Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ River of Crystals ❯ Crystal Moments ( Chapter 7 )

Crystal Moments

 

 

 

“Talking”

 

`Thinking'

 

Stressed

 

 

 

Everything was so warm when the sun first rose, always in the east and always comforting. The crisp morning air gave a slight chill as mist rose from the ground. Slightly shivering goose bumps formed along the ivory skin as the woman rolled to her side and curled into a ball. Her ear twitched as the sounding of a click and snap resound every few seconds. Lazily opening one blue eye Kagome watched the blur figure take form. A navy kimono with red markings was the first color to form and then the golden obi. Opening the other eye she pushed herself to a sitting position and stared at the woman.

 

Kagura sat on the ground with her legs to the side. She watched as she repeatedly let the tessen fall open with a click and the snapped it shut. The fan went through this treatment five more times before the youkai noticed the Miko was awake. Kagome's blue eyes were a bit lighter in the dawn as she faced Kagura. The wind youkai sighed and bowed her head to the Miko before she made eye contact. There was a true sense of freedom within her eyes.

 

“How are you?” Kagome asked as she watched the youkai cross her hands on her lap.

 

“Always thinking of others, you were the one that passed out,” Kagura calmly stated, her words no longer harsh with the hatred of being a slave, a tool of destruction.

 

“I was not the one that came back from the other world,” Kagome softly pointed out.

 

“True, but I am…adjusting,” Kagura assured. “You don't breathe as a spirit, its weird being alive.”

 

“What happened to Sesshoumaru?” Kagome inquired as she searched the field.

 

“He left and came back with a kimono for me and he said that he would like to discuss a treaty with you in the future,” Kagura informed with a smile.

 

Kagome stood up and stretched. She whistled and Kirara came running from the woods, she transformed and Kagome climbed on her. She offered a seat to Kagura, but she shook her head and reached for a feather only to discover she had none and her hair was down. Sighing she climbed behind the Miko before they took to the air. They flew through the air for what seemed like a short distance. Reaching the village they landed at the top of the temple. Kagome motioned for Kagura to follow as she walked into the temple.

 

Kagura's crimson eyes widened in shock, she stared at the person ahead of her. She had never seen Inuyasha with nothing but his Tessaiga in hand. Here he was with a broom sweeping the temple floor calmly. He looked up and his amber eyes narrowed as he tossed the broom to the corner in slight embarrassment. He stared at Kagura and sniffed the air, scenting for anything malicious. Her scent was calm and smelled like a spring breeze; she was truly free of Naraku. She still had her crimson eyes and tessen, but the kimono was new.

 

“How'd you do it?” Inuyasha suspiciously asked and walked in front of Kagome. He sniffed the air around and stood in shock at what he found.

 

“I went to Sesshoumaru,” she simply answered.

 

“What? Why?” Inuyasha yelled.

 

“I needed the Tenseiga,” Kagome calmly answered.

 

“What do we owe the bastard?” Inuyasha growled. Kagome grinned and smiled up at the hanyou. She pinched his nose and continued to grin as she released her hold.

 

“Nothing. Not. A. Thing,” she sang in success.

 

“What did he want then?”

 

“I gave him his other arm back,” Kagome replied. Inuyasha pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh of disbelief.

 

“You're gone for one night and you bring back the dead and my half brother's arm?” Inuyasha asked in disbelief.

 

“I need the Tenseiga to increase my power to heal, I used it like a bridge. I was also able to use it to help speed up his arms growth process,” Kagome explained.

 

“She agreed to go with you?” Inuyasha asked, still in slight disbelief. When that girl wanted something, she got it or made it happen.

 

“I will accompany Kagome,” Kagura assured, her mood was more relaxed now that death threats were gone.

 

“If anything happens to her…I'll kill you and make sure nothing brings you back,” Inuyasha growled.

 

“Nothing will happen,” Kagura growled back her own temper rising to the challenge.

 

Inuyasha sighed in mild defeat as he walked over to the wall and took the covered mirror down. He handed it to Kagome and she placed under her arm. He shook his head but wished her luck on the journey. They left and walked down to Kaede's hut. Kagome knocked on the hut before she was granted entrance. Kagome bowed and hugged the old Miko before she brought in Kagura. Kaede's eye stared at Kagura in disbelief. She walked over to her table and opened a small box, where she pulled out two white feathers.

 

“Only ye would be able to do it,” Kaede said to Kagome as she handed Kagura the feathers.

 

“We're going to be leaving and I was wondering if could watch over Hiei,” Kagome mentioned.

 

“I know who ye seek and I'll keep an eye on the little shadow,” Kaede assured.

 

“Thank you,” Kagome said before she and Kagura left the tent.

 

Kagura placed a feather in her ponytail before she threw the first one to the ground. It expanded and they were in the air floating on the silky texture. Kagome smiled and looked down upon the village to see Hiei and Shippo on Kaede's roof. Shippo waived goodbye while Hiei just nodded his head. Hiei and Shippo were a picture of innocence struggling to survive. One forced to survive on their own and the other finding help.

 

“Where are we heading?” Kagura asked.

 

“We head to the north,” Kagome spoke as they began to fly through the wind. Kagura smiled as the wind ran through her hair and caressed her skin; freedom was wonderful.

 

 

 

 

Sitting at the edge of the cliff a lone figure stared off into the east. Sighing she allowed her pets to rub along her body, their cold forms reminding her that she could feel. Looking to the north her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Something familiar was coming, something that had changed. Turning her gaze back to the east she decided to wait for it. Her pets vanished as she caught a powerful aura coming from the north; it seemed to be trailing the familiar aura. Grey eyes widened in disbelief as she figured who was coming. It was the only person that knew of her existence.

 

“Kagome,” the young woman whispered.

 

The young woman had searched Kagome's aura and found something that remind her of the Tama. She had felt the Tama's freedom a while ago. Then she felt complete, no longer needing the souls of the dead. She still kept her pets for company; it could become lonely upon her lone mountain. Kagome's soul had seemed purer, while it radiated a youki. She couldn't understand how a youki could resemble any type of purity. There was no doubt that the woman had gone through a change. Sighing again she felt another familiar soul, Kagura.

 

“She was killed,” the woman reminisced.

 

`Naraku had freed her and then poisoned her, leaving her to die,' Kikyo thought as she recalled the event.

 

She could feel another aura, powerful but hidden. She was sure it was a youki she sensed. This youki felt dangerous, it stung her Miko aura as she reached out her ki to brush it. It snapped at her in cold amusement. Frowning she wondered what the young Miko had caught the attention of. That girl always found ways of getting into trouble.

 

 

 

 

Staring ahead into the distance she noticed the mountain. Narrowing her eyes she could see there was a small hut built into a ledge. Landing on the ledge of the cliff she didn't bother to scent the air, she was a wind youkai. Her senses were that of a humans, save that her hearing was a little better then a humans. Tucking the feather alongside the one in her ponytail she noticed Kagome holding the mirror a little bit more tightly. Crimson eyes watched in mild curiosity as the girl took nervous steps. The screen to the hut was pushed aside and the Miko stepped out.

 

“Kikyo,” Kagura whispered as she remembered Naraku's twisted obsession. There were times that Kagura took pity on the undead Miko and times she thought the woman creepy.

 

“What brings you here?” Kikyo calmly asked. Everyone had been less tense since the destruction of Naraku.

 

`Still not one for greetings,' Kagome wistfully thought.

 

“This is private…can we come in?” Kagome asked as she let her eyes scan the area. Kikyo nodded and allowed them to enter.

 

Kagome hugged the mirror to her chest as she sat around the fire pit. Kagura sat next to her and Kikyo sat across from them. It was early dawn so the pit had no flames and Kagome briefly wondered if the Miko still ate. Kagome sighed and laid the mirror in front of them and uncovered it. Kikyo raised an eyebrow as she studied its features; it seemed familiar.

 

“This is the Forlorn Hope,” Kagome quickly said as she covered it up again.

 

“Where did you come across such an item?” Kikyo questioned not letting her shock show.

 

“My charge came across it while training in the woods,” Kagome explained.

 

“It was only a myth,” Kikyo whispered as she reached out and touched it.

 

“The Shikon no Tama is only a myth in my time,” Kagome stated as she looked Kikyo in the eyes.

 

“What do you need done?” Kikyo asked.

 

She owed the girl whether she liked it or not. Kagome had fired the arrow that stopped the miasma from consuming her body, the woman had not left her behind in the cave, and she had never shown her any ill will. Kagome had asked for no payment or retribution, all she asked for was that she tried to live. The girl had a strong will when trying to preserve life.

 

“We all decided that it be best to send it to other world,” Kagome informed.

 

“The other world,” Kikyo repeated.

 

“Spirits can't use the mirror nor can the undead, so it would be safe to send it there,” Kagome reasoned.

 

“True, one must give their life to use the mirror,” Kikyo recalled.

 

“Would your soul stealers be able to take the mirror there?” Kagome asked.

 

“It is a simple task, I can do that for you,” Kikyo softly said with a reassuring smile.

 

The soul stealers entered through the hut walls and twisted around the mirror. Kagura eyed the creatures with slight disdain and disgust. The followed the creatures outdoors and watched as she they vanished with the mirror. Kikyo frowned as she turned her attention to the bottom of the mountain. Kagura looked to the ground and noticed a strange vine, she stepped upon the flower that was growing and wiped her foot off on the dirt. Kikyo turned to Kagome and motioned out to the forest.

 

“Do you sense that?” Kikyo asked. Kagome gazed out into the forest and concentrated as she closed her eyes.

 

“What is it? It feels like a youki,” Kagome seriously asked.

 

“I sensed you coming and it followed behind you,” Kikyo calmly explained.

 

“I haven't met any youkai lately, the Tama is gone so why is it following me?” Kagome asked.

 

“I believe it wants the mirror,” Kikyo calmly suggested.

 

“Kagura, can you go to the village without me and tell Inuyasha I'll be back by dawn?” Kagome asked.

 

“Will you be safe?” Kagura questioned in slight worry.

 

“More then safe,” the woman assured.

 

Kagura nodded and took to the air and vanished from their sight. The two women then walked back into the hut. Kikyo placed a barrier around the hut and Kagome could sense the youki was closer. Kagome added some of her ki to the barrier to help the Miko along.

 

“There have been some changes,” Kikyo calmly declared as she motioned to the tail and ears. Kagome nervously scratched the back of her head.

 

“Many things have changed,” Kagome confirmed.

 

“I no longer need the souls of the dead to survive, each day I feel a bit more alive even though my body remains of earth and clay,” Kikyo explained as she looked at her hands.

 

“I gave you a bit more of our soul, and Midoriko joined with the rest I have, she made it possible for us to both live,” Kagome answered.

 

“That explains the mark you bear, the mark of the one close to the gods,” Kikyo mentioned as she reached out and touched the lotus petals.

 

“I then ate the fruit of the moon that cursed me as what you see now,” Kagome said as she pulled her own kitsune ear.

 

“The fruit doesn't curse you, it grants your deepest desire,” Kikyo explained as Kagome let out a sigh of relief.

 

“Myouga claimed that I'm some youkai-human, that they existed before humans and youkai separated,” Kagome explained.

 

“So you still retain you Miko abilities and you have youki too,” Kikyo guessed.

 

“No, see here's the catch. Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and even Shippo told me I don't smell like youkai. They say I have a human scent with type of ki that's mixed,” Kagome explained with a smile.

 

“Interesting,” Kikyo muttered.

 

“There were legends in my time about creatures that would turn from man to animal, they were called Werewolves or Shifters,” Kagome explained.

 

“So far legends and myths have proven to have some truth,” Kikyo calmly spoke.

 

“True, but I will be forced to change forms, and I don't know what will happen,” Kagome confided as she hugged her knees to her chest.

 

“When will you change?” Kikyo asked.

 

“At the full moon,” Kagome whispered as the sun began to set.

 

“Stay around the mountain, there are no people around for miles,” Kikyo ordered as she placed a quiver of arrows on her back.

 

“Do what you have to,” Kagome whispered as she walked out of the hut. Kikyo still couldn't believe the woman was still trusting after everything she had seen. Kikyo frowned as she wondered if any event would change her view.

 

Kagome began to follow the path down the mountain. Her skin began to itch as she walked continued. She finally made it to the bottom and looked up to see Kikyo sitting on the ledge. Looking over into the sky she saw the moon. Its ivory color taunted her itching skin. Kagome fell to her knees as she felt the spasm happened. It hurt like hell, it felt like she being hit with Naraku's tentacle again. Grunting in pain now kneeled still on her hands and knees. She sighed in relief when another spasm didn't hit her again.

 

 

 

 

Author's Note: