constantly and fell back down
to the ground. Each time, her frustration grew heavier and an overwhelming sense of despiar filled her
heart. She was truely frightened. Tears blurred her vision as she pulled her torso over the top of
the well. She reached up to wipe them away and realized to late her mistake. She lost her grip and fell
right back into the well. Her head banged into the ground roughly, knocking her unconcious to the
world around her.

* * * *

Kagome ran and jumped back into the well. She landed saftely on the other side right beside her
unconcious cousin. Why was this happening? She'd been holding onto Kaname's hand, they both should
have gone through the well! This wasn't making any sense. Why was she asleep? And bleeding?!

"Kaname?!" SHe shook her cousin, but the girl didn't wake. A puddle of blood had formed under her
head, where she'd split it open. "Dont' worry, I'll get help!"

Kagome climbed out of the well with some ease. She was used to it, she'd even pushed her bike up
the well's sides, so climbing up it was a simple task of hanging on. She ran all the way to
the village, her heart pounding in her chest. Kaname was in trouble if she was bleeding that
badly. And since she couldn't go to the future, she was stuck in this era of barbaric medical
treatment. Kagome knew, that the only person who might be able to do something for her was
either a demon or Kaede.

"KAEDE! INU YASHA!" She yelled running into the village.

Villager's looked at her, stunned to see their priestess in such a state of panic. Tears were
streaming down her cheeks and her lungs burned from lack of air. She yelled for them
again.

Kaede appeared from her hut, most disturbed.

"Kagome?" Kaede asked. "I thought you went back to the future with Kaname."

"She couldn't go through! SHhe couldn't go through!" Kagome sobbed. "And she's hurt! I don't
know what to do! She's bleeding and. . . and- oh Kaede-baba I'm scared!" Kagome was frantic,
her mind whirling in different directions. She trembled with fear for her cousin.

"Calm down, child." Kaede said, "We'll help her anyway we can."

"Where's Inu Yasha and the others? Aren't they here?!"

"They're helping with the plowing in the fields not to far from here. I"'ll send a message to
them right away." She whistled and a small bird came to her from the tree tops. It was a
red breasted with a black head and sharp, taloned claws. She went into the house, Kagome
and the bird following her. Quickly she pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote down a
quick note that said, "Come quickly." She wrapped it aroudn the birds foot with a piece of
thread and released the bird outside with strict instructions to go straight to Inu Yasha.

"Now, Kagome I want you to go lay down and calm yourself. You're no help to us in the
state you're in." Kaede led her back inside and forced her to lay down on a futon.

"Can't we send some of the villager's to go get her out of the well at least?" Kagome asked.

"Kagome, we have to plow the fields and make them ready for harvest. Only old woman and children
are in the village right now. All those who can work are out in the fields." She placed a
wet rag on Kagome's head. "Rest now. Tori is fast, Inu Yasha and the other's will be arriving
soon."

"This is all my fault!" Kagome cried sitting up, "And I refuse to lay here doing nothing!" She
scrambled up and raced out of the hut, Kaede calling after her.

"Kagome! Come back!"

* * * *

'Is this another dream?' Kaname asked herself, her arm blocking the bright sun from her
eyes. She turned her head. What she saw surprised her, she was in a forest of some sort. It
was thick and green. The weather was hot and humid, making her throat dry and her skin
wet with perspiration. She sat up with some difficutly, her head was aching and her
legs trembled with weakness.

"You're late, Kyoko."

"Sorry, Inu Yasha." Kyoko said smiling at him.

Kaname glanced at Inu Yasha and Kyoko. He was leaning against a tree, his hands behind his
head lazily. Only one eye was open and looking at Kyoko as she approached him calmly. They
looked the same as they always did, forever locked in time.

"Is Kikyo-chan not here?" Kyoko asked coming up beside him.

"Up here, Kyoko-chan." Kikyo chuckled.

"Aah! Hiding from me are you!?" Kyoko laughed.

Kaname saw a girl with long black hair pulled into a low ponytail with a white ribbon. She wore
an outfit matching Kaede's and Kagome's priestess robes. A bow across her lap and arrows
strapped to her back. She had a kind, serene face and her eyes twinkled when she smile. In everyway,
she reminded Kaname of Kagome, except for the sadness written deeply in her eyes.

She jumped down from the tree. "Are you ready? I hear the lake is very beautiful this time of
year. Kaede-chan, already has everything set up and is waiting for us."

Inu Yasha raised an eyebrow, "You actually let that twarp go off alone? Wouldn't that be
dangerous?"

"Not as long as I have this," Kikyo indicated to the purple jewel around her neck. "Any demons
around here, will come straight to me."

Kyoko sighed and patted her head, "What a smart cousin I have!"

"What am I, your cat?" Kikyo asked as Kyoko mischeivously scratched behind her ears.

"Good kitty!"

Inu Yasha sighed, "We should be going, I'm hungry."

He began walking away slowly, as if waiting for them to follow. Kikyo was the first to run after
him. She linked her fingers with his and smiled up at him. Kyoko's smile faded as she looked at
the two lovers. She followed them at a snails pace, not wanting to get to close. She stopped
and glanced back. Looking right at Kaname. She motioned with her fingers, for Kaname to follow.

And she did, very confused. Was this truely the Inu Yasha that she'd met just two days
ago? He seemed so distant and closed off. Kyoko led her to a lake at the end of a cherry
tree orcherd. The cherry trees were green and alive. The long grass blew, decorated colorfully
with flowers and the lake was a perfect reflection of the sky. Young Kaede sat on a blanket woven
blanket with Kikyo and Inu Yasha. Inu Yasha was tense and alert, his arms stubbornly crossed. HIs
ears swivled around, listening for attackers, but his eyes looked only at Kikyo.

"Everything was peaceful."

Kaname looked at Kyoko, "Are you talking to me?"

"Who else?" Kyoko chuckled. "This was a time before Naraku destroyed our lives."

Kaname saw the hatred build inside Kyoko, her face twisting in anger and her fists
clinched themselves. "How is it that you can talk to me?"

"This is a memory," Kyoko said, "That's all it is."

"That explains a lot!" She rolled her eyes.

Kyoko sighed, "You're not very mature are you?"

"What?!" She gapped at her.

"But I expected this. You haven't grown up the way I did, and I'm guessing in your time your
life is much easier." Kyoko sat down, her legs crossing. She laid her sword at her
side. "Please sit."

"No thanks."

"As you wish." Kyoko smiled, "You're just like I used to be. Determined and pig-headed. Ready
to fight anything that stood against me and very ignorant of life as a whole."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"In a sense," Kyoko said. "You're probably not willing to accept everything you've learned
so far. About yourself, about who we are together."

"We aren't anything together!" Kaname cried. "I'm not you!"

She laughed, "Not right now, our souls have not completely joined. Until you learn to accept
me, you are not whole. Does that make sense?"

"Not really."

"It will in time."

"Why can't I go back to my time?" The question just popped in her head and she decided to
ask it.

"I don't know. I can't answer all your questions." Kyoko sighed. "This is just a memory, I am merely
a shadow of myself. I will tell you this, your journey will be long and hard. Go to the Taiji's
village, where the Shikon no Tama was founded. There is a cave, inside is a treasure that I think
you'll like and I can explain things much better there."

"I'm NOT going on a journey." What was this woman talking about?! All Kaname wanted to
do, was go home! And perhaps come back on holidays.

"Then I'm afraid there is no hope," Kyoko sighed sadly. "Inu Yasha and Kikyo's reincarnation
can not do this alone, no matter how many friends they have, they will need you. If you three
can not work together, (I hate to sound so dramatic) then the world could possibly end."

"Why does this have to be like an old anime movie," She asked quietly. "I can't save the world!"

"You will not, you will merely help and guide the one who will."

"Who's that?"

"I can not say."

"You're a very criptic person," Kaname crossed her arms.

"Will you do as I ask?" Kyoko looke up at her, "I'm sure that if you do, you will be able
to go home. You are in this time for a specific reason. It's not just some joke Fate as
decided to play; if you can not fulfill your obligation here, then you will never get
what you want." She asked quietly, "Will you help Inu Yasha?"

Looking at the sky she nodded, "I'll try."

"Go to the village where the Shikon no Tama was founded. There everything will be explained."

"Alright. I still think this is a bunch of bull though."

"I know," Kyoko looked very serious, "One warning before you go."

Kaname looked at her questioningly.

"Stay away from Kikyo. I'm not talking about Kagome; I'm talking about a shell of Kikyo born
from bones, dirt and hatred. Stay away from her, if you don't, we'll both regret it."

* * * *

Kaname sat up, her head aching terribly. Her vision was waveing in front of her. Inside the well
was dark, and little light shown through. This world just kept getting weirder and weirder. First
she's dragged through time to an era without coffee and now she can't even go back. Second, she
meets a grumpy dog youkai, a perverted monk, an uptight(however nice) Taiji, an annoying little
fox(who was cute as hell), a talking flea, and a flying cat demon. She was attacked by a damned
tree who turns out to be some kind of demon who's in her debt, and now she finds out that she
actually is the reincarnation of the Youkai Hunter, Kyoko, supposedly and the chick talks to her
in her sleep. This was NOT her ideal vacation.

She put her hand behind her and leaned on it. She felt something sticky and wet underneath
it. Pulling her hand back, she peered at it and saw that it was soaked in blood. She checked
the back of her head, where the pain was centered, and sure enough that's where the blood was
coming from. The cut had already scabbed over, though she didn't doubt that she had a
concussion of some degree. She stood, shakily at first, and used the wall for support.

"I can't climb the well when I'm this dizzy," She cursed, feeling as helpless as a child. She let
her back slide agianst the wall as she sat. "Why me?"

Her pride forbid her from sitting there idly and waiting for someone to find her dead rotting
body, so she got to her feet. Her head was spinning with verocity She grabbed a vine and
hoisted herself up. Sweat poured from her pours and stung the cut on the back of her head.
* * * *

Miroku had been pulling weeds. Yes, Miroku, Monk extrodinaire, was on his knees, wearing only his
kimono and pulling weeds from the ground. Dirt was on his face, his hands, his knees and feet; dirt
was every where. No woman in her right mind would look at him the way he was now; it was real
downer on his attitude. He sighed and continued to pull the damned, dead plants from the growned.
After last years harvest, weeds had grown and then died during the winter, making it impossible to
plow by hand. So, a few select workers were chosen to pull them. Miroku, much to his dismay, was
chosen by Kaede. Inu Yasha, who was lucky enough to be one of the workers to haul stuff away and
throw it where ever they told him, laughed his ass off at Miroku every time he saw the monk.

"If this keeps up, I'll never get married or have children or . . . well I'll just never
have it." He sighed, slipping off the top part of his kimono. Despite the chill in the
hair, he was still sweating in the bright sunlgiht.

Sango was picking leaves off small, thin, lithe branches. She sat cross legged with four other
woman, most of them young wives of the men working in the feilds, except one who was an old
weaving master. She was teaching the young women, including Sango, how to weave baskets for that
falls harvest gathering. She glanced at the fields, ignoring the idle chatter between the
woman, and saw Miroku. He was always distinguishable from other men in his somber black kimono.

"He's handsome, isn't it Chidori-san?!" Oka asked, her voice high and squealing.

"Oh yes," Chidori smile, "Too bad he's a monk."

"Too bad we're married!" Kano said with a sigh.

"He's a lecher," Sango muttered under her breath. She couldn't help but think that they were
acting like a couple of female dogs in heat, the way they were panting over that
lecherous monk.

"Did you say something, Sango-sama?" Chidori asked quietly.

"Oh I just said, 'I'm doing better.'" She made up something silly off the top of her head, knowing
that these twits would by it. "About the branches I mean!"

"Oh!" Chidori said, not really knowing how to react or respond. "What do you think of the monk,
Sango-sama? You're with him a lot, you must know him well."

'I know him well enough to know he's a lecher.' She thought, remembering all the times he'd
grabbed her ass. "We just exterminate youkai together. I have no opinion on him
whatsoever."

"I always thought that you and Houshi-sama had a relationship. I guess I was wrong, ne?" Oka
laughed.

Sango twitched and looked at her, "We are friends, however that man is the biggest lecher
I have ever met in my life!" She stood abruptly and stomped away, down the hill toward
Miroku.

"She's a bit testy isn't she?" Oka whispered to Chidori.

He saw her approach and smiled. He stood and brushed the dirt off his hands. "Hello, Sango! Can I
help you with something?"

She glared, "You can pull up your kimono, Houshi-sama. A monk shouldn't display his body in front
of young, MARRIED women." She jerked her thumb over to the women on top of grass hill. She didn't
understand why she was reacting this way, but she found herself looking at his sweat glistened
chest despite her better judgment. He was rather enticing when he wasn't gropping her. And kind
and thoughtful; he wasn't a two-timer like Inu Yasha.

'What am I thinking?!' She yelled at herself.

'The simple truth.' Came the subconcius answer.

'NO! He's just a perverted monk who deserves every slap I dish out!' She felt her hands ball up
into fists.

'Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart!' The Pro-Miroku half told the reasonable, Anii-Miroku
half of her brain.

"Oh," He looked down, "You think so? I didn't know I was attracting attention!" He smiled gleefully
and waved up at the women on the hill. They giggled and looked away.

'He's happy! What the hell!? They're married!'

"What are you doing Houshi-sama!?" She grabbed his arm and forced him to stop waving about like
an idiot. "They're married! Don't tell me your going to flirt with married women while you work
in their husbands fields?!"

"Of course not Sango," He smiled gently, "I don't think that there is anything wrong with being
polite to them though."

'Damn him for being right,' she cursed. "You could at least put your shirt up. It's distracting
them from their work, Houshi-sama."

"The question is," He smiled, "Is it distracting YOU from YOUR work, Sango?"

"Houshi-sama?"

They stood there like that, with Sango gripping his arm tightly and looking up into his deep, blue
eyes. She could feel his sweat under her hands, the feeling of it was strange and felt unnatrually
good. His right arm, an arm that, in the past, could have killed her in seconds; she held it
in her own, smaller hands, her nails digging into his skin. He didn't seem to mind as he looked down
into her surprised face.

"MIROKU! SANGO! MIROKU! SANGO!" Came the high, loud voice of Shippo. The small kitsune boy was running
down the rows between the fields. His tiny feet and hands going faster then possible. "HURRY!
THERE'S - er . . . what's going on? Did Miroku hurt his arm or something? Why are you all red
Sango?"

Sango released Miroku and backed away slowly, as if he was a deadly viper that would jump out and
bite her. "This is not what it looks like!"

"What does it look like?" Shippo asked, cocking his head to the side innocently.

"Never mind, Shippo." Miroku said beginning to pull his kimono over his arms, "I will explain it to
you when you're a bit older. Now what's wrong? You seemed to be in a bit of a panic ne?"

"OH! It's Kaede! She sent us a message, we have to get to the village! Something's happened!" He
cried jumping onto Miroku's shoulder.

Sango whistled, two fingers in her mouth. Kirara came running down from the hill where she'd been
cleaning branches for baskets. Half way there, he transformed into a giant squarrel-cat youkai fangs
protruding from his mouth. Sango lept on him as he ran. When they passed Miroku, she grabbed his
hand and pulled him on along with Shippo.

"Where's Inu Yasha?" She asked, glancing back at Shippo. She used conversation to forget about
Miroku's hands on her waist. She was getting a paranoid feeling that they would eventually
travel down to her butt like they always did. It was enevitable, but she could by her rear some
time if she kept his mind occupied.

"He's already on his way back," Shippo answered. "Tori-chan, seemed to be in a panic and went
with Inu Yasha."

"What did Kaede-baba's writing look like?" Miroku asked Shippo. "If it was quickly written and
all scribbly like, then she must be in a hurry and it must be an emergency. Do you remember
Shippo?"

"I don't know? I can barely read!"

Miroku sighed, "That really doesn't help matters, Shippo."

"Gomen."

"It's not your fault," Sango said. "You're still learning, so don't blame yourself for it, Shippo."
She gave him a reassuring smile. "We'll find out if it's urgent or not when we get there. The
fields can wait."

"And my shirtless body, ne Sango?" The lecher whispered into her ear quietly. She tensed almost
immediatly as his hand went lower. She growled at him in warning.

"Remove your hand, before I throw you off Houshi-baka."

"Gomen."

"Did I miss something?" Shippo asked very confused at the adults behavior.

* * * *