AUTHOR'S NOTES
Oh my freakin' God… ANOTHER UPDATE! WAHOO! CELEBRATE! I-W-A-U!(6)
Alright, I'm done now. Actually, I don't have too much time to talk because I have to get off in like three minutes… not that I'm posting this today, but I'll do it right after school and then we'll all be happy! Except the people from Full Metal Alchemist because… OMG, SPOILER! They just had to kill off Hugh. WHY, PEOPLE, WHY? He's so freakin' awesome! And Ed's gets depressed easily so when he finds out he'll just have a whole "I'm gonna be depressed!" episode! Okay, not really, but I don't care! And he had this cute adorable little girl! Now she has no daddy! HOW COULD YOU, YOU STUPID WRITERS FOR FMA? OKAY, SPOILER DONE! But whatever, gotta run, here's more!
DISCLAIMER
If it's on the TV show we don't own it, but if it WASN'T we own it. Yukie my character, can't have her. Anyways, sayonara! And enjoy fan fic!
Chapter Twenty-Five: Yukie, the Other Shrine Protector
"Are you sure your sword said to go south?" asked Yoshiko thirty minutes later.
"It didn't tell me how far!" cried Sueko.
"Well, maybe you should ask it then!" said Yoshiko.
"Oh, sure. Hey sword, how far?" asked Sueko, laughing as she held up her sword. But it was kind of weird when a second later she knew….
"Apparently we're almost there…" said Sueko tonelessly, staring at the blue sword with eyes wide.
Yoshiko laughed. "Told you if you just asked the thing…"
"Shut up!"
Then suddenly the group heard footsteps that weren't their own a few feet away, but they didn't see anything through all the trees. But before they could shrug and ignore it they actually saw someone walk in front of them.
She was a very tall woman with long, straight black hair and a narrow face. She was dressed simply in an outfit similar to Sango's except with more blue. She looked pretty ordinary except for the fact that the sword in her hands looked exactly like Sueko's and was glowing blue.
"Aha!" the woman said happily. "So you're what the sword was calling for."
Sueko blinked. "What?"
"What the hell is going on?" cried InuYasha. "Why do you have the same exact swords?"
"So are you the mysterious 'Last One'?" the woman asked, walking right up to Sueko.
"Um…" said Sueko, not sure of how she should answer it.
"Oh, it's okay!" said the woman cheerfully. "I'm not some evil demon who's plotting your death or anything!"
"How do we know for sure?" asked InuYasha. He was about to pull out the Tetsusaiga but Yoshiko stopped him.
"God, you can't just attack random people all the time for no reason!" cried Yoshiko.
"I do have a reason!" said InuYasha.
"So what's your name?" asked the woman kindly to Sueko. "I bet it's a really cool name…"
"Uh…" said Sueko, weirded out by the strange woman. "Sueko?"
"So it is a cool name!" said the woman. "It means the 'Last One,' doesn't it?"
"Uh huh…"
"Mine's Yukie. It's so plain…" said the woman, sighing dramatically. "It means 'painting of snow' or 'very beautiful'…"
"Well, you are beautiful," said Miroku suddenly. Before Sango could stop him, Miroku had gone up to Yukie and put his hands in hers.
Yukie laughed and pretended to blush. "Wow, aren't you friendly… But your girlfriend looks pretty upset so maybe you should go over to her instead."
"Who are you?" asked Yoshiko, her eyes going wide as Sango pulled Miroku away from Yukie.
"Yukie!" said Yukie proudly. "And the protector to the Spirit Shrine… which I normally don't go around saying but I don't sense an evil presence around so that's okay…"
"You can sense an evil presence?" said Sueko.
"Uh huh… What, you don't know how?" asked Yukie sweetly.
"Uh…" said Sueko guiltily.
"Oh, that's okay! It's not that hard to figure out. Practice makes perfect."
"Now you sound like me…" muttered Yoshiko.
Yukie turned to Yoshiko and narrowed her eyes at her, though not in the mean way… Just like she was trying to think of something.
"You seem very troubled…" said Yukie seriously.
"Maybe you're troubling me…" muttered Yoshiko darkly.
"Oh, don't worry about it too much!" said Yukie, being cheerful again. "You'll get over your troubles eventually. Not that I know what they are… I'm not that physic…"
"So you're physic too?" cried Sueko.
"Uh huh," said Yukie. "Why? You aren't?"
"I feel like I'm missing something here…" said Sueko.
"What can you do, exactly?" Yukie asked.
"Um… sense shrine stones… and sometimes the sword talks to me?" said Sueko.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Well, aren't you behind?" said Yukie, grinning and putting her sword away (which had stopped glowing blue, along with Sueko's).
"She never concentrates hard enough," said Yoshiko.
"How can she when you never shut up?" cried InuYasha.
"You're only defending her because you're in love with her!" said Yoshiko, pointing a finger at InuYasha's face and grinning mischievously.
Noticing Sueko and InuYasha's faces going red, Yukie blinked a few times before going, "Wow…"
"What?" asked Yoshiko.
"Um… nothing…" said Yukie seriously. Then she smiled again and said, "So, what are you all doing in the middle of no where?"
"Listening to what the sword says," said Sueko.
"Well, before that, then," said Yukie, waving a hand.
"Don't change the subject!" cried Yoshiko. "What did you mean by 'wow'!"
"If it pertained to you I would have said something, now wouldn't I?" said Yukie, almost as if she was scolding Yoshiko.
"Actually, we were going to get Yoshiko's sword back because her old one broke…" said Sueko.
"Shut up!" cried Yoshiko. "It was the snake's fault!"
"Keep saying that to yourself," said InuYasha.
"Oh, shut up Mr. Cranky!"
"You are cranky, aren't you?" said Yukie to InuYasha. "Wow, you're more troubled than Yoshiko! Man, do you have some serious problems!"
"Uh…" said InuYasha.
"Maybe you could get your girlfriend to help you out. But first," said Yukie, turning back to Sueko, who still had her sword out, "I've got to teach you a lesson!"
"W—what sort of lesson?" stuttered Sueko.
"You're so behind on your spiritual powers it's not even funny. Actually, it kind of is. But you're the 'Last One'! Of all people you can't be behind!"
"How do you know so much about the 'Last One'?" asked Myoga, finally speaking out.
"All of the Spirit Shrine protectors know about the 'Last One'!" said Yukie like this was obvious.
"But I'm not a Spirit Shrine protector! What do you expect out of me?" cried Yoshiko.
"How come I'm the Spirit Shrine protector but know nothing about me?" asked Sueko in annoyance, attempting to cross her arms with the sword still in her hand.
"Don't worry about it too much," said Yukie, shrugging. "They always said the 'Last One' was supposed to be naïve…"
"Who's 'they'?" asked InuYasha grumpily as though he still didn't trust her.
"The Shrine Protectors before me. Or maybe I should say us…" said Yukie, looking thoughtful.
"Huh?" said Sueko.
"Well," said Yukie, becoming serious again as she started to explain, "all the Shrine Protectors before me have left information about each of the elemental shrines, or of the Spirit Shrine, or of the powers that the protector has… anything that they'd feel is necessary for the next generation of Shrine Protectors to have. And that includes the legend of the 'Last One'—or how the elemental stones were created and how everyone in the Kokoro line would possess the powers to make sure the elemental shrines were never endangered—especially every one hundred years when the stones of each shrine are awoken. And now all the stones have awoken… So me, being the person this generation to protect it, has higher power then the others because I need to be more powerful if the stones are awoken and full of power."
Yukie was about to explain more but Sueko interrupted her.
"Did you say… Kokoro line? As in, members of the Kokoro family?" Sueko asked a bit timidly.(1)
"Erm… yup! I did! Why?" asked Yukie, merry once more.
"Well… that was kind of my mom's surname. Like, before she got married and all that junk…" said Sueko thoughtfully.
"Ah. Well, that's where your powers are from!" said Yukie, acting like she was proud of Sueko making that point. "But I'm not exactly done yet with my little story!"
"There's more!" cried Sueko.
"Yeah…" said Yukie. "I won't even be able to tell you half of it. According to the legend the 'Last One' is supposed to mostly discover her powers herself, otherwise she'll never truly reach her full potential."
"I bet that's just a fancy way of saying that I have to do everything the hard way…" muttered Sueko.
"Hmm… Never thought of it that way before…" muttered Yukie.
"How do you know all of this stuff, anyways?" asked Sueko. "What, did you meet one of the Spirit Shrine Protector people or something and have a nice chat with them over tea?"
"How could I do that if they're all dead?" asked Yukie, blinking.
"Well, how do you know all this stuff then? About the legend thingy and your powers… And me?" asked Sueko.
"Oh, that's easy. All the information is in the Spirit Shrine!" said Yukie.
There was a pause as everyone except Yukie gasped in amazement. Yukie looked at all of them with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised.
Then Miroku piped up and said the one thing everyone was thinking: "Y—you know where the Spirit Shrine is?"
"Yep!" said Yukie, clearly enjoying herself. "But I can't tell you where it is, sorry!"
"I hate you…" muttered Yoshiko, glaring at Yukie.
"Why not?" asked Sango.
"Part of the 'Last One's' journey is to find the Spiritual Shrine herself!"
"Why do I have to go on some difficult journey for? I didn't ask for this! Why should I be forced to do all of this if I don't want to!" cried Sueko.
"Hey, we have to follow you around during all of this!" cried InuYasha.
"Well, technically, you don't have to, you just choose to," said Yoshiko.
"Look who's talking," muttered InuYasha.
"I'm not the one with a crush on the 'Last One'!"
"Why you little—"
"Anyways!" said Yukie, bringing back all the attention to her. "I can give you a hint about the location of the Spirit Shrine!"
"Hurry up with it, then!" said Yoshiko eagerly.
"All right," said Yukie, pausing dramatically. "It's… North."
Yoshiko blinked a few times. "I beg your pardon?"
"Its north. Like, not south, east, or west. North. Up. Like, where it's cold and—"
"That's your hint!" cried Yoshiko in frustration. "We already know it's up north! That's not helpful at all!"
"Yell at my ancestors, not me!" cried Yukie, holding up her hands innocently.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about the 'Last One'?" Myoga asked. "The swords had to have glowed for a reason…"
Yukie smiled triumphantly. "That'd be because I was looking for the 'Last One.' Apparently the Shrine Protector around during the year the 'Last One' shows up is supposed to, like, guide her and all that good junk. And when I was near enough my sword glowed… and I suppose hers glowed too because we're supposed to have each other…"
"Sueko! It's Su-e-ko!" muttered Sueko.
"That's a thought," said Miroku suddenly to what Yukie had said. "How come you and Sueko have the same exact sword?"
"Hmm…" said Yukie thoughtfully. She stood there looking deep in thought for a whole minute before finally saying, "Well, is it true that you are from a different time-frame, Sueko?"
"Huh?" said Sueko, taken aback after being called by her name instead of by the "Last One." "I guess so… why?"
"The legend did say she'd be from the future…" said Yukie, more to herself than anyone else. "And she got the sword as a gift from a relative…"
"I don't think you could call it a gift," muttered Sueko. "More like I asked my father for a weapon to protect myself from demons. Which, now that I think about it, must have sounded so weird…"
"Stop talking to yourself," muttered Yoshiko.
"Well, that'd be why," said Yukie, ignoring Yoshiko. "Because of the whole time thing we have the same sword. But your sword has to be so much older… the future ancestors must have taken good care of it though…" she added, looking at Sueko's sword critically (Sueko still hadn't put it away it, but had kept it at her side). "Can I look at it?" Yukie asked.
Sueko nodded and handed her the sword, though she couldn't figure out why Yukie would want to look at if it they had the same exact sword. Yukie turned the blade on both sides, checked it for sharpness, tossed it lightly a few times, and looked like those really smart old people in movies who are wise and are sword makers. Finally Yukie gave the sword back to Sueko and said simply, "It seems like your elders have put quite a barrier on the thing."
"Huh?" said Sueko. Since when did her sword have a barrier?
"I can feel more power from that sword by just holding it… My sword is no near that powerful…" muttered Yukie seriously. "One of my future relatives must have been smart enough to prepare it for you. It was predicted you'd need to be more prepared then any other Shrine Protector…"
"If you are around why would I need to be more powerful?" asked Sueko.
"I'm getting older," said Yukie simply. "With each year I grow older, and with each year my power slowly diminishes. Eventually my power will be useless and I'll have to bare children so they'll have the powers so in the next hundred years they'll be able to protect the newly-awakened stones."
"You don't look old…" said Miroku, making Sango glare at him.
Yukie laughed. "I'm thirty-five!"
"You look no older than twenty!" said Miroku.
"Shut up before Sango kills you," muttered InuYasha.
"What…" said Sueko. "Didn't you say before my sword had a barrier?"
"Yup!" said Yukie happily. "Why? You didn't know that either?"
"Hey, I just found out about this world six months ago, let alone the fact I had this whole destiny laid out in front of me!" cried Sueko. "But seriously, how come it has a barrier but I don't know?"
"Because you don't know how to use the powers, let alone how to read power," said Yukie.
"But you did use the swords powers a few times," said Yoshiko suddenly. "Remember the new moon with the ogre? And that spider demon that you killed without knowing how?"
"Yeah…" said Sueko, remembering how she had made a sort of defense shield out of a blue bubble from her sword… and the Wind Scar to defeat the ogre… But she could never figure out how she did that…
Yukie suddenly looked very interested. Like hearing this news was the most exciting thing ever.
"So you figured out how to tap into the elemental powers?" Yukie asked breathlessly.
"Uh… not exactly…" muttered Sueko. "I just… sort of did it…"
Yukie laughed. "You didn't just do it! Come on, remember that day! What was happening inside you before it happened?"
"Uh…" It was so long ago it was hard to remember… But she had been really worried about InuYasha. He had been lying on the ground after being attack by the ogre and almost looked dead… and then Sueko thought she was going to die… maybe the only reason she was able to do the Wind Scar and make a defense thingy was because she was so desperate and worried.
When Sueko said this Yukie nodded in an understanding way. "And someday you'll learn how to tap into the swords power without being in a stressful situation," she said. Then, with a small sigh, she added, "Now it seems as though you were all going somewhere before the sword 'called' so how about you go do that and then we can meet again!"
"Huh?" said Sueko.
Though it seemed as though Yoshiko understood what Yukie meant. "How would you know about that?"
"I'm physic!" said Yukie with a grin. "Well, sorta… I could just tell you were about to meet someone you didn't really want to see but have to so how about you just get the whole dreaded experience over with and then we can start up this nice little chat again! What do you say?"
"And how are we supposed to find you again?" asked InuYasha tiredly.
"The swords, silly!" said Yukie. "God, have you been paying any attention? Do you think I just enjoy the sound of my voice or something? I mean, it's not like I'm just babbling nonsense. This is all very important stuff, and not to mention—"
"How are we supposed to leave if you won't shut up?" muttered Yoshiko.
"Well, that wasn't very nice!" said Sueko, frowning.
"I DON'T WANT TO VISIT TAKENO!" cried Yoshiko.
"So I was right…" muttered Yukie. "Well, buh-bye! See you in a few!"
With a wave she turned around, flipping her long black hair around, and walked into the trees. Either the trees were so close together they blocked her view or perhaps Yukie had just suddenly vanished because a second later Sueko couldn't see her at all.
"Well!" said Sango after a moment's silence. "That certainly goes at number two on my 'weirdest moments' list!"
"What's number one?" asked Miroku curiously.
"Meeting you," muttered Sango.
"So where's Takeno's place again?" said Sueko. "After going the direction my sword told me to go I lost my sense of direction…"
"You seem to do that often," muttered Yoshiko, walking ahead of everyone towards the right direction. With a shrug everyone else followed.
As they stepped out of the trees for the second time within a week onto the beach Yoshiko once again considered turning around and leaving. But she wasn't about to waste everybody's time coming here just to leave. Plus she did need a sword. It was the only way she knew of fighting. Sure, if she wanted to, she could fight with her claws but that really was a last resort. Last time she had used them a little boy had gone home with a huge gash on his cheek and he was pretty kind boy. Even to her at times. Of course, he wasn't that kind after that… At least he wasn't mean.
Just as they were reaching the hut, Takeno's head popped out of the window and looked at the strange group.
"Just thinking about looking for you!" he cried as everybody paused to look at him. "Ho! You have friends with you!"
"What, Sueko isn't a friend?" joked Yoshiko, being in a very strange mood after their encounter with Yukie.
"No, of course not!" said Takeno in astonishment, causing Sueko to cross her arms. "She's your sister. Did we not go over this last time?"
Yoshiko glanced at Sueko, rolling her eyes. The girl shrugged and together they turned away, giggling silently. Though their relationship was still a little tense because of what Yoshiko had said last time they came, it was much better after InuYasha and Sueko had gotten "back together." Not that they were ever together to begin with. But they had a very cute romantic moment in the rain (lucky girl) and they weren't angry at each other anymore. Well, InuYasha had never been angry at Sueko… But he worked in strange ways so turned his loneliness and frustration into anger. Which he soon turned on Sueko slightly when he found out Yoshiko wouldn't take that crap.
"So! Tora, you going to introduce your companions or not?" asked Takeno, leaning on the sill of his window impatiently.(2)
A blush crept over Yoshiko's cheeks at the reminder of her childhood nickname. It was one only shared within the family… so her father, Godric and Takeno. And a few years before she died they told Godric's mother about it. She never used it though. She thought Yoshiko was a far prettier name and Tora should be saved for somebody special, like a lover—a strange lady to be sure. But Yoshiko had almost completely forgotten about it and now only really saw it as a kid name. So she turned around angrily, hands on her hips and glaring at the old man.
"What the hell are you doing?" cried Yoshiko. "That's personal! You don't just use that name at your leisure!"
"Something the matter?" asked Takeno scratching his head. Then he sighed and stopped feigning innocence. "What, you don't trust them enough yet?"
"That's not the point!" snapped Yoshiko.
"Oh, no?" said Takeno thoughtfully, cocking his head to the side. "Well, you should have at least told your sister!"
"Will you stop it with the sister thing?" shouted Yoshiko, standing next to Sueko. "Do you see a resemblance? 'Cause I sure as hell don't!"
"That's not true!" cried Takeno. "You both have green eyes; something very uncommon in Japan. The only people I know to have green eyes are your mother and a few of the Spirit Shrine protectors."
"Whatever…" muttered Yoshiko. "Anyways, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara and Mutt," she said quickly, tapping each on the head as she introduced them.
"Who you calling 'mutt'?" cried InuYasha, swatting her hand aside.
"Mutt has a sword. Good. Grab it," said Takeno, as he disappeared into the hut and came rushing out of the front holding another newer sword in his hand.
In response InuYasha and Yoshiko turned to the old man blinking. This time it was Sango and Sueko's turn to giggle as Shippo rolled his eyes and walked away with Kirara. Miroku seemed unsure of what to do and decided to just sit down next to a tree to watch. Takeno tapped his foot impatiently as the half-demons just stared at him. Finally he rolled his eyes.
"What, did I stutter?" he said impatiently. "Use his sword!"
"Why my sword?" cried InuYasha, pulling the Tetsusaiga out of his belt so he could hold it away from Yoshiko.
"Because it would be rude to use the 'Last One' sword," explained Takeno. "And Sango's is inefficient."
"So why am I using somebody else's sword?" asked Yoshiko, raising her eyebrows.
"I want to test out my new sword and I want to make sure you won't abuse it!" said Takeno. "To do this I'll use the sword that I might give to you and you'll have to defend yourself with another sword."
"Well, she isn't using mine!" said InuYasha, turning away.
In exasperation Takeno threw his hands into the air and then turned to Sueko. She blinked at him in confusion until he walked over and whispered something in her ear. When he pulled away she glared at him and put her hands on her hips. Almost immediately Yoshiko seemed to catch onto what Takeno wanted her to do. How he knew Sueko could do it she really didn't feel like asking. She grinned sweetly and turned toward Sueko completely.
"Oh, come on! You know you would enjoy it," said Yoshiko mischievously. "He's a jerk every once and a while so deserves it every so often…"
"That's sick and twisted logic," muttered Sueko.
"But… don't you want to get out of here quickly so you can find out what Yukie has to say?" whined Yoshiko.
"No, that would be you," said Takeno, rolling his eyes. "You can only know so much about the Spirit Shrine."
"Shut up! I'll learn as much as I want to!" snapped Yoshiko.
"I'm telling you it isn't healthy…" muttered Takeno. "Look, just tell Mutt to sit and get it over with."
"What?" cried InuYasha in a strangled sort of way. "No, please, don't!"
"Then just let Yoshiko borrow your damn sword already," sighed Sueko. "That way we can get out of here."
"But…" protested InuYasha.
But during his failed protesting Yoshiko had snuck around him and grabbed the sword from him. Grinning sweetly she held just out of reach as the half dog demon turned around to grab it. Sighing, he crossed his arms and walked over to stand next to Sueko while muttering things like 'traitor' and 'thief.' Finally the old man walked to the center of the beach, holding his sword in ready position. Already Yoshiko could tell it was going to be a superior sword and couldn't wait to use it. In the meantime she was going to have fun using the Tetsusaiga. Last time she used it had been on the half-moon and it couldn't transform.
Quickly Yoshiko drew her temporary sword and tossed the sheath at InuYasha, hitting him right in the head. He might have yelled at her but she was walking next to the ocean now, the waves drowning out most of the sound next to the hut. She had yet to transform the sword and really didn't feel like doing it if she didn't have to. She might break her new sword if the Tetsusaiga grew. That was all she needed, for her sword to snap before she even got to use it.
As soon as she got into a ready position Takeno attacked, but in such an obvious way Yoshiko just sidestepped the attack. His other attacks were just as wild and she soon grew bored. After a while he got a little smarter and she actually held up her temporary sword to block some of the attacks. Despite this slow start she knew he would get far more offensive so she didn't let her guard down for a minute. In fact, not two minutes into their scrimmage she actually had to start thinking. Dodging, blocking and attacking now had little pause between them as she tried desperately to stave off his attacks.
She knew she almost had him beat. For all his energy he was still old and tired easily. But Takeno wasn't one to just give up. He had some sort of trick up his sleeve. And having trained with him a couple of times and seeing her father train with him she could guess at this trick. In fact, just as she knocked the sword out of the old man's hand she heard a rustle behind her. Throwing Takeno an annoyed look, she turned on her heels quickly to face a large sea serpent. Before it could hardly rear up its head in an attack Yoshiko brought the Tetsusaiga over her head, causing it to transform and then bringing it crashing over her head in a powerful gust of wind. The sea serpent disappeared under the attack and when the ocean calmed there was no sign of the creature.
"I've had enough of your demons!" cried Yoshiko, turning to look at her grandfather. As she glared at him Sueko and InuYasha rushed down the beach to them.
"What demons? I don't know what you're talking about!" said Takeno innocently.
In annoyance Yoshiko brought the flat part of the sword down on the old man's head.
"Abuse!" he cried out.
"On you or the sword?" muttered Yoshiko with a smile. Rolling his eyes, InuYasha grabbed his sword away from her and sheathed it.
"Well, mostly on me…" murmured Takeno, crossing his arms as a bump grew on his head. Yoshiko giggled. "But oh well. Take your sword and get out of here."
"Thank you, Grandfather," giggled Yoshiko, barely having to stoop to kiss the old man on the cheek. Then she turned and picked up her own sword.
"That's something new; quite a change in that girl. Wonder, could it be Sueko, Mutt, or maybe somebody else… Hmm, if so, who else? Or maybe I'm just imagining things. Girl has to show affection for her old man sooner or later. But maybe—" muttered Takeno to himself. But this was soon interrupted by Yoshiko hitting him on the head repeatedly by the now sheathed sword. His eyes narrowed. "What now?"
"Name," said Yoshiko simply.
"You're name's Yoshiko, mine's Takeno and that guy with the dog-ears is called Mutt!" cried Takeno as Yoshiko continued to hit him. "What's your point?"
"Does the sword have a name?" sighed Yoshiko.
"Of course it does! But who's to say I've thought of it yet?" asked the old man. "Besides, you never bothered to figure out the name of your last one."
"Which was probably why it was a piece of crap and I never got too attached to it," yawned Yoshiko. "So does this one have one or not?"
"Yeah sure. Akako. Means red," said Takeno huffily. "Happy now?"(3)
"Very much so…" said Yoshiko, holding her sword up to catch the sun. "So it's a girl… Interesting."
"A sword has a sex?" said InuYasha in disbelief.
"Well, Akako is a girl name at least," shrugged Yoshiko. "The Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga were given guy names because your father happened to be a guy. They were mainly created to protect your mother."
"Excuse me—" started InuYasha but Yoshiko continued.
"I don't know what Sesshomaru is talking about! Your father died so very romantically. Fighting against all odds to save the life of the woman he loved and his almost newly born son," said Yoshiko dreamily. "Too bad I couldn't meet a guy like that. Raoul would be unable, Koga would probably decide it would be easier to like some other girl and…"(4)
"Sesshomaru wouldn't waste his time," muttered InuYasha.
Unfortunately Yoshiko still heard him. She turned, glaring at him, but didn't have to waste her time. Sueko cried out "Sit!" allowing the half tiger demon to stomp off. Soon the girl followed after with Sango, Miroku and Shippo riding on Kirara. Finally InuYasha yelled after them and ran to catch up, leaving a muttering Takeno behind. As they were reaching the line of trees Sueko turned to Yoshiko sweetly.
"So, what's up with 'Tora?'" she asked, causing Yoshiko to blush.
"It's just a stupid nickname my dad had for me," said Yoshiko. "It's nothing okay. Just forget it."
"Oh…" said Sueko as Yoshiko walked past her.
"I think it's a bit more than just a nickname," muttered InuYasha.
"Well, now that her old sword broke," said Sango, "it's probably the only thing she's got left of her father: her memories. He was probably one of the only people that called her that."
"What, her village didn't call her that?" joked InuYasha.
"No, they called her vile things I would much rather not hear," said Sango, shuddering.
"Guess she wasn't just making it up," said InuYasha.
"No, her village isn't the most pleasant of places," said Sango. "And we never even went there. We just ran into an… 'old friend.'"
"She doesn't realize how lucky she is, though," said Miroku.
"She'll figure it out eventually," shrugged InuYasha. "I know I did."
With a smile he glanced over at Sueko who felt his eyes on her and felt herself blush. Luckily Yoshiko came stomping back, hands on her hips seeming very impatient to get going. But just as she was opening her mouth to yell at them, she stopped. Closing her mouth slowly she scratched her head.
"Uh… Sueko…" she said. "Which way does your sword tell you to go?" Yoshiko asked sheepishly.
The response was a chorus of laughter that she soon joined in to.
"So now we have to go find your crazy ancestor again?" complained InuYasha the day after visiting Takeno's.
"Huh?" said Sueko.
"Don't you have another word in your vocabulary besides huh!" cried Yoshiko.
"HUH!" said Sueko, putting her face close to Yoshiko's. "But seriously," she said, turning to InuYasha, "what are you talking about?"
"Well, you are related to Yukie, right?" said InuYasha. "And this is the past for you so that'd make her your distant relative… plus she's pretty insane…"
"And you're not?" muttered Yoshiko.
"Would you like to rephrase that?" asked Sango with a grin.
"I'm not the one in love with a perverted monk!" cried Yoshiko.
"You know what? All of you are insane!" cried Shippo from Miroku's shoulder.
"Oh, and you're not?" asked Sueko. "I'm not the one with a fuzzy tail sticking out of my butt!"
"Okay, everyone's insane! Move on!" cried Miroku, waving his hands.
"You know, why do you still cover your right hand if you no longer have the Wind Tunnel?" asked Sango, holding up Miroku's right hand.
"Erm…" muttered Miroku. "It felt weird not wearing it…"
Shippo laughed. "Remember the first month after defeating Naraku, it felt so weird not having the Wind Tunnel that you actually drew one on yourself so you could pretend you had one!"(5)
Miroku's face turned slightly pink. "I… I don't recall ever doing such a thing…"
"Hmm… I'm at a loss…" muttered Sueko, feeling left out.
"Ditto," said Yoshiko.
"You know what?" said Sango suddenly, and so solemnly everyone was forced to look at her. "To this day I still can't believe he made all of his reincarnations die with him… including Kohaku…"
"Well," said Yoshiko after a slight pause, "technically he didn't kill all of his reincarnations… what about Kamatari?"
"Besides," said Sueko, smiling slightly. "Perhaps the shrine stones have the same power as the Shikon Jewel did and we're able to bring Kohaku back! And I'd actually get to meet him for once…"
"What are you all so upset about?" said a voice suddenly. Turning around the group saw Yukie show up looking exactly like she did the last time they had met her. She walked into the sort of circle the group had created while they were talking and stood in the middle of it with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face. "Cheer up! I don't like depressing people!" she said.
Sango laughed weakly. "You make it sound so easy…"
"But look, I just made you laugh," said Yukie, leaning closer to Sango and pointing a finger at her. She wiggled her pointer finger in Sango's face a few times and Sango giggled again.
"Well, that was easy!" said Yukie, crossing her arms and stretching her smile.
"Have you come back to tell us where the Spirit Shrine is?" asked Yoshiko eagerly.
Yukie giggled. "No, silly!" she cried, waving a hand. "Why'd I go do that for? I already told you I couldn't!"
"Damn…" muttered Yoshiko.
"Haven't I already told you? I said I was coming back to train Sueko! You know, because she's so behind on her gifts and all…"
"Now I have a gift…" said Sueko. "Oh, wow, that just makes me feel so special inside…"
"Oh, shut up, you 'Last One'!" cried Yukie, clearly enjoying herself.
"Humph!" muttered Sueko, crossing her arms and scowling.
"If you don't mind me asking…" said Miroku suddenly, "what sort of training are you talking about?"
"I'm just going to show her how to use her sword!" said Yukie, sounding like a sixteen-year-old asking her dad if she could borrow the car. "Really, it's not that complicated!"
"Just asking!" said Miroku, holding his hands up.
"But I already know how to use my sword!" complained Sueko. "Yoshiko already taught me how to fight evil demons and protect myself and all that crap!"
"Have you been paying any attention at all?" asked Yukie. "There's no possible way she knows how to tap into that swords power, no matter how obsessed she is with the elemental shrines."
"Hey!"
"You have to admit that you are just a tad bit obsessed," said Sango sweetly to Yoshiko. But, not surprisingly, Yoshiko just ignored her.
"Now, if you excuse me…" said Yukie, putting her hands on Sueko's shoulders. "We'll be needing some privacy, so we'll be off…"
"You're just going to kidnap Sueko and train alone!" cried Yoshiko.
Yukie sighed impatiently. "Does it look like I'm kidnapping anyone?"
"You could take your hands off my shoulders," muttered Sueko, but it seemed as though no one had heard her.
"But…" whined Yoshiko. "Can't I come with?"
"Nope!" said Yukie.
"But… but… why?" cried Yoshiko.
"Because this requires the calming of the mind and you yelling won't help me get any work done!" said Yukie sternly.
"But… I'll be quiet! I don't yell! I rarely yell!" yelled Yoshiko.
"No," said Yukie firmly. Then with a grin she said, "Be back in a few!" and pushed Sueko out of the "circle" and deeper into the forest.
"Where are we going?" asked Sueko tiredly when they didn't stop for five whole minutes. The fact someone was pushing her made her feel nervous.
"We're going here!" said Yukie happily, stopping Sueko right in her tracks (Yukie's hand grip was pretty strong). Then Yukie took her hands off Sueko's shoulders, but not before turning Sueko around quickly to face her. She spun the girl so quickly she almost fell down in dizziness.
"Okay?" said Yukie to Sueko's wobbliness.
"Sure…" muttered Sueko, turning a bit pink and trying to stand straight.
"Well… get your sword out!" snapped Yukie in such a way that Sueko couldn't help being reminded of Takeno.
Which was why Sueko suddenly asked, "Do you know Takeno?"
"I beg your pardon?" said Yukie calmly, looking distracted as she scratched her chin.
"I said do you know Takeno? He's some old guy who makes swords and is related to Yoshiko," explained Sueko. "I was just wondering…"
"Hmm… Well, anyways, get your sword out. It does no good to learn how to use it if you don't have it!" said Yukie, clapping her hands together.
"But you didn't answer my question…" muttered Sueko.
"There's more important things to do besides solving random riddles!" said Yukie. "Now I seriously need you to get your sword out so you can use it."
"Okay, okay!" cried Sueko, yanking it out of its sheath. Then she held it out as if ready to fight while she looked expectantly at Yukie. But when Yukie just stood there and didn't say anything Sueko sighed impatiently.
"Aren't you supposed to order me to do something with my sword?" asked Sueko.
"I'm thinking!" cried Yukie with her arms crossed and her eyes closed.
"Okay…" mumbled Sueko timidly, taken aback by the shouting.
After a minute or two of just standing there Yukie finally opened her eyes and said slowly, "Just close your eyes and try to concentrate."
"On what?" asked Sueko.
"On its power…" said Yukie tiredly—but not as though she was tired with Sueko, just plain tired. "Try to focus on its power… try to sense it…"
"Alright…" mumbled Sueko, not knowing how in the world she'd be able to do so. But standing there with her eyes closed while holding out a sword in front of her just made her feel like an idiot, and she "sensed" no power at all from it.
"You're not doing it properly," said Yukie quietly, surprising Sueko. She opened her eyes just as Yukie was saying, "You're trying too hard. Just empty your mind and relax… you should just be able to sense the power without even trying."
When Sueko just stood there, blinking with doubtfulness, Yukie added with a smile, "And thinking that it's not going to work will only make it not work."
"How convenient…" muttered Sueko, closing her eyes and trying again. She tried not to think of anything (which was rather difficult since thoughts like "This is stupid" kept popping up) but all she got out of it was a slight warm, tingling feeling on her fingers where they touched the sword.
"That's pretty much all you'll get out of it for now," said Yukie, as if she could tell what Sueko was feeling. Which made Sueko feel nervous and made her eyes open again. "With practice you'll be able to actually understand the feeling."
"What's that supposed to mean?" cried Sueko.
"Well…" said Yukie slowly, "with time you'll be able to tell just how much power something contains and what kind of power it has. For now just feeling a weird tingly feeling is all you're gonna get."
"Do you enjoy reading my mind or something?" muttered Sueko moodily.
Yukie laughed. "I can't help it! Your feelings are practically screaming out loud!"
"Okay, what do I get to do next?" said Sueko, trying to change the subject.
"Hmm… I don't know. What do you want to do?" asked Yukie, grinning sheepishly.
"I don't know!" cried Sueko. "How should I know? I don't know anything about this sword!"
"Good point…" said Yukie, still smiling. "But apparently you figured out how to sense the Shrine Stones and to "listen" to the sword… maybe you can figure out the other stuff without my help."
"You know how long it took to figure all of that out!" cried Sueko. "And apparently that's not even half the stuff my sword can do!"
"I'm sure you can figure it all out," said Yukie. She turned around so her back was to Sueko and looked as though she was planning on leaving.
"Wait a second. You're not going to teach me anything? You're just going to leave?" cried Sueko.
"Have confidence in yourself!" said Yukie, looking behind her. "I'm not saying I'm expecting great things out of you because you're the legendary 'Last One.' I'm saying I'm expecting great things out of you because you're Sueko. Plus I'm physic!"
Before Sueko could ask what in the hell all of that meant Yukie turned her head and walked away, seeming to disappear into the trees. Sighing in frustration, Sueko sheathed her sword and tried her best to find her way back to the others, luckily finding them fifteen minutes later.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Yoshiko when she saw Sueko's scowl. "Don't tell me you learned all of this amazing Spiritual Power and you're ungrateful!"
"What did I ever do to get such a confusing, frustrating ancestor?" moaned Sueko, leaning her head on a tree.
HMM… WHAT TO CALL THIS? FOOTNOTES, I SUPPOSE… AND SOME MORE POINTLESS RANDOM BABBLING!
((Sorry, BlackTearsOfDarkness, for copying you with the footnotes thing but I actually needed them in this chapter. So don't kill me, k?))
1: I figured that since Sueko already had a lame last name (Kimochi means feeling in Japanese) I'd have her mother have a lame last name too (seeing how Sueko's last name is from her father's… You get it, right?). Anyways, Kokoro means spirit in Japanese if I remember right… which is so incredibly cheesy but I have no clue where I'd be able to find Japanese surnames online and I don't have the time to figure it out!
2: We already went through this, but just as a reminder Tora means tiger in Japanese. Which is also incredibly cheesy, but the lameness is all Ravyn's! Even though I'm the one with the Japanese dictionary (I stole it from my sister. Don't tell. My sister's evil anyways. I think she's a creation from Naraku. It'd explain a lot!) that helped her with the name choosing… whatever!
3: If you look up red in my Japanese dictionary it says it's akai. However, Ravyn was finding out a name for Yoshiko's new sword on a Japanese name website, so Akako is an actual name that happens to mean red.
4: Okay, so I'm not translating anything… But I disagree with this statement (which is okay because Ravyn wrote it)! I believe Koga is loyal and would do anything to protect "his woman." He was always saving Kagome after all! Though when he did it was actually sort of pointless… but it's the thought that counts! And I just want to point something out that I never did before… clears throat Remember when Koga first showed up and he acted like he didn't care that Kagome died? My interpretation of his character is that if he has a problem with something he would never express this except to himself. (Like Tsume! ((he's from Wolf's Rain)) except Koga's a lot more nicer than Tsume. And hotter. Tsume looks like such a wannabe-Koga anyways… COVER UP MORE! Whatever…) So on the outside he doesn't care about Kagome's death but inside his heart was slowly breaking into a thousand tiny witty little bits… Go drama! Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that incase you were totally bugged by that… I know my friend Alyssa would because she probably worships the ground that hot wolf demon walks on… Okay, I'm exaggerating… Besides, I'm supposed to "like" InuYasha, not Koga. If any of my friends are reading this they are probably extremely confused!
5: This was totally taken from the second InuYasha movie. It popped into my head and I couldn't resist! By the way, the movie is pretty spiffy so if you haven't seen it yet… try to! Shippo was actually pretty cool in it, and Shippo is kinda annoying so this was sorta weird, but whatever! Everyone was awesome in it, except InuYasha and Kagome. They got kinda annoying. Well, Kagome is ALWAYS annoying… but don't watch it in Japanese. I watched it in Japanese (with the English captions, duh. I don't know Japanese! All I know are these really random words. And I can say only one sentence in the language and that's it! Wa doko e yuku (means "where are you going?" Got it off .hack/SIGN) and I wanted to kill InuYasha, he was THAT annoying. "Kagome? Oh my God, KAGOME! NO, KAAAAAAAGOOOOOOOOMEEEEEEEE!" except in Japanese. And maybe not that pathetic… but Kagome needed to be rescued (what's new?) and InuYasha was just being so annoying. And Kagome was being more annoying than usual. And whenever Japanese-voice-InuYasha screamed out or cried out it just sounded sooooo annoying. I've seen the TV show in Japanese and I seriously think they got a different person for the second movie. He's actually cool sounding on the TV show in Japanese!
6: Don't you remember? Iwau means celebrate in Japanese! Just reminding you…
Hmm… I'm gonna shut up now and let you, like, reply and move on with your lives. And then maybe get some FMA (Full Metal Alchemist) and Wolf's Rain pics… because I like to get tons of anime pictures. It's something to do when you're bored and you can't think of anything to write. Tries not to look guiltily But hey, Ravyn's writing a whole bunch! I'm just not writing my part… Whatever! Sayonara!