Connection

It's daytime in the feudal era. The sun is out, and the wind is blowing gently. Inu Yasha and the others are walking, looking for some more Shikon no Tama shards. Kagome has three-quarters of the tama hanging around her neck, and she has sensed two more shards to add to the collection.
"Kagome." Inu Yasha said. "Are you sure they're this way?"
"Of course I'm sure," Kagome replied.
The shards are really close by. I can feel it, she thought.
They kept on walking for about 10 minutes. Then Shippo stopped and fell down on his back, dizzy.
"What's wrong with you?" Inu Yasha asked.
"I'm hungry," Shippo said weakly.
Sango and Miroku sighed.
"We're famished, too," they said together.
"Well, it has been awhile since we ate anything," Kagome pointed out. "Why don't we stay and eat?"
Inu Yasha grumbles, but agreed to this.
The group sits down on the grass, waiting for Kagome to unpack her backpack. Kagome pulls out some ramen noodles, a kettle for water, chopsticks, and some other goodies.
"Now all we need is some firewood," Kagome said.
"Leave that to me," Inu Yasha replied, standing up. "Shippo."
"Hmm?"Shippo said, looking up at Inu Yasha.
"You're coming with me."
"Wha---? I won't go."
"Oh, YES, you will." Inu Yasha bends down and grab Shippo's tail.
"Hey!" Shippo exclaimed, struggling. "Lemme go!"
Inu Yasha runs off, still holding a protesting Shippo by the tail.
"Do you think that's necessary," Sango asked, "Inu Yasha taking Shippo with him by force?"
Miroku replies, "Yes."

While Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara waited, Inu Yasha and Shippo arrive at a clearing. Inu Yasha drop Shippo down to the ground, where he fell on his head. Shippo sat up and rub his bump.
"Sissy," Inu Yasha mumbled. "Come on, let's hurry up so we can go eat," Inu Yasha said aloud.
Shippo pouts, but begins to gather sticks. A little while later, they accomplish their task with ar armful of sticks each. Inu Yasha walks ahead, with Shippo trailing behind him. Suddenly, Shippo stops and drops his pile.
"Hey! What's the hell is wrong with you?" Inu Yasha shouts, turning around. "We got to---Huh?"
Shippo was in a trance-like position: his face was blank, and his eyes were glowing blue.
Inu Yasha walks to Shippo and shake him roughly. "Shippo! Wake up!"
Shippo blinks twice, and shakes his head. His eye color returns to normal.
"What happened to you?" Inu Yasha asks.
"Did you hear something?" Shippo asks.
"Huh?" Inu Yasha looks at Shippo as if he was nuts. "No. Why?"
"Because," Shippo answered, "I hear a voice. A girl's voice. Calling for help."
Inu Yasha continues to stare at Shippo with a confused look on his face. "O.........kay," he said, raising his right eyebrow.
"Will you quit gawking at me like that!" Shippo snaps.
"All right, all right," Inu Yasha said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I believe you."
Shippo narrows his eyes at Inu Yasha, but didn't say anything else.
"Maybe you should walk ahead," Inu Yasha suggested. Shippo agrees, picking up his pile.
As they resume walking, disturbing thoughts went through Shippo's mind.
I KNOW I heard a girl's voice.
She sounded like...she was in trouble.
Inu Yasha doesn't believe me, but how could he? He couldn't hear her.
Shippo looks up at the sky.
Whoever you are, I'm going to rescue you.

Kagome, Sango and Miroku waited for Inu Yasha and Shippo to return. They stood up when they spotted the wood-gathering duo.
"What took you guys so long?" Miroku asked, getting the wood and starting the fire with some matches from Kagome's backpack.
"Yeah, any longer, and we'd have started looking for you," Sango added.
"Sorry about that," Inu Yasha. "Shippo heard something."
Everbody looks at Shippo. "What did you hear?" Kagome asks.
"A girl," Shippo replied.
"Was she beautiful?" Miroku asks with a goofy look on his face.
Sango gets annoyed and hits Miroku on the head with her fist.
"I don't know," Shippo said, lowering his eyes. "I didn't see her, just heard her voice."
"Hmm........" Everybody looks at each other, thinking the same thing. Well...almost.
I didn't even hear anything. However, what was up with his eyes? Inu Yasha thought.
Is any of this for real? Kagome and Sango thought.
I hope she'll bear my child. Miroku smiled as he thought.
Shippo, annoyed by his friends' reactions, shouts, "I'm not making this up!"
His outburst brought everybody back to reality. They blinked and looked at Shippo.
"I know what I'm saying doesn't make sense," he said, "but I'm telling the truth."
"We didn't say you were lying, Shippo," Kagome pointed out gently.
Shippo folds his arms across his chest and looks down.
"I know," Shippo said quietly. "I just wish---that I know what's going on."
There was silence for a moment. Shippo breaks it with a smile. "Well let's eat!" He didn't want his friends to think he was going crazy.

The group cooks some food, including ramen noodles, and starts eating. As Shippo eats, he thought about the voice.
Who are you? he wondered.
Suddenly, Shippo drops his chopsticks. Everybody looks at him in surprise.
"Shippo-chan!" Kagome cried out. "Are you all right?"
Inu Yasha punches Shippo on the head.
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome exclaims.
"Well, I wanted to see if he's all right, too," he replied lightly.
Everybody looks at Inu Yasha in disbelief, and then back to Shippo. He was in another trance, eyes glowing blue. Sango looks around and gasps.
"Kirara!" she exclaims.
Miroku and Inu Yasha looks at Kirara.
"Her eyes..." Sango said.
"They're blue!" Miroku adds.
Like Shippo, Kirara is in a trance. Not only that, but the symbol on her forehead is glowing white.
"What's going on?" Kagome asks. Nobody could answer her. They were too busy wondering about Shippo and Kirara.