Chapter 1: Crazier
She sat there back against the well, knees hugged into her body, tears pouring down her face. Her mom found her there the next day in the same position. She tried to get her to talk, tell her what happened. "Was it Inuyasha? Did he hurt you?" All Kagome could do was sadly shake her head. Her mom begged her to come inside but Kagome couldn't move, what if the well would open again? She wouldn't leave. So, Mrs. Higurashi brought out a blanket wrapping it around her daughter and brought her some food. The food sat there along with Kagome all night. Over the next week her mom, brother, and grandfather would come trying to get her to move into the house, eat, or just talk. She didn't do anything her tears had even stopped after a few days. She was miserable. Her mom didn't want to do it, but she felt as though her daughter was becoming a risk to her own health. A SUV pulled up outside of the well house, two guys got out in blue polos and brought Kagome to the car. She didn't have enough strength to fight them. She watched her mom cry into her grandfather's chest as the car pulled away.
"Kagome, you will have to talk to me soon. I want to help you. All of us here just want to help you deal with what's happening in your life." The man talking was a therapist. Her mom had admitted her to a treatment center, and she'd been there for two weeks already, but she couldn't tell anyone what she had been through, they'd ship her straight to a looney bin. So, she just sat there silently watching the sad blue eyes of the young therapist, he almost seemed to young to be there, but his PhD hanging behind him said otherwise. "Are you afraid? Do you think I'll say you're crazy? I've never sent a patient to the looney bin."
"How'd you-" she slapped a hand over her mouth. Her own voice sounded unfamiliar as she hadn't talked to anyone there, but it felt as though he could read her thoughts. "I want to go back to my room."
He nodded and called for someone to help her back making note of her reaction to him. He ran a hand through his reddish blonde hair. He couldn't just tell her who he was it would blow his current cover. He stood up pacing around the room. He had watched her over the past year, it was pretty easy to find her since the well didn't just magically move it was in the same place just covered by a structure with a house next to it. He had only just found her though because his math was a little off with how long it had been. He never confronted her or told anyone else because he didn't want to mess with time travel.
"Dr. Kit your next patient is here." He nodded his head taking a seat and listening to the boy describe the actions that lead him to attempt suicide…
Two more weeks flew by for Kagome. She started to eat a little more and she decided that maybe she'd talk to someone soon. She didn't want it to be an authority figure though, so she'd wait till another patient approached her.
"So, why are you here? Suicide? Depression? Parents wanted to ship you somewhere?" It was a new girl she had teal hair with very pale skin. "Typically I wear a little more make up so I don't look twelve, but they made me wash it off."
"You don't look twelve, more like thirteen." Kagome smiled at her little joke and the girl seemed to approve.
"Mai." She reached out her hand and Kagome shook it. "My parents think I'm depressed because I have identity issues." She rolled her eyes and took a bite of the carrots on her plate. "I can't say much about it, but any girl in my position probably has identity issues."
"Oh, have you talked to the therapist about this?" Mai told her today was only her second day, but the therapist was helping her through everything already. "You're the first person I've even talked to and I've been here a month. I think if I talk everyone will think I'm crazy."
"Are you? Are you crazy?" Mai studied Kagome she was good at reading people even if she did struggle with who/ what she was... Kagome was hard to read her bottom lip seemed like it had been chewed to death something most crazy people did, but she didn't seem to show anxiousness just worry.
"No, maybe, isn't every teenage girl?" Mai laughed she liked this girl someone who could be her friend. "If I told you though what I've been through over the past year, you'd leave this table."
"Try me." Kagome took a deep breath then shook her head sadly getting up and walking away she did not want to freak Mai out. She only wanted to be a normal teenager for once, plus her therapy session was coming up. "Kagome!" She kept walking even though she could hear Mai calling out. Kagome decided maybe if she didn't go to the cafeteria for a week Mai would be gone.
"Ms. Higurashi, you haven't talked to me for a month. Your family is worried about you, but they won't tell me why you're in here either. Please trust me. Please tell me something, anything, even if the story is twisted to make you not sound crazy." Dr. Kit knew sometimes you had to get the patient to tell you a different version of the story, one that seemed normal to the everyday person. Most patients that thought he'd believe they were crazy were demons, so when he got them to finally admit that he could show them that he was one too and what he was doing there, helping demons accept who they were along with helping humans who had run ins with demons making them think they were crazy.
"Umm… okay. About a year ago now I was taken in the middle of the night by some girl I didn't know. She wanted something I had and I didn't even know I had it. Soon enough she had found a jewel that was worth a lot in my…." Kagome couldn't say it came out of her body, but how else would she explain she didn't know she had it, "My backpack! It was placed there by someone else. It was scared, but then this man in red came out of nowhere and helped me. He thought I was someone else…" Kagome went on telling of her first time meeting Inuyasha just calling him Yasha in her story.
"So, you went through a kidnapping?"
"Yeah, but it wouldn't be my last." Kagome giggled not thinking of how crazy it would sound. Then she looked up at her therapist who had curious eyes. "I guess that's why I'm pretty messed up I went through a lot in that place."
"Why keep going back?" The doctor thought he could crack her story get her to tell him about how they first met. "Did you make connections there?"
"I- I- um- well yeah I made connections also the thing that was taken from me ended up being a family heirloom and I needed to get it back before it was lost forever. I made lots of friends while there who also had things they wanted to find."
"Can you tell me about the people you met other than Yasha?" Just as Kagome was about to talk a nurse came to tell him his next patient was there. He said goodbye to Kagome and would just have to wait for her next meeting. "Who's up next?"
Since Kagome had participated in her last therapy session she was moved to Level 2. This meant she could have visitors and she'd get a roommate. She was hoping for someone who wouldn't talk much, but instead she entered her knew room to see Mai waiting smiling on the ther bed. "Oh, Kagome. Why'd you run away from me the other day?"
"I had a therapy session."
"That's true, but you were ten minutes early to that session. All sessions are at the top of the hour." Kagome chewed on her lip. Mai yawned stretching her arms up and Kagome noticed a jewel dangling from her belly button.
"You're not allowed to have piercings in here." Kagome started freaking out trying to figure out how Mai would get through all the searches having the piercing.
"Shit. You're not supposed to see that. You didn't see it just-"
"You could get us in trouble!"
"No, it's not what you think. I'm- I- you'll think I'm crazy" Mai started crying she didn't want to scare Kagome off. She thought the shirt was plenty long and wouldn't ever give her off.
"Mai you need to tell me what's going on."
"I'm not a human Kagome. I'm what's known as a demon or youkai. I won't hurt you this jewel makes it so my powers are in check and I appear as human as you." Kagome was no longer distraught. She realized Mai could be crazy and delusional, but Kagome thought this might be a little truthful.
"Can you show me? Show me who you are without the jewel?" Mai bit her lip playing with the naval piercing shaking her head.
"I have never taken it out actually, till last week. It scared me the markings, the fangs, the claws, it was too much for me. I've always known I was different, My parents informed me I was a demon and what that was when I was young. I've had to change my identity so many times because of how slow demons grow older, so it caused me to create these multiple personalities. When I took out my ring I imagined a very dark monster living in that body and I started acting out. My parents were concerned they could see that trying to be a human my whole life made me ashamed of who I am. Dr. Kit has helped me through a lot of it, but I'm still not ready to see myself as a monster." Mai watched her feet dangle from her bed the entire time she talked. It was nice to talk to someone her "age" about it. Although she was shocked to see Kagome wasn't freaking out over all she had said.
"I use to know a lot of demons. That's why I'm here. I thought for a long time Dr. Kit would try to convince me to believe I made it all up. I was so sure he was going to try to tell me I was on some drug or something, but I was surprised that he just listened. He let me say what I wanted and it made me feel like I wasn't crazy and to know there are still demons today makes me feel better." Kagome finally felt in a good place she had been so depressed and now to know there are people she could talk to it washed away a lot of the anxiety she felt from hiding all of her secrets.
"Today? You're acting like you've been around for a couple centuries." Mai laughed but she did not miss the way Kagome's eyes turned to saucers and she immediately starting to pace around. "Is there something you're not telling me? Are you a demon with identity issues, because it's okay sometimes I forget I'm supposed to be Mai now instead of Kai and people don't understand why I'm suddenly talking with a southern drawl." Kagome shook her head biting her lip. She couldn't fake being a demon she didn't have whatever this jewel was that was keeping Mai's powers in check.
"I guess if you think I'm crazy you can do that, but I'm not a demon I am a human or well a priestess/miko that was sent about 5 centuries back in time and-" she looked up to see Mai looking at her like she had four heads making Kagome sigh and bow her head. "I know I'm crazy, right? But I'm not I-"
"You're her. You're the powerful miko that put the jewel shards back together and rescued all the people from Naraku? I thought those were fairytales my parents told me. I didn't realize- you- the dog half demon- the demon slayer…. That's all true?" Mai had heard many tales from her mom and dad about a group who traveled around feudal japan trying to collect shards of the broken jewel and defeat the evil demon that had been trying to take over Japan. Mai's dad even admitted to being there and occasionally being involved as his half brother had been Kagome's companion.
"I don't know exactly what your parents have told you, but I was there and I guess I had some power." Kagome hadn't even noticed the time that had passed, but she had enjoyed talking to Mai. There was a knock on the door they both had visitors. They went out to the hall and down the steps to the main cafeteria/lobby area. Kagome saw her mom with Souta waiting next to a guy in a tailored suit and short silver hair with longer bangs styled to look like he didn't do much to his hair, he had his arm around a tall, thin women with dark red hair falling in curls with a nice navy dress on.
"Mom, dad!" Mai shouted walking towards the man and woman. They both looked up and Kagome made eye contact with Mai's dad. She felt like she knew him, but couldn't imagine from where. She walked to her mom and brother smiling as she walked over immediately she was in a tight hug with both of them. "Mom, dad, this is my friend and roommate Kagome."
"Mom, Souta, my friend and roommate Mai."
"Hi, I'm Mrs. Higurashi, this is Souta." Kagome's mom offered a hand out to Mai's parents. Both of them shook it and took the chance to introduce themselves.
"Seiichi and Rei," Kagome swore she knew that voice, but she had never ran into a man who looked so successful, but she could feel he was watching her. The six of them had lunch in the small cafeteria. They talked mainly about what the families had been doing lately. Kagome's family had been working on finding someone to redo the well house as the ceiling was beginning to cave in. Mai's father actually mentioned a construction crew he was in charge of who worked for pretty low costs. Kagome wasn't really paying any attention till Mai's hand was waving in her face.
"Hey, your mom asked how you're doing…" Mai trailed off as she had noticed her new friend had been zoning out for the meal hardly even touching the food on her plate.
"Good. I opened up a bit to my councilor and I met Mai just recently. She is making me feel even more normal. I think I'll be ready to come home soon, then I want to go to school again." Kagome smiled recently she'd felt really inspired to become a nurse or doctor of some kind. She imagined if she could've stayed in the feudal era with Inuyasha she'd be a healer in the town and he'd protect the area. Then she remembered her wish… He'd have Kikiyo and no reason to be with her. She had been happy at least for a few days but her mood turned sour she acted happy for the next hour, but once her family left she went to see if she could talk to Dr. Kit on Sunday's he had no scheduled sessions just an open door.
"Hello, Ms.-"
"Okay, I want to talk. I know you know about demons. Mai told me because she is one, well I know some demons or well knew and I'm depressed because all of my friends are people in a whole different time period. I just want to get back, I just don't know what to do when half of my life is gone. Half of my life is basically a lie. I can't talk to anyone about it and I'm tired of being so secretive. I'm over this world! I just want to go back…" Kagome sat in the chair opposite of her therapist with her hands covering her eyes, so she couldn't see who was really standing in front of her. He had taken out his ear piercing and stepped out of his shoes allowing his ears to appear pointed, his tails ripped a small hole through his pants, gladly he had another pair, and his legs had turned to those of a fox but Kagome was still not looking at him.
"Kagome." She had honestly forgotten where she was until he spoke. She looked at him and almost fainted. She was more confused than ever. Why would he show this to her? Why did he feel so familiar? It couldn't be- could it? "It's me, Shippo."
….
His life was spent in constant struggle with himself, his people, and the outside world. There had been peace at times, but currently his life was in shambles. He had been working side jobs for his boss, but it wasn't enough to keep him and his tribe going. He had to work more jobs in the "underworld". It was the place demons lived as demons. It had been created in the last century as part of a peace treaty between humans and demons. However, he hated traveling down there as it was ruled by the cat demons originating from the south and he never had a good track record with them. He took the last sip of his drink and slipped on his earring. His hair shortened, his ears rounded, and his tail disappeared.
"Thanks." He threw a five at the bar and walked into the dark streets of the underworld. It might have been underground, but you'd never really notice you weren't in Tokyo as it completely mimicked the city. His head was killing him. It was the worst to transform into a human after a fight, his whole body would ache if it hadn't fully healed yet. He was just getting on the elevator when he noticed medics running down the alley nearby and he could've sworn he recognized one.
"Kagome." He whispered as he was sent up to the human world… But what would she be doing in this time especially in the underworld.
…..
So, If you didn't notice the second part is not during the same time as the first part. It does give us a lead into the second chapter. This chapter was to give a look into what Kagome would experience getting ripped away from her friends. Next chapter we will see what some of her friends go through without her…
This will be slow moving as the original version was, but hopefully more exciting. I worked hard on this first chapter and hope you enjoy it!
