Once again, I would like to add that I DO NOT own Inuyasha.
How Does a Monkey Cause So Much Trouble?
"Oh Inuyasha!" Kagome called up to him. Inuyasha was perched in the Sacred Tree, like always, staring off into space. His ear twitched, and he looked down at me and Kagome. I leaned lazily against another tree, knowing very well what her plan was. I also knew that it wouldn't work, and I had only known Inuyasha for like, a few weeks. Sometimes, she could be so oblivious.
"What do you want?" he said, rude as usual. I frowned at his lack of manners, but stayed silent, enjoying the show that was about to start. Kagome's smile faltered for a second, but she continued.
"Do you want me to tell you how to use Tetsusaiga?" she asked sweetly. He jumped down, a skeptical look on his face. He nodded anyway, and Kagome's smile grew.
"Then do you promise to use that sword to protect me from now on?" she asked, clasping her hands in front of her and batting her lashes. 'This is where it gets funny,' I thought, watching with anticipation. Inuyasha deadpanned, and put a clawed hand to her forehead.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Do you have a fever or something?" he asked. Kagome frowned at him, but he didn't seem to notice. "Did Keira put you up to this?" he asked. I chuckled from where I was watching, and Kagome scowled.
"Didn't you say "I'll protect you always"?" she said, stamping her foot childishly.
"I didn't say "always"!" he shouted. "Listen Kagome," he continued, pointing at himself, "I'm going to be a full demon someday and with this sword I can collect jewel shards in no time. Why would I waste it protecting someone like you?" he asked, turning away. Kagome's eyes closed and her eyebrow twitched, which was a sign that she was really annoyed.
"SIT BOY!" she shouted, stomping away. "I can't believe that I actually thought you had a good side!" I walked after her, stepping on Inuyasha as I went.
"Hey watch it Keira!" he shouted from his crater, before yelling at Kagome to tell him how his sword worked. I laughed, continuing my easy pace.
09090909 THE NEXT DAY 090909090
"Come on Kags, you'll scare all the fish away!" I whined as she splashed again. She had found the swimming hole and INSISTED that we swam in it before going any further. Inuyasha was gone anyway, and it wasn't like we could leave without him. I was trying to watch the fish, but she kept scaring them away with all of her loud movements. I scowled as she laughed at me, and walked back to the bank, my black two piece swimsuit dripping. I rang my hair out and shook like a dog, hitting Kagome with the droplets.
"Aww come on Key! You're such a dog!" she whined, holding her hands out in front of her face. I felt kind of trashy next to Kagome, who had brought her more modest one piece orange striped swimsuit.
"Why did you let me bring this suit? I look like a –." I started, only to be squirted in the face with water. Kagome frowned a wagged a finger at me.
"No, you don't. You look fine!" she scolded, dunking back under the water. I sighed, and lay down on a towel in the sun. I closed my eyes and relaxed, soaking in the warm rays.
"Kyaaaaaaaaa!" Kagome shrieked. I jumped up, my head whipping toward her. I noticed that Inuyasha was standing there, his ears pressed against his head.
"You're the one who took your clothes off!" he shouted. She turned slightly red, but yelled back at him.
"Not that you idiot! That monkey stole my clothes! Get them back!" she cried, running out of the water. I noticed my clothes were gone too, and I growled. He sped off after the monkey, leaving me to run after with Kagome on my back. We finally caught the creature, and burst through the brush to find a boy our age holding Kagome's bra. He had black hair tied back into a ponytail, and brown eyes. He was wearing a blue kimono with white squares, and had straw sandals and socks on.
"Hey you! Give us back our clothes!" Kagome and I shouted at the same time. The boy jumped in surprise, before scrambling for his sword.
"Who are you? You look like a mysterious lot!" he yelled, holding the sharp blade in front of him. He noticed my demonic features and cried out.
"Demon! Stay back!" he yelled, slashing at me. I stopped his sword in my hands by clapping them together and twisting them, breaking his weak grip on the handle. The sword flew about ten feet away, before Inuyasha kicked him in the head.
"Nice try boy," I sneered, snickering as Inuyasha's foot drove his head into the ground.
0909090909 LIKE, 15 MINUTES L8TR 09090909
"Would you like some tea?" Kagome asked the boy, who was currently scarfing down a whole bag of potato chips. He tried to talk, but ended up spitting chip pieces everywhere. He turned red a bit, and nodded excitedly instead. Kagome handed him a cup of the steaming tea, and he gulped it down quickly. I was in a sour mood to say the least. It was really annoying to watch this guy eat all of our snacks. I especially hated his lack of manners.
"Would you like anything to eat Inuyasha?" she asked. He shook his head, and Kagome shook a bag of chips temptingly. "But I'll have less to carry if you eat some," she said, trying to lure him in. I rolled my eyes as he snatched the bag away and tore into it like an animal. He chewed with his mouth full, but at least he swallowed before complaining.
"Why do you always bring so much stuff with you anyway Kagome?" he asked, digging his hand into the bag again.
"Well, I have a change of clothes, my homework, and some food," she said, zipping the bag closed.
"If you ask me, all she brings is a bunch of crap. I mean, homework? Really? It's not like you'll actually get anything done with all the walking and fighting we're doing." I said, leaning against a tree. Kagome glared at me, letting her temper get the better of her. I always seemed to bring out the worst in her.
"Unlike you Key, I actually care about school. All you do is fight and sleep. I'm surprised your grades are high enough for you to be on the track team." She snapped, unusually angry at me for some reason. I let the insults roll off of my back, knowing that she'd go all guilty on me later anyway.
"I resent that! I never start the fights, and I only sleep in class because you snore like a chainsaw and I can't sleep at home!" I said. Inuyasha seemed at a loss as to what to do, not knowing how to deal with fighting women. Kizoku flew in to the glen then, and landed silently on my arm.
'Mistress, I bring news from the Lord Masaru of the East. He requests your presence at his castle on the morrow.' She said, folding her wings against her sides. I raised a brow, but offered no protest. I turned back to Kagome, grinning.
"Sorry Kags, but we'll have to finish this later. I have been summoned by Lord Masaru of the East. It must be of importance for him to request my presence so soon. I'll probably be back in three or four days." I said, already running towards the east.
090909909099909909
I arrived at the castle the next morning. It was like a whole town surrounded by a large stone wall. I saw a seamstress, blacksmith, boarding house, jewel trader, and healer's shops, and an overloading vegetable stand. There was also a stable with wagons to rent for farm work, and someone was selling seeds from a wagon bed. I noticed that humans and demons were living peacefully together inside the stone walls. The manner in which they dressed and carried themselves greatly differed from poorer villages. The roads were made of smooth stones instead of the usual dirt, and the buildings seemed well maintained and almost fancy. Kizoku gazed lazily from my shoulder, having seen the place before, while I stared in amazement. I'd never been in such a beautiful town in the feudal era before. Nor had I seen humans and demons getting along so well. I stopped at a large field, watching a knife throwing class. There were humans and demons alike learning from their teacher, who was a very large demon. They had started throwing at straw targets from 30 feet away, an easy distance. The lesson was stopped as the man took the hat from a young man. I grinned slightly as the boy grew long hair, revealing himself to be a girl instead. I walked over to them, listening silently to their conversation.
"I am sorry, but this class is for men only. Go back home girl, you shouldn't play with knives. These are made for men." He said, taking the knife from her hand. The girl's fists clenched and her face turned red. The man seemed oblivious, and patted her on the head before turning away.
"Excuse me, sir, but I think you are mistaken. Knives do not care who hold them, as long as the user knows how to wield it correctly." I said, crossing my arms. The man turned, and I could finally see his features. He had reddish brown eyes, brown hair, and was very muscular.
"And who are you? Another girl who thinks knives are toys?" he sneered. I laughed, and walked right up to him.
"I am Keira, an Elemental demon. Who might you be?" I asked, unknown to the authority leaking into my voice.
"I am Sanzu, and I am Lord Masaru's General and I control these weapons training classes for the MEN villagers." He said, stressing the word men.
"I see. How about we make a little wager then? If I can hit a target half the size of these at 100 yards, then women must be allowed in this class. They should know a bit of self-defense as well. If I lose, then you get my sword," I said, showing him the sword. The menacing black blade gleamed threateningly in the sunlight, and his eyes widened at the sight. He looked at me, and smirked.
"I accept your wager." He said, and started yelling orders to a few of his men.
'That man sure is sexist.' Kizoku thought. I agreed silently.
'Most men in this time are, and they see nothing wrong with it. I am going to love showing them wrong.' I thought haughtily. I stretched my arm quickly, and waited for the men to line up the target.
"I'm going to love that sword of yours. It will look nice hanging on my belt," Sanzu taunted. I growled slightly, but otherwise said nothing. One of the lieutenants came up to me, and asked if I was ready to throw. I nodded, drawing one of my daggers from my boot.
"On my mark. One….two….three…go!" he shouted. I drew my arm back and threw fluidly. I knew from the start that the knife would hit the target, and I turned around, grabbing my sword as I heard the "CLANGG!" of the knife hitting the wood and people's gasps. I turned calmly, to see that my knife was sticking right in the middle of the dummy, and the tip was protruding from the back. I grabbed the hilt and drew the blade out, examining it for nicks or dings. Finding none, I shoved the blade back into my boot and attached my sword to my hip. I saw Sanzu turning red, and I smirked. He saw me, and his eyes glazed in anger.
"You hustled me! You knew that you could throw a dagger that far! I don't have to have women in my class, and I get that sword. It is rightfully mine since you cheated!" he accused, his hand reaching for my sword. I snarled and slapped his hand away.
"I did not cheat. You did not ask if I knew how to throw the knife or not. You are sexist; therefore you simply assumed that I didn't know how." I said, crossing my arms. He growled and drew his arm back as if to hit me. I tensed, waiting for the blow, but a vine sped out of the ground, wrapping around his wrist.
"Release me woman, or you shall face my wrath!" he threatened, squirming as more vines grew around him. I blinked in surprise. Did he think that I was tying him up? I wasn't even using my powers, and I would have used fire anyway, since it was my favorite element.
"You are mistaken. I am not using my powers. If I was, my eyes would be all green." I said, watching as the vines lifted him upward, turning him upside down.
"Sanzu!" a deep voice commanded. I shivered. The voice sounded just like the man who killed my mother. The demon stopped struggling, and his eyes widened.
"Lord Masaru! Please, don't waste your time with this woman. I have the situation under control." He stuttered. The Lord glared at him, and the vines slithered back into the ground. I had turned my back on Sanzu when the Lord had shown up, leaving me seemingly open for attack. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he lashed out at my back. I slid my foot backwards, making a wall of earth rise up. He ran into it, stumbling backwards, and I kicked him in the chest. He landed in a cloud of dust on his backside, and I jumped on top of him, my fists flaming. He looked terrified, his eyes almost pooping out of his skull.
"How much of a coward are you?" I snarled. "Are you so weak that you feel the need to attack someone from behind? Do not think that I can be defeated so easily. The next time, I won't hesitate to end your sorry life." I said, punching him and breaking his nose for good measure. I stood up, noticing the crowd of people and demons that had gathered around. I dusted myself off, approaching Lord Masaru.
"I apologize for making such a ruckus as soon as I arrived. I saw an act of injustice, and I couldn't help but intervene." I said, bowing. He smiled and patted my shoulder. I tried to ignore the chill that went up my spine at the contact.
"That's quite all right. I had a replacement lined up for Sanzu anyway. I just hadn't told him of his demotion yet. So, I guess that you are wondering why I have asked you here." He said, looking at me from the side of his eyes. I nodded, and he sighed tiredly.
"I am afraid that I cannot speak of it here. I have an emergency meeting with the Council until tomorrow. You can stay the night here if you wish. I will have my wife Emiya show you around the palace. I must leave now. Please, make yourself at home." He said, before walking away. A demoness with light green hair and light grey eyes walked up to me, smiling brightly.
"You must be Keira!" she squealed, hugging me tightly. I decided right away that I didn't like her. "I'm Emiya, Masaru's second wife. It's so nice to meet you!" she said, finally detaching herself from me. I didn't try to smile, seeing as how I didn't reveal my emotions to people I don't like.
"Hn," was all I said, continuing towards the castle. She didn't seem unnerved in the slightest, continuing to smile largely. I wondered how big she could smile before her face broke.
"So Keira, where are you from?" she asked, walking a bit too close to me. I moved away, getting annoyed.
"Japan," I said shortly. She laughed, not getting the hint.
"No silly, where in Japan are you from?"
"The coast."
"What village?" she said, slightly exasperated.
"I do not have to explain my history to you woman. Silence yourself before I feel offended." I snapped, glaring at her. She gulped, before calling a maid to her. The maid had purple hair and orange eyes, and was wearing a red kimono.
"Linta, show Keira to her room please." She said quickly, almost running away in her haste to get away from me. I smiled evilly at her back, scaring the maid.
"R-Right this way please!" she squeaked, scurrying down the long hallway. She stopped at a dark wooden door, opening it slowly before walking away. I stepped inside, closing the door softly behind me. Though I could see in the dark, I used my fire to light the torches and lamps in the room. It was simply yet extravagantly furnished, with a side table, a vanity, and a changing screen, along with a plush bed. The floors were a dark mahogany and the walls were a blood red, adding a warm yet mysterious feel to the room. In a word, I liked it. A LOT. My room at Kagome's house looked like this, just more modern.
I yawned loudly and walked over to the bed, plopping down tiredly. I quickly fell asleep, dreaming.
0909090909 DREAM 090909090909
I was running. My legs were screaming in pain, my lungs burning. I was in a forest near my house in Tokyo. I had gotten mad at Kagome, and ran into the woods to cool off. I'd fallen asleep, waking up when I heard something running through the brush. I heard a growl, and saw a flash of red eyes before I had started running. It was chasing me, toying with me. I'd see it from the side of one eye, but when I turned, nothing would be there. But I could practically feel the thing's breath on my neck, pushing me to run faster. The eyes grew closer, before the thing burst from the brush with an evil laugh. I felt claws tear viciously through my back, and I fell to the ground, passing out.
090909090909090
I jerked awake, covered in cold sweat. I remembered that day. I still had the 3 scars reaching from my left shoulder blade to my right lower back. Kagome had found me a day later, barely alive. The police hadn't found what had attacked me, and dropped the case. I'd had that dream for months after the incident, but I hadn't had it for years. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, rising from the bed. I took my fighting suit off, not expecting to fight unexpectedly again. Besides, I could protect myself. I dressed in a pale green kimono with cherry blossoms on my left arm, and a cherry tree in full bloom on the back. I still hid my knife in my boot and my sword on my hip. I opened the window, and Kizoku flew in, ruffling her feathers. I greeted her warmly, before walking outside to the training area.
Sanzu was nowhere to be seen, but I saw a tiger demoness leading the day's combat lesson. She had bright orange hair, golden eyes, and black stripes on her cheeks. There was a black and orange tail sprouting from her backside, and her feet were paws. There were a good number of women in this class, which I was happy to see. I watched for a while, before Lord Masaru called me into his study.
090909 IN THE OFFICE 0909090
"Please sit Keira." He said, motioning towards a plush chair. I sat, waiting for him to continue. "I have something…slightly disturbing to tell you." He hesitated.
"Just get it over with already." I said, slightly uneasy now.
"You are the heir to the Eastern Lands. Therefore, you are to gain everything should I die. I know-."
"YOU!" I snarled, jumping out of my chair so fast it flew across the room. I took a deep breath, reining in my anger until I knew all the facts. "If I am the heir, then you are my father right?" I bit out. He nodded, and I growled. "All right then," I said, turning away. He sighed, and I whipped around kicking him in the face. His head hit the wall with a crack, and blood started to flow. A flood of guards ran into the room, their weapons pointed at my neck. He stood up slowly and shooed the guards away.
"It is fine. I thought it would come to this. You are not to interfere." He said, waiting for them to leave. "Are you positive that you want to fight me? Once we start, it will not stop until one of us is dead."
"I've been waiting to kill you since the day you killed my mother. She was innocent of any wrongdoing, but she died anyway. And then you disgrace her memory by marrying that annoying sack of stupid! You obviously didn't care much about her did you? After my mother died, I vowed to find her killer, and return the favor. Now I can finally rid myself of you." He seemed to be extremely angry at my words, attacking first. His fighting style was really old school compared to mine. He relied on mostly strength and a very small amount of speed, which was effective for feudal japan. I however, relied more on speed, agility, and strong defensive and slick offensive attacks. It was an almost unbeatable fighting style. I dodged a punch, and kicked him in the stomach, following with a punch to the jaw. He crashed through the wall and I followed after. He managed to get a good punch to my face before the dust cleared, and I stumbled back before sliding on my heels. His eyes shone green and vines slithered out of the ground going for my ankles. I quickly burned them, wrapping him in vines in return. I formed a deadly whip of water and fire in one hand, and had shards of earth in another. The wind blew dangerously, whipping my hair around.
"You can use ALL of the elements? Only the most powerful demons or demonesses can use them all." He said in awe. I didn't care what he said, my anger controlling my actions. I quickly ended his life, driving my earth shards through his chest. He fell to the ground, already dead. Sanzu came running, throwing a dagger at me. I would have dodged, but Emiya threw herself in front of me. She fell to the ground with a scream, and I knelt by her side.
"You fool. I would not have died, yet you sacrificed yourself anyway. Why?" I asked, my emotions fleeing as I wished desperately to turn them off.
"You didn't deserve to die. You only did what you thought was right." She breathed, still smiling. Her eyes glazed over, and her breathing stilled. Using my miko powers, I sent her soul into the afterlife, and purified her body into a willow sapling. I erected a barrier around it, to keep it safe. I walked to Masaru's body, simply purifying it to ash.
"Do with the remains as you wish," I said in a monotone. I walked to the front of the crowd to announce the news. "Lord Masaru is dead. I am his daughter Keira, the only heir to these lands. I may rule now, but not much will change about this region. It seems Masaru was a good leader, and I will try to be the same. There is one thing I would like to make clear. Men and women are equal as long as I rule these lands. Why should we be limited, while men can do anything they want? No longer. Women can be soldiers, learn to read and write, and do everything that men can." I paused as some of the women applauded me. "I must leave now. Who was the tiger demoness teaching the weapons class today?" I asked. The demoness strode forward, confident.
"My name is Aima. I was appointed General by Lord Masaru yesterday," she said.
"Good. You are to keep watch of things while I am with my colleagues. I have other important matters to attend to, and this new duty will not interfere." I started off, stopping beside Sanzu but not looking at him. "Sanzu, you are relieved of all military duties. Go home." And with that, I started back for Kagome and Inuyasha.