Wow. I actually did this chapter quickly! Imagine that...AND BELIEVE IT!!!!
It was only after Inuyasha had dropped me (roughly I might add) off his back that I realized how motion sick I was. He didn't allow me even a second to let my stomach catch up to my body. He quickly grabbed my wrist, pulled me to my feet, and we were moving again. I groaned as my stomach flip flopped. He stopped walking and sighed.
"What? Do I have to carry you the rest of the way too?" he said sarcastically.
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble…I'm feeling a little dizzy." I looked up at him weakly.
"Grrr don't act so polite. Your making me sick." He said with that weird bitter tone again. He swung my legs out from under me and held me in front of him. This felt a little awkward. It was almost like how a prince would carry a princess in a fairy tale. It's not like he wants to lug me around. He's just being nice in his own way. I thought. So, I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for him to take off running. This time, though, he only walked. I opened my eyes, and for the first time, noticed my current surroundings. We were in some sort of village. All around me were thatched roofs with stones holding them on top of huts. As we progressed further into town, we passed crowds and crowds of people. Wow. So this is where everyone is! For once I wish I weren't a foreigner! I could have had ancestors here! After a little walk, we came to a halt in front of one of the huts. It looked exactly like all the rest.
"You still alive old woman?" Inuyasha called sarcastically as he set me down on my feet (I was feeling much better at that point) outside the hut, and walked inside. I figured he wanted me to come with, so I timidly followed close behind.
"I be hangin' in child. Ye know my powers have extended m' lifespan." came an elderly woman's voice. "Now, what ye be-" the voice stopped short as I peeked my head through the door. The woman who had been talking was propped up by a pillow on a cot that was low to the floor. Her wrinkled, but wise eyes widened at the site of me.
"Inuyasha…" the woman's voice trailed off into silence.
"Grrr…Kaede, it's not what you're thinking! It's not what it looks like ok!" Inuyasha blurted out.
"Child, I may be old, but me eye sight is still good." She shook her head sadly at Inuyasha. Then she turned to me. "Let me have a look at ye, girl." she said, and motioned for me to come closer to where she was lying. I did so, and then she did something that surprised me. She grabbed my face, and turned it from side to side.
"Do you always have to do that ya old hag?" Inuyasha huffed.
"We can't go…breaking tradition…now can we?" Kaede said with hidden meaning. She turned to me. "I am the priestess Kaede. I used to be the protector of this village, but alas, I have grown old." Wow! A priestess! A real live priestess! "Inuyasha has been doing that job as of late. What be your name child?" she finished.
"Rose. Rose McCullen." I recited. Kaede grabbed my face again. This time I pulled away. I felt bad for being disrespectful, but I had to admit, I didn't understand a thing that was going on! I wasn't too happy!
"Ok! Can somebody PLEASE explain what I missed? I must have missed something, because I have no idea what you're talking about!" I exploded.
"This girl be definitely not of this era. I can tell ye that much." Kaede said.
"Grrr! I already know that! I just want to know how she got THIS!" Inuyasha grabbed the Jewel fragment from my hand that I had forgotten I had been holding on to, and handed it over to Kaede. The old woman examined it solemnly. When she was finished, she looked up at me.
"Where could ye possibly have gotten this, child?" suddenly she looked even older.
"Well…umm…I found it…on the ground…at a park…" I lied. I can't tell them what really happened…To them, it would probably sound like I meant to take it from Miss Higurashi…They might hate me, or worse, they might not help me find my way home! And besides, this little broken jewel seems like a big deal around here…
"Well, I don't know what a…park…is, but…I guess that means you didn't get it from-" Inuyasha was interrupted by the sound of the straw door flap being pulled aside behind me.
"Hello. I was told I could-" I spun around at the sound of the familiar voice, and gasped.
"Izanagi!" there he stood. The boy that had recently tried to kill me was standing in the doorway gazing down at me with a bewildered expression.