InuYasha Fan Fiction / Ghost Hunt Fan Fiction ❯ Balm For A Broken Soul ❯ Episode 3.5: Forming the Connection ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Balm for a Broken Soul

 

By: Ryu Katanna

 

Beta:

 

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

A/N: A lot of the dialogue will be familiar as the first several chapters do follow the anime and manga. There are more parts that are original to the story, but I’ve done this to stay close to the original while also telling Kagome’s side of the story. There will be more deviations we get farther in.

 

Episode 3.5: Forming the Connection

 

“What is all this for, Kagome?” Souta asked his sister about a week later as he helped her load her car.

 

“I’m helping someone that needs it. All of the water is from the spring that’s in the forest. It’s been purified of any outside taint.” She replied as he pushed the last case of water bottles into the back seat.

 

“You’re preparing some kind of ritual, aren’t you?” He asked as he thought about the things he had learned in his own training as a priest.

 

He was in high school, and part of the soccer team. He loved the game and had plans to continue with it in college. His training as a priest was really more of a family obligation, but it was one he did take seriously. Much like their cousin was trained as a monk, but had gone on to play in a band as an adult.

 

“Yes. I will be fasting for a few days starting today.” She answered before shutting the door to the car and tossing her purse in through the passenger side window.

 

“Anything I can do to help?” He asked knowing she was ready to leave.

 

“Not really. This isn’t really something you can help me with. Tell Mama I don’t know when I’ll be home tonight.” Kagome said before sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the car.

 

“Hey, Kagome?” Souta said as he hesitated to close the door for her.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You’re not getting into anything bad, are you? I just don’t want to see you hurt again.” Kagome looked up to see that he was worried about her.

 

She smiled gently back at him. Kagome knew that her family had been worried the whole time she had been traveling through the well. She had come home beaten up and bloody a few times. That was before she’d had full control and knowledge of what she could do. Even seven years after the well had sealed they would feel the need to make sure she was alright on occasion. It was one of the reasons she made sure to keep in contact with them daily.

 

“How about this. I have to do the ritual in the spring in the forest. I’ll have two people with me when I get back. We’ll have dinner together, and you can meet them. They’re good people, I promise. I’ll be working together with them for a while yet anyway.” Kagome said knowing both she and Kazuya would be hungry by then.

 

“Okay. Be careful.” He agreed as he shut her door for her with a relieved expression.

 

She watched as he ran around the car, and up the stairs. Kagome knew that she was lucky. She had been born into a family that cared so much for her. Souta was the best little brother she could have asked for.

 

123

 

“Xiàwǔ hǎo.” Kagome greeted Lin as he answered the door to the SPR office, and she promptly set a case of the water bottles into his arms before turning back to grab the other one from in front of the door where she had placed it.

 

Lin looked at the case he was holding before leading the way inside. Kagome followed him into the consultation area where there was a small kitchen attached.

They both set the cases down before Kagome pulled out one of the bottles, and looked at Lin. She could see his Shiki nearby before Shippo was quickly perched on her shoulder as he wrapped around her. It reminded her of her time in the past and made her smile a bit.

 

“Where is he?” She asked simply as they left the kitchenette.

 

“His office.” Lin said as he pointed to the door across from where they were standing.

 

Kagome didn’t say anything more before knocking on the door he had shown her. There was a muffled reply, and she took that as permission to enter the room. She was surprised at how immaculate the office space was, and how bare.

 

“You’re trying too hard, and not hard enough at the same time.” She said the first thing that came to her mind.

 

“Excuse me?” Kazuya asked as he looked up at her at the strange statement.

 

“Most people would have at least a photo in their workspace when they spend so much of their time there. You have nothing at all in here. I know you don’t want people to know who you really are, but you should at least add a bit of a personal touch.” She said before taking one of the two chairs in front of him.

 

Lin sat in the other after closing the door for extra privacy.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Kazuya replied as he glanced around his office and realized the woman was right.

 

“I hope you enjoyed your tea and had a good breakfast. It’ll be the last one for the next three days.” Kagome said before placing the bottle of spring water in front of him.

 

“What is this?” He asked as he picked up the bottle, but they were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the door after entering the room outside.

 

“Naru?” Kagome recognized Mai’s voice from the other side.

 

“What is it, Mai?” Kazuya asked as the door opened.

 

“Would you like me to get you some more tea? Oh! Hello Kagome.” The teen said as she noticed the young woman seated in the room.

 

“Hello, Mai.” Kagome greeted the girl before Kazuya spoke up.

 

“I’m in a meeting right now. We have everything we need, and we’re not to be disturbed. Have you finished the filing?” The sheepish look was all he needed to see to know his answer.

 

“I’m almost done.” Mai defended, and Kazuya just brushed it off.

 

“You may go home once it’s finished.” He dismissed her, and they waited until she had closed the door with a huff at his dismissal.

 

“Anyway, as I was about to say, that is water from the spring on the grounds of our shrine. It’s been purified. We both will have to fast for three days while drinking this to cleanse ourselves of any impurities. There are two more cases in my car for your room at the hotel.” Kagome said as she went right back to what she had come here for.

 

“Why the cleansing?” He asked as she knew he would.

 

“It’s part of the ritual process and with something like this I’m not taking chances, To cleanse the body is the cleanse the soul. In three days I’ll need you to come to the shrine. There we can do the ritual starting with cleaning ourselves in the spring itself. After everything is done my family will have dinner waiting for us.” She explained before taking her own bottle of water out of her bag and having a drink.

 

“Your family?” Kazuya asked in disbelief.

 

“We will be working together, and spending a lot of time together. My brother would like to meet you so he can be reassured that I’ll be alright.” Kagome explained as she knew she would have to.

 

She would have to trust these two if she wanted to help Kazuya.

 

“Why would he need reassurance?” Lin asked as Shippo tightened around her in an effort to comfort, and Sesshomaru floated between them as if standing guard.

 

Guard over him, or Kagome, he wasn’t sure.

 

“When I first found out that I was born a Miko, and not just training as one, it was only when I found my life in danger. My ki surged as it tried to stop the threat. It caused my family a lot of grief as that wasn’t the end of it, and they still worry about the things I do. You would only be meeting them once, and we will be hungry by that point anyway.” She told them before patting Shippo to let him know she was fine.

 

“Alright. Three days then.”

 

123

 

“Alright. I’ll need you to change into this before we go to the spring.” Kagome said three days later when Kazuya and Lin had arrived at the shrine.

 

Dressed in traditional Miko garb she looked a bit different than they had seen her before. She handed the teen some hakama before leading them both to the house. She opened the door to reveal a warm and homey atmosphere. The smell of food twisted her stomach in longing. The inside was decorated with a mix of the traditional Japanese, but there were hints of Chinese touches that Lin couldn’t help but notice.

 

While Kagome showed Kazuya to the bathroom to change, Lin’s eyes were drawn to the figurines made from jade and peach wood. His eyes traced the shapes as he was reminded of his childhood home. His mother had a few like these as well. He didn’t hear Kagome come back in the room, but his Shiki had let him know.

 

“Tāmen shǔyú wǒ de zǔmǔ.” Kagome told him as she seen what had held his interest.

 

“Tā shì zhōngguó rén ma?” He asked as he started putting the pieces together in his mind.

 

“Tā céngjīng shì. Tā láizì chóngqìng.” Kagome said softly, and it was then  Lin knew he was right.

 

Kagome was of mixed nationality. Her grandmother had been from China, It explained how Kagome was so fluent in the language. She had been born a Miko, and her grandmother was likely the one who had taught her the difference between the two type of Shiki. She was likely not the only one who had inherited abilities from her spiritual bloodline.

 

“Ready?” She asked when Kazuya had come back into the room bare-chested in only the black hakama she had given him.

 

At his nod, she led the way back outside before turning to walk into the forest at the back of the shrine. It was about a ten-minute walk before they made it to the spring. Already there was an area set up with two burners placed just far apart enough for someone to sit between them. The birds sang in the trees around the area while the spring was crystal clear and inviting. A large wooden bowl was placed next to the spring.

 

“The water will still be cold. Lin, you can watch from wherever you want to, but once we’ve started, remember not to touch either of us.” Kagome said and only turned away after she had received a nod.

 

Kagome slid off her shoes before wading into the water as she picked up the bowl. She gestured to Kazuya to follow, and so he also joined her. Using the bowl she filled it before pouring it over one side of her body with a splash. Then she repeated the same motion with the other side. She repeated this process a few times before handing the bowl to Kazuya.

 

“Just think about the purpose of what we are doing and clear your mind of any negativity. Focus on the water. Once you feel you’ve centered yourself then join me by the burners.” Kagome explained before dousing her face a few times and leaving the water.

 

She lit both of them and let the flame burn slowly at the charcoal and herbs. Thick smoke wafted up before she took a seat on one side, but leaving enough room for Kazuya when he sat down shortly after. She moved so that their knees were almost brushing as her long hair came down to pool on the ground behind her.

 

It was then that both Lin and Kazuya noticed it. She’d apparently had some concealer on because there was now a mark set over her third eye chakra. It might have looked like a birthmark except for the shape. The circle stood out right in the center and on either side were thin lines that looked like wings.

 

“It’s a sacred mark formed by my ki once I completed my training. Only my immediate family has seen it, and now you two. Ready?” She asked as brown eyes met deep blue as she conveyed the trust she was putting in them to keep her secrets.

 

“Yes.” Kazuya replied, and all her focus centered on him.

 

“Alright. You might feel some warmth or a buzzing from my energy.” She warned before leaning forward.

 

She placed her right hand over his heart chakra, and her left on his crown chakra. Her brown eyes closed as she concentrated her pure ki, and channeled it into him. Kazuya felt his body flood with warmth as her ki enveloped him slowly. Kagome’s soul was larger than most, and so she only pulled on a small part of it to create a thin thread. Pushing that through the link she had created she used that thread to tie them together. Kazuya felt a thrumming energy flare as the connection was made. Now that they were linked she reinforced that thread with a mixture of healing ki as well as her pure ki to stabilize it. Making sure that the connection was stable, Kagome slowly pulled back into herself.

 

Both hands slipped from Kazuya’s skin as exhaustion settled in. Neither one of them knew it, but over three hours had passed. Kagome slumped forward tiredly before Kazuya caught her. Taking a few deep breaths she looked up to examine his aura.

 

It didn’t flux and flicker around as wildly as it had before. The golden color of his psychic ki wasn’t pushing to the surface as strongly as it had been. He was more balanced than before, but the cracked and broken edges remained. Now they would have to find his brother.

 

“It’s done. Oh, I’m tired…” Kagome groaned as she sat herself up and slowly snuffed out the burners.

 

“How do you feel?” Lin asked Kazuya as he walked up to them and the teen got to his feet.

 

“Alright. Like I have better control.” Kazuya answered him.

 

“You should be fine to use your abilities in small bouts. Too much though and the connection could destabilize. We shou-” Kagome was saying only to be interrupted.

 

“You said you weren’t going to get yourself into trouble.” A voice said from the edge of the trees and Kagome felt her breath hitch as the three of them turned to see the teen who was Kazuya’s age standing there.

 

“Souta I-” She started to say only for his eyes to narrow on her at what he knew would be an attempt at an excuse.

 

“Was that what I think it was?” Souta asked as he walked up to his sister who was so tired she couldn’t bring herself to stand yet.

 

“It was. You have been training for the Second Sight. Look at him, and tell me what you see.” She said as she resigned herself to his being upset with her.

 

Lin and Kazuya watched as the teen that they assumed was Kagome’s brother closed his eyes. After concentrating he opened them again. It was then he could see why she had gone so far. He could also see, as Kazuya and Kagome were near each other, how their auras swayed and moved together. This was a sign of the link that she had formed.

 

“Báichī.” Souta called her with a sigh.

 

He knew what it all meant. Kagome wasn’t the only one who had studied the old scrolls. That didn’t mean he had to like it.

 

“Mom says dinner is ready. Can you stand?” Souta asked seeing as she still hadn’t moved from her spot.

 

“I think so.” Kagome said as she tried, and Souta caught her as she almost fell.

 

“You used too much energy.” He told her before lifting her into his arms.

 

“I’m sorry.” She mumbled as he shifted her until he had a better hold of her.

 

“Sure you are. Come on. You can change back into your clothes at the house before we eat.” Souta called over to the two he was unfamiliar with.

 

They followed him back to the house in silence. When they got there Kazuya dressed back into his own clothing while Kagome changed out of her Miko garb, and then everyone sat down to dinner. Mrs. Higurashi, happy that her daughter wasn’t fasting anymore had made a large array of food. Lin was surprised to see a few dishes he had not eaten since leaving China.

 

Dinner was spent introducing Kazuya and Lin to her family. She told them she would be working on cases with them from now on. Mrs. Higurashi was relieved that she wouldn’t be working alone anymore. After the introductions, time passed in quiet conversation about past cases, and how Kazuya ran the SPR.

 

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If there are any mistakes in the translations I blame Google...

 

Xiàwǔ hǎo - Good afternoon

 

Tāmen shǔyú wǒ de zǔmǔ. - They belonged to my grandmother.

 

Tā shì zhōngguó rén ma? - She is Chinese?

 

Tā céngjīng shì. Tā láizì chóngqìng. - She was. She was from Chongqing.

 

Báichī. - Idiot.

 

AN: I know this one was shorter than the other two. I’ve made up for it in the next chapter though. Hope you liked it!

 

~Ryu

 

Edited: 02/13/2018