After Battle, Chapter 15 (after long last, I know)

Red-Haired Boy

Disclaimer: I have yet to own Inuyasha. Nya.

Kei woke up, slowly stretching her stiff limbs and blinking in the early morning sun. Kikyou sat at her side, her eyes filled with a gentle longing.

"Tell me about your mother." She whispered slowly, an eye never leaving Kei's confused face. Why did Kikyou want to know about her mother? What did Kagome have to do with anything? She decided to tell anyway for she couldn't see the harm in her knowing. She was about to open her mouth and speak when Kikyou interrupted.

"Not here... lets go somewhere else." She said, again in a small whisper. Her voice was soothing, making Kei want to trust everything she said. Still a bit dazed, she got up and followed Kikyou as she left the hut. Kikyou's small village was filled with women and men alike all busily working. Kei's eyes widened in amazement as many different sorts of people hustled here and there, some carrying things she had never laid eyes upon.

"Come along." Kikyou hurried her along, still using the same sort of voice. Kikyou led her towards a wooded path that was twisted with roots and overhanging vines. She almost seemed to float over the path while Kei could not stop tripping. She looked up to see where Kikyou was going when she tripped over a pretty large root. Kei almost fell face first on to the ground when a steady arm grabbed her elbow and propped her upright once again. She turned and met eyes with her "rescuer" and came face to face with a young man with long dark crimson hair that was piled messily on his head. He gave her a small smile, and before she could say anything he sped up and touched the back of Kikyou's arm.

"Lady Kikyou, I ask if I may accompany your small group." He said, addressing her like friends. She looked at him like she was considering his offer before nodding.

"Yes, you may, Hiroki. What is the reason for this?" The boy, Hiroki, glanced back at Kei and smiled.

"I am very interested in the young priestess you have with you." He said, loud enough for Kei to hear. Her face turned the color of his hair, and Kikyou smiled coolly.

"Sounds reason enough, Hiroki. She is a daughter of someone I know and I just want to bring her back to where she belongs." She said tonelessly, also looking at Kei. Kei raised an eyebrow. She thought she was going to tell Kikyou about her mother. Maybe Hiroki's arrival had changed. She was rather happy about the change in plans. Kikyou still made her a tad uneasy, and Hiroki was incredibly handsome. He spent the rest of the walk talking quietly to Kikyou until they finally reached an empty clearing.

"Take her back, Hiroki. I'm sure you'll find them. Report back to me when you're through." Kikyou instructed, turning back to Kei, "We will talk later. For now, I have no use for you." She turned and slipped back into the forest. Hiroki smiled, took her arm in his, and started to walk along slowly.

Kei was a tad awkward, her reasons being very understandable. First of all, this was a boy she had never seen before, and he didn't even know her name. Secondly, he had referred to her as a priestess. She remembered learning the night before that her mother was also a priestess. Could that mean she also had a bit of priestess in her? What did that even mean? These feudal times were very confusing.

"Kei... Are you okay?" Her thoughts were interrupted by Hiroki. He smiled down at her, brushing his odd colored spiked hair away from his eyes.

"You look a tad off..." He said once more, this time brushing her black hair away from her face. She blushed, turning almost the color of his hair once again, and shook her head.

"No, no. I'm fine really. I could find my way back alone... you don't have to bother." Kei said hurriedly. He probably had better things to do than to guide a random girl around to help her find her parents. She'd find her way back, even if she did have no idea where she was... She looked back at him and saw him smiling as if something amused him.

"You aren't a very good liar... especially to someone like me." He whispered, once he caught her questioning glance. Hiroki winked at her, and without notice, swooped her into his arms. She gasped in shock, but laughed when she saw the teasing in his eyes.

"What do you really want with me? Why don't you think I can lie to you?" She asked after calming down. By then, Hiroki had put her back on her feet, though hadn't let go of her hand. She felt his nails grip into her hand when she asked, and looked up into his green eyes. He spontaneously took both her hands, and pulled her into a cross-legged position.

"Do you really not know? And if you don't, are you sure you want me to tell you?" He asked seriously. Kei looked into her eyes for traces of laughter and teasing, but this time saw nothing. She really wanted to know the nature of this boy. Something about him seemed unnatural. She couldn't place her finger on it, but she knew he wasn't like her. Did she want to find out about him though? What if it was something terrible?

In the end, curiosity got the best of her, so she nodded her head. He looked so beautiful sitting there, the afternoon sun reflecting off his messy hair, but the serious look did absolutely nothing for him. She giggled to herself at this thought. Kei barely even knew this boy...

"I guess I'll have to tell you then." He started, smiling again. "It all began about 15 years ago. I was only 2 years old so I don't remember it. My father fought a half-demon, mortally wounding him. He thought that would be enough to take care of the hanyou, but he got better eventually. He didn't really care, his power was proven. He never expected that the hanyou would ever come back for him. 7 years later, he was attacked and killed in an enormous battle that pretty much killed the hanyou again. I don't know how, but he pulled through. I'm not sure if you're aware, but you're that hanyou's daughter..." He paused, and looked deeply into Kei's eyes. This definitely wasn't what she had expected.

"I'm so sorry about your father, Hiroki. I still don't know what you want from me though..." She said nervously. She felt the hair rise on the back of her neck as he reached a hand around her shoulders. He chuckled warmly.

"You see, Kei, I didn't know of your existence until my lady, Kikyou, told me of an offspring from the hanyou. I, wanting revenge for my father, and thinking you male, was going to meet you to kill you." He said, the calm smile remaining on his face. Kei jumped, and pulled herself out of his grip, grass staining her white dress.

"You what? You wanted to kill me?" She whispered, trembling. How could anyone take another's life? Was this guy insane?

Hiroki gave her that same cheerful look.

"Kei, I don't want you dead. The truth is that from the moment I laid eyes upon you, I have been in love. You are wonderfully pretty... Has anyone ever told you that?" He now crawled on his knees towards her, looking innocent and kind. He took his hand in hers, and smiled at her.

"Oh yeah, and I can tell you're lying because I'm a hanyou too. My mother was human. My father was never proud of me. He always told me my mother was the worst mistake of his life, and that I was born only to remind him of his constant shame. I guess I wanted to avenge him just so he might not think of me as a total failure... I never could kill anyone... which was another reason my father looked down upon me..." He finished off, the smile still on his face, but Kei thought she saw a trace of sadness on his face though it was gone almost instantly. All this overwhelmed her. What was wrong with this boy? Why did his smile never seem to leave his face?

"Kei, will you continue with me? I wish to fulfill my duty of bringing you home safely." Hiroki took her arm once again, and began to lead the still dazed Kei farther into the woods. After 10 minutes she had no idea where she was again, but wasn't as nervous about Hiroki any more. Sure, something about him wasn't quite on, but he definitely wasn't some kind of homicidal maniac. She trusted him, even if she didn't really have much reason to do so.

Finally, after walking through dense underbrush Hiroki halted, and caught her arm.

"This is where we part, Kei. I don't wish to meet your father, at least today. I don't think I'll ever be able to bring honor to my family, and you're defiantly not helping my cause. I won't kill you, so don't be worried. My only intention is to marry you, Kei." He turned, and before Kei could say anything in reply he sped through the trees until he was nothing more than a shadow. Shadows... yes, it did seem to be growing rather dark. That trip took nearly half the day. It had to be around 6 or 7 for the sun was already beginning to set. Her mother would be worrying about her she thought, before stepping out of the brush and into a clearing.

There she found Inuyasha tending a small fire with Kagome, Sango and Miroku all sitting around it. They one by one noticed her, Inuyasha first.

"Kei..." He said uncertainly, and put down a few sticks and stepped towards her. By then Kagome had looked up and already had Kei in an embrace.

"Kei, where have you been? I was so worried! Everyone was!" She said, squeezing her daughter tightly. Kei shrugged.

"It really is a long walk back from Kikyou's."

-Really long ramble session, take 1-

A/n: Eeky! I haven't updated in forever! That's why I give you... SUPER LONG CHAPTER!

Yes, at first I thought this fiction was coming to an end, but then I came up with Hiroki, the messed up red hair boy! I personally love Hiroki. If any of you are wondering about his emotion thingy where he never stops smiling, I kind of got the idea from that one boy in Kenshin who got abused all the time and after crying so much he just started smiling so the people would go easier on him or something along those lines. Hiroki is kind of the same way, except for the reason that his father always looked down on him for being a hanyou and verbally abused him and what have you. As we will later find out, Hiroki is not an only child... and yes, he does appear again!  -cheers-

I'm currently debating whether or not Hiroki and Kei should be a couple, but as of now I'm leaning towards YES. If any of you really don't want this, tell me and if enough of you tell me NO I might just change my mind... maybe.

So review, and tell me you love me! (Hey come on, I need my moments, just like anyone else)