Last Time:

Kirara transformed but hesitated before she allowed Kagome to climb onto her back. Kagome noticed the hesitation and placed a gentle hand on her cheek and petted her for a moment.

"It's ok, Kirara. The well calls me. I need to go back to the well."

Now:

The Higurashi Shrine radiated peace as a warm breeze floated through the afternoon. The smells of cooking wafted from the house next to the tree. The Goshinboku waved lightly with the breeze.

Kagome crested the temple stairs and stood looking at her childhood home. A meow at her feet drew her attention and she kneeled to pick up Boyo.

"You might be fatter than you used to be. I'm telling mama to put you on a diet." She smiled at Boyo as she tapped the tip of his nose gently. She held him as firmly yet gently as she could given his heft and headed for the house.

"Kagome!" Her grandfather yelled out in shock as he opened the door. He was wearing his garb for a ritual.

"Do you have an appointment?" She eyed him.

"Yea, we won't be long though, sis. It's not far. One of the local regulars asked for their house to be blessed before their grandchild is born." Souta advised as he hefted a shoulder bag over his backpack from just behind grandpa. "We'll be back in time for your celebration tonight."

"Be safe." She stood out of the way for them to pass by.

She appraised them as they walked away. Souta was taller now, but so was she, yet he dwarfed her. Her grandfather walked with a cane now and needed someone to attend to him at all times now.

She turned to enter the house and stepped into the kitchen full of a growing feast and bustling mother.

"Need help?"

"No, dear! It's all for you, so you don't need to worry. Go get rested." Her mother waved her from the kitchen and turned back to cooking.

She headed upstairs to her room, letting Boyo go before she ascended the stairs, and flopped to her bed. She looked around at the décor.

Since she graduated High School, she had renovated and upgraded her room by digging deep into her feudal roots. It pleased her grandfather but perplexed her mother at the change. The room was devoid of all the pink and frills she had been fond of once upon a time and instead held a base brown that she accented in colors that reminded her of her friends. Purples, reds, and corals were accented throughout the room here and there. She grabbed a picture frame from her desk and studied it.

It was a group picture she had commissioned once she found an artist that could turn 'cartoon characters' into real life. It took her a long time to find someone that could, but once she did, she paid handsomely for it. She placed it back down and grabbed out her phone from her pocket.

Message and e-mail notifications glared back at her, and she sighed. She had gone off the grid for the day as she visited with her high school friends. She hesitated to open any of them but decided that it was probably best to do so now instead at the party later.

"Kagome!" A knock startled her, and she sat up.

"Come in!"

"Oh, you aren't ready?" Souta asked as he popped his head in. The sound of chatter and soft music floated in.

"Is it time already?" She noticed the time. "I had to get caught up on emails and notifications. Sorry Souta. I'll be down in a moment!" She scrambled up and rushed to change. Souta's laugh cut off as he shut the door behind him.

She glanced out of her window to catch the setting sun. A flashback memory drew her to the window as she drew her new shirt down over her head. She recalled the times she felt this pull and knew what it meant.

Tonight, she would go to the well again.

She grabbed a small bag and put a few items in it, including the portraits she had commissioned – she took it from the frame. She found the individual portraits and rolled them up and put it in the bag. She threw the small bag on and put a jacket on over it. A light one that she knew would cover the bag but not be too much for the warm night.

She headed downstairs and headed outside where the majority of the celebration was being held. People had moved outside after Souta went back downstairs.

"Congratulations!" The crowd of people around her rang out. She beamed a bright smile back and bowed.

"Thank you everyone!" Kagome was swept up in a round of hugs and passed from one person to another to chat and receive congratulations from.

Hours later she stood in front of the well, the last of the people from the party waved bye to her and her brother. They waved back as the group began their descent down the stairs.

"Sis, what's wrong?" Souta turned to her and grasped her elbow. She looked up to him with a small smile. He knew how to read her too well.

"I've been thinking of taking a trip. I might head out tomorrow. Go camping somewhere."

"Camping? You hate camping."

"Souta, I'm on a new adventure. I have a lot of things that I want to do now that I'm back in Japan."

"I.. Can I go with you?" His brown eyes lowered, and he looked away.

"Oh Souta… I've neglected you, haven't I? We'll see how it goes. It's just a thought after all." She hugged him in an attempt to placate him. He rested his head on hers and embraced her back.

"You're still going to leave, aren't you?" He raised his head.

She didn't answer but stepped back. She noticed something had caught his attention and she turned. The well house was glowing that familiar range of colors.

"I've never seen it do that…"

Kagome whipped around to see her mother approach.

"I…" She paused before she stepped up to her mother. "I need to leave. Thank you so much for everything mama. I'm sorry this is so sudden, but when the God's call you, you answer." Kagome hiccupped then laughed on a sob as her mother embraced her.

"Has this happened before Kagome?" Souta questioned.

"Yea. There's a lot I kept from you. But…"

Souta and her mother shook their heads and pulled her in for a joint hug.

"Don't worry about it. We noticed you had a secret, but we figured you would tell us when you were ready."

Kagome stepped back and smiled at them through her tears. "Thank you. The Shikon Jewel calls. If I never… never see you again, I love you all. Please tell grandpa that too?"

Kagome could see the questions swimming in their eyes, the hurt and disappointment shone through, but they smiled through it and waved her off. If she ever came back… She would love them harder and be there for them more, but this moment… this moment to return to the Feudal Era had been what she was waiting for since she returned.

She stepped into the well house and paused to pick up the yellow bag she had stashed there. She kept this bag and all the necessary things she needed stocked and ready to go just for this occasion. She had changed out the food a few days ago to keep it fresher and was ready.

The long awaited, yet familiar, feeling of floating through the Era's hit her and her tears picked up. She had missed this.

Will this return be the same as the last one? Will the same circumstances arise?