InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Not Knowing ❯ Meeting the Dead ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 17: Meeting the Dead

 

After that time seemed to move pretty slowly. From the tree top both girls could smell the fire and the damp earth below. The night breeze started flicking by, with gentle strokes and caresses.

 

The stars were brighter now, and the moon was on its half left side. (I don't know if it's the left side or the right after the new moon. So if I'm wrong, correct me.) She had missed her father's night of weakness. But she knew that he'd be alright,

 

A sudden stench hit Mira's nose. She couldn't tell what it was, but it smelled like the soil in the demon slayer village. Like a grave yard. But it wasn't threatening, so she brushed the scent aside. Now really caring about it. The village was still not far, for all she knew, the scent could have come from there.

 

Well, she would have continued believing that had a stream of bright white light shooting right between her and Saya, snapping the branch and causing Saya to fall downward.

 

“Saya!!” There was really nothing she could do to help her. Another stream of light came zipping by her head, piercing her kimono, and burning her skin. The white light faded, revealing… an arrow.

 

A scream snapped her out of the daze on the arrow. Saya had landed, but not on the ground… oh, far from it. She had landed on her back… on the branch directly below them. No doubt that there had been some damage in that area.

 

Mira reached up and grabbed the arrow… or at least tried to. The first time she grabbed it, it sizzled and burned her hand, pulling back and shaking it in the cool air, hoping that it would heal. The second time, she untapped her powers just a bit. And, as if the aura had dissipated, Mira was then capable of snapping the thing at the head.

 

She looked to the ground, looking for the imposter. But she found no one. The scent of the dead was getting stronger… but why?

 

Suddenly, something moved in the bushes. Mira jumped down, leaving Saya there. Moving her, could only cause her more damage, pain, and discomfort than she's already in.

 

“Show your self.” She practically yelled at the figure. The scent of the dead wasn't coming from the slayer village, but… right behind that shrub. Mira stood on guard, her hands inches away from her blades and crouching down slightly, ready for an easy dodge.

 

From the bush, stood a woman. Her silhouette was small and slender. Long hair that reeked of dirt.

 

`Mother?' She thought. The woman looked similar to her, but, no definitely not her mom.

 

“So I was correct, you are not him.” She said, coming out of the shadows. A woman, in miko's clothing. She carried no scent of purity of spiritual powers, just a fraud. Her gaze was cold, and spine shattering, ever her voice was cold. As though she cared for no one. The bow she held in her hand, Mira knew that she was the one who caused Saya damage.

 

“Do I look like a man?” Mira growled, narrowing her gaze with deadly eyes. “I'll make you pay for what you did to Saya.”

The miko looked up at the tree, seeing the girl unconscious. Her face scrunched up in pain, and from her sight… her breath was shallow, “The fault really was my taking. My aim was off.” Her voice cut through the air like a knife, sending more shivers down Mira's back. Now she took more precaution.

 

`Why the hell didn't I sense her coming? Why didn't I realize she was there? This is all my fault that Saya is hurt.' Mira blamed herself for her friends pain.

 

Her growl lowered even more. The miko stared at her, thinking, before drawing her bow and aiming at Mira, “Speak your parents name hanyou.”

'Hanyou… oh, big mistake.' She was rarely called that name any more, and even when she was called it… it had normally been a demon… which quickly realized its mistake, but paid for it, with its life.

 

Mira didn't answer question, and the woman narrowed her gaze at the `abomination', drawing her bow back even more, “Answer the question hanyou….”

”DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!” She cried out.

 

That did it, she heard the bow string be released, but it had not stuck her heart. Instead, the arrow flew above and under the junction of her elbows. Pinning her to the tree behind her. She gasped as she felt the arrows prick her skin and start to bleed.

 

`Oh, for crying out loud, haven't I lost enough blood already?' The injuries that Saya, Honou, and yes, even Koga had given her, had not fully healed yet. Let alone all her blood had not been regained yet.

“Then answer my question.” She said again. Mira was really starting to hate hearing this woman's voice. When Mira looked up at her pale face, she realized… she was smirking.

 

“What the hell are you smirking for, huh?” This was really starting to piss her off. She tried to open her own miko powers, but they weren't flowing. She didn't understand, she had done every thing Kaede had told her… maybe she wasn't in full command of it yet.

 

The woman laughed, “Your father was really foolish, if he even considered mating with that poor copy.” She said as she gently crossed her arms.

 

Mira frozen, `she' knew her father. Mira looked off to the side with a face that literally read, `Oh, boy shocker there.' With sarcasm.

 

“And now, he has forgotten all about me and his promise to me.” She said, “To come with me to hell.

”There's no way dad would ever go with you.” Mira snarled. “Who's the poor copy. Cause so far through my eyes. It os you who is the copy. I mean, you reek of clay and grave yard soil. And that is no longer your spiritual power. Its my mothers.” She said.

 

And just by smelling her, Mira knew almost every thing about this woman, “Your body isn't even real. You've been dead for years. So return to hell on your own. AND LEAVE MY DAD ALONE!!!” She yelled at her last comment.

 

The woman seemed to grow angry with every word that left Mira's mouth. She couldn't help but carry her fathers smirk upon her lips, “Oh, what's this? Did I hit a nerve?” She said, “Well, get used to it. If my dad wanted to go any where with you, then I guess I wouldn't be here, huh?”

 

The woman drew her string back once more. Another arrow, set into position. This one was really aimed this time. Mira followed the line of the arrow, and closed her eyes and waited for the worst.

 

Next thing she knew, she heard the sound of the bow string be released, and she held her breath, waiting for the line of fire to pierce her skin.

 

But… it never came. She heard a gasp coming from the woman's lips. And that was it. When she opened her eyes, she, too, couldn't help but gasp.

 

~In the forest somewhere~

It had been weeks now, since Mira's disappearance. And just a few days ago, even Shippo and Inuyasha had left. Though not to look for her. Inuyasha saw no point in going to her, when he saw that she was totally capable of taking care of her self. This was his decision.

 

They were resting in a clearing, and every thing was quiet.

 

“Just like the old days, huh pop?” Shippo said, laying on the cool ground. Over the years he had grown accustomed in calling Inuyasha `dad' or any other form of it. Not that Inuyasha actually care. He practically was his father after all.

 

“Some things are missing.” He whispered, leaning back on a tree trunk as he looked up at the sky. Sitting the way he always would. Though he would admit that one of the reasons was that Tetsusaiga was not with him. He knew… Mira had it.

 

The peace didn't last very long. A very cold breeze flew by. Inuyasha growled and stood, knowing perfectly well who it was that was coming for a visit.

 

Sesshomaru stood at the edge of the clearing and looked at his brother. They hadn't fought as much as they used to, thanks to Kagome.

 

“What do you want, Sesshomaru? I am in no mood to deal with you right now.” His growl, still present deep in the back of his throat. Warning the alpha male that stood in front of him.

 

“This is agreeable. I am merely here to drop off a letter from Rin. She had brought news for you.” He said as he tossed the scroll that he held with the arm that was `still' in tact with his body. Inuyasha caught it effortlessly and watched his brother slip away into the darkness as though he were a spirit himself.

 

He unrolled the scroll and read it. Rin's hand writing was always so nice and neat. Both Kagome and Kagura had taught her. And, even though they were once enemies, they had both become very good friends. Kagura was no longer the cold witch Inuyasha remembered fighting a long time ago. She was now… his family. And he accepted her.

 

Dearest Uncle,

I as the eldest indirect daughter of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagura am happy to announce that we have found Mira. Fear not, she is safe and well. When we had found her, she was with in the limestone cave not far fro the demon slayer village. In which the taijiya and Monk as well as their twins are reside in.

But, after we had left, we sensed that something was wrong in the air. Forgive me for not bringing her home. Father had said to let her deal with this on her own. Though, both mother and myself had desired to at least go along with her.

Mother and father sensed something sinister in the air, and were both worried about Mira. We believe that the aura belongs to the dead priestess Kikyo. We were to believe that she may go after Mira. She had grown stronger. And we fear, well, mother and i, fear that she may get into harms way, if Kikyo ever found out who Mira's parents are.

 

Rin, Indirect daughter of the western lands/

 

“Damn it all to hell.” Inuyasha cursed. Shippo came over and read his cousins hand writing from over his fathers shoulder.

 

Inuyasha crumpled it and trough it to the side, and broke off into a run. Shippo, looked down at the paper, and followed.

 

It wasn't long before he saw Mira, pinned to a tree. In line of Kikyo's fire.

 

She released the arrow, and just in the nick of time, had caught the arrow in one hand and her wrist in the other.

 

She gasped. Then heard Mira gasp from behind him. Though he not once looked back at her. Keeping his focus on the dead woman in front of him, “Enough Kikyo.” He growled lowly.

 

Kikyo's eyes grew mad with hatred, “How could you forget the promise that you had made to me? And now you have the nerve to come here and protect that ... that… abomination?” She yelled at him, tares falling down the sides of her pale cheeks.

 

Inuyasha knew better, these were not really tears, nor were her emotions. The arrow he had grasped, he snapped in two. Strange, she thought. He had barely said anything to her. Back then, he would have left that poor copy of hers just to come and see her.

 

The darkness she had once seen in his eyes… were no longer present in his gaze. Anger was within them at this moment, but she did aim an arrow at `his' daughter. His… and Kagome's. Not her's.

“Leave.” He said, squeezing her arm just a bit. Kikyo knew that she could n longer feel pain, and she didn't even try to act it out. So she pulled her arm from his deadly grasp, and looked at him with anger.

 

“You made me a promise, Inuyasha. And one way or another you will fulfill it. Or your daughter will suffer your mistakes. Just like her pathetic mother suffered your mistakes.” She said evilly, and walked back into the darkness.

 

Inuyasha knew that there wasn't much Kikyo could do. He had told her that he couldn't go to hell with her a long time ago. He had to be released from her entrapment that she had put on him long ago.

 

“I LOVE KAGOME!” He remembered yelling at her. “I can't leave her now that I have a family on the way.”

He remembered how furious Kikyo looked when he had said that. And that was the last time he had seen her, till now.

 

Inuyasha looked back, Mira was still staring at him. With a look that read, “damn I'm in trouble.'

 

“Mira!” Shippo's voice rang near, as he lowered himself to remove the arrows on her arms. Flinching as the scent of fresh blood entered his senses. He grasped her arm and tried to get her to stand. But she didn't even move.

 

This scared him a bit. He had never seen her looking so weak and powerless. So he bent over and picked her up bridal style and carried her over to their father. Inuyasha grasped Mira into his own arms, and she stiffened, as though he would ell at her or something. His disciplining techniques were normally just a little painful, but never permanent. Mira never raised her eyes to meet her fathers, who she knew was looking down at her.

 

“Shippo, could you get the girl out of the tree.” She whispered.

 

He nodded and bounded up the tree, gently grasping the girl, completely aware of her back injury and bounded back down.

 

“Mira, is every thing ok I heard a scream and rushed…” He stopped when he saw his sister in the arms of a demon, but made no movement to get her, “What's going on?” He asked. Noticing that Mira was within the arms of another man… her father. He knew this… matching silver hair and golden eyes.

 

“Come on kid, we've gotta get your sister somewhere safe so she could rest.” Inuyasha said to the boy, who looked a lot like Miroku at that age. And the girl in his sons arms, like Sango. Oh, lets just hope they don't act like their parents.

 

Inuyasha continued to carry Mira, due to the injuries in her arms and burnt legs. The first arrow had done some damage to her after all.

”There;s a hut not fdar from here, we'll go there.” He said, looking down at Mira once more, to see that she had fallen asleep. He sighed but went ahead.

 

~~

The hut waqs old and abandoned, but still in good shape. Inuyasha had set Mira down by the stream that sat close, and opened the door for Shippo to enter woth the injured girl.

 

“Hana's in the near village. Go get her and bring her here, she'll help find a way to recover the girl.” He said, his voice muffled from the walls of the hut.

 

Honou stared at the hanyou male and waited. Inuyasha moved to stare right back, moving out of the door way so Shippo could run out and head back in the direction they came in. Moving further away so that he could go in and see Saya.

 

Inuyasha looked over to where he had set Mira down, to see that she was gone. Finding her at the stream.

 

He walked over to her and sat next to her. One knee was bent and she was leaning on it, while her left foot dangling in the water, causing small ripples to form under her, disrupting her reflection. She seemed to be deep in thought. He knew what was going through her head. He had pretty much heard everything that Kikyo had said to her, not only that, she was able to protect her friends from this danger.

 

He jumped when Mira thrusted something up into his face. Pulling back slightly to see that she was holding out Tetsusaiga in her clawed hand.

 

“Gomen.” She whispered, her bangs covering part of her face, away from her fathers sight.

 

Inuyasha grasped his sword, and then he grabbed her hand, forcing her to look at him. But… still she said nothing.