You guys probably hate me so much right now for disappearing and loosing this story, but it and I am back! My computer broke two years ago and there's just a long and boring story left after that. So what I'll do instead is bring this story back chapter by chapter….

You probably remember it under the pen name Kurama's Rose Whip…well, I lost that account with that computer cause I lost that e-mail address.

But I'm going to keep the talking to a minium and just get on the story! WOOP!

Yours truly,

Darkest Angst

Inner Need

CHAPTER ONE: THIEF'S HEART

Kurama sighed as he headed home. He allowed his feet to drag, slowing down his already snail like pace. At the moment the whole world seemed boring. He hadn't received a mission from Koenma in what seemed like an eternity, school was posing no academic threat, and his friends had been almost non-existent over the past couple weeks. The only person he saw outside his class mates was Hiei. And the fire demon with his vast vocabulary of 'hn' wasn't the most amusing company to keep. For once in his life, he wished something would happen.

He sighed heavily again as he took a short cut through the park. Granted he was in no rush to get home and start on his homework, the park sounded like a refreshing change in scenery. One could only look at the mundane buildings of Tokyo for so long before they all became just one large blur. At least the trees and flowers soothed that inner part of him that longed to shed the restraints of the ningen world and be free.

Following the pathway deep into the trees that surrounded him, Kurama felt a strange aura around him. He glanced up into the tall Oak trees, half expecting to see the small fire demon peering questioningly at him. But the feeling that nudged at him wasn't that of Hiei's ki, but something completely different. This thing had no life force, no beating heart. But at the same time it was powerful. Kurama shuddered as he realized it felt more deadly then any demon he had been put up against.

The feeling dragged him once more to the high branches of the tree. He glanced around him quickly before calling on his demon half and launching himself up amongst the tree branches. Looking farther up into the canopy of the oak, Kurama noticed an odd pink/purple glow. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.

"What is that?" He murmured to himself.

Then sane part of him told him to turn and leave, because what ever was giving off the vibes he felt couldn't be good. But his other side drew him towards it, begged him with a thief's heart to see what it was. Besides, if it was anything priceless, the owner really mustn't want it if it was this high in a tree. Growling at Youko, Kurama placed his palm on the bark of the tree. Tiny sports burst from the valleys on the bark and drifted up to where the glow was. Once there a small leaf opened and closed around the source of the eerie light. The plant slowly lowered down to Kurama how sat crouched on the lowest oak branch.

Although the leaf was wrapped tightly around the object, shafts of pink/purple light had forced their way through. Kurama had to narrow his eyes against the offending glow as the plant slowly released its hold on the spirit fox's new prize. Finally adjusting to the invasion of light, Kurama noticed what lay on the opened leaf.

It was a small sliver of pink/purple glass. It looked almost as if it were a piece of some rare jewel. Kurama let out a low whistle as he held it up in front of his face. But as soon as his breath brushed over the shiny surface, the bright glow intensified. He gasped slightly and turned his head away. He quickly pocketed the tiny treasure, allowing his vision to return to normal.

With grace that only a fox could manage, Kurama leapt from the branch and landed on his feet. He straightened and slowly began to walk away from the tree as though nothing had happened. His hand drifted into his pocket and brushed lightly over the tiny gem shard. He really should keep it for its obvious power. Chances were Koenma would send them out on a mission for something so powerful and he'd save them the time.

He sighed and continued on his walk like normal. Boredom settled heavily on him as he begun to drag his feet again. Granted what had just happened was anything but ordinary, but for him and his life, it was mild. Hopefully something would come up when he got home. If not, he feared boredom would kill this kitsune.

"What do you mean a piece is missing?"

Kagome flinched as Inu Yasha flew into a rage, his golden eyes sparking and lips pulled back to reveal fangs. At the moment he looked like the last thing anyone would want to mess with, but she wasn't afraid. If the half demon got too rowdy all she needed was one word to put him in his place. Besides, he had a right to be so enraged at the moment.

She held the tiny jar out to Inu Yasha who peered at the tiny pink/purple shards trapped inside. He raised a clawed finger and counted them slowly. His eye twitched when he counted a number one less then last time. He raised his eyes, peering at her from beneath a veil of silver bangs and growled lightly.

"How did you lose a piece of the gem!" He suddenly barked, causing her to jerk backwards and nearly fall of the bed. "And where the hell did it go!"

She growled back and slowly rose to her knees on the bed, coming face to face with the dog like demon. Her dark brown eyes clashed with his golden ones as they maintained a stare for dominance.

"I don't know where it is!" She snapped back, this time startling Inu Yasha into jerking backwards and ungracefully falling off the bed. Kagome crawled to the side of the bed and glared over the edge. "Buyo ran off with it!"

Inu Yasha's head shot up from the side of the bed. His golden eyes set on her face in a stubborn glare.

"You mean to tell me that your over weight excuse for a cat made off with a jewel hunted by all demons?" He growled.

Kagome nodded slowly, fearing the outburst she knew was coming. As expected, Inu Yasha threw his head back and wailed. She flinched at the anger in the cry, knowing that if it weren't for the necklace, she probably wouldn't be alive at the moment. He turned his fiery eyes on her and then let them flash around the room. Kagome cocked her head to the side trying to figure out what he was searching for. Suddenly there was a loud meow from the door and Buyo's tri-color tail lashed back in forth in the doorway. Inu Yasha cackled wildly as he lunged for the fluffy object.

"You are mine cat!" He screamed.

Kagome's eyes widened as she saw her dear pet coming closer to danger. She growled before lurching to her feet with a determined glare.

"Sit boy!" She shouted.

Inu Yasha let out a squeak as the purple and white beads around his neck began glowing. They quickly redirected his route and slammed him face first into the thick carpet of Kagome's room.

Kagome turned her nose up at the floored demon with a quick huff and stepped over him to pick up Buyo. The cat mewled at an obnoxious level as she hoisted him on to the bed beside her. Inu Yasha growled as he pried his face from the floor and glared at her and the chubby feline.

"What the hell was that for?" He snapped.

"Serves you right!" She turned her nose up at him again. "Thinking of hurting Buyo over something that he doesn't understand. It wasn't his fault that the jewel started glowing!"

Inu Yasha's lips pulled back to reveal his fangs in a deep growl. The nerve of this human treating him this way. And all to protect some dumb cat that got over excited by a glowing jewel shard.

The half demon froze in his ranting. Kagome noticed this and cocked her head to the side. She momentarily forgot about making sure her cat didn't become dinner and leaned closer to him.

"I-Inu Yasha?" She asked meekly. "What's wrong?"

"Did you say the shard was glowing?" He answered in a slow voice.

She nodded and then stopped herself. Inu Yasha was right. The only time she had seen the jewel glow was when a demon was near or trying to activate its powers. But she was home, in Tokyo, in her own time. There were no demons here, right. They could only get here through the well and Inu Yasha was the only demon she knew that had ever passed through the well. Besides the little fox demon Shippo.

"There can't be a demon here." She rasped. "Not in my own time."

"Feh." Inu Yasha folded his arms in front of him and tucked his hands inside the large sleeves of his kimono. "Stupid girl, demons aren't the only things after the jewel. Some humans want it as well. Or did you forget that already?"

Kagome growled and flicked one of his dog like ears. He let out a yelp of surprise and pain before jerking out of her range. Buyo meowed loudly and Inu Yasha glared at it.

"Quite!" He barked. "I'm not done with you yet fur ball! It's your fault we're in this mess!"

Kagome patted her cat's head before turning a harsh gaze on Inu Yasha. She raised a finger and he instantly knew what was happening. His ears flattened against his head as he shook it fiercely. But it was of no use. The word still came.

"Sit!"

Inu Yasha growled as he rubbed his tender cheek. He didn't care what that stupid girl said, the carpet wasn't any softer then normal ground. If she told him to sit one more time, this damn necklace wouldn't stop him. He chuckled to himself at the thought of finally being released of this burden.

But at the moment he had to help Kagome track down the whereabouts of the missing shard. He scratched uneasily at the baseball cap that she made him wear out to hide his unusual ears. He hated the damn thing; it muffled his acute hearing and itched like hell. The only reason he wore the stupid creation was to keep every random person from doing what Kagome and her mother did the first time they saw him and rub his dog like ears.

"I can't pick up on anything!" Kagome suddenly quipped, bringing him from his thoughts. "It could be anywhere in this whole city!"

Inu Yasha growled and shook his head. Great! While they should be hunting demons with jewel shards in feudal Japan, they were stuck in the modern era hunting down one they had already gathered. He shook his head, but decided not to comment for fear that he would eat more dirt.

"Then let's go back." He sighed. "We can look more tomorrow. Maybe something unusual will turn up and we can hunt it down easier."

Kagome nodded slowly as the two of them headed back towards her house. Tomorrow would be another long day of searching. And with Inu Yasha helping her, it would be even harder.