Revelations
...OOO...
It was still an hour or so before dawn when Kikyo departed, casting one long glance at the darkened castle vanishing beneath her. Inuyasha and Kagome were fast asleep, but she had not dared to see Sesshomaru before leaving- for her sake as much as for his- unsure if she would still be able to part or that he would still let her. It was better not to tempt themselves with those possibilities.
...ooo...
From the shadow cast remnants of the grand balcony, Sesshomaru watched her disappear into the sky, fighting the urge to go after her and force her to stay. If she did not want to stay, he told himself, then he had no reason to want her to. So why did he want her to?
For a long time he stood there unmoving, watching the first fingers of sunlight pierce the night. A strange feeling arose within him- a feeling he had felt only once centuries ago- a feeling he had thought he had long buried forever. The feeling of loneliness.
...ooo...
Strong northern winds whipped past Kagura as she sailed for Sesshomaru's castle in the mountain hoping that Kikyo would still be there. She had not stuck around to find out whether Naraku's plot succeeded and he had not returned to inform her otherwise, but she decided to risk the journey. Behind her, Kanna sat silently. It was her last request and Kagura did not want to deny it. Besides, a part of her was very curious where this was all leading to. She would have been content with unanswered questions if she had had her freedom, but since her first enslavement to Naraku she had come to find that answers where the key in obtaining that desire now stripped of her for the second time. What had she to lose?
Still, she didn't want to have to see Sesshomaru again if she could help it... As she thought that, the memory of their last encounter brought itself to mind, and she frowned bitterly.
"Kagura," Kanna interrupted her thoughts, "up ahead. The priestess."
And sure enough Kagura could not believe her good luck in finding Kikyo only about a field or two away. By herself.
...ooo...
The first rays of the morning found Kikyo in a vast empty plain wading in a sea of tall gently swaying grass. She was still not sure as to a destination, but since staying in one place was out of the question, she wandered aimlessly, putting her trust once again in fate.
It didn't fail her.
Glancing up at the sky, Kikyo saw the familiar white feather gliding towards her, descending as it drew nearer, and she readied her bow just in case. But Kagura did not alight.
Skipping all formalities, she merely stated with a nod of her head to the little white figure behind her, "She wants to speak with you. About Naraku."
Kikyo did not answer, her hands not relaxing on her bow as she awaited for Kanna to talk.
Glancing around uneasily at the openess of their surroundings, however, Kagura announced, "Not here. Will you come with us?"
"Where?" Kikyo asked.
With another wide sweep Kagura spotted a clump of trees crowned with a dense thicket of trees and motioned to them, "There." Without waiting for a reply, she flew for them, landing just outside to disembark with Kanna.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked her as they awaited for Kikyo to arrive.
"I don't doubt," Kanna reminded her.
When Kikyo reached the hilltop, they stared at one another for a brief moment and then wordlessly they entered the woods, not stopping until they were at its heart. Once there Kagura hung back as Kanna approached Kikyo.
"What did you wish to tell me?" she inquired.
"Priestess," Kanna began. "Do you wish to know how to defeat Naraku?"
Kikyo's eyes first widened in surprise then turned to dangerous icy slits.
"Do not toy with me," she warned. "I am in no mood." and she turned to walk away.
"Tell me," Kanna asked slowly, "how did you survive the collapse of that mountain?"
It stopped Kikyo short.
Glancing over her shoulder she replied, "The jewel in my body- it must have preserved me."
"So," Kanna continued, "how do you suppose Naraku survived?"
Kikyo turned fully around, piercing eyes scrutinizing Kanna's blank expression which conveyed no intention.
"Why do you want me to know?" she finally asked, ascertaining nothing.
"Why must I have a reason?" Kanna countered.
Again Kikyo could not help but be suspicious. After a moment of deliberation however, she decided there was little harm in hearing her out and then deciding whether what she said was the truth or not. Setting aside her hesitation, she waited for Kanna to explain.
...ooo...
"Inuyasha," Kagome gently prodded the red snoring form lying askew on the mattress. "Inuyasha..."
With a grunted 'snorx' he opened his eyes, yawning and stretching.
"What is it?" he asked, his voice still scratchy from sleep.
"Um," she explained, "I was wondering if you would come down to the springs with me to catch some fish for breakfast before everyone else woke up. I'm a little hungry."
With another drawn out yawn, he agreed, "Ok." And together they made their way past the thin gathering of trees to the glades at the foot of the mountain, taking a leisurely pace as neither was in a particular hurry. It was a beautiful morning bright with promise of a peaceful day ahead, and with no eminent danger, they decided to make the most of it.
...ooo...
Kagura bit her lower lip in deep concentration. She had stood in the background, silently listening as Kanna explained the situation fully to Kikyo, but upon hearing them, she found the answers more disturbing than the questions themselves. Kikyo, however, did not take long in deciding the matter- she would follow through with Kanna's suggestions. Kagura had more reservations, but with little other available options, she too decided to adhere to the plan. They were to go to the forest of the bird demons, but when Kagura made to draw out her feather, Kanna stopped her and summoned her away.
'He will forgive you, Kagura,' she had stated simply. 'Go to him and tell him of her plight. He will forgive you.'
She did not have to speak his name- Kagura understood she meant Sesshomaru.
'Are you sure?' she had asked in return.
'Yes. Go.'
'What about you?'
'I must accompany the priestess. Kagura...' Kanna hesitated slightly before continuing in her dead tone. 'You will no longer see me after this. My time is over.'
Kneeling, Kagura nodded and in a rare show of affection, gave her an awkward hug, 'Good-bye, Kanna.'
'Take care, Kagura.'
With a thin sigh, Kagura let her go and departed, glancing back for one last glimpse. But Kanna had disappeared.
It was strange, she reflected, how much she would miss her even though they had never been very close. But Kagura supposed it was because she never really had anyone else in her life. Kanna had been the only company she could stomach aside from that human boy Kohaku, but his time with them had been short. Naraku had finally removed that shard from his back in order to complete the jewel. She wondered if Kanna would meet him in the afterlife. It was a stupid musing since she knew Kanna did not care about loneliness, but Kagura still didn't want her to be alone.
Sighing deeply, Kagura tried to brush away the thoughts. It was time to let go...
...ooo...
"OW!" Kagome cried as she lost her footing and fell backwards on the small rise. Rubbing the small bump already forming on her head, she picked herself up, muttering. She tried to wipe away the big glob of dirt clinging to her skirt, but succeeded only on making a bigger mess. From head to toe she was soaking wet after falling into the water, and she had left Inuyasha there to finish catching their breakfast and lunch while she decided to trudge back to the castle and her backpack where she had a change of clothes.
What else can go wrong? she mumbled miserably, tearing away a piece of wood stuck to her hair, and as if in answer she shivered violently as a strong gust of wind encircled around her. Looking up she was shocked and frightened to see Kagura swooping down to her pensively realizing she had not brought neither bow nor arrow with her.
...ooo...
Kagura had wavered at the entrance to the forest, apprehensively eyeing the castle in the distance. She still did not want to face Sesshomaru, perceiving nothing but anger and distrust on his part upon her arrival. And of course she couldn't blame him... Again she wondered if she should bother at all, but then she spotted Kagome down below her and thanked her lucky stars- if she did indeed have them- for the second time that day.
Yes, she decided. She would tell the girl and then leave it for her to convey the message to Inuyasha or Sesshomaru- she did not care which. Her part would have been played.
"Girl," she spoke as she landed, spreading her fan to gesture Kagome to halt. "I must speak with you."
"About what?" Kagome asked hoping Inuyasha would pick up the wind witch's scent and come to her aid.
Sensing her discomfort, Kagura assured her, "This is no trick. I came to tell you about the priestess."
Kagome paused, suddenly confused, "Kikyo? What about her?"
"She's gone to meet Naraku," Kagura stated plaintively.
"What? What do you mean? Kikyo is back in the castle."
This time it was Kagura's turn to look surprise. Had she not let them know she was leaving? she wondered. But before she could make a reply, she was stopped by a cold voice behind her.
"Kagura."
She and Kagome both turned, astounded by Sesshomaru's sudden appearance.
"Hey, Sesshomaru," Kagome spoke. "Where is Kikyo?"
He didn't answer her, however, keeping his eyes locked on Kagura.
"I told you," she answered, trying to ignore him by addressing Kagome. "I met her just earlier this morning."
"What?" Sesshomaru couldn't help but be amazed by the revelation.
"You have to listen to me," Kagura replied. "I didn't have to come here, but I did. The least you can do is hear me out."
A sudden foreboding rose in Kagome's throat, "What happened?"
Kagura related Kanna's words to them.
"When that priestess used the Shikon Jewel to purify Naraku that day in the mountain, she didn't know it, but something went wrong. I suppose it is because the jewel is created from both demonic and spiritual energy, but it was split in two- half residing in her, the other within Naraku. I don't know the details... but the priestess said that when she awoke after that day, she was miles away from the mountain. We can only guess it was the jewel's power which transported her to safety. Likewise the other half was probably teleported away, but since Naraku's body was destroyed, all it could keep alive was his consciousness. Since then however, the jewel has been seeking a way to make itself whole again."
"Wait," Kagome interrupted. "If that's true, then why is Kikyo going to meet Naraku?"
"Kanna has found out where the other half of the jewel is," she explained. "It's in a forest northwest of here."
The forest of the bird demons, Sesshomaru concluded, but asked, "If the jewel has been out in the open so long, then tell me- why has not some demon or other come across it and taken it? Surely something which emits such a powerful energy would be easy to locate."
"That's another thing," Kagura answered. "The jewel itself is dead. Perhaps it had transferred it's power to Naraku the way the other half is used by the priestess. It would explain how he manages to still infest others."
A low growl thundered dangerously in Sesshomaru's throat, but Kagome cut him off.
"But what about Kikyo?" she prodded. "What is she planning to do?"
"Kanna has also found a way to resurrect Naraku- though only temporarily," Kagura went on. "She says if Naraku's consciousness is brought together with the jewel inside a physical body, then the jewel's power will be restored- the way the other half stayed in tact within the priestess. That is why she wants to see him- to restore the jewel fully so she can purify it and destroy it."
"W-wait..." Kagome stammered as realization hit her. "But if the jewel is what's keeping her alive... then if she destroys it, won't she... die?" The word barely squeaked out of her lips.
...OOO...