A/N: All chapters have been edited. Well, I tried at least. I do not own Inuyasha. The only way for a writer to know how they are doing is for the reader to tell them, so please review.
Chapter 2: New Friends
"Nani?! (What?)"
"You're beautiful. You'd make the perfect mate and lead my pack well." Kouga grinned boyishly at Kagome. He yelled back at his wolves who were advancing toward the village and Kagome, "Stop. Leave my woman's village alone. We'll feast elsewhere." He turned back to a shocked Kagome. "Be seeing you later Kagome." He stressed her name before he and his pack took off before Kagome could react. Slowly, the villagers began to come out. They looked in wonder. This girl had saved the entire village from a gruesome demise.
"Girl. What do we owe you for saving us?" A village hunter asked as he stood before her. (He's too proud to kneel for a girl. He hasn't realized what she is.) Kagome glared at him for calling her girl and walked past him as if he weren't there. The villagers gasped. Although they held trust in their savior and were in awe of her power, it was forbidden to agitate the hunters. Only the Wise One, visiting mikos, or lords were allowed to speak directly to hunters of the village. The hunters were bowed to and respected because they provided all the meat. All the villagers looked down when they spoke to the hunters and never disobeyed them. Kagome ignored the gasps and stares and proceeded toward a group of young children huddled together with fright around a wounded elderly man. (o) As she approached, they shrunk back, revealing a short, gray-haired man. He looked up at her calmly.
"Thank you, young lady, for saving my grandchildren and the village. They are all I have left. You may call me Kazeki. (I didn't know what to name him. I put 'kaze' meaning wind and 'ki' meaning spirit or energy together. 0.o Thanks IcyAsh for informing me that Kazeki means bitch in Korean. So sorry!) May I ask what your name is?"
"Kagome. It's nice to meet you, Kazeki-san. Can I see to your wound?" The elderly man nodded with a smile. He was only expecting her to bandage it up. None of the villagers had actually seen her power. They believed that the light surrounding the arrow was caused by some kind of reflection and that the wolves ran off (They didn't know they were purified) because of the light. They had heard voices when Kouga was there and didn't see the tree get turned to ashes. Kagome looked at the man's arm. There was a big gash where one of the wolves had clawed him, and he had lost a lot of blood. Kagome reached within herself for her power and let a small stream flow from her hand as she bandaged his arm. She didn't want everyone to start bowing to her or anything. This way, although the man was already healed once her power began to flow, he would not know of her power. She looked up from wrapping his arm in the gauze and smiled at him. "It should be okay now."
"Arigato Kagome, my dear. Would you give me the great privilege of having you stay as a guest in my home?"
"Hai Kazeki-san. Arigatougouzaimasu (Thank you very much.). I would love to stay in your house. Will I be intruding though, sir? If so, please, I would rather just find somewhere else to stay."
"Iie, iie. You wouldn't be intruding at all. Please. I insist." The hunter who had called Kagome 'girl' had turned a deep shade of red. He was furious at Kagome for having snubbed him in front of the village and for the old man for not reprimanding her. The old man had also invited another to stay with them, meaning food, shelter, and other things were to be provided. He stormed over to where Kagome and the old man were standing and looked down his nose at them. Then he spoke to Kazeki.
"Old man. You are not to let foreigners into the village without consent. I can obviously see that this girl has no respect." As he said this, Kagome let out an unladylike snort.
"It seems to me that you were never taught manners. A person should be called by their name, not girl or old man. You are the one without respect. Didn't anyone ever tell you to respect your elders?" Kagome looked right into the eyes of the hunter, challenging him.
"Girl. You are foreign to our customs. Just because you saved our village doesn't mean you can do anything you want."
"What is you name."
"Mouru. (I made this name up. Sorry if it means something really wrong. I didn't know how to say strong or warrior or something like that.)" He said this stiffly.
"My name is Kagome. Use it." Kagome turned away from Mouru and said to Kazeki, "Kazeki-san, I will gladly stay in your household for the time being. In payment, I offer to do the chores and errands of your household or whatever else you may need." Kagome smiled at the elder.
"There's no need to pay for your time here. You have done enough." Mouru still glared at the girl. "Come Kagome. I'll show you where the hut is." He bowed to Mouru and led his grandkids and Kagome back to the hut. The rest of the villagers bowed as well to Mouru and returned to their homes. Mouru stood there thinking about the strangely dressed girl who had saved the village. She was very strong-willed. He looked around, and his eyes caught the pile of ashes in one direction. Kagome had fried the tree when she had aimed at Kouga. Mouru walked over to the pile of ashes and looked down. There used to be a tree there. Mouru glanced around in confusion and left.
Sango and Miroku spoke quietly with each other beside the fire. Inuyasha had gone hunting for food. "Miroku. Why isn't Kagome back yet? Do you think she's okay by herself?"
"Sango, I'm sure Lady Kagome is fine. She can take care of herself. In due time, she will come back to us to train as she said. Remember? She told you she wanted to train in battling with you and with her powers with me. I'm sure that she has learned much from those she passes. You know Lady Kagome. She's determined to be able to fight on her own. She's probably already trained with those she has encountered on her journey these past weeks. Inuyasha, however, isn't so well off. He runs off to be with Kikyou, but he is not happy. He loves Lady Kagome, but he seems to also love Kikyou."
"How can he love Kikyou? She's not even really alive. Kagome offered everything she had to him and he was too much of a blind baka to realize it. Shippou-chan isn't faring so well either. He misses Kagome a lot."
"Don't worry my dear Sango. Everything will turn out okay." As he said this, his hand crept toward her.
In the woods hunting, Inuyasha heard the loud crack of Sango's boomerang on Miroku's head and her screaming 'hentai'. 'Everything seems normal, but it is not. Kagome isn't here. Miroku and Sango kept me from going after her. Oh Kagome. What have I done to you? Have you left me forever? I miss you. I need you. I'm so sorry.'
In the village, Kazeki readied himself for bed. He unwound the bandages that Kagome had placed on earlier and gasped in surprise. The skin of his arm was smooth. Looking at the underside of the bandage, his eyes widened further. There wasn't a trace of blood on the gauze. The gash was too deep to have healed like that. Even the Wise One's magical herbal medicines took a couple weeks to fully heal a wound. That only meant one thing. She was a miko. Kazeki's breath froze in his lungs. He had addressed a miko without assigning the 'sama' to it. She was very young to have powers to heal. Kazeki looked at his arm again to assure that there wasn't anything there. She had healed him.
The sun rose early that morning. Its' bright beams shone into the windows onto the black-haired miko. Slowly arousing from her sleep, Kagome looked around. She ventured around the hut and found that no one was there. They had all risen early to begin the day's chores. Meanwhile, Kazeki was at the place of the Wise One. Kagome stepped outside and saw little children playing around. They smiled at her when they saw her and she smiled back. Women washed clothes in little basins and older children heaved buckets of water from the well. A few hunters could be seen lounging about, doing nothing. They were easily recognized: People bowed as they passed, their eyes downcast. Children stayed far from them. Tattooed to their forearms were the symbols of their strength-eagle, arrow, spear, bear, snake, etc.
Disregarding their supposed status, Kagome marched up to one. "Why are you just standing there? Everyone else works, why aren't you?"
"None of your business outsider." He said as he looked off in another direction, purposely not looking at Kagome as if she was below him. Kagome's eyes sparked dangerously. Grabbing his chin, she turned his face to look at her. Her eyes were flashing silver pink.
"Look at me when I talk to you. You are not above the rest of the village. Everyone does work around here. We are all equal. Do you understand. True, I don't know your ways, but that is no excuse to be rude." Kagome let go of him. He stared at her, astonished as she walked away. Kagome walked toward a group of children and smiled. She played with them and sang to them when they asked her to.
Suddenly, everyone dropped to their knees in low, respectful bows. Kagome looked around her and followed suit. Before placing her head to the ground between her hands, she saw that even the hunters were bowed slightly. They, however, remained standing. Kagome was curious as to who had arrived.
"Stand my people. There is no need to bow to me." Everyone got up. Kagome looked. Standing there beside Kazeki was an old, withered man. Wrinkles coursed his merry face. He was kind and smiled at his people. He looked around, and his eyes fell on Kagome. Sedately walking over to her, he smiled and then dropped to his knees before her. Every one of the villagers gasped in surprise and looked as Kazeki and the Wise One bowed before the young girl. They were still clueless. Mouru stepped up beside the Wise One and attempted to pull him to his feet.
"Wise One, I ask you. Get up. Have you lost your mind? You do not bow to a common person, not to say a girl." Mouru found his arm on the Wise One shaken off, and he backed away in a huff.
"Kagome-sama, I humbly welcome thee to our village and ask thee to forgive the villagers. They have not had guests for many a day." Everyone froze, including Kagome. She had been hoping to keep them in the dark about her being a miko, but that didn't seem to have worked.
"Wise One of the village, I am but a miko. You are an elder, and I have always been taught to respect my elders. You should not be bowing to me. Please get up." Kagome reached down and assisted him to his feet. The villagers still stood stock still in shock.
"Humph. Wise One, you must be mistaken. How can a little girl be a miko? She is lying." The Wise One glared stonily at Mouru. He was about to reprimand him, but Kagome beat him to it.
"I have a name. It's Kagome; use it. And I am not lying. If you accuse me of lying again, I will teach you a lesson." Kagome's eyes had sparked silver, pink once again.
"I will not bow down to a mere child unless I have proof you are who you say you are."
Just then, Kagome stiffened. Something was coming. Out of the trees burst a large snake youkai. It was hissing, "The Shikon-no-tama. Give me the shards of the shikon-no-tama! Give me!" The hunters sprang to attention and attempted to spear the snake, but their efforts were futile. The snake moved closer to a group of young children, who were too scared to run. Kagome saw this. Her hand reached for her bow and arrows, and she strung one.
"Youkai! Your opponent is me. I have what you desire. Come and seek the jewel." The snake stopped its approach toward the children and slithered to Kagome. As it snaked toward her, she fired her arrow. It blazed in a pink orb of energy as Kagome's eyes turned silver-pink. The arrow stuck its target and the youkai was no more. Mouru stared at her a moment before he and the entire village fell to their knees in a bow. "Get up. Please. I wish you wouldn't bow to me; it's rather awkward." They got up. Mouru apologized stiffly. Kagome left the village that afternoon. She had no wish to draw more youkai to the village. Kazeki and the Wise One begged her to stay, but she declined. It was time for her to return to train secretly with Sango and Miroku.
A/N: Gomen ne Kei-chan. I didn't write two chapters as you wanted, but this chapter is 3.5 pages long, so be happy. To my reviewers, if I even have any: If you would like me to write more, then REVIEW! ONEGAI!
Chapter 2: New Friends
"Nani?! (What?)"
"You're beautiful. You'd make the perfect mate and lead my pack well." Kouga grinned boyishly at Kagome. He yelled back at his wolves who were advancing toward the village and Kagome, "Stop. Leave my woman's village alone. We'll feast elsewhere." He turned back to a shocked Kagome. "Be seeing you later Kagome." He stressed her name before he and his pack took off before Kagome could react. Slowly, the villagers began to come out. They looked in wonder. This girl had saved the entire village from a gruesome demise.
"Girl. What do we owe you for saving us?" A village hunter asked as he stood before her. (He's too proud to kneel for a girl. He hasn't realized what she is.) Kagome glared at him for calling her girl and walked past him as if he weren't there. The villagers gasped. Although they held trust in their savior and were in awe of her power, it was forbidden to agitate the hunters. Only the Wise One, visiting mikos, or lords were allowed to speak directly to hunters of the village. The hunters were bowed to and respected because they provided all the meat. All the villagers looked down when they spoke to the hunters and never disobeyed them. Kagome ignored the gasps and stares and proceeded toward a group of young children huddled together with fright around a wounded elderly man. (o) As she approached, they shrunk back, revealing a short, gray-haired man. He looked up at her calmly.
"Thank you, young lady, for saving my grandchildren and the village. They are all I have left. You may call me Kazeki. (I didn't know what to name him. I put 'kaze' meaning wind and 'ki' meaning spirit or energy together. 0.o Thanks IcyAsh for informing me that Kazeki means bitch in Korean. So sorry!) May I ask what your name is?"
"Kagome. It's nice to meet you, Kazeki-san. Can I see to your wound?" The elderly man nodded with a smile. He was only expecting her to bandage it up. None of the villagers had actually seen her power. They believed that the light surrounding the arrow was caused by some kind of reflection and that the wolves ran off (They didn't know they were purified) because of the light. They had heard voices when Kouga was there and didn't see the tree get turned to ashes. Kagome looked at the man's arm. There was a big gash where one of the wolves had clawed him, and he had lost a lot of blood. Kagome reached within herself for her power and let a small stream flow from her hand as she bandaged his arm. She didn't want everyone to start bowing to her or anything. This way, although the man was already healed once her power began to flow, he would not know of her power. She looked up from wrapping his arm in the gauze and smiled at him. "It should be okay now."
"Arigato Kagome, my dear. Would you give me the great privilege of having you stay as a guest in my home?"
"Hai Kazeki-san. Arigatougouzaimasu (Thank you very much.). I would love to stay in your house. Will I be intruding though, sir? If so, please, I would rather just find somewhere else to stay."
"Iie, iie. You wouldn't be intruding at all. Please. I insist." The hunter who had called Kagome 'girl' had turned a deep shade of red. He was furious at Kagome for having snubbed him in front of the village and for the old man for not reprimanding her. The old man had also invited another to stay with them, meaning food, shelter, and other things were to be provided. He stormed over to where Kagome and the old man were standing and looked down his nose at them. Then he spoke to Kazeki.
"Old man. You are not to let foreigners into the village without consent. I can obviously see that this girl has no respect." As he said this, Kagome let out an unladylike snort.
"It seems to me that you were never taught manners. A person should be called by their name, not girl or old man. You are the one without respect. Didn't anyone ever tell you to respect your elders?" Kagome looked right into the eyes of the hunter, challenging him.
"Girl. You are foreign to our customs. Just because you saved our village doesn't mean you can do anything you want."
"What is you name."
"Mouru. (I made this name up. Sorry if it means something really wrong. I didn't know how to say strong or warrior or something like that.)" He said this stiffly.
"My name is Kagome. Use it." Kagome turned away from Mouru and said to Kazeki, "Kazeki-san, I will gladly stay in your household for the time being. In payment, I offer to do the chores and errands of your household or whatever else you may need." Kagome smiled at the elder.
"There's no need to pay for your time here. You have done enough." Mouru still glared at the girl. "Come Kagome. I'll show you where the hut is." He bowed to Mouru and led his grandkids and Kagome back to the hut. The rest of the villagers bowed as well to Mouru and returned to their homes. Mouru stood there thinking about the strangely dressed girl who had saved the village. She was very strong-willed. He looked around, and his eyes caught the pile of ashes in one direction. Kagome had fried the tree when she had aimed at Kouga. Mouru walked over to the pile of ashes and looked down. There used to be a tree there. Mouru glanced around in confusion and left.
Sango and Miroku spoke quietly with each other beside the fire. Inuyasha had gone hunting for food. "Miroku. Why isn't Kagome back yet? Do you think she's okay by herself?"
"Sango, I'm sure Lady Kagome is fine. She can take care of herself. In due time, she will come back to us to train as she said. Remember? She told you she wanted to train in battling with you and with her powers with me. I'm sure that she has learned much from those she passes. You know Lady Kagome. She's determined to be able to fight on her own. She's probably already trained with those she has encountered on her journey these past weeks. Inuyasha, however, isn't so well off. He runs off to be with Kikyou, but he is not happy. He loves Lady Kagome, but he seems to also love Kikyou."
"How can he love Kikyou? She's not even really alive. Kagome offered everything she had to him and he was too much of a blind baka to realize it. Shippou-chan isn't faring so well either. He misses Kagome a lot."
"Don't worry my dear Sango. Everything will turn out okay." As he said this, his hand crept toward her.
In the woods hunting, Inuyasha heard the loud crack of Sango's boomerang on Miroku's head and her screaming 'hentai'. 'Everything seems normal, but it is not. Kagome isn't here. Miroku and Sango kept me from going after her. Oh Kagome. What have I done to you? Have you left me forever? I miss you. I need you. I'm so sorry.'
In the village, Kazeki readied himself for bed. He unwound the bandages that Kagome had placed on earlier and gasped in surprise. The skin of his arm was smooth. Looking at the underside of the bandage, his eyes widened further. There wasn't a trace of blood on the gauze. The gash was too deep to have healed like that. Even the Wise One's magical herbal medicines took a couple weeks to fully heal a wound. That only meant one thing. She was a miko. Kazeki's breath froze in his lungs. He had addressed a miko without assigning the 'sama' to it. She was very young to have powers to heal. Kazeki looked at his arm again to assure that there wasn't anything there. She had healed him.
The sun rose early that morning. Its' bright beams shone into the windows onto the black-haired miko. Slowly arousing from her sleep, Kagome looked around. She ventured around the hut and found that no one was there. They had all risen early to begin the day's chores. Meanwhile, Kazeki was at the place of the Wise One. Kagome stepped outside and saw little children playing around. They smiled at her when they saw her and she smiled back. Women washed clothes in little basins and older children heaved buckets of water from the well. A few hunters could be seen lounging about, doing nothing. They were easily recognized: People bowed as they passed, their eyes downcast. Children stayed far from them. Tattooed to their forearms were the symbols of their strength-eagle, arrow, spear, bear, snake, etc.
Disregarding their supposed status, Kagome marched up to one. "Why are you just standing there? Everyone else works, why aren't you?"
"None of your business outsider." He said as he looked off in another direction, purposely not looking at Kagome as if she was below him. Kagome's eyes sparked dangerously. Grabbing his chin, she turned his face to look at her. Her eyes were flashing silver pink.
"Look at me when I talk to you. You are not above the rest of the village. Everyone does work around here. We are all equal. Do you understand. True, I don't know your ways, but that is no excuse to be rude." Kagome let go of him. He stared at her, astonished as she walked away. Kagome walked toward a group of children and smiled. She played with them and sang to them when they asked her to.
Suddenly, everyone dropped to their knees in low, respectful bows. Kagome looked around her and followed suit. Before placing her head to the ground between her hands, she saw that even the hunters were bowed slightly. They, however, remained standing. Kagome was curious as to who had arrived.
"Stand my people. There is no need to bow to me." Everyone got up. Kagome looked. Standing there beside Kazeki was an old, withered man. Wrinkles coursed his merry face. He was kind and smiled at his people. He looked around, and his eyes fell on Kagome. Sedately walking over to her, he smiled and then dropped to his knees before her. Every one of the villagers gasped in surprise and looked as Kazeki and the Wise One bowed before the young girl. They were still clueless. Mouru stepped up beside the Wise One and attempted to pull him to his feet.
"Wise One, I ask you. Get up. Have you lost your mind? You do not bow to a common person, not to say a girl." Mouru found his arm on the Wise One shaken off, and he backed away in a huff.
"Kagome-sama, I humbly welcome thee to our village and ask thee to forgive the villagers. They have not had guests for many a day." Everyone froze, including Kagome. She had been hoping to keep them in the dark about her being a miko, but that didn't seem to have worked.
"Wise One of the village, I am but a miko. You are an elder, and I have always been taught to respect my elders. You should not be bowing to me. Please get up." Kagome reached down and assisted him to his feet. The villagers still stood stock still in shock.
"Humph. Wise One, you must be mistaken. How can a little girl be a miko? She is lying." The Wise One glared stonily at Mouru. He was about to reprimand him, but Kagome beat him to it.
"I have a name. It's Kagome; use it. And I am not lying. If you accuse me of lying again, I will teach you a lesson." Kagome's eyes had sparked silver, pink once again.
"I will not bow down to a mere child unless I have proof you are who you say you are."
Just then, Kagome stiffened. Something was coming. Out of the trees burst a large snake youkai. It was hissing, "The Shikon-no-tama. Give me the shards of the shikon-no-tama! Give me!" The hunters sprang to attention and attempted to spear the snake, but their efforts were futile. The snake moved closer to a group of young children, who were too scared to run. Kagome saw this. Her hand reached for her bow and arrows, and she strung one.
"Youkai! Your opponent is me. I have what you desire. Come and seek the jewel." The snake stopped its approach toward the children and slithered to Kagome. As it snaked toward her, she fired her arrow. It blazed in a pink orb of energy as Kagome's eyes turned silver-pink. The arrow stuck its target and the youkai was no more. Mouru stared at her a moment before he and the entire village fell to their knees in a bow. "Get up. Please. I wish you wouldn't bow to me; it's rather awkward." They got up. Mouru apologized stiffly. Kagome left the village that afternoon. She had no wish to draw more youkai to the village. Kazeki and the Wise One begged her to stay, but she declined. It was time for her to return to train secretly with Sango and Miroku.
A/N: Gomen ne Kei-chan. I didn't write two chapters as you wanted, but this chapter is 3.5 pages long, so be happy. To my reviewers, if I even have any: If you would like me to write more, then REVIEW! ONEGAI!