The Search for the Blood Crystal

Chapter 2: A Lesson
Kisho didn't know what just happened. He remember falling into the well and hitting the bottom hard. He sat up some his cloths dirty and he had lost his backpack in the fall, "Damn him. I'll get him for pushing me into this stupid thing."

Kisho rubbed his head and his tie came loose letting his hair fall back. He looked around and realized that there were bones all around. He knelt down and pocked at a few, "What the fu-. . .Ow!"

An odd-looking skull hit his head and he fell backwards. Kisho laid there for a moment his brown eyes dazed from the hit. His sensitive hearing could hear someone above. He snorted some, "Bet that bastard is up there. I'll show him right now."

Out of anger Kisho used his unusual ability for jumping high and he leaped right out of the well and landed on the edge. When he did he came face to face with a girl holding a staff. For a moment the two both stared at each other before she screamed, "Ah! It came back to life. . .Die, die, die!" She beat him several times over the head with her staff and he found himself at the bottom of the well again.

"Er. . .ah eh what just happened?"

He saw her peak over the ledge shyly, "You're not a youkai?"

Kisho shook his head rubbing the bumps on his head, "Of course I'm not. What hit you over the head to think that?"

She bit her lip, "Because why would anyone be in the well?"

Kisho was going to answer, but realized something was different here. He leaped again up to the ledge, but the opposite side of the maniac girl. With a firm grip he looked around. Nothing, but forest was around and the God Tree he saw at the temple was still there, he could see it. There were no buildings or busy streets, just the peaceful forest. Kisho was lost for words as he looked at everything in shook. The girl poked him in the side and noticed some features about him, "You have youkai in you."

Kisho ignored her as he jumped down, "What ever, go home."

"Oh, no no, we've been looking for someone like you."

Kisho tilted his head some to see her out of one of his eyes, "Like me? What makes you so sure that I'm your man."

She placed her hands on her hips before she pulled his hair, causing him to fall off the ledge of the well on to his face, "Well for one you have the white line markings down your hair. Plus I sense some youkai in you.not a lot but its still youkai."

Kisho balled his fist up as he laid their face first in the dirt. The girl covered her mouth in apology, "Oops I'm sorry about that. Heh, I guess I pulled a little to hard."

Kisho pulled his head up as he stared at her, "You think?" He brushed the dirt off some as he rested his head against his hands, "Where am I anyways?"

"Oh, this is called Inu-yasha's forest."

'That name. . .that was the name he was searching for. That brat back at the temple said so. Even though I've thought of that name everyday, it was so familiar and yet no one back home could tell him much about it. And now here I am in who knows where land.'

"Can you take me to the village?" He asked.

"Oh sure, why?"

Kisho bit his lip as he tried to be nice, "For help."

"Help for what?"

A growl was produced from Kisho frustration as he stood up, "I'm.uh, I think I'm lost."

"Yeah you must be lost if you were sitting in a well."

Kisho narrowed his eyes at her. As she waved her hands in apology, "Ok follow me!"

Kisho folded his arms together as he walked, following the girl to the village. As they made their way through the woods he caught the sight of the God Tree. That familiar mark that scared the tree was still there and that odd familiar feeling was there too. He could smell something familiar to his own scent, but he just couldn't think of whom it belongs to. He dismissed the thought for now as he jogged some to catch up with the girl. The village was like the ones he saw in text books, old little huts made of wood while the villagers worked on their farming land. As they moved on Kisho caught the eyes of many villagers staring at him. He tilted his head some as he looked at them, but only found them looking away.

'Bet they think I'm weird or odd. Everyone thought so when I was a kid growing up.'

The girl stopped as she pointed her staff to one of the buildings, "Your answers lay there." She said with a smile.

Kisho nodded as he walked forward. He wrinkled his nose some as he had lost his shoes as well from the fall and he kept the rocks hitting his foot roughly. Though in an odd way he felt better bare footed. He walked up the wooden stairs slowly, listening to the uneasy creak. He reached out pushing the shades away and stepped into the darkness of the hut that was only lighted by a candle. Kisho laughed some; "Its light outside and all dark in here, how stupid is that."

"Boy, you have a lack in manners ye thinks."

"Eh?" Kisho said as he turned his head towards the sound. His eyes needed time to adjust to the dim light, but he saw who sat there staring upon him. An old woman that he could tell, she seemed very old, but in good health even in this time, "Who are you?" He barked.

"Manners! Are needed in you, have fathers attitude and personality. Such a pity."

Kisho kneeled down with his hands down in front of him, sitting almost like a dog, "Father? You know my father?"

"Aye, they call me Kaede in this village to answers the first question."

Kisho nodded his head and she caught him with his head down and kept him in that position, "Hmm, yes ye have his fathers markings as well."

"Hey you old ha-"

She let go of him as he stumbled back against the floor, "Yes you are his son."

Kisho couldn't keep his balance and fell on his butt, "Eh. . .who is he?"
She didn't answer him as she looked at him with an emotionless gaze, Kisho even felt a bit weakened under her gaze, "Can you sense the Shikon no Tama?"

"The what? I don't know what's wrong with you people, but I don't have some special powers."

"Though ye knows what it is."

"Ya, its that jewel-"

"Then concentrate on it." She said interrupting him.

Kisho grumbled some as he opened his eyes wide. When he did his vision darkened as he turned his head from side to side. Even the color of his eyes faded as he did this and they returned to the normal color as he lifted his arm and pointed west, "That way. . .at lest I think so. It's light over there."
"As I thought, ye don't wish to have these powers."

Kisho lifted his head high some in protest and she chuckled lightly, "Yet, ye have them. Why does ye reject these talents?"

Kisho looked down some as he sat cross legged on the floor, "Its from being alone for so long. I've been alone since I was 5. I was abandon and plus I started having these strange things happen to me. I'm faster then everyone and I can jump higher then everyone else, even as a kid. Plus it's these that scare everyone." Kisho opened his hands full to reveal his claws. They were short, but there was no doubt that they were claws, "I keep my hand usual in a fist so no one sees."

"Ah, let me see child," She studied his claws closely for a moment, "Kisho my boy, you weren't abandon."

Kisho's head perked up some, "I wasn't?"

"Hmm. . .no. Your parents were desperate to keep you from harm. It was all a mistake, but ye doesn't know the whole story."

"At lest tell me what you know!"

Kaede nodded, "Well-"

Before she could continue an explosion outside caused the ground to shake and catch the twos attention. Kaede grabbed a bow and arrow and hurried outside as fast as she could go. Kisho rose to his feet and followed to see what was happening. As he walked out one of the villagers fell from the sky hitting the ground with a loud thump. His entire body was torn, mostly from the torso area. Kisho turned his head away as he looked to the sky, "What the hell did that?"

"A youkai, are you really that stupid."

Heh, shut up!"

"Ah, I smelled the youkai every one of us despises, but its nothing more then a mutt with his sent," The youkai said as she landed on the ground. She was some sort of bird human cross. Her long arms were lined with the feathers that helped her fly while other feathers decorated her body. Her talon like hands wiped the blood from lips as she spoke with a crackle.

Kisho never seen anything like her before and stood almost stunned as Kaede pulled her arrow back to shoot. She let the arrow go as it followed a smooth arc but the bird lady youkai swiped it away with her talons.

"Such weak powers old miko. The one I seek isn't here ,but I suppose a meal is in order," With a flap of her wings she flew right towards them, "I think I'll have some human brains next!"

She raised her talons above Kaedes head and as she brought them down a gush of blood spurted out with her quick rake. Her lips curled in satisfaction, but sudden she was thrown backwards to the ground. Standing above her was Kisho holding his shoulder from the wound, "You're one crazy bitch. Shouldn't attack the old hag you know. Where's the fun in that?"

"Kisho. . .thank you."

Kisho grinned as he looked back at her, "Hey, might as well test these, right?" Kisho said as he flexed his claws for the first time, "Get everyone to safety"

Kaede pulled on his shirt lightly as the bird youkai was getting back to her feet slowly, "No, you've never been in a fight-"

"Ah, who cares! Just go get everyone to safety I'll be fine. After this you'd better tell me what I want."

Kaede nodded as she hurried the rest of the villagers away. The girl that had led Kisho there before ran after the rest but stopped and paused to look at Kisho, "Good, luck." She whispered.

The bird youkai was on her feet again watching the villagers run, "You fool, you will pay for ruining my meal."

"Ah, shut up! I have the scent on me right? Well here's your meal if you can catch it."

"Foolish boy, you cannot compare with my power."

'Perhaps I can't, but I need to know if I'm really am part youkai and this is how I can prove it to myself.' Kisho thought as he lowered his body down some for a lunge.