Disclaimers Notice: The only thing I own is the way in which I chose to use the characters and setting (oh, and a few of my own creations…)

Authors Beginning Note: Aloha

Shout it outs!

inuyashas hun: Well, Kagome may have it hard, but she has loyal friends!

inuyashafanficfan: I'm glad to hear I'm managing to keep everyone on character. I hate it when I write someone OOC.

flamesofthemo0n: Battle begins next/chapter after

angelnodarkness: I love that you love it!

Tanwen-Whitefire: I'm glad, I have a lot of them, ne? I'm hoping the end is near. My story is getting quite lengthy. te he.

MoonKitii: Yes it's long. It was supposed to be over with quite a while ago, but I am so terrible at writing short stories. I'm glad you stuck w/ it though!I'll try to make it worth the effort.

Chapter 63

The Looming Attack

"Shurraun?" She stood there for a moment and evenly looked into Kouga's eyes.

"You promise that we won't be forced to fight?"

"You have my word."

"Than we accept your offer." Shunraun let out a sigh of relief. Out of all of the four, Shurran was the least predictable and least trusting. They followed Kouga who moved at a considerably slower pace than he had come.

The first thing that happened when they reached the camp was to be bombarded by thousands of questions until Kouga ordered them to be brought a ration of food. They found a bowl of soup and a half loaf of bread for each of them. It wasn't much, but it was rather filling and they both enjoyed every morsal of it. When it was clear neither were in a mood to talk, the Theives let them alone.

"Hello, my name is Gertty, what's yours?" A little girl who looked no older than ten and bolder than any man waltzed right up to Shurran. Her fluffy pink hair was in cute bobtails on either side of her head. Two pointy ears barely shone through a small pouf of loose locks. She stood holding a small ragged dolly in clothes as dirty as she. Shurran sat there stunned for a moment before sticking her nose in the air.

"Come on Shurran. The least you could do is be nice to a little girl."

"I don't want to." Gertty's lower lip trembled.

"Ah, she doesn't mean it really. She just doesn't deal well with people in general." Gertty's little sky blue eyes filled with wallop sized tears and she began to make little noises as a sign that she was about to cry. She bit her lip.

"Please don't cry, you shouldn't take her so seriously, it's not your fault…" Shunraun was fighting a loosing battle.

"My names Shurran, you happy?" The girl sniffed and smiled.

"Shran my newest bestest friend! I'll give you my dolly! Her names Gumbo, after my favorite soup!" The little girl unexpectedly dropped Gumbo into Shurrauns lap before skipping off.

"Uh…uh…" She stared at the doll as Shunraun stared at where the girl had stood.

"Stupid girl. Giving me a doll. What would I do with a doll?" Shurran tossed the doll behind her before having it hop right back into her lap.

"I'd keep that doll if I were you. Gertty would be crushed if you didn't." Shurran looked at the tall slim figure that stood behind her. Her eyes were red and her periwinkle bluehair was only as long as her chin. Two cat ears topped off her head. She wore tight red clothing, which were more menouverable in when doing impossible acrobatic stunts. She winked at Shunraun then looked back at Shurran.

"I don't want it. You can give it back to her."

"You know, next to the clothing on her back, that doll was her only possession. It was made by her mother before she was killed. I guess its lucky for her that she posses the speed of the wind, not to mention the wind itself otherwise not even she would have lived. She's the last of her village. Her mothers dieing words were for her to run and she did. So, even if you don't want it, keep it. The least you could do is make a little girl happy." The cat like Hanyou woman sauntered off. Her two cat tails twitching coyly behind her.

"I don't think I like her very much."

"Why? She was nice enough." Shurran made a face at her older brother.

"I'm going for a walk." She left him there and made her way through the camp. Every once in a while she would get queer looks, but not many.

"Your so dirty."

"Why don't you bath?" Little distant voices of children invaded her ears.

"Your dirty too."

"You're a runt." Shurran stopped in her tracks and listened.

"Its not my fault I'm not as tall as you."

"Excuses." It sounded like two boys, an older girl and a younger one all having this discussion. One that Shurran found reminded her of things that she wished should could permanantly forget.

Commence Flashing of Backwardness
"You can't play with us!" A little girl with pink hair and pointed ears looked into the eyes of the five older village kids.

"But why?"

"You're not old enough."

"I try to be!" Her eyes glistened.

"You're such a crybaby!"

"And you think your getting older?"

"Your more pathetic than we thought."

"No! No I'm not! I am a big kid! I can do what ever I want!"

"Go play with your dolly little baby."

"But I want to play ball with you!" The girl made to follow the kids to play ball but the oldest boy swung at her. She fell back and grabbed her cheek, tears poured down her face.

"Go away! We don't want you around!" The girl cried and picked up the little doll she had made her very self.

"Stupid, stupid! Why did I bring you? Now they won't ever let me play wif them!" She cried in her high voice.

"Well then, if they won't let me play wif you, I'll just have to get rid of you." The little Yukai girl walked to the nearby river.

"I'm sorry Haru. Please understand. I love you, but I wanna be a big girl, and big girls don't play wif dollies." She tossed the doll in where is swiftly drifted away.

Next day

"What are you doing back here?"

"I came her to play."

"Go play with your doll."

"I'm a big girl. I don't play with dolls. I can play wif you now, right?" She looked up hopefully in the eyes of the kids whom she had wanted to be apart of so long.

"No."

"No?"

"That's right, now scram."

"But…but…"

"We tried to be nice and say we wouldn't play with you because your too young. The truth is…"

"We just don't like you."

"Now am scray or we'll chase you into a bears den." She stood there, her little heart crushed.

"You heard us! Go!" The sticks, stones, and dirt clumps were her motivations to finally move and run.

She ran her tiny legs all the way to the river where she had flung her doll.

"Haru! Haru! You can come back now! Please come back! You're my only friend!"

Commence the Flashing of currentness
Shurran found her way easily through the throng of people and followed the little voices behind a boulder.

"But, I really want to play!"

"You can't."

"But, why not?"

"Because they aren't going to be playing anything anyway." Shurran stepped forward. She tucked the doll into her sash and stood rather dangerously with her arms crossed.

"We are too."

"Oh really, what?"

"Tag." Shurran licked her canine teeth maliciously.

"I like tag. So does my friend Kichiro. Have you met?" Shurran conjured a deadly looking dog just for them. He growled and licked his drooling lips. Then pounced. The threesome looked at each other before attacking it. When nothing happened and they found it still coming at them, they began running.

"Bestest best friend Shran is here! I am so happy!" The girls face lit up and her chest swelled with joy as she leapt and gave Shurran a grand hug. Shurran uncomfortably patted her back.

"If you quit hugging me I'll give you a surprise."

"Okay!" She jumped down and looked up innocently at Shurran.

"Close your eyes. No peaking." Shurran thought about it for a second and then finally came up with something.

"Now open them." The girl squeeled with glee as a large butterfly appeared on her nose then fluttered around her. It's colors were bright hughes of pinks, purples, and greens.

"Shran made me a new bestest best friend too!" She jumped to catch it.

"I can do way better than that." Shurran said, trying to make it no big deal.

"You must be very powerful." Gertty said in passing as she fell leaping at the colorful creature. She laughedand quickly jumped back up to catchit.Shurran sat down cross legged as she created thousands of butterflies just for Gertty. She watched the girl in amusement. Never could she remember making someone that happy. It made her fill with a happy feeling, even though she tried to snubb it off in her mind.

A strange feeling crept to her and made her neck prickle.

Shurran quickly sat up and looked into the west. The butterflies quickly disappeared.

"You're not concentrating." Miroku reprimanded. Kagome snapped out of her reverie.

"I'm sorry. I just can't think."

"You know, Inuyasha will be just fine." Kagome shook her head.

"It's not that. Well, not really." Miroku looked a little surprised. He was for sure he'd figured it out right.

Ah well…I guess the woman's mind…is as unpredictable as the weather…

"Than what ails you so?" Miroku relaxed a little in preparation to hear Kagome's probably lengthy explanation, something typical to her. Then reading between the lines of what she was saying as well was an art that he found could make the most philosophical confused.

"I don't know." Kagome let out a long sigh and hugged her knees to her chest.

"What is it you don't know?"

"Miroku?"

"Yes Lady Kagome?"

"I was thinking of a story I once heard."

"A story? Is that what is distracting you?" Kagome looked distant from herself, and instead of answering, she began to tell her tale.

"There was a mermaid, a woman who was half fish, who lived with her family under the sea. She had never been above water and was curious. So she went in search of the sea witch to grant her wish of becoming human so that she may see beyond the ocean."

"I don't think I am following."

"The mermaid nearly drowned as she was turned human. A man saw her and rescued her. She stayed above water and made many friends on land. She learned a lot of things, and met people. She loved her new home. She even loved the man who had rescued her."

" She went down to the ocean to swim and talk with her old friends and family every once in a while too. The girl even swan in the ocean, though as a human she could not stay under water long and became tired after a while so could not stay for very long. The girl found herself completely happy, and liked by many. She had the best of both worlds. One day though, the sea witch who; had become very jealous of how happy the girl was; came and said that she must choose to live in one world by the next full moon. Either the sea or land. Once she chose, she could never go back or even see the other place or else she would be turned into sea foam. She became very sad, because she loved both worlds very much. She went to the man who had rescued her and told him. He was sad, even though he didn't show it. He became afraid too,of hurting her feelings, and his, so he pushed her away."

"That would be quite depressing indeed."

"The girl tried to go about her normal daily life, but with each passing night her heart became more heavy. Finally, on her last day she sat on a rock right at the ocean shore and waited. When the full moon was straight overhead the sea witch came and asked her for her decision." Kagome stopped and was deadly quiet. Miroku waited patiently, but when it was evident that Kagome wasn't going to continue he prodded her.

"And?"

"I don't know." Kagome sniffled. She began to sob into her knees and Miroku was at a loss.

"You don't know what?"

"How the story ended." Miroku sat there puzzled and thought over the whole story and Kagome's behavior. The analogy of it finally became clear to him, and his features softened. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You know, the saddest part of your story was when the girl and the one she loved began to become distant from each other because they were afraid." Kagome tried to wipe away her tears.

"And the second and third saddest was when the girl didn't tell everyone she loved her situation. Maybe then she could have received more direction. And then the girl pushed everyone away from her and lived her last day, possibly on land in the saddest way, instead of with the people she loved."

"Miroku?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know what to do."

"When the time comes, I'm sure you will. Until then, you should live every moment like it was your last and be happy." Kagome let her tears dry and nodded.

"Thank you Miroku."

"Any time. Now, I do believe a certain Hanyou friend is coming our way." Kagome stood up and looked out across the field where she could see many of the workers coming back. Inuyasha however could be seen ahead of all of them, running quite fast.

"No doubt he'll be wanting Ramen." Kagome hurriedly dug into her knapsack and boiled water.

"Hey Kagome! What else do you have to eat?" Shippo jumped on her shoulders and twitched his pouf of a tail.

"Lets see, I have chips."

"Blah."

"What kind?" Sango said popping up.

"Sour cream and Onion."

"I'll have that." Miroku said and Kagome tossed the small bag to him.

"Any BBQ?"

"Sorry Sango."

"How about some jerky."

"I want that!"

"Here you go Shippo." Kagome smiled and opened the wrapper for him. He took off running around in circles. Kirara came around too, so Kagome gave her a can of cat food she had accidentally packed instead of given Buyou.

"If you want Sango I have some Peanut Putter crackers?"

"Yumm." Kagome handed her the last three in a bag.

"When's it ready?" Kagome jumped.

"You startled me."

"I startled you?" Inuyasha raised an eye brow.

"Yah. Um, maybe five more minutes."

"Feh." Inuyasha jumped into a tree. Kagome went about making some other stuff to eat as well for Sango and Miroku. It had been decided that she could help them all out by making them lunches.

"What?" Kagome looked up as she felt a pair of eyes on her.

"Nothin." Inuyasha kept looking at her when she went back to concentrating on what she was doing.

I could have swore…I smelt her crying earlier…she looks perfectly fine…

Miroku who was sitting under the Branch Inuyasha was perched on looked at Sango, hwo nodded, and he quickly moved to a new place.

"Sit boy." Inuyasha came crashing down.

"What was that for!"

"Haven't you ever been told that staring is quite rude."

"I wasn't staring!"

"You were to!"

"Was not!"

"Were…"

"Kagome." Kagome stopped and looked up at the new guest.

"Keio?"

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked gruffly.

"Still as pleasant as ever I see."

"Feh." Inuyasha crossed his arms.

"I came here because I was wondering if you could help out Kagome."

"Oh sure. What is it you need me for?"

"Many of the monks and priestesses are setting out to create barriers. I was wondering if you were up to it."

"Are we leaving right now?"

"No. You should have enough time to eat first. You too Miroku." The monk nodded.

"Okay." Keio walked off and vanished to who-knows-where. Inuyasha sat down irritated.

"What's your problem?"

"Feh." Kagome got goose bumps from her irritation and just managed to hold her tongue.

Lunch was silent affair for the most part, except for Shippo's insesant chattering about everything that he'd discovered. Kagome would praise him every now and then, but chose to concentrate on eating.

Kagome stood up and stretched.

"Are you ready Miroku?"

"Actually Kagome, I am needed here, so you can go ahead on your own, if you don't mind."

"Okay."

Kagome walked off on her own, following the monks and priestesses through the forest and was quietly accompanied by Keio.

"There's something I wish to speak to you about."

"What?"

"Not here." He whispered. When all of the people endowed with holy powers had spread out at a considerable distance of their camp, making sure not to set off one of the traps that were laid out, they took out little curled pieces of paper and thin fishing thread. Kagome did likewise, tying the paper to the thread; saying prayers over them, then wrapping the thread onto evenly spaced sticks.

"I wish to speak to you about Kikyo."

"Kikyo?" Kagome nearly dropped her last ofuda.

"She's still alive." Kagome paled and nearly became sick at that very moment.

"Alive?" Keio took out Kanna's mirror he had carefully tucked away in his tunic. Holding it as Kanna did, he showed her a strange and dark castle. Walking down one of the halls of the inner court of the castle was a Miko. Her face guarded, and her walk graceful. Soul collectors wisped around her and carried shining orbs. She looked right at her and Kagome pushed herself back.

"She saw me."

"That's impossible."

"No! She saw me! She looked directly at me!" Keio frowned. Kagome gained her composure and continued with her work and shook her head.

"I can't believe she's alive."

"And she's working for Naraku."

"No!"

"She's a dark Miko now Kagome. You have to be careful. You and Inuyasha both. Weather she's actually taking orders from Naraku, is another question, but she is using him to her advantage to get after you two to exact her revenge." Kagome stood up and looked out towards nothingness.

"Then we'll have to defeat her."

"Do you know how?"

"No. But if its revenge she wants, she'll have to battle to the end for it. I won't make it easy on her this time. I'm stronger than I was. I won't loose." Keio smiled. Kagome finished by connecting her thread with that of another's. The circle was complete. The barrier flashed up and shone a swirl of blue and purple, like a soapy bubble.

Kagome got back tired. The others seemed asleep, except for Inuyasha who snapped a twig and threw it into the fire.

"Inuyasha?"

"What." Kagome sat next to him.

"It's about Kikyo." He stiffened.

"What about her?"

"She…she…"

"Well, spit it out already!"

"She's alive."

"Uh?" Inuyasha looked incredulously at her. His emotions seemed very mixed, negatively, on such a statement.

"Well, technically she's still dead. But she's alive, oh! You know what I mean. And she's with Naraku. Keio said she's going to be coming after us so we better be especially on our guard and…"

"Keio told you this?" Kagome nodded.

"Are you sure it wasn't someone else, or…"

"No. He showed me in Kanna's mirror. Kikyo was walking in Naraku's Castle. She even had her soul collectors with her. She's a Kuro-Miko now." Inuyasha was quiet. Kagome let out a long sigh.

"I'm going to bed. Everyone will be prepairing soon. Naraku is supposed to attack any time now. You should rest while you can too. You're not invincible you know."

"Feh." Kagome shook her head and unrolled her sleeping bag. And tucked herself tightly in.

Authors Ending Note: The next chapter is definately something you won't want to miss! It's something you've definately been waiting for! So get ready, get set, and go!