Love beyond the Western Lands
Chapter 15: Kikyou's Rage and Inuyasha's Sorrow
Kikyou woke up slowly and sat up. "Where… am I?" she thought. She saw Sesshoumaru, with his stripes back on his face and arms, sleeping on another futon with his kimono loose. Kikyou saw bandages wrapped around his torso. She looked around and in front of her was a roaring fire. She looked at her body and saw that she was wearing her undergarments. Her arms had a couple of scratches. Her legs had bandages wrapped in some areas. She touched her face and felt a scab that roughly formed an X. Her festival kimono lay torn on a table near by.
She looked behind her and saw a woman with black hair, grinding something and burning something which smelled earthy. She turned around and smiled.
"Ah, good!" She said. "You're awake." Kikyou gave a small smile. "Who are you?" The woman turned back to her burning pot and threw some herbs in. "I am the village miko and doctor. My name is Riko. Are you a miko as well?" Kikyou nodded. "Yes, I am, but in a different village. My name is Kikyou." "I see… but why is it that I sense you're a youkai? And your male companion as well?" "Well, that's because… we are." "Oh. I only thought he bore the stripes because of religious reasons." "No, he was born with them. I have them as well, but I am not revealing them right now. I only received my power a few days back." "Oh? And how was that?" Kikyou explained the fight with the water youkai and the dragon youkai's power found in the form of an orb, submerged in water.
"How interesting…" Riko turned around holding a cup of smoking liquid. "Here, drink this. It's a medicinal tea. It will help heal your internal wounds." Kikyou's eyes widened. "I HAVE INTERNAL WOUNDS!" she whispered hoarsely. "Yes, I'm afraid you do." "Hmm…." Kikyou took the cup gently and sipped it. "Mmm…" "Tastes like herbal menthol," she thought.
Riko knelt by Sesshoumaru, using a pestle crushing the herbs in the mortar while kneeling. She opened his kimono wider and loosened the bandages. It revealed a bloody gnash. Even Riko winced at the sight of it. "My, my," she said, scooping some of the herbal paste with her fingers and smearing it softly on the wound. "What could have done this?"
Kikyou stopped sipping her cup of herbal tea for a second. "Inuyasha, his half brother." "Inuyasha?" Riko gasped. "But I heard he was only a hanyou!" "A hanyou, yes, but the son of a taiyoukai." "Oh my! And with a swing of a blade? A technique which can wipe out 100 youkai?" "Yes," Kikyou replied, surprised. "I'm surprised you know about it!" "Well, it's some gossip."
She finished applying the paste onto Sesshoumaru's wound and changed his bandages. Suddenly, something snapped in Kikyou's head. "Ah! That reminds me!" she exclaimed. "What happened to my cherrywood bow?" "Oh, it's over there on the table. The string is just loose." Kikyou's bow… made from an enchanted cherrywood tree and a dragon mane's hair. "Kikyou-sama, you will be out of here in a few days, but you need your wounds to heal, so please don't do anything rash." Kikyou smiled. "Arigato, Riko-san." Riko smiled. "I'm going to get some more herbs from the garden. I will be right back!"
Riko walked out of the little hut. The curtain briefly let some snow blow in. As soon as the curtain closed, Sesshoumaru woke up, and then screamed when he sat up. "AAAAAAAH!" Sesshoumaru screamed. Kikyou screamed along with him, almost spilling her tea. "WHAT IS WRONG!" Kikyou said loudly. "It HURTS!" Sesshoumaru said hoarsely. Kikyou narrowed her eyes. "I know it does; I saw the wound." "Y-you did?" he made to take off the bandages, but Kikyou stopped him. "Don't. Riko, the village miko and doctor, told us we can leave in a few days. We just shouldn't do anything wild."
Inuyasha walked on the snowy road, who was currently, and unusually, quiet. "She… she… she said she loved him…" he thought to himself mournfully. "How could she love a bastard like him! At least Kagome is unharmed." Kagome walked a few steps ahead of him. "What happened last night?" Sango asked quietly. Kagome quickly explained to Sango what had happened that night.
"What!" Sango exclaimed. "She has learnt of the Arrow of Binding!" "That's what I heard her say when she used the arrow that transformed into vines that grasp you then sprout wings on the back and returned from where you came to the area," Kagome said. "That's the Arrow of Binding!" Sango said again. "Only advanced mikos like Midoriko knows how to use it (Again, much of the stuff is made up. And if you don't remember, Midoriko is the miko who created the Shikon no Tama.)! I never knew Kikyou was so advanced!"
Kagome glanced behind her to look at Inuyasha. Miroku walked over to Inuyasha. "What seems to be the problem my man?" he says, wearing his brightest smile. "Shut up, Houshi," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. Miroku's smile faded a bit. "My, my, Inuyasha! You need not be so rash!"
"What a baka," Inuyasha thought in his head while Miroku continued his rant about Inuyasha being impolite. Inuyasha gave Miroku his, "If you don't shut up, I'm gonna toss you over in the lake!" look. "Fine, fine, fine," Miroku said. "You seem troubled enough already." He walked up ahead.
Inuyasha sighed then lowered his head. Suddenly, he had the fleeting image of him unleashing Kaze no Kizu and hearing Sesshoumaru and Kikyou scream out I love you. "No… no… don't think about that… don't think about it!" he thought to himself. "But… how did they…?" But before he could finish his thought, 2 silver tears rolled down the sides of his face.
It was three days since Sesshoumaru and Kikyou received aid from Riko. One day, Riko came running into the hut, looking flustered and scared and clutched a katana in her hand. Her white miko top was loosened and mussed. Her scarlet miko bottom was hanging a little bit at a side as well; someone forced themselves on her. "Riko, what happened?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Uh… uh… Out… Outs-s-side… bandits! Mostly female!" Riko coughed out. "They said they are from the Shadow cult!" Kikyou finished tightening her bow string. "Why did they come here?" Kikyou asked. "They were looking for you," Riko replied, looking scared. "Looking for me?" Kikyou thought. "Alright."
Kikyou slung her quiver of arrows behind her back and slid her Ni Hon in her waist belt. She hid a tanto in the back of her waist belt as well. She picked up her bow and made to leave the hut. "Kikyou, where are you going?" Riko asked. "What do you think?" Kikyou said. "I'm going to see what they want!" Kikyou walked out of the hut and into the snow.
Outside, was a gang of human bandits, armed with swords, bows and arrows, clubs, spears and throwing chains. "Are you Miko Kikyou?" one clad in shiny steel armor asked. "This is probably the leader," Kikyou thought. "I am. What fools like you want here?" Kikyou asked. "We are searching for the Shikon no Tama, but some one who looks exactly like you shatter the jewels. We know a youkai has custody of almost all of the shards, but we know none of his whereabouts. Give us the shards you have in custody!"
Kikyou smirked and slung an arrow. "She's attacking!" a few of them screamed. "You think it would be that easy to take my shards?" "Well, yes, since its one of you and 10 of me." Kikyou laughed. The winds and falling snow seemed to howl along with her. "Think again." She released the arrow and it exploded as it hit the ground. The band of bandits thinned out as one of the arrows hit smack dab in the middle of one of the bandits, causing his body flesh to explode; only her skeleton was left. "She's a youkai! A youkai miko! Lady Aoi! Let's pull back! " Another screamed in terror.
"Baka-ga!" Aoi yelled, pulling out her shiny, blue-stained katana. "Attack her! She can't take all of your strength together!" That seemed to give the bandits more courage. They leapt into the air and then tried to slam their body on Kikyou. "Or can I?" Kikyou said mischievously. Kikyou, with her new inhuman speed, shot out nine arrows. Screams filled the air as the arrows dissolved into purple mist and injected itself into the bodies. They fell onto the snow-filled ground and then started writhing. "WH-what in the name of the Akuma!" Aoi yelled. The bodies exploded, but no blood appeared… Only the petals of sakura.
"Would you like to know the name of that arrow attack?" Kikyou said. "It's called Sakura's Poison." "Thank you," Aoi said. "I'll keep that in mind!" She ran towards Kikyou, swinging her blade as she went. Kikyou stowed her bow away and pulled out her own katana. The blade was suddenly blue-crystallized, and the handle was made of beaten opal. The sheath was made of sapphire. "Amazing," Kikyou thought. "My Ni Hon has morphed into a jeweled weapon…"
Kikyou held up the Ni Hon just as Aoi slammed down her own katana. "Y… your katana…" Aoi stuttered. "Yes, amazing isn't it?" Kikyou said. She took off a bit of strength of the katana as Aoi pushed harder. With a hard shove to the Ni Hon, Aoi's own blade snapped and Aoi herself was thrown off her feet. "WH… what sorcery is this!" Aoi yelled. "Don't you know? It is from miko training!" Kikyou yelled. She leapt into the air and slashed her Ni Hon. A shimmering blue crescent came exploding down. Aoi just escaped her would-be doom from crawling out of the crescent's target.
Riko and Sesshoumaru watched from the crack of the curtain. Riko was dazed. "She is POWERFUL!" She gasped in wonderment. "I'll NEVER be her!" Sesshoumaru was in wonderland as well. "My, my, she must be angry!" Sesshoumaru thought. "She didn't even fight this fiercely with Kagura or that Kouga person!"
Aoi attempted to crawl away, but Kikyou was too fast. She held the Ni Hon below Aoi's chin. "WHO sent you!" Kikyou said, holding the Ni Hon higher, making Aoi wince. "I… I am not at liberty to say." "Who… sent… you?" Kikyou said, angered. She held the Ni Hon even higher. Aoi's chin began to drip some blood. "I… INUYASHA!" Aoi screamed. The snow seemed to lighten; when the battle raged, the snow fell like pebbles. "What…" Kikyou said softly, "…are you saying? That Inuyasha sent you and your bandits… to rip my jewel shards from ME!"
The snow suddenly became heavy again. Kikyou pulled her Ni Hon out from Aoi's chin and raised it. Lightning thundered down on the tip. "HOW DARE YOU EVEN COME HERE?" The lightning ricocheted and down onto Aoi. But when the lightning dispersed, Aoi's would-be burnt body was not there.
Naraku sat in his usual corner, staring at his crystal sphere. "Perfect, Aoi…" Naraku thought. The crystal ball was at the spot where Kikyou threw down her lightning attack. A little silver ball rolled out from the shadows. Aoi walked into the light. "Aoi," Naraku's deep voice said. "I was worried you did not make it back. Good work; you delivered the message." "Yes, yes I did," Aoi said. "I almost lost my life if it hadn't been for that ball. I think the sum of my reward should be quite large. After all, you are the lord of a castle, correct?" "Yes, Aoi-san," Naraku said. Naraku took out a medium sack of gold out from his obi and tossed it to Aoi. "Arigato," Aoi said curtly. She walked to the door, but Kagura, Kayorei and Kanna were too fast. They blocked her exit.
"What folly is this!" Aoi said, annoyed. "Well," Naraku said, getting up and walking over to Aoi. "Where do you think your going?" "I'm leaving." "Well, this is the thing you don't know…" Kagura used the end of her fan and whacked her on the neck. Aoi slumped on the floor. "Ugh!" she groaned. "…once of help, ALWAYS of help," Naraku said. "You… you bastard…" Aoi hissed.
Naraku smirked. "Kanna, Kagura, show Lady Aoi to her room," Naraku said. As Kagura began to grab her shoulder, Aoi began to thrash in the corner. Until the three could no longer restrain her, she busted into the room, grasping a tanto. "If you want me to stay, I will not do so without a fight!" Aoi said defiantly.
Kayorei and Kagura walked in. Aoi struck first, but her blade immediately broke from Kayorei's reinforced black stained katana. After her tanto broke, she fought mightily like a wild dragon. However, they were prepared, for Kanna's mirror sprouted 6 vines once again. Four grasped her ankles and wrists. One wrapped itself around Aoi's entire body. The final one grasped her neck. Making it a little tighter bind on the neck, Aoi fainted. Kanna brought her down into the dungeon while Kagura and Kayorei followed.
"Don't worry, Aoi," Naraku thought. He took out the almost complete Shikon no Tama. "Try to escape, I shall find your family, and kill them along with the village if they live in one. I will release you when I have all the shards of the Shikon no Tama."
To be continued…
