BLAH!!!!!!!

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Hotaru looked around her. All there was was blackness. Everywhere. "Where's the well gone?" asked Hotaru aloud. "Where am I?" Her voice echoed. It didn't seem real somehow. "Another dream!" realised Hotaru. "I just need to wake up!" But she wasn't waking up. "What's going on?" she demanded. "Why can't I wake up?"

Hotaru tried hitting herself. "Ow!" Even though it hurt, she was still positive it was a dream. Hotaru became more aware of the nothing ness which surrounded her now that it seemed she couldn't escape. It was cold and empty. She was scared.

"Scary isn't it?" came that familiar cold voice that seemed to enjoy haunting Hotaru. "So you can't wake up, eh? Well don't worry dear, it'll all be over soon, once the process is complete."

"Process?" squeaked Hotaru. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Who are you? Why are you tormenting me? This isn't fair! I can't stand this darkness it's mocking me!" Hotaru's eyes briefly flashed red. "Why can't I escape it? Why can't it just leave me be?" Tears began to stream down her cheeks. It was just too overwhelming.

The voice spoke again, this time it sounded somewhat smug. "Awwww poor little Hotaru. You pretend you can't stand this place, but secretly you love it! The darkness is where you belong. Being a senshi can never show your true power. Only the darkness can reveal it. And I am going to use it." The voice cackled.

"Stop it! screamed Hotaru. "Stop laughing!!" Hotaru pressed her hands against hear ears to drown out the sound. But the terrible sound would not disappear. Hotaru once again began to cry. How was she ever going to get out of this?

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"Kikyo, will these do?" asked Sara indicating to a clump of herbs.

Kikyo smiled at the blond girl. "Hmmmm, no those are poisonous. Try to avoid the light green plants."

"Okay." Said the girl as she ran to look for some darker herbs.

Kikyo smiled wistfully at Sara. How she longed to be so care free and innocent. A cold wind blew. Kikyo shivered.

"Sara." She called. "We'll find some more tomorrow. I think we have a enough to heal the soldier's wounds."

"Hai!" replied Sara obediently and followed Kikyo down the dust pathway back to her village. "Kikyo is it going to rain?"

"Well, it looks like it," replied Kikyo. "I..." Kikyo stopped abruptly in her tracks.

"Kikyo?" asked Sara concernedly. "What's the matter?"

Kikyo didn't answer. She could feel an evil presence. Normally she wouldn't have concerned herself but it could have been Naraku and she hadn't felt his presnce in a long time. "Sara, go back to the village, I'll return later."

"A-all right." Replied Sara, not wanting to make a fuss.

Kikyo followed the large amount of evil energy she could feel. Kikyo followed it for a long time. Many hours passed. Kikyo was suddenly aware that she was drawing closer to her home village.

"Could this have something to do with Inuyasha?" thought Kikyo. "No, I don't think so. There would be more commotion if he was involved."

The source of the energy, to Kikyo's surprise was near an old well. Kikyo walked in front of it. Kikyo's eyes widened in surprise. It was a pale young girl. Kikyo stared at her for a few moments.

"Something so beautiful and innocent couldn't be evil." But Kikyo's experience told her better. The girl was probably possessed or something similar. Something Kikyo had no interest in.

Nevertheless....

Kikyo's curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to know what was wrong with the girl. It was something she had never encountered before. Kikyo was sure of it. And for some reason Kikyo felt strangely drawn to her.

Kikyo carried the girl back to the village, which had been serving as Kikyo's home for the past few weeks. She didn't grow tired. Kikyo rarely felt tired with this body.

Sara greeted Kikyo at the edge of the village. She glanced at the slumbering girl held in Kikyo's arms.

"Kikyo sister this girl makes me feel horrible and cold," said Sara frightened.

"Don't worry," said Kikyo soothingly. "We're going to make her better, she won't hurt you."

"Where will she stay?" enquired on of the village women.

"With me." Replied Kikyo shortly and brought the girl to the small hut the villagers had rented her. Kikyo laid her gently on the floor.

"Don't worry," Kikyo whispered. "I'll make you better."

Suddenly the girl's eyes fluttered open. "Alone, I'm alone!" she moaned, eyes flashing red. "I am where I belong, darkness is what I am!" Her voice had suddenly gotten deeper.

Kikyo frowned. What was happening? She tried to calm her down. She put her hand on the distressed girl's shoulder.

Bad move.

"Get off of me, woman!" the girl screamed. A purple light appeared from the girl's hand and pushed Kikyo against the wall of the hut.

The girl's eyes suddenly stopped flashing red. Kikyo noticed she had large violet eyes. "I'm sorry." She said softly before she collapsed into a deep sleep.

Kikyo didn't dare move. She was still in shock. "What sort of powers does this girl possess? Is she dangerous?" Kikyo frowned. "I should really get rid of her. She's too dangerous." But Kikyo couldn't bring herself to go through with it. She felt a deep connection with this girl for some reason.

"What is it about you?" Asked Kikyo to the slumbering child. "Why can't I just dispose of you?" ******************************************************************** Usagi sat alone in the burger bar, sipping on a chocolate milkshake. It was seven O' clock. "I should be having dinner right now!" Usagi groaned to herself. "I'm so hungry! All I could afford was this milkshake.

Usagi stood up suddenly and said, "No! I'll prove to them that I can do things by myself without their help! I'm going to find my way home, instead of moaning stupidly in a dodgy burger bar!" She barged out of the restaurant trying to avoid the gazes of the smirking customers.

Usagi, not looking where she was going, walked straight into a tall woman and fell on the ground.

"Ouch! I'm sorry!" apologised Usagi rubbing her sore backside.

"Oh, I'm the one who should apologise Princess." Said the woman.

Usagi looked up at the woman.

"stesuna!" she cried happily flinging her arms around the startled woman. "I'm so glad to see you! I'm lost. You've just got to bring me home!"

Setsuna chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, Usagi, the situations you get yourself into! Of course I'll bring you home, but after I do something."

"Oh?" said Usagi curiously. "What are you doing?"

Setsuna sighed, sadness in her eyes. "I am afraid Hotaru's life may be in great danger.'

"Danger?!" exclaimed Usagi horrified. "How? Why?'

Setsuna looked at her gravely. "I have sensed a rift in the flow of time. Someone has been travelling back in time without an apparent purpose. Hotaru has been living with her cousin Kagome. Kagome, for the past few months, has been travelling back in time to the feudal era. But Hotaru was never supposed to. I knew it was dangerous from the start when I heard of Hotaru going to live with kagome."

"Why?" asked Usagi confusedly.

But Usagi did not answer and Usagi did not press her, even though she was almost bursting from curiosity.

"Come," said Setsuna. "Let's go to the Higurashi shrine."

******************************************************************** Well there ya goo. Another chappie. Sorry if that was kind of crappy and short. I've loads of different ideas going through my head at the moment for different fics and I'm getting kind of confused about where I'm heading with this one. But no worry. See ya next time