It took us a full two days to get to Japan through Shadow. I took the pace slow so I could tell him my story.

"So Merlin, your son, is king of Chaos now?" He sounded impressed.

"Yes, but it seems he is but a mere puppet. He never wanted it, anyways, I don't think."

We rode on, and the lights of Tokyo were brightening with each step.

"Well, I will part with you here." I handed him my trump. "Concentrate on this when you are ready to go to Amber. Image it is really me on that card. You should have plenty of money on you. See you later."

With that, he nodded, then turned Clove off towards Tokyo. I went a different direction, preferring to skirt the city and send Mori back to Amber before I went on.

Before too long, I came across a large building in the clearing of a forest. It was twilight again, and the lights were on. I pulled out Martin's trump, and studied it.

"Uncle?"

"Can you take my horse, Mori? I won't be needing him for a while."

"Sure."

I handed Martin the reins, then slapped Mori's rump just hard enough to get him to move forward.

"Bye." And he was gone.

I stopped at the edge of the clearing, and smoked a cigarette, observing the place. It looked to be a church or something.

As I was putting out the butt, a young woman, pale skin, black hair—so dark it was almost blue—came out of the doors at the top of gargantuan staircase. She carried a yellow backpack, and wore a short green skirt and a long sleeved white shirt. Her outfit reminded me of a sailor's uniform.

A flash of read near the tallest tree caught my attention. A man with long, silvery hair, dressed in a billowing red outfit had just jumped from one of the top branches. He landed gracefully like it was nothing. I figured he must be a Chaosian. No human could survive that.

"Oi, wench! You ready to go yet?" the man barked at her.

"Inuyasha, I was only gone two days!"

"Well, come on already."

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

They headed towards a small building that reminded me of one of those old fashioned outhouses. Curiosity got the better of me, and I followed, hoping to learn something from these two.

I entered the building, and found it to be a well house. They were nowhere insight, and I was surprised by the soft pink light coming from the bottom of the square well; it was exactly like the afterimage of someone trumping out.

Without a second thought, I jumped in after them.

"What in the name of Kami do I smell?" bellowed the man. He was already outside of the well, but instead of it being enclosed, it was out in the open, in a clearing. He peered over the edge of the well and I heard him growl.

"Who the hell are you?"

I climbed out of the well. "Corwin."

"How did you pass through—"

"Inuyasha, he's got a jewel shard!"

He immediately drew his sword—much bigger than its scabbard, and it looked very white instead of metallic like I expected.

I drew Grayswandir. "You wish to spar, do you?"

"Give it up!"

"Inuyasha, SIT!"

I was amazed when the lad went face down in the dirt.

"I'm sorry about his bad manners. Could you tell me why you have a shard of the Shikon Jewel?"

I dropped Grayswandir in its place, then pulled out the fragment. "This?"

She nodded.

"You seem to know more about it than I do." Said I.

I noticed the glass vial about her neck—it contained four more pieces just like the one in my hand.

"What do you know about it?" Kagome asked.

"I believe it may have something to do with my family. Other than that, nothing." I didn't want to give up more information than I had to.

"Who is this family of yours?" Inuyasha bit in, as he was pulling himself out of the dirt.

I ignored him. "I was hoping you might be able to tell me about it, as you seem to know about it."

The girl looked at Inuyasha.

"Kagome, I don't trust him."

I could see this wasn't going to help. They didn't trust me, and they had no reason to. I decided to play their game.

"I have a proposition."

Inuyasha scowled at me, but held his tongue, probably fearing another sitting.

"I will give you my piece, as long you tell me about it, and include me in whatever you are about concerning it." I held out the shard.

Again, she looked to the strange-looking man.

"I could just take it from him."

That earned him a glare. "Inuyasha, I don't trust him either, but he said he'd help, and he'll hand over the shard. I don't see what choice we have. I don't want to hurt him."

He growled again, but nodded.

"Alright." She took the shard from me and placed it with the others. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything you do."

"The Shikon no Tama is a very powerful relic which demons can use to amplify their power, even just a shard of it is significant. It used to be whole, but some time ago it was shattered—"

"By you, no less!"

"Sit!"

Inuyasha ate dirt again.

"It was shattered, and now Inuyasha and me and a few others are collecting the shards."

"I see. And how did you know I had a piece?"

"I can sense it. I'm a miko."

Miko? I wracked my brains. Some obscure word that my tutor hadn't taught me. I feigned knowledge. "Ahh. How did this jewel come about?"

"None of your busi—"

"SIT! A miko named Moridiko once fought many demons. She got into a battle she couldn't win, so she trapped their souls, as well as her own, into this jewel."

But what did that have to do with Amber? Ah well. I'd figure it out later, but in the meantime…

"Is there any serious competition for this jewel?"

"A demon named Naraku," Kagome started; she was cut off by a growl from Inuyasha.

"Killed the woman guarding it," she continued, "and tried to steal it, fifty years ago. He now has about half the jewel, and is trying to get more."

"How was it shattered?"

Inuyasha cleared his throat. Well, before the woman died, she pinned Inuyasha to that tree over there," she pointed at the tree he had been in earlier, "with a Sacred Arrow, and put him in an unnatural sleep. I fell through the well, and stumbled upon him. I freed him, and he tried to kill me, saying I had the jewel."

I raised my eyebrows at this, wondering what happened inbetween then and now.

"It had been inside my body my whole life. I didn't even know it was real until it came out here," she prodded a place on her side, "Inuyasha and I got into a fight, and a crow demon stole it, and started to fly off. I shot it with an arrow, trying to get the jewel back. It killed the crow, but shattered the jewel."

I nodded. "So, how did the pieces get scattered?"

"When it shattered, they flew to all over Japan."

"We need to get back to Kaede's village. Can you keep up with me?" Inuyasha broke in.

"Yes."

He crouched down enough so Kagome could climb on his back. I raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He nodded to me, then started running. I easily caught up.

Within moments, we came across a village—traditional style housing, from the feudal era.

We entered a hut on the outskirts. Inside rested an elderly lady, who was missing her right eye, a young woman, probably no older than seventeen, a young monk, a small, two-tailed cat, and a boy with auburn hair and a fluffy tail—who came barreling towards Kagome.

"Did you miss me? And who is this?"

She chuckled. "Yes, Shippou, I missed you."

The others eyed me warily.

"This is Corwin. He will be traveling with us."

"Ye be hunting for the jewel as well?" queried the old lady.

"In a manner of speaking, I am. At the moment, thought, it is purely curiosity."

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The monk bowed towards me. "I am Miroku, a humble servant of Buddha. This is Sango," he motioned towards the young woman, "demon exterminator and her fire-cat, Kirara. Kagome is holding Shippou—a fox demon. The priestess is Kaede. I'm assuming you know Inuyasha."

Something was bugging me about the monk. He reminded me of someone, but I couldn't quite put my finger on wh—

"You sure do have a strange accent, and weird clothes!" Shippou commented.

I chuckled. "I am not from around here."

Miroku raised an eyebrow, but he didn't question me.

Introductions seemed to be over as Miroku turned to Inuyasha. "A messenger came today, asking for help with a sudden rise of demons to the west of here. I think we should go."

"We leave tomorrow at dawn." Inuyasha decided.

I nodded, then stepped outside into the dying light, intent on smoking a cigarette. Miroku followed me out.

"Inuyasha does not trust you."

"I am aware of this."

"It does not surprise me. Don't let it worry you. He will warm up to you before too long."

I pulled out some Marlboros and a lighter.

"What are those?"

"Tobacco." I offered him one, which he declined.

I lit it and took a long drag, watching the smoke spiral up.

"Whatever that is, it STINKS!" Inuyasha snapped from inside the hut.

I walked away from the hut. "Can you tell me any more about this shard hunt we're on?"

He gave a long suffering sigh. "Well…"

He spoke and I listened.