Chapter 12 - Guardian
"How dare you fall in love with youkai!" Kikyo shouted. "Especially him!"
"I wouldn't be saying that, toshi," her sister replied, using their old childhood nickname for each other. "Do you not have a youkai following you around?"
Kikyo's face paled. "Do not bring Inuyasha into this! He is not a youkai." She rolled her eyes. "Then what is he, sister?" She looked Kikyo in the eye.
"You have a child though. She needs you, and you're going to abandon her for a youkai?" Kikyo shot back, avoiding the question.
"I did not say I would leave Hikariko. Even though she is not his daughter, he wants to be her father."
Kikyo covered her mouth, in shock. "Toshi, no. You are…after all you're training with the taiji-ya. I would have been fine if you had just loved him, but to wed him and have your human child raised by him and among youkai, no. That is going too far. I will not allow it."
Her sister stared at her. "What are you going to do then?"
Kikyo turned her back on her sister and hung her head. "The people of the village do not really know you. Only Kaede and I are your real contacts here. I am the miko for this village. It is my responsibility to make sure no danger comes to here. I also guard the Shikon no Tama." She lifted up her head, but didn't turn around. "To ensure the safety of the village and the Jewel you and any of your children are hence banished from this place. Unless you can give your youkai up and knowing that you won't; for further punishment your memory will die here."
"What?" she asked, confused by her sister's words.
"Any stories told of you I will say that it was a different name than yours. We will not speak your name and by we I mean Kaede and I. From this point on, I have no twin sister, and Kaede does not have another older sister. You never existed."
She nodded her head. "I see. Then I must go. I shall say good-bye to Kaede before you tell her of your decree. Farewell, Kikyo, my toshi. Unlike you, you will always be my twin sister, and Kaede will always be my little sister. I will remember you and your names." She stepped outside the hut to find Kaede. Leaving Kikyo, whom she knew was crying silently.
She became aware that she was awake, but did not open here eyes. That was a different. She had never had that dream before. She reviewed it a couple of times to remember it. Kikyo…that name was familiar from somewhere. She knew Kaede, and Hikariko had been mentioned again.
Kameko slowly opened her eyes. All she saw was darkness. 'I'm blind!' she thought till her eyes focused and she saw stars above her. Nearby she heard the crackling of a fire.
She mentally began to assess her situation from her position. She was a near a fire. There was faint rustling, so someone, probably her rescuer, was nearby. She smelt some kind of food in the air. She was outside, lying on a pad (perhaps) and under a blanket, looking at the stars. Kameko also knew she didn't have her shoes or pants.
'Great, flash everyone your underwear,' she thought. Then she thought of the underwear she was wearing. 'Oh no!' she moaned mentally then thought, 'at least I don't wear thongs.'
"Oh! You're awake," came a little girl's voice. Then above Kameko appeared the little girl from earlier, Rin. The ribbon was still around her ponytail. She held out a bowl. "This is for you, otome."
Kameko sat up and took the bowl. "Gracias." She said and bowed her head. It looked like a broth. Rin hadn't given her a spoon so she took a sip right from the bowl. It was warm and she could feel the broth warm her body as it traveled down her throat.
Rin smiled as trotted to the other side of the fire.
"I still say we leave her, Master," said a whiny, croaky voice. "She looks old enough to be by herself. Maybe she can even take Rin with her. Or toss her back into the river where you found her." It came from the other side of the fire. She couldn't see who spoke.
"I did not ask for your advice," came an even, commanding voice. "If I wanted it I would have said so." This shut up the whiny one.
Kameko wasn't sure what they were talking about. All she was concerned with at the moment was drinking the broth. The two voices were still talking, though she tuned it out.
"Can otome-san not swim?" asked Rin. Kameko nearly chocked on the broth. She hadn't even noticed the little girl come back.
She smiled at her. "Otome-san can, just not very well." The girl gave her a funny look. Kameko realized she had replied in English. Kameko was going to translate it back to Rin but a figure stepped in front of the fire. Blocking its light and warmth.
"I see you have awoken," said the tall figure before her. Since the fire was behind him she couldn't tell he looked like. He (she was sure it was a he) looked at Rin. "Has she eaten?"
Rin nodded, looking up at him. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."
He inclined his head toward Kameko. "What's you're name?"
"Kameko," she said firmly. She had the feeling he was trying to intimidate her.
"Where are you from and why were you in the river?" This Sesshoumaru character asked uncouthly.
"I'm from the east, across the ocean. And I was out for a relaxing swim in the river," she replied sarcastically.
A little green thing, with big yellow eyes came up behind Sesshoumaru. "I wouldn't be rude to Sesshomaru-sama, he did pull you out of the river. He could very well put you back in."
"Jaken, did I, Sesshoumaru, ask for your input."
The little green thing cowered. "No, my lord."
"Then I suggest you don't, unless you want to see what Toukijin can do to you," He turned around to look at his servant.
Light from the fire washed over his features. He had long, slivery hair with bangs. There were markings on his face: a blue crescent moon, two purplish lines on side of his cheeks. There was a white fur thingy over his right shoulder. From the rest of his attire Kameko gathered that he was of the high rank. 'And not human,' she thought as she saw his elf like ears.
'This is my guardian angel,' she thought. 'He's looks so otherworldly.'
Sesshoumaru turned back to her. "What were you doing in the river?" he asked again.
"My boat hit a rock. Needless to say I'm not the best of swimmers, especially in a strong current."
He nodded his head and looked at the little girl. "Rin," was all he said, but it seemed to hold more because she rose. Leaving Kameko's side to do whatever the unspoken command was.
"She threw a fit until I allowed her to get these for you," he said as Rin came back with a bundle in her arms. Jaken looked like he was going to say something, but then though better of it.
Rin smiled and held out the bundle to Kameko. "I saw you wearing something like them before."
Kameko undid it to find that it was a pair of pants. Not like kind Inuyasha wore, but more like a farmers. A closer inspection showed that they were not of farmer quality. They were of a soft, black material and appeared to be made an expert tailor.
"Thank you," she said, not sure if to direct it to the little girl or her rescuer. So she left it open.
"Put them on. I, Sesshoumaru, will not have you running around her half naked," he said, monotone still.
"Fine, but turn around." She began to get up from under her blanket, stopped seeing that he wasn't moving.
He started at he for a while, then gave up and turned around. Jaken still started at her. "You too," she said, twirling her finder to show him how to turn around.
"I don't see why you're being so difficult," Sesshoumaru said, his arms crossed. "I rescued you, I know what you are wearing."
Kameko put her blanket off and stood. "Ah, yes, but the less you see of what I was wearing. The sooner you will forget. Hence why you're turning around." She pulled on the pants. They fit perfectly. What were the odds of that? The black pants were form fitting, yet didn't make her feel bloated like other pants. "You can turn around." Rin was smiling up at her, glad that the pants fitted.
Before Sesshoumaru could say anything Jaken charged forward. "How dare you command Master? He saved you, gave you clothes! Do you have any idea who he is? He's Lord of the Western Lands!"
Kameko leaned over. "Look, Frog. I don't take crap from anyone, least of all something annoying as you."
SMACK!
Jaken was sent flying into a tree.
"Jaken, what did I say about your input?" Sesshoumaru asked, his arm still out from the hit he had given his servant.
"Uuuggghh," was Jaken's response.
Rin picked up his staff. "You dropped this!" She ran over to give it to him.
Kameko was left with Sesshoumaru. Suddenly she felt very short. "So, you rescued me?"
His expression, and voice, didn't change. "Yes."
Kameko nodded her head, coming closer to him. She could sense his body tense as she did. The she realized that she could sense him. She raised an eyebrow. "You're a youkai."
"Yes. You're very perceptive."
"I sensed you while I was in the river. Interesting." She came a little closer. If he had been someone else she was sure he'd have backed up.
"Why do you insist on coming closer?" he asked.
"Well, you see. I made a promise to myself," closer, "in the river that the person or thing that rescued me," closer and closer, "I'd do this." Without warning she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him. He staggered back, not sure what to do.
Kameko undid her arms and came down from her tiptoes. She looked at Sesshoumaru, who have an expression of shock and surprise on his face. The only real expression she had seen that night. His jaw had actually dropped a little. He obviously hadn't been expecting it.
"That's your, uh, reward for rescuing me," Kameko said, slightly blushing. She had never done anything like that before. Especially to an older guy.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, what's wrong?" Rin asked, coming back with Jaken behind her. Kameko assumed that they hadn't seen what just happened.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked, looking concerned. He had seen his Master like this before.
With a blink Sesshoumaru was back to his composed self. "Nothing. Do not ask questions." He gave Kameko a look and went to the other side of fire.
That's when she noticed for the first time. His eyes. They were golden. Like Inuyasha's eyes; like the man's eyes from her dreams.
Author's Note: LOOK! I updated! ::does a dance:: Woohoo! Geez, took me long enough! Sorry for the wait! I didn't mean to take so long. I hope to update again before college starts. Ahhhh! College! Ok! Funky Words Time! Yes, I know toshi is an actually Japanese name. It means "Mirror Image" it's referring to Kikyo and her twin looking exactly the same. Otome means "girl" in Japanese. Gracias means "Thank you" in Spanish. Don't know if I used it before, but yeah… Ok. That's it for now. I gotta get started on my Trigun story, so see ya! I would also like to point out that I'm human (we hope) and therefore not perfect. Shocker I know. So do please excuse my spelling & grammar mistakes. I will gradually go chapter by chapter and fix them all.
P.S.: I almost forgot! Thank you to Jupiter's Light, TheWraith1 (I can't tell you…:P), Aaroyle (Gah! It was Sesshoumaru!), and lilgirl! Thanx for the reviews!!!!!!!!!!