InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Snow White and the Seven 'Dwarfs'...Sort of ❯ Reborn After Death ( Chapter 34 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Penthesileia 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Comedy / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.07.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 9.9K | Visits: 524 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Comedy / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.07.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 9.9K | Visits: 524 | Status: Completed
AN: Hey, here’s the new chapter for Snow White. If you want to make sure you understand this chapter, please read all the way through and the note that’s at the end of the responses.
Engelmohr2004- Wow, thanks for reviewing so many times! Sorry, no beads this story (I think...) I couldn’t find a way to make them fit in. Maybe another story. (I’ve got another story ‘King Thrushbeard...Sort of in my other fic where he has the beads on. It isn’t a Inu/Kag story though but it’s still pretty good if I say so myself.) Thanks for reviewing, I hope the rest of the story is good. (Out of curiosity what does your name mean?)
Japanese Dreamer- Yep the witch is dead for now. (To be honest I wasn’t going to let you guys find out about Kikyo coming back until the final battle but you knew Urasue was working for Kikyo and had already killed and brought Kanna back a couple of times. I figured you would realize she wasn’t staying dead so I just brought it in the open.) Umm..don’t kill me but you won’t find out for a while. I’M SORRY!
CutePsycoNHyper- Well the chapter was already done by the time you reviewed, I just couldn’t post it for awhile. (But at least I finally got it up right?) And to save some time I started this chapter (don’t know how thrilled your going to be with me when you realize what it’s about) And you’ll find out eventually what that powder was. Just not this chapter. (Oh and very close on what happens. But that’s all I’m saying.)
WindWarrior29- You noticed did you? Well I’ll be writing a lot without saying much for awhile more (mwhaha.) And I wish I could write more then one story at once but I can’t. I’d get them all confused and mixed up, and I’d probably neglect one while updating the other constantly. (Kinda like what I’m doing with my other story. Ugh, I really have to update it soon.) And I actually have THREE new ideas I haven’t put up yet. After Snow White is over and I work on the current story in The Huge Book of Fairy Tales, I’m pretty sure I’m going to start this one called ‘Medicine Ball’. And I’d love to talk about it but I don’t want to waste to much of your time. Enjoy the new chapter!
Neko Jer- It’s ok, I like rambling. (I do enough of it myself) And I’m not answering any questions about the potion or the red powder stuff, you’re just going to have to wait to see what it was. (Though you are pretty close) Thanks for the long review (You know how much I love them) and I hope you enjoy the newest chapter.
Kagome1322- It’s ok, don’t worry about. (God knows I get so busy sometimes I don’t have time to write or update.) Thanks for reviewing though, hope you continue to enjoy the story.
Kikyo is a kiny ho- Sorry, but I’m in the habit of leaving horrible cliffhangers so you can expect more. (I LOVE CLIFFHANGERS!) Anything, thank you so much for reviewing and the lovely compliment and I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the story even if I write the worst cliffhangers ever.
Mediaminer-
Mischievous-Angel- Well now, I’d love to tell you what’s going on with that specific part but then it would give everything away. (And who said anything about it being poison? ...or who didn’t say anything about it being poison? ...or am I just trying to confuse you like I’m confusing myself?) And I’m really sorry when the words clump together, but that’s just the way my word writing format is no matter how much I try to change it. I’ve got my story on another site, it might be easier to read.
OrlandoLover- Ugh how did you guess my idea? Well you don’t know how I’m going to use that idea now do you? (...honestly I’m not that sure myself but I’ll come up with something.) And yes, capital letters do draw attention. I’ve been trying to come up with my own save something line but nothings really fit. I think SAVE CLASSICAL ART WORK, TRAVIS FIMMEL HAS REFUSED TO BE THE NEW DAVID! Isn’t really working, right? (Though someone should carve Travis Fimmel in stone so future generations can wonder at his perfection and beauty....)
IMPORTANT NOTE! IMPORTANT NOTE! IMPORTANT NOTE! IMPORTANT NOTE!
This chapter is a bit different from all the other ones I’ve written. Please just read it to the end and you’ll understand. Thank you and I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha or Snow White, and I’ve written so many disclaimers trying to be funny I don’t feel like bothering right now.
“Shima!” Her mother Wakana called and the girl forced herself not to grit her teeth in disgust of the sound. “Don’t you dare come home before you finish those chores girl!” she ordered and Shima cursed her life as she quickly threw more clothes into her basket to take down to the river to wash. She stood up and braced the basket against her hip, ignoring the other villagers chuckles as she walked by with her head held high.
How she longed to just let slip a tiny bit of her power loose to burn some of her tormenters into ash. But her type of power didn’t do much on humans and if these tight assed people even thought she was using her power they would tear her into pieces.
Literally, she had seen what they had done to a poor cat one little boy claimed was the devil’s pet and had powers. They let the mutilated body swing outside her family’s cottage for a month, as if they felt she needed to be reminded the same could happen to her.
“Be careful you don’t melt when you touch the water.” One of the village girls mocked cruelly to Shima as she passed by.
Shima kept walking, wincing when she felt spittle land on her cheek but didn’t allow the others to see the hurt, agony and utter rage that lingered in her eyes.
She heard the children’s cruel laughter as she walked through the outskirts of her village to the secluded river she washed her family’s clothing in, so far it was the only place that proved to be a sanctuary in her hell.
She kneeled down next to the rover, setting the basket aside of her and plunged her hands into its icy depths, welcoming the soothing affect it had on her rough and tired hands, gazing into the river at her reflection. There was nothing physically wrong with her, she was near marrying age, and one of the most beautiful girls in the village though no boy had asked for her.
Perhaps if she had been normal, she could have had what her mother had with her father before she was born. Before he started drinking and yelling and hurting her. Before he did that unmentionable act.
Shima shook her head harshly as if that would force her to forget bad memories and started scrubbing the clothes clean, not noticing anymore when her hands became raw.
She blinked when she heard a low moan coming towards her, and raised her head to watch a man floating in the water clutching a piece of wood as he traveled down the river.
As he got closer, she could see he was badly burned, it looked like his entire body had been set aflame. His ragged bits of black hair were plastered to his black and gray face and she could only see one of his eyes, colored a black that was darker then a bottomless pit, was staring right at her.
Her mind raced she tried to decide what to do. Call for help? Or leave him to his fate, he looked half dead anyway.
But that eye . . . that face . . . that body. It looked like a devil, something the villagers feared more then anything.
And wouldn’t it be fun to care and nurse a demon back to health right outside her purist neighbors?
Without a second thought she set her wash aside and dove into the water, not paying the cold any mind. She kicked strongly against the current, her legs strong from running and jumping while she grasped hold of the burnt piece of wood the man clutched to keep himself afloat. Without even sparing him a glance, she dragged him to the shoreline, pulling him onto dry land and taking a further look at his injuries.
She hadn’t been wrong about his whole body being set on fire, it looked like one giant burn covered him from head to toe, the only part that had escaped the flame was his one black eye that continued to stare at her, not letting up its study of her for a second.
She pulled the piece of wood out of the man’s hands and tossed it into the water carelessly, still looking over his wounds.
“Can you move” She asked bluntly and threw his scarred arm across her shoulder when he nodded yes. He gritted his teeth, but didn’t make a sound as she half-dragged him to a small cave that was nearby covered by foliage and vines. It had served as a hiding place when the villagers were looking for a victim, and would protect this man.
She helped him inside and laid him down on a fur she had hidden away inside of the nights she slept in her cave.
He winced in pain when he laid back, despite the fur that should have protected him from the hard floor and she was impressed he had made it this whole way without whimpering in pain once.
He honestly reminded her of herself.
She laid a hand on his forehead, very gently. The poor man was on the verge of a fever, he desperately needed medical attention.
Ignoring the voice in her head that she was being a fool to care for a stranger like him, she ran back outside, dipping all the clothes she had on water again and rushed back into the cave, laying the dripping clothes on his skin.
He sighed quietly as the cold water soothed him slighting, and Shima moved to the back of the cave gathering different healing creams and lotions she made and used for when the villagers got rough.
She washed the dirt and river weed from open wounds, rubbing medicine into the wound expertly to pervert infection.
“Can you speak?” She asked absently, concentrating more on cleaning his injuries.
He opened his mouth and swallowed a few times. “Yes.” He finally croaked out, his voice gritty and almost not understandable.
Shima glanced down at him, surprised he was able to say anything, “Do you know what happened to you?” She asked curiously.
He grimaced. “No.”
She swept a hand over his head, looking for bumps or injuries that could have helped him loss part of his memory. “What do you remember?” She questioned.
“Not much.” He forced out.
“What about your name?”
He thought for a moment, his eye blank as he went over the broken shards of his memory. “Onigumo.” He finally said, triumph in his eye.
Shima nodded, “Onigumo.” She repeated, liking the sound of it on her tongue.
Onigumo looked at her, part of his forehead lifting where there should have been an eyebrow. “Well? Won’t you tell me your name?”
Shima looked down at him again. “My name is Shima.” She said formally.
“Shima.” He repeated, looking like he was thinking deeply. “Why have I been brought here?” he asked. “Why a cave and not a healer’s hut? Why haven’t you called anyone for help?” he demanded.
Shima sent a cool look down at Onigumo. “If there’s a problem with me caring for you, I’ll be more then happy to put you back in that river.” She offered calmly.
She sighed when he continued to stare at her. “You don’t want to go anywhere near the village. They’re very . . . strict.” Shima said, still feeling like that word was a understatement. “The only thing they believe in is Kami, but they think miko’s are the whores of devils and demons. If they ever saw you . . . they would probably finish the job someone else started.” Shima explained, raking her eyes down his burnt flesh to get her point across.
“Then why haven’t you given me to your elders to burn?” He asked, curious.
Shima smiled grimily and picked up the clothes to dip in the cold water again. “Because if I looked like you, they would finally have the excuse to get rid of me.” She said bitterly, starting to walk out the cave.
She paused and looked back over her shoulder at Onigumo. “I promise you, you’ll be safe here. I’ll come later to take care of you, I need to get back soon.”
“Why are you doing this? No one has ever shown me kindness unless they want something. What do you want?” Onigumo demanded, his voice getting stronger with every word he spoke.
Shima hesitated. “Because if the villagers ever knew, they would be horrified.” She finally said and walked away without a word.
Yet somehow, Onigumo was sure she lied.
As time goes by...
“Shima! Hurry and get those clothes washed!” Her mother shouted at her and Shima hurried down the path to her secret spot, burning with anger.
Damn that woman! What she wouldn’t give to burn this town up. While she was glad washing clothes gave her an excuse to see Onigumo, she wished her powers could harm her mother, even if it was just a little.
She dumped the clothes outside the mouth of the cave, deciding to wash them later so she could change Onigumo’s bandages now.
The burnt and dying man she saved months ago was now healing nicely, suffering only one infection and all the burns that had opened up were now scabbing. She wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to leave the cave and would probably die in it, but at least he wasn’t in so much pain.
In return for her care (not that she needed payment but Onigumo insisted when he learned of her special powers.) He had been helping her train and control her powers, having experience with miko’s out in the world. What kind of experience, she didn’t know but under his teaching she was becoming quite powerful if she said so herself.
Of course, now matter how powerful she was she would never be able to harm a human like she longed to do, but she was mocking them for everything they believed in, which was good enough for now.
She stepped inside the cave, and Onigumo lazily opened his one eye to look at her.
She kneeled down beside him, using her powers to take rolls of bandages and medicine from the corner of the cave to her hand.
“You’re getting much better.” Onigumo observed and Shima smiled in response as she replaced the cloth covering his burns.
“Have you tried sending your mind into someone else?” Onigumo asked and Shima frowned.
“No, I didn’t know I could do that.” Shima responded, tying the last bandage into place and sitting back on her heels waiting for his instruction.
“Gather your energy together, and push it towards your mind.” He said soothingly, watching as a soft blue light engulfed Shima.
“Ok.” She breathed.
“Focus on me. And push the energy out.” Onigumo ordered and almost grinned when he felt her presence in his mind. She’d have to practice more so people wouldn’t feel she entered their heads but she wouldn’t need to work to hard at it.
Shima gasped in amazement when he showed her the few memories he had of the world outside her village, the towns, the cities, the people, the food, the wonders, the clothing, the sex and depravity she had never known about living in her village.
When she finally pulled out of his head, she was reeling with all she had seen.
“I want that!” She snapped. “I want all of that! The clothing, the food, the luxuries, and even the sex!”
Onigumo smirked slowly. “And I’m sure you will one day.” He purred. “But until then, continue to practice entering a person’s mind. Unfortunately, you will only be able to read a person’s mind when they are sleeping unless they open your mind to you like I did.” Onigumo explained. “Try again later tonight.” He suggested.
Shima nodded, “And I know just the person to try it on.” She murmured to herself.
Later that Night-
Shima tossed the threadbare blanket that covered her and sat crossed legged on her thin mattress, leaning against the wall. She focused her mind on her power and her mother sleeping in the next room and pushed the blue orb out to her, smiling slighting when it sank into her mind without a protest from the sleeping woman.
‘Izumo! Izumo!’ Wakana cried out as he thrust heavily into her from behind. ‘Oh please! Harder!’ she begged and-
Shima drew away from the memory with a cry of disgust. For some poor widow in mourning for her husband, Wakana looked pretty happy with the priest who had sent his soul to Kami.
...though it was a good piece of information to know should the need ever come up.
She brought her attention back to her mother’s mind and carefully avoided the memory of her mother and the monk rutting like animals to move to the next one.
‘Your daughter is certainly a strange one, that she is.’ One of the village women remarked to Wakana as they watched five-year-old Shima look down sadly at a wounded bird.
Wakana’s mouth tightened. ‘I don’t understand that child one bit. She’s so quiet and solemn. She doesn’t act like a little girl at all.’ Wakana complained to the woman.
‘How is your marriage with your husband?’ The woman asked in a whisper.
Wakana looked away. “It’s gotten worse. Ever since she’ she jerked her head to Shima kneeling in front of the poor bird. ‘-was born he’s been drinking. I’m afraid if something isn’t done about the girl soon he might leave me.’ Wakana said bitterly, staring at her daughter hatefully.
“But I don’t understand Wakana, she is an unusual child but how could that cause such problems in your marriage?’ The woman asked.
Wakana hesitated. “Very strange . . . things happen around that child.” She said in a low voice. ‘Flowers that are dying seem to come back to life after she’s been in the room with them, crayons and bits of things she likes to play with are suddenly in her hands that were across the room from her and I never heard her get up to retrieve them. Animals are unnaturally friendly with her...” Wakana trailed off, looking at her daughter in fear.
Her friend stared fearfully as well. “You don’t think she’s Satan’s child, do you?” She asked quietly, her palms starting to shake.
“Hush! Not so loudly!” Wakana scolded absently her attention already on her daughter who was doing something...strange.
She had cupped the little wounded bird in her tiny hands, crooning down at it. Wakana gasped as a very faint yellow light wrapped around Shima’s hands and the bird for a second before Shima beamed and threw the bird up into the air.
Wakana and her friend gasped again in fear as the bird took flight, flapping wings she had been sure would never fly with again.
Shima smiled sweetly at her mother as she ran up to her. “Mama! Did you see that-“ her sentence was interrupted as Wakana slapped her hard across the face, sending her to the ground.
“You little fool!” She screamed. “Never, never do that again!”
Shima looked up, her eyes filling with tears as she cupped her bruising cheek. “But mama-“
”I said never again!” Her mother yelled again and turned to her friend who was backing away fearfully.
“Please don’t be so scared, I’m sure there’s a reason why that bird was able to fly. Perhaps it wasn’t as injured as we though?” Wakana suggested, trying to calm her frightened friend down.
Shima sniffled as tears slowly ran down her face. “I’m sorry-“
”Go away!” Her mother snapped as the other woman paled at the sound of her voice. “What are you waiting for? Leave!” She ordered and Shima turned and ran away as she let her tears flow.
Shima jerked her power back, scrubbing at her cheeks when she felt the wetness on them. She remembered that day now, she had only wanted to help that poor bird get better and her mother and her friend looked at her like she was a devil. She gathered her energy up again and sunk back down onto her bed, to tired and bitter to reenter her mother’s mind.
But she didn’t want to quit using this new power. What else could she find going into people’s minds?
So for the next two hours she carefully went over half of the villager’s darkest secrets, forbidden fantasies, and weakness. The headman of the village was in love with a young boy, his wife was sleeping with his brother, the bread maker spit in his batter, the innocent obedient girl whose hand was being asked by all the handsome village boys was plotting her future husbands death, and the monk who her mother was sleeping with had two other women besides her.
Shima withdrew her mind from the last villager for the night, (a Shepard who had...unusual thoughts about his flock) when she felt something stir.
She didn’t know what it was, but feeling curious sent her power out again, following the faint feeling to the sleeping body of Koharu, a young girl around her age the local fisherman had taken in when found lost in the wood. She tossed and turned in her sleep and Shima merged her mind with hers, puzzled with what caused the girl to have such troubled sleep.
The little girl giggled as her father tossed her into the air, her mother watching lovingly on as her father spun her around.
“Higher Daddy!” The little girl pleaded and the man tossed her again into the air, just barely catching her as she started to fall back down.
“Daddy! Be careful, I could have fallen.” She said primly and her father laughed.
“My little princess, you know I would never let harm come to you.” Her father said, pressing a kiss against her head.
“Your Highness.” The servant said formally to her father, bowing as he caught his daughter a final time and turned his attention to him. “Your presence is required in the throne room.”
The little girl’s father nodded to the servant, “Very well. I will be there.” The servant bowed once more before departing and the king turned his gaze back to his daughter. “I will see you at your bedtime my sweet. Now go to your mother now.” He ordered kindly, placing another kiss on her head before passing her to her mother.
“Have a good meeting my love.” The queen said, brushing her lips against his cheek as she accepted the princess from him.
“Bye daddy!” The little girl said, kissing him as well with a loud smack on his cheek.
The king smiled down fondly at both of them, “It’s a wonder I can leave with the two people I love most smiling at me so sweetly.” He laughed, kissing his wife before striding to his meeting, guards and servants bowing as he passed them.
“Come now darling.” her mother urged as she walked with her back into their palace and-
Shima blinked in confusion when the one memory ended, only for another one to take its place just as quickly.
The princess woke with a startled cry when she felt large rough hands grip her mouth and pick her up. She whimpered, the sound muffed by whoever had grabbed her.
The person shook her roughly, “You’ll shut up if you like living you brat!” The man hissed, gripping her mouth harder then necessary as he sneaked out of her bedroom and into dark shadows covering the hallway.
“I’ve got the kid, give me the bag!” The man holding her said impatiently to a few men waiting near a open window, their faces masked by the darkness.
The hand that had been covering her mouth disappeared, only to be replaced with a piece of cloth as it was stuffed into her mouth and her hands and legs were tied together.
“Hurry up man! I think someone’s coming!” One of the kidnappers hissed and she was shoved roughly into a scratchy, irritating bag.
She whimpered again when she felt herself being lowered down a far distance and caught in someone’s arms as the other kidnappers rushed down a rope.
“Come on, we have to run!” one of the men whispered urgently and the princess whimpered again when she felt herself being thrown over someone’s shoulder as he started running and-
“-so how is this gonna work? We write the ransom note, tie it to an arrow and let it fly into the Kings dining room?” One of the kidnappers asked sarcastically.
“Nah, I was thinking about that, but it’s overdone.” Another voice said flippantly.
“Hey, the brat’s wake.” One of the men said as the princess slowly opened her eyes and blinked in confusion at the five kidnappers sitting around small fire.
“We probably have to feed her.” One of the men said glumly.
“I sure as hell ain’t doing it.” One of the kidnappers grumbled.
“Why? You scared of a little pampered brat?” One of the others taunted.
“No, I just hate kids. Why did we have to take her anyway? Wasn’t there some other important person we could take beside some lousy kid?” The man asked glumly.
“Hey, it’s not my fault the guy likes his kid. The only other person we could have taken for the amount we’re asking is the queen and how do you think we’d jump out of a window with her thrown over our shoulders?” One kidnapper pointed out.
“Just shut up the both of you!” one of the men snapped. “You’re both driving me crazy. I’ll feed the kid.”
The princess watched as the man pulled out a loaf of bread from a bag laying by his side and walked over to her, carefully helping her sit up from where she was laying on her side.
He waved the bread in front of her teasingly. “You see this? You’re gonna eat this. Got it?” He asked and reached over to pulled off her gag.
As soon as it was off her mouth the princess screamed as loud as she could, sending birds flying into the air and tiny animals scrambling to get away from the sound.
“Shut UP!”The kidnapper roared, backhanding her hard enough to send her flying backwards, moaning when she hit her head against a rock and her thoughts and memories poured from her mind along with her blood.
Shima felt the connection break when Koharu jerked up in her bed, panting heavily and she quickly pulled her power away from her mind before she could feel the other presence in her head.
Shima frowned as she laid back down, deciding not to look through any more minds tonight. That was . . . strange. Never in any of the minds before (not that she looked through many minds in her lifetime) had the memories or dreams ever gone like that. From what she could tell you watched one memory from start to end, you didn’t jump all over the place like with that one.
Though it was probably just a dream so it didn’t matter and probably explained why it was so unusual. Koharu as a lost princess? The idea was laughable. It must have been a dream, there was no other reason for it.
And with that thought Shima finally sank off into sleep herself.
A Few Nights Later...
Shima quietly crept into the cave where Onigumo now lived, hoping she wouldn’t wake him. Her problems with the villagers were getting worse, the insults were crueler, and the threat of physical violence great. She had no idea what set it off, but she couldn’t bare staying in her mother’s home anymore, for the past two nights she had been trying to sleep she would hear men’s voices outside her window, whispering.
So when she couldn’t sleep she would search the villagers minds even more throughly, finding more dirty secrets they prayed to be hidden forever.
And she watched more of Koharu’s dreams.
Some nights she would dream of beautiful women and handsome men taking tea together under the full moon, composing poems to its and their partners beauty while she peered out of a window watching when she was suppose to be sleeping. Other nights there would be dreams of the princess watching the glitter of her mothers jewels as she put them on and wishing for some of her own. And there were family vacations by the coast and on the mountains. And then that broken dream would play again, showing the happy princess with her family before kidnappers snatched her out of their arms.
Shima settled down near Onigumo who was still sleeping peacefully and decided to merged her mind with Koharu’s once more. If she learned nothing more then she would stop visiting her mind and if it turned out Koharu really was some kind of princess . . . she would figure out what to do with that information.
Shima drew in a deep breath and gathered her energy, pushing it out at Koharu easily.
“Daddy?” The princess asked suddenly from where she sat on his lap, causing the king to look down at her in concern.
“Yes sweetheart?” He questioned.
The princess bit her lip and looked down, not sure she should speak up. “Will you still love me even with the new baby coming?” She finally said, very softly.
Her father widened his eyes in surprise. “Of course I will! Why would you ever think such a thing?” He asked.
She studied a pattern on the floor instead of meeting her father’s eyes. “Because the baby will be new, and I’ve been around forever, and one of the boys said parents are always happy when new babies come because the parents are tired of the old ones.” She said miserably.
Her father took her gently by the shoulders and titled her chin up, forcing her to look at him, “First of all little one, seven years is not forever. And your mother could bare me ten more children, but I will never stop loving you as well. I could look through all of Japan and I will never find a child like you, my little Kikyo.” he said tenderly and she grinned up at and-
-The girl woke up in a place she didn’t know, wearing clothes she didn’t recognize, ropes around her wrist and feet she couldn’t understand why were there, and her head pounded and hurt from a wound she didn’t remember how she received.
The little girl couldn’t remember her home, her family, her friends, or even why she was in a strange clearing all alone.
The little girl couldn’t even remember her own name.
She whimpered softly to herself, rocking back and forth as she sat up. She tried to pierce broken fragments of her memory back together before they slipped away, but every attempt caused pain to explode in her mind and her tears to fall.
She whimpered again when she realized she couldn’t remember one single thing about herself, not even her favorite food and her tears came faster.
“Little girl?” A kind voice asked and the child yelped in fear as she saw the old man at the edge of the clearing watching her.
She stared at him, still crying silently and trying to decide what he was to her. “Do you know me?” She whispered, and burst into loud noisy sobs when she didn’t even recognize the sound of her own voice.
Instead of being afraid when the old man’s arms came around her, she pressed her little face into his bony chest, grateful for that small comfort.
“There, there child.” He said gently. “Everything will be alright.” He soothed.
She shook her head wildly. “No, it won’t! I can’t remember anything! Not my home, not where I live, not even my own name!” she cried.
The old man looked down at her tenderly, “ . . . well would you like to come home with me little one? My wife and I have always wanted a child but Kami never granted us with one. I promise you will be very safe and very loved.” He vowed.
The little girl sniffled, her tears slowly down and shook her head slowly. “But I still need a name.” She said softly.
He cut away the ropes from a knife from his belt and lifted her into his arms, surprisingly strong. “My wife has always liked the name Koharu. Would you like to be called that?” He asked.
The little girl thought for a moment and nodded before resting her head against his chest. “I like Koharu as well.” She murmured tiredly.
The man smiled as he walked to his village, his new daughter safely in his arms. “Then Koharu you shall be.”
Shima retreated from Koharu’s mind in shock, not believing what she had seen.
Koharu truly was a princess.
She had been taken from her home, lost her memory and was taken in by that old fisherman and his wife, becoming their adopted daughter.
But she wasn’t a poor fisherman’s daughter, she was a royal princess who couldn’t remember she was one.
...And damn it, what the hell made her so lucky she had riches, grand homes, and a loving family waiting for her when Shima had nothing! She wasn’t even sure she would have her mothers hut much longer, and then without a place to stay she would truly be at the villagers mercy.
It wasn’t fair! Didn’t Shima deserve those things to? What had she ever done that she was stuck in a village who feared and hated her, had a mother who wished she had never been born, and held powers no one admired or wanted. She was miko damn it! That alone should have given her respect but instead if just caused the villagers to shun her even more because of their pathetic fears and beliefs.
Well she was done with this life, she refused to live it any longer!
She looked wildly around the cave for a knife when a thought struck her.
Why take her own life when she could take someone else’s?
And for the rest of the night she planned her escape.
Later that Week
Shima stood in the shadows of the forest, watching Koharu gather wood. She had spent every night that week carefully examining every memory Koharu had of her old life before deciding it was time to make her move.
She slowly stepped out of the shadows, being very careful not to step on a branch or rustle any leaves.
“Good afternoon Koharu.” Shima purred, standing slightly behind her.
Koharu shrieked and whirled around, dropping her wood to clutch a hand to her chest.
She sighed in relief and lowered her hand. “Oh Shima, it’s only you. Please don’t sneak up on me like that.” She asked tiredly, bending down to pick up her fallen logs.
Shima slowly smirked as her hand came to rest on her wrist. “Oh don’t worry, no one will be able to sneak up on you for long . . . princess.” Shima assured her smoothly as she Koharu turned white and stopped picking up wood to stare at Shima fearfully.
“I...I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Koharu said, her entire body trembling. “I’m not a princess . . . I just . . . I just can’t be.” Koharu denied.
Shima smiled kindly. “Oh course you aren’t. They’re just dreams right? There’s no possible way they’re missing memories finally coming back to you, correct?” She asked gently.
Koharu nodded her head wildly. “Yes, yes! They must be dreams!” She agreed before she froze. “Wait . . . how do you know about them?” She asked Shima as she slowly stood, letting the few logs she gathered to fall out of her hands. “It’s true what they say about you isn’t it? You really are the devil’s child. The one with so much power but no morals to properly wield it.” Koharu accused, her voice rasing in her fear.
Shima smiled again, her finger stroking the blade hidden up her sleeve lovingly. “It doesn’t matter what I am Koharu. I am what the villagers made me into.” Her smile turned cruel. “A monster.” She purred as Koharu whimpered. “And like a good heartless monster I will take what I want, and I want a real life, not this pale imitation of one the villagers preach about.” Shima spat out in disgust. “And since you won’t like yours, I will.” Shima said softly and drew out her blade.
Koharu screamed in fear and turned around to run.
Shima sighed in annoyance. “Don’t worry Koharu, I’ll live it much better then you ever would have!” She yelled after her before following her.
“I’ll do something in your life. I’ll make you great, someone to be remembered!” Shima promised as she chased after her. “I’ll make you so powerful I’ll never be weak again, no matter the cost! I’ll be whatever the hell I want and I won’t be my mothers hated daughter, the villagers fear or my father’s punching bag. You’re giving me more of a gift then I’m giving you!”
Koharu cried again as she tried to run faster, but Shima who had much more experience in running from people who wanted to harm her quickly caught up to her and tackled her to the ground.
Koharu had landed on her side and Shima turned her over to straddle her stomach, the tip of the blade resting between her breasts. The girl shook under her, tears leaving tracks on her face as she whimpered.
“Please, don’t do this!” She begged.
Shima smiled kindly and tenderly patted her damp cheek. “I thank you for this, and I promise you the new Kikyo will be a force to be reckoned with, a strong woman who isn’t afraid of male, female, demon or monster. No one will ever control me or you again.” Shima vowed solemnly before plunging the dagger between Koharu’s ribs.
Koharu let out a pained cry before letting her head fall weakly to the side and her thrashing stopped. Shima carefully shut her eyelids closed when her struggles ceased, saying a quick prayer for her soul before standing up.
She felt wetness and looked up, surprised to see rain starting to fall softly, hitting Shima’s flesh in gentle plops and turning Koharu’s blood pink, running it off her body and pooling on the ground.
Shima grinned and held her face up to the rain, enjoying the way it ran down her face and felt as if it was cleansing her. She allowed her miko power to swirl lazily around her, feeling more free then she ever had in her life, so free she didn’t notice the slight taint that was covering it.
She focused on her surroundings, more aware of everything then ever before and was taken back by the sound of the river. She started to grin again, realizing she was close to the point where she found Onigumo.
It was only natural she would be reborn twice in the same place she supposed. If it hadn’t been for Onigumo she never would have left this damn village, never would have found her new life.
It was almost a shame she would need to leave him behind.
Shima smirked to herself as she walked to the cave, her hips swinging confidently as she glanced down and saw her reflection in the surface of the water, her clothes were bloodied and she clutched a dagger but she liked the new woman she appeared to be. Strong. Proud. Powerful.
She stepped into the cave and stripped out of her ruined clothing and putting on the new kimono she had stolen from a villager the night before, ignoring Onigumo’s shocked look.
“Shima, what happened?” He asked, fearing it was her blood until he saw she had no wounds.
Shima smirked at him as she loosened her tied back hair and pulled it up into a beautiful bun, “I found myself a new life.” She told him smugly as she threw items into a bag. “I’m sorry to say this but this is where we part.” She told him and placed food, blankets and medicine in easy reach for him. There was about a six-month supply if he wasn’t greedy.
Onigumo watched her silently. “You are leaving?” He finally asked.
Shima nodded. “Yes. Don’t worry, I’ll put everything you taught me to good use.” She assured him as she slipped into a new pair of shoes she had gleefully taken from her mother.
“But . . . I won’t be able to come with you.” Onigumo said quietly.
Shima looked at him, puzzled to why he was acting so strange. “No, you won’t.” She agreed. “You aren’t able.”
“Yes but...I want to stay with you.”
Shima paused in getting ready, looking at him. She raised a brow. “Well if you ever get better, come find me. I can’t stay here any longer.” She told him and threw her bag over her shoulder heading for the cave’s entrance with her old clothing in hand.
“How will I find you?” He demanded at her back.
She glanced over her shoulder. “If you ever hear news of this godforsaken village burning down, you’ll know how is responsible. Find me then.” She told him and without looking back stepped out of the cave.
She walked up to the river, the very spot where she washed laundry and found Onigumo forever etched in her mind. She plucked a flower growing on the banks and pushed it into the folds of her dirty shirt before dropping the cloth into the water, watching as it floated away with the current and turned the water pink before walking in the opposite direction.
And with that, Shima was finally dead and Kikyo, Princess of the South was reborn.
Five Years Later- Princess Kikyo dismounted off her horse gracefully, a smirk tugging at her lips. “My lady, where do you want us?” the leader of mercenary group she hired asked respectfully. “Just wait in the woods until I give you the signal.” She ordered dismissively, the man bowing before leaving to carry out his orders. Kikyo held the reins of the horse loosely in her hands, walking slowly through the forest as her mind traveled back. It had been five years she had last been here, a weak fifteen year old girl who was despised by her family and town, chased by those who feared her. She knew if she walked a little father she would find the spot besides the river she had found Onigumo and where Shima had died for good. And if she continued along that path she would find her secret cave, even if it was covered in foliage and boulders. But she didn’t walk towards it, because she didn’t want to dirty her kimono with the skeleton Ongiumo had surely become. She mounted her horse again, ignoring the sound of the rushing river as she led the animal to the entrance of the village. The villagers going about their business stopped in their paths and stared at the beautiful woman riding a black powerful stallion, picking her way into town. Villagers rushed out of their homes to come and stare, not sure what else to do.
Kikyo halted her horse near the center of the town square, waiting patiently as most of the town gathered in front of her, wanting to know why such a noble looking woman had come to this little town.
Kikyo smiled bitterly at the villagers staring at her. “You’ve gawked at me all my life haven’t you?” She asked as the villagers started to blink in confusion. “First because you thought I was a freak and now because I’ve made something of myself.”
The village leader-the same leader five years ago, only older- cleared his throat nervously. “I’m sorry my lady, but I don’t understand.”he said.
Kikyo mockingly lifted an eyebrow, “You don’t recognize a old villager? Do you need to be reminded of who Shima is?”
Gasps and whimpers broke across the crowd, as the villagers glanced at each other fearfully. “Shima? The demon child?” A few old crones whispered among each other, backing away from Kikyo.
An old woman broke through the crowd and Kikyo curled her lip at the sight of her.
“Mother.” She greeted coldly.
“Daughter? Is that you?” The old woman asked hesitantly.
Kikyo nodded stiffly and the old woman let out a cry of joy. “Oh Kami be praised, Shima!” She cried. “I was so worried when you disappeared five years ago, I thought the worst had happened but I see I should never have doubted Kami because here you are as a lady! You heard the village was in trouble and came rushing here yes? Or did you want to help your poor old mother?” Wakana asked? Tears covering the greedy gleam in her eye.
Kikyo’s lips curled up in a sneer. “Yes mother, I suppose you could say I’ve come to help you as thanks for my upbringing and lovely childhood.” Kikyo purred. “So thank you mother, for hating me and wishing I had been drowned at birth, thank you again for letting father beat me before he killed himself in disgrace.” Kikyo snarled the forbidden word. “Thank you to my town for shunning me, abusing me, tormenting me and labeling me as the devil’s slut before I was even five years old. Thank you everyone.” Kikyo hissed, her voice going low in rage and her body trembling as the village grew silent.
Kikyo suddenly grinned wildly and thrust her hand up straight into the air. “And here is the ‘help’ you requested!” She yelled and brought her hand down in a sharp move.
Roars and cries filled the surrounding woods as arrows covered in flames sailed through the air and hit the village’s buildings, instantly setting everything on fire.
The villagers screamed and some of the brave ones rushed back into their homes to recuse children or belongings as the rest of them ran towards safely, crying and screaming in fear.
Kikyo couldn’t resist laughing as she watched the villagers scramble away from the flames. “Here’s my gift to you! The kind of hell you made me suffer through when I lived here!” she yelled at their backs.
Her horse whined in fear, uncomfortable with so many flames and people screaming. Kikyo led her horse over to a hill overlooking the village where she could still enjoy the view.
“You looked like a fucking angel when you set those homes on fire Shima.” A dark voice said from behind her.
She whirled around, still on her horse to glare at the man landing against a tree, hidden in shadow. “Who are you?” She demanded.
The man sighed in disappointment. “I had hoped you would remember me by voice alone but it has been a while and I look very different.” He said as he walked into view.
Kikyo couldn’t help but gasp a little at the sight of him. The strange man was hot. He had long wavy black hair that traveled down to his waist, a strong body lightly outlined under his rich clothing and blood-red eyes that sent a shiver through Kikyo when she looked into them.
“I waited for you Shima. You said one day you would burn this village to the ground and you said I could stay with you if I ever found you.” He said, sounding like a hot sensitive guy rolled into a lost boy needing his mother.
Kikyo blinked. “...Onigumo” she asked.
The man nodded. “Yes, I’ve been waiting for you in our cave, waiting for the day you would come back.” He explained, sliding closer to her. “Have you ever been with anyone Shima?” He asked huskily.
She shivered slighting again and slowly slide down from her horse as she shook her head regretfully. “No, my new father doesn’t want anyone touching his ‘little girl’ like that I haven’t been able to even find anyone. And I’ve been so focused on my training and studies I just haven’t noticed anyone.” She told him stepping closer as well.
Onigumo smirked as he reached out and dragged his hands up her arms. “You’ve grown so well these past years Shima, I’m glad I’m a handsome man for you.” he murmured and Kikyo sucked in a breath when her body brushed against his.
“How did you survive Onigumo? I didn’t think you would ever be able to leave that cave, much less heal enough to look like this.” She said, running a finger across his jaw.
He rubbed his cheek into her hand, like a cat looking for attention. “I bargained with many demons after you left me, I gave them my soul for power and a whole body. I wanted a powerful and handsome man for you.” He whispered tenderly, his hand sliding to the back of her head and digging into her silky locks.
He bent down and nuzzled her neck, “Shima-“
”Kikyo.” She interrupted breathlessly. “My name is Kikyo now.”
She felt him grin against her skin, “Very well. Onigumo does not sound good next to Kikyo. Naraku is a much better name for a man who is a lover with a Kikyo.” he growled, nipping lighting at her chin.
Kikyo sighed and pushed herself closer to him. “Naraku...I like it.” She said, carefully sliding her hands across his broad chest.
“Kikyo, you said so long ago you wanted the joys of sex, real sex and not the bland trash they teach about here.” he said and slowly drew a hand down her breast.
She gasped and arched her back. “Yes.” she moaned.
“Let me be the man to show you.” he asked, cupping her as his other hand traced patterns on her back.
“Please!” Kikyo whimpered, rubbing herself against him.
He caught her chin in his hand and tilted it up to meet his mouth. “Come.” he told her roughly and mounted her horse, pulling her up in front of him as they left the burning village to go to their cave.
Four Years Later
Princess Kikyo absently walked through the crowd, talking to a few people here and then before moving onto the next. She spotted her ‘father’ talking to King Nobunaga and his wife Midoriko, wishing their daughter well for her fourth birthday.
Kikyo seethed inside at the way the king’s miko wife talk confidently with her father, secure in her status of a powerful miko and queen. Kikyo would give almost anything to be a real miko, not someone who had to hide their abilities because the real Kikyo wasn’t one. Damn parents with an excellent memory. You couldn’t get away with anything even if you weren’t their real child.
Though then again being a powerful miko without anyone’s knowledge was a huge advantage. They would think she was weaker then she really was, giving her enough time to plan a way to kill them first and gain more power.
Pushing miko’s out of her mind for the moment Kikyo went back to puzzling about a old legend she had come across in a book she was studying about a item of great power. It was called a Shikon jewel, something that would give the owner limitless power. Using them was very easy, she read. Only think what you want done and it’s done. The trouble with the jewel was finding one. The book had said that if a very powerful miko sacrificed herself to save a child or a pregnant woman from demons a Shikon jewel would form, sucking the souls of the miko and the demons to fight a unending battle in the jewel while the child was safe. That fight that never ended would constantly charge the jewel, the power from the priestess and the demons enough to give the bearer whatever they wished.
Kikyo had no doubt she was powerful enough to turn herself into a Shikon jewel, but what would be the point? She wouldn’t actually get to use any of the power and she would be forced to beat up the same demons over and over again while some snot-nosed brat went home free. No, if she wanted a jewel she would need another way to go about it.
She blocked out whatever someone was saying to her as she focused her gaze on Midoriko again. Midoriko was a very powerful miko, maybe as strong as her. And she did have a daughter . . . and with that handy little trick Naraku had about forcing weaker demons to do his biding and a few quick love/lust potions, she just might have a good idea.
Kikyo smirked to herself and took a sip of the drink she had in hand while she started to plan.
Present Time, Urasue’s Lab-
Yura looked down at the jar she held in her hand while Urasue started to get preparations ready to burn Kikyo’s body. After successfully finding her soul and capturing it Urasue had started purifying the body and put Yura in charge of Kikyo’s soul, ordering her if she liked living not to drop it at any cost.
The jar jerked and Yura clamped onto it, holding it tightly against her body. “Urasue, why does this jar keep moving and glowing strange colors?” She asked, looking down as the glow from the jar turned red.
The old witch didn’t even spare a glance at her. “The soul is simply remembering life changing events in the person’s life. They often glow or get restless so that’s why I ordered you here to keep an eye on it.” She paused. “Though it is strange that the soul is so jumpy. Normal souls aren’t quite so active.” She shrugged her massive shoulders. “Though Queen Kikyo probably has a lot of events in her life to remember.” She looked over and frowned slightly. “That’s also strange.” She muttered, noticing the red glow from the swirling mass inside.
“What?” Yura asked, struggling to hold on to the jar.
“Colors like reds or blacks tend to show up when a soul is recalling something they regret or wish happened differently. Ah well, it’s not of our business what our lady’s feelings are.” She said carelessly, bending back down to her work.
Yura glanced back down at the angry red color, “Yeah.” She agreed softly, even as she wondered what her cold-hearted queen had done to later regret.
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AN: Make sense now? Hope you guys liked it, sorry about the wait. I’m so close to 200 reviews I can taste it, so please, please, please, please, please review!!!
Engelmohr2004- Wow, thanks for reviewing so many times! Sorry, no beads this story (I think...) I couldn’t find a way to make them fit in. Maybe another story. (I’ve got another story ‘King Thrushbeard...Sort of in my other fic where he has the beads on. It isn’t a Inu/Kag story though but it’s still pretty good if I say so myself.) Thanks for reviewing, I hope the rest of the story is good. (Out of curiosity what does your name mean?)
Japanese Dreamer- Yep the witch is dead for now. (To be honest I wasn’t going to let you guys find out about Kikyo coming back until the final battle but you knew Urasue was working for Kikyo and had already killed and brought Kanna back a couple of times. I figured you would realize she wasn’t staying dead so I just brought it in the open.) Umm..don’t kill me but you won’t find out for a while. I’M SORRY!
CutePsycoNHyper- Well the chapter was already done by the time you reviewed, I just couldn’t post it for awhile. (But at least I finally got it up right?) And to save some time I started this chapter (don’t know how thrilled your going to be with me when you realize what it’s about) And you’ll find out eventually what that powder was. Just not this chapter. (Oh and very close on what happens. But that’s all I’m saying.)
WindWarrior29- You noticed did you? Well I’ll be writing a lot without saying much for awhile more (mwhaha.) And I wish I could write more then one story at once but I can’t. I’d get them all confused and mixed up, and I’d probably neglect one while updating the other constantly. (Kinda like what I’m doing with my other story. Ugh, I really have to update it soon.) And I actually have THREE new ideas I haven’t put up yet. After Snow White is over and I work on the current story in The Huge Book of Fairy Tales, I’m pretty sure I’m going to start this one called ‘Medicine Ball’. And I’d love to talk about it but I don’t want to waste to much of your time. Enjoy the new chapter!
Neko Jer- It’s ok, I like rambling. (I do enough of it myself) And I’m not answering any questions about the potion or the red powder stuff, you’re just going to have to wait to see what it was. (Though you are pretty close) Thanks for the long review (You know how much I love them) and I hope you enjoy the newest chapter.
Kagome1322- It’s ok, don’t worry about. (God knows I get so busy sometimes I don’t have time to write or update.) Thanks for reviewing though, hope you continue to enjoy the story.
Kikyo is a kiny ho- Sorry, but I’m in the habit of leaving horrible cliffhangers so you can expect more. (I LOVE CLIFFHANGERS!) Anything, thank you so much for reviewing and the lovely compliment and I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the story even if I write the worst cliffhangers ever.
Mediaminer-
Mischievous-Angel- Well now, I’d love to tell you what’s going on with that specific part but then it would give everything away. (And who said anything about it being poison? ...or who didn’t say anything about it being poison? ...or am I just trying to confuse you like I’m confusing myself?) And I’m really sorry when the words clump together, but that’s just the way my word writing format is no matter how much I try to change it. I’ve got my story on another site, it might be easier to read.
OrlandoLover- Ugh how did you guess my idea? Well you don’t know how I’m going to use that idea now do you? (...honestly I’m not that sure myself but I’ll come up with something.) And yes, capital letters do draw attention. I’ve been trying to come up with my own save something line but nothings really fit. I think SAVE CLASSICAL ART WORK, TRAVIS FIMMEL HAS REFUSED TO BE THE NEW DAVID! Isn’t really working, right? (Though someone should carve Travis Fimmel in stone so future generations can wonder at his perfection and beauty....)
IMPORTANT NOTE! IMPORTANT NOTE! IMPORTANT NOTE! IMPORTANT NOTE!
This chapter is a bit different from all the other ones I’ve written. Please just read it to the end and you’ll understand. Thank you and I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha or Snow White, and I’ve written so many disclaimers trying to be funny I don’t feel like bothering right now.
“Shima!” Her mother Wakana called and the girl forced herself not to grit her teeth in disgust of the sound. “Don’t you dare come home before you finish those chores girl!” she ordered and Shima cursed her life as she quickly threw more clothes into her basket to take down to the river to wash. She stood up and braced the basket against her hip, ignoring the other villagers chuckles as she walked by with her head held high.
How she longed to just let slip a tiny bit of her power loose to burn some of her tormenters into ash. But her type of power didn’t do much on humans and if these tight assed people even thought she was using her power they would tear her into pieces.
Literally, she had seen what they had done to a poor cat one little boy claimed was the devil’s pet and had powers. They let the mutilated body swing outside her family’s cottage for a month, as if they felt she needed to be reminded the same could happen to her.
“Be careful you don’t melt when you touch the water.” One of the village girls mocked cruelly to Shima as she passed by.
Shima kept walking, wincing when she felt spittle land on her cheek but didn’t allow the others to see the hurt, agony and utter rage that lingered in her eyes.
She heard the children’s cruel laughter as she walked through the outskirts of her village to the secluded river she washed her family’s clothing in, so far it was the only place that proved to be a sanctuary in her hell.
She kneeled down next to the rover, setting the basket aside of her and plunged her hands into its icy depths, welcoming the soothing affect it had on her rough and tired hands, gazing into the river at her reflection. There was nothing physically wrong with her, she was near marrying age, and one of the most beautiful girls in the village though no boy had asked for her.
Perhaps if she had been normal, she could have had what her mother had with her father before she was born. Before he started drinking and yelling and hurting her. Before he did that unmentionable act.
Shima shook her head harshly as if that would force her to forget bad memories and started scrubbing the clothes clean, not noticing anymore when her hands became raw.
She blinked when she heard a low moan coming towards her, and raised her head to watch a man floating in the water clutching a piece of wood as he traveled down the river.
As he got closer, she could see he was badly burned, it looked like his entire body had been set aflame. His ragged bits of black hair were plastered to his black and gray face and she could only see one of his eyes, colored a black that was darker then a bottomless pit, was staring right at her.
Her mind raced she tried to decide what to do. Call for help? Or leave him to his fate, he looked half dead anyway.
But that eye . . . that face . . . that body. It looked like a devil, something the villagers feared more then anything.
And wouldn’t it be fun to care and nurse a demon back to health right outside her purist neighbors?
Without a second thought she set her wash aside and dove into the water, not paying the cold any mind. She kicked strongly against the current, her legs strong from running and jumping while she grasped hold of the burnt piece of wood the man clutched to keep himself afloat. Without even sparing him a glance, she dragged him to the shoreline, pulling him onto dry land and taking a further look at his injuries.
She hadn’t been wrong about his whole body being set on fire, it looked like one giant burn covered him from head to toe, the only part that had escaped the flame was his one black eye that continued to stare at her, not letting up its study of her for a second.
She pulled the piece of wood out of the man’s hands and tossed it into the water carelessly, still looking over his wounds.
“Can you move” She asked bluntly and threw his scarred arm across her shoulder when he nodded yes. He gritted his teeth, but didn’t make a sound as she half-dragged him to a small cave that was nearby covered by foliage and vines. It had served as a hiding place when the villagers were looking for a victim, and would protect this man.
She helped him inside and laid him down on a fur she had hidden away inside of the nights she slept in her cave.
He winced in pain when he laid back, despite the fur that should have protected him from the hard floor and she was impressed he had made it this whole way without whimpering in pain once.
He honestly reminded her of herself.
She laid a hand on his forehead, very gently. The poor man was on the verge of a fever, he desperately needed medical attention.
Ignoring the voice in her head that she was being a fool to care for a stranger like him, she ran back outside, dipping all the clothes she had on water again and rushed back into the cave, laying the dripping clothes on his skin.
He sighed quietly as the cold water soothed him slighting, and Shima moved to the back of the cave gathering different healing creams and lotions she made and used for when the villagers got rough.
She washed the dirt and river weed from open wounds, rubbing medicine into the wound expertly to pervert infection.
“Can you speak?” She asked absently, concentrating more on cleaning his injuries.
He opened his mouth and swallowed a few times. “Yes.” He finally croaked out, his voice gritty and almost not understandable.
Shima glanced down at him, surprised he was able to say anything, “Do you know what happened to you?” She asked curiously.
He grimaced. “No.”
She swept a hand over his head, looking for bumps or injuries that could have helped him loss part of his memory. “What do you remember?” She questioned.
“Not much.” He forced out.
“What about your name?”
He thought for a moment, his eye blank as he went over the broken shards of his memory. “Onigumo.” He finally said, triumph in his eye.
Shima nodded, “Onigumo.” She repeated, liking the sound of it on her tongue.
Onigumo looked at her, part of his forehead lifting where there should have been an eyebrow. “Well? Won’t you tell me your name?”
Shima looked down at him again. “My name is Shima.” She said formally.
“Shima.” He repeated, looking like he was thinking deeply. “Why have I been brought here?” he asked. “Why a cave and not a healer’s hut? Why haven’t you called anyone for help?” he demanded.
Shima sent a cool look down at Onigumo. “If there’s a problem with me caring for you, I’ll be more then happy to put you back in that river.” She offered calmly.
She sighed when he continued to stare at her. “You don’t want to go anywhere near the village. They’re very . . . strict.” Shima said, still feeling like that word was a understatement. “The only thing they believe in is Kami, but they think miko’s are the whores of devils and demons. If they ever saw you . . . they would probably finish the job someone else started.” Shima explained, raking her eyes down his burnt flesh to get her point across.
“Then why haven’t you given me to your elders to burn?” He asked, curious.
Shima smiled grimily and picked up the clothes to dip in the cold water again. “Because if I looked like you, they would finally have the excuse to get rid of me.” She said bitterly, starting to walk out the cave.
She paused and looked back over her shoulder at Onigumo. “I promise you, you’ll be safe here. I’ll come later to take care of you, I need to get back soon.”
“Why are you doing this? No one has ever shown me kindness unless they want something. What do you want?” Onigumo demanded, his voice getting stronger with every word he spoke.
Shima hesitated. “Because if the villagers ever knew, they would be horrified.” She finally said and walked away without a word.
Yet somehow, Onigumo was sure she lied.
As time goes by...
“Shima! Hurry and get those clothes washed!” Her mother shouted at her and Shima hurried down the path to her secret spot, burning with anger.
Damn that woman! What she wouldn’t give to burn this town up. While she was glad washing clothes gave her an excuse to see Onigumo, she wished her powers could harm her mother, even if it was just a little.
She dumped the clothes outside the mouth of the cave, deciding to wash them later so she could change Onigumo’s bandages now.
The burnt and dying man she saved months ago was now healing nicely, suffering only one infection and all the burns that had opened up were now scabbing. She wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to leave the cave and would probably die in it, but at least he wasn’t in so much pain.
In return for her care (not that she needed payment but Onigumo insisted when he learned of her special powers.) He had been helping her train and control her powers, having experience with miko’s out in the world. What kind of experience, she didn’t know but under his teaching she was becoming quite powerful if she said so herself.
Of course, now matter how powerful she was she would never be able to harm a human like she longed to do, but she was mocking them for everything they believed in, which was good enough for now.
She stepped inside the cave, and Onigumo lazily opened his one eye to look at her.
She kneeled down beside him, using her powers to take rolls of bandages and medicine from the corner of the cave to her hand.
“You’re getting much better.” Onigumo observed and Shima smiled in response as she replaced the cloth covering his burns.
“Have you tried sending your mind into someone else?” Onigumo asked and Shima frowned.
“No, I didn’t know I could do that.” Shima responded, tying the last bandage into place and sitting back on her heels waiting for his instruction.
“Gather your energy together, and push it towards your mind.” He said soothingly, watching as a soft blue light engulfed Shima.
“Ok.” She breathed.
“Focus on me. And push the energy out.” Onigumo ordered and almost grinned when he felt her presence in his mind. She’d have to practice more so people wouldn’t feel she entered their heads but she wouldn’t need to work to hard at it.
Shima gasped in amazement when he showed her the few memories he had of the world outside her village, the towns, the cities, the people, the food, the wonders, the clothing, the sex and depravity she had never known about living in her village.
When she finally pulled out of his head, she was reeling with all she had seen.
“I want that!” She snapped. “I want all of that! The clothing, the food, the luxuries, and even the sex!”
Onigumo smirked slowly. “And I’m sure you will one day.” He purred. “But until then, continue to practice entering a person’s mind. Unfortunately, you will only be able to read a person’s mind when they are sleeping unless they open your mind to you like I did.” Onigumo explained. “Try again later tonight.” He suggested.
Shima nodded, “And I know just the person to try it on.” She murmured to herself.
Later that Night-
Shima tossed the threadbare blanket that covered her and sat crossed legged on her thin mattress, leaning against the wall. She focused her mind on her power and her mother sleeping in the next room and pushed the blue orb out to her, smiling slighting when it sank into her mind without a protest from the sleeping woman.
‘Izumo! Izumo!’ Wakana cried out as he thrust heavily into her from behind. ‘Oh please! Harder!’ she begged and-
Shima drew away from the memory with a cry of disgust. For some poor widow in mourning for her husband, Wakana looked pretty happy with the priest who had sent his soul to Kami.
...though it was a good piece of information to know should the need ever come up.
She brought her attention back to her mother’s mind and carefully avoided the memory of her mother and the monk rutting like animals to move to the next one.
‘Your daughter is certainly a strange one, that she is.’ One of the village women remarked to Wakana as they watched five-year-old Shima look down sadly at a wounded bird.
Wakana’s mouth tightened. ‘I don’t understand that child one bit. She’s so quiet and solemn. She doesn’t act like a little girl at all.’ Wakana complained to the woman.
‘How is your marriage with your husband?’ The woman asked in a whisper.
Wakana looked away. “It’s gotten worse. Ever since she’ she jerked her head to Shima kneeling in front of the poor bird. ‘-was born he’s been drinking. I’m afraid if something isn’t done about the girl soon he might leave me.’ Wakana said bitterly, staring at her daughter hatefully.
“But I don’t understand Wakana, she is an unusual child but how could that cause such problems in your marriage?’ The woman asked.
Wakana hesitated. “Very strange . . . things happen around that child.” She said in a low voice. ‘Flowers that are dying seem to come back to life after she’s been in the room with them, crayons and bits of things she likes to play with are suddenly in her hands that were across the room from her and I never heard her get up to retrieve them. Animals are unnaturally friendly with her...” Wakana trailed off, looking at her daughter in fear.
Her friend stared fearfully as well. “You don’t think she’s Satan’s child, do you?” She asked quietly, her palms starting to shake.
“Hush! Not so loudly!” Wakana scolded absently her attention already on her daughter who was doing something...strange.
She had cupped the little wounded bird in her tiny hands, crooning down at it. Wakana gasped as a very faint yellow light wrapped around Shima’s hands and the bird for a second before Shima beamed and threw the bird up into the air.
Wakana and her friend gasped again in fear as the bird took flight, flapping wings she had been sure would never fly with again.
Shima smiled sweetly at her mother as she ran up to her. “Mama! Did you see that-“ her sentence was interrupted as Wakana slapped her hard across the face, sending her to the ground.
“You little fool!” She screamed. “Never, never do that again!”
Shima looked up, her eyes filling with tears as she cupped her bruising cheek. “But mama-“
”I said never again!” Her mother yelled again and turned to her friend who was backing away fearfully.
“Please don’t be so scared, I’m sure there’s a reason why that bird was able to fly. Perhaps it wasn’t as injured as we though?” Wakana suggested, trying to calm her frightened friend down.
Shima sniffled as tears slowly ran down her face. “I’m sorry-“
”Go away!” Her mother snapped as the other woman paled at the sound of her voice. “What are you waiting for? Leave!” She ordered and Shima turned and ran away as she let her tears flow.
Shima jerked her power back, scrubbing at her cheeks when she felt the wetness on them. She remembered that day now, she had only wanted to help that poor bird get better and her mother and her friend looked at her like she was a devil. She gathered her energy up again and sunk back down onto her bed, to tired and bitter to reenter her mother’s mind.
But she didn’t want to quit using this new power. What else could she find going into people’s minds?
So for the next two hours she carefully went over half of the villager’s darkest secrets, forbidden fantasies, and weakness. The headman of the village was in love with a young boy, his wife was sleeping with his brother, the bread maker spit in his batter, the innocent obedient girl whose hand was being asked by all the handsome village boys was plotting her future husbands death, and the monk who her mother was sleeping with had two other women besides her.
Shima withdrew her mind from the last villager for the night, (a Shepard who had...unusual thoughts about his flock) when she felt something stir.
She didn’t know what it was, but feeling curious sent her power out again, following the faint feeling to the sleeping body of Koharu, a young girl around her age the local fisherman had taken in when found lost in the wood. She tossed and turned in her sleep and Shima merged her mind with hers, puzzled with what caused the girl to have such troubled sleep.
The little girl giggled as her father tossed her into the air, her mother watching lovingly on as her father spun her around.
“Higher Daddy!” The little girl pleaded and the man tossed her again into the air, just barely catching her as she started to fall back down.
“Daddy! Be careful, I could have fallen.” She said primly and her father laughed.
“My little princess, you know I would never let harm come to you.” Her father said, pressing a kiss against her head.
“Your Highness.” The servant said formally to her father, bowing as he caught his daughter a final time and turned his attention to him. “Your presence is required in the throne room.”
The little girl’s father nodded to the servant, “Very well. I will be there.” The servant bowed once more before departing and the king turned his gaze back to his daughter. “I will see you at your bedtime my sweet. Now go to your mother now.” He ordered kindly, placing another kiss on her head before passing her to her mother.
“Have a good meeting my love.” The queen said, brushing her lips against his cheek as she accepted the princess from him.
“Bye daddy!” The little girl said, kissing him as well with a loud smack on his cheek.
The king smiled down fondly at both of them, “It’s a wonder I can leave with the two people I love most smiling at me so sweetly.” He laughed, kissing his wife before striding to his meeting, guards and servants bowing as he passed them.
“Come now darling.” her mother urged as she walked with her back into their palace and-
Shima blinked in confusion when the one memory ended, only for another one to take its place just as quickly.
The princess woke with a startled cry when she felt large rough hands grip her mouth and pick her up. She whimpered, the sound muffed by whoever had grabbed her.
The person shook her roughly, “You’ll shut up if you like living you brat!” The man hissed, gripping her mouth harder then necessary as he sneaked out of her bedroom and into dark shadows covering the hallway.
“I’ve got the kid, give me the bag!” The man holding her said impatiently to a few men waiting near a open window, their faces masked by the darkness.
The hand that had been covering her mouth disappeared, only to be replaced with a piece of cloth as it was stuffed into her mouth and her hands and legs were tied together.
“Hurry up man! I think someone’s coming!” One of the kidnappers hissed and she was shoved roughly into a scratchy, irritating bag.
She whimpered again when she felt herself being lowered down a far distance and caught in someone’s arms as the other kidnappers rushed down a rope.
“Come on, we have to run!” one of the men whispered urgently and the princess whimpered again when she felt herself being thrown over someone’s shoulder as he started running and-
“-so how is this gonna work? We write the ransom note, tie it to an arrow and let it fly into the Kings dining room?” One of the kidnappers asked sarcastically.
“Nah, I was thinking about that, but it’s overdone.” Another voice said flippantly.
“Hey, the brat’s wake.” One of the men said as the princess slowly opened her eyes and blinked in confusion at the five kidnappers sitting around small fire.
“We probably have to feed her.” One of the men said glumly.
“I sure as hell ain’t doing it.” One of the kidnappers grumbled.
“Why? You scared of a little pampered brat?” One of the others taunted.
“No, I just hate kids. Why did we have to take her anyway? Wasn’t there some other important person we could take beside some lousy kid?” The man asked glumly.
“Hey, it’s not my fault the guy likes his kid. The only other person we could have taken for the amount we’re asking is the queen and how do you think we’d jump out of a window with her thrown over our shoulders?” One kidnapper pointed out.
“Just shut up the both of you!” one of the men snapped. “You’re both driving me crazy. I’ll feed the kid.”
The princess watched as the man pulled out a loaf of bread from a bag laying by his side and walked over to her, carefully helping her sit up from where she was laying on her side.
He waved the bread in front of her teasingly. “You see this? You’re gonna eat this. Got it?” He asked and reached over to pulled off her gag.
As soon as it was off her mouth the princess screamed as loud as she could, sending birds flying into the air and tiny animals scrambling to get away from the sound.
“Shut UP!”The kidnapper roared, backhanding her hard enough to send her flying backwards, moaning when she hit her head against a rock and her thoughts and memories poured from her mind along with her blood.
Shima felt the connection break when Koharu jerked up in her bed, panting heavily and she quickly pulled her power away from her mind before she could feel the other presence in her head.
Shima frowned as she laid back down, deciding not to look through any more minds tonight. That was . . . strange. Never in any of the minds before (not that she looked through many minds in her lifetime) had the memories or dreams ever gone like that. From what she could tell you watched one memory from start to end, you didn’t jump all over the place like with that one.
Though it was probably just a dream so it didn’t matter and probably explained why it was so unusual. Koharu as a lost princess? The idea was laughable. It must have been a dream, there was no other reason for it.
And with that thought Shima finally sank off into sleep herself.
A Few Nights Later...
Shima quietly crept into the cave where Onigumo now lived, hoping she wouldn’t wake him. Her problems with the villagers were getting worse, the insults were crueler, and the threat of physical violence great. She had no idea what set it off, but she couldn’t bare staying in her mother’s home anymore, for the past two nights she had been trying to sleep she would hear men’s voices outside her window, whispering.
So when she couldn’t sleep she would search the villagers minds even more throughly, finding more dirty secrets they prayed to be hidden forever.
And she watched more of Koharu’s dreams.
Some nights she would dream of beautiful women and handsome men taking tea together under the full moon, composing poems to its and their partners beauty while she peered out of a window watching when she was suppose to be sleeping. Other nights there would be dreams of the princess watching the glitter of her mothers jewels as she put them on and wishing for some of her own. And there were family vacations by the coast and on the mountains. And then that broken dream would play again, showing the happy princess with her family before kidnappers snatched her out of their arms.
Shima settled down near Onigumo who was still sleeping peacefully and decided to merged her mind with Koharu’s once more. If she learned nothing more then she would stop visiting her mind and if it turned out Koharu really was some kind of princess . . . she would figure out what to do with that information.
Shima drew in a deep breath and gathered her energy, pushing it out at Koharu easily.
“Daddy?” The princess asked suddenly from where she sat on his lap, causing the king to look down at her in concern.
“Yes sweetheart?” He questioned.
The princess bit her lip and looked down, not sure she should speak up. “Will you still love me even with the new baby coming?” She finally said, very softly.
Her father widened his eyes in surprise. “Of course I will! Why would you ever think such a thing?” He asked.
She studied a pattern on the floor instead of meeting her father’s eyes. “Because the baby will be new, and I’ve been around forever, and one of the boys said parents are always happy when new babies come because the parents are tired of the old ones.” She said miserably.
Her father took her gently by the shoulders and titled her chin up, forcing her to look at him, “First of all little one, seven years is not forever. And your mother could bare me ten more children, but I will never stop loving you as well. I could look through all of Japan and I will never find a child like you, my little Kikyo.” he said tenderly and she grinned up at and-
-The girl woke up in a place she didn’t know, wearing clothes she didn’t recognize, ropes around her wrist and feet she couldn’t understand why were there, and her head pounded and hurt from a wound she didn’t remember how she received.
The little girl couldn’t remember her home, her family, her friends, or even why she was in a strange clearing all alone.
The little girl couldn’t even remember her own name.
She whimpered softly to herself, rocking back and forth as she sat up. She tried to pierce broken fragments of her memory back together before they slipped away, but every attempt caused pain to explode in her mind and her tears to fall.
She whimpered again when she realized she couldn’t remember one single thing about herself, not even her favorite food and her tears came faster.
“Little girl?” A kind voice asked and the child yelped in fear as she saw the old man at the edge of the clearing watching her.
She stared at him, still crying silently and trying to decide what he was to her. “Do you know me?” She whispered, and burst into loud noisy sobs when she didn’t even recognize the sound of her own voice.
Instead of being afraid when the old man’s arms came around her, she pressed her little face into his bony chest, grateful for that small comfort.
“There, there child.” He said gently. “Everything will be alright.” He soothed.
She shook her head wildly. “No, it won’t! I can’t remember anything! Not my home, not where I live, not even my own name!” she cried.
The old man looked down at her tenderly, “ . . . well would you like to come home with me little one? My wife and I have always wanted a child but Kami never granted us with one. I promise you will be very safe and very loved.” He vowed.
The little girl sniffled, her tears slowly down and shook her head slowly. “But I still need a name.” She said softly.
He cut away the ropes from a knife from his belt and lifted her into his arms, surprisingly strong. “My wife has always liked the name Koharu. Would you like to be called that?” He asked.
The little girl thought for a moment and nodded before resting her head against his chest. “I like Koharu as well.” She murmured tiredly.
The man smiled as he walked to his village, his new daughter safely in his arms. “Then Koharu you shall be.”
Shima retreated from Koharu’s mind in shock, not believing what she had seen.
Koharu truly was a princess.
She had been taken from her home, lost her memory and was taken in by that old fisherman and his wife, becoming their adopted daughter.
But she wasn’t a poor fisherman’s daughter, she was a royal princess who couldn’t remember she was one.
...And damn it, what the hell made her so lucky she had riches, grand homes, and a loving family waiting for her when Shima had nothing! She wasn’t even sure she would have her mothers hut much longer, and then without a place to stay she would truly be at the villagers mercy.
It wasn’t fair! Didn’t Shima deserve those things to? What had she ever done that she was stuck in a village who feared and hated her, had a mother who wished she had never been born, and held powers no one admired or wanted. She was miko damn it! That alone should have given her respect but instead if just caused the villagers to shun her even more because of their pathetic fears and beliefs.
Well she was done with this life, she refused to live it any longer!
She looked wildly around the cave for a knife when a thought struck her.
Why take her own life when she could take someone else’s?
And for the rest of the night she planned her escape.
Later that Week
Shima stood in the shadows of the forest, watching Koharu gather wood. She had spent every night that week carefully examining every memory Koharu had of her old life before deciding it was time to make her move.
She slowly stepped out of the shadows, being very careful not to step on a branch or rustle any leaves.
“Good afternoon Koharu.” Shima purred, standing slightly behind her.
Koharu shrieked and whirled around, dropping her wood to clutch a hand to her chest.
She sighed in relief and lowered her hand. “Oh Shima, it’s only you. Please don’t sneak up on me like that.” She asked tiredly, bending down to pick up her fallen logs.
Shima slowly smirked as her hand came to rest on her wrist. “Oh don’t worry, no one will be able to sneak up on you for long . . . princess.” Shima assured her smoothly as she Koharu turned white and stopped picking up wood to stare at Shima fearfully.
“I...I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Koharu said, her entire body trembling. “I’m not a princess . . . I just . . . I just can’t be.” Koharu denied.
Shima smiled kindly. “Oh course you aren’t. They’re just dreams right? There’s no possible way they’re missing memories finally coming back to you, correct?” She asked gently.
Koharu nodded her head wildly. “Yes, yes! They must be dreams!” She agreed before she froze. “Wait . . . how do you know about them?” She asked Shima as she slowly stood, letting the few logs she gathered to fall out of her hands. “It’s true what they say about you isn’t it? You really are the devil’s child. The one with so much power but no morals to properly wield it.” Koharu accused, her voice rasing in her fear.
Shima smiled again, her finger stroking the blade hidden up her sleeve lovingly. “It doesn’t matter what I am Koharu. I am what the villagers made me into.” Her smile turned cruel. “A monster.” She purred as Koharu whimpered. “And like a good heartless monster I will take what I want, and I want a real life, not this pale imitation of one the villagers preach about.” Shima spat out in disgust. “And since you won’t like yours, I will.” Shima said softly and drew out her blade.
Koharu screamed in fear and turned around to run.
Shima sighed in annoyance. “Don’t worry Koharu, I’ll live it much better then you ever would have!” She yelled after her before following her.
“I’ll do something in your life. I’ll make you great, someone to be remembered!” Shima promised as she chased after her. “I’ll make you so powerful I’ll never be weak again, no matter the cost! I’ll be whatever the hell I want and I won’t be my mothers hated daughter, the villagers fear or my father’s punching bag. You’re giving me more of a gift then I’m giving you!”
Koharu cried again as she tried to run faster, but Shima who had much more experience in running from people who wanted to harm her quickly caught up to her and tackled her to the ground.
Koharu had landed on her side and Shima turned her over to straddle her stomach, the tip of the blade resting between her breasts. The girl shook under her, tears leaving tracks on her face as she whimpered.
“Please, don’t do this!” She begged.
Shima smiled kindly and tenderly patted her damp cheek. “I thank you for this, and I promise you the new Kikyo will be a force to be reckoned with, a strong woman who isn’t afraid of male, female, demon or monster. No one will ever control me or you again.” Shima vowed solemnly before plunging the dagger between Koharu’s ribs.
Koharu let out a pained cry before letting her head fall weakly to the side and her thrashing stopped. Shima carefully shut her eyelids closed when her struggles ceased, saying a quick prayer for her soul before standing up.
She felt wetness and looked up, surprised to see rain starting to fall softly, hitting Shima’s flesh in gentle plops and turning Koharu’s blood pink, running it off her body and pooling on the ground.
Shima grinned and held her face up to the rain, enjoying the way it ran down her face and felt as if it was cleansing her. She allowed her miko power to swirl lazily around her, feeling more free then she ever had in her life, so free she didn’t notice the slight taint that was covering it.
She focused on her surroundings, more aware of everything then ever before and was taken back by the sound of the river. She started to grin again, realizing she was close to the point where she found Onigumo.
It was only natural she would be reborn twice in the same place she supposed. If it hadn’t been for Onigumo she never would have left this damn village, never would have found her new life.
It was almost a shame she would need to leave him behind.
Shima smirked to herself as she walked to the cave, her hips swinging confidently as she glanced down and saw her reflection in the surface of the water, her clothes were bloodied and she clutched a dagger but she liked the new woman she appeared to be. Strong. Proud. Powerful.
She stepped into the cave and stripped out of her ruined clothing and putting on the new kimono she had stolen from a villager the night before, ignoring Onigumo’s shocked look.
“Shima, what happened?” He asked, fearing it was her blood until he saw she had no wounds.
Shima smirked at him as she loosened her tied back hair and pulled it up into a beautiful bun, “I found myself a new life.” She told him smugly as she threw items into a bag. “I’m sorry to say this but this is where we part.” She told him and placed food, blankets and medicine in easy reach for him. There was about a six-month supply if he wasn’t greedy.
Onigumo watched her silently. “You are leaving?” He finally asked.
Shima nodded. “Yes. Don’t worry, I’ll put everything you taught me to good use.” She assured him as she slipped into a new pair of shoes she had gleefully taken from her mother.
“But . . . I won’t be able to come with you.” Onigumo said quietly.
Shima looked at him, puzzled to why he was acting so strange. “No, you won’t.” She agreed. “You aren’t able.”
“Yes but...I want to stay with you.”
Shima paused in getting ready, looking at him. She raised a brow. “Well if you ever get better, come find me. I can’t stay here any longer.” She told him and threw her bag over her shoulder heading for the cave’s entrance with her old clothing in hand.
“How will I find you?” He demanded at her back.
She glanced over her shoulder. “If you ever hear news of this godforsaken village burning down, you’ll know how is responsible. Find me then.” She told him and without looking back stepped out of the cave.
She walked up to the river, the very spot where she washed laundry and found Onigumo forever etched in her mind. She plucked a flower growing on the banks and pushed it into the folds of her dirty shirt before dropping the cloth into the water, watching as it floated away with the current and turned the water pink before walking in the opposite direction.
And with that, Shima was finally dead and Kikyo, Princess of the South was reborn.
Five Years Later- Princess Kikyo dismounted off her horse gracefully, a smirk tugging at her lips. “My lady, where do you want us?” the leader of mercenary group she hired asked respectfully. “Just wait in the woods until I give you the signal.” She ordered dismissively, the man bowing before leaving to carry out his orders. Kikyo held the reins of the horse loosely in her hands, walking slowly through the forest as her mind traveled back. It had been five years she had last been here, a weak fifteen year old girl who was despised by her family and town, chased by those who feared her. She knew if she walked a little father she would find the spot besides the river she had found Onigumo and where Shima had died for good. And if she continued along that path she would find her secret cave, even if it was covered in foliage and boulders. But she didn’t walk towards it, because she didn’t want to dirty her kimono with the skeleton Ongiumo had surely become. She mounted her horse again, ignoring the sound of the rushing river as she led the animal to the entrance of the village. The villagers going about their business stopped in their paths and stared at the beautiful woman riding a black powerful stallion, picking her way into town. Villagers rushed out of their homes to come and stare, not sure what else to do.
Kikyo halted her horse near the center of the town square, waiting patiently as most of the town gathered in front of her, wanting to know why such a noble looking woman had come to this little town.
Kikyo smiled bitterly at the villagers staring at her. “You’ve gawked at me all my life haven’t you?” She asked as the villagers started to blink in confusion. “First because you thought I was a freak and now because I’ve made something of myself.”
The village leader-the same leader five years ago, only older- cleared his throat nervously. “I’m sorry my lady, but I don’t understand.”he said.
Kikyo mockingly lifted an eyebrow, “You don’t recognize a old villager? Do you need to be reminded of who Shima is?”
Gasps and whimpers broke across the crowd, as the villagers glanced at each other fearfully. “Shima? The demon child?” A few old crones whispered among each other, backing away from Kikyo.
An old woman broke through the crowd and Kikyo curled her lip at the sight of her.
“Mother.” She greeted coldly.
“Daughter? Is that you?” The old woman asked hesitantly.
Kikyo nodded stiffly and the old woman let out a cry of joy. “Oh Kami be praised, Shima!” She cried. “I was so worried when you disappeared five years ago, I thought the worst had happened but I see I should never have doubted Kami because here you are as a lady! You heard the village was in trouble and came rushing here yes? Or did you want to help your poor old mother?” Wakana asked? Tears covering the greedy gleam in her eye.
Kikyo’s lips curled up in a sneer. “Yes mother, I suppose you could say I’ve come to help you as thanks for my upbringing and lovely childhood.” Kikyo purred. “So thank you mother, for hating me and wishing I had been drowned at birth, thank you again for letting father beat me before he killed himself in disgrace.” Kikyo snarled the forbidden word. “Thank you to my town for shunning me, abusing me, tormenting me and labeling me as the devil’s slut before I was even five years old. Thank you everyone.” Kikyo hissed, her voice going low in rage and her body trembling as the village grew silent.
Kikyo suddenly grinned wildly and thrust her hand up straight into the air. “And here is the ‘help’ you requested!” She yelled and brought her hand down in a sharp move.
Roars and cries filled the surrounding woods as arrows covered in flames sailed through the air and hit the village’s buildings, instantly setting everything on fire.
The villagers screamed and some of the brave ones rushed back into their homes to recuse children or belongings as the rest of them ran towards safely, crying and screaming in fear.
Kikyo couldn’t resist laughing as she watched the villagers scramble away from the flames. “Here’s my gift to you! The kind of hell you made me suffer through when I lived here!” she yelled at their backs.
Her horse whined in fear, uncomfortable with so many flames and people screaming. Kikyo led her horse over to a hill overlooking the village where she could still enjoy the view.
“You looked like a fucking angel when you set those homes on fire Shima.” A dark voice said from behind her.
She whirled around, still on her horse to glare at the man landing against a tree, hidden in shadow. “Who are you?” She demanded.
The man sighed in disappointment. “I had hoped you would remember me by voice alone but it has been a while and I look very different.” He said as he walked into view.
Kikyo couldn’t help but gasp a little at the sight of him. The strange man was hot. He had long wavy black hair that traveled down to his waist, a strong body lightly outlined under his rich clothing and blood-red eyes that sent a shiver through Kikyo when she looked into them.
“I waited for you Shima. You said one day you would burn this village to the ground and you said I could stay with you if I ever found you.” He said, sounding like a hot sensitive guy rolled into a lost boy needing his mother.
Kikyo blinked. “...Onigumo” she asked.
The man nodded. “Yes, I’ve been waiting for you in our cave, waiting for the day you would come back.” He explained, sliding closer to her. “Have you ever been with anyone Shima?” He asked huskily.
She shivered slighting again and slowly slide down from her horse as she shook her head regretfully. “No, my new father doesn’t want anyone touching his ‘little girl’ like that I haven’t been able to even find anyone. And I’ve been so focused on my training and studies I just haven’t noticed anyone.” She told him stepping closer as well.
Onigumo smirked as he reached out and dragged his hands up her arms. “You’ve grown so well these past years Shima, I’m glad I’m a handsome man for you.” he murmured and Kikyo sucked in a breath when her body brushed against his.
“How did you survive Onigumo? I didn’t think you would ever be able to leave that cave, much less heal enough to look like this.” She said, running a finger across his jaw.
He rubbed his cheek into her hand, like a cat looking for attention. “I bargained with many demons after you left me, I gave them my soul for power and a whole body. I wanted a powerful and handsome man for you.” He whispered tenderly, his hand sliding to the back of her head and digging into her silky locks.
He bent down and nuzzled her neck, “Shima-“
”Kikyo.” She interrupted breathlessly. “My name is Kikyo now.”
She felt him grin against her skin, “Very well. Onigumo does not sound good next to Kikyo. Naraku is a much better name for a man who is a lover with a Kikyo.” he growled, nipping lighting at her chin.
Kikyo sighed and pushed herself closer to him. “Naraku...I like it.” She said, carefully sliding her hands across his broad chest.
“Kikyo, you said so long ago you wanted the joys of sex, real sex and not the bland trash they teach about here.” he said and slowly drew a hand down her breast.
She gasped and arched her back. “Yes.” she moaned.
“Let me be the man to show you.” he asked, cupping her as his other hand traced patterns on her back.
“Please!” Kikyo whimpered, rubbing herself against him.
He caught her chin in his hand and tilted it up to meet his mouth. “Come.” he told her roughly and mounted her horse, pulling her up in front of him as they left the burning village to go to their cave.
Four Years Later
Princess Kikyo absently walked through the crowd, talking to a few people here and then before moving onto the next. She spotted her ‘father’ talking to King Nobunaga and his wife Midoriko, wishing their daughter well for her fourth birthday.
Kikyo seethed inside at the way the king’s miko wife talk confidently with her father, secure in her status of a powerful miko and queen. Kikyo would give almost anything to be a real miko, not someone who had to hide their abilities because the real Kikyo wasn’t one. Damn parents with an excellent memory. You couldn’t get away with anything even if you weren’t their real child.
Though then again being a powerful miko without anyone’s knowledge was a huge advantage. They would think she was weaker then she really was, giving her enough time to plan a way to kill them first and gain more power.
Pushing miko’s out of her mind for the moment Kikyo went back to puzzling about a old legend she had come across in a book she was studying about a item of great power. It was called a Shikon jewel, something that would give the owner limitless power. Using them was very easy, she read. Only think what you want done and it’s done. The trouble with the jewel was finding one. The book had said that if a very powerful miko sacrificed herself to save a child or a pregnant woman from demons a Shikon jewel would form, sucking the souls of the miko and the demons to fight a unending battle in the jewel while the child was safe. That fight that never ended would constantly charge the jewel, the power from the priestess and the demons enough to give the bearer whatever they wished.
Kikyo had no doubt she was powerful enough to turn herself into a Shikon jewel, but what would be the point? She wouldn’t actually get to use any of the power and she would be forced to beat up the same demons over and over again while some snot-nosed brat went home free. No, if she wanted a jewel she would need another way to go about it.
She blocked out whatever someone was saying to her as she focused her gaze on Midoriko again. Midoriko was a very powerful miko, maybe as strong as her. And she did have a daughter . . . and with that handy little trick Naraku had about forcing weaker demons to do his biding and a few quick love/lust potions, she just might have a good idea.
Kikyo smirked to herself and took a sip of the drink she had in hand while she started to plan.
Present Time, Urasue’s Lab-
Yura looked down at the jar she held in her hand while Urasue started to get preparations ready to burn Kikyo’s body. After successfully finding her soul and capturing it Urasue had started purifying the body and put Yura in charge of Kikyo’s soul, ordering her if she liked living not to drop it at any cost.
The jar jerked and Yura clamped onto it, holding it tightly against her body. “Urasue, why does this jar keep moving and glowing strange colors?” She asked, looking down as the glow from the jar turned red.
The old witch didn’t even spare a glance at her. “The soul is simply remembering life changing events in the person’s life. They often glow or get restless so that’s why I ordered you here to keep an eye on it.” She paused. “Though it is strange that the soul is so jumpy. Normal souls aren’t quite so active.” She shrugged her massive shoulders. “Though Queen Kikyo probably has a lot of events in her life to remember.” She looked over and frowned slightly. “That’s also strange.” She muttered, noticing the red glow from the swirling mass inside.
“What?” Yura asked, struggling to hold on to the jar.
“Colors like reds or blacks tend to show up when a soul is recalling something they regret or wish happened differently. Ah well, it’s not of our business what our lady’s feelings are.” She said carelessly, bending back down to her work.
Yura glanced back down at the angry red color, “Yeah.” She agreed softly, even as she wondered what her cold-hearted queen had done to later regret.
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AN: Make sense now? Hope you guys liked it, sorry about the wait. I’m so close to 200 reviews I can taste it, so please, please, please, please, please review!!!