InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Memories of the Bell Flower ❯ Hubristic Tendencies ( Chapter 5 )

Memories of the Bell Flower

Chapter 5: Hubristic Tendencies

By Sephira jo (sephirajo@yahoo.com)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha but, by god, I wish I did.

P.S. This fic was posted a day before I remembered to add the disclaimer, and no one reviewed :( *sobs* don't you guys like this chapter?? Please let me know *sniffle*

Rating: R, for adult situations (namely sex), Violence, and more angst than you can shake a stick at. This is not a happy story, people!

Warning! The first little part of this story has a kinda/sorta rape scene in it. How can it be kinda/sorta you ask? Well, you'll see when you finish it, but just warning you! You can't say I didn't warn you now!

Author's notes. As your reading this, I've revised the previous four chapters of this story, so it might be a good idea to go back and read those as well. Hopefully all the revisions are for the better. Mostly just fixed simple junk, like the typos I have a tendency to make at 3:00 in the morning. Some side notes too, for those of you who don't know this story is just going to get more and more angst filled.

Also a quick note on the title, hubristic is derived from the word hubris, which is excessive pride that brings about a downfall, normally at the hands of the gods. (If you already know this, just blithely ignore me. Just thought I'd say in case anyone didn't know. ^-^) This works well as a title since the hubris of everyone involved plays a part in the downfall of the characters. Kikyou's convinced she can plan everything perfectly, Kaede's convinced that her sister is great and invincible and Inu Yasha's just convinced that he's great (and he's getting nookie -_-;;;). The only person not overly stuffed to the gills with excessive amounts of hubris is Onigumo, who's lying in wait like a Machiavellian Spider, getting ready to pounce on the opportunity about to present itself. There, I've played enough Greek Chorus for now, so on with this tale of woe (and nookie lol, I couldn't help myself! Gomen!) (AN: why is it I can just picture Inu Yasha singing "I did it all for the Nookie." ?)

* * ^_^ * *

Kikyou found herself in Onigumo's cave. She looked around, not sure at first how she came to be there. After all, she had almost completely handed him off to Kaede and she only came here occasionally, just to make sure he was still alive. But something seemed different about this place. Kikyou's vision was hazy, and she walked forward hoping to clarify what she was seeing. When she came to the place where Onigumo's immobile form should've lain on a straw mat there was only a massive burn scar.

Kikyou knelt to the ground and touched the dirt, not believing what she was seeing. She drew back in pain when the evil aura that permeated through the earth stung her. The haze around her thickened until it became a thick fog calling her farther into the cave.

"Kikyou . . . " She heard her name echo off of the walls drawing her farther into the cave.

"Kikyou . . . " She followed it still, the cave went deeper than she would have suspected. She looked back toward the entrance to see it had disappeared. Kikyou was suddenly afraid as a cold wind blew hard and drawing her even further into the cave.

"Kikyou. . ." She followed the dark voice to see where it came from. She stopped when the form of a man came into focus, out of the fog that moved around her. Dark hair moved around him caught on the wind that circled about them and his eyes, his eyes were fixated on her body, glowing crimson. An evil grin spread across his face and he moved toward her, the malevolence palpable.

Kikyou took a nervous step backward before remembering herself. She was miko, she would not run nor hide from whatever apparition this was. Steeling herself for battle, she reached for an arrow to fire, only to find her quiver empty. Kikyou stared in horror as her bow also dissolved into nothingness. She looked up at the man, who was now only a few steps away from her. He just laughed. The laugh sounded oddly familiar to Kikyou, but in her state of mind she couldn't place it.

The man reached out and grabbed her, throwing her to the floor and then pinning her there with his weight. Kikyou struggled against him, trying to recall spells, charms, anything she could use to repel him. A simple one came to mind and she opened her mouth to recite it, only to have a gag shoved in before a single sound could escape her mouth.

Kikyou screamed as his hands, rough and uncaring, began to tear away her clothing. The sounds she made were muffled and distorted by the rag in her mouth. She reached up to hit and claw at her attacker, who used the feeble attacks to grasp her hands and tie them up with a piece of her own torn clothing.

Kikyou found herself staring into blood red eyes as he took her like an animal on the floor of the cave.

"Kikyou . . . " He said, only then did she realize that it had been his voice calling her back into the cave. He laughed again and she screamed.

* * *

Kikyou bolted upright in her bed, her hands instinctively covering her mouth as her stomach turned. Being as quiet as possible to avoid waking Kaede who slept close to her, she went outside emptying her stomach into a small bucket that they kept next to their dwelling.

This was the third day in a row Kikyou had awoken from nightmares only to be sick. She held onto herself shaking, she had suspicions as to what exactly was causing her recurring illness but she kept her fears to herself. Fears. That was putting it mildly, Kikyou was absolutely terrified! There was no one she could turn to. After all, she was the miko, normally it was her doing the consoling.

Shaking she leaned against the wall of her small hut. Over the horizon the first glimpses of sunlight could be seen. It was already morning, and Kikyou felt as if she hadn't slept at all. She sighed, as long as it was already morning there was really no point in going back to sleep. She emptied the evidence of her illness into a nearby bush and went back inside to dress herself. There were things she had to do this morning, and in the afternoon she had arranged a meeting with Inu Yasha.

That thought made her stop, and she let a half-smile come to her face for a moment before she shook it away. Her duties as a miko came first. As she finished dressing and worked her hair back into the loose ponytail she wore she tried, unsuccessfully, to push all wayward thoughts of the hanyou from her mind. Instead of lifting her thoughts, it now seemed that he weighed upon them instead. Kikyou found herself unable to concentrate on anything related to her duty.

Involuntarily, she thought again of the nightmare. In life such an attack would have been a simple thing to fend off; however, as of late Kikyou felt like her powers were slipping away from her. She didn't enjoy the sensation one bit. She hated feeling powerless. In her world, being powerless could be fatal. Kikyou went over the images of the nightmare, trying to make sense of them, to learn something from them, but the only thing she could get from it was that it was nothing more than a manifestation of her most recent fears.

She shook her head, clearing out any lingering doubts about the nightmare and standing at the door she smiled down at the sleeping Kaede before slipping on her normal, impassive expression. Steeled to face another lonely day the best she could, Kikyou left her hut and headed to the shrine where the Shikon jewel rested day in and day out intent on being the ruling force in her life.

Walking toward the shrine, Kikyou felt the morning dew brush against her feet, making them cold in the cool spring morning. The sensation brought back memories of the morning after she had given herself to Inu Yasha the first time. Kikyou stopped, blushing furiously she shook her head to clear her thoughts, angry that even a little thing like that could break her concentration. She walked the rest of the way to the shrine with her hands balled so tightly into fists that her nails dug into her skin. The pain helped ground Kikyou, pulling her thoughts away from other things.

Kikyou reached the shrine and she almost tore open the door on the building before she managed to calm herself down enough to start the task at hand. Looking up she stared at the Shikon jewel as it sat on its dais, glowing in its unearthly way. Kikyou sat down on her knees in front of it, and took it off of the stand.

Rolling the jewel between her fingers, she tried to find the spot where she had left off the day before. She found it. Closing one hand around the jewel and bringing it to her breast, she took a deep breath and picked up where she had left off yesterday, purifying the jewel.

Purifying the jewel was a slow and tedious process. It had been massively tainted by pervious youkai owners who had brought out the evil side of the jewel while burying the good. As it was now, there was very little good left in the Shikon no Tama, which made Kikyou's job harder.

The amount she had actually been able to purify was minuscule. The jewel was so tainted when she had received that the very touch of it had burned. Even with her gift for purifying such things it had taken months before she had been able to hold the jewel without pain. And recently it seemed even harder to concentrate on the jewel when her thoughts were constantly elsewhere.

Hating the damn rock made it that much harder to sit there morning after morning and purify it, the only thing that kept her sane was knowing that when her job was done she would be free. Now, she thought, if only there was a way to do it all at once. To make it disappear.

Kikyou stopped, her eyes shot open as she thought of Inu Yasha, the hanyou. Hanyou. How could I have been so stupid?! Kikyou thought, as a lighting bolt of inspiration struck her. Half youkai means half human! The jewel could enhance either making him a full youkai or a full . . . a full human! And making him a full human would purify the jewel. ALL AT ONCE!

Kikyou smiled and almost laughed. For the first time she didn't hate the jewel in her hand. In fact, she could almost kiss the damn rock. If Inu Yasha would use it to be human causing it to disappear, she would be free. And then they could be together. Never having to be lonely again.

Kikyou's thoughts were interrupted by a strong wave of nausea. Clamping her free hand over her mouth, she was able to fight it down. She coughed quietly, trying to clear her throat without vomiting, and placed the jewel back on its holder. Leaving the shrine, closing the door behind her, Kikyou went in search of a light breakfast to calm her stomach and started working over the fine details of her newly hatched plan.

* * *

Kaede woke to find her sister had already gone. Though not a rarity in itself, Kikyou had been sick for the past few days and Kaede was worried. The last thing she wanted was to lose her sister, the only family she had left.

Kaede shook her head and banished her dark thoughts. I have to be cheerful! Kaede thought to herself, smiling despite her deep worry for her older sister. Onee-sama is surrounded by too many sad and dark things. Someone has to cheer her up. Kaede giggled, she knew she wasn't the only one who made her sister happy anymore. There was Inu Yasha now as well. Kaede hadn't met him yet, but the thought of meeting someone great enough to earn her sister's love had her twitching with anticipation.

Come to think of it, Kikyou hadn't told Kaede much about Inu Yasha at all, only his name and that he was very nice. That left Kaede unbearably curious as to who he was exactly. The thought of Kikyou with a samurai or a lord somewhere made Kaede laugh uncontrollably. Any of the local farmers were out of the question, and Kikyou didn't get close to the villagers. There was a traveling Buddhist monk (what was his name) who had gained a reputation for both great spiritual power and a over zealous fondness for women. What was the word Kikyou had used? Lecher . . . Kaede dismissed that idea on fact that lecher didn't sound like a word you used to describe someone you loved.

Not knowing when Kikyou would return Kaede started to gather her small stash of healing herbs and food to take out to Onigumo. More than likely she would be making the trip out to the cave today. Kikyou now only went occasionally and every time her older sister made the trip, she returned in a foul temper. Kaede knew that the past week Kikyou spent more time out by herself and Kaede suspected that she was spending the time with Inu Yasha.

Kaede let out an overly large sigh, if she didn't have to feed stupid Onigumo stupid herbs so he wouldn't lose his stupid life to starvation, she could follow Kikyou to meet this Inu Yasha. She liked everything she had heard about him from Kikyou and at least his name wasn't stupid, like Onigumo's. With a name like Inu Yasha he had to be a warrior of some sort. Kaede sighed again, this time for a different reason, it was so romantic! Her wandering sister falling in love with a wandering fighter. Kaede wanted to meet him so badly.

Kaede stood up, her pack full. Humming and convinced that not even Onigumo could ruin her good mood, she walked outside letting the warm spring sunshine wash over her. Kaede hummed her song and, entertaining fantasies of what Inu Yasha must look like, she set off toward the cave.

* * *

All of her morning duties finished to some degree of satisfaction, Kikyou happily wrapped up a few loose ends then snuck out of the village. She couldn't deny that the blatant disregard of her duties as a miko made her feel guilty, but the part of her that was still just a young woman always enjoyed these moments when she was able to escape the tedium of her village life. Even if it was only for a short amount of time.

Kikyou found it odd however, that even going to visit Inu Yasha that she found reason to carry her weapon with her. It seemed wrong somehow, going to visit a lover armed. She shook her head, unlike Kaede, Kikyou had no illusions about the safety of the world in which she lived. And even though it bothered her, there really was nothing wrong with traveling prepared. Besides, she still hadn't completely gotten over her nightmare. The images of the dream provided her with plenty of reasons to go someplace armed. Kikyou's dreams often were precognitive and she didn't want to risk that the nightmare could be as well.

As she walked further away the village Kikyou went over the minor details of her fledgling plan. The only possible problem she could foresee was actually getting the jewel to Inu Yasha, who, most likely, would not be willing to go any where near the village for any reason. So, getting Inu Yasha in the shrine to use the jewel was definitely not a possibility. Kikyou paused in mid step, most likely she would have to arrange a meeting place for the two of them, a place where she could take the jewel, a place where it could be used safely and uninterrupted by others.

Kikyou smiled and shook her head, it was really a minor problem. Their meetings had remained completely private thus far. Inu Yasha talked to no one else in the area other than her, and Kikyou seldom found a reason to discuss things with the villagers. Kaede was a different matter, but Kikyou wouldn't say anything until after the fact. If then. Kikyou really found no reason to enlighten Kaede as to the exact nature of Inu Yasha, most likely Kaede would be livid. And, after Inu Yasha was human, there would be no reason to burden Kaede with his true nature. Right now, Kaede was content to entertain her girlish fantasies of what Inu Yasha must be like.

Kikyou shook her head, it had taken hours of explaining and consoling before Kikyou had been able to calm Kaede after she had deduced what was going on. Kaede had been absolutely terrified of Kikyou just taking off and leaving. Kikyou had to sit Kaede down and explain to her that she was not going to, for anyone or thing, leave Kaede alone. And yes, when Kikyou started a family, Kaede would most defiantly be a part of it. Eventually her younger sister had calmed down, and then, amusingly enough, developed a childish obsession with Inu Yasha and spent the next hour grilling Kikyou for details about him. It would've been funny, except for the fact that Kikyou didn't feel comfortable discussing her relationship with anyone, even her sister. Part of it just seemed wrong somehow, it was really an impossible relationship and even more impossible to explain to a girl less than twelve years of age.

Kikyou reached the field where Inu Yasha had agreed to meet her that day and looked around. It was devoid of anyone else, but then again, Kikyou was almost always early. Smiling, knowing that Inu Yasha would be there soon, indeed he had a tendency to be late, Kikyou laid down in the tall grass and watched the sky lazily. When her eyes started to fall closed she couldn't fight it, she was still tired from three nights of little sleep. In the warm spring sunlight Kikyou slept in the open filed, the laughter of children singing through her dreams.

* * *

Kaede peaked into the entrance of the cave and held her breath. She released it in a disappointed sigh when the labored sound of Onigumo's breathing reached her ears. Damn it, she thought, that stupid ass is STILL alive. Why doesn't he just die? Kaede drew in a deep breath which puffed out her cheeks making her look more like a frog then a small girl. As long as Onigumo was alive, Kaede had to go in there and deal with him, she had promised Kikyou. But, if she couldn't kill him (after all, that would be wrong) she could be so annoying that we would wish he was dead. Maybe then he'd give up on his own.

"GOOOOOOOOD MORNING!!!!!!!!!" Kaede screeched at the top of her lungs. She suppressed a giggle when she heard Onigumo flinch, the straw mat underneath him scratching the floor in protest.

Kaede walked into the cave and started a fire in the small pit. She looked over at Onigumo and put her best 'I'm an innocent child who could never do anything wrong' smile on her face. Onigumo just glared at her with his one good eye.

"Girl, where's your sister?" He asked, and Kaede shook her head, he did this every time she showed up to take care of him.

"She's busy today. And I've told you, my name is Kaede."

Over the pervious few days Kaede felt she had excelled at ignoring Onigumo's taunts and cold remarks, indeed she found she could actually treat him as a patient and not a jackass. He still managed to get on her nerves and his refusal to call her by name really bugged her. His constant questioning about Kikyou's life and habits also bothered her, as did his habit of insulting her sister when she refused to answer.

"She's busy, eh? Isn't it wrong for a shrine maiden to be running around with a lover?" Onigumo taunted.

"Onee-sama doesn't have a lover, I've told you." Kaede returned simply. Stirring some herbs into the soup she was preparing to feed him.

"Really? I know she does. Doesn't it bother you, girl? When she takes off with him, you'll be all alone." The bite he put in his voice didn't go unnoticed and Kaede shook her head. She wouldn't let herself be baited by this man.

"You're so stupid. It won't be that way, she promised me. When he's ready he's going to live with us. There's just a few things they have to take care of first." Kaede squeaked back, keeping her voice as even as she could. She had learned quickly that Onigumo enjoyed getting a violent reaction from her. One of the best ways to annoy him was stay as calm as possible. "And my name's Kaede, not 'girl'," She finished.

"And you believed her, didn't you, girl," Onigumo chuckled, the sound sending shivers down Kaede's spine, "After all, your just a child and a child wouldn't understand."

"What don't I understand?" Kaede asked offhandedly, not really even expecting an answer to her question she continued what she had been doing, pouring the now finished mixture of soup and herbs into a bowl.

"Adults don't want children around to interfere with their relationship. After all, your precious, saintly onee-sama hasn't told you a damn thing about him, you don't even know what he looks like." He said, the spite in his voice obvious. Kaede was sure that he was jealous of Inu Yasha, but she couldn't figure out why, adults were strange creatures to her. It was true though, Kaede didn't even know what Inu Yasha looked like, or what he did for a living and it hurt that Kikyou hadn't told her.

"I bet she doesn't want you to know. One day soon you'll wake up to find her gone and you'll never know where to start looking for her, girl."

Kaede looked down at Onigumo, her face twitching. The urge to spit in his soup was overwhelming, but she managed to fight it off. She wouldn't loose her temper, and she had promised herself that Onigumo wouldn't ruin her good mood today.

"That won't happen," Kaede said firmly, spiting out each word, not quiet believing it herself, Onigumo was doing nothing more than voicing Kaede's not quite quelled fears. She shook her head, it couldn't happen, Kikyou would never leave her alone, never.

"So sure about that, aren't you girl?" Onigumo said as Kaede turned to face him getting ready to feed him his breakfast of drug laced soup.

"I trust onee-sama," Kaede said quietly as she started to feed the wounded bandit his soup. But, at that moment, she wasn't quiet sure she believed her own words.

Determined to have the last word, she scrunched her face and looked back down at Onigumo, "And my name's Kaede, you dumb ass."

The mixture quickly put Onigumo to sleep, and Kaede changed his bandages where they needed it, grateful for the silent haven formed in the lack of the man's scathing remarks. His baiting of her had brought her buried doubts to the surface of her thoughts at full force. Kaede finished up quickly and then gathered her things. Instead of heading back to the village however, she instead ran further away, out toward the fields she knew that her sister found solace in. She went, confident that Kikyou would lay to rest her doubts once and for all and make her life normal again.

* * *

The sound of someone walking through the tall grass woke Kikyou with a start. Without even thinking of what she was doing, she grabbed her bow and readied it, then sprang up, aiming at the direction the sound game from. When her eyes focused a second later she was greeted by the sight of Inu Yasha, who stood in a fighting pose, watching her coldly, his eyes hurt and confused.

Kikyou lowered her bow slowly, a flush of embracement staining her cheeks. She looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling very stupid. She shyly glanced back up at Inu Yasha who had relaxed his stance and stared at her, confused.

"I'm sorry, Inu Yasha," She started softly, "I. . .I was sleeping and you just startled me. . ." She trailed off, not knowing what else to say. What kind of woman drew a bow on her lover? Was Kikyou's first thought, followed by, but, what kind of miko has a hanyou for a lover?

"You were sleeping?" Inu Yasha asked, his voice bemused and disbelieving. Kikyou nodded slightly, her face still red. "You were sleeping? Here, in the middle of the field?"

Kikyou glared up at him, angry for no real reason, "Well, you weren't here when I got here, what did you want me to do? Turn around and leave?"

"No!" Inu Yasha returned, the tense situation playing on his temper as well, "But I'm not that late, damn it!"

"Not that late? Half the time you follow me around like a stray dog, but when I ask you to meet me somewhere you take your damned time showing up!" Kikyou was mildly surprised when she heard herself swear out loud, Inu Yasha was certainly rubbing off on her in that respect, "I don't even know how long I've been out here waiting for you!" She finished, poking Inu Yasha in the chest with a small finger, not even sure when she had closed off the distance between him.

Inu Yasha grabbed her hand and pulled her even closer, her face now inches from his, "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Kikyou?!" Inu Yasha shouted, and this close to his face, Kikyou could see the light glint off of fang, making him look more like a wild animal then a man. "If you don't want me around any more, just say the word and I'll fucking leave!"

"That's not what I. . .mph!" Kikyou's sentence was cut short as Inu Yasha pressed his mouth to hers in deep, almost punishing kiss. The kiss was angry and passionate, and Kikyou responded to it, the frustration of the past few days now channeled into the kiss. Inu Yasha crushed her into him and Kikyou could feel his claws tear at her clothing, cut into her skin. Inu Yasha's mouth moved farther down, bitting and suckling at her neck his hands pulling her down with him into the tall grass.

"Wha. . .What are you doing?" Kikyou asked, gasping as a now too familiar ache rose within her, shattering her thoughts with the rising heat.

"What I came here to do, bitch, talk with you." Inu Yasha answered, his voice almost harsh as he pressed his mouth to hers once again, his tongue fighting against hers. He pulled away and biting at her lip, "Why, do you want me to stop?" He laughed against her lips, "Because I'm not going to." Kikyou shuddered as he bit at her mouth again and his clawed hand pushed her clothing away, cupping her breast.

"You. . .you fucker. . ." She gasped, using one of his choice words back on him. Frankly, Kikyou never swore, she wasn't even completely sure what she had said. Inu Yasha was most definitely a bad influence on her.

Kikyou could feel him chuckle, the sound of it lost as he took her other breast in his mouth, bitting at it then suckling, tickling the peak with his tongue as his other hand, claws and all, massaged her other breast the moved down farther.

"What a dirty mouth you have for a miko," the words were spoken into her chest and were followed by yet another dark chuckle. He looked up at her, his golden eyes burning into her deep blue ones, "I like that, my dirty mouthed miko."

Kikyou groaned, bitting her lip as he undressed her the rest of the way, nuzzling and bitting at her neck, shoulders and breasts. Every sensation burned into her mind and every word, every words burned into her soul.

"You smell so good, even better than usual," he whispered, his breath brushing against the sweat covered skin there. He turned her over then, mounting her from behind. Kikyou couldn't even remember when he had managed to undress himself, but then those thoughts disappeared as he pounded her his body covering hers. Both of their frustration spiced the passion they shared, making it almost dark in nature.

"I could do this forever. Ride my bitch. My Kikyou," Inu Yasha growled into her ear. The dark words, the dark passion split Kikyou down the middle, her body responding even more while the part of her that was Kikyou the shrine maiden, the part that felt guilty for running off and neglecting her duties, felt strange somehow, tainted. It was like she was two separate people: Kikyou the woman, who very much enjoyed the dark pleasure she shared with Inu Yasha and Kikyou the miko, quiet and reserved, who was still there, screaming that this was wrong.

As his words, mouth and thrusts pushed her over the edge, Kikyou almost managed to bury the miko in her beneath the woman. The woman letting out a smothered shout as Inu Yasha turned her head to meet his, their lips mashing together as he followed her, sheathing himself as deep in her as he possibly could.

In the afterglow Inu Yasha pulled Kikyou to him, and she laid her head on his chest panting hard and snuggling close. She looked up at him and smiled softly, he really did look like a puppy. But, something bothered her.

"Inu Yasha?" Kikyou asked softly, her fingers playing with his absently.

"Hmm?"

"Do you love me?" She asked, and Kikyou heard him chuckle softly.

Inu Yasha shifted and kissed Kikyou's forehead softly, "Of course I do." He said simply, musing her hair with a clawed hand in an eerie parallel of the gesture she used to calm Kaede. "Why do you have to ask?"

Kikyou shrugged, then moved away from him, sitting up, her long hair falling loose about her shoulders and brushing against the ground. He looked up at her, confused. He sat up as well and Kikyou's hands closed over his.

"Do you want to live with me?" Kikyou asked simply.

"Of course I do, but there isn't any way that would work. You know that. . ." Inu Yasha started but Kikyou silenced him with a finger on his lips.

"Would you do anything to be with me?" Kikyou asked, half teasingly.

"Yes damnit! How many times are you going to ask the same damn question?"

Kikyou laughed, "I have an idea." Kikyou explained her plan to Inu Yasha who just sat, listening, rapt. When she finished Inu Yasha shook his head, confused.

"I don't know, Kikyou. I have to think about it." Inu Yasha said softly.

Kikyou felt hurt for a moment, until she realized that what she was asking was indeed a big and hard decision and one that would change his life, and hers, forever. She smiled and kissed his hand and nodded.

"Will you meet me here tomorrow, same time?" She asked, "I can explain more then, and then you can decide."

Inu Yasha nodded and squeezed her hand in his. Then he embraced her and Kikyou held him back. When everything was said and done he and Kikyou could be happy and then she could be a normal woman and they would have a family. She hugged him even tighter, if she was right about what had been bothering her lately, they already had a family on the way.

Wrapped in each other's arms neither noticed the young girl, who watched from the tree line, shaking and crying she turned and ran away. Neither Kikyou or Inu Yasha even noticed.

* * *

Kaede held herself tightly as she lay on the floor staring at the wall. She had run back as fast as she could, confused and hurt, not knowing what was going on. She had been looking for Kikyou wanting, no needing to talk to her older sister. She checked the first two places her sister normally went off to when she wanted to be alone with no luck. She had found her in the third, only Kikyou hadn't been alone.

Kaede's first thought when she had stumbled upon the field was that a youkai was attacking her sister. Kikyou was arguing with him then and Kaede started to run toward her, ready to protect her older sister, when the situation changed. Kaede covered her mouth with her hands, stifling a sob. Her sister's great and wonderful Inu Yasha was a youkai. Kaede had stopped in her tracks, then hid behind a nearby tree, wanting to move, but unable to do so.

Kaede couldn't understand it. All other things aside, the fact that she had stumbled on her sister doing that with a youkai tore Kaede apart. Her sister was a miko, it was her job to hunt youkai, not fall in love with them. Kaede felt like her world had turned upside down and she was sick to her stomach.

She heard Kikyou enter their small hut and she curled up into an even tighter ball, not wanting to look at her sister. Kikyou came up next to her then sat down beside her. Kaede could feel her sister's eyes upon her, but she didn't care. Kaede felt Kikyou's hand touch her hair, and involuntarily, she flinched away from the touch.

"Kaede, what's wrong?" Kikyou asked, quietly.

Kaede didn't answer, she just shook her head and squeezed her eyes closed.

"Are you ill? Did you hurt your self?" Kikyou asked. Kaede shook her head to both questions, still not saying anything.

Kikyou's hands turned Kaede over to face her, and Kaede opened her eyes, looking up at her older sister's face.

"Kaede, what's wrong?" Kikyou asked again.

Kaede sat up and whipped her eyes dry then asked her question, "Onee-sama, Inu Yasha. . .Inu Yasha isn't a youkai, is he?"

Kikyou looked taken aback before she shook her head, smiling sadly, "Of course not. Where did you ever get a silly idea like that?" She answered, pulling Kaede close in a sisterly embrace. Kaede felt shocked and was stunned speechless, Kikyou had just lied to her. Kikyou laid Kaede back down, covering her with a spare kimono and brushing back her hair.

"Get some sleep Kaede, you'll need your rest if your coming down with something." She said softly, kissing Kaede softly on the forehead before moving away. Kaede didn't sleep the whole night. She just stared at the wall. If her sister had just lied to her about this, what else had she lied about?

* * ^-^* * *

Author's note: Woah, pilling on the angst! Well, remember to read and review, and I revised the other four chapters as well (I hope for the better)

Let me know if you liked it! (Double again for you guys on adultfanfiction.net, need you to review more!)

Hehehe, have a nice night every one. And review!!!!!!

Sephira jo-

Author, Lunatic, Onigiri