Come to Me, My Other Half by Lady Thesta

Old Tales

~*10 years ago*~

"Once upon a time there lived a young prince with his mother and father. The young prince was very happy and played outside in his mother's garden everyday. But the happiness wasn't to last."

"What happened mommy?"

"Quiet Kagome dear, I'm getting to that."

"Alright mommy."

"Now where was I? Oh yes... In the dead of night, the prince's family was attacked by a very evil demon. He destroyed everything in his path, including the king and queen. But before he could deal the final blow to the prince, a brave miko stepped forward and shielded the boy. She declared that the prince wouldn't be harmed and sacrificed herself in order to save him.

The evil demon was destroyed and with the miko's dying strength, she placed the young prince under a spell. She sealed him away in a cave high on a mountain top to sleep until the day he is needed again."

"Wow mommy, do you think the prince is still trapped on that mountain?"

"I don't know my little Kagome..."

"Can we go to sleep now?"

"Be quiet Naraku!"

"Make me Kagome!"

"Alright that's enough! Both of you, to bed!"

"Night mom!"

~*Current Time*~

"Kagome! Will you hurry up already?" cried a disgruntled male teen. He was waiting at the edge of the village for his younger sister who, like usual, was running late.

"Hold up Naraku! Geez, it's not like the lake is going to go anywhere," answered a more then a little annoyed Kagome. She huffed her annoyance as she made it to the top of the hill. Only to growl as Naraku took off without her, again!

Kagome rolled her sapphire eyes, adjusted the pack that was slung over her right shoulder and began to follow her brother. All the while muttering something about speedy boys that have no manners. Despite her anger and frustration, Kagome did pause in her descent of the hill to watch her brother.

His unruly, wavy hair was currently tied back in a half ponytail. Most of it was trailing behind him in a long, dark wave. He was dressed casually in khaki pants and an unbuttoned dark violet over shirt with a white muscle shirt underneath. He wasn't very buff, but that didn't mean he wasn't strong. Far from it! Kagome could recall a time where they were changing the wheel on the cart and he held it up all by himself while Kagome struggled with the new wheel.

Standing at 5'11", even without the combat boots that normally adorned his feet, Kagome's older brother was the desire of all the girls in town. He knew it too! This annoyed the heck out of Kagome because she had to listen to all the goo-goo gossip. She couldn't stand how shallow the village girls could be sometimes! Talking about her big brother like he was a prime rib dinner or something!

She grumbled to herself some more as she continued her slow descent. She had to go slow because gravity didn't work well with her. She was a much shorter, 5'4" and could be considered a klutz when not paying attention. This is rather odd, considering that Kagome prided herself on being an excellent dancer.

Finally reaching level ground without any missteps, Kagome tugged at the hem of her navy blue tang top. It had a tendency to ride up and reveal her mid-drif. Much to Naraku's displeasure.

"Why do you even where that thing?" he grumbled as he turned once more to wait for his little sister to catch up. His rum red eyes took in her short appearance. Today she was wearing denim blue shorts along with her tang top. Showing off her long, slender legs. Her feet being covered with blue sneakers that had seen better days. He rolled his eyes at her, amazed that she could be so ignorant of herself. If only she knew how many of the village boys he had to pound on a daily bases because their thoughts would wander to his baby sister!

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at him. "Because it's comfortable, durable, and I like it!" she snapped back. She turned her back on him and began to pout. Her long, ebony ponytail whipping behind her. A deadly weapon if one was foolish enough to get close to her head while she's turning.

Naraku chuckled and grabbed her left elbow and began to lead her towards their destination. "Come on midget," he said. Using her hated nickname in order to riel her a bit more. "We're almost there!"

Kagome grumbled at the name but allowed herself to be lead. "I don't see why we had to go today Ku-ku," she said. Using his own hated nickname right back at him. "I mean, all the villagers are going next week! So what's so special about today?"

"Because my dear little sister," replied her brother as he turned to face her once more. "Next week the lake won't look like this!" With that, he pulled back the tangle of vines directly behind him to reveal their destination.

The lake wasn't a large one, but it served the purposes of the village. From their vantage point, they could see directly out over the beach to the cliff face on the other side. From atop that cliff looking down, the lake looked like a crescent moon. Hence the reason their ancestors named it Moon Water Lake. Kagome's eyes widened as she gazed out. For stretching across the waters surface was a very rare rainbow.

Jumping up and squealing with delight, Kagome wrapped her arms around her older brother's neck. "Oh Naraku! It's so beautiful! The perfect 18th birthday present!"

Naraku chuckled at his sister enthusiasm. Pleased with her reaction to such a simple thing. 'No matter how old she gets, she's still little Kagome,' he mused as he absently returned the hug. Pulling back he tweaked Kagome's nose and said, "Now get to swimming already! You know you want to."

Huffing at her brother's bluntness before pulling off her tang-top. Revealing the spaghetti strap, tan-kini that she wore underneath. Tossing the shirt on her brother's head and dropping the pack at her feet, she kicked off her shoes and made a dash for the shore. She scrambled onto a log that hung over the water and with one last glance to her brother, dove in.

Deciding to ignore the challenge that his sister presented him with, Naraku gathered up the discarded shirt, shoes and bag and found a shaded place to relax while she swam. His sharp eyes scanned the water until she came up for air and began to swim laps. Satisfied that she was safe for the time being, Naraku pulled out a rubix cube from the pack and began to fiddle with it. He'd only successfully solved the contraption once before. Now he was stubbornly trying to figure it out again while memorizing every move. Call it an obsession, but he couldn't help it! He loved puzzles and manipulation! Kagome called it obsession, he called it a hobby.

Glancing up at Kagome every once in a while, Naraku continued to work with his toy. Right turn, left turn, up and down. How he could possibly keep it all in order, no one knew. But he was managing, surprisingly enough.

Taking his eyes off his favorite trinket, he scanned the water for Kagome. Not seeing her, he figured that she was under water and would be coming up soon. When she didn't, that's when he started to get worried.

He dropped the rubix cube and stood up. Not getting a good enough vantage point from where he stood, he head over to one of the over hanging rocks. Climbing up it, he looked down and scanned the water. He spotted something greenish white among the water weeds near one of the cliff faces and knew it to be Kagome's legs.

Without a second though, Naraku pulled off his shirt, tossed it behind him and dove into the water below. The shock of how cold it was hit him hard, but it wasn't cold enough to freeze him in his tracks. He used the momentum of his dive to propel himself towards his baby sister. He kicked with all his strength and reached out his arms to grab her ankles.

As his slender fingers wrapped around his sister's delicate ankles, she removed herself from a crevice in the rock face. Her waist was tangled slightly in the weeds and she held a battered, wooden box in her hands. She looked at her brother pleadingly for held and he obliged. Shredding the weeds as best he could while Kagome wriggled to get free. They were both running out of air, Kagome faster since she'd been down longer.

Kicking off the under water wall, they made a bee-line for the surface. Their lungs burned from lack of oxygen as they struggled to make it out in time. Naraku glanced back and noticed his sister was lagging due to the box she refused to drop. Pulling a 180, Naraku sped to his sister's side and took the box from her. Then he hooked his free arm around her waist and together they swam for the surface.

They sputtered and gasped for air once they broke the tranquil surface of the water. "What were you thinking!" hollered Naraku as he helped Kagome to the waters edge. "You could have been killed! You know better then to swim anywhere near the underwater weeds!"

Kagome hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry Ku-ku. But I saw the crevice and that box sticking out. I just couldn't help myself!" She looked up at her brother with pleading eyes. Begging him to understand.

With a heavy sigh, Naraku smiled at his sister and said, "Whatever. Let's just have a look at what almost got you killed." He helled up the box and handed it over to his sister to take. "It better have been worth it."

Kagome squealed with joy and threw her arms around Naraku's neck. "Thank you Naraku!" she cried before taking the box from his hands. With shaking fingers, she grasped the clasp that held it shut. She held her breath for a brief moment before opening the box.

Naraku and Kagome put their heads together as they stared into the velvety confines of the little treasure. Reaching in, Kagome pulled free an aged scroll. Glancing at her breath, she unrolled it and they gazed at what appeared to be a map.

"What do you think it means?" questioned Kagome as her eyes followed the many paths of the old map.

Naraku shrugged and said, "I don't know Kag. What's this?" Reaching out for the aged paper, he flipped over the map and read the writing on the back.

Alone I sleep, in the fiery depths.

Alone I wait, for the pain to stop.

Alone I sit, wanting revenge.

Alone I will fight, till the bitter end.

"What does it mean Naraku?" breathed Kagome as she read the message and stared, wide-eyed at the map.

"I don't know Kagome. But I intend to find out," replied Naraku as he rolled up the map and placed it back in its box. "Let's head home. Mom knows all the old tales, maybe she can shed some light on this thing."

That said, the siblings gathered up their belongings and headed back to the village. But there story they have stumbled across won't let them stay idol for long.

*=================*

LT: Right well, it's been a while since I have updated any of my stories.

WB: A while?

LT: Hush you! *cough* There's a very good reason for that. My muse has found another muse that also inspires me. They have been feuding and the end result is I can't right.

WB: That's what you get for having two muses!

LT: As I was saying, I haven't been able to write for my old stories. So I decided to buckle down and right this till my muses call a truce.

WB: Or kill each other.

LT: Not helping Whiteblaze!

WB: Yeah, yeah. So, I'm going to be making sure this one gets updated on time.

LT: Before I forget. I know Naraku is OOC. But he's a semi good guy in this fic. He'll still have his bad moments. But for the most part, he's just over protective of his little sister. *hides from flying bricks* Well, until next time! *runs to where the sounds of crashing can be heard*

WB: R, R, and R!!! *runs to help*