Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine... yet. My flying muffins brought me the wrong papers, so I am now the proud owner of a red sedan that I can't even drive! Tosses papers to a random hobo on the street. On with the story.

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Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to everyone who lost anything in the hurricanes. Even Gator-fans didn't deserve that. They may deserve to see the Gator's lose every game they ever play, but nothing more than that...

Well, since I live in Tennessee, right now we're getting some heavy rain. Thanks to my good buddy and fellow Gator-hater, Ivan the Hurricane, I'm now out of school! They haven't called off the Vols vs. Gators football game, though. Go Vols! Stands up and sings Rocky Top Ivan is now on his death bed in his final hour, but he will always be remembered as the hurricane who ripped the Southern States to shreds. Funeral music plays.

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Reviews:

SangoLancer200: No. She has the strength she had when she was about 6 (give or take a little). Physically, she the same as she was when she was 6. Mentally, emotionally, etc. she's still the same, though. :)

Aamalie: Well, you'll have to wait and see. Sorry if you think I didn't update soon enough, but just let me remind you that SC is due for an update, as well. Refreshes inbox I need something to read! I'm getting very, very bored! Stupid library... doesn't have the next Tamora Pierce book in...

Just an Inu fan: Well... if I made Shippou have a crush on Houko, then that would throw my story into too many different directions. And Bara is a Japanese word meaning 'rose' or 'thorn'. I couldn't get manga because I didn't have enough money. Books-a-Million is a real store - it's where I usually go to buy manga... well, there or Barnes and Noble, or occasionally B. Dalton.

Kuro Ranmyaku: Thanks. I had to fight with my spell-checker on word, though. It doesn't like your penname. Oh well. :)

lodz: Thanks.

YoukaiTajaiyaSango: Thank-you.

SITboyShippou: Thank-you. Sorry to hear about your story, though... that's happened to me before.

Xichiathik: Thank-you. tosses you virtual cookies. Yes, it is Kuwashima-san's name!

Aprill May: Don't worry, the only way I can read every update is if I put every story I've ever read on Author Alert. Otherwise I can't remember what I've read and what I haven't. Of course, I have to delete a lot of people off of my alert system every month because of it... Virtual cookies to you! Yay!

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A girl no older than twelve or thirteen dropped from the trees. Her eyes were as green as the grass, her hair as brown as the bark on the trees. "You're in my territory," she announced. "If you leave now, you might be allowed to live."

"Don't get so full of yourself!" Inuyasha demanded, reaching for tetsusaiga. Before he could even unsheathe it, though, a piercing high-pitched screeching sound filled his ears. He released the sword and covered his ears in attempt to shield them from the squeal.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Kagome asked anxiously, looking over him.

"Apparently you have sensitive hearing as well as a sensitive nose," the girl observed, pulling a rose from behind her ear. "I'll ask you again - leave!"

Houko studied the girl carefully, trying to pinpoint any weakness she could have. The look in her eyes caught Houko's attention more than anything - there was a look of wisdom and maturity shining in them, despite her young age. What if this girl - this "Bara" - had undergone the same treatment as her? As unlikely as it seemed, it couldn't be eliminated as a possibility.

"Come on, Inuyasha," Kagome asked him, "maybe we can find another lead on Naraku. What's one jewel shard at the time, anyway?" Bara's eyes widened at Kagome's words.

"You're after Naraku?!" she questioned, tucking the rose back behind her ear. "If you find him, tell him I want my jewel fragment."

"What?" Houko questioned, completely dazed. Bara sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I tried out some new weapon Naraku made," she explained, "and in return he promised me two Shikon shards. He gave me one before hand, but he never gave me the other one. Tell him I want it. Now get out of my forest before I change my mind..." She retreated into the trees and watched them walk away in utter confusion.

"Kill Naraku..." she murmured as they walked away, "Kill him for doing this to me..."

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"That girl was so strange..." Miroku muttered. Houko nodded.

"She seemed to have something against Naraku," she observed, "I wonder what he did to her..." Inuyasha shrugged.

"I don't know, but she wasn't much help," he grumbled, "all we know is that Naraku owes her a shard."

"Even so, we now know Naraku has another weapon," Miroku explained to them calmly. "We have to be careful." Houko nodded.

"How do we know you're not Naraku's secret weapon, huh?" Inuyasha questioned Houko. "You showed up the moment we lost Sango, you didn't have an explanation for it, and -"

"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome exclaimed. She sighed, shaking her head as he crashed to the ground.

"Need I remind you that she's human, Inuyasha?" Miroku pointed out. "I see no possible motive for Naraku to choose a random human child as his secret weapon. She would have no motive to help him, and he wouldn't be able to control her without a Shikon shard." Houko sighed in relief that Kagome and Miroku had taken her side. Still, that begged the question: was Naraku responsible for what had happened to her? Should she tell them? She shook her head. In the event that Naraku wasn't responsible, it could pose a threat. Besides, they probably wouldn't believe her anyway.

"Don't mind Inuyasha," Shippou told her, "he just forgets to think sometimes."

"Perhaps we should return to Kaede's hut," Miroku suggested. "In the event that Sango didn't plan on taking more than a day or so, she might already be there." Houko sunk in her spot. It hurt her to lie to them like she was - they were all so worried, especially Miroku.

"That reminds me, I have a test in a few days," Kagome remarked. "If we start off today, we should get back by nightfall. I'll have two days to study, and then I can come back here after I take my test."

"Fine," Inuyasha grumbled, propping himself against a tree. "Whatever. Just make sure to bring food back."

They were going to be disappointed when they discovered that they were probably never going to see Sango again.

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This chapter was shorter than the last one! Oh well... I updated faster, so that must count for something... right?