Their plan was obvious now- stall until the sun set, and they achieved their night forms. No matter, though; not only was it too late, but I had transformed as well, something they hadn't counted on. Yatarra-Oh was injured and obviously weakened, from being hit dead-on by the Kaze no Kizu. While healing fast, it still slowed him down, and sapped his energy.

Yatarra-Oh and Yatarra-Ah and I simply stood for a while, them regarding me, and me regarding them. Suddenly, I sprang into action, as did they, and I can't remember much of what happened. I let my instincts guide me- attack, block, counter, again. I was doing well, even against both of them at once, and they were just about ready to drop out, wait for another night, when we would be easier prey. I'm not sure how long we fought, but it occurred to me that, if we took too long, I would be back to human.

Gradually, I circled around to where Tetssaiga had fallen, approaching it in a round-about way, so as not to tip off Ah and Oh. Finally, I grabbed it, and swung it around, forcing Oh to back off on the attack. Before I could pursue, however, Ah had leapt behind me, and I barely recovered from my swing quickly enough to turn and face her. I was still off-balance though, and Ah knocked me down, pinning me with my own blade. "You shouldn't have gone for it, but I knew you would. You're all so predictable." She shook her head with a sigh. "A shame, a shame."

"Predict this!" Oh snarled, in my brother's voice, and suddenly it was all Ah could do to fend him off. I scrambled out of the way, and looked to where Yaruu and V stood. V shrugged, and I shrugged back, then turned back to watch the fight. Oh was obviously winning, but not easily, and only because Ah was holding back. After all, he was her ally, and she didn't wish to shoot herself in the foot by killing him. Suddenly, she fled, and Oh started to pursue, but then pulled back, struggling with something in his mind. "While he's distracted!" Yaruu commanded me, speaking through the Youkai.

While worried that it might hurt my brother, to kill something he was mentally controlling somehow, I decided that he would know best. Oh made a feeble attempt to protect himself, but it wasn't enough, and he perished in the flames of a point-blank Kaze no Kizu.

Sheathing Tetssaiga, I walked over to my brother's side. He had seemed to calm considerably, so I risked putting a hand on his shoulder. Instantly, his eyes snapped open, and their cold intensity shocked me. "I'm sorry it took me so long to help," he spoke. "I had to. sort a few things out, first."

"I understand. We did well."

He smiled- not his usual, broad grin, but a secretive smirk. "We did." We clasped hands for a moment, and I couldn't help but to challenge him.

"Arm wrestle? Kick-box? Spar? Name the game, Brother." In reply, he spun about, using his grasp on my wrist to flip me over his shoulder.

I did a flip in mid-air, and landed on my feet, stirring up a cloud of dust, and moved smoothly into motion, charging towards Yaruu at break-neck speed. He leapt up, trying to evade me, but I did likewise, and grabbing one of his ankles, flung him back to earth. Suddenly, I found myself held in place by a ring of ice around my middle. "Hey!" Looking down, I discovered that Yaruu was in a similar fix, and V was standing there, arms crossed.

"This is neither the time nor the place for you two to be fighting."

"Aw, come on, you know we won't hurt each other or anything." I did my best to wiggle out of the ice ring, but failing that, strained to just break it instead. Finally, it shattered, and I fell to earth.

"Yeah, but in the mean-time, we're going to lose all hope of catching up with Yatarra-Ah." I sighed, and looked about.

"Which way did she go?"

"That way," V pointed, and realized just as I did- "Back towards the village."

"Shit." Without another word, Yaruu and I took off running, and V followed.

**********************************

Yatarra-Ah strode through the village angrily, ignoring the people around her. That cursed Inu-Yasha's family held the old woman there in high esteem; well, Ah would make her talk. Her brother was all she had, all she had ever had, from the first day their eyes had opened. How dare that brat control him, force him to fight her. He had always been the weaker of the two; they should have taken her instead. She could have fought it easier, shook it off quicker. Yatarra-Ah did not doubt that he was now dead.

There- that was the house where the old woman lived. Ah flung the door open, and stepped inside, glaring about at the inhabitants. They had obviously been expecting her, but that was to be expected. She knew her Jaki to be quite strong.

"Sit down, little fox, I'm not here for you. I just need to speak to the old lady."

We dashed into the village, following the sense that hung about the remaining Yatarra. It led us to Kaede's house.

************************************

I burst in, followed by Yaruu and V, quickly assessing the situation. The human part of me wanted to cry out, but the other half held me back. *No one must hear me cry; it is weak.* Kaede lay slain, and Shippo was unconscious, badly wounded. Sango and Miroku were held to the wall by squirming black youkai with long bodies and longer tails and six legs each. "Yatarra." The Youkai turned slightly, unconcerned by my presence.

"You made it, how wonderful. You probably didn't even take the time to bury my brother properly." Her voice sounded dead, and something in me pitied her, regretted what we had done. I would rather die than be unable to prevent Yaruu's death; did this Youkai feel the same way? *Hush. She has murdered Kaede and countless other helpless humans. Both she and Oh knew the risk when they entered the battle. We defeated him fairly.* Or did we? I shook my head clear of such thoughts. *One cannot pity their enemy, it makes them weak.*

"That is your job, assuming you survive this encounter. If not, well, I suppose we could fetch his body, bury you together." Yatarra-Ah snarled, and held up one palm. A small fire danced within it, and I gestured to the door. "Let's finish this; outside. Walls aren't conducive to either of our styles."

"Why don't we wait until tomorrow night?" She tilted her head and tried to look pitiful, but her cruel, flat voice undermined her efforts. "Give me time to mourn my unfortunate brother."

"But if we do this tonight, you'll be joining him sooner," I offered.

"Forget it." She tossed the fire at a wall. "Enjoy saving your friends, I'll see you later." Thinking fast, V froze the wood around the fire, so it couldn't spread, and crept the ice in on it, slowly putting it out. Yaruu and I pulled the black youkai off of Sango and Miroku, and I found it both humorous and appalling that Yaruu sank his teeth into the one off of Sango, killing it that way. I just twisted the neck of Miroku's, then tossed it out the window.

"You two okay?" Yaruu asked them, wiping the blood from his mouth, as I extended a hand to help them up.

"Well enough. I'll check on Shippo, will you two." Sango trailed of, gesturing to Kaede.

I nodded. "So long as it doesn't take until sun-up, I doubt the human me could handle it." With that, I easily lifted the frail body, and headed out the door. "Yaruu, are you going to get a shovel or dig with your hands?"

"Or I could just make you do it," he replied, but left, presumably to retrieve a shovel. I took the body up to the hill where-according to a village legend Kaede had never validated nor discredited-her older sister Kikyou was once buried. I figured that next to her sister's grave would be a good place. Yaruu joined me, a shovel in hand. "So what are you going to do while I slave away?"

"Like it'll take a big, strong Hanyou like yourself that long to dig a freakin hole," I teased him, and he snorted. "In any case, I'll be talking to Miroku about getting a spell to guard the grave, just in case, and seeing if they need help with Shippo." He nodded, and set to digging while I headed back down. "Sis?" He asked, softly enough that I barely heard from halfway down the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"Where did they put Father?" I thought a moment. I remembered that someone suggested a grave next to Kikyou's, but most said that their souls could never be at rest so close. I didn't know their history, but the belief that he wouldn't be at rest there seemed to hold majority.

"I dunno. God tree, maybe?" I kept walking, acting unconcerned, but I would ask about it as soon as I could. Now that I realized that I didn't know, it weighed heavily on me. Just where was my father's grave?

By the time the sun rose, everything was taken care of, and I fell asleep nearly as soon as my Hanyou strength left me. Yaruu seemed similarly exhausted, and V as well, to a lesser extent. After all, we had been awake, running around, and fighting all night, and Kaede's death weighed heavily upon us.

The next morning, I was the first of us three to wake, and sat for a time, staring into the fire. Where was Yatarra and what was she up to? What should we do now? Finally, I decided that at least one of us should go back, inform Mom of what was going on, and pick up more supplies. Also, at least one of us should stay, so that, if news of Yatarra came through, they could go inform the others right away. As the others woke up, I told them of my plan.

"I'll watch here, if you'll tell mom," Yaruu offered, and I nodded. "How about you, V?"

She thought a moment. "I'll see if I can get some quick projectile weapons for you two."

"I've never been any good with a bow," Yaruu warned her, and I chuckled.

"Neither of us are; Mom tried to teach us, but it just didn't work."

"That's okay. I was thinking more along the lines of a gun. I have a friend over at the American Embassy, knows everything there is to know about guns and how to get them." V seemed amused. "Computers too; sometimes I swear that girl's a very convincing android, or some kind of technology Youkai."

"Well, I'll see you later, then." She nodded, and took out the slip of paper that Tempus Vulpes' spell focused on, and ripped it in two, promptly disappearing from this time. I turned to Yaruu. "Is it just me, or is it still a little unnerving when she does that?"

He nodded. "But then, we jump down a well. At least her method makes sense!" I chuckled again, shaking my head. "See ya later, Sis."

"See ya, Bro." I reached the well shortly, and jumped through. Climbing out of the well on our side, I took a deep breath of fall air, laden with the smell of breakfast. Mom had probably only cooked enough for herself-we hadn't planned on being back before Sunday night, and we were certainly never early to return-but I hoped that there was some extra. "Hey, Mom! What's up?" She was sitting at the kitchen table, and nearly jumped out of her chair when I spoke.

"Oh, hello, Kagomaru. What brings you back so early? Its only Saturday morning. And where's your brother?" She pushed back a chair for me, and poured another cup of tea.

"Yaruu's back at the village, taking care of Shippo. He's pretty much recovered already, but Yatarra got him pretty bad."

"Yatarra?"

"Naraku left a pair of little presents, Yatarra-Oh and Yatarra-Ah. Oh did his best to burn down the village, and used a nice little fire-bomb on me," Mom looked concerned, so I quickly added, "but I'm okay now. Kaede," I tripped over the name a little, but went on, "decided that if we were going to be up against Naraku detachments, we should have every advantage we could get, and removed those marks on our hands."

Mother nodded. "Yes, I think you're ready. Last night was the new moon, wasn't it?" I nodded. "And."

"Dad would've been proud of us. I figured out the Kaze no Kizu, and Yaruu mentally controlled Yatarra-Oh, made him chase off the other one. I was able to kill him then."

"That's good. And the other one?" I had finished off the tea, so she got up to fix another pot.

I took a deep breath. "Went back to the village, to interrogate Kaede about us." Mom gasped, she knew what was coming. I swallowed back tears. *Don't cry. Just. don't.* "Kaede held out, so Yatarra-Ah. laid her to rest. Like I said earlier, she cut up Shippo pretty badly, too."

Mom clenched her eyes shut. "Sango and Miroku?"

"They're fine. Yatarra had these other Youkai working for her. They held Sango and Miroku tied."

"I see. What did they look like?" I got the feeling that Mom was trying to concentrate on other things, get her mind off of Kaede.

I thought a moment, remembering. "They were long black things, kindof like a tadpole, but skinnier, and with six legs."

"Hm. Those sould like Kikyou's soul-stealers," she murmured, and my ears caught at the name, "but hers were white."

"Mom, just who was Kikyou?" She looked out the window a moment, old pain filling her face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have."

"No, its alright. Kikyou was. a very powerful Miko, the guardian of the Shikon no Tama, before me. Your father and she planned on living together, he was going to use the Shikon to become human for her."

I started, staring. "What?! What happened?"

"Naraku. He tricked Kikyou and your father each into believing that the other had betrayed them. He mortally wounded Kikyou, and left her to kill Inu-Yasha." I swallowed, trying to ease my dry throat. "She sealed him, to the god tree. He was stuck there, practically dead, until I came along, and released him."

"And Kikyou?"

"She didn't use the Shikon to heal herself, as Naraku had planned. Instead, she had it burned with her body, and Japan was free of the accursed thing for fifty years."

"Then what happened?"

She smiled bitterly. "I was pulled into the well by an old mononoke, that sensed the Shikon in my body." I must have looked as confused as I felt, because she elaborated, "I'm Kikyou's reincarnation, and the Shikon no Tama was reborn with me. In any case, because I got too close to that stupid well, the Shikon was brought back and caused all kinds of trouble." She looked up at me. "But then, without that, I wouldn't have you or your brother, and who knows, maybe there would still be a white-haired boy pinned to the tree out there by an arrow no one but Kikyou or I could remove."

I was silent a moment, thinking. I don't think my mom had ever seemed. human. to me before-I had never really been able to see her as a teenager, lost and confused. Who can think of their mother like that? But she had been, and she had fallen in love, and had taken risks, and caused trouble, and everything had come out alright. Stunned, I walked quietly over to where Mom was taking the hot water off the stove, and hugged her. Wordlessly, she set down the kettle, and put her arms around me. "You've had such a hard night, why don't you get some sleep while you're here?"

I shook my head, pulling away. "No, I don't want to leave Yaruu too long, and we did get some sleep." She sighed, and pointed at the table. I sat down obediently, and she began rummaging in the fridge.

"At least eat something then, and I'll pack some to take back to Yaruu. Is Vulpes there also?" She paused a moment. "I should probably send food for Sango and Miroku and Shippo, too." I smiled. That was Mom-always taking care of everyone.

*********************************

Vulpes looked at the slick pistol in her hands, turning it over judgmentally. "What do you think?" the American girl at the table across from her asked. "It shoots very smooth, and its ammo is cheap."

"What about accuracy; is it easy to hit the target?" The girl grabbed the gun by the handle, turned in her chair, fired it, and glared at the target hanging on the fence, a good three hundred yards away. The bullet hole was at the top edge of the bullseye. "Seems to aim a tad high; I can get that fixed if you want."

V blinked. "I think its close enough. Do you have two?"

"Getting one for a friend? Sure, why not, just don't break the law or anything, 'kay?"

"Deal. What do I need to get ya for payment?"

The girl thought a moment. "Tell me why you need guns all of a sudden, and I'll see what we can come up with." After listening intently as V told her the whole situation-it wouldn't do any good to lie. The girl was excellent at detecting lies. "Truly?" V nodded. "Awesome! Tell you what; one rare coin from the feudal era should cover the cost of both pistols and plenty of ammo." V grinned.

"Just so happens I should be able to come up with one." The two shook hands.

"Always good doing business with ya, V."

"And with you, Lupin."

**********************************

Yaruu was sitting just outside town, looking down at the people rebuilding their homes again. He had offered to help, but people didn't trust them much--V, his sister, and him. Well, they trusted them, they just. didn't think of them as people, so much as town watchdogs. Useful, certainly, and mostly trustworthy, but still dangerous. No one but his mother's friends could carry on a conversation with the three of them. "It's like no one realizes that they can talk about normal, every-day things with us. I wonder if Dad ever had this problem," he murmured to himself.

"He probably would've, if he had ever tried talking to people," a thin voice told him in reply, and Yaruu looked around frantically for its source. "Down here!" He looked down, and finally caught sight of the speaker-a very small, very old insect. A flea, perhaps? It cleared its throat. "Unfortunately, Master Inu-Yasha never figured out that he could talk to humans besides your mother and the others they traveled with." The flee hopped up to his shoulder. "Can't say I much blame him, though. He had a hard childhood. Hard life entire, really."

"I. see. Uh, how do you know my Dad?" Yaruu tilted his head at an odd angle, trying to look at the one he was talking. He left off the question 'And just how are you talking,' figuring that the flee was probably a Youkai. A flea Youkai. it was pathetic, really.

"Oh, pardon me for not introducing myself. I am Myokoji-loyal servant of your family. Just where is your father, anyways? I haven't been able to find him since I came back from my vacation."

Yaruu turned back to face the village again, sighing. "Dead and gone, I'm afraid."

"What? Oh, no, that can't be right. Are you certain he was. dead?" Yaruu narrowed his eyes, and flicked the flee off of his shoulder.

"Quite." He stood, and began walking back to the village, one hand in his pocket, the other fingering the Shikon no Tama, on its chain around his neck.

"Wait!" The flee-Myokoji-called after him, hopping as fast as he could to keep up. "I have very important news for you!" Begrudgingly, Yaruu slowed, allowing the old flee to land on his sleeve, and climb up to his shoulder again. It huffed a moment, trying to catch its breath. "Whew! Be kind to a very old man, will you?" it muttered, adding something about the whole family line being very disrespectful, nearly earning another flick.

"You said you brought news?" Yaruu continued walking back to the house, where Sango and Miroku were packing their things. They had decided that they could not stay there, where they had been unable to prevent Kaede's death.

"Right." It cleared its throat again. "Your uncle, Sesshoumaru, has asked that you go to Koketsu* Valley as soon as possible." Yaruu nodded. Sango was just coming out of the house, all of her belongings strapped to Hiraikotsu, making it quite impossible to use. She did a bit of a double take at hearing Mykoji's voice, then smiled.

"You're finally back, I see. Bearing bad news as always, I presume?"

Yaruu chuckled. "Probably. Sesshoumaru has requested to see me, and from listening to Dad talk about his brother, I doubt it's just an innocent family reunion." Sango nodded.

"I have to agree; Sesshoumaru was never my favorite person to deal with. That girl that followed him around was pretty cute, though. What was her name?"

Miroku was just coming out of the house, bundle tied to his back. "Rin, I believe. I wonder what ever became of her?"

"Who knows?" Yaruu shrugged. "Any idea where 'Koketsu Valley' is?"

Myokoji cleared his throat for a third time, perturbed at being forgotten. "I can lead you right to it, of course."

"Only if no danger comes up, though, right? We wouldn't want to put you in harms way," Miroku laughed. "Really, Yaruu, it is a pretty good idea that Myokoji goes with you. That way, you'll know if you're ever really in trouble, just because he won't be there anymore." Yaruu smiled. Now that he thought about it, he did remember his Dad telling some stories about a cowardly flea.

"You people have no respect," Myokoji lamented. "In any case, we should leave right away; we wouldn't want to keep your Uncle waiting."

"Sure, sure, Naraku can wait," Yaruu replied sarcastically.

"Naraku? But. your father defeated Naraku a good many years ago." The flea looked frantically from Yaruu to Sango and Miroku, then back to Yaruu. "Right?"

"Most of him. Unfortunately, Naraku left a pair of detachments behind, hidden somewhere. We've taken care of one already, but we still have to contend with the other."

Myokoji "Hm"ed a moment. "Well, if you aren't sure of where it is, it might pay to go see what Sesshoumaru wants. He is a good person to have owing you a favor," he hinted, and Yaruu sighed.

"Fine, whatever. Kagomaru should be back soon." Yaruu turned his gaze to the forest. "V, too, I hope."

"Ah, yes, I remember your sister now. my, though, you were both so very small when I saw you last. but who is this 'V' person? Not another sibling, I hope?"

"Not really, but might as well be." Yaruu's lips formed the ghost of a smile. "Resembles the rest of us enough."

Myokoji "hm"ed again, and Yaruu wondered what was going on in that tiny little brain.

* Koketsu means "dangerous place"