Chapter 5: Beautiful Dreamers
*Shippou's Dream World*
"Kagome? Inu Yasha?" muttered the little kitsune coming to. Where was he? He couldn't feel them any more. But there, was something familiar and warm about where he was.
"Shippou, are you alright," came a soft voice. His eyes grew big.
"Mama? Papa?"
"Of course, who else would it be?"
"But you two were killed back when..."
"You must have had a horrible nightmare," his father said trying to sooth him.
There before him were his parents, just as he had remembered them. 'All that time- it couldn't have been a dream. There's no way. But if it wasn't, how am I here with Momma and Papa. I'm so confused.'
*Miroku's dream world*
Miroku slowly opened his eyes and let the light in. Suddenly remembering what happened, he bolted up and looked around. His companions were gone. Not only that, he was in a different place entirely. Some how, he'd wound up in a hut of some kind.
"Good morning to you Monk," came a gentle voice. He turned to see a young woman bringing breakfast.
"I hope your stay here was pleasant. It's the least we could do after you performed that exorcism for us."
Miroku just stared at her. What was she talking about?
"Tell me, were there any people with me when I arrived here?"
"No Hoshi-sama. Not that I know of. I do remember the village elder saying that you were passing through on your way to visit your father." With that she bowed and left him.
He sat there for a second. 'My father?!' he thought to himself. 'But for him to be alive...' Slowly, he went to remove the cloth and rosary to look at his hand. It was missing; and yet- he was alive. Kazaana was gone! It was as if Naraku had never existed to curse his family. But did that mean that all that time was nothing more than a dream? Something felt weird, but he could not place his finger on it. How could it have just been a dream? It didn't make any sense. What about Shippou, and Kagome? Inu Yasha?...Sango... The thought of her being mearly a dream upset him deeply. He would not believe it. Something was definately wrong.
*Sango's Dream World*
Sango slowly became aware of a new environment around her. Blinking herself awake, she slowly sat up. This place was familiar-. Her eyes got big and she began to shake. She dashed to the door, pushed it aside, and stood amazed.
The village; it was all there. All of the villagers were alive. The buildings were in tact. It was just as if Naraku had never existed. Had it all been a dream? Kagome-chan? Inu Yasha? That lecherous monk Miroku? Little Shippou?
"Good morning onee-chan," came a familiar voice. She froze.
"Onee-chan? Are you okay?" She turned.
"Kohaku," she finally stuttered. She just stood there dumbfounded. She was home.
"What's wrong with you," teased her little brother. "You look like something Kirara dragged in."
"Oh Kohaku," she cried happily hugging him. He struggled to get away, but finally had to accept the hug. She smiled. It was her little brother. He was free of Naraku, he could do what he pleased, grow up to be strong and happy.
* Sandi's Dream World*
"mmm," she groaned sitting up. Opening her eyes, she found herself back in the Higurashi Shrine. Had it all been a dream? She looked over at the desk- no jewel shards.
"Kagome?" she called, getting up. She stopped. She couldn't ask Kagome about something like that. If it had all been a dream- she'd sound nuts. Besides, if it had been for real, Kagome would tell her. She decided to just go on like it was any other day.
"Sandi -chan," came a voice from downstairs, "telephone."
"Hello," she said picking up the phone...
*Real World*
'Hmmm. This is working better than I expected,' murmured Amaya. 'They're dreaming about their deepest desire- for Naraku to never have existed. But what they failed to think about was the fact that Naraku brought them together. Now they have everything back to normal, but they've lost each other; how utterly amusing.'
The bodies began to glow a kind of purplish light as Amaya began to collect their souls into a jewel she wore around her neck. She smiled wickedly. It wouldn't be long now.
*Note from the Author* Sandi's dream is supposed to be secret. We'll get back to it soon. Keep reading :)!