Title: Shards of a Memory
Author: NoirRouge
Summary: Kagome is a 15 year old girl with a strange series of dreams about… broken jewels, monks and demons… OH MY! Not only that, Kagome's disease from her child hood has returned. She strives to finish the dream story before her illness takes her life. AU
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, I never have, and I never WILL! Omg
On with the show
Chapter two: Violent memories
Kagome was a dreamer, and she loved dreams. She never forgot her dreams because she believed they always held hidden messages for her. Messages she would have to decode later after she woke. She had many books on dreams about the meanings or symbolism. She had started her dream obsession sometime ago, when she was young. The doctors had asked her to make dream charts for them; hoping to find clues to why she continued to have the mysterious seizures.
Kagome dreamed about all sorts of things. About school, her friends, her dad, pokey, and many things normal teenagers would have floating around in their subconscious. But she had never had this dream before. Not that she could remember anyway.
It was strange. She felt as though she were floating, like she was observing something rather than doing it. The image was fuzzy and unclear, but she knew that she was staring at a well. Kagome felt a strange tug that pulled her into the well. She wanted to yell but her body wouldn't obey, still in its deep sleep. Kagome was surrounded by darkness. It wasn't whole, it seemed scattered and cloud like; floating around her. The thing continued to pull her down into the never ending void of darkness. Then the world turned black. When the image returned to Kagome she was in a forest. The images weren't whole; they were more like pictures being played before her. Kagome watched the pictures as she went deeper into the forest, the setting becoming greener and crowded. Slowly the images came closer to a large tree. Kagome recognized the tree from somewhere; but she couldn't recall where at the moment.
There was someone tied to the tree; strapped to it by thick tangled vines that looked ages old. It was a boy, but Kagome could not see his face. Try as she might the image remained blurry. The pictures that passed by Kagome's eyes had stopped. She was now standing in the small clearing around the enormous tree. She turned slowly and took in the large expanse of forest that the images had shown her. Kagome turned back and stared at the boy in the tree. She took one step closer and reached out. As her hand drew nearer the scene grew fuzzier, till Kagome could no longer make out what it was she saw.
Kagome slowly opened her eyes and saw the blurry pink room that was now hers. She felt a strange sadness as she woke; like she was leaving someone behind. There was a longing in her chest to go back to sleep so she could see the face of the strange boy in the tree.
"Kagome," a voice called from downstairs "its time to wake up Kagome! You start school today!"
"Ok…" she mumbled, and pushed back the sheets, swinging her feet to the side of the bed. She rubbed her eyes as she stood up and scratched at a rather persistent itch. She walked over to her closet and pulled out the freshly washed and pressed uniform. The uniform was a deep blue. There was a pleated blue skirt with black knee-high socks, a white button down tee that was stiff and formal looking, as well as a blue vest with the school logo on it. Being spring, Kagome did not need to wear the school blazer.
It had been a week since Kagome and her father had moved in with her grandmother. The school year had ended about two weeks before and the new one was now starting. Kagome was going to be a freshman in high school, something she had once looked forward to with great anticipation, but now dreaded do to the fact that she was in such an unfamiliar area.
The whole week had been spent helping her grandmother clean up the old shrine. She had swept the stone paved walk ways several times, and though greatly improved they were still had dirt and mildew wedged between the stones. She had cleaned out and dusted the old shrine houses as well as cleaned windows and doors. The shrine had started to look more useful and welcoming as the week progressed.
"I haven't had anyone to help around here since your grandpa died. It's so nice to finally be able to take care of this place again." The old woman had said, but it was Kagome who was doing all the work.
Kagome's grandmother kept her at work no matter how much she complained or protested, until her father insisted that his mother let Kagome rest before she had another attack.
Kagome finished buttoning down her shirt and carefully put the vest on. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for few moments before giving up. There was no improving the uniform, and it wasn't all that bad. The one she had found last week was much worse. She carefully made her way downstairs and into the kitchen; occasionally slipping on the tile in her sock clad feet.
"Well don't you look professional?" Her father chimed from his seat at the table.
Kagome skidded over to her chair in a very unprofessional manner and plopped down beside her father. "I look like a blue berry." She sighed, acting the part of the abused teenager who would never be taken seriously.
"Yes, but a very professional looking blueberry." Her grandmother contradicted as she sat large heaping plates of food before her and Souta. "But you're not ripe at all! We have to plump you up and make you nice before you turn sour."
Souta laughed cheerful at his mothers teasing "I think she already has."
Kagome huffed and shoveled food into her mouth as an excuse to not retort to the comments flying her way.
"Oh my, what an appetite!"
Kagome turned round the corner of the block and advanced on the large brick building that was her new school. Kagome had to find her own way to school like most other teenagers. The route was not too long but slightly complicated. Kagome had to walk 10 blocks to the station, where she took the subway to the opposite side of the city. After exiting the incredibly busy subway she had walked another 3 blocks and had turned numerous corners before she finally made it to the secluded block that her high school sat upon.
The building was tall and old looking; crowded with happily babbling students. Kagome wadded her way through the school's populous and made her way towards the office. She waited about 15 minutes before a secretary finally saw to her; giving Kagome her schedule and student ID book. Afterwards she was escorted by an old rough looking teacher to her homeroom. She was glad to see the young man, about mid 30s, sitting in at a desk, and heaved a sigh of relief that the rough old man would not be her teacher.
"You must be Kagome Higurashi." The man greeted her standing up from his desk. He walked over and gently shook Kagome's hand. "I'm your homeroom teacher Hojo. You may not remember me but I used to be a close friend of your family's. I haven't seen you since you were tiny." He said with a goofy smile on his face that resembled one an old uncle would give his niece. He led Kagome to one of the many empty desks and made a motion for her to sit. "You're lucky to arrive at the beginning of the year; our school is famous for its academic achievements. I hope you enjoy your first year of high school here."
Kagome sat down at the desk and took out the necessary materials for class and listened half heartedly to her teacher babble about class and study habits. She had an odd feeling, like she already knew this man from somewhere before. She brushed the feeling off as she accepted a few text books from him; after all, he said he knew her when she was little.
"About your health issues," as Hojo continued Kagome's head snapped up in shock "I received a folder on the situation and have been in contact with your specialist. I've been told what to look out for just incase you might get sick during class. I need you to come and tell me whenever you start to feel a little, well, funny. Ok?"
Kagome nodded and started intently at her desk. Hojo continued for a few more minutes until the bell rang to signal that it was time for homeroom to begin. Students came bustling into the class and sitting in the seats that they had been assigned and waited in an impatient manner for class to start.
The teacher stood at his desk and called for everyone to stand and then bow. After standing back up straight the whole class in unison called back "Good morning Hojo sensei."
Kagome pretended to listen for the most part of class, and entertained herself my staring out the window and onto the school grounds. The first day of school was just introduction, nothing important was ever done. The view from the window on the third floor of Kagome's class looked down upon the sports field; where unfortunate students who had physical education for their first period were running around a track. No one but her family and doctors had ever known about Kagome's condition before, and Kagome could barely even remember it from when she was young. She wasn't so sure that she liked this man she only just met knowing about it.
The rest of the class period was spent with Hojo and trying to remember all the students' names and passing out papers that required parent signatures; then the class paused as the bell rang for break period and lunch.
Kagome ate lunch alone at her desk, and ignored the rest of the class as they all gossiped about this and that; the cliques having formed a long time ago. She cleaned off her desk and exited the class to hunt down a bathroom and wash her hands. She had nearly circled the whole third floor before she found a bathroom that wasn't clustered with gibbering girls. As Kagome was washing her hands something caught her eye. She peered out the small window to see one girl on the track field running around, kicking and punching in a hurried frenzy. Kagome watched for a moment before exiting the restroom and towards her class. On her way she passed a group of chattering girls. Normally she wouldn't be interested in the conversation, but the girls were staring down at the same scene that she had been watching previously.
"That girl is such a nerd. Who practices like that during lunch where everyone can see? She is trying to show off." One girl said condescendingly.
"I heard she is the best in the school though." one girl commented.
"Yeah, at being a freak. Did you here the rumor about her? They say she attacked a teacher last year and called him a demon!" another chimed in.
Kagome had heard enough and walked away from the bunch. Last year? So that must have made the girl a second year, and a year older than Kagome. Kagome felt a pull towards the girl, a strange attraction; she wanted to get to know her. Kagome seemed to be having these types of feeling a lot more lately.
After school had dismissed Kagome made for the direction of the subway once again. This time headed for the middle of the swarming city. It took her about 20 minutes before she reached her destination, the specialist's office.
Kagome had been greeted by an overly friendly receptionist and was instructed to wait until the doctor was ready to see her. Kagome was a little surprised to find out that her doctor was not in a hospital or a clinic, but in a rented office space that resembled therapists' rooms. After a short wait, the receptionist called to her that she could now enter the office. Kagome slowly made her way across the room and to the door. She pushed it open stepping to the side, then closed it once more; letting anyone in the room know she had entered.
The office was large, complete with several bookshelves, a large couch, and some decorative plants. In the middle of the room was a large expensive looking oak desk, with a flat screen monitor on top. Sitting in front of the extravagant desk was a rather large old woman; older than Kagome's grandmother. She had a black woman's business suit on, and her long grey hair was up in a stiff bun, balanced on the top of her head.
"Please have a seat. My name is Dr. Kaede, and I'm going to be your main doctor for the next year." She said and motioned for Kagome to have a seat on the couch. Kagome sat down on the soft couch and looked timidly around the room.
"Well, I already know who you are, so that ends introductions. Why don't we get started? I'm going to ask basic questions first, your name, age; then we will move on to some more specific questions. This alright?" Dr. Kaede asked, flipping through one of the many files sitting on the desk. Kagome assumed it was hers.
The woman intimidated Kagome. She had an aura about her that screamed 'professional' and she was rather 'cut to the chase'. But Kagome did nod slightly, and Dr. Kaede smiled at her; the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth crinkling, making her appear older.
"Alright then, what is your full name?" she asked looking down at the file in her hand.
"Kagome Higurashi." She stated, the first time she spoken after entering the room.
"And your age?"
"15"
"What is your father's name? Your mother's?"
"Souta Higurashi, and um… I have forgotten my mother's name. She left when I was 5." As Kagome spoke her voice wavered slightly.
Kaede looked up at Kagome for a moment before flipping through her papers to another page in the file. "You were 5 at the time? That would be about when your seizures first started correct?" she asked, jotting down notes at a fast pace.
"Um, yeah. But I can't remember them. I can't remember my mother leaving either. I only know what my Dad and the records say about the illness."
Kaede humphed and wrote down a few more notes before setting down the file and looking sternly at Kagome. "Well it's not strange that you don't remember the attacks or your mother; you were very young and the seizures could have affected your memories. About the seizures, it's not an "illness" Kagome. You have been tested for epilepsy as well as many other diseases that could cause or be related to the seizures. You have not tested positive for any of them. I'm assuming no one has bothered to thoroughly explain this to you before, so I shall brief you on the situation."
Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't think it was very serious at all, but this woman obviously saw her attacks as some sort of life threatening situation. It unnerved her.
"A seizure is a sudden surge of electricity through the brain; it usually effects how a person acts for a short period of time. During your seizures you become unconscious and your body convulses violently for a few minutes before you regain consciousness. You have a more serious form of seizure; more often they are small, and barely noticeable. Seeing as you obviously do not have one of the many diseases that seizures are usually symptoms of, I have been recruited to investigate. I believe that maybe your seizures could be caused by a memory, or a thought; perhaps a traumatizing event when you were small that could trigger the electric surge."
Kagome was feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the information that Kaede was feeding her. After giving it a moment to sink in, she felt a little more secure. She knew what Kaede was looking for. It wasn't a very large piece of information, but it did comfort her somewhat. A memory? Kagome didn't have any of those. She couldn't remember her grandfather's death, or her mother leaving. What else was there?
After another 45 minutes of questioning, Kaede told Kagome that today's session was over. At that moment Kagome remembered something that she had wanted to tell Kaede.
"Um, Dr. Kaede is fainting a symptom of… um, whatever's wrong with me?" she asked picking up her school bag from where she discarded it on the floor.
"Fainting, possibly. Did you have a seizure more recently than the one two weeks ago?"
"No, well… at least I don't think I did. I didn't wake up feeling sick and I didn't um…" she gestured to her lower body, to embarrassed to mention the wetting that had occurred last time. Kaede nodded for her to continue. "All I remember is standing in the woods near my house, and then my dad was holding me. He said it had been hours since had gone… I don't even remember fainting."
"Well it might have been an affect from the fits you'd had, you could have still been fatigued from the trip and not used to the new surrounding; which is more likely. I wouldn't worry too much about it this time; it sounds more like you took a nap. But if it does happen again be sure to let me know." Kaede said smiling up reassuringly at Kagome, her face wrinkled with expression.
"Alright, thank you." Kagome said politely before opening the door to exit the room.
"Oh yes, Kagome, your scheduled to visit me every day this week, same time. After that you will only be coming by on Mondays and Thursdays."
"Oh, ok. Good bye." Kagome stepped out of the office and closed the door firmly behind her. The specialist was much different that she had assumed she would be. Although she had a strict appearance and was very to the point, she seemed laid back and kind; much like her grandmother.
Kagome made the 20 minute trip home safely. Somewhat jostled around by the older teens out for parties and fun, but safely. She walked home and was about 3 blocks from the shrine when the sun began to set. As Kagome neared the shrine the trees looked eerie and frightening, illuminated by the sinking sun.
She walked up the long stairs to the gather of old fashioned buildings at the top. After she passed them all she began to feel panicked. A sense of fear washing over her. She quickened her steps in a rush to get to the small house hidden behind the wooded area. She stopped as she reached the path that led to the monstrous tree. Having felt welcoming and calm earlier, the tree now frightened Kagome. She was too afraid to take a step pass it, and stared at it looming in the distance.
Kagome took a shaky breath and began to scold herself. "It's just a tree kagome!" she told herself. "It's not going to hurt you. It's inanimate for pity sake!"
And with that said Kagome ran off at top speed toward the house, with her bag clutched tightly to her chest as if it would protect her.
A/n: yes I know, much shorter than the first chapter. Please forgive me. I have great plans for this story! Please anticipate a quick update!
If you read it, review it, it's only polite. And if you don't want to be polite I will just have to take you over my knee and teach you some manners! Flames? Yummy spicy!
Beta: My dear and lovely Tina