The new chapter! Woo! I'll try and update daily now, since I've finished the fanfiction and it has many chapters... This chapter is a little shorter...

Chapter 7: An Old Friend

InuYasha jumped out of the well and started to run to Kaede's Village. He had told Sango and Miroku to stay there with Shippo.

Kyoumi hadn't been to Kaede's Village yet, even though she went to the well. They had come from another direction.

InuYasha sped through the forest, wanting to get to Kaede's house because of his arm. Then Kagome could tend to it some more. It had started to hurt. Just as InuYasha was starting to get impatient, and Kyoumi had started squirming again, he saw Kaede's village and slowed down a bit. He entered Kaede's house and put Kyoumi down, who was still in the school clothes Kagome had lent her.

As Kagome got off of InuYasha, Sango said, "Who's that with- oh Kami. Is that you, Kyoumi? You look so different without your braid! And in those clothes..."

Kyoumi looked down at her clothes and blushed a deep red. She gasped and turned to Kagome, saying, "I forgot my clothes at your house!"

Kagome smiled and pulled the the backpack off and said, "No problem! I brought them with me. And I'll braid your hair later if you like, after you change."

Kyoumi smiled and took the green kimono that Kagome had pulled out of the backpack and started to walk outside, to change in the forest.

"Maybe I should help you?" Miroku said, raising his hand.

THWAP

Miroku had a big red mark on his face, and Sango massaged her hand a little bit.

Kyoumi came back after a few minutes and looked around the house a little bit. "Who's place is this?" she asked while looking at the walls.

"This is my home," said an old lady coming through the doors holding medicinal herbs in her hands. Kyoumi turned around and her eyes widened. "I am the miko Kaede. Who might ye be?"

Kyoumi blushed a little bit and said, "I am Kyoumi, lady Kaede."

Kaede nodded and walked over to a spot on the floor near the fire pit.

"Kagome, can you help me with my arm? It hurts," complained InuYasha as he took his arm out of his sleeve so Kagome could look at it.

She sighed and walked over to InuYasha, unwrapping the wound.

It was scabby and bloody, and had a small infection to it already. The skin around the wound was red and had much dried blood on it, and it looked like it only just been barely covered up with a scab.

"What happened!" Miroku said as he gazed at the wound in disgust.

"InuYasha was hit with a bullet. In this time, guns were just brought here recently. Do you remember seeing them?" Kagome said, taking out a new bandage and some disinfectant. She sprayed InuYasha's arm and he winced, looking at his arm painfully. She wrapped the wound tightly and made sure it stayed by pulling on it a little bit.

"InuYasha, you should get some rest... OK?" Kagome said with a sad expression on her face. She watched him go over to a corner and sit, yawning before he went to sleep.

---

In the morning InuYasha was feeling much better, Kyoumi had her hair braided, and Kagome was happier. They had decided to go and search for the Sacred Jewel.

They walked along the road, Kagome searching for any stray Jewel Shards, and suddenly InuYasha stopped. He sniffed the air, and growled.

"Naraku."

Kagome gasped and looked around, trying to sense any jewel shards.

InuYasha looked up and saw a large feather in the sky, and it was coming down fast.

A woman with red eyes and a pink and white fan stood in front of them. She had a kimono that matched her fan and feathers in her hair that was put up in a bun. She was smirking, but didn't look happy to be doing what she was supposed to.

"Kagura!" yelled InuYasha. He drew his Tetsusaiga and it transformed into it's larger form. His facial expression expressed pure loathing.

"Don't worry mutt. I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to pick something up," said Kagura as she brought her fan up. She brought it down and yelled, "Dance of Blades!"

Large blades of wind were sent towards InuYasha, Kagome and Shippo and InuYasha jumped in front of Kagome and put his sword out to protect them. Kagura sent another wave of wind towards Miroku and Sango, and Kagura ran over to Kyoumi and grabbed her by the collar. She then grabbed a feather from her hair and threw it down, and jumped on the large feather that had appeared. Kagura went flying in the air and she looked down at Kyoumi, scowling.

Kyoumi grabbed her black sword and took a swipe at Kagura's arm, but even though it cut deep, it only cut it a little bit compared to what she was going to do. Kagura grabbed the sword and threw it to the ground.

"Damn you! I don't know why Naraku finds you so important. You're just a nuisance!" yelled Kagura as she rubbed the injured arm a bit, while still holding onto Kyoumi's collar and holding her halfway over the edge of her feather.

---

InuYasha took his sword and put it back in it's hilt.

"Damn! She took Kyoumi!" yelled InuYasha.

"Why would she want to take her, though?" Sango asked.

"Yeah, it's not like she is anything special, right?" added Shippo.

InuYasha turned to Kagome and asked, "What is it?"

Kagome was red in the face and tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"She has a jewel shard in the back of her neck!"

Ohh! The truth is finally out! What will happen to Kyoumi? You'll have to wait to find out!