The White Garou
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha & Co. They belong to their creator Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just 'borrowing' them for a bit to write this little fanfic. She can have them back when I'm done!
*The story left off where Kyrissaean had just sent her servant, Takehiko, along with our favorite group of travelers.* -- Author's note - please read and review my story, I'm currently working on chapter #4. Thanks for reading! I'd like to extend a special thanks to my wonderful boyfriend for helping me write this chapter.
Chapter 3: First day in the village
After several long days of travel through the wilderness of medieval Japan, our six travelers come upon a small township. Having followed Kagome's Miko senses, they have isolated the location of the next Shikon shard to be somewhere within the village ahead. As they cross the outlying rice patties and vegetable fields of the village, each member of the group is showing anxiousness in their own way.
Kagome pushes her battered bicycle with an added spring in her step as she contemplates her first night of being able to sleep inside a warm building. Most people from the 21st century imagine a romanticized mystique surrounding sleeping in the wilderness, with only the stars above as your rooftop. Kagome knows better. She knows of the bugs, the rain, the cold, and most of all that annoying little rock or acorn that pokes into your back under your sleeping bag. The one that you can never seem to locate in the dark no matter how much you search for it. How much better a soft futon, or smooth Tatami matt, and a warm stove would be, and the bliss of not having to swat at mosquitoes would be a godsend. A hint of a smile crosses her lips as this last thought brings to mind Inuyasha's occasional retainer, Myouga.
Sango's face is an unreadable mask as she gazes at, or rather through the distant houses, huts and shanties that make up the town at the center of the crop fields. Her mind is thinking of a different town, in a different time. A town that was once home for her father, brother and friends.
Miroku strides with the confidence and self-created purpose that somehow only clerics, lawyers, and government bureaucrats are capable of. Behind the purposeful look in his eyes the gears of his mind are turning as he scans the crops for signs of damage from pests, the road for the foot prints of wild animals, or any other reason that might require an exorcism; for a price. And of course, there is always the gratitude of the lovely young women of the town.
Sango, lost in her reverie, almost misses the evil grin on the face of the hentai Hoshi. A grin that rapidly vanishes under her disapproving glare. She knows what he was thinking, or has a pretty good estimate. She should definitely hit him, but she is just too damn tired.
The three demon-blooded members of the group are less at ease. For them, approaching a new human settlement always brings with it a certain element of uncertainty. Will they be accepted - certainly not. More accurately, with they be tolerated, and not run out of town by a fearful mob that is blinded by ignorance and superstition. Despite this, Inuyasha is hungry. Kagome ran out of his favorite ramen noodles five days ago and he has had to make due on a half ration of rice and whatever fish or small animals he can capture. Human's may be weak and have many faults, but they sure do have good food.
Shippo looks around at the crop fields from his perch in the basket of the bicycle, wondering if there will be anyone to play with in this new place. Because of his age and appearance he has not experienced the same degree of discrimination and fear. Although that is not to say that even he, as cute as he is, has not been occasionally taken for a mischievous goblin or Mononoke. However, for the most part, life is still a wondrous adventure to him.
Takehiko is, and has been introspective since his master of many years instructed him to follow this group. Before meeting them, he had heard rumors of the existence of this "Shikon no Tama" but knew little else. Certainly not that it had been broken into twenty score shards or that a select few demons were slowly amassing more power as they collected the scattered remains. Would his master actually have reason to fear a Mononoke that possessed enough pieces of this jewel?
The first person that they meet is a farm boy tending one of the rice patties. He waves and extends a greeting before returning to his work. Shortly thereafter they are passing the first huts and shanties at the outer rim of the town. They pass at least a dozen people going about various aspects of agrarian life. One man is milking a goat, two women are washing linens, and another is scolding a small child who appears to be holding one of several pies cooling on a nearby windowsill.
Takehiko chuckles under his breath at this last sight as he thinks back to a similar scene he and his master had walked past once. A scene that had drawn an eye roll and disgusted sigh from the human form of Kyrissaean. Shortly to be followed by a comment to the effect that the woman would be better off eating the child and yelling at the pie for all the good it would do.
As they approach the center of town, they encounter more people. Oddly none of them seem to notice the diverse racial background of the travelers. At the center of town, they enter a small green containing a stone shrine to the local gods. Surrounding the green, there are a handful of newer buildings and a small marketplace where farmers and merchants haggle noisily over goods and services.
Miroku, having looked around, indicates a building that appears to be an inn. Sango protests, saying they do not have sufficient funds, but Miroku waves her objections aside. Putting on his most innocent and humble face, Miroku walks up to the innkeeper who is sweeping the front porch and humming a tune under her breath.
With no more introduction than a simple "Good afternoon, Ma'am", Miroku extends his apology for the misfortune the inn has experienced and hands the innkeeper one of his paper talismans in hopes that it will dispel the restless spirit which has been plaguing the inn. The rest of the group watches with wide eyes as Miroku swiftly cons their way into getting free lodging for the night.
As the sun sets, the weary travelers decide to postpone searching for the Shikon shard until the following day, in favor of getting some much needed sleep. Inuyasha's ears perk up at the thought of soon to be served warm food. Night soon comes, and after a large meal of a variety of local vegetables seasoned with a mixture of light dill flavors and Sake served on the side, the travelers become weary and decide to get some sleep. As Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo lay down their bedrolls, Inuyasha leans up against wall next to the door with his hand on the mighty sword Tetsusaiga, always the ever watchful guardian. Takehiko takes a similar position across the room, his ears on alert.
A gentle moonlight filters in through the paper screens and Inuyasha's sensitive ears twitch as his eyes slowly open to almost silent footfalls outside. He tightens his grip on Tetsusaiga, slowly looking up to see the open eyes of Takehiko across the room. The glances they exchange are enough to confirm to each that what they had heard was not just a dream. Two sets of eyes are drawn to a shadow, barely perceptible in the moonlight, on the opposite side of the sliding paper door.
As the door silently slides open, the two Hanyous, still feigning sleep, watch as the silhouette of a dagger can be seen in the hand of the figure quietly entering the room.
Suddenly, the figure lunges at the monk and the two sleeping women. With almost no time to reach, Inuyasha reacts with the only available option. In one single movement of drawing Tetsusaiga, he slices off the arm of the assailant! The amputee wheels back in pain and surprise as the waiting claws of Takehiko pierce the assailant's chest.
The commotion awakens the rest of the group. Groggy with sleep they wipe at the strange sticky liquid that has splashed upon them, as the sound of a dozen running foot falls can be heard rushing into the room. Momentarily blinded by the light of torches carried by the new intruders the groggy sleepers back against the far wall as Inuyasha and Takehiko jump between their disoriented comrades and the new threat. Their eyes slowly adjust to the light and they find themselves face to face with several of the villagers, standing with blank faces carrying farming scythes, torches, and spears. On the floor between them is the bleeding corpse of the old innkeeper.
The momentary silence is broken as the farmers lunge as one onto their prey. Inuyasha and Takehiko do their best to fight off the droves of villagers, standing back to back and growling savagely. Quickly shaking off their sleepiness, Miroku and Sango grab their weapons and join in the fight. Kagome, observing the situation, yells a warning that the exit is blocked and they have no escape from the onslaught.
Miroku, unable to use his Kazaana for fear of sucking in both friend and foe in the close conditions of the melee, grabs his staff leaning against the wall and swings it with the graceful ease of a skilled bow staff fighter. He yells out to warn Inuyasha and Takehiko not to harm the villagers, and that they are under external control. Kagome yells to Inuyasha to use Kaze no Kizu. With surprise registering on everyone's face, Miroku declares "But he'll kill all the villagers!" Kagome yells in response: "Not them! The back wall!"
Takehiko, being the first to understand what Kagome means, does not wait for Inuyasha to comprehend such complicated concepts as not killing people. He raises his claws and rips through the thin bamboo wall of the hut. With a route of escape finally available, Kagome grabs the remainder of their belongings within reach and they all flee the village and run into the woods.
After what seemed like hours of running through the wet mud of rice patties, then dense underbrush, and finally open forest, the group realizes that the villagers are no longer in sight and have not been for quite some time. Crippled with exhaustion, they agree with more grunts than actual words to rest at their current location until morning comes.
Inuyasha seats himself against a nearby tree, alert and watchful despite his fatigue. Kagome wanders over and sits down next to him, intending to talk but her sleepiness soon overtakes her and she drifts off, leaning against him. He's surprised at first but carefully puts one arm protectively around her shoulder. Takehiko does not fail to notice the unspoken affection between the two and respectively seats himself elsewhere, watchful over the rest of the group. As time passes and the noises of the surrounding wildlife pierce the night, even the two Hanyous are soon overtaken by sleep.
~~ Several hours later ~~
Kagome wakes up groggily, opening her eyes and looking up, her memories from the previous night conglomerating into one coherent thought: "Why are there rafters above my head instead of the sky?" Her soft gasp of surprise awakens Inuyasha and his hand quickly moves to his sword. Confusion is evident on his face as he too realizes they're in the same room of the village inn they were in yesterday before the villagers attacked them.
The rest of the group awakens, but before they can react, the paper panel door slides opens once again to reveal the form of the innkeeper alive and well with all body parts attached. This time, the dagger is replaced with a tray of tasty fruit for breakfast.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha & Co. They belong to their creator Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just 'borrowing' them for a bit to write this little fanfic. She can have them back when I'm done!
*The story left off where Kyrissaean had just sent her servant, Takehiko, along with our favorite group of travelers.* -- Author's note - please read and review my story, I'm currently working on chapter #4. Thanks for reading! I'd like to extend a special thanks to my wonderful boyfriend for helping me write this chapter.
Chapter 3: First day in the village
After several long days of travel through the wilderness of medieval Japan, our six travelers come upon a small township. Having followed Kagome's Miko senses, they have isolated the location of the next Shikon shard to be somewhere within the village ahead. As they cross the outlying rice patties and vegetable fields of the village, each member of the group is showing anxiousness in their own way.
Kagome pushes her battered bicycle with an added spring in her step as she contemplates her first night of being able to sleep inside a warm building. Most people from the 21st century imagine a romanticized mystique surrounding sleeping in the wilderness, with only the stars above as your rooftop. Kagome knows better. She knows of the bugs, the rain, the cold, and most of all that annoying little rock or acorn that pokes into your back under your sleeping bag. The one that you can never seem to locate in the dark no matter how much you search for it. How much better a soft futon, or smooth Tatami matt, and a warm stove would be, and the bliss of not having to swat at mosquitoes would be a godsend. A hint of a smile crosses her lips as this last thought brings to mind Inuyasha's occasional retainer, Myouga.
Sango's face is an unreadable mask as she gazes at, or rather through the distant houses, huts and shanties that make up the town at the center of the crop fields. Her mind is thinking of a different town, in a different time. A town that was once home for her father, brother and friends.
Miroku strides with the confidence and self-created purpose that somehow only clerics, lawyers, and government bureaucrats are capable of. Behind the purposeful look in his eyes the gears of his mind are turning as he scans the crops for signs of damage from pests, the road for the foot prints of wild animals, or any other reason that might require an exorcism; for a price. And of course, there is always the gratitude of the lovely young women of the town.
Sango, lost in her reverie, almost misses the evil grin on the face of the hentai Hoshi. A grin that rapidly vanishes under her disapproving glare. She knows what he was thinking, or has a pretty good estimate. She should definitely hit him, but she is just too damn tired.
The three demon-blooded members of the group are less at ease. For them, approaching a new human settlement always brings with it a certain element of uncertainty. Will they be accepted - certainly not. More accurately, with they be tolerated, and not run out of town by a fearful mob that is blinded by ignorance and superstition. Despite this, Inuyasha is hungry. Kagome ran out of his favorite ramen noodles five days ago and he has had to make due on a half ration of rice and whatever fish or small animals he can capture. Human's may be weak and have many faults, but they sure do have good food.
Shippo looks around at the crop fields from his perch in the basket of the bicycle, wondering if there will be anyone to play with in this new place. Because of his age and appearance he has not experienced the same degree of discrimination and fear. Although that is not to say that even he, as cute as he is, has not been occasionally taken for a mischievous goblin or Mononoke. However, for the most part, life is still a wondrous adventure to him.
Takehiko is, and has been introspective since his master of many years instructed him to follow this group. Before meeting them, he had heard rumors of the existence of this "Shikon no Tama" but knew little else. Certainly not that it had been broken into twenty score shards or that a select few demons were slowly amassing more power as they collected the scattered remains. Would his master actually have reason to fear a Mononoke that possessed enough pieces of this jewel?
The first person that they meet is a farm boy tending one of the rice patties. He waves and extends a greeting before returning to his work. Shortly thereafter they are passing the first huts and shanties at the outer rim of the town. They pass at least a dozen people going about various aspects of agrarian life. One man is milking a goat, two women are washing linens, and another is scolding a small child who appears to be holding one of several pies cooling on a nearby windowsill.
Takehiko chuckles under his breath at this last sight as he thinks back to a similar scene he and his master had walked past once. A scene that had drawn an eye roll and disgusted sigh from the human form of Kyrissaean. Shortly to be followed by a comment to the effect that the woman would be better off eating the child and yelling at the pie for all the good it would do.
As they approach the center of town, they encounter more people. Oddly none of them seem to notice the diverse racial background of the travelers. At the center of town, they enter a small green containing a stone shrine to the local gods. Surrounding the green, there are a handful of newer buildings and a small marketplace where farmers and merchants haggle noisily over goods and services.
Miroku, having looked around, indicates a building that appears to be an inn. Sango protests, saying they do not have sufficient funds, but Miroku waves her objections aside. Putting on his most innocent and humble face, Miroku walks up to the innkeeper who is sweeping the front porch and humming a tune under her breath.
With no more introduction than a simple "Good afternoon, Ma'am", Miroku extends his apology for the misfortune the inn has experienced and hands the innkeeper one of his paper talismans in hopes that it will dispel the restless spirit which has been plaguing the inn. The rest of the group watches with wide eyes as Miroku swiftly cons their way into getting free lodging for the night.
As the sun sets, the weary travelers decide to postpone searching for the Shikon shard until the following day, in favor of getting some much needed sleep. Inuyasha's ears perk up at the thought of soon to be served warm food. Night soon comes, and after a large meal of a variety of local vegetables seasoned with a mixture of light dill flavors and Sake served on the side, the travelers become weary and decide to get some sleep. As Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo lay down their bedrolls, Inuyasha leans up against wall next to the door with his hand on the mighty sword Tetsusaiga, always the ever watchful guardian. Takehiko takes a similar position across the room, his ears on alert.
A gentle moonlight filters in through the paper screens and Inuyasha's sensitive ears twitch as his eyes slowly open to almost silent footfalls outside. He tightens his grip on Tetsusaiga, slowly looking up to see the open eyes of Takehiko across the room. The glances they exchange are enough to confirm to each that what they had heard was not just a dream. Two sets of eyes are drawn to a shadow, barely perceptible in the moonlight, on the opposite side of the sliding paper door.
As the door silently slides open, the two Hanyous, still feigning sleep, watch as the silhouette of a dagger can be seen in the hand of the figure quietly entering the room.
Suddenly, the figure lunges at the monk and the two sleeping women. With almost no time to reach, Inuyasha reacts with the only available option. In one single movement of drawing Tetsusaiga, he slices off the arm of the assailant! The amputee wheels back in pain and surprise as the waiting claws of Takehiko pierce the assailant's chest.
The commotion awakens the rest of the group. Groggy with sleep they wipe at the strange sticky liquid that has splashed upon them, as the sound of a dozen running foot falls can be heard rushing into the room. Momentarily blinded by the light of torches carried by the new intruders the groggy sleepers back against the far wall as Inuyasha and Takehiko jump between their disoriented comrades and the new threat. Their eyes slowly adjust to the light and they find themselves face to face with several of the villagers, standing with blank faces carrying farming scythes, torches, and spears. On the floor between them is the bleeding corpse of the old innkeeper.
The momentary silence is broken as the farmers lunge as one onto their prey. Inuyasha and Takehiko do their best to fight off the droves of villagers, standing back to back and growling savagely. Quickly shaking off their sleepiness, Miroku and Sango grab their weapons and join in the fight. Kagome, observing the situation, yells a warning that the exit is blocked and they have no escape from the onslaught.
Miroku, unable to use his Kazaana for fear of sucking in both friend and foe in the close conditions of the melee, grabs his staff leaning against the wall and swings it with the graceful ease of a skilled bow staff fighter. He yells out to warn Inuyasha and Takehiko not to harm the villagers, and that they are under external control. Kagome yells to Inuyasha to use Kaze no Kizu. With surprise registering on everyone's face, Miroku declares "But he'll kill all the villagers!" Kagome yells in response: "Not them! The back wall!"
Takehiko, being the first to understand what Kagome means, does not wait for Inuyasha to comprehend such complicated concepts as not killing people. He raises his claws and rips through the thin bamboo wall of the hut. With a route of escape finally available, Kagome grabs the remainder of their belongings within reach and they all flee the village and run into the woods.
After what seemed like hours of running through the wet mud of rice patties, then dense underbrush, and finally open forest, the group realizes that the villagers are no longer in sight and have not been for quite some time. Crippled with exhaustion, they agree with more grunts than actual words to rest at their current location until morning comes.
Inuyasha seats himself against a nearby tree, alert and watchful despite his fatigue. Kagome wanders over and sits down next to him, intending to talk but her sleepiness soon overtakes her and she drifts off, leaning against him. He's surprised at first but carefully puts one arm protectively around her shoulder. Takehiko does not fail to notice the unspoken affection between the two and respectively seats himself elsewhere, watchful over the rest of the group. As time passes and the noises of the surrounding wildlife pierce the night, even the two Hanyous are soon overtaken by sleep.
~~ Several hours later ~~
Kagome wakes up groggily, opening her eyes and looking up, her memories from the previous night conglomerating into one coherent thought: "Why are there rafters above my head instead of the sky?" Her soft gasp of surprise awakens Inuyasha and his hand quickly moves to his sword. Confusion is evident on his face as he too realizes they're in the same room of the village inn they were in yesterday before the villagers attacked them.
The rest of the group awakens, but before they can react, the paper panel door slides opens once again to reveal the form of the innkeeper alive and well with all body parts attached. This time, the dagger is replaced with a tray of tasty fruit for breakfast.