A/N: I know, I know. I have a nasty habit of talking before I tell stories, but I like to communicate with my audience. I write for you almost as much as myself, so I think it's important to talk about it a little. Stories serve many functions and touch us in many ways. They make us laugh, cry, feel wonder and learn about ourselves and the world around us. I've spent most of my life seeking out stories in many forms because they take me out of the mundane and into the fantastic, allow me experiences I'd otherwise never have, and bring me together with other people. When I bring a story to you, I aim to weave in a sense of wonder, make you feel for my characters (original or not) and make you interested in their development, interactions, and now, unfolding plot! I've done a lot of one-shots and collections, but now I attempt a longer, more complex story. Dashing heroes, charming villains, bizarre happenings and more await us!
MUQFF
It was a sunny day in the village that would one day be Tokyo, an ever-expanding collection of farmers living in huts and shacks to eke out a life for themselves and their families. Kagome felt like an old woman, though she was only twenty-three. It was hard to believe she'd only spent five years in the Feudal Era. It felt almost as if she'd been there her whole life. Sometimes, she had her regrets. She missed modern conveniences and safety, naturally. However, it was worth it to be with her closest friends, and the Feudal Era certainly had its upsides sometimes. No worrying about calls, interviews or performance reviews, no laying half-asleep on the couch watching some inane, mindless sitcom or game show. Here, she had only her duties as a priestess to worry about, and the fresh air, open fields, expansive forests and occasional fight for her life made her feel alive. She would never understand the appeal that some people found in actively seeking fights, but she could certainly admit that the occasional battle was exhilarating. The air was clearer in this time, she found, cleaner and more breathable (likely a lack of modern industrial pollutants, her education reminded her), and people seemed simpler, more honest and more open. Still, times were changing, as she was reminded by the young fox demon charging up the path towards her. Shippo would all too likely outlive her but he was also rapidly outgrowing her. Though demons didn't grow old as humans would, Shippo certainly seemed to be growing up at a human rate in spite of his heritage. Now looking very nearly fifteen or sixteen years of age, he was head and shoulders above the woman he'd come to think of as his elder sister and second mother.
"Kagome!" Shippo called out.
"Shippo," she replied "it's good to see you again! How was the exam this time?"
"Great," he replied. "I managed to hit sixteenth rank. I'm almost halfway to being first rank."
"Not even close," Kagome said. "If I remember right, each rank gets harder, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," he sighed, "I guess I've got way less than half the points I need..."
"But that's still a lot of progress from twenty! You did a good job, Shippo," Kagome went on, "and you put in lots of work!"
"Thanks, Kagome. I'm glad someone recognizes it."
"You know," said the priestess, "Inu-Yasha is proud of you, too. He just... Shows it differently. That reminds me, he wanted to talk to you. He wouldn't say why, but it sounded important. He's over by the well."
"Thanks, Kagome," the fox demon replied, giving his friend a brief hug before rushing off to the Bone-Eater's Well to speak to the half-demon he'd come to consider a brother.
When he got there, Inu-Yasha sat against the well's frame, cross-legged, with Tetsusaiga in its sheath, propped upright inside the space between his body and his legs. He looked to be contemplating something. Shippo stifled the urge to make a joke about it. "You wanted to talk to me?"
The half-demon shook himself out of his thoughts and turned to look at the fox, still shocked with just how much the boy had grown. "Yeah," he said. "I just... Look, I'm not gonna be around forever."
"Come on, you're still young. You've got lots of life left to live!"
"Yeah, and so do you. I had a bit of a close call the other day and it got me thinking I can't always be there to fight for you. You're pretty much a man now, a grown demon. It's a big world, and you already know not everyone is gonna leave people alone. Been there, done that. It's why the old man left me Tetsusaiga. I'm starting to think you need a sword."
"Are you sure about that?" Shippo asked. "I mean, I've got claws and fangs and fox magic-"
"I've got way bigger claws and fangs than you. So does Sesshomaru. I don't think either of us could have gotten by without swords, in the long run. I was lucky to survive as long as I did before I got hold of Tetsusaiga. And even then, I had plenty of close calls that I wouldn't have with my sword."
Shippo stood in shocked silence. Inu-Yasha had definitely grown more thoughtful and less impulsive over the course of their journey eight years ago, but it still struck him how much his big brother figure had matured sometimes.
"Besides," the half-demon went on, "it isn't just you that needs to be protected. It's the village and your friends. A sword makes a good tool for it. So yeah, I'm real sure. So sure I already talked old Totosai into it. He just happened to be in town at the time, but by now he's back at his forge on that flying cow. By the time you can walk out there, he'll probably be done with it, or pretty close."
"By talked him into it, do you really mean you smacked him until he agreed to make me a sword?"
"Nah," the half-demon scoffed, "I already know that doesn't work with him. The old fart doesn't give a damn and he's about the only thing as stubborn as me. I guess he decided he likes you. You should head out soon. Maybe take Rin with you. The old woman's been nagging me saying the kid wants to get out of the village. I think she wants to skip out on priestess duties and training for a day or three, but it's not like we're short on protection and healers right now, so I don't care if she stays or goes. Just keep an eye on her- I don't need Sesshomaru throwing a fit if she scrapes her knee or something." Inu-Yasha resumed looking to the sky. His elder brother (half-brother, they'd both insist) was a little overdue for a visit, come to think of it. He'd grown a little more open in caring for Rin in the last few years, and everyone (especially Rin) was glad for it, though Jaken showed it in a funny way.
"That might not be a bad idea," Shippo thought out loud. "I bet it'll be a lot less boring. Rin can make just about anything fun."
"Yeah, whatever. Get going already, damn!"
MUQFF
When Shippo returned to the village, Rin was gone. Out gathering medicinal herbs with Kaede, Sango told him. He waited beside the hut she shared with the elder priestess until it was very nearly sunset, at which point Rin came back, supporting the old woman on her shoulder and carrying a basket of herbs in her off hand. It was amazing how much she, too, had grown. She wasn't quite as tall as Shippo, but now towered over Jaken even more than before when her lord came to visit. Shippo chuckled a little, remembering how Jaken always sputtered in astonishment and embarrassment at how much larger this human child was in comparison to him, before realizing Kaede was injured and rushing over to help. "Kaede, what happened?"
"Fear ye not, child. I merely slipped and twisted my ankle," the old woman responded. "I remember a time not so long ago when I might have limped home on my own, but I fear my age has begun to affect me more seriously. 'Tis a miracle to live even this long, I suppose."
"First Inu-Yasha and now you! Everyone is starting to get worried about dying all of a sudden."
"I say my fears are more valid than most, child."
"You'll be fine, Kaede," Rin said. "We have two other healers and it's only a little swollen. It's not broken- maybe sprained. It'll keep you off your feet for a bit but you'll recover soon."
"Nonsense," Kaede protested. "I have my duties. I need only a crutch to return to work."
"If you say so," the younger priestess replied. "But Shippo, why are you here? Is your exam over already?"
"Yeah, a day ago," Shippo said as he and Rin helped Kaede into her hut. "I was waiting here to ask you to come somewhere with me. Totosai is waiting for me at the forge."
"I don't know if I can go. With Kaede out..."
"Go, child," her elder insisted. "Ye should visit the old smith in any case- he forged the Tenseiga that saved your life. Thanks are owed."
Rin simply nodded in response and thanks. She had Kaede's blessing, and Kagome, while her medicine from the future had long since been depleted, still retained enough knowledge both old and new to care for the old woman. She still found it incredible that this woman came from another time, no matter how often it was proven or how long she knew her. Sometimes it made her worry that demons would be gone in that future, but most of the time it wasn't on her mind. What mattered- as Kaede, Inu-Yasha, Kagome, Sesshomaru and even Jaken would remind her- was right now. Human life was brief, and worrying would waste it. Right now, there was an adventure ahead of her with Shippo. After all the time she'd spent wandering with Sesshomaru, she'd grown a love for the road. Kagome had once told her that stepping out her door was a dangerous business, but she didn't think so. Adventure was in her blood, and it would be good to quench her thirst for it, even if just for a while.
"Ye had best get ready," Kaede said to her, derailing her train of thought. "It won't do to keep Totosai waiting about, methinks. In case ye be gone before I wake, I wish ye luck on the road. Remember your bow and your arrows- the world is most dangerous indeed."
"Thank you, Kaede," Rin responded. "Now please get some sleep. Your ankle won't heal without rest, you know that."
"Aye," the elder priestess responded, laying herself out on her sleeping mat. "I taught ye that. But I cannot sleep if ye will not be quiet."
"I'm sorry..."
"It be fine. Ye, too, should rest. The road takes energy."
Rin nodded again, and began to prepare herself for bed. She knew as well as anyone the energy required to travel. Shippo left to the hut he now shared with Kagome and Inu-Yasha. From the way they described her house in her own time, it was a veritable palace, and Shippo often wondered how she could make the adjustment to a single-room home. He supposed it didn't matter. As Kagome had told him, her friends mattered more to her than modern comfort and convenience. Friends were important, more than anything.
MUQFF
The next day, Shippo and Rin both rose with the sun, carefully gathering their things in silence so as not to wake their housemates. They went over their supplies carefully before leaving. A week's food in dried rice and preserves, full waterskins, spare clothes (a necessity Kagome insisted they pack in case of rain or damage), cooking and eating tools, sleeping kit, Rin's bow and arrows, and Shippo's magic tools, with other small necessities or comfort items in between. Once they were sure they had all they needed for the journey to Totosai's forge, they set off, his fox feet padding along beside her human ones down the beaten dirt paths that passed for roads in the Feudal Era. Kagome had once told them it was a dangerous business, stepping out the door, as one never knew just where the road might take them. But Shippo and Rin were quite certain of where they were going, and even if they weren't, both had grown enough taste for adventure and discovery that it didn't really matter. And so they went down the road, on another adventure.
MUQFF
A/N: This is the part where I beg for concrit and tell you that you get +1 Internets for every reference you pick up on. I sincerely hope everyone loves to read my work as much as I love to create it. Also, while I will try to update regularly, please be aware that I have a life outside of this. I work for a living and have other hobbies. To ensure the best possible quality for my readers, I proofread, research, and take my time to write. Even with these steps, I still sometimes find typos, grammatical errors, and other nasty surprises in my work, and I assure you that my writing would be a mess without my going back over it. Until next time, I bid you adieu.