Sorry for the wait, and the length... My brain refused to cooperate with me, as Catty can testify. Anyway... Catty and Korimi, this is for you becuase y'all were the ONLY two reviewers(hint hint)... Even if Korimi's was totally useless... Yeah...

"Kagome." Kaede looked sharply at the girl across from her. "Come with me." She stood and motioned for Kagome to follow her, which she did silently.

"Is something wrong, Lady Kaede?"

"It is not much, but I have a strange feeling. Ginger is not what she seemed. How did she come through the well, and how did she get back?"

"It was the necklace. She came through with it on, but couldn't get back without it."

"Are ye positive?" Kaede asked, looking out over the river.

"We think so." Kagome replied, confused.

"Ah… Well then… Did ye not sense anything from her?"

"No. Do you think she may have had a Shikon Shard?"

"Perhaps now. I suppose ye may be right. Perhaps it is just an old lady's paranoia."

"Alright…" Kagome said. She remained by the river while Kaede returned to the village, staring over the water and wondering what Kaede could have been talking about.

):::(

There came a light knock on the door, surprising Alicia.

'Who could it be at this hour?' She thought, glancing at the clock, which read that it was 6 PM.

"Hello? Can I help you?" She asked the tall man who stood on the porch.

"Perhaps you can. I'm looking for a young lady by the name of Ginger. Ginger Brown. Might she live here?"

"She's presently asleep." Alicia said shortly, taking in the man's aristocratic clothes and demeanor. His black hair fell to mid back, the front pulled away from his face by a navy ribbon, but that did nothing to detract from the vague lawyer/CEO/movie-star quality he seemed to exude.

"Ahh. I see. Perhaps I could come back another time?"

"Her schedule is full for a while. She won't be able to speak with you." Alicia lied, hoping to drive the man away. His silky voice was doing nothing good for her knees, despite the seriously disturbing feeling that she got from him.

"Perhaps she could make time." He said, handing Alicia a card that seemed to be on a thick, old-fashioned parchment paper. Red ink spelled out his information, including a phone number and office hours.

"Call me any time, weekdays during those hours." He said.

"I'll see what I can do, Mr. Onigumo." She said, preparing to close the door.

"Please, Alicia. Call me Naraku."

"Alright then, Naraku. Good day." She abruptly snapped the door shut. A sinister grin spread across the man's face as he returned to the jet-black Corvette waiting in the drive. He backed out of the driveway and flew down the road, smirking as the house faded in the rear-view mirror.

Inside, Alicia slumped against the door, breathing heavily.

"Naraku Onigumo… Onigumo… Why is it so familiar? And yet… It is so… distant?" Alicia leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Something is definitely up." She muttered. With a sigh she stood, checked on the sleeping Alexandria, and headed into her room. She sat at the antique roll-top desk, pulled a small book from the bottom drawer and picked up a pen.

"Hello old friend…" She whispered almost reverently, opening the book and placing pen to paper. "Dear Diary…"

Dear Diary,

It's been a while, hasn't it? I last wrote just after Alexandria was conceived, five months before the divorce… But this is quite a deal more worrisome than a potential child on the way. When I used to look back at my diary from when I was eight, I would think that it was all a dream, a fantasy cooked up by my overactive imagination.

Unfortunately, I think in light of recent events that it might not be. A week ago Ginger vanished without a trace. Five days ago she returned, none worse for the wear. Of course, though, since she had no memory of the past two days she was sent to the hospital and examined. In her X-ray they found the most particular thing. A round object, just below her ribs. It blocked the X-rays as completely as lead would.

Now I'm beginning to think about what Grandma Leiko said about the Hitei no Tama long ago. It's apparently been in our family for generation upon generation, dating back to ancient times. It was supposed to manifest itself every few generations in the one who would appear most like the creator of the gem. A sort of marking of reincarnation? Or attempt at reincarnation, at least. I don't recall all the specifics, but… what if it has manifested itself in my daughter? What would that mean for myself? And Alexandria? I'm worried, that's for sure.

What if I can't protect Ginger from whatever it is that will happen because of this?

Do other people know? I had a visit this evening. Just now, a man apparently by the name of Naraku Onigumo came, virtually demanding that he see Ginger. He was admittedly handsome, but he had this… incredibly evil aura about him, despite the charm he put on. It made me very uneasy. Wait… Onigumo!

I just now looked it up, skimming my diary from thirty years ago, the entries just after Grandma Leiko supposedly took me to Feudal Japan. According to what I wrote, Grandma's acquaintance, Kikyo, took us to visit a paralyzed man who she took care of. His name was, well, by my writing, "Oneegoomo". I think that must have been him! Or a father or cousin or other relative. But how did they get from one era to the next?

This is all so confusing. I'm getting a headache thinking of all the 'what ifs' and 'whys'… Perhaps after a good night sleep?

Love,

Alicia

Hmm… I hadn't planned it, but apparently Ginger's family will be playing a slightly bigger role. Well, as you'll see in the sequel, one of them already had a bigger role, but… Anyway…