A/N
Thank you for your kind reviews! They really inspire me to keep going with this story.
This chapter is longer than usual. I wanted it to contain a few things that I've been dying to explore regarding Kikyo's character and it ended up like this.
Please continue to tell me what you think in the reviews! You guys are my Shinidamachu and your reviews are my souls to absorb!
Chapter Three
Landing at the edge of the village still outside of Mt. Hakurei's intense barrier, Kikyo's feet softly came in contact with the ground below her as her Shinidamachu distanced themselves from her body back into the air in search for more souls in the nearest areas.
She lifted her face up and watched them in silence as they flew up to the pale morning sky, their silvery exterior glittering in the soft sun, disappearing in the opposite direction of the holy mountain far behind her. The sun was already prominent enough to cast a warm glow all over the land, making the air fresh and clear. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, involuntary recalling her last encounter with a certain inu daiyoukai, making her breathe out with exhaustion. Her brown eyes fluttered open and she lowered her head to stare at the grassy field before her.
To resort to such transparent means simply to try and have her talk... did he really think that little of her? Did he truly believe that throwing that incendiary question at her would make her lose her cool and react without thinking?
'Alive for probably so many years, and yet unable to avoid such immature methods...' She mused quietly, not sure whether to be annoyed, or simply amused at his childish way of provocation. The fact that he even allowed himself to ask a stranger such as herself a question of the sort with such ease clued her in on Sesshomaru most likely not having a very wholesome understanding of certain emotions.
The soft, chilly wind suddenly flowed through her long hair, as if granting her with an unexpected realization.
'What a difference between the two brothers...' She noted.
Inuyasha was easy to read; honest of his own emotions to a fault, wearing his heart on his sleeve, but a good partner overall - protective, loyal, brave, although sometimes too impulsive and not so good with children. Sesshomaru, however, was so devoid of any emotions, so gloomy and distant, so arrogant and belittling, and yet, he was responsible of protecting a young human child, one who he ventured deep into the deadly, purifying sacred lands of Mt. Hakurei for.
Kikyo narrowed her eyes.
Something didn't add up here.
Her mind traced back far into the past, dusting off a specific distant memory; one of her conversations with Inuyasha. Both of them were sitting on top of the tall, grassy hill just outside her village, the summer wind warm against her face and the blazing sun was setting in the horizon before them, showering the sky, valley and nature all around them with a brilliant reddish glow. That day, Inuyasha shared details of his family with her; of his human mother and full-blooded youkai father, of his unfortunate childhood as a half-youkai, his constant struggles, and finally, of his older, youkai half-brother, Sesshomaru, and his undeniable hatred for both Inuyasha and humans alike.
Kikyo blinked with further confusion.
If he indeed holds such disdain for them, then why on earth would he care for that child?
She stood in her place as she tightened her grip her on her bow, a dark thought crossing her mind, causing her brows to furrow slightly.
'Is that little girl even safe with someone like that...?' She couldn't help but worry, especially after she herself had witnessed an occasion in which Sesshomaru was unable to protect the child.
Her tense shoulders eventually eased up, and she tore herself out of her deep contemplation, realizing that standing there and meaninglessly thinking over these troublesome notions like that will only grant her with no results other than distraction from her current objective.
Turning on her heel to face the village, Kikyo once again drew in a deep breath, stepping into the deadly Mt. Hakurei barrier a second time. However, her agenda that day was different; she was not attempting to venture and investigate the mountain. She had something else that she needed to do, something that bothered her immensely.
The reason she was headed to the village where she had stayed with Suikotsu for several days was...
"K-Kikyo-sama...!" she heard the sudden, sad cry of a small boy, coming out of a nearby shed, surprising her.
He gripped on the old, wooden wall of the structure, his dirty form clinging to it helplessly as his eyes glinted with a small trace of hope in them as he made sure she was indeed the one who was standing before him.
Kikyo immediately lowered herself into a kneeling position, granting him with a warm smile.
"It's alright, you can come out, now." She reassured him softly.
The boy hesitated for a moment, turning his head right and left to make sure that no one else was present in the area. Kikyo's eyebrows came together as the smell finally hit her. Blood and death stained the air, people who Suikotsu had killed only yesterday, their bodies still fresh and sprawled on the ground deeper into the village, and yet their already strong, putrid scent was carried all the way to the edge of it, where she was currently positioned.
'That is the reason this child is hiding at this far away location, huh.' She concluded, her expression crossing with sadness as she watched him make his way to her, his bare, dirty feet that were stained with a substance other than mud cautiously walked in her direction in small, terrified steps.
"Kikyo-sama... you came back for us...?" The child asked, reaching where she was, small tears beginning to fill his eyes.
The priestess nodded.
"I had a feeling that I was still going to find you children here." She smiled warmly, raising her hand to the top of his head, gently caressing the boy's dusty, short hair, "There are more of you still at this area, aren't there?"
The boy couldn't stop his tears anymore, and he simply nodded silently as they fell down his stained cheeks, raising his sleeve to helplessly sob into it as Kikyo lowered her hand from his head to his shoulder, drawing him in for a hug.
"I came here to get you all out of this place." She told him, squeezing him gently, her expression calm and her voice filled with both comfort and resolve as he silently wept in her embrace.
Reaching the spot where he had left both Rin and Jaken in, Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks.
He silently watched both the child and the imp demon lying on the soft dewy grass, sleeping soundly, each of them curled into a ball to keep their warmth from escaping them.
It was already early morning, the birds were chirping loudly and the soft sun shone through the layered tree-tops, decorating the forest all around him with arbitrary spots of warm rays, cleansing both the area and the air of any ill-intentioned vermin that were possibly lurking in the previous night. The miko's scent has also weakened, he noted, not entirely sure on whether she had completely left the area this time, or simply changed her location and erected another barrier. There was a heavy stench of death closer to the nearby village which dulled his senses, and he found the idea of sorting through that just to reach an answer to his useless pondering unnecessarily disgusting.
His expression turned slightly annoyed as he focused his golden eyes on his sleeping vassal, which should have been awake and guarding Rin, then, he turned his gaze to the child, watching her peaceful slumber.
The wind suddenly picked up in his long hair, filling him with an unwanted weight, a dark, heavy feeling, deep inside of his chest.
"Had I not 'interfered', as you call it, what would have been the fate of that little girl, I wonder?" The priestess' sharp voice uncontrollably flashed through his mind, making him frown.
But the more he tried to force himself into ignoring her words, the more they crept into his conscious;
"Sesshomaru, you deny assistance and enter your battles without proper aid, resulting in you miscalculating your chances of success, thus recklessly endangering the lives of the innocents who have their utmost trust in you."
His expression remained unreadable as her insolent deduction replayed in his mind, once again.
Then, he breathed out, silently clearing his throat.
The miko was a sharp one, but she was vain, and she hardly managed to read into him as she successfully deluded herself into thinking that she had, he concluded.
Turning his golden eyes to his vassal, the daiyoukai walked in his direction and casually lifted one foot to step on the small creature's head without saying anything.
Jaken woke up with alarm all at once, his yellow eyes bugging out of his skull as his short arms flailed in all directions.
"I-I-I-I-I-I-I was not sleeping!" He lied in pure panic, his screeching eventually waking up Rin as well, who slowly lifted herself into a sitting position, rubbing her tired eyes at the sudden occurrence before her, "S-S-S-S-S-Sesshomaru-sama! P-Please forgive my lack of attention! T-This Jaken simply closed his eyes for a mere moment -"
"We're leaving." Sesshomaru cut into his blabber with a firm voice, then lifted his foot, releasing the the imp demon's head, turning on his heel and stepping in the direction all three of them came from with a stoic expression.
Rin rose to her feet, but lingered in her place for a few moments in stillness, turning her head back at where the miko had positioned herself before, in the single tree growing right at the edge of the cliff, only for her features to cross with slight sadness as she noticed she was nowhere to be seen.
The child raised a worried hand to her mouth, but just as she began pondering the disappointing possibility;
"That woman left, Rin." The daiyoukai informed her, still stepping forward in the direction of their camp near the river with Jaken right behind him. Rin turned her head back, staring at his back with surprise.
"Come now, child! Do not detain Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken nervously yelled at her, making her quickly catch up to them, a soft smile spreading on her face.
Stepping through the bloody grounds of the freshly-massacred village, Kikyo's expression turned solemn, her brows furrowing with regret at the sight before her; the dead bodies of the men and horses Suikotsu had killed were all over the place, some of them even still bleeding out the remains of their contents as the high red merged with the brown soil beneath them, granting it with both a strong smell and a vicious color. She could feel the barrier already working on her, the energy being slowly sucked out, burdening her mind greatly, but she knew the image of this deathly village would probably haunt her for quite some time.
"Kikyo-sama?!", "It's Kikyo-sama!", "She came back!"
The children's hopeful voices came in complete contrast to the horrors surrounding them as soon as they noticed her presence, making her stop her lamenting all together and lift her brown eyes to them. She walked all the way to the single house they were all inside of, trying her best to avoid the bloody ground beneath her as she climbed on the porch, looking down on a few more of the young boys and girls who were under Suikotsu's care back when his personality was purified by the mountain's barrier.
"Children, we must get you out of this village." She explained to them, lowering herself to their eye-level.
The look on their faces was of pure fear as they stared at her and then each other, cowering behind the first to speak out of the group.
"We were too scared to leave this house, Kikyo-sama... even though you told us to..." He admitted, lowering his eyes to his feet, "We're sorry."
Kikyo let out an amused breath at his unexpected honesty.
"That's quite fine, do not worry about it." She reassured him, her brown eyes filled with compassion, "I am here to help you reach the nearest village. The distance isn't far, but it would be best to prepare yourselves with food and water, just in case."
The children's expressions lightened up at her words.
"We still have plenty left." One of the girls answered, running to the back of the room to point at a relatively big wooden box.
Kikyo rose to her feet and stepped in the child's direction, grabbing the lid and opening it, revealing apples, bananas, pears, mushrooms and herbs, with a small compartment consisting even dried up meat and a few small bags of rice.
"This is more than enough." Kikyo agreed, closing the lid and reaching for the carrier strap connected to the box, lifting it to her shoulder. It was heavy, but not impossible to carry. She noted.
The children all watched as Kikyo silently made her way to the porch, her expression unreadable.
Then, they quickly followed after her, all of them slowly stepping away from the village into the nearby forest, finally distancing and releasing themselves from its horrors.
"Kikyo-sama..." The boy's voice grabbed her attention as they steadily made their way through the forest, "Is Suikotsu-sama..." He started, only for his words to fall short and his sentence to remain unfinished as he wasn't so sure the answer would be something that he would like to hear, anymore.
Kikyo turned her brown eyes away from the boy and stared up ahead, not letting her expression show any emotions regarding what she was really thinking about.
"Suikotsu-sama has passed." She answered him simply, closing her eyes.
Silence fell over the children, neither of them saying anything for the a few moments as only the sounds of their steps through the grassy ground escorted them, the wind picking up through the tree tops shaking their leaves loudly and loading her reply with a sad weight.
"Did Suikotsu-sama suffer?" One of the girls asked, her question surprising the priestess.
She suddenly remembered the fact that these kids, although unfortunately got to witness the doctor consumed by his other dark personality, were still under his devoted care for the longest time. Each of them lost their relatives to either war or famine, leaving them completely alone in the world. No wonder they had such a strong attachment and emotional dependency to him.
Even after seeing him at his darkest hour, they understood.
"No. He was smiling." Sadness filled her brown eyes as she gave them her answer.
Finally reaching the nearby village, Kikyo and the group of children were quickly noticed by its residents, recognizing both her and them as the ones who managed to survive against the Shichinintai attack. The villagers quickly took the children under their wing with Kikyo explaining the state of the other village to them, eventually handing them the wooden box of food she was carrying.
"This is food from their home, so you wouldn't need to spend your own resources for a while." She explained, taking into consideration that their village had suffered quite a lot from the Shichinintai attack as well, the fire and wounded men probably caused them to be short on supplies. The men nodded and relieved her of the weight she had been carrying all of this time, thanking her greatly for her kindness.
"Will you stay with us, Kikyo-sama?" The boy voiced out his wishes, grabbing on her sleeve.
She only knelt down to his eye level, smiling softly at him.
"I can't." Her reply was swift, and she knew there was no other she could answer him with, yet it still left her with a certain feeling of emptiness; of sadness and regret, "I have something that I need to take care of, so I must return to Mt. Hakurei at once."
The boy only nodded with understanding. He didn't cry this time, but he looked at her with utmost worry.
"Then, at least...!" He suddenly called, raising both of his fists to his chest as his expression crossed with determination, then, he ran to the spot where the elders had started to unpack the wooden box filled with food, the boy quickly collecting each of everything in its contents into a clean enough fabric, returning to her side shortly after with his hands full, "This! In case you'd be hungry!" He handed her the well-wrapped supplies, the fabric tied with a small, messy knot.
Kikyo's features crossed with surprise as she observed the boy's gesture for a few moments in silence.
She couldn't ever tell him that she was no longer alive, and therefore no longer in need of consuming food. Her source of powers were now the souls of the dead, which she needed to constantly absorb in order to sustain this clay body of hers. But the idea of her turning down his innocent offer made her feel incredibly uncomfortable, especially after she had already turned him down once before.
So, she simply smiled, letting out an amused breath.
"Thank you."
Bidding the villagers and children goodbye, kikyo turned on her heel and set back in the direction of Mt. Hakurei. She did her best to appear composed before them, but the truth was she was approaching her limit at an alarming pace, making her feel incredibly exhausted. She knew she had to find a place outside of the barrier soon to let her Shinidamachu provide her with souls. Carrying the hurriedly wrapped gift with one arm, she held it close to her body, staring down at it without saying a word.
'What should I do with this, now?' she pondered, her expression crossed with slight confusion.
Throwing the contents away would be a waste, not to mention incredibly disrespectful to the boy's wishes, she couldn't ever do something like that. But then... what else solution is there...?
Kikyo blinked as a sudden realization hit her, making her tilt her head as a new idea formed in her mind.
"Sesshomaru-sama, are you leaving again?" Rin asked, stepping away from the river and closer to him once she realized he had been staring at the sky, his right hand grabbing the hilt of Tokijin.
The daiyoukai's expression was stoic as he turned his golden eyes down at her direction, then, he simply lifted them back up to stare at the distance.
"I will be back when the sun sets, Jaken will stay with you and A-Un." He replied with a composed voice, causing his vassal to straighten up immediately.
"Are you going to investigate Mt. Hakurei again, Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken's curious voice was heard behind him, stepping closer to his master as well, his hands clenching on the wooden staff he was holding in their usual nervous fashion.
The daiyoukai's eyes narrowed as he felt it again. A strange pulse of some kind, coming from the back of the mountain. There was no mistake that some kind of occurrence was unfolding there, and the urge to check on that suddenly filled him as he could now confirm it wasn't just his imagination.
Sesshomaru kept his stillness for a few more moments, then, levitated into the air carried by his mokomoko without sparing another word, his legs eventually being engulfed by the fuzzy tail.
Both Rin and Jaken watched him disappear into the distance, then exchanged looks.
It was now already late noon, the winter sun was bright in the sky, although hidden well behind thick, misty clouds carried by the wind and blocking the ground from its warm rays, making it seem a bit darker than usual.
"Jaken-sama..." Rin started, raising a hand to her mouth as she watched him for a moment, "Did we take any of the tasty mushrooms we found yesterday with us?"
The imp demon shook his head, remembering yesterday's events.
'Sesshomaru-sama had a conversation with that dangerous miko.' He recollected silently, a bead of sweat running down his forehead, 'Just what on earth did they talk about for so long?'
The fact that their exchange happened so silently and calmly was surprising to the small, green creature. Most of his master's encounters usually didn't last very long, as he rarely allowed himself to even waste his time on pointless conversations. After all, he wasn't that much of a talker to begin with. Sesshomaru mostly acted instead of conversing.
So, for him to have such a lengthily exchange with the priestess was rare, he noted.
A sudden low grumble interrupted his thinking, making him turn his yellow eyes to the girl.
"Rin is hungry..." She informed him, placing her right hand on her stomach.
Jaken let out a loud sigh. He turned his eyes to the forest where they had last located edible food. There were no youkai present in that area that he could sense, probably due to that miko's strong barrier from yesterday and the fact that it is currently daytime.
"Well, you know where it is, child. Make sure not to stray from the path and come back as soon as you're done gathering what you need." He instructed her, making the girl nod and smile widely.
The imp demon watched as Rin excitedly made her way through the forest, in the same direction they both had found food in the previous night, then turned around to stare at the sky.
"Sesshomaru-sama ignored me yet again, huh." He breathed out with a disappointed voice, his expression slightly hurt at him realizing his master once again refrained from sharing his plans with him, making him eventually raise his sleeve up and sob pathetically into it, "S-S-S-Sesshomaru-samaaaa..."
Making her way alone through the grassy forest once again, Rin hummed a familiar tune to herself. She remembered exactly where she and Jaken both found that rare kind of mushrooms that she was so fond of, the kind that could only grow in a northern area just like the one they were in for this short period of time. She used her hands to move the tall grass before her as she slowly climbed up the hill, the freshness in the air making her breathe deep and enjoy the serene moment.
Eventually reaching the same clearing in the tall grass, Rin quickly located the rest of the most anticipated growing vegetable, lowering herself down and picking them one by one, however, her expression soon turned disappointed at how little there were left of them.
'Did Jaken-sama and I really eat that much yesterday?' She sighed, scratching her head, 'Well, Sesshomaru-sama really did take his time talking to the miko-sama...' Her eyes flickered with interest as that last thought crossed her mind, and she lifted her head to stare ahead into the forest, where Jaken had accidentally stepped into that woman's barrier. The rest of the path was only trees and short herbs of all kinds, nothing edible for her to eat.
'Where did that miko-sama go to...?' She couldn't help but wonder, her eyes locked on the path up ahead.
Then, curiosity got the better of her, and she started stepping forward, to the spot where the daiyoukai had entered, just around and through that row of trees before her. She would only take one look – is what she promised herself, just to see if she was still there. Jaken doesn't even need to know.
But as soon as the child peeked from around that tree to the same edge of the cliff, she was once again filled with disappointment. The cliff and single tree the miko was sleeping on were now empty of any presence, leaving only Mt. Hakurei looming in the far distance, the sun beginning to set casting it with an orange glow, making it seem falsely serene.
'I guess... she won't come back.'
But just then, as soon as she reached that conclusion, Rin's eyes suddenly widened as she witnessed the same miko gracefully landing before her on the edge of the cliff, carried by silver, snake-like spirits and surrounded by an unearthly brilliant white glow. Her long hair which was now collected into traditional miko binding was flowing elegantly in the soft wind, her large bow and arrow quiver set on her shoulder and a lump of fabric held firmly by her right arm and pressed against her body.
"Woahh..!" Rin accidentally exclaimed out loud in pure amazement at the sudden sight, making Kikyo turn to look in her direction with a soft movement. The child realized her mistake and sheepishly hid behind the tree trunk she was holding onto, then, hesitantly peeked out once more in the woman's direction. She blinked as she watched the priestess say nothing, only lowering herself into a sitting position on the grassy ground, leaning against the tree trunk behind her. The Shinidamachu were floating far above her in gentle circles, eventually scattering to search for more souls.
A small, warm smile spread on Kikyo's face as Rin stayed in her place, unsure of what to do.
"Are you hungry?" She asked the child, leaning forward and unwrapping the package she was carrying as she set it onto the ground before her, drawing her legs closer to herself and shifting to sit on her knees.
Rin eyed the food on the ground, her eyes widening at its wide selection, and she stepped forward to the priestess until they were finally at equal eye level.
"Is it really okay?" The child asked, her face pure surprise.
Kikyo nodded silently, observing her figure closely as she sat down before her, reaching for the food with enthusiasm. Her face was dusty and her hair unkempt, the robes she was wearing seemed as if it had been quite a while since they were last washed. Kikyo lowered her eyes to the child's dirty bare feet, her eyebrows forming a small frown as she watched her eating with such a hearty appetite, making her worry whether this girl was even being fed properly.
"What is your name?" Kikyo asked, leaning back against the tree and setting her bow and arrow quiver to her right side on the ground.
"Rin." The child replied with a mouthful, raising her eyes from the food in her hands.
Kikyo couldn't help but let an amused chuckle.
"Rin... what a lovely name." She said, placing both of her arms on her stomach as her lips formed a faint smile, "My name is Kikyo, I'm pleased to meet you."
Rin shifted into a more relaxed position, eyeing her curiously. She was now eating with a considerably slower pace, not so focused on her food as if it was about to run away from her.
"Kikyo-sama, are you not going to eat?" She asked her, realizing that she was the only one enjoying the various nutrients lying in front of them both.
Kikyo simply shook her head as the child watched her in silence.
"Something told me you would be still venturing for food in this area." She admitted, the wind flowing in her long hair and the orange glow cast on her face made her seem incredibly warm and inviting to the child, "That's what you and that other small demon were doing yesterday, correct?"
Rin expression suddenly filled with regret as if she had done something forbidden.
"Rin is sorry, Kikyo-sama." She said in a small voice, stopping from her eating as she lowered her eyes to her hands, now gripping on a single apple, "Jaken-sama and I didn't mean to step into your barrier... and Sesshomaru-sama then went to speak with you as soon as he heard..."
Kikyo's eyes narrowed at her last sentence, her expression still unreadable.
"You don't need to apologize, Rin." The priestess reassured her with a calm voice, "The conversation with Sesshomaru didn't bother me, it was quite amusing."
The child looked at her with pure amazement, making Kikyo slightly confused at her reaction.
"What is it?" She inquired, tilting her head slightly.
"Rin hasn't heard anyone say Sesshomaru-sama was amusing, before..." She admitted, her eyes large and full of curiosity, "Usually, everyone is scared."
Kikyo's expression turned sad at her words.
"Rin, why do you stay with him?" Kikyo couldn't help but ask her. She was fully aware that it was none of her business, but the question had been on her mind for a while and judging by the looks of this girl, Sesshomaru was far from capable of taking care of her. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like traveling with someone like him and his servant, both youkais with a completely different way of life than humans, and especially human children at that. The constant danger this girl must be facing... that cannot be healthy for her, both physically and mentally speaking.
Rin smiled, but her features were crossed by sadness as she recalled a distant, painful memory, making Kikyo observe her quietly as the child put the fruit in her hand onto the fabric before her, then wrapped her arms around herself in silence for a moment.
"When Rin was younger, her family was killed by bandits." Her voice was weak, barely audible over the strong wind that picked up spontaneously through the trees and grass around them, "Rin was left alone, and was living by herself in the village for a few years... then one day, the village was attacked, and Sesshomaru-sama came and saved Rin." The child lifted her gaze back to Kikyo, her eyes suddenly shining with content and happiness, and her smile genuine, "Rin was very lonely by herself, but she isn't lonely anymore now that she has Sesshomaru-sama, Jaken-sama and A-Un."
Kikyo said nothing for the longest time, watching as the child resumed her eating.
'Saved her, huh...' She mused silently.
The child seemed happy under his care, but Kikyo couldn't help remembering witnessing an occasion in which Sesshomaru was unable to protect her with her own eyes. What were she to do here? Was she to even do anything at all? Rin was attached both to the daiyoukai and his servants. This was her life now, and moreover, she was perfectly fine with it.
Suddenly overcome with an unexpected incredibly uneasy feeling, Kikyo raised her hand to her head as her breathing became unstable, making Rin's eyes widen and her expression to turn worried.
"Kikyo-sama?!" she exclaimed, confused.
Calling on her Shinidamachu, Kikyo opened her eyes slightly to look at Rin.
"Stand back, Rin... This might ruin your appetite..." She said with low voice through heavy breathing, a sad smile spreading on her face.
Just then, her silver, snake-like youkai helpers flew in from above, hovering at a small distance away from the priestess, each of them carrying an orb of light, releasing it at her direction until it was absorbed by her body completely, the action repeated several more times, as each time caused her body to glow with an unnatural bright white light, something that was both beautiful, but also carried an incredibly unnerving and unholy feeling with it.
Rin said nothing as she watched the occurrence before her. She stopped her eating, but the look in her eyes was not of disgust or fear.
It was simply silent understanding, surprising the priestess.
Not breaking eye-contact from each other, both of them said nothing for the longest time.
"Are you not scared?" Kikyo asked her, slight confusion crossing her calm expression.
Rin simply shook her head slowly.
"Somehow... Rin felt that there was a reason for you not to share this meal with her..." She admitted, her eyes filled with compassion towards the priestess.
Kikyo blinked as she stared at the child in complete silence. She did not expect her to understand and accept this condition so easily and wholeheartedly. Her memory involuntary took her back to sad place, a recollection which she much preferred to repress; a small child that had gotten attached to her by the name of Sayo, which unfortunately had to witness something as awful as herself collecting the souls of the dead, the realization that the priestess which she adored so much was secretly manipulating youkai was too much for her, and she was terrified because of it. Kikyo will never forget the way the girl had cowered in fear when she raised her hand to comfort her, the terrified look in her eyes... that memory and the feeling of shame and disgust with herself and who she had become is forever burned into her mind.
And yet, this child in front of her was anything but scared. her look wasn't of pity either, she noted. It was just pure, unconditional understanding, filling the priestess with a brilliant warm feeling, spreading through her clay body.
"You are a very bright girl, Rin." She said, her lips forming a genuine, soft smile.
But her words of confirmation only caused the girl's expression to turn sad.
"Kikyo-sama... Isn't it... too lonely like this?" She innocently asked, her voice hesitant.
The priestess watched her for a moment, refraining from answering as she eventually turned her gaze away to the sky, her expression not giving the child any clues on her thoughts. The Shinidamachu already finished this round of their soul feeding, causing them to fly upwards and away, and she was finally feeling like she was getting back to her full strength. But the question resonated deep within her, breaking through her barriers and reaching far beyond her spiritual strength, all the way to her core as priestess, and as originally, a human woman.
"Lonely, huh..." She thought out loud.
Rin watched her in stillness as the wind picked up through her long, purplish-black hair, swaying it behind her back and flowing through the bangs across her face, her beautiful profile was shed with the setting sun's reddish glow as her brown eyes locked on something far in the distance, yet her expression devoid of any emotions. At that moment Kikyo reminded her a lot of her master, Sesshomaru-sama; both had this distinct way of staring at something far ahead to rearrange their thoughts. The miko, however, unlike her master, seemed incredibly tragic to her at that single moment.
"I guess you could say that." She eventually replied, turning back to the girl as a sad smile crossed her features, "However, I'm afraid there is no other way for me."
Rin's disappointment was clear in her face, making Kikyo let out an amused breath at her honest display of emotions and good will.
"I have a purpose that only I can fulfill." She concluded, watching the child closely, "Therefore, I cannot put any other life at risk."
Rin's expression shot with a sudden disagreement to her words.
"Then!" she suddenly called, raising both of her fists to her chest with determination, surprising Kikyo, "Let Sesshomaru-sama help you!"
Her suggestion left the priestess wide-eyed, and she simply let out a chuckle at the absurd idea.
But Rin was persistent, quickly rising to her feet, pure determination on her face.
"Sesshomaru-sama is very strong! He protects Rin and Jaken-sama all the time!"
Kikyo closed her eyes, simply releasing a deep breath.
"I appreciate the offer, Rin, but I do not think that would be such a good idea." She respectfully declined, not even wanting to begin imagine what it would be like to receive help from someone so difficult. Not to mention, there isn't any reason for her to require his assistance in the first place.
Rin sat back down and pouted at her words.
But just as she was about to voice out another reason for the priestess to join forces with her master-
"Rin." A sudden, low voice was heard from behind the trees, revealing the daiyoukai himself as he stepped from between the thick rows of wildlife. Kikyo said nothing and stayed in her relaxed position as she watched him make his way closer to where they sat, both of their expressions composed as they locked their gazes. She had sensed his aura a mere second before he had spoken, meaning that he must have used his flight ability to reach them.
The child got up to her feet, excitedly stepping in his direction.
"Ah! Sesshomaru-sama! You're back!" She called happily.
Sesshomaru's golden eyes stayed on the priestess' cold expression as he watched her closely for a few moments, eventually lowering them to the fabric on the grassy ground, supporting different kinds of half-eaten and leftovers of human food.
"Let's go, Rin." He ordered, making the child's face suddenly turn surprised as he turned on his heel and began stepping back in the direction which he came from.
"Ah..." She let out a small, hesitated voice, turning her head back at the miko, still sitting against the tree.
Without saying a word, Kikyo grabbed her bow and arrow quiver, propped them on her right shoulder as she leaned forward to collect the leftovers of food into the fabric, tying it up neatly and rising to her feet, eventually stepping to the girl and kneeling down to reach her eye-level.
"Here, in case you get hungry again." She handed her the gift, smiling at her.
The girl accepted, but she was not satisfied with just the food being able to come back with her.
She turned around to face Sesshomaru, who stopped in his place and had been watching their small exchange.
"Sesshomaru-sama...!" She called, her expression worried and also filled with resolve, "Please help Kikyo-sama...!"
Kikyo's eyebrows joined in confusion as she stared at the child's back before her, while Sesshomaru stayed in his place in complete silence, watching Rin. The sun had nearly set behind the three of them, making the chilly wind grow stronger as it picked up through their green environment.
"That woman obviously prefers to operate on her own." He determined with a clear reference to their talk yesterday, the mocking tone in his voice evident as he shot the priestess with a bored look.
Kikyo slowly rose up to her feet, glaring at him in return with a composed expression, then, she lowered her brown orbs to Rin.
"That is correct." She agreed, her voice calm, completely ignoring his obvious attempt for provocation, once again.
Rin's features once more crossed with displeasure.
She stood in her place, lowering her gaze to the ground and clenched her grip on her newly-recieved gift.
"Then..." She quietly suggested, making Kikyo tilt her head slightly down at her direction, "Is it alright if Rin stayed with Kikyo-sama, just for the night?"
The priestess blinked down at the child. Her question was meant for her master, and yet she was facing her instead, probably unable to accept the fact that she had to leave, just yet. Kikyo lifted her brown eyes to Sesshomaru, locking in with his sharp gaze as she realized he had been watching her for quite some time now. He then averted his eyes to the child, keeping his silence for the longest time.
"Do as you wish." He eventually answered with a composed voice, turning back to face the forest as he resumed his steps in its direction, "However, the miko cannot erect a barrier to protect you as long as you're near her, Rin, therefore you're exposed to unnecessary danger staying here."
Both Rin and Kikyo exchanged gazes with each other.
Rin smiled wide up at the priestess as she reached for her hand, grabbing it with enthusiasm.
"He means you're coming with us, Kikyo-sama!" She said, pulling her along she started stepping in the daiyoukai's direction.
Kikyo's brown eyes went wide at the sudden occurrence. She did not plan for herself to somehow get involved any further than she had already did, and now the three of them were stepping through the forest on their way to Sesshomaru's camp, with Rin's warm hand guiding her in the direction. While she felt like she was being wanted there for pure reasons coming from the child, Sesshomaru was the one who caused a confused frown to form at the priestess' forehead; was he testing her? Or maybe he thought this was a good chance for him to observe her better and possibly get more information out of her? What was the reason for his sudden agreement?
She let out a silent breath as she focused on the child's grip on her hand.
How small and warm the sensation was...
She could never turn down this feeling, a feeling that reminded her of the humanity she had lost. Of caring and being cared for...
And she let herself be pulled by that feeling, just for a bit longer, she wanted to feel human again.