Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Summary: A journey can begin in many different ways. A step, a leap of faith, or a single hope. For them, it'd been a wish upon a star that had put them on their path.
Suggested Listening: Sunder by Really Slow Motion
Pairing: Kayaba/Kagome
Wish Upon a Star
Kagome leaned on the back of her heels. She clasped her hands behind her back as she glanced up at the starry night sky. The tiny lights speckled the black wonder that was space above them. Azure eyes blinked then glanced over the crowd of people surrounding her. A few of them she recognized as locals who visited the shrine she'd been staying at for good luck and fortune. However many were complete strangers to her. Feeling a mechanical vibration, Kagome lifted her hand and reached into the sleeve of her kimono to search for her wrist wallet. The young woman's face lit up as her fingers brushed against the rough cloth of the satchel. She pinched her fingers into the tightly secured opening and pried the fabric open. Within her phone lit up as messages of love poured in from her family.
We'll see you when you reach home!
An image of her younger brother, mother and grandfather standing together and flashing the screen with peace signs and wide grins popped up beneath the message. A small smile spread across her lips. They had always been so supportive. She quickly sent them a response before shutting her phone and placing it back into her wrist wallet. This would be her last day in Nagoya. Tomorrow she'd return to Tokyo, where her family was waiting for her.
The time came when people began to withdraw paper slips. The crowd around her wrote their wishes of love and tied them upon the bamboo leaves. Kagome pulled out her own paper slip. It'd been close to three years since she last celebrated the Tanabata Festival. Her azure eyes softened as a wish began to form in her mind. Maybe her love life had gone awry but that didn't mean that she had to stall out. She clapped her hands together to help gear herself up for the wish. The young woman began to write her greatest desire on the paper. The brush stroked noisily on the tiny slip. Once finished she blew on it to dry the ink faster.
Maybe her life hadn't gone the way she'd wanted it to, but that didn't mean that she had to keep living in the past. Pain and suffering didn't have to be apart of her future. She reached up and tied her own wish to a bamboo leaf. For now, she'd wish upon a star for help. The young woman pulled her hands back down and folded them into the sleeves of her brightly colored kimono. Tomorrow would be a new day and with it, a new opportunity. A small smile tugged at her lips as she turned away from the thicket of bamboo trees. The dark haired woman took a small step forward as she made her way towards the mass of people celebrating this joyous event. The light of the festival lit up the words scrawled upon the multicolored slips. The message she'd written shimmered in the firelight.
A second chance.
Kagome stood at the base of her family's shrine. With her bag slung over her shoulder she took a deep, calming breath. It'd been three years since she had last stepped foot here. How much had changed? Did good old Takeda still visit every morning for his morning prayer and hour of small talk? What about Sakura? Did her neighbor's small child still come around to dance by the Goshinboku and sing her day's events to anyone who'd listen? A soft smile touched her lips. There'd been so many memories that she'd almost thrown away. The young woman tilted her head back as she looked up at the periwinkle sky.
The sun burned bright as the robins flew overhead, singing to their natural choruses. Today was as good as any to start fresh. She blazed up the familiar staircase and towards her home. The sounds of her brother's animated chatter and mother's hums of acknowledgement resounded in her ears. A small smile broke out across the young woman's lips. She hadn't warned them what time she'd arrive home.
"Kagome!" Souta cried out as he spotted her cresting the top of the staircase.
She grinned up at him, "I'm home!" Two pairs of arms surrounded the nineteen year old as her brother and mother greeted her for the first time in three years.
"Welcome home!" They cried in unison. A robin flew overhead chirping its song to any who'd listen. A wide grin spread across the young woman's lips. She'd missed this the most. After three long years of pain and suffering, she missed the joy and happiness her family had brought her.
"How've you guys been?" Kagome asked as she slung her arm over Souta's shoulder. She was sad to note that he was almost as tall as her now. However it'd still be another year or two before she couldn't make fun of him for his short stature.
"Idiot! That's our line!" Her brother threw back. He grabbed her bag from her as they made their way inside. Dinner was already prepared but they were simply waiting on confirmation of her arrival before starting the meal. Kagome gave her thanks as she took up her normal seat beside her mother and across from Souta. She'd eaten like this back in Nagoya with her family member there. They'd been very kind and understanding people, but it wasn't quite the same as it was here. In this shrine, she was just as much apart of the family unit as everyone else. In Nagoya, she'd only been there to heal.
"Were you able to finish your studies?" Her mother pressed softly as she began to set up the table.
The dark haired woman nodded as she passed around a set of plates to everyone, "Yeah. Took a couple of months longer than normal but I managed to graduate." She flashed her mother a bright smile. "I'll be signing up for a few courses soon at the community college."
The Higurashi matriarch nodded and smiled, "That's good. I was beginning to worry." The three paused as their grandfather began to call out to them from his room.
"Is it ready yet?"
"Yes, I'm coming to get you now!" Her mother called back. She pushed her chair in further and disappeared down the hallway. Kagome's smile dimmed somewhat.
Only a few seconds passed before the family Patriarch was being pushed into the family room in his all too familiar wheel chair. Since before her departure, his body had grown weak from old age. His mind was still going strong but her grandfather could no longer move the way he used to. The sight tore at the young woman's heart.
"I'm home," She smiled to the elderly man. His wrinkled face lit up as he outstretched his thin arms to welcome her back.
"I know. How could I not? You make everything brighter!" His lips pulled back to reveal a gap toothed grin. Tears of happiness stung at Kagome's eyes as she wrapped her arms around her family.
"I love you guys so, so much."
Those were the words she wished she remembered three years ago. Her life had been so dark and full of despair. She hadn't seen the beauty of what had been right in front of her the whole time. At least now she still had time to appreciate it.
Most of the evening was spent catching up and enjoying each others' company. Souta bragged about his many excursions online. He also stated that he was now the top competitor in a game called Covenant of the Dragon. A player called Klein had tried to outdo him but lost in the end. The teen regaled his tale with much enthusiasm and excitement as he went over the epic battle between two warriors in a land torn apart by greedy dragons.
"So I carved my victory by depleting all his resources and luring him out in the open!" The teen's smirk turned dark, "It was an easy fight."
Kagome laughed, "You really do get into those games, don't you?" The young man shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's a hobby."
She grinned, "More like an obsession."
Their mother shook her head before redirecting the conversation, "Kagome, you mentioned that you were going to take courses. Did you decide on what you want to study for?"
Her eyes softened, "I want to teach. I'm going to get my basics out of the way and then transfer into a four year university to finish out my degree." She flashed a bright smile at her family, "I want to teach history at the High School level."
The others nodded in agreement.
"It'd suit you." Her grandfather spoke with a light smirk upon his lips. "I can see you corralling all of those teenagers. All it'd take is a quick smack of the ruler and some death glares. She's got your wicked side, Izumi."
Her mother looked affronted, "I don't know what you mean. I'm sweet as a button!"
The Higurashi patriarch snorted, "That's what they all say. I tell ya, that woman dragged me to the doctor's office the other day and you want to know what she did?"
Kagome leaned forward on her arms, "No. Do tell?"
"She left me there to fend for myself!" He threw his arms up dramatically, "Do you know how many nurses chased me down the halls with needles in hand? Three! Three nurses and I was sitting there rolling as fast as I can to get away from them!" Her grandfather huffed as he shot her mother a death glare. "You're evil incarnate. You know that? How could you leave me to that pack of heathens?"
Higurashi Izumi sighed, "They weren't a pack of heathens and they were trying to give you some necessary shots. Escaping from the nurses won't make the problems go away any faster." She took a delicate bite out of her oden. "You were the one complaining for weeks on end. So don't blame me for making sure you stay healthy."
"Bah! Who needs nurses?" His face lit up as he looked at his family, "I've got all the cures I need right here!"
Kagome smiled, "You should probably do as they say next time. You'd probably feel better once you get the shots."
The elderly man shrugged, "We'll see." It was his catchphrase for 'no way in hell' but the young woman didn't mind. As long as she got to spend time with her family then that's all that mattered to her.
The rest of the evening went off without a hitch. Kagome unpacked all of her bags and set to work on redecorating her room. She looked around at the pink-washed walls and white furniture. It was too reminiscent of her past life. Starting tomorrow, she'd change everything about it. Tonight though she'd simply settle on changing out her bedding and posters. By the time she was done a light blue comforter was sprawled across her bed that was decorated in faint, floral patterns. All of her previous boy band pictures had been tossed in favor of framed photos she'd taken out in Nagoya. Images of city and nature alike were strung up upon her walls. She smiled at the progress. It was a start.
Kagome threw herself on her bed and watched as night fell outside. She casually tossed an arm over her eyes. They said it was supposed to rain. Azure eyes glanced up as dark clouds passed over the moon's bright light, blocking it out entirely. It'd be such a shame. Today had been such a beautiful day. Soon, her eyes closed and she fell into a dreamless slumber.
As expected, Kagome awoke with a start to the sound of thunder rumbling violently outside. She snapped to full attention and pulled back her curtains. Rain pelted against the glass as another bolt struck just beyond the Goshinboku. The young woman sighed. Well there went her idea about painting today. Perhaps she could still get her textbooks though? It wasn't bad enough to keep her indoors. She'd just need an umbrella and some rain boots. With that thought in mind Kagome got ready for the day.
"Kagome dear, are you heading out?" Izumi inquired with concern as she watched her daughter bounce down the stairway and into the living room.
"I'm not going far. I'm just heading down to Usui-san's book shop down the road. I need to pick up a few things before my courses start on Monday." The dark haired girl grinned brightly as she pressed a kiss to her mother's cheek. "I'll be fine. Just down and back."
"Alright but take your phone with you and stay dry. You see any lightening nearby, you get indoors!" Her mother fussed as she tugged on her daughter's raincoat.
"Yes ma'am!" Kagome saluted. She grasped her black umbrella from the doorway and slipped on a pair of matching rain boots. "I'll be back soon. Hold the food for me!" She teased, stepping out into the cool storm.
As anticipated, it was raining pretty heavily. However it wasn't quite as bad as the one they'd had the year previous at the shrine in Nagoya. That'd been a monster to travel through. Unfortunately she'd been stuck in the middle of it fetching her cousin a few items for dinner. Needless to say that traffic was horrendous navigating through.
Azure eyes widened as she approached the Goshinboku. Wind whipped around her and a roll of thunder blasted overhead. Beneath the boughs was a man. He was dressed only in a plain lab coat and black trousers. Kagome stopped in her track as she watched him gaze up at the tree in silent contemplation. The first thing she really noticed about him was that he was not holding any kind of umbrella. He was standing all alone out in the rain and getting drenched with each passing second. The next thing she noticed were his eyes. They were dark and dull; as if someone had pulled the life right out of him. Her heart twisted at the sight. It was a look she was all too familiar with.
Without a word, the young woman approached. She pushed her umbrella over and towards the distracted stranger. His eyes widened as the rain suddenly stopped pelting him with its coldness. He turned his head and found her staring up at him with a kind smile.
"You'll catch a cold like that, you know." Kagome smiled as she offered the man her umbrella. "You can take it. I've got a hoodie on my rain coat to keep me dry."
The man glanced between her and the proffered object. A grateful smile tugged at his lips.
"Thank you." His grip was light and barely brushed against her own. The dark haired woman's eyes narrowed in concern.
"You know," She started, "You've gotten pretty wet just standing out here. Our shrine has a gift shop that sells some clothing. I can give you a fresh pair so you don't get sick."
"That won't be necessary." The unknown man began. His voice was soft and could barely be heard above the rain.
She smiled at him, "Of course it is. This is a shrine you know. What kind of priestess would I be if I didn't offer you help?" Her grin turned bright as she led him towards the outer lying building on the premises. "Now come on, let's get you dry before you catch a cold."
He didn't resist the insistent tugging of her hands. The man merely followed behind her quietly. His eyes glanced between his feet and their now interlocked hands. With his free hand he held the umbrella over their heads.
She let go of him momentarily to slide the door to their gift shop back. It opened with a loud 'thwack', revealing a tiny space crowded with odd trinkets and clothing. The young woman reached over and flipped the switch for the lights to turn on.
"Don't worry about paying for it." Kagome smiled as she pulled a plain white t-shirt and plain pair of beige slacks from one of the racks close to the back of the store. "I'm not sure what your size is, so you'll have to let me know if it fits. There's a bathroom just around the corner that you can change in." The dark haired male nodded at her.
He closed the umbrella before taking the clothing from her. She watched as his back disappeared down the hall. Fear pulled at her heart. She knew that look so well. Even though his voice had been soft and polite, there was something behind it that caused her to fret. There was a sound of deep despair and confusion to him that she was sure even he didn't even realize was there. She could hear it though. She could see it, the pain in his eyes. Just this once, Kagome hoped that she could do something right. She twisted her hands behind her back and waited impatiently for the young man to return.
He appeared again dressed in the fresh set of clothes. It thankfully fit him pretty well but he was left holding his soaked coat and trousers. Azure eyes brightened as she saw his befuddled expression.
"Here, let's get a bag for those. Wouldn't want to get the new stuff wet too!" The dark haired woman rushed behind the register and pulled one of the larger bags they used for fragile objects. It was big enough to fit everything while being sturdy enough to not break on the way home. She took his clothes from him and gently placed it in the bag. "There we go, you're all set!"
The man attempted to hand her umbrella back but she gently refused.
"You need it more than I do." She tilted her head and smiled up at him, "Besides you can just bring it back tomorrow once the rain stops." Azure eyes lightened up at his shocked expression. "What's your name by the way? I'm Higurashi Kagome." The young woman introduced herself with a polite bow.
"Kayaba Akihiko and…" He bowed in return then paused to think over his next words carefully, "…I won't be in town tomorrow."
Her smile dimmed somewhat. She knew what that meant.
"That's too bad. It's nice being able to meet new people again." She shrugged at his confused stare. "It's been a little while since I've been here. Had to take some time off for myself, you know? Now I just want to see everything that's changed, including the people."
The man known as Kayaba paused in his pursuit to the exit. He threw a curious glance her way.
"What do you mean?" He pressed lightly.
Kagome held her hand to her chest, "How do I explain it?" She pressed an index finger to her chin. "I guess you can say that after spending so much time reflecting on everything wrong in my life, that I finally just decided to look at what was right." She grinned, "One of the ways I do that is by talking to others. Did you know that more people are afraid of speaking publically than they are of death itself?"
He quirked a dark brow at her, "No I did not."
Kagome nodded, "Yes. It's something that I learned while on my personal break. I learned that people are often more scared of humiliation and degradation than they are of dying. So I decided that in order to conquer my fears that I should go ahead and face them head on." Her lips pulled back into a wide grin, "You know what I say to those who talk bad now?"
Kayaba shook his head numbly.
She threw her arms up dramatically, "Who cares!" Her eyes brightened at his surprised expression. "What does it matter what others think of you. You are who you are. The things you like, the things that you do. Those are what makes you, well you." Kagome clasped her hands behind her back again as she leaned forward towards the male. "You shouldn't take too much stock into what others say about you." She leaned back into her proper standing position. "It's hard to learn but once you get the hang of it, you'll see what I mean. We're all human beings. It's impossible to go through life without judging others and being judged ourselves."
Kagome offered him one last smile, "Living and learning is a big part of what makes life so beautiful. In fact, look outside right now." He turned his head to see rain ripping and tearing through the tiled courtyard. The sound of howling wind blasted against the flimsy wood of the gift shop. "It's storming pretty bad now isn't it? But what is left in the wake of a storm?"
"Flooding." Came Kayaba's straightforward reply.
She laughed lightly, "No, silly. It's new life. Trees bloom and seedlings sprout. Without rain there'd be no forest. Without a forest there'd be no life." Kagome pressed the umbrella back into his hands. "So take it and bring it back when you can. Just remember that there's always something beautiful. You just have to look beyond the storm to see it."
The dark haired male's eyes softened as he took in the meaning of her words, "I understand." He turned his back but not before giving her a small, polite smile. "Thank you for the talk. It was… refreshing." With that the man disappeared into the raging storm, umbrella in hand. Kagome sighed in relief. She hoped that perhaps she'd done something right this time.
Kayaba Akihiko stopped in his doorway, taking only enough time to remove his shoes before padding into his living room. His cellphone vibrated with another new message. The man flipped it open and allowed it to play.
Son, I know you're still grieving but we need you right now. Call me back please. You can't keep hiding away in that little apartment of yours forever.
The line ended and he was left feeling at war with himself. The young man set the bag of wet clothes down by the couch. He swiftly unbuttoned the shirt he'd been so graciously given. Everything was so darkly lit. The storm raged outside as a clap of thunder boomed in the distance. A streak of light lit up the oversized windowpane that covered the majority of the wall in his living room. Another loud roar of thunder rumbled so fiercely that the floor beneath his feet trembled.
His phone vibrated again as an all too familiar number lit up the screen. Dark eyes became dulled with resignation.
"Hello mother." Kayaba started but he didn't have much of a chance to finish his sentence.
"Where have you been? Everyone's been looking all over for you!" His parent growled into the phone. He took a seat upon his couch and reclined his feet on the ottoman. "Never mind, where are you? We need you to take the succession."
Kayaba sighed, "I have agreed to take on the position mother. There are a few other things I've been working on." His voice remained low as the thunder continued to roll in the sky above.
"Nonsense!" He heard her hiss, "That silly little game? Give it up, for your own sake dear! You need this company just as much as your father did! That's why he left it to you in his will!"
The man's eyes narrowed in frustration. "That's a common misconception." He threw his arm over the ledge of the couch. "I do not and will not need his company to make a living on my own."
The woman he called mother snorted on the other end of the line, "Is that why you've been wasting away in your apartment all these months? Face it, that 'project' of yours is going nowhere fast. You need to face reality dear. The company is your future. The sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be."
"I'm done arguing." He growled into the mouthpiece. "If you won't listen to me then we have no reason to talk." Kayaba snapped his phone shut. He flipped it open afterwards only so that he could turn the device off completely. His eyes narrowed at the bottle of pills resting neatly at the center of the coffee table in front of him. His hand stretched outwards and grabbed onto the medication. It'd be so easy. He popped the cap open and poured a couple dozen of pills into the palm of his hand. His ankle moved ever so slightly and brushed against the rough fabric of the black umbrella.
Kayaba's eyes widened as he glanced down at the object. The woman's words came back to him.
Just remember that there's always something beautiful. You just have to look beyond the storm to see it.
He looked between the umbrella and the pills in his hand. He grit his teeth in frustration. Something beautiful? What would that be? A life living alone in a dark apartment with nothing to look forward to and no one waiting for him?
I learned that people are often more scared of humiliation and degradation than they are of dying.
It was true. Right now, it wasn't death that he feared. In fact he welcomed the idea of eternal slumber. It was the thought of failing his family—the people who'd raised him and cared for him since his birth, that caused him the greatest fear. The pills were easy. They didn't judge. They didn't discriminate. They didn't leave him wishing that he should've done something different. But his family…. He closed his eyes and slowly started to put the pills back into the bottle.
He needed closure. He couldn't leave without finding out why things had ended up the way they did. Dark eyes narrowed as he picked up the umbrella.
You are who you are. The things you like, the things that you do. Those are what makes you, well you.
He was a man that dreamed of nothing, that hoped for nothing. So what was he then? He could hardly call himself human anymore. Perhaps the young woman had been right in her assumption that part of living was learning as well. Otherwise, how would he ever know why his life turned out the way it did?
Kayaba secured the cap back onto the bottle before setting it down onto the table. He'd postpone his decision for later. For now, he wanted answers. He lifted his free hand to look at the umbrella she'd given him. What had been her name? Higurashi? His eyes softened just a bit. It'd be rude to not return it after everything she did for him.
The dark haired male placed the object by his medication. He slipped into his bedroom and flipped on the lights. The sound of a shower being run echoed in the apartment as the rain carried on outside. Tonight he'd rest but tomorrow, he'd follow her example and start learning. He owed it to himself.
A/n: So this had been an idea that has been plaguing me for a little while now. I'm working on Broken Stone right now but I needed a little bit of inspiration before continuing. Anyways, let me know what you guys think. As you can probably tell, there will be a lot of dark themes in this story but most of which I want to handle carefully. It's the type of story that will be more of an emotional roller coaster that will bounce between moments like this one and the lighter parts of life. The original idea came from the question "What kind of man would have the capacity to trap 10,000 people in Sword Art Online?" and this was the answer that I came up with: A man so lost and alone that, that was the only way he saw that he could gain some form of control in his life. Tragic, but it's kind of true when you think about the things his character did. This is the story of that man finding his way before he can do harm. Anyways, let me know what you think! I'm always open to hearing other people's opinions!