Responses to reviews:
Fanficqueen306: I can't wait either! Unfortunately, she doesn't happen in this chapter, but she does in the next one! Hope you can wait until then :3
Timewriter: I appreciate you not giving your fellow readers spoilers. :3 I'm sure they will too. XD Thank you, and I know you will; in fact, you did. XD
MissKatress: Thank you for enjoying my story so much! I hope this is worth your wait. :) I'll just have to let you wait and see what happens with the beads of subjugation. :3
TheDoctorsTimeLady: Well, hopefully this is worth your wait for this chapter. :) Thank you very much! :3
Almondbutter: Well, thanks! :3
Thank you all for your reviews! I would also like to take a moment to thank my inspiration and beta, Timewriter, for helping me out with this chapter and the chapters to come! I didn't mention this before, but Hikari is Timewriter's OC that I have tweaked to make her fit into my story. Major props to her! Thank you all again for your support, and I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!
The weeks until graduation slipped by at an alarming rate. On numerous occasions during the course of these weeks, Saya felt as though she would drown in homework, but Hikari and Ayano were kind enough to assist her; the trio seemed to spend a great deal of time at Saya's house while they tackled their assignments and final projects.
"Ayano-chan, what did you get for this problem? I feel like my answer is so far off, it could be in space…" Ayano laughed and looked over Saya's problem. "Thank you so much! You two are such life savers!" Ayano and Hikari smiled at their excited friend.
"Ne, Saya-chan, do you have any idea what you're going to be doing after we graduate?" Ayano asked. Saya's mind froze momentarily before she collected herself and faced her friend with a smile.
"I think I'm going to take some time off from school and help my mom with some things." Saya turned to Hikari. "Do you have any ideas, Hikari-chan?" The brunette smiled.
"I think I'm going to be traveling around for a while." Saya and Ayano sighed, suddenly envious of their friend.
"I wish I could travel," Ayano said with a dreamy look upon her face. Saya nodded in agreement; however she didn't comment since she would technically be traveling. She just didn't count it as so, because she'd be traveling in a different era and knew the reasons for travel differed between Hikari and herself.
After a moment of silence, Ayano interrupted it again, "Oh! Have either of you found a guy who sparks your interest?" Ayano's smile turned mischievous as she looked at her two girlfriends.
Saya shifted uneasily. "Well…there was this one guy…"
Ayano's face spilt into a large grin as she demanded to know all the details about him. She was always the one to be interested in her friends' love lives. "Who is he? What's he like? Is he cute? How long have you known—"
Hikari cut Ayano off by placing her hand over the bubbly girl's mouth. "Let her speak, Ayano-chan. She won't be able to get a word in if you keep asking her so many questions at once."
Ayano scratched her head sheepishly. "Right. So, what's he like?"
"He was attractive physically, but his personality…left something to be desired." Not to mention he seemed to know my mom extremely well, and no need to mention I'm going to spend every moment with him after graduation, Saya added in her head.
Ayano hummed in thought. "How did he behave?"
"He was a real dick to me. Completely rude to not only me, but others as well. He didn't even respect his elders like he should!"
"Are you sure it's his true personality? Was he upset? What was his past like? Are you sure you're not just judging a book by its cover?" Saya stared at her friend in stunned silence. "What? I want to be a psychologist. It would be my job to look into things deeper than what's presented on the surface." Saya shook her head at her friend before glancing at Hikari to see a smile upon her face.
"What's up, Hikari-chan?"
Hikari shook her head, smile still in place. "It's nothing." Saya gazed at her friend before shrugging. The group continued to chat while they finished their homework, though Ayano's words had stuck a cord within Saya's mind. She would decipher things about Inuyasha later. He need not take up much of her thoughts while she still had assignments and projects to worry about.
The trio finished what was left of their homework at a decent pace. They spent the remainder of their time chatting. Saya walked her friends to the steps which led from the shrine once the afternoon began to fade.
"Ja ne! I'll see you guys tomorrow for our last day!" Saya called to Hikari and Ayano as they descended the steps. They waved and returned her words of departure. Once her friends had reached the bottom of the steps, Saya returned inside to await the arrival of her father and brother alongside her mother and helped prepare dinner for that night. The two worked in a relative silence until Kagome spoke.
"I can't believe you graduate in a couple of days. It seems like only a couple of weeks ago, you were born." Saya glanced at her mother while she chopped vegetables. Kagome's eyes saddened when she spoke again. "And after you graduate, you are going to start your journey with Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo. It's all happening so fast." Her mother turned her eyes in Saya's direction. "You'll be okay, you know that, right? Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and sometimes, even Shippo will protect and help you. You won't have to go through all of this alone. And if things get a little difficult, you start running out of supplies, or Inuyasha annoys you to no end, you can always come back here for a little bit." Saya cracked a smile at the last statement. "You're not alone in this, Sweetheart."
Kagome smiled and stopped what she was doing to embrace her daughter. Saya sighed, relief and a sense of calm washed over her. Saya always felt safe in her mother's arms. It was one of the best things she loved about her mother.
"Thank you, Mamma." The two smiled at each other before Kagome clapped her hands together.
"Alright! Shall we finish dinner before your father and Daichi get home?" Nodding with a smile, Saya returned to her task with renewed vigor.
Graduation day had finally arrived and passed by in a blur. Inuyasha arrived in morning, but Kagome convinced the irritable hanyou to wait until the following day to begin the journey. Inuyasha was allowed to join the family for Saya's graduation ceremony under the condition he would behave.
Saya was thankful the ceremony passed quickly and without incidents. She had once glanced toward her family and Inuyasha during the ceremony and saw the hanyou fidgeting and nervously glancing around him to the crowd which surrounded them. He did not seem to do well with enclosed spaces with lots of people. She made a mental note for the journey ahead of her before she had returned her attention to the speakers.
After the ceremony, Saya, Ayano, and Hikari left together to join their families outside the building. Kagome called them over for pictures. The trio of friends grinned as the accomplishment of graduation washed over the atmosphere while Kagome snapped away with her camera. While snapshots were taken, Saya glanced at the uncomfortable hanyou, who was standing off to the side, continuously shifting his gaze between all those around him. He seemed to be preparing for an attack that would never come.
Both Ayano and Hikari seemed to recognize Inuyasha from the short glimpse they had several weeks prior. Ayano glanced toward Saya and spoke through her smile.
"Isn't that the same guy who was at your house when you missed school?"
"Yeah, that's him," Saya replied reluctantly.
"Who is he?"
"Just a…friend of the family."
"You hesitated."
Saya sighed in relief as her mother finished taking pictures. Ayano turned toward her friend, "So, who is he really?" When Saya hesitated once again, Ayano grinned mischievously. "Is he the guy you were talking about? The one you thought was cute?" Saya saw Inuyasha's eyes flicker in her direction; she fought back a blush. Ayano seemed to notice her friend's discomfort and chuckled before dismissing herself to find her parents.
Saya turned to her remaining friend when Hikari asked to speak with her. Once the duo was a short distance from Saya's family, Hikari reached into the bag at her side and pulled out a small box. The box was black with a simple silver ribbon wrapped around and then tied into a bow on top. "This is for you."
Saya took the box carefully and began to slowly pull on the ribbon. Saya removed the lid and gasped at the object within. Inside was a beautiful necklace. The pendant which hung from the silver chain was pale turquoise in color with its shape being that of an icicle crystal. The chain was long enough so the pendant could be easily concealed from view by hiding beneath her shirt. The details put into the bell cap were stunning. There were swirls, bumps and carved details; it looked far too delicate for Saya to wear.
Saya looked at Hikari in a mix of surprise and awe. "I-I couldn't possibly accept this. It looks far too valuable; besides, I'm likely to snap it to pieces without even trying! I'm pretty rough with my jewelry…" Hikari's laughter brought Saya to silence.
"I know how you are with jewelry. Don't you remember the last time you were wearing a necklace, and it suddenly snapped while you were with me?" Saya nodded, still shocked speechless at the gift in her hand. "I want to give it to you, and don't worry about the price: I made it myself. A couple friends of mine taught me how to make jewelry.
"It's something I want to give it to you. It's supposed to be a good luck charm…or was to be for protection?" She shook her head. "I suppose it doesn't matter." Saya opened her mouth to protest one last time. "Don't worry about how delicate it may seem; it's much more durable than it appears to be. Please, say you'll accept it?" After a moment's hesitation, Saya agreed. "Great!" Hikari hugged her friend and began walking away. "Oh, and Saya?" Saya looked at Hikari once again. "Please don't take it off." With a smile, Hikari left. Shrugging, Saya donned the necklace before she rejoined her family and Inuyasha.
The Hojos and Inuyasha departed shortly after goodbyes were exchanged, as well as promises to keep in touch. The return trip home seemed longer than the trip there, but it might have been because Saya was exhausted and hungry. Saya turned her head and saw Daichi was battling sleep on the shoulders of her father. "Mamma, do we know what dinner is? I'm starving." Kagome chuckled at her daughter before replying.
"Something it will be quick to fix. I think all of us are at least a little drained tonight." She glanced at Daichi with a smile as she spoke. Saya nodded and returned facing front. Stretching, Saya sighed in relief.
Kagome watched her daughter and smiled. Once she had become friends with Hikari and Ayano—especially Ayano—Saya had become more blunt and sarcastic than Kagome had ever been. Kagome snuck a glance at Inuyasha who walked silently next to her daughter. She was sure the two would get along nicely as time went on, and Inuyasha would learn to trust Saya, as well as the others.
Dinner was a quick ordeal that night. Inuyasha had been invited to stay the night (something which surprised both Saya and her father) so Inuyasha could take Saya back to the Feudal Era come morning. However, before that could happen, something had to be told to Hojo so he could understand, at least partially, what was going to happen to their daughter—Kagome felt Hojo had the right to know as Saya's father. Kagome sighed as she put Daichi to bed. It was bound to be an interesting night.
Kagome descended the stairs to find a relatively tense atmosphere surrounding the trio in the sitting room. Kagome sighed before sitting next to her husband and clearing her throat. It was now or never for bringing up what was going to happen with Saya.
"Honey, there's something you should know." Hojo looked at his wife curiously. Kagome decided in that moment the whole truth about what had happened with her in the past and what was to happen with Saya in the future would be shared with Hojo. "Do you remember in middle-school when I would constantly be sick?" Hojo nodded. He certainly remembered not being able to see her as much as he had liked and found the excuse of giving her traditional remedies worked out for him—he had married her after all.
"The thing is, dear, I'm actually a very healthy person—I'm sure you've noticed this since we've been married." The man was confused but nodded. "I wasn't sick all those times I missed school—I was traveling around with Inuyasha and a few of our friends from where he lives."
"Where exactly would that be?"
Kagome smiled a little nervously. "Feudal Japan." Hojo stared at his wife blankly.
"Papa, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I was pulled through the well few weeks ago. It was the day that I had missed school. The well is the portal that connects the two times." Hojo's eyes widened. "Mamma had been able to go back through time and battle demons and fight and protect people, but about thirty years ago, she couldn't return. Apparently, the well was unable to transport anyone through time until just recently—when I was taken through the well by a demon."
Hojo stood, his eyes wide with fear. "A demon," the worried father exclaimed.
Saya smiled. "I'm fine, Papa." She turned to Inuyasha who sat surprisingly quiet throughout the entire explanation. "Inuyasha saved me, actually. I would have been fine if I hadn't forgotten my bow and arrows," Saya added bitterly beneath her breath. Inuyasha quietly scoffed. Saya turned to the hanyou with a glare, which disappeared and was replaced with first surprise then amusement when Hojo grabbed onto Inuyasha's hand and shook it, professing his thankfulness at "saving his precious daughter." She shared an amused glance with her mother before Inuyasha snatched his hand back.
He turned his face away from Saya and muttered, "Feh, it was nothing." Kagome spoke again once her husband seated himself beside her once again.
"The reason we're telling you this, dear, is because…" Kagome trailed off when her husband turned to look at her. His eyes held fear within them.
"I'm going to be traveling around the country during the Feudal Era with Inuyasha and everyone there to defeat some big, bad dude that's threatening the lives of everyone and everything. If I understand everything correctly, unless we defeat this guy, everything as we know it could be changed, if not destroyed." Saya looked to her mother for conformation. Her mother nodded solemnly. Hojo jumped onto his feet and surprised both females in the room.
"No, no, no! Absolutely not! I forbid it! You could get hurt. Or worse! I refuse to allow you to go anywhere like that! It's not safe!" Kagome tried to jump in, to reassure her husband Saya would be safe with Inuyasha and their friends, but Hojo refused to listen and continued to rant, rave, and deny Saya permission to go.
"Listen, just because it ain't as safe as it is here, don't mean it ain't safe for her there! She'll have me and the rest us to protect her! It ain't like she's going there alone! I protect my comrades with my life! Her included. She ain't gonna die, so just shut up!" Inuyasha, apparently, had enough of Hojo's blabbering. The other three occupants of the room stared at Inuyasha in shock. Kagome was the first to recover.
"See, dear, she'll be fine. Inuyasha kept me alive, and I had been pretty useless at times. Saya isn't; she'll be fine." Inuyasha agreed Kagome was useless. Saya saw the vein on her mother's forehead begin to throb with agitation.
Kagome stood and pushed Inuyasha out the door before she spoke eerily calm, "Inuyasha, osuwari." The size of the crater which was created by the simple command amazed Saya.
"Dammit, wench! What the hell did I do?"
"Keep your voice down, Daichi is trying to sleep." Kagome turned on her heel and closed the door with a little more force than necessary. As Kagome returned her attention to those present, she noticed her daughter gaping at her.
"How did you do that to him, and is there any way that I could get to do that too?" Kagome's irritation slipped away like water off a duck's back at her daughter's comment. Kagome chuckled and replied she would have to ask Kaede to assist her with that endeavor.
The following morning arrived far too quickly for Saya's liking. Slowly, Saya crawled out of bed and began to search for an outfit which would be comfortable and durable to wear. She finally decided on jeans with deeper pockets than usual, a simple, lose-fitting blue-green tee, and tennis shoes. She pulled out a duffle bag from her closet and started putting outfits into it before realizing she would probably have to carry the thing around with her wherever she would go; she was sure there would also be a lot of walking involved. She changed the duffle bag for a backpack she could still put a decent amount of her belongings in. She put in a number of comfortable shirts and several pairs of jeans. She also packed a few pairs of shorts. Before she left her room, she grabbed her bow and arrows and slung them onto her back. She walked into the bathroom and took out some bathroom necessities and placed them in the bag. She double-checked her belongings before she nodded and walked down the stairs. A smile stretched across her face at the smell of her mother's cooking as she descended the steps. Saya was going to miss her mother's cooking.
She walked into the kitchen and was greeted by her family. Daichi looked at Saya curiously. "Nee-chan, why do you have that bag on?" Saya smiled and knelt down before him before either of her parents could speak.
"I'm going to be going on a trip for a while. I'll be busy and won't be able to come back very much, but I'll be sure to come back and see you. Okay?" The little boy was quite attached to his older sister and began to cry, clutching onto her and refusing to let go. It was the scene Inuyasha walked in on when he entered the house.
"Nee-chan! Don't go!" The teary-eyed child reluctantly released his sister only when Kagome announced breakfast was done and if he didn't let go of her, he wouldn't get his favorite snack during the afternoon. Breakfast was a quiet ordeal that morning; even Inuyasha was quiet out of respect for the family, though Saya saw he was starting to drum his fingers on his leg as she was finishing her meal.
Saya put her dishes in the sink. She turned to her family, "I guess I'll see everyone later." She gave an awkward, sad smile and found herself enveloped in Kagome's arms. She returned her mother's embrace.
"Saya, I made and packed some extra food for everyone." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Inuyasha's ears twitch as he looked at Kagome. Kagome smiled. "I have some suckers and sweets for Shippo, some snacks, and some ramen. Inuyasha, you can't eat all of it—it's for everyone, not just you." Inuyasha's ears drooped slightly, making Kagome smile and chuckle a little.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to come back here, okay? I love you, Saya. I know you'll be just fine." Kagome smiled and hugged her daughter one last time. "Good luck." Saya nodded and gave hugs to both her father and Daichi (whom Hojo had to pry off once again) before she turned to Inuyasha.
"Shall we?" He nodded. As the two exited the room, Kagome called out to Inuyasha. He turned to look at her.
"I know I don't have to tell you, but please, keep her safe. For me." Inuyasha nodded slowly at the sight of Kagome's tear-filled eyes before he turned and followed Saya out of the house and to the well house. He looked at the girl when she took a deep breath.
"So, how do I do this? I was kinda dragged there last time…" Inuyasha rolled his eyes and grabbed the girl by the backpack, lifted her up, and dropped her into the well. She let out a shriek before she disappeared into said well. He followed after her.
When he reappeared beside her, she glared at him. "You didn't have to do that, ya know! You could have just told me all I had to do was jump into it, ya jackass." He scoffed at her, saying it was easier that way. "I'm sure it was—for you!" Saya sat there grumbling to herself for a moment before she noticed Inuyasha seemed to be waiting for her to stand. When she did, he told her to get on his back.
"We'll get to the village faster this way. The sooner we can get moving, the better." Saya nodded and climbed onto his back. In one smooth leap, they were out of the well and dashing toward the village she had been in once before. In the short amount of time it took Inuyasha to get them to their destination, Saya thought about how she would go about telling the other people—Miroku, Sango, and Shippo, Saya remembered their names and descriptions during her mother's explanations—what was going to happen. The huts came into view far faster than Saya wished. She was exceedingly nervous about meeting the others; she understood she had seen them all once before, but they had thought she was her mother. This time, they would know who she was, and the thought seemed far more intimidating than her exams had been days prior.
Inuyasha stopped in front of the hut that housed the others and let her down. She appreciated the niceness of letting her down instead of simply dropping her like a sack of potatoes as he had the last time. She stood before the hut and took a deep breath. "Hurry it up, wench. Just get inside." A vein appeared on Saya's forehead, and she turned toward Inuyasha slowly.
"What did you just call me?" Her tone was calm, but the ire dancing within her eyes indicated her mood was anything but. Before she could do anything in retaliation to Inuyasha's words, the flap to the hut moved and the occupants spilled outside. The demon slayer and her neko, the monk, the young kit, and the miko exited the residence and looked at Saya with a mixture of surprise and recognition. The young woman was the first to speak.
"You're…Kagome's daughter, correct? What did you say your name was?" Saya turned her attention from the irritating hanyou toward the woman; the ire instantly disappeared and was quickly replaced with nervousness.
"Saya. Hojo Saya. You're Sango-san, right?" The woman smiled a little stiffly and nodded. Saya smiled a little relieved. "I thought so. Mamma described you perfectly. So you all must be Miroku-san, Shippo-chan, and Kaede-sama." Each nodded in turn. Saya looked at the small neko resting upon Sango's shoulder. "That must be Kirara." The neko mewled cutely, causing Saya s smile to take on a more natural feel to it. Shippo stared at Saya for a while then sniffed the air.
"Do you-do you have candy?" A surprised bubble of laughter escaped from Saya. She set her bag down to pull out the sweet treat for the child. Once a green sucker had been found, Saya extended it for him to retrieve; he did so quickly before returning to Miroku's side. Her smile suddenly became strained. How am I supposed to work with them if they don't accept and learn to trust me? Miroku seemed to sense Saya's tenseness as he spoke up.
"We apologize, Saya-chan, but we, too, are trying to adjust to all the changes that have happened in our absence—especially the fact that you are Kagome-sama's child." He paused for a moment. "You are indeed quite beautiful enough to be Kagome-sama's daughter." He walked up to her and took her hand. "Do you think you would do me the favor of bearing me a son?" Saya blinked a couple of times.
"You're serious?" Saya sighed. "Mamma described you perfectly as well. 'Lecher of a monk' I believe was her description." She looked at him and took back her hand. "I suggest you refrain from asking such a thing from me again unless you find yourself willing to depart from the very thing which will allow you to reproduce." The man before her blanched slightly and took a step back while muttering an affirmative. The restrained laughter from Sango made Saya return her attention to her and give a grin. A little more laughter made its way out of the woman. Saya's attention was diverted from Sango when Kaede slowly stepped forward.
Saya bowed out of respect and looked back at the elderly woman who smiled a little. "You are indeed Kagome's daughter. I do have to ask you how much you know about what has happened and what you are capable of doing."
All joking and playfulness disappeared as she talked to the old woman. "Mamma explained to me everything that has happened."
"I see you have a bow and arrows. You've been taught how to use them?"
"I've been taking archery lessons since I was small; Mamma made sure of it. Now I know why," responded Saya with a shrug. Kaede nodded.
"You also possess the powers of a miko. They are untrained, but they are present." Kaede turned toward the rest of the group. "She is capable of filling Kagome's place."
A strained smile wheedled its way onto Saya's face. Every single person seemed dead-set on comparing Saya to her mother. She tried to push the glum thought away. As she turned, a glint of purple on Inuyasha's person reminded Saya of something she desired to learn from the elderly miko. As the group returned inside the hut to gather their belongings, Saya spoke with Kaede.
"Kaede-sama, I would like help with something. Is there any way I could learn how to make one of those necklaces that's around Inuyasha's neck that I can use? Mamma told me the one around his neck currently only works for her. I feel like I'm going to need it in the future…" The girl trailed off as the older woman began to chuckle.
"Yes, child, I will help you make one. Inuyasha certainly needs someone around who can rein in his behavior. Kagome had a difficult time even with the beads of subjugation." Saya asked how long they would take to make. "Not long."
"Could we make them before we left?"
Kaede smiled. "Perhaps."
Well, there you have it! The end of the third chapter to A Ripple in Time. I hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you thought of it, and if you saw anything that could use improvement, let me know via review! Thanks again! Until next time! ~Saph