Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Her Spirit ❯ Ningen Eschew ( Chapter 14 )

Souta was happily walking beside his sister, sure that he looked rather ridiculous with his proud expression and jaunty step. But he couldn't help it. His sister had asked him to accompany him to get some of their fighters from this realm, saying that she hoped they would recognize her and that the code hadn't been forgotten.

But he didn't really understand where they were going - only something about the ningen Eschew and human politics - but he would follow his sister and support her back wherever she went. Even if he was so confused that all he could focus on was the heady feeling of pride and accomplishment, and said back.

His sister always had a knack for making him feel like that. One good proud look from her made him literally walk on air- at least an inch above the ground. It was her power he knew. Whenever he felt a strong connection to his sister he could connect to her power like it was his own- at least almost as easily as it was his own, he wouldn't know how to use his own power even if it was vast enough for him to do so. He sighed and walked quicker to loop his arm through his sisters, marveling that she was his.

She gave him another of those smiles and he beamed as that little power current lifted his feet a bit; she could work her magic, and he would protect her back the old fashioned way: with fists and muscle. He had never even known that their shrine had the old powers still in use, and as a result had only been interested in his soccer and schooling. As a result he was a jock, a rather smart jock, but still a jock. He didn't have the true sensitivity needed to be aware of his spiritual surroundings.

He would still guard her back.

They walked up to the prefecture like this, steps slowing and backs straightening at the increasing feel of turmoil and spiritual despair that slowly teased them and cloyingly embraced their - or more rather her - other senses.

She entered the streets first, Souta performing a little skip to dodge a particularly nasty feeling wisp of that energy as he went in after her. The very air designated this as a different place; the crispness of lacking spirituality engulfed him and almost drowned him as he used his sister's senses, and she glanced back at him in worry before his connection was rather abruptly cut off. He shivered as he could still feel it with his far inferior senses, and he walked closer to her back

The people on the streets were obviously close to each other and wary of outsiders. `Namely us,' Souta thought with a shiver at one particular glare he got from a wizened old man. The hair on his neck stood on end, his hand going up to rub it back down and he shuffled a bit quicker and barely touched his sister's hand with his own with the swinging pass of her arm. Her hand briefly caught his hand, squeezing his fingers in reassurance before she straightened her back and threw her braid over her shoulder.

It was time to get down to business- whatever it was.

“I seek the road I left long past; wouldst thou show me that path I set for myself which I come now to follow?” There was a ripple through the crowd, until an old man, the same man who had glared at them upon entering this little section of town, sneered and spat at the cement near their feet. The crowd seemed to murmur in agreement and rudely twisted their backs to them, returning to what they had been doing previous.

His sister simply chuckled lightly, her face one of somber humor before she continued walking, eyes darkening in something of anger and shock as their footsteps carried them through streets and a town center. That was where she stopped, looking around; and that was where she released her awareness on a greater scale. Souta shivered, now in slight delirium and joy, as her intoxicating power rushed along his senses and in his senses through the bond they shared. And he watched her start to frown and even recoil as she felt something she didn't like, not at all.

Her scream split through the air.

There were tears coursing down her cheeks, Souta could see them clearly when she spun around- even though he had fallen to the ground at the shock of what she'd just done. He'd never seen her break like that.

The previously rude and chary neighbors came to the little park, gathering around warily as they looked at the odd woman who had invaded their normally peaceful life. Souta shook his head to clear it of the cobwebs the scream had disturbed into falling on his thoughts, and he stood up shakily as he dusted himself off. The villagers were peering oddly at his sister, and she spun around to face them, Souta feeling the jolt of her senses being used on every one of them rapidly in succession- causing his head to spin once again. He found he was being supported by another boy his age, only getting the subtle feel of masculinity and energy before he focused with his supporter on his oneechan.

“You,” her breath hissed out the word as she seemed to address the whole gathered crowd and focus on none, some still coming, drawn by their curiosity and worry. “You have denied your ancestors and caused turmoil in these lands!” Her voice resonated strangely through the air, and Souta found he was stiffening to attention along with everyone else in the clearing- even though he was used to his sister voice in all its mediums and the reprimand wasn't even directed at him. She fisted her hands at her sides, shoulders stiffening in her ire and grief - something so palpable to Souta he wondered why he didn't fall to his knees - but no, he had the support of the teen beside him.

She shook her head and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, shoulders shivering with her emotions as the crowd stayed hushed and almost terrifyingly awed. She looked up, “I came to find how my friends had fared in their dreams- to help those who sought the teachings of the Heiwa no miko. They wanted to build a clan of warriors- who knew of the spiritual side of the turmoil and clung to the belief that one day they would see the revolution.” Her face scrunched into one of disgust and shock as her eyes widened impossibly and the blue seemed to drown out the black pupil. “They would accept all into their fold, teaching of the true ways that would support all ways…and here I find turmoil!

“The land is crying and the spirits are ill! There is no power in the land and the people have become willfully ignorant!” The crowd had equal looks of shock and disbelief, ranged in between the awe and enlightenment that was slowly gracing their features. The shame was no little for Souta to spot on some faces, but on others there was something completely off…

“The Heiwa no miko, she is here,” came the excited whisper from the boy beside him, and he had the disjointed thought that he really had no clue what the Heiwa no miko meant- at least not what it really meant to those who knew the legend. And then he had the rather disturbing question of those demons who actually lived with his sister as the Heiwa no Miko, what exactly did she mean to them?

…

Souta walked beside the boy rather petulantly, finding that following his sister was much more fun without another person along for the ride. The boy chattered away without any `by your leave' and Souta was moping (yes he was and he admitted it) and kicking his feet about on the ground because his sister was seemingly ignoring both of them. Kagome finally stopped; face turning and braid shifting with the most sound she had made the whole time they had been walking after the incident at the center.

“That building…”

Souta looked as well, finding Shikato turning and robbing his nose sheepishly. “That has been in disarray for centuries, everyone's forgotten who used to live there.” He paused, finger kept in stunned inaction by his nose as Kagome took solid steps to the building with a gleam in her eye. “We've been waiting for it to crumble! I don't think it's safe for you to go in there!”

Souta deadpanned, `They won't accept any outside help to take down the building, a bunch of idiots.' He shook his head and he watched his sister continue, holding out an arm across Shikato's chest as he made a move to stop her. The teen looked at him in incensed fury and shock, and he simply smirked. “You don't know my sister. She needs to do this so she shall.” `Oh, there he went talking like his sister again.' He sighed and shook his head, tensing the muscles in his arm to push the boy back a bit.

Shikato complied with his heavier bulk, sulkily sending him an odd look before he watched the entrance of the house worriedly. Suddenly there was a shouted exclamation, and both turned to watch his sister run out of the house with this little skip in her pace and a brilliant smile lighting her face. Souta chuckled through his surprise- she tended to do that; startle you with her reactions.

Her face turned curiously joyful as she slowed and turned back to the house coaxingly, her hand stretching out enticingly to whatever she had found. She smiled encouragingly, and Souta found memories of when he had been learning to climb trees and had to be coaxed by his sister out of a position he both feared to stay in and feared to leave- she had done this then as well.

And then he found himself looking up from the ground once again, this time though he was not alone in this predicament.

He could only gape and feel his eyes widen with shock and then dry at the wind all this power created. Neighbors were once again gathering to see what his sister was doing, this time they were fighting the wind and supernatural forces that were rushing from the epicenter in the building his sister had rejoiced over.

Her joyful shouts and running laughs seemed to be the only thing audible above the wind- and he focused on that and maybe the bond they shared so he could get a footing on the situation as well. He shielded his eyes with his hand, and found he could ignore Shikato as he used his supporting arm to pull himself up from the ground against the force of the wind and spiritual powers.

“WHAT is that!?” The shout was almost smothered with the forces at work, and Souta had to wonder if they had abandoned all their religious teachings. Shikato had told them that there had been turmoil and spiritual anarchy over the years, but that he had believed in the old tales- maybe he hadn't read through them closely enough if he didn't know what this was.

He fought the wind in his eyes to look at the teen, wondering really what he knew of the legends and the revolution. He had told them that he was basically the only one considered crazy enough to believe now, but that didn't mean he knew what to believe. “That's the spiritual power that's built up in your ignorance!” he shouted back, glad that the wind worked with him for that moment and threw the words in the teens face. And glad doubly so that it cowed the teen slightly before the anger and determination flared right back up.

At least he had got one insult over the strange teen.

He ignored the gaping expression as the wind calmed suddenly, the silence that greeted all making his ears hurt. He didn't need to look around at the stupefied expression on everyone's faces, he could already feel their awe and fear pressing in around him with his own powers at the max and guided by so many spirits and his sister being so near.

The colorful breezes swept past the wary neighbors, and Souta watched with some grim satisfaction as spirit and power tormented the people gently, chastising them for giving up and abandoning what their ancestors had gently coveted.

Kagome's laughter rang out again, echoing strangely because the spirits were repeating it amongst each other. The power had been drawn to her and the colors and wind was circling her like it was her own- but he knew it wasn't. Her power didn't really have a color, he had seen it only once; a thin wisp of awareness she had sent out when he had surprised her while she was meditating.

Souta had many encounters with his sister while she went off into one of her dazes, when they were younger she was always being pulled into visions that left her body defenseless and her eyes dead as her head lolled uselessly on her weak neck to rest on her shoulder.

It was always frightening for him to find his sister like this, she looked exactly like those lifeless porcelain dolls that she had been so afraid of when she was little- Souta briefly remembered an explanation of their biological father presenting her with one that fell and broke and scared Kagome so much that it haunted her until she was ten. He had never gotten the full details, realizing that there was something more to the story that made his mother uneasy but never getting the courage to ask.

And her seizures now were controlled by her daily meditations, not always at the designated time. But her clear and shining power wasn't the one at work here, and he searched for it with familiar eyes and found it wrapping around him- with much shock. He had known that he had a connection with his sister, but he had never guessed it was her soul wrapping around him and entwining with his own.

The powers swirling around had let him see this connection, guiding his spirit with its minimal awareness to its fullest extent. He wondered exactly what was happening to all these people who had ignored their powers, what sort of jolt were they feeling to suddenly have it thrust upon them and guided to show them their ignorance?

The powers settled down, his sight watching colors infuse into the earth and buildings and people- and strangely enough everything seemed to be much more rich and vibrant. He swore up and down that it was impossible, but then he settled and just sighed, catching the attention of Shikato as he glanced about in confusion and examine his own hands with disbelief.

“Heiwa no miko, damn she's good.”

Shikato blinked and made some frenzied movement in his peripheral vision, but he ignored it as Kagome smiled and walked up and placed her hand on his shoulder- on his shoulder.

“We are almost done here, are you certain you are not getting bored?” Souta grinned and placed his hands behind his head, “Lead the way, sister. I'm behind you.” Their blonde, self appointed guide trailed after them somewhat helplessly, and Kagome approached a very intimidating figure. The man tried to scowl, but his face kept on returning to a blankly astonished expression that had his pupils dilating in confusion.

Souta snickered.

That seemed to snap him out of his stupor. He glared slightly at him, and he replied with a devious look before he smiled innocently, and then the stranger turned to Kagome with a shaky superior face. “Now see here young lady, you should stop disrupting the peace.”

And Kagome smiled.

Now this was a different smile. Her eyes crinkled slightly and shined even with the little light reaching through, her teeth were not bared in joy and that dimple on her cheek didn't come out. This was a smile of indulgence, and the man sputtered to a stop and stared. “You come from the line of Nobunaga don't you?”

And Souta laughed outright.

Shikato chuckled, weakly, beside him.

She clapped her hands and nodded firmly at her own statement, perhaps daring anyone to disagree. Souta settled his weight from leg to leg as he crossed his arms over his chest, looking around and trying to find anyone who had blatantly offensive looks on their faces- but there were none. If anything they looked like a bunch of schoolchildren being scolded for forgetting the day's lesson.

`Or a bunch of heathens who forgot the ways of their ancestors…'

The earth around them seemed to hum along his senses, and he ignored the flabbergasted and embarrassed looks of the people around them in favor of closing his eyes and focusing- it was such a heady rush when the earth welcomed you like it did the Higurashi.

He had never been connected until his sister had introduced them, and even then he guessed she was connected in a way that he could never even dream of…well he could, but he supposed he would never get close enough to the truth.

“I need you, as leader of this prefecture, to contact the rest of the ningen Eschew, the time has come- and maybe it has come too soon.” He looked up distractedly to see the curiously benign face of his sister, and watched the villagers bristle at the implied insult. `They deserved it.' They kept quiet though, and Souta wondered if it was due to the new spiritual powers that had been awakened that they were so. It must be interesting to be reprimanded in your head instead of being allowed to reprimand your junior. However junior you could call Kagome at least.

She turned with an abrupt nod, face almost smug in its approval. The others gaped, and Souta held in his laugh as he trotted after his sister. They were finally done in that little place, and he found he would be happy enough to walk by his sister alone again- because that's how they always had been.

…

Kagome looked up as they crested the stairs, finding a Grim Reaper who worked for Koenma with her senses and sending that knowledge somehow to her brother through their bonds. Souta tensed, `what could they want now? Jerks…' He scowled and darkly followed his sister to a corner of the lot just before their own barrier- watching the grim girl try with frustration and stunned awe as she was repelled once again.

“You won't get in that way.” Souta taunted out, watching her turn in surprise to look at them before a smile lit her face and she was in front of them. `What an annoying mass of perkiness', Souta thought in his dark mood, all too ready to slam her into the barrier and head into the house with his sister.

But he couldn't.

The blue haired woman was babbling, and his sister seemed to be catching all of what was said- and not liking it. She pulled him to her by his elbow when the Grim seemed to be winding down, and he turned his head without his eyes as the Grim finally opened her eyes to regard them curiously. And he got a perfectly mischievous idea. He snarled and snapped.

Kagome laughed at the way the girl recoiled, and he grinned and winked his eye before the turned to his sister. “Do you have to do this, whatever it is…?”

She smiled and gave him her own wink, and he grinned more as he caught the gleam in her eye. “I need Sesshoumaru with me, so I'm going to stall the way I best learned,” that got her an odd look, “I need you to contact him.”

“Alright.” There was a pause as they regarded each other and then he sighed. “How do I do that?”

She winked at him and shooed him to her room, and he got the distinct impression that he should go as slowly as possible to catch exactly how his sister would stall.

“So they want me in Reikai,” a murmured response, “are they all there?” Another murmured response, “It seems to me that they wouldn't all be there…are you so certain we will have such an audience? ...” and the rest faded out of his hearing range as he grinned and loped up the path to their house.

…

Souta looked on in shock, facing Sesshoumaru and wondering exactly what his sister had learned on her surprise trip. He looked down at the ash in his hand, what once had been that strange arrow once imbedded in the decaying corpse, and then stared at the towering demon before him. “Well that was pretty easy.”

The pale face broke into a slight grin and his hand came up to ruffle his hair, “She needed me?”

“Uhn, the Grim of reikai came to collect her for their purposes.” He nodded his head firmly in confirmation of his own statement.

The jaunty lines of the aristocratic face hardened and became something very sinister and foreboding- for reikai. Souta found he wanted to go, as much as he wanted to stay.

The demon lord Sesshoumaru solved his dilemma, “We're ahead of schedule, but I believe you already know this.”

He gave him an innocent look, certain that he would see through it and know his sister had been telling him stories for a while now. The demon lord inclined is head in some respect, hand falling off his head to squeeze his shoulder in reassurance. He paused before he went to catch his sister and the Grim, sending a telling smirk over his shoulder. “Your sister is a very important woman to us, but we would feel honored for you to accept us into your family.”

And Souta grinned as he felt them leave.

.x.x.x.xXx.x.x.x.