Author-chan's notes: Hi everyone! glances at reviews Wow! Look at all those reviews. I have to say thanks for all the support everyone! sniffles You're all so kind!!!

Oh, one reviewer asked if I could torture the Director some more like I did in earlier chapters. Well, I was thinking of adding an omake to the end when I finish this fic. If people really want this omake (which is rich with Director torture) please review and tell me!

Well, on with the fic!

A Clean Slate

(Chapter Twenty-six: Split)

Back in Aki's hut with Youkai Inuyasha, Shiro, Aki, Yumeko, Masato, and Kimiko

"What in the seven hells is that?!" Masato yelped as he stared at Youkai Inuyasha.

"Don't ask, Masato," Yumeko hissed.

"W-what's going on?" Shiro asked. Yumeko and Aki looked at the boy. He didn't remember what happened?

"Heh. Ningen," Youkai Inuyasha hissed, looking down at his human half, "Missing the Hanyou, are you?"

"Nani?" Shiro blinked, confused. Youkai Inuyasha laughed. Aki felt his breath catch in his throat. Youkai Inuyasha had the coldest, cruelest laugh he had ever heard.

"Of course you won't remember," Youkai Inuyasha murmured, traces of mad laughter still in his voice, "But just so you know, the Hanyou is dead."

"Because you two are split!" Yumeko gasped, instantly understanding, "Inuyasha was the balance between you two, but now you are separated, that balance that Inuyasha represented doesn't exist, and neither does he!"

"Aa," Youkai Inuyasha smirked, flexing his claws, "And now that he's out of the way, I can do what I want!"

###

Back with Kagome and the others

As soon as the group had felt those odd vibes from earlier they rushed towards the village, running full speed. Miho and Kumo were in the lead with Kagome right on their heels. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were just a few feet behind her.

"The village is just up ahead!" Miho shouted as she pushed aside some bushes. Before them the still sleeping village was laid out, its inhabitants unaware of the danger that was soon to come.

"Kagome-sama!" Miroku called out, "That youki we felt earlier, it's gotten stronger!"

"I know!" Kagome cried out.

"Is it just me, or does this youki feel familiar?" Shippo asked nervously.

"Now that you mention it, it does!" Miroku realized, his eyes turning wide.

"Whose is it?" Sango asked, "Naraku?"

"No," Miroku shook his head, sweat running down his brow, "It's Inuyasha's."

"Nani?!" Sango and Shippo gasped.

"NO!" Kagome yelled, also hearing Miroku, "Don't tell me that he –"

"Transformed?" Miroku finished for her, "I'm afraid he did."

"INUYASHA!!!" Kagome cried, picking up her pace and rushing head on into the village, "INUYASHA!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Kumo's eyes widened as he heard the miko's yell.

"What did she say?!" Kumo snarled as Kagome sped past him and Miho, "Why is she calling out to my brother's killer?"

"I can explain, Kumo…" Miho whispered, "But for now, Shiro might need our help!"

"He might need it more than you realize," Miroku murmured as he ran next to the couple, "If he really has lost control of his youkai blood…"

"Don't finish that thought, Miroku!" Shippo yelped, "I don't want to think about it!"

###

Back in Aki's hut

"This isn't making any sense…" Masato murmured, looking back and forth between Youkai Inuyasha and Shiro. Why were they dressed the same? Something strange was going on. Suddenly, Masato felt Youkai Inuyasha's cold eyes boring into him.

"Shut up and die, Ningen," Youkai Inuyasha smirked, sticking his clawed hand strait through Masato's chest. Aki gave off an unintelligible shout. No one had even seen the red-eyed youkai move. The speed he used was beyond comprehension.

"Gahk!" Masato gasped, coughing up crimson blood. Kimiko screamed as Masato's warm blood sprayed all over her.

"Masato!" Yumeko yelled. Youkai Inuyasha laughed and removed his hand from Masato's body. Masato gave off a fresh spray of blood before falling onto the ground in a puddle of the scarlet liquid. Youkai Inuyasha licked his claws, a growl of pleasure emitting from his throat as an expression of pure ecstasy danced upon his features.

"Shi-Shimatta…" Masato murmured, the life in his eyes starting to fade.

Kimiko's knees gave out beneath her, tear welling up in her eyes. She was scared, more scared than she ever had been in her entire life. Masato…Masato wasn't moving.

Everyone's eyes seemed to be drawn towards that spot, that scene. Masato lying motionless in his own lifeblood and a hysterical Kimiko collapsed in a heap next to him.

"Y-you killed him!" Shiro gasped, tearing his eyes away from the sight to look at his youkai self in horror.

"We had a deal!" Aki snarled at the red-eyed demon, "You weren't supposed to harm any of us!"

"We never agreed how long that promise would last," Youkai Inuyasha smirked, "Besides, it wasn't like Masato and I were close. We weren't friends."

"Teme," Shiro hissed, "You're a monster!"

"And what are you?" Youkai Inuyasha sneered back, "I am you!"

"T-that's impossible," Shiro whispered. Then Shiro whipped his head over to look at Aki, his eyes wide.

"Gomen, Shiro-chan," Aki murmured, turning away from Shiro's violet gaze, "Gomen." Shiro just stared at the magician in horror, then looked at his madly smirking youkai self. Shiro suppressed a shiver.

Was it just him, or could he hear the youkai's thoughts?

'Human blood tastes so sweet…'

###

Back with Miho, Kumo, Miroku, Shippo, and Sango

"Can someone please explain what is going on here?!" Kumo demanded, "First, that miko starts screaming out the name of my brother's killer, then suddenly Shiro is in trouble, then Shiro has youkai blood…"

"We don't have time for this!" Miroku yelled.

"Like hell we don't!" Kumo snarled, his fangs beginning to show. Miroku took a hasty step back.

"Y-youkai!" Shippo wailed from his perch on Miroku's shoulder.

"Uh, Shippo," Sango whispered quietly, "You're a youkai as well."

"I desire answers, monk, and I shall get them! Whether it is from thou or thy lifeless corpses, the choice is thine," Kumo growled, his voice converting to its youkai pitch and formality.

"His aura!" Miroku suddenly gasped, "He's a spider demon!"

"Kumo! Please calm down!" Miho cried out, standing between the enraged demon and their new friends, "I can explain. The rest of you, get down there and help Kagome-san and Shiro-chan."

"Hai!" Miroku said, Sango and Shippo nodding in agreement. The trio raced down towards the village as Miho steeled herself to tell her beloved the answers to his questions.

###

Back with Kagome

Kagome barreled her way down to the hut where the thick youki was centered. The girl was worried. If Inuyasha's demon side was loose…

But what happened to make him transform? As far as Kagome knew, Inuyasha's demon blood was being sealed up by a magical bracelet, and Tetsusaiga kept Inuyasha's demon blood in check most of the time, so there was no way Inuyasha could have transformed. Was there?

Kagome reached the hut she had been charging at, and rushed inside, not caring that she was trespassing. All that mattered to her was the well being of her hanyou protector.

She was greeted by the sight of crimson eyes framed with silver hair…

…and a lifeless body slumped against the wall.

###

The occupants of the hut looked up in surprise as a new presence made itself known. The young woman that had entered was a bizarre sight to behold. She wore an outfit that would cause even the most daring of courtesans to blush in modesty. In her hand was a strung bow, and a quiver of arrows lay on her back.

The wide eyes of the girl were riveted to the silver-haired demon from Shiro's mind. Shock was clearly written on her features as she continued to stare.

"I-Inuyasha," the girl whispered in a halting voice.

"K-Kagome!" Shiro shouted out, moving forward a bit to look at the girl. Shiro didn't understand why, but he knew this young beauty and…and he cared for her.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelped, looking from the little boy to the tall smirking demon and back again. Kagome was quickly falling into confusion induced shock. Youkai Inuyasha growled at the girl, snapping her back to her senses.

Then Kagome did the one thing her partially numbed mind would allow her to do.

She pulled out an arrow and strung it to her bow…

#

Author-chan's notes: Short chapter and a cliffhanger! Gomen, but I've been kind of busy lately with work and my other fics. It's been terrible! And I'm blanking on this fic too! I promise I won't abandon this fic, especially since it's near the end, so please don't give up on this story!

Please RR!!!

P.S. I'm also working on another Inuyasha fic called "Empty Winds". Please have a look at it! It's set after Naraku's death and follows the lives of his "children", Kagura and Kanna. There's a lot of wiggle room in this story, so nearly anything could happen…