Whipers Of Elysium:
The Child The World Forgot

Chapter Six

Hayaku Alyssa-chan!

Alyssa walked a little faster, totally in awe of her surroundings. After opening her eyes when the warm sensation
had left her body, she had gasped at what she saw.

It was a long corridor that was lit pleasantly. But it was lit in the most astonishing way. About every ten feet the
corridor possessed large, feather-shaped archs that light with an ivory light as she passed. She had looked around
her in awe, seeing carvings of elegant vines into the marble looking walls and a ceiling covered in a mural of the
sky, which shocked her none too lightly since the clouds were moving and every once in a while, the dark form of
what seemed to be an angel like Aleeria would fly overhead. Her worn out sneakers made soft sounds as she walked
across the seemingly polished marble floors, and she noticed that as the feather archs lit up one by one, the marble
floors seemed to have glittering blue swirls within the stone.

"Aleeria, what is this place?" She looked towards the small phantom girl, and wanted to frown even in her wonder
as the little girl simply smiled once more.

You shall see! Onegai hayaku!

Alyssa was nearly at a jog now as Aleeria floated on ahead, giggling brightly so that her mirth echoed within the
long corridor. They continued on for several more minutes before suddenly Alyssa saw an arch different than the
others and she slowed her pace.

Instead of two feathers, two statues were what made up the arch as they seemed to melt from the marble walls.
Alyssa took two more steps before the arch suddenly lit in a new light that was a mix between the white light of the
feathers before and fabulous blue glow. The two angels were female, both dressed in the same garb as Aleeria, only
fashioned for an older female around her age. Their hands were elegantly reaching toward each other over her head,
and Alyssa saw that their face were carved so that they looked to be peacefully sleeping with gentle smiles upon
their faces.

Alyssa-chan! Iku!

Alyssa blinked before taking several more steps towards the darkness before her, only seeing Aleeria's shining form
in the darkness. Then, she looked down as she felt moisture towards her toes, seeing ripples going away from her
and into the darkness.

"Aleeria..."

Gambete Alyssa-chan!

Alyssa took two more tentative steps before she suddenly stopped in awe as the water itself seemed to light up like
the archs starting from where feet were. The swirling light bled through the water and then made its way up until it
form a tall, dome-like room. At first, the room was plain white and so bright that Alyssa had to wince in order to see
without pain. Then, the light seemed to fade to a comfortable level as she saw several things suddenly appear in a
swirl of blue light from within the ankle deep water.

What caught her attention the most was the grand alter that appeared in the center, an angel very similar to the ones
on the arch behind her seemingly dancing atop a white marble platform. Candles lit with a blue flame were
flickering gently at her feet and what looked to be blue, strangely enough, sakura petals were scattered about around
the candles and more appeared in the water around her in small flashes of blue light.

Taking her eyes of the beautiful stone angel, Alyssa saw looked to her right and saw what she thought at first to be a
large crystal, the size of her when she curled up in a ball and slept, but when she stepped towards the alter once
more, the glare lessened and she realized it was in fact a glass cabinet that was a part of the all itself.

Inside the cabinet was something she knew her crazy history teacher from Sophomore year would kill to have. It
was the most ornate set of armor she had ever laid eyes on, one that was definately made for a female. Spotless
white hakamas were half hidden beneath the breast plate of the armor which broke off into for sections at the
bottom. One for her right thigh, her left thigh, one for her front, and the final one for her back. The top of the breast
plate ended in a low dip with a piece of beautifully sculpted metal that had wonderful engravings she could see from
her spot nearly ten feet away. The haori was white like the hakamas, the sleeves ending in a splash of blue color
with silver butterflies that matched the black chest plate.

Alyssa itched with the urge to yank it on.

But she forced herself to looked to her left, and was captivated just as much at what she found there. It was a gown
just like Aleeria's, exactly like those worn like the angels in the arch. The long, flowing silk of the skirt was as
white as the hakama and haori on her right, but ended with the splash of blue and silver butteriflies like the haori
sleeves, which was also on the end of the long, flowing sleeves of the gown's sleeves. Shockingly, the top was
composed of a corest from what she could tell which tied in the back. It had no straps like most corsets and was a
deep royal blue with silver butterflies and silver vines elegantly woven into the fabric. The shoulders were to be left
bare, the sleeves hanging off and staying up with the aid of a silver band around the top.

She itched even more to wear this than the armor for some strange reason. After all, Alyssa was not one to favor
dresses over roughed up jeans.

If you wish it, you can wear the gown Alyssa-chan. The armor as well.

Alyssa turned to Aleeria, seeing her sitting at the feet of the marble angel in the center of the room with a peaceful
look upon her face. That's when she realized just how much alike the small phantom angel and the older marble one
looked.

This place was made by my mother in hopes that I would return to my body when it was safe.

"Safe? Were you killed because you were in danger? That's..."

Iie, I never truly died. My mother removed my spirit, not my soul, so that I would not remember my father's
death, nor the pain that came with it. She wished for me to be reborn in a sense with the aid of her powers, and live
happily. What my mother did not know was that the longer my spirit remained seperated from my body, the more
the spirit would differ from the soul and become a new soul itself.

"So what you're saying is that whoever you're body became is a totally different person except for the blood
running in their veins?" It seemed so far fetched to be real, but then again, so was the whole "talking to a dead girl
on a daily basis" thing.

Hai. I am now a separate soul from the soul housed in my body. But my mother does not know this, and still
intends to bring my spirit back into my body sometime in the future. At first, she told herself she would only do so if
my powers were needed. But now she longs for my return like any mother would.

"Aleeria...gomen, but I have to ask this..." She faltered, a hot coal of dread seeping into her gut at her sudden
thoughts. But then, she breathed deeply and continued, "...is the soul within your body...is the person you're
connected to...me?"

Silence was heavy in the room, only a quiet humming which did not seem to have a source echoed eerily. But when
Aleeria's voice echoed in her mind, Alyssa felt her knees grow weak and she fell down upon them in the water.

Hai, you are the child history has forgotten. The lost heiress of the Earth -bound angels, and the only one who
can open the gates of Elysium.

Alyssa had her suspicions form the moment Aleeria had talked of her Fate, but even now she was shocked beyond
her consiousness, and simply stared into space as her mind and body seemed to freeze in time as she kneeled in the
water, not hearing the footsteps coming her way or seeing the water around her beginning to glow once more.

"Damn it wench, hurry up if you don't want the other wench to get hurt or some shit!" Kagome sped up, still barely
keeping up with Inuyasha as they ran through the darkening corridor. Arches were lit up ahead of them, giving her a
glimpse of the beautiful architexture before they suddenly went out as she and Inuyasha approached.

'It's almost as if someone or something doesn't want us here.' But she shook off the feeling and kept running ,
nearly losing Inuyasha as the corridor turned left slowly and then straightened out again. Looking past him, she
suddenly noticed they were reaching the end of the tunnel. The last arch ahead of them was much different from the
others, but before she could study it further as it came near, she and Inuyasha both halted in their tracks as a wave of
the strange power she'd felt before suddenly slammed into their bodies, nearly making them both topple over.

"Inuyasha!"

"Kuso! I hate to fucking say but I think my fucking hunch was right!"

"That doesn't matter! What the heck is happening!" Inuyasha growled loudly as the powerful aura suddenly
lessened and they were able to run towards the end of the corridor once more. They were assaulted by power waves
twice more before finally reaching the final arch, only for them to both yell in frustration when they found they
couldn't pass.

"Nani! Why would there be a kekai!"

"Beats me! All I fucking know is that the wench probably isn't supposed to be doing that!" Kagome, who hadn't
seen Alyssa's form when they'd slammed into the kekai, suddenly gasped when she allowed her eyes to rest on ehr
friend's form.

Alyssa kneeled completely still in the middle of a dome-like room with water across the floor that was currently
swirling slowing with blue sakura petals floating here and there. It looked as though a small cyclone was within the
sealed room, for Alyssa's long auburn hair was whipping around her like a cape, and when Kagome glimpsed her
face, it was blank and her eyes seemed empty.

'Kami, what's happening to her!'

"Inuyasha! We need to get in there right now!" Inuyasha slammed into the kekai with his shoulder, only to be
thrown back for the third time.

"No fucking duh bitch! But I can't use the Testsuiaga or else the fucking place will collapse!" Kagome bit her lip as
he slammed into the kekai once more, only to be thrown back again but even further than before. She knew this
would get them nowhere as she settled her frantic eyes on Alyssa once more as the water around the girl seemed to
glow with its own light.

"Ye would do well to remember child that hamaya are not always the best option for breaking barriers."

Kaede's words suddenly came back to her and Kagome collapsed to her knees in front of the barrier before clasping
her hands in prayer and concentrating.

She'd progressed much more than she thought possible in her miko abilites, and even though she now rivaled
Kikyo's power while she'd been alive, Kagome immediately felt nervousness settle in stomach as she began to pray
and concentrate, blocking out the sounds around her, even the loud cracking of the barrier as her miko powers were
unleashed on it.

A warm tingle began to overwhelm her body, causing a sensation she enjoyed yet respectfully feared at the same
time. She was, after all, still learning to fully harness her power. She could feel Inuyasha's youki behind her, telling
her that he'd noticed her idea and had backed away.

'Good. One less thing to worry aobut.' She began to concentrate harder as the power waves coming from the dome
room began to grow stronger and more frequent as they came through the barrier and nearly made her fall back onto
the floor. But she fought back and she felt the barrier beginning to give way.

"Kagome! Yamete onegai!" Kagome suddenly lost her concentration as she turned and saw her mother standing
behind a stunned Inuyasha, her face as pale as the marble surrounding her and her usually soft eyes wide and
terrified.

"Momma! I have to help Alyssa!" But the older woman shook her head and ran past the shocked hanyou before
kneeling before Kagome and grasping her shoulders.

"Iie! It is too late! She must undergo the transformation fully or the consequences will be dire! Do not argue with
me on this for it was preordained before you were born!" Kagome's eyes widened at her mother's fierce tone,
having never heard such a thing from her. But her shock just about double when her mother reached to her neck and
pulled on a chain Kagome had never seen before, and brought out a pendant.

A silver angel with a blue stone in her hands.

Suddenly, Yumi began to chant quietly as she held the pendant to her lips, and Kagome was sure not even Inuyasha
could hear the woman's words.

Alyssa-chan! You must not fight it! If you do, our body will be destroyed from the force!

'Leeri, I don't want to become this! If I do...'

Iie! She will not be able to do anything once you have changed!

'Leeri...I'm scared...' Never in her life had she ever felt such deep terror. She couldn't move her own body, she
couldn't call out to Kagome, who she knew was outside her rang of vision somehow, and she couldn't handle the
sudden pain making its way slowly through her body from within her chest. 'Leeri...help me...onegai...'

Aleeria simply shook her head a single tear made its way down both of their faces. Both of their Fates had been
decided, and they could do nothing to prevent life from moving foward.

Kagome jumped and turned around as Alyssa suddenly screamed in pain, the white glow of the water becoming
nearly blinding as another glow, this one blue, surrounded Alyssa in a shimmering aura as she screamed again, her
face drawn in pain even though her eyes remained empty.

"Alyssa!" Kagome slammed her fist against the barrier and forced her miko energies into the hit.

Iie! Onegai, do not interfer!

"Nani!" For the first time, Kagome noticed the ghostly child floating behind Alyssa at the feet of a stone angel.

The child herself was an angel with small blue wings spread behind her.

"Onegai! Let me pass! Let me go to her!" But the child shook her head and Kagome wanted to cry for the unfairness
of it all as Alyssa let out a scream louder than the last that seemed to go on forever. Tears came to her eyes as she
felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her shoulders, in comfort or protection she did not know, and she sobbed
loudly over Alyssa's somewhat muffled screams.

Her dearest friend was hurting and she, Higurashi Kagome and the guardian of the Shikon no Tama, could do
nothing but stand by and watch.

"How did this come to happen!" Kagome turned within Inuyasha's hold to see a woman standing behind her own
mother, and she gasped.

She wore simple clothing, a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt, but she was so elegant that Kagome knew she was
forever shamed in jeans. Her long, platinum blonde hair was billowing behind her with the waves of power rolling
from Alyssa's screaming form. An aura of such strength as she had never felt before fluxed from her form and
Kagome immediately knew she was someone who was to be respected.

But for some reason, she also felt the woman was someone to be wary of.

"Suki-sama, she came on her own! I was not here when it began!" Upon hearing the woman's name, Kagome
gasped. She had not seen the woman "Suki" in years, but this woman before her was far too different from the other
to be the same person.

Strangely enough, Kagome knew it was her even through her denial.

"You were to watch over her Yumi! This was not supposed to happen without my supervision!" Suki brought up her
hand, looking as though she was going to strike Yumi, but instead dropped her hand with a slight snort. "Humans,
you're all a miserable race of simpletens."

Kagome was floored.

The Suki she knew was peaceful, always with a soft smile upon her pale face. Pride had always flowed from her,
but now it seemed to ooze like a poison, and for the first time in her life, Kagome found herself glaring at the older
woman warily.

Never before had she felt any sort of discontent in Suki's presence.

"Kagome, stay away from her." Kagome glanced over her shoulder to see Inuyasha's face barely visible behind her
hair in his closeness, but she nodded without making a sound before turning to look back at Suki with a glare once
more, causing the woman to snort lightly as she frowned deeply in the direction of the barrier.

"Save me your glares child, for they are unwanted and unneeded at this time." Kagome fought back a viscious growl
at the older woman's tone, but her anger suddenly died as a particularily desperate cry was heard from within the
glowing chamber.

"Alyssa!" Once more Kagome began to fight against Inuyasha's hold, Alyssa suddenly beginning to curl in tighter
upon herself as her screams started to fade into one another. Each one sounding more pleading and painful than
before.

'Leeri...something's happening...'

Do not fight it Alyssa-chan. Your body is now changing so that it may handle the powers you will soon
possess.

'What do you mean? I'm not getting any power from all this?'

Iie, you are not. That comes later...and is much more painful.

Alyssa nearly cried upon recieving that bit of information. As it was, she felt as though she would surely loose her
mind from all the pain. It raged from within her core and spread throught her body with the scorching sensation of
flames. Had she'd been able to see, she'd actually discover the strange blue aura surrounding her body was actually
blue flames.

The others could only watch as the flames suddenly weakened and then intensified to like nothing before,
completely blocking Alyssa from view. Her screams, which had seemed horrid before, now made Kagome cry so
hard it hurt to breathe as she too screamed within the confines of the underground shrine. Suddenly, the barrier
broke and they were hit with the full power circulating within the room.

None of the dared to move as winds whipped around them and light nearly blinded them. But Kagome was the first
to jump up when the whirlwinds suddenly stopped.

As well as the screaming.

'Oh Kami...onegai...' Kagome rushed into the room before any of the others could stop her, nearly blinding herself
as she neared the bright blue light, but she stopped about five feet away as the light began to die, revealing the limp
figure of Alyssa...floating several feet above the ground.

"It has begun." Kagome could only stand still as she gazed upon her childhood friend, Suki speaking quietly, with a
strange tone of foreboding, form behind her.

Her long auburn hair was no longer to her mid back, but instead looked as though it would reach her ankles if she
stood upright and flowed in waves of onyx. A single bright blue chunk made up part of her bangs, making her look
distinctly like the small, phantom-like child floating at the foot of the angel statue. Her body had even changed, her
curves more evened out and matured. Markings, which at first looked demonic, graced her cheeks in slashes of
brilliant sapphire blue, as well as her wrists.

Kagome would have bet that there were markings on her ankles and hips as well.

But the strangest thing of all was Alyssa's back. While the rest of her clothes looked untouched, the back of her
shirt looked as though it had been burned away from her back. More markings were upon her shoulderblades. But
instead of being simpl slashes of blue, the markings were ornate, blue wings that were glittering in the fading aura
of the room.

Had she'd not seen it with her own eyes, Kagome would fully deny that the girl before her was in fact Alyssa.

"Momma, what..."

"Yumi, we have to move her to the house. She is not to be left alone at any time, and under no circumstances should
she be allowed near the well." Kagome watched as her mother nodded before back up the corridor in a rush. Suki
stepped towards the limp form of her daughter, and when she was a short ways away from her, she frowned before
snapping her fingers with a disdainful snort, sending Alyssa to the floor in a lump of flesh and cloth.

"Pitiful. She would have never screamed over so little. You truly are a poor copy girl." Suki kneeled down and
picked up Alyssa's limp form in such a fluid moment it made Kagome's head spin for a moment.

In fact, her head was already spinning from the words coming from Suki. Always, even before they'd moved,
Kagome had never on their bad days, seen Suki or Alyssa exchange cruel or hurtful words to each other and actually
mean it. But now, she stood still was Suki shoved past her with Alyssa in her arms and remained in shock about
Suki's suddenly dark demeanor towards her daughter.

Suddenly, something seemed to click and she turned to see the small spectral child from before still sitting at the
feet of the statue. But now she had her knees drawn to her chest as she leaned over and sobbed quietly, her soft cries
echoing within the chamber sadly. Without a second thought, Kagome walked towards the girl, her hand
outstretched and her face serene even as the girl raised her head and looked at her with wide eyes.

Can you see me?

"Yes, I can see you perfectly. Onegai, tell me what just happened." The small child sniffled, but shook her head
slowly.

Gomen, but I cannot right now. But in a short time, I shall show you everything.

"Chotto! Onegai!" But the child vanished suddenly and Kagome felt her shoulders slump as she stood in the middle
of the chamber, the once glowing water rippling out from around her ankles and slightly chilling her bare toes.

She didn't even realized she'd spaced out until a clawed hand rested on her shoulder, causing her to jump with a
yelp.

"Inuyasha no baka! Osuwari!" She screamed in frustration even as Inuyasha slammed into the water, but she ceased
her ire momentarily to roll him onto his back so he wouldn't drown.

"What the hell wench! I try to comfort you and you try to kill me! What kind of fucked up gratitude is that shit!"
Kagome glared down at him for a few seconds before simply sighing when she took in his completely wet form as
he remained pinned to floor.

"Mou, don't sneak up on me like that. You nearly gave me a heart attack baka."

At this, Inuyasha decided the for once it was best to remain quiet and he simply snorted as he felt the subduing spell
beginning to wear off.

A/N:
Wow, I wrote two chaps for this story yesterday! I'm now starting on chapter ten! W00T! Also, I recieved an e-mail today that floored me. Literally.

Apparently, there's a girl in Texas with the name Alyssa and she has the same personallity as the Alyssa in this story. O.O Weird...LOL

"Alyssa" is actually based on characteristics of my friends and myself. (In case any of you were wondering about that, there ya go!)

But I have to go now. I got my grades in the mail and therefore...limited internet time . I hate school with a passion. Only the music classes make me come back for more.

Ja ne!

Blue

P.S.

I've noticed lately when I post chapters on this site, they look all sdfkljsd;jffajklj with gaps and some shit. I could fix it, but I'm too lazy and limited in my time to do so. So until I'm at my g-ma's once more, I can't edit them. Gomen!