Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive…
Sir Walter Scott
Sixty years was a long time.
The burden was almost unbearable as she spent her time hiding away in the depth of lonely nights. She depended on the shadows to conceal her existence in hopes that one day, when her life would once again begin to tick along with time, she would be reborn.
But sixty years was a long time.
From the east the sun would rise, breaking the horizon with flames of red and yellow until it eventually moved towards the west to set. The moon followed soon after. They continued their game of cat and mouse, mocking her as they slowly aged with life. She lost count of how many times she would find herself seated on the branch of the tallest tree to witness time pass by her.
And yet, sixty years was still a long time.
The seasons shifted effortlessly. They were relentless and unforgiving. Angry that they could affect everyone and everything around them, but her. The blossoms of spring could not bring her new beginnings, nor could the winter nights force her to seek warmth and comfort. Autumn leaves covered her stilled body, but by summer, she was up again, unbothered by the rising heat.
Sixty years sure was…
"…a long time."
Higurashi Kagome rolled out of her makeshift bed. The sad excuse of cloth she used as a blanket was carelessly discarded to a dusty corner. She coughed slightly as the dust remnants rose up to her nose. Grumbling at her lack of cleanliness, she dragged her feet towards the nearest window and pulled back on the netted curtain.
"The snow is melting away." She deduced with little effort. Peering further into the early morning, Kagome took note of the sunrays peeking through the high forestry area she occupied. Her keen ears listened for signs of wandering strangers; eyes narrowing further in absolute concentration. Satisfied that she would not be bothered that day, she dropped the curtains. "Guess it's time to move again."
The haul Kagome carried in her infamous yellow backpack was sad sack that barely held any of her belongings. It sagged depressingly on her back as she hiked down the mountain side. She learned a long time ago that being high maintenance came with a heavy price. She bargained the effort in terms of comfort and daily needs, however, unfortunately, her back was not so cooperative. So, she adapted. She carried basic necessities such as hygiene products (god forbid Kagome ever gave up bathing), a few pairs of clothing, and a pot if she ever felt like spoiling herself to a meaty stew.
By late afternoon, Kagome had skillfully completed an average of three days journey down the mountain in a matter for few hours. Brushing of the gathered snow from the hem of her skirt – grudgingly enough, she could not find it in herself to give up her choice in clothing either - Kagome made her way to the nearest road in hopes of passing by a village.
Kagome's journey back into civilization finally came to end on the fourth day since she left the hut. As if the isolation in the mountains was not enough, she used the time to reminisce the last six decades she spent existing in this world.
There was not a day where she did not think of her family and friends. The events that led to her predicament haunted her every day, and yet the curse that trapped her in this world refused to let her go.
She cried. She begged; bargained, prayed, and cussed, but her words did not reach anyone that could help her. So, she settled. As she explored the new world, she survived by selling herbs, relying on nature, consistently moving as not to arouse any suspicions. She was grateful to the helpful strangers and the friendships she made along her way, but they did nothing to fill the hole burning through her chest.
Now that winter had melted away, she squared her shoulders and prepped herself to begin the cycle all over again.
"Stop right there!" Heeding to the words thrown at her, Kagome's personal space was quickly invaded by the village shinobi. A quick sweep of the male glowering down at her, she speculated he was no more than a freshly graduated chunin.
Kagome had successfully trained herself to distinguish between the shinobi ranks of this world. She may have been in a complete stupor when she first learned of their existence, but as time went by, she had grown to dislike the hopping parasites. Not denying that there were some gems among the few, Kagome just could not brush aside the chaos majority of the shinobis prided themselves with. An unfortunate encounter indeed in regard to their quick dismissal, and of course the risk that they discover Kagome was quite the unique being. But then again, she had once reasoned on a humid evening, lady luck was oblivious to her existence.
Eyeing the the tag of his new flak jacket that chunins were presented with at graduation, Kagome steeled her resolve. She shrunk back slightly and smoothly flowed into a practiced show of demure and submission. Lowering her eyes and then looking back up slightly through her long lashes, Kagome spoke.
"Hi, sorry, I didn't mean to overstep any boundaries."
The male stepped back to take a better look at her, but his guard never dropped.
"What business do you have with Konoha?" He inquired, an eyebrow raising and disappearing into his headband. As if daring her to lie, he leaned down to stare directly into Kagome's eye. Though the slight awe that filtered through his face for a mere split second was not lost on her.
"Ah yes!" Kagome feigned a look of recollection. She unstrapped her bag and swung it around to the front with ease. Digging into her front pocket, she pulled out her identification and some papers that villages usually required. "I'm a traveller from the Land of Tea. My goal is to visit as many villages as possible to learn about herbal healing."
The chunin snatched Kagome's identifications and scanned through them in record speed. Though his stance relaxed, he still seemed unconvinced.
"Oh, and civilian." Kagome threw in later to help her cause. She paid a lot for those documents. The least it could do is grant her a home for the next few years.
"Ahh, relax, Konohamaru, you're too serious for your first day on the job."
Konohamaru flushed in embarrassment. He looked back at his companion who casually made his way to them. The way he lazily fixed his hair to cover his right eye annoyed him further. Not to mention the fluster that was building inside him as his ears turned red from Kagome's slight snicker.
"Izumo you bastard." Konohamaru growled lowly. Said man smiled in return and chose to ignore his irritated trainee.
Kagome stood by idly opting not to interrupt or take part in their little spat. She built an endurance when it came to interacting with others, but it wasn't as strong as it used to be. She may not look like her age, but she definitely felt the eighty-six years of her life weighing her down.
Izumo continued to ignore the now sputtering Konohamaru. Lazily he eyed the information provided on her documents.
"So," He began with an informal interrogation. "A traveller, huh?"
Kagome nodded.
"You'll find an approved traveller's visa within the Land of Fire, but I understand I will need your Hokage's permission to settle here for a few months, or maybe a year or two."
"Why Konohagakure?"
"No special reason. I pass through wherever I can."
"And you travelled this far without any companion or protection?"
Fidgeting with her hair and then slowly folding her arms, Kagome tried to incorporate small movements as she confidently delivered her answers. She once made the mistake of reverting to robotic manner of speaking. No tone, no pitch, just a rehearsed reply. Fortunately for her, she was not trying to enter a hidden village. Fortunately for the soul that caught her out, they lived to see another day. Since then, she made sure to add a slight variation to her posture and gestures when conversing.
"I may not be as skilled as you, but I do know how to defend myself." She huffed out. "Of course," Kagome later added, "It was, and still is, in my best interest to avoid causing trouble with shinobis, especially rogue ones."
Noddingly slightly, Izumo once again scrutinized her papers. With a shrug, he handed them back to Kagome.
"As you said, your temporary visa to reside within the village will be granted by the Hokage. If you will follow us, we can get started on your application." Izumo led the way to the large gates of Konoha. "There is a bit of a wait, so I hope you have enough savings for three months at least. You will not be able find work until your visa is approved."
The rest of the afternoon was spent with an awkwardly flushed Konohamaru and a highly informative Izumo. Kagome tuned in every not and then, but she usually found it was the same procedure in every village.
She would wait for her visa to be approved. In that time, the goal was to develop small relationships, show up in public to ensure her presence was noticed, and then eventually, find work only to slowly withdraw back into the shadows until her time was up.
A cruel routine that would reset every few years.
Konohamaru was none too happy to being tasked as Kagome's tour guide for the next few days. It was imperative for newcomers to be monitored until there was substantial belief that they would not cause trouble during their stay. Kagome, on the other hand, could barely bring herself to care. She expressed her exhaustion to spare Konohamaru and herself from small talk.
The walk to the hotel she would be staying at was quiet. Both Konohamaru and Kagome welcomed the lack of chatter. But they couldn't escape the growing interest of the onlookers. The loudly questioned the new face amongst themselves. Some even pulled Konohamaru aside to inquire further, but he would skillfully evade their claws and return back to Kagome's side. It was hard to miss the pride he took in his current task, no matter how much he disliked it.
Coming to a stop, Kagome looked up at the sign hanging above their heads. The hotel sign was as unoriginal as it could get.
"Konoha Hotel, only the best." Konohamaru sarcastically introduced. Kagome fought the urge to roll her eyes.
Looking past the building and more at its surrounding, she first noticed the high security in the area. The hotel itself was just on the outskirts of the main town. The auras of hidden ninjas were filtered throughout the surrounding rooftops and streets. Their use of chakra to stay hidden had no effect on Kagome whatsoever. Neither did the planted sutras that littered the streetlight posts and odd fences in alleyways phase her in the least.
She mustered a small, tired smile and softly replied, "Perfect."
As the night settled and the hours grew late, Kagome took in her home for the next few months. In the little light a lamp in the corner could produce, she familiarized herself with the single bed nestled into the back of the room next to a curtained window. The kitchen was only 6 steps away from the bed and the washroom two steps to the left.
Then she switched off the lamp.
A moment of silence passed.
The sound of a deep breath being drawn in was heard before it was released.
And then the walls crumbled.
Kagome choked back on a cry. Bringing her hand up to her lips in hopes to hold back the cries wanting to break free. Falling soundlessly onto the carpeted floor, she curled up into a tight ball and let the last sixty years flow out her eyes. She didn't care if she bit her lips until they bled. She didn't care if she dirtied the carpet with her despair.
Soundlessly gasping for the air that barely filled her lungs, Kagome clutched at her throat. The hiccups didn't help relieve the burning sensation building in her lungs.
Sixty years alone, she wordlessly cried out, and nothing had changed at all.
But Kagome held onto the thin thread of hope that tomorrow would be different. That tomorrow would bring forth a new beginning that had long forgotten her.
All she had to do was survive the night and the web of lies that she continued to weave.
Hello :)
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter to this new rollercoaster of a journey I will be taking us on.
Please do not mind any grammatical errors, I will do my best to improve and develop my writing skills.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.
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