The Future Through The Past

Chapter Two


Takara walked into the hospital room, holding the vase of roses. A few of her friends from school had stopped by a few minutes ago to give their best wishes. They all asked how her mother was doing, what odds she had. In total her mother had been in the hospital for almost two months. It was confirmed; she was in a coma. The doctors weren't sure if she'd ever wake up now. Many tests had been run, finding no reason for the induced sleep. Then the questions came about her mother's health before the accident. They seemed more curious about her mental heath and frame of mind.

Her grandmother tried to assure them that Kagome hadn't been depressed. Sure she was moody sometimes and had her moments. Takara had walked downstairs then, not wanting to reveal the truth. Her mother had been more than depressed lately. For as long as she could remember her mother had been melancholy. The face she showed to the world was different than the one she showed in the privacy of their home. Her friends used to ask her; how come her mother never dated? Takara couldn't remember seeing a man in her mother's life. Her only conclusion; her mother still loved her father.

She placed the vase on the nightstand and glanced over at her uncle. "Did they say what time she is to be moved?" She was to be moved to a home strictly for coma patients.

"The doctor just left. He said they'd be here in the hour to transport her. They won't be allowing visitor's until tomorrow though. Why don't you go ahead and head back home." Souta glanced up at the girl. Her long silver hair was pulled back into some kind of knot revealing her lovely face. She had her father's eyes but Kagome features. The nose, mouth, chin and cheek bones.

"Okay, I think I'm going to stop by the shrine and check up on Gran."

"Alright, I think she was going to do some shopping. So she might not be there when you arrive." Souta informed her.

"I'll wait." She gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek and left. The walk down to her car took longer than expected. An elderly couple got on the elevators heading down. Seeing her coming, they hit the door close button before she could get on. She sighed and silently cursed, like she would try to mug them on the elevator.

Walking outside again, she found her way to the car. The drive took half an hour due to rush hour traffic and everyone else that seemed in a hurry to get somewhere.

Once at the shrine she walked up the many steps. She was walking across the yard when she noticed something different. The old building to her left was open, the door slamming in the wind. She remembered walking over to that same building once as a child. It had been locked with some type of dead bolt. Her mother had freaked telling her to get away from the door. Now, its hinges squeeked as it was rocked back and forth from the wind. She decided to go over and at least shut the door.

When she got close enough a small tingling sensation crept up her spine. Her heartbeat quickened and her pulse began to race. Her feet carried her over until she was standing in the doorway. Enough light shone inside for her to see some steps and some kind of door. The door looked to be on top of some kind of well, it had sutras of some sort placed on the wood. She sighed and looked around, nothing else of interest.

Stepping back, she shut the door and slid the bar to close it up. Strange the lock was missing. Why would someone steal an old lock? She'd have to tell Gran of this. She walked into the main house using the hide-a-key. "Gran?" No answer came. She had to be out shopping still.

Takara placed her purse down on the couch and walked into the kitchen. Deciding to fix a glass of water and a sandwich while she waited. Her eyes landed on a box place on the counter, it was a lockbox of some sort. The key was still placed inside. Gran had left it there in a hurry it seemed. She stared at it for several minutes before curiousity got the better of her.

She quickly walked over and grabbed the gray box, placing it on the table. Her fingers turned the key, a snapping sound was heard. It echoed through the house causing her to jump. The top creaked open as she held her breath. Her hand reached inside to pull out several photos. She flipped through them slowly. Most of them were of her father and her mother. She became confused, in all the photos he was dressed the same. He also had those strange looking ears sticking out his head. Spreading them all on the table, she examined each one. She couldn't find proof of regular ears in any of the pictures. Were they all taken on the night of some party? But then why did her mother have different clothes on in a few of them?

She dug into the box to see what else was inside. Her hand palmed a small jar, inside was a glass shard of some sort. It glowed as she stared at it. She sat down in a chair, placing the jar down on the table beside the pictures. Then an idea struck her, the backs. The print date would be on them. She flipped all the pictures over and examined the dates. All before she was born, two had to be right before her mother had became pregnant. The others stretching out months before the last one. She came to the conclusion her father was a mutant that liked to wear the same funky clothes day in and day out.

The front door opened as Gran stepped into the house. She walked into the kitchen carrying two brown bags. "Need help with those Gran?"

She dropped the bags at hearing the voice. "Takara what are you doing here?" Her eyes went to the pictures scattered on the table along with the jar. "What are you doing with those?"

"Maybe I should ask you the same. They were here, so I looked. So should I make us some tea before you start answering my questions?"

"Yes, let me clean this up while you make the tea." Gran picked the bags off the floor. Every once in the while her eyes strayed to the mess scattered on the table.

"No lies Gran, I want the truth." Takara placed the kettle on the stove. "Is he alive?"

"I don't know." She sat down suddenly forgetting about the groceries.

"How can you not know? Why was I told he was dead all these years if you aren't sure?" Takara demanded. "And what the hell is up with those photos. No one has ears like that."

"He did. It's a long story, I guess you are old enough now to know the truth. Sit down and I'll tell you everything dear." Gran told all she knew. About Kagome disappearing one day into the well. How she traveled back and forth to the fuedal era. About the jewel of four souls, the Shikon-No-Tama.

"I know its alot to take in dear, hard to believe also. You know I wouldn't make up a story like this, not now."

"Why was I told he was dead?"

"Dear, the day your mother came back and sealed the well she was very upset. She would never tell us what happened, we tried to get her to open up. We also hoped that since Inuyasha couldn't come through the well to get her, she'd decide to return and work things out. A few weeks went by and she found out that she was pregnant with you. I asked her if she was going to return to the fuedal era and tell Inuyasha of her condition. She stated that he would demand that she finish her duty collecting the shards. She didn't want to put the life of her unborn child in danger so she stayed. Then you were born, so she never returned."

"Is there a chance he could still be alive?"

"In this era no. Through the well yes." Gran got up when the kettle started whistling. She took down two cups, pouring the hot liquid for them both. "She's never gotten over it. She never gave herself the time to grieve and now I believe she is consumed by it."

"Gran why was the door to the well open?" Takara accepted the cup.

"I..I tried to go through. I thought maybe if I could somehow find him, bring him back. Then my little girl would wake up." Tears came as she started crying. "I know it was stupid but late last night, after the Souta called telling me what the doctors told him. I guess I lost it for a while. I'm not even sure what I was thinking. Your mother told us that the era was filled with danger, youkai everywhere. I probably would have died before ever finding him. I took the jar containing the jewel and tried jumping in, nothing happened. I had the sutras removed, I'm not sure why it didn't work."

"What would you have done if you'd found him?"

"Demand that he come here, speak to her. I don't know, I wish I knew what happened between those two. I want to know why my daughter refuses to wake up." Gran wiped the tears from her cheeks and took a sip of her tea.

Takara set her cup down letting it all sink in. "Do you think bringing him here will help mom?"

"I don't know. I thought it would be worth a shot. I can't stand watching her lie there, so still. It doesn't matter, I couldn't get through."

"Maybe I can."


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