InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Goddess of the Past ❯ Change in Plans ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 2

When Kagome felt her feet hit the ground, she knew she was home. She could smell the incense Grandpa was burning in the shrine, the flowers that Mom had planted, and could hear the birds that lived in the 1000-year-old tree.

Ah, home .

As she climbed up, out of the well, and saw the clear blue sky through the doors, all she could think about was relaxing in a hot bath and resting until dinner.

The past few weeks had been rather rough for her, and Kagome desperately needed a break. She probably would still be back there, in the past, had InuYasha not caused her to lose her temper.

He deserved it! Don't feel sorry for that, that DOG!

All that hanyou had done for weeks, was act put out by everything around and irritated by anything that made a sound. Ever since the jewel had been completed and purified. With the Shikkon no tama in a pure state, he could not use it to become a youkai. So he became very quiet and rarely said anything positive. Which didn't help the fact that the rest of the group was trying to find a way to safely be rid of the jewel. Because even though the jewel was pure if it was away from Kagome for too long, it could be corrupted again.

Now with all the stress of maintaining the jewel, going on with the quest to destroy it and dealing with the moanings of InuYasha, it's no wonder that Kagome eventually got fed up with it all. So she took it out upon the number one offender, InuYasha. She told him to get over himself and move past the fact that the jewel it now useless to him. Naturally, being the state he was in, InuYasha came right back at her. So the vented their frustration on each other for a while. But the fight ended as all their big fights end. Kagome lets out a strong "SIT" command and uses Kiara to get back to the well so that she can go home.

"That, that JERK!!! He thinks everything is about him!"

Kagome had all this stress right now. And he had no patience for InuYasha's little mood swings. She carried the burden of the jewel and all the power that goes with it. She had to control this new power she had and try to learn how to use it in the battles that were sure to come. For the jewel still attracted some demons. The weaker ones never came for they could not use a pure jewel, but the more powerful ones always tried. And the only place Kagome was truly safe was at home, in her time.

But that was also dangerous. For the jewel had some type of connection to the past and it would never left Kagome stay away for too long. And if she tried it would drain the energy from her body in order to maintain itself. It need to be in it's own time, and Kagome had no choice but to comply.

But right now Kagome didn't want to think about any of that. All she wanted to do was concentrate on the few days of peace she had ahead of her. For at least 3 days she wouldn't think about InuYasha or the Shikkon no tama.

"I'm home. Mom! Sota! Grandpa!" Kagome stepped through the door into the living room and was greeted by the sweet smell of fresh orchids.

Mom must've gone to the flower shop.

"Oh, Kagome. I'm glad you're back." Kagome's mother walked into the living room from within the kitchen. "How long will you be staying with us this time?"

"At least 4 days." Kagome smiled at the idea of sleeping in a bed and taking a bath with real soaps for four days straight.

"Okay, good. Why don't you go take a bath. And I'll try to get those stains out of your clothes."

Kagome smiled at her mother. Even though the shirt and skirt she was wearing had no signs of stains, or even being dirty, many of her other outfits very severely soiled with either dirt or blood. She knows me so well.

"Thanks, Mom." She quickly went up to her room and prepared a scented bath in her own bathroom. She soon discarded her garments and lowered herself in the warm, soothing water.

This is how life should truly be.

After spending a little too long in the water, as was visible on her hands, Kagome dried off and went into her room. There she found, upon her bed, a pile of freshly cleaned clothes. All of which, were completely stain free. You're the best, Mom. She quickly dressed herself in a magenta tee and denim skirt. She then went down to the kitchen, for her appetite had found her.

Kagome reached the kitchen and was greeted by a familiar voice. "Hey, sis." Sota was eating lunch at the table.

"Hi, Sota" Kagome began to prepare a large meal for herself, since all had eaten in the past few weeks was Ramen noodles.

"You gonna stick around this time?" Sota looked up at his older sister form his food.

"Yes I am" said Kagome almost defiantly. "I'll stay for at least a couple days, a week if I can manage it."

"Good. Then maybe you can help us find an answer to this thing." Sota was about to return to his food, as if he said nothing out of the ordinary, but was stopped by Kagome's voice.

"Figure what out?" Kagome looked at her brother like he was making one of his stupid jokes.

"You know. This thing with your school. Mom and I still are trying to figure out if we can avoid it."

"What school thing?" Kagome was now becoming serious at the mention of her school.

"Mom didn't tell you?!" Sota was looking a little panicked

"Tell me what Sota?" Kagome was certain she heard her 11-year-old brother mutter "crap" when he realized his error.

"Uh, oh. Um, I think it would be better if I let Mom tell you." I don't feel like losing my head at only 11.

"Sota, you have to tell me what is going on!" Kagome was becoming more worried by the look on her brother's face.

"It's not that bad. Really! Mom will explain when she comes back." Sota forced a smile at his now panic-stricken sister.

Mom's gone! That's just perfect! "Where'd she go?!"

"To the market, I think."

"Oh, man. She'll be gone for at least an hour." Damn it. This I don't need. On top of everything else, the school is probably asking questions about my "absence" again.

Now Kagome was becoming very nervous. She tried her best to relax and eat. But this new problem had caused her to lose her appetite. Why? Why does this have to happen now?

Kagome pondered this new issue for over an hour, while she tried to patiently wait for her mother. But her nerves were getting the better of her. So she did the dishes, put away her laundry, and cleaned her already spotless room. All in attempt to keep her mind off the fact that there could be a very big problem waiting for her at the school.

Finally, after two hours of Kagome's cleaning rampage, her mother returned from the market. Kagome had decided amidst her organizing, that she should not bombard her mother with demands and questions. This would probably cause her mother to worry about her more that she already does. Plus, Kagome might not get all the information she need is her mother thinks it will upset her more. So, when she heard her mother return, she did her best to compose herself and headed for the kitchen.

"Hey, Mom. Need any help?" Kagome approached her mother neutrally.

"Sure, dear. Thank you." Kagome began to unpack the food from the bags. After a few minutes of silence, aside from the rustle of bags, Kagome decided to be straight with her mother and just ask.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Kagome?"

"Um, Sota mention that there's been a problem with my school lately."

"Oh. He did, did he?"

"Yeah. Um, what exactly is going on. He wouldn't tell me, he thought you should be the one."

"Well, at least he was able to fix his mistake of letting it slip."

"Mom, I need you to tell me the truth. The whole truth."

"Yes, well, I had hoped that I wouldn't need to involve you in this. You already have so much to deal with, but it can't be helped. This just won't go away. We're just going to have to deal with it." Kagome's heart began to race with uneasiness. What could it be?

"Kagome, do you remember, at the end of last year, when you school asked for volunteers to participate in an exchange program that would host teens from other countries. You were so excited how could I say no? So, we signed up. Well, the school called and said that our group is coming soon. And that we must prepare for their arrival. This group is form America and will be here for the last semester before the summer recess."

"Oh, my… no!" Kagome tried to stay calm, but this was worse than anything she'd imagined. "You mean…?"

"Yes. We have a girl coming to stay here for three months."

"But we can't" Kagome was on the verge of hysteria. "If she comes here…"

"Yes, I know sweetie. And I've tried everything I can to get out of it. But the school insists. And they have no reason not to."

"What do you mean?"

"Well. About a month ago your principal called the house. He was asking about you illnesses, and if you planned on finishing the year. Or if you were having tutors come to the house. I thought he wasn't going to let you graduate. So I stretched the truth a bit."

"What did you say to him Mom?" Kagome's eyes were growing wider by the minute.

"I told him you were recovering and would be returning as soon as you could. So that you could finish the year with your classmates as best you could. He believed me."

"But…?"

"But the call wasn't about you not graduating. It was about you being well enough to be a good host student for this girl. Once I realized my error it was too late. If I tried to get out of it, he would think I was lying to him. It would have raised more questions."

Kagome began to get frantic. This was becoming worse and worse.

"I've tried to think of anything to get out of this. But anything we said could raise a lot of unanswerable questions. We have no choice, we must let her stay here."

Kagome was desperately trying to find a way out of this mess. Nothing came to her. If this girl saw her coming and disappearing she would figure something was wrong. And if that didn't throw her, than the fact that everyone at school though she was sick, when she obviously wasn't, would do the trick. This girl simply couldn't be allowed to see her leave for so long, it was just too odd. Foreign girl or no. If she saw her. Saw? Seeing? Suddenly it hit. What if I'm not here to be seen at all?

"Mom!" Kagome's sudden cry startled her mom. But she continued anyway. "What if I just stay in the past the whole tie she's here? Then she can't get wise to what is going on." Kagome was sure this was her answer. But things are not always as the seem.

"I've thought of that already, dear. This girl we're supposed to host got a family profile. She knows all about us because it was filled out by you, last year. She's knows about you, Sota, Grandpa and me. We can't have a child missing. Especially not you. You're supposed to be her host at school. Plus, if you stayed you would miss the rest of school and not graduate. We can't do it. It's too risky"

"Then what can we do?" Kagome was beginning to lose hope. So this is how is feels to be totally screwed.

"Kagome, dear." Kagome could tell by the tone in her mother's voice that she would not like what was coming. "I've thought about this for a month now, and there is only one way, that I can see, for this to work. You will have to stay here, once she arrives."

Kagome just stood there for a moment, dumbfounded at what her mother had just said. But after the shock wore off, she realized the severity of what it meant.

"Mom, it is impossible for me to stay here for three months. I would be dead after three weeks! The jewel is connected to the past. If it does not return there soon enough, it will require an energy source to survive. That energy comes from its protector, ME! I absolutely cannot stay here for more than one week. We already learned that the hard way."

Yes, dear. You explained that to me already."

"Then how can you expect me to stay here for so long. And I can't give the jewel to someone else. I'm the only one who can keep it pure. Without me demons will hunt for it again."

"Yes, yes. I know all of that." Kagome's mother was trying to have patience with her daughter. But Kagome was beginning to rant and would not allow her mother to explain.

"Then how could you possible think this plan could ever work. This is…" But Kagome never got to say what it was, because her mother finally cut her off.

"Kagome! You need to calm down!" Kagome nearly jumped from surprise at her mother's sudden change in tone. "Now, if you'll let me finish. Kagome, you could stay here with us, go to school with this girl and pretend to lead the life you used to have. But on the weekends, then you could go down the well. And we'll think of something to tell this girl, like you go to a special school over the weekends, or something that will keep her from discovering the truth. Now that is my plan, what do you think? Kagome?"

Kagome was unable to answer her mother for a moment, because once again she was dumbfounded. But this time it was caused by her surprise at how very sly and clever her mother was being.

"Mom, this really could work!"

"Well, don't act so surprised, dear. Your mother isn't completely clueless, you know."

"But Mom, would she really believe that I have to go away every weekend?"

"Oh if she thinks it's odd, then I guess well just blame on cultural differences."

"That works for me." Mom is on a roll today.

"Good. Now the only thing we have to do is make sure she keep away from the well while she's here."

"True. But what American girl would be interested in an old well? I never was, until I was pulled in."

"You're probably right. So no worries. And on the plus side, now you can finish school properly, with the rest of your classmates."

"Yes, that is good. And I'll no longer need to be "sick", and Grandpa won't be making up anymore stories." Kagome smiled at her mother, but a thought was nagging at the back of her mind. Explaining this to Inuyasha and the others will not be easy and probably very unpleasant. Especially considering Inuyasha's recent mood.

Kagome gave a heavy sigh and decided to worry about the hanyou later. "Okay, so when does she arrive?"

"She arrives a week from Saturday."

Next Saturday! Oh shit. That only gives me 10 days! Now I'll have to go back earlier than planned in order to give myself time to explain everything. Plus, I'll have to make sure Inuyasha won't come and try to "retrieve me", like he does if I'm gone too long. Kagome sighed yet again.

"Okay. So we'll need to make sure anything that could reveal the secret of the well is hidden completely. And Mom, make sure you let Grandpa know he must keep his mouth shut."

"You really think that Grandpa would tell her?"

"Not on purpose. But you know Grandpa, he'd start on of his long stories of legends or something, and he'd mention the past and the whole plan would be k' put."

Kagome's mother nodded in agreement. "That does sound like you grandfather."

Kagome smiled. She realized that considering the situation they had been put in, her mother was being rather calm. And it's good that one of them could do that. But I suppose that's what mothers do.

"I guess now I need to get ready to go back sooner than I planned. Going back tomorrow would probably be best, so that I have enough time to explain all this. I'll come back a couple of days before she gets here, to help you organize a bit." Kagome was about to go up to her room to repack, when she thought of something. "By the way, what's her name?"

"She's an 18 year old from New York, I believe. Her name is Nena."