Where Our Hearts Overlapped
A New Vow Is Forged
Yamato Tsubaki was the undisputed strongest priestess of her clan's generation. Moreover, she was amongst the most promising Shinto priestesses in her entire generation. She was showered with praise for her strength, talent, and beauty for as long as she could remember. And even as a young child, she was no fool. She heard and recognized the whispers that her aptitude for the priestess arts far exceeded her older sister: Sumire.
"Maybe Takato-san will come to his senses when they get older. I know tradition puts Sumire-chan as the future head priestess, but I think Tsubaki-chan's abilities make her a much better fit," distant relatives would remark behind cupped hands.
Others would nod while trying to avoid making eye contact with the children or parents in question, "Agreed. Tsubaki-chan is also precocious. She has a good head on her shoulders. I'd prefer the clan be left in her hands."
Unbeknownst to the countless whisperers, Tsubaki had a talent for detecting the sound of her own name. For years, that confidence and desire to become the head priestess of her clan consolidated and strengthened. They were further confirmed when she began attending the Shinto priestess meets held at Meiji Shrine in Shibuya. She was six years old when she attended her first meet. Like the other fledging priestesses, her abilities were tested and put on display to a council of high priests and esteemed shamans.
Tsubaki held her head high as she outshone the competition.
No other priestess came close to her talent.
Her lips curved upward as her eyes analyzed and dissected the other priestesses.
No other priestess would wow the spectators the way she did—that was what she thought.
But Tsubaki was left with trembling shoulders and a gnawed lower lip when the Higurashi's made their priestess' debuts. Momiji and Botan were impressive, but no prodigies. But it was Higurashi Kikyo that truly made Tsubaki's blood boil. It was Kikyo who didn't spare her a passing glance as she walked through the doors. Everything from her perfectly cut bangs, her ethereal expression, and graceful gait got under Tsubaki's skin.
But it didn't end there.
The spectators who maintained stoic expressions, murmurs, and note scribbles for the rest of the competition were awed into slack jaws, wide eyes, and exchanged nods. Those were the very same judges who merely smiled approvingly for her performance. With Kikyo, they were unable to hide how impressed they were.
Tsubaki sneered as Kikyo walked past her for a second time.
But once again, she didn't spare her a single utterance or glance.
The only thing that eased some of the damage dealt to her ego was watching the complete failure that was Higurashi Kagome that day. If it weren't for their matching family names and striking physical similarities, Tsubaki wouldn't have believed that Kagome was related to Kikyo at all. She made the ability gap between herself and her Sumire look minute. While Kagome easily identified the cursed object in the first test, she failed at channeling purification energy to take form in the next.
Instead, this Higurashi priestess visibly lost her nerve. Even from the doorway, Tsubaki spotted how Kagome swallowed a lump in her throat and how a bead of sweat ran down her face. She hovered her hands above the object: a possessed knife and closed her eyes. The spirit within the knife immediately rebelled in response. Its dark aura flared and roared. And Kagome's eyes shot open as she instinctively lost her kneeling position and fell to her butt. This disgrace of a priestess squealed and quickly scooted away from the spirit. Her retreat and apparent fear prompted one of the spectating priestesses to intervene and subdue the spirit.
Higurashi Kagome's performance was just as much of a spectacle as her sister's, but for all the wrong reasons. Tsubaki had no sympathy for the girl, whose head was lowered as a woman patted her and told her, "It's okay, Kagome-chan. No one expected anything from you anyway."
By the time that trials and ceremonies concluded, Tsubaki begrudgingly accepted a silver coronet adorned with charms for strength and good luck. It was the equivalent of a second-place trophy. Kikyo solemnly walked away with the golden coronet. And it bothered Tsubaki how she didn't even bother putting it on her head. She merely thanked the judges and went about scoping out the food tables.
Whether it was from the way she spited Kikyo or her disgust for the weak, Tsubaki was agitated when she spied Kagome sitting beneath the Torii gate. The judge who came to her rescue was sitting beside her, stroking her hair soothingly. "You needn't worry about comparing yourself to others, Kagome-chan," the young woman told the girl. "Everyone grows and learns at their own pace. Give yourself time, I'm sure you'll grow into a wonderful priestess."
"There's no point though…" Kagome sniffled softly. "My sister is the only priestess that they need… No one...thinks I can do it."
"That's not true," The woman's soft voice reassured, prompting the girl to lift her eyes from the ground. "I know you'll be a great priestess someday. I look forward to seeing you at future meets."
Tsubaki didn't believe that a quitter deserved such words.
And she certainly didn't believe that the same quitter deserved to be the apple of her Hao-sama's eyes. Tsubaki met Hao when she was ten years old. It was after an argument with her father over her request to become the head priestess that he appeared to her. It was love at first sight: a beautiful boy with an unbelievably powerful aura. She fled her house and walked out into the nearby forest, only to be called by name from above. And when she looked up, there he was.
"Yamato Tsubaki, the young priestess who is as beautiful as she is powerful—your reputation precedes you," He smiled so naturally.
He promised that if she aided his cause, became his eyes and ears, and kept tabs on the great shaman families, he would give her the strength to claim what she deserved. The abilities and power that Hao granted her as a down payment were enough for her to swear her loyalty to him. Hao's furyoku and teaching shattered her limits.
And as she blossomed into a young woman, so did her beauty.
Future suitors fell at her feet.
Distinguished families sent marriage proposals to unify their clans.
And as much as her father begged her to accept them, Tsubaki declined.
She only had eyes for one shaman and one shaman only: Asakura Hao.
So it was a shock to her system when he suddenly announced his fancy for that failure of a priestess: Higurashi Kagome. Even years later, Tsubaki remembered how she underperformed. After Kagome didn't show her face at the following meets, Tsubaki almost forgot about her...almost. Kikyo continued to show up for a few years until she too dropped off the face of the Earth.
Tsubaki thought that her hands were washed clean of those pesky Higurashi twins.
But one came back as the largest thorn in her side.
After years of reporting the discussions and moves of the great shaman families to her Hao-sama. He cherished Higurashi Kagome so much that he casually promised to eliminate her if she did harm to his precious Kagome.
And even now, after years of volunteering to take her reluctant sister's place as the head priestess, her father denied her request.
After years of ambition and loyalty, nothing was falling in place…
...and she was fed up with it.
It was after Hao gingerly carried the collapsed Kagome into Asakura manor that Tsubaki decided.
Her eyes darkened as she knew what she had to do to take hold of her own happiness.
Whispers about Kagome were already spreading throughout the community like wildfire. All she needed to do was fan the flames. It was a simple but fool-proof plan. Thanks to Sumire's typical confiding that she didn't wish to attend the next shaman conference, Tsubaki knew when and how to strike. A simple handful of ground nut powder to Sumire's morning tea sent her allergic sister straight to the emergency room, their mother in tow. And her usual plea to fill in to take her sister's place was enough for their father to agree to Tsubaki's request.
That was how she ended up at the conference.
These meets were typically attended by both clan heads and their designated heirs. And Tsubaki preyed upon her father's reserved nature. He knew that if anyone questioned where her sister was, Tsubaki would step in and speak for him.
It was there that Tsubaki put the rest of her plot into motion.
"Forgive me, Father. I just...I heard some things and I couldn't hold it back anymore."
Needless to say that many of the attendees of the shaman congregation left the meeting with tight lips, gritted teeth, and shaking heads. Prior to that meeting, the great shaman families merely felt ambivalent towards the Higurashi. Whispers about a possible affiliation between her and Hao only recently arose. Was she an innocent child who needed protection? Was she already corrupted? There were many theories tossed around, but nothing confirmed. The Higurashi family used to be known for its promising young Kikyo, but after she stopped making appearances, their reputation became but ghosts of the past.
But suddenly, the Higurashi family were back in the spotlight because of a long-overlooked priestess. A family with too few familial ties to be considered a clan, and a family with a long lineage of Shintoism but a short track record of promising powers: that was the Higurashi family. Even now as she sat at her father's side at the clandestine congregation held at Yamato manor, Tsubaki was sure that the head Higurashi priest and priestess were being bombarded with phone calls and letters.
"As you all know, the rebirth of Asakura Hao beset the entire world," an elderly head began the conversation, her voice low and grim. "Given the current Shaman Fights, I'm sure no one here is surprised that he resurfaced."
Tsubaki, seated next to her father at the head of the assembly, maintained a complacent, neutral expression as she took in the nods and low hums from the other families. It was a conference of about fifteen shaman clans. All of them were united by a common factor: Asakura Hao. Each clan's ancestors were either crossed by Hao years ago, or they were lucky enough to escape his ancient trail of blood with nothing but disgust for his crimes and ambitions. The number of clans who opted out of the secret conference away from Asakura ears could be counted on one hand. The clans who chose to attend this meeting forced the dissenters to secrecy.
But Tsubaki herself took it a step further.
Those who chose to remain neutral or loyal to their bonds to the Asakura clan were afflicted with lethal curses. But in the end, whether or not they chose to conspire with her clan made no difference to her. And that was because—.
She smirked as she listened to the heads prattle on.
Concerned and unsure, a woman raised her hand and admitted, "I've heard whispers that Higurashi Kagome possesses otherworldly powers that surpasses Asakura Hao himself,"
"At first, I thought that Higurashi Kagome and Asakura Hao would be fated to fight and destroy each other," A middle-aged man spoke up. "However, if Hao is smitten and if he wins Higurashi Kagome's favor, we're doomed. The safest option is to destroy Higurashi Kagome."
"That might not be possible!" Another interjected. "If she's truly as powerful as the rumors say, then she might turn the tables on us!"
"Actually…" Tsubaki brought a hand to her mouth in a maidenly pose as she spoke in a soft voice, "Now might be the best time to strike. I've heard that Kagome has been comatose for about a week, completely vulnerable."
Just as she predicted, many faces looked surprised as others brightened with relief and excitement.
"If she's unable to resist, we should capture her right away!"
"Have you all considered using the girl as a lure to ambush Asakura Hao?"
'There it is…' Tsubaki smirked inwardly. 'Yes, just as I thought… You all are truly cowards.'
"That's crazy! Asakura Hao will destroy you all!" Another voice bellowed.
The room erupted into chaos as the many clan heads yelled over each other.
"He can't defeat us all!"
"Of course, he can! You must not know who you're dealing with!"
"Regardless of what Asakura Hao does, we must capture the girl before she awakens!"
"But how do we lure Asakura Yohmei away…?"
Tsubaki couldn't be more pleased.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
It was another day within the Great Spirit. It was another day of being by Hao's side. It was another day of watching over humanity. Another day of noting what regions needed the most guidance. The unspoken truth was...everywhere. It didn't matter where humans were born. Despair, hatred, greed, and destruction were scattered across the globe.
But for every act of darkness, there was a redeeming light elsewhere.
And Kagome was grateful that Hao finally saw that.
She was glad those bitter feelings that he harbored as he watched humanity were fading away.
Still, as she was perched along the top of his throne and he sat on the seat, she queried, "So...you don't need to sleep…?"
Hao chuckled at the notion, "I don't remember the last time I felt such an urge." He then peered up at her from over his shoulder, "My physical body died a long time ago. There's no need for such a thing."
Kagome blinked, "I see." She looked up as her finger tapped her cheek, "It must be because you're the Shaman King. I've been dead for centuries and I still get tired."
"Must be," Hao chimed back. "What's with such a question after all this time? You're suddenly worried about me?"
The priestess caught the ghost of a smirk that accompanied his teasing. "Oh, shut up," She smiled, "You know that I'm almost always worried about you—you're the type who thinks he's so invincible that he doesn't take care of himself."
"I am invincible," Kagome easily chorused in unison with him.
…pause.
Her smile was cheeky as his was entertained, and defeated.
"Anyway," She hopped off the throne and circled to face him. "You may not need sleep, but you should still try resting your mind every once in a while." Kagome took the initiative and took his hand. With a simple step back, she pulled them to her desired location: that field of freesia.
Hao immediately recognized the rendezvous point. It was one of their special places: a spot that was reserved for only rare occasions. Knowing that Kagome brought him here, he knew that he was in for a treat. His eyes followed her form as she settled down amidst the blooms. She sat on her in-step and then looked up at him. "Come on," She coaxed with a gentle pat on her legs. "Try taking a nap."
For a split second, surprise flashed on Hao's face. But being who he was, it was short-lived as he willingly obliged the rest. "Don't mind if I do~". It didn't take long for him to settle down. He lowered himself to the sea of grass and flowers until his head landed on Kagome's lap. Hao didn't have the urge to sleep, but he wouldn't deny himself the view.
Kagome blushed upon seeing the pleased smile on Hao's lips as he gazed up at her, "I see someone's comfortable."
"Guilty," He confirmed with a slight dip of his head.
"In that case," She shielded his eyes with a single hand, "Close your eyes and just...rest."
Despite his obedience, "Yes, My Lady," Hao was borderline smirking.
Kagome sighed and smiled, "You're really something else." The hand that covered his eyes moved to his forehead, revealing a peaceful, nostalgic face. With his eyes closed, muscles relaxed, and a content smile, he looked so much like Yoh. But Hao wasn't Yoh, not exactly. Sure, they had their similarities and they shared the same soul, but they were more like opposite sides of the same coin. One side left her to her own devices and independence while the other longed to stay by her side, forever.
Yoh and Hao's relationship was on another scale than Kagome's and Kikyo's.
Similar...but so different.
Centuries ago, she and Kikyo were connected by their bond and love for Inuyasha.
It made her wonder, was her soul naturally drawn to theirs? Was it a fated attraction? Or destiny?
What exactly was the force that brought them together…?
"...hey, Hao…" Kagome whispered, breaking the brief silence. "...why did you end up loving me…?"
Without opening his eyes, he stifled a chuckle before answering, "Oh, little canary… Feelings are quite enigmatic, aren't they…?" He paused for a moment, as if searching for something. "...I only know the result, not the reason." His eyes found her, "Does a lack of reason make you doubt my sincerity?"
Kagome shook her head negatively, "That's not it…" She lifted her eyes to take in the freesias. "I was just wondering if it was chance or fate that brought us here."
"To me...fate or chance matters not," Hao told her. "What's important is that it's Kagome." When the priestess gave him a questioning look, he smiled, "All of the warmth that I feel now—every single feeling that died long ago, you revived them in me." She couldn't help but smile. "So I've named them after you."
"Alright, sssssh," She murmured. "It's time to rest now."
It was by no means a lullaby.
Nor was it a ballad.
But Hao still basked in the serenade of Kagome's fluttery, whimsical humming to the wind.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
It was during a spring shower that it happened. Hao and Kagome sat beneath the cherry blossom tree that was planted at Higurashi shrine many decades ago. The sun shined brilliantly, defiant of the typical gloomy atmosphere that came with downpours. The air was illuminated by the droplets reflecting silvery sun.
Kagome's eyes were unlike usual. They were foggy and pensive. But Hao was used to seeing that expression at times like these. Her soul was branded by spring rain.
Hao would merely place his hand on top of hers, and watch the clouds.
Even in this moment, he silently offered what he could: a bit of warmth. He resisted the urge to scoop her into his lap and hold her. He knew that he could break her out of her trance. But he decided years ago that even Kagome needed her time to brood.
Hao would give her that time, but she didn't have to be alone during.
He had to be what she needed—the person she sought out when she was in need.
"Hey, Hao…" Kagome's voice was but a whisper, barely audible over the rain's steady "sssshhhh". He gave a curt hum to acknowledge her. "People always preach that love is a selfless emotion, but honestly…" She closed her eyes and chuckled almost bitterly, "I think love is a greedy feeling."
This time it was Hao's turn to chuckle, albeit more amused. "You're the last person who I thought I'd hear that from, my little canary," He admitted, surprised but intrigued.
"I figured you'd say something like that," Kagome brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin there. "But I mean it...love is covetous. It leaves you wanting more and more," She explained. "People can be selfless and sacrificing in the name of love, but...all in the same, love always leaves you hungry."
"When you put it that way, I wonder if you're talking about yourself," Hao mused. "Or me."
Kagome shook her head dismissively, "Definitely not you. You've been wonderful." She didn't notice the subtle pleasantly surprised look on Hao's face. "True to your word, you've been patiently waiting for my answer...and it may not seem like it, but I appreciate that."
"Half a century means nothing when the scale is eternity," Hao snuck a smile at her from his peripheral. She was right. His feelings did scream at him that he wanted more. More Kagome. More access to her affections. She gave him more and more of her time as the years went by. But he wanted it all and more. Love was greedy. But—.
[ "Kagome… Can you hear me…?" ]
Her eyes widened and lips parted.
The voice was almost unrecognizable.
But the speech pattern.
The aura that called to her.
Even after all of these years, Kagome could identify this aura in a sea of people.
Her own voice was weak when she spoke, "Y-Yoh…" That name alone was enough for Hao to understand what would come next. It was the moment he and Kagome alike had been waiting for. "He's calling for me…" She pushed herself to her feet shakily. She felt so light. Off-balanced.
It had been so, so long.
But the moment that she had been waiting for finally arrived.
The priestess stepped from beneath the shade of the sakura tree. She then paused to look over at Hao from over her shoulder. "Hao, I'll be back."
He eyes closed as he gave her that signature smile, "I'll be waiting."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome answered the call and manifested at a traditional Japanese manor that she had never seen before. She could only guess that it was the estate that had been founded by Hao centuries ago. She stood on a polished strip of engawa, just outside of a room with an open sliding door. Behind her, the splendorous ancient courtyard was saturated with the spray of Japan's widespread rain.
As she moved to enter the room, she blinked and paused when a man stepped into the doorway. His snowy-hued hair was pulled into a ponytail and he wore dated clothing with a katana at his waist.
The man's stride faltered as he too halted upon seeing her. His face seemed just as surprised, "Ah—," he blinked slowly, "You must be Kagome-sama." His face then relaxed into a small but warm smile, "It is an honor to finally meet you."
"You must be the great Amidamaru-sama that I've heard so much about," the priestess' words made him blush and lightly scratch the back of his head.
The samurai spirit became somewhat bashful as he mumbled, "Yoh-dono must have embellished me like he used to."
Kagome shook her head and reassured, "Yoh is pretty honest so I'm sure you're as great as he described." She then looked past the samurai curiously and queried, "Anyway, is he…?"
"Mm," Amidamaru nodded. "Yes, Yoh-dono is here. He's waiting for you," with those words, the samurai took his leave. His presence disappeared from the vicinity.
"Kagome…" the voice from before rasped. "You came…" Behind the labored breaths, she could hear gratitude and relief.
The priestess stepped into the room and looked at the figure laying on a futon. Once luscious, brown locks were now shriveled strings of gray. Once supple, tanned skin was now sunken, crackled, speckled, pale. The blanket placed over his person was now haphazardly strewn across his torso, no doubt from some sort of restless fit. The rise and fall of his chest were visibly staggered. And despite the milky clouds that were his pupils, Kagome knew that it was him. "Of course, I did," She smiled softly as she sat on her in-step next to him.
Yoh's lungs strained his next breath as his lips stretched weakly, "I'm glad…"
A familiar warmth grew from the pit of her stomach and quickly dispersed throughout her being. Even as an old man, Yoh was still Yoh. The warmth nestled within her chest and she could have sworn she felt a heart accelerating.
As much as she wanted to sit there and lose herself in sentiments, Kagome was compelled to query, "So...why now…? After all of this time...?"
"Kagome, there's something that I want to tell you… But I can't right now. There's something more important...that we must discuss." Yoh's throat was as dry and frail as paper turned to ash. "I lived a good life," He admitted with his wheezy voice. "I overcame loneliness. I chased my dreams. I fought for what I believed in. I made change in the world. I loved and was loved…" She could hear the ghosts of the past forming a fog over Yoh as his memories flashed before him. "I have so much to be grateful for… And I lived my best life with all my might. But I realized, now that I'm an old man, I still have one regret…"
The word was quieter than its predecessors, "...you."
"Me…?" Kagome's eyebrows furrowed. Her face scrunched, perplexed. "But, you...left me behind…"
She had been waiting for this moment for so long. But now that it came. It wasn't the smiles and laughter that she envisioned. Her mind thought back to how long she waited, how long she wanted.
The warmth that was in her chest became a fireball.
The pain that had been nestled away for years now encroached on her everything.
"And, I didn't want to get in your way. I wanted to show you that what you did for me truly meant something. S-so… I didn't chase after you…"
Why…?
She was speaking the truth.
Why did simply vocalizing her reality almost shatter her voice?
"I waited for you to call me," Kagome told him.
What was this sensation?
Her entire being rumbled from within.
Was this trembling?
"But you never did."
"I know…" Yoh confirmed. "You were so dependent on me back then… It must have been hard, and it must have been painful…" His unseeing eyes remained unblinking as he spoke. His eyes stayed on the ceiling, almost as if he was talking to someone in the heavens. "But I knew you could do it. You struggled, you despaired, but you still made it." He flashed a smile reminiscent of the ones he used to give her so long ago. "Without me, you learned to live with being dead." His voice was brimming with pride.
Kagome wanted to share his smile. But she was stunned into a distorted expression. Her face scrunched as her lips pursed. She was in a battle against a flood.
Moved.
Euphoric.
Finally...she received the recognition that she wanted from him.
So many times, she prayed and prayed that her feelings would reach him.
And now, he confirmed that they did.
The person who she admired...she made him proud.
Yoh didn't wait for her to speak. "You know… Even though I never called on you…" Her eyes widened at his next words. "I did return...to the shrine. Many times. I looked for you, because…" He chuckled. "I wanted to see you. But it felt like I kept missing you. It was a little disappointing, but it made me happy… Because I knew you were out there somewhere, living. In hindsight, I feel a little foolish...to think that if I kept showing up randomly, you'd someday be there."
"You are a fool," Kagome smiled. "You could have just called me."
"I-I know…" His smile grew a bit of strength, "But if I went that far, you would have worried that something was terribly wrong. You'd become too focused on me again...wouldn't you?"
"I can't deny that... Still, you're actually a lot dumber than I remember," The priestess remarked nonchalantly. She stifled a laugh when Yoh muttered, 'Isnt that a little harsh, Kagome?'. She smiled apologetically, her eyes tender, "I guess… but still. I wouldn't expect you of all people to go with the 'I was just in the neighborhood' plan."
They shared a light-hearted laugh at that.
Laughing with Yoh again made her like she was fluttering.
Like she was the leaf and he was the wind that guided her.
It was almost like old times.
Almost.
If it wasn't apparent that the shaman had an agenda, she would have become completely lost in nostalgia.
"Kagome…" Yoh croaked her name. "I really did have a good life. That's why...I can't allow myself to be stuck here. It would cause trouble for everyone else." He sighed and closed his eyes. "That's why...I resorted to this. I had to see you…" her heart dropped, "one last time."
"Don't say that!" She lurched closer, her hands closed around one of his. "You can't say that after all this time!" She shook her head defiantly, "I've been waiting to see you for so long! You can't say this is goodbye!"
"You're right…" Yoh's voice was smaller, wrought with a remorse that stung Kagome's heart. "You deserve so much better. But…" His smile inverted. "I don't have much time."
Kagome kept her hands around his. She stared down at his face.
The man lying next to her...he wasn't afraid of death.
He knew that it was coming for him. And he summoned her here so that he could completely embrace it.
Knowing that she was important enough for him to linger after death was touching, somehow.
But more importantly, he wanted to go in peace.
"Yoh…" For some reason, her voice mimicked his. It was so tiny. "Can I ask you something…?" His hum was so feeble, barely audible above the shower outside. "If you could change anything about the life you lived...what would it be…?"
If this would be the last time that she saw him...Kagome wanted a clear view of what was in his heart. She wanted to ask him so many things. And she wanted to tell him so many things too. If there was their final meeting, she wanted everything bare.
[ 'I want to know the person who I gave me everything.' ]
"… it's futile, but…" Even now, without a guaranteed amount of time left, Asakura Yoh was kind enough to indulge her. Kagome felt her heart skip a beat at his words. "All I could wish for was a life with you in it. When I think about my youth with all of our friends…if you were there, sharing those moments…" His throat groaned as he chuckled and almost grinned, "It would have been so much fun."
"Then—!" Kagome's grip tightened, almost desperately. She paused. She lowered her voice, "If we meet again when we're reborn...you'll be my friend again?"
His eyes remained closed as he beamed and confirmed, "I promise."
How easily he agreed to those words was bittersweet.
The odds of meeting him again someday were astronomically low.
Mission possible, but not likely.
Still...she was glad to hear that.
And now, it was her turn to say goodbye to her regrets.
This was it.
Not the place.
Not the season.
But this singularity, here, was where their hearts overlapped.
"Yoh…" Kagome whispered, despite the slight dip of her head, she was smiling down at her lap. "There's something—" She squeezed his hand just a bit tighter. "I've wanted to tell you for a long time…" She awaited that hum that he and Hao shared.
...she waited…
...and waited.
"Are you listening…?" She queried, lifting her eyes to Yoh's ever-smiling face.
"...Yoh?"
The air was empty.
He was empty.
"Yoh?!" Her voice broke as she collapsed, her face buried into his chest. "Yoh, one more time!" She called to him as her fingers clutched his kimono. "Yoh! Please, Yoh! Come find me...just…" her pleas were moist squeaks. "...one more...time…"
Even with her eyes shut tight, she was overflowing.
"Y-Yoh...I'm not...ready yet…"
And alas, her cries melted into the rain.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Kagome watched as her past self pulled herself away from Yoh's unmoving body. She wiped her face with her sleeve. "Yoh…" She whispered to unhearing ears. "When we meet again, we'll be best friends. And I'll tell you what I've wanted to…" She leaned over him and positioned his arms and hands into a prayer position. Just when it looked as if she would straighten herself, the spirit leaned down and pressed her lips on his forehead. "...I promise."
That was the end, and the beginning.
For the first time, the entire planet was engulfed in a blinding, white light.
Naturally, Kagome and Yoh, who witnessed the catalyst to the cycle, were floored. They were the sole witnesses to the remarkable phenomenon whose rarity was unparalleled. Was there any other occurrence in the entire universe that reached this scale of impossibility?
Yoh was the first to recover from his stupor.
He turned his head to face Kagome. He scratched his head, cheesing uneasily, "Honestly, I don't know what to say."
But that wasn't all.
Floating amongst a sea of stars, stuck in the space between space-time, he felt unusually lost—or rather, without direction. After witnessing the birth and destruction of many worlds, where was he supposed to go from there?
Kagome still stared ahead, no doubt inside of her head. "...Yoh…?"
Said shaman blinked and turned his body to face her properly. "What's up, Kagome…?"
"It's my fault. So I have to take responsibility." The hands at her sides became fists as she told him, "Everyone has been suffering because of me." When she finally moved to face Yoh, her remorse wiped the grin from his face. "...and most of all, I have to save Hao. I'm not going to say that it'll be easy. But I have to."
"Higurashi Kagome, the Heart," the familiar voice of Kagome's other half made the pair whip around in union. "...how many times do you think you've spoken those words…?"
Kagome's brows furrowed, unsure of how to answer the question, considering all that she had seen. "...I'm...not sure honestly…" She replied.
"...twice," the other Kagome informed, her expression eerily emotionless. "This is the second time that I've shown you your past lives." Her proceeding words made the pair's eyes widened. "The first time that I showed you was in the seventh world that you created… Back then, I had hope that the truth would set you on the right path and break this cycle." She looked off to the side, her head motion guiding Kagome's and Yoh's eyes to a shining area in the darkness of the space.
Like a screen, an image of Kagome appeared within the light. "Back then, I released you and Alpha back into that timeline. I allowed you to retain the memories of the other worlds. Your new goal was to save Asakura Hao." The screen showed scene after scene of Kagome living her life, from laughing with her friends to battling other shamans. As the images panned, the Kagome became progessively older.
"However, I misunderstood the nature of the human psyche. You were only able to live with that knowledge for three years." Images of an older teen Kagome collapsing against a door until she slid to the floor appeared. This Kagome gripped at her hair and gritted her teeth. "I didn't consider the effects of such a burden on you, the Heart. 'What should I do now? How do I respond to this? Should I do this? What if this happens?' Your mind was always riddled with such questions. But you were worn down by the weight of the consequences."
Suddenly, a collapsed older Ren and Sango appeared on the screen. Ren was sprawled across the ground in a pool of blood as Sango attempted chest compressions. "You don't get to die! Ren, come back!" She looked back at Kagome, whose face was contorted with terror. "Kagome-chan, help me! Bring him back!"
This Kagome collapsed to her knees with empty eyes. "Because of me…" She was all uttered. "R-Ren...because of me..."
"This is when it happened…" Kagome's other half told them as the Kagome on the screen wrapped her arms around herself. "...mind break." The Kagome on the screen disappeared within a burst of darkness.
"What happened to me…?" Kagome asked. "It looked...pretty bad."
"At that moment, your mind fractured and your soul imploded, or rather, collapsed in on itself," The older Kagome spoke, impassive to their gasps. "A soul so massive that it mimicked a dying star, giving birth to a supernova and a black hole."
The screen depicted the mind-bending cosmic display. And then, pans of Kagome's other half walking alone through the galaxy appeared. She landed on a rusty, red planet. She stooped over to scoop an orb of light into her hands.
"It took some time but after fragments of your soul were scattered across the cosmos I was able to piece you back together. And once I did, you resumed this cycle…" Kagome's other half on the screen released a mass of light. The mass twinkled amidst the darkness as its shape distorted and changed.
It twisted.
It pulsed.
It curved.
Until it finally took on its true form: Kagome.
"I resigned to never intervene to that extent again…" Kagome's other half told them.
Yoh stepped closer to her and asked, "So after what happened the last time, why did you change your mind?"
"...Higurashi Kagome, the Heart, once you resumed the cycle… You subconsciously bent the world and reality in more ways with the goal of creating a world where you could save Asakura Hao and keep Alpha happy." The other Kagome's eyes returned to the shining screen. It depicted a high-school-age Kagome surrounded by American teens. "You tried a world where you never met Alpha on that fateful night in the cemetery. You were born and raised in America after your family moved for your father's job. It was a world where you weren't fated to meet, a world where the possibility was low, and yet…"
The screen showed Yoh bumping into Kagome as he and his friends rounded a corner. The girl was knocked to her hands and feet, her steaming coffee splattered across the ground. Ren scoffed at the Asakura as he flailed and looked guilty, "Sorry about that! Are you okay, Miss?"
"I'm fine…" She grunted before opening her eyes. When their eyes met, both looked surprised, as if they were jolted by electricity.
"...like a moth to a flame, you were drawn to him, even though you didn't know it."
The present Kagome pursed her lips.
'I can believe that… It's crazy but, I do know that no matter what happens, no matter what timeline we're in, I'll want to meet Yoh.'
"And you, Alpha…" Yoh stiffened about, almost standing at attention. "You are the same. Kagome the Heart once thought 'If I didn't exist, so many more smiles would have the chance to be born.'" Immediately, the screen faded in the image of Yoh in a classroom, his hand supporting his chin as he gazed out the window.
"In this world, she did more than erase her own existence, but it was a world where the supernatural truly didn't exist. It was her attempt at giving you the easy, peaceful life you desire."
This world's Yoh was laughed at when the teacher propelled a piece of chalk right into his forehead. Later, the final bell rang and the students began packing up. HoroHoro grinned wide as he approached Ren's desk. The Tao immediately rose from his seat when the blunette swiped the sketchbook on his desk. "You still working on that shoujo manga, Renny?" HoroHoro queried teasingly as he held the book out of Ren's reach.
"Give it back, you bastard!" Ren roared with reddened cheeks. The shorter teen lept for the book and chased the swiftly dodging HoroHoro as he weaved between rows of seats.
"The lead guy looks suspiciously like you," HoroHoro pointed out as he goaded Ren into chasing him around the emptying room. "And what's the name of the heroine again? Kagami? ACK!"
A swift blow to his midsection knocked the air of HoroHoro as Ren swiped his sketchbook back. He glowered at his friend as he outburst, "It's Kagome, dumbass!"
Just the sound of the name sent a shockwave to Yoh. He rushed by Anna, ignoring the calls of what his rush was as he fled the room. He passed Hao in the hallway, not hearing his twin utter, "Go get her…"
This Yoh ran and ran, following pure instinct until he skidded to a stop in front of Higurashi shrine's stairs. After he took a few moments to catch his breath, he dashed through the incline. He moved past the schoolgirls leaving from purchasing charms and headed to the well-house. It was there that his voice transcended space-time.
["Kagomeeeeee! What makes you think I want to live in a world without you?!"]
The screen faded into nothing as Kagome's other half turned her head to the pair. "Kagome, the Heart, Alpha…" She inquired, "How many worlds do you think have been born…?" Kagome and Yoh exchanged expressions of uncertainty. But she didn't keep them guessing.
Their hearts dropped into their stomachs.
"This is the 753rd world." Kagome's other half closed her eyes for a moment. "In the seventh world, I showed you your past lives because I had hope…" She looked as if she'd sigh, but she didn't. Instead, she locked eyes with her human side. "And now, I show you your past lives because I have none."
The present Kagome raised a hand to her chest. 'I understand… My other half… Even though she calls me Kagome the Heart…' The hand at her chest tightened. 'She…' "Kagome...the Power…" the young priestess spoke to her other half. "Understood." 'I know...what I have to do.' The girl then looked at Yoh and gave him a wry smile. "Yoh… Right here, and right now. I want to fulfill the promise I made to you."
As Yoh turned to face the present Kagome, her other half raised her hand with a silent wave and faded away.
The two floated in the silence of space for a while: Kagome with her head down, a torn smile on her face, and Yoh looking off into the distance, his usual smile inverted.
"Yoh…" Kagome finally spoke softly. Her hands reached between them to grasp his, prompting him to face her. "Back then...you promised that you'd be my friend again when we met again," she told him before stifling an empty-hearted chuckle. "I think you've done more than enough to fulfill that promise. So now...it's my turn."
"Wait—!" Yoh cut in, almost desperately. Kagome's surprised face made him deflate a bit. "Sorry…" He murmured. "It's just… I know...what it was that I wanted to tell you back then, before I died." His smile was as strained as it was wide. "I think you should know."
The priestess nodded, "...I'm listening."
"I can't exactly tell you what I was thinking back then…" He disclaimed. "But, I do know what my heart felt." Yoh noticed how Kagome's grip weakened. "Kagome, I know for certain, that we were meant to meet. And even though it didn't seem like it, I truly am sorry for leaving you all alone." The guilt on his face broke into incredulousness when Kagome released his hands to snicker behind her own. "Wah! Kagome! I'm being serious here!" He protested.
"Sorry!" She snorted, "I was just, kind of expecting some grandiose, earth-shattering secret."
Yoh shrunk away for a moment, deadpanned, "Sorry for disappointing you."
Kagome shook her head, "Seriously though, thank you for telling me." She placed a hand over her heart and smiled warmly. "I'm sure, the me from back then would have been happy hearing that… She still exists here inside of me, after all…" For a moment, there was a nostalgic glimmer in her eyes. "...now…"
The priestess took a step back.
"I know exactly what I wanted to tell you that day…" Kagome's eyes entranced Yoh's. "...are you ready…?"
Without a question or doubt, he nodded wordlessly.
"It was so long ago… twelve millennia worth of lifetimes ago…so I can't remember the exact words..." Kagome closed her eyes and cupped her hands. "But, just like you, my heart remembers those feelings." Her deep inhale was visible.
"To my bumbling, sweet, and surprisingly stubborn, Asakura Yoh-sama," The priestess spoke as if she was reciting a sonnet by heart. "For finding me…"
Kagome saw the very first time she laid eyes on Yoh, she saw the blindingly beautiful light that he radiated.
"For saving me, even from myself…"
She saw how his large hand encompassed hers as he pulled her from the darkness.
"For loving me, and nurturing me…"
She saw herself blushing from his teasing, their picnic in the rain, meeting Buyo the Second.
"For believing in me and teaching me how to live…"
And finally, she saw the happy memories of her and her friends.
"For introducing me to so many wonderful people…"
For a split second, Yoh could have sworn Kagome was older, in her priestess garb.
"Thank you, for everything."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Within the blink of an eye, Kagome was no longer in space. Yoh was nowhere in sight. It was just her and him. She didn't need to see him to know that he was there. The priestess looked down at her arms and noted the familiar but foreign long, white sleeves and pleated green skirt.
She stood in that enchanted forest, before that fateful tree.
Kagome approached the Goshinboku, paying no mind to the twig that her brown loafers snapped in two. "Inuyasha…?" She asked while peering around the trunk of the great tree. She wasn't surprised to find him standing on the other side. His eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest.
"You sure took your sweet time making up your mind," He grumbled before peeking at the priestess with one eye. When she hopped over the rising roots to meet him, the hanyou stood up straight and lowered his arms.
"Inuyasha…" She whispered before gracing him with a watery smile.
"...Kagome…" His voice mimicked hers as he returned her gaze. "It's been a long time."
"Inuyasha!" The priestess threw herself into the hanyou's arms. "It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!" She declared.
As his grip on her tightened, he smiled softly, "That's because you haven't, baka. It's been thousands of years worth of worlds." He couldn't help resting his chin on her head after she rested it against his chest.
"Inuyasha… Where have you been?" She inquired.
"Kagome…" She was unaware of the conflicted expression on his face. "Kagome, after the first world that you created ended, I came to my senses." He was stroking her hair as he told her, "I remembered the truth...that… back in the original world, I was devastated when I lost you. When you died, you took part of me with you." His embrace strengthened to match her grip on his haori. "For years, I told myself that I'd never love again. I watched our friends grow old and their children grow up all alone."
Kagome was silent as she listened to her once-beloved. "But on her deathbed, Sango reminded me that I was living a life that you didn't want for me...that honoring your memory meant not closing myself off to the world again…" Even now, Inuyasha could picture Sango's face back then. She was so frail, but she still used her strength to bring him back. "So, I moved on. I fell in love again, and started a family. I was able to die happy because I remembered that's what you wanted for me. I died with no regrets." She could hear the remnants of bliss in his voice, as if he were recalling his family. "Because of that, I didn't need to be reborn. So the call of your powers, Kagome...that pulse that beckons souls that want another chance—I didn't answer it again."
'I see…' The priestess thought to herself. 'That's why Inuyasha only showed up in the first world.'
"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered. "...aren't you tired?"
It was then that Kagome pulled away. She looked up at Inuyasha and smiled reassuringly, "You'd think so. But I still have some fight left in me." Her smile widened when Inuyasha's expression changed from one of tenderness to a bemused smirk. "There's something that I have to do before I can rest."
"Yeah, good luck with that Hao guy," Inuyasha looked as if he would roll his eyes just at the thought of him. "Looks like he's going to be nothing but trouble till the very end."
"Un," Kagome nodded. "The true Hao is trapped deep inside of himself. He…" her eyes became pensive, "He was once saved, until he met me. He gave me a gift and I...ended up hurting him with it. I realize that the more I remade the world, the more distance I put between myself and my promise to him."
Suddenly, the concern Inuyasha felt was shocked by a burst of fire within her eyes. Her fist lightly thumped her chest, "That's why. I'm going to save him. I've made a new vow."
Inuyasha smiled down at the priestess. He then shrugged off his outer haori. "Well, if anyone can do it, it's you," he told her while placing his crimson cloak over her head. As if instinctively, her fingers clutched the hems. "Take this. It'll protect you."
Kagome glanced down at the red fabric for just a moment. 'The Robe of the Fire Rat…' When she lifted her head again, Inuyasha was gone. The priestess stifled a laugh, "Inuyasha… what kind of exit is that? Trying to look cool?" She shook her head, smiling up at the sky. "Inuyasha, rest well."
The priestess took a moment to breathe deeply.
"Now, there's one more person waiting for me…" She told herself as she turned heel and followed the pull. It didn't take long for her to depart from Inuyasha's forest and arrive in the clearing. A few meters away stood the vine-covered well, Shippo's tiny body in front of it.
"Kagome…" Even for a child, his voice was tiny. It was unlike the Shippo that she knew.
"Shippo-chan…" She responded, smiling softly before sauntering towards him.
The fox tensed from her face alone. "K-Kagome…" He hiccuped her name. Diamonds in his eyes. He held his ground, despite the urge to turn tail and flee. He couldn't run away though, not now, not after all that's happened. His lip was trembling. When the priestess closed the distance, he lowered his misty gaze to the grass as his hands clenched his hakamas. "I-I…" A glade of grass was pelted with his falling gems. "I-I'm…"
Kagome then knelt down before him and pulled Shippo into her arms. "Shippo-chan, it's okay."
With that whisper, his heart came undone. "K-Kagome!" He buried his face into her chest. "I'm so sorry! I-It's all because of t-that day…!" The priestess closed her eyes and pulled him closer. "You've been suffering because I was so stupid! I'm the worst! You're going through this because I killed you that day…!"
"Mm mm," She hummed her dissent. "Shippo-chan, you don't need to cry. It was an accident. And, it's me who should be apologizing to you." His eyes widened, more tears spilling. "Because of me, you're the one who's been suffering with this burden. You don't deserve that."
Shippo was still trembling within her arms. "T-That's not true! If I didn't pull that stupid prank back then, you would have gotten," he hiccuped. "Y-your happy ending with Inuyasha!"
"Hey, now," Kagome pulled away so she could look him in the eye. Her smile was firm, "I'm still going to have my happy ending. We all will." She placed a hand on his shoulder and told him, "But I'll need your help, Shippo-chan."
"You will…?" He questioned weakly.
Kagome nodded affirmatively, "Mm hm. I couldn't do it with you. Will you help me?"
Shippo wiped at his eyes and grinned with his flushed cheeks, "Of course I will!" He thumped his chest, "Leave it to Shippo-sama!"
"Thank you, Shippo-sama," She chuckled while placing a hand on his head. "I'll meet you on the other side." Kagome then stood up and exchanged nods with the child before he disappeared within a burst of light. 'Yoh, I'll be there soon. I just have to wrap things up here.'
Kagome stared down at the well.
'Hao...I have a new vow,' She thought as her eyes looked towards the sky. 'I'm sorry. I promise you, I'll never give up again.'
Meanwhile, Yoh shot into an upright position. His eyes were wide as he panted heavily. He scanned his surroundings and immediately recognized his bedroom at Asakura manor. Still, his brows furrowed. 'What...am I doing here…?' He questioned, 'Wasn't I just...chasing Kagome…?'
Authoress' Notes: This chapter officially concludes the "Other Worlds" arc of this fanfic. It was a longer journey than expected but hopefully you enjoyed it nonetheless. This arc is meant to set the stage for the rest of the story, especially the ending.
A few things but I sign out:
1. I've been working on a headcanon (but 100% unofficial) soundtrack for this fanfic. The link to it can be found in the poll that's open on my profile. My headcanon song for Yoh's death scene is entitled "Where Our Hearts Overlapped". The song for Kagome's other half showing and explaining how many worlds there were is called "I've Been Here All Along"
Additionally, I'm a complete weirdo and even have opening and ending themes for this fanfic cause one way I stay inspired is to imagine if this was an anime. Anyway, this chapter gets its own special ending theme called "Thank You For Everything", and as usual, romaji and English lyrics can be found in the Soundtrack folder as well.
2. A special thanks to everyone who takes the time to review this fanfic. It really does mean a lot to me and really keeps me going. Nothing is more inspiring than people's thoughts and interpretations of this tale.
3. Lastly, thank you Jane for giving this fanfic a chance without knowing Shaman King. I highly recommend giving the manga a read if you're ever bored! Additionally, to you and anyone else who is wondering: I'm actually not settled on a winning ship for this story yet. When I first began writing this years ago, the ending pair was intended to be Yoh x Kagome but at this point, I'm pretty torn. Also, despite this being chapter 44, we still have a lot of content to cover before the end so it's difficult to settle at this time. And for the record, to people wondering, the ending itself is decided, not the winning ship. The ending will happen the same regardless of who Kagome ends up with romantically. So, myeh. We'll see what happens as the rest of the story unfolds!