InuYasha Fan Fiction / Ghost Hunt Fan Fiction ❯ Balm For A Broken Soul ❯ Episode 6: The Doll House Part Three ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Balm for a Broken Soul

 

By: Ryu Katanna

 

Beta:

 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

A/N: A lot of the dialogue will be familiar as the first several chapters do follow the anime and manga. There are more parts that are original to the story, but I’ve done this to stay close to the original while also telling Kagome’s side of the story. There will be more deviations we get farther in.

 

(Bold) - English translation. If there are any mistakes in the translation I blame google…

 

Episode 6: The Doll House Part Three

 

Kagome’s breath became shorter as the spiritual pressure from the woman increased. Lin’s hand grasped hers where it gripped his arm, and the contact help to ground her as she focused her ki into her defense. Sesshomaru and Shippo stayed close by while his other two Shiki flitted around them a bit nervously. Her breathing eased as the pressure lessened, and she gave Lin a grateful look for his help.

 

“Monk! There’s something behind you!” Naru called through the mic, and Kagome looked up just in time to see Mai turn and run out of the office when they realized he couldn’t see it.

 

“Naru stay here! Houshou can protect Mai if it comes to it.” Kagome said when it looked like he would run after her.

 

Naru turned to look at Mai, and she could see the frustration and worry at the situation. He knew she was right. Going after Mai would just give the spirit another target, or further provoke it. That was not something they needed right now. Monk could protect Mai, but with another person in the room, it might just make it harder for him. He scowled as he turned back to watch what was happening through the camera.

 

“Go, right now!” They could hear Monk telling her when she entered.

 

“But, we can see the ghosts on camera!” Mai said as she stood just in front of the doorway looking around the room.

 

“Don’t just stand there Mai. Get out of here!” Monk yelled at her, and Kagome grit her teeth as the teen ignored her cousin.

 

“Come quick! You’re in danger!” Mai reached for him before freezing in the movement.

 

Kagome felt the pressure outside her barrier shift as the spirits dark energy shifted to a new purpose. It didn’t take long to find out what that was when Mai reached for her throat like she was choking. Monk rushed to her chanting to defend her. They could see him turn her to get them out of the room just before there was a loud crash. Both turned back to look at something the camera could not see before hurrying out of the room. The pressure flowing through the house started to dissipate after they had left the living room.

 

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief before squeezing Lin’s hand lightly and pulling away. Soon enough she could hear the two returning to base quickly. She sat up straight in her chair as she swiveled to look at them as they entered. She looked at Monk first to see that though he was a bit tired the man was not injured. Mai’s hand didn’t leave her throat, and her face still held a look of fear. Lin nor Naru said anything when they entered, and Monk was only muttering reassurances to the girl. Kagome clenched her fist in irritation as she crossed her arms and her legs. She shot Mai a stern look that caused Shippo to shuddered. He knew what that look meant, and this drew Lin’s attention.

 

“What did you think that you were doing?” Kagome asked in a tone that spoke clearly of how unhappy she was with the girl in front of her.

 

Monk cringed a bit at the expression on Kagome’s face. It was one she had gotten from his Aunt Maki. It was a look that a parent would have when looking at a misbehaved child. That same look his Aunt Maki had given them when they were young.

 

“Huh?” Mai looked at Kagome only to see Lin and Naru had turned their attention to her as well.

 

“I asked what you thought you were doing. Running out of here like that and straight to where there is a spirit you know is dangerous?” Kagome’s voice was stern, and she shot a glare at the girl.

 

“Monk was in danger. He needed help.” Mai answered like it was obvious, but she shifted unsurely under Kagome’s gaze.

 

“And you thought that someone who has no training experience dealing with a hostile entity was the best choice to go and help him?” She asked sardonically as Monk moved to say something.

 

“She was only trying to help, Kagome.” He tried to defend the teen only to have Kagome’s attention shift toward him.

 

“Yes, and endangered herself in the process. She rushed out of here, ignoring Naru’s call to stop her, and put you further at risk by being a distraction. She even went so far as to ignore your warning telling her to get out of that room. Her presence agitated the spirit further causing her to be attacked, and you to leave yourself open in order to defend her. Good intentions or not, Mai has neither the training or ability to have been any help in that situation.” Kagome replied, and Monk couldn’t really deny any of it.

 

She was right.

 

“Monk couldn’t see it like we could through camera! He was in danger, and all you were doing was sitting there with your eyes closed holding onto Lin!” Mai retorted defensively only to have Monk look at Kagome worriedly.

 

“Kagome?” He couldn’t help thinking about the issues she had been having on this case, and what had happened that morning.

 

“I’m fine, Houshou. Lin help ground me so I could focus, and my shield held.” Kagome replied as he approached her to look her over before nodding when he could see she was telling the truth.

 

“Monk?” Mai asked seeing the relief on his face as he ruffled Kagome’s hair and she smacked his hand away.

 

“Kagome is sensitive to the energy spirits use. She has to be able to shield herself from it. To do so takes a level of concentration. That was the reason Naru wanted her to go with John and the others.” Monk told her what he knew, and Naru nodded in agreement.

 

“What would happen if she doesn’t?” Mai asked and Kagome responded this time.

 

“ Like the episode this morning I could become overwhelmed. The energy is sent out in waves of pressure when it is strong enough. This pressure can take a toll on my body. I’ve had a lot of training and experience to be able to protect myself. These are two things of which you are lacking. You can’t keep running off like that. Houshou is trained to combat spirits as a monk. You are not. You need to think before you get either yourself or someone else hurt next time.” She said with finality before turning her chair back to the computer and getting back to work.

 

123

 

The next morning found the group as they all gathered around the hole that had been made through the living room floor. John and Ayako had returned after hearing the events of the night before, and Masako was looking much better than she had since she arrived. Kagome had tagged along with Naru and stood with him as they all looked at the well that the house had been built over.

 

“Ó, tài hǎole. Lìng yīgè gāisǐ de hǎo.” Kagome scowled at it from where she stood only to have the others look at her as they didn’t understand what she had said.

 

(Oh great. Another damned well.)

 

The only one who could was Lin as he listened from the base. He could hear Shippo snickering as the Shiki hovered nearby Kagome. He wondered why she would say that, and knew that two of his Shiki would know. Yet he couldn’t ask them. He had tried once, but both Shippo and Sesshomaru were quiet on Kagome’s past.

 

They would tell him things about her character in order for him to know she could be trusted but had said that her secrets were hers to tell. Her past was not something for them to share. The only way he would find out was by getting to know her. Everyone had secrets, but Lin had a feeling Kagome kept more than most. It was understandable with what she had already revealed to both Naru and himself.

 

She really was different, but he had determined that it wasn’t really a bad thing.

 

“There’s the spirit of an Oshima here. She’s lurking deep down inside the well. Calling to the children’s spirit’s, and pretending to be their mother. The children only want to return home, but their lost, and can’t find their way out.” Masako told them as she held her sleeve up to cover the lower half of her face and stared into the well.

 

“Is Minnie there too?” Mai asked; turning her attention away from Kagome and toward Masako.

 

“Minnie, who is actually Yuki Tachibana, acts as ringleader of the children. But in reality, she is in so much pain and sadness that she just wants all of this to stop.” Masao replied, and Kagome knew that the Tachibana girl must be the soul of the born Miko.

 

Her ki is what gave her the extra boost of power. That was probably how she had come to be the ringleader for those lost souls after death. The spirit of the Oshima might have been using the girl's power to help in the process of bringing the other children over from the living plane. As time grew on that power was tainted as it was used in a way to do harm.

 

“It appears to me that this well bores deep into the earth, and at the very bottom lie the spirits of the children trapped in the dark.” Masako continued before looking to Naru as he spoke.

 

“Who is this Tomiko?” He asked as he thought of the name the spirit had been calling when she had appeared on camera the night before.

 

“It’s Oshima's child. She’s looking for her child. Tomiko is her daughter. That’s why she’s gathering the children.” Masako responded before shooting a cold stare at Kagome because of how close she was to Naru.

 

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” He said before walking past everyone to the door, and Kagome moved to follow him.

 

“Naru? Kagome?” Mai asked questioningly as they walked by her.

 

“I need to take care of something.” Naru answered simply as he didn’t even look at her.

 

“Same here. We’ll be back when we’re done.” Kagome said as she shot a look at Monk to be careful while they were gone.

 

“Naru! Don’t leave yet! Kagome? Naru, where are you two going! Why do they do this every time!” Kagome could hear Mai’s voice from the other side of the door as they walked down the hall.

 

Kagome held back the snicker as she walked with Naru. The poor girl. She always got so frustrated if someone didn’t explain everything to her right away. Yet, that was how Naru was letting her learn. That way she could start to figure things out for herself.

 

“I’ll drive. You are still underage here in Japan after all.” Kagome said teasingly as she turned toward her car, and slid into the driver's seat.

 

Thankfully she had left her purse and keys in the car last time. Naru looked back at her for only a moment before joining her. This being the first time in her car he looked around the interior lazily and she started the ignition and backed out of the drive. The interior had been kept pretty clean with only a few things like the seat covers that had a design of sakura petals and swirls of pink, and the omamori for protection that hung from her rearview mirror.

 

“You were supposed to stay with Lin at all times.” Naru said after a few minutes seeing as how she was ignoring the terms she had agreed to the day before.

 

“I don’t need a babysitter, Naru. I’m not in the house right now, and I’m with you. Lin will have enough to do watching over the others until we get back. Plus I have to stop by the shrine anyway to look into something, and I can take you to find the information about Tomiko while I’m at it.” Kagome replied as she drove back toward the city.

 

“About the spirit of the born Miko?” He asked already knowing that Kagome would have an idea of what he had planned.

 

She was very perceptive.

 

“Yes. My shrine is only one of several that keeps records of the other holy families and their bloodlines. Born Mikos are always born into strong lineages from what I’ve been able to find. Given how Yuki Tachibana is stronger than the other children spirits in the house then there is a chance her name will be in the records. I know she was from the Johto sect so I will be able to look there and see if their line has produced another since.” Kagome replied as she slowed down before taking a turn.

 

“What do you plan to do if there is?” Naru asked with an inquisitive glance toward her.

 

“I would train them, of course. Even if their ki is dormant they could still be targeted by the supernatural. I know that better than most. Most of the bloodlines that were strong enough to produce a child with exceptionally pure ki have thinned out over the last five hundred years. It is one of the reasons born Miko like me are so rare. That was not always the case.” Kagome shook her head as she thought about how things had changed since the time she had traveled in search of Shikon shards.

 

So much had changed since that time period. Nature had become less plentiful, and as it decreased so to did the Miko and monks with any true ability. Demons were considered no more than a myth to most. The jewel had been purified and then faded into legend.

 

Yet, Kagome’s duty as a Miko had not.

 

123

 

It had taken a while, but Kagome and Naru had both found what they were looking for. Naru had called everyone back to the house during the drive back. He had also called Lin to let him know the information so he could start his preparations, and it then that they found out what had happened while they had been gone. Kagome shook her head as Naru told her able Ayako’s attempt at an exorcism, and about how Mai had apparently been dragged into the well by the spirit. She was resting now, and Lin was keeping an eye on her while he monitored the activity.

 

“What did you find on the Tachibana’s?” Naru asked her after he had gotten off the phone on their way back.

 

“Yuki Tachibana came from a branch family of the current caretakers of the Hōryū Gakumonji in Ikaruga. She was an only child, and the line ended with her. The main family had only one heir, and according to the record, he would be in his late thirties. I’ll be going to visit to see if there is any possibility of him continuing his line. It would be a shame for it to die out.”

 

“Why do you say that?” Naru asked inquisitively; she rarely spoke to him or Lin about how she had been born with the soul of a born Miko.

 

“There are very few families left who are capable of producing a child strong enough to inherit true holy abilities anymore. I only know of three others in Japan, and have spoken with each one on the possibility of training a child should they show the capability. Born Miko like me are increasingly rare as the bloodlines of the holy families are thinning. The soul is what contains that power, but if the bloodline is too thin then the body can not contain it. They would either be stillborn or sickly and weak.” Kagome explained grimly as she drove.

 

“You said that your grandfather had no real ability, but you and your brother both do. How is that possible?” Naru asked as he recalled her family, and thought about what she was saying.

 

“He doesn’t. The Higurashi line originated a little over five hundred years ago from a monk named Miroku, and his wife Sango who was the only survivor of a demon-slaying village. The bloodlines were stronger as those born with holy ki traveled so often to help the people. Some stayed in villages, but all served the gods.  As time grew on, and demons vanished from the world those with holy ki settled. Shrines and Temples were built, and the bloodlines stagnated as the families married those who did not serve the gods.” Kagome said as she thought about what she had discovered some years ago.

 

This was not the first time she had gone through the records kept at the shrine. It had been a surprise to find that her friends were actually her ancestors and that they had settled in Edo. They had adopted the surname of Higurashi after she had departed through the well for the final time. It was Sango and Miroku’s grandson who had founded the Sunset Shrine. This had prompted her to do some research as she knew how strong Miroku had been. It had been disheartening when she had noticed the pattern.

 

“The Higurashi line thinned out much like the others, but then my grandmother married into the family. She was from a strong spiritual family in China. There the families often intermarry with other spiritual families to keep the lines strong. My father was born, and he married my mother who was from the Takigawa family on Mt. Koya. Holy, or pure ki is inherited through family lines. I don’t know why that is, but it is the common thread I have found through my searching.” She continued as she turned onto the road that would take them to the house.

 

“Hm.” Naru replied as he looked like he was lost in thought, and Kagome knew that as a scientist he was analyzing what he had been told.

 

It was something that could be of interest. The science of interconnecting bloodlines and such had been studied before. It did play a small part in his research of how certain people, like himself, were born with strong abilities. It was the strength of the soul part she spoke of that he was a bit leery of.

 

This wasn’t the first time Kagome had spoken about souls before. She had done so when she had told him about his own, and what Gene’s death had done. Lin had easily accepted her reasonings after reading the old scroll, but Naru hadn’t been as sure. He was no spiritualist. He was a scientist, and what she had spoken of had no basis in scientific fact. He trusted Lin, however, and the older man had believed her that day in the hotel.

 

He had followed through with the ritual mostly out of curiosity. Naru worked with spiritualists all the time, but Kagome had been different from most he’d met. She had a vast wealth of knowledge as he did, but she never boasted. Kagome only really said something she thought needed to be said. She would correct the others, but she did so in a way that was not high handed. The woman had knowledge of things he had never heard or considered,

 

Kagome was still a bit of a mystery, but she was one he was coming to trust as she was truthful. The ritual had helped with his control. He didn’t feel the pressure just under the surface. There was no way he could thank her for everything she did. He was able to better concentrate on the case, and she had found her own niche in the workings of his office. They often clashed when it came to science versus spiritual, but they learned from each other with every debate.

 

Kagome pulled into the driveway, and they entered the house in a comfortable silence. Naru shed his jacket as they entered the room, and Kagome looked over to the couch to see Mai sit up from where she had been resting after being pulled into the well. Kagome couldn’t help but find the irony in that. Mai’s expression was a bit strange as she looked at Naru while he had Lin playback everything he had recorded. Kagome had to hold back a small chuckle at the girl’s somewhat star struck look.

 

“Hey Naru, you’re back!” Mai said happily as she stood up not even noticing Kagome or the others that had entered just after them.

 

“Yes, thank you, Mai, I knew that already.” Naru replied as he gave her a look over her shoulder, and Kagome couldn’t help the soft chuckle at Mai’s irritated expression.

 

“Ah! Kagome too! Eh? What’ are…” Mai spoke with some confusion as she finally noticed  John, Masako, Monk, and Ayako behind her.

 

“Hey!” Monk smiled and waved hello as Kagome walk by Mai to her chair.

 

Kagome listened idly to the others speak as she took a seat. She started going through the readings of the past several hours and reviewing the footage. She pulled up a new document page to start recording a new file for that day. Kagome knew she could trust Naru was right, and that this case would be over by the end of the day.

 

123

 

That night there was a charge in the air as the full moon rose high in the sky. Lin kept an eye on the monitors while Kagome sat beside him facing Naru’s back while everyone gathered around him. The day had passed quickly, and now Naru was going to explain the plan to the others. Lin would finish the preparations after this meeting with the group. Kagome had already stepped out to her car to get the things she knew they would need out of her trunk.

 

“Miss Hara, can you see what the spirits are doing?” Naru asked the other teen as he started off this meeting.

 

“They’re in the living room. There’s no indication they’ve gone to the hotel yet.” Masako replied after she had opened her eyes after a moment.

 

“Matsuzaki. Start making charms that will stop any spirits from passing. I want the rest of you to post them throughout the house. We’re going to raise a kakai barrier in here.” Naru told them as he handed her the stack of ofuda he had taken from Kagome after she had brought them in from her car.

 

“Care to fill us in on the plan?” Monk asked as Naru had a bad habit of not really telling them anything.

 

“I’m planning on returning Tomiko back to her mother.” Naru told him as if it was the most simple explanation.

 

Kagome almost laughed at the dumbfounded expressions on their faces. She smiled as Lin glanced at her, and she shook her head when at his raised eyebrow. He turned his attention back to the monitors as Kagome looked back at the discussion taking place.

 

“Tomiko cannot be returned physically. Her mother will continue to haunt this place until we can at least create the illusion of her return. So we’ll need a substitute.” Naru said after Mai had said it was impossible to return Tomiko to her mother.

 

“You don’t mean Ayami, do you?” Mai asked worriedly, and Kagome bit her lip to keep herself from saying something.

 

Did the girl really think Naru would risk that little girl's safety? Yet Naru didn’t deny it as he continued.

 

“The problem lies with the woman. If we leave here without removing her we’ll have failed.”

 

“Yes, but this woman is dangerous. She nearly killed Mai an hour ago when she pulled her into the well! I think at some point we need to start considering our own safety.” Ayako said as she clenched the stack of ofuda, and Kagome could see that what had happened while she and Naru were gone had scared the other woman.

 

“I guess, but what about Ayami?” Mai asked, and the room was quiet as everyone thought about the current situation in the house

 

Kagome looked around at each of them. She already knew that it didn’t matter what the rest would ultimately decide to do. Lin and Naru would not leave this case unfinished. Not when it was so close to being close. She also knew that she would not be leaving until the woman's spirit was cleansed. The soul of a born Miko was trapped, and she needed to see it released back into the cycle of death and rebirth. There was also the fact that if they left then Ayami would still be at risk.

 

“Come on guys.” Mai pleaded with them as she thought about the child she had formed an attachment to.

 

“I must say I’m disappointed in all of you. I expected much more. If you can’t even think objectively; then I don’t need you.” Naru said firmly, and Kagome knew that he was slightly disappointed in the team he had put together.

 

“The risks are high. If we screw this up then our spirits could be trapped here as well!” Monk replied with some aggravation at Naru’s cold attitude.

 

“Whether or not you participate is entirely up to you. Mai, you’re free to leave as well.” Naru said shortly, and Lin followed him out of the room.

 

Knowing that she was supposed to stay with either Lin or Naru; Kagome got up to follow them as well. She turned to look at the rest of the group from the doorway. Her eyes rested on each of them in turn as she spoke.

 

“I’m rather disappointed in all of you myself. This is about more than just ourselves” She said softly with a small shake of her head as she thought of Ayami and the spirits of the children.

 

“Oh, shut up, Kagome. You just want to look good for Lin and Naru.” Ayako sneered back at the other woman.

 

“Is that really what you think? What you all think?” Kagome asked with a raised brow only to get varied responses.

 

Ayako’s words spoke clear enough of what she thought of Kagome. Masako returned here gazed coldly, but that wasn’t a surprise. The teen had been cold to her the closer she grew to Naru. John and Monk’s expressions told her enough to know that it wasn’t true for either of them. Monk knew her, and so he knew that she had some reason to hang around Naru and Lin so much. He just didn’t know what that reason was. John was a soft-hearted and gentle person. Kagome doubted he would think badly of anyone without a very good reason.

 

“Of course not! I’m sure that’s not how Ayako meant it…” Mai tried to reassure her, but her voice fell flat on Kagome’s ears.

 

“I see…” Kagome huffed as she shut the door behind her when she left.

 

She made her way down the hall to where she could see Lin had waited for her. Kagome shook her head gently at the questioning look he gave her before they walked into the room where Naru was waiting. She couldn’t really blame any of the others for how they thought of her. Kagome hadn’t tried to get close to Ayako, Masako, John or even Mai. Already she was unsure of the bonds she knew that were forming with Naru and Lin.

 

Since her time in the past she hadn’t allowed herself to be close to anyone outside of her family. She didn’t want to get attached to anyone else. Her life was anything but normal, and Kagome believed that anyone from this time wouldn’t understand. She didn’t want to be close to any more people only to be hurt when they decided to know her and the things she had done were too much. It always ended in goodbye, and she didn’t want to keep going through that. It wasn’t worth the pain of letting someone in.

 

Yet, Kagome knew as she joined Naru and Lin, she was already starting to care more than she should.

 

123

 

A while later and the house had been warded; leaving only the demon gate open. Kagome sat with Lin in the base as they watched the readings while Masako, Mai, and Naru were in the living room with John. The activity had picked up quickly as John started his exorcism to draw the spirit of the woman’s attention. Kagome raised her shields as the spiritual pressure in the house started to increase.

 

It was easier for her this time as she knew now what to expect. Lin kept watch on her from the corner of his eye as things progressed, and Kagome knew that he and Naru had been concerned about what she had told them could happen. She wasn’t really worried about it anymore though. The haunting would be over if this worked, and Tachibana’s soul would be freed to rejoin the eternal cycle. Kagome had enough faith in both Naru and Lin’s skills to say that this would be over soon.

 

She was proved right as they watched Naru toss the hitogata toward the spirit. A golden glow suffused the room as the spirits of the woman and the children were cleansed. A small smile crossed Kagome’s expression as she felt the malignant spiritual pressure fade. She lowered her shields and allowed her ki to spread through the house and cleanse the grounds of any bad energy that would have remained.

 

A small gasp left her as she felt the pure ki from the spirit of Yuki Tachibana. It was untainted once more. Gratitude radiated through her as her own ki resonated with the fading one of the girl's spirit. Soon she could feel as the last of the spiritual energy faded from the house, and brown eyes flickered open to look at Lin.

 

“Xièxiè. Tāmen zhōngyú píng'ānle.” Kagome whispered, and for the first time, Lin could see as a true smile brightened Kagome’s expression.

 

(Thank you. They are finally at peace.)

 

Lin said nothing in return, but Kagome noticed the slight creasing at the corner of his eye. He nodded before they both turned back to the monitors. Seeing that the others were on their way back they started to compile the readings and the footage for Naru to look through when he returned.

 

123

 

Early the next morning saw Noriko and Ayami returning to the house. The equipment had been packed away and loaded into the SPR van, and the ofuda removed from the walls. Kagome had packed her things back into her car before joining the others as they got ready to leave. She stood between Naru and Lin as she watched Monk close the door of the van.

 

“Naru, what was that little thing you gave the ghost?” Mai asked as she turned to look at the other teen.

 

“It was a hitogata.” He answered simply as if she should have already known that.

 

“What is that?” Mai asked, and Kagome knew the girl must not have done much research since coming to work for Naru.

 

“It’s the original form of the straw effigy dolls. It’s made by carving a piece of paulownia wood into the shape of the person you want to put a spell on.” Monk explained what he knew.

 

“You dummy. That’s how you put a curse on someone.” Ayako said mockingly and Kagome had to bit her tongue to hold back the scathing comment she could feel wanting to come out.

 

“Spellcasting has both a light and a dark side. A light spell helps the person while a dark spell harms them. Often the casting has a combination of light and dark sides.” Naru said as he glanced at Kagome’s expression.

 

“That’s right. It’s just like in esoteric Buddhism where either approach can be used to confound a sworn enemy.” Monk said as he smiled gently at his cousin to try to pacify her, and let her know that Ayako’s comment hadn’t bothered him.

 

“The hitogata is simply a vessel used to contain a spirit. For example, let's say I patterned an effigy after Mai. If I were to damage the hitogata then Mai would be harmed as well. That’s how close the effigy is to the real person.” Naru explained seeing that only Kagome, Lin and himself already knew that.

 

“So that one was?” Mai looked back at Naru to confirm her unspoken thought as she connected the pieces.

 

“Made for Tomiko.” Naru confirmed before Mai lit up as she finally understood what had happened.

 

“Of course. Since she thought she had retrieved her daughter, Tomiko, she was cleansed because her wish had been fulfilled.” Mai said only to receive a nod from Naru.

 

“I gotta say I’m impressed you made a successful hitogata that quickly. Is that why you two left earlier?” Monk asked thinking of the day before when Kagome and Naru had left without a word.

 

“The date of Tomiko’s birth and death were necessary for the effigy to be effective. The woman was Oshima Hiro, and Tomiko was her only child. The girl had disappeared one day, and her body surfaced from the pond about six months later. A couple of years after that Oshima’s house was demolished, and the house before us now was built in its place.” Naru explained what he had found while Kagome had been doing her own research on the Tachibana family.

 

“Tomiko… do we know if she was kidnapped? Is that why the mother threw herself down the well?” Lin spoke up, and Kagome turned to look at him.

 

Lin rarely spoke to the group outside of Naru and herself. Even then he only spoke if there was a reason for him to do so. Whatever the reason for his question he hadn’t told her about it. Looking at Naru, she could see him glance at Mai as he replied before looking up at the house.

 

“There was no mention of a kidnapping. The important thing is this house is free of spirits.”

 

“I’ll meet you both later at your place.” Kagome’s statement drew the attention of Mai and her cousin as Lin and Naru both turned to get into their van.

 

They both nodded before closing the doors.

 

“Their place?” Monk question as he looked at her.

 

“You know where they live, Kagome?” Mai asked glancing back and forth from her to where Naru was sitting in the van.

 

“I do.” Kagome said with a small shrug but didn’t explain anything.

 

“I never would have pegged him as an onmyogy.” Monk said as he brushed off the knowledge knowing she wasn’t going to say anymore.

 

“Onmyoji? You mean like that Abe guy?” Mai asked, and Kagome held back a laugh as she walked away.

 

Naru, an onmyoji? She tried not to laugh while the others started drawing conclusions as she got into her car. Kagome shook her head and started her car to head home for a few hours. The connection would have to be strengthened before the end of the night, but first, she had to take care of her shrine duties. It really wasn’t far to Souta when she hadn’t been there to take care of her share. Still, she knew, things were only going to get even more busy from now on.

 

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AN: Well this is the latest. I am so happy to finally be done with the Dollhouse. After School Hexer will take me awhile. I really didn’t care for that case so it’s going to take me a bit to make my way through it though I have an idea of what I’m going to do.

 

I don’t know when updates will be for a while. I have some family things going on and will have to leave state for a while so my stories may be on hold until I get back. Could be a few weeks to a few months so apologies in advance!

 

Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, and let me know what you thought!

 

~Ryu

 

Edited 02/13/2018