A/N: Ok, here's the next chapter...it's finally here...a certain monkey named Angela wouldn't let me skive off and attempt to enjoy my already boring vacation. Sanosa, I've got to agree with you. Inuyasha cookies are better than popsicles! Take that, Angie! (evil laugh) And thank you my wonderful reviewers! And to do today's disclaimer is none other than the Centipede Demon!

Centipede Demon: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha. If she did, then everything that happened in her other story "Inuyasha Driven into Insanity" would be true. But since it's not, she doesn't own it...only her characters and the plot...and the Ryuu Order stuff...all that...so I'll shut up now and leave you all alone...

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Shard Consumes

Kyo awoke the next morning, his eyelids opening a small bit, a bright beam of sunlight in his eyes. After blinking a few times, his vision adjusted to the light and he opened his eyes completely.

'Where am I?' He wondered.

His eyes looked around at everyone. All were sleeping, but he didn't see Mei Lhi. Then he realized the warm presence behind him. Taking a quick side- glance from the corner of his eye, he saw her sleeping form. He felt his face burn red when he felt her arms around him, and became even redder when he noticed his head rested against her chest, right on her womanly figure.

Trying to get himself out of an extremely odd, yet embarrassing situation, he attempted to move out of her embrace. But no such luck. Her grip only tightened around him, sighing and admitting defeat, he adjusted himself into a more comfortable place (although he didn't want to admit to himself that the previous spot was quite comfortable enough). After settling himself, he found that sleep took him again, quite easily.

"Kyo...Kyo...wake up..." A soft voice whispered in his ear.

"Hmm?" He replied.

"Wake up."

"No...five more minutes..."

"Augh! Wake UP!"

THUNK!

"Ow! Ok, ok, I'm awake!"

He sat up suddenly, a bump on his head. He saw everyone was awake, Mei Lhi holding a closed fist and a slightly irritated expression. Hana stood in front of him, looking at him. Kagome, Sango, and Miroku stood nearby with their eyebrows raised, Shippou and Kirara watched with mild interest, Inuyasha, however, stood the furthest away from the group, looking off to the side dejectedly.

Kyo stood, Mei Lhi standing also, folding the blanket. Kagome went back to the fire to begin making breakfast, shortly after, everyone fell back into their morning routines. Kyo hadn't gone five steps when something red came flying in his direction.

Catching it, he saw that it was Inuyasha's haori. The hanyou stood a few feet in front of him.

"Put that on. I don't want you running around like that." He said, a tone of firmness and something else that the young ryuu youkai couldn't recognize.

With no objections, Kyo obeyed and put on the haori, Inuyasha turning to walk away, joining the others around the fire. Kyo also sat down, smiling at Mei Lhi.

"What?" She asked, looking at him.

Kyo pointed at her hair, wind blowing a now-silver-forelock inches in front of her face. She smiled also, revealing two canine fangs. Her tongue ran over her teeth, and then excitedly looked at her fingernails, only to see claws.

"Hell yes!" She exclaimed happily. "I'm so back!"

"Feh. Don't get too excited..." Inuyasha mumbled.

"Oh lighten up, Onii-san! I'm back to my half-demon form!"

"Yeah...what a great time too..."

"Huh?"

"The new moon is tonight, baka!"

"Uh-huh...and?"

"What d'you mean, 'and'?! You know what it means!"

"Yeah, yeah, calm down...I get the picture...I'm not stupid ok?"

"Keh. Whatever..."

"Breakfast!" Kagome said brightly, interrupting the argument going on between the two.

The young miko began handing out bowls to everyone. Chopsticks came around next. And shortly after, happy chatter and joyous laughter rang out as the group ate their meal. They forgot all of their troubles, even the thought of the war was wiped from their minds.

With reluctance, camp was packed up, and everyone checked the area for forgotten items, and then promptly left.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Kyo wondered.

"We're going back to Kaede-bachan's village to tell her the news." Hana answered.

"I could just-" Kyo began.

"No. You are not to transform. Yes, it would be quicker, but, you still need to heal."

"Hana-chan, you worry too much! I'm fine!"

Hana nodded at Mei Lhi.

"Oh are you now, Kyo?" Mei Lhi asked, playfully punching him in the side.

He winced.

"Oww...ok, maybe not..." He mumbled.

Kagome stopped suddenly.

"U-ugh..." She said grimacing, clutching at her heart, now falling to her knees.

"Kagome? Daijoubu ka?" Inuyasha asked, concerned, crouching down low to her level.

"Onii-san! This is what Sesshoumaru was talking about! It has to be the shard. You remember what he said!" Mei Lhi said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"He said that there's something in the shard."

Kagome took a few deep breaths then got back on her feet and stood.

"I'm alright now...but...something's different..." She said.

"Different? How?" Hana asked, her eyes clouded with uncertainty and curiosity. But something hid behind them...fear? Or was it anger?

"I feel...like something's missing..."

"Missing?"

'Kikyo...what are you up to?' Hana thought.

"Yeah...missing..."

"We must hurry...Inuyasha, carry Kagome. Sango, Miroku-sama, you will ride on Kirara. Kyo, feel free to join them, if you wish. Or you can go along yourself if you feel up to it. Shippou, you can choose wherever you'd like to go..."

"And let me guess, Hana-chan...I'm supposed to carry you, right?" Mei Lhi asked.

Hana nodded.

Mei Lhi sighed.

"What about Kagome's metal-cart thing?" She asked.

Inuyasha looked at it, and held it over his shoulder with one arm, holding Kagome with the other.

"Never mind then..." Mei Lhi muttered.

"Let us go." Hana said.

Mei Lhi crouched down, the miko climbing onto her back. Miroku and Sango hopped aboard Kirara, now transformed. Kyo looked around and sighed. Out of nowhere, Shippo appeared on top of his head.

"What's wrong with you?" The kitsune asked.

"Nothing..." Kyo replied.

"Mei-chan, I don't think Kyo's ok..."

"Really now?" She replied, an eyebrow raised with a grin on her face.

"Oh I'm fine!"

"Kyo, maybe you should go with Sango-chan and Miroku?"

"No, I'm alright..." He replied. "...as long as you don't hit me again..." He added in an undertone.

Mei Lhi rolled her eyes.

"Let's go!" Hana said firmly.

All nodded, and all were off.

It was several hours later when Hana stopped them.

"We'll rest here."

"What?! Why can't we just keep going?!" Inuyasha shouted defensively.

"Inuyasha, I realize that you do not wish to be so out in the open with the form you will take at sunset, but know this. Your sister was human already. She will not transform tonight. She will be able to protect you and so will the rest of us. You needn't worry." Hana said reassuringly.

Inuyasha closed his eyes in annoyance, at the same time turning his head away.

"Feh!" He replied.

Kagome glanced at the sky. The sun was sinking below the horizon. The sky darkened, and Inuyasha became human. Inuyasha's mood didn't improve after that. The group sat around a fire, talking amongst themselves as they ate.

Sango glanced at the young miko girl. Kagome looked rather pale and she seemed weaker.

"Kagome-chan, are you feeling alright?" Sango asked.

Kagome nodded.

"Hai..." She responded.

'Kikyo...what are your plans for this girl?' Hana thought.

Hana looked at the miko girl, surveying her.

'There is definitely something wrong.'

"Kagome-chan, perhaps it would be wise for you to rest a little while? You do not seem to be yourself, and you appear ill..." She said concerned.

Kagome nodded and spread out her sleeping bag, slipping into it, and fell asleep immediately.

Inuyasha had been watching Kagome as well.

'Sango is right...Kagome doesn't seem like she's alright...I must agree with Hana-baba...maybe Kagome's just really tired...a lot has happened...' He thought, his brow furrowing with concern and frustration.

Miroku was also thinking along the lines of Hana and Inuyasha.

'If what Sesshoumaru-sama said is correct, and Mei Lhi-sama's prediction is true, it must be what's causing Kagome-sama's illness...if it can be called that...it's quite out of the ordinary for Kagome-sama to be ill. I shall speak with Hana-sama and Kaede-sama later...' The monk pondered.

In a few minutes time, everyone decided to get some rest. Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Hana all selected places on the earthen floor to sleep. Inuyasha sat with his back against the trunk of a tree, Tetsusaiga in its sheath propped upon his shoulder, his arms crossed and legs folded under him, he watched his companions. Kyo and Mei Lhi were still awake, but just barely. The two were half-asleep, about ready to drop. A few moments later, sleep took the both of them.

After watching his companions sleep, Inuyasha found that his eyes were itching with tiredness, and began to droop. He closed and opened his eyes several times in an effort to stay awake, but after he had closed them one final time, they did not open after that...

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"She's going cold!" A child's voice cried.

"She's so pale...and her skin is clammy..." A female voice said.

"Kagome-chan..." Another woman said.

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open upon hearing Kagome's name. He had slowly been awakening to the voices around him. But now, the half-demon was completely awake, and he saw the entire group gathered around Kagome. He ran over to his companions.

"Oh thank Kami! You're awake!" Mei Lhi exclaimed with relief, turning to face him.

"What? What's going on? What's happened to Kagome?" Inuyasha asked quickly.

"Kagome-sama's condition has worsened during the night." Miroku replied.

Inuyasha looked around and saw the Shippou was crying, Sango trying to comfort him. Hana was making some sort of mixture of herbs, Miroku was praying, as was Kyo, Mei Lhi soon started praying too. Not caring if it was alright or not, Inuyasha moved forward and knelt by Kagome's side.

"Kagome!" He said quietly.

"Inu...ya...sha..." She mumbled, reaching out her hand to grab a silver forelock.

Her vision clouded and she saw only white fog. Then, she saw no more.

"KAGOMEEE!!!!!!"

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A/N: And so the plot thickens!!! I apologize for the wait. I have only myself to blame...I've been very lazy lately...so yeah...review please! :) I hope you liked the chapter!!! The next one will be very interesting...(I hope...I'm currently still planning it in my head...the ending to this chapter was only decided last night when I was supposed to be sleeping...lol...)