Higurashi Shrine And The Lonely Soul
(Part II)
The forest was singing with laughter as two children ran around and frolicked through its greenery. Carefree birds chirped and sang their joyful songs as they watched from the canopy of branches and leaves. The children that darted through the underbrush and played their games of imagination did not frighten the typically skittish woodland creatures.
Yes. The pair came to the forest every day, but they never dared to venture too far inside. The limits of their pretend kingdom was the meadow of goldenrods. Beyond the field of green and gold was an area of the woods where the trees huddled close together—where the sun could not pierce through their entwined branches.
One child wore a pink-checkered overall dress over a short-sleeved shirt with a large pink bow planted in her loose, dark hair. The other wore a matching purple-checkered overall dress over a long-sleeve shirt with two purple bows on either side of her head. The girl in pink nearly dragged the girl in purple deeper and deeper.
"Kage-chan, where are we going?" the girl in purple asked in an anxious voice. They had already run past the boundaries of the goldenrod meadow. It was not that they were forbidden to venture this far. There was just something about the darker part of the forest that felt off. "I don't know where we are anymore!"
Kage gave her twin a big, reassuring smile while squeezing her hand, "Just a bit further, Hime-chan. I wanna show you a really fun place to play!"
"What fun place?" Hime inquired, excitement overpowering the anxiety that she felt. "And how do you know about it when I don't?" As twins, they usually did everything from playing to bath time together.
"Oh! 'member when Kaede-baasan came by to start your priestess training yesterday?"
Hime nodded and stated bluntly, "Of course, I do. It was just yesterday."
"Well, while you were busy, I went off to play by myself. And I met this cute little bunny and we played for a while!" Kage explained as her smile grew. "Then he took off for some reason, and I followed him! That's where I found the fun place!"
"When we get there, can we play True Love and War again?" Hime asked hopefully. It was her favorite game.
"Yup!" Kage nodded and picked up a stick on the ground. She pointed it up and announced, "I'll be the samurai, and you'll be my princess!"
It truly was their favorite game of pretend. It was a make-believe world where Kage could be stronger and protect someone, and where Hime could be helpless and shielded from the burden of strength.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Kagome-chan, what type of movie do you want to watch?" Manta's voice suddenly brought Kagome back into reality. He watched the girl's expression change from a soft introspection to surprised.
"Oh, um," The priestess lifted a hand and waved it a bit. "I'm fine with whatever you and Yoh-kun want," she answered with a smile that came off as too forced to her friends. 'Why am I thinking of that all of a sudden…?' She wondered to herself.
"Well, my plan was to sleep so I don't have a preference," Yoh said in a nonchalant tone.
"We're watching anime!" Souta suddenly shouted at the twins.
"No, we're watching movies!" The twins shouted back in unison.
Kagome sighed and placed a hand to her forehead, "This is embarrassing…" she whispered before placing her hands on her hips and marching over to her relatives. "It's late so you have to keep your voices down!" She chastised them in a louder voice that made the bickering trip go quiet, for a moment.
"You're not the boss of us, Ka-go-me!" Botan and Momiji protested. Sota pouted and nodded vigorously in agreement.
'Big mouths really do run in the family…' Yoh, Manta, and Amidamaru sweatdropped before a line of portraits caught the spirit's eye. The two boys followed Amidamaru over to the wall aligned with photos to examine them.
"Awww, it's Chibi Kagome-chan," Yoh pointed at a picture of a younger version of Kagome. She was standing in front of the Goshinboku, embracing a toddler Souta from behind. Behind them, there was another Kagome with a triumphant grin on her face as she stood on top of the fence around the great tree. "Oh, that's strange," he blinked while removing the framed picture from its hook.
"What is?" Manta asked as Yoh passed the picture to him. His eyes first fell on the embracing siblings, he chuckled, "That's pretty cute." He then spotted the other child. "Oh, I see. Looks like Kagome-chan has a twin sister."
Amidamaru floated closer to Manta and peered down at the photograph. "Hmmm…" He rubbed his chin as he raised an eyebrow, "Kagome-sama and the other girl are indeed identical. But she has not mentioned having such a sibling."
"Do you think something bad happened to her?" Manta inquired with downcast eyes.
"Hmm, I do sense a few spirits lurking around in the area," Yoh pointed out. "Should we summon them and ask what happened?"
Manta was quick to stiffen and shake his head, "No way! No way! That's way too straightforward! Besides, these aren't just any spirits, they're Kagome-chan's family!"
Yoh nodded and explained casually, "Exactly why I want to speak to them." He stole a glance at Kagome who was pulling her cousins' ears. "Kagome-chan is a precious friend of mine. So her family resting in peace is especially important to me."
'No matter what, Yoh-kun looks at situations like this through the eyes of a shaman…' Manta thought. He then smiled up at his friend and replied, "I see, so you're not just being nosey. That's good."
Amidamaru crossed his arms and suggested, "I understand your feelings, Yoh-dono. But you should probably wait until Kagome-sama is comfortable talking about it before you take action."
Suddenly, the discussion was interrupted by the frantic footfalls of the Higurashi twins. Botan, once again, swept Manta in her arms while rubbing her cheek against his. "Wah! Put me down, dammit!" The blond boy shouted as he squirmed within her arms. Meanwhile, Yoh did not flinch or resist as Momiji glomped him from behind.
"It's time for the very first Higurashi/Oyamada/Asakura/Amidamaru sleepover party!" the twins announced happily. "Feel free to make yourselves at home!"
Souta sweatdropped and grumbled, "…this is coming from the two who don't live here…" He carelessly dropped his armful of DVDs onto the blankets on the floor. "Yoh-niisan, you and Manta-niisan will have to sleep on the pallets!"
"Heh, heh, that's fine with me."
From late that night to early the next morning, the ragtag group spent time partying and acting like normal children. There was constant glomping from the Higurashi twins, high-pitched screams from horror movies, soda pop fights, and even pillow fights. Late in the party, Botan offered to read everyone's palms. "Woah! I didn't know that priestesses were also fortune-tellers!" Yoh gasped when the girl made her offer.
Kagome scratched her cheek as she explained, "Well, we are, but we're not? We're able to predict natural disasters after communicating with the gods… Palm reading is just Botan's hobby." Manta, Yoh, and Amidamaru anime fell.
"If you had told me something like that months ago, I wouldn't believe you," Manta admitted with an embarrassed smile. He then held his hand out to Botan and stated, "But I'm more inclined to believe it now. So, if you would," he nodded to the priestess.
Botan beamed as she took his hand and leaned forward to examine it. Manta had to refrain from laughing as she tickled his palm while lightly dragging her fingernail across his skin. "Hmm…" She smiled. "You will have a long, prosperous life. Your youth will be filled with adventure and excitement." The blond's face lightened up. "However, upon adulthood, your life will become very mundane and a little boring." His face fell instantly.
"Well, Manta-kun is the type who'd become something like an accountant, right?" Kagome asked while sharing teasing smiles with Yoh, who scooted closer to her cousin.
"Can you do me now?" He asked with a wide grin as he offered his open palm to the girl.
"Gladly~" Botan answered before she began her reading. "Your future is a bit more complicated," the priestess stated while squinting. "It seems that you have the potential to have a long life, but there's also the threat of it coming to an abrupt end if you follow a certain path." Yoh stiffened at the news. "Other than that, it seems like you will help a lot of people throughout your life. But you will also become so beloved by some, that you'll end up breaking a few hearts."
"Break a few hearts?" Yoh gaped at that part. "I don't like the sound of that at all!"
"Can you imagine Yoh-kun as a heartbreaker?" Kagome asked Manta.
Manta shook his head, "I don't think he has it in him."
"Here, Kagome~" Botan offered while taking her cousin's hand. "I wanna see if you stay the failure that you are right now!" She ignored Kagome's deadpanned 'I'll fight you' as she began examining her palm. Botan's brown eyes widened as she gasped, "No way…"
"What? What does it say…?" Kagome asked, feeling unnerved by her cousin's reaction.
"If I'm reading this correctly, Kagome is going to become extremely powerful," Botan announced. 'Kagome? Yeah, right!' Momiji laughed, earning a groan and glare from their cousin. "Not only that, but she's going to have the best happy ending ever!" Botan looked Kagome in the eyes as she spoke, "It says that you're going to be loved by many for a long time. But, you'll end up happily married to the man of your dreams."
Kagome's cheeks burned at the prospect as she retracted her hand. "The man of my dreams, huh?" She asked before smiling sheepishly. "I don't know what type of person that is yet."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Just beyond the field of goldenrods was a peculiar clearing. Darkened soil replaced the lush vegetation. In the center of the barren clearing was a cave with a gaping, dark mouth. Old, worn sutras coated the surface of the cavern's opening. "See? Isn't it cool?!" Kage asked, before running up to the cave and turning around to smile at Hime with her arms spread out wide, "What do ya think?"
"It's not that great…" Hime replied bluntly. "And it's kind of weird. Look at those sutras…"
"Don't mind the small details," Kage stated while raising a finger and winking.
"You're just trying to sound mature by copying Papa," Hime rolled her eyes.
"I am not!" Kage yelled back. "Anyway," there was a brief pause before Kage turned around to face the cave. "This can be my grave! The lonely samurai spirit's grave!"
"Okay!" Hime agreed with a soft smile. "And I'm the princess who summons your spirit from the dead!" Kage grinned and nodded, they were glad that Hime understood what their next adventure would be about.
"First, let's remove these old sutras!" Kage told Hime. Hime's blue-gray eyes widened and she reached out to her sibling but it was too late. Kage had already begun to peel the old paper away from the aging rock. Somehow, Kage did not notice how each time a sutra was removed, it went up in flames and the sky became darker.
"Stop it! Kage-chan, get down from there!" Hime suddenly shouted.
"Woah woah—WAH!" The startled Kage fell backward, peeling the last sutra off as she went.
Hime quickly ran to her fallen twin's side and helped her up into a sitting position, "Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes glazed with concern.
Kage hissed in pain as her scraped elbows stung, "Y-yeah, I'm okay…"
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky and hit the cave, blowing the twins away. Their small bodies rolled and tumbled across the hard soil ground.
"Kage-chan…" Hime grumbled as she lifted her head. "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah," Kage responded as she picked her head up. "What's goin—?"
A monstrous, guttural chuckle overpowered the child's voice.
The twins looked towards the cave and felt their hearts stop.
A nightmare creature stood at the lip of the cavern. Its hunched form towered above two hundred centimeters. Its leathery skin was colored sickly gray. Its most ghastly feature was the hundreds of eyes littering its skin. From small black to large blood-shot green ones, the monster had a plethora of pulsing, peeping peepers that anxiously glanced around. At the center of the monster's torso was a thick-lipped mouth as wide as its chest.
"Oh, God…" Hime whispered breathlessly.
The lips cracked a jagged-toothed grin before a forked tongue licked them. "God?" The demon asked incredulously. "For you two…" The eyes of the right side of the body stared at Hime while the eyes of the left settled on Kage. "There is no God."
With fear as their guide, the twins jumped to their feet and darted away from the creature. Kage was ahead of her sister by a mere thirty centimeters. But that short distance made a world of difference.
"There's no use running or hiding!" The demon roared at them from the cave. "I can smell your fear! I can hear your racing hearts!" A single arm shot through the air like a missile, easily snatching the closest prey.
Hime screamed in terror as she felt an iron grip on her ankle. The ground slipped beneath her feet. In a blur of colors, the child was yanked back towards the cave. And within the blink of an eye, the girl was held upside down at the creature's side.
"Release me, you foul creature!" Hime demanded indignantly. She held her skirt in place with one hand and fruitlessly batted at the demon's ribs with the other. "I'm a priestess! So put me down, or you'll regret it!"
At the sound of her sister's cries, Kage turned around and gasped. A few seconds ago, Hime was behind her. Now, there she was, dangling about the demon's gaping maw.
The fear of losing her sister overpowered the fear of losing her life. The girl turned around and ran to her sister's rescue. "Drop my sister, you forty-eyed freak!" Kage shouted angrily. "I said…" Kage whispered just loud enough for the demon to hear. The stick that Kage planned to transform into a sword using imagination was now her true weapon. "Let her gggooooooo!" Kage charged at the demon.
"Kage-chan! No, you can't!" Hime told her sibling while holding her hand up. "Go on without me!"
"You're just like Kaede-obaasan and the others! You think that I can't do anything because I'm not strong like you," Kage shouted as she did not back down. "But starting today, I'm not going to be a shadow anymore!"
The demon chuckled and turned to Kage with Hime still in its grasps. "Poor little Kage," it mocked with feigned sympathy. "You won't live long enough to become anything more than a shadow."
"You're right. Kage dies right here and now! Because my name is—!" The child swung her stick at the creature's waist. It roared in pain as it was engulfed in electric blue light.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome's eyes opened slowly as she awakened from the dream. The dark silence of the house made her guess that it was still early in the morning. She looked around the room that was softly illuminated by the glow of the TV screen. "These guys…" she sighed before chuckling at the sleeping faces of her friends and relatives. She tied toed past the bodies of the boys on the floor and quietly turned off the device.
The girl took a single step. Her eye twitched when she stepped on a potato chip. It was crushed beneath her weight and its last words were a sharp crunch. "Okay," she whispered to herself. "Gotta clean later…"
That was when a bright light rushed through the window shades and briefly lit up the dark room. Seconds later, the flash was followed by a deep rumbling sound. "Rain…thunder" Kagome whispered. "It was storming then too…"
Kagome quivered at the memory before she made her way to the bathroom to clear her head. Why was she thinking about that now? Was it because of the house? Was it her family that reminded her of that time? She shook her head and gazed at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She ran cold water in her cupped hands and splashed her face.
"No…" she whispered. "It's something else…" She guessed. Kagome and her sister never told anyone of that day in the woods. They had been too afraid to speak of what happened, not even to each other. Eventually, that day faded to the back of her mind, like a dream.
'Something must have triggered those memories… But what?'
Suddenly, Kagome's heart missed a beat as a thought struck her.
'Golden eyes… and silver hair…' Kagome's inner voice spoke to her. She knew that those words had some sort of significance, but she could not remember what.
'Golden eyes...and silver hair… Do I know someone like that?' She fastened her haori and straightened her hakamas. After slipping on her sandals, she was ready to go. With her mind clouded by fuzzy thoughts, she easily skipped and jumped over the sleeping bodies on the floor.
"I did," Kagome sighed in relief once she reached the front door. She turned and smiled at her friends and said, "I'll be back soon." With those words whispered to deaf ears, Kagome closed the front door behind her, unaware of the one person who did hear her.
The restless girl began walking a path that she had not seen in years. The threat of repressed memories flooding back made her feel numb. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own as her feet kept going deeper and deeper into the green area. 'What does it all mean?' she asked herself. 'I was useless that day, wasn't I?'
A deep roll of thunder startled the girl from her thoughts. Upon her return to reality, she realized where she was. She stood amidst a field of crunchy, brown growths. "The goldenrods…they're dead now, huh?" She asked as her mind compared the image of decay to the golden plants in her memory.
'If I retrace my steps, maybe… I'll remember everything that happened on that day… And then… I'll be a step closer to solving the mystery.' She thought to herself as she trudged through the rain-soaked stalks. The ground was drenched and slippery with dark muck. Her sandals offered her socks and feet no protection from the mud.
Feeling uncomfortable with soaked socks, Kagome pulled off her sandals and peeled off her socks. The mud was cool to her feet and sticky between her toes, but she moved forward. Only the mental image of a stern-looking Manta chastising her for catching a cold faltered her steps. But a moment later, the image of Yoh giving her a grin and agreeing to skip school to look after her urged her forward.
A feeling of recognition and melancholy washed over Kagome after she ducked under a low tree branch and came to another familiar clearing. It was the lifeless clearing that housed the damned cave and the grotesque demon. "This is…" Kagome said as she edged closer and closer to the waiting darkness. She ran her hand along the rough rock and sighed, "Where it all started."
The priestess closed her eyes and waited for more memories to come to her.
But after minutes went by, she could only sense loneliness.
She then looked up at the thick, dark clouds that gathered above.
The storm was going to get worse.
'I'm an idiot,' she berated herself before climbing into the mouth. She found a sizable rock to support her back as she hugged her knees against her chest. 'Great… Now I'm stuck here till it passes…' she thought with a silent ire for herself. She shivered when the temperature noticeably dropped.
"Human girl," a calm voice baritoned at her from the other corner of the mouth. "You have no business here. Leave."
'That voice…'
Kagome turned her head.
Heavy armor, a boa as white as snow, pointed, black boots, elegant haori, long silver hair, and frozen gold eyes. At the opposite end of the entrance, sat a magnificent older man. "I didn't see you when I came in," Kagome stated as she got up and approached the man. "Who are you?" She could feel the demonic aura that pulsed off of the man in constant waves, like the tides of the sea. She knew that he was a demon, and yet…
Her senses were calm.
They told her that she had met this man before, and that he was no enemy.
"Priestess of the Higurashi shrine," The demon regarded her with a piercing gaze as she grew closer, not showing a sign of fear despite the recognition in her eyes. "This place belongs to this Sesshomaru."
'That's right,' the girl thought as she stared down at the demon. 'Back then...it was you.'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kage dropped her weapon to shield her eyes from the blinding light that engulfed the demon and her sister. The rumbling roar from the monster and heart-shattering shrieks from the girl blended into a cacophony of agony. "Hime-chan!" She cried out. The monster and priestess jerked about as the blue light electrocuted them and set their skin on fire.
Besides the girl stood a man with a head of silver hair. His uncaring eyes took in his victims' pain without regard. Then, he turned to face the small girl next to him. He met her terrified blue eyes with his steely gold ones. "Rin, I have found you," was all that he said before sheathing his sword, sealing away its crackling power.
"Rin?" Kage's nose wrinkled at the name. "My name is Kagome. Ka-go-me!"
"Hn," The man got a better look at the child and subtly nodded to himself. The resemblance was there, but this child was not the one that he sought. His eyes closed, "I was mistaken." Without another word to Kagome, the man turned heel and began walking away.
Kagome glared at the man's back before running over to her twin's side. "Nee-chan!" She knelt down beside her fallen sister. Her heart clenched at the sight of her. "Kikyo-nee-chan!" She raised a shaky hand to her twin's face, but stopped herself. 'Those burns…'
Both the monster and Kikyo were terribly scorched. Patches of their pale skin were charred into crunchy black splotches. "K-Kagome…" Kikyo's voice was hoarse and scratchy. Their blue eyes met and locked. Kikyo stifled a chuckle, the motion sending a searing pain throughout her body. She wanted to raise a hand to wipe her younger sister's tears away. "There it goes… You're crying again…"
"B-Because I don't know what to do!" Kagome screamed as her shoulders trembled. "I thought I could save you, b-but I…!" Her words died in bubbling sobs. She shut her eyes, squeezing out another bought of tears.
The droplets fell on Kikyo's face, like her very own rain shower.
"Eh?" Kagome opened her watery eyes when her sister's body was enveloped by a mysterious light. To her relief and shock, this light did not send Kikyo into another fit of pained screams. As quickly as the light came, it faded away. "Eh?!" She gasped when Kikyo emerged from the light, restored to normal.
The older twin slowly sat up and looked at her sister with a surprised expression. She then raised her hands and stared down at them. She turned her hand around and examined her fingers, arms, and legs. She placed a hand on her stomach.
All of her injuries and pain completely disappeared.
"Did...I do that?" Kikyo asked of her sister. Kagome did not know the answer so she did all that she could: pull her sister into a tight embrace. The elder twin slowly raised her arms to return the hug. "Let's get out of here, and never come back." Kagome nodded.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Kagome-chan!"
The scream of her name was muffled as the voices from the past resounded in her head.
She could hear the sound of her sister's voice telling her that they should head home.
"Kagome-chan, are you okay?!"
"Huh?" Blink. Blink.
Kagome was no longer staring into her sister's blue eyes, but a pair of familiar brown ones. They were like the promising aroma of oden after a long day, warm and inviting. They were as brown and solid as the very earth that kept her grounded in reality.
They were the eyes that brought her back from a dark place when she struggled to choose between the ordinary and the strange...
"You're way too close!" The priestess chastised while pushing her hands against the boy's chest, staggering him slightly. "What are you doing here anyway?" She grumbled out, wondering why she felt so riled up suddenly. Yoh never intimidated her before. And yet, she suddenly felt nervous, and that bothered her.
The shaman gave her a somewhat timid grin, "Sorry, I was just worried about you. You've been acting stranger than normal since you read that scroll yesterday."
Kagome felt her face warming, 'He was worried?' She shook her head and gave her a smile to reassure him, "Thanks, but you don't have to worr…Mm?"
The girl was left speechless and breathless when Yoh leaned in close and pressed his forehead against her. "Your face is kind of red though," he pointed out. He stayed there for a moment, comparing their temperatures, before pulling away. "Yeah, you're a little warm. You might have caught something."
"I'm fine. I was just lost in thought, that's all," The blushing girl reassured him. She then gasped and whipped around, "Where is he!?" She asked as her eyes darted around, desperately searching for signs of the demon lord.
"Oh, do you mean that demon spirit guy?" Yoh asked. "He left a minute ago. I tried talking to him but he completely ignored me," he explained with a displeased scowl. "He looks so strong! He'd be a perfect addition to my team!"
Kagome placed her hands on her hips and huffed, "Well, you can't have him. His name is Sesshomaru, and I've decided that he's just the man I'm looking for."
The shaman's jaw dropped to the floor. "B-But you can't do that!" He explained while flailing his hands about.
"Eh?" Kagome blinked at her friend. "Why not?" She asked with a slight head tilt.
"I know that you got excited about your fortune!" Yoh babbled while planting his hands on her shoulders. "But you're way too young to worry about that! Plus, he's way too old for you! And—!" He paused as the priestess aimed a deadpanned look at him. "Aha…" he chuckled while removing his hands from her person to scratch the back of his head. "You're talking about shaman stuff, aren't you?"
Kagome placed a hand to her forehead and replied, "I think I know where Manta-kun is coming from…"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
It was that time again: 5:00 A.M.
Manta groaned as he was awakened by the urge to relieve himself. He blinked the blurriness of sleep away. In a swift motion, he was on his feet. His expression was blank as he was driven by pure instinct. He stepped over Souta as he made his way towards the bathroom.
'That's right…' He thought groggily when he realized that this bathroom did not have the step-stool that he used to reach the sink. 'We spent the night at Kagome-chan's place.' After lowering the lid of the toilet seat, he climbed up and proceeded to wash his hands.
His mind suddenly replayed his trip from the living room to the bathroom. He sat up. He stepped over Souta. He spotted the twins huddled close together on the couch. 'Wait! They weren't there?!' He questioned if his short-term memory was failing. The water handle creaked as he quickly turned it off.
Manta hopped off of the toilet seat and ran back to the living room. There was no sign of either of his friends. He then went to the front door and noticed their shoes were missing. 'Yoh-kun, Kagome-chan! Where did you go!?'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Time went by with no improvement in sight. The rain came down relentlessly, coating the area in a misty spray. Lightning crackled as it connected the heavens and earth. Thunder boomed here and there like a drum of the gods. The shaman and priestess took in the spectacle with calm eyes, much like when they star-gazed with Manta. "So, you met that Sesshomaru guy in the past…" He concluded after hearing out her story. "And you think his reappearance drew you out here?"
Kagome nodded slowly and stared at her lap. "I can't explain it logically, but…" she hands began fists as she spoke. "Have you ever just...got this mysterious feeling that something was meant to be?" She lifted her eyes to Yoh's.
"Hmmm…" Yoh's face scrunched into a thoughtful expression. "I guess, about meeting you." The priestess blushed a bit but ended up unclenching her fists and smiling. "You, me, and Manta… It feels like meeting and becoming friends is fulfilling an old dream."
The priestess groaned while placing a hand to her mouth and scowling, "Ugh, I feel sick."
The shaman turned and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Hey, I'm being serious!" He pouted then blinked when he noticed the truly sickened expression on Kagome's face. 'Did she really catch something bad?'
"Sorry," The priestess' voice was a breathy whisper. "I'm suddenly very tired. I have a bad feeling about this…"
Without warning, the earth began to shake violently, sending the weakened priestess falling into her friend's arms. A bead of sweat ran down Yoh's face. The shaking was followed by a thunderous voice resounding wicked laughter from within the depths of the cave. "Kagome-chan," the boy said as he picked her up bridal style. "Let's get out of here."
Without wasting time, Yoh escaped the quaking cavern with Kagome in his arms. He looked down at her face and scowled at the forced smile that she gave him. "I'll get you home, okay?" That was when it hit him all at once—the presence of darkness.
The crash and crumbling of the cave in.
The devious laughter from before drowned out the boom of thunder and plops of heavy rain.
A frightening long shadow loomed over them.
Yoh's breath was still as he dared to turn around and gaze up at the terror awaiting them. 'A-An oni?!' He only caught a glimpse of the monstrosity that towered above them. The demon was ruthless. A swift swipe of its hand sent the teens flying across the clearing. 'Damn it!' The only thing that he could think of was protecting the girl in his arms. A quick turn before they crashed allowed Kagome to land on top of him as they skidded across the ground.
Kagome moaned a bit as she used her shaky arms to force herself into an upright position. "Yoh-kun?" She looked down at her friend and scowled when she saw that he had lost consciousness. A brief glance over her shoulder revealed the demon from years ago slowly sauntering over to them, its large mouth grinning. 'That's the one from before...but how?' Her eyes then landed on the quaking cave across the day. 'And that place...it's devouring my energy. Was this all a trap…?'
"We finally meet again, little priestess," the demon greeted her, its tone friendly but its smirk predatory. "I've waited so long for this reunion. And your spiritual power has grown quite nicely, what a treat!"
Kagome's eyes widened. She looked down at Yoh's face. 'I've dragged Yoh-kun into this mess…' She thought. 'I can't allow him to die. He doesn't deserve that.'
"Oho?" The demon's hundreds of eyes honed in on the priestess as she shakily got to her feet. "You have the strength to stand after being so close to the priestess eater for so long?" He asked as Kagome aimed a glare and defiant smile at him.
"Priestess eater, huh?" She asked. "So that's what that cave is. I see." 'It really was a trap, for me. I've got to lead that thing away from Yoh-kun. I've got to live long enough for him to escape!'
"Yeeeees," the demon hissed as it came within a meter of the girl. "Hundreds of ago, we realized that we were too weak to survive alone. Between holy humans and stronger demons, we surely would have perished on our own. So we formed an alliance...the priestess eater would use its aura to lure priestesses and devour the fleshly body…"
"So you must be…" Kagome replied, her eyes stealing another glance of Yoh, hoping to find a sign that he would wake up soon. "The type of swamp demon that devours souls, especially children."
"Ahhhh," The demon smirked as it reached out its arm and raised a hand to caress Kagome's cheek. It relished in how its prey was petrified in fear. "Yes. You're much sharper than the last Higurashi that I devoured. I wonder if your soul will taste just as sweet."
"The last...Higurashi…?" Kagome's eyes widened. She then gasped when she realized what had truly happened to the soul of her ancestor—the girl who the demon lord Sesshomaru had been searching for...
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Where are you?" Rin asked as she wandered aimlessly through the void. It was cold, and dark. She cupped her hands around her mouth as she screamed even louder, "Ran-onee-san! Please answer me!" The girl sighed and pouted a bit, wondering where her lord and her sister could have gone. It seemed like ages since she had last seen them. How many hours had it been? Or was it days? Weeks?
'Where am I anyway?' Rin asked herself as she continued walking through the darkness. 'How did I get here?' It felt like she had been walking for a long, long time. And yet, she never grew tired. Was she becoming stronger?
"Sesshomaru-sama! Onee-san!" The girl yelled for the only family that she had left. She scowled as she tried to spot a glimpse of their faces, "I hope we're not playing hide-and-seek! You both said that I'm getting too old for this game! So come out already!" She sighed to herself and muttered, "If this is some sort of game, I don't think I want to play anymore…"
"Would you shut your damn mouth already?!" a deep, dry voice suddenly snapped.
Rin blinked twice as she followed the source of the voice. She felt oddly drawn towards a cave that soon came into view. "Oh, wow! Finally!" The girl cheered as a strange creature emerged from one of the cave's many pools of muck. She excitedly ran to the cave's entrance to greet the creature. "Demon-san!" Rin cried with a toothy grin. "Where can I find Sesshomaru-sama?" She asked the question without a hint of fear.
As the muddy water slid down the demon's body, Rin was able to see hundreds of eyeballs pop open, one by one. Still, she was unafraid. The demon chuckled as it responded, "I know not of this Sesshomaru-sama that you seek. But I do know a few things about you."
Rin tilted her head to the side a bit and asked innocently, "What is it? We just met. What could you possibly know about me, Demon-san?" She did not flinch when the demon raised it's large and cupped her small cheek.
"You've been wandering around the astral plane for quite some time…" The demon informed Rin, the lips on its stomach widened with each word. "You may think you're alive and just lost… But oh no, my dear, you're a lost soul and my next meal."
"I'm...what?!" Rin's eyes widened and she took a step backward… She watched in terror as the mouth opened, revealing two rows of gnarly teeth. 'It's going to...eat me?!' Rin fell backward onto her bottom. "Ran…Onee-san…" She whispered as the mouth drew closer and closer. "Sesshomaru-sama… Sesshomaru-sama… SESSHOMARU-SAMA!"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
'So that's what happened to Higurashi Rin…' Kagome thought.
"After we devoured her soul and body, that dog demon came running, but he had nothing to find. Not a scent to sniff," The swamp demon chuckled. "And what a wonderful surprise it was to meet you years ago…two fresh priestesses~ But that damned dog ruined it, didn't he?"
Kagome then forced a confident smirk to her face as she replied, "Well, maybe, he'll crash this little party again." The demon flinched and retracted its hand. "Let's find out," the priestess whispered as she forced her legs to move. Gravity was especially unkind with each heavy step that she took as she darted away. "Sesshomaru-sama!" She called out. 'Back then, he thought that I was Rin… So maybe!' "Sesshomaru-sama!" She screamed again while looking over her shoulder.
Just as she predicted, the demon was bounding after her. Its footsteps pounding the ground as it went. Before Kagome had the chance to celebrate that her plan to lure the demon away worked, her senses began to scream danger at her. She then remembered the last time that the demon chased her and her sister.
In the nick of time, the priestess listened to her instincts and dove to the ground, narrowly escaping the extended arm that shot through the air above her head. She then rolled to the right to avoid the arm as it retracted to its body. "I've got to—!" The girl screamed when she suddenly found herself soaring through the air. She looked up and sighed in relief, placing her hand to her chest, "Oh, it's you, Yoh-kun. But how?"
"It'll be alright now" Yoh smirked at her. "The cavalry has arrived."
"Oh, it's you, Amidamaru-sama," Kagome stated as she was gently sat on the wet ground. "Where have you been anyway?" She asked as Yoh stood in front of her, wooden sword in hand.
"You should thank us, you know," Momiji and Botan suddenly chorused as they stood at their cousin's sides. Kagome just sweatdropped when the twins patted each other on the backs. "When Amidamaru-sama came to get help, we're the ones who came here to save you!"
Manta also entered the scene, explaining as he approached Kagome, "They may act a little haughty, but they were in tears when Amidamaru told us what happened." He placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder and asked, "You okay?" The priestess nodded and smiled weakly. His gaze then turned to the icky beast with a thousand eyeballs and all the hairs on his head immediately stood up. "What the hell is THAT?!"
"I-it's an ancient swamp demon…" Momiji answered in a breathy voice.
"And it seems...it teamed up with a priestess eater…" Botan added before the two girls collapsed to their knees. "This is bad…" The twins were already panting heavily as sweat dripped down their forwards.
"It's up to you, Yoh-sama," Momiji told the shaman. "T-that cave is sapping our strength."
"We've got this!" Yoh and Amidamaru shouted before charging at the demon. As the monster raised an arm to counter his attack, he leaped into the air. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!" He shouted as he held the sword over his head.
Botan looked over at her cousin and stated, "H-Honestly, I'm amazed that you're still conscious right now...let alone alive."
"I-I know, it's strange." Suddenly, Kagome slowly rose to her feet, shocking both of her cousins. "But, I can keep standing as long as I have something important to me…" She cupped her hands together, her eyebrows furrowing with concern. 'Yoh-kun and Amidamaru-sama...they can't win like that…'
A successful blow was delivered to the demon's head, only for the sword to get caught in the demon's pale flesh. "W-What?!" The shaman grunted as his weapon began to sink into the liquefying skin. With each tug on his sword, he felt the pull of the demon's skin become stronger, drawing him closer to being absorbed within its depths. Amidamaru swore inwardly as they abandoned the weapon, opting to jump away.
"Yoh-kun, buy me some time!" Kagome suddenly called over to the shaman as he jumped over the demon's fist that crashed into the earth, creating a small crater where he once stood. "Help is on the way!"
"Help?!" Manta asked skeptically. "From where?! Who else can help me us if Yoh-kun and Amidamaru can't?!" His questions were immediately answered when unfamiliar footsteps approached them from behind. The boy shivered and rubbed his arms as a chilling presence walked past him to stand next to Kagome.
"I heard your call, Priestess," Sesshomaru stated.
"You sure took your sweet time, Sesshomaru," Kagome lightly snipped. She faced the demonic spirit, "That demon over there, and that cave—they're both responsible for Rin's disappearance back then." When she looked into the demon lord's eyes, she could have sworn that she saw a brief flicker of anger.
"Very well," he responded, his voice as cool as before. It was admirable how he kept a cool head, despite his thirst for vengeance. "Our interests align just this once." Sesshomaru thought back to the conversation between the priestess and shaman that he overheard earlier. Perhaps he truly was meant to be here, at this time with this girl. Perhaps, it was fate granting him the chance to avenge Rin.
Silently, his golden eyes landed at Kagome's bare feet. Even the spot that she was standing in was too much of a coincidence. But it did not matter. Fate or coincidence, he would not pass on this opportunity for retribution. This was an opportunity to avenge Rin and regain his honor as her guardian. "Dig."
Kagome twitched, "What?" That was definitely not what she had in mind.
"You heard me," his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, hinting at his thinning patience.
"Fine, fine!" The girl got to her knees and began digging her nails into the chilly, damp soil. "Sorry, everyone!" She added as she began ferociously clawing through the earth and sending muddy clumps flying through the air. She was tired, so tired. But the sound of the demon's aggravated roars spurred her to keep going.
Manta gulped when Yoh narrowly evaded a punch from the demon's fist. He looked between the Higurashi twins, who were clutching at their chests and panting heavily, and scowled, "W-What's with you two? You just got here and you're already exhausted?!"
The twins gave Manta smile the same weak, tired smile that Kagome gave him earlier. Botan replied slowly between pants, "W-We're as useless as...Kagome right now… That cave over there is actually a priestess eater… It feeds on the spiritual power of priestesses… It has a special, alluring aura that calls priestesses to it… Much like bugs to light, or flies with honey… A priestess usually has to be trapped inside of the demon to be affected… But since we haven't tapped into all of our powers yet, just being near the cave drains our strength."
Momiji nodded to Manta to confirm the information. She then looked in Kagome's direction and wondered aloud, "It's amazing though… Someone as untrained as Kagome… A priestess who can't even create a barrier at the age of thirteen… She's been around the priestess eater much longer than we have. But… Look at her, she's digging like she's not even affected by its presence. A moment ago, she looked as weak as we do. I guess, if she really puts her mind to it, Kagome can be strong."
Kagome winced when her nails dug into something cold and hard. "I think I found something!" she announced. Everyone except Yoh and the monster, who was still fighting, turned their attention to Kagome and Sesshomaru. A small ray of golden light was leaking from the ground. "I-It's beautiful…" She whispered as she caught a glimpse of glittering gold.
The demon lord stood there, as still as a statue as he commanded, "Take it, and stand."
"Right! Let's do this!" She then reached into the loosened dirt and gripped the treasure beneath the soil. She yanked her arm up as hard as she could and almost fell backward when her arm popped out of the ground. "Eh?" The girl looked at the object in her grasp. It was a golden, crescent-shaped bow that was emitting a golden light as bright as the sun's rays. "Is this what you wanted?" she questioned with uncertainty while raising the weapon.
"It was to be another gift to Rin," Sesshomaru answered. "Defeating that demon with this will be poetic." Kagome nodded in agreement before following the demon's instructions and getting to her feet.
"Yoh-kun, we'll handle it from here!" Kagome called over to the shaman. "Get out of there!"
Momiji and Botan gasped at their cousin's declaration. They were almost trembling at what she was suggesting. "Kagome, you can't—! That's foolish!" Botan told her. "Demons are evil! You can't possibly join forces with one!"
"What other choice do I have?" Kagome asked, her eyes hardening with resolve. "I don't have confidence in my spiritual power. And I can't leave Yoh-kun to fight this thing alone. It's me that it wants anyway."
The priestess and demon lord faced each other. "Okay," she sighed softly. "What's next?"
"Just stay silent," Sesshomaru commanded. He placed his hand on Kagome's shoulder. Her eyes widened at the surge of power that suddenly pulsed through her body.
Even the swamp demon was taken aback by the bright light that radiated from the two beings. Sesshomaru's crimson red aura flared up against Kagome's arctic blue. With a burst of blinding white light, the two auras disappeared...
As soon as the light subsided, Manta lowered his arms from his face. He looked to the spot where Kagome and Sesshomaru once stood. He blinked his eyes a few times to make sure that he was seeing correctly.
Only Kagome was left standing in that spot, her eyes closed and expression calm.
"T-The merging! It worked!" Manta pumped his fist into the air, feeling proud that his friend succeeded on her first try. But everyone froze when Kagome's eyes flashed open and revealed eyes smoldering gold instead of her blue-gray. A deep blue crescent moon appeared on her forehead.
Manta jumped behind the twins at the cold look in Kagome's eyes. "S-Something's not right about that!" The observant teen pointed out with shaking knees. "When Yoh-kun merges with Amidamaru, his physical appearance never changes!"
Botan's eyes hardened as she replied through clenched teeth, "That's because Kagome and Sesshomaru did not merge. They did not become one as a shaman and an oversoul would…"
Manta, Momiji, and Botan watched in horrified curiosity as Kagome cracked her knuckles just by flexing her fingers. Manta looked between the twins and their cousin, "B-B-B-but! Sesshomaru has disappeared! And her eyes are like his! He must be inside of her!"
Momiji nodded and continued the grim explanation, "Exactly. The two of them did not merge. This is a case of demonic possession."
Manta's eyes widened at Momiji's last two words.
"Waaaaaah!" Yoh screamed as he ran towards them with the demon's elastic arm closing in on him. "It's coming! You two do your thing!"
"Step aside," Kagome ordered in a tone that was unlike herself. The stone-cold glare that she gave the demon further cemented that she was not herself. She raised the golden bow and aimed at her target. "Now, die."