Chapter 4: Where is my Mummy

"Look at that one coming," said Botan. "Now there is one I wouldn't mine studying a little longer."

"Defiantly a ten," said Sigi.

"Wouldn't mind climbing those legs," Tonka said whistling.

"You guys are so Neanderthal," Tia said shaking her head. "You droll over anything that has long legs, even a giraffe."

"Jealous?" asked Botan.

"Of what, you guys drooling over some shattered head cheerleader. Please," she said. "Anyway I know you all talk."

"Ouch," said Sigi. "She hits below the belt."

"All chicks do, haven't you figured that one out."

"Well when you guys decided to grow up, let me know," said Tia. Tia was what Botan calls a ball buster. She is the type of person that can put you in your place with only a couple of words. "At least you don't see Carie, here drooling over something with more legs then brains." I hate that nickname it made me sound like a girl.

"Actually, I haven't seen Carie look at anything. Hey what gives."

I didn't look up from my readings; I was busy reading about another practice called Shinto, which was completely different from any other practices I have heard of. It centered around four souls. Arami-tama deals with valor, Nigimi-tama deals with harmony, Kushimi-tama deals with miracles and Sakimi-tama deals with love. When they are balances together they become a Noahi or true spirit. As long as the person does good, then the spirits are balance, but evil can cause the spirits to unbalance, and form a Magatsuhi or a twisted spirit. The basic meaning is either a soul can be good or bad. It was believed that the Shikon jewel was ruled by these teaching.

I started to write what I was reading down in a leather notebook that I bought at Barns and Nobles. That way I could keep notes on everything.

Ok it, I'll admit, I am a classified nerd.

I put the pen down, and the book was quickly snatched away, and then used to hit me.

"Earth to Akira. Hot chick at ten and your not even noticing."

"Sorry," I said grabbing my book back and stuffing it into my backpack, before it could be use against me as a weapon. We were sitting outside school eating lunch and doing our homework, and enjoying the cool air of spring. In another couple of months it will be too hot to be outside.

"What's up, you have your nose in a book all week," said Sigi taking a bite out of sandwich.

"He always has his nose in a book," said Tia. "But this time it is more then usual."

"Just found something that is interesting me, that all."

"More then chicks?" said Botan.

"That's the only thing you're interested in," Tia said.

"What else does a guy need in life then a hot chick."

"Or in your case your porn collection," I said.

Tia started to crack up. After being around her, you kind of forget she is a chick, and start speaking very freely around her.

"That hurts, Carie," said Botan, acting like I stabbed him.

"So what's got all your attention," Sigi asked.

"History stuff," I said which got a groan out of everyone, but at least they wouldn't ask me a million questions about what I was reading.

The bell rang and we gathered our stuff from the bench and started back to class. Tia and Sigi started to walk towards the gym and I watched Botan watch them. I have noticed lately that they have been arguing more then normal. Mom called it sexual frustration.

"Hey Botan can I talk to you for a couple of moments."

"Sure, what's is about."

"I need you to cover for me this weekend. I told mom I was going to be staying your house on Friday and Saturday."

"And you will be where?

"Listen just if anyone ask, I am over at your house."

"And I should do this because."

"Do you want me to pull the list out of all the times that I covered your ass?"

He started to laugh and put his arm around me. "You know I will do it, Carie, so who is she."

Give it up to Botan to think the reason I was disappearing was a she.

"Do I know her," he asked. "Is she an older woman."

Why in the hell not. "Yah, she is a real gem."

****************************************************

Friday rolled around and I sat in class waiting for the clock to hit 2:30. But I just seemed to be stuck in 2:29. I could hear the ticking of the second hand as it slowly made it way to the twelve.

RING

I quickly packed up my stuff, making sure I grab everything. Mr. Oaksia gets mad if you start to pack up before the bell rings. He says his class isn't over until he says so.

"Remember to read chapter eight and nine and have the tables memories by Monday." I groaned along with the rest of the class. Him giving us an assignment like that means one thing, pop quiz on Monday.

I rushed out the door and through the parking lot and headed towards the bus.

It took about a half-hour to get to my house; usually I hang out for a couple of hours on Friday before heading home. But I was kind of exciting about going back and seeing it wasn't a dream.

The bus pulled up to my stop and I got off. I decided to grab some food at Mickey Ds before heading down the well. I wanted to get my fill of junk food before I was force to eat health stuff.

Yesterday I had dropped off my stuff after I decided it would be better if I didn't wear my uniform there, so I had pack two days worth of street cloths and other things. I might be leaving a twenty-first century but didn't mean I have to leave behind some of its luxuries. I had left the pack at the well house

I walked into the temple and headed towards the well house and quickly change.

I climb up onto the well, took a deep breath and jump down.

*************************************************

I climb out of the well, throwing my pack first and then my hoverblads, then me. I got out and stretch, breathing in the clean air and then sat down at the well to take off my shoes and socks. I allowed my feet to wiggle a little and stretch them before putting the heavy socks on.

I wasn't paying much attention as something came closer to me.

"Hey!" I said turning to see a half-naked girl going through my pack.

"I knew I smell something," she said grabbing my two big Macs and fries and started to run towards the woods.

"Hey come back here, that is mine," I said starting to take after her. She stopped and looked at me before laughing.

"You not going to catch me human, you snooze you lose."

She was tall, with long legs that were well muscular. But what got me was her face. She had auburn hair and very blue eyes, the ones of the sky. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, showing a pair of small pointed ears. She was the most beautiful female I have ever seen.

"Listen there is enough for both of us, I'll split it."

"Why would I want split this with you, human," she said and turned.

"Because you are missing desert," I said grabbing the Sneakers out of my pack. I had grabbed a couple of Sneakers from the vending machine at school.

"What is it?" she said.

I opened the bar and took a little piece off of it and held it out.

"This isn't some trick," she said coming closed.

"No trick," I said.

She took the piece and put it in her mouth. I watch as she crewed it and then swallowed it. Her eyes lit up and she tried to grab for it. Botan said there are two things woman love, chocolate and him. I am not sure about the second one, but my mother goes through chocolate like nobody's business.

"Here is the deal, I give you're the bar if you give me my food back."

She thought for a moment and handed it back to me.

**********************************************************

"So it's called chocolate," she said taking the last bite out of it. I nodded and handed her one of the hamburgers.

We were sitting next to the well sharing a lunch.

"I am Akira," I said

She didn't say anything, just took a bite out of hamburger and swallowed.

"Timayara," she said with her mouth full.

"Hungry?"

"Haven't eaten all day," she said. I held up my fries, offering her a couple. She causally took them, sniff them and then put then in her mouth. "What are these, potatoes?"

"You're a youkai," I bleared out.

"Boy aren't you perspective."

"Well, I am also, well part of me," I said. I have met more youkai then humans on this trip making me wonder why I didn't see as many of them in modern Japan.

"I know I can smell it on you," she said. "But I wouldn't go around telling people that. Being a half-breed isn't something to be proud of."

"I see nothing wrong with it, one of my best friend is half American."

"You're not from around here."

"In a manner of speaking," I said.

"So where are you from," I asked, hopping it was the village. I wouldn't mind seeing her again.

"The northern woods. My father is the great wolf demon of the north."

"So what does it make you, a princess," I asked. I didn't know there was such things as royalty among these people.

"Look if you think I am some sort of soft female…"

"Hey I know you can kick my butt."

"Good remember that," she said.

"So what are you doing here, if you're from the north."

"Trying to prove to my father that I am not a weakling," she said. "He never lets me do anything, always protecting me, so I ran away."

It sounded logical, I mean how many times did I want to run away, I still do at time. Go off see the world, no rules, no regulations, no mom, just total freedom.

"Well good luck," I said, kind of disappointed that she wasn't going to be around for long. "I hope to see ya around."

She just nodded and disappeared into the woods.

I quickly put on my blades and headed into the village, I need to find Kaede and figure how to get to the Tikia Caves.

I started off towards the village, hoping that I remembered the way. I had tried to memorize the way when Shippo took me here a week ago, but I couldn't tell him when I would be back.

The journey from the well to the village was an enjoyable one. I love off road blading and this place was like a dream come true. Back home there were trails for off road bladers, but this was untouched by anything before. It was like I had my own trails that nobody could use except me.

I got to the clearing that overlooked the village. Last time I had stood there it was about dusk, now it was late afternoon, and I could make out the villagers starting to finish for the day. Soon it will be too dangerous for them to be outside.

The villagers stop to stare as I made it my way through town. I had turn off the power, and just walked. I figure they need to get use to me before they saw me floating.

"Miss Kaede, are you home," I said running inside the hut. Nobody was there; the place was empty. I dropped off my bag and walked outside.

"She is down by the fields," said Shippo as I walked out of the hut. He was sitting on the hut with Inuyasha. Inuyasha just looked at me before turning his head.

"So you finally decided to show your ugly head," he said.

We could pass for being twins, almost, and he was calling me ugly. Talk about cauldron calling the cattle black.

"Miss me?" I said not taking him seriously. If he wanted to act that way fine, at least one of use can be matured in this relationship.

"Hey wait up, I'll go with you," said Shippo.

"Cool," I said as he jumped off the roof.

"Are you coming?" asked Shippo looking back at the roof.

"Now why would I want to go with you," Inuyasha said.

"Too fast for you, old man," I said and turned to walk away.

I heard him get off the roof and land right in front of me.

"You think you're faster then I am pup," he said.

"I know I am," I said.

"Then let's see," he said and started to run. Some people will never learn.

I bent down turned on the power then started after him. He was fast, figuring how old he was but there weren't many people alive that could beat me and he wasn't going to be one of them.

I could hear Shippo sign and started to run after us.

The race down to the field, wasn't what I could I could an actual race. It was more of us showing off what we could do. He knew how to move; he knew how to use his muscles to his advantage. I just had one thing going for me; I also knew how to move.

We came to the hill at that lead down to the fields, we were tied. All of a sudden a villager pulled a chart in front of us. I could see his fright as he realized that he just put his chart in front of two racing youkai.

I watched as Inuyasha bent down and took to the air. It was almost like he was flying. Not to be outdone by him, I also took to the air, bring my legs closer to my body to get more air. We both landed a couple of feet from the chart.

We both looked back and then at each other as we started the race up again. We came down the hill and headed towards the far part of the field. Villagers were stopping what they were doing and watching us race down the road towards them.

Up head I could see Kaede talking with the two young man that I have met at the stream a couple of days ago. The both turned as we approached them.

We both made a quick stop, which cause dust and sand to go flying towards them. I turned back to the village to see the kitsune trying to catch up.

I turned back to Inuyasha looking at me.

"That was neat," said one of the twins, I am guess it was Mushin. I bent down to turn off my blades, I didn't want to use up too much power; it would be a couple of days before I can recharge them.

"Thanks," I said.

"What are those?" said the others.

"Hoverblades," I said. The two looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. Maybe later I could let them go for a spin.

"Whatever you say, future boy." I guess they knew.

"I see thee has returned. I was wondering if we would ever see thee face," said Kaede.

"I can only disappear on the weekend. If I start to skipping school, mom would know something up."

"Feh," said Inuyasha turning away.

"Has thee thought about the problem," Kaede asked. Have I thought about the problem? It should have been have you thought of anything else.

"Actually I have done some research."

"Listen to him, I have done some research," mocked Inuyasha. "You are wasting time."

"And I bet rushing into something, isn't," I said.

"Thee has thee mother's approach to problem. That good," Kaede said. At least someone was supporting me.

"Well, the origin of the jewel was from some miko called Midoriko."

I watched as Inuyasha ears perked up. He might know something, supposedly from what he said he had his own experience with the jewel. Maybe when this is all over, he would become civil enough for us to share notes.

"Ah, I have heard of thee legend. What do you want to know about?"

"There is a cave in the area where she used to live, I was wondering if her remains would be there."

"Why would you want to go there?" said Inuyasha.

"Call it my fetish with dead chicks," I snapped back. He looked at me strangely before turning away.

"I know of thee caves."

"All that is there is two mortals fused with a bunch of youkai," he said and walked away.

"I am afraid he is right, but if thee must know the cave is about a day and half journey from here."

A day and half, I would never get there and back in time. My shoulder sunk, I couldn't afford right now to skip school.

"Thee will work out the problem," said Kaede walking away.

I watched her leave, thinking that just put a stopper on that.

"Are you serious about wanting to go," said Kokaku.

"Yes."

"Then meet us here at dawn, we know of a why to get there in a half of a day," said Kokaku. I should be scared, he sounded too much like Tia when she had one of her ideas, but I decided not to say anything.

"So you must be Akira," said someone behind us.

I turned to see a man a little older then mom, smiling at me. He looked a lot like the twins did, except there were gray streaks in his hair and he was carrying a little girl who had to be about six.

"Yes, Sir," I said.

"I'm Miroku, these guys father," he said bowing. "This is Kimi, my daughter." The little girl hid her head in her father's robes as I said hi. She peaked out and smiled. She was cute, with big brown eyes and a soft warm smile.

"Nice to meet you," I said, wondering why he wanted to meet me.

"My wife and I were friends of your parents," he said. So that was it. Kaede said that my parents had picked up a monk, a youkai taijiyan, and a little kitsune on their journey. So my guess was Miroku was the monk, though he didn't look like one. He was dressed in normal everyday clothing worn by the peasant class of the feudal area. "Would you like to join us for mid day meal," he asked.

I smiled, why not; maybe he could help me with this little mystery of my parents.

*******************************************************

The twins lived in a modest farmhouse on the outskirts of town. Their mother was a very pretty youkai taijiya that insisted that I call her Sango. She still did some youkai exterminate from time to time. She did conform me when she told me there was a difference between the type of youkai I was and the type of youkai she goes after.

Their father had been a Buddhist monk that now was retired. He had left his order when he had married their mother. He still preformed his duty from time to time, but he was now a humble farmer.

Mostly they told me stories about their travel and some of the stuff that they saw on their way. I could see the twins weren't very interested in the stories, mostly because the must have heard them hundreds of time, but I hung on every word that they said.

"Sit, boy," said Miroku laughing. I couldn't figure out what was so funny about the word sit.

"That's right," said Sango. "Your mother put this enchantment over him, that when ever he heard the word sit he would eat dirt."

"She one time must have sit him at least twenty times, when she was done with him, he had created a hole about six feet deep," said Mrioku.

"He deserved it," said Sango.

"What did he do," I asked.

"We still have no idea, but knowing Inuyasha he opened his mouth a little to much," said Sango.

I couldn't help laughing at the thought of his royal pain in the ass hitting the floor when hearing a common dog command.

I looked out to the eastern skies; the sun was slowly fading into darkness.

"I think I need to get going," I said standing up. "Thank you again."

"You better come back," said Miroku.

"I will," I said. Where they kidding, I learn more about my parents tonight then I have ever learned in my lifetime.

"See ya around, guys," I said.

"Bright and early," I heard Mushin before being clobbered by Kokaku.
I smiled and walked back to the village, thinking I learn more about the ass then he would ever show. Pass the arrogant, better the thou exterior that he shows seemed a warm and caring guy; the kind of guy that I could see mom falling for. But what made him the way he was, and why did she leave, or did she leave because she wanted too?

She was only eighteen when she had me, which in this time period wasn't considered a big deal. A lot of couples get married at age fifteen and sixteen so it couldn't be because she was too young.

Didn't he say something about not being able to go back through the well to drag her sorry ass back? There were spell scrolls on it, but nothing that couldn't keep someone of his power back. I had reached the shrine that the jewel was kept in.

From thee greatest ancestor, it came. From another of thees ancestor it went back, and from thee mother it came again.

Kaede had said it the first time I seen it. I wonder if the jewel is somehow moving us on towards something. But that means that my parents didn't leave each other because they wanted too. I smiled, maybe I could figure out a way after this was over to get them back together.

"Boy am I turning into a Romantic."

"Talking to yourself, pup."

I looked up to see Inuyasha sitting in the tree that stretched over Kaede house.

"Go home pup, all your cause yourself is more pain."

"You know you could be a little more supportive here," I said. I wasn't looking for a kind word, but he could at least keep his opinions to himself. Never mind getting my parents back together mother was better off without this ass hole.

"It's not like it will do any difference," he said.

I looked at him, narrowing my eyes; I could feel my ears turned red. Here I was trying to figure out how to get him back with his mate and he kept knocking me down.

I really don't know what mummer me to mummer it but I did. "Sit boy."

I watched as the beads around his neck light up and sent him crashing through the roof of Kaede house. I couple of seconds later I heard aloud thump followed by a crack of boards.

I stood out there in shocked. How in the hell did I just sit him? I thought my mother was the only one that could do it.

Kaede came up behind me. "Thee has thee mother control over Inuyasha."

"I did that," I said shocked. I could hear him pick himself up and groan.

"Indeed thee did," said Kaede. "But thee wishes to do that again, please not over my house."

"No problem," I said watching him walk out, with more dust and dirt then I though a human could pick up.

He walked over to me his eyes looked like they were going to kill me.

"If you ever do something like that again. I will rip you apart, pup."

"S..i...t B..o..y" I said slowing allowing myself to have a cocky smiled.

"Shit," he said before hitting the ground.

"I can see why mom did this a lot," I said turning to go back inside with Kaede. "This is fun."

I heard Inuyasha groan, still lying on the ground.