Chapter 1: New Neighbors
Light and lazy footsteps echoed from down the empty neighborhood street broke through the silence of the evening. The sun had already set a while ago and the only light to be seen was radiating through the living room windows of all the perfect white houses that were all ordered neatly up and down the road.
Great, they’re going to give me such a headache for being late. Rounding the corner was a dark haired boy, probably no older than fifteen. And even though that was his thoughts while staring impassively ahead toward his destination, his pace remained slow and even. He just shrugged the thought off as insignificant. If they were going to give him an earful it wouldn’t matter if he actually ran to make it in time.
Boredom was etched into the boy’s face and his emerald green eyes didn’t even notice the ‘SOLD’ sign sitting in the lawn of Number Seven Private Drive. But the one thing that did catch his eye as he made his way up to his aunt and uncle’s driveway was a tiny tawny owl gliding easily through the dark sky in his direction.
But the teenager wasn’t really concerned and did not pay it any mind. He merely figured it to be a responding letter from one of his friends from school. Sighing as he entered Number Four Private Drive, he failed to see the nighttime bird pass over his house and make its way to the newly bought home just down the street.
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Phew. Fifteen year old Kagome Higurashi thought while collapsing onto her bed, Moving is hard work. Irritation passed through her glimmering sapphire eyes as she spotted a crack in the glass of one of her photo frames still lying in one of her boxes.
The feeling dissipated as a sense of accomplishment rose inside her while glancing around her new room. Not so bad… she mentally told herself, I’ve even got my own bathroom.
She let out a breath getting up off of her bed and moved towards the broken picture frame. Raven black hair spilled over her face as she gazed at all of her old friends. God how she missed all of them…
Slipping it out of the frame she held the picture lovingly within her hands. She felt a familiar tug at her heart. Tears stung the back of her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. Kagome sniffled to prevent herself from crying as she placed the photograph on her nightstand face down.
~~
“Come on, guys.” Kagome had a smile played across her face as she grouped her friends together.
“I still do not see why you want us to take this ‘foe-toe-graph,’ Lady Kagome.” Violet eyes looked to her questioningly.
“Photograph, Miroku.” She corrected the monk while moving him into place. “And I’ll show you in a minute.”
A young woman came up beside them, “InuYasha said it was somewhat like a painting, only made with some device called a ‘camera.’ Are you going to make a portrait of us all standing here?”
“Not if everyone doesn’t stay still for one minute.” The young miko huffed. She stalked off to a particular tree looking determined.
“Inu-Ya-sha...” A red-headed fox demon whined up at the tree. “We have to take a picture for Kagome-‘kaa-san.”
“Hey, Shippou,” The raven haired girl greeted the kit, “is he still being difficult?”
“Keh.” Could be heard from the tree.
Shippou gazed up at the human female he considered his mother, letting his large green eyes attribute to the pout on his lips. “The dumb dog’s too stubborn. I can’t get him to come down.”
She nodded to him in understanding. “Why don’t you go take your spot and I’ll get him down.”
The young fox grinned and nodded before turning abruptly and bounding towards her two other friends, running on all fours through the long green grass.
Kagome let out a sigh before turning back to the tree. “Why don’t you just come down? I don’t see why you’re so against it.”
Receiving no response, she continued to call up to the branches. “Can’t you do this little thing for me, please?” Still all she got back was silence. “Grr… look here, InuYasha. I really want this picture. I’ll bring back extra ramen just for you if you take the picture.”
Bingo. The silver-haired dog demon finally jumped out of his silly hiding place. “You swear?” His golden eyes searched hers for any deceit or trickery.
“I promise.” She chirped before grabbing onto his hand and lead him back to the group they’ve come to know as friends and companions on their journey.
~~
It had taken just about twelve mess-ups before getting everyone to take a decent photograph, and as irritating as it had been, the memory of it made a smile rise onto Kagome’s face. As did all the other memories of her friends from the feudal era. Settling back down into her bed, she couldn’t help but rethink the outcome of their groups’ effort.
Her breath caught in her throat and she shook her head violently. She wouldn't do this anymore. No more tears, no more pain. Taking a deep breath she sat back down on her bed.
Thinking back on it three months later, Kagome sees it as an entire blur. One large, bloody, life-changing smudge upon her memory. The eleven weeks after Naraku’s end was spent with Sesshoumaru. He justified his hospitality and training sessions by saying she needed to learn to fend for herself if she were to be Keeper of the jewel.
Kagome had been living in shock then. Not wanting anything and barely filling her needs. She willed her mind as she put all of her efforts into her training. When she was dubbed self-sufficient, she returned home with the jewel and told her family everything. Every little detail she could remember spilled from her mouth as if being forced to retell her tale.
After a while, Kagome’s mother announced that they were moving. That was three days ago, and now she was here in England, in the house her father had grown up in. Grandpa stayed behind to care for the shrine, Kagome left letters behind to her school friends, and she made it through a fourteen hour flight. Things were looking up.
Riiight… But she was glad that her mother had given her a chance to make a new start. Maybe she could actually lead a normal life.
Contemplating her new beginning, Kagome drifted off to sleep, never noticing the envelope lying on her window’s sill.
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