InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Crystal of Shadows ❯ Falling ( Prologue )

Much to Mitsue's disappointment, the sun rose once more, announcing yet another day. Mitsue sighed as she got ready for the school day. "Why do I even bother?" she asked her reflection in her mirror tiredly. "It's not like it'll do me any good."

She could hear her mother and father fighting and arguing downstairs and steeled herself for being yelled at once more. She checked the mirror once more-her brown hair was in pigtails, she was wearing her school's gray and blue uniform, and-she had almost forgot-she put on her favorite necklace. She usually didn't bother to wear jewelry, but she had found the charm on it one day on the ground. It was a crystal, and shone from the dirt where it had been. She was a small child, and fascinated by shiny objects. She had gotten her father to put a small attachment to it that enabled her to wear it on a silver chain around her neck.

She smiled at herself in the mirror, putting on her daily mask. It's what made people like her. If they knew the way she really was…

She didn't bother eating breakfast, and she had hoped to get out of the house before they noticed her leaving.

"And you!" her mother shouted. "You don't do anything! You eat our food, you spend our money, and do you help with even the housework? No! You're just a useless, good-for-nothing-"

She hugged her mother good-bye, feeling near revulsion at her touch. But she knew if she didn't, her mother would just yell and cry some more. Her father had long since stalked off to the kitchen to get away from them.

Mitsue grabbed her book bag and ran out the door.

She played with the crystal on the chain with her fingers. She made sure to greet everyone she met along the street with a brilliant smile. Soon, she met her friend Suki. They had walked to school together every day for ages. And this time, Mitsue's smile was genuine. She could feel happy, after all, just maybe not around her family.

"So Mom thinks I need counseling. She's been reading those silly parenting books again, too! I've looked at them, and they are really wastes of money," Suki was saying.

"You know," Mitsue interrupted. "Every day we pass the Higurashi family shrine, and we've never visited there or anything."

"They have a daughter, from what I hear, a girl our age named Kagome. But she goes to another school, and plus I've heard she's been sick lately. Hey, where are you going?" she called after Mitsue.

Mitsue didn't know where she was going, except that it was in the right direction. All those dreams, for so long, of escaping the boring life she called her own, of escaping the pain and heartache she had to experience through her life, of going back to the time of… of something better… of honor, and love, and sacrifice, and magic and priests and priestesses and warriors and angels and demons…

She didn't notice the crystal beginning to warm, but as she drew near to the doors or the small building, it burned her hand to touch it, and she moved it away. Opening the doors, she saw the well.

And she knew.

"Mitsue, what are you doing? Someone will see you!" Suki said, anxiously peering about.

"You'll have to walk by yourself to school today. I'll see you… later, Suki."

With that, she simply stepped over and into the well.

"Mitsue!" Suki cried. But it was too late, she had already fallen-then why didn't Suki hear her hit the bottom of the well?

Kagome's little brother had heard Suki's shrieks and came running. Once he saw what had happened, he inhaled sharply. "Oh no," he said quietly.

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End Prolouge. Hope everyone likes it so far! It'll get much better. Please review, if you feel like it, although there's not much to review. There will be more soon!