He walked down the unfamiliar streets of Kyoto. Despite being in a new city, there were certain things that never changed. Like shady characters lurking in dark alleyways.

He slowly walked over to one, a man who glared at him from under a wide brimmed hat and above a trench-coat. "Yeah?" he snarled. "You want some-"

His inquiry was cut off as the hilt of a sword was thrust into his stomach. With his other hand, Inuyasha pushed the man against the wall and clenched a portion of his shirt.

"Tell me where I can find Onigumo," he growled.

The guy's eyes widened. "There ain't no Onigumo, man, not anymore! He's been…replaced."

"Then, stop playing games and tell me where I can find Naraku!" His eyes looked ready to burst from his head.

This guy knows his shit, thought the small time crook. He looks ready ta kill me, too…better just appease him…

"Okay, man, okay!" he gasped as the assailant's fist crashed into the bricks by his face. Little bits of pebble lightly brushed his stubbly cheek as the brick somehow cracked…only slightly, but it was enough to bring the man that much closer to urinating himself.

"He…uh…h-he's been, ah, h-holding up in the, ah, old s-sewer maintenance m-municipal b-building…" he stammered out.

Next thing he knew, he was thrown head first in the dirty puddles on the ground. He felt it soak through his clothes, reaching skin already covered with goose pimples.

He looked up at the longhaired figure standing in the mouth of the alleyway. Because of the sun behind him, he could only see his silhouette. That, and the glare of one burning eye.

"If you're lying to me…" came the harsh ultimatum. "I will hunt you down and I will kill you."

With that said, he turned his back and walked out towards the streets. The man watched him go, until the sun shone fully on himself. He breathed out slightly, and straightened his hat.

"I don't need this shit," he sighed. "Not at my age."

He unsteadily got to his feet. When he was standing again, he blinked. Where da hell's the sun?

His eyes widened yet again as he saw that it was blocked. Blocked by two large, bald men. His frightened gaze went to there rippling biceps, where each had tattooed on a flaming spider.

"Hey, Kagome, I don't think…"

"Shut up Miroku!" she yelled to the young man standing at her doorway. "I'm going to find him! I'm going to bring him back!" She went back to the closet, getting out what she needed.

With the compact red bow leaning against the wall by the filled leather quiver, she slipped on a green and white pair of fingerless archery gloves matching her green skirt and white tank top. She looked fiercely at the man we had the audacity to challenge her decision.

Sango was sitting on the bed, gnawing on her bottom lip. She stood up with a decision, wearing black jeans and a pink tee-shirt matching her eye shadow. "I'm coming, too."

Kagome blinked, startled. "What? Why, you don't…"

"Inuyasha's my friend," Sango cut in. "I'm worried about him, same as you." She walked over to her closet and pulled out a wrapped tubular package, along with a box. The wrapping fell away to reveal a katana, one where the handle seemed to be a part of the sheath, with no guard between.

Sticking this into her black belt, she opened the box, revealing a dagger and two black forearm guards. She slipped these on, and used the sheathed dagger's strap to wrap it around her right thigh.

The other two were looking at her. She smiled slightly. "My parent's owned a dojo back home…don't worry about me."

"Fine," stated Kagome, slipped on her quiver and grabbed the bow. The girls headed for the door, pausing slightly as they waited for Miroku to move.

Instead, he sighed.

"Well, can't leave you two ladies alone in a city like Kyoto…who knows what'll happen to two pretty things like you?" He ran a hand through his raven hair and smiled.

"Shall we go?"

"My god…cough, cough!" cried the man as he coughed blood out onto the dirty cement ground. He dimly heard a plink sound as a tooth accompanied it.

"Shut up!" cried the thug as he kicked the man bent over on the floor of the sewage system plant building. "You sold out the boss!"

Another foot to the kidneys and the man was lying on the ground. His clothes were torn, revealing bleeding lacerations and swelling bruises. One eye was puffed to the point of blindness, as were his cheeks. Blood trickled from his mouth and nose. There was a cigarette burn on the right hand, accompanying a couple of broken fingers. One knee was bent at an impossible angle. He had never before experienced such pain, such horror. He was beyond even thinking about continuing his life. He had just passed into that blissful state of being we're he could look forward to and embrace his impending death.

The other thug was about to crack down on his back with the bat again, until a cold voice whispered "Wait…"

He complied, lowering his tensed arms.

"Stand him up."

Easier said than done. The brutes finally got the beaten man to his feet, with their support.

"So, you assuming selling me out would perpetuate your life?" inquired the owner of the icy voice.

The beaten man looked through hazy vision at the longhaired man sitting in shadows on a chair. It was just a simple, beaten wooden chair, with nicks covering it. However, by his body language and attitude, it held the regality of a throne.

"Can you just kill me already?" he mumbled. He slumped forward slightly. He was at the point where he was waving his arms as he teetered on the edge of consciousness.

"Answer the question," hissed the leader.

The man spit out some more blood. "I dunno…I was too scared of him to really think…"

Naraku leaned forward quickly, gripping the edges of his seat. "Were scared of him more than you are me?" he inquired, dark emotion creeping into his voice. Emotion and promise.

The man said nothing.

"Answer!" roared Naraku.

With a great effort, the man raised his head to the crime boss. He looked at him, and licked his split and bloody lips. He smiled a tired smile. "At the time…yeah, yeah I was. And now?" He paused, and the smile turned into a grin, though it was not his last on this earth. "Yeah. I'm as scared of him as you should be."

There was a crack, and suddenly his neck was burning. The men released him, and he fell to his knees. He gasped as air slipped out of the new slit in his throat. His hands went to the gash, as blood pored out of his fingers as well as air. Finally darkness overwhelmed him for the last time, and that was when he let out his final smile.

Wow, this isn't really a romantic comedy anymore, is it? Oh, well, everything will be back to the way it should soon enough. Sorry this is so short…anyway, I'm starting to get a little depressed at the lack of interest people are showing with this story. Don't get me wrong, I thank from the bottom of my heart those who have reviewed and supported me! I just wish that by the time 8 chapters have been out for awhile, I'd have more than 24 reviews…still, a big thank you to all of those who DO take the time to review!