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She blinked azure eyes down at the rather impressive pout on her younger sister's childish features. Then blinked again as what Kaede said finally settled in. She raised an eyebrow in challenge, highly amused when Kaede tried to hide (visibly failing) her shiver. "Kaede, I am alright now. There is no need to worry." She laughed when her sister groaned out loud in frustration and ran her hands through her hair, messing it up further. "Now, now, remember, patience is a virtue." Her pale fingers reached for Kaede's messy hair, gently un-tugging it from its nest hair. "But Onee-sama, not all of your power is back yet!" Kaede retorted, letting Kikyo's professional fingers work through the knots. Kikyo chuckled to herself. "Yes, but that does not mean I cannot defend myself at this moment. If I were to put it in words…..I'd say that right about now my powers are more than half way filled but lower than when full." She explained patiently to the fidgeting younger child.
"Could you have not just said that since the beginning?" Kaede grumbled. Kikyo stifled her laughter with one of her long sleeves. "You purposely wait for my reaction and then explain!" She exclaimed scandalized, throwing her hands in the air though never moving her head from Kikyo's hand. "Ah, you have noticed then. I must begin to switch my antics now." The older woman whispered loudly, laughing when her Kaede just groaned.
"Do not forget, herbs, practice finding your spiritual core, and then herbs again for today." Kikyo sternly listed with her fingers, in the end holding up three fingers. Kaede nodded determined, already planning on how to study the herbs she couldn't finish the last time. "I have already finished my rounds this morning," She glanced at a blushing Kaede, before I was interrupted. "And will finish to the outer layers." Kikyo smiled softly at her younger sister's worried expression again at the mention of the forest. "Kaede, it is fine. Do not worry." She added a small confident eye smile in there just for her younger sister's sake. After all, in the anime he may have not heeded the warning but I can never be too sure. Hell, I bet this time it was actually embedded since Kikyo is a bit more powerful, I doubt he wouldn't listen to his instincts.
The cicada's were singing loudly in the forest, transparent rays of light beaming down on the day as it allowed the surrounding's far-reaching long tree's to form shadows under their own green leaves and rough wooden trunks. Inside the forest, the dark long haired miko calmly walked down no paths and had to remind herself not to flow out her aura in search for any nearby youkai, knowing it would take a lower part of her spiritual energy.
"Eii! Kikyo!" She slowly closed her eyes at the familiar voice and had to forcefully compose herself before she let her twitching hands palm her face. Calming her expression, she turned her head around from where the direction of the voice came from. And lo and behold, it was him. Right in front of her. In animated form too which was just rather strange but not unwelcome. She blinked her blue eyes and narrowed them at him, observing his tense completely red fire-fox garbed form and assertive cautious golden eyed expression as he spoke, "I hear the Shikon no Tama is a sphere of good fortune that increases the powers of demons." Kikyo calmly sighed and tilted her head. "Your voice sounds familiar…..you were the one on that night, were you not?" She questioned softly, knowing his heightened twitching ears would easily pick up the sound.
He growled lowly, his feral eyes narrowing dangerously. "So what…?!" He growled out. She blinked in confusion. I don't even know what wont offend him at this moment. He's like a ticking time bomb that can be set off at any time. She internally sighed. And before she could even blink he exploded, "Shaddup! Give me the Shikon no tama!" launching straight at her with sharp long claws aimed to—she didn't give him the chance. Easily shooting out two clean arrow's right at him, he could only utter out a startled disbelief "Wha?!" at the impressive speed, before finding himself stuck on a large tree trunk with two arrows holding him up by his main elbow sleeve's, imbedded deep into the trunk behind him causing him to struggle relentlessly.
"I understand now. From what I sensed that night, you are a hanyou." She stated with a calm composed face, mentally amused at the dangerous growling that followed from her words. "With the Shikon no Tama, you can become a complete demon? That is correct. I have no rights to question you nor will I. However, answer me this. Would you be satisfied deep down from only its fraud truth?" She questioned lowly, finding it strange that he stopped growling and was just glaring menacingly at her with a glint of caution. "Shaddup." He growled out lowly, fangs piercing out from his vibrating low growl. "I dont care. I'll become the strongest demon around no matter what! That's what I've decided!" He exclaimed furiously while trying to get out from the arrows hold at the same time. She stared at his form cautiously yet successfully hiding her growing awing at his twitching canine ears. When he slowly stopped moving, she directed her eyes back to his face calmly, watching the way his narrowed honey hued eyes glowered threatening straight at her own blue azure calm ones, or the way his nose was crinkling from his snarling lips, sharp fangs, and shaking-in-overflowing-rage-body now focused on her entirely. I don't know if I should feel honored or not. "And when I do, I'll kill you!" He snarled out lowly.
She stared at him for a few seconds, then softly smiled. The growling abruptly stopped. He glared at her warily, body completely tense from her features change. "As long as I am the one protecting the Shikon no Tama, I will not allow that to happen." She turned around and resumed walking, "Don't make me laugh, teme! You reek with the stench of youkai blood!" Her body involuntarily halted and froze. She was thankful that her back was turned towards him, otherwise, her irritated pout would have been visible to him. It's not like I expect to smell like fucking flowers, thank you very much. "What? Did I touch a nerve with that, Kikyo?" Augh, I feel like am in kindergarten again. Except, you know, a very dangerous kindergarten with youkai.
His aggravating smug tone felt like it was challenging her. She spun her head around and gave his confident smug snarling face a light glare, "I will be giving the Shikon no Tama to no one, do not bother me again. There will be no extra chances next time so stay away." She stated firmly, turning back around and resolutely continuing to walk; even if her steps currently appeared to be more of a stubborn stomp this time.
"Keh! I'm not giving up!" His voice yelled from behind her vehemently. Sigh. I doubt you would anyway. "Even if you run away, I'll find you without fail! With that smell, I'll find you quickly!" He threatened the promise. So even through those baths, the smell never came off? Dammit! She huffed to herself lightly. Thank you for your unwanted advice. It's not like I have a canine's heightened sense of smell.. She raised a hand consciously to her face, blinking in half astonishment. Is that a pout on my face? He made me pout! She furrowed her eyebrows. The situation is affecting me more than I thought. Compose, compose! She sighed lowly, feeling her usual calm expression now.
Hell, it was hardly three days later when on one of the youkai clearing outings with her younger sister near a larger river close to their village that he appeared again.
The day was of its normal summer temperature with the still singing cicadas in the background, and Kaede and she made a small trip to a close by river that the villagers from another village began coming to them about a youkai in the water. As Kikyo stared calmly at the shady blue waters, Kaede was a few meters away with arms full of useful medical herbs found near the forest.
The older dark haired miko easily raised her bow and placed an arrow in position just as the calm waters began waving around in multiple lengths. Not even a minute later, a tremendous cat-fish youkai jumped out of the disturbed clashing waves. A white glowing mist like arrow sharply pierced the roaring youkai in between its large red eyes, its bellow echoing throughout the river. White shimmer floated upwards from the dissipated youkai, its form disappearing completely in pure particles. Kikyo ignored the large clashing waves that soaked the bottom of her hakama and wooden sandals, "It is done, Kaede." She turned around, strolling towards her nodding sister who shifted her hold on the herbs, grabbing them in a steadier position. This is one of those scenes I remember before it even happened. How lucky nee? Kikyo dryly thought. "Let us go home, we are done here." She smiled down at her beaming sister who nodded once more, glad to finally study the herbs at home.
Kikyo stiffened in alert and Kaede followed suit, tightening her hold on the herbs. The atmosphere changed to a tense one and she reprimanded herself for allowing herself to forget to check for auras near them these days.
"You." Her voice stated sternly, eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the red garbed silver haired hanyou that appeared out of nowhere. He lifted his fist then opened his clawed hand, "Keh", cracking the muscles in the appendage while glaring with a threatening half dark grin at the dark haired miko. "Kikyo, give me the Shikon no Tama." He demanded savagely. Her eyes narrowed. No. Say please and maybe I'll think about it. She noted on the back of her mind how Kaede glanced between both of them with confusion and worry in her eyes, moving behind herself in uncertain steps.
"You've appeared again I see." Kikyo stared openly at the growling long silver haired male a few meters directly in front of her. "I told you that I wouldn't give up! And we're gonna settle this today!" One of his hands naturally rest at his hip, making Kikyo blink at the casual pose even though his figure was tense for battle. "Hurry and tell that kid to run away!" He ordered with the hand that was on his hip now pointing forwards. She blinked again, thanking the lords that she was by now an expert in hiding her emotions behind her spiritual barrier. I don't think you're doing a very good job at changing my opinion of you. I doubt it could get low what with all this thoughtfulness your unconsciously spreading around. "Kaede, get back." She glanced and nodded at the tense and worried younger girl. Kaede hesitantly nodded after seeing her older sister's reassured look and lightly jogged back behind one of the large tree's, peeking from behind it at the confrontation.
Once the silver haired male crouched with his sharp claws extended directly before his chest, body tense and cautious narrowed eyed features, she calmly took out an arrow and raised her bow, also getting into position for what she knew was unavoidable. "There is….—" She paused in mid-sentence, staring directly into those determined eyes. "What?!" He growled out roughly. She sighed and took a deep breath, calmly exhaling. "Why did you not kill me that night? It would have been easy considering my condition." Her voice dropped to a low murmur, closely watching in concealed amusement how one of his white ears shifted upwards and towards the direction of the soft pitch.
"I don't pull dirty tricks like that." He stated, position never changing. Her expression softened for a second until she quickly composed herself before he took notice. By the look of his narrowing eyebrows and a spark of suspicion in his eyes however, he noticed the change in expression on the miko in front of him. Ahh damn damn! I let myself slip a tiny bit and he freaking caught it! Damn youkai and their fast-moving camera eyes! "What is your name, Hanyou?" He quickly snarled back again and tensed even more at the name. "That way I will not have to resort to calling you a hanyou." She explained exasperated, almost going by instinct and stomping her foot but this time catching herself in time. Is this what they mean by the saying 'walking on eggshells?' He blinked furrowed eyebrows slightly, distrust and slow increasing confusion in his narrowed eyes. I should be careful as well. I may be able to hide my emotions with my barrier but those keen ears catch what our voices try to hide. And unfortunately, I may be able to compose myself but he would catch the expertly hidden tone automatically.
He lowered his head slightly, body still tense but now looking as if appraising her carefully. "It's Inuyasha." He answered lowly, gaze intently on the sighing miko. "Inuyasha…" She whispered out loud instinctively. Finally! I can say his name! It would just feel weird if I said it before getting permission from the actual person, especially with how he is…or was…? Or is now? Augh confused myself. Ah wait- why is he blinking in visible bewilderment? Wa—Shit! I said his name! Fuck, fuck, fuck! He must have heard the tone, ah, not good not good, abort mission, abort mission! Look at that! I can literally even see the question 'Why do you sound like you know me when I've never met you before?' in his assessing narrowed features. "I shall remember your name from here on out." Good, use that. Change what he's thinking about in the moment! His eyes immediately narrowed afterwards, cracking the bones in his clawed hands, Yes! I mentally air fisted. Succeeded in diverting attention from dangerous waters!
"Prepare to die, Kikyo!" He bellowed fiercely while charging in a instantenous speed. Her arrow flew just as four more easily followed, pinning a stunted grunting Inuyasha on the tree behind him. One arrow under his arm over his red cloth, two chaining his other arm between both arrows, the other on his leg hakama and the last under his other leg, all of them barely piercing skin. Its eerie how it looks like the exact same scene from my memories….. Another arrow was already in position on her bow, pointing towards the flinching Inuyasha. She stared for a few seconds at him. His talent at making me feel like a villain is astounding… Sighing softly and lowering her bow she placed her arrow back with the others. I can't believe it would literally hurt this much to even pretend to shoot him. Sure I was an anime fan girl but not so hardcore. Nonetheless…
She glanced back at him then turned back, smoothly walking away. But his face is so…! And those expressions? Easily makes me feel guilty hmpt. "Wait up, teme!" He yelled from behind her, causing her to stop in mid-step. "Why do you always leave without killing me?!" It's a bit too early to actually tell him the truth truth... "Are you listening, Kikyo?!" She sighed softly, pivoting only her head around and giving him a light glare, ignoring his flinch. "You're wasting my arrows, Inuyasha. Stop squirming around." She huffed, then turned back around, leaving a blinking-multiple-times-hanyou who opened and closed his mouth several times in indignation, trying to come up with a retort, only to growl furiously when realizing the strange powerful miko was gone along with the tinier human.
"Kikyo-onee-sama?" Kikyo raised her head towards the warmth of the rays, humming in response to Kaede's inqure. "Ah…never mind." She blinked sheepishly brown owl eyes downwards, mumbling how she 'trust's her Onee-sama with whatever decisions she makes'. Kikyo laughed and patted her younger sister on the head, appreciating how the younger child would just trust her on her own choices and not question them despite her curiosity. Like right now. She hummed lightly, bathing in the cool shadows of the topiary they pass by. Some things are just not meant for some people to know. Should I still go and cleanse myself every day nevertheless…? Not that I pfft—not that I care about what he said or anything like that but those scenes would be like character development…She absentmindedly hummed softly, deep in her thoughts. And it was, what? Every day? Yeah, every day Kikyo went to cleanse herself on one of those close smaller waterfall rivers.
Alright. Just think of it as a mission! She brightened at the aspect of something modernly fun.Let's do this. Du, du, du du, du, du, du du, dammit forgot the name of that famous movie with the secret agent and catchy mission theme song! She restrained her laughter behind a long white sleeve at the mental image of her suspiciously sliding cross walls while turning her head this way and that way, singing the mission song while one hand pointed in gun fashion, the other holding her gun's wrist professionally. They would either think she was possessed or at least mentally unstable. This world could use therapists. Huh. Not as much as naruto's but…she tilted her head in consideration. Then blinked down when she noticed her sister staring at her in open curiousity. Ah, I dazed off again.
Kikyo sighed softly as her tense body surrendered to the cold river liquid washed down upon it by the long brown bucket she held in her hands at the moment. Now that I think about it…..She took another dose of water, leaning the heavy bucket down over her soaked white kimonoed body, clear water washing forth her now loose muscles again.
Aren't I going to have to get real sentimental soon? With Inuyasha…I will most definitely tell him the truth since this whole thing mainly involves him as well…..sigh how to go about it…..ahhh! I don't want to retract everything I've been trying to get away from….but if am not truthful with him…..She sighed out loud, gazing at her moving reflection in the river and bringing a hand down, cupping a small amount of water in her hands and raising it to her face, staring into the familiar azure blue she was used to by now. Cringing slightly when she could clearly see her own turmoil in her eyes, she let the water flow by the gaps of her fingers, distantly wondering when she began humming to herself.
Clearly my body has a mind of its own these days. She pouted, then dragged her long locks over her shoulder, squeezing out the water soaked inside it. This wasn't the first time she cleansed herself, she did so at first without ever meeting Inuyasha but it wasn't exactly 'Every day'. So she was satisfied that no, she did not have cleanse herself every freaking day so she did so every two to three days from then on. She even kept her aura tucked in on her side only, for the sake of privacy and imagining that she was alone. Not that she minded much since he was way more innocent than any future modern day male.
She chuckled to herself with a shake of her dark damp head. A sharp light reflection from the river caused her to automatically shut her eyes, blinking multiple times afterwards, her ears listening leisurely at the resonance of the waterfall beside her covering every other background sound's. Concentrated blue orb's took in the nature surrounding her with a warm appreciation, as she always would when in this area to cleanse herself. The water was translucent and of a light sky blue messy reflection, grey ground rocks forming around the tall water casket with shrubs here and there in abundance and umber timber producing coverage towards the stones near the river. She felt so tiny near those large beautiful plantation and natural nature formation. But felt strangely peaceful, as if the nature accepted her there.
Talking about nature.
Kikyo blinked calm eyes at the blue transparent aura surrounding the bones of Mistress Centipede inside the corner of the hut. She peeked at a blushing Kaede, raising an amused eyebrow with the question visibly floating above her, 'What in the world happened here? Please do enlighten me.' The villagers that helped bring the bones had explained on what Kaede herself told them so Kikyo went to the main source. "I was almost finished with the herbs when youkai Mistress Centipede appeared out of nowhere!" Kikyo softened her features and nodded for her sister to continue, "I-erm…." The older miko raised an eyebrow, "I- er—thought I wouldn't exactly need my bow and arrows since it wasn't that far from the village so I didn't take them Since I can't control my barrier yet I ran away but almost got caught then that red youkai-san that you talked with saved me!" She rapidly ended the sentence with no pauses, desperately hoping her older sister didn't notice her mistake on leaving her weapon at home.
From the highly amused and dangerous gleam on Kikyo's azure eyes, Kaede didn't succeed. Her soft smile and sharp eyes were a terrifying combination—because that usually meant for her—"Kaede, It seems doubling your training wasn't enough. Do not worry young grasshopper, We shall triple it!" She eye smile innocently, clasping her hands together while beaming down at a horrified wide eyed Kaede who now had comical rapidly falling tears on the edges of her eyes. She playfully patted a frozen Kaede on the head before walking outside their home, smiling reassuringly at the three conversing middle-aged men who when noticed her, exclaimed a relieved "Kikyo-sama!"
"Let us bring the corpse of Mistress Centipede to the well, for if not, the youkai will keep reforming itself due to the Shikon. The power of the Shikon no Tama cannot reach inside the well." She explained patiently to the fidgeting nodding older men. "We will bring the wagon to move the bones, Kikyo-sama." She nodded at the villagers who hurriedly went to bring the brown wooden wheeled wagon. Now to thank Inuyasha for saving my sister…She felt her stiffened figure loosen at the thought of her still alive sister. So he saved her huh…I sometimes wondered how Kikyo must have felt in some situations but now actually experiencing it, siigh. She could have died…my younger sister would have disappeared just like that…She smothered down the increasing ache in her chest and instead focused on the more positive emotions. Like how grateful I am that he saved her regardless...augh this is why I don't think about the upcoming situations, it drives me nuts! She noted how a smaller head stood next to her now, grumbling under her breath the whole while.
"Kaede, you should not forget your weapon whenever outside the village, have I not repeated myself enough on our lessons?" Kikyo reprimanded sternly. The younger child next to her nodded with her head down, almost embarrassed for thinking naively this time. "There is no need to worry however!" Her older sister's enthusiastic tone made her flinch and step back in comical deer-in-the-headlights eyes staring up at an beaming eye smiling Kikyo. "The triple regiment will be utmost beneficial!" Kaede choked on air at the official announcement, Kikyo turning her head back towards the approaching wheeling wagon when the men arrived and stared curiously between a shaking-her-head-with-her-palms-over-her-face Kaede and a seemingly innocent blinking miko. They decided to not question the usual strange antics of the pair of siblings.
Once the men took the wooden large crate full of the Mistress Centipedes bones; how the hell did the skull stay with its long dark hair? I tell you, fabulous hair in this world takes it to a whole other level; and placed it upon the wagon, they moved outwards to the direction of the well after Kaede grabbed her weapon; the small bow and her arrows. Making their way steadily past the forest, Kikyo indulged in her surroundings.
The current of air breezed by in cooler temperatures due to the overshadows from the enormous tree's all around them, warm light appearing in various miniature spot sizes from the gapes of swishing leaves. Something I never tire of. She silently reveled at the surrounding plantation, calmly making her way with the hard-working men wheeling forward the wagon with one of the men on each side and the last at the front, Kaede to the side slightly behind Kikyo. They entered a clear path and followed it towards the well, no trees obscuring from afar.
Unclasping her hands from their praying formation, she bowed her head in thankfulness at the three villagers for their help. One of them laughed bashfully, not quite used to the village's miko manners while the other two just smiled extensively and nodded, already used to her ways. "It was nothing, Kikyo-sama! It's the least we could do to help!" Once they walked back down the same pathway, when Kikyo deemed them safe as they entered the village, she patted Kaede on the head with the hand not holding her bow. "I will be back soon, Kaede." Her younger sister gave her a confused curious nod though bit back her question and hurried inside the village, arrows clanking noisily inside her brown quiver hanging on one of her shoulders. Kikyo stared at her village entrance for a few seconds, then turned around with a steady walk towards a clearing she has in mind for….'The Talk'. Sigh. How could just one conversation be so goddamn fate changing? For god's sakes, give me a break here, am literally working on a timeline! She snorted at herself with a shake of her head.