It had been many years since I had completed my task in erasing Naraku and the Jewel of Four Souls from existence. Unfortunately, for me, I did not survive the final battle. Once I had sent my very last arrow combined with the power of everyone's attack we had dealt the final blow. I managed to stand long enough to watch his death as his body disintegrated into ashes and the rest of the jewel flew into my hands. I had finally fused the last of the jewel together and made the one wish to remove it from existence . Once the jewel itself had dissolved into a pretty pink ash itself did my wounds from the battle seem to hit me all at once and I collapsed to the ground. I pressed a hand to the hole in my gut I had received from one of Naraku's tentacles. I could hear the chorus of my friends screaming and shouting my name as they rushed to me. Their faces hovering around me, their expressions contorting with pain both physical and emotional as it became clear to all of us I would not survive this. I could only imagine the black disgusting lines that were spreading across my torso stemming from my wound and the poison running through my bloodstream. I could feel multiple warm hands pressing against my wound trying to stop my life blood from escaping my body to at least give me a few more minutes of time.
"Inu… my family.." my voice. It sounded like I had eaten gravel.
"Yeah yeah. I know wench….I'll take care of 'em" Inuyasha looked like he physically had to squeeze out the words around his tears.. Throughout the years this is the first time I have seen him so openly weep in front of others.
"Sessh…Ship…" I turned my eyes to Sesshomaru who stood off to the side, if I were not dying I would have been in shock to see he too was shedding silent tears. Our eyes met and he nodded his head in understanding. Shippo had become like my own child throughout the years of this journey and it helped put my heart at ease knowing he would be taken care of properly, even though I could barely get any words out it was a relief to know they could easily understand.
"Thank you…..may your futures…be blessed with happiness…prosperity…." a harsh cough wracked through my body, blood now dripping from the corner of my mouth. Despite the pain I did all I could to give them all one more heartfelt smile. "I love..all of you."
I closed my eyes as I couldn't find the energy to keep them open, my smile settling into a small upward quirk of the corners of my mouth. I was dying…and I wanted them something good to remember. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, getting slower bit by bit until finally. Silence. And the world around me went as dark and empty as the void.
The next thing I knew I had woken up in the center of a field of wildflowers in the middle of the night leaving me surrounded by strange yet exoticly beautiful glowing vegetation. It was clear to me I was no longer in the same world as the one I had died in as I stared upwards towards the sky through a hole in the canopy of trees revealing a moon much larger than the one I had seen in japan.
A groan escaped me as I sat up from my prone position in the grass. My hands rubbing my forehead as a headache took over along with the soreness of muscles that haven't moved in some time. I heard the snap of a twigand quickly turned my attention outward. Many strange creatures of this new land making themselves known as they began to come out of the shadows and walk up to me calmly. Creatures that resembled animals I had seen as a child at the zoo but different. Different colors, sizes, species, both prey and predator walking in harmony towards me. The animals that could attack and eat me if they so desired were docile and curious as they sniffed my flesh which had finally caused me to notice the difference in my own appearance and body. I had kept my raven hair and ,based off the reflection in the eyes of some of the larger animals, my eyes remained their same ice blue. I was clearly taller based off the height of me simply sitting at my hands and inspecting the rest of my body, my skin now carrying a blue complexion that seemed to shift creating almost a tribal design in darker shades, on top of that I had gained a tail and some strange braid that formed naturally and at the end was some strange tentacle like thing. I could only assume the gods had decided to give me a resemblance of the natives of this new land be it to blend in or survive in this new terrain I am unsure, however, my purpose was now unknown.
However, as if this new body and land hadn't been surprising enough I had quickly discovered I could communicate with everyone and everything including the trees. From the largest animals to the smallest plants I could hear their voices and practically feel their joy on my arrival. Everything was overwhelming at first before I finally managed to regain my own sense and thoughts and limit the voices in my head to only mine and what could only be classified as the goddess of this world. EyWa.
"Indeed, Blessed Child. You learn rather quickly for one so young." Her voice was soft like a mother, yet powerful.
"When a soul must make a journey, such as I have, you learn that adapting is the best thing you can do." I responded softly, yet confident.
"Quite right. You indeed are the Blessed child my distant cousins had beseeched me for help. Your death was not meant to be. Not yet, not like that. Unfortunately this is the best I can offer you child…A new body, in a new world. Though if it provides some comfort this world is merely a world away. I have birthed you a body that is the same as my other children of this world. However, I thought it a waste of such a beautiful color so I kept your eyes from your previous body. A color that is rare here. Your gifts remain as they were before, May you find happiness and prosper in this life as you were once meant to."
And with that her voice faded into the forest as if she were never there. The only sign of her presence were the white floating creatures that were swept away by the wind. Despite how enlightening the visit from EyWa had been my questions on "what now?" still remained. As a result I spent many years alone surviving and learning all I could to learn the language of the people and their customs using the trees as my ears and the bird-like creatures as my eyes, every so often I would be unlucky and be connected with the creature just before it dies from a hunt. The memories of my own death overlapping with the creature's in that moment and I would find myself spending many sleepless nights due to this occurrence from stress and trauma of the violent death.
However, one day changed everything in my day to day life in this world. The day I met the future clan leader of the Omaticaya, Eytukan, currently a mere boy on his first hunt alone. I do believe I made a large impression on him that day as a Thanator had walked up to greet me near the Tree of Souls, which coincidentally happened to be next to the small clearing where I was "reborn".
I couldn't help myself as a chuckle escaped me at the almost comical expression on his face as I shooed the creature away like one would a common dog and it obeyed after a quick chin scratch. I smiled gently and turned to the boy sitting against the tree calmly, I imagine if an older male had seen me he most likely would have thought of me as the equivalent of a nymph to this world, very glad Eywa had provided proper clothing somehow, I never questioned it and sometimes it's simpler that way. I had on a black loincloth worn in the same manner as the others longer in the back, the front reaching just above my knees, my top consisting of a pink leather tube top most likely from a banshee that had died around the same time of my rebirth. My hair is now filled with many braids holding a variety of flowers thanks to a troupe of prolemuris that had stopped to see her a few hours ago just before the sun's first light.
I was slightly disappointed when he pointed his arrow upon me in fear of me being a demon or something of the like due to my eyes. Not to mention my actions with one of the larger predators of the forest. I merely sat there still staring at him with a disappointed expression because of his reaction speaking gently.
"Young one you need not fear me, had I wished you harm I would not have sent my friend away. Come sit with me before Eywa so she may view our first meeting." I spoke soft and slow in Na'Vi, raising a gentle hand towards him inviting him to sit with me, not wishing to startle him anymore than he already seemed. I allowed him to make the choice, not moving in any other way.
However, he simply ran away only to return and find me once again a few days later at the same tree. I was linked to the tree swaying softly with prayers leaving my lips in a murmur and my eyes closed,when he arrived, and that was how he found me. Despite being distracted I could still sense him as he slowly walked up to me staying about 4 feet away still obviously cautious. After a few minutes of minding my business and him simply staring, I decided with my eyes still closed I raised a hand to remove my braid from one of the glowing tree vines gently pulling it away. Once the connection was removed I released the braid and let it fall to the ground and set my hands in my lap before opening my eyes to look at the young warrior. He looked awkward now sitting there as we merely stared at each other. Observing. Waiting to see who would be the first to break the silence. A small smirk formed on my face as I looked down with a quiet snort before I gave a small chuckle and gently smiled at Eytukan once again meeting his eyes..
"I see you have returned...would you like to sit closer? I can see you have many questions you would like to ask?" I say this softly watching as his curiosity spiked in his eyes and he sits where he stood staring at me intently.
"What are you? Who are you? What are you doing in the forest? I thought only an Omaticaya could come here but I have never seen you in the village before?" The questions flew from his mouth without a chance to even answer them one at a time.
I chuckled and gestured for him to slow down. "Easy, easy little warrior. I can only answer your questions one at a time. The sun is high so there is plenty of time...now perhaps a story will perhaps help to answer your questions?*
With a nod from the young heir to the chief, I began to tell him my story, the story of a once human girl who traveled through time, the battles she faces, the friends she made…and of how she died, surrounded by those who loved her and were always by her side in battle. I proceeded to explain the will of the gods and thus of how I came to their world and lived in the forest with all of EyWa's creatures. I could only smile softly as the emotions across the child's face changed as my story went on leaving him with an expression of wonder and confusion.
"Amazing...but Kagome why don't you live with one of the clans?" He blinks and his emotions change once again to confusion and interest.
"I can't answer that. I don't know the answer myself….it just seems more peaceful here in the forest. Nobody to judge you, question your worth or what you can provide...but I believe one day I will join a clan, when Eywa believes I am needed or I need to leave the forest she will guide my way to where my destiny is meant to be." I smile softly at him and he crawls over to one of the glowing vines and makes the bond as I had mere moments before he arrived.
I could see him concentrate on sending his prayer to Eywa which caused me to give a soft opens his eyes with a soft blush and breaks the bond moving away again shyly.
"Perhaps Eywa will send you to the Omaticaya? I will become clan chief and I can make sure nobody bullies you!" Eytukan declares with a puff of his check making me giggle.
"Perhaps one day, as I said it is by the will of Eywa it will be, one way or another."
Many years passed since that day which were filled with almost weekly visits from the young chief-to-be. I had the privilege to watch him grow as I seemed to be the first and only person he would run and brag about his victories and/or seek consult about his failures. During this time I was constantly reminded of Shippo because I felt like a second mother to the boy. Sometimes memories would surface and tears would fall but Eytukan understood and would simply hold my hand until I managed to control my tears. He became a silent support in those moments.
Then one day , many years later as an adult he brought the woman he had chosen to be mated with the night before to introduce was such a sweet girl once she understood why he wanted her to join him. Mo'at. I simply smiled with pride at the boy who had finally become a man. At first Mo'at seemed threatened by my existence, she thought I would draw her mate astray from her in a last minute choice of desperation. Upon that declaration Eytukan and myself shared a surprised glance with each other before laughing at this and explained how I was like a second mother to the chief. She merely bowed her head with a nod and a blush. Time flew by and soon both would make almost regular visits to the woman still unclaimed by a people.
It was on the day Mo'at announced she was pregnant however, did Eywa nudge me out of the forest. I did not fight her, already wishing to help Mo'at with her pregnancy...and soon after she gave birth I felt a warmth in my chest as both Eytukan and Mo'at declared me simultaneously "Grandmother and Godmother" to Sylwanin, their first born. Neytiri was born after a mere 3 cycles later. To say I wasn't overjoyed could be considered an understatement, I cried in joy for maybe an hour after the birth refusing to leave the baby alone the entire time. The following day a ceremony was held officially accepting me into the Omatacaya clan and held the position of "grandmother of the people" many were confused because I still held my youth as if I were merely 24 cycles old, another one of the mysteries of my life but all I could do was trust there was a reason for such a thing.
I remained nearby just out of the village growing my own tiny farm growing herbs, fruits, and vegetables, everyday someone would come see me be it for the crops i harvest or medical treatment with my herbs. Occasionally the people also come to me for advice.I was the one who started the food storage and preservation for the cold season. Storing minor medicines and everyday salves, despite the medicines readily available in the storage caves I find myself storing them in my home or in the healing huts. The people still prefered for trained eyes and hands to apply their medicines and treat wounds in which case I couldn't find fault with them.
I became part of the village heart. Praised and looked up to almost just as Mo'at and Eytukan. I was the second person of choice for all things. Strategy, medicine, ways to improve their way of life without the advanced technology the humans had developed from my world. I found my days filled with laughter and pleasant greetings. The days I found myself alone in the forest were gone. Now I was taking the village children to the edge of the forest. Each day the creatures of the forest would venture out to greet me and the children. I even taught the people Japanese as a means to use a secret language should times of war arise. In the mean time it was merely a broadening of the mind, Sylwanin proving to be a quick study and eager to learn. She had a natural gift as Tsahik, her gifts and connections were strong for her age. I had to take her to the forest for training. Mo'at had fought me at first claiming staying in the village was best and for her to train her own daughter. However, she couldn't argue it was not only easier for everyone but safer to leave and train with me.
And just like that I separated a family, although temporary it was needed. Under my training Sylwanin was able to tap into her gifts swiftly and control them all the same. She was powerful for one so young but I could see her power would only grow so much, unfortunately I would still remain the one with the most spiritual powers. We remained in the forest for months, training, connecting, Some nights I would tell her the stories of her mother who I had also helped train. Then the day finally came, it was time to rejoin the village so she may officially pass her tests and perform the rituals.
Upon our return the clan held a grand celebration that night, welcoming their future Tsahik and the clan's Grandmother home. Sylwanin, now the age of 16 cycles, was declared the following morning along with any other young hunters shall take on Iknimaya. I did not approve given she had just returned however I would not stop her if she felt she could complete this task. Then the next day just after midday the clan started letting loose cries of victory at the sight of the future of their clan returning on their bonded Ikran.
That was when the humans made themselves known in this world. Chaos ensued, nobody was certain if we would be safe. Soon a Dr. Grace Augustine approached the people with a proposal.A peaceful one, to create a school to teach the people English, medicine and other things. It had worked… for a while. Many of us looked at what they were doing as wrong. Defiling the earth with their machines, suppressing us with their guns
There was an explosion, far enough not to harm us but large enough to cause concern. I left with the other hunters and warriors to investigate. We split into groups and I led the group to the location of Grace's school.
We were too late… the smell of gunfire, the sound of the screams. The smell of blood. A scent where it didn't matter how much time had passed, it was too soon to smell again. Once everything had calmed down. Grace had gotten the RDA gunman to stop, we rushed in only to discover a sight we wish we had never seen. Young Neytiri and many other young children huddled in a corner in fear. I looked around already feeling the tears pouring from my eyes at the sight of our young, still and lifeless. Their life's blood oozing out of gunshot wounds. The rest was a blur as I fell to my knees, my heart crushed and cracked as if one of the RDA's bulldozers had run it over into the earth.. I was told there was a scream that rivaled even one of the Ikran's. I was told I was the one that screamed that day.
The location of the school was destroyed that day. AS I was forced to walk home with a heavy heart with many of our young ones still crying from fear and despair at their lost friends and family. I stood before the whole clan, carrying Sylwanin's lifeless body and laid her before her parents, clutching onto their remaining daughter. The clan howled and mourned for 5 days straight even after the burial. Even EyWa mourned, rain falling from the sky the entire 5 days and nights, animals yowling in the distance. I remained by her grave, I wept, my mind blank. I refused to move. Then soon the sixth day arrived. The sky clear with the bright sun. EyWa had finished her grieving.
It was 3 days later that Mo'at sat beside me, next to Sylwonin's pulled my head to her shoulder and that was all it took for my hands to seek out hers and I broke down, wailing. She picked my head up and touched our foreheads together as we wept together. Wept for the child that was as much my daughter as it was hers. The child we raised together, loved with all of our being.
At some point Eytukan had found us and pulled the both of us into a hug. Neytiri wormed her way in and if anyone saw us they would simply see a family grieving together one last time.