InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purifying the Jewel: The 500 Year Journey ❯ Retrieving the Jewel ( Chapter 2 )

 

Midoriko nodded, “Hai,”

Sayuri bowed low to the ground, “Midoriko-touji, this is an honor beyond my wildest expectations or dreams.”

Midoriko smiled, “Sayuri, your presence here tells me you've overcome your greatest evils, and that you're here alone, tells me that Hitomi has made the journey across the river to the land of the dead.”

Sayuri nodded, “hai, she made the journey the day I left the shrine.” Midoriko nodded and motioned for Sayuri to stand. Sayuri complied and found that while she was taller than most women, she was still much smaller than the legendary warrior. Midoriko looked in to her eyes, and Sayuri stared back, trying to read what they said, but found that she couldn't.

“The lord of the west has requested your presence in his house.” She stated finally.

Sayuri nodded, “I refused him.”

Midoriko nodded, “because you need to take care of the shrine?”

Sayuri nodded again, “and the army if you will allow me, Midoriko-touji.”

Midoriko nodded, “it is customary for a successor to the army, to undergo a test, however, I sense a great strength within you, so consider yourself the general of the Hitobito army, before you leave here, I will give you my mark to show my blessing.” Sayuri nodded, but found herself confused, Midoriko was being hasty and was entrusting the strongest ningen army in Asia to a woman she'd just met. “I sense your confusion,” Midoriko said with a hint of a smile, “but I time is short so explanations will have to wait.”

Sayuri nodded, and pushed her questions to the back of her mind. “Have you heard of the Shikon no Tama?” Sayuri nodded, of course she'd heard of it, `“She's the good in the Shikon no Tama”' Hitomi's words flew through her mind. “It is a jewel, and it possesses great power. The guardian is the miko Kikyou, of Edo. That is where I need you to go and recover the jewel.

Sayuri nodded and bowed low, “of course, Midoriko-touji.”

She turned to leave but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, “Sayuri, do I have your word that you will do whatever I ask without question?”

Sayuri turned to her and bowed again, “Midoriko-touji, it would be my greatest honor and privilege.” Midoriko nodded, and dragged her hand over to her arm, where she lifted the sleeve of her robes, and curled her fist around it. When she removed it, the kanji symbol for shoukan remained. Midoriko lifted the sleeve of her own robe and showed her the same symbol. “Hurry back, Sayuri-sama,” Midoriko said softly to her. Sayuri nodded and left the cave.

Sayuri opened her eyes, and found herself kneeling before stone body of Midoriko 'in my mind?' She fell backwards and looked around, breathing wildly, expecting to see the dead miko standing behind her, or in the shadows. Her breathing slowed as she realized she was alone, and she jerked up the sleeve of her robes so forcefully that the sleeve tore off completely. She barely noticed however; because she was too busy staring at the mark on her left shoulder. She rubbed at it, but it remained, and she slowly stood and wiped the dirt from her clothing and hurried outside. “Sayuri-sama, are you alright?”

She turned to the young boy, “I'm fine Kazuki-kun,” she said softly.

He stared at her, “how did you rip your clothing?”

She blinked and looked down at her now bare arm, “I tore it,” she said quietly. He nodded and didn't pursue it further.

“Sayuri-sama,” she looked down at him, and stopped walking.

“Hai?”

He stopped too and looked up at her, “you're the new general of the Hitobito army?”

She nodded, “hai.”

She crouched down and showed him the mark on her arm. He nodded, “traditionally, the slayers of this village serve in the army, and I want you to know, that I would gladly die for you, Shoukan-sama.” She smiled and nodded, “let's hope that never happens,” he smiled too and led her back towards the village.

Sayuri entered that hut and bowed to the headman, Masuyo, who knelt behind a low table, with a bowl of rice before him. “Masuyo-sama, have you done as I've requested?”

He nodded, “of course Sayuri-sama, the last of the men should arrive by nightfall tomorrow.” She nodded, and turned away from him.

How old is your son, Masuyo-sama?”

He looked up from his bowl, “Kazuki?”

She nodded, “yes, Kazuki.”

He scratched his head, “he would be just about twelve winters now. Why do ask?”

She looked back to him, “He is a slayer of the village, then?”

He nodded, “might as well be, he hasn't completed all his training yet, but he can slay demons just as well as the next man.”

She nodded, “He told me something that I find quite disturbing,” she admitted. He motioned for her to sit across from him, and she knelt gracefully. “He told me he would gladly die in service of the army.”

He nodded, “you'll find most young men feel that way, the army is traditionally led by a woman. They feel that to shed a woman's blood, or allow it to be shed, is a sin.” He gave her a hard stare, “in your hand you hold many willing men's lives. Tread carefully, Sayuri-sama.”

She nodded, “arigatou, for your hospitality, Masuyo-sama, and for the advice.” She stood and walked to the door, “I'm heading to Edo, if I'm to return by nightfall tomorrow, I will be in need of a horse. Would you be able to provide one?”

He laughed, “I'll do better than a horse, Shoukan-sama.”

She stared at the tiny neko youkai. “Masuyo-sama, I don't need a messenger.”

He laughed, “I know, Sayuri-sama,” he turned to the youkai, “Kirara, I need you to take Sayuri-sama to Edo.” Sayuri gasped as the youkai exploded into flames and reappeared almost five times its size.

She turned to Masuyo, “arigatou, Masuyo-sama.” He bowed to her as she mounted the fire cat, and she smiled at him as Kirara jumped into the air, and soon he was just a tiny speck in the distance.

Kaede stared at the inu hanyou and felt a great rage boil up inside of her. `He killed nee-san.' She felt a hand on her shoulder, “Kaede-chan, her body is ready.” She nodded and turned away from the Goshinboku, looking instead to her hand that held a small purple jewel.

“Was it worth it Inuyasha?” she whispered, “was it worth taking away my sister?” She stared at the jewel for a few moments longer before tearing her one eyed gaze away and followed the villager to the shrine.

 

“It will be alright, Kaede-chan, Hitomi-sama will send someone from the shrine to take care of us, until you are ready to be the village miko.” She nodded, but didn't believe him, Kikyou had been the heart of the village. She'd spent her days helping everyone but herself, only wishing for a normal life. Kaede's eye's started to water, `she didn't deserve it Inuyasha; she didn't deserve it at all.' They stopped when they saw the crowd gathered around the funeral pyre. But she was surprised to see that the crowd wasn't paying their respects, but rather trying to convince a young woman to leave the village. “What's going on?” Kaede exclaimed as they neared Kikyou's body. A young woman turned to her, with tears running down her face. “She won't leave us, Kaede-chan, and she brings demons with her.”

Kaede rounded on the woman, “this village has suffered enough without you and your demons, leave us at once.” The girl nodded, “I can see you've suffered, and I fear I am the bearer of more bad news, Hitomi-sama of the Hitobito shrine has passed on. My name is Sayuri, I am her successor.”

Sayuri knew the child was Kikyou's sister, she could tell by looking at her. She frowned as she looked around, the village had obviously been attacked, and they'd apparently lost their beloved miko during the strike. The child, `Kaede, they called her,' approached her, “Hitomi-sama is dead?” Sayuri closed her eyes; she hated hearing those words, and nodded.

“Hai, she is gone.” She opened her eyes and looked to Kikyou's body, and saw the wound on her shoulder bleeding through her shirt. “That wound is a youkai's work,” she said slowly, “can you tell me which way it went?”

Kaede nodded, “it will have to wait until after Kikyou's funeral though, her spirit deserves to rest.” S

ayuri nodded, but caught the girl on the shoulder as she passed her, “burying your family is hard, but don't begrudge them for a blessing.”

Kaede shook her head, “you just lost your sensei, yet you tell me that death is a blessing. Look inside yourself and tell me again not to begrudge the one responsible.”

Sayuri dropped her hand, “perhaps you will understand when you are older.”

Kaede nodded, “perhaps, because I certainly don't understand how you can say you care, yet not want to avenge them after they've gone.”

Sayuri sighed, “you're sister is waiting.”

Kaede nodded, “I thought so,” she muttered and walked towards the pyre. Sayuri watched as she took a jewel and wove the beaded necklace through her sister's fingers. “You're final request, neesan.” Sayuri's eyes widened, `her final request?' and without thinking she moved as Kaede lit the pyre on fire, her hand shot into the flames and her fingers wrapped around the jewel. She pulled her hand out and stared at the tiny gem. `She died for this, to protect this trinket.' She suddenly felt great pain as Kaede's hands grabbed hers and tried to wrestle the jewel from her grasp. “You power hungry bitch, how dare you steal the jewel from my sister's corpse. You probably killed Hitomi-sama, that's why you don't care that she's dead, or that my sister's dead, you're just a power hungry, dark miko.” Sayuri wrenched her hand away, and slapped the girl across the face.

“You're sister died for this tiny insignificant thing, because it's not insignificant, it's powerful, so powerful, that those flames will never destroy it. The least you can do for her is allow this to be properly disposed of. I am the leader of the Hitobito Army now, I lead Midoriko's Shrine in the West, and it is my job, to make sure no one dies for this jewel again. Look into my eyes and tell me i'm a dark miko.”

Kaede just stared at her terrified. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knelt on one knee so that she was eye level with the child. “I know you're grieving, I am too, but it gets better, trust me, it does. And when it does, you won't need to blame anyone anymore, you'll understand that everything happens for a reason, and that we should be glad for our loved ones, who've gone on to see and do amazing things that are impossible for the living.”

“How do you know I'll understand, Miko-sama?”

She smiled, and stroked the girl's cheek. “You'll understand, because you'll have to, in order to survive everyday you live without them. I'll send some men to rebuild your shrine, and a miko to care for you all,” she stood, “Kaede, when you're ready you'll take over as miko yes? It would be an honor to one day have you serve me.”

Kaede nodded, “it would be an honor to serve you, Shoukan-sama.” Sayuri smiled at her, and gestured to her hand, that was still badly burnt and holding the jewel. “I'll take this to be destroyed,” she nodded to the villagers, “I'll see you all again.”

“Kuso,” he shouted to the forest. “It was supposed to taint, it was supposed to turn dark, and Kikyou was supposed to darken with it.” He punched the nearest tree, causing it to fall over. He took a deep breath, `now that pure wench has it, and is taking it to be destroyed.' He looked to the fallen tree, and flexed his hands. He'd only recently regained mobility, and was not yet used to his great strength and many skills. And his ventures that afternoon had tired him. He sat down, `I need to think of a plan,' he thought to himself, `a way to take the jewel into my possession.' After a few moments he smiled to himself and flew on a cloud of miasma to the southern lands.