A/N: I don't own inuyasha & Co.

Chapter 9

-Naraku's Castle-

"Do you understand? Get the staff and I will grant you what you desire.."

"What do you get out of this?" the dark haired hanyou asked.(obviously this is naraku) :)

"My queen..." the room that they were in had a single candlelight but that was enough to see the glint in the stranger's eyes. Naraku knew that he should deal with the man with caution. One

wrong move could end everything. A faint creak was heard outside, it didn't go unnoticed both men looked at the shoji door.

"Kagura, come in we know you're there." Kagura entered the room with her usual defiant expression.  The stranger looked at the dark haired woman with red blood lips enter the room.  

"I came here just to tell you that Kanna and I was unable to apprehend Kikyo. We were able to get some of her soul to make her completely useless but the hanyou came in time."

"Never mind. I want you to go to a village called Mirai and look for the staff of Tenku. It is supposed to be hidden. It won't be in a temple. Destroy the whole village if need be. Now, go" Kagura

looked at Naraku with a promise of death and turned her back to leave when she was stopped by another man's voice.

"matte, there would be a girl there, her name is Rine. Make sure she is unharmed." the man spoke with a voice that made Kagura's blood run cold. *Naraku seems to be dealing with more

dangerous characters every time. I must find a way to be free... * "Of course." With that Kagura left.

-Inuyasha's forest-

"Kikyo..." The woman made out of clay and bones look at the hanyou with half opened eyes.

"Inuyasha, have you come to make fun of me? Me, being only a human that is barely alive without souls. You must think i am disgusting."

"Never!" Kikyo smirked at the emotion that the hanyou has spoken. "Kikyo, why not join us? Forget your plan of going on your own and join us." Inuyasha said this impulsively forgetting that

they were not alone. Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kagome were there. At that moment, you could feel the tension in the air. The wind stopped blowing and for a second after the outburst, it

seemed that time stopped and so did Kagome's hope. The hope of being seen as Kagome and being loved as herself and not just a reincarnation. She wanted to cry, shout and hit the stupid

idiot for being insensitive but she opted to remain silent. She watched how everything progressed. As she watched Inuyasha and Kikyo proceed with their on going drama, her three friends were

watching her. She didn't notice how rigid, tense and emotionless she had become until she felt Kikyo look at her with knowing eyes. "Kagome, you should know by now what is happening, Do

you feel it? Do you sense the strong jaki (is that right? I'm not sure what you call the evil aura) coming from all direction?" that nearly undid Kagome. Being talked to by her past self wasn't

something she counted on happening but luckily she was able to keep her cool.

"Yes, I felt it. If i'm not mistaken, there was a trace of shikon as well…"

"For a reincarnation, you are good… I don't know why I am saying this but we are dealing with something bigger than the Shikon here. I was investigating before I was attacked. It seems that

the end is coming soon. Houshi, do you know of the legend and prophecy about Balrok?" Kikyo was able to shift a bit since she had some souls within her. She was waiting for the rest. Miroku

looked thoughtful for a second and then said " If I remember correctly, Balrok was the demon who destroyed heaven. It was the folly of heaven to be confident that they had destroyed the dark

master. When they least expected it, he attacked and caused destruction and chaos to heaven. A man was able to seal him but not destroy. It was said that he was only bidding his time to

reawaken and to once again cause destruction.. but what has that got to do with what's happening? You don't mean to tell me that…" Miroku didn't go on. He didn't have to because the way

Kikyo looked, he knew that the worst has come. Inuyasha didn't like the idea of having another Naraku appear. He growled in his throat to show his displeasure. "How do you know about this?"

Sango asked Kikyo with suspicion in her voice, She was thinking that Kikyo may have planned this. Kikyo gave Sango a cold look. "If you have been in hell for 50 years (was that how ling she

was dead? I forgot :) ) you would know these things. Things like these are discussed." Sango still wasn't convinced and was about to say so when Miroku intervened. "Kikyo-sama, you said

something about a prophecy?" Kikyo had all the souls that she needed and was trying to stand up. Inuyasha immediately helped her up. Her Shikigami (I think this is wrong?) came by her side

ready to take her away as soon as she said so. She looked at Kagome  and said, "There are three prophecies is when the soul and the tear come together, power beyond comprehension

appear. One should not be tainted. The second prophecy is Darkness will arise when the master awakens. He will look for his queen and together will they will destroy. The holder of souls shall

join. Demons exalt.  Light will fade and the innocence will cease. The last prophecy is the saviors will awaken the light within. Through kinship their powers will save."  There was an air of

apprehension. They knew about the soul that the prophecy was referring to. "The shikon no tama…" Inuyasha said in a whisper. "hai, the shikon no tama." Kikyo left at that point. Her Shikigami

carrying her to her destination.  

Firefly I like hotaru as well ^^ I believe she's the best among all the sailor warriors. ^.^  I like Ranma. I like Akane. I don't like Shampoo… she;s too blatant in everything. ^^

               Btw, thanks for reviewing and I'm really sorry for not updating. ^^ I've been so busy the past few weeks… months I think… ^^ hope you like this