A/N: First fanfiction from a long hiatus of writing. Please forgive me if I'm a tad rusty! I'm hoping that I can keep writing this and see it through to its completion. Please read and review friends!
"Momma!" The high pitched voice interrupted the peace and quiet that had hung around the Higurashi shrine. The sound of a straw broom rasping over the flagstones halted when the child - no older than eight rounded the side of the house. Kagome looked up when Maaya came racing towards her and leaned the broom against the well-house.
"How was school, sweetie?" She knelt down to get closer to the child's height and smiled - watching as the dark haired girl plunked her book bag on the ground and dug through it.
"I made you something!" Her excitement was infectious, and Kagome's smile grew wider as the girl pulled out a colorful poster, displaying it proudly to the kneeling woman. The poster was obviously one made by the girl and she reached out - taking it in her own hands to admire it. "Do you like it?"
"I do, Maaya.. It's so pretty! Come on, let's go get it hung up, okay?" Kagome stood up, dusting off her red hakama pants and picked up the bright yellow backpack; a pang of memory the moment she touched the strap leaving her frozen.
"Why'd ya have ta bring all this stuff?!" His gruff voice was filled with a growl, but he still lifted the overstuffed bag to his shoulder.
"Because I have to study!" Kagome walked ahead of the silver haired demon, ticking her fingers one by one as she spoke, listing off things she had put in her bag. "I had to put my school books, clean clothes, first aid supplies.. And of course you can't forget your noodles!" She turned around, watching the sour expression on the male. "I could have left out the noodles if you wanted…"
That got the reaction she was looking for when he looked shocked; almost scared, before casting his eyes to the side, muttering under his breath. "No, it's fine. Just not somethin' you can carry is all." She grinned, knowing the argument over her bag was over and turned back down the path towards the village.
"Momma? What's wrong?" Kagome blinked, the present once more coming into painful focus as she found herself staring down at Maaya's concerned face. She was still standing in the yard of the shrine, the girls yellow backpack strap still held in her hand. The breeze lifted her traditional style ponytail and fluttered it much like someone had reached out and grasped it. The same breeze made her cheeks feel much cooler than the rest of her face and she reached her hands up, wiping away the tears.
"Yea, I'm okay, sweetie. Come on, let's go inside." This time, when she went to lift the bag up to her shoulder, her memories behaved and she was able to follow the chattering child to the house. Once inside, they took off their shoes and Kagome placed the bag inside the door where Maaya could take it with her when she went back to school the following day. "Put your picture on the table and get cleaned up, I'll get dinner started."
The sound of her footsteps pounding on the stairs as she raced up them made the older woman smile, albeit a little sadly. She hadn't expected that she would be twenty two and raising a child - let alone raising her alone. The sound of running water from upstairs told her that Maaya was doing as she was told and getting a bath before dinner. She rinsed and cut up the vegetables for stew - reaching over and turning on the radio for some background noise as her hands went to work making dinner.
Despite her attempts to distract herself, Kagome's eyes kept returning to Maaya's backpack and the memories that it had brought up. Maybe it was the time of year, they were coming up on the
seventh anniversary of the well's closing after their final battle with Naraku. The water ran over her hands, the peeler moving mechanically over the potatoes. Her thoughts sliding elsewhere; to memories long ago created. She dumped the ingredients for the stew, and calling up to Maaya that she would be back stepped out once more into the quiet night.
Kagome crossed the shrine grounds towards a building near the back of the complex, something a little newer than the rest of the buildings, but no less important to her. Inside, the small shrine was lit by wall sconces. Once they were real candles, but now they were run by electricity made to emulate the fire effect of real flames. Upon a small dias rested a few unique, but equally important items.
In the last few years, she had managed to 'find' heirlooms that had been secreted away in the shrine grounds. An old, tarnished monks staff with a few rings broken was hung horizontally on the wall, a bow that had seen better times and had long ago lost the string hung below that, and a massive worn down piece of bone was hung to the side of both. Kagome knew that it was what had remained of Sango's Hiraikotsu. Though nearly indestructible in the Feudal era, five hundred years of neglect had left it in poor shape. On the small alter she had set on the dias, Kagome lit five real candles and a stick of incense, kneeling before the altar and bringing her hands together in silent prayer.
In the bowl in the center was a pile of black and silver beads, the black spheres and silver teardrops a jumbled mess. Spread out on the cloth of the altar were other items that were obviously quite old - some in various states of disrepair, but all lovingly cared for after their discovery. A few cups, arrowheads, what looked like an old toy top, a child's doll. To either side of the altar were two boxes, both lacquered with beautiful designs and sealed to protect the garments inside against the elements.
Prayers finished - her wish that her friends had found peace after their tumultuous lives, Kagome rose to her feet and dusted off her pants once more and blew out the candles. The incense she left as she always did. Closing the doors behind her, the once-priestess shivered at the breeze and returned to the house. It had been a long time since she felt like she was being watched and it set her teeth on edge.
Once back inside, she called upstairs - still hearing sounds of splashing. "Maaya! Dinner's ready!" She took the time to get her own clothes changed and was dishing up their dinner when the girl came bouncing downstairs, a bright smile on her face.
"Can you read me a bedtime story tonight, momma?"
"Of course, sweetie. Let's eat first, okay?"
The two women talked and laughed over their meal, the child chattering on about her day at school, and about 'mean old misses Shinka' that was her teacher. Cleanup was easy, and Kagome put out the lights as they went upstairs, tucking the girl into the room that had once belonged to her. She sat on the edge of the bed and started to read the story of Cinderella to the girl. After her day, Kagome wasn't surprised that Maaya was asleep before she was even sent to the ball. Kissing her forehead and tucking her in, Kagome turned out the lights and turned towards the open window.
The night breeze was flowing through the window, but tonight it was different. She frowned, reaching out and drawing the window closed, latching it and returning to her own room to retire for the night. It was just her nerves, she always got this way this time of year.. Lost easier in memories and looking into the dark for presences that weren't there.
The door to the small shrine opened and a figure stood, their shadow cast upon the wall of objects. A hand reached into the bowl, drawing out an onyx sphere and clutching it in a clawed fist.