Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-yasha and company (but I wish I would). However, I do own Kiken, Koishi, Gin, Aliz, Chaz and Mike that may show up in this fic (I use them in most of my fanfics).

Symbols are: "talking", 'thoughts', (new place or time)

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Chapter 26

Attackers of the graveyard

"Why are you helping Inu-yasha!?" Sesshomaru demanded to know when he with this a bit older guy run toward the hill. It wasn't too near and Chaz knew it would have been easier with a car, but his car was too far to get now.

Chaz was silent when running along side with Sesshomaru carrying his western-like and eastern-like sword in one hand. He hadn't noticed the ghost floating after them. After all Kagome had intentionally been out of sight even from Sesshomaru who could see her.

Sesshomaru kept his demanding eyes on Chaz when running and finally the man gave up. "Cause I don't want another innocent life to be lost" he said and made Sesshomaru thoughtful when neither one even glanced at each other.

Suddenly they heard a kid shouting. They stopped and listened on the voice when Sesshomaru recognized it. "Shippo" he muttered looking at the direction from which it came.

It came from behind trees. Beside the road was a forest that ended at the nearest farm which wasn't too near. Chaz looked at Sesshomaru questioning, but couldn't ask him anything when with a growl Sesshomaru went into the shadows of the trees.

'I don't know why I'm helping that little bastard' Sesshomaru thought when growling. He heard the shout Shippo was making, but couldn't hear what he was shouting exactly.

Now when Chaz was far enough behind coming after Kagome appeared to Sesshomaru. "Don't go!" she said with deep worry in her eyes.

Sesshomaru stopped staring at the ghost. "Why?" he asked. "I thought he was your friend?!"

Kagome straightened her back like she would have been insulted. "You can't take those people on! They aren't ordinary. . ." she tried to explain somehow, but looked away.

Sesshomaru was going to demand for more when Chaz suddenly came behind him and Kagome disappeared from the sight again.

"Do you even know against who you are going?" Chaz asked Sesshomaru pulling him from the sleeve.

Sesshomaru pulled himself free. "I hoped you would enlighten me" he growled bringing his face before Chaz's.

They were silent and stared each other with narrowed eyes, but then they looked around when they heard terrible laughter. Somehow it chilled your spine. Chaz who knew who was laughing kept his serious expression, but Sesshomaru let his worry slip for a moment before he got a hold of himself.

From the shadows stepped two figures out, but neither one of them were the one laughing. One of them was a woman having a kimono on and a fan in her hand. Her black hair was tied up and had some decorations in it.

The other one was a man with a long black braid. He was dressed like one from ancient Japan. He had an armor and on his shoulder he had a big, heavy zanbatou. In his other hand that wasn't holding his weapon he was holding Shippo from the kitsune's tale.

"I told you I found nothing" Shippo shrieked. "I have looked from everywhere, truthfully!"

Sesshomaru looked at the little kitsune and realized that he didn't know everything about this little one.

"Why are you still hiding" Chaz asked, but Sesshomaru didn't know from who. "Your ugly laughing is killing my ears" he added.

The laughter continued when a man with black wavy hair stepped out from the shadows. "Why aren't you worried, Charles?" the man asked using the name from which Chaz was a nickname. "When your little protégé is in danger?"

Chaz's eyes widened very slightly when he again remembered Inu-yasha. Hissing he brought his hand on the other sword ready to draw it. His moves however made Shippo bite his nails and the woman opened her fin and the man holding Shippo was ready to use his weapon.

Sesshomaru who knew only how to be wicked and evil knew nothing about fighting against people with real weapons looked around fearing that there was no way out. There were three against the two of them and Chaz was the only one who truly knew of fighting.

(where ever Aliz is)

Aliz run forward in the dark streets near the Saloon Bar. It wasn't the best time to move there, but being used with the life style of the place she knew when to avoid people. She run in the middle of the road hoping there won't suddenly appear a car behind a corner.

She knew that her brother had gone for the mansion after seeing Gin, but she was after something else. However the things would be they couldn't take the followers of Inu-yasha on alone.

Calling the cops was out of question. Aliz and Chaz would get in trouble for their own grimes in this. Thought, Aliz doubted that any police would show up anyway.

Huffing she continued running until she was long past Saloon Bar and turned in the next corner. She stopped there immediately sensing that something was wrong. Something wasn't right. She looked around her until she realized that the street lights weren't on. This street was always lit well, but now it was dark as the promises it gave.

Tightening her hand around her western-like sword she stepped into the darkness. She didn't know if there was need to be this careful, but she had to admit that she feared. Like it wouldn't be scary enough to walk alone in a dark street, but more so, when you knew there could be someone in the shadows waiting you.

Aliz was listening carefully around her and tried to see into the shadows, but suddenly her eyes cached a street light which was almost like a ray of hope in the darkness.

Whit a sigh she hoped she wouldn't need to take back she walked toward the light and the car she saw in the shadows the front of it in the light.

(At the hill)

The girl Inu-yasha had been talking with opened two beers and offered the other one to Inu-yasha. He didn't take it immediately when he was pushing the snuggling pair behind them. He was getting annoyed by all the sounds. Miroku and Sango at least went do all they wanted in private.

Kikyo was attracting now more than two boys with her silly talk and Kouga and Koishi were too tired to finish their dance. They were laying their head on the blanket not realizing that they were getting cold on the ground.

"Those lovebirds won't notice you even if you shot them!" the girl holding her and Inu-yasha's beer laughed to Inu-yasha when suddenly the shot she mentioned became true.

It drew the attention of everybody – even the drunk – when the boy Inu-yasha was kicking was shot.

Inu-yasha's new friend screamed throwing the beers away right at Kouga and Koishi who crawled behind them somewhat. "Eww. . ." Koishi exclaimed like a girl when Kouga continued his way behind Inu-yasha with a very disgusted expression.

The girl who had blonde hair and screamed trembled of fear, when her friend who was sot shout of pain and her girlfriend sat up with no idea of what to do. Inu-yasha was pushed way by Kouga, but he still was stunned. What in nine-hells was going on was the question on everyone's mind.

The people started to gather around the boy and someone told to call the ambulance and three half drunk guys run toward a call-box down the hill. Helplessly the people tried to come up with something, but people who were too drunk like Kikyo were mostly laughing and in the way.

Inu-yasha however let the people take care of the boy, when he got suddenly a flash back of the graveyard incident again. He lifted his other hand on his forehead. He turned his eyes toward the forest slightly down the hill almost like something was calling him. He gasped when a pair of yellow eyes was staring at him down there.

"I told you I should have shot!" exclaimed a girlish man having a sword on his shoulder.

Gin only stared up the hill at the white haired boy in the distance. She was silent when holding a rifle in her hands. "I know I'm no good shooter" she said growling. "But he doesn't want him dead. . . Yet."

She slowly turned her yellow eyes at her partner. Either one of them was moving when they stared at each other.

After a moment the man sighed and sat down. "Whatever" he muttered when he first time took a good glance of Inu-yasha who was standing on the hill. Suddenly he darted up and pointed excitedly at Inu-yasha from the shadows. "I want him! I want him!"

After putting up with one hundred of exclaims from the man, Gin growled and hit the rifle hard against his chest. "Just shut up!" she shout before walking into the sight of the white haired boy.

Inu-yasha stiffened. He seemed to be the only one noticing the striped woman stepping out from the shadows. There was something familiar in her, thought, but he couldn't bring it up. He looked at the other people who were worried about they guy who was shot.

He looked down at the woman in front of the forest. Her white teethed grin and yellow eyes promised nothing good.

(in another forest)

"I'm getting enough of this sick joke, Naraku" Chaz spit out the cursed name still ready to draw his sword anytime needed. The man continued his sickening laugh when Sesshomaru felt like he was left out of it.

"It's not you we want, Charles, so you can relax" Naraku said with a voice filled of poison and his grin added in it made you spine chill. He turned his dark eyes at Sesshomaru who stiffened. "But of you I wouldn't be too sure. . ."

Sesshomaru didn't move and tried to hide every emotion as well as he could. "What do you want from me and my brother?" he asked with a secure voice.

Chaz quickly turned to look at Sesshomaru. "You. . ." he was about to say with a worried voice.

"Your brother, eh?" Naraku asked leaning his chin on his hand. "This would be interesting."

Sesshomaru first stared at Chaz and then at Naraku shortly realizing. . . He hit his hand on his mouth like to hide the words he had said, but of course it was too late. Naraku had only been guessing for any connection between Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha, but he went and gave a clear answer.

Chaz turned his eyes at Naraku again stepping closer Sesshomaru like a protecting shield still holding his hand on his sword. "What do you want from them?" Chaz asked seriously looking at Naraku from under his brows, but listening on the moves of the two other persons at the sides.

Shippo had been silent like a mouse and the man holding him didn't do any move against them and the woman just shut her fan and sighed.

"And why did you kill my brother?" Chaz demanded growling. Sesshomaru turned to look at the man when hearing that. Now he understood why he was helping Inu-yasha or why he was so angry to these guys.

"It wasn't me who killed him" Naraku said looking at his nails.

"You know what I mean!" Chaz growled. "The killer was one of your minions, but you are the one behind it all!"

Naraku laughed evilly and then looked at Chaz. "He was just a simply in the way, that's all. Our true target is. . ." He turned to look at Sesshomaru who didn't know what was this all about.

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A/N:

09/01/04

I must admit first of all that I don't like this chapter at all! And it was hard to write as well – much like forcing myself. I don't know why but that's how it was when writing this.

About my grammar and spelling mistakes. . .

I try to spell check my chapters and read them trough, but simply cause my own language isn't English I do not know or notice all my mistakes. And I never had a good grade in English. That is why I hope it's enough for you just that the story is understandable.

I also don't have too much time to check on the old chapters. I'm not only in school (where practically I do nothing) but I'm also at work. I leave home after 9 o'clock and am home after 6 p.m. And I tell you I'm pretty tired then and also I have other things in my life than this story or any of my stories.

That is why I kindly ask that you won't always bring out my grammar and spelling mistakes cause I know of them well enough. I don't know but somehow to be told of that over and over again kills my inspiration. That is why I would rather not read of my spelling mistakes.

I also know that there are people who work more in a day than me and might be more tired than me when they get home, but I'm still out of energy when I get home.

Well. . . Maybe I should stop talking about that now.

Oh. . . And if you would like to edit my chapter you can feel free to do so after you have contacted me of course (also the old chapters).

I'll continue this A/N on another day. For some reason my computer doesn't open the page of so I can't even check out the old reviews I have got.

09/02/04

Thanks to the following reviewers

morlana: What happens to Shippo you'll find out soon enough And thanks

Moon-Dragon 1288: Thanks a lot

: Thanks for the review.

Lunatic Pandora1: It's okay with me either way You might already guess Shippo's part

firenine: Here is the following chapter

chibiCall: Thanks!

arkynox: Soon you will

Star Fire Kagome: I update when I get a chapter ready and it can mean a long time between updates. Sorry for that.

katie keita: Thank you very much

Hanyou Neko: Great to hear that

Estal0ne11: I know you don't like cliffhangers as reader, but as writer I love them (I must admit it). They also keep you and as well me interested

falcony32: Thanks!

Call Me Shiggy: I think I don't need to repeat my self after writing what's above and big thanks! I try to get chapters written more often now

FirePrincessTheOneAndOnly: Thanks for the review

Okay, those are all who has given me a review since last update.

And thanks to you all ones again.

I try to get the next chapter written as soon as possible and I hope it will satisfy even me unlike this one. I still hope you like the chapter thought.

And I know it's a cliffhanger (but not from the worst end)

But see you next time