Author's Note: So sorry that I didn't update on Saturday like I said I would in my profile. But my laptop thing lost the internet connection thing so I'm on another computer… a sucky computer… Anyways! As long as I'm getting' the chapter done, everything's all good. Oh, and I updated my profile!... sorta... Um,I guess just check it out for yourself if you're at all interested.

For anyone who wants to hear about my personal life for some reason, here I go…

I'm kinda happy and sad at the same time. My boyfriend flew in a few days ago to come and visit me, and we had the best time! But now he just left and I am soooooo sad… so sad… But once he gets back to his home, we're gonna chat online forever. And I also have to go to work today…s.o.b… lol sorry, I really don't fee like working, but I need the money to get my car fixed and started up again. The battery is dead, my passenger side window is smashed, and there's a dent the size of a big ass dictionary placed oh so nicely near the bumper. No, I didn't get in a car crash, I just found it like that one morning and I was like, "Mother F!"

Despite all that, I still update for you all, because I love ya!... Not that way you hentai, I got a boyfriend, lol! Please read and review! Enjoy!

Lady kjerston of the western: Ha, it's more like who she's gonna take. Heehee, sneaky sneaky me so preeetty…. Sorry, my freaks' rabies are getting' to me. Anyway, Thanks for the compliments! And no, I haven't thought of a name for Sango's little chitlin, but I will very soon. Thanks for your review!

Akida411searcher: There's always somethin' up my sleeve girl! Even when I'm not wearing sleeves! Ha! And of course he is, but hey, we can never know. (looks around all suspiciously). And yeah, I know exactly how you feel! Thanks for the compliments! Yeah, dolphingirl0113's stories are like that too, you wanna hate her for torturing you s bad, but at the same time her stories kick ass! Thanks for your review!

Miru Amai: HAHAHAHA! Your reviews make me laugh to hard! No, please by all means stand in Reina's way, thanks for your review!

Disclaimer: I don't Inuyasha

Chapter Eighteen: The Image of an Empty Soul

Taikan stood straight and crossed his arms over his chest. He was getting more impatient by the minute it seemed. Miroku glanced at him; he was worried that once the young hanyou couldn't wait anymore and decide to go look for his parents, the monk feared he wouldn't be strong enough to hold him off. Miroku promised he would watch over the children here, and he was going to do so. Inuyasha would surely be angry to find his son looking for him, at least this early.

Miroku glanced at him again and saw the look of determination in the young boy's eyes. Miroku tried to sound calm, "Be patient Taikan, give them a bit more time." He tried to ease the boy's nerves.

Taikan blinked and turned his head to look at the monk with furrowed eyebrows in thought. After a few seconds he agreed, "Fine." He murmured almost inaudibly and just stared back at the mountain. 'Come on Father. It can't be this hard to find the orbs. You've probably got them already… But I still can't help but wonder if something went wrong though.'

All of a sudden, at the same time, both Taikan and Sanae whipped their heads up and looked behind themselves. Noticing this immediately, Miroku turned partly to look at them, "What is it you two? What's wrong?" He asked hurriedly.

Asoka, also wanting to know what the two hanyou's sensed, paid close attention and stood up progressively. 'What's wrong with the both of them?' He wondered and slowly looked to where they were looking, 'I don't, see anything...' He turned his head back to look at Taikan's and Sanae's troubles expressions.

Sanae stood up now, never tearing her gaze from where she sensed a strong aura coming. Taikan grit his teeth, 'N-No, it can't be…' His amber eyes grew wider in fright. Sanae had tears brim her eyes and she gulped, "It's-It's..." She couldn't help but whimper and step back a few steps to reach Taikan.

Miorku turned to them fully now, "Taikan, tell me what's going on. Is someone coming?" And just after he said that, he could also sense someone coming, and no longer needed an answer to his question.

Taikan, not knowing this, only nodded and held onto his sister's shoulders to comfort her. Sanae clenched her tiny fists in fear, "It's that bad lady Reina... She's coming right now."

-

Sango watched Teishin train.

"No no honey, you're left foot needs to be scooted further up, here." Sango smiled and walked up to her son.

Teishin murmured an 'oh' and didn't move from his stance so his mom can fix whatever he was doing wrong. He held onto his ax weapon that was attached to a long and had his arm risen to throw it. That weapon always reminded Sango of how her younger brother Kohaku had attacked her from behind when he was under Naraku's control. And Sango still had the scar on her back from it. Though it was fading, she still sometimes felt it there as if it had just happened yesterday.

She breathed in a deep breath and moved her bangs from her eyes, "Ok, like I said, move your left foot up just a little." She watched Teishin look down thoughtfully and move his foot forward like Sango said.

"Perfect, have it just like that when you're about to throw it." She said and stood back a couple of steps. "Try it again now."

"Ok." Teishin stepped back and readied himself. He gripped the ax by the handle and held the chain in his other hand, fixing his gaze on only the target. He stepped forward now, in the right technique now and, making sure his feet were in the right place, he threw the ax and released the long chain.

It hit the target and Sango clapped her hands while cheering. Teishin smirked and tugged on the chain quickly, brining his weapon back to him and caught the ax in his hand.

Sango went up to him, "That was great! Ok, now try it a couple more times and then you can take a break." She hugged Teishin and ruffled his hair a little. He smiled and blushed at the praise she gave him on his practice, "Thanks Mom. Um, where's Kilala?" He asked and looked around for the little cat.

At hearing her name, Kilala came bounding out of the hut with a skip in her step. Sango raised an eyebrow and giggled, "What's gotten into you Kilala?" She asked as the cat jumped in her arms and Sango hugged her tight. Kilala only mewed and snuggled her head against Sango's cheek.

Teishin looked up and pet Kilala that was still being held by Sango, "Mom, can I take my break now? I wanna play with Kilala." He said as the cat demon jumped in his arms now. Sango's eyes softened and she nodded, "Sure."

"Thanks." He replied quickly and Kilala jumped out of his arms. She landed a few feet from him, waiting for him to chase her in a game of tag. Teishin laughed and ran after her.

Sango watched and laughed a little from time to time, 'He's so tender hearted and shy. Always quiet too.' Sango turned her gaze to a beautiful garden that was near her, and watched a couple of butterflies fly by, 'Come visit us soon Kohaku.'

-

As Reina got closer to her destination, she saw Miroku and the others below. At seeing them, Reina smirked and made her way to land in front of them. Taikan right away moved Sanae behind him. He stepped forward and growled, "We have to keep her from getting to Mom and Dad." He whispered to Asoka and Miroku. They nodded and stepped forward like Taikan did.

Sanae gulped and got an arrow equipped in her small bow. She shook her head, 'Come on, don't be scared.' She tried to think over and over.

Reina landed and smirked again, this time more softly, "Where are you're parents boy?" She only had her ice blue eyes fixed on Taikan and no one else. She saw the young boy become angry, and he took another step forward with a bit of reluctance.

The twelve year old hanyou narrowed his eyes and flexed his claws, "None of your damn business you witch. Now get lost." He threatened.

Reina raised both eyebrows and laughed a breath, "Such big talk from such a small child. You're just like you're imprudent father you know, never knowing what you're really getting yourself into." She mocked in a low voice and brought out her fan.

She continued, noticing Taikan wouldn't say another word, "Well, if you won't tell me where they are then I'll have to force you to tell m-" She stopped unexpectedly and slowly rose her eyes to look up in the direction of the mountain. 'What's that I'm sensing?'

Taikan's heart leaped, 'No, I have to distract her.'

He ran toward her and was about to use his iron reaver that Inuyasha had taught hima couple of years ago. When he almost reached Reina, she looked back at him with a knowing smile, "Out of my way boy." She said and hit him with her fan that was, fortunately for him, still closed.

Sanae tried to aim her arrow at her with precise accuracy, but Reina wouldn't stop moving long enough for her to shoot it.

Taikan went flying backwards and hit the trunk of a nearby tree. Sliding to the ground, he coughed and stood up as fast as he could, "N-No, Miroku, don't let her get away!" He shouted, but Miroku was already running toward her with a sutra, by now knowing what to do.

Miroku grit his teeth, 'I can only paralyze Reina for a short time if I use this on her, although with her being so powerful, she could possibly just fracture the hold on her.' Miroku threw the sutra toward the ice sorceress and she knocked it away with her fan,

"Enough." She muttered and jumped on a low ledge that was near the ground, and jumped to a higher one. 'Inuyasha, I'll kill you before you utter your wish.'

-

Inuyasha and Kagome gathered the orbs together and watched them shine magnificently. Kagome held Inuyasha's hand and looked at him with compassion, "Go ahead Inuyasha. Make your wish." She encouraged him in a whisper. Inuyasha smiled at her and looked back at the spheres. "Yeah."

Inuyasha closed his eyes and tightened his hold on Kagome's hand. He took a deep breath to clam his nerves and spoke in a soft murmur, "I… I wish that T-"

Suddenly Inuyasha and Kagome practically whipped their heads up at the same time and held their breath. The hanyou was the first to pull through from his stupor and gradually stand up, bringing Kagome with him with an arm around her shoulders. "S-Shit. Not now…" He muttered through his clenched fangs.

Before anything else could be said aloud, they saw Reina jump from underneath the ledge they arrived on, and now landed a few good yards just to the front of them.

No one said a word at first, and Reina looked downward at the orbs that were before Inuyasha, still shimmering beautifully in the setting sunlight. She smirked once more and looked up to see Inuyasha duck down quickly to get them.

"No!" Reina shouted and opened her fan swiftly.

Inuyasha had grabbed two, but when Reina unleashed a light ice filled wind, the dark blue sphere had been blown away from him.

Inuyasha's heart sank, watching the blue sphere fly away; it was then that he remembered something very important that Kikyo had said to him in his dream.

"…Having just one orb is powerless, but with all three together, you are able to make one wish, but each time a wish is made, their powers die for one hundred years and come back to life again until someone else makes a wish."

'N-No, it can't be' He and Kagome watched as the orbs in his arms lost their stunning shine, as did the blue one.

"…Having just one orb is powerless, but with all three together, you are able to make one wish,"

"Damn it!" Inuyasha shouted and glared at Reina, he was about to shout that she was a fool and now the orbs were powerless if they weren't together. But then he stopped himself. If she didn't know that, she would go home with only one or two, thinking she had beaten them altogether. If this was so, then Inuyahsa could always find her and kill her for the other orbs later. But he had to make that his backup plan.

"I'll get it!" Kagome told Inuyasha and she turned around, running on the way to where the blue sphere had fallen.

Reina smirked. Inuyasha turned to look at her, "Kagome, no!"

Reina rose her fan up and brought it down fiercely, "Frozen Wind!"

Kagome turned around and stopped abruptly with wide eyes. She gasped as soon as she saw that Reina had waved her fan in her direction. Kagome instantly shivered tremendously, she could already sense her skin feel as cold as ice.