Ashes to Ashes

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Memories/Telepathy

Stressed


"Kagome," the gentle voice called out to her darkened cage.

Her blue eyes slowly opened to reveal where she was. Fear shot through her as she took in the scenery. A man with blue-gray eyes stared down at her; his short black hair was slightly messy. Kagome slowly gazed up at the man with a smile. He picked her up and hugged her to his chest. Kagome softly giggled as he spun her around. Cherry blossoms fell around them as they laughed together.

"Are you happy Kagome?" The man questioned.

"Very much daddy!" Kagome piped with a giggle.

"It's your brother's birthday," her dad spoke.

"Souta is so cute!" Kagome quickly said as she remembered his chubby cheeks from when he was first born.

"What do you want to get him?" Her dad questioned. Kagome stuck her thumb in her mouth as she thought.

"Let's get him a puppy!" Kagome exclaimed.

Her father gently laughed at her enthusiasm. Kagome picked up a cherry blossom and let it float on the gentle breeze. Kagome's attention turned to the children in the park. They danced around a child in the middle of the circle.

"Kagome, Kagome," they children sang as she watched them. "When does the bird inside the cage come out?"

She watched them as her father grasped her hand.

"At dawns and evenings."

Her father watched the children play as the child in the middle kept his eyes closed.

"Who is in front of the back, where a crane and turtle slipped and fell?"

The children finished the song and the children stopped dancing in a circle. The child in the middle called out a name and frowned when he got it wrong. The children laughed and chanted 'still the oni' at him.

"Father," Kagome whispered to him.

"Yes," he softly whispered back.

"What's a Kagome?" She softly asked.

"You are," he replied with a smile.

"I know that," Kagome sighed as she rolled her eyes, "but what is Kagome in that song?"

"I'm not sure, nobody knows what or who Kagome is." Her father answered with a smile.

Kagome nodded her head to show that she accepted the answer, but she didn't accept the answer. Her father smiled at her and picked her back up again. He waited for the light to change before he crossed the street. Kagome kissed his cheek and whispered an 'I love you.' He smiled before a horn blared. Her eyes widened as she felt herself thrown from her father's arms. A scream and squealing tires reached her ears as she began to sob.

"Daddy!"

Kagome sat up as she heaved in breathes. She wiped her tears and noticed she was drenched in sweat. Fear coursed through her as she crawled out of the futon and to the shoji door. She pushed herself to the knees and threw open the shoji door. A cool breeze glided around her form as she tried to rid herself of the nightmare. She ran a shaky hand through her sweat filled hair. Kagome coughed andshivered. The shoji screen to her room was opened and Maro stepped through.

Her blue-gray eyes watched as he kneeled in front of her. He reached out and checked her pupils before sighing. He carefully picked her up and carried her back to her futon. Kagome pulled her sheet to her and shivered. Maro sat beside her and gazed at her form.

"If I had known you had this much fear, then I would have never pushed you to confront them this soon," Maro whispered to her.

"Is this…is the training bringing out my fears?" Kagome questioned with some anger.

"Yes," Maro admitted.

Kagome stopped shivering and went still. She had long forgotten how her father had died. She had known, but she blocked most of it out. Kagome sat up, wiped the sweat away, and glared at the sweat soaked sheets. She had long since blocked the memory of her father's death away. Kagome shivered as she remembered the blood and sound of sirens. Her eyes closed and she could see him taking his last few breaths. Kagome bit her lower lip and realized she knew her father was dead, but she hadn't accepted it. Kagome buried her face within her hands and sobbed.

"I'm sorry," Maro whispered.

"No!" Kagome quickly snapped at him. "Naraku could of used this memory to weaken me, it's better this way."

Maro smiled and patted her back. Kagome looked at him in confusion. He stood up and stretched.

"You are learning," Maro whispered as he walked out of the room.

Kagome nodded with a sad smile. She stood up and decided that it was time to take another bath. Her nerves had stopped bothering her and the impact of the memory was slowly going away. Kagome quickly walked down to the river where she bathed within the cool currents. She quickly dressed in her Chihaya and tied her hair back with a red sash. Kagome made the sash into a bow and smiled at her work. Kagome then stood up and made her way back to the shrine.

Maro was waiting at the end of the bridge. She stopped a few feet away and noticed that he wore his crow helmet again. Kagome stopped and wondered what lesson could he teach her now. Maro held the giant leaf in his left hand and quickly brought it down. Kagome held her arm up to block the wind that pushed her back. Kagome grimaced as another wave of wind pushed her back. He was going to make her earn her way into the temple. Kagome pulled her beads out and threw them into the air. The red and white beads scattered into the wind before they began to glow white. Kagome pointed to Maro.

"Beads of Red and white, restrain the enemy, listen and obey my call," Kagome chanted as they shot off after him.

Kagome grinned as they circled around Maro and formed a giant chain around his body. She frowned when he brought the leaf fan down and sent the beads to the ground. Kagome growled in annoyance and picked up one of the fallen beads. She held it within her palms and sighed.

"Disarm!" Kagome shouted.

The beads went flying as they pulsed. Kagome watched as they shot through the fan and rendered it useless. Kagome felt sorrow for the lost of his weapon. Maro took off into the sky and plunged down to the earth. Kagome felt her fear rearing its ugly head again. She began to panic and felt as if the battle was over. He would be able to dodge her beads.

"Are you happy Kagome?"

'No, father I'm miserable,' Kagome thought as she watched Maro appear closer.

"What's a Kagome?"

'A Kagome is weak,' Kagome thought with disdain.

"I'm not sure, nobody knows what or who Kagome is."

"I am not weak," Kagome firmly growled as she held her hands above.

Maro's eyes widened as he tried to stop the impact. The barrier flared to life with a flash of bluish energy. Kagome watched as he slammed into the barrier and was shot into the river. Her eyes were wide in shock. She heard her heartbeat as she studied the pulsing ki. Kagome lowered her hands and the barrier vanished.

'What is this power? The curse is supposed to weaken me,' Kagome questioned as her mind raced.

Kagome sank to her knees and stared at her hands in shock. She pulled the Tama from her neck and realized that is was radiating purity. It had been dulled for the past couple of days. She wondered if she was growing stronger.

"You pack a punch," Maro stated as he landed back on the bridge.

"The curse is supposed to weaken me…I don't understand," Kagome whispered as he picked her up.

"Are you sure the curse followed you?" Maro asked.

"Yes…no, it ended when Kikyo died," Kagome answered as he smiled.

"The curse was all in your mind," Maro assured her.

"Then how come my power became corrupt?" Kagome questioned.

"Your fears clouded your heart," Maro suggested.

"Then why was I so pale and solemn?" Kagome challenged.

"Mood swings," Maro teased and panicked as he noticed her glare. "I kid, I kid!"

"So it was all in my mind," Kagome whispered.

"You just locked yourself in your own misery," Maro stated as he studied her.

Kagome nodded in understanding before she hugged him. She had been so caught up in her sorrow; she was killing herself from the inside. Kagome did a happy dance as her eyes lit up with an idea. She turned to Maro and smiled.

"I need to go north for a few days," Kagome claimed.

"What for?" Maro questioned, he didn't want her training to be delayed.

"I need to bring back someone special to me," Kagome whispered. She felt a renewed hope.

"How will you get there?" Maro questioned.

"I…I don't know," Kagome whispered.

Maro sighed and whistled loudly. Kagome raised an eyebrow in question as nothing happened. He smiled and her and remained confused.

"Release your Miko ki," Maro whispered.

Kagome nodded and let her ki radiated from her form. A gentle song touched her ears and she smiled. Kagome allowed her ki to reach for the song she heard in the forest. The song became louder and she heard a whisper. Her eyes closed and she marveled in the song of the forest. Her eyes opened when she noticed that the song was that of everything living. Kagome watched as a cloud shot down from the sky. She took a step back in slightshock as it landed in front of her. It pulsed with pure energy and took form. Kagome stilled as she watched the figure in front of her.

"A Kirin," Kagome whispered in admiration.

"There is nothing to fear"

"How do you know him?" Kagome whispered in glee.

"I met him in my travels," Maro answered.

"Can I pet him?" Kagome hesitantly asked.

"Ask him," Maro encouraged.

"May I?" Kagome asked the pure creature.

"You may"

Kagome squealed in delight as she rushed toward the Kirin. His shoulders reached her shoulders as he stood on all fours. Kagome compared him to a white horse and found that his beauty exceeded that. Kagome ran her hand along his skin expecting to feel fur. Her eyes widened in shock as she felt the pearly scales that covered his body. Her hand traced the scales to his mane. His mane was iridescent blue that reflected the sky he had dropped from. The fur around his sky blue hooves flowed in an invisible wind. Kagome followed the mane and ran her hand along his scale-covered face. She found that he had a single white horn sticking out of his forehead.

Kagome gazed into his sky blue eyes and sighed. She rested her forehead against his, just below the horn. He snorted and his breath flowed against her skin. Kagome could feel there minds linking and she knew there was nothing to fear.

"You answered my song," the Kirin whispered to her mind.

"I could not help it, it called to me," Kagome honestly said.

"Because you have answered with such purity I will be your guardian," the Kirin responded.

"That is too much to ask for," Kagome protested as her eyes opened and gazed into his.

"I offer it," the Kirin assured.

"Thank you…"

"You may call me Joukai," the Kirin whispered.

"Joukai-sama," Kagome tested. "I am Kagome."

"I see he likes you," Maro broke their conversation.

"He is so…beautiful," Kagome whispered.

"He'll guard you with his life no matter what happens," Maro assured.

"Then I'll be back soon," Kagome assured.

Maro nodded and watched as the Kirin lowered to the ground her to climb onto his back. Kagome secured her hands in his mane and mentally told him where to go. He nodded and they glowed white before they shot off into the sky. Kagome laughed as she felt the wind rush against her. She buried her face in Joukai's mane and sighed. She would never forget this experience.

"Why do you wish to visit this Enju?" Joukai inquired.

"I once fell in love with a resurrected human," Kagome confided.

"I can feel the truth in your words, but what are your intentions?" Joukai asked.

"Would it be wrong to bring him back?" Kagome softly questioned.

"I respect life and death, I would not toy in the matter," Joukai answered.

"I just want him back," Kagome whispered.

"Then we shall get him for you," Joukai seriously said as he picked up speed.

Author's Note:

The next chapter will start at where the first chapter left off. And I don't think Maro will get a girl of his own...Anybody know what Kagome's name really means...I mean the rhyme is a real game and all.
Please leave a review and I'll update as soon as possible
Happy Holidays!