Reunion of Lost Souls
Chapter 1: Redemption Begins?
"And now, as your reward, you won't feel nay pain as you die," Naraku said, plunging his toxic appendages into Abi's heart. That train wreck of a man was lying. It hurt worse than anything she had ever felt, including losing an arm just moments earlier. Abi could feel her body starting to crumble away from her and it felt like a million tiny fire ants consuming her body with their toxic jaws. Was there a heaven and a hell? She knew. She had been to both. She also knew which one she was headed to now. Had she been justified in killing so many just to save one? She knew in her heart, now pierced in the middle, that the powers that be would not think so.
She was wrong. She was sent to heaven. All her actions had been justified in trying to save her mother. An eternity of happiness awaited her, but she still wasn't satisfied. She wanted blood. Naraku's blood. On only her second day in heaven, she approached one of the saints.
"I want another chance," she said.
"What do you mean?" asked the saint.
"I want to go back," she said.
"Back where? To hell?" he said, referring to her birthplace.
"No, Earth. I have unfinished business with the one who killed me," she said.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," said the saint.
"I know you can," said Abi, "You do it all the time."
"I'm sorry, when someone is brought back to life, it's done by someone on the other side," said the saint, "not us."
"Is there any way I can reach someone on the other side?" asked Abi.
"I'll see what I can do," said the saint.
"So the demon is somewhere in this general area?" said Miroku, preparing a sutra.
"Yes," said their guide, Makitono.
"And he can spit acid?" said Inuyasha.
"Yes," said Makitono.
"Hey! No one ever told me anything about acid!" said Shippo, hiding behind Kagome.
"Don't worry, we wouldn't let anything happen to you," said Sango.
"Why did you have to bring me along?" asked Shippo with a clear note of panic in his voice.
"We heard the acid is flammable," said Miroku.
"Yes, the acid is indeed flammable," said Makitono.
Suddenly, they all heard a rustle in the bushes. The old cliché telltale sign was proving tried and true once again. They readied for an onslaught, but were sure to account for a squirrel. They got their demon.
The demon was a giant lizard on two legs. He was red with eyes that seemed black yet glowing at the same time. Sure enough, he opened a stream of acid. Shippo unleashed his pyrotechnics known as Fox Fire and the acid was set ablaze. The demon cut off his stream of acid and stepped back. For a fleeting second, Miroku swore he saw a face in the flame. The demon waited for the blaze to run dry, then proceeded forward. Inuyasha readied the Tetsusaiga and marched forward to meet the demon. He swung, and the demon moved out of the way. Now in close contact, the demon unleashed a barrage of acid. Shippo set fire to the acid and it burned cleanly off the robe of the fire-rat without damage. Inuyasha swung again and connected a sickly blow deep into the demon's left arm. The arm was not severed, though the cut was deep. The demon turned to run away, but soon found himself lacking a head. Inuyasha bent down to the head and spoke.
"Do not, under any circumstances, screw with the villagers here. You do, and we'll end you forever," he said, before rolling the demon's body over and placing the head back on to heal. "If he has any luck, he'll survive. If he has any brains, he'll listen."
Just as they were leaving, the demon's eyes bolted open. "She wants to talk to you," it said.
"Who wants to talk to us?" asked Inuyasha.
"I don't know," admitted the demon, "I have no idea why I'm telling you this. You cut my head off! How dare you!" he ranted as everyone started to walk away.
"Wait," he pleaded, "I didn't mean that. You had every right to do that to me. Don't leave me here. Please!"
"We'll send someone," said Miroku, walking away.
They had every intention of doing that, but first, they needed to find out who wanted to talk to them all so badly.
"It's probably Kikyou," said Kagome, hiding the dread in her voice.
"But where is she right now?" asked Miroku.
"I don't know, can't one of you sense her spiritual powers anywhere?" asked Sango.
"All I'm picking up are Kagome's and my own," responded Miroku.
"Same here," said Kagome.
"Oh, come on, you're her reincarnation. You must have some way to track her location," said Inuyasha.
"Oh, come on, I thought she was dead for weeks. If I could do that, do you not think I would have tried?" responded Kagome.
"Can you do anything at all?" demanded Inuyasha.
"What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Kagome.
"I… it just means… you're going to tell me to sit, aren't you?" conceded Inuyasha.
"I will if you don't apologize," said Kagome.
"Why would I do that?" asked Inuyasha.
"Si…….." Kagome stalled.
"Okay, fine, I'm sorry!" back-pedalled Inuyasha.
"I sense the sacred jewel shards, I tell you when there's a demon nearby and I can shoot arrows a lot better than your sorry excuse for a bag of flesh ever could!" screamed Kagome, "So don't you even think about suggesting that I don't do anything for you. Without me, you'd still be nailed to a tree and Kikyou would still be burning in Hell for whatever it was she was supposed to be there for!"
"Hey! Don't you try and act like you do so much for me! Every twenty seconds you drive my head into the ground for whatever stupid reason you feel like!" retorted Inuyasha, "I bet you do it now, since you can't think of a good comeback!"
"Please, don't fight!" came Miroku, playing the diplomat, "You both help each other equally. We'd all be in trouble without everyone else."
"Hmph," said Kagome, turning her head almost exactly how I guarantee you're picturing it.
"Come on, you know you like each other," said Shippo.
Almost on cue, both Inuyasha and Kagome turned, staring daggers at their now-mutual foe. They forgot about how much they hated and loved each other. Both managed to punch him in the exact same spot on the sternum.
"He can be such a pest sometimes," said Kagome.
"Yeah, tell me about it," said Inuyasha.
"Wait… weren't they just… never mind," said Sango.
"I think I can feel Kikyou's spiritual presence," said Miroku, "she's just north a little ways."
At that development, they took north, forgetting about the demon who lay with his head healing back on. For the record, he would be fine. His head and body would reunite and he would go on for ten more years before being swarmed by thousands of weak demons and eaten. As Kurt Vonnegut would say, so it goes.
After a few hours of tracking down Kikyou, they finally saw her sleeping in a clearing. They waited a few minutes until she woke up, then approached her.
"Lady Kikyou," Miroku began, "We heard someone was looking for us. Is this you?"
"No," responded Kikyou, "but I too dreamt that someone was looking for you. Someone who you met only recently, but is unable to reach you directly because of otherworldly constraints."
"I wonder who that could be…" pondered Sango out loud.
"I would think they would have to be dead if they couldn't reach us because of otherworldly constraints," said Miroku.
"Yes, though I had no idea who it was, I did feel a bond between myself and this person. Death would suit it perfectly," said Kikyou.
"Who have we met recently who is dead?" asked Kagome.
"Maybe it was one of the guards at the palace that Princess Abi attacked," said Inuyasha.
"But we never met any of them. Wait, speaking of Princess Abi, maybe it's her," said Miroku.
"Why would she want to talk to us?" asked Inuyasha.
"I have no idea. You saw her, we can't even begin to figure out what was going on in her head," said Kagome.
"I don't know, let's try to figure out who else it would be," suggested Sango.
At that exact moment, Kikyou's eyes widened and she momentarily gasped for air. There was a small spark, just above a nearby tree, and there was a small fire. It burned for only a brief moment, but everyone saw it.
"That must be her," said Sango.
"What is she going to do to us?" asked Shippo, quivering.
"We have to hurry," said Kikyou, standing and walking off.
They all followed to the nearest temple. Without a word, Kikyou stood, lit a small candle at the centre of the room, and started praying. Eventually, she turned her head.
"Monk," she said, "Pray with me. You should know the one I mean."
"Umm… not at all," Miroku said.
"Then… just stand here and follow along," said Kikyou.
The two of them stood, Kikyou praying, Miroku attempting to repeat her words rather clumsily. Finally, the candle in the center turned purple. Not the flame, the wax.
"Now we can converse with her," said Kikyou.
"Oh!" said Kagome excitedly, "Like a séance!"
"NO!" exclaimed Kikyou. Kagome was silent.
"Is this Inuyasha?" came a voice from the candle.
"Yeah, I'm here," said Inuyasha.
"As you guessed, this is Abi. I may despise you and everything you stand for, everything you've ever done, and everyone who's never tried to kill you, but I hate Naraku more. I don't care who helps me get there, I want him dead," said the voice.
"How can you do that? You're dead," said Kagome.
"Many of the dead now walk among the living," said Abi, "There's one in the room with you now."
"True, but how do you intend to come back?" asked Miroku.
"That's why I need your help," said Abi.
"And after that? You'll just try to kill us again," said Sango.
"No, I also need your help in killing Naraku," said Abi.
"But then we're just fodder again, aren't we?" asked Miroku.
"No, if you help me succeed in killing Naraku, I will not try to kill you," said Abi.
"Why should we believe you? Look at the countless villagers you've slain by draining their blood," said Inuyasha.
"I did that only to bring my mother back to health, and it worked," said Abi.
"That doesn't make it any less wrong," said Kagome.
"Oh, and taking the lives of countless animals to keep yourself alive is somehow alright?" countered Abi.
"That's different," said Miroku.
"Yes it is, you don't need it," said Abi, "Besides, I thought Buddha forbid it."
"She has a point," said Sango.
"No we're all going to die!" screamed Shippo, breaking his own silence.
"Fine, we'll find a way to bring you back," said Miroku.
"Kikyou, do you know of a way?" asked Inuyasha.
"I know of several," said Kikyou, "you can insert a sacred jewel shard into her corpse—"
"Her body disintegrated into dust," said Miroku.
"You could bring her back in the same fashion that was done to me," continued Kikyou.
"I don't want some prosthetic body," said Abi with a hint of disgust in her voice.
"Do you… have… some of the blood from one of her parents?" asked Kikyou.
"Only a river of it," said Inuyasha.
"Is it her mother of her father?" asked Kikyou.
"It's her mother," answered Sango.
"You need blood from her father," said Kikyou.
"My father? That's impossible!" said Abi, "He died years ago."
"Who was he?" asked Kagome.
"He was the great demon Kananchi," said Abi.
"He must have been pretty twisted if he was banging a giant chicken," said Inuyasha.
"You take that back half-demon!" said Abi.
"Yeah, come on, your mother was involved with a giant dog," said Shippo. For some reason, he was starting to like Abi more and more.
"He had a humanoid form," said Inuyasha.
"My mother had a humanoid form as well," said Abi, "And she was a million times more beautiful than your mother. It was only à propos that she ended up with a dog."
"Really?" asked Miroku, enlarging.
"Don't talk about my mother like that!" screamed Inuyasha.
"Don't you dare tell me to hold my tongue when you speak filthy lies about my father!" raved Abi.
"You're cutting it dangerously close to staying on the other side!" said Inuyasha.
"Shut up!" screamed Kagome, "He's just being hot-headed. Of course we'll do our best to bring you back."
On the other side, Abi felt a wave of dizziness, the sensation of people being kind to her being a relatively forgotten sensation.
"Your father's body, is it still intact?" asked Kikyou.
"His bones haven't been crushed yet, if that's what you mean," said Abi.
"Then it can be done," responded Kikyou, "If someone can plant a jewel shard in his skeleton, he will return, then you can extract the blood you need. Then you must mix it with the blood of her mother. Then bring it to me."
"Abi, where is the skeleton?" asked Miroku.
"It isn't very far from you now. Maybe an hour of walking to the west," said Abi.
"Take this candle, you will remain in contact," said Kikyou.
"That's great news," said Sango.
"First, just go west," said Abi. They stepped outside.
"Is this west?" asked Sango.
"Turn right just a little bit," said Abi.
"Here?" asked Sango.
"Yes," said Abi, "now just walk."
They walked for about an hour, with minimal guidance from Abi. On the way, just from talking, they learned that Abi was 207 years old, that she was only twenty when her father died, which was about two for humans. They learned that she had spent much of her life up to that point trying to kill the demon slayer who killed her father, only to get up to heaven and find out he had already been dead for a century and a half. And, much to Abi's vexation, had died of old age, not even remembering killing Abi's father. They would have learned more, but they were at the gravesite before any more could be said.
"Dig here," said Abi.
"Fine," said Inuyasha, immediately attacking the ground with his claw-like fingernails. After a while, he got tired. "Screw this," he said, drawing his sword.
"No!" Kagome screamed, "You'll shatter the bones!"
"Fine," he replied, and continued digging, grumbling. It was around this time that Miroku's hand found it's way halfway up Sango's leg and rising fast. They politely excused themselves from the dig and went off into the brush. They had been doing this often recently. No one knew what they did, but they didn't comment. For the record, they hadn't "consummated their relationship" yet, but they did love to fool around.
Finally Inuyasha managed to dig up the bones. They gazed upon a fairly small, humanoid skeleton.
"This your father?" asked Inuyasha.
"Yes," said Abi.
"Tiny little thing, isn't he?" said Inuyasha mockingly.
"I will open you up and eat your innards like candy!" screamed Abi.
"Why are you so angry all the time?" asked Inuyasha.
"All those around me inspire it," said Abi.
"Have you ever considered that you should just be more relaxed?" asked Kagome.
"You're one to talk. You abuse the half-demon more than I could ever dream of," said Abi.
"What are you talking about?" asked Kagome.
"Sit!" screamed Inuyasha.
"Even I find that excessive," said Abi.
"Hmm… maybe you're right," said Kagome, leaning towards Inuyasha's neck. He flinched, but to his surprise, she took the Beads of Subjugation off.
"It was that easy?" asked Inuyasha, temporarily thrown out of his own realm of being by the shock.
"Well, if you say it's mean, why should I believe you? But if she says it's mean, it must be vicious," said Kagome.
Side note: To anyone who's familiar with my other stories, yes that will probably happen in all of my stories. I just can't write with the beads. It only doesn't seem out of character because it's comic relief, and sue me but I never found it funny.
"Well, I guess it's time to shard it up," said Miroku coming out of the bush with a huge smile on his face.
"Okay, here goes," said Kagome, inserting a jewel shard into the skeleton. There was a momentary flash and then darkness. When the darkness cleared up, there was a small humanoid goat-like demon standing there. He glanced around for a while, then spoke.
"Well, it looks like I'm back," said Kananchi, "How did this happen?"
Before anyone could answer, a pig demon (think second movie) jumped out of a nearby tree (a light pig demon, apparently) and began to charge towards the group with a sword. Everyone reached for his or her weapons, but Kananchi simply spit a small, sharp object from his mouth and it struck the demon in the chest, killing it instantly.
"I hate it when that happens," said Kananchi.
"That was… impressive," said Miroku, taken aback.
"I could've done better," said Inuyasha.
"Oh really?" asked Kagome, "Then why didn't you?"
"I was… testing Kananchi," responded Inuyasha.
"How did you know my name?" asked Kananchi.
"I told them," came Abi's voice.
"Abi? Where are you?" asked Kananchi.
"I am where you were moments ago," said Abi.
"Where is? You don't mean? Dead?" asked Kananchi.
"Yes," said Abi.
"No! My poor sweet daughter! Who did this? I'll cause untold anguish on their bodies until all of their bones blow away in the wind and my hands bleed from the act," said Kananchi.
"I think we know where she gets the anger," whispered Miroku to Kagome.
"It's okay," said Sango, offering a calming voice, "We're after the one who did it too. And she doesn't even have to stay dead. That's why we brought you back, to bring her back."
"How? I'll do anything and kill anyone," said Kananchi.
"That really won't be necessary," said Miroku, starting to fear for his life, "We just need some of your blood."
"Done," said Kananchi, spitting another sharp object into his arm, releasing a stream of blood.
"Umm… we really don't need it now," said Kagome, "We need to gather some of her mother's blood first."
"Does she know about this?" asked Kananchi.
"No. She… was taken before me," said Abi, "I was slain seconds later trying to avenge her death."
"We do have her blood though," said Kagome.
"Do not trivialize my mother's death by talking of such small upsides!" said Abi.
"Sorry, sorry," said Kagome, shrinking behind Inuyasha.
"Well, we'd better get going if we want to bring your daughter back! Hahaha!" said Miroku, in the most forced manner possible.
They left to find the spot where Abi's mother (can't remember her name. Forgive me) was slain. They found it, blood still moist and occasionally dripping off rocks. Kananchi was overcome with emotion, and Kagome was ill. Inuyasha gathered up some of the blood in a jar and Kananchi bled into it. Inuyasha had to make the cut, however, as Kananchi was too distraught to aim at himself. They took the blood to Kikyou, and she shook it up and began praying at it. She informed them that everything would be ready in an hour. For the full hour, everyone stood outside the temple with bated breath. Finally, just when it seemed their insides would rot from the suspense, Kikyou came through the door.
"She is ready," said Kikyou.
For a few seconds, everything was still. Then, finally, Abi walked through the door and into the light for the first time since her rebirth.
"Everyone, I'm back," she said with an oddly uncharacteristic smile.
End of Chapter One.
Author's Notes: I'm sorry if some of this seems kind of forced. This story is partially an attempt to get my enthusiasm about writing back to the level it once was. I've hit one of those patches where I just don't feel like writing, and the quality suffers. If you guys review, I will write more. If you don't, I'll remain in writing limbo for a while. Either way, I need to know how I am.