A/N: Alright guys, I'm really branching out with this one. I took hold of my creative license and just ran with it. It's not anything too different, but I've created my own major character so, before we go any further, let me say this: This new character is mine, and no one is allowed to use him without my express permission. No one may even want to ever use him, but just in case I feel like I have to put that.

Also, I wasn't planning on posting this today, but I was like what the heck it's my birthday!

Please enjoy the first chapter of my new story!

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Beyond Darkness

One

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"Fuck!"

In a particularly violent show of temper, Inuyasha flung the Tetsusaiga in a wide arc and sent the Wind Scar screaming across the ground as he cursed over and over, "Fuck fuck fuck!"

Shippou sighed and curled further into my chest as Inuyasha continued to rant and rave furiously. With a sigh of my own, I ran a hand through my disheveled hair and stood painfully, my bruised and battered body protesting the movement. I carefully set Shippou on his feet, trying to be gentle with my back as I did, and cautiously began to approach my hanyou friend.

"Inuyasha," I called. Unsurprisingly, he didn't pay me any attention, so I called again, louder this time. "Inuyasha!"

He spun to face me, his eyes looking wild. "What?" he spat, his hands still gripping the Tetsusaiga.

"You need to stop," I said tiredly. "I know you're upset, but this is getting us nowhere and―"

"Upset?" Inuyasha laughed in a bitter, rough sort of way. "We've been at this fucking shit for six fucking years and still that bastard is always one step ahead of us!" He slammed Tetsusaiga into the dirt and fisted his hands into his hair. "What do we have to do to kill him?!"

As if spent, Inuyasha slumped to his knees and was enveloped in a cloud of dust. His fingers fell from his hair and slowly began to beat against the ground as he murmured brokenly, "How much longer will this go on?"

I wasn't sure if I'd been meant to hear it, but decided to answer anyway. Slowly, I knelt beside the distraught half-demon and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know."

He turned to me as I spoke, and then his golden eyes moved past me to where I knew Sango sat nursing a poisoned Miroku and Shippou was probably cradling Kilala, whose front leg had been broken after an exceptionally nasty blow. I exhaled a heavy breath and he refocused on me, appearing somewhat pained as he took note of the numerous injuries littering my skin. I smiled at him and tried not to wince when my cut lip stretched. "But what I do know, Inuyasha, is that we can't continue on like this."

"Feh," he scoffed, and just like that his usual front was back in place. "Obviously. I'm surprised you humans have lasted this long."

I rolled my eyes and straightened up, which my back did not agree with, but I managed to work past it and offered him another smile. "So you know what we need to do, right?"

"No," Inuyasha answered, and I was briefly surprised at his honesty. He scooped Tetsusaiga off the ground from next to him and hopped up to slide it back into its sheath. "Got any ideas, wench?"

Momentarily taken aback, I quickly recovered and nodded. If Inuyasha was asking for advice, he knew we were in dire straits. "Well," I started, "we need help."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and regarded me seriously. "What kinda help you talking about?"

I could clearly see this was not going to go over nicely, but it had to be said. "We need . . . more manpower, I guess. We aren't enough to beat Naraku, so I think we need some allies or―"

"Oh hell no!" Inuyasha suddenly barked. "If you mean that stupid wolf then you can go ahead and forget that! There's no fucking way I'm dealing with that asshole every damn day!"

"No!" Good lord, he was already aggravated and I hadn't even gotten to the bad part yet. "No, I don't mean Kouga. Honestly, we need someone more capable."

Inuyasha huffed impatiently. "Then who, Kagome?! We ain't got that many allies!"

"He's . . . not really an ally," I said slowly.

"Eh?" For a moment it seemed like I'd stumped him. Then, his gaze narrowed and he took a step closer. "Not really an ally," he said softly, "but more capable than any of us?"

I was starting to regret saying anything. "N-No, that's not what I meant! I mean, he could be an ally, maybe, if we asked―"

"You better not mean who I think you mean!" Inuyasha yelled. "Because hell will freeze the fuck over before that happens!"

It was futile, I knew, but it didn't stop me from trying. "Inuyasha," I said gently, "he's the only one who can help us. I know you don't like it, but if you would please just think about it . . ."

"No," he replied shortly, but he wasn't yelling anymore. I took that as a good sign. "Sesshoumaru would never help us anyway, Kagome. You know that." It might've been my imagination, but he almost sounded upset. "He hates me, and he hates humans. It'll never happen."

With that, he turned and headed towards the rest of our group, effectively ending the conversation. "C'mon guys," I heard him say. "Time to get out of here."

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"I don't know what else we can do."

It was late, and everyone was resting except for me and Kaede. After my talk with Inuyasha, we'd hurried back to the village to take care of everyone's injuries and from there my friends had all fallen into restorative sleep. No matter what I did, however, sleep continued to elude me, and I eventually found myself seated across from Kaede nursing a cup of her special tea and pouring out all my worries.

"What happened today, Kagome?" Kaede asked tenderly. I knew she was very concerned for all of us, especially after witnessing the condition we'd returned in, and the lines around her mouth were deepened with anxiety as I watched her sip at her tea distractedly.

And nothing I had to say would ease her in the slightest.

"The usual," I answered sullenly. "Naraku ambushed us, we weren't prepared, and if it hadn't been for Kilala he would've gotten my half of the jewel."

It was the same story every time. There were no jewel shards left to be found, and as a result the Inutachi and Naraku were locked in some sort of stalemate. We would attempt to track down the spider hanyou and he, in turn, would strike at us when we least expected it. So far, it was sheer dumb luck that we had survived the insane amount of attacks we underwent nearly every week, but today's had been markedly more brutal than the others.

It was obvious to me that Naraku was simply wearing us down. He had endless forces at his disposal, and I knew it was only a matter of time before he managed to destroy us.

"I want to team up with Sesshoumaru―" Kaede choked on her tea. "―but Inuyasha's really against it, and I can't think of anything else to do. At the rate we're going, the jewel's as good as Naraku's. We need help, but I have no idea who to ask except for Sesshoumaru. He's the only person I can think of who stands a chance of beating him."

"Hmm . . ." Kaede set her cup aside and frowned as she stared into the fire. "I can see what ye mean, Kagome, but even if ye were to get Sesshoumaru to agree, Inuyasha would never allow it."

"I know," I groaned. "But what else can we do? We need help or we're all going to die!"

Kaede flinched, and I immediately regretted my choice of words, even if they were true. "Well," she said quietly, "I may not be able to help ye with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, but perhaps I can help ye nonetheless."

I arched a brow. "What do you mean, Kaede?"

Kaede expelled a breath and reached into the sleeve of her haori. "He came by a few days ago," she muttered, "and told me he was looking for Inuyasha. Tried to scamper off when he found out he wasn't here, but . . ." Kaede withdrew her hand to reveal a tiny flea demon, wrapped tightly in a piece of twine. "I convinced him to stay."

My eyes went wide and I felt my mouth drop open. "Myouga!"

The demon chuckled nervously while struggling to free his little arms. "Hello, Kagome!" he greeted cheerfully despite his current situation. "I take it Master Inuyasha has arrived with you?"

"I . . . yes," I replied somewhat vacantly. My mind was already a million miles away, wondering how many demons Myouga must've met throughout his life and if any might still be living. "What did you need to see him about?"

"Ah, nothing of great importance," he said as he renewed his efforts for freedom. "Tell me, do you perhaps know where I could find him?"

I was instantly suspicious, which wasn't anything new considering who I was talking to. "The woods," I answered vaguely. "I'm not exactly sure."

He visibly wilted, and I moved in for the kill. "Maybe you could tell me your message for him?" I asked innocently. "I'll pass it on."

Myouga's squirming immediately stopped and he lifted his big bug eyes to meet mine. His relief was apparent, and my guard was automatically up. "Why, Kagome-sama," he simpered, "I couldn't possibly ask that of you."

I forcibly bit down my "bullshit" response and smiled sweetly. "Of course you can, Myouga. After all, we both know how Inuyasha can be. Just let me deal with him so you don't have to, okay?"

He pretended to ponder this before nodding his head. "If you insist, Kagome-sama," he said wearily, and I was hard-pressed not to laugh at his theatrics. "But I promise you Master Inuyasha will not like what I have to say."

"Then it's a good thing you aren't telling him."

With a resigned sigh, Myouga shifted until he was comfortable and cleared his throat. "I have news in regards to Naraku."

Kaede and I glanced at each other in alarm, but didn't comment as he continued, "Word has spread that a hanyou of immense power is offering a vast reward to the one, be they human or demon . . ." Myouga suddenly trailed off, his bulbous eyes flitting anxiously between me and Kaede. He swallowed thickly. "Now, please remember this is just hearsay. There's been no actual proof―"

"Just spit it out, Myouga," I demanded. "What's Naraku done this time?"

His eyes continued to flick to and fro nervously for another moment, but then he sighed again―rather morosely, at that―and a seriousness settled over his features he'd lacked before. "Alright," he said lowly. "It began after I left the West."

That was unexpected. "The West?" I repeated. "What were you doing there?"

For a split second a flash of nervousness reappeared, but it was gone just as fast. "Perhaps it can wait, Kagome-sama? This matter concerning Naraku is of the utmost importance."

I nodded, though I certainly wasn't about to let it go. Everybody knew how afraid Myouga was of Sesshoumaru, and the idea of the little flea venturing willingly into said daiyoukai's domain was laughable. But I wouldn't say anything for now. "Go on, please."

He opened his beak, presumably to resume his tale, when he stopped short. "Are you familiar with the Western borders, Kagome-sama?" he asked abruptly. "Especially the one shared with the Eastern Lands?"

"Oh, yes." I couldn't count how many times Inuyasha had led me and the others along the edge of it to avoid running into Kouga. "What about it?"

"It was as I was crossing into the Eastern lands that I first heard tell of these rumors," Myouga explained. "I was passing overhead when I noticed an unusual amount of demons traveling the same direction. Fortunately, I was close enough to hear what was being discussed between two in particular."

"Really?" I asked dubiously. The fact that Myouga hadn't high-tailed it out of there as fast as his crow could carry him was a little hard to believe. "And what were they discussing?"

"Inuyasha," he said simply. "From what I understand, there's been a price put on his head."

Kaede gasped sharply, and at first I was so stunned I couldn't even comprehend what he meant. "A . . . price?" Realization steadily seeped in, and my heart started to hammer madly. "You mean . . . there are bounty hunters after Inuyasha?"

"It would seem so," Myouga said sadly. "Once again, it appears Naraku has enlisted others to do his work for him, and not only demons. I also heard he somehow made contact with a band of humans calling themselves youkai slayers and offered them payment if they succeeded in killing Master Inuyasha."

I could too easily imagine what kind of payment Naraku had in mind, and for the millionth time I cursed the Shikon Jewel. "And the demons? Did he offer them the same sort of payment?"

"I can only assume," he sighed. "But the demons, Kagome-sama, are not the mindless, bloodthirsty beasts Naraku normally employs. These are intelligent, upper class youkai who are not to be taken lightly. In fact, I'm almost certain some of them were Lord Sesshoumaru's vassals and, if that is the case, they are infinitely more dangerous."

Now I was extremely confused. If there was one thing I knew about Sesshoumaru, it was that he loathed Naraku. I didn't for one minute think he would allow those serving under him to go on some manhunt all for the sake of the false power the spider hanyou promised. "Sesshoumaru has to know about this, right Myouga? I don't see how he couldn't."

"I'm . . . not sure," he admitted. "It's unlikely, but even Lord Sesshoumaru is not infallible. These vassals may be taking advantage of his rather . . . arrogant tendencies."

"Ah." That made sense. Assured in his own superiority, Sesshoumaru would probably never consider the idea of his subjects betraying him. "So, to sum this all up, Inuyasha's being hunted by who-knows how many people because Naraku is probably busy concocting some kind of plan to take over Japan, possibly the world, and it looks like the Western Lands are first on his list."

"Um, yes, I suppose you could put it that way," Myouga muttered as he resumed his squirming. "Though I doubt he would ever try to take the West from Lord Sess―"

"That's exactly what he'd try," I disagreed. "He'll want to strike at Sesshoumaru's pride, and the best way to do that would be to take his birthright from him."

Still caught in his battle with the twine, Myouga made some noncommittal noise and I decided to take advantage of his distraction. This new development with Naraku had only reinforced my belief that we needed help, and since asking Sesshoumaru was out of the question, pumping Myouga for information was all I had left. And I wasn't about to let this opportunity slip through my fingers.

I started off innocently enough. "So what were you doing in the West, Myouga?"

For a moment, I thought I had him as, preoccupied as he was, he replied unthinkingly, "Attending milord's uncle, as I always seem to―"

Then he choked, his large eyes going impossibly wide when he realized what he let slip, and I watched him begin to panic. "Erm, that is to say my Lord Sesshoumaru sometimes requests my presence when the council is in session―"

But I had latched onto that little slip and refused to let it go. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on just a minute!" I exclaimed. "Uncle? Whose uncle?!"

In the six years I'd spent in the Feudal Era, not once had I ever heard mention of any relatives of Inuyasha's aside from his parents and brother and, naturally, had assumed he had no others. But this . . .

This could be the godsend I'd been praying for.

Myouga was stuttering incoherently now, and Kaede was trying to keep him from bouncing right out of her hand in his agitation. "P-Please, Kagome-sama, I don't know what I was saying! Ignore this old flea and p-please let me go! I've t-told you everything, I swear!"

"No, no, no," I denied. "You aren't going anywhere until you tell me more about this uncle of Sesshoumaru's." Taking a leaf out of Inuyasha's book, I poked him―albeit gently―and narrowed my eyes. "Start talking."

However, for once, it looked like Myouga wasn't going to be intimidated into action despite the possibility of bodily harm. "I'm sorry, Kagome-sama," he squeaked, "but I'm afraid I can't say anything more regarding Lord Sesshoumaru's family. If he were to find out . . ."

The tiny demon shuddered and I felt myself begin to soften with sympathy. I didn't want to get Myouga into trouble with Sesshoumaru. God only knew what he would do to him, but I also didn't want to give up now. The lives of too many people could be riding on whatever it was Myouga was withholding and I had to know more, just to be safe.

With that thought, I leaned forward and plucked the flea from Kaede's palm. "Please excuse us, Kaede," I said as I stood. "We'll be back soon."

I swept out of the hut before she could form a reply and nearly sprinted down the path leading towards the well. Despite the miniscule amount of youki Myouga exuded, I knew Inuyasha could still detect it were he close enough and the last thing I presently needed was for him to come bounding in in all his irate glory and scaring his tiny retainer half to death. In order for this to work, I had to get Myouga to confide in me, and that wasn't going to happen with an irritable hanyou breathing down my neck.

The well came into view then, and I slowed to a stop. Heaving a breath, I slid into the grass beside the weathered wood and opened my hand to reveal a dazed nomi youkai. "Oh, sorry about that, Myouga," I offered sheepishly. "I was trying to avoid running into Inuyasha."

"Think nothing of it, Kagome-sama." He rubbed at his scalp absently and I briefly wondered when he'd managed to escape the twine. "Was there something else you wished to discuss?"

I chose not to waste time beating around the bush. "Sesshoumaru's uncle," I said quickly. "Why can't you tell me about him?"

He went entirely still, and then gradually began inching away from me. "It would be best if you put him out of your mind, Kagome-sama―"

"I can't," I said firmly. "I'm sorry Myouga, but I honestly can't. Don't you understand how desperate I am? How desperate we all are? Naraku almost killed me today, and if Kilala hadn't thrown me out of the way, I'd be dead, Naraku would have the jewel, and you and everyone else in Nippon would either be slaughtered or enslaved. And I'll tell you, with the way things are, it's only a matter of time before that happens."

Myouga blanched. "Surely you should have more faith in Master Inuyasha?"

I shook my head. "This isn't about Inuyasha's abilities. It's about Naraku. You saw for yourself the lengths he's going to just to take down Inuyasha, and if Inuyasha's busy fending off bounty hunters, youkai slayers, and Naraku's usual hordes of demons, eventually someone's going to get the better of him and that'll be that."

Sighing, Myouga scrubbed at his face tiredly before fixing me with a conflicted look. "Be that as it may, Kagome-sama, the matter concerning Lord Sesshoumaru's uncle is not something that is openly discussed, and it is certainly not discussed outside of the Western family. I'm sorry."

My brow furrowed as I thought. "So you can't tell me about him since I'm not family?"

Myouga bobbed his head. "Precisely," he replied as he hovered near the edge of my hand. "Now, if you would excuse me―"

"But you could tell Inuyasha?"

He froze, and I could practically hear him cursing to himself. "I-I'm not entirely sure Master Inuyasha is considered part of the Western family."

"Well that's stupid," I huffed. "He and Sesshoumaru are brothers aren't they?"

"That's not enough," Myouga went on. "To the youkai court, Master Inuyasha is nothing more than a bastard child. I would have to request permission from Lord Sesshoumaru to tell him anything concerning the royal family."

Two parts livid and dejected, I spat, "What can you do then, Myouga? Anything?!"

Of course I knew this was not Myouga's problem. He had no obligation to me, and screaming at him probably wasn't helping my case at all, but I was so unbelievably frustrated I could barely control my temper. Taking that temper out on him, however, was not the right thing to do.

I fisted a hand into my hair, took a breath, and tried again. "Please Myouga," I murmured. "Please help me. Help me protect my friends. Help me destroy Naraku. Please . . ."

I glanced up to see Myouga watching me with an enigmatic expression. "I cannot tell you about Lord Sesshoumaru's uncle, Kagome-sama," he finally said. "But perhaps . . ."

My heart, which had begun to sink, lifted a bit. "Perhaps?"

"I cannot tell you, Kagome-sama," he repeated. "But perhaps I can show you."

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A/N: So I didn't quite manage my normal 4,000 words, but I got pretty close so I decided to go ahead and post this. Now, please give me your honest feedback! I'm extremely excited about this story and I want everyone else to be excited too! Please review!