:Missing Them:
Okay, first off, I do realize that there are an enormous amount of errors in here. So, on that note, please kindly point them out to me if you could. Kindly.
Next, this is a Naruto crossover. I think. It can really go anywhere at this point, but the idea was Naruto. More of a Shippuuden Era too. (Yes people, I call it a Shippuuden Era) So there.
Lastly, I hope no one is terribly OOC in this story, but if they are, besides having some people point out ways that I can improve this, I would NOT appreciate people leaving reviews that just say 'oh, they're sooo OOC, you like totally need to change it' Do you think it helps? Really?
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Disclaimer: I do not own that much, in fact I don't own anything, so yes, that does include Inuyasha, Naruto/Other anime. Technically I guess I legally own is myself. And my sketch book. That is it.
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I miss them…
It was a depressing thought, that she still couldn't let go of the past after all of these years. That even though her mother had moved out, her brother was in high school, and her grandfather was, well, not here, that she still had trouble forgetting them. So much time had passed, too much time in her opinion, she should of let this go by now. Maybe it was because she didn't ever want to let go. Maybe she didn't want to, despite how much she knew she should. But all the same, the idea still wormed its way into her mind, and in so, into her heart. She knew it would be better if they had stayed in the past, and she had stayed where she belonged, that even if she had to of met them, wouldn't it be better if she had forgotten them by now at least? She was only causing herself unnecessary heartache by allowing their images to swim through her vision, but it just couldn't be helped. She really missed them.
Kagome's despondent form, weathered but still fit from years of battle, rest calmly on her rooftop. She was still in her miko garbs, and had been too tired to change out of them after watching the shrine today. It was late now, a group of school kids had come to visit her shrine and Kagome hadn't found time to herself until the full moon was out and the stars shone brightly. Funny, isn't it, she wondered, that after all of those years of despising wearing these things, she would adorn the traditional priestess robes daily now. And with a small sense of happiness too. Kagome knew it was because it was just a small piece that connected her to the past, and to all of them. It was pathetic.
But it wasn't just the beautiful night that caused Kagome to stray from her house. It was in those rooms that her family had once lived, where they had filled it with their love and their warmth. Without them here, the house just seemed…so cold, and glaringly tragic. The young woman just couldn't stand all of the pictures empty eye's tonight, or the house's omnipresent force pushing down on her, not tonight. It was with these thoughts weighing her down; that she easily concluded that this evening was probably going to be one of those nights. One of the nights where sleep would delude her, and scenes that had occurred long ago once again flashed before her eyes. It was as if she had died a hundred of times over, as if she knew these parts of her life well enough for them to stop their eternal dance. But they never did, and Kagome suffered for it. This, this was the result of clinging too tightly to the past. If she could never let go of them, then how was she supposed to ever move on?
It wasn't just the family that had once lived here that caused Kagome's despair. Long ago, when wars raged on and demon attacks became a common occurrence that was where Kagome desired to be, with all of her heart. Back where she had learned the ways of the Taijiya, where she had spent her time in the presence of a lecher monk, and a possessive hanyou. Where her son was a demon, and one of the most harmless creature out there. Kagome just wanted to go home. Back to where she had lived fully and was at her happiest.
When they had discovered that Naraku would not stop at attacking her, but would find ways to target her family in the future, Kagome had decided to stay in the past, until Naraku was dead. It left a lot of 'bonding' time, where Sango had tried to teach her the old family ways, deciding if Kagome could do something besides shoot arrows; it could only be beneficial to everyone. And was it ever tough. However, Kagome knew that to this day that the small amount of training she had, that was the reason she was still here today. But, after being there so long, so much of her had attached itself to all of them, and fated them together. Her life was so intertwined with every one of them, that when she was forced to leave it was as if she had left all of those pieces there with them.
A little while before the final battle with Naraku, during her training with Sango, when they had decided to call it quits for the day, and take a relaxing soak in the hot springs. It was that day that Kagome finally delved into some reasoning, and really realized something. Her vision blurred, as she remembered it, and started her trek back to the past,
"Kagome?"
Huh? Kagome focused her bronze eyes at the mature voice that had called out to her. The steam from the springs had flushed her face, and she was slightly dazed. The new bathing suit she had brought for her and Sango, to save themselves from Miroku's 'wandering eyes' dug into her shoulder bone. She nodded her head at her friend though, wondering what she wanted.
"Are you alright Kagome?" Sango's voice prodded gently "You seemed a little out of it while we were sparring."
Kagome snorted, a very un-ladylike gesture. "You mean where I ran in circles trying to land a hit, while you just did your little….jumpy, swirly thing!"
Sango laughed. "Well, I don't expect you to land a hit on me so soon after you have started training, it would be a little worrisome." Kagome giggled after hearing that, knowing all too well that she would never get a punch in on her friend.
"Still, I don't think that's it. What's wrong?"
Kagome sighed. Back in her time, her friends wouldn't have even noticed Kagome's slightly put out mood, but it didn't mean she wanted to be talking to them, it just made Kagome appreciate Sango even more. With that knowledge, Kagome lowered herself into the water some more, blowing air bubbles out slightly as she tried to word what she wanted to say.
"Sango, do you ever wonder why I came here?"
Sango looked at her friend curiously. Was this what had been bothering her? She cleared her throat slightly.
"I don't think I understand you fully, I thought you came here to collect the jewel shards?"
Kagome lowered herself further into the springs, tilting her head back so she could still talk to her friend. Her slightly trained ears caught a swishing sound as Sango waded over to hear her better.
"I'm not just talking about that though. I mean, if I had never come here, then there Shikon wouldn't be broken in the first place. Naraku wouldn't be gaining such power if I hadn't come here at all. It just seemed weird that I would pass through here when it only caused turmoil. I was wondering why the centipede was able to bring me here, why it was only that demon that was able to pass through, and only to bring me here."
Sango thought about it. It was rather curious that the only demon able to pass through the well was that one demon, and just to bring back Kagome. Just so she could break the Shikon no Tama, and then have to continue traveling here to collect it. Not that any of them blamed Kagome but it was still odd-Just as her mind started to wander a bit, Kagome interrupted her musings.
"I-I think it was to drag Naraku out." Kagome turned so she was facing Sango's bewildered expression. "I, well it's only just a thought, but I think that even if Naraku didn't have the Shikon, he would still have found a way to rise into power. Maybe I was meant to come here to…to start a way to destroy him for good. Is that crazy?"
Immediately, Sango shook her head. "No, Kagome I am surprised that you managed to come up with that. I suppose it is odd that you were pulled her under such odd circumstances, but I guess your theory pretty much gives a good reason for that. It makes sense, doesn't it? I just can't believe none of us ever thought of that. But is it all? You seem a little too worried to just be concerned about why you were placed here."
Kagome shook her head. "You're right, there's more." She exhale deeply, forming and reforming the words in head. What if they were true? The logic was just-was just too perfect to not to be. Then what? "I, I think…wait that's not it. If the reason I was pulled here was to destroy Naraku, then what happens if, no when, what happens when we defeat him?"
Sango tilted her head to the side. "Oh." she whispered softly. She knew what Kagome was talking about, and had constantly turned the idea over in her own head, trying to figure out a way to keep Kagome's weird portal open.
"Yeah," Kagome whispered "and the sad thing about it is that I think I know what will happen, it is kind of a sixth sense for me."
Sango shot up out of the water, knowing all too well that when Kagome ventured out to say that she actually thought she knew what would happen, it usually did. Tears pricked the corner of her eyes; the tone in her friend's voice was giving her fair warning.
"It would make sense wouldn't it," Kagome began softly, with an eerily calm composure, "that if the reason I was brought here was to defeat Naraku, then when he's defeated, I would have to return back to my time. I still wonder what will happen to the Shikon; after all it does belong in my time. Will it return with me? Will I be able to give it to someone, or keep it? Because, I realize that there is no such thing as a pure, unselfish wish now, so you now I am kind of wondering-"
All of a sudden Kagome found herself in a bone-crushing embrace. Her shell-shocked eyes found Sango's form around her, her body quietly shaking with dry tears. What?
"Sango, what are you-"
"You can't leave Kagome!! You can't leave all of us!!" Kagome, realizing what had happened, found her own eyes beginning to water, despair enveloping her own body. Sango continued on, albeit in a softer tone. "You know you mean too much to our family to have you leave now, right? You do know that you are part of our family now? You are even an official Taijiya, because we are all family. And family can't leave each other"
Kagome found herself gripping Sango back. She knew why Sango reacted so uncharacteristically aggressive, knew that Sango had a hard time losing her brother, and that when she had accepted Kagome enough to teach her her family's way of fighting, it was also a sign that she had accepted Kagome as a sister. Kagome knew that the moment Sango had taken her out to give her the official mark of a Taijiya, the woman's eye tattoos, that Sango thought of her as more then a friend, but as a sister. And Kagome knew how hard it would be on Sango to lose more of her family.
"I know, Sango, believe me I know…"
But deep down, Kagome was sure she would have to leave. And that was what really hurt.
Back in the present time, Kagome's glazed over eyes began to refocus. Her hand, tightened in a vice grip to the edge of the gutter, hurt like hell, digging into the sharp jutted edges, but it was all she could do to bring herself out of those flashbacks. She preferred the physical pain to the ones that tore at her heart. It always brought her back.
Kagome, her hand held limply, felt the tiny rivulets of blood that had begun to drip of her fingertips but realized it didn't really bother her. What bothered her were… these things. Often wondering why they kept repeating over and over, and never left her alone, Kagome knew that something had to change. If she could not get rid of these flashbacks, then she would only self destruct, only hurt herself. And Kagome despised the fact that she was helpless in the face of something that to an outsider would seem so….trivial. But what could she do? She didn't dare wish for anything, past experiences teaching her not to in the presence of deadly forces.
Yes, Kagome still had possession of the Shikon no Tama. Or, rather, she was the possession itself? She didn't really now the full details, but she was sure that her and the Shikon no Tama were one now. Back about, she would guess several minutes after she had returned from the Feudal Era, the Shikon had started glowing. Kagome had been in the well, silently shaking with grief when it had happened. Slowly but surely, it had raised itself above it's guardian, and allowed her time to raise her head in wonderment, before shooting itself straight at Kagome's heart. For seven day and nights, Kagome had been stuck at the bottom of the well, with nothing to bring her out of despair, the Shikon having of left her unable to move.
It was on that seventh day, when Kagome surely expected herself to die, that she was found. Some kids had run into the well house, while her grandfather was trying to give them a tour, and had discovered her at the bottom. It was a bit disturbing for them, but to Kagome it was an interlude to the pain, it was her rescue. After a brief amount of time in the hospital, thanks to her priestess powers, Kagome was ready to come back home to take the shrine of her mother's hands. Turned out her mom didn't want the shrine after all, deciding that she needed to look after Souta more. Her grandfather had passed away shortly afterwards, his old age getting to him. So it was on these notes that Kagome decided to live in the shrine alone. It was lonely, but it was her life now.
Sighing, Kagome decided maybe it was time to head back inside. It wasn't like they abandoned her, Kagome mused on the way down, after all, her mother had stubbornly refused Kagome be allowed to stay by herself after the condition she was found in. But, after a lot of convincing on her part, and the simple explanation of how much had happened here, Kagome was allowed to stay.
It was better this way anyway. After the Shikon no Tama had merged with Kagome, she had discovered that it didn't enjoy just sitting in the background. A few careless thoughts here and there and essentially someone could wish on her. There was no way Kagome was letting her family stay with her anyway, or anyone else for that matter. So she became somewhat of a hermit. And for a good reason.
It didn't mean that Kagome didn't talk to anyone at all. She still took in tours and kept the family shrine in shape. You couldn't just be around her and think 'Oh, I wish I had a hat' and your wish would be granted, it wasn't that simple. But all the same, it was too easy for someone to make an unselfish wish and turn the world into chaos. So she stayed away.
Kagome slowly climbed back into her room, jumping through the windowsill. Her feet softly padded along the floor as she made her way to her bed. Sure, she supposed, it would be better to not think about them. But I just can't stop. She needed something interesting in her life, something exciting. She needed an adventure. But who could go on an adventure when they were practically a walking genie? Her friends would have known what to do; she knew that much in her mind. With one last forlorn glance out her window, Kagome turned to get into her pyjamas and get another fitful night's sleep. No matter what, there was one thing she could decide on.
Something needs to change, because I-I really miss them…
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Review? Please?