Chapter 3
Impromptu Meeting
"Lady Kagome! Lady Kagome!" Yura yelled, running up to the slightly stunned older miko. Her shoulder length hair bounced with each step she took as she closed in on Kagome.
Kagome hadn't been expecting her apprentice to come searching for her in the way she was. She had just finished her inspection on the old well when she heard the frantic yelling. Her first instinct had been to go running, but sending her aura out quickly, Kagome realized that all was fine in the village. So what is it that the young girl could want?
"Slow down, Yura. What is wrong?" Kagome asked, holding the hand of Yumi, the younger sister of Yura.
Finally the young girl came to a stop in front of Kagome, panting heavily. She had no choice but to stop for a moment and take a few deep breaths, her hands plastered to her knees in support. After all the walk from the village to the well was a long one, and mostly up hill.
"Visitors… a monk and miko…are requesting your presence." Yura panted, finally calming enough to speak.
"Did they say why they wished to speak to me?" Kagome questioned a little suspiciously.
Most mikos and monks stayed away from the village of edo…ironically for the same reason as demons. Kagome's aura. Not many are willing to stick around and find out exactly what creature possessed such a strong presence to them. Human, or not.
"No, Lady Kagome. They only said that it is of the utmost importance that they speak to you, and only you." Yura answered, standing up to her full height which wasn't much.
At thirteen years old she still had a bit of growing to go. For a split moment Kagome thought back to her original time and how this girl would still be considered a child. Inwardly shaking her head she pushed that thought away and reminded herself that she was no longer in the future. Yura only had a few months and she would be considered a woman.
"I assume they refused to leave until they have seen me?" Kagome asked, already knowing the answer.
"You are correct."
"Well, let's not keep the impatient holy people waiting for too much longer. Return to them and tell them I am on my way." Kagome ordered softly.
Yura bowed low, before turning and taking off in the direction of the village. Kagome watched as she disappeared before turning to the well house and closing the door behind her. She mentally made a list of all the repairs needed to be done to the well house. After her talk with the visitors she would have to talk to some of them men get them to do the necessary repairs.
"Come Yumi, let us go see what is so important." Kagome urged quietly, holding her hand out for the young girl again, who didn't hesitate to take it.
"Why didn't you return quickly with sister Yura?" Yumi question, putting a thumb in her mouth to suckle on it. Kagome gently batted the appendage away, then began walking towards the village at a pace that would remind any of the Lord of the West.
"If someone was in dire need of my assistance, they would have sought me out instead of sending Yura. That tells me that they are in search of something else. I am the greater miko, and answer to no one. They know this, yet they attempt to pressure me into their company at once. I will not tolerate it." Kagome answered, her mind thinking of Sesshomaru.
He had been the one to teach her the importance of respect for power. Normally she would never have cared, but living in the feudal era, he mind had quickly changed. He explained that as the more powerful of miko or monks, she was the one to be respected, and if she did not command that of the others, she would be used.
She found out the hard way of that truth, and never forgot Sesshomaru's lesson after that.
"How can you tell that you are stronger when you have not met them?" Yumi quizzed, her little eyes deep in thought.
"I can feel their auras. This is something you can learn if you chose to. In fact, Yura has already been taught. Perhaps you can ask her to teach you when she was free time." Kagome suggested, smiling down at the little girl who now looked terribly excited. It was obvious Yura would be teaching her sister, whether she wanted to or not.
Soon, Kagome reached edo and told the little girl to run along and play. After all she was still just a child and needed some time to relax the way children do. Knowing that her visitors were getting impatient she made her way to the hut, not surprised to see Yura and the others waiting for her.
They were dressed in appropriate attire, other than Yura who wore Kimono's until she earned her robes. The female wore the traditional miko robes, but held herself with an air of arrogance, as if she was above everyone in this village. It was clear to see she had once been a part of a thriving community and a poor village like edo, she looked down upon.
The male confused her slightly. His attire consisted of the dark purple and black robes of this time, but with added accessories. Around his waist was a rope that almost looked golden. It was tied tightly and hung down just a few inches above the ground. It was a general rule that no one should add anything to a holy robe, male or female. To do so showed a sign of disrespect to the gods.
"Lady Kagome, I presume." The male spoke, bowing only slightly to Kagome who narrowed her eyes at the obvious sign of disrespect towards her.
"You are correct. Why have you entered my village and demanded my presence?" Kagome asked, turning her back to the male and beginning to walk to her garden. If he refused to show the respect she deserved, than she would do the same. The only difference was, she was flat out saying he wasn't worth her time by turning away from him and not giving him the time of day.
It made her smile inwardly how this move was much like Sesshomaru, and she silently wondered if maybe she had let the stoic daiyokai influence her a bit too much.
"We are gathering any who possess spiritual power and are of age to attend a meeting a day's walk from here." The male answered, obviously agitated that he was basically being ignored as Kagome picked weeds from her herbs.
"And what is this meeting about that requires my attendance?" Kagome probed, beginning to feel a tingling in the back of her neck. Something wasn't right about these two and she didn't like it.
"We will be discussing a way to better our world. Such information is sensitive and not for all ears. If you will, in three days' time, the meeting will be held in a grove approximately twenty miles to the west. We would ask you and your trainee to join this meeting and learn of our goal." He informed, causing Kagome to stiffen.
He really had her attention now. Never before had she been asked to attend something, and not given a reason for her attendance. Everything about this male was screaming not to trust him and she wouldn't. However, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
Standing from her garden she wiped her hands together loosening any dirt she attracted, all the while studying the male and female in front of her. Yura, also seemed uneasy, and Kagome was glad to see that the young miko was a good judge of character.
Putting on her mask of indifference she knew what she needed to do. "May I ask your names before I accept or decline?"
"Of course. This," the male gestured to the female. "…is my companion, Miyu. She is a great miko of strong descent. I am Riku, also from a long line of strong spiritual powers."
"Well, Riku and Miyu. I am pleased to inform you that I accept your request and will be joining your meeting." Kagome confirmed, noticing the way Riku's eyes seemed to flash with triumph.
"And we thank you, Lady Kagome. We shall see you in three days then. With your assistance and strength, we are sure the bright future the rest of us dream for will come to pass." Riku stated, bowing only slightly once again.
"We will take our leave now." Miyu added, following in her companions footsteps and disrespecting Kagome more.
"Very well then." Kagome retorted, her voice ice as she turned from the two and walked into her hut, Yura on her heels.
Yura opened her mouth to say something, but Kagome quickly silenced her with a raised hand. She very gently peeked through the matting on her window and spotted the odd pair walking away from the village, deep in their own unheard conversation. Only when she was sure they wouldn't hear did she motion for the young girl to speak.
"Why are we going, Lady Kagome? I don't like the feel of them. Something tells me they aren't safe."
"I agree. I don't trust them." Kagome started, turning from her window to the girl. "However, I want to know what they are up to. The fact that they are planning something worries me."
"I get it. You're going to go to this meeting and find out what they areplanning." Yura exclaimed, with a gasp of realization.
"Exactly. Once I have accomplished that, I will go from there." Kagome replied, before narrowing her eyes in thought. "Although, I don't understand why they requested you. You may be mostly trained as a miko, but I have not gifted you your robes yet. It is uncommon to take unrecognized miko or monks to something like this."
"I'm not sure either, but I will do what I must to make sure our village stays safe. That is my sole duty and I intend to do it no matter what." Yura promised, making a slow smile form on Kagome's lips.
"That is what I like to hear. I take it then, that you have chosen life as a miko. I must ask this of you though, are you willing to put your needs, wants, and even life last, putting all others before you?" Kagome interrogated.
"Of course, Lady Kagome. The people of Edo deserve the best treatment that I can give them."
"Are you willing to give up the chance for a family, of taking love in just one person?" Kagome continued, her gaze intensifying on the little girl in front of her.
"Yes. I do not need the love of just one, when I can have the love of the entire village."
"Last question. From this day forward, do you declare yourself a miko, a being of holy power that heals, serves, and protects the people of her village and all others in need?" Kagome asked, knowing that Yura would realize just what Kagome was doing.
"Lady Kagome!" Yura gasped, her eyes beginning to tear up as she took in what her teacher was saying.
"It is time. Now, your answer please."
"Yes! To all the kami in existence, I swear on this day to follow my vows set by all miko and monks. I will protect my village and lend my aid to all that need my help!" Yura just about shouted, her hands coming in front of her and grasping each other tightly in anticipation.
"Very good. I now declare you a miko, Yura. You belong to the village of Edo from this moment forward. Let your days be blessed for all of your future." Kagome announced, bowing slightly to the young girl, who just about bowed to the floor.
Kagome couldn't keep the chuckle back as she turned from the happily sobbing female and approached a wooden chest in the corner of her hut. Yura was young, but well trained. Starting at an early age helped her to learn all that she needed, and she was ready. It would help in the future as well for whatever her visitors had planned.
If she needed to leave the village she could, and they would still have an able miko here to defend them. This plan worked greatly for whatever the future held, and Kagome couldn't help but to mentally pat herself on the back for it.
Reaching into her chest and pulling out a set of miko robes, Kagome slowly stood to the newly appointed miko and held out her precious cargo. Yura took the garments as if they were made of the finest of silk and held them to her chest in wonder.
"Run along, girl. Change into your robes and announce to all what I have declared. Return to me in the morning for your duties, but for tonight celebrate with your day off." Kagome shooed, waving a hand in dismissal and laughing as Yura bolted out of the door towards her families hut.
Kagome sat on her futon, suddenly deep in thought now that she was alone. Her mind wouldn't stray far from the two people to grace her home today. As she has thought many times now, she didn't trust them. She couldn't shake this feeling that they would bring about destruction more than they would the peace they sought for.
Whatever they were planning couldn't be good, and Kagome vowed right then and there to stop what it is that they were going to do. She needed to make sure that the future she remembered came to pass exactly as it was…if not better.
She didn't realize just how much of a part she would play in bettering the future, or just how much it would change.
-sSs-
There's chapter three for you. I know you are all wondering when she and Sesshomaru will finally meet up again. It will happen but probably not until chapter 5 or 6. You'll just have to wait. Lol. Since this story is following the same writing style of Hatred…or something else, you will notice that my chapters are shorter, between two thousand to three thousand words. This allows me to concentrate more on my chapters, looking over them better and making sure they flow smoothly. I am also able to draw out my story longer because I can add more details the way I like to without losing interest in my chapters, which does happen sometimes. I hope you all enjoy.
Attention: I'd like to also say something that has come to my attention. Quite a few people have told me I copied this story from someone else. I promise you I didn't. That's called plagiarism. That is wrong and cruel and I would never do that. There are a few points I'd like to make to prove my innocence. I currently have nine stories on this sight. Nine. Two are yet to be completed, but that is still a good bit. Not once have I ever taken someone else story and made it my own, so why would I start now? Second point. I am literally only two chapter in this story. How could you possibly think that I am copying someone else from only two chapters? This is my own. If it is similar to someone else's is it really that big of a surprise. There is an untold number of people that post stories on this sight, and I'm sure there are other cases were stories may seem alike. All I ask from you, is that you please let my story unfold a bit before you accuse me of copying someone. The backstory chapters aren't even finished yet. I decided to read the story this one is getting compared to, and I was up most of the night doing it. Yes, I can admit at first it seems that I am copying her. Yes she is a magnificent writer, and I could only wish I was as skilled as her… however I am not a selfish woman who takes from others to just to get more reviews. As stated before, if you all would kindly wait for a few more chapters, you will see that while my last chapter may have resembled that woman's story, the rest of my chapters will not be anything like hers. I do hope this has cleared up all of this mess.
Shout outs:
OptimusPrimegirl213: Thank you for your review, I am glad that you like it.
Wren210: That earlier rant was not directed towards you. You at least somewhat asked about it, not flat out accusing me of plagiarism. I may have seemed upset earlier, but that was because I am. I feel that I put a lot of work into my stories so getting told that I am stealing someone else's angers me. I would never do something like that and I can only hope everyone will begin to understand that as I continue to post on this story. I am glad you liked the first chapter, and I hope you will not think I have stolen this, so you will continue reading. I enjoy your reviews, and look forward to them. However, you may do as you feel is right.
Pikanet128: Thank you for your review. I am glad you like my story so far. I am actually pretty ahead, by like four chapters, so waiting for chapters, won't take that long. I bet that would make you happy. Lol.
I do not own InuYasha.
