Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or anything associated with it. Including misguided mikos.
Prologue
A swirling mass of malevolent reiki towered over the guards. "You presume yourself powerful enough to attempt me injury? Ha! Stand down!"
All the defenders at the large gate backed away but one fresh recruit willing to test his power. He put on a defensive stance and she strode forward, sighing.
"I prefer not to harm the innocent…but if you insist-" a flash on reiki struck him down before he could blink and she moved through the slowly opening gate into the courtyard, disappearing from view.
She walked down the wide, gravelly path, past the many sakuras in two rows on either side, breathing in their calming scents.
"So beautiful…this is truly not right. A family of murderers shall not enjoy such beauty until such a time as a miko of just power forgives." She declared in a whisper.
The path ended in a couple of strides and the miko came upon a set of steps not unlike those of her home shrine. She glared at the statue of an inu situated at the top of the steps, silhouetted by the sun.
"Damn them…"
She bent slightly and began running up the steps, reiki glowing bright blue around her.
After a minute, she stopped and peered up at the statue. She paused and then shook her head. No way. She pushed her hair back behind her and began running again.
Five minutes later, she knew it to be true. The statue wasn't getting any closer. There had to be a barrier of some sort around the main palace. She paused again and smirked. Nothing she couldn't penetrate.
She reached back for her bow and arrows and strung one confidently. She decided to aim at the statue, since the infernal thing was a source of annoyance and the most likely object that the barrier was emanating from.
Her stance didn't waver as she aimed at the white marble inu. I swear, the thing's grinning at me!
She let go of the string, sending the arrow flying. It struck right between the points of the crescent moon on the dog's brow. Everything stilled for a moment, and then a dark barrier fizzled into existence and shattered, each piece of youki vanishing.
She quickly leapt up the remaining steps and jumped over the silent inu, landing on a wide stone platform. She straightened up and the jumped back – demons of all kinds surrounded her.
A demon in more formal attire than the others moved forward and spoke up coldly.
"It was not wise to release so much reiki, miko. It forewarned us of your arrival and your power…and – fortunately for us – it's gotten the minor youkai all worked up. You are cornered."
She tensed and dropped her weapon.
"Please, all I want is an audience with the Inu no Taisho. Have I harmed anyone yet?" She asked guardedly. Please, please let me in!
The youkai pondered her request, staring her down.
"What do you call what happened to one of our guards besides harm?"
"He wasn't harmed in the least! I simply pushed him aside!" she protested vehemently.
"Hmm… Alright, since you seem to be a powerful miko. The lord could afford to have one on our side in the upcoming negotiations. Follow me." She stated.
"Yes, thank you." She said softly. Too bad for you that those negotiations are exactly what I intend to destroy all chance of! Humans and demons shall never form an alliance!
The youkai gestured to the miko to follow her and turned around, short silver hair swishing around her shoulders.
The demoness leading her paused at the lavishly painted rice-paper screen leading into the main hall and turned to the guard next to it.
"She wishes to talk with the lord. Let her through, but do not underestimate her – remember, she's a miko of considerable power. She can't wipe us out, but she's able to deal us quite a bit of damage."
The guard bowed and nodded with a "Yes, Tsukiyo-sama."
The demoness turned back toward the miko and gave her a piercing golden stare before whirling around before the miko could blink and striding into the hall. The miko hurried after the woman, hiding a smirk. They think they've got me cornered! Ha! Small chance of that!
A deep baritone snapped her back into reality.
"Miko, why are you here alone in an abode of demons?"
She took in a breath. The Inu no Taisho! At last! I must go through with this!
"You and your family have destroyed many lives in the mountain country with your past month's unjustifiable raids! This is an unforgivable action, and I have come to deliver retribution on behalf of the victims' families!" she finished, breathing hard.
She glared at the lord, surprised to find a small frown on his face.
A member of the court snorted and put an arm over his face. "How did I know…"
"Quiet, Monotaro." The lord admonished the noble and turned to the miko. "Just how do you propose to carry out this 'retribution', young miko? I was under the impression that mikos were just, delivering punishment only when deserved." he said, his voice hard.
The demoness broke in and declared clearly, "We have done nothing but good to the mountainous region of our land. You are simply here to undermine our coming alliance with your kind!"
The miko paused and then spit out "You all are smarter than I took you for." She held out her hands and willed her weapons to her from the guards' grasps. She strung her bow with a deadly arrow in a quick motion and aimed it at the demoness Tsukiyo.
The demoness laughed. "You think to do me harm with that? Lower your weapon before you hurt yourself!"
"Is something wrong, father?" A young demoness wearing a simple silk yukata with a crescent moon on the breast - signifying that she was part of the royal family - walked in with a noticeable limp. Perfect.
"Sakura…!" the lord warned before the miko cut in.
"If I cannot hit you, I will steal your pride and joy - SAKURA!!!" she shouted, aiming with a turn at the newcomer and letting the arrow fly toward her heart, imbued with a powerful sealing spell.
Frantic, the girl tried to twist out of the arrow's path, but her injured leg wouldn't allow for such quick movement.
"No! Oh, father, I'm so sorr-" her voice died away as the arrow stuck her in the heart and pulsed. A wave of power went through the hall and outside to cover the entire palace. What was once a young demoness, the pride of her lord father and brother, was now a silent marble statue, and what was once a beautiful palace with pale pink sakuras interspersed beside the paths was now a beautiful palace with sakuras in a perpetual state of death and decay.
"I have cursed all of your treasured sakuras – the daughter and the blooms alike. You will not witness them in all their beauty again until one of my successors forgives!" She disappeared in a flash of reiki, leaving the youkai to run outside and search for her.
"You fools!" broke in a new voice. "Instead of searching for a condemned miko, try to unseal the lady!"
All the guards suddenly turned and swarmed around the contorted statue, attempting to break the seal that could not be broken.
From her perch inside a barrier high above, Midoriko grinned.
Retribution.