A/N: I was recently made aware of the fact that in tao there are four beings that helped with creation. I didn't know this and just randomly threw some out there and together. I was also made aware that the story may be a bit confusing. I'm sorry for this and I'll try to clarify things. Some of it maybe plot and if that's the case it will all make sense in the next few chapters. Sorry for the flashbacks but I couldn't think of a better way to do what I wanted done without giving things away too soon.
Chapter 2: An Unlikely Ally
"Are you sure she would have strayed this far from the temple? There could be oni out here." One priest called to another.
"She goes out of the protective barrier all the time so of course she would be out here. Of course the one time she doesn't come back something would get her." The other called back.
"Her miko powers are strong though don't you think she can take care of herself by now?" The younger one called again as they combed the forest.
"She was still weak from the last letting. Stupid daimyos why can't they just leave her alone? Besides you know she'll never be as strong as the miko Kikyo. You know the one from the temple on the other side of the forest." The older one called back. "Now she could probably kill any demon that came her way."
"You're right about her not being as strong as Kikyo but they did train with the same teacher so perhaps she's strong enough to defeat the petty demons around here. And as for the damiyos. Well she's gotten them all to promise to never fight or recruit on the lands around the forest and the temples around it. So that way it can be a haven for the war torn. And she gives all of the money as offerings to the temple to be given out to the needy." The younger one called again.
"Yes but how much of that is lining the head priest's pockets? He's been acting mighty strange if you ask me..." The other one went on as they joined up on one of the paths.
"I know what you mean." They walked on down the path not knowing that there were attentive ears listening in overhead.
"Barrier? If it were to keep oni out how could I get into the temple? And this head priest sounds shady... I don't think I'll take her back just yet." The dog-eared boy thought to himself as he stealthily leapt from tree to tree following them. "I wonder who Kikyo is... Oh well no matter I'll never need to know her anyway."
"Looks like we start making offerings to the forest god to bring her back safely."
"Indeed." They turned around and started back to the temple. The boy took off towards the cave again.
"What's this? I smell oni..." He hissed increasing his speed. Sure enough there was a huge and hideous spider clawing at the opening of the cave trying to get at what's was inside. "Child's play." The boy snorted baring his claws. He reared back to strike the beast when it suddenly exploded releasing a spray of foul smelling body parts and liquid everywhere. He caught one whiff of it and collapsed on the ground unconscious.
"Oh that's horrible!" The miko screeched as she covered her nose with her sleeve as she stumble out of the cave and into the forest. She gasped when she saw the wolf-eared boy lying on the ground motionless. She rushed over ready to heal him when she realized he wasn't hurt. "The smell." She gasped as she grabbed his arms and slowly dragged him into the cave. She stripped off his shirts and ran over to the river to wash them; she had left one of hers to filter out the smell. She had just got back when he started coming to. He leapt to his feet then sank down on his haunches like a dog. Her shirt slowly ruffled to the ground and he glanced at it then up at her.
"Who are you?" He growled looking at her with dark yellow eyes. She looked at him a bit shocked then slowly reached his shirts out to him.
"My name is Shinseina Sesshoku." She replied as he snatched his shirts from her hastily. "I'm a priestess at the temple nearby. You got knocked out by the smell of that stink spider's blood so I washed your shirts to help you recover from it faster." She went on as she picked up her own shirt and dusted it off. "Who are you?" She asked looking back up at him with bright kind eyes.
"Are you sure you're mortal?" He asked defensively as his body eased a bit.
"Could I be a miko and have miko powers if I weren't? And would I look human?" She giggled a bit.
"I've never heard of a oni miko but we can look like humans." He snorted.
"Yes that would explain you wouldn't it?" She conceded with a nod.
"Only the strongest can take on a human form." He added with a hint of boastfulness.
"Well thank you for guarding me these few days." She replied bowing. "It was very kind of you mister strong human like youkai." She looked at him and cocked her head and got a strange look on her face. "But you aren't a youkai are you?" She asked looking like she was looking more through him than at him.
"How did you know that? How did you know you've been here a few days?" He asked digging his claws into the dirt.
"I don't know... I can feel something distinctly human in you. As for how I knew how long I've been here. I could feel the heat from the sun on my feet. I was awake some of the time I just couldn't move." She explained losing the far off, distracted tone in her voice.
"That's another thing. How did you produce flames like that which only burned what you wanted them to burn? I've never heard of any miko having powers like that." She looked at him in genuine confusion and shook her head.
"I don't know what you're talking about... All I remember is there being a fight between you and something else and running and I think I passed out as I was running because I don't remember anything after that." She explained with an unsure voice.
"You mean you don't remember?" He asked standing up straight. She shook her head. "Stay here." He said walking past her and out of the cave. "You're not going back to the temple until I'm sure of some things."
"But... What use do you have for me?" She wondered fearfully.
"For one thing I heard some priests from the temple talking about your head priest. I don't trust him. Along with a lot of other things. They said they were going to start making offerings to the forest god for your safe return so that's going to be your dinner." He explained before disappearing from view into the treetops.
"This is all very odd. He didn't even give me his name. But he's right I can't go back just yet. I don't trust the head priest either anymore." She sighed and sat down in the back of the cave. "He has a pure heart so I'm safe with him for now." She drifted off to sleep as nightfall came but not before scrawling something on the wall of the cave with a rock. "What's your name?" It asked plainly and simply. When she woke up the next morning there was a basket of vegetables on the ground next to her and a letter scrawled on the wall.
"An I." She whispered tracing it with her finger. "Well then one letter at a time it is." She nodded and set about eating some of the food. She left the rest for her guardian as she deemed him then went out into the woods. She walked slowly and lazily down one of the trails until she froze in place and looked around slowly. "I feel an evil presence." She muttered and raced down the path. "The village!" She screamed in her mind as she slid to a stop just inside the gates. All of the inhabitants had been slaughtered mercilessly. She slit her wrist on a spear and started running around dousing everyone she could find with a bit of blood here and there. In the end she wasted a great deal of it and could only save a quarter of the residents. She panted and dropped to her knees as they gathered around her and praised her.
"The good pure miko has saved us!" One little girl cheered. Sesshoku smiled warily then collapsed. There were sudden screams as a cold gust of wind rushed around her.
"It's an oni!" Someone screamed and there could be heard sounds of people running away as she was picked up and carried off.
"Stupid girl. Foolish and naïve mortal." A woman's voice hissed. "You came right into my trap. Which is fortunate. It saves me the trouble coming looking for you or dealing with all those supposed holy people of the temple." Sesshoku dropped out of the man arm's that was carrying her.
"Go on! I can take care of this oni trash!" She ordered with a toughness in her voice. She glanced down at her wrist, which was almost healed. "Slow but I think I can manage." She thought looking up at a woman who was floating over her. She was clad in all black so Sesshoku knew she was a kuromiko. "Why did you do this?" She hissed staring her down with intense eyes.
"Did I not just say this was a trap?" The dark miko hissed again laughing. "Now then to take you back to my mistress!" She lunged down and grabbed her and took off into the air.
"I'd rather die than be used by evil! Soul Piercing Strike!" She put her hands together so her index fingers and thumbs were touching. As she shouted the incantation purple energy shot out and pierced through the kuromiko's shoulder. She howled in pain and let go of Sesshoku; unconscious she plummeted to the ground. Just before impact she landed on something soft. There was something comforting in where she now lay and she snuggled in the warm, soft, fluff.
"What the Hell! Give her back!" The kuromiko hissed gripping her bleeding shoulder. A hand grabbed the young priestess and pulled her down into warm strong arms.
"Now if she really has the power you think she has why would I do that? She may be of some use to me." An unfamiliar voice answered. But the voice wasn't entirely unfamiliar; she had heard it before it just wasn't the one she thought it would be.
"What the Hell are you doing back around here?" Now that voice she knew. It was the dog-eared boy!
"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise? A showdown between a youkai, a filthy hanyou, and an insolent dark priestess. All over one mortal girl. Ironic isn't it? Well then let's get this over with so you can stop wasting my time." The one with Sesshoku replied indifferently.
"Don't rescue me... I can't prove myself to you if you rescue me..." Sesshoku muttered still unconscious as her freshly healed wrist slipped and dangled over his arm. Everyone looked at her a bit in shock.