Miroku part 1

I watched as the car rolled out of the drive way. Kina watched it all ,sadly she walked home dragging her feet along the way. While I watched her leave ,I noticed that something was tugging at my pant leg. It was that little fox who Nonai walked around with all the time. It whined and yelped softly begging me to take it to Nonai. I can say that I felt sorry for the little thing but I had a very particular hatred for animals that even slightly resembled dogs (which I hated) ,and kicked it out of my way.

It followed me home and managed to get into the house. I sat on a couch and it jumped up and sat next to me. As I watched it cuddle up to me I started to wonder why Nonai had a pet fox anyway. It wasn't uncommon to find foxes around, but they usually stayed away from people. That's when I noticed that it wasn't a fox at all…it was a Turin. Turin were small little fluffy creatures that I had read about in an old book (Of course it wasn't really one but I pretended so that I could tolerate it being around me).

The Turin eyed me cautiously when I thought about that. My Bengal cat looked up at me curiously.

" Miro… I can see that you're trying to replace me. " she spoke telepathically but I could hear it through a special device that I had found in an old abandoned warehouse.

" Oh… you mean the Turin. It belongs to this girl that I met… uh what's her name… uh… Nonai, yea that's it, Nonai. " I said shyly not knowing why I did

" Ah, a girl that interests you perhaps? "

" What? No way! I'd never. " I lowered my head and my mind suddenly went blank for some reason

" I didn't mean it that way. I meant to ask if you thought that she could be like you. "

" Oh… maybe. Well I don't know for sure. "

" Well then I'll go with you the next time you see her. "

" I don't think that I'll see her again she just moved. "

" Oh yes you will… "

She curled up to sleep on the floor. I went into my room. I opened a book and read until I felt like I'd pass out from boredom. Suddenly I sneezed and thought that I should get some fresh air. I walked to the kitchen, took some snacks, and put them into my backpack.

I put the open pack on the floor next to the couch where the Turin slept. I heard something crash into pieces in the living room and went to investigate. When I got back the pack had seemingly zipped itself up. So, without a thought I went outside and jumped the fence of a neighboring yard. Once in I jumped over their back fence which lead into a huge forest. The trees gave way to fields and if you went far enough it lead you to a mountain range that seemed to be endless.

I walked into a forest clearing and put the pack down against an oak tree. I looked up and sighed, the clearing was beautiful. I unzipped the pack and a small fluffy head poked out. The Turin hopped out and cocked it head at me. I sat down and leaned against the tree. The fox sat and scanned the area for sound with its ears. It suddenly poked its nose up and sniffed the air, then it walked off following the smell.

It came back after a half hour with something in its mouth. It dropped it at my feet and sat watching. The thing was a small trinket box covered with dirt and drool from it's mouth. I wiped it clean with a few napkins and had to break the rusted latch to open it. Inside was a folded note and a golden locket.

I picked up the note and unfolded it. Then with the Turin listening intently I read it quietly but loud enough for it to hear…This locket is only for the neck of a Sao to wear. To cherish and get loved as though their own hair. Whosoever wears it and is not. Their lives will arrive at an abrupt stop. And all powers they posses will surely fade. As though life itself had become a deadly blockade. Child who is reading this must remain here. Lest you own troublesome existence be overwhelmed with fear…

I leaned further on the tree. The Turin shook itself with fear. I picked up the locket and tried to open it. On the back was an inscription.

To my beloved Snow

I'll cherish your heart

Always…

With love,

Maroku.

I had a sudden feeling of fear that came over me. My name was used on that locket. I felt truly alone sitting in that clearing, alone in the prolonged silence, with nothing but the Turin for company.

Feeling hungry I ate my snack and put the note in my pack. The locket however went into my pocket. The Turin climbed into my pack and I left the clearing. I walked until I reached a large redwood tree standing somewhere in the middle of the forest. After thoroughly searching the ground and tree base for ants, snakes, and other pests I climbed onto a huge root and lay on it and thought.

What was a Sao? Who was snow?

Those questions echoed endlessly throughout my mind. I tried hard to open the locket but nothing worked. It was tightly closed. I got bored and involuntarily fell asleep.

I woke with a start. The fox circled around the tree root yapping its head off to wake me up. I got up and hopped off the raised root. It started to tug uncontrollably at my pant leg. I followed it as it winded through the trees in the semi-darkness of the afternoon. It lead me across a road that ran through the forest to a lake near the road and yipped wildly.

I looked into the water and immediately saw what was wrong. A car was slowly sinking to the bottom. Without thought I dived in and opened the front passenger door. Out of breath I made a mad dash for the surface. I noticed that no one came up with me and glanced into the car no one was inside. I had much breath left so I went in and pulled the trunk release. In the trunk was the body of a girl. I held her with one arm and swam out of the water. I carried her to a patch of grass and laid her down.

She wasn't breathing. I checked her pulse… still alive… I rapidly pressed down on her chest to get water out of her lungs. It worked, she coughed up a fountain of water and weakly opened her eyes. It was Nonai. She gratefully looked up at me happy to be alive. I picked her up and carried her to the clearing. I took a blanket that I'd brought incase I had to sleep out and gave it to her.

She wrapped herself in it and shivered. Then sat under the oak tree and continued to shiver. I sat next to her and she rested her head on my arm. I just sat and looked up. Soon it grew dark and we were stranded in the clearing. She leaned on me and slept emaking sure that nothing happened to us.

After that night I took her to my house and explained the whole story to my foster parents. They looked surprised because I had lied and told them that I couldn't swim if my life depended on it. They mentioned what I had said, but I replied and pointed out that my life didn't depend on it. My foster mother ran a hand over Nonai's forehead.

" You have a fever… stay awhile and rest. " she looked at her worriedly.

Nonai slept in the guest room. I sat and watched for a while and then got a book to read. As I did I heard some rapid breathing. Under her blanket Nonai shivered uncontrollably… a seizure. I expected her to roll off the bed or change position but she stayed in one spot the whole time. I didn't know what to do so I just sat on the bed and tried to keep her still.

My foster mother rushed into the room with a cool wet towel and a small bowl of water. She hurriedly wet the towel and ran it over her head and neck to keep her cool. Nonai soon stopped shaking and slept peacefully. I left the room and quietly left the house.

I went to the clearing again since it was the weekend. All was quiet and I was surrounded by loneliness once more. I pulled the locket out of my pocket and tried to open it again. I pulled again it wouldn't open. Finally I found a large stone and lightly tapped the edge of the locket against it.

The golden sides finally separated. On the left side was an old black and white photo of a girl who looked much like Nonai and at a corner of the picture was the name Snow. On the right was a seed sized stone. The stone looked like a diamond so I assumed that it was one, but it had what looked like a small scratch on it so I thought that it might be worthless.

When I got home and looked at the scratch with a magnifying glass I was surprised. It was a symbol not a scratch. On the diamond was the symbol of a feather perfectly etched into the side of it. I looked at the picture one last time and felt satisfied that I had gotten the answer to at least one of my questions. Apparently the other Miroku had loved Snow and given her the locket, and somehow Snow and Nonai were relatives. What I didn't understand was how Sao's fit into the picture, but first I'd have to find out what a Sao even was. Feeling half satisfied I went to my room and dug through my piles of books, maybe I had something that talked about Sao's, maybe, but unlikely...

Good? Isn't it?