Hello! Surprised? I've finally gotten to the next chapter of wwylm, for any of those who were expecting it. I'm hoping you enjoy! It's been a while. Months actually. But no matter what, I will try to finish it by the end of this year. Deal? Okay! Reviews are welcome! Especially after such a long break- it would help to know what you think of this as I get back into the feel of the story. Good reading.

~Yellowspotlight89

-Previously, Tomoshibi and his spell-

Just then, Sango's hiraikotsu fell from her hands, the slayer dropping to her knees onto the wet earth, blank faced.

"Sango…" Miroku murmured.

"The villagers…Kohaku." She sputtered.

"Why did you slay father and the others? Kohaku, why?" she hollered, tears soaring down her cheeks.

Miroku made a move to comfort her before his own gaze grew distraught and lost as the soup bowl slipped from his shaking hands.

He took a blind step forward.

"Fa- father, nooo! What is happening, father? Let me go, let me to him! Urghh!" he gripped the prayer beads that adorned the wrist of his right hand, his body descending into the moist, murky earth.

Lady Kaede stood in horror, staring frightfully at the gray stormy sky as the thunder roared angrily and the rain pitter-pattered.

"Kami, help us." she whispered, making her way to the village huts.

They finally broke free from the living nightmares.

Sango with a wild gasp.

Miroku with his cursed hand stretched out.

And everyone else, too, affected from the spell.

The visions of the past vanished.

It was just an illusion.

Relief washed over every suffered person.

Except Kagome.

Before now, Inuyasha had growled and paced and broke through hut walls, but it was useless.

He had everyone laid out on the hut floor, dry and free from the rainfall. Still, they trembled and wailed out with great, invisible pains.

This went on for too long.

He couldn't take it anymore.

So he had run off in angry haste, set on finding that castle again.

"If I can't wake them up, then I'll have to kill the rat that's responsible." He had hissed.

Kaede just nodded. She knew there was no stopping Inuyasha.

But now they were released from the spell.

Everyone opened their eyes.

Except Kagome.

A chirping whimper sounded out. Kirara brushed across Sango's forehead.

A groove formed between her eyebrows.

"What's going on…?" she murmured.

Then her face flushed bright.

Smack.

A hot red glow radiated from Miroku's cheek as his hand twitched from Sango's behind.

"I guess we're all okay then," he said with a grin.

"Sango! Miroku!" Shippo wailed, rushing towards them from a corner. "Are you out from that spell? Thank goodness!"

Sango and Miroku rocked to their feet, arms slung over one other for support.

Kirara bounced to Sango's shoulder and Shippo onto Miroku's arm.

"We thought you'd never get over the curse! You were under for a long time. Inuyasha left to fight the guy who did this to you."

"You mean that gold sorcerer?" Sango asked.

"It all felt so real…" Miroku said, rubbing his head.

Then the door cracked open, and Kaede stood in view.

"Ye all have awoken. The others have come to and I wondered if ye had as well."

Miroku nodded and stepped forward.

"Yes. We're alright now. Tell us; what's going on?"

"It seems this Tomoshibi witch doctor laid a curse on these lands. A hex of tears that brought upon the freshest sorrows to the mind."

"I see," he said. He recalled his pain, then winced.

"That was wretched."

"Indeed, it was. A horrible sight." said Kaede. "Inuyasha ran off to seek the castle of this sen. I dont suggest ye go yet. I must retrieve a remedy to restore ye and Sango's health."

Kaede exited the lodge.

Sango followed out from behind her. The air was fresh, clear. The sun beamed brightly from the sky. Even the dirt looked dry and undisturbed, not a sign of a remaining tear.

Once she stepped back into the hut, she finally spotted Kagome on the floor.

"What's the matter with Kagome?" Sango asked. "She hasn't stirred at all."

They circled their friend.

Kagome lied there on a layer of blankets. Her brow was lustered in sweat.

Her face looked extremely emerged in the world she was in.

"Oh no!" Shippo shouted . "Maybe she's still traumatized!"

Sango leaned over Kagome and nudged her shoulder.

"Kagome, can you hear me?"

She twitched a little, but didn't answer.

Miroku moved to her other side and patted her forehead.

"She's strikingly warm."

"This can't be good," Sango mumbled. "What will we do?"

Then suddenly, Kagome's hands reached out and clasped onto Miroku's.

"Mhm…" she murmured. "Your hands are so soft."

She rubbed Miroku's palm across her cheek.

Sango's jaw dropped to the ground. Her face filled with heat.

Miroku grinned.

"I do try, dear Kagome. Thanks for your notice."

A look of death crossed Sango's face. She pressed her boomerang into his skull.

"You were saying, Monk?" she hissed.

Miroku giggled nervously and stood.

"Nothing at all." He said.

"Oh, Kouga," Kagome breathed. "You're embarrassing me."

"Wait. Did she just say Kouga?"

"That's what I thought, too."

Kagome rolled around in her bedding. She mumbled into the blankets.

"Do that again, please. It makes my heart feel... tingly."

Miroku cupped his chin in thought.

"It appears she's not suffering at all. In fact, she must be having some sort of dream. And enjoying it."

A smile lit Kagome's face.

"Kouga." she sighed.

Sango's face reddened.

"Kagome has seemed to grow fond of Kouga within the last couple of days."

"Well, it's about time," Miroku said. "He is the way a lover should be. A loyal man who wants only her."

Sango rolled her eyes.

"Hypocrite."

"Did you say 'wants her', Miroku?" Shippo squeaked. "Because Kouga is dead!"

Miroku and Sango both looked at Shippo.

"Well, we're not exactly sure, anymore." said Miroku.

"But how?"

"I just cannot believe that he would die so easily. Kouga's a very strong demon. And besides," he continued, "The circumstances we're currently under are very suspicious. This sen we're dealing with is using some sort of dark magic."

Sango chewed on her thumbnail.

"I wonder if he has Kouga under a trance."

"I would count on it."

They sat in silence for a while. Their eyes rotated towards Kagome.

She looked fully at peace, carefree even. A tiny smile was at her lips.

"I feel like I'm invading some sort of private moment." Sango murmured to Miroku.

He bobbed him head.

"I don't mind a little spying though."

Kagome tossed back and forth from her pallet.

"No, Inuyasha." she whispered. "Don't fight him. I don't mind if he touches me there."

Each one of them seemed to fall back a good 20 feet.

"What did she…?"

"I think Kagome has been hanging around Miroku too much." Shippo said.

"Mmhm." Sango agreed.

Kirara meowed.

Inuyasha cut through the thick field of thorns and weeds.

His claws swiped at all the twisted, pointed plants.

They were endless.

"Ugh," he groaned. "These weren't here last time."

He looked up from the base of the mountain. The castle sat at the very tip- huge, golden, and far. So far.

He trudged on quicker through the wilderness.

"This must be some new diversion. That weird fog is missing."

Inuyasha carried on, ripping the thick, prickly grass into shreds.

Just up ahead was a brown, pruned spread of weeds. It blocked the rock he needed to leap on to move higher up the mountain.

Inuyasha's jaw tightened from the rotten stitch that flowed from the patch.

"I'll get rid of this disgusting thing."

He scraped his claws across the putrid plants. He was thrown back.

"The hell!"

Green smoke spurted from the brown blades and engulfed his body. He coughed hard and covered his mouth.

"Damn!"

Inuyasha's eyes burned as the mist swallowed his face.

He dropped to the ground and crawled away from the smoke.

Inuyasha scraped along the ground, blinded. Hot tears helped clear his vision, but each drop was searing and painful.

Then the grasses shifted from underneathe his hands. It trembled and sashayed all about him, along with his fists as they pressed into the soil.

He stayed motionless, confused, until he realized it wasn't the ground that was shaking; it was his vision snaking in and out.

A curse cut through his teeth, and he tried to rise.

The earth seemed to slide over, and he plummeted back to the ground.

"Great!" he hollered. "Piece of—damn ole'-this is great!"

His loud, angry voice echoed up the mountain.

Somebody heard it.

So...that is that. Did you like? A review or a little note would be helpful for me to know if anyone is even still alive. No crickets, please.

So be a kind-hearted soul and leave a note, if you please!

Stay in tune for more!

~yellowspotlight89