Chapter 13: Dreams and Reality
Thunder sounded lightly overhead as puddles splashed. Alice could feel the cold wet rain running down her arms and face and she ran through the forest.
The storm had finally passed, revealing a beautiful sunset in front of Alice. But the beauty of the scene was overpowered by the memories of the vision in her mind.
The man Onigumo bargaining with a spider demon, the blinding light and the fire that ultimately killed the man played over and over in Alice's mind as she fought to keep her panic down. Alice was so concentrated on the events that had just occurred that she didn't notice the log in front of her until it was too late.
Alice gasped in surprise as her back leg caught the log and sent her crashing towards the ground. Another gasp followed, but this time in pain, as she landed on her injured hand, whose bandages were all but gone.
For a few moments, Alice just laid there on the ground clutching her hand and trying to calm down.
You need to relax girl, all of that was just an illusion. Plus you don't want to worry everyone else by coming back so distressed, they already have enough on their minds and can't be bothered to worry about you Alice told herself as she got up from where she was and started walking.
The birds chirping there farewells through the trees were a great help in calming Alice down as she neared the village. No one was out and Alice assumed they must've gone inside to escape from the storm, so her trip to Kaede's house was made quick and easy.
Once outside of Kaede's house, Alice took a deep breath and wiped of the dirt that clung to her arms and legs before pushing through the straw flap.
She was greeted by six worried but somewhat relieved faces as she allowed her face to blush a bit while as she said, "Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to get back, the herb I was looking for was really tough to find."
Alice's explanation went unanswered for a moment before Kagome blinked and replied, "It's okay, what herb were you looking for anyway?"
At this Alice blushed for real as she realized that if she said she was looking for lemon balm her story would definitely seem untrue, but she had no other choice but to tell the truth.
"I was looking for lemon balm," she replied embarrassed, "Oh! And some reishi mushrooms."
This time everyone in the room raised their eyebrows in surprise as Alice took out her findings. "Reishi mushrooms? What a luck to have found such a rare herb," Miroku said in an impressed tone.
"Where did you find them?" Kagome asked Alice as she looked towards the mushrooms in her hand.
"I'll tell you, but first how about some lemon tea?" Alice offered, trying to get away from the subject.
"That would be wonderful," Sango said in reply.
Alice smiled as she made the tea from water already boiled by Kagome and poured it into seven cups for everyone and one little one for Myoga. Once everyone had their drink, Alice settled down in between Kaede and Shippo and sipped her tea while enjoying the warmth of the fire on her skin.
"So where'd you find it?" Inuyasha asked as he finished his tea and set the cup down in front of him.
Alice sighed and looked down at the tea in her hands. "I think I forgot where I found it," Alice lied, trying to sound disappointed but not even daring to look up at anyone in case they saw something that might make her look like she was lying.
"Really! You were just there a moment ago weren't you?" Shippo asked in surprise.
"Keh you're no help," Inuyasha replied in frustration.
Alice felt her face grow warm as she let her snow white bangs cover her eyes, not because she was afraid that everyone would see that she was lying but because she could feel the fear from before regaining its control over her as the illusion filled her mind once again.
"You found them at Onigumo's Cave am I right?" Kaede stated as Alice tensed up and everyone looked towards the older priestess in surprise.
Alice nodded as she heard gasps from Kagome and Shippo as Inuyasha jumped up and stood next to her growling, "Alice! Why didn't you tell us?"
Alice ignored Inuyasha and in a raspy voice asked Kaede, "How did you know?"
"I'm sorry my dear, but it was quiet obvious to me that the only place even remotely near that has that herb is a top Onigumo's cave," Kaede replied.
"I see," Alice said as she kept her head lowered before continuing on, "Hey Kaede? Did anything happen in that cave before? Like a fire or something like that?"
Alice bit down on her lip as she heard no reply and cast a quick glance up to see that everyone had a look of utter surprise mixed in with a look of knowing on their face.
The silence seemed to last forever until Kaede finally replied, "Yes, about 50 years ago and fire lit the cave and killed the man inside of it. Why do ask? Did something happen while you were there?"
It was Alice's turn to stay quite now as she stared in horror at her reflection in the tea.
So what I saw was a vision of an event that happened 50 years ago? Why… How did I… Alice thought wildly before she felt someone punch her on the top of the head. Alice gasped before looking up with tears of pain and frustration in her eyes at Inuyasha.
"Speak up already!" he growled at her impatiently before his frown changed into a straight line when he looked into Alice's eyes.
Alice knew he must've seen a look of fear in her eyes that she failed to hide because she saw in his own gold eyes a spark of sympathy.
Alice sighed before turning towards the others, whose eyes had widened when they too saw the fear in Alice's, and replied in a quiet tone so that everyone had to lean forward to hear, "When I got to Onigumo's Cave, I picked the mushrooms just like I said, but when I saw the entrance to the cave I got curious and went inside."
Alice paused for a moment as Kagome lightly urged her on by saying, "Go on."
"Well as I got in the cave I saw a patch of ground with no grass growing on it at all and it was in the shape of a man," Alice continued before pausing again.
"That spot was where the bandit Onigumo laid," Miroku explained.
Alice nodded saying, "I know. I saw him lying there."
At once, everyone's intense gaze on Alice turned into one of confusion. "You saw him there? That's not possible…" Kagome started in surprise.
"Indeed, the bandit Onigumo died in that cave 50 years ago by a fire," Kaede put in, equally surprised.
"Again, I know," Alice replied, "In the cave I saw Onigumo lying there, making a deal with some demons, and dying in the fire. I don't know how, but somehow I saw it all."
Alice then looked around at everyone before asking, "Who is Onigumo anyway?"
At once, everyone's eyes grew serious as Miroku explained, "Onigumo was a bandit that was taken care of in that cave by a priestess by the name of Kikyo."
At this statement, Alice saw both Inuyasha and Kagome visibly stiffen but continued to focus on Miroku as he continued on, "As Kaede said before, he died in a fire 50 years ago, but this isn't entirely true. You see, during that fire Onigumo gave his soul, so he could move around, to the demons. After the demons fused together with him he became a new person."
"Yeah, but what do you mean he became a new person?" Alice asked.
"Well after that fire, Onigumo went by a different name and that name is Naraku," Sango finished.
Alice felt her heart skip a beat at this and stared down in shock at her remaining sips of tea before replying, "But if Onigumo, who was a human, became Naraku, who you guys say is a demon, wouldn't that make Naraku half human?"
"Yes, Naraku is indeed a half demon," Miroku responded as Alice looked up to see everyone's intense gaze elsewhere from her.
"That makes sense then," Alice mumbled before stifling a yawn, truly exhausted from the whole conversation, and finishing, "Well I think I'm going to head to bed now, see you guys in the morning."
With that, Alice got up, walked to the back corner where her bed lay and laid down with her back turned to the group.
For a moment, Alice just sat there, listening to the murmuring of everyone else before she felt her eyelids grow heavy and let the darkness take her.
/././././././
Alice opened her eyes and saw the dream meadow that she had visited before (i.e. Ch. 9) and began to walk around it, admiring the flowers.
They're so beautiful she thought as she bent down to smell them. After taking in their sweet aroma, she then looked around the meadow with curiosity in her gaze.
I wonder if that man will show up again Alice thought worriedly.
Part of her wanted to see the man because she wanted to ask him questions like who he was and how he knew her name, another part of her didn't want the man to return because of the uneasy feeling she would get when he came, and the last part of her was too busy taking in the beautiful scene and frankly didn't care if he returned.
Her eyes widened a bit as she felt his aura fill the meadow, causing her shiver at its coldness.
Why is his aura so cold? Alice thought as she looked down sadly as she saw the flowers at her feet wither and disappear and just then something in her clicked and she vaguely remembered feeling the same aura somewhere else other than in this dream.
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, before calling out calmly, "I know you're there, I can sense your aura you know. Just come out already so we can talk."
After a brief moment of silence, Alice heard the ravaged bushes rustle as the man stepped into the clearing.
"So you've learned to sense auras already, I'm impressed," the man greeted in a taunting tone.
Alice furrowed her eyebrows a bit in frustration before taking a deep breath and continuing on calmly, "Yes I have, but that's not important right now. How about you answer some of my questions? For instance, who are you and how do you know my name?"
At this the man chuckled a bit while a grin lit his face and when Alice saw this her ice blue eyes immediately flared in anger as she fought to keep her temper down.
The man's eyes narrowed in what Alice thought of triumph for getting her to show some emotion in her eyes before replying smoothly, "You're a smart girl, figure it out yourself."
Hearing his smug reply finally made something in Alice snap as she threw a fire ball towards him involuntarily. The men merely closed his eyes and moved a fraction of an inch to the left as the fire whizzed by him and hit dried up shrub behind him that quickly caught on fire.
Suddenly realizing what she had done, Alice gasped as she saw the fire spread until it surrounded the two.
"How careless of you. You should really learn to control that temper of yours before someone really gets hurt," the man warned darkly as he narrowed his crimson eyes.
But his words came on deaf ears as Alice stared in horror and realization at the fire. Images of Onigumo's Cave flashed through her mind, Miroku telling her the bandit's story, and Sango telling her about Onigumo's new identity. And within moments it hit her hard.
Instantly, Alice felt rage boil up in her as she swiftly turned around and yelled, "Naraku!"
Alice jerked up from where she lay and immediately found herself with a lack of breath as she bent over, snapped her eyes shut and started coughing. Alice tried to stop herself from coughing, praying that she wouldn't wake them up but her prayers came unanswered as she heard footsteps on the hard wooden floor come get louder as they approached her.
"You okay?" Alice heard the voice of Inuyasha ask.
Alice swallowed, finally recovering from the coughing fit, and looked up to see that the small room was glowing with the faint light cast by the rising sun.
"Good morning," Miroku greeted as Alice came to a sitting position on her mat.
Unfortunately for her, Alice realized her coughing had woken up Kagome, Shippo, and Sango who were slowly getting up from their spots as well and looked down while saying to them, "Sorry for waking you."
"Oh no problem," Kagome replied groggily.
Alice sighed in relief while saying more cheerfully, "Good morning!"
Everyone settled down and ate a quick breakfast before packing for their journey and once everyone was ready Kaede said, "Well I hope your journey will be safe."
"Yeah," Alice agreed while she put her sword in her kimono's obi and looked towards Kaede, "Well then we should get going now or else we won't arrive at Tsuzumi Village until sunset."
"Of course, but before you head out take this," Kaede advised as she handed Alice a priestess outfit very similar to what the old priestess was wearing herself, "I know it's extra baggage, but it is going to be a long journey and a change of clothes could be useful."
"Yeah, we don't know what we'll be facing so it'd be best if we take them," Kagome agreed.
Alice nodded and took the clothes and put them into her cloth bag that Kaede had given her just a few minutes ago. "Thanks Grandma Kaede. Well, we'll see you in a few weeks I guess," Alice replied as she hugged Kaede and followed everyone out the house.
"May your journey be safe!" Alice heard Kaede call as everyone started towards the village entrance.
I wonder what this journey will bring us Alice thought as they walked out of the village and into the forest. Her eyes became serious as she realized she would be facing Naraku at some point and this time they wouldn't be in her dream.
"Come on, let's pick up the pace," Inuyasha said as he helped Kagome onto his back.
Alice nodded before she saw a flash of fire beside her and looked to see a giant flaming cat demon next to her with Sango on its back. She realized that Sango must've seen the surprise in her eyes because amusement lit her gaze as she laughed.
"I guess we forgot to introduce you to Kirara. Well this is her," Sango explained while nodding her head towards the cat demon, "Don't be frightened by her appearance, she's a real sweetheart."
Alice smiled and followed Inuyasha as he began running through the forest.
/././././././
They had been traveling for quite some time before Alice saw a familiar figure and smiled while calling out, "Grandpa Kakuju!"
Kakuju turned to everyone as they slowed down and stood in front of the old man.
"Grandpa Kakuju! How have you been?" Alice continued happily.
Kakuju chuckled before replying, "My, I didn't expect to run into you again so soon. I've been great, how about you?"
While Alice excitedly replied to Kakuju, Inuyasha and Kagome were busy explaining to Sango and Miroku who Kakuju was.
Alice laughed before she remembered what she wanted to ask Kakuju and her tone became quite but way more serious as she asked, "Kakuju? Can I ask you something? How can you stop someone from entering your dreams?"
At the serious note in her tone, Kakuju's smile faded as he replied, "Yes, I do know of a way, but why do you ask?"
"Well…" Alice said before Inuyasha cut her off, "Hey Alice let's get going already!"
Alice was about to yell back at Inuyasha but Kakuju stopped her saying, "Wait, before you guys leave take this."
Kakuju then reached into his kimono's sleeve and pulled out a necklace made of some rope with a heather colored jem dangling from it and placed it in Alice's hand.
"That monk over there should help you make good use of it. Go on, show it to him," Kakuju instructed.
Alice then saw Miroku walk up to her and she showed him the necklace.
"Is it a talisman?" Miroku asked curiously.
"Yes, I added some of my Shikigami to it too. It'll give you strength when you all fight as one and it will help with other problems as well," Kakuju finished as he smiled towards Alice.
At once Alice realized that this necklace would help her keep Naraku away from her dreams and she put it on before running up to Kakuju and hugging him saying, "Thank you!"
"Really thank you this will help out a lot," Alice said in a lower tone so no one but Kakuju could hear them as she returned to her position among the group.
"You're welcome, but I should be going now. May your journey be safe," Kakuju called as they parted ways.
Alice's gaze followed the elderly man until he vanished among the trees. Please let this work Alice thought worriedly as she looked down at the sparkling necklace around her neck.
So Alice keeps her visits with Naraku a secret but she is hopeful that she can put an end to him entering her dreams. But is it still a wise decision to keep this secret from everyone else? Hopefully things will turn out okay for Alice as she goes to sleep this time.
UPDATE:
10 more chapters to update!~ Yay! Oh and this is one of the chapters I guess I screwed up on the title... So new title! xD
Please read and review~
