Chapter Thirteen
Rest
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Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi, not me Ks?
((It Was Only A Kiss))
Kagome's eyes suddenly snapped open. She could feel Kaguya coming. How did she know I was here? The priestess' heart began to pound in fear again. Relax girl, you've just got to stay with it and think… She took a deep breath silently, telling her heart to go back to normal. It seemed to work.
"Miko, you can't hide from me forever." Kaguya's voice echoed in the girl's head. The priestess' chocolate eyes closed again and she swallowed stiffly. "I know that you're stealing my energy, and I believe I've allowed it long enough." The small thread that had been feeding Kagome strength suddenly snapped. The girl fell forward at the sudden change, catching herself with her hands. "Come out, Miko…" The youkai's spirit moved again.
Kagome closed her hands into fists on the ground. She had to keep herself from shaking.
"It was clever of you to purify the jewel, but it sapped up all of your strength. You have nothing left, what a shame."
She's wrong. Kagome thought. I have my own power back, I can defeat her. The priestess slowly got to her feet, all of her senses trained on pinpointing the intruder in her body. "Kaguya! I'm right here!" The teen suddenly called out.
"Ah… so you've given up have you? You take the fun out of the chase." The youkai laughed as she ran at the younger girl. Kagome whirled around, her arms shooting straight out in front of her.
"Not quite, Miko Purification!" A large blue ball of energy flew out of the girl's palms, aimed right for the suddenly appeared Kaguya. The youkai's eyes widened in surprise as the light hit her chest, quickly disappearing inside.
((It Was Only A Kiss))
He was falling through the night. He had been falling for hours, or so it seemed. Something inside told him that was wrong though. He was content to just sleep in the calmness. His lips moved.
"Kagome…" Her scent filled his nose, her smile warmed his spirit. He could feel her lips on his own, her hands caressing his ears. "Kagome…" His voice was rough as he called her name again.
Pain suddenly shot up his arm.
Inu-Yasha's eyes snapped open. The air was knocked out of his lungs as he landed roughly on his back. A growl, hot breath on his face, the human's memory quickly returned as he saw the youkai on top of him again. "Don't you ever die?" Inu-Yasha growled, kicking the youkai away another time. It laughed as it was blown away as dust in the wind. "Hu?" The remaining boy breathed in surprise. His violet eyes slowly turned to look around him.
He could see outside, back in the real world. Kaguya had sat Kagome's body down against a rock wall. What's going on? The human wondered. His question was quickly answered.
"Inu-Yasha? Are you there?" The priestess' hand closed over the unbroken jewel that the boy found himself in.
"Kagome?" He replied roughly. "Is that you?"
"Yes, Inu-Yasha…"
((It Was Only A Kiss))
The world was frozen. Nothing moved. That is, until Kaguya began to laugh. Kagome blinked in surprise and pulled back slightly.
"Did you really think that that would stop me?"
Purify this evil…
"You are weak, Miko"
Return this lost soul to light…
"You and that mutt will die here, along with the monk and demon slayer."
"You're wrong." Kagome smiled slightly before folding her hands into a praying position.
"What?" Kaguya gasped as a light suddenly began to burn in her chest.
"Inu-Yasha, Miroku, and Sango will not die here today."
Kaguya smirked, ignoring the pain in her chest. "What about you, Miko? Will you leave this cave today?"
"That doesn't matter, but you won't be leaving here to find out." The teen's eyes hardened as her concentration grew.
"You are nothing without me."
"You can't change fate, Kaguya. You will never escape." Fire danced in the priestess' eyes as her body became rigid. The light coming from the youkai intensified suddenly, making the intruder scream in pain, falling to her knees. "You will not hurt Inu-Yasha, I will not let you." Kagome's voice was rough, a low growl. Her soul increased in power, quickly drawing more aura from her true body.
"Find the light, Kaguya, be Purified."
"Why you little—" The youkai didn't finish, being consumed by light, before vanishing in a flash. The wind suddenly picked up, and Kagome closed her eyes to keep the dirt from stinging the soft tissue.
"Hu?" The girl blinked, realizing that she was once again in her own mind, controlling her own body's movements. She let out a sigh. So Kaguya is finally at rest… but, Inu-Yasha! Her hand shot to her neck, wrapping her fingers around the unbroken jewel. "Inu-Yasha? Are you there?" She held her breath, waiting for a response.
"Kagome? Is that you?" His voice seemed to echo back to her.
She let out her breath. "Yes, Inu-Yasha…" She breathed with a smile. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. What happened?"
"I'll tell you in a second, let me get you out of there."
"How?"
"Just watch." The priestess' eyes closed again as she focused on purifying the final jewel around her neck.
((It Was Only A Kiss))
Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, waiting for the priestess to allow him back into the real world. As he opened his eyes again, he was met with a weird sensation—he couldn't smell; couldn't hear. He turned his fuzzy vision up to the priestess standing in front of him. "Kagome?" He whispered.
The young woman's eyes snapped open at his voice. "Inu-Yasha!" She ran at the boy as he smiled slightly, opening his arms for her. She tackled her way against his chest, burring her face in his haori. "Oh, Inu-Yasha…" Strong arms embraced her back.
Something wasn't right.
Kagome pulled back slightly. "Inu-Yasha, I can't feel your heart beating." She whispered. His eyes widened.
"That's because he's dead." A growl replied back. Inu-Yasha instantly tensed into a fighting stance, pushing Kagome behind him.
"Come out of the shadows." The male growled in return. A laugh came as a reply as another youkai stepped forward. "You're that youkai who was with Kaguya…"
"Very good human." Rousoku snarled. The youkai took a fighting stance to match Inu-Yasha's. "How could you have killed her? She was stronger than you!"
"Hm, so what makes you think you can stand up to us? You're much weaker than Kaguya." Inu-Yasha shot back, a grin on his face.
"Inu-Yasha," Kagome started, a plan forming in her mind.
"Hu?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at the priestess.
"Don't be so harsh," the girl walked around the boy, whose violet eyes widened in surprise.
"Ka—Kagome!" He called. She ignored him, walking right up to the youkai. Rousoku growled as her soft hand reached out to touch his cheek.
"How long have you been locked in here, Rousoku? Locked in this cave, just waiting for humans and youkai to stumble in for food?" Kagome's voice was like honey, forcing the youkai to hang on her every word. "A very long time, I'm sure." The girl smiled softly as she continued to stroke his face. "You must be ready to rest."
"What?" Rousoku growled, suddenly aware of what the priestess had planed.
"Find peace, leave this world." Kagome answered, sending her new found power into the youkai; purifying his soul.
"NO!" Rousoku shouted before flashing into nothing. Kagome dropped her hand as she sighed slowly. Another enemy destroyed.
"How was that, Inu-Yasha?" The priestess asked smugly, turning around. The boy smirked back at her.
"Not bad, wench."
"Hey!" She laughed at his antics as she put her hands on her hips. Her laughter quickly died away. "What about the mirror?" She asked. And you, Inu-Yasha…? She was afraid to voice her thoughts. What about your life?
The male blinked as he turned around. "Well, I guess we have to destroy it." He took a few steps away from the girl before kneeling down on one knee. She watched as he lifted the powerful relic into his clawless hands. He got back to his feet, his violet orbs locked on the smooth surface, as he made his way back to Kagome.
"Can you break it?" She questioned as their eyes finally met.
"I'll try." One hand pulled away from the gold rimming, before clenching into a fist. Inu-Yasha pulled his arm back further before throwing all of the pent up energy forward. His knuckles connected with the glass, shattering it.
A gasp echoed in the cave as the night receded.
((It Was Only A Kiss))
"Shippo? Hey, wake up!" A male voice called.
"Hu?" The kit opened his eyes to find Miroku staring down at him. "Ah, Miroku!" He jumped to his feet. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure." The monk replied, looking over his shoulder into the cave. "The barrier is gone." Grey eyes narrowed in thought. "Sango…"
"What?" Shippo questioned as the adult got to his feet, running into the dark cave mouth. "Hey, wait up Miroku!" The kit shouted as he ran after the monk.
Did you find them, Sango? Miroku wondered as he ran on. The monk winded his way through the cave, looking for his friends. "Sango! Kirara!" He shouted, seeing the slayer and neko lying against the rock wall. He fell to his knees at the woman's side, carefully lifting her head into his lap. "Sango?" He whispered, stroking the slayer's hair lightly. "Sango, can you hear me?" Miroku watched as the woman's eyes slowly opened, followed quickly by her hand connecting with the side of the monk's face.
"I would think this isn't the time!" Sango shouted, sitting up and pulling away. She glared at the boy before turning to the youkai in the space with them.
"Are you alright, Kirara?" Shippo was asking the larger female. The neko growled lightly in agreement.
"Do you know what's going on?" Sango asked, looking between Shippo and Miroku.
"It was the power of the Mirror of Stillness, but I do not know how it has been released." The monk answered. The slayer's face tightened as she looked ahead at the darkened cave.
"Let's keep moving; all that's important now is that we find Kagome and Inu-Yasha." She said, getting to her feet.
"Right." Miroku nodded, standing next to her. Both ran off, followed closely by the two youkai; they were all anxious to complete their group once again.
((It Was Only A Kiss))
Kagome didn't know what to do. Inu-Yasha had collapsed, with no reason. She couldn't feel a heartbeat, or air passing into his lungs; but she couldn't feel or hear it before. "Inu-Yasha!" The priestess called, laying her forehead on his chest. Her tears began to fall, her breath quickly turning into sobs.
"Why do you cry so? You, such a powerful Miko?" A soft voice asked. Kagome jumped, her tear streaked face quickly lifting from the boy's haori.
"Who's there?" The girl's body shook from exhaustion as her eyes tried to seek out another presence.
"You could not be so upset over a hanyou…?" A crystal bell laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" Kagome shouted to the air. The laughter faded away.
"He is that important to you then…"
Kagome had to shield her eyes from the sudden flash of light. As she brought her hand down, a figure came into view. "Who are you?" The priestess got to her feet, prepared to protect the hanyou's body. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes widening. "Ka—Kaguya?" She stuttered.
The raven haired Celestial Being stood, or rather—floated, just in front of the priestess. "Yes, that is my name." The voice was like music.
"I thought—"
"You did, you purified the thing that had taken over my body; had been using my power."
"So you're…"
"Yes, Miko, I am the true Kaguya."
"But why are you here?"
"You have set me free, and so now I will repay you…"
((It Was Only A Kiss))
Alright everybody, keep those reviews coming, we're almost done, in case you couldn't tell from this chapter. I need all the support I can get! Thank Kami for the candy from Halloween. If you review I will give you some candy, so press that little button! Later,
Myst