Disclaimer: This story is not mine. It belongs to a friend, who is NOT Rumiko Takahashi, and she does not own InuYasha, nor do I. If you like this, please review, and I shall pass on all reviews to her. Please do review, as this is her first fanfic—though NOT her first story—and she would like to have feedback.
Edit: She and I both have gone through and made extremely minor changes, mostly spelling and grammar, to the first chapter.
The Legend of the Scorned Priestess
Chapter OneThe Priestess and
the Shikon no Tama
The feudal era was a time of the strong willed and brave of heart. Demons prowled across the land in all shapes and sizes. Some demons were good natured and kind; others were so evil that just the sound of the creature's name sent shivers up and down the spines of men. As if times were not already rough, one small item made things worse. This item was called the Shikon no Tama.
The Shikon no Tama is a jewel of immense power. Although small in size, it holds the power to grant the holder immeasurable power. The jewel even holds the power to transform a demon into a human, or a half-demon into a full demon. Unfortunately, demons and creatures of all sorts desire the jewel. To make matters worse, some humans are even drawn to it by their own selfish thirst for power.
In order to protect the world from the dreadful power of the Shikon no Tama, the villagers of the Demon Exterminators Village handed over the jewel to a priestess that was said to hold the power to purify the jewel. This priestess took the jewel and swore that she would guard it with her life and returned to her village.
A young girl rushed through the busy streets of the village, her black hair tied back as she quickly made her way to the front of the village. A woman in a white gi and long red pants walked into the village. The little girl smiled widely and stood before the woman. The traveler stopped and smiled gently at the child.
"Sister Kikyou!" the child exclaimed and rushed forward, hugging onto her sister without hesitation. "I have missed you so much, sister. Was your journey well?"
"Ah, Kaede, I missed you as well. Let us not remain in the hot sun. I shall answer all of your questions at the shrine," Kikyou said, softly stroking Kaede's head.
The two made their way through the village, nodding to the many villagers that took notice. The summer day was hot and those who worked in the fields were certainly feeling the extent of the day. Kikyou made some tea and told Kaede of her journey and some information about the Shikon no Tama. It was not until Kikyou had gotten up that Kaede jumped to her feet.
"Where are you going, sister?"
Kikyou pulled forth a bucket and looked back at her little sister with a smile.
"I am going out to the river to fetch water for the men in the fields."
"Please, hurry back, sister."
Kikyou waved to her sister and, tightening the knot in the string holding her quiver of arrows to her, she walked down the path toward the forest. Her bow rocked slightly with each step. Kikyou listened to her surroundings for any signs of a demon. Eyes narrowed, ears straining to pick up every sound, she managed to pick up a distinct rustle. She spun around, whirling the bucket behind her, and drew an arrow. With one swift motion, the bow was pulled from her shoulder and an arrow was strung, pulled taught and ready to strike whatever decided to attack.
The forest was strangely calm. The noise that was heard had come and gone like the western breeze that passed through Kikyou's smooth, black hair. Her brown eyes scanned the lush greenery of the forest once more; she then rose to her feet, relaxed her grip on the arrow, and then replaced the arrow in the quiver.
The river could be heard, dancing on the wind as it traveled through the trees and into the fields giving minor relief to the workers. Kikyou made haste, carefully dipping the wooden bucket inside the cold, clear water, then making her way through the forest again and toward the fields. The rustling occurred again but Kikyou paid it no mind, her only concern was to take the water to the workers and quickly.
The heat of day was, if it had not been before, truly unbearable now. Kikyou managed to make it to the fields and was greeted with large smiles and enthusiastic thanks as she set the fair-sized bucket on the ground. The men gulped greedily and Kikyou, who had tied up the sleeves of her gi with a white sash, felt assured that she had done the proper thing.
The wind blew from the west then shifted to the north. Kikyou felt this alteration and immediately was taken away from the chatter of the men. Her right hand moved from her side to her chest. She lightly touched a small bump with her fingertips then took hold of it. The men were now in a fit of laughter over one man's telling of Kikyou's act of defense against a demon just last month. The man screeched like the monster and pretended to swoop down at invisible villagers while another man told how he reacted at that moment.
The wind picked up. Kikyou bowed to the men quickly. The men waved as she rushed off toward the village. Her pace was quick until she reached the path just before the village entrance. It was then that she slowed to a walk and made her way calmly through the village. Mothers were out doing their laundry, preparing food for the night's dinner, and bathing their children. Kikyou stopped for a moment and looked up at the sky. The burning sun glared down at her as if it were gloating over some victory. She wearily wiped her brow as the wind rustled the loose dirt from the ground.
Suddenly, something rammed into her left side, knocking her temporarily off balance. Kikyou looked down to see that a little boy, covered from head to toe in cuts and dirt, had run into her.
"What troubles you, child?" Kikyou knelt by the boy's side and smiled, raising his chin.
"D-d-d," the boy stuttered.
"It is all right. Take your time. There is no hurry."
"D-d-d-d-demon!!"
Kikyou's eyes grew serious but
she kept her tone light.
"Where?" she asked calmly. "Where did you see the demon?"
The boy wiped his face, tears streaking the dirt down his cheeks. He looked up at Kikyou then pointed toward the forest.
"I-in there."
Kikyou stared off at the forest and gave a nod.
"Where is your mother, child?"
The boy looked up at Kikyou, confusion and fear in his tired eyes.
"I…don't know."
Kikyou closed her eyes solemnly then sighed.
"All right, then. What is your name?"
"Shin…"
"Shin?" Kikyou repeated as the boy nodded, "Follow me, Shin. I shall protect you and find your mother. Alright?" The little boy nodded and followed her, "You have to trust me and do exactly as I say, is that understood?"
"Yes."
Kikyou lead the boy to the shrine. When she entered the doorway, her sister rushed out and quickly bowed. Kaede rose to her feet and stared at the boy that was attempting to hide behind Kikyou.
"Who have you brought, sister?" Kaede rushed around to Kikyou's right side, the boy ducted to the left to avoid being seen. "A boy? What is his name? What about a mother and father? Has he any?" She darted around in front of Kikyou to the left forcing Shin to jump back to the right. "Aw! Come on! I just wish to gaze upon you, nothing more." She stood silent for a second, close to Kikyou's right then jumped to the left. "Ah-ha!" Shin let out a small scream and jumped to the side; he missed his footing on the wooden floor and crawled along the wall on his backside. "Sister Kikyou, why ever did you bring him here? He is very twitchy to be so young."
Kikyou laughed slightly.
"You are young to be speaking as you are, dear little sister." Kaede screwed up her face at this remark while Kikyou walked to Shin's side. "Everything is all right, Shin. This is my younger sister, Kaede. She shall be taking care—" Kaede let out a distinct 'What!?' "—of you while I am away."
Shin gave a nervous nod as he stood up. Kaede rushed to her sister's side and began to whisper hastily in her ear.
"Why must I be responsible for him? He is scratched to pieces almost and that will be a chore to tidy and bandage."
"Sister Kaede, there may be a demon close by. The scrapes and bruises are, by my guess, from the demon he fled from. If his parents were with him, he may be an orphan."
Kaede went silent and walked off to retrieve some tea. Kikyou closed the doors and made her way to one corner and sat down. Removing her quiver and bow, she began to inspect them carefully, a small chant being uttered under her breath. It was not long before Kaede returned with tea and Shin happily drank. Kikyou continued her inspection and repairing, the chant having now taken a song-like quality.
"What is your sister doing, Kaede?" Shin asked nervously, taking another sip of tea from his cup.
Kaede looked up from her cup and gave him a confused look.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Shin nudged his head slightly in Kikyou's direction.
"What is she doing?"
"Oh…Sister Kikyou is blessing her arrows."
"Kikyou seems really nice but," he softened his voice, "why is she blessing her arrows?"
"You should know that," Kaede stated as she took another sip of tea. "She is going to wait for another witness of your demon, then go after it."
"Oh."
Shin said nothing more after that; he merely gazed down in his tea, lost in thought. Kaede rose to her feet and opened the door. Night was approaching quickly; the sun was already fading behind the western horizon. Shin watched as Kaede walked out and vanish behind the door.
Kikyou stood up and walked over to Shin.
"I would like you to remain here for the night. This is merely a safety precaution. Some demons mark their targets and chase them until the victim perishes and if the demon the attacked you does that, it shall come here."
Shin rose, tea still in hand.
"Are you a skilled archer, Miss Kikyou?" Kikyou nodded humbly and Shin relaxed his shoulders a bit. "The demon that I saw was red and really fast."
Kikyou smiled then nodded.
"I shall protect you. Do not fret, Shin." Kikyou lead him into one of the rooms within the shrine and made him a small bed for the night, "Rest now."
Shin did as he was told and Kikyou walked out quietly and shut the door behind her. She walked into the main room of the shrine and sat down, placing her right hand over the small round bump beneath her gi. She closed her eyes and drifted into a meditative slumber.
A familiar scream shattered the peaceful dusk air. Kikyou jumped, jolted from her slumber, in time to see three men rush through the shrine door. All were out of breath and were wounded in multiple areas.
"Priestess…a demon has been spotted!" One man shouted.
"In the forest…huge demon…"The second stated, panting and wiping his brow.
"Faster than the wind, Lady Kikyou." The third man heaved and plopped down on the shrine floor in exhaustion.
Kikyou stood up.
"Where is Kaede?"
The men exchanged glances in search of an answer but they all shook their heads. Kikyou dashed over to the corner of the shrine near the back wall and gathered her bow, quiver, and roughly thirty arrows. Without a word to the men, she dashed out of the shrine and toward the woods.
"Kaede! Kaede, answer my call!" Kikyou shouted to the silence of the night.