Resplendence Ressurected

(Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Inuyasha or its characters, except for my own original characters)

A/N: Lol. So this is what we call a filler chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Dream sequence begin/end

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Chapter 26: A Ripple in Time

Kikyou slowed her pace as she heard the whir of her shinidamachu behind her. She felt tepidity creep though her as her soul snatching abettors dropped the stolen spirits into her parasitic clay body. She knew not from where they souls came and felt no guilt at her lack of concern; to know the strangers she had robbed of an afterlife would be complicated, it was easier to lay in ignorance. Feeling faint, she decided to stop walking and wait for the shinidamachu to bring her back more souls; it would be necessary in order for her to continue the journey and her life.

"Life." Kikyou spat with remorse, an echo of sadness in her voice. She brought a hand up to her cheek and tried to feel the warmth she felt growing inside her. There was nothing; if she were human she may feel the incandescent warmth of her cheek as her finger grazed the satin-like texture of her skin, but she was not human, she was dead and that made all the difference.

"All men are brought into the world and born; when their souls are ready to depart, they die. Such is the way of things…it is not meant to be the other way around. To walk among the living when death has already claimed you…that may very well be the greatest sin of all."

Kikyou looked up at the luminescent aureole in the sky. It was amazing to her that it was the same sun she had achieved so much under when she was alive. She understood that everything had a time marker. Lives were only expected to last for so long, trees and plants would eventually be cut down, even the sun would eventually burn out when the time was right. Time; it would consume them all, including herself.

She smiled at the thought, though not happy about the death that would be spread around her, but in bliss as the thought that although she could not feel the warmth of the sun or the breeze against her face, time still dictated her life. Eventually she would run out of souls; leaving the pendulum on her life clock to stop.

Her body lurched forward as another soul was tossed inside. Kikyou led her thoughts back to the presence she had felt days before. It had been a strange one, it bothered her a little not being able to remember from where she had felt it before. She heard the cries of the birds in the trees and looked up to see what the commotion was. Scanning the skyline she could not sense any danger or threat, what was making them caw so? She suddenly felt the pulse of a heartbeat and the near approach of a wave of spiritual energy.

She watched as the birds flew from the trees in panic, not knowing what to make of the feeling inside their guts. She lowered he head and felt her chest; there was no heart ingrained in her being, it was all the doing of the energy flying towards her. She closed her eyes and tried to enjoy what it felt like to know the pulse of a heart once more, it was a sensation she had long forgotten.

"My body beats as if I have a heart…why does this spiritual presence affect me so? "

The ripple of energy pulsed through her as it continued to travel over the land, slowly extending its arms and disappearing.

"Just as I thought…" Kikyou said looking towards the mountains. "It was the same power that I had felt days ago and it seems to be radiating off the mountains."

She frowned; whoever had created the pulse from their body would surely have been long gone before she would even get close to the mountains foot. Although she wanted to see for herself, out of curiosity, who had turned her from the path she walked and had reminded her of her prior life, it would be a wasted trip. It was far better to continue to follow Naraku, for she was certain she would cross paths with this individual somehow.

Kikyou raised her hand, signaling the shinidamachu to stop bringing her souls back. Her life force had returned, enabling her to continue her quest for Naraku. She felt revitalized as she thought about the aura that had crashed through her body before. It seemed to strengthen and motivate her to hasten her pace, life wasted was time that had not been spent properly; she intended to use time as sparingly as possible.

Kagura stared through the foliage around her, she had been watching the wolf demon tribe for nearly thirty minutes and not one word had been mentioned of Inuyasha since. She did not lose patience however; she had become used to spying on people, sometimes waiting in the shadows for hours like a hungry lion stalking its prey.

Kagura leaned in closer to hear the two humanoid demons beside Kouga conversing with each other. Their conversation ws less that fulfilling.

"Hey! Ginta over here, I think I found us something to eat!" Hakkaku said digging next to a bunch of trees, pulling out an armful of red and purple oddly shaped mushrooms from underneath a tree.

"Really? Great!" Ginta ran over to him, rubbing his stomach.

The two stared hungrily at the suspicious looking fungi, their mouths salivating. Gina and Hakkaku both reached for one, but drew back their hands as Kouga's foot crushed the tasty looked mushrooms, leaving a black oozing heap where they had been.

"No!" yelled Ginta holding his head in his hands.

"Kouga! What gives!?" Hakkaku said angrily, standing up and placing his hands on his hips. "We're starving!"

Kouga turned around and chuckled. "You guys have no stamina, not to mention manners. You didn't even say thank you."

"Why would we say thank you! You ruined our lunch…"

Ginta threw his hands up in the air. "Ugh we were so close…I'm going to go pick some more!" He turned around and stormed off pausing only when Kouga yelled at him to stop.

"Hmph! Can you guys be that hungry that you didn't even realize that those mushrooms you picked were poisonous?"

The two demons stared at each other and blinked; their faces took on an exasperated look and groaned.

Kagura rolled her eyes at the ridiculous argument that ensued.

"What are you trying to do!?" Ginta yelled at Hakkaku. "Kill me!?"

"Hey! Wait a minute here! I didn't know that they were bad. I was just so hungry!"

She shut here eyes trying to mentally block the idiotic antics of the two mononoke. "If these idiots were to use their senses, they'd know that a stream is nearby; food grows plenty there! Well I guess these three aren't going to be able to kill Naraku by themselves. Not a brain to share between them."

Hey eyes narrowed as the wolves around them started to howl.

"Now what…" She thought.

Kagura noticed the hairs upon their backs bristling and watching as their muzzles tightened back to reveal sets of sharp pointy teeth.

"What is it boys?" asked Kouga as he crouched down beside one of the wolves to pet his head.

"Well, they found me." Kagura said with a hint of annoyance. She flicked her fan out in front of her face and prepared to reveal herself when she suddenly stopped. The wolves weren't growling at her; their gaze was directed past the trees and out into the distance. Kagura felt a faint wave of spiritual aura wash over them and fade. She brushed the quaint feeling from her mind and focused on the wolf pack once, although whatever it was had left her slightly itchy.

"Hm..?" Said Kouga. "Wonder what that was about. You guys feel a breeze?"

Hakkaku and Ginta shook their heads, deciding to sit on the forest floor.

"I certainly felt something." She thought.

Kouga turned his back to the wolves. "No matter. Heh! You guys over react to everything!" He said peering over his shoulder to scold the pack. He sniffed the air around him and froze. His face hardened as he recognized who scent it was and clenched his fists.

"Kagura…"

From behind the tree, Kagura could feel his eyes burning a hole into her back; she sensed his demonic aura flare.

"Oh well, I'm surprised I lasted this long." She thought grinning.

Kouga sniffed the air once more; she was very close, most likely in earshot if he knew her well enough. He waited for her to appear from the forests depths; she did not.

He lost his patience and yelled out in anger. "Alright Kagura! I know you're there! Come out and face me instead of hiding in the shadows like a coward."

She grimaced and spread her fan out once more. The white linen stood out like a diamond in a sea of rocks, the red zigzag pattern made it seem as through his had been dipped in blood. She had not come in hopes of a fight, nor did she particularly feel the need to, but she thought she would teach the wolf pup a lesson or two and stepped out from her hiding spot between the trees. Her crisp white ad maroon kimono swayed behind her gently; she stared at him through the bright violet irises in her eyes.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here. Looks to me like a mangy, disease infected pack of wolves. How pitiful."

"The only thing that's diseased around her is you, Kagura. I see Naraku sent you to do his dirty work again…figures."

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you." Said Kagura in a menacing tone, grasping her fan tighter.

Kouga lost his temper and ran quickly towards her, recklessly forgetting to protect his pack; Kagura waited. As Kouga ran with an arms length of her, she lifted her fan above her head and brought it down in a swooping motion around her petite frame.

"Dance of Blades!" she yelled

Sharp blades of wind emitted from her fan and swerved around Kouga, who had jumped to the side, missing him by inches.

He grinned and landed upon the ground. "Hah! Nice aim. You missed me." Kouga yelled with a grin of victory on his face and jumped into her direct path once more. He heard a loud explosion behind him and glanced backward, hearing groans

"I didn't miss." Kagura replied smiling and shut her fan.

"Damn you!" Kouga said as he raced to his friends side. Ginta and Hakkaku hadn't managed to escape in time and had become badly injured as a result.

Kagura frowned. "That was a rotten move, but I can't afford to be delayed by a filthy wolf!"

She threw her head back and laughed; her bangs covering her eyes. Pulling a feather from her hair, she decided to bid them farewell.

"Tough luck Kouga! Until we meet again!" She tossed the feather into the air and jumped. It quickly grew and she landed upon it, ascending into the air. Her cackle could still be heard in the distance.

Kouga cursed her as she disappeared; choosing not to follow her and aid his friends wounds instead.

"Go…after her…Kouga…" said Ginta trying to sit up; his side had been cut up horribly and oozed as he tried to change his position.

"Yeah don't worry about us…" Hakkaku choked, coughing up blood; he smiled weakly at Kouga. "We'll be fine."

"Hmph!" replied Kouga ignoring their comments. "I'll give Kagura a head start. Besides, I thought you guys were hungry."

They all laughed as Kouga cleaned their wounds.

"Damn Naraku, it doesn't matter who he has fighting for him, they're all the same; cowards, thieves and liars! I could have finished her…but I didn't have a chance with these guys hurt so badly." He shook his head in frustration as he finished dressing their wounds. He rose up onto his feet and decided to get them something to eat.

"You guys rest while I find us something to eat. We're gonna be stuck here for a while…" He motioned for the wolves to stay with them and walked into the forest disappearing from plain view.

"What a guy…" said Hakkaku in a raspy breath, his eyes shining in admiration. Ginta nodded and the wolves yipped in reply.

Kouga could hear running water nearby and headed towards it. He chose to walk instead of run; he had been traveling for days and could feel the lack of sleep catching up with him. He followed an old dirt path that broke into the clearing; bringing him to the sandy, rocky banks of the stream. Exhausted, he knelt on the earth, ignoring the sharp edges of the rocks piercing the hard flesh of his knees. The day was beautiful and the weather was pleasant, unlike the past couple of days. Under different circumstances, he would have led his pack to rest here, but he knew the consequences of moving an injured person; better they remain where they were and hidden, than out in the open like easy prey.

He lowered his left arm to the water and cupped his hand, scooping up some water to splash his face with. He opened his eyes and felt slightly more alert to the world around him.

"Snap out of it Kouga." He thought. "Just a little while longer, then you can get the sleep you need."

Kouga shook his head and stared once more into the stream, deciding to look for some fish to eat and bring back to the others. As he scoured the water his eyes fell upon a school of fish traveling upstream. He smiled when he noticed a cotton white fish at the center of the group trying hard to match pace with the others. Its tail was flicking quickly from side to side while the others maintained slow smooth strokes; it stood out like a sore thumb. The yellow patch caught Kouga's eye once more and he grinned thinking about what it reminded him of.

"She called it a backpack? I think that's what it was…"

Either way the small fish's' appearance attracted Kouga and he reached out to catch it.

"Easy pickings…" he thought, stretching his arms slowly above the fish. He suddenly brought them down onto the water.

The fish must have sensed his intentions and as soon as Kouga touched the water's silky surface, it jumped into the air and landed a couple of feet ahead of the school, safely from his grasp. It was stronger than the rest and had only seemed to appear weak to protect the others; distracting the danger from them.

As a result of using to much force to catch his dinner, Kouga lost his balance and fell face first into the river, his bottom half following him shortly after. He lay there, exasperated, and shook his head. The water rushed gently over his face, carrying the fish with it who seemed to be mocking him, swimming slowly in and out of his legs.

He sighed. "This just isn't my day."

A/N: So ladies and gents…like it? I hope so because I certainly did. This chapter turned out way longer than I expected but I felt it was enjoyable nonetheless. Hopefully I'll bring you guys a fresh new chapter tomorrow, but for the meantime please read and review, tell me whatcha think (:D)