Adjusting back to life in the present was a lot harder than the last time. Akiko didn't know why, but she couldn't shake it. There were no classes for her to go to for a distraction because she had missed the enrollment period to continue another semester. Not that the young woman would finish in the first place. Akiko wouldn't be around long enough to complete it anyway or her degree for that matter.

Akiko didn't practice at the shrine anymore for the benefit of her family. She didn't want them to see how strong she'd become since training in the mountains. Didn't want them to know what she was capable of taking on in the Feudal Era. Instead, Akiko followed Sota around to pass the time. When Grandpa wasn't telling one of his stories again. Not that she minded. The young woman listened very intently now, wondering if there was any information she could use to help her situation in the past with the other lords and ladies.

In the mornings the young woman walked Sota to and from school with Tobi, took him out to meet with friends, they also went and got shaved ice together. Even though it was chilly out. "Brain freeze!" he shouted. It caused Akiko to laugh, reaching over to ruffle his hair playfully before taking another bite. Later, the two then walked in silence for a time heading home when the boy broke it. "Hey, Akiko? What's the Feudal Era like?"

Akiko cocked a brow in his direction. "I would've thought that Kagome had told you by now."

"Oh, she has. But I want to hear it from your point of view. I know you two don't travel together. Otherwise you'd be home at the same time. And a lot more."

"Does it bother you that I'm not around much?"

The young boy shrugged. "At first it did since you had just gotten here. But then I realized that whatever you were doing had to be important over there. Just like how Kagome has her spiritual powers. Though with how long you're gone... it must be more important than you're telling us."

She gave him a sad smile as the two of them paused on the street, Tobi halting as well. Reaching out the young woman touched the boy's head before crouching down to his height. "When did you get to be so smart?" That earned her a chuckle in response. "You're right... our situations are complicated, but both equally important. We fight a common enemy most of the time."

"Then why don't you travel together?"

"We don't, unfortunately, because our paths are different. We both serve different purposes in the Feudal Era. Besides, there's someone in each of our parties that don't like each other."

His nose scrunched up at that. "Well, that's annoying. Wouldn't it be easier to travel together to defeat this Naraku guy and find all the shards?"

"It would be... but it's not that simple."

Sota sighed. "Man, you adults are so complicated sometimes."

Akiko laughed, and even Tobi chuckled lowly at her side. Standing once more the young woman offered a hand. He took it without question as they continued walking again. "That we are. To answer your first question though, it's beautiful. It smells clean, there's barely any noise there, and despite all the fights Kagome and I have been it... it's peaceful there. Once Naraku's gone it has a chance to be."

"Akiko, why were you gone so long?"

"Training. And there was a disturbance that had to be taken care of."

"Yeah, but why do you have to do it? Kagome is pretty capable, isn't she?"

"Of course she is. But everyone needs help sometimes."

"But why you? You're blind. It can't be easy."

"Nothing ever is, but I get by. Besides, like I said, it's more complicated than that. Even in the Feudal Era. It's quite extraordinary, Sota. I wish you could see it."

"I'm not brave enough."

"Bravery comes in many forms, Sota. I've come to know that over time. And just between you and me, the Feudal Era does terrify me a little bit."

"Really?"

"Really. It's unpredictable. Just like the present. But it's okay to be scared sometimes. That's what makes you human."

The statement made Sota think long and hard on that before asking, "So the people you travel with, are they humans and half-demons too? Like Inuyasha?"

Akiko threw her head back with a laugh. "Our companions are very different."

"Tell me about them," Sota pressed with excitement.

Later that evening, when everyone in the household was asleep, Akiko was up reading one of her many books. Fingers trailing over the brail Tobi laid at her side resting, the lights turned off in the room. "You didn't tell him everything," the half-breed finally spoke up.

Akiko paused in her activity. "He doesn't need to know," she answered.

"Whatever is in the well can't get through and hurt them."

"I don't want them to worry."

"For when you eventually have to stay behind."

"It's exactly for that reason because then it's out of their hands, like it is now. They can't pass over to help and I don't want them to feel helpless being hundreds of years away from each other."

Tobi's head moved so it rested on the young woman's lap, causing her to place the book on the night table. "We only have three days left here. And the more time passes the less you will be here. I believe your aunt is beginning to suspect something."

"I know... I can hear it in the way she speaks to me."

"If you want my opinion, the sooner you tell her there will come a time when you will not be able to return, the more time all of them will have to come to terms with it. And say goodbye. Just maybe, if you tell them enough, who you are to become in the Feudal Era, they can look for you in scrolls and old tales. Follow your life in that way to know how you are fairing through your accomplishments and failures."

"And if I die?"

"We all have to die eventually. It just depends on how we choose to go out but we'll never know until it happens. In the end it's your choice to say something or nothing."

"No pressure though..." she muttered. And Tobi chuckled lowly.

It was nearly time to leave. Akiko had been packing what she needed for the journey ahead. Her aunt had even washed the outfit she wore upon returning. Unlike Kagome though, she didn't have much to take. Too many items would wear and slow them down. Besides, Sesshomaru wouldn't be fond of too many mortal items within his estate probably. Rin's toys were enough, and they all stayed in her room. Akiko shook her head at the thought. She would see them soon, but why was she so concerned what the lord thought? Granted maybe it was because of everything he had done for her since being sucked into the fate of the Feudal Era. Or that he was her sole ally in all this that she did not wish to cross... or loose.

There were footsteps that drew Akiko from her thoughts, head turning in their direction. Tobi wasn't with her. The half-breed was with Sota, watching the boy play video games. So the young woman knew immediately who came to see her in the garden.

"I thought I might find you out here," the woman spoke. "You've been out here a lot in the gardens and I begun to realize that it's probably because it reminds you so much of the Feudal Era. There's nothing here of the modern world outside this area of the shrine. It's peaceful."

"I guess I never thought about that..." Akiko mused. "Guess you're right."

Sitting down beside the young woman the two enjoyed the silence before another word was said, "Even though you face Naraku... you enjoy it there, don't you?"

"Yes."

"It's probably easier to move around without all the noise."

Akiko's lip twitched in a grin. "It's not just that... well, maybe yes, at first. But when I was there... am there... there are people I travel with that don't see me as a hindrance, or someone with a handicap." She paused for a moment. "Well, there was one... but I think I eventually won him over." The two laughed about that. "But it's not easy. We both fight Naraku, but have different paths we have to take."

"Something tells me there's something else." Akiko didn't answer. "When you do come back, it's not for long, like Kagome. But your visits are few and far between. And when you are here you don't say much about your travels. Kagome has little to offer on that because you don't see each other."

"Inuyasha and Sesshomaru don't get along."

"So I've heard. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It must be important, what you're doing there, but I worry you're all alone."

"I'm not alone, Auntie, I promise. The reason I don't tell you everything... is because I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"My purpose. I'm not a priestess like Kagome, but I am a reincarnation."

"I assumed as much. Seeing how only the two of you have managed to pass through the well from this world."

"But there's so much more to that. Do you remember Aisu?"

"The white wolf that came looking for you?" Akiko nodded. "I remember her. A former ruler and Tobi was her..."

"Beta. He's a half-demon that took on the form of a dog to find me. That's why he grew in size before we went back. There's a whole pack of wolf demons, people who used to serve under Aisu and were handed the same fate."

"And she was a demon too?"

"No, she was human when ruling Northern Japan, but when the transformation happened she turned into a demon."

"I see... and you..."

"I'm her reincarnation." Akiko couldn't remain silent anymore about what she had been through in the Feudal Era and explained everything. Being found by Aisu and the pack when Sesshomaru kidnapped her, being the target of Naraku because the north was his domain and didn't want to hand it over, his attack on the west that forced her back to the present, and going back to help the lord and grow stronger. How she had made the decision to become the next leader of the north once they found the hidden domain and awoke the castle from its icy depths. How a human such as herself had to gain allies in other lands to make the north stronger again. Find a way to convince demons to side with a mortal, while also trying to keep the impending darkness that threatened to take over at bay. There was more though, Naraku's curse... "I can see when I'm over there, Auntie."

And tears gathered in the woman eyes at that. "How is that possible?"

"Naraku. When I returned to help Sesshomaru he caught us off guard and managed to capture me. While I was in his castle he discovered a way to give me back my sight... but it's curse."

"Why do you say that?" When her sister called so many years ago to say that Akiko would loose her sight forever, her heart went out to the both of them. There were so many things that the young woman would miss out on in life, even though she never allowed the handicap to stop her from learning, traveling, and moving about the world. But now able to see again... the woman knew why the Feudal Era would appeal to Akiko so much.

"Because it's not certain. We have a theory. That when we defeat Naraku my sight will be taken away from me because he's gone."

"That's just cruel," she whispered.

"I know... but I've grown to accept it. I train with and without my sight so I'm prepared. But none of the demon lords and ladies know because I don't want them to think that with my sight I'm now stronger, but if I loose it... I'll be seen as a weakness and the alliance will be ruined."

"But lying isn't the answer either."

"No, but it's what Aisu and Sesshomaru agreed on, and I do as well."

"And this Sesshomaru...?"

"An ally."

The woman gave her a knowing look, even if Akiko couldn't see it. "It seems like the two of you are more than that."

"How so?"

"He's saved you on more than one occasion."

"He has to in order to keep the alliance with the north."

"Something tells me it's more than just that."

"I think you're reading into it too much, Auntie. Besides, why would the demon Lord of the West be interested in a mortal. He's not very fond of them."

"What about Rin?"

"She's a special case, and a long story. But everyone loves her." The young woman smiled fondly thinking about the girl. "She's something else."

The woman still didn't feel like that was the right answer, but let it go for the time being. "Being a reincarnation of the former queen..."

"Means I will have to take the throne when Naraku is defeated."

"That would mean that you would have to stay there... forever." Akiko hesitated for a moment before nodding. "And you'd never come back?"

"I couldn't leave my rule in anyone else's hands. And traveling between the past and present would cause more problems." People wouldn't believe she would be capable of commanding a throne if she disappeared for lengths of time.

"When will that time come?"

"I'm not sure."

"So any time... could be your last time back." The thought hurt Akiko's heart. Even if she knew all along the time would come. The last two weeks had been rough for her to adapt back and accept her once life in the present. But being here, coming back, had almost been a blessing because then she knew for sure what it was she was giving up. And now a part of her was willing to accept that fact.

"This isn't my world anymore," Akiko whispered. "I think we've both known that for a while now."

The woman nodded mutely, wiping away the tears from her eyes. "You are a bit more distant since becoming involved. And sometimes I wonder if I should've never asked for you to find Kagome when she left her first aid kit. Since my sister died... I always worried for you. There has been so much you've lost in your life in such a short amount of time. You're unbelievably strong, which is why anything you do or decide I have faith in you." The woman took Akiko's hands in hers, squeezing tightly. "If the Feudal Era is where you need to be and see yourself fitting in... then you need to go. That may be your home now, but always know that you have a place here with us as well. Should you ever need help or a place to be our door is always open."

"I know that, Auntie," Akiko sobbed. "You've done so much for me since Mom died, I can't ever repay you."

"You don't need to. Ever. I love you, just as equally as Sota and Kagome. But I don't ever want you to feel guilty for what you decide or were meant to do."

"I love you, Auntie." And the two hugged each other tightly. Explaining everything helped lift a weight off of Akiko's chest so the next time she came back to visit, whenever that was, maybe it wouldn't be so difficult around the shrine. But if that time never came the young woman wouldn't feel regretful not giving an explanation. Tomorrow she would return to the Feudal Era, for however long was necessary.