The blue light swirled around the pair as they descended. The drop seemed longer than usual. Natsu looked around in wonder.
"Is this how it usually feels?"
"Yeah, although this time feels longer"
Kagome looked at Natsu. She saw tears streaming down his face. She chose not to comment, thinking that it may offend the kitsune. She just held onto him for the ride. Finally, their feet met the ground. Natsu wiped the tears from his eyes. He looked, tired. With a sigh, he turned towards Kagome, a lopsided grin on his face, a fang peeking over his bottom lip.
"That was intense on the senses."
"If you think that was intense," began the raven-haired miko, "then prepare yourself for what is behind the doors once we get out of this well. Inuyasha has told me many times its abusive to his senses, especially on one's sense of smell and hearing."
"Well sadly to say, he is a hanyou and an untrained one at that. Most youkai of our status learn how to hone their senses in such a way that they become to be oblivious to anything strong enough to over-power the senses. Especially one's strongest senses which tends to also be one's weakness when used against them correctly."
During his monologue, he jumped out of the well with Kagome. They were standing in front of the door that stood between Natsu's and Kagome's future and present. After his speech, Kagome simply looked at him and laughed. Shaking her head, she placed her hands on the door.
"Whatever you say, oh great and powerful youkai," she mocked him playfully, while pushing the door open.
"Holy Kami!"
Kagome broke out into laughter at Natsu's expense. He threw a glare in her direction, which made her laugh even harder. Even Natsu's lip began to tilt towards the sky at the corners. He looked around. The sky was the same colour as the one in the past, but something was different. He could not put a finger on it, though the answer at an arms' reach. He did not realise it but he had been staring at the sky for some time. The world was brighter, but less clean. It finally dawned on him
"The stars," he said with an enlightened expression.
"What?" Kagome asked, confused. She had gone inside to see if her family were up. Strangely, her mother and grandfather were up, speaking in the living room. Her mother was the first to notice her standing by the door. She stood up silently, watching in awe at the woman that she called her daughter. She walked up to her and touched her face, as though thinking it may be an apparition.
"Is it over, Kagome?"
"Yes mama. We won"
"That's my granddaughter. This reminds of this story from long ago. I think I told you about it but it goes someth-"
"Grandpa," Kagome interrupted, "before you tell us that interesting story."
Her mother laughed and tried to hide it behind a hand. Her grandfather "humped" and crossed his arms
"I have somebody I will like you to meet."
She walked back out of the house. She saw Natsu standing exactly where she left him, standing close to the God tree. His eyes were glassy as he stared at the sky with a pensive look on his face. As she approached him, he asked her the question. The question seemed random to her. He angled his head towards her. His wavy hair fell to the right blocking his eyes. He looked back up to the sky.
"The stars that are usually shine so brightly in the sky. That's what's missing. Where did they go?"
"The artificial light that we have now in this time is so bright that it makes it hard to see the stars"
"It seems that civilization has advanced, but at what cost"
"An extremely heavy one. Are you okay?"
"'I am. It will just take some time to get used to."
"Come," she said while pulling on his arm," I want you to meet my family"
…888…
The pair walked into the shrine house together. Kagome's mother, Ai, and grandfather were standing by the couch watching them. Her mother's muddy brown eyes swept over the pair and widened, confusing donning her face. Her eyes furrowed and she opened her mouth to speak only to be interrupted by Kagome. Gesturing at Natsu, she began her introductions. Everything was moving smoothly, Natsu had bowed informally towards her mother while her mother gave a formal one. She was surprised when he didn't just incline his head like most nobility like Sesshomaru. Then she reached her grandfather.
"Natsu, this is Gramps. Gramps, this is-"
"Demon!" her grandfather yelled. He pulled out an ofuda, brandished it like a fool with a sword and stuck it on Natsu's head while he was executing the bow. The reaction was instantaneous. Natsu began to scream like a thing possessed. He was hopping from one foot to the other holding his head.
"It burns! Oh good kami it burns!"
Gramps looked shocked. He didn't expect it to work. Ai stood there shocked speechless. Kagome was also shocked.
"Gramps! What in kami's name have you done? Gramps, he is a guest who came here to help me and now he's being purified"
"Kagome," a voice interrupted
"Sorry mama. I am berating gramps for his foolishness. He should have known better-"
"Kagome," the voice called again, firmer this time
"Now Natsu's injured and its al my fault"
"Kagome!" the voice called again. This time placing a hand on her shoulder and turning her around.
"What!" she cried, her anger getting the better of her. Subsequently, the outburst cleared her head and she looked at the owner of the voice
"Kagome, I'm alright, nothing's wrong, see," he lifted his hand and removed the ofuda from his forehead showing his pristine skin with no marks of burning, "no burn mark. I'm okay"
Kagome stared at him. She started pounding her fist on his chest calling him a baka. He let it go on, knowing he deserved. A moment later, he smelt the tears forming in her eyes and embraced her tightly. A vibration rippled through his chest. The sound was calming Kagome down slowly, but surely.
"It was meant as a joke, Kagome. It's my kitsune nature to be mischievous. I didn't mean to make you upset"
Kagome sniffled, "what about Shippo? Would he do something like this seeing that he's also kitsune?"
"Yes he would, but he would never intentionally hurt you"
They held each other a moment longer. They seemed to forget that they had an audience. When they finally released Natsu pulled back and bowed deeply
"Gomen nasaii Higurashi family if I caused you distress in any way"
Silenced reigned in the room … until gramps began to laugh.
"That was quite a good joke. You remind me of my younger self. This entire situation reminds me of a story …"
"Gramps I don't thinks that our guest will like to hear your stories seeing that he may be tired from his travels. Let him rest."
"I would like to hear you stories ojiisan but Ai-san is right. I am tired and need rest."
"I'll take you to my room so you could rest. Goodnight, mama and gramps. See you in the morning."
"Goodnight ojiisan and Ai-san"
..888...
I'm ba-ack. B;p
