Ah, it's almost Christmas! And I get to see Lord of the Rings on Friday! Woot!
Reviewers thankies: Ditto: Thanks. I suck a grammar. A lot. I'll try to keep the 'than' 'then' rule about (I try, I really do!) Nariko: Ama's 'grandma' in Chinese? Dude. It means 'female scuba diver' in Japanese, but these days it's more commonly known as 'bitch' (I didn't know that until –after- I got the nickname. Funny, eh?) Aneres G. Galaxy: Uh, Kouga didn't give up, he's coming back rather soon actually. I just needed to get rid of him fast. And Kagome's dead, while Hojo's alive. That just wouldn't work well… (and I don't think he has something to help with that either) unknown Hey, somebody else liked the 'it was an even greater day to be dead' line! It's my favourite and no one else commented on it! *cries* Thank you, wherever you are! Catleya: Don't get overweight on my account! Nooo! Now the news is going to kill you! (see below, after chappie)
Thank you everyone for reviewing again! Here's hoping for 300 before chapter 20! (like that'll ever happen)
Disclaimer: boo.
Chapter 17:
Rebirth
"Kagura, do you know what the Shikon no Tama is?"
Kagura looked at her master curiously, then at the dimly glowing sphere. "It has the ability to increase a demon, angel's or spirit's power." She stated simply, wondering where the pop-quiz had come from.
Naraku didn't move as his eyes glanced up to his underling before returning to the object of power in front of him. "Yes Kagura, that's quite correct. But do you know what it is?"
Kagura opened her mouth then closed it again. She studied the Shikon no Tama inquisitively, curious to just what Naraku was getting at. The ball seemed normal, for a glowing rose sphere that came out of a dead girl's ghost body and had the power to create life. There didn't seem to be anything abnormal or that should be known about it. Dumbfounded, she shook her head.
Naraku seemed almost pleased at this, as if he enjoyed being the one with information. "This jewel is a combination of good, evil and neutrality. It contains all the powers of all the keys, from Heaven, Earth and Hell. That is why it can amplify the power of whoever posses it." He spoke as if teaching a small child, or a very slow disciple. "Do you know who created it?"
Kagura was beginning to get tired of this and kept her mouth firmly shut, knowing full well that if she said anything it would just be giving Naraku a reason to torture her. So instead she kept her silence and waited for Naraku to answer his own question.
The powerful demon outcast couldn't help but have a small smile hover above his lips. "The one who created it was I, Naraku."
"Wha-?" Kagura blinked, trying hard not to look shocked. It was just the reaction her master wanted.
"It has been purified over the years, but is was originally I that created it." Naraku continued, as if not even caring that she were there or not. "After the beginning though, the hanyou and his pathetic group managed to get their hands on it, while weakening me. Then they made their futile mistake and rested, believing this Naraku dead. That was when I took the jewel for my own, but it had been purified by the angel. I was too weak to fully corrupt it, but I used my powers as I could." His eyes narrowed, never leave the object of his discussion. "They managed to destroy this Naraku but I hid my essence inside the jewel that had created from this demon. Years later I regained my strength and possessed the threeblood to kill the angel which held the Shikon and taint it with the blood of hate. However it was lost, until now when it was reborn with the girl." He glanced over at Kagura. "But you knew that already, didn't you?"
Kagura only nodded, wondering why she had never known this before. Naraku returned his gaze to the glowing ball that held unlimited power. "That girl is stronger then previously thought; she has purified the jewel beyond all my powers. That is why I have you collect souls Kagura, to taint the jewel until I can use it again."
Kagura raised an eyebrow. "Does this mean that I have to go and collect more souls, Master?" She asked, wondering how many more graves she'd have to rob. She took a step back, preparing to leave.
"No."
"Eh?" Kagura paused, looking at her master in confusion. Naraku didn't move for a moment, then he spoke.
"I have a suitable amount of souls for the process." The Master said simply. "This was merely a lesson, Kagura." He raised a hand over to the jewel, which glowed in response, it's shine much more sickly then before. "To show you my power."
Kagura stiffened, but said nothing. When Naraku didn't say anything more she turned and left the room as quickly as possible, closing the door swiftly behind her. Naraku didn't move from this abrupt exit for a another few minutes, before the powerful demon took one of the many souls Kagura had brought him and he began to pour it over the slight bloodstain that still tainted the jewel.
"Kagome-chan? You alright?" Sango looked at her friend in concern as Kagome wobbled a bit and put a hand on a wall to balance herself. Kagome blinked and shook her head to clear it before looking up at her friend to smile.
""I'm fine Sango-chan, don't worry about me." She said, waving her hand. She then turned to the group of children in front of her. "Now what were we doing again? Oh right, I remember!" She smiled. "We were learning to do chores!"
"To fly!" The group of children corrected her in a chorus, earning giggles from the two older girls.
"Alright, alright, we'll learn to fly first." Sango said. "Then we'll do chores!"
"No~o!"
Kagome looked over at Sango with sadness, nodding her head to indicate the children. "It looks like they don't want to do chores."
Sango frowned and shook her head. "That's too bad. You can't become a Ghost if you can't do chores, and you definitely can't fly. This could cause some problems." She thought about it for a minute. "Hey, maybe we should teach Houshi-sama and Inu-Yasha instead!"
"No, no, no!" The children clamoured. "Teach us, teach us! They can do the chores! We wanna fly!"
"Besides, Inu-Yasha's an angel, so he can't be a ghost anyway." One child pointed out.
"Yeah, and they both know how to fly!" the ruckus started anew as the children tried to tell their 'teachers' why they should be able to fly, their words getting lost in the melee. Kagome looked over at Sango helplessly and they both began laughing.
Shippo, who was watching them from the roof with Kirrara and most of the children's angels, hopped down to sit on Kagome's shoulder. "You're doing it all wrong." He said, waving a tiny hand and coughing to get the children's attention.
"Listen up kids!" He said, standing completely still like a soldier. "This is how it's going to work! Chores and flying go hand in hand and you can't learn one unless you do the other! It's like watching TV after dinner: you can't do it unless the dishes are done! Do you understand?"
In the silence that followed both Sango and Kagome looked at Shippo with awe; they'd never expect this tiny tot to know how to control children who were actually bigger then him.
"Oh, he's so cute!"
Well, control them for a half a minute at least.
"Kagome!" Shippo ran wailing away from the group of kids who all wanted to play with this new angel, especially when he looked just like them except for the tail. A few adult heads were turned as the stampede ran past them, then the adults looked over at the pair of girls who were supposed to be teaching the ruffians the basics of ghost-life and the possibility of become a key keeper. Aware of this attention Sango and Kagome smiled nervously and waved, then decided to go and recruit their students before even more hell broke loose.
Inu-Yasha watched his task run through the village streets after the kids, who were in turn after Shippo (who had also just used his magic to transform into about ten other Shippos, and the real one was hiding behind a tree while the children split to chase after the decoys, causing even more a problem for Kagome and Sango). The half-angel snorted and went back to his work of sharpening Tetsusaiga and guarding the village. His ears flickered backward as Miroku came up behind him and sat down beside the slightly annoyed angel.
"They look so energetic." Miroku smiled, indicating the girls, who were now in a frenzy while trying to round up all the children.
"They're idiots and it's the brat's fault." Inu-Yasha said, focusing on an annoying nick he had gotten in his blade from the last demon them fought. He frowned and scratched at it with a claw, before snorting and working on the whole item again.
"Inu-Yasha, I'd have thought you'd be happy here." Miroku said in mock surprise. His un-amused companion shot him a death glare. "I mean, this is paradise. We've been here for a week or more and look at the life we lead: you and I kill demons while our lovely female companions tutor the children and help with the chores."
Inu-Yasha snorted. "Face it bouzo, you're just as pissed as I am for being stuck here."
Miroku sighed and watched as Kagome tried to coax Shippo out of the tree. "Well, I must admit the company here isn't always pleasant and while the scenery is beautiful it's not the nicest place to live. But still, Kaede-sama made it clear that we're not to leave until it's been figured out just what Naraku has planned and what Kagome has to do with it, besides…" He trailed off, not wanting to get into the subject.
Inu-Yasha was also watching Kagome and Shippo now, as the girl tried to pry Shippo off the branch, to no avail, while the children around her thought it was some kind of new game. He glanced over at Miroku and had to smirk at least. "You're just sore because the only girls close to your age are Kagome and Sango, baba made you sleep outside, which was your fault by the way, and the only time we can leave the barrier baba put up is when we're off exterminating and you can't go look at girls then."
Miroku said nothing for a moment, then lay down on the roof of the shrine. "You're beginning to sound like Kagome."
"What? Am not!" Inu-Yasha jumped, then glared at the dead monk. "Take that back bouzo or I'll make sure you're never gonna get acquainted with a girl, if you know what I mean." He raised his sword menacingly. Miroku looked unfazed, but sat up anyway. Inu-Yasha 'keh'd and turned back, sharpening his sword still and keeping an eye on his task.
Kagome had managed to pull Shippo down from the tree and was now teaching her pupils again, along with Sango. The two girls had volunteered to teach the children, who were both there to learn how to be a Ghost and to find shelter from the hordes of demons that were slowly and discreetly ravaging the world, which Inu-Yasha and Miroku had taken upon themselves to exterminate. The children were all sitting in a semi-circle now, listening as Kagome and Sango talked to them about the ways of spirit life and informed them of all the pros and cons and what was expected of them.
Inu-Yasha slowly stopped sharpening his sword to focus all of his attention on Kagome. Ever since that new-moon night near his old home he's felt… closer to her somehow. He knew he would have to kill Naraku like his father before him eventually, but if he were to be stuck here with Kagome for eternity he wouldn't mind. He just liked watching her now, as she laughed and tried to act strict to the group of excited ghost children, filled with life even in death. The way her voice sounded, even from this far away, the way her hair flowed in the wind, even the way she smelled he thought happily, remembering that sweet, wonderful scent. How was it that he had known her all her life and was just now actually getting to know her?
Miroku looked from Inu-Yasha to Kagome to Inu-Yasha to Kagome and back to Inu-Yasha again before smiling. The monk was no fool, especially in the ways of women, and he could definitely see puppy love blossoming here. And it didn't take an idiot to see that Kagome liked Inu-Yasha back (and obviously Inu-Yasha hasn't noticed yet). Miroku sighed and watched the girls play with the children, his eyes particularly on one spot. If only Sango and her wonderful body would look at him like Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha. Then again, for all he knew she might; his eyes were always on other parts of her anatomy.
The sun shone brightly on them, filling the late spring afternoon with a pleasant warmth. In fact, it was getting rather warm and Kagome stopped to sit under the shade for a second. Sango looked at her in worry.
"Kagome-chan, are you alright?" Sango asked, worried that she had to ask it for the second time that day. Kagome smiled weakly and nodded. "I'll be fine Sango-chan, it's just the sun's getting to me."
Sango frowned, knowing her friend was lying through her teeth. Something was up and the older girl was going to find out what. Then she smiled. "Silly, we're ghosts. Just filter out the sunlight if it's bothering you."
"Yeah Kagome-nee-san, you're supposed to know this stuff!" The children chorused. Kagome gave them another weak smile and a nod before leaning against the tree and closing her eyes. The world was starting to spin and a heavy beat was beginning to pound in her ears.
Sango's smile died instantly. "Kagome-chan? What's the matter?"
"Kagome?" Shippo asked worriedly, looking at the young girl who was looking quite pale and beginning to breath heavily. Shippo's tail quivered as he watched Kagome in fear. "Kagome?"
"Oh shit." Inu-Yasha stood up, noticing that something was very, very wrong over there. Miroku was up in an instant too, looking over. "What is it Inu-Yasha?" The monk asked, worried by what he was seeing.
"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha tore across the rooftops over to the tree where Kagome and group was, just to watch his task collapse to the ground in a dead faint. "Kagome? Kagome!"
Rin looked up abruptly from the picture she was colouring to look over at the demon Lord that sat beside her. He too had looked up from his work, staring at the window with intensity, a thoughtful look on his delicate features. The undead spirit girl stood up to stand beside her appointed guardian and look out the window, curiosity written all over her. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" She looked up at the elegant Lord in confusion. "What is it?"
Sesshoumaru's pointed ears gave a slight twitch, in semblance to his quarter-nephew, before he looked down at the young girl. He smiled slightly, although his auburn eyes were still hard with concern. He patted the girl on the head. "It's alright Rin." He said. "Jaken." He said more abruptly.
The toad demon snapped to attention and looked raptly over at the Fourth Lord. "Y-yes Sesshoumaru-sama!"
Sesshoumaru regarded his servant coldly before standing up and moving over to the window to look out over his terrain. "Jaken, I am going to the mortal world and I am taking Rin with me."
Jaken blinked his large eyes in astonishment before glaring at the innocent young child, who looked ecstatic about going back to her home. "B-but Sesshoumaru-sama…" the toad demon started.
"Can we bring Ah and Un?" Rin interrupted excitedly. Sesshoumaru said nothing but looked over at his underling.
"Jaken, survey Sesshoumaru's land while I am away." He said coldly. "Something is happening, something that I believe has to do with both that cretin and my nephew." He began to leave the room before Jaken's protests made him pause.
"Sesshoumaru-sama? You surely don't think that Inu-Yasha has anything to do with this, do you?" He blurted, eyes flashing. "That threeblood is useless!"
Sesshoumaru made no movement before he exited the room. "It is not my nephew I feel concern for. It is the girl with him, the Reborn." With a flourish he left the room, leaving it feeling slightly warmer after his cold presence.
Jaken blinked and began to stutter some more.
"Wait up Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin ran through the door after the Fourth Lord, leaving Jaken even more speechless. "Whassa Reborn?" The lesser demon heard the girl asked. He did not hear Sesshoumaru's answer, if the Lord had bothered to answer at all. The toad pouted and leaned against his staff.
"Stupid mortal, Sesshoumaru-sama always ignores me now." He muttered darkly, prodding the image the young Rin had been colouring. He knew better than to destroy it; that would just be suicide. Jaken sighed, then froze.
So that was what Sesshoumaru-sama had meant. Quickly the lesser demon waddled over to the window and looked out to where the strange sense was coming from. Something big was happening and he was here to face it! Oh sure, he had the entire army of Sesshoumaru-sama's land, but still!
"Why, Sesshoumaru-sama, do you always leave this stuff to me?" He wailed.
Inu-Yasha watched as Kaede put the cloth over Kagome's forehead and began covering the shivering girl with another blanket. The half-angel fidgeted, nervous and anxious, as he watched Sango put another warmed bandage on the girl's side. Kagome's condition had considerably worsened since she had fainted and now she was definitely pale and shivering, yet her temperature was still rising. Even worse, the wound in her side had begun to bleed again.
"Well baba? What's wrong with her?" Inu-Yasha snapped, looking worriedly at his ill task and impatiently at the Ghost. Kaede shook her head. "I'm not sure."
"Kagome-sama seems to have come down with some kind of a fever." Miroku observed, speaking slowly as he tried to make sense of it. "But spirits shouldn't get ill. So what could it be then?" Everyone looked at Kagome, who seemed in a lot of pain, worry on their faces. Shippo walked up and put a hand on the girl's arm.
"Kagome, don't die on us, okay?" He asked. "Please come back. Kya!"
Inu-Yasha growled at the little fox the hung in the air before him, courtesy of the half-angel's claws digging into his kimono. "Don't say something like that again fox or you'll be the one dying." He dropped Shippo again and disappeared outside, where he was obviously going to sulk.
Sango looked over at Kagome and sighed. "At times like this Kagome-chan would say 'sit', or something to that extent." She said, fixing the girl's blankets. Miroku nodded.
"And then Inu-Yasha would swear and curse at her and she would argue back and then the two of them could get into a fight which would result in more 'sits' and then Kagome-sama would storm away." The monk said, looking at the pale girl with concern. "Kaede-sama, do you have any idea what may be causing this?"
Kaede looked at the unconscious Kagome, worry on her thoughtful face. Shippo looked at her worriedly, whimpering. "Kagome's not going to die, is she?" He asked. Kaede shook her head.
"No, I'm not entirely sure what is happening but I'm fairly certain she won't die. But still, this fever to come so quickly, and this wound… done by a minion of Naraku you say?"
Sango nodded. "A wind demon named Kagura."
"Kagura…" Kaede said, with some familiarity. Already, just by the fact that Kagome was a Reborn, of the Guardian Kikyou no less, was the ancient Ghost beginning to worry. There was a definite possibility the Shikon no Tama could be involved in this, despite the rumours of it having disappeared. And the wound was just the right spot too…
"I pray she gets better." Kaede said simply, shaking her head. "And until we can figure out just what's going on, I'm afraid that's all we can do."
Kagura watched Naraku closely through Kanna's mirror, curious. The Master had been in his room for a few good hours now, doing some strange and complicated ritual with the Shikon no Tama. At first the jewel had purified everything the powerful demon had used on it, but now it was obvious that the jewel's purity had weakened. It was now looking darker, and the bloodstain on it was glowing brilliantly. Naraku was barely paying attention to it now, working on something that was obscured from Kanna and Kagura's view. It looked as if he had been moulding something, but what? The wind demon was mystified and although many guesses popped into her head, none of them seemed right.
Kanna closed her mirror suddenly, having her younger sister look at her angrily. Kanna looked back at Kagura cooling, never blinking, with that same placid stare as always, which gave Kagura the creeps. "We cannot watch for too long. The Master will call us when he's ready." Kanna said slowly and deliberately. Kagura frowned, but knew she couldn't argue. Instead and walked over to the door to Naraku's room and leaned against the wall beside it, sighing. She hated this life, it was so boring and stupid and demeaning.
"Is there something you want Kagura?" Naraku's voice floated through the door, startling his underling. Kagura gulped. "I'm curious as to what you're doing… master."
She could almost feel Naraku's smirk in the air, as she herself scowled. Why did she have to suffer like this? "You can come and see, if you wish." Naraku said, almost mockingly. Not to be laughed at, Kagura turned around and opened the door, walking into the room. It was completely black, save the light from the Shikon no Tama, and she could barely see what The Master was working on. Squinting she moved into the dim light, trying to see what had had Naraku so engrossed from the past hours.
She gasped and took a step back. Having been around since the original Naraku she could recognize anyone from the past, and a face like this one doesn't forget, especially after seeing it mirrored so recently. She knew Naraku was crazy, but this…
Naraku smirked, seeing the shock on Kagura's face. "It's not that impossible, Kagura." He said, pouring another damned soul into the concoction. Kagura looked from the body to her master and back, wide-eyed. "Master, is this wise?"
"Of course it is." Naraku said, not looking at his minion and focusing on his work. "I am not foolish enough to bring her soul back along with her body. I plan to revive her with just enough power to manipulate the jewel as I wish; this Naraku is no fool."
"But… but…" Kagura was completely at loss for words.
"Kagura, fetch me that jar over there and then leave this room. I, Naraku, need silence to complete my work." Not even noticing or caring that Kagura did the deed as quickly as possible and nearly ran out of there, Naraku glanced over at the Shikon no Tama and couldn't help feeling pleased with himself. Everything he desired would soon be his, as soon as his task was complete. Then he would be the most powerful being in existence, and would rule as god. "You are the Guardian Kikyou, keeper of the Shikon no Tama, a Reborn soul." He said to the body as he worked on the final pieces of the spell. "And soon you will be under this Naraku's command. Then we shall see what that threeblood can do."
Deep in the ancient castle, in the belly of a long dead volcano, in the darkest, dankest corner of the pits of Hell, startling demons, altering the Fourth Lord Sesshoumaru and his minion Jaken, worrying the angels, frightening unknowing mortals and causing the ill, unconscious Kagome to shiver in her sleep, Naraku began to laugh.
End Chapter 17
Whee! Chapter 17's done!
*Important News: I have stress. A lot of it. And although I've been trying to juggle school, job-hunting, this fanfic and the other millions of little things I do (and Christmas shopping hasn't made it easier) I just can't do it. Before you panic, I'll still be doing Guardian Angel! It's just that instead of every Monday and Wednesday, now I'll just post a chappie every Monday. That's better than month-long pauses in between chapters, isn't it? ^_^ (maybe if I get 300 before chap 20, I'll be really, really nice…)
So that's my important news! Thanks to all of you, love you all!
See ya Monday and happy last-week-of-school! (all of you who got off early: I don't want to hear it)
~Ama