AN: It's been a long time hasn't it? Well, I'm tampering with a new idea, so we'll see where it takes us.

Disclaimer: I don't own the lovely Inuyasha. Darn.

Walking on Waves

Chapter One

The Land Native

Kagome slammed her fist down on the door, letting out another defiant yell.

"LET ME OUT!" She shrieked, a hysterical edge on her voice. Kagome had been pounding on the wooden door for around an hour at this point, and she was beginning to feel the damage her hand had taken. She was sure a few splinters had lodged themselves in her reddened hand, but Kagome refused to give up.

A deep breath, and Kagome stepped back. She needed to regroup for a moment before she let loose another tirade of angry screams and thundering pounds. The poor door had been taking a lot of abuse up to this point; its creaks seemed to be tiny cries of protests.

However, Kagome wasn't about to show sympathy for inanimate objects as she started hitting the door with all her strength. And even though she knew none of this abuse on the door would get her out, she was still hoping she could piss off her captors and aggravate them so much, they'd simply open the door just to soothe their aching ears.

"Fine…if they want to be difficult…" Kagome stormed over to a tiny bookcase, only half her height, and found a small glass dish sitting on it. Judging its size and weight, Kagome turned it around in her hands before striding a few steps to the door and hurling the dish. Its crash was unpleasant to say the least, but she was sure she heard a curse outside. Smirking, she picked up another dish identical to its now broken companion and hurled it again.

This time, however, the door opened and a man easily snatched the dish.

"Stop destroying everything, wench! For the past hour you've been recreating a war zone in your room. Just sit down and stop being a brat!" He hissed, icy blue eyes sending threats.

Kagome flashed a defiant glare back to the man, refusing to listen to his orders. "I want to get off this ship right now! If you don't, I'll…I'll…"

"You'll what?" He gave a small laugh. "Please darling, you're on our terms right now."

"Bite me…" she hissed darkly under her breath.

"You don't even have to ask."

Kagome gave an indignant huff, unable to deal with this annoying character.

Just as the man was about to say something, the ship violently rocked to one side, sending everything and everyone sprawling. The waves outside the ship relentlessly attacked the vessel from each side, sending everyone into a panic. Kagome could feel her head pounding as one particularly rough wave sent her slammed against the wall. The man was also somewhat disgruntled but made his way up to his feet quickly and grabbed her along with him. The one thing Kagome was grateful for was being out of that annoying, cramped room.

Now she needed to find a way out of this damn ship. Problem was, the sea was the only thing surrounding the ship. No matter how much Kagome squinted, she couldn't make out a thin strip of land.

"Come on!" The man barked, tugging her wrist. "And watch that jewel around your neck! If it gets lost, I'll have your head!"

Kagome scowled but tucked the jewel inside her shirt, unwilling to lose it herself. It had always been a mystery to her, but for some reason, it attracted Kagome, made her gravitate toward it. It was unexplainable, but all Kagome knew was to hold onto it and never let anyone take it – just like these men were trying to. They hadn't explained their reasons for their mad pursuit of this jewel – this fragment of the jewel – but they seemed intent on claiming it, thus leading to Kagome's capture.

A flash of lighting streaked the stormy night skies, sending a tingle down Kagome's spine. There was something ominous about the way the ship rocked with slow and deliberating movements, the way the lightning revealed anxious faces, the way the thunder roared like an angry lion.

"Let down the sails!" The man holding Kagome's wrist ordered, trying to yell over the deafening thunder. "Hurry up!" He snapped.

"What's going to happen?!" Kagome yelled, finally voicing her worries.

"Nothing, that's what," he growled, tugging her with him to the helm. The man nudged aside another attempting to regain control of the wheel and gripped it firmly with his hands. Kagome switched to grasped part of his shirt though she really didn't want to.

Another violent set of waves slammed into the boat. Kagome felt weightless, as if she were floating through the sky. She noticed the man's shocked face and the way he lunged for her. His fingers were so close to her, just within grasping distance. Kagome's eyes became hazy, feeling a pounding pain from where she had hit her head earlier. She was vaguely aware of the man's hand only making connection with the thin, silver chain around her neck, and the sound of the chain breaking apart from her neck, the fragment of the jewel going along with it.

The last thing she felt was the splash of waves hitting her back before swallowing her whole.

Save me…

--

It was still somewhat light outside, though the sun was beginning to set. A group of rowdy sailors sat in the corner of the tavern, every now and then ordering another round of drinks. It was a job Kagome loathed but accepted, considering she'd have no home without it.

A few times Kagome had to go over and remind the sailors to settle down, despite the fact that no one else was around; if anything, Kagome merely said it to soothe her own nerves or find something else to do.

Eventually, the rowdy group of men left their spot in the corner and shuffled on back to their ship waiting by the dock. The tavern sat adjacent to the wooden pier, where some yards away, ships would stop for awhile to deliver imports or take a break on their route. It wasn't uncommon to have busy nights when several ships would stop by.

In any case, Kagome was thankful to see them leave – it meant she could start cleaning up to leave. For the next few minutes, Kagome busied herself with a rag and the tabletops, making sure no residue was left in plain view. She may have despised her job, but she made sure to be as professional about it as she could.

Sighing, she paused to rub the fresh sheen of sweat from her brow. The only thing motivating her to finish was the fact that she'd be out within a half hour. Soon enough, Kagome had been finishing up on the last table when she heard a powerful knock on the door.

Frowning, Kagome paused to stare before responding. "We're closed!"

The knocking sounded again, this time becoming more forceful. The door began to rattle and unhinge, earning a small gasp from Kagome. It was apparent that they weren't here for a simple round of drinks or a friendly visit. And whoever was knocking on this door was pretty strong. Please, don't let it be demons!

Demons, though usually treated as a myth to scare small children, still held an ominous air at the mere mentioning of them. Most people tried to pretend they weren't real or would scoff at a child claming they saw a demon in the woods. But Kagome still believed in them somewhat. If anything scary happened, or anything that seemed like a bad omen, she felt demons were the only ones to blame. It seemed logical.

Kagome knew within a matter of seconds the door would break; she needed to find something to barricade it with. Panicking, Kagome grabbed the ends of the table she had been cleaning and began to tug with all the force she could. It was heavy and took a few moments to budge, but eventually began to move with her toward the door.

Suddenly, the door was broken down, breaking into several splinters of wood. Kagome gave a yelp of fear as she jumped back a few feet. The intruder easily smashed a fist through the table, stepping over its broken parts toward Kagome.

"So…it wasn't lying. It's right here with you, isn't it?" His voice sent shivers down Kagome's spine; it was dark and threatening, exactly the way she'd imagine a demon's voice to sound. He was partially covered in shadows from the dark sky behind him, but as he moved into the dim lighting of the tavern, his features became clearer. He was tan with bulky muscles and had black hair pulled into a high ponytail contrasting with his icy blue eyes, the very feature that frightened Kagome most. They seemed cold and ruthless.

"What's here with me?" Her voice came out as a whisper.

"Don't act dumb!" He snapped, stepping a few feet further. "Show me the jewel!"

"What?" Kagome's brows furrowed in confusion as she mirrored the man's steps, moving backwards every time he moved forwards.

The man snarled, revealing a sharper than usual canine. "If you don't give it to me now, I'll slit your throat open, wench."

Kagome paled visibly. "I don't –"

"That. Around your neck."

"What…" Kagome looked down, eyeing the silver chain. "Oh. This thing you mean?" She pulled out the rest of the chain hidden by her shirt and held it up for the man to inspect. Just as she did so, the jewel began to glow a faint pink hue, tugging against her grasp as if it had a will of its own. "Woah! Why is it doing that?!" She quickly pulled it away from the man, stepping several more feet back until she was pushed up against the counter.

"Do you know just what that is you have around your neck?" He asked, a slightly menacing edge in his voice.

"No…I mean, it was just given to me by my grandfather before he died…"

"Well, it's not something for little girls," he sneered, "so hand it over."

That's when Kagome grew defiant. For some reason, even though she had no clue about what she really wore around her neck, she felt the need to protect it.

"I won't." Her voice was still shaky, but she tried to sound a little more commanding.

The man frowned before sighing. "Fine then. I'll just have to take it."

"No!" Kagome yelled, not knowing where the sudden determination came from. She dodged as he lunged for the jewel fragment dangling around her neck. Kagome clutched it in her fist close to her chest, biting her lip in trepidation as she moved behind the counter. She knew this piece of wood was nothing to him – he could break down a door and a table, why not the counter?

Instead, he relaxed his muscles from the tense, annoyed position he had been holding. There wasn't time to play silly cat and mouse games with a human girl. He noted the fear in her eyes and the way she clutched the jewel so tightly it seemed her hand would fall off. He thought it odd she didn't even know what she was protecting so vehemently but dismissed it. Pulling out the weapon that would end the game right then and there, Kagome found herself staring at the barrel of a gun.

"Now will you cooperate?" He growled softly, cocking the gun.

Kagome glared in reply, though still trembling violently. She could be dead with her brains decorated in a mural around her if she didn't do something quick.

"One…two…" He started to count, sending Kagome's nerves flying.

"Fine!" Kagome finally yelled. "I'll give it…but tell me something first." She was surprised at the audacity she had to start setting terms with what she was nearly sure of was a demon.

"What is there to know? Just give me what you have and I'll leave!"

"How did you know I had it?!" Kagome shot back, refusing to stand down. "How could you possibly know I was holding onto some fragment?"

The man sighed, lowering the gun. "It's not hard for me to sense it when I have three shards of my own. They seem to call to each other, and I just happened to be nearby. Luck if you will. Now give me that shard you have and I'll take my leave." When Kagome refused to budge, the man stalked forward. "I really hate to get violent…it'd be a shame to kill a pretty girl."

Kagome frowned, not at all swayed by his words.

"Alright then." He straightened up, cracking his knuckles a few times. "Let's play it the hard way."

The man quickly smashed through the counter with his fist, breaking the barrier Kagome had created for herself. He was close enough to punch her or strangle her…whatever he felt like doing at the moment. Kagome paled for she knew she was trapped at this point, caught between the wall and the man. She had overestimated her abilities in getting away and now she was going to pay for her mistake.

Just as the man lunged for her, Kagome gasped.

"I see them! I see them!"

The man paused. "See what?"

"The jewel shards! Two, one in each leg, and another one in your arm! That's so weird…" Kagome whispered the last part to herself. She wasn't sure why all of a sudden she saw the jewel shards, but it felt as if a strange sort of power awakened in her, something that was there all along, but subtle and dully throbbing. Not only that, but the shard around her neck seemed to be glowing softly, as if calling to the other fragments.

The man suddenly grinned. "So you can see them. Well, isn't that useful…" He murmured. "Alright then, I've decided."

"Wh…Decided what?"

"You. I'm going to take you with me!" He grinned, suddenly seeming much less threatening than before.

"No! No way!" Kagome snapped. "Why would I even think of doing that?"

"Because, you don't have a choice," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh really? Because I don't thin –"

Just then, the man quickly looped an arm around Kagome's waist, easily tossing her over his shoulder like a limp, rag doll.

"HEY!" Kagome trilled, pounding on his back. "DROP ME, YOU BIG OAF!"

"Stop screaming!" He shot back as he bounded out of the somewhat damaged tavern. "I'll go deaf before we even make it back to the ship."

"I hope you DO!"

The man merely picked up the pace, choosing to avoid a pointless fight with Kagome. Within seconds, they had reached a fairly decent-sized ship, bigger than most of the ones Kagome had seen that stopped by to deliver imports.

The man leaped aboard, sending Kagome's stomach flopping and somersaulting violently as she was deathly afraid of heights. They landed with precision, and Kagome was relieved to feel the wooden floorboards securely tucked beneath her feet.

"Ginta! Hakkaku!" The man yelled, and the two other men soon appeared.

"Yes my lord?" They chorused, each giving a small half-bow.

"Take this girl to one of the rooms. She'll be staying with us from now on!"

One of the men, presumably Ginta, frowned, scratching the back of his head. "So…we can't eat her?"

Kagome blanched.

The man gave an eye roll followed by an exasperated sigh. "No. She can see the jewel shards we've been searching for!"

Ginta and Hakkaku both brightened up, suddenly giving looks of complete and utter adoration to Kagome. They vaguely reminded her of cute, pathetic puppy dogs.

"Well then, come along with us miss!"

Kagome stayed rooted to her spot until the man gave her a shove. The two others smiled cheerfully before continuing to lead her to an empty room down below.

What she saw didn't impress her, though she couldn't say it was any worse than her own room back at home. A bed sat in the corner with a flat pillow and a ratty blanket covering it while a small bookshelf sat beside it. Nothing else decorated the room save for a few cobwebs hanging in the corner. Just as Kagome was about to turn around and make a comment, she heard the tell-tale click of a door locking.

And that was how Kagome had found herself in the company of demons.

--

Everywhere was dark. A distant roar sounded in Kagome's ears, but they seemed clogged. She was pretty sure she was still alive, but her breaths seemed silent. All her movements seemed to be caught in slow motion. Kagome felt herself being tossed around but felt powerless to stop it. Her eyes were starting to become tired, and she found them shutting soon enough.

Really, she just wanted to sleep.

And then, she felt it.

A sudden jolt and a gasp for air. She was being pulled out of the ocean depths; rather, someone was pulling her out. Kagome was vaguely aware of the arm wrapped around her waist. Whosever arm it was, it seemed strong and secure.

She knew they had reached the surface when cool night air hit her face. She thrashed about, trying to gauge her surroundings more accurately, but her savior refused to let go.

"Drop the rope!" She felt their chest vibrate as the words escaped the male voice's lips.

Kagome coughed and sputtered as the two ascended the rope before landing onto the ship's floor. She was immediately pulled to her feet with a blanket being thrown around her shoulders, something she was grateful for as her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably.

"Wh-Where am I?" She sputtered, rapidly losing consciousness.

"Welcome aboard the Wind Scar."

--

AN: So, if it wasn't apparent, the huge part in the middle was a flashback. And ten bucks says you'd be able to guess who the guy at the beginning was and who at the end. Leave some feedback?!