A Strange Mate
Kiyota sat beside the river, knees drawn up into her chest. The beauty of this place had always calmed her senses and mind. As a child she had always come here after a long fitful day of training under her Lord and Father. She'd been sent away when he could have used her the most, for her safely she gathered, as his heir. But her sister had gone into battle beside him. Having returned home to find the village in ruins and finding all the graves with fresh flowers on them, had almost sent the young taijiya into hysterics.
She was a very talented taijiya. She always challenged her sister to better her, making Sango just as talented as she was. Though her younger brother had been more of a butterfly chasing child. She had wished he'd always stay innocent like that. He wasn't cut out for the hard life she and her sister had embraced.
Kiyota's body began to shake with an unleashed fury. She wanted to know what had happened to her family, what had become of her sister, father and brother. She had heard rumors of a taijiya travelling with a hanyou, monk and miko. She would have to find them. If anyone was to survive from her village, her sister would have. Rage and revenge had taken over the once placid, laid back taijiya. Something inside her had snapped at the sight of the graves before her. It had driven her here to the river, to calm herself. She stood, determination to find the taijiya her all consuming goal. With the information she would get, either volunteered or by force, she would know what happened to her family.
For weeks she travelled the countryside until she reached the village the group rumored to use as a base camp. It was small and rustic. She walked to the shrine and the old miko who cared for the village. She stopped before the hut and held her breath for a moment.
"What can I do for ye child?" an elderly woman stepped forth from the dwelling.
"I'm looking for a group of travelers, a hanyou, monk, miko and taijiya," she replied, keeping her voice as even as possible.
"I expect their return any day now, would you come and stay until they return?" the old miko asked gently seeing the determination in the young woman's eyes before her. The girl nodded, following the miko into the hut. Kaede looked the girl over. She was taller than Sango. But the resemblance was shocking even to Kaede. The girl had long waist length dark red hair, wore the garb of a taijiya and carried a sword. Her facial structure was much the same as Sango's. Her expression was soft, but Kaede knew this woman could and would kill at a moment's notice. She was harder than Sango, emotionless almost. She'd seen hardship. Kaede offered her tea which she took with a small thank you.
"Why is it you seek this group?" Kaede asked.
"The taijiya traveling with them, I need to speak to that person. I need to know what happened to my home, my family and who I take revenge upon," Kiyota replied her eyes glued to the empty tea cup in her hands.
"Are ye a relation of our Sango then?" Kaede asked.
"Sango?" Kiyota repeated, relief flooding her eyes at the name. The woman nodded. Kiyota nodded to the answer. "Hai, she is my younger sister,"
"I thought as much. What is ye name?" Kaede asked.
"Kiyota," she replied setting the cup down, declining anymore tea. "Tell me, is she in good health," Kiyota finally asked.
"Hai she is. I will allow her to fill in the rest. It is a sister's duty," Kaede replied. Kiyota nodded understanding fully. The old miko knew the answers she sought, but like herself, she would rather have Sango tell her what had transpired in their home and who it was she sought to take her fury and revenge upon.
The sky was bleeding pink and gold when the group finally walked into the village. Inuyasha and Kagome headed straight for the ancient well that teleported Kagome to her own era. Miroku and Sango went to Kaede's hut, Kirara and Shippo in tow. Kirara raised her nose to the air, smelling the familiar scent in the air. With a small meow she took off running to the hut. She flew through the hut entrance and tackled the woman sitting beside the fire. Kiyota stopped herself from attacking the small neko demon when she realized who she was.
"Kirara!" Kiyota yelled excitedly, petting the little neko furiously, hugging her tightly. "It is so good to see you survived too!" Sango and Miroku ran into the hut following the crazed feline. Sango stopped in the door looking at the person sitting on the floor hugging the little neko so close.
"Kiyota," she whispered. The woman looked up and looked upon a face she had been dying to see in a year and a half. Her younger sister. Standing Kiyota placed Kirara on her shoulder before opening her arms to her younger sister.
"Sango," she said a smile on her face. Sango ran into her arms, falling against her sister sobbing with relief and joy. Kiyota embraced her sister, holding her tightly, rubbing her back soothingly like she had done so many nights when they had been younger.
"We have much to discuss," Kiyota finally said pulling her sister away from her. Sango nodded. She seated herself beside the fire next to her elder sister. Kiyota listened closely as Sango rehashed the details of the tragic demise of their family and how the evil hanyou Naraku controlled their younger brother.
"We must kill him," Kiyota said when Sango finished. Sango nodded. Inuyasha stepped through the thresh hold of the hut, raising his eyebrow at the new comer sitting beside Sango. He took a double take just to make sure Sango didn't have a secret twin she'd told no one of. This woman was vastly different. Her hair was much longer, down past her waist, even in the high ponytail she wore it in, she had harder features, she was muscled with lean toned muscles, her scent was completely different, smelling of roses and vanilla instead of the jasmine scent Sango held. Inuyasha raised one silver eyebrow at them in a silent question.
"Inuyasha, this is my elder sister, Kiyota. Kiyota, this is Inuyasha, the hanyou I've been traveling with. Don't let his personality get to you, he's rough," Sango explained.
"Keh," Inuyasha remarked before seating himself across the hut from the sister beside Miroku who had wisely decided not to pull his normal routine with her. He feared she would do more than slap him. He feared the loss of his hand to the elder taijiya. Something about her said, danger, do not. Inuyasha felt, almost intimated by her presence. It was clear she wasn't someone to mess with. Strength clung to her like a second skin. Inuyasha decided it was better to have her as an ally than a foe. Perhaps she would come in handy when dealing with Naraku or even his elder brother, Sesshoumaru.