Chapter Five

One Month Later

My old home...

Shikyo stood atop a hill, overlooking her Fathers lands. They actually her lands now. they stood the same as the way they left them, burnt, broken and distroyed. Shikyo's heart couldn't handle the memories flooding in...

-Flash-

"Father!"

A Young Shikyo, age 5 came up to her father hugging him tightly. He smiled and picked up his daughter. She laughed as he put her over his shoulder and carried her out into the garden. He placed her down on the grass. Her Mother, Sabini, came up from behind her. She crouched down and tapped Shikyo on the soulder with her slender fingers. Shikyo turned and came face to face with a beautiful Pink Diamond Moon necklace. She gasped and took it from Sabini, smiling. She hugged it to her chest and smiled at her parents. Sabini laughed and hugged her daughter, then brought out another one, with Amethyst and Opals inside a cresent moon, with a wide white gold chain. Shikyo gasped at the two beautiful necklaces and small little, warm tears of happyness fell from her eyes. She squeeled than jumped around like a cricket.

Sabini's light purple tail swung lightly, meaning she was happy that her daughter liked the necklaces."Both those necklaces have names, darling." She said in her light, husky voice, pointing to the Amethyst and Opal one,"That ones name is Aigo(Protection). It will try its best to protect you, as long as you are wearing it. That still does not mean you can let people hurt you. Alright?"

"Alright!" Shikyo sang happily, ceasing her jumping and settleing back down on the grass..

"The Other," her mother continued,"Is Saiai. It means beloved and will accept no other owner than yourself or who you trust the most to take care of it. Which means it can never be stolen.It is a very powerful necklace. Do not let anyone have it, do you understand?"

Shikyo nodded her head sharply, her hair swishing around. Shikane laughed and picked her up."I want to give you something else, too, Shikyo." He pulled a long, light sheath from his belt."In here is a very powerful, and sharp sword. Its name is Katai. It was made by one of mine, your mothers, my friend Inutaisho's and his son, who graciously agreed to comply, fangs. This sword will never let you down, but you must never let anyone other than yourself, me, your mother, Inutaisho, or Sesshoumaru, to even touch it! Of course," He stopped and laughed as his daughter shrunk away from the gleaming metal, but didn't take her eyes off of it."You're a bit too young yet to weild this."

Shikyo smiled at her parents and hugged them both. She lightly swung both the necklaces. She put on Saiai, and it glowed a soft shade of pink, matching her Opal eyes. She gasped, and tried to take it off, just to see what would happen. It didn't budge. She smiled and let it go, putting on Aigo, wich was longer than Saisai, makeing it easy to wear both, one over the other. Aigo was actually able to be taken off, but Shikyo left it be.

She loved her new presents.

-End Flash-

Tears started to well up in her Opal colored eyes. They welled out and landed on her new shoes: Red and black boots that went to her knees, and armoured at the front. She had bought clothes from a Demon Village a while ago, when they had stopped for Rin was tired. She had also bought a long, kimono like dress, that was short in the front and longer in the back. Its top was embroidered with red and white flowers. It was all black except for those and white stiching in the back. Her nails were red and her shiny hair was pulled into a high ponytail, swirling into a long curling tail. Her real tail swished in the air, shining in the sunight.

For some reason, she had the urge to draw her sword. She looked upon its silver sheath and pulled its long blade out. The metal gleamed and the handle shone.

It made her think of the time Sesshoumaru taught her how to use it... WIthout killing herself.

-Flash-

"Its hard, Sesshoumaru!" a 9 year old Shikyo complained, swinging the silver blade around.

"Well,"Sesshoumaru laughed as she swung and it got stuck inside the cherry blossom tree."You're going to kill yourself if you keep swinging like a barbarian. Here, let me see." He unstuck Katai from the tree and faced a clear section of thin air. He easily glided it through the air and swiftly turned on his heel, bringign the tip of the sword straight infront of Shikyo's nose. She yelped, then laughed. Sesshoumaru handed it back to her, and drew a small sword of his own.

"Try striking me, and I'll block so you get used to the feeling of attacking people... Not that thats a good thing, mind you,"

She nodded curtly and held Katai firmly in her hands. She quickly dashed forward, slashing otu at Sesshoumaru, but he blocked it easilt. AS soon as he blocked her next attack she swung under hsi legs, and slashed a hole in the back of his pants, above his knee.

Sesshoumaru spun around to see a smiling Shikyo, and a large hole in his pants."Very good, Shi," For a nine year old, she was VERY fast.

She blushed and put Katai away,"Thank you," Her voice was back to its soft self and she strtaed playing with her hair again. She always did that.

"Sesshoumaru?" Inutaisho came out of his palace,"When are you leaving?"

"Soon," he didn't look at his father,"But I know I wont be back for a week," He looked down at Shikyo, her face showed shock.

"You're leaving!?" She looked up at him, tears almost falling out her eyes.

Sesshoumaru knelt down infront of her,"Ill only be gone a week, than I'll come right back to see you. You'll still have Inutaisho and Your Father."

'They don't do things with me like you do!" tears were now flowing out of her Opal eyes.

"I'm sorry..." he kissed her on the cheek, but kept his lop where they were. He placed something into the palm of her hand."Don't lost this..." he kissed her again, and stood up walking out of the garden, brushing off his father's 'Good Bye'.

Shikyo felt the place where he had kissed her and looked in her hand. A small pendant was there, in the shape of a moon encircled by purpled and white flowers.

It suited her perfectly...

-End Flash-

More tears came to her eyes. She felt around in her pocket and found the pendant, still in perfect condision and shingin in the sun. She had been so close to Sesshoumaru once...so many years ago. She stared out a the battle torn land again, remembering what had happened that horrible day...

The day Sabini lost her life...

-Flash-

"Shikane!? Shikyo!?" Sabini frantically looked for her husband and daughter. Her heart pounded in her chest and her eyes were red with fear. Demons were fighting everywhere, against a giant Bear Demon.

The bear was larger than Inutaisho and Shikane, and had huge paws, just crushing anything pesky. It sometimes stood on its back legs and brought its hreat weight down upon the demons, crushing them easily. Blood was everywhere and it clung in Sabini's Purple hair. the stench of dead bodies and bears was everywhere invading her nose, bloocking anyway to fin her daughter by smell.

Just as Sabini began giving up hope, she found Shikyo struggling, trying to wake her unconcious Father. She sighed, then ran to them but the bear blocked her path. Her pupils turned white with rage. The bear started gaining on Shikyo, who was now screaming for her father to wake up. Sabini saw what the bear was after and snarled, showing her white fangs. The bear turned around, only to come face to face with a huge, silver fox. The Fox growled then bashed against the bear, away from Shikyo. Disoriented, the bear flung himself back at the fox, but she dodged, and landed on top on its back. She dug her claws in its back and bit down hard, puncturing its jugular in its neck. The Fox jumped down but the vear folowed, smashing its huge paw into her ribs. She snarled at it the grabbed his muzzled and threw him away from her husband and daughter, but it stood right back up, muzzled torn, nose falling off and blood dripping from his teeth. The sight was terrifying and she back up. The bear suddenly stood on its back legs, and before the fox had time to escape it brought its whole body weight on top of the frail fox. She smashed to the ground, the heavy weight of the bear crushing her ribs and bones. She gasped for air but the bear smashed his paw on her head. He was smothering her. No matter how much she struggled, the bear was just to heavy and she was getting weaker by the minute. She gave one last try, and finally gave up.

A while later, both the bear and the fox were dead. lYing in the blood drenched field, the fox returned to its normal state, leaving a motionless Sabini on the ground, underneath the huge bear.

By this time, Shikyo had succeeded in wakeing her father, but not in time. Her mother was dead. Shikane noticed this and quickly picked up his daughter, and ran away. Away from anything that reminded him of what Sabini had to do for their daughter and himself.

She died for them...

-End Flash-

From that day on, she never spoke her mothers name. The tears that once fell abrutly stopped when she heard a sing song voice come from behind her.

"Shi, Shi, Shi Shi Shi!" Rin called and Shikyo turned and smiled at the young child, so happy..carefree.

"Hello, Rin." Shikyo had grown to love the child over the past month. She reminded her so much of herself when she was her age, apart from the fact of not being shy, and a bit more hyper. Shikyo was a very Mature Child, and grew to be a Mature Adult.

"Guesse what Jaken and Sesshoumaru and I found!" Rin smiled up at the tall demon with wide, happy eyes.

"I have no idea, what?"

"Come I'll show you!" She grabbed Shikyo's hand and pulled her along after her. She ran down , into a bunch of trees.The trees seemed to go one forever but just then, an open area came into view. There was nothing but flowers, and Sesshoumaru and Jaken of course. Jaken had his nose in a giant yellow flower, sneezing when he emerged and fell flat on his butt, sending petals dancing in the breeze.This was the place her father promised to bring her back to, but didn't.

Rin laughed and went to pick up a small, yet very pretty pink flower. She held it up and asked,"Do you like this one?"

Shikyo looked at it and smiled,"Yes I do," She laughed and took it from her hand and placed it in her little ponytail on the side of her head. Rin giggled than went to go see Jaken, who was now covered in flower petals, and Sesshoumaru was secretly smirking at his servant, but secretly. Shikyo went over to him. He had a small flower in his silver hair, most likely from Rin. When he saw her he quickly disposed of it. Shikyo smiled and bent down to look at a very pretty white flower, it had long petals which reached the ground, and its stem was thick, leaves fuzzy. She stood back up, only to have a beautiful Purple and White Lilly. They are very hard to find, but not impossible in this meadow. She looked to the side and saw Sesshoumaru holding the beautiful flower, looking in the other direction.

"Would you like it or not?" he asked, gazeing over at Jaken and RIn, how were haveing a grass fight, Jaken getting a weed tossed at his head and taking a temper tantrum."Its your favourite color..."

"Oh," Shikyo was shocked he remembered that. She took it from his hand and smelled it. Yes, it was her favourite flower too. Does he... Still care for me? Even a bit?

She placed the flower deep into her ponytail, away from anything that could harm it, yet still visible. It looked good in contrast with her dark ebony hair.

"OH!" Rin squeeled coming over to Shikyo," Thats a really pretty flower in your hair, Shi!"

"Yes," she glance over at Sesshoumaru who was not throwing a pebble at Jaken for makeing faces behind Rins back.

"Yes, it is..."