Homecoming

Kagome couldn't believe they were back in Tokyo.

Holding the bouquet her friends had given her tightly to her chest, she looked around the courtyard with an expression of sadness and remembrance. She'd lived at that shrine until she was five; then, her father had gotten transferred to Osaka.

Now that Papa was no longer with them, though, Mama had no reason to stay in Osaka with a ten-year-old and a three-year-old.

"Grandpa is old and lonely, sweetheart," Mama had said. "Family must stick together."

We're not a family without Papa, anyway, she stubbornly thought.

Why must she lose her friends, too?

Kagome sighed, blinking back tears. She could hear her mother and grandfather walking around the house, probably settling their things in their old rooms. The girl knew she must've been helping, but she felt too dejected to do so.

Walking down to the Goshinboku, she jumped over the short fence to put her goodbye flowers on the sacred tree's roots. It had watched over her family for generations, Mama had told her.

Maybe Papa got sick because we were too far from it…

Not wanting Mama to see her cry again, Kagome shook her head clear. Intent on cheering up, she decided to reacquaint herself with her surroundings. I think I liked it here before.

When her eyes rested on the well house, the girl knew she simply had to check it up. She vividly remembered Gramps saying that the Bone-Eater's Well was where they disposed of demon bones in the times of yorewhatever that meant.

With a mixture of excitement and fear, Kagome went over to the wooden door of the old construction.

"Maybe I shouldn't," she mused out loud, tugging at the pink ribbon on her hair.

"What are you doing, young lady?" Grandpa's voice came from behind her.

Turning around quickly, Kagome shuffled her feet on the ground. "I-I just wanted to see the magic well, Gramps."

Mama was standing a little to the side, laughing quietly. Kagome lifted her head and gave her a guilty smile.

"We should let her, Father," the woman said, putting her hand on the elder's shoulder. "She won't leave it alone."

"But you always said you didn't want her playing in there!" Grandpa reminded her exasperatedly.

"That was because she was too little! She could've fallen, and—"

"She still looks little to me!"

Speaking of little... "Where's Sota?" Kagome asked.

"He's taking a nap in his new room," Mama answered, and the girl noticed that the light in her eyes dimmed a little.

Sota cried all the time since their father's passing five months ago. I bet he was crying now, with the new house and all...

"Okay!" Kagome said fast, not wanting to see her mother become sadder. "Take me to the well, Mama!"


The air inside the small house was still (old), giving it an even darker atmosphere.

"It was supposed to be sealed!" Grandpa huffed indignantly. "Who could've opened it?"

"One of the stonemasons, perhaps?" Mama guessed.

The elder grunted, putting his hands on the wooden edge of the well and looking down at the bottom. Kagome and Mama followed suit.

"I can't see anything," the girl remarked, feeling a little disappointed. Part of her had wanted to see the bones.

"You can't always see the danger, child," Grandpa said ominously. "It doesn't mean it isn't there."

Kagome crossed her arms, resting her chin on them. She rolled her eyes at Mama, and the woman tried to frown while suppressing a smile.

Immediately after letting her gaze drop, Kagome jolted up, tightening her hands on the wood.

She was seeing something that couldn't really be at the bottom of the well—it was impossible. A light breeze blew on the girl's short hair, making her blink at the blue sky below.


A/N: It's short, since this story will be told in bits, but hopefully you enjoyed it! If you follow me on tumblr, you know I have two other segments ready, and they'll be here when the time comes. :)

As always, I'm immensely grateful to anyone reading this! If it isn't a bother, tell me your thoughts on it.