The dawn brought with it not just the beginning of a new day but the possible end of all days to come... for one.
Inuyasha was up and about before sunrise, surveying the area to make sure that it would be safe once the day began. Kagome and Sango were already awake but they didn't rise from their beds so the children could get a bit more rest. They lazed around making quiet conversation about the past days' events. Seiko was still in the same position from last night, her gaze rarely straying far from the unpredictable taiyoukai. He had stayed quiet the entire night, his eyes only opening once when Seiko nearly dozed off and had shifted in her place, catching his attention. His thoughts were jumbled and revolved around many questions he didn't have answers to, most of them relating to the one that sat but five feet away from him. Seiko had spent much of the night thinking about him as well. He was a two-sided coin, cold-hearted and stoic on one side while the other held his protective and compassionate side reserved only for Rin but Seiko had seen it once before. She felt her thoughts were circling around him too much and she decided that since dawn was approaching she could leave; now it would be safer for him to travel home. Seiko looked at the taiyoukai and his amber gaze was locked on the lower half of her legs for some reason. With a sigh she whistled and his eyes snapped to hers.
"Got an interest in my feet, hm?"
He growled in response and stood from where he had been sitting. He walked near Seiko and she stood as well to look at him with a soft smile and an amused expression. He scowled at her and brushed past the hut door. She giggled and soon followed, extinguishing the remnants of fire beforehand. She walked out into the darkened village and had a look around. The sun wasn't quite up yet but a gray glow was spread across the land and the faintest hint of color was staining the horizon. Sesshomaru wasn't hard to spot; his fluorescent attire and even brighter hair stood out of the bleak like a beautiful tulip in a sea of roses. Seiko shook her head at comparing him to a flower, let alone a beautiful one. Seiko took a step towards him but froze when the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up as well as the ones on her arms. She rubbed them and tried to brush off the strange feeling that ran through her, the feeling that something was going to happen and it wasn't good. Seiko gave herself a slight shake and walked out to Sesshomaru who was gazing at the fields that lay below the village. She stood beside the silent inuyoukai trying to keep him from her thoughts by pondering how she would find Naraku. A few moments of silence passed when the rustling sounds of the others waking crackled wordlessly through the air for both demons to hear. Seiko turned around when Inuyasha landed behind them from a nearby tree. He glared at the back of his brother who refused to turn and face him. With a small growl he stalked over to them both and stood face to face, well in front of, he was too short to be face to face, with Sesshomaru.
"Why the hell are you still here?" he asked with malice. Sesshomaru didn't even acknowledge his brother's question; instead he morphed into his spherical travel form and zoomed away from the village to the west. Inuyasha gave out a 'feh' and headed over to the hut where mostly everyone was sleeping. Miroku sat outside with his arms crossed and was in a light sleep, awakening as Inuyasha approached.
"Good morning Inuyasha, I hope the night served you well," Inuyasha ignored the hospitality of his friend and stormed into the hut.
"SIT!" Was heard and a loud thump. Kagome must have been changing. Hiraku, Shippou, Kilala, Yin, and Yang all came scrambling out of the hut as did Sango and Kagome, who was attempting to pull up the rest of her skirt at a trot. Sango was tying her kimono closed but walked right into the arms of a very lecherous Miroku. He was holding her backside firmly with a seductive smile. Sango turned beet red and a loud 'smack' resounded through the area. Sango huffed away with Kagome as Miroku stood cradling his reddened cheek with a pleased smile.
After the morning's events had calmed everyone gathered around for breakfast. Kagome truly was an odd girl. She had a new kind food, everyone called it ramen, and it tasted delicious! Seiko and Hiraku sat happily with their bowls slurping up their noodles and veggies. It really was a scrumptious meal, for human standards. Everyone was just enjoying their food when Kagome sat ramrod straight and her eyes grew wide.
"Guys, I sense a jewel shard and it's comin' in fast!" With her words everyone stood with their weapons and guard up. Shippou and Hiraku stayed near Yin and Yang for safety while all the adults and Kilala fanned out through the village. Inuyasha came rushing down from his tree with Tetsusaiga wielded and was ready for a battle, a bowl of empty ramen falling from the branch behind him. Kagome had her bow out and an arrow drawn. They waited and one would be able to hear a pin drop as the silence loomed over the area. There was a loud crash and a tree on the edge of the village was uprooted as a creature of mass proportion came hurtling from the forest. The demon was at least the size of a two-story house, the modern kind, a grayish brown color and very thin but it seemed stronger with the jewel shard it was carrying. Its eyes were the real freaky part though. They were bright neon green and held small white dots in the center. Its claws were the length of Tetsusaiga itself and just as sharp. It had a wide mouth with lengthy fangs that could probably cut stone with ease. Its breath could be smelled all the way from the other side of the village and wreaked of all things rotten and decayed. Seiko, Hiraku, Shippou and Inuyasha, not to mention the three nekos, had to stifle gags for their sense of smell was far stronger than that of the humans. The creature spotted the group and lumbered towards them, crushing a wooden water barrel and smothering some crops in the process.
"Let me take care of this one," Inuyasha shouted as he dashed forward. "Don't get in my way!" he shouted back with a glance at everyone.
Seiko scoffed and dashed after him. Since she was faster than the hanyou she made it to the demon before him. He gaped openly as she slashed right over the grayish skin of the evil youkai upon them. Inuyasha growled at her interference but nonetheless rushed towards the intruding demon. "KAZE NO KIZU!"
Seiko dodged the incoming attack and took refuge on the back of the demon with her claws sunk in its putrid and dreary flesh. The demon gave off a high-pitched scream from both Inuyasha's attack and the nails embedded in his skin. With the demon screaming Seiko had no choice but to release her hold on it to cover her ears. The oni did an about face and bashed her over the head right into a sturdy tree. She crumpled to the ground but this fight wasn't over. She stood and Inuyasha landed near her.
"I told you to stay out of this!"
"What? And let you have all the fun? I don't think so," Seiko said with a playful smile. She shook off the slight throb in her temples and they both charged at it full speed. The demon extended its rancid mouth and Inuyasha brought Tetsusaiga into the gaping void. The creature clamped its jaws down on the sword and its teeth cracked immediately. The demon howled again and Seiko had to cover her ears a second time. The evil oni was catching on that if it screamed loud enough Seiko would let her guard down. Although its mouth was bleeding heavily it managed to slash at Seiko and she found herself with a nasty gash in her shoulder. Her left arm became useless for now. She growled deeply and knew what this thing lacked in speed but made up for in brute strength. She needed to transform if she was going to take it down quickly. With a quirky smile to Inuyasha, who was baffled by her, she scampered away into the forest just out of sight of the others.
Inuyasha, being the dim and overzealous hanyou that he was, yelled out to her retreating form. "Coward, come back and fight!" Even though he had told her and the others to stay out of it, now he was calling her back. After a few heated moments of dodging the demon Inuyasha heard a loud roar and looked to his side to see a large black blur dash for the wild youkai possessing the Shikon shard. Before he knew it the new demon had the gray and fetid smelling oni pinned to the ground, lengthy fangs sunk deep in the shoulder of the evil one. Inuyasha realized that this was Seiko's true form judging by the scent and color of her fur; also her tail hadn't changed by much. With a grin he dashed forward and swiped off the right hand of the pinned youkai. He was about to go for the gut when he heard a scream. He looked over to where the others had been watching and was horrified when he saw half of the group sprawled on the ground, blood scattered around the bodies. Inuyasha saw red as his "pack" was laid out in the dirt and the wind sorceress, Kagura, was to blame. Naraku's insects were in formation behind her. That would explain why Miroku didn't just suck her into his wind tunnel. She stood over them all with her fan open and a wicked smile on her face.
"Hello Inuyasha, I hope you found my distraction to both your likings," she said with a glance at Seiko who was still busy trying to finish off the youkai with only one working front limb.
"I'm gonna make you eat your words bitch," he said as his eyes briefly flashed a dangerous red. Kagura smirked and whipped her fan in his direction.
"Fuujin no Mai," and blades of wind went hurtling towards Inuyasha. He dodged and came at her but she blocked his attack with another sweep of her fan, creating a whirlwind of dust and distraction. While Inuyasha was busy coughing up dirt and debris, Seiko fighting the other oni and everyone else unconscious, with the exception of Hiraku, Shippou, Yin, and Yang, who were protecting their downed comrades, a pale young demon by the name of Kanna came into the clearing. Her little golden mirror was clutched in her pallid hands and no one noticed her as she approached the young wolf and fire fox.
