AN: Sorry! It's been a while. I've been making A LOT of Original Fictions!! lol! SHOUT OUT TO MY GIRLS EMILY JESSICA AND BRITTANY and of course by boys: Lenny, Tyler, Mike and Matt! * I don't own Inuyasha and Crew*

Chapter One: Something Has Been Taken:

Inuyasha sat bolt upright in his tree. Cold sweat trickled down his face.

'What was THAT?!' he asked himself mentally. He had had a dream about a secret so deep and dark. But it wasn't his secret. He didn't even dream long enough to know what the secret was! But it was dark. It was deep, and he knew it existed. Who could possibly have a secret so...unearthly? So dark? What was going on? How could something so... sickening be burned into someones memory?

Shippo looked up at him. "Inuyasha?" He whispered up to the hanyou from Kagome's side.

"What?!" He snapped back.

"Are you ok? I heard you all the way down here! What's going on up there?" he asked.

"Nothing, runt. Go back to sleep and forget it!"

"Jeez. I was only asking!" he said, and snuggled into Kagomes side.

Inuyasha rubbed his face, and leaned back against the tree. 'This has been goin' on way too often. I could wear myself out if I keep wakin' up in the middle of the night like this. Who's nightmares could they be? Kagome's? Hell no. She's too innocent to have anything to do with somethin' so dark and evil. Miroku? Maybe. He had a rough past...No. Not that rough. What about...Not Sango either. The only problem for her was her village, and that only happened a short time ago. I'll think on it tomorrow. Now, I just gotta get some sleep! I could get sick, or worse!' he thought. He slowly drifted back to sleep, and let his mind wander on what the secret could be...

~*~

Kagome called up to him softly.

He jumped up, and glared down at her.

"What, wench?!" he snapped.

Kagome glared evilly up at him. "What is your problem, Mr.?! I was nice! At least I didn't SIT you!" she yelled, knowing he'd come crashing to the dirt. And he did.

"Sorry." he grumbled as he dusted himself off.

Kagome froze in her tracks. 'Did...he just apologize? To ME?' she thought.

"What?" she asked.

"I shouldn't have snapped." he muttered and thumped onto the ground next to Miroku.

"Well, well, well. Looks as though Inuyasha is softening. He actually apologized to you, Lady Kagome." Miroku said, smirking at Kagome.

"Shut the hell up, houshi." the hanyou snapped at him.

"Well, easy come, easy go." Sango commented with a snicker.

Inuyasha glared at his friends. "Hey! It's Kick-The-Dog Day and nobody told me?!" he growled sarcastically as Kagome handed him a bowl of ramen. He ate, knowing if he couldn't get sleep, he'd at least get nourishment.

"Uh, Inuyasha?" Shippo asked.

Inuyasha glared up.

"What's wrong with your eyes?"

Inuyasha swallowed a mouthful of ramen, and asked "Huh?"

"Your eyes look bloodshot and you have dark rings."

Miroku grabbed his chin and turned his face violently towards himself to see.

"It appears he's got insomnia. How many hours did you sleep last night?"

"I got sleep! Lemme go!" he pulled away, and continued eating his ramen.

The group looked at one another, coming to their own conclusions.

After they all finished eating, they began their journey again.

"Some citizens from the village we were at yesterday said that a mean demon swept through." Sango said.

"Yeah. I heard some of the kids saying she was really creepy." Shippo said.

Kagome wondered. "How did they get their village back together so quickly?"

"The shaman said she didn't attack anyone, or speak to anyone. She didn't even stay long. All she did was get some fresh water, and left. No one knows her name, but they all say she wears a black Chi'ao style shirt with black pants that stopped around her knees, there was red trim, and red sakura flower designs on the bottom of her shirt. The old man we asked directions from said she had straight black hair and blue eyes, and a Buddhist bracelet with wooden beads on it, and she's barefoot." Sango said.

Miroku smiled.

"MIROKU!" Sango scolded, and smacked him in the head.

"HEY! HEY! I wasn't thinking that!" he futilely tried to defend himself.

"Then what?" Sango and Kagome both asked.

"I was thinking of an old friend that makes the kind of bracelet you described. We grew up together. He blesses the beads himself, carves them, and puts them together. The beads are soaked in holy oil and herbs and such, for three days, and then put together after a final blessing, and then prayers are carved into them. He sells them for a small fee." he said, and pulled a bracelet out of his hair that held in back, "These." he said, showing them the beads.

"They're pretty." Kagome said.

"A work of art indeed." Miroku commented and pulled his hair back again.

"You look like a fruit with your hair down. Don't take it down again." Inuyasha said.

"Your hangs loose as well, Inuyasha, so do not judge mine. And yours is much longer anyway."

"Ah, shut up." he said, and laced his fingers behind his head. He looked at the clouds, and began to think of the nightmare he had. The secret...

"Inuyasha." Kagome said.

"What?" he asked.

"Are we looking for the girl?"

His eyes scanned the trees, as though seeking an answer.

"Yeah. She sounds mystical and creepy and all that jazz, so sure. She might know of a shard around here somewhere." he replied, calmly.

They walked on, Miroku to his right, telling them about his friend, Yuuri, who makes beads. Inuyasha's mind kept wandering back to the secret, the dream, and who it could belong to. It played out as if it were a memory. He was seeing it through their eyes, whoever it was.

~*~

A while down the beaten dirt road, they came across a stream of cool, spring water.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome smirked, and jumped in front of him.

"Yeah?"

"Can we please stop? We've been walking for three hours, and its really hot, and icky and it'd be great if we could take a little break!" she asked with extreme innocence.

He sighed. "Fine. Try to be quick about it though. I don't want a confrontation with any demon unless they've got a shard on 'em." he said.

She squealed happily, and Inuyasha pressed his ears down against his head and shut his eyes tightly.

As the girls and Shippo went to the stream, they followed behind and sat on a rock that was lodged into the ground.

"You've been uncharacteristically giving today. Tell me what it is that's burdening you. First your extremely cranky this morning, more so then usual, and then your calm, cool, and collected and give in to Kagomes wishes." he said.

Inuyasha looked at the man sitting next to him. He was smarter then most, a great fighter, strong, good listener, and a good friend.

"Nothing." he said, passively.

"Tut tut tut. The REAL Inuyasha would snap at me and tell me nothing was wrong. You seem worn and tired."

"I am." he said, sighing.

"Do you know why?"

"I haven't been sleeping well lately. For about a week I've had a dream. Actually, more like a nightmare. It wakes me up, and then I can't stop thinking about it, so it takes about an hour to get back to sleep." he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Hmm. What is it about?"

"A se-" he was stopped short, and looked up, glaring into the trees.

"What is it?"

"Someone's coming. Human, but they could be bandits..." he said.

"Male or female?" he asked.

"I don't know."

Miroku tensed. No one was going to hurt Sango. And Inuyasha wouldn't let anyone even look at Kagome.

"Whoever it is better not mess with us." Inuyasha jumped down, finally taking on his normal attitude.

"Hey, you three! Get up here closer to the bank. There's someone coming." he called to them.

They waded closer to the bank and Inuyasha watched the trees. There was a rustle in the bushes, and Inuyasha watched closely.

A girl came out and crouched to take a drink of water. Her black hair covered her features, and she stood.

Kagome waded over. The girl had a kind smile, and big blue eyes.

"Hey! I'm Kagome, and thats Sango, and thats Inuyasha and Miroku." she introduced them.

"I am Mizu." she said. Shippo and Kiara jumped on her shoulders and Shippo introduced them.

She smiled kindly and patted them both on the head.

"Pleased to meet you." she said.

Kagome sat on the bank with Sango and Shippo talking with Mizu.

"Hey..." Inuyasha said. He and Miroku were still on the other side of the stream talking.

"Yes?"

"Didn't Sango say the creepy girl was wearing black Chi'ao style working clothing with red trim?"

"Yes."

"And she had black hair and blue eyes."

"Yes."

Inuyasha took his chin and forcefully guided it in the direction of the girls.

"So she does...She left the village only hours before we arrived there. Should we ask her if she's seen or heard of any shards?" Miroku asked.

"Its worth a shot." he said. He picked Miroku up and jumped across the stream, and walked over to her and sat down.

"Hey, you. Were you in that village yesterday?" he asked.

"Yes." she said shyly, and cowered down a bit.

"I ain't gonna bite ya, kid, so come back up here." he said.

"I am no child." she said, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Then stop acting like one. Have you seen any jewel shards?" he asked.

"Jewel shards? OH! You mean from the Shikon No Tama! A man I know, Naraku, has many."

"You know Naraku?" Inuyasha asked suspicously.

"Yes."

"How?" Kagome asked.

"I met him once. He asked me to find a man named Sesshomaru, but I said I didn't know who he was or where to find him, and he said it was ok and let me go on my way." she said.

"He propositioned you?!" Miroku asked.

She nodded, and Miroku and Inuyasha looked at each other. "He tried to get such an innocent thing to do his dirty work." Miroku siad shocked.

"Yeah, I know. That in itself is bad, but what does he want with Sesshomaru? He knows Sesshomaru is a demon, and he sent a small human girl to face him! What the hell is wrong with him?! That rat bastard knows she wouldn't last ten seconds in his presance." Inuyasha growled.

"Who is he?"

"Sesshomaru is my brother. He is a powerful demon. What did Naraku offer you if you did this deed for him?" Inuyasha asked, staring at her with penetrating eyes.

"A home, and a loving guardian."

"Huh?"

"I stayed with him for one night, because I was not close to a village. And I told him my story over supper, and he offered to take me in and protect me if I helped him find Sesshomaru. But I had no idea who he was or how to get to to wherever he inhabited." She said.

Sango whispered something in Inuyashas ear while Kagome and Mizu talked.

"Inuyasha. She obviously had no idea who he was. She know now though."

"Thats not what I'm thinking about. I'm thinking about what her story is. But how do I tell Kagome I want her to come with us on our hunt for the Shikon No Tama?"

Kagome interrupted them.

"Hey, Inuyasha. Mizu is a REALLY nice girl! And she's my age too! Can she pleeeeaaaase come with us?" she asked.

Inuyasha and Sango exchanged glances, and he sighed. "Why do you insist on inviting everyone and their brother along? Fine. She can come." he said, faking annoyance.

Mizu bowed several times, and dropped to her knees and lowered her head to show respect.

"After lunch, we go again." he said.

~*~*~*~

HEY HEY HEY! Whadaya think? I like it. Heehee. Mizu! Doncha just luv that name? I do. Mizu Mizu Mizu!!! I don't know what the pairings gonna be!! Whatever i feel like, i guess!! HAHA!