Okay, just so you know, I have no idea how to spell Totosai, so please be patient. Anywho, I'm gonna start trying to start typing every chance I get, 'cause I've realized that the easiest way to get writer's block is to not type for a weekend. Se here ya go. I hope the chapters will get a little longer now, but I can't guarantee it.

**

            Kagome walked slowly out of the hut, leaning heavily on both Sango and a walking staff. She winced slightly with every step, her legs and ribs sending jarring pain up her spine.

            "Are you sure you want to walk?" Sango asked, concerned.

            Kagome clenched her teeth and stepped a few more steps, almost stumbling over the uneven soil. "Yeah…" She said. "Kaede has given me some sort of charm." A few more steps and another stumble. "The more I stay on my feet, the faster my body recovers."

            Sango laughed. "That has to be useful." She said, supporting Kagome carefully. "I normally have to stay down when I want to heal."

            "KAGOME!" A childlike voice rang out. A small ball of golden fur flew out from around the corner of Kaede's hut and attached itself to her face. "You're okay, and awake!" The highly kinetic Shippo said excitedly.

            "It's good to see you too, Shippo." Kagome said, through a mouthful of the kitsune's tail.

            "Kagome!" Miroku's tenor voice rang out from behind the corner as well. The monk ran around the corner, once again clad in good clean robes, and paused in front of Kagome.

            The young miko now wore more traditional Japanese style outfit, with baggy red pants and an equally baggy white long sleeved shirt. Around her neck hung some sort of charm on a necklace, similar almost to InuYasha's beads.

            "You're okay." The monk said, relieved. "We've all been very concerned."

            Sango nodded assent, then turned a flinty gaze to Miroku. "The perv even brought it down to only two gropes per day."

            A hurt expression came over Miroku's face. "I'm a monk!" He said defensively.

            Whatever comeback Sango had died in her throat, cut of by a heavy thud to her left. The entire gang simultaneously turned their heads to see InuYasha rise from a couch, and stare at Kagome.

            Hanyou starred at miko, and miko starred back.

            Miroku coughed as an akward silence settled over the setting. It was InuYasha who finally broke the silence.

            "Well finally!" He said, arrogant voice ringing loud and annoying. "It took ya long enough." His voice turned mocking. "Can we look for the Shikon Shards again now, or do you want to go back home for a little while." He flashed his arrogant grin, and but his hands behind his head. "Man, trust a human to get hurt with a single little scratch like that!"

            Kagome's eyes flashed dangerously wide, and her mouth thinned in a furious line. "SIT!" She cried at the top of her lungs, and stalked off, somehow managing to make it look dangerous and impressive despite the bad limp.

            InuYasha winced, and pulled himself out of the hanyou-shaped crated in the ground. Well…that didn't come out like I meant it. He thought.

            Before his thoughts could continue any more, however, he was beset by an angry Shippo. "You meanie!" He yelled, pummeling the hanyou's head with his little fists. There was a swish, and a thunk, and Shippo fell over with little swirlies for eyes. The little Kitsune recovered, and ran after the angry miko. "Kagome!" He cried.

            "SIT!" The voice rang out from Kagome.

            Sango and Miroku looked at the rising cloud of dust without much interest. "Well." Said the latter. "It looks like things are back to normal."

            Sango nodded, then felt a slight touch on her backside. Sango took Miroku's groping hand in hers, and hit him hard with it. "Baka hentai!" she muttered, walking after Kagome, leaving two men lying wounded on the ground.

~~

            Totosai looked at his visitors apprehensively. "Now listen," He said nervously to the looming shape. "I know we have had some differences in the past, but that doesn't mean that we can't get along… does it?" The question sounded hopeful.

            Sesshoumaru looked down at the old sword smith with contempt. "You truly are a coward." His voice the same infuriating monotone. "I don't want a sword at the moment." Totosai looked at him hopefully. "I want information about the Tetsusaiga."

            The hope drained from Totosai's ancient face, and he sat back down. "Whoo boy." He said in an exhalation.

            "I came across one of InuYasha's battle grounds" The noble youkai said. "And found it interesting that his scent had changed."

            "And why do you come to me?" The sword smith asked. "I don't even know what the youngster smells like. Why would I be able to change it."

            "Also, the wind scar had been activated twice." Sesshoumaru said. "Is there any demon which could withstand even one full blow?"

            Totosai shook his head. "There's no way." He said authoritatively. "If the beast was not hurt the first time, then it wouldn't be hurt the second." He suddenly started laughing. "But, we both know there's no youkai who could stand up to my blade!"

            Sesshoumaru's mouth betrayed no emotion. "What about a dragon?"

            Totosai's grin drained off his face like a melted mask. "Well…" He stuttered. "IT wasn't meant to… and well… the power balance of the wind scar…"

            "It doesn't work on dragons, does it."

            Totosai crossed his arms. "Don't be ridiculous!" He said, huffily. "Of coarse it works on dragons. For a dragon to be powerful enough to resist it, the beast would have to be… have to be… why, it would have to be Atma! Or something like that."  Totosai looked very impressed with his comparison… until he saw Sesshoumaru's intense gaze. His grin once again slid off his face. "You don't mean…"

            Sesshoumaru nodded. "Tell me all you can about Tetsusaiga." He said.

            Totosai gulped, and began to talk.

~~

            InuYasha looked over the hill it the placid Kagome. The hanyou knew that he should apologize, but he didn't want to. He shouldn't have to apologize! She would understand that he didn't mean to say what he had said. Yeah, that's it! She probably had forgiven him already! She understood!

            Much relieved, and having a much clearer conscience, the hanyou turned around only to run into his friends. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and even old Kaede stood there looking at him, their eyebrows arched, and their arms crossed.

            The hanyou looked guiltily at them, and turned around wordlessly, walking back towards Kagome.

            The young miko was sitting on a rock, dangling her feet in the river that ran through Kaede's village. Her walking staff was laid across her lap, and she looked very peaceful.

            InuYasha would hate to disturb her. That, at least, was his reasoning as he turned around.

            Kagome heard his footsteps, however, and turned towards him. "InuYasha?" She asked.

            InuYasha froze up, and turned stiffly towards her, a guilty grin plastered on his face.

            "Um…" he said, looking back and forth, to make sure nobody was watching. "Listen, about yesterday…" He said.

            Kagome turned to him (With some labor) and arched an eyebrow at him: touchy subject.

            "Listen… I… uh…" The hanyou stuttered, still being new at apologizing. The only real reason he was doing this was because deep down, he knew that he was in the wrong… for once. Not that he was most of the time. Normally it was Kagome's fault. Or maybe that stupid Miroku's. Yeah… it was his fault a lot to, not InuYasha's.

            "Um… well… I just wanted to say… that… that…"

            Kagome blinked at him in shock. Is he trying to apologize?

            "I… Um…" just say it, baka! InuYasha's mind screamed at him. Three little words. "I am sorry!" It's not hard!"

            "Uh…" InuYasha stuttered, kicking his feet. "I'm… well…"  Suddenly the kicking ceased, and his cocky grin returned. "I'm ready to go look for more jewel shards, whenever you are." He said in his standard cocky voice. Kagome's eyebrow twitched in irritation, and there was a collective groan from behind a large rock.

            Kagome opened her mouth to 'sit' him, but never got there. Her senses were overwhelmed by something else… A large jewel shard, heading their way. "InuYasha!" she said urgently, surprising the hanyou. "It's Atma!" She said, fear filling her voice. "She's coming."

            Instantly, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kaede sprang out from behind the groaning bolder, and ran to Kagome, all weapons that they had on hand out, and on guard.

            Kagome pivoted on the rock, and pointed out the river. "She's under the water!"

            InuYasha whipped out Tetsusaiga, and held in front of Kagome, knowing how useless a gesture it was.

            Their faces were grim set as something leapt out of the water with a huge, steamy spray.

**

            HAHAHA! Cliff hanger cliff hanger.

            Anywho, in case you didn't notice, this chapter was more for fun that anything else. I needed a filler chapter to get through a pretty uneventful space, so I just sort of let my imagination run wild, and threw what needed to be in there in there when it was appropriate. See ya later!