. : Inazuma : .
: . By Akikazu . :
Again the italic I s represent drastic time changes.
Also, anyone panicking should read the bold at the end of the chapter.
. : Chapter Nineteen : .
Kagome saw the interaction between her younger brother and the girl that stood by his side almost immediately. Sota's hesitation in leaving the young girl to tackle his returning sister made it obvious to her. Kagome winked at the girl when Sota embraced her.
"So Sota looks like you've found yourself a girlfriend," Kagome whispered in her brother's ear.
Sota turned unbelievably red and backed away from Kagome, mumbling under his breath. Kagome cackled evilly and hugged the girl Sota had obviously become attached to.
"Kon'nichi wa (Hello), I'm Kagome, Sota's sister," she chimed as she swept the young girl into a friendly hug.
"Hello, Kagome-san, I'm Sakura. Noya is my nii-sama (elder brother, respectful)."
"I see." Kagome looked around, she was alone because she was unsure if Noya would appreciate her bringing a loud interruption into his daily life. She had left, after Itsuki had abandoned her in Kaname's house. "Where is he anyways?"
"Have you come to talk to ani (elder brother), then?" Sakura asked. "I knew that someone would sooner or later, but I prefer you to be the one that asks him."
Kagome was confused as to what Sakura was talking about and as any other person put in her position she asked Sakura about her words. Sakura bit her lips at hearing Kagome's questions, obviously she wasn't suppose to give away information of this sort but knowing when she was cornered, she talked.
"Noya, nii-sama has retained the memories of his previous lifetimes. The earliest and clearest one he remembers is from someone from the beginning of the Aquarian Age. He was a Sightless as he is now but it was different back then, nii-sama was a bad person. He made many people into sightless and was the founder of the Sightless faction. Nii-sama also remembers the part of beginning of the Aquarian Age. He witnessed it in his former life," Sakura said after a second's hesitation.
Kagome considered what the girl told her, staring off into the endless sky. Sota touched her arm and broke her concentration.
"I think I'm going to have a talk with Noya," Kagome said finally.
"Please don't say that I told you anything. Nii-sama doesn't like people knowing that he remembers."
"I won't say anything," Kagome assured the girl.
Sakura smiled, her face glimmering with relief.
"Sota-kun can show you to the tea room and I'll bring nii-sama there."
Kagome smiled, "thank you Sakura-chan."
Sakura scampered off with one last touch on Sota's arm. Kagome grinned at the last, telling touch. She threw an arm over her younger brother's shoulder and patted his back enthusiastically.
"I like her Sota! Now all I have to do is arrange your wedding and I can have that sister I always wanted."
Sota's face flushed even more, causing his skin to resemble that of a tomato. He pushed Kagome off him and huffed, really not wanting to say anything more that would give her more fuel to her fire.
"Aw, Sota don't be upset with me, I love you," Kagome cried loudly.
His face wrinkled at his sister's crazy actions.
"Come on Kagome be serious."
"Very well then, if you're going to be like 'that'," Kagome pouted.
"Whatever, ane (elder sister)," Sota muttered.
"Nice to see you showing respect, squirt. Now lead the way to the tea room, I'm going to have a nice long talk with your teacher."
Sota nodded, grabbed her hand, and lead hr back to the traditionally styled house and dojo. Sota navigated the house like he had been doing this for an extensive period of time and they arrived in front of the tea room in no time. Sakura was already waiting outside of the room indicating that Noya was already inside. Kagome smiled at the girl and pushed Sota in her direction.
"You two hang out while Noya and I have a chat, okay?"
"I think Sota-kun has another training session with Kimi soon, I should probably make sure that he sticks around for it," Sakura chimed.
"If he tries to skip we'll think of a suitable punishment together. We can bounce ideas off each other," Kagome promised.
Sota squeaked at their words and ran off, using his top speed to escape down the hallway. Sakura giggled and took after him. Her calls for him rang down the hallway after the two disappeared. Kagome beamed in joy at their childish behavior, she had feared that what had happened to him would cause Sota to close himself off to other people. After a second she straightened her face into a mask of utter seriousness and opened the door to the tea room. Noya was seated on a cushion sipping tea. The scene was like a step back in time with all the traditional factors in the room.
"Kon'nichi wa Noya-san," Kagome greeted, stepping into the room and shutting the shoji (paper door) quietly behind her.
"Good morning Kagome-san, I hope your time away was pleasant," Noya replied pouring tea into another glass and setting it across from him, making it obvious where she was to sit.
"There were attacked a couple of attacks during the journey but it was nothing that wasn't taken care of."
Kagome slid onto the floor cushion, absently tucking her feet underneath her as she covertly examined Noya from across the table.
"I see. Sota has been well, Sakura and him have formed a relationship between themselves and there had been some minor problems with Sota skipping lessons but all is well."
"That's nice, I hope that Sota now has enough control to be able to return to school."
"Indeed he is. Now, I suppose that this is not all that you wish to talk to me about?"
"No it isn't," Kagome took a breath and prepared to charge in though she might deeply offend him. "I've learned that you have memories, clear ones, of your previous life in which the Aquarian Age began."
She heard Noya suck in a breath in surprise and snuck a glance at him. A small frown curved over his face.
"Who told you?" He demanded.
Kagome blinked innocently, knowing that the full effect would not be lost on him.
"It's just something that I've picked up here and there. Can you tell me anything that can help Noya? Please?"
"I cannot tell you. The words pull me into the abyss of memory from where I relive my former self's mistakes," Noya paused, his face intent as he considered another option. "If you would I will allow you to walk the memories yourself and you can shadow the former me."
She clapped her hands together once, happy with his answer. Kagome knew the memories must pain him as she occasionally got those from the part of her soul that Kikyo had taken but by allowing her to access his memories was a sign that he truly did want to help. And she knew they could se all the help they could get.
"Very well then."
Noya reached a hand across the table and placed it on her forehead. His fingers were icy cold against her warm flesh.
"I will send you back to the beginning of the Aquarian Age."
Darkness engulfed her.
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
Momoku (this name translates to "blindness") was afflicted with blindness, he however did not see this as a bad thing for the loss of his eyes had been intentional and he had caused it with his own hands. He was the first of what he liked to call the Sightless, a group of psychics in which he had specifically chosen all of the members.
His eyes had been a horrible sacrifice to make, but they had been well worth it as his new powers far exceed his previous potential. Turning in the direction of his newest subject he patted the girl's soft hair, absently making sure she had stayed where he had placed her. The girl, who couldn't have been older than six, whimpered in forced sleep and coward away from his touch. This was something that always happened with his subject and Momoku just put it down as a natural reaction to be knocked unconscious.
The pretty, ornate dagger that he used to cut the eyes of those he chose to make like him slid out of its sheath with a small hiss. The sound was amplified to him and he slid the dagger back in so he could hear the sound of the cold metal being drawn out of the leather. It was music to his ears.
Dragging the dagger a final time he heated the wickedly sharp blade above the fire that warmed the small hut he made his home. It was small, but he was hardly ever home and so it suited him perfectly. Plus the hut was easy to warm on cold days and fast to cool on hot days.
The girl on the bed stirred and he could hear her breathing and heart rate increase. Momoku smiled charmingly and held the dagger in his left hand out of her sight. The girl yawned and stretched, her small hands reaching high above her head.
"Hey isn't my bed!" The girl cried suddenly.
He, being the sadist he was and have as much practice as he did, knew this be the moment to make his move. His right hand gripped her chin and his left hand streaked down, cutting horizontally across her face. The smell of blood was instant and nearly overpowering. Her scream followed right on the rusty scent, just as loud and highly pitched as he had hoped.
Momoku felt the girl start to move and gathered her wrist into his right hand, holding them up and out of the way.
"It's all right, the pain will pass. Don't cry little one," he murmured, a twisted parody of comfort.
He continued to repeat words that lay along the vein of his previous ones. The words died down in time with her crying. His left hand clutched the dagger, unwilling to drop it and risk losing either the dagger or any of the blood that had gathered on it.
"Why?" She managed to croak out, finally.
"It had to be done. Now you will have greater power than you had before. Will you tell me your name little one?"
She sniffled, "Sakura."
"What a pretty name, little one. You may call me Momoku-sama."
Sakura nodded, he could feel the movement at his shoulder. Momoku sensed that she would no longer fight him and released her and moved back. He felt around and found a strip of cloth and wiped the bloody dagger off. Then he tossed the blood dampened cloth to Sakura.
"Here, tie this around your eyes. You are not to remove or wash it without my say so."
He could hear her shuffling, indicating that she was obeying his orders. With an easy movement the cleaned dagger was back in place.
"Momoku-sama?" Her voice was hesitant.
"Yes little one?"
He could hear her fidgeting on her pallet and put a hand on her head, silently telling her to cease her annoying movements.
"Are there other people like me?"
Again she had obeyed him and he couldn't help the smugness that filled him.
"Yes, a couple."
"Will I be able to meet them?" Her innocent voice was filled with excitement, the pain she had just suffered at his hands already forgotten.
"After you've recovered from your ordeal, little one."
"Oh, alright."
He was mildly perturbed by her acceptance. He didn't understand why he had not elicited the desired reaction from her. Sure she obeyed him blindly, both literally and figuratively but she didn't fear him at all.
Momoku left in a huff. Not bothering to talk to all the Sightless that he forced to camp around his hut, he stormed off into the forest. He wouldn't normally go off in the direction of the high build of supernatural energy without a plan as he was doing now. He came to his sense and stopped feet short of revealing himself to the sources of the energy. They were apparently holding a meet, "they" being part of the small E.G.O. group if he read their metallic auras correctly.
"Itsuki-sama are you sure this about this?" One voice asked, full of worry.
"Of course she is. Are you questioning her decision?" A second demanded.
"No," the first voice squeaked.
"Silence, both of you!"
He figured that the third voice was this "Itsuki-sama" person. Silence filled the clearing and Momoku knew that the two other voices were very much afraid of the third.
"Now, let go. We have to hit at least three of the camps tonight if this is going to work."
The second voice dared to voice her thoughts.
"Which camp shall we strike first, Itsuki-sama?"
"Darklore, they could be the hardest with their superior senses. Then Wiz-Dom because they will be so easy it will be like a break. Next we'll attempt the Erasers, and finally we'll stop by the Arayashiki if there's time."
"Shouldn't we be saving the hardest for last?" The first voice nagged.
There was a "thunk" noise and Momoku knew that Itsuki-sama had killed the annoying first voice. As if to confirm his suspicion, a second later the scent of blood filled the area.
"Well done Itsuki-sama, she was very much the nuisance," the second voice praised.
"Be quiet," Itsuki-sama growled. "Let's be on our way."
The aura's moved away from his hiding place and towards a gathering of Darklore energy. Momoku, anger forgotten and curiosity stirred, follow a safe distance behind them. As they walked the power stirred and rose around the two E.G.O. women. Momoku could sense that the more powerful of the two, Itsuki-sama probably, had used her power.
"And now for Act I: 'Arisu' betrays Belial," Itsuki-sama announced softly.
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
The world swirled back into focus around her and Kagome gripped the cushion beneath her for stability.
"You've seen all I can remember clearly the rest is a blur of sensation and color," Noya said calmly.
"This whole war was started by the E.G.O. faction, but all the other factions are under the impression that one of the other factions had betrayed them," Kagome frowned. "And that girl…"
"I know," he interrupted.
Kagome didn't press forward, instead she lifted her tea cup and took a sip of the now cold liquid. Noya didn't say anything further either, he just remain motionless as the silence settled upon them.
After endless silent moments Sota came for Kagome happily announcing that his training was done for the rest of the week, with the exception of the practice he would have to so daily. Kagome let her brother precede her as he strutted through the house, Noya followed behind them. There was an almost tearful 'good bye' scene between Sota and Sakura before Kagome said anything to Noya.
"I don't hold you responsible for what happened in your past life," she whispered as she pasted him.
And then she was gone.
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
Kun Loon stayed in her corner, only moving when circumstances demanded it. It was strange to be back in captivity when she had been free since before Sota had been born. She regretted that Kagome had spent her early years suffering a cage lifestyle but the girl didn't remember any of it so it had all turned out right.
Thinking of her daughter reminded Kun Loon of her 'mate', he hadn't made it to the outside but without his help Kun Loon, who had been pregnant at the time, and the young Kagome would have never made it out.
Once more the memories overcame her.
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
Kagome had been five when Kun Loon next conceived. Kun Loon was overjoyed at the thought of having another child and Enzeru (name translate to angel), or Tenshi-san (translates to Mr. Angel) as she used to call him, went about acting as if he was proud that she was carrying again.
There had been a child, conceive by mistake a nigh in the second month of their acquaintance. It had died shortly after they had learned of his or her existence. Kun Loon had been heart broken but Enzeru had already labeled that child as a "mistake". It was a few months before Kun Loon had become pregnant again, this time they had both agreed to have the child. And thus Kagome had been born.
Kun Loon was shocked to learn that Itsuki-san had also conceived and had birthed a child before her, twins in fact. It had caused no end of awe an amazement that a male child had finally been born into the Itsuki clan. Itsuki-san had told her, during one of her now routine visits, that her son, Naoya would be the mate of "experiment one zero", her precious Kagome.
The girl was completely oblivious to her fate, and would remain so if her parents had anything to say about it. Kagome was in love with her sibling already, though at the moment he or she was only a curve of her mother's stomach.
Soon Itsuki-san would be taking her to get an ultrasound, or she would if Kun Loon and Enzeru didn't make it out of the facility as they planned.
It would all take place in several minutes' time. The escape would begin soon.
It began just as it had been planed. The nightly guard went past the room, not once checking the door, which had been indigenously wedged closed while remaining unlocked, how Enzeru had done it Kun Loon would never know. After the speck of light from the guard's flashlight disappeared they opened the door, Kun Loon tugging Kagome along as Enzeru lead the way, check each hallway and corner. They had been sneaking past the front hallway when an alarm sounded.
The hallway was swarmed within seconds and Enzeru's power had awakened from its dormant state in a terrible flash. He bade Kun Loon to leave and she had obeyed.
The glance she sneaked from over her shoulder while escaping was the last she had seen of her beloved.
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
Kun Loon could feel the bitter tears building in her eyes. She had followed her and Enzeru's plan to the letter in regard to what happened after the escape. Still it remained a constant pain to her that she could never go back and find out what had become of her mate, though she was certain that he was dead.
She had no hope for herself but Kagome and Sota still had their chances. They could still find love, though Kagome had already been burned by the emotional rollercoaster once. Kun Loon knew that she would do anything in her meager power to see that her children could choose their own partners. And she would much rather die than see her daughter carted off by a cruel and cynical Itsuki.
. : End Chapter : .
: . Author's Note . :
There has been confusion as to the previous chapter being the last chapter of this story. It wasn't so chill out people. But 'no next time this time' I meant that there was no "Next Time" section. I took the opportunity to plot the rest of this story out and in if I follow the plan exactly, like I intend to, there will be twenty four chapters and an epilogue.
Anyways this chapter was all about the history, there won't be a history on the end of Kagome's journey because that doesn't matter really. However the next chapter will begin the stories rise to the climax, you'll see exactly what I mean in the next section.
As for this chapter's length, it's over three thousand word, story only, but is only nine pages long. It's short but I'm following my little plot sheet so, no whining at the moment I have no tolerance because my head hurts and I'm really sick. Plus I got up before ten thirty this morning of my own free will, so the world just might be ending.
Also, since this story is almost over, I want to know what you guys want to see next. Any Kagome based pairing, save Inu Yasha/Kagome, crossovers included or you can offer some interesting side pairings. However please don't give me plot ideas, I have way too many of them.
I still have one Muichimotsu chapter to finish before break ends, school starts again on the ninth and I have two honors math classes!
Oh yeah, Happy New Year!
. : Next Time : .
Guiding Israfel: Kagome's sacrifice
New wings: controlling the inner demon
Kagome's capture