I threw the last of my things that I wanted in my bag before writing a note to the woman we were staying with./p
Yuki,
You know the drill. Fabricate documents that say we got adopted and moved again.
We're not coming back this time./em/p
-Nozomi
I darted down the stairs and stuck it to the fridge. Another goodbye to another series of people who helped us. It's nothing new, but I'm glad this is the last one.
"Are we ready?" I called up the stairs. I could hear their feet clambering around their rooms and the doors slam.
"Let go!" Natasha shouted.
"Me first!" Mashī yelled. I could hear his feet hammer down the hall with her little ones lightly taping the floor behind him. "Geronimo!" He threw himself in the air, jumping over every step until he hit the floor in front of me.
"Careful, you oaf! Don't break the floor!" I laughed as he stood up. Natasha slid down the banister and jumped on Mashī, causing him to fall face first into his bag. I rolled my eyes and offered him my hand.
"I can't wait to be home!" Natasha squealed. There was so much excitement spiraling from her aura it was hard not to feel the same.
We picked up our bags and began running to the Higurashi house. It was only a few miles away. We wanted to take in the last sight of modern day before heading down the well. So many stars glimmered above us in the navy colored sky, shinning of the tall, glass-covered buildings and still water. The swans looked like they were moving stars across the surface. The couples out for a stroll by the water and on the sidewalks, smiling and laughing at each other. The food vendors cooking the various meals, enticing the hungry passerby to stop and take a taste. It was a lot safer being an ignorant human. I would miss this.
Honestly, I missed home more.
I stopped at the bottom of the shrine stairs, waiting for my wards to catch up to me. The realization I was going home brought back the energy I so sorely missed pretending to be human. I just couldn't wait. As soon as they were within earshot, I sprung up the stairs by three's. I wanted to see the well. I just needed that confirmation this was real.
I could see Kagome standing outside of the shrine, waving me over as soon as I stepped over the last stone step. I walked up to her as they made it over the last step.
"Ready?" Kagome smiled. We all nodded to excited for words. "I will go first. My friends are expecting me. That way I can explain what's going on and who you are so the I-"
I wasn't going to wait. It's been 200 years too long. I ran through the shrine and over to the well. I closed my eyes before jumping in. The blue, warm magic wrapped around me just before I hit the bottom. It felt like free-falling through the tropic sky as it carried me to the past. Just as I was getting use to the feeling, it ended and my feet touched the ground. I reached for the rope ladder and started climbing.
"I told you to wait!" I heard Kagome as I neared the top of the well.
"I'm sorry! I just can't anymore!" I smiled as I leapt over the well, greeted by the body of a white-haired male I hadn't seen in ages.
"Who are you?" He growled. "Kagome, who's she?"
"I have no time for this, Inuyasha." I laughed as I took off for the second time. I needed to run free in the open field. I could hear him yelling after me, asking how I knew him. It was no use.
I missed these lands. The vast open green fields full of all different fragrant wild flowers and colors. Home. My heart was so overjoyed. It was a high nothing could match. The beautiful, smog less blue sky with whisky white clouds. The wild animals running around and living in peace without the buildings and roads of the future. I could feel the freedom. The world was alive and beautiful.
I stopped by the river a few miles away from the well. I could see it continue as far as the eye could fathom. The vibrant fish swam throughout the water and rocks, scales gleaming in the sunlight. I could hear footsteps in the distance.
"Stop! Leave her alone!" Kagome screeched.
"No. I need answers." He barked. I stood up from my place and marched over. He hardened his stance and looked into my eyes. "How is it you know me if I've never seen you?"
"You were a baby, but I would never forget the way you smell." I laughed. Stupid mutt. "You may look like your father, but I could never forget my friend's eyes." His stance softened for a brief moment before he put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Lies! You..." He pulled the sword out and swung it at me. In a flash, Mashī stood in front of me, hands clasped around the blade.
"Watch it." Mashī warned, nostrils flaring. He must've tore his bracelet off his wrist. The scarlet beads burned to ash on the ground as his bright red eyes began to shine crimson red. His black tribal patterned markings started to appear over his arms, spreading up to his neck and the upper part of his face.
Inuyasha stepped back. "A black bull? I thought your clan was long gone."
Mashī's eyes lost their beam as I frowned. His whole family was gone. I placed my hand on his shoulder and lightly squeezed.
"I'm sorry."
"I can't say I'm not shocked. That's why the miko sent us through. I just..." He stopped. He hoped he could come home to someone from his clan. We all did.
"What about mine?" Natasha whispered. She slid her bracelet off and threw it. Her little gray ears popped out of her hair as the lilac purple sunflower tribals darkened on her forearms and chest. Her tail swished out from her sweater.
Inuyasha sighed. "Cats still exist, but not from your line. The last one, Lady Namé, died fighting off Kagura about 20 years ago. I remember that marking."
Natasha whimpered as tears streamed down her face. Kagome pulled her into a hug.
"She was a sweet woman." A little boy added as he appeared from behind Kagome. "She told me she had helped my father plenty of times during battle."
I shook my head. That means there was no point asking about my clan. I could see the little boy's ears and tail. "Who was your father?"
"He was the head of the foxes after his brother died. I'm Shippo from the red fox tribe." He bowed. I ducked down and hugged him.
He was all I had left.
AN: Again. My apologies. Stupid coding.