InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Children of Light ❯ Chapter 22 ( Chapter 22 )

Chapter 22

Ah yes, everything was starting to go according to plan. Of course, Naraku hadn't realized that he had been missing such a big piece of the puzzle. No, not at all. Not until a couple of weeks ago, when his men had failed to retrieve the girl from the bar. But he hadn't been upset, not in the least, because something unexpectedly wonderful had happened in its wake. Oh, he must have done something very, very good in a past life. He snickered at the thought, "Can't imagine what that could possibly have been."

And yet, here he was, 500 years in the future! He remembered everything.

The day at the bar, when his men had failed to capture the girl, there had been some kind of explosion. It was Miko power, no doubt about that or from whom it had come from. But the power had been wild, untamed, lashing out in all directions, reaching to the farthest edges of the city. Pure power. And it had hit him square in the chest, as it began igniting all these wonderful little memories he held, unknowingly, within him of a past life. The memories had come slowly, in pieces over the course of the week, but he had regained the most important ones.

He was the reincarnation of Naraku. The Naraku, that had lived over 500 years ago. There wasn't a demon alive that didn't know of him and his past exploits. Of course, no one else knew what had happened to him either. But he did. He clenched his fist in anger at the memory of being cheated out of his victory at the end. He had been so close. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but he knew it had something to do with that damn Miko! He remembered her laying mere feet from the fallen form of her half-breed lover. He had relished in her pain, in her absolute horror. Oh, had there been anything more delicious then that look that had crossed her face when she had realized that he had destroyed everything that she held dear? Her scream had been pure heaven, sung sweetly to his ears.

Then there had been nothing. He remembered a flash of light, he was sure that had been there in the end. Like an explosion of energy that had erupted out of the very sky itself. Then he had regained his memories, here, in this place, and 500 years had passed, with no sign of the jewel.

No matter. He would finish now what had been denied him before. He had no doubts. After all, he had beaten the bastard half-breed and his whinny bitch before. Taken all their friends with him, and he would do it again. And this time, he'd devour their spirits whole.

A light knocking at the door pulled Naraku from his musings.

"Ah yes, right on time," he thought with an amused smile.

The door opened even before he answered the knock, and in walked a scantly dressed woman, with long dark hair. Her cold eyes gave her away immediately.

"Ah Kikyou. So nice to see you again." He smiled as he turned to face his guest.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Do I know you?" Even her tone still carried that same unfeeling resonance.

So, she didn't remember who she was, or who he was, for that matter. He sent out his senses, probing her aura. Yes, this was her alright. The Miko's reincarnated cousin. The woman whose soul he had corrupted so easily that long ago day. She had already been corrupted inside when he had met her, he had just helped her, to help herself. But if she didn't remember their real identities, it was no matter. She would still be useful. After all, he had discovered that she had tried to reunite with the half-breed in this lifetime as well, but he had rejected her. Again. It was too perfect.

He coughed lightly to clear his throat and his mind. "In a matter of speaking, yes." He smiled as he motioned her over to his desk to sit down, but Kikyou didn't move. Naraku sighed inside. Same old stubborn, pig-headed bitch.

"Who are you?" She asked again. Kikyou wasn't sure what was going on. She had been approached at the strip club she worked at and been told that someone was interested in her services as a stripper. But this man, something inside her tingled with a familiarity she couldn't place. Not surprisingly she thought, considering her profession.

"I don't fuck clients." She stated matter-of-factly.

Naraku chuckled softly. "Of course not dear, but that is not what I wanted to see you about. I actually had another request in mind. Something that will greatly benefit the both of us, I do not doubt."

Kikyou's eyebrows twitched slightly, giving away only the briefest hint of interest on her normally stoic face. Just how this woman stripped at the club, Naraku didn't want to imagine. She must have been very…unentertaining.

He motioned to the chair once again as he smiled. After a brief pause, as though deliberating something in her mind, Kikyou finally took the offered seat.

"I believe my dear Kikyou, that you and I have something in common." Naraku laid his head back against the plush headrest of his chair.

"Like what?" Kikyou was more then just a little suspicious of this man. There was something about him that told her she needed to be careful around him. That he was not someone to be trifled with.

"Inu Yasha."

Kikyou's eyes opened wide, unable to veil her surprise at the name, before her cool mask snapped perfectly back into place.

"What about him?" She narrowed her eyes at Naraku, not sure what game this man was trying to play.

Thinking of Inu Yasha and his blatant rejection of her, still angered her, but she had to admit, she still thought about him. Everyday. Some days she even cursed that wretched friend of his, Miroku, who had been coming to the bar regularly and had decided that it might be a good idea to try setting the two up. Well, that plan had turned to shit, and fast. But she still thought about Inu Yasha, she didn't understand why, and it drove her crazy.

Naraku patted the air in a non-threatening manner, as if to dispel any suspicious thoughts that might have been formulating in her mind. "Oh nothing bad my dear, I assure you. It's just that it occurs to me that you and I have the same problem."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, Inu Yasha has taken someone very precious from me and I want her back. And in getting back my special someone, it will guarantee your hold on Inu Yasha."

"I don't understand." How could Inu Yasha want to be with her if he wanted to be with someone else?

"You see my dear Kikyou, I have it on rather good authority that Inu Yasha has been quite taken with you." Kikyou threw him an obvious disbelieving glare.

"I speak only the truth Kikyou. You see, this girl he's with," Naraku slid a picture of Kagome before Kikyou. Kikyou's eyes widened at the picture. There was something…about that girl…

"Yes, you see. She looks just like you. I've known Inu Yasha for a long time and I know his tastes. He wants to be with you. Why else would he be seeing someone that looks just like you?" He gave Kikyou a questioning glance, but all she could do was shrug her shoulders as she tried to understand what all of this meant. Did she know this girl from somewhere?

"If you help me to separate them, then he'll be free to be with you, where he belongs. And she'll be with me, where she belongs. It's all a big mess really," he stated in an offhanded manner, "they sought each other out because they were both hurting, both rebounding from realizing the mistakes they had made when they left us. You know how people do that, don't you?" He looked at her and waited for her to nod. He could see that his little story was starting to seed within her. This was too easy.

"And if we really love them, isn't it our obligation to help them? To help them see the error of their ways, before it's too late? Before we loose them completely and they end up miserable and alone when they realize what they've done?"

Kikyou couldn't believe it, but it made perfect sense. After all, how dare this girl think that she could possibly replace her? Something about the girl's picture had stirred a deep resentment within her. She was more determined now then ever to get Inu Yasha back. If only to insure that this girl, that obviously didn't deserve him, no longer possessed him.

"Do you understand Kikyou? It's our duty to help them."

Kikyou nodded her head. A firm resolve had etched itself into her features. Naraku knew he had her.

"I understand."

Naraku smiled as he steepled his fingers together, a smile that filled the room with a cold air, instead of a warmth. "Good. Very good."

Oh yes, he most have made some twisted higher power very, very happy, in a past life.

********

"What the? Where am I?" Kagome's mind seemed slow to grasp the situation she now found herself in, as though her mind were waking slowly from a dream. She blinked in confusion and bewilderment as she took in the presence of the white, weightless environment she found herself in.

"Oh." Realization quickly dawned on her, as she understood where she was.

This was where the entity of light had first come to her. Here, in this place, after she had fallen asleep on the couch. Tonight had been no different. She had lain exhausted in the lazy boy, flipping through the TV channels as she struggled to make sense of the mysteries that had presented themselves to all of them, as Inu Yasha indulged himself in a hot shower. She remembered feeling a sense of despair as fear coiled through her that they would never figure it out. That was when she had asked for help. Not from anyone in particular, just a quiet prayer she had thrown out silently in her mind, as she momentarily paused her channel surfing at a home decorating show. Then slowly, her eyes had begun to flutter closed as the faint sounds of Inu Yasha running the shower faded into the back of her mind. Then she had awoken here, in this world made of nothing but light.

"Hello?" She called out. It was then that the soft buzzing sound began in her ears and the familiar vibration, that was they entity's signature, coursed through the air, gently pushing at Kagome's senses, letting her know that she wasn't alone.

"We have come, child of light, as thee have called to us."

Kagome was momentarily confused, until she remembered that she had indeed asked for help. She just didn't think anyone had actually been listening or that it could be that easy. She'd have to remember that.

"Please, you must help me," she called out, shielding her eyes with her hands as she began to make out the distinct blur of bluish, purple light on the horizon. "Tell me, do you know what I need to do?"

The soft gentle thought vibrated in her senses, "Yes, we do."

Hope soared through Kagome as she struggled to keep the colorful blur in sight, careful not to get to close to the entity's massive energy. She had learned her lesson the first time. "Then please, tell me."

"We can not, child of light, give thee the answers that thou must seek for thyself. Or what would be the purpose, if all was simply given to you?"

Kagome struggled to keep the annoyance from her voice. Maybe this wasn't going to be as helpful as she first thought. "Then why do you say you've come to answer my call for help, when you do not help!" It was difficult to keep her frustration and anger from seeping into her words and etching itself into the tone of her voice.

Kagome could feel the light's presence reach out for her and wrap her in a cocoon of warmth, attempting to placate her rising anger. She felt a wash of peace and contentment flow through her. She closed her eyes to revel in the feeling of pure bliss. It was like joy was a blanket being wrapped around her. She whimpered softly as the strong sensation finally ebbed away, the loss of that beautiful, blissful feeling, left her soul aching for more, but the sense of contentment, her anger having been diffused, remained with her.

"Child, thee must understand that for knowledge to hold power, it must be felt, it must be understood, it must be experienced, for it to be known. For experience alone is the only true teacher." The voice gently explained.

Kagome's mind awakened in understanding. Somehow, she knew what this entity was trying to tell her, as if the entity had somehow placed the understanding in her mind, helped her to see. Someone could tell you how painful it was to loose a child, and you could sympathize for them, never truly understanding the pain, unless of course you had experienced that same loss. Then you would truly understand those feelings and that experience. That knowledge would be burned forever within you. Just as you could imagine what joy someone might experience winning the lottery, but unless you had experienced it yourself, you would never truly know. And this is what the entity was trying to tell her. That the knowledge they needed to gain had to come from them. From their own realizations, their own understanding, for that was where the true power of knowledge was held. It meant nothing coming from someone else, if you truly didn't understand it.

Kagome nodded her head as the jumble of thoughts and realizations absorbed themselves into her being. "I…I think I understand." But maybe this entity could help her along her journey for answers. Help her to understand where she needed to look.

"But is there anything you can do, anything you can tell me, to help me in my understanding? We…we don't know how to repair the weapons," she called out, hoping that the coming response would be of help to her, if even just a little.

The voice spoke softly, "The greatest weapon thy holds, child, is that which brings light to a dark place. For only then will thy be able to see and thy will not fumble in the dark."

Kagome groaned. Just what she needed, more riddles! Could the entity be talking about a candle, or a flashlight? Those helped her to see in the dark.

The ever-perceptive entity, however, sensed her confusion. "It is not something thee can touch or handle, child, but everyone carries it with them, few use it, and many people tend to fear it. It is that which thee must face. What thy must overcome. The answer to thy fallen lays here. The answer to he who did not fall, who did not break, will bring to thee a second understanding. This power you must seek.

Together, thy knowledge and understanding combined, will power the jewel when all the spirits are in place. The power of all the heavens, in the palm of thy hand."

Kagome's mind whirled in confusion. "What do you mean? The jewel is gone!"

"It is true that the first jewel has been removed from this plane of existence, but another has come in its place. Born of a deep-rooted need. Remember what we have said child, and you will understand."

Kagome could feel the entity's thoughts begin to get farther and farther away. She had so many questions!

"Wait!" She cried out, stepping towards the horizon, "tell me! Where can I find the jewel?!" If she could find this new jewel, then maybe they really could beat Naraku once and for all.

The entity's thoughts brushed gently against her mind, "Remember what we have said."

Then everything went dark.