Um…somehow, I doubt a simple "I'm sorry" will make up for this…that is if anyone is even reading this anymore. I am so so sorry for not updating for over a year. I have to admit, I've never waited that long with a fic before. Kinda sad, ne? Anyway, since it's Thanksgiving, I decided to do a major update. I do one every year around this time, and then hopefully I'll do another around Christmas. Anyway, um…again, sorry, and if anyone is still reading this, then I appreciate it.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inuyasha, but I did buy the RPG, and it's a ton of fun. Anyway, don't sue me.

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The Inuyasha-tachi walked nonchalantly through the forest, heading towards Kaede's village. They still had a bit of a walk ahead of them, and it was really starting to get dark now. No one was saying anything, probably because there wasn't much to really say. No one knew exactly what had just happened to them. They had so many questions and no one to give them answers. It just wasn't fair. Who was that woman, and why did she want Yume's kiseki stone? What exactly was going on?

"Matte," said Inuyasha as he stopped walking. Everyone stopped behind him, wondering just why he had made them halt so abruptly.

"What is it?" asked Kagome, glancing around a bit.

"The wind," he answered softly. "It's changing again." He spun around and grabbed onto Kagome just as a flash of bright light lit up the sky. Everything around them suddenly became a wasteland, full of dead trees and fallen warriors. Kagome felt something pull at her, and she knew she was about to fade away again. However, when the second flash lit the sky, everything returned to normal, and she found that she was still standing there, apparently unharmed. The break in time hadn't affected her this time.

"Nande koto wa?" asked Myoga as he glanced around. Inuyasha just released Kagome's wrist and gave an irritated sigh.

"It happened again," he stated. "Look." He pointed towards the sky, and they could see the sun rising. What day it was, they had no idea, but not too much time could have passed. At least that's what they were hoping.

"Ikuzo," said Sango as she began walking ahead. "Kaede's village isn't far now." They all began carefully heading through the forest again, now seeming a bit more cautious. Paranoia wasn't always a bad thing, especially when there was some strange, inhuman woman after them, one who could very easily reach them anywhere and everywhere they went. Things were definitely going to be different from now on.

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"Finally," sighed Shippo as he set eyes on Kaede's village. "I thought we'd never get here." By now, all of them were exhausted, and they just couldn't wait to get into the village to see Kaede. Being caught between time really took it out of you. At least the village seemed completely unaffected. This made them wonder if they were the only ones being affected by this. Were there perhaps other people who had experienced something similar, or did time pass normally for them? This whole concept was too confusing, and with how tired they all were, thinking about it wouldn't do them any good. Instead, they just walked down into the village and went towards Kaede's house. Inuyasha didn't even bother calling out before entering. He just shoved right in.

"Oi, Kaede-baba," he called. "We're staying here for…" However, he didn't finish. Instead, he just stared in awe as his words not only drew Kaede's attention but two others' as well. Inuyasha looked on in confusion, now at a loss for words as his eyes fell on two very familiar people. Sitting with Kaede were none other than Siria and Seidou. By now, the others had made their way into the hut.

"Siria-san?" questioned Kagome.

"Well, this is interesting," remarked Miroku. Siria and Seidou both seemed at a loss for words right now. It's not like anyone could blame them. This had truly been unexpected.

"Maa," began Kaede, breaking the rather uneasy silence. "I guess it'd be best if you all took a seat. Then we can discuss this." The members of the Inuyasha-tachi all sat down, their eyes still on Seidou and Siria, both seeming rather uncomfortable right now. It was time for an interrogation.

"First off," began Inuyasha as he shot Siria a rather agitated glare. "Why'd you leave without telling us?"

"Ano…" she began. "I just…I didn't want you to get involved."

"It's too late for that," he mumbled afterwards, crossing his arms.

"How'd you get here so fast?" asked Shippo, earning him a very confused stare from both Siria and Seidou.

"What do you mean?" Seidou questioned. "It took us four days to get here." Now this sent the Inuyasha-tachi into a fit of confusion.

"Four days?" questioned Sango. "But that's…not possible. We only parted a day ago."

"Iie, it was definitely four."

"I wonder…" began Myoga thoughtfully. "Could this have something to do with the onna you encountered?"

"Onna?" questioned Siria.

"Hai," began Kagome. "On our way here, something happened. We…somehow, we ended up between time."

"Nani?" questioned Kaede. "How is that possible?"

"We don't know," answered Miroku. "But whoever that onna was, it's obvious she has a lot of power. For someone to bend time like that…it just seems impossible. That place looked so much like Yume's…" This instantly drew Siria's attention. Every muscle in her body suddenly tightened, and she clenched her fists. Masaka No one can bend time…and no one can create a world like Yume's…a world where fate doesn't exist. It just…it can't be…

"Yoka-san?" questioned Seidou, sensing her distress. "Daijoubu?"

"It's impossible…" stated Siria. "A person like that can't still exist. No one has that kind of power."

"Then explain Shiro," snarled Inuyasha. "If this woman can bring back the dead, then doesn't she already control time? She could have turned back time and brought them here, just like four days passed by in what felt like a few minutes." Siria just lowered her head in contemplation. None of this was making any sense. How could someone control time? She had never encountered such a creature in her hundred years of existence. No one should be able to control time so freely. Bringing back the dead wasn't supposed to be possible either. There was no demon with that kind of power and knowledge. It had to be something else.

"Something she said still bothers me," said Kagome, drawing everyone's attention. "How can someone be both at the beginning and the end? It just doesn't add up."

"N-nani?" questioned Siria, her voice starting to fail her. The beginning and the end…iya…

"She said 'I am alpha and omega. I'm the beginning and the end, the first and the last'." Siria went completely stiff, her breathing coming to a sudden halt, something that drew Inuyasha's attention. He just fixed her with a skeptical stare.

"But that's impossible, ne?" asked Seidou, unaware of how scared Siria looked right now. Her body was trembling, her lone, visible eye wide and quivering with fear.

"Sou na…" she whispered, drawing everyone's attention.

"Siria, daijoubu?" asked Sango, wondering if their un-aging friend was feeling alright. She was incredibly pale.

"Iya…she can't be…I…I saw her die."

"What are you saying?" asked Inuyasha. "Speak up. You're not making any sense."

"T-that onna, she…she might be…one of the hateshi."

"Hateshi?" questioned Miroku, knowing he had heard that word somewhere before.

"Dream weaver," she elaborated, using a term they were all familiar with. Everyone's eyes widened instantly. Now that really was impossible, wasn't it? Yume was supposed to be the last one. After all, the other hateshi had all died long before. Not a single one had lived for very long, perhaps ten or twenty years. How could one of them still be alive?"

"The question is…" began Myoga. "Which hateshi?"

"Wakarimasen…" Siria responded. "This is just too confusing." They all sat in silence for a moment, letting the conversation sink in a bit. After all, this was a lot to take in in such a short amount of time. It was supposed to be a confusing matter. Nothing in the sengoku jidai was easy to understand nowadays. Before, it had all been so easy. Fight demons, find the shikon no tama pieces, and put them back together. Now…they had not only Naraku to deal with but this new threat, and with her came Shiro and Cycil. There had to be a way to overcome this, but right now, things seemed pretty hopeless.

"Maa," began Inuyasha, directing his next comment towards Siria. "From now on, you're staying with us."

"Demo…" she began, wanting to protest.

"Stop being so stupid!" he demanded. "Baka! Don't you get it? We're already involved. If that temee is after the kiseki, then she's not gonna stop coming after us. She'll be after yours eventually too."

"Besides," began Kagome with a smile. "If you stay with us, you'll have a better chance at seeing Shiro again. What do you say?"

"Ano…" she began, but she stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She glanced over at Seidou.

"Yoka-san, just agree," he told her with a smile. "The more the merrier, ne?" Siria just heaved a deep sigh and then inhaled a bit loudly.

"Fine, have it your way," she responded.

"Good," stated Inuyasha as he stood up and began heading for the door. "We'll leave tomorrow, so make sure you're ready, and if you try to run off again, make no mistake that I'll hunt you down." And with that said he left the room, heading out on his own for a while. All of them needed some time to think, and his mind operated a bit better when he could just think to himself withouy the input of others. Everyone needed some alone time every once in a while, after all.

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"Shiro," called Cycil, drawing the boy's attention. He was currently practicing with his sword, swinging it around a bit carelessly.

"Nani?" he asked, sounding uninterested.

"Okami wants you to go after the kiseki," she responded. "Both of them are very close by."

"Really?" he asked. "Who has the other one?"

"Siria." Shiro suddenly stopped in mid swing, his body freezing up on him. Siria was the name of that woman, the one who had possessed his Toukengai. He still couldn't figure that out. How could she wield his sword when it had been made only for him? Also, the sole fact that she had it bothered him. Only the people in his village knew about that sword, and it had been such a remote place that no one could have just stumbled upon it and taken his sword. There was something about Siria that troubled him. She looks like Yoka…

Shiro shook that thought from his head and turned around to face Cycil. He clutched his sword tightly, a glare now on his face.

"Fine, I'll go," he stated. "But you're coming with." She just scowled a bit but didn't fight him on the idea. They needed to get this job done soon. Why, they didn't know, but they had to. Their Okami wouldn't tell them anything. When asked about her reason for wanting the kiseki, all she said was that she wished to possess them, that was all. No one knew why she even needed them. If it was a matter of power, she didn't need anymore. She was already stronger than any of them.

"Ikuzo," suggested Shiro as he sheathed the blade and began walking away.

"They're in a nearby village," said Cycil. "But we shouldn't just go in and destroy it. We don't need a senseless battle."

"Oh for the love of Kami!" he shouted angrily. "Omae wa youkai! How can you say things like that? They're only humans." Cycil just glared at him.

"And how can you say that, being one of those humans?" she shot back, her crimson eyes seeming to burn with fury. They just glared at each other for a moment, neither one having anything to really say about this. They were at a stalemate.

"Baka," Shiro finally said, turning away and continuing towards the village. "Ikuzo." Cycil only growled a bit, but she followed him nonetheless. She didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. If she disobeyed her Okami, there was no telling what would happen. She lowered her head a bit in thought as she mindlessly followed after Shiro. Inuyasha-tachi…Siria…why do I feel like…I know them? Just who are they?

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Sorry if it seems a bit short. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. Anyway, as for the glossary…

Matte -wait

Nande koto wa –what was that?

Ikuzo –let's go

Oi -hey

Maa –well…

Ano -um

Onna -woman

Iie, Iya –they both mean no

Hai -yes

Nani -what

Masaka –it's a lie, it's impossible

Daijoubu –it's okay

Sou na –no way, impossible

Hateshi -fate

Wakarimasen –I don't know

Demo -but

Okami –mistress, master

Kami -God

Youkai -demon

Omae wa –you are

Well, that's it, so I'll see ya later, okay? Bye!