Chapter 2: seekers of the sacred jewel
Inuyasha was facing off with me, the man, and Kaede amidst the skeletal remains of Mistress Centipied. Armed villagers close in on Inuyasha from behind.
"You… Ceil! Do not hand over the Jewel!"Kaede told me.
"Don't worry I won't." I told her as the man glared at his son.
"I show no mercy! Especially to women whose scent I dislike!" Inuyasha said.
Inuyasha runs towards me . The man trips Inuyasha. Inuyasha leaps and claws claws at me but misses as the man pulls me out of harms way. One strand of my hair is sliced off. Inuyasha lands and brandishes his claws.
" Next it'll be you, split down the middle!" He said.
"Shoot!" The villagers say as the fire arrows at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha turned around and waves the arrows away. He leaps and slices off two tree trunks above the villagers. They run away before the trunks topple over. Inuyasha leaps onto a tree trunk.
"Who you think I am, anyway?! Don't you dare treat me like some dumb Centipede Monster!" Inuyasha asked.
"Well you are being an idiot!" I scolded him.
"Priestess Kaede! Perhaps that arrow sealing the spell on Inuyasha shouldn't have been removed…!" A villager said.
"I shouldn't have done that.." I thought.
"Oh, for pity's sake… That troublemaking hellion!" Kaede said irritated.
Kaede reached into her clothes and took out a rosary with black beads and animal teeth. I started to run away from Inuyasha who seemed intent in following.
"Prepare yourself!" Inuyasha warned.
"You idiot don't warn your prey!" I told him irritated.
Inuyasha slices at me and I barely dodge. I trip and fall onto the ground, the Sacred Jewel landing a distance in front of me. I turn around to find that Inuyashas attack made three long rifts in the ground, horrified.
"Now it's mine!" Inuyasha said leaping towards the Jewel.
Kaede makes a prayer stance and the rosary she took out earlier emits light. It breaks and the beads fly towards Inuyasha. They join back into a rosary around Inuyashas neck and stop glowing.
"What's this?!" Inuyasha asked holding the rosary.
"Ceil! Recite the Word to hold Inuyasha's spirit!" Kaede told me.
"She must mean a command." I thought. I looked towards the man who mouthed a words at me making me smile.
"Sit." I said.
Light emits from the rosary and pulls Inuyasha neck, making him fall flat-faced. Echoes of my voice 'Sit! Sit! Sit!' is heard throughout the valley.
"This is one sturdy bridge..." I said impressed as the man came towards me. Inuyasha got up and tuged at the necklace furiously.
"Wh-What's this?!" He tries to take off the necklace in vain.
"Damn!"
"You deserve it son for being rude." The man said.
Kaede reached the cliff with the villagers, overlooking the three of us on the bridge.
"It's useless, Inuyasha. Your powers cannot remove the rosary." She tells him.
"Shut up, old hag! You're first in line! Tho' you look half-dead already." Inuyasha said. Me and the man glared at him.
"Such disrespect for your elders." The man said.
"The Word…" Kaede said an eyebrow twitching.
"Sit." I said.
The rosary glows and tugs at Inuyasha. He crashes onto the planks of the bridge and falls into the water.
"Now, then… Let us return to the village." Kaede said. I nodded before picking up the jewel and following her. The man sighed and followed behind me.
"What brings the great dog demon back?" Kaede asked.
"I heard a call for help." The man said smiling.
"A call for help?" Kaede asked.
"He heard my prayer." I thought surprised.
"Yes I decided to help this girl since I have a feeling she will need it." He said.
We went back to the hut and it was villagers are rebuilding the village which was devastated during the attack of the Mistress Centipede. Kaede is applying some medicine on my torso, where the Sacred Jewel fell out of, and the man, or Inutaisho as he'd liked to be called, bandaged the deep gash in my leg made by Mistress Centipede.
"Let's see… I'll apply more salve on the wound on your belly." Kaede said. I nodded.
"It's a good thing I do kendo.." I thought now used to being hurt.
"This does not bode well at all. Now that the Sacred Jewel has reappeared, there will be others who seek to possess it." Kaede told me.
"Like yesterday…" I thought.
"And not just demons, but also humans, who have evil in their hearts. With all the violence in the world, it follows there will be those who seek the Jewel's power to realize their greedy ambitions." Inutaisho said. He finished bandaging my leg as Kaede finished with my stomach.
"Thank you." I told both of them.
"If you're here for the jewel forget it.." I told Inuyasha.
Inuyasha is lying on his side some steps away from the three of us,with his back facing them turns his head slightly and deadpaned.
"Give me the Jewel." He said earning a small punch to the head by Inutaisho.
"It seems the holding power of the rosary is quite effective. Even if he gets near the Sacred Jewel, we do not have to worry." Kaede said smiling her smile.
"Why do you want the Sacred Jewel? You don't really need its power, do you?"I asked. Inuyasha glared at Kaede.
"Old hag.." He murmured earning a hit from me.
"Don't you understand? I guess it can't be helped. I am the younger sister of Kikyo, the one who put the spell on you. I am Kaede." Kaede said.
"Kaede?" Inuyasha thought aloud." So… You're that kid?"
"Fifty years have passed. And I have grown old." Kaede said.
"And that means… Kikyo must be really old now, too. Humans age so easily. That's the way it goes." Inuyasha said. Inutaisho glared at his son trying not to kill him.
"My sister Kikyo… died." Kaede said. I noticed Inuyashas ears twitch.
"On the same day that she shot the spellbound arrow at you." Kaede said as she threw some wood into the fireplace.
"Heh, so that's how it went. She kicked the bucket, huh? What a relief!" He said sarcastically. "Inuyasha, it is too early to breathe a sigh of relief. Kagome, you are the reincarnation of my sister, Kikyo." Kaede said.
Inutaisho frowned a little but didn't say anything.
"I doubt it..." I thought.
"It's not just your appearance or psychic powers…But the fact that you carried the Jewel within yourself, that is irrefutable proof." Kaede told me.
"Excuse me I'm going for a walk..." I stated bowing before leaving.
I was walking along a pathway in the village, looking at the Sacred Jewel, which is attached to a necklace around my neck.
"You must protect the Sacred Jewel, Ceil." Kaedes voice echoed in my head. I sighed.
"I thought high school was hard..." I mumbled. I looked at my uniform which was slightly dirty. The white dress shirt was slightly torn and dirty, the green sweater vest was torn and some what clean, and the green skirt that reached above my knees was very clean.
"She's what?! High Priestess Kikyo's…?" I heard a woman say.
"When you think about it, she does seem quite saintly..."an old man said.
"What's up?" A man asked.
"The kid's the reincarnation of High Priestess Kikyo." The woman replied.
"Watch your language. Show some respect for the young lady!" The old man said.
"The 'young lady' is a reincarnation!" Another woman said.
I took my gaze off the Sacred Jewel and turns around to find all the villagers on the mound clasping their hands and praying in reverence to me.
"They're worshipping me!" I thought dead panning.
I ran off. I was given food by the villagers. Inutaisho cane up to me.
"Have you seen Inuyasha?" He asked.
"No, sorry." I said. He smiled softly and I noticed that Inuyasha got his gold eyes from his father. Inutaisho was a tall man with long white hair in a ponytail, gold eyes? And two purple jagged slashes on his face. He was wearing armour above his kimono. I thought for a minute.
"Let's check a tree." I said. Inutaisho chuckled at that. I walked and found him sitting in a tall tree. I decided to mess with him. I took a pear and threw it at his back trying to knock him grabed it nonchalantly and looks at it.
"How about a picnic?" Inutaisho asked. I smiled.
"Sounds pleasant." I said and he nodded.
"What?! What's with all that food?" Inuyasha asked.
"If only he'd gotten manners..." I thought.
"The villagers' offerings. Say, can't you come down?" I said. We were sitting at the base of the tree eating.
"You're up to somethin'. I know it." Inuyasha said as he watched me.
"Am not. Only… You do hate me, don't you?" I said not tearing my eyes away from the sky.
"You've noooo idea how much!" Inuyasha said dramatically.
"Inuyasha be nice..." Inutaisho began but caught my expression.
"Look… The one you hate is not me, but this lady named Kikyo." I told him. "And I highly doubt I'm her reincarnation."
Inuyasha throws down his food and leaps onto the tree branch spitefully.
"Keh! Are you stupid or what?! I don't care who you are! In order to get the Sacred Jewel, I have to be merciless!" He said as he points a finger at me threateningly.
"He reminds me of a monkey from an American TV show... Family guy I think it was." I thought before sighing.
"This is threatening?" I asked mockingly. Inuyasha nodded.
"Well then sit." I told him mercilessly.
Inuyasha crashed face-down violently onto the ground. Inutaisho started laughing at his sons predicament.
"Damn..." Inuyasha said prying his face out of the ground.
It was getting dark so we decided to go back to the hut. The men were keeping watch as me and Kaede slept. I was lying in a mat thinking.
"It's been two days since I arrived here." Flashes of my family went through my mind as I thought. " Kagome, Gramps, Sota… ,Mom… They must be so worried. I've gotta find a way to get back home." I pulled my blanket up to my chin and fell asleep.
It was morning and I am walking away from the village into the forest.
"The Inuyasha Forest… The Dry Well… I climbed out of there, so shouldn't it have a clue about how to get home?" I thought. "Maybe I should go back down the well to see what happens.."
I found the well.
"Found it! The Dry Well I came out of." I thought about to go over to its Mercenaries pounced on me and covered my mouth, grabbing me.
Next thing I knew I was pinned to the ground inside a decrepit hut.
"Oww!" I hissed upon hitting my gashed leg on the floor.
" Boss! I captured her just like you ordered!" A bandit said.
"She really has some strange clothes on. What's this flimsy wrap-around?" Another said feeling my skirt and lifting it up. I stood up quickly my face turning red.
"Cut it out, you pervert!" I yelled at him.
"Well, you asked for it! Exposing yourself like that!" The mad retorted.
"You wanna marry me?" The first man said.
"No." I replied bluntly."Who are you guys?"
"Give me the Jewel!" A slow monotoned voice said.
The boss of the mercenaries, a fat and big man, trudges slowly towards me. He unsheathed his sword. Two mercenaries grab my arms.
"What are you doing?" I asked my voice calm.
"Hey Boss! Slice 'er in half in one swift stroke." The man who grabbed my skirt said.
"Let me go!" I said.
"Start praying!" The man said again before the boss sliced him instead.
"Pray? For who?" I thought as my eyes widened as blood splattered into my face.
"Made a mistake..."
The boss readies for another attack. The mercenaries run from him in fear. The boss swings his sword clumsily several times, but the mercenaries manage to dodge.
"Boss, where are you aiming?! It's her! Aren't you gonna slay this girl?!" A man said pushing me towards the boss.
"What are you doing?! There's something wrong with your boss!" I said slapping away their hands."Snap out of it or it'll be your turn next. Don't you get it?!"
The boss swings his sword at us, we squat and dodge. We all flee in different directions.
" I hate being a Mary Sue!" I thought hoping either Inuyasha or Inutausho would show up, preferably Inutausho.
The boss is still swinging violently, but clumsily at various things and directions. He hits one of the pillars and the roof starts to collapse. One of the mercenaries is trapped under the rubble. I run towards him with a few other mercenaries
"Are you all right?!" I asked worried.
"The exit is blocked!" A man said.
"Can you stand? " I asked as I helped the mercenary out from the rubble.
"Thank you very much. Thank you." He said.
"The Jewel… Give me the Sacred Jewel…"
"And not just demons but also humans, who have evil in their hearts. All will come seeking the Jewel." I remembered what Inutaisho told me.
I carried the injured mercenary and take a few steps sideways. The mercenaries hide behind me. When I move a few steps more, they tumble behind me too.
"Get a back bone..." I told them.
The boss attacks the group but misses and crashes into the wall. I pass the injured mercenary to the rest.
"I know! Take him!" I told a man.
I took the Sacred Jewel from the necklace and throws it out of a window.
"The Jewel… The Sacred Jewel!"
"Now! Let's all push against the wall!" I told the mercenaries. We pushed but.
"Boss! It's no good!" A man said.
"I am not your boss!" I told him gently.
The boss closes in on me and swings his sword at me. I closed my eyes and makes a prayer stance helplessly. I heard a large crash then a clang. Inutaisho was standing behind me holding the sword inches away from my head. His eyes were glowing a demonic red. Inuyasha was holding the sacred jewel.
"Inutaisho!" I thought almost relieved but weary about who he was angry at. He pulled into his chest and broke the sword. He then punched the boss in the face. He continued to punch him in the face. The boss fell on the ground
The mercenaries run past him and me, escaping through the hole in the wall that Inutaisho burst out of.
" Boss, we're going ahead." One said.
"Thanks again!" The injured one said as he left with the rest.
"Please be more careful..." Inutaisho said as he calmed down. I nodded.
"I will try my best." I told him as I held my hand out towards Inuyasha to give the jewel back. He did so giving a sigh. Before it was in my palm a giant bird took it and swallowed it.
"Let's go after it." Inuyasha said. I nodded and noticed a quiver of arrows and a bow on the horses parked outside. I takes the bow and arrow and started running. We all started going after it.
"No way it's gettin' away!" Inuyasha said.
"What're you doing?! Hurry and shoot that thing down!" Inuyasha told me.
"Are you crazy?! I've never used a bow and arrow in my life! A wooden sword yes, a bow and arrow no." I told him attempting to string an arrow.
"The Corpse Crow survives by eating human flesh! With the Sacred Jewel, it might transform!" Inuyasha told me.
"I'll try it!" I said taking aim and grazing it's belly.
Inuyasha, shocked, falls onto the ground.
The crow transformed.
"Try again." Inutaisho told me calmly. I nodded and focused hitting the bird in the stomach this time. A large light shone.
"What have I done?" I thought shielding my eyes as things went flying through the air.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Inutaisho murmured.
"This is bad..." I said.
Something bounced off my head and I picked it up.
"This is..." I started.
"That can't be what I think it is." Inuyasha said.
"A jewel shard." Inutaisho said looking at it.
"I did not mean to do that." I stated.
Inutaisho chuckled and I sighed.
"This is going to be the start of a long journey..." I said.