"Will Kiyoshi be at Rin's birthday party tomorrow?"
Giggling "I'm sure he will sweetheart, why do you ask?"
Blushing slight, Mine answered her mother "No reason! We usually talk at all the gatherings so I was hoping I'd see him there tomorrow –"
"SO THAT HE CAN DO MORE THEN JUST TALK TO YOU THIS TIME?!?"
"INUYASHA! SIT!"
Inuyasha braced himself for the fall that never happened "Kagome, we got rid of those beads over fifteen years ago! What gives?!?"
"You still braced yourself for the impact, some habits die very hard. But don't embarrass your daughter like that, so what if she likes Kiyoshi!"
"Do you know how old he is compared to her?"
"Do you know how old you are compared to me?"
"That's different! I was stuck to a tree for fifty years before you traveled back –"
"It doesn't matter Inuyasha! If she likes him and if he treats her well that's all we should be concerned with. Besides, when did you become so intuitive to people falling in love? Do you know I long I waited for you to realize …"
Mine watched her parents bicker over her infatuation with Kiyoshi in front of Sango, Miroku, Dai, Taro, and Shippo; her eyes getting larger as her face turned a darker shade of red.
"Some things will never EVER change" Shippo stated as he shook his head "Sorry Mine, so much for private affairs being private."
"Yeah, you can never expect Inuyasha or Kagome to keep things a secret or handle personal situations calmly and quietly –"
"Excuse me Miroku?!? You're one to talk!"
"Kagome! I simply meant …"
Sango and her daughter laughed as Kagome turned her frustration toward Miroku "See Dai, this is why you're always better off not getting involved between Aunt Kagome's and Uncle Inuyasha's little love spats."
"EXCUSE ME!!!"
Everyone became silent and turned their attention to Mine "We are about twenty minutes away from Rin's village and I would like to go there peacefully and not extremely embarrassed, all right? Mom, Dad, we can talk about this later, in private I hope!"
Taro's laughter broke the awkward silence, which sent everyone else into laughter.
"Okay sweetheart, your father and I will speak with you in private when we get to the village, we're sorry if we embarrassed you."
Birds, demons, and other visible flying creatures stormed out of the trees and headed as far away as they could from the demonic aura that seemed to erupt out of nothingness. Taro's laughter quickly turned to tears as Dai grabbed onto her mothers' leg "Mommy, what's happening?"
"Inuyasha … it can't be him … can it?" Kagome turned to her husband in a mixture of fear and shock "Are you sensing what I am?"
"Yeah … I don't know how it's possible, but that's definitely Naraku's aura" unsheathing Tetsusaiga he waited to see if Naraku was on the move "He seems to be staying in one spot, let's go check it out."
"Sister!"
"Kohaku! Rin! Do you sense what we do?"
Landing on the ground, Kirara walked over to her former master and nuzzled her neck softly "I've missed you too old friend," Sango patted her head before turning her attention back onto her brother and his wife.
"Yes, it's Naraku isn't it?"
"And the Sacred Jewel."
"Are you sure Kagome?" Miroku asked in astonishment.
"Yes, Miroku. It's strange, I can feel the whole jewel, but there's something very different … like I'm sensing it's spiritually energy and not the actually jewel itself."
"It's coming from Lord Sesshoumaru's and Sutefanii's cottage in the middle of the woods! We have to hurry they could be in trouble!"
"Rin you shouldn't go, you're pregnant and could get hurt."
"If it is Naraku you'll need all the help you can get" Rin snapped at Sango.
Sighing "Okay, then let's move out before we're too late. Dai, when we get close you keep your brother safe behind the trees and do not come out until it is clear no matter what, do you understand me?"
"Yes mamma."
"Let's go! Hurry!" Inuyasha said as he sprinted off into the forest.
