True Power

One

Rikka passed under the towering red torii gate and began ascending the shrine steps. She had a bag slung over her shoulder that she held protectively against her side. She was embarrassed by the short green school skirt that fluttered upwards in the wind. Her green sailor top was a little too tight as it clung to her shapely body, emphasising the goods much to her embarrassment. Rather than small brown shoes, she wore calf-length flat black boots. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a half ponytail, the ends curly against her thighs, and two bangs fell over her shoulders. Light brown eyes eyed the second torii gate at the top of the stairs as she passed under it. She then eyed the shrine grounds cautiously and excitedly.

It was the first time that she was permitted to go to a shrine by her guardian, a fellow witch.

The shrine was not only big, but it was old. Yet, the manner in which it was kept told Rikka how dear this shrine was to the family. Another startling fact was the power in the air about the shrine. Could she really call it power? It was clear that it was not strong enough to ward off potential evil, nevertheless, evil avoided coming to this place. There was no protection around the grounds, no barrier. This power was clearly just an aura from one of the family. And it was this aura that kept any evil away.

Rikka made her way towards the back of the shrine when she felt something. Stopping, she turned towards a lone building standing apart from the rest of the shrine. It looked just any of the other buildings, old and well kept. The only difference was the strange aura it emitted. It was completely different to the pure aura of the miko that lived at the shrine. This was almost mysterious, a power that could be used for good and evil. Had it been any other witch, they would have immediately investigated. But Rikka turned away from the building and headed straight for the Higurashi family home at the back of the shrine.

The two storey building was an inviting abode that reminded Rikka of the sun. It was bright and cheerful, clearly positioned so that the house hit the sun from all angles. This was the home of a loving family that was closely knit together, and no matter what they were subjected to they'd stick together. It just had that sought of atmosphere.

It brought a smile to her face, but it fell when she felt a pulse from within the bag she carried.

Right, she reminded herself and stepped up to the door.

She rang the doorbell and listened to it echo through the house. As she waited, she cast her senses out, probing the surroundings for any threats that may or may not linger. The leaves rustled like a waterfall in the wind, birds chirruped happily amongst the trees, the faintest sound of flies buzzing, but no sound of footsteps, breathing or anything that would likely eavesdrop on her conversation. She was safe, for now.

The door slid open, almost startling her. A slightly taller than average woman, with short brown hair, stood in the entryway with surprised brown eyes. That surprise quickly changed into a heart-warming smile when she saw who it was standing there.

'Rikka! It's been so long.'

Rikka bowed formally. 'It's good to see you too, Higurashi-san.'

'You really need to stop being so formal with me, Rikka. You're like a daughter to me,' she said, still smiling. 'Come on in.'

Rikka smiled at her words and followed her into the house, sliding the door closed behind her. She used her toes on the back of her ankles to take the shoes off and proceeded into the depths of the house, following after the woman.

While Rikka knew the Higurashi family, this was the first time that she had ever come to their home. Her guardian had forbidden her from getting anywhere close to the shrine. Her overprotectiveness had extended into ordering Rikka away from the Higurashi family. Being the rebellious child that she was, she befriended Kagome behind her guardian's back and remained friends with her since. She did not want to push her guardian too far by going over to the girl's house, so she had always politely declined. Now was different. Her guardian had allowed her to go to the shrine in the pretence of fulfilling an ancient vow between the families. A vow that only Rikka's family knew about, or should Rikka was told.

'What would you like to drink, Rikka?' the woman asked her as she stepped into the living room where the rest of the family sat around the low table in the centre of the room.

'Water, please,' Rikka said politely. She then bowed to the elderly gentlemen and the young boy. 'It's been a while, Higurashi-san, Sōta-kun.'

The old man grinned proudly at her manners, as if he had taught them to her. 'As polite as ever, Rikka. You'll make a fine wife someday.'

'Onee-chan's not here, Rikka-san,' Sōta told her as she sat next to him.

After years of being trained in the traditional etiquettes, Rikka found sitting on her shins and back of her heels not so strenuous. Yes, she would certainly make a fine wife, if she were in the feudal era. But this was modern Japan, an era where women were considered to be fighters just as much as the men.

'She's only part of the reason why I'm here today,' Rikka said gently to him.

This caught the three Higurashi's attention.

'Here you go, Rikka,' the woman said placing a glass of water down on the table. Condensation dripped down the outside of the glass and the ice clanked against the sides before settling.

'Thank you,' Rikka said, taking the glass and sipping the ice cold water.

The woman took a seat, sitting much like Rikka was, hands in her lap like a good housewife. 'What can we help you with?'

'What do you know of the Manami family?' she asked setting the glass down.

'Your family?' the woman asked. Rikka nodded. 'Your parents and sisters were killed in an accident.'

Rikka shook her head. 'That's not what I meant.' She met the eyes of the old man, who was clad in a priest's outfit. 'The Manami family predates back to the feudal era, existing alongside the first Higurashi, who was a priestess.'

'You mean that Manami family?!' the old man exclaimed.

Rikka nodded. 'The Manami family that we're both talking about are a family of purebred witches.'

'Real witches?!' Sōta exclaimed excitedly.

'Real witches,' Rikka agreed. 'Besides the triumvirate, they were the strongest witches because their blood was not diluted by human blood.'

'Witches weren't humans?' the boy asked, leaning forward on his hands to peer up at the girl beside him.

'Humans considered witches to be yōkai, as did the yōkai. However, witches were neither human nor yōkai. They're a species in-between. Weak witches have humans' mortality, while much stronger witches have longevity. The witches that stood above those are considered to be immortal. No one truly knows for certain.'

'What do you know of the Manami family?' the old man asked suspiciously.

Rikka unzipped her bag and brought out an old box that was regularly waxed until it looked brand-new. It was like a travel size chest with a pentagram inside a circle engraved on the lid, the point facing upwards indicating goodness. She placed it carefully on the table before the old man, whose eyes widened at the sight of the chest. It was large enough to fit an A5 notebook inside.

'T-this is,' the old man stammered, a shaking hand reaching out for the chest. 'M-may I?'

Rikka nodded and watched as he gently unhooked the metal prong and opened the lid. He lifted the pouch and book that lay inside. Sōta leaned forward as soon as he extracted the items from the chest. He placed the velvet pouch to a side, eyes glued to the thick book. Aged parchment crinkled as he gently leafed through the pages, eyes roaming over the contents. Rikka had poured hours of time into studying the book, a book that foretold the history of the Manami family, and explained in grave detail of the vow that sparked the alliance between the Manami and Higurashi families. A vow that tied the families together.

'B-but y-you…' the old man snapped his mouth shut, and opened it to say something, but found himself lost. 'Why now?'

He put the book back in the box and pulled the necklace out of the pouch. His small eyes bugged out of his head at the sight of the jewel that glinted pink in the light. Holding it between thumb and forefinger, he examined the jewel, which remained pink. It was the only sign that told Rikka that he was definitely from the Higurashi line that her family had made the vow to. Their vow ran deeper than any. It was a blood vow. A vow that would always keep the families bound together, no matter the quarrels. If that jewel was in the hands of a human the jewel would turn green, in the hands of a witch it would turn purple, but in the hands of a Manami family it would turn red, in the hands of a yōkai the jewel would turn blue, and in the hands of evil it would turn pitch black.

He stuffed the necklace back in the pouch, convinced it was the real deal. He placed it back in the box, closed the lid and slid it over to her, his face guarded.

'The two families vowed to protect one another, regardless of what has transpired before. I am here to fulfil that vow.'

'I heard the Manami family was wiped out,' he said, his voice even and his face eyeing her distrustfully.

'It pains me to say that I am the last,' she admitted. 'My guardian, a witch who swore allegiance to my family, has raised me in my parents' stead. She refused me to contact the Higurashi family. But I obviously refused if my friendship with Kagome-chan was anything to go by.'

He crossed his arms. 'Then you're not here on official business as a Manami?'

Rikka closed her eyes. 'I am here as an official Manami, not a disobedient teenager who cares for her friend. Well, that too, but you get what I mean.'

'Then that means that Kagome's in serious trouble if the Manami family's decided to become involved,' he summarised to himself. 'I don't like it,' he said looking into her light brown eyes. 'But then I don't have to, not if you've come to protect Kagome.' He grumbled to himself. 'After the discord, it's hard to trust a Manami again.'

'I'm not just a Manami,' Rikka said seriously, catching his attention. She then smiled, a smile that rivalled the grace and beauty of the moon and the splendour and warmth of the sun. 'I'm Kagome-chan's best friend, and a friend of the Higurashi family.'

She scooted back and bowed, hands together in a triangle and head almost touching the floor. The action shocked the three of them, even more so than being told she was a witch.

'Higurashi-san,' she began, still bowed, 'will you allow Manami Rikka to aid the Higurashi family as was vowed by our ancestors centuries ago?'

The old man slipped his arms into his sleeves, closed his eyes, and bowed his head. 'On behalf of the Higurashi family, I accept Manami Rikka's offer of assistance.'

Silence descended upon the room as the blood vow between the families sparked to life. Rikka, being the only magical orientated person in the room, felt it snap alive inside of her body. It hummed strongly through her veins, almost suffocating her. She could feel it pulling at her, demanding that she leave to help the Higurashi that was in danger. Seeing as the others were in the same room as her, she knew that Kagome was the one in danger. And that was where the vow was urging her to go. She needed to go.

'What was that about?' Sōta asked, unable to make sense of anything that happened.

Rikka straightened and looked at the puzzled woman and the mystified and frightened boy.

'Long story short, I'm a witch, and I come from a longline of witches. My ancestors made a promise to the first Higurashi that spans through time.' She then looked at the old man. 'Now, I need you to tell me everything about what's happened with Kagome-chan.'

And the long story of how Kagome came to transverse to the Sengoku Period was told.