Chapter 2: locking the door to the past
Kagome sat by herself on the steps of the well house sobbing relentlessly into her hands. It had been three months since she had completed the shikon jewel with the help of all her friends from the feudal era. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and Inuyasha. She missed them. She had tried to get through the well dozens of times since she returned, but it was no use. It looked like she would never get a chance to see her friends again and she didn't even get a chance to say good bye.
It didn't make any sense! She had the shikon no tama so why wouldn't the well let her back into the feudal era? They had finally completed the shikon jewel. After all this time, after two years of constant fighting they had found every last shard. It was time to make their wish, and nobody could be sure what would happen so Kagome insisted on going home to see her family first, and for the first time in the three years she had known him Inuyasha hadn't protested. Kagome had spent a week with her family knowing that after they made their wish the jewel might disappear and she might be unable get home. She was prepared for that possibility, however she was not prepared for the fact that she would never get back to the feudal era. That was her true home. Where ever Inuyasha and the others were was where she belonged and Kagome knew it.
It looked like a life in the feudal era was impossible. It was time to leave her old life behind and move on. Kagome curled her fingers around the shikon no tama from where it hung on a cord around her neck. It pulsed softly in response to her touch. The feel of its power filled her with comforting warmth as its energy coursed gently through her veins.
'Quite the souvenir' Kagome mused grimly.
It looked like she was stuck with the damn thing. She would have to protect it the same way Kikyou did before she died the first time. Kagome figured she was getting off easy as the guardian of the shikon no tama; it wasn't as if her time was crawling with demons. So far she had only run into some incredibly weak demons and a few angry ghosts.
With one last longing glance at the old well Kagome left the past behind and said her final good byes to her old life, after all she still had her future to contend with. Kagome shut the door to the well house with silent tears running freely down her cheeks. She took the pad lock that she had gotten from the hard ware store and for the first time in her life she locked the door to the past. She knew that if she didn't put a lock on the door she would be jumping down that well every day for the rest of her life. She refused to put herself through that kind of grief. It was time to let go.
Kagome took a deep breath and forced herself to stop crying. Once she got her tears under control she turned and walked back toward the house, vowing not to cry as she passed the goshinboku tree. The tears filling her eyes betrayed her as she was instantly reminded of the first time she saw Inuyasha pinned to its braud trunk, with Kikyous arrow buried deep in his heart. She remembered every time she had seen him perched lazily amongst the goshinbokus branches, his silver hair and bright red hakima easy to spot amongst the soft green leaves. Three hundred years and the only things still standing were the well and the goshinboku. Everyone was gone now and Kagome was all-alone.
Kagome couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She changed direction and headed for the shrine steps, running as fast as she could. She flew down the steps taking them two at a time and dashing past her startled mother.
"Kagome where are you going?" her mother called
"I'm going out, I'll be back later." Kagome yelled back over her shoulder without stopping. She didn't want her mother to know she was crying.
She dashed down the main street as fast as she could, barely avoiding a cyclist who was heading in the opposite direction. She ran past countless houses, zigzagging down random streets, not really knowing or caring where she was going. She plowed past a crowd of girls from her high school, barely noticing when a girl yelled a few choice curses at her. She darted past convenience stores, gas stations, but she was half blind to the modern world as she lost her self in her memories of the past. She imagined herself surrounded by towering oak trees and thick ferns, grass taking the place of this ocean of asphalt. The pure, untainted air of the past. She pictured Inuyasha running swiftly at her side. She ran until her lungs burned and she was too tired to cry. Kagome was not sure how long she had been running but the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky warm shades of pink and orange.
Kagome finally stopped and took in her surroundings. She was standing by the big fountain outside the mall, a few miles from the shrine. She had run farther in the feudal era on several occasions but today she was exhausted, physically and emotionally. She tossed a ten-yen piece into the water and made a silent wish before taking a seat on the edge of the fountain. She was sitting by herself trying to catch her breath when she heard an all too familiar voice.
"Hi Kagome chan!"
"Hello Hojo kun." Kagome replied weakly.
"Are you feeling all right Kagome? You look a little faint." Hojo asked as he took a seat next to Kagome on the fountain and gently put his hand to her forehead.
"I'm fine Hojo kun, I just decided to go out for a jog." She assured him with her most perfect fake smile.
"Oh that's good, you need lots of exercise to keep you healthy."
"Yeah, I guess so."
There was a long silence as Kagome stared longingly at the sky. She had sat under similar sunsets with Inuyasha and the others. It was strange how after a few near death experiences in the feudal era she had learned to appreciate the small things. She always basked in the colors of the evening sky because she knew Naraku could always get the better of them, and that sunset could be the last one she ever saw. Every moment on this earth was precious to her and she learned to stop seeing herself as a part of life and instead started seeing life as a part of her. But in the past she always had so many battles to fight, she had the jewel to complete, Naraku had to be defeated, she had her friends to fight for. Life was hard, but she had so much to live for. With no more battles to be won what did she have to live for now? All her friends were long gone by now, along the vast majority of the demon population.
After a while Hojo finally spoke.
"You seem kinda down about something Kagome chan, you wanna talk about it?"
"Not really, but thanks for asking Hojo kun." Kagome replied with a weak smile. She wasn't quite sure how exactly she could explain her problem to Hojo without mentioning demons, magic wells, and an immensely powerful marble that she was apparently destined to defend from evil.
Hojo gave her an understanding smile and nodded.
"If you don't want to talk than I wont bother you about it, but you could go see a movie with me. Maybe it would get your mind off of whatever's bothering you."
Kagome opened her mouth, prepared to turn him down but she changed her mind before she could say any thing.
"If you don't want too I'll understand." Hojo added
"No Hojo kun I'd love too." Kagome said quickly when she saw the look of disappointment in her friend's eyes."
"Really? That's great!" Hojo exclaimed, jumping to his feet and holding out his hand to help Kagome up.
"What do you want to see Hojo kun?" Kagome asked as she took Hojos hand and let him help her rise.
"Well it's getting late, so whatever's playing the soonest I guess." Hojo replied.
Kagome nodded and followed him into the mall. They walked up to the ticked booth together and read the show times.
"Mr. Amphibian?" Hojo asked incredulously.
"Eight o' clock, looks like that's the last movie their showing." Kagome said with a nod.
"Umm… might be interesting." Hojo shrugged. "Two tickets for 'Mr. Amphibian' please." Hojo said as he pushed 1400 yen towards the ticket lady.
She smiled and handed him two tickets. "Third door on your left."
"Want some popcorn or something Kagome chan?" Hojo asked.
"Sure, thanks" she replied.
"You can go find us a seat and I'll go get us some snacks, what kind of soda do you like?"
"Umm… root beer I guess."
"Ok then I'll meet you in the theater Kagome chan."
Kagome nodded and went to go find good seats. The theater was suspiciously empty. There were only about five other people, all sitting very close to the front row, and all carrying that comic book junkie image. Kagome sighed and settled herself down in the back row. A few minutes later Hojo appeared with the drinks and a gigantic bag of popcorn. He sat down next to Kagome and handed her drink to her and put the popcorn between them.
The movie soon started and the theater got quiet. Kagome paid half attention to the under funded movie, munching on movie popcorn and allowing her mind to wonder. The movie didn't seem to have much of a plot. As far as Kagome could gather it was about some sort of superhero frog man that was sort of like what Jaken would look like if he were as tall as Sesshomeru. The effects were utter crap and it was pretty obvious that the guy had painted clay on his face to make him look weird, and the rest of his body was pretty much normal. The frog man thing seemed to be fighting crime to impress a mechanic lady.
"Step aside VILLAN! I, Mr. Amphibian shall defeat you!" the frog thing declared.
One of the guys in the front row shot Kagome a glare as she burst into hysterical laughter.
"Nothing shall beat my amphibious powers!" Mr. Amphibian cried as he charged into a group of thugs wearing identical stripy blue and yellow shirts and ski masks.
Every time he landed a punch huge green letters would appear across the screen: POW, WHAM, SMACK, etc. Kagome and Hojo were laughing so hard tears were forming in there eyes. The other people in the theater were muttering angrily to themselves. When the movie was over Hojo walked along side Kagome, grinning in satisfaction at the vague shadow of a smile in her eyes, it was faint, but it was definitely there.
"That was by far the worst movie I have ever seen in my life." Hojo commented. "But I had lots of fun, how about you Kagome chan?"
"Yes it was fun Hojo kun, thanks for inviting me." Kagome replied with a genuine smile.
"Of course Kagome chan! It wouldn't have been any fun without you. We'll have to do it again sometime." Hojo exclaimed returning the smile.
"I'd like that Hojo kun."
Stars were beginning to dot the black sky; and the moon was high in the sky, half hidden by clouds. The air was crisp and cool; a slight breeze was rustling the leaves of the few trees outside the mall. There were few cars in the parking lot, and Hojo and Kagome were the only ones outside.
"Jeeze, its almost eleven. Your parents aren't going to be upset that you were out so late are they?" Hojo asked.
"No my mom wont mind" Kagome replied
'She didn't seem too concerned with me going back in time with a half demon who had attempted to kill me the first time we met. Nor did she mind me running around ancient Japan battling bloodthirsty demons night and day. I think I can handle walking around down town at eleven at night.' Kagome thought to herself humorlessly.
"Well, the least I can do is walk you home." Hojo said
"Oh, your gonna protect me from danger Hojo kun?"
"Something like that."
"My hero." Kagome laughed.
"Well umm… I think the bus stop is over this way Kagome chan." Hojo said, blushing.
They waited at the bus stop, chatting about Mr. Amphibian until the bus came. Hojo dropped 100 yen in the coin slot and they sat down near the back of the bus. While on the bus they sat in companionable silence, looking out the window at the quiet street.
"Well, this is my stop." Kagome said.
"Do you want me to walk you the rest of the way?" Hojo asked.
"No that's ok Hojo kun, the shrine is only a few blocks from here. Thanks for offering though."
"Are you sure Kagome chan?"
"I'm sure Hojo kun."
"Bye then Kagome chan. See you at school."
"Bye Hojo kun."
Kagome got off the bus and headed towards the shrine. She climbed back up the steps and felt the all to familiar tug at her heart as she passed the goshinboku tree. She quietly opened the front door and snuck up to her room. Kagome crawled under the blankets, not bothering to change into her pajamas, and was asleep in minutes.