InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Away Again ❯ Chapter 1

I was clicking through mediaminer when this idea came to my mind. In my brain are a lot of Sango/Miroku fics, but I decided to stick with this one. It's the only one I could get a good start with.

I promise I'll update Breeder's Choice. I do. I shall. ::Sigh:: Maybe.

Away Again

Chapter the First In which someone falls through a well, and a couple makes a discovery

In a place not too far away from here is a house where three people live.

The first is Andamiya Kagome- formerly Higurashi- a strong resilient woman with a happy life. She spends her time with her daughter, teaching life lessons she learned, and telling fantastical stories about demons and brave men who fight them.

Then there is Andamiya Maro, husband of Kagome. He is a simple man who has little place in this story, but he loves his fiercely, and he is eager to please her.

The final person is the offspring of the two former: Andamiya Kumi, a strong young girl with striking features. While her mother is compassionate and soft, she takes on a harsher role that startles those who know both of her kind, quiet parents.

And today is her fifteenth birthday.

Maro apologized to his daughter that he was forced to work. He promised her a present when she returned, for Kagome was bringing her to her grandmother's house in celebration. It was not often Kagome got to visit her family, but to bring her daughter along was an extra-special treat.

Kumi was greeted warmly. Her grandmother began cooking, and her uncle was there to challenge her video gaming skills. There was cake and laughter and fun all around. Then Kagome disappeared for a moment, and Kumi's grandmother brought her aside quietly.

“I missed Kagome's birthday,” she whispered. “I hid her present in the shrine. Do you mind getting it?”

Kumi shook her head.

“Good. It should be to the right of the well, on the bottom shelf.”

So Kumi bounced off. She stepped into the shrine and gave her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim light. She sneezed.

The place was dusty and dirty and not that pleasant. Since Kagome's grandfather had passed away there was no one to care for the shrine, so all the various junk piled up together.

Kumi stared at the well, leaning over one side. There was really no reason to call it a well; there was no water within it. Just dust and dirt and something else she probably didn't want to touch. So she turned away, digging beneath the bottom shelf for her mother's present.

There was a considerable amount of junk in the bottom shelf. Half of it was boxes covered in sutras. She finally uncovered a brightly wrapped box, small with a giant yellow bow. Kumi pocketed it carefully, giving another glance at the well before leaving.

Something caught her eye. It was shiny and gold and sparkled prettily in such little light. She leaned forward, peering cautiously into it. What was that down there?

Kumi glanced around. Well, she could chance a look, couldn't she? She'd have no problem, jumping in, grabbing it, and jumping back out. It'd be a total of thirty seconds, and she'd run right back to the house.

So Kumi hopped over the wooden railing of the well and landed neatly on the bottom. The shiny object was right at her feet, and she swiped it up, holding it close to study.

A gold chain sat neatly in her hand. It was a bit old and dirty but it shined just as brightly when rubbed clean. On the end of the chain was an orb with some kind of smoke inside. It was a beautiful pink and purple and set with a gold rim. Kumi gazed at it a long time before squeezing her hand over it and holding it close to her heart. Quickly she slipped it around her neck and began climbing up the wall of the well. Once she reached the top she straddled the edge to pull herself over when her mother's present spilt out from her pocket. She reached over to grab it, shifting her weight to the side still hanging over the edge of the well. Her balance fell backwards, and she yelped as she tumbled sideways. Her eyes squeezed shut while she awaited the feeling of hitting the ground.

It did not come.

For a while she felt as if she were being suspended. Kumi opened her eyes and found herself floating in a mist the same color as the smoke inside the orb. She gasped, and the mist began to clear. She gently hit the ground, and then she looked down.

That was when Kumi began screaming.

There were bones beneath her, like dead animals decomposed into their final form. Kumi screamed even as she began climbing the wall of the well. Her screams did not stop until she stumbled the edge and away from the horrific holding place. She panted heavily as she backed herself into a tree, then gave a shout of surprise.

Wherever she was, it was not home.

No, it was nowhere close. The well was the same but the surroundings were not. There was… nature around her. She picked herself up, getting a better picture of the forest that had magically popped up over the span of ten minutes.

Suddenly a hand touched her.

She screamed again, covering her face with her hands.

“I'm sorry!” a voice called. “I didn't mean to scare! Are you alright?”

No! She pulled her hands away, and her eyes went wide.

A very handsome man was now standing in front of her.

“It's alright,” he said. “Are you lost?”

Her cheeks lightened with a blush. His voice was filled with compassion. He enclosed his hands over hers and leaned closer. His navy eyes were warm, and he flashed a grin at her and-

“OW!”

Kumi jumped back as a very heavy looking weapon crashed over the man's head. A woman now stood behind him, the scariest look on his face, one to rival the own looks her mother had given her. The man rubbed his head, giving a chuckle.

“I'm sorry, Sango.” He stood. “I can't help myself.”

She passed him a cold glare. “Preying on lost girls, lecher?”

There was a chorus of soft giggles behind them. Two boys popped their heads out, and Kumi blinked quickly, stepping back.

“I'm sorry,” she said, “but where are we?”

Sango did a double-take. This girl… No, not possible. “You're lost?”

Kumi gave a quick nod.

“There's a village,” she pointed down the hill. “If you're lost, we can take you there. It's only a short ways, and you can gather your bearings.”

Kumi glanced at the well. “…Yeah, okay. But… what…” She paused, changing her mind. “I'm Kumi.”

“I am Miroku,” the man said. He wrapped his arm around the woman's shoulders. “And this is my lovely wife, Sango.”

“Save it,” she muttered. She turned to the boys. “Come on. We're going.”

“Thank you,” Kumi sighed. Maybe she could get some answers.

With one last glance at the well, she followed behind the strange couple.

><><><><><><

Kagome sighed as she leaned over the edge of the well.

Oh how she hoped this day wouldn't come. Learning about the past… It was painful, for her at least. But… It might be better if she knew. She couldn't keep it from Kumi forever.

Still, there was the question of how she got through the damned well in the first place.

Kagome sighed again and started dialing her husband's number, thinking up a good lie.

Authoress Notes:

There's chapter one. I thought it would be longer. But it's not. ::Sigh::

I would update other stories, but my sister stole my computer, so none of my files are here. I'm uploading new stories instead.

I'm on a Sango/Miroku trip. I'm writing a story around them. It's fun!

Next chapter: a certain hanyou reappears, or just appears. I don't know which.