Faded Memories
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha Cast, Japan, or Naraku's Baboon cloak.
Claimer: I own Kea (my word for southern priestess powers), Every Poem in this Fic, Lord Gurashi, Lord Shi, and It.
Chapter 1: Kiss of the Moon
I whispered a memory and you lay forbidden.
Was it I who forgot all that occurred?
I tuned out the voices, but yours was still hidden.
I wonder if fate has been cured.
How do you see a world so covered in sin?
When all I saw was that left within.
Where Fate has betrayed the souls of the damned?
And the whispers are all out of hand.
The songs, they are breeding,
The world she's deceiving,
The darkness is creeping,
And we are all dying in the end.
I whispered the wishes,
The wishes, the whispers
I kissed you, sweet kisses.
But Fate's changing the game,
I wanted to cry when you never came.
My weakness is deaden,
My tears have all fallen.
I whispered a memory and you lay forbidden.
Was it I who forgot all that occurred?
I tuned out the voices, but yours was still hidden.
I wonder if fate has been cured.
(Present)
It was a normal day for the Inu-group, or as normal as you can call such a group. Inuyasha and Kikyo bickered; their usual quarrel, not as usual since they argued over a certain girl, who was set away from the group. Sango was bashing the perverted monks face in, while Kirara tried her hardest to get a lick of the sucker that Shippo was currently enjoying.
"Kikyo, why the fuckin' hell do we have to baby-fuckin'-sit that stupid-fuckin' bitch!" Inuyasha yelled, his voice being loud enough to make himself wince.
Smooth pools of melted chocolate narrowed dangerously. "Inuyasha….SIT!" Kikyo huffed angrily. "I said that Kagome will be travelling with us for her health, or so my mother told me. She is sensitive and needs the fresh air. You will do well to leave it be Inuyasha." Kikyo didn't know why she helped the girl; her mother had claimed that Kagome was Kikyo's father's daughter. While Kikyo could not believe it, after all, Kagome didn't look anything like Kikyo's father had.
"She could help." Inuyasha muttered low enough so Kikyo couldn't hear, loud enough that he sated the need to speak as "alpha".
Kagome in question was watching the sun descend upon the earth, the vision of peace far from her face. She looked distant, sad from some experience that the setting sun reminded her of. Her hair was pulled up swiftly around her, twirling tenderly in the gentle embrace of the wind, with the glow of the Sun's dying embers and the whispered breeze, Kagome looked as an Angel would.
"Oi! Wench, get yer fuckin' ass movin'." Inuyasha's harsh language passed over her ears as though he hadn't spoken. Inuyasha steadily became more and more pissed as she continued to ignore what he yelled.
"Inuyasha! Be nice. Kagome, we have to get moving if we want to make it to the mountain by nightfall." Kikyo's soft words slipped into the other woman's thoughts, moving her with an inhuman grace that had the effect of flowing with the gentle breeze.
Not a word would ever come from Kagome's mouth; Kikyo had never heard her speak, even though Kikyo had known her for a little over a year. Silently the woman walked with the group, waiting for the time to blend together, waiting for the moment when she would see the beginning, or the end.
By the time they reached their goal, the mountain, the moon had long since risen in the darkened sky. Kikyo and Sango left almost immediately to bathe in a hot spring that Kirara had led them to. Miroku and Inuyasha gathering firewood and when they had built the fire Inuyasha had gone into the woods to hunt some meat for dinner. While Inuyasha, Sango, and Kikyo were gone Miroku tried to figure out this odd girl that Kikyo had brought with her a few days ago. Kagome had a pure soul, but something inside her made him question how pure she truly was. Her eyes faded with a deep heart-wrenching sorrow, leaving Miroku to wonder what happened to the woman.
She stared up, almost as if, she were terrified to look down. As though, looking down would be to admit defeat for an unknown event. Her raven tresses pooled around her, allowing her ivory skin to shimmer in the moons caring glow. She wore a simple kimono, dyed black giving the impression of a young women in mourning.
"Lady Kagome, why do you wear black?" Miroku asked the young women. Her sapphire orbs swirled to meet his amethyst eyes. Staring at him, it was the first time she had acknowledged any male within the Inu-gang. Even little Shippo had gone forgotten in the strange Miko's mind.
"..." Her mouth didn't even almost move in any attempt to answer him, those beautifully dark eyes glowing in the caress of the moon. 'Yes,' she barely thought, 'I wear black, would he be upset?' Sapphire pools tugged a perfect heart shaped face to look once more at the waxing moon, the beating heart of the eyes faltered. The moon, so like the flawlessly, straight silver mane of him. The thought of him opened her mind to the agony of time, the curse that flowed within her insufferably, despised veins. She would give anything, everything to change what occurred in the past, set things the way he had wanted them. The more her thoughts trickled in the direction of him, the more all her old memories leapt, flinging them into her conscious. The memories almost seem to forbid her to strive to disregard them again and again, as she had long-ago.
Miroku hadn't expected an answer from the ever silent girl. He had hoped, but was hope, but the chance of disappointment. Kikyo and Sango returned soon after, refreshed and ready for dinner. Inuyasha came with fresh meat, cleaned, gutted and skinned. Sango taking the responsibility of cooking the meat, showing Kikyo just how it was done, so one day the young miko could help out more.
Kagome watched the meats aroma drift up and engulf her senses. The sweet and spicy smell of the meats flavour assaulted her. This smell of camp, the hushed voices of the conversations everyone was in, it reminded her of the first time she had met him.
(Past)
"Mi lord, this region does not appear on the map." A panther youkai spoke a little afraid of the wrath his Lord may deem necessary to impale him with His tail twitched franticly fearing for what could happen should his Lord decide to punish him.
His Lord's dangerous golden eyes narrowed in mock anger. A smile jolted, flickering as the Lord got control over it. His voice was low, callously caressed with coldness that flowed around the Inu Taiyoukai only when he was teasing his favourite General. "You got us lost." Each syllable had the panther trembling in pure terror. The panther's head lowering expecting the blow to hit him hard, a blow that would never come from his kind Lord. "So…does this mean I get my vacation?"
The panther growled, all fear for wrath was lost, and any future fears of his actions were currently forgotten. He couldn't believe that his Lord would say something so, so common.
"Mi lord, this is not the time to joke. We have to meet with the Southern Lord, Lord Gurashi by tomorrow evening."
The Great Taiyoukai of the West, known for his strength, his honour, and his devotion, among his many other accomplishments that he has completed in his lifetime, pouted pathetically at the thought.
"Must we?"
The panther glared at him knowing that his Lord was acting like a pup. He looked at the map again trying to figure out where in the Great Heavens they were. He kept the map high and clutched so tight in his black paws that he failed to notice the little rips and tears. He growled to himself when he did notice the shape the map was in, it was because of the Lord's first born. The Lord's son always tried to grab the map to start a game of tag. Because of the playfulness of both his Lord and the son the map was practically pointless. All the while he did not realize the young prince sneaking up to him. As soon as the map was snatched a game began, the panther chasing after the boy to no end. The young inu was far faster than the old panther. Some of the foot soldiers joined in the game, and soon the entire party was swept into a ridiculous game of tag.
All the while, in the trees overhead, two sets of sapphire eyes stared down at the group and their game. The older set of eyes turned to the younger, whispering silently, their plans of attack. The game was ended quickly when the two hunters dropped from above. Both clad in perfect black, covering every inch but the eyes. One was just a child, the other an adult; no one ever had the chance to look at the eyes though.
Chains flung at the Lord catching him at the ankles, bringing the youkai down painfully, the chains were charged with holy energies, Kea as it was called by those in the south. The Great General of the West growled as the attack against him and his current pack went in favour against the taiyoukai. The small one swung the chain back into a flawless grip, ready to swing again to bring the taiyoukai down. The older hunter hunched low striking at the panther and attacking with ferocity found only in the bias demon haters of the human species. Small daggers flung the first weapons to miss their mark, though the dagger's blades stuck the heir to the west against a tree by the extra fabric on his hoari.
The young hunter jumped quickly to the back of the other, fighting off every attack, watching each others backs. After ten minutes the fight stopped, when the older hunter chuckled. This hunter slowly removing his mask, smiling at the taiyoukai, laughing.
"Lord InuTaishou, it is very great to see you again." The mask removed revealing none other than Lord Gurashi. Gurashi motioned for the young hunter to remove the mask as well. "Have you had the privilege of meeting my daughter, Kagome?" Gurashi didn't even try to stop laughing at his old friend. InuTaishou glaring at him, not finding this at all amusing.
"No, I don't believe I've had the 'privilege'." The Inu's voice full of mockery, thinking of how much that freaking chain hurt.
The little Kagome smiling up at him with a cuteness level that went off the charts. Her small hands tying the wrapped chain to her side, as one would with a whip. Gurashi smiling as he helps the young prince down and the other soldiers up before settling down to speak with his old friend.
"So, you don't want to visit me. Should I feel offended?" He smiled at the dog chuckling softly at the levelled glare thrown in his and Kagome's direction. "Oh, you can just stop that, InuTaishou. I'm training Kagome to be a strong warrior. And to do that she must make her victims think they are in danger, so she can see how they will react."
"Are you telling me that I was a test dummy for Princess Kagome?" InuTaishou embraces his old friend laughing a little now that the initial shock had passed. "I suppose I forgive you."
While the two Lords spoke of old times, new times and the present, the young prince just stared at the human girl his age.
"I'm Kagome, what's your name?" Kagome smiled sweetly at this adorable boy.
"Sesshoumaru." He didn't know what to expect from her, she seemed cute but he knew that as a miko she was a danger to him.
"So you want to play a game, Marumaru?"
The young prince just stared at her with wide, horrified eyes. Wishing beyond any wish that she hadn't just called him Marumaru, after all no one could be that cruel… would they?
I Wish Upon the Sun, Because the Sun is the First Star in the Sky
I Wish Upon the Sun
Song 1: The First Star In The Sky
I look up and see my star,
Your eyes glowing in the day
You said I was foolish, wishing on my star
Waiting for our moments to fade away
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
The wind moves to caress my face
I look around expecting you
To find the empty space
The voice comes to terrify
The memories fade to intensify
I wish upon my star
Hoping that my wishes go far
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
All these tears keep falling
Down my cheeks
And I keep thinking
About all the instants
When did our moments become Faded Memories?
When did your smile fade like the old symphonies?
Where did we go wrong?
Where did our moments go?
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
I keep asking
No answers reply
No matter what my mask is
When did all the years die?
I reach out again and again
But I keep hitting the sins
I wish I could see you
And change the truth
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
I finally found you
But you're not the same
How I miss you
I wish I never came
Just hold me close, one more time
Sing me the lullaby
Soft words are lost
Like Faded Memories
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
I look up and see my star,
Your eyes glowing in the day
You said I was foolish, wishing on my star
Waiting for our moments to fade away
How can I help it
All these feelings
Come again to fit
Inside I'm keeping
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
The first star I see
They call the Sun
I wish you could see me
So I wouldn't have to run
You said I was foolish
For all of my fears
But now you're foolish
For all of my tears
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
You said don't cry
But I did
You said don't wait
But I did
You said don't worry
Everything was fine
You said your promise
I didn't think you'd lie
How the moon glows
And shines away the fears
How your voice soothes
Away my tears
Chapter 2: Kiss of the Sun
Moments of memories
Places forgotten
Gentle Waves of seas
Time is transgression
One morning awakens,
And feelings are taken,
Never to the sky,
Oh, how the days will fly.
What world is destruction?
That Fate has betrayed.
Time is creation.
But I have never strayed.
Night is the coldest
Where summer has gone
Memories are oldest
By the time you have gone.
Inuyasha's patience was wearing thin, the longer Kagome stayed with the group the more aggravated he became. Everyone realized that he was a ticking-time-bomb, but they hadn't any idea as to how they would deal with his soon-exploding-temper-tantrum. Kikyo tried her best to calm Inuyasha as the days became weeks and the weeks swept away by the months. Kagome was falling farther and farther from reality, the others of the group had noticed as much as anyone who came across the group would see.
"Hey! Kagome, we need to pick up the pace a bit, okay?" Kikyo yelled over her shoulder. There was, as always, no reply, but this time Kagome did not hurry, she continued to fall behind.
(Past)
They were well into their teen years, Sesshoumaru was visiting the South; Kagome never came to the West. It was always he who travelled the savage lands in-between the fortresses of the South and the West
His sun-touched eyes watched the graceful movements of the Southern Princess. She was gliding through the steps of battle as a dancer would their favourite steps. The steel chain crackled frantically with the energies of Kea, her porcelain hand flowed out with a hum of pure poise. The chain found its target and brought the powers, held within the princess's soul, into a chaotic explosion with an intensity; unexpected and a force to match. The move was new to him, and he knew she would never use it in a spar, only in a battle to the death. He was ripped back to reality when the chain springing back to Kagome and quickly being folded out of sight.
"That's new." He sent her a sweet smile walking over to her immediately. Her perfectly muscled arms wrapping around his neck as she hugged him.
"Marumaru, I have missed you this long winter."
Soon enough the two were sitting in the slowly warming spring garden. Chatting away the rest of the evening, informing the other all that went on during their time spent away from the other. Sesshoumaru having to keep his anger in check when his princess spoke of how many guys had begged for her hand in marriage, she never told him just how she would refuse the men.
"So the news of the North? Are the rebellions still going on?" Her eyes searched his, sapphire to gold.
"Lord Shi and his family are still troubled by the nuisance." He gently reached out and caressed her ivory cheek. Her comforting smile quickly washing away any worries he might of had, about her wanting some other male.
(Present)
All too soon the group was surrounded by a small horde of demons, claiming the exclusive rights to the shikon jewel shards. Inuyasha cursing in disbelief at how many had simply appeared, the entirety of it all reeked of Naraku's involvement.
Everyone grabbed at there preferred weapon, all except Kagome, her mind lost in the endless game of her weakening resolve. These pitiful demons that the half-demon Naraku sent were tragically ignored by the ivory goddess. Her eyes lifted to the sky.
(Present-Naraku)
His crimson eyes bled as he gritted his teeth. 'That women, who was she?' She evaded everything, never paying a dash of attention to any move he threw at the group. 'But I will collect her, a new gem, a precious gem.' He waved his hand dismissively to the void child, Kanna.
"Kagura, bring the other miko to me."
"Yes, Naraku." The sorceress of the wind bit out. How she wished he'd return her heart, and leave her be.
(Present-Inuyasha/ Peeps)
As usual the group managed well in the fight with the lesser demons that Naraku had sent to irk them. Because anyone knew that such weak demons could not hold the ability to defeat any creature who claimed to be a warrior of any form. Kikyo really only complaining because a rather disgusting excuse for a worm-bird-insect-(cat?)-horned-demon, exploded...everywhere. The only one who seemed untouched by the mushy purplish green/ blue liquid was the the strange miko, Kagome.
That was precisely why the group made camp earlier than Inuyasha wanted. Kikyo and Sango demanded that they stop the near the next hot spring and bathe.
Chapter 3: Death Within the Past
Gentle tides, that crash below,
Water's churning by the flow.
I wait to see the moon of full,
Golden, bright and beautiful.
Why is your face so faded,
as though, I can't recall?
Oh, how the moon she's shaded,
as though, you can not fall?
Promises are broken,
by Fate's angered token.
Memories were taken,
Oh, how I'm so shaken.
I've sung the whispers,
Danced the tune,
I've cried the tears,
Yet, I can't have you.
I'm all twisted and burned,
Torn down as the water churns.
But, you, yes love are there,
But, no more
I'm hoping, all my tears,
All the wishes, whispered,
All my prayers given,
That you'll remember.
I walk to you, so close
So far,
So near to me,
And yet so many years between.
Every step, every move.
I'm there, can't you see?
I'm here, can't you hear me?
I'm with you,
But you're not with me.
My breathe is gone,
My blood is fresh,
My soul is torn,
My spirit's fled,
Am I gone?
Yes, I am...
Chapter 4: Kiss of the Stars
Have you ever danced with death?
Do you know the game he plays?
Have you ever tried to fool the Fates?
Do you know the way she slays?
Have you ever looked upon the pools?
Do you know the way to them?
Have you ever called a name, hoping that hope shall stay?
Do you know the loneliness, that eternity will bring?
Have you ever danced Death's dance?
To fall away?
Have you ever failed to fool the Fate's?
To die away?
(Past)
Kagome smiled sweetly at her Marumaru. "I'll be yours, only if you be mine."
Sesshoumaru smiled as well gently pulling the perfect Southern Princess into his arms, claiming her rose coloured lips. Passionately kissing her in the glow of the early moon. Everything was falling completely into place for the two young lovers. The Spring rain had let up and the whole garden, shone with a healthy dose of fresh morning dew. They had enjoyed the other's conversation and company all through the night. But not all happiness could last, eventually the gloom of life settles in.
When he broke the kiss, he looked into her deep pools of sapphire. "Kagome, I didn't want you to know before, I know you have great respect for my father, but I must tell you. He left my mother for a human princess named Izayoi."
"How is your mother?" The mood broken, Kagome quickly held Marumaru in a sweeter more comforting way.
"She couldn't bare the shame."
(Present-Inuyasha and Peeps)
Inuyasha growled, Naraku had kidnapped Kikyo and Kagome. The hanyou Naraku had taken them laughing his horrible laugh (Kukukuku...how do you laugh like that?).
"Inuyasha for now we'll simply have to look for them." Miroku said patting his poor friend on the back. Sango nodding in agreement with Miroku.
No one in the group knew why the evil hanyou, Naraku, would kidnap Kikyo or Kagome. They simply tried to find some path or scent that they could track. Kikyo didn't even have jewel shards with her so there wasn't really any reason for Naraku to take her, and Kagome well, she wasn't important to the groups success. Inuyasha cursed, he was irritated, the group could not take the loss of Kikyo, he knew that they needed the priestess.
(Present-Naraku)
Naraku watched the two women, he had them chained in his dungeons. He was waiting for the right moment to take away their mental defences, to bring down their resolve. He needed to see them both break, the strange older miko intrigued him, she appeared with Kikyo (through the well), but she was nothing like the quiet miko (Kikyo).
"Kagura, take Kikyo into a separate room." His voice was dripping with malice for the younger miko, Kikyo. Kagura left his lair to do as he had ordered, had she hesitated he would have punished her. She did not Kikyo had been moved to a different cell and Naraku slipped into it, watching her.
"I know that you are there, Naraku." Her voice hid her fear well enough, but he could still sense it, the fear creeping into her shivering frame.
"Kikyo, where is Inuyasha? Kukukukuku, he won't find you, I've hidden this castle well. It is a completely fortified fortress, you'll never be saved. Here you'll stay, as the days fade into weeks, and those in their turn drift into months, and the months shift to years. I'll get the jewel completed and become the most powerful creature to ever have lived and you'll remain forgotten in your cell, cold, alone, afraid, forgotten for eternity." His voice fell into a soft whisper as his lips passed over her ear, his hand gently caressing her face. She shuddered in disgust from his repulsive touch.
"What do you want, Naraku?" Her voice was surprisingly even, not hitched with fear as she believed it would have been.
"I want everything." He kissed her cheek. "But for now the information you know on the other miko will do."
"Kagome?"
His soft whisper sent chills down her spine, he had agreed with her wanting to know of Kagome. But what could Kikyo possibly tell him, she herself knew absolutely nothing about the older miko.
'No,' she thought, she would not tell him anything. Even if, she didn't like Kagome, she would not betray her so easily. "I would never tell you what you wanted to know." She bit out the words knowing that he would be furious with her. And the hanyou was enraged, the back of his pale hand striking her, hard across the face, busting her lip.
Naraku moved away from the foolish bitch. He would go to the source of his curiosity, 'yes,' he thought he'd go to the miko, Kagome.
(Past)
The North was the realm governed by the Stealth Panthers, Lord Shi and his mate rule the prospering land with vigilance. The West ruled by InuTaishou, the Great Dog General or the Great Fluffy Puppy as Lord Gurashi deemed necessary to call his dear friend, protected his home with perfected ease. The South was overseen by the Lord Gurashi overall Lord of Jokes. And the East a wild land without any dominating family, where the brown wolf tribe swept through the land. It was the East though that started the problem, the East that birthed the darkness, the East where the darkness hid, waiting.
This darkness corrupted all that fell into its unholy hands, no one could fight what wasn't there, how can you fight a creature without form? It was born by dark magycks of the Dragon's, they believed, foolishly, that they could control the formless corruption. They used the blood of children and of the holy priests and priestess' of the southern reaches. The dark, entity waited, dwelling within the place of it's creation. It's Masters were the mastered within miniscule moments of its birth, they could not move away from the godless place. Their souls caught in the cold mask of their arcane creature. The most powerful of the Dragons, the body of Ryukotsu, was sent out to gather, to destroy, to hunt, to cause panic, to distract those who should not know the barely dwelling darkness.
The war with the Dragons was unexpected, unwanted. None of the Lords had ill feelings towards the mysterious dragons. The dragon demons kept away in the depths of the East, bothering none, they had never caused problems before now. Lord InuTaishou was taken from the House of the Moon, as Lord Shi had to move away from the House of the Sun, and even the human lord, Lord Gurashi took his troops from the safety of the House of the Stars.
(Present)
Naraku walked quickly to the other miko's cell, fully intending to do what ever torture he must to get the miko to tell him what he wished to know. He went into the room filled with confidence that he would succeed with this one. She was weak after-all, her powers were hardly of any notice.
"Miko, tell me who are you?" His voice came out forced, he hadn't expected the miko, Kikyo, to protect this one. He had watched the group for so many weeks, while this Kagome was there and nothing in any of what he had witnessed gave him any reason to expect Kikyo to refuse his question. 'Perhaps,' he thought, ' she is a dark priestess, and has bewitched Kikyo to protect what knowledge she knows.'
Kagome paid no head to this half-demons voice, or his question. It was almost time, and she had to leave, this place was a waste of her precious time. 'Time, such a cruel joke the fates play.'
He grabbed her harshly trying to force her eyes on his, but it would be a waste. As he wasted her time she would waste his. Her eyes looked past him, as though, he was without form. As though, she refused to acknowledge him in any way. The same treatment she held to Kikyo and the others that surrounded her day and night.
"You will answer me, or the miko, Kikyo dies." His crimson gaze found her faded sapphire orbs, he tried to keep her eyes to his, so he would say without words how horribly he would kill Kikyo. "My sources tell me that she calls you, sister. So I know that you will care."
She looked into his eyes, such a useless threat, didn't he see? He was corrupt, but he was nothing to It. He could try, but even with the power of the Shikon, he would never become as dark, as evil as the formlessness that took away her everything.
(Past)
Lady Kagome could feel a darker form, not the dragons, but worse. She knew as her father left that the next time she saw him, he would never be the same. Her Kea told her that she would see him return from the awful war, but she did not have the same faith that any other would return alive.
It was short, the war, far shorter than it should have been. Her powers were chaotic as she walked the path of the priestesses.
"Milady, we wish to formally thank you, for taking your precious time to help us." The voices of the traveling priestesses and priests drifted into her ears.
"It is my honor to help those of the Light." Her voice was distracted, soft but barely paying any true attention to the priests.
"Without you, milady, we would not make it to the village of Terra." They were trying to win her favor, her attention, but their compliments would not sway the young princess.
"Though that may be the truth, I come not to flaunt my power, but to see that Shikon is safely put away from those who would use the jewel. No good can come of an nonliving power. No good, no matter how pure a wish may seem in the end they are greedy, they are selfish, they are corrupt. It is the pity of our existence, our pain that we bare. I help you, to ensure that this generation is safe..." Her voice halted for a moment lowering the octaves, she continued, "...a selfish wish, no matter how seemingly pure."
They were caught with her charm as any who spoke with the princess were. They could not help but admire the warrior priestess. She had trained along side many of them for small amounts of time, she had been the best, a prodigy. And when she befriended the heir to the West, Sesshoumaru, he taught her how to fight as a demon. Her power had grown farther than the usual capacity of a priestess.
It was on this small journey, a journey mind you that should have been a simple transport and return. The Princess Kagome would not have the luck, though. For it was on this journey that the corrupt one's disciples would capture the young women. It was on her return to the House of the Stars that she was taken. And it was a cage that she awoke within many days after her brutal capture.
The war with the dragons was a distraction, but the Lord's would find out too late of that very fact.
Her sapphire eyes strained to see any form of what she was imprisoned within. Only by her moving about did she figure that she was in a large cage. 'Twelve paces across.' She thought as she paced around the perfectly sculpted cage, her fingers softly passing over the metal bars. The bars not as smooth as one would expect, small indentions were creased into the metal. After tracing them several times did she discover that the indentions were, in fact, words! Each bar had the words carved into its length, long ways. Kagome wished that she had a bit of light, perhaps it was a riddle to unlocking the cage?
It was then, when the entity came, It's darkened form purging any small ray of light that may have gotten into the room, the entity eyeless in it's formlessness stared deeply into the miko's very soul.
"You, I need you, Child of Light. Give me a blessing, a blessing of form, of solidity. Give me a blessing of flesh and blood, of might and sight, touch and taste and sound. Give me what I seek Child of the Star, Child of the Holy Light of the very Gods themselves. Give me, my blessings, Child, and you may live to see the next Unholy Day." It's voice was soundless, keeping inside her very mind, echoing deep in her most hidden conscious.
"I'll give no blessings to the darkness." Her voice was soft, seeming calm, but she was beyond frightened. This entity of darkness shook her very soul, slithering up her nerves. She knew that this formless darkness should not be given form.
The entity did not linger, did not try to convince her otherwise. The choice to live was hers and hers alone. If she did not give It what it wanted then It would watch her rot, her mind decay, and It would take her form and use it as It saw fit.
Chapter 5: Song of the Sun
Tears of the Fate's,
Fall down my face.
Tears of the Dead,
Follow Fate's pace
Tears of the Faded,
Sting my soul,
And here I thought
only I would grow old.
Tear's of the Foolish,
Join the rest.
Tears of the Lost,
Drop to the nest.
Tears of the Unjust,
Fall from my eyes,
And here I thought
only darkness can die.
Inuyasha, searched and searched for any sign of Naraku. But there wasn't, the entire group was exhausted and worried for both mikos.
(With Naraku)
Naraku was angry, she wouldn't speak. Was she mute? Dumb? He raged, destroying many of the walls, his servants quickly using abilities of illusion to fix the none castle.
He swept into Kikyo's cell and ripped her off the stone floor. "Why doesn't she speak?" He knew he should control himself that this was a disgrace. Losing his control over a single weak miko. He shouldn't even be interested in the miko, she wasn't going to stop him, she wouldn't even try. He could tell that she had her own mission to accomplish and didn't even think of her sister's.
"..." Kikyo kept her mouth shut. She had nothing to say to this vile hanyou. Her neck was beginning to bruise where he held her so forcefully.
"Either she speaks, or you and your friends die." He dropped her harshly, going from the room and ordering the mikos to be put in the same cell.
Kikyo stared at Kagome, thinking that she really was different. Kikyo had always been able to tell if someone had purifying abilities, but with Kagome, Kikyo couldn't feel it.
"Are you really a miko?"
Kagome's distant eyes focused on Kikyo, if only for a moment. She had never been asked that. It was so very close, her pools of sapphire looked around the cell. 'An illusion,' she thought. 'Easily dealt with, it's been long enough, Marumaru. Do you remember now?'
"Yes," her voice was feather soft, as if heaven's bells tinkled gently. Kikyo was struck by how beautiful that one word sounded, Kagome's voice had been slightly roughened by years of neglect. And yet, it was like Angels spoke from her mouth.
"Why haven't you spoken before now?"
Kagome looked again at the miko by her, she didn't answer her. Kikyo began to think that she had imagined the word.
(With Inuyasha)
While the Inu-group looked and looked for Kikyo and Kagome, they came across Sesshoumaru. And Inuyasha sad pup that he was, was distracted, attacking Sesshoumaru with a vengeance. Yelling, cursing, swinging his sword like a madman.
(Past)
It watched her, she could feel every bit of malice leak off the entity.
"Why me?" Kagome whispered, she had a terrible feeling about this whole chaotic capture.
"You are the One Child of the Star. I need you, the Sun and the Moon clans have spill't their blood."
"My father has fought in the Dragon Wars, has the Stars blood not fallen?" Her voice was harsh, this thing could not succeed, if it did, Hell would seem like Heaven.
"Star Lord is not wanted, female blood has been given, Star Lord is not female."
"Why only females?"
"Females hold bodies that give breathe to form, to true life."
"If you need blood why not kill me now?"
It chuckled, the laugh haunting Kagome, It stared deep into her soul. "Time, Child of the Star's Light, time." The entity was gone after that, swiftly disappearing in the shadows, leaving Kagome with a candle. When the formlessness had been in the room she saw no light, but now that it was gone, she could see the candle light well enough.
She moved against the bars pushing her hand out and pulling the lit candle into the cage. On every bar, it had the same inscription, the spell that kept her there.
かごめかごめ 篭の中の鳥は
いついつ出やる 夜明けの晩に
鶴と亀と（鶴と亀が）滑った
後ろの正面だあれ。
Her eyes widened, her father had sung that to her all her childhood.
"Kagome Kagome, Kago no naka no Tori wa
Itsu Itsu deyaru? Yoake no ban ni
Tsuru to kame to (Tsuru to kame ga) subetta.
Ushiro no shoumen daare?
Kagome, Kagome, The bird in the cage,
When will you come out?
In the evening of the dawn,
The crane and the turtle slipped.
Who stands right behind you now?" She sung the words, remembering how her father use to tell her that she pushed the crane and the turtle and that's why they fell. She realized that the words had been used as a spell, of sorts.
(With Kikyo and Kagome)
Kikyo kept her doe eyes focused on Kagome, she didn't understand how the miko could be so calm. "You're not my father's daughter are you?"
Those sapphire orbs swept to Kikyo, and Kikyo knew then that, that was true. This women was not her half sister. This women wasn't even from the modern era. This women was truly not afraid of Naraku. "Can't you answer me! Are words that hard for you to form? I stuck up for you when ever Inuyasha wanted to ditch you, and here you are ignoring me. Don't you think that in times like this you should open up?"
"It is time. Come, child, we must take leave." Kagome stood, her body glowing a soft blueish, pink. The chains took the glow as soon as her Kea touched them. Kikyo stared in shock this wasn't miko powers...was it? The power that rolled off Kagome's body was magnificent, but it was gentle. Calming and somewhat soft. Kikyo felt, as though, she were in the presence of an angel, Kagome's voice only made Kikyo justify that suspicion. The chains fell from Kagome in a pulsing liquid, like quicksilver it puddled to the floor.
"I...I can't do that." Kikyo's mouth currently resided on the floor, in complete shock.
Kagome walked over, putting her hand on the chains that were shackled to Kikyo's wrists and ankles. The glow began anew, Kikyo's chains falling to the floor in the liquid that they became. Each step the, strange miko, Kagome took the more the walls dissolved into nothingness. As the illusions fell so did the barrier that Naraku had placed.
(Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha)
His cold stare ripped into Inuyasha, causing Miroku and Sango to shudder in fear. Sesshoumaru seemed more angry, he could smell an aroma that Sesshoumaru knew, but he didn't. It was a vague memory, that was blacked out. He remembered the scent, but not the face, or the person. He could tell that the scent did not come from any of the humans that he saw with his disgraceful half-brother. So where did it originate?
There was a crackling in the distance, a fallen barrier, Naraku's vile scent sunk into the air, causing both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha to freeze. Both dogs had their noses twitching, 'there!' Sesshoumaru thought, 'that scent is near Naraku.' Golden eyes narrowed, Sesshoumaru smirked as he left his half-brother. Transforming into his light bead and swiftly disappearing in the direction that Naraku's scent came from.
Chapter 6:
Tears of Fate
(Past)
Kagome tried to concentrate, trying to send out her aura to Sesshoumaru just as he had shone her. After half an hour of trying nonstop, she fell in a heap of her cage, exhausted. She wondered if anyone knew that she had been captured. She wished they did, but hoped they didn't. They could not beat this entity, or at least, Kagome didn't think so. She could feel the entity near, but It didn't come back into her mind as It had before.
(Elsewhere)
The wars were going as one would expect an unwanted war to go, tragically. Lord Shi was constantly yelling at his men, to shape up and stay alert. Lord InuTaishou was at his wit's end, he had Sesshoumaru look after the western soldiers. And even Lord Gurashi had found that he did not have a joke for how awful the days passed. It wasn't long after they had pushed the dragon forces back that Lord Gurashi got a letter from his council, the ones who could not fight in this war (due to age or lack of skill), stating that Lady Kagome had long since been overdue. She had been expected to return from the transport and return mission, well over, six weeks ago. Lady Kagome, never dallied, unless she was with Lord Sesshoumaru, so the council had waited before informing their lord.
Both Gurashi and Sesshoumaru were torn, should they leave the front to search for her, or should they send a search-party? After many hours of long discussion it was decided that Sesshoumaru would take a few trackers and look for the missing priestess. Lord Gurashi, sending his regrets with Sesshoumaru in hopes that his only child would not be angry with him. He didn't want Kagome to think he hadn't the time.
(The Entity)
"Children, children, gather 'round
Hear a tale, as old as, I.
Listen to the war drums pound.
Waiting for the sun to die.
Once upon the moon up high,
Glowing in the speckled sky.
A warrior rose in the dark of 'nigh,
To battle the creature's of Lulai."
The Entity watched the priestess, waiting for her to give in to her desperation, waiting for her to give into what he wanted. Kagome stared around her, she had known weeks and weeks ago that she was in some ritualistic room. Now though as she stared around she realized that the darkness only ever came from a certain place, It's main form staying in the same place every time. As though, it could not come further, as though it didn't dare. She wondered what it could mean, did her purity hurt it? She could hear the Entity's wretched song, pounding in her head. Though it was soundless the song reminded her of metal screeching against metal.
'Lulai...is that what It is?' She thought to herself. 'But, what is a creature of Lulai?'
"What are you?" Her voice was soft...she couldn't believe that she was trying to strike up a conversation with It.
"I am that which was dark, that which can not be light. I am the permanent shadow. Will you now give my blessing, Child of Light's Touch?"
"Of course not, I would never betray myself to help a thing like you." She glared at It's formlessness. "I'll never help you."
It watched her, hating her, but at the same time wanting her power, her gift, her form. It knew that the Moon Prince currently searched for this priestess.
(Present-Sesshoumaru)
Sesshoumaru didn't care to think that he had forgotten anything. He was the Lord of the West, born in the Palace of the Moon, as such he didn't simply forget! That was something humans and half-demons did, not he. He raced faster wanting to know who held that scent, who was the faceless person? And he also wanted to kill Naraku, and it was an added bonus that the mysterious scent was in the same place as Naraku's.
Inuyasha was running with as much speed as he could, he was far behind Sesshoumaru. But far ahead of Sango, Kirara, Miroku, and Shippo.
(Past)
Kagome could feel his aura catching up to where she was, and she was terrified. He couldn't fight this. No one could. She threw out her aura with a fierce resolve, slamming it into him, warning him to back off. That if he came for her, he would die.
Sesshoumaru halted a bit, shocked at the force sent behind her aura. She was in grave danger, and she was trying to protect him. As he entered the dragon's lair, his soul shivered. He had been here before, his father had brought him along when he was a pup. He had remembered it being a place of knowledge, well kept and loved. This lair was in chaos, books and scrolls were scattered around all over the floor. Papers were ripped and burned. As he headed deeper he noticed that the aura's of about 30 or so dragons were centered in a certain place. He ran quickly to that place, hoping for a clue. Every dragon he looked at was a wretched shell of their former life, their eyes could not move from the center of the ritual circle. They were trapped in time, in terror.
He could feel her near, above the center of the circle hung a cage, and he knew that his princess was inside.
The Entity watched him, if it had lips a vicious smile would be placed there. So the Moon Prince had come.
"Warrior, warrior of the moon,
What weapon is it that you choose?
Beware for death can come too soon.
And death would make you lose.
The Moon has sent her paladin,
Singing tunes that all bells chime.
This ancient war that he could win.
A war fought 'til the end of time."
Sesshoumaru flinched as the deafening voice swept through his head, as if, to tear away all hope of conscience. He knew he had to save his sweet Kagome.
(Present)
Naraku felt a static ripple, the feeling of his barrier falling into nothing, vanishing into air, as though, it had never been. He quickly called for Kagura and his other minions, sensing that the Lord of the West, and Inuyasha approached. Naraku looked to where the odd miko, Kagome, and the other one, Kikyo stood amongst the faded once-castle.
"How did you remove the chains?" Naraku spoke amused, Kagome, at first, had seemed weak. Now, though, her Kea surrounded her as a youki did for a youkai.
Her eyes pulled her gaze past Naraku, past the trees and hills that had hid the castle with the barrier, to the sound of feet barely touching the earth. The sound of him running, her breath caught. 'Did he remember?' That single thought bashed into her mind, for the first time since that day her sapphire eyes sparkled with hope.
Kikyo had watched Kagome in amazement seeing life flicker across those dulled down orbs. Naraku though was still very amused. Perhaps now was the time when he could have it all, he had most of the jewel and the last bits were running right for him. The shards that hung around Inuyasha's neck, the ones Koga had in his leg, right for him. Everything falling into place.
"Kagura, Kanna, get the last jewel shards." As soon as he spoke those words the two left obediently. They went to Koga first, it would be easier for them to retrieve what their master wished for.
"Kagome, shouldn't we be running?" Kikyo asked quietly, not liking for a moment the sadistic look on Naraku's face.
Kagome turned for a single moment, then she motioned to the distance where you could see Inuyasha fast approaching. Kikyo hoped that he would get here faster, he had her bow and arrows.
"So you'll continue to ignore me." Naraku began to walk over. "I wonder, how did you hide your powers so well?"
Kikyo watched Naraku's movement closely, worried that he might try to attack them.
(Past)
"Sesshoumaru, run!" Her voice echoed in the old cavern.
"Kagome! Are you okay?" He ignored her order, to worried about her to think of his own safety. Sesshoumaru could feel the evil dwelling within the darkness.
"Child of the Moon, I do not need you."
It rose within the room engulfing all the light, all the shadow, turning everything into the blackest dark.
"Child of Light, purify the soul jewel."
Kagome looked down from her cage, seeing that even with It's formlessness, in the dark glowing, It held the Jewel of Four Souls. The jewel was placed into her cage, into her hands. A violent shiver fell down her back, twisting her spine, sending chills up body. The black jewel purified instantly, returning to a lovely lilac.
"Wish upon the Jewel, Child of the Last Star."
Sesshoumaru didn't know what to do, this thing didn't acknowledge him. "Kagome make a pure wish, if you do that the jewel will disappear."
"Marumaru, you know better." Even, as afraid as, she was smiled softly. "There is no such thing, as a pure wish. Every wish is brought out by a selfish want. Every one. That is why the Jewel is so dangerous, my love. Leave now while you can, please Marumaru, leave me." It hurt her so much to tell him to go, when she wanted him so much.
"I'll never leave you when you're in trouble." He spoke as anyone in love would. And how it made her want to smack him.
"I will not wish upon this Jewel." She leveled her eyes into the center of the dark entity.
So It poured it malice, vicious nature into this Child of the Moon. Sesshoumaru fell, his mind burning with hatred. A hatred that was not his.
(Present)
It didn't take long before Inuyasha's group and Sesshoumaru were there. Naraku couldn't but truly believe that everything was falling into place for him. Did the gods favor him so? Kagura and Kanna didn't take long to return with the wolf demons shards. And with them Naraku's army of pitiful demons rose to fight for their master.
Inuyasha was by Kikyo's side in an instant. Checking her over and yelling at her for being caught by Naraku. The way he yelled it almost seemed as though he believed that Kikyo had been caught on purpose.
A cold golden gaze swept to that familiar scent, but that gentle sorrow-filled face held no meaning to the owner of those eyes. For the first time in centuries stormy sapphire eyes clashed with sun-touched orbs. Those sad blue eyes filled with a pleading that Sesshoumaru could not understand. He knew one thing about this women, she knew him, but he did not know her.
(Past)
"Sesshoumaru? Are you hurt?" Kagome strained in the cage, trying to reach out to her growling lover.
The cage too high and Sesshoumaru to far from her reach. "What are you doing to him!" She demanded the dark entity.
"Those who do not matter should not be near those who do." The voice screeched in her head, more malicious and hateful then it had been before. "Light of the Star's you of all should be aware of that, Moon's Child is not for you."
"What do you mean, let him go! This is between us, not him."
"This is my gift to you. This is a wonderful gift." As the entity spoke a spell that Kagome couldn't understand the room tried to darken further.
Kagome clutched the jewel, closing her eyes she whispered. "Gods of Mercy hear me, keep him safe and take me. Take me instead." Clear tears fell from the cage dropping to the ritual's circle below. The ruins scribbled along the edges began to glow a soft cerulean. Each tear that fell made the cerulean a more bold glow. Kagome opened her eyes starring in awe, her tears were purifying the dark ritual.
The jewel in her hand began to glow the same shade as Kagome's tears, the light strained, pulsing. It needed to take out the dark. The room shattered in violence, the walls shaking with the entity's rage. Everything rattled in chaos, the cage Kagome hung in fell to the floor.
(Present)
Naraku called his demons to attack his gathering enemies. This was his chance to eliminate his pathetic foes. Though his gaze flickered towards the odd miko, Kagome. Her priestess powers were pulsing frantically, as though, they struggled to be free of the girls body.
Kagome stared deep into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes, willing them to shine in remembrance. But they did not. Those eyes did not shine, they shimmered, like ice in sunlight, ice that wouldn't melt. Softly she sang the last bit of the song that the entity had sung as her life had fallen to ruin:
"Creature, creature, of black sin,
Darkest of all that dwell within,
The Shadow's Keep, the Devil's den.
Return! Repent! God's shall condemn."
They all turned to stare at the miko, tears stung her eyes as they traveled down her face, falling to the ground.
All the Gods have fallen down,
No Angel's wing can lift to fly.
The warrior fell late yester' eve
Now we lay down to die."
Her powers drew up within her, and she walked to the cold demon before her. "Of course, I see now." Her voice was so soft, so withdrawn to what she had to face. She stood before Sesshoumaru unafraid, determined to face the present.
(Past)
Kagome limped from the cage, moving through the bent bars towards him. "Sesshoumaru?" She begged silently that he would be fine. She knelt beside his pain crumpled body, taking that beautiful face into her hands. His eyes, so lovely as the sun, now shrouded in hate. He looked over her not remembering her face.
"My sweet child, you saved him." The voice burned her mind, evil laughter filled every reach within her. "To what end did you save the Moon's Pitiful Offspring?"
She could hear it taunting, feel it's jeers. Why had everything fallen apart? Sapphire eyes filled with fury, that pure cerulean light slammed from her body as a terrible scream echoed in the dragon's halls. Her Kea flowed overtaking the shadow, throwing out the dark, enlightening even the natural darkness. The dragon's lair shone with the light, the purified Kea of her soul. Kagome's body shook unable to retain any control, it seemed as though her body shattered, as the chains holding her cage had broken earlier so did she. And yet, she was whole, perfect. She trembled in fear of what had happened.
Kagome dragged Sesshoumaru, with inhuman strength, from the failing cavern. Each breath hesitated from her lips, she was tired, exhausted. Sesshoumaru's youki began to burn her purity, as her purity seared his. Kagome let go of him and staggered away, not wanting to hurt the man she loved. It took all the rest of her strength to find someone.
Within days Sesshoumaru had been delivered back to the West, and Kagome had found her father.
"Father, there is something I must do."
Lord Gurashi didn't try to stop his daughter, he knew that something had happened in the East, though she hadn't told him what. "Kagome, my dear, do what you must, but remember to return home."
'I wish that I only could.' Kagome only thought, not daring to say it out loud. Fearing that he would try to convince her not to go. She found Edo, a little town where magic centered in the forest. Using only a little of her Kea she stepped into a new era, her passageway was a single old well. She would walk through it as often as she could, not allowing herself to stay in this era. She would always return, hoping that he would remember then.
(Present)
Kagome stood right before Sesshoumaru, staring into his eyes still searching for what could not be found.
"They say that the Star loves the Moon, yet the Moon loves only the Sun, so the Star can never be with the Moon. I always believed that the Star would capture the Moon, but it isn't so."
He looked down at the strange human, wondering how she dared approach him as his equal. And now she was rambling about the star loving the moon, what nonsense did she speak. His only hand reached for his sword, readying himself for when her insanity snapped.
"I have tried to capture the Moon, I was so close. Ah, if only the Sun hadn't been so filled with wrath, if only fate had played the story we wanted. You don't remember, you never will. I find you again and again. And every time I leave, you forget me once more." Her small fingers stroked his jawline, pulling his ivory face to hers, claiming his lips in a gentle kiss. His sword slid into her stomach, she shuddered as she fought to gaze into his eyes.
"At least, my love, I will die in your arms, even though you can't remember me. I remember you." A smile lifted her face a little, blood trickling down her bottom lip. "Maruma..." She died murmuring his name.
"So you want to play a game, Marumaru?"
He held her body close as his memories returned, him recalling each of her attempt to see him again. The look in her sapphire eyes fading with each failure. He laughed at himself, for his failure, that he would remember now. Now when it was too late. Sesshoumaru dropped his sword snatching the tenseiga, the imps did not appear. His beast raged within him, grasping control and beginning its vengeful slaughter.
The End.
So finally I have completed you...
Please don't take as long to review as I did to finish this...Thank You
Kisses,
Dark Kiay has left the building.