Sliders by Dani
1
“A sacred jewel?” Kagome huffed, staring at her grandfather skeptically. He was always doing that. Telling her fantastical stories that could in no way be true. Why he still tried to make her believe him was beyond her. She had stopped listening years ago, yet he still persisted.
Watching the older man hold up a key chain with a mini-plaque and a pink-purple orb dangling from it, Kagome sighed. Why were they even trying to sell those things. No one had key chains anymore. They were completely out of style.
Holding back a giggle, Kagome watched her cat Buyo swat at the dangling ball. At least someone like her grandfather's crazy tails and bogus charms. Coughing, her grandfather said, “Now heed this, Kagome. The origin of this shrine’s Sacred Jewel… Huh?” pausing he watching his granddaughter play with family's lazy, fat cat. Clearing his throat, he started again louder but was interrupted by her excited question.
“Hey Gramps! Remember what day tomorrow is?” Kagome asked hopefully, inwardly praying that he had gotten her an actual present this time.
“Oh, how could I forget my dear granddaughter’s birthday?” he asked, beaming at the young girl.
“A present for me?!” Kagome squealed, sitting up a little straighter. Her smile completely faded when she saw her grandfather pull out what appeared to be a mummified body part. Taking the flipper-like hand reluctantly, she tuned out what her grandfather was saying and handed it to the cat, who gladly took its new prize.
Hearing her grandfather freak out, she ignored that as well. Pouting she glared at a box full of sacred jewel key chains. What a waste, she internally huffed. Her family lived on a shrine and were the caretakers of not only the buildings and grounds, but the relics within. While it seemed really cool when she was younger, now it was more of a burden and a bit of an embarrassment, especially when her grandfather started with all his strange tales.
The next morning, Kagome stuffed her notes and books into her backpack. She needed to get going to school or she'd be late. Toeing on her shoes, she yelled goodbye to her mom and grandfather and raced outside. Running past a small hut, she paused when she heard her brother Sota calling for the cat.
He was standing by the door to the small hut with a bowl of cat food in his hand. “You're not supposed to play around here,” Kagome reprimanded, walking up to the hut.
“But Buyo...” Sota replied staring into the dark hut.
“Did he go into the hidden well?” Kagome asked.
Walking into the hut, Sota followed her cautiously. Standing at the top of a small staircase, they peered down at a square well situated in the center of the hut. Boarded up with wooden planks that were topped with sutras, the well always gave Kagome a sinking feeling in her gut whenever she was near it.
“Buyo!” Sota exclaimed, bringing her out of her thoughts. “I think he's at the bottom.”
“Why don't you go down?” Kagome asked casually, trying not to let her own trepidation show.
“This place gives me the creeps,” Sota admitted taking a step back.
“Such a scaredy cat!” Kagome teased, trying to push her brother towards the sealed well. “Be a man!” she joked, when Sota scrambled back towards the hut's entrance.
Hearing a faint scraping, both siblings paused and stared into the dark space. “Something's down there!” Sota said, his voice wavering.
“Yeah,” Kagome huffed. “The cat.” Placing her bag down, she internally groused. She hated being the older sibling. Walking slowly down the steps, her eyes never left the well. Her stomach twisted and her heart hammered in her chest. Her instincts screamed for her to run the other way, but her brain reminded her that there was nothing there except Buyo, and maybe a few bugs, which she wasn't going to think about.
Standing next to the well, the scraping sound reached her ears again. It was a little louder this time and seemed to be coming from inside the well. But that was impossible, wasn't it? Feeling something brush against her legs, Kagome screamed and leapt into the air.
“Buyo!” Sota exclaimed.
Gritting her teeth, Kagome willed her heart to slow down. Stupid cat scarring the crap out of her. No treats for him today. Purring loudly, Buyo glanced up at her expectantly. Rolling her eyes, Kagome bent and picked up the plump feline.
Turning back towards the stairs, she paused when a blue light caught her eye. Glancing over her shoulder, a pale, blue light shown through the planks covering the top of the well. A low rumble rose from the ground and in a blast of light, the sutras sealing the well burned into dust and the planks exploded off the well.
“Sis!” Sota yelled, but Kagome barely heard it.
Struggling, Buyo slipped from Kagome's hands and quickly bounded up the stairs and out of the hut. “What?” Kagome breathed out, unsure of what was happening.
Eyes widening, a strange woman with six arms appeared behind her. Shocked, Kagome didn't move when the woman grabbed her arms. “Such joy!” she hissed. “I can feel my strength returning! My body is coming to life again!”
Eyes shifting down, Kagome sucked in a breath. Attached to a very human torso was the long body of a centipede. Only bones at first, the white skeleton was quickly being covered by muscles and flesh. “You have it, don't you?” the woman asked. Unfurling a long tongue, she licked Kagome's face, bring the young girl back to the present.
“Let me go!” Kagome screamed. “You're disgusting!” Pushing away from the woman, a strange light shot out Kagome's hand, hitting the woman and forcing her back into the well.
Stumbling, Kagome tripped and fell into the well after the strange centipede woman. Have what, Kagome thought absently. What could she possibly have that the strange monster woman would want. Landing gently on the bottom of the well, she caught her breath and looked up. Expecting to see Sota looking back at her, or at least the hut's ceiling, neither was above her.
Blue skies hung above her, and white clouds passed lazily. She must have hit her head on the way down. Looking down, bones littered the ground at her feet. Sucking in a deep breath, dream or not, she wasn't going to stand around on a bunch of bones.
Looking around, a wall of vines hung down one of the sides of the well. It was better than nothing, she decided. Grabbing a handful of the vines, she tested her weight on them, and praying that the vines wouldn't break, she started the arduous climb up.
Reaching the top of the well, she pulled herself over the lip and huffed tiredly. If this was just a dream, it sure hurt. Her muscles were exhausted, and her fingers ached from gripping the vines so tightly. The small clearing she was in was filled with lush grass and was surrounded by dense forest. Standing shakily, she whispered, “Mom? Gramps?”
It was just a dream, she reminded herself. So, it made sense that her family wasn't there. Walking slowly into the forest, she listened to the birds singing and the occasional bug that buzzed by. Why would she put bugs in her dream? She supposed it was more realistic that way, no matter how gross they were.
Seeing a large tree up ahead, her heart sped up in her chest. She knew that tree. Racing towards the large tree of ages, Kagome felt her heart soar. It was familiar. It was safe. It was, occupied?
Blinking owlishly, Kagome stared at the strange boy that was pinned to the tree. Vines and roots covered his form, and an arrow was pierced through his chest. His eyes were closed but he didn't look dead. He seemed to be sleeping, but Kagome quickly shook that thought from her head. Climbing carefully on the roots, she balanced on the bigger ones to get a better look. Silver hair fell to his lower back and hidden within the silky strands were two, pointed, dog ears.
Giggling softly, she had clearly watched too much anime. Maybe her mother was right. Maybe she did need to study a bit more. Biting her lower lip, she looked around, but was still alone. She really shouldn't, but it was her dream, so why not? Leaning closer to the boy, she reached up with both hands and tweaked the strange ears. They were soft, like puppy fur, and brought a small smile to her face.
Hearing a twig snap behind her, Kagome turned and was face to face with an arrow. A group of men stood around her, all holding weapons. A man in front had a bow drawn, ready to fire at the slightest provocation. “You, there!” he yelled, “What're you up to?!”
Slowly holding her hands up, Kagome froze, not sure what to do. Motioning to the others, the men quickly tied ropes around her, and dragged her away from the tree and the strange boy attached to it. She didn't resist, even when they drug her into a small village.
Wooden huts lined a dirt street, and all the villagers wore kimono or hakama and had their hair tied up in topknots. What a strange dream, she thought shifting. Frowning, the ropes rubbed against her arms harshly. Thankfully her uniform had long sleeves, otherwise she was sure her skin would be chaffed for sure.
“Make way for High Priestess Kaede!” one of the villagers yelled, making her jump.
The villagers parted like a sea, revealing a hunched, old woman. Her gray hair was tied back in a low tail, and an eye patch rested over her right eye. A bow was clenched in one hand and a small brown bag was held in the other. A wrinkled face scowled at the girl sitting on the ground tied up. Strange clothing draped her form, barely covering her long legs.
Handing her bow to one of the villagers, she reached into the bag, and grabbing purifying salt, threw it at the girl. “Be gone demon!” Kaede said, throwing more salt at her prone form.
“Hey!” Kagome screeched, turning her face away from the offensive granules. “What are you doing?!”
“Ye are the demon found in Inuyasha Forest,” Kaede replied blandly. “I shall purify ye soul.”
“Demon?” Kagome said. “I'm no demon!”
“Are ye not,” Kaede asked. Staring at the girl more, she had a strange likeness to her late sister. Perhaps this was a trap. But Kikyo had been dead for a long time. What would be the point of sending someone of her likeness now. What was there to gain from it?
“Bring her to my hut,” Kaede finally ordered. “I shall watch her tonight and make sure she tries nothing false towards our village.”
The day dragged. Kagome remained tied up in Kaede's hut where the village men deposited her earlier in the day. The small space was dark and smelled of dried herbs. Kagome's butt hurt and her back was sore. He hands felt like they had fallen asleep as well, and her feet weren't too far behind.
Kaede had come in only a short while ago and busied herself with making a stew. It didn't look very good, but it smelled divine. She hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and her stomach was letting her know its discomfort with their current situation.
Hearing her stomach rumble, Kaede looked up at the girl sitting in the corner. She hadn't complained all day, but Kaede was still skeptical of her reasons for being there. Theirs was a small, humble village, so she was definitely not a spy, but that didn't mean the girl wasn't a shapeshifter or a kitsune in disguise. She was found in Inuyasha Forest after all.
Filling some broth in a cup, Kaede waddled towards the girl. Holding the cup to her lips, Kaede tipped it slowly so the girl could drink without choking. It wasn't the greatest, but it was something and Kagome was glad that she wouldn't starve.
“Do ye have a name?” Kaede asked.
“Kagome,” she replied softly.
“Get some sleep, Kagome,” Kaede said. “We will decide what to do with ye tomorrow.”
Huffing, Kagome leaned against the wall. When was she going to wake up? This was getting ridiculous. Closing her eyes, sleep didn't come easy. She did eventually fall asleep some point in the middle of the night however, because she woke to screaming.
Blinking her eyes, the dark hut slowly came into view. Great, she groaned. She must have hit her head harder than she thought. She better not be in a coma. Although, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to tell if she was or not. More screams came from outside the hut and the sound of crashing and snapping wood made her stiffen.
A bell rang in the distance and Kagome struggled to get to her feet. Pushing the flap to the hut open, Kaede rushed in. “An evil spirit,” she said.
Grabbing her bow and a quiver of arrows, she paused when Kagome said, “Hey! Please, untie me!”
Furrowing her brow, Kaede didn't have time for this. Pulling the girl out the hut, she tossed her to a villager standing nearby. “Untie the girl and let her go.”
Feeling the ropes loosen, Kagome's hands and fingers stung. Flexing them, it felt like hundreds of pins and needles were pricking her skin all at once. Hearing a crash, Kagome turned and saw a familiar centipede woman rising out of the rubble of what appeared to be a shed or barn. A dead horse was in the creature's mouth and her back half ungulated and swiped several villagers away.
Tossing the horse, the creature's eyes landed on her. “Give it to me!” she hissed. “The sacred jewel!”
“The jewel?!” Kaede said, her good eye widening. “Ye have it?!”
“I don't know what she's talking about!” Kagome insisted. “I don't have any jewel!”
Lunging for the girl, the creature's aim was thrown off when an arrow hit it in the side. More villagers fired arrows at the creature, but they did little to the monster. Most bounced off her centipede body like they were toys. “The jewel!” the creature hissed again.
“Run girl!” Kaede yelled. “The creature must not get the jewel!”
Not having to be told twice, Kagome spun and raced into the forest. She had no idea where she was going or what would happen to her, but hopefully Kaede and the villagers would be able to hold off the centipede woman long enough for her to find a place to hide.
Running up a hill, she panted once she reached the top. She had to keep going, no matter how much it hurt. If only she participated more in gym class. Running through the trees, crashing behind her made her pick up the pace. It was coming. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. The villagers didn't stop it. She was on her own.
“Why are you running, Kikyo? Just kill it like you killed me,” a voice said.
Pausing, Kagome panted. Eyes widening, she wasn't sure what she was seeing. The boy pinned to the tree was alive and sneering at her. How can that be? He still had an arrow through his heart. There was no way he could be alive. Sniffing, the boy said, “Why don't you just do her like you did me, huh? Don't look so dumb. Lost your mind already, Kikyo?”
Gritting her teeth, Kagome stomped her foot, and marching towards the boy, she climbed onto the roots, and poking him in the chest said, “Kikyo! Kikyo! Who's Kikyo?! She's not me!”
Sniffing, his ears twitched. “Maybe you're not her,” he conceded gruffly.
Hearing a tree crash to the ground, Kagome screamed and leaned closer to the boy. Seeing an opportunity, he asked, “Hey, you think you can pull out this arrow?”
“Huh?” Kagome asked.
“I'm asking if you can pull out this arrow!” he yelled.
The arrow? Looking at his chest, another tree fell nearby, making her heart race. Biting her lower lip, she asked, “Can you beat that thing?”
Grinning, the boy replied, “Pull the arrow out, girl. You're out of time.”
Another tree crashed to the ground, and the creature burst into the area. Smiling, sharp teeth lined her mouth. “Found you,” she hissed.
Sucking in a deep breath, Kagome gripped the arrow and pulling, it dissolved into dust in her hand. A pulse surrounded the boy, followed by an unnatural wind. Screeching, the creature seethed, “Give it to me!”
Breaking free from the vines, Kagome was thrown to the ground when the boy leapt towards the centipede woman. Not wanting to wait around, Kagome scrambled to her feet and raced off again. Cursing under her breath, she hoped the boy would be alright, but really, she didn't have time to worry about it. Her legs burned, but she had to get away.
Pushing through the trees, a familiar well came into view. That's it. Maybe if she fell into it again, she would wake up, or go home or something. Anything, as long as she was away from this place.
Grabbing onto the lip of the well, she panted heavily. Her legs were weak, but here was her possible way home.
“You have the jewel, girl?” a voice asked.
Turning, Kagome's eyes widened. The boy with silver hair and dog ears stood at the tree line. His red attire a stark contrast to the trees around him. Swallowing thickly, she said, “I don't have it.”
Grinning, he took a step towards her and flexed his hands, which she now noticed were tipped with claws. Heart hammering in her chest, she screamed when he charged her. Stepping back, her leg hit the ledge, and losing her balance, she tumbled backwards into the well. Screaming, a blue light engulfed her body, and the world went black.