Disclaimer: I only own Icari, the new guy, Saguaro and whatever new characters that comes along. Oh and the plot ^^

AN: I'm happy, I have a few things done, and only a little bit of homework, and I get to update Icari! So we ended off at the last chapter with a new guy, though he'll only be around to help show off some of Icari's own past. Now, any suggestions on how to work up something about the four swords… and talismans? If you do, feel free to tell me. You can tell I'm still pretty new at writing, and I'm not the plotter type. I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed so far, I have 26 reviews. Not my best, but I got to be happy with what I got. *pouts* none of my favourite stories have been updating much. Well, on with the chapter!!

Icari
Chapter 18

 In the cold night air, the smell of a water youkai drifted. Though, it was light, as water didn't tend to have a smell. Icari awoke at this anyways, and looked around. Sure enough, there was one there.

 "Yasuo?" She stood from her place against the tree, and gave a sad, wistful look at her two brothers, both sleeping with their women. She thought back to the youkai boy, now man, she knew as Yasuo: the peaceful one. Following her nose, she came upon a small lake not far away, and gave it a once over. The youkai was definitely there.

 "Lady Icari…" A form emerged from the water, but not wet at all. But then again, Yasuo was part of the water. A swirl of murky blue emerged beside the youkai, and it recoiled afterwards, revealing the last sword.

 "So you've found me, even after I've been staying away." It was him, no matter what. She then realized what she had smelled that was so familiar earlier. It had been his scent, not the other ones.

 "Lady Icari, we've known each other since you first began your journey to find your brothers. Why is it that you feel the need to push me away?" Icari could feel his sad look on her face, even though she had turned away. The youkai was just as old as she, since she had met him when they were children, and he had come with her to find her brothers, right near the beginning.

 "Yasuo, you know that we can only be friends. I've already let myself be taken with someone else."

 "But he is dead. He's gone, Lady Icari. I don't understand why you are still so loyal to him, even after he died." Tears were threatening to come into Icari's eyes, and she looked at the other man, with hard eyes.

 "He died protecting me, and that is all I care about. But let me ask you this, Yasuo, why is it that you are still intent in me, even though it is clear that I don't love you!" She wanted to scream more, to punish him for bringing up their past and her own heartbreak, but she couldn't find the words to say.

 "I suppose," he stepped forward and held her face to face him using his index and thumb, "that it is because I truly love you, and I don't want you hurt. I want to be beside you. Please, Lady Icari that is all I wish." She choked back a sob before turning away.

 "I don't want to hurt you, Yasuo, and I never did, because you are my friend, but you will not listen to what I say. I made him a promise, and I will not turn back on them. Not to him." She turned, hiding her shivering body behind her cape. Yasuo looked down sadly before kneeling. He held out the last sword obediently.

 "Very well. Lady Icari, this is the last sword. The priestess holding possession of it has left this world, and I've brought it to you. Its name is Tekaiga, the powerful sword that controls the spirits."

 Hesitant, Icari turned around and took the sword from Yasuo, and held it in her hand, as she had no place to sheath it. "Thank you, Yasuo-kun. But I must ask you, what are you going to do now?" But he was already gone, leaving behind only faint ripples in the pond.

 "Don't pretend like you don't hear me, I know perfectly well that you know what I'm saying." With that, she turned and left, striding back to the camp.

*~*~*~*~*

 "Icari?? Why do you have the fourth sword?" Sango, who was oddly the first up, ran over to Icari to look at the last sword of the four of the Inu family.

 "Tekaiga, it's called the Tekaiga. And Kikyo has left the world of the living. She left it behind." Sango wanted to ask more, but she could see that Icari was not in the mood to talk. So, instead, she nodded and backed away, getting the fire ready for the morning.

 "Sango, did either of my brothers happen to wake up while I was gone?" The demon exterminator shook her head.

 "Not that I've seen. Why?"

 "Just curious." Actually, she hadn't wanted the two to know about Yasuo, or else they might somehow get him to join the group, if they managed to convince themselves to let him come in; as if the pack wasn't odd enough already.

 A million and one thoughts were running through her head as the rest of the group woke up, one by one. The only thing that pulled her out of her thoughts was the first scream of "Pervert!" in the air.

 "Well, looks like we're ready. How about you Icari?" Inuyasha was hefting Kagome onto his back (he wasn't keen on letting go of her) when he had asked that, and for the first time, Icari noticed that the camp had been cleaned up.

 "Uh, sure. It's not like I have anything to pack up anyways." She stood, grinning at Kagome who was sending a "don't gloat" look. A normal morning for these shards hunters, she thought.

 "So, Kagome, where to?" The couple of Inuyasha and Kagome grinned at each other before Kagome started to concentrate. This part was new to her; Inuyasha usually just stood up and left, not really asking for anything from Kagome.

 "I sense something up that way."

 Inuyasha braced himself for the first leap, "All-"

 "Wait!" Everyone gave Miroku a look before letting him explain. "Isn't that the way we came?"

 "So…" The hanyou was clearly annoyed at this…

 "So, we were just over there yesterday, Kagome, isn't it weird that you didn't sense it before? It's out of my range; therefore it's pretty far away." There was a stifled laugh from Icari, and everyone looked at her oddly, before Sesshomaru grunted too. Rin looked at the both of them, before shrugging it off. "Oh, now I can sense it."

 "Wow, it's coming in pretty fast…" then, Icari guessed, Inuyasha caught the smell too. She hadn't smelled it much, just the faint wisp of it a while ago, but she still knew where it came from.

 "Dog-face!!" At this point, Icari had burst out laughing at this new nickname Inuyasha had gotten for himself, before straightening. 'Hey, that insults me too!' but she didn't have long to ponder as a whirlwind rushed into the campsite and right in front of Inuyasha and Kagome. Icari was surprised to see a wolf youkai standing there. Probably this Koga she had heard about.

 "How… did you get her back?" Inuyasha smirked.

 "Definitely not by doing whatever you're doing." The two Inu-youkai glanced at each other questioningly. Since when did Inuyasha handle these kinds of problems so calmly? Or calmly at all.

 "Why you rotten little bit of dog shit."  They looked at Kagome who was shaking with mirth against Inuyasha's back. Then they both nodded (Sesshomaru only lightly) in understanding.

 "Just get lost." Inuyasha, who had been about to jump off, caught a whiff of a fading smell. "Naraku? Since when were you allies with Naraku?" Kagome peeked from behind the hanyou, as the others looked down from atop Kirara.

 "Since he promised me Kagura's heart."

 "Hold it!" All eyes turned to Icari, who was walking in between the two. By doing this, she also pushed the two away. "What's all this about. From what I've heard, you like Kagome, but who the hell's Kagura??"

 *THUD*

 All members of the group fell to the ground (except for Sesshomaru's bunch) before getting up again. Miroku looked at her with a grin.

 "No, Kagura is Naraku's spawn. She was the one who kill Koga's tribe. She's also rebellious, so Naraku removed her heart and now holds it, so that she has to do everything he says. Now, if Koga had the heart, he'd be able to kill her any time he wishes.

 "Enough of this nonsense!" The wolf pushed Icari aside and lounged for Inuyasha, who dodged it, even with Kagome on his back. He dropped her, and went into a battle stance.

 "Okay wolf boy, if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get." As the two boys, in Icari's mind anyways, lounged at each other, a blue streak appeared out of nowhere and practically shot Koga into the forests. It then proceeded to block Inuyasha's attack.

 "Lady Icari, I apologize, but I had to stop this. There are more important things to worry about, such as the jewel shards and the talismans." It was Yasuo, and he was holding the stunned Inuyasha's claws in place as he spoke to Icari.

 "T- Talismans? Oh, right, um… Yasuo?" He nodded in acknowledgement. "Why are you showing yourself?" she looked at her brothers' surprised faces and shrugged helplessly. "You guys had Jaken and Myouga, do you think I wouldn't have someone to help along too?"

 "Is he…?" Inuyasha trailed off, and it took the woman youkai a while to figure out what her brother meant. She blushed.

 "No! No, we're just friends." She noticed a slight increase of tension in Yasuo's body, and slugged her shoulders in defeat. This was why is was dangerous to fall for your best friends.

 "Shall we go?" Yasuo finally released Inuyasha's clawed hands and backed away, his dark blue robes swaying in the wind. Pieces of short purple hair whipped around his youthful face, and she shivered under his steady gaze. Things were going to be complicated.

 "Yes, let's."

*~*~*~*~*

Yes, yet another character, but I'm not sure how to end these two's relationship. Should they a) end up together or b) stay friends or c) never see each other again after the end. Vote please!