Sorry for the wait but Holidays are hectic!
Resurrection
"Talking"
'Thinking'
TelepathyStressed
Kagome watched as Enju worked with determined concentration. She mixed the ashes into dirt and sculpted. Enju asked Kagome to leave and she left with slight hesitation. Joukai had left for the time being; he clearly stated he didn't like the area much. Kagome sat at the edged of the cliff and wondered when the sun would rise. The skywas already beginning to lighten. Her orbs traveled back to the cave when she felt a high amount of ki. Kagome felt the wind pick up and a white orb sped past her and into the darkness of the cave. Kagome stood up and ran into the cave with slight worry.
"Awaken," Enju firmly spoke as she hit the dirt barrier surrounding the body.
Kagome watched as cracks of light spread throughout the body cast. The first thing she noticed was the face. Tears would have come to her eyes if she had allowed them. The body lay there like a corpse for a few moments. His eyes were close and his chest didn't move. Kagome cautiously approached and kneeled next to the naked body. She ran her hands from his stomach to his face. Her finger traced his cheekbones with a smile.
"He's perfect," Kagome whispered to Enju.
"I think he's my best work," Enju supplied. Kagome nodded in agreement.
"Why isn't he awake?" Kagome questioned with confusion evident.
"His soul is there, it came back to him," Enju mumbled as Kagome tapped his cheek.
"Bankotsu," Kagome sighed as she moved her fingers to his lips.
Kagome had no time to react; his hand shot up and grasped hers. Cerulean eyes shot open and focused on her face. Kagome tensed, she was afraid of the reaction she would receive. She feared that he would hate her like Kikyo hated Inuyasha. His grip slackened and he sat up. He brought her hand to his thigh and stared at his surrounding, Kagome blushed and stilled her hand.
"W-where am I?" Bankotsu asked, his voice sounded as if he just woke up.
"In a cave," Kagome dryly said as he glared at her.
"I can figure that," he retorted.
"Fine, you're lying naked in cave," Kagome supplied with a small smile.
"And why am I naked?" Bankotsu questioned as he smirked at Kagome.
"It's not what you think," Kagome sadly whispered. "You died more than a year ago."
His eyes widened and he tensed. Kagome swore she could see his memories flashing through those blue eyes. Sorrow filled her being when she remembered that he had two deaths to remember. His eyes turned back to her and he pulled her to him. Kagome rest her head against his shoulder as he buried his face in her hair. Kagome sighed as she felt his skin and sadly smiled.
'He's not warm,' Kagome thought.
Kagome quickly pulled away and walked over to Enju. Enju handed Kagome a spare Kimono and sighed. Kagome took note of the Kimono and chuckled. It was a feminine Kimono. Enju chuckled and left the cave. Kagome sighed and tossed the Kimono to Bankotsu. He picked it up and stared at it before he began to blush.
"I can't wear this!" He shouted as his face turned red in embarrassment.
"Just wear it until we get back to the temple," Kagome sighed.
Bankotsu silently fumed as his face turned a deeper shade of red. He puffed his cheeks out and Kagome giggled at him. He looked up at Kagome and she bent toward him and pinched his cheeks.
"Is the baby mad?" Kagome cooed at him.
"Huh?" Bankotsu uttered.
Kagome patted his cheek and said, "Get dressed."
Bankotsu shook his head and watched as she walked out of the cave. This time he took notice of her as she remained just outside of the cave. The sunlight illuminated her figure as she raised her face to the sky. Her hair was longer; it stopped just at her lower back. He noticed that she had a red sash in hair, not a normal ribbon. His lips turned into a frown when he realized that it was the sash from his old outfit. Her face was a bit thinner and more mature. Bankotsu quickly dressed in the kimono and grimaced at how feminine he looked. His eyes strayed to the mirror and traced his face.
'I still look the same,' he thought as he turned away from the mirror.
"Thank you Enju," Kagome thanked the girl.
"It was the least I could do," Enju assured as she hugged Kagome.
"If you ever need something don't hesitate to ask," Kagome firmly said with a smile.
Kagome released a bit of ki and Joukai appeared in a flash of wind. Kagome climbed onto his back and Bankotsu followed. Joukai snorted at the male.
"I don't like him," Joukai firmly declared.
"Be nice," Kagome scolded.
Enju watched as they took off into the sky. She waved and then pulled her hand back to her heart. She bit her lip and sighed.
'Good luck…you'll need it,' Enju thought.
Kagome sighed as she felt the wind pass them by, or was it them passing the wind by? Another sigh and she felt his arms tighten around her waist. Kagome felt the side of his face rest in between in shoulder blades. Thoughts ran through her head as she felt his body press against hers. His body. Had she cursed him to a lonely existence like Kikyo all because she was selfish? Kagome cleared the thoughts from her head and smiled toward the sky. She did the right thing; she just had to have done the right thing.
'Did I do the right thing?' Kagome questioned as she frowned.
Joukai had landed at the bridge to the temple. Kagome sighed and glanced at the man behind her. He was asleep; she could hear the small snore. Kagome softly smiled andgently elbowed him. His eyes slowly opened and rolled them up to met her gaze. Joukai lowered to the ground and Bankotsu slid off followed by Kagome. She bowed to Joukai and watched as he took off. Kagome grabbed Bankotsu's hand and ran across the bridge. She stopped her running and felt the wind pick up. Maro landed in front of them, he wore his crow helmet. Kagome shivered, she could feel the glare from underneath the helmet.
"What have you brought with you?" Maro questioned, his voice sounded a bit muffled from the helmet.
"This is Bankotsu, the one I told you that I wanted to bring back," Kagome answered with slight fear.
"You told me you wanted…I understand," Maro whispered as he pulled off his helmet and glared at Bankotsu. Kagome could now see the contempt in his pearl blue eyes.
"I told you that I needed to bring someone special back," Kagome firmly said.
"I didn't think you meant an abomination," Maro hissed at her.
"You have no right to—"
"Silence," Maro growled at Bankotsu, "the dead have no say among the living."
"He is not an abomination!" Kagome firmly shouted as their gazes clashed.
"You are a Miko…you do not harbor those that interrupt the cycle of life," Maro stressed.
"Hush," Kagome whispered, he was right.
"You know that once a body dies the soul moves on. It is not meant linger on in this world," Maro explained.
"You don't understand," Kagome whispered as her eyes gazed at the ground.
"You would purposely stop a soul from reincarnating…you would taint yourself?" Maro hissed as he held his rage back.
Bankotsu watched as Maro held his large leaf in his left hand. He brought it down and sent Bankotsu through the air. He landed in the river and Kagome ran over to the side of the bridge, she watched his form sink. Kagome dropped her weapons and prepared to dive in. Maro held her arm and she glared at him.
"He is dead…he cannot drown, for he no longer needs breathe," Maro whispered.
"No," Kagome whispered as she watched the cerulean orbs vanish in the green river.
"He doesn't bleed, because he is not like you or me," Maro continued.
"He is still aware!" Kagome growled.
"He is an abomination, you can not cling to what you don't have," Maro finished as Kagome pulled away.
He watched as she dived into the water after that man. Maro closed his eyes and sadly sighed. It appeared that the he much more to teach his warrior. He stood at the bridge to make sure she didn't drown. Her head breached the surface with man in arms. She quickly pulled him to shore and inhaled the air. He coughed up the water and Kagome rubbed his back in soothing circles. Maro frowned when he watched Kagome tenderly smile at the man. Bankotsu grinned at Kagome as she comforted him.
"Never thought I'd almost die in woman's clothing," Bankotsu teased.
"Sigh," Kagome said as she softly chuckled at this.
Kagome turned her stare back to the bridge where Maro stood. His gaze pierced her and she wondered if he would allow Bankotsu to stay. Kagome defiantly glared at him and he turned his back to her and walked back to the temple. Kagome helped Bankotsu up and led him back to the temple. She couldn't sense Maro anywhere. Kagome quickly led Bankotsu to her room where she set up another futon. He had dried himself before she brought him new clothes to wear. She had only managed to find the robes of a Shinto priest. Kagome softly smiled at the attire he wore. He looked like the priest from the festival she had attend. Kagome walked behind him and began to braid his hair.
"You should rest," Kagome whispered to him once she finished her braiding.
"Will you stay?" Bankotsu asked.
"I still have training to complete," Kagome answered as he lay down.
"Will you come back?" Bankotsu asked with loud yawn.
"Of course," Kagome whispered as his eyes closed. She brushed away a stray bang and left to the training grounds.
Maro patiently sat on the stage in the middle of the grounds. He allowed his youki to leak; Kagome would find him. The soft tapping of Zori brought his gaze to the said Miko. Her face was calm and he wondered what was on her mind. He inhaled the air and snorted it out quickly. She smelt alive, but her outfit carried the scent of ashes and dirt.
"Are you going to train me or sit there and glare in disgust?" Kagome calmly questioned as she stood in front of him.
"We all have desires," Maro calmly began as he gazed at her. Kagome pondered what his point was. "Part of facing your fears is facing what desires you have. Some have desires to help other and be the best they can. Others…they have a dark side that they keep hidden within their heart."
Kagome's heart pounded with slight fear as she listened to him. His eyes darkened a bit as he gazed at her.
"Just like everyone else…a Miko is human…they have the potential to be good or to be evil," Maro calmly explained.
"What is your point?" Kagome calmly answered with some annoyance.
"I was best in my clan for my illusions. My illusions come to the point where they are no longer an illusion," Maro stated as Kagome narrowed her eyes in confusion.
"If you believe it to be real then it will be real," Kagome calmly stated.
"There was no curse on you…it was simply your darker desires raising to the surface," Maro declared as she gasped in shock.
"I have control over those," Kagome coldly avowed.
"You are human…you can't push something like that into a chest to be ignored," Maro laughed.
"I don't ignore it…I simply lock it away," Kagome whispered as she looked away.
"One day those desires will control you, and the darkness in your heart will cause you to do unimaginable things," Maro sounded like he was prophesying.
"Never," Kagome whispered.
Maro stood up and walked to where he stood beside her.
"Don't lie…I know about you…every youkai knows about you and the battle with Naraku. His terror and your groups legend reached every living thing," Maro claimed.
"That has nothing to do with my darkness," Kagome whispered. Maro smirked and ran a hand through her hair.
"It has everything to do with your darkness. You hate Naraku…you still hate even after his death. Deep down you regret not being the one to cause his last breath. You hate him for what he did to your friends…for bringing back that abomination you harbor within these sacred walls."
Kagome began to protest but was silenced as he continued.
"You hate him for taking that abomination from you. And now…that hate is slowly growing within your soul. You resent the abomination you brought back. He is what made you go against your beliefs, against the natural order of things."
"I would never hate him," Kagome firmly said, even though it was whispered.
"Tell me that when you try to kiss his dead lips…feel the coolness of his skin against yours. Will you not hate him when he can't give you what you want?" Maro questioned as he walked away.
Kagome fell to her knees and stared at the ground in shock. His words cut her to the core and she could feel everything coming to surface. Kagome shook her head and tried to clear the words and emotions that swarmed through her. Her head touched the coolness of the ground as she stared lifelessly at the dust.
Maro watched her and looked away from the scene. She needed to learn that life and death were not to be meddled with. A sigh escaped his lips, as he smelt the saltiness of the tears. A smile touched his lips when he heard her sob.
'She must accept everything,' Maro thought as he watched her.