InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Revelation, Realization & Redemption ❯ chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters they are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. This story was written for the purposes of entertainment and I by no means will profit from the story other than the satisfaction of exercising my imagination and writing abilities.

 

Chapter 6: Miko Powers

 

Kagome looked down upon the battle below her. There were countless demons before them. She watched as Inuyasha sliced through many of them and as Miroku and Sango killed many as well. Still, the number of the demons they must face was great, and she hoped Inuyasha would be able to summon up the power of Tetsusiaga as he had done countless times before to rid them of a similar horde of demons.

 

“Tetsusiaga is strong, but you possess power similar to what exists within the sword forged from my father's fang.” Sesshomaru said calmly as if he had been reading her thoughts.

 

“I have?” Kagome asked completely taken off guard by his words.

 

The confusion was plainly evident on the human girl's face and the taiyoukai inwardly cursed once again more of her ignorance. It was painfully evident none of the humans she traveled with, mainly the monk had not worked with her. Humans were such an ignorant unenlightened race unaware of much that made the world work. Mortal, weak and ignorant how unfortunate that his fate and the fate of existence itself rested in the hands of this young girl before him.

 

Sesshomaru knew those thoughts would serve no purpose right now, time was of the essence. Emotionless amber eyes betrayed none of the frustration he felt, the controlled tones of his voice gave nothing away of his impatience as he addressed the small human who was carried on his energy beside him. “Do you not feel the energy thrumming within your veins waiting to be released?”

 

Midnight eyes vacant of every emotion except disbelief stared back at him prompting him to continue. A memory sprang forth then. Once more he could hear her voice as it filled his mind. A human of noble character the last of a line he had thought long gone, but it was her power he felt from the woman beside him. “It is within you, you must open your soul, your heart, clear your mind of all that you know. Like the flashes of light in the sky in the throes of a rainstorm it courses through your veins.”

 

Kagome tried to push past the disbelief she felt that he would want to do this now while the others were fighting for their lives. She glanced away from the demon who had spoken to her to her friends embroiled in the battle below. The sounds of battle filled her ears and she could not do as he had asked, she pulled an arrow from her quiver and notched it in bow. Before she could release it Sesshomaru's voice stilled her actions.

 

“Do not be a fool. That arrow of yours cannot save them, not with that insignificant amount of power within it. If you want to aide your friends you must do as I say.” As always the tones of his voice betrayed none of his feelings to the girl. She had surprised him yet again; her concern for her safety of her friends outweighed any thoughts of what powers she had within. This was not in his usual definition of humans, another surprise.

 

Midnight eyes looked back at him expectantly then, and in their depths he saw her unspoken acquiescence. “Concentrate. Find that feeling within yourself, that feeling of energy within the storm…”

 

Kagome closed her eyes to concentrate. The sound of his voice a beacon commanding her, leading her on a path of self discovery, and then she sensed it the tingling like an electric shock. His words, hypnotic “feel… within yourself…. reach out with your mind and let the power engulf you…let down your inhibitions…”

 

Kagome felt new warmth grow inside her and she felt the strength of this energy pulsing through her veins like some sort of electric current looking for an outlet. The feel of it was new and familiar at the same time, and her mind raced back to the morning in the well… Madame Centipede… it was her after all. She could feel the tips of her fingers pulsing, tingling.

 

Sesshomaru could feel the spike in her power levels. The girl had found it, now to see if she could control it. “Good, I can sense your power building. Now you must release it, open your eyes.” He commanded. Amber eyes searched the throng of inferior demons for a suitable target to test her abilities. A small grayish demon, already injured at the edge of the battle caught his eye. Yes, a small amount of power would be enough to send it into oblivion.

 

“Miko, do you see that small grayish demon at the end, the Risu?” He waited for her nod before he continued, “Release your energy. Allow it to flow out of you.”

 

Kagome heard his words but was at a loss on how to accomplish what he wanted her to do. She searched her memory trying to remember the feel of her hands when she touched Madame Centipede. Suddenly she felt the energy leave her hands, midnight eyes watched in horror as the energy leapt out towards Sesshomaru who stood directly in her path.

 

Sesshomaru felt her release of power and knew it had been accidentally discharged. Amber eyes watched as her eyes went wide in horrified realization of what she had just done. Her power hit him and he could not help but wonder if maybe he had been wrong. The energy that encircled him was a mere shadow of the power he had witnessed all those years ago. Closing his eyes to hide the disgust he was certain would shine through, he gathered up his quickly dwindling patience.

 

“You must learn control.” The taiyoukai said after what seemed like an eternity to Kagome. She breathed a sigh of relief that he appeared to be unharmed by the power she had unwittingly released. “Again, gather your power.”

 

Kagome silently did as he commanded her, once more blocking out the sounds of the battle that raged below. It was easier this second time as once again she listened to the hypnotic tones of Sesshomaru's voice as it guided her to the electric current that seemed to flow in her very veins. Again the tips of her fingers tingled with the pent up energy. This time she had an idea of what she needed to do.

 

Kagome opened her eyes then, focused on the small Risu Youkai. Determined to do it right this time, she imagined the energy leaving her fingertips and once more pink energy leapt from her fingertips, only to fall short of its intended target, hitting another demon, a Kochu, merely knocking it off balance for a moment before it returned to the fray.

 

Frustrated, yet heartened by this small victory Kagome once again gathered her powers, this time she waited a little longer until it felt the very tips of her fingers were on fire before she opened her eyes again. She sought out the small Risu youkai and focused on him. For the third time that day the energy leapt from her fingers, this time hitting the already weakened youkai and sending it into oblivion.

 

“Wow.” She whispered as she looked at her hands in fascination. Studying them as if it were the first time she was seeing them. “I've only done that once before, and I didn't know how I did it.” She said as she turned to look at the demon next to her.

 

Sesshomaru heard her words, and the breathless emotion behind them. Amber eyes locked onto midnight ones that were shining with something that looked like triumph. How simple this human was, that such a small victory could give her such joy. But just as quickly as that gleam had appeared, it had vanished as she closed her eyes once more and he could feel her power increase, and he watched in fascination as energy hit the Kochu youkai she had struck earlier. This time when the energy hit it, the demon screamed in pain, but still it did not fall. The injured youkai turned its focus to them.

 

The girl had closed her eyes gathering what power she could. Sesshomaru sensed her fading strength. Despite his misgivings about involving himself in the battles of others he could not let the woman be harmed. Nor could he allow her to use all her energy, there was still something he needed to have her do. When she released her energy, he coupled it with his own. The Kochu was destroyed.

 

Midnight eyed looked at him in thanks and question. Neither of which he would accept. Instead he decided this part of the lesson was over. He looked below, his brother and the two humans were putting up a good fight, for humans that is, but he sensed they were tiring as well. Inuyasha hadn't engaged the Wind Scar, Sesshomaru knew the sword wouldn't allow him to, not with an innocent in its path of destruction.

 

“That was fair enough for your first lesson.” Sesshomaru stated. “It is enough you were able to kill the risu. In time you will have enough power to kill larger more powerful demons. You are already weakening and I need you to retain some of your strength. There is one more lesson for today and you will need your strength to accomplish.”

 

Kagome nodded her head in response, the only indication she gave that she had heard him. Her eyes were glazed over, her confusion plainly evident on her face. The sound of Inuyasha trying to invoke the power of the Tetsusaiga jolted her from the momentary stupor she had found herself in.

 

Instincts long learned from two years of fighting Naraku kicked in, Sesshomaru's words forgotten. An arrow was taken from the quiver, and once more notched in the bow. A clawed hand on her shoulder stilled her motions before she could let loose the arrow.

 

Without a word or a look at the girl who stood beside him, Sesshomaru calmly raised his arm and sent a blast of energy out at the horde of demons below. Kagome gasped, grabbed hold of Sesshomaru's arm with one hand to steady herself from the backlash created by the blast. Her eyes closed tight in response to the brilliant burst of light, she could feel the energy wind whipping through her hair. Her heart was in her throat as she thought no one could survive such a blast.

 

“Missed, I told you before when you try to kill someone, make sure they're dead.” Inuyasha's voice sounded in her ears. Kagome's eyes were opened instantly. Immediately searching, scanning through the dust and debris that still covered the air for any sign of him and the others.

 

“And you missed one. You're loosing your touch.” Inuyasha's voice snarled. The cloud ha dissipated enough that she could make out her friends and a single demon left remaining… the demon with the shard.

 

All at once Kagome was hit with a wave of emotions, emotions that weren't hers. She felt trapped, cornered, scared, relief and confusion all at once. Midnight eyes scanned the faces of her friends, but none of them looked to be feeling that way. She looked back towards the children and the green toad and the children. She couldn't tell what Sesshomaru's little helper was feeling, but she doubted these were coming from him. The children seemed to be impressed, not at all scared.

 

“Don't worry I'll finish off the demon. Then it's time for you and me to end this once and for all.” Inuyasha snarled.

 

Kagome turned her attention back to the hanyou who was charging at the demon. Realization struck her then. The feelings, they were the demons.

 

“Sit Boy!” Kagome cried out, knowing this was the only way she could stop him now. The hanyou was instantly thrown to the ground once more.

“What the hell was that for?!” Inuyasha snarled from the crater he just created. He was furious not only because she had prevented him from retrieving the shard, but because she had used that command in front of his brother. He wasn't sure what the hell had gotten into Kagome today, but he was certain that once the spell wore off he would have to kill Sesshomaru to get Kagome back to normal.

 

Sesshomaru watched in fascination as the girl had spoken, and his brother had been flung unceremoniously to the ground face first. Leave it to his brother to have a subduing spell placed on him by a human. One who didn't even know her full potential. Again this human had surprised him. Inadvertently she had prevented a confrontation between the two of them.

 

“I can't let you kill it. I can't explain why, but I feel that it's scared and confused. It's only defending itself.” Kagome stated with conviction.

 

“Very good Kagome” The taiyoukai beside her said, “It is important that you trust your powers of perception. Your other sense may deceive you from time to time, but that power will never lead you wrong.”

 

Inuyasha ignored his brother as he addressed Kagome when he stood up. Amber eyes ablaze with indignant anger and humiliation as he demanded an explanation from the young woman. “What do you want me to do? Ask it to lunch. Maybe you want to make friends with it to, since apparently we are still making nice with ferocious demons who would like nothing more than to see us dead.” He nodded towards Sesshomaru who stood besides Kagome. His entire being let her know how unhappy he was with this latest development.

 

Kagome was about to reply when Sesshomaru's voice interrupted her.

 

“Kagome,” Sesshomaru said ignoring his brother's looks and comments. His brother had never learned the appropriate time and place to ask these questions. Right now he did not the inclination to allow his brother to indulge his baser instinct for confrontation, there was something he needed to know now while the opportunity presented itself. Once he had the miko's full attention he continued. “Can you feel the power of the jewel shard?”

 

She nodded all the while eyeing him warily, wondering if now he was going to revert back to his true self. Wondering if something had changed and Sesshomaru was suddenly interested in possessing the jewel for himself. He saw the distrust once more resurface in her eyes, before he continued.

 

“Good. Now concentrate on the shard, isolate the feeling of its power from everything else that surrounds it.”

 

Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on the shard, there were so many sensations that she was beginning to feel overwhelmed, like she wouldn't be able to sift through. Then she felt it, more intensely than before and she remembered feeling the same thing when Madame Centipede removed the jewel from her chest, it was a burning sensation that pulled at her soul as if it were trying to come back but it was at the end of a long rope. “Yes, it feels so far away, like its part of me and needs to come back.” she whispered faintly as she opened her eyed to look into amber eyes that gleamed with triumph.

 

“Yes, I thought it might.” He stated thoughtfully, inside he was excited, eager to give her the next command. “Pull it towards you.”

 

“What? How do I do that?” Kagome asked eyes full of interest at this point.

 

“Concentrate as you did before. You said it felt as it was far away, but a part of you that wants to come back. Hold onto that feeling, open your mind and see the piece, and mentally pull it back to you.”

 

Kagome closed her eyes, once more listening to his words, letting them guide her along the way. Unaware of the light that soon began to engulf her and the light the emanated from within the demon. Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, the children and Jaken watched in silent fascination as the light grew brighter and brighter, and then suddenly faded without anything else happening.

 

Kagome opened her eyes and looked at her finger tips which still tingled with the electricity that she just recently summoned. “It burns.” She stated as she looked at Sesshomaru.

 

“It will, because part if it wants to stay and part of it wants to come. Only you can do this. Be strong Kagome. Pull it to you.” The taiyoukai stated, careful to hide his disappointment that she hadn't summoned the jewel to her.

 

Inuyasha made a move towards where the demon still stood, watching them with wary eyes. Miroku quickly grabbed his sleeve effectively making him keep his place. The monk ignored the withering glare Inuyasha sent his way, as well as the string of obscenities the hanyou muttered underneath his breath.

 

Kagome took a deep breath and once more closed her eyes. Sesshomaru's words guiding her and once more a light engulfed her and the shard within the demon. The light slowly began to fade, and Kagome once more opened her eyes. This time they were empty, devoid of the usual flurry of emotions held in their depths. Her hands raised from her sides slowly, extending until they were held waist high in front of her, palms turned upwards. The others watched in fascinated silence as a small pink glowing sphere hovered over her hands. Before their eyes the fragment of the jewel appeared within the bubble. Then suddenly the light disappeared, the fragment fell into an outstretched palm which immediately closed around it before Kagome closed her eyes and swayed unsteadily as she gave into exhaustion.

 

Their eyes immediately sought out the demon and were surprised to see revert to its usual insect form. Once more small, harmless and inconsequential it scurried away once more free to live a normal life.

 

Sesshomaru caught the miko before she fell to the ground. She had used the last of her strength to pull that jewel to her. But she had done it. He had been right. “Well done little miko. Well done.” He whispered. If any of them had heard him they would have been surprised at the tone of his voice. But the only one close enough to have heard had fallen into unconsciousness, and that suited the taiyoukai just fine. Slowly he released the energy cloud from beneath him and came to rest standing before them. He could tell by the awestruck looks on their faces they did not have even an inkling of what this human was truly capable of.

 

“Let us secure this place so that we may speak freely. We have much to discuss.”

 

“Yeah, like how the hell she did that? And why you didn't tell us she could till now? Do you know how much time we have wasted?” Inuyasha yelled angrily at Sesshomaru who still cradled an unconscious Kagome in his arms.

 

Sesshomaru turned away from him, ignoring the comments and handed Kagome's unconscious form to Miroku, “Monk, take care of her, I will secure this place and then I will answer what needs to be answered.”

 

 

Revised, edited, and reposted 8/12/04

Author's Notes: Currently I am in the process of revising, editing and reposting this fic.  If you find any errors (ie. spelling, word misuse, plot gaps, etc.) please let me know either by email (which can be found in my bio) or by leaving a review.  All comments and help are greatly appreciated.  Special thanks to thebigW for pointing many of these out to me.