InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Future Beginnings ❯ Down to Earth ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: Down to Earth

 

Eventually the steady droning of the bird-car lulled Inuyasha to sleep. He woke up several times when his head snapped forward until the nice lady who had helped him fasten his seatbelt came by again. She showed him how to recline his chair, move his tray to and from the upright position, and how to plug in the earphones.

 

“These two ends go in your ears—” She reached up to put the earphones where his ears should be. Inuyasha quickly took them from her. “I'll try this later,” he told her.

 

While he drowsed, he kept one ear out for signs of Kagome. Although she ususally used the toilets towards the middle, one time she walked back near Inuyasha's seat. He drew his feet up under the blanket across his lap and pulled the other blanket over his face when he sensed her drawing near. She hesitated, a puzzled look on her face, when she got to his row. One hand went out as if to touch him, so he snored loudly. Kagome jerked her hand back and continued walking, shaking her head as if to clear it.

 

The only thing, aside from the constant noise, that bothered Inuyasha about this bird-car was the smell from the toilet. He was seated rather close to two of them, and not only did he have to endure the stringent medicine smell, as time went by that smell became overlaid with the smell of human waste—a lot of human waste. He couldn't bring himself to use one of the toilets; however, the nice lady kept bringing him things to eat and drink. After a while, he didn't have a choice. He cut down on his eating and drinking from that point on.

 

His ears began to ache around the same time he glanced out the window and realized he could see shapes. He let out a little whine and shook his head. The sensation got worse and the shapes outside solidified into green land with buildings and tiny cars. They were landing.

 

Just when he thought he couldn't stand it anymore there was a sudden bump and the pain disappeared. Inuyasha quickly realized that they were approaching a building similar to the one they had departed back in Japan. Hopefully this was Connecticut.

 

He waited as most of the passengers filed off the bird-car, noting exactly when Kagome left through the little door. He reached up as he had seen others do and retrieved Tetsusaiga from the overhead bin. Then he shuffled down the aisle with the rest of the passengers, head bent and still blanket-clad.

 

“You know, you should really put your shoes back on,” the nice lady said as he approached the exit. She eyed the blanket. “You can leave that here with me,” she said, reaching to tug it off his head.

 

Her eyes widened as she got her first view of the length and unusual color of his hair. Inuyasha mashed his ears down as close to his scalp as he could, hoping that she wouldn't notice them since she was quite a bit shorter than he was. However, he didn't have to worry. She saw what she expected to see and ignored what didn't fit. She never noticed the ears past the hair.

 

“Thank you,” he mumbled, brushing past her on his way out. As soon as he cleared the long hallway he sniffed the air, trying to locate Kagome. He saw her making her way to an exit and darted after her, emerging in a large room with lines of people.

 

This wouldn't work, he thought, as he noticed the people were being funneled through a few openings with their luggage. He had no luggage, so he figured he probably should not go through the lines. He retraced his path back to the room where he had first come out. Here there were many people, some with luggage, some without. There were also toilets that didn't give off that awful medicine smell! He followed a man inside one of the toilet rooms and after a few moments of confusion he finally ignored the long open toilets towards the front of the room and closed himself inside a little cubicle toilet.

 

Time to get out of this place, he thought. He knew approximately where Kagome had gone. All he needed to do was to get outside and go around to where he knew she would come out. He sprinted towards an open little door that led to a different bird-car after making sure that the other nice lady who was guarding it was looking the other way. If anyone saw anything, it was a red blur.

 

At the other end of the long hallway just before the small entrance to the bird-car itself was another opening. In an instant Inuyasha was through it and on the ground outside. He took his bearings, then jumped up to the top of the building and over the other side. Again there were cars, and buses too, and things that looked like some combination between the two. After a while he saw Kagome emerge, dragging her big suitcase behind her. She looked so lost, standing at the edge of the road, peering at each car or bus that went by.

 

For a moment, Inuyasha was tempted to rush right over to her and let her know that he was here. But he had learned the hard way not to surprise Kagome. If she saw him, she wouldn't look lost and alone anymore—she would look angry. At him.

 

He waited until a large car stopped and Kagome got in, then he followed the car, keeping to the shadows, as it moved slowly past the buildings. Just before it turned onto the open roadway, Inuyasha hopped lightly to its roof. He dug his nails in just a little to help hold him.

 

People see what they expect to see. They don't expect to see a white-haired demon crouching atop a moving vehicle, so they don't scream in panic. Or so Inuyasha surmised, as car after car went by him. The occupants stared, pointed, waved, and sometimes laughed. But nobody stopped or even looked particularly alarmed. He wasn't sure just what they thought he was.

 

This Connecticut place seems very friendly, he thought. He sat up a little straighter and started waving back at the passing cars.