The Miko's Apprentice

Summary: She was trained by the High Priestess, Keiko Asakura; brought up with the grace and manners of a lady, and taught to take nothing for granted. Leaving for En, to stay with Anna and Yoh, Keiko parts with her Apprentice with a few final words, "Life is what you make of it, so whatever you do, make it count."

Anime/Manga: Shaman King/InuYasha

Pairing: Kagome/?

Genre: Romance

Rated: M for Mature Content

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On her shoulder, the kanji for Inari; Kagome Higurashi was the Heiress of the Higura family line and a Miko of extensive purifying abilities. Trained by Keiko Asakura, the greatest of Miko's, bettered only by the Lady Midoriko herself, she was raised with the grace and mannerisms of a young lady. Inari, the name of the Kami of foxes, Inari Okami or Oinari, was the kami of fertility, rice, tea and sake, as well as agriculture and industry, general prosperity and worldly success and one of the principal kami of Shinto. This mark, she was born with, and its name was every part of her as she was it.

Kagome Higurashi, thirteen years old, her adventure starts nearly one month after her Sensei's son's departure, and that of his fiancés.

"You are not concentrating..."

Kagome sat cross-legged on the stone setting beside Keiko, her sensei. She didn't move or voice an argument to her sensei as she merely cleared her mind and focused on the energies of the earth and the aura's of the spirits and peoples around her.

"You will be leaving today to impart your own journey to En. Will you be okay?"

"I will be fine, Sensei. You have trained me well...you taught me everything that I know, and while you haven't taught me all that you know, I will fair admirably with your teachings of current. Until there is a time that I must learn more, please have faith in my abilities thus far."

"Find Anna and Yoh, you will stay with them."

Kagome opened her eyes and looked at her teacher, smiling, she nodded and stood up. Bowing her head, a hand was placed on her shoulder and she looked up to see a smiling Keiko.

"You will do well out there, your mother would be proud, Kagome."

Kagome smiled, her mother...a topic dating back only three years. Her mother had passed away due to lung tuberculosis. It sucked, but she didn't cry. Keiko had been more of a mother than her biological mom. Rai Higurashi wasn't what Kagome would call cruel, but at four, she had sent her daughter away to train with a stranger, and she never visited except to see her one final time, a week prior to her death. "I'm sure she would be, but I do not aim to please my mother, I am to please the woman who has taken care of me for the past nine years. Thank you, Lady Keiko." Once more she bowed.

"...you are a blessing, Kagome. Father see's turmoil in your future...you...a guiding light, must be ready to make the stand and take on the challenge...you could easily change the future of many, if you so choose."

Kagome turned her eyes to her teacher, "What do you mean?"

Keiko pointed to the side, and she turned, watching curiously as a snake slither close to a small mouse before changing its mind about eating it and slither off in another direction. "Life is what you make of it, so whatever you do, make it count."

Kagome glanced up again, but Keiko was already walking off, heading in the direction of the shrine. Kagome thought curiously over her words, but said nothing in concerns to the ominous comment made by Keiko.

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(Midnight)

Kagome walked silently through the forest as she followed her spirit guide. "Inari, are we nearing a natural spring and possibly a sprig of lavender or something equally soothing in smell?"

There before her, a spirit with long white hair running well past its waist and red markings similar to those on the Inari Fox Masks were on the spirits face and ran along the sleeves of the white Haori worn by the fox spirit. The Red Hakama's swayed gracefully with the spirits graceful movements, it's feet hidden by the fabric of the red Hakama's. The spirit fox stopped and spared a glance back at her. "We are nearby a natural hot spring...will that be satisfactory to your needs?"

"More than..."

"As for lavender, I smell none...but there is a sprig of Basil nearby."

Kagome gave the spirit a deadpanned expression, "I don't want to smell like lunch, Inari."

"Yes, of course. But Basil's guiding planet is Mars, and it just so happens to be Mars's rotational month, as it will be in clear view to the humans who have the means to see it. Also, Basil has been used for many centuries for aura cleansing, purification, ceremonial cleansing of sacred space and it helps to attract spirit beings. You could use some more spirit guides, I'm sure. Then it also helps bring out ones courage and inner strength. It's used for relaxing and revitalizing. Basil is revered as a sacred herb all over the world. I believe, in the Hindu religion it is sacred to both Vishnu and Krishna. Mind you, you shouldn't use it if you are pregnant...but seeing how you are not, it should be fine."

"...I better be all that and a bag of chips, cuz I really don't feel all that thrilled about walking through a dark forest smelling like someone's well-seasoned lunch." Kagome followed her grinning spirit guide to the hot spring, behind her, a white fox followed her every step. "By the way, how do you know where are planetary rotational orbit is right now?"

Inari shrugged, "I just do,"

"Right...and here I thought I was the one being trained as a cleric, was Lady Keiko holding back on me?"

Inari smiled charmingly at Kagome, "I believe Lady Keiko taught you all that is required...you must now teach yourself all that remains unlearned."

'...yeah...but that means trying to learn with supposed turmoil in my future...and on top of that...Anna will be there!'

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Me: Here is chapter one! I just started chapter two of walking on air! Love you guys~! If you have something specific which you want me to update, drop me a review!