Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters. I only own Amaterasu Reiki and the plot of this fanfiction.
Chapter 1: The Beginning
Just keep running. They'll stop looking soon enough.
My legs carry me as far as I can go, but I know that I must rest. I shall continue running after I gain my energy back. Those demons won't get to me, I won't let them. Those villagers deserved to be healed and they know it. I stop behind a tree, panting heavily as I bend down, resting my hand on my knee. "Inuyasha, just hang in there." I hear a young girl speak from behind the tree. My breathing hitches and I stay silent, trying to steady my ragged breaths. I stand up straight before peering over the tree to see what's going on.
I notice a group of people surrounding one man on the floor. I pick up my rucksack and walk over to the group quickly. "Is he injured?" I ask them, looking down at the hanyou on the floor.
"Who are you?" A monk asks me. I walk over to the half-breed and sit down by him, setting my rucksack down next to me. I pull off his robe so that his chest is bare. I look back up at his friends and explain myself. "I am Reiki, I am a palm healer." They all exchange looks between themselves and nod, convinced. "Your friend only has a little bit left until the miasma travels throughout his body. Go get him some water." After that I hear somebody shuffle through their bag, searching for the refreshing beverage.
The half-breed winces in pain as I press softly on his chest, feeling for the area that is most damaged. Once finding it, I press down and focus on miasma. My hands begin to shake as the poisonous gas travels through my fingers and into my lungs. And there they will perish. I let out a moan of pain but the miasma quickly vanishes from my system.
I retract my hands from the boy and look down at his face. I grab his red outfit and wrap him back up in it. I then stand up, catching the gaze of everybody. "Thank you," Oh, so the hanyou speaks. I don't reply, just stand up and look around, waiting to see if I hear the sounds of the demons previously chasing me. "What did you say your name was?" A young girl dressed in extremely weird clothes asks me. "Reiki," I reply, smiling slightly at her.
"Thanks a bunch!" She shouts. Her aura tells me that she's both relieved and content with the outcome of my arrival. "Inuyasha, how are you feeling?" Inuyasha. That must be the half-breed.
"Fine." He eyes me suspiciously. "Hey, how come I've never heard of palm healing before?" He questions, rising to his feet.
"I'm the last." I explain, looking at him.
"Well, where did the miasma go after it left my body?" He asks curiously.
"Into mine." I watch as all their eyes widen. "But my body purifies it, so it becomes harmless."
"I've never heard of a palm healer with that kind of power," The monk says, coming closer to me. "What else are you capable of?" I'm about to reply, but I feel his hand lay itself on my butt. I slap it away, blushing a deep crimson. "Keep your hands to yourself!" I snap, slapping him across the cheek. Everyone in the bunch seems to be used to behavior like that, so I drop the subject. "Wow, we could really use someone with an ability like that to travel with us." ...travel...with them...?
"Yes, you could be a big help when defeating Naraku." The monk agrees.
My eyes widen.
Naraku.
"Sister!" I scream, as I curl myself up into a ball in the corner of my bedroom. "Sister! Where are you?!"
I hear coughing, and I search the room for the source of the cough. "Reiki!" That's her.
"Hotaru!" I shout, standing up out of my position on the floor. A piece of burning wood falls before me, nearly setting my kimono on fire. "Hotaru! Where are you?!" I walk around the fiery disaster and search for my sister. I hear coughing. That must be her. As I walk into the next room, I feel her aura.
"Reiki!"
"Hold on!" I hold a sleeve to my nose and mouth, not daring to inhale any of the smoke. "I'm coming, Hotaru! Just a little bit longer!" I run towards her aura, I can feel its presence less than a few feet away. My eyes scan the room for the little brown haired girl who is my sister. "Hotaru!"
"Reiki!" My eyes widen when I spot her sitting on the floor behind piles of burning wood. "Reiki!" She screams, and I dash towards her. I pull her into a tight embrace and shush her cries as she trembles terribly.
"Hotaru, we're going to get out of here. Father will find us. Do not worry." The trembling stops and I grow worried. "Hotaru?" I say, pulling the child back from my chest and into my view. "Hotaru, hold on. Please." I look around.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" I almost scream when I hear this voice. The man whom this voice belongs to is not in the room. But then why does he feel so close? I sense evil. No doubt about it.
"W-who's there?!" I yell, clutching Hotaru to my chest tightly. She mustn't be kept here much longer. I must find a way out.
"I am known as Naraku around these parts."
"N-Naraku, please, get my father!"
"And why would I do that?"
"P-Please!" I squeeze my eyes shut. They're beginning to tear up due to the amount of smoke.
"Reiki. You could be of good use to me."
"Get me out of here and I'll consider!"
"I don't know if I like that deal." My grip on Hotaru loosens. I didn't do that… is that horrible demon controlling me?! "How about you come work for me, or you're beloved sister gets to play with fire." Hotaru is pulled out of my grasp swiftly. "Hotaru!" I cry, holding my arm out in attempt to grab her.
"Give her back! Hotaru!"
"Now, now, Reiki. Come work for me and you'll see your sister again. But if you don't…" And then, as if he doesn't even care, he snaps her neck, dropping her into the flames.
"Hotaru!" I scream, tears blurring my vision. "Y-You foul demon! I will n-never work for you!"
"We'll see about that."
"You better watch your back, when I tell my father what you—"
"I'm afraid your father was searching for you earlier. I took care of him, though. Consider it a favor, from a friend, to a friend."
"Father! Hotaru!"
…
…
The memory still haunts me everyday. It seems that I cannot escape it. It's horrifying. And to think I never even saw the face of the demon that destroyed my family and made me watch my own sister die. "I-I have no business with Naraku." I'm scared; I'll admit that much. I cannot see him again, I mustn't.
"But you simply must come along to heal us! It would be a great help, please consider." The demon slayer says to me. I bite my lip. That was ten years ago, when I was only nine years old. Hotaru was nearly five. And father… I recall father was rather young. As for mother… I never met her. But it was told that she was beyond beautiful, and that she could heal people with her palms, much like I can today.
I'm no good if I'm not healing others.
That's the only thing special about me.
That's the only reason I live.
To heal.
So, I must go on a journey with this group of friends. It's only fair I contribute healing to the world; after all, that is why I was born.
"Alright." I reply, clenching my fists as my arms hang by my side. I'll do it for father. And for Hotaru. "I'll come with you."
"Oh, good! Thank you!" The demon slayer thanks me, causing me to smile a bit. "I'm Sango, and these are my friends." I nod at her. "This is Inuyasha, but you already knew that." She points to the half-demon whom has his arms crossed. He's eyeing me curiously. "And this is Kagome, and that's Miroku." She motions toward the monk and young girl dressed oddly.
"Nice to meet you." The girl greets me with a welcoming smile.
"Indeed." The monk says, offering me a warm grin. "And this is Shippo and Kirara." He states, looking at the fox and cat demon.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." I comment.
- The Limit -
"So, do tell us, Reiki, how did you get into the palm healing business?" Miroku asks me, as we all walk towards a village.
"I was born into it. My mother was a palm healer, and so that makes me one. However, my mother was killed when I was very young, so I had to learn how to handle my ability on my own."
He nods. "And is healing all you can do? Or is there another benefit from this?"
"I can also feel auras and read them. As well as transfer pain from others to me. However, I've just learned how to do this, so I'm still a little shaky."
"But why would you want to take other people's pain? Wouldn't that hurt you?" Shippo asks me. I nod, looking straight ahead.
"It does." I feel everyone's eyes move to me. "But there is so much pain in the world and it pains me to see others suffering. So I often use my abilities to transfer their pain to me, that way they don't hurt anymore."
"Wow," Miroku says. "I do say, you do a lot to contribute to the world."
It's all for my family.
They're why I do it.
They all suffered because of me. Father came looking for Hotaru and I, causing him to burn in our home, and the fire I started killed Hotaru. I'm unaware of the reason mother died, but I'm sure it had something to do with me. I just can't seem to do anything right.
"Do you have any siblings?" Sango asks.
"No. I'm an only child." I reply. It's better not to mention Hotaru and her death. It would only make them feel sympathy towards me. And I can't stand it when others feel bad for me. It only makes me feel even worse than I did before. I don't need apologies from others when I'm the reason she died. It's simply a waste of time to mention Hotaru. End of story.
"I see." She says, Kirara jumping up onto her shoulder.
"But do you think you can transfer other emotions from people, too? Not only pain?" The human girl, Kagome, asks me. I look at her for a moment before turning my head and staring straight ahead. "I've never thought about doing that." I admit.
"Lady Reiki, what is it that you carry in that bag of yours?" Miroku questions. I lower my gaze towards my rucksack hanging around my shoulder. "It seems far too small to carry any weapons."
"I do not carry weapons. I only carry herbs."
"What? Why don't you bring a weapon?" Shippo asks.
"Because weapons only bring pain to others, and I don't want to hurt anybody." No one deserves to feel the pain I once did. Not even deadly demons.
"But what happens if you're being attacked?" He cocks his head to the side, obviously concerned about my safety.
"I run."
"Don't you get tired?"
"Of course I do. So I rest."
He stops questioning my lifestyle after that. And it stays silent for a while. And I start to wonder what traveling with this group will be like. Surely something good will come out of it.
"Reiki," Kagome says. "I've never heard of someone who lives like you do. It's truly inspiring."
"Thank you, Kagome-chan." I respond, smiling at her.
- The Limit -
"Help! There's been a fire!" A woman screams, running towards us. Inuyasha immediately dashes towards the flaming building. The others rush alongside him. I stop dead in my tracks.
"Reiki!"
Hotaru.
"Hey, Reiki! Are you coming?!" Inuyasha shouts at me, eyeing me as he pulls innocent people out of the flaming building.
I mustn't let my pain get in the way.
I nod my head, earning a sly smile from the half-breed. I run towards him and the rest of the group and nearly trip over my own feet. "Over here!" Miroku calls. I hurry to him and notice the burnt child in his arms. "Lay him down." I demand, and he does as told. "Give me some room." I press my palms to the child and watch as all of his burns disappear. I smile at the young boy. "You should be all better now, but remember to keep hydrated, or else those burns might appear again." He nods, thanks me, and runs over to his parents.
"That was amazing."
I look up and am met with Inuyasha's eyes locked on me. "Thank you. Are there more injured?" He nods, pointing to a group of children and parents. I rummage through my bag and hand him many herbs. "Give these to adults that need healing, tell them to chew slowly and savor the tangy flavor."
"What is it?"
"Arata. Hurry now, go on."
I rush over to the children and tell each of them to lie down. I press my hands to a young girl's legs (that's where her burns are located) and press down softly. I feel the burns vanish under my touch and am once again content with the outcome of my ability. I continue to heal every single child until they don't have any more burns.
"Reiki, what you did back there was amazing!" Sango gushes to me as we start to head towards a hut the villagers told us we could live in for the night. "Yeah!" Kagome says. "I've never seen anything like your power before. You will definitely be a great addition to our group."
"Yes, I think we can all agree that it's an honor to have you on our team." Miroku says. Shippo agrees, saying so as he sits on my shoulder, holding onto the back of my neck for support. Even Kirara decides to pipe up and let out a cute meow. "Right, Inuyasha? Won't it be a privilege to have Reiki with us on our journey?"
Inuyasha looks back at me, his arms crossed. Then, without warning, he turns his head in the other direction, directly away from me. "Yes." He replies, and I swear I see the slightest shade of pink form on his cheeks.
Has this half-breed taken a liking to me?
Only time will tell.
A/N: And that is the end of the first chapter! I do hope you enjoyed it, because I have some really great ideas for future chapters. And also, I'm aware that Reiki is a very sad character, but that's one of the most important things about her. Her determination to heal others comes from her dramatic past. So she wouldn't be who she is if her family were alive. It's just the first chapter, so she's yet to open up about certain things with her new friends. Who knows, maybe a certain hanyou will bring her out of her shell. Please don't forget to review, as it encourages me to update faster! Alright, that's all for now, bye!
~ Elle