That night Emiko sat on the fence on the outskirts of the village, staring at the stars. Manami came up behind her.
"Whatcha thinking about?"
"Well… I was thinking about how maybe… maybe us coming here… wasn't an accident. What if we came here for a reason, that sacred jewel… maybe we're supposed to be the ones who find it… and I think that… that InuYasha may be a part of it all."
"Emi, you're crazy, besides InuYasha's stuck to the tree and we said we wouldn't remove the arrow."
"I guess you're right… but still, I can't shake this feeling… wait… did you hear that?"
"Yea… I did… what do you think it is?"
"I don't know… anything's possible here… there's a half-demon stuck to a tree for fifty years by a sacred arrow… I have no idea what to expect."
Out of the woods burst a giant snake with a woman's head. She hissed at the two girls and then lunged at them shouting, "Give me your jewel!"
Emiko and Manami screamed and split up, Emiko running into the forest and Manami running back into the village. After a moment's hesitation, the creature slithered after Emiko. Manami saw this and ran as fast as she could to Lady Kaede's hut.
"Come on, you have to hurry, some huge snake thing's after Emiko!"
Kaede instantly stood and grabbed her bow and arrow, "A demon! Which way did she go?"
"Into the woods, in the direction of the well."
"…and the tree…" Kaede shook her head and ran outside. She mounted a horse and rode into the woods. Manami stood for a second, frowning. She then found a horse and rode after her.
Emiko ran as fast as she could but the snake thing continued gaining on her. Suddenly it came up beside and whipped her in the back with its tail, sending her flying forward. Emiko slammed into a tree and sank down to the ground. She groaned, she'd never been flung into a tree before, that's for sure.
"Hey, girl."
Emiko flinched and looked up. She gasped, the tree she had crashed into was InuYasha's tree and now InuYasha was awake and talking to her, "Um… yes?"
"Looks like you're in trouble."
"No, really? What gave you that impression?"
"Hm, where's Kikyo?"
"Kikyo? She's-." She was cut off as the snake smashed her into the tree once more.
"GIVE ME THE JEWEL!"
InuYasha's ear's pricked, "Jewel huh?" he looked down at the injured girl, there was a sort of aura around her…
"Hey, quick, remove this arrow."
"What?"
"Remove the arrow."
"Ugh and why would I do something like that?"
"Because this demon's gonna have you for dinner if you don't."
Emiko bit her lip and looked back at the snake woman. She stood and reached up for the arrow, and just before the snake woman could attack again, or she lost her nerve, she gripped the arrow and yanked it from InuYasha's chest. There was a bright light and Emiko fell back down to the ground. InuYasha leapt from the tree and at the demon, defeating it within seconds.
Lady Kaede and Manami rode up just in time to see the demon evaporate and InuYasha walk up to Emiko.
"Now what was it that demon said about you having a jewel?"
"I… I don't know… but I swear I don't have anything!"
"You know what I think? I think you're lying! You're scent… it's similar to Kikyo's, and that's not a good thing for you!"
"What?"
InuYasha leapt at her and Emiko scrambled out of the way.
Lady Kaede leapt from her horse and yelled, "InuYasha!" she reached into her kimono and pulled out a beaded necklace. She murmured a chant underneath her breath and the beads began to glow. The beads then shot out and placed themselves around InuYasha's neck.
"What the-? What are these?"
"Emiko, quick! Your word can trap him, say the word of subjugation!"
"What word? Ahhh! Bad dog! Uh… SIT BOY!"
The beads glowed once again and InuYasha was slammed face first into the ground, "AGH!"
Emiko held back a laugh, "Serves you right."
InuYasha glared at her, "Why you…"
Manami ran up to Emiko, "Are you alright?"
"Yea I'm fine… just a little worn out is all…"
Manami looked down at InuYasha, "I can't believe you freed him…"
"Hey, technically he saved my life, so I'm pretty glad I did it."