An Old Monks Tale
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co.
In an old village on the outskirts close to Edo; its name forever lost to history, sat an old monk looking at an even older tree. Kaede knew this man. He was the monk who also lost someone the same day Kikyo died. With Kagome off searching for shards with Inuyasha and co. Kaede decided to pay her old friend a visit.
"How ye be Shio?" Keade asked the old monk as she sipped on the tea he had offered. The old monk, Shio, looked at her and gave a sad smile. "Broken as always" Kaede nodded, Shio had always been like this, for the last fifty plus years since his sister died. The man became a monk so he could help prevent others going through heart break like he did.
"Tell this old woman about her Shio, for fifty years ye have kept quiet about her." Shio nodded 'tis but a sad tale Kaede but if ye wish to hear it then ye shall hear it."
-Kiome (Normal pov) – (do you mean Shio instead of Kiome)
Back when Kikyo was alive and the priestess for Edo, Shio had a little sister called Kiome, she was a fair child with long black hair that flowed in the wind, her eyes a brown similar to a trees bark and her smile he swore could make birds sing. Shio loved his little sister very much since they had no parents, the village headman had taken them in.
Shio trained to be a scribe whilst the ladies of the house raised Kiome to be a proper lady. They were happy.
"Big Brother!" Shio looked up at the sound of his twelve year old sister and smiled in her hand was a gift from a young lad who wished to court her, both Shio and the village headman didn't want to give her to the Hojo's they were a rich and powerful family and Kiome adored the youngest son.
"Kiome, how are ye doing today?" Shio asked looking at his little sister, "I be well, look at what Hojo-kun gave me." Kiome showed her brother a red glass rose set on a bronze stem with a single bronze leaf.
"Kami, where dist. he find such a jewel? That must have cost a fortune" Shio asked in surprise. "He told me he got it from a visiting gentleman from the east sea from a place called The Ame-ri-cas , Hojo – kun told me he was running from his country due to a war, isn't that horrible!" Shio pulled his sister into a hug, Kiome hated fighting and hated to hear of war. They were lucky where they were as most human and demon warlords avoided the place. They had nothing to offer.
_Time Skip_
Kiome had fallen ill from an infected wound, Shio was tempted to fetch Lady Kikyo from the next village but the rumours stopped him. One of the girls from town had gone to Edo to find her wayward husband and had come back with tales of the legendary priestess in the arms of a half-breed, not only that it was the same half-breed that inflicted the wound on his sister in the first place.
No one could prove that Lady Kikyo was 'in relations' with this half-breed but she did vanish for hours at a time daily. Poor Kaede had been trying to pick up her older sisters slack but the young girl was having enough problems.
Days passed and Kiome was getting worse, the headman had summoned the Hojo clan and informed them of what had happened. The family then offered their best healer to look at the child however what they found killed them all inside. The Half-breeds blood had a trace of demonic poison inside and some if the blood had gotten into her system somehow and was slowly killing her. There was nothing that could be done.
Days passed and Kiome was getting worse, the headman had summoned the Hojo clan and informed them of what had happened. The family then offered their best healer to look at the child however what they found killed them all inside. The half-breed's blood had a trace of demonic poison inside and some of the blood had gotten into her system somehow and was slowly killing her. There was nothing that could be done.
Shio and Hojo-kun stayed by Kiome's side for many days. It was evident she was going to die soon but the brave child didn't show fear instead she turned to her brother and said...
"Big brother, I will not be gone for long I will come back to see you when I can; I'll be back soon just you wait." And with those words said Kiome closed her eyes for the last time.
That night the sky of the village burned bright as they cremated the young girl's body sending her to the Kami. Shio was forever haunted by her words and found a monk to train him so he could better understand what his brave little sister had meant.
-End Kiome-
" 'Tis a sad tale indeed Shio" Kaede agreed, She remembered young Kiome and was saddened to learn that the child had died so young. "She was very brave."
"Aye she was, even after fifty years I still do not understand what she meant though" Shio replied. "Maybe the young lass Kagome could help ye, she is wise beyond even my years." Shio thought about it and nodded. He knew of Lady Kagome the fiery Miko from the well maybe she could offer some advice.
Later that night Shio and Kaede were in Edo eating some stew when they heard distant voices arguing loudly. Moments later the flap opened and a young girl in very indecent attire walked in. SIT BOY" the girl screamed over her shoulder. A loud thump was heard, followed by muffled curses came shortly after the girl yelled.
Much to Shio's annoyance the same half-breed who poisoned his sister walked in and grabbed the young girl. "Half-breed you will do well to let go of her!" Shio warned. The half-breed glared at him and scoffed "Look old man this wench is mine so I will do what I want with he…" "Inuyasha SIT" the girl interrupted the rant.
"I'm sorry if he has offended you in anyway Monk-san, please accept my deepest apologies"
"Ye must be Lady Kagome" Shio offered "Kaede here says ye might be able to help me understand a message left to me by me sister." Kagome nodded and shooed the half-breed out of the hut. Shio re-told his story and watched as Lady Kagome began to cry.
"I think I know what she meant Monk-san" Kagome began "She hoped to come back to see you once she has been reincarnated." Shio looked sad, "Aye I had a feeling that is what she meant but alas due to the rules she would not remember me in her next life let alone her promise. Thank ye for putting my old mind to ease. To be honest Lady Kagome you remind me a lot of my sister Kiome. She was humble and kind like you are." A loud 'Keh' rang from outside the hut followed by another sit from Kagome.
Later that night Shio sat in his hut in his village finally glad he had an answer and an understanding. While many others had told him the same thing something about hearing it from the young well miko made him believe. Shio smiled and looked at the glass rose that once belonged to his sister.
"I know ye meant well little sister and I do not blame you for wanting to come back to see me once more, but with your new life ye can not remember ye old life including thee." Making up his mind, he wrapped the glass rose in an old blanket and wrote a note for Lady Kagome, it felt…right to give the young lass his sister's rose after all she had given him the peace of mind he had wanted after fifty long years. Setting the package aside to give to Lady Kaede the next day Shio laid out his bed and began to go to sleep.
However the last thing he heard before going to sleep was:
"Hello Big Brother"
End
Hi everyone got a new one-shot for ya. I hope you enjoyed it. Please Review.
Big shout out to my new Beta : songoscurage