Love beyond the Western Lands: The Curse of the Black Gem
Chapter 11: Reviving Kikyou

Miroku, Sango, Kagome and Shippou froze with horror. Even Kirara looked surprised! "Wait, how you even know that!" Kagome exclaimed with horror. Inuyasha sighed. "I can't efface her scent." Sango and Miroku looked at the both of them, aghast. "Inuyasha…" Kagome began, her raven bangs covering her eyes. She looked up, hurt filling her eyes again. "Get ready. We're looking for Sesshoumaru and Kikyou."

As they got up and packed, Inuyasha walked over to Kagome and put his hands on her shoulders. He nipped her ear as Kagome shuddered from the sudden contact. "Gomenasai, Kagome (I'm sorry, Kagome)," Inuyasha whispered into her ear. "Iie, daijoubu (No, its ok)," Kagome replied.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Sesshoumaru flowed rapidly against the rough winds and stinging snow. Clouds hit his face and disintegrated into mist, but he didn't care. Tomo and Rin held Kikyou close, as Enju was drying the mist off her face and clothes with some flames here and there. Jaken was on the look out for any signs of Sara.

"Sara, Sara, Sara…" Sesshoumaru thought furiously (Not furious as in angry, just desperate and stuff), "where the HELL are you!" Though he already knew Sara was close by, he had to pretend he was looking for her for her senses were strong (There's a difference with Sara's power and Goshinki's power. Goshinki can read minds plainly while Sara can only sense the thoughts. If one is thinking something very hard, she can see it immediately and clearly. If one is thinking something weakly, then it's hard to tell).

Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder and nodded to Tomo. Tomo nodded in understanding. Tucking his legs out under of Kikyou's head, Tomo stood up in the fluff and shut his eyes. A blast of wind went by to his left. "Iieke (Go, XD I think that's how it's spelled)!" Tomo cried, whipping out his purple whip at his finger tips. A scream was heard and a snapping.

As Tomo drew back his purple whip, Sara was entangled with it. She scoffed. "You hurt my Shinidama Chu." "You were following us," Sesshoumaru said, without turning. "I can't have a nightly flight to get some fresh air?" Sara said coolly.

Sesshoumaru paid no heed to what she said. "You already knew Kikyou was dead, correct?" Sesshoumaru asked. Tomo set Sara on the fluff but not relinquishing his grip on her with the glowing whip. "I knew that since the moment her tamashii (Soul) left her body," Sara said, slightly regretting her words: Sesshoumaru seemed to tense and stiffen.

"If you're asking for the ritual, just say it," Sara said. "Alright. I am asking for the ritual." Sara smiled. "Alright then. Head northeast." Sesshoumaru flew that way.

Tomo turned to Rin. "I don't trust her. How can we put Haha-Ue's (I'm gonna use Haha-Ue and Chichi-Ue now. –Smiles- We ARE in Ancient Japan!) fate into this wench's hands?" Tomo said sourly. "We all know if something happens, Sesshoumaru is sure to take care of it. You just need a little faith, Tomo," Enju said. "Well how do you know that wench has no plans? After all, she is dead…-ish. Killing Chichi-Ue would be a cinch if all she has to do is drag his tamashii out."

Rin shrugged thoughtfully and adjusted the head crest on her head (It's silvery and is creasing down but its narrowing down. She can wear it with it sticking up or down. There is also a blue diamond –Ahahhahaha! - fixed on the tip). "I know, Tomo. Demo (But)…" Rin sighed and clenched her hands into a fist. "We have to trust Chichi-Ue. If we cannot trust Chichi-Ue, we cannot trust anyone. (XD I picked it up from the 5th Harry Potter book)"

Though Jaken's head was turned the other way, he heard the words clearly. "How dare that ningen brat question Sesshoumaru-Sama's authority. But a little girl so wise in her words… And her looks altered… However, there is no human aura around her… Strange…."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

After what it seems an eternity, they finally arrived at the ritual field. They landed swiftly, with Jaken tumbling out. Since Kikyou was too heavy for Rin to lift and Tomo needed to keep Sara on restraint, she summoned up her ki (Spiritual energy) and lifted Kikyou's body, pushing away Enju's offer of assistance.

"Release me," Sara commanded. "Hell no," Tomo retorted back. "I can't revive your Okaasan if you don't let me go." Tomo looked over at Sesshoumaru. He nodded. With slow, cautious movements, Tomo uncurled his whip.

Sara flexed her arms and chanted something. Soon her clothes changed into a strange pastel blue haori and hakama (It's like Kikyou's Miko uniform: Hakama is the red skirt and Haori is the white top). Extra sets lay in her hands and she handed them to everyone. "I want you change into these clothes as soon as possible, but leave Kikyou be. Sesshoumaru, have you brought something that belongs to Kikyou?"
Sesshoumaru pulled out the white strip that held Kikyou's hair together and in his other hand appeared her kyushi (Bow and arrow set). Sara nodded. She turned to an opening in front of her, looking like a cave. "Ashika, Asuka (The names are pronounced Ah-SHI-ka, while in Japanese it would be pronounced AH-SHKA. Same for Asuka: English: Ah-SU-KA. But for Japanese, it would be pronounced AH-SKA. Here, I prefer they're names to be in the Japanese pronunciation but if you want, pronounce it the English way –Smiles cheerfully- Oh and they are like… really really really really old in years, but there appearance is 14 years old. They are not dead or alive so… XD they are like Sara! And for them, those really old years are considered to be "young")," Sara called. Two girls walked out of the opening, wearing the same clothes Sara and the others were wearing: One with solid purple hair and blue-grey eyes and another girl with blue hair, tinted with purple, and shimmering green eyes.

"Ashika, please go redraw the symbol (Now here's gonna be a little HagaRen –Abbreviation for the Japanese term of Full Metal Alchemist- snippet! –Smiles wryly-)," Sara requested. The girl with blue hair bowed and began drawing the strange symbol on the dirt floor. "Asuka, I need you to go to the sakura orchards and gather some of the branches," Sara said. The girl with the solid purple hair nodded as she leapt on a snow white horse and cantered away.

Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow. "Sakura do not grow at this winter's time (Ermmm… I'm PRETTY sure that there are NO cherry blossoms in the winter! –Smiles-)," Sesshoumaru said flatly.

Sara turned her head just enough so Sesshoumaru could see a sliver of her face and smirked. "This orchard is different from an ordinary sakura tree."

Soon enough, Rin's mind grew weary of holding Kikyou up for such a long time. When Rin gave away, Enju dove under Kikyou and caught her before her long hair touched the ground. When she looked up, she saw Sesshoumaru looking rapidly away, attempting to hide his emotions. Enju sighed. On the outside, Sesshoumaru was the merciless, strong warrior. On the inside, a Sesshoumaru filled with love, sorrow and compassion.

As Ashika finished the last symbol on the dirt floor, Asuka cantered back and leapt off the horse's back, grasping shimmering pink branches of sakura. Sara smiled. "Quite dependable for such young ones like you," Sara said. "Ashika! Would you be so kind to help Asuka pull off the petals? We will need them." Ashika smiled. "Of course."

"Now that those preparations are done…" Sara said to herself softly. "Sesshoumaru!" she commanded. "I want you to stand on that male's symbol. Enju, I want you stand on the female's symbol." Sesshoumaru and Enju did as they were indicated. "Jaken, on that symbol with the crossed hook (It's like a C, with its ends curved like a check mark and below it, which is attached, it's a cross only the top is very small since it is attached together) (XD To make things easier for you, it looks like the Human Transmutation circle!)," Sara exclaimed, pointing at the designated symbol. Jaken waddled to the symbol.

"Tomo, I want you to occupy the symbol with the open circle and dot." Tomo walked over to the circle. "Rin, I would like you to take the symbol right of Tomo." Rin ran over to the symbol.

Sara walked over to Enju and took Kikyou from her arms and walked into the center of the circle. She laid Kikyou down on the inner circle. "Sesshoumaru, give me those items which belong to Kikyou."
Sesshoumaru threw the Kyushi and the white strip to Sara as she caught them swiftly. "The necklace is still with her…" Sesshoumaru thought, relieved to see the little glimmer of the purple gem in her white sleeping haori and hakama.

Sara laid the strip in one of the inner circles, the bow in another but took the quiver of arrows. "Six corners inside the circle, so six arrows." She pulled out an arrow and stabbed one, point down in from of everyone's symbol, and stabbed three around Kikyou and laid the remaining arrows on the last inner symbol. Asuka and Ashika finished plucking the petals off and walked to circle. They threw the petals in the air, the icy wind blowing the petals about. Snow swirled around the bunch. Asuka and Ashika threw more petals. Some got caught in Sesshoumaru, Rin and Tomo's hair while some got stuck atop Jaken's hat.

Sara pulled the strip which held her golden auburn hair together and let it fly in the wind. "Alright, I want everyone to kneel down," Sara said, doing so herself and watching everyone getting on their knees. "Now… place your hands on the symbol when I say go. Ready…" Everyone got their hands up. "…Set…" Everyone tensed. "Go!" All placed their hands on the symbol in front of them. The entire circle glowed blue as Ashika and Asuka scattered more petals.

After hours of kneeling and attempting to protect their eyes from the blinding light, they were all ready to give up… All but Sesshoumaru, Tomo and Rin "NO!" Sara screamed over the now new swishes and cracklings. "I WILL NOT LET YOU GO! YOU CAME ALL THE WAY HERE TO JUST GO THREE-FOURTHS THE WAY THEN GIVING UP! NO WAY IN HELL! SHE IS THE WOMAN YOU LOVE! IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE UP THAT EASILY, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME HERE AT ALL AND IF KIKYOU WERE ALIVE, SHE WOULD HAVE NOT FORGIVEN YOU!" This kept Enju and Jaken glued to the spots.

After a few more minutes of blinding light, crackling, harsh winds and sakura petals, it died down. "What happened?" Rin asked, scared. A groan was heard. "Mmmmmmmmm…" Sesshoumaru's face lightened up. "KIKYOU?" he yelled. He got up from his knees and ran into the center of the circle, followed by Rin and Tomo, Enju, Sara, Asuka and Ashika, and Jaken, all carefully avoided of tripping over the arrows.

Kikyou was alive, stirring in the inner circle. Sesshoumaru took her into his arms. Kikyou's eyelids tensed for a few seconds. Then she slowly opened them. As her vision focused she saw Enju, Tomo, Rin and Jaken. Sara was watching from behind Sesshoumaru. She turned her head and saw him. Her flushed lips curved into a smile as she swung her arms around Sesshoumaru as Tomo and Rin ran up to her.

"You're alive, Kikyou! Alive!" Sesshoumaru, Rin and Tomo cried. Kikyou hugged them all and then turned to Sara, who was quite surprised. "Sara-san, arigato and your students, too." "Meh (As with Keh and Feh, say it in a very Inuyasha-ish way, please! –Smiles-), it was nothing."

Kikyou smiled a little bit. Suddenly, Sara knelt down with some strips and wrapped them around Kikyou's bare feet. "Wha…" "You don't have shoes. You can't travel in this weather without anything covering your feet." Kikyou smiled even more. "Arigato." "Anytime."

As Kikyou tried to stand, her legs fell limp. Sesshoumaru swooped under her as he took Kikyou's belongings and tucking them in thin air (Which means he made it disappear XP). "Just remember this," Sara said. "She cannot walk for at least a week. On very rare occasions, some people's will were very strong and were able to move when they needed to. This same phenomenon happened 50 years ago, when a Shinto Miko named Riko was resurrected with the same transmutation circle like this."

Kikyou, Sesshoumaru, Tomo, Rin, Enju as well as Jaken were shaken. "Riko?" They all exclaimed. Sara sweat dropped and grinned nervously. "Eh…. Yea!" They all sweat dropped harder than Sara. "Riko… is currently living at our home…" Kikyou said slowly. "Hmm…" Sara pondered.

"Anyway, thank you for your help, Sara," Sesshoumaru said. "Good bye." "Mm hmm." With that, Sesshoumaru leapt into the air, his fluff trailing behind as Rin, Tomo, Enju and Jaken grabbed on. "Arigato, Sara-san!" Rin screamed, waving.

Kikyou snuggled next to Sesshoumaru while Tomo and Rin snuggled about the two of them. "Haha-Ue, although this may sound strange but… what does it feel like to die?" Rin asked curiously. "REALLY, Rin!" Tomo exclaimed. Sesshoumaru smiled a bit as did Enju and Jaken. "You're Nii-san (Older brother XD Until I find how you say it in Ancient Japan, I'll be using Nii-san) is right, Rin," Sesshoumaru said. "Hai, Rin-Chan!" Enju chimed in. "You should not ask you're Haha-Ue such rash questions."

Kikyou chuckled a bit and smiled. "Rin, are you sure you want to learn what it feels like?" Rin nodded. Kikyou sighed and brought Rin into her lap. "When you are on the verge of death… all goes numb. You're eyes blur into a haze. When you close your eyes, you feel like you are falling underneath yourself. The world around you breaks off, and you either go to heaven, hell or purgatory." But when Kikyou was done speaking, Rin and Tomo already was cuddled against Kikyou, asleep. "Oei (Hey! XD My stupid cousin pronounces it Ay but it's supposed to be pronounced Oh-ay, ok?), Rin-Chan," Kikyou said, lightly nudging Rin's head. She just stirred. Kikyou smiled. Closing her eyes, Kikyou rested her head on Sesshoumaru's shoulder and fell asleep. Sesshoumaru smiled, and swung his arm around her, his fingers brushing against Rin and Tomo's cheeks.

From the rear, Enju was watching, as Jaken was asleep, a bubble forming at his nose. Enju giggled lightly at the sight and crawled next to Jaken and popped the bubble with her tanto. "Sesshoumaru… all this time, trying to conceal your loving nature," Enju thought, happily. "Though it gets revealed at the end anyway." She sighed, thinking in her thoughts, when it was the last time she had tried to love someone. Suddenly, she scoffed to herself. "Oh yes… I never did…" Suddenly, an image of a man with blood red hair and golden-sun eyes (Which is his eye color XP) appeared before her eyes. "Who is that?" she thought, fazed. "Where have I seen him before…? Hakuro…"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Sara smiled and waved back until they disappeared into the distance. "Sara-Sensei, are they going to be ok?" Asuka asked. "They should be fine," Sara said. "Unless the Riko they know…" Sara thought. "…is the KURO-Miko Riko. Other than that… she shouldn't be… Black hair, purple grey eyes, slender carved body… (XD I can't remember if I gave Riko an eye color but erm… XDDDD We'll just say her eyes are purple grey! –Smiles nervously while sweat dropping- Heh… heh heh…) …the features of the strongest Kuro-Miko aside from Tsubaki."

To be continued…