Chapter Forty-One: Family Portrait
A brilliant rectangle of white, the late morning sunlight shined through the wellhouse's open doorway, giving depth to the darkness within. The soft light illuminated the cascading steps that ended with a ring of black dirt embedded with fossilized bone fragments. And at its center, a square-shaped well jutted upwards from the ground.
At its bottom and in the coolness that felt damp even though it was as dry as the desert, Kagome stood. Lightly with her shoe, she prodded at the dirt that filled the ancient well, digging a shallow divot and then covering it up again. Back and forth, she paced within its narrow confines, gouging the ground and smoothing it over.
"What am I hoping for?" she whispered to herself as she erased another divot with the sweep of her shoe. Her heart wanted to burrow its way into the past, but her mind knew better and buried it again. Deep and weary, a sigh heaved her chest and she nudged the dirt once more.
A tall silhouette filled the wellhouse doorway.
"Kagome?" Mama called out. "Are you in here?"
"Yeah, mama," she answered back and hastily evened out the ground with her shoe.
Footfalls thumped down the stairs and Kagome looked up, waiting for her mother's face to appear over the lip of the well.
"Are you there?" Mama asked as she spied down, squinting into the shadowy depths. "I can't see you."
"I'm here," she assured. "It takes a little while for eyes to get used to the darkness."
She smiled gently. "Trying to dig your way back?"
"N-No…" Kagome stuttered, unnerved by her mother's intuition and thankful that she couldn't see her blush.
She raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Maybe…" Her gaze returned to the well bottom and she sighed. "I don't know. Even though I was doing the asking, I wasn't ready for Sesshoumaru to suddenly be forthcoming about the past this morning. Ever since we unsealed him, I've pressured him about what happened after Naraku's defeat and he always brushed me off."
"The shame and self-loathing that he was carrying wasn't an easy thing to talk about," Mama reassured, the warmth of her voice deepening. "So, I would say that it's a testament to your patience and your forgiveness that he finally felt comfortable expressing it at all. Perhaps you both needed to grow as empathetic people before his pain could be shared."
"I suppose," Kagome said, smiling softly. "I just wish there was more."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure that he's divulged everything that he knows. And since he's not really the type to be disingenuous, even in the past when he was a jerk, then somehow future-me is there when this youkai plague happens."
"Ah."
She chuckled to herself. "It's funny. I came down here to see if the well would work. If it had, in its own unpredictable fashion, decided that I'm allowed to go back and visit my friends. Heck, I'm even digging in the dirt with my shoe as if that's ever worked." She looked back up into her mother's eyes. "But in all honesty, I'm weirdly happy that nothing has happened. No lights. No magic. Just darkness."
"Whether or not the information is incomplete, you learned a lot this morning. It's no wonder that your feelings have become mixed up and difficult to sort out."
"It's more than that."
"Oh?"
"Even though the Sengoku Jidai is a real time that took place in our nation's past, it has always been hard for me to think of the world at the other end of this well as being connected to my home here. It was just so different. Sure, it had Goshinboku and Mount Fuji. Even the same star constellations in the sky. But there was also all this supernatural stuff that wasn't the same here. Terrifying youkai, empowered priestesses, and enchanted weapons. I mean, we fought and defeated a bad guy who wiped out countless villages. He killed hundreds, if not thousands, of people, and there's no record of it."
"But it did exist here in this place," Mama soothed. "Remember? We visited that stronghold where Sango grew up. We found the cave where the Shikon-no-Tama was created. Even the notch from the arrow that sealed Inuyasha is still carved into Goshinboku. It was all real."
"I know that," Kagome conceded. "The fact that there's a little bit of evidence is what keeps me from thinking that it was some alternate reality all together. It's what lets me believe that my friends are here with me in spirit even though I don't know where they're buried. But remnants of an old stronghold and a tiny gouge in a tree aren't the same as real, breathing people who carry that world in their hearts and memories. And with Sesshoumaru, I have even that now."
She frowned thoughtfully. "I'm not sure I understand what's bothering you…"
"I know. It's hard for me to put words to and describe." She blew out a breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "All right, when I went through this well, I traveled to this other time where I fought to stop a man who was intent on bending the world to his will. But when I came back here, nothing was any different. Whatever I did in the past never seemed to have any bearing on the future where I came from. There are no history books that describe some ragtag team with a crazy schoolgirl from the future, and that together they saved the world. So, sometimes it doesn't feel real. And now that I know that it was real, sometimes I wonder if I had refused to help collect the Shikon-no-Tama shards, would it have mattered? Would history be any different?" She tapped her chest. "Did I make a difference?"
Mama smiled and then reached down to beckon her. "Come up here, honey."
Steps creaked as Kagome climbed up the ladder and with practiced ease, she hopped over the lip of the well to stand beside her mother.
Exuding a gentle sincerity that was uniquely hers, Mama pulled her in close for a comforting hug. A quavering sigh escaped Kagome as she surrendered to her warmth and breathed in her perfume.
"I don't know either," Mama admitted quietly as she stroked her hair. "But do you remember the first time Sesshoumaru had been shot? Back when we didn't know what he was doing at night?"
Kagome nodded, her head resting against her mother's shoulder.
"I talked to him about something that maybe you deserved to hear, too. About my own reservations when it came to the risks that you took when you traveled into the past."
"I didn't know that you worried about me going through the well. You were always so supportive."
"What else could I do?" she asked. "You had this gem inside your body. You could travel through the Bone-Eater Well. And while there aren't any written accounts of your journey, this shrine, with its sacred tree and wellhouse, has a supernatural reputation for a reason, even if it isn't specific."
"So, you believed that what I was doing was important?"
"I believed that it was your destiny. I believed that if I didn't do everything in my power to support you, you could have failed and that the future we're enjoying right now would be gone." Then she sighed wearily, and her arms squeezed her tighter. "But that doesn't mean that I didn't have my doubts, too. That even now, I'm encouraging my only daughter to risk her life for something that might not need her to succeed."
Kagome sniffled. "I don't think any of this is helping me figure out how I feel or what to do…"
Mama chuckled kindly before planting a kiss atop her head. "For the last few years, your life and its purpose has been a puzzle that's missing so many pieces, but every once in a while, a new piece pops up and gives you a little more of the picture. All that happened this morning is that Sesshoumaru dropped a handful of them into your lap. And maybe in the next couple days, you'll get some more."
"I hope so."
"But even if you never have enough pieces to see the picture clearly, you've always had a strong will to do what was right. To make the decision that benefited others, even if it meant sacrificing what you wanted most. So, no matter what choices you make and their outcomes, if you stick to that, you can always be proud of who you are."
"Oh, mama," Kagome mumbled. "Thank you." A soft sob shuddered through her body and she buried her face into her shoulder, smothering her tears.
Mama rocked her gently.
Somewhere far beyond the glowing wellhouse doorway, a young man laughed heartily.
Mama smiled. "I think everyone must be almost ready. Have you finished packing yet?"
"Of course," Kagome scoffed, and then cleared the roughness from her throat. "I mastered packing bags for trips a long time ago."
"I suppose you would have," she laughed. "In that case, let's go see how the amateurs are doing."
With her arm around Kagome's shoulders, Mama guided her up the wellhouse's steps towards the doorway.
Out in the shrine courtyard under the summertime sun, Sesshoumaru waited with his arms crossed against his chest. Restless with enthusiasm, Tora fidgeted in front of him, a battered broom in his hand.
"So, here's another cool combination that I put together," he announced cheerily, "It's a little harder with a broom compared to a bō staff, but I can make it work..."
Sesshoumaru glanced coolly towards the wellhouse.
"What's going on?" Tora asked as he started to turn to the side.
"The women have returned."
"Oh…" He paused midway. "Is Higurashi-san watching us?"
He gave him a flat look.
"Well?"
He sighed. "Perhaps."
Tora smiled mischievously and gave the broom a confident twirl. "Hold still, all right?"
"No."
"Come on," he begged, then flashed him a toothy grin. "I haven't hit you so far."
"No."
"Please?"
Sesshoumaru breathed out another sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "If it will silence you."
"I can't promise you the impossible."
"If it will satisfy you then."
"All right," he agreed. "If you hold still, I'll be satisfied."
Sesshoumaru gave him a slight nod.
Giving him a wink, Tora took a step back and swept the broom to the side, its bristles hovering above the ground. Then he was in motion. The broom spun like a windmill, crossing back and forth in front of him. Amid the flurry, he quickly thrust it forward, punching the air at Sesshoumaru's knees. Wisps of straw fluttered free from the sudden stop, then he withdrew the broom and the spinning begun again. It whipped behind his back with flourish and reversed rotation. Then he struck out at him again, nearly grazing his groin. Between the whirling embellishments, Tora's strikes slowly moved up Sesshoumaru's body as he aimed for his abdomen, chest, and with a final frenzy of movement, ended at his throat.
With his chin tilted up, Sesshoumaru gazed down at him impassively.
"So…" Tora panted between heaving breaths, "Was… she… watching?"
He sighed and flicked a bit of straw from his nose.
"You're no… help." He set the bristle-end of the broom down and turned to the side to spy surreptitiously at the women. He beamed a sly grin. "She was… totally watching."
Channeling his disdain, Sesshoumaru interrupted his satisfaction. "I should have realized from your hair that you were not human but a rooster instead."
He turned back towards him and ran his fingers through his red fohawk. "Maybe! Could be that my mother's been lying to me this whole time and I actually hatched from an egg."
He snorted and gave him a fleeting smirk.
"Besides, I know that you're just jealous. Sure, you can throw cars and lift half a parking structure off your back, but I've got some moves, too."
The broom rattled onto the ground.
With a liquid grace, Tora skipped back, his feet dancing and quick as he put distance between himself and Sesshoumaru. "See?"
"What is that?" the daiyoukai asked.
"Bruce Lee," he replied as he came to a stop and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I was obsessed with him in high school. Not lying, it took me a year to get the footwork perfect."
His mind worked behind his eyes as he retraced the steps. "Ah."
Tora's expression paled. "Wait… Aren't you injured still? You can't…"
Frowning thoughtfully, Sesshoumaru sprang back, his feet moving with equal finesse as he skipped across the ground.
"You're such a %$#&ing asshole" he growled in frustration. "Why can't you let me have one thing? Just one. Or at least %$#&ing pretend like it was hard, dammit."
He gave him a haughty look.
"Oh yeah, who's the rooster now?"
Mama chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that you're both roosters."
With his eyes wide, Tora spun on his heel, his cheeks pink from more than exercise. Smirking, Mama approached them with Kagome a step behind her. When she reached him, she leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek.
"Have you both finished packing?" she asked.
He nodded towards three backpacks beside an old, stone lantern. "Just waiting on Souta-chan and your old man."
Then as if summoned by the mere mention of their names, the front door to the house opened and Souta stumbled out, struggling under the weight of two overstuffed backpacks. His shoulders hunched by age and not by burden, Grandpa followed him, his expression dreamy and unbothered.
"Geez, grandpa," the boy muttered between grunts. "Now I know where Kagome gets her packing habits from."
"Oh, ho," Grandpa chided, "And here I was about to compliment you on your respect for your elders. You see I'm not the one who offered up the extra space in his backpack to his grandfather nor did I insist that you carry both bags outside."
He sputtered, nearly dropping the backpacks. "You sure were making the suggestions though! Loudly and constantly."
He scoffed. "Nonsense. Those were just harmless observations."
Mama brought her hands together in a loud clap and their argument evaporated into the summertime air.
"All right, everyone," she spoke up, flashing a dangerous smile at each of them. "We're going to take a picture together. Souta, set the bags down by the lantern. We'll use the wellhouse for our background."
With all grumblings quickly squashed by nothing more than a look, the group huddled together, the tallest in the back.
"Souta," Mama said, "Since you're the shortest, you get to take the picture. Use your tablet and make sure that we're all in the frame, okay?"
He nodded. "Got it."
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his tablet and selected the photo app. Carefully, he angled the top of the screen away until he had captured everyone within the frame.
"Okay," he said, "On three."
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
He tapped the button and a camera shutter effect sounded.
Mama leaned forward to peek at the image from over his shoulder. They all radiated smiles except for one, whose countenance was at least pleasant. She nodded with approval. "Perfect. Send it to everyone."
"Why did we have to take a picture, mama?" Souta asked as he attached the photo to a group text.
"We're family and sometimes it's good to have a reminder of what's at stake, especially since we don't know what's coming."
Sesshoumaru nodded. "With that in consideration, our train will be departing in less than twenty minutes."
Tears welled in Souta's eyes and he grabbed his mother around her hips in a tight hug. "But I don't understand why you're not going with us."
Tenderly, she gazed down at him and stroked his hair. "Someone has to stay here to look after the shrine and keep track of what's going on. Stuff that won't be reported by the news. But I don't want you to worry. The oyabun doesn't know about me or this place and it's a big, stinky city. Even if she can track as well as Sesshoumaru, I should be safe if he, Kagome, and Tora aren't here."
"Then why can't I stay here with you?"
She knelt in front of him and cupped his cheeks with both hands so that she could look into his wet eyes. "Because I'm not willing to jeopardize you or grandpa on even a small probability. Everything will be okay, but even if there's a tiny chance that it won't be, all of you will be safe and that's what matters to me as head of this family."
Fresh tears spilled down his face. Then he pressed himself into her and refused to let go.
A strong hand clasped his shoulder gently and he looked up to discover Sesshoumaru standing beside him with a pair of backpacks slung across his chest. Astride his back, Grandpa sat, his eyes gazing down at him as well.
"Honor your mother's courage," Grandpa said kindly. "We need to be as brave for her just like she's being brave for us. And once we find some answers, we'll be on our way back, all right?"
Souta held on for a moment longer, then his grip loosened, and he let her slip free.
She kissed his forehead and tousled his hair. "Everything will be okay."
Finding her feet, she stood up. Her gaze connected with each of them, eliciting nods as they made ironclad their pacts to be safe and come home. But when her eyes met Sesshoumaru, she lingered and the anxiety she shielded from the rest etched her face.
He nodded. "With my life."
She nodded in return.
Then together, they turned towards the shrine entrance and headed out.