Chapter One – Saying Farewell
Around the crackling campfire, Kagome observed her friends engrossed in lively conversations. Inu-Yasha and Kikyo, nestled against the base of a tree, whispered sweet nothings to each other. Across the fire, Sango and Miroku engaged in a card game brought from the future, while in the tall swaying grass, Shippo and Kirara frolicked joyfully. The cool night air brushed against Kagome's skin, prompting her to retrieve a plush sleeping bag from her worn yellow pack. As she settled into the warmth of her blankets, she felt a weight in her heart. Her life, though brimming with love and friendship, seemed so empty in some ways. The future and present seemed to taunt her, and yet she didn't want to feel disappointed by it. She wanted to be happy for her friends, to be proud of their achievements, and she wanted to find the life that was waiting for her out there. Of course, she had other priorities first, she realized as she fiddled with the broken jewel around her neck. A heavy sigh left her.
"Kagome?" The sweet whisper came from Shippo. A small smile curled at her lips as she lifted the blanket to reveal her face to him.
"Coming to bed, Shippo?" His face beamed with joy as he pounced into the comfort of Kagome's arms. His soft tail flipped to and from as he spun around and nestled his head within her hair.
"Goodnight, Momma." Her arms unconsciously tightened around him.
"Goodnight, my love."
As the night unfolded, the wind waltzed with the trees, the moon painted the sky, and the stars twinkled knowingly. On the distant horizon, a foreboding presence approached.
As the night's velvet curtain slowly yielded to the gentle touch of dawn, a celestial ballet unfolded above Kagome and her friends. On the eastern horizon, a subtle glow emerged, gradually morphing into an ethereal palette of pinks, purples, and oranges. As she stirred, eyelids fluttered open to the radiant spectacle unfolding above. The sunrise, like a painter's brush on the canvas of the sky, cast a warm glow upon the trees, gently coaxing her from the embrace of her sleeping bag. With each passing moment, the first rays of sunlight delicately kissed the landscape, revealing the hidden details of the wilderness that had remained veiled in darkness throughout the night. In the stillness of that magical transition, Kagome found herself awakened not only by the warmth of the rising sun but by the enchanting beauty she could only find in the Sengoku Jidai era. A sigh, much lighter than the previous night's left her and she felt warmth enter her hand. Looking down, she found that a soft orange paw was resting there. She smiled down at the little fox on her lap, leaning in to kiss his cowlicked crown.
"Is there a hot spring nearby, Shippo?" The little fox turned his nose up to the sky, inhaling deeply.
"Yes! Right this way, Kagome!" with a bounce, the little fox skittered off toward the sunrise, excited for a bath with his favorite human. As the pair bounded between the trees and through the bushes, Kagome smiled elatedly when they arrived to the heated pool of water. Bubbling in its full glory, the water reflected the painted sky and the surface seemed tense with anticipation. Mirthfully, she plopped her bag down and quickly pulled her shirt overhead.
"Well, go on then Shippo!" The fox bounced to the edge of the water, before leaping in with laughter. The tension on the surface of the water snapped as the water caved for his form and then filled in above him. Kagome giggled as she removed the last of her garments and slid quickly into the water. All the tension in her body seemed to release itself. She sank pleasantly into the water until her entire head was submerged, and she held herself there for a moment, allowing the water to wash away the filth of travel. Feeling little claws clambering up her shoulders, she pushed herself up above the water line and filled her lungs with air.
"That hits the spot, doesn't it Shippo?" The little fox smiled as he rested his head upon her shoulder.
"It always does, Kagome." The pair lathered up with the scented soaps Kagome brought from her time, filling the steamy air with the scent of Georgia peaches and Madagascar vanilla. The little fox stilled as his ears twitched towards the West.
"Kagome, the others are waking… we should probably get back there soon." A sigh of regret left her as she rose from the water.
"You're not wrong, Shippo…" Her arms and legs were pink and her hands wrinkled, but she didn't mind it a bit. She wrapped herself in the fluffy blue towel as she climbed out from the water, taking extra care to dry her hair and rake her fingers through the tangled strands. She rubbed lotion up and down her arms, legs, and torso, before handing the lotion to the fox by her side.
"Do you mind?" She asked, gesturing at her back. The fox slapped his hands together loudly, lotion splattering around him as he 'warmed' the lotion up. His soft paws gently rubbed the lotion onto her back.
"Thanks, Shippo!" The fox bounced happily next to her side.
"Of course, momma!" She packed up the remaining items of her bathing kit and put on the slayer's garb Sango had gifted her on her last birthday. She pulled her hair quickly into a ponytail and carefully braided the long strands into a French braid.
"You'll have to teach me how to do that, Kagome!" Sango cheerily greeted her. As expected, her friends knew her well.
"I suppose this would be the first place you guys would look if I went missing!" Kagome joked with the woman who was like a sister. The woman giggled behind her hand.
"Inu-yasha could smell your soaps a mile away, no doubt." Kagome hummed appreciatively.
"Yes, I suppose he could." Sango turned back towards camp.
"Ready for another day?" She asked Kagome. Kagome felt a sense of worry, sensing something on the horizon.
"As ready as I'll be…" The pair linked arms, laughing at Shippo when he guffawed in disbelief at being left behind.
"Hey! Wait for me!" He bounced up to Kagome's shoulder, perching there greedily as he relished in her fresh scent.
Back at camp, the fire had long since died and was wet from the water that Miroku had almost certainly poured onto it. The sleeping bags had been rolled, and the supplies packed up. All that was left was to place her bathing kit into her large yellow pack and start walking. Before they could proceed forward, Kagome's stomach rumbled loudly, demanding nourishment. The quiet was humbling before the laughter ensued. Laughing at herself, she quickly pulled open one of the protein bars she had brought for quick start mornings, whilst handing them out to her friends. The team merrily began their trek to the East, facing the golden sun and its brilliant rays of light as they set out for a day of shard hunting.
About four hours into their journey, a tornado crashed through the trees and settled around the silhouette of a wolf demon they knew too well. From the wreckage he left behind him, two other wolf demons crashed into the clearing. Koga and his two companions ran forward to embrace Kagome.
"Sister!" Hakkaku and Ginta sang in unison. Koga smirked down at her, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist.
"How's my woman?" Kagome blushed and turned her head shyly.
"Now, now, Koga. You're a mated man." Sheepishly, Koga grinned.
"You know I'm just kidding around. Ayame would have my hide." The two laughed and Kagome hugged his companions.
"It's always good to see you guys. But what brings you so far South?" The wolf demon's humorous demeanor disappeared almost instantly. Kagome felt dread enter her belly.
"It's Naraku." His name was spat like venom. The air became tense and the silence almost unbearable. As she looked around, her allies were nearly seething.
"Where's he now?" She asked, ready to redirect.
"He's been closing in around the Northwest. I've sought aid from Lord Sesshomaru and we're teaming up with a few different tribes around the East and South. I'm on my way to get the southern tribe's leader before heading back. It's lucky I ran into you because It'll save me a trip. Will you all be joining us?" Worried, Kagome wrapped her hands around his forearms.
"Koga, of course, we're going to assist. We're all in this together." Koga's stern gaze softened at her words and a toothed grin spread across his lips.
"Yeah, I figured. We couldn't do it without ya." Inu-Yasha scoffed.
"You know that's right you flea bag. We'll be there." The wolf turned in his direction, seething.
"What'd you just call me you mutt?" The banter continued back and forth as Kagome pulled off her pack. Delighted to take a break, the rest of the team followed suit and took a rest beneath the shade of a large oak. She could sense the distress and worry of her allies, and she couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen. Still, she wouldn't let her fear get the better of her. Holding tightly to the bow across her chest, she rested her eyes.
After a few days of traveling at neck-breaking speeds, the group arrived at the Palace of the Western Lord. Inu-Yasha shoved his hands in his sleeves, almost pouting as they were greeted by Lord Sesshomaru.
"I see you still keep company with this one's defective younger brother…" the lord spoke to Kagome.
"Hey! I'll-oof" In the back of the group, Miroku had silenced the half-demon quickly and sent an apologetic look to the front. A small smile rose to her face as she bowed.
"This one greets you, Lord Sesshomaru." The dog Youkai smirked appreciatively.
"Are you ready to train?" Kagome could have sighed with dread if it would not have been rude.
"Yes, Shesshomaru-Sama." The rest of the team winced in sympathy but said nothing, except for the half-demon who barked decisively at him.
"C'mon Sesshomaru, we've been walking for days, and we haven't eaten since midday. What's with your obsession with training her? She's a Miko! She doesn't need to fight with a sword!" Kagome, feeling somewhat slighted by the comment said nothing to her friend. She tightened her hold on her pack and looked up to the Western Lord with determination.
"Lead the way." The dog general met her eyes and they seemed to reflect admiration. She felt warmth at that, feeling that her efforts were being recognized. He had taken an interest in her shortly after she had restored his arm. As if trying to rectify a debt he had felt he owed, he would show up on occasion, he would crush his brother, and he would then challenge her to battle. At first, she had been afraid that the Lord was looking for vengeance, but he never pushed harder than she could respond to. As always, he seemed to draw a respectful boundary for her limits.
After some days of training, and waiting, the war room was thrumming with energy and tension. Kings and leaders from different tribes and regions were bickering, but still, the Wester Lord was stoic.
"My Liege, you must know that the Eastern Fox Tribe would bare their bellies before joining us in arms. Surely you don't trust them more than our esteemed tribe?" The Lynx placed his clawed hand upon the table, as he urged the Western Lord to cut the foxes from their planning committee. The King of the Eastern tribe let out a scoff and angrily gestured at the Lynx.
"Oh, sure. You Lynx are always so loyal. What about one hundred years ago when the Dog General Inu-no-Taisho needed your support, hmm? Where were you then? I seem to recall him not receiving your help back then, or am I wrong?" The room was nearly silent. Kagome looked in worry at Inu-Yasha, who had already abandoned his seat and was flying across the room with his fist balled up.
"What right do you have to talk about my mother?" The Fox Lord appeared to regret his words, accepting the punch as it came. A raucous ensued and Kagome sighed into her hands.
"Enough!" The single word was spoken with anger. The room quickly settled down, and Inu-Yasha huffed angrily. The Demon Lord looked to Kagome first.
"What are your thoughts on the Fox kind?" Surprised, Kagome tightened her hold on the kit in her arms.
"Well, no one is perfect… Even my kit tried to steal from me once upon a time, but now he's one of my closest friends. Most of my allies have at one point tried to harm, kidnap, or kill me. We can't know how valuable someone is if we base that value on a single act." The room seemed to shift, as nods were given.
"She's just a fool, Sesshomaru-sama, why would you place worth in the words of a human?!" The Lynx argued. A whip of neon green flew rapidly at the Lynx general, nearly dismembering her ear.
"You'll correct yourself for next time, Lady Azaad. The Miko is one of my allies. To whom I even owe an arm. She has proven herself where you have not." The Lynx gripped at her torn appendage and bent down to cower.
"I've done wrong, my Lord." Angry amber eyes looked up at Miko from her bowed position, and Kagome could have cried in frustration.
"We will continue as planned. The Foxes will be included, and we will rely on their strengths as I've charted. Follow the plan, and Naraku will fall." The remaining days in the war room went on smoothly, except for the resentful eyes of the Lynx Azaad.
The battlefield was a gruesome tableau – bodies thudded against an unforgiving ground, cries and groans filling the void between clashes of silver and spouts of blood. The sky, once serene, darkened with clouds of miasma as death claimed its due. Naraku, a puppet master of evil, sat casually, toying with his half of the shattered jewel.
"Soon," he chuckled ominously.
Amidst the battle, Sesshomaru moved with grace and power, slicing through enemies effortlessly. Kagome, honed by her friends' training, fought neatly beside him, though not as swiftly. As her sword cleaved through another demon's head, the splatter of blood across her torso made her squeal. The Demon Lord looked down at her in disdain.
"Do not rattle so easily, Miko." Kagome nodded as she wiped her face with her damp sleeve. A soft handkerchief was swept across her face and discarded by the Demon Lord. Gratefully, she lifted her sword and tightened her other hand on the bow across her chest. Following his steady pace, she continued to protect his back.
On the other side of the battlefield, Amber eyes watched resentfully as a human woman took the place she had endeavored to fill. Azaad couldn't fathom why Sesshomaru wanted that human to watch his flank, but she could see that the woman was somewhat skilled. Not to her own caliber of course… but she couldn't help but respect the effort the useless little girl put in. Scoffing slightly, she continued her path parallel to the Demon Lord and his ill-fated human. As the wind picked up, she caught sight of the Wind Witch Kagura. Kagura's fan was flexed widely, and a look of death seemed to resonate from her eyes. Upon her feather, Kagura raced forward to the couple at the center of the feud and Azaad narrowed the distance between them. Leaping with the entire strength of her legs, she wrapped her claws around the Wind Witch's torso and flung her at the ground.
"He has my heart…" the witch whispered. Azaad, confused, pulled her head back slightly.
"Who?" The witch's eyes shuttered shut as pain tore through her body. When her garnet eyes opened, they were filled with rage.
"Who else?" Kagura flipped her fan closed and yelled out above the roaring wind.
"Dance of the Dead." Suddenly, corpses rose from the earth around her, until they were standing and armed. Azaad tensed up, gripping her twin swords fiercely.
"What is this?" the corpses began swinging their weapons at her, some friendly forces and some enemies. Azaad began to cut through the corpses until she was surrounded.
"What the fu-"A brilliant blue and pink light spiraled past her around an arrow, enveloping the corpses in a white flame. The animated corpses began to disintegrate, returning to their previously dead state. Amber eyes shot across the war zone, meeting the determined azure gaze of Sesshomaru's companion. The Wind Sorceress grimaced as she pulled her fan in front of her mouth.
"Always interrupting where you aren't wanted Kagome." The sneer in her voice was dripping with resentment. While Azaad could resonate with those feelings, she couldn't help but marvel at what she had just witnessed. Had it not been for the Miko, Azaad would have almost certainly failed to survive.
"Kagura, stop fighting us. You can't want this war. Surrender and we'll spare you!" Kagome yelled above the wind. Angry eyes narrowed at Kagome.
"He has my HEART!" She all but screamed at Kagome. Blades of wind spun aggressively towards Kagome. Azaad looked on in panic, realizing she'd never make it in time. However, her worries had been for naught, as Kagome herself dispersed the wind with her glowing sword. The sword was glowing with the same blue and pink flames as her arrow. How the woman could switch so easily between sword and bow was beyond Azaad. It was simply another mystery about a woman she couldn't fucking fathom.
Azaad saw the half-demon ahead: his baboon mask making him impossible to mistake. Ready to end the battle, Azaad raced forward while he was distracted by Kagome. Her twin blades greedily sliced through his body with surprising ease. However, it seemed as if his body had been air and replaced with a wooden doll.
"What the fuck?" without warning, a tentacle pierced her abdomen and left a gaping hole that gushed with blood. Fuck that hurt. Azaad wrapped her arms around her center, as hot tears left her eyes. No way could have happened. She had him, didn't she? Azaad couldn't hear anything. The commotion around her had stopped as soon as the blood began leaving her body.
'I guess that's it, then.' As Azad closed her eyes with that last thought, she felt her body being surrounded by warmth. She hummed pleasantly as the light seemed to help the pain fade. Forcing her own eyes open, she was surprised to see the Miko's wet cobalt eyes. As the woman's tears fell, Azaad couldn't stop the urge to wipe them from her face.
"You can't die here!" Surprised at the words, Azaad nearly shot up. She was alive? Had the Miko achieved such an unprecedented level of healing? Is that what the Lord had meant when he said he had owed her an arm? Shaken by the realization, Azaad looked down at the wound on her abdomen as it began to heal. The connective tissue was still a mess, but internally she could tell that the function was restored.
"Impossible…" she whispered. The Taiyoukai behind the Miko looked down to Azaad with an austere expression.
"Rise to the occasion, Azaad. Not all are as lucky as you." Azaad could read between the lines. This was her second chance. The forgiving, fool of a Miko had saved her, and she would rise to the occasion to return the favor. Swallowing her guilt and pride, Azaad took the offered hand of the Miko and climbed to her feet. Before she could even mutter her gratitude, the Miko was racing behind the Demon Lord after Naraku.
Lady Kagura would have followed after but was in a battle of revenge with the Wolf Tribe. The Wolf was fast even without his jewel shards. It didn't help that he was angry. She rolled her eyes at the theatrics of it all. It wasn't like she had wanted to kill his tribe… she was a slave to a monster, not that anyone else could understand. What she needed was to get her heart from that fucking fiend. Angry eyes peered after her master as he played with the Dog Lord. She could only hope that he would finish Naraku off quickly enough for her to beg for her life from the Wolf Demon. Dodging his kick, she continued to dance circles around him, making half-assed efforts to 'harm' him. As her chest tightened, she knew she had to cut the game short.
After what had felt like an eternity, Kagome stood in front of Naraku alone. While Sesshomaru held off the Wind Sorceress, her remaining allies were unconscious or taking cover. Ignoring her pain and the trembling of her legs, Kagome charged forward over Naraku's tentacles. She slashed at what she could but could feel her side piercing like a hot blade. Clutching her side, she threw her sword down and readied herself for the final phase.
"Giving up, Miko?" Naraku chuckled at her.
"Not a chance, you fiend." From behind, a shining arrow launched from her brown-eyed duplicate. Naraku's head flung around to challenge the arrow, not expecting Kagome to attack him from behind. Kagome wrapped her arms around his wide form, grasping the jewel shards around his neck. She ripped them off with a speed she didn't expect herself to have and poured all of her energy out into the immediate area around her. Set to self-destruct, she bit back her screams as his aura burned against her own. After what had felt like an eternity of pain, everything stopped. As if she had been pulled out of space and time, she was in a still, white landscape. There was a train station nearby and an old man she didn't recognize was on the other side of the station.
"Remarkable, Kagome," a voice echoed. Perplexed, Kagome tensed up and spun her body around. Midoriko stood with a look of admiration on her face.
"After so much turmoil, so many struggles, you still rallied the most unlikely team and achieved what should have been impossible. You are truly a force to be reckoned with." Tears pricked at her eyes as she bashfully tried to play off the compliment.
"I, uh, couldn't have done it alone." Her pink cheeks would probably be more obvious if she wasn't in such a terrible state.
"Am I going to die, Midoriko-sama?" the woman appraised her body for a moment before shaking her head.
"Not today, dear. However, here and now, the jewel demands a wish. You alone are equipped to make it."
"I can think of only one true and honest wish, Midoriko-Sama…" Midoriko smiled knowingly.
"Of course." The older Miko smiled gratefully at Kagome. As if she had uttered the wish, the jewel began to glow, before disappearing before her eyes.
"What happens now, Midoriko-sama?" The woman's eyes twinkled.
"A price must be paid…"
Kagome awoke with a start. Blue eyes stared at a towering ceiling adorned with arches and beams. Bewildered, she sat up, taking in the unfamiliar environment around her. The infirmary, she realized she was in, was somewhat outdated. Around the bed she rested upon, were old flowers and chocolates. She looked down at herself, realizing she was dressed in robes. How she got into them, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. Looking up across the room, she saw that her reflection looked the same. She was still herself… she was just not in the right location or time, perhaps. Leaping out of bed, she wandered toward the door and into the hallway. An unexpectedly chaotic hallway met her vision; strewn across the walls were picture frames that played videos, and somehow, someone had created ghost projections. Students were bustling around, wearing similar robes to the set she wore, but some had accents of red or green, and others had blue or yellow. She wasn't sure what kind of institution allowed children to bring pets, but as she watched the young girls carry their pet cats, she realized she didn't have Shippo with her. Frantic, Kagome spun around in the hallway.
"Where the fuck am I? Where is Shippo?" She wasn't sure who she was addressing but yelling seemed to do the trick. An older man she couldn't quite place approached her cautiously. Wary, and frantic, Kagome took a defensive posture and readied herself for a fight. The old man's eyes wrinkled as he laughed mysteriously.
"Hold on now, dear. No one here means you any harm." She could tell he was trying to calm her down, but she didn't have a clue what the man was saying. Confusion must have been evident on her face because the man put his hands up politely before pulling out a wand. He uttered words in another language she was unfamiliar with, and suddenly the voices she was hearing made sense.
"Can you understand me now, my dear?" Kagome relaxed slightly, relieved at being understood.
"Please. Where am I? Where is my son? How did I get here?" She started rattling off questions. The man brought his hand to his gray beard, running his fingers down the length.
"Kagome, my dear, do you perhaps not know when you are?" Stunned, Kagome narrowed her eyes at the man. How he could possibly know about her adventures in time, Kagome wasn't sure. The last thing she could remember was defeating Naraku and talking to Midoriko. Was this perhaps an illusion caused by Naraku? Or was she being punished for her wish? Come to think of it, she never technically made a wish… of course, she was definitely about to wish that her loved ones would get what they deserved. You can't really call it selfish, can you? Of course, she knew the ramifications of wishing for anything for herself, but could one really call love selfish? After all, she really did make a lot of sacrifices for the people she loved. A sense of foreboding washed over. What happened after she finished the jewel? What happened to her family back home? What happened to her friends in the past? What happened to her son?
During her internal monologue, the strange man seemed to sense her duress. He waved for another professor, a younger professor with striking features, and he whispered to her while gesturing to the young students around them. The woman began urging all of the students to vacate the area.
"Kagome, my dear. I think it's time we sat down for a conversation." Startled from her tumultuous thoughts, Kagome steeled herself for the possibilities ahead.
"Where am I? And when?" The bearded man smiled kindly at her, with a smile that seemed to truly mean no harm.
"My name is Albus Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of this fine institution. This is Hogwarts! The school of witchcraft and wizardry. Given your confusion, I assume something has gone wrong as you assured me it would. I can only assure you that I am here to help you through this transition." Kagome's brow furrowed in doubt and confusion.
"Tell me something only I could have told you." She demanded of him. The man smiled.
"Kagome Higurashi, at the Sunset Shrine, second bedroom on the left at the top of the stairs… we had the greatest difficulty getting your letter to you. You see, your powers remained hidden to the world due to the artifact you alone possessed in your side. We sent so many owls and so many letters once you turned fifteen… regrettably, your travels to the past made it impossible to reach you. You were so far out of our reach that we'd nearly given up on inducting you to our esteemed halls. However, just four years ago you arrived outside of your regular timeline. A feat, given our extensive knowledge. We knew to expect you, we just never imagined you'd come so early after having been so late. I realize this is all very confusing, but I assure you you're right where and when you're supposed to be. Won't you join this old wizard for a cup of tea?"
Kagome could have cried from frustration. The man was compelling, but she was still so woefully lost. She nodded desperately, clinging to the hope that this man would help her return to her friends, her family, and her son.
Kagome was no stranger to seeing fantastical things, but Professor Dumbledore's office was like something out of a fantasy novel. Much like the rest of what she presumed was a castle, his office had beautiful archways and amazing architecture. The room's ambiance was warm and light, like the comfort of a campfire with friends. There was a bird perched upon a bar, looking down at her curiously. The bird flew down, landing directly in front of where she was seated. It chirped loudly, startling her. It made a slight hopping motion towards her as if encouraging her to pet it. Looking back and forth between the bird and the man, Kagome lifted her hand gently and extended it to the bird. The bird mirthfully leaned into her hand and chittered happily as she petted him. Kagome let out a little laugh, finding the actions of the bird to be somewhat adorable.
"Ahh yes… Fawkes has always had something of an affinity for you." Kagome's head shot up at him. The bird was named after a fox? It made her think of Shippo, and she felt herself grow weary.
"Please, what do you know? How did I get here and how do I go back?" The man waved his wand, and a kettle floated towards them with two tea cups. As the tea poured itself and as the cups settled themselves onto the saucers, Albus leaned back with his cup in hand.
"My dear, four years ago, you showed up as an eleven-year-old student. We hadn't sought you, you had just appeared. When we looked up your name in our records, we found that we wouldn't be expecting you for another twenty years." The man stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"That's… it just isn't possible. You're saying what, I'm twenty years behind my original timeline?" The man gave a thoughtful hum as he sipped his tea.
"Well, it seemed that after your wish on the jewel you were both rewarded and punished. The reward was to return to you the magic that would have rightfully been yours had it not been for the jewel's influence. Your punishment was to lose your memories and be outside of your timeline. You were somewhat vague, but you left behind something that should help." Dumbledore stood and walked over to what sort of looked like a bird bath… Kagome idly wondered if perhaps he was about to wash his bird. He pulled out his wand and summoned a bottle and a letter. Unexpectedly, he poured the liquid from the bottle into the water.
"This is what we in the wizarding world call a pensieve. It is with this, that you can see memories." Kagome stood and edged closer to the pensieve.
"So, these are my memories?" The man smiled at her.
"I suppose they are." Kagome disliked his mysterious way of speaking. Grasping the letter, Kagome ripped it open carefully.
Dear Kagome,
The weirdest thing I've ever done is write myself a letter that I know I'm not going to remember. After we made the wish, we were punished. Love is certainly a pure thing, but wishing on behalf of love isn't we argued our point and we lost. Still, we were lucky to be favored and because we eliminated the jewel's existence the Gods were forgiving. Midoriko chose a timeline that would still let us see our family, but we'd be somewhat outside of it. Because she sent me back earlier than planned, I was lucky enough to have four years to prepare for the slip of reality. You've forgotten everything and you're worried, right? Professor Dumbledore can be trusted.
PS: Good luck with potions, it's worse than math.
Kagome
Kagome could have laughed if it wasn't for such a bizarre situation.
"How does the pensieve work?" Professor Dumbledore gestured at the water.
"Well, take a look and see." Kagome peered down at the water, surprised to feel like she was falling through time yet again. Life around her seemed to move quickly. She watched the confusion at her arrival. She watched herself get sorted into Gryffindor. She watched a student in the snake house get bullied. She watched herself trying to befriend him, and she watched herself fail. She watched herself learning to fly, learning magic, learning about plants. She watched herself fail at making potions. She laughed as the student that she failed to befriend was assigned to assist her in learning potions. She smiled as that student became her friend, if not begrudgingly. Like a whirlwind of memories, Kagome felt herself get dizzy and stepped backward before she was sucked out of the memories and thrown back into the real world. She grabbed her head and stumbled backward into the arms of Dumbledore. Dizzy, she released the grip she had on the letter and allowed her eyes to drift close.