I think we all know the truth here. I DON'T own Inu Yasha! Why would I lie about such a thing? Honestly people!

Shadows

Chapter 8: The Return and the Attack

Kagome rushed past Inu Yasha, "SOUTA!"

The boy looked up from the place he was attempting to hide behind when Inu Yasha had burst in, "SIS?" he looked at Kagome with astonishment in his eyes.

After Kagome had completely smothered him for awhile, she released him, "How are you alive!? I saw you, with Mother and Grandpa."

Souta shook his head, "That wasn't me, I went to a friends house after school and had dinner over there. When I got home, I saw everyone dead, including myself and then I hear the police coming, so I hid up here!" Souta then looked at Kagome confused. "But you were there too, dead."

Kagome now shook her head, "No, it was a fake me. A woman came and tried to make it seem like I killed everyone. She must have put a fake one of you too."

"But how would she know about Souta?" Inu Yasha asked, "She's never seen him."

"I don't know," Kagome admitted, not sure how Kikyo had known about Souta.

"Well, what do we do now?" Souta asked as he looked up at her, then at Inu Yasha, and back again.

"You'll just have to come through the well with Kagome and me," Inu Yasha stated matter-of-factly and crossed his arms.

Kagome was somewhat shocked. Inu Yasha, being reasonable? Souta jumped up and down, "Alright! I've always wanted to go with!"

Kagome and Inu Yasha started to leave the attic when Souta stopped them, "Hey Kagome, I was bored and looking through this stuff when I found this book. I think its mom's diary, but it had some weird stuff about you in it!"

Kagome turned back around and looked at the book he was holding out. It was a small, leather covered book, tied shut with cords. "Stuff about me?" She questioned and took it from him. Opening the front page, she could see that it had belonged to her mother, with her name 'Ayame' written on the front inside cover.(I have NO idea what Kagome's mom's name is!)

"Yeah," He showed her what page it was. Kagome read aloud (of course she did! So we all can hear!):

"Dear Diary,

Something awful happened today. More awful than what I told you about awhile ago. Sister had her baby today, but she-she died during childbirth. I'm so mad at myself! These last 9 months that she's been pregnant, I've been mad at her, cursing her for messing up my relationship with Akito. I'm still upset about it, but I let the anger ruin mine and her relationship! And now she's gone, and I never told her I loved her, or forgave her. And she left her beautiful baby girl in this world all alone. Well, Akito is still here, but with no mother. I decided when I saw her take her last breath that I would be a mother to her baby and raise it with Akito. It was the least I could do for never getting over my own pain and realizing Akemi had her own. We named the girl Kagome.

-Ayame"

Kagome stopped and re-read some of it, especially where Akemi's name was mentioned, then remembered what she had said during the trance. "Akemi is really my mother?" she asked no one in particular, more to herself. She closed the book and decided to think about it later, the more important thing was to get her and Souta out of this world and into the other. And the attic was kind of giving her the hibby jibbys.

Inu Yasha, Souta, and Kagome walked down the stairs of the attic, "Ok Souta! Pack your back pack with some clothes and some food! Not too much, cause we have to carry it with us all the time."

"Can I bring my bike!" Souta asked hopefully.

"Yeah, that will be faster anyways!" Kagome smiled at him. She knew his bike was one of his prized possessions, having received it for his last birthday.

Inu Yasha "fehed" and walked down into the living room. Kagome packed a couple of pieces of clothing, then went downstairs and packed ramen and other 'non-perishables'.

Souta came down and packed some more food, plus other essentials that Kagome hadn't thought of- like batteries, clock, portable CD player, Polaroid camera, etc (those ARE essentials, right?)

Kagome walked into the living room to where Inu Yasha was sitting impatiently on the couch when she saw a picture overturned on the coffee table. Picking it up, she saw it was the family picture of her family. "Inu Yasha! This is how she knew about Souta! The family picture!" She showed him it, "He was even wearing that same outfit, come to think of it."

Inu Yasha looked at the picture, "Probably," Is all he responded. The old smell of blood in the house was making him sick to his stomach. He just wanted to get out of there.

Finally, they were all ready, and headed to the well. Kagome jumped in with Souta in her arms, and Inu Yasha jumped in with his bike. As they crossed through the time barrier, she heard Souta yell, "COOL!" before they landed in the feudal era. Inu Yasha landed right after them, with the bike. He helped them all out of the well, then went and retrieved the bike. Souta looked around with saucer like eyes, "This place is SOOO cool!!!" He exclaimed and kept looking around while Kagome dragged him towards the village. Inu Yasha just kept quiet and walked behind them with the bike. He felt a presence but couldn't sense who was it was. Hopefully, they could get Souta to safety before whatever it was appeared.

They reached the village and entered Kaede's hut. It was latter evening, and everyone was about to get a nights sleep when Shippo had informed them that Kagome and Inu Yasha were back, with someone else too.

"Kagome! Your back!" Shippo launched himself at Kagome's arms and cuddled into them, before looking at Souta, "Who's that?"

Souta's eyes opened wide again, and he giggled, "A kitsune! Let me hold it next!" (Just like Kagome, ne?)

"That's Souta my brother. Souta, this is Shippo." Kagome introduced, then pointed around the group, "That is Kaede, that's Sango, and that's Miroku."

Souta bowed slightly at each introduction, then said, "It's SO COOL to be here! I've heard so much about all of you! And now I get to live here with you guys too!" Souta babbled a little.

Shippo jumped down and looked at Souta, "Did you bring any candy?"

Souta grinned, "Heck ya! Tons of it!" and the two instantly became good friends.

Inu Yasha half listened to the conversation, and half listened to noises outside. That feeling was still with him, that something was watching them and waiting to attack.

Miroku walked over to Inu Yasha, "Do you feel that ominous presence as well Inu Yasha?"

"Yeah, as soon as we left the well," Inu Yasha looked outside. The dark nights sky was clouded so that the moon was hardly visible. Then he felt the presence come closer. "Its coming now!"

Kagome stood up quickly, "There's a shard coming this way quickly!" Inu Yasha and Miroku rushed outside. Sango and Kagome grabbed their weapons and headed out as well. "Souta, you and Shippo stay in here where its safe!"

Outside, she could see the demon that had appeared. It was large, standing a couple feet above Inu Yasha and was hunched over slightly, so that it looked like an ogre. It had green skin and its eyes glowed red.

"Give me the Jewels!!"

Inu Yasha smirked and pulled out Tetsuiaga, "Oh yeah, cause we'd really just hand them over like that!"

Miroku readied his wind tunnel when they noticed the cloud of bees behind the ogre. "Shit! They're from Naraku!" Inu Yasha swore.

Miroku put the beads back around his hand and moved his staff into his hand. "Dammit!"

"My name is Orenki! Give me the shards for my Lord Naraku!" The thing swung his club (typical ogre weapon) at Inu Yasha, who easily jumped out of the way.

"Well, I'll enjoy slicing you up even more now that I know you work for Naraku!" Inu Yasha shouted and lunged at him. But the ogre disappeared just as Inu Yasha would have stabbed him, reappearing behind him and slamming his club into his back.

"Pititful Hanyou! Naraku has granted me some of his magic to come and defeat you and your pitiful human company!"

Inu Yasha jumped away just as another blow meant for him landed on the ground where he had just been. 'Damn! For a big demon, he's fast!'

Sango ran forward and threw her weapon at Orenki, who deflected it and sent it to Sango's feet. "Dammit!" She grabbed it and dodged a blow from the demon and landed on the other side of Miroku, "How is he so fast!"

Miroku glared and the bugs in the air, "Damn those bee things!"

Kagome drew and arrow back and was about to infuse it with pure power when she remembered what Akemi had said. Instead, she tried to infuse it with natural magic, the first type she had learned, fire. The arrow began to glow red. She released it and watched as it flew towards the demon. As if knowing it was coming, Orenki swatted it away like a harmless bug. But as his hand connected with it, it burst into flames and sent him flying back, grabbing his hand. "What kind of Sorcery is that!!?"

Inu Yasha took this as his chance and raced forward, slicing the demons chest. Green colored liquid came pouring out, and the area filled with a nauseous smell. It was almost too much for Inu Yasha to stand, with his heightened senses.

"You can't defeat me! I'm too powerful!" Orenki screamed and grabbed his chest in pain. Kagome took this as her chance to use her new magic to the fullest.

Holding her hands out in front, with the wrists touching and palms apart, she pointed them at Orenki, "FIRE!!" she screamed and felt as if her hands were on fire. An inferno of power flared out of her palms and shot out at the monster.

"NOO!" The demon screamed, then disintegrated in front of them. With the monster being defeated, the bee-like-demons took off, back to their master. Kagome ran up to the pile of reeking ashes and found the shard. Putting it safely into her jar, she sighed. So the magic really would work. It came as a great relief to her.

"Kagome! Was that some of the magic you were taught?" Miroku asked in wonder at her new found skills.

"That was amazing!" Sango stated, putting her weapon back on her back.

Kagome nodded. Souta came running out of the hut, "Wow Sis! You are SOO cool! Where'd you learn that? Can I learn? When…" Souta continued to babble on and on.

Inu Yasha was impressed with Kagome's new skills as well, but wasn't going to say so in front of all his friends.

The group went back into the hut for a nights rest, not realizing they were still being watched.

*~*~*

"So, the Miko has gained some new interesting powers….maybe it is time for you to go back to play with her some more, Kikyo?"

"As you wish, Master Naraku," Kikyo replied, her eyes pupil less. She disappeared from his sight.

"This is a bit of a twist in my plans, but they will still proceed as expected!"

*~*~

Well…..that's chapter 8! Sorry for everyone who was confused by the whole Souta thing! I just couldn't kill him off! Besides, now Shippo has someone to play with!

Please Review and let me know if you like it or not!!!