Greed

"Inu-Yasha, you can let go of my arm."

"Keh."

"What do you mean…Keh? Let go of me, Inu-Yasha."

"Keh"

"Have it your way…sit"

Inu-Yasha stared coldly at Kagome as she stuck up her nose and stormed away. Inu-Yasha followed Kagome back the way they came.

Kagome stopped in her tracks without turning her head she spoke. "Inu-Yasha…"

Inu-Yasha froze. He thought she was so mad that she'd sit him again. He hung his head in shame lowering himself on his haunches preparing for the sit.

"What would Sesshoumaru have to gain by you and I being alive in this time? I mean he knew you and I were here because of Naiya, but why would he bring us back to life?"

Kagome's questions caught Inu-Yasha's interest. He hadn't thought that Sesshoumaru would be a part of this chaos from the grave.

"What makes you think Sesshoumaru was a part of this?"

"He is the only one with the ability to bring the dead back to life…and he was at the battle. He was standing on that ledge overlooking the den. When we won, he left. ...Miroku said 'looks like someone's trying to even the odds.' What I can't figure out is why Sesshoumaru would be that person…demon. After all, Naiya's the one who cleared the mist and Koinu possesses the Jewel. I can't see a gain for Sesshoumaru."

"If Sesshoumaru did bring you and I back then it only serves to support the idea that the war we fight in our time. We're losing here. Sesshoumaru and I battled many tough demons when we were young. He always thought I was weaker than him, even though, I proved to be a worthy adversary. In the end our differences made us enemies. Sesshoumaru thought even less of me when I met Kikyo. Around the time Kikyo and I were tricked by Naraku, Sesshoumaru was rallying strong demons for a war against a very powerful one. I was to lead the attack from the south, while Sesshoumaru led the attack from the north. I never saw that battle and I don't think Sesshoumaru has forgiven me for missing it. If he brought us back, he wants us to win this war for him. If he is the one, then the evil that we fought against still exists and its here in force."

Kagome dropped her head in regret. She hadn't known any of this information. Inu-Yasha had a more complicated past than she had given him credit for. She originally thought he was stubborn and rude; she was finding out little by little that many people had betrayed him. He was heartbroken and alone. His cute and soft center that she loved so much was underneath all the heartache and betrayal. Someone close to her had never betrayed her before. "That must have been hard." She thought aloud under her breath. Her eyes watered the more she thought about Inu-Yasha's past and their present. Of course he was slow to trust her, he didn't know when she's betray him.

"Kagome? Are you alright?"

"Yes." She answered surprised by his sudden concern. Kagome began to ramble on about anything and everything in her life that Inu-Yasha by some odd coincidence may not know about. Her intention was to share her life with him so maybe he wouldn't be ashamed to share a little more with her.

Kagome's constant conversation with herself took her concentration from walking, letting her to walk into a tree.

Slam.

Kagome's brutal meeting with the tree knocked her over backward.

Inu-Yasha tried not to laugh at Kagome's slick multitasking skills. He helped her to her feet then offered to let her ride on his back.

She rode quietly on his back for the rest of their journey back.

They reached the well as the sky changed colors for nightfall.

"Inu-Yasha…" Kagome said sincerely. "I miss them already."

"So do I." Inu-Yasha said staring into what was left of their precious well.

"Can't we spend a little more time with them, Inu-Yasha?"

"Kagome, When do expect to return to our own time?"

Kagome hadn't been thinking about their own time. She's been thinking about Koinu as well as her new friends.

"Now…where is he going?" Inu-Yasha asked staring intensely into the woods from which they came.

"What?" Kagome asked utterly confused shifting her view between Inu-Yasha's face and where he was looking.

"Get on." Inu-Yasha commanded her.

She did so without question.

Kagome swore Inu-Yasha had never run this fast before especially not with her. What has gotten into him? She asked herself. She couldn't figure out why Inu-Yasha was now so concerned with this stranger they were chasing. The key to figuring that out would be finding out who the mysterious stranger was that Inu-Yasha was chasing.

Inu-Yasha bounded through the woods knocking Kagome about as he made headway through the trees.

Kagome clung tighter to Inu-Yasha's robe.

In that brief moment, Inu-Yasha smiled at her reaction slightly glancing over his shoulder at her.

He was on a mission that much was obvious.

Inu-Yasha stopped on the same little known ridge that he had taken Kagome to before. He stared down into the foothills just outside the wolf's den.

Sesshoumaru stood opposite Kouga surrounded by wolves. Immediately behind him was their doubles. Miroku stood next to Sango slightly behind them with Kirara and Koinu at their sides. Shippo and Kohaku stood off to one side with Tora and Naiya.

Kagome jumped off Inu-Yasha's back to get a better look.

From the ridge Inu-Yasha and Kagome could see this involved the bloody pup, Naiya. Naiya still carried her bloody injuries from the day before when her and Houseki fought. Even though, the wolf princess still carried her own injuries as well most of them were internal and ergo invisible to onlookers.

Sesshoumaru stared coldly at the child.

Eventually the child stepped forward motioning for everyone to back off. She went with him willingly in an unwilling way.

Inu-Yasha couldn't allow this. He had some sort of power over her; of course, Sesshoumaru was her father. She was also his niece.

Inu-Yasha glanced back at Kagome, backing away from her slowly before racing down to the scene.

Inu-Yasha appeared in front of Sesshoumaru holding back Naiya.

He drew Tetsusaiga challenging his brother.

Kagome chased after Inu-Yasha.

Kagome knew it was wrong for Sesshoumaru to take the child back, but the last thing she expected was for Inu-Yasha to react first. Inu-Yasha had no responsibility to this child. Kagome hadn't expected Inu-Yasha to join the scene; after all, this was Sesshoumaru's child.

Now she stood firmly with Inu-Yasha.

Their doubles were surprised by their rash actions. They thought Inu-Yasha and Kagome would have been through the well and home by now.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing Sesshoumaru?"

"Move."

"No."

"Fine."

Sesshoumaru lifted his hand out in front of him. With a quick flick of the wrist Sesshoumaru swung at Inu-Yasha with his poisonous whip.

Inu-Yasha tried his best to defend his ground with Tetsusaiga without moving his feet.

Sesshoumaru had forgotten just how stubborn his little brother really was so he advanced his attacks on Inu-Yasha forcing a slight retreat from him.

Kagome knelt down to Naiya's height pulling her into an embrace.

The child responded by hugging her back.

The others stood idly watching the sibling dispute.

Before Kagome knew what was happening, Tetsusaiga fell to the ground and Sesshoumaru was keeping Inu-Yasha from it.

With each advance Inu-Yasha made to his sword was a successful pounding that Inu-Yasha took from Sesshoumaru.

Kagome knew she had to get Inu-Yasha his sword back. Inu-Yasha's other self surely wouldn't give up his sword to her so she made a run for the lost sword.

Inu-Yasha was slammed hard into the ground. He could barely stand when Kagome grabbed the sword.

"KIRARA!" Kagome yelled.

Kirara responded to Kagome's call giving her a quick escape.

Sesshoumaru tried to knock Kirara from the air, but Kirara was too quick for someone fighting two battles at once.

Once Kirara circled over Inu-Yasha's head for Kagome to drop Inu-Yasha's sword down to him.

With or without the magical sword, Inu-Yasha was too beaten to win. He swung the Tetsusaiga and dust filled the air.

When the air cleared, Sesshoumaru stood holding his demon sword.

One swing blasted Inu-Yasha backwards.

Inu-Yasha lay still.

"Inu-Yasha." Kagome called in disbelief.

She knew Sesshoumaru was stronger than Inu-Yasha but Inu-Yasha could usually hold his ground. Kagome knew with Inu-Yasha down anything could happen. Kagome took a quick look around for some way to outsmart Sesshoumaru. Her double held a bow. That's it. She thought. Kagome ran up to her double stealing her bow and swiping an arrow. Kagome spun on her heels then ran to Inu-Yasha. She stopped standing over his body. Staring at Sesshoumaru, she drew the arrow.

Sesshoumaru had intended a brief battle with his brother not an arrow from her bow

I have one shot.

"Kagome?" Inu-Yasha asked from the ground.

"Yes Inu-Yasha?" Kagome responded frozen in place. She had no intention of backing down.

While laying flat on his back, Inu-Yasha couldn't help but ask himself why she would blindly run into a battle after him like this. Inu-Yasha might have actually enjoyed Kagome standing over him like this if he weren't hurt so badly.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, had no intention of letting this young miko intimate him. This battle was between brothers. Inu-Yasha needed to be taught a lesson.

Sesshoumaru flew through the air at Kagome.

Only a few feet apart, Kagome let her only arrow fly.

Sesshoumaru swung his sword to stop the arrow.

"STOP" Naiya yelled.

No one noticed that Naiya had been running toward the battle.

She jumped right in the middle of it, between Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

A bright and powerful blast emanated from the center.

Sesshoumaru was forced backward several feet while Kagome was tossed aside like a rag doll.

The blast smoke cleared leaving unsettled dust around Naiya.

Naiya stood frozen for a moment before falling limply to the ground.

"NAIYA." Houseki yelled.

Houseki's two brothers were trying to restrain her, but Houseki's struggling force was too much for her brothers to hold back. Houseki broke free to a full sprint.

She tumbled sideways grasping tightly onto Naiya.

Houseki moved over to Naiya using her own body as a shield.

"Houseki?" Naiya asked coming to.

Houseki simply smiled.

Naiya sat up and hugged her friend. She was glad they were friends. Then Naiya jumped to her feet and ran over to the injured Kagome and Inu-Yasha, followed closely by Houseki.

They found them awake, but severely injured.

All attention slowly shifted to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru put away his sword. He grabbed his boa wrapping Naiya up.

"Naiya." Houseki yelled trying to keep her friend close to her.

Pulling Naiya into him, Sesshoumaru left without saying a word. He took to the air disappearing from sight within a few seconds.

Kagome crawled over to Inu-Yasha smiling. She was happy he was all right.

"Great." Inu-Yasha ironically stated pushing himself from the ground.

Sesshoumaru waited until they got back to the village. Once there he released her from his grip dropping her to the ground.

"If you want your freedom, then you must battle me." Sesshoumaru told her.

Naiya knew a battle with Sesshoumaru now would be suicide, but her rage almost gave her the strength to stand up to that challenge.

Rin ran across the small field upon Sesshoumaru's arrival. "Naiya, What happened? You're covered in blood. Tell me you won that battle. NO? Naiya…What have I taught you about battling? If you lose, then you're weak and the weak are destroyed. Thank Lord Sesshoumaru for saving you then join me inside. Let's get you cleaned up." Rin left as spontaneously as she had appeared.

Naiya thought more about that challenge. She knew at the moment she wouldn't last two minutes so she stood up, turning rudely from Sesshoumaru in a silent rage.

Inu-Yasha took a moment to recover from the fact that he utterly lost. He lost the child and the battle to Sesshoumaru. Inu-Yasha stood up. He looked at Kagome. She was worried about him that much was obvious. He decided that a bath would be best since he was soaked in his own blood. Stumbling away, Kagome grabbed his arm clinging tightly to him. The look he gave Kagome caused her to smile and hold on tighter. He could see she wouldn't let him go any time soon so with that he continued to the nearby river. He didn't know how Naiya had ended the battle when she literally jumped right in the middle of it. It took almost all of her energy but she remained untouched by the attacks. The girl must be more special than even Inu-Yasha first thought because his brother had fought to protect this girl. The girl must possess strong miko powers like Kagome or Sesshoumaru would have let her fail then would have allowed her to come crawling back to him. In any incident a demon child with miko powers had never been seen in this world before even if it was only a half demon. A demon with demon and miko powers would be invincible. The sight of the river pulled Inu-Yasha from his thoughts.