up, Miroku!" Sango interrupted. Such remarks really got on her nerves. Kimie looked confused from one person to the other. "What are you talking about here?"
Kagome quickly waved it off and smiled. "Oh, nothing at all! It's best if we forget all of this very quickly. The main thing is that you live and are healthy."
Kimie looked at her cousin and nodded with a slight smile.
"Well, your sword looked less healthy," Inuyasha suddenly interjected. "Divided into two parts, it doesn't really look good."
Kimie listened up. “How do you know that?” She had left her sword, or rather the remains of it, in the place where this demon worm had attacked the group. Why should she have carried it around with her?
Sango clarified the situation: "We have always followed your trail.Inu Yasha picked up your trail and then we walked exactly the same way as you did with Sesshoumaru. Of course we passed the remains of this demon and next to it were the fragments of your sword. "
"I see."
"I was afraid something had happened to you.", Kagome said to Kimie. "But when Inuyasha said you were alive, I was really relieved. But is it true that you killed a demon yourself?"
Kimie nodded. She guessed what Kagome was talking about and remembered the snake demon that attacked her the second night. "Yes, but I struck more out of a reflex. It was more of a coincidence that I hit him so well straight away."
"You were really lucky," said Inuyasha. "But this worm was killed by Sesshoumaru. The smell confirmed that." He cast a scrutinizing look at Kimie. "But don't tell me now that he killed the cattle to help you."Kimie didn't really know how to react to that comment. She had to admit that she didn't know herself. Perhaps Sesshoumaru had only killed this demon worm because the whole group was in danger. But actually she didn't care at the moment. What she really worried about was the fact that Sesshoumaru had saved her from a really burning situation shortly afterwards. But he hadn't really had a real reason for it.
"What do you have Kimie?", Kagome asked suddenly with an uncertain undertone. "You are suddenly so thoughtful."
"What?" Kimie looked at the younger one briefly, but then shook her head with a slight smile. "It's nothing. I'm just tired."
"That's understandable," said Sango. "Then we should go back to the village now."
The others nodded in agreement and shortly afterwards the group made their way back together. Kimie looked back in the direction Sesshoumaru had disappeared one more time with a strange feeling and then joined the others."Sesshoumaru-sama! You are back again." Jaken ran excitedly towards his master, who rejoined the group. "We're moving on.", The youkai determined immediately in the usual tone and without further ado. Rin was quite irritated by this instruction and looked at him questioningly. "But what about Kimie-san and Inuki? They haven't come back yet."
"You're not coming back either.", Sesshoumaru replied and was already leading the way. Rin didn't really know what to do with this sudden new situation. "Why?", She asked the youkai, who did not turn to her but stopped for a moment after a short moment and answered calmly: "You have gone home." With that, Sesshoumaru continued on his way again, followed closely by Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un. The three didn't necessarily want to lose touch. While Rin was still wondering why Kimie and Inuki had left all at once and without saying goodbye, Jaken had to admit that he, too, was a bit surprised.But that didn't really seem to bother him.
Sesshoumaru went undeterred at the head of the squad and did not say a word about this subject on the way.

The way back was a little faster for Kagome, Kimie and the others because they now knew exactly where they wanted to go. Their way led straight to the village, which was near the bone-eating well. While Inu Yasha carried Kagome and Shippo on his back and thus started the way back with quick steps, Sango, Miroku and Kimie, who Inuki was holding in front of him, flew back onto Kirara. The group took a rest during the night, but the next morning they started again immediately, so that they had already reached the village in the afternoon. It was there that Kimie met Kaede, who was also happy about the good outcome of this story. But already in the evening Kagome and Kimie got ready for their way back to the modern times. After saying goodbye to Kaede, the whole group went to the bone-eating well together."And you really want to go again?", Shippo asked Kimie with a sad undertone in his voice. "Are you coming back with Kagome again?"
Kimie smiled slightly and crouched on the floor so she could look better at Shippo. "I think I'd rather stay in my time. If I stayed here, I would surely just be in your way and I don't want that. Especially not after you already had such circumstances because of me. I think it's better that way. "
Shippo looked down, then nodded slightly. He didn't want to talk Kimie into her decision. Inuki nudged little kitsune gently, as if to cheer him up. Shippo stroked the dog's head and smiled slightly.
"Then we wish you all the best.", Miroku said to Kimie, who nodded gratefully. "Same for you."
"I'll come with you." Inuyasha said to Kagome and Kimie and took a step forward. "After all, someone has to get Inuki out of the well when you're back in your time.""Thank you, Inuyasha.", Kagome thanked the hanyou. Kimie also thanked him and then turned to the rest of the group: "Well, take care, guys! It was great to have met you and thank you for coming to help me."
"That was a matter of course.", Sango replied with a smile. “Goodbye, Kimie.” Kirara, sitting on Sango's shoulder, mewed once more goodbye.
Now Kagome and Kimie got ready for the way back. Inuyasha picked up Inuki and went to the well. He would go first. Before the small group could go on their way, Shippo turned to Kimie again: "Who knows, maybe you will think about it again and come over for a short jump."
Kimie turned with a slight smile and waved to him again. Then when Inuyasha jumped into the well, she followed him and then Kagome came. When they were gone it was very quiet for a brief moment."Well, now they're gone.", Miroku finally said with a slight sigh in her voice. Then he turned to the others: “Let's go back to the village and wait there for Inu Yasha.” Sango and Shippo nodded and together they set off.

Inuyasha carefully put Inuki down on the floor in front of the fountain after the journey through it had come to an end.
"Thank you, Inu Yasha.", Kimie thanked the Hanyou and Inuki also seemed to want to thank him. He nudged Inuyasha gently with his head.
"Don't worry," Inuyasha replied and stroked Inuki's head. Shortly afterwards he turned to the two girls: "Then I'll be on my way again."
Kagome nodded in agreement, while the Hanyou turned to Kimie again: "Goodbye, Kimie. It was nice to have met you."
"The same goes for me and thanks for everything, Inuyasha.", She replied with a smile. "Oh, and no offense for yelling at you like that and for the ear thing at the very beginning.", she added a little embarrassed. Inuyasha waved her off." I forgot, I wasn't exactly friendly to you at first either. "
"Then we are probably even, aren't we?"
The hanyou nodded in satisfaction and then jumped onto the edge of the well. He turned once more to the two girls. "Well, see you then! See you, Kagome!" And with these words Inuyasha returned to his time. The two girls watched him go in silence.
"Okay, Kimie. Shall we go into the house?", Kagome finally asked and was already going ahead. Kimie nodded and followed the younger one too, but then stopped and looked back at the fountain when Kagome had already reached the door. Somehow it all seemed so strange to her now. Now everything was as if nothing had happened at all. The last few days seemed somehow unreal to Kimie, as if they had never existed. But that nagging feeling stayed inside her. She would have loved to speak to Sesshoumaru again before returning to modern times.But that was no longer possible. Probably he wouldn't have valued her thanks anyway, as she suspected.
"Kimie? Are you coming?" Kagome had stopped at the door, a little confused, when Kimie had stopped following her. Somehow, Kagome felt like something was bothering her cousin. She wondered if she should just ask her about it, but dismissed that thought again. If something was bothering Kimie, she should decide for herself if she wanted to talk to Kagome about it. Kimie followed her cousin to the exit of the shrine, closely followed by Inuki.
"Are you okay?" Asked Kagome, slightly worried. Kimie smiled and gave her a reassuring nod. "Yeah, it's okay. Let's go. I think we have a few things to explain to our family. Hopefully they didn't call the police about me or something."
Kagome had to smile slightly at this remark. But maybe her family had already guessed where Kimie and Inuki had gone.Shortly afterwards the two girls and Inuki left the shrine and Kagome closed the sliding door behind him.