A/N: I've been thinking about running away and joining the circus a lot lately, then I realized I have no special skills and have never heard of a circus coming anywhere near where I live. *sigh* Still nice to dream that I'm an awesome acrobat. If you watched Sailor Moon (warning spoilers ahead), this question is for you: Did you like Tuxedo Mask? Oh and another question for you guys, rate Chibi-Usa and Pegasus' relationship on a scale from "amazingly sweet, I want that for myself" to "creepy, like creepier than her and Mamoru kissing that one time, and that other time in the manga."

Reviews:

Guest: Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.

KatarinaA123: Thanks, and yes, I've got the whole story written so I only have to edit it.

Stardust Miko: Same, they seem made for each other to me.

Thanks for the follow Stardust Miko, and for the favorite yami2703! ;D


"Kikyo!" A boy ran through the woods, catching up to Kikyo and her younger sister. "Marry me Kikyo." The boy gave her a cheeky smile as he nearly tripped over himself bowing in front of her, causing Kaede to laugh.

"Kiyoshi!" Kikyo whispered harshly. "Stop doing that, if someone saw you, we'd be executed!"

"Calm down Kikyo, I looked around, there aren't any Silencers here." He smiled again. "So, will you marry me?"

"No." Kikyo said simply.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I do not wish to get married." Kikyo stated.

"Come on Kikyo, it makes sense for us to get married."

"Please, explain how it makes sense. We live in a world where we serve a capricious demon lord who loves to execute humans." She whispered harshly. "Why would I want to marry anyone and take the chance of bringing an innocent child into this horrible world?"

After a few minutes of silence, Kikyo turned to leave. "Come, Kaede."

Kaede motioned for Kiyoshi to bend over, then she clapped him on the shoulder. "I was rooting for you."

"Kaede!" Kikyo snapped.

"Coming!" She called and ran after her sister, waving back to Kiyoshi.

"Why don't you want to marry Kiyoshi?" Kaede asked. "And don't say it's because of the world we live in."

Kikyo sighed. "The truth is, I don't love Kiyoshi. He is a good friend, but I do not love him. Not the way he wants me to."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew Kaede, I want to love him, I really do. However, I can't fool myself into believing that I love him, and I most certainly, will not fool him into believing that I love him. I owe him that much."

"So, you won't ever marry?"

Kikyo glanced over at her sister's sad face. "Kaede, I do not wish to marry, however if I found a good man, one that I loved, and that loved me, I would marry him."

Kaede smiled up at her sister.

Kikyo and Kaede walked through the village, Kiyoshi ran and linked his arm with Kikyo's. "Kikyo, you look lovely this morning." He pulled a flower out from behind his back.

Kikyo tentatively took the flower. "Thank you, Kiyoshi."

"How about I buy you a nice new kimono?" Kiyoshi pulled Kikyo towards the market. "Or would you like some paints for your face?"

"You know those things don't interest me, Kiyoshi."

Kiyoshi smiled back. "Then, how about a ring, to signify our upcoming union?"

"When will you stop with that tasteless joke?"

"It's not a joke." He moved in front of her, a big smile on his face. "I'm very serious, I want to marry you."

"Why?"

He smiled even wider, as though the question meant she was considering his proposition.

"You're beautiful, good with children, kind hearted, and brave. Any man would be crazy not to want to marry you."

Kikyo smiled at him. "You may believe those things true, but that's not a reason to marry someone. You have to love the other person."

"I love lots of things about you."

"That's not the same thing. I know that one day you will realize you never really loved me, and when that day comes, I don't want you to be stuck in a marriage with me." She smiled at him, then turned to leave. Kaede watched her sister walk away and then she looked over to Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi smiled down at her. "Don't worry kid, I'm not giving up, one day she'll marry me."

Kaede smiled up at him. "I hope so." Then she ran ahead after her sister.

Kikyo walked through her village the next day, people smiled at her as she went, but she just went. Her younger sister followed close behind, stumbling along as she struggled to keep up with her older sister's long strides. She pulled to a stop and pulled Kaede to the side, both bowed down as a demon passed by them. The demon stopped a short ways away, he grabbed a young human girl close to him, her mother clung to her, begging for the demon to leave her daughter alone. The mother screamed and hit the demon as hard as she could, it wasn't fazed, however she had earned the attention of a group of demons.

A silencer grabbed the woman and dragged her along, she struggled against his grip. The humans in the square kept their heads bowed, stealing glances as the demons all turned their attention to the center.

"Pay close attention," The Silencer signaled for the humans to turn their attention to the center of the square. "This is the punishment for disobedience."

Kikyo looked away as the demon took the head off of the human woman, her daughter forced to watch as her mother's head rolled down the steps and onto the ground. Some of the surrounding demons spit on the woman's face, then the crowd dispersed. She saw an angry look on Kiyoshi's face as the young girl was led off by a demon and the rest of the humans went on with their lives, the woman's remains collected and taken away.

Kikyo listened as her younger sister cried herself to sleep, she was so young, still a stranger to this world.

"Sleep now, Kaede, tomorrow will be a new day." Kikyo placed her hand on her sister's shoulder. Soon Kaede had fallen into a calm slumber, and Kikyo stood from her position next to her. She changed clothes and snuck quietly out of her home. During the day she would blend into the crowds, a simple kimono on and her hair pulled into a loose ponytail that was customary to young village girls. However, at night she dressed herself in traditional miko garb, pulling her hair as was customary for miko's long ago. The clothing was impossible to find in these days, however, these had been hidden and passed down through the family, she treasured them more than anything, but she knew the risk she took keeping them.

She walked quietly, holding her tatami sandals in her arms so they wouldn't attract attention, and made her way to the woods outside of her village. She slipped her sandals on and ran to the clearing, up in a tree she had hidden a bow and arrows, another thing hard for humans to come by. She gathered all of her concentration and began to shoot the arrows, she imagined the trees as advancing demons and easily vanquished them all, at the end she paused to catch her breath. She quickly gathered the arrows and replaced them and turned towards the village.

"Who's there?" She asked turning to the trees.

Kiyoshi stepped out. "You're playing a dangerous game, Kikyo." Kikyo eyed him as he stepped forward. "I won't live like this forever, when I start my rebellion, I want you to come with me, as my wife." There was no laughter in his voice, Kikyo realized he was completely serious.

"I can't simply leave my sister to fight a battle we would never win." She continued her walk back to the village, feeling Kiyoshi's eyes on the back of her head.


A/N: School this week, I'm so tired, I thought I had a whole other week of break :'( Hope you enjoyed the chapter! :D