InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mika- the Inu Ookami Hanyou ❯ The Rift ( Chapter 1 )

The Rift

 

Modern Era Japan: April 1998

 

“What was I thinking?” Mika thought as she collected her bags from the Tokyo International Airport baggage claim. “Coming halfway around the world to a place I know very little about, to a family I can barely remember, and to a country were I don't remember any of the customs, or for that matter little if anything about the place!” She leaned forward and grabbed a large duffle bag off the turn style. “For now, they are all that I have since my folks died. Despite what mom said about me being adopted on her death bed, the Higurashi's are all the “family” that I have left. Since the Shrine was where I was found, maybe they have some clues as to my real family,” Mika surmised as her thoughts raced through her mind as she hailed a cab at the airport with her duffle bag of clothing at her feet, and her backpack hanging off her shoulder. At 5'4” Mika Jones was just an average 19 year-old girl traveling from her home in America to visit her family in Japan. Her strawberry-blond tresses hung down her back, brushing the waist of her black mid-thigh skirt, which showed off her very tan athletic legs and her comfortable leather sandals. The blue of her dress shirt closely matched her light blue eyes which took in all of her current surroundings. Her lithe frame felt more at home in jeans, hiking boots and a T-shirt than the business casual dress in which she traveled. Since this was her first time meeting her extended family in a number of years, she felt that it was appropriate for the business casual attire than the Tee shirt and jeans approach.

 

Once in the cab, after giving the driver her destination, Mika thought back to the past two weeks of her life. Both of her parents, Commander Jason Jones of the United States Navy and Ayame Higurashi Jones, had been killed by a drunk driver while returning to their country home in Jerome, Idaho from an early birthday celebration for Mika. Her birthday was actually later in the month, but since her father was taking a group of Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp (NJROTC) cadets on a week trip over spring break to a mini boot camp out of state, they celebrated as a family early.

 

Two weeks previous…

 

They had gone to her favorite restaurant at Cactus Pete's in Jackpot, Nevada and had taken in a show. By the time they had hit Hollister on US 93, a set of headlights were barreling toward them. Without any warning, the lights swerved into their lane and hit the car head on. Jason was killed instantly and Ayame had been pinned in the front passenger seat, which caused extensive internal injuries. Mika had braced herself for the impact which resulted in a sprained wrist and a whiplash induced concussion. In spite of the numerous bumps, bruises, cuts from flying glass and the concussion she walked away from the accident virtually unscathed. A passing motorist had stopped and assisted the family as best he could before the authorities arrived with an ambulance. Ayame was extracted from the vehicle and rushed to the Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls, Idaho with Mika holding her hand. Once they reached the hospital, Mika was advised of the extensive internal bleeding that was quickly killing her mother. According to the doctors, nothing could be done to save her other than to make her as comfortable as possible, and that Mika should spend what little time she had with her mother. After receiving medical treatment herself, Mika stayed at her mother's bed side. During the brief time she had with her mother, Mika listened to the story of how she'd been found at the family's Shinto shrine in Tokyo in an old abandoned well.

 

“When your father was stationed in Tokyo as a new officer in the US Navy, we met, fell in love, and got married. We stayed near the Higurashi Shrine to be near my family. When I found you, Mika, you had been considered a blessing from above. Due to various reasons, neither Jason nor I could have children. Instead of looking for your biological parents, we had claimed you as our own. Looking back now, it seemed a bit selfish on our part, but we considered you to be our own flesh and blood.” Shortly there after, Ayame passed on, leaving a bewildered, confused, and to Mika, a newly orphaned child behind.

 

Present…

 

Mika surveyed the cityscape of Tokyo from the window of the cab, scarcely seeing the numerous people and buildings other than just brief blurs of colors and shapes. Her mind recalled the phone conversation that she had with her aunt a few days before. As the phone rang, Mika hoped that she would get an answering machine.

 

A few days previous…

 

“Hello, Higurashi residence, Sota speaking,” a young male voice answered from the other end.

 

Mika's heart skipped a beat, as she asked, “May I speak with Midori Higurashi please?” For a split second, she thought, her call had been a mistake, and what she had experienced for the last few days had been a horrific nightmare she was going to awaken from shortly.

 

“Hang on a sec. I'll get her for you,” replied the young man. In the back ground, Mika could hear “Mom, telephone!!!” He came back and said, “She'll be with you in a minute or two. She's in the kitchen making some lunch.”

 

Mika replied, “Thank you. I'll wait.” She looked at a few pictures her mom had put into a photo album of her Aunt Midori, Grandpa, and her cousins Kagome and Sota. The pictures were taken around the previous Christmas. Mika didn't recall much about Grandpa or Aunt Midori; she was very little when they left Tokyo after her father had been relocated to Jerome before either of her cousins were born.

 

Lost in deep thought, Mika was startled back to her phone conversation by a little static and a womanly, “Hello?”

 

“Aunt Midori?” Mika replied.

 

“Yes. Mika… I'm so glad to hear from you,” her aunt replied.

 

A couple of tears streamed down her face as Mika replied, “I'm calling because mom and dad are gone and mom told me some things...” Unable to hide her emotions any longer, the sobbing overtook her calm demeanor and she let the tears flow, almost in hysterics she said, “Oh, Aunt Midori, I'm alone now, what will I do?”

 

“Its okay, Mika, I understand your sorrow. We received word about the accident shortly after it happened. I'm sorry that Grandpa, Kagome, Sota nor I could be at the funeral, but we send you our love and condolences.” Midori replied as calming a way as she could, her heart going out to her niece in her time of sorrow and loss. A few minutes later, Mika regained her composure and thanked her aunt for her concern.

 

Once again in control of her emotions, Mika said, “The reason for my call is to see if I can stay for a while with you and Grandpa while I figure out what to do. With dad's life insurance and the money they had saved up, I'm pretty well set for a while, but I need to be with family right now. If you don't have the room, I'll understand and I can just change my plans.”

 

“Nonsense, you're family and we would love to have you here. Sota and Kagome will be more than happy to have you come and visit. I'm sure they would just love to hear about all your life in America and they would love to show you around here as well,” Midori replied, quelling any denial of the invitation.

 

Within a matter of minutes the details of the trip were exchanged between the two and Mika hung up the phone feeling a lot better than she had when she called. She remembered hearing her mother say that to the Higurashis family was important and they looked after their own flesh and blood very well. Mika looked over her home of 15 years. Memories flooded through her mind of all that had taken place there. Mika's best friend, Amy, had agreed to watch her home while she visited the Higurashis to recover from the sudden shock of abandonment.

 

Amy told her, as they left for the airport, “Don't you worry about a thing. I'll make sure everything is fine and just let me know when you'll be back!”

 

As soon as all the details were taken care of Mika boarded the airplane at the Twin Falls Airport, and headed to Tokyo by way of Salt Lake City and San Francisco for what she figured would be approximately a month retreat to help mend her broken spirit. Little did she know that she what awaited her in Tokyo.

 

Present…

 

As the cab finally pulled in front of the Higurashi Shrine, Mika pulled money for the cab fair and a substantial tip from her backpack, and she thanked the cabbie in Japanese. She stepped away from the cab and removed her bags from the trunk. The yellow cab pulled away from the Shrine, leaving Mika to her memories and the unfortunately long trek up the hill. Luckily, Mika was use to the long hike having hunted with her father in the rugged mountains of North-Central Idaho for the past few years.

 

Mika took in a deep breath of the clean air, slightly recognizing the faint odors from very brief, fleeting memories. “We'll here goes nothing. Let's get this over with,” she sighed as she carefully bent down to pick up her bags.

 

Before her hands touched either her duffle bag or back pack, the earth beneath her feet began to rumble and shake. In horror, Mika realized too late the ground had opened a savage gouge into the pavement and sidewalk of which she stood on. Unable to move onto the balls of her feet to regain her balance quickly, Mika scrambled for a stationary piece of ground. From her shaky perch, she glanced down into the ever widening chasm. Suddenly her perch lurched forward, dumping her into the chasm without notice. Trying desperately to catch hold of a hand or foot hold, Mika scraped her finger nails to the quick, leaving bloody trails. When she realized she would be unable to save herself, she screamed in both frustration, and excruciating pain as her body was bombarded with rocks ranging in size from those of base balls to mere pebbles. As the sound left her body, it transformed into the howl of an animal in pain which sounded across the town, drawing attention for those both near and far.