Edge of Heaven
By Devon Masterson-Bond
Level Six
"You must concentrate, Kirby, empty all thoughts from your mind," Sensei urged from beside him. Both were under the falls of a small brook behind the shrine. Sensei was very worried about the young man upon seeing him. Kirby looked even more exhausted and haggard than the last time he came to him for help.
"I am trying, Sensei."
"Try harder. Your past self was not meant to come back or you wouldn't have such a difficult time of it." Sensei straightened himself in the falls. "Now to find your center…"
Kirby squeezed his eyes shut as Sensei's words faded into water rushing over him. His senses were going crazy making it difficult to concentrate he could get through the ritual like this.
"I said concentrate," Sensei said worriedly. With his words, a slap in the back of the head was issued.
Kirby sucked in a breath and grabbed his head. "Ow! Was that really necessary?" he asked turning to his attacker. His eyes widened when he saw his brother sitting Indian style with his arms crossed. He was wearing a crimson nobleman's garb from the fifteenth century. Out of instinct, he looked down at himself. He was the monk again, but this was the first time he encountered anyone that he recognized. "Rich, this not funny."
The white haired man next to him raised an ebony eyebrow and leaned toward him sniffing. Satisfied he waved his hand to dismiss the confused monk. "Stop goofing around, fool, we need to get back to Sango and Kagome. We don't have time for your phony fortune telling." He stood and walked out of the door.
Kirby jumped to his feet. "Richard, what's going on I…"
"Has being a lech finally gone to your brain? Why do you keep calling me, Richard? My name's Inu Yasha and you're Miroku, now stop SCREWING AROUND!"
Kirby blinked then balled his fist in annoyance. Richard was never in his dreams, always the monk or the demon huntress. There was something that was not right. He looked at his hand. It was wrapped in rosary. Then there were his surroundings. It was quiet and he could hardly small anything. "What's happening?" he asked lowly.
"Fine stay there," Inu Yasha said without turning around. He walked away.
"Inu Yasha! Inu Yasha!" Shippo cried out as he ran toward them.
Inu Yasha broke into a run. "What's wrong!? Is Kagome okay?" he asked.
Shippo nodded as he tried to catch his breath. "I got bored and went looking for you."
Inu Yasha smacked the kitsune in head. "Idiot."
"What was that for?" he asked holding his head. His eyes were starting to well up with tears.
"For making me think there was danger," Inu Yasha replied. "And where are Kagome and Sango anyway?"
Shippo looked towards the white haired demon hatefully. "They're taking a bath."
A crimson flush brushed Inu Yasha's cheeks. "Women," he sighed. "I've got you, the village idiot, the lech, and them, all riding my back. We'll never find the shards."
The young kitsune rolled his eyes and walked away. Inu Yasha was always spouting off about how everyone was useless to him, when they all knew he would not be anywhere without them. He was full of it. "What's Miroku doing?" he wondered as he ran over to the monk. He picked up a twig and edged over to him cautiously. "Are you sick?" he asked poking with him the stick.
Violet eyes widened. "Shi?" He asked as he grabbed Shippo and shook him. "Is this some kind of trick, cut it out!"
"Ahhh!" Shippo screamed in terror as he struggled against the crazed man.
Inu Yasha bounded towards them and slapped Kirby in the back of the head. "What's wrong with you…"
"…Focus, Kirby!" Sensei warned. "You're consciousness is slipping."
Kirby sat up disoriented. He was back in his watery surroundings. The sights, sounds, and smells were back. He was almost ready to dance in joy when he caught whiff of a familiar scent. "Richard's mate!" He turned his head and suddenly he could smell hints of her everywhere. How could he have missed this before? "Sensei," he said grabbing hold of the man with more strength than he intended, "the granddaughter that's always traveling, is she back?"
"Yes, Kagome is back. Now concentrate…"
"I have to go." He stood up and bowed respectively before darting away. Kagome was popping up everywhere and it was no coincidence. She had to be the answer to his solution. "What's he doing here?"
"What's he up to?" Sensei sighed
Richard raised his head and sniffed the air. There was the scent again and it was strong this time. He balled his fist trying to control himself. This had to be some sort of set up, Kirby's behavior, a scent that drove him insane, it was all too coincidental. Something was about to happen.
"It's not fair," A voice cried from below him.
Richard looked down from the large tree where he had been standing. A smile crossed his face; the source of the scent. He jumped down the tree and transformed into the half demon state. He was more intimidating that way. "Who are you?" he asked as he turned the crying individual around. Amber eyes narrowed then widened. "Ka..ka..Kagome?"
"Inu Yasha!" she cried out moving towards him.
Richard stepped back. "You're not real," he said in disbelief. He then balled his fist. "Is this a trick?"
Kagome wiped her tears. Her cheeks reddened as she searched his eyes. Only a single spark of recognition. "You're a jerk you know that?" she asked angrily. She turned around. "You may not be him, but you know me. We met at the airport, remember?"
"What the hell are you talkin' about, lady?" Richard barked stepping forward. "I am not the one with a screw loose here, it's you."
"Excuse me?" Kagome snapped turning around. "I was perfectly fine next to my tree when you butted into my life."
"Perfectly fine?" he asked. This chick had serious denial problems. "When I came up you were crying against the tree like some baby. 'It's not fair. It's not fair. Wah wah.' You're so weak it's no wonder you're alone…" his sentence trailed as Kagome's hand cracked across his face. A look of shock passed over his features as he shifted back to his human form. He held his cheek. "What the hell was that for?"
"There's no way that you could be him," she whispered breathing hard. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she stared at the image of Inu Yasha. Her heart ached and it was like losing him all over again. "Ow!" she cried out in pain. She fell to her knees clutching her stomach.
"Hey what's wrong?" Richard asked moving over to her quickly.
"Just get away from me," Kagome replied pushing him away. "I…"
"Kagome," Kelly called as she ran up. She stopped when she saw the stranger from the airport kneeling beside her cousin. "What did you do to her, lech?"
An eyebrow raised in annoyance it was all making sense. This misunderstanding was about Kirby. "He's always causing trouble where ever he goes," he mumbled.
"Kelly," Kagome sighed the pain was subsiding in her abdomen, but her heart still ached. The girl joined her side and helped her up.
"Are you okay," Kelly asked. She kept her eyes on Richard.
Kagome shook her head. "I need to get away."
"Wait a minute," Richard said grabbing her arm.
Kagome pulled away from him. "Don't touch me. I hate you."
"Yeah, whatever, lady, I'm just looking for my brother and I want to know where he is.."
"Richard!" Kirby yelled as he jumped from the roof of the temple. He landed beside his brother and sighed. "So are you now going to explain this situation?"
"Me explain? How about you? I go looking for you and crazed women ready to attack me for something you did.."
"I didn't do anything," Kirby replied calmly. "At least not this time, but I think it's time you come clean…"
The two siblings began to argue not noticing the two women staring at them only blinking as they tried to process the information. Two of them? Two Inu Yasha's? It was impossible. "I can't take this," she thought shaking her head. "Stop it!" Kagome yelled as moved in between the two brothers. "Just stop it."
Richard and Kirby stared at each other then at Kagome. In unison they both flushed at their behavior as they both returned to their human forms. "I apologize for my brother's behavior," Kirby sighed. Richard shot him a look. "And mine. We should not fight in front of you." He then turned towards Richard and cleared his throat.
"Me too," he mumbled so that it was barely audible.
Kirby shook his head. "So, Miss.."
"What are you doing here?" Kelly asked stepping in front Kagome. Her mind was spinning from the aura's she was picking up from the twin demons. She had never encountered a demon of their magnitude. Usually she exorcised the usual household demon that caused bad luck in the home or the occasional poltergeist. But never anything like the two standing before her. There was something familiar about both of them. At first she thought, one of them might have been the monk from her previous life...but reincarnating as a demon. That was quite odd.
"My business is with Kagome," Kirby replied.
Richard turned his head. "What business do you have with Kagome?" he asked stepping in front of Kelly and Kagome. His brother was up to something and he did not like it.
"Don't worry. I want to ask your mate something," Kirby answered.
"Mate?" Kagome and Richard asked in unison.
"Don't insult me. I can smell your scent on her and she's carrying your pup," he replied folding his arms. "I don't see why you'd keep something like this from me. I am your twin brother."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Richard yelled. He was finding it hard to keep his temper today and standing next to Kagome was not helping. She was drawing him into her. First it was dreams and now it was her scent. He could not deny that it made him feel linked to her, but he hardly knew her. No, he did not know her at all. There was no way he could have fathered a child with her. He was not going to be trapped like this.
"Again, with the ignorance," Kirby said shaking his head. He stepped around Richard and looked at Kagome and Kelly. "You two ladies seem to be caught up in the strange situation, but I believe, you Lady Kagome have the answers I am looking for." He took Kagome's hand and kissed it. From behind him he could a low growl. "I knew it."
"You know what?" Kelly asked annoyed.
"That I was right," Kirby smiled. Violet eyes moved towards his obviously annoyed brother then turned back to Kelly. An image of her holding a large boomerang flashed in his mind. His interest was clearly piqued.
"What are you looking at?" Kelly asked flushing.
Kirby raised a curious eyebrow. "I have been experiencing visions of the past and I think you and your friend may have the answers that I need."
"Kagome isn't…"
"Kelly, I can handle this," Kagome interrupted. This was no coincidence that they all gathered here. It was time to face everything…everything. "Come inside and I'll make some tea."
Richard and Kirby nodded, both were curious. Richard even more so, now he would get answers for himself and find out what his brother was up to. "I just need to call a friend. I have a feeling that he will have some answers as well."
"That's fine," Kagome nodded.
"You think your friend is a reincarnation too?" Kelly asked curiously as they walked toward the house.
"I saw him in my last vision, I believe you called him Shippo," he answered.
To be continued…
© 2004 Devon MastersonWhat is mine is mine and what is R. Takahashi is hersJ I just write here and for nothing at that;p