Chapter 29 Focus Kagome!
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A/N: Hey guys! I tried not to take as long in updating this chapter! I hope you like!
Thanks to those of you who reviewed!
Botan dah Wolf, Akari-san, ryoko at 13, HanyouRiyumi, LanierShazar.
Anonymous Reviews:
Candice—Thank you! I tried to update as soon as I could!
Thank you guys!
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It was late morning and everyone seemed to be in high spirits. They sat together in a circle talking and sharing stories with each other. An outsider witnessing this would find it hard to believe all the trouble that these people had been through. He or she would think their lives had always been filled with good and happy times. But he or she would be heartbroken to learn they were wrong. Each person here had a moment in their lives where they thought they could go on no longer.
But now that part of their lives was over. At least for most of them in this lovely band of ex-travelers.
Kagome was the only one that was not taking part in the story telling festivities of her friends. Her physical body sat in the circle with them but her mind was not hearing what they were saying. She was someplace else. In the dark corridors of her own mind.
She had a strange feeling. A feeling that she could not shake no matter how much she tried. She wished it would go away. That it would leave her and go bother someone else, but it would not. She felt great something was going to happen today. But she had no inclination as to whether it was good or bad. But In the back of her mind she knew what it was she just chose not to believe it.
Today would be the day she would face her most daring trail. The one she felt she was not even close to being ready for. But apparently someone else thought she was ready.
In her hands she twirled a most famous work of art. The Shikon no Tama. Many people had heard of it and come searching for it. They wanted its power. But if they had known what price they would pay to get its power, Kagome imagined they would not want it. At least that's how she felt. She had seen what it could do, seen what it had done to a person's soul. And it was not good. It was not something she would want to happen to her.
But of course, most do not so, in turn they risk their lives trying to get their hands on the Shikon no Tama and ultimately fail. They would lose their lives for a chance at power and the opportunity to rule the world. How stupid.
Here eyes bore into the Shikon no Tama, still thinking. Her gaze was fixed like glue upon it; she was powerless to even try to look away. So she didn't even try. She gazed deeper and deeper into it, watching it sparkle in the sun.
Her mind raced with unpleasant thoughts. She was just so lost within herself. Freeing Midoriko weighed heavily upon her soul. This woman was a legend. This woman was someone who thought nothing over her own safety or well fare, but put those of others above her own. This woman was strong. This woman gave her life to create the Shikon no Tama in a great attempt to save the people she loved.
How was Kagome supposed to compete with someone as valiant as that? How could she even be expected to? Why was she even chosen to supposedly free this great woman, when she, Kagome, was so weak herself? How can people have faith she can do this when Kagome had none? Why was she chosen to do this?
'Because I believe you can.' A feminine voice rings in her head.It startled Kagome for a moment but not enough to break her gaze off the Shikon no Tama. The woman's voice was so strong….and so comforting.
"Who are you?" Kagome thought somehow knowing the voice would be able to hear her.
'I am--"
"Kagome? Are you okay?"
The trace broken, Kagome's eyes flickered up into those of Inuyasha's. For a second she didn't register where she was. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she glanced around taking inventory of her surroundings.
What she saw were each and every one of her friends staring pointedly at her. Then remembering Inuyasha had asked her a question she answered, unconvincingly.
"Yes. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" He asked not believing her in the slightest.
But his question came too late. The Jewel Kagome held in her hands flickered in the sun light, drawing Kagome's attention back to it. And this time it had her. All her senses of the world around her disappeared leaving her only aware of one small but powerful thing.
The Shikon no Tama.
She could practically feel it calling to her, drawing her in. Her whole body ached with a physical need to obey. She was powerless to resist its pull. It wanted her and she had no power to go against it.
'Come. Come to me.' The same feminine voice called. 'Come to me my daughter. Come and help free me from my never ending hell. You are the only one with power enough to do it. The only one…'
Before she could stop herself she heard her voice saying, "Yes...," Answering the call of the pull. And then she let go. Finally fully succumbing to the pull of the Jewel, finally giving in.
Before she had any idea as to what was really happening the world around her disappeared into a bright white light. For a short moment she lost all sense of herself.
But when she opened her eyes—when had she closed them?—she found herself in the center of a great battle. One lone woman stood bravely fighting off four huge demons. (Is it three or four? I can't remember… Oh well four sounds better.) The woman stood before Kagome holding a sword that was tainted with years and years worth of blood and no longer shined as it should have.
The woman looked as if she was winning but Kagome knew she couldn't take much more. She needed out, she needed help. Kagome knew right then that this woman was Midoriko.
Then suddenly, Midoriko's eyes found Kagome's. And she smiled.
'Finally you came! Please help me. Fight with me.' She said as she slashed at a demon.
'But I have no weapon with me.' Kagome managed to say, once again thinking, but knowing Midoriko would hear her.
'Yes you do. Just think of your choice weapon and it will appear in your hands.'
Kagome thought this sounded preposterous, but then again what wasn't? The last three years of her life had been so unbelievable! Her mind was in such a maze of disarray she didn't feel she could trust it. She was confused and unsure of herself.
'You have no time to stall! Hurry! I need your assistance, my daughter! You can do it!' The woman said breaking through Kagome's thoughts.
"Okay." Kagome thought. "Might as well give it a try." She concentrated hard picturing herself holding a bow and arrows. And amazingly, she could feel it working!
Kagome opened her eyes to see the most magnificent bow forming right in the palm her hands! The weapon appeared out of a beautiful blue light. The bow was black with unfamiliar silver markings etched in its surface. And it gleamed unnaturally.
Kagome smiled at her work. The arrows were much the same. They were also black with the same silver markings.
"Amazing!" Kagome couldn't help thinking as she admired her weapon.
Anxious to try it out, she pulled an arrow from the quiver behind her and notched her bow. She aimed carefully at the nearest demon and let her arrow fly.
The demon was hit squarely in the heart. He shrieked in agony but surprisingly did not die. Apparently it was going to take more than that to kill him. Now, angry, the demon turned his attentions on Kagome seeking revenge.
'Fight hard young miko. We have a long hard battle waiting for us.' Midoriko said as Kagome readied another arrow.
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"What happened to her?" Sango asked genuinely scared for her friend. One minute she's telling them she's fine and the next there is a bright flash of light and Kagome is sitting there staring at the Jewel and no one is able to break her from her trance!
"Is she going to be okay?" Tessa asked also scared for Kagome.
No one knew what exactly was going on but they all looked to Kaede for their answers.
"Her trial has begun." The old priestess answered simply.
"What do you mean 'her trial has begun'?" Inuyasha snapped.
"Just that. She is now freeing Midoriko." The old woman answered looking sadly to Kagome. She couldn't image the great battle Kagome was having to take part in. She wouldn't wish something like that on anyone. But if there was one person she knew could handle it, it was Kagome.
"So basically she's inside the Jewel?" Takashi asked intrigued.
"In a way she is." It was Miroku who spoke this time. "I'm guessing it's her soul that's actually inside. She could quite possible be fighting along side Midoriko right now. Such an honor!"
"No! Not such an honor!" Inuyasha admonished. "She could get hurt!" He looked to the entranced Kagome. "What if she gets hurt badly?" He gently stroked her hair.
"Ye have to have faith she'll be okay. We have to believe she will prevail." Kaede said.
"I have faith in Kagome!" Shippo cheered.
Everyone nodded their agreement but remained silent. They never understood why Kagome had to do this alone. They had fought for so much together. What made this battle so different that Kagome had to do it herself?
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Hours had passed since Kagome's soul had been taken into the jewel. It had been a long grueling hour after hour where no one dared speak. They were all wondering the same thing.
Would Kagome make it?
Not much had happened in those hours. They had each taken turns pacing back and forth or sitting just sitting staring at Kagome as if they could will her to come back to them. Inuyasha on the other hand never moved once. He just sat never once taking his eyes off Kagome. Wondering if she was really fighting a battle. And if so what she winning?
He was staring at her so strongly it took him a few seconds to register the blood running down her arm. His eyes refocused and that's when everything came into clear focus. His eyes now really saw the gash cut deep into her arm. She must have been hurt! The deep red blood flowed down her pale arm like a rain during a storm.
"She's bleeding!" He rushed to her side, alerting the others.
"What!" They all looked at Kagome and saw the blood running down her arm.
Kaede quickly took charge of the situation. "Hurry! We must bandage her arm! But be careful not to move her!" By this time Sango had returned from Kaede's hut with gauze and such from Kagome's medical kit. She handed the bandages to Kaede who with the help of Tessa bandaged Kagome up carefully.
"How could this have happened?" Takashi asked. "I mean we were all here watching her and saw nothing run by that could have hurt her."
"Kagome's body and soul are one in the same. So if her soul, which is now located inside the Shikon no Tama, were attacked the wound will also appear upon her body." Miroku theorized. "I'm just guessing with this, but by bandaging her wound and stopping the blood flow should also have done the same for the part of Kagome in the Jewel."
"Gosh, I hope she's going to be okay." Tessa said sitting down beside Kagome but dared not to touch her.
"We all do." Sango agreed.
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"Damn!" Kagome gasped in pain as a demon caught her off guard and viciously dug his talons into her arm. She instantly felt the warm sensation of blood flowing down her arm and dripping onto the ground.
The freshly made wound oozed blood and stung with pain. It hurt so bad Kagome was unable to stop herself from collapsing to her knees. Her enemy grinned triumphantly, thinking it had won. He was about to go in for the killing blow, and raised its clawed hand up high, when his arm was cut off but a flying sword. Midoriko had saved her.
"Get up!" She ordered Kagome harshly. "This is no time for weaknesses!" She admonished.
Kagome nodded and gritting her teeth, did what she was told. She would just have to suck it up until this was all over. Then she could tend to her wound. But by the time she was standing and ready to fight again the blood from her wound was no longer flowing down her arm. She felt a slight pressure being applied to the area. Confused she reached her free hand up to touch the place. What she felt made her even more confused. Her wound had been bandaged!
"Kagome! FOCUS!" Midoriko called warningly.
Kagome had no more time to dwell on what had happened. She had to keep her mind focused on the battle at hand if she was even to have a chance to survive. Thanks to the warning call from Midoriko she was able to dodge a potentially fatal attack. She was still in this fight. For the moment.
Wasting no more time she notched her bow and arrow and shot her arrow at the demon. She couldn't count the number or arrows she had sent at this demon. But no matter what she never ran out. It was like magic.
But this time when her arrow hit her mark the demon burst into blue flames. He shrieked and within seconds he disappeared into ash. She was so taken aback she stood there shocked for a few seconds. How many times had she shot her arrows at a demon and it had still lived?
But once again she was not aloud to dwell further because no sooner did she kill this demon when another one started after her!
Before this one was able to even get close to her she bombarded him with arrow after arrow after arrow. Then just like his friend before him he burst into blue flames. He shrieked and screamed, not believing he had lost. Then POOF! He was gone.
And then there was one.
Midoriko and Kagome gave each other knowing glances before Kagome notched her bow for the last time and Midoriko readied her sword. Their attacks hit at the same time killing the last and final evil.
A huge sense of relief flooded Kagome's body. She was suddenly overwhelmed with this odd sense of joy and accomplishment. She looked around for Midoriko to share in the glory of their success but the woman was no where to be seen. Where had she gone?
That's when Kagome felt the familiar tugging of her soul. And the next thing she knew her soul slammed painfully back into her body. She opened her eyes with a sharp intake of breath. She coughed and sputtered as she got used to the feeling of her body and soul together as one again.
Her heart was beating so fast it hurt. But when she finally got her bearings she realized it was nightfall. As her senses returned to her she felt familiar arms holding her.
"What happened?" She croaked. Her voice came out hoarsely. On shaky arms she sat up. "Where's the jewel?" She asked when she noticed it was no longer in her hand.
"We don't know." Miroku said. "But we think it's gone for good. Right before you returned to us their was a bright flash of pink light and when we could finally see again the Shikon no Tama was gone and you were waking up."
"Where is she?" Kagome asked.
"Where's who?" Sango said.
"Midoriko! She was with me and then when the last demon was destroyed she disappeared!"
"She must be in the heavens now." Kaede answered.
"Hello." A voice called causing all heads to turn. Kagome smiled knowing who it was. Midorko was dress in a long white flowing gown. She looked more beautiful now that she wasn't covered in cuts and blood. She had this otherworldly glow to her.
"Midoriko." Kagome said.
"Kagome." The elder girl nodded to her. "Thank you. Thank you, Kagome for setting me free. For without you I would still be fighting my never ending war. For your services I bless you and your friends. You will have long and happy lives ahead of you from now on."
"You're welcome. I'm glad to have helped." Kagome smiled.
"Live on in peace!" Midoriko said before disappearing into the heavens forever.
"W-was that who I thought it was?" Miroku asked his eyes glued to the spot where she once stood.
Sango slapped him across the head. "Of course it was! She glared at him. "Now, Kagome, tell us all that happened! And don't you dare leave a single thing out!"
"First why don't we go inside? Then I'll tell you all everything!"
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Well I think that was an extremely quick update compared to my last one! I don't think that was as good as you guys were thinking it would be…I hope you guys liked anyway! Please R and R! Thank you!
Clouds of the Sky