Izayoi's POV

A village soon came into view and boy was it a lucky break for us. The half-moon was going to be out by nightfall and I needed a place to stay. Hiding among humans was a good idea.

"Here you go," the inn woman told us as we walked into a large room. "You may in here."

"Thank you ma'am." Arrosa thanked.

3rd Person's POV

Mochigo left the group at the inn and went to the market place. His hand with the wind tunnel had been bothering him lately and he needed an herb or two to help with the pain. He didn't want to tell the others about the pain, fearing that he would scare them all. What am I going to do? Mochigo thought as he looked through the herbs. I can't just not tell them the truth. But if I do tell them the truth, they won't let me fight.

As Mochigo was searching through the herbs, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned to see a beautiful young girl standing behind him. She had her black hair held back in bobby pins, beautiful brown eyes, and a small smile on her face. Her kimono was pink with white lilies on it. "Hi Mochigo." she greeted.

The young monk was confused. How did this girl know him? "Um, do I know you?" he asked.

The girl giggled in response. "Oh Mochigo," she said. "It's me, Emi."

A question mark formed above Mochigo's head.

"Do you remember a few years back when you came to my village with your Father?" Emi asked. "You were at my Father's home, slaying a large snake demon that plagued the home."

Mochigo thought for a moment. Then he remembered that mission he did with his Father.

Mochigo's Memory

10-year old Mochigo stood outside the castle with a staff in his left hand and a hand full of sacred sutras in the other. He waited as he heard the demon being driven out by his Father. As soon as the demon busted through the door, Mochigo charged straight at it- throwing sutras on its body. Then he swung his staff and yelled "Repent!" as he hit it on top of the head.

As soon as the demon was struck, it disintegrated into dust. Mochigo let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the demon was destroyed.

"Thank you monks for taking care of the demon." the headman told the two.

"We were merely doing our job as monks kind sir," Miroku spoke. "We will need no payment from you."

"Oh please, I must be able to pay you in some way," the headman insisted. Then he looked at Mochigo. "I could let your son marry my youngest daughter, Emi."

Emi looked at Mochigo and sent a smile towards the young boy, making him blush with embarrassment. "Sir," Mochigo began. "I really-"

"Would love to marry your daughter!" Miroku cut in.

"Father!" Mochigo yelled in protest. "I can't marry her! I'm only 10! Plus  I just met her!"

End of Memory

"I haven't seen you since then," Emi spoke. "And I've been looking for you ever since."

"Why is that?" Mochigo asked.

Emi reached for the young man's hands and held them tightly in her own. "I still wish to marry you."

Mochigo fell over in shock. "Emi......I.....I....." Mochigo didn't know what to tell her. She was a nice girl- it seemed at least- but he couldn't just go off and marry her.

"Please monk, say you'll marry me." Emi begged.

Mochigo shook his head in response. "I'm sorry, I can't."

"Please monk, you at least have to help me Father," Emi insisted. "I fear he's possessed by a demon."

This caught Mochigo's attention.

"Ever since Father came back from the countryside, he's been acting strangely. He refuses to eat, he won't come from his bed, and his temper has already caused the deaths of 3 of our servants."

******************

"You sure you want to come out on this mission Izayoi?" Shippo asked as the group made their way to the headman's house.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Izayoi in her human form.

"Here we are." Emi spoke when the group finally came out of the woods. There, they saw the headman's house. Right away, there was a demonic aura emanating from the home.

"Okay, let's go deal with that demon." Ayuma instructed.

The others nodded as they approached the castle. As they walked through the front, Emi wrapped her arms around Mochigo's arm. "Please monk, protect me." Emi begged.

This caused Ayuma and Kayuma to look at Emi with dagger eyes. Both twins were thinking the same thing; Stay away from my brother! They needed to keep their brother safe, and that meant keeping him from girls that wanted to be with him. And both twins could easily tell that Mochigo didn't want Emi being so close to him.

"Are you here to exorcise the demon?" an elderly man asked as the group entered the castle.

"Yes we are," Kayuma answered. "Please, tell us what is occuring here."

"The headman is acting strangely. He attacks anyone who comes to him. He even attacked his eldest daughter, killing her," the elder explained. Everyone looked at Emi, who had tears in her eyes. "Please, you must help us."

"Take us to the headman immediately," Arrosa spoke up. "We must destroy the demon that lurks inside of him."

The elder nodded and took the group to the headman's room. He was cautious though as Izayoi opened the door. If she hadn't have flinched when she did, the headman's sword would've cut her head right off.

The others looked to see the headman with eyes as red as a tomato. "Hold him down." Arrosa instructed.

Ayuma and Kayuma were able to hold the headman down while Arrosa used some of her spiritual powers to take the demon spirit out from the headman's body. When it was out, Izayoi used a sacred arrow to purify the demon.

"That was easy." Shippo stated.

"Yeah, too easy." Mochigo spoke. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw Emi running out of the home. He followed after the girl and saw that she was heading towards a lake. "Emi, what's going on?"

Emi smirked. "You are such a fool monk," the girl spoke in a sinister voice. Suddenly, Emi began to morph in form. She no longer was a human; her new form was now a snake demon. Before Mochigo had time to react, the snake had him in her coils. "I was only tricking you, so I could devour you and your power."

"So, you killed Emi then," Mochigo choked out.

"Precisely," the snake hissed. "I gained all of her memories and realized you were the son of Miroku, the man who had the wind tunnel. Naraku ordered me to slay you all."

"Not happening snake!" Ayuma's voice called out as she threw one of her swords to stab the snake in the neck.

Mochigo used the opportunity to get out of the snakes coils as it screamed in pain.

"Ready Izayoi?" Arrosa asked as she pulled out a sacred arrow.

"You bet." Izayoi responded with a smirk.

Both priestesses aimed diligently and hit the snake demon with their sacred arrows, causing it to disintegrate. From the ashes, a spirit rose. It was Emi's spirt. "Mochigo," she spoke as she went towards the young man. "Thank you for freeing me. I must go now. But my heart will always love you." Before Mochigo could respond, Emi leaned in and kissed Mochigo on the lips, shocking everyone. Then, Emi's soul slowly disappeared as the Sun began to rise.

********************

"This gravestone will be in memory of Emi," Mochigo said. "Hopefully her soul will find peace now."

"You gonna be okay Mochigo?" Shippo asked.

Mochigo gave his fox friend a small smile. "Yeah, I'll be fine," Mochigo answered. "I'm just glad that Emi will find peace."

Does it bother anyone that Mochigo kissed a ghost girl?! Izayoi thought with annoyance.