White Night Fantasies

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own the wonderful show of Inuyasha. That right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. (sighs) That's just too bad.

She steadily headed through the forest with her long cloak whipping behind her. This was the forest she had known as Inuyasha forest. She looked mysterious in it. For the cloak was draped over her head so her face was only shown in shadows. Her bow and arrows were mounted on her back so she could easily get to them if she were attacked. Her hands were barely visible beneath her cloak. You could only see the tips of her fingers which were pointed and coated in black.

To any person or thing looking at her, she was a very vulnerable target: a young women walking through the forest without a man and her only protection is but a bow which only worked at distances. But no one knew of the dangers she could unleash at any second. For all who threatened her were annihilated. She kind of felt sorry for them because they had no idea of what they were getting themselves into.

She quickened her stride to a running pace as she saw a village coming near. Hmm… I feel no danger in this place…and I do need to get some rest. Then she approached an old woman that was facing the opposite direction of her. She then tapped her on the shoulder. The old woman slightly jumped then turned around.

"Yes, how may I help ye," the old woman said.

The cloaked woman examined her. The old woman had a patch over her right eye and she wore a miko outfit. She had a very serious deposition and has very good posture. The cloaked woman took off her hood to reveal her glowing green cat-like eyes, lined with heavy black eyeliner, her shimmering straight brunette hair, and her unemotional face but with hidden depression in it.

"Yes, I was wondering if you may have a place I can stay for a couple of nights?"

"Yes, ye would be able to stay with me. And my name is Kaede."

"Hello Kaede my name is Airadina and thank you for the hospitality. I will try not to be a burden."

"Don't ye worry about it but I do sense that you are a miko so it would be greatly kind of ye if you helped around the village."

"Oh, of course. I would love to help. That is why I travel, to help villages especially the ones devastated by Naraku doings or by the jewel shards."

"Oh, that is so noble of ye."

"Thank you very much. I try to do all can. So what would you need help with?"

Airadina and Kaede set to work immediately and Airadina and Kaede actually grew a bond. The once hardened features of Airadina face started to soften but this only happened after helping out around the village for a week. The village was getting into the best shape it has ever been in.Kaede's mind was somewhere else, though. She knew that the Inu-gang would be coming back so and she would have a lot of questions to answer.

Though they spent a lot of time with each other Kaede never learned much about Airadina. Only that she had no family and she wanted to collect all the jewel shards to purify it. She never pressed the subject more than that, because she saw that Airadina tensed up when asked about her past but she knew that Airadina would open up some day.

On the other hand Airadina learned quite a lot about Kaede. Like that she was about 60, her sister Kikyo was killed by the treacheries of Naraku but still walked the earth only to made up of made of clay. Also, that she homed six other people quite frequently because they rested at her home when they weren't searching for the jewel shards She knew a lot about them now, too.

There was Miroku, a lecherous monk who had a curse on his hand that had a hole in it that turned into a vortex or doom when unveiled.

Sango, a demon slayer that had her entire village was destroyed by Naraku's yōkai.

Shippo, a young fox demon whose father was killed by the Thunder Brothers.

Kirara, Sango's faithful, yōkai-nekomata that can change between two forms, a ferocious yōkai the size of a car with the ability to fly, and a cute little kitten.

Kagome, a young miko that could sense where jewel shards are and a reincarnation of her sister Kikyo.

And Inuyasha, a hanyou that has been devastated by Naruku's doings too many times and had a very hard life.

Airadina was glad to know how open Kaede had been with her. It made her feel welcome and trusted, but she was wondering if she should leave before the six people arrived.

"Lady Kaede, should I leave before the jewel shard hunter's return."

"Don't ye be worrying about that. I do believe that they would want you to help them in they're hunt, because you do both have the same hunt."

"But Lady Kaede how are you so sure? I could be repulsive to them and they may not like me."

"Nonsense child, they will love ye and I know it. Well Inuyasha is stubborn but he has no reason to dislike you."

'Maybe he will find some way. How is she so sure they will even like me? Damn it sounds like it is an arranged marriage or something. Weren't those outlawed or something… wait… never mind.'

"Ok Lady Kaede. I believe you."

They worked the whole day without talking after that. Airadina had many things on her mind. She knew for a fact that they would be returning soon. She felt great power coming this way and it wasn't corrupted so it had to be them. She could sense them. They would be arriving that night. Kaede knew something was troubling Airadina but she did not want to question it.

Airadina said that she would fix dinner that night. It was ramen and Airadina said that she traded for it from one of the villagers because they had gotten it from Kagome and she said that she remembered that Inuyasha greatly liked ramen. She was greatly nervous but she wouldn't admit that to anyone. So she put on her emotionless face.

Just when she had finished eating she heard voices coming from outside. So she went out the back way and went to the hot spring. She did not want to face them just yet. So she stripped her clothes and sank into the hot spring. While in extreme relaxation she had a flash back of something.

Flashback

"You're useless. Just go and die."

"I'm sorry I will do better. Just give me a chance." A young girl child pleaded.

"I have given you enough chances. Now get out of my sight." The woman said that with a very disgusted look on her face.

"I am sorry! Please! I do not want to leave again… I want to stay."

"Well at least this time you won't come back…" The woman said and then she started chanting.

"Please… No!"

The woman still was chanting then a blue intoxicating light came around the child.

"Please… Mother…"

End Flashback

When she snapped out of the trance she was in she noticed that she was crying. She immediately wiped her tears away and put on her clothes and her cloak. She then headed back to the village. She went up to Kaede's home. Before she went into the house she took a deep breath.

Then she stepped into the house and saw six people stare at her with questioning eyes. Thankfully they couldn't see her face because of the cloak. They all stared at her with such intensity she thought that they were going to attack at any second. Then Kaede broke the silence.

"Ah, Airadina ye have returned from your bath. I would like to introduce ye to the Jewel Hunter's…"

Authors Note: So, what do you think? Leave your reviews. Constructive criticism is gladly accepted. Umm… I have made a couple stories but deleted them because I didn't think they were good enough but this time I will let the reader's decide. And I am very very sorry that it is short! I just found this story on my computer and I wanted to write more but I have a broken wrist and I can't write with it, so I just cut it off where it was. Next time I will make it much longer. I get my cast off next Tuesday, so yippee!