Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, and the Shikon
jewel. I DO own Raia, Toki, and all the other people who aren't Rumiko's!
Author's Update 12/8/03 This chapter has been edited!
AN: Yay! I guess people like this! I guess I haven't gotten many reviews, but there haven't been too many flames yet. Anyway, enjoy chapter 3!
Chapter 3 (no duh)
The cold wind had blown in warm weather and sun. Raia awoke to a piece of the long field grass tickling her nose. She got up, leaving the blanket on Inuyasha, who was sleeping like a log.
She changed into a purple sleeveless dress with a full skirt and combed her hair. She pulled it into a high ponytail and fastened it with a bow. She ate a rice cake for breakfast and sat in the grass, closing her eyes and meditating.
When the sun was fully above the horizon, everybody else began to stir. Shippo and Miroku ate their share of breakfast and Kagome changed her clothes. Everybody was high spirited because of the warmth. Kagome wasn't even mad at Inuyasha anymore.
Inuyasha was slightly grumpy, as usual, so he didn't speak much.
They packed up quickly and set off along the road again. Miroku and Shippo chattered about pointless things and Kagome and Raia discussed modern day Japan and feudal Japan.
Inuyasha sniffed loudly and sneezed. He covered his nose.
Raia and Kagome looked at him. "Are you okay?"
"I smell something burning." Inuyasha sneezed again.
Raia scanned the forest and fields and noticed a curl of smoke rising above the trees ahead of them. "Civilization, perhaps?"
Kagome shook her head. "I probably would have sensed something. Same with Inuyasha."
"Forest fire, then?" Miroku mused.
"No, that would be bigger." Raia quickened her pace. "Come, let's hurry."
They hurried along the dusty path and began to pass through a small forest. The shade was dappled with creamy sunshine, and the wind wasn't blowing but for a small breeze on the tops of the trees.
Inuyasha was beginning to lag behind. "It smells like burning flesh and wood."
Raia's nose twitched and she and Kagome sneezed at the same time. "I smell it, too."
Shippo jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder and they covered each other's noses.
They emerged into the bright daylight and everybody had to blink the sunspots out of their eyes. When they all could see clearly, none of them moved an inch. A gust of wind blew dry dust against their legs.
"What happened here?" Kagome whispered, a look of horror in her eyes.
It was a small village, or what used to be a village. Most of the houses were either burned to the ground or bashed in. The charred remains of personal items and perhaps even people were scattered around everywhere.
Raia suddenly noticed a woman on her knees on the edge of the village on the other side. She wore a black hooded cloak that hid her face, but her curly hair was spilling out of the hood. She was holding a sheathed sword that was covered in soot. "Look, guys, there's a person over there. She doesn't look very dirty, so she's probably not a person from the village who survived the fire."
Miroku was smiling pervertedly. "Let's go meet her!"
Everybody rolled their eyes at Miroku and set off around the perimeter of the village. Raia was ahead of all of them.
'I feel something in the air. Something magical...' "Hello!" Raia called to the stranger.
The stranger jumped up and unsheathed her sword. "Who goes there?" she snarled.
Raia blinked and took in the woman's miko clothes. "You-"
"Demon!" Inuyasha yelled, pointing to the woods.
"And a whole lot of jewel shards," Kagome quipped.
Raia drew her sword and looked at the woman. "Up to fighting?"
The woman nodded and her eyes glinted from the shadows of her hood.
Inuyasha led the way to the demon and attacked without hesitating. They fought the demon for a long time until they beat it to its bloody death and collected the jewel shards. They stood there and stared at the body.
"Do you think it was the demon who attacked the village?" Miroku asked Inuyasha, brushing off his dusty monk's robes.
Inuyasha shook his head and flopped down on a rock. Shippo, Miroku, and Kagome followed suit.
Raia and the woman were facing each other, their swords still drawn. "So," Raia muttered to the woman. "The chances of such an encounter with YOU..." She reached into her hapi coat and grasped something. "But first you must prove to me that you really are..." She left the sentence hanging.
The woman grinned evilly. "How can you doubt me? Who do you think I am, Yura of the slutty hair or something?"
Raia grinned. "On the count of three..."
"Hai." The woman flicked her sword a little bit. "San."
"Ni..." Raia got into fighting stance. The others watched the two of them expectantly.
"Ichi..." The woman reached into her top and grasped something as well.
"Zero!" they yelled at the same time. They pulled their things out of their tops and chucked them into the air. They stuck their swords straight into the air. "Issho ni!" (Together) There was a burst of blinding purple light and something dropped to the ground between the two women.
Raia sheathed her sword. "Long time no see." She was beaming.
The woman pulled her hood down and her dark curls spilled out. "It's been so long, yes. Where have you been?" She glanced at the people behind Raia.
"Oh, here, there, and everywhere. I just met up with all of them," Raia gestured to Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo, "and we're travelling together to find... Well, to find you and the others."
'Curly black hair... Wait a second!' Inuyasha stepped forward. "Raia, is this...?"
"This is Toki. Toki, this is my friend, Inuyasha. That's Kagome, and the yokai sitting on her shoulder is Shippo. The perverted monk is Miroku."
"Perverted?" Toki questioned in unison with Miroku, sheathing her sword and resting her hands on her hips. "In what way? He looks virtuous enough..."
"Don't ask... You'll find out soon enough," Kagome replied. She pulled a blanket out of her bag. "Come, let's eat and Toki can catch up with Raia." She spread out a blanket and everybody sat down.
"Have you seen anything of Nailu or Kari?" Raia asked Toki at once.
"No, I was about to ask you that... Have you met anybody interesting?"
"Inuyasha here, and Kagome, Shippo, and Miroku... Nobody else, really. I've kept to myself." She smiled at Inuyasha. "And you, Toki?"
Inuyasha blushed at her smile and busied himself with a rice ball. Kagome felt her spirits drop at Inuyasha's blush and she covered her sad eyes with her bangs.
Toki was looking up at the sky dreamily. "I met this wonderful guy with long, sky blue hair... He was a yokai, but he was... more different than anybody I've ever met in my life."
Everybody minus Raia was staring at Toki intently.
"A dog demon?" Inuyasha asked, a hint of malice in his voice.
"Hai," Toki nodded. "His name was... Sess... Sessh... Sesshoumaru."
"NANI?" Everybody minus Raia screamed. "SESSHOUMARU?"
"What's wrong with that?" Toki and Raia chorused. They glanced at each other quickly.
Inuyasha slapped his forehead. "He's my evil brother, dammit!"
Toki crossed her arms. "Excuse you! Sesshi is NOT evil!"
"Sesshi?" Inuyasha snorted. "Do you know what he'd do to you if you called him that? Sesshoumaru is insane, evil, and arrogant. He would NOT tolerate being called pet names like Sesshi! The guy murdered multiple people! He's a slaughterer! He's... he's...!"
Raia put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Inuyasha!" She felt him breathing hard under her hand before he slapped her hand away. "Sesshoumaru can't be completely evil, can he?"
"Yes," Inuyasha scowled, turning around and crossing his arms.
"Bad encounters over the years," Kagome told them. She glanced at Inuyasha sympathetically, but the look when unnoticed.
They all talked for a long time, catching up and telling each other about themselves. "So, where are we headed next?" Toki asked as they packed up the remains of lunch.
"Well, we could always just keep travelling straight to the next village, ne?" Raia suggested. She glanced at Inuyasha and noticed that he hadn't spoken for awhile.
"Yeah, let's do that," Kagome agreed. She led the way to the dirt road and they all traveled away from the depressing burnt city.
Raia and Toki walked next to each other. Raia was turning something over in her hands. "So two of the amethysts are fused... One more and we'll be able to track everybody better."
Toki grinned, but it didn't spread to her cold purple eyes. "Yup!"
"So, how many people have you murdered now?" Raia asked sarcastically. "Or have you kept your temper under control?"
"Eh, the usual... People piss me off and they die. I actually met Sesshi when I was about to kill his little servant, Jaken. The stupid blabbermouth saw my gem and seemed to think it was the shikon no tama." She glanced in front at the chattering Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo. Then her gaze shifted to Inuyasha, who was walking in the grass. "What's up with Inuyasha?"
Raia gazed at him for a moment before turning back to Toki. "He's got a lot on his mind..." Her voice was quiet and riddled with sadness.
"Okay, you HAVE to tell me what's wrong!" Toki whacked her arm. "Come on!"
Raia blushed. "Oh, I just..."
"You like him a lot but he seems to be more in love with Kagome, ne?"
Raia nodded. "But... But I like him so much. I mean, he gave me a chance when he should have kicked me out."
Toki nodded. "Yeah, it was kind of like that for me and Sesshoumaru."
"Ooh, you have to tell me NOW! What happened between you two?"
"Well, I met him and he let me stay with him for awhile... I fell in love, but he is only compassionate towards Rin, an orphan girl... I sort of indirectly told him how I feel, but... He didn't really say anything. HE just walked away and I didn't follow him. But... Rin's just a child, and Sesshoumaru is very old... Well, not VERY old, but he is a yokai, after all." She pulled a bloody strip of yellow cloth out of her pocket. "But... When I got wounded in the arm, he tore his belt for me and tied it around my arm. He tended to me, and I never got to thank him for it. When I woke up I told him that... I told him that I never wanted him to leave me. That was when he walked away. I don't know why a yokai would have tended my wounds, though..."
Raia swallowed and blinked back unwanted tears. She shook her head slightly. "It's a sad story. I hope you see him again." She let her eyes wander to Inuyasha. He met her eyes and they both quickly looked away.
"Me too," Toki whispered.
They both walked and contemplated, not noticing the sun beginning to get low in the sky.
"Let's camp on that hill," Miroku suggested, pointing. "If it gets cold, the rocks will provide a shelter from the wind."
"Good idea!" Shippo bounded ahead.
Author's Update 12/8/03 This chapter has been edited!
AN: Yay! I guess people like this! I guess I haven't gotten many reviews, but there haven't been too many flames yet. Anyway, enjoy chapter 3!
Chapter 3 (no duh)
The cold wind had blown in warm weather and sun. Raia awoke to a piece of the long field grass tickling her nose. She got up, leaving the blanket on Inuyasha, who was sleeping like a log.
She changed into a purple sleeveless dress with a full skirt and combed her hair. She pulled it into a high ponytail and fastened it with a bow. She ate a rice cake for breakfast and sat in the grass, closing her eyes and meditating.
When the sun was fully above the horizon, everybody else began to stir. Shippo and Miroku ate their share of breakfast and Kagome changed her clothes. Everybody was high spirited because of the warmth. Kagome wasn't even mad at Inuyasha anymore.
Inuyasha was slightly grumpy, as usual, so he didn't speak much.
They packed up quickly and set off along the road again. Miroku and Shippo chattered about pointless things and Kagome and Raia discussed modern day Japan and feudal Japan.
Inuyasha sniffed loudly and sneezed. He covered his nose.
Raia and Kagome looked at him. "Are you okay?"
"I smell something burning." Inuyasha sneezed again.
Raia scanned the forest and fields and noticed a curl of smoke rising above the trees ahead of them. "Civilization, perhaps?"
Kagome shook her head. "I probably would have sensed something. Same with Inuyasha."
"Forest fire, then?" Miroku mused.
"No, that would be bigger." Raia quickened her pace. "Come, let's hurry."
They hurried along the dusty path and began to pass through a small forest. The shade was dappled with creamy sunshine, and the wind wasn't blowing but for a small breeze on the tops of the trees.
Inuyasha was beginning to lag behind. "It smells like burning flesh and wood."
Raia's nose twitched and she and Kagome sneezed at the same time. "I smell it, too."
Shippo jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder and they covered each other's noses.
They emerged into the bright daylight and everybody had to blink the sunspots out of their eyes. When they all could see clearly, none of them moved an inch. A gust of wind blew dry dust against their legs.
"What happened here?" Kagome whispered, a look of horror in her eyes.
It was a small village, or what used to be a village. Most of the houses were either burned to the ground or bashed in. The charred remains of personal items and perhaps even people were scattered around everywhere.
Raia suddenly noticed a woman on her knees on the edge of the village on the other side. She wore a black hooded cloak that hid her face, but her curly hair was spilling out of the hood. She was holding a sheathed sword that was covered in soot. "Look, guys, there's a person over there. She doesn't look very dirty, so she's probably not a person from the village who survived the fire."
Miroku was smiling pervertedly. "Let's go meet her!"
Everybody rolled their eyes at Miroku and set off around the perimeter of the village. Raia was ahead of all of them.
'I feel something in the air. Something magical...' "Hello!" Raia called to the stranger.
The stranger jumped up and unsheathed her sword. "Who goes there?" she snarled.
Raia blinked and took in the woman's miko clothes. "You-"
"Demon!" Inuyasha yelled, pointing to the woods.
"And a whole lot of jewel shards," Kagome quipped.
Raia drew her sword and looked at the woman. "Up to fighting?"
The woman nodded and her eyes glinted from the shadows of her hood.
Inuyasha led the way to the demon and attacked without hesitating. They fought the demon for a long time until they beat it to its bloody death and collected the jewel shards. They stood there and stared at the body.
"Do you think it was the demon who attacked the village?" Miroku asked Inuyasha, brushing off his dusty monk's robes.
Inuyasha shook his head and flopped down on a rock. Shippo, Miroku, and Kagome followed suit.
Raia and the woman were facing each other, their swords still drawn. "So," Raia muttered to the woman. "The chances of such an encounter with YOU..." She reached into her hapi coat and grasped something. "But first you must prove to me that you really are..." She left the sentence hanging.
The woman grinned evilly. "How can you doubt me? Who do you think I am, Yura of the slutty hair or something?"
Raia grinned. "On the count of three..."
"Hai." The woman flicked her sword a little bit. "San."
"Ni..." Raia got into fighting stance. The others watched the two of them expectantly.
"Ichi..." The woman reached into her top and grasped something as well.
"Zero!" they yelled at the same time. They pulled their things out of their tops and chucked them into the air. They stuck their swords straight into the air. "Issho ni!" (Together) There was a burst of blinding purple light and something dropped to the ground between the two women.
Raia sheathed her sword. "Long time no see." She was beaming.
The woman pulled her hood down and her dark curls spilled out. "It's been so long, yes. Where have you been?" She glanced at the people behind Raia.
"Oh, here, there, and everywhere. I just met up with all of them," Raia gestured to Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo, "and we're travelling together to find... Well, to find you and the others."
'Curly black hair... Wait a second!' Inuyasha stepped forward. "Raia, is this...?"
"This is Toki. Toki, this is my friend, Inuyasha. That's Kagome, and the yokai sitting on her shoulder is Shippo. The perverted monk is Miroku."
"Perverted?" Toki questioned in unison with Miroku, sheathing her sword and resting her hands on her hips. "In what way? He looks virtuous enough..."
"Don't ask... You'll find out soon enough," Kagome replied. She pulled a blanket out of her bag. "Come, let's eat and Toki can catch up with Raia." She spread out a blanket and everybody sat down.
"Have you seen anything of Nailu or Kari?" Raia asked Toki at once.
"No, I was about to ask you that... Have you met anybody interesting?"
"Inuyasha here, and Kagome, Shippo, and Miroku... Nobody else, really. I've kept to myself." She smiled at Inuyasha. "And you, Toki?"
Inuyasha blushed at her smile and busied himself with a rice ball. Kagome felt her spirits drop at Inuyasha's blush and she covered her sad eyes with her bangs.
Toki was looking up at the sky dreamily. "I met this wonderful guy with long, sky blue hair... He was a yokai, but he was... more different than anybody I've ever met in my life."
Everybody minus Raia was staring at Toki intently.
"A dog demon?" Inuyasha asked, a hint of malice in his voice.
"Hai," Toki nodded. "His name was... Sess... Sessh... Sesshoumaru."
"NANI?" Everybody minus Raia screamed. "SESSHOUMARU?"
"What's wrong with that?" Toki and Raia chorused. They glanced at each other quickly.
Inuyasha slapped his forehead. "He's my evil brother, dammit!"
Toki crossed her arms. "Excuse you! Sesshi is NOT evil!"
"Sesshi?" Inuyasha snorted. "Do you know what he'd do to you if you called him that? Sesshoumaru is insane, evil, and arrogant. He would NOT tolerate being called pet names like Sesshi! The guy murdered multiple people! He's a slaughterer! He's... he's...!"
Raia put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Inuyasha!" She felt him breathing hard under her hand before he slapped her hand away. "Sesshoumaru can't be completely evil, can he?"
"Yes," Inuyasha scowled, turning around and crossing his arms.
"Bad encounters over the years," Kagome told them. She glanced at Inuyasha sympathetically, but the look when unnoticed.
They all talked for a long time, catching up and telling each other about themselves. "So, where are we headed next?" Toki asked as they packed up the remains of lunch.
"Well, we could always just keep travelling straight to the next village, ne?" Raia suggested. She glanced at Inuyasha and noticed that he hadn't spoken for awhile.
"Yeah, let's do that," Kagome agreed. She led the way to the dirt road and they all traveled away from the depressing burnt city.
Raia and Toki walked next to each other. Raia was turning something over in her hands. "So two of the amethysts are fused... One more and we'll be able to track everybody better."
Toki grinned, but it didn't spread to her cold purple eyes. "Yup!"
"So, how many people have you murdered now?" Raia asked sarcastically. "Or have you kept your temper under control?"
"Eh, the usual... People piss me off and they die. I actually met Sesshi when I was about to kill his little servant, Jaken. The stupid blabbermouth saw my gem and seemed to think it was the shikon no tama." She glanced in front at the chattering Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo. Then her gaze shifted to Inuyasha, who was walking in the grass. "What's up with Inuyasha?"
Raia gazed at him for a moment before turning back to Toki. "He's got a lot on his mind..." Her voice was quiet and riddled with sadness.
"Okay, you HAVE to tell me what's wrong!" Toki whacked her arm. "Come on!"
Raia blushed. "Oh, I just..."
"You like him a lot but he seems to be more in love with Kagome, ne?"
Raia nodded. "But... But I like him so much. I mean, he gave me a chance when he should have kicked me out."
Toki nodded. "Yeah, it was kind of like that for me and Sesshoumaru."
"Ooh, you have to tell me NOW! What happened between you two?"
"Well, I met him and he let me stay with him for awhile... I fell in love, but he is only compassionate towards Rin, an orphan girl... I sort of indirectly told him how I feel, but... He didn't really say anything. HE just walked away and I didn't follow him. But... Rin's just a child, and Sesshoumaru is very old... Well, not VERY old, but he is a yokai, after all." She pulled a bloody strip of yellow cloth out of her pocket. "But... When I got wounded in the arm, he tore his belt for me and tied it around my arm. He tended to me, and I never got to thank him for it. When I woke up I told him that... I told him that I never wanted him to leave me. That was when he walked away. I don't know why a yokai would have tended my wounds, though..."
Raia swallowed and blinked back unwanted tears. She shook her head slightly. "It's a sad story. I hope you see him again." She let her eyes wander to Inuyasha. He met her eyes and they both quickly looked away.
"Me too," Toki whispered.
They both walked and contemplated, not noticing the sun beginning to get low in the sky.
"Let's camp on that hill," Miroku suggested, pointing. "If it gets cold, the rocks will provide a shelter from the wind."
"Good idea!" Shippo bounded ahead.