Friday, June 10, 2005

All This Time: The Jewel Watcher
*episode 1*

Midoriko: the mother of the scared jewel, the warrior priestess with the power to purify demon souls, the myth, the woman, but most important, to me at least, my friend. She was the kind of person who can only exist once in history. There never has been, nor will there ever be, another who unites the violent arts with the spiritual path in the way she did. She was the only one who could have done what she did. She forged the jewel of the four souls. Her heart was the crucible in which the underlying struggle of existence was given a physical form. The jewel can be made pure, or it can be drenched in darkness. Like the very world in which we live, the actions of men and demons can create good or evil within it. The jewel is our burden, our test. We must live up to the one who created it, or it will destroy us all.
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All This Time: The Jewel Watcher
*episode 2*

At first, the conflict waged deep beneath ground. Only I bore witness to my friend’s valiant struggle. But in time, men forgot the battle which had driven them from these hills and sought the shelter of the land which demons still feared. Midoriko would only allow beings with pure hearts to venture into her domain and approach the jewel. It was, as fate would have it, these very innocents who first delivered the jewel into the hands of monsters. I lowered my guard, I thought, “What harm could a few good humans do.” I did nothing as the jewel was taken from the safety of the cavern and shown, for the first time, to those with evil in their hearts. The first demon to take the jewel was a pitiful being. Even with the jewel, the humans and I quickly slew it. But the damage was done. Word spread across the land of the wondrous gem which empowered those with darkness in their hearts.
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All This Time: The Jewel Watcher
*episode 3*

The humans of the mountains and I knew that we had unleashed this scourge upon existence, and we swore to contain the consequences. Before long, we began to pay for our sin. Demons of greater and greater strength came to claim the jewel. The simple peasant folk became skilled warriors, those who did not died. In time a great number of demon corpses accumulated around the settlement. At first they were dumped whole into the cave. But in time, the scarcity of metal and the ingenuity of humans led to a new art of armor making and weapons craft. Even with their new found strength and my assistance, the humans were unable to hold the jewel forever. When a beast came that was able to take the sacred jewel, I went after it. To my surprise, I found myself accompanied by a party of the village’s strongest warriors. We searched for months before we found the beast. Whenever we came to a settlement besieged by demons, we slew the monsters and accepted hospitality, information, or even money offered by the grateful villagers. By the time we had retrieved the jewel, a new legend had been born. Somewhere in the mountains lived a clan of mighty warriors who sent out parties to slay demons, for a fee.
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Thursday, June 9, 2005

I’ll Be Watching You: A Quiet Interlude
*episode 5*

The inn is on the edge of the village. Behind it is a hill which overlooks the whole area. A wind is blowing, toward the hill, across the inn, hiding anything on the hill from Inuyasha’s nose. Had this not been the case, he would have instantly recognized a particular scent: the scent of medicinal herbs, soil with a hint of decay, and, at the moment, the smell of rage. Rage, jealousy, hatred, these are the feelings in the heart of the woman who stands on the crest of the hill and watches the couple on the inn’s roof. She is dressed in the vestments of a priestess, and accompanied by several long, slender, pale white demons. Her emotions run unbridled across her face and in her scent, but if one could hear her thoughts, she would be saying this, “Damm! Damm that curséd girl. He is mine! But I never touched him like that. Our time together was brief, but still we did not touch each other in the casual, happy manner they do. If this proceeds, he will forget me. It must not happen that way. It’s my soul, she has too much of my soul. He will not abandon that portion of my soul for the one I now possess. There is only one course of action. I must do this. I must have all of my soul so that he will belong to me alone.” She draws her bow and fixes an arrow. She has been watching the distant scene with a marksman’s eyes, now she puts them to their proper use. The string is taught and her aim is pure. Before she can let fly, she hears footfalls from behind her. She turns her bow to confront this intruder, then lowers it and bows her head. “To what do I owe this honor?” she asks. A flash of orange eyes serves as her only answer. The priestess says, “This does not concern the jewel. One of us is enough, and by restoring my soul, my powers of purification will increase.” Her words are again answered only by silence and a constant stare. “The half-demon belongs to me, he himself has said as much. That girl seeks to take him from me.” A low noise comes from the silent one. “You’re protection? Is this your will, or your mistresses?” A slight nod is the only apparent answer. The dead woman seethes in frustration. She takes her arrow and snaps it in two. “I will obey her wishes: I will not kill the girl. But know this, I will have Inuyasha. If that requires that I defy Midoriko’s will, then that is what I shall do.” With that said, the priestess turns and walks away from the village. When she has gone far enough, the owner of the orange eyes makes her own way down the other side of the hill.
*The End*
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Wednesday, June 8, 2005

I’ll Be Watching You: A Quiet Interlude
*episode 4*

Inuyasha is sitting on the roof, thinking. Usually, he would have chosen a tree to sit in, but Kohaku and Kagura are using the only decent tree near the inn. Besides, he’s thinking about being on another roof with someone. Suddenly, his reprieve is broken by a sound. He turns behind him and sees that that someone, Kagome, is climbing off Kirara and onto the roof. He didn’t smell her sooner because there is a brisk night breeze blowing from the direction of the cherry tree in front of him, towards the hill behind him, outside of town. As Kagome walks to join him, Inuyasha vaguely wonders if the wind has something to do with Kagura. It doesn’t appear to be doing anything, but around a wind sorceress, who knows? Kirara goes back down as Kagome sits next to Inuyasha. She asks, “Whatcha doing?” He doesn’t say anything. She says, “Look, I just talked to Sango. She’s embarrassed about what happened between the two of you in the cave. I calmed her down, but I wanted to make sure you weren’t going through the same thing.” He says, “We’ve talked about this before. As long as it’s alright with you, let’s let it be.” Kagome gives a mischievous grin, “She sure is cuddly.” Inuyasha says, sarcastically, “I didn’t notice.” They both laugh. Kagome shivers; Inuyasha says, “If you’re cold, we should go inside.” She says, “No.” and leans against him. He asks, “You even cold or are you just looking for an excuse?” “It is chilly.” she says. “Then here.” he says, slipping off his outer shirt and putting it over her. In the process, he has to reach an arm around her. After a moment’s thought, he lowers it onto her shoulder. She snuggles into him and they sit there for several minutes. Eventually, Kagome says, “I feel sorry for Kagura. I’m sure you can relate to being looked at like that, like you’re a monster.” He says, “Ya, but it’s different for her. For one thing, she’s all demon. I’m just something that should never have existed. But her, they see her as being evil. On the other hand, after my mom died, I was pretty much on my own. This is really her first time among humans, Keade’s village doesn’t count because they’re use to weird stuff by now, she’s not alone.” Kagome says, “That’s right. She has you and me, and Sango really seems to have taken to her.” Inuyasha asks, “Aren’t you forgetting someone? Go take a look.” He gestures toward the edge of the roof before them. Kagome crawls to where she can look down. She sees a large tree. Next to the tree is a big stone on which are sitting Kagura and Kohaku. He has an arm half-way around her, resting on her back. Kagome heads back to Inuyasha’s warmth. She says, “They’re cute together.” Inuyasha asks, “You really don’t care, do you? You see a human and a demon enjoying being together and it doesn’t seem the least bit strange to you.” “What’s so weird about it?” she asks. “Granted, there was a time when just the idea of demons existing would have freaked me out. But I’ve met a lot of good demons. They aren’t all that different from humans really. I’m glad that those two are friends. Maybe when he gets older, they can be more than that.” Inuyasha looks glum. “We both know where that leads,” he says, “half-breeds.” The way Inuyasha says that word tells of deep scars in his own heart. Kagome asks, “What’s wrong with half-demons? I’ve met a bunch and they were all good people. There was Jinenji who was powerful, but he was also so gentle. Shiori was a sweet little girl who just wanted her mom to be safe. Then there’s that other one.” She brings her palm to his cheek. “He’s brave, caring,” her hand moves to the side of his head, “protective, passionate, and sometimes he can be a real jerk,” she smiles as she says it, to show that she’s not mad, “but you know,” her hand moves up till her fingers gently brush his ears, “I wouldn’t want him any other way.” She begins to softly rub his ears. His eyes close and the look of contentment on his face denies his words, “Kagome, I’ve told you before not to treat me like a dog.” She doesn’t stop, but she says, “I’m not treating you like a dog. You’re not a dog, and you’re not a human. You are you and these,” she gives a brief tug on one ear, “are a part of you. And you know what? I like them.” They sit together for quite awhile, under a waning moon.
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Tuesday, June 7, 2005

I’ll Be Watching You: A Quiet Interlude
*episode 3*

Kagome has been playing with Shippo and Sango has been watching them out of a partially closed eye. Eventually, Kagome tells the fox-child, “Shippo, I want you to go tell Miroku to layoff the sake. He won’t listen, but he needs to be reminded that we have to leave tomorrow. Ok?” He nods and she smiles. Intent on his mission, the fox scampers out of the room. Kagome walks to her friend. “I know you’re not asleep.” she says. “What’s the matter with you? You’ve been acting weird for hours.” Sango sits up and says, “Kagome, I’m embarrassed about earlier, and I’m sorry.” Kagome sits down and asks, “What’d you mean?” Her friend says, “In the cave, Inuyasha and I were…well you saw for yourself.” Kagome says, “What, you mean huddling together to keep warm? That’s nothing to apologize for; you were just trying to stay alive.” The mighty demon slayer blushes. “It was more than that.” she says. “We were thinking about…other things than just staying warm.” Kagome says, “Oh. I gotcha. Inuyasha told me about that night in the tree.” Sango looks shocked, “He did?!? And you haven’t…I mean I expected…aren’t you mad at us?” The school girl smiles, “No Sango, I’m not mad. I’m not about to step out of the way and push the two of you together, but your feeling attracted to each other is something you can’t help. He’s not two-timing, anymore then usual, and you’re not trying to steal him so why should I get mad?” Sango thinks for a moment. “God, he’s beautiful.” she says. Kagome nods and grins, symbolizing that this has just become girl time. Sango continues, “He’s good with our brothers, so let’s say he’s good with kids. When he wants to be, he’s kind and considerate. He’s strong and, for all his talk about becoming a demon, he uses his strength to help others.” Kagome says, “And don’t forget those ears.” Sango gives a small giggle. She says, “He’s a great guy and I won’t say I don’t want him. But you and he have something which he and I don’t. We’re both exactly the kind of person the other should fall in love with and, given time, we probably would. But you two were in love the moment I met you. I expect you were in love from the moment you met. He and I could be happy together, but not as happy as the two of you could be. Besides, if I was his alternative, there’s no way he’d choose me over Kikyo. But I really believe that you have a chance of convincing him not to die.” The two sit there enjoying a special intimacy all their own. Suddenly, the moment is broken by a drunken monk. With Shippo trying to steady him, Miroku stagers into the room. He walks to Sango and falls to his knees. He says, “Thango I was won-er-ing if you would do me the han-er of bor-ing my chi-ren.” Smack! Sango’s slap knocks him over and his grasp on consciousness is too thin. He falls asleep where he fell. Shippo says, “I don’t know what they were drinking, but I don’t think it was sake.” Kagome gets up. “Sango, I need to borrow Kirara for a minute, ok?” Sango nods, and Kagome and the flame-cat leave. Shippo has an idea. He hurries to Kagome’s bag and pulls out a new kind of drawing stick she called markers. After he tells Sango his plan, she smiles naughtily and nods.

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Pix by Mish^^
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Sunday, June 5, 2005

I’ll Be Watching You: A Quiet Interlude
*episode 1*

By the time the group has escaped from Naraku’s ice-trap and Sesshomaru and Koga have left, it is too late to return to Keade’s village for the night. Fortunately, there is a prosperous town nearby, and a certain monk senses an ominous cloud hanging over the local inn keeper’s establishment. Of course, it is his duty to exorcize what ever evil spirit is causing this phenomenon, and there is no need to thank him…but, if you insist, his friends and he will stay in the best rooms for the night, eat and drink till they have had their fill, and accept a reasonable monetary donation in the morning. So it comes to pass that, as evening draws on, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Kirara, and Kagura are spread out throughout a large inn. Upon their arrival, Shippo and Inuyasha draw the usual odd stares, and so does Kagura. But when people look at her, they show less curiosity and more fear. It seems that every disapproving glance sent at her is met by a fiery glare from Kagome, or and ice-cold stare form Kohaku. The monk is in the eating establishment attached to the inn, getting plastered with some of the local men who don’t seem to realize that it is never his turn to buy a round. Inuyasha is on the roof, deep in thought. Kagura is sitting outside, alone, holding Kanna’s mirror. Kirara has found a nice place to sleep, and she is content. Shippo is in the room the inn keeper has given them, endlessly amusing himself with the twirling lollipops Kagome brings back from her world. Kagome is sitting, watching him. Sango is across the room, trying to sleep and trying to avoid talking to her friend. Kagome doesn’t seem cross with her, but Sango would rather not talk about what happened yet. Kohaku is walking the halls, looking for someone.
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Saturday, June 4, 2005

The Soul Cages: Frozen In Time
*episode 17*

Kirara lands on a hill overlooking the lake. As Kagura and Kohaku get to their feet, the great cat is engulfed in fire. The now shrunken feline begins to lick the remaining water from her coat. Sesshomaru land nearby, and with much less dignity, shakes the water off of himself. He walks to Kagura and holds out the mirror. “Come with me.” he says. She takes the mirror and answers, “I told you what must happen first.” He says, “It wouldn’t have to be like that.” She smirks, “With out it, we’d kill each other within a week. No, as I said, meet my conditions and I may reconsider.” Before he can respond, a voice calls out, “Lord Sesshomaru!” As he turns to face the new comer, he is struck by a flying tackle. Very fortunately for her, Rin is much too small to knock her lord off his feet; but she latches onto his legs in a crushing embrace. Taking a middle of the road approach, he neither rips her in half, nor returns the affection. He asks, with seemingly genuine disinterest, “Rin, are you unharmed?” She nods fiercely as she looks up at the demon with unbridled adoration. She says, “Shippo took care of me until we could find you.” She glance toward the fox-child, clearly not expecting her lord to remember the name of one so in insignificant. The lord looks at his fellow demon coldly. He asks, “By what right and for what reason do you take custody of that which belongs to me?” Shippo responds nervously, “She was alone, she needed help. Mostly I just didn’t want to watch her freeze to death. You know how it is with mortals, they’re so fragile. But once you start taking care of one, it’s hard to stop.” Sesshomaru responds with what might either be a smile or a sneer. Kagura turns to see Kagome, Sango, and Inuyasha climbing the hill with Jaken and a thoroughly soaked Miroku following at a distance. Kagome calls, “Have any of you seen Naraku?” Kohaku says, “He was here, but he left. He’s probably long gone.” Sesshomaru says, “His smell has dissipated, not only is he gone, but he has begun masking his scent more carefully.” Inuyasha retorts, “I could’a told you that.” Sesshomaru looks at Kagome and says, “Woman, it was not a bad plan, especially for a human. But it has failed and Naraku will not fall into another like it. As such, our alliance is terminated. This does not rule-out possible future collaboration. But I refuse to join your merry band.” With an accusing look to Kagura, he turns and walks away. Rin is in close pursuit, and Jaken is running as fast as his tiny legs will go, trying to catch up. Suddenly, Koga is standing beside Kagome. He takes her in his arms and kisses her. Before Inuyasha can blow his top, two resounding smacks rip through the air. Kagome has slapped Koga and again with the backhand. Koga is stunned, but he doesn’t let go. He leans back toward her and says, “That’s what I love about you Kagome, you’re a fighter. That’s why you’re my woman. Every time you hit me, I want you more.” Before the wolf can react, Inuyasha grabs him by the scruff of his neck and pulls him off of her. He says, “Ya, well she doesn’t want you.” Trapped in the half-demon’s iron grasp, Koga’s speed is useless. As the wolf struggles, Inuyasha starts hitting him. “Inuyasha,” Kagome says, “Inuyasha, I think that’s enough. Inuyasha knock it off. Stop Inuyasha! Inuyasha sit!” As Inuyasha becomes acquainted with the ground, Kagome continues, “Koga leave now, and say hi to Hakkaku and Ginta for me.” Her tone is undeniably an order. With a last, fanged grin, Koga speeds off into the distance. Kagome pulls Inuyasha to his feet. “I said that was enough.” she says. He says, “You had told him no. I was protecting you!” She says, sweetly, “Inuyasha, I appreciate your protecting me.” Her tone changes and orange flames of rage encircle her, “But I can handle Koga on my own!!!”
*The End*
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Friday, June 3, 2005

The Soul Cages: Frozen In Time
*episode 15*

…the walls begin to flash an ominous luminescence. Koga hears a strange rushing sound from the corridor…as Rin pulls close to him, Shippo sees the wall of water sweeping towards them…Jaken and Miroku are swept by, but Inuyasha reaches an arm around Sango’s and Kagome’s waists and holds them to him as he braces against the water…huge chunks of the ceiling fall all around them as Kohaku continues to strike and dodge. He knows that neither he nor Kirara can do any damage to the demon which it can’t heal instantly; but he keeps going. Ice cold water rises to the boy’s knees. Suddenly, the column in which Naraku is imprisoned collapses. The dark one seizes the wall, and pulls himself out through a newly opened hole in the top of the cave. Kohaku’s scythe embeds itself in the ice where one of Naraku’s tentacles had been a moment before. As the boy pulls it back by its chain, the flame-cat scoops him up…the walls are melting, but all the water is draining through cracks in the floor…Sesshomaru turns to leave, but Kagura grabs her sister’s mirror and tries desperately to pry it free from the ice. In a lightning motion, the lord grabs her, throws her aside, draws his broadsword, and drives it through the ice sculpture‘s heart. The image of Kanna shatters into a thousand pieces and the mirror begins to fall. Returning his sword to his belt, Sesshomaru grabs the mirror and throws Kagura over his shoulder. Quickly, but with an air of calm, he walks away from the broken ice maiden…the cave around Koga is getting bigger. As it floods, the walls melt away and the cavern merges with other adjacent ones. The demon has no problem with getting wet, and is simply looking for an exit…Shippo has transformed into his round, floating, and apparently buoyant form. The child, Rin, is on his back, clinging for dear life…suddenly, the floor falls out from beneath Inuyasha’s feet. The floor of their tunnel has fallen into a large chamber below it and becomes an iceberg in an ever widening sea. As the half-demon helps the two girls to their feet, Jaken pulls himself onto the raft. Unseen by all of them, Miroku lands in the water and sinks like a stone…the cavern is growing to huge proportions as Kirara carries Kohaku. Suddenly, a chamber is revealed in which are two demons. Kohaku guides the cat toward them and calls to them. He feels some concern when he sees that Kagura is being carried; but he sets it aside when Sesshomaru leaps to his side and slides her onto Kirara behind the demon slayer…Koga chamber is merging with the one above it. As water cascades downward, the demon takes a deep breath to prepare himself for being submerged. What he is unprepared for, is being hit in the back of the neck by a falling monk. As air rushes out of his lungs, he sends a powerful kick of retribution into Miroku’s abdomen, forcing what air he has left out of the monk…Shippo sees Kagome and he tries to go to her. Unfortunately, he is caught in a strong current flowing the wrong way…
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