InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Two Sides ❯ So Many Memory Lanes ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

Everyone's gaze froze upon the breathless Kaede as she made her way over to the fire and sat down, the parchment resting lightly on her laps. Kagome instinctivley reached for Inuyasha's hand and held it with both of her hands. Inuyasha in turn sat down, pulling her into his lap, hands still interlocked. Miroku looked to Sango, his eyes meeting hers as they both held a similar gaze before sitting down on each side of Kaede. Shippo, who had stayed in the corner with Kilala, had crawled his way over to Kagome's lap, Kilala doing the same with Sango.

Kaede gently lifted the parchment, unraveling the ripped cloth and turning it so it was facing right side up to Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippo. Kagome's fingers reached out, gently running along the symbol on the top of the page, the same symbol that was burned into her arm. Inuyasha read carefully through the two paragraphs of information. He hadn't gotten through the first sentence when his reading was interupted, as well as Kagome's thoughts.

"Miroku, Sango...I believe both of ye have seen this parchment before, have ye not?" Kaede asked, her wise voice penetrating around the quiet hut.

Miroku looked down at the fire, his eyes holding a knowing look that was only there if he wasn't acting perverted.

"Yes, when I was younger. My father, before his wind tunnel consumed him, had taken me to a village. I do not recall the name but the parchment had been in the head temple. He had told me the story."

MIROKU'S FLASH BACK

"Miroku, my son, come here." A man in his late twenties called over to his son who was kneeling at a stand with several candles on it. The boy stood up excitedly, running over and jumping into his fathers arms. The man easily picked up his son, careful of his right hand and its beads as he caught his son, holding him on his hip.

He walked over to what looked like a clear box but was actually carefully set pearl-like jems surrounding a large piece of parchment. The jems were protecting spells, meant to keep the parchment inside. Miroku's young gaze was fixated on the slight glow of the jems and the paper that was so old. He reached out his hand, feeling the intense power coming from it, even at his age.

"What is it?" The young boy asked as he looked at his father, his questioning eyes looking like a lost puppy. His father smiled and pointed at the parchment.

"That, my son, is an old legend that people from all around know. And those jems are sortof like crystals. You know those purple crystals that outside our house? Well those are sort of like these ones but only stronger."

Miroku looked down at the jems, his face in deep thought. "What is the...leagen?" He asked as he looked back at his father.

"Legend, Miroku and maybe when you are older and are more understanding, I will tell you." He said as he walked out of the large temple.

"But father, I am understanding. I will know, I will." Miroku said as he held onto his fathers robes with his small hands.

"Ah but you are still too young!" He said as he lifted his son in the air and swung him like a bird, forgetting all about the parchment.

END MIROKU'S FLASH BACK

Miroku paused, his voice hitching ever so lightly at the slight rememberance of his father. Sango moved over to sit next to him, placing a hand on his back. Miroku gave her a grateful smile as she continued on for him.

"My father did as well. He took me and my mother there. She had been pregnant with Kohaku at the time. The parchment is an idea, created quite some time ago. I was told that it was written in blood and ink. That they were mixed together by a woman...a preistess I believe..." Sango trailed off, trying to remember the exact details.

"Ah yes and it was also made by a demon."

Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged confused looks as they tried to determine how that was possible.

"How the hell..." Inuyasha's grunted in pain as Kagome elbowed him in the chest, pointing down at Shippo as she did so. Inuyasha rolled his eyes before returning what he was saying, this time the language a little more cleaned up.

"How the heck would a priestess and demon even be in a room together with out trying to kick the others ass let alone write a "curse" or whatever."

Well...she wasn't a miracle worker...

Sango smiled at Inuyasha's nature before continuing.

"Well it was said that the demon had two sides to himself. And one side wanted to get rid of the other but he needed the help of the priestess."

"Well couldn't he just stop talking to himself?" Kagome asked, her fingers mindessly running over the symbol repeatedly.

Everyone looked at Kagome like she had grown another head.

"What?" Kagome asked as she set the parchment down.

"Why would he talk to himself? He had two sides, that would be a lot of talking." Sango said as she picked up the parchment and looking over it, remembering the sight of it as. It had been so long ago.

SANGO'S FLASH BACK

"Mama, when will my baby brother or sister be here?" A young Sango asked, her face full of joy as she listened to her mommy' tummy, hoping to hear her future sibling.

Her mother laughed slightly as her father scooped her up from behind, cradling her like the little girl she was. Sango laughed happily as she played with the belt on her fathers shoulder.

"Well, we dont know exactly when, honey but soon. Now come one, your mother and I would like to show you something." Sango nodded her head as she crawled onto her daddy's shoulders. He smiled warmly, holding her in place with one hand and wrapping his other hand around his beautiful wife, helping her walk and holding her close all at once.

Her mouth dropped open as she entered the largest temple she had ever seen. It was huge! Her father stopped next to a glowing parchment that looked like something she had ruined.

On accident of course.

"Sango, this is something great...a priestess and a..." Sango's attention on her father slimmed as she looked around and saw two kids playing tag.

"...they said that..."

"Papa! Papa! I want to go play! Please Papa!"

Realizing his daughter was still to young he put her down, gave her a kiss on her head and let her run over to the two children.

END SANGOS FLASH BACK

"Sango?" Kagome asked again for what was the fourth time in less then a minute.

Sango looked up at Kagome. Sango remembered later on as a child, just after Kohaku was born, learning the story and not the best ways on how to play tag.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about some things." Sango looked to Kaede to finish, her mind still dwelling in the past, one that didn't involve the blood of her family.

Kaede nodded her head and looked to Kagome.

"I assume that in your time, two sides means something else?" Kaede spoke carefully, seeing Kagome's face already holding that of utter confusion. Why shouldn't she be? Kagome was recieving information that involved her. Maybe those fragments of dreams were in the "scam"...maybe they weren't.

Kagome looked at the parchment her eyes not really focusing on the paper itself but on her thoughts.

"Its called skitsophrenia." Kagome gave a short laugh, remembering the several shirts she had seen in stores that were along the lines of skitsophrenia.

Everyone gave her a weird look but she continued on anyway. "It's where a person believes they have two sides, but they don't. The other person is a subconcious alter ego. What is two sides in this time?"

"Exactly as the name suggests. Two sides is the ability to change form between two separate beings. It is an alter ego, only real." Kaede said as she gently took the parchment back.

"So you are saying that one half of the demon literally wanted to kill half of himself?" Kagome exclaimed, her disbelief holding strongly in her voice. It was like suicide and Kagome had always had a soft spot of uneasiness at the mention of it. Inuyasha felt her discomfort and released their still clasped hands, wrapping his arms around her and Shippo who was dozing off against Kagome's abdomen. Was the kid drugged or something?

Kaede nodded her head. "Yes, and the priestess was the key. Those holy powers would really kill the alter ego but not himself entirely. But I am wondering how this was taken from its resting place. As I know, it is heavly protected by several spells. Only a priestess could have gotten it out. And why Naraku would want it is completely unknown to me." Kaede said, half to herself and half to the others. Miroku and Sango sat in silence, observing the parchment before everyone was startled to hear Inuyasha speak, who had been realitvly quiet with the exception of his rude remark earlier.

"Kikyo. Her scent is all over the parchment, along with Naraku's."

Kagome looked up at him from her seat on his lap, her eyes curious.

"So she has joined him again? Kaede how did your friends get this and when?" Kagome asked as she placed Shippo next to her on the cushions.

"It would appear so. Taro said he got them from a village, the one Tumo had moved to when he became of age. The village had been destroyed, but Tumo had been able to rescue the parchment and three children. I believe they got it...two years ago."

"Thats when Naraku made Kohaku kill our father and the other slayers. And Kagome, didn't you fall through the well around that time?" Sango asked.

"Kagome thought back, her mind running through her memories and nodded. "Yes. But that still doesn't explain why Naraku..."

"Isn't it obvious!" Inuyasha asked, standing up, pulling Kagome along with him. Miroku and Sango watched as Inuyasha let go of Kagome and pace back and forth.

"Inuyasha...what is it?" Kagome asked, resting a hand upon his arm as he passed her. He stopped and looked at her, then at everyone else. 'You can't possibly tell me I am the only one who understands...' Inuyasha thought as he shook his head, preparing himself for his small speech.

"The parchment, though it smells of Kikyo, the blood smells partially of Naraku. Naraku must somehow be related to this demon or maybe even the reincarnation. And the reason his alter ego, Nibori knows Kagome..."

"Is because I am either related or reincarnated to the priestess." Kagome said, her mind taking in the realization.

"But how is it that she is mistaken for the reincarnation of Kikyo?" Miroku asked as he sent a concerned look to Kagome. She looked like she was about to pass out."

"It may not at all be that she is reincarnated to the priestess who helped write this but just related. That is why this symbol did not kill her. Otherwise...she would have been killed of the curse stated next to the identical symbol on the parchment." Kaede said.

Inuyasha steadied Kagome, his hand resting at the small of her back as she thought through this. Her...a helper to some suicide?

Inuyasha was on his own thoughts, such as why Kagome was so shooken at this. He made a mental note to ask her later.

"So this means...Naraku...and Nibori..." Kagome asked Kaede.

"Are one in the same, but only two."

Kagome looked up at all from the spot on the floor. She felt...funny.

"Oh boy..." Kagome whispered before her eyes closed and she collapsed.

"Kagome!"

Inuyasha caught Kagome as she fell. He kneeled down, keeping her resting carefully against his torso as he smoothed back her hair frantically, then patting her face gently. Her breaths were coming quickly and out of nowhere her temperature spiked.

"Kagome!"

"Kagome!"

INSIDE KAGOMES HEAD

'Ugh...my head. They better have caught that trucker because my head is pounding!' Kagome thought as she opened her eyes painfully.

'What the...?'

All around her was grey. The smell of smoke and ash filled the air and whispering screams were coming from beneath them. Kagome felt her eyes well up and her vision blurred. Childrens arms where sticking out from the debri, as well as men and womens. She turned around when she felt an aura of sorts behind her.

Her eyes mirrored that of a goldfishes as she saw a large light blue leapord standing in front of her. A light engulfed the seemingly smirking leapord and before her mind could register the change, a maiden stood before her. By first glance she looked to be a little older than Kagome but by closer inspection, you could see she was much older. Her kimono was made of ancient bead silk that was no longer growing on any known continent, the bow and arrow were carved with four symbols. The first was the sun, second was the moon, third was a dagger and fourth was a heart.

Kagome looked quickly down at her burnt shoulder and looked at the medallion with the same symbols that was there. The maiden had light blue hair, her eyes a silvery white and her aura as bright as a supernova caught on tape.

"Hello Kagome. You must know who I am by now." The woman spoke.

Kagome nodded, her voice presntly caught in her unconcious body.

"Well before you can talk I will fill you in with a brief summary. I have some things to take care of in the spirit world." The maiden spoke as she passed Kagome, walking through the thick greyness with a look that resembled complete boredom. Kagome quickly followed the woman, trying to keep up with the womans speedy pace.

"My name is Irika, I am the miko that attempted to destroy one half of the half-demon Narakus' ancestor. As you have learned this must have not lasted long because Naraku, once he became half-demon more than 50 years ago, developed another half Nibori who he has been able to control up until now."

"But why did Nibori resurface? And why did it not work the first time? And why is it that I have some other guys memories? And-"

"Too many questions Kagome. I can't answer them all now I told you I have other things to do. But, if you really want some answers I will give you a hint. I am not related to you and you are not my reincarnation." By this time, Irika had stopped and was facing Kagome.

"Every so often, when needed, a miko is chosen for certain things. Most of the time people will state that they are the reincarnation or relative of the previous cases but most time, this isn't true. The fates have their way and that's picking a...how can I put this...well trained miko. And you, Kagome Higurashi, are...it. Oh I guess we do have a problem." Irika said with no trace of sarcasm in her voice.

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked, her stupor gone and her voice stronger than ever. "Just because I am not some well trained miko doesn't mean I can't complete some task!" Kagome looked from left to right with her eyes before looking at Irika again.

"What's the task again?"

Irika stared at the girl with disgust before placing a hand upon her head.

"Listen carefully. You need to get ahold of the metal that Nibori burnt you with and purify it. But you must also separate the symbols."

"Oh yeah, and how am I supposed to do that?"

"Well if you would shut up, I would tell you. Now you have to get ahold of the metal. Then, to complete the task, you must have a demon slayer to pull the dagger, a lover of someone to pull the heart, you to pull the sun and a half-demon to pull the moon. Now obviously you know who will be doing this but its not easy. Ask Kaede to get the charms and spells to do this."

Irika removed her had and turned around and started walking.

"Oh, and by the way. In order to get the medallion, you have to kill Nibori, and get the medallion from Naraku's unconcious body. Tootdles." Irika said over her shoulder.

'I'm so gonna puke.' Kagome thought as she felt her head get dizzy. This was a lot of information. Just because she was looking for answers...didn't mean she actually wanted them!

"Kagome!"

"Kagome!"

Kagome looked around, hearing whispers of her name all around her.

OUT OF KAGOMES HEAD

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, his eyes deperately pleading with her to go back to "normal" and wake up.

"Kagome!"

"Why are we yelling?" Kagome asked as shed opened her eyes.

Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat as he noticed normal temperature was back and her breathing was even, like she wasn't just having a seizure of sorts.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"What?"

"Do you have a fettish of getting hurt or something?" He asked. Kagome gave him a gentle smile, then quickly stood up, avoiding the everyone's eyes as she went and picked up the parchment. Apparently, everyone had been standing over them and left it on the floor.

She picked it up and held it between her hands.

"What is it Kagome?" Sango asked as she stepped closer to Kagome.

"Boy...I have some things to tell you guys..."