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Even Rain
I would like a refund. A white arrow sharply shot through a large screeching youkai, it's long sharp claws desperately clawing at anything before his dark purple furred body halted in its action's, no seconds later did it's body disperse into the accustomed white glistering pure dust. Kikyo stood in the center of a green rift with multiple sparkling dust flowing by. She sighed non-audibly, slowly expanding her aura and checking the clearing for any other youkai coming her way. Finding none life threatening, her hand slowly released itself from its tight grip on her Saigu-Yumi bow handle then expertly twirled the unused arrow on her other hand, its feather's facing upwards as she slid the arrow within its hold of others. Both hand's clapped twice, their palms together in praying position afterwards.
Placing a white almost transparent shield over herself as every other last similar condition's, she calmly closed her eyes. I hope all of you have found a warmer and better place to rest upon. Your action's shall be judged accordingly to the hands of authority. Her eyes snapped open, blue eyes narrowing while blocking another rapidly attacking youkai screeching or yowling the exact same infuriated sentences with her white shield surrounding her pulsing once and screeching faded into echoes across the greenery when one of her hands shot out, sending an electric ball of pulsing warm purifying energy directly onto the large brown hard abdomen.
The seven foot lizard like youkai on leg's tumbled down, its form dissipating to slowly following glimmer before the rough body even hit the ground. As I was saying, a refund will be nice right about now. I deserve it for all the freaking trouble its worth. Kikyo pulsed her aura around the area in warning, feeling more than a tad annoyed at the freaking persistent demons that just wouldn't take a warning with dignity. And Sasuke thought his fan girls were persistent, then he hasn't seen nothing. She snorted in amusement. Those fan girls got nothing on the youkai ever since I took guardianship of the Shikon. She warily made her way back to the village, glaring back every so often at the incoherent loud mumbling of weaker sneaky demons hiding in the bushes following after, just waiting for any chance. It had already been at least less than a month since the Jewel has been in her hands and she doesn't know if the constant exercise is good for her body or bad for her spirit energy. Two sides of the same coin. She dryly reflected.
She agreed with Kaede that now that she had such a responsibility, it would be dangerous for her younger sister to continue traveling with her, no matter how much Kaede has improved her skills. Even Kaede knew that it would be too risky after being ganged up once where even Kikyo was having a hard time, especially since she also had to protect Kaede, so the older miko decided to just stay in the village as its babysitter. Ah, she meant guardian. Right, Guardian. Kikyo has been taking care of the Jewel, at times even talking to it and skillfully ignoring those darkening whispers it tried to force into her mind. She, of course, being the wonderful kind person she is, put a small barrier around the marble sized menace for being a constant annoyance and just a plain downer. There had to be limits. But it looked like the Jewel passed the law of nature rule she remembered vaguely on her last life. Despite the task of the Jewel, that did not mean she forgot her other duty's. She would still do her rounds every so other week, sensing which home's needed the pure barrier. Then on morning's the usual checking on the healing injuries from the persistent enough youkai that managed to wound some villagers.
She remembered how Kaede innocently asked her a question that made her cringe with another abrupt remembrance memory.
"Kikyo-onee-sama?" I tilted my head in her direction, eyes staying focused on the healing herbs in my nimble pale hands. "Onee-sama….don't you ever wish you could be like the other girls?"
That however indeed caught my attention. Professionally hiding a wince after the main memory just suddenly hazed through like a fog through my mind in short scenes, causing me to sigh non-audibly in exasperation. I really hope am not fated to remember bits and pieces only after random situations. Gently caressing the green and dark brown herbs in my hands, I gathered a few seconds to calm my thumping heart before answering. "No, I do not wish to appear like the other girls Kaede. I am satisfied with how I am." I eye smiled at her wide eyes blinking look.
"B-but….don't you…want to sometimes try the pretty clothes or nice perfumes?" I tilted my head in consideration. Honestly speaking? I was never really materialistic in my last life, no matter how many new shiny things kept coming out. I blinked in amusement. That's why I was always behind in my small group of acquaintances….I never really bothered to check on what was new, sticking more to my anime's and college classes—wait wait…ahh. Of course! Obviously I have already been in my youth freely, Kikyo didn't exactly have a choice so she couldn't experience her youthfulness more freely….also the fact that in my past life, I was rather fascinated by nature….huh. I shook my head slightly. "Not at all. They do not interest me as much as the beauty of nature would."
I chuckled at her dumbfounded look. "Kikyo-onee-sama, your strange….but I love you like this!" She laughed brightly, hugging me around the waist all of a sudden. I blinked at the abrupt change in attitude but took it in stride, patting her on the head with a hand. "And I love you as well." I eye smiled at her. "Now go bring more of these same herbs. A full basket." I patted the empty basket next to me innocently, absolutely internally beaming when she turned a horrified expression at me, rapidly grabbing the basket and stumbling out of our home while comically yelling out, "Never mind! Onee-sama's just a sadist!" I laughed out loud at her exclamation, blinking in amusement when the basket accidently slipped down and she hurriedly grasped it, giving me a pouting playful glare before rapidly slipping past the waving straw door. I snorted behind my white sleeve.
Firing a white gas-like arrow swiftly through another rabid jumping youkai, Kikyo brought herself back from her internal musings. Giving herself a mental pat on the back for at least not running out of spiritual power yet, she froze on her spot and swiftly turned around, staring at the deep stained aura manifestation slightly above the tall tree's view from inside the forest. She sensed it's sinister aura seemingly searching for something—calmly composing her features and tensing her body in preparation when its faded aura appeared to focus intently on her. Her eyes glanced behind her at the village before making her decision in a snap. She would not allow it to follow her back to civilization.
Her fist tightened around her red Saigu-Yumi bow's handle and she expeditiously paced directly towards the glowering wispy shades in the forest, glancing upwards at the beautiful dawning sky. The deep hues of dusky orange tinted clouds and fading yellows of the lowering sun allowed her to relax for a moment, easing her tense body into a calm null. It always has such a tranquil effect on me. She heightened her sense with her spiritual power, observing how the misty murkiness aura just….waited for her…..That is a bit creepy. Thinking rationally, it must be a trap…
She resisted the urge to crinkle her nose in displeasure when she had to tone down her senses back to normal due to the tremendous amount of impure power just oozing out from the swirling mass of vile hollow space now directly above her. I don't know what that is. I don't Want to know what that is. Hell, it can be a youkai orgy for all I know. Kikyo cautiously took slow steps back, blue narrowed eyes never straying from the shifting swirl of murky mass in front while slowly raising her hand towards her arrow. Simultaneously she swiftly shot forth the glowing white whisky purified arrow and from the black hole roaring youkai of all contrasting types spewed out a constant speed.
Immediately afterwards, her calloused pale slim fingers grasped another arrow, shooting non-stop while never closing her barrier around her shifting form. Wait. She turned around and blasted other close youkai from behind her, what would happen if none of this is real….She blinked incredulously at herself, I can't believe am having an identity crisis at this moment. Faltering in her step from a sneaky small feathered long beak demon, she groaned out loud at the rapid slashes across her back, rapidly bringing her full concentration back to the fight, Augh! Never mind! Pains too…too—real to be fake…Her eyes narrowed in annoyance and discomfort from the now healing wound. This—A youkai burst into shimmers from beside at her sharp block—is—She rapidly shifted around in center, smashing shrieking youkai with her spiritual powered bow—war!—Azure eyes narrowed in deep concentration, forcing her large slowly decreasing spiritual power to keep up her barrier, heal the deep wounds instantly, and spiritually power both her bows and arrows at the same time.
Are you guys freaking flies?! There was no god damn end to the rampage of loudly roaring youkai that just wouldn't decrease no matter how many arrows she sent their way or purified bow hits. Did they plan this? Is that it? It was possible since it was the first time she ever actually felt tired (Not counting her training years). Adding the fact that she has used her spiritual power the whole day, while using it in different forms concomitantly, she could distantly notice that yes. I may or may not have pushed myself a tiny bit too far this time. She thought dryly while panting a bit, running her fingers through air when she reached for arrows.
Shit, they're like cockroaches. Blocking multiple attacks, and sending them through the air with a pure electric power attack from her long bow. I remember how…spiritual exhaustion is like…-from my training. Her narrowed eyes blinked past salty cold sweat slowly forming over her face. I think I have to end this now, it's already half way past dawn….and I know I….may have more power than Kikyo…did last time….but maybe this time…wait—I feel like there's more youkai…this time, than when it was actually Kikyo, augh…Hell no!—She abruptly straightened, directing the last amount of spiritual white power inside of her towards the outside, physically transforming it into a giant round of purifying mass. Of course….I…always hurt…myself ..i—n the process. Kikyo ignored the already fading haziness in her ears from the blasting resonating explosion sound when both opposite forces met.
She slowly brought her freezing trembling hand down from her tightly closed eyes, blinking dazedly at the unanticipated wave of numbness that washed over her senses. Slowly leaning down on one knee, a hand on the ground kept her body from swaying sideways while she leveraged herself with her bow with her other hand. Gazing at the still falling pieces of youkai skin and boned heavy parts falling with noisy splats all around her, she tried to catch her breath as she panted in heavy exhaustion that weighed down on her body. So maybe…I shouldn't have used all of my energy….sue me. She almost became entranced in the glittering that was youkai, raising in slow motion from their meaty body's if it wasn't for another strange youkai aura that abruptly appeared from behind her some length away. Another? I don't think I can handle more than one more group at least….and am not known for being pessimistic sigh. That's how serious the situation right now is.
At least she could now coherently think without pausing for breaths. She slowly stood up, cautious of her low spiritual power at the moment and of the strange hidden presence that didn't move from its position. "Who is there?" She stated out loud (Finally caught her breath), turning her upper body to the side while her face stared straight at where she felt the concealed aura behind her, on a long thick tree.
When a foreign pulsing obscured the aura a moment later, she tensed her body for battle but furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when right afterwards, the youkai aura disappeared and a contrasting human aura filled the same place the youkai aura was—Oh….this is….what do I do now…? Never mind, wing it! Like nothing happened! Her eyes narrowed slightly at the shadowed human figure behind the thick trunk. There is also…..just because I know the anime doesn't mean they are the charact—cough—people I know…..this is after all before anything happened….alright, precede with caution—Rain? It seriously had to begin to rain right now? I can't tell if it's a blessing in disguise or a curse in sheep's clothing. I mean, alright its already dark but seriously, Rain? She didn't lower her tense position but allowed the cool clear liquid to smooth her inner disturbance, "If you are after the Shikon no Tama, then do not bother with the effort." She warned vocally, since he would at least understand the warning.
"Shikon no Tama?...What's that, the Shikon no Tama?" A husky voice questioned from the shadowed figure up on the tall trunk and she had to repeatedly tell herself that this wasn't the exact same person yet. Dear lord, it's the same voice….."Nothing. It is better if left unspoken." She turned back around as calmly as she could, feeling the strain her increasing numbing senses were pulling at her. "If you do not want to be killed, do not appear before me again." She stated calmly, forcing her inner muscles to work with her slow steady steps. Don't you dare leave me right now, strength!—oh those are pretty spots…..right. Spots in vision equals bad. Her numbing increased towards her upper body, making her groan lowly while trying to will her damn immobile numb muscles to work. She vaguely felt a distant motion of her knee's hitting the ground before her upper body numbly followed. This…is not how I planned to spend my weekend. Ah…..the cooler drops of rain and ground are making my body succumb to its exhaustion.
A tough spot she was in. Especially since she was spiritually deprived, she could hardly sense anything around her, only hear the platter of r—foot steps? She vaguely felt the body of someone close to her—ahh him. "Just what kind of miko is she…" His husky voice lowly questioned, the rain's platter almost smothering the words. I wonder if those were the same words…I can remember the main events though sometimes the details get crazy sigh. Eh? A ruffling of clothes and the presence near me disappeared….Oh right…..they're looking for me now…
Not a minute later,"Kikyo-onee-sama!" She heard the familiar voice of her younger sister closing in before the smaller presence carefully shifted her upper body forwards into a sitting position, Kikyo trying not to lean on a worried Kaede's smaller figure. "Onee-sama, are you alright?!" She smiled warmly at a wide-eyed worried Kaede who now wore the straw rain hat with the straw cover over her shoulders, then nodded her head once, trying not to use her very slowly increasing spiritual power. "I am fine now, Kaede." She eye smiled. Her younger sister nodded hesitantly with relief sagged shoulders.
Blue eyes stared down the path that held a barely-there aura that was already disappearing from low senses and down pouring rain. So he felt the same thing even though the events were slightly different? Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. You see. This is why I avoid thinking of future happenings and characters personalities. Nothing can go right and yet everything will go on the same path. Wonder where the butterfly affect is now? She internally rolled across the floor in frustration. "Onee-sama?" Rgiht. Plots to go destroy, anime reality awaits. "Kaede, please help me up?" She smiled at her nodding vehemently younger sister that began to and with great care help her numb body up. "Kikyo-sama!" One of the villagers shouted out in surprise and relief, others echoeing their relief as Kaede walked slowly towards the group of farmers with fire scorches on their hands for light. "I am alright. Thank you for coming to look for me." Kikyo eye smiled in gratefulness and made a movement to bow her head but halted in her position and blinked when instantly all of them yelled stuttering on how she shouldn't move or push herself too far. She chuckled, nodding in gratefulness and letting her younger sister carefully lead her towards their village.