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A Hallowe’en Adventure

Kagome woke to a gentle tap on her shoulder. She looked up to see the smiling face of her friend Yuka.
"Hey Kagome, you ok? You fell asleep in class again,” She said with a little concern. Kagome yawned in reply as she stretched and got up from her desk. It had been another boring day at school. One full of stressful moments Kagome was finding less far and few. She had gotten a large amount of homework she had missed, which had to be made up. Kagome collected her things and headed for the hallway with Yuka. On the way out, they met up with Ayumi and Eri.
"Hi you guys" Kagome smiled as her friends fell into step.
"So Kagome... have you decided what you are going to dress up as for Hallowe'en yet?" Ayumi asked her.
"Not yet..." She answered, "I have a couple things laid out at home. I just haven't decided on which one I should wear." The group of girls quietly made their way down the street, when Yuka reminded her that she only had till tomorrow night to figure it out. Kagome sighed before asking the girls what they had all decided on doing for Hallowe'en.
"Don't you think we're kinda getting too old for dress up?" Eri wondered aloud. "Well, it's not like any of us goes out for treats or anything." Ayumi stated as Eri sighed,
"Ya, I guess so... my mom still dresses up," Yuka laughed before asking Kagome what she thought.
"I have to dress up sometimes at the shrine. So I'm kinda used to wearing a costume." Kagome said thoughtfully,
"But I still dress up for my brother's sake, and any occasion that doesn't call for my shrine garb... is a welcome occasion to me." The girls continued to talk about how they were dressing up as they walked home. When they reached the shrine steps, they all waved good-bye to Kagome and continued on their way. When she got to the top, she took in a deep breath of cool, crisp autumn air before heading on into the house.

When she walked through the door she dropped her bag, and took off her shoes. She was about to head for the kitchen, when suddenly a zombie attacked her! A very puny zombie at that.
"Souta! Come back in here..." She heard her mother call out. "I haven't finished pinning your costume yet"
"Coming mom," The little zombie called back as he sauntered into the kitchen. Kagome shook her head as she made her way into the kitchen, and saw her brother standing on a stool, Her mother working her way around the little boy, pinning as she went.
"Hello Kagome How was school today?" She asked her daughter as she stood from where she'd been kneeling.
"Alright I guess. I have more homework to add to the pile,” She said with a slump. "It's the same amount of work you would have if you attended regularly dear. It just seems a lot all at once" Her mother said, trying to make light of the dark cloud quickly massing over her daughter's head. Kagome nodded in agreement, but still wasn't looking forward to actually doing any of it.
"Just do one thing at a time dear. If it gets to be too much for you... take a little break."
"Thanks mom..." She smiled.
"Betcha didn't know it was me at first huh sis?" Souta broke in, finally able to ask the question that had been burning inside him.
"No way... I thought I was being attacked!" Kagome said playfully.
"Alright!" He beamed, as he got down from the stool to practice his zombie walk around the kitchen. Kagome watched as her mother shadowed her little brother around the room, trying to get his costume off before any of the pins fell out. She made her self a cup of tea before heading up to her room. Kagome got half way up the stairs when her grandfather called to her.
"Kagome... how can you study when your school books are down here and you are up there?" This was more of a rhetorical question, but Kagome got the hint. 'Darn!' She sighed mentally. Kagome knew she had to do her homework sooner or later... she had just hoped it could be later.

Kagome closed the door behind her, and hauled her bag toward her desk. As she sat down on her bed, some over-spill from her tea, splashed her hand causing her to cry out and drop the cup. Her mother opened her door moments later to see what all the noise was about. She found Kagome dabbing up tea off her bed, before it absorbed into the blanket.
"Kagome... are you alright dear?"
"Ya, ya... I just spilt my tea all over that's all." Kagome huffed.
"You didn't burn yourself did you?" She asked concerned. Kagome showed her hand to her mother as she continued to dab at her bed. Her mother disappeared momentarily and returned with a cold cloth.
"Thanks mom"
"You're welcome dear" Her mother replied.
"Are any of your costumes ruined?"
"Doesn't look like it..." Kagome said as she gave her costumes another look. "Nope! Not a single drop."
"Well that's good... have you decided which one you are going to wear yet?”. Kagome laughed nervously as she shook her head. Her mother just sighed. “Hallowe'en is tomorrow, and Souta will be upset if you're not ready to go with him Kagome". Suddenly, Eri's question from earlier came to mind.
"Mom... don't you think I'm getting too old for treating?"
"I don't see any harm in taking your brother out," She answered. Kagome agreed to take Souta out. Under one condition...
"Don't let Grandpa hand out too much candy! He’ll probably try to slip in some charms or something like that. Besides, he gets more excited than the kids do and ends up frightening them," Kagome's mother laughed as she went down stairs to start dinner.
'That sounds about right' She thought to herself.
"Now, with my hand like this... I can put off doing my homework until after dinner at least" Kagome schemed. One might wonder if she had spilt the tea by accident at all! Unable to do homework, Kagome settled for choosing a costume. It wasn't going to be easy. She had three different outfits on her bed. One was a witch costume. A black, crushed velvet dress with long flowing sleeves, accompanied by a sparkly, sheer cape and a big black hat with a silver tassel. The next one was a vampire's costume... that consisted of a long red and black cloak that her mother had made for her. A dainty medallion on a red sash, and a familiar black, crushed velvet dress with long flowing sleeves. Her third costume was a faerie. A simple white dress that stopped mid thigh, while feathery layers hung down to her knees. A small leafy circlet for her hair and a pair of silvery lined, nylon wings. She loved all three of these costumes for they gave her the feeling she was part of another world. Sometimes she wished it were possible.
'Hmmm...' She thought, "I think I'll wear..."
"Sis! Mom says it's time to come down for dinner!"

When dinner was finished, Kagome went back to her room with every intention of starting her homework. With a bandage on her hand, she set to reading through her math problems for the time being. Time seemed to crawl by as Kagome struggled to understand the numbers and equations running rampant in her mind.
“How am I supposed to get all this done when I can’t even remember how to start?” She groaned. There was a knock on her door and she turned to see Souta.
“Uhh, you gonna be ready for tomorrow night sis?” He asked, sounding hopeful. She smiled at him.
“Of course I’ll be ready… ready to scare the pants off your little friends that is!” He looked a little worried before he smiled back and said goodnight, closing the door behind him. She laughed as she turned back to her math. Kagome tried to pick up where she left off, but no luck.
‘That little brat made me lose my train of thought!’ she sighed. Flipping back a page didn’t work either. She spun away from her desk and came face to face with her costumes.
“That’s it! Maybe a bath will do me some good… I’m certainly not getting anything done in here!” Defeated, Kagome went into the bathroom and ran her self a bath. Once in the hot water she was finally able to relax. Before too long, another problem presented itself. Kagome growled as best as humanly possible when she remembered that she had some chores to do before tomorrow night. ‘Lets see… dishes, some laundry, sweep the shrine, finish my homework… and choose a costume!’ There’s that humane growl again. She slid beneath the water with hopes it would wash her troubles away. When she’d finished her bath, Kagome put her schoolbooks away and made to jump into bed, when she realized she hadn’t put her costumes away. Disheartened and tired, Kagome hung up the protesting garments in her closet and collapsed onto her bed for some much needed sleep.

A clap of thunder woke Kagome from her sleep. It was still dark out so she reached for her covers in attempt to hide from the storm. As she groped around in the dark for her blanket, a bolt of lightening tore across the sky, illuminating the room around her. Sitting up, Kagome found that there were no blankets to grab onto, and the room that surrounded her was no room at all! With another clap of thunder and another bolt of lightening threatening to rip the sky in two, Kagome saw that she wasn’t inside… but outside. At first she was afraid with the storm carrying on like it was. Then fear turned into confusion as she wondered how she’d gotten outside from her nice cozy bed. She got up off the ground and started to head for the house. She was getting cold being outside in nothing but her pajamas, when she noticed that they had disappeared, like her blanket had. Instead she was dressed in a long lavender dress with silver trim.
“Oh cool! Either I’m dreaming… or mom must have slipped this in my closet” She beamed, “But how did I get it on…and what am I doing outside!” Kagome’s ranting was cut short when she heard something behind her. She whirled around to see nothing. What ever it was or wasn’t, had startled her. She continued to head for the house then stopped. Something stood between Kagome and the door to her home. A very large, dark figure stood just a few feet away from her. Whatever it was, it was too big to be a man. Kagome’s blood froze as the creature took a step toward her. Unable to find her breath, Kagome slowly took a step back and reeled in horror as the creature took another step in her direction. Kagome quickly glanced toward the shrine, hoping she could make a run for it. When she looked back towards the house panic set in, where was the creature? Kagome started to creep slowly up the path to her door, when suddenly the creature appeared again. It was closer now and she could hear it snarling. Something snapped inside her as she turned and ran as fast as she could for the shrine. As it came into view, Kagome saw that blocking her from the door yet again was the creature. Crying out in desperation, Kagome turned and ran again. This time the creature leapt after her. The wind picked up carrying with it thousands of fallen leaves that obscured poor Kagome’s vision. Incapable of seeing where she was running, the creature was starting to swallow the distance that lay between them. Her screams for help were carried away on the wind as she kept running, praying that something would save her. As her legs threatened to give way beneath her, Kagome thought she could make out the shrine’s old well house ahead of her. She pleaded with her quivering limbs to keep going, at least until she made it to the well. Kagome slammed the creaking door behind her, and took a tumble down the stairs. Scrambling as quickly as possible under the planks that held up the floor, Kagome held her breath while clutching at her chest. She froze as she saw a large shadow making its way around the front and sides of the well house. Hot tears streamed down her flushed cheeks as she listened to the snuffling noises coming from just outside. A loud growl let Kagome know she’d been found as the thunderous beating of her heart had given her away. Having no place left to hide, Kagome swallowed hard and gathered her dress. Just as the door was smashed to bits, Kagome closed her eyes and jumped into the well.

Kagome laid crumpled at the bottom of the well for what seemed like hours. All she could picture was a vicious looking beast staring down at her hungrily from atop the well. Why it hadn’t jumped down there after her was beyond her comprehension. Unable to stay waiting in the dark any longer, she forced her self to look up. The salivary jaw of a monster is not what she saw, or heard.
“What the…?” The first words Kagome had spoken since her decent into the well sounded dry and stuck in her throat. She grabbed onto a vine that hung securely at the side of the well and pulled her self out of the dark. Soft pink sky with shreds of fiery orange was above her. Large oak trees displaying their finest autumn colours, stretched out far and wide around her. Kagome gasped in awe at the strange terrain she found her self in. Her previous encounter with a monster forgotten.
“Okay, this is freaky… where is the well house, the shrine, my house?” It was then that Kagome spotted Goshinboku. “Oh thank goodness! I can always find my way home from the scared tree,” She said, completely relieved. But all she found was more forest. “Alright, now I know I’m dreaming” the Goshinboku held another mystery for Kagome. Fastened to the trunk of the tree was a boy. “Hello there, are you alright?” Kagome called to him. When no answer came she went closer to him, and as she did so, noticed that he was no ordinary boy. ‘Eh? Silver hair…’ she marveled, “And are those… ears?” A sudden surge of curiosity plagued Kagome as she climbed among the roots of the tree, to where the boy was. “They are ears… dog ears by the looks of it”. She crept a bit closer as she stretched out her hand, “I think I wanna… touch ‘em”

**rub rub**

“Well now that that’s out of my system,” She sighed. All of a sudden chocolate brown eyes, met alert amber eyes in a heated gaze.
“So… how’d they feel?”.
“I b-beg your pardon?” Kagome sputtered a little embarrassed.
“My ears…” He stated, “Do you go around tugging the ears of every stranger you meet?” A blush dusted her cheeks as she tried to gain composure.
“Um… well, no not exactly. And they’re soft”
“What?”
“Your ears, they’re soft!” She jumped down feeling uncomfortable and regretting the whole thing. ‘Who am I kidding? That was awesome’ She giggled.
“Hey you, girl…” She looked up at the hanyou with a start.
“Huh?”
“Do you think you can get me loose?” He asked her, hopefully. Kagome climbed back up the roots and made her way around the tree assessing the situation. “Well?”
“I don’t suppose you know how I might be able to do that?” She replied. The boy rolled his eyes.
“How the hell should I know, look for a stick or something and see if you can pry these roots off me”. Kagome sighed and began looking for a stick that might be thick enough to withstand pressure.
‘You’re the one stuck to the bloody tree after all’ She thought. Kagome found a stick that she felt would work. She stuck in between the main roots and pushed down on it with all her strength.

**CRRAAAAAK**

The stick gave way and split, sending Kagome tumbling to the ground.
“Uh, I think you were supposed to break the roots! Not the stick” The hanyou snorted.

The sun was starting to set, and Kagome was about to go look for a bigger stick. However, the boy had come up with another plan,
“Ok, here’s what you do…” Kagome interrupted him,
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to stand here all day trying to find ways to free you from this tree! I have to find my way home from wherever… here… is” The hanyou was about to lose the first person to come along that was actually trying to help him, and couldn’t stand to be stuck to that damn tree for a moment longer.
“Look, if you get me down from here, I will help you get home”. Kagome was doubtful, but couldn’t blame the guy. She wouldn’t want to be stuck to a tree either.
“Only if you promise!” She bated.
“Alright, alright… I promise. Just get me down!” He told her his plan, and although she was a little wary, Kagome agreed to go through with it. As she turned to leave for the nearby village he’d directed her to, he called out to her,
“Hey girl…” She turned to look back at him,
“Be careful!” She smiled as she hollered back,
“KAGOME. Call me Kagome” then took off at a run for the village. An hour later, the hanyou perked his ears to listen. She’d returned with several different objects. One of which he hoped, would free him.
“What took you so long” He huffed at her.
“Well, I almost got caught, and then I got lost” She groaned.
“Keh” He mumbled “Women” Kagome gave him a sharp glare as she came toward him with a sickle in hand. He swallowed hard as she took a swipe at the roots.
“Darn! I Missed” She stated coolly.
“HEY!” The boy bellowed. Next she tried to chop at the roots with a spade, then an axe. She had one option left; She lifted a torch she had brought with her to the roots.
“If I can’t cut them… then I’ll burn them! She yelled in frustration.
“Just watch where you wave that thing,” The boy warned. A few moments passed and a light breeze blew out the torch.
“UNBELIEVABLE!” Kagome hollered at the top of her lungs. “What the heck is this? An enchanted tree?” The hanyou swore in his mind that the fire raging in the girl’s eyes would be enough to relight the torch, but thought better of it. “That’s exactly what it is,” He said bluntly.
“And why didn’t you say that EARLIER?” She shrieked.
“I THOUGHT YOU KNEW!” He hollered back. Exhaustion had finally consumed her as she slumped to the base of the tree. He could smell the salty pang of tears. If there was one thing he hated more than being stuck to that damn tree, it was seeing a woman cry.
“Kagome” he said softly, “Please, please don’t cry. It’s not worth all that” He could honestly say that he was going to cry too if he didn’t get down from the tree.
“Yes it is. I know how I feel not being able to go home. But I can’t even begin to understand how you must feel being stuck to that tree, forced to watch the world go by around you” She choked out before balling again. He hadn’t really thought about it that way before. She stood and faced him, brushing tears away from her eyes. She came towards him and embraced as much of him as she could, roots permitting.
“I’m sorry,” She said, unnervingly calm all of a sudden.
“Why are you sorry?” He asked.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you!” She’d started to cry again, “I wish I could free you from this curse!”

There was a loud crack, and then a bright light. When the hanyou opened his eyes, he was laying on the ground next to an unconscious Kagome. He took one look at the girl before he leapt to his feet and went running and jumping all through out the clearing hollering as he went. He came back to Kagome and knelt beside her. She blinked open her eyes as he swept a strand of hair out of her face.
“Kagome… you alright?” He asked gently.
“Uh-huh” she breathed. She sat up rubbing her head asking what happened, when she stopped and looked at the once tree bound boy. Her mouth dropped and her eyes went wide, “YOU… You’re… f-free!” She gasped as he grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet.
“You did it Kagome! I’M FREE!” He hollered.
“B-but, how?” She looked at him as if for the first time as he moved about her, re-discovering his long lost muscles.
“It was a strong will that bound me to the tree, it only makes sense that a strong will should free me. I would still be stuck if it weren’t for you Kagome. He hugged her tightly and she hugged him back.
“InuYasha” She pulled away and looked up into his amber eyes.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“My name’s InuYasha” He smiled.
“Well… InuYasha, what do you… what will you do now?” He shrugged his shoulders in a lack of interest.
“Alright then” She said, “We’re going to return these to the village”. She picked up the tools in a bundle, and then handed them to InuYasha. Looking confused he asked her exactly what it was she expected him to do with human things. She calmly stated,
“Being as I carried them here, it’s only fare that you carry them back”.
“Just leave them here,” he answered lamely. Kagome shook her head.
“Nope. I’ve never stolen a thing in my life. We’re just going to have to return them!” He sighed heavily and gave in. It was the least he could do. After all she did just release him from that tree. Kagome was about to start walking for the village, when InuYasha knelt down beside her and almost uncomfortably mumbled for her to get on.
“Huh? You want me to do what?” She blinked at him.
“I said get on. We’ll go much faster if I carry you than if we walk”.
“Uh…” Still a little unsure, she agreed.
“Hold on” He told her. They took off at an alarming speed towards the village. Kagome squealed and wrapped her arms tightly around InuYasha’s shoulders as he leapt high above the treetops. The night air was cold as it rushed past them and Kagome’s dress offered her little warmth. InuYasha wrapped his arms around her, covering her with as much of his haori as he could. After they returned all the tools, InuYasha took Kagome to all his favorite spots from before he was sealed to the tree. They walked through the forest looking up at the stars as they went. They didn’t even seem to notice when their hands innocently touched, and fingers delicately laced between the others. The night went on as they told each other all there was to know about the other.

The sun was starting to rise when InuYasha turned to Kagome and thanked her for freeing him. Unfortunately, the morning sun meant that it was his turn to uphold his part of the deal they had made.
“Kagome?” He said, as they approached the well. She looked up at him,
“Yes InuYasha?”
“When you go home, will… will you remember me?” She smiled at him as she placed a hand on his cheek. She kissed him gently before leaning against his chest.
“I will always remember you InuYasha.” He sighed and let his head rest against her own while he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“InuYasha?”
“Hmm?”
“When I’m gone, you won’t forget me will you?” She whispered. He tilted her chin so he could look into her eyes and pressed his lips to hers.
“You saved me Kagome. I will never forget you” They were content to enjoy the others company until the sun had risen. InuYasha gave Kagome one last hug before helping her into the well. And with one last goodbye, she was gone.

Kagome woke to the buzzing of her alarm clock. It was 9 in the morning. She sat up and stretched as memories of last night came back to her.
“What a dream” She yawned. “Too bad it wasn’t real! Well, all accept that horrible creature. Then again… if it hadn’t chased me, I never would have met InuYasha, and he’d still be stuck to that tree” She laughed. ‘Oh well, maybe I’ll see him in my dreams again tonight’ She thought to herself. In fact, she was looking quite forward to her dreams tonight if it meant seeing him again. A knock at her door snapped her back to reality.
“Young lady, you have chores to do. Come get your breakfast before it gets cold!” Kagome shook her head,
“Yes Grandpa, I’m coming” She got strait to her chores after her breakfast, which left her with just enough time to do some homework. When she’d done as much math as she could take, she jumped in the shower. Out and dried, she ran to her room to change into her costume. As Kagome fumbled around her room, her mother came to the door.
“Kagome are you almost ready?”
“Ya… tell Souta I’ll be down in a minute”
“Alright just don’t hurt yourself”
“Don’t worry mom I won’t!” Mrs. Higurashi went down stairs to wait for her daughter.

‘WHACK’

Kagome yelped as she stubbed her toe on her dresser.
“Guess I spoke too soon” Kagome came down the stairs a minute later dressed in her shrine garb.
“Kagome” Her mother said, “I thought you were going to where one of your other costumes” As Kagome slipped her sandals on and ushered Souta out the door, she said how she felt more at home in this one. Although she was thinking how it seemed to be quite similar to the outfit InuYasha wore. Her mother smiled as she watched the two of them head down the shrine steps to the street below. They’d been walking around for a while and were about to head home, when Souta spotted a real creepy looking house.
“Wow. These people sure went all out didn’t they sis?” Kagome nodded as her brother ran along the path to ring the doorbell. She nearly choked when the door was opened.
“Hey Kagome… his costume looks just like yours” There stood a man with red hakamas and haori made from the fur of the fire rat. With long silver hair and furry dog-ears atop his head. The man seemed just as shocked as Kagome was.
“InuYasha?” She whispered.
“Kagome?” He asked back. Souta looked at the two of them.
“Trick-or-treat,” She laughed.

End