Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kagome looked out the window at all the scenery passing by, her chin in the palm of her hand. She glanced at the young girl in the other seat, she was basically laying down clutching a bouquet of flows to her chest looking like a kicked puppy.

Kagome frowned, and lightly patted the legs that were perched in her lap, trying to console her.

"Oh! Look Chihiro It's your new school. Also, thanks again Kagome for coming to help up move in." Yuuko said while looking at Kagome through the rearview mirror.

Chihiro made a face at the passing building mumbling about it not being fair, and dumb under her breath.

Kagome giggled at her cousin before smiling at her aunt. "It's no problem, Tokyo was getting a little stuffy anyways. I'm happy for the fresh air of the country."

Kagome looked back at Chihiro who was really sad that she had to leave behind her friends. She felt bad, she knew that was never an easy thing to do.

Chihiro looked at Kagome with a sad sigh, her eyes drifting to her flowers, before sitting up in a hurry.

"Mom!" The girl pushed the flowers in front of her mother's face "Look their wilting!"

Her mother glanced at them with a slight frown, "Well with how hard you're clutching them of course they're going to start to wilt. But don't worry we can always put them into some water when we reach the house. "

Chihiro's face dropped at what her mother said as she slowly sat back down. "I finally get a bouquet, and it a going-away present."

"Oh, but what about the rose your father got you for your birthday?" Yuuko asked.

"One flower doesn't equal a bouquet…" she lamented as she leaned her head onto Kagome's shoulder eyes closed, mindful of the few bag in the floorboard of the car.

Kagome patted her head in comfort, her fingers lightly brushing the flowers, her fingers glowing a light pink only noticeable if one was looking, and the flowers seem to perk up a little.

"What about you Kagome? Do you ever receive flowers? Maybe from a boyfriend perhaps?" Akio asked as he glanced at the signs going by.

Kagome chuckled, "I've gotten a few flowers over the years, but never from a boyfriend. I've never had one."

"WHAT? But you're such a lovely girl how could you not have anyone? Not only that but twenty-three and never even had a boyfriend!?" He questioned while Yuuko smacked his arm in reprimand.

"Oh, oh don't get me wrong I've had a few boys that liked me, but nothing really ever came of it," Kagome said as she started to look back out the window stopping the conversation from possibly becoming even more invasive.

Yuuko glared at her husband, and he ducked his head sheepishly.

They drove for a few more munited before the rode got a little bumpy, and Kagome noticed an even more lack of buildings, and other manmade things.

"Did I take a wrong turn?" Akio questioned as he came to a stop scratching a bit at his neck in a nervous tick.

"No look! There it is the blue one on the hill." Yuuko said, and Akio looked to see to.

Chihiro was looking at something else, little stone-like houses, "What are those?" She whispered, but Kagome heard her, and smiled.

"Their Shrines, they say spirits live in them," Kagome replied, as she too looked at the little houses, she looked intently trying to see if she could see anything at all, but frowned and looked away when nothing changed.

Soon the car started forward again.

"Dear shouldn't you turn around?" Yuuko asked with slight worry in her voice.

Akio laughed, "Nah, I'm sure this is a short cut."

The rode got even worse as they were bounced about Kagome kept a tight hold onto Chirhio who was looking to be a little afraid at the wild ride. Kagome glanced out of the window she sees a smiling Dosojin a little further behind the trees.

Kagome frowned as she held Chihiro tighter, she had a bad feeling about all of this.

"DEAR! Slow down!" Yuuko said with a panic, as it seemed like the man started to drive even faster.

"It's fine we've go four-wheel drive!" He said.

Kagome's eyes widened as she saw the beginnings of a building come into view, but before she could say anything Akio was already stomping onto the breaks making everyone lurch forward.

The car stopped just a hair's breadth away from another smiling statue. Everyone let out a breath of relief.

"What is this building?" Yuuko asked as she fixed her messed up hair.

Akio tilted his head, before turning off the car and stepping out walking to the read entrance. Chihiro scrambled out of the car next following after her father.

Yuuko sighed with annoyance and fondness, "Those two…" before Akio spoke out.

"Hey it's not real stone, its plaster." He took a step back to look at is more. At his discovery Yuuko also stepped out of the car.

Kagome noticed Chihiro stiffen, and look down at her feet before scrambling back. Her blue eyes took notice of a few of the fallen leaves getting pulled towards the tunnel, as if beckoning them to enter.

No, this did not look good at all she thought as she too got out of the car

Chapter Text

Kagome stepped out of the car just as Akio exclaimed that they should go through to see what was on the other side.

"Ah, Uncle shouldn't we get to your house?" Kagome asked as she stopped behind the statue where Chichio stood, not taking another step.

Akio chuckled, "Don't worry Kagome, the movers have a key to the house. Where's your sense of adventure? Come on don't be a scaredy-cat you two."

"My sense of adventure if about five hundred years in the past give or take twenty-three years…" Kagome thought as she let out an annoyed sigh.

"No dad, Kagome's right! It's creepy, and the wind is trying to pull us in!"

Yuuko laughed at her daughters worry, "Don't be silly Chihiro, It just the wind. But if you want you and Kagome can wait at the car, we'll be back in a moment."

Chihiro looked from her parents, to Kagome, and back multiple times unsure of what to do as the two parents walked further in.

Kagome watched as the girl started to panic before she sighed, and placed a hand on her should that caused the young girl to jump.

"Come on, someone has to keep those two out of trouble." the blue-eyed girl teased, as she held onto the worried girl's hand, and they walked after the two.

The two walked behind Akio, and Yuuko. Chihiro now clinging onto Kagome's arm for dear life. After a moment they came into a room with stain-glass windows, and stone benches, it vaguely looked like a church. Kagome watched as the two adults look around in wonder, while her and Chihiro stood by the doorway they just came from.

There was a tug at her arm, and she hummed in question letting to still skittish girl know she was listening.

"Kagome, do you know what was up with that creepy smiling statue outside?"

Kagome smiled down at her, "It was a Dosojin, or a Rode Ancestor Kami. They are believed to house deities of the borders, and paths. They protect travelers, pilgrims, villages, and individuals from epidemics, and evil spirits."

Chihiro tilted her head in wonder. "What do you mean by borders?"

Kagome's blue eyes turned to look at her cousin, "I mean, this world, and that of the spirit world."

Chirhio felt a chill run down her back as she stepped closer to the older girl her grip tightening on her arm. Kagome patted the girl's arm in a sign of comfort, before they all heard a muffled faint rumbling sound.

Yuuko looked around curiously, "Did you hear that?"

Chihiro stepped a bit away from Kagome, "It sounded like a train."

She smiled at Chihiro," We must be near a train station."

Akio grinned at them in mischief, "Let's go check it out!" He said as he started off out of the room thought the only other doorway.

Kagome felt Chihiro leaver her side taking the offered hand of her mother, as the three walked on into the chilling darkness.

Kagome sighed frustrated as she ran her hand through her hair. She could feel a slight static in the air she hadn't felt in a long time, and while normally she would be happy to follow the familiar feeling, but her family were wither her.

It...It should be fine right…

She took steps after the three. With each step the familiar aura grew, and as she stepped out of the hallway that led out she felt a burst of spiritual energy it took her breath away and forced her eyes closed.

"Kagome?"

Her eyes opened to the worried eyes of her family, "Are you okay?" Yuuko asked as she placed her hand on the Miko's cheek.

"Eh, Yeah…" Kagome smiled at them as she looked around and saw all of the Dosojin scattered about the beautiful grassy green hills. The top of the building could be seen in the distance.

"Well this has been fun, Let go back yes?" Kagome asked hoping that they would agree.

"Aww, come on Kagome I just want to check out one thing." Akio pleaded.

Kagome frowned at the man as he lead his family further in, Wasn't he suppose to be an adult? You would think he would have some sort of warning bell going off at the prospect of placing his family in danger.

She sighed as she followed them again, what was she expecting? It's not like they could feel what she could. The only reason she knows it is because she has felt it before. Plus this is the man that she saw play chicken with cars when she was younger.

Yes this man has no sense of self-preservation….

Just as they reached the top of the hill Chichio spoke, "What are those wired buildings?"

Akio laughed, "Ah ha! I know it. It's an abandoned theme park, see"

He turned around, and they all looked at the building they just came from, it was the entrance of a theme park, with a clock tower on the top of it "They built them everywhere in the early 90s. Then the economy went bad, and they all went bankrupt. This must be one of them."

Kagome frowned as she narrowed her eyes, 'How come we didn't see a huge clock on the way in? Not only what, but the paint, and stuff looks newer too.'

Akio, and Yuuko started down the hill, and both Kagome and Chihiro stated, "Where are you going, you said just a quick look! Let's go back!."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to have the movers waiting on use too long!" Kagome added to Chihiro's plea.

The two ignored them and continued on.

Suddenly a strong wind blew, pushing them forward, urging them to continue. It was so strong that Kagome had to stop Chihiro from tumbling down the hill when she lost her footing. Chihiro held onto Kagome for dear life as the two started back at the clocktower entrance.

"Kagome? It sounded like the wind was moaning..." Chihiro looked at her worriedly.

Kagome frowned before tucking some of the hair that slipped from Chihiro's ponytail, behind her ear.

"It...It'll be okay. It was probably just the usual noise the wind makes some times." before the two also began down the hill to catch up with the pair.

She wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure.

The two made just in time to her Yuuko claim that they should have brought their lunch, and had a picnic in such a beautiful place.

Akio stepped on some stone that had some of the water running through them.

"Huh? Looks like they were going to put a river though here." He noted at her held his hand out to Yuuko to help her across, when his nose caught the scent of something good. Yuuko stumbled, but caught herself on Akio's arm. She rubbed at her nose form where it bumps into him.

"Hey you smell something Yu-chan? It smells delicious." He asked

She gave him a questionable look but sniffed the air none the less. She rose her eyebrows as a soft 'oh' left her lip.

"Yeah, it smells wonderful, oh I'm starving too!"

Akio grinned at her, "This place must not be abandoned, after all, let's go."

He lead her over the rocks up the stone stairs on the other side, Yuuko glanced back enough to call out to the two girls. "Chihiro, Kagome, hurry up."

Chihiro was on all fours between two rocks trying not to fall into the little water that was there, "Wait a minute, I'm trying!" She got onto the rock, but starts to slip off. In a panic she jumps to the next rock, and sighs in relief that she made it. The young girl turns to say something to Kagome, but notices she is still on the other side, she looked slightly scared, and shocked.

"Kagome? What are you doing? It okay it's easier than it looks you can make it!" Chihiro called out to her.

Kagome blinked, and smiled at her girl. "Ah, Your right! W-why don't you go with your parent I'll be there in a moment!"

Chihiro gave her one last worried look before wallowing after her parents.

Once the girl was gone over the top of the steps Kagome frowned as she placed her hand out, and it came into contact with a dark purple barrier. She pushed against it, but it pushed back.

This...this was not good…That was some strong magic….

Kagome narrowed her blue eyes, and concentrated, while her hand was on the barrier. A pink glow surrounded her, her black hair started to float and drift around as if caught in an invisible wind.