AN: This is part one of a series. So when it wraps in twelve more chapters, it's not a real ending. If you want to complain about that, save your fingers, I've heard it all before.

Chapter One

"Karma comes after everyone eventually." – Jessica Brody

The Suzu rang out loudly, the bells jingling long after my movements stopped. The only other sound was my breath, panting and waiting for grandfather's words.

"Again."

I hit the floor. "Graannnddpaaaaa!"

"Hush, Kagome. Unless you want to be the laughing stock at this year's Manto festival."

Groaning, I got to my aching feet. "Why do I have to do this again?"

He didn't answer because I already knew the answer -pride. We needed this; the shrine did. And the last thing the shrine, Shinto Shrine or the Higurashi Shrine, our home, needed was for me to embarrass us.

So I got back on my feet, raised my arms, and did the steps again—step, clang, step, clang, arms up, arms down, step, clang.

The Suzu and the ceremonial robes only made my body feel heavier. But it would be silly to practice without them. The lead weight in my hand was trailed by bright-colored ribbons that danced with far more grace than I did.

Great. Now I was jealous of ribbons.

Sweat pouring down my face and back, I looked a fright, but at least I got my feet and arms right...this time. "Alright, that's enough for today. Go finish your chores before dark!"

Mother harped as she entered, pressing a quick kiss to the back of my head before taking the tray of tea over to Grandfather. I left before the whining began about taking his medicine. The old fool complained every time, even knowing that those pills weren't cheap and he would die without them.

"Modern medicine. HA!" He grumbled, and I grabbed the closest broom.

I used to hate sweeping the grounds, but now I found it relaxing. The still and quiet? The rhythm of my broom matching my heart? The fall-colored leaves danced in the breeze and yeah, nothing was better than this. Well, maybe not nothing, dinner was pretty great too—especially mom's cooking.

Hearing the fast footfalls, I turned just in time to catch the creature that flew through the air at me. "Kagome!"

A loud Uoaf escaped me, the sound of all the air leaving my lungs as my backside hit the ground hard. "Sota! How many times do I need to tell you…."

"Don't jump on you, I know, I know…."

"Then why do you still do it?!"

"To keep you on your toes."

Back on his feet already, he held out a hand to help me up. But I had better plans.

Taking the offered hand, I gave him one hard, strong tug, making him fall face-first across my lap. I was nicer than him, letting him use me as a pillow instead of making him fall flat. It didn't last; shoving him off of me, I got to my feet and towered over him with a smirk.

"Now, who's not on his toes?" Grimacing up at me, I left him there, heading for the table. "Better hurry up. Or I'm going to eat ALL the pickles!"

"NO!"

In a flash, a blur of white and black, Sota sped past me and into the house.

oOo

Dinner, bath, and bed I was half asleep by the time my head hit the pillow. The usual routine and yet, I never got used to it. Long hours at school that ran into chores at the Shrine. If I was honest, I enjoyed Shrine's work the most.

A thought that lingered as I drifted, my mind spinning and my body becoming weightless. Something that used to terrify me, but I had gotten used to this. That didn't mean I understood it, opening my eyes but not really because I was still asleep. So what was I doing? I was in a strange middle ground, not awake but not asleep.

Astral projection was a weird thing to explain.

Above me, the bright sky was blinding, especially after closing my eyes to the pitch night in my room. A small and rickety ladder was my escape, never really sure of the tiny thing as it looked like it had been made five hundred years ago. But once again, it served its purpose, slinging my leg over the side of the well I awoke in.

The scene was breathtaking. Gone were the tall towers of glass and metal. Instead of the highrises of modern Tokyo, I was surrounded by the lush foliage of the Sengoku period.

"Kagome, you're late."

I cringed, the frustration in her voice nearly making my spine collapse. "Sorry, grandmother."

Turning, I found the high priestess with ease, her white and red robes hard to miss. "Don't just stand there; get dressed!"

"Yes, Priestess."

"And don't forget your purification! You're covered in bad vibes!"

Grandma may seem harsh, but she meant well.

In robes yet again, I took a far different stance than I did when I was awake. This stance was all about stillness.

I had long ago rid myself of the small shake from the strain, quiver in one hand and wood in the other. Pulled apart as far as they would go, I focused on the target. A good twenty feet away, it would be the farthest I had ever aimed.

The release went through my entire body, watching as the arrow soared until I lost sight of it. It appeared again seconds later, deep inside the bull's eye.

"Good. You've come so far from your beginnings, Kagome."

When in our robes, grandma and I could be twins as a nearly eighteen-year-old, looking the same age as your great, great, great, great, etc. grandma is disturbing. But this was far from my first visit here.

Ten years ago…

Nothing felt right. Was I awake? I went to bed; I remember pulling the covers over my head. But then I felt weird, like I was getting sick. Is that what this was? Did I have a fever dream? That would explain why I appeared to be in some kind of well, the bright sky above and the damp ground below.

"Hello."

I was busy pulling a stick out of a place you never want one and missed the shadow that fell over me. Snapping my head back up, I could make out the shape of her head but not her face. If it was a she, the voice sounded feminine...and familiar.

"Hello?"

"Sit still; I'll get you a ladder."

Minutes later, I stood before her, both of us now in full view of one another. She was older, way older, but her coloring was just like mine. Being your typical Japanese woman in looks and considering that this was a dream, it wasn't too strange that the woman before me looked a lot like me.

"What is your name, child?"

"Kagome."

"Kagome? Well, my name is Kikyo. Welcome."

"Um...thanks. But uh, where am I?"

She smirked, crossing her arms and looking every bit like my father. "I suppose you would call it the Sengoku period."

"Huh?"

"Have you not been paying attention in class, Kagome Higurashi?"

Kikyo's head tilted to the side, teasing me, but I still went stiff. "How do you know my name?"

"You told me."

"I told you, Kagome, and that's all."

Taking a step closer, I watched the woman, Kikyo, with my fascination on high. "Do you not fear me, Kagome?"

"No," I said honestly, shaking my head.

"Good. Do you know why?" I shook my head again to answer, too wrapped up to speak, "Because I am your ancestor."

"Ancestor?!"

"Yes. You can call me….grandma."

Now….

The pear in my hand was so soft and sweet, my teeth sunk into it with ease, like butter. The juice was dripping from my mouth and hand. Grandma ate one with me but was far more demure than me somehow.

"You will be eighteen soon. What will you do?"

My eyes on my snack, I shrugged. "Graduate high school."

Kikyo chuckled softly. "After that?"

"I'm not sure...but I'd like to become a full priestess. Run the Shrine for my grandfather. For my family. Mostly, I just want to keep helping people."

I could feel the tension that appeared in the air. All of it was coming from Kikyo. "Has there been much need for you and your gifts?"

"A little bit. A case here and there. Nothing too serious."

"No Naraku?"

Grandma's fear was evident, and I wanted to ease it for her. So I lied as usual. "No. No Naraku. I think he's gone for good now. He's not as much of a nuisance in my...time."

"Don't take demons so lightly."

"You've been saying that since I was eight and I'm yet to see any demons to worry about. Besides, most just want some poor weak soul."

Kikyo consistently paled when we had this conversation and dodged, tossing the remainder of her pear away and jumping to her feet. "Enough. Time for spiritual training."

I groaned. I didn't like this part of the night. Begrudgingly, I got to my feet as well, tugging on my robes from my nerves. Kikyo took both my hands in hers, holding them between us. Her hands were freezing, as usual, but it still caused me to shiver.

"Now. Block me."

A wave of what I can only describe as pressure hit, pulsing up my arms and settling in my chest; more and more, it pressed hard on my heart, making it a struggle to breathe.

"Block it!"

Focusing, I pushed back, the pressure taking the form of light in my mind. The purple hue, pretty but deadly, rolled down my arm like a tight sleeve until it peeled back into Kikyo.

"Good, good! Keep going!"

This was like the dance, sweat forming and rolling down my spine. I ignored the drips that fell in my lashes from my forehead. Until one rolled down my cheek, and I lost all focus.

The purple light slammed back into me, knocking me back hard onto my butt. And I didn't get up, laying and looking up at the clouds as they passed by. I wasn't down long, grandma leaning over me and offering me a hand.

"That wasn't bad." I huffed. "It wasn't! You lasted twice as long as last time."

"Which still isn't that long. What is all this for anyway, Kikyo?"

I had asked this question for four years now, and I always got the same answer. "You will see. Someday."

For a while now, I was pretty sure I knew why I needed this kind of training. But I didn't want to worry grandma about things I still didn't understand.