In The Well - Chapter 1

Being late was rather out of the norm.

Perfection was something she always strived for. By default, that particular goal had included being punctual. Unfortunately, being late was something quite impossible to avoid due to a little ball of energy normally addressed as Shippo, Mrs. Takamura's son - and her ward the previous night.

Bane of babysitters (and kind neighbours) all over Tokyo, the boy had managed to 'redecorate' her house so thoroughly it resembled one of which had been ransacked. Damage control took time, and sleeping hours were inevitably reduced.

The inevitable result was tardiness. Car currently indisposed and in repair until the following week; her only alternative was to put her legs to use. She ran as fast as she could, trying to avoid slamming into innocent passerby's.

She was about to turn into a corner when her cell phone rang. Finding it hard to ignore the cheesy ring tone, she stopped with an annoyed sigh; flipped the device open and leaned against a lamp post, ignoring the incredulous stares from the people around her.

"Hello?"

"Kagome?" asked a woman's voice. It was deep and slightly hoarse, suggesting the owner had many hours of talking; no doubt a side-effect of being a psychiatrist. "Why do you sound as if you've been working out? You aren't, are you? I told you, you're not fa-"

"Ayame." Kagome interrupted, frustrated at her friend's rambling. "I need to get to work. Is there anything important?"

"Not really..." Ayame began. "Wait, isn't it your day off today?"

"It can't be- Damn," cursed Kagome exasperatedly, slapping her hand to her forehead. "I completely forgot! All that for nothing... So, what was it you called me for?"

"Erm, there's sort of a new friend I made at work a few days ago," trailed Ayame. "And he asked me out. Not knowing him very well, I asked him to make it a double date instead; and..."

"You need me to come along. I understand," said Kagome, biting her lip before a thought suddenly struck her. "Wait - Ayame, what have I told you about dating your patients?""

"My patients are only what they are because they are mentally or emotionally disturbed. And those with such problems are not suitable dating material. Correspondences should be restricted to appointments and paychecks." Ayame recited faithfully. "I know, but I'd like to give him a chance, he seems so sincere."

"Okay, sure..." Kagome said, giving in to her long time friend - subtly not bringing up the fact that the previous statement had been used to describe her previous dates of which had been anything but sincere. "Why didn't you ask Sango? You know how I feel about these kinds of things."

"She said she's going to Kyoto." Ayame replied automatically, as if expecting the question. "I think she mentioned something about meeting a perverted family friend - Mikuro or something. She wasn't too happy about it, but she said it was a family obligation..." Kagome could almost hear her shrug. "And you know how seriously she takes 'family obligations'."

"Yeah..." agreed Kagome, thinking of the many times she had met Sango's - as she secretly referred to; narrow-minded father (Sango had preferred the term 'traditional' herself). I'll come by later for the details and everything, okay?"

"Thanks, Kagome! I owe you one. Bye!'

"Bye."

Sighing heavily, she wandered away from the sidewalk. She paid little attention to where she was going, her feet somehow working on its own. Her mind was full of thoughts ranging from her unpaid rent to what she was about to have for lunch.

When Kagome finally took in her surroundings, she found herself in what seemed a natural clearing with a somewhat weathered well as its centre. The air was fresh, the grass was beautifully green and Kagome realized that she had absolutely no idea where she was

It seemed unlikely that she was in Tokyo, with the lack of pollution and all. However, it seemed even more unlikely that she was anywhere else, considering that she had been walking for merely a few minutes.

Kagome backtracked and looked around her. Not recognizing any of the streets nearby, she decidedly declared herself lost and went back to the intriguing piece of untouched nature.

She sat down, leaning against the well, clearing her mind of her thoughts and took in the pleasant scent of clean nature. She felt a sense of belonging, as if she was meant to be there. Even the well seemed welcome her, or at least as welcoming as an inanimate object was supposed to be.

The slight breeze caressed her face soothingly and Kagome found herself growing drowsy. The entire atmosphere of the placed made her feel as if she was engulfed with thick, warm blankets. She closed her eyes and-

"Miko."

Her eyes snapped open immediately as she sprung on her feet, scanning the area. Unable to see anything suspicious, she categorized the sound she heard as temporal delusion due to weariness and breathed a sigh of relief. She sat down again and stretched her arms-

"Miko." The word was emphasized loudly, the owner of the voice clearly annoyed at being ignored.

Kagome blinked. She then conducted a simple examination of her senses -which included pinching her cheek and snapping her fingers near her ears to test her hearing. They worked. The voice seemed to originate from the well, she thought. She stood up nervously and peered into the well, biting her lip.

It was empty, with the exception of overgrown weeds and assorted plants she doubted had the ability to speak.

The voice that she heard was probably a side-effect of the expired milk she had forced herself to chug down, she summarized. After all, voices don't come from wells - and even if there was actually someone, it was unlikely that they were addressing her. She was no priestess. It all made very little sense. She never had such a violent reaction to bad milk before. Kagome willed herself to believe her speculation.

Her success was brief.

"Miko." The voice sounded more irritated than it previously was.

Kagome was about to childishly stuff her fingers into her ears, ignore the voice and go her merry way (if she managed to find her way home) when her curiosity beat her common sense.

"W-who are you?" she managed to ask, her throat strangely thick.

"Who I am is none of your concern." The reply came in a form of a cold, clipped voice.

"Excuse me!" Kagome retorted, annoyed, all fear of the unearthly voice she had been hearing suddenly gone. "What do you mean by that!"

"Exactly as I have said." said the emotionless voice again.

She blinked.

"Are you some sort of ghost?" she asked, staring at the air above the well, as if expecting something to materialize after she had made her guess.

"No."

Kagome blew air into her cheeks and crossed her arms, looking every bit like a sulking child, unsatisfied by the answer she had been given.

"At least," Kagome began, "Tell me where you are. So I won't look like a fool, talking to myself."

"There is no one around. And I will only answer if the information you bring contents me."

Kagome frowned, about to refuse the 'voice's' egoistical request when she decided to hear this mysterious 'person' before jumping to conclusions.

"And...?" asked Kagome, with an impatient tint on her voice.

"What has become of Japan?" There was a muffled note of curiosity in the 'voice' that Kagome had managed to catch.

"What has changed recently, you mean?"

"That would depend if your definition of your word extends to the past few centuries"

"That's a ridiculous question," Kagome cried, throwing her hands on her hips - now convinced that the voice was merely a prank that a few teenagers with severe mental disabilities had pulled on her. "You can see what's going on for yourself. Even if that was a valid question, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway."

"I could see, I would not have asked for your help, Miko. You are more of an imbecile than I thought you were." said the voice with barely repressed annoyance. "I am restricted to smelling the changes and I have just awoken - something that I gather is what you are responsible for."

"Smell? How? I can't smell anything..." Pondered Kagome, before reality struck her and she realized that the entire situation was a little too surreal to be true. "Wait - you kids can't just find something constructive to do, can't you? Entertainment centers practically flooding the town and you decide to play a low rate joke on the local doctor."

"Miko, what are you talking about?" demanded the 'voice'. "I am no 'kid'. I am Youkai and I am getting rather irked at you constantly skirting my question."

"Y-youkai?" stammered Kagome, her heart racing at the word. "I thou- No, Youkai do not exist, whoever you are."

"You try my patience." The voice said, as if she was one of the few who had the doubtful honor to do so. Kagome could almost swear she heard a hint of gritting teeth. "I am Youkai and I am breathing. Your nose is inferior and cannot sense what I can. Now answer my question."

Kagome huffed silently, slightly incensed at being bossed about by a voice that apparently came from a disembodied Youkai.

"You really are an arrogant prick."

"Now that we have established that, answer the question."

"Japan has been a place of great prestige, with technology rivaling western countries and trade well-known throughout the world." Kagome droned, feeling as if she was reciting a textbook. "Our culture is constantly studied by people from other parts of the world due to its uniqueness.

There was a snort from the Youkai.

"If this is so," it drawled. "Then why do I smell the world slowly dying?"

Kagome flinched.

"Many forests are cleared for progress - and pollution is a constant battle," she explained slowly. "But more people are realizing that progress does not necessary mean the depletion of the Earth's natural resources and more ways to preserve and conserve what the Earth has left to offer is practiced.

"That does not sound very convincing, Miko."

"It isn't," said Kagome defensively. "But we are trying. Now that I have answered your question, it is your turn to answer mine."

The 'voice' growled, apparently not pleased.

"I will not degrade myself to break my word just to spite a wench who thinks too highly of herself." the Youkai said. "Ask."

Kagome decided to ignore the insult hurled at her and instead focused on satiating her curiosity. "Who are you?"

"I am Sesshoumaru, son of Inutaishou."

Very specific, thought Kagome dryly. It did, however, feel a lot better knowing the name of the person she was conversing is - even if the name was quite strange. "Okay, Sesshoumaru." she said patiently. "Where are you? Why can't I see you?"

"I have answered one question in exchange for the single question I have asked." Sesshoumaru replied arrogantly. "It is my turn, I believe - to ask another question... What have become of all Youkai?"

Kagome bit her lip at the sudden change of topic. "Well," she began. "As you must have noticed, I don't think there are any Youkai in this time apart from you...?"

"You are untruthful." accused Sesshoumaru. "I can smell Youkai, only masked."

"If there are Youkai left," Kagome said irritably, "They must have come up with some sort of technique to hide themselves so that humans, like me," she spat. "Do not know of their existence. There's no point in me lying to a something I can't even see anyway."

"If you say so." The words were said with the air of someone who could not care less.

"So... Where are you?" asked Kagome, excitement clear in her voice. "Why can't I see you? And these questions are somewhat linked to each other, so don't even think of wiggling out of this one. Spill!"

Sesshoumaru sputtered. "Wiggle? This Sesshoumaru does not wiggle. Nor does this Sesshoumaru spill. You are making absolutely no sense, Miko."

Kagome barely managed to contained a giggle as she struggled to reply the Youkai with as much composure as she could gather. "It's just a manner of speech. You really are from a long time ago, aren't you?"

"I did nothing to suggest otherwise. A Dark Miko of whom I supposedly refused one too many times placed this spell on me."

"Spell..." Kagome stated disbelievingly. "Right. The second part of the question...?"

"From what I can observe, the spell has contained me inside this infernal well. I am not able to see outside this barrier. Apparently, creatures outside the barrier are unable to sense its presence."

"Oh." Kagome managed. She had a slight feeling that the 'creature' he was referring to was her but determinedly ignored it. "Wait - a Miko propositioned you? A Youkai?"

"She was a Dark Miko." said Sesshoumaru, unexpected sulkiness lacing his voice. "You are Miko, are you not?"

"Er, I used to live in a shrine. And Grandpa used to give me a little Shinto training - not that he was very good in the first place." Kagome said nervously, twiddling her thumbs. "Does that help?"

"Irrelevant." Sesshoumaru uttered. "You have enough spiritual power, albeit untrained. Can you break the spell?"

"No kissing right?" Kagome joked, despite her uneasiness. She paused realizing that Sesshoumaru would probably not recognize the culture references anyway. "Okay, scratch that. I'll try - Wait, will you answer more questions if I do?"

"You dare use my freedom as a bargaining chip?" asked Sesshoumaru with deadly calm. He paused, as if in thought and continued. "It does not matter. Incessant questions or no, there is no doubt that you will attempt to break this spell anyway."

"How would you know?" asked Kagome, pouting.

"Curiosity is radiating from every pore of your body."

"Fine," Kagome replied, feeling a little resentful. She scooted closer to the well and kneed before it. "What do I have to do?"

"Place your hands on the rim of the well."

Kagome did as she was told, feeling as if ants were running on the length of her arms. Goose bumps began to form.

"Eyes closed, concentrate only on the well."

By then, she could barely hear what Sesshoumaru was talking - there was nothing but the strange aura that emnated from the odd well and the slight jolts of electricity that coursed through her arms. It seemed to twine around her, snaking around her entire body. Her pulse was thundering in her ears. Something inside her was repulsed by the energy as it retracted before snapping - unwinding the spell from around her and the well.

The energy was unlike anything that she had ever felt. A glow of hear inside her chest warmed her as the spell began to fade.

It took several minutes for Kagome to be able to breathe regularly again.

"What did you do?" demanded an irate Youkai that apparently was still stuck in the well.

“I… I don’t know.” Kagome stammered, shivering slightly from the effects of the power she had felt.

“I am still unable to get out of this infernal barrier.” Sesshoumaru grumbled. “But something seemed to have changed.”

Kagome leant against the well, still dizzy from the earlier show of power (of which she had thought never existed just the previous day) –

And fell into the well.

No one could exactly blame her for screaming when she came face to face with a figure with long silver hair.