Cowboys and Demons

by The Moose of Death

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. This is just for kicks, y'know?

(A/N: OK so we all know they're speaking in Japanese, right? Right. So anything that's typed in italics will mean that they're speaking in English. Just a heads up. Oh! And please review! Thank you! Enjoy! I'll shut up now.)

Chapter 3: Lost in Translation

Kagome could faintly see the table that sat in the middle of the small room. The stranger lit a fire in the small stone fireplace built into the side of one of the walls. He then proceeded to light some Japanese lanterns that hung around the room. The light revealed that there really was nothing in the room but the table, a single chair, and the fireplace. Kagome's shoes clicked on the dusty floorboards as she walked around the room, searching for something that could give an idea as to what this person was like, but no clues could be found from the emptiness. Inuyasha stood by the window when he realized that their host was gone.

"Where'd he go?" he asked with a touch of anger.

"In here!" a voice called from another room. Sango followed the sound and peeked into the doorway that they hadn't noticed before, seeing the rider pull out some cooking utensils from a fairly large wooden box. There was a hefty pile of hay in one of the corners, and she realized that this was where he slept. The stranger laid all of his weapons next to the hay, but put the strange one from earlier inside the box, along with what was holding it. Both of them came back into the main room and he laid what he had in his hands on the table.

"What's all this for?" Miroku inquired.

The stranger looked at him with a raised brow. "Hungry? I know I am."

Shippo jumped up on the table with a huge grin on his face. "I sure am too! What are we having?"

The young man gave him a smile. "Tea. Vegetables I picked. No meat though. I had a bad hunt today," he said slowly and with a laugh at the end. Kirara jumped up on the table and sniffed the food.

Kagome walked up to him and his attention was immediately on her. "Thanks for the hospitality, but who are you?" she bluntly asked. He immediately answered with a question of his own. "Imust know. Can youspeak English?" Kagome stepped back with sudden shock that he knew about the language. In feudal Japan, no one would have even heard of it. Japan was far too isolated and divided to interact with nations that could speak English. She collected herself and remembered what she could from the English classes that she took in school, even though she only tested well on the written parts.

"Yesh, I can speak a ritta," she said slowly, trying to form the words in her mind. Immediately, the stranger jumped up shouting with glee at the top of his lungs. He grabbed Kagome and started jumping around with her. "YEEEHAAWWW! I knew it! I knew it! The second I saw ya I says to myself, Jimmy! there's somethin' 'bout that gurl! She ain't from 'round here. It musta happened ta her too!' I can finally go home!"

Everyone was utterly confused by this, and they each looked at each other perplexed. "He speaks with a demon's tongue!" Miroku shouted out, getting into a fighter's stance. "Just hold on, guys! He's just speaking English!" Kagome said, still nervously dancing with the stranger. "English?" Inuyasha said completely lost. "What the hell is English?" Sango butted in by asking, "More importantly, what's he saying?"

Kagome just looked at her nervously. "Idon't know. He's saying it so fast and isn't exactly speaking the way I learned it." Kagome immediately calmed him down, though he didn't make it easy. "Prease sit stiw! We have shome queshtions for you," she said slowly.

"Sure sure! Anythin' ya say! I'm just so damn happy right now!"

Kagome gave a sigh as she sat him down. But before she could say anything, he immediately sat up. "Oh shit!" he shouted with realization as he ran out of the house. Kagome just stood there mixed with anger and laughter while the others were still confused. The rider ran back in with the rocking chair from outside saying, "Sorry fer bein' such an asshole just now. Shoulda remembered I only got one chair in the house!" He set it down next to the other chair and led Sango to sit down in it, followed by putting Kagome in the other one. Sango set her Hiraikotsu aside and gave him a nervous smile. "Pappy always told me, Jimmy, you be nice to the ladies! Ya gotta be a gentl'man 'round them.' Then again, I should be watchin' my mouth too, ha ha!"

"What's he talking about, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked with arms folded.

"He's, uh, just trying to be polite," she said while rubbing the back of her head.

"Well go on with what chu were sayin'," he said while sitting on the edge of the table, shoving over Kirara a bit. Kagome was looking for the words to use. It was hard enough she had to translate what he was saying, which she could barely do in the first place. She started by simply asking, "What ish your name?"

"My name?" he asked bewildered. "Ha ha! Guess I got so caught up in the sitchiation that I fergot ta intr'duce mahself!" He stood up properly with hand on chest and looked over everyone before saying, "My name is James Andrew McCollough. But you can call me Jim, Jimmy, Jimbo, or even J.D.!" He said this in Japanese to make sure that everyone understood.

"Oh! Oh! I wanna call him J.D.!" Shippo immediately shouted. Inuyasha smacked his head to calm him down. "Let's just wait a bit before we start naming him. You might get too attached." Kagome looked over at Inuyasha saying, "Hey! You're making James sound like a pet with that kind of attitude!" Inuyasha growled. "Don't look at ME! You should be yelling at Shippo for that! Besides, we can't even trust the guy yet." Shippo kicked Inuyasha's foot, but only hurt his own. James couldn't keep up with their conversation, so Kagome turned back to him.

"James, you are not from thish time?" she asked to reassure herself.

"Of course not!" he shouted out. "I reckon that's obvious by n–"

Kagome raised her hand up to quiet him. "Slow. Down." Kagome paused to think of a question and how to say it. "Okay. How did you get here?"

James took his time to speak this time, which also calmed how he spoke. "Through a well. I have a feeling ya know what I'm talkin' about." Kagome nodded. Miroku looked at Kagome and asked, "What is he saying?"

"He says he came through the well, which explains what Kaede was talking about, I think." Kagome turned back to James. "How rong ago?"

James chuckled a bit. "Y'know, your English sounds really funny." Kagome held in her anger as she said to herself, You think MY English sounds funny? James thought for a moment, mumbling a bit as he looked up. "HmmmI know that ther've been almost two new moons since I got here. I'm guessin' 'bout two months. More 'r less." Kagome turned to Miroku. "Yup, he's the one Kaede saw."

Miroku sighed. "Well it's a relief that it wasn't another demon we'd have to deal with." Inuyasha immediately snorted out, "How do we know he ain't some trickster demon anyway?"

That statement caught James' attention and he jumped up in front of Inuyasha. "Don't give me that shit you demon. You should be glad I didn't blow your brains out the second I saw you!" This put Inuyasha on his feet and now they both had to be held back. Inuyasha shouted out, "I don't know what this bastard said, but I know he wants a fight!" Miroku grabbed both of Inuyasha's arms while Sango stood in front of James.

"Both of you calm down!" Kagome ordered. "Inuyasha! You have to remember that even though you can't understand James, he can still understand you a little bit." Inuyasha sneered at James. "Well tell this jerk to play nice and I will too." James calmed down and stood with arms folded. "Sorry 'bout that. I haven't liked demons since I got here. They attack this place every few days and we always lose one or two people." When she heard demons,' it reminded Kagome about another important point she wanted to know.

She looked over at Sango and Miroku and asked, "Do you think these demons are coming here because of a sacred jewel shard?"

"I think that would be a very good explanation for it," Miroku said with his hand on his chin.

Sango mimicked Miroku's gesture. "And you did say you felt its presence in this village right?"

"That's right," Kagome declared. "In fact, it's been the strongest I've felt ever since we entered this house!" They all looked at James, who only stood there innocently. "What? What're y'all lookin' at?"

"Are you sure you don't know what a sacred jewel shard is?" Inuyasha asked forcefully.

"No I do not," James answered back. But Inuyasha didn't believe him. "I say we just tear the place apart." James immediately put his fists up, ready for a fight.

Kagome stepped in front of Inuyasha. "Wait! We don't have to do anything that rash. I have a better idea anyway." She took out the jar that held the jewel shards that they had and showed it to James, who took it and examined them. "Have you sheen anything rike deesh around here?"

James gave her a smile. "So THAT'S what y'all 've been blabberin' about. Of course I seen this. Hell, I got one!" Kagome's face immediately lit up and the others quickly asked what was going on. "He says he has it! See? I told you we could get this without any trouble." She turned back to James and asked, "May I see it?" James waved them into his room and they all followed. He opened up the box that he was fiddling with earlier and rummaged through a strange and dirty set of clothes. He then pulled out a gold ring with a piece of the Shikon jewel embedded in it.

"Ain't it purty?" he said while holding it up for them to see. "It sure is," Kagome said as she smiled and reached for it. But James immediately pulled it away. "Hey I said you could see it, not have it! Me an' this thing's come a long way, an' I'll be damned if I lose it now!"

"What's he saying?" Shippo wondered. Miroku looked at the little fox demon and answered, "I don't think he wishes to part with it. Why is that, James?"

He began to think of a way to respond to that. "It'sa gift from my father! Yeah that'll do." Kagome was a little perplexed by that last comment and asked, "How did your father get it?" She was curious as to how a shard of the jewel could ever reach wherever this stranger was from, since he wasn't even from the time period.

James looked even more nervous as jumbled words came out of his mouth until he said, "Hefound it on the groundaaaand put it on a ringaaand gave it to ma momma."

"What'd he say?" Inuyasha demanded. Kagome answered, "He says his father found it and gave it to his mother."

"But where could his father have found it? And when?" Sango interjected. "If it was passed down from his parents, then it must have been in his family for much longer than the jewel has been broken apart."

"Where did you find it?"

"In thegold mines of San Francisco. Yup that's where." This response shocked Kagome because now it gave her a little reference to where James came from: America, or at least a time period that knows about it. She was about to ask another question when James tossed the ring back in the box. "That's enough questions fer now. Let's eat." They all stood still as James made his way outside to fetch some water for tea and vegetable stew.

Miroku shortly said what was on everyone's mind. "Well he's quite a character."

"Yeah," Sango affirmed him with a raised eyebrow. "Way to dodge some questions."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Inuyasha, Miroku, and James stood around the table as Sango and Kagome sat in the chairs and Shippo and Kirara sat on the tabletop. They sipped their tea and ate the boiled vegetables James prepared, but could taste that he wasn't very good at making either, though they politely consumed the meal. James gave them all chopsticks, but ate with a fork that was crudely made out of some tempered metal, which everyone but Kagome took a glance at every once in a while.

"I should've made more chairs fer 'casions like this. But how should I have known?" James said to break the silence, but knew no would really listen.

"Or you could've just had a lower table," Kagome pointed out, letting him know that she heard.

"Yeah! What the hell kind of table IS this anyway? Everybody's gotta stand!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Well, at least the guys."

Kagome tried to calm him down, even though she knew he wouldn't really understand. "This kind of table is designed for sitting in chairs, not on the ground." Inuyasha was slightly embarrassed about his lack of comprehension and covered his face by slurping from his bowl of stew.

Sango was curious as to what James was eating with and asked Kagome aside what it was. "It's called a fork," she explained, but didn't know what else to say. "It looks like a miniature version of a trident," Miroku added.

"Yeah I just couldn't fig'r out how to use them goddamn chopstick things, so I made something I could eat with," James interjected to explain himself. Kagome laughed, seeing how James proved how much of a foreigner he was. "What's so funny lil missy?" he asked as he leered at her. "Nothing!" she said as she held in her laughter.

Inuyasha slammed his fist on the table, with the force making Shippo and Kirara jump up slightly, but they kept eating instead of paying it any attention. "Can't you make this idiot speak our language! We all know he knows it! And it's getting really annoying that you two can pick up a conversation without us knowing what's going on."

James looked at Kagome and smiled. "Looks like yer loverboy is gettin' a lil jealous." This made Kagome blush a little and she yelled out as she stood up, "WHAT GIVES YOU THE IDEA THAT HE'S–" But she stopped when she realized what she was saying. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Kagome, except James who was laughing.

Inuyasha put down his now empty bowl. "See what I mean? We only get to catch half of it."

"Don't be so nosey!" Kagome growled. At least my English is getting a little better, she thought to herself.

James cleared his throat to grab their attention. "I'd like to speak more like you, but it's been so long since I got to speak English with someone! Besides, I can't talk Japanese too good anyway."

"Can't speak English too well either," Kagome said behind her teacup.

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing!"

"Anyway, I just picked up yer language cuz it's all I been hearin' since I got here, which feels like ferever!"

"We could teach it to you a little better if you'd like," Kagome said slowly so he'd understand. "Teach what?" Shippo asked, finished with his food.

"Japanese."

"Nice of you ta offer, but if you take me to that well, then I'm gonna be headin' home."

"Where do you come from?" Kagome asked, realizing this could be a major breakthrough on the mystery.

"Born in St. Louis, Missouri, but raised on the open countryside."

I knew you were an American, Kagome thought.

"I sure do miss it. My home. And all the kind of stuff there was. I've had enougha all this tea! I want some coffee! And a good bed! And thick, juicy steaks"

Maybe he IS from my time, Kagome thought. "I have that stuff where I am from."

"Then you know what I'm talkin' 'bout. But I'll be home soon enough!"

Everyone was now done with their food and sat quietly. "This calls for a celebration!" James exclaimed, with his Japanese suddenly a little clearer. He ran outside to one of the neighboring homes as everyone else sat there confused.

"What do you suppose he's doing now?" Miroku pondered aloud.

James came back with two huge jugs that everyone but Shippo recognized as sake. "One of the elders has plenty. Drink up!"

"We wouldn't dare turn down such a generous offer from such a wonderful host!" Miroku said with a huge grin as he pushed his cup in front of James, but Sango quickly took the cup away. "You can be pretty bad when you're sober. I'd hate to see how much you'd grope Kagome and me when you're drunk."

Kagome waved her hands to refuse the drink and laughed nervously. "I-I'm not even old enough to drink yet!"

"That's all right!" James chuckled out. "I don't even think I'm supposed to be drinkin' either!"

"How ord are you?"

"Hmmmm'bout seventeen, I think. I'm never really sure!"

"Then you shood not drink this!"

"Well this stuff is weak anyway. My pappy always used ta let me drink whiskey. He always said that it's safer to drink booze than water."

Kagome was a little disturbed by this and thought, What kind of father would do that?

"I'll pass," Inuyasha said, taking a seat on the floor and getting ready to sleep.

"Your loss!" James said as he took a swig from one of the jugs.

"Can I have some J.D.?" Shippo innocently asked, but Kagome and Sango immediately shouted out a "no" and Shippo skulked to one of the walls frustrated.

"Am I the only one drinking?" James asked with realization.

"I'm afraid so," Sango said with a shrug.

Miroku immediately stepped forward. "Nonsense! I'll join you."

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" James said as he handed him one of the jugs. "Let's go so we don't disturb the others. You can meet the other villagers!"

"Ooooany fine ladies in this quiet hamlet of yours?"

"If you like them really old or really young, then yes!"

"Meh. I guess I'll have to settle," Miroku said with a shrug.

James put an arm over Miroku's shoulder and raised his jug up high as he led him out the door. "I think we'll be good friends"

"Miroku, James."

"Hey, call me Jimmy!" They both laughed as they walked out the doorway and shut the door behind them.

"Well this looks like trouble," Sango said blandly. "I think I'll follow them."

"Good idea," said Kagome. Sango fixed her Hiraikotsu on her back and set out to follow the soon-to-be-drunken duo with Kirara not too far behind.

"Well I guess it's just us three," Kagome said, expecting a response. But Inuyasha really was asleep, and Shippo did likewise, huddled up against his leg. "Oh well," Kagome sighed.

She took this opportunity to examine James' room. Walking in, she knew that she wanted to see that ring again, so she walked over to the wooden box. Ignoring the sword, bow, and quiver that were leaned up against the wall, she opened the box and rummaged through its items. "What the heck is all this?" she asked aloud and pulled out what she could only describe as a brown, dirty "cowboy" hat. She put it on her head and wished she could see herself in a mirror to see how funny it looked. She then pulled out a poncho made with dark hues of brown, red, and green and a pair of brown pants. She looked them over and folded them back to how they were found, setting them aside. The next thing she pulled out wasn't what she was looking for, but definitely a point of interest. It was James' gun and holster-belt, which had some bullets in the ammo slots. "Now I don't know much about guns, or anything about them for that matter, but I do know that you don't see many of these kinds anymore." It was a six-shooter, and she knew most people usedwhat do they call them? Semi-autoshe couldn't remember.

Next was a pair of leather boots with spurs on the heels. She looked inside one and saw the ring with the jewel shard in it. "Bingo!" She pulled it out, looked it over, and saw that it was the real thing. But she examined the ring closer and found some kanji written on it that said, "To my love." When she read this, she knew it either disproved James' explanation of where he got it or the fact that he was a foreigner. But looking at his things and the way he acted, she was sure it wasn't the latter.

Kagome yawned and realized how tired she was. She put everything back in the box the way she found it, including the ring, but remembered that there would be nowhere for her to sleep. "Oh man. I don't want to sleep on the floor!" She looked over at the pile of hay and thought out loud, "I suppose he wouldn't mind if I just slept in his bed for the night. He seems nice enough to let me." Without another thought, Kagome laid down in the hay and let sleep overcome her.

A/N: Well that chapter took FOREVER to write. Just couldn't think of how to structure it. At least I finally got to the turning point I wanted and now the story can loosen up a bit. Remember to review! Even if you hate it! Thank You!