The Winds of Change.
Ch. 3
Fire, fire everywhere. The scream that had jolted Hiko from her own little world had come from Shippou, but, she couldn't see him, there were just flames every where. She tried to call out to the little fox kit, but only sucked in a lungful of smoke, which sent her into a coughing fit. Her eyes had started to water which made it even harder to see. A wave of panic swept through her and she felt like screaming in terror, but that's when Shippou's soft coughing caught her attention and his soft cry for help. Immediately her head snapped up and her mind was clear. The sound of ripping cloth joined the roar of the fire as Hiko tore a strip off her skirt and wrapped it around her nose and mouth to protect her from the smoke. No water to soak it in, but it'll have to do.
"Shippou! Shippou where are you?!" Hiko managed to scream, the roar fire was deafening now and the heat was tremendous. She could faintly hear screams from outside, and noticed the reed mat had been burned away. InuYasha was standing just outside with a look of determination on his face. "InuYaaaaahhh!!!", her cry for help was cut short as a beam from the ceiling came down near her, sending her sprawling into the corner. She looked back towards the door, InuYasha looked as if he was utterly terrified, he shouted something to her, but Hiko couldn't make out a word.
A movement caught her attention from the corner, and she gasped, " Shippou!". The little kitsune had curled himself in a corner and was sobbing, without thinking, she grabbed Shippou and stood quickly, taking in the distance from her position now, and the door. I'll have to jump over that beam...if I run fast enough, I will only be burned a little. Gritting her teeth she tucked Shippou under her shirt for some meagre protection, and made a mad dash for the door. She could feel Shippou clinging to her bare stomach and crying, but she held him tight as she ran, closed her eyes, and jumped over the beam.
She knew she had just run through a wall of white hot fire, she felt the flames touch her skin, smelled the acrid smoke in the air, even heard Shippou scream from under her shirt, but never felt any pain. Infact, when she jumped the beam and landed on the other side, she just kept running, right into a waiting Inu hanyou.
"Hiko! Shippou! Are you both all right?!", InuYasha's voice was laced with fear and even a bit of suprise, she could still feel Shippou clinging to her skin, and she nodded towards InuYasha. She coughed violently a few moments before breathing out a scared, "Yes, InuYasha, i'm fine." and pulled the scared kitsune from under her shirt.
"Shippou-chan, daijoubou?" she panted out as she examined the little youkai and pulled the bit of cloth from her face. He was still whimpering, coughing, covered in soot, and looked like he had some fairly serious burns on his arms. He gave another heart-breaking sob and leaped at InuYasha, burying his face in the hanyou's red haori and crying his little eyes out.
For the most part, InuYasha just stood there staring at Hiko with wide eyes as he awkwardly patted Shippou's back in what was meant to be a comforting guesture, he blinked a few times before finally managing to say, " What...what happened?! One second you're all fine and the next the entire hut is on in fire!"
Hiko started to nod and recount what had happened in short sentances when the hut gave a large groan and collapsed, sending sparks high into the air. Hiko shuddered in the sudden cold of the night and looked around, when something struck her thoughts. Kaede was no where to be found.
" Kaede-sama!! InuYasha where is Kaede?!" She ran past the slightly suprised hanyou and frantically looked around the clearing. There, with several villiagers lay Kaede, covered by a rough blanket and unmoving. Hiko gave a jump when a familiar voice spoke up beside her and she turned only to find Miroku.
"Kaede is injured badly, though not dead. InuYasha managed to get to her before the flames grew too intense. Unfortunately, Kaede obaa-san was too near the direct source of the flames." Miroku said with a solemn tone, staring at the form of the older miko nearby.
"Is..is she going to be alright Houshi-sama?" that was Sango this time. Hiko turned and found the older woman behind her, holding a shivering, but unconsious baby kitsune youkai in her arms, as a grumbling InuYasha followed not far behind. Poor Shippou must have passed out, Hiko thought to herself with just a twinge of guilt.
"It is uncertain. With Kaede obaa-san's age, and the condition of her wounds..." Miroku sighed and ran a hand over his face. "...it is too soon to tell." He let his head fall slightly and motioned for the others to follow. They all complied, each sparing glances back towards the burning pile of wood that had once been a place of safety for all of them.
*********************************************************************
Because InuYasha and his group were very well-respected in the village, the Headman gave them all a small, empty hut on the outskirts of town to stay in for the night. Kaede was moved to the Headman's hut under the care of his wife, since Kagome was decidedly not present to help Kaede heal with her "magic" medicines. Hiko had tried to offer what assistance she could, but the villagers decided she had done enough damage for one night.
Hiko sat silently now, alone and curled up in a corner of the hut with tears streaming down her face. She tried not to let the other's notice, but InuYasha's sharp voice cut at her when he growled out, "Stop crying already! It's not like you set the hut on fire yourself!"
Sango looked up at Hiko curiously and made her way over, wrapping an arm around the girl in the way Kagome had often done to her when she was upset. Hiko just gave a small sniffle and leaned into Sango's awkward embrace. At least they still trust me, she thought with a small whimper. Miroku took this time to look at her now from his spot by the fire. Hiko could already tell what he was going to say, but yet again, the impatient hanyou beat him to it with his sharp tongue.
"Just what the hell happened in there, wench? I didn't hear anything or smell anything unusual, then the hut is on fire!! And you're the only one here without a single burn on you!" InuYasha was towering over her now, his arms crossed over his chest, and looking especially demonic in the firelight of the tiny hut.
"Leave her alone, InuYasha. I don't want to hear bickering right now." Sango had jumped up to defend her, staring down the formidable hanyou with a demonic stare of her own.
InuYasha looked as if he was about to yell in the Taijiya's face when Miroku tapped his shajuko on the wooden floor of the hut, making the rings shudder and clang which brought everyone's attention to him. "Hiko-san, besides yourself, Kaeda obaa-san, and Shippou, was anyone else in the hut?", Miroku looked completely at odds with the young, flirtacious man she had met earlier. He was serious, with lines etched into his forehead. He looked much older now.
"Iie, Houshi-sama." Hiko spoke softly," No one came in. Kaede obaa-san was reading into my soul, because I had a nightmare about Kagome. She was looking for information, then I sorta blacked out. When I came to, the hut was already on fire. I only heard Shippou calling for help." Hiko bit down on her bottom lip with a frown as she tried to remember anything else. Something she may have missed.
Miroku gave a thoughtful, "Hmm.." and poked idly at the fire as Sango came back to sit next to Hiko again. InuYasha looked as if he was about to blow a blood vessel.
"When I came in there to grab Kaede you were still awake! Hell, you were sitting right in the middle of a big flame, I thought you had already died where you were sitting! You were ON FUCKING FIRE!" InuYasha looked a little more disturbed than angry now as he looked down at Hiko, as if he was remembering something he would rather forget. Shippou gave a whimper from his spot in the corner. The little kit was bandaged up and curled into a bundle of blankets, sleeping fitfully and turning every so often with tiny whimpers.
Sango frowned and clenched her fist, muttering quietly, "Well she's not dead InuYasha! She's not burned, and she saved Shippou's life. We should be grateful no one died."
InuYasha "Keh!"''ed and marched outside, grumbling angrily. Hiko managed to catch, "Not yet.." before he disappeared into the night outside the hut. She knew he was talking about Kaede, who's chances of living through the night were slim. Sango sighed next to her and Miroku for his part, did nothing but look thoughtful. Hiko never felt so useless or so far from home in her entire life.
An awkward silence filled the hut then, only the sounds of Shippou's whines and the quiet crackling of the fire managed to cut through the thickness of it. Hiko was certain the beating of her heart would wake the poor Kit up when Miroku finally spoke up again quietly as he stared into the fire in front of him, "Hiko-san, InuYasha said that you were on fire, yet it's quite obvious you're not burned anywhere. Even InuYasha, with his superior demon blood managed to be singed in such a hot and intense fire. It is very troublesome that you have come out with no injuries to speak of at all."
Hiko blinked. She couldn't believe what she just heard. Troublesome? Did they WANT me to get hurt?! Sango had felt Hiko tense beside her and flinched away slightly, before the girl opened her mouth and proved again that Kagome wasn't the only Higurashi with a temper.
"Well, EXCUSE me if I didn't feel like dying in some godforsaken hell hole! I apologize for not being burned to your standards! Shall I throw myself into the fire until you're satisfied, Houshi-sama?" She was struggling to stand now, feet stomping, with anger boiling in her eyes. They were suspicious of her too! Just like the villagers! Maybe they thought she had done enough damage too and wanted to drive her out. Hiko closed her eyes and felt her anger seethe, Miroku had the decency to look shocked and Sango was keeping her eyes averted. Hiko heard herself growl in frustration, and took their looks to mean that what she was thinking was true. They didn't trust her, and for some reason, it hurt.
Something happened then, she felt her body give a shudder, like an earthquake rumbled under her feet, and she suddenly couldn't breathe again. The small fire that was in the middle of the hut suddenly exploded into a large, white hot pyre with flames that shot up to lick greedily at the ceiling. Miroku gave a yelp and tried to scramble back, while Sango let out a frightened screamed and grabbed Shippou before running for the door. Hiko just stood there, staring at the fire with sheer horror.
InuYasha burst through the reed mat and cursed blackly from the unbearable heat that radiated from the column of fire in the middle of the hut. He raised the sleeve of his fire-rat haori to shield his face from it as he ran quickly to grab Miroku who had pressed himself against the wall of the hut and then fell unconsious. InuYasha turned to gather Hiko after he threw the monk over his shoulder, but had to stop and stare at the sight before him. Hiko was standing right next to the flames. Some of them were even catching fire to her clothes, lighting them up like candles and setting her ablaze. The heat from that distance was devestating for him, yet this girl was just standing there, and didn't even look like it was bothering her.
"You stupid girl!! Get away from there!!" InuYasha yelled at her. She turned to stare at him blankly, her usual dark eyes were illuminated in the fire, making them look an eerie shade of red. When she didn't move, InuYasha did what he thought he had to. He ran at her, caught her in the stomach, threw her over his shoulder, and burst through the door into the forgiving night air. The second he had left the hut, the fire died down again, and went out. Leaving the once blindingly bright hut dark and foreboding. Sango was next to him in an instant carrying buckets of water, even Shippou was awake now and carrying one, and Sango's fire-cat Kirara had two in her mouth.
"Houshi-sama! Hiko-chan!" Sango gasped as she looked at them both. Miroku looked worse for wear, his face was red and blistered in places and he looked feverish. Sango dropped her buckets and dipped a handful of water out to pour on the monk's face. "InuYasha! Is Hiko-chan alright?"
InuYasha carefully set the girl down in the grass. Her clothes were nearly burnt completely off, and she was unconsious. The inu hanyou blushed and quickly threw off his red haori, draping it over the girl to give her a bit more privacy. "Yeah. She's fine Sango." InuYasha muttered quietly. "She's not even burned."
**********************************************************************
Hiko woke the next morning to the sight of dappled sunlight through the boughs of a tree. She smiled and gave a soft, peaceful sigh. Her head was propped up on something warm and fuzzy. She yawned and moved to snuggle closer to the soft fuzz, when it suddenly stirred under her and made a quiet purring growl noise. She gasped and shot up away from the fuzzy thing, turning and giving a small frightened squeal when she realized it was a huge saber-toothed cat animal with two tails. She was just about to jump up and run for it when it transformed in a swirl of fire into a much less threatening kitten with two tails. The animal gave an adorable mewl and rubbed its head against her bare knee, crying for attention.
Hiko dumbly scratched the tiny kitten behind its ears and it purred happily at the attention. "Wha...what are you?" Hiko asked softly. The little kitten mewled again and jumped into her lap for more attention, as if that was the answer to all life's questions.
"That's Kirara. She's my partner." Hiko turned to see Sango looking down at her with a soft, motherly smile. " She really likes you too. She's been watching over you ever since last night. Didn't leave you for a second."
Hiko smiled and stroked the kitten softly, "Thank you, Kirara." she said. Kirara gave her a loving mew and nuzzled against her hand before jumping up onto her shoulder. Sango had an amused look on her face as she motioned to Hiko. Hiko nodded and followed, but not without noticing what she was wearing around her shoulders. "Sango-chan? This is InuYasha's haori. How did I get it?" She paused for a moment before something else hit her, "And, how did I get outside anyway? I thought we were all in the hut."
Sango stared at her blankly and asked, "You don't remember anything from last night?" When Hiko shook her head no, Sango bit her lip and whispered, "There was another fire. It was acting strangely though. Houshi-sama was a little too close, he got a little heat struck. But you...InuYasha said you were standing right next to the flames. Your clothes were on fire and everything, but you still don't have any injuries. He had to knock you away from the fire just to get to you without being hurt himself."
Hiko checked herself underneath the haori. Yep, her clothes were mostly soot and ash, but her body didn't have a single blemish on it. How did that happen? I should at least be burned a little. She looked up at Sango with a bit of shock, and noticed the girl was looking back at her as if she were a bomb. "Sango-chan?" she asked softly.
"I'm sorry, Hiko-chan." Sango sighed and blushed slightly, averting her eyes back to the ground, "It's just, both fires happened around you, and you weren't injured at all. You have to admit that's a little strange...But we're not accusing you or anything!!" she added quickly, putting up her hands and shaking her head at the girl.
Hiko sighed. Things were just getting worse. Maybe it was better if she just went home and hoped they found Kagome. No. I can't do that. I can't just abandon Kagome like that. She frowned deeply and straightend her shoulders a little more, almost knocking Kirara off her perch. "It is strange, Sango-chan. I can't explain it. I don't even remember half of it, but we've got more important things to worry about. Kaede is hurt, and Kagome is missing. I was brought here for a reason, and I want to find my cousin." she nodded for emphasis, just to make sure Sango knew she meant business.
"Hiko-chan...Kaede obaa-san lived through the night, and the headman's wife said she is healing well. I went to see her myself and she was up and speaking." Sango said softly, staring down at the dirt. Hiko couldn't figure out why she didn't want to look at her.
"That's great Sango-chan! We should be happy!" Hiko frowned, something was up.
"She said she knew where we needed to go."
"And..?"
"She said we should go to...go to...the Temple of the Fire kami."
Hiko bit down on her lip, Fire...again. I wonder if the Fire Kami had anything to do with the weird fires around here. She was about to mention it, when Sango spoke up again.
"Hiko-chan. The Fire Kami is merciless to mortals. If that's where Kagome is, then we should be preparing for the worst." Sango glanced up at her now, and Hiko saw tears brimming in the older woman's eyes. That's when Hiko realized, She doesn't look at me...because I look like Kagome. It makes her sad to look at me. Kirara made a sad noise near her ear, and Hiko could do nothing more than shake her head.
"Don't worry, Sango-chan. We'll get to her in time. We at least know where to start looking." She rubbed Sango's shoulder comfortingly as they walked back to the village, past the ruins of Kaede's hut and into the Headman's house. The Headman was a short, fat, squat man with very little hair. He looked rather genial though, smiling at the both of them as they entered his home. The Headman's wife was the perfect compliment to her husband. She was also short, fat and squat, only with a little more hair. Her face was screwed up into a frown as she looked over Hiko.
"Tch. A young girl like you should be wearing decent clothes!" the Headman's wife squawked at her, as she bustled over to a bin and pulled out a smooth kimono and an apron to hand to Hiko.
"Arigatou, Baa-san." Hiko said politely with a humble bow. The Headman's wife ushered her into a room and behind a screen to change, leaving Sango to visit Kaede first. The kimono she was given was orange with bright red flowers decorating the sleeves and hem, while the practical apron was a soft white. There wasn't much left of her clothes, so she set them off to the side. The only thing that managed to survive was the bit of her skirt she had torn off and used to cover her face. She grabbed it and used it to tie back her hair away from her already sweaty neck. Man do I ever miss air-conditioning., she thought sadly. Come to think of it, she missed having a shower handy too. With a quick smoothing of her frizzy hair and adjusting of her new apron she carefully peeked out from behind her changing screen. When she emerged the Headman's wife gave a sharp nod and then proceeded to poke and prod her into Kaede's room before slamming the shoji screen closed with a loud snap.
InuYasha, Sango, Shippou, Kirara, Miroku and Kaede all turned to stare at her. Hiko was already feeling pushed around, and now she was being stared down. She really didn't feel like dealing with all this.
"What?!" she snapped at them, feeling a bit violated.
"Nothing, Hiko-san. You just look rather lovely in your new clothes, if I do say so myself." Miroku gave her a lecherous grin and a wink, which earned him a hard glare from Sango.
"Keh. At least I can have my haori back now." InuYasha thrust out his hand to her while Hiko rolled her eyes and shoved the rough, red cloth into his hand. Which he promptly pulled back on and into place. Kirara mewled and jumped onto her shoulder again, nuzzling affectionately at her neck and purring.
"I've never seen the fire-cat so affectionate. She must really fancy ye, child." Kaede grinned at her, but it looked strained and fake. Hiko was just about done with the idle chit chat.
"So. The Fire Temple, huh? Sounds rough. When are we leaving?" Hiko grinned inwardly as the room gave a collective wince at her boldness.
"I don't want you to go!" Shippou cried out softly.
"But Shippou, if we don't go, we may lose Kagome. We can't have that." Hiko sighed and sat next to the little kit. He was really starting to grow on her.
"The brat isn't coming, he's still burned and can't travel and I ain't waiting until he can. It'll just be me, you, and maybe Sango and Kirara." InuYasha glanced up at Sango who faultered slightly. It didn't look like she was scared, but the way she was eyeing the monk told Hiko everything. She wants to stay and keep an eye on him. She grinned up at Sango, who blushed and turned away.
"Kirara will go. She likes Hiko-chan and will be able to hold you when you get Kagome-chan." Sango nodded at Kirara, and the fire-cat gave an affirmitive mewl.
InuYasha growled impatiently and walked out without another word. Hiko sighed inwardly, traveling with him is gonna be a hoot. She listened to Miroku and Kaede talk about supplies for a minute, before Kaede spoke directly to her, making her jump.
"Hiko-san, I know not what awaits you at the Temple of Fire. You must both tread lightly on such holy grounds. My reading into your soul was interrupted by the anger of the Fire Kami. That is the only way to explain the bizzare happenings." Kaede shifted uncomfortably and spoke again, this time in a hushed, warning tone, " Ye are under the protection of the Fire Kami, child. He wants ye for something. Kagome-san, with her appearence that so closely resembles yours, may have been mistaken for you."
Hiko frowned and shook her head, "What would the Fire Kami want with me? I'm not even from this time."
"It is the only explanation for your uninjured body. InuYasha said you were naught but a few steps from the burning flames. It is the source of the odd aura about ye, child. It may be why ye have come to this place to begin with."
Hiko had to admit, the old woman had her there. It would explain a lot, but not the very crucial question of why. Hiko shook her head again and closed her eyes, trying to get her mind together. She was being protected by a dangerous God that kidnapped her cousin. What were the odds. A sudden thought came over her then, drawing her up into a look of horror. "Kaede-sama!! If i'm the one being protected, what will happen to Kagome when the Fire Kami figures out she's not me?!"
Kaede frowned and lowered her eye to the floor, "Our Kagome-san will die."
Oh noes! Hope Kagome doesn't die.
As per usual with all chapters. If there is a word you don't understand, ask me and I'll translate for you! Otherwise I hope you enjoy enough to review!