30 Shards

Midoriko's time spent as a member of the Shrine seemed to stand still, and the Inu no Taisho spend more of his "patroling" to include visits more often.  

Four years had passed since she had come to live at the Shrine, and in the summer of her nineteenth year, she had achieved top rank in her weaponry teachings, save for one.  The sword.  She still couldn't master it, and it frustrated her to no end.

She had learned the secrets as to why the Shrine was "hidden" as well.  In an age when rumors became more than just tales, the overall view of Mikos had begun to change.

Because of their extraordinary powers of purification, and inablility to explain why, some were regarded as witches.  Or temptresses.  Or... whores of youkai.

Where once a miko would be greeted kindly by passer-bys on the roadways, they were driven off.

Where once mikos were sought out to help cleanse an area of evil, their powers were viewed as evil.

If a miko was found traveling alone, unspeakable things could happen.  Many did not survive to tell their tales...

Not every being felt that way, however, but it was difficult for a miko to tell upon meeting a stranger along her travels whether or not the tales had reached the ears of the other.

It had been decided long ago tht the Shrine would be "sealed off", to keep it and the inhabitants safe, from the rest of the world.  Only those possessing purity of heart, mind, and soul would ever have a chance of coming into contact.

The Inu no Taisho took on the task of sword training to Midoriko personally.  He had loaned her his own practice sword that he had used when he was "a child", though it was hard for her to envision him as such.  She often found herself contemplating just how old he was, let alone him being any younger.  

She often giggled to herself at the images of KO-Inu no Taisho!

But, she had a deep respect for him as well as fond feelings about their friendship. 

He would never do anything to harm me, and if ever I were in any kind of danger...

"No, I will not think that.  I cannot think that.  He is my sensei and my friend.  But, why does my heart tell me otherwise?"

She often confided in Nakama of her growing feelings for him, for to tell anyone else...
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"How... long, have you had Nakama now?" he had asked her one day.

"You found her five days before my natal day, the day that marked my fifteenth year..." she replied.

"Your... natal day..." he fumbled.

"Hai, the day of my birth; it is during the height of typhoon season, my lord.  Why?"

Since he had confessed that youkai were the ones who taught humans about the properties of plants, surely, she thought, that he knew what events occured during certain months of the year?

"So, she is of four years now.  She is old enough to breed.  What kind of neko is she?  Has she displayed any power, different coloring, anything?"  He twitched an eyebrow.

"I think she's a Fire Neko, my lord.  I heard her one day in the gardens here, making a noise like a growl.  When I approached her to see if she was ill, she transformed into a larger size!  She was as big as a Steppe pony!" she exclaimed.

"Indeed?" he blinked.

"She had two long teeth coming out of her mouth, one on each side; her eyes were like amber-fire; she had flames coming from her paws; and she could..."  Midoriko's voice trailied off.

"She... could?" he prodded.

"She can fly, my lord."  There was a pause of a few heartbeats.  "I wonder if she can be trained to be ridden, and trained for battle as well..."

He pursed his lips slightly and sniffed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was there on the last day Midoriko spent in the Shrine before she would set off into the world to find her destiny.  It was, in a sense, graduation day.

Seika had become the Shrine's Elder, having assumed the position and title now that the current one had passed on.  She had offered Midoriko her position as Sensei, to which the young miko politely refused.  Midoriko's destiny, she told Seika, as a Miko and a warrior, lie elsewhere.  With rumors abound of neighboring clans waging war on each other, it was a strong calling deeply seated within her that she couldn't ignore.

Seika was solemn at this, but understood.  It would go against destiny itself to insist that Midoriko stayed.

Word of encroaching rival clans upon the Borders of the West reached the ears of the Inu no Taisho as well as Midoriko.  Not only did youkai plot against him for possession of his lands, but now so did humans.

On this last day, Midoriko spoke her concerns to him while siting in the courtyard of the Shrine.  The serenity of the koi pond and Nakama in her lap kept her steady focus. 

"What do you intend to do now, Green Child, that your trainings here are completed?" he asked.

All except for the sword...  She sighed and focused on the fish as they lazily snatched Water Skimmers from the surface.

"My lord, it hardens my heart to hear of your lands being threatened.  Although I have not seen, you talk of your borders often.  They must truly be a wonderful sight to uphold..."

He was silent, but breathed steadily.  A sign from him she had come to know of his attentiveness.

"Youkai and humans both plot against you, and vie against each other, for the "rights" to confront you and seize your borders.  I feel a great need to seek the truth of these rumors and put them to rest, but I must seek out my destiny as well.  I am torn as to what to do."  

She stroke Nakama's fur as she spoke, trying to hide her concern.

"My lord, it gladdens my heart to hear of youkai and human living side by side in peace.  But, it disturbs me to think they would conspire together, or against each other, for war.

The Inu no Taisho stood from his resting place and sighed.  He raised his head towards the trees, as if studying them.

"I would ask something of you, but before I do, I must know a few things."  His voice was heavy, almost stoic.  She knew him differenty, however.

He turned his head and fixed his honeyed stare upon her.  Her breath caught sharply in her chest, but she passed it off as a sneeze.  The Cherry Blossoms were in bloom, after all...

"How many kinds of youkai do you know of?" he asked.

"I know of wolf clans that have territories between your borders of the West and the North; I have heard of panther youkai to the South; of bird youkai to the East; and some say there are dragon youkai to the North, although this may be just a rumor.  No one who may have actually seen a dragon is still alive to tell."

She absent-mindely stroked Nakama's fur a bit harder.

"Even though I am the only youkai you have met face to face and know, do you fear me?"

That worries me.  Fear him?

"My lord?  I do not fear you, even as a small child..."

"What I meant was more of me as a youkai, not me of whom you know."  He clarified.

"No, my lord.  I do not fear any youkai, and if one is foolish enough to try and harm me, I am confident that I can handle my own."  She raised her brows haughtily.

"One would be foolish to try and harm you in my presence."  He voiced, resting his hands upon the two swords at his hip while the red-jeweled one glinted in the sun.

"My lord?" she quirked.  What did he mean by that?

"Midoriko, what little peace remains between youkai and human is strained, but it is still there.  These are troubled times I fear that we are heading in to.  Peace may yet remain if it can be shown that youkai and human can live together in honor of one another."

Midoriko's head turned slightly, clearly confused.

"I would ask if you would consider being my liaison, and accompany me on my travels.  You will need armor; I have already seen to that.  The sword at your hip is yours as well.  Consider it," he glanced up, and remembered the word.  "A natal gift."

She was speechless!  Setting Nakama aside, she removed herself from the edge of the koi pond and lowered into a deep bow. She felt utterly humble in his presence.

"Rise Midoriko.  I have never seen you as subordinate to me, nor should you be now."  A slight laugh behind his words.

She rose to meet his eyes.  She didn't know what to say, but he must have read her thoughts.  Or smelled her excitement.

"You have a question for me as well?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Indeed, Midoriko did.  "I have known you for many years now, my lord, and I feel that this new aspect of our friendship warrants something more."

She was uncertain just how to say it, but it had been burning in her mind since she was a small child.

"Nani?"  Clearly, he was curious as well.

"I... umm, that is... what is your name?"  There, it is finally out.

The Inu no Taisho bestowed another gift.  He smiled, looking positively seductive to her then.  She tried to quell the feelings of that...

"You may call me Kiba."

Fang, she thought.  It fits.

~fin~