January 26, 2002
Sister, Sister
By Yashira
Chapter 5
Kaede followed after them, moving slowly and carefully, as she entered the hastily built hut. Her eyes glanced casually to where Miroku had sat Yashira down on one of the few unscathed reed carpets which had miraculously outlasted the fire. The dark haired monk was currently rummaging through one of Kagome's first aid kits as he searched for something in which to use on the trembling woman, but Yashira, aside from being an unnatural shade of pale, looked otherwise uninjured. ~She reminds me so much of..~
"Are you okay Miko-sama?" Miroku spoke softly, his voice sounding noble, even impressively courtly as he knelt beside her. He tended to do that when he wanted someone to find favor with him. "You're still shaking."
Yashira glanced at him, her blue eyes watchful and calculatingly calm, as she nodded absently. It was as if she were more occupied with her surroundings, rough cut wood that needed to be smoothed and refined, than with any words he could muster. She shifted uncomfortably as a blast of cold air, coming from one of the cracks in the wall, blew along her legs. "It's just nerves... I can tend to myself." Already dismissive she searched the hut for possible exits.
"But you need-"
Sango's fist landed without warning on Miroku's head; her movements had been so quick that he had had no time to duck. Dark eyes glared behind him in accusation. "Not only do you leave me behind when Sesshomaru shows up, but you try to get a free feel too."
"Sango, you were at the other end of the village, and also I'm insulted," he replied in the most injured tone imaginable, "I would have tried to for a light touch first."
A temple vein appeared on Sango's forehead as Kagome ducked in through the open doorway with Shippo held protectively in her grasp. Inuyasha followed behind her, a sour grimace colouring his hard gaze, as he glanced over to where the dark haired Miko sat. "Feh," he replied, his tone full of lingering disgust, as he immediately moved to the complete opposite side of her.
"I take it, something's happened," Kaede began carefully, as she moved to the steaming pot she had left brewing over the fire.
Kagome nodded as she repeated the events that had led up to Myoga and Kirara running into the village for help. "Inuyasha was about to kill her."
"Ah," Kaede remarked calmly as she shifted the chunky contents around with her wooden spoon. Carrots and potatoes poked through the broth as she added softly, as if meaning her words only for the Miko in question. "So you are the one called Yashira."
Usually so contemptuous of those around her, Yashira's blue eyes flickered casually over Kaede's face noting the woman's old age with a grudging respect. "Yes, that's my name. Do I know you?" Her voice was still aloof, her arms crossing over her white shirt, as inadvertently looked into the fire.
"I think.." Kaede began thoughtfully, watching Kagome take a seat with the exhausted Kitsune asleep in her arms, "that I may have known your mother… or grandmother…" She glanced up with her good eye, regarding Yashira again as if she could see her with both eyes. Yes, the girl was extremely attentive and wary, a trait that was exactly the same as the woman Kaede remembered. The coldness and abruptness in which she held her was still there, and yet there was something more. Kaede could not place exactly what it was, but if pressed she would have guessed anxiety.
"My mother?" Yashira's voice seemed surprised.
"If she is who I think she is… She was a friend of my sister. Her name was Yashira too. You resemble her so much that it's uncanny. You must be her descendent."
"I must be." Yashira's reply sounded too soft, almost like a question itself, but her eyes were veiled, shielded. It was almost as if she were letting Kaede shape an answer for her.
Kaede spooned some stew into a rounded bowl and immediately passed her one before she handed something similar to Kagome and then Sango. "Does this at all sound familiar?"
Yashira stared at the bowl in her lap with dark eyes as her fingers idly played with the silver chain around her neck. "I'm afraid this is…"
"Bah, why are you humoring her at all!" Inuyasha interrupted, anger etched hard into his voice, he leapt to his feet instantly. "Even if she's the daughter or descendant from the girl you knew, it doesn't mean she would know Kikyo at all. That was more than 50 years ago…"
"Inuyasha, be nice." Kagome hissed a soft warning, from her spot with Shippo, as she made concerned eyes at him to curb his tongue. At the same moment, Yashira's voice faltered.
"Kikyo?"
"Yes, yes," Kaede replied eagerly, not missing a single step as she realized that Yashira's pause was something to work with. "Kikyo. She was a friend of your mother's. Maybe she talked of her?"
Yashira's tone which had faltered a moment, seemed to steady as easily as calmed water once she understood the situation that was being placed in front of her… the questions that were being asked were about people and times happening 50 years ago. "I only know it by word of mouth.. if any…" And yet she seemed uncomfortable as if something touched her so badly that she was definitely avoiding it.
"Well at least we got that out of the way," Miroku replied with a smile as he took up his plate of food. "So you're a descendent of the friend of Kaede's older sister… It's good to see the beauty wasn't lost." His smile grew and received a pinch from Sango when he tried to use the age old "grab" your butt technique.
"Kaede?" The look of surprise flashed again in her stunned face and Yashira carefully scruntinized Kaede over, "You did say Kikyo was your older sister?"
Kaede nodded, "So your mother or grandmother did speak of me… I must admit that I am surprised. I did not think her the type to wed."
Yashira glanced off to the side, "Yeah."
"Say Inuyasha, did you ever meet her?" Kagome's question was unexpected, it took the whole room, including Inuyasha, but surprise.
"Huh? Who?"
"Yashira's mother most likely," since Yashira, herself, had not clarified it, no one knew exactly if it was mother or grandmother. "You knew Kikyo and Kaede," Kagome prompted, "Maybe you knew her too."
"Feh, I think I would remember an annoying woman like that." He dropped back down to his feet, his arms going around his legs as he sat.
Yashira lifted her eyes, dark blue orbs that narrowed coldly on him, "I think I would recall a big mouth hanyo. Especially an ill-bred mutt like yourself."
"What did you call me?!"
"Oh, she's good," Miroku commented back to Sango quietly, "She got him mad in what 2 seconds?"
Sango nodded and whispered back, "So good that we may have some trouble. Look."
"Not only are you ill-bred, you're also incompetent if you can't hear me speaking from where you're sitting." Her words came easily, her tone haughty, as she ran her hand through her loose black hair.
"You take that back you bitch." He was once again on his feet, his fingers drawing Tetsusaiga from his blade in a harsh sigh.
Yashira, nonplussed and unmoved, only smirked. "Why, got too close to the truth."
"Why you…"
"Kagome," Kaede began quickly, "the word please."
"Osuwari."