AN Yes! The good stuff begins! And I finally figured out how to put some space in between sections. Now if I can just get the asterisks…if any of ya'll know how let me know. But anywho here's the chapter enjoy.

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The Palace of eternal night

The Old Hag glared at the puddle that used to be her minions the ones that were supposed to destroy her enemies. "Waste." She turned back to the chalice's pedestal, her thoughts tainted with bitter disappointment. The first pair didn't even make it to Tsukijou nor did the second return from their endeavor to kill those here in the mortal realm. Only one pair had completed their mission so far...

'I'm not strong enough to take on anyone just yet...' She spied the chalice the very bottom had tiny puddle forming. Nowhere near finished. "I need something to get rid of them or at the very least delay them." There was nothing she could do about Tsukuyomi, Kaguya, Amaterasu and the rest, but the Old Hag was counting on there petty family problems to keep them from acting to quickly. They probably still had yet to fathom that she was the thief. The problem was with taint blood there was the slightest chance that the powers would be skipped and that would ruin all her plans. Therefore it was with Kaguya's mortal son that she was most vexed. She needed him dead and soon. With every drop accumulated the cup would fill faster.

She'd watched him for a while now he and his merry little band. 'Together they are strong. I tried to separate them in the darkness...but-" a wicked idea hit her, "I've got it!" muttering an ancient spell to demon servant from the bowls of the palace appeared kneeling before her.

"Demons I bit you: Make these foolish mortals fall prey to their own envy, jealousy and doubt so that they may fall away from each other.

"Yes, Master."

Susano

He landed rather ungracefully on a grassy hill sputtering and spitting out a clump of grass and dirt. When he stood he tittered slightly, already feeling the effects of the power-sapping chalice. He shook a fist at the sun, "Curse you Amaterasu!" The sun glared angrily back. "Fine, fine, but you own me!" Glancing around the Susano ran a hand through his ocean blue hair, "There's nothing here but grass and hills!" Oh, wait that speck in the distance was that a farm? 'That's as good a place as any to start looking. If I have to trek around like this the whole way, Ame-chan sister or no, your gonna get it.'

Kagome

Kagome watched as Inuyasha paced and grumbled.

"That's not going to help you know," she told him, as she packed her stuff away. He glared, paced and grumbled. She looked around the room and noticed Shippo had skipped out without so much as a peep. "I think I'm gonna go find Sango." she rose to make a quick exit but was stopped by a very...disgruntled hanyou.

"What are you so damn perky for?! When I find who's responsible for this, they won't have time to scream before I rip out their innards and feed them to the crows!"

Sweat drop. 'That's lovely imagery first thing in the morning. Thank you, Inuyasha.'

"Well, I think you should just relax a bit, we can't go any where till we find away to get rid of Okiku's spirit. Don't stress yourself."

He blinked at her his face becoming totally unreadable. "Don't stress myself?" Maybe she should be worried...

"Don't stress myself?! Have you opened your eyes and looked at me? Look at me! Look at this!" he grabbed a lock of inky black hair; "Look!" he pointed at his eyes now a dark shade of violet. He still hand his fangs and claws but they were shrinking. In short, in was turning human, very slowly. It wasn't his 'time of the month'. The night of the new moon was still a few days yet. It was definitely weird. Inuyasha 'freaked'.

She'd managed to calm him down with an analogy. That certain things (like too much stress) can affect a woman's ahem cycle and make them irregular every once and while... Actually that analogy pissed him off too.

Heaven forbid the mighty macho man, Inuyasha, ever be compare to anything remotely feminine. Miroku and Shippo had quite a laugh at Inuyasha's expense. She smile to herself, 'It did take his mind off the problem for a bit, even if his face did invent three new shades of red.'

She was glad he was taking this so well. When he vented and rage, that was normal. If he' gotten all quite and calm... "Haven't you even thought about how we're supposed talk get back to the village? There's no way Kirara can carry us all and I sure as hell ain't carryin' your butt all the way back. There's no way we can make it back, not with all these monsters runnin' around anyway." His shoulders sagged and his eyes fell dejectedly, he looked very much the part of a miserable boy. They'd agree that they best course of action was to go straight back to Kaede (after dealing with Okiku of course). Miroku was pretty sure it had something to do with the odd darkness and maybe even they sudden explosion of restless spirits.

"Since when did you start being a pessimist, Mr. 'too stubborn to be beaten'? You've got, me and Miroku and Sango and even Shippo and Kirara. We'll protect you." Kagome watched as Inuyasha face went from crestfallen to something warm that she couldn't quite name. "Stupid girl, it's the other way around I'm supposed to protect you." Violent eyes held her brown in fast captivity. They were so deferent from his normal golden one yet the held the same intensity, the same spirit. Her heart began thump in her chest as the moment dragged on. Inuyasha took a step forward, and she jumped, "I think I need to go," she blurted," to...um find Shippo! He's gotten pretty quiet, I need to go make sure he's not...doing anything... bye." She shot out of there like a bullet.

After her footsteps had faded Inuyasha was left in stunned silence. He clenched his fist and punch the wall, "This again..."

Kagome stop her sprint shortly after her was sure she was far enough away from Inuyasha range of hearing, 'What's wrong with me? I thought I'd moved past all this.'

Kagome continued the hall until she heard the voices of her friend and sighed in relief. They were sitting with Michiko and her Mistress, discussing way to get rid of Okiku. By the looks of it they seem it have found a plan

"Ah, Kagome-sama, just in time." Miroku greeted.

Sango smile lightly, "We've got a plan-

"But Inuyasha's not gonna like it!" Shippo interrupted. At her questioning look Sango explained, "It seems that in human form Inuyasha happens to resemble Okiku's lord. But It'll take some persuasion on you're part to get him to go along with this plan." They related their plan to her.

"No problem, I'm sure Inuyasha won't mind at all…"

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"Hell no."

'Things just can't be easy with him can they?' They were crouched behind some of the garden shrubbery spying the haunted well. Sango and Kirara were hidden on the opposite side and Miroku waited just inside the entrance just in case. She'd waited till the last possible moment to tell him their plan. Less time for him to back out.

"Come on Inuyasha, she's about to appear!"

"No way, just purify her weepy ass instead."

"She's not really hurting anybody, beside I think she deserve to rest in peace, don't you." She looked at him with imploring brown eyes and a pleading expression. She almost felt bad for using that tactic against him.... almost

"Whatever." He huffed, grudgingly acquiescing.

"Thank you, Inuyasha." for a second she looked ready to give him a hug then changed her mind. She could almost see Inuyasha frown, bit before he could question it. The spirit girl appeared beside the well plates in hand as she sat.

"What the hell I'm I supposed to do?" he whispered fiercely.

"I don't know, use your acting skill, pictures someone else, pretend she's Kikyou-whatever, just let her known she forgiven and innocent!" Ignoring the slightly surprised look, she shoved him out of the bushes. Granted she disliked using Kikyou, of all people, to motivate Inuyasha, but that seemed to be the only thing that worked hands down, no questions asked, when the situation called for it. 'No questions asked because Inuyasha always clams up when that name is mentioned. I should be a shamed for using such low tactic' He watched as Inuyasha cautiously walked over and tapped the sobbing girl's shoulder, getting Okiku's attention. Inuyasha gave her and unsure glance, uncertain as to what to do now.

She mouthed the words go with the flow. He glared back. She watched the dog-demon as he shook his head as if to ward off his thoughts and then turned back to Okiku

"Master, please forgive me! I didn't-"

"I know." He said exuding an un-Inuyasha like calm. The kind of quiet he got after seeing Kikyou. She bit her cheek, 'I came to terms with him and her along time ago, and I got over it. Inuyasha is just a friend.'

"I forgive you. In my heart, deep down, I knew it couldn't be you. You'd never to anything to hurt me but I realize it too late. Forgive me, K- Okiku!"

"Oh, Master!" She flung her arms him pressing his head to her chest.

Both Kagome and Inuyasha's eye bugging out. But neither could see the other, nor could Inuyasha hear when her grating teeth when he decided 'to go with the flow'.

He awkwardly hugged her back, "Don't you think it's time to rest now?"

"Rest?" the dead girl tilted her head as if the word was new then smiled, "Yes, rest for good." Inuyasha sighed with relief, "But first- he stiffened

"I want one last kiss."

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Disclaimer: See Prologue. Review please! Oh yes and mortal is mortal is mortal!