Chapter 2: New Friends

Mika sipped thankfully at the soup given to her by Kikyo's mother. She was in a large hut on the edge of the Village, the home of the Priestesses. She had explained to them that she had fallen in the well at her Shrine and had appeared here. Kikyo has murmured something about a transportation spell while tying the bundles of herbs to dry. For some reason she kept casting glances at Mika's pack as if there were something wrong with the area it was in.

"Where are you from Child?" Kikyo's Mother smiled down at Mika, her black hair was tied at her back and she wore the red and white outfit of the Mikos of the village. She was a kind looking woman, something that had followed the generations to Keade, but seemingly skipped the quiet melancholy Kikyo.

"I'm from Tokyo," Mika said munching on a potato chunk, unaware that Tokyo pretty much didn't exist yet. Kikyo's mother raised an eyebrow but said nothing, if the girl wanted to hide her true origin with a silly fake one it was of no concern to her. Mika grew uncomfortable and remembered the Jewel in her backpack. Maybe it would ease her nerves to rub at it a bit. She reached over for it and unzipped the small pocket and pulled it free rubbing its rosy glow. Kikyo's eyes widened imperceptibly and she bent low over her task, hiding her eyes.

"The Jewel of Four Souls! The Shikon no Tama! How did you come by such a thing?!" Kikyo's mother was on her feet in an instant to take the jewel away from Mika. Mika was startled and pulled back as the jewel was snatched from her. Kikyo shot a frightened glance at Mika, and visibly winced as her mother turned on her.

"You were the caretaker of the Jewel Kikyo! How did this young girl come by it? Hm?" Kikyo's mother shook the hand clutching the jewel at the girl's head. Kikyo bowed her head knowing she had done wrong, and put a hand up to keep her sister from leaping to her aid. The young shrine maiden grew darkly calm.

"I threw it in the Well Mother," She looked up at the Miko her eyes radiating anger, "I wanted a normal life." Mika looked embarrassed, family's squabble over the jewel? Oh great what has she gotten herself into now. Kikyo's Mother calmed considerably and she dropped the jewel into Kikyo's lap and leaned on her knees to lay a hand on her daughter's head. Her eyes were touched with sadness as she looked Kikyo in the eyes.

"You can never be normal Kikyo."

Mika woke up that morning the room they had graciously provided her. She could hear the youngest girl, Keade was it? She seemed to be telling her mother a small group of priests had entered the village and were looking for the Leader Priestess. Mika saw the mother's shadow sweep past the door. She scuttled over and opened the doorway enough to peek out, only to see Kikyo doing the same on the opposite side of the hall. They looked at each other and Mika giggled. Kikyo smiled her cold smile and they both set out into the morning sun to see what the commotion was about.

Three Monks had arrived. One of them was about Kikyo and Mika's Age. He peered around one of the larger monks and broke into a grin, he promptly started over to them but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. The Eldest Monk, he looked to be in charge, was talking to Kikyo's Mother. Soon enough the woman nodded and they were led away to one of the other buildings. The Youngest Monk ditched his elders and quickly made his way over to the girls. He bowed and took Kikyo's hand in his.

"Fair ladies! It is an honor to meet you. I am Ryuji at your service." Kikyo pulled her hand free immediately, but the monk didn't seem to mind instead latching onto Mika's hand. Mika giggled at him. He was rather cute, shiny black hair and strangely purple eyes. His black robes were tied at his shoulder with a bright blue cloth and he carried the same staff, tall and laced with rings, as the other two monks. Mika vaguely remembered her father telling her that they were used so even insects knew the Monk was coming and would move so they wouldn't be inadvertently killed.

"I'm Mika, and she's Kikyo," she offered, and he broke into a wide smile. He lent down and kissed her hand as the other monks noticed where he was and yelled at him to get his scrawny hide back over with them. He flashed the pair a playful smirk and waved innocently at the Monks before marching over to them, rings jingling and his earrings glinting in the sun. Kikyo eyed the boy's retreat with a bored look and disappeared back into the hut without a word, but Mika told herself she would have to talk with him later that day. After he was a valuable learning resource!
Later that day, after seeing no sign of the monk and feeling awfully homesick Mika gathered her things and attempted to sneak to the well. After all falling in it had brought her here! Perhaps it would take her back. She snuck thought the forest as if something was going to leap out at her from any direction. Too bad she didn't anticipate ANY direction. A Dark shape dropped from above her, clapping a hand over her mouth and dragging her to the side. Seconds later a large balloon-like demon pounced where she had been standing. She screamed into the hand as it turned and stared directly at her.

She heard the person from behind her groan and felt them push her deeper into the bush. They dusted themselves off as if in no great hurry and Mika caught a glimpse of a familiar hairdo. Aha, Monk ahoy. Ryuji swept back his hair, walked over to the beast, and promptly hit it hard between the eyes with his staff. The Beast, who seemed to have been stunned at his fearlessness yelped. With a poof he turned into a small Tanuki demon, a sort of Raccoon perhaps, with a leaf on his head.

"You," the Monk calmly muttered, "You should be taken back to the village and skinned. Picking on poor wandering females like that." The Coon whined bowing and scarping at the boy's feet.

"Anything but that Monk Sir!" it looked pitifully up at him, obviously trying to weasel his way out of the situation, "I'll do anything!"

"Hn, throw away your life as a wretched lost demon and join me as, a servant," the Boy proclaimed, turning to wink widely at Mika. The Tanuki growled and attempted to run off with another trick but was forced into lying down when Ryuji settled the base of the staff into the back of the beast's skull. It muttered into the dirt for a second before accepting his defeat. Standing he proclaimed his servitude in a spiteful unwilling voice.

"Yes Master, I and all generations after me will be your family's faithful servants," he over did his bow with a snide look on his face. Ryuji ignored it and turned to look at Mika, he waved an all clear at the girl and she climbed out of the bush, straightening her skirt and plucking a stick out of her hair.

"Oh it's so cute!" Mika cried nearly pouncing the poor beast. It yelped and tried to beat her off but stopped when shot a withering glance from his master. With a grumble he crossed his arms and let her play with his ears. Better than being beaten black and blue by an evil monk and his staff.

"Come on, back to the village then," Ryuji smiled offering Mika a hand up, she took it blushing lightly. The pair set back to the village, a disgruntled raccoon in tow.
"Thank you for saving me!" Mika piped up as they reached the forest edge, Ryuji nodded companionably to her. The trio's heads snapped up at a crash and a scream as a demon, with Kikyo's Mother in one claw battled his way free of the wreckage of the main hut. Arrows followed it's blazing flight but harmlessly clattered free of it's scales. In its mouth was the Jewel of Four Souls.

Kikyo ran out of the building, pulling a slightly damaged Keade out of the smoldering ruins. Turning she whipped her bow off her shoulder and aimed an arrow at the beast. It glowed with unforeseen power as she let it loose. It slammed into the beast side ripping through flesh and tendon. It howled and dropped Kikyo's mother who fell a ways down, slamming into the top of a hut and sliding limply to the ground where she didn't move. Hissing as she watched her mother crumple Kikyo pulled another arrow free and let it loose. The beast looked down at her in time for it to slam though it's eye and though the jewel, splitting it in two.

Ryuji ran forward to help Kikyo's Mother but was too late. He looked up at the sky when a loud crack sounded and saw it turn pink. A flash of bright pink light followed and two jewel shards danced around each other swirling for a second and then blasting towards the opposite ends of the Earth. Mika covered her head as one blasted over her and deep into the mountains. Ryuji pulled away from the limp form he could not save only to see the hand of one of his companions under the rubble. He reached for it but noting the blood leaking thickly onto the ground and a missing finger realized that everyone was dead.

Everyone. Was Dead...

(AN: Thanks for the comments and reviews. They really want to make me write more of my stories and hopefully I'll get more than 2 of them this chapter. Sorry for Taking so long as well. Well Oh my! Look what I did. I killed off everyone who didn't have a name and got the 4th person needed for a quest. And a Quest too! Wonder what'll happen next. Seeya Next time!

Hearts and Cookies

- Cat)