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Miko no Makimono	By : cakeiton Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Sessh?maru/Kagome > Sessh?maru/Kagome Views: 4431 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own or make money off of anything Inuyasha.

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Three Miko Sisters of Musashi

I don’t own anything Inuyasha.

Originally Beta’d by Leah, who is awesome!

~~~

Back in the Past

The sun always shined in the dreams forced onto her by another and was constantly on the edge of being too bright, almost tricking her eyes that were enclosed behind her lids in deep sleep. She felt far away from her home in Omiya, but knew she was securely in her room at the shrine that had always been her home. When the visions first occurred she longed to feel the cool water of the ocean that swayed the small boat she found herself in as she fished, or smell the salt air that had to be clinging to her face, but the lovely visions were empty without the sensual stimulation. Now, she just wished for these messages to be relayed as quickly as possible.

The voice in her dream haunted her with missions to come and tasks she could not refuse. With her real eyes still shut, she looked out over the endless green blue ocean with a sense of home, yet knew she might never truly get there.

“Hoderi,” the echoing voice called out to her. The sing song melody of a child, yet the stern undertone of someone much, much older than she, filled all the spaces around of this imaginary world, trapping her within her own mind. She pulled the line attached to her fishing pole absentmindedly. There was never anything alive here except herself, and the voice that named itself Mother and referred to her by the name of a male Kami; one of the first would procure the race of mortal humans on earth.

“Hai, Okaasan,” was all she replied. She no longer questioned her sleeping visions.

“My child,” The voice filled her head, insinuating no escape. “I shall be with you today.”

Her brows lifted high. “Why now?”

“I do not care to miss much more of our glorious victory.”

It sounded so childlike, yet so ominous, and too powerful to be kind.

“Okaasan, what shall we do to prepare?”

There was a long pause. She wasn’t sure if the wind blowing against her was part of the vision or her own subconscious trying to regain control. Either way, it brought little comfort.

“Simply go outside and welcome me as family again, Hoderi.”

“Hotaru,” she tried again to correct. It was the name she had been called her whole life, the one her true mother used to sing across the clearing of the shrine to call her in for teachings, meals, and what not. She cherished it, was proud of it, yet the Kami that spoke to her through dreams called her by a new name; Hoderi. It was a name for a mission, for a battle… for compliance.

“Hotaru is not the name I’ve given you, Hoderi… my son.”

The sentiment was warm, but the voice was not. Before any further questions could be asked the waves' ripples intensified, the salt in the air mixed with her long hair that whipped around her face, and she felt the slow decent from the dream world that was no longer her own to the real world that was slowly being taken away from her as well.

“Hotaru-san,” a quiet voice begged gently as her shoulders were nudged by young, calloused hands.

She awoke to see her younger sister glaring at her with brown, expectant eyes. The bright white of her miko haori reflected the morning’s light into her newly awakened own and the smell of the ocean hit her hard.

It will be the closest I’ll ever be to the sea. “Hiyori-chan, what is it?”

Her powerful younger sibling smiled down at her. “You were glowing again and you smell of salt. What news from our mother?”

Hotaru groaned in disapproval. “Do not call her that.”

“But she is,” the young teenager insisted, “Tell me, what did she say?”

The elder sister sat up on her futon, fighting the urge to rub the sleep from her eyes. The mornings were already growing colder with the autumn impending and the time to move everything into action was coming quicker than she liked. Everything she felt true and right was being stripped from her like warmth of the days.

“Where is Komeko-chan?” she responded, referring to their youngest sister and avoiding the question.

The middle child’s face pursed together in annoyance and gave a deliberate huff that sent her high, tight plait over her shoulder before answering, “She is singing to that thing again.”

Hotaru nodded. They could often find their youngest sister practicing skills with their “guest”. Standing up and stretching, she and took her time preparing the small room for daylight hours. They lived in a well known shrine and were once accustomed to having travelers from all over, even more so when the knowledge that all three sisters held powers far advanced from most mikos, and all visitors wished to be healed and heard. However, that all had stop shortly after Hotaru’s nightly visions. Though those without spiritual powers could not detect evil auras and youki, humans can sense conflict and most tried to avoid it, leaving their shrine to be visited by only the most devout regulars.

The weight of a fight to come was heavy in the air now, imposing on what once was the peaceful holy place of her childhood memories.

She walked, leading her anxious sibling to the front entrance of their quarters. Hiyori was growing impatient with her older sister’s reticence, and lovingly pleaded, “Please, I want to know what she asks of us now.”

The sturdy, shoji doors slid with minimal effort, opening the mikos to the new day. Looking out across the land belonging to their shrine, she focused on a small house that quartered their reluctant ward so favored by Komeko.

“Gather our sister,” the eldest finally offered. “We will meet Okaasan today.”

Hiyori’s gasp vocalized her shock, then turning into an excited squeal. “Oh, arigato, Hotaru-chan! I’ll tell sister right away!” She pushed past Hotaru and raced across the small clearing separating their quarters from Komeko’s position, when she suddenly skidded to a stop on the hard dirt.

Hotaru felt it as well. A moment later the door on their ward’s quarters flung open and a small miko raced out to join her older sister in the open.

“Anewei,” the youngest called out as her short hair swung with her pace. “What is that?”

The aura could not be mistaken. It was the same one that had been infiltrating her dreams over the past year. All three looked out towards the north to see a child, younger than even Komeko’s twelve years, casually walking steady towards them. The trees around them were threatening change through the late summer sun, casting a rust colored glow about the grounds.

Hotaru snapped from her thoughts to command her sisters. “Hiyori-san, go greet her at the entrance. Komeko-chan, prepare a room.”

“Hai,” they both said in unison, running off to their newly appointed duties. Hotaru kept her composure. Though she wasn’t as exuberant as her kin, she was truly curious. Walking to the edge of the stairs where her middle sister was already bowing to a stoic, quiet child the apprehensive elder miko studied the face of the voice that falsely brought her to the ocean in her sleep. When they reached the top Hotaru gave her own bow to welcome her.

“Welcome to Hikawa-Jinja. How can we be of service to you?”

The child was silent. Her eyes were a dead green through brown bangs that hit her upturned nose, messily yet characteristically hiding most of her face. She gave a small smile to the woman addressing her, nodding her head slightly before continuing to walk into the property.

The two older sisters exchanged a confused look, then quickly turned to follow. Hotaru tried to start conversation again by offering information, hoping to coax their commander into talking.

“The land Shizugatake has seen the battle for the rightful heir of the Oda clan, showing favor to Oda Nobukatsu-sama over his younger brother as predicted. I have passed on your message and Hashiba Hideyoshi-sama, who led the charge, will offer his invitation of celebration to be held within his newly built castle in Osaka. If Nobutaka-sama accepts, recognition of ruler of the Oda clan will be instead transferred to Hideyoshi-sama in wake of this victory. The only problem is the rumors of the Four Guardians; however no actual news has been heard regarding them.”

They reached the door of their quarters as the eldest miko finished her retelling months of planning and action without a word from their new visitor. Komeko obediently slid the doors open while sitting on her heels, bowing low to show her reverence. As the strange young miko passed by her hand graced the crown of her shoulder length hair. Komeko’s eyes shot open as the strong tingle warmed down her spine.

Once everyone was inside, the sisters sat in a semi-circle with the grace of proper Japanese ladies, surrounding the new addition in their center. She took a deep breath, closed her lightless eyes, and spoke to them from their deepest levels of subconscious. As in the dreams, it echoed off all areas inside them, seeming to surround them internally.

“My children, you have done well to ensure our legacy. This land will be ours as once promised by my marriage. Hoderi…” The older sister sat up straighter as she was addressed, what she considered, incorrectly in her mind, curious if her sisters could hear the personal messages. “You will remain by my side as the oldest and strongest. Hosusori…” Hotaru’s eyes flung open and looked at her younger sibling, whose eyes were still closed and a great sense of pride on her features. Not only can they hear each others’ messages, but did they all have different names of ancient Kami to this powerful being? “You will soon lead the charge on the demon castle bordering the Eastern and Western Lands where I believe the blade to be located… do not worry about the Western Lord.”

“Hai,” Hiyori replied, her smile apparent in her tone.

“And Hoori…” the ominous tone no longer sounded passive, nor was it pleased. “Explain yourself.”

The younger sister looked hurt. She opened her eyes to look at their self-proclaimed mother pleadingly, “What do you mean, Okaasan?”

The child miko’s eyes opened and returned Komeko’s gaze. If Komeko didn’t revere her so she would have turned away from the creeping dead stare. A deathly annoyance echoed as she clarified, “Why is your aura laced with youkai?”

Komeko caught her breath as the other two sisters sighed. Not wanting Komeko to damage the already sensitive situation, Hotaru spoke for her. “Okaasan, he is a ward given to the shrine by his mother in order to protect him against his father.”

Hiyori face squished together in her all too familiar disapproval of taking care of a creature even less than a hanyou. Komeko was nodding quickly as if to take attention away from the middle sister.

Okaasan moved her eyes to the eldest, signaling for her to continue. Hotaru shifted under her gaze, but kept her voice steady. “He is harmless, but perhaps a meeting will ensure your comfort here.”

After a long moment the Okaasan miko stood up and headed for the door, knowing the three would follow. When the door slid open they slowly walked across the courtyard, Komeko now in front, leading the way to her favorite hobby. Hotaru used the time to offer more explanation.

“It was before our father was born. His mother took in an aging miko with a young male child, though she could sense youki within him. She told his mother of a hanyou who had seduced her with promises of living together and protection, but withdrew them shortly after the child was born. After a few years, he returned to claim the boy. She sought solace in our shrine, but requested their auras be hidden.” They reached the ward’s living quarters and Komeko again slid the doors open for the other women. Hotaru raised a hand and a barrier surrounding the building dropped before they entered.

For a being with more human blood than youkai, his aura was powerful and had only grown throughout his time at the shrine. All three sisters could remember growing up and being warned against approaching him. Komeko, of course, did not listen and had tried to befriend the slowly aging child. They played between the thick trees surrounding their shrine, the leaves dancing in their giggles of stolen moments away from duty, status and forced captivity. Hiyori always believed the blending of the two races was an abomination and it drove the two younger sisters apart over the years. Hotaru, however, cared for the boy as her father had once done and though he was angry, she did not sense the evil Okaasan swore resided inside him.

The day their father had died the boy tried to escape. Half of the buildings were damaged or destroyed and a call for a binding was made by the villagers. Hiyori was more than happy to comply, but it broke Komeko’s heart to perform her duty. She had cried for days after he was confined to the shelter that was once stables and it wasn’t until Hotaru had her first vision that she visited him once again.

“He is bound by miko ties as well,” Hotaru continued, “But it is the Yasakani no Mamatama that hold him mostly now.” As she explained she gestured to the treasured beaded necklace he wore. “He has grown powerful, but he will be most helpful, we only need to keep him alive.” Hotaru was not used to bargaining, so she played into the child miko’s wishes instead, trying to give him a purpose in Okaasan’s centuries old plan.

In her head, the cold voice rang out again. “I have no wish to see him dead, yet.”

They stopped in front of a young boy. He looked no older then the youngest, Komeko, but they all knew better as he was approaching his 84th year. His black hair hung long in a braid that fell to his waist with bangs that teased his brows. He looked angrily at the four mikos in front of him and charged, knowing full well he wouldn’t get past the length of the chains at his wrist, and hissing through his teeth as the holds burned his flesh through his grey haori. He winced, dropping to his knees, and Komeko was soon on the ground with him just out of arms reach calling out, “Mamuro-kun!” Softly, she started singing a quiet lullaby and they all watched as the beads around his neck glowed.

“You bitch!” the semi-youkai cried out in a voice too young for such words as he felt the subjugation work its controlling magic. He was being lulled into complacency through the melodic voice of the youngest sister and practiced, silent tears. “Sakura, sakura, yayoi no sora wa. Miwatasu kagiri…”

The eldest apologized. “He has his father’s temper. However, the beads prove highly effective with Komeko-chan’s power.”

The Okaasan miko stared at the subjugated boy, obviously pleased with the affirmation of possession of one of the Three Sacred Treasures. Her voice reverberated around them with a cold, dry tone as she spoke outloud, “The youkai will suffer for removing the blessings of Amaterasu from my line.” The sisters suddenly felt cold, Komeko unable to sing further, as they realized her voice was the same in their heads as it was in real life; echoing and everywhere.

“Tell me,” Okaasan continued, “who is the father?”

With eyes still wide and focused with incredulity on the young miko, Hotaru answered, “The inu-hanyou from the battle of the Shikon-no-Tama… Taisho Inuyasha.”

They all again looked upon the subdued semi-youkai. His pale skin glided over his childish but straight nose and already defining jaw line. Gold eyes looked up from the ground at the Okaasan miko with rage and his teeth grinded together with his growl.

Her voice echoed again. “I will have your service, young Taisho, and you will address me as Sakuya-sama, mother to all ningen.”

Sarcastically he spat out, “Keh, kind of a long title there, miko bitch.” He gave her a juvenile half-grin through mad eyes when she didn’t respond until Komeko started singing again. His stomach curled on itself and his body tightened as he fought a losing battle against the youngest sister who had the power to control his body.

“Kasumi ka kumo ka… Nioizo Izuru… Izaya, izaya… Mi ni yukan…”

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I learned a new word today! Reticence!

And the song is a japanese folk song "Sakura sakura", which I don’t own either.
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Miko no Makimono

Three Miko Sisters of Musashi