InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Time to Heal ❯ Q and A ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer - I only wish I could own it.

Chapter 6 - Q and A

"Ume, is it really you?" Inuyasha asked approaching cautiously.

"Yes, Inuyasha, it's really me. Or at least that used to be my name. I am called Riona now."

"It doesn't matter what you call yourself, you are still a weak ningen and should take your own advice," Sesshoumaru growled moving in.

"My guard isn't down, but you still seem to have yours down, Sesshoumaru." Suddenly she spun and pointed two fingers at Sesshoumaru, "Immobularous," she said quietly. His body froze. He was still standing but could only move his eyes. "You knew I was a witch back then and guess what… I still am. If you believe that I will allow you to attack, you have another thing coming. I don't know what this is all about, but I'm not sure if I want to know. Inuyasha, can you please explain at least part of this to me and introduce your friend?"

"I… uh…" Inuyasha stuttered.

"I know I taught you better manners then that," Ume stated.

"I haven't had a lot of use for them since I have been on my own."

"That's no excuse. Now dredge up those manners or else."

"Lady Ume, may I introduce my companion Kagome. Kagome, this is Ume, my… What do I call you now?"

"Your friend?"

"We'll have to see about that," Inuyasha said with a smirk. "Now what about him?"

"Depends, what happened that broke your bond?"

"You don't want to know." Inuyasha said trying to duck the question.

"Inuyasha." Ume threatened.

"Yerf mumph," he mumbled

"Inuyasha!"

"Your death."

"Oh," Ume blanched, "suddenly I don't want to know."

"Told you so."

"I take it he blamed you." She said as she embraced him. "It wasn't your fault. You know that right?"

"If you hadn't been protecting me…" Inuyasha was as close to tears as he had ever been since his brother had abandoned him.

Kagome was floored. She watched as the woman, Ume or Riona, she was still confused on that account, held Inuyasha gently rubbing just behind his ears. She jumped as she heard a low threatening growl come from Sesshoumaru.

Ume turned to him with a glare, "I assume you only fulfilled part, if any, of my request. I can't understand why you would blame Inuyasha. You know I couldn't allow anything to happen to him and even if I could I wouldn't have survived your father. Now I'm going to let you talk but not move yet. Parlarous."

"How can you say it was not the mutts fault?!? I could not follow through with…"

Ume placed two fingers over his lips. "Give me one good reason that it was Inuyasha's fault and I'll consider it."

"He found you in my room."

"How many times?" Ume said while hushing Inuyasha who was about to say something.

"Once was all it took." Sesshoumaru growled.

"Wrong. He crawled in with us about every third time you decided not to wake me. You were a pretty sound sleeper." Ume's smirk looked suspiciously like Inuyasha's.

"He obviously said something then."

"Why would he? One of his favorite things was to cuddle with us." She answered ignoring the growl that came from the younger of the brothers. "That and the death threats I gave him if he ever told."

"He…"

"… did nothing. Don't ask. I refuse to embarrass him any further."

"Excuse me, but can someone please explain to me why, if you died, do you remember these two?" Kagome broke in.

Ume smiled, "These two are hard to forget. It also doesn't hurt that I'm what's called a watcher. I'm a witch that can remember most of what happened in most of my different incarnations. My personality doesn't change much either."

"Next question, how did we get here? We are defiantly not in the Sengoku Jidai."

"Quite true. By looking at your clothing I would say you are a junior high student here in Japan."

"How did you know?"

"Trust me this is the only country that I know of that makes schoolgirls your age dress in sailor outfits. Also I'm guessing that we're contemporaries. Do you watch any American movies?"

"A few, why?"

"Have you ever seen one called `Viper'?"

"It's one of my brother's favorites."

"Ok, you have to promise not to flip out on me, ok?" Ume waited until Kagome nodded, "I played, or play depending, since I'm in Japan for the sequel, Jewel, the captain of the emperor's guard."

"You're Riona Hagen?"

"That would be me. Now as to how we got here, the only answer I have for that is that it must be something Lord Inutashio planned. Somehow, he tied the magic of his three fangs together to this tree. How I'm not sure, but why I think I've figured out, but these two need to do that on their own. Also believe that you, my dear Kagome, have something to do with the timing, not directly, but you are still the reason."

"My turn," Inuyasha broke in. "Why can't we leave the perimeter of the tree?"

"Almost forgot about that. Kagome, two steps towards me please."

"Sorry."

"That's ok," Ume smiled. "It comes down to there is something beyond the perimeter that isn't friendly, to put it mildly. I've stepped beyond the perimeter and been attacked, not physically, but the effects have physical manifestations."

"What is it?" this from Sesshoumaru.

"I don't know. I only know it's been here for the last two hundred years."

"What about us?" Inuyasha asked.

"This is the first time that I have seen either of you since that life," Ume said sadly. "I've asked other taiyoukai about the two of you and they can only tell me that there has not been a Taiyoukai of the West since the Sengoku Jidai."

Suddenly Ume's eyes went wide and she quickly pointed at Sesshoumaru and whispered something even Inuyasha hear. Sesshoumaru was at her side before anyone could blink.

"Ume?"

"We've been here too long." She said starting to tremble. "It's coming."