InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Emi ❯ Tragic Half-Demon ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The forest was large and tangled with low-hanging branches and fallen tree-trunks. Emi picked her way through it, holding her wounded arm with her unharmed one. She didn't know whether she had traveled very far, but at least the shouts and the fire was out of ear shot and scent. Was leaving his body behind a bad thing? No. The fire would have destroyed it anyway.

"Oh, father...," she moaned, dropping to her knees, cringing as her bleeding arm shook with her landing. It was her father that was dead, more rather murdered. She didn't remember her mother. Though the feeling of hate for her fellow humans was thick in her throat, she couldn't deny that the blood of a human was in hers. If she hadn't of known her father, she wouldn't know that humans were good. Because she had been ridiculed by the rest for as long as she could remember. Except recently. She finally discovered the use of her sharp talons on her hands could be used for self-defense, when the other children in her village would tease and poke at her.

Yes, Emi was a half-demon, with human blood and panther demon blood mixed within her veins. She took the shape of a human, besides a few unique qualities. Or more so freakish, other people thought. She had rounded ears atop her head, just like that of her fellow demon animal. They were covered in black fur, just the color of the board straight hair that fell down low to her lower-back. Her eyes were a yellow color, almost highlight yellow, and when the moon shone on them at night, they cast of a glowing color. Her canine teeth and fingernails were longer and sharper than an average humans', but she didn't know about a full-fledged panther demon. The last thing out-of-place about her, was her sleek black tail that protruded from where her tail-bone ended. It would grow a bit longer as she grew older.

In human years she was around ten years of age, but she was intelligent, due to her demon blood. Her personality and knowledge equaled that of a person eight or nine years her senior. And so here she was, wandering in aimless directions, not even caring where she ended up. Her ears twitched as if ever-so-lightly touched by a finger, but it was only because she heard a noise. Her hearing and sense of smell were stronger than that of a humans, but she knew that even half-demon dogs and wolves had better senses that her feline blood. But she heard someone approaching, nonetheless. She didn't want to risk being caught, and possibly killed, so she hopped onto a high branch. Awkwardly she did so, because she couldn't use her bad arm.

She waited for a while, or maybe it just seemed that way since nothing was happening. It seemed the person approaching was just walking in one spot until a human woman emerged into her eyesight. She stopped right underneath Emi's tree. Emi narrowed her eyes. It wasn't a coincidence. By the look of her clothing, she looked like a priestess. She held a bow in her left hand, and arrows were slung behind her back, for easy access. If she was a priestess, and possessed a bow, her arrow would kill Emi in one shot. The half-demon girl stayed stock still on her branch. That was of course until someone grabbed her roughly by the back of the shirt.

"Ahhh!" she cried, half of it coming from surprise and the other half from the pain that shot from her sore arm all the way into the back of her neck.

"Planning to attack Kikyou from above, were you, you cat?" a male's voice growled from behind her.

"No!" she irritably snapped. "I was hiding, as a matter of fact!"

"Release her, Inuyasha," the woman below, who must be Kikyou, demanded. After a moment's pause, he let go of Emi's shirt, but he didn't move away from her. Emi turned to have a look at him. A dog. A half-demon dog. She should have figured as much. "Come down here where I can see you." Emi dared not disobey, lest she be shoved out of the tree by the dog. She landed on her feet before Kikyou, and by instinct lowered her eyes.

"You're injured," Kikyou bluntly said.

"I realized," Emi snapped, flinching away, as Kikyou drew near to her wounds.

"Don't speak to Kikyou that way!" Inuyasha leaped down and gave Emi a hard rap on the back of the head. the half-demon girl bowed her head. You'd think she'd be used to it, from all of the other people in her village who shoved her and beat her, but Inuyasha was stronger than them, and it hurt. She clenched her jaw to keep from crying.

"Can't you see she's already hurt, Inuyasha? You don't need to act so violently," Kikyou scolded him. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, but he stepped away from Emi, just in case he felt the urge to smack her again. Kikyou smiled at Emi, her hand reaching out. The half-demon girl hesitated in her pain, but eventually held out her injured arm. "We need to tend to your wounds."

"No, they're just scratches," Emi gently pulled away, holding her arm protectively.

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted.

"Inuyasha, help her to the village, please," Kikyou said. Inuyasha obediently walked to Emi, taking her good arm, and pulled her gently.

"Come on, you heard her," Inuyasha growled when Emi once again stalled. Though she sensed no hostility from Kikyou, neither Inuyasha, but he wasn't as nice as the priestess, she couldn't be too cautious. Her father said that was always practical.

"What is your name?" Kikyou asked, taking her either side.

"Emi..," she replied timidly.

"I am Kikyou, and this is Inuyasha. Excuse him. He doesn't know any other way but his own," Kikyou laughed lightly. Inuyasha 'hmphed'. Emi didn't say anything in return. She was tired and hurt. Perhaps it would just be easier to let this priestess heal her and then she could rest for a while, aferwhich she would leave. To go where, she wasn't certain. They didn't walk too far when the three emerged into the village. Inuyasha let go of Emi and disappeared. That was strange. Kikyou gestured to Emi which way to go. Thankfully none of the villagers were out, all tucked away in their huts, tired from the day's chores. Kikyou stopped at her own hut, allowing Emi to enter before she did.

"That is Kaede. She's my younger sister," Kikyou explained when Emi stared at the sleeping girl on the floor. Emi nodded. She herself didn't have any siblings. Kikyou kneeled before a low table, and grabbed a handful of herbs from a place Emi didn't see. She wasn't really paying attention. The priestess then ground the herbs down, and then set up a small fire in the hut.

"Emi, will you hand me that small basin behind you?" Kikyou asked politely. Emi hesitated for a split second, but then she turned and handed it to Kikyou. She boiled a small amount of water, and then mixed in the herb. While it cooled, the older woman grabbed the bandages and such, getting ready to wrap Emi's arm. The medicine still wasn't cool enough, so Kikyou had time to clean the blood from Emi's arm with cold water and a thick cloth. Then she applied her home-made medicine.

"What does this do?" Emi asked, then blushed faintly. She never really spoke to people she just met, especially humans. It felt strange asking Kikyou this question, like it was out of her place to say anything like that. The young half-demon girl didn't like this ease she felt around the priestess. She felt vulnerable. Open to emotional attacks.

"It will help with the pain," Kikyou answered with a light smile. Emi nodded, and watched her arm be wrapped. "You lost a fair amount of blood. It is best to rest." Emi nodded. But Kikyou didn't move from her place in frontof Emi, not just yet.

"Your wounds are from the blade of a sword," Kikyou told her, as if Emi didn't already know. Emi let out a heavy but shaky breath, as the memory resurfaced.

"It... it didn't hurt that bad."

"It is not my place to ask, but would you like to tell me what happened?" Kikyou asked. Emi was angry, but she didn't show it. Who was this woman? Who did she think she was? Some type of royalty!? Hah! How amusing. She didn't need to know what happened to Emi. It was none of her business.

"Yes," Emi nodded. This feeling was starting to annoy her. If she felt such anger, why is this Kikyou about to know what changed her life, even if it was only hours before? "I... was hated by the humans in my village, where I lived with my father," Emi started. "Father was mistreated, too, since he was the one who impregnated a panther demon."

Kikyou was silent, letting her continue.

"Then, tonight, for some reason unknown to me... the villagers--," Emi's voice cracked on the last word, and she clamped her eyes shut, forcing back her tears. Only a moment went by, then she cleared her throat, and continued. "They burned our house. I was so... angry, that I didn't even stop and think to get father. I went out, and I killed a man, one who was holding a torch." Kikyou didn't flinch or even give Emi a dirty look. In fact, she looked sad. Emi didn't know if it was for her, or if Kikyou was reliving something that had happened to herself. When the priestess didn't say anything, Emi went on. "Another man came at me, holding a sword. I held up my arm to defend myself... and then...," she trailed off, lightly lifting her arm.

"Is your father still in the village?" Kikyou asked.

"He died before the house was set fire. He was sick. They said I did it to him. He was the only thing that was keeping them from killing me. And then they saw their chance, and next thing you know--," Emi's voice was rising steadily. She was talking fast, and it seemed she was talking more to herself than to Kikyou. But she broke off, and then her tears rolled from the brim of her eyes, no longer able to hold. "Next thing you know," Emi was nearing the end of her story, "I'm alone." Kikyou was a kind person, even though she was fierce in battle, she was excellent with children. And Emi was young, despite her intelligent mindset. Kikyou's initial instinct was to embrace the half-demon girl, but she thought before she acted. Maybe Emi didn't want to be comforted. But the priestess decided she was just making out to be that way, and that really wasn't the case. And so she leaned over, wrapping the girl in a temporary shield when her own was down. Then Kikyou would remove it when Emi restored hers.

Emi didn't protest against Kikyou's action. It was nice to feel cared for. In her time of grieving. The half-demon weeped in the priestess's arms, her arms wrapped around the older woman's middle. Emi cried for nearly an hour, then she quieted into sniffles. Her head hurt now, but she was tired, and she fell asleep. Her head was using Kikyou's lap as a pillow, and she was curled on her side. Kikyou didn't move all that night, instead leaned against the wall. She didn't want to wake the young girl, who was finally sleeping without worry looming in her dreams.