Kaida Okami – The Prophesy
Chapter 18
Revival Part II
Artemis found the young wolf child sitting in between the two gates, positioned in
a meditative state.
Kaida's eyes flew open when she sensed the goddesses presence, and she stood and
bowed respectively.
"Eris' plan has been destroyed and she has been justly punished." Artemis said
quietly. "You have done a noble thing, sacrificing yourself and your happiness for the
good of others."
Kaida blinked at the complement.
"Forgive me, goddess," she said. "But I feel as if I accomplished very little."
Artemis smiled kindly.
"You do not yet know the measure of your works." She responded. "Maybe you
will discover them in time."
Kaida's face turned quizzical.
"Goddess, how can I? I am dead, and sentenced to one of these two realms." She
said, gesturing to the gates on either side of her.
"In older times, when the gods did meddle in human affairs, destruction
abounded. Many men and women where killed because of the gods interfering. However,
some of them where brought back to life for their honorable deeds, and because they had
been used in the gods place to fix the mess that the deities had created."
Kaida remained silent, eyes intent on the goddess.
"The gods created the law that they where not to meddle in mortal affairs.
However, Zeus took into consideration what exactly it was you died for. He is allowing
you to return to life. To return to you friends, to the wolves....to Hiei." She added with
what Kaida was sure was a smirk.
Kaida was silent and brooding for a moment, then she raised her eyes to the woman in
front of her.
"How do I know that it's the right thing to do?" she asked. "How do I know that
it's isn't simply my time to die? What if...what if they are all better off without me?"
Artemis raised one delicate eyebrow.
"Such a selfish child." She tutted. "They need you." She said.
Kaida shook her head ruefully.
"They don't need me."
Artemis didn't answer, instead, she swept her hand behind her elegantly. In the wake of
her hand, Kaida saw images form.
She watched the make shift T.V. as it showed her friends, each locked in their own
rooms.
Kuwabara was sitting, silent and brooding.
Yusuke lay on his back, hands tucked behind his head and eyes filled with unshed tears.
Kurama sat, absently stroking a plant, his eyes distant and sad.
Then came Hiei's picture.
Kaida's heart immediately began to ache.
He was in her room, sitting in the windowsill directly by her bed.
He was staring at her lifeless face, his eyes carrying the weigh of the world and his sword
clutched loosely in his hand.
Kaida saw him speak, but she couldn't quite hear what he said.
The picture suddenly got closer, and she watched with astonishment as two, single tears
made it past his ivory tower of emotions.
They fell onto her bed silently, the blackest looking gems Kaida had ever seen.
Kaida reached out a hand, unconsciously, striving to ease his pain. Her hand fell through
the picture, destroying it.
The okami turned to Artemis.
"You miss him, don't you?" Artemis asked, a faint note of wistful longing and
bitterness in her voice that Kaida was sure she couldn't have heard.
The wolf-girl nodded, unable to speak around the lump that had formed in her throat.
"Then go." She said softly.
With another wave of Artemis' hand, a portal as black as night and as cold as death
opened behind her.
Kaida stared at it fearfully for a moment before turning back to the goddess.
The goddess nodded once, giving her permission and reassurance.
"The travel will be tough. Hold tight to your memories....and to your love. It will
serve you well."
With that farewell, Artemis thrust the girl into the portal.
As the darkness enveloped the wolf-girl, a single random thought burst into her head.
-she looks so...alone-
Hiei sat, brooding by Kaida's body. The shield that he normal sat up around his
emotions was slipping.
He couldn't believe that she was really gone.
-Stupid girl- he thought sadly.
"I'm sorry." He said suddenly, looking at Kaida's face. If he looked hard enough,
he could almost imagine that she was breathing.
"I should have been there." He continued. "I should have helped."
He was silent for a moment longer.
"They miss you." He said. "More than they would have missed me. It should have
been me that had to die, not you. I never did any good anyway." He added bitterly.
Two small tears trickled out of the corner of his eyes.
He watched them change into gems and hit Kaida's bed silently.
It was his tribute to the wolf-girl, he supposed. Letting her see his emotions, something
he had never allowed before, his silent apology for having not been there for her.
Suddenly, Hiei was aware of a presence standing slightly behind him.
He stood up suddenly and unsheathed his sword in one motion.
The person, the woman, behind him caught the steel easily, shoving it aside neatly.
Hiei took in her appearance silently.
She was dressed in deerskin pants and a simple shirt. A silver bow was held deftly in her
hands and Hiei knew her arrows where silver as well.
Hiei sheathed his sword with a click.
"Artemis." He said shortly.
The goddess nodded and turned to Kaida's body.
"What do you want here?" he asked.
Artemis didn't answer his question. Instead, she posed one of her own.
"Do you miss her?" she asked.
Hiei hesitated, but nodded.
"Do you love her?"
Hiei stiffened.
"I love no one." He said harshly.
Artemis locked gazes with him and he was surprised at how serious and intense her gaze
was.
"Do you care for her?" Artemis re-phrased.
Hiei remained stiff but gave an answer.
"I did."
"Then you can bring her back."
Hiei's head shot up abruptly.
"How?" He demanded instantly.
Artemis smile, briefly.
"Her soul has been sent through the pathway between life and death." The
goddess told him. "there is no guarantee that she will make it through that trial, but if she
does, her soul will return to the earth."
Hiei watched the goddess closely, searching for the loophole.
"However," the goddess continued.
Hiei's eyes narrowed.
"There has to be something strong enough to pull her soul back to her body."
Artemis' gaze was again locked on his.
"Are you familiar with the sleeping beauty legend?" she asked.
Hiei started at the abrupt change of subject.
He thought hard and was eventual rewarded with a faint memory.
Kaida had mentioned the story once.
Something about a prince having to kiss a princess to awaken her from her death like- oh
no.
Hiei's eyes widened and the goddess couldn't hide a grin.
"The one thing strong enough to pull her spirit back to her body is a kiss." She
said. "More specifically, your kiss."
Hiei still retained his deer-caught-in-the-headlights look.
"And if I refuse?!" he stuttered.
Artemis' eyes hardened.
"Then Kaida's soul will be doomed to wander the earth in misery till the end of
time." She bit out.
Hiei's eyes narrowed.
"When will I know when to...you know." He finished lamely.
The goddess hid another grin.
"Exactly at the stroke of 12." The goddess informed him.
Hiei looked at the clock.
That was in 10 minutes!!
He turned back to the goddess.
"so be it. As long as it brings her back."
The goddess gave him a searching look, almost disbelieving, but she nodded.
"Then good luck...to the both of you."
She was gone in an instant, briefly leaving Hiei wondering where the missing sound
effect or flash of light was.
His glance turned back to Kaida and he sat at the edge of her bed, awaiting the stroke of
midnight.
Kaida was freezing cold, and more exhausted than she had ever been before.
The tunnel was dark around her, with absolutely no source of light to be found.
As Kaida drifted, so did her mind.
She was so tired.
It would be so wonderful to simply give up.
Lay down and sleep.
A distant memory stirred in her mind as Kaida fought the feeling.
It was a random clip supplied by her psyche, with no real purpose, but Kaida clung to it.
She was looking into her living room, where Hiei was sprawled across the floor, using
one wolf as a pillow, and several others as blankets.
She giggled as she watched him turn over in his sleep. He was snoring lightly, and looked
like he was drooling.
Kaida bit her lip to keep from laughing and noticed with a start that she could feel the
pain from her fangs.
Earlier, Kaida had been immune to pain.
She had been dead, and therefore, unable to feel physical hurt. But now, Kaida realized
she was feeling several things at once.
Fatigue, coldness, pain.
She rejoiced at every new feeling and sense. All of it meant that she was getting closer to
home.
Suddenly, all progress seemed to stop within the tunnel.
Kaida could see in the distance an tiny pin prick of light, and she knew that that was the
entrance into life.
But her 'body' seemed to have run into a barrier.
Kaida searched all along it for a long time, but she could find no way past it.
It was a virtual wall, invisible and solid.
And it was standing between her and what she wanted most.
Kaida growled and struck out at the wall, filling her punch with everything her mind was
feeling.
Anger and being held back, joy at being so close, but the strongest was the love she had
for her friends.
With a sickening crunch, the wall seemed to implode upon itself, speeding Kaida towards
the light and thrusting her suddenly into life again.
Kaida blinked and looked around her, confused.
She had made it into life, that much was certain, but where was she?
She was not in her real body, but rather, floating above some busy interstate.
Kaida realized in that instant just how much trouble she was in.
She had no idea where to find her body and she knew that if she didn't find it soon, she
would be banished from it forever.
Suddenly, Kaida felt a strong tug on her soul, just as a clock somewhere behind her began
tolling the midnight bell.
Hopeful, Kaida allowed herself to be pulled, praying that it would lead her back to her
friends.
The clock behind Hiei started to toll midnight 10 minutes after the goddess left.
Nervously, he looked at Kaida's body.
About three minutes ago, it had started to glow, signifying her reentry into life.
Now all he had to do was call her soul back to her body.
He scooted closer to Kaida's body and gently lowered his head to hers.
-I cant believe I'm about to do this- he thought before pressing his lips lightly to
hers.
For a few heartbeats, nothing happened, then the glow around her body increased ten
fold.
Hiei found himself unable to tear his lips away and he felt his energy flowing from his
body into hers.
Then the light began to fade, and Hiei opened his eyes and pulled away from the okami
slightly.
For 3 agonizing seconds, nothing happened, then Kaida's chest began to rise and fall.
She was breathing!!
Her eyes fluttered open and she came face to face with Hiei.
Hiei backed away as she struggled to sit up.
"Hiei?" she questioned weakly.
Hiei nodded, unable to speak.
Kaida reached out a hand and touched his cheek lightly.
"What are you doing, woman?" he questioned, thrusting a irritable note into his
voice.
Kaida laughed and dropped her hand.
"It is you!!" she said happily.
Hiei nodded, bemused.
"Come on." He said. "Lets get you cleaned up."
Kaida looked down at herself and grimaced.
She was covered in grime and blood.
She stood up, disregarding the sheets around her.
There was a small clattering sound as the sheets hit the ground and Kaida turned to
investigate.
Pulling the sheets away, she revealed two, small pitch black gems about the size of large
pearls. Each one glistened like a tear and, if you looked hard enough, you could almost
see a flicker of flame in them, a testimony to their creators background.
Kaida looked at them in awe, then stood up and handed them to Hiei.
Hiei looked at them a moment, then handed them back.
"I have no use for gems." He told her, looking away.
Kaida watched him for a minute, then went over to her dresser to rummage around in it.
Half a second later, she immerged with two virtually identical necklaces. One was silver,
one was gold, and each had a cage like pendant on the chain.
Kaida took the pendants off and opened them, sticking a gem in each cage. She closed it
and placed each pendant on its respective chain.
She took the silver one and threw it over her head to rest by her heart.
She then took the gold necklace and threw it over Hiei's head.
Hiei looked at her quizzically.
"We can both have one." She explained. "Like friendship necklaces."
Hiei raised and eyebrow at her but made no attempt to remove the necklace.
Kaida smiled once, then left her room quietly, intent on a shower before re-meeting the
group.
A/N: YAY!! I LIVE!!! MUWAHAHAHAHAHA...ha. Ok, I'm done.
p.s.
animeangel( )-
Yeah, I read Tamora Pierce books all the time. (How could you tell. - -'')