"Inuyasha! SIT! SIT! SIT!" Kagome yelled. The group of shard hunters stared on, some in amusement and some in exasperation. It had been coming all day long honestly, from the time they woke that morning to head out of the village and all throughout the day, his constant complaining and rude comments about something or another had been grating on Kagome's nerves.
She had mostly ignored him but when he started harping on the fact that Amelia had joined them, well her temper quickly spiked and she turned and lashed out at him and now stood over the little crater that had been made as she used the command tied to his necklace that he wore. To be fair, everyone had gotten tired of hearing his mouth real quick but most especially Amelia herself.
Walking over to stand next to her cousin, her slightly amused/annoyed emerald eyes stared down at the hanyou. "You know, I don't need anyone to protect me. I have seen more battles and fought enough to know how to protect myself and those I care about, next time you want to open your mouth and insert your foot, make sure you know what your talking about at least you damn dog." With that she grabbed her cousin and pulled her away from the cursing hanyou and lead her to the front of the group.
"I don't see how you put up with him Kagome honestly. Does he always badmouth people?" Amelia questioned as she ignored the spluttering and growling dog demon that was being helped out of the crater behind them.
Sighing Kagome linked her arms with her cousin. "He's not normally so bad unless it's Kouga or Sesshomaru. I don't see why he has such a problem with you coming with I mean your from the same time as I am...it's not like your helpless or anything."
Snickering Sango joined then linking her arm with Kagome's free arm. "I just think he's grouchy because you've not been paying him all that much attention since you both arrived and he saw you sitting and talking out at that tree last night."
Amelia snorted and Kagome rolled her eyes. "He can get over it to. He has Kikyo, he doesn't need me paying him any attention any longer. If he can't well...that's his problem."
Both Amelia and Sango nodded in agreement. Shippo ran up and launched himself landing himself on Kagome's shoulder. "Kagome, Sesshomaru said we will be stopping soon, did you bring Ramen again?"
Kagome's eyes softened as she looked at the fox kit balanced on her shoulder. "You know I always do and momma bought some new flavors for you and Inuyasha to try this time."
"Like what?"
"You will have to wait and see Shippo. It wouldn't be a surprise if Kagome told you now would it?" Amelia said smiling at the young boy.
"We will stop here." The soft baritone voice of Sesshomaru drifted back to the group as he turned and entered the treeline. The group followed him with only Inuyasha grumbling about "his stupid brother trying to boss everyone around" which of course caused Amelia to share an amused smile with Sango and Kagome.
After walking a good ten minutes into the forest they emerged into a small meadow. Sesshomaru immediately found a tree to sit against and rest as the other's went about setting up camp. Amelia took her bag off and after setting it on the ground in front of her opened it and reached in feeling around until she found the tent and went about pulling it out. She suppressed the smirk as the group stopped what they were doing and stared as she unfolded it and once unfolded, set it up with a flick of her hand.
She looked up and raised an eyebrow at their shocked expressions. The only one that showed no emotion or reaction was Sesshomaru, a raised brow was the only indication that he was intrigued with what they all witnessed.
"Is that one of those tents you told me about Mia?" Kagome questioned as she stood up from where she had been laying out her sleeping bag and walked over to stand next to her cousin.
"It is. This one though has more room than the one I used with Ron and Hermione." Amelia replied as she crossed her arms and frowned slightly at her mention of Ron before her expression smoothed out again.
"Bigger? What is it anyways?" Sango questioned as she and Kikyo both walked over as well.
"It's called a tent. It's what we use in our time to go camping, it protects us from the weather. Some tents can fit up to fifteen people but this one is special. It looks like it would only fit two but well..." Amelia trailed off as she glanced at Kagome before she continued on. "Well you all will just have to go in and see why this one is different from the normal ones."
Shippo bounded over and sniffed it before glancing between the two cousins. "Is it safe?"
Amelia smiled gently and bent down to his level. "Would you like me to go in with you? I promise it's perfectly safe."
Shippo thought about it for a moment before he shook his head. "No I believe you." With that he pushed aside the opening and stepped inside. His amazed "whoa" intrigued the rest of the group except for Kagome of course who had seen one like it already. They shared smiles as the rest of the group except for Sesshomaru filed inside.
The cousins snickered as the amazed wow's and amazing's came from inside the tent. Kagome smiled at her cousin before heading inside herself. Soon there was a "INUYASHA!" Coming from within which caused Amelia to shake her head as she bent down and closed her bag before walking over and picking up her cousin's. As she stood her eyes landed on the dog demon who was staring at her.
They locked eyes and something briefly reflected in the golden orbs staring at her before they turned hard and distant. It was something that made her stomach flip for the brief moment that she saw it. Raising a brow she stared back and with just a nod of her head towards the tent she turned and walked over and entered without looking back. If she would have she would have seen the smirk that appeared on the dog demon's face before he turned his eyes up to the sky as the sun set and the stars came out to shine their light up on the inhabitants of feudal japan.
"So what's your story Amelia?" Sango questioned as she made herself comfortable on the floor in front of the blazing fire.
It had been just two hours since they had set up camp and after being fed a meal made by Amelia which even Sesshomaru took part in surprising everyone, they were now gathered in front of the fire that Amelia had started with a flick of her hand.
Amelia who had been curled up in one of the chairs with her head resting on her arms and staring into the fire as the conversation flowed around her flicked her eyes to the demon hunter for a moment before replying. "What would you like to know?"
Biting her lip Sango thought for a moment before deciding on something safe. "Did you grow up in Japan? Your...accent I think it's called is different from Kagome's."
"I did not actually. I grew up in the Europe. Not sure what it's called here in this time period but I guess it'd probably be the western lands?" Amelia replied.
"That's not possible. The world isn't that big." Kikyo said. Amelia simply raised her eyebrow before holding her hand out and waited. Everyone stared as a book came flying through the air and landed in her outstretched hand.
"I'm sure Kagome has spoken of how we found out that there is actually more to the wprld hundreds of years from now yes?" Amelia questioned as she opened the book before placing it on the table that was in the middle of the couches and chairs. At their nods she tapped the page. "This is a picture of what the earth, the planet we are on looks like from space, and this picture here." She tapped the other page that was opened. "This picture is an image of the eastern countries which in our time would be this land that Japan is apart of as well as China, Russia, and so on."
The group all leaned forward and stared at what she was showing all except for Sesshomaru who had taken to sitting at the opening of the tent but he was listening in on the conversation as he kept his other senses opened for any that threatened their group. Tapping the page that had the map of the western worlds Amelia pointed out England. "I grew up here. Britain to be exact. In a town called Surrey which is outside of the city London. I went to school here though." She pointed to Switzerland as she spoke.
"It was not a short trip to and from school either. That's why when the school year started the students would stay at the school except for the school breaks if they wanted to go home." She tilted her head as if she was lost in thought before a small fond smile appeared. "I never did go home though, I was normally the only one in my house to stay at the school and it was nice to have that quiet time before everyone returned."
"House? what do you mean house? Was this school big enough to fit a house?" Miroku questioned.
"Oh no a house at my school would be like..." Amelia trailed off as she thought about how to explain it so the other's understood. "It'd be like if we were to separate into different groups. For instance if you and Sango was in a group with Kikyo and you had to live together for a certain amount of time which includes learning things together, eating together, living in the same living space together, that's what the houses where basically about. There is four of them which I won't say the names because it'd just make this all more confusing for all of you."
She tilted her head again. "Although if any of you know how to read, the language maybe be a bit difficult because it's changed so much from now until then but you shouldn't have to much trouble understanding it, I have a book that explains the history of the school."
"I would like to read it. Any subject from Kagome's time is amazing to me." Miroku said as a glint appeared in his eyes.
Amelia nodded. "I'll get you the book later then. In the meantime is there anything else you would like to know Sango?"
"Yes actually is what you've been doing magic?"
"It is. Which means yes I am a witch and yes I can really cast pretty much anything without some sort of staff or wand." Amelia replied amused. "Although the spells I cast without my wand are not as strong as what they are with my wand. I have learned how to cast with both though. From the age of Eleven all witches and Wizards go to the school I went to, in order to learn how to control our magic."
A wistful smile overcame her as she thought back to her school years. "At school you learn how to survive in our world, we learn how to do all sorts of things. Learn about the different creatures that inhabit our magical world. I am sure that the witches here in this time don't have a structure like I did growing up and that most of them use herbs in their spells am I correct?"
"You are. Most witches in this time are also pretty bad, most don't use their magic for good." Kikyo replied. "I must say I have yet to come across a male magic user though."
Amelia nodded at that. "I am not surprised. In my time the world is completely different. Here women are expected to stay home and raise children, take care of the home, but in our time women are independent. We can hold jobs, are expected to actually. There are of course some parts of society that still follow that kind of view but for the most part we all are equal now." She shrugged as she finished and closed the book.
"What was it like for you growing up? What about your parents?" Miroku questioned.
A shadow fell on Amelia's face as memories long buried resurfaced. "I never knew my parents. They were murdered when I was just a year old..." She trailed off as the image of Voldemort standing before her in her crib resurfaced. Nobody except Severus Snape knew that she had remembered that night so clearly, they knew that she heard her parents voice, a cruel laugh and green light but not that she could recall perfectly the image of her mother standing in front of her crib. Coming back to herself she stood and grabbing her bag headed towards the tent entrance. "I'll be back soon."
They all watched her as she left the tent, stepping around Sesshomaru as if he wasn't even there.
"Was it the question I asked?" Miroku frowned.
Kagome sighed and looked around at her friends. "Amelia has not led an easy life. Just don't question her about anything before her school years and even then she may not answer your questions..." Kagome bit her lip as she made eye contact with everyone. "Just keep all question's strictly to things about her school okay?"
Once everyone nodded in agreement she stood up and headed towards the bathroom. "I'm going to bathe then get some sleep. We should all get some sleep."
"What about Amelia?" Sango asked as she stood up to follow.
"She will be alright. She can take care of herself and she will be back soon...I hope." Kagome looked towards the entrance of the tent before turning her back on the entrance and continuing on towards where the bathrooms were.
A silence fell over the tent's inhabitant's as everyone settled down for the night. The fire's crackling being the only sound to be heard except for the soft breathing of the group. The only one to remain awake and alert was Sesshomaru and once he was sure everyone was asleep, he too got up and left the entrance of the tent.
He was curious about the young miko's cousin and the only way to satisfy his curiosity he knew was to track her down and observe her and that was something he was more than willing to do.
If only he had the foresight to know that this night would be the changing point for him, for her and for their destinies.
