Chapter 2: The Sight

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Wow! I loved all of the reviews so far! I'm glad people are excited about where this is going! You're all amazing :)

Though, I just wanted to note that this is a very different kind of fic from my other one, Where I Belong, so if you like one more than the other, that's fine. But don't review this fic to tell me you like the other one better. Obviously, people are gonna have a preference on which one they want to see updated first. But as a writer, it's nice to have two different fics to work on that allow me to explore my different styles of writing so I don't get bored with one.

If you want me to update one more than the other so badly, just review that one positively. There's no need to tear one of my fics down to build up the other. Negativity isn't a good motivator.

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Important A/N: Dream sequences will be narrated in present tense. It's just a creative choice that I think will make it contrast the actual story.

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Kagome was quiet for the most part. She followed Isabel to her home. She met her two friends, Levi and Furlan, and she ate dinner as normally as she could. Though, the entire time, she found her eyes drawn to every shadowed corner of the room like a moth to a flame. There were voices in her ears, whispers of paranoia building up like a constant buzzing from an invisible fly that circled around her. She was suspended in a cruel disconnect, existing only in her fear that something insidious was following her.

Was it real? Was it all in her head? She didn't know. But she felt so distant from reality.

Focus was nothing but an out of reach star in the woman's night sky as far as conversations went. She had barely even felt present during their introductions and felt even farther during dinner, even as the dark haired one, Levi, pestered her about who she was and if she really couldn't remember anything. He was glaring at her, that much she was aware of, and had been like a predator stalking prey since she walked in the door. But she didn't blame him. It was obvious that she came across strange and possibly insane.

And, more importantly, she didn't care about what some man living in some subterranean city in the Middle World thought of her.

"So, you expect us to believe that you can remember your name, but not how you got into this shitty Underground?" Levi huffed once more, taking a bite of his dinner.

"Yes. And you know, it's not preferable for me, either." The words were flowing out of Kagome's mouth automatically, as if she had switched into an overdrive system.

"Come on, Levi, quit pestering the girl while we eat." Furlan jumped in, a smile gracing his face as he flaunted his more social demeanor, "She's a guest here, and one that we owe for saving Isabel. I'd say she deserves a calm meal."

And just like that, the priestess was out once more. She sank into the rebellion that went on in her mind, a coup on her grasps of reality. Words danced around her, but never really reached where she was. All that would flutter around her consciousness was the aching desire to know what she did, where she's been. And how she lost the one friend who was supposed to be there with her until the end.

I was chasing the Darkness with Ami, the Spirit of the Bone Eater's Well. I know we traveled to so many places and battled so many enemies. But I can't remember anything specific. She raged inwardly, Damn this stupid fate. I wish I was different. I wish I'd have said no to this journey. Maybe I'd be with my family or in the Feudal Era living peacefully...

...

But I can't. I'm Kagome Higurashi. And I can't turn a blind eye to the suffering all the devils have caused. The realization stung as it came to her, If I could go back to when Ami first asked me all that time ago, I'd still say yes. I'd always say yes to her. She's my best friend, that much I'll always remember. I'd give up an eternity of peace to fight for what we believed in.

The thought of her friend was like a scar burned onto her. And there existed in her a resolve to figure out what happened to her, even in the midst of her own despair.

"So, Kagome. If you don't remember anything, I doubt you'd remember if you even had a home." Furlan interrupted her thoughts once more, "Where do you plan on going after this?"

She glanced over at him, "Oh, I don't know. I'll figure it out."

"Tch, it's dangerous out there at night. Especially for someone of your heritage." Levi said plainly.

"My heritage?" The priestess cocked a brow.

"Bumped your head so hard that you forgot you're an Oriental, huh?" The man scoffed and rolled his eyes, "You didn't notice that you're the only one around here who looks like you?"

He's talking about me being Asian? She shook her head, "My heritage is irrelevant. And I can handle myself just fine." It was clear that everyone around her was of European descent.

"Are you sure, Kagome?" Now it was Isabel who spoke up, "I know you have that cool sword and can fight really well with it, but the kinds of men out there are really bad. And they'd love to get there hands on you... Maybe you should spend the night." She stared at her with wide, hoping eyes as if she held the utmost admiration and concern.

"I-I wouldn't want to impose..." Kagome bit her lip, averting her gaze. Though... I can't say it'd be nice to avoid more fights... The last thing I need is more attention drawn to me.

"We've got a couch, so shut up and take it." Surprising everyone, it was Levi is spoke up, leaning back in his chair, "I don't think you're an enemy. And I was taught decent hospitality as a child. So don't be an idiot, this is an act of decency you won't see around here much." He took another bite of his dinner, his nonchalance causing the others to look at each other in confusion. No one had expected that he would so readily offer their home to a strange woman, especially when it was clear that she aroused suspicion from him.

"Y-Yeah... I'll take you up on that then." Kagome nodded.

"Good." He said, "Because it's late. Wash these dishes before you get to bed. And I don't like a half-assed job."

And there Kagome was, washing the dishes as everyone else prepared themselves for bed. She didn't mind, though. It was a small price to pay for being given a place to stay, and a very clean one at that. So, she scrubbed until there was not a remnant of their dinner left, then proceeded to dry them with care before placing them in a small cabinet. She began to blow out all of the candles one by one as she made her way to the couch.

And when she blew out the last candle and laid her head down, she let out a comforted sigh. It was nice to lie there, feel the cushion beneath her. She couldn't say for sure, but she had a hunch that it had been a while since she had rested on something this comfortable and her bones and muscles appreciated it. And, despite her better judgement, the priestess allowed herself to relax and sink deeper into the couch, curling up on her side. Her breathing slowed and steadied, and her eyelids closed after some time.

Kagome had fallen asleep. And into that state, her body shut down, though her mind swayed in the familiar clouds of her dreams...

There's nothing but wave of pastel colors around, pulsing lightly like a tranquil rainbow. A cool, calming voice echoes like a church bell, conversing with her own like a playback of something she once experienced. It's a recognized sound, friendly and warm. It almost seems to blend with the colors. And yet, between each breath is but a solemn tale. A girl and her friend. And the monsters they must seek out together...

"You were born for this, Kagome. Your birth was marked, planned by the gods to bring to life a pure soul. Your soul. It was by design that you said yes to go on this journey. You could have said no, but your pure and selfless nature wouldn't allow it. You're designed by the gods, an unfortunate pawn in this game just as I am."

"If the gods want the Darkness tamed so bad, why don't they do it themselves, Ami?"

"The gods are not as omnipotent as they have everyone believing. They can't venture down to darker realms, just as the Darkness cannot yet reach the heavens. But they both connect at the Middle World, your world. Your world controls the balance of power. That's why the Darkness wants it so bad, that's why the devils are becoming so restless. It takes time to infiltrate."

"They want to disrupt the power?"

"Yes. They want the Middle World. They lurk in every shadow. They whisper in people's ears. They deceive. They lie. They manipulate. That's why you must be vigilant. That's why you must be strong. That's why you must wake up before they get you. Wake up."

...

And the colors fade to black.

And in a flash, Kagome had awakened from her place on the couch, her mouth open as she sucked in a puff of air. Her dream had certainly startled herself back into consciousness, though, she quickly gathered that it must have been a memory that came alive in her sleep like a piece of a puzzle. It had felt so real, to hear Ami's voice fill her mind the way water fills a glass. But something about it felt off.

She blinked a bit, letting her surrounding clear into view. It was dusky, the only light coming from the few street lanterns outside. But everything began to feel heavy around her as her eyes adjusted.

Ami had told me to wake up... Was that part of the memory or was that something else?

Suddenly, she felt a chill wash over her skin. She shivered uncomfortably, biting her lip and watching as the decrease in temperature paled her body. It was a quick shift, like all the warmth was being sucked in by something menacing. Something cruel. Something insidious. And it was in this room. She had no doubts about it. All she needed to do was find out where.

The priestess scanned the room, eyes scrutinizing every inch of every shadowed area. One by one. It was there. She knew it had to be. And its presence felt like a chain of despair was wrapping around her neck. Or maybe it was death's long fingers. She didn't know, all she knew was that her soul trembled without her spiritual energy to help. All she had was her sword.

She quickly got up and unsheathed it, holding it as steady as she could. It had just occurred to her that her pulse was thumping loudly in her ears, its pace almost unsettling as she shifted her weight around repeatedly to different sides. Nothing about reality felt alright, and everything about the atmosphere was uncomfortable. The woman continued to look around, desperately needing to find the source before it was too late, before it got to everyone here.

A gasp escaped her throat when she saw it.

"Y-You." She whispered, then held her sword out, the edge pointing to it, "You came for me, didn't you?"

Levi got up from his bed, careful not to make much noise. He had offered the girl a place to stay, but that hadn't meant that she had been cleared of all suspicion, even if that's what he had implied. In truth, he didn't know what to make of the strange girl with the strange clothes and even stranger backstory, or lack of. All he knew was that something had been troubling her the whole time she was there, and it was something she hadn't bothered to speak about. And he didn't quite like it.

He toyed with the idea that she was a member of some gang him, Furlan and Isabel had messed with. Maybe one that was hoping to find their secret living area. Or worse, perhaps she had been a spy from the Military Police tasked with reporting their location back at headquarters so they could do a surprise sweep and arrest them all.

None of them sat well with him. However, none of them particularly felt correct either.

Still, Levi wasn't one to take unnecessary risks. So, he had invited her to stay so he could investigate her while she slept. Perhaps find some identification on her or something to prove her guilt. Isabel wouldn't have to know unless he did find something, and Furlan would understand to a degree.

But, he wasn't expecting what he saw when he opened the door to the living room area she was in, nor was he expecting the chill he felt through to his core. Kagome was awake, standing upright in the ill-lit room and seemingly ready to attack nothing as she held her sword out threateningly. He cocked a brow, about to say something to this insane woman, until he caught the gaze of something in the corner, though, what appeared to be the object of Kagome's intimidation.

A pair of eyes, rounded as if they were torn from their sockets and glowing unforgivingly. They didn't blink. They just watched, their glare almost paralyzing. There was something alive in them, something active and treacherous lurking in those orbs.

"Y-You." Kagome suddenly whispered, "You came for me, didn't you?" The man didn't move from his spot, he only looked on with anticipation and curiosity. His jaw clenched while he tried to figure out if what he was seeing was even real.

"Well, you can't have me. And you can't have any of the people here, either." She continued, taking slow steps towards it, "You're not fully able to break through to this realm, yet. You're just halfway, trying to build up the strength." As she spoke, she seemed to gather more confidence. "Just because my powers are sealed, doesn't mean that I can't send you back to where you came. And I will. With the power of this holy sword, I return you back to your domain, devil. I force you to leave and never return to this home."

Her sword glowed with a calming, lavender light and she closed in on those disturbing orbs. As the light reached its target, the eyes widened even farther before disappearing like a ghost. And suddenly, the temperature rose once more and the room returned to its original sense of peace and serenity.

"What...the fuck..." He grumbled, pressing his palm against his forehead as if that would wake him up. He almost didn't believe what had just transpired before him. Almost. But his mind wasn't the kind to make something like this up, that much he knew for sure.

"Levi... You saw, didn't you?" Kagome responded, sheathing her sword and turning to face him. "Listen to me, you need to forget what happened and you need to forget me. My business is beyond just this world, and none of you deserve to get sucked in it... I'm sorry for bringing it here."

"Just where are you from...? He decidedly stepped into the room, now his own gaze darting around to find any remaining pairs of wicked eyes looking back at him.

Kagome sighed, "Far into the past... I wasn't lying when I said I couldn't remember how I got here. Everything's a blur, but when I saw Isabel, she just reminded me so much of someone I once knew."

He hesitated, walking closer to the strange, supernatural woman and stopping only when they were a mere few inches away from each other. He towered over, but only slightly. And she looked up at him with those wide eyes before averting her gaze to the ground. She was solemn, just as she had been the entire time she had been in his home. Odd. Unfocused. Sad. He cocked a brow at that.

"Far into the past? What the hell does that even mean?" He asked, though it was more of a demand.

"I'm just not from this time." She bit her lip, "...Tell me, Levi? Do you know what it's like to never feel safe?"

He didn't respond though. This woman... is she crazy? Or is this world much more vast than even I understand it to be. His thoughts did loops in, twisting and bending to try and understand what was happening. Because it didn't make sense. And yet he had seen it. And Kagome just gave off this otherworldly feeling, like something emerging through her pores. Something he could breath in, something he was breathing in.

In his silence, she continued, "You don't want to feel that. It will never leave you. So, please, for your sake and for the sake of your friends, never speak of this. Never look for it. Never look for me. I have to leave before more come... Be careful, Levi."

All he could do was nod, thinking back to Furlan and Isabel, the people he needed to protect. Whatever this girl was, she was caught up in some accursed mess and he couldn't let them get tangled in it. So, he watched her depart, watched her as she disappeared around the corner, leaving behind no traces. It was like she was never even there. And in the morning, when Isabel wandered in and asked about her, he would pretend he had never left his room. Maybe lie and say she must've remembered something.

Even if the black-haired man wanted to run after her; appease his own deadly curiosity. Because his world was so small, and yet hers, although disturbing, seemed so wide-reaching. It seemed so much more meaningful than any life in this shitty Underground.

But he couldn't fulfill his curiosity. That spirit of inquiry wasn't for those who only knew survival. He only knew one single hope of escaping to the surface with his friends.

Tch. It's still irritating, this urge I have to leave with her. To see where she'll go.

But he returned to his room instead, wondering what she's seen. And if she'd ever find out what it was like to feel safe.

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Okay, this chapter was super annoying to write. Don't ask me why. But I rewrote it dozens of times. So, I really hope you like it because I gotta say, I'm not too crazy about it.

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But I am excited for what comes next. I've planned out so many chapters for this, so stay tuned.

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Oh, and review of course :)