AN: I read a lot of fanfiction. When I went through the Inuyasha fics, I ran over to a few other categories for a month or so. Needless to say, when I hit star wars, something clicked. I began to wonder how Inuyasha and Star Wars could mix without seeming too contrived. At the same time I had been floating various plots in my head sparked by my reading and the growth of Kagome's character in the anime/manga focused on a critical 'what if'. What if Kagome had been more mature and compassionate when she first fell through the well? We all saw how she was for the first dozen or so eps. Now over 100 eps later she is a much different person. What would it take to start out with this different personality type? So the two ideas merged and we ended with Jedi Miko. I am very excited by the prospect and value your input. Please email me or review and help me out here. Thanks.
AN2: This is Alternate Reality. The story will take place a few years
before the events from Star Wars I The Phantom Menace. Ask any other
questions in a review or email and I'll try to clear them up.
Chapter 1: Fallen
Started: 9-21-03
Completed: 9-28-03
Beta Reader: none :(
Sound track (because music rocks):
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....
In the years prior to the beginning of the Clone Wars,
which
would all but destroy the Jedi Order, one young Jedi
Padawan
endowed with the gift to purify the dark side made
a discovery
that would ensure the continued existence of the Jedi
following their
time of darkness. This young Padawan, gifted in healing
heart
and body, would step outside of the Code to follow
her own
path, no mater how difficult it would prove.
location: Thelps IV, base 61: Hospital Compound>
Shrouded in creeping tendrils of morning fog, two figures engaged in timeless ritual --a dance of blade and body. They followed an intricate pattern of thrust and parry, leap and twist. Two blades of electric energy met, pink on blue. The sabers hummed, slicing audibly through the air to clash in a shower of sparks. The participants themselves remained silent.
Although both were obviously humanoid females, they were as dissimilar as the sun and the moon. The taller of the two, crowned in a short bob of wild red curls, moved with confidence and grace. Her green eyes remained impassive as the pink blade passed inches from her chest. She wore hunter green skin-fit trousers and a matching vest over a simple off-white tunic. Her hands were encased in supple brown gloves with roughened grips. Her tight lips remained unmoving as she assessed her opponent's moves. Only the fine lines at her eyes and at corners of her mouth betrayed her age. Still, the woman remained striking.
The smaller female lacked her opponent's confidence and stoicism. Her emotions flashed openly across her face. The girl, for she obviously had some growing left to do, wore a style similar to the woman's. Yet, her colors were darker, a warm velvet gray. Her long dark hair fell in waves from the high ponytail. A single slim braid was tucked behind her right ear. The girl's face, smudged with dirt and sweat, hinted at no great beauty. Her eyes, though a simple deep brown, captivated with their intensity. She was too vibrant to be called plain, and almost looked innocent; naive. Only, no Jedi apprentice could ever be considered such. And no one could mistake the girl for anything but a Jedi. The braid, her weapon, the clothing, and the moments of unnatural movement; all were the characteristics of a Jedi Knight, or in this case a Padawan.
The Padawan grinned as she executed a complex jump over her opponent. A few feet more and she could have pushed into the upper rafters of the now roofless building. She held her arms close to her chest and twisted, spinning the lightsaber around her body. The taller woman stepped back and launched her own high leap. The redhead's blue blade thrust forward, clashing against the pink and stopping the Padawan's twists. Both completed their arcs to the ground before leaping forward again. In this dance, both had to lead.
Sadly, one of the dancers had two left feet. The older woman whirled sweeping her leg at the other's knees. As the girl leapt back, the woman's saber flew out and knocked into the girl's blade. The girl swore as her fingers went numb and the hilt flew from her grasp. Her eyes followed the now inactive rod as it clattered across the concrete and rebounded off of the building's walls. Great, I probably broke the darn thing, she thought.
"Kagome!" The shout echoed throughout the abandoned warehouse.
The Padawan threw herself backwards as her Master's verbal warning hammered at her. A blue glowing blade arched through the space she had just been. Kagome continued her backwards momentum, landing gracelessly on her rear. She panted heavily, adrenaline surging through her veins. The blue blade of her Master's saber hovered for a few seconds over Kagome's prone form before the older woman deactivated it.
"Enough, my young one." Master Lytheria Hoss, Jedi Healer, Ly to her friends, arched one red eyebrow as she regarded her winded Padawan. The younger girl was sprawled on the hard concrete floor, her tan leggings and vest scuffed from the frequent encounters with the ground. Ly observed the elevated heart rate, increased breathing, and sweat stained clothes. Her lips quirked slightly. "Well, you lasted a little longer this time."
Kagome ruefully reached one hand up and swiped at her sweaty bangs. She smiled weakly. "Yeah, fifteen minutes at least this time." Her eyes flicked towards a small rod shape on the floor some fifteen feet away. "But I lost my saber three times." She accepted her Master's hand and pulled herself back onto her feet. Ly chuckled fondly.
"Lost it three times, but managed to regain it twice. That's no small feat in itself."
Kagome smiled, her blue eyes sparkling. "Master you are too kind to me. We both know I am hopeless when it comes to sparing. Others my age can spar for more then thirty minutes! Force knows, I wouldn't last a second against an enemy."
The Jedi lay a comforting hand on her apprentice's shoulder. "Don't be so down on yourself, youngling. You have improved. Even you have to admit to that. Everyone has their own weaknesses, just as they have their strengths. This is the balanced nature of the Force." Kagome sighed as she bent to retrieve her saber. Her hands ran over the familiar and despised metal, checking for damage from the match. True, in the past four years she had come a long way from the bumbling initiate who had nearly sliced her own leg off with one wild swing. Yet, compared to her year-mates, Kagome was very far behind. At fifteen, she should have been able to perform at least some of the upper level training maneuvers with her master.
The sad truth was, Kagome just couldn't spar to save her life. Sure, the average human would be impressed. But Kagome knew that compared to the other Jedi Padawans she could just as well tie her arms together and glue her eyes shut. Even so, Master Yoda could probably fight better then her if he was trussed up and blind.
It terrified her to know that one day she might need to draw the sword against a real enemy. One day it may mean her life, or the lives of others. She shuddered. Ly frowned as she sensed the turn of her apprentice's thoughts through the Master/Padawn Bond.
"Be careful, my Padawan. It is good that you have the desire to improve, and honorable that you want to be able to protect others, but you cannot become preoccupied with it. You fear letting me down. I shouldn't need to tell you what that can mean."
Kagome looked ashamed. "Fear leads to the dark side. I know Master." She sucked in a deep breath and focused her thoughts, releasing some of her tension into the Force. Kagome's eyes drifted closed as she was cocooned in the power of the Force. Some Jedi could smell it, or see it, or taste it on the wind. Young Obi-Wan Kenobi had even told her once that he heard it singing to him. Kagome touched it. Her senses perceived the Force as a texture and temperature. It shifted, swirled, and pulsed. Perhaps this is part of what made Kagome a lousy fighter. In order to concentrate on the Force, as a Jedi should when fighting, she had to close her eyes and tune out her surroundings. Unfortunately, she had enough doubt in herself that it hampered her ability to move while in contact with the Force.
For the same reasons that Kagome was such a horrible fighter, she was a remarkable Healer. In her trance-like state, the Padawan had been known to literally weave the textures of power and mend injuries that older, more experienced Jedi left for the Bacta tanks. Kagome's abilities seemed to grant her surprising insight and empathy as well. However, the girl was also known for her mood swings and flaring temper. All together, Kagome Higirashi was not a normal Jedi Padawan.
But then, Lytheria Hoss was not exactly a normal Master either. At 42, the petite human woman had already made herself a name amongst the highest of Healing circles. Her techniques were a groundbreaking blend of Force application and nature-based therapy. The fiery redheaded woman used the Bacta tanks, with their enforced healings and induced unconscious state, as only a last resort. Indeed, her researches into natural healing chemicals and energies had led to vast improvements in the more modern tanks and instruments. Ly still scoffed at the medi-robots. She preferred hands-on, holistic patient-healer relations. To the chagrin of the elder Healers, she was quickly gaining a following.
Four years ago, Ly had been deep into her research when the Jedi Council summoned her back to the Temple with 'an important mission'. The Healer had been rather surprised. Jedi such as herself tended to stay at one post for their lives, rather then run around like the more traditional knights. The Force had not prepared her for Master Yoda's little 'mission'.
****** Ly's Flashback *****
Lytheria hauled her giant pack onto her bed with a huff. She resisted
the urge to use Force. Her weary green eyes scanned over the set of rooms
again.
'They look unused. Like an Inn without guests,' She mused. But this
set of three plain rooms belonged to her. Well, as much as a Jedi can be
said to own anything. All knights received a set of rooms, Bedroom, Fresher,
Kitchen, and Main room; and like most knights, Ly rarely saw hers.
'Only, I don't flit from one system to another like the rest do. I've been very happy staying on Thelp's moon for the past few years.' The Healer flopped on her back next to her pack. She stared up at the off-white ceiling. 'So bland. I really need to redecorate here. A few fake plants, some wild art works. The children in the crèche always have artworks to give...' She smiled. Visiting the crèches, the common rooms for the Force-gifted youngsters, always brightened her stays at the Jedi Temple.
'Now if only I knew why the council wants to see me. What kind of mission would I go on? I keep an ear on all the medical news. There are no epidemics around, and even the annual Winter-fever on Hiden is under control.' The Force remained unhelpful.
The answer eluded her until Master Yoda had shown up at her door. An eleven year-old initiate had followed in his shadow.
The child had been demure, respectful, and slightly awed. Lytheria liked her instantly, but wasn't ready for Yoda to tell her that the raven-haired girl would be her Padawan. That just wasn't how it was done! Jedi Knights chose their own Padawan, when the Force moved them. Yet here one of the strongest Force wielders stood in her bland apartment and dictated that the startled Healer would take an apprentice, and it would be this one. Then in typical Yoda fashion he had herded the girl, Kagome was it?, into the apartment and made himself scarce.
Frightened brown eyes met shocked green eyes. What had just happened?
-- end flashback--
Drawn out of her memories, Ly smiled softly as she watched her Padawan check over her light saber. Four years had made a world of difference to both of them. Kagome was maturing rapidly. Her tiny frame was fleshing out, the prettiness of her childhood was fast becoming the beauty of youth. (Although the young apprentice would never agree with the assessment.) Raven hair brushed just past her shoulders, one longer strand held back in the ever-present Padawan braid. And those eyes. A common shade of brown, maybe. Certainly not as striking in color as Obi Wan's famous irises. Yet, Kagome's eyes could catch you with their intensity and depth. Eyes were said to be windows to the soul, and it was in Kagome's soul that Ly found the most growth.
Where most medics healed the body, Kagome seemed to ease her patients' hearts too. Ly sometimes found herself in awe of her own apprentice. At least until Kagome would inevitably trip over her own two feet again. Ly could only shake her head and wonder how the Force saw fit to make the two of them Jedi.
The Order, over the course of more then one thousand years, had developed a certain reputation. All agreed that Jedi were powerful, used 'mind tricks', and tended to be close-lipped. Jedi stuck to themselves, always polite and helpful, but never open and personal. Most people went so far as to say that Jedi trained themselves to not have emotions, that they sold their souls for the power. Kinder individuals claimed that Jedi just exercised restraint. But people who had come into contact with Jedi Healer Ly or her Padawan could vouch that Jedi can be very emotional, and at times hotheaded.
Neither one of the bonded pair was quite up to the Jedi ideal. But Ly wouldn't have it any other way. Yoda knew what he was doing on the day he brought them together. The Master/Padawan bond flourished between the two misfits. Both shared a love of medicine and a strong desire to ease suffering.
The two women gathered their belongings and pushed past the large doors into the cool morning. Kagome tried to peer past the dense fog to catch a glimpse of the twin white suns. The fog pressed down, oppressive and weighty. It stifled the constant hum of the settlement. The Padawan tugged on the apprentice braid dangling from beside her right ear.
"Master," She ventured. Ly turned to her as they walked to the healing compound and their apartment. "Are you sure I should leave you now? With the climate this way you may be fighting fungal infections on top of this horrid virus." Kagome chewed on her lower lip. She hated to question her Master, but something felt off.
Ly chuckled. "I know, youngling. But we need to get the blood samples back to Couresant. I trust you to see everything properly archived there." Kagome smiled at this.
"Won't you need help with the sick?" At 15 Kagome could pull the same shifts and duties as many full Jedi.
Ly shook her head. "We have already determined the viral structure and the best treatments. The medics and I can handle it until you get back with the extra supplies and the replacement tanks." They entered the white-walled medical center via a small side door and slipped up the stairs that lead to the second level's living quarters. The bonded pair had a set of rooms to themselves. Just down the hall three more doors the three other permanent medics, non Jedi healers, had similar suites.
Kagome nodded her understanding as she headed to the fresher. They had discussed this before; it just felt strange. For the past four years Kagome had lived with her Master, shadowing her in everything. They hadn't been separated by more then an hour in all that time. Even then, the mental bond between them meant neither was more then a thought away. Kagome pushed down the slight twinge of anxiety. When she had first heard about the possibility of taking a solo assignment she had been thrilled. But all the way back to Courescant? It would take her at least a week to travel there, and add in a few days to put everything together and the return trip... The poor Padawan found herself more then a little daunted. But her master had faith in her, and she had been well trained. She just needed to take the next step. After all, some day in the future Ly would cut off the apprentice's braid and Kagome would take her place among the Jedi Knights. She needed to know that she could be on her own, even for a simple courier trip like this one.
Kagome peeled her dirty clothes off and dumped
them in the hamper in her room. The cleaning droids would take care of
the mess later. She had just enough time for a quick clean up and one last
check on some special patients before she had to meet the pilot at the
transporter.
healer's compound>
"Do you really have to go?" A nine year old boy asked
his favorite healer with tearful eyes. Kagome chuckled and ruffled the
boy's hair. He squealed in protest and pushed her hand away.
"Don't worry Sota. Master Ly will be an even better healer then I was." She flashed him a smile and settled on the bed beside him. Her black traveling cloak fanned out across his legs. Sota was definitely one of her favorite patients. He had been among the hardest hit of the viral victims. Kagome had spent many hours working on him. The boy came from a small, close-knit family that had been very grateful to the Padawan healer. Sota's mother even made Kagome her favorite foods as a 'reward'. Kagome usually refused any presents, but she never passed up a chance at Oden! Sota's grandfather, a local religious leader had showered the Jedi with trinkets and holy blessings. Kagome politely found other recipients for the gifts.
"No one is better than you sister-Kagome! I'm sure Healer Ly won't bring me chocolate" His face shown with hero-worship. Kagome sighed and pat his arm. He had started to call her 'sister' after he had found out that they shared a last name. The boy was convinced that they had to be related in some way. Kagome had tried to explain that the Higirashi clan was extremely large and widespread to all parts of the galaxy.
"There is always someone better then you are." She started philosophically. He snorted, crossing his hands over his chest and trying to look wise.
"There has to be a best." Ah the wisdom of youth. Kagome knew better then to try and argue it. Besides, the boy was not a Jedi. She couldn't justify forcing her own education on him no mater how much she believed in it. The door pushed open and Sota's mom and grandfather walked in.
"Kagome, I'm glad we caught you." The elder Higirashi clapped his hands gleefully. Kagome smiled at him. They really were a dear family. She'd miss them while she was on her trip. "When I heard you were going to be on a ship for a whole week I just knew you would need fortification!" Sota's mom shook her head. She was a patient and strong woman.
"Father, I'm sure the ship has all the food and medicines she needs." She tried to intervene.
"Nonsense, daughter. Those ships are poorly stocked. The so called food is only fit for the dock rats!" He insisted, waving his hands for emphasis. From his billowing robes he pulled out a bulky tissue-wrapped package. Kagome quirked an eyebrow.
"Thank you, sir." She carefully pulled the wrapping off. At least this package didn't move. Under the wrapping were several vacuum sealed strips of....um....who knows what. True to form, the feisty old man quickly jumped into the historical significance of his gift.
"Its smoke-cured dried Walrus. Highly nutritious. Why, when this planet was first colonized...." Sota's mom deftly interrupted.
"Hurry back, dear. I know the others are good healers,
but you are also Sota's friend now." Her smile was warm and infectious.
Kagome couldn't help but return it.
"I will be in contact with my Master daily. I'll
try to say hello to Sota too." She winked at the excited boy. "Although,
I might have to catch you at home since you are almost well enough to leave
here." The whole family cheered and enveloped the Padawan in a hearty group
hug.
One hour later found Kagome huddled under the concealing hood of her gray Jedi cloak. A slow, steady drizzle was soaking the airfield and the poor souls forced to stand in it. Kagome supervised as the three crates of blood samples and contained viral particles were carefully loaded into the low-impact cargo hold. It was a relatively small ship, but the specialized transport facilities made it perfect for these types of flights. Even if the ship crashed, the precious cargo should remain unbroken and a separate generator ensured that the temperature would never fluctuate. Kagome felt along the Force surrounding the crates, searching for any leaks in the containment or damages to the samples. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as the last box made it safely aboard.
Now I don't have to worry about them until we land. A soft warmth alerted her to the presence of her Master coming out of the compound behind her. Kagome pushed her hands into the billowing robes of her cloak and turned to regard the older woman. Ly's wild red hair escaped the hood of her black cloak. Bright emerald eyes shone from a tired face. Small crinkles wove along the corners of her eyes, offset by the smooth freckled skin on her high boned cheeks. For a brief heartbeat, Kagome saw a red-tailed hawk, posed to thrust into the sky. She shook her head, disrupting the vision.
"We are ready now, Master." Kagome tilted her head to the side. "Well, I am at any rate. Do you know which pilot is scheduled to fly with me? They haven't shown up yet." Ly grinned wickedly in response.
"Higirashi!" The cheerful call rang across the platform. Kagome fought the un-Jedi like urge to run.
Her eyes flashed at Ly before she turned to smile at her doom. The lanky pilot jogged the last few steps to stand before her. I will not run. I will not run. I will not vomit either. She repeated in her head as she flashed a fake smile. Sith! I have to spend two weeks alone in space with no one else to talk to. To her credit she carefully hid her emotions behind a polite mask.
"Lieutenant Hojo, how nice to see you again." She almost choked on the lie. She watched as her Master's grin grew.
"Padawan mine, I don't have to remind you that intimate relations are..." Ly started, her eyes twinkling with restrained mirth.
Kagome blanched, swinging her hands up as if to ward of the words. "No, no! I think we really need to be going now." She backed up a step. It was bad enough that the 17 year old pilot obviously liked her, but to have her own Master encouraging him?! Hojo, being the oblivious boy that he always was looked from one woman to the other.
"Okay. I'm ready. My stuff was already on the ship." He turned his dazzling smile to Kagome again. "I also took the opportunity to add some extra stock to the kitchen. I included some green tea for your motion sickness, Higirashi."
Must. Not. Run. "Um. Thank you, Hojo. Really, I don't get motion sick, I had a cold that time." Kagome sputtered, Ly snorted. She might as well have been talking to a rock. Hojo tended to be rather blind and deaf when it came to Kagome. He only saw what he wanted to see. Yep, it was going to be a long journey.
Kagome grinned suddenly. A certain partially opened package of dried walrus strips was discarded on the kitchen counter. Knowing her master, the fiery healer wouldn't step foot into the kitchen while her apprentice was out. The droids rarely went in there. I wonder how long before it starts to really stink....
on board transport, Buyo>
By the end of the second day she had lost contact with her master. (Who still hadn't discovered Kagome's little kitchen present.) The bond was still there, open but quiet. The Padawan felt lonely, but the twice daily calls to her Master helped. Sota had insisted on talking to her on the first day to let her know that he was headed back home. He promised to save her a slice of cake from the party. Ly had teased her Padawan about the hero-worship. Kagome couldn't help but perk up. It wasn't like she was leaving forever. This was a fun trip. Well, it would be anyway. She just had to look at it the right way.
Kagome managed to avoid the bumbling pilot except for mealtimes. She spent her time meditating. The solitary kind; Locked in her room.
Over meals, Kagome found out that Hojo was actually a decent cook. Good thing since her expertise with herbs focused on medical facts not flavor. Surprisingly, the young pilot could hold a decent conversation too, as long as they talked about farming, cooking, or flying. She quickly learned to flee when he started to talk about health, flowers, or marriage. They fell into an almost companionable routine.
Kagome congratulated herself after dinner on the second day of the trip. She drifted into sleep, dreaming about visiting her friends at the Temple and returning to her Master loaded with the newest equipment. Her last thought echoed in her mind. Well, piece of cake.
Famous last words.
On the morning of the third day the ship gave a violent lurch before shuddering. As it fell out of hyperspace Kagome rolled away from the kitchen wall where she had been thrown. Rubbing the back of her head, she stumbled up to the cockpit. The ship squealed and groaned around her. She pushed the fear down.
"Hojo," The brown-haired pilot was frantically punching a keys on the touchpad. Lights and alarms clamored for his attention. Kagome peered around his shoulders. "Oh damn." She swore softly, earning a quick shocked look from the young man before he turned back to his task.
"The left fuel cell is ruptured. Torn apart it looks like. We lost paneling along the hull and it knocked out a good portion of the power couplings to the thrusters." He skimmed across the system check. "The electrical failure is shorting other circuits. I think the communication relay is down too. I can't fix all this out here!"
Kagome opened herself to the calming flow of the Force. She deftly felt her way along the ship, reconfirming Hojo's assessment. A quick application of Force pressure stopped the fuel from seeping out of the ruptured tank, but it wouldn't hold for long. They would never make the flight to Couresant or even a flight back to Ly. They needed a place to land to make repairs, or at least wait for retrieval. She turned to a computer screen and punched in their coordinates, scanning the closest systems.
Man, we really are in the middle of nowhere.
I know it's a big galaxy, but really! A small blip on the screen caught
her eye and she moved her finger over it, causing the screen to expand
and pull up more data on the planet.
Native creatures hostile? Isolation? Kagome
frowned at the screen. It didn't sound promising. And yet... The
ship groaned again. Somehow, I feel drawn to this place. She looked
up to find Hojo's gaze upon her. "Here" She pointed, tapping the screen's
coordinates. "Land her here."
The ship plunged towards the surface of the planet in a barely controlled descent. The craft bucked, shuddering as gravity seized hold and its damaged thrusters kicked in. Hojo clutched the steering controls, his knuckles white from the pressure. His desperate eyes focused on the screens before him. The ships systems continued to spit out numbers and sound alarms as safeties failed and recommended speeds were exceeded.
Kagome remained strapped into the copilot's seat. Her arms were folded over her stomach, her eyes closed. If Hojo could have spared a moment to look at her he'd probably think she was sending up a last prayer. Actually, the Padawan wove bright strands of Force around the vessel, slowing the crash landing and dampening the massive heat build ups. She manipulated the power without thought or concern; there was no time to doubt herself. Instead, the Padawan allowed instinct to guide her mental fingers as she set out to save their lives.
A tiny sarcastic voice in the back of her head tried to point out that the reaction headache would be hell to pay. She ignored it for now.
The craft cleared a dense cloud layer and streaked towards a heavily forested area at close to one hundred miles her hour. Hojo gasped, pounding at the reverse thrusters to slow them more just as the belly of the craft started to skid across the tops of the taller trees. Clouds of startled birds erupted from the foliage and branches snapped.
The trunks are too thick! The panicked thought burst through her brain. Kagome pushed one hand in front of her and called on the last of her energy. Slow down! Must slow down! Her mental fingers grasped painfully at the streaking force around them. As her eyesight dimmed she thought she saw a bright pink flash before the blessed darkness caught her.
planetside SJ500>
The sight of a flaming object streaking across the sky was not unknown to the inhabitants of planet SJ500 (though to them the planet was known only as Earth). Shooting stars, falling sky-rocks, flaming youkai fights; all these occurred on a regular basis. Humans and youkai alike would merely shrug it off and hope it didn't affect their day. But this time the object was obviously different. It seemed too close to be a shooting star, too large to be a rock, and to those who were sensitive, too pure to be a youkai. So with some trepidation, several creatures watched the fiery shape plummet from the afternoon sky. They continued to watch as it seemed to skip like a stone across the tops of an ancient forest before crashing through the trees and vanishing beneath the canopy in a cloud of smoke. The small forgotten planet, held its breath as the inhabitants decided what to do. Fight or flight. Ignore or prepare?
The Jedi claim that there are no coincidences. There is only the Force, guiding, weaving, and driving us all. Like a master chessman it maneuvered its players.
-1-
In a small village bordering the eastern edge
of the Forest of Inuyasha, several scared men and women stopped in their
tracks to watch the flaming silver shape streak across the sky to the west
of them. Several of them made gestures, warding against evil. Gasps and
murmurs of fear circulated through the crowd. Among them, one older woman,
the priestess of the village, continued to peer in the direction that the
object had taken. One wrinkled hand gripped at the long bow she carried.
The object had not felt like a youkai. In fact, the flaming streak almost
felt like the energy signature of a priest or priestess. But what had it
meant? And what was it? As she thought, the scared people gathered around
her bent form, drawing comfort from her calm presence. The priestess placed
her hand on the village headman's shoulder and met his eye. The object
appeared to be landing close to their village. It was best to prepare.
-2-
Further to the west of the phenomenon, a tall
figure garbed in white paused in his endless patrol. He felt a disturbance
tickling the edges of his demonic senses. Narrow golden eyes scanned the
horizon, focusing on the small flaming thing in the distance as it flashed
across the sky. His brow furrowed. It seemed to land at the edge of the
lands he considered his. He tilted his head, his sensitive hearing picked
up the distant sounds of youkai and animals alike fleeing from the unknown
object. A very tiny part of the youkai's own instinct urged him to take
cover. He had stopped listening to that voice when he was a young pup at
his father's knee a few hundred years ago. Still, as the tiny hairs on
the back of his neck rose, he considered the option to run tempting. Not
that he'd ever tell. Demon Lords never run.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" A plaintive voice interrupted
his revere. He turned his head just enough to fix one cold eye on the short
toad-like being behind him. He knew what the toad was asking. Surely even
the annoying lackey had noticed that this was no simple falling star or
meteor.
"Jaken, come." The inuyoukai lord turned his
eyes back to the smoke that now rose in the distance. Without hesitation
he started towards it.
-3-
At the southern base of the mountain range, some
three days walk from the human settlement near Inuyasha's Forest, a male
kitsune (fox demon) paused in his trek back to his den. He dropped the
freshly killed rabbit at his feet, his tapered black muzzle tracking the
pinkish glow across the sky. Once more he found himself wishing for the
soothing presence of his mate. Shaking out his ruff, the fox grabbed the
rabbit up again and headed home to feed his single kit. He had no time
to worry about falling objects from the sky. Today his kit would start
to learn the basics of kitsune magic.
-4-
In the middle of a dirt road leading from one of
the richer human settlements, a handsome young monk frowned thoughtfully
at the pink and orange light. Although he was too far to get a good sense
of the event, his sensitive instincts hummed with warnings. Absently he
toyed with the beads wrapped around his right hand. The rings on his holy
staff clattered in a nonexistent breeze. Reluctantly he tore his gaze away
from the sky and looked back the other way. He'd concern himself with the
sky-fire when the time came. Right now he had a lead to follow. He was
sure his prey was within reach.
-5-
Closer then the poor monk realized, a shadowed figure,
cloaked in the white fur of a baboon demon also watched the odd event.
Narrow red eyes peered from behind a baboon skull mask. The skin on his
back twitched. A malicious smirk twisted his lips. "So. This will certainly
change things." He cast one more disparaging look through the trees at
the still figure of the monk. He would have liked to toy with the human
some more. A swift battle could end it now, but where was the satisfaction
in that? He sank back into the shadows, his mind already hatching new plots.
After all, it seemed that the stakes had just risen. He might as well enjoy
himself.
-6-
Much further to the north, along a forbidding ridge
line, the Lead Hunter of the demon exterminator's village squinted into
a crude telescope to watch the unnatural phenomenon. Beside him, other
Hunters stood at a ready attention. Each of them could feel the sense of
foreboding. As Hunters, and direct descendants of the great Warrior-Miko
Midoriko, the sensitivity ran in their blood. It served them well whenever
they faced a demon foe. Yet for all their awareness, only a small demon
firecat, a guardian of the fortress, noticed the soft blue light that pulsed
from the cave behind the training pens. The firecat's large red eyes waited
for a second pulse before turning to watch the oblivious humans around
her. She mewed sadly.
-7-
One final player was affected by the abrupt landing
of the Jedi craft. He alone did not watch the startling spectacle as is
fell from the heavens. Pinned to an ancient sakura tree, a silent boy remained
locked in a timeless death. Long white hair danced in the wind, brushing
against his stilled dog-ears. The boy's relaxed face did not stir in the
slightest as the craft whistled by. Only the tree witnessed the smallest
of miracles as once again the boy's blood warmed and sluggishly began to
flow.
To Be continued.....
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Chapter 2 Preview: The Abandoned People
Kagome surveyed the forest warily. What kind of people would leave a body in discrace like this? It had to have happened recently, the boy hadn't decomposed. Her eyes softened. By the Force, he was beautiful. What a shame. She stepped out from the brush, her saber held at ready. Cautiously she approached the still figure. Her Jedi senses flowed over him. Wait, was he alive?
She meant to reach for his neck, to feel for a pulse. Instead her hands were drawn to the fuzzy triangles on his head. Her tumbs ran along the outside of each ear. She studied his face closer. Poor thing, he's not long for this world.