InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Reunion ❯ Sweet Dreams ( Chapter 10 )

I do not own either Yu Yu Hakusho or Inu-Yasha

 

Finally my hiatus for school has come to an end. I have about a month before classes start again and if the story is not done by then, well then I'll have to finish it over the summer.

 

This chapter is dedicated to those who are confused (Hopefully this won't confuse you more). If people are still confused on particular aspects of the story, tell me and I will try to fix it. Worst thing about a story is only the author knows all.

 

oOoOoOo

 

Hiei walked into their room holding Kagome in his arms, as if she were the most precious of treasures. He set her down gently on the mat that worked as their bed. `Why aren't there two beds?' Shrugging he lifted the blankets and tucked her in. She continued to stare blankly at the ceiling. He sighed, he'd been getting used to it. Even if he wished it wasn't so.

 

He moved his hand up to stroke her face, moving the hair that had gotten in front of her eyes to the side. “On-Kagome, please come back to us. Come back to me…” He sat there watching her, feeling slightly defeated.

 

Hiei's eyes began to feel very heavy. He struggled against it. He couldn't be tired already he'd just woken up. Besides normally he only needed four hours of sleep a day.

It didn't take long before Hiei simply collapsed over the silent form of Kagome. Her eyes also drifting closed and followed him into sleep.

 

No one was able to see the mist that entered the room circling the two sleeping figures.

Slowly the mist thickened over the two; until nothing but a dense white fog could be seen. It then sank into Hiei and Kagome making it appear as if nothing at all had occurred.

 

~~~~~

 

Hiei was walking in a dark landscape of a dense forest. He didn't know where he was going. But somehow his feet seemed to know where to take him. He felt like he was being drawn by some unimaginable force towards a destination.

 

He found himself at the base of a large and familiar tree. Looking around he spied a well. He frowned, `This looks like that tree near Kagome's house.' Exactly right.

 

Hiei felt as if he jumped four feet in there air and he spun around, but saw nothing. “Who's there?!” he growled angrily, clearly alarmed at the fact, he'd let someone get so close to him.

 

Hiei calm yourself. Almost against his will, Hiei relaxed but still he looked around for the origins of the voice he was hearing. He turned back to the tree but this time he looked up and caught sight of a beautiful woman sitting peacefully on one of the larger limbs.

 

She smiled down at him. So you finally caught sight of me, young one. Hiei scowled, he was over eighty human years of age, which made him twenty-eight in demon years. Ah but Hiei you are young. I am well over six hundred years old with memories of all my previous incarnations.

 

Hiei crossed his arms and turned his head away, he'd obviously lost that argument. “This is meaningless. Who are you and what has happened to Kagome?”

 

Izanami looked sad for a brief moment before she looked seriously at Hiei. I am Izanami and she…she is lost within herself. Without self, without anchor, and without hope, its odd how some might believe this to be a divine state, but it is not. At least not in this fashion, not when she's already achieved it.

 

Hiei growled, red eyes blazing in anger. “You speak in meaningless riddles. Are you going to help or not? If you are not, leave and I will help Kagome on my own.”

 

Izanami smiled, I will indeed leave you alone, for it is not my place to help her, but first you must hear a story. It started hundreds of years ago when the god Indra the ruler of the gods had a son named Ishan.

 

Hiei huffed and decided this was not worth his time. He attempted to turn and leave, but as he did so his knees buckled under him and he sat. Forced to listen to the story, for his body could not do much else.

 

Now Indra had lost control of the heavens many a time and soon became paranoid of demons as well as humans who became very powerful. Despite this, he had a child with a demon woman and their half-god, half-demon son Ishan was born. When Ishan began showing that he had more power than his father. Indra became very worried and decided he could not afford to keep his son, in case his son decided to overthrow him and take the heavens.

 

Indra convinced the other gods that his paranoia was justified and that Ishan was indeed plotting against him, by planting evidence. Thus the immortals took away Ishan's immortality and cast him from the heavens. He didn't live long after Indra sent assassins after Ishan, before Ishan succumbed to his new found mortality.

 

The Great Tara also found herself in disfavor with Indra and he used a bolt of lighting which struck her core and her soul was separated into twenty one fragments. Thus weakened and broken she made her way into the cycle of Samsara, each fragment of soul needing to strengthen itself in order to achieve enlightenment and their rightful place with the gods once more.

 

By this time Ishan too, entered the cycle of Samsara, angry and also lost because he was unaware that one of the fragments of the Tara was also the one that was meant for him and him alone, which he had not been able to find before his death.

 

It took many, many cycles for their souls to meet up once more Ishan's soul in the body of Inu-Yasha and the Tara in the body of Kikyo. Their happiness was fleeting, but true. Ishan did not wait too long before the Tara came to him in the form of Leiko. Kagome's wish kept them happy for nearly one hundred years until both their lives were cut short by fate and time alike.

 

His next incarnation could not find his mate and grew ugly, bitter, angry and confused. Not knowing what he was searching for he attacked villages and slaughtered many. No one was there to calm his soul and when he came upon a village with a powerful and defiant miko. The fight was long and harrowing both sides were wounded greatly but sooner than the demon she succumbed to her wounds. The demon did not destroy the village for he was surprised by the woman's strength and decided to honor her in the only way he knew. Never realizing he'd just killed the woman he'd been searching for.

 

When she was reincarnated again the barrier had been put up and the demons that had once existed in the human realms were being eradicated by mikos and monks alike. The Tara although greatly powerful did not like the senseless death and violence, and while she would attack if attacked. She didn't condone the death of peaceful demons. When she died due to an illness that spread through her village like the plague, she sought out Enma in order to learn of the reason for the decline of demons. He told her of the barrier that had been erected and she was horrified. For twenty-two years she argued with Enma but he was deaf to her due to his prejudices against demons.

 

The mates would have found each other in their next life if not for the barrier. Instead the demon grew more evil, colder and started plans for the destruction of the ningenkai.

The woman was married off and had children, which she loved and took care of, but was other wise lonely. When she died due to old age, she stayed in the spirit realms watching her children and grandchildren for ten years.

 

The cycle continued, for each consecutive incarnation, the mates on opposite sides of the barrier, the demon becoming worse and worse as the Tara lived in despair. Only in the Tara's sixth incarnation after Kikyo did something extraordinary happen, she found her own way to Nirvana and became a Bodisattva, one who leads others to reincarnation. Finally she knew who and what she was. She knew what had happened, what would happen and found some of her sisters who'd also found Nirvana as well. Knowing what needed to still be done, she waited nearly sixty years to be reborn, waiting for when her mate would be ready to come and find her.

 

Silently Hiei had sat through the story. He'd been release a while ago and had waited patiently for the story to conclude, once he realized this had to do with Kagome. “So Kagome is one of the twenty-one Taras?” Izanami nodded.

 

“If your story is valid, I must also assume that Kagome has a demon mate who is the reincarnation of both Ishan and this Inu-Yasha character that I keep hearing about.” Again Izanami nodded, pleased.

 

“And the mate is the only one who can save her,” he said this with absolutely no emotion reflected in his voice. Izanami smiled, right again.

 

“Then if you tell me where I can find him then, he can save the onna and live happily ever after.” He said sarcastically, trying to hide his hurt and disappointment that Kagome, who he secretly cared for, was not, and could not be his for her true mate was out there waiting to find her.

 

This time instead of answering his statement Izanami said This way, as she disappeared from her tree top perch.

 

Hiei's feet don't give him a choice. `I'm really sick of being controlled like this.' Still he couldn't muster up enough anger to fight or even be really angry at the goddess. He followed her into denser and denser forest until the trees were growing into one another creating solid walls and he found himself to be in a long hallway.

 

He was released from control once more and turned to see behind him. There was a door just a few feet away and when he tried to open it, he found it locked.

 

Going back to what has been is futile; the only way to the future is forward.

 

Hiei growled how was this going to help Kagome. He had to find her mate so she could be free. What good was trapping him in a hallway going to do?

 

He tried the door on his left. He felt intense anger and jealousy overwhelm his senses. In these swirling amplified emotions he was angry at this room for making him feel such emotions to that degree, completely losing all composure he screamed in fury and slammed the door shut.

 

Once his emotions calmed he sneered at the door. Sighing he tried the other door across from it, when he opened it he felt calm and welcomed. He leaned on the frame of the door basking in the feeling, but suddenly something from within pushed him out. The door closed and locked with a mute click.

 

“What's the point of this? It's a waste of time!” He yelled into the air hoping that Izanami would hear.

 

Scowling he went to the next door and upon opening it he was confronted with himself, his true self in demon form, the Jagon unbound, green skinned and shirtless all the Jagon's eyes that amplified his power open across his chest and arms. He glared at his reflection as he slammed the door shut, hoping to break the mirror. He muttered to himself, “I'm sure that had just as much point as the other two rooms.”

 

After the third door had been shut, he found that all the other doors along the hallway were locked. Out of the corner of his eye he spied a golden thread that moved quickly from him. He looked at the doors and then back at the thread, shrugged and decided to follow the thread.

 

By the time he'd made his decision the thread was almost out of sight. He picked up his pace and went towards it. As he got closer he saw a transparent figure standing over the golden cord. “Kagome!” he shouted. The woman looked up at Hiei, a wary scared look in her eyes. Hiei had been walking quickly towards the woman, but his step faltered, `Why is Kagome scared of me? ... Is it because I am the reason she is like this?' He stopped and another figure flashed into his vision, a young man with white hair and white dog ears stood his ground growling at Hiei.

 

Hiei was confused, then, he studied the woman behind the demon… `That's not Kagome.' As if that thought was a trigger, both figures disappeared and he was free to continue. He walked for what felt like miles but the scenery never altered.

 

Out of nowhere a demon attacked him. This demon had a fair complexion with long wavy black hair that went down to his waist and violet eyes that blazed. He also had a violet third eye that rest in his forehead much like Hiei's own third eye. The demon wore a gold headdress and a pair of loose white pants that did not impede his movements. In each of his hands rested an axe which he wielded with deadly efficiency.

 

Both demons attacked at the same time, neither gaining any sort of ground. It went on for many minutes, and to an outsider it looked like nothing more than a swirl of black, white and gold, with occasional flashes of light. As suddenly as the attack began, it ended. The demon in god jumped from the fight and bowed to Hiei, with a smirk and disappeared.

 

“Izanami! Are you playing with me!?” Hiei had had it up to here with the apparently random events. No answer came to him.

 

A wolf demoness stood to the side, apparently watching his antics in a rather bored manner. When she noticed he was looking at her she pointed ahead. With a sigh he walked over to the clearing that the demoness had pointed to. In the middle of the clearing stood a fountain it was strange unlike any fountain he'd ever seen before in either the human or the demon world.

 

In the middle of the fountain was an orb, though he couldn't make out what was inside his demon instincts shuddered in fear. The orb was pouring pure purification energy like water. The like he had never seen before, the entire fountain was filled with it and any demon that got too close would die within seconds of coming into contact with it. He spied movement within the depths of the water, it appeared as if some sort of serpent was circling the orb and enjoying the cool waters.

 

“What is this?”

 

This is all that is left of Kagome. Her mind and soul are locked within that orb. If it hadn't been for her dragon she would be dead now.

 

Hiei glared at the newly appeared Izanami. “What the hell was that back there?”

 

Izanami sighed, Your own thoughts, suppressed feelings and desires. This is my plane of existence, some would call it the dream world, but it is not. Not quite. It is hard to explain, what you see is a mixture of everything and everyone in this plane at this time, past and present.

 

“And I was attacked because…”

 

You were unsure if you were worthy of Kagome.

 

Hiei blinked, unsure how to take this information. “But I'm not Kagome's mate.” Izanami just looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

 

`I am…' Hiei looked at the orb in relief. He was able to openly admit at least to himself that he cared for Kagome. He knew it what it was like to care for others with the love, though he would not ever admit it on pain of death that, he had for his friends and his sister. With Kagome he could feel it, the bond that he had with the girl. He hadn't admitted it, even to himself that that is what it was because… because he didn't feel worthy of Kagome, just like he didn't feel worthy of being called Yukina's brother.

 

Hiei nearly turned away from Kagome at that last thought, but was grabbed by the surprisingly strong grip of Izanami. If you leave her now, like this, you will never ever see her again in this life or any other. Ishan judged you worthy but if that is not enough for you, go. Just remember she will be trapped like this for eternity. With that parting shot, Izanami faded completely and Hiei knew she was not going to come back this time.

 

Hiei walked to the fountain's edge and peered at the serpent in the water, he was surprised to find the white twin of his dragon look up and hiss at him. Startled he covered his face with his right arm, which caused his own dragon to awaken. The white dragon nodded her great head and back away slightly, leaving room for Hiei to pass through the purification waters. `If I die, I'm going to kill Izanami.' He chuckled morbidly at the thought.

 

Ignoring his instincts Hiei stepped into the sparkling waters. Instead of the burning pain he'd expected to feel, there was only a light warm prickling sensation against his skin. It was an odd if slightly uncomfortable feeling, but no where near painful.

 

He stepped up to the orb and put his hands on it. “Kagome?” He got no answer. `Perhaps Kagome can't hear me?' He used his Jagon to look within the orb and was surprised to find no resistance to his intrusion. Then he discovered why.

 

Suddenly he was pulled into the orb. It was chaos, a swirl of colors, thoughts, emotions and images with no beginning and no end. Amongst it all was a sense of hopelessness, a longing and a mute acceptance.

 

He was tossed along the current of emotions, drowning in them.

 

“Kagome!” No answer.

 

He tried to fight his way free but it was futile. The only thing he could possibly do was let the current take him and maybe just maybe he'd be able to find Kagome. He hated maybes but he'd have to deal with it if he wanted to have a chance at possibly finding her.

 

Then he spied it, the golden cord. It was thin, almost fragile looking but it was something. Quickly he snatched it up before it could escape him and pulled himself slowly to the other end. It felt more and more difficult as he neared the center of the swirling mass of chaos although time seemed to stand.

 

Finally, he knelt in front of a huddled figure, exhausted. Gasping for breath his arms like dead weights at his sides, but still his left hand clenched tightly around the golden thread. He looked from the thread in his hand to the figure before him.

 

“Kagome?” he asked his voice gruff from weariness.

 

Slowly, oh so slowly, Kagome lifted her head and looked at him dully. She frowned slightly in confusion, “Hiei?” It was little more than a whisper.

 

“Kagome, come we have to get out of here.” He reached a hand out to her. She just stayed there looking at him before looking down at her lap again shaking her head.

 

“There is no point.”

 

“What are you talking about woman!?” He growled.

 

Her eyes flared with anger, and defiance at the one yelling at her. “What is there for me to go back to!? Answer me that Hiei.” She emphasized is name turning it into its own insult. “My life is in ruins, I've killed evil, traveled the world, saved the day, lost my sister Sango and my brother Miroku to time knowing I will never see them again because they are dead! The one person in all the world that I loved is dead as well. So tell me, when is it going to be enough? When is someone going to love me and not someone else that people see in me?”

 

Throughout the rant Kagome's voice rose. Getting higher and more desperate as time passed, until the last phrase where she sounded more like a lost child than the angry woman that she had been. Hiei reached out and pulled her to his chest her eyes going wide in surprise. “Don't be stupid girl…” Before she could be angry at the lack of her name being used he continued. “You have the Baka who cares for you greatly, when he sees you he doesn't see Kikyo or Leiko or anyone else he sees Kagome, his cousin. Shizuru cares for you as well and we both know it's true. Then there is your new friendship with Yukina and you'd be a fool if you believed that either Kuwabara or I would let anything happen to her. Kur…Shippou doesn't see you as Kikyo either, he loves you as a son would love any mother. Even if he has been acting like an idiot recently.” Kagome couldn't help herself she had to giggle slightly at that. But when she tried to back away from him, out of his arms he pulled her closer to him.

 

Confused she didn't say a word, just continued to listen. He closed his eyes struggling to find the words that he knew she desperately needed to hear. “Then…then there is me. I…I care for you very much, but could you accept me? If not…then when we get out of here I'll not bother you again.”

 

He inwardly flinched when he felt her draw away once more, and put forth no resistance for her escaping his grasp this time. Slowly he opened her eyes and looked up at her and caught her lively blue eyes filled with hope and happiness for the first time since he'd seen her. She gasped and touched his face. He was the confused one now. She shook her head and smiled, “It was you. You are the one on the other end of the string.”

 

He held up his right hand with the thread still tied around it. “This.” When he looked at it he noticed that it was thicker than before.

 

She put her hand over it and it disappeared into their skin. “That.” She looked at him with the most brilliant smile he'd ever seen and felt as if he was left in a daze.

 

For a moment she had look translucent. As if in that moment she turned into the goddess he'd been told that she was. “Beautiful…” He reached up to touch a lock of her hair, and she blushed.

 

She looked into his eyes seriously. “Hiei you must leave now. The others are calling you and are very worried.”

 

“What about you, you have to come back with me.”

 

She gave him a crooked smile. “I am back or at least as much as I can be fore a few days. What Yukina can't tell with her powers, because my purification powers block her, is that Manzo damaged my mind as well as my soul. He used the gems on the manacles as well as the necklace to use my soul's energy against my mind physically. This means that part of my brain has been damaged. Luckily it's only the part that controls movement. I should be fine in a few days.” Another crooked smile, “Now that I care what happens to me at least, you saw the chaos out side.”

 

She grinned at his slight grimace. “So you see I have some cleaning up to do.” She kissed his cheek. “Just promise me one thing.”

 

He looked at her and nodded. “Promise you won't leave me?”

 

Hiei stared into her eyes, “I swear I will not leave you.” He meant every word and silently added, `and to always protect you to the best of my abilities.'

 

“Then go.” He felt his black dragon pulling him from her, through the chaos and into the waking world.

 

 

oOoOoOo

 

There ya go…

 

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