Author-chan's notes: KONNICHI WA, MINNA-SAN! I'm back with the next chapter. I'm slightly irritated at the moment, because I went to the bookstore to find a manga, but it wasn't there! *sobs* I feel so deprived! *suddenly brightens* But I did go to the coffee shop at the bookstore and got a mocha and a rice crispy treat! Now A-chan is on a caffeine/sugar high and is feeling no pain! Still disappointed about the manga, but I'll come back and look for it next week. Oh, and Pocky is *good*!!! ^_^

Anyway, I just want to congratulate Kristen Sharpe. You are quite perceptive. Your suspicions on Mittsu are justified –it is not just being a "spaz". Mittsu is a bit smarter than it lets on. (To be honest, I was wondering if anyone was going to catch Mittsu's comment and realize what it was implying.) But before I say more and spoil the story, on with the fic!

A Clean Slate

(Chapter Twenty-four: Red, Violet, and Gold)

Back with Aki and Yumeko

The magician and the dream demon could do nothing but stare in utter shock at the pair of amber eyes that looked down on them from the branches of the leafy tree. Someone –no, something –had invaded Shiro's mind and they had not been aware of it.

"Who are you?" Aki finally growled out, standing protectively in front of Yumeko.

"Why are you here?" the owner of the eyes growled back fiercely. The figure jumped down gracefully from his perch among the tree limbs to face the couple squarely. The two intruders gaped at the silver-haired demon that stood before them. They had not been expecting anyone else. Suddenly, Yumeko noticed something.

"Aki," Yumeko whispered to the magician, "I don't think it's wise to fight this demon if we can avoid it. He's strong, I can tell. Besides we don't need –"

"But he's an intruder in Shiro's mind!" Aki hissed, "That can't be a good sign."

"But –" Yumeko started to protest.

"Oi!" the demon growled, interrupting the dream demon, "I can hear you, you know!" As if to emphasize his point, one of his fluffy dog-ears on his head twitched slightly. Yumeko had to suppress a giggle. The ears were so kawaii! Yumeko smiled at the other demon, holding up her hands in a peacemaking gesture.

"We're not here to harm you," Yumeko began, pointedly ignoring Aki's noises of disagreement, "We just want some answers."

"And what if I don't want to give them to you?" the hanyou asked stubbornly.

"Then we'll be forced to act accordingly," Aki answered calmly, his eyes starting to become more golden. The teenaged hanyou before them smirked, showing off the elongated canines that he bore, and reached for the battered sword at his waist.

"I'd like to see you try."

***

Back with the Shadowy Figures (Ichi, Futatsu, and Mittsu)

"Am I missing something here?" Futatsu cried out. Just moments ago Ichi had called Mittsu smart! Well, actually Ichi had called Mittsu a "smart fool", but still! Ichi was implying that the dumb bubble-head Mittsu had a brain!

"Don't act all ignorant," Ichi sighed, "It's not becoming of you."

"Don't you realize that in a matter of moments, one of the most frightening demons in all of history is about to be released and is about to tear up one of my favorite pretty little island countries?!" Futatsu snarled at its siblings.

"Hai!" Mittsu squeaked cheerfully.

"Aren't we going to do anything about it?!" Futatsu screamed.

"Oh hush," Mittsu laughed, "We don't have to do anything! Everything is moving right along as it should. Just let things flow naturally and everything will be alright."

"And I'm supposed to listen to a bubble-head like you?" Futatsu snorted.

"Yes," Ichi sighed, "I'm with Mittsu on this one. Things might straiten themselves out properly without our intervention. In fact, if we hadn't messed with things in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"I still don't understand," Futatsu grumbled.

"How about this? I'll give you a hint," Ichi sighed.

"What?" Futatsu asked, looking almost eager.

"Look at the –"Ichi began slowly, almost enjoying torturing its sibling.

"What?!" Futatsu wailed, "Look at what?!"

"Never mind," Ichi shrugged, turning away.

"What do I have to look at?!" Futatsu cried, looking desperate, "Come on Ichi, I've got to know what you and that bubble-head are planing!"

"So, Mittsu, do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Ichi asked its other sibling, completely ignoring Futatsu.

"I don't know, I have to check my calendar," Mittsu answered, also ignoring Futatsu.

"What are you two talking about?!" Futatsu demanded, getting red in the face with anger. Mittsu and Ichi sighed.

"The poor baka doesn't get it yet," Ichi sighed, "And we just gave out a hint too."

"Maybe Futatsu ought to check its calendar to find out when its next doctor's appointment is," Mittsu said, looking thoughtful, "My poor sibling. You're raving like a madman."

"Damn it, bubble-head!" Futatsu snarled, "I don't want to check my calendar!"

"Then you're doomed," Mittsu said with its trademark airhead giggle.

***

Back with Kagome and co.

Kagome woke suddenly with a gasp. All around her, the others were sleeping peacefully, their dreams unmarred by the nightmares that haunted her. The girl from the future took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm herself. That dream…It seemed to real for her tastes. It caused her to be more anxious and determined to reach Inuyasha's destination more quickly. Closing her eyes, Kagome tried to remember her dream. She had no luck. The only thing she remembered were three sets of eyes looking at her, each of a different color, red, violet, and gold, before the red color swallowed her vision…

***

Back inside Shiro/Inuyasha's dreamscape

Hanyou Inuyasha allowed his hand to stray towards the battered hilt of his sword, his clawed hand hovering over the sword almost possessively. He wasn't going to hurt Aki and Yumeko, just scare them off a bit. He disliked people barging into his mind and figuring out his secrets, even if they were allies.

Meanwhile, Aki had gathered handfuls of scarlet flames, preparing himself to hurl them at his opponent. Behind him, Yumeko was saying something hurriedly, but neither he nor the hanyou before him paid her any mind. Aki felt a small smirk tug at his lips in anticipation for the battle. Then, with a maddening battle cry, Aki hurled his flames at the hanyou.

Hanyou Inuyasha saw the flames coming, causing his eyes to widen. Within moment the hanyou was covered in flames. Aki gave off a cry of triumph when he saw his attack had hit its mark. His joy was short lived when the flames disappeared leaving behind an unharmed Inuyasha.

'That's not possible!' Aki thought frantically, 'He doesn't have a scratch on him! My flames should have reduced him to ashes!'

"Aki," Yumeko hissed into the magician's ear, "That's what I was trying to warn you about. In the dreamscape you can hurt anyone else physically. You have to break their spirit, not their body!"

"Nani?!" Aki cried out.

"That's why I was trying to tell you it wasn't necessary to attack him!" Yumeko growled.

"Oi!" the silver-haired demon barked out, "If you're done with the chit-chat, we have a fight to finish!"

"Aa," Aki agreed, smirking a bit. If he couldn't harm the hanyou before him that meant the half-demon couldn't hurt him either. With this in mind, Aki tossed a fistful of flames at Inuyasha just to humor the silver-haired being.

Withdrawing the Tetsusaiga from its sheath, Inuyasha quickly transformed the blade and used it as a shield from Aki's attack. Aki made a sound of disbelief at the sight of such a large weapon, but it was cut short as Hanyou Inuyasha used the Tetsusaiga to slash at the air between them.

"Kaze no Kizu!" Hanyou Inuyasha yelled, being careful to hold back a bit on his attack so not to kill Aki. The magician remained calm, knowing perfectly well that the attack wouldn't hurt him. However, he was due for a surprise.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Aki cried out in pain as the demonic attack hit him strait in the chest. Yumeko screamed his name in horror as bright crimson blood sprayed out to stain her kimono. Aki fell to the ground, ragged red slashes adorning his chest.

'Shimatta!' Inuyasha cursed silently, 'I didn't mean to hit him that hard!'

"K-Kuso," Aki hissed, getting back up and clutching his wound, "That hurt!"

"You're alive!" Yumeko cried in relief. Aki glanced up at his opponent through his bangs. He was surprised to discover that Inuyasha was sporting a look of relief on his face as well. Suddenly, something clicked in Aki's mind.

"Yumeko," Aki began, "You said that some times people have mental barriers that can kill or maim an intruder in their mind, correct?"

"Hai," the dream demon nodded, coming over to help the magician steady himself.

"You also said that you can't hurt anyone physically in the dreamscape, but here I am bleeding," Aki continued, still staring at his silver-haired opponent. Hanyou Inuyasha smirked slightly and placed the Tetsusaiga over his shoulder.

"So, you've figured it all out, Aki?" Inuyasha asked, a slight hint of mocking in his voice, "It's about time, baka!"

"Aki!" Yumeko hissed, her eyes wide, "He knows your name!"

"And yours as well," Aki told her calmly, "Isn't that right, Shiro-chan?"

***

Back with Shiro and Youkai Inuyasha

Shiro was ignoring his demon self, making sure to be looking anywhere else except for the demon across from him. Youkai Inuyasha snickered at the obvious attempt his human side was trying. Did the child honestly believe that the youkai side of him would disappear with will power alone? Youkai Inuyasha rolled his eyes at his naïve human side, and instead focused his energies in sensing what was going on with the hanyou side of their personality. And then, the beginnings of a plan arose…

"Do you smell that, Ningen?" Youkai Inuyasha asked, looking at his other self.

"Baka, I'm human, remember?" Shiro muttered under his breath in a tone that couldn't be heard by normal humans. Unfortunately for him, Youkai Inuyasha wasn't human, let alone normal.

"But you don't have to be limited by human instincts," Youkai Inuyasha retorted, "You can borrow mine."

"Why should I trust you?" Shiro asked skeptically. Inwardly, the youkai congratulated himself. Despite Shiro's tone, the youkai could tell that the child was truly curious. He had taken the bait.

"This stupid sword in my chest won't allow me to harm anything, and that includes you, Ningen," Youkai Inuyasha sneered, "The only way I can kill is if I'm let free into the real world."

"Sucks for you," Shiro snickered.

"Feh," Youkai Inuyasha snorted, "Give me your hand."

"Why?"

"It's easier to make a connection that way," Youkai Inuyasha answered impatiently, "You want to use my senses, ne?"

"I never said that!" Shiro retorted.

"But you still want to."

"Aa," Shiro admitted. Then he reached his hand towards his youkai self, not caring at the moment about the consequences of his actions. Inwardly, the youkai howled in triumph.

***

Back with Hanyou Inuyasha, Yumeko, and Aki

"Heh," Hanyou Inuyasha smirked at the name Aki addressed him as, "Shiro is my human half's name."

"Y-you're one of Shiro's mental projections of himself!" Yumeko blurted out, "That's why you were able to hurt Aki, because you're one of Shiro-chan's mind barriers!"

"'Bout time you figured it out, dreamer," Inuyasha grumbled, sheathing Tetsusaiga.

"You're a youkai," Yumeko stated.

"Hanyou," Inuyasha growled, "I wouldn't suggest meeting my youkai self."

"Y-you're Inuyasha, aren't you?" Yumeko stuttered, "I mean, it all fits. Why Sesshoumaru was after you, why you have Tetsusaiga. It even explains why you look the way you do, the dog-ears and all. If I remember correctly, I heard some rumors about some miko getting involved with some dog hanyou, which would explain Kikyo. Oh, kami-sama, you're the one who killed Kumo's brother!"

"Nani?!" Aki yelped, "Is that true?"

"The bastard tried to kill me first," Inuyasha growled, his golden eyes flashing, "He slaughtered humans without hesitation just to lure us to him so that he would get the Shikon no Tama! He posed as a monk and then back stabbed everyone around him. He deserved to die!"

"Does Kumo know that?" Aki asked.

"How do I know?" Hanyou Inuyasha shrugged.

"You know, he wants to kill you," Aki murmured.

"Yeah, I know," Inuyasha muttered, his ears dropping a bit.

"Would you kill Kumo?" Aki asked.

"That's none of your business, Aki!" Inuyasha snarled.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," Aki replied with a smile, "You may look like a demon, but you're really a nice person, aren't you?"

"You don't know anything about me," Inuyasha hissed.

"I know Shiro," Aki answered nonchalantly, "And you and he are the same."

"Everyone has their dark side," Yumeko said quietly, "And by being the hanyou offspring of a Demon Lord there is no doubt his dark side is extremely disturbing."

"Kuso!" Inuyasha all of a sudden swore, remembering something with Yumeko's statement "I've been talking with you for too long. I have to get back to the others before Shiro does something stupid!"

"'Others'?" Aki and Yumeko blinked.

"Never mind, just get out of here, before I change my mind and get rid of you myself," Inuyasha growled, turning away and running off.

"Matte!" Aki cried out, as he and Yumeko followed the white-haired hanyou.

Author-chan's notes: FINISHED!!! It took me so long to write this chapter! I've been working on my homework and my other fics, so I've had no time to work on this thing properly! Not to mention I've had writer's block. Yare, yare, at least things are winding down. The end is in sight! But of course there has to be a few more conflicts before the true ending…

What to expect next chapter: Youkai Inuyasha in all his gory. I mean, glory. ^_^;

R+R!!!