Author's Note: Phew! I had to do a lot of editing in the last chapter and I like how it was when I was done. It always feels good to accomplish something! Ok, on a more serious note..

I don't have any more chapters typed for this story to edit and post. Now I have to type them. So, let's hope I still update as fast as I use to!

lady kjerston of the western: Thank you! And I honestly don't know how many chapters are left. I'm not editing the story anymore, I'm just typing the chapters now and making shit up as I go! But I still have guidelines on how the story will carry out from here, so I'm not totally lost. And puleeze! Keep your freaks to yourself! WTF? How'd they escape your crate with no airholes? Thanks for your review!

Chibi Monkey13: Thank you! And yes! That's who I thought of too when I was typing the last couple of chapters! Yeah, but I don't like her voice at all. So everytime I imagine Sanae talking, I think of another voice. I dunno. Thanks for your review!

Miru Amai: Ugh! Me too! I really didn't feel like typing something like that, I dunno. lol, yeah it would've sucked. Taisuke's past and things like that'll be revealed soon enough, but not in this chapter. There's still more action that needs to be done with before I can add that!

Winterphox: Thank you! And yeah, that's been so mean to me lately. You see, I'm tyoing all of this on WordPad. Unlike on MicrosoftWord, the bitches don't underline a word if I spell it wrong. Regardless, I re-read the chapter about two times before posting it. And yet, there are still mistakes that need to be changed... and that doesn't make my day any better. Thanks for telling me about them though, I'll sign in and use the Back up/Export thing to correct the mistakes and re-post the chapter.

And get a better reader? U, don't you mean editor? lol, I've been my own editor ever since I started. Hmm, maybe I should hire someone to read it for me (ponders thoughtfully) Thanks for your review!

Suaru: Yes thank you! I love when Inu's soft side comes out and wants to play! Yeah, I agree with ya there! His kiddies rule! Hooray for Inu chitlins! Thanks for your review!

otome-noaidani-zetsubo: You'll find all that out in this chapter! Hooray for updates! Yeah, tension is such a bitch. (Shakes head) can't deal with it. lol. And I'll be ready for you to send your story to me! Thanks for your review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

Chapter Twelve: Betrayal Is a Symptom pt I

Inuyasha and the others started their travel once again. After their last encounter with Hineto and her stupid horse, they couldn't afford to stop for a long break as they had wanted. Getting the spheres was their main objective. Knowing that the power of the the three together was able to save their lives in the end, they didn't care how much physical pain they'd have to face to get them. If they could hold out in the end, it'll all be worth it.

Taikan looked over at Asoka next to him, he seemed to be fidgeting with his fingers and looked just ahead of himself. Taikan rasied an eyebrow and decided to find out what was bothering him... later. He looked on his other side at Sanae and made a face, "Sanae-"

He looked in front of himself and at his parents. Seeing as they were all talking about something else, he smiled and turned back to look at Sanae to continue, "How in the world did Sango and Lady Kaede let you go off alone like this?"

Asoka paid more attention at the conversation his friend started and looked at them from the corner of his eye.

Sanae sighed and appeared ill, "Well, they didn't acutally let me... Um, they don't even know that I'm gone...?" She tried to say and looked at Taikan. He looked like he had mixed feelings and tried to figure out what to say. She jumped in before he could say what he wanted, "I knew it was a stupid thing to do, but I just... I just wanted to be with you guys, that's all... You know, I'm a lot stronger than you think I am. I'm not just some helpless girl, how do you think I got here all by myself?" She said softly and looked the other way.

Taikan perked up with guilt at what she said and put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey Sanae, c'mon don't be like that. We all know you're strong… It's just that we worry about you so easily, because we care about you too much." Sanae looked at him this time. "Really?"

"Well duh." He smiled, "I knew that that's the reason Dad wouldn't let you come, he'd be so worried about you all the time that he'd get all crazy. You're just his little girl you know." He laughed.

Asoka looked over at them both fully this time and smiled at her, "He's right Sanae."

She nodded as Taikan took his hand away from her and sighed, "Man, I hope we get to the south soon, I'm just itching to fight a demon," He closed his eyes and put his hands behind his head.

Sanae giggled, "Well that's not surprising, you want to fight demons so much that you even do it in your sleep." She saw Asoka agree with a nod. Taikan didn't falter, "Yeah I guess. But can you blame me? I wanna test out my strength on something and all the demons around here are too weak." He opened his eyes and looked at the sky that was a beautiful blue, "If I had my sword right now, man, there'd be no one who could stand in my way."

Taikan started the daydream about fighting a demon and pulling out a huge sword much like Inuyasha's, defeating it in one swipe and standing upon it, all proud and sheathing his sword.

Sanae rolled her eyes, "Mom won't let you have a sword yet until your birthday, so maybe that little daydream of yours'll come true sooner than you think."

Asoka smiled at them, now he wished his brother and sister were here wth him.

Inuyasha and the other two adults however, were talking about a situation totally different. Kagome had asked Inuyasha how much further they'd need to go and he said until they saw a huge mountain. And he rememerbed what it looked like when Kikyo showed him, so he knew he wouldn't miss it.

The man gasped and looked up at Kagome, "You are a miko am I correct?"

Kagome hesitated, not knowing he was going to speak to her at all, but soon recovered and answered him with a shaky, "Yes."

"Miko, I am afraid something of terrible misfortune will soon come your way." He said gravely and Kagome brought a fist to her chest as she let out a light gasp. "W-What do you mean? Something bad is going to happen to me?"

Inuyasha looked at Kagome's terrorized face and angrily growled at the man, "Don't scare her like that! Y-You're wrong!"

Inuyasa couldn't get that out of his mind. He knew the guy wasn't lying, but maybe Inuyasha should've stayed behind a second and ask him when this misfortune would occur. He glanced behind him, nope. They must be miles apart by now. He couldn't just be like, 'Oh, hey gang, forgot something.. Um, a few miles WWAAAY back there…aaaannndd I'll be right back?'

No. He'd just have to keep and eye out for anything suspicious and look after Kagome and the kids more often... Which he already did... all the time...

"Are you ok Inuyasha?" Kagome asked him. Inuyasha looked down at her and smiled, "Yeah, just a little nervous I guess. We're almost there afer all." He said and held her hand in his.

Miroku smiled and looked away, knowing that the two wanted to be little more 'together' right now. Miroku sighd, 'I wish you were here with me Sango. I miss you.'

-

Hineto was angry. She wasn't planning on losing to Inuyasha, she never lost before. 'Damn him.' How then? How could she defeat him? Where'd he get all his power?

"Wind scar!" He swung Tetsusaiga down and a wave of energy pulsed through the ground toward Hineto.

Hineto screamed in pain at first, 'How did he gather this much power so fast?' She closed her eyes and had managed to jump in the air and away from the rest of the attack, "I'll return hanyou!" She shouted and disappeared in the sky in a burst of flames.

'His sword Tetsusaiga.' She stopped walking and smirked. 'All his power came from that sword… I just have to take it from him, then he would be powerless.' Hineto was so pleased that she would've sqealed in excitememet at finally having a plan to destroy Inuyasha. But she held it in, not wanting to look like a stupid fool… Well, in some people's opinion, that was too late.

Reina watched her younger sister pass by her and continue dow nthe long dim hallway, and so she deicded to go the other way and talk with Taisuke alone. 'I must find out what's going on.'

She walked in without hesitation and stood by Taisuke's side, "Master, what is the meaning of this? What are you planning with Hineto?"

Taisuke only looked into his mirror. He saw Inuyasha and Kagome walking together hand in hand. "It is nothing of imporatnce Reina. She has just failed her job horribly and it makes me want to kill her."

Reina would have laughed at the way he sounded, but decided against it for her benifit. In other words, she wanted to live, "I see. So why not send me, my lord? I have never failed you before, and I don't plan on doing so ever." She also looked in the mirror. Taisuke seemed to be thinking about something else though. Oh well, Reina had thought, she knew he'd send her. He always did when Hineto would mess up one way or another.

He nodded and changed the subject, "The majority of Inuyasha's power comes from his sword Tetsusaiga."

"Are you wishing for me to steal it?" Reina asked.

He paused, "I don't know for sure. I assume it has already been stolen from him once before. I just wonder if his loss of the sword does in fact make him weaker." Taisuke was no fool. He always thought about something before acting on it. And that's just what Inuyasha and the others didn't need, a both smart and powerful enemy.

Taisuke seemed to do a double take toward the mirror, "Where are they traveling to?" His voice a whisper and he narrowed his eyes. Reina shrugged, "I do not know. Toward the south, but I wonder why?" She mused.

'The south. Why would they be traveling so far from their home to go there?' He wondered. A few mintes longer, 'I'll find out why later on.'

Taisuke gazed in the mirror for anothr moment, then looked at Reina. "Yes, go ahead and try to steal it from him. If he's still as strong, I'll come…"

-

Sango sighed and sat on the cool green grass, looking toward where Miroku and the others left off to the south. She held a hand over her stomach and closed her eyes. She'd have to go through the pain of giving birth again, but she didn't care. Hell, she had done it three times now, one more wouldn't make a difference.

She opened her eyes slowly, 'Where are you Kohaku? Will you come back to us again soon?'

The last time he came to visit her and the others was about eight months ago. And he told them everything of what's happened to him on his journeys across the country. Sango was amazed by his strories. Kohaku had been nearly killed so many times, and yet still continues to travel, not caring if he'd live to see the sun rise the next day.

'He saved so many lives.' Sango smiled. She was so happy for her little brother. Now his guilt was little by little being lifted from his shoulders, she could tell each time she saw him. His smile was always brighter, his actions more layed back, and his thoughts were wiser.

Sango wondered if he had fallen in love with a lucky young lady by now. Sango giggeld to herself, 'I wouldn't be surprised.'

"Mom!" Called Teishin.

Sango looked over at him running to her. And for a moment Sango thought she was looking right at Kohaku when he was still just a boy. "W-What is it?"

"Mother, it's Sanae. She's gone!"

Sango looked toward the path agagin. "Oh no."

-

Inuyasha and the others walked on and on. Then, they finally stopped when they saw a forest was straight in their path.

"Do we walk through it?" Taikan asked and looked at Inuyasha in front of him. Inuyasha glanced at him and nodded before looking straight again, "Yeah, we're gonna have to."

And so, they all carried on and walked through the forest that took away their sunlight. Sanae stood closer to Taikan and held his arm with both hers, "It's getting way too dark." She whispered. Taikan didn't say anything back, only looked around.

Kagome turned around, "Stay close to us kids, I don't think-"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha ran to her and ducked her head with his hand. He held her close and looked at the tree next to them. A sharp deadly icicle had pierced it, 'That almost hit Kagome.' Inuaysha growled and looked the other way from where the icicle came form.

Suddenly a few more came and flew in everyone's direction. Everyone ducked to the ground and Inuyasha pulled Kagome closer to him. He looked at Taikan and saw that he and Asoka were protecting Sanae so he didn't have to worry about that for now. "Who's doing this?" Inuyasha shouted.

Miroku was still standing and blocked the icicles with his staff. They broke into pieces against it and he turned around in all directions, trying to shield himself and hit anymore that might come. "Come out from hiding!" The monk demanded and knocked another icicle out of his way.

Smoke slowly surrounded them and then a demon's shadow appeared. "Inuyasha." Was the only thing she said and glared at him with her crystal blue eyes. She frowned, "Hand me your sword and I'll let you live." She stepped out of the smoke, never breaking her gaze from Inuyasha.

The hanyou sighed and rubbed his forehead from the headache he knew was going to come, "Why the hell is everyone always trying to get my damn sword?" He muttered and looked at her, "Listen, you're probably the hundredth demon to come and try to take my sword from me, and you're going to be the hundredth that had failed." Inuyasha said after that.

He flinched inwardly, 'A couple of demons have stolen Tetsusaiga, but since it rejected them, no one was able to use it against me.'

Reina widened her eyes slightly in surprise, 'So, no one has taken it from him, at least not successfully anyway... That'll end right now.'

Taikan stood on front of Asoka and Sanae. Kagome slowly got out an arrow as Miroku gripped his staff, ready to strike Reina when she made another move. Inuyasha put his hand on the hilt of his sword and unsheathed. "No one can steal Tetsusaiga fool. It'll reject your demon blood. So don't get too excited when by some miracle that I lose my sword and it ends up lying in front of your feet." Inuyasha stated and made his sword turn red, 'I can't mess around. I'm gonna have to take this bitch down now if we want to get the orbs faster.' Inuyasha thought.

Reina's eyes widenend more, ' The Tetsusaiga's blade is red. How can he do this?'

-

Hineto looked everywhere for her, "Reina! Where the hell are you?" She coughed and leaned against the wall for much needed suppport. 'Where is she? I'm the-the one who's suppose to kill Inuyasha. Not her..' She stopped and clutched her shoulder, still in a seriously painful condition. 'Taisuke sent her... No. I must go and kill Inuyasha before she does. Then...Then Taisuke will favor me more.'

Hineto was jealous beyond belief at this point. Reina had always been the better fighter, she was smarter and more powerful. She was even more beautiful, and now she was Taisuke's 'favorite'. She knew it. It was no dark secret.

Hineto was pissed, 'I'll kill Inuyasha by myself, she better stay out of it. It's my fight.'

Igorning the pain, the flame sorceress ran toward an open balcony and jumped off, "Kira!" She called and right away the demon horse from before that fought Taikan flew from the shadows and caught her on its back. Hineto grunted, "Onward to Inuaysha My sister is there and I must stop her from carrying out my mission."