High Hopes, Crash Landing

Flowers swayed in the breeze while the lilting notes of a thrush praised the sunshine. The open field was bright and peaceful.

Jack and Annie's landing wasn't.

Ah-Un didn't ease into a gradual stop, it didn't even skid. The dragon just came to a dead halt, throwing its unaccustomed passengers head over feet. Unaffected, Rin lightly hopped from the saddle.

"Are you all right, Jack?"

Even though all he could see were Rin's toes curling worriedly in the grass, Jack was loud enough for her to hear his, "I've felt better."

"I landed on something soft again!" Annie called.

"Well, I am not a landing pad!" squawked a voice underneath the seat of her khaki shorts.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Annie apologized. "Are you okay…Mr…ah, Toad?"

Jack fixed his glasses. "Heh, he looks kind of like Jiminy Cricket."

"I am called Jaken!" The small, toad-like imp brushed off his brown robes in a huff. "And I don't appreciate being a cushion for idiotic, human children."

"Don't worry," Rin whispered even though she knew Jaken would hear. "He's used to it. Lord Sesshomaru is always giving him worse. You're nothing."

"Insolent girl!" Jaken snapped. "You better watch your tongue or I'll see that Lord Sesshomaru gives you your dues, too!"

Rin smiled knowing Sesshomaru hardly reprimanded her beyond a stern look of disapproval, but for Jaken's sake she switched the subject. "Say, where is Lord Sesshomaru, anyway?"

"His orders were to stay put and wait for you," the imp glowered, sounding as if it were entirely Rin's fault he wasn't permitted to travel with Sesshomaru.

"Um, excuse me," Annie politely interjected. "But who is this Ses—sha—sa…" she stumbled over the name.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken corrected, and Jack noticed the imp was using a tone like Annie's last teacher whenever a particularly treasured story was told. "Lord Sesshomaru is the mightiest of demons in these lands and perhaps this very world. He is a daiyokai, not someone to be trifled with. Why I know times when he slew a hundred foes single-handedly!"

"He still does," Rin pointed out and shook her colorful left sleeve emphatically.

Jack tilted his head. "He only has one arm? How'd that happen? Sounds like your mighty lord lost a fight."

"Stupid boy!" Jaken raged. "Lord Sesshomaru has never lost a battle! And his skills have not waned since that one bout with his wretched half-brother, Inuyasha!"

"Wow! He's Inuyasha's brother?" Annie marveled.

"Yes, and if he had the cur's fabled Tetsusaiga, Lord Sesshomaru would realize his dreams of supreme conquest much more quickly. At this rate, it'll take a good century to establish an empire, even for Lord Sesshomaru. It may take longer, especially with the worthless Tenseiga at his –AWK!"

A heavy iron-clad boot crushed Jaken into the ground afresh. Annie followed the black boot up to a billowing, white pantleg, then an encasing barricade of armor with protruding spikes on the front and the set arching over a shoulder that snarled, "Don't touch me." It was literally a sharp contrast to the rich, inviting fur draped over the opposite shoulder. But Annie's eyes stopped on the golden gaze. Where Inuyasha's blazed a challenge, these eyes froze all defiance stone cold. The strange markings decorating Sesshomaru's face, an azure crescent moon and a pair of magenta stripes on either cheek, only drew more attention to his piercing stare.

"Hi," Annie piped. "Can you help us?"

The great demon overlooked her and Jack. "Rin, who are these strange children?"

"Jack and Annie say they're trying to get back home, they're from the same time as Lady Kagome, but they didn't use the well to get here, something about a tree house, can we help them?" Jack gaped in awe at how Rin spewed out the entire story without once pausing for breath. He looked hopefully at Sesshomaru.

The demon tilted his head and crinkled his nose. "No."

Annie immediately stepped forward. "What do you mean 'no'? Why can't you help us?"

Unfazed, Sesshomaru idly reached between his robes and withdrew a small stack of very fine paper. He plucked single sheet and handed it to Jaken.

The little yokai seemed befuddled by the motion until Rin raced up. "Oh! Master Jaken! Please show me! C'mon, you said you would!"

"What? Brat, I'm not some court jester whose only occupation is to amuse you!"

While the two quibbled, Jack and Annie exchanged a look. Their newest friend was easily distracted and, looking around, it seemed Sesshomaru had slipped off without a trace. Now they weren't just waiting and lost, they were plain stuck.