Hello to everyone, ok countdown to the end of school... 1 days to go!!! Woo Hoo!! Then it will be me, my computer, and Fanfiction...all on summer vacation!! I have tons of new ideas for new Inuyasha stories as well as ideas for this story... which I will share with all of you very soon. Anywho, I hope everyone is doing good...and Enjoy reading Chapter 4... oh and don't forget to tell all your friends about this story... so I can get more reviews... I love reviews don't forget... they are my inspiration... so PLEASE REVIEW... my last story had 102... lets try and break that!! I'll do my part, so you do yours... lol... love you all... and now I present Chapter 4

Oh just another fun note... just recently I went to Jacon, one the Anime convention... and OMG I loved it!! I dressed up like Sango and got 2nd place in the costume contest...which didn't give me anything... but it was still fun...gosh it took me forever to make her boomerang thingy... I got a whole bunch of Inuyasha stuff (Of course) like two of the Inuyasha cd's so now I have Japanese music to listen to while I write!! Hehe If any of you have had any Con experiences... tell me about them I'd love to know!!

Chapter 4

As the group entered the little fishing village, Inuyasha watched them all separate into different directions.

Sango, towards a food stand,

Shippo to go pick pocket people,

And Miroku towards crowd of young girls.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, how could even think of traveling all this distance with a group of complete weirdo's. Inuyasha pulled his Robe of the Fire Rat tighter to his body; the Great Ocean gave off a cold breeze that chilled his very bones.

Had his home always been this cold? He never remembered it to be this bleak and depressing. But it had been over five years since he had been here.

Inuyasha kept his head down, but began to trudge through the village. He didn't really care what was going on, but he sometimes glanced up at the stores and shops he passed.

Suddenly, Inuyasha heard a squeal that came from the direction Miroku had went in, followed by the sound of many sharp slaps.

'Pervert,' Inuyasha thought, 'he deserves it.'

Shopkeepers lined the streets trying to sell their items, to every passing person. A man selling some kind of pottery jumped in front of Inuyasha and shoved a vase in his face.

"You look like the kind of person who would have many beautiful women to buy flowers for... you can bring them to her in this lavish vase...and for you... I make it half price..."

Inuyasha growled at the man. "Get away from me I don't want you're fucking overpriced vase."

"But Sir, this is made out of the finest clay..." the man continued.

"How about I rip both your arms off?" Inuyasha growled lifting his head and showing his fangs.

This shocked the man, "Have a nice day Sir." And he ran away.

'Stupid humans.' Inuyasha thought. He continued down the main road, after a few more steps he was joined by Shippo who scampered up onto his shoulder.

"These people don't carry anything on them, and they all smell like fish." Shippo chattered in his ear.

Inuyasha ignored him, he was too cold to raise his hand and smack the kit off of his shoulder.

Inuyasha continued to wander down the road, his eyes scanning for Sango with, hopefully, some food by now.

Suddenly, a scent struck Inuyasha. Curiosity struck him, he knew it smelled familiar he just couldn't remember. He turned his head and looked for its source.

He turned off of the main road and followed the smell. It came from a small hut in between two shops.

"Where are we going?!?" Shippo asked; Inuyasha had forgotten the annoying thing was still on his shoulder.

"Shut up, while I pretend you don't exist." Inuyasha said. Shippo looked hurt by his remark but he held it in. Tears just made Inuyasha even madder.

Inuyasha walked towards the small hut, he entered through the flap that covered the doorway and peered inside.

It was lightly furnished with only a few small rugs on the floor. In the center of the room a fire burned with some kind of strew cooking on top of it.

"Wow!" Shippo breathed from Inuyasha's shoulder, "this person is really good!"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at his comment, but then his eyes fell onto what Shippo was talking about.

The walls were lined with paintings; paintings of the ocean, the cliffs, the town, and the shoreline.

Inuyasha's golden eyes fell onto a painting on the wall nearest him; the painting was done in watercolor.

It depicted the coastline and the extending ocean.

It was realistically painted down to the foam on the waves as they reached the shore. But along the shore, were other objects. Some lying face down, others face up, on the sand.

Inuyasha cocked his head as his eyes focused on what the objects were...then his eyes widened.

They were bodies, bodies that seemed to have been washed up by the tide.

Inuyasha stared hard at the bodies, they were not human... they were bodies of... of merfolk.

Inuyasha felt a tingle go down his spine. 'Why would someone paint this?'

Inuyasha looked around the rest of the hut, along the far wall was a series of shelves, each holding weird items.

Deciding that this hut needed further inspection, Inuyasha entered the hut all the way and walked to the shelves. His eyes looked inquisitively, at the rows of human skulls followed by long bones that he guessed belonged to humans too.

Shippo began to shake and whimper, "This...this person is a cannibal!"

"No," Inuyasha said, waking the kit from his shoulder. "These bones are in to good of condition...no one has eaten any kind of meat from them, look see? They have no teeth marks."

Shippo picked himself off of the floor and scampered onto one of the shelves and poked a curious finger at a few of the bones.

"They still are creepy though." He cried.

"Feh." Inuyasha answered. But then his ears twitched slightly, he could hear the flap that served as a door moved and sound of someone entering the hut.

"Eh, what brings ye two into my home?" an old voice asked, before he could turn around.

Inuyasha turned his eyes to see an old woman dressed in traditional miko style glaring down at him. All of her wrinkles and old-age lines made her look half dead.

Shippo screamed and hid behind Inuyasha's hair, who let out a small growl at the kitsune.

Inuyasha gave no reply and crossed his arms like he didn't care at the old woman's presence.

The old woman smirked slightly, "Curiosity killed the demon." She spoke quietly. Inuyasha curled his upper lip at her, showing his fangs.

The old woman seemed surprisingly calm at Inuyasha's presence. She lay down the bundle that she had carried in her arms by the fire. She pushed her long gray hair out of her face and then kneeled down to stir her stew, with a long handled wooden spoon.

Inuyasha's eyes moved from the crouched old woman to the painting he had looked at earlier. 'So this is the weirdo that painted that scene?' he thought to himself.

"Have an interest in art, demon?" the woman asked without looking up.

Inuyasha snorted, "No, I'm just wondering what kind of insane person would paint a scene of death and destruction."

"It is called history painting, demon." The old woman answered, "A painting that depicts the time of a historical event, to keep reference of it. That one makes reference to the destruction of the merpeople."

Inuyasha snapped his head and eyes back at the old woman, "What do you mean destruction of the merpeople?!?"

"Ahh, so it is a story ye craves, eh demon?" The woman answered.

"I want to hear a story!" Shippo cried, darting out from under Inuyasha's hair. He jumped down and sat in front of the old woman with eager eyes.

"Aye, young one, I will tell ye the tale." The old woman answered, "And perhaps ye demon friend would like to listen as well?"

Inuyasha narrowed his gaze, "I just want to know if this is true or not."

"I never speak in lies." The woman answered, "The tale of the destruction of the merpeople is true. True as the day the bodies washed up onto the western shores..."

"Don't skip ahead!" Shippo cried, "I want to hear the whole story!!"

"Aye, and you will...for now I shall begin at the beginning." The old woman said, but before she began she gave a sideways glace at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha wasn't sure if the woman was telling the truth. He might as well hear the whole story. If it was lavish and extreme he knew it would be false. Yet, a feeling of worry struck throughout him, what if she is speaking true words? Does that mean...could have something...something...horrible...happened to...to Kagome?

It had been so long...over five years...

"Five years ago," the old woman began, "destruction and death fell upon the watery world of the merpeople. No known cause as to why. Only an old legend...of the merfolk's relation to the demon world."

"A demon caused the damage?" Inuyasha asked.

"Patience, demon, I cannot keep stopping the story for silly questions..." the old woman said.

"Yea Inuyasha, shut up!" Shippo said.

The old woman's eyes widened slightly, "Inuyasha? That be your name?"

Inuyasha didn't answer, but Shippo answered for him, "Yea his name is Inuyasha."

The woman smiled at the kitsune. "Interesting... and you address him as only Inuyasha?"

Shippo cocked his head, "Why would he be called anything else but Inuyasha?"

The old woman's eyes turned to Inuyasha's face, which looked stern with hints of worry. 'What is this old hag thinking? Does she know about me?'

"No reasons...forget I asked...now on with the story..." she said quickly. Shippo wiggled with anticipation. After one last quick stare at Inuyasha the old woman stared back at the excited kit and began again.

"Now, the old legend spoke of a demoness and merman who fell in love...a deep love that eventually caused a cold war to start between demons and merfolk. You see, demon blood and merfolk blood are both very strong and magical blood types. And they can only mix with other less strong blood types. For example, humans have very weak blood.

Unfortunately, when two strong blood types are mixed...the result, in the offspring, is always disastrous. Eventually, the demon and mermaid did produce a child...and the child did not survive the stages of infancy. The strong bloods could not mix, each trying to become the dominate type of the child.

Later, both demons and merpeople will blame each other for the death of the child. Each blaming the other's bad blood.

War was on the breakfront... but nothing ever happened, nothing really worthy of mentioning. Only the murder of the loving couple by their enemies.

The merpeople just returned to the ocean...and the demons stayed on land; and that's how it has stayed. Until five years ago, when the merfolk were attacked by a dark hanyou named Naraku..."

"Naraku..." Inuyasha almost whispered.

The old woman nodded slowly, "He despised all merfolk because of this legend. His name is only known because he has been terrorizing our villages as well...looking for something that we did not have.

Eventually he decided that the merpeople must have the item. So he launched an all out war on them, without warning and taking no prisoners.

I knew not of the attack, no one did, until the bodies began rising from the ocean depths and washing to shore.

After examining most of the bodies for wounds, we found none..."

Her hand extended and she pointed to the shelf of bones. "Those are only a few souls that I found that had not been eaten by sea predators or birds of prey..."

"You mean to tell me those are merfolk bones?" Inuyasha asked. The old woman nodded. Inuyasha looked sickened.

"Our only guess was that they were poisoned. And the poison led us to Naraku, because he owns legions of poisonous insects that have taken countless lives." She continued.

Inuyasha was slightly shaking; he hadn't blinked in a long time, out of bewilderment.

"What ails you Inuyasha?" the old woman asked. But her only reply was the sound of a deep growl coming from Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha...?" Shippo asked curiously.

Inuyasha curved his clawed fingers into fists and clenched them tightly. His head was bowed, his hair covered his eyes; his ears lay flat on the tip of his head.

"Where...where is...he...Naraku now?" Inuyasha growled low.

The old woman seemed scared, "I know not. He disappeared after the attack; he only left his insects to terrorize the coastal villages in his stead."

Inuyasha raised his head, his golden eyes hiding back what seemed to be...tears.

Shippo and the old woman shrunk back.

Inuyasha shut his eyes, kept them shut for a few seconds, and then opened them again. Then he sighed deeply, lowered his head again and turned on his heels, and walked slowly, deeply hurt, out of the hut.

The sun had taken the fog away and the temperature was increasing as it climbed in the sky.

He had only walked a few paces when he could hear the sound of Shippo's tiny quick feet following him.

"Hey Inuyasha!" he called.

Inuyasha ignored him and kept walking.

Shippo ran faster and got in front of Inuyasha's path and put his arms out to stop him. "Inuyasha!"

"Leave me alone." Inuyasha sneered, as he started to walk around the kitsune.

Shippo jumped, again, in front of his path, "No I won't! Not until you tell me what's wro..."

This time Inuyasha picked up the tiny fox kit and threw him out of his way. "MOVE OUT OF MY WAY!!" he roared. Shippo flew threw the air and landed, painfully, on the ground.

Inuyasha's loud roar made all the nearby villagers look up; including the nearby Sango and Miroku.

Sango thrusted her bags into Miroku's arms and ran to aid Shippo. When she reached the kit, she pulled him into her lap.

"Shippo-chan, are you alright?" she asked. Shippo only moaned in return. Miroku joined the pair and they both looked at Inuyasha.

He still stood in the same spot from where he had thrown Shippo, his head just still down but his hands were relaxed and at his sides.

The villagers began to move about in their daily activities, but they all moved farther away from Inuyasha.

Sango picked up Shippo and walked over to Inuyasha. "What the hell is your problem, Inuyasha?" she asked as she reached him. "You are going to give poor Shippo a concussion one day!"

"Feh" Inuyasha replied. "Like I care."

Sango remained upset, "That's the problem with you, Inuyasha. You never care! You don't care about anything or anyone!"

Inuyasha faced her with blazing eyes, "Caring has never gotten me anything in life!"

"Then you're heartless!" Sango roared.

That did it. Inuyasha raised his hand to Sango. About to strike her, but another hand caught his wrist.

"Even I know better then to strike a lady." Miroku said.

Inuyasha glared at the monk and then pulled his hand away.

Shippo stirred slightly in Sango's arms. "Stupid hanyou..." he muttered.

Inuyasha snarled and then turned away from the group. He walked into the crowd, and was lost in the commotion.

Sango tried to forget about Inuyasha's attitude problem and she turned to the kitsune in her arms. "Shippo-chan, are you hungry? I bought some food for us to share."

"What about Inuyasha?" Shippo asked.

Sango looked surprised at his answer, after all the nasty things Inuyasha said and did to him, Shippo still thought good things about him. "Inuyasha can look out for Inuyasha." She replied.

"I agree." Miroku echoed.

Shippo nodded and scampered up onto Sango's shoulder.

"Inuyasha has been acting strangely ever since we entered this area...I wonder why this place brings out the worst in him?" Miroku stated.

"Perhaps he knows that he is closer to his home, and he can't deal with the memories." Sango said.

"That is a possibility, but I think there is more to our half-breed that meets the eye." Miroku said.

"Yea," Shippo said, "he hides behind his emotions. Yet...he almost cried when that nice old woman told him about the merpeople."

"What are you talking about Shippo?" Sango asked.

"Oh that's right; you two were not there..." Shippo said, "Inuyasha and I walked into this old hut and this old woman told us this story about mermaids and stuff...and about how they all died cause of an attack by some demon named Naraku...."

"Naraku?!?" both Sango and Miroku echoed, shocked.

They both turned to each other. Shippo looked lost.

"You know Naraku?" Miroku asked Sango.

"I should ask you the same question." Sango said.

Miroku bowed his head and spoke softly, "This rosary around my hand isn't just for looks, you know. It hides my curse."

"Curse?" Sango said.

Miroku nodded once, and he held up his cursed hand, "Naraku placed the curse on my hand. When I remove the cloth and rosary, a wind tunnel opens. Capturing and sealing anything into oblivion."

Sango put her hands over her mouth, to hide her scream. "Oh, Miroku..." she spoke lovingly.

Miroku turned his head away, his whole disposition changed, "What did Naraku do to you?" he whispered to Sango.

Sango lowered her hands, and said, "He attacked my village and destroyed everything...killing my parents and taking my little brother as one of his slaves."

Sango ducked her head in shame, "That is when I swore I would avenge my parents and my brother by becoming a demon exterminator...I would make Naraku pay for what he did...with his own life."

Kirara meowed at its master's feet.

Sango opened her arms and Kirara jumped up into them, she hugged her cat- youkai tightly.

They all didn't speak for several minutes. Then Miroku spoke up, "It seems then, we all have come to the right place...to seek out and avenge."

Sango nodded under Kirara's fur. "At least we have a better chance at killing him now that we are a group." Sango said.

"I agree." Miroku said, rubbing his cursed hand.

Sango looked up and then at Shippo, "Shippo, what were you saying about Inuyasha? About the mermaids?"

Shippo scratched his head, "I forget now..." (tear drop)

"I think ye need to speak to Lord Inuyasha on the topic." Came a voice behind them.

The three turned to see an old woman standing there. Shippo recognized her; "You're that lady..." he began.

"What do you mean...Lord Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

The old woman bowed her head, "I don't know if I am the one to tell ye." She answered wholeheartedly.

"Inuyasha?" Sango asked. "What do you know that we don't?"

"Aye, Inuyasha...or if you prefer to call him Prince Inuyasha, Lord of the Western Lands. Second to his brother, Lord Sesshomaru. Who banished Prince Inuyasha five years ago." The old woman stated.

"WHAT?!?" the all cried in unison.

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Hope you all enjoyed chapter 4... chapter 5 coming soon... I promise. Don't forget to review if you like what you are reading... : )