Inuyasha, "Next Generation: Shiori Chronicles" Kohaku/Shiori [pg]
Fandom: Inuyasha
Title: Next Generation: Shiori Chronicles
Chapter Title: Premature Magic
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairings: Shiori, Kohaku, (slight Kohaku/Shiori)
Rating: PG
(Chapter) Word Count: 1,036
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Warnings: None
Notes: Post-manga.Continuation to my "Shiori Chronicles". This is the fourth installment. Written for the "Magic" theme at inuyasha_et_al.
Chapter Summary: Kohaku shares his thoughts on Shiori's inexperience with the Elder's scepter.
“That’s interesting,” Kohaku speaks suddenly after a span of silence has wedged between them. While they continue walking toward the heart of the village, Shiori glances over and sees a bemused expression on Kohaku’s face.
“Pardon?” she asks politely, but she can already sense what’s bothering him. He’s wondering how the Elder can trust her in such a short time. It slightly wilts her confidence; does this mean it will take Kohaku longer to trust her than her new pack?
“I’m thinking about how the Elder has parted with the scepter so easily,” he says, stopping their walk. He turns to her and meets her eyes, and she wonders if he’s searching for something darker within her, something untrustworthy. She furrows her brow, which surprises him.
“I know I’m half-demon, but is it so hard to believe in me, Kohaku-kun?” Shiori asks, with a hint of anger in her tone.
“No! That’s not it. It’s just…” he stammers, but then he stiffens and regains his usual composure. “This is not a personal critique of you, Shiori-chan. You have had little to no training on that scepter. Since you’ve joined the Elder’s pack, there has been only one other instance than the day you saved me where Haruna-sama has instructed you on how to use it.” He pauses, and Shiori realizes her error in quick judgment. She almost feels like a fool, but Kohaku’s explanation relieves her. She knows that his thoughts have merit, and he really isn’t judging her, more like questioning her overall experience.
“I suppose you’re right,” Shiori responds with a frown. She draws her eyes away from Kohaku’s and stares at the magical staff in her hand. “Truthfully, I’m a little surprised myself. I’m grateful for the overwhelming trust the Elder has in me, and sometimes I wonder if I can live up to it. I can only assume she is testing me by giving me the scepter to help the village.”
Shiori feels his hand softly rest on her shoulder. She looks up, her mouth opening in surprise. Kohaku’s lips form a thin smile, and she feels both weak and soothed just by looking into his dark brown eyes.
“It’s a test I’m certain you’ll pass,” he says reassuringly. “Just be careful.”
Shiori blushes, and she feels a strange vibration run up from the scepter through her arm. “Oh!” she exclaims, and her jolt causes Kohaku jump backward.
His eyes widen. “What happened? What did you do?” They both eye the scepter as it shakes Shiori’s hands and the red stone begins to glow.
“Nothing...the stone just turned brighter,” Shiori says, watching it carefully. The red glow begins to fade, but a dull shimmer remains, indicating that the scepter is still active and its power is still linking to Shiori.
“Do you feel something?” Kohaku asks, returning to Shiori’s side, though his eyes don’t leave the scepter.
“Yes...very strongly actually. I don’t know how to explain this, but it’s like the scepter and I are joined and if I have a particular thought, it taps into my energy and flares in reaction. It’s weird.” Shiori shakes her head. “You were right. I should have more proper training before I use it.”
“Maybe not as much,” Kohaku says, mulling over her words. “What were you thinking that caused it to flare?”
“I don’t know. Before, I was angry. I didn’t think you trusted me. Then, when I calmed down and you said you thought I could pass the Elder’s test, I suddenly felt more confident in my abilities.” Shiori meets Kohaku’s soulful eyes and grins brightly. “Your faith in me gave me strength.”
Kohaku smiles lightly, and Shiori catches a faint blush on his cheeks. Her stomach flutters like fireflies. So... she can affect him! She runs her fingers through her hair and looks up at him again. He avoids her gaze, but the color in his face is still there. (She also sees a flash of another smile.) She senses anxiety from him... but she doesn’t think it’s bad. Kohaku’s thinking deeply about something; he’s torn - perhaps, but she knows it involves her, and Shiori feels she must learn more about it. She knows now isn’t the right time to pry or advance her feelings. Maybe she’s already revealed far too much.
She doesn’t care. It’s true that when she feels Kohaku’s confidence in her, finally, after doubting his trust in her so much, she does feel a power link with the scepter. Maybe there is something to it, but she doesn’t know exactly what that is yet, and she’s sure the Elder will teach her.
The next time she has to use the scepter, she’ll try it again. She’ll think of Kohaku, of his faith in her, and maybe, she’ll reach deeper into her heart and search out her true feelings. Is this the kind of energy the scepter needs to activate? Shiori wonders; perhaps it isn’t so much about her thoughts but her feelings.
She was scared, even angry and desperate, the first time she used the scepter and it let her borrow its powers. Next time, she wonders if love and hope can be used to energize it too.
I hope you will not need it, but the scepter can be used for other things than defense. Again, she remembers the Elder’s words clearly in her mind.
If anger and fear can fuel it for defense, then what sort of things can the scepter do when she feels profound love and happiness? Shiori can only wonder, and she supposes working with Kohaku will further unleash the secrets of the Elder’s scepter.
“Come on, let’s go,” Kohaku says, drawing her from her thoughts and beckoning her forward toward the village. Shiori feels the scepter hum in her grip, and she senses the link resonate with her otherworldly energy, tapping into crevices of her youki that she can’t even imagine.
It almost scares her, but if gaining this power will further prove the kind of Elder she can become someday (and the kind of woman she can be to Kohaku), she welcomes it, and Shiori looks forward to the next time that she and the scepter can work together again.
Title: Next Generation: Shiori Chronicles
Chapter Title: Premature Magic
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairings: Shiori, Kohaku, (slight Kohaku/Shiori)
Rating: PG
(Chapter) Word Count: 1,036
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Warnings: None
Notes: Post-manga.Continuation to my "Shiori Chronicles". This is the fourth installment. Written for the "Magic" theme at inuyasha_et_al.
Chapter Summary: Kohaku shares his thoughts on Shiori's inexperience with the Elder's scepter.
“That’s interesting,” Kohaku speaks suddenly after a span of silence has wedged between them. While they continue walking toward the heart of the village, Shiori glances over and sees a bemused expression on Kohaku’s face.
“Pardon?” she asks politely, but she can already sense what’s bothering him. He’s wondering how the Elder can trust her in such a short time. It slightly wilts her confidence; does this mean it will take Kohaku longer to trust her than her new pack?
“I’m thinking about how the Elder has parted with the scepter so easily,” he says, stopping their walk. He turns to her and meets her eyes, and she wonders if he’s searching for something darker within her, something untrustworthy. She furrows her brow, which surprises him.
“I know I’m half-demon, but is it so hard to believe in me, Kohaku-kun?” Shiori asks, with a hint of anger in her tone.
“No! That’s not it. It’s just…” he stammers, but then he stiffens and regains his usual composure. “This is not a personal critique of you, Shiori-chan. You have had little to no training on that scepter. Since you’ve joined the Elder’s pack, there has been only one other instance than the day you saved me where Haruna-sama has instructed you on how to use it.” He pauses, and Shiori realizes her error in quick judgment. She almost feels like a fool, but Kohaku’s explanation relieves her. She knows that his thoughts have merit, and he really isn’t judging her, more like questioning her overall experience.
“I suppose you’re right,” Shiori responds with a frown. She draws her eyes away from Kohaku’s and stares at the magical staff in her hand. “Truthfully, I’m a little surprised myself. I’m grateful for the overwhelming trust the Elder has in me, and sometimes I wonder if I can live up to it. I can only assume she is testing me by giving me the scepter to help the village.”
Shiori feels his hand softly rest on her shoulder. She looks up, her mouth opening in surprise. Kohaku’s lips form a thin smile, and she feels both weak and soothed just by looking into his dark brown eyes.
“It’s a test I’m certain you’ll pass,” he says reassuringly. “Just be careful.”
Shiori blushes, and she feels a strange vibration run up from the scepter through her arm. “Oh!” she exclaims, and her jolt causes Kohaku jump backward.
His eyes widen. “What happened? What did you do?” They both eye the scepter as it shakes Shiori’s hands and the red stone begins to glow.
“Nothing...the stone just turned brighter,” Shiori says, watching it carefully. The red glow begins to fade, but a dull shimmer remains, indicating that the scepter is still active and its power is still linking to Shiori.
“Do you feel something?” Kohaku asks, returning to Shiori’s side, though his eyes don’t leave the scepter.
“Yes...very strongly actually. I don’t know how to explain this, but it’s like the scepter and I are joined and if I have a particular thought, it taps into my energy and flares in reaction. It’s weird.” Shiori shakes her head. “You were right. I should have more proper training before I use it.”
“Maybe not as much,” Kohaku says, mulling over her words. “What were you thinking that caused it to flare?”
“I don’t know. Before, I was angry. I didn’t think you trusted me. Then, when I calmed down and you said you thought I could pass the Elder’s test, I suddenly felt more confident in my abilities.” Shiori meets Kohaku’s soulful eyes and grins brightly. “Your faith in me gave me strength.”
Kohaku smiles lightly, and Shiori catches a faint blush on his cheeks. Her stomach flutters like fireflies. So... she can affect him! She runs her fingers through her hair and looks up at him again. He avoids her gaze, but the color in his face is still there. (She also sees a flash of another smile.) She senses anxiety from him... but she doesn’t think it’s bad. Kohaku’s thinking deeply about something; he’s torn - perhaps, but she knows it involves her, and Shiori feels she must learn more about it. She knows now isn’t the right time to pry or advance her feelings. Maybe she’s already revealed far too much.
She doesn’t care. It’s true that when she feels Kohaku’s confidence in her, finally, after doubting his trust in her so much, she does feel a power link with the scepter. Maybe there is something to it, but she doesn’t know exactly what that is yet, and she’s sure the Elder will teach her.
The next time she has to use the scepter, she’ll try it again. She’ll think of Kohaku, of his faith in her, and maybe, she’ll reach deeper into her heart and search out her true feelings. Is this the kind of energy the scepter needs to activate? Shiori wonders; perhaps it isn’t so much about her thoughts but her feelings.
She was scared, even angry and desperate, the first time she used the scepter and it let her borrow its powers. Next time, she wonders if love and hope can be used to energize it too.
I hope you will not need it, but the scepter can be used for other things than defense. Again, she remembers the Elder’s words clearly in her mind.
If anger and fear can fuel it for defense, then what sort of things can the scepter do when she feels profound love and happiness? Shiori can only wonder, and she supposes working with Kohaku will further unleash the secrets of the Elder’s scepter.
“Come on, let’s go,” Kohaku says, drawing her from her thoughts and beckoning her forward toward the village. Shiori feels the scepter hum in her grip, and she senses the link resonate with her otherworldly energy, tapping into crevices of her youki that she can’t even imagine.
It almost scares her, but if gaining this power will further prove the kind of Elder she can become someday (and the kind of woman she can be to Kohaku), she welcomes it, and Shiori looks forward to the next time that she and the scepter can work together again.