Chapter 1
Rin was on her regular hunt through the underbrush to find something edible for lunch; once again losing sight of her squawking companion in the process. She smiled wide at a small patch of mushrooms growing quietly near an ancient tree.
"These are perfect to eat!" She cried happily to no one in particular as she plucked the first tasty canopy from the gathering.
Seating herself next to the patch for her afternoon meal, the young girl let her thoughts wander as she brushed dirt off her next bite. Now that she had her Lord Sesshoumaru and her Master Jaken she wasn't afraid to break the silence that had previously held her together. She didn't have to pretend she lived in a bad dream that would come true if she made herself know by her own voice. Rin knew what her life was and she didn't want to remind herself of that fact even while she was living it. Her thoughts drifted to the ethereal man she longed to call Father but even now she still held fear of the outcome. A fear that if she slipped he would rebuke her and cast her aside to where she could no longer follow. She sighed over the next awaiting mushroom, as long as he was near, she would be okay.
"I take it those are safe to eat?"
Rin jumped out of her thoughts at the sound of the new voice. She carefully crouched on the balls of her little bare feet in case she was going to have to make a run for Jaken. The child carefully turned to look at the face of this new stranger questioning her. Rin gasped and almost fell on her backside at the odd woman standing a short distance away. She wore the strangest set of clothes she had ever laid eyes on, well almost, Aunt Kagome wore some fairly unusual garments as well. This woman was wearing a dark solid brown kimono that only reached her waist, the sleeves were folded back so she could see a hint of a white kimono underneath. The front was open and also folded back with weird metal discs lining one side. She had an odd shaped obi wrapped around her waist and an oddly layered green waist wrap overlaying a light brown one. Underneath all of that were thin brown hakamas tucked into black boots, almost the way her great lord had his. Finally getting over the woman's strange attire she raised her brown eyes to crystal blue ones. Rin sucked in her breath at the sight of them, they were rich and vibrant like her lord's golden hues but this woman had no coldness in the blue ice that stared back at her. Rin finally forced her gaze higher and saw waves of gold wrapped tightly in a bun, the color made her think of some of her favorite wild flowers that grew this time of year.
"Are you alright, little one?" The strange woman was talking to her again, she had a faint accent in her speech.
Rin merely nodded her head and the older female flashed her a bright and caring smile. Rin gawked.
"Who. Who are you?" Rin asked quietly as she rose slowly to her feet.
"Just a traveler. I'm new to this area and I know little about the vegetation. That's why I asked about those mushrooms you're holding." The woman replied easily with a smile.
"Oh." Rin took a moment to reply, then her bubbly self burst forth in a rush, "Oh! Are you hungry? Did you want to share some of these mushrooms with me? My name's Rin. What's your name? Are you lost?"
The woman smiled again at the child's sudden chattiness, "I'm a little hungry yes. I would be honored to share with you. My name is Maeve and no, I'm not lost."
Rin frowned a little, "Then why are you in the forest? You should really stay in a village until you know what's okay and not okay to eat."
"I prefer the trial and error method when it comes to discovering new things," Maeve laughed and placed her hands on her hips, "In any case, one cannot be lost if they have no starting point and no destination."
Rin gasped, wide eyed at the woman before her, "You mean you have no place to go?"
Maeve eyes sharpened at the child's forlorn tone, "I'm merely wandering, I have no place to go because I simply do not desire one at the moment."
"Oh, well I guess that's okay then."
"Do you have a home to go to?"
Rin eyes snapped up as she debated if this woman would try to take her away like those monks had tried to. "Yes, I have Lord Sesshoumaru and Master Jaken."
"Are they near here?"
The small girl nodded, her body tensing for a quick sprint if necessary.
"Oh, that's good then," Maeve smiled genially at the stiffened child before her, "as long as you're not out here by yourself."
Rin relaxed somewhat, "I should go back now, Master Jaken will be upset if I'm gone too long."
"Well it was nice to meet you Rin," Maeve motioned towards the remaining mushrooms, "and thank you for your advice on these."
The girl in checkered orange kimono gave a quick bob of her head and darted into the trees. Maeve laughed softly to herself at the skittish creature. She carefully picked a few of the mushrooms and stowed them away in a small pouch at her waist. Glancing at her surroundings awarded her with a small deer trail heading northward. 'I guess I found my new destination for the day.' Maeve mused idly to herself, traveling across the Asian continent had certainly been no stroll in the park but she was happy to have finally reached her goal in arriving on Japanese soil for the first time in her life. 'Now all I need is a camera to strike out as a tourist.' Maeve shook her head and turned down the trail heading in the opposite direction of the girl.
*Snap* *Flash*
"Argh! Kagome! Give some sort of damn warning next time you do that!" Inuyasha barked as he rubbed at the spots now invading his eyes.
"Sorry, Inuyasha, but it was such a perfect candid moment! You just looked so cute with your ears forward and your head tilted after I asked you about going to Souta's birthday party." Kagome smiled prettily at her hanyou when he unleashed his best death glare at her for calling him cute.
"Keh, whatever. I ain't cute!" He folded his arms into his haori sleeves as he turned away in a huff.
"Ah, Inuyasha," Miroku chimed near his dog eared friend, "one should always appreciate a compliment from a beautiful lady and of course," his eyes gleamed with deceptive innocence, "one should always compliment a beautiful lady. Please, my friend, allow me to demonstrate."
"I think I know how this is gonna end." Shippou groaned on Kagome's shoulder, Kilala mewed her agreement.
The lecherous monk sauntered easily over to the beautiful and deeply suspicious demon slayer, "My dearest Sango.."
The force of the reverberating slap caused a light wind to brush the summer foliage of the nearest trees. Sango's eye twitched with irritation as she stared down at the hand printed, wobbly monk, "Can't you get through a full sentence before you decide it's the right time to play grabby hands?"
"Feh, stupid monk, you'll never learn." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as Kagome and Shippou giggled at the never tiring antics of the 'holy' man before them.
Miroku rubbed the reddened mark of what he considered 'tough love' and smiled at the woman glaring at him hard enough to melt a diamond, "My dearest Sango," he paused and raised his hands in submission as she threatened him with her bone weapon, "whenever you decide my hands are to come into play I will most certainly follow religiously."
This earned him another set of giggles and a death glare.
Their group had been wandering somewhat aimlessly through the countryside of Japan for the better part of two weeks without the slightest hint of Naraku. Kagome was thrilled they were finally making their way back to Edo, Inuyasha's complaining about back tracking was minimal due to the small fact that her glorious supply of Ramen was depleted and his stomach already missed the loss of her ninja food.
Inuyasha's silky white ears twitched as he brought the mismatched group to a halt on the dirt trail that cut through this section of the forest. He took a tentative sniff and loosened his sword from its sheath with a push of his thumb. The hanyou swiveled on his heel facing the dense foliage that gently moved with the soft breeze to his left, the three humans took their defensive stances ready for the assault.
"Quit lurking in the trees, human," Inuyasha barked at the green foliage that merely rustled in response, "I ain't gonna kill ya, unless you try something stupid."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed from behind his rigid form, "that's not going to help him any!"
The perky green foliage rustled again, unprovoked by the wind, and a solitary figure slipped out. At least that was what Maeve was hoping for when she pushed her way through the deceptively 'weak' twigs. The angry little branches of the bushes clung to her as she stumbled out onto the road and in the face of a sour looking, golden eyed boy…with dog ears? Maeve barely managed to suppress a giggle, but she wasn't fast enough to ensnare the smile that slipped through and he saw it!
"What the hell do you think is so damn funny, wench?" Inuyasha scowled at the strange woman before him. Maeve gave a tiny gasp and covered her mouth, once that traitorous smile was out she couldn't reel it back in.
"Um, excuse me?" A dark haired girl peeked out from behind the dog eared teen, "You're a westerner right? My name's Kagome Higurashi." She smiled meekly in hopes to not frighten the blonde woman before them.
Maeve let her gaze focus on the girl talking and away from the furry ears that very well could prove hazardous to her health if she didn't stop staring. Her eyes widened slightly as the sight of her attire struck her optical nerves, 'is that? Is that a school uniform? Higurashi? Surnames aren't too common this day and age, I wonder from when she's from.' Maeve nearly missed the girl's continuous questioning.
"Are you lost? I don't really know much English but maybe.." Kagome continued.
"I understand your language well enough." Maeve mentally cringed at how harsh her tone sounded to her own ears, "I am Maeve." Softer that's a start.
"Oh, okay!" Kagome brightened at the prospect at not having to bring her sore language abilities into use, "Are you lost? I know foreigners aren't allowed out of the port cities at this time, but I'm sure Inuyasha will help you get back to your friends."
"Keh, putting all the work on me again." Inuyasha crossed his arms and looked away in defiance, "Thanks a lot Kagome."
"We'll all be happy to help, right Miroku?," Sango smiled, moving to stand next to Kagome.
The monk strolled over to Maeve's side with his best grin plastered to his face, "Have no fear! When a fair maiden such as yourself is left in distress, I will do everything within my power to bring you happiness!" With almost demon-like speed Miroku had grasped Maeve's hands within his and stared deeply into her shining blue eyes, "would you consider bearing my child?"
Maeve merely gawked at his declaration as the strange violet eyed monk released her hands from his grasp only to discover he had taken hold of another, more sensitive area. Maeve's bewildered expression instantly morphed into a fierce scowl and a fast right hook left the audacious pervert on his back and dazed in the packed dirt of the trail.
"Try that again and I assure you, you will be missing that offensive appendage." Maeve growled.
The monk merely sat up and raised his hands up in surrender with a small smile gracing his lips. 'Number 238, not bad for a month. Even though this woman's punch is nearly as powerful as my Sango's.' Just as that thought finished rolling out of his corkscrew head, a swift attack of a giant boomerang to said appendage left the rest of the thoughts in darkness.
"Idiot!" Inuyasha grumbled, but there was mirth in his eyes.
Kagome shook her head and sighed, "He'll never learn." Shippou nodded his agreement.
"I'm so sorry about that," apologized Sango as she stepped over the incapacitated lecher, "He's generally good for just one grope these days so I don't think you'll have to worry about following up your threat."
Maeve laughed a little at this new revelation, "That's somewhat comforting I suppose."
Shippou gaining his bravery at the lightened atmosphere with this new stranger, spoke up with eager questions, "So where are you from? Why is your hair gold? Are you a demon?"
At the last question, Inuyasha snorted, "Of course she's not a demon, you cut off your nose or something? She smells like a human, idiot."
"Obviously you're going blind, Inuyasha!" Shippou bristled, "Because she doesn't look like any human I've ever seen!"
The young demon and half demon began to growl at each other ready for the next round when Kagome clapped her hands to garner their riled attentions.
"Okay you two, play nice and Inuyasha don't call Shippou names." She said, invoking her best motherly voice.
During the boys' short skirmish, Sango had taken the liberty of putting the comatose Miroku on the enlarged Kilala's back. Maeve naturally started asking questions about her demon cat and their history together, they had already begun to walk away, leaving the trio behind.