Yuss… part 2. Part 1 and part 2 were actually one big chapter, but they were too long, so we decided to split them up…
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Part II
It was not a dream, she was on the edge of what she recognized as the ruins of a burning village. The remains were nothing but blackened figures, of no logical shape or size. Black smoke rose from them, smoke which blended in with the night sky. The very stars seemed to be masked out by the thick odor.
They were the ruins of what use to be her home village. The large and proud village now stood in ruins, destroyed by what she thought would never turn against them – fire.
She once again picked herself up, brokenheartedly looking over the place she used to think would never fall.
Out of the smoking ruins, walked her grandfather. He looked tired and worn out, the image of a nearly defeated, great warrior.
She instantly rushed to his aid, taking his hand and placing it over her shoulders. He used his staff for support, and together, they walked out of the burnt village.
He stopped her a short while after, next to a great oak tree. It's roots spread out a hundred different ways and it branches high above hid the dark sky with ease. The old grandfather sat at its base, practically gasping for air. He was exhausted and weak. If she had had any water she would have given him some without hesitation, but the village lay in ruins and she felt she couldn't leave him alone like this.
He raised his eyes level to her own. She looked at him with watering eyes. He smiled and shook his head. A soft furred hand came up and touched her cheek. It stole the tears that had broken away from the rest, and whipped her eyes clean.
"Now, now…" he said ever so kindly, "don't cry child. No mater how desperate life seems to be, no matter how far out of your reach the stars may be, there is no reason to cry. " he smiled again.
Her lip twitched, and a soft whimper escaped her lips. She could not help herself. She embraced her grandfather and continued sobbing on his shoulder. "It's all gone. We have nothing left…they are all dead… gone" She shuddered even as he placed his arms around her.
They both jumped when a sound was heard in one of the nearby bushes. A small white … dot? appeared above the line of leaves but immediately disappeared with a small 'ouch'. Whatever was behind there seemed rather clumsy. She and her grandfather simply stared for a moment, after which they turned back and looked at each other.
"You must get away from here. It is not safe." He told her. He continued grimly, "that … creature was looking for you. I do not know why, but he was obviously very intent on getting what he was looking for." He looked at her but did not smile this time. "I fear that if he is to get it, only terror will be the result."
She looked down at her hands, neatly sited on her lap. "But what am I to do? I've nowhere to go!"
"There is but one place I can send you that I know you will be safe, at least for the time being." He grunted and slowly got up. She was right there by his side, helping him.
Following her grandfather's advice, she walked back a bit, until she was standing about halfway between him and the still smoking ruins.
The old grandfather stood, leaning on his staff facing her. He closed his eyes and crouched down, touching the earth with the tips of his claws. A soft and slow chant, that started in the bottom of his throat, the low note of a growl, made it's way up as a low note howl. The chant continued, and she looked at him as if seeing him for the first time.
She had, countless times heard of her grandfather's great magical powers. She knew he was a mystic of some sort, and a great honor to be part of the family, but she had never actually seen him use his powers, and never on her own skin. Now, standing there, facing this great old sorcerer, ready to apply whatever magic he had planned for her, she felt rather nervous.
His chant continued, starting slow and low, and continuing at the same low note, grew faster and faster. His words began to echo with everything surrounding them. His posture remained the same, only one furred hand rose to greet her. The hand, paw rather was surrounded by an eerie light that glowed ghostly only around his hand, lighting nothing more.
His words stopped. All of a sudden and with no warning. The light grew brighter, stronger, until it seemed to glow brighter than the moon. He raised his head, eyes that no longer held pupils, but only orbs of white, much like the light.
The moment his eyes opened a great wind picked up, coming from behind the trees and bushes straight at her. It all came together, all at once. The light and wind all in a blur of power. She raised her hand to shield herself, as a glowing vortex of swirling air surrounded her.
With a noticeable tremor of the earth its self, it all was absorbed into her, into her body, into her very soul. It raised her off of the ground levitating mere inches above barren earth.
The old grandfather continuer chanting, low and slow, quietly, with his eyes now closed and his hand still extended out towards the levitating girl.
That small white dot appeared again above the line of bushes. It got bigger and bigger, until it took shape as a pair of rabbit ears. Along with those rather large rabbit ears, came a small and cute figure of a child. Her complexion was light and seemed to give off a warm glow even in the dark of the night.
She looked around, only large forest green eyes, and not to mention, large white ears visible above the leaves. Her eyes immediately stopped on the glowing, levitating figure not too far away.
"Oooooo…" Her lips curled into a smile, "pwetty lights…."
She stepped cautiously out of the bushes and tip towed, past the 'old singing dude' "who is this guy anyway? Poor thing, must have been kicked out of choir…." She thought and stared at him for a short while, after which regaining her original course.
What a snoop this rabbit child was! She walked straight past the old man soundlessly. He twitched his ears a bit but that was all, deciding it was nothing of too much importance, he poured all of his concentration into the spell.
She snooped right past and toward the floating girl. "Ah…." Reaching her, the rabbit girl stood on her tip-toes and poked her cheek, "hullo?" poke. Poke. Grunt. Poke, "anyone in there?" more poke. Poke. Grunt. Poke. Growl. Poke. "hm…" She rubbed her chin in a thoughtful kind of way. She next grabbed Her sleeve and tugged. "Hello!!?" She tugged hard toward herself. "HELO!?" No response.
She rubbed her chin again and felt a new warmth. Studying her hand carefully, she realized some of the 'glowy stuff' was now glowing on her own hand. "Oooo…" her eyes grew wide as dinner plates and sparkled like stars. She grabbed onto the sleeve once more and watched as the light spread from her fingertips to the rest of her small body. A new sensation of warmth and security filled her.
She too froze to the spot, only her hair flowing freely, as if a soft breeze was stroking it.
All went quiet, and the grandfather once again opened his eyes – still glowing white. His hand closed into a fist. When he opened it again, there was a muffled noise, as if something of great weight had just hit the ground, from the inside. A great wave of light exploded from the girl and spread like lightning in all directions.
Moments later, it all stopped. All of it froze, all of time and space, all stayed still for that momentary eternity.
Then it was absorbed all back. Just like rewinding time, everything was turned back. All of that incredible light was absorbed back into the girl. With a puff of air she was gone, all into nothing, disappeared.
The old grandfather fell to his knees. Supporting himself onto his staff, he looked up and smiled. "Go my child, you must live. Leave this place behind…" His eyes sparkled seeing the other glowing shadow that disappeared along with his grand daughter, "…until destiny will lead you back."
His breath suddenly stopped in the middle of a deep sigh. His body fell lifeless to the ground. Behind him stood that same dark shadow, it's clawed fingers clutching a black sword. It's blade stained with the crimson substance of blood.
It narrowed its red eyes and snarled. It's nose wrinkled angrily. "You old fool," it hissed at the lifeless body. It slid the sword back into its sheath and walked away.
"She won't get away… no matter where she is…" it whispered to the dark sky above.
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She woke up with her head spinning. She was lying face down on the ground. It seemed not much different. It was covered in early spring grass and smelled of a forest, which was exactly what she saw when she sat up. The birds were singing and the sun shone in the sky. The only difference was that annoying vibration she felt through out her body. Turning around, her jaw dropped. She was staring right into what seemed to be a perfectly stoned road. There were white, broken lines on the middle of it, and strange, noisy contraptions zooming past on it. Contraptions which looked oddly like bugs on wheels.
Frightened, she quickly ran behind one of the nearest trees and hid. Dumbstruck, all she could do was stare.
"Where the heck am I!?"
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So there is the 'default' part of our story. Haipaa is still bragging about her cake and is not here at the moment… . but anyway, I hope you liked our story. Please tell us what you think. ^___^ anything is helpful.
Disclaimer – Inuyasha and crew (whenever they show up) are © Takahashi.