Standard disclaimers apply.

A/N: I love you guys! All of you have been really sweet and supportive throughout, and yes, I do admit there are glaring differences between the real maiko training and what Kagome is going through (as in starting training for only a year), but hopefully, it will all make sense later. Do trust me on this, alright?

And as for those who ask me if I based this on "Memoirs of a Geisha", I'd say no, because I'm not really in favor of that film. It's just too different from the real geisha world, and I view it more as typical Hollywood entertainment. A good flick nonetheless, but just not accurate in terms of information.

Chapter 4 will be on Kagome's reflections! Enjoy!

Title: Wisteria
Chapter 4: Recollections (Part One)

Sitting up in her futon at the okiya, Kagome drew her knees up to her chest, before gently placing her cotton blanket over herself. Reaching out for her accessories box, she quietly picked up the intricately carved ruby hairpin, which sparkled in the dim light of the candle by the corner of the room.

She fingered the exquisite and elaborate arrangement of the ruby stones, set in a pin carved out of ox bone, admiring its beauty and allowing her mind to stray to the man who placed it in her hair.

She had always dreamt of meeting someone from her past again, but who would have expected it to be Sesshoumaru? And under such unique circumstances too? It was simply too much like a dream, yet too real to be one. The only thing she had that was somewhat linked to her life prior to Gion was another maiko named Kikyou, which reminded her of the miko whom Inuyasha was never really able to get over. Other than this other Kikyou, and some other items which she had, Kagome had no attachment to her life at all.

She lost count of the number of times she pinched herself to ensure it was reality, and as always, it was not a realizing jolt and awakening to a familiar bedroom in the modern setting. It was always pain she felt from the pinch, and another pain from the heart.

How she wished she could be like her best friend here at the okiya, a sweet young girl of her age named Yanagi. Being born in this era, Yanagi had been the daughter of a geisha in Shimabara, but had been sent here at a tender age to practice the ways of a geisha. It was a clear path in her life from the very beginning, and to Kagome, despite it being a caged life, it was better than having no direction at all.

Turning to look at the sleeping girl in the futon beside hers, Kagome recalled how it was Yanagi, who had shown her so much kindness and helped her in just about every aspect like a sister, when she had just arrived at Hanaka.

Hanaka...it was funny to think how adverse she had been to this place initially.

It was hard to think of the past; it always hurt, and Kagome believed strongly, it always will.

The final battle with Naraku was when her life took a major turn. Naraku had proved himself to be a formidable opponent, and almost everyone on that battlefield had either paid with their lives or suffered injuries. Her life changed the instant when Inuyasha picked up the Tessaiga valiantly and entered Naraku's constructed barrier, before using Kaze no Kizu in that small enclosed space and destroying the demon. It was very brave of him, but extremely foolish at the same time, for he had selflessly sacrificed himself to bring Naraku down to hell with him.

They rushed to Inuyasha when his body, expelled by the force of the explosion like a rag doll, hit the grass beneath. She was at a loss of what to do; his gaping wounds, and the wheezing breaths he was trying to draw...Kagome could only keep touching his cheek, smoothing back the fringe from his face. Miroku was more rational in the situation; he hurriedly tore the sleeve of his robe, trying hard to cease the flow of blood. Sango was unconscious due to her injuries, while Kirara, Shippo and Hachi looked on with disbelief in their watery eyes.

"Inuyasha..." She whispered initially, before realization took over and she began to sob loudly in earnest. "Inuyasha! Why? Why are you so foolish?"

He smiled weakly and shook his head, while those pale lips moved inaudibly.

Kagome hurriedly lowered her ear to his mouth, straining to hear him, but all she could hear was one name.

"Sesshoumaru..."

He was calling out for his half-brother. Kagome felt disappointment at the name not being hers, but at the same time, she knew she had to respect his wishes. Why, even in the face of death, was he making her upset?

"Call Sesshoumaru here...he is calling for Sesshoumaru..." She whispered emotionlessly to an anxious Miroku. Inuyasha's boyishly handsome face was feeling colder to the touch with every stroke.

"Sesshoumaru! He's calling for you!" Miroku bellowed, while the demon lord appeared stoically in front of them, his usually pristine presence marred by stains of blood.

Kneeling down by Inuyasha's side, he asked, "What is it?"

"You...idiot...I cannot...cannot do this any...any longer," Inuyasha spoke painstakingly with his dying breaths. "So...I...I'm entrusting...this to...you."

With whatever strength he could summon, the younger half-demon pulled out the three-quarter completed Shikon jewel which he managed to retrieve from Naraku, placing it in Sesshoumaru's hand.

"Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru sounded unsure and surprised for the first time. She had never seen the demon lord express emotion like this before.

"I...I know you can...take care of it..." Inuyasha managed a weak smile. "Big...brother."

With that, his hand fell limply and those bright amber eyes which used to be so full of life, closed for eternity.

Screams and cries were heard as their group of friends witnessed the death of a comrade so brave, and Kagome could not believe her own eyes. Inuyasha...wasn't he always so lively and invincible? How could something like that happen to him? She always thought they had a future together...

She cast a sideward glance at Sesshoumaru. He was already so powerful; why did Inuyasha choose to entrust the almost completed Shikon jewel to him? Kagome knew, Inuyasha wanted Sesshoumaru to watch over the jewel, if possibly, restore it to the perfect sphere. But Kagome was not about to hand over the single shard she held...it was simply too dangerous. She could not trust Sesshoumaru entirely, and he was already so powerful without the jewel. What if he gained possession of the entire Shikon jewel? He would be invincible.

Sesshoumaru did not say another word, and clenching his fist around the piece of jewel, the aristocratic demon lord left just as silently as he came. Through her watery eyes, he looked like a ghost, blending in well with the mist which had gradually come forth.

Following Inuyasha's burial beside Kikyou's grave, a location which Kagome had selflessly insisted on, was Miroku and Sango's wedding. With the death of Naraku, peace was restored and the two brave warriors had decided firmly to cut off all remaining ties with feuds and battles, choosing to settle down in Sango's hometown, starting a small business of selling religious amulets, charms and also youkai repellents. They have also decided to get married and start a cozy family of their own.

Sango and Miroku...how she missed them. She missed the times she and Sango spent long sleepless nights chatting, talking about their future, and also the joyous moments she had in Miroku's company, albeit a tad too perverse. The times they laughed, cried, braved dangers...such a relationship had transcended friendship, and evolved into something so much more. They were the family she had in this era.

It was hard to part with them, but Kagome knew deep down she did not belong to this place. Sure, she loved them and she could adapt, but ultimately she was simply an intruder into this wrinkle in time by a twist of fate. She had a family and her own life back in modern Tokyo, and they were equally precious to her as well.

That was when she made up her mind to go back to her family and leave everything behind in the feudal era. She knew she was being an escapist, for it was only with her departure that she was able to truly forget Inuyasha, the pain he brought her and the lack of reasons for her to stay behind.

Shippo soon left the group as well. Even though the young kit did not reveal his thoughts, Kagome felt that Inuyasha's death had changed Shippo. He found the inspiration to go on strong in life, and the need to protect the ones he loved. She deduced that it was most probably with this that Shippo decided to go back to his fox demon relatives residing in the mountains and hone his skills in fox magic. It was also very painful to part with Shippo, but it had to be done. He had to separate himself from the human beings; there was no other way he could improve himself in terms of skills.

Everyone was settled down, and had found their paths as a new beginning. Kagome knew, it was time she embarked on her own path, and she would do it without regrets.

Never, ever, would she dream that just as she was about to reach the well which would channel her through time and back home, she would be abducted.

Thinking back about it, Kagome still could not really tell what really had happened. All she remembered was a very strong gust of wind, carrying the strong scent of plum blossoms, before she lost consciousness.

That was how she came to be at Hanaka at Western Gion.

When she came to consciousness, she found herself lying on a soft futon in a small tatami room filled with the luring fragrance of the wisteria flower from the incense pot by her side. Fear was an understatement; Kagome had felt the sinking feeling in her heart, the feeling which signaled a sense of foreboding. She felt for her belongings; thank goodness they were still there, and the school uniform which she was wearing was folded neatly and placed by her side. Someone had helped her into a simple cotton sleeping robe, and tied her hair into a neat braid.

She took in her surroundings for a moment, the shamisen in a corner, paintings adorning the simple walls...it was not a familiar place.

"You're awake." A voice was heard after the shoji door slid open. It was a stunningly beautiful middle-aged woman, who exuded grace and an aura of calmness. Kagome was about to demand for explanations already, but the calming aura the lady gave off shut her up.

"I brought some water for you to wash up," The lady said, placing a basin of water down. "You must be hungry as well...I've already prepared some food for you."

Kagome eyed the woman warily, before moving backwards ever so slowly. "Who are you? Where is this place?"

"I'm the okami, Ume, and you are at my okiya named Hanaka. We also have a teahouse beside this building where we entertain our clients." The lady replied calmly, passing Kagome a folded piece of cloth for her to wash her face with. "You can address me as oka, and practice the ways of geishahood here under me."

Terribly confused, Kagome could only gape in surprise before laughing forcedly. "Alright, this is a really funny joke. Good one, Shippo. I know it's you. I've fallen for it, so can you let me go now?"

"What are you talking about, Fuji-chan?" Genuine surprise was on those pretty features.

"Huh?" Kagome exclaimed in a very unlady-like fashion.

"We found you unconscious at our doorstep, and brought you in here," The lady named Ume knelt down elegantly by the futon, regarding Kagome with eyes filled with gentleness. "It must be fate that brought you here to us, and from today onwards, you'll be known as Fuji, the wisteria. All the other girls at our okiya will be your sisters, and I will soon introduce you to the others-"

"Wait a minute. Are you really serious?" Kagome asked, blinking a few times and trying hard to recollect her thoughts. "Firstly, I'm not Fuji. My name is Higurashi Kagome. Secondly, you can't just make me a maiko like this. There has to be training from young, right? I'm already sixteen! That's way too old. You cannot possibly expect me to learn everything-"

"We can always make an exception, and with effort, nothing is impossible. Besides, do you really have anywhere else to go to in Kyoto?"

Kyoto? She was really in Kyoto? At a geisha house? With a real life okami who would most probably be as mean and as strict as she had read in books?

"No..." Kagome could have fainted there and then. Fear and panic gripped her, and she lost all threads of rationality. "I don't care what Gion, Kyoto or Fuji or any nonsense of that sort...I want to go, I want to go back to Tokyo! This is absurd...I can sue you for this! How can you just make me stay here like that? And make me a geisha? That's total bullshit! And stop calling me Fuji! It sounds so stupid! I am Kagome...Higurashi Kagome! I will not submit to you! Never!"

"Fuji-"

"I said, stop calling me that! I have a name!" Kagome pointed her finger angrily at Ume. "I want to go back to Tokyo now! I want to go right now!"

"I've never heard of Tokyo. This behavior is most inappropriate for a young lady. I will not tolerate this, and please cease this incessant ranting at once." Ume was firm and calm, and even in her anger, she looked beautiful and poised. "Please do not mistake our kindness for evil."

Kagome's eyes widened even more at that. Kindness? They called this kindness? This is utter insanity!

Another voice came from the other side of the shoji.

"Oka, the meal is ready."

Without taking her eyes of an irate Kagome, Ume replied, "Bring it in, Yanagi-chan."

Yanagi, the willow. The shoji door slid open to reveal a young girl of around Kagome's age, slender like her name implied, kneeling outside with a tray of freshly prepared food. Bowing daintily, she picked up the tray and placed it before Kagome.

"Now, do eat your meal when it is still hot." The okami seemed totally unaffected by Kagome's earlier behavior by now. She seemed kind and understanding again, just like the initial impression. That made Kagome suspicious.

"No. I will not eat it." She stubbornly said, pushing the tray away from herself. "God knows what you've put inside."

Yanagi looked scared for a moment, and hurriedly cast a glance at her okami's face. The older lady, however, did not look angry at all.

"You need the energy. It will do your body no good to refuse food like this." Ume patiently said, replacing the tray at its original position.

Unfortunately for them, Kagome had a stubborn streak which even Inuyasha was afraid of. "No. I've made myself clear...I will not eat this. I want to leave this place right now."

Ume seemed like she wanted to say something, but she pursed her lips together. Kagome kept her gaze on the older woman's face, and even though she was unwilling to admit, she would say that Ume looked a little sad.

"Very well," She picked herself up elegantly, while Yanagi obediently followed. "I'll leave you to your meal. Yanagi will come to check on you later."

With that, they exited the room and Kagome could hear the ominous click of a lock from the other side of the shoji door. How dare they lock her up? Feeling the anger rise in her again, Kagome channeled the anger she felt to the tray of rice, grilled fish and soup. It made her even more frustrated and scared to see it, and with a cry of anger, she threw the entire tray and its contents across the room, not bothering about the mess it made.

First was Inuyasha's death, then saying goodbye to everyone, and now, not even being able to go home, and stuck in this weird geisha place...Kagome felt herself shudder involuntarily in fear, before the dark emotion got better of her and she broke down, sobbing out the sorrows in her heart.

What was going on? She had never felt so lost.

To be continued...

A/N: That's part one of Kagome's recollections! I'm splitting this 'recollections' part back into 2 chapters, as it is obviously too long. What do you guys think of it so far? I definitely hope you liked it!

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