Scroll Four, Growing Forces

Kaede hummed gently as she ground her herbs in a small bowl. She worked with patience, listening to the sloshing of water as Lea washed the gash in her arm, and tried in vain to dilute enough of the blood in the sleeve of her uniform to keep it from staining. She growled weakly and tossed the rag back into the red water.

"I am blow on bandage," Kaede informed quietly. "I used the last of my prepared materials on Inuyasha only a few days ago."

Kagome blinked. "Was there a fight?" She asked.

"Yes." Kaede answered. "Another demon tried to take the shards we have here."

Lea reached up and began to unbutton her shirt. "Here, you can use this for bandage. It's still pretty clean." She pulled the long sleeved shirt off, revealing the white tank under her uniform.

Kaede watched the Guardian as she removed the gold plated badge, tags, and name plate. "You remind me of someone." She said quietly.

Lea looked up, "I do? Who?"

Kaede studied the woman for a long moment, noting the look in her eyes, and the way she moved. When Kagome first approached with her in tow, some of the samurai in the village began to whisper to themselves. The old woman had dismissed it as the odd body armor Lea and the men who followed where wearing.

But now that she got a good look at her…

"What did you say your name was again?"

"Lea Jackson."

Kaede sighed a little. All the other young men had last names that she swore she remembered hearing.

"Lea…Yotomia…Jackson." Lea then added.

Kagome swore Kaede had a heart attack. The old woman dropped her powder bowl and grinder. Lea recoiled in surprise, not realizing how bad and effect her middle name had on the woman.

Then the look of understanding came to her.

"Oh…" Lea whispered. "You know who he is." She said quietly, looking down at her torn shirt and badge in her lap.

Kagome stared. "What's going on?" She asked. "Know who? What have I missed."

Kaede looked to Kagome and rose to her feet. "Lady Kagome, please take some herbs to those other Ronins. See to it that they have a place to stay and a good meal ready. I'll finish this and bring Lady Yotomia with me."

Kagome starred a little in disbelief before doing as she was told. She looked at Lea when the priestess said "Lady Yotomia" and saw the look of cool hatred pass through her dark eyes.

Once Kagome was gone, Kaede turned to Lea.

"Please don't call me that again." Lea whispered.

Kaede sighed gently as she picked up her powder bowl and added just a little water to make a paste. She brushed it onto the gash in Lea's upper arm. "I'm afraid it will not be easy for me to do so. The Yotomia family are great samurai's…in fact, one of them passed through the village a week ago. You're likeness is surprising."

Lea stared into the fire pit as the pasty herbs cooled the burn of her injury. "The woman I hate the most lives by that noble name." She whispered. "I wouldn't have suffered this much if she have never existed."

Kaede took the long blue strips of cloth that Lea tore from her shirt. She wrapped them tightly to bind the wound. "You know for sure you are the descendant of the Yotomia line?"

Lea nodded stiffly.

"Then the Lord Har—" Kaede gasped when Lea's fists tightened around what remained of her shirt. The look of hate was glinted in her eyes. She had seen that look before, when Inuyasha challenged the samurai on the last full moon.

"Please, I don't want to talk about it." Lea said coldly.

"Why, child?"

Lea finally stood up, the bandage was done. She stood for a long moment, still staring at the fire.

"We're here to find a friend…I don't want to be tempted into tracking down my family during this age." She could see the look of question in Kaede's eyes. The Guardian reached into her pocket and donned her sub armor.

Lea took a good look at her armor plated hand.

Kaede instantly understood.

"It is not a curse?"

The Guardian looked to the old woman.

"There are days when I think it is." She informed and then stepped out of the hut.

Kaede sighed as she watched the young woman leave. She looked to the fire, feeling it's warmth. All other sounds left her, besides the crackling of flames. She recalled the samurai passing through, he was returning to his village to stop some evil from sweeping the land.

A demon was coming to their world, Kaede could feel it's presence growling stronger. It fed of hate, destruction, and death. She thought about sending Inuyasha to stop it, but thought better of it. The gods were working in strange ways.

The priestess closed her good eye, reaching out with her powers.

She gasped in surprise.

"It's here!" Kaede whispered, her eye wide and glittering in the light of the flames. That mysterious growing power…

It was in the armors those five warriors wore.

Ryo was on his feet as Lea came to their building. It was a large, two roomed traditional japanese house, big enough for all five of them. Kagome said something about Miroku and a few other people using the same building.

"Are you alright?" He asked, noting how sullen she looked.

"I'm fine." She answered quietly.

He frowned. "There is only two reasons that makes you this silent." He tipped her head up with two fingers. "Family matters, and thinking our armors are a curse."

Lea sighed heavily. "He was here."

Ryo took a startled step back. "He? The Ancient?!"

The Guardian shook her head. "No…he…was here. My great grandfather times seven came through here a week ago. There are people gathering for a fight to the south…" Lea pulled out of Ryo's reach. "We're six hundred years into the past."

The look of awareness in his eyes ended the explanation.

Cye, Kento, and Rowen came over to talk. "Hey…have either of you noticed the negative energy building around here?" Cye asked. "It's so familiar." He muttered.

"It will be." Ryo answered in a weak voice. "We've traveled six hundred years back to feudal Japan."

Cye and Rowen looked to each other in horror, as Kento scratched his head in thought. "Hey, wait a minute…I remember the Ancient once said something about 'six hundred years'…He was talking about Talpa…and…all…" Hardrock's voice faded into mute shock.

"Oh man…We are so screwed." Kento whispered.

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AN: All reviewers: if you have figured it out…DO NOT TELL! It goes double to the four lucky people I have told most of the story too…like Harry…and a few others. And for the same reasons in the last AN on chapter 3, you are getting a load of stuff that is pretty much explained in other stories. I'll do my best to clear most of it up when I get into certain subjects. BTW: Reviewers, am I the only one with a posted RW/IY fic?? If not, tell me who else has. I'd like to read other peoples ideas of these two worlds colliding. And any YYH/RW fics too!!! PLEAZE!!