Takes place in: Chapter 415
Just something written on a whim after reading Inuyasha.
Kanna & OC - Their relationship is open to interpretation.
...xXx...
She felt warmth - that was the first thing she noticed.
With him, there was a constant chill no matter the temperature outside, but as he constantly drilled into her, it didn't matter since nothing fazed her anyways let alone the temperature outside.
She opened her eyes carefully, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness.
The darkness though, she was used to, often hiding away in caves or other enclosed spaces for his greater purpose without caring what she thought because as he always pointed out, she felt nothing.
So her eyes adjusted quickly and she found herself in a small hut, big enough for two people at most with a small place for a fire and a large pot hung above it. There were a few other things hung on the walls - a rather well-done landscape painting, a pan, a spear, etc. - but otherwise, it was rather bare with only the essentials.
The doorway - or what she assumed to be the doorway - opened up, a small hand pushing aside the flimsy door followed by a stranger's face.
"You're awake," the stranger exclaimed with relief, stepping inside.
The female was pretty in a subtle way, not the usual eye-catching beauty that she was used to. Her black hair was pulled into a practical bun but strands fell, framing her face gently. But more importantly were what her blue eyes showed. She wasn't like Kagura with that fiery stubbornness in her blood red eyes or Kikyo with her calm dedication hidden in black pools of mystery. She had a face set with determination but also with wisdom - the knowledge knowing when to give way or stay silent.
But then again, sometimes the beautiful things were the things that people needed to be most wary of.
The female came closer, giving her time to see the kimono she wore, a simple form-fitting dark blue. The sleeves were pulled up to her elbows and in her hands was a wash basin.
"I fixed your wounds as best as I could. How are you feeling?" the female questioned, kneeling beside her and brushing a cool, wet cloth from the basin against her forehead gently.
That was a question foreign to her; no one asked her how she felt; no one ever bothered; no one really cared.
"I'm fine," she near-whispered, half-expecting some kind of retribution for going against who she was - trying to be something.
"That's good," the female commented, smiling gently. "The wound on your shoulder is slightly infected so it'll be safer for you to rest up here for the next few days. What's your name?"
"...Kanna," she answered, looking up at the female with wonder. Was this a dream?
"Get some rest Kanna. I'll come back with some food in a bit," the female urged softly, standing and heading towards the door.
"W-Wait," Kanna called hesitantly. She had never wanted - had never asked for - anything before.
The female paused, turning to her slowly.
"Yes?"
There was silence.
"What's your name?" Kanna finally asked. The female smiled gently, eyes twinkling with amusement.
"I'm Shizuko."
Then she left, leaving Kanna to her own thoughts.
...xXx...
Day 01
A soft hand on her shoulder woke her up.
"Kanna get up. You have to eat something," a familiar voice urged. Her eyes fluttered open, a bit blurry at first, but eventually latched onto Shizuko's blue eyes, focusing against the light of the fire and the moon. Shizuko's hand helped steady her as she sat up carefully. She caught sight of her mirror beside her, slightly appalled that she hadn't thought or cared about it at all since she had woken.
Shizuko's eyes followed her gaze.
"Don't worry. It won't disappear while you eat," Shizuko reassured, handing her a grilled fish.
Kanna took a bite, resisting the urge to push it away. As a youkai, she didn't need to eat and when she did, she usually ate what Naraku fed her - meat of weak youkai or meat of humans sometimes. Reluctantly, her stomach accepted the morsel and she continued to eat carefully.
Beside her, Shizuko ate as well, eating with a surprising roughness, as if she didn't particularly care how neat it was. Shizuko caught her gaze and gave a sheepish smile.
"Sorry. When I lived with my brother, eating clean was the last thing on my mind," she apologized, taking another bite. Kanna felt curiosity well up in her again.
"Where's your brother now?" she cautiously questioned.
"...He's not around anymore," Shizuko finally admitted quietly. Shizuko smiled again, turning to her. "But you're here now so it's ok. No point in moping about when there's things to be done. Want another fish?"
Kanna looked down at her fish, surprised to find it clean. She nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed at her appalling behavior but Shizuko only smiled and handed her another one.
"Eat up. There's more where that came from."
...xXx...
Day 02
"No," she muttered, shaking her head in denial.
"Something the matter Kanna?" Shizuko asked, turning to her. How was she supposed to explain Naraku - her...father for lack of better words - and her role in his plot to Shizuko? How could she say that he was suspecting her betrayal and had questioned her mentally?
"It's nothing," she dismissed, her hands full with the basket of clothes.
"Alright then," Shizuko stated in a tone that she had learned to recognize as her non-prying-but-curious voice. "Well, let's go then. The laundry won't do itself."
A few mishaps later, the clothes are cleaned and drying on a line outside the small hut.
Shizuko gave strict orders to stay inside because "there are evil youkai out there and I don't want you to get mixed up in their plots" before going out to hunt because "someone needs to get the meat to eat."
She did what she did best then and followed orders. She looked around the small hut, observing the painting for a bit before going and picking up her mirror for the first time since her stay. She looked at Naraku for an instance, reporting her situation and leaving out the fact that she liked Shizuko and staying with her, before changing to Moryomaru and confirming his location.
She waited then for an indefinite amount of time like back when she hid with half of the infant, Naraku's heart. But for some reason, there was something different - something missing.
Finally, Shizuko entered the hut, a rabbit and a few birds in her arms, already skinned and cleaned.
"I'm home," Shizuko declared, smiling. And the missing part was filled.
"Welcome home," she greeted, feeling a foreign emotion take hold of her. She stood up and took a few steps closer to Shizuko as she dropped the meat in the pot above the dying fire. Shizuko tilted her head with slight confusion but opened her arms just in time for her to wrap her arms around her waist.
"I was only gone for a bit," Shizuko teased, chuckling. "Did you miss me?"
She didn't answer, savoring the warmth as foreign but comforting as it was.
...xXx...
Day 03
"Your wounds are almost better already," Shizuko exclaimed, somewhat pleased as she redressed Kanna's wounds.
"Is that so," she stated, unsure if she should be glad or mournful, unable to stay with the elder girl Shizuko but able to continue her mission.
"Do you know the way to where you're headed?" Shizuko asked, her hands methodically rewrapping the wound.
"I know," she assured, closing her eyes and listening to the crackle of the fire, feeling Shizuko's ghost-like touches, smelling the last traces of their dinner.
"Let's get to bed," Shizuko urged, helping her pull on her white kimono - freshly washed - without aggravating her wounds. The two laid on the small makeshift bed together as they always have the past few days, a rather warm blanket pulled over them since the nights can be chilly.
"Shizuko-san, can you tell me about your brother?" she asked carefully. She felt rather than saw Shizuko's wry grin and slight shift.
"His name's Yoru and he's not really my brother by blood; he's my stepbrother. He took care of the hunting and trading while I kept home. People mistakened us for lovers once or twice before so I assume we were just that close. Every morning, I would wake up first and have to drag his lazy butt out of bed. We would eat breakfast together and go over the plans for the day..."
She let Shizuko's calming, honest voice carry her to the land of dreamless sleep, a rest that she was both accustomed and unaccustomed to.
...xXx...
Day 04
She fell down a small cliff and reopened her wound.
"Guess you're staying for a bit longer," Shizuko commented, not opposed although worried.
Her lips curved upward slightly.
"I suppose so," she agreed as Shizuko's warm hands washed and rewrapped her wound.
...xXx...
Day 05
"Kanna, why don't you tell me about your siblings?" Shizuko urged gently, her voice curious but not commanding.
"...I don't know them that well but I'm the eldest. The one after me, her name is Kagura and she's...she's passionate. She loves her freedom and won't let anything tie her down," she began, letting her voice run on without end. "She can be a bit pushy but she cares. After, there was Goshinki but he died early on. Then came the twins Juromaru and Kagemaru..."
...xXx...
Day 06
She was getting used to it - perhaps too used to it. The monotonous life with Shizuko was oddly fulfilling; it made her happy.
Don't forget your mission Kanna.
And she pushed aside her emotions; she would leave tomorrow.
...xXx...
Day 07
"You're always welcome to come back Kanna," Shizuko urged, giving her a warm hug.
"Thank you," she stated, her eyes taking in Shizuko and memorizing her every feature - her gentle hands, her wise eyes, her honest expressions - everything.
"You're sure you won't need food or water or anything?" Shizuko double-checked, obviously worried.
"I'm sure," she reassured firmly. "Thank you for everything." For teaching me how to feel.
"It was my pleasure," Shizuko stated, eyes curving into the crescent shapes that she grew to love as Shizuko smiled.
And she left, tucking in the week of memories close to her heart.