The two where walking in the forest near the bone eaters well. Kyoko was leading him. She wasn't

sure what to do or say. It's been seven years. What could she say? 'Hey Inuyasha, long time no see,

right? Oh yeah, I thought you where dead! So how's your life been?'

Yeah, right.

Kyoko could take the silence no longer. She stopped abruptly. Smack dab in the middle of a clearing

where the trees still covered the sky. Only small gaps of light could break through the leaves. She

turned to face Inuyasha. She stood there, almost glaring at him, as if trying to get up enough nerve to

make her next move. She tightly shut her eyes and hugged...more like glomped the hanyou.

"Oh, Inuyasha! I thought you where dead! For seven years I thought you where dead!" Kyoko whined.

Smooth...

Inuyasha was so confused, and yet happy.

Kyoko...

His first friend, thought to be dead, was here with him.

For seven lo—wait...seven?

Inuyasha grasped her shoulders and they parted. Inuyasha looked into her eyes with that annoyed look that he always has.

"What the hell do you mean seven years? It's been well over a hundred! Not the mention the fifty when I was sealed to that damn tree."

"Over one hundred? The hell are you talking about! I fell into that well when I was eight and seven years went by! I think I should know my own bloody age!" she spat in a British accent, which always happened when she was upset.

"Well I don't know what crazy place you live in, but it's been much longer here since you left."

"Eh, I don't really think it matters that much. Wait, you where sealed to a tree for fifty years?" Kyoko began to giggle "What the hell did you do?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"I don't believe you! I thought you where dead for how many years and I'm finally back to find that your alive and you're not even the least bit happy to see me!? Are you even the Inuyasha I knew back then, because he would have been jumping for bloody joy to see me again!"

Inuyasha tightened his grip on her shoulders, startling Kyoko.

"I-Inuyasha-?"

"I never said I wasn't happy to see you! How do you think I feel? I thought you where dead and I found out that you where just on the other side of that damned well? What about what you said back then, huh? And what I said! I told you that I would protect you, stupid!" Inuyasha yelled.

Kyoko looked up at the green leafy canopy above and gave a big grin.

So this was the Inuyasha that she knew so long ago.

'I told you before that I would protect you, stupid!'

How that brought back sweet memories. How nostalgic.

Kyoko slowly moved closer and embraced him. Her head just above his right shoulder. Inuyasha blushed bright red but didn't push her away.

With his expression calmer now, he returned the embrace.

Kyoko explained, "I told myself I would forget. Kagome took me in when I was on the other side. Later though I moved back to America, where I was originally from, and lived with a foster family of sorcerers."

Kyoko smiled and forced herself to part from their hug.

"I'll explain everything else when we get back to the hut. I think poor Kagome needs an explanation too, as well as I do. I didn't know she could come here too. But first, there's someone I have to find."

Kyoko snickered and began to skip in the direction of the bone eaters well. Inuyasha ran after her,

soon catching up without much effort.

He broke through the brush to see Kyoko standing on the edge of the well.

Her eyes where gently closed, still smiling with her right hand held out in front of her. She opened her

eyes to reveal two snow white pupils. Both her eyes where pure white. Inuyasha was startled. He knew that she was a witch and could do magic, but what's with the white eyes?

She better not get herself hurt... he thought.

"What do you think your doing, Kyoko?" he demanded.

Her glazed eyes went towards his own and, still smiling, she answered.

"Don't worry, Inu-kun. Tee hee. I'm just looking for an old friend." she assured.

Her voice was even different. It sounded like there where two of her speaking in unison, or an eerie echo of her own voice.

She closed her eyes again.

Kyoko was indeed looking for an old friend.

She was using a spell to search the forest.

With her eyes closed, she had a birds eyes view of it.

She felt like a hawk that was grazing the very crown of the forest. From tree to tree she searched until

finally,

There. There it is!

With that, a peculiar invisible force draped her, she slightly levitating of the edge of the well.

Her voice echoed, "adeo mihi meus volatilis amicus."

It felt like there where invisible threads attached to her fingers that had finally snagged the big prize.

She gave a tug and the impalpable strings, as well as her levitation, stopped.

She opened her eyes and smiled at Inuyasha.

"There, all done! And you where worried? How sweeeeet, Inu-kun" she teased.

"You have to ask? I thought you where about to go back or something stupid!" he scoffed.

Kyoko knew, that in his own way, he was really saying that he didn't want her to go back to the present. It made Kyoko feel joyous.

"Thank you, Inu-kun"

"Why are you thanking me? And will you stop calling me that!"

Kyoko bent down so they met eye-to-eye, and with a low caustic voice, she said

"Not on your life."

They both looked to the side of them because of a rustling sound in the bushes. Inuyasha jumped in

front of her with his claws retracted, ready for a fight. Kyoko smiled at him and rolled her eyes. She

jumped down from the well and advanced towards the bush. Inuyasha's eyes widened trying to figure

out what she was doing. He was about to pull her away when she declared,

"There you are! What took you so long, Jodie?" With that she pulled out of the bushes, a vine covered broomstick.