CHAPTER 2: EARTH AND WATER
Kohaku raised his head cautiously, spitting out some dirt that had mysteriously gotten in his mouth. Sango's head was still pressed firmly under his hand incase something was there to hurt them and was ready to chop some heads. Plus the fact he got some brotherly satisfaction out of the fact she was starting to struggle against him. Kohaku squinted his eyes as the dust settled once again, and he raised himself to his hands and knees, letting go of Sango's head when she let out a shout that sounded closely like a threat. He looked up and gasped, hazel eyes going wide. Sango spit some leaf bits out and rested on one elbow, using her other hand to wipe her tongue clear.
"You didn't have to plow me you know," she grumbled, but her brother paid no mind to it, as he got to his feet and took a few cautious steps forward. Sango raised a brow and hastily got her feet, dusting her taijiya uniform and mumbling, letting Hiraikotsu drop to the ground with a thud.
"Ane-ue…you've got to see this…" she heard Kohaku breath, and Sango raised her head and let her jaw drop.
Only a few feet of where they had been standing was a charred crater, at a guess six feet deep, and almost eight feet in diameter. Jagged earth spouted from the edges, and the hiss of heat released pluming streams of smoke into the air. Burnt dirt and leaves filled the air with their acrid scent, and they scrunched up their noses at the sulfuric smell. Sango pulled on her metal gas mask and neared the crater, taking careful steps to ensure of unstable ground.
"Ane-ue! We don't know what happened! Get back here!" Kohaku hissed at her back, and Sango waved her hand at him, dismissing his little protest.
Sango could hear her heart sped up in her ribcage as she neared the edge of the crater, and slowly looked over the edge, her eyes slightly tearing as gray smoke wisped up at her. Through the thin smoke she could make out an object at the bottom of it, half buried in the black soil. She heard a faint cracking.
"Ane-ue! Look out!"
Sango gasped as the foot nearest the crater suddenly gave out, and she went sliding on her butt the short distance down. She hissed as she landed on a rock, a particularly jagged rock, and jumped to her feet instantly, rubbing her backside roughly. She glared at the supposed spot she landed, and turned her head towards more important matters. Staring down at her feet, Sango cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. She crouched and leaned her head closely to the ground, tilting it this way and that trying to examine the blackened object.
"What are you doing? Get out!" Sango yipped and spun around as her brother yelled down at her, slightly cowering at the crater edge staring down at her. She scowled at him and rolled her eyes.
"What are you so afraid of? It looks like a rock, big whoop," Sango quipped, slightly muffled by her mask, and knelt back to her former position of investigating the object. Kohaku huffed at her back, but still watched her curiously.
Sango took a tentative hand and poked at the soil surrounding the smooth surfaced object, finding the ground warm, but not hot enough to burn. Strange, it had just crashed, wouldn't the ground be really hot around it? Sango bit her lip and brushed her thumb against the thing quickly, to find that too was cool enough to touch. She also found it left a black smear over her finger. Cocking her brows, Sango wiped at the thing again, and she gasped. It…it looked like jade! Not a smooth jade, as she uncovered as she wiped away more black soot, but sort of cloudy, but pricey nonetheless. She smoothed her hands over it until it was clean, her hands soot covered, and started digging it from the ground. It came easily enough, the ground was like powder, and Sango lifted it to her hands. What the…? It felt so light. Wasn't solid jade a good deal heavier than this?
"What is it?" Kohaku called from the top, and Sango looked up perplexed. She gathered the object in one arm and made her way out of the small hole, pushing up with a grunt and coming to sit on the crater edge. Kohaku looked over her shoulder and his eyes went wider at the bright green stone-like-thing in her hands. It was about twice as long as her hand, almost as wide as her thigh. Least to say, it was a good size. Sango pulled her mask off, letting it hang about her neck, and slowly turned the object in her hand. It was certainly…particular. It was smooth, like it was polished, and looked expensive enough for an emperor to have. But it was so light…could it be hollow?
"What do you think it is Ane-ue?" Sohaku crouched beside her as she examined it, and was looking it over with amazed eyes. Sango shook her head and gave it one toss. It was just so light for a stone.
"I'm not sure Kohaku. It looks like clouded jade, but its so light weight!" Sango exclaimed and rested the stone in her lap. Kohaku poked it, satisfied that it didn't crack or anything, and tapped it with a knuckle. He jumped when Sango jumped, letting out a little shrill cry.
"What's wrong Ane-ue!" he cried, and Sango put a hand to her chest. She shook her head in confusion. What was that? Some sort of shock? A power surge? Why did her heart race so? She rubbed the fingertips of her empty right hand gently, as they were tingling. Kohaku stood and pounded one fist into the other. "I say we take it back to the village elders, surely they'll figure out what it could be?"
"I have a feeling…they wont know any more than we do…" Sango answered and took the object as she stood. She dropped it instantly, yelping as she withdrew her hands.
Kohaku whirled around at her squeak, hand on the hilt of his katana, eyes searching for danger. But all he saw was his sister staring wide-eyed at the bright green object that she had dropped. He relaxed and cocked his head curiously, "Ane-ue?
Her head snapped up to look at him, but her jaw worked wordlessly. She simply pointed at the stone. He raised a brow and looked at the jade like stone, finding nothing amiss. That is…till it jumped a good finger's length off the ground. He barked in surprise, hand going to his katana, and he backed some from the object. It jumped again and made a soft ticking noise this time. Both siblings gave it plenty of space as it continued to move, making cracking noises. Sango gasped as a large line of a crack formed over the surface.
But she didn't back away. No, some how, she was drawn to it. It could have been the tingly feeling at the base of her skull. It could have been that fact that this was not a stone at all. It didn't matter, but for all she knew, she couldn't stay away from it. Forgetting Hiraikotsu and the sword at her hip, Sango approached the bouncing thing with limp arms and open face. A very dangerous thing for a taijiya to do. Kohaku stood frozen with shock as she bent to place elbows on her knees, watching as the object rolled and twitched, fascinated. He, for one, was too weary to go near it. But his sister on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease.
It bounced and made more cracking sounds, and Sango watched entranced on its movements. White veins appeared along its surface as it cracked more, and Sango gasped and dodged quickly when a piece of its surface broke off and went flying past her head. She heard Kohaku step back more. Her heart raced ever faster, her lungs taking in thin air quickly as more and more pieces fell and broke off. She soon realized that this was no gem…it was surely an egg.
It squeaked. Kohaku squeaked, but in a different manner. She gasped harshly.
It squeaked again, and then sort of chirped.
Kohaku pointed a shaking finger at it, "An-Ane-ue…wh-what is it!"
"I don't…" she breathed, watching wide eyed as the hollow red inside moved and sank, pushing towards the opening. Then, she spotted two little nostrils and one tiny tooth. From the red muck that feed and kept alive the creature inside, popped a head from its shell, as pure a green as dark jade, wide golden eyes opening slowly to gaze intently upon her as she stared back.
The tiny creature looked reptilian, as it head rose from the egg on a long neck, scales gleaming under the sunlight, small stubs of horns coming from the back of its skull. Sango had stopped breathing the moment it opened its eyes, as it stared deep into her, to her soul. She felt a connection then…this creature and her. And then, it squealed loudly, opening it small mouth and screeching for what seemed joy.
"Kohaku…" she whispered, reaching a finger out to the small being, which it nuzzled happily, "I really don't think the elders would have a clue on what this is."
Was he dead? Could he be? The roaring in his ears had died down, and other from the spray of sand he got, he wasn't too sure he was alive. Maybe he was buried alive?
Miroku took in a breath (confirming that in fact he was alive), and got a great mouthful of sand. He sat up quickly then, sputtering and spitting out as much sand he could, wiping frantically at his face before he opened his eyes and got in an even more gritty situation. Once his eyes were clear, he hands flew around swiping at his entire body to rid himself of sand (coming dangerously close to smacking a very precious area). With a vigorous shake of his head, sand flying off in a cloud, he stood, taking a few more pats at himself.
Well that was something he didn't do everyday.
Man, he was gonna chafe…in places he didn't want to chafe…
Speaking of which, where are his robes? Dark eyes swung around, spotting his garments a good distance away, half buried in sand. He groaned. Is he gonna have to wash those again?
Pop, crackle…tap tap…Mirokue froze mid step, taking breath harshly. He just so happened to forget something had just, almost hit him. He whirled around as more minute cracks were heard, eyes glancing every which way till they landed on the most shocking thing he's seen.
The thing, the object that had headed straight for him, had left a crater and spray of burnt sand two men wide. It smoked slightly, the trail it dug behind stretching the length of a tall tree. He felt his knees wobble in wonder, his robes forgotten in the sheer shock of the event.
That…could have hit him?
He blinked from his fantasy of possible dismembered body parts if he had been hit, and tilted his head, having heard something again. He heard it again. Miroku looked to the charred crater, to the smoking chunks of coal that the object compressed sand into, as small sounds came from the hole. And he…he couldn't look away.
He felt the strangest thing…and being a monk, trained in the arts of spirits, he could not fathom what this fascination could be with the hole. It was most likely hot, it smelled bad from what he could tell, and he had no desire to be near it. But he couldn't pull away. He felt welded to the spot, watching, waiting, as the little cracking noises went on. In fact…he felt compelled to investigate.
Much to his surprise, he found himself already walking towards it. This brought on a moment of panic, he tried to pull away…but something in him pulled back, pulled him towards it. His brows set. This was most definitely unordinary. And as his duty as monk, it was up to him to stop any demonic attack whatever it be.
…Funny how his knees wouldn't stop shaking.
Never to be possibly seen as a nervous wreck, Miroku stood straight, walking with more confidence. He was a man of the cloth for the love of the gods! What need he be afraid of?
He stopped, interrupting his self-monologue. The noise had stopped but…replaced with even more curious sounds. He heard tiny squeaks, little chirps of fear, then yelps as, he believed, a creature called. His heart raced, an anticipation in him welling till the point he thought he would choke. It cried again, but more desperately. He frowned. It must be a demon spawn, crying for its mother it had lost. Meaning the mother would come, then feed its offspring with whatever was around. And that was him! He must deal with this quickly!
My staff! Miroku made a fist to find it empty. Well…okay, his ofudas! He reached to his chest where they would normally be…to come in contact with skin. He sighed and hung his head…it would really help if he was dressed…
Huffing, he lifted his head, scowling in determination. As much he'd hate to use his cursed hand on something so minuscule, he really had no other choice. Any weapon he'd go for would leave him totally open, and any demon no matter the size is dangerous at the moment. Miroku played lightly with the beads of the rosary with tense fingers, his opposite hand reaching for them as he stalked up to the hole. All right…he'd surprise it, then rip open the wind tunnel, and suck it in…easy…
He pounced on the edge of the hole, making sure to stay far enough back he wouldn't fall. He gripped the rosary. He gritted his teeth. And stopped completely.
So…blue…so…clear…
Violet eyes stared deep into the most beautiful blues eyes he's ever seen. They were inhuman in beauty, yet held a world of ancient wisdom. Sapphire deep orbs stared back at him, gazing at him with an amusement that shocked him. Miroku felt the hairs on his entire body stand up, shivers cascading down his spine in waves. It turned fully to him, tearing him from its eyes. He thought it was strange reptile, with a long neck, webbed spines trailing down its back, small horns from back its head. It stretched bat like wings, whipping it fin like tail back and forth slowly, puppy like toes spreading to showed webbed feet. And from head to foot, it was covered in gem-like scales, as deep and rich as its eyes, a shell of the same hue discarded and empty behind it.
Then…it squealed…
Miroku jumped and fell back, shouting out. Quickly enough, it jumped from its hole and skipped around him playfully. Spooking, miroku got up as fast as his kicking legs would let him and ran. However, he ran towards the lake, causing a most giant splash on his way in. he stopped waist deep in the cool water, whipping around and sputtering on water to find it standing on it puppy legs at the water's edge. He grinned, almost triumphantly.
"Ha!" he barked, pointing at it harshly, "you can't get me now beast!"
Why he yelling at it he'll never know…
It cocked its head at him, blinking sapphire eyes. And much to his horror, the little lizard-thing jumped in place excited, whining happily, before it pounced into the lake's smooth surface. Wide eyed, he watched as its tail moved rapidly and disappeared into the lake.
His first instinct? Miroku cupped himself frightfully.
What if it bit him? is it poisonous? Would it kill him? Should he just suck the whole lake up with it? Was his future fatherhood at stake!
He watched the water silently (or as much as his chattering teeth would allowed), afraid to move or else he irritate it. It made no sound, no ripple on the lake surface. All he could hear was the lap of surf at the shore and the rustle of leaves as a breeze came by. Dear Kami…he was gonna die painfully wasn't he?
The terrified monk yelped as the water before him exploded with a large bubble, making him lose balance (lose his protection against it) and flail about for a second before he could regained the necessary wits to back up and "protect" himself. Its small head watched him curious, bobbing up and down in the water. Miroku shrunk away from it.
"Please…for the love of that is holy… it can have my legs I don't care, just not my chance of having children…"Miroku whispered the prayer to himself, squeezing eyes shut. It was going to jump, and bite him…wait a minute! Wha-wha..! What was he afraid of!
His eyebrow ticked annoyed. Just sometimes…he was so pathetic, even to himself.
Opening dark eyes, he found it wasn't attacking him. But rather…swimming in circles around him. Looked quite happy doing it too. His brows shot up as it went past his vision again, as he felt the water ripple past his submerged body as it paddled playfully around him. As he watched, he went through a moment of indecisiveness. But his brows furrowed. If it bit him, it was his fault.
He waited till it came around again, hopping in the water this time, when it squeaked in a bit of surprise. He was quite amazed at how small it was, bringing it up to him as his positioned his fingers between its front legs. It was a bit smaller than a cat, with it wings tucked in tightly to its body so it could swim. He observed as he brought it out of the water that gills on its jaws closed up, and it looked up at him with the admiration of a friendly dog. He raised his other hand cautiously, confident as it hadn't bit him yet and had every opportunity to, and reached towards it head. It looked away from him and to his hand, where he jumped when it rubbed its scaly head against his hand.
And what was weirder, when he started petting it lightly, a tiny rumble came from its body. Like…a purr. Miroku laughed out loud, grinning as it nipped at his fingers playfully when he wiggled them. Whatever this creature was, was totally unafraid, and unthreatening.
He realized, with everything that had happened, walking to the beach carrying it, putting it down to get dressed, then picking it up again almost absentmindedly, that something big was happening here. Even as he walked home with it, smiling as it watched fascinated as his staff jingled and shined, that something was meant to happen. It was no ordinary creature, he was sure.
And with anything unordinary, unordinary things happened with it.
:shit.is.happening. at home, in my life, everything. Im very lucky I even got to this, but I was in the mood. Ill explain a few things next time, but just know, NONE of my stories are being neglected. I just cant really get to them, and I haven't been writing for ages, so thank you so much whoever reads this!
