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Inuyasha had arrived at the festival and was going to tell Keike's parents she would be late again, when a familiar scent caught his nose. "Sesshoumaru...." he thought immediately. Inuyasha had no idea what that jerk wanted but most likely it was something wicked.

He sought out Keike's parents frantically, Keike's mama was very strong she would protect them all. Inuyasha scanned the crowd for them, when he finally spotted them he quickly made his way to the spot they were at, but it was too late Sesshoumaru was hidden in the tree behind them about to attack, and all he could do was point.

He felt so worthless watching Keike's mama dying. She was a very very strong youkai, and because she was enjoying her surroundings with her family, she was caught by suprise by a blood thirsty wicked killer, his own brother.

Inuyasha tried to follow his brother but he was much too quick, when he finally caught up to him, he came upon a scene he had never wished to see. His brother was on top of Keike, touching her, kissing her...violating her. Inuyasha was horrified, Keike was not opposing his brother. He was filled with rage. Wicked jealousy overcame him, he came out from behind the brush about to rush in and tear his brother apart, when a group of villagers came across the field frantic. Sesshoumaru looked up at them and took off. This shocked Inuyasha, he normally would have at least killed her. But he did not even lay a talon on her.

In Inuyasha's mind, this scene he had just come across was not just an accident, he believed that she willingly gave herself to Sesshoumaru. Confused, angry and jealous he ran to the forest and hid in the trees for the day and most of the night.

In the dark of the evening, Keike came looking for him, he did not wish to see her, but her scent seemed frantic and upset. He knew that she had lost her mother, and could not fathom the idea of losing his. He jumped from limb to limb until he reached the end of the forest and ran to the middle of the field. Inuyasha stopped, he could not leave her alone, so he waited, her weak sense of smell would eventually pick up his scent. Keike approached him after a few minutes, she talked as if nothing had happened. And then when she felt his coldness, she told him that it was her duty to go. Inuyasha was drained of all emotion, she had chosen his brother, the most despicable of youkai in these parts to be her mate.

He couldn't think straight, all he heard next was that she was leaving, and caught sight of her running away. That was the last he saw of his Keike.

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A year later

"Kei-- Keike.." her father said weakly. "You must leave me here, I will not last much longer". Keike smiled at her father and wiped away the sweat from his forehead "You've said that for more than a week now papa, you will be fine in a few more days". In her mind Keike knew her father would not last, but she took comfort in lying to herself that he would be ok.

"There is something you must know, Keike" her father spoke slowly. Keike looked at him a little worried, he had not looked so serious since the day they had the burial of her mother. "You, can be human...." he said slowly.

"Papa you have alway said I was----" but she was cut off "YOU CAN BE TRULY HUMAN" he yelled, followed by coughing and sputtering from forcing his voice. "Papa....what are you talking about?" she asked very confused. "In a village not far from here, there lives a very powerful miko, she is in posession of a small bead called the Shikon no Tama, only with that bead can you be truly human my little Keike. You must stop at nothing to get this from her, no matter how much she will try to protect it. You must use your powers to get it!" her father coughed furiously, barely being able to breathe "Promise me you will go!" he yelled as his body seized up, "Papa? PAPA??" Keike furiously shook up, he was no longer part of this world.

Keike watched her fathers funeral pyre burn. The flames flickered in her eyes as she reflected on her mission. "The Shikon no tama will be mine..." she said softly to no one in particular.

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Keike tore across the fields, and the small bridges of the rice patties, she smelled the village in the distance. The simple plan ran over and over her mind, get in get out as quick as possible. She reached the temple and cracked straight through the roof of the shrine, the incensed burned her ,but quickly she focused on a shiny object laid upon a table.

"The Shikon no tama" she thought, a smile curled across her face, she ran over to the table yanked it from its place, and turned to leave, when she saw the tall figure of a dark haired woman. Immediately the whining sound of arrow traveled through the air and hit Keike in the arm, she growled in pain. "You are the miko" Keike growled fiercely, but before the miko had a chance to reply Keike reached out her arm and a force threw the woman back.

The hanyou leapt out through the roof and made for the forest, when another arrow pierced her arm. The immense pain traveled through her body. She hit the ground and couldnt move, gripping the tama in her hand she tried to get up, but the woman's figure had appeared before her and Keike seized up in fear. The miko leaned over and picked up the tama, after pocketing it she aimed an arrow at Keike.

Keike looked up and her silvery blue eyes shined brightly from the reflection of the moon. Her eyes examined the miko, she was very fair, with dark black hair, there was a look of compassion in her face. The miko lowered the arrow, "Leave" she said. This shocked the hanyou "Wh What? Leave? Your not going to kill me? Why?"

"I do not see the aura of wickedness in you, I feel your desperation but I have sworn to protect this jewel and can not let you have it for good or bad" she said simply "You....also remind me of someone...strange,as if you were connected to him, the feeling of no being part of anything".

The miko then leaned over and helped her up, when Keike was standing on her own feet she bowed at the miko. "I owe you my life, from this day forward I place myself in your debt, and swear to protect you in any way I can" Keike, saw her only nod. "Until the next time we meet, Keike" the miko replied and walked off. "She knew my name.." she thought, the miko must really be powerful.

Keike traveled through the remainder of the night and arrived at her home the next morning, she packed a few belongings and headed back to the miko's village. She had failed fulfulling the promise to her father, but there was nothing more to be done. She had sworn to protect the miko with her life, and she was going to keep her promise.

When she arrived back at the miko's village the next day there was a crowd gathered around a pyre. Keiko suddenly had the urge to push through the crowd, and there was the body of the miko burning in flames. "NO...." her mind clouded. She had let down her father, and now she had let down the miko...she felt cursed. A young girl tugged at Keike's clothing, "Come with me..." she commanded. And without a word she followed the girl.

"My sister was a very powerful miko, Kikyo had the strength to take be the guardian of the Shikon no Tama and purify it" the little girl spoke. "She told me of what happened with you, that little dog girl hanyou, last night. And how you swore to protect us since my sister spared your life."

Keike looked at the little girl emotionless "What happened to her..." she asked. "My sister was murdered trying to save the Shikon no Tama from a hanyou, she sealed him to a tree and he lies there still".

Keike stood up "I swore to protect your sister, and I have failed, I have no business with this village, and the Shikon no Tama no longer exists, so I will be leaving". The little girl stood up furiously "You are dishonoring my sister by not stay, I curse the day she ever met you!".

Keike left and went back to her home, living quietly never forgetting her failure to become human and to protect the one person who saved her life.

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