a/n: okay, so I know I have yet to update my other stories, but I can't write chapters, just like that snaps fingers. I need inspiration! If you guys have any questions about the story/chapter just ask. Anyway, on to the story!
The Ties that Bind
By: Youkai no Hikaru
Summary: He left her to go on a quest, but before he did, he left her a locket that would open up when he returned. He never did. Sess/Kag.
Like those of seasons' passing, my heart finds renewal, but only one thing remains. It is like the earth, a base. She is my base. No matter what I try to soothe her restless memory, everything that she is still lingers. And now, I must find a new base, if only time would ease my pain; it does not. –excerpt from Maru Ieyasu's My Sorrow in a Never-Ending Winter.
Chapter 1: Departure
"I will return when I have completed my quest."
"What are you looking for?"
"I cannot tell you, for I am not sure myself."
"Oh."
"But rest assured, I will never forget about you, I swear it."
"And I will never forget about you as well."
"Here, have this."
"What is it?"
"You'll see. When I return, it'll open. I would not make any futile attempts to open it before then if I were you."
"Of course, I would never think of doing that."
"I must take my leave. Farewell."
"Goodbye."
It has been 5 months since his departure, and she was beginning to think that something terrible had happened to him. This thought frightened her. She was walking in the all too familiar forest and found herself in their special place. Her deep blue eyes reflected great sorrow as this place brought back old memories of him. The well in front of her was where they first met. She sat with her back against the well-side, her long raven hair cascading over her shoulder. She never liked putting it up into fancy hairstyles. He never liked seeing her hair up either. He always said that refined hairstyles were for the desperate that didn't have any true beauty.
There was a shatter inside the well. The girl peered inside the well, when all of a sudden, a centipede demon popped up in front of her, dragging down the well.
Fresh human flesh. My lunch has come to me this time.
The girl screamed for help, but nothing came out. "I won't be able to see him again, if I die now, No, I will NOT die before then," she thought. A bright pink light erupted from her body and engulfed her. The centipede screamed in pain and slowly dissolved away.
"Why am I still falling? And what is this light?" the girl wondered aloud. There was a blue light that replace the pink light from before. It cradled her body to wherever it was taking her to. When it died down, she was at the bottom of the well, but it was different somehow. It was darker now, was it night? No, it couldn't be. It was early afternoon when she was dragged down. The girl looked up. There was a roof above her head. She cocked her head to the side. The last time she remembered, there was open sky above her head. There was also a boy dressed in strange attire staring at her.
"Mom! Grandpa! There's someone at the well!" the boy hollered.
The next thing the girl knew she was being interrogated by these strangely dressed people, except for the grandfather; he was dressed as a priest.
"How did you get to the well house?" asked a middle-aged woman.
"A centipede demon attacked me and dragged me down there," the girl found herself replying.
"Demon? Where?" the grandfather asked.
"Don't worry father. There haven't been any demons here since ever, and the only acknowledgements of any are about 500 years ago," the lady said.
Now, the girl was more confused than ever before. There weren't any demons here? 500 years? That can't be right.
"Um, excuse me?"
"Yes?" the family replied.
"I don't understand. No demons? But this is still Japan right? I mean there are always demons terrorizing lands. And what are these peculiar buildings? Where are the castles and villages? And are you saying this is 500 years after any sightings of a demon?" the girl was scared now.
The mother answered the girl's questions, while the boy and grandfather just stared at her as if she was some kind of lunatic.
"Yes, dear. There aren't any demons here. I don't believe they ever existed in the first place. This is a typical house you find at a shrine or any other place actually, and there haven't been any castles and villages for a long time. They probably existed until the end of Medieval Japan. And for your last question, 500 years ago was during the Feudal Era, where many stories of demons, angels, dragons, and other mythical creatures were created."
The girl wanted so badly to argue with the nice lady, but apparently in this place they believe that demons are imaginary. But how could this be? Demons are so powerful, how could humans destroy them all?
"I don't understand. This is still the Feudal era right? I mean how can things change so quickly? I'm positive that I was dragged down the well by that demon then I was brought here."
"Well that might be the reason that you are here. It must be a time portal of some sort. Oh by the way, what is your name?"
"My name is Kagome Yamamoto. May I ask what your names are?"
"Of course dear. I am Ms. Yuri Higurashi."
"I'm Sota, and this is jii-san," said the little boy; Grandpa just stared at Kagome suspiciously.
"Well it's very nice to meet you all, but I think I should return to my time."
"Yes, we'll see you out," said Yuri.
The family led Kagome back to the well house. Everyone said their goodbyes and watched as Kagome jumped down the well. There was a loud thump and the family looked down, only to see Kagome still there.
"Climb out Kagome. There's no point of just sitting there, because it is now clear that you will be stuck here. Wishing that it will work will do nothing," said Yuri. (a/n: she doesn't say it to be mean.)
Sadly, Kagome climbed out. She decided that she just had to make the best of living in the future. The Higurashis' kindly took care of her, and introduced her to all the new gadgets and taught her how to use them. In no time at all, Kagome could act like the present people of Japan. There was no evidence that she was born royalty or never born in this time. Kagome went to the high school as a niece of Yuri Higurashi, and graduated there as valedictorian. She loved the Higurashis as her own family, and they loved her. But no matter where she was, Kagome always knew that she was missing something. The void never healed as time went on, and her departure from the Feudal Era must have struck total heartbreak to those she loved.
Came in from a rainy
Thursday
On the avenue
Thought I heard you talking softly
I
turned on the lights, the TV
And the radio
Still I can't escape
the ghost of you
What has happened to it all?
Crazy, some
are saying
Where is the life that I recognize?
Gone away
But
I won't cry for yesterday
There's an ordinary world
Somehow I
have to find
And as I try to make my way
To the ordinary
world
I will learn to survive
Passion or coincidence
Once
prompted you to say
"Pride will tear us both apart"
Well
now pride's gone out the window
Cross the rooftops
Run
away
Left me in the vacuum of my heart
What is happening to
me?
Crazy, some'd say
Where is my friend when I need you
most?
Gone away
But I won't cry for yesterday
There's an
ordinary world
Somehow I have to find
And as I try to make my
way
To the ordinary world
I will learn to survive
Papers
in the roadside
Tell of suffering and greed
Here today, forgot
tomorrow
Ooh, here besides the news
Of holy war and holy
need
Ours is just a little sorrowed talk
And I don't cry
for yesterday
There's an ordinary world
Somehow I have to
find
And as I try to make my way
To the ordinary world
I
will learn to survive
Every one
Is my world, I will learn
to survive
Any one
Is my world, I will learn to survive
Any
one
Is my world
Every one
Is my world
"Ordinary World" by Duran Duran
A/n: so how was that? Please, REVIEW! And Kagome's last name is Yamamoto because if she was a Higurashi, the space and time continuum thing would get messed up. So anyway, I'm up for requests and NO FLAMES please. Arigato, until next time! Ja ne!