Disclaimer: Do I own Inuyasha?... I'll never tell....

The Devil's Rule

Chapter Two: Obsolete

~*~

Listen as the wind blows across the great divide

Voices trapped in yearning, memories trapped in time

The night is my companion and solitude my guide

Would I spend forever hear and not be satisfied?

-Unknown

~*~

It had been days since he had first steep foot upon this shrine, and since then he has rarely ever left his accommodations for his stay. The boy, Souta as he has come to know him as, was entirely too trusting for one with problems of his caliber. Inuyasha remember the second day of coming to this place the human child came to speak with him while Shippo, as he had told him, was watching over his sister while she made dinner for all. Before he had started the conversation he of course promised to sneak his back some grub to fill his empty stomach. Just the thought of eating was enough to elect a moan of eagerness from his empty abdomen.

Souta took a seat opposite of him, his eyes troubled. Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the kid looked older like this, a look much like his own at that age, and couldn't help but wonder what he had been through to give him such eyes. He hides his pain well; Inuyasha mussed as he silently studied him while waiting for him to begin. With a grimace he began. "You remember when Shippo didn't want me to let you stay here for fear of the Over Lord finding us?"

"Hai..." The hanyou replied deliberately, trying to read into the boy's surprisingly concealed face. It was strange seeing the child this way, it almost reminded him of Sesshoumaru, but a lot less extreme. He highly doubted anyone could pull of the emotionless demeanor his brother managed to put fourth. Heck it was enough to chill him to the bones sometimes. "What about it?"

"Kagome... she..." Lowering his face, as if suddenly shamed, he replied in a subdued tone of voice literally shacking with many emotions that someone of his age should never now or even have so much of. "Kagome's really strong, and she's always taking care of me and Shippo always worrying about everyone else and never seems to think about herself. I want to protect her though, but I'm not strong enough, the last time we fought I could do nothing and Kagome could barely keep us both safe, he was just to strong." He looked back up at Inuyasha with such hopeful eyes it made the said hanyou swallow hard. What did this kid expect him to do? "But you're really strong, you even have a demon blade! You could help me protect her, would you?" He pleaded.

Inuyasha was quiet for a long time, not saying a word as he searched Souta's eyes. So much pain in his young life, so much hope and fear for his answer... but why should he do it? What would he get out of protecting this kids older sister? Well he would get a place to stay, free food and information into this little dream world he has seemed to have created for himself, besides the kid might kick him out if he disagreed. Deciding there was much to gain from this, he said. "Sure why not, it's not like I have anything better to do." Who would know anyways, this was dream world, no one in the real one would know about this and call him weak minded for protecting a frail human. He thought, forgetting for the time being his own human side.

Souta lost the look to his eyes, seeming the young and innocent kid the hanyou took him for, and for some indescribable reason Inuyasha felt a little warm-hearted that he was able to take it away for him. He, at that age, had no one to do something such at this for him, besides his brother... but that was only a once in a blue moon type of thing. Sesshoumaru wasn't really as cold as some made him out to be, he was just not good at describing how he felt on matters, or showing emotions period. The only time his seemingly cold-hearted brother let down his walls was when they were alone.

With a delighted laugh Souta lunched himself towards the hanyou, wrapping his smaller arms around Inuyasha's neck in a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Inuyasha." The boy cried, before releasing him. Inuyasha tried to hide a blush at the kids antics as Souta moved towards the exit, he really wasn't used to such a show of emotions. "I'll go see if my sister finished, trust me you'll love her cooking. She's a master."

Inuyasha couldn't help but smile at the memory. No, not at the talk, though it was a nice one, but what he meant was the food. Never had he tasted something so delectable in his entire life! Sure he's eaten ramen, rice and beef stew before, but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer pleasure her skills had brought him. The meat was the juicy, sauce dripping down his chin as he savored it. Every thing was spiced to perfection, the right ingredients that tantalized and teased the taste buds. Once his stomach began to rumble in hunger as his thoughts got more into detail of his meals since staying here, he decided it was time to change the subject before he was tempted into ransacking their kitchen looking for something prepare by her hands.

There had been many more conversations between Souta and himself, and each time they spoke he learned more of things in this weird time. Some of the things spoken of, Inuyasha could just not imagine, and he wondered if he would ever see them. So far he hadn't left past the exit. He wondered what was keeping him here, why he hadn't left yet. Shaking himself of the antsy feeling overwhelming him, he decided to at lest leave and stretch his legs. Never once in all of his life had he stayed in one place for so long. Well he did promise to protect that kids ane-ue, but that couldn't be why he felt the need to stay. He had only agreed to help him while he stayed, not that he would help for the rest of his natural born life, or really their lives considering his demon half he would live a lot longer.

Pushing himself to his feet sluggishly, he mentally cursed himself for his laziness. Despite the fact he couldn't leave for fear of being seen did not give him the excuses for lazing about and give his body time to become languorous, there was enough room to practice his katas and stretch a bit. Think, what if he had made not inclination to leave this spot even after a few months! He would never be fit enough to fight at the drop of a hat, no he would be lethargic in his movements giving the enemy ample time to take him down. He snorted at the thought, disgusted with himself. What would his brother think…?

His brother? Now that he though about it, did Sesshoumaru know were he was? Or was he still missing? Well either way, Inuyasha only hoped his brother did not think he had abandoned the cause, and left him to the fight on his own and that Sesshoumaru won the fight. That he was able to gain revenge for his mother's death. Maybe he would see his brother in this strange place created within the corridors of his mind. Yes, there was no other explanation for it; this place was just to weird to actually be real.

Frustrated with his deliberation in stalling his movements, as his body preferred its position upon the futon, he forced himself to stand and stalk towards the exit. Yes, he would only go for a quick run and be back before the two runts even missed him, as if they would.

He slowly pushed open the door, his eyes peering out into the evening light outside. Taking a delicate whiff of the air, Inuyasha deduced none of the occupant of this shrine have stepped near enough to this part of the property in over five hours, nor was there a single person near by, thus it was safe for him to leave his sanctuary. Placing a foot at a time out the door Inuyasha jump up into the branches of a near by tree, before taking to the roof landing upon his surface like a swan upon a lake. He barely made a sound, or a least one that would be noticed by human ears.

He took his position, crouched low like he was trying to become one with his scenery, taking slow calculated movements in a sideways fashion as his eyes watched the ground like a hawk with its prey. It would not due to be caught by that girl sneaking around her home. From the talks he has had with her brother, and the very few with Shippo, Inuyasha was able to determine the girl to be an above average miko. If there was one thing that he knew about their kind was, when if came to demons or even be it half-demons, they tend kill first and ask questions later. This he all knew from experience.

One would have thought that a innocent trip to the market wasn't normally so life threatening, heck all he was trying to do was save the girl from being beaten by those damn thieves! No one else even seemed to acknowledge her plight, and then surprise, surprise, he's the one that gets his butt nearly purified into the next plain by some stupid Miko who thinks she knows every thing. That sure taught him a thing or two about trying to help ungrateful mortals; the stupid girl didn't even try to set the priestess straight! She just ran for her pathetic human life. Inuyasha clenched his fist that was one of thousands of encounters with the spiritually aware.

Pulling him back from the reminiscent of his past was the soft sound of feet pattering against the cement, another creation of this time as he had learned from Souta, the sound was too delicate to be any of the runts. So it had to be the kid's sister, unless there was another female on the property that he knew not of. With a deadly ease, Inuyasha drew himself up to the edge to the other side peering over it as he sought out the owner of the soft pattering feet.

He wasn't really surprised to see the girl from a few days ago, about four to be precise, walking towards the other mini shrine Souta and other runt warned him not to visit. Something about the girl knowing of his presence there. Watching as she walked right up towards the shoji screen that separated her from the inside, he noticed her hand hesitate as she reached out to push it back. She dropped her hand and sighed, watching the door as if she would rather not enter. Slowly, but surely, she slid the screen back entering, albeit a bit nervously, closing it behind her about half way.

Curious as to what lay beyond those shoji, Inuyasha nimbly leapt from the roof landing upon the ground behind the bushes with a soft pat. Drawing himself up he walked toward the opening as silently as possible ignoring the little preservation sense he held, to spy through the small slit. He could not see much, but he was able to tell that the girl was kneeling before an urn, head bowed. There was also a picture there, but he could not see the face of whom it belonged to clearly. He could tell, though, that whomever it was held dark hair like the woman kneeling.

Perking his ears up, Inuyasha attempted to hear the soft words escaping the young girls lips. If it weren't for his demon sense he wouldn't have heard them at all.

~*~

It had been four days nearly since she had preformed that ceremony and sensed the brink the barrier before she had completed the spell. She has yet to find these demons that had invaded, for some reason they were able to escape her sharp senses. It made her a bit nervous that they could do that, and wonder just what they were planning.

Her sensing of the demon or otherwise aura was a skill that she could proudly say that she had mastered; everything else needed work, especially her archery skills. Kagome knew that she would never be as graceful with the bow as her deceased mother had been. She let a small soft smile grace her lips as she let the recollections of her past occupy her mind. When she was younger, her mother would have the youkai cat, buyou hid somewhere upon the shrines premises and have her try and hone her sense in on the kitten aura. She remembered it quite well....

She was about the age of Shippo now, five, and her mother had declared her old enough to begin her training as a Miko. She remembered being so thrilled at the mere idea of being like her mother. Now, Kagome shook her head sadly, now she understood the weight of responsibility her position brought. She did not then, but recently, well five years ago, she had discover how important she was to the protection of the people and how they had depended upon her to keep them safe. She understood that now, but she had wished that she realized it then for if she had maybe then Shippo would still have his family.

Shaking her head of the depressing memories, Kagome stood from the side of her bed to get dressed out of her night kimono. Rummaging through her closet she found her regular white kimono and red nagamaka, the outfit of a priestess. She despised this outfit, but also held a pride in it. It was strange but true. She despised it for that it represented her being miko, her pride in it came from the fact that her mother had worn these cloths nearly every day of her life, her mother had made the from her own two hands. That is why she holds so much pride in this material.

It was strange that she disliked her priestess heritage so, but when she was younger could not wait until she was able to become one officially herself. Then she did not understand what a Miko was, but she knew now, oh how she knew. The bitter truth that she had learned during her time in the city was that she is a murder. Plain and simple truth, priestesses... they were murders! At first she did not want to believe it, her mother was one, but she learned the hard way... didn't she.

It was only few weeks prior to her mothers death that she left the capital to inform the Over Lord of her mother's illness and that she would be unable to attend to her Miko duties until she regained her health. It was then, that meeting, that the lord fell for her and after her death she took both Shippo and Souta into the city so that she would be able to take over her mother's duty. It was a few days after that that she had another meeting with the Over Lord.... it was that meeting that changed her life forever...

Kagome walked uneasily through the wide corridors of the castle; she stopped before two large ominous black doors of metal, bolts out lining the sides. She never made a move to open them, thought, as they flew to the sides allowing her access. She entered cautiously, eyes darting about in the darkness waiting for something or someone to take her down by surprise. Shockingly enough nothing ever came. She could see nothing of her surroundings, besides the carpet upon which she walked and the evenly place pillars that lined up along the carpet leading towards the dais of which the throne sat upon. The sight made chills run widely along her spine, not matter how much light enter this room that and everything beyond the red carpet always remained oblivious to the light.

Kagome could see a hint of glowing red eyes watching her every movement, but could see nothing else of the person upon the devil's throne. That was what the people call it, it was said that even the fires of hell wouldn't be bright enough to let you see it, but it was foolish to even try. One look at the throne and your soul would be sucked from your body dry. It was said to be a mercy upon the people the Over Lord never let his throne be seen by the masses, along with himself. People often wondered if the lord was the devil himself. She shuddered as she thought these things, but her attention was snapped from them as the lord chuckled dryly.

"My lady Kagome, are you to stand there and gawk all day or are we to get down to business?" Commented in a mockingly angered tone. She could feel his eyes searching her body over as if they were trying to memorize every curve; Kagome shivered then trying to ignore his probing eyes while bowing her head in embarrassment.

"Yes my lord." She implored gently. "What is it you wish to speak with me about, if I may?"

It unnerved her at how she could not see his facial expression; it always made her less nervous when talking to a stranger if she could see their faces. Her mother had taught her at a young age to be able to read people from their posture to facial features, in order to get some insight into there true nature. She could not see her lord and therefore did not know of what he was truly like, though if she were to go by rumors... the man was utterly ruthless.

"There are a few demons here that need to be exterminated." He explained.

She gulped. "What were their crimes, that would warrant such an action of punishment?"

He laughed, the sound lacking in warmth and actually merriment, but harsh and utterly cruel. It set her bones on edge. "Miko they are demons! They need not do anything to warrant it, besides it's not for you to question... should someone especially I ask you to exterminate one of the filthy vermin you would do so." He bit about harshly. "You are a Miko and this is your job, now I ask you find these demons and do the world a favor by taking them from the plan in existence. The do nothing but blemish our world."

Kagome could scarcely believe was she was hearing, all these years she thought her only duty was to keep the barrier going and too stop youkai you thought to murder those of the city and villages. Why would anyone wish to hold this title as priestess? To kill demons, even if innocent of any wrong doings... It was murder. There was no doubting it. Did her mother hate this as well; did she wish more then anything to run from her duties, from what she is, and never look back? That was what she wished that she could do.

"Kagome!" Her name being yelled by her adoptive son snapped her from the depressing thoughts that sought to consume her little by little. Tucking in her kimono, she tied the belt to her nagamaka while heading out her door and down the stairs.

"What is it Shippo?" She asked hiding the earlier emotions that plagued her behind a false smile that went unnoticed. Both her adoptive son and Souta sat around the table eating the dinner she had prepared a bit ago but stopped to give her their most pleadingly innocent facades. They wanted something, but what?

"Souta and I want to go looking around the shrine before it gets to dark, can we, can we?" He pleaded, his face transforming into his famous puppy pout. Kagome always felt so helpless when the kit decided to put it into play; with a hesitant sigh she waved her hand in approval as she turned to her meal. It wasn't fair that he could pull of such a feat; he was a kitsune for goodness sake and not a dog! Both boys' jumped from their seats, rushing to pull her into a hug, before rushing towards the back door.

"Don't go off the shrine grounds, it's too late for that!" She called after their receding forms. With a shake of her head Kagome's eyes dropped to her food, watching it like she were waiting for the stew to do something miraculous. She pushed the bowl aside gently, she wasn't hungry, her thoughts still upon her earlier recollections and shivered slightly, the room suddenly lacking in warmth. She may be a priestess, but she would be dammed if she killed a youkai without being provoked into doing so. She would not kill without reason, absolutely refused to. It was the only way she could live with what she was.

Standing from the table she left the kitchen toward the front door. She suddenly found herself in need of comfort, the comfort only her mother could offer her for her troubling thoughts. Walking as stealthy as she could, she did not want to alert the boys of her presence outside, Kagome walked towards the mini shrine at the right side of the house. She found herself in need of a conversation with her, even if the woman was deceased.

For some strange reason Kagome found herself seeking out her mother's wisdom a lot more then usual lately. Even though she never got a spoken response, she could always feel her spiritually. It helped to give her strength, to help assure her that her decision making in life was the correct one. With slow movements, Kagome's feet brought her before the shoji screen entrance to the mini shrine. Before this door lay her mother's urn.

Reaching out to slide the screen aside, she paused in her movements, hand pausing in mid air before letting it drop to her side. Should she really bother her mother with this, the demons that plague her soul? Kagome shook her head with a slight smile gracing her lips, no. Her Haha-ue would call her foolish for even thinking such things. Her mother always listened no matter what, even if it were silly in her opinion. Her smile faltered a bit, this time her talk had to deal with her mother's profession, that now was her own. Should she really interrupt her Haha-ue's rest for something that would likely maker her sad? Still with hesitation she opened slide the screen back and walked in side slowly, sliding the door partway behind her.

Holding a had gripped in the material above her heart, Kagome dropped to her knees upon the kneeling cushion bowing her head eyes squeezed shut. Even after all these years her mother's death still pained her young heart, but maybe it wasn't the death that really effected her as much as how it had happened. Letting go of the material she slammed her fist into the ground, forcing back the tears that wished to fall.

"I'm sorry mama, I should have known..." She whispered brokenly. "Some miko that I turned out to be, I couldn't even detect the evil in him he hid it so well..." using that back of her hand to wipe at the unwanted tears that managed to fall she laughed softly. "I know you wouldn't want to hear me beat myself over this but it's so hard not to... so I'm going to change the subject to why I'm really here." She folded her hands in her lap, studying the picture of her mother. She never wanted to be one of those children who forgets their parent once they leave to the afterlife. She always wanted to remember her mother. "You know, you were always good at changing the subject, I guess that's why I'm a master know, huh?"

His body cringed when her fist made contact with the wooden plank floor, causing, to the human eye, an invisible crack. Amber eyes widened slightly as the scent of salt water teased his sense, she was crying. Focusing in a bit more he was able to hear what she was whispering quite clearly.... her mother.... Inuyasha tried to shifted his positioning in order to catch a glimpse of the woman whom the young girl called mother. He couldn't see much, but he was able to tell they shared the same raven locks and eyes. His heart ached for her; this girl blamed herself for her own mother's death. He too, knew what if felt like to be the cause of a mothers death... if he weren't ever born or if he were stronger, his mother would be alive right know. Well, would have lived a longer life then normal. Upon his father's death, her life span would have been shortened to its normal years as a human.

Fingering the picture, she began hoping that it did not bring her mother sad thoughts as well. "Am I a murderer, haha-ue?" She asked. "I know that you would tell me I am not, that I am only performing my duties as a shrine madden, but I feel like one." She confessed. "Why must my job consist of exterminating entire the demon race? Not all demons are bad, like not all humans are good..." She mumbled the last part out. "Just down understand... I know that sometimes I must kill to keep those safe from harm, but there are those like Shippo, and I know that he could never hurt anyone. His parents would've never either, they lived peacefully out in the woods."

Inuyasha's heart stopped, amber eyes widening considerably, could it even be possible? Could there actually be a miko out there that wishes not to kill a demon? If this girl saw one, would she shoot first and question it or go about the situation backwards...? Inuyasha snorted softly. Keh, stupid girl, thinking like that's gonna get her killed. Why would he even care? Not wanting to continue with his line of thought, he continued to watch and listen to the girl bear both and heart and soul to her mother.

~*~

The sky was beginning to lose the light the sun provided as it began to sink low beyond the horizon. The sky was cloudless, as the stars began to make their appearance in the heavens. There was a slight wind the ruffled the fur of the cotton ball look alike as he hopped along, following his slightly larger companion who kindly decided to slow down his gait enough for him to keep up. The cotton ball wore a thoughtful expression as he walked. "What do you suppose we should do once we get there?"

"Oi don't know, kill 'er." Replied the giant

The cotton ball rolled it'd dot eyes, frowning at his companion's idiocy. "Well duh, of course were going to kill her, but we can't just walk up there and expect her not to shoot at us. She is said to be extremely powerful, we need to come up with a plan or we'll be the ones ending up dead." It informed, as it jumped to land on its companions shoulder blade. Taking in deep breaths, it silently reveled in its small break from walking.

"Oi never thought 'o that." The giant omitted. "Maybe we should just kill 'er fast, real fast so 'he won't be able to kill us." The demon supplied helpfully, or at lest it thought so.

The cotton ball sighed in annoyance from it position upon the demons shoulder. "I always wondered why they sent little old me on this journey with you when I held no real strength." It explained allowed to it's larger companion whom only glanced down at the small spec, or at lest to him was consider so. "I now understand why. They thought to at lest make sure someone with brains was able to wield the bronze in the right direction." He stated matter-of-fact. "I make the plans you take down the enemies, that's got to be what they had in mind, else wise I don't understand why I was ordered to make this journey." He sighed and leaded back to enjoy the ride. I wish those idiot counsel men did more then through about orders and expect the rest of the world to understand what they meant. He thought angrily, otherwise I might have known my position in this assignment long ago.

The giant purple demon scratched the back of his head, causing the poor cotton ball look alike to hold on for dear life. "'Ey, Oi'm like a sword." He chuckled slightly to himself.

The cotton ball gave him a long sided look, idiot, he thought disdainfully. "Yes, exactly like that." He replied noticeable sarcasm dripping from each word.

"Yes, yes, Oi am aren't Oi?" The cotton ball sweat dropped, looking at the demon as if he had just sprouted a second head. How in the world did that go over his head, he can't be that stupid can he. It shot him another look from the corner of his eyes, and watched as the demon took in all the sights with strange glint to his dark orbs. The cotton ball could have sworn he saw some intelligence lurking around in there, but maybe he did not see correctly.

Shrugging it of as a play upon his senses, it said. "We can't just run up there and kill her as fast as possible, she's probably got barriers placed around her home that would alert her toward our presence. We need to think of a way to disarm that hindrance, and another way to sneak about with out her sensing either of us. She doesn't need a barrier to sense us she could do so on her own, if we are not careful." He explained and watched as his giant companion nodded his head in agreement with him, causing the cotton ball to wonder yet again if there was more to his moronic demon friend the he lead on. They always say appearances are deceiving.

~*~

"I just can't bring myself to understand it...." She sighed in frustration. "I told you this before, I know, but I feel like speaking of it again. Remember when I said that right before I ran form the over lord he requested that I hunt down a few demons and slay them?" She questioned, waiting a few moments as if waiting for the dead woman to answer in reply. Acting as if it were so the young miko continued on. "He wanted me to hunt down a few demons because they were simply that, demons." She shook her head disdainfully a frown marring her, what most would call beautiful, features upon her face. "They did nothing to warrant such an act on my part and so I refused...." She trailed fisting her hands into her red nagamaka, so enmeshed were they that her hands began to pale so a deathly white as she forced her eyes to stay dry. Memories began to over take of that day, and she bowed her head low wishing not to remember.

"He was the one that threw you to the wolves my dear, you should thank him." The voice taunted her mind, a voice and words she remembered hearing before a long time ago in the past before she ran.

Inuyasha watched silently as she held her head bowed eyes squeezed shut at if she were battling something within, he could smell the salt of tears. His heart lurched as he gazed upon her pathetic form, he wanted to reach out to her and comfort her like his mother had. To rock her back and forth in his embrace to chase away those demons that plagued her mind. Without even realizing it Inuyasha began to take a few steps forward, before ducking around the corner as a board creaked under his foot, causing her to snap up. You idiot! He snapped at himself mentally at his momentary lapse in sense. Stupid girl, making me weak for a moment and almost getting caught. It didn't matter to him what she said, the girl was still a priestess and thus fourth could not be trusted by him, a being with partial demon blood flowing through his veins. They were natural enemies.

"You want to know how your mother was killed..." The voice from memory drawled with words spoken once before, trying to draw in her suspense. "It was his fault as well as your own, if it weren't for you both I-" Kagome jumped her feet at the sound her eyes searching the room frantically fearing the man was back, but calmed immediately once she realized where she was. Suddenly she found herself very grateful to whoever made the noise that woke her from the voices with in her mind.

She let her sense extended all around her thinking that perhaps Souta or Shippo had come looking for her, but came up empty handed. If she weren't so intent upon locating the only family she had left she would have felt the presence watching her with an intense gaze before bounding up towards the roof and back towards his shelter for the time being. With a contented sigh she stalked towards the door, both of them were at the opposite end of the shrine that was void of threatening aura's as far as she could tell.

With a glance back toward her mother, she smiled slightly. "Bye." She whispered faintly. "I'll come back and visit again, but next time it will be happy alright." That now being said she turned back towards the screen, slipping through the small opening she slid it shut all the way. One done she began her trek back towards the house only to stop noticing the sun no longer held a place in the sky, but the moon instead.

Raising her voice, she cupped her hands around her mouth to better affect a louder tone, she yelled out. "Souta, Shippo, its time to come in!" She smiled to herself as she felt them sluggishly make there way back towards her; once again she used the same actions as before yelling. "Hurry, you don't want to be eaten up and swallowed by hungry demons!" She nearly laughed out right when she sensed them both rushing toward the house.

~*~

Inuyasha landed gracefully toward the earth in a crouched position, before standing up straight and entering his for-right-now home. He snorted at the thought. This was not his home, and in a few days, as he still needed a better understanding of things, he would depart from this shrine and see if he could find his brother.

His thoughts were cut short when a scream seared through his sensitive eardrums causing his dog-ears to press against his skull in a failed attempt to block out the sound. "Souta, Shippo it's time to come in." He recognized this voice to be that of the girls, Souta's sister. It wasn't long before she was yelling again causing his ears to repeat their position from before. He hated having to do so; it always made his ears so stiff afterwards. "Hurry, you don't want to be eaten up and swallowed by hungry demons!" He stiffened at that. No it wasn't because she had made the comment about demons eating people, it didn't bother him, as with most demons it was true. They actually did lurk in the shadows waiting for someone stupid enough to travel in the dark before ambushing to taste their flesh for an evening snack.

Inuyasha shuddered at the thought; he never understood why demons found human flesh so tasty. It was rather disgusting to him, but then maybe it had something to do with the fact the he had human in him. He shook his head, no; his father and Sesshoumaru never including flesh of human in their daily course, but then that could be because of him and his mother.

His mom.... that's what the statement made him remember, strange as it sounds....

Inuyasha threw his ball as high as he could, watch it with glowing amber eyes as it fell back towards the earth and into his cubby awaiting arms. He grinned; he was getting better at this whole catching thing. When he had first started, he had missed the ball a few times, having it slip right through or past his small arms. Sesshoumaru had said that once he was able to catch the ball without missing it once that his coordination would have improved a lot from this exorcise. Inuyasha had no idea what coordination meant, but was only ecstatic at the fact that his older brother was teaching him something. As the older youkai had said once he master it he would teach the hanyou to fight like himself so that Inuyasha could protect his human mother when they were away.

Inuyasha liked that thought a lot. He always felt so helpless when they were being attack by other demons and humans alike and he could do nothing at all to aid his brother and father in protecting them all. Soon, though, after he masters this ball catching technique he would be able to protect his mother. After the training with his brother, of course. He needed to know how to fight first, before he could do anything to help in a battle.

"Inuyasha, dear!" He heard his mother call out to him and his grin widened, yes soon he would be able to protect his mother like she did for him. He frowned sadly; she was the only one, beside his dad and brother, whom ever cared about him. Everyone else seemed to dislike him. Inuyasha never understood why, but guessed it had something to do with being a half-breed. Whatever it was... "Hurry Inuyasha and come inside before it becomes to dark. If you wait much longer, demons would come and swallow you whole." She joked lightly as she strolled up to him.

"No demon would ever be able to be me because I'm gonna be as strong as father and Sesshoumaru, maybe even stronger." He puffed out his chest. "And then I would be able to help protect you, like Sesshoumaru does." He stated proudly.

She smiled brightly, reaching over to rub one of his ears. Inuyasha always loved when she did that, rubbing his ears. It always made him feel so calm, he had to fight the urge to start growling. It was always embarrassing because it made him sound like a purring cat. "Well until then we should hurry inside, your brother wishes to see you. He wants to know how far you've come along."

Inuyasha smile widened, his eyes sparkling with immeasurable glee. Grabbing his mother's hand he practically dragged her all the way back to the house. "We've got to hurry mama, before Sesshy changes his mind." He pleaded urgently.

Inuyasha smiled slightly at the memory, before his eyes gained a sad cast to them. It was his fault that she died, as he was unable to protect her like he should have.

Wanting to get his mind of his painful past Inuyasha decided to dig through the boxes that littered the back, completely throwing from his mind the runts warnings. Crawling over slowly he pulled a box towards him and shoved his clawed hand in side before coming out with an odd book. Flipping it in all directions as he examined it, the hanyou paused as a slip of paper fell out. Setting the book aside he was amazed to find a portrait of.... his eyes widened slightly, recognizing whom was there.

There was a man in the middle, about as tall as Sesshoumaru, but it was hard to tell if it were so, with long dark hair and dark eyes. To either side of him were a younger version of the girl and Souta. If it weren't for his demon sense he mind not have been able to tell it was their younger selves, but youkai were always able to tell these things. Inuyasha was silently amazed at the artist's talent. To be able to paint on such a small thin paper, and make the family seem so real and the picture clear instead of fuzzy... he concluded they must have paid quite an amount to have it done.

Flipping the paper over he noticed some writing on the back....

Souta on the right, dad in the middle and Kagome on the left....

Taken in 2030, may 14 Thursday afternoon

That last part made absolutely no sense to him, but his eyes looked up from the picture in his hand as his eyes looked around everything else before coming to rest upon a small table much like the one in the mini shrine Souta's mother was kept in. His eyes narrowed at the urn sitting upon it. Deciding on getting a closer look, he scooted in, only to see a dusty portrait of the same man behind it. Amber orbs widening, Inuyasha recalled what the boy said when he had first come to stay here.

"On either side of the house are two mini shrines, the one to the back is were you'll stay, ane-ue never goes there so it would be safe alright. The other shrine it doesn't matter if you go there or not, just be sure not to let my sister see you okay."

Inuyasha sat back against his futon, his eyes suddenly growing heavy. It did look as if this place had been without company for a long time, he guessed the girl and her father never got along then... strange though as they looked pretty happy in the picture. With an open mouth yawn, fangs glinting in the moonlight, Inuyasha lay back readying for sleep. What did he care anyways, it's not like it was any of his business weather or not the miko girl got along with her father or not. That was his last thought before falling into a dreamless sleep.

~*~

A/N: Hey, sorry that this chappie is a bit late… I really am, but here it is and I hope you all enjoy…… and remember……………………………

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