Daddy Dearest – Part Eight: Memories Of A Lady
Xandra: This
entire thing is going to be a dream sequence, just so you know, and there will
be very little real-life. For those of you who've been wondering about some
things, a lot will be cleared up, but I will be leaving a good amount of info
out, just in case I need it later.
Answer to my
contest: I realized that this was a trick question. Mikiro said/thought it 4
times, but it was implied via me several more times than that through the
story, and it was even MORE confusing when characters like Kouga and Shippo
said it before he could. He actually had to say/think it for it to count. If
you got 4, you win, but if you got 7 (which is how many times he said it plus
the three times the narrator [ME] implied it). I have to go back and check my
reviews for chapter seven to see if anybody got either one, but so many people
guessed 6 that I'm not sure who I'll pick. I won't be using the winners of the
contest until the chapter after this one, though, so you can cool your heels
while I work on character designs and places in the plot where they can pop up.
Here are all
the people that entered the contest and their guesses: Rutako86--6; Kaylana--6;
Little Washu Chan--10; Kai-Aki Ti--6 and 10; Shadowkittie04--10; Jacie--21
official "5 or 7 this chapter"; Topaz--7; Akuma64--36; Msanogi--14;
Breshcandra--9; minty fresh socks--18; WildfireDreams--27; SygarKat--4;
Sovereign of Selenity--8 or above.
Okay, so here
are the finalists in order: SygarKat with 4 on the mark, Topaz with 7, Jacie
(though she guessed 21, her estimate for the chapter was right) with 7, and
Rutako86, Kaylana, and Kai-Aki Ti with 6. I'm afraid Selenity's guess was
disqualified because she said "or up." Sorry, man. ^_^0
As far as I
can see, there was a
^_^ Enjoy the
chapter, and review, people! I'll get to work on my next one as soon as I hear
from my finalists!
~{On a warm
fall afternoon, in a lovely part of the country, a young monk could be seen
traveling alone across the countryside alone, his only companion being a stray
demon he had picked up on his way. The poor thing had been dying on the side of
the road a few months back, and he had taken pity on it, only to discover that
it was a tanuki, a shape-changing youkai with a good deal of power.
Unfortunately,
this one was somewhat of a coward. He only allowed him to follow along because
he had saved the young man's life when he had encountered some unfriendly
creatures at night, having been backed into a corner. He was still working on
thinking up a name for the beast, being that he claimed none of his own, but
nothing fitting had come up as of yet.
"Master,"
the little thing said, softly. "M-may I ask you a question?"
He rolled his
eyes. He insisted on calling him master, but there was no dissuading him from
doing so, so he had quit roughly three days ago. It still got old, but it was
better than Lord Monk. That REALLY bugged him for some reason. "Yes?"
"W-w-where
are we going?"
"Wherever
the next path takes us," Miroku sighed. Honestly, he had no idea where to
go to find the demon that had cursed his family, so he was asking around and
doing what good he could while keeping up the quest that every Buddhist monk
worked toward--enlightenment. Now that his training was finally complete, he
was on his own (though
Of course, he
had a back-up plan. Though he was only sixteen, an age that barely made him a
man by normal standards, he was worried about the air-rip in his hand. He had
watched his father die at a young age, and he wanted to avoid that end, but if
it had to happen, someone had to continue his line. When the time came that he
felt his time was short and his questing no longer held purpose, he would give
up and find a good woman to be his wife, to bear him a son who would continue
the quest that will have outlasted three generations. He wasn't going to go
without a fight, but if he had to go, Death would drag him kicking and
screaming from his life, which he would hang onto with his fingernails for as
long as he could to accomplish what he needed to. He had to have a son, but he
had a good deal of time before he had to worry about that, four years at least,
and perhaps that many after he was a father.
Suddenly, the
tanuki paused and sniffed a few times, then grabbed the hem of his robes,
surprising him. "Master, this area is dangerous. I smell youkai in the
immediate vicinity, and if we continue on this path,
we might run into them."
Miroku nodded,
looking off down the path a ways. Yes, something was nearby, he could sense it,
and it wasn't friendly. "Which direction are they in?"
"Ahead of us, and to the east, your right-hand side. They are near, but
they do not know we're here. If we skirt them, we may make better progress
without any trouble, but it must be a hasty move."
He smiled to
himself. Yes, picking the creature up had been a wise choice. "Very well." He veered off the path to the left,
plunging into the dense forest with the youkai following him, carrying his
staff in his hands.
It was late
afternoon, and he was getting tired and hungry, because he had been sleeping on
the ground for three-and-a-half months and he had eaten at most a rabbit and a
few berries. Certainly, fasting was a good way to purify one's self, but it
wasn't a comfortable road to purity! He wanted to eat something that WASN'T
moving or growing on a diseased-looking plant!
"Master?"
He sighed. If
being a father one of these days meant having to listen to constant questions
like this, he would skip it entirely! If only it were that simple for him.
"YES?"
"Are we
going to camp in the woods again?"
"Most
likely, unless I find a home with a kind owner that is willing to loan us a
FLOOR."
"All
right..."
They continued
onward, Miroku watching his feet as they shuffled through the brush. How did
the other monks make this look so simple? Was it because he was young an
inexperienced? No, his training had given him all he would need, but even that
wasn't enough to keep him going for much longer, alone and without the comfort
of a friendly face. Perhaps the gods were angry with him for not shaving his
head like the other monks did. He certainly hoped not--he liked his hair!
Suddenly, he
paused in mid-step and looked up, his eyes widening as he noticed the change in
the trees. The foliage had gone from the average shades of green to a sudden
vibrant color of red as he progressed, and as he looked onward in the direction
he was going, he saw that it was much the same. He looked back, seeing that the
leaves were green further back, but red here and beyond. It was so odd...
"Where
are we, tanuki?" Miroku asked the creature, who had been standing behind
him and playing idly with his staff.
He didn't look
surprised, or interested for that matter, in the change of scenery. "These
are the Kaji Woods we stand in, suggesting that we are probably somewhere
within the Death Realm."
"Death Realm?" Miroku echoed, blinking. That didn't sound
promising.
"Yes, called
that for the name of its lord, Korosu Tatsubashi. As you well know, his name
means 'to kill,' and he is a gracious but dangerous warlord with much power in
these parts."
He turned his
attention back to the fiery branches of the trees as they continued their walk.
"Tell me more about this place."
"The
woods are said to be enchanted, and they say that every red leaf on every tree
in these woods stands for a man that Lord Korosu has slaughtered or executed
during his thirty-year rule of this place. His people are peaceful, but he
himself is a barbaric enemy and very powerful and cunning, as you can guess by
the extent of the red trees."
Miroku
mentally hoped that he never met this lord, for there were thousands of leaves
on a single tree, and there were thousands of trees all around him, as far as
he could see to any side but back the way he had come. It was terribly.
"Why is it called the Kaji Woods if the trees' leaves stand for blood and
not fire?"
"Because, it is said that when the wind blows here at dawn
and dusk, the trees look as if they are ablaze with the damned souls which hang
from their branches, forever trapped for their idiocy."
//A legend and
nothing more,// he thought to himself. Yes, that was
easier to believe, and much less frightening, too.
Suddenly, a
part in the trees made him pause in mid-step, leaning against the thick trunk
of the nearest one and looking out. It was a clearing, and on the other side,
there were even more of the red-leafed trees. As a matter of fact, the clearing
was surrounded on all sides! It was eerie!
The clearing
itself, however, was a nice change from the red and brown colors of the odd
forest, because it was more like a field of endless wildflowers, yielding
colors that boggled the mind and scents that made it swoon with relaxation,
dullness and passionate thoughts of endless love. Utterly
fabulous.
"Master? Miroku-sama, are you all right?"
He blinked,
realizing he had been close to either fainting or falling asleep right where he
stood. Oops. "Y-yes, I'm--" he stopped, suddenly, as his eyes fell
upon something more beautiful than all the flowers there, and his heart stopped
with his words in mid-beat.
It was an
indescribably beautiful young girl, dressed in a glistening, cobalt-blue kimono
with a pearl-white sash, embroidered with entrancing patterns depicting some of
the flowers she stood amongst in amazing colors of jade and pure white. Her
hair tumbled over her shoulders in almost endless waves of shimmering copper
that fell across her amble chest, which heaved as she twirled and spun through
the field, her gown flowing beautifully around her with every turn. Her lips,
red as the leaves of the trees in this forest, were drawn into a becoming
smile, and her body, though obviously not fully-developed, was trim and tight
with just the right amount of flesh here and there to make her shapely, but in
a modest way. She was all alone here, dancing with her eyes closed and holding
her arms up as if she had someone to hold her. Her beauty was entrancing.
Miroku had
seen many beautiful women before and not paid them any mind at the behest of
Mushin, the old drunkard who had raised and trained him, but he had appreciated
each of them for their looks nonetheless...however, never before had he seen
anything to rival this young woman. She was more than beautiful--divine,
heavenly, fit to be a goddess that any man would covet and every woman would
despise but respect. She was absolutely stunning, and so much more, and yet,
she looked so innocent.
The tanuki
pulled at his robes again. "Master, you mustn't stare at her!" he
hissed. "She is--"
"Utterly
ravishing..." Miroku interrupted, absently. His mind was already spinning,
and he wanted to go to her, just for the pleasure of being in the presence of
her magnificent glory. "I can't take my eyes from her..."
"You
MUST!"
"I
cannot...my heart calls to her, demanding that I go to her, offer all I have to
offer for a single smile to complete my life. She is so perfect..." He
barely realized that he was verbally gushing and practically foaming at the
mouth with uncontrollable desire unlike anything he had felt before. He had
often found himself thinking unclean things of women, but she was so...so
fabulous that his thoughts were well above that, along the lines of marriage and
family and living forever in the shadow of her astounding beauty. He was even
running out of adjectives to use to describe her, she was so grandly
awe-inspiring to him, though he knew that this was because she was beyond any
word in the world. So...so perfect, and even THAT word wasn't enough to do her
any justice.
"Umm...M-m-master...!"
Miroku
suddenly had a feeling his goggling at the maiden had gotten them in trouble by
the tone in the tanuki's voice. Sure enough, when he turned to look back, he
was met by a large guard with a katana, thick armor and a scowl so full of
violent fury that the pure outrage was almost radiating off him in dark waves.
//I sense that this will not end well,// he thought
with an inward sigh.
"You are
trespassing!" the guard hissed.
He quickly
lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Forgive me, I am but a
traveler, and I do not know where I am at the moment. My intentions were not to
intrude on your land, I assure you." He could tell by the look on the
guard's face that he wasn't buying it. So much for telling the truth!
//Mushin's teachings can kiss my ass, I did not go
through all that battle training just to get killed by a lone guard for getting
lost. Time for a lie.// He was quite good at that, but
he didn't do it often, because
The huge man
paused. "Huh?"
"Indeed,"
he said, glancing at the tanuki and putting out his hand. The youkai set his
staff in it, meekly. "I am a monk from a place far from here, but you are
lucky I arrived, for I sense dark, malevolent spirits hovering all about this
place. I certainly hope your lord has a priest in his court that can handle the
situation."
He could tell
by the man's dull expression that he was an idiot, but this could work to his
advantage. Finally, after much tiring thought, the man nodded and sheathed his
katana. "Very well, then. Your name."
"Miroku."
He blinked.
"I have heard of you! The farmers of the manors nearby have reported many
things of you, healing their ill livestock and exorcising dark spirits from
their workers! So it is YOU who is the supposed great monk."
Miroku bowed
his head, mentally smirking. It was amazing what a few good deeds did for one's
reputation! "At your service."
"Come
with me; we will go to the village and you will speak with my master."
Hallelujah! "Very well."
"That
demon may not come."
He looked back
at the tanuki, who was frowning sadly. "He is my servant," Miroku
objected, looking narrowly at the guard. "He follows me everywhere, and if
he cannot accompany me, I will not see your lord."
The guard
pulled his sword again. "You will come and serve my lord, or you will die
for trespassing!"
"You are
brave to challenge me," he retorted, clenching his right hand into a fist.
One gesture and this fool was gone, but he wouldn't
kill a man who was just doing his job. It wasn't right. However, he COULD psych
him out quite easily. After all, a moron was easy to trick. "Being that I
am a priest, I am a servant of the gods, and killing an innocent monk would
only invoke their wrath upon your village and your lord. Put your sword away
and do not threaten my life, for in the end it will only cause you more grief
than you would prefer, I promise you that."
With a growl,
the huge man put the sword down. "Tanukis are known to steal. If it takes
anything, I will dissect it."
"He will
not," he said, looking back at the youkai, who bowed.
"A tame
youkai must have a name. What is it."
He paused,
remembering that he didn't have one yet. It took him a moment before he got it.
"Hachi."
"What
kind of name is that?"
"Question
me again and I will take my leave of you, cretin."
The guard
huffed, then turned and headed off through the woods. "Follow me."
He smirked, then turned to follow, but the tanuki tugged at his robes
and he paused. "Yes?"
"Hachi,
Master?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
He shrugged.
"When you transform into your flying form, you are yellow and black like a
bee, so I call you Hachi. Childish as it sounds, it will do. Come along,
now."
****
Miroku
followed the guard from the woods for a long time, until finally,
they came across a great, red outer-wall of the village. The guard went to the
large gates and nodded to the two soldiers waiting there, whom opened them and
allowed the three to pass in.
He marveled as
the guard led him through the quaint little settlement. It was about as fine a
place as he had seen, with nice little shops, rows of well-kept houses and MANY
beautiful women. Not one of them could compare to the maiden he had seen in the
woods, but they were all nice to look at nonetheless. "What is this
place?" he whispered to Hachi.
"This is
the Tatsubashi village...Lord Korosu lives here."
He was led to
the home of the lord, which was a fabulous mansion at the heart of the
settlement. Inside, he followed the huge guard to a chamber where a
mature-looking man sat upon a raised platform with his legs crossed, his eyes
closed. He wore the robes of a warrior that allowed quick maneuvering, and they
were as red as the trees' leaves and the walls of the village itself.
Hopefully, it wasn't a symbolic thing!
"My
lord," the guard said, kneeling down. He paused, then grabbed a handful of
the monk's robes and pulled him to the floor too. Hachi quickly knelt down
himself to keep from getting similar treatment. Miroku felt dumb after that.
The lord
looked down at them and frowned, deeply, his dark eyes burning into Miroku. Now
he was scared, but he kept his front up and continued to stare at the floor,
trying to be respectful. "What is the meaning of this intrusion,
Cai?" he spat.
"This
young monk has informed us that there hovers a dark presence over your estate,
my lord. It seems he has been very accurate in the past at predicting and
eliminating such problems, judging from the reports I have heard."
"But he
is only a boy!"
"Your
lordship," Miroku interrupted, reflexively, standing. "I beseech you, do not judge by what you see on the exterior. I may be
young, but I can and will abolish the dark forces here. I feel that if they are
not gotten rid of soon, they will bring about your end as sovereign of this
land, sir." He was lying through his teeth, but it was odd how this act
came naturally. He might even have the potential of a great writer, considering
how he so easily MADE THINGS UP.
"Hmm, I
consider," Korosu said, flatly. "One so young that keeps the company
of a demon is not easily trusted by my likes."
Mikiro sighed
to himself, then paused as something moved near the
door. He looked back over his shoulder, then raised an
eyebrow. It was the woman from the woods! He would recognize her anywhere! She
was peering in at him from the hall, holding in her hands a skipping rope and
blinking, surprised. Now he could see her eyes, and he realized that their
beauty almost outshined that of the rest of her. They were an ungodly shade of
silvery-blue that cut right into his heart, making him feel somewhat weak and
giddy. Why was she here, and why was she watching HIM?
He offered her a smile, then bowed his head slightly and turned back to the
lord as he continued to speak.
"Very
well," Korosu said, at last. "If you believe you can eliminate the
danger to my home, I will allow you to stay. How long will this procedure
take?"
"Not but
a day or so, but it would be better if I were to stay for some time in order to
assess the damage dark shades I sense near have done to your home
already." He was telling the truth this time, but his excuse for staying
wasn't all that truthful. He wanted to find out who that maiden was and why she
was here. She couldn't be a maid, but perhaps she was a member of the
household. That would be quite lucky! If there WERE dangerous spirits here, it
would indeed take him that long, but there were not. At first, he had wanted to
keep from being beheaded by the guard, but now he just wanted him to stay!
"They might already have begun to set in the very walls, and if that is
allowed to occur, all will be lost." He nodded, solemnly. "A week, at the very least."
Her father
nodded. "Very well, monk. Have you a name?"
"Miroku, my lord."
"Very well. You are welcome here within my domicile,
young man. Use my facilities as you feel you must, and keep me updated on the
progress of the exorcism."
WHEW! He
bowed, then nudged Hachi with the pole of his staff,
causing the tanuki to do the same. "I will, and thank you." He turned
from the lord, relieved, then exited the room and paused as the perfect young
lady looked up at him, her eyes shining. She was staring at him, almost
confusedly, and even with htat expression she was absolutely breathtaking. He
smiled down at her, then bowed and took her hand in his own,
admiring the soft tenderness, then kissed it ever so gently to be polite.
"And who might this lovely young lady be?" he asked, looking at her.
The guard, Cai, cleared his throat, clearly voicing his distrust of the
situation. Miroku knew it was his job, but he just wished for a moment that the
man would jump off a cliff or something! The maiden blushed at this, and
Miroku's smile widened. "The lady, indeed. Lady
Kiorinigh is the daughter of the lord."
"Ah, but
of course," he said, winking up at her. Now it was time for his charm, but
he was honest in his words. "Such immeasurable beauty could only belong to
a young woman destined to be a sovereign."
"Ahem,"
the guard repeated. "Mistress, this is Miroku, the MONK." He
emphasized the final word, harshly, and Miroku rolled his eyes, privately.
Obviously he was hoping to dissuade him from liking the lady, but it was too
late for that. He was lower than she, certainly, but Buddhist monk or not, he
had taken no oath of celibacy, and therefore he would express him feelings
toward her to the fullest of his abilities. He was no celibate, virgin or not,
and he never would be.
"I am
honored to meet him," she said, softly, grinning.
He grinned
back at her, then kissed her hand again. The kiss was
less polite and more tender than the first had been,
almost suggestive, but he couldn't help it! He had never felt a passion such as
this in his life, and he wanted to express it. He despised the fact that the
guard was standing there. "The honor is most certainly mine," he
said, standing upright. He cleared his throat and smoothed back his dark hair,
only to let his bangs fall back lightly into his face again. "If you will
excuse me, madam, I have a task to accomplish, and though I would adore the
pleasure of your company for the day, I fear I must leave you." After all,
he had to keep his cover up, but then again... "Maybe at a later time,
perhaps this evening, we could talk a while?"
She nodded,
instantly, and he almost beamed. "Yes! Of course! It would be my
pleasure."
He grinned
again, then turned and accepted his staff from the guard, who looked suspicious
of him. "Thank you. Until then, my lady." He
bowed, then allowed the armored man to escort him
away.
"You keep
your eyes to yourself, monk," the guard said to him. "That is Lord
Korosu's daughter you were looking at. Show a little more respect next time you
meet, or I will be keeping a close watch on you."
"I showed
her no disrespect, merely admiration for the beauty she possesses. I see no
wrong in that." And he didn't, either. He liked the young lady Kiorinigh,
and he would make it as obvious as possible. He couldn't contain it!
Could he be in
love? He almost hoped not, because if what he felt for the woman was love then
he was certainly doomed, for he would do all possible to stay with her, and he
knew that would be foolish, but what else could he do? He had to destroy Naraku
and save his bloodline, but he wanted to stay with her.
He just hoped
he was NOT in love.
****
He spent the
afternoon putting up his demon-repulsion charms around the mansion's outer
walls, being sure to detain Hachi inside to keep him safe from them. Then, he
did a séance to make certain that there WERE no dark spirits, putting himself
into a trance to verify that his lie had been just that. Indeed it had been,
thankfully, but he made a show of the exorcism and allowed several attractive
maids and a few skeptical soldiers watch. He had Hachi behind the scenes making
sounds and adding his own special effects to make it look realistic.
By the time he
was done, it was already approaching evening, and Miroku attended dinner with
the lord and his daughter, Kiorinigh. She was even more radiant in the fading
sunlight of dusk, and they ate on the veranda outside the mansion. Korosu's
guards were standing by the doors and against the railings as they dined, and
Miroku had a feeling that this was due to his somewhat improper greeting of the
young noblewoman. Cai had told on him, no doubt.
"So,
monk," Korosu began, stiffly. "I have been told that you performed
the exorcism."
"Yes..."
he said, cautiously. He was young, but not stupid. If he allowed the lord to
back him into a corner, he would end up another one of those red leaves, he
just knew it. He could sense the darkness this man felt toward him, and he was
going to cover his ass any way possible. If he was going to die prematurely, it
was going to be by his own hand--literally.
"And how
did it go?"
"Yes,"
Kiorinigh said, suddenly, looking at him from across the small table. She
smiled. "I would be interested to know."
He blinked,
suddenly feeling awkward. He brushed the feeling off and offered her a smile,
then politely turned his attention back to the lord in order to protect
himself. "Smoothly, but these things take time. In a few days, I will
repeat the process to assure myself that the spirits have gone. After that, I
will require several more days to proof the mansion against further
encroachment, then I will take my leave."
"Oh, you
will leave us so soon?" she asked, shyly.
He nodded.
"I will complete my duty and continue on my journey in good- faith."
Korosu's
expression projected his approval of this.
The meal ended
swiftly, and for the first time in several months, Miroku was happy to report
that he was full and NOT fearing diarrhea, nausea or food poisoning the way he
had since he began this journey. Afterwards, as the servants cleaned up,
Kiorinigh caught up with him.
"Houshi-sama,"
she said, softly grasping his arm.
He would have
been annoyed, but she was just too pretty to be a bother to him. He looked at
her, then smiled, once again taking in her beauty. She
was breathtaking up-close. "What can I do for you, my lady?" he
asked.
She blushed, then smiled up at him. "I was going to ask you if you
would come and watch the sunset with me, Houshi-sama."
He blinked.
What an honor, to be in the company of such a godly maiden and witness a
natural work of art. "I would be honored, Lady Kiorinigh."
"You may
call me Kiori, Houshi-sama."
"Miroku
will do quite well, then, Kiori." He smiled as she blushed, then offered
his arm to her. She took it, then leaned against his
arm a moment. "Lead the way."
She took him
to a garden not far away, where they sat together on a grassy knoll and watched
the fiery sun sink behind the mountains far away, turning the sky lovely colors
of amethyst, magenta and gold. In the distance, the wind rustled through the
leaves of the red trees, and indeed, they did look to be ablaze. It was
beautiful. As they sat in silence, admiring the view, Miroku noticed with
relish that she was leaning against him, his arm clutched in her arms to her
chest. He smiled to himself.
//I wish I
could stay here,// he thought. //A pity I have so
little time to live.//
****
"But I
cannot dance."
"I will
teach you, then!" Kiori said, stubbornly.
He smiled. He
had learned that she was quite persistent over the last few days. She was
light-hearted and she loved to play games, though she was fifteen and the only
daughter of her father. She was immature, but that was all right--Miroku had
learned that he liked to be around her because she WASN'T mature. He had been
raised by mature people, never having any fun, and she 3as quite the refreshing
change to him.
Kiori, dressed
in her elegant kimono, took his hands and drew him close to her, then smiled up
at him. "You have never danced before, Miroku?"
"No, I
don't believe so..." he smiled, wryly. "Monks
don't have any cause to dance. Why do you?"
"Dancing
is for expression of my joy, and it's fun." She
beamed, then took his left hand and set it on her hip, taking his right hand in
her own. It made him uneasy, but he ignored it. As long as he wore his rosary,
she was safe. She placed her own right hand on the back of his neck, then
paused and gave his ponytail a playful tug.
"Oww!"
"Why must
you tie your hair back?"
"Well...because
it gets in my way."
She smiled.
"I think it would look better down."
He sighed, then smiled back at her. "I somehow doubt it."
"Take it
down, then, and we'll see."
He blinked, then smiled. "You are quite tactful, my lady."
"But of
course I am, now do so, please."
He didn't like
it, but he would do anything to please her. With a sigh, he disengaged from her
and did as she commanded, taking the band from his hair. He frown
as it fell right into his face, then sighed as she laughed and embraced him.
"Are you satisfied now, my lady?"
Kiori smiled, then ran a hand through his hair, sending shivers down his
spine, "Yes, I am. You look much better with it down--it's so cute!"
She beamed, then hugged him again.
He smiled to
himself. "You wanted me to dance with you."
"Yes."
She took his hand again and put the other one on the back of his neck, then
started trying to teach him the stepping pattern. "Follow me, okay? Just
step back, left, forward, right, then back again,
left, forward, right...see? You learn quickly!"
"I have a
good teacher."
She giggled, then stopped showing him where to move as they waltzed
through the field of flowers. He had learned that she was a beautifully
remarkable person inside and out, and she brought something out in him that he
had never known existed. It was a feeling beyond all he had ever felt, and it
made him willing to do anything for her, risk anything and give all he had just
for her. It wasn't just her physical beauty that made him feel this way--it was
her, all of her, inside and out. She put her head against his shoulder, then sighed. "I will miss you when you leave."
He frowned.
"And I you," he sighed, holding her closer and resting his chin on
her head. She was such a joy to hold, to be with...her voice, her scent, her
touch were all he could've ever wanted, but his time with her would soon be
over. He had already done the second exorcism and in a few days, he would have
to leave her, but he didn't want to. He wanted to spend forever with her, to
make her his and his alone and to keep her with him always, but he couldn't and
he knew it. He had a mission to accomplish and a bloodline to save...but he
didn't want to waste what time he had left in misery, he wanted to enjoy it,
and the only way that would be possible would be if he stayed. A pity her
father wasn't one to accept monks as good suitors. He would enjoy what time he
had left with her.
****
"MONK!"
Miroku jumped
awake, almost leaping from his bedding (and his skin, for that matter) to his
feet as the screen to his room flew open and a very angry Cai
stormed in. The guard had hated him from the start, and he had always given him
dark looks while he spent his time with Kiori, but now, the man was utterly
fuming. "What is it?" he asked, surprised.
The man
grabbed him by the collar of his robe and lifted him off the floor, surprising
him further. "You said you would protect us from dark spirits!"
Dark spirits? But he had proofed the mansion against
anything evil! He was sure of it! "What makes you think I haven't?!"
"The
village is under siege by DEMONS, you lying cheat!"
Demons? In the village? He hadn't
thought of that! "I proofed the mansion, not the village!"
"FIX IT
OR YOUR HEAD WILL BE FORFEIT, MONK!"
"Cai, stop it!" It was Kiori, dressed in her nightgown,
still as lovely as possible, though her hair was up on a bun and her smile was
missing. She grabbed the guard's large arm and pulled at it, and amazingly, she
pulled with such force that he almost fell over and dropped Miroku on his feet.
"Lady
Kiorinigh! I-I am sorry, I was just telling this lying--"
She shoved him
aside, then grasped Miroku's arms and looked up at him, her eyes shining in the
moonlight. "Please, Miroku," she whispered. "I beg you, save my
people. Only you can, for my father cannot face them at his age. He will be
killed, but you--you are young and powerful, I know. Please, for me, save
them."
He stared down
at her for a moment, then nodded, resigned, and looked back at Hachi, who was
already up with his staff in his paws. "I will," he said, gesturing.
Hachi immediately brought him his staff and set it in his hand. "But I
have a price to ask of you, my lady."
"A price? Of what nature?"
He smiled. "A kiss."
Cai went to object, but Kiori lifted a hand and silenced him. "A
kiss for the monk, in return for the lives of my people," she said,
narrowly looking at the huge guard. Cai was quiet,
though he looked angry, but it didn't affect her.
Miroku blinked
as she moved into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, then set her
lips to his. The effect was electrifying. Her lips were soft and sweet, and her
mystifying fragrance surrounded him, making him weak with love and desire. It
was astounding. She disengaged moments later, though it felt like a short
eternity, and he immediately felt braver. "Come, Hachi. We have a village
to rescue."
"My
hero," she sighed, smiling. "I thank you, Miroku."
He smirked as Cai muttered to himself, then hurried from the mansion and
out into the village, where he froze in place. The view was terrifying.
There were
beasts everywhere, and they were freakish. They were like giant disembodied
jaws of wild animals, like those of a bear, with huge fangs like sword blades
and the legs of frogs. They were relatively small, standing at only two feet
tall, but they were ferocious, and they were eating everything. People were
running from their burning houses, screaming in terror. The great wall had been
breached by these beasts, and so far, several guards had fallen while facing
them. They munched on houses and children's toys, clothing and people, flesh
and ground, EVERYTHING. What beasts were these?
"Hachi,
tell me what they are!"
"I don't
know, Master! I have never seen the likes of these before, but they seem
powerful! How will you combat them alone?!"
Miroku frowned
to himself, then paused as he spotted a man lying
nearby, missing a leg and bleeding heavily. He was trying to drag himself
across the ground away from one of the things, and he was failing, for his
blood was coaxing it to follow. It was horrible. Without a second thought, he
ran to his side and gave his staff a swing, connecting a blow to the side of
the thing's jaw.
It stopped and
turned to him, and he realized it had no eyes. It was just a monstrous scaly
mouth with huge teeth and a pair of amphibian legs! How did it see?
"Beware,
young monk!" the man called. "Do not let its jaws close on you, for
whatever it connects with you will lose! It has more teeth in its mouth than
you have hairs on your head"
He blinked, then backed up as the thing stalked toward him. If it bit at
him, it would take everything from his knee down off, and if it jumped, which
he was sure it could, it could take his head off. What was there to hit if it
was just legs and a mouth?!
Then, its jaws
parted, showing him a good deal of the inner mouth. There were teeth lining the
roof of the mouth and the bottom, and a huge, meaty, forked tongue sat on them.
If it could do that, it was probably impervious to sharp objects, because those
teeth were sharp, no doubt about it. However, what he saw furthest back was a
relief. In the dark reaches of the throat, a pair of huge, red eyes sat out on
short stalks, narrowed on him and glowing. A weak spot, finally!
He did the
first thing that came to mind and slammed the end of his staff into its mouth,
forcing it to collide with the creature's eyeballs. It screamed and recoiled,
choking and blinking, and he held his staff out as a threat. "Try again, I
dare you!"
It backed off,
then turned and ran.
He knelt next
to the injured man and checked the wound, then sighed. He wasn't missing the
leg after all, but it was a bloody mass of gore, completely unusable. He
hastily grabbed a cloth from the ground nearby, then
began wrapping the injury while whispering a pain-relieving spell under his
breath.
The man was
breathing heavily, but he looked better. "Thank the gods for you, young
man..."
"What are
these things?" he asked as he finished. "Where do they come
from?"
"We call
them Snap-traps, but they are the koketsu youkai."
"Jaw Demons?"
"Yes...we
erected our wall to keep them out, but they ate through. They bite with the
force of many hundreds of pounds. They do not eat, but they thirst for blood,
and they maul and kill anything they can get to. They are very dangerous, and so
stupid that they cannot be easily frightened. Fire doesn't do it, and water is
just an annoyance. Their only weaknesses are their legs and those eyes in their
mouths, though they can be cut up, they are a bother to clean up. Please, you
must save the others somehow."
He looked at
his right hand as the old man grew silent. He had not used the air-rip for many
things in his life, besides clean up at the temple (who needed to rake up
leaves when you could just get rid of them for good?) but perhaps he could use
it to protect these people. It was dangerous, but what choice did he have? He
nodded. "I will, but take cover far from here, for there will be a danger
greater than the koketsu unleashed soon enough."
The man nodded
and hurried to squirm away, and Miroku hurriedly got to the highest point he
could that wasn't ablaze, which was atop a well at the center. Since there were
many fires, the light from them almost made him glow in the dark night, because
of his white sleeping robe, and he was sure this would work to his advantage.
"Clear
the area!" he shouted. "Man, woman and child, all of you leave this
place! Leave the village, and close the gates! Any who are injured take cover
in the nearest house! Hachi," he looked at the raccoon-demon, "Hurry,
gather those who have no way to move and take them away from here."
The tanuki and
the people hastily followed directions, doing all they could to get away from
the koketsu. The monsters were already looking at him, though, and they looked
interested. A good number of them began to tromp to the well. Soon, the area
was clear and all of the injured people were well out of the reach of his
air-rip.
"Come,
beasts!" he called. His voice carried well, he knew, and they responded to
sound, though they had no visible ears. In no time, they were all eyeing the
last piece of flesh in the area, and that was him. "Come try and take a
bite out of me, I challenge you all!"
"Miroku!" Kiori called from a high window of the
mansion. "What are you doing?!"
"Get back
inside and stay covered! I will handle this, but you must be inside!"
She did as
instructed and he grasped the rosary at his wrist, staring out at all the
dozens of koketsu drawing ever nearer, looking hungry and provoked.
"May the
gods be with me..." He ripped the rosary away and
held out his hand, then gasped with surprise as the amazing force of the tunnel
began sucking up the snapping things, screaming horribly. He hadn't known it
had such power, but then again, he hadn't used it in a long time, not since his
childhood. This WAS a dangerous tool, but it was doing the job!"
The koketsu
were dragged to their deaths, and though most scattered, they were pulled in
the moment they moved. Soon, the street was clear and all of the beasts were
gone, having been drawn in. He replaced the rosary, amazed, and the koketsu
outside the gate hastily retreated, terrified.
The people
came back in cheering, looking amazed and grateful. Hachi returned with the
wounded, who were tended to, and Kiori ran to greet
him, happily throwing her arms around him and kissing him passionately.
"The monk
has saved us!"
"Praise
the gods! They sent us their own to rescue our lives!"
"Oh,
Miroku, you're so brave!" Kiori cried when she released him. "Why
didn't you tell me you could do that?!"
He blinked,
dazed, then looked at his hand. "I...I didn't know...but I did..."
"You
did," she agreed, hugging him again, "and you're my hero!"
****
His last day. He was leaving tomorrow, without choice or
chance to change it. He had done all he could and used his lie to the fullest,
but now he had to go. He had spent every day there with Kiori, cherishing them
all, but now he was leaving tomorrow, and he didn't want to go. He had thought
it over and decided that Naraku was unreachable and he had little time left to
enjoy his life. He wanted to stay, but he could not. Life was so unfair!
As they
watched the sunset together in each other's arms, rocking slowly in place where
they stood at the center of the flower field, Miroku reflected on his life so
far. He had watched his father die, then suffered
himself to be trained for ten years afterward by an old drunkard monk with few
morals and even fewer scruples on sinfulness. Now, when he had finally found
the greatest of joys he could ever dream of, he had to leave it behind because
of Naraku's curse and his lady's father. It was unfair, but how could he fight
it?
She smiled and
reached her hands up, touching his face and brushing his bangs back ever so
gently. "What did I tell you about this?" she asked, giving his
ponytail a playful little tug. "You should leave it down. Your hair looks
better down."
He sighed as
he continued to think, frowning to himself. He was going to miss THAT too.
She frowned,
too. "Oh, why so sad? I thought you liked to
dance with me."
"No, it
isn't that," he said, hugging her closer. "I just...feel unworthy of
your fondness, my lady."
"Oh,
Miroku, that's sweet of you," she said, smiling gloriously at him.
"But please, don't feel that way. You are the most worthy."
"Too kind
you are, my dear."
She giggled.
"You're much too charming for your own good."
He sighed,
shrugging. "It's a gift."
She giggled
again, then hugged him, nuzzling his chest. "Will
you stay with me?" she asked, suddenly. His heart jumped into his throat.
"I would be forever content if you would. You're the first man I've met
who is sincere about his feelings, and honest."
Guilt
immediately struck him, but he forced it away and smiled at her. Liar or not,
he HAD saved her village from the koketsu, so maybe his lie was already paid
for. "I doubt your father would approve."
"Oh, but
you are such a fine man!"
"Not in
HIS eyes," he sighed.
She frowned.
"His eyes are old, and besides, he can't last much longer." She
wrapped her arms around his neck and met his eyes with her own. He immediately
got lost in the silvery pools of her eyes, barely able to keep his balance
without her bracing. "Please, Miroku. I love you and I want you to be with
me always."
Though he
mentally knew that agreeing to this would be foolish with his mission, somehow,
he didn't care. He wanted to be with her too, even if he was destined to die
and end his line. At least he wouldn't be alone and miserable for the time he
had left. Besides, he was still young. He had a good amount of time left, and
he wanted to spend it with her.
However, there
was one problem with that...if he didn't handle Naraku, SOMEONE had to.
"As you
wish, my lady," he said, softly. "However...I fear my time with you
may be short..." He was afraid to say this to her, but he felt he had to.
Besides, Lord Korosu might try to kill him soon for loving her, so he wanted to
be with her in a way that he had only dreamt of before his honorable death.
"And...I have a request to ask in return for my remaining in your
presence, though that alone is enough for me."
"Anything..."
"I...would
be honored if you would bear me a son."
Tormented
guilt that struck him as the girl slowly frowned and adopted an expression of
thoughtfulness was overwhelming. She was afraid, he could tell, and so was
he...he didn't want to force her into anything...
Slowly, she
nodded, fingering the beaded, white necklace at her throat. She had worn this
since he had first seen her, and it was apparently very important to her.
"A-all right...I will..."
He blinked. "You--?"
"Yes,"
she said, suddenly, hugging him. "I will...give my virginity to you."
Despite his
doubts about the intelligence of his choice, he smiled and kissed her forehead.
"You will have to be patient with me, for I have never known the touch of
a woman in that sense."
She blinked
this time. "A man such as you--?"
"Never,"
he sighed, smiling. "I want this to be special, to prove my feelings to
you. I am honored by your choice."
****
After an
eternity of indescribable passion, lasting from dusk until well after
He couldn't
allow himself to die when he had a demon to find and kill. He was sorry for
what he had done, and though he wanted to stay, he couldn't. He had to go, to
spare his own life. He would die if he didn't have so much to accomplish. He
would wait for her to awaken, though, so he could explain, and then he would
go. That way, she wouldn't think he was pond- scum.
The problem
was, if he said he loved her and he had to leave because of a mission, would it
be a lie? Would it be fair?
He looked down
at her, asleep with her head on his shoulder, then
sighed aloud. She was so lovely, and he wanted to stay with her, but he
couldn't. He just couldn't. It would kill her to see him die the way he had
seen his own father die, and he wanted to spare her that agony anyway. Besides,
maybe if he killed Naraku soon enough, he could return for her. That was a good
idea.
//Just in
case,// he thought, looking at the necklace she wore, //I must have something
to remember her by, so I will never forget.// He eyed it a moment, then
compared it to his rosary. They were the same, almost identical and both were
made of sutra beads...maybe if he traded his rosary for her necklace, she wouldn't
know the difference. It wasn't stealing, after all, if he gave her something of
his own. He'd have to make the switch fast, though, or else his air-rip would
consume them. He decided to take the necklace first and put it in place of the
rosary, then he would take it off and put it on her.
It was the safest choice.
He carefully
took the necklace from around her neck, feeling somewhat guilty, then put it on
his arm with the rosary and compared them. They were indeed identical, although
his rosary was made with glass sutra beads while her necklace was white jade,
but that made little difference. He slipped it off his hand and braced himself
for the air-rip's activation.
...Nothing
happened. Yes, her necklace was a form of rosary, or perhaps just anointed, maybe
even blessed. //Whew...// He moved to put the rosary on her, but a voice not
far off surprised him and made him pause.
"That
lecher did WHAT to the lady?! I'LL SKIN HIM!"
//Uh-oh,
sounds like Cai has been informed...// He was so
scared at that moment that his hand involuntarily opened, suddenly, and the
rosary beads hit the wooden floor, falling between two of the floorboards and
disappearing. //Oh NO! NOW what will I tell her about her necklace?!//
The guards
were coming, he could hear them, and he was naked, as was Kiori. They were in a
compromising position, and not only was he stealing her necklace, but he had
slept with her and soiled her honor.
//DAMN IT!// he thought, angrily. He took a deep breath, then gave Kiori's bare shoulder a shake, awakening her.
"My lady, I must go."
"What?"
she asked, tiredly. "But Miroku, I thought you said--"
He managed to
lift her up and shift her onto the bedding, then got up and grabbed his robes
from the floor, tossing them on and tying his hair back. He stuck his feet in
his sandals and grabbed his staff. "I want to," he said,
"However, I fear I might not live to see your beauty ever again, my lady,
so I take my leave, but I swear we will meet again someday."
"Miroku--"
The guards
began to pound on her screen door and he knew his time was up. He pulled the
back, sliding screen-door in her room back, revealing a back path through the
garden leading to the gates. He had to get out of here, NOW. "I must
go!"
She froze as
she sat up and felt at her neck, and he felt his heart freeze with the action.
"Where is my necklace?"
"It--fell
through the floorboards in the night," he lied, hating himself for it.
"You will find it there!" he pointed. "I must leave you now!
HACHI!" he shouted out the screen.
The tanuki came
in a rush. "Master, the guards are--"
"Yes, I
know! Transform! We must leave!"
"Miroku,
you said you would--!"
"I
cannot, my lady!"
"The door's sealed," a guard barked.
Cai growled. "GET IT OPEN!"
Miroku bit his
lip, then leapt onto Hachi's vast back as he transformed into his other form,
the one that flew. He held on for dear life as the youkai flew into the dark
night sky and took off as fast as possible, taking him away from the place. His
mind was racing, but soon, he blacked out, only to find that he didn't care
anymore. The last thing he knew was that he had to find Naraku.}~
Miroku woke
with a jerk and sat up, his eyes wide. "I left her!" he shouted,
grasping handfuls of his hair in utter fury, "I LEFT HER!" He
remembered most everything now--the forest, the Tahakashi village, Kiori, her
necklace--
He froze and
looked at his hand, then stared, remembering the accusation she had thrown at
him the last time he had seen her.
/'He left with
some quick excuse and a few sweet words, taking with him my late mother's
priceless jade necklace...'/
"Oh
no..." he whispered. How could he had forgotten?
And why did he feel like he was still forgetting? How had it all changed so
fast, and...
It was all too
much. Suddenly faced with the intensity of his sin against her, he burst into
unrestricted tears, wailing like a banshee in utter agony. He wasn't even fit
to be called a bastard anymore. He had used that girl and destroyed her, after
claiming to have...
His own voice
echoed in the back of his mind as a moment of the passion he had shared with
her came back to him. He had said something, but...he couldn't remember...
[\\"Ohhh
Miroku..."
"...I
love you..."\\]
"***NO***!"
he yelled at the top of his lungs. HOW LOW WAS HE TO LIE ABOUT SUCH A THING?!?
That had
topped it off, he was officially the scum of the
earth. He had used her, stolen from her, destroyed and lied
to her, and he had impregnated her, dooming her to life as an outcast with the
son of a man she hated. He had really done it this time. He had absolutely
ruined the life of a sweet, innocent girl, having turned her into a woman bent
on revenge, living off of hatred, and having created a boy that feared him. He
had destroyed one life, created and damned another, and now, his own world was
crashing down around him in a fiery blaze that ate him up inside.
HOW COULD HE
BE SO UTTERLY LOW?!
Miroku dragged
himself to his feet and bolted off into the woods, following his senses to
exactly what he was looking for. They had passed this on their way to the
mansion, and he was thankful he knew where it was.
It was a lake,
and a waterfall. It wasn't a big cataract, but it was big enough, and he leapt
right off it as he came to the bring. He didn't
deserve to live anymore--he doubted if he ever HAD deserved to live. Finally,
he agreed with the woman he had so badly hurt; she wanted him dead, and he
would oblige her.
This way,
everyone would be happy. Mikiro would have Inuyasha to raise him right, Sango
wouldn't have to worry about a perverted bastard touching her, and Kiori would
rest assured knowing that her enemy was no longer around to hurt anyone else.
He breathed a
sigh of resigned relief as he plunged to his eminent doom.
****
To Be
Continued
Xandra: Yes,
an evil author am I. Now you know what happened, and
yes, I did leave a lot out. (Had I rated this R and put a lemon scene in, I
wouldn't have so many readers, because FFnet automatically sets the screens to
show PG13 to G stories, not R. I left it out on purpose.) Apparently, there are
still questions to answer, but worry not, for they will come soon. Besides,
cliffhangers are good, and unsolved questions keep you guessing. Think about it
this way: you know when you're watching a REALLY good part of an anime and they
suddenly go to commercial? They do that because it keeps you wanting to see the
next part, therefore insuring you want go flipping the channel. Same thing here. Without my cliffhangers, you people
wouldn't be so excited about the next part. Just mull it over, absorb the
chapter, and if it helps you to catch what I haven't covered, you might want to
go back and read the whole story over again, if not just select chapters. I've
found that helps in mysteries and confusing things like this.
Oh, and about
the comment on my pattern of cliffhanger, no cliffhanger, cliffhanger, etc.,
no, that was unintentional. I noticed I was doing it, but I always leave you
waiting if I can. If I can't and I have to resolve the problem for extra story
reasons (I work on Msword97 and I like having an average of 12 to 20 pages per
chapter) I end it. It's just how it works.
Email is open,
and once again, my finalists need to email me at [email protected] (this is
my contest box). We can talk about your parts in the following chapters, names,
ideas, etc. Once again, the winners in order are SygarKat in first, Topaz and
Jacie tied in second (though Topaz is actually the head second-place, because
she guessed 7 right off the bat without question), and Rutako, Kaylana and
Kai-Aki Ti tied in third. Thanx to everybody else that tried, and finalists,
email me! Hope you enjoyed, and long reviews are liked. You can even mention
your favorite part of the story so far if you like (I always enjoy those) or
your favorite character/situation/plot twist I invent. REVIEW, PEOPLE! ^_^