War of the Light and the Dark by cherry_tomato

Dark Dreams

DARK DREAMS

- dream-

It's dark here, so dark. I can't even see my hand in front of my face. What is this place? It's so cold here. It seems so familiar, yet, I have no idea where I am. Am I dead? No, I can't be dead... Can I?... What was that? It sounded like the clashing of steel; swords clashing. Cries of pain, agony... What's going on? Why can't I see?! ... It's gone now, whatever it was... A light, up ahead... Oh no! I am dead!! This can't be happening!! The light... It's gold, just like his eyes... I'll never see those eyes again...

"Kagome..." A voice... A voice just called my name... I know that voice! But, why is it his voice?

"Kagome..." a different voice, a feminine voice, one I don't recognize...

"Kagome... Awaken..." a different feminine voice this time... I should know this voice, I feel like I do...

"Awaken..." the same voice again...

"Awaken? To what? I don't want to wake up..."

"Awaken, Kagome... Awaken me... Set me FREE!"

- end of dream-

Kagome awoke with a start, nearly leaping out of bed as she did. Souta, who had previously been leaning over her, telling her to get up, was currently cringing on the floor awaiting whatever punishment his sister would inflict upon him. When nothing happened, he slowly uncovered his face, only to have it embrace a stuffed unicorn, which none to kindly knocked him back on his rear.

"Geesh, Kagome! I was only trying to wake you up!" Souta yelped as he made eye contact with Kagome's famous glare. "Besides, it's nearly 10 o'clock, and you're gonna be late to pick up your friend from the airport." With that said, Souta launched the stuffed toy back at his sister's angry, half-asleep form, and bolted out the door when it hit Kagome square in the face. With a huff, Kagome stretched and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Still not fully awake, she attempted to get out of bed, only to find herself on the floor seconds later.

"You'd think age would bring you grace, since it's done nothing for your looks!" Souta smirked form the rooms threshold. Kagome glared again, and attempted to pummel him with another stuffed toy, but sorely missed. "How old are you now, Kagome, I don't even have stuffed animals in my room anymore!" Once again, Souta was sent from the room running for his life, followed by a wave of various stuffed toys.

Kagome looked around her room, eyeing all of her many childish things. 'He's got a point, the little twerp.' Picking herself up off the floor, she stretched again and scratched her back. Walking over towards her nightstand she noticed her alarm clock was flashing 10:03. Immediately all drowsiness was lost and replaced with panic.

"Kami! I've got to go!" she screeched as she scrambled about her room trying to undress and redress at the same time. She quickly found herself back on the floor, accompanied by a sore posterior. She managed to pull on a teal tank top and red and green striped sweat pants without a second glance. Finally pulling herself off the floor she ran out of her massacred room and into the bathroom she shared with Souta. Washing her face and pulling her long black hair back into a ponytail with inhuman speed she was out the door and down the steps in seconds, making her way to the large kitchen where the rest of her family was quietly eating breakfast. Skidding to a halt on the linoleum floor, she stood there panting, hands on her knees. Her grandpa seemed to take little notice and continued eating his breakfast, Souta merely shook his head, and her mother smiled.

"Are you going to eat with us, dear?" her mother asked.

"No... Time... Gotta... Run... Keys?" Kagome managed say, breathily.

"Oh yes, of course dear!' her mother got up from the table and made her way to the coat rack. "Here they are dear. Oh, and you better take your rain coat too, it's getting awfully cloudy out, not too mention Grandpa's knees have been aching." Ah, yes. The ever dependable home weather service... Never fails... Kagome took the keys and coat and kissed her mother on the cheek.

"Thanks mom! See ya all in couple hours! Love you!" and as quickly as it was said, Kagome was out the door and hastily making her way towards the cursed puke-green minivan. "I really hate this thing. She could've at least picked a nicer color." Kagome sighed as she jogged down the gravel driveway. 'Man, this gravel is sharp! Oh wait a minute! SHOES!' Kagome cursed to herself as she turned around and made her way back to the house.

"Missing something?" Souta had his ever annoying victory smirk plastered on his face as he tossed a pair of orange flip flops to his grumbling sister. "I hope you realize that you look like a clown, and that your pants are on backwards." Kagome only smiled at him and slipped her shoes on. Souta knew that look. There would be hell to pay when she got back home. "Better write my will now." he sighed as he watched his sister climb into the dreadful vehicle. He waved as she sped out of driveway, leaving a cloud of dust and exhaust in her place. "21, and she still doesn't have her own car. Tsk tsk..."

Nearly and hour after leaving the shrine, Kagome was impatiently waiting in traffic. Angry horns and smalls peals of thunder announcing the approaching storm did nothing to calm her nerves, which were on edge all morning.

"I need to be at the airport in less than a half an hour, damn it!" she huffed as she blared her horn. 'Damn people don't know how to drive! Just one more exit!!' she scoffed in her thoughts. 'I hope I'm not late. That would be a nice first impression. Well, I guess it isn't exactly the first time we've talked. Sara, I hope you enjoy long hours of traffic and crowded streets, heh.'

Sara, Kagome's American pen-pal would be arriving in Japan in less than an hour. She would be attending Tokyo University with Kagome as well, and would no doubt bring with her just what Kagome needed. A tangible friend. Kagome hadn't connected with someone so well since Sango, but that was the past. It need not be mentioned. Ever since Kagome was expelled from the Feudal era three years ago, her life seemed meaningless. She had failed most of classes, all of her "friends" had deserted her. She felt so helpless and alone. Until she received an email from her high school pen-pal. Taking a leap of faith, Kagome decided to keep up the contact, which turned out to be one of the best decisions she could have ever made. Sure, they never really "spoke" with each other, but Kagome felt like she had a real connection with another human being again. Some one she could relate to, confide in. And finally, that person was going to be here. Right in front of her, even going to college with her! Sure, Sara was majoring in art, and Kagome would be focusing on History, but at least they'd be together. Kagome smiled at that thought. It had been so long since she had an actual conversation dealing with every day life. Things were starting to look up, and they could only keep getting better! At least, she hoped as much.

Miraculously, the traffic began to move steadily and Kagome put the pedal to the metal all the way to the airport. She arrived at the airport at 11:15am, just in time for Sara's flight to arrive. As soon as she found a decent parking place, the rain began to fall, first in small drops, which quickly escalated into a down right monsoon.

"Great, just great. Where's my umbrella at ?" she asked herself as she rummaged through the back seats. Finding her search unsuccessful, she settled for the bright yellow raincoat in the passenger seat. It was then that she realized just how ridiculous she actually looked. "I guess Souta was right after all. Oh well, can't do much about it now."

Slipping into her rain coat, she counted to three before bolting out the van door and into the down pour towards the great grey building' covered sidewalk. Just as victory seemed within her reach, her left flip flop decided to become a nuisance slip off of her foot, sending her hurtling into a large puddle of murky water.

"RATS!" she yelled as she lifted her face from the dirty water. Looking herself over, she found her motley garments soaked clean though. Kagome sighed, picked up her mischievous sandal and pulled herself onto the covered sidewalk, which was only inches away from where she'd fallen. Standing up, she attempted to ring out her shirt, only to find it soaked again by a passing car. Kagome stood there dumbfounded, then, without warning she flung her shoe at the offending vehicle, and of course missed. Cursing to herself she stomped out into the rain again to retrieve her weapon, when a voice caught her attention.

"Kagome? Kagome!" the voice cried. She recognized that voice, it was one of the feminine voices from her dream. 'The dream? How could I have forgotten? The darkne-' her reverie was interrupted by the sudden force of the vice-like embrace she was now in.

"Kagome! I'm so happy to finally meet you-meet you! This is unbelievable! This can't be real, somebody pinch me!" the anxious hugger cried as she spun Kagome around, then abruptly set her down.

"What th- Sara? Oh my god! Sara!" Kagome said, dizzily. "You kinda caught me off-guard, ha ha." she trapped Sara in a hug of her own and the two laughed.

"Geesh, Kagome, you're soaked to the bone! You know you shouldn't shower with clothes on. C'mon, lets get on the sidewalk, the traffic is starting to build up!" regaining her composure, she followed the brown-haired American girl back onto the sidewalk. Shaking her head, Kagome attempted remove some of the moisture, but only succeeded in dousing her friend and other passer-bys.

"Oops, heh heh. My bad!" Kagome smiled.

"You really are hopeless, aren't you? Just look at your outfit! Ha ha, it's a good thing I'm here now! Hey, I'm gonna go grab my bags, I'll be back in a sec!" with that, Sara hugged her friend and then ran towards the automatic doors and disappeared inside the large building. Kagome sighed. 'Finally,' she thought, 'a new beginning. Thank Kami! Let the good times roll!' Kagome did a little victory dance, oblivious to the onlookers all around her. After several minutes of ridiculous "dancing," a small "ahem" from behind brought her back down to Earth.

"Uh, happy are we?" Sara smirked and quirked an eyebrow at the dancing ninny. With cheeks now a nice crimson, Kagome smiled sheepishly.

"Just excited is all! School starts in nearly two weeks! I'm just ready to get things moving!"

"You and me both! I still can't believe that this is actually happening! Man, am I hungry too!" Kagome's stomach growled in reply. She also, seemed to be in need of some nourishment.

"We'll pick up something on the way home. There's this great little sushi place near the shrine, if you want to try it out?"

"Sounds good to me! Uh, where'd you park? These bags are killing my shoulders."

"Oh, right! I'll drive it up! Be back in two shakes of a lambs tail!" neglecting to look both way before running out into the parking lot she barely missed getting hit by a giant black limousine. The vehicle came to a stop inches away from her shocked form. Kagome just stood there, gawking, until the driver honked his horn and nearly startled her to death. Kagome quickly shifted to the side, she could hear Sara yelling curses from the sidewalk, but her attention was soon diverted to a partially rolled down window at the rear of the black beast. The rain seemed to clear almost instantly.

"Forgive my driver, Miss," came a rich, yet airy voice, " he can get a bit irate when in a rush." Kagome only stared at the pale green pools that seemed to be penetrating her soul. She could only nod at him, which was answered with a glint of humor in those peculiar eyes.

"Take this, to dry off your face." a pale hand reached out of the black window and held a red handkerchief. She reluctantly took it from the marble-like hand.

"You should be more careful next time, Kagome. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you." with that, the window was rolled up and the beast continued down the lane. Kagome stood there, mouth agape. She caught the license plate before the limo could escape; it read NOMEC.

"What an ass! Are you okay?" a disgruntled Sara queried. Kagome shook her head and returned to reality.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Lets get your stuff to the van." she replied quietly. Sara continued to rant idly, but Kagome couldn't listen. The only thought that rang through her mind was demon... She had seen a demon, and a powerful one at that.