I sat on the bank of the water. Playing with a small ball of water. Freezing it then boiling it, then freezing it again. Suddenly a pair of cold golden eyes appeared and something that seemed to be fear flashed in my soul and I dropped it. I didn't know to whom the eyes belonged to, but they made me feel something strange. Shuddering in fright I waded into the water slowly.

"Ah, that was nice, the water is clean. The air is fresh. It's not so bad being in the middle ages." Kagome said standing up.

We were wearing our swim suits. Kagome's was a one piece with yellow and orange stripes. Mine was a one piece as well, but it was blue and then a darker shade of blue. "I guess. I mean it would be nice if we didn't have this quest thing to do."

"Agreed."

All of a sudden our peaceful swim was interrupted by Inuyasha flying towards us. At the same time a small thing ran off with our cloths.

"Ahh!" we both screamed.

"Gees, will you not scare me like that? It's not what you think!" Inuyasha said in a very ticked voice.

Kagome pointed in the direction where our cloths disappeared, "It wasn't cause of you, it's our clothes."

Quickly I got out of the water. "Did you hear that?" Inuyasha asked me.

I closed my eyes and focused, "Yeah…kinda sounds like a whistle." We followed the sound a little ways away. A guy was riffling through our cloths.

"Hey!" Inuyasha growled.

"Give that back!" I ordered.

The man instantly went to the defensive, "Who are you. You look suspicions."

Inuyasha pushed him in the head with his foot, "We were about to ask you the same thing!"

I snatched our cloths back and handed Kagome hers.

Turned out the guy was hungry. So Kagome, being the nice person that she is, gave the poor guy a bag of chips. Inuyasha, however, did not approve of Kagome feeding the guy who had inadvertently stolen our cloths and was pouting in the tree. To be honest I was sort of miffed, but you get used to my sister's sometimes untimely acts of kindness after a while.

"You must have really been hungry," Kagome said as the stranger chowed down on the bag of potato chips. "Tea?" The man accepted it. "And there's something here for you." Kagome said bringing out a bag of animal crackers. "For you."

"Don't want it."

"But if you eat it, I don't have to carry it," Kagome said.

Inuyasha snapped back and jumped down from the tree, "It's not my fault you carry so much junk all the time."

Kagome jutted out her chin proudly, "It's not junk. It's homework, and clothes, and-."

My sketchbook and pencils, a first aid kit, REAL food, some makeup for my cheeks, and a folded up picture of the family.

"I give up," Inuyasha said.

"Took you long enough," I muttered.

Inuyasha was about to say something when our new 'friend' stood up and said, "I give you thanks woman, the chips potato were delicious."

Kagome stood up, "I'm Kagome. And this is my sister Name. And this is Inuyasha. And-."

The man slapped away Myoga. Kinda forgot he was there.

"He's Myoga the flea," she said.

The man looked at us strangely, as if he couldn't comprehend why Kagome and I were traveling with two demons. I was really glad I hadn't washed off the makeup from my face; I had a feeling that would be a dead giveaway that I wasn't normal.

I decided to start the interrogation of the guy who had stolen our clothes. "So you said before you were separated from your allies. So are you a knight or something?"

"I am not at liberty to reveal that. But my name's Nobunaga."

"Kagome, why does that name seem familiar?" I asked as Kagome wigged out. Something about, Oda Nobunaga. However it seemed as soon as she had just gotten all her fangirl blood pumping it was crushed by the full name of our new 'friend'.

Amari Nobunaga.

"I trust you'll excuse me, an important mission demands my imminent attention. Farewell." With that he walked off.

"I wouldn't go there if I were you," Inuyasha said. But it was too late. He walked straight off a steep hill. "I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen."

I sighed and shook my head.

- To the Village -

Girls were being carted away, like animals. I stared in horror as I watched the girls being led away by their tied hands. In history class we learned about slavery and how lords would abuse their power over the people, but it's one thing to hear about it in class another to see it in person.

"Aha, I knew it. So the rumors I heard were true after all," Nobunaga said as we peeked through the bushes at the girls being led away.

Then Inuyasha decided to make his thoughts known, "So why was it, you, me, and your sister had to follow after this guy again?"

"Because he needs us and we can't leave him alone." Ah, Kagome's kind heart makes another appearance.

"What about us we still have our own mission?" His ears twitched. "Demon?" Inuyasha asked stepping on Nobunaga's head.

I groaned and pushed Inuyasha's foot off Nobunaga's head. "Inuyasha, be nice."

He glared at me like I was annoying little pest.

- Later that night at the foot of the castle -

I sniffed and nearly gagged, "What is that?"

"Demon." Inuyasha smirked at me, "your senses are getting better. Have you been in the water more?"

"Yeah, kind of regretting that swim right about now. You think a shard of the jewel is up there?"

Inuyasha nodded, "Bet on it." Inuyasha crouched down. "We better have a closer look. Jump on Kagome, Name." Kagome and Nobunaga's grabbed onto one of his shoulders, leaving not room for me.

"Hey! What's the big idea! Get off! Only carrying two, that's my limit."

"Just take him, I think I can do this," I said with uncertainty underlying my voice.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and grabbed my arm roughly. "Come on." With that he pulled me by my arm over the wall.

"Owww," I complained quietly. My arm had been stretched in a way it was not supposed to. Over the wall we found several guards, all of whom were fast asleep at their posts. "They're asleep," I whispered.

Myoga whispered, "Do not be fooled. Their sleep is not natural. Hypnotic, and castle wide." I gulped as we moved forward to search the castle.

"Princess! Princess Tsuyu!" called Nobunaga checking each door.

"You think we should be quiet?" I asked Inuyasha.

He shrugged, "They're hypnotized, not sure it matters."

Kagome restated my question, "I mean, just because the guards are hypnotized doesn't mean the demon is."

"The sooner we find the demon the sooner we can find the jewel," he said not seeming to care about the people who were under a spell.

Finally Nobunaga seemed to find what he was looking for. Gingerly he held an elderly woman to his chest. He wept and shouted over it. Shouting 'Princess Tsuyu' over and over until it was beginning to sound less like a lovesick teen and more like a little boy wanting his mommy.

I looked to my left and saw a younger looking woman in richly cloths. I looked to Kagome, "How much do you want to bet this is actually her?"

"You wouldn't have enough money to pay me." Kagome walked over to her, "Hey, Nobunaga, I'd hate to interrupt, but isn't this the princess over here?"

Nobunaga dropped the old woman in shock.

"Did someone say princess?" asked Myoga, "I know a good way to wake her up." With that he jumped over and began to suck her blood like ticks do. However before he could have his fill, the princess slapped him off and woke up.

"At least it worked," I muttered. I had to admit; even by modern standards the princess was beautiful. By now my makeup had worn off and I was feeling self-conscious about my marks.

"Nobunaga, why are you here?" she asked. Goodness, even her voice was pretty.

"You remember me?"

She smiled, "Of course I do. How could I forget? You and I were friends and children. You were so very kind."

Nobunaga blushed, "I…I don't know what to say. I never thought you'd remember a lowly vassal like me."

"I remember everything. How you'd flip and fall in the pond. And how I laughed when you fell in horse dung."

I had to repress my laughter. Wow, he was even useless back then.

"Hey, Inuyasha. You don't suppose he's in love with the princess, do you?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Pathetic."

The princess continued, "If only I could go home." She looked like she was about to cry. Not a normal cry like normal girls do when they burry themselves in tissue. A very lady like, delicate cry with no snot or honks. "It was shortly after I came here as his bride that my lord husband began to act, strangely. He'd fallen into the garden pond and ran a terrible fever. It was though he became a different person. Nobunaga, whatever shall I do?"

"There seems no choice. You must return to Kai. Even your father, so far from here, has heard of the lord's derangement. Indeed it was his wish I come that you might be returned to him."

"You…came on my father's orders?"

"Even if he had not ordered it, still I would somehow have come."

"Nobunaga…"

"Yes, my princess, I am listening…"

"Nobunaga…there's a monkey on your head."

I didn't notice I had stopped breathing to watch in a trance as this almost romantic scene went on. Kagome did too and we both let out a breath when the mood was cracked by Nobunaga's monkey.

Inuyasha stood, "Sounds like he's finally here. You coming, Kagome? Name?"

"Yup," we both answered and followed him out.

"I thought I heard something in here," a loud pronounced voice called out. He was strange looking; even though he was covered in bandages I could tell he wasn't human by the shape of him. How he managed pull this off for so long I couldn't guess.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said flexing his claws, "took you long enough. Let's go!" With that he made his attack on the demon. "Let's see your true face."

The demon shot out his tongue like a frog to attack Inuyasha. It was almost so quick that I almost missed it. However, it missed and Inuyasha sliced through the bandages to reveal the demon's true face.

"Eww, it's a toad," Kagome cried.

"My lord?" Princess Tsuyu gasped and then fainted.

Nobunaga caught her gently, "Don't you worry princess. I have you."

Kagome's eyes widened, "I saw a piece of the jewel."

"Where?" I asked.

"His right shoulder," she answered.

"Got it," Inuyasha sneered. He went for an attack; however the toad breathed some kind of poison into the air. It made it foul to smell and hard to breath.

While he all sat gasping for air, the toad made his way over to the princess and Nobunaga. "Give me back my princess!"

Nobunaga drew his sword to defend her, "Stay back you monster!"

"Very funny. As though you could stop me, human scum!" With that, the toad monster attacked Nobunaga with his tongue and pierced his shoulder. Nobunaga dropped the princess as he gasped in pain.

"Nobunaga," Kagome gasped as she stood to go help him. "Princess!"

The toad made his escape by kicking a hole though the wall and running off.

Nobunaga tried to stand, "Princess!"

"Nobunaga," I said kneeling beside him, "stay still you're hurt." I went to examine his arm.

He eyed me with suspicion and almost fear. "Your cheeks. What are you?"

The makeup must have sweated itself off. "That's pending. I'll let you know when I do." I said kindly, "Now let me take a quick look."

"It doesn't matter what happens to me, please you must save the princess," Nobunaga pleaded.

Kagome smiled, "I knew it. So you are in love with the princess then. Aren't you Nobunaga?"

He gasped, "How could you tell?"

"You were trying to keep it a secret?" I deadpanned.

"Lousy, stinkin, toad! No way he's getting away!" With that Inuyasha ran after him.

"Hey!"

I sighed, "There's nothing I can really do." I took his hand and had him press against it, "That's should stop the bleeding, but we'll need to clean it soon or you'll get infected. Hopefully we survive that long to tend to it."

"Don't be so negative Name," Kagome joked. "Now let's go after Inuyasha."

Hoisting Nobunaga on my back we slowly made our way to where Inuyasha was confronting the toad demon. I didn't have nearly half of Inuyasha's strength, but I was getting stronger and stronger the longer I stayed in the feudal era.

"What has he done?" Kagome gasped.

He had sealed her in a sort of pod.

"Sealed her in like toad spawn, just as the rumor said," Myoga said from his place at Inuyasha's collar. "Young women, kept in egg sacks until their souls ripen then eaten." I flinched. "With the power of the jewel shard in the young lord's possession no one could oppose him."

"Y-you mean that thing is going to eat Princess Tsuyu?" Nobunaga asked.

I sighed, "That's what he just said."

"No!" Nobunaga shouted and ran from me to attack with what little strength he had.

"Watch out the poison gas!" Inuyasha shouted and attacked with his sword before Nobunaga could even get close. "I'll dissect you if I have you before you can even get close."

"I don't want to die," the toad muttered then shouted, "come to me! Souls. Souls. I need souls." With that some of the souls of the captured girls slid into his mouth. He…ate them. As soon as he did so, his wound was healed. I gulped, this would be a lot harder than we first thought if he could just heal like that.

While we had been watching Nobunaga had cut open the sack and freed the princess. "Princess…"

"Nobunaga…Nobunaga," she cried and gripped him.

"Princess Tsuyu…" he held her close, "now I die without regret." Oh great another scene.

Fortunately and unfortunately they were interrupted by the toad crying, "Princess! Don't touch my princess!"

Inuyasha hit him in the head with the flat of his sword, "You got nothing to say." The toad fell to the ground as if he passed out.

Nobunaga turned, blade out, to defend the princess.

It's eyes opened.

"Princess Tsuyu," his voice seemed different than before, perhaps this was the prince trapped inside? "What…what have I?" He touched his face. "Where am?" He turned his head to look at his surroundings, "Please someone tell me this isn't my doing?" He looked so horrified.

Inuyasha snapped back sarcastically, "Well, well, isn't that convenient?"

"That voice," Princess Tsuyu said, "it is the voice of my kind lord husband."

"So he's still alive," I said.

"Please…kill me…I…I can't bear to hurt anyone…please kill me…" the toad lord said.

Inuyasha looked enthusiastic, "Alright, now you're starting to make sense! Now do you want it in the gut or do you want me to take the head clean off?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome chastised.

"What he asked me to do it!"

I looked to Inuyasha, "Can't we save him?"

Inuyasha looked thoughtful as if it would be too much work.

"You cannot do this!" Nobunaga said standing in front of the lord. "I won't let you."

Looking from the bolder Nobunaga, to the princess who was worried about her husband, then to Inuyasha I knew that he would make the right decision.

He sheathed his sword. "Have it your way. I'll let you settle this yourself. The responsibility's yours now." With that he sat down and crossed his legs and arms.

An evil laugh crackled though the room. "Thank you for sparing me," the toad said as he pierced Nobunaga's shoulder again with his tongue. While the two girls tried to rouse the fallen Nobunaga I stood looking for something to fight with. Hesitantly drew my staff that I had strapped to my back.

"Inuyasha," I said through clenched teeth, "get up and help us."

"Hmph, only if I get to kill him," he bargained.

The toad advanced. Quickly I whipped my staff to smack it across the face. "Kagome, take the princess and run," I ordered, "he only eats girls. Nobunaga will be fine." I turned to them, "Go."

Kagome nodded and ran off with the princess.

Angrily the toad smacked me and I flew into the wall. Groaning I stumbled back up a few seconds later, adrenalin or something to that affect keeping me going. By the time I had righted myself the toad was gone.

"Want me to help yet?" Inuyasha asked.

I breathed heavily, "No." I gasped and started towards the door, "But I want you to know that if thing gets to Kagome and kills her because you weren't there to protect her…I swear on my life, my family, and everything I hold dear that I will hunt you down and kill you if it's the last thing I do."

Inuyasha stood and walked over to me, he placed his hand on my head as if I were a child, "Don't get so wound up." He smirked, "Of course I'm gonna save your sister."

"That wasn't funny," I growled.

With that we ran after Kagome.

"You still in there toad lord?" Inuyasha shouted as he landed in front of the toad. I followed him by clinging to his back.

"Inuyasha!"

"Kagome, I'm sorry, but mercy is a luxry we can't afford," Inuyasha said.

I disagreed, there had to be a way to save the man inside the toad.

"But Inuyasha, we can save him," Kagome said and when Inuyasha didn't yield she shouted, "Sit!" Inuyasha fell to the ground, bound to the power of the necklace. "Name, use that fire of yours. Burn him out!" She tossed me a can of hairspray. I smiled. "Go!"

Gulping I summoned the fire from deep inside and sprayed the aerosol can. The fire blazed at the toad brilliantly.

And just as Kagome said, the toad left the lord.

"Inuyasha, get the jewel," Kagome shouted.

"Don't worry, I'm on it! Die stinkin toad!" Inuyasha shouted and cut the toad in half. The jewel fell into his hand as the toad demon blinked out of existence.

Nobunaga, although I have no idea how he recovered, "Inuyasha, Inuyasha. You saved the lord and drove out the toad! You worried me for a bit, but then you came through."

"Actually, Name did-."

I slapped him on the back, "That's our Inuyasha for you." I whispered so only he could hear, "Tell him and you're dead." There was no way I was going to get fawned over by Nobunaga for saving his loves husband, that's just too weird.

"Nobunaga…Nobunaga," she ran to her husband, "you saved my husband. Oh my lord, you haven't changed a bit it's as though you were never away."

"I'm so sorry I worried you."

I sighed, "Funny how things work out."

"You said it," Inuyasha said.

-Next day-

We left the castle and said our goodbyes to Nobunaga.

"You know I think that would make a good fairytale," I said as I sat on the back of Kagome's bike. "Something like, the Toad Prince."

Kagome laughed, "You know Name, I think the Brothers Grimm beat you to it."

I snapped my fingers playfully, "Phooey."

"Who are the Brothers Grimm?" Inuyasha asked.

"Oh great," Kagome said with a mock groan.

"I'll just have to read you the book then," I smiled as we rode off into the sunset.

However were far from our happily ever after's.