On her final day within the palace Rin was very upset to see her packing in order to leave. "It's only a few weeks," Akiko had reassured. "And then I'll come back."

"You promise?"

Bending down to the child's height, the young woman smiled. "I promise, Rin. I'll be back before you know it."

The little girl hugged Akiko tightly around the neck, the reincarnation returning the gesture before standing with the child in her arms. Grabbing the bag on the bed they made their way downstairs where the pack was waiting. "Look after her," Akiko ordered. "Make sure she's safe." They nodded in understanding before Rin was lowered to the ground and one of the wolves nuzzled the girl's cheek.

"Don't slack on your training," Aisu ordered.

"I'm sure Tobi won't allow that." And the second in command huffed in confirmation.

"Are you sure you don't want an escort?"

"We'll be fine. Stay here in the Western Land and make sure Naraku doesn't come back. That's more important." Tobi grew in size beside her as they walked out the front doors, securing the bag over a shoulder and climbing onto the half-breed's back. "I'll see you soon." And looking into one of the windows that faced the front ground she noticed Sesshomaru standing in the shadows of the hall watching. She didn't expect him to come and say goodbye. It wasn't in his nature. Nodding up at him, Tobi turned them away as her hands gripped at the fur and they took off into the forest.

There were no complications as they made their way towards the Village, rushing around the boarder so not to draw attention to themselves. And then the well came into view, her grip tightening. For some reason Akiko found herself growing nervous about returning home, but didn't understand at that moment why. "Hold on," Tobi ordered. He lunged through the air before dropping inside as a swirl of color surrounded them before a rush of air blew past them. Then there was nothing but blackness.

Neither of them moved for a good few minutes as the sounds of the city came rushing back from cars honking on the road below the shine, the sound of falling water from the garden, and the crickets chirping in the coming evening. Sliding from the animal's back she reached out with both arms feeling for something, anything in the surrounding darkness before her fingertips hit the rocky wall of the shrine and feeling the ladder that led to the surface. And a thought struck Akiko standing there in silence before feeling Tobi's cheek nuzzle against her own. "I'm blind..." she whispered. This hole was not that deep if able to hear things above so some source of light should still be able to leak through as the sun continued to set. Naraku's... gift could not translate into her time period. The half-breed gave a low whine, nose coming under her jaw out of comfort. "I'm okay..."

Climbing to the top, Tobi lunged out before pressing against a side and leading her to the stairs. Hand resting against the wood Akiko let out a breath. "I'm not going to tell them, that I can see." She felt his head nod in understanding. "Not yet. Unless Kagome has already returned home and beat me to it."

Grandpa, her aunt, and Sota welcomed the two home with open arms, Tobi having shrunk down in size to fit through the door. "I was wondering if you would make it back in time," her aunt spoke as they sat down for dinner.

"Where's Kagome? Did she come home?"

"Upstairs in her room studying and trying to catch up. I've already brought her dinner."

Knocking on the teen's door after eating, she called from inside to enter as Tobi bumped it open with his nose. Her head drew up from the stack of books before grinning widely at her cousin's presence and hugged her tightly. "I'm glad you came back without any problems."

"So am I. Did you find anything after leaving the Western Lands?"

Kagome sighed heavily, sitting on her bed. "We lost him heading east, but ran into one of his incarnations, Kagura. She held us up and by the time Inuyasha defeated her the trail had grown cold."

"Typical," Akiko grumbled. The teen carefully studied her face.

"Akiko..."

"Hmm?"

And Kagome noticed her eyes were not looking into her own. "You're blind again..." The young woman nodded in confirmation. "How?"

"I guess it's safe to say that ability does not carry into this timeline."

There was a moment of silence. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"But you can't see! After just getting it back... that's cruel."

"It's nothing new, Kagome. I lived my life blind, and while I'm happy that I was able to see for that brief period this isn't something I'm not used too. It's not a huge lost."

"But what if by coming back when you return to the Feudal Era your sight will be completely gone again?"

Akiko had thought about this during dinner, wondering if there was a possibility. It was then she realized that was the reason she was so nervous before entering the well to return home. Even if Naraku had said the effects could never be reversed, what if the well could dispel it?

"It's something I had to chance. This is still my home and I can't just stay there because my sight was given back to me. Even if I have a duty as a reincarnation to the north. There are things here that I have not yet completed. But don't tell the family. I don't want them to get their hopes up for something that may not even happen again."

Kagome wasn't sure if she could be as strong as Akiko. She would be terrified if she lost her sight and if there was a chance to get it back... the teen was sure she'd never want to loose it again. But here her cousin was, accepting it once more like an old friend as Akiko left her to continue studying. She wasn't panicking, nor showed signs of being uncomfortable. As much as Kagome hated Naraku giving the young woman the gift of sight... it was too nice of him, and though his intentions for doing so was to benefit him she was afraid for her emotional stability if he had lied and managed to take it away once more. Naraku was a cruel man and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted and thrived off of people's misery, pain, and fears. He had the perfect hand to play against Akiko and that made the teen worry for when they did return to the Feudal Era.