"Higurashi" by Jezunya
Chapter 1 (I am so not gonna come up with chapter titles for this one)
Ooh, before I forget, here's the disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha (T.T). He and all his little friends (er.. enemies) all belong to the great Takahashi Rumiko-sama. I have a very small amount of money (seriously...like $25) and that is for buying manga! So you silly corporate people are making money off me anyway!! Don't sue!! All I get from this is enjoyment and a bit of sanity, 'cuz now I don't have this stupid idea running around causing trouble in my head!!
This was up on my site for a while and I got a request to finish it, so I'm posting it here to see what all you people think! Ok, personally I don't think this fic is nearly as well written as "Waking," which is weird, cuz that was like a spur-of-the-moment thing, while I actually planned this one. Oh well.. Be nice, I wrote this chapter a long time ago! O, and beware of mushy and melodramatic stuff!!
Narration "Speech" Thoughts/Special Stuff (you'll see)
** ** ** ** **
They strolled through the forest, heading in the general direction of the Bone-Eater's well. They walked beside each other, just enjoying the other's company.
Kagome sighed contentedly, playing with the chain around her neck, and finally pulled the glowing, round pendant out from under her shirt. The completed Jewel glittered in the dappled sunlight. "I can't believe it's really over," she murmured.
Beside her, Inuyasha snorted. "Nothing's over," he said matter-of-factly. "We just don't have anything particularly pressing to do now." He seated himself comfortably on the large roots of the Go Shinboku and motioned for Kagome to sit with him, which she did.
"I know. I just meant... the quest. Naraku. Kikyou..." she trailed off, still a little uneasy talking about the once-again-deceased priestess.
"Hey," Inuyasha said softly, touching her shoulder. "It's okay."
Kagome nodded and gave him a sincere, reassuring smile. "I know. It's just... never-mind.." She sighed again and leaned against him, her eyes drifting half closed as she gazed out at the peaceful forest. "I love this place... this time," she murmured after a few minutes. "I'm really going to miss it here."
Inuyasha tensed, alarms going off in his head. "W-what d'ya mean? Your coming back, right?"
Kagome nodded. "Of course. It's summer right now – you know, vacation time -- and most of my friends in my time are off traveling with their families, so I can pretty much spend as much time here as I want." She smiled warmly up at him, then looked away, blushing slightly. Inuyasha sighed inwardly, relaxing again.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. "Say, Kagome," Inuyasha said casually. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Uh.. I was wondering..." Inuyasha felt the color rising in his cheeks as he fished around in the front of his kimono. "Would you... um... can I... uh, I mean..." he flustered. Damn it!! Where did I put the frickin' thing?!
Kagome watched him patiently for a few moments, then exclaimed, "Oh no! I forgot!" She quickly stood and set off in the direction of the well. Almost as an after-thought, she paused to give an explanation to the bewildered dog-demon. "Gomen nasai, Inuyasha! My family went to visit some friends in Nerima and they were supposed to arrive home this morning! I'm supposed to meet them at the shrine when they get back! Ja mata ne!"
Inuyasha could only stare as she hurried away. He sagged down against the tree, his hand still in his kimono. At last he found the object he had been seeking. He pulled out the small, black box and clicked it open. "Will you marry me?" he whispered bitterly to the place where Kagome had once stood, holding the glittering diamond ring in shaky hands.
***
"I'm home!" Kagome yelled as she dropped her huge pack in the front entry. No answer. "Minna?" she called, cocking her head to the side.
"They're gone."
Kagome whirled around to find a man standing on the threshold of the living room. He was dressed in a crisp, black suit and looked very grim and business-like.
"Um.. May I help you?" Kagome asked, remembering her manners at the last instant.
"Actually, I think I can help you," the man said, stepping forward. "My name is Mr. Jikkou. I am the executor for your mother's and grandfather's accounts."
"Their accounts?" Kagome echoed, backing away slightly. She had a cold, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Yes. Unfortunately, your grandfather had certain... debts that took all of his remaining money. And your mother, being as young as she was, had not written out any sort of a will. All of her accounts were therefore lost," Jikkou said, laying his briefcase on the coffee table and clicking it open.
"A-a will?" Kagome asked shakily. "What do you mean?"
The man sighed. "I suppose you haven't heard. Here." He produced a folded up newspaper and handed it to Kagome.
She unfolded it and stared at the front page. "Bullet Trains Collide. Thousands Killed" the headlines read. Kagome swallowed hard. "They... they weren't on the train... were they?"
Jikkou looked up at her, his eyes sympathetic in his cold face. He stood and held out another piece of paper. "I had instructions to deliver this to you either on your eighteenth birthday or if your legal guardians died."
Kagome took the paper hesitantly. It was an envelope. At first she thought it was made of parchment, but then realized that it was simply worn and yellowed with age. She peered at the faded ink on the front. It bore her name, first and last, written in her mother's neat scrawl. She glanced up at Jikkou questioningly, and he motioned her to open it.
Inside the envelope was a letter, also written by the late Mrs. Higurashi.
Dear Kagome,
Oh, how I wish I could call you 'My Dear Kagome,' but you are not mine, not really. I feel that you should know your true heritage, and wish that I could tell you. But I know not. All I know is this: we, my husband I, found you at the bottom of the dry well here on my father's shrine. We contacted the police, but when no one claimed you, we were allowed to make you legally ours.
When we found you, you had about your neck an amulet of sorts. It bore your name and the day of your birth. It was your name, 'Higurashi Kagome,' that caught my eye and first inspired me to take you in. After all, what are the chances of finding a beautiful, abandoned baby in a well, with the same surname as me?
If you are reading this, you are either of the appointed age, 18 years old, or we are all dead. I certainly hope that it is the former and that, even with this knowledge, you will not leave us. I love you as if I had brought you into the world myself. However, if the latter has come to pass, then I encourage you to seek out your true family, who is connected to you by blood. Find them and live happily for the rest of your life.
With love,
Your mom, if not your mother,
Higurashi Yuuko
Kagome stared at the words, then scanned over them again to be sure she had read them correctly. Found? At the bottom of the well? Then that would mean... She shook her head and continued reading. The first entry had been dated 1982, her supposed year of birth, but the next was written in the year 1997, several months after it had all begun.
Dearest Kagome,
Well, now I know the truth. You are of that time. I just hope you return to me from there. I cannot help fearing that, once you know the truth, you will choose that time over this.
And that dog-boy, Inuyasha. I've seen the way you look at him. I suppose I have to trust him as you do, but I am still uneasy because he is a demon. If we are all gone, then he will be your sole protector, and that thought is rather frightening to me.
Perhaps I am just being paranoid. I know he will protect you. In any case, my instructions from when you were a child still stand, regardless of the fact that your true family lives hundreds of years in the past. If there is nothing left for you in this time, and you find yourself alone, go to them, and live happily.
Once again, with love,
Kaa-chan
Kagome could only stare at the letter. She... was... from... Inuyasha's time? Her mind reeled, refusing to accept what it was being told. It was impossible. Ridiculous. She couldn't be from the Sengoku Jidai. And yet... it was true.
And the fact that she was reading this letter was testament that... Her thoughts trailed off as another bit of info finally hit home.
They were gone.
Deceased.
Dead.
She was shaking, gasping for breath, trying to hold back her tears. "I—I have to go--" she managed to choke out before rushing out the front door. Jikkou made no move to stop her.
She had to get away. This couldn't be happening. She stumbled, half blinded by tears, to the well house. Without another thought, she threw her self down the long dark shaft that housed the portal into the past. The portal home.
** ** ** ** **
Well? What'd you think? Good? Bad? This is a fic that's been on my website for a while now, and I polished it up (see how clean and shiny?) so I could post on FF.Net. It's just the first chapter, and yes, I know it's short and nothing's really happened yet, but more will be coming soon! I promise!
Oh, and don't worry, Inu and Kag ain't gettin' married any time soon (kukukukuku)
I had the Quest be completed because I didn't want to have to deal with searching for Jewel Shards and fighting Naraku. Plus, it probably would've deteriorated into a "Kill Kikyou Party" rather quickly, and that's not what I'm going for here. (Why I do feel that I must explain that..? I dunno, I just do :P)
REVIEWS ARE AN ELIXER OF LIFE FOR AUTHORS!! GIVE ME REVIEWS!!