InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Crystal of Shadows ❯ Can anyone tell me what's going on?! ( Chapter 1 )

Even though she was at the bottom of a well, she knew it wasn't the one she had fallen into. The air was different-not to mention the fact that there were bones all around her. She shuddered, but, forcing herself to face the fear, reached out to touch one of the bones. That being done, she set about the task of getting out of the well, one at which she succeeded at fairly quickly.

Once out of the well, she began to walk, not in any particular direction. "Go me," she said to herself. "Sure, just go and fall in a well because you think… What was I thinking?" She shook her head. "Magic? What?"

It was night, but the moon was out, so she could see a little bit. It looked to her like there might be a village in the distance, so she started towards it, not knowing what she would find.

At the same time, Kagome Higurashi sat up from her sleep.

"What is it, Kagome?" Shippou asked her sleepily.

Kagome didn't answer right away, because she saw a fire outside. Kaede-sama, next to the fire, spoke to Inuyasha the hanyou in a grave tone of voice, although Kagome couldn't quite make out what they were saying.

"It's nothing, Shippou," she told him with a smile. "Go back to sleep." Half asleep already, he laid his head back down. Kagome got up and walked outside.

"Finally you're up," the half demon snorted. "I thought finding the jewel shards was YOUR job."

"Then there IS a jewel shard nearby! I did detect it but… it's different from the other times," Kagome said, looking at the old woman, who nodded.

"There was another jewel," she said tiredly. "With power equal to the Shikon. It's called the `Kage no Suishou,' or the crystal of shadows. What with all the fuss over the Shikon, I had hoped that the Kage would never appear in the past-but apparently, it has indeed come to this time."

"Then let's go get it!" Kagome said.

"Wake Sango and Miruko," Kaede advised. "Who knows what demons the jewel has drawn to it so far? It may be challenging to get it back; you'll need all the help you can get."

Kagome's throat caught. What if they were too late? What if someone else HAD already found it?

*******

"I'm not lost. Not lost at all," Mitsue muttered to herself. She had long since lost the lights of the town, so now she REALLY had no idea where she was going. "I guess," she said aloud to herself, "that I should just sit right here, and wait for the daylight."

It was easier said than done. She had no idea what could be in the forest.

*******

"Damn hanyou," Sesshomaru cursed his half-brother, watching them scurrying around from high in the sky above them. "But it doesn't matter what you do, or what power you use. The Kage no Suishou is mine."

Now all he had to do was actually find it.

It didn't take too long. He saw a girl, a human girl, that was emanating a power from her, and he guessed to himself that the power was the Kage no Suishou. He landed and walked towards her, his feet barely making a sound. Even so, she looked up at him when she noticed his presence.

"Oh-konbanwa!" she said. It was a good thing she couldn't see him in true light-that she couldn't see his claws, or elf-like ears, or tail. She did notice his long, silvery-white hair. "I'm kinda lost. Could you tell me where I am?"

`What an odd girl!' he thought to himself. `Her outrageous kimono is like Inuyasha's wench's. Well, no matter.'

"Give me the Kage no Suishou," he said in his calm voice, his face impassive. "If you do so, I will let you live."

She thought quickly. There were only so many reponses to that type of statement, after all, but… "What? Kage no… what was it?"

`Never mind that, then,' he thought to himself. He simply reached down to grab it from the chain around her neck, but because he was a demon, simply reaching down meant grabbing it so she could barely see his hand move.

However, she held her arm in front of her, as if shielding herself from something-and Sesshomaru stumbled backwards.

They stood like that in silence for a moment, Mitsue in wonder at herself, Sesshomaru wondering what kind of girl could do that. Then Sesshomaru came to his senses-his hanyou brother could catch up with them, at the rate things were going.

"Are you sure this is the right way?!" a small voice said.

"Shut up, or you'll make me lose his scent!" someone else barked back.

"Come on, then," Sesshomaru said, rolling his eyes for just a brief second. He grabbed her and hoisted her onto his back, wrapping his tail around her so she wouldn't fall.

"What the!" Mitsue spluttered. "Is this some kind of JOKE? Put me down! What's going on?" she wailed in utter confusion as they flew away.

"Dammit, Sesshomaru! Get back here!" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome gasped.

"Inuyasha, he's kidnapped someone!" she said urgently. "We've got to save her!"

"We should be more concerned about the jewel, Kagome!" he shouted back at her.

Even if they hadn't been arguing, it would've been too late. Sesshomaru, and whoever he was carrying, was gone.

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End chapter one! There IS a plot, I swear!!! As always, review if you feel like it! Lemons in the near future (though prolly not the next chapter) for all you who are interested!