Okay, after the storm of reviews I got, I recon I had better respond to some.

To all of you who guessed at who the mysterious voices are: only Niasdreams gets a cookie.

            Also, I have been told that I have been making Kagome way OOC. Not, I could give a big long explanation on why I have her acting the way she is… or I could just tell the truth: I can't write Kagome in character. I try and I try, but no matter how much I do it, she always comes out to little kiddie, or too mean, or to mot serious, or something like that. I'm not referring to the game of tag here; I'm referring to her dialogue. I don't really like how I portrayed her in these last few chapters. I guess it's because I've never met a girl who acts like Kagome. I'll the others I've seen people who act like them, but never one of Kagome… Oh well. All I can do is try.

            Another correction that has been made, and this one I was already aware of, was: how can Kagome run? She injured, right?

            Okay, if you'll remember, Kaede gave Kagome a special charm that makes her bones knit, and help her to get around. Now, this has largely healed all her external injuries right now, however, it has not much effect on her internal injuries. The internal ones right now, are not in a very critical stage, and therefore aren't hurting her quite yet, and she is taking it easy, so as to avoid making her situation any worse. She can take a little exercise, but not a lot of strenuous activity, because her injuries aren't inhibiting her… yet.

            Also, I have been told roughly a zillion times now that Sesshy's "boa" Is in fact his "Tail." I ask you, HOW? It's not even connected to his body, much less to his tail bone. I think that it's just part of his outfit, and I'm gonna write that way.

            Thank you to CivilWarBuff for giving me an honest review, and telling me what you think and how to improve my writing. (Haven't gotten that since the last time Saro reviewed.) =^_^=

            As for everyone else, thank you very much for you're kind words. Without you, I wouldn't have the strength to go on! Anywho, on with the fic!

**

            "Honestly, was that really necessary?" said the warm, feminine voice.

            "Tut!" Kitty's voice said. "I had fun! That's all that counts!"

            "Yes, but what did you gain from it?" The voice responded.

            "Nothing." Kitty's voice said. "I just wanted to play tag! Haven't played since I was a kitten."

            "Simple mind, simple pleasures." The voice said wearily.

            "Simple pleasures are always the best." Kitty said philosophically. "I find them more than worth having a simple mind for."

            "Fine!" The voice said. "Just be careful, and don't let them see you again. We don't want them thinking of anything."

            "Of coarse!" Kitty said, her voice suddenly taking on a little girl type of tone. "I wouldn't dream of ever blowing this gig."

            "You had better not." The voice warned. "We all have a lot riding on this."

            "you mean you have a lot riding on this" Kitty said.

            "And do you're tied to what I have riding. If it crashes and burns, so do you!"

~~

            Lethargically, Kagome leaned up against InuYasha's back, burying her head in his silvery hair. "Are we there yet? She asked plaintively.

            InuYasha looked back over his shoulder. "Pretty close." He said, and continued on, jogging lightly. Beside, him, sweating considerably more, Miroku and Sango ran, panting heavily. Shippo was really the only comfortable one, sitting happily atop Kagome's head.

            Lazily, Kagome looked out and around as the scenery went flying by. InuYasha had woken everybody else up early, and they were well on their way before the young miko had even been conscious. Even now, she was still shaking off the lazy aspects of sleep. The trees, she noticed, were beginning to thin, and the ground was getting continually lighter. Where are we going? Kagome wondered idly. A dull roaring sound slowly dragged Kagome the rest of the way into awareness. Kagome thought for a moment, trying to figure out what it was.

            She recognized the sound… it was something she had heard before, when she was really little. It was hovering right at the tip of her tongue, but wouldn't let itself be caught. Then, they cleared the forest, and the sound got louder. "The ocean!" She said suddenly, and looked over InuYasha's shoulder.

            InuYasha looked back and grinned at her. "Yep!" With that, he gently set her down. "Now, I just have to go and set up a signal."

            Kagome blinked. "What?"

            InuYasha chuckled. "Don't worry about it." With that, he walked over to the shore, and waded into the water.

            Miroku came to stand over by Kagome. "What do you think he's doing?" the miko asked.

            Miroku shrugged. "I don't know. He obviously knows something here that we don't."

            Kagome shrugged, and turned to InuYasha.

            Slowly, almost ceremoniously, the hanyou drew out Tetsusaiga, and placed it blade down in the water in front of him, holding his hands on the top of the hilt.

            Kagome was suddenly struck by the pose. InuYasha, for a second, didn't look like InuYasha. He stood tall, not the normal half crouch he kept himself in. His shoulders were squared, and his eyes flashed with determination. Far s single moment, InuYasha looked very regal.

            "What's he doing?" Sango asked.

            "I don't know." Miroku responded.

            "He looks familiar to me…" Sango mused. "It's like I've seen him like that, somewhere before…" Sango said, thinking hard.

            InuYasha closed, his eyes, and bowed his head, then suddenly looked up, glaring fiercely into the water, almost like he was trying to pierce it with his gaze.

            At the same time, Shippo suddenly froze up and almost toppled of Kagome's head.

            "Shippo?" Kagome asked. "What's wrong?"

            "He's calling" Shippo said, clutching his head.

            Sango looked at him sharply. "He wouldn't!"

            Miroku nodded. "I can feel it."

            Kagome looked at her friends. "What are you talking about."
            Miroku turned to her. "It's a power that some very powerful youkai have. It broadcasts a signal that can be heard by all youkai in a very wide range, and they come to it, unwaveringly." He said. "But if he's doing that, then we'll more than likely be in for a fight."

            Kagome gasped. "That's bad!" She said.

            Sango narrowed her eyes, and then pointed at the water. "Look!"

            The water in front of InuYasha was bubbling. Not just a little bubble either. The water was roiling around, and a very big shadow was coming to the surface.

            Miroku winced. "It's even worse…" He said. "There's only one youkai in the area."

            Kagome looked at him. "That's good… isn't it?"

            Miroku shook his head. "It means that most likely it killed all the others."

            Kagome's eyebrow twitched in anxiety, and she looked back at the boiling water.

            As suddenly as the bubbling had begun, something burst from the surface. Kagome's head trained upward as the a long, thick neck shot skywards, then dove back into the water with tremendous power, The water all along the beach was boiling now, and slowly, like some unearthly leviathan, a head rose from the water.

            It was scaly and draconic, streamlined for the water. As the head rose, its mouth parted revealing double rows of needle sharp teeth. Its eyes were slits of crystal blue, and its scales seemed to change colors from green to blue and back again in the blink of an eye.

            Slowly, it lowered its head down, and looked directly at InuYasha. InuYasha stared back, not blinking.

            Kagome was transfixed as the hanyou and the youkai stared at each other, not blinking.

            Finally, as if something had passed between them, the youkai lowered its head, then raised it again. "Well met, son of InuTaisho." It said, softly.

            Sango gasped. "InuTaisho?" she asked. "The InuTaisho?"

            Miroku looked at her. "What's wrong?"

            Sango did a double take, then looked at InuYasha. "That's why I recognized that pose." She murmured to herself. "I knew InuYasha was the son of a great youkai, but I had no idea that it was InuTaisho…"

            Kagome looked up at Sango. "I don't get it." She said. "Who's InuTaisho?"

            Sango shook her head. "I don't know much, but it's rumored that he was one of the most powerful youkai ever to have lived." She ran her fingers through her hair in concentration. "However, it makes sense." She said. "It was rumored that his only flaw was that he loved a human woman. And with InuYasha being a hanyou, it would make sense."

            Kagome looked from Sango to Miroku, and then to Shippo, who was slowly recovering his wits from the calling, then up at InuYasha.

            The hanyou had his arms crossed, and was looking at the beast imperiously. "I see you've grown a little, Syldra." He said to the serpent.

            The serpent looked up. "Yes." She hissed. "It has been many years since I have seen you last, InuYasha."

            InuYasha grinned at Syldra, as she was called. "Can you take us to Shinjuku?" He asked.

            Syldra looked at him, then at his companions. "I can… but I would advise against it. You know what humans are there."

            InuYasha nodded. "Tell me, do you know anyone by the name of Vadise?"

            The serpent's eyes suddenly widened. "How do you know that name."

            "Sesshoumaru pointed it out to me." The hanyou responded.

            Syldra's eyes narrowed. "She is a very powerful wyrm."

            InuYasha's eyebrows cocked upward in surprise. "She?"

            "Yes…" Syldra said. "She was the ancient wyrm before Atma."

            InuYasha backed up a step. "But that means that she's…"       

            Syldra laughed. "Under normal circumstances, yes. However, she left before Atma could even begin to challenge her. No-one knows where she is now… it's said that she lives in a forest that moves every day."

            InuYasha groaned. "Great…" He said. "Oh, well. Can we get a ride?" He said.

            Suddenly, there was a sound of annoyance from behind him. "SIT!" Came Kagome's voice, and InuYasha crashed into the surf. The angry miko stalked into the surf, and kicked the prone InuYasha. "Why didn't you tell us about this?" She demanded.

            InuYasha rose from the frothy waves dripping wet. "The hell are you talkin' about?" He demanded.

            "Why didn't you tell me that you knew a giant sea serpent? And what is this 'Shinjuku' place, and what's this about a moving forest?"

            InuYasha groaned. "Shaddap!" He yelled. "I have my reasons!" He yelled.

            Kagome was not about to back down. "Such as?"

            "Shinjuku is a city of youkai." Syldra hissed. Kagome suddenly looked at her, and jumped behind InuYasha. "InuYasha probably didn't tell you because he's under oath, and he gets killed if he goes there or tells anyone about it."

            Kagome blinked for a second, then looked up at the hanyou. "Oh…" She said, quieting down a bit.

            InuYasha sighed. So, will you take us?" He asked.

            Syldra sighed. "Why not." She said. "Nothing to lose but everything."

            InuYasha grinned wolfishly. "Good."

**

            Okay, at his point, lots of you have questions. Don't worry, feel free to ask them. A lot of stuff will be explained in the next chapter. Anywho, hope you enjoyed it.

Also, I tried to make Kagome better, but she still needs a little work. Please tell me how I'm doing.

            Oh, and by the way, I just got a review that said "Keep goin' girl!"

            Now, while I appreciate the encouragement, I would like to be known by the proper gender, please. Just for the record, I'm a guy, and would like to be known as one. Thank you.