A New Time
By: CreativeCursedChild
Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~
Author's Note: (Hello Everyone, I hope you are all having a great day. First off, thanks for stopping by to read my story. A little about me before we begin. I have been a fan of the Inuyasha series since I was about nine years old. I have written stories about them but never put them on a website due to being too shy. Well, I have decided to garner all of my confidence and put a few Fanfictions up for the heck of it. I respect and desire any criticisms and if I make any mistakes, do please inform me so that I might better myself. I am just a little farm boy trying to write you all a grand story and the information would help improve me. ^.^ I will put a good amount of effort into this and update often, possibly more so depending on how well it is received. Well, I won't keep you here with my babbling and I will tell you more about me next chapter. Now, off we go.~))
Chapter One
A Different Time
'Beep... Beep... Beep... Slam!'
The alarm clock was silenced suddenly and knocked off of the night stand and onto the floor as a groan erupted from the mass of sheet and comforter which took up the twin sized bed. Sunlight shown through the blinds and it was clear that regardless of how tired she felt, the day would move on without her if Kagome did not get up. However, after a long night of studying and then a few hours where she watched trash television with Sota (Hell, that stuff was addictive and he would be leaving for Summer Camp soon anyways) somehow the time had gone from ten pm to three am before she had realized it. For a moment, there was no moving on the bed and for a brief second a small snore erupted. That was before another sound suddenly came from the hallway.
'Bam! Bam! Bam!'
It was the unmistakable sound of her brother's footsteps as he quickly ran past her door and into his room. "Mom, I woke up late, where is my uniform?" She heard his muffled shout before hearing an indiscernible response from their mother. After a moment there was another loud series of footsteps and then a moment later a knocking sounded at her door. "Sis! Wake up or you are going to be late, the teach is not going to take another sick excuse!" Sota shouted, bumping his fist against the wood of the door a couple more times before heading down stairs with his jacket and shirt draped over his arm. He need breakfast before getting fully dressed and there wasn't much time.!
Ever since her Freshman year where Kagome's Grandfather had spent so much time giving people sick excuses on her behalf her teachers were always wary of her using such a thing to avoid coming to class. In fact, quite a few of her more harsher classmates had decided that Kagome must have been a hypochondriac* and would tease her often about it. However, in almost four years (After having to repeat her Sophomore classes due to having missed so much) she had made a point that even if she was throwing up, Kagome would never, ever say that she was sick again. Really, no matter what. Hell, she could die while in class, at least she would have attended.
After a moment the covers were thrown back and the dark haired young woman's normal morning routine (Did I mention she tends to watch that trash television every night?) started. First: Get out of bed. This was always hard to do because her mattress was always so warm and comfortable, in a way it beat out her mother's tasty breakfast that was sometimes waiting for her. Sometimes Sora*, Her mother, wouldn't create a morning meal because her children always tended to drag their feet and they would use having to eat their food as an excuse for being late. Though, by the smell of sweet rice in the air, breakfast was surely being served today. So, using a gargantuan effort the daughter forced herself up and quickly rushed around her room.
About twenty minutes later, the door to Kagome's bedroom opened and she appeared. Her hair was pulled back with one hand as she used the other to brush it quickly, some of the knots she had received from her restful sleep were tormenting her. The uniform dark blue skirt which she wore was slight askew revealing almost risque dark red panties* (Don't ask) before she reached down and adjusted the article of clothing. After fixing the buttons on her white top and then placing a head band in her long, dark brown tresses to keep them in place. With a determined and yet slightly tired look in her dark brown eyes, Kagome was ready to face the world. Except for her shoes. And, well... Her backpack. Also, her cellphone was somewhere in the living room and she would have to find it. But, Damn it, she was mostly ready.!
As Kagome moved down the stairs, taking them two by two, she turned and her stocking clad feet nearly caused the young woman to lose her balance before she quickly caught herself on the banister and then propelled herself into the kitchen. "Well, aren't we in a rush, maybe you should try out for the sport's team with moves like those" Sora stated, chuckling softly as she stood next to the oven with her hand on a spoon that was stirring some sweet rice mixed with oatmeal. The rice would have been from their dessert the night before, her mother had been taking classes on how to save money and that meant reusing old food. Though, honestly it never tasted that bad. Except for the day that Sora had attempted to reuse some pickled ginger and wasabi they had received with a sushi platter. But... Well, they didn't talk about that incident much.
"Someone stayed up watching an extra hour of Hell's Kitchen" Sota stated from off to the side, his mouth half food with the food in front of him. The past few years had been good to him, the boy had gotten taller to where he know stood almost as tall as his sister. His shoulders had broadened and he only seemed to be getting bigger. After having found a love for Soccer, he had begun to develop some muscle definition and would surely be a hit with the girl had it not been for his somewhat awkward and shy nature.
Kagome had grown closer to her family after spending so much time at home. At first, it had been rather hard, like adapting to a new life. Which was strange, because honestly while she had spent so long in the Feudal Era, in a way the life she had known before Inuyasha had become rather foreign. However, after the first year and some rather carefully worded discussions with a depression counselor (After all, Kagome could not go around telling everyone her story or they would see her as insane and lock her away) she had been able to finally let go. The past three years had been amazing and in a way, her time in the Feudal Era almost seemed like a dream.
Well... Almost... There were those times that she slipped up. Kagome would find herself staring out her window and down to the well house. Her mind would whisper those "What Ifs...". But, this mentality was always one that she pushed away. While she missed her friends, Sota and her mother needed her to let them go and let them go she had.
"I already am on a sport's team, mom, I got an award for it, remember?" Kagome stated, reaching over her brother's shoulder to retrieve a piece of toast before taking the bowl of rice which was offered to her and sitting down. "Hey, can I help it if I was hoping he would keep Tommy around? I was rooting for him" She explained, shrugging her shoulders before digging into her food. This was a normal morning for the family, both of the children would be in a rush to get to school on time and after they finally departed their mother would set to cleaning the house before going out and meeting with some of her friends. Sora had been able to develop a bit of a social life having Kagome around to help with things and after some encouragement she had joined a book club and a group of single mothers which went out a few times a week. It was good for her.
"Remember to visit your grandfather on your way to school, I think he gets lonely when you both rush past him each day without saying hello" Sora said, pouring herself some of the rice before turning down the burners on the stove and then moving to join her kids. It would only be a few minutes that they would have together before both were forced to rush off but she enjoyed it none the less.
"Okay" Kagome and Sota answered in unison, both clearing through their breakfast quickly despite their mother making a protest or two. It would ruin their digestive systems with the way they ate but both were always in such a rush. She always encouraged them to wake up earlier but neither was ever able to. It was probably due to the television they both watched. Sora would probably have had the more addictive channels removed from their plan had it not been for the fact that usually after they went to bed she would sneak down and watch a few hours of the more interesting programming herself. They did not need to know this, however.
As the clock above the kitchen entrance suddenly chimed, both Kagome and Sota glanced up to it. The time had come... The Morning Rush...
"Mom, have you seen my cellphone?" "You are going to pick me up after practice, right?" "I need you to pick me up a few supplies for my science project" "Can you give me some money? I don't get paid until next week and Yuka was wanting to go shopping today" Both of her children volleyed Sora with questions that she answered as quickly as possible. With moments, Kagome had thirty dollars and her cellphone and Sota had the assurance that, yes, he would be picked up after school and she would have what he needed for his project when he got in. After all their needs were met, both were out thee door in a flash.
"Have a good day at school!" Sora shouted off after them, pausing for a moment before leaning back. "I said, have a good day at school!" She announced louder this time, her eyebrow scrunching for a moment as she listened closely. "Thanks mom, love you!" Her children's voices in unison said as she smiled softly before leaning back and finishing up her food. She needed to clean the living room and then Tanaki-chan wanted to go to the movies.
"See you later, Sis, you are coming to my game,, right?" Sota shouted, waving to his sister as he rushed down the path towards the city. "Yeah, I will see you there!" Kagome shouted after him, waving as well before slowing her footsteps and then stopping with a sigh. He had forgotten to say "Hi" to their grandpa again.
"Hi Grandpa, sorry about Sota, you know how we are in a rush, I hope you are having a nice day and I miss you" Kagome explained, looking at the small yet ornate tomb stone which stood under a small cherry tree her mother had planted. Her grandfather had passed away two years before due to heart failure, it had been something that was hard on their family and yet it had united them. Things had taken a while to go back to normal since then but now, with their mother's new friend and their social life the family was able to move on. But, they would never forget the overly superstitious old man they loved so much.
"I will be graduating in a few months and I really wish you could be there, I still place the seals on the well house like you showed me but we haven't had any problems from there in a long time so I might stop soon, now I have to go so I won't be late, love you" Kagome told him, bowing to his marker and then turning and taking off after her brother. Sota rarely acknowledged where the old man was buried, in their mother's opinion it was too hard on the boy and he was still coming to terms with the man's death.
Kagome had been quicker to recover but after all... She had seen more than one person die...
As she began her walk to school, memories that she often enough tried to fight came worming themselves to the surface of her subconscious. Was Sango and Miroku still alive and were they getting along? Was Shippo okay without her? Did Kaede still go to collect herbs like they had used to do together? Was the old woman whom had been so much like a grandmother still alive as well? These questions, never to be answered, always were able to sneak up on her when she least expected them to. However, knowing that just like all the other times there was no answer to be had, Kagome would force them away and focus on something else.
Luckily, something came to take her mind off of it and that some was Yuka Kinomi, her closest friend.
"Hey! You know if you keep walking like that you will probably hit a pole or something!" Yuka shouted, suddenly jogging up next to her before throwing her arm around Kagome's shoulders. They had become close during their Sophomore year (of course, it has been Yuka's first and Kagome's second) and often enough walked to school together.
"Now, don't get me wrong, that would be funny as hell but then I would have to listen to you whine all day about a headache" Her friend teased, laughing softly while she squeezed Kagome's cheeks together before having the girl force her off to the side. Yuka stood just an inch shorter than Kagome, her light brown naturally curly hair and big, dark green eyes used to make her friend jealous. Not to mention the form that Yu-Yu (Kagome's affectionate name for her friend) sported was enough to make any guy's mouth drop open. Hell, she earned that hourglass figure to with a lot of dieting. Kagome had once waved a fry in front of her face at Wacdonald's and her friend had nearly bit her finger off!
"Hey, Yu-Yu! I was just thinking, alright?" Kagome explained, brushing her find off while she faked an angry look before a smile formed easily on her features. It never mattered what was bothering her, Yuka had a way of banishing her problems. It was how they had become so close over the past few years and it was nice having someone around which could help her not think about the past.
"Thinkin' about that Inuyasha guy and your old friends?"
Well... Most the time.
Kagome had told Yuka her story about two years before when her friend became very worried about her depression. It had all come out in one long night of junk food and nail painting. She had told the girl about the Feudal Era, Inuyasha, Sango and the others... Everything. Even Naraku and how she had been a reincarnated priestess. At first, she had been sure the other would think her insane and either avoid her or make her a laughing stock at their school. Instead, Yuka had been almost overly understanding, asking inquisitive questions about everything that had happened. It was doubtful she truly believed that the well was magical and once had taken her to a different time but she clearly appreciated a good story. It was nice having someone who knew the story.
"Only a little, for some reason Grandpa reminded me of them" Kagome explained as the two walked their way off towards school. "Maybe he is being all spiritual and spooky, well, he is dead so that is probably his thing- Ow!" Yuka cried out when the other girl smacked her behind the head and gave her a point look. Yu-Yu could be a little blunt and disrespectful when she wasn't thinking about it. However, she had not been so wrong.
As the two walked together, absently talking about different subjects (After all, Kagome was already struggling not to dwell on the subject of the Feudal Era and there was this new guy in class which Yuka had been far too quick to try and claim as her boyfriend) the young ex-priestess's mind suddenly drifted off to the last night she had spent with her grandfather...
-She had awoke to find the man in her room, he seemed confused at first and as she reached up to turn on the light his hand had flown out and halted her actions. "No, you must not turn on the light, it will let her know I am here" Her grandpa had stated, sitting at the edge of her bed while Kagome sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. As the man had aged some dementia had settled in and him showing up in her room like this had happened a few times before so it was not too worrisome. However, what he said next had set her on edge.
"Bad winds blow, young priestess, they carry tidings of dark magic which is trying to seek you out" The old man said as he sat there, a bead chain in his hands which had numerous prayer tags hanging off of it.
"What do you mean, Grandpa? Everything is okay, the well hasn't been open for a long time" She had explained but he was having none of it. The man had always believed that the well was still an active portal despite her having shown her entire family multiple times that it was now closed. Hell, once she had nearly broken her legs jumping into it as proof.
"She wants you, Kagome, she is angry and seeks to take your soul" These words had bothered her. Yes, her grandpa was suffering from a rather severe (more severe than any of them had desired to admit) form of dementia but what he said was something the girl couldn't help but take seriously. After all, weird things always happened in her life and she had still been expecting for the well to open back up at some point during this time.
"Who, Grandpa? Who is it?" She had asked him, reaching out and grasping his shoulder lightly. For a brief moment, there was some sort of serious recognition in the man's eyes as he thought about something. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again.
"I don't know... She is addling my thoughts, making me tired, I am so tired Kagome..." He stated, hanging his head as the woman sighed before hugging her grandfather close. If only she had known what had been to come... Maybe she would have stayed with him the entire night and settled his mind. She had never told her mother about what he said, it would have only bothered her to know her father had been distressed before his death.-
After his passing, Kagome had been convinced that something was going to happen soon. He had made her promise to keep the seals on the well house, which she had done for the first few years. However, a few months ago her mother had come outside and stopped her. Ever since what had happened, when the well had just shut after her fight with Inuyasha and she had been unable to return, things had been normal. Sora had been convinced that the seals were just her daughter and her father's way of keeping alive a part of their lives which was gone. She had ask Kagome to stop and the girl had, though, she still was prone to sneaking out and placing one or two on the doors and walls.
After all, while she would desire to see Sango or Shippo again. While she would love to go gather herbs with Kaede. Inuyasha was not welcome back in her life. He had made his choice and for once she was going to be strong enough not to go running back and make a fool out of herself. Besides, it had been years and surely he had moved on just like she had. They both had their own lives now and the Shikon No Tama was a thing of the past. She could be normal now, with her family and her friends. Kagome was going to graduate and become someone of worth, granted she had not decided whom she would be but it would be someone which made enough money to take care of her brother and mother.
Little did she know... Well,, actually she should have know... That her story was far from being over and fate was never going to allow her to be normal...
-End Chapter-
((A/N: There we go. I will admit this opening flowed well, it might not be as polished or as perfect as I hoped it to be but I do hope you enjoyed reading it. I will have the second chapter up over the next few days, farm life can be busy and I have a chicken coop to build, haha! Now, a few quick things. This is going to have romance but I will admit that whom she will be with is currently undecided. I can't risk giving any spoilers (True Inuyasha fans will get the basics but there are other bits I have to keep to myself) however, Kagome will run into some of her old friends and allies in the future. Now, this is meant to be more focused on Kagome's strength and a new enemy while will be an OC. However, if anyone has anything to offer idea-wise or any thoughts on what her friends might have done when they moved on, I would love to hear it. Of course, I have some plans but I am always open to changing things up if someone presents me with something I have not thought about. Now, you all have a great day and I look forward to making another chapter soon.~))
Chapter Two: "Bad Winds Blow Again" Preview
-"Ma, please, calm down, it is nothing to get upset about" Kagome stated as she sat off to the side, dripping wet and shivering while Sota placed a towel across her shoulders. The storm had blown up so suddenly that no one had expected it and the game had been washed out in minutes. Perhaps, she needed to get a car soon? But, dammit, those could be expensive.
"You come home and tell me that you hallucinated seeing something at Sota's game and I am not to worry? You are my daughter and you are cursed by some dramatic twist of fate, we both know you never just see things, Kagome, things happen" Sora argued as she worriedly stood at the counter. She was soaked as well, having jumped out of the car as fast as she could but having been unable to avoid the downpour outside.
"My mind just got away from me is all, I wouldn't have told you anything if I had known you would act like this, I probably just dozed off or something" Kagome stated, shaking her head before sighing and then looking down to the table in front of her. What had she seen? Had it just been a trick of the shadows? For a moment... Well, it had seemed like a creature that had looked up at her. She could still remember its blood red eyes. But, that was ridiculous. Why now? It had been years, surely it had been a trick of her mind.
"I do hope so, one of my only comforts in life is knowing you can actually be normal, that you are no longer troubled by the well and the past, I simply couldn't bare to see you be dragged back there after so long" Her mother stated, opening the fridge before reaching in and retrieving a small bottle of sake. Wow, she really was worried. The woman rarely ever drank in front of her kids.
"Ma, the well is closed and things are fine, stop worrying and we will forget this ever happened" Kagome told her, the girl shaking her head as she moved to stand before squeezing some of the water out of her shirt. She would have to help Ma clean up the kitchen floor now, it was covered in water.
"I can only hope you are right, you see... Well,, this morning I went out and took those old tags off of the well house, some of the girls talked to me and I want to paint it" Sora admitted, looking off to the side...
