Ann treaded water, her eyes fixed apprehensively on the small village nestled on the gently sloping hillside at the water's edge. The village consisted of small, weathered huts, some square, others rectangular, their thatched roofs blending into the earthy tones of the landscape. Randomly scattered, they seemed to bow in deference to a larger, more prominent home perched regally at the top of the hill, overlooking the entire settlement.

"What do I do?" Ann whispered to herself, desperation threading through her voice as she paddled slowly forward. She craved the solid ground beneath her feet but hesitated, knowing her sudden appearance might alarm the villagers. Her senses tingled with her awareness of Naraku, the monster lurking in the depths far below, a gift - or perhaps a curse - from her deceased Grandma.

"Should I approach directly?" she wondered, inching closer to the shore. "Or should I sneak around? They might get a little weirded out if I just pop up out of the water in the middle of their beach, but then again, they might think I'm up to something if I try to avoid their beach altogether."

Before she could make up her mind, a call went up from the village. A man in a tower was calling down to the rest of the villagers and was pointing towards her. The villagers froze in their daily routines and almost simultaneously turned to look at her. Moments later, armed men sprinted towards the beach, weapons at the ready.

"Crap," Ann thought. "Here we go."

She swam the remaining distance, her heart pounding as the men on the beach prepared for her approach. Her feet finally touched the sandy bottom, and she stood slowly, raising her hands above her head in a gesture of peace. Cautiously, she waded towards dry land.

"Don't come any closer, demon," an older man barked, advancing with a stern expression. He was a little taller than her, with a muscular body and black hair streaked with gray at the temples, tied up in a top knot.

"You will die for entering our village," he declared. Ann frowned, but replied cautiously,

"I am not a demon."

"Lies," the man growled, his eyes narrowing.

"Why would I show my face if I was a demon?" Ann countered, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Demons are tricksters. Maybe you want something from us and you're waiting for us to drop our guard."

"I doubt you have anything I'd want," Ann mumbled, but when the man's eyes narrowed on her, she added, "My boat capsized out on the water, so I had to swim."

"Who are you?" he demanded, stepping closer, making her feel small under his imposing glare. Ann hesitated, then blurted out,

"I am a priestess," instantly regretting it. She almost smacked herself in the forehead and then internally groaned.

"Why did I say that? This guy already doesn't believe me. What was I thinking?"

"A priestess?" The man looked even more doubtful. Panicking, Ann elaborated,

"I protect the soul of the Shikon Jewel. Without the piece I guard, the jewel will never reach its full potential." She made a wild guess about her Grandma Yoko's intentions, hoping it would be enough.

"Why do I doubt that?" the man grumbled.

"Shit!" Ann thought, but out loud she said, "I'm telling the truth."

"Why would a strange looking girl like you have anything to do with the Shikon Jewel? Only our most beautiful and powerful priestesses are allowed to manage that item," he scoffed.

"Strange looking?!" Ann cried out. "I know I'm not beautiful, but strange looking?"

She glanced down at herself and had to admit she looked out of place - soaking wet, knee-deep in water, and distinctly non-Japanese, claiming to have fallen out of a boat no one had seen.

"I'm screwed," she thought. "They don't believe me, and they shouldn't. I'm not this person." Just then, a young man stepped through the crowd to stand between them.

"Gara, that's enough," he said lightly, his tone a gentle reprimand. "We have ways to find out if she's who she says she is."

He turned to Ann, his smile warm and genuine. Butterflies erupted in her stomach, and she felt her cheeks warm.

"I am Ichiro," he said. "Welcome to our village." His smile crooked up one corner of his mouth and warmed his dark, brown eyes. His black hair, pulled back in a loose ponytail, added to his carefree, charming demeanor.

Ichiro chuckled and Ann realized, to her horror, that she'd been staring. Her face got even hotter and she averted her eyes.

"I'm sorry I took the fight out of you," he said, leaning down to catch her gaze. "What's your name?"

"She claims to be a priestess," Gara interjected.

"A priestess? From where?" Ichiro asked, genuinely curious. Gara huffed, still skeptical.

"I am new at this," Ann mumbled. "I was attacked by a demon, so my grandma was forced to awaken my powers. And my name is Ann."

"Ann," Ichiro repeated, his smile widening. Ann found herself unable to look away, despite her burning cheeks. "I'm sorry this happened to you. Where were you attacked?"

Ann turned to indicate the water, when she felt it. Naraku was approaching quickly.

"Get away from the water!" she shouted, pushing Ichiro further up the sand. Gara drew his sword and pointed it at her but was quickly diverted as tentacles burst from the water. Several lashed out, knocking the warriors back, while one wrapped around Ann's wrist.

"No!" she shrieked, frantically clawing at the tentacle. "I don't want to go back in the water! Just kill me!"

The black mass of Naraku rose from the water, transforming into a human shape. His sharp, red eyes gleamed as he watched her, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

"You break my heart, Ann. I thought you were enjoying my company." He stuck his tongue out, making a lude licking motion. Ann gagged, and Naraku laughed, reeling her in slowly. She dug her heels into the sand, desperately wrenching at the tentacle.

"You son of a bitch," she sobbed, helpless as he effortlessly pulled her closer. Hot tears rolled down her face, her stomach twisted in knots of anxiety and fear. Suddenly, Ichiro appeared at her side. Her focus on Naraku had been so intense that she'd forgotten that anybody was there. Ichiro wrapped an arm around her waist and grabbed her wrist, helping slow her progress.

"You are a priestess," he exclaimed. "You should have the power to fight back against him."

"I don't know how," Ann cried, wincing as Naraku's grip tightened, causing a frightened whimper to escape her. "I was never taught how to use them."

Ichiro looked taken aback, but didn't question any further. He looked over his shoulder and shouted,

"What are you all waiting for? Attack!" Men with bows raced forward, firing arrows at Naraku. The arrows struck deeply, but had no effect. Ann shivered as Naraku ripped them out, smiling wickedly.

Suddenly, Gara appeared at their side with his sword in hand.

"Don't move," he ordered as he raised his sword above his head. Ann froze while Ichiro's grip tightened on her. Naraku roared as the sword sliced through his appendage, freeing her. The sudden release sent Ann and Ichiro flying backward into the sand. Before she could react, Ichiro shifted to shield her, straddling her with his back to Naraku.

"No," Ann protested, pushing at him. "Naraku will kill you." Ichiro just smiled down at her.

"Why is he protecting me?" she thought, her confusion mixing with fear.

A flash of light suddenly emanated from the large building on the hill. Naraku roared in frustration and pain. Ann tilted her head back to look, but Ichiro quickly covered her eyes.

"The master is going to destroy the monster, but you can't look at the light," he explained. "It will blind you." Ann nodded, nervously twisting her fingers into the front of Ichiro's outfit.

The light intensified, visible even through her closed eyelids. Naraku's furious roar grew louder, but then was suddenly gone. The light disappeared, leaving only the sound of waves gently rolling onto the beach.

"Is it over," Ann whispered, clutching Ichiro's clothing tighter. Fear gnawed at her. What if it was a trick?

"Ann," Ichiro said softly, resting on his elbows above her and gently stroking her hair. "You're shaking." She looked at her hands, realizing she was trembling.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, choking back a sob. "He really scares me."

"He's gone now," Ichiro insisted, wiping her tears away. "He can't hurt you anymore."

"Really?" she asked, needing reassurance. Ichiro nodded. Ann wanted to believe him, but she could still faintly sense Naraku somewhere in the distance.

"Naraku's going to kill me, isn't he, Grandma?" she thought, an ache building in her heart. Aloud, she said,

"You and your clan saved me. Thank you." Ichiro's carefree smile returned, his warm, brown eyes twinkling, easing some of her pain.

"We were happy to help," he exclaimed. "We are demon slayers after all."

A shadow fell across them and Ann realized that somebody was standing over them.

"Master Ichiro," Gara said, exasperated. "The young lady is safe now. You can get off of her."

Ann's face burned as she realized they were lying in the sand in front of everyone. Ichiro's face matched hers in embarrassment.

"Of course," he said, jumping to his feet and extended a hand to her. She took it and stood, but quickly let go in lieu of brushing the sand from her clothes. There was no way she could touch him again after that embarrassing moment.

A hush fell over the group of people, and everybody turned and bowed. Ann looked around, confused, and then followed their gaze. An ancient looking man was descending the hill into their midst. He was small and frail, clad in white robes with red trim. His bald head shone in the light, but it was his impressive gray beard, tapering to a point at his waist, that commanded attention.

Ann realized belatedly that she should probably bow too but couldn't stop staring at him. He looked familiar for some reason. His statue, his sharp, brown eyes. Who did he remind her of? He stopped in front of her and smiled, his facial hair tipping up at the corners of his mouth.

"Welcome," he spoke warmly. "Granddaughter of Yoko."

"Yoko," Ann blinked. "How would you know I was her granddaughter?"

"You have very similar auras," he explained. "The last time I felt this aura was in her presence."

"And how would you know who she was?" Ann challenged. The old man chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"She was my sister."

"What?! Try again," Ann exclaimed. "There's no way she was your sister!"

"How dare you question our master," Gara thundered, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Gara," the old man raised a calming hand toward the warrior. "She is allowed to question me. What I am saying must sound impossible to her. Do you remember my sister, Gara? You would have been very young when she disappeared."

"I do," Gara responded gruffly. "I remember how upset the village was when she vanished. What happened to her, master?"

"She traveled to another time," the old man explained. "The physical Shikon Jewel had been put in the hands of a young priestess to the west of her, but my sister worried for its safety and so took the piece she protected to a place where she hoped it would never be found."

This was news to everybody, including Ann. She would have never guessed Grandma Yoko came from another time. Grandpa had never let on, but had he known? How had she kept this a secret? Then Ann realized something. She was looking at family. Grandma Yoko had never spoken of any of her family. Ann suddenly bowed, the way her Grandma had taught her.

"You are my great-uncle," she said. "My name is Ann and it is an honor to finally meet some of my relatives on Grandma Yoko's side of the family. May I ask your name?"

He laughed, a sound that startled Ann and brought a smile to her face.

"I can see my sister's influence in you. She is quite the strict teacher," he smiled warmly. "You are my blood, and I am delighted to meet you too. My name is Yoshio."

Ann stood and smiled gratefully.

"I can see why Grandma knew to send me here. Do you think you could show me how my powers work?"

"I would be so happy to guide you." Yoshio said. "I, and my village of demon slayers, will protect you and the soul of the Shikon with our lives." Relief swept through Ann, overwhelming her. A sob escaped her lips. She hadn't meant to cry, but the mixed emotions of fear and relief bubbled up uncontrollably.

"I am so glad," Ann sobbed. "I will make you proud, uncle." He stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I have no doubt of that."

The villagers watched in silence, their expressions a mix of curiosity and reverence. Ichiro stepped beside Ann, his presence a steadying force.

"You're safe here," he reassured her softly. Ann nodded, wiping her tears. She looked at Yoshio and the villagers feeling a sense of belonging she hadn't known she was missing. Yoshio squeezed her shoulder gently.

"Come, let us begin your training. You have much to learn, and we have much to prepare for."

As they turned to ascend the hill, the villagers parted respectfully, their bows a testament to the ancient bond they shared with Ann's lineage. Ann took a deep breath, ready to embrace her destiny and the new family she had found.