Disclaimer: InuYasha, I do not own.
Strange Interlude
Chapter 8
*
Jennifer woke with the new day. The air was fresh and the cave was unusually comfortable. She got up and did her routine walk around the place. She was not surprised to find Sesshomaru not there. He often never was.
What exactly does he do all day, she wondered. She was sure she would never find out and spent the rest of that day contemplating life and her situation in the Feudal Times. She sighed. It was so very boring all by herself; all she did was think.
Since the marketplace excursion Sesshomaru was not as rude to Jennifer, which made no sense at all. She felt her opinion of him changing as well. Every time they brushed against each other, Jennifer blushed and scurried away. But then she would remember why Sesshomaru was "keeping" her and would then silently fume at him. It was a very confusing time.
Sesshomaru also had his share of pondering the human girl. She served no real purpose to him. She was bothersome to have to take care of, and he thought she complained too much. Sesshomaru thought it would be best to rid himself of her, but could never find the chance or drive to do so.
Several nights later Sesshomaru returned to the cave and approached Jennifer.
"I have a plan," he said in the most unemotional way possible.
"What?" replied a startled Jennifer. (A longhaired demon wearing a furry loogie jumping out of nowhere could startle anyone.)
"I have a way to destroy InuYasha," he said, looking down upon her. He seemed, to Jennifer, like a scolding parent. He held disdain in his eyes.
Jennifer said nothing. He seemed different somehow, but she couldn't quite tell what it was.
Sesshomaru told her about his first attempt at InuYasha involving the Un-Mother and the tomb of his father. Jennifer understood what he was talking about. She played the episode in her head as he briefly told of that night's events.
When he had finished, he ordered Jennifer to stay where she was, and in a blur of white was gone from the cave.
{He recently must have met Naraku. That must be why he seems so eager to kill InuYasha.}
Jennifer felt a massive vibration and went outside to find out what it was. In a few seconds time she saw a huge black demon appear through the clouds. She couldn't tell how high the creature stood, only that there were two, large, red eyes shining through the dark clouds.
With a great growl, it lowered a huge three-clawed hand level to the small plateau. On the hand stood Sesshomaru, arms folded. He looked strange to her. He was smiling.
{Well,} she thought, {It's more of a smirk than a smile but still...}
She stepped forward. Sesshomaru beckoned her even closer, so she approached him and the demon slowly. Something was definitely off.
When she became close enough, Sesshomaru extended his left arm to her. It was a pallid gray and had dirty, rounded fingers and nails.
Jennifer only needed to look at it for a moment to find out that it was the human arm attached by Naraku's jewel shard. That meant that he had met Naraku and that they were going to see InuYasha.
Now fully aware of what was going on, Jennifer accepted the now two- armed demon's hand. An almost electric tingle traveled up her arm to her left shoulder, (where her jewel shard was). It pained only for a second. Jennifer saw Sesshomaru cringe and concluded that he must have felt the same prick because he shuddered.
The awkward shock quickly passed and Sesshomaru helped her onto the large demon's hand. It immediately began to rise, stopping when it reached the shoulder. Jaken and his staff were waiting for them at the top. Sesshomaru stepped off the hand, and onto the demon's scaly shoulders. Jennifer followed.
The creature set into motion.
"Uh...wait!" Jennifer spoke, "Why am I coming?"
Sesshomaru tried to look annoyed.
"Let us say you are my good luck charm."
{Hey!} Jennifer thought, {That's all I am to him? A good luck charm? I might as well jump off right here and now so I won't have to put up with this bull.}
She looked around to find that they were already speedily moving, the ground at least 100 feet below them.
{Uh...never mind}
***
The ride was long and tiring and Jennifer was strongly considering going to sleep. The constant stomping and growling of their ride, however, was preventing this.
{This is going to be a long night} she thought.
A while later Jennifer noticed that the loud thumping had stopped. She looked expectantly around her. It was the dead of night, so vision was incredibly limited. It would have been pitch-black if it were not for the moonlight and the few lanterns visible from a nearby village.
"What's going on?" she whispered.
"You are getting off." Sesshomaru commanded.
"What? Why?"
"The upcoming battle will be violent... You will stay here."
Jennifer had to take in the words slowly. {Is that Sesshomaru-talk for: 'I care for your safety'?}
Jaken then voiced her thoughts, although he had a different sentiment behind them, "But sire! She is a human. Why do you care if she gets injured? Why do you wish to protect her?"
Sesshomaru's voice grew angrier, "Protect her? No. I just don't want her to get in my way!"
Jennifer couldn't see a thing but could sort of sense that Sesshomaru looked down at her when he had said that last sentence, and though it secretly hurt her on the inside, she brushed it off and didn't reveal any emotion.
{So that thing he did at the market wasn't real.} She told herself. {That's right, I'm nothing more than a lucky charm.}
"Alright," she said aloud, standing up as she did.
Without an order their carrier demon raised a gnarled three-fingered hand to act as Jennifer's elevator to the ground below. Without another word to Sesshomaru, Jennifer stepped on to the creature's hand. It began to descend, and Jennifer had to maintain her balance or risk falling the rest of the way.
When it finally came near the surface it let her off on a small hill that dipped into a large valley. She looked along the hill in the direction of the village she had seen earlier. It was almost a direct path to there, so she thought that if she were left behind she could have some place to go.
Jennifer shook her head. They wouldn't leave her behind. Would they? She decided it best not to think about it and looked up to notice Jaken whipping the carrier demon, ordering it to move forward. Through the dim light, Jennifer watched Sesshomaru turn and sit cross-legged on the demon. He never looked back.
{That sucks! I don't even get to meet InuYasha and them after all. That Sesshomaru sure is strange sometimes. I don't get him.}
She continued to watch the horrible monster stomp the living daylights out of the little buildings outside the village.
{He must be trying to flush out InuYasha and his gumi. That's why he's not directly attacking the village,} she thought.
Jennifer could hear people shouting and alarms wailing. She squinted as a faraway screen door opened and four people jumped out.
{It's a good thing I'm on an incline. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to see a thing.}
There stood a person in red, a really short person next to another person, and the fourth person was holding...something...a cane...no...a staff?
"This REALLY sucks!" Jennifer screamed, throwing her head back.
She took off into their direction, "Forget Sesshomaru! I'm moving closer!"
She ran as fast as she could. Jennifer couldn't believe Sesshomaru would just drop her off so far away from the action.
Oops! Loose rocks! She stumbled and almost fell, but inertia kept her moving so she quickly regained balance. Jennifer then looked out at the impossibly tall demon and the 5 people on the ground.
{Five? There's another person in white. Oh...Sesshomaru.}
Jennifer soon became close enough to hear voices. She immediately slowed and ducked behind some bushes. It seemed really stupid of her to do so because she was sure that she had already been spotted.
She lay silently for several seconds to find out if she had or not but...nothing. Nothing happened. No one rushed over to her and revealed her being there, so did that mean she was unseen?
{I guess they didn't see me.}
She looked up over the bushes. Sesshomaru and InuYasha---
{InuYasha! It's InuYasha!}
Sesshomaru and InuYasha stood facing each other about 20 feet apart, Tetsusaiga in-between them and stuck in the ground.
Jennifer scanned the rest of the 'battle arena'. Almost directly left of her, approximately 50 feet away, crouched Miroku, Kagome, and Shippo. They looked eager---
{Miroku! Kagome! It's them! I'm so close to them. They're actually here. I can't believe it!}
The three looked eagerly at the ensuing battle, obviously unaware of her presence. Jennifer smiled, now greatly appreciating her careless leap through the well. She sat tall, less afraid of her disobedience and contentedly watched the fight play out before her as she had seen it so many times before.
***
The battle was rather uneventful. Jennifer had watched it many a time at home, but there was an added level of interest to this one in that it was actually real. The attacks were real. The forces of impact, the yelps of pain, and the shockwaves emitted were all very real, and this added excitement to this otherwise blasé event.
Jennifer was most amazed at the moment when the Saimyosho attacked. They were unlike anything she could've imagined. They truly were hell insects. Their eyes glittered red in the darkness. Their bodies were shrouded in a black aura that seemed to grow larger with every beat of their humming, screaming, wings. Even Jennifer, being a good thirty feet away from the nearest one, could feel the sheer repugnance given off by the Saimyosho.
They attacked Miroku with such force that the screams forced from him reverberated through her as if she were the one making them. Jennifer found herself grasping on to the nearest rock and breathing very deeply and slowly in unadulterated fear of them. She hoped with all her mind, body, and soul that one would not come near.
Then, at the exact moment she had uttered that phrase in her mind, one of the bees noticed her and fluttered away from the swarm to investigate.
Jennifer did not notice the flying demon until a distinct whirring and whining of wings came past her ear. She turned to head and was greeted by the piercing eyes of a baseball-sized wasp. She used everything within her power not to scream, and scanned her mind for a solution. She then glanced frantically around for something to hit it with. With every second her eyes were averted from the floating youkai, she could feel the looming horror of her predicament.
However, the creature did not attack and simply flew slowly around her, as if studying her. Jennifer quickly seized a good-sized branch and stood. She swung her makeshift bat at the bug, trying very hard to whack it. The Saimyosho managed to dodge all of her attempts and continued to hover around her, its fear-inducing eyes watching her.
It suddenly moved right and Jennifer swung, finally succeeding in hitting it. From the force of the hit, the Saimyosho was flung to the ground. Jennifer swallowed the ever-growing lump in her throat and approached the fallen insect.
The poisonous insect lay motionless in the dirt. And just when Jennifer was ready to presume it dead, it shot back into the air, flying away from her at an unmentionable speed. Jennifer noticed that the bug flew off in a very awkward pattern, and she figured that it had to have been injured.
Satisfied, yet still afraid, Jennifer sat down and tightened her grip on the branch---just in case.
The other battling Saimyosho seemed to have quieted down so Jennifer could again hear what was going on.
InuYasha had Miroku's arm over his shoulder and was helping him get behind the fallen/half-wind-tunnel-ed giant. Shippo followed close behind them.
{Wait a second,} Jennifer thought, {Where's Kagome?}
"We've got company coming!" Shippo shouted.
Jennifer looked in the direction of Shippo's comment. Sure enough, there was Sesshomaru walking toward the front of the monster's strewn body. Sesshomaru turned to where his back was to her.
"He has no hope. This is the end for you." Sesshomaru pulled back to strike with the Tetsusaiga's Wind Scar. A bright aura soon shrouded the blade.
"Die," Sesshomaru whispered, swinging his sword toward his half- brother obliterating their demon shield and spraying chunks of its flesh over their huddled bodies.
***
Kagome saw the blast and worried if the boys were okay. She had left to find an antidote for Miroku's poison and but had no idea where she would find one.
She ran into a village and up to a door. She banged her fist loudly against the wooden frame.
"Hello, anyone in there? My friend's been poisoned! I need help!"
Kagome noticed movement at the window. She glanced over to see a pair of scared eyes peering out. She went to the window and tried to talk to the elderly man.
"Oh, sir! You've got to help me please! My friend is poisoned! Do you have---?"
"No, No, No!" the man shouted.
"But I---!" she began.
"No! Go away!" the man shouted back, flinging his curtain shut.
Kagome sighed and moved to another hut. She got the same response from five different people and was on the verge of giving up.
Her brow expressed that of exhaustion and worry, {Miroku's in trouble if I don't act fast. And these stupid villagers are no help!}
Kagome then spotted the tavern where Miroku, Shippo, InuYasha, and her had been staying when Sesshomaru's monster attacked. She ran inside, tired of being polite and knocking. There were several people, including the old man who owned the tavern, huddled on the ground against a wall. He looked up as she ran by.
"Hey girl," he called, "Where is that monk friend of yours? Has he dispelled the demon? I want my money back!"
Kagome ignored him and ran into their room. Her backpack, bow, and arrows were leaned against the wall.
{I'm sure I have something in my backpack that'll help Miroku,} she thought picking up and slinging on her backpack. She looked at her bow and her quiver of arrows, {I better take these too.}
She picked them up and headed out the back door. She ran down the steps toward Shippo and Miroku, when something caught her eye. It was a hunched over figure with long hair looking out over the battle.
{Is that...Is that a person hiding there?}
Kagome got a little closer. There was a girl about Kagome's age, possibly older, crouched behind the bush. She wore clothing from the age of the warring-states, but did not look the part.
Jennifer was too occupied with the ensuing battle to notice Kagome's approach.
"Hey!" Kagome called to her.
"Huh? What?"
Jennifer turned around, startled that anyone would discover her. She looked at the person who called out to her. She was young and wore a green school uniform. She had medium-length dark hair and a yellow backpack.
{That's Kagome. Where'd she come from?}
"It's dangerous here," Kagome told her, "You would be safer is you hid with the other villagers."
"Uh...right," Jennifer nodded. What else could she say? Besides, how would Kagome react if she told her she was waiting for Sesshomaru?
Kagome turned toward Miroku and the others. InuYasha was holding off Sesshomaru with the Tetsusaiga sheath and Shippo was combating Jaken with his random collection of toys that he used for weapons. Miroku lay on the ground, clinging to his very life.
"Yikes! I need to get over there quick!"
Kagome started to run off but suddenly turned to the strange girl who was still kneeling in the grass.
"You could get hurt so you've got to move NOW!" she shouted.
Jennifer thought it very rude for someone three years younger than her to try and boss her around, but considering her position, Jennifer opted not to go kick Kagome but instead, stood as if she was going to leave.
Without another moment's hesitation, Kagome sprinted off toward her fallen companion. Jennifer stuck a tongue out at the back of Kagome's head and promptly sat back down to watch the rest of the fight.
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A/N: That's Part a of CH. 8. Last I checked this chapter was 5400 words long and I figured you all wouldn't want to read that long of a chapter, so I broke it up into two! Think of it as being rewarded for your patience! Now hurry! Review then click the little button that takes you to Chapter 8 Part b! Go now! Lest you forget what just happened.
*
Strange Interlude
Chapter 8
*
Jennifer woke with the new day. The air was fresh and the cave was unusually comfortable. She got up and did her routine walk around the place. She was not surprised to find Sesshomaru not there. He often never was.
What exactly does he do all day, she wondered. She was sure she would never find out and spent the rest of that day contemplating life and her situation in the Feudal Times. She sighed. It was so very boring all by herself; all she did was think.
Since the marketplace excursion Sesshomaru was not as rude to Jennifer, which made no sense at all. She felt her opinion of him changing as well. Every time they brushed against each other, Jennifer blushed and scurried away. But then she would remember why Sesshomaru was "keeping" her and would then silently fume at him. It was a very confusing time.
Sesshomaru also had his share of pondering the human girl. She served no real purpose to him. She was bothersome to have to take care of, and he thought she complained too much. Sesshomaru thought it would be best to rid himself of her, but could never find the chance or drive to do so.
Several nights later Sesshomaru returned to the cave and approached Jennifer.
"I have a plan," he said in the most unemotional way possible.
"What?" replied a startled Jennifer. (A longhaired demon wearing a furry loogie jumping out of nowhere could startle anyone.)
"I have a way to destroy InuYasha," he said, looking down upon her. He seemed, to Jennifer, like a scolding parent. He held disdain in his eyes.
Jennifer said nothing. He seemed different somehow, but she couldn't quite tell what it was.
Sesshomaru told her about his first attempt at InuYasha involving the Un-Mother and the tomb of his father. Jennifer understood what he was talking about. She played the episode in her head as he briefly told of that night's events.
When he had finished, he ordered Jennifer to stay where she was, and in a blur of white was gone from the cave.
{He recently must have met Naraku. That must be why he seems so eager to kill InuYasha.}
Jennifer felt a massive vibration and went outside to find out what it was. In a few seconds time she saw a huge black demon appear through the clouds. She couldn't tell how high the creature stood, only that there were two, large, red eyes shining through the dark clouds.
With a great growl, it lowered a huge three-clawed hand level to the small plateau. On the hand stood Sesshomaru, arms folded. He looked strange to her. He was smiling.
{Well,} she thought, {It's more of a smirk than a smile but still...}
She stepped forward. Sesshomaru beckoned her even closer, so she approached him and the demon slowly. Something was definitely off.
When she became close enough, Sesshomaru extended his left arm to her. It was a pallid gray and had dirty, rounded fingers and nails.
Jennifer only needed to look at it for a moment to find out that it was the human arm attached by Naraku's jewel shard. That meant that he had met Naraku and that they were going to see InuYasha.
Now fully aware of what was going on, Jennifer accepted the now two- armed demon's hand. An almost electric tingle traveled up her arm to her left shoulder, (where her jewel shard was). It pained only for a second. Jennifer saw Sesshomaru cringe and concluded that he must have felt the same prick because he shuddered.
The awkward shock quickly passed and Sesshomaru helped her onto the large demon's hand. It immediately began to rise, stopping when it reached the shoulder. Jaken and his staff were waiting for them at the top. Sesshomaru stepped off the hand, and onto the demon's scaly shoulders. Jennifer followed.
The creature set into motion.
"Uh...wait!" Jennifer spoke, "Why am I coming?"
Sesshomaru tried to look annoyed.
"Let us say you are my good luck charm."
{Hey!} Jennifer thought, {That's all I am to him? A good luck charm? I might as well jump off right here and now so I won't have to put up with this bull.}
She looked around to find that they were already speedily moving, the ground at least 100 feet below them.
{Uh...never mind}
***
The ride was long and tiring and Jennifer was strongly considering going to sleep. The constant stomping and growling of their ride, however, was preventing this.
{This is going to be a long night} she thought.
A while later Jennifer noticed that the loud thumping had stopped. She looked expectantly around her. It was the dead of night, so vision was incredibly limited. It would have been pitch-black if it were not for the moonlight and the few lanterns visible from a nearby village.
"What's going on?" she whispered.
"You are getting off." Sesshomaru commanded.
"What? Why?"
"The upcoming battle will be violent... You will stay here."
Jennifer had to take in the words slowly. {Is that Sesshomaru-talk for: 'I care for your safety'?}
Jaken then voiced her thoughts, although he had a different sentiment behind them, "But sire! She is a human. Why do you care if she gets injured? Why do you wish to protect her?"
Sesshomaru's voice grew angrier, "Protect her? No. I just don't want her to get in my way!"
Jennifer couldn't see a thing but could sort of sense that Sesshomaru looked down at her when he had said that last sentence, and though it secretly hurt her on the inside, she brushed it off and didn't reveal any emotion.
{So that thing he did at the market wasn't real.} She told herself. {That's right, I'm nothing more than a lucky charm.}
"Alright," she said aloud, standing up as she did.
Without an order their carrier demon raised a gnarled three-fingered hand to act as Jennifer's elevator to the ground below. Without another word to Sesshomaru, Jennifer stepped on to the creature's hand. It began to descend, and Jennifer had to maintain her balance or risk falling the rest of the way.
When it finally came near the surface it let her off on a small hill that dipped into a large valley. She looked along the hill in the direction of the village she had seen earlier. It was almost a direct path to there, so she thought that if she were left behind she could have some place to go.
Jennifer shook her head. They wouldn't leave her behind. Would they? She decided it best not to think about it and looked up to notice Jaken whipping the carrier demon, ordering it to move forward. Through the dim light, Jennifer watched Sesshomaru turn and sit cross-legged on the demon. He never looked back.
{That sucks! I don't even get to meet InuYasha and them after all. That Sesshomaru sure is strange sometimes. I don't get him.}
She continued to watch the horrible monster stomp the living daylights out of the little buildings outside the village.
{He must be trying to flush out InuYasha and his gumi. That's why he's not directly attacking the village,} she thought.
Jennifer could hear people shouting and alarms wailing. She squinted as a faraway screen door opened and four people jumped out.
{It's a good thing I'm on an incline. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to see a thing.}
There stood a person in red, a really short person next to another person, and the fourth person was holding...something...a cane...no...a staff?
"This REALLY sucks!" Jennifer screamed, throwing her head back.
She took off into their direction, "Forget Sesshomaru! I'm moving closer!"
She ran as fast as she could. Jennifer couldn't believe Sesshomaru would just drop her off so far away from the action.
Oops! Loose rocks! She stumbled and almost fell, but inertia kept her moving so she quickly regained balance. Jennifer then looked out at the impossibly tall demon and the 5 people on the ground.
{Five? There's another person in white. Oh...Sesshomaru.}
Jennifer soon became close enough to hear voices. She immediately slowed and ducked behind some bushes. It seemed really stupid of her to do so because she was sure that she had already been spotted.
She lay silently for several seconds to find out if she had or not but...nothing. Nothing happened. No one rushed over to her and revealed her being there, so did that mean she was unseen?
{I guess they didn't see me.}
She looked up over the bushes. Sesshomaru and InuYasha---
{InuYasha! It's InuYasha!}
Sesshomaru and InuYasha stood facing each other about 20 feet apart, Tetsusaiga in-between them and stuck in the ground.
Jennifer scanned the rest of the 'battle arena'. Almost directly left of her, approximately 50 feet away, crouched Miroku, Kagome, and Shippo. They looked eager---
{Miroku! Kagome! It's them! I'm so close to them. They're actually here. I can't believe it!}
The three looked eagerly at the ensuing battle, obviously unaware of her presence. Jennifer smiled, now greatly appreciating her careless leap through the well. She sat tall, less afraid of her disobedience and contentedly watched the fight play out before her as she had seen it so many times before.
***
The battle was rather uneventful. Jennifer had watched it many a time at home, but there was an added level of interest to this one in that it was actually real. The attacks were real. The forces of impact, the yelps of pain, and the shockwaves emitted were all very real, and this added excitement to this otherwise blasé event.
Jennifer was most amazed at the moment when the Saimyosho attacked. They were unlike anything she could've imagined. They truly were hell insects. Their eyes glittered red in the darkness. Their bodies were shrouded in a black aura that seemed to grow larger with every beat of their humming, screaming, wings. Even Jennifer, being a good thirty feet away from the nearest one, could feel the sheer repugnance given off by the Saimyosho.
They attacked Miroku with such force that the screams forced from him reverberated through her as if she were the one making them. Jennifer found herself grasping on to the nearest rock and breathing very deeply and slowly in unadulterated fear of them. She hoped with all her mind, body, and soul that one would not come near.
Then, at the exact moment she had uttered that phrase in her mind, one of the bees noticed her and fluttered away from the swarm to investigate.
Jennifer did not notice the flying demon until a distinct whirring and whining of wings came past her ear. She turned to head and was greeted by the piercing eyes of a baseball-sized wasp. She used everything within her power not to scream, and scanned her mind for a solution. She then glanced frantically around for something to hit it with. With every second her eyes were averted from the floating youkai, she could feel the looming horror of her predicament.
However, the creature did not attack and simply flew slowly around her, as if studying her. Jennifer quickly seized a good-sized branch and stood. She swung her makeshift bat at the bug, trying very hard to whack it. The Saimyosho managed to dodge all of her attempts and continued to hover around her, its fear-inducing eyes watching her.
It suddenly moved right and Jennifer swung, finally succeeding in hitting it. From the force of the hit, the Saimyosho was flung to the ground. Jennifer swallowed the ever-growing lump in her throat and approached the fallen insect.
The poisonous insect lay motionless in the dirt. And just when Jennifer was ready to presume it dead, it shot back into the air, flying away from her at an unmentionable speed. Jennifer noticed that the bug flew off in a very awkward pattern, and she figured that it had to have been injured.
Satisfied, yet still afraid, Jennifer sat down and tightened her grip on the branch---just in case.
The other battling Saimyosho seemed to have quieted down so Jennifer could again hear what was going on.
InuYasha had Miroku's arm over his shoulder and was helping him get behind the fallen/half-wind-tunnel-ed giant. Shippo followed close behind them.
{Wait a second,} Jennifer thought, {Where's Kagome?}
"We've got company coming!" Shippo shouted.
Jennifer looked in the direction of Shippo's comment. Sure enough, there was Sesshomaru walking toward the front of the monster's strewn body. Sesshomaru turned to where his back was to her.
"He has no hope. This is the end for you." Sesshomaru pulled back to strike with the Tetsusaiga's Wind Scar. A bright aura soon shrouded the blade.
"Die," Sesshomaru whispered, swinging his sword toward his half- brother obliterating their demon shield and spraying chunks of its flesh over their huddled bodies.
***
Kagome saw the blast and worried if the boys were okay. She had left to find an antidote for Miroku's poison and but had no idea where she would find one.
She ran into a village and up to a door. She banged her fist loudly against the wooden frame.
"Hello, anyone in there? My friend's been poisoned! I need help!"
Kagome noticed movement at the window. She glanced over to see a pair of scared eyes peering out. She went to the window and tried to talk to the elderly man.
"Oh, sir! You've got to help me please! My friend is poisoned! Do you have---?"
"No, No, No!" the man shouted.
"But I---!" she began.
"No! Go away!" the man shouted back, flinging his curtain shut.
Kagome sighed and moved to another hut. She got the same response from five different people and was on the verge of giving up.
Her brow expressed that of exhaustion and worry, {Miroku's in trouble if I don't act fast. And these stupid villagers are no help!}
Kagome then spotted the tavern where Miroku, Shippo, InuYasha, and her had been staying when Sesshomaru's monster attacked. She ran inside, tired of being polite and knocking. There were several people, including the old man who owned the tavern, huddled on the ground against a wall. He looked up as she ran by.
"Hey girl," he called, "Where is that monk friend of yours? Has he dispelled the demon? I want my money back!"
Kagome ignored him and ran into their room. Her backpack, bow, and arrows were leaned against the wall.
{I'm sure I have something in my backpack that'll help Miroku,} she thought picking up and slinging on her backpack. She looked at her bow and her quiver of arrows, {I better take these too.}
She picked them up and headed out the back door. She ran down the steps toward Shippo and Miroku, when something caught her eye. It was a hunched over figure with long hair looking out over the battle.
{Is that...Is that a person hiding there?}
Kagome got a little closer. There was a girl about Kagome's age, possibly older, crouched behind the bush. She wore clothing from the age of the warring-states, but did not look the part.
Jennifer was too occupied with the ensuing battle to notice Kagome's approach.
"Hey!" Kagome called to her.
"Huh? What?"
Jennifer turned around, startled that anyone would discover her. She looked at the person who called out to her. She was young and wore a green school uniform. She had medium-length dark hair and a yellow backpack.
{That's Kagome. Where'd she come from?}
"It's dangerous here," Kagome told her, "You would be safer is you hid with the other villagers."
"Uh...right," Jennifer nodded. What else could she say? Besides, how would Kagome react if she told her she was waiting for Sesshomaru?
Kagome turned toward Miroku and the others. InuYasha was holding off Sesshomaru with the Tetsusaiga sheath and Shippo was combating Jaken with his random collection of toys that he used for weapons. Miroku lay on the ground, clinging to his very life.
"Yikes! I need to get over there quick!"
Kagome started to run off but suddenly turned to the strange girl who was still kneeling in the grass.
"You could get hurt so you've got to move NOW!" she shouted.
Jennifer thought it very rude for someone three years younger than her to try and boss her around, but considering her position, Jennifer opted not to go kick Kagome but instead, stood as if she was going to leave.
Without another moment's hesitation, Kagome sprinted off toward her fallen companion. Jennifer stuck a tongue out at the back of Kagome's head and promptly sat back down to watch the rest of the fight.
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A/N: That's Part a of CH. 8. Last I checked this chapter was 5400 words long and I figured you all wouldn't want to read that long of a chapter, so I broke it up into two! Think of it as being rewarded for your patience! Now hurry! Review then click the little button that takes you to Chapter 8 Part b! Go now! Lest you forget what just happened.
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