Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha!
A/N: I seem to be suffering from a horrible fit of writer's block lately. Yuck. Anyway, I can't think of much else to say other then I've thought of a bloody brilliant new idea for a fic, but I don't want to start it until A Whole New World is finished. Rats.
"Kagome Higurashi, I am ashamed to be your mother. Now you know I've raised you better then this; what on Earth could've possessed you to do such a thing?" her mom curled her lip in exasperation, trying and failing to understand what heinous crine she'd committed to turn her once sugary sweet daughter into such a rebellious teen. Where had she gone wrong? She had always gone by the books, never once straying to severe disciplinary methods of any kind. In that sense she'd always been a good mother, but, unbeknownst to her, there were other aspects of hers that made her a less then desirable maternal figure.
Kagome fidgeted nervously under her mother's scrutiny, shifting back and forth on the hard wooden chair and twiddling her fingers as she often did to hide her anxiety. "Mom, I already told you, it wasn't me! Where would I have even gotten a gun anyhow? It must've been Naraku; there's no other explanation!" Kagome countered, praying that just this once her mother would believe something she'd normally consider a "fabricated tale".
"Kagome, don't play mind games with me. I'm tired of this; you used to be such a sweet girl, always helping out and being kind. What happened Kagome?" her mother cried desperately, wanting so badly to pinpoint the source of this sudden change within her daughter, to discover that it WASN'T her fault, that she was still a decent mother. She couldn't bare the thought of failing in her position.
Kagome shrugged in defeat. "Nothing changed, mom, I'm still the same as I've always been. I was framed by Naraku, end of story. Why can't you believe me?" she sighed, her voice void of any emotion, for she knew that no matter how much she tried, her mother would never listen. She never had, especially since the whole incident with Naraku.
"Oh?" Ms. Higurashi's voice lowered dangerously. "So that's why you were gallivanting all over town with some psycho drug dealer? That's why the principal found a gun in your locker? Because you were being "normal"?" her voice was barely audible, but that made it all the more powerful and frightening to young Kagome, who at this poing was biting her lip in earnest.
"Mom! I thought we got over this!" she jumped up, her fiery temper once again tightening its hold upon her. She just couldn't accept it this time, though this behavior within her mother was nothing new. Why wasn't she trustworthy in her mother's eyes? Sure she had been angry after the incident with Naraku, any normal mother would be. But Kagome had explained everything to her, set the matter straight, and she was sure that her dear mom would never even think to speak of the experience again. It was too haunting, full of bad memories for her and her daughter alike.
'Souta is different,' she glowered angrily. 'After all, he's mommy's little boy. Everything he does is good and perfect, and everything I do is rebellious and idiotic. I swear, she's obsessed with this stupid teenaged stereotype. When is she ever just going to accept that I'm NOT some rebellious party slut?'
"KAGOME! Don't you DARE use that tone with me young lady!" she pointed her finger at the younger girl threateningly, and while Kagome was rather frightened, she certainly did her best to hide it. Calmly she stood up straight, squaring her shoulders, and marched straight up to her mother with an air of disdain for such an unforgiving woman.
"Too bad," she whispered softly, and her mother clenched her fists in anger, willing herself to keep a lid on her temper. Apparently she wasn't very good at such things, for her temper sped out of its prison mere seconds after.
"THAT'S IT!" her mother roared angrily, thrashing her arms about. "DO YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A PRISON CELL, KAGOME? YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR PRIORITES STRAIGHTENED OUT!!"
"Mom, calm down," Kagome soothed, bringing her hands down to her lap and locking gazes with her mother, her own pleading intently with her mother's to settle down a bit.
Her mother hesitated for a moment, then sunk into her chair with a weary sigh, her dark brown eyes shut loosely in a cloaked sadness.
"Mom?" Kagome reached out a hand tentatively toward her mother, but she batted it away with a hand of her own.
"Kagome, listen to me," she tilted the younger girl's chin up toward her own. "You're a beautiful girl with the brains and talent to outdo almost everybody in that damned prep school of yours. I don't want to see that talent be thrown to the wayside in exchange for the vile situations that you've been engaging yourself in," she said quietly, then took a deep breath, as if preparing for the difficult decision. "Kagome, I'm sending you to your Aunt Kaede's," she leaned back into her chair, trembling with a few tears at the thought of losing her dear daughter, but she understood that sometimes the best things were the hardest to accept.
Kagome gasped in horror and drew back from her mother. "Mom, NO! I don't want to go to Aunt Kaede's!" her eyes were threatening to overflow with tears. "She lives in that insanely boring little town; the cows there outnumber the people, and they have livelier personalities too! PLEASE MOM," she begged, a few tears spilling down her cheeks. "I love you; don't make me do this!"
Her mom gave a resolute sigh, then braced a shaky hand upon the back of the chair to brace herself, pulling her trembling legs up to support her. "Kagome, I love you too. But this is for the best; I really think you need this. I'm sorry, but this decision is final. Pack your bags, you'll be leaving tomorrow and starting at a new school next Monday," she trudged out of the room, turning over her shoulder one last time, her sorrowful gaze landing on the crying girl behind her. "Do good, Kagome," she smiled softly. "Make me proud".
~*~
"So it's true?" Yuka wailed unhappily. "You're really leaving us? You're really leaving ME?" her sobs littered the phone line, and Kagome couldn't help but follow her lead.
"Oh, I'm sorry Yuka. If I had any choice in the matter, I'd stay here forever! But you know Naraku; he was probably banking on me leaving so that nobody here would recognize his crimes, then he could just commit more," a dry smile lit up under her clouded tears.
"BUT NOW YOU WON'T GET TO DATE HOJO!" Yuka howled, her entire body shaking with sobs as she collapsed to her knees. Though she couldn't see it, Kagome was rolling her eyes in agony at the crying girl. Sure she was a fabulous best friend, but sometimes her shallowness would overpower her normally flawless personality, and Kagome had just accepted that her friend and she were different in that aspect. They remained as close as ever, but Kagome couldn't help but discreetly wonder if it was her Yuka would miss or her link to Hojo.
"Oh, please Yuka. Hojo is the LAST thing on my mind, believe me. Besides, if you like him so much, why don't YOU just ask him out yourself? I'm sure he'd be happy to have you," Kagome grinned with another playful roll of her eyes, the tears long forgotten as Yuka shrieked happily on the other end of the line.
"So you mean you wouldn't be mad?" she asked hopefully, and Kagome shook her head, then realized with a slap of the head that Yuka couldn't see the gesture.
"Nope, go right ahead. Though you certainly don't sound too upset about getting me out of the picture anymore," Kagome laughed dryly, and Yuka smiled in guilty shame.
"Oh, Kagome, of course I'm going to miss you! My god, who else am I going to turn to for positive reinforcement when I find out my cutest jeans don't fit anymore? You're my best friend!" she sighed woefully. "Look, if this is Naraku's fault then we're in this together. We'll make him pay for this, mark my words, revenge is sweet!" she screeched triumphantly, and Kagome couldn't help but chuckle at Yuka's antics.
"Yes, especially the second time around," Kagome laughed deliciously at the thought of putting that dastardly Naraku in his place a second time. "But in all seriousness, I'll miss you too, O.K? I'll call you every day, I promise! And I think I'm keeping my instant messenger too!" she squealed happily, which was soon followed by another happy shriek from Yuka.
"That's perfect! It'll almost be like I'm there with you!" she laughed brightly, oblivious to Kagome's silence.
"If only you were," Kagome sighed wistfully. "If only you were..."
~*~
Kagome threw her enormous green flowered suitcase into the trunk of her mother's blue Toyota, dragging her feet as she made her way to the dreaded space inside. She swallowed back her tears, trying her hardest not to remember the touching events of the evening before. As soon as she'd hung up with a sobbing Yuka, Eri and Ayumi had run to her house in anxious worry, bearing good-bye gifts and tearful speeches. Soon after, Hojo had arrived, bringing with him a token of good fortune, which turned out to be a shiny pink jewel that Kagome sported around her neck at the very moment. She sighed and turned around, propping her slim form up on her knees and crossing her arms over the trunk of her car. She shot a stony gaze at the world behind her, as Yuka, Eri, Ayumi, and Hojo stood there waving, blowing kisses, and making other miscellaneous gestures, some laughing and some crying. Fingering the jewel around her neck, Kagome gave an awkward wave as the car engine sputtered to life.
With one final wave, a tear slid steadily down her cheek as she uttered the few words she had been afraid of ever since she laid eyes on that dark, cold revolver, as it seemed to be emitting a sense of forebording evil from its very being. Even if it was no more then a gun, it felt like the life was being slowly drained from her body and seeping onto the floor in puddles of tears. With a tearful gaze toward the small crowd of people she'd grown up with, spent her entire life passing notes to and attending gatherings with, she held up a hand in a good-bye wave, then sunk her head onto her hands in sorrowful tears.
'Good-bye....'.
The car ride remained utterly silent, neither her nor her mother felt like insinuating any conversation. She tried to read the emotions dancing across her mother's face, but found that she couldn't, for too many seemed to be writhing in confusion. Kagome snorted sarcastically, if her mother thought SHE was confused, she should take a walk in HER shoes.
How could things have changed so fast? How could it be that, just twenty-four hours ago, she was drooling through her math class thinking about whether she should accept a date with some brain-dead boy? It seemed like such a typical teenaged-girl thing to do now that her problems had certainly enlarged and grown much more pressing. After all, now she had to start over in an entirely new world, an entirely new life! Not to mention she'd be living with her Aunt Kaede, who was quite possibly the most dull human to inhabit this planet. Even a night with Hojo sounded like a daring adventure in comparison to an eternity with Aunt Kaede. She'd just have to make sure that she was "conveniently" out of the house whenever good ol' Aunt Kaede came 'round to visit.
But, aside from that, who would she be out with? You always hear all these chick-flick tales of teenaged girls moving to a new place, trying to be accepted, and failing horribly at every occasion. She REALLY didn't want to be unwillingly placed in such a category, but what choice did she have?
'It's all that idiot Naraku's fault,' she fumed quietly, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms as she threw herself against the leather interior of the car, curling her lip as she blew up her bangs. 'I'll find a way to get back at him for this, just you wait. Yuka and me are an unbeatable team!" she made a triumphant gesture with her fist, causing her mother cock her head while peering in the mirror which gave her ample viewing access to all of Kagome's antics. Said girl suddenly halted all movement and threw herself back in her seat once again, banging her raven black hair against the headrest with a thump.
The hours passed by monotonously as Kagome nervously anticipated her new life. So what if they were going to the most reclusive and secluded town in all of Japan? What did that matter? It was still a new start, and Kagome was nervous as hell. What if her Aunt Kaede was really part of the mafia, going incognito as a dull old woman with back problems? Heck, she could be one of Naraku's men, intent on delivering her to the boss himself, but not before having his way with her.
"Augghh, stop the mental pictures!' Kagome squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to block the disturbing picture of a naked Aunt Kaede from swirling around in her corrupted mind.
The car suddenly skidded to a stop, and Kagome glanced up for the first time during the six hour drive. She drew in a breath as she took in the scenery around her, which was absolutely breathtaking in her standards.
Fields stretched out in every direction, surrounding the suburban homes that ran down the narrow street in such a way that made you believe you were standing amidst an old Victorian town, and Kagome (being a romantic) let her imagination run away with her as she imagined herself in a billowing green Victorian dress, gracefully making her toward the front doorstep of one of these adorable houses, daintily holding a flowered parasol above her head with a serene smile resting upon her lips. She would love to stay and bask in the tasteful vision all day but...
"Kagome?" her mother nudged her shoulder gently.
Reality swirled back into focus, and Kagome gave a curt nod toward the woman before grabbing her bags and slowly trailing after her shaking mother toward one of the quainter houses. She unlocked the latch on the dull blue gate before softly beginning the melancholy walk toward the front doorstep. She felt as if she were taking her final, condemned steps toward the electric chair, and did her best to act the part. With her head held up high, she rapped her knuckles on the door a few times before it slid open to reveal a plump older woman wearing a scowl across her leathered cheeks.
Aunt Kaede.
At this her mother finally broke, breaking into sobs before enveloping her daughter in a bone-crushing hug, tears trailing onto Kagome's snowy white sweater. She tenderly reciprocated her mother's gesture, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and back, rocking back and forth in the beat of the rushing wind that seemed to swirl around them. For a mere moment, time stopped, allowing these two a chance at reconciliation, breaking the barriers that had torn them apart for so long. But alas, it was too late, and though both were having second thoughts about this hasty decision, they knew it had to be done. It was for the best.
"Good-bye...Kagome," her mother whispered into her hair, whirling around in the blink of an eye and stumbling toward the car in a blind haste, tears spilling from her cheeks and trailing behind her. An astonished Kaede fixated her gaze upon her dear sister, trying to will her to turn around and return to her, she knew that taking care of a rebellious fifteen year old hadn't been on the woman's "to-do list". But any such connection seemed to shatter as the door of the car slammed shut and as the engine roared to life, the vehicle shot forward and off into the night, seeming to droop in the absence of Kagome just the way her mother had.
And Kagome shattered as well as she reached out a hand, trying to pull on the invisible strings and bring back the last connection toward her life and world, she wasn't ready for this, she didn't want to be alone.
But as the car sped off, Kagome sank back, a sinking feeling gnawing at the depths of her heart. She was gone. She was gone, and she wasn't coming back.
A/N: A bit depressing for a highschool fic, I know. But things will get more interesting next chapter, where Inuyasha and Kagome will meet for the very first time!
A/N: I seem to be suffering from a horrible fit of writer's block lately. Yuck. Anyway, I can't think of much else to say other then I've thought of a bloody brilliant new idea for a fic, but I don't want to start it until A Whole New World is finished. Rats.
"Kagome Higurashi, I am ashamed to be your mother. Now you know I've raised you better then this; what on Earth could've possessed you to do such a thing?" her mom curled her lip in exasperation, trying and failing to understand what heinous crine she'd committed to turn her once sugary sweet daughter into such a rebellious teen. Where had she gone wrong? She had always gone by the books, never once straying to severe disciplinary methods of any kind. In that sense she'd always been a good mother, but, unbeknownst to her, there were other aspects of hers that made her a less then desirable maternal figure.
Kagome fidgeted nervously under her mother's scrutiny, shifting back and forth on the hard wooden chair and twiddling her fingers as she often did to hide her anxiety. "Mom, I already told you, it wasn't me! Where would I have even gotten a gun anyhow? It must've been Naraku; there's no other explanation!" Kagome countered, praying that just this once her mother would believe something she'd normally consider a "fabricated tale".
"Kagome, don't play mind games with me. I'm tired of this; you used to be such a sweet girl, always helping out and being kind. What happened Kagome?" her mother cried desperately, wanting so badly to pinpoint the source of this sudden change within her daughter, to discover that it WASN'T her fault, that she was still a decent mother. She couldn't bare the thought of failing in her position.
Kagome shrugged in defeat. "Nothing changed, mom, I'm still the same as I've always been. I was framed by Naraku, end of story. Why can't you believe me?" she sighed, her voice void of any emotion, for she knew that no matter how much she tried, her mother would never listen. She never had, especially since the whole incident with Naraku.
"Oh?" Ms. Higurashi's voice lowered dangerously. "So that's why you were gallivanting all over town with some psycho drug dealer? That's why the principal found a gun in your locker? Because you were being "normal"?" her voice was barely audible, but that made it all the more powerful and frightening to young Kagome, who at this poing was biting her lip in earnest.
"Mom! I thought we got over this!" she jumped up, her fiery temper once again tightening its hold upon her. She just couldn't accept it this time, though this behavior within her mother was nothing new. Why wasn't she trustworthy in her mother's eyes? Sure she had been angry after the incident with Naraku, any normal mother would be. But Kagome had explained everything to her, set the matter straight, and she was sure that her dear mom would never even think to speak of the experience again. It was too haunting, full of bad memories for her and her daughter alike.
'Souta is different,' she glowered angrily. 'After all, he's mommy's little boy. Everything he does is good and perfect, and everything I do is rebellious and idiotic. I swear, she's obsessed with this stupid teenaged stereotype. When is she ever just going to accept that I'm NOT some rebellious party slut?'
"KAGOME! Don't you DARE use that tone with me young lady!" she pointed her finger at the younger girl threateningly, and while Kagome was rather frightened, she certainly did her best to hide it. Calmly she stood up straight, squaring her shoulders, and marched straight up to her mother with an air of disdain for such an unforgiving woman.
"Too bad," she whispered softly, and her mother clenched her fists in anger, willing herself to keep a lid on her temper. Apparently she wasn't very good at such things, for her temper sped out of its prison mere seconds after.
"THAT'S IT!" her mother roared angrily, thrashing her arms about. "DO YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A PRISON CELL, KAGOME? YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR PRIORITES STRAIGHTENED OUT!!"
"Mom, calm down," Kagome soothed, bringing her hands down to her lap and locking gazes with her mother, her own pleading intently with her mother's to settle down a bit.
Her mother hesitated for a moment, then sunk into her chair with a weary sigh, her dark brown eyes shut loosely in a cloaked sadness.
"Mom?" Kagome reached out a hand tentatively toward her mother, but she batted it away with a hand of her own.
"Kagome, listen to me," she tilted the younger girl's chin up toward her own. "You're a beautiful girl with the brains and talent to outdo almost everybody in that damned prep school of yours. I don't want to see that talent be thrown to the wayside in exchange for the vile situations that you've been engaging yourself in," she said quietly, then took a deep breath, as if preparing for the difficult decision. "Kagome, I'm sending you to your Aunt Kaede's," she leaned back into her chair, trembling with a few tears at the thought of losing her dear daughter, but she understood that sometimes the best things were the hardest to accept.
Kagome gasped in horror and drew back from her mother. "Mom, NO! I don't want to go to Aunt Kaede's!" her eyes were threatening to overflow with tears. "She lives in that insanely boring little town; the cows there outnumber the people, and they have livelier personalities too! PLEASE MOM," she begged, a few tears spilling down her cheeks. "I love you; don't make me do this!"
Her mom gave a resolute sigh, then braced a shaky hand upon the back of the chair to brace herself, pulling her trembling legs up to support her. "Kagome, I love you too. But this is for the best; I really think you need this. I'm sorry, but this decision is final. Pack your bags, you'll be leaving tomorrow and starting at a new school next Monday," she trudged out of the room, turning over her shoulder one last time, her sorrowful gaze landing on the crying girl behind her. "Do good, Kagome," she smiled softly. "Make me proud".
~*~
"So it's true?" Yuka wailed unhappily. "You're really leaving us? You're really leaving ME?" her sobs littered the phone line, and Kagome couldn't help but follow her lead.
"Oh, I'm sorry Yuka. If I had any choice in the matter, I'd stay here forever! But you know Naraku; he was probably banking on me leaving so that nobody here would recognize his crimes, then he could just commit more," a dry smile lit up under her clouded tears.
"BUT NOW YOU WON'T GET TO DATE HOJO!" Yuka howled, her entire body shaking with sobs as she collapsed to her knees. Though she couldn't see it, Kagome was rolling her eyes in agony at the crying girl. Sure she was a fabulous best friend, but sometimes her shallowness would overpower her normally flawless personality, and Kagome had just accepted that her friend and she were different in that aspect. They remained as close as ever, but Kagome couldn't help but discreetly wonder if it was her Yuka would miss or her link to Hojo.
"Oh, please Yuka. Hojo is the LAST thing on my mind, believe me. Besides, if you like him so much, why don't YOU just ask him out yourself? I'm sure he'd be happy to have you," Kagome grinned with another playful roll of her eyes, the tears long forgotten as Yuka shrieked happily on the other end of the line.
"So you mean you wouldn't be mad?" she asked hopefully, and Kagome shook her head, then realized with a slap of the head that Yuka couldn't see the gesture.
"Nope, go right ahead. Though you certainly don't sound too upset about getting me out of the picture anymore," Kagome laughed dryly, and Yuka smiled in guilty shame.
"Oh, Kagome, of course I'm going to miss you! My god, who else am I going to turn to for positive reinforcement when I find out my cutest jeans don't fit anymore? You're my best friend!" she sighed woefully. "Look, if this is Naraku's fault then we're in this together. We'll make him pay for this, mark my words, revenge is sweet!" she screeched triumphantly, and Kagome couldn't help but chuckle at Yuka's antics.
"Yes, especially the second time around," Kagome laughed deliciously at the thought of putting that dastardly Naraku in his place a second time. "But in all seriousness, I'll miss you too, O.K? I'll call you every day, I promise! And I think I'm keeping my instant messenger too!" she squealed happily, which was soon followed by another happy shriek from Yuka.
"That's perfect! It'll almost be like I'm there with you!" she laughed brightly, oblivious to Kagome's silence.
"If only you were," Kagome sighed wistfully. "If only you were..."
~*~
Kagome threw her enormous green flowered suitcase into the trunk of her mother's blue Toyota, dragging her feet as she made her way to the dreaded space inside. She swallowed back her tears, trying her hardest not to remember the touching events of the evening before. As soon as she'd hung up with a sobbing Yuka, Eri and Ayumi had run to her house in anxious worry, bearing good-bye gifts and tearful speeches. Soon after, Hojo had arrived, bringing with him a token of good fortune, which turned out to be a shiny pink jewel that Kagome sported around her neck at the very moment. She sighed and turned around, propping her slim form up on her knees and crossing her arms over the trunk of her car. She shot a stony gaze at the world behind her, as Yuka, Eri, Ayumi, and Hojo stood there waving, blowing kisses, and making other miscellaneous gestures, some laughing and some crying. Fingering the jewel around her neck, Kagome gave an awkward wave as the car engine sputtered to life.
With one final wave, a tear slid steadily down her cheek as she uttered the few words she had been afraid of ever since she laid eyes on that dark, cold revolver, as it seemed to be emitting a sense of forebording evil from its very being. Even if it was no more then a gun, it felt like the life was being slowly drained from her body and seeping onto the floor in puddles of tears. With a tearful gaze toward the small crowd of people she'd grown up with, spent her entire life passing notes to and attending gatherings with, she held up a hand in a good-bye wave, then sunk her head onto her hands in sorrowful tears.
'Good-bye....'.
The car ride remained utterly silent, neither her nor her mother felt like insinuating any conversation. She tried to read the emotions dancing across her mother's face, but found that she couldn't, for too many seemed to be writhing in confusion. Kagome snorted sarcastically, if her mother thought SHE was confused, she should take a walk in HER shoes.
How could things have changed so fast? How could it be that, just twenty-four hours ago, she was drooling through her math class thinking about whether she should accept a date with some brain-dead boy? It seemed like such a typical teenaged-girl thing to do now that her problems had certainly enlarged and grown much more pressing. After all, now she had to start over in an entirely new world, an entirely new life! Not to mention she'd be living with her Aunt Kaede, who was quite possibly the most dull human to inhabit this planet. Even a night with Hojo sounded like a daring adventure in comparison to an eternity with Aunt Kaede. She'd just have to make sure that she was "conveniently" out of the house whenever good ol' Aunt Kaede came 'round to visit.
But, aside from that, who would she be out with? You always hear all these chick-flick tales of teenaged girls moving to a new place, trying to be accepted, and failing horribly at every occasion. She REALLY didn't want to be unwillingly placed in such a category, but what choice did she have?
'It's all that idiot Naraku's fault,' she fumed quietly, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms as she threw herself against the leather interior of the car, curling her lip as she blew up her bangs. 'I'll find a way to get back at him for this, just you wait. Yuka and me are an unbeatable team!" she made a triumphant gesture with her fist, causing her mother cock her head while peering in the mirror which gave her ample viewing access to all of Kagome's antics. Said girl suddenly halted all movement and threw herself back in her seat once again, banging her raven black hair against the headrest with a thump.
The hours passed by monotonously as Kagome nervously anticipated her new life. So what if they were going to the most reclusive and secluded town in all of Japan? What did that matter? It was still a new start, and Kagome was nervous as hell. What if her Aunt Kaede was really part of the mafia, going incognito as a dull old woman with back problems? Heck, she could be one of Naraku's men, intent on delivering her to the boss himself, but not before having his way with her.
"Augghh, stop the mental pictures!' Kagome squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to block the disturbing picture of a naked Aunt Kaede from swirling around in her corrupted mind.
The car suddenly skidded to a stop, and Kagome glanced up for the first time during the six hour drive. She drew in a breath as she took in the scenery around her, which was absolutely breathtaking in her standards.
Fields stretched out in every direction, surrounding the suburban homes that ran down the narrow street in such a way that made you believe you were standing amidst an old Victorian town, and Kagome (being a romantic) let her imagination run away with her as she imagined herself in a billowing green Victorian dress, gracefully making her toward the front doorstep of one of these adorable houses, daintily holding a flowered parasol above her head with a serene smile resting upon her lips. She would love to stay and bask in the tasteful vision all day but...
"Kagome?" her mother nudged her shoulder gently.
Reality swirled back into focus, and Kagome gave a curt nod toward the woman before grabbing her bags and slowly trailing after her shaking mother toward one of the quainter houses. She unlocked the latch on the dull blue gate before softly beginning the melancholy walk toward the front doorstep. She felt as if she were taking her final, condemned steps toward the electric chair, and did her best to act the part. With her head held up high, she rapped her knuckles on the door a few times before it slid open to reveal a plump older woman wearing a scowl across her leathered cheeks.
Aunt Kaede.
At this her mother finally broke, breaking into sobs before enveloping her daughter in a bone-crushing hug, tears trailing onto Kagome's snowy white sweater. She tenderly reciprocated her mother's gesture, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and back, rocking back and forth in the beat of the rushing wind that seemed to swirl around them. For a mere moment, time stopped, allowing these two a chance at reconciliation, breaking the barriers that had torn them apart for so long. But alas, it was too late, and though both were having second thoughts about this hasty decision, they knew it had to be done. It was for the best.
"Good-bye...Kagome," her mother whispered into her hair, whirling around in the blink of an eye and stumbling toward the car in a blind haste, tears spilling from her cheeks and trailing behind her. An astonished Kaede fixated her gaze upon her dear sister, trying to will her to turn around and return to her, she knew that taking care of a rebellious fifteen year old hadn't been on the woman's "to-do list". But any such connection seemed to shatter as the door of the car slammed shut and as the engine roared to life, the vehicle shot forward and off into the night, seeming to droop in the absence of Kagome just the way her mother had.
And Kagome shattered as well as she reached out a hand, trying to pull on the invisible strings and bring back the last connection toward her life and world, she wasn't ready for this, she didn't want to be alone.
But as the car sped off, Kagome sank back, a sinking feeling gnawing at the depths of her heart. She was gone. She was gone, and she wasn't coming back.
A/N: A bit depressing for a highschool fic, I know. But things will get more interesting next chapter, where Inuyasha and Kagome will meet for the very first time!