Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 4: A Whole New World

I followed Sesshomaru and Rin down the hill and into the village, muttering "This is not possible, this is so not possible" with every step. He stopped near a solidly built wooden lodge and turned those intense eyes on me as I shuffled closer.

"Um," I squeaked nervously as he turned away, totally indifferent to me. I was definitely not prepared to be left alone in this strange place. I swallowed tightly.

"Rin will miss you, Evey," said a little voice at me side. I looked down and saw that she was giving me a sad smile.

"Aw... hey, we'll see each other again. Do you... do you live around here?" I asked hopefully.

She shook her head, long hair waving from side to side. "Lord Sesshomaru never stays in one place for very long. And Rin is always by his side."

"O-oh." I swallowed again. Please don't leave me alone here, please don't leave me alone here...

Rin wrapped her arms around my thighs and gave me an awkward, but sweet, hug. I bent a little so I could return the embrace.

"Goodbye, Evey. Rin will miss you," she said again.

"Yeah," I said, my voice thick with fear and sorrow. I clenched my jaw and forced back the sudden urge to cry. I'd just met her a few short hours ago, after all- it was ridiculous to be so sad about parting ways with someone I barely knew. "I'll miss you too, Rin. Take good care of your Lord Sesshomaru, okay?" I gave her a little smile. She grinned back.

"Um, and th-thank you, Lord Sesshomaru," I added hesitantly. "I really appreciate your help." He was facing the forest, ignoring me. Again. I sighed and tousled the top of Rin's hair gently. "See ya, kiddo."

Sesshomaru had started walking away from us, following the path back out of the village. Rin gave me another tight embrace, then turned to follow him. She turned and waved at me, shouting "Goodbye!" again every few seconds. I couldn't help but smile a little bit as I watched them go. What an odd pair.

When they had disappeared back into the forest, I heaved a deep sigh and turned to examine the hut that Sesshomaru had dropped me off at. It was... er, nice? Kind of nondescript, but it looked okay. For a hut. For a 16th century hut.

"This is so not possible," I muttered again. After a long minute of just standing there and staring at the door like a moron, I finally gathered up enough courage to raise my hand and knock.

So Kaede was actually pretty cool. She was short and heavy and had kind of a grandmotherly air about her. Grandmotherly minus the badass eye patch and the fact that she was, apparently, a priestess who battled and destroyed demons on a semi-regular basis. According to her, that is.

I hadn't quite decided if she was nuts or not. She certainly didn't seem insane- at least, not in the way the other old lady had been. Stabby had tried to... well, stab me, whereas Kaede had settled for making me a bowl of nice hot porridge. So far, I much preferred Kaede.

I had scarfed down my first bowl- burning my tongue, throat, and probably a few internal organs, but I was too hungry to care- and was starting on my second when she started to make conversation.

"Tell me, child. Ye wear the same garb as young Kagome, but ye do not resemble her in the least."

My heart leaped into my throat and I nearly dropped the bowl. "You know Kagome?" I exclaimed. "Kagome Higurashi?"

Kaede nodded. "Aye, child. Kagome left this village yesterday afternoon with Inuyasha and the others." My face fell, and she added, "Fear not. I believe they did not intend to be gone lone; it is likely that they will return tomorrow."

I rubbed my arms. "I hope so. I saw Kagome go into the sacred Higurashi shrine, but when I followed her inside she had disappeared. And then when I went to see if she was in the well, this… this face appeared, and I fell and hit my head. When I woke up, she was gone."

She pursed her thin lips thoughtfully. "Hm. 'Tis indeed a strange story. Tell me, what else has happened to you since you came to this place?"

I told her about Rin, the barrier, the old lady, and Sesshomaru, taking occasional bites of food, and she listened intently. When I reached the end of my story she said, "Methinks it was not a mere old woman who assaulted you. If she escaped Lord Sesshomaru's attack, she must have been more than she appeared to be." She continued stoking. "Or perhaps she had very powerful magic at her disposal."

I set the now-empty bowl aside and dropped my head into my hands with a sigh, thinking back to that awful cave. "Yeah, well, she cast some kind of curse on me. Or at least, she said it was a curse. But I don't feel any different."

Kaede paused. "A curse, you say? This is grave news, child. Tell me, what did this curse of hers entail?"

I furrowed my brow, trying once again to remember what the old hag had been chanting. I hadn't had much luck recalling it earlier- lack of sleep and numerous head wounds, remember?- and I wasn't much more successful now. "I really don't remember most of it. There was something about... binding me to her enemy, or tying my spirit to his. And, uh... killing two people at once. Yeah, she said something about that, but it didn't make any sense."

Kaede was gravely silent for a minute. Then she said slowly, "Child, I am afraid it makes perfect sense."

"Huh?"

"I have heard of such curses being cast before, but they are very rare. It seems as though this witch has a powerful enemy, one whom she cannot defeat. So she has bound ye to him, and in taking your life he would have died as well."

I blinked. "What? Nuh-uh, no way! That's not possible!"

She gave me a sad look. "I am afraid it is all too possible, child."

"But... but... but that's not fair!" I whined. "I was just minding my own business, trying to keep Rin safe from that stupid, ugly old-"

"Rin?" Kaede straightened abruptly. "Wait a moment- did you say that the human child was captured before you?"

I slumped back against the wall, pouting. "Yeah. That... that... bitch... had her trapped in the cave. I went in to help her; that's how I got dragged into this whole mess."

"Nay, child. Methinks it was the demonic face you mentioned that got you... ah, 'dragged into this mess.'" I shivered a bit. I was still having trouble wrapping my head around this. Demonic... as in, demon, as in, demons were real. As was magic, apparently, and goodness knows what else. Santa Claus and the freaking Easter Bunny were probably wandering around out in that woods somewhere, with a herd of unicorns in tow. And speaking of demons, I had apparently but walking around with one all night, totally oblivious. I shuddered.

Kaede continued thoughtfully, "However, it is strange than young Rin was trapped before you. Perhaps the witch's curse was meant for the child?"

I considered that for a minute. "You know, that actually makes sense." Well, as much as any of this weirdness could make sense. "The old lady, she said that, er, 'I would do just as well as the brat.'" I shivered again. "I guess she meant Rin. Poor kid."

Kaede had risen to her feet, and was now pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind her back. "So the witch chose Rin as the victim of her curse," she mused out loud. "Tell me- can you remember anything else about the spell? More words, or the symbols she drew? Or her ingredients, perhaps?"

I scrunched up my face. "Well... she drew a funny circle on the ground with my blood." Still so, so gross. On the creepy scale, my meat-cleaver wielding friend was right up there with Hannibal and Jigsaw. I grimaced. "Oh, and she did the nastiest thing. There was this, like, hair, and she rubbed my blood all over it. Super creepy, am I right?"

Kaede fixed her good eye on me. "And what color was this hair?"

"Kind of silver-white. Really long, too." A realization hit me. "Could that be the person she... er, 'bound' me to? Whoever's hair that was?"

"Aye. And I think," she stopped pacing and rubbed her chin, "It is safe to assume that the true target of this curse may have been Lord Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru?" I repeated. Actually, now that she mentioned it, the hair on the ground had looked like it might have been his.

She nodded again. "Perhaps. Without knowing anything more than what you have told me, it is impossible to say for sure who it is ye have been tied to. But as Lord Sesshomaru was involved, and as young Rin was chosen before ye, I think it all too likely that he is the one."

I blew a sigh and slumped back against the wall again. Okay, so... now what? What exactly was I supposed to do with this information?

"It is late," Kaede said after a long silence. "I've a spare cot, here- and I've no doubt that ye are tired after all ye have been through." Understatement of the year, lady. "Rest. I will think on what must be done about this curse of yours. There may be ways to remove it."

"Such as?" I asked hopefully.

She shook her head. "I know not. But I will think on it, and I am certain that Kagome will do everything in her power to aid you." She motioned to the far side of the room, where some bedding- really just a few blankets scattered on the floor, but I sure wasn't going to complain- lay. "Rest, child. We will address your problem further in the morning."

I nodded and, stifling a yawn, went and crawled into the makeshift bed. I mumbled some sleepy but heartfelt thanks to my hostess, and was asleep in seconds.

I awoke to the sound of birds chirping and villagers talking amiably. I cracked open my eyes and squinted into the sunlight pouring in through the room's sole window, remembering vaguely the events of last night. The well, Rin, the witch, the curse, Sesshomaru... and Kaede. I sat up, wondering sleepily where she was, when I heard her soft voice from outside.

I rose, stretched, and yawned, then headed for the door. Opening it, I was greeted by the sight of sunlit grass and smooth dirt roads, distant trees blowing in the wind... and, just a few yards away, Kaede and Kagome stood. They seemed to be having a very serious conversation, but upon seeing me Kagome paused and met my eyes.

"Evey!" she cried, looking totally shocked. "Kaede said you'd shown up in the village last night. I almost didn't believe it!"

"Kagome!" I rushed forward to hug her. "I'm so happy to see you! You wouldn't believe the day I've had! Or maybe you would, since you spend so much time here! This place is nuts!" I gushed.

"Kagome, how could you have let someone from your time follow you through the well?" snapped a… well, I wasn't really sure what he was. Tall and muscular, with bright golden eyes and wild silver hair. And… er, doggy ears. I gaped openly.

"No way," I whispered, slowly reaching out one hand and leaning towards him. Those could not be his real ears, nuh-uh, but oh my gosh they were so fuzzy and soft!

"Hey!" he batted my hand away. "What gives?!"

Kagome giggled. "Calm down, Inuyasha. I did the same thing when I first met you, remember?"

My eyes widened. "'Inuyasha'? Ohh. So you're who Sesshomaru was talking about."

Abruptly dog-man's attention was fixed on me. "What was that about Sesshomaru?"

I guess they knew each other? "It was nothing. He mentioned your name, and something called a 'miko,' but I didn't really follow what he was saying." I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Evey," Kagome had turned suddenly very serious, too, "What where you doing with Lord Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha grunted. "And more importantly, how did you survive meeting the guy?"

"Well…" I had better start from the beginning, I supposed. I took a deep breath. "I saw you go into the shrine, Kagome, and when I tried to find out where you'd disappeared to I saw this… this… weird eye thing looking at me from the bottom of the well. And then when I tried to climb out, this awful face appeared out of nowhere and startled me, so I fell in. I hit my head and got knocked out, and then when I woke up you were gone and I didn't know where I was."

Kagome nodded, listening intently. Inuyasha appeared to be scanning the distant treeline, but I got the feeling that he was listening, too.

I continued. "So, uh, then things got weird. I was walking through the woods, trying to figure out where I was, when I heard this little girl named Rin calling for help. She was trapped in a cave, and like a total moron I got trapped right along with her. Then this old lady showed up, and she was all 'I'm so nice, if you let me poke you with my little knife I'll let you leave,' so I was like 'Yeah sure, I'm totally cool with this.' But of course she turned out of be a total whackjob- she cast some kind of curse on me, and then when Rin and I tried to leave she pulled this freaking huge butcher knife out of nowhere and tried to murder us."

Kagome's eyes were wide. "How did you escape?"

"Well, I was fending her off with my shoe- and please, you two, don't ever think that a shoe is a good weapon to bring to a knife fight, because it is just so not- and Rin was throwing rocks at her, and basically we were done for. But then Sesshomaru showed up, and Stabby zapped outta there pretty quick. I guess she was scared of him."

Inuyasha's eyes were fixed on me, now. I guess I had his full attention.

"So he's not exactly a barrel of laughs, but he did offer to take me to 'Inuyasha and his miko,'" I did my best Sesshomaru impression, which was basically just a monotone, "in exchange for how I had protected Rin. Of course I had no idea who Inuyasha was or what a miko was- what is a miko, anyways?"

"It means priestess," Kagome supplied. "He… well, actually he meant me, I think. I have some spiritual powers. They're not much-" she dipped her head humbly, "But I can purify some demons in battle."

I gave her a funny look. Right. Kagome Higurashi was some kind of holy, demon-battling warrior. Well, heck, why not? The was a dog-man standing two feet away from me- a cursed time-traveler- and we all currently stood in the middle of Feudal Japan. Stranger things have happened. I can't think of any right now, but I'm pretty sure they have.

"Okay, sure. Well, anywho, I asked if he could take me back to town instead. I don't think he actually wanted to- the guy's kind of rude- but Rin practically begged him for me, so he said he would. And, well," I spread my hands out wide, "Here I am."

Kagome gave a long, low whistle. "Wow. You're lucky to be alive, Evey."

I waved a hand dismissively. "What, 'cause of the old witch? Please, I could have taken her." In my dreams, that is…

"No- well, yes, you're lucky she didn't hurt you, either. But I meant when you met Sesshomaru. He, uh," she hesitated.

Inuyasha snorted again. "He's a cold-blooded bastard, that's what he is. And he hates humans. That's why you're lucky to be alive."

"Oh." I wasn't really sure how to respond to that. "Well, um… Rin seemed really nice. He can't be all that bad if he keeps her around," I offered.

Kagome gave a slow nod. "I've actually wondered about Rin a lot. I only met her once, but she seemed so sweet and innocent… it just doesn't make sense that Sesshomaru protects her. Unless he's not as cold-hearted as he seems," she added thoughtfully.

"Feh! He probably uses her as demon bait!" Apparently Inuyasha didn't share Kagome's opinion of my not-so-angelic, cross-dressing-acquaintance. "The guy's just a power-hungry demon, the same as the rest of them."

"Inuyasha," Kagome said gently, "Don't forget that you and your father are both a lot different than most demons. Maybe Sesshomaru is, too."

"'You're father'?" I repeated. "Wait, does that mean… are you a demon, too?" I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Everyone and their dog was something magical or otherworldly around here. Besides, he had doggy ears. How many average people just so happen to have doggy ears?

"I'm a half-demon. And I'm nothing like Sesshomaru, Kagome!"

"Half-demon?" I repeated dumbly.

"Inuyasha's mother was a human woman," Kagome explained. "And Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's half-brother. Except that Sesshomaru is a full demon."

"He's your brother?!" I exclaimed. This was too weird.

"Half-brother," Inuyasha spat, and then he actually did spit onto the dirt beneath us. "And like I said, I'm nothing like that bastard."

No kidding. Sesshomaru had barely said two words to me; Inuyasha seemed kind of loud and brash, in comparison.

"Hey, Evey," Kagome sounded suddenly very worried, "You didn't say anything to Sesshomaru about the well, did you? Or about our time period?"

"Umm…" I chewed my lower lip and scrunched up my forehead, trying to recall all of my babbling from last night. "Let's see… I asked him if I could use his phone, or is there was a police station or a taxi service somewhere close by. And I mentioned the United States a few times. I think that's it."

"Are you sure? Nothing about the well?"

"Nope, I don't think so."

My friend breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Sesshomaru's honorable and all, I guess-"

"Honorable? You do remember what the guy's like, don't you?" Inuyasha interrupted, folding his arms across his chest.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "He' s a ruthless demon, Inuyasha, but he does seem have more honor than most of them. Even you have to admit that."

"I ain't admitting nothing!"

"Anyways," she continued, ignoring him, "Despite the fact that he protects Rin, and he's actually saved my life a few times, he's still an extremely powerful demon. If he ever learned about the well, he might try to use it." She shuddered. "I hate to think of all the damage he could do if he got loose in our time. Tokyo doesn't exactly have experience dealing with rampaging demon lords, you know?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I get it. Well don't worry, he probably didn't even understand half of what I was saying last night, and I definitely didn't mention the well."

"Speaking of which..." Inuyasha interrupted, folding his arms again, "I think it's about time we send you back to where you came from."

Kagome shifted. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Inuyasha? Kaede," she glanced at the elderly priestess, who had wandered a short distance away and was speaking to some women, "Said that maybe using the well was a bad idea."

Inuyasha grunted again and I suggested, "I think it's worth a try. I mean, no offense, but I don't think I want to stay here any longer than I have to. Plus with the whole 'magic spell' thing..."

"I don't think jumping through time could injure whoever it is you're bound to," Inuyasha said confidently. "Besides, whoever it is probably deserves whatever they've got coming to them."

I frowned at that. So Kaede had explained that I was magically tied to someone... but she hadn't mentioned who she thought if might be? Strange. I shot her a curious look, but she had moved farther away and was not paying any attention to us.

"Inuyasha," Kagome was frowning, too. "We don't know that. Evey said this witch was evil and insane- her victim might be totally innocent, for all we know."

"That may be," I cut in, "But I think Inuyasha was right; me jumping back into the well probably wouldn't even effect them at all. I mean, why would it?"

"Exactly." Inuyasha turned on his heel and began walking towards the forest. "Now come on, you two- we have more important things to do than stand around and wonder whether or not this will work."

Kagome didn't look convinced. "I'm sure it'll be okay," I said, tugging her after the half-demon. "Kaede said the spell was supposed to kill him- or her- if I died, too. And I won't be dying when I jump in the well, so probably nothing will happen."

"Yeah, I guess so..." she still didn't look to happy, but after a few moments of walking she perked up a bit. "I guess this will give you a chance to meet the rest of the gang."

"'Gang?'"

"Yeah." She smiled widely. "Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kilala- they're all waiting near the well. Inuyasha and I just came into the village to get some supplies. As soon as you're back home, we'll continue our quest to recover the shards of the Shikon Jewel."

"The... what?"

"It's... well, it's a really long story, actually. Let's just say that being in the Feudal Era has kept me pretty busy," she said wryly.

I snorted. "I bet. I mean, I swear I can't walk two feet without running into something totally outrageous." Like a demon, a witch, a priestess, and a half-demon with dog ears. I couldn't help but smile a bit, too. "I guess this place seems pretty exciting. But, uh, I think I prefer the warmth and safety of the twenty-first century, thank you very much."

My friend gave me another reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Evey. Before you know it, this place will be nothing but a distant memory."

I saw Inuyasha come to a stop a short ways ahead, and through the trees I could make out a small grassy clearing and, in the middle of it, the ancient stone well. I sighed happily, more than ready to put this little adventure behind me.

Author's Note: This chapter had a pretty slow pace, but don't worry- this marks the end of Evey's 'introduction' into the Feudal Era; now that she knows where she us and what's going one, things will get a bit more exciting! And rest assured, Sesshomaru will be in the next chapter- a little birdie's going to tip him off about his current connection to Evey ;)

Thank you to those of you who reviewed, favorited, or are following this story; it's wonderful to know that people are enjoying it so far! Feel free to leave a review, and also let me know if you have any suggestions or requests for future chapters!