I do not own InuYasha or Magic Knight Rayearth in any way, shape or form!
Speech Key:
"The" – Oral/Normal Speech
'The' – Thoughts
PLEASE READ BEFORE BEGINNING CHAPTER!
AN: I'm glad that the last two chapters were well received! Ah, but there still seems to be a teensy bit of misunderstanding with how I'm doing this. I already expressed that Kagome won't be integrated into the series, that if anything, she would be included but would be an overall outsider to the events of the series. Kagome's part right now is small because she's playing a supporting role to Hikaru, her time won't come until AFTER the events of the second series come to a conclusion. So, all I ask is for a little patience and hope you all continue to read!
As for the bracelet-style Omamori Kagome had given, I used Kanji as the symbol basis on them because it's what I'm most familiar with. I've tried to find out what style of writing is used on traditional Omamori, but there's not much info on the actual writing as there is on what they're for, where they're found, and what kinds are available. I know that Katakana or Hiragana could be used, but I'm not very familiar with those, so if traditional Omamori are usually in one of those, then I apologize.
Anywho, this chapter and possibly the next two (I'm not totally sure yet) will have no Kagome in it physically. She might be mentioned, spoken of, or seen in possible flashbacks, but there won't be any actual Kagome there for a bit.
Anyway, I hope you all like this and please remember to review, but if you've nothing polite to say then don't bother saying anything at all!
~A Match of Two Souls~
oO-Going Back-Oo
"Emeraude-hime…" Hikaru murmured as she looked into the sky with wistful ruby eyes. She gasped when she was suddenly hugged from behind. "Don't you dare start crying," she heard a familiar voice say and turned around.
"Because, then, I'll cry, too," Umi finished with a soft smile. Fuu, right beside her, nodded in agreement.
"Umi-chan, Fuu-chan…" Hikaru looked at her friends sadly. "I-I keep dreaming about Cephiro. That world we were summoned to…The smoking volcano, the bright ocean, the mountain floating in the sky…I remember the world supported by Emeraude-hime as its Pillar."
Her eyes closed as the images flew through her mind. "…And I remember the battle that tore it apart. She did it all on her own," tears slipped over her cheeks at this point. "The peace and harmony of the world was kept whole by her Will. But then, with these hands—"
"Hikaru!" Umi cried out worriedly, watching a small trail of blood leave Hikaru's clenched fist. "Stop it! You're only hurting yourself!"
"Please take care of yourself, Hikaru-san," Fuu chided gently, whipping up the blood with a handkerchief. "This isn't Cephiro, I can't heal you here."
Neither girl noticed the faint glow from Hikaru's bracelet trail down into her hand.
"I just—I thought being Magic Knights would make us heroes," the fiery-haired teen's bangs covered her eyes as she spoke. "I thought we were helping! But I don't understand why Zagato did it all! Why did Emeraude-hime bring us to that world to…"
"I don't know," the sapphire-eyed teen shook her head. "At first, I just wanted to come home, so I went along with it. I thought that the faster we could get everything done, the faster we'd get home. But then I started learning magic and got to know you and Fuu and so many other people… I thought I was helping Emeraude-hime, too, and everyone else in Cephiro…"
"It seemed so much like an RPG at first," the blonde-haired girl confessed. "But there was no war of alignments, no good or evil…just people. And it was that, that made the battle even more terrible. We followed our hearts, questioned very little of what we were told and it only led to tragedy."
"I can't even play those kinds of games anymore," Umi shook her head. "Every time I try, I play as the hero and then I see my enemy. I start off seeing them as evil…but then I look through the enemy's eyes and realize that they're playing a hero, too and to them, I was the evil one."
At that, the trio fell silent. Hikaru's eyes strayed from the sky to the ground and then finally to her bracelet. Her eyes widened as she remembered what her cousin had told her just before coming to Tokyo Tower.
"There are no coincidences in this world, Hikaru. Everything that happens does because it was already meant to, regardless of choice."
Hikaru's brow furrowed at those words. Did this mean that Princess Emeraude was meant to die? That they were meant to end her life and that of Zagato? 'That can't be right, though…can it?'
(AN: Just as a warning, I'll be interchanging 'Emeruade-hime' for 'Princess Emeraude'.)
"'Life seems unfair or cruel sometimes,'" Hikaru quoted her cousin softly, "'But there's always a reason for what happens.'"
Umi and Fuu looked surprised at the quote. "That's an interesting thought, Hikaru," the blunette spoke up. "Where did you hear something like that?"
"Neechan…" the fiery-haired girl answered. "Neechan was the one who told me that."
"Kagome-neesan is very wise," the blonde nodded.
Hikaru nodded when she remembered the gifts. "Oh, and Neechan wanted me to give these to you two. She said it's to thank you for being there for me."
"They're very beautiful," Fuu admired the delicate trinket.
"Kagome-nee made this herself?" Umi asked, peering closely at the tiny Kanji carvings, but unable to make them out.
The fiery-haired teen was about to answer when something else Kagome had said came to mind.
"Your first trip to Tokyo Tower left your spirit broken and your heart heavy with guilt. But I don't think that's the end of that story. I have a feeling you'll be able to conquer your demons as long as you have hope and belief in yourself and your friends."
Determination shone bright in ruby eyes as her decision was made. 'Neechan was right. As long as I have hope, as long as I and believe in not just myself, but my friends, too, then I know I can make a difference!'
"I want to go back to Cephiro!" Hikaru spoke strongly. "I don't want to leave everyone on that world with nothing ever changing! I want to go back and really help Cephiro, this time! I want to be able to help the world that Emeraude-hime loved for real this time!"
"I want—" Umi began.
"—the same thing," Fuu finished.
As if on cue, there was a bright flash of light. Time seemed to slow around the trio as a gale whipped around them. They raised their arms to shield their eyes, and so didn't notice their forms fading little by little until a small flash of sparks remained in their place.
Adieu,
TsukiyoTenshi
