Inuyasha, "Shiori Chronicles" Chapter 2, Shiori/Kohaku, rated PG
Fandom: Inuyasha
Title: Next Generation: Shiori Chronicles
Chapter Title: Chapter Two: Impromptu Delay
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairing: Shiori, Kohaku, OC, Shiori/Kohaku
Rated: PG
Word Count: 1,446
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Warnings: None
Theme: Disaster
Notes: Post-manga. Written for the "Disaster" theme over at inuyasha_et_al. Third place winner.
Chapter Summary: A mudslide delays their trip to the sacred waterfall.
Shiori has never wished harm on anyone. She’s seen first hand what such evil can produce, and though she is both youkai and human, she doesn’t see herself as evil, but she knows like anyone else, she’s capable of terrible thoughts.
So when she, Kohaku and the traveling bat youkai stop to help a nearby village, she feels bad for secretly enjoying her fortune, even though people from the village have suffered a horrible disaster. A mudslide has hit the small town, and Kohaku insists on helping them; which of course, delays their journey to the sacred waterfall where Shiori will start her training as the new Elder.
The current Elder is more than happy to help the humans. It’s a part of their pack’s code to aid people and promote compassion and peace. Every day these peaceful bat youkai impress Shiori, and she feels grateful for becoming a part of their tribe.
Of course, the delay also means that she can spend more time with Kohaku. They are gaining significant ground on their journey, and though she considers Kohaku a good friend, the boy is naturally reserved, only shining outwardly when he’s in battle. For days they have encountered rare opportunities for Kohaku to use his skills, and their interactions lull peacefully, as Shiori talks liberally and Kohaku listens to her with short responses.
Soon, Shiori knows that they will part at the sacred waterfall, and every day she dreads that moment. She has hoped for more time to get to know Kohaku, but the slow pacing of their friendship is making it difficult to grow into anything more. Shiori feels inwardly wilted by her foresight in this, and when she mentions it to the Elder (who is becoming a great confidante), the old bat youkai merely smiles and says that Shiori’s intuition will heighten as she starts to use the Elder’s scepter more. This fact troubles Shiori further when her senses suggest Kohaku regards her as nothing more than a friend, and he probably won’t feel anything else otherwise.
After settling at the outer part of the village, Kohaku takes off to meet with the fief lord, initially without the bat youkai, and to inquire about how much help they need while surveying the damage of the mudslide. Shiori insists she go with him, but Kohaku firmly objects, since he’s not sure how the humans of this village will react to a hanyou or even youkai coming into their town. Hours pass by, but when he returns and approaches Shiori and the Elder, he appears overtly troubled.
“News isn’t good. The lord of this village believes a youkai caused the mudslide,” he says with a sigh. His lip curls and Shiori can sense his aggravation and distress. The Elder appears saddened by this information, but Shiori can tell this news does not deter her desire to help these unfortunate people.
“I understand their frustration, but please, Kohaku-dono, tell them we would still love to help,” she states, and Shiori hopes that someday she will show the same strength as Elder. “I do hope prejudice does not get in the way of accepting aid for their tragedy.”
“I can come with you,” Shiori tries again. “I’m hanyou, so I’m sure the half-human part of me could appeal to them.”
Kohaku shakes his head. “These people a very angry. There’s a mob of villagers already talking of hunting and destroying the youkai themselves. I don’t think they will take kindly to any youkai at this point, peaceful or not. A hanyou trying to help might be worse.” He lets out a frustrated breath. “If Inuyasha were here, it would be different. His legend is pretty well-known, and people are more likely to accept his help.”
Shiori furrows her brow. She becomes impatient with Kohaku’s caution, and she feels offended that Kohaku would prefer Inuyasha’s help over hers. “Well, Inuyasha isn’t here, Kohaku-kun, and you can’t help them all by yourself,” she states, and her tone quickly surprises him. “If Inuyasha has taught me anything, it’s that humans and youkai can work together even in a group. They may not accept me, but you can’t make that assumption until you give me a chance to speak to them.” Shiori glances briefly at the Elder, who stands stoically next to her without input. Shiori meets Kohaku’s uncertain eyes. “I’m coming with you the next time you go back to them, at least to serve as a liaison of the bat youkai who only wish to help them. If they accept me, they can accept them. If they are desperate enough for help and restoration to their village, maybe they will.”
“And if they deny you?” Kohaku asks as he crosses his arms. He watches Shiori unconvinced, but Shiori rises to his challenge. “They may not want help at all, not even from me if they don’t like that I travel with demons.”
“Then, if they are suffering this much but are too prejudiced to accept our help, that is their loss,” Shiori counters. Her tone softens, but she feels nervous as the Elder observes her and Kohaku; however, she feels she has to stand her ground on this. Kohaku has a good heart, but he’s too independent, and he takes on too much responsibility and burdens all by himself. It’s time he share the weight of the work with everyone else.
She reaches out a hand and places it on Kohaku’s shoulder. “Please, Kohaku-kun. Give me a chance to convince them. It’s better for me to try than for you to take this on alone. You set out to help the bat youkai, my new people, and they owe you their help too.” Shiori turns to the Elder who nods, and she’s relieved the woman agrees with her. Shiori turns to Kohaku again, studying him as he considers her appeal.
He rubs his chin with a contemplative expression. He doesn’t like the idea; she can sense that, but she knows that he can’t just ignore their assistance. The villagers stand more of a chance with all of them aiding them, youkai and human, than turning their tragedy over to mob rule. That, and Shiori believes that if youkai show they are peaceful and willing to assist them, they may learn to quell their anger before turning to violence.
“Alright,” Kohaku says, and he looks at Shiori sternly. “If you are in any danger at all, we’re leaving immediately.”
“I’ll make up my own mind about that,” Shiori says, lifting her chin confidently. Kohaku can’t just protect her all the time, and though she is grateful for this extended time to be with him, she means to show him just how valuable she can be.
If Kohaku sees that she can be a good leader, that she can help people and share the burdens and responsibilities of others without his help, maybe he will see her as more than a friend. Maybe he can see her as worthy of something else.
In any case, Shiori knows she must hold onto her convictions. Despite her heart, if Kohaku never looks at her in the way she wants him to, she is still going to be the leader of this group, and she has to learn the ways of her new people regardless of her feelings. It’s as good a time as any to start acting like a leader - to show her pack that she’s ready to fulfill her duties for their benefit, and not just for her own.
Kohaku nods at her and beckons her to follow him into the village, and quickly, Shiori falls in stride next to him.
“Wait, my child!” the Elder calls behind them. Shiori spins around, and her eyes widen as the Elder steps up and hands her the scepter. “Take it. We will be safe here. I hope you will not need it, but the scepter can be used for other things than defense. If the villagers do not accept us but accept you, you can borrow its power. We will contact you if we need help, but I do not think that will happen since we will be waiting so close by.” She smiles hopefully with a nod. “You may return it to me when you are done.”
“Thank you, Elder-sama,” Shiori murmurs with a bow, and she turns to Kohaku, who watches her with a proud smile. She feels her cheeks warm with a flush, and lightly he pulls on her arm to continue on their way.
Shiori hurries to follow him, delighting in the anxious and pleasant emotions while working beside him.
Title: Next Generation: Shiori Chronicles
Chapter Title: Chapter Two: Impromptu Delay
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairing: Shiori, Kohaku, OC, Shiori/Kohaku
Rated: PG
Word Count: 1,446
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Warnings: None
Theme: Disaster
Notes: Post-manga. Written for the "Disaster" theme over at inuyasha_et_al. Third place winner.
Chapter Summary: A mudslide delays their trip to the sacred waterfall.
Shiori has never wished harm on anyone. She’s seen first hand what such evil can produce, and though she is both youkai and human, she doesn’t see herself as evil, but she knows like anyone else, she’s capable of terrible thoughts.
So when she, Kohaku and the traveling bat youkai stop to help a nearby village, she feels bad for secretly enjoying her fortune, even though people from the village have suffered a horrible disaster. A mudslide has hit the small town, and Kohaku insists on helping them; which of course, delays their journey to the sacred waterfall where Shiori will start her training as the new Elder.
The current Elder is more than happy to help the humans. It’s a part of their pack’s code to aid people and promote compassion and peace. Every day these peaceful bat youkai impress Shiori, and she feels grateful for becoming a part of their tribe.
Of course, the delay also means that she can spend more time with Kohaku. They are gaining significant ground on their journey, and though she considers Kohaku a good friend, the boy is naturally reserved, only shining outwardly when he’s in battle. For days they have encountered rare opportunities for Kohaku to use his skills, and their interactions lull peacefully, as Shiori talks liberally and Kohaku listens to her with short responses.
Soon, Shiori knows that they will part at the sacred waterfall, and every day she dreads that moment. She has hoped for more time to get to know Kohaku, but the slow pacing of their friendship is making it difficult to grow into anything more. Shiori feels inwardly wilted by her foresight in this, and when she mentions it to the Elder (who is becoming a great confidante), the old bat youkai merely smiles and says that Shiori’s intuition will heighten as she starts to use the Elder’s scepter more. This fact troubles Shiori further when her senses suggest Kohaku regards her as nothing more than a friend, and he probably won’t feel anything else otherwise.
After settling at the outer part of the village, Kohaku takes off to meet with the fief lord, initially without the bat youkai, and to inquire about how much help they need while surveying the damage of the mudslide. Shiori insists she go with him, but Kohaku firmly objects, since he’s not sure how the humans of this village will react to a hanyou or even youkai coming into their town. Hours pass by, but when he returns and approaches Shiori and the Elder, he appears overtly troubled.
“News isn’t good. The lord of this village believes a youkai caused the mudslide,” he says with a sigh. His lip curls and Shiori can sense his aggravation and distress. The Elder appears saddened by this information, but Shiori can tell this news does not deter her desire to help these unfortunate people.
“I understand their frustration, but please, Kohaku-dono, tell them we would still love to help,” she states, and Shiori hopes that someday she will show the same strength as Elder. “I do hope prejudice does not get in the way of accepting aid for their tragedy.”
“I can come with you,” Shiori tries again. “I’m hanyou, so I’m sure the half-human part of me could appeal to them.”
Kohaku shakes his head. “These people a very angry. There’s a mob of villagers already talking of hunting and destroying the youkai themselves. I don’t think they will take kindly to any youkai at this point, peaceful or not. A hanyou trying to help might be worse.” He lets out a frustrated breath. “If Inuyasha were here, it would be different. His legend is pretty well-known, and people are more likely to accept his help.”
Shiori furrows her brow. She becomes impatient with Kohaku’s caution, and she feels offended that Kohaku would prefer Inuyasha’s help over hers. “Well, Inuyasha isn’t here, Kohaku-kun, and you can’t help them all by yourself,” she states, and her tone quickly surprises him. “If Inuyasha has taught me anything, it’s that humans and youkai can work together even in a group. They may not accept me, but you can’t make that assumption until you give me a chance to speak to them.” Shiori glances briefly at the Elder, who stands stoically next to her without input. Shiori meets Kohaku’s uncertain eyes. “I’m coming with you the next time you go back to them, at least to serve as a liaison of the bat youkai who only wish to help them. If they accept me, they can accept them. If they are desperate enough for help and restoration to their village, maybe they will.”
“And if they deny you?” Kohaku asks as he crosses his arms. He watches Shiori unconvinced, but Shiori rises to his challenge. “They may not want help at all, not even from me if they don’t like that I travel with demons.”
“Then, if they are suffering this much but are too prejudiced to accept our help, that is their loss,” Shiori counters. Her tone softens, but she feels nervous as the Elder observes her and Kohaku; however, she feels she has to stand her ground on this. Kohaku has a good heart, but he’s too independent, and he takes on too much responsibility and burdens all by himself. It’s time he share the weight of the work with everyone else.
She reaches out a hand and places it on Kohaku’s shoulder. “Please, Kohaku-kun. Give me a chance to convince them. It’s better for me to try than for you to take this on alone. You set out to help the bat youkai, my new people, and they owe you their help too.” Shiori turns to the Elder who nods, and she’s relieved the woman agrees with her. Shiori turns to Kohaku again, studying him as he considers her appeal.
He rubs his chin with a contemplative expression. He doesn’t like the idea; she can sense that, but she knows that he can’t just ignore their assistance. The villagers stand more of a chance with all of them aiding them, youkai and human, than turning their tragedy over to mob rule. That, and Shiori believes that if youkai show they are peaceful and willing to assist them, they may learn to quell their anger before turning to violence.
“Alright,” Kohaku says, and he looks at Shiori sternly. “If you are in any danger at all, we’re leaving immediately.”
“I’ll make up my own mind about that,” Shiori says, lifting her chin confidently. Kohaku can’t just protect her all the time, and though she is grateful for this extended time to be with him, she means to show him just how valuable she can be.
If Kohaku sees that she can be a good leader, that she can help people and share the burdens and responsibilities of others without his help, maybe he will see her as more than a friend. Maybe he can see her as worthy of something else.
In any case, Shiori knows she must hold onto her convictions. Despite her heart, if Kohaku never looks at her in the way she wants him to, she is still going to be the leader of this group, and she has to learn the ways of her new people regardless of her feelings. It’s as good a time as any to start acting like a leader - to show her pack that she’s ready to fulfill her duties for their benefit, and not just for her own.
Kohaku nods at her and beckons her to follow him into the village, and quickly, Shiori falls in stride next to him.
“Wait, my child!” the Elder calls behind them. Shiori spins around, and her eyes widen as the Elder steps up and hands her the scepter. “Take it. We will be safe here. I hope you will not need it, but the scepter can be used for other things than defense. If the villagers do not accept us but accept you, you can borrow its power. We will contact you if we need help, but I do not think that will happen since we will be waiting so close by.” She smiles hopefully with a nod. “You may return it to me when you are done.”
“Thank you, Elder-sama,” Shiori murmurs with a bow, and she turns to Kohaku, who watches her with a proud smile. She feels her cheeks warm with a flush, and lightly he pulls on her arm to continue on their way.
Shiori hurries to follow him, delighting in the anxious and pleasant emotions while working beside him.