Disclaimer: Okay, I don't own Inu-yasha. If I did, I wouldn't be posting
this as fan fiction. . . I'd probably be writing it out for a show or
something.
Beautiful Flower. . . Wilted Soul
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The field stretched for miles, filled with the blooms of the Chinese bell flower. She was in the middle of it all, resting on the ground among the green and blue of the flowers. The sun glowed upon her face between the breaks in the clouds that floated past in the sky. Kikyo looked up to the sky, basking in the glow of the sun, as vague feelings stirred in the back of her memory. She reached over to caress one of the deep blue flowers for which she was named.
"So pale and so delicate. . ." Kikyo traced the dark blue veins of the petals, looking at her own hands. There was once a time when she could trace the thin blue veins in her own hands. . . a time when she could follow the path of her own life blood. She breathed in the scent of the field, felt the earth under her hands. Kikyo continued to finger the plant.
"Hello? Are you lost or hurt? My village is nearby if you need assistance." Kikyo looked up to see a young woman before her with violet eyes and long hair which had been swept back. She smiled sadly - the girl wore the robes of a miko. Kikyo pushed herself off the ground, picking up her bow and quiver of arrows.
"I would like to see your village. Tell me, what is your name?"
"I am Moriko. I'm studying herb lore, so that I may help the elder miko of our village. May I ask what your name is?" Moriko blushed before continuing. "You appear to be a priestess yourself."
"I am." She said. "My name is Kikyo. . ." they found a path and followed it. Soon, the two women came upon a village.
"Please, come with me. We will go to the miko of my village. You will find food there to eat." Kikyo merely nodded, knowing that her body did not require sustenance like the living that walked the earth around her. Soon, they came upon a small hut. Moriko pulled back the curtain in the entrance and allowed Kikyo to pass before her. A thin, small woman with a bun of peppered hair and warm skin from working in the sun stoked a fire in the corner of the hut.
"Lady Yukiko? This is Lady Kikyo." She gestured to Kikyo and continued the introductions, bowing to each woman in turn. "This is my Lady Yukiko, the head miko of our village and the most knowledgeable herbalist nearby. She is my teacher." Kikyo bowed to the woman. She could feel that the older miko possessed much skill, but not enough to know what Kikyo was. The woman called Yukiko peered at the new miko with interest.
"Come here, child. Let me have a good look at you. . ." The woman took Kikyo's hand, shivering from the cold of it. The old miko looked into her eyes, confusion written on her face. For a moment Kikyo wondered if she had been wrong, and that the elder miko was strong enough to sense the death that enshrouded her body. After a moment, Lady Yukiko turned to stir a pot in the fire, checking its contents.
"Kikyo is your name? Well come, Kikyo, and sit. I have prepared food enough to share." The three women ate together in silence. 'I feel content and almost. . . like before.' She shook her head. Kikyo was dead. Nobody need tell her what she was. Her life had been stolen from her long ago. Nothing could be like before. She might be able to make a life for herself. A home, even. . . but it wouldn't last. It couldn't. Kikyo was doomed to wander the earth - a place full of creation and life - a dead and lifeless being. She wanted to take her love with her. . . to hell. Kikyo had loved Inu-yasha before, and still loved him, even now, but the love felt was a mere memory - as if her senses were dulled.
After the meal, Moriko took Kikyo to visit the village with her. Together, they tended to the sick, and Kikyo even showed the young miko some ways to better help her charges. Kikyo watched the village children's attentiveness to Moriko's lessons - every gesture, every word - every piece of information was swallowed up by their round, innocent eyes. As the sun began to set, the children scattered and ran back to their homes. Kikyo followed Moriko back to the hut of Lady Yukiko. There, they shared another meal together. The old priestess eyed Kikyo sadly.
'There is such an emptiness surrounding her. . . there is longing in her eyes and her soul is heavy and empty.'
"Lady Kikyo, there is a pallet in the corner where you may rest for tonight." Yukiko tended the gradually shrinking flames. Her eyes met Moriko's as she walked by to her own pallet. Kikyo felt the familiar twinge of pain in her chest. There was something familiar in the young woman's eyes.
Kikyo waited until she was sure the village mikos were asleep. She rolled her pallet up, silently placing it in a corner of the room before she walked out into the gentle night air. There was no point in her staying any longer. It was time for Kikyo to gather together the souls the demons had collected for her. She walked on into the wilds surrounding the village to await their return.
Kikyo stopped, finding herself in the same field from whence she had come earlier that same day. The flowers were still there, the silver of the moon reflected on their stems and petals. The soul-gatherers slowly floated down to Kikyo's outstretched hand, as each one passed to her a soul that would help to sustain her body.
"Kikyo, what are you doing?" a voice quivered from behind her. Kikyo turned to see a shocked Moriko stand behind her. Kikyo looked into Moriko's eyes, and pulling an arrow from the quiver she carried on her back, set her bow to aim at the young woman's heart.
She watched Moriko's face as it slowly flowed from shock to understanding.
"You're not really alive, are you Kikyo?" her voice made Kikyo shiver. It was calm and gentle, as a voice one would use to calm a child, or an injured bird.
"Stay back!" Kikyo's voice broke. Why was this so hard? It had been so long since she'd felt anything, so what was holding her back?
"Come with me, Kikyo. There is no need that calls you to use your arrows, for I am a friend. . . Let me help you, Kikyo."
"No! If you don't stay back, I'll shoot you! I won't allow you or anyone to warn the other villages of ME. . ."
"It is obvious you are in much pain, and it prevents you from moving on into the next world. . . let me help you." Kikyo tightened her grip on her bow, but her face relaxed some, the look in her eyes saddening. Finally she spoke
"Kikyos are yearly flowers. . ." Kikyo heard herself speak, as if listening from far away. "Their seedlings are delicate, but they grow back every year after the winter." She sighed, and continued, half speaking to herself. "So why did I not continue? Why did I die so soon. . . I have a body, but it is only of earth and bones. A body which I must sustain with the souls of other women!"
"I see. . ." said Moriko. "Will you kill me then, Kikyo? Will you take my soul with you?" Kikyo peered into the young miko's eyes and so shocked was she at what she saw in them, that she dropped her bow, staring down at her shaking hands. Kikyo fell to her knees as the world rushed around her.
"Go. . ." Kikyo finally whispered.
"I don't understand."
"Go! Leave me!" Moriko looked sadly upon the fallen miko, her heart braking for the poor spirit.
"Farewell Kikyo. . ." she held out her hand in a last attempt to help. "You will always be welcome in this village, should you pass by it again. . ." Kikyo watched Moriko's retreating back as she disappeared into the dark of the forest.
Slowly, she stood up, calling her soul-gatherers to her own body to carry her away. She felt the blossoms of the flowers tickle her face, as if in an attempt to protect one of their own - the fallen child that had so been their name-sake. As Kikyo's body was lifted off the ground, she recalled in her mind what it was she saw in Moriko's eyes. She saw in the young miko the image of herself and the life that she had once lived. . .
Author's Note: So what did you all think? I know that a lot of people usually perceive Kikyo as the bitch of eternal damnation (or something to that effect) but I disagree. She's not necessarily my favorite character, but there is something about her that to me brings to mind the frailty of the human soul and what happens when it's broken. I'm also kind of an empathic person so it's not in my nature to hate people like her (even if she does want to take our favorite dog boy to hell with her). Just a few side notes: Kikyo translates into Chinese Bell Flower. This is a relative of the morning glory family; if you look up a picture of it, you'll see that it's light-ish blue and is kind of shaped like a star. Moriko is a Japanese name that means "forest child." Yukiko, another Japanese name, means "snow child." I hope you enjoyed this! Please read and review, I want to know what people think about this fic in particular. Until I post again, -Starmoon
Beautiful Flower. . . Wilted Soul
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The field stretched for miles, filled with the blooms of the Chinese bell flower. She was in the middle of it all, resting on the ground among the green and blue of the flowers. The sun glowed upon her face between the breaks in the clouds that floated past in the sky. Kikyo looked up to the sky, basking in the glow of the sun, as vague feelings stirred in the back of her memory. She reached over to caress one of the deep blue flowers for which she was named.
"So pale and so delicate. . ." Kikyo traced the dark blue veins of the petals, looking at her own hands. There was once a time when she could trace the thin blue veins in her own hands. . . a time when she could follow the path of her own life blood. She breathed in the scent of the field, felt the earth under her hands. Kikyo continued to finger the plant.
"Hello? Are you lost or hurt? My village is nearby if you need assistance." Kikyo looked up to see a young woman before her with violet eyes and long hair which had been swept back. She smiled sadly - the girl wore the robes of a miko. Kikyo pushed herself off the ground, picking up her bow and quiver of arrows.
"I would like to see your village. Tell me, what is your name?"
"I am Moriko. I'm studying herb lore, so that I may help the elder miko of our village. May I ask what your name is?" Moriko blushed before continuing. "You appear to be a priestess yourself."
"I am." She said. "My name is Kikyo. . ." they found a path and followed it. Soon, the two women came upon a village.
"Please, come with me. We will go to the miko of my village. You will find food there to eat." Kikyo merely nodded, knowing that her body did not require sustenance like the living that walked the earth around her. Soon, they came upon a small hut. Moriko pulled back the curtain in the entrance and allowed Kikyo to pass before her. A thin, small woman with a bun of peppered hair and warm skin from working in the sun stoked a fire in the corner of the hut.
"Lady Yukiko? This is Lady Kikyo." She gestured to Kikyo and continued the introductions, bowing to each woman in turn. "This is my Lady Yukiko, the head miko of our village and the most knowledgeable herbalist nearby. She is my teacher." Kikyo bowed to the woman. She could feel that the older miko possessed much skill, but not enough to know what Kikyo was. The woman called Yukiko peered at the new miko with interest.
"Come here, child. Let me have a good look at you. . ." The woman took Kikyo's hand, shivering from the cold of it. The old miko looked into her eyes, confusion written on her face. For a moment Kikyo wondered if she had been wrong, and that the elder miko was strong enough to sense the death that enshrouded her body. After a moment, Lady Yukiko turned to stir a pot in the fire, checking its contents.
"Kikyo is your name? Well come, Kikyo, and sit. I have prepared food enough to share." The three women ate together in silence. 'I feel content and almost. . . like before.' She shook her head. Kikyo was dead. Nobody need tell her what she was. Her life had been stolen from her long ago. Nothing could be like before. She might be able to make a life for herself. A home, even. . . but it wouldn't last. It couldn't. Kikyo was doomed to wander the earth - a place full of creation and life - a dead and lifeless being. She wanted to take her love with her. . . to hell. Kikyo had loved Inu-yasha before, and still loved him, even now, but the love felt was a mere memory - as if her senses were dulled.
After the meal, Moriko took Kikyo to visit the village with her. Together, they tended to the sick, and Kikyo even showed the young miko some ways to better help her charges. Kikyo watched the village children's attentiveness to Moriko's lessons - every gesture, every word - every piece of information was swallowed up by their round, innocent eyes. As the sun began to set, the children scattered and ran back to their homes. Kikyo followed Moriko back to the hut of Lady Yukiko. There, they shared another meal together. The old priestess eyed Kikyo sadly.
'There is such an emptiness surrounding her. . . there is longing in her eyes and her soul is heavy and empty.'
"Lady Kikyo, there is a pallet in the corner where you may rest for tonight." Yukiko tended the gradually shrinking flames. Her eyes met Moriko's as she walked by to her own pallet. Kikyo felt the familiar twinge of pain in her chest. There was something familiar in the young woman's eyes.
Kikyo waited until she was sure the village mikos were asleep. She rolled her pallet up, silently placing it in a corner of the room before she walked out into the gentle night air. There was no point in her staying any longer. It was time for Kikyo to gather together the souls the demons had collected for her. She walked on into the wilds surrounding the village to await their return.
Kikyo stopped, finding herself in the same field from whence she had come earlier that same day. The flowers were still there, the silver of the moon reflected on their stems and petals. The soul-gatherers slowly floated down to Kikyo's outstretched hand, as each one passed to her a soul that would help to sustain her body.
"Kikyo, what are you doing?" a voice quivered from behind her. Kikyo turned to see a shocked Moriko stand behind her. Kikyo looked into Moriko's eyes, and pulling an arrow from the quiver she carried on her back, set her bow to aim at the young woman's heart.
She watched Moriko's face as it slowly flowed from shock to understanding.
"You're not really alive, are you Kikyo?" her voice made Kikyo shiver. It was calm and gentle, as a voice one would use to calm a child, or an injured bird.
"Stay back!" Kikyo's voice broke. Why was this so hard? It had been so long since she'd felt anything, so what was holding her back?
"Come with me, Kikyo. There is no need that calls you to use your arrows, for I am a friend. . . Let me help you, Kikyo."
"No! If you don't stay back, I'll shoot you! I won't allow you or anyone to warn the other villages of ME. . ."
"It is obvious you are in much pain, and it prevents you from moving on into the next world. . . let me help you." Kikyo tightened her grip on her bow, but her face relaxed some, the look in her eyes saddening. Finally she spoke
"Kikyos are yearly flowers. . ." Kikyo heard herself speak, as if listening from far away. "Their seedlings are delicate, but they grow back every year after the winter." She sighed, and continued, half speaking to herself. "So why did I not continue? Why did I die so soon. . . I have a body, but it is only of earth and bones. A body which I must sustain with the souls of other women!"
"I see. . ." said Moriko. "Will you kill me then, Kikyo? Will you take my soul with you?" Kikyo peered into the young miko's eyes and so shocked was she at what she saw in them, that she dropped her bow, staring down at her shaking hands. Kikyo fell to her knees as the world rushed around her.
"Go. . ." Kikyo finally whispered.
"I don't understand."
"Go! Leave me!" Moriko looked sadly upon the fallen miko, her heart braking for the poor spirit.
"Farewell Kikyo. . ." she held out her hand in a last attempt to help. "You will always be welcome in this village, should you pass by it again. . ." Kikyo watched Moriko's retreating back as she disappeared into the dark of the forest.
Slowly, she stood up, calling her soul-gatherers to her own body to carry her away. She felt the blossoms of the flowers tickle her face, as if in an attempt to protect one of their own - the fallen child that had so been their name-sake. As Kikyo's body was lifted off the ground, she recalled in her mind what it was she saw in Moriko's eyes. She saw in the young miko the image of herself and the life that she had once lived. . .
Author's Note: So what did you all think? I know that a lot of people usually perceive Kikyo as the bitch of eternal damnation (or something to that effect) but I disagree. She's not necessarily my favorite character, but there is something about her that to me brings to mind the frailty of the human soul and what happens when it's broken. I'm also kind of an empathic person so it's not in my nature to hate people like her (even if she does want to take our favorite dog boy to hell with her). Just a few side notes: Kikyo translates into Chinese Bell Flower. This is a relative of the morning glory family; if you look up a picture of it, you'll see that it's light-ish blue and is kind of shaped like a star. Moriko is a Japanese name that means "forest child." Yukiko, another Japanese name, means "snow child." I hope you enjoyed this! Please read and review, I want to know what people think about this fic in particular. Until I post again, -Starmoon