A/N: This story will be taking place both in the Feudal Era and Kagome's time. Maria and Ella are to characters that I claim as my own. It is in Ella's view that I have decided to write this story. It may confuse some people at first but soon things will be reviled as to why her. All rights reserved for the creator of Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi. She is the very reason I love writing.
Ps- this '-wWw-' will indicate the breaks of the story.
When the Light Vanishes: Torn In Between
"Ella, have you seen Kagome as of late? I can't seem to find her anywhere…" Ella was pacing back and forth in front of the well house. Sure, Kagome has been coming and going from the Feudal Era for a while now, but this was different. We had found one of the shards in our time. We all knew of the Shikon no Tama and its importance. Actually, I was there the day Kagome first went down the well. Like Sota, we had both been looking for Buyo. That cat was always going off without a meow.
"No Maria, she should have been back by now. Jiichan even said so." I was currently sitting on steps, hoping nothing bad has happened. To lose another family member would be a big blow. After all, if it weren't for the Higurashi family, we would have been on our own.
"She does this every time. Why does the mutt keep her for so long anyway? It's not like the Shikon no Tama is that important…" just then Jiichan hit Maria over the head with one of his many sutras. Rubbing her head on the floor, her red ribbon fell out of her silver hair, leaving her hair blowing in the wind. Emerald green eyes peered up at me apparently for not telling her Jiichan was behind her.
"The Shikon no Tama is indeed very important. Why without it, the balance of good and evil would be shifted." Jiichan said coming over towards me. Worrying about Kagome had really aged him since she started going through the well. It was almost as if he was now 80 years old, instead of 67 years old. "She will be back by night fall."
"Jiichan has Kagome come home yet?" it was Sota running up the many stairs, wondering if his sister was finally home. Carrying his trade mark soccer ball, he made it to where Maria was still on the floor, trying to get the sutra off her head.
"No but Fumiko should be back soon. We should go wait inside." Jiichan got up and walked towards Maria, threatening another sutra charm. Maria got up without a word and raced for the house, with the other two following behind.
I was finally left alone in peace, something that hadn't occurred since the fire, a little over six months ago. It was a blaze like no one had ever seen in Tokyo. Our full staff was killed and our parents murdered less than five hours after the fire. Maria and I had been abandoned. It was only us in the world now, or so we thought, until Fumiko took us in. Their whole family was nice to us, especially Kagome.
"Were you waiting for me again?" jumping from my thoughts, a sweet voice sounded from behind. Getting up from the ground, hoping that my silver ribbon was still in place, I noticed that my red hair had gotten dirt in it again. Like Maria, my emerald green eyes meet Kagome's grey ones. Searching her face, it seemed like the girl had gone through a lot this time, more than normal. Only her smile seemed to fool a fool.
"What took you so long this time Kagome? Ella was trying to dig a ditch." I pointed to the spot in the dirt that Maria had been pacing. Sure enough, there was an easily identified tail. "Okasan should be home soon. The rest are waiting for us inside." Taking Kagome's hand, she pulled me up from the steps. Walking towards the house, I felt something, something I hadn't felt in over six months.
"Ella!" Maria rushed out of the house, almost at full speed, bumping into both of us. Her eyes were pleading, wishing that what we were feeling wasn't true. "Can you…?" she cut off just as Kagome's head went up as well. She had felt the shard coming towards us, but what we felt wasn't the shard, but the thing carrying it.
Waiting a few minutes, the sky above the shrine became dark, almost black, as all the animals around us fled in fear of what was coming. To the animals, it was just as dangerous as what we three felt. A shadow appeared, with a soft blue light glowing, within the sky. It had the shard we wanted to tell Kagome about. It was also the reason we lost everything. It was a Nevermore, a creature of immense power equal to a demons power.
"It's a shard of the Shikon no Tama." Looking over at Maria, then myself, and finally back at the shadow, Kagome finally understood why we were waiting for her. But for a thing like that to possess one of the shards… that was unheard of.
"Yes, but why does it have it." Maria had more venom in her voice than normal, leading me to believe that it was that thing that she saw take our parents lives. That was the only time she had that much venom in her voice.
"Kagome, do you have any arrows nearby? Maybe I could hit it?" I looked over at Maria whose eyes were flashing red at this point. "I need to know now before another incident happens."
Kagome seemed to understand what I had meant by that as she quickly ran back into the well shrine. I looked back over towards the shadow now descending upon us. The figure started to take shape of a tall man but held nothing but the void of blackness. Only his bright purple eyes were shown. An evil aura surrounded it, making it almost impossible to see it anymore. Now only the purple eyes and the soft blue glow were visible.
"Ella here!" Kagome ran up with the arrows that I had asked for, out of breathe. Taking the bow and one arrow, I mounted the arrow on the bow, taking aim. Just before I was going to release my arrow, a voice broke through, low dark and hard to understand.
"Ella Yamada, you dare try to attack me?" the voice paused just as it hovered twenty feet above us. "One would think a lesson was learned from the parents." Laughing, the void black figure threw the soft blue light at us. "We will meet soon Ella. Maria, come." Looking over at Maria, eyes bleeding red now, a purple light engulfed her as she was being moved towards the Nevermore.
"Maria!" echoing throughout the shrine grounds, I did not notice the soft blue light passing through me. It was burning, almost like I was being burned alive. Pain was throughout my body by now, losing any balance that was keeping me up. Touching the dirt, blood all around from what I assumed was my burning skin, I barely looked up to see the two vanishing, Maria never looking back once. Warm hands were placed on me, just as Sota and Jiichan came running out of the house. By now the sky was back to a light blue and the sun was shining. Everything seemed as a black void to me though. How could Maria do this?
"Kagome, Ella are you okay?" Sota reached us first, noticing the absence of Maria. "Where is Maria?"
"I felt great evil but we couldn't leave the house. What happened?" Jiichan moved to where we were, careful not to touch anyone at the moment. It was warming that both of them ran out here as soon as they could. Now though, it was beyond revenge. First the first, then our parents, now Maria, this Nevermore was going to pay with its life.
"Kagome!" a male voice shouted from behind. Not bothering to look, I already knew it was Inuyasha. As soon as danger appeared within this time, Inuyasha was there defending Kagome. It was almost ironic that the mutt did appear sooner.
-wWw-
Three days had passed, dark days of sole loneliness. Kagome went back with Inuyasha, much to her arguing. Fumiko checked up on me every other hour, Jiichan was going through the family scrolls to see farther just what a Nevermore was. Sota though, had no choice but to continue school and soccer practice, much to his dismay. And I was just being a coward hiding in our, no my room. Food was still sitting on the desk since this morning. If Maria wasn't here, then what use did I have for living?
Knocking, faint knocking, it meant that Fumiko was here to bring me more food, food I hadn't touched in three days. Ignoring it, I turned to look out the window at the well house. It was the only thing that preoccupied my days. Wondering just want Kagome did all day. They were one more shard closer though, seeing as what was attached to me was the shard. Why though, did it hurt so much when it touched my skin? The burning as if I was on fire. Why?
"Ella, please eat something." Fumiko sat the full plate on the desk, picking up the one that has been there since this morning. I knew that it would be hard for what transpired but Fumiko was always one to lend an ear. I looked up only to see compassion in her deep brown eyes. I knew then, that if anything was bothering me, she would be able to give advice.
"Fumiko, why do you think Maria left…with that…" I didn't need to continue as Fumiko sat adjacent from me on the bed. She knew what I meant, she just knew.
"Maybe there was a bigger reason then what you are seeing now. Both of you have wonderful heads on your shoulders." A smile slipped through just then, imagining that Maria didn't willing go but was forced to in some sick way.
"As long as I have known Maria" looking Fumiko straight in the eyes "she has never been one for revenge."
"I know, both of you have grown up with Kagome. I have seen what you have done within your short time here on this earth. That could mean nothing though if you just sit here and do nothing." Fumiko stood up just then and winked. "Eat and maybe go sit by the well. Something good might happen." Walking out the door, I couldn't help notice that the words she used described our family, something that was never discussed much.
Grabbing the bowl of rice and some chicken, I continued to watch the well house as I ate. Never carrying that Buyo was now lying on my lap. Why did Maria go with it? Why did he throw the shard at me? Why did it burn so much? So many question's now with no answers in sight. Finishing, I grabbed the plate and the bowl, careful to make sure Buyo wasn't thrown off, and head to the door. It was about time I did go and do something. After all, if Kagome could deal with both worlds and the hunt for the shards of the Shikon no Tama, what was one Nevermore compared to it?
"Ella, I see that you are finally out of your room." Jiichan said right away after I entered the kitchen. It was like him to always say something straight out, even when it didn't need to be said.
"Thank you for all you have done, Fumiko." Laying the plate and the bowl in the sink, I pivoted towards the door, looking at Jiichan sitting and reading the paper. Head shaking, I moved forward towards the door. Stepping outside, blinded by the bright light, I continued to the well, stepping carefully along the way. Reaching the door with my sight finally returned, I noticed a faint pink light imitating from the well. This had only happened when Kagome or Inuyasha came back and forth.
Moving towards the well, it was like something was driving me to touch it. Just when I made contact with it, the pink light spiraled around me, pulling me in the well. Free falling, with nothing to grab, it felt like an eternity was passing by me. Was this how Kagome felt every single time she went and came back?
Closer to a light I floated, the more of a headache grew. Within inches of the light I felt something strange, like something wanted to black me out.
Finally passing through the light, I felt bones beneath me. Looking up, the sky was bright blue, birds were singing. I was finally able to be in the world that Kagome so frequently visits. Too bad I had a splitting headache and I was about to black out.