8
Megami ni Tsuite Eien-Goddess of Eternity
Kagome backed away from the glowing power and she gasped, putting her hands in front of her face in the blinding light. She heard the silence around Link and Saria as they rushed over to the pedestal, gazing in wonder.
Kagome slowly opened her eyes...
In the dead center was a small, round crystal, larger than the tear, and it glistened just as proudly. The outsides shimmered with pure light, smiling at the three of them. Kagome looked at Saria questioningly and she turned to look at Link.
Link raised his eyebrows and pointed slightly to the girl beside her..
Kagome turned to face the surprised face of the little Kokiri girl. Saria's eyes lit up and she gasped.
"You are the Goddess of Eternity?" she giggled and pranced around the whole sanctuary, until finally coming to a stop beside Kagome. The young woman smiled at her.
"Wow, I can't believe it! A real goddess, coming to visit me! That's never happened to me before! That's never happened to anybody! How was it for you Link? What was it like having a goddess in your house? Did she create any miracles? Did she heal anybody? What happened? What happened?"
Link didn't laugh... he didn't smile... he didn't move... no reaction came from the blond teen elf. He just looked at Kagome with a seriousness that could have dried up the Pacific Ocean. The excited smile lifted from Saria's face and she looked down.
"No, Saria, it's okay! You just... wanted to know..." she sat on the warm grass and placed Saria comfortably in her lap, "..you see... I'm new at this too... I didn't know I was a goddess... I didn't even know that I was anything important until Link found me... until I kept hearing voices in my head that kept telling me what to do."
Link came and sat in front of them both, "I found Kagome on the bank of Lake Hylia. She was bruised and cut and gashes littered her body. I would have never left anyone just lying there to die... so I picked you up, and I carried you to my house. You were crying... crying so hard... I thought you would never stop... once, I thought you mumbled someones name, but I don't know... I had some girls from the village treat you and clothe you while I went for the potion." he looked at the bandages on her legs and arms, "And while I was in the realm of the Deku Tree, all of the faeries acted weird. They all assembled together and shone like Christmas lights, and they swooped everywhere. All I could hear was the laughter from the lot. They had never done anything like that since the purification of Hyrule. So I knew something big was up. I was a little worried about you, though, because when I left, you... you were still crying. So I hurried. I gathered all the things that I needed for the tonic and I mixed them. I used a spell to return back to my home and when I returned, you were sitting up and the thickest tears were trailing your face. I was a-afraid, so I helped you wake up.."
All the while, Kagome was staring at him softly, nodding and swallowing occasionally. She looked deep into his eyes, urging him to go on. Saria watched him with bright, knowing orbs, and she wrapped her arms around Kagome's shoulders, and leaned into her.
"..do you remember waking up, Kagome?"
The young woman looked down and bit her lip in thought and looked back up to him, slowly, "No... I.." she looked down again, "..no I don't even remember how we got into the Lost Woods..." her head pounded as she tried to remember... all she could think of was the cliff...
Thump Thump
...and then, the maze...
Thump Thump
...and, then, she was here...
Kagome gasped...
"I can't remember anything!" she curled her fingers by her face and rubbed her temples, looking frantically from side to side.
Saria sensed her fret and hugged her, "Kagome, calm down, it's okay, everything will be fine... there is nothing to worry about."
"Bu-But why can't I remember anything that happened? I don't remember ever having conversations with anybody... I don't remember hardly how I got here, and I have never been more confused in my life!" she shook with terror.
'Shhhh...'
Kagome looked up swiftly, "Link, did you hear that?"
Link looked at her and waggled his eyebrows, "Uhm... I don't think so... what's wrong?" he looked at Saria and his eyes widened.
The young girl was glowing green and sitting very still...
Kagome finally caught a glimpse of her and she gasped, "Saria... are you the one that led me through..." she stopped with a sudden memory loss. (or a brain fart, either one!lol)
'Through what...?' She saw the little girl pulse green and her eyes flared beautifully.
She thought hard, "Somewhere... uhmmm... mmm..." she strained to remember, "...it was dark, and fog was everywhere... ah... I used some power to beat... er... something... I don't remember... it was as black as the fog... no... it was the fog... yes... it was the fog... I was in... dammit!" she clutched her head, "I... I... was..." she grunted with the effort and she thought harder than she had ever thought before. But slowly, her memory flew to her and she finally knew, "I WAS IN MY MIND!" she fell to the ground and she gasped.
Somewhere, she felt the voice smiling down upon her.
'Tell Link to back away...' her voice echoed.
Kagome looked up to his smiling, but amused face and smiled brightly, a sweat drop running clearly down her temple, "I'm going to have to ask you to step away, Link." she looked to Saria, who in turn, looked to Link, a smile plastered on her glowing face.
Link shook his head and laughed, getting up from his spot and resting his back upon the shrubbery in the end of the sacred meadow, crossing his arms.
Kagome looked to Saria, "Okay," she smiled readily, "I'm good to go!"
Saria beamed and she closed her eyes, her lashes glowing as green as the shrubbery.
'Close your eyes...'
Kagome closed them immediately, with no reluctance. If she already trusted Link, why shouldn't she trust Saria?
'I want you to imagine with me...'
Kagome nodded her head.
'Where is your home?'
Kagome reached far into the depths of her mind...
'My home is in Japan... in a tall house called Higurashi Shrine...'
'Is that where you live now?'
'Yes, of course..'
'Be honest, Kagome... where have you lived for the past three and a half years?'
'In Sengoku Jidai... how do you know this...?'
'Because you loved someone... another love that transcended time, did you not? I know these things... because I am you...'
'Yes... I did have a love... but he fell for another... and if you are me then how can you be Saria?'
'Just believe me Kagome and I will help you restore your memory of everything and help you open your soul to the truth.'
Silence...
'Kagome, do you know the story of the three goddesses, Nayru, Farore, and Din?'
'No...'
'Then I will tell you...'
More silence fell upon Kagome...
'Before life began, before the world had form, three golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land of Hyrule. They were Din, the goddess of Power, Nayru, the goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, the goddess of Courage.'
Kagome's body filled with the powers of the goddesses, and as she did, her body glowed faint colors of red, green, and blue.
'Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law. These three great goddesses returned to the heavens, leaving behind the golden sacred Triforce. Since then, the Triforce has become the basis for Hyrule's providence. Where the Triforce stood became sacred land.'
Kagome's mind filled with this information and she breathed in the rich, flowing knowledge.
'But... the scribes and scriptures leave out an important key role in the Triforce. After the return of the goddesses to the heavens, a new goddess was born to the land. She was righteous and true and she healed and shaped the world into what it is today... Every person that set foot on her ground was humbled by her beauty. She blessed the fool-hearted, and she loved the strong-minded... Every decade, she would return to the land, changing it and molding it back to peace again, and never losing her form. Thus, these people gave her the blessed name Kagome, goddess of Eternity... and forever she stayed.'
Kagome gasped, and whimpered as she was hit full force by a wind of purple energy that cascaded down on her and filled the whole area with its might. She could hear Link's surprise as the purple knowledge struck her and drowned her in its warmth.
'But an eon ago... the people turned against her... they shunned her for her perfection... they punished her for her purity... so, she was banished to the other side, and, as expected, the peoples lands grew infertile, their elders grew weary and weak way before their time, and the sick suffered near death as their own punishment for their jealousy. But there, on the other side, the goddess stayed... being tortured by the sound of death around her... she turned away, never to see them again. The goddess Kagome cast a spell on herself to forget... she began a new life on the other side... one that was like everyone else's... a normal person...'
Kagome stayed silent for a long time, taking in this knowledge that she never knew... but yet... she felt that she had heard it before... she had felt this grief once... a grief that had forever stained her heart...
'All that admired her while she remained on this world, wrote a book about her time with them. The people called it, the Book of Eternity... and they kept it deep within the Temple of Time to never be opened... even the wisest of men could never open the secret... and so it remains there, for all time, waiting for some special person to open its pages and peer within them, read them to the rest of the world, awakening its goddess. As long as that goddess is believed in, some people refuse to call it, Triforce... instead they call it Fourthforce, never giving up hope that this goddess will return... and so she has Kagome...'
Kagome raised her head to the skies and her arms were wide... she took a relaxing breath... the purple glow sailed high with power...
'Are you ready...?'
'Yes...' she replied in her mind.
Saria, then, was silent for a while and radiant energy began flowing from her body... she began humming...
'Kagome... reawaken... come forth as the Goddess of Eternity... come forth... reawaken... come and renew your people... come forth Goddess of Eternity... reawaken, Kagome... come... forth!' she chanted and she focused everything and anything for Kagome to rise as the goddess of Eternity
Kagome's eyes glowed fully purple and they faced the sky... she said not a word as she began rising from the ground, slowly. Her arms, fully extended now shone purple and soon, her whole body was consumed in the purifying light. Her fingers extended and the light flew from them... her elongated legs bled purple and her toes gave off the florescent light... her mouth opened wide and warm, purple radiated out. The light that she shone, was enough to shame a lighthouse... her spread body took the form of a glowing star... she began bringing bright arms down and down, to form at her waist... she joined her thumbs and her first fingers pointed downwards, to form another piece of triangle, that too glowed brilliant purple and shone just as brightly as the rest of her body. The whipping wind that she created slapped at her and prodded at her open eyes, until a thick tear bolted down her face, landing in the dead center of her triangle, making a bright and beautiful spark. Time passed slowly and Kagome extended farther... a blast of purple illuminated the entire area, making it hard for anyone to see. (yay! purple!)
Thump...
Link rubbed his eyes and looked around, trying to clear his vision of the intoxicating purple light... and he saw her, lying on the ground, clutching a piece of purple material that shone like the morning sun. He ran quickly to her and picked her head from the ground.
"Kagome... wake up! You did it!" he laughed whole-heartedly, "You did it..." he picked up the piece of the force and held it proudly.
"Saria..." the little girl came over to Link with wide, tired eyes, "...you did good, kid.." he gathered her up in his arms as would a father do to his child. She clung to him.
"Link... is she gonna be okay?" she questioned.
Link put Saria down and stared at the woman lying on the ground, soundless, but with a faint smile on her face.
"You know what, Saria? I think she'll be just fine."
He went over to her and picked her bridal style from the ground, still keeping hold on the force. Link walked slowly to the Triforce, glowing brightly and grabbed Kagome's hand... his fingers linked with hers and together, she and him, placed the Fourthforce together again. The small crystal fit perfectly within the middle of the triangle and it molded within the safety of the other three forces. It glowed softly,then settled, becoming one with the Triforce...
"Finally, after eons of patience...The Triforce has become the Fourthforce... thank you Kagome, goddess of Eternity..." he mumbled.
Kagome stirred in Link's arms and she rubbed her head softly. She noticed him and looked up with her kind eyes, smiling at him brightly.
"Did I do it?"
Link smiled and picked her up, "Yes, Kagome, you did it..."
Kagome looked at the Triforce...
"It has become the Fourthforce again!" she gasped, and gleefully celebrated, making laughter bubble up from Link.
Saria smiled sadly.
'Link...'
The elven boy turned around in alarm.
'It's just me, Link...'
Link raised an eyebrow and walked over to her, bending down to her level.
'Link, I have to go now...' she thought to him, sadly turning away.
"But why? Won't you stay just a little longer?" he frantically tried to convince her.
'No, Link, you now have someone who needs you... and just like it is your responsibility, the forest is mine... it needs me and I can't just sit aside and not answer it's call. I have to go now, Link.' she stood tall and smiled.
'But hey! Kagome and you can always come and visit me!' she beamed and went to Link.
Link looked to Kagome... she nodded and smiled. Link smiled back and put her gently to the forest floor. Taking a second glance at Saria, he opened his arms and Saria ran into themcurling up in his chest and closing her eyes. Link hugged her more fiercely and his eyes squinted, as he buried his face in her shoulder.
"I'll miss you Link... a lot..." she whimpered in his chest.
"Hey, hey, don't cry... we'll see each other again.." he said strongly, "...but you have to maintain a stiff upper lip... alright?" he spoke, sweetly bopping the end of her nose, making her laugh.
"Do you promise, Link? Pinky-promise?" she held up her tiny hand and extended her little finger.
Link laughed and linked his pinky with hers, "Pinky promise.." he held her once more before pulling away and holding her by the shoulders, "Ok, kiddo, you'd better run along... it's not every day that a 7 year old gets to be ruler of the Forests!" he leaned into her ear and whispered, "You wouldn't want anybody else takin' over your job would ya?"
Saria lifted her head and gasped, "Oh no! That would be awful! I better get going right now! And don't worry, I won't forget to tell all the rest of the Sages that Kagome has returned!" she waved behind her and began running towards the pedestal. Link and Kagome waved back just as her running, smiling figure disappeared into her own statue.
Link solemnly watched the place that she had disappeared for the longest time, and Kagome waited patiently... until all of his sorrow subsided and he sighed. He looked at Kagome and his eyes softened.
"Thanks.."
"Hey, no problem... I know what it's like to loose a friend..." she smiled, "...but I also know how good it feels to gain another..." she smiled, flushing slightly.
Link's face grew a distinct shade of red and he smiled at Kagome... "So... we can talk now?"
"Yeah." said the smiling face of Kagome, "Whaddaya wanna talk about?"
"Well, uh.. do you remember why you cried? Can you tell me? Or is it something that is personal and you don't want to?"
Kagome looked down, "Well... I had a love on the other side... a-and he loved another well before he met me... and so when he got rid of his former love, he came to me... and, well... by the time that him and I had expressed that love, he... he turned on me and went to his first love again... he hurt me so bad... because.. all those times, he said he was sorry, and that it would never happen again... but it did... it happened... again.. and again... and again... and every time, I was left in the dark, until he dragged me out and said he was sorry, and he would hold me and kiss me... and I believed that, since he said he was sorry, that he truly loved me... but it was just the last straw, I caught him kissing and holding his past beloved, and I just blew... so I just said my words ... but they weren't pleasant ones, and I ran, forgetting all of my loved ones behind me... a-and I dived over a cliff..." she laughed nervously, "Pretty stupid, huh?" she looked at her legs and her hair covered her emotions, laughing more nervously with each passing moment.
Link shook his head fervently, "No, Kagome... not at all..." he scowled at the man that made Kagome go and do such a drastic thing...
'Bastard.
Link tilted her head to meet his eyes, "Kagome... there is nothing to be ashamed of.." he wiped a falling tear from her face, "...nothing.." he picked her up from the ground and carried her bridal style from the sanctuary... and she was in a deep, peaceful slumber before he reached the bottom of the steps, breathing easily upon Link.
He reached the mouth of the tall maze, with it's tall, thick hedges. He thought once about going over it again...
...but this time... he decided to go through it..
Looking down at Kagome, he smiled... just a faint curl of her lips would send her whole face smiling, and her slumbering body humbled him as he made his way through the winding maze.
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"SANGO!" a frustrated kitsune called out within the farthest reaches of the hut.
"Dear lord, Shippou..." she cried in utter annoyance. She couldn't remember how many times that the troubled kitsune called her... she lost count at seventeen.
She walked around corners, following the wails and distressed cries of Shippou, finally reaching him. The young fox-youkai was just sitting there, all alone, crying.
"Yes, Shippou? What is it?" she kept her voice calm.
"Where is she?" he sniffed.
Sango immediately apologized internally for her impatience and she bent to his level and bowed her head, in remorse.
"Shippou... come here." she said softly, raising her head for him and tucking him in the safe confines of her body.
He allowed three giant tears escape from his large green orbs onto Sango's clothing, soaking through the thin fabric.
"Shippou... Kagome is..." Sango cleared the growing lump in her throat and rubbed the kit's red hair affectionately...
"Where is she, Sango... where is Kagome?" he looked up to her and waited quietly, sniffing occasionally.
"Kagome won't be coming back to us, Shippou" she told him with much angst in her voice. As she stared off into space, her grip on the red-headed fox lessened and lessened as tears threatened to break through. But she would not cry... she would not allow them... no... she couldn't.
"What has Inuyasha done this time?" he huffed.
Sango swallowed the lump that constricted her breathing and she blinked back her tears, hugging Shippou tightly to her chest, "I'm afraid it is not that Shippou." she whispered.
"Sango, I don't understand! What happened to Mama? Ooooo, if it was Inuyasha's fault I'm gonna rough him up!" he fisted his tiny palms.
Sango's throat pained at the innocent ignorance of the young kit, but nonetheless, she smiled at him. Perhaps there will be another day... I can't hold these tear's any longer.
"Shippou..." she stained to maintain a calmness in her voice, "...why don't you go play with Kirara? Hmm?" she smiled, but luckily, the kitsune didn't catch the quiver of her chin.
His minuscule ears perked up and a large smile slapped on his face, "Alright!" he said as he set out to pounce and romp and play in the fields with the neko-youkai.
She watched solemnly as he went, seeing with her own eyes how she should be feeling... but with Kagome gone... her chin quivered and her eyes closed tightly.
"Sango..." the young monks voice rang sweetly in her ears, and she looked at him. Slowly, keeping her eyes to the lowest, she sniffled and put her hands to her face and began to sob, heavily... she began to fall to the floor with a sudden drain of energy. Miroku paced to her and knelt on one knee to catch her, gracefully, as she began to wail uncontrollably. He hugged her tight, but tender as she shook within his robe.
"Shhhh, Sango, I know, I miss her too... terribly." he mumbled sweet, comforting words to her while she cried in his robes.
"I-I kn-know, bu-but... Sh-Shippou... ho-how wil-l we tell h-him?" she hiccuped and coughed fiercely.
Miroku's eyes closed tightly as tears, now, flowed silently down his cheeks, "I hate to lie to Shippou... in fact, I would never try to lie to him. But for the best, I believe we should tell him Kagome has returned to her time. And until he figures out that this is not the case, we don't tell him." he whispered.
She made no reply but remained there, tangled in the safety of Miroku's robes, shaking with sobs. And there they remained. Well after Sango's shaking sank and her breathing was even and slow they fell into a slumber on the floor of the hut with Miroku's arms around her waist... Sango's hands in curled in the warmth of his own...
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ja ne
Kagome-Inuyasha09