Disclaimer: I do notown Inuyasha or it's characters

Chapter 4:The Landlord

Inuyasha noticed when he woke up that morning Kikyo's arm about his waist. He gently placed Kikyo's arm on the blankets and stood up. Stretching, he noticed what a beautiful day it was. He walked over to the stream Kikyo had sat at the night before. He sat down and began wondering his thoughts aloud.

"Should I really have kissed Kikyo the other night? Maybe she didn't want me to. What if she really doesn't like me like that? But she has to. I mean she wouldn't have let me kiss her if she didn't want me to? Or maybe she was just being nice. Nice doesn't mean letting others do to you what you didn't want them to though. Does it?"

His head was swarming as he got up and walked back over to their sleeping area. Kikyo was awake now sitting up on the blankets. She heard Inuyasha 's approaching footsteps and turned around.

"Hi Inuyasha," she said smiling.

"Good morning, we have a big day to day." he replied.

"Yes," she said sighing. They then began to pack and get ready for their journey. They set off about noon. After a while the landscape began to change around them. Trees became hills. Streams became raging rivers. Both adventurers ackdowledged the changes in the landscape.

"Who goes there?!" shouted a booming voice that seemed to come from all around them.

"It is I Priestess Kikyo and my friend Inuyasha. Who are you, pray tell."

"I am the ruler of all this land you see around you. The very air here is mine and mine alone. Why are you trespassing?"

" We are just passing through. We're on a very important mission. May we ple--" she was cut off as an image of the speaker's head appeared in front of her.

"It is I the ruler of this land. I have no concern for any mission your on. You are trespassing. Now be off with you." the image boomed with much alouder voice than what one would have thought would have come out of the speakers head.

Suddenly demons in swarms came pouring over the hillsides. They were attacking the two adventurers. There must have been atleast two-hundred of them. Inuyasha began to fight and Kikyo began to shoot her arrows. They were being overpowered. The image in the back ground was chuckling happily. This is what happened to trespassers on his land. Kikyo worked her way over to the image.

"This is a mission containing the Shikon no Tama." seh said knowing that the head would be curious.

" So you are the priestess that has been chosen to protect the jewel." it said. Then very loudly it blew a shrill whistle. The demons suddenly stopped their feirce onslaught of the two questers. "Bring them back to me alive." he said.

Kikyo and Inuyasha were led to a large village. In the center of the village was a huge mansion. The demons led them to the door where a pair of human gaurds grabbed them and ushered them inside. There they were led down many passages and finally into a huge chamber. In the center of the chamber stood a man. It was the man that appeared as the head earlier. Suprisingly he was dressed in a monk uniform.

"I am so sorry." he said looking at Kikyo and Inuyasha. "I thought you two were more of those bandits that have been attacking here lately. Inuyasha was curious.

"Bandits have been attacking your village?' he asked.

"Yes. They have been coming out of nowhere for the past week or so now. They have tried everything to make it to our village but our demons have stopped them. We figured that you two were bandits in disguise. Once again I am so sorry. Now tell me Kikyo what brings you through my land?"

" Well-"

"You can call me Miroku." the man said.

"Well, Miroku we are journeying west to the sacred fires of Lady Midoriko. I have heard that they will purify the jewel. Inuyasha here is protecting me."

"Well why don't you two stay in the village tonight and in the morning I will walk with you on your journey. I can only walk with you to the borders of my land. However, the land out there gets pretty dangerous because I have no one to gaurd it. Well, anyway how does it sound?"

"It sounds wonderful." Kikyo replied. So it was Kikyo and Inuyasha came to meet the Monk Miroku landlord of land who had been plaqued by bandits.