I'm going under.

Sesshomaru was one to notice even the smallest change in body language, especially when it came to his enemies, though he couldn't really call the small rough group of mix-matched misfits his enemies any longer. That, however, did not carry over to the dead Miko.

There was something amiss with his brother's two women.

Subtle to anyone else, not to him. Kikyo was keeping a distance from his brother and was becoming quite short with the man she wished to drag to hell, though it seemed that she was abandoning that idea as of now, at least it seemed that way to him. Then there was Inuyasha's other woman, the living breathing Miko. She was for once quiet. Oddly quiet, and he would catch her looking at the Dead Miko as if she were playing some type of puzzle. So either they were both up to something, or one was up to something, and the other female knew it.

Sesshomaru did not understand this love triangle at all, and his brother's aloofness to their body language just further confirmed the feeling he had towards the fool. How did he not notice something was amiss with them. Females were easy to read, well sometimes. Kagome could surprise even him.

The slayer either didn't care or was to busy to care, which he could not blame her; she had her own set of problems. Then there was the Monk who had more problems than them all, yet still.

Sesshomaru glided his eyes over to the Monk, who stood next to the slayer, standing silent as Inuyasha once against stood between two Mikos, ears down, tail between his legs, aloof. Miroku's eyes met with Sesshomaru's, and then there was some silent understanding.

The Monk knew something was off as well. Sesshomaru let his eyes go to Kagome, then back to the Monk, and again, thank Kami, he seemed to understand and nodded.
Miroku coughed "We should make camp it is getting late, Kagome won't you help me gather wood?"

Kagome slowly pulled her eyes away from Inuyasha, who was pleading with Kikyo moments ago about something, "Yeah, sure."

Sesshomaru watched as the Monk and Miko made their way, and he soon followed.

Inuyasha turned, "Hey, who made you, boss!"

But they were gone, and when he turned around, Kikyo was gone too.

"Ugh!" He looked at Sango, who only shrugged her shoulders.

Kagome started to mindlessly pick up sticks until she noticed Miroku wasn't, "Hey, why am I the only one picking up wood?"

"Something seems strange; I felt an odd aura around Kikyo,"

Sesshomaru noticed a strange change in her face "I felt something too,"

"Not really evil,"

"Yet, ominous?"

"Hmm, I think that is a good word,"

Kagome tilted her head and looked passed Mioku, "Why are you sneaking?"

Sesshomaru came into view, walking as lazy as ever "I do not sneak Miko, I merely observer, I have no need to sneak,"

"Sneak is an odd word to use with him," Miroku pointed out.

"My brother is clueless and once again proves he is an incapable male,"

"Hey," Kagome defended,

"If you Miko, keep that up you will fall prey to harm that can not be undone," He came closer to her and looked down "And there will be no one to save you, you will have to save yourself at some point,"

"Do you think its that bad?" Miokru asked,

He ignored them both as he walked passed them but stopped "Something is amiss with the dead one,"

"Perhaps you worry about your brother?" Miroku said thoughtfully,

Sesshomaru turned his head, "Do not misunderstand, I care not for what foolery my brother gets himself into, however, until Naraku is defeated I do not have time for such trivial things," He waved his hand towards Kagome.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome asked,

"It means he is distracted, she is up to something, and you have a knack for leaping off the mountain after them chasing something that isn't there,"

Her mouth dropped open at Sesshomaru's lengthy insult.

"The lover's in love and the other's run away. The lover is crying 'cause the other won't stay, some of us hover when we weep for the other who's blind and not a lover and will jump just to have a way," Miroku recited,

Kagome looked at him shocked, and when she turned to look at Sesshomaru he was in her face, "It's not a leap of faith Miko, its a leap to your death, you claim to follow your heart but be sure to bring your head along for the ride least you have neither," He snorted air through his nose and turned "Naraku is our objective, you humans seem to stray from this often,"

"Yeah, well, what's your excuse?" Kagome asked, one hand on her hips, sticks in her other.

"I am dealing with it as we speak, I will follow the dead one,"

"You mean sneak," Kagome said,

"More like recon?" Miroku tried to help,

"You would be wise to observe just as you have been,"

Kagome sighed " Inuyasha,"

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes,

"Kagome, I think its best just until we figure out what Kikyo is actually up to, to keep this from Inuyasha,"

"But,"

"The world and Naraku do not revolve around Inuyasha Miko,"

Actually, it revolved around two Mikos, not his brother.

"This may prove difficult," Miroku touched his lips,

True, now that Sesshoamru had given it up that he had noticed something, Kagome was bound to act in a manner that his brother would notice.

"As aloof as the fool is he will notice something now that we have spoken,"

Sesshomaru thought for a moment "The Miko will come with me,"

Miroku rose an eyebrow,

"To spy on Kikyo?" Kagome asked,

"Hn,"

"And just what do I tell Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, "This seems like a red flag waving around in the air to me?"

"Figure it out Monk, come, Miko,"

Kagome dropped the sticks "Wait, what?"

She only had a moment before he took to the sky, his tail curling around her hands, taking her with him. Miroku smiled and waved and then sighed as he picked up the sticks; this was going to be fun.

True enough,

"Io, where is Kagome?"

Miroku dropped the sticks "Oddly your brother has decided to go undercover and has requested Kagome help in exchange for his aid and protection at the final battle,"
Inuyasha ears twitched. "My brother wants help from a human, and he dont protect nothing but that brat kid he keeps?"

Miroku clammed up, and Sango noticed "Your right he probably just secretly wanted to bed her tonight,"

"Io what the hell, Sango!" He made a ghastly face "I did not need that mental image thank you and like hell that would ever happen!"

"Then what are you worried about? He isn't going to kill her; he already tried that, remember?"

Inuyasha sat down and watched the soul stealers in the sky "Just different that's all,"

Miroku started the fire, and Sango sat down to "Everything is bound to change at some point that's how time works Inuyasha,"

"I think Sesshomaru has changed since your mother got to him via Rin and that hell portal," Miroku added,

The day faded into night, and Inuyasha sat watching as the soul steelers faded away "Yeah," He said, zoned out and sad. Then suddenly, he looked back at Miroku. "She gonna be gone all night?"

"Uh?" Miroku wasn't really sure though he could guess so.

Inuyasha stood "Good, ill be back,"

Before Miroku could stop him, he was gone. He sighed again and rubbed his head. Kagome was going one way, and just like always, Inuyasha was going in another. The bad part was at some point, they were all going to meet in the middle, and one would end up alone.

Sesshoamru was right. He just hoped one of them could be there to catch her if she jumped because there was no doubt in Miroku's mind that his half breed friend was going to go under,

Six feet and all kinda dead under not that any of them wanted that for him. Kagome had a future, but Inuyasha's heart died in the past, and the truth of it all is that neither Kikyo nor Inuyasha should be here. Miroku hated it, seeing the pain on Kagome's face, thinking Inuyasha was her future when clearly she was only a painful reminder of his past. Though he didn't really see the resemblance. Kagome was most definitely her own person.

Miroku looked at his hand and suddenly hoped he did not suffer the same fate. He looked at Sango. She was his here and now and he didnt want to be her past. He could only hope Sesshomaru cared just enough to help Kagome see that the future did not lie in the past or with the past, and while she could travel back, she had to always move forward.

"So, what are Kagome and Sesshomaru doing?" Sango asked as she poured hot water over the plastic cup of ramen Kagome graced them with.

Miroku made a flat face "Sneaking, but dont tell him I said that,"

Sango could only offer him a look of confusion and a raised eyebrow, which earns her a grope and him a slap. He liked it, though, and it reminded him that he was alive.