Chapter 14; Reiko and the Living Dead:

Reiko sat, legs crisscross, under a tree near the Bone-Eater's Well. Her eyes were closed as she tried to feel some kind of connection between her and the earth beneath her. The scent of wet leaves and grass filled her lungs as she took deep breaths. It had been raining a lot since she returned, late spring showers to help things grow. She tried to imagine it was the same for her, that she was growing, roots spreading far and wide the same as the tree she sat beneath, feeling secure and stable. These roots were her strength, her power, and she meditated on her connection to it, trying to trace back to the source of it. Trying to imagine it growing, unfolding, bringing her the strength she desired to protect herself, her loved ones, and-

"Ack! Ew! Not again!" Reiko panicked when she felt something land on her face. She wiped it off, and sure enough, a beetle flew away.

Honestly, how am I supposed to connect with nature when nature won't let me concentrate? She groaned to herself.

Kaede had told her it was important for her to gain an understanding of her reiryoku and strength it, but it was difficult to focus when bugs kept flying at her face. Rather than getting back to her meditation, Reiko leaned back against the tree, looking up at the sky through its thin branches.

Despite the constant interruptions, Reiko found the spot peaceful. At least, more peaceful than when she first came here. The Forest of Inuyasha – as Reiko learned it was called, much to her exasperation – was a lovely place when given the chance. Same for Kaede's village, which Reiko had been staying in the past few days while she trained. She felt everything was going well, and strangely enough, she felt a sense of optimism she hadn't experience in a long time. Finally, she was on the right path.

But today…today something was off.

Reiko glanced around her, the woods looking the same as always. But a sense of foreboding had been slowly stealing over her for several days now, making her suspicious of her peaceful surroundings. As if there were eyes hiding behind the shield of green leaves. Was it yokai? No, she'd hear their thoughts. But then what could it possibly be?

This feels like…I don't know, it feels the same as that day in Hajimari when Joji attacked me. I was being watched by something, I know I was. Could it be the same thing? No…no, that's silly. Right?

"Reeeeiiiiiikkkkoooooooo!" Suddenly screamed a furball as it hurled itself at Reiko out of nowhere. She barely had time to shriek before it latched onto her neck, the collision making her fall over. Her attacker then proceeded to snuggle against her.

"S-Shippo?!"

"Wake up, Reiko! Wake up! Kaede says that the arrows are done tempering!"

"I wasn't sleeping. I was meditating." Reiko frowned.

"Well stop meditating! It's time to go!"

"Okay, okay. Just give me a second to breathe. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Hehe, sorry. Did really I scare you?"

"Yes. I was absolutely petrified. Who wouldn't be? The Mighty Shippo was leaping for my throat, I thought I was a goner for sure."

Shippo giggled and gave her a toothy grin. He liked the title Reiko had given him and enjoyed playing pranks on her every chance he got. Not because he enjoyed scaring her, but every time he used his foxfire magic or managed to sneak up on her, Reiko would praise him rather than scold him. He liked impressing her, but more than that, he liked her.

Picking him up and placing him on her shoulders, Reiko set off towards Kaede's village. Today Kaede had promised to teach Reiko how to make her own arrows, something that would be useful to her as a miko. Reiko believed it, as everything Kaede had so far said or demonstrated to Reiko was useful to some degree. Reiko was looking forward to today's lesson especially and waved as she came upon Kaede in front of her hut in the village.

"Ah, there ye be." The old woman greeted. She was sitting on a woven mat, various strange tools strewn about her.

"Shippo said the bamboo shafts are done?"

"Aye. This batch has finished cooling." Kaede answered, gesturing to the carefully piled thin bamboo rods stacked in front of her. Eagerly, Reiko sat beside Kaede, ready to begin.

"So, now that they've been dried out, what happens next?"

"Next ye take this knife and smooth the shafts by removing the nodes of the bamboo," Kaede explained, handing Reiko a blade.

"M-me?" Reiko faltered, not liking the sharp-edged gleam of the knife. It looked a bit sinister.

"Yes, ye. Ye must learn to make your own arrows. Not only then will ye know your weapon better, but your weapon will be imbued with your reiryoku from the start."

"I see. Like with my cooking."

"Aye, the same," Kaede nodded, "It will make your weapon, and therefore you, more powerful."

Reiko smiled, and without another word of protest carefully watched Kaede demonstrate the way to hold the bamboo so as to create long, smooth strokes that would best remove the nodes. Shippo meanwhile busied himself by playing the shafts that had warped in the heating process, using them to draw patterns in the dirt nearby. Reiko got the hang of whittling quickly. Kaede was a patient teacher, although a bit curt at times, reminding Reiko of Hanae.

Thinking of the old healer, Reiko wondered what was happening in Hajimari without her. She hoped Rin was getting enough to eat, and that Chie was safe from Hanae's cooking pot. After crossing through the Bone-Eater's Well, one of the first things Reiko did was employ a villager to take a message to Hajimari for her. The villager had only just returned this morning with a message from Genzo. He was eager to have her return, worried about the Spring Equinox as usual, but seemed to buy the excuse that Reiko was being held-up by visiting her long-lost relatives she had miraculously been reunited with.

I mean, who knows? It could be true. This little village will one day become the center of Tokyo. Maybe someone here is my great-great-great-great-great grandpa. Reiko considered.

But her idle thoughts were interrupted by her strange sense of unease from before. Her eyes wandered over to the forest, wondering if something was looking back at her from the tree line. She squinted, trying to make out any recognizable shape in the shadows of the woods, but nothing revealed itself.

"Is something wrong?" Kaede asked when she noticed Reiko had stopped carving.

"It's just, do you feel…watched?" Reiko hesitantly asked, not taking her eyes off of the woods.

"Watched? What do ye mean?"

"I don't know, but I have this weird feeling."

"In this world, we call that intuition." Spoke Miroku, suddenly appearing. He walked over to them, smiling his charming smile. Already exasperated just by looking at him, Reiko went back to carving.

"Good afternoon Miroku. Have you finished sleeping your way through the village already?"

"Now, now. No need to be jealous my dear Reiko."

Reiko had to stop her eyes from rolling over into the back of her head. Miroku was every bit a flirt as Kagome warned he would be. Worse was that, at times, he could be quite charming. He was mature and grounded, and rather astute. He often sat in on Reiko's training sessions with Kaede, pitching in with his own experiences or practices where relevant. They could talk easily to one another, the burden of their curses creating a lot of common ground. If anything, Reiko was glad of Miroku's perverted tendencies; without them, she might have been in danger of developing a bit of a crush on him.

"If anyone has that right, it's me. Because as you can see..." Miroku pointed off to a nearby field in the distance, where several men could be seen gathered and talking in low voices. The moment Reiko and Kaede looked over at them though, they separated hastily and went about trying to appear normal, "You are indeed being watched."

"It's just cause I'm new here," Reiko shrugged.

People in the Sengoku period didn't have much to entertain themselves, so it was only natural that people here would gossip about her. Not only was she a strange miko training under their leader Kaede, but she was also the cousin to the reincarnation of their beloved Lady Kikyo. It was expected for them to be curious.

"That's true. As a fresh, pretty face in a village that doesn't often get visitors, you're bound to attract attention." Miroku agreed as he settled himself on the woven mat, "Then again, it probably doesn't help that there's an element of the mysterious about to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, perhaps it is due to your incredible reiryoku, but it is as if your presence itself is a blessing. Like water to a parched man."

Oh, Kami. Spare me of these cheesy pickup lines.

Again, Reiko resisted the urge to roll her eyes. But there was something in Miroku's expression that made her believe he was being serious. He could be annoying at times, but Miroku wasn't one to lie. This was further proved when Kaede spoke up.

"Perhaps Miroku is right. It could be that your overabundance of reiryoku affects not only yokai but humans as well. A being as pure as ye, a Blood Maiden, ye attract others like moths to a flame."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"That depends on the company ye keeps I suppose. Ye perhaps give hope and become a balm for those whose souls are troubled. Yet, when something so pure and beautiful finds its way into our lives, some hold too fast to it. We protect it and fear its loss, for not many good things come in these times of trouble. And when they do, it can bring out the worst in us. We can become greedy or jealous, perhaps overprotective..."

Reiko wasn't entirely certain what Kaede meant, but immediately the faces of Genzo, Lord Asano, Joji, and her father flashed in her mind. Her father had certainly been controlling over her to the point he took away her chance for a normal childhood. Genzo hovered over her in a different way, always saying how much he and his people needed her, how she couldn't make a mistake in his eyes because she was the Lady Miko. In Joji she brought out his anger and jealousy to the point he tried to attack her, a man mad for the power she had. Was Lord Asano's dwindling sanity her fault then too? Did she bring out the worst in humans as well as yokai?

Do…do monsters find me? Reiko wondered, Or do I make them first?

Seeing Reiko's troubled expression, Kaede frowned in concern. Leaning over, she put a gentle hand on Reiko's shoulder.

"Think nothing of it, Reiko. I be just an old woman spitting philosophy."

Reiko, shaking her thoughts away, faked an easy smile.

"It's alright. I'm sure I'm just feeling excited for tonight is all."

"That's right. Kagome will be returning."

"Inuyasha will be coming back too, right?" Asked Shippo, abandoning his stick to come over to the group, "I wonder why he stayed with Kagome in the future for this long. Normally he's only there for a few hours."

From where he sat, Miroku nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I do recall him saying something about how the smells and noises bothered him. Apparently this Toyko is a very crowded city. Kagome said over eight million people live within the city. I cannot even begin to fathom such a number."

"Yeah, well, for a year's supply of instant ramen, I discovered that Inuyasha is willing to put up with just about anything," Reiko said as she went back to shaving the bamboo smooth.

"You bribed him to stay over there?" Miroku asked, and Reiko shrugged.

"Just until Kagome comes back, as extra protection. By leaving the family shrine there won't be any reason for yokai to bother my family because of me. But on the off chance a couple of yokai don't get the hint, I asked Inuyasha to scare them off."

It comforted Reiko that morning she left to travel into the past that someone would be looking over her family while she was gone. Even if that someone was Inuyasha. But it was for the best; if any yokai tried to sneak into the house or bother her family, he'd be sure to deal with it. By now, her scent should have faded from the family shrine, and the yokai of the future would stop looking for her.

"Inuyasha certainly is scary! Especially when ramen is involved!" Shippo pipped up. With a poof of his fire-fox magic, he transformed himself into Inuyasha and proceeded to stamp around like some thug. Everyone laughed, feeding the kitsune's ego.

"Ugh, yeah," Reiko chuckled, "Don't I know it. The jerk had me pay up front. I hope he gets fat."

Wanting to show off, Shippo conjured just that image. Ballooning the illusion of Inuyasha so large that he could only move by rolling, Shippo began a new routine that had Reiko gasping for air. It took a while for her giggles to die down, but she felt better. Kaede was just guessing about what she said, so Reiko shouldn't worry too much about it.

Going back to whittling, Reiko tried to remain in her uplifted mood. She was finally getting the hang of making the shaft of the arrow smooth, and Kaede told her the next step when they finished would be to sand them down and then lacquer the shafts in Camilla oil to prevent water seeping back into the bamboo. Reiko hurried to finish, but her eyes wandered over towards the forest once more. That feeling of being watched had grown more intense all of a sudden as if what was spying on her had moved closer.

What is out there? What does it want? It can't be a yokai, I would have heard its thoughts by now. What if…what if its Sessho-

"Ah! Damn it!" Reiko swore when she felt something prick her palm. Looking down she saw that she had grazed herself with the knife by accident, and a fine line of red started to bead up in its wake.

"Reiko! Are you okay?" Shippo asked, stopping his antics instantly. Concerned, he ran to her, but Reiko stood up and backed away quickly.

"It's alright. But don't look, okay Shippo?" She told him as she turned to face the woods to keep her bleeding hand out of sight. She had been feeding Shippo her imbued food regularly, so she didn't fear him trying to attack her. Even so, she knew how much it bothered the kitsune to be under the sway of the Blood Maiden's curse, and didn't want to risk scaring him.

"Do ye need help?" Kaede offered, but Reiko shook her head.

"No. No, it's shallow."

It was only a fine, thin cut. More like a paper cut than anything else, given how sharp the knife had been. Without thinking, Reiko licked at it. The flavor of iron settled on her tongue briefly, and she wondered if this was the so-called sweetness yokai were willing to die for. She didn't see the appeal. Inspecting the cut again, she could see it already had stopped bleeding. Satisfied, she turned back to the others.

"See? All good." She announced, giving Shippo a reassuring smile.

"Perhaps we leave this for another time then when ye are less distracted," Kaede offered, "Come, let us instead practice the spells I taught you yesterday."

Reiko was about to protest but stopped herself. While she looked forward to finishing the arrows, another lesson in spell-casting was probably a better idea right now. Besides, unlike the spells that Grandpa had given her, Kaede's spells actually worked. They had a wide range of purposes, from attack to defense, to binding evil. Sometimes a ritual was required to cast them, but some could be cast after a simple incantation or gesture. It depended on the amount of reiryoku the caster possessed, and the greater the reiryoku, the stronger the spell could become.

But as she stood herself up, Kaede groaned miserably, alarming Reiko.

"Are you alright?"

"'Tis nothing," She insisted, "My back aches from time to time."

"My Grandpa has the same problem. I could make you some rice porridge tonight if you like? It cures his aches right up."

"Aye?"

"Take my advice, a little rice porridge and you'll be right as rain," Reiko told her with a smile. She started to clear away the mat to pack up the tools and finished bamboo shafts. Kaede crouched to help, putting a hand on her back for support.

"Take my advice, and don't get old."

"Don't worry," Reiko laughed, "If the stories I've heard about the Blood Maiden are true, I won't."

"Now, now. There is no need to be so morbid. They are just silly stories after all. Told by an even sillier monk." Miroku said from his place beside Reiko. Rather than roll her eyes again, Reiko felt herself smile. She knew he was comforting her, and appreciated it. Given all his faults Miroku wasn't a bad guy.

Maybe…maybe I am starting to get a little crush on him.

"Then again, while it is always better to hope for the best, one must prepare for the worst. My offer still stands..." Miroku added, and Reiko got the sense that she was in danger. Acting quickly, she smacked away Miroku's hand just before it could grope her backside.

Nope. Scratch that. Love is dead and soon he will be too.

"And so does my promise that if you so much as even think about touching me I will gather an army of yokai to eat you." She threatened darkly, causing Miroku to flinch under her harsh glare.

"Oh? Be that something ye can do?" Kaede wondered, sounding interested.

"Kaede, please, don't encourage her," Miroku begged.


Sunset was approaching, and Reiko wondered if she should have brought a torch with her as she walked through the woods. The shadows were growing long, feeding her imagination that there really was something out there watching her. She tried to pass it off as the yokai of the forest, but since her arrival in Kaede's village, she actually hadn't seen that many yokai. She took her usual precautions, placing ofuda where she could, putting out a large meal for the yokai, but at most, she had only seen a handful over the span of four days. It was as if something was keeping them away, something Reiko should be naturally suspicious of.

But she ignored it as she reached her destination - the Bone-Eater's Well.

Kagome had promised to cross through sometime after sunset. Reiko was excited to see her and wanted to be the first to greet her. Reiko was even looking forward to seeing Inuyasha again, oddly enough. Hopefully all that ramen she bought him had put him in a good mood and she and Kagome could convince him to stay put in Kaede's village for a few days. It would be useful if Kagome could learn the same spells that Reiko had, and maybe learn to make her own arrows too.

Kaede also promised to teach Reiko how to make her own yumi bow soon, but Reiko needed to return to Hajimari first. She had been gone too long, Genzo was probably throwing a fit of some kind. While she didn't look forward to that, the thought of reuniting with Rin, Hanae, Chie, and Princess Sara warmed her. She packed gifts for each of them, her way of apologizing to them for even thinking of leaving them all behind.

Coming to live in the past...I think I made the right choice. Reiko smiled to herself, I'm on the right path. I will get stronger. I will become a proper miko.

Reiko entered the small clearing but ignored the Bone-Eater's Well. There was no way to tell when Kagome would be heading over, so Reiko figured she had some time to kill. Wanting to make use of it, she brought along her bow and arrows. Choosing a tree fifty feet from her, Reiko picked knot in the bark and notched an arrow.

With a satisfying 'thwip' the arrow sunk into the knot, dead on.

"Hmph. Can't use a bow huh?" Reiko smirked to herself, recalling Inuyasha's words. Maybe she'd have Inuyasha swallow those words when he came through the Bone-Eater's Well by giving him a scare. An arrow shot expertly between his ears might change his mind.

Hehe, hanging around Shippo is bringing out my mischievous side.

Time passed and Reiko was nearly through her entire quiver of arrows. She would fetch them back from her target and begin again, but paused when she heard someone approaching from behind. Guessing it was Miroku, who said he might join her in welcoming back Kagome, Reiko didn't bother turning around.

"What took you so long? Don't tell me you were trying to convince another poor innocent girl to bear your child. A smooth talker like you should really come up with a better line."

Miroku remained silent, apparently not having anything to say to that. Odd. Reiko notched one of the two remaining arrows she had left in her quiver, pulling it back as far as her strength would allow her to.

"Watch this. I think my aim has improved."

She released the string, and the arrow not only hit the ring of bark she had been aiming at, but it sunk itself so deeply into the wood that half of the shaft disappeared. Inwardly, Reiko was losing her goddamn mind over how she managed to do that but tried to play it cool as she turned to give Miroku a smirk.

"Impressive, right?"

Only it wasn't Miroku.

"You..." Reiko's' eyes widened, and for a moment it felt as if her heart had dropped into her stomach.

What Sesshomaru was doing here, or why, Reiko couldn't fathom. But here he was, standing at the opposite side of the clearing, bathed in the red light of sunset. He looked just as she remembered him. Tall, stoic, garbed in white, his eyes colored a blazing gold. Those eyes were now piercing straight through her, sensing her fear and confusion and reveling in it.

It was that, that smugness that oozed off him like a miasma, that snapped Reiko out of her daze and set her on fire with anger.

Without thinking, she reached for her quiver and another arrow. She notched it, aimed it, and released it. The arrow flew towards its mark - smack in the middle of his smug face - and would be a direct hit. Sesshomaru made no move to dodge it, but at the last possible second, the arrow was stopped but two inches from him. He had caught it between his fingers, all without breaking eye contact with her.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

Reiko had two choices; run, or use her last arrow. Knowing both were a stupid choice and she was dead either way, she decided to die with some dignity and went to draw her last arrow. Before she could notch it, however, Sesshomaru disappeared. In a blur of motion, he was suddenly standing before her. Before she could react, he grabbed at her wrist and squeezed.

Reiko cried out, his tight grip forcing her to drop both the arrow and her bow as she became blind to everything except the sharp pain. She expected more to follow, adrenaline rushing to help her brace for the worst, but it seemed to have only been a warning on Sesshomaru's part as his grip relaxed and he began to speak.

"This Sesshomaru expected a gracious welcome from you, Blood Maiden. Not an assassination." He said, his face betraying no emotion but his tone clearly mocking, "Whatever happened to your fine manners?"

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but all I have to offer is an arrow for your smug face!" Reiko seethed up at him, "No one hurts my family and gets away with it, you hear me?! Nobody!"

This accusation caused Sesshomaru to raise an eyebrow. After a moment, something seemed to click in his mind.

"Ah, you speak of Inuyasha's female companion."

"W-what?" Reiko sputtered, absolutely dumbfounded. It took her a moment to put two and two together, but she came to the conclusion that somehow Sesshomaru knew not only about Kagome but also of her relation to Reiko, "You knew? This whole time, you knew? You bastard!"

Reiko closed her free hand into a fist and punched at the closest part of Sesshomaru she could reach. This, unfortunately, was the armor plate that guarded his chest. Reiko could have sworn she heard something crack when her hand made contact, bringing tears to her eyes.

"Dammit!" She hissed, cradling her hand to her chest in pain. She heard something, something almost like a chuckle, from the yokai before her. Glaring up at him, she was determined not to be cowed by his intimidating presence.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" She accused.

Sesshomaru made no answer, but Reiko could see something like a smirk form on his lips. It was answer enough.

"Is that what you're here for? A bit of amusement? Or are you finally here to take my heart?" She asked. It was the only reason she could think of why he had come here. She thought he was different, that his pride would not allow him to take her heart. She feared now that she had been wrong. And yet, Sesshomaru scowled at her accusation.

"This Sesshomaru would never sink so low."

"Then what?" Reiko asked, knowing whatever it was, it would not be good. She had not seen him for months, and now, suddenly, he just shows up? How did he even find her?

"A disturbing rumor came to this Sesshomaru's attention."

"W-what rumor?"

"It is said that Inuyasha has met a miserable end by the hands of the Blood Maiden."

Wait...what? Reiko's head tilted in confusion. Inuyasha? What did he have to do with any of this...

Reiko's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh, yeah! I did do that!"

This confession didn't seem to be what Sesshomaru had wanted to hear, and the scowl on his face disappeared. He was so much scarier looking when his indifferent mask slipped into place, and it caused Reiko to panic.

"I mean, no! I didn't kill him! I just pretended to!"

Sesshomaru did not react to this, but it was clear to Reiko that he didn't believe her. Not sure what to say, she muttered, "It's a long story."

"Then speak quickly." He snapped.

Reiko tried to think of what to do, but it was difficult to think with her heart hammering a thousand miles a minute. This was the closest she had ever been to Sesshomaru. She had forgotten how sharp his features were, how frightening his inhuman gaze was. She could clearly see the crescent moon that was centered on his forehead and the magenta stripes on his cheeks and eyelids. But all of this paled in comparison to the fact that he held her wrist captive. His grip was harsh, though his skin was not as rough as she had imagined it would be, and she was alarmed by how warm his palm was and how easily his long, claw-tipped fingers encircled her wrist.

"Why do you care what happened?" Reiko asked, forcing herself to speak, "Didn't you try to kill Inuyasha several times yourself? If anything, I'd think you'd be happy he's dead since you hate him so much."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously, the gold of his eyes becoming molten. It made Reiko shudder, and she tried to pull away when she noticed she was being dragged closer to him. He towered over her, her neck painfully angled back just to maintain eye contact.

"Inuyasha is below this Sesshomaru's contempt. But only I will end that miserable half-breed's life." He said, and Reiko could feel his breath fan over her face before he eased his grip enough for her to create at least a few feet of space between them, "Now explain. And do not attempt to lie."

It went without saying that if she did, he'd make her regret it. Of that, Reiko had no doubt.

Nervously glancing over to the Bone-Eater's Well, she figured the best thing might be to give him what he wanted. If she hurried, maybe he would leave before Kagome and Inuyasha returned. The last thing Reiko wanted was for anyone to get hurt, and it was this reasoning that kept her from shouting for help though she knew the villagers nearby would hear her. She needed to get Sesshomaru away from here peacefully. If he lingered too long, if he saw Kagome climb out of the well, then he would know their secret. She couldn't tell him where Inuyasha had really gone, but Reiko decided to give him a story as close to the truth as she dared.

"A while ago I had been commissioned by my Lord Asano to slay Inuyasha when rumors told him that Inuyasha wanted to take revenge on his clan by killing Princess Sara. Apparently, by helping you, it was believed we were your allies, and Inuyasha wanted to retaliate against you for having gravely injured him. But when I confronted Inuyasha, it turned out to all be a lie. He wanted to reunite me and my lost cousin. But I couldn't go back on my promise to Lord Asano. So we tricked everyone into believing I had slain Inuyasha and then we made our escape here. There. End of story. Now let me go. Please?"

Some part of Reiko hoped that this would be enough, and he would let her go. Another part of her knew he wouldn't, and so she wasn't all that shocked when she felt his grip tighten on her wrist again, reminding her of the inhuman strength his fingers possessed. Biting down on her lip, Reiko kept herself from crying out. Instead, she focused on calling forth her reiryoku. She still hoped to avoid a fight, knowing deep down she was no match for Sesshomaru, but if it came to that she would be prepared to give it her all.

"This Sesshomaru will not repeat himself."

"I'm not lying!"

"Then why did his scent disappear at the same time as yours?"

Reiko's brows knitted in confusion.

"Scent?"

"Eight days ago. Your scent disappeared completely with no trace. The same with Inuyasha. Then four days ago, yours suddenly appears, but there remains no trace of the hanyō."

Reiko quickly did the math. Eight days ago...that was when she returned to the future with Kagome, Inuyasha following after them to scrounge on leftovers. Reiko supposed disappearing into the future would mess with a scent trail or something, and would explain why Sesshomaru couldn't pick up on it anymore. But it also meant that Sesshomaru had been keeping track of Reiko's whereabouts for more than a week.

"That's...I...you've been stalking me?" She asked, realizing now how right her intuition had been, "Oh my Kami, I knew I was being watched!"

That does it! From now on, I listen to my gut! Reiko conceded. Too bad she hadn't instead listened to the little voice in the back of her mind that told her that she shouldn't be so casual about the daiyokai who had a grip on her. A daiyokai who did not repeat himself.

"Inu, uh, Inuyasha is just visiting some people we know!" Reiko fumbled by way of an answer, "They live really far away, and he traveled through the air to reach them. That's why you can't track him."

"More lies." Sesshomaru accused darkly. Reiko tried to protest this, but he never gave her the chance, "You have been warned."

Sesshomaru let go of her wrist to forcefully grab her chin. His grip on her was just as secure, and in many ways, worse. Reiko's hands tried to pry herself away from him, but soon she realized it wouldn't matter. His strength was too much, and there was no doubt that with such a simple touch he could break her neck. He tilted her face up as if there was something in her eyes he wanted to see before he killed her. Reiko's blood rushed in her ears, and she couldn't breathe as her view became filled with the dark gold of his eyes. He was closer than ever before, his gaze lowering to her lips, and she wondered if he planned on ripping her throat open with his teeth instead. She braced for either, too panicked to even think about fighting back.

She nearly screamed when she felt something brush over her bottom lip, caressing it. It felt like the pad of a thumb, the touch hesitant yet forceful. It was searching for something, promising to find it if she didn't move to stop it. The sensation made her shudder, though this time it wasn't fear.

And just like that, Sesshomaru let go of her. Reiko didn't have time to wonder why he seemed just as surprised as herself that he had done so, as her reiryoku was now begging to come to her defense. Raising her hands, Reiko placed her palms onto his armor plate and unleashed it.

Sesshomaru was on the other side of the field before Reiko had time to blink. He had braced for the impact of her reiryoku, seemingly unphased by it. She hardly would have believed she managed to move him if it weren't for the trail of upturned earth his dug-in heels had left behind. The air around him appeared sparked with residual energy, wisps of smoke rising from his armor plate where two distinct handprints could be seen denting the armor.

"You can believe what you want, but Inuyasha is alive." Reiko seethed, his distance allowing her anger to overcome her fear of him, "That's all I have to say or will say to you."

This bold declaration was met with a harsh glare from Sesshomaru, and Reiko glanced down to her bow and last arrow. She needed its protection, but she couldn't expose herself by bending down to grab them, so Reiko braced herself for Sesshomaru's next attack.

But it never came. Instead, Sesshomaru seemed to be...amused?

"So, for all her fine speeches, the Blood Maiden's word means nothing to her."

"What are you talking about?" Reiko frowned.

"You owe this Sesshomaru your life twice over, yes? Yet you refuse to repay your debts when this Sesshomaru so generously offered you the opportunity."

Reiko's jaw fell open. She thought back to all those weeks ago when she had last seen him. The ogre...the samurai...she had told him that he had rescued her from them. That she felt grateful to him, whether it was his intention or not to save her. Given the way he brushed her aside and made it clear he didn't want to have anything to do with her, she didn't think he would take her seriously. Apparently, she was wrong. But if he thought after all he had done that he could just show up and bully her, then he had another thing coming!

"As if I'd help you! You tried to kill Kagome." She rebuffed as her reiryoku flared in anger once again, making the air around her crackle. It wanted to lash out at Sesshomaru but was stopped dead when he spoke.

"So you regret your previous gratitude towards this Sesshomaru? All your compassion and attempts to ease this yokai's suffering?"

His words unexpectedly cut into Reiko. He was taunting her and clearly enjoying it.

But did she regret it? Regret trying to help him? She wanted to hate him so much for what he did to Kagome, but Reiko found the feeling did not settle in her despite her anger. She remembered the confusion and relief she had felt to discover there was at least one yokai that could resist her heart, and the hope it gave her even now. She remembered talking with him about her desire to grow stronger, her confrontation with the ogre unleashing a side of her power she didn't know she possessed. All that was because of him and all of that led her to where she was now; on the path of true strength. She just couldn't regret any of that. She couldn't even hate him...

"Hn. How disappointing," Sesshomaru spoke, taking her silence as an answer. Then to Reiko's confusion, he turned his back to her, and began to walk away, "Even so, your debts to this Sesshomaru will be collected, one way or another."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, more curious than afraid. But she never got her answer as Sesshomaru left the clearing. Soon the shadows of the woods embraced him, and he was gone.

For the longest time, Reiko didn't move. She kept waiting for the moment she would blink and suddenly he would be right in front of her, ready to finish her off. Her reiryoku remained at the ready, but it soon calmed. It seemed to be aware that whatever had happened between her and Sesshomaru was, for the moment, over. Realizing she was now safe, a wave of exhaustion crashed over Reiko. She fell to her knees beside her discarded bow, feeling like she was going to pass out.

Oh, Kami...I think I've just shorted my life by twenty years...


Night had settled in, enclosing the woods in darkness. The moon was waning, thickening the shadows that hid the yokai of the forest. It was their time to hunt, yet they hesitated to leave their dwellings. Something else was out there, something bigger and more powerful than they. So they hid and watched with wary eyes as the daiyokai passed them by.

This Sesshomaru paid no mind to the lesser yokai as he made his way through the woods. It was below him to recognize their presence. Instead, his senses focused on the night air. He caught the faint scent of rain on the wind and knew a spring shower was approaching. Sesshomaru stopped as another scent caught his attention. It was putrid and familiar, and he knew it was none other than the hanyō.

So…he was alive.

Sesshomaru decided to wait for him.

As he stood downwind, it would take Inuyasha a while to catch Sesshomaru's scent. The mutt had tragically dulled senses, and this Sesshomaru was feeling generous enough to give him the chance to catch up. Realizing his yoki was still hidden, Sesshomaru unfurled it, driving the yokai of the forest back as he staked a claim. He had hidden it to keep his presence from being detected by the monk and old miko of the village, but now such deception was no longer necessary. Surely the Blood Maiden had told them of his visit, and he could soon expect Inuyasha to come crashing through the underbrush, looking for a fight.

Yet the minutes passed by without a stir. Perhaps the Blood Maiden's scent prevented Inuyasha from seeking him out? No, all the Blood Maiden had to do was point the hanyō in the right direction, as this Sesshomaru had not wavered his course since departing from her. Then what was the reason for the delay?

Could it be that, for whatever reason, the Blood Maiden had not told anyone of their encounter? Why would she do such a thing? This Sesshomaru could not fathom her reasoning, but then, so many things about the Blood Maiden bewildered him...intrigued him...

After he had discovered her scent had vanished from the earth and Inuyasha was rumored to be dead, Sesshomaru slowly made his way to the Blood Maiden's village. Jaken informed him it was near that territory that the Blood Maiden and the hanyō supposedly clashed. Jaken volunteered to look into the matter himself, but Sesshomaru sent him to continue the hunt for Totosai. As it was, there was not much to investigate, as the Blood Maiden's scent left no trail and any faint stench of the hanyō had been washed away by the recent rains. All that was left for Sesshomaru to learn were more rumors; the Blood Maiden had slain Inuyasha with a single arrow to defend the territory's princess, and that she had been rewarded with a feast only the vanish the next morning to depart for somewhere unknown.

For several days, Sesshomaru was left with no answers. Until suddenly, the Blood Maiden returned.

It shamed this Sesshomaru to think of how her scent affected him that moment when it washed over him after so long an absence. It's potency and base notes had not changed, but his senses seemed to have been starved of its presence, and routinely savored it as he followed. This Sesshomaru was surprised to where it led him to. The same village where Inuyasha spent so much time, where he had once been sealed to a tree. And there, living amongst the villagers, was the Blood Maiden.

He had planned on confronting her immediately. While Inuyasha's death was no loss on his part, the fact that the Tessaiga was missing was something this Sesshomaru would not stand for, and he would exact painful revenge on the Blood Maiden. But as he observed her, the rumors and what he witnessed did not match. The monk and kitsune Sesshomaru recognized as allies of Inuyasha, yet they seemed to be quite close to their friend's supposed murderer. The kitsune followed the Blood Maiden like an eager pup, and the monk annoyingly attempted to woo her at every opportunity.

If she had really killed Inuyasha, Sesshomaru doubted she would be staying here in the village he called home or laughing with his companions. Another clue was that over the days she often made visits to the clearing Sesshomaru met her in. It was there in that clearing with the abandoned well that Sesshomaru was able to at last pick up Inuyasha's trail, which strangely led right into the earth as if entering a new plane of existence...

Wherever Inuyasha had gone, that well had something to do with it. The same for his female companion, the Blood Maiden's relative, as she was nowhere to be seen and presumably with the hanyō. And given the Blood Maiden's devotion to the girl, this Sesshomaru doubted the Blood Maiden would allow her to travel somewhere dangerous.

This was all but confirmed when Sesshomaru confronted the Blood Maiden. Her eyes kept nervously shifting over to the abandoned well when he questioned her, confirming his suspicions. He easily could have exposed her lies with what he had discovered, but this Sesshomaru stayed from playing his hand. Instead, he revealed in her pathetic attempts to harm him.

Her anger had been a surprise, given her previous manners, but not an unwelcome one. Her anger was highly amusing and harmless, like a child's. It didn't matter that she refused to tell him the truth, as he knew enough, but her audacity to lie called for some kind of punishment. He closely considered killing her then. Snapping her neck would possibly be a way to bypass killing her with little to no blood. It was a risk he was willing to take at that moment, knowing full well the danger of the Blood Maiden's curse.

But her lips, parted for a scream that was stuck in her throat, drew in his gaze.

When he saw her cut her hand earlier, observing her from the edge of the forest, he had not expected her to lick at her wound. It had...affected him. As if he had been made to witness some provocative display. There was something perverse in a Blood Maiden sampling her own blood, blood that yokai would kill for just a drop of.

His following action was not in this Sesshomaru's control as his finger ghosted over the lips that tasted what he could not. They were pink and soft to the touch, like the inside of a seashell. A raw feeling was corded into him then, entwining with his senses, making them crave her submission. It was not until he felt the Blood Maiden tremble that Sesshomaru even realized what he was doing, and he released her as if she had burned him.

Though he would not admit it, there was some part of Sesshomaru that was grateful to the Blood Maiden for attacking him. It was as it should be; a yokai and a miko fighting. It was the natural order of things. He gave her the chance to see that, to denounce her previous kindness to him. She had finally learned how cruel he was, how cruel all yokai were. But for whatever reason, despite her anger, it seemed she could not bring herself to see him as her enemy. Her compassion, her pure heart, was unable to give this Sesshomaru what he desired - her hate.

It did not matter.

For whatever reason, Inuyasha was alive. The details of his disappearance, the role of the abandoned well, and the reason for his return was of little consequence. This Sesshomaru would continue to seek a weapon to rival the Tessaiga and conquer his father's legacy.

But if the Blood Maiden was now Inuyasha's ally, it was likely they would meet again. There was nothing they could do, alone or together, to stop this Sesshomaru or hinder him on his path to supreme conquest. Yet the possibility of facing the Blood Maiden in combat, true combat, intrigued this Sesshomaru. The dents on his armor proved that she had grown stronger. Perhaps one day she might become an actual threat. It was highly doubtful, but it could still happen. She had a way of surprising this Sesshomaru...

This Sesshomaru walked on. He would continue his search for Totosai and would await the moment the Blood Maiden again crossed his path with anticipation.


Reiko woke with a gasp and sat up. Her lungs were tight with fear, and it took several minutes before she could properly breathe. She had dreamt of falling through the Bone-Eater's Well again, all those horrible hands, teeth, and tongues trying to tear her apart. Her return to the Sengoku period had done nothing to lessen her nightmares. At least now she only saw her mother's face in the darkness rather than hers and Kagome's - a slight improvement, but not by much.

I really need to get some therapy. All this self-hatred and guilt isn't doing my complexion any favors, Reiko groaned to herself.

Uneasiness settled into her, and Reiko knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. So she got out of bed.

Well, it wasn't much of a bed. She had something resembling a pillow and slept on the floor of the shrine she was staying at, using a kimono as a blanket. Sliding the door to the shrine back, Reiko stepped outside.

It was well into the night, and the village below the shrine was quiet. The shrine was separated from the huts and rice fields by a hill, stone steps leading up to it with tori gates at both ends. Kaede had, of course, offered to let Reiko stay with her in her hut. Reiko politely refused, saying that she preferred to be alone at night. The truth was that Kaede snored, badly, and Reiko didn't want to hurt her feelings. At any rate, it worked out, as Kagome was able to join Reiko and the two of them spent their nights staying up talking without being a bother to anyone.

Looking up at the sky and its blanket of stars, Reiko wondered where her cousin was now. Inuyasha could only be convinced to let Kagome stay with her and Kaede for two days, just enough for Kagome to learn a spell or two, before he and the others set off to find more shards of the Shikon no Tama. They had departed several days ago, Kagome helping Reiko keep tabs over the two-way radios they each had in their possession. Reiko knew those would come in handy, but hearing the crackle of Kagome's voice through a speaker wasn't the same as having her beside her. Reiko had to remind herself it was for the best. Having a Blood Maiden around was dangerous and only invited trouble.

"...your debts to this Sesshomaru will be collected, one way or another."

Reiko felt herself shudder, but pretended it was the night air.

She hadn't told Kagome about seeing Sesshomaru, and she wondered if she made the right call. Inuyasha and Kagome came through the Bone-Eater's Well a couple of hours after Sesshomaru had left, and Reiko got lost in the rapid-fire gossip Kagome subjected her to. Apparently, Inuyasha had followed her to school and nearly attacked the school mascot during Kagome's math test. It was safe to say, the two of them were having another tiff, and neither of them sensed anything the slightest bit wrong. So Reiko kept it that way. Sesshomaru was her problem anyway, and to involve Kagome might put her in danger again.

But just how was she supposed to deal with a problem like Sesshomaru? He wasn't a typical yokai she could stuff full of imbued food or kill. She couldn't hear his thoughts, she couldn't pacify him, and she couldn't understand him. One minute he was threatening her, the next he looked thrilled that she had attacked him. One second he was about to snap her neck, the next he caressed her lips...

Reiko shook her head. That couldn't have been what happened. Her mind had been so flooded with panic that she couldn't accurately remember, that's all. He was probably getting ready to tear her jaw off or something. Whatever happened, Reiko would never let him touch her again. And if - when - they met again, she'd be sure Sesshomaru knew that too.

But that would have to wait. Reiko had stayed in Kaede's village as long as she dared to, and in the morning would be traveling back to Hajimari. Genzo was no doubt frantic to have her back, the Spring Equinox only two weeks away. Rin would be excited to see her, and Reiko couldn't wait to give her the gift she had bought for her when she returned. As she imagined her reunion, Reiko started to wander towards the stairs that led down to the village, needing a walk to cool herself down after her nightmare.

When she reached the top of the steps, Reiko stopped. Someone else was awake, as she could see someone leaving Kaede's hut. They wore the garb of a miko, but Reiko knew it could not be Kaede by their slender and straight posture.

There was something...off, about this person. It was not until they started to ascend the steps that Reiko knew why.

They were the spitting image of Kagome. Same face, same build. A near-perfect copy, if slightly altered. This person had straighter, longer hair, and an air about them that spoke of poise and conviction. It left Reiko positively frozen with confusion, and she began to wonder if she was still asleep. This seemed all the more likely as strange creatures then gathered around the woman. They were a mix of eels and serpents, their long white bodies writhing above and around the woman as she walked, carrying strange orbs of light in their spindly legs.

As the Kagome-not-Kagome reached the top of the steps, she stopped and turned to Reiko. The two of them regarded each other for a while before the phantom woman smiled.

"Ah. You must be the Blood Maiden my little sister spoke of."

"You...you're Kikyo." Reiko guessed.

"Yes."

"You're supposed to be dead," Reiko added dumbly.

The woman's smile grew thin.

"Many times over."

Realizing this wasn't a dream, Reiko put up her guard. From what she had heard about Kikyo, she was a bit of a mess. Especially where Inuyasha was involved. Then again, from what she heard, Kikyo was also supposed to be dead. How Reiko was supposed to react to her suddenly showing up, she wasn't sure.

"Inuyasha isn't here if that's what you came for." She said, just to be safe. Kikyo chuckled.

"I saw him, only hours ago. I almost succeeded in wringing the life from him." She confessed, tilting her head curiously before asking, "Are you going to tell me the same as her that I am wrong to have sought vengeance? That I should have appreciated the fact that I, after all this time, still remain in his heart and mind?"

The same as her? Kikyo must be talking about Kagome, and Reiko immediately tensed.

"What did you do to Kagome?"

"I merely kept her from interfering. She was not harmed."

The strange, serpent-like creatures wove themselves between and around Kikyo and Reiko. Though she had no reason to believe her, Reiko felt that Kikyo was telling her the truth. Kagome was safe. When she got the chance, Reiko would confirm it over the radio. But for now, she had this strange visitor to deal with.

"In that case, I'd say your business with Inuyasha is just that. Your business." Reiko answered, "However, Kagome's wellbeing is my business. So take this as your one and only warning to stay away from her."

Kikyo didn't answer to the threat but continued to smile. It unsettled Reiko, and she began to dislike the woman. There was something unnatural about her. That and her attitude rubbed her the wrong way. But Reiko kept this to herself as Kikyo turned and walked over to the shrine. In front of it was a grave marker, and Reiko didn't have to guess who it belonged to. The walking dead woman stood in front of it a while, quietly contemplating something.

"Planning on crawling back in?" Reiko asked, hoping to prompt the woman into leaving. Kikyo didn't answer for the longest time, and when she did, it sounded as if she were talking to herself.

"No. I refuse to cross over to the netherworld. I will wander the earth, living off of the tragic souls of maidens."

"That sounds...depressing," Reiko muttered. She recalled that Kagome mentioned something about investigating a rumor of yokai carrying off the souls of dead girls the other night. That didn't sound like any kind of life. Once more, it didn't sound like something a once good-hearted miko would want.

"I had wished to live in peace within a simple village, to pass my days as an ordinary woman for once...but it was not meant to be." Kikyo shared, and Reiko caught the sadness in her eyes. Despite her automatic dislike, Reiko couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Time continues for the living. They carve their futures with each passing moment. But for the dead such as you and me, time stands still."

"I'm not dead." Reiko frowned, suddenly self-conscious about the bag under eyes.

"You may as well be," Kikyo corrected as she turned to face Reiko, "You are a Blood Maiden."

A chill ran down Reiko's spine, though she tried to hide it.

"What do you know about the curse?"

"You call it a curse?" Kikyo laughed, "Yes, perhaps it may seem like one now. But once it had been a blessing in a time of great need. The only light in the darkness. The dawn for a world without sun."

This sounded familiar to Reiko. She recalled the unsettling conversation she had with Miroku and Kaede; how her overabundance of reiryoku affected not only yokai but humans. That being the Blood Maiden, she was a source of hope, a balm for troubled souls. Kaede had only been guessing before, but it seemed that her older, deader, sister knew more.

"And yet I pity you. Perhaps of all who walk this earth, it is I who understands your fate the most. For it once was mine." Kikyo continued, and Reiko stepped closer to her.

"You were a Blood Maiden?"

"No. But as the Guardian of the Shikon no Tama, my duties were similar. I had to protect a dangerous power from all that sought to wield it, else doom this world to suffer. I was always hunted, always needed to protect the vulnerable, placing all others above myself. I could never reveal my weaknesses, I could never waver. If I did, a yokai would have gotten the better of me. A yokai did get the better of me."

That's right, Reiko thought to herself, Naraku tricked her into sealing Inuyasha and killed her...

"I've been told that the yokai who eats my heart will be granted immortality and great powers. Is that true?" Reiko asked after a time. There were parallels lining up that Reiko could not ignore. Kikyo confirmed this with a solemn nod.

"Yes. Your heart is the key to true power, your blood the medicine that can stop death, and your body a comfort for uneasy souls. But all that is merely a dangerous lure for what you really are." Kikyo said, her expression becoming sad once more as she seemed to be pitying Reiko, "Perhaps, at heart, you are an ordinary woman, but you cannot live as such. You are an outsider. You cannot live among others without bringing them to harm one way or another, for wherever you go you will be followed by your fate. You are the living dead, the same as me."

"I...I know." Reiko muttered.

It was as if Kikyo had read her soul. It was exactly these reasons she decided to become a miko, to live in the past. She had to separate herself from her loved ones and friends to keep away the monsters that always followed her. She had to dedicate herself to grow stronger to ensure she could protect herself and others, or else risk losing them. While this curse hanged over her head, she could never build any sort of life for herself. She could never be an ordinary woman. She could never forgive herself...

"That's why I'm going to break this curse."

Kikyo smiled again, though it was still full of pity.

"We who are dead have only one wish: to walk among the living once more. It is a futile, impossible wish that will never be realized. The two cannot reside together. It goes against the design of the kami."

Well...gee, that's cheerful, Reiko huffed to herself, I bet she was all sunshine and smiles when she was alive.

Kikyo began to walk away then, her strange companions leading the way down a path that left the village. Reiko wanted to call out to stop her, having so many more questions but stopped herself. There were only so many cryptic and sorrowful revelations she could take in a night. And something in her told her that it was better Kikyo depart sooner than later. If Kikyo was anything like herself, then troubled followed her like a shadow too.

"But, if you are able to defy fate, then why not I?" Reiko heard Kikyo mutter, followed by, "Good luck Blood Maiden. Perhaps we will meet again."


AN: Most of Kikyo's dialogue is from episodes 15, 22, and 23 if anyone is curious, as we are at episode 23 in the timeline of the anime here (episode 24 coming up!). A lot of it fit with Reiko's situation, as I feel that both she and Kikyo have a lot in common. I find the triangle romance between Kikyo, Inuyasha, and Kagome as annoying as most of you, but I rather liked Kikyo's backstory and personality. I feel that she could have been a great character if her tedious romance with Inuyasha was dropped sooner and she became something of a reluctant mentor for Kagome, but we'll never know. I listened to Marina and the Diamonds' Living Dead song for inspiration when writing her part, it just seemed to fit.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed Sesshomaru in this chapter. I really wanted something a little more...juicy, to happen between him and Reiko, since their interactions have been few and far between so far in this story. That said, I hope you don't think things are happening too fast between them, or Sesshomaru appeared out of character. This is chapter 14 after all, and in my mind, that requires at least one semi-naughty thing to happen (which was partially inspired by Kamisama Kiss, btw). But I will warn you all - as if my word count so far hasn't been telling enough - this is going to be a slowburn. But whatever your thoughts, I'd love to hear them!

With that, please join Reiko in the next chapter as she resumes life in Hajimari. But her return is cut short when Lord Asano sends her out to aid their ally, the Lord Kagewaki of Hitomi Castle. When she arrives, she comes across a wounded demon slayer named Sango...and a scheming Naraku...

Also, a fyi for some of you readers, never fear writing me a review in Spanish! I took classes back in high school and Google translate helps with the rest, so don't ever apologize for writing in your first language!