Here's the next chapter! I would have gotten it up sooner, but I have a college English Class every Saturday and I bring my purse with me only for that class, as well as my flash drive. Yes, I have my chapters written on paper, but I save them on my little baby. For the last two classes I haven't had need for it, so it just stayed in my purse and with my faulty memory, was quickly forgotten. I had a panic attack and a moment of mourning whenever I wanted to type. Soon after I posted the last chapter, I began redoing this one. I was almost done until that unfortunate Saturday came along. As you can tell, I remembered where it was and you have your chapter! Of course, I also washed it in the washer and dryer... I have no idea how I managed to wash it when the load was all shirts and no pants or pockets. Oh the life I live, it's so hard for little oh me...
I believe that I've also been neglecting to mention that I own no one in my story. Please don't sue me.
xXx
Kagome studied the scroll in silence, her face slowly falling from excitement to solemn recognition. It was like she was talking about her CD or distant friends once more. She finally spoke after a few seconds more.
"It's very old, and was written in a royal house." She smiled softly. Royalty? She could tell already? "Two people wrote it, maybe more... There were illustrations that went with it..." Her voice held disappointment in the absence of the artifacts.
"Yeah, the original pictures are at my house. They're in good condition, but I didn't want to risk them being ruined by moving them." Yusuke said, causing my sister to smile again.
"Hiei, could you get the picture out as well?" I asked. Hiei nodded before taking out the picture that was copied out of my drawer. Kagome looked at them in slight confusion, possibly questioning the authenticity and age. It was, after all drawn on a pretty fresh looking paper. "Yusuke had the original copied, though it doesn't seem to be nearly as close to the beauty the original no doubt had." I explain. She nodded, enlightened, and watched as the paper was passed.
"It's amazing how you can tell so much without even opening the scroll." Keiko grinned to my sister. Her and Yusuke looked at the picture together. Shizuru glanced at it from behind them but made no visible expression about it.
"Well, these colors," Kagome explained while pointing to the ribbons on one of the knobs. They were green white red and blue in color, blended in waves to each other with a thin yellow line running through them all. "are like the signature of a lord from the ending of the warring states period." She held up the lone pink ribbon and a brown and white tipped feather with another longer grey feather with a red spot on it. I didn't recognize the species when I first saw them and I still can't place it. It's possible it came from a demonic species since I know they couldn't be dyed or anything. "The ribbon and feathers on the other knobs are like the signature of another or more people."
"What about knowing there were illustrations?" Kazuma asked as he received the picture to look at for himself.
"The ribbons are a signature, and when they're this long it kind of means they were meant to hold the picture against the scroll." Yusuke suddenly smacked his hand and sat up strait.
"That's how I found them! Shuuichi, your new sister is amazing!" I shrugged playfully.
"She's my sister, what do you expect?" Kagome giggled and finally opened the ancient script. She looked at the writing and stared for a moment, again, studying it.
"Can you read it?" Hiei, surprisingly, asked. Kagome blinked and cleared her throat before beginning.
"This is my story. This is my life. I have not become greater than my father, but I shall die happier. The greatest threat to my lands, the world, and my family is now disposed of. I am certain that my father smiles at my accomplishments. Before I join the festival to celebrate our victory over the evil that was Naraku, I will begin to recount the tale of what happened. With the help of the Miko whose power determined the tide of our most dangerous battle, the last tale of the Shikon no Tama will be chronicled. I am the Lord of the Western Lands." She read before pausing. Her mouth gave the smallest of frowns as she seemed to me stuck on a sentence. Shizuru spoke in her pause regardless.
"You read it so easily." Kagome continued to look at the scroll in contemplation before sighing and responding to Shizuru.
"I've had lots of practice. My grandfather kept on about this era for nearly three years." She let out a small chuckle at her thoughts and the picture made its way to her. She took it eagerly.
A gentle, feminine laughter embodied with pure happiness rang loudly. I could recognize my own echoing, in the form of a fuzzy Youko. To my right, a blurred figure of black was joining in loudly. On the body, a shine of silver and twitching wings formed a soft name in my mind. Kuronue. At my recognition, my demon friend's featured sharpened. Kuronue slowly calmed enough for an exited grin. He turned to a girl, the source of the chiming giggles as she stood in front of a blurred Youko and Kuronue. Her pale yet healthy skin glowed, dark gem-like eyes curved in mirth. Her long dark hair dances with the breeze that passed through all the trees in the clearing the group was in. She spoke, her voice familiar, yet not.
"Eh?" The name she said was mute. Even though I could see my past form laughing in a joy I hardly felt back then, I couldn't feel the same warmth. I should recognize – I should KNOW this moment, yet I didn't. I felt empty. I could only watch and smile wistfully as the group of four reluctantly calmed down... Four? My confusion peaked as the blurred female turned her attention to her side and knelt to a small boy's level. She opened her arms and tilted her head. "Ne?" She asked, referring to the earlier conversation. The boy, also blurred, though in colors of brown clothes and black hair, was apparently not sharing the same humor as the adults around him. His face was blank and he remained silent as he regarded the adults he was with. The woman gave another giggle and the boy quickly dove into her arms. I could see his face as he grinned in happiness and closed his eyes in content.
"Yeah!" He agreed before giving a sudden squeal of surprise when the woman proceeded to tickle him. Kuronue cheered her on.
"All right! Teach that Pup a lesson! Go !" Her name was silent as well. The boy screeched with his laughter.
"Even the best fighters know when they're beat." My white blurred form stated as he grinned to the two.
"Mercy! Mercy!" The child cried as he caught the hands but failed to restrain the fingers. He laughed loudly, obviously not caring if the woman stopped. She pulled him close into another hug. Everyone calmed and became silent. The boy opened his eyes, and I could see his face looking in my direction.
Ruby red.
The moment itself became mute as the boy seemed to see me. Words were spoken by my past form, answered by the dark haired woman, commented by Kuronue. The boy blinked and looked away from me to watch he companions, running a hand through his softly spiked black hair. A patch of white stood proudly in the middle of his bangs. The girl kissed his bare forehead and stood up to continue the journey the group was traveling. The boy grabbed a chain off the ground before following, the pale blue sphere of what was obviously a tear gem glittering as the sun caught it in its light.
Hiei...
What was that? A vision? A memory? My head hurts as if it was something that was locked away in my mind. It was from the past, it had to be, but... For Hiei to be there? I could swear that I never met Hiei as Youko. First my father punches me in the eye, and now these odd headaches. Maybe someone is just out to get me. Just my luck...
"So are you going to explain this jewel? It's sounds pretty important for a war and the help of a holy woman." Shizuru said. Trying to ignore the slight throbbing in the back of my head, I looked at Kagome as she gave a soft, almost sarcastic breath of a laugh.
"If I explained all I knew about the Jewel, I'd have to squeeze a five hundred year old story about a thousand year long adventure in as few minutes as possible. That sounds pretty difficult if you ask me." She waved off the difficulty. "I'll try anyway. In short, before it disappeared, the Jewel of four souls was created by a woman named Midoriko. She was a very strong Miko, a priestess, as well as a very capable Taijiya, demon exterminator or a fighter. In an epic and long-lasting battle between herself, a fire cat as a partner, and countless demons after her blood, she sacrificed herself to stop the battle. She trapped the souls of all of her enemies into her heart as well, creating the sacred jewel.
After her death, the jewel passed onto countless hands, multiplying the power of demons and humans alike by at least ten folds. That's when the legends came in. With its fame highlighting its power, and the exclusion of the fact that whoever used it died, countless more souls suffered. It brought death and sadness to whomever it came in contact with. Eventually, it disappeared before returning to the village Midoriko had created, and the descendants of her village guarded it until it started to seek someone strong enough to actually contain it."
Yes, the normal story of a power created by one that was sought out by other power hungry beings. As if we're not accustomed to such subjects. Of course, I suppose Kagome could only imagine such events as real. We, being the Reikai Tentei, unfortunately live this sort of life.
"Yeah yeah, the jewel is powerful. What does the rest of the scroll say?" Yusuke interrupted, looking eagerly to my sister. She looked in almost blank curiosity. Well, stared really. After a moment of nothing to say, Yusuke shifted uncomfortably. "What?"
"Sorry." She said quickly, hiding her face behind the scroll, before peering out from over it to regard Yusuke again. "It's just, whenever I mention demons, people either freak out in paranoia or tell me adamantly that there isn't such things." The mood in my room became tense. Since after the Kekkai Barrier was constructed, humans and demons were separated for so long, stories about them together have been regarded as myths by humans and a 'once upon a time, but no more' moment for demons. However, now that the barrier has been brought down once more, should we tell her? She seems alright talking about demons, but when confronted with reality, humans are fickle creatures... "Uh, did I say something weird?" Hiei was taking to stare at her now.
So, fox, what now? I could feel Hiei grinning almost playfully. Teasingly more like it. I didn't even have to answer as Keiko took hold of the conversation and proceeded to test Kagome's wits.
"No, but, Kagome, do you believe in demons?" Kagome hesitated in our cat and mouse game.
"Well, do you?" She asked, no doubt wanting to gauge our own reactions. Maybe she is related to me, or maybe a kitsune or neko. It would explain her seemingly naturally and quick cunning and lack of holy powers for generations. A demon with holy powers can be powerful, but such powers rarely work in harmony and more often than not cancel each other out when such a being is born. The tension in my room evaporated as Keiko nodded enthusiastically.
"I do. There has to be otherwise there wouldn't be stories of them." She replied easily.
"However, people do like to be creative." I said. I curse the contemplative side of me that analyses faults. Keiko threw a glare at me. I know, I wasn't helping.
"Regardless of whether the stories are true or false, which would you prefer? What kinds of demons do you like hearing about?" Hiei suddenly asked Kagome, though he was looking at everyone. I grinned and answered first.
"Thieves. Fox thieves." Kagome giggled.
"Kitsune thieves? Really?" I saw Yusuke mouth the word 'narcissist.' I have a pretty good feeling he doesn't even understand the term.
"I like to hear about lost demon princes finding their families or true place." Keiko said next, hugging Yusuke. "Or just coming home." Yusuke blushed, either from Keiko's words or from the attention, I couldn't differentiate.
"Probably one's where humans become friends with demons." Shizuru said next.
"I've heard a lot of stories where demons protect whole villages and are worshipped for it." Kazuma said loudly. Yusuke got after him.
"You idiot. There aren't any stories like that!" Before I could correct him, my sweet sister did so instead.
"Actually, there are. Those are some of the more numerous stories. However, because there are so many, most are either forgotten or mixed and confused with others." I couldn't have said it better myself. Kazuma stuck his tongue out to Yusuke, who pointed a finger as if to charge a Spirit Gun. Kagome laughed at their antics before grinning to Yusuke. "What about you, Yusuke?"
"Fights." He replied simply as he turned his attention to her politely. "Good against evil, evil against evil, evil acting like a good guy; anything with a good battle or war."
"The one's that get your blood pulsing and nerves itching to do what you're listening to?" Kagome asked before I could imagine what she would think about him. "Where the next moment could be the last breath of either participant, but you don't know which way the tide will turn?" Yusuke started to fidget, as if he found someone he could relate to without having to speak. His grin grew wider. "The ones where all you want to do is urge the fighters to never stop because their fighting is escalating to become worthy of gods?" Kagome's own grin grew as her eyes became almost wild.
"Yeah, those stories!" She leaned forward on the bed, grinning the way Yusuke was starting to grin. I guess she could understand after all. Her being a bedridden creature with only stories would no doubt nurture her imagination to anything.
"What about you?" Hiei interrupted. Kagome and Yusuke looked at Hiei, Kagome more ponderous than Yusuke's critical gaze.
"Uh, well, you go first." Hiei stayed quiet.
"Come on Hiei. Since you're reluctant to share, you obviously have something." I said, earning a dark glare. I smiled back, unaffected. I've long since gotten used to your anger, Hiei.
I hate you.
Of course you do.
"Come on, Pyromaniac, spill it and get it over with." Shizuru 'encouraged.' Hiei looked at Kagome before ignoring everyone and looking to the ceiling. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he had a slight blush coated over his cheeks.
"Survival." He said simply.
"You mean, the struggles and accomplishments someone achieves with their friends and families." Kagome deciphered with a smile. No one said anything for fear of commenting and feeling awkward or laughing and being burnt. Well, Kagome remained unaffected at least. "I like those stories too. Adventures with your precious ones either being full demon, mixed demon, hanyou, or human, or just outcasts... They make me feel grateful for what I have. Is that why you like them too?"
"Hn." I guess, we really do learn something new about Hiei for every week we spend with him. First the fact that he'll do anything for fried ice cream, then he's never heard of a teddy bear, and now this... "What about you?" He said in the silence. Kagome stood up and gestured to herself."
"Well I like all of those stories that you mentioned, but I have three favorite demons whom I will never be bored of." With that said, Kagome smiled, sat down and opened the scroll in her hands.
"Wait, wait, wait, Princess." Shizuru interrupted. "Elaborate a little. What three demons?" Shizuru is probably interpreting the three demons and Me, Hiei and Yusuke. I personally doubt such a possibility, but then again, this was Shizuru. Her hunches are more often than not accurate. Anything Kazuma says however, I'll be wary of. He has proven to have a tendency to say something that seems imposable and completely random, though exactly true. Kagome continued to stare at the scroll, chewing her lip somewhat.
"Ka-go-me my-" Keiko started singing and Kagome stood up quickly, seemingly ready to pounce onto her friend.
"Okay! Please Keiko, shh!" Keiko only laughed and gestured to the clearing in between everyone. My sister placed the scroll next to me before standing in the said spot and cleared her throat. "Well, my three favorite demons have three things in common." She started as she closed her eyes. "They're all males, have golden eyes, and a shade of silver hair." She said as she ran her hands in the air above and behind her towards the ground. Everyone's gaze was on me. Such a description could easily be interpreted as my demonic form.
"Silver hair, huh? You like'm old?" Shizuru teased. Surprisingly, Kagome opened her eyes and nodded eagerly. She clutched her hands in front of her and pretended to gaze into the distance. Keiko and I enjoyed a small laugh.
"Oh yes, very old. The youngest one is at least three hundred and the oldest well over a thousand years old! The youngest is an Inu hanyou with silver hair to his lower back, he has golden eyes with elongated pupils, wears a red Hinezumi no Koromo that used to be a gift from his father to his human mother, and he wields a huge sword created from his father's fang. He was involved with the adventure of the Shikon no Tama for more than fifty-five years, though he slept through nearly fifty years of it." She cupped her hands over her hair. "His most notable feature is his little white dog ears." She grinned. Kazuma had a hand on his chin and he contemplated something. At Kagome's curious gaze, he spoke his thoughts.
"Fifty years of sleep? I'd like to do that. –Ow!" His sister decided to knock some sense into him.
"Don't be an idiot." She all but growled. While he clutched he head and clicked his tongue in pain, I could only resist the urge to hold my own head. Just looking at that blow gave cause for my headache to return and my bruised eye to throb a little bit. Yusuke and even Keiko let themselves laugh at his misfortune... I believe Keiko is beginning to pick up some of Yusuke more negative traits...
"Since he was part of the Tale of the Shikon no Tama, it's no wonder how you know about this demon." Keiko said as she calmed down a little. Yusuke wiped his face and grinned at Kazuma's misfortune one more time before speaking.
"What about the other two?" He asked. Kagome swept her hand behind her again.
"This demon has long silver hair, like moonlight, just a little longer than mine since he's much taller than I am. His golden eyes only reflect anger or determination when provoked. He wears a breast plate of teeth even though it's unneeded and a long white Mokomoko Boa that wraps over one shoulder and still nearly touches the ground.
"He carries two swords: one is from his father's fang that has the ability to revive over one hundred humans from the dead in just one sweep, and another that was formed from his own flesh when a third sword, made from the bones of a demon so vile that the sword would posses anyone else who tries to wield it, had shattered and become useless. Of course, no one was there to witness that fight so the accounts are not credible due to his, quiet nature.
"He's the older brother of the Inu hanyou, except he can control poison and is very prideful of his pure demon blood. He's the Lord of the western lands in the demon society and was involved with the Shikon no Tama for only the last few years for revenge."
It's almost as if she's going to talk about you next.
Well, she only knows about these demons because of the Jewel of Four Souls. I certainly never sought it.
Are you sure?
...Well, no. I honestly can't remember.
A bet. Sweet Snow for me if she does talk about you.
Have you read her thoughts?
No. Hiei cut off his link quickly, though I did feel truth in his answer.
"And the third?" Kazuma coaxed in the small pause. My sister sighed in annoyance, obviously wanting to read the scroll, though she just shrugged to herself. Bursting with a new feeling of giddiness, Kagome smiled and almost seemed to hop back into the middle of my room and stood up strait. Somehow, I had a feeling I was going to lose more than just some Ice Cream to Hiei.
xXx
I just want to note that I have no idea about the preservation of ancient Japanese scrolls. I'm not sure about the whole ribbons and royalty thing either. I made all that up, but I'm glad to say that I think it's probable. Also, I would appreciate it if someone, anyone, double checks me on my Japanese spelling. I'm sure I spelt it correctly, but I'm a fan girl and I have no actual education on the language.
To Sadist Sai, I won't sue you so don't worry about that. I have no money either and with my luck I'd lose the case. .
I'm going to try to update at least twice a month, but I can't promise anything. Last time I did that with my other YYH story, things didn't quite work out. Of course, I was a horribly amateur writer back then, but I became superstitious with the fact that if I said I'd update of a certain day, I'd be too busy and would actually forget about the story. I'm so ashamed...
This chapter has been redone! Again. But this is the final time, I swear! Feel free to keep reading!