Kagome awoke to the sounds of dinner cooking. She got up from her bed, rubbing her eyes, and surveying her surroundings. Why am I at home? Shouldn't I be with Inuyasha, fighting Naraku? She started to panic. That's right, Naraku blasted me with that stupid orb, and Kirara…she saved me but… Why am I still at my house? Did I dream all of this?
She started downstairs, feeling more confused by the minute. Suddenly, she started to panic again, running all the way back into her room. If I really was dreaming, then that means that I haven't gone to the Sengoku Jidai yet. Inuyasha is going to be so mad… She was ready to start dumping things in her pack when she saw that everything was already in there. This doesn't make any sense, but oh well. She shoved the pack onto her back, running downstairs, getting ready to leave.
"Mama, I'm going right now!" she called out, running out of the door, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her pack and pulling her back in. She turned around and saw that it was Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha!" she started, beginning to try and explain why she was late, only to be interrupted by him.
"I'm not Inuyasha," Inuyasha said.
"Huh?"
She saw the dog demon shrink and transform into a kitsune child.
"Shi-Shippou-chan?!" she asked, gasping. The little fox nodded. "What-what are you doing here? And why did you look like Inuyasha?"
"Kagome," her mother said, coming closer to her, "I think you should listen to what the child has to say. Please come back inside, and we'll…we'll discuss this over dinner." She saw her mother smile pleasantly, but it seemed rather strained. What's going on here?
"Mama…" She followed her mother inside, dropping the pack near the door. She saw her mother set the table for five instead of four, and was reminded that Shippou was there.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" she asked, looking from her brother Souta's sad expression to her grandfather's frowning one. Her mother started putting rice into their bowls, telling them to start eating.
"What's going on?" she asked impatiently. "Jii-chan? Souta? Mama? Shippou?"
Shippou took his chopsticks and started to play with his rice. Souta started to eat quickly while her grandfather seemed to be contemplating the history of the pickle. She turned to her mother and saw a face identical to the one she saw when someone had told her mother that her father wasn't returning. Why is everyone looking so funny? Has something… No, it can't be. But, what if… Inuyasha…?
"This," she started, but seemed to choke on nothing. "This doesn't have anything to do with Inuyasha." It was a question, but she didn't state it like one. Shippou started to look down at his knees. Don't jump to conclusions. Don't jump to conclusions. Just listen to the facts. Don't keep expecting the worst.
"Kagome, starting from tomorrow, you can go to school again," her mother said, trying to make her see the best of the situation. What situation?
"Mama, what are you talking about?" she asked, feeling the sickening bile of panic rise in her.
"You don't have to miss school anymore."
"That's right, and Jii-chan won't have to make excuses for you anymore," Souta said, unable to keep the quiver out of his voice.
"What? What about Inuyasha? If I don't go back into the well, that idiot's going to come and drag me back anyway," she said angrily. Why am I even angry? Shouldn't I be glad for once that the idiot won't disrupt my schooling?
"Inuyasha…" her mother started, but did not continue.
"Inuyasha won't ever be coming to take you back to our world," Shippou said quietly. What? Shippou-chan, what are you talking about? What do you mean he won't be coming?
"You don't have to go back to our world ever again," Shippou said, sounding older than he was.
"Yes, you don't have to go back to that rude demon anymore," her grandfather said.
"What are you saying?" she shouted, her temper and panic getting the best of her. "Has something happened to Inuyasha?" She started to run out of the house. What's happened? Inuyasha, please be okay…
She ignored the large pack by the door and slipped into her shoes, running to the well house.
"Kagome, wait!" she heard Shippou shout. She ran faster, opening the door to the well house with such force that the entire building shook. Inuyasha, don't be dead. She jumped into the well, expecting the familiar feeling of floating before she landed. But this time, nothing happened. Don't tell me the well is broken. Please don't break at a time like this.
This is just like that time when Inuyasha was injured by Seshoumaru. I couldn't get to Inuyasha then, and I can't get to Inuyasha now.
"Kagome!" she heard Shippou shout before she jumped into the well again. It has to work. It has to work! Still, nothing happened.
"Shippou-chan, the well isn't working!" she said, fear apparent in her voice. "Shippou-chan, what's going on?"
"Kagome, I-I sealed the well," the little boy said, shaking with fear or sadness, she couldn't tell.
"What?!" she screamed, climbing out of the well quickly. "What did you do?"
"I-I'm sorry, Kagome," Shippou said, starting to cry. "I had to. Inuyasha told me to. I'm sorry."
"Shippou-chan," Kagome started, softening at the little boy's sobs. "It's okay," she said, hugging him. "I'm not mad. It's all right." By the time Shippou stopped crying, the rest of her family were already outside and by her side.
"Now will someone please explain to me what's going on?" she asked tiredly, still holding Shippou tightly.
"Kagome…you're friends…they're gone," her mother said, bending down next to her.
"What," she swallowed, then tried again, "what do you mean by that?" she asked in a soft whisper. She dreaded the answer.
"They're dead, Kagome," Shippou said, his voice sounding dead. "Inuyasha's dead. They're all dead. Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango…they're all dead. Just…just like my parents."
"That… That can't be true," she said, lowering her head. But I know it's true, don't I? All the way to Naraku's castle, I saw Inuyasha looking funny. Did you already know you were going to die? Then why did you go and fight Naraku? Inuyasha, you idiot!
She raised her hand to wipe her face, surprised to know that she had been crying.
"Come on, let's go inside," her mother said gently, helping her up and leading the way. Once inside, she said to her, "I'll go prepare a bath for you, okay?" Kagome nodded half-heartedly. Her mother smiled encouragingly and went upstairs.
"Shippou-chan, how…?" She wasn't ready to know how Inuyasha and the others had died. "How did you seal the well?"
"You know the little statue I used to pin Inuyasha's hands to the ground the first time we met?" Shippou asked. She nodded. "Well, I made it really big, and then I put the sticker on it so that no one could remove it inside the well."
"That was…very smart of you, Shippou-chan," she said, trying to smile.
"I think the well will be open again, though," Shippou said, shifting around nervously. Kagome looked sharply at him.
"Umm… Promise you won't go back?" Shippou asked. She saw the hollowness in Shippou's eyes when she asked, her determination melting away. Shippou is more affected by this than I am. He's lost so many more people than I have…
"I promise, Shippou-chan," she said, feeling her sudden burst of energy drain away.
"Well," Shippou showed her his outstretched hand. A shard of the Shikon no Tama was still embedded in his hand. "If I take the Shikon shard out, I think my magic on the statue will wear off, and it'll return to its normal size, so anyone who can, will be able to go through the well again." He looked anxiously at Kagome, as if expecting her to chide him for something.
Wha-? Oh, that's right, the Shikon shard. I suppose I have to thank Shippou for carrying me all the way back to my world from Naraku's castle.
"Shippou-chan," she started, her voice strong and firm. She saw Shippou cringe from what he thought was going to be her lecturing to him. "Keep the shard for now." Shippou looked up in confusion. "If you're going to be staying with my family, then you'll have to go to school. Understand?" Shippou nodded quickly. "You'll need the Shikon shard to maintain a human appearance, so I'll let you borrow it until you have enough power to transform longer." She gave Shippou a shadow of her original smile. "I think Souta might be able to teach you some of the basics you need to know. Souta!"
Her brother was by her side in a moment, glad to have something to do.
"Can you teach Shippou everything he needs to know about this world and school?" Her brother nodded his head enthusiastically.
"Of course, nee-chan," he said, dragging Shippou off into the kitchen. "First, I'll show him the kitchen," he said, his voice slightly muffled by the wall.
"Kagome," her mother said, coming down the stairs. "Your bath is ready. I want you to get a good night's sleep after your bath, okay?" She smiled her agreement at her mother and willed herself up the stairs into the bathroom. I can't cry. If I do, I might worry Mama and Souta and Shippou. I… I have to look strong. I have to be strong. But despite her words, she could feel warm tears sliding down her cheeks.