I'm at a loss for words right now so, on with the thank you list.
ChibiNekoSakura: a sequel? I thought about it, but then decided against that. An epilogue to the very most. Sorry if you wanted a sequel :(
Forfirith on a sugar high: LOL!! I get it! Chicken have no teeth hee!
TNTiggris: no sequel...well I don't know. There's really nothing to say in the sequel, I've thought long and hard about it, but nothing seems to fit. Sorry.
Hyperness: Satisfaction all the way!
Mori'quessir: I blame boredom I fell asleep during the leader persons fart jokes; One of the morning activities; the Zip Line, was pretty tiring, but fun! But also scary...meep! But I'm glad I did it! teehee. I'm sorry, (sniff, sniff) it has to end somewhere.
Ice Kit: Math? You poor dear! I don't have math for another good (counts) 2 months...but two months pass like anything :(
Chapter 15- Kaede here we come
As if hiking up the terrible hill wasn't torture enough, we had to hike back down it all over again. I don't know why we couldn't grab a ride with Kilala in the first place. The hike was making me grumpy, and Kai noticed.
"Ray, what's wrong?" Kai asked softly hugging my shoulders.
"I'm tired, I'm hungry and I wanna sleep!" I wailed into Kai's muscular chest.
"I know, I know." Kai soothed rubbing my shoulders
"I wish we left in the morning." I continued to grumble. It was closing in on 10:00 pm and i'd never felt more fatigued.
Tyson jogged up to us and breathlessly gasped, "Kai, this is worse than your training programs!"
Kai grunted and carried on walking right past Tyson without casting a single glance his way.
"Man, I don't know how any one can ever like a guy like that!" Tyson huffed in annoyance.
"Hey, watch who you're talking to!" I growled, which made Tyson jump in surprise.
"Sorry Ray! I didn't think I'd said it out loud!" Tyson apologized.
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Hiking down the mountain took an hour since it's sheer steepness caused us to be extra cautious, if we tripped, it was a long way down.
Now we busied ourselves weaving through long blades of grass that easily reached our shoulders, Kenny totally disappeared in here.
"Tell me again why we're doing this?" I hissed at Inu-yasha.
"It's a shortcut that will keep us unnoticed in the great possibility that we run into troublesome demons." Inu-yasha answered, cutting long path ways in front of him with his sword.
I nodded in agreement, it seemed sensible enough so I saw no reason for argument.
I couldn't help but asking the one thing that nagged all day, "Inu-yasha?"
"What?" He snorted gruffly.
"I was just wondering, what happens if we don't find our blades?"
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, if I have to I shove you down that well myself."
Sarcasm was dripping from the dog demons tone, it reassured me slightly, Inu-yasha was in no hurry to get rid of us. All he says are a way to cover up how he feels, he really enjoys our company, that lifted my spirits. I didn't know why, but everywhere I went I had to be accepted. And if I wasn't I'd go to no ends to make sure the task was done.
A sudden thought hit me, didn't Inu-yasha just say that if we didn't find our blades he'd push us done the well? What did, finding our beyblades and getting back home have in common with each other?
I decided to voice that thought aloud, "Inu-yasha, what does finding our blades have to do with anything?"
Inu-yasha paused to think for a moment, "I'm not sure, but I do know that if anyone, the old lady will know for sure."
"You mean Lady Kaede." I corrected, slightly upset at Inu-yasha's lack of respect for the elderly lady.
Kagome may have taken note of this because once Inu-yasha was out of ear shot she hastily jogged up to me.
"Inu-yasha has no respect does he?" She complained, sending a quick glance his direction.
I shook my head, "But why?"
"Because..." Kagome sighed deeply, "Because Kaede is younger sister to Kikyo."
I gasped in shock, "But Kagome! Kaede is so, so..."
"Old." Kagome finished for me.
I nodded, "But how?"
"Kikyo died a long time ago, 50 years ago to be precise. She was brought back to life by an evil demon about a year ago."
"So..." I ruffled my brow in thought, "The incarnation of Kikyo is her present state at which she died?"
"Yes."
"I don't get it. How can you bring the dead back to life again? And keep them alive?"
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kai inching closer trying to gather bits of our conversation. I don't blame him though, finding out how the dead can live is a very interesting subject.
I beckoned Kai closer, inviting him into our discussion. When he got close enough I grabbed his hand and kept it in mine.
Kai smiled down on me and kissed my forehead.
"Demons have extraordinary power, this specific demon used clay bodies to somehow bring Kikyo back to life, using her ashes in the process." Kagome explained, with a slight bitterness to her voice.
"If she was made out of clay and you hate her so much, why not throw her in water?" Kai finally spoke up. He obviously took a note of her resentment towards Kikyo.
Kagome laughed heartily, the thought was amusing, "Believe me, she's fallen of a cliff and into water before, but nothing happened. Kikyo was an amazingly powerful priestess. With her ashes mixed with the clay, it creates some sort of spell or something; she won't rest until she gets what she wants."
Kai just grunted, but I felt sorry for the distressed young woman. The one thing Kikyo wants is Inu-yasha, and that's the exact one thing Kagome isn't willing to let go of.
"You haven't told me how she stays alive, a body made of clay can't sustain itself for too long." I reminded.
"Oh right, Kikyo gathers the souls of dead maidens in order to remain in her present condition, if she doesn't, then she will return to the world of the dead."
I remained silent, letting the new information sink in. I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder and I looked up at Kai.
"What is it Kai?" I asked, losing myself in his intense stare.
"You know you'll have to fill me in."
I looked over to Kagome. Of course I would have to tell Kai about the whole; Kagome/Inu-yasha/Kikyo thing sooner or later.
"I will, but not right now ok?"
Kai nodded and I sought comfort having his one arm draped around my waist in a protective manner.
"Hey, you all back there, we're nearing Kaede's house." Miroku announced from in front of the pack.
"Finally!" Tyson breathed and raced Max to the small village, bordered with a sparkling lake.
"Kids." Kai snorted in disgust.
I smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "Now come on Kai, there's nothing wrong with a little fun, is there?"
Kai kissed my forehead but didn't say anything.
"Well look who it is, what are ye doing here?" Kaede asked, coming up to greet us.
"Cutting straight to the point, these gits think they left something here." Inu-yasha answered, clearly he had no time for chit chat.
"Gits? Inu-yasha, must you be so be so impolite?" Kaede shook her head in disappointment.
Inu-yasha chose to ignore that, "Well are you just going to stand there, or are you actually going to let us in?"
Kaede shook her head once more, stepping aside and Kagome gave her a sympathetic smile as she passed.
"Are you sure you left it here?" Sango asked, looking around the small place.
"Positive, where else would it be?" I replied, getting a little worried.
"Ok, we'll keep looking then. Sango nodded and continued her search, lifting floorboards if she found it necessary.
20 minutes later we were beginning to lose hope.
"Where could it be!" I cried, flinging myself at Kai.
"I promise we'll find it" Kai reassured, rubbing my back as he spoke.
Pretty soon I was purring in content, but it didn't last long since Tyson started to throw a fit.
"Damn! Where the hell could Dragoon be?!" Tyson wailed, closely followed by Max.
"What are ye children searching for?" Kaede asked, coming to stand in front the large pot in the middle of the house.
"Our beyblades, we think we may have left them here." Max explained, dropping to the floor in exhaustion.
"Beyblades..." Kaede thought it over, "You mean those colourful spinning tops?"
We nodded in agreement and Kaede walked around the boiling pot of stew to serve us a generous helping.
"Thank you." We echoed in union as we sipped hungrily at the warm liquid.
"You boys needn't worry the lest bit about your beyblades, they are being kept in the weapons shed for safe keeping."
Kaede's words put our minds to rest, but the nagging question on my mind had to be answered, one way or the other.
"Kaede?"
"Yes child?" she answered softly.
"What does our beyblades and getting through the well have in common?" I asked.
"See child, I think that that it is the powerful spirits that seek shelter within your beyblades that possess the power to travel between eras."
"But what about me?" Kenny cut in, "My bitbeast is in my laptop, but I couldn't get through the well."
"Strength in numbers, when one or more bitbeast is present strange things will start to happen." Kaede clarified.
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"What's our beyblades doing in a weapons shed?" Tyson asked.
"The shed that contains battle equipment for war is the most spiritually guarded, to ensure your possessions were kept safe and out of thieves reach, this is the best place for it to be kept." Kaede walked over to a small self and gathered our beyblades for us.
"Thanks." I murmured in gratitude, cradling my precious Drigger in the palm of my hands.
"So we can go home now?" Max brought up the topic quicker than I had time to register as to what would happen next.
Inu-yasha nodded, Kagome and Sango sniffed, Shippo wailed, Miroku hung his head, Kouga sighed deeply and Kaede waved good-bye.
Saying goodbye to the ones that meant so much was never easy, and it never will be. For now, we are nearing the end and the end never felt so miserable.
NOTE: The next chapter I write will be the last for this story, as much as I enjoyed writing it, it must come to an end. I know this chapter was shorter than my previous works, but bear with me. The next one, I have no idea how long it will be, for right now my brain isn't willing to cooperate with me.
Review? You people make my day. buh bye!