Disclaimer: (sigh) No I don't own...
"I'll go after her." Inuyasha said getting up.
"No!...Just let her think things first. It's too much for her to take in at once." Kaiko said trying to avoid Inuyasha from going.
"I don't think your in any position to make requests on whats good for her or not." Inuyasha replied his back turned to her.
"I beg to differ Inuyasha. I know whats good for her or not, I am her mother." Kaiko stated.
"Heh. You sure do act like one." He said turning around to face her. "You don't have the right to be considered a mother. A mother is one who will always be there for her child until death, or have you forgotten how Izayoi treated me? She was a true mother. You pale in comparison to her in motherhood." He finished harshly.
"Inuyasha that's enough!!" Kikyo said standing up in front of Kaiko.
"What? It's true. Once my mother died she left us to fend for ourselves always having something 'better' to do. Izayoi was a far better mother than you will ever be. She cared for us and loved every single one of us. You on the other hand are two faced. Saying you cared for us and then turning around and doing the complete opposite. You don't deserve to be in this clan, or any other for that matter. Your despicable and you say you do things for honor? How can you say su--"
'SLAP!'
"I said that's enough Inuyasha!! You don't know what in the hell your talking about you ungrateful dog! Master Kaiko cared for us as best as she could! She didn't do any of it so that nine centuries later you would treat her with disrespect!" Everyone was shocked. Kikyo never lost control and most of all she never strikes anyone. Especially Inuyasha. Inuyasha simply stood there, his eyes wide, mouth set in a straight line with a blank expression. He had never been slapped...ever! Especially not by Kikyo. His shock turned into anger.
"Your no better than her. Always think you know everything. Bitch you don't know shit!" He yelled at her then turned around and ran out at full speed. Kikyo let out a single tear then went out the same door as he did.
Kikyo's P.O.V
'THWAP, THWAP, THWAP!'
'How could I be so stupid? To think he would actually still care, of course he doesn't! After all I'm the one that hurt him.' I thought as I hit the tree in front of me with three arrows right after another. It had been a long time since I had picked up a bow and an arrow. I used to have a normal life to you see, I used to be the most powerful priestess in all of Japan. Being a descendant of Midoriko that was bound to happen, I protected my village and my people with all my will, and I was happy. Until he came along. He lusted after me, a thief with no kindness in his heart yet he wanted me all to himself. He didn't get me, but he gave me something far worse 500 hundred years ago yet I still remember, as if it had occurred just yesterday...
"Sister Kikyo!" Kaede said running towards Kikyo with a smile ear to ear upon her face.
"Yes Kaede? What is it?" Kikyo responded kindly. Kikyo loved her little sister with all of her heart and not to mention the fact that her little sister was all she had left now.
"Sara needs you! Quick! She's going into labor!" Kaede squealed dragging her older sister behind and rushing into the village. Kikyo was happy and nervous at the same time. This would be the first time she brought a life into the world with her bare hands. Sure she had witnessed many before, but her mother was always the one who delivered the children. Now since her mother was no longer there she was the one who would be in charge of such things. Kikyo walked into the hut as Sara's oldest daughter was holding a wet rag to her mother's forehead.
"Ami can you please hurry and fill a bucket up with warm water and the bring your thickest towels with you." Kikyo ordered as she had heard her mother do many times before her. Getting a quick nod of yes from Ami, Kikyo looked at Kaede.
"Bring me a blanket and then afterwards I want you to stay in here and keep Sara calm." Kikyo ordered her younger sister. Kaede nodded to her sister and left the hut immediately. Kikyo turned towards Sara as the women tried to keep calm. Kikyo smiled at Sara and told her everything was going to be just fine. Ami and Kaede came rushing in and soon after continued on in bringing a new life to their village.
(3 hours later)
"Congratulations Sara." Kikyo told her handing Sara her newborn baby. "You gave birth to a healthy, new baby girl" Kikyo finished smiling proudly at her job.
"Oh she's so beautiful! Thank you so much Lady Kikyo! and you young Kaede. You both did a wonderful job, your mother taught you so very well and we are blessed to have you as our priestesses." Sara said smiling at both girls.
"Not at all Sara. It is an honor to serve my people." Kikyo smiled back.
"Likewise Mrs. Sara." Kaede responded with a toothy grin. Kikyo rose and bid farewell to Sara after telling her what she should do and most definitely not do. She and Kaede walked home in a comfortable silence. Their hut was located towards the center of the village and it would only take a few moments to get there. It was night already night time but Kikyo still decided she would head to the springs to wash up. Kaede then disturbed the silence.
"Sister Kikyo?" she asked.
"Hmm?" Kikyo responded.
"When will you get married and have children of your own?" Kaede asked curiously. Kikyo took a sharp breath. What?
"Kaede...Well I suppose when the time is right." She replied.
"I see. Have you fallen for anyone yet?" Kaede asked once more in curiousity. Kikyo giggled.
"No, not yet I'm afraid." She responded smiling. Her little sister could be so funny at times.
"Oh okay. Well I know that when you do I will be the happiest person alive. When you have your own children I will be the proudest aunt around." Kaede said with a big smile.
"I don't doubt it. Not even for a second." Kikyo stated smiling down at her sister in happiness. They arrived soon after at the hut and Kikyo announced to Kaede that she would be heading to the springs.
"Isn't it to late out though Kikyo?" Kaede asked in worry.
"Do not worry Kaede. I will have my bow and arrows with me." Kikyo said smiling at her sister's concern.
"Well ok then. Just be careful." Kaede stated.
"Of course." Kikyo assured her. Before she walked out Kaede called out to her and she turned.
"I love you." Kaede said smiling wide. Kikyo smiled warmly back.
"I love you too Kaede." and with that walked out. Not knowing that, that moment would be the last time she would ever be normal again.
Kikyo walked to the hot spring south from the village and arrived shortly. She began to strip of her clothes and soon was in the warm water. 'Mmmm this feels so good.' she thought. She washed off her body and soon thought it best to leave. By then it had grown very dark and she hurried in changing when she heard a noise from behind her. She turned while tying her obi and reached over to her bow and arrows. Not seeing anybody she simply shrugged but kept alert. A branch snapped on her left and she turned her head in that direction. Something wasn't right. Could it be a demon? She readied an arrow and called out into the night.
"Who goes there?" She remarked.
"Hello there Kikyo." A sinister voice said but somehow that voice sounded familiar to her.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Why Kikyo I'm hurt. Have you forgotten me already?" The voice said as it came out into the moon light.
"On-Onigumo?" Kikyo asked in shock. It couldn't be. Onigumo laughed in a voice that made chills run down Kikyo's spine.
"Still as smart as ever I see." He responded.
"I thought you were dead." She said glaring at the evil looking man before her.
"Ahhh. That's where your wrong. You see Kikyo, your smart, but not smart enough." He said as he pinned her against a tree. He moved so fast that she didn't even catch it. What was he?
"What are you doing?" She asked hoping her voice didn't sound as fearful as she was.
"I tried to get your attention. I tried to get you to notice who I was. You though, you ignored me. You left me to die when your supposed to save all your village people! I blamed my death on you Kikyo but then somebody came to me and gave me a new life that was far better than a demon's. Sure I was in severe pain for the following three days but it was over before I knew it. I am now immortal and all the priestesses that can kill me for sure contain within them yourself. So I'm gonna play a little game with you Kikyo. It's called Hide and Go Seek." He said as he whispered every word in her ear. Her eyes widened as she felt herself free again and Onigumo nowhere in sight. She put another arrow on her bow and held it out in front of her aiming everywhere she looked. Then she heard an evil whisper, a single word that made her blood run cold and she did exactly as it said. "Run"
She ran and ran without stopping. She could hear his evil laughter behind her and she knew that she couldn't keep this up for long. He grabbed her arm and threw her across a small clearing where she hit the ground harshly. She struggled to raise her upper body and when she did he was standing right in front of her laughing.
"Well, well, well. Looks like Kikyo isn't so powerful after all huh? What a shame." He said and it was then that she could see long fangs poking out of his mouth. "I think it's time I let you know what this new life of mine is no?" he told her. She simply stared at him with hatred burning in her eyes.
"Do you remember the legend of the dark seekers?" he asked slyly. She simply gave him a blank look.
"I'll take that as a no. Well they were the ones that would come out and mercilessly take away people's lives by either killing them or turning them into one of their kind. The ones that spared no one, not even children. The vampires?" he said looking at her with and evil smirk as she widened her eyes in realization.
"No! Your lying. They were only myths. Stories to scare the children. They...they can't be." she said horror evident in her eyes.
"Ahh. This is why you aren't as smart as I used to see you. For you wish that everything was a lie that nothing is there and soon it will all go away. Open your fucking eyes Kikyo! When will you stop living life blind? When will you truly see the vampire in front of you at this very moment?" he was becoming angrier by the second and Kikyo only had such time until she would make a perfect strike.
"You...are not...real." she said while getting up to face him. She pointed her arrow at him and let it go. "And what's not real cannot exist!!"
He ran towards her with the arrow burning away his body and before he vanished completely he bit into her and said, "Now you will know. You will become something that is nothing but a nightmare." She gripped her shoulder in pain and stood there for a while. She needed to get home and cure the wound before it got infected. She walked in pain towards the hut where Kaede was waiting. When she walked in Kaede ran over to her in worry.
"Sister Kikyo! Are you okay? What happened?" Kaede said holding her sister as she fell to the ground.
"Kaede...please...try and...get away." And with that gave in to the darkness.
When Kikyo awoke she was told that it had been 4 days since she was last conscious and with that sat up fast. Bad idea. Immediately she went back down, the pain in her head unbearable. Then she remembered. Onigumo...fight...bite...darkness...vampire. The word rang in her head.
Vampire...
Vampire...
Vampire...
Tears came to her eyes and she checked her shoulder where Onigumo had bitten into her. There they were, two puncture marks in where his fangs had sunk deep into her flesh. Kaede came into the room and ran to Kikyo.
"Sister Kikyo! Your awake! I'm so glad. I was so worried." She said while hugging Kikyo. Then it hit Kikyo like a rock. The dry, sandy feeling at the back of her throat. The way Kaede's skin seemed to be invisible to the warm, red blood flowing underneath. The way she wanted to bite into her and drink it all up greedily and that's when she snapped. Kikyo stood up immediately and knew she needed to get out of there...now! She looked at Kaede with a sad expression and her heart broke in two when Kaede asked her what was wrong.
"Kaede...I have to leave." Kikyo said picking up her weapons and necessary items.
"What do you mean 'leave'?" Kaede asked in confusion.
"I'm so sorry Kaede. You will never get to see me again. I wouldn't want you to have to live under the same roof...with a monster." She said trying not to shed tears and hold in the longing to just go and kill Kaede now.
"Your not a monster though! Why would you say that?" Kaede asked in shock. "I love you sister and your the most nicest person I know."
"No! I have to go now Kaede. Please live a happy life...for me? I love you so much and I hate to do this...just...please...never forget that I love you...please don't forget...me." and with that she ran out with the speed she knew she would have but wish she didn't. Trying so hard not to hear her little sister's cries she kept running. Kikyo didn't know where she was going to go. Did it matter?
"Sister Kikyo!! Please!! Come back sister Kikyo!! Don't leave me!! Please don't leave me like Mommy and Daddy!! SISTER KIKYO!!" Kaede said falling to her knees while salty tears came down her face in small rivers.
Kikyo kept running. Running from that life. The one she loved with all of her heart yet couldn't have in danger of killing them all. She was a monster now, monsters didn't deserve to live, SHE didn't deserve to live now. So this is what became of the great priestess. To live life as a...vampire. Tears ran down her face as she continued to run. Like she did in the first place...
It was raining again and I let it hit me full force. I didn't care if I drowned. Though I knew I couldn't anyway. I started thinking back to the outcome after that day and still it's fresh in my memory...
After that day I went back several times. Finding my sister in the same condition...sad and depressed. I stopped going back for a few years until I heard word of the new priestess in the village where I used to live. I went back and I discovered that the new priestess was indeed Kaede. She was absolutely beautiful, her hair long and tied up like how mine used to be, standing their in the priestess robes that I used to wear and never in my life before that moment was I ever more proud of her. It seemed that she set out in search for me for about two years straight and then eventually gave up. 4 years after she had given up I went to check on her one more time, this time finding that she had a beautiful baby girl in her arms. She was happy, that much was very clear. She named her little girl after me and I felt immense happiness go through my veins as I knew that from then on she would never forget me...just like I had asked her not to.
Eventually I stopped going all together and took to traveling the earth from one end to the other. It had been 96 years and by then I was 113. I went to the village that I had long ago stopped calling 'mine' and Kaede was in her death bed. In the middle of the night while everyone was sleeping I knew Kaede only had an hour to live and so I decided to make an appearance. I walked into the hut as she looked over to me and her eyes immediately widened. I smiled down at her and sat by her side.
"Sister...Kikyo?" she asked me. Kami how I hated being there in that moment, but I owed that much to her.
"Yes Kaede. It's me my little girl." I told her soothingly while stroking her gray/white hairs.
"Oh sister Kikyo. How I wished this moment would have come years ago." She replied a huge smile upon her face and in that moment she looked like the same little girl that I had taken care of...so long ago.
"Shh. I know, I know. I'm so sorry. I couldn't be around, I was--am a monster and I couldn't bear to put you in danger or any of the others." I told her sadly.
"I understand that, but no matter what you are...vampire or human. I would have still loved you all the same. Love doesn't look with the eyes Kikyo, but with the heart." She said wisely. In that moment I knew that Kaede had lived a happy strong life and that in that life I played an important role to her. No matter what happened to me she would have still cared, still loved me. I looked at her with pride.
"How did you know?" I asked. Though I probably had an idea.
"The two years that I had gone in search for you I came upon many people that said there was a powerful priestess going around and doing good deeds. Few said they saw you as what you became, but most honored you and felt deep sadness when you were no longer among them. After those two years I figured, that where ever you were, you were happy. So I came back and took my place as the next priestess. I kept your memory alive and I never hated you, don't worry. I could never hate you sister because I know you did what you had done for a reason and I figured it was to keep us all safe and I thank you. For showing me the little that you did, for loving and caring for me, for making me strong and for coming back." Kaede said while holding my cold hand.
"I love you my little girl and no matter what I will see you again. I promise." I said kissing Kaede's old, wrinkled hand.
"Please my dear sister. Don't make promises you can't keep. Live, live like I did...without forgetting the love I held for you and without forgetting...me." Kaede said, whispering the same words I used so long ago.
"Never. I will never forget your love or you. Now go my little girl and go in peace. I love you." I said smiling with all the love and pride showing in my eyes.
"Thank you. I love you too sister...Kikyo." and with that she slipped away. Into the peace I hoped was in store for her. Away from this dreaded world but worst of all...away from me. 'I love you...forever and always' I thought.
I cried then and I stand here and cry now. In fact I'm crying so hard I think I won't be able to anymore. I cry in sadness, pride, happiness, and most of all remembrance. I will never forget my little girl. For you see she saved me, in anyway a person can be saved. I look out before me and I swear I still see our village and people, I swear I still see her. That's more perfect than any immortal vampire.
That's all I need, all I need is her in my memory because in there...she's everlasting.
E.Bliss: Wow that was some chapter huh?...Alli? (looks over at her) Alli are you crying?
Alli: (sniffle, sniffle) NO!! what would give you that stupid idea? (sniffle, sniffle)
E.Bliss: o.O uhh because your sniffling and because I see you trying to wipe away tears...
Alli: Well what do you expect?! This chapter was so damn sad! Poor Kikyo!
E.Bliss: Uhhh thanks?...anyways please review and I'm sure you will make Alli happier :)
Alli: I'm gonna go get more tissues...