"Thank you and come again!" Kagome heard the girl at the register say cheerily to a customer who had bought from them. Kagome watched as the older woman walked out of the store with a bag in her hand. The bell rang as she opened the door to leave.
She sighed as she flipped her arm up so her long sleeve would move aside to reveal the silver watch she'd gotten for her 22nd birthday.
5:57...
It was almost time to close up shop and Kagome looked around. It was an art store, though small it had anything that anyone doing a project could need. They sold cloth, where Kagome worked, and various other art supplies. Everything from thread to paint to poster board...
"Kagome, I'm leaving okay?" Yukino said as she grabbed her bag from under the counter, she smiled up at Kagome who smiled back at her, although it held no happiness.
"That's fine with me Yukino-chan, I'll lock up today. Go home before it gets dark, I don't like you traveling all the way home at nighttime." Worry flashed in Kagome's blue-gray eyes as she talked to the youth.
Yukino waved it aside, "I'll be fine Kagome-san. Honestly you're like a second mother sometimes. You really should stop taking care of other people and care for yourself."
And with a final wave Yukino left the shop, flipping the 'closed' sign on the door when she left. She met with someone at the door, gave him a hug and left with him.
Yukino's words hung in Kagome's mind as she finished with recording the sales of the day and putting all of the things in order. 'Care for yourself' flashed in her thoughts and she willed away the tears that were in danger of forming.
She had been a wreck when she had first came back from the well, the jewel was inside her now and she was able to travel through the well for a while. But after a couple of times of using it for visits to her friends Sango, Miroku and Shippo, she began to notice that the well hesitated before giving her access to the portal.
It became harder and harder to travel through the well and she left instructions for her friends, treating every visit like it was the last one they would have. Eventually that became true and the well wouldn't let her through anymore, jewel or not. She was in pain emotionally with the loss of Inuyasha and then with the loss of her best friends she was torn. Her heart became the punching bag for the gods of fate.
For a while simple everyday things would give her the worst pain ever. Her heart would stop beating at the sight of anything red for a while. Every cat she saw reminded her in some way of Kirara. Any child, especially if they had red hair made her ache for the little kitsune Shippo. Any young couple reminded her of Miroku and Sango and arrows reminded her of Kikyo.
The painful thoughts had made Kagome almost throw in the towel. She had become suicidal after losing her friends and her love. She couldn't take it anymore but then she remembered a certain man who had saved her from her willingness to die once before.
Sesshoumaru was on her mind often, although she had lost him too she felt like he was still with her. Sometimes she had the feeling he was right behind her watching her every move. She remembered the look on his face when they'd parted and it made her laugh when she was sad. She really wouldn't be with the living without him, he'd saved her more times than he'd tried to kill her.
It was odd really, if her heart wasn't so numb she'd think that she was in love with the youkai lord. She was studying about the past, hoping to become a professor on the subject of feudal Japan. This job she had at the store was just to keep her busy, an excuse not to go out.
She'd researched in every library to look for Sesshoumaru's name somewhere and couldn't find it. Despite his status in that time period he was never mentioned, probably for a good reason though. Even in legends he wasn't mentioned and eventually she gave up.
Kagome reached for the switch to turn off the lights and closed the door then locked it behind her. She pulled on her coat and breathed into the cold December air. A cloud formed but she was unmoved and shoved her hands into her pockets as she walked down the street.
Another day just like the rest of them, she was on vacation right now from school and it was getting harder to figure out what to do with all the extra time.
So she decided to work and work and work some more...
A woman stood leaning against a wall watching the door to the art store intently. Her gaze was covered by the sunglasses she wore and she waited patiently for a certain person. Her eyes focused on a woman slinging a bag over her shoulder and walking through the door, "not her" she muttered to herself as the girl turned around and gave the man who had been waiting for her a hug then walked away with him.
The woman sighed as she glanced at her watch, it was silver and contrasted greatly with the black gloves she wore. Her entire wardrobe was black, her trench coat didn't look like it kept her warm but she didn't seem to be cold at all. It was open and revealed a black shirt and black slacks that covered black polished shoes. Her hair was black and very long, it flowed down to her back and was held with a silver hair band three inches from the bottom.
A man walked by her and looked her over then licked his lips. He reached out to grab her arm and with a sly and suggestive grin spoke. "Hey honey wanna come with me? I'll show you a good time" he wagged his eyebrows and moved closer to her, trying to steal a kiss.
She took off her glasses in a swift movement and stared the man down, her emerald eyes flickered silver a second and it made him take a step back. She glared at him and ground out in her most sinister voice, "if you touch me again I will make sure that you will never be able to have a 'good time' ever again have I made myself clear?" She raised her eyebrow and glared at him a bit longer, when he didn't move (she supposed it was because of fright) she growled and bared her fangs at him.
She laughed as his trail of dust billowed behind him and slowly got smaller and smaller. With a quick flick of her wrist her glasses were back on her face and she looked back at the door, a small smile still lingering on her face. It disappeared as she saw the woman she had been waiting for leave the building.
The woman put on her coat as she finished locking the door to the small shop. She breathed a breath out and it became a large cloud. She looked as if she were deep in thought and her gaze never moved from directly in front of her as she walked at a steady pace through the streets.
She seemed so absorbed in her thoughts and didn't seem to notice that the woman in black had been following her. As she rounded a corner the black figure followed only to see that who she was supposed to be following had disappeared. She looked around to make sure that she hadn't crossed the street or something.
She then felt a presence behind her and a cold voice to accompany it.
"It's not nice to follow people you know."
The woman took a sharp intake of breath, showing her surprise then grinned. "Oh you're good Lady Kagome, very good."
And she disappeared...
Kagome had been a bit perplexed at the sudden disappearance of the woman who had become her stalker and the fact that she apparently knew her name already. Kagome wasn't worried though, she knew how to take care of herself if the occasion called for it.
She walked to the store, lost in her thoughts and ignoring the male populace that seemed to be becoming increasingly annoying by the day. She wasn't technically supposed to be working today but there was nothing else she had to do.
Her mother had moved with her new husband to Tomoeda with his young daughter and Souta was away for school. Grandfather had ended up in the hospital and eventually died there two years ago. His doctor tried to comfort them in their loss and that was how her mother had met her new husband.
She was offered to move with them but she'd refused, giving them her blessings and telling her mother she'd visit and promise to call and write. She didn't have a problem with her new step-father or step-sister, in fact they were wonderful and both she and Souta were happy that their mother could find happiness again.
She opened the door to the store and was greeted by the bell that always sounded when the door was opened. She looked around to see that no one was there and was about to call out when a young woman about her age popped up from behind the register. Her hair covered her face until she swept it back and Kagome gasped softly.
"Can I help you miss?" Chocolate eyes stared happily into her own dull blue-gray ones.
Kagome choked, same brown hair, same brown eyes, same voice. Her eyes filled again and she could feel the tears and smell the familiar scent of salt as the silent tears dripped down her cheek and near her nose.
"Are you okay miss?" The woman rushed over to Kagome and wrapped what was supposed to be a comforting arm around her shoulders.
Kagome sobbed louder and tried to push away, it hurt. She was exactly like her, same caring manner, same comforting touch, same sisterly affection, same... everything. And it really hurt, a lot. All she needed now was for her boyfriend to be a hentai...
"What is your name?" Kagome choked out through a lump in her throat.
The girl blinked, obviously confused and gathered herself. "My name's Ruri, what's making you so sad?"
Kagome immediately froze, she couldn't possibly tell this girl the truth, tell her that in her past life they were like sisters and that she had a younger brother that she had loved dearly. She couldn't possibly tell this girl that it had broken her heart when the well wouldn't let her through so she could see the first child that Miroku and her past self, Sango were to have together.
No, she couldn't possibly...
"I'm fine, I work here too and I was wondering if baa-san, I mean Tsubasa-san, is here?" Kagome's eyes were back to normal, not a trace of her tears were left and this worried Ruri.
Kagome's eyes held bitter sadness and a deep guilt that she seemed to be suffering from for a long time.
"I'm here child," the old woman, the owner of the shop, appeared from the back room.
Kagome opened her mouth to greet the older woman but she beat her to it.
"You may not work today," the woman's voice was firm and final.
"Demo baa-san-" Kagome protested.
"No buts, I don't want to hear it today Kagome-chan. You need to go out and live. You're always at school or here or at the library doing research." The old woman walked up to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, her kind gray eyes grandmother-like.
The door rang as a new customer entered the store. The women turned to greet the customer only to see a figure in black standing in the doorway. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she had a smirk on her face, one that showed confidence.
Kagome stiffened at the sight of the woman from last night. She instinctively pushed Ruri behind her and glared down the smirking woman before them.
"Kagome-sama, if you would come with me" she said calmly. The voice seemed more familiar than it was last night. She couldn't place it but she knew she'd heard that voice somewhere before.
Tsubasa stepped up and with a smile on her face looked at the stranger. "You're here for Kagome-chan? I didn't know she had friends, she's not working today so I guess we'll see you in a couple of days ne Kagome-chan?" She said to Kagome.
Kagome's eye twitched slightly at the woman's blindness to the tension between her and the new-comer in black. Kagome nodded and said a goodbye to them, brushing past the woman in black and walking a distance from the store. After she turned into a park she stood in front of a lone bench that was under a cherry tree.
"What is it you want with me?" Kagome said with a suspicious gaze she'd taken from Sango.
The woman smiled a softer smile than those she'd seen. She seemed younger then and the tension evaporated, Kagome's brow relaxed and she became calm. Something about this woman was very familiar...
"You don't remember me-?" The woman bent her head and reached for her hair and pulled it up. She took off the glasses with her other hand, still holding the mass of black hair back with her left hand. She smiled at Kagome again and muttered, "jog your memory?"
And it hit Kagome like a bag of bricks... It was Keiseki, the woman who had healed her all those years ago. She looked the same, beautiful with her ebony hair and emerald eyes. Her skin was more pale now, not the rich dark colour she'd had when she'd first met the healer from the past.
"K-Keiseki-san? Is it really possible-?" She muttered as she felt emotions struggling to be let loose.
Keiseki nodded and let her hair down, letting it frame her pretty face once more.
"So, if you're alive then that means..." Kagome choked on the rest of her sentence.
Keiseki smirked and pointed to a car that pulled up from some corner. "That is where your answer lies. If you want to you may come with me to see your dear friend..." She turned on her heel and walked toward the car.
Kagome couldn't take it, she'd been mourning over the loss of her friends since she'd lost contact with them three years ago. Now she had a chance to revisit the past, to see what became of her family in the past and figure out what she saw in Sesshoumaru and she wasn't going to leave this option unexplored.
She walked to the car that gleamed in the midday sun and the door opened for her. She looked up to Keiseki who was getting in the passenger seat. Keiseki gave her a nod and disappeared into the car.
Kagome ducked her head and peered inside, she saw a pair of long legs and that was all. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath then moved into the car.
There he was, Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western lands of Sengoku Jidai. She gasped, not fully prepared to see the sight that had greeted her. She unceremoniously threw herself at him, crying and hugging his middle.
It was improper and completely rude, but she didn't care. She hadn't seen anyone from the past for so long and here was the man who she owed her life to. He looked different and yet, the same. His eyes were more hazel than gold and his hair was a platinum blonde and cut short. He wore silver spectacles on his nose and wore a business suit.
Besides the differences she could tell that it was Sesshoumaru. His face hadn't aged a day since she'd seen him, his pale skin stood out against all of the black that surrounded him. She could almost see the markings that were supposed to adorn his face.
"Sesshoumaru" she half sobbed.
He reached out a hand and wiped at her tears, it was an odd feeling. He hadn't touched anyone intimately in a long time. Not since Rin...
He stared into her water filled eyes and offered her a half-smile. He'd been waiting for her to come back from the well the final time, and then for her to heal. It'd been hard, watching her and not being able to let her see him. Over the hundreds of years he watched his lands become overtaken by the ningen, they invented Tanegashima and youkai were easily killed off.
He learned to disguise himself and interacted with the ningen populace, making himself rich by building a company. He'd been lonely though, all of his people were almost completely gone with the exception of a few and Jaken finally died, making him realize what an asset he had been.
When he'd left Kagome at the well he'd felt a certain longing for her that he'd thought would go away, but it didn't. She'd been in the back of his mind for centuries and he waited impatiently for the right time to talk to her.
While he waited he watched her live her life and soon her powers developed and she could sense him easily. He needed to back off so he sent Keiseki instead. Her ki was much lower than his was and it wouldn't be as familiar to Kagome so she was the perfect one to watch over Kagome.
Now that he had her here he wouldn't let her go easily. He wanted to explore the affect she'd had on him and find a reason why. At this point he respected her and wanted to comfort her but he didn't know how. He didn't need to comfort Rin much, she had felt safe and protected with him so there was no need for him to show much affection. Rin had taught him to love though, even if it was fatherly love he still felt it. Even beyond her death.
"Sesshoumaru, how-?" Kagome muttered, still clinging to his arm and looking like a lost child.
He looked down at her like he would look down at Rin, a soft look that he reserved just for the two of them. "Hush, I'll explain later. There is something else you need to know but in order for me to tell you we need to go to my home."
She nodded into his arm and the car moved, funny, she didn't remember closing the door. It didn't really matter now anyway. She was floating in her seat, being around Sesshoumaru made her feel like she was floating. She'd never felt this happy and sad in a while.
Sesshoumaru reminded her that there was someone who would understand her in this world and help her ease her pain.
She felt exhausted, she'd cried too much today, seen too much, heard too much. All of the information spun in her head and she never let go of Sesshoumaru's arm. He must be upset that I'm clinging to him but I don't really care, I'm so tired all of a sudden...
She fell asleep and her even breathing echoed in the silent car. The divider in the car dropped and the cheery face of Keiseki appeared.
"Lord Sesshoumaru we- oh how kawaii!" She squealed as she saw Kagome sleeping on Sesshoumaru. Her head was pillowed on his thigh and his hand was rested on her head, stroking her hair absently.
When Keiseki opened her mouth Sesshoumaru realized what it looked like and glared at the squealing youkai maiden. She was practically immune to his glares after six centuries of dealing with them so she waved it off impatiently.
"We're here my lord, what should we do with Lady Kagome?"
Sesshoumaru glanced down at the miko from the past. "I'll carry her to the guest room in my wing" he looked up to Keiseki and saw her dialing the number to the house telling the servants to prepare the room for Kagome. She nodded when she was done and turned back to her seat, watching the scenery change.
They were going home and Kagome would finally have the answers she wanted...
A/N: Well the first chapter's done, I hope you enjoy this installment and please review. I know its a lot shorter than the prologue but that's because it was originally meant to be a one-shot and mine usually run to twelve pages...