Chapter 3: Sanity or Insanity?

Kaoru stared at the mirror and then she came to decide to just leave it here. The shrine had been here for many years already and wasn't destroyed, so what makes it that it's going to be gone the next day? She laughed at herself for worrying so and then exited the mini shrine she had been in for too long. Kaoru walked down the little path that led to the gate and opened it up to the street. She walked down the side walk thinking on what had happened to her for the last couple of days. She had spotted a strange boy on the way to school, followed him to a mini shrine, and found a large mirror that linked this time to the past. She was alone for a while until the strange boy and his brother had found her sleeping in the forest. Kaoru had found out that she was more then an average teen, but a Princess to put it simple and it was crazy at first but then she was actually starting to believe. That's why she had to leave the Feudal Era, if she had stayed, she was afraid to lose and disappoint everyone. The look on Dimowki's face when he first laid eyes on her, he was full of joy and all the rest of the wolf demons were happy that their Princess had come home but what expression should they express if she should fail? That's something she didn't want.

Kaoru began to slow down until she came to a complete halt. She looked behind her and could see the gate to the shrine faintly. She didn't know why but couldn't help feel so guilty that she could cry. Wasn't because deep down she knew she belonged there with them? Or was it because she was sick and tired of letting people down. When her father died in a battle against the Chinese, her mother was mourning for months and Kaoru didn't comfort her. She felt responsible for her father's death and didn't want her mother to know. Mani was there sometimes for their mother but mostly out with her friends, doing what ever pleased them. But after a couple of months, Kaoru broke down and cried along with her mother, and their mother and daughter relationship had grown stronger. Kaoru kept on walking and then she arrived at her little home on the corner of Rumiko Avenue, where the lights were out. She walked up to her bedroom window, opened it up, and slipped in without a single sound. She swung her covers over and found something she wouldn't suspect. Mani was sleeping in her bed and now what should she do? She panicked and just slipped in slowly and closed her eyes.

"Where the hell have you been?" out of the blue, a small murmur came from Mani.

"You're awake?" Kaoru began to sweat.

"Where the hell have you been Kaoru? Mom and I have been worried sick for the last two days. You just took off on the way to school and disappeared on me. You haven't called or came home. Where did you go?" Mani sat up turned on the lamp on the night stand.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me" Kaoru sat up as well.

"Try me" Mani crossed her legs and placed her hands on her knees.

"Mani what is all the talking in there?" Tamyoi came in and froze as she saw Kaoru sitting in bed with Mani.

"She's home mom. She just got in" Mani mumbled.

Tamyoi walked over to the bed and stared into her daughter's eyes. She rose her hand and smacked Kaoru in the face. Kaoru was set back and was shocked as ever. She lifted her hand and placed it on the spot where it stung. Tears began to over take her and they trickled down upon her soft skin to the edge of her chin. Tamyoi became weak in the knees and dropped to the ground while taking Kaoru in her arms. She stood on her knees and hugged her daughter tight. Kaoru was stunned and then gave into the hug. She could understand her mother's anger and sadness. She was gone for just enough time to make her mother so worried. Mani slithered by and got out of the bed to exit out of the room. Kaoru watched Mani as she did this and gave her a sad look and Mani saw it. She waved and left the room to go comfort her own bed in her own room. Kaoru closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly in her mother's arms and then Tamyoi set her down and covered her daughter in the blanket. Kaoru had the most amazing days of her life and she gave it all up and that took a little bit of her energy out of her so she fell asleep easy.

"Did she say anything to you when she was discovered?" Tamyoi walked into Mani's room and began to babble her mouth.

"Oh, mom. I'm tired. Can't we play twenty questions tomorrow when I'm actually able to focus?" Mani turned over to face the wall instead of her mother.

"So she did tell you where she was and what she was doing then" Tamyoi sat on the end of her oldest daughter's bed.

"You're so damn persistent aren't you? And no she didn't tell me where she was and what she was doing because she said I wouldn't believe her even if she told me. I'm not sure what that means but please mom, let me go to sleep. We'll ask her tomorrow at breakfast or something" Mani buried her self under her covers.

"Oh, okay. Fine don't tell me anything since I was the one worrying and crying while your sister decided to disappear" Tamyoi's voice cracked a little and then she was gone.

"Thank God she is gone!" Mani lastly said and fell right to sleep.

The midnight moon shone with brightness and the stars around it shone with plain to them. The wind in Kaoru's room was left open and the curtains that surrounded it wavered in the incoming wind. Kaoru shivered from the wind and covered her body with the comfort of the blanket even more. Her face became buried into the pillow below her head and she scrunched up like a worm or something. The moon lowered and then finally disappeared when the sun began to rise behind Mount Fuji. The great mountain in the distance received a beautiful light of colors that made it even more significant than it could ever be. White fluffy clouds were placed in the blue sky and the sun was a bright yellow light that brightened the whole city of Tokyo. Morning swept throughout Tokyo and the morning sun seeped through Kaoru's curtains like usual and she had awakened.

She sat up straight and placed a hand on her forehead and then got out of bed slowly. Was it all a dream? Did she dream all that nonsense last night and just waking up now. It had to be because it was so childish of her to dream about her being some Princess and having to save people. It was the only thing she could come up with. She went over to the window and opened the curtain all the way and stared at the city in front of her. The busy cars and people along the streets, buildings shining from the golden sun, and the sound of airlines over head. She was home and this is where her reality was kept. She began to hum a little melody and danced around and around, till she almost fell on her ass. She finally got dressed and she wore a white t-shirt with light blue jeans and kept her long black hair straight. She put on some black eye liner and that was it. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror and then frowned. In her supposedly dream, she had fallen into a mirror and was transported to a world she could never imagine to look upon. She could remember the last thing she said to the guy she dreamt about, and she could remember his face and the adorable eyes he gave her when he looked at her. Kaoru touched the mirror and nothing happened, she smiled and chuckled at this and then was off to the kitchen. She waltzed in with a great big smile and sat down at the table, awaiting for her breakfast.

Mani came in shortly and looked at her sister with a puzzled expression. She was happy? And why is she giving a grin so big? Mani took her seat and looked at her mother, who was busy at the stove. Kaoru began to hum and it was beginning to get on Mani's nerves and she was about to lash at her sister. Tamyoi came over and placed a plate in front of each daughter. Kaoru tug in and complemented their mother like always. Tamyoi began to wonder about her daughter and she wanted to know what was going on with her. After they finished, Kaoru stood up and began to leave the kitchen until Mani had stopped her from doing so. Tamyoi froze at this.

"What that hell Kaoru!" Mani shouted.

"What did I do now?" Kaoru stopped and turned to Mani's angry self.

"Aren't you going to tell us where you've been for the last two days?" her sister demanded.

"Huh? I've been here always except when I'm in school. What are you talking about?" Kaoru's eye brow rose and the other sank.

"Is she on drugs or what? She's out of control mother" Mani walked over to Kaoru and began to pull on her hair.

"MANI! Get off her!" Tamyoi shouted and Mani let go.

"That is enough. If Kaoru doesn't want to speak to her own mother with what she does then so be it. She can stay in her room until she does. Until then, Mani don't you even dare hurt her if she doesn't say anything" Tamyoi broke into tears and walked out of the room.

"You mean I didn't dream that dream?" Kaoru's eyes went wide and she sank to her knees.

"You thought you dreamt the whole disappearance then? You where gone for two days and mom has been worried sick. Kaoru you decide to come home last night and not tell her where you were and then today act like nothing happened. What is the matter with you girl?" Mani crouched down and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"I thought my whole experience in that time was a dream and I didn't mean to hurt you both. I didn't know how to get home but I did find my way home and now I don't know what is reality and make believe" Kaoru's head faced downward and continued that way.

"Time? You mean you traveled in time? Oh my goodness you have lost it!" Mani's arms flew up in the air as she stood up.

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me if I had told you. But still you don't know the whole story" Kaoru stood up as well and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well at least you remember our conversation we had last night after you came in through your own window" Mani sighed. "I suggest you to start talking to me before mom starts to call a psychologist or something. You can tell me anything you know. You don't have to hide anything from me and that's what I'm here for. Isn't it?"

"Yeah but it's going to totally sound idiotic to you so why bother?" Kaoru's put her hand on the back of her head and smiled.

"Just tell me already!" she was becoming impatient.

"Oh just leave me alone Mani. It's non or your business anyways" Kaoru left the kitchen and ran to her room down the hall and just the door.

"Open the damn door Kaoru!" Mani walked to her door and began to pound on it.

Kaoru opened the door and walked to her bed and sat down. Mani came in and sat next to her sister who was very confused at the moment. Mani was silent, ready for her sister to tell her what had happened to her in the past two days that she had disappeared. There was many things Mani could guess but she felt that this one was different. She interlocked hands and sat them on her lap, still waiting for a story to hear. Kaoru looked at her sister and knew that she wasn't going to leave her alone until she told her crazy story. She could just picture Mani making fun of her everyday of her life that she was crazy enough to think she had traveled through time, but that wasn't all. She was claimed to be some Princess and was meant to save demons from some villain demon, Darmoru. Kaoru sighed, and began to talk.

"Okay fine! If you want to know so bad, then what ever. Just don't make fun of me because I can prove it" Kaoru pointed her pointer finger in Mani's face and she had backed up.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! Just tell me now" Mani crossed her arms and was ready to listen.

"Well, on the corner of that what ever street we were on, I spotted some weird dressed fellow on the other side of the street. I was curious and just followed him to some mini shrine on some strange street I've never been through" Kaoru showed different emotions as she got into her own story. "Anyways, I followed him in but when I got into the shrine, he was gone! I searched for a door, window, escape root through the floors, and there was nothing. I fell and found a really big Buddha holding a large mirror in front of me. I gave up but decided to go back and I don't exactly know what happened, but I must have spaced out because I went right through the mirror. And I don't mean breaking it, I mean going into the mirror and not going through it. I guess I was going through the stream of time to another time period, and I did. The feudal era, and there I met two guys" Kaoru smiled as she said 'guys' because she was thinking of Rukk.

"Whoa, okay let me get this straight" Mani implied. "You're telling me you followed some stranger and you went through a mirror that was some kind of portal to another time? Is that all? Or is there more to this insanity?" Mani was shocked but didn't really show much of it.

"I'm afraid so. Well anyhow, they are wolf demons. They appear human but have some wolf likeness to themselves. Like pointy ears, fangs, more then ten times stronger in their ability of smell, hearing, and running. It's amazing. I also met their leader and he told me that I was a Princess that was going to save them from some demon named Darmoru" Kaoru was ready for the laughs but non came from Mani.

"If you're a Princess, then what the hell does that make me?" Mani grunted.

"I think you are my protector" Kaoru spat out but didn't even think that Mani was before until now.

"Okay I'm done asking silly questions to silly things" Mani stood up quickly and began to leave until Kaoru talked.

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me and you said you would. What the hell happened? Do you need proof? I'll give you proof if you need it. Just come with me to the mini shrine and help me get the mirror home" Kaoru's voice had tension to it and Mani was feeling bad.

"Fine then let's go. Go in my car and I'll be right there" Mani smiled and once Kaoru left, she collapsed onto the bed and closed her eyes, thinking how insane this was going to be.

Mani got up and was out the door in matter of minutes. She could see Kaoru's smiling face through the window of the car and she just rolled her eyes at this. She got in the car and started up the car. She adjusted her mirrors and then she put the car in reverse and started to pull out of the drive way. Once they were on the street, Mani put it back on drive and they started down the road of Rumiko Avenue, and then turned on the road where Kaoru had disappeared to days ago. They drove a little down the unfamiliar street and came to a halt, when Mani saw the mini shrine her sister had told her about. She couldn't believe it, the shrine was there but now its all on if Kaoru could really pass through time like she said she could. Mani parked her car on the side curb, and Kaoru hopped out of the car and was already half way down the path that led to the shrine. Mani was speechless but kept forward to make her sister happy. They got to the door and Kaoru opened it. It was dark like before and Kaoru came prepared this time and brought a large flash light for them. She shined the flashlight to the back and a Buddha came into the picture and so did the mirror. Except the mirror was being held, it was leaning on the Buddha and it wasn't large like Kaoru had said. Kaoru smiled nervously and said she had shrunk the mirror with little of her powers before she left the shrine for home. Mani sank to her knees and shook her head in disbelief. It was just too idiotic for belief. She looked at her sister and Kaoru was frowning. Kaoru looked at the mirror and crouched in front of it. She touched the mirror part of it and it was solid. Mani looked at her watch, that glowed bright for her to see the numbers, it was nine o'clock and she could have been in bed sleeping still instead of doing this.

Back in the Feudal Era:

"Kaoru? Oh no she went back home!" Rukk came out and stared at the mirror.

"You lost the Princess all ready brother?" Rakoru came out from the brushes and slapped Rukk on the back.

"NO! She just went back home" Rukk frowned.

"Then go get her, baka" Rakoru shoved his brother in front of the mirror.

"I was just about to do that, so you didn't have to push me" Rukk shot back.

"Will you just go get her already. Dimowki wont be please if he finds out that you lost our only hope to being saved from the bastard Darmoru" Rakoru closed his eyes and then opened one of them to see what his brother was going to do.

Rukk walked right into the mirror but was rejected and was shot backward with a large thrust of power. Rakoru stumbled back and then stood up straight, laughing at his brother's rejection. He this time went into the mirror but was also rejected and landed next to his brother.

"What the hell happened?" Rakoru asked his brother who was getting back up shortly he had fallen.

"Something is wrong with the other mirror in her time. It's unbalanced some how. She must have made the mirror a different size or I would have been able to pass through already. Humph" Rukk was standing and helped his brother up.

"Now what?" Rakoru dusted the dirt off his clothing.

"We have to tell Dimowki or we wont ever get her back and we will suffer under Darmoru's abusive power" Rukk began to head out and Rakoru following.

"He is not going to be happy with you Rukk" Rakoru stated.

"ME? What did I do?" Rukk shouted.

"You let her near the damn mirror and she went through to her time because you are so damn stupid!" Rakoru implied and they nothing else was said because it was sort of Rukk's fault and he didn't want to argue anymore.

Back with Kaoru and Mani:

"Come on Kaoru. You showed me, now let's go. You must have passed out from bad odor or just hit your head while you were in here. You probably hit your head so bad, that it knocked you out for two whole days. That must have happened" Mani said and began to leave.

"I didn't! I went through the damn mirror. Can't you just believe me on this for once. Can't you be the big sister and help me on this. Help me get this mirror back home and I'll show you that I can pass through the dumb mirror!" Kaoru was hysterical.

"That would be stealing Kaoru. This isn't our shrine so let's go home now" Mani replied hatefully.

"This shrine was abandoned and so we can take the damn mirror. Now help me get it into your car and home" Kaoru continued to shout as she clutched the rim of the mirror on each side. "Why can't this mirror just be it's normal size and then I can pass?" with that the mirror began to glow, along with Kaoru.

"Kaor..Kaoru?" Mani's eyes went wide and the light conjured up from Kaoru became blinding. "Kaoru stop! Stop with this! You are beginning to scare the crap out of me!" Mani fell on her back and stayed down till the light had gone.

To be continued...