A New Path

By: Ryu Katanna

Beta:

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter One

Time had passed swiftly since Kagome had woken within the mountain forests of Tanbarun. It had been three years since she had been found by the fifteen year old Shirayuki, and Kagome was now twenty. Shirayuki's grandparents had been so kind when their grandchild had brought an injured stranger into their home. They had been so patient as they taught her their language while she was healing.

Once healed Kagome had helped the aging couple around the bar for a time as she picked up the words spoken from those around her. It had taken some time, but she was soon able speak comfortably well with those around her. That's when she found out that Shirayuki nor her grandparents had ever heard of anywhere known as Japan. It was this and one other thing that made Kagome's heart sink.

Before the destruction of the cursed jewel, Kagome had been trained well, and part of that training was to use her holy power. Holy power that could purify demons. Power that was a part of her and who she was. That power was gone now. When she reached for that spring of power she came up empty. It was gone, and it was then she knew.

The blowback from the jewel had changed her. Kagome wasn't a priestess anymore. In fact she wasn't even a part of the world she was born into any longer. There was no bone eaters well to take her home. There was no way back that she could think of. Her friends and family were lost to her now. She had no home to return to in this world.

Three months after Shirayuki had found her, and Kagome was fully healed with enough knowledge of the language to communicate the basics. She picked back up with her training to get back into shape while helping Shirayuki with gathering herbs, and had learned enough about this world herbs to make the poisons Sango had taught her. Kagome was able to tell Shirayuki's grandparents enough that they knew she was trained as a fighter from somewhere far away. That she had been with friends and allies fighting an evil man who had not cared who he hurt in his quest for power.

They had accepted her anyway. She had never tried to hurt them or anyone they knew, and Shirayuki had brought her home. The girl was a good judge of character, and they trusted her judgement as the got to know Kagome. She was a fighter, a warrior, but their grandchild had saved her. For that, Kagome had told them she owed Shirayuki that life. It was a rather old fashioned notion, they thought, but it meant that Shirayuki had the loyalty of the young woman.

As she trained, Kagome notice something else. In exchange for the loss of her power it seemed she had gained something else. She felt stronger, faster, and more agile. It was like the power she'd had went into her body. As she train she found her endurance had gotten better as well.

Months later, and Kagome's wanderlust had become too much. She wanted to see the world she was now in. During her time in the feudal era of Japan she had not stayed in one place for so long before, and the slow paced life was not one she had been used to since she was fifteen. So she had left town for several months with the blessings of Shirayuki and her grandparents. They had told her she was always welcome to return.

She had just wandered with no real direction. Exploring the world around her, and meeting new people. Kagome didn't stay in one place very long, and never told anyone about herself when she did meet people. Eventually she decided to head back and check in on Shirayuki and her family. By the time she arrived; Shirayuki's grandparents had taken ill.

Her grandmother passed shortly before her grandfather, and it was to him that Kagome had made a solemn promise to look after Shirayuki. After they had both passed on Shirayuki had decided to close down the bar. Instead, she wanted to rebuild the pub into a pharmacy. A little over a year later, and Shirayuki was quickly gaining a reputation as a pharmacist. Shirayuki started to notice that Kagome's eyes lingered just a little longer out into the world outside of town each day. It had been much the same the last time her friend had left. She was not one to stay and linger; that much Shirayuki knew.

It had taken many reassurances for Kagome to leave once more, and she had stayed away for almost half a year. She was now twenty, and Shirayuki eighteen when she had decided to return to her only real friend once again. Already Kagome was not happy with what she was hearing among the townspeople as she came into town. It was when she reached the pharmacy that she knew something was wrong.

"You'll not be finding young Shirayuki there anymore, miss." An old woman said from behind her, and Kagome turned to see it was someone she was familiar with.

"Keno. What do you mean? Where has she gone?" Kagome asked a she turned so the woman could see who she was.

"Miss Kagome! You've been away longer this time around. Oh, it's horrible. Just horrible." The old woman cried as she rubbed her eye with a handkerchief.

"What has happened Keno?" Kagome asked as she grew even more alarmed and her hand clenched at the hilt of her sword.

"The whole kingdom was in a tizzy over it all! That foolish Prince Raji. He summoned Shirayuki to the palace. Many are saying to become his concubine. The night before she was to be taken; Shirayuki left. She made some of the medicines the townspeople had asked for and disappeared! Well, Prince Raji was very unhappy for a while. No one knows where she has gone, but she hasn't been back once. That was little over a month ago!" Keno replied as she rambled and Kagome's body stiffened at what she was hearing.

"That idiot Prince has her?!" She growled much like her old friend, and her eyes sharped with her anger when she looked up at the castle.

"No, no, dear. It appears she has escaped from him, but there has been no word since. She left a note for you inside." Keno explained with a clenched hand over her heart, and Kagome spun toward the door.

Taking out the key that she had kept on her she slid it into the lock and pushed her way inside. Blue eyes took in the inside as a feeling of wrongness shivered her spine. It was cold and the air stagnant. The room was devoid of the smell of herbs that had come to be familiar. A few long strands of red hair lingered on the windowsill while a single white envelope rested on the table. Seeing her name written in a familiar scrawl, Kagome lifted it and lit the oil lamp in the dim light of the afternoon sun.

Kagome,

I've left Tanbarun, and I don't think I'll be back. Prince Raji has demanded for me to become his concubine, but I won't do it. I'm leaving this place to you. So you'll still have somewhere to return to. I'm walking the path I've chosen. I only hope you can find yours.

Your friend,

Shirayuki

Kagome's hand clenched over the paper before folding it back up and slipping it into the inner pocket of her traveling cloak. Looking around once more she picked up the oil lamp and made her way up the stairs into the living area and toward the room that had been given to her for when she was there. Removing the black cloak and her sword she laid them both, careful of the hidden weapons, off to the side before pulling off the dirty and torn clothing she had acquired on the road when she'd had to trash the old ones a month ago. She threw those into a pile in the corner of the room before pulling out clean black tops and bottoms. Placing them with her cloak she doused the light and laid down on the dusty bed with a small oomph.

'I'll find you, Shirayuki. This is not my home. It's yours. I don't belong anywhere anymore, but I made a promise. I will look after you until you've found where you are happiest.' Kagome thought as she drifted off.

123

A few hours later, and blue eyes opened to the darkness of late night. Sitting up from the bed she lit the lamp and made her way to the bathroom. A quick bath to clean up first. She felt her muscles relax as she scrubbed her long black hair, and her body with the oils Shirayuki had made and left behind. Soaking for a minute; Kagome allowed her mind to wander.

'I'll visit the ports first, and then I'll check the border. If she was running from that idiot Prince then she must have left the entire kingdom. The closest neighbor is Clarines. It would be dangerous for her if she took a ship in this part of the sea. I swear if she ended up in the hands of someone like Umihebi I'll rip that bitch's heart out and feed it to them only after they tell me where she is.' Kagome thought before she drained the clouded water and dried off with the towel.

Making her way back to the room she wrapped her chest before pulling on the pants and top. Fastening her belt and sword, she made sure her small traveling bag was still firmly attached to the belt before pulling on her cloak and clasping it shut so that no one would be able to tell if she was a man or woman. It was much easier to travel this way as she was not made an easy target just because she was a woman.

Pulling her hair into a high ponytail she allowed a thick strand free, and the rest to fall to one side, before covering her nose and mouth with a half mask just as black as her cloak. She then took out a beaded tie that was special. It was the only thing of any color she really wore. Shirayuki's grandmother had given it to her before she had left the first time.

Braiding the loose strand part way, Kagome used this tie to keep it in place. The pink and black rhodonite clinked between the two cat's eye stone beads on either side. The dark blue of the cat's eye stones matched her eyes and the chime at either end tinkled as they shifted with each step or movement. The old woman had given it to her so she would make some noise as her steps were always so silent she had a habit of startling the poor woman.

Once that was done she pulled up the hood to her cloak before moving down the hall and looking into Shirayuki's room. The girl had obviously packed in a hurry as there were still a few things strewn about. Opened on the bed was a book about herbs native to the regions of Clarines. It was one of the many Kagome had seen her reading over the years.

"Kingdom of Clarines… She would go there." Kagome muttered before turning and leaving the room.

She made a stop into the bedroom of Shirayuki's grandparents where she opened a hidden compartment and pulled the small bag out of the dresser. Checking the contents she place them carefully into her bag where it wouldn't get lost before leaving the room and heading down the stairs. Looking around for what may be the last time; Kagome bowed in thanks to the empty space before turning and leaving out the door.

'Thank you for everything. I swear; I will find her and make sure she's safe.'

123

Several months later and Kagome had finally made it to the town of Wistal in Clarines. There had been a few false leads, but she was pretty sure this time. She hadn't wanted to call too much attention to her search and so had only asked a select few for information as she explained she was looking for her 'little sister'. Finally the leads had led her here, and she had a good feeling she would in fact find her somewhere in this town.

It took a few days of looking, but she did eventually spot her as she entered the castle gates in the early morning. Looking at the two guards by the gate she could tell she would have to find a way in, or wait for Shirayuki to come out. So for three days she waited as she scoped out the walls and the placement of the guards. It would be close, but she did figure a way in that wouldn't have her noticed right away. She hadn't seen Shirayuki leave in that time, and so she knew the girl either lived there or there was some kind of rest room.

It was early morning when she saw her chance as the guards near the eastern wall were switching shifts. Kagome took the advantage as she put her training to use. Using the nearby tree and the high wall itself she ran up the side of the tree and leapt higher up the wall before springboarding back to an even higher spot on the tree. From there it was only another jump before she landed silently on top of the wall just as a guard rounded the corner. Running along the ledge in the darkness she jumped down to the roof of one of the buildings. Crouching, she looked around.

'Sesshomaru had better defences than this. That was way easier than running away from him when it was time to train.' She thought with a shiver at the memory.

He might have been a Demon Lord, but he had been more of a devil when she had trained at his castle for a few months in between hunting for Naraku. Training with Sango had been rigorous, but Sesshomaru's had almost killed her. He had only scoffed and replied that he would just revive her with Tenseiga, and then they would be able to continue. She respected him as an ally, but she did not miss his idea of training the weak human.

She shifted back so as not to be seen when she heard the door slide open. Below, two voices could be heard gossiping as they left. Two maids walking away to the castle, but her focus wasn't on that. It was what they were speaking about.

"Well I heard that Prince Zen denies what Prince Raji said. That Shirayuki girl is only a friend who works as a court herbalist." One girl said to the other as their voices faded.

"He denies it, but I saw them the other day. There's no way he isn't going to propose. You should have seen how close they were!" The other nattered on as they went.

'Wait! What?' Kagome thought as she replayed what she'd heard in her mind. Before jumping to a tree near the palace.

'What have you gotten yourself into now, Shirayuki?'

123

The sun was rising rapidly when Kagome finally found her coming out of what looked like a greenhouse. Kagome leapt down when she seen no one else around and darted off in her direction. It was as she was coming up on her that she was surprised with a flash of movement from the corner of her eye. The movement was coming up on her fast, and so she wrapped her arm around Shirayuki and spun to protect her from the blow. Shirayuki gave a startled shriek as she dropped what she was carrying. Lashing out with her foot the person jumped back just in time to avoid the hit.

Moving the girl behind her to keep her away from the fight, Kagome squared off with the man. He was wearing a dusty sand yellow head band that wrapped around his head to cover his ears, a khaki coloured shirt with a black long sleeved undershirt, a neck wrap, black pants, knee high boots, and gloves. What alarmed Kagome was the look in his yellow eyes as he pulled shuriken out. Both his stance and the look in those eyes told her everything she needed to know. This man was a trained killer.

"Obi?!" Shirayuki called out when she seen him.

'So she knows him. Well that just means I can't kill him. Damn this is going to be tough.' Kagome thought as she grasped the hilt of her sword and scowled beneath the hood of her cloak.

She hadn't meant to be seen today. All she had wanted was to check on Shirayuki. To be sure she was here of her own will. The gossip she had heard in the past hour did nothing to reassure her.

"Get away from here, Miss. The master would be most angry with me if you were to get hurt." His voice held a bit of warmth as he spoke to the younger girl, but his face showed none of it.

'At least he holds her in some kind of regard.' Kagome thought as she felt Shirayuki move away from her.

That was all the man, Obi apparently, needed before he darted to the side and threw the blades in his hand. Pulling her sword, Kagome deflected them, but that left a small opening that he took. He was in her face so fast she could only lash out with her leg as she did a back hand spring away.

The fighting continued for several minutes before three more people came running up.

"Zen! Mitsuhide! Kiki!" Shirayuki called out to them.

"Shirayuki are you alright?" The white haired young man said as he reached her.

"I'm fine, but Obi is fighting!" She said worriedly.

"What happened?" Kiki asked when she reached her as well with a hand grasping the hilt of her sword.

"And who is that?!" Mitsuhide questioned as he watched the fight.

The dark cloaked stranger was keeping up with Obi in both agility and speed.

"I don't know. That person suddenly grabbed me and then they were fighting." Shirayuki replied as Kiki and Mitsuhide nodded and fanned out to block the stranger from the other side.

"Did they hurt you?" Zen asked as her grasped the hilt of his own sword and drew it when Obi was knocked away with a kick to the face.

"No… they acted like they were protecting me. From Obi." Shirayuki said with some confusion, and Zen looked at her puzzled before turning back to the fight.

Shirayuki gasped as a thick long dark strand of hair fell out from beneath the strangers hood. When she concentrated enough she could hear bells tinkling with the movement. Could it be who she thought it was? Turning to Zen she pleaded with him.

"You have to stop them!" She said when one of Obi's shuriken finally landed a hit on the cloaked person's arm.

"Enough. Drop your weapon! Obi stand down when they do." He commanded and Obi jumped away and waited.

The stranger turned to him before driving the sword into the ground within easy reach. They stepped away with a tinkling sound before pulling the shuriken out of their arm and tossing it away. Blood poured from the wound, but they paid it nor the others any mind. Attention focused solely on Zen and Shirayuki behind him.

"Who are you? How did you get into the castle grounds?" Zen demanded as her shifted further in front.

Still the figure did not respond, not until Shirayuki asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Did you think to make a liar out of me, Shirayuki?" The tone was dulcet and feminine; catching the others off guard.

"Kagome?!" She asked, startled, when she recognized the voice.

A pale hand reached up, and pushed back the hood. This allowed for long black hair to tumble forward from where it was held in a ponytail but for the one thick strand that was half braided and beaded with two chimes on the ends. Even with the mask covering the nose and mouth; there was no mistaking those eyes. Brilliant blue looked back at her with a soft expression.

"It's really you! It's okay everyone. I know her." Shirayuki said with a small smile as she stepped up next to Zen.

"Her?" Mitsuhide asked in surprise as he came around the cloaked figure from the back

"A woman that can hold her own against Obi." Kiki stated with some amusement.

"Who is she, Shirayuki? How do you know her?" Zen asked only to receive his answer from the stranger that Shirayuki apparently knew.

"My name is Kagome, your highness. Shirayuki knows me because she saved my life; once upon a time." Kagome answered before pulling out a piece of well worn paper from her cloak and turning her attention back the the red haired young woman.

"I'll ask again. Did you think to make a liar out of me?" She asked as she showed the paper that held the note Shirayuki had written months ago.

"What do you mean?" Zen asked when Shirayuki only looked back at the woman with saddened green eyes.

"It means I am oath bound. That might not mean much in this part of the world, but where I come from it is considered a matter of honor." Kagome replied as blood from the wound on her arm trailed down from under her sleeve; dotting into the paper she held.

"I meant to let you go." Shirayuki replied as she stepped forward slowly.

"That's not how an oath works, Miss." Obi replied as he too walked up to stand in front of the raven haired woman.

"What is your oath?" Mitsuhide asked as he and Kiki stood warily on either side of her.

"I swore to her grandfather upon his death bed to look after her. She had saved me, and I owed her grandparents a debt for taking me in. Shirayuki will come to no harm from me. I will not shame myself more than I already have." Kagome said, and they sheathed their swords.

"Seeing how you know her, and all Miss. You might want to get her to the clinic. That blade she was hit with had a small poison." Obi said, and sent Shirayuki into a fit.

"Poison? Obi!" The girl cried as she ran up to Kagome to look her over.

The raven haired woman had started to sweat, and her pupils were dilated. She showed no other sign of poisoning, but Shirayuki knew better. Kagome had told her once that she had built up a tolerance to poisons much like Zen had. It was one of the favorite things the people she had fought against liked to use.

"It was only meant to subdue her." Obi told her to try to reassure Shirayuki.

"Mitsuhide, grab her sword. Obi, I'll talk to you about this later, but for now run and let the Chief Herbalist know where have a patient. Kiki, help me get her there. It'll be alright, Shirayuki." Zen issued out orders rapidly as he and Kiki came up on either side of Kagome, and start to guide her after Obi while Shirayuki led the way with Mitsuhide right behind them.

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A/N:

Well that's it for this chapter. Hope you liked it, and let me know what you think! I'll try posting chapter two next week.

~Ryu