17 ~by: Twilight Zero

TZ's notes: Hi! It's me again! Gomen ne if I took this long to update, it's because I was really busy these days, preparing for my admission to college! (Darn…writer's block!)*bonks head* First of all, I want to say a big "ARIGATO!" to Strife and Li Kasumi for reviewing my stories! Yoshi! This is the fourth chapter…I hope you all like it! J

"I learn my lessons, and I'll make mistakes And if I get burned, it'll be my heart to break…"

The next morning, Kikyou set out again to see Inu Yasha. She was unaware that Kaede was following her. The great miko was lost in thoughts about the hanyou, and as her little sister listened on, she was humming a soft tune. There's her smile again…Kaede thought. What's wrong with her?

Kaede stopped when her onee-sama stopped at the middle of the clearing. The gentle breeze of the morning played against her ebony back hair. Hopeful, she looked around her, as if she was waiting for someone. Who can it be…?

KSSSHHH…the sound of a pile of leaves and some footsteps caught Kikyou's (and Kaede's) attention. Afraid but determined, the little girl hid behind a thick bush. Looking on, her onee-sama looked so glad. Who was this person that she was expecting? Kaede remembered the statement that the old lady at the village told the the other day…

"I'm sorry, my child. But we are just concerned about your sister. We care for her so much because of all the good things that she does for this village. We can't help but notice about her everyday disappearances. Do you know where she really goes during those times?" She remembered that she even defended her sister's side, without knowing what's really going on! But now, she isn't going to wonder anymore. For the answer to all her questions lies at the person whom her onee-sama was seeing everytime. And when she found out who he was, she can't believe her eyes…

"Okasan! I'm going to play for a while!" Little Ichigo called out to her mother, who was with the other village women, chatting.

"Okay, Ichi-chan! Kiotsukete ne!" her mother waved back at her, as Ichi-chan ran off to meet with her friends. "Ichi-chan!!!" they called out. The kids went to the Shikon shrine's yard to play for a while. Little did they know that something was watching them. Something with fiery red eyes. Its mouth was overflowing with saliva, with its desire to eat the villagers, particularly the little innocent children who have absolutely no idea what impending danger was waiting for them. Soon, everybody in the village heard their desperate cry for help…

"EEEEEEEEE!!!!!" The sound of the children yelling alerted Inu-Yasha's ears. Kikyou heard it too as well, and dashed off towards the village. Kaede stood from her hiding place and ran back as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the giant youkai was destroying half of the village and was about to eat the children if it hadn't for Kikyou's spiritual arrow. It took her two shots before the youkai fell to its demise. As she went to see if the children were alright, Ichi-chan's mother came up to her and slapped her right cheek.

"Because of your everyday disappearances, that youkai almost ate my daughter! You're so neglectful!" she yelled, with tears in her eyes. Kikyou's tears were threatening to show too, if it weren't for Kaede and her quick comfort. The villagers looked at the great miko head back to her hut, while the hanyou was amongst the shadows of the forest, feeling a little uneasy for himself.

"Because of your everyday disappearances, that youkai almost ate my daughter! You're so neglectful!" The yelling of Ichigo's mother continues to echo in Kikyou's ears. She was sitting inside of the Shikon's temple, meditating about what that woman told her. At the same time, her little sister went inside, feeling a little disappointed. "I know the reason of your disappearances now," she began, "Cause you're seeing that cursed hanyou, Inu-Yasha! I saw you this morning, and you're acting strange! Tell me, onee-sama! What's the matter with you?!" she asked with tears flowing from her eyes.

"Kaede, I'm afraid I'm not in the mood to talk now. Please give me some time alone," she replied.

"But onee-sama…"

"Onegaishimasu!"

Little Kaede was surprised by her cry. "I understand. But Kikyou onee-sama, can I ask you one favor? Please," she begged. "For the sake of everybody, please stop seeing Inu-Yasha anymore…for the safety of the village." Then she left. As soon as she left, Kikyou burst into sobs. "Kami-sama, what have I done?"

"It isn't easy, hearing what they say,

Sometimes you've got to, take a leap of faith…"

Kikyou was told by Kaede to stop seeing the hanyou anymore. And so it was done. This went on for many, many months and during these times, Kikyou atoned for the sin she committed. It took a lot of time before the villagers learned to forgive her. Everything was going just fine, until he showed up – Onigumo…

" I heard that Onigumo was a thief before," Kaede told her sister after they went from the cave where he was being kept. "Isn't he a bad person? What if he does something horrible to the village?"

"But still, he's also human like us and deserves to live because he's a human."

"Correction, onee-sama. A bad human!" Kaede said with her right index finger raised. Her sister laughed at her cute expression, and went back to the village. The cool breeze of the afternoon announced the coming of the fall that year, and the setting sun showed the nearly orange leaves of some of the trees inside the forest. As Kikyou looked closer, she saw a being standing in the shadows, a being with white hair, looking at her. That aura, Kikyou thought. It's him!

"Kikyou onee-sama? Is something the matter?"

"H-huh? Oh, nothing, Kaede. Nothing…never mind it." She was happy to see him again, after so many months…and after thinking for a while, she won't hesitate now. She had made up her mind: she will see him tonight…

"Cause it feels right, yeah it feels good

And I'm not gonna do something stupid,

Just this once I, wanna feel like

I can do what I want when I hold tight…"

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Waii!!! Another chapter done!!! Cliffhanger, ne? Excited to see what's gonna happen next? Okay, here's a hint: new moon.

Please be kind! Read and review! Arigato! J