A/N: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi, this story is the brainchild of Kajatk8, and belongs to her. This story is for fun, and no profits are made from it.
Chapter 3. Leaves and Shikigami
Kagome rolled over and grumbled as the morning light hit her eyes. She so didn't want to wake up today. She hadn't wanted to face the day, in fact any day, since coming to the Harmony Shrine. Each and every day was the same, get up early, when first light broke; eat, work hard, eat again, work even harder, attempt Shikigami, get drained, and then fall asleep and repeat. Sometimes if she was lucky, there was a bath in there somewhere, but mostly it was just the hard work.
With eyes still closed she snuggled back into the covers with thoughts of drifting back off to sleep. Instead she reached over and felt a cool futon. No warm body beside her, and there hadn't been for some time, she frowned. Where had Inuyasha gone so early?
Kagome reached up and ran her hand through her hair, blinking open her eyes, she looked at her hand in wonder at the tattoo she found there. It had been five weeks since she awoke the morning after being kissed by the fox to find that a tattoo of falling green leaves had replaced the burns she'd received. Overnight her flesh had re-knit itself, and the leaf she had unconsciously held all night had worked its magicks into a beautiful tattoo of falling green leaves. The leaves traveled from her fingers up her hands and forearm, and ended just at the top of her right shoulder. Hundreds of leaves decorated her skin, appearing to be caught in a flurry of wind up her arm, but fewer and fewer ascended her body. Only a single leaf had found its way to right on top of her shoulder. Sometimes she thought that if a large wind were to pick up, she could feel the leaves dancing on her arm in the breeze.
She and Inuyasha had been rather startled when it happened, but when nothing bad had come from it; Kagome put it out of her mind. Inuyasha however, overprotective as ever, was sure it meant that she would be in the white-kitsune's debt for the rest of her life. He had used the Shrines vast library to study up on kitsune legends and tales in order to find the white-kitsune. He loved popping up at random times and telling her of the stories he had found. Once even going so far as to say that the fox would appear one day and demand the life of Kagome's first born. While Kagome had been a little off put at first, now, Inuyasha's wild stories had just succeeded in annoying her.
While it had been a vast change to her body, in truth, Kagome liked the leaves. They were the same leaves that trickster youkai like Hachi and Shippo used to imbue illusionary spells. Yet, she felt a calmness about herself when she was alone and glancing at them – she never felt tricked. Her arm seemed to thrum with the faint power that seemed familiar to her when she'd met the fox. She briefly thought of the white-kitsunes last words to her scribed on the leaf: 'Do not fret hime, we shall meet again…Soon,' as she stretched and sat up in her futon.
Kagome decided that she would rather get up than be chastised for still laying around in bed when Botan came to retrieve her. She started to dress and put foxes firmly out of her mind.
Yesterday's training had left her feeling especially worn down, and she felt as if she hadn't slept at all. Since she was an apprentice at the shrine, she received a new set of clothing. A white hakama and haori, similar to Momiji's and Botan's, the only difference being that she wore a dark green tunic whereas they wore a red and blue one respectively. She reached down for her light green obi, stifling a yawn. As she finished tying it Botan smacked open the shoji screen door, already completely dressed and in a cheery mood.
Kagome smiled at her, she couldn't help it. Her shrine sisters were always in a good mood, and if that didn't make her smile, then it was their ridiculous antics.
"Good morning! Ready to start the day, Kagome-san?" Botan said.
"Hai," Kagome said.
Kagome followed Botan to the kitchen to begin the day and prep the morning meals.
"Where is Momiji this morning?" Kagome asked noticing the absence of her sister priestess in red.
"She and Inuyasha got into an argument over who was a better fisherman. They've gone out to compete." Botan said.
Kagome chuckled. She truly doubted that Momiji could catch more fish than the wily hanyo, but loved that she would try. Momiji seemed more stubborn than Inuyasha at times and had quickly developed a rapport with him. They became immersed in many varying competitions over the month she'd spent here, and she doubted that this fishing competition would be the last. She thought back to the last and probably most ludicrous competition they had had – who could do laundry better. Well at least all her clothes and the entire Shrine's linens had been laundered. In retrospect, maybe their competitions weren't all bad. At least this way they'd be well stocked with fish.
After breakfast both Botan and Kagome headed outside. Botan grabbed her bo staff and threw Kagome her own.
"Prepare yourself," Botan said.
Kagome went into her ready stance, and at Botan's call she ran through all her kata and stances with the staff. Her feet settled into a fighting stance almost by themselves, and Kagome concentrated on the pneumonics she had made up to remember her forms.
As she fell into the easy rhythm of movements she thought back to her first day when she realized she'd have to learn to defend herself with a bo staff. Momiji and Botan had been more than happy to teach her the arts of Shikigami, but Kagome didn't realize that meant she'd become an apprentice at the shrine – which meant she'd be forced to learn all that a Harmony Shrine maiden was forced to know. While she'd thought that it involved making barriers, medicinal remedies and eventually Shikigami, she had been forced to learn the hard way that there was so much more to being a miko. She'd been thrown into birthing chambers in the local village, aided in an outbreak of influenza, re-broken a leg that had healed improperly, exorcised demons in the same home she'd broken a leg in, and been forced to learn to defend herself with the bo staff.
Kagome was impressed to learn that Botan and Momiji were masters with the staff. She never would have suspected that based on their prior interactions, but had quickly learned in this era – they were the teachers. She had acquiesced to her position of apprentice easily enough.
"Stop," Botan called bringing Kagome out of her musings.
"You aren't protecting left. Again." Botan continued.
Kagome groaned. She'd had this problem ever since picking up the bo staff. Something about always being a righty and using the bow for years had made her weaker in her left arm. She had then transferred this fault to her practice with the staff, a fact which the sisters hadn't failed to comment on at once.
"Again, from the beginning," Botan said.
Kagome started the kata over again, working through her the movements and paying extra attention to her left. She kept her stance wide, contrary to her sense of balance, and realized the difference.
"There, you see?" Botan explained. "When you widen your stance, your left falls perfectly into place."
"It's difficult. I know in my head what I need to do, but my body keeps refusing." Kagome replied.
"It happens to all of us, just don't lose focus, and keep concentrating." Botan replied. "Now, let us spar."
Kagome faced Botan and both the girls bowed to each other. Kagome's feet settled in a fighting stance with her staff poised behind her at the "ready" position. Her eyes flowing over Botan's stance, determined today to beat her first move before it contacted and left Kagome with yet another bruise.
In the blink of an eye Kagome cried out "owwwwww!" She hadn't even seen Botan switch her weight off her back leg, or seen her move her arms, let alone seen the bo staff fly. But all of a sudden she felt the hot pain radiating down her arm.
"No fair, you always do that." Kagome said rubbing her arm in a grimace.
"Don't worry; you'll get there sooner or later." Botan said smiling, settling back into a ready stance.
"Much later…" Kagome muttered under her breath.
After that they quickly dropped the conversation and eclipsed into a nice sparring session. Not for the first time Kagome thought ill thoughts of her mother for not forcing her into a martial art when she was younger – like so many of her friends. Maybe if she'd had practice growing up, she wouldn't feel so helpless now.
Her muscles sang, and she welcomed the relief her body felt, easily flowing into the practiced movements. She allowed her body to respond and attack all on its own, finding peace there. She attacked when she saw an opening, but mostly Kagome let her muscles do the work. She grimaced as once again Kagome fell prey to Botan's famous right feint, feeling the double smack to her shin (and pride), at and realizing her mistake too late. She swallowed and prepared herself again, calming herself, she flowed again into what she called her "fighting brain" where everything was either an action or reaction.
After what felt like a little longer than Kagome was comfortable with, Botan called it quits.
"Okay, let's break for lunch," Botan said.
Kagome was thrilled. Panting and wiping sweat from her brow she appraised her many new injuries. Her arm was still throbbing from the first blow, and a few separate thwacks to her left shin were pretty bad, but altogether she wasn't in horrible shape. She couldn't wait for lunch, and a break.
She dropped back into her ready stance in front of Botan and the girls bowed to each other.
"How is it you always get me with that combination?" Kagome said rubbing the lingering pain from her arms and shin.
"I don't know, how come you always leave your left open?" Botan replied.
"Touché" Kagome said.
"What?" Botan said, looking confused at the foreign word.
"Nothing, I just don't realize I leave it open." Kagome sighed.
She thought that Inuyasha and Momiji would have been back by now, apparently they had left before the sun rose, and it was already well past midday. She wondered if they were still safe and competing for the title of best fisherman. Then again, Kagome was happy that Inuyasha hadn't been around for her morning bruising session. He tended to call out to her, which, while trying to be helpful in his own right, typically just distracted her.
Kagome slid the door open and walked back to the kitchen beginning to prepare their meal. Botan followed her after placing their staffs in their place near the door.
"You have improved you know," Botan said conversationally.
"Really? Was it the bruises or me falling onto my backside repeatedly that made you say that?" Kagome said.
"Ha, it was the fact that you've been doing better at blocking and taking control of bad situations. You almost got me twice today." Botan said as she watched Kagome work.
"You're just saying that." Kagome said offhandedly stirring the rice that she'd placed over the fire and cutting up some vegetables.
"No I'm not; you're really doing well Kagome. Of course, your bow is still where you shine, but, you could still hold your own against a demon with a staff." Botan said firmly.
The overwhelming compliments made her blush. Botan wasn't too generous with them, and usually just said she'd never seen a worse off apprentice. Momiji was a little nicer in that respect, but she'd also never sung her praises with a staff. Both were extremely impressed with the caliber of power she exuded when using sacred arrows. But they also continued to remind her that a bow was a long range weapon. If she needed to protect herself one on one, the staff was the better option.
Kagome hadn't really known what to expect coming to live with true priestesses. She had learned that Momiji and Botan were both in fact sisters. While they were still very young, they guessed four summers or so, they had been left at the shrine because they both displayed spiritual power. They barely remembered their parents or their small farming village; instead held their deceased master in esteem the same you would a father. They were exactly what one would expect after twenty straight years of training with a staff – experts. One would also think they'd be specialists at Shikigami as well – yet they were not. Apparently what Kaede had said was true – it was a very tricky and draining magick to learn.
Both Momiji and Botan had shown Kagome the basics of Shikigami, and on her second day she had been able to make the same paper doll that the sisters had used to steal the Inu-taichi's hair. The sisters were floored with her progress and had started her on more difficult tasks within the week. Since they had both been formally trained, they were excellent in giving lessons, but many of the techniques they lectured about – they could not show her. Neither was particularly gifted with Shikigami, but their Master had been. After he had passed on, they both continued their studies, but it became clear to Kagome that they would never master that particular skill.
'Ahh well,' Kagome thought 'at least they are complete masters with a bo staff.'
"So are we going to continue with animal forms today?" Kagome asked as she finished chopping the vegetables and placed them into the pan she had swapped the rice with on the fire. Grabbing a wooden spoon she started dishing out rice into two bowls.
"Actually, today I think that we will move onto human forms." Botan said while taking the bowls to the table in the dining room and sitting down on a cushion.
Kagome smiled and nodded but she felt nervous. Animal forms had come naturally to her, almost with the same ease as a sacred arrow. She didn't even have to think and she had an animal guardian. She had been extremely proud of herself after her first attempt at making herself an otter. Both the sisters had given her praise and commended her on her first amazing animal Shikigami. She thought briefly about the Harry Potter books, how the Patronus' took the forms of animals, and how similar it felt creating an animal to protect her from big scary demons. She had smiled at that thought and how ridiculous it would sound attempting to explain Harry Potter to anyone of this era.
But, still, now she was wary. Human shaped Shikigami required a lot more reiki energy. They required a lot more concentration as well. If your mind wandered in the least bit, you might end up with a too tall human, or a person with no shins, eyes, or eyebrows. Humans were far trickier, and just the littlest thing out of place could make the illusion fail. She had read up on all of the material about human formed Shikigami, and inwardly cursed Kikyo. It appeared that she would forever be in the shadow of the dead priestess. When Kikyo had been dying from a fatal wound by Naraku, she had still managed to create two very strong Shikigami to bring the Inu-taichi to her. Kagome shook her head to keep the bad thoughts at bay.
Kagome removed the vegetables from their simmer on the fire and doled out two helpings in another two plates, joining Botan at the table.
"What if I can't do it?" Kagome said quietly while setting the vegetables on the table. She cast her eyes down in shame, dreading Botan's answer.
Botan paused in raising her chopsticks to her lips and sighed. "Kagome, you are a natural with Shikigami, don't fret."
Kagome lifted her head, staring at her rice blankly, and hoped that she was right. She didn't like to think about the downfall of many miko with Shikigami. She moved her vegetables around on her plate and lost herself to her thoughts once more.
She had learned in her first week after arriving at the Harmony Shrine that many apprentice mikos and priests just outright died. Perplexed she asked if they died because they were killed by a demon or failed at a seal. She had been extremely surprised to find that it was during training, and while making Shikigami no less. Apparently it was very common for an inexperienced miko or priest to put too much of their reiki into a human-shaped Shikigami. In essence they emptied their soul and placed it into a separate vessel. The sisters had explained to her that no one was meant to live without their soul, and one would die who had had their soul ripped from them in such a manner. That was one of the reasons why there weren't many people at the Harmony Shrine; many didn't bother to learn such a dangerous craft.
Kagome had thought about that. She had remembered how Inuyasha had looked at her when the sisters explained that to her. His eyes glazed over and he had a far off look, which happened whenever he thought of Kikyo. Kagome remembered back when Urasue had ripped Kagome's soul out of her body and placed it into Kikyo when she had first been resurrected. According to the sisters Kagome should be dead. It is not natural and against the Kami's wishes to have ones soul displaced from their body. No ones soul is meant to withstand that much torment. She realized how dangerous it had been then and there when she'd come to the feudal era. When Kikyo had been resurrected, she'd barely been in the feudal era a month when it had happened, yet it seemed so long ago to her now.
"Are you scared?" Botan asked breaking her cold inner musings.
Kagome blanched – should she speak the truth or lie?
"Yes," Kagome replied. She'd never lie to Botan, especially about something so important.
"I was too, when I first started." Botan said quietly.
"You were?" Kagome said.
"Yes, I'd heard the horror stories, the same as you. But I had my sister there to help me through it." She said.
Kagome thought about that. She did have friends to help her though it, and she had Inuyasha, if he'd ever come back with Momiji.
"Look Kagome," Botan started, Kagome looked up and removed the chopsticks from tapping a rhythm against her lips. "You are much stronger than any priestess I've ever met. I am stunned by your power every day. You're far stronger than all the recorded priestesses at our shrine. You display an affinity with Shikigami, of which I've never before seen. You'll do fine. You will not die."
Kagome smiled. "Thank you Botan."
She wasn't sure if Botan really thought that way, or she was just trying to make her feel better. She suspected the latter, but gathered herself in spite of it. She was strong. She had stood up to how many youkai in her day? She was a modern day teenager thrown into the Sengoku Jidai. She had defeated Naraku for Kami's sake. She shouldn't fear her training! She suspected that it wasn't her lack of accomplishments that frightened her, but rather all that she had gained in this time that she didn't want to lose. She had friends, a family, and Inuyasha. She had a place where she belonged in the world. She didn't want to lose any of it, least of all while training herself to be a miko.
After lunch she found herself in the Shrine's courtyard, where they practiced Shikigami arts. She took a deep breath and swallowed, preparing herself. She could do this.
She thought of a human form, of all the parts, careful to not miss anything. 'Eyes, nose, throat, knees, toes, even finger nails, don't forget anything Kagome,' a quiet voice deep within supplied her.
She summoned her reiki around her and placed it into the piece of paper she had scribed with her spell in hand. This felt familiar to her, and safe. Imbuing an object with her spirit, she could do this. She closed her eyes, and knew that her fingers were glowing with her pink aura of reiki.
Botan watched curiously as Kagome concentrated. Kagome felt confident that Botan had given her all the advice her own master had given her. Now it was up to her to put that advice into action.
Kagome finished imbuing the paper with her reiki, working the spell into the scribe and released it. She opened her eyes and watched as the paper transformed itself into a man. Kagome gasped and nearly fell over in shock.
There in front of her stood a man she never thought she'd see ever again. He had blondish-red hair, bright green eyes, and a kind smile. He smiled at her with it as she looked upon him. He was wearing the same long sleeved dark green shirt he'd been wearing that faithful day, along with the black pants. His boots were also black, and there was a black belt to accompany them. Kagome's heart did a backflip and she thought she'd break from the sheer emotion she held within herself.
"Daddy?" She asked. After she spoke, darkness overtook her and she welcomed it with open arms.
Botan critically looked at her Shikigami. It was perhaps the best first attempt at a humanoid form that she'd ever seen. Her only criticism was that it had been dressed in very strange clothes. She'd just been about to compliment Kagome on her efforts when she'd spoken. Daddy? Had this been Kagome's father?
Kagome had never spoken about her parents in the whole time she'd been at the Shrine. It was almost as if all of her past, before Tsubaki, and later Botan had learned Naraku had become a threat – were a secret. Botan had never understood why it was such a secret. Kagome lived now with Inuyasha in Edo, this she knew. But before that, she knew nothing. If this is what Kagome's father had looked like… Did that mean that Kagome was a foreigner? He appeared strange, garbed in odd clothing, and with features almost reminiscent of a youkai with that odd hair color and those foreign eyes.
As Botan had been scrutinizing the Shikigami she heard what could best be described as a thump. Botan shifted her gaze and jumped into action. Kagome had fallen down. A dark thought shivered up Botan's spine, was Kagome dead? Running to her side she placed her hand against her mouth and felt a breath against it. She listened to her heart just to reassure herself. Kagome was indeed alive.
Botan sighed in relief. Despite her earlier warnings, Botan had seen other apprentices make their first Shikigami and then fall over dead. Unknowingly apprentices would completely drain themselves of their entire life force. Botan had been so sure that Kagome wouldn't face the same fate with how strong the girl had always appeared, but when she had fallen, all hope had left her. Now it came back to her with a vengeance.
Kagome just hadn't controlled herself and had placed more of her reiki than she had intended into the Shikigami. As a result she'd overtaxed herself. Botan smiled as she'd remembered her first Shikigami.
It had been a little cut out of a humanoid form, reminiscent of a paper doll, it had meant to be small and unnoticed. Yet, the small creation had drained her of her power for more than a week. Kagome had almost untapped power in that respect. Botan had watched her make animal Shikigami after animal, as if it were as natural as breathing. While the girl said it drained her, she had never collapsed like Botan had after her first attempt. Instead, she'd taken requests and even made animals that Botan had never seen before. One in particular that Botan had enjoyed was extremely tall and yellow with large oddly shaped dark brown spots. Kagome had called it a "giraffe," and said it came from a foreign land called "Africa."
Botan had come to learn that Kagome was not only a gifted miko, more gifted than she had ever seen, she was also very knowledgeable. She'd been able to stop an outbreak of "sickness" in the nearby village with just a small amount of boiled water and alcohol. She'd seen her repair a leg by re-breaking it, and seen her stitch up and repair wounds that Botan herself had thought hopeless. She'd even seen her deliver twins, which was extremely dangerous. Most of the time, both babes did not live. Yet Botan had seen Kagome breathe life into the stillborn babe, only to have it scream after fervent rubbing and blowing into its mouth. If she hadn't known better, Botan would have thought Kagome was a witch.
Botan had never ceased to be amazed by Kagome. Even now as the miko was slumped to the ground, unconscious, she was impressed. Kagome had successfully made a humanoid Shikigami, and it was not a paper doll. It didn't even resemble paper. It was bright, colorful and full of life – it had been so recognizable and familiar to her, she herself had called it father. By far the most impressive thing she had accomplished was that she was still alive after this feat.
Botan rallied and looked upon the Shikigami once more. "Your creator has fainted, return her to her room to rest," Botan said.
The Shikigami gave her a serious look, then walked over to the prone girl and lifted her into his arms. He followed Botan to Kagome's room and placed her onto her futon. He then sat near Kagome's feet protecting her even in sleep.
'Even while unconscious, Kagome still has the power to protect herself.' Botan mused. She smiled closing the shoji screen door and left Kagome to rest.
In a tree overlooking the Shrine's courtyard a crow rose into flight. It had been watching the miko known as Kagome apprentice at the Harmony Shrine for weeks now. It had been waiting upon orders from its master to watch until she made a humanoid Shikigami.
As the crow rose beating its wings, it surveyed the land that it was soaring past. A river snaked its way along a path below, flowing into a forest and then out the other side. The crow followed this river past two humanoid forms both garbed in red with a load of fish in each of their hands and kept on flying. The crow flew ever eastwards following the winding river. It pumped its wings up and down in a slow harmony and rode air currents soaring purposefully. As the sun began to sink, the sky turned a faint red, pink, orange and purple with the sunset, and the crow continued its flight. As the sun was finally lost below the horizon a large castle anchored atop a hill next to the sea came into view. The crow flew to the tallest tower in the castle, landing with a flourish in the open window.
"Caw" it shrieked. "Caw caw caawwww."
A door opened and a figure came in shrouded in dark grey. Its head was hooded, but dark yellow eyes were visible shining out. "So it has started," three voices answered in unison coming from the shrouded figure.
"Caw caw," the crow replied. Pecking at the window sill, it flew to land on the figures right shoulder and stretched its tired wings upwards while reaching its right leg behind itself.
"We shall leave tonight," the three voices intoned.
The crow appeared to comprehend its master and nodded screeching again, raising its wings over its head in a defensive manner.
The figure left the room and began running down the tower steps. It ran to a room filled with dark energy and malevolence. Human skulls lined the walls along with many different tapestries of young women facing off against hundreds of youkai. If one looked closely it could be said that the young women depicted seemed to resemble one another. In each tapestry the women were pictured surrounded by leaves, and there was a fox near her heels. Sometimes the fox was replaced with a great white inu youkai that helped face off against the army, but in others she was alone with the fox at her heels. In each picture she looked determined, armed with a different weapon. Sometimes a bo staff in hand, other times with a sword, but more often than not a bow in hand with a set of arrows at her back.
The figure flew around the room, oblivious of the art lining the walls or the evil atmosphere and filled its bag with trinkets. The crow continued to watch closely from the figures shoulder. In one hand the figure clutched a jar filled with a single ebony hair. The other hand flitted about the room, filling the bag with items – bright green leaves, a potion, a vial of something that exuded an evil jyaki, a feather, a scroll and a bowl.
Finally, the figure looked around the room and nodded. It grabbed a katana and threaded it into its obi hidden under the cloak. The figure quit the room, grabbing a quiver of arrows and an ornately carved black bow. Snapping the shoji door shut, it hurried through the halls of the castle. Outside it descended the steps down to the only road that led away from the castle. The only noise made was the hurrying footsteps and the final "caw" that came from the crow still atop the figures shoulder. Never once did the figure look back as it pressed on – westward.
A/N: I decided to call Momiji's and Botan's shrine the Harmony Shrine because their ofuda has an image of the symbol of yin-yang on it.
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Edit: 08.15.2016 - Fixed grammatical and spelling errors, small edits.