Chapter 4: "The Reunion."

"What! 3 years ago! It's been that long! Ohh... How long was I really gone!" Kaname shouted and held her head, frantically looking around as a million thoughts raced in her mind. 'This can't be happening, This can't be happening!' She repeated to herself, her eyes quickly darting from one places to another analyzing what may be different about the village. There were some differences she noticed in the town now. Renovations even. An obviously new paint job here and there. The old man wouldn't lie to her, would he? Judging by the looks the guard and old man was giving her, it had to be the truth."I can't believe this!" She shouted, catching the attention of bystanders. If three years had truly passed in the time she had gone, who was to say that her friends haven't moved on without her? Before such a thought could process into her heart, her panic attack was ceased by another's presence.

"What seems to be the problem out here? Guard, I thought you took care of the stranger." A young, stern male's voice spoke out from behind the large gates of the headman's house. The guard, the old man, and Kaname turned in the direction as a fellow appeared from behind the large door. He was young but not by much. Maybe in his late 20s. Dark hair all tightly pulled back into a tight ponytail that hung to the base of his neck with not a single hair out of place. His face appeared to carry no flaws, it was a natural beauty that gave him the physical appearance of being sculpted by Gods. The clothes on his back were so eloquently layered one would be a fool not to recognize him as a leader or someone equal to such. He was just the embodiment of strong, tall, dark, and handsome leader. "Did you handle it or not?" His brown eyes lowered into a hard gaze on the guard awaiting a clear answer as his soft tone slowly shifted into a firm, slightly demanding one.

"Uhh- Sir!" The guard quickly stood at attention before bowing respectfully to the tall male and pointing his weapon once again in Kaname's direction in a displaying manner to show her to man. "This is the girl that claimed to know you. But...there was a misunderstanding, sir. It has been taken care of. This girl...she..."

"She's what?"

The guard gulped slightly at the booming baritone he took orders from that still carred plenty of intimidation to him. That would explain why he strived so hard to be good at his duty. "This girl..is the woman whom your late uncle spoke of in his stories, sir." The guard explained lowering his head once again out of respect. The headman first arched a brow at the guard, shifting his look from the lowered head to that of the brown-haired female staring back at him long enough for them lock eyes. Kaname appeared to freeze up by this, taken by surprised at either the small glare he was giving her or the attractive features he held.

You lie...This girl?"

"No sir! It's not a lie! The old man! He says that she is the girl!" The guard nodded his already lowered head to better emphasize the truth. The headman then blinked, his eyes now on the old man who gave him an equally hard look, but then smiled and nodded to him. The headman's own hard look began to falter and soften at this, and looked back to Kaname.

"Is..that..soo.." The headman's voice trailed off a bit as he studied the young teen, placing a loose fist to his chin in thought. "But she's merely a child herself. A really thin one at that...Not much for baring children...Is this really the woman my uncle spoke of?" He idly began to strok his chin, eyes once again locked on Kaname. Kaname's own eyes shifted away as she began to fill slightly uncomfortable at their staring eyes, especially his.

'Baring children? He's kidding, right?' She thought idly rubbing her arm behind her back. 'I'm not that thin, anyways..'

"Aye, this is the young woman." The old man concluded to the leader of the village. "I'd recognize her from anywhere. Especially in those foreign clothing." The old man specified. Kaname looked down at her attire when they were mentioned. She almost forgot about how much they made her stick out around here. It was beginning to become her identifyer. At the appearance of the headman and of course the sight of her, she then looked around noticing small crowds of people start to gather around them, murmuring things and pointing fingers at her.

'Oh great. More people staring at me. I feel like a celebrity.' She sarcastically thought waving her fingers at them with a nervous expression on her face. Kaname blushed a bit at the crowd's admiring and confused eyes. "Umm, excuse me. Could you all please stop staring at me?" Not many of them complied, only called more over to look at her stopping them from their labors and duties to come and see her. She left out a low exasperated groan to herself finding it all futile now. Kaname took a small opportunity to plan her next move, which was a good distraction from the many eyes on her. "If I'm ahead in time of where I wanted to be...Then I may want to go where I first started my journey.." She whispered to herself. "I need to go to Kaede's village. Maybe she could tell me where everyone else is. Or better yet, maybe they're all there!"

Now that most of the confusion with the trio of men she was originally talking to was cleared up, Kaname quickly turned back to them and inserted herself back into their discussion. "Excuse me. Umm..I may need a little help." Once again she found herself being watched by the Headman's eyes that gave her a small case of the goosebumps. She cleared her throat, knowing exactly what she wanted to say. "You see..I need to get home..To my village! It's not far from here but I don't have much transportation or supplies for the trip..Sooo, I was wondering if maybe.." It didn't take much more to be said for them to understand what she was saying and almost instantly did The Headman order the guard to bring her a horse and some traveling supplies. The guard quickly bowed to his commander and Kaname before sprinting off to carry out his new given duty. Kaname wasn't at all surprised by this. After all, she was a "celebrity" here.

After further unwanted, yet appreciated admiration from the villagers of Kasasagi Town, Kaname was stocked with what she needed and then some extra gifts from the villagers for her help. It excited her really how these people still remembered who she was and what she and her friends did. There was then no doubt in her mind that she was forgotten by her friends. And now that she finally managed to get out the village, she began to head for her destination- Kaede's Village. The teen knew she didn't know how to ride a horse all that well yet, but it was now or never to learn how. She didn't want to get caught in the night time travels alone with demons running around. And didn't want to bring anyone with her to get hurt if she was to run into one. Not the best choice, but that was the way she wanted it. There was the unfortunate reminder of how her powers were practically wearing away. But if that was the case...was it not her own powers that brought her back here? It must have taken a lot..Maybe now it was all completely gone for sure this time. But that didn't matter anymore now that she was only a small step closer to her friends and the safety of their hands. She could always rely on them to protect her even when she could do it on her own.

Kaname clumsily bounced about on the horse trying to keep her balance and find a comfortable seating position. She'd make it run when she just wanted it to slow down, make it turn when she wanted it to only head straight and when she finally got it to stop, she couldn't get it to move again. "This wasn't as easy as they made it look." She huffed, leaning on the horse's mane. Even through all of that the horse managed to keep on the proper trail to Kaede's Village. "Maybe I should have taken the Headman's advice and waited a day before heading out to Kaede's Village.." In all of her excitement, waiting was the last thing on her mind. She was back in the one place she was eager to return to and she was even more anxious to see those she made great and strong bonds with. Kaname then perked back up on the horse's back and held tightly on the reigns. "No. If I stop to think about it then I'm just wasting more time." With a flick of the reigns, the horse then took off running again, making Kaname yelp in the process. At least it was going in the right way.

While Kaname struggled to hold her balance on the speeding steed, she did not notice the crumbling surface of the ground beneath her. The only thing she did notice was the horse starting to get off track and pick up more speed, dashing and twisting around as if it was eluding something. The rumbling then became more loud and noticeable as the ground seemed to vibrate beneath her more than she was bouncing on the horse. Now spooked and frantic, the horse began to buck and push up on its back legs and knocked Kaname off making her bottom collide with the hard, dirt road. The horse went sprinting off leaving her alone with a few of the supplies and gifts that slid out in its thrashing. Kaname quickly jumped to her feet and also became scared at the rumbling ground.

"Ahh! What is this?" Kaname shrieked as her heart began to poud fearfully at her chest. A part of her wanted to stand her ground and strike back at whatever it was ready to attack her. But even now, her shikigami was unresponsive to her calls and her bravery shifted to the opposite. The crumbling Earth moved in such smooth and slick pattern around her. Panicking, she tried to move away from the rumbling ground, but was instantly blocked off until, in a sense, she was cornered in a perfect circle of the Earth untouched by the faltering surface. Beneath her, the ground started to fracture and move upward, the entity that scared her and her horse starting to push through and pierce the surface of the Earth. Before she could even attempt to cry for help or even run, a large worm-like creature shot out of the ground in a blink of an eye, snatching Kaname up from her stance by her leg. The young teen was left dangling between its large teeth crushing down on her unprotected leg. Kaname shrieked again in agony at the large creature's mouth closing around her limb. It began to thrash around trying to break the rest of her body from her leg or swing her in such a way that her entire body ends up inside its mouth. It looked like the worms she had faced before, but this one was much large than anything she has ever faced in the Feudal Era. This wasn't going to be what she came back for. Kaname was not going to be some pesky demon's lunch.

However, she was helpless. Despite her courage to fight back with her bare hands, there was nothing effective she could do to survive this. The most she could do was get a grip on the monster's slimy flesh and try to pull her leg free. And that wasn't working at all. A bone began to snap, causing her to scream out again in pain, but she didn't cease her struggles for freedom. This couldn't be the end for her. But then...Even if she was to get free, she'd only end up falling to her death. As the worm demon started to shake and try to force Kaname further into its mouth now, She let out another loud cry for some kind of help. From anyone, anything! Someone to come and help her!

Out of no where, a flame as black as coal roared through the air and wrapped around the giant worm all the way up to its head and instantly consumed it whole in a blaze, making it roar out in pain and let go of Kaname before she too went up in flames. Now liberated, she was still in danger. At the height she was falling she'd be dead. Gravity worked its magic and the air was pushing under her form as the ground started to become closer and closer. Kaname shielded her eyes with her hands not wanting to see the inevitable. This was it. This was really the end. She came back to the place she wanted to be most only to die a horrid death. It was over. It was all really over..Or so..She thought..

A large pink blob swooped by under her just in time to swipe her from the air and prevent a messy splatter with Mother Earth. Her form bounced against its cushiony, plump before falling still into its plush. Kaname, almost stiffened with fear, slowly removed her hands from her eyes finding herself floating. Was she dead now? If so, that was the most painless death she'd ever experienced. But that couldn't be..her leg still throbbed with excruciating stings.

"I gotcha!" A child's voice reassured the young girl. She couldn't tell where it was coming from, but was panting from her fearful screams of actually falling from her death. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you!" The large worm demon's body came pounding down on the ground as it's body started to burn completely into nothing but its leftover, twitching carcass. Kaname looked around for an answer as to what just happened. She wasn't dead. She was still alive. But who, or what had just saved her? Her hands were pressed into the squishy pink blob that saved her. Its warmth was so familiar. It soon snapped into her mind. There was only one person who this could be.

'Can it be..Shippo?'

"Shippo?" Kaname spouted excited ignoring her pain for this moment.

"AH! You remembered me, Kaname!" The voice said more ecstatically. It was Shippo in his floating blob form. He had saved her from death just in time. Finally, a familiar face. The blob form of the little fox demon took Kaname down to the ground and eased her gently onto the ground in a safe area. He was sure to keep her leg steady to avoid worsening the injury. Quickly he popped back into his normal fox form and clung to her torso with a loving hug. Obviously, he was crying as he held onto her by the trembles in his grip and shoulders. He hid his face against her chest to hide his tears and try to keep a brave face. Three years and he was the same ol' Shippo. A bit heavier, yes but the same lovable Shippo. "Kaname! I missed you so much! But now you've come back to us!" Kaname looked down at the sobbing boy. Hearing the tender cry in his voice only made her wrap her arms around him just as tight and tear up too.

"I've missed you as well, Shippo!" She replied to the little fox, their embraces tightening to each other and their heavy tears pouring down their cheeks. But of course, Shippo didn't come alone. Another figure emerged from behind a large bush dressed in a casual, custom-created Kimono. She couldn't have been more than at least eleven years old. Her brown hair dangling to her back with a small portion tied into a ponytail on the side of her head. Big brown eyes widened soon shimmering with tears ready to fall, she was anything but afraid of Kaname.

"B-...Big..Big Sisteeerrr!" The young child cried out as she made her way over to Kaname and Shippo. Kaname looked up finding herself almost tumbling backwards from the force of the new child joining in on their embrace. "It's you! It's really you!" She sobbed. "You left and didn't give me the chance to say good bye but you've finally returned!" Kaname immediately recognized this girl by sound of her voice and her hairstyle alone. This couldn't have been anyone other than the orphan child Rin whom she remembered traveled with Sesshomaru. Kaname honestly didn't expect to meet up with them like this. A minute ago she was sure she was going to die. But to feel this love, this acceptance once again, She couldn't help but shed more tears at last being reunited with her friends. She held them both in her arms as much as she could. The pain of her bleeding leg could not overpower this joyous reunion.

'Was I really missed this much? As badly as I have missed all of them? Then...maybe...this is where I am suppose to be..'

As the three continued to hold each other as if letting go was not an option, another woman approached them and her presence soon caught Kaname's held barely any expression in her face other than the furrow brows that gave her eyes a confused, yet concerned look. This woman's appearance was quite unique compared to others Kaname had seen before. She stood at possibly 5'6 ft. tall and her hair held such a vibrant shade of brown as it fell it waves pass her lower back. The attire she wore was styled in almost a geisha-like manner, sleeves hanging off her shoulders enough to expose her well-endowed breasts' subtle cleavage. Her geta were the color of onyx with a floral thistle pattern that started at the back of the heels and worked their way around to the front like a vine. Truly this woman had a beauty she made her owns. And yet..she looked so..familiar.

She could easily pass as a normal human girl fresh out of her teens and welcoming adulthood if not for one major characterisitc. Her eyes. The menacing tint of a crimson color immediately convincing Kaname that this woman was anything but human. Perhaps it was her eyes that gave Kaname the vague, frightening feeling about this girl. Kaname knew better than to quickly judge anyone by their appearances, but in this time where demons ran wild and taking into consideration what just happened to her on a seemingly harmless road, it was best to save the benefit of the doubt after she learned of the woman's intentions for being here. A protective instinct came over her when the woman started to come closer. Her grip on the two children grew more tight in a defensive manner.

"Are you all alright? No one else is hurt, right?" The woman asked as she came to a stop standing above the trio. Her tender voice was so calm and passive with the evident sound of concerned over all of them. Kaname hesitated to make a response, but not Shippo or Rin who nodded to her. Shippo quickly recovered from his tears now and turned to the woman before hopping down from Kaname's arms, breaking out from her hold, and running up to her instead.

"We're fine. It's just Kaname. Her leg is bleeding badly!"Shippo explained frantically hopping up and down. The sting of her wounded limb reminded Kaname that she was indeed still in a lot of pain there. Kaname wiped her eyes, as well as Rin's and turned to face this woman as Rin to managed to slip from her grip and approach her.

"Can you help her?" Rin asked with great urgency tugging on the woman's Kimono sleeve to try and bring her closer to Kaname.

'Just..who is she?' Kaname wondered watching how she interacted with Rin and Shippo before that crimson gaze fell upon her.