Will of the Sword
Disclaimer: Once again, I tell you that I do not own any part of Inuyasha and crew….*sighs*….At least not in this universe…*S*. However, this is the third chapter, and I wish to give a great big thanks to Kougagurl666 for her reviews and encouragement. Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter as well, and I promise to update my other story soon. Please read and review….even if you don't like it. I'm always open to suggestions and ideas! *S* So, with all that I wanted to say now said, on with the story…..
Chapter 3: Meeting New People
Inuyasha watched as the girl's eyes closed, and her body collapsed. Her head hit the ground, bounced, and hit again.
"Well, I suppose she will have quite the headache when she awakes", remarked Miroku, "We should take her to Kaede. I'm sure she will be able to help her."
"Damn women and their fainting all the time. I told you she was nothing but a girl with a sword." Inuyasha crossed his arms and looked down at her. His remark earned him identical scowls from Sango and Kagome.
"Sit, boy!" Kagome yelled, and they all watched as Inuyasha landed face down beside the unconscious girl.
"What was that for?" Inuyasha asked in a wounded tone.
"Sit!", Kagome yelled again, and as his face crashed to earth once more, she smiled, "If I have to tell you, then there is something wrong."
"Wench, I swear if you do that again…" Inuyasha ground out, only to be interrupted by Miroku.
"Perhaps silence is the wisest course, my friend." He then turned his attention back to the strange girl. "What do you purpose we do about the girl, ladies?", he asked, turning to Sango and Kagome. They were silent for a moment as they exchanged glances, then turned back to Miroku.
"Why, we are going to take her to Kaede, of course," Sango replied, eyeing Inuyasha.
"I agree. If anyone can help her, it would be Kaede," chimed in Kagome.
"Then it is settled. We take the poor girl to Kaede." Miroku's voice held a note of finality as he spared a glance at Inuyasha.
"Alright, whatever," mumbled Inuyasha as he finally stood up, "And who is going to carry her? I know I'm not!", Inuyasha said stubbornly, crossing his arms, and tilting his head back.
Sango sighed wearily, then turned to Miroku. "If you would be so kind as to pick her up, Miroku, I will help you put her on Kirara's back. Kagome and I will ride back with her," Sango started towards Kirara, then called back over her shoulder, "And Miroku….none of your antics while you do it." Miroku looked almost shocked, then blushed ever so slightly.
"Why ever would you think I would try something with an unconscious girl?", he asked innocently. Sango threw him a look that said 'because I know you', and climbed up onto Kirara. Miroku picked the girl up ever so gently, then carried her to Sango. With Sango pulling, and Miroku pushing, they had her on Kirara in a matter of minutes. Kagome then climbed up behind Sango and they made for the village breakneck speed, leaving Miroku and a still sulking Inuyasha to follow.
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Jessie opened her eyes slowly, trying to fend off the pain racing through her skull. She slowly forced herself into a sitting positon, then took a good look around. She found herself inside a small hut. Seated on a futon in the corner of the hut's only room, she was able to survey her surroundings quite easily. The hut was simple, with a cooking hearth, table and benches, some shelves, the futon she was on and another close by it, a single window, a door, and a floor of hard-packed earth. 'Now where am I,' she wondered when a voice broke through her thoughts.
"I see ye are awake, young woman," a kind, gently, elder voice said. Turning toward the voice, Jessie found it's owner in the doorway. It was an elderly lady, dressed in traditional miko attire, watching her intently with wisdom filled eyes. Jessie nodded slowly, not sure what to say. "I hear ye have had quite an eventful day.", the woman smiled warmly at her, then continued, "I am called Kaede. I am the priestess of this village."
"My name is Jessie, and it is a pleasure to meet you." Jessie gave Kaede a broad smile, and attempted to get up, only to nearly fall on her face.
"Please, child, do not push yeself to hard. Ye need rest. Just take it slow for a while." Kaede headed toward the hearth and stirred what appeared to be stew in the large kettle over the fire. Jessie thought she had never smelled anything so wonderful in all her life. "Are ye hungry then, child?", Kaede asked as she ladled out a bowl of stew and made her way to Jessie.
"Oh yes," Jessie said as Kaede handed her the bowl, "I can't seem to remember the last time I ate, or when food smelled so tempting." She eagerly began to eat the stew.
"Ye are too kind, my dear," Kaede said, a faint blush creeping into her weather worn cheeks. At that moment, the cloth that served as a door was pulled back and a girl wearing a school uniform with long raven black hair stepped into the hut. She was followed by another girl with pitch black hair pulled up into a high ponytail and wearing a black and pink catsuit style outfit. Behind her was man dressed in the purple and black robes of a monk, with a strand of what seemed to be prayer beads wrapped around one wrist. He also had black hair that was pulled back into a small ponytail at the back of his head. She remembered seeing them in the clearing before she blacked out. They each smiled at her, then the girl in the school uniform took a step closer to her.
"My name is Kagome," she said with a warm smile, "This is Sango," the girl in the cat suit stepped forward, and bowed her head toward Jessie, "And his name is Miroku," Kagome extended her arm to indicate the man, who just stood there smiling. Jessie returned their smiles with one of her own, giving Miroku an odd look when her gaze fell on him.
"I'm Jessie. It's very nice to meet all of you, and I thank you for helping me."
"Beautiful maiden, think nothing of it," Miroku said sweetly as he came over and sat down beside her on the futon. He reached over, taking her hand in his, looking her in the eyes. "I must ask you a question of utmost importance. Will you bare my child?" He seemed so calm, and much to Jessie's distress, so serious.
"What!", Jessie yelled, right before her hand came crashing down on Miroku's cheek with a deafening smack. He fell back, and had the decency to blush.
"Is that a no?," he managed to get out before Sango was dragging him back outside. Kagome looked at Jessie, seeming to be quite embarrassed.
"I must apologize for Miroku. He asks that of every woman he meets, unfortunately." Kagome blushed profusely . Jessie shook her head and smiled.
"No need to apologize, Kagome. Where I am from, guys say a lot worse than that." Jessie smiled, setting her now empty bowl on the floor in front of her.
"Where are you from, Jessie?," Kagome's voice was full of curiosity, "Obviously, you are from the same time as I am." Jessie nodded her head.
"It seems that way. I am from America. Of course, it is pretty clear to me that I'm not in America anymore, or even in my own..time?" Jessie knew what she was saying was true, but still doubted her grasp on reality. Kagome laughed, and nodded.
"I know what you are going through. I came through an ancient well to this time, and I felt the very same way. I'm from Tokyo." The sound of someone entering the hut interrupted their conversation. Jessie looked up to see the same boy that had spoken to her in the clearing standing there. She looked him over to make sure she hadn't dreamed it. Silver hair, red outfit, gold eyes, and dog ears. 'I suppose it wasn't my imagination', she thought, 'He really does have dog ears!' Before she could ask who he was, Kagome started the introduction.
"This is Inuyasha," Kagome started, turning to Inuyasha, "Inuyasha, this is Jessie."
"So, the girl with the sword is finally awake, huh?" He looked Jessie over, then shrugged slightly. "What's so special about her anyways." He looked over at Kaede, who had been sitting silently, listening to the conversations going on in the hut. "What's to eat, old woman?"
"I wish ye would learn some manners, Inuyasha. Of course, I suppose it is just wishful thinking." She shook her head slowly, then ladled out a bowl of stew, handing it to him. He smiled before hungrily slurping down the contents of the bowl.
"Why are you such a pig, Inuyasha?," asked a small, childlike voice. Jessie turned her attention to the sound, finding what appeared to be a small child standing in the doorway. Kagome giggled, as did Jessie at his remark.
"That's Shippo," Kagome said, still smiling, "He is a young fox youkai." Jessie smiled at him, and he smiled back. "Shippo, this is Jessie," Kagome finished the introductions.
"Nice to meet you Shippo," Jessie gave the young fox demon a warm smile, which he returned. Inuyasha had finished eating, and was now looking at Jessie as if she were something to entertain him.
"So, now what are you going to do?," he asked Jessie. She shrugged.
"I really don't know," she replied.
"Feh. Just like a wench. Doesn't know anything," he said with an air of arrogance. Jessie scowled at him, but before she could do or say anything more, Kagome spoke.
"Sit, boy!," she said. Jessie almost fell back in shock, seeing Inuyasha crash face first into the floor. She was too shocked to move. Inuyasha mumbled what she was sure were some very colorful phrases into the dirt before sitting up.
"Umm…that was a cool trick, Kagome," Jessie remarked, eyeing the now seathing Inuyasha. Kagome laughed.
"It's rather useful. Say Jessie, let's go find Sango and head to the hot springs for a bath. You'll find that the water will make you feel a whole lot better." Kagome got up, walked over to the corner and picked up a large, yellow backpack. Jessie also noticed that her sword lay beside it on the floor. Jessie got up and followed Kagome out of the hut. She was definitely looking forward to a nice hot bath, even if it was in a hot spring.
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AN: Hopefully you like this, and hopefully it will draw at least one new reader review…*prays really hard*….Chapter 4 should be up in a few days, so please let me know what you think. Bye for now!