Chapter 1: "I Wasn't Ready to Go.."
"How long has it been now...A month, right? That sounds about right.." Kaname Kururugi thought to herself, slowly making her way up the steps of the Kururugi shrine. The setting sun radiated an orange tint across the city of Tokyo, Japan signifying the late evening she had returned home from eating lunch with her friends after school. The sheer luxury of eating in a restaurant with her school mates, giggling about others who attended their school and complaining about grades and teachers did not even compare to the simple life in the darkness of a forest or a rotting old shed with the stars, the moon, and a well-lit campfire as your only means to see. Eating fresh caught fish or a recently killed animal. If lucky enough a nice bag of chips or a bowl of Ramen. The dirt and grass was one's chair and bed. For her and her new friends, that was luxury. Having each other close by and planning their next movement knowing that they would make it to the sunrise.
She had been home for about a month ever since her trip to the other world. The Feudal Era; 500 hundred years into the past where demons existed. And it has honestly been the worse month of her life. There was no excitement, no sense of adventure. Compared to the weeks she spent there with all the adventures and friends she made, home was just...dull. Dull and lonely. Just a rut of getting up, going to school, doing chores and then heading to bed. Fortunately, she was able to keep in contact with the elder school student Kagome Higurashi and the half demon InuYasha who was able to pass through the Bone-Eater's Well. A pleasure she was denied on various occasions. Mainly because it was not the way she entered their world in the first place. In the month she was gone, they had only contacted her twice. It lit her soul when they came, and tore her inside when they had to depart. But that was only two of many she encountered and befriended. She missed them all. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, Kohaku, Rin, Utsugi, Lady Kaede, Grandpa Kakuju, and even that stoic Lord Sesshomaru. As well as many others who have assisted in their adventure.
Then there was the new power she discovered in herself. The spiritual power called Shikigami. It gave her a feel of usefulness in that world and it even made her stronger, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Like her close friends, it gave her hope when had her doubts. It made her feel strong when she was on her own and more importantly, it connected her to their world. Just a welcomed blessing. However, ever since her return to the present time, Kaname's found that maybe her new found ability was only valuable in that time. In this time period, it has not been as strong. If anything, it could be fading away. With every attempt in summoning the power, the results became more disappointing and it was getting to the point where she would simply discourage herself from trying. And like her shikigami, her hope of using it again faded as well.
Finally reaching the top, Kaname's sorrowful gaze turned to the storage cabin where it all began for her. Nothing had changed about its outside. It was still the old and dusty storing facility. The hole that caught her foot a month ago had been redone by her father. After he finished it, Kaname asked if seen anything strange about the hole. He said no, not much to her surprise. It was just a hole in the rotted, broken wood planks. Absentminded of her actions as she was lost in thought, Kaname's feet slowly carried her in the direction of the storage.
"I just wonder how they are doing, that's all..Kagome tells me that everything is alright..But.." She stopped at the door of the storage room finally realizing that she had approached it. Her delicate fingers pressed against the wooden doors, tentatively sliding to the metal handles. Despite what Kagome had told Kaname, there was not much of anything told about..Rin or Sesshomaru. If they are alright, too. Perhaps it was some lingering guilt for getting innocent Rin kidnapped by Naraku. Surely, Sesshomaru wouldn't hold that against her, would he? She never really got the chance to make amends with that, let alone confess how it was somewhat her fault it happened. Kaname thought a little more before sighing closing her eyes.
"Kaname! Are you out here!" A deep, male's voice called out, causing her to take her hand away in a quick jerk back.
"Uhh, Yeah dad! I'm home now! Kaname yelled, running back around to her home. Her father stood there at the doors, welcoming her back home from school and letting her in. At the same time instructed of her chores that still needed to be taken care of. He paused for a moment, however, looking over the younger Kururugi child.
"I'm starting to worry about you, Kaname. Ever since the doll festival, you haven't been yourself, have you?" Her father asked watching for signs of a reaction that would answer his questions for him. Kaname's face had turned a bit ill-struck before she smiled and turned to face him. "I'm fine, really. I just made some really good friends during the festival." Uh-oh, there was overwhelming warm feeling again she thought she laid to rest weeks ago. Her stomach began to churn with mix feelings and she could feel her eyes growing arm and heavy. "and.." she paused. "I don't get t-...I don't get to.." She couldn't finish it. Despite having tried to move on, it was simply too hard.
Kaname's smiling face then turned into a force one, a heavy stream of tears finally ran down her cheeks and dripped quickly onto the floor. She turned away trying to hide it but a small sob escaped and it did not go unheard. Her father looked surprised, but having gathered the missing pieces of her tale himself, he was able to put together what she was trying to say. He smiled reassuringly to her and pulled her to him for the warm and tight hug she needed at that oment.."It's alright, Kaname. you know what they say about making friends at the doll festival.." His hand brushed over her head as she started to burst into sobs against his clothing.
"You'll see them again when fate allows it. Like at the next festival, for instance. People come all over for it. I'm positive you will see them there, next year.."
Kaname could only continue to sob as her father spoke. He didn't know the the truth and therefore couldn't be as helpful. Would he have believed her if she did try to explain it all? Especially about stumbling onto their shrine five hundred years into the past? These weren't any ordinary friends one could simply bump into on the streets. But it was because he did not know that she would have to calm herself and immediately she did. Through her tears that would not stop falling, Kaname looked up to her father and tried to smile again.
"You're right." She managed to speak with a broken tone, attempting to choke back the rest of her soft weeps. "I-I'll see them again.."
Later that night, Kaname lied awake in her bed. A bit exhausted from chores and homework, but wide awake nonetheless. It wasn't the first time and she was pretty sure it wouldn't be the last. With all the millions of thoughts that ran through her mind it was a miracle she could actually force it to reach the calm, dormant state so that she could actually drift off. All she could think about was her adventures and what have taken event previous to her time-travel.
She was an ordinary girl then, with ordinary problems. The things her friend on the bus ride home was telling her about. And then the comment she made that caused her to cheeks to flush. "You know..you don't have a guy yet.." That was what she said. Kaname remembered how she felt so out of the loop with her friends who had boyfriends or guy crushes. They never even told her. Even with her withdrawn nature from them today, if she didn't go to lunch with them she would have probably never learned of who was with who.
But Kaname herself, she didn't have anyone. It was not the best of thoughts to have but they always managed to find their way into her brain and play with her heart. Lying there in her bed under the covers, Kaname closed her eyes to make an attempt at falling asleep earlier than what her mind would be at peace with. Just to try not to drift to that horrible mindset. But all that clouded her mind was her friends in the feudal era. Curiously wandering on how they would react to having someone tell them that. Of all of them, InuYasha's reaction would probably made her giggle the most. But then, he was never really alone. He had Kagome. Anyone with eyes could see that. They argued constantly like a couple who have been married for years. An epiphany then enlightened the young girl. They all had someone to cherish in that way. Grandpa Kakuju and Utsugi were laid to rest together so their love could be eternal in the afterlife. Miroku and Sango also had each other. Another pair whose feelings were worn in their faces like masks despite Miroku's behavior. Shippou of course was to young to love, let alone understand the devoting of one person to another, but he could of course feel the love of the others for him.
A random thought then came to her mind. All the friends she made. And how they really cared for each other. But she wandered. Did Kaede ever love anyone? No, of course not..She was a priestess, it would be against her vows. Did Sesshomaru love anyone? Certainly Rin was way too young for that sorta thing. Kaname never really did learn why the young girl followed such a majestic killer. It just didn't seem his character to be the babysitter type. He just seemed to..hate everything. But Rin was attached to him, that anyone could plainly see. Granted Sesshomaru did not give off any friendly vibes. But he was kind enough to help Kaname when she needed it. When she got lost in the manor and then the battle with Naraku. And that time where she was allowed to hang with Rin in the Field of Ignorance. Demon or not, he couldn't have been all that bad of a person that everyone else let on. He just would not show it. Sorta like InuYasha when Kaname first met Kikyo. He wouldn't openly admit that he still loved her, but he was still there for Kagome when she felt down. That's what lovers do for one another. Being there for each other and sticking it out, even when it just gets plain sucky.
"Maybe he does love someone..and he just won't admit it. Someone like.." Kaname then stopped herself and popped up on her bed, shaking her head. "No no no! Not like that! That would be impossible! The thought itself was bad enough but I almost said it out loud!". Kaname gave and exasperated groan and fell back on her bed, shoving a pillow over her face. That would be silly..Right?
