InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Transcending Worlds ❯ Two Worlds, Two Minds ( Chapter 1 )

 

Chapter 1

Two Worlds, Two Minds

 

The waterfall roared in the early morning hours. The sun was rising in the distance, giving off a warm, orange glow over the hills. In the sky was a figure of a young girl with wings upon her back. She dipped and twirled in the morning air, then she spotted the waterfall. She landed gracefully next to it on the cliff the river flowed off of, and stood in the morning light, stretching her limbs and wings. As she did so, a ray of sunlight passed over her face, illuminating her features.

 

It was Princess Kagome Higurashi. Her light brown eyes sparkled as the wind blew her long, silky black hair behind her. She stood on the edge of the cliff, breathing in the fresh morning smells. She just loved the still, quiet times of the early morning. It made her feel so peaceful.

 

"The sunrise is so beautiful," she said, gazing at the rainbow of colors that spread in the sky above her. "It makes me feel so warm and peaceful, and free of my burdens which strap me down...like a bird in a cage."

 

She was a very talented poet and she often phrased her words like a poem. She also liked to sing songs…especially in Tothanese. (The Makushmian equivalent of Japanese. They're the same languages.) She was a brave, strong girl with many talents, and was very smart as well.

 

"I love to see the sun rising above the hills the way it is now. It makes me feel so happy. Like an eagle set loose to the skies it was born to." She sighed. "It almost makes me forget the things I've been through."

 

Her thoughts wandered to the still-raw memory of two years ago, when a jealous man who longed for the young man's lifestyle had assassinated her father. Her mother had taken over the throne and Kagome found herself and her siblings under heavier guard. If she, her brother Souta or her twin sisters Rin and Nina were killed, there would probably be a physical war between the two worlds, instead of just a spiritual one.

 

She shook her head to dislodge her gloomy thoughts from her mind. 'Don't think like that,' she told herself sternly. 'You have enough to be getting on with.'

 

She sat down next to the river on the cliff and watched the sun rise over the distant green hills, burning away the chilly mist, which hovered, close to the ground. She dipped her hand unconsciously dipped her hand into the river. She let her hand soak in the cool, crystal-clear water as she gazed off into the distance, thinking about what was to come.

 

Kagome Higurashi, the High Princess of Makushmia, was a very extraordinary girl. Her family was a family of Wind Guardians, and was granted with beautiful bird wings upon their backs. But Kagome bore the mark of the Four Gods. Upon her forehead was a symbol that looked like a heart with an upside-down cross protruding from the bottom of it. The mark represented the power of the four elements. Kagome could control the growth of the earth, the strength and direction of the wind, the lighting and life of fire, and the flowing movements of the water. It was an extraordinary gift.

 

But Kagome hated her powers. Having them meant that she was the Elemental Goddess, who must save the two warring worlds. The two worlds were Makushmia and the planet Earth, which lay in a universe parallel to Cospo, the universe Earth resided in. On the gateway between the two worlds, there was a war being fought with the dead spirits of both worlds. They fought to dominate the other, for they did not believe that there were meant to be two worlds.

 

Kagome was the one person believed to have the power to stop them. She was supposed to be the one with enough power to end the war forever and allow both worlds the chance to live in harmony.

 

She was terrified.

 

'I'm supposed to start at moonhigh tomorrow night,' she thought, 'for tomorrow is the night of my 18th birthday. When the moon reaches its highest point tomorrow night, what will happen? What will I have to do?'

 

She felt the mark on her forehead prickle with uneasiness as she considered the possibilities of the upcoming night. What would her task be? Until she visited the Shrine of Elements tomorrow, she would not know exactly what her job was or how it was going to be carried out.

 

She sighed and rose to her feet. She stretched, and the wings on her back stretched too. She looked skyward and opened her wings to the slowly bluing sky.

 

"Oh well," she said out loud. "Whatever I'll do, I'll have to do it. No sense in complaining now."

 

With that, she fluttered her wings, lifted up into the air, and soared away from the waterfall, following its stream's winding course back home.

 

* * *

 

Inuyasha sniffed the night air. He could smell demons coming…Naraku's demons, no less. He stood very still, moving his white dog ears on the top of his head in the direction of the scent. Sounded like a fairly small group-nothing his sharp claws couldn't fix. He wouldn't even need his Tessaiga.

 

"Inuyashaaaaaaa!" called a small, high-pitched voice.

 

"Shippou, you moron, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha snapped as the small fox demon plunged into the clearing. Shippou jumped on his shoulder, hiding his face into the deep red haori Inuyasha always wore.

 

"The demons are after me, they're after me!" said Shippou, shaking violently.

 

"That's obvious," Inuyasha replied as a group of about 10 or 15 demons rushed at them. He cracked his knuckles and grinned evilly.

 

"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" he yelled, swiping his sharp claws through the group of demons. They shrieked for an instant, then died and dissolved into nothing, just as Naraku's Demons always did. Inuyasha looked down at the ground, which was still smoking from the demons' disappearing act.

 

"They were pathetic, Shippou, even you could've killed them," Inuyasha scoffed.

 

"I'm still just a kid you know," whined Shippou.

 

"You always use that as your excuse," he said, rolling his golden eyes. "I'm surprised Sango and Miroku can put up with you."

 

"They're humans, they fall for cuteness," said Shippou, jumping down onto the ground and crossing his arms. He nodded knowingly. He glanced at Inuyasha, who scowled.

 

"So? I'm half-human and I don't fall for that," he snapped. He hit the small red-haired fox demon on the head, just to prove his point. A large lump welled up on his head. Shippou yelled in pain and covered his head with his arms.

 

"You know, someday you'll meet someone who will punish you for doing things like that," said Shippou, pouting.

 

"Over my dead body," said Inuyasha. He shook his head, his long, silver hair shining in the moonlight. "C'mon, let's find Miroku, Sango, and Kirara. We should set up camp for the night and discuss our plans more."

 

Shippou nodded in agreement and followed his half-demon friend into the deep forest.

 

* * *

 

"Kagome! Where have you been?"

 

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Out for a morning flight, Mama."

 

Mrs. Higurashi rushed at the young woman, the feathers on her lavender wings ruffled in distress. She checked Kagome over to make sure she wasn't hurt. When she was satisfied, her feathers stopped bristling and she visibly relaxed.

 

"You can't be too careful, dear," she said. "With the ceremony so near, you're even more likely to be attacked then normal."

 

"Yes, Mama," sighed Kagome. She'd heard this lecture before. Mrs. Higurashi was overprotective of all her children, but Kagome especially, though she was the oldest of the four. Being a goddess, and yet at the same time a mortal, she was at high risk to be hurt or killed, and as the two planets needed her to help them, that simply couldn't happen.

 

Mrs. Higurashi softened at her daughter's exasperation. "I know you don't like all the protection, dear, but the fact remains that it is entirely necessary. As much as we wish it wasn't, it is, and we can't change that."

 

"I know, Mama, but that doesn't mean I have to like it," she answered bitterly.

 

"I understand, dear," said Mrs. Higurashi, smiling gently. "Now, please go find your brother and sisters, and we can have breakfast."

 

"Okay."

 

Kagome turned away from her mother and walked up the castle stairs towards her younger siblings' bedrooms. She knocked on Souta's door. He opened it and looked at her sleepily.

 

"Morning, Souta," she said cheerfully.

 

"Hey, sis, what's up?" he asked, trying-and failing- to stifle a huge yawn.

 

"Time for breakfast," she said cheerfully. She tousled her ten-year-old brother's dark brown hair. "Wake up and get dressed."

 

"Okay," he said. "Are the twins up yet?"

 

"No, I was just about to go and wake them up," she replied. "Now, go get ready and I'll wake the twins."

 

He nodded and closed his door. Kagome moved over to the next bedroom, where the twins slept. Being twins, they had chosen to share a room, though they could've easily each gotten a room of their own. Kagome knocked on their door. Nina answered.

 

"Hi, Nina," she greeted her. "Is Rin up yet?"

 

Nina nodded. "I just dragged her lazy butt out of bed," she said, grinning and giggling slightly.

 

"That's good," said Kagome, also giggling, "because it's time for breakfast."

 

"Okay," said Nina. She turned her head slightly to call over her shoulder. "Rin! Time for breakfast!"

 

"'K!" called a voice identical to Nina's.

 

"We'll be there soon," promised the older twin at the door.

 

"Okay." Kagome turned and walked to the staircase, descending it while mulling over thoughts of the next night.

 

'I wonder what my task will be' she thought. 'Maybe I'll be able to travel to Earth. That might be fun.'

 

She always tried to remain cheerful when it came to her duty as a goddess. The truth was, she had no idea what to do or how to do it. She didn't want to scare herself with it, but she knew she had to do whatever it would be. So she always tried to think of it in a positive way. And at the moment, she was failing miserably.

 

'I hate being stuck with this,' she thought sourly. 'Why did it have to be me? People say I should be proud, but I'm not. I'm terrified. They always ask too much of me. Can't I just be normal? Isn't it enough that I'm a Wind Guardian? Why did I have to be a goddess too?'

 

"Kagome!"

 

Kagome turned at the sound of her name being called. She saw her brother running after her.

 

"Wait up!" he called, fluttering his violet wings to catch up a little.

 

She stood right where she was and gave her little brother a chance to catch up to her. When he finally stood beside her and walked with her, he looked at her happily.

 

"Hi sis!"

 

"Much more awake now, aren't we?" she asked teasingly.

 

"He nodded, unabashed. "I'm hungry," he said cheerfully.

 

"What a surprise," she replied, grinning and punching him lightly on the shoulder.

 

He laughed, but then looked at her more seriously. "You've been thinking about tomorrow night, haven't you?" he asked.

 

She opened her mouth to protest, then cut herself off. She knew it was no use to keep it from her little brother.

 

"Yeah, I have," she admitted. "I'm so nervous," she said with a small laugh.

 

"Don't be."

 

Kagome turned her head as Nina's voice spoke right into her ear. Her eight-year-old sister was gliding right next to her.

 

"Yeah," agreed Rin, flying up on Kagome's other side. "You don't need to be nervous."

 

"You've known about this day for a long time, Kagome," said Souta. "It's just gonna be here soon."

 

"And that's why I'm nervous," she said. "It's almost here…and I don't have a clue as to what I'm going to do!"

 

"Whatever they have planned…" began Rin.

 

"You'll be able to do," finished Nina.

 

Kagome smiled at her younger siblings. "Thanks guys," she said. "I know I can do this. And I will."

 

"Thata girl," said the twins simultaneously.

 

"You can do it, sis," said Souta. "We're here for you."

 

"And we always will be," said Mrs. Higurashi, walking out of the dining room, where she had been waiting, and joined her children.

 

Kagome smiled at her family. Despite their trials, they were all so close, and Kagome cherished their bond. She knew she was lucky to have such a close-knit family.

 

"Thanks, you guys," she said, hugging them all. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

 

* * *

 

"Miroku, what the hell are we doing here?"

 

Inuyasha and his friends had just arrived in another village. Normally that meant that Miroku would pretend that there was an ominous demon in the nicest-looking place in the village, pretend an exorcism, and the group would get a place to stay for the night. Inuyasha preferred to sleep outside, but he always went along with it in case something happened. There had been more than one attempt on their lives while they slept.

 

"Are you going to do your normal routine, Miroku?" Inuyasha asked.

 

Sango suddenly looked slightly dangerous. "Don't you dare say you came here to womanize again," she said threateningly.

 

"No such thing," Miroku said, trying-and failing-to look innocent. Then he looked serious. "Actually, I wanted to come here on purpose. Tonight is a legendary night."

 

"What?" asked Inuyasha, crossing his arms. He was surprised by Miroku's words, but he kept his expression passive. Only his twitching ears gave evidence of his curiosity.

 

"Yes," said Miroku, turning to look and point at an unusual shrine overlooking the village. "Do you see that shrine?" he asked them.

 

"Yeah, so what?" said Inuyasha.

 

"Get to the point, Miroku," said Shippou, hopping onto Inuyasha's head. Inuyasha scowled at him but made no move to remove him.

 

"I suppose you guys have heard of the Elemental Goddess," said Miroku, looking at the other three.

 

Inuyasha shrugged, and Shippou looked confused. Only Sango seemed to understand what he was talking about.

 

"You mean the legend of the girl who is supposed to stop some kind of spiritual war?" she asked.

 

"Precisely," said Miroku. "Tonight is the night when she is supposed to undergo the trial and receive her duties as the Elemental Goddess. I wish to see if she will be coming here to fulfill her task."

 

"In other words, he's womanizing," said Inuyasha quietly to Shippou so the other two wouldn't hear them.

 

"You said it," he agreed, nodding.

 

"So where are we going to stay?" asked Sango, sounding bored.

 

"We will stay in the shrine tonight," said Miroku. Suddenly he spotted a young girl walking past them. He grinned and began to follow her.

 

THUNK!

 

Inuyasha and Shippou flinched as Sango hit Miroku right in the back of the head with her Hiraikotsu. A large lump welled up on it.

 

"That idiot will never learn," said Shippou, shaking his head.

 

Inuyasha nodded in agreement as he watched his two friends begin to bicker. He and Shippou sighed and turned toward the shrine, leaving Miroku and Sango to argue on the streets.

 

* * *

 

"Are you ready, Kagome?"

 

Kagome stood on the steps of the Elemental Shrine, dressed in a ceremonial lavender kimono. Her hair was neatly brushed and shone in the half moon. Her cerulean-blue wings were groomed and the feathers lay in perfect order, glossy and beautiful. She wore black cloth shoes and her bangs were parted to reveal the Mark of the Four Gods. She took a deep breath.

 

"As ready as I will ever be," she said, smiling slightly at her mother.

 

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at her daughter. "There is a chance I may not see you for a while, if you are sent to Earth," she began.

 

"I know Mama," said Kagome. "I'll be fine, but if I do go, I will miss you and Souta and the twins…tell them that for me, please?" she asked.

 

"Sure," said Mrs. Higurashi, beginning to tear. She looked up at the moon. "Go in now, Kagome. You have about two minutes until the moon reaches its point."

 

Kagome hugged her mother, then turned and slowly entered the shrine. She walked up to the offering table and knelt down by it, smoothing her silk kimono. There she sat and waited.

 

Finally, the moon reached its peak, and a beam of its light shone down into the shrine, reflecting off of a stone, which began to glow silver. The light bounced between three more rocks until the beams of light formed a square around the young girl. She made no moves.

 

"Kagome Higurashi."

 

"Yes?" she answered to the disembodied voice.

 

"You have come to receive your task, correct?"

 

"Yes," she said.

 

"Then we give it to you," said the voice, and suddenly, a face began to appear. It was a little blurry, but Kagome could see it was the face of the God of Fire. He looked down upon her, and then, the face of the Goddess of Water appeared beside him. She smiled kindly down on the girl. "Do not be frightened," she said as both guardians took form and stood before her in near-human bodies.

 

"Kagome," said the Fire God, "You will travel to Earth. There you must free the God of Wind and the Goddess of Earth from their binds. From there, they will tell you what to do."

 

"As soon as you arrive in that world, you will be in a shrine much like this one," said the Water Goddess. "But the Wind God and the Earth Goddess will not be there. Like in this world, there are two other shrines there. But unlike this world, they are not the shrines of Fire and Water, but the shrines of Wind and Earth."

 

"You must find the two shrines, and free the two elements from their prisons within their shrines. When you have done that, return to the other world's elemental shrine, and they will tell you the second half of your journey," finished the Fire God.

 

Kagome nodded and bowed her head. "I will do my best," she said humbly.

 

"You can do no better," said the Water Goddess. Then the two gods stepped back as Kagome's mark on her forehead began to burn ferociously. She cried out in pain and alarm as she began to sink into the ground, while the two gods began to disappear. She struggled but found herself in the middle of a vortex, colors flying around her as she fell through the middle. She yelled in fear, as she sank and sank…

 

She rose up through the floor of a shrine almost identical to the one she just left. She sat there on the floor in bewilderment, gazing around her. She had no idea where she was.

 

She heard a noise behind her and she spun around, coming almost face-to-face with a young man with a holy staff. Behind him stood a young woman with a huge bone boomerang, a two-tailed cat, and a little boy with pointy ears and…a fox tail?

 

She stared in wonderment for a second at the fox-tailed boy, then noticed someone else entering the shrine. She raised her eyes and saw a young man, about her age, with long silver hair, golden eyes, and…puppy ears?

 

She looked at the cute little ears on top of his head and felt the strong urge to touch them, but resisted. She looked at the assembled group, and they stared back.

 

"Excuse me," said the man with a staff. "Would you mind telling me who you are?"

 

Her voice shook as she replied, "My name is Kagome Higurashi." She looked around the shrine. "Could you tell me where I am?"

 

 

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Ok, people, this is my first ever fanfic. If you could, please send me reviews about it, because I don't know if I should continue with it. Is it good enough to continue with?

Thanks to those of you who chose to read this! ^_^