InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Wandering Miko ❯ Meeting the Wandering Miko ( Chapter 1 )

Inuyasha and they others ran towards the area Kagome felt the jewel shard in. She said it was alone. As strange as it was they wanted to get it before it wound up in Naraku's grasp. Inuyasha paused before entering the clearing and sniffed around.

"Well?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing. Where is it Kagome?" Inuyasha said.

Kagome focused her energy. She pointed to an area.

"There!" she exclaimed.

Everyone went cautiously over to the jewel shard. Everything seemed all right. Kagome picked it up. Everyone was still tense with anticipation. Nothing happened.

"Wow. I guess this one hadn't been discovered yet," Kagome said.

As everyone dropped their guard a large demon similar in appearance to Jaken came running out of the clearing.

"Should've know," Inuyasha growled.

The demon looked around. He seemed completely unaware of the group. Inuyasha hesitated.

"Where is it?!" the demon hissed. "I need it!"

Its eyes finally fell upon the group but most importantly upon Kagome.

"Give me my shard! Before she comes!" it hissed.

"Not if I can help it!" Inuyasha said drawing Tetsusaiga.

The demon roared in pain. It turned its back on Inuyasha and the others. They saw an arrow sticking out of its back. It growled at whoever hit it.

"Bitch," it seethed.

A twang of a bow could be heard and the demon disappeared with a silver light. Everyone looked to the holder of the bow. A young girl about Kagome's age stood there still poised from her attack. Her clothes consisted of a blood red tube top held up by a strap around her neck, and a black skirt that seemed to actually start just below her hips and was held up by a red sash connected in the front and back around her hips, bearing portions of her hips and upper thighs to the world. She even had a slit in the front. She had black hair tied back except for two silver streaks that hung down in front, green eyes with gold streaks, and just above her right breast she had a triquad marking. (A/N Think wb11's `Charmed' symbol. If you have seen the show, if not I can't help you.) Inuyasha growled.

"Who are you?!" he yelled.

"Give me the shard," the girl said.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hand me the shard and I'll let you live," she said reaching for an arrow in her quiver.

Inuyasha growled. He readied himself to attack. Just as he jumped…

"Sit boy!"

A long stream of curses could be heard in the ground. Kagome approached the girl.

"You're a miko," Kagome said.

"What of it?" the girl said.

"I'm a miko too," Kagome said.

"So? What does this have to do with the shards?" the girl asked.

"I'm the miko who guards the jewel. The jewel shards have to stay with us," Kagome said.

The girl stared at her. There was no emotion in her face as she studied Kagome.

"You're not lying at least," the girl said releasing the grip she had on her arrow leaving it in her quiver and lowered her bow.

"Phew! I thought you might attack," Kagome said holding her chest above her heart.

"So why subdue the half-breed?" the girl asked.

"How did you know he was a half-breed?" Miroku asked.

"I have my ways. Who are you people?" the girl asked.

"I believe I asked you first," Inuyasha said standing up.

He was suspicious of this girl and her knowing he was half-breed was not helping the matter.

"My name is Pari," the girl said. "And you're trespassing on the village lands. I came here to destroy the demon and take the shard and keep it safe. You, however, have the shard."

"So you're not from this village?" Sango asked now noticing the smoke from fires in the houses.

"No." Pari said.

"Where are you from?" Shippo asked.

"I have no home. It was destroyed. I'm a wanderer," Pari said.

"A wandering miko. Interesting," Miroku said.

"Feh. Not really," Inuyasha said crossing his arms.

"You have yet to answer my question. Who. Are. You?" Pari asked.

"Oh sorry. I'm Kagome, that's Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Inuyasha," Kagome said pointing to everyone.

"The miko Kagome huh? Yes I've heard of you. And the half-breed Inuyasha. Fine keep the shard. And here," Pari said tossing a small pouch to Inuyasha.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Five jewel shards. I've found them," Pari said.

"How come I didn't sense them?" Kagome asked.

"I know spells to keep the shards hidden from everyone. Since you're the protector then those rightfully belong to you. Besides they only cause me problems," Pari said.

"Problems huh? I've never met anyone who just gave up the jewel shards before," Inuyasha said.

"What about your elder brother?" Miroku said.

"Feh," Inuyasha said.

"You must be tired. Come with me. I'll take you to the village," Pari said turning around.

Everyone looked at her retreating form.

"What do we do?" Kagome asked.

"I say lets follow her," Shippo said.

"Your vote doesn't count," Inuyasha said.

"Yes it does!" Shippo protested.

"You might want to hurry up," Pari said, "and stop wasting time on whose vote counts and who's doesn't. The sun will be setting soon and I won't wait much longer."

"How did you know we were talking about that? Only someone with demon blood could hear that good," Inuyasha said.

"I pride myself in being better than the demons I hunt," Pari said turning around again.

"I agree with Shippo. I'm going," Kagome said and started walking away with Shippo on her shoulder.

"Hey! Wait!" Inuyasha said.

"Well, Inuyasha, if you intend to protect Kagome I suggest we follow the lady," Miroku said.

Miroku, Sango, and Kirara started walking too. Inuyasha was left to brood and walk behind them all.

The sun was nearing the horizon when they came upon the village. They villagers saw Pari and started yelling about her return. Some even went as far as to announce the group that had accompanied her.

Pari took them to the village elder. He bowed down to Pari.

"Lady miko, have ye destroyed the last of the demons yet?" he asked.

"Hai, I have," Pari said.

"And may I ask about ye friends?" the elder asked.

"This is the miko who protects the Shikon no Tama and her group. I ran into them in the clearing I chased the demon into. They are tired and need shelter for the night. Can they stay here?" Pari asked.

"Of course. We'll allow them to stay. It's the least we can do for ye since ye refused payment for the demons," the elder said.

"I told you I don't do things like that for payment," Pari said and glanced at the sunset," But I have to go now."

"I understand ye wish not to sleep within the village but will ye return so my village may pay their respects. They all wish to thank the miko who saved them. Especially the children," the elder said.

"Very well. I'll return for the last time tomorrow shortly after sunrise," Pari said turning around and leaving.

The elder turned to the group.

"Well it seems ye are in need of shelter. Ye may stay here with my wife and me," the elder said.

"Thank you, sir, "Kagome said.

"Indeed thank you," Miroku said.

The elder led them inside and showed them where they could stay.

That night while the group were sitting and eating with the village elder and his wife Inuyasha started asking about Pari.

"So how did you guys meet her?" he asked.

"The lass was passing by and saw one of the village's children being chased by a demon. She killed it and brought the child here. She asked about it and after we told her about the raids by the demons she said she would take care of them for us. We told her we couldn't pay her and she said she wouldn't have allowed us to. All she asked was the villagers stay inside the village until she was finished. If they absolutely had to go outside she was to accompany them. She even refused shelter, claiming she enjoyed the night sky and slept outside," the elder replied.

"You didn't think it was odd?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hai, we did at first. But nothing ever came up missing and the demons were indeed becoming fewer in numbers," the elder replied.

"The lass even spent time with the children when she didn't have anything to do. She'd take them out hunting for herbs closest and in sight of the village, teaching them about the different herbs and what they did and she taught them new games to play," the elder's wife added.

"So far the only change in the village is the fact that the raids are no longer. Nothing has been stolen and anything she had taken from the village, such as food, cloth, and weapons, she had paid and traded for," the elder said.

"Strange. Where did she get the money if she doesn't take payments?" Miroku asked.

"I asked her once. She said occasionally she would wined up helping some of the nobles and she would only take small rewards from them since they had plenty of money. But only enough for her to survive and carry." the elder said.

"I see," Miroku said.

"She's strange," Sango said.

"I like her," Shippo said, "She helps people without asking for anything in return. Like Kagome."

Kagome blushed at the complement Shippo gave her.

"Now that you mention it, Shippo, she is like Kagome in her own way," Sango said, "But I wonder what caused her to look so emotionless?"

"Really. I think her look would rival Sesshomaru's," Inuyasha said.

"Did you ask her about her past?" Miroku asked the elder.

"Hai, I did. But the lass's eyes seemed to darken and she merely walked away from me. It leads me to believe she didn't exactly have a good childhood," the elder said.

"I wonder what could've happen to her," Kagome thought out loud.

Inuyasha tilted his head up into the air and sniffed.

"What is it Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

"I think I smell a demon nearby. It's faint but it's defiantly close by," Inuyasha said standing up. "I'll check it out. Stay here," he said.

Inuyasha ran outside and sniffed around. He followed the scent to the clearing the group met Pari in. He sniffed around. He couldn't find anything. He looked around to find something remotely related to a demon but found nothing. He turned around and headed back. Meanwhile, crimson eyes watched from a tree.