…From the Ashes the Phoenix Rises

By Danyealle

(FanFiction/Angst)

Chapter 14

As expected, Sesshomaru and Kagome arrived first.  No, they didn’t go into the village, but waited a ways away for everyone else to arrive.  It was Sesshomarus’ plan to go in at full power, not as they showed up.  While they waited the little priestess grabbed herself something to eat from her pack and mixed them both up some kind of orange drink from one of the powders in her pack.

Not long after they arrived Kouga joined them.  Sango, Miroku and the fire cat were next then Inuyasha.  Finally, Ginta, Hakkaku and the wolves, all panting heavily, joined them.  After a bit of rest they all pressed on to the village, with Sango in the lead.

Kikyo had been taking a walk around the village, exploring it, when she began to hear the sounds of people approaching.  Quickly, she retrieved her bow and arrows then stayed out of sight, waiting to see who was coming.  When she saw Sango leading the rest of the pack she knew she was in trouble.  Although when she saw Inuyasha bringing up the tail end she was heartened.

Stepping out from her hiding place, she said nothing but looked at Inuyasha.

“Kikyo!”  The hanyou called then started to move forwards towards her but was stopped by Kouga yanking him back by the collar of his firerat.

Stepping forward, Sango hoisted her weapon as though she was about to throw it.  “You are not welcome here! Leave!”  She snarled.

Knowing the slayer was deadly serious, Kikyo nodded.  “I’ll leave.  I just needed to speak to Inuyasha.”  She said quietly, making sure she made no move that could be taken as aggressive.

Stepping up by Sango, Kagome quietly told her friend to move back by the others.  After glancing at the little miko the slayer nodded then backed up.  Though Inuyasha desperately wanted to go to Kikyo, he stayed where he was, knowing full well that Kouga wouldn’t let him anywhere near her.

When she was sure everyone was well out of the way behind her, Kagome moved a bit closer to the clay priestess.  “I think you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life coming here.”  She said quietly.  “You’ve angered a being you shouldn’t have.”

“Who?  You?”  Kikyo sneered.  From her end it was all a front.  Without her spiritual powers she was well aware that she was no match for her reincarnation.

“No,” Kagome said quietly.  “There is another being that resides here.  It is her you’ve upset.”  In seconds, she cut the distance between them in half.

Before Kikyo could move away both her and Kagome were surrounded by an almost neon pink barrier that Kagome had produced.

Almost immediately, all those in the pack that had youkai blood backed away, feeling the spiritual power emanating from the barrier.  But non left, all wanted to see what was going to happen.

Beginning to panic, Kikyo looked around to see if there was a way out.  As she suspected there wasn’t one.  Rounding on Kagome, she snarled, “What do you think you’re doing?!?”

Holding her arms out in front of her body slightly, palms up, Kagomes’ eyes glazed over slightly then suddenly, there was a swirl of pink mist in front of her.  As it twisted and swirled it grew thicker then slowly began to take on a human shape.  As the shape solidified, the form of a woman in ancient armor stood in front of Kagome. 

Eyes wide, Sango gasped, “Midoriko!”

Hearing the name slip from the slayers lips, Kikyo began to panic.  Like all mikos, she was well aware who Midoriko was-essentially their mother.  She had,, essentially, betrayed almost everything a miko was suppose to uphold and she knew it.  No amount of good works she had done would erase the bad.

Glaring at the undead miko, Midoriko spoke, voice somewhat ethereal in quality.  “Kikyo… What do you have to say for yourself?”

Kneeling, Kikyo bowed her head, “Midoriko… I have always tried to follow your teachings…”

“Liar!”  The misty visage barked, eyes narrowed.  “No miko who followed my teachings would remain on this plane by holding a piece of another’s soul.  No one who followed my teachings would stay alive by using dead women’s’ souls.  No one who followed my teachings would help an evil being like Naraku.  No one who followed my teachings would try to psychologically torture their reincarnation in an attempt to drive them to suicide so that they can reclaim their whole soul.  No one who followed my teachings would torment the being she professed to love and who loved her then try to take them to hell over something someone else did!  No one who followed my teachings would be as hateful and malevolent as you are.  It could be excusable if you did not know what you were doing was wrong but you did.  You full well knew it was wrong and kept on anyway.”

Shaking, Kikyo kept her eyes lowered but her mind was racing trying to come up with something, anything, to justify or mitigate what she had done.

Stepping closer to the animated clay figure, Midoriko glared at her.  “Yes, Kagome is your reincarnation but it’s more than that and you knew it!  You were my reincarnation!  Kagome had not fully tapped into my powers yet and you didn’t want her to or for her to find out.  You wanted her gone so you could have my full strength to use for your own devious means Kikyo!  With her gone you could get your revenge on those you blamed for your downfall.  But there is only one person to blame for that Kikyo: yourself.  At the end of your life you were weakened and losing your power but only you were to blame for it.  You blamed Inuyasha for your downfall but it was you that brought it on, not him.  You’re the one that was dissatisfied with your life and because of that your powers weakened.  You coveted what others had and it made you bitter.  That was your fault, not Inuyashas!  Yet like a selfish child you blamed others.”

Standing in front of the shaking and kneeling Kikyo, the ghostly form drew a sword that seemed to be made of a pure, white light.  “You will have several lifetimes to ponder and make up for what you have done Kikyo.  I suggest you make the best of it.  Now, you have troubled too many for too long and it is time you left!”  With one swing of the light sword Kikyo was reduced to the ash and graveyard soil she really was.

As the ghostly image raised the sword, Inuyasha tore loose from Kouga, screaming Kikyos’ name and ran towards the barrier.  He hit it then with a bright, pink flash reverted momentarily to his human form then was shot back and landed several meters away, once again in his normal, hanyou form.

Turning to face Kagome, Midorikos’ face softened and she smiled at the futuristic miko.  After sheathing her sword she said something to her that no one outside the barrier could hear then there she began to dissolve.  When there was no sign of her left the barrier flickered a couple times then vanished.  As it dropped, Kagome crumpled and fell.

Before her body could hit the ground Sesshomaru rushed forward and caught her.  Gently, he cradled her in his arms and picked her up, checking her over to make sure she was uninjured.

Quickly, everyone gathered around, even Inuyasha who ignored what remained of his first love. 

“Is she alright?”  Kouga asked, eyes wide, a bit of panic in his voice.

Nodding, Sesshomaru held her to his chest.  “She appears to be fine, just asleep.”  Looking at Sango, he asked, “Where can I put her that’s comfortable?”

“Follow me!”  She said, taking off towards her families hut.

Once Kagome was settled on a comfortable futon Sango shooed everyone out so she could change her into what she wore to bed and made sure she didn’t have any injuries.

Once it was clear she was just asleep everyone relaxed.

Miroku went to gather what remained of Kikyo.  Both Kouga and Sesshomaru were all for letting what remained of her scatter to the four winds but when they learned the monk was doing it for Kaede, not Kikyo, any objections they had were gone.  Like others in the past they had respect for the elderly miko.

~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~

When Kagome woke, she groaned and covered her eyes.  It was way too bright for her liking.  With a grunt, she sat up and dangled her legs over the edge of the comfortable futon she had been laying on.  Immediately, three things came to mind: bathroom, drink and food in that order.  “Kagome?  Are you alright?”  Sesshomaru asked, kneeling down by her.

“Fine I think.”  She answered, stretching.  “Let me go to the bathroom and get a drink then I’ll know more.”  She said, standing up.  Though her muscles seemed a bit loose, like they had been overstretched, she went to take care of her business.  When she came back there was a bottle of her instant fruit punch and a hot bowl of stew waiting for her.  While she ate Sesshomaru and Kouga, who had joined them, had her tell what she had seen from her perspective.  It was pretty much the same thing they had observed with just a few descriptions of what the power inside the barrier felt like.  When she got to the part about Midoriko talking to her she could remember she said something but not what it was.  After that everything was a blank.

Sliding up onto the futon, Sesshomaru pulled her into his lap.  She gave him a wide-eyed look then glanced over at a grinning Kouga.  “Don’t worry Kagome, Kouga knows.”  He said, smirking.

Sighing, she relaxed against him.

“We were worried about you!”  Kouga said quietly.  “You’ve been asleep for more than 24 hours.”

“I feel like I could go back to sleep too.”  She replied, eyes shutting.

“Then sleep all you need to.  No one will say anything.”  Sesshomaru said quietly, softly rubbing her back.

“Mmm… ‘kay.”  She said quietly, slipping back to sleep.