ABOVE THE HORIZON
CHAPTER 1: RESILIENT

Summary: Kagome had spent years trying to bury the past in a flurry of new beginnings of the present, but when things begin to resurface it's hard for her to push it farther down the drain... Especially when there is a remembrance of the past in the form of Sesshoumaru Taisho, brother of Inuyasha – her first love. It proves an even harder time to push the familiar back to the back of her mind when it seems that fate finds it funny to pull them together, and even more harder when the man develops feelings for her although unwanted. Perhaps she'll find ways to move on with a new beginning in the form of the past, or perhaps she'll let go completely and find a way with her stubborn, resilient ways. We'll see as time passes on.

Her heart couldn't spend another second or hour dwelling on the past. It just hurt too much. The past was a place that could only remain the past - untouched, without visit. Leaps of faith, daring adventures, battles with demons and dragons and sorceresses, and... first love.

The images left scars on her ever wandering heart that searched the world for a new purpose to beat. Needless to say that it still beat, it still pumped blood, but she could feel that it wasn't the same as it was those many years before.

She could blame it on the cardio, no doubt. The push and pressure of her rapid walking could explain the harsh feelings of strikes to her heart, but she couldn't be quite sure. For the thoughts that probed her mind seemed to pulse in time with the pain.

Cold air blew heavily onto her body but couldn't reach her as her perspiration and high body temperature prevented it from doing so; the autumn, chilled air was no match for her power walks and jogs or even her pained thoughts that seemed to give in to her heart pressure as much as the exercise did.

Most mornings wouldn't be like this. Most mornings would be brisk, new; it would be pleasant, even. But Kagome seemed to have run into a very unlikely remembrance of her past this particular unfortunate morning... And the consequences had a sad string of ripple effects on her emotions throughout the rest of it.

It didn't matter, however. She kept on with the morning and pushed, being the stubborn, resilient girl that she was. She didn't let it keep her from eating her morning breakfast, getting her running clothes on, and from starting her morning exercise. Instead, she used it as a fuel to further push her in her efforts to get a stronger work out than most. Turn a negative into a positive, if you choose to view it that way, despite the pain she felt along the way.

In the midst of her pants and huffs, she pulled her phone out one of the pockets of her exercise leggings and checked the time. While she was pushing herself harder and harder because of this morning's distraction, she seemed to have forgotten the pass of time, and she pushed in exercise about an hour more than regular time. It was 9 o'clock. Her running session usually ended at 8. And it so happened that she had passed her home in her distracted run as well, her marker for the end of her run.

So, with an extra hour on the list of her exercise, she wiped away a bit of the hard memories that brought agony like the sweat on her brow and smiled. Of course, such events wouldn't bring her down
as thoroughly as one would think... She inwardly cheered. Now, on for the rest of the day.

No one seemed to have noticed the down ward spiral she was sent in this morning while she went about her day at work. She was, as always, perky, on point, in charge – doing her job 100% right, 100% amazing. She was the manager at a very popular art cafe in downtown Tokyo, moved on from the duties left for her in the isolated shrine on top of that quiet and peaceful mountain. She... Found that in order to help escape her past, she must leave the place in which it first emerged. The Higurashi Shrine... And, above all, all places like it. Isolated, peaceful, quiet. And, much to Kagome's relief, it worked. It worked enough to the point that once she made it to work, the hustle and bustle about her lovely little cafe chased away all the fear-bringing images of the past, despite the home-filled warmth that it seemed to be like in all its essence. The hustle and bustle might have chased away what seemed to still be a part of her, as she still managed to be troubled by any piece of it, but it still... Seemed to part of her as well, for she fit right smack in, comfortable in her role as manager and did the role well. At times she'd have some antique artwork come in here and there to showcase, and it would remind of her times long ago, but it didn't seem to bother her much to the point where she had thought she was moving on. But... I guess not. I guess it took something stronger to bring it back, but it was still there.

"Kyoko-san, on top of your heels. Make sure their order gets to them on a timely manner," Kagome said sharply to her newest employee as she made her way to the backroom for her lunch. And, of course, being the soft-hearted woman that she was, she was silently taken aback by the employee's slight cringe at Kagome's harsh tone. "You got this, I'm sure you'll do amazing," Kagome said, hands gestured in a friendly manner on the employees shoulder for comfort with a pat and a smile gracing her expression. She inwardly smiled wider at the employee's reply of sweetness, a small smile in return and shy voice speaking out, "Thank you so much, Kagome-sama, I appreciate it very much. I won't let you down." Kagome nodded in reply before moving on to the backroom to continue on with her schedule.

It seemed almost ridiculous, but only almost. Almost ridiculous that she could get worked up over such a matter now that it was pushed far back into the back of her mind if even there. If ever compared, you could most definitely see the difference between the emotional struggle in the morning and the struggle at work at that very moment.

At that moment, Kagome mindlessly did what she did almost every day at work. Take out her lunch bag, take out her lunch, open her lunch boxed food, and participated in small talk with her employees. They talked about the simplest things to the biggest events to talk about it in the news.

This morning, however... This morning was different. She usually woke up at 6 o'clock in the morning on her own time rather than an alarm's. She had developed a habit of a morning bird throughout time and would spend her time painting or exercising and, in usual mornings, both, if not one taking longer than the other. It may have been different, but it started off all the same. Woke up, cleaned up her bed. Unfortunately, she had to spend extra time looking for her exercise clothing... For it seemed she had misplaced if not lost where she had put it. She spent quite some time in her closet looking and digging just for that simple garment, until she discovered a box in which was marked in black marker "CLOTHING." At first, she seemed delighted, her eyes lighted up at the thought of finding new clothes. Well, actually old, but new clothes to wear. She was allowed to have fits of femininity. For a few moments, that lighted look was rightfully so, for she found many clothing she hadn't seen in years that she may wear again. Yet, as she kept on looking on, she began to realize that the familiarity was drawing dangerously to the time when she was in... Too late. She'd made it to the jackpot, the gold, but, in this case, it was every dreadfully otherwise to her for what it meant brought more dread than riches despite the sentimental value she'd still place on it no matter what the circumstance. Her middle school uniform. She lifted it up slowly towards the light so that the features of it could be seen more clearly, and she lightly played with the red sash under the green with white stripe collar with one hand. Dreamily, she stared at it, the images flowing into her mind faster than she could ever wish to stop it from doing before she dropped it to the side quickly. In her haste, something fell from the skirt pockets. And it was that that she dreaded seeing most.

Upon seeing it, she flushed red with anger and her eyes unknowingly teared up with tears of sadness, if anything else. Why? She muttered in her mind before it escaped her lips… "why?" She knelt there in her walk-in closet, stiff; with tears that she only then began to realize was dripping from her eyes. Kagome wiped at them as she let the last of what memories she would allow to seep into her mind before forcefully shutting off her brain to anything that would further her pain and, with the same force, grabbed the garment hastily and threw it back into the box. As if she caught that her actions were a bit destructive (throwing things everywhere), she slowly handled the next clothing and put them all in the box after she paused shortly. She wouldn't wear them. Not if they came from that time, she wouldn't. As well as she could, she began to manage closing the top of the cardboard box tightly and made a promise to herself as she pushed it far into the back of the closet. She'd find some duct tape to tape it up then rewrite some "STAY AWAY/DO NOT OPEN" words in thicker black ink for safe measures just in case she forgot this happened in the future and she runs into it again. Just as she was about to stand up, her hand used to push herself up accidently pressed over the remembrance that brought the final straw to her heart.

Kagome stiffened once again but didn't dare move her hand. Instead of being fearful, however, and staring into the back of her hand, she lifted her head so she couldn't see and stood. She walked straight to her bedroom drawer, knelt, and opened the bottom one, placing the remembrance under the last clothing so it may not be visible to the eye. And sighed. She sat there silently for awhile before she let out a grunt of frustration and stood again. It was time to get up and try to move on.

And that she did very well until she would be proven otherwise.

"Do you just see that fine man sitting over there?" Bursted in one of the employees into the backroom. Kagome rolled her eyes as she let out a chuckle. "No, Yano-san."

"WELL. I think he is just PERFECT for you, Kagome-sama," Yano drawled on, grabbing Kagome by the arm. Kagome's eyes narrowed at the personal touch. She tried to keep employees at a distance. "Oh! If I may, Kagome-sama, let me show you, please," Yano squeaked, letting go of her boss's arm so she may have free reign. Kagome, with her arm now free, straightened herself and sighed. "Alright. Who's this man, Yano-san." With the permission given, Yano couldn't hold in a small squeal of excitement. She politely stepped aside and peeked through the doorway, gesturing for Kagome to do the same. "That man over there, with the long black hair, those narrow, narrow, piercing...

golden eyes..."

Kagome locked gazes with the man just as soon as her employee said that, and, as one would think she'd turn away, she seriously had locked gazes. She couldn't look away. Something about those golden orbs that had her sink in its depths of... Of... What?

Who else could have golden eyes?

Kagome suddenly stood out from hiding behind the doorway, her employee whispering at the folly but she couldn't quite hear. "Kagome-sama! He sees you! Hide!" Yet, all Kagome could think to herself was... "Inu... Yasha?" Again, what muttered in her mind seeped through her lips, and she said it loud and clear enough for the mysterious man to seemingly hear for his piercing gaze narrowed further and his head seemed to have cocked forward at the sound of the name escape her lips. Kagome couldn't get the image out of her mind, and now it was right in front of her. His golden eyes... His golden eyes. And how handsome it looked with his hair in opal black with a fashioned green trench coat and black jeans. It just looked...

"Uhm... Kagome-sama?" A small, shy voice penetrated her dream-state and Kagome shook her head out of it so she may focus on the source. "Uh... Ah? Yes?" She tried her best to recollect herself in front of Kyoko, the small, shy waitress who was also the employee that was trying to get her attention at the moment. "That man over there, he's asking for your services. I'm not sure... Uh..." Kyoko leaned in and whispered behind her hand, "How long you think you've been staring at him let alone both of you at each other." Kagome inwardly punched herself in the face. Punched herself in the most embarrassing face she ever made. "Ah, damnit, Kyoko-san, why..." Kagome began, almost about to rant out in public before catching herself. "Ahhhh."

Kyoko only smiled. "Don't worry, Kagome-sama. I don't think it's nothing more than an inquiry about some artwork. Keep your cool like always seem to do."

That encouraging remark elicited an exhale for Kagome, a sigh releasing the stress, for Kyoko seemed to have said something that seemed to be true for the most part. It's just a man. Kagome laughed slightly at that comment. It's just a man. It's not like he was a dragon or something, like she's faced many times before, right? There are more terrifying things she has battled in the past that has nothing to do with normal men. And this... This man couldn't possibly be Inuyasha... Unless...

Shaking her head away from that last thought, this was a normal man. And it was sure as hell on the earth she's walked on that no normal man was going to make her cave in. "Thanks, Kyoko," She gratefully replied before walking off to meet the man. It looked like it'll be close to being off lunch for her. Can't say no to a customer. And something in her mind, although she didn't want to admit it or say it or acknowledge it, told her, "especially a customer like this one."

The closer she walked to the customer the more drawn in she got into his deep, golden eyes. "May I help you, sir?" She asked politely. The man only nodded, his gaze never leaving hers and her's never leaving his. "I wanted to ask about this painting," he said, nodding his head in the direction of the painting. Kagome left his gaze for that moment and, upon seeing the painting, smiled. "Ah," She replied. The painting he referred to was a painting of blue and gray sakuras fading off into the star filled sky, an abundance of them scattered and bunched throughout the large canvas. Ripples played across the light canvas, the gentle water colors chosen to fill it in left the sakuras as if they were on the clearest of waters. Dim lights from the café meshed well with the color tone of lights in the painting that it seemed to them that the night sky was actually alight with the stars. "Those are a painting of the ancient blue and gray sakuras that once filled our lands. Are you familiar with their history?" The man moved his gaze from her to the painting before them. "They're myths. You speak of them as if their history is real." Kagome smiled even more vibrantly, and this time it reached her eyes, playful and bright it seemed to the man. "As real as any other lifetime would permit them to be." This earned a raised brow as a response, and when his eyes again locked with hers, Kagome laughed. "Its art, sir, and art could bring forth any lifetime, any myth, to life by it's' colors and strokes. Don't you think so?"

For awhile, it seemed to Kagome that the man was studying her features, her expression, her eyes – trying to read into what she was saying like there were more to read into. "I know of the myth," He finally said. "However, I'd like for you to enlighten to me."

"Is this a test?" Kagome said with amusement but, before giving time for him to answer, she held her hands behind her back as if going to prepare a speech and said, "Very well." She began with looking into his eyes. "Long ago, in the distant lands of Japan, when demons scoured the lands and humans sought out magical remedies to heal their sick, it was said a beautiful flower arose from the ground as a blessing to a young miko. Not one knows of her name, for her name was lost amongst the story-telling after ages and ages that came after, yet, she guarded the Shikon Jewel, and earned her right to do so. Purified it..." Her eyes left his to look to the floor, then the painting, her smile fading. "She purified it, after spending long nights and days chasing it's shards amongst the lands against an evil foe. It was said that it was in the dead of the night, under a bright pink Sakura tree, did she purify not only the jewel, but her demon foe's blood and body. The Sakura was only a bystander of such feat, but was affected still by the beauty of the purification. It's petals transformed into a bright blue and lightened gray to match the moon in the sky and the color of the miko's purifying rays. And it is said, that not one could obliterate the Sakura flowers. If you destroyed one, another would grow in its place on the branch it grew on, and if a branch cut from the roots, the flower would still retain its zestful life and colors." Near the end of tale, Kagome again looked into his eyes.

"Mmmm. It's missing a tad bit of information," The man added. "She fought alongside the Lord of the West, and purified the jewel within his lands. Soon after, people began drawing pictures of the moon and the blue sakura as a symbol of their collaboration and team effort." Kagome smiled once again, this time just a little more lightly. "I forgot that bit of information."

He only nodded, and resumed his attention to the painting. "How much?" He said. Kagome seemed shocked, but replied in stride. "I'm sorry, sir, it's not for sale. Everything here is showcased and will return to their owners after a good day's time." The man's brows furrowed together before turning his body towards her and pushing his hands into his pockets. "May I speak with the artist?" He said, displeasure laced in his tone. "Ah… I sort of… am the artist, sir," She replied shyly.

"Hm," was all he said as he seemed to take her in for the very first time. The small waitress was about two feet smaller than he was, her red uniform contrasting with her peachy skin that seemed to have glowed in the light of the café. She seemed plain, but still pretty, her straight black hair jetted down her back regally with light curls at the end, her bangs full and shaping her petite face. Her eyes seemed to have shimmered, the light brown irises leaving the dark black of her pupils visible to his eye. Her lips were full and well taken care of, no chapped scars left on it despite the lack of make-up anywhere on her face. Rosy were her cheeks, and curvaceous her body. She most definitely wasn't the same as most of the women he had dated in the past, but she was still a pretty little woman.

"Uhm. Sir?" She squeaked, not quite being comfortable under his scrutiny.

"How about I take you out to lunch, instead?"