Disclaimer: The only things we own in this fic are Cold Stone, Kracken, and the Insanity. Muwahahahaha. Don't try to drive us to sanity please. It's just not a good idea; we like being the way we are. Enjoy part three. (Sesshie sure won't.)  We also don't own Magician Murphy. He came from Xanth, created by Piers Anthony (Xanthony).

          Kracken sat on a rock in the clearing…waiting. Waiting for what you ask? Well, food. She'd figured out that the shard she had would make excellent bait. She wanted to see what would try to take it from her and she didn't have long to wait. As she sat there peacefully contemplating the forest, she idily shifted form to a well to do Japanese matron. Not too old, not too young, completely rich, sometimes commonly seen, unassuming and un-threatening. Boy was that wrong.  'After all,' she thought. 'It wouldn't do to frighten the dears off.'  

          She didn't have long to wait.


          "Hand over the Shard. And do it now. Or feel my blade."

          Lunch is served.

          She decided to ignore him for a while to see if he would come closer. Wouldn't you know it? The fool that he was; he did come closer. Until that is, the wind shifted and he got a whiff of her 'scent'.  Definitely (did we mention definitely?), not human.  If you could call it a scent at all… more like a sensation, like you were standing on the edge of a volcano, an active one at that. (Athena: Sheesh, you're mean dammit.) (Kracken: Well! I was getting ready to eat before you came along!) 

          The next thing he knew, his demon blood was drawn to a secluded point just behind his heart, leaving him defenseless, human, (and unfortunately for Kracken, less appetizing) (Kracken: dammit!!! That's just wrong!). At the same time, he felt Shippou cling to his leg and whimper. His parents had told about THIS particular creature. And right now he envied Inuyasha's ability to become human, one of the few that is.

          Inuyasha decided to try again. (Athena: doesn't know when to quit now does he? Tsk.) "Hand over the shard bitch. I'm not going to tell you again!" (Athena: bakana). Kracken rolled her eyes and continued to stare straight ahead as a strangely dressed human child with long black hair and a strange aura came bouncing into the clearing. (Kracken: oh, gods. Not another one! Damn Miko's. Get rid of one, ANOTHER ONE JUST HAS TO SHOW UP IN HER PLACE. They keep trying to exorcise me. It's getting annoying, not to mention old… ATHENA!! I told you not to wake me!!!) (Athena: No comment temperamental lawn ornament wannabe.)

          Kracken sighed and turned to regard her visitors. Really it was just too bad that the half demon had to change form like that. He had actually looked appetizing. The little fox demon just wasn't worth bothering with, and that girl!!! She'd eat her if another one wouldn't come along after her. But one would, Murphy's curse. She'd get Magician Murphy for that one.

          Wait. Wasn't there something slightly familiar with the half demon? Oh yes. "Don't I know you?" she asked.

          He flinched as his demon blood tried to recede from his body entirely. Every instinct he possessed screamed at him to flee that burning regard. It was all he could do to hold his place when a small tendril of glowing energy snaked slowly from her fingers, and the harmless looking illusion disappeared to reveal the flaming form she normally wore. His eyes rolled back in his head and Kagome and Shippou both screamed, though for different reasons, as the half blood crashed to the ground, seemingly impaled by the beam of light. Kagome drew an arrow, and even got off a shot, but it was no good, the arrow burst into flame on contact, and not even ashes were left.

"I'm not hurting him, you little idiot!" Kracken snapped. She withdrew the tendril just as a screaming Athena burst into the clearing. 

"Kracken!!!!" 

She groaned. "Not again."

          "There's a youkai in your valley and he called me mortal. Mortal!! ME. A GODDESS. DO I LOOK MORTAL TO YOU?!!"

          Kracken sighed and regarded her… well, she had no technical name for her, but friend would have to do. Though chronic annoyance would fit too. 

          "Well, more mortal than I do at any rate. Now, would you mind letting me get on with my business?"

          Athena turned (her whole body) bright and dangerous red. "What business?" she asked deceptively sweet.

          "Take that tone of voice with me and I'll give you a close up and personal reminder of what sort of business I'm involved in. Or did you fail to learn that lesson a few thousand years ago? (Kracken is nothing to mess with when PMSing).  She turned back to Inuyahsa. "I believe your mother left something with me. Should I give it to you?"

          Defiantly, Inuyasha said, "Feh. Weak thing like you. I don't care."

          She grinned at him. "You're decision. If you want it, follow  the white road." She promptly disappeared.

          Athena looked at Inuyasha. Great, another mutt. The day was full of them. She hated dog demons. The very first one she'd met tried to eat her owl. Damn him to the deepest hell. And all his children too. Come to think of it… both of the dogs she'd met today, seemed to resemble him greatly… shit.

          "And you!" she said to Inuyasha. "Don't be like your baka father and try to eat my owl!"

          "What owl?" asked Kagome.

          "That one!" Athena said pointing to the tree branch where the beautiful silver owl sat staring at Kagome evilly.

          "Oh, is that ugly thing yours? I wouldn't eat it if you paid me. I wouldn't eat it for all the demon powers in the world."

          "Why you-!"

          Kracken appeared just behind her and grabbing around the waist (No hentai here people, just trying to save my lunch from his own idiocy.) and promptly dumped her fully clothed on to her daddy's lap.  

          "What? Athena? What are you doing here?"

          "He called me mortal!!" she raged.

          "Who?"

          "He called me mortal!! I have to punish him!!!"

          "Ummm… have fun… dear," he said weakly. Sometimes, it was better just not to ask.

In the valley…

          Kracken stood by her lake juggling the shard idly in one hand. Suddenly, a soft voice demanded:

          "Hand over the shard, and do it now. Or feel my talons."

          "Not again," Kracken moaned.  "Why is my lunch so sassy today?"

          Sesshoumaru stared at her. Lunch? He didn't want to know.

          "What do you want, little man?"

          "I want the shard. Now hand it over."

          "You've got a lot of sass for a young pup."

          Sesshoumaru stared at the woman in front of him. How young did she think he was?

          "You?" Kracken said. "You're only about two-thousand years old. Wet behind the ears puppy?"

          "What?????"

          "Where as I have been around practically since the world began. Should I eat you now or later, I wonder?"

          She began to stalk around him casually looking him over with intent to assess how appetizing he was. Very appetizing, lot's of nice demonic power and contempt. Yum.  She pinched his cheeks. Just right, not too skinny not too fat.

          "What do you think you're doing????"

          "Testing my meal."

          "YOU'RE WHAT????? MEAL?? I DON'T THINK SO!!!! FEEL MY TALONS!!!" he screamed, slashing at her. (Athena: Baka).

          He screamed again as his talons caught fire.

          "Just for that, I think I'll eat you now. Be a good dog and heel."

          "KRACKEN!!!! DON'T YOU DARE!"

          'Oh no. Not again. What does this crazy bitch have against me eating lunch?'

          "He's mine."

          "He's in my valley, I caught him, he's my lunch."

          "I claim revenge."

          "For WHAT??"

          "He called me mortal."

          "So? You look like one. Get over it!" she raged grabbing Sesshoumaru and dragging him off screaming (Kracken: His arm is on fire and he can't get away from me. New experience for him. He'll shut up soon).

          Athena grabbed his other arm and pulled him back. He stood between the two like a rubber band waiting to be pulled.

          "I claim revenge. I don't care if he was in your valley. He insulted me first."

          "I care that he was in my valley. It's MY valley. He is in my valley and therefore he is mine."

          "Immortal claim of revenge. I'll give you the half–blood brother and the father. Good enough?"

          "The half-blood keeps changing to human and they taste like shit. And the dad is long gone."

          "I'll make the half-blood unable to change, and I'll convince my uncle to get the father from these hells for you. Agreed? This one is mine."

          Kracken thought for a minute. "I guess."

          "Agreed."

          Kracken picked up Sesshoumaru and tossed him to Athena, who promptly tossed him back. "Stick around for a while and don't eat him. I need to do something."

          She disappeared and Kracken gave Sesshie and evil smile. "Don't even think about running, Fluffy. Bad things will happen if you do. She never said I couldn't scorch you around the edges."

          And so… Fluffy stayed.

          Athena reappeared next to Inuyasha. Touching him slightly on the arm, she disappeared…

          She re-appeared in the valley with Inuyasha and a large dog demon. "Here," she said to Kracken. "Take them."

          Athena looked at Sesshoumaru. "Now, what to do with you. Got any suggestions Kracken?"

          "Well… there's always the neon pink rhinestone collar. And by the way, he doesn't like being called Fluffy. "

The END—for now…

 Kracken:  Pooor, poor fluffy, he's NOT a happy puppy dog.

Review please. ^__^

Just to let you know… Just to let you know, Kracken l.w. and The Goddess will write two more stories together and if by then you haven't guessed who The Goddess is, we will tell you at the end of the third story. So please leave your guesses with your reviews or e-mail us at: TheTerribleTwosome closetelves@yahoo.com