Hello readers! I'm happy to say that I have returned from whatever writing hell I've been in. I'm sorry for not updating sooner, not because I didn't want to but life got in the way, very often.

Anyway, I want to thank all you readers for your continued support in my fanfiction and those who have favored and followed me. It made me very happy to see that though my poor work hadn't been updated in months that people liked it enough to want to see more of it.

And for all you reviews I want to give you all a great big hug^,^*! Reviews are the lifeblood of an author, without them we are lost.

I will be trying to write more often, thankfully it's summer, but the inspiration fairy will be a bitch if I don't do something with my other ideas. Therefore, though this fic will defiantly NOT be on haitus it will be slow updates.

I'm also sending out a call to all aspiring Beta's! if your interested in helping kick an authors butt in gear as well as getting first dibs on any of my work lease shoot me a PM. I'll review your work and give you a shout out back!

"Not all who wander are lost, and not all those who are lost meant to wander" by Lady of the Mays❀✿

I don't own Inuyasha, yu yu hakusho, or Naruto. Please review!


A figure stood hunched over at the mouth of the cave that had long been it's home, having killed the previous inhabitants when it had found itself in a strange world that was not it's own. The sky was no longer blood red, instead a dark blue that he'd seen centuries ago as the moon shone with a pearly white.

The figure's tattered red robe fluttered in the wind, a worn sword hilt still tied in his obi looking even more old than it had been centuries ago. His silver hair flowing behind him as a familiar aura hit his.

Demonic red eyes grew excited and the figure left the safety if it's cave heedless to the danger that aura possessed to one of it's kind.


Sota awoke to the gentle caress of his sister's lips on his forehead, "It's morning ototo, time to wake."

Wearily, the raven haired youth opened his sore sapphire eyes to see a almost exact copy staring down at him, a small but soft smile on her face. Sota grunted and nodded, letting her know that he was awake and getting up, though he wished that he could stay asleep. He was still tired from their travel yesterday and the drama with Sakura, a small spark of anger flashing within him at the memory though it quickly passed, but more importantly his head hurt.

It was strange, he hadn't felt like this in a while. The last time that his head had hurt this badly was when he'd had a nightmare, Kisame had noticed him thrashing around and woken him up. But he hadn't been able to remember anything from it.

This time he did. Flashes of others, mostly males, one red head, one with black clothes and a purple eye, mocha eyes with slicked back hair, a ridiculously tall one with a honorable aura. There were several others as well, shorter flashes than the others, but still there. For some reason gold eyes kept overlapping the mocha, and he felt a flash of fury and betrayal whenever they turned that color.

Sota groaned, I really wish my memories would just come back, all these flashes aren't telling me anything about who I am. He looked up to his 'sister', I don't even know if shes really my sister, especially if she's as old as she says she is. But I don't feel on edge with her around, and we look to similar to not be some kind of family. But she could be lying to get to him. He would watch and wait, see if she's really telling the truth and if she was he'd confront her about his missing memories.

And if she was lying, he'd make her tell him what she knew. Sota had to stop himself from visibly flinching at the thought and hardened his resolve to get answers from the woman. No matter how he felt around her.

"Sota?"

God damn it.

He really didn't want to answer to the worry obviously in his 'sister's' voice, her worry was plain to see in her eyes and aura. She really cared about him, and his newly forged resolve melted like snow in the summer sun. Sota buried his head in his covers, noticing them for the first time. They were soft, smelling faintly of vanilla and cinnamon, and although he had fallen asleep in tree roots by the women, Kagome, he wasn't sore anywhere. His front felt a little warmer than his back for some reason but that was the only odd thing Sota could find about his position.

Kagome sighed, though her expression was that of amused fondness, "Alright be lazy ototo, I will just to wake Lee so that he can give you a proper wake up call."

Flailing about, Sota tried to escape from his warm cover, "I'm up, I'm up!" Was it just him or did said blankets suddenly tighten around him. And why was she giggling at me?

Sota looked down around his waist, determined to get the constricting fabric off him. Problem, it already was.

His face blanched before turning bright red, a soft groan passing his lips in embarrassment. He could have swore that he'd fallen asleep snuggled up against Kagome, not Sasuke. Though it had been her dark blue haiori covering him, them, he couldn't remember how the older dark haired male had fallen asleep snuggled against him!

A small groan sounded a few inches away from the two dark hairs, the haiori being moved to clutch against another.

Sota noticed the speck of bright blond hair that was visible from the dark clothing and, face still a bit red, turned a questioning look to the woman, "Naruto too?"

Kagome just shrugged, though her eyes betrayed her mirth, "We're pack ototo. It's not that surprising that pack sleeps together is it? Now wake Sasuke and Naruto while I fetch Lee for his lesson and go get some breakfast. I have a feeling that we will be traveling as soon as everyone's eaten something." She stood back up and walked back over to the fire to make food.

He thought about it for a moment, it was... odd that he wasn't really be bothered by it. When she said pack, like she didn't really see them as a group of ningen but more like animals, Sota's mind immediately connected to the warmth that he had felt. How safe he'd been. It was strange but the concept of 'pack' wasn't unfamiliar, like he'd heard it before, been said to him before, and something he'd experienced.

Pack: Safety, protection, comfort, warmth, love.

It's confusing to know, but not know consciously, he thought, rubbing the back of his head and sighing. He really wished he could remember everything.


"Good, very good. Now Lee concentrate again on your power, I want you to concentrate and make it manifest like I showed you."

Lee did as requested, his wide eye and bushy eyebrows scrunched up in concentration, a small distortion of air began to surround him and to Kagome's periecing blue eyes a light blue color began to rise from the boy.

Slowly, so not to alarm Lee and make him break his consecration again, Kagome's own ki arose and using the barest amount of power she coaxed more of his to the surface.

Thin strings of pink power touched Lee's ki, little pinpoints of glowing light where the two separate energies connected. Lee was sweating now, and his face looked pained, as if it was taking a lot of effort. The blue glow hesitantly expanded, her own pink strands seeming to encourage it out from the young ninja like a shy animal from its protective sanctuary. Kagome added more power to one of the threads and watched carefully as it thickened. Lees power sensed the growing strand and leap out of him to surround itself round her own power.

Lees eyes snapped open, a stunned expression on his face as he saw the blue light around him and around the pink strand. The blue receded into him again except for the part that surrounded her thread.

"This is your power Lee," she said getting up and moving closer to the stunned male. "Now I want you to try using your senses to try and tell me what your aura feels like from your ki."

Controlling it with a minimal effort Kagome called back her strand, she lifted up her hand and watched patiently as the pink and blue coiled onto her palm swirling about each other playfully in the shape of a sphere. Kagome waited patiently for her student to speak.

"Hai sensei," Lee murmured dutifully, eyes half lidded. "It... your chakra-"

"Reiki Lee, not chakra," Kagome corrected. "The two are different, remember that."

"Hai, yours feels odd, potent but there its so gentle. Like a warmth that can quickly turn to fire."

"Good Lee," Kagome praised, mildly surprised that he could tell what her ki felt like. He had a greater potential in him than she thought. "Now what about yours?"

Lees face scrunched up again, "It feels... Different. But at the same time familiar. It feels like... you. But more, fresh."

"A close enough description, but why did you chose that word Lee?"

"It feels like water," the nin blurted out. "Guy-sensei took me to a spring once, the water came straight from an iceberg, it tasted clean. My chakra-ki... It feels like it though I can't taste it."

"Very good Lee. What your sensing now is the purity of your tamashi, and like it implies it means that your spirit is very pure, that is what gives you access to reiki," Kagome explained, her words quick and explanatory as she gave her lecture. "As a monk, one of the few beings with access to reiki, we are responsible for keeping the balance between supernatural beings that wish ningen harm, and act as mediums for otherworldly forces, like the kami, and ningen themselves. That is our purpose in during our life in the Ningenkai, a sacred duty that we must perform above all others."

"Shikon-san?"

Kagome looked away from her student to the one who called her, "Hai, Uchiha-san? Is there something that you need?"

Itachi Uchiha looked between the Taijutsu nin and the miko, his face a mask of indifference though his irritation was very easy for her to pick up from his aura. The miko waited for the rather closed off male to speak. "Return to the camp, something has... occurred," he said emotionlessly.

Curious, Kagome complied before turning back to her student, "We'll finish for today Lee-kun. I want you to keep spreading out your senses as we travel, focus on distinguishing living auras and anything that dosn't feel pure or ningen, then you'll be joining me for lessons and mediation tonight when we make camp."

"Hai sensei!"

The three walked silently back to camp, no one saying a word. It didn't take long to get back to camp.

"I"M GONNA KILL YOU DOPE!"

Now she had a idea what might have the Uchiha so irate.

"WHAAA! Teme! It's not my fault you slept with me! You were the one who wanted it!"

"Naruto stop bothering Sasuke and saying those perverted things! Some of us are trying to eat!" yelled a tired looking pinkette. Everyone else was trying their best to ignore the dramatics of the younger Uchiha, though Sota seemed to be deep in thought as he watched the two, eating some of the leftover boar meat from last night.

"But Sakura-chan, it's all Sasuke-teme's fault. He's the one that came onto me," Naruto whined, his sky blue eyes innocent-looking. Honestly, Kagome had to stop herself from laughing at Naruto's behavior. Especially considering Sasuke looked ready to murder him.

"Now, Naruto, stop harassing your packmate and have some food," Kagome scolded lightly, walking over to he group and sitting next to her younger brother. Sota grabbed another peice of meat and handed it to her. "You'll have plenty of time to do that once we reach Suna safely," the miko said taking a bite of the meat herself.

"But Oba-"

"Eat, kit."

Naruto pouted but obediently stopped bothering Sasuke and began to nibble on the meat.


The rest of the impromptu meal was eaten in silence, a stark contrast to the other ninja except for Lee since being awoken. And even more surprising to the ninja, Naruto didn't bother anyone the entire time.

Kakashi watched his former student, curious and more than a little suspicious on just how the miko had so much sway over the blond despite meeting not only a month ago. It didn't help that Saskue was acting, well, seeing the stoic younger Uchiha eating without a word wasn't strange. But when the miko kept handing him more of the boar and see Sasuke take it without so much of a glare in protest was very odd.

Unknown to the silver haired jounin he wasn't the only one curious at the two younger ninja's behavior. However the Older Uchiha didn't know how to phrase his question without drawing attention to himself, gathering information without. If what he heard was true she would be able to tell when he was. Therefore eavesdropping on her and Lee when she was teaching him had given him only a tiny insight to her and what she could do wouldn't work. Itachi felt a small pang in his heart as he thought of other ways to obtain information on the miko's skills and abilities. Mildly conflicted but more confused at the pain on his heart, Itachi chose to silently continue watching the young-looking miko. Her actions were graceful and fluid as she cared for her brother, Naruto, Lee, and his own brother, however she left everyone else alone to get their own piece of meat.

It was only because he was watching her so closely that he noticed a brief hesitation in her movements before she looked up, her face sent in concentration.

Itachi narrowed his eyes minutely, what had caused the hesitation in her movements? "Do you sense something?"

Lee looked up, curious at his sensei's behavior. "Sensei?"

"We need to go, NOW," the miko said gathering her things and adjusting her weapons. "A youkai just bypassed the perimeter of my barrier."

"I thought that a youkai can't get past one of your barriers," Itachi said, phrasing it more like a statement than a question.

Sapphire blue eyes glared at him and snarled, "They can't. Now, move!"

Perhaps it was the ferocity in her voice, or that her eyes suddenly turned colder than he had ever seen before, but the urgency made it clear that they had to leave very quickly. Itachi wasn't really sure which it was for himself. Before anyone could move a large explosion sounded through the air only a few miles away from their camp. The raven haired miko rummaged inside her kimmono, pulling out several sheets of paper with ink on them, the symbols were complex and Itachi didn't recognize any of the symbols. She tossed them into the air, glowing pink with her power before they disappeared from his sight.

The blue eyed miko unsheathed Banryu facing the same direction where the sound came from, "It will be here soon, my shikigami will hold it off long enough for you all to get out of here. Gaara, take everyone into the desert, Sota protect Lee and the rest of our pack. I will join you as soon as he's dealt with."

He? Itachi wondered, noticing her slip. Does she know who it is? Legend says youkai can live for centuries, but she said the one that got through her barrier wasn't a youkai. So just who is it that's attacking?

"No!" Naruto shouted in denial. "I'm not gonna leave you here to deal with the youkai all by yourself Oba, I can help you datteboyo!"

"Yeah" Sota agreed. "I might not remember everything, but..." Sota unsheathed his own sword, a arrogant smirk on his face. "I do remember all my training."

"Hm," Sasuke nodded, Sharingan eyes twirling dangerously. "I won't leave you with the dope, he's more likely to kill you than help."

"TEME!"

A flash of yellow energy came rushing at the group, trees and earth exploded leaving behind deep gashes that resembled claws. Kagome lifted Banryu up, "Ryuu no Hono!" The purple pink power of the halberd met with the yellow energy, clashing together in violent storm of energy.

When it finally dissipated a red clad figure stood opposite the miko, his sclera blood red with neon blue pupils. Itachi's eyes widened at the rest of the him, it was defiantly inhuman. Dog ears, one with a large chunk missing, sat on top of a head of bright silver hair. Fangs were barred and the tips of his claws glowed yellow, too long to even be like the Inuzuka when performing their family's signature jutsus with their partners. Itachi noticed the sword tied it his obi, his clothing even more out of date than the miko's.

The elder Uchiha noticed the miko's whole body tense at the sight of the creature. She looked at him with disgust, and said one word full of so much hate and loathing that Itachi's curiosity about the miko rose even higher than before.

"Inuyasha."


The air is filled with ash and smoke as she runs towards the forest, away from the village, choked, sobbing gasps the only way for her to get air into her lungs because she is positive that her heart is no longer beating from the soul crushing sorrow that she's feeling. She clutched the Shikon no Tama close to her breast, it's color still a pure pearly pink even with all of her emotions whirling like a maelstrom inside her.

She had to get away, had to run far away, she had to protect the jewel. She was the Shikon no Miko. The jewel's chosen Guardian. Even if he killed her, she had to protect it.

It was never her intention to cause this, she just wanted a little happiness. She should have known better, no one, not even the Shikon's Guardian, was free from it's twisted influence. But there was no way to get rid of the thing, she had tried, Kami she'd tried. It was said that a pure wish would have rid the world of it, but there was no such thing as a pure wish. Every wish was a desire after all, even if she wished it was destroyed the jewel's darker half would latch onto her desire for it to be gone and taint the wish. It would be gone sure, but gone where, or worse when?

She wouldn't, couldn't, allow that to happen.

And now she was paying the price. Perhaps this was her atonement. Perhaps she deserved it, it wouldn't surprise her if the Kami sought to punish her. Not with all the sins that she'd committed: shattering the jewel, causing the deaths of thousands with Naraku's rise to power, along with all the deaths that had been by her hand.

But with all the heart break and sadness she'd felt over the last three years she had wanted it, him, her own piece of joy in such a dangerous and violent time.

Now she understood Kikyou better. The irony of that wasn't lost to her even as she ran for her life. After all the pain of being compared to the walking golem of clay, after all the arguments about being the dead woman's reincarnation, she'd never thought about how similar they truly were until that moment. The bitterness that came from her duties being the Shikon's cursed protector, mixed with betrayal that had come from the hands of someone she had thought she'd loved, had made her heart scream with hurt, anger, and hate.

And now she was running away from the place that had held all of her happiest memories since she was just a 15 year old girl that had just fallen down the well. She ran as fast as she could, she wouldn't be able to lose him in the forest, she knew that quiet well. But it was her he was after. He wouldn't continue to destroy the village, her home, if she wasn't there. Thank Kami that her brother and sister had left months ago to return to the Slayer's village to try and repair it. Her son was away at the Kitsune Academy as well, and wouldn't be returning for many more years. She had felt a small pang of guilt at the time, she had hated that she had to be separated from her son for years and though she had wished that he had stayed with her, she could only be grateful that he wouldn't be able to get to someone else that she loved.

She hoped at least.

She didn't notice that she had run all the way to the Gonshinboku. It was as if her legs had a mind of their own. Only when the Sacred Tree's soothing aura try to calm her damaged one did she break free from her thoughts and notice where she was. Looking up to the ancient tree's thick trunk and seeing the scar that still remained from where her best friend and first love had been sealed 50 years ago, the jewel pulsed in her hand at the same time a familiar aura made itself known to her senses.

"Why?" she managed to say in a steady voice, she didn't look away from the scar. She didn't need to, she knew who it was. They had become so close after Naraku's death nearly a year ago, closer than they had been when the dark hanyou was alive.

If she hadn't already had someone in her heart, Kami it hurts to think about him, hurts to know that he's dead and at his hand, she would have loved him with as much passion and intensity as she had when she was 15.

" 'The dead don't belong with the living.' You said that yourself, Ka-go-me. I won't let you use the jewel to bring him back. I won't let your heart belong to a murdering corpse!"

She flinched at the tone he used, clutching the jewel to her chest, right over her heart. "Like you're any better? I'm the Shikon no Miko. I would never use the jewel for a selfish reason."

"Keh. Like you never wanted anything in your life? Or how you kept throwing yourself at me for years? Face it, wench, you'll use the jewel to bring him back. You're just a weak, pitiful, miko that shouldn't have been here in the first place, and now your going to use the jewel to bring back your damned lover. If anyone's going to be brought back it will be someone who won't turn into another Naraku."

"You think that I would do that? That I would use the jewel for my own selfish desires?!" She snarled, turning to face her betrayer. "The jewel taints everything, and you know that! It was because of Naraku that Kikyou died, and because of the jewel that she was revived with part of MY soul! She was so full of hate and bitterness that she wasn't even the person she was 50 years ago! Yet you still went when she called you even though she tried to kill you!"

"I love her," he growled back.

"And I loved him! The difference is that I know the jewel wouldn't allow him to come back as he was. He was dead already! Bringing him back would have just made him the jewel's puppet!" Oh, she wanted to wish him to life. He was right about that. She wanted to be back in his arms again. Wanted to hear him laugh after a good fight, smirk when she did something she thought was horribly embarrassing but he found amusing, wanted to sit in silence with him while they were wrapped around each other at night and stare up at the stars as their auras mingled together in a dance that was as old as the Kami themselves.

But she couldn't.

Her duty was to the Shikon, she couldn't risk being selfish and destroying the future all for the sake of being with the man that she loved. Even if she decided to be that selfish and wish him back to life, it wouldn't be the same person whose tamashi matched hers. And even if he reincarnated, they'd never again be like they were.

The look in his eyes, those once bright and lively amber orbs that she had once hoped, dreamed, that would look at her with love, were looking at her with apathy. And she suddenly realized something. Something that she'd been denying and repressing to the furthest recesses of her psyche since Kikyou had risen from the dead.

She felt the blood drain from her face. Kami how had she been so blind?

"But you don't care do you? You never cared about anything other than the Jewel and your 'precious' Kikyou! And now he's dead. Again. You killed him!" she yelled, shaky and heartbroken even as tears were building up in her eyes.

She felt a stabbing pain in her heart at the memory of his death, even as she faced her betrayer, and likely her own death, her shoulders thrust back and face resolute, "The difference between us is that I'm not so stupid to use the jewel to bring him back. And I'm going to kill the person who killed him."

He narrowed his eyes at her, blood, the villager's, still dripping from his hands. "You were weak then and your weak now, wench. I'll just kill you and use the jewel for myself!"

She felt something within her snap, not noticing the jewel's crystal surface seemed to ripple where it pressed against her heart.

"Die Inuyasha!"