Yin and Yang... Two half's of One Whole...
oOooOooOooOooOooOooOoChapter TwooOooOooOooOooOooOooOo
Chapter two: Final Training...
Previously:
An hour later they finally got to the clearing that marked they were only a few feet away from Kaede's hut. Stopping in the middle of the clearing, Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru.
"Well, this is as far as I need for you to accompany me." She began. "Now, you can go and do as you please. Just this time," She said while looking up directly into his eyes. "Don't get caught."
Sesshoumaru then just scoffed and turned to another direction and began to walk off.
"Hey! If you need anything, come and find me!" Kagome yelled at his retreating back.
"Farewell, Sesshoumaru." She said and then turned the opposite direction to head to Kaede's hut. Truly hoping that he will never again need her help...
Note: ' ' Are the characters speaking.Italics are Nozomi.
Now:
It had taken Kagomeless than five minutes to get to Kaede's quite large hut. True that she only lived there with her granddaughter and grandson, but Kaede was the mystic miko of the forest. She would travel a long journey from her home alone through the thick forest to aid the village when it needed her. She was like the wise elder that took care of the village from afar. Well, at least that was how Kagome saw her as, the Wisdom of the Village. Plus, her father also had the large hut built because it was her mothers last wishes and the old miko was going to be her's and her twin sister's trainer and guide for the time being.
Kagome then went to a nearby bush that she usually hid her miko garments for whenever she would go there. She grabbed the green silk that was tied to hold her miko garments safe inside. She untied it and began to get undressed and then re-dress into her miko clothes. As soon as she was done she examined her new attire to make sure that it was all in tact.
She looked down and noticed how beautiful her miko clothes were for the first time over the last six years that she's worn them. She wore a traditional plain white miko haori. But her hakamas were the ones that were unique. For unlike any other miko, her hakamas were black instead of a normal pure color.
For every miko, their colors were chosen by the remains of the great miko, Midoriko. The miko in training would go to the cave where Midoriko's spirit was forever imprisoned in with the remains of other youkai, and she would present herself there and then ask what color hakamas should she wear. The spirit of Midoriko would then encircle around the miko and in an instant, the miko would be wearing her distend colors.
Yet, when Kagome had gone to the cave, Midoriko's spirit had surrounded her and instead of just giving her, her colors, she spoke to her and told her that she was distend to have a grand part in life and a rough quest ahead of her. So when Kagome re-awoke in the cave, she wore the traditional white haori but the unusual color black for her hakama's.
Black was unusual for a pure miko to wear because it signified the opposite of being a pure miko, it signified evil. But neither Kagome nor Kaede cared much about the color that was chosen for Kagome to wear. For both knew that the spirit of Midoriko had a reason to give her that specific color. Plus, over the few years that Kaede had known Kagome, she knew that Kagome was everything but evil or anything near the name. (If one were to meet her, one would think that she was an angel sent by the gods to protect everything that was created by them)
sigh 'I wonder what the final part of my training will be like?' Kagome wondered as she approached the hut, taking off her shoes as she entered so that she would not dirty the well polished wooden floor.
You should know, Kagome. The melodic voice that belonged to no other being than Nozomi said. Only this time her melodic voice was serious and stern with every word she spoke. Like a mother would when reminding her child of something that was obvious.
I mean she told you the last time you came. Which was last week. She told you to meditate as much as you could through out the week so that you could be ready. She even explained that it was because the final part was going to be a test that would test and see if you listened and paid close attention to what she was saying. That it would certainly not be easy.
'Ooh! Now you come! Just after I had to be caught by that arrogant, cold hearted, rude jerk! When I clearly could have stopped the fall myself if I was informed ahead of time!
Oh but you were, my dear Kagome. Nozomi reminded her, though this time in a scolding voice. I told you that I had to go early because I saw the rock through your minds eye.
'Well...'
At that, Kagome was at a lost for words. She felt so ridiculous having to be lectured by a thought that she had created for a last resource after she had been left motherless as an infant.
sigh I know that I am only something created by your thoughts after your mother died. Nozomi said in a sad tone of voice. As though she had heard Kagome's inner feelings. And that was just what they were, her feelings. Not her thoughts.
But I just want to be of some help. I know that you don't need me now that you are all grown and are probably ready to be wedded by your father, but I just want to be there for you like I was when you were only but a young child. I still remember how you use to cuddle up in my lap in your dreams and told me of your day or of your worries while I sang a soothing song for you. Yet then, all of a sudden, it all ended when you decided to block me out of your thoughts and your dreams.
If Nozomi was a real live human or whatever she was to Kagome, you would be able to see the crystal clear tears run down her slightly tanned white cheeks.
Now this made Kagome feel horrible. She knew that Nozomi had somehow heard her inner thoughts. She didn't intend to hurt her though. But then again, she didn't intend for Nozomi to have heard her thoughts either. Feeling horrible, Kagome tried to talk to Nozomi, tried to apologize in other words.
'Nozomi, I'm sorry to have said what I said and I--'
Iie, Kagome. You do not need to apologize to me for anything. Heh, I understand that you must feel embarrassed to have a figment of your own imagination lecture you like a child. Nozomi cut Kagome. Telling Kagome in a motherly voice that she did not have to be sorry for anything.
But that's the problem. Nozomi continued, it was like the comfort of love was within each word she spoke. I was created by you to be like a second mother to you. To be there for you whenever you would need me.
'I know Nozomi, but--' And for the second time that day, Kagome was interrupted. Only this time it was by Kaede's elderly voice.
"Ah, It is nice to see that ye have come to finish up thou training." Kaede's voice came as she walked towards Kagome.
"Uh... Oh! Yes, Kaede-San. I am here to finish up on my final miko training." Kagome said as she bowed respectfully at the elder woman.
"Is there something the matter, child?" Kaede asked Kagome as she turned and went into the far left room in the back of the hut. Kagome shrugged and decided to just follow the elder miko. Hoping that she would not bring up the subject again.
As soon as she reached the room entrance, she noticed that what covered the room from others sight was not a mat like the usual. But instead, it was a beaded long door. One that was of the colors: dark blue and blood red. Although they appeared a lighter version of each color because of the candle light that was shining from inside of the room.
Kagome once again mentally shrugged and went through. Astonished by what she saw. There were candles in the middle of the room. All lined up in a perfect circle. Each candle seemed to have a sent, Kagome noted as the many scents overwhelmed her to a point that she felt intoxicated. Like a cat to catnip.
"Kagome," Kagome heard Kaede's close yet far voice from somewhere in the room.
'She probably seems so far because I'm so intoxicated with the candle scents that I can't even concentrate my mind enough to be able to hear her voice straight.' Kagome thought as she tried to focus her mind out from the foggy state it was in now.
"H-hai, Kaede-San?" Kagome responded in a groggy voice.
sigh "Kagome, I was going to tell ye that thou first test is to find a spell to cast on thou body so that ye do not feel like a cat demon intoxicated by a great amount of catnip." Kaede informed Kagome while standing in front of her. Hoping that the young miko would hear her clearly and would do as she was told.
"A-al-right, K-Kae-de." Kagome tried to speak as she plopped herself down on the wooden floor in an Indian position. Closing her eyes she raised her arms and put her hands in front of her chest in a diamond and started to chant a spell in a hushed whisper.
After she was done, Kagome felt the fog in her mind left and when she opened her eyes, she could see clearly as well as breathe clearly.
Sighing, Kagome stood from her place at the entrance and looks up at Kaede with a wide smile across her face.
"Arigatou, Kaede."
"Ye have no need to thank me, Kagome." Kaede said a bit stiffly. "For ye have past the first part of the final training test." Kaede replied before Kagome could say anything.
"But," Kagome started out, completely confused by what she had just said. "You were the one who told me to do the spell."
"Ah, but I did not tell ye what the words were or what spell to use. That was the point of this part." Kaede explained as she turned around and started to go through the slightly dim room, with Kagome in toe. "It was to see if ye are able to cast a specific spell for a specific situation such as this one. For example: One that might tempt thou mind away from its normal focused state."
Now Kagome understood. She now knew why Kaede would have her do her final draining in a room such as the one they were in. The rest of their atmosphere would probably be part of her final training as well.
'I just hope that she does not expect me to kill anything for my aim on the bow and arrows.' Kagome thought. Knowing that if she had to kill something for absolutely no reason she would not do it. The only, only time that she would kill something, would be if her life was in terrible danger that there was no other way but to use that kind of violence.
They walked all the way around the circle of different scented candles until they got to the other side that was facing the entrance. Kaede then stepped over the candles that were located there and signaled for Kagome to do the same. As soon as Kagome stepped over the candles, Kaede then signaled for her to sit in the middle. Once again Kagome did as she was told without question. She sat there Indian style and waited for further instructions as she watched Kaede sit across from her.
"Now child," Kaede began, "I need for ye to close thou eyes and concentrate hard to lower thou miko barriers. Thou final training shall be done with a mental link between of ye and I. To see how well you have done through the years, what better way than through a link? Eh, Kagome?" Kaede said as a gentle smile appeared across her wrinkled lips.
"Hai, Kaede-San." Kagome said. Delighted that if she was going to practice her aim, it would be in whatever fantasy world Kaede would create.
Kagome closed her eyes, as did Kaede, and they both concentrated hard so that they may lower their barriers. Yet their was more concentrating on Kagome's part then on Kaede's.
Soon after Kagome had let down her barriers, She reopened her eyes and was amazed to see that she was not in the room that was filled with all the candles. She was now in what looked to be a clearing.
"Where am I?" Kagome 'thought'. "Nani! I just meant to think that!" Kagome said a bit panicked by the fact that she didn't mean to say that and that there must be something wrong.
"This is a world created by the mind, Kagome." Kaede's croaked voice said from behind her. "Ye cannot think like ye can in the real world. All is revealed in this one."
"So do you mean that if I were to think something, I would instead say it out loud?" Kagome asked turning around to face Kaede. Still not getting it.
"Hai." Was all that Kaede said as she turned to fetch something that seemed to be placed in the outside of the forest behind a bush. She went around the bush that was directly in front of Kagome and bent down to fetch whatever was behind the quite large bush.
When she emerged, she was holding what looked to be a bow and a quiver of arrows and a set of white plates along with two swords. She walked towards and then past Kagome to set up what was needed for the rest of her final training.
Kagome watched as Kaede set up the equipment. Still thinking about how it was going to be possible for her do whatever it was she had to do in such a strange place like this. Whispering out her thoughts so that Kaede would at least not hear her.
"What is this place?" Kagome whispered to herself as low as she could so that Kaede could not here her. "Are we in my mind or in Kaede's mind? And if we are not, then Where? How did she bring me here and how long are we staying?" Kagome kept whispering to herself as she looked around the large clearing that they were occupying.
"Kagome," Kaede called out to her. Making her jump slightly because her back was turned to her and she was too deep in thought. Or in this case to deep in talking to herself.
"Hai, Kaede?" Kagome responded after turning around and giving all her attention to Kaede.
sigh "Child, ye most be paying attention at all times to thou surroundings. Even when a person is with ye, that person could at any given time attack ye." Kaede lectured Kagome.
"Gomen nasai, Kaede-San." Kagome said with a deep bow of her head.
"No need to apologize, Kagome." Kaede said, waving off the apology. "Now, let us begin."
Kaede then instructed Kagome to go over and retrieve the bow and arrows that were only a few feet away. Kagome went and got them then went back to Kaede for farther instructions.
"Now, do ye see these plates?" Kaede asked as she held up eight plates in between her both her hands like cards. "Well, I want ye to hit all these plates as I either throw them at ye or shoot them in the air. If ye fail to do so, you fail the second part of the test. I have more from where these came from, so do not expect the second part to be so easy." Kaede said. Then walked towards her and around, she then took a thick solid black handkerchief and tied it around Kagome's head. Blinding Kagome completely from the outside world.
"This part is to make sure that ye are able to defend thou self if thou eyes are useless at some point. This black handkerchief is to blind ye so that ye are forced to use ye other senses to hit thou targets." She then turned around after seeing Kagome nodded her head in understanding and certainty, and walked on to nowhere in particular. Just as Kagome was positioning her arrow, Kaede turned around in inhumane speed and threw on of the white china plates at her.
Kagome stood there in the middle of the large clearing motionless. Alert for anything at all. At first she sensed nothing, but when she opened her sense even wider the whooshing of the plate coming closer and closer hit her like a ton of bricks. She listened for a bit more and found out that the plates whooshing was coming from the east which was where she was facing, which meant that the plate was directly in front of her, so she aligned her arrow straight in front of her and let go. Not surprised to have sensed her miko powers swirling fiercely around the arrow beginning at the tip. Not even ten seconds later, she heard and smelled the crash between the plate and her arrow. The prideful feeling of accomplishment swelling around in her chest.
But Kagome knew that she was not done, and so she turned around only to sense two other plates coming her way in place of the one that lay in ashes on the ground not six feet away from her. Only these two were coming from two different directions. North and South.
Now, Kagome panicked. How was she supposed to strike both plates at once? She only had one arrow positioned on the bow. Unless...
"Of course!" Kagome shouted in triumph as she aligned on more arrow onto the bow next to the other one and turned towards the closest plate which was the one directed to South and shot one of the two arrows aligned on the bow. She then quickly, yet gracefully whirled around and shot the other plate. Both arrows hit their target almost at the exact same time.
"Good job, Kagome!" Kaede yelled as she stood eleven feet away from Kagome. "Now ye must pay greater attention because I shall either throw the plate high in the air or whirl it towards you in great speed! Also, ye must find out where I am before the end of thou final test!"
Before Kagome could even nod her head Kaede's aura was gone and another plate was flung at her. Only this time from behind. Once again, Kagome opened up her senses and was shocked to have found out that the plate was coming from the opposite direction that she was facing.
gasp "Oh no! It's only a few seconds away from me and it's behind me!" She whispered to herself as she positioned an arrow, quickly turned around, aligned the arrow to where she heard the plate coming from, and let go of the bow string.
"I hope that I didn't miss! Since I was in a hurry to hit it!"
The sound of a crash and the burned arrow falling to the floor was heard. Meaning that the arrow had hit it's target.
This went on longer than Kagome had expected. Yes, Kaede had informed her that she had more plates but she never thought that she had over thirty-three plates! But, she had also mentioned that it was not going to be easy.
'This part is to make sure that ye are able to defend thou self if thou eyes are useless on some point.' Kaede's words wrung inside of Kagome's head. sigh "And it is indeed doing what it was supposed to." She whispered under her breath as she shot another plate only to hear the same result as before. Then all of a sudden, the clearing was silent and she could no longer hear the 'whooshing' of the plates.
"What is happening now, Kaede-San? Why have you stopped?" Kagome shout to nowhere in particular as long as Kaede had heard her.
"I have stopped because you have completed the final part and pasted." Kaede's voice came to Kagome's ears from in front of her. "But, ye have yet to find me, so this is thou last chance to find out where I am. The third and final part of the test shall show me if ye were paying attention to thou close combat with Sango as well as the secret practice that you have been doing with the sword for the past four years since ye saw the youkai guards training in the castle dojou that tine that I came to visit." Kagome knew that she was blushing because she felt the heat rush and spread across her face over her cheeks.
"H-how did you know of my secret training though, Kaede-San?" She asked after a short while.
"Do ye expect me not know everything ye have done over the past few years after promising thou mother that I would take care of ye?" Kaede asked with an unseen smirk.
"Oh, so you are saying that you don't think of me shameful for practicing a weapon that is strange for a human woman?" Kagome ask in a sad and regretful voice with her head bond down.
"Why no child. Ye should not feel shameful or regretful for knowing how to use a weapon such as a sword. In fact, ye should be proud to even be able to swing a sword without 'accidentally' hurting thou self. I am sure that thou mother would be proud to see that her daughter is so unique." Kaede said with a slight frown on her lips. Which, like the smirk, was unseen.
"Arigatou, Kaede-San." Kagome said with a smile.
"No need to thank me child. Now, here is your sword.," Kaede said as she tossed Kagome her sword, which she almost dropped because of the blinding catch. "And now let us begin the final part of thou test. And remember, this is thou last chance to find me"And then all of a sudden, Kaede's aura disappeared.
Soon after Kaede disappeared, Kagome turned around all places. Not sure from where Kaede would attack. That scaring her greatly since she didn't know if she were to get hit in a fatal spot, if she would die or not in this dream-like place.
"But, I doubt that Kaede would ever do such a thing like that." Kagome whispered to herself as she kept her senses up incase Kaede would pop out in any giving moment. "She herself said that she would never let anything bad happen to me."
Just as Kagome had finished that statement, Kaede finally came out of the fake forest and swung at Kagome from the behind. Kagome had known that she was there since the second that she came out of the forest, but waited until the last minute to clash her word against Keade's and deflected her attack.
From then on, they kept on fighting. If there were any life in the false empty forest that surrounded them, all they would hear would be the mad clashing of two swords. Each of the two having injured the other in one way or another. (Kagome having the most injuries on her person) Finally, one of the two fighters knocked the others sword off her hands, which landed all the way on the other side of the clearing about fifteen to twenty feet away from her.
"What will ye do now Kagome, other than give up before ye are too injured to awaken from the battle field back to the real world, and while being blindfolded?" Kaede asked Kagome as she stood in front of her leaning on her sword.
"Oh, but I have just learned a new trick, Kaede-San." Kagome said as she smirked and concentrated her miko energy on her sword -that was stuck half way into the ground- and commanded it to come to her through her energy as it wrapped itself around it.
At first Kaede was clueless to what Kagome was talking about and wanted to know how she was possibly going to win, so she decided that she would ask her. Then all of a sudden Kaede sensed it. She also saw the small yet powerful waves of energy flow off of her aura. That was when the sword went whizzing past her and into the waiting hands of Kagome. Before Kaede could say anything, Kagome was behind her with her sword up to the old woman's wrinkly throat.
"And that was," Kagome said to Kaede from behind her. "The new trick that I learned and how you are now defeated, Kaede-San." Kagome finished as she removed her sword from Kaede's throat, stepped back, and lowered herself on one knee in a bowing gesture.
"Ye can get up now, child." Kaede said as she sheathed her sword, held it out in the air, and then lowered her arm after the sword disintegrated into the thin air.
Kagome nodded her head once and stood up straightening herself. She was now relaxed knowing that she had done what Kaede had asked of her to do and was hurting all around her body from all the bruises and cuts that she had received during the fight; however, she still kept her senses alerted because she still had the thick black handkerchief over her eyes.
"Kagome, come on step closer so that I may take that off thou eyes, so that ye may be able to see." Kagome heard Kaede's voice. She then nodded and took a step forward. Through her senses, she could feel that Kaede had walked around her and was now untying the handkerchief. As soon as it was off, the bright white light of the sun hit Kagome full blast that it almost blinded her, so she had to shield her eyes until they got use to it. When her vision cleared off the brightness of the sun, Kagome was stunned beyond words as she stared at the Kaede that was in front of her.
Standing two to three feet in front of her was a twenty year old version of Kaede. She still had the same waste length hair. Only this time it was onyx black instead of silvery gray. Old aged wrinkles on her face were now gone and all they left was a smooth soft looking thin face. Her back was straightened so she was about Kagome's height and her old aged fat was gone leaving only perfect round curves. Although her right eye still held the black patch over it.
"I-is this how you were able to move so quickly and how you were able to fight with me without slowing own one bit?" Kagome asked, still not believing who she now said was Kaede.
"Hai, Kagome." Was her short answer as her image started to fade into smoke along with the rest of scenery.
"Wh-what's happening?" Kagome asked terrified.
"Ye have completed the final part of thou miko training Kagome. Ye have also passed." Kaede said as she was almost fully disappeared. "Now, we shall go back to reality and I must worn ye, all the pain and physical injuries that ye have received shall–" But Kaede could not finish a she was cut off because her image was now fully disintegrated and Kagome was waking up...
oOooOooOooOooOooOooOoEnd of chapter TwooOooOooOooOooOooOo
Glossary:
Hai- Yes
Iie- No
Arigatou- Thank You
Nani- What
Gomen nasai- I am sorry
From the last chapter: Moushi kaneru- I'm sorry to trouble you
Tamara: sigh I have finally finished chapter two.
(Liz, comes in and stands next to her)
Liz:nods Yeah, it took you a loooong time to finish this chapter. Well at least it's over.
Tamara: Argh! I still have to begin the other one remember?
(Liz looks at Tamara angrily)
Liz: Well, you wouldn't have to take on so much if you would let me help!
(Tamara turns to Liz with a slight smirk)
Tamara: Oh, but the next chapter is mostly going to be you, so you don't have to yell and complain about how it's my fault that I am so tired.
Liz: B-b-but I only said HELP not DO the chapter!
Tamara: And I never said that either. All I said was that you were going to come up with most of the ideas and that is all.
Liz: Why you--
(Tamara turns and runs all the way to the other side of the stage before Liz could unleash the horror that is to come at her)
Lizfrom the other side of the stage: YEAH! YOU BETTER RUN!
Tamara: Ahem! Soooo, I would like to thank all that reviewed for the last chapter and apologize for those that had been waiting for an extra week for this chapter, but between school and my personal life, I have had almost no time. I hope that you can understand.
(Liz come up from behind Tamara and pounces on her from the back, and put her in a head lock while laying across her back)
Liz: Yeah, and she also promises to thank each individual in the next chapter. looks down at Tamara and puts more pressure on her Don't you?
TamaraAlready turning blue: Yes! Yes! Have mercy!
(Liz giggles and gets herself off Tamara and helps her get up too. Giggling even more when she sees Tamara rubbing her back and throat)
Tamara: Cough Ahem! Well, like my dear muse said! I, at the end of the next chapter, shall give shout outs to all that review for this chapter and on. Oh! And Sesshoumaru will finally make his appearance in the next chapter, so be ready!
(Liz nods and looks at her watch)
Liz: Wow, look at what time it is! Looks up at the audience and smiles. Making all the males swoon over her beauty I guess it's time to go.
Tamara:nods in agreement Yeah, I guess so. Turns to Liz Ready?
Liz: Ready.
Tamara & Liz: Inhale deeplyREAD & REVIEW!
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