AN: Urrm reviewers dears, are you awake? I mean really, just drop a line. Actually, do whatever you want. I'm glad you're reading this in the first place. (mistarrymistress goes off and hopes the reverse psychology worked…)
Holy cow it's chapter 17!!!!!!!! Didn't I say it was finishing SOOON in chapter… 13?? I'm a liar then...
CHAPTER 17: TRANSPARENT
"HEY UGLY!" Yelled Miroku, emerging from behind his safe patch of bush directly into the line of fire.
Everyone – even Kirara and Shippo, Sango and Inuyasha, as well as the intended 'ugly', Tsubaki – turned towards the seemingly loony monk. Seriously, there's an angry berserker priestess with a Sacred Jewel ten times stronger than the last one – and he dares insult her? He must have snapped. Too much time in the bush does that to you, maybe.
A stunned silence.
"Yeah, you – snakey-woman!" Miroku by now was less sure of his plan and his voice wobbled, but it seems he'd gone too far to go back.
"What. Did. You. Just. Call. Me?" Tsubaki whispered from behind gritted teeth.
"Snake-" Miroku began.
"Before that!"
If Miroku repeated what he said, then she would blast him all the way to Hell and back round to Heaven. What he needed was for her to listen, not chuck a spastic foaming fit.
"That really doesn't matter, priestess. I've got a question for your esteemed self."
"What?" Tsubaki snapped. Meanwhile she began gathering a large power-sphere around her, something looking dangerously like a fireball, most likely intended for Miroku.
Miroku gulped. "Are you afraid?"
"What?" Tsubaki narrowed her eyes. He's got to be kidding. She wasn't in the mood for games. Playing with dog-boy had been entertaining for a while, but this CREEP had gone too far.
"I mean, you've got a lovely Jewel there."
Crickets chirped somewhere in the distance.
Tsubaki's eyes narrowed even more.
WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT FOOL DOING??? Thought Inuyasha, twitching his ears around. Maybe NOW while he's distracting her I can properly do my Wind Scar! The hag kept disrupting my balance every other time!
"Why don't you use it?" Continued Miroku, getting more acquainted with an unearthly silence.
HUH? Thought everyone, apart from Miroku and Tsubaki. The monk and the priestess stared at each other, Tsubaki finally realising what he was onto.
Damn. The faster I get rid of him, the better.
As the fireball was finally launched in his direction, Miroku was ready for it. He jumped sideways, yelling, "Now, Inuyasha!"
"Got it! Wind Scar!" Only now, Inuyasha had even managed to get the Red Tetsusaiga – straight for Tsubaki's barrier.
Sango doubled in to the attack, throwing her Hiraikotsu, combined with Kirara's fire – a flaming Hiraikotsu!
"Come on, Tsubaki! Why are you so afraid to absorb the Sacred Jewel? What – is it too PURE for you?" Taunted Miroku.
Tsubaki, having – barely – dodged all of the attacks, was now suspended above their heads, barrier intact. Not a happy priestess.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\
"Inuyasha..." Is that his voice? Kagome stirred in her sleep. Wind Scar! ... I could swear I heard him shouting.
"Kagome? Kagome! Are you waking up? Please wake up. I want you to wake up. I need you to. Please Kagome…" Shippo ranted, wiping his tears away.
A familiar voice… But not Inuyasha's. Hah, funny – I'm actually wondering how Kikyo is doing. She better be okay, for all the trouble she put me through, that talking doll… Kagome's strained face relaxed into a little ironic smile, before delving into the realm of the subconscious once again.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\
Awake, Kikyo.
What?
Awake.
I am. Wait, who are you? Where…
Kikyo opened her spiritual eyes, into a void. She could see nobody, nothing. It wasn't even a colour… just nothing. Her soul seemed to be suspended in time. Or space…?
Is this death?
No answer.
What am I here for, then?
The silent humming of the void filled the silence. It seemed as though a part of Kikyo that was missing came back. Kikyo realised she could see a translucent version of herself. Hey, she was the translucent version. Kikyo opened her bodily eyes, into the same void. Though it felt different through a half-body.
Nothing real could exist in this space, though simple forms – not material – can be constructed for a short time.
Again – what am I here for?
To think, Kikyo. Think about why you are here, and not there.
Where?
No answer.
Though perhaps there was an answer – for next she did begin thinking. Though she didn't want to, her mind went through her 'life'.
Are you satisfied, Kikyo?
No.
Then – you have regrets.
Kikyo found out that this body could cry. Unfeeling tears made their way down her artificial cheeks. Still – no. No regrets.
Emptiness.
You have made mistakes.
Yes.
You made wrong decisions.
Yes.
Would you change them to the right ones?
Kikyo's body bent over, kneeling before this unknown power questioning her. There were no lies to be said. She was transparent – in mind and body.
I would change nothing.
The power did not go away – the emptiness was not complete. It was there, contemplating. Thinking. What could it possibly have to think about? It knew everything. What? The power was confused? How could it be?
Emptiness.
You would change nothing…
That is correct.
Why?
Though I made wrong decisions, they were MY decisions - I did them in full faith. I do not go back on them. If it is in my nature to be wrong, then that is the only way I wish to be. If I could not be true to myself, I would suffer far more than I have so far and forevermore.
Contemplation.
Emptiness.
Fade out.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\
"Well? You're a priestess, aren't you? Sacred Jewels should be nothing to you."
"I… AM NOT… AFRAID!!!" A rain of fire swept over the group. Miroku just had time to set up a shield with his staff, Sango had to duck under Kirara, and Inuyasha seized this wonderful opportunity to use his Backlash Wave.
"Backlash Wave!" Though the tremendous sea of fire was somehow diverted back to Tsubaki, it just bounced off her barrier.
"Damn…" Muttered Inuyasha.
An enraged Tsubaki swept down to earth. "Fine." The monk's right. This is nothing!!! Why don't I use it and show them all what lovely skeletons they make?
"You want me to kill you? Too happy to oblige, Sir Monk." Tsubaki moved to press the Jewel into her neck. As it was halfway in, the barrier failed because of the change of power, and Yasei, that loyal little sparrow, fully recovered, darted towards Tsubaki's neck at an attempt to get the Jewel away from her.
"AH!" Tsubaki just had time to move the Jewel away from the sharp beak, but it did get her neck. A thin line of red blood began dripping. This had happened within seconds, so Tsubaki's barrier was up almost immediately again.
"Chiiiiriii!!" An angry Yasei perched on a nearby branch, annoyed at the failed attempt.
"Keep going, Tsubaki. Don't stop there just because of a little bird." Miroku was by now, rather unsure. It had gone halfway in – nothing had happened. Maybe she really wasn't afraid. Maybe it was fine – maybe they were all going to die very, very soon.
This time Tsubaki smirked. She didn't hesitate. The Jewel went right into her neck, barrier unbroken the whole time. That little lapse of concentration wouldn't happen again… Tsubaki was very happy now. It had gone in! Nothing bad had happened!
Everything was – Tsubaki felt suddenly sick. What...? Don't tell me that Monk was right… Her body felt like it would disintegrate, into a million shining fragments.
It did. Tsubaki, along with her scary snake, burst into a million fragments - purified by a priestess' soul.
The Jewel dropped to the ground, tinkling, innocent, shining.
"Oh crap." Miroku muttered.
"WHAT??? HELL YES DAMMIT! SHE'S GONE!" Inuyasha yipped. He resheathed his Tetsusaiga, going over and heartily thumping Miroku on the back. "Great going, BUDDY. It WORKED! I'm not sure how or why, but it did! And we've got a kicka jewel to boot!"
"But Inuyasha…" Sango began, "How will we revive Kagome and/or Kikyo?"
"Oh… CRAP."
"Chiriii!" Yasei hopped over to the Jewel and picked it up in his beak.
"Chi!"
AN: Mwwwwwwwwaaaahhahahahahhahahhahha…. That is all…for this chapter anyway. Sorry. I'm writing the next chapter NOW though.
