Kikyo's Journey
By: Ice
~ A Mysterious Creature Called "Inu" ~
What is an "inu"? To put it simply, a dog. Why is a dog a mysterious creature? It isn't, but to me when I was five, it was a terrible creature. Indeed, as a child, I was terrified of dogs and I will forever abhor them. You want to know why? Well, this is why.
Earlier that day, Ichiro, Renjiro, Takeshi, Yuki and I decided to go fishing at the river. It was my first time going fishing. Ichiro, Takeshi, and Yuki were very surprised that I didn't know how to fish. Renjiro explained that I was always kept inside the house. I'm glad that Takeshi decided to help me out and taught me how to fish. I ended up catching a really big fish. Ichiro and Renjiro were too busy involved in their own competition to notice. (I believe that Renjiro eventually won whatever contest they were having, though.) Yuki didn't like fish, so she just sat on the shore, watching us.
After we had caught that really big fish, Takeshi and I went and sat next to Yuki.
"So, did you have fun?" Yuki asked me.
"Yep, I did. I caught a big fish. Look!" I showed Yuki the fish I caught.
"Wow! It's so big! You're so good at fishing, Kikyo!"
"If Takeshi weren't helping me, I wouldn't have caught it." I looked gratefully to Takeshi, who looked a little sheepish. "After all, he taught me the basics. Thanks, Takeshi."
"Sure… uh… you're welcome." Takeshi replied. Renjiro and Ichiro finished their little argument and came over to us.
"You guys ready to go home?" Ichiro asked Takeshi and Yuki.
"But big brother, it's only noon!" Yuki protested. Takeshi started to get up. "I want to play with Kikyo!"
"Come on, Yuki." Takeshi gently said. He offered her his hand to help her off the ground. "It's time for lunch anyway, I think mother and father will be waiting for us, not to mention Hana and the two twins. We'll come back and play with Kikyo later, okay?"
Yuki first appeared hesitant, then she took her brother's hand. Renjiro came over to me and asked, "Want to ride on my back till we get home?"
"Okay!" I cheerfully replied. After I climbed onto his back, I asked Yuki. "Where do you want to meet later?"
"Um…" Yuki looked around then saw a very skinny tree. She pointed at it and exclaimed, "That tree! After lunch, okay?"
"Okay, see you then!" I shouted. After that, Renjiro started walking home with me on his shoulders.
On the way home, I asked Renjiro if he had caught any fish. He answered, "Yeah, but none of them were as big as yours."
"What do you mean?" I didn't know that he knew I caught a big fish.
"How could someone not know? You were all excited when you caught it and was yelling really loudly, 'I caught a big fish! I caught a big fish!', and plus, I'm your big brother."
I was pretty loud back then, I realized. Nothing like the calm, peaceful, ever-so-respectful woman I had been before I had died.
Finally, we arrived at home. Mother immediately carried me off of Renjiro's back and into the house, where we all ate lunch together. Father even came in from the fields. I looked over at my mother. Her stomach was really round. She must have eaten a really big fish or something. I decided to ask my mother about it.
"Mommy, your tummy is really big. What did you eat?" It was then that Mother announced that Renjiro and I would be having a little sibling soon. I looked at my mother's stomach and realized that it had grown considerably. And I was going to tell her that I thought she was getting fat. Father then said that we would have to be less trouble and to treat mother gently, since inside her tummy was a little baby.
"You mean mommy ate a baby, that's why it's in her stomach?" Father and mother looked suprisedly at me, then my mother replied, rather slowly, "No, Kikyo dear, Mommy did not eat a baby, a little baby is growing inside Mommy." When she saw my puzzled expression, she said, "Don't try to understand right now, little Kikyo. You'll understand when you are older." Ugh. Don't you just hate that overused phrase, 'oh, you'll get it when you're older' crap?
After our noontime repast, Renjiro and I went back and met Yuki and Takeshi by the designated tree. The rest of the afternoon, we played various games such as tag and hide and seek. Finally, it was dusk and time to return home. Yuki and Takeshi decided to walk us home.
It was then that the dog made it's appearance. It was a ferocious mutt, jumping out of no where and knocking me to the ground. White stuff was foaming out if its mouth. Quickly, I kicked it off me and began to run. I heard Renjiro exclaim that it was a rabid dog and shout for Takeshi to take Yuki and run to our house while Renjiro went off to get help, telling me to fend off the dog. I was running and running, but the dog caught up to me. It bit my leg and I screamed loudly in pain. The rabid dog dove for my throat next, and I tried to hold it back. Just when I was about to give up, the dog was whisked off of me. I looked and saw my mother, who appeared to be in great pain, holding a long wooden stick that had gotten the dog off me. Finally, Renjiro returned with one of the village men, and the rabid dog was killed.
My father arrived at the site almost one minute after the dog was dead. He immediately came to my mother's side and told the villagers who had come to see what had happened, to get mother to the doctor's immediately. Then, he saw my bloody leg and told me to go the doctor's as well. Strong hands then gingerly lifted me off the ground and the next thing I knew, I was at the village doctor's house.
Luckily, the doctor had dealt with rabid dog bites before, and I was taken care of fairly quickly. While I was waiting for my mother, Renjiro came with Yuki, Takeshi, and the rest of their family. They asked how I was and how it happened. I tried my best to tell them the story. Finally, the doctor came out with a report and told my father the horrible news that I found out not long after: my mother had a miscarriage. My father was extremely distressed and rushed out of the house. The doctor then looked at me and told me that mother wanted to see me and Renjiro.
Inside the dimly lit room, mother asked if I was alright. I told her yes, then asked her what a miscarriage was. My mother said that the little baby that had been growing in her tummy had died. I didn't quite understand the seriousness of it, but I knew that mother was sad by the tone of her voice.
"Mother, it's okay. Don't cry." I gave my mother a big hug. Renjiro then hugged mother after me.
Once we were finished talking to mother, the doctor told us that father was waiting for us outside and that we should get home soon. I asked, "What about mother?"
"You mom will return home tomorrow." The doctor told me. "Now, it's time to get home."
As the doctor had said, father was waiting for us by the door. We began to walk home. Once we were a safe distance away from the doctor's house, my father told me to face him. As soon as I did, he gave me one hard slap on the face. He shouted at me, "You foolish child! Do you not know what you have done?! How can you smile after what had happened?! Foolish child! Because of you, mother is now in great pain and her child is dead!" He slapped me again, and I began to cry. When he saw me cry, he slapped me harder, releasing all his frustration and pain and anger on me. Finally, Renjiro stepped in and told father to stop. Father relented and walked ahead without us. Renjiro wiped the tears from my eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked me. I could not reply. My father had just slapped me. Renjiro knelt down with his back facing towards me, as if inviting me onto his back. "Come on, I'll give you a ride on my back. Let's go home."
I complied.
That night, I thought about what happened. Now father hates me. All because of that mysterious and horrible creature called "inu". I no longer wanted to find out more about what a dog was, I hate them. Because of them, a little brother or sister I could have had is dead and because of the stupid dog, my father hates me. I hate dogs and I forever will.
Next chapter:
Kikyo's "Big Sister"
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Author's Corner!! (couldn't resist putting an author's note somewhere/ don't read if you don't want to know of the author's opinions/ read if you have questions cuz some of them might be answered)
So, how did everyone like the "inu" chapter? Did you expect Inu-Yasha to appear cuz of the title? Well, I don't think Kikyo knew Inu-Yasha until a few months or possibly a year before she died. Just wanted to add some "doggy influence" in her childhood.
Why is Renjiro not mentioned in the manga? Think about it, the manga never really talked about Kikyo's family except Kaede. There was no mention of her father or mother or possibly other siblings other than Kaede. But Kaede and Kikyo were pretty far apart in age, so maybe there were some children in between them. And Kaede in the future became a miko like her sister and was greatly involved in assisting Kagome and Inu-Yasha on their journey.
FYI, I am not Japanese, so I don't really know about the Japanese customs. I'm guessing here and there along the way. If you have any cultural tips and corrections, feel free to tell me. (If you want to give me free Japanese lessons, contact me immediately.)
Did you know that I like Kagome a lot better than Kikyo? Just because I hold Kikyo in much higher esteem than before doesn't mean that I like her better than Kagome, who, in my opinion, is one of the bravest characters in IY, facing every challenge magna cum fortem. (with much courage)
That's it for my AC (author's corner)!! See ya next time when Hana, the eldest sister of Yuki, sort of adopts Kikyo. (You know, like when you say, "You're my little sister" because you're good friends, yeah?
By: Ice
~ A Mysterious Creature Called "Inu" ~
What is an "inu"? To put it simply, a dog. Why is a dog a mysterious creature? It isn't, but to me when I was five, it was a terrible creature. Indeed, as a child, I was terrified of dogs and I will forever abhor them. You want to know why? Well, this is why.
Earlier that day, Ichiro, Renjiro, Takeshi, Yuki and I decided to go fishing at the river. It was my first time going fishing. Ichiro, Takeshi, and Yuki were very surprised that I didn't know how to fish. Renjiro explained that I was always kept inside the house. I'm glad that Takeshi decided to help me out and taught me how to fish. I ended up catching a really big fish. Ichiro and Renjiro were too busy involved in their own competition to notice. (I believe that Renjiro eventually won whatever contest they were having, though.) Yuki didn't like fish, so she just sat on the shore, watching us.
After we had caught that really big fish, Takeshi and I went and sat next to Yuki.
"So, did you have fun?" Yuki asked me.
"Yep, I did. I caught a big fish. Look!" I showed Yuki the fish I caught.
"Wow! It's so big! You're so good at fishing, Kikyo!"
"If Takeshi weren't helping me, I wouldn't have caught it." I looked gratefully to Takeshi, who looked a little sheepish. "After all, he taught me the basics. Thanks, Takeshi."
"Sure… uh… you're welcome." Takeshi replied. Renjiro and Ichiro finished their little argument and came over to us.
"You guys ready to go home?" Ichiro asked Takeshi and Yuki.
"But big brother, it's only noon!" Yuki protested. Takeshi started to get up. "I want to play with Kikyo!"
"Come on, Yuki." Takeshi gently said. He offered her his hand to help her off the ground. "It's time for lunch anyway, I think mother and father will be waiting for us, not to mention Hana and the two twins. We'll come back and play with Kikyo later, okay?"
Yuki first appeared hesitant, then she took her brother's hand. Renjiro came over to me and asked, "Want to ride on my back till we get home?"
"Okay!" I cheerfully replied. After I climbed onto his back, I asked Yuki. "Where do you want to meet later?"
"Um…" Yuki looked around then saw a very skinny tree. She pointed at it and exclaimed, "That tree! After lunch, okay?"
"Okay, see you then!" I shouted. After that, Renjiro started walking home with me on his shoulders.
On the way home, I asked Renjiro if he had caught any fish. He answered, "Yeah, but none of them were as big as yours."
"What do you mean?" I didn't know that he knew I caught a big fish.
"How could someone not know? You were all excited when you caught it and was yelling really loudly, 'I caught a big fish! I caught a big fish!', and plus, I'm your big brother."
I was pretty loud back then, I realized. Nothing like the calm, peaceful, ever-so-respectful woman I had been before I had died.
Finally, we arrived at home. Mother immediately carried me off of Renjiro's back and into the house, where we all ate lunch together. Father even came in from the fields. I looked over at my mother. Her stomach was really round. She must have eaten a really big fish or something. I decided to ask my mother about it.
"Mommy, your tummy is really big. What did you eat?" It was then that Mother announced that Renjiro and I would be having a little sibling soon. I looked at my mother's stomach and realized that it had grown considerably. And I was going to tell her that I thought she was getting fat. Father then said that we would have to be less trouble and to treat mother gently, since inside her tummy was a little baby.
"You mean mommy ate a baby, that's why it's in her stomach?" Father and mother looked suprisedly at me, then my mother replied, rather slowly, "No, Kikyo dear, Mommy did not eat a baby, a little baby is growing inside Mommy." When she saw my puzzled expression, she said, "Don't try to understand right now, little Kikyo. You'll understand when you are older." Ugh. Don't you just hate that overused phrase, 'oh, you'll get it when you're older' crap?
After our noontime repast, Renjiro and I went back and met Yuki and Takeshi by the designated tree. The rest of the afternoon, we played various games such as tag and hide and seek. Finally, it was dusk and time to return home. Yuki and Takeshi decided to walk us home.
It was then that the dog made it's appearance. It was a ferocious mutt, jumping out of no where and knocking me to the ground. White stuff was foaming out if its mouth. Quickly, I kicked it off me and began to run. I heard Renjiro exclaim that it was a rabid dog and shout for Takeshi to take Yuki and run to our house while Renjiro went off to get help, telling me to fend off the dog. I was running and running, but the dog caught up to me. It bit my leg and I screamed loudly in pain. The rabid dog dove for my throat next, and I tried to hold it back. Just when I was about to give up, the dog was whisked off of me. I looked and saw my mother, who appeared to be in great pain, holding a long wooden stick that had gotten the dog off me. Finally, Renjiro returned with one of the village men, and the rabid dog was killed.
My father arrived at the site almost one minute after the dog was dead. He immediately came to my mother's side and told the villagers who had come to see what had happened, to get mother to the doctor's immediately. Then, he saw my bloody leg and told me to go the doctor's as well. Strong hands then gingerly lifted me off the ground and the next thing I knew, I was at the village doctor's house.
Luckily, the doctor had dealt with rabid dog bites before, and I was taken care of fairly quickly. While I was waiting for my mother, Renjiro came with Yuki, Takeshi, and the rest of their family. They asked how I was and how it happened. I tried my best to tell them the story. Finally, the doctor came out with a report and told my father the horrible news that I found out not long after: my mother had a miscarriage. My father was extremely distressed and rushed out of the house. The doctor then looked at me and told me that mother wanted to see me and Renjiro.
Inside the dimly lit room, mother asked if I was alright. I told her yes, then asked her what a miscarriage was. My mother said that the little baby that had been growing in her tummy had died. I didn't quite understand the seriousness of it, but I knew that mother was sad by the tone of her voice.
"Mother, it's okay. Don't cry." I gave my mother a big hug. Renjiro then hugged mother after me.
Once we were finished talking to mother, the doctor told us that father was waiting for us outside and that we should get home soon. I asked, "What about mother?"
"You mom will return home tomorrow." The doctor told me. "Now, it's time to get home."
As the doctor had said, father was waiting for us by the door. We began to walk home. Once we were a safe distance away from the doctor's house, my father told me to face him. As soon as I did, he gave me one hard slap on the face. He shouted at me, "You foolish child! Do you not know what you have done?! How can you smile after what had happened?! Foolish child! Because of you, mother is now in great pain and her child is dead!" He slapped me again, and I began to cry. When he saw me cry, he slapped me harder, releasing all his frustration and pain and anger on me. Finally, Renjiro stepped in and told father to stop. Father relented and walked ahead without us. Renjiro wiped the tears from my eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked me. I could not reply. My father had just slapped me. Renjiro knelt down with his back facing towards me, as if inviting me onto his back. "Come on, I'll give you a ride on my back. Let's go home."
I complied.
That night, I thought about what happened. Now father hates me. All because of that mysterious and horrible creature called "inu". I no longer wanted to find out more about what a dog was, I hate them. Because of them, a little brother or sister I could have had is dead and because of the stupid dog, my father hates me. I hate dogs and I forever will.
Next chapter:
Kikyo's "Big Sister"
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Author's Corner!! (couldn't resist putting an author's note somewhere/ don't read if you don't want to know of the author's opinions/ read if you have questions cuz some of them might be answered)
So, how did everyone like the "inu" chapter? Did you expect Inu-Yasha to appear cuz of the title? Well, I don't think Kikyo knew Inu-Yasha until a few months or possibly a year before she died. Just wanted to add some "doggy influence" in her childhood.
Why is Renjiro not mentioned in the manga? Think about it, the manga never really talked about Kikyo's family except Kaede. There was no mention of her father or mother or possibly other siblings other than Kaede. But Kaede and Kikyo were pretty far apart in age, so maybe there were some children in between them. And Kaede in the future became a miko like her sister and was greatly involved in assisting Kagome and Inu-Yasha on their journey.
FYI, I am not Japanese, so I don't really know about the Japanese customs. I'm guessing here and there along the way. If you have any cultural tips and corrections, feel free to tell me. (If you want to give me free Japanese lessons, contact me immediately.)
Did you know that I like Kagome a lot better than Kikyo? Just because I hold Kikyo in much higher esteem than before doesn't mean that I like her better than Kagome, who, in my opinion, is one of the bravest characters in IY, facing every challenge magna cum fortem. (with much courage)
That's it for my AC (author's corner)!! See ya next time when Hana, the eldest sister of Yuki, sort of adopts Kikyo. (You know, like when you say, "You're my little sister" because you're good friends, yeah?