InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Learning to Love ❯ Prologue:A Ghost from the Past ( Prologue )

Author's Note: Well, I have been out of commission for a very long time, but after being inspired by reading another author's work I have decided to dip my pen into the ink once again. After reading some of my older stories I realized how much I have matured as both a person and writer. Anyway, that's enough about me, I hope you enjoy the story and if you deem fit at the end of it; let me know what you think!

 

 

 

~* Learning to Love *~

 

By: White Dragon (MM)/Dreamcatcher5 (FF)

 

Prologue: A Ghost from the Past

 

 

Part of learning to love,

Is learning to let go…

 

 

 

 

Prologue:

 

The past that she had so readily jumped through a well to enter had become history. Kagome Higurashi walked through the lobby of her apartment building steadily heading for the outside world. Stumbling out of the revolving door, Kagome was met with the hustle and bustle of the city, quickly as though someone had set a fire under her she slid into the crowd and hustled down the busy street.

 

A light snow began to fall around her and she was taken back to that cold day on the hillside when the past would be ripped from her, her heart shattering much like the Shikon no Tama had the first time she sent an arrow sailing through the sky.

 

As someone brushed against her on the sidewalk she was abruptly shaken from her thoughts. Running a hand through her long hair she sighed and looked up and the winter sky above her crying crystallized tears. A small painful smile slid across her lips as she recollected all the times she had shed tears over the past, but as she strode across the street when the light turned green she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to that happy person she had once been.

 

Turing a corner she almost bumped into someone barely aware of her surroundings, muttering an apology she continued walking until something in the depth of her mind was awakened. She jerked her head over her shoulder to see long silver tendrils fading into the masses behind her. Blinking, she shook her head; when she looked again the hair was gone. Kagome brought a small mitten covered hand to her face and rubbed her eyes, maybe she hadn't gotten a great night's sleep after all. Chuckling slightly to herself she ran up steps and waited for the train.

 

The train was heard before is skidded to a screeching stop in front of her, doors opened and a gust of warm air engulfed her as passengers exited the train. Once all obstacles were out of her way she hurriedly shuffled onto the train finding it mostly empty this early Saturday morning. Gently lowering herself into a seat before the train lurched to a start Kagome had time to take out her iPod and gently separated herself from the world around her. Hearing it softly clicking as she told it what to do it finally began to send music from the small speakers lodged securely in her ears. Slumping in the seat she rested her back against the cool train window relishing its comforting sensation of cold against her troubled head.

 

As the train stopped suddenly for the umpteenth time, Kagome has lost track after seventeen, her stop was announced over the small group of people that had gathered in her train car. Rising before the train stopped at her destination, Kagome held on to a handrail, bracing herself for the unexpected slowing of the train.

 

The doors opened in front of her and she looked out at the small sea of people waiting to get on the train. Her body was embraced with a welcome burst of cold air. It caused her eyes to tear slightly, but she was happy to be off the train, they always seemed to have the heat pumping no matter what the temperature the outside world was.

 

Descending the icy steps and gracefully as could be escaped the railed world and made her way back to the pavement. Walking the short distance to the shrine Kagome's steps bounced to the rhythm of her music, smiling slightly that she still walked in perfect time with the beat she ascended the large staircase in front of her to her childhood home.

 

Breath clouding before her face as she huffed up the stairs, Kagome thought about how out of shape she was. There was time when she could bound up these stairs and not even feel the side effects. But, she thought wistfully, she had been younger then, not to mention was training day to day by walking all day in the wilderness and fighting demons, she didn't have time to be worn out then.

 

Stopping to catch her breath at the top of the stairs she looked out over the freshly snow dusted shrine. She couldn't help but smile, she felt safe and calm here; she always had. Smile still spread across her face she pushed her tired limbs forward toward her house. Before she had reached the stoop at the entrance of her house a young man was bounding toward her.

 

As he closed the distance between them he spread his arms, upon contact he grabbed her in a bear hug spinning her around in the glowing snowflakes. “Kagome…” he muttered into her hair.

 

When he finally put her down she had a chance to look into her eyes, “Souta!” she exclaimed, “You have finally grown up!”

 

“And you have grown old!” he replied smartly lightly punching her in the shoulder and then falling into a fit of laughter at her face.

 

“Well, I'm glad to see that you look grown up, but you still act like a child.” Happy with her retort she smiled smugly and brushed past him to enter the house. Souta harboring a small smile of his own followed his older sister into their house.

 

“Mama?” Kagome questioned as she entered the house. Hearing a bustling in the kitchen she tacked the sound to find her mother unpacking groceries and starting to boil water, no doubt she would be making a fest and Kagome's mouth watered at the though of her mother's home cooked food. If there was one thing Kagome missed the most about living at home, it was her mother's cooking.

 

Kagome snuck up behind her mother and gently tapped the old woman on the shoulder causing her to jump. Her mother turned quickly to see the sly smile grow on her daughter's lips, “Kagome!” her mother called out wrapping her arms around her loving daughter. Placing her hands on her upper arms her mother leaned back to take Kagome in, “To what pleasure to we owe this visit?”

 

Kagome embraced her mother again, sighing softly. “Momma, I missed you.” Holding on to her mother a little longer she took a deep breath and then pushed herself away and turned to sit at the table located a few steps away where Souta had already situated himself.

 

“Kagome, how are you?” her mother asked from behind her.

 

“I'm doing good.” Except I still have nightmare's about the past and normally cry myself to sleep, but besides that I'm just dandy. She heard her mother let out a small grunt at her response not fully believing her, but not wanting to question her in front of Souta.

 

“Souta, how have you been?” Kagome asked, changing the subject of the conversation to her brother.

 

“I'm great, I wish you would come around more though. I really miss you sis'.” Souta put a hand lightly on Kagome's shoulder. “I know you are busy, but maybe we could hang out sometime, like we used too. Rent a movie or too, play me in a video game and get your butt kicked.”

 

Kagome smiled. She had missed her family, just as much as she had missed the past. But, her family was here in the present at her fingertips and she had abandoned them. A smile crossing her face she looked at her brother, “I would love too, and if I remember correctly the last time we played a video game someone was begging for mercy and it wasn't me.”

 

Souta laughed. He saw a sparkle in his sister's eyes that he hadn't seen in a long time. Running a hand through his mop of hair his shoulders bounced lightly as he laughed at the memory.

 

Kagome looked around the room and was realized something was different, “Where's grandpa?” she asked, wondering where the old man was, she was sure he would have an extravagant tale to weave for her.

 

“Oh,” her mother piped, “he's out with his friends.”

 

“Grandpa has friends?” Kagome asked arching and eyebrow in disbelief.

 

Souta laughed. “I know its hard to believe, but since you've been gone and he has no one to listen to his whimsical stories he started going to the local library to tell them to the young children.”

 

Kagome's mouth formed an “o” and she chuckled softly to herself. Wondering what adventurous stories her grandfather was telling. Acting out the fighting scenes, giving each character their own distinct voice, she felt jealous for a moment being denied her grandfather upon her homecoming. However, she got over that thinking of the twinkling eyes of children as he told his tales.

 

Smiling she opened her mouth, “When are we going to eat?”

Her mother smiled and her brother rolled his eyes, “It's good to see all you still think about is food, maybe you haven't changed that much.” Souta stated.

 

After a night of her family Kagome felt relaxed and the closest she had been these past years to her old self, before she knew so much pain. Her grandfather had arrived home just in time for dinner, and had graced them with a story during dinner and another one after. Kagome had even had time to play her brother in a few video games; she even beat him at one. But, as her grandfather had fallen asleep and her mother was struggling to keep her eyes open Kagome decided that she should leave, hoping to make the last train back to her small dark apartment. Kissing her mother goodbye and giving her brother a loving hug she slipped her mittens on as she walked out the front door.

 

Kagome stopped at the old tree in the middle of their shrine. Walking towards it slowly she placed a hand on the center of the bark, sighing she closed her eyes and could almost feel the warm wind and enchanting smells of her first visit to the Sengoku Era. A strange feeling over took Kagome causing her to open her eyes quickly, biting back her unshed tears she tried to recollect why this strange sensation felt so familiar.

 

Closing her eyes once again Kagome concentrated on the world around her. The sensation grew stronger and seemed to be coming from the well house. Kagome's eyes shot open youkai she thought. In a fleeting hope she ran toward the well house, throwing open the doors that hadn't been opened since she had been banished back to the present.

 

Flying down the few stairs she ran to the well stopping when she reached the edge. “Inu Yasha?” she asked hopefully, softly into the darkness of the well, but there was no answer. Waiting a few moments her shoulders slumped, she emerged from the well house and slowly turned to shut the doors on the past, she hoped for good.

 

He had been watching her as she ran toward the well house when she sensed his presence. He had even heard the name she whispered hopefully into the well. He didn't understand why, but the question most forefront in his mind was how his brother's wench was still alive and how she had virtually not aged, it seemed in fact she was only a few years older then when he had seen her in the last battle.

 

A small tear ran over Kagome's round cheek crystallizing in the frigid night air. He was going to turn away and never walk into her life again, not that she knew he was there, but nevertheless he was going to fade into the city. But at the sight of that lone tear glistening in the moonlight it reminded him of the tear strung, crestfallen face of Rin as a child the night he saved her from death.

 

Something tugged at him and before he had control over his body again he was looming over the heartbroken girl. The moonlight being blocked from her body she looked up to see what the cause had been.

 

Her eyes raised and she met two molten eyes. Screaming as a clawed hand gently removed the tear. Pulling his hand back quickly his sensitive ears ringing from the loud scream Kagome welcomed him with a scowl grew across his face.

 

Finally gaining some semblance of composure she eeked out, “Sesshomaru?”

 

But as her voice faded into the wind he was gone and she heard her front door open and saw Souta standing in the doorway the light behind him. He quickly jogged to his sister.

 

“What happened Kagome?” he asked his eyes full of worry, “You look like you have just seen a ghost.

 

She looked at him with terror-ridden eyes, “I have.”