The present had modernized. As years went on there of course were advancements in every field. Cities built up, transportation had improved, medical advances were light-years ahead in their discoveries, and knowledge was ever growing. But one thing that hadn't changed was a shrine that sat on the outskirts of the thriving, metropolitan Toyko. The stone steps led up from the main road where a red Torii gate sat at the top in greeting. The home was one of the oldest still standing in the region, and had received renovations to keep up its appearance so it didn't decay from age. After all, it was still occupied and served as a historical guide to the country's past with the information stored inside. It was now in the care of an older gentleman with salt-pepper hair and a kind nature that had any scholars that visited leave with a larger appreciation to the past. After all, the caretaker lived in the shrine his whole life and was very passionate about his ancestors, something he passed down to his own descendants.

The old man groaned, standing with a bit of difficulty from his chair in the kitchen. Having finished his morning tea, he shuffled towards the sink with the help of a cane. There was movement out the window above the basin, seeing three young children running along the wrap around porch. A smile had the corners of his eyes crinkling from age deciding to get some fresh air. Slipping on his slippers he moved at a leisurely pace. The tranquil atmosphere made him grateful that he could call this place his own, a haven away from the hustle and bustle only minutes away. It was actually quiet where one could hear the birds chirping and the calming way the light breeze moved through the leaves of the surrounding trees. This was home for Sota.

"Grandpa!" The sudden shout had him slowly turning to watch the youngest child come running in his direction, waving about her arms frantically. "Airi broke a wall!"

"Kaito pushed me!" a protest came from further away, soon followed by a,

"Did not!" from the young boy.

He smiled at that, patting the child's head. "I'm sure everything is fine, Mari. Let's go make sure no one is hurt."

They had made their way into the storage room that Sota had kept open to air it out. Nothing visibly seemed broken, but the guilty look on Airi's face said everything as his attention turned towards one of the compartments. It seemed that the child's arm had gone through the back wooden panel, seeing the splintered wood before looking down at the girl. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she muttered.

"You all know not to play in the store room," the older man reminded. "There are very valuable things in here."

"Sorry, Grandpa," they apologized in unison. But he couldn't be mad at them, ushering the three along and reminding them to stay out of trouble. Looking back to the broken section it didn't appear the few scrolls under it had been damaged in any way reaching back to touch the wood and determine if he should get someone to come by and repair it. That was when something caught his eye. It was a bit difficult to make it out from the shadows, grabbing a flashlight hanging on the wall and shining it on the opening. There was a large scroll hidden behind the paneling pushing more of the wood out of the way and realized that this had been a compartment of some kind as it slightly shifted to the right giving him more room. Carefully pulling it free there was dust covering the surface as he wondered how it had gotten back there. There was a string tied around the middle and a slip of paper, probably for protection, before turning the scroll sideways to read the inscription.

Akiko of the North, Feudal Era

Sota's eyes widened at that, fumbling with the string before slowly unrolling the first section with slightly shaking hands. His cousin's name was scrawled in place on the first line, reading a few more before realizing that this was a detailed record of Akiko's movements in the past.

Walking as swiftly as he could back to the kitchen, Sota sat himself down at the table. However, the slip of paper that had been covering the outside fell away slightly, revealing that there was a note written on the inside.

Sota,

I hope that it is you that has found this. I should have shared with you this scroll's existence sooner, but with you off at college and my mind going, I worry I won't get the chance. It will tell you everything you need to know about your cousin, Akiko. Answer all of your questions.

Love, Grandpa

It was indeed his grandfather's writing, which had Sota re-reading the note over and over before finally gaining the courage to look into the scroll.

It started from the beginning, though it was a bit vague in areas when it came to her whereabouts. But it depicted how the prophecy of the former queen's heir had made its presence known in the land and she became hunted by those who did not wish the North to prosper once more. As time went on and Akiko's movements were more pronounced the more Sota felt like he was there experiencing it. Her declaration of assuming her title as the next ruler in the north, the curse Naraku had placed on her and his constant efforts to remove or absorb her, how she trained from nothing to become a skilled warrior and gained knowledge on becoming a diplomatic ruler. There were mentions of the households that allied with her to face Naraku, and the one that betrayed her trust and poisoned her in an assassination attempt. How Sesshomaru had saved her life and that was where their attraction towards each other began to blossom. There was even a few mentions about Kagome as her involvement in their efforts to destroy the jewel came to light. It detailed his sister's priestess powers and how the clans went to war against Naraku and his allies. There were strategic battle plans and movements listed, including Akiko's surprise attack. Kagome's wish is what brought her back to the present, it destroyed Naraku, but it left Akiko partially blind again. During his sister's absence, his cousin began to thrive there with the rebuilding of the northern territory. Those that followed her built up villages that had been lost to time and became a prosperous area once more when she ascended the throne. There was even a painting of her in the scroll of what she looked like during the ceremony and Sota had a hard time believing that was his cousin staring back at him. She looked powerful and regal, completely the opposite of what he had witnessed over the years and through the photos Kagome had given him. It was amazing to see her transformation.

Continuing on, the peace throughout the lands maintained. There were a few skirmishes here and there, but never amounted into anything concerning that led to another war. She had a family with the Lord of the West and when they were ready, she relinquished her seat on the throne to her son, Kujou, and Sesshomaru gave his lands to their daughter, Ukita. That was when Akiko began to slowly disappear. Where as the peace continued with their heirs, her growing age was a concern, even if she was already aging slower with her demonic aura. She would not outlive the pack or her mate.

It was during this period that Sota remembered reading that as the Feudal Era began to come to a close, the age of demons was beginning to thin out, whereas humans prospered in their lines. Demons began staying in their animal forms more often and soon they became so lost to their animal instincts they forgot what it was like to mingle among the human world.

In the scroll there were talks to find the long forgotten curse that had been placed on Aisu and her pack to spare Akiko a mortal fate. But then there was no resolution. Looking up from the scroll, after weeks of studying it, Sota sat back on his couch astounded that the scroll had ended her story in such a way. There were more talks of Kujou and Ukita as he had continued throughout their rule, but Akiko and Sesshomaru's names completely disappeared. The old man remembered reading historian discoveries on old empires and how they had estimated when Akiko had died, but from this new information it was clear she had outlived those assumptions. So what had happened?

Sota found himself re-reading the last few feet of the scroll over and over a few times for days to be sure he hadn't missed anything. That wasn't the case. Akiko's ending was unclear, though her descendants ruled well into the start of Meiji Period of Japan.

Slowly rolling up the scroll again he made his way upstairs to keep it in a safe place in his room. Looking out the window, he wondered if there were any other hidden compartments he could look for that either Grandpa had forgotten to tell him about or had yet to discover himself when he was alive. Maybe there was even a scroll on Kagome somewhere within the shrine?

Reaching into his dresser drawer, Sota pulled free a hidden photo album. Kagome had come and go over the years, something he never thought would be possible with how finicky the well had become with its open portal. But his sister had managed to visit to check in on him. A few times she had returned with photos from a camera she had taken back with her once. It shared with him everything about her life in the Feudal Era and she looked so happy as he flipped through the pages. Inuyasha and her had gotten married and had a few kids of their own, and then there were those of her friends and their families. Seeing Akiko though made him smile fondly. Her grin was always wide and never felt forced with the burdens she had faced in the present with the deaths of her parents. Smiling with two children in her arms only further showed her joy. There was a boy with black hair and the girl with silver. Both sported golden eyes like their father, who in another image stood next to Akiko in a sort of family photo along with the pack. He never smiled, but with the few photos that Kagome would sneak every now and then the fond look on his features when glancing at Akiko was clear enough to see that he cared for her, and his children as he allowed them to sleep on him in the gardens when they grew exhausted. There was even a girl named Rin, Kagome had pointed out, who was nearly in all the photos from her trips to the north. The album documented their lives as the friends grew older and their children grew up.

That was when Kagome's returns to the present became few and far between. Old age was catching up with her and made it harder to get in and out of the well. He remembered their final conversation. Kagome had warned that it probably would be their last. When she stopped coming all together he knew. Even Inuyasha didn't return. These memories, though he had not personally experienced them, were precious to him. While they brought him joy it also brought sadness knowing they were no longer with him even in another era.

Hearing a knock on the door, Sota put the album away before making his way downstairs. His son, Haruto, had let himself in as the three children said their greeting before all giving him big hugs around the legs and hips. "How are you doing, Dad?" Haruto asked.

"Fine, fine, my joints feel better today."

"You sure?" the man questioned. "You look a bit out of it. Something on your mind?"

"Was just looking through some memories is all."

It started raining later in the day, forcing the grandchildren inside as the two youngest gathered around the television to watch a cartoon. They had finished eating their apple slices as Sota collected up the dirty plates to put them in the sink. It was then he realized that Airi had not yet returned from the bathroom and went to look for her.

He found his eldest granddaughter standing in the main hallway staring at the wall with interest as the old man walked closer to see what had caught her eye. But it wasn't difficult to guess what it was.

"Grandpa, how come you never tell us about them?" Airi asked. "Mom always says she doesn't know when I ask." There was an array of pictures he had begun to put up to add to the family collection his mother had started. His great-grandparents and grandparents, along with his mother and father as children, his parent's on their wedding day, pictures of him and Kagome as babies and pictures that were significant throughout their lives that were milestones. Graduations, birthdays, there was even a family portrait from New Years. And among those images was one with his aunt and cousin, well before she had come to live with them. And the last image of the three cousins together was towards the end of the hall that always seemed to catch Airi's eye. Not the more recent photos of him and his wife before her passing some years ago, or his own children with his aged mother, or his now grandchildren as babies. It was always Akiko and Kagome.

"When your older," he promised. "There's a reason why you've never met them before."

"Are they dead?"

Sota hesitated for a moment to answer, "That's a complicated question, but I will be sure to tell you both of their stories one day." And he smiled fondly at the thought of the scroll. "It's quite the adventure."

"Grandpa!" Kaito exclaimed. "It stopped raining!"

"Can we play in the puddles?" Mari asked.

"Put on your rain boots and jackets," he called back. And to Airi added, "Why don't we join them before your dad comes back to pick you up."

With a sigh, the girl gripped Sota's hand as he led her to the back of the house. There were multiple puddles for them to splash around in as mud kicked up onto their boots, exposed legs, and jacket. Mari shrieked with laughter when she jumped in a puddle too hard causing a blot of mud hit a cheek. Sota chuckled at that before something caught his eye in the distance. Looking towards the tree line his eyes squinted to see what it was. Maybe it was just a trick of the eye? He was about to look away when an animal emerged from the thick tree trunks near the old well. It was white in color; it's fur a beautiful contrast against the shadows and the dark, wet bark. He had never seen wolves in the area before, not this close to the city. Yet a part of him remembered something his mother had said on occasion a few years ago. That she had seen a large white dog, or possibly a wolf in the forest, passing by. It happened so few and far between he never really believed her. Maybe it had been a trick of her eye? But it wasn't as the said wolf now stared in his direction. Its eyes were pale blue in color. Familiar almost–

His eyes widened, jaw falling slack a bit at the crazy thought that passed through his mind. Impossible, had to be–

The wolf wasn't alone as another larger wolf – no, dog – a rather large dog that stood a bit taller, joined the animal's side. And it didn't look like a domesticated dog that had run off. There were some strange, fading markings around its face nuzzling the wolf before looking at Sota with a cool demeanor. The golden eyes were a bit unnerving and that's when the crazy thought he had only a minute ago... wasn't looking so crazy anymore. He recognized those eyes as well. Had looked at them both in pictures for more than fifty years. "Akiko," he whispered.

The wolf's head threw back, releasing a howl that echoed through the surrounding forest and immediately caused the children to stop playing to see where it had come from. But soon, other howls began to follow, a chorus of them at different distances that was hauntingly beautiful. The tales of demons reverting to their animalistic forms seemed to have been fact realizing that he was staring at the former Lord of the West in his backyard. And if that was indeed Akiko... they had managed to find the curse, or spell, that bound his cousin to her inner demon. Like what had happened to Aisu. Sota wouldn't be surprised if those that were howling was the same pack he had seen from pictures. Maybe even a few of their descendants were with them as well. The white wolf stopped howling as the others continued and for a moment seemed that the animal smiled in his direction before giving a slight nod. The dog pulled away first, with the wolf moving closely for guidance, it appeared, and the two disappeared into the trees. The howling slowly began to die off and soon enough; the family was left alone in a moment of silence.

"Grandpa, Grandpa!" Kaito exclaimed. "Did you hear that?"

"Wolfie!" Mika clapped.

"Teacher said they were extinct though..." Airi trailed off.

And Sota chuckled. Of course they were still alive. That's why the scroll had become so vague on their whereabouts. It probably occurred when they no longer had their mortal forms. But the way that the wolf, Akiko, looked at him, she didn't appear surprised. Maybe then that meant that she had come to visit the shrine in the past, but he had been too stupid to notice. How they had remained undetected though in order to be claimed extinct, he would never know, but it was ingenious. He should have expected nothing less.

"Quite the adventure indeed..." he whispered.