Wo

She could hear the warbles and trills of the birds around her, so she couldn't be dead –- the pain in her skull was just making her feel that way. Kagome groaned and slowly opened her eyes, shutting them quickly as the light pierced right through to her already aching brain.

" Ow…" she muttered, raising one hand to rub her temple. A rustling sound caught her attention -- the sound of cloth whispering over grass… and then a familiar voice spoke.

" Kagome?"

" I-Inuyasha?" Kagome opened her eyes again, this time shading them from the sun with her hand. She looked up to see the dog-demon's worried face peering down at her. Inuyasha was worried? She blinked. " What happened?"

" That's what I'm hoping you'll fill me in on," Inuyasha said in a low voice. He reached down and wrapped one arm around her shoulder, bringing her to an upright position before she was ready. Kagome moaned again as the world seemed to tilt on its axis for a minute, spinning crazily about her in a kaleidoscope of colours.

" Inuyasha?"

" Yeah?"

" Don't take this the wrong way, but you're making me sick."


" What?"

Kagome threw up.

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Inuyasha grumbled as he washed his feet in the cool waters of the stream Kagome had fainted by. He wasn't really angry, but the grumbles and snarls helped mask the worry he felt over Kagome being sick like that. He smirked internally; it also kept Shippo away from him out of fear of bodily harm.

Miroku and Sango were mollified after Kagome kept insisting she was fine.

" Really," she said. " After being sick, I was fine!"

Inuyasha growled again and jumped out of the water, scraping his feet against the soft grass to dry them. Kagome looked over from where she sat, watching Miroku prepare the ramen cups she had brought for their meal.

" I'm sorry, Inuyasha," she apologized again with an embarrassed blush as the dog-demon silently strode up to the group and plopped himself down next to her. He shrugged.

" I'll live." He eyed her warily. " Just...warn me next time."

Sango chuckled and Shippo guffawed, clapping his little paws over his mouth to keep Inuyasha from hearing him. Inuyasha ignored them and focused on Kagome again.

" So what happened?"

Kagome stared into the fire Sango had built, watching the flames dance on the light breeze that circled around them and across the river. Sparks popped and crackled, sounding abnormally loud in the rare silence as they waited for her answer.

The weird thing was, she really didn't have one to give. All she could remember was a flash of pain, like a flare-up of her Miko powers, but on a higher scale than anything she had ever felt before. For a split second, it was like she had been plugged in to the universe. She told her friends as much. Then the power had overloaded and her mind had short-circuited. The next thing she knew, she was waking up and puking all over Inuyasha.

Sango made a face at the graphic ending to her tale but nodded anyway. " Just before you collapsed, you had a strange look on your face, like you were in intense pain. But just before it, you looked like you were seeing paradise."

Shippo cocked his head to one side. " What did you see, Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes took on a far-away look as she recalled that split second before her world had exploded.

" A brilliant light...like a spherical jewel of unparalleled beauty..."

" Shikon no tama?" Miroku breathed, captivated.

Kagome blinked as she thought about it. " Similar...but more. Bright but dark."

" A dream of the future?" Inuyasha asked quietly. Kagome looked at him.

" I don't know."


Her answer seemed to satisfy them for the time being, and the subject was dropped. But as Miroku and the others cleaned up the campsite, Kagome's thoughts were drawn back to the moment after the brilliance. The intense pain, the icy coldness that enveloped her and pulled her down into a spiral of darkness… She shuddered at the memory. Something was wrong. She didn't know what, but she had a feeling that the biggest test for their rag-tag team was just ahead, and she could only pray that they were all strong enough to survive it.


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The demoness they had been chasing initially was easy for Inuyasha to track down, and he and Miroku dispatched it with ruthless efficiency. The fun and excitement of the hunt had been leeched away by Kagome's earlier collapse, and they all agreed that it was in everyone's best interest to conclude this little expedition and return to the village for a bit of rest and recuperation.

Kagome was mortified that everyone was willing to change their plans on a whim like that for her sake, and it took a great deal to convince her that it was everyone's choice and that they weren't going to change their minds. She initially grumped all the way home but as they reached the outskirts of the village and the children ran out to greet them in their usual exuberant manner, she found a sense of relief at the thought of taking a breather. She smiled - as usual, her friends' judgement was sound, and she told them so as they neared Kaede's hut.

" Kaede-obassan!" she called out. The village matriarch poked her head out through the door and her wizened face turned up in a small but warm smile at their welcome.

Kaede was the younger sister of the recently revived and rejuvenated Kikyo, but time had played its game on her, and played it well. Wrinkles creased her tanned face, and the black eye patch spoke of the many trials she had faced in her life. There was no trace of the young girl she had been, save for her one remaining eye which sparked with life and fire, even more than ever since Kagome and Inuyasha had been brought into to her life, bringing with them the excitement and adventure she had participated in during her youth. Kagome rushed at the older woman and hugged her.

" Welcome, child," Kaede said, patting her back. " That was a short trip, wasn't it?"

Then her eyes narrowed. Kagome saw the look on her face and sighed - she should have known Kaede would know that something had happened.

Kaede closed her eyes and reached out with her fading Miko powers. Once the sister of the most powerful Miko of all, Kaede had a claim to those same powers, too. While not on the same level as Kikyo or Kagome, she nonetheless retained the ability to sense when something was wrong with someone's aura.

" Your spirit took a beating, Kagome," she murmured, 'seeing' Kagome with her mind. The girl's aura was a vibrant red but there were darker patches sprouting over it. " Did someone attack you?"

" I'm not sure," Kagome confessed. " I was unconscious at the time."

Kaede nodded. She had felt something strange a day or so ago, but had dismissed it when the fleeting feeling passed without recurrence. Now she wished she had paid more attention to it.

" Well, you seem to be fine for now. A few days rest should see your spirit back to its normal self." The old woman looked up and finally greeted the rest of the group. " Good to see you again, Sango, Miroku."

Sango bowed her head in respect and Miroku gallantly tried to kiss her hand, but the cagey woman backhanded him out of the way. Miroku hit the ground and rubbed his arm with a rueful smile.

" One of these days I'll learn I can't pull anything on you," he grinned. Kaede cackled. Shippo launched himself at his adopted grandmother.

" Kaede-obassan!"

" Hello to you too, Shippo-chan," Kaede greeted the kit, ruffling his fur fondly. " Have you been keeping an eye on Inuyasha?"

" He doesn't make it easy," the kit sighed.

" Feh!"

Kaede looked up and saw Inuyasha sprawled out along a tree branch, hands behind his head and his eyes closed.

" Welcome back, mutt!"

" Hello to you, too, old crone."

Kagome grinned. Inuyasha would rather die then admit his fondness for the tough old woman. His insults were a way of hiding his affections, and like her, Kaede saw right through them. Kaede turned back to Kagome.

" I'm sure you're all tired. I had a feeling you'd be back sooner than expected, and had some of the village boys bring me back some more food supplies."

Kagome's eyes shined. " Rabbit stew with vegetables?" Suddenly she and Shippo vanished through the doors, leaving a trail of dust behind them.

Sango grinned. " Let's follow their example."

Miroku bowed. " After you."

Sango glared and pushed him ahead of her. " Uh-huh. I wasn't born yesterday, priest."

Miroku snapped his fingers as he was prodded through the doors. " Curses. Foiled again!"



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Yuusuke had always considered himself to be a decent enough guy. Sure, he played a little loosely with the rules, and yeah, his respect for teachers was...somewhat less then what it should be. But he always treated his elders with respect...except his mother -- but then again, she didn't really act like an adult to begin with, anyway....

Yuusuke mentally smacked himself, shocking his thoughts back into some kind of order. So anyway, he wasn't a bad guy, right? That was the deal: save child, get killed, get brought back, use gnarly powers and save humanity. He was a hero.


Therefore, Rei-gunning the little old man dancing in front of him, waving paper strips in the air and dousing him with alcohol would be a bad thing to do.

Another strip of paper with an undecipherable kanji character on it struck his forehead and dangled between his eyes.

" Oi!" Yuusuke tore the strip off and chucked it at Kuwabara, who laughed and ducked. " Why isn't he throwing paper at you?"

" Not sure, man! Geez, he really doesn't like you!" Kuwabara backed away from the fuming Urameshi, still chuckling.

After meeting with Koenma, the two had gotten started on their mission right away, going through the Reikai Gate and landing directly in front of the shrine where the supposed 'time travelling well' was housed. Both had thought this part of the mission would be simple: meet Kagome, get her to take them through the well, and start looking for shard pieces, right? No sweat.

Then the shrine's owner had come out to greet them. The little old man had taken one look at Yuusuke before he paled, grabbed a small bottle of alcohol from his robe, and began chanting and throwing things, alternating between splashes of the alcohol and pieces of paper Kuwabara had recognized as a beginner's attempts at wards. He noted several mistakes right off the bat and winced. A rough beginner, at that.

Kuwabara picked up the one Yuusuke had thrown at him and studied it. The alcohol he identified, with a sniff and a wince, as very strong vodka, smearing some of the ink, but he thought he recognized the sign for demon.

He cackled.

" Oi, Urameshi!" He waved his arm to get Yuusuke's attention. Yuusuke growled as another ward struck his arm.

" What!?"

" He thinks you're a demon!"

" Demon?" Yuusuke blinked. Of course - as a shrine owner, the old man was probably sensitive to strong or unusual auras. Being a resurrected agent of heaven was probably setting off Grampa's spiritual alarms. " Figures. Gramps! Yo! Hold up, I'm not a demon!"

He jumped back and hid behind Kuwabara as the man froze and stared at them suspiciously, cocking his head to one side.

" Not a demon, you say?"

He came closer and leaned forward, scrutinizing the black-haired boy closely.

" That's a pretty strange aura you have there, son."

Yuusuke shrugged. " Do I look like a demon to you?"

The old man gave him one last look and then his lips curled up into a huge smile. 

" You must be right. Besides, if you were a demon, those wards would burned off your flesh by now, and your bones melted by the holy water—"

" You mean these things?" Yuusuke growled, holding out one of the wards. " You misspelled 'banished'."

The man turned red. " Not important, I assure you."

Kuwabara snorted. " Holy water? Only if you're holding services in a Russian bar."


" That's stronger than Mom's junk," Yuusuke agreed, taking his jacket off and wringing it out with a grimace. The old man began to bluster.

" I'll have you know--"

" Grandpa?"

A little boy peered around the side of the house and then ran up to them. He bowed politely to Yuusuke and Kuwabara.

" Welcome to the Higureshi shrine," he greeted them. His eyes crossed and he sniffed. Yuusuke groaned but then the boy whirled around and looked accusingly at his grandfather.

" Grandpa! Momma told you to stop doing that!"

" Your mother would rather we be attacked by demons?" The old man countered defensively, clutching his bottle to him. Kuwabara chuckled.

" So it's not just strangers he throws alcohol at?"

The boy sweat dropped. " My apologies. My name is Sota. "

Kuwabara shook the youths hand. " Nice to meetcha', Sota. I'm Kuwabara and the lush here is Yuusuke."

Yuusuke smacked the orange-haired boy and then extended a hand of his own. " You're charmed, I'm sure. We're looking for Kagome. Is she your sister?"

The boy's face became somewhat guarded at the mention of his sister, and Yuusuke had the feeling he had just stepped on to some very dangerous ground.

" Who wants to know?"

Bingo.

" We're friends of hers from school," he lied smoothly. " We need to ask her something very important."

The boy studied them for a moment and Yuusuke fidgeted under the intense scrutiny. It was almost humorous, feeling nervous of a boy who couldn't be more then eight or nine years old at the most.

" She's not here," Sota said finally. " I'll tell her you were here the next time she's home."

Kuwabara blinked and then looked knowingly at Yuusuke. The black-haired boy caught his eye and they both turned to Sota.

" She's in the past, isn't she?" Yuusuke prodded. He still didn't know if he wanted to believe in time travel but he still had to carry out his investigation. And it looked like he struck pay dirt - the boy's eyebrows shot straight up to his hairline.

" How did you--"

" See? Demons!" The old man fumbled for his bottle and Yuusuke sighed. Tired of playing around, he caught the man's wrist before he could spray him again and dumped the contents on the ground. Then he set the bottle on the ground very deliberately and stood back, folding his arms.

The old man looked at the puddle of rapidly evaporating alcohol and sighed mournfully. Such a waste....


" How do you know about that?" Sota pressed, pushing past his grandfather and staring Yuusuke in the face.

" It's something we really need to discuss with her," Yuusuke said, scratching the back of his head. Kuwabara nodded.

" We're not here to hurt her, kid. We're actually here to help. We need to help her find some kind of shards to stop a....bad guy..." he finished rather lamely. Sota raised one eyebrow.

" Human or demon?"

Kuwabara gaped at the boy and Yuusuke grinned. " Kids today. Can't keep anything from them." He moved past Kuwabara and squatted in front of Sota. " Look, Sota, you seem like a smart guy."

" I am," Sota nodded proudly.

" Well, I'm gonna share a secret with you. Me and him--" he jerked a thumb in Kuwabara's direction."--are members of the Reikai Tantei. We're demon killers."

If he thought his words were going to shock and amaze, Yuusuke was sorely disappointed. Sota folded his arms, not looking very impressed. " Yeah? Prove it."

Yuusuke laughed. He really liked this kid. " You got it, pal." Turning around, he looked for an appropriate target. Spotting a rotting tree stump, he gestured to Sota who watched him carefully. Taking aim, Yuusuke focused his energy and let a small ball form at his fingertip. With little more then a thought, he let it fly and the stump exploded into kindling. Sota watched the smouldering shards with an amazed look on his young face, and his grandfather fainted dead away. Yuusuke blew the excess ki off his finger like it was the smoking barrel of a gun and turned to the boy. He mentally smacked himself as he saw the look of amazement change to one of fear.

" Aw geez...look, Sota, I did that for a reason and it wasn't to scare you, okay?" He crouched down to the boy's eye level again. " If I really wanted to hurt you, I could have attacked you or your home instead of that dead tree stump, right?"

Sota nodded, eyes wide.

" Well, I didn't hit you or anything else, because I'm not a bad guy. Even if you never tell me anything, I wouldn't hurt you, got it?"

Sota nodded again and the fear turned to thoughtfulness, as he seemed to chew on that thought.

He was an intelligent child, and blessed with an intuitive sense about people. Kind-hearted to a fault, he liked to presume the best about people and their motives. This Yuusuke character seemed like an okay kind of guy. A little gruff but not really mean...his eyes lit up as a thought struck him.

" You're just like Inuyasha-niichan!"

" Inu-whahoo-chan?" Yuusuke repeated blankly. Whatever response he had been expecting, that wasn't it. Sota nodded, his eyes shining.

" Inuyasha-niichan! He helps Kagome all the time! And he's a nice guy - even though he acts real tough and mean. You're like him, aren't you? You're going to help Kagome?"

Yuusuke scratched his head and tossed Kuwabara a look that pleaded for help. " Ahh..."

" Come on!" Sota grabbed hold of his free hand and began dragging the juvenile delinquent across the Shrine grounds. Kuwabara snickered as he watched the most feared spirit detective in the three worlds being shanghaied by a child

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" This is it?"

Yuusuke and Kuwabara looked down into the damp, dark interior of the ancient well. Slippery moss crawled up the sides, and through the murky gloom they could just make out a few rocks and shadowy shapes lining the bottom.

" Doesn't look like much," Kuwabara commented, tossing in a pebble.

" I know." Yuusuke folded his arms. " I don't see how this leads back through time - it looks like a normal well to me."

Sota shrugged. " When Kagome or Inuyasha jump down, it changes colours and they sink through the ground. I can't get through so maybe you can't either."

Yuusuke sighed. " Well, may as well check it out, eh?" Jumping on the ledge easily, he leaped to the floor of the well. His feet struck the ground. Nothing. Well, based on Koenma's track record for accuracy, he couldn't really say he was surprised.


" Figures. Kuwabara, remind me to string Koenma up by his pacifier!" he railed, looking up at the tow-headed teen who peered over the side, blinking at him.

" Umm...Urameshi?"

" Time travelling wells...I shoulda' known Koenma was pulling our chain..."

" Oi! Urameshi!"

" And to tease me about Yakumo - I'm gonna beat him like a piñata..."

" YUUSUKE!"

" Huh?" Yuusuke blinked at Kuwabara's bellow. " What?"

" That!" Kuwabara pointed at his feet and Yuusuke looked down to see a strange glow spreading across the floor of the well.

" What the..."

" You always were the impatient one," Kuwabara grinned. The larger boy placed his hands on the weather-beaten ledge of the well and vaulted down next to his friend. Sota watched in amazement as the two boys began to sink through the floor, catching their last few words as they disappeared.

" Once more into the breach!"

" Where'd you steal that line?"

" Some book I read..."

" You can read?"

" Shut up!"

Sota snickered as the bickering faded away.


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Naraku sat in his usual perch by the large front opening to his castle, one leg dangling down from the ledge in a deceptively nonchalant

manner. His eyes were hidden from casual view by a veil of dark hair that cascaded down across the open folds of his tunic. One hand played idly with his piece of the Shikon no Tama.

It was actually amusing that such a tiny thing could hold such power. Naraku was no fool - he knew better then anyone what kind of power the jewel, in one piece, held for those with youkai blood. Even the low-level creatures that sought the individual shards only had an elusive grasp of the situation - they were too dull-witted to understand the destructive forces they were privy to when they held a shard in their grungy.

" Still playing with your knick-knack?"  A darkly amused voice cut into Naraku's internal monologue and he caught the jewel up in one hand. The voice was unmistakeable and he spoke without turning around.

" Good evening, Kikyo."

" Naraku." The former priestess inclined her head towards him.

" Gracing me with your presence again so soon?"

Kikyo gave a decidedly unladylike snort. " If you would like to believe so." She knelt down on the floor, across from him, dark eyes almost burning through the curtain of hair that barred her view of his eyes. " I thought you might be interested to know of the wave of spiritual energy that was just unleashed."

" You're growing slow in your old age, Kikyo," the half-youkai chuckled. " You think one of my ability would not sense a power of that magnitude?" His thumb rubbed across the top of the Shikon shard cradled in his palm. " I was aware of it the moment it occurred."

Kikyo smiled. " Really. Tell me - how much did you really feel?"

Naraku's hands stilled. " What should I have felt?" His tone was curious.

The priestess studied his motionless form for a minute, and then nodded. " I see." She then rose to her feet in one smooth movement, the soft rustling of her ceremonial robes the only sound in the empty room. " I apologize for disturbing you. I will be in the village should you need me."

" I always know where you are, Kikyo-sama," Naraku stressed her old title with a hint of sarcasm. " Thank you for your concern."

Kikyo merely turned on her heel, striding from the room. She exited the castle without a backwards look. Her thoughts whirled in her mind like wind dervishes, chasing each other up one side and down the other.

Naraku had felt something, that much was plain. She almost thought she could see a faint glow come from the shards in his hand when he spoke. But he hadn't felt the true wave that she had, that much was also certain. He was still conscious, after all.

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Naraku watched silently as Kikyo left his chambers. She would have to be watched carefully, he knew. A deadly and dangerous game she was playing – and one that he was not certain she could win. The dog demon was a formidable foe and as much as she professed to despise him, revelling in the freedom that hate could bring, she was still in love with him. For that reason alone, she could steal his Shikon shard and give it to the one who could use it to destroy him.

You worry far too much.

Naraku wrenched himself up as the quiet but forceful voice echoed in his mind, bouncing off his consciousness like a villager's hammer.

" Who dares? " he snarled, snapping his head from left to right. " Who dares enter my mind? Show yourself!"

A hoarse cackle met his challenge and Naraku's eyes widened ever so slightly before narrowing again as a white mist slowly seeped in to the room, bathing the room in a wispy shroud that taxed even his considerable senses as he peered through the gloom. He could sense something that wasn't there before – an aura he didn't recognize yet at the same time, felt strangely familiar. It was a sort of? darkness, one with a purity of hatred and evil that he could not even attempt to match in intensity. He waved one hand angrily, dispelling some of the mist near his face and growled as it continued to fill the room.

" Parlour tricks," he hissed. " Who are you?" Unbidden, the nails on his hands lengthened to claws and his muscles tensed. The presence continued to grow, and so did its level of power until Naraku suddenly felt dwarfed by its sheer aura.

I am the true owner of the sphere…

The voice, silky smooth and filled with malevolence flitted through Naraku's voice; his fists clenched.

" What do you mean true owner? And what sphere do you refer to?"

The sphere…it is damaged…did you damage the power sphere?

Naraku's eyes widened as he felt a ghostly hand reach out and trail chilly fingers down his neck and chest, coming to the end of the cord he had attached to the Shikon shards that he wore around his neck.

" The Shikon…"

The power sphere…my power sphere…what have you done to it?

It had been a long time since Naraku had felt anything remotely resembling fear. He had welcomed a horde of demons to consume his flesh and make him one of them – he had more power then anything else in the land. Yet the voice speaking to him was ancient, speaking of a terrible future for him if he did not give an answer the voice liked. Naraku swallowed; the aura was growing impossibly, and suddenly the winds began to whip around the room, sending his robes tossing in a wild dance with an invisible partner. He cried out as electricity suddenly ripped down his spinal cord, his youkai powers captured by this strange menace.

You did not do this…the one who did…?

" She is Kagome!" Naraku burst out. He forgot his own agenda, his own abilities and focused on trying to control the overwhelming fear racing through him. He couldn't understand it – he had always been so powerful, the one feared by all who dared cross his path. He thought nothing of killing, slaughtering anyone he chose on a whim and exercising his control with wild abandon.

But this being was far more, something superior even to him and he could sense it. But still… Naraku's fear suddenly abated somewhat and he slumped to the ground as the mists rolled back. Opening his eyes, Naraku looked up to see the white curtains pull back, revealing a tall, lean figure of pale skin and icy black eyes, old as time itself, staring back at him. Naraku's mind raced as the memories of a thousand demons shouted in his head and a name came unbidden to his lips.

" Yakumo…"

The demon stepped forward, each step shaking off waves of power that would have bowled the smaller demon over, had his own power not been the level it was. Naraku froze as he watched the approach of the oldest, most powerful demon in history step towards him and he stifled the automatic whimper that welled up in his throat.

" Master…"

" Yesss…" Yakumo hissed. " You know me now, young one. As I know you." One hand reached out and gently stroked the long strands of dark brown hair framing Naraku's face. " You are quite powerful for one so young. You think you are worthy of owning my power? That you alone can contain it?"

Naraku couldn't move.

Yakumo laughed harshly. " Maybe you could, young one." The hand trailing down Naraku's face suddenly gripped the demons chin in his hand, jerking his head up to meet his eyes. " But as long as I exist in this realm, that power belongs to me, and me alone. You will help me retrieve what is mine." He reached down and ripped the Shikon shard off the cord and cradled it in his palm. " Starting with this one." He chuckled. " Perhaps I shall reward you for your efforts. I seem to be lacking an army at the moment. "

Naraku nodded, still paralysed with terror. Yakumo raised the shard to his eyes and caressed it gently. The Sphere was in pain; he could feel it longing to be whole again.

" Soon," he cooed at it, black eyes flashing ominously. " Soon…"

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Inuyasha watched as Kagome, Sango and the rest dug into the hot stew that Kaede set out for them. He wasn't that hungry – for some reason, his senses were on the alert. The air smelled bad, like the lingering stench of a slaughtered oni. He frowned – he hadn't killed anything in the village that day, or for a long time now, come to think of it. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end and it was driving him crazy since he couldn't find a plausible reason for his guard to be up so blasted high!

" Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice broke into his milling thoughts, and he shook his head slightly, clearing away the aftermath of his disturbing mental monologue.

" What?"

" Aren't you hungry?" Kagome eyed him worriedly before handing out a bowl filled to the brim. " You haven't eaten all day."

Despite his unease, Inuyasha couldn't stop his nose from twitching, inhaling the delicious scent of roasted rabbit. His mouth watered and his tongue snaked out to lick his chops. Kagome smiled knowingly and turned back to her meal.

About to dig in, a new scent suddenly drifted into the hut, carried on a faint breeze. The smell was slight, but it was enough to make Inuyasha's ears prick forwards. His lip curled upwards in a snarl and a rumbling growl issued from his throat. Kagome whirled around at the sounds she knew as 'Angry Inuyasha'.

" Inuyasha?"

But he was already gone. The heavy cloth doorway flapped gently in the wake of his passing.

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The feeling of sinking through the dirt floor of the well was akin to sinking in quicksand, but since Yuusuke had never actually gotten stuck in quicksand - yet - he could only guess that it was a reasonable comparison.

" My feet are disappearing," he informed Kuwabara casually. " And I can see the light."

Kuwabara was blinking rapidly as a myriad of colours flashed and rippled before his eyes. Streaks of red, gold, violet, blue and green seemed to envelope and wrap around them, carrying them down to an end they couldn't see.

" I always wondered what the inside of a rainbow would look like," he grinned. " Think there's a pot of gold at the end of this ride?"

" Dunno. But if I start seeing leprechauns, I'm going to make sure I dye Koenma's office this mess of colours before they haul me off on a little red wagon to the place where people scribble on the walls all day."

Kuwabara laughed out loud and then the world suddenly up-ended itself dumping them to a solid ground that hadn't been there two minutes before. He yelped, flailing his arms wildly and hit the ground, managing to snag Yuusuke's arm in a last-ditch effort to regain his balance and bringing the black-haired boy down with him.

" Saa...." Yuusuke groaned as he rubbed his nose; his abrupt landing had it planted in the loose soil. " Why'd you grab on to me? I was falling too!"

" If I go down, I like to bring my friends with me," Kuwabara choked out. He sneezed out a noseful of dirt. " And you were the closest thing to try and break my fall."

" What a pal," Yuusuke muttered. He pushed himself up and stood, reaching down to give Kuwabara a hand up. " Think we made it?"

" I would say yes."

" And why would you say that?"

A growl started low in the background and then suddenly grew louder. Yuusuke froze and looked up to see a long-haired demon with two fuzzy ears and what appeared to be the biggest freaking sword he had ever seen straddling the top of the well and snarling down at them. Kuwabara cleared his throat.

" That would be why."

Yuusuke glared at the unrepentant thug he called a best friend and then turned his attention to the snarling.... whatever it was above them. He raised his hands, cracking his knuckles in eager anticipation. His lip curled up in a half-sneer.

" Bad dog."

With that, he let loose a rei-gun blast directly at the demon.


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Inuyasha's eyes were sharp enough to pick out every single detail of the strangers in the well. They were human from what he could tell but their aura's were incredibly strong, much more then a normal humans should be. He growled.

These strangers had come from Kagome's time, from Kagome's home. Who knew what they were up too - and could they possibly have something to do with her earlier collapse? Were they a part of the dark premonition she spoke of?

Fear for Kagome's safety rose up in his chest until it threatened to overwhelm him. His muscles tensed under the heavy fire-rat cloak he wore and he snarled. Freeing Tetsaiga from it's sheath, he readied himself, staring down at the two, willing them to make a move, daring them to give him an excuse to hurt them.

A light flickered and Inuyasha blinked. The boy's hand was glowing. Then he spoke.

" Bad dog."

Before Inuyasha could snarl a retort, the light left the boy's hand and flew at him. Inuyasha threw his hand up over his eyes as the blast struck him square in the chest, throwing him back. His back struck a large oak tree, leaving a sizeable dent in the rough bark, and he fell to the ground with a grunt. His chest was burning, and for a second he couldn't breathe.

His instincts then kicked in and he got to his feet. His grip on Tetsaiga hadn't faltered and he resumed his ready stance as the boy in green leaped out of the well and landed on the grass. The one in blue was less agilely inclined and lumbered after his friend, throwing one muscled arm over the rim of the well and hauling himself up with considerable effort.

Inuyasha smirked at the look of disbelief on the blue male's face. Apparently he had expected it to be a one-blow battle.

" Come get me, human," he growled, his eyes igniting with golden fire. The young man's eyes narrowed and another glow began to emanate from his closed fist.

" STOP!"

Inuyasha's head snapped to the side in time to see Kagome skid to a halt right between them. Her hands were held up she gave them both looks that promised certain doom if they did not obey her that instant. The two boys gave each other a look and shrugged. The one in green abruptly sat down on the ledge and propped his chin in his hand, watching the proceedings with interest. The one Inuyasha had been fighting held out his hand and let the glowing ball of energy fade away into nothing. Inuyasha's eyes lit up again.

NOW! He flung himself into the air. The boy in blue tensed.

" OWSURI!"

The beaded collar around Inuyasha's neck flashed once and then a great heavy force rapidly pulled Inuyasha face-first to the ground, planting him about a foot into the ground. His jaw snapped together with an audible click and he growled reflexively as pain issued forth in little shockwaves up and down his spine. His eyes promised revenge as he slowly lifted his head and stared at Kagome.

" What do you think you're doing?" he snapped at her.


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When the girl had run out in between them, Yuusuke had frozen, not wanting to hit an innocent with his deadly rei gun. He looked at Kuwabara who shrugged and plunked himself down on the well. Yuusuke nodded and let the blast fade away. It took some effort and he hoped that demon damn well appreciated what he was doing. The girl was sending death glares to them now and he opened his mouth to say something reassuring when he noticed movement behind her.

The demon was on his feet, leaping into the air--

" OWSURI!"

" What the hell?" Kuwabara blurted out as he and Yuusuke watched with fascination as the creature changed directions in mid-air, slamming into the ground at an incredible rate. Yuusuke winced. Demon or no, that HAD to hurt. The demon's head lifted and he yelled at the girl still standing there.

" What the hell are you doing?"

The girl looked over her shoulder at the demon. " Would you wait a minute? Coming through the well from MY side doesn't mean everyone coming through is a threat!"

" You're too trusting!"

" Well, you're too paranoid!"

" Umm, excuse me?" Yuusuke waved his hands to get their attention but the verbal exchange suddenly escalated into a screaming match and they easily drowned out Yuusuke's shouts.

Kuwabara watched the verbal battle in amusement. It was almost scary how much they sounded like a certain leader of his and his fiery girlfriend. Just then, the sound of a throat clearing came from behind him. Without thinking twice, Kuwabara's rei sword manifested and he pointed it behind him before turning his head.

A young man with short dark hair and wearing blue robes stood calmly behind him, apparently unfazed by the glowing sword held near his throat. Kuwabara absently noted the rosary circling the wrist and hand of his right arm and then a sharp point appeared at his own throat. Turning his head, he saw a young woman dressed head to toe in a black and pink bodysuit with metal plating around her legs and forearms.

" You will please remove your sword from Miroku's throat," she requested in a polite but firm voice. Her eyes were flat and hard and Kuwabara nearly flinched. Tough he may be, but he was still a teenager, and the woman before him had eyes far more ancient then someone of her apparent age should have. Kuwabara weighed his options quickly and decided that he would take the peaceful route. After all, the man - Miroku, apparently - had tried to alert him to his presence but his own jumpy nature had replied with 'sword first, talk later.' With a thought, the sword disappeared. As it did, the girl stepped back and Kuwabara saw what she had been holding to his throat.

It looked like a large boomerang, with handles at the sides for easy carrying, and razor-edged ends.

" Hiroikotsu."

" Huh?" Kuwabara looked up from the weapon to meet the woman's eyes. They were a bit warmer now but still wary of any sudden moves.

" My weapon is called the Hiroikotsu."

" Cool," Kuwabara nodded. " Excuse me." He peered around the young woman to see Yuusuke sitting cross-legged on the ground, watching the girl and the demon scream at each other with a huge grin on his face. Kuwabara looked around, spotted a stone, picked it up and threw it at Yuusuke's head.

" Oi! Urameshi!"

Yuusuke growled and rubbed his head, turning to yell at him when he saw the two strangers. Kuwabara looked at him, pointed at the woman's huge weapon and then crossed his arms, glaring. Yuusuke put a hand behind his head as he gave a nervous laugh.

" Ehehehehe...sorry Kuwabara."

" I'll give you sorry," Kuwabara muttered. He turned to the man and woman and bowed. He caught the priest's eye. " Sorry about the sword, man."

" Apology not necessary," the man chuckled. " I thought you knew I was there." He extended a hand. " My name is Miroku. This lovely young woman is Sango."

The orange-haired shook his hand. " Kuwabara. That lunkhead is Yuusuke."

Sango bowed her head in return. " I apologize also."

Kuwabara waved her off. " I started it."

Yuusuke grinned. " I didn't sense any danger so I didn't think to look up." He threw a glance over his shoulder at the two behind him who suddenly stopped yelling and had turned their backs on each other and were pouting. Yuusuke nearly snickered - the scary, snarling demon was actually pouting.

" Oi, are they always like that?" he asked, pointing at them. Miroku and Sango exchanged similar looks of long-sufferance before nodding resignedly.

" Yes."

The girl suddenly remembered why she had stopped the fight in the first place and bounded over. Despite the pout still fixed firmly in place, the demon followed behind her, keeping an untrusting eye on the two newcomers. Yuusuke saw the protective stance he took up behind the girl and relaxed a little bit. THAT explained a little about why he was so hostile.

The girl smiled. " Hi! My name is Kagome. This is Inuyasha. I'm sorry if he scared you - he hasn't had too many good experiences with strangers."

Yuusuke grinned. " No problem." Then he blinked. " Did you say your name is Kagome?" He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the picture from Koenma's files. Yep, that was her all right, and she confirmed it with a surprised look.

" Where did you get that?" she asked, pointing at the picture. Yuusuke put it away and sighed.

" It's a long story," he admitted. " But we're here for an important reason. It has to do with a power sphere and an evil demon named Yakumo."

" Power sphere?" Kagome wrinkled her nose. The name wasn't familiar to her. She looked at Inuyasha but the demon was still avoiding her gaze. " I'm sorry, I don't think--"

" Wait, Urameshi. Koenma called it something different once, a sheika-something." Kuwabara squinted as he tried to recall the name. Kagome's eyes narrowed and Inuyasha's popped open, his muscles tensing.

" You don't mean the Shikon no Tama, do you?" she asked carefully. Yuusuke looked relieved.

" Yeah, that's it!" he grinned. " You ARE the one we were sent to help!"

" Sent to help?" Miroku asked.

" By who?" Inuyasha growled.

Yuusuke sweated as the attention suddenly shifted to him. " Well...it's kind of a long story...."

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There are two realms in the known Universe where life flourishes, growing and changing down an unending river of time. They exist, side-by-side, forever intertwined, unable to go on without the other.

During the early Han Dynasty, there was a following of Han philosophers that believed in the theory of Yin and Yang. The theory divided into two opposite principles, or two principles, which oppose one another in their actions, known as the Yin and Yang. The symbol of the principles was the Tao, one circle, half white, half black, with a piece of itself in the opposite. Two sides of a coin. The dark and the light.

On one side there is the lighter realm, the world of life, of joy, of birth and rebirth. Generation upon generation throughout the ages, thriving, growing, living and learning in a world where hope sprung eternal. Considered to be the Gods crowning achievement in creation, the Ningenki is the world of humans.

But as with the Tao, there is a counter to the light. A harsher realm where demons roam freely, living and growing in their own right, but in a much crueller, colder, more dangerous fashion. It is a world of war, of battle and of treachery. It is a place where the strong survive and the weak are killed mercilessly. It is the darker part of the universe, a necessary evil to keep the balance on an even keel.

The Makai had a lot of similarities to the Ningenkai. Demons told tales of their epic battles in bloody wars fought over territories over centuries. Tales of fights, of triumphs, of failures. And then there were the tales of legends. Of rogue demons, clan-less, serving no master but themselves. The stories mixed in with the strong stench of demon whiskey and were inhaled and absorbed over bloody carcasses that served as dinner. The most famous of them all was the legend of the Youko.

'The Great Seducer' they cried as they slammed back heavy metal tankards of ale that would rip the roof of your mouth off without pause. 'The Greatest Thief of all time!' The Youko's praises were sung to the rafters by demons that alternately shivered with fear and awe at the mention of his name. He, who stole from the Gods themselves. He, whom no cage could hold. He, who sacrificed any and all to get to his goal and showed no remorse or regret for his actions. He was the merciless killer, the Cold-Blooded one. He was Kurama.

The elder demons would down their drinks after toasting the greatest of them all, the rogue kitsune abandoned by his own clan, rising to ill fame. He lasted longer then any other demon when the Hunter was set after him. Hunters were notoriously stubborn and single-minded. Once given a mission, they would not stop until it was completed. They did not feel pain. They did not feel fear. All they knew was the hunt, and hunt they did.

After eluding death for so long, it was only a matter of time before the Youko was brought to his knees, the old ones say sadly, shaking their heads and signalling for more ale. They lament not the loss of a demon, but the end of a glorious chase. Fearful they may be of who he is, but in the realm where survival of the fittest remains the only true rule, respect is always paid to those who deserve it, and there was no one more deserving then the Kurama.


But while the greater population of the Makai mourn the loss of their shady hero, the truth of the matter is that Kurama did not perish that fateful day, at the hands of the Hunter. The Youko was a powerful kitsune, far more so then any of his brethren, possessing rare arcane knowledge unheard of by most of even the oldest youkai. Kurama sent his soul to the Ningenkai, the realm of the light and was reborn to a human woman. But our tale does not stop there.

Kurama, now half-mortal, was given the heart of a human, and in his short life among man, learned how to laugh, how to smile, and how to live.

He also learned how to love.

Giving his heart away to the one he felt was most deserving of it, Kurama always keeps track of his possessions.

And so, sixteen years after his rebirth into the light, the Youko is brought back and the chase has already begun.

Kurama was on the hunt again.



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A small, black-tipped nose poked its way through the lush foliage, nudging aside the small branches that concealed the creatures view. Before it, a huge structure lay directly ahead, all rock and mortar, with turrets and walls stretching up as high as he could see. Banners waved from the very tips, the colours flashing as they fell across the light's path. Armed guards strode back and forth across the walkways, patrolling the walls and keeping watch for any possible invaders. The heavy metal armour they wore kept a steady rhythmic clanking sound in time to their lengthy strides and the sound reached the loudest point as the guard reached the wall and peered over. The fox remained still, and seeing nothing, the guard then made an about-face and headed back the way he came.

The nose disappeared for a minute, branches rustling. The broad flat leaves parted again, and a small silver fox crept slowly out from the bushes, keeping low to the ground. It's six tails, normally bushy and wagging in accordance with his moods, slid across the earth, barely touching the ground, scraping just enough to blur his footprints.

The fox waited, biding its time until he saw the guards reach the end of the wall. When they did, they entered the end turrets to scan further distances through the huge lenses placed in the turret openings. They would take approximately ten seconds to conduct a full sweep of the horizon before exiting the turret and walking back along the wall. Kurama was nothing if not thorough when it came to his potential marks. The fox's muscles tensed, readying themselves in anticipation. The soldier entered the turret.

NOW!

Only a silver blur marked his passing as the fox leaped into the air, landing without sound at the foot of the moat. Streaking along the bottom, ducking in and out amongst the weeds fringing the edges, Kurama mentally counted down the seconds. With two to go, the kitsune breathed a soft sigh of relief as the lowered drawbridge came into sight. There were more guards posted along the top and several on land and the actual entrance into the castle was sealed by a steel grate, interwoven so tightly only a mouse could probably get through. The fox sniffed - he could smell wards, strong ones. He grinned mentally - it was nothing he couldn't avoid. Over the course of the years, Kurama had come across many inventive and tricky outer wards and very few proved to be of any real difficulty. The real problem was getting past the inner wards, designed to detect any strange ki that entered the castle.

The fox batted a few rocks loose and used his ki to hit them even further away, tripping the far wards and alerting a few of the guards in that direction. He watched silently as they fanned out to search for whatever had set them off.

The rest of the guards remained in place and Kurama nodded with satisfaction. At least there were only half of them now, which made things a bit more manageable. The kitsune took a deep breath and suppressed its ki completely, draining a bit of himself in the process. Then, before he lost his nerve, he threw himself upward and extended razor sharp claws, clinging to the underside of the drawbridge. Its tails quickly tucked up tight against its body and slowly, the fox began to crawl across the belly of the drawbridge.

It was hard suppressing its ki so completely and concentrating on maintaining such a tight grip on the rotting wood but as the fox gave a quick glance downward to see the waters ripple ever so slightly as a dark shadow passed beneath him, he decided falling or letting his ki be detected was an even worse thing to bear and so the fox firmly fixed his eyes ahead of him again and moved on.

Reaching the end, a strong power wave met him and the fox froze. A ward was under the bridge. Still, it was not unexpected. Extending his senses, the fox quickly determined it was a low-grade ward, mainly for frightening off Makai animals and youkai so weak they weren't even worth registering. The fox snorted in amusement and raised his ki to match the ward.

It was a trick he'd picked up sometime ago and it only worked with wards designed to scare away rather then do any kind of damage. Matching the ward's power level, Kurama focused all of his energy into matching the signature. That took a little more effort, but eventually, his ki glowed with a faint orange tinge and the ward did nothing more then flicker faintly as he passed through it.

There was a small grassy ledge directly beneath the drawbridge and the fox leaped to it, landing lightly and resting for a second. So far so good but cockiness was something to be avoided. Directly above was the gate and Kurama grinned.

Sending a burst of power outwards, Kurama caused a couple of huge dead trees in the forest to fall with a might collapse. To the guards watching, it looked like something had knocked them over, but they were too busy looking around for something large enough to cause that to see the tiny vines wrapped around the massive trunks, slither away without a sound. Kurama peeked out and saw the guards had moved away the gate to watch their fellow guards race off into the forest. Holding his breath, Kurama focused.

When he changed forms, from human, to half-kitsune to his actual fox form, he turned into a spirit for a few seconds. He was aware that his teammates thought it was mere theatrics and dramatics on his part to summon mist. He chuckled silently as he wondered what they would think if they knew it wasn't mist but his actual spirit they were seeing, a non-corporeal form that hid his transformation from the view of others. It was the same trick he'd pulled sixteen years ago to enter the human world, and subsequently, his chosen host. It also made it very easy to disappear on foggy nights.

Still, maintaining his spirit form was extremely difficult and he moved quickly, slipping through one of the tiny holes in the gate and materializing directly behind the first solid object he could see; a large barrel. Shifting to fox-form, he again took a short breather to plan his next move. Deciding it was better to let the furor die down, seeing as how the castle's perimeter defences were now up in arms, the fox settled itself behind the barrel, curling up into a tight ball and lowering its ki even further. Closing his eyes, Kurama fell into a light sleep.

Nearly an hour passed before the guards lost that battle-ready look, and Kurama came awake with a yawn. He unfurled himself and stood up, shaking his wiry frame to get the kinks out – it had been a while since he had last slept in his fox form. But his little rest had given him time to plan his next move, and he activated it that very moment.

During his hour rest, the Makai sun had shifted in the sky, and now cast shadows across the courtyard. It was child's play for him to keep to the shadows that lined the courtyard, sprinting headlong into darkness and weaving in and out amongst the stray beams of light that nipped at his heels. Landing in the surprisingly well-kept flowerbeds that lined the ground in front of the main staircase, Kurama leaped up the hidden side of the stairs and slipped through the wooden doors as soon as the guard turned his head.

The large hall that greeted him was made of inlaid stone and marble. Richly brocaded carpets covered the hallway in intervals and Kurama masked his passage by leaping from one to the next, landing lightly. He kept to the shadows as much as possible, suppressing his ki to nearly impossible levels and freezing whenever he heard voices in the hallway. There were guards placed sporadically throughout the castle, and their positions changed every few hours, somewhat sporadically to break up the routine.

Kurama muffled a giggle as he leaped to the next carpet, his tail streaming behind him like a silver flag. He had thought his entry would have been a little more challenging.

His target was soon directly ahead of him. The large metal doors were cracked open, suggesting a recent entry and Kurama slunk low to the ground, his belly fur dragging in a near silent whisper along the ground. He extended his senses, ever so gently, barely touching the auras within and verifying that the two life forces he'd expected were in there. He poked his nose in and looked.

Two figures. One sat in a large worn in chair, nothing like the ornamental throne he knew existed elsewhere in the castle. One metal hand held a crystal goblet as the person sipped in between bouts of conversation.

The other was standing, his back to the doorway Kurama was currently peeking out of as he spoke nonchalantly about various details regarding government and politics for the area.

Kurama wagged his tail in anticipation as he crept forward silently.

Three. Two. One…

" Hello, Kurama."

Kurama yelped as leaped to late, his surprise throwing him off kilter. A slender hand reached out and snagged him by his ruff, holding him up to eye level. A cold, emotionless face to anyone else, Kurama could see the barest of twinkles reflected in blood red eyes.

" Either you missed me or we have a mission," Hiei mused thoughtfully, still holding the squirming kitsune. " Knowing you, it's probably both."

Kurama twisted in his grip and suddenly planted his forepaws on Hiei's chest. Reaching up, he licked the fire demons nose and then plopped himself over his shoulder, lolling his tongue out a startled Mukuro.

" You actually surprised me," Mukuro commented, eyeing the little fox with a look that could have been considered admiration. " Impressive." Hiei turned around and brought Kurama down to cradle him in his arms and Mukuro almost smirked at the site of her second-in-command scowling as he wiped the traces of Kurama's affection off his nose. " How did you know he was here?"

Hiei reddened slightly.

" I can always tell where Kurama is," he answered stiffly. Kurama wriggled and let out a small 'wuf'. Hiei glared at the silver animal. " Don't rub it in, Fox."

Mukuro shook her head as she finished the last of her wine. Watching the repressed fire demon interact with his Kitsune lover was vastly entertaining, but Kurama only showed up at her residence in emergencies. Otherwise, Hiei came to her domicile, tending to his duties as her heir without interference. It was an arrangement they found suited all three parties, and it must have been something indeed for Kurama to sneak by her entire security detail.

" Perhaps I should get you to train my soldiers in detecting intruders as slippery as you," she commented. Kurama winked a golden eye at her and suddenly leaped out of Hiei's arms. Landing lightly, the familiar mists enshrouded him as he transformed and Mukuro had to look up as the six foot silver kitsune appeared before her.

" My secrets are my own," he told her with a smile. " But a few pointers, I can deal with."

" Agreed," she dismissed the topic airily. " What do you require of my heir this time?"

Kurama stiffened. " Koenma as usual."

" I thought as much."

" What are you hiding, Fox?" Hiei cut in, noting the tenseness that had overtaken his lover's muscles. Kurama sent him a wry grin – it seemed he could hide nothing from the diminutive fire demon. He sighed and folded his arms.

" Yakumo is back, and he's after the Power Sphere which has appeared in the past."

Hiei blinked.

" The Past?"

Kurama nodded and explained about pretty schoolgirls, time travelling wells, irritating dog demons, enchanted arrows and a broken Power Sphere. Mukuro's jaw dropped.

" Her arrow shattered the Power Sphere?"

Kurama nodded. Hiei scowled blackly at him.

" What do you mean by 'pretty'?"

Kurama laughed and scooped up the fire baby, hugging him tightly. " You're too much, koibito."

" I'll say," Mukuro muttered, still somewhat in shock. She looked at her embarrassed looking heir. " Go on then, Hiei – if Koenma has his facts in order, they will require your aid."

" If Koenma has his facts in order, the world will tilt on its axis and start spinning in the opposite direction," Hiei muttered, shoving the amorous kitsune aside. He thumped his fist against his chest in the obligatory salute to the Warlord and turned, striding out the door. He wasn't known for wasting time. With a predatory grin, Kurama melted into his fox form again, leaping onto Hiei's shoulder and nuzzling his hair. Mukuro shook her head as she listened to her heir's complaints before the door shut behind them.

" Baka Fox! It hasn't been THAT long!"

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