Sango had been setting up camp for the days they'd traveled. She realized for the first time, on the third day, that she was about as useless as Shippo. When she'd counseled with the little fox on this, he snapped at her and effused to talk to her anymore. It was the fifth day now. She sighed, and turned over the food Kagome had packed for them to eat. Less than a second after that she remembered it was ramen water, and turned it back over just in time to have only a little spill. The fire hissed at her, is if reinforcing her misery. The flames crackled, and sizzled, stirring about and catching her thumb just long enough.

"Ouch!" She said, retracting her arms and sucking the burnt finger. She was silently thankful the others weren't around at that moment to see that. She felt as if she was being watched. She looked behind her. Nothing. To the side. Also, nothing. To the other side there was… nothing. Then a noise made her jump. The only way this noise can be described as in letters is 'Tyao.' Rather indignantly. After calming down, Sango looked in the direction the sound had come from to see Kirara staring up at her with a look of – Sango didn't know how she could tell – disapproval. Sango picked up the little demon and held it close, listening to it purr.

"I know, old friend. I don't know what to do…" She said. Kirara 'Tyaoed' again. Sango grinned suddenly. The expression was one she hardly ever used.

"Kirara, I think I have an idea." She said, her grin melting into a smile. Kirara listened. Once the idea was told Kirara said:

"Pyim!" Protestingly. Sango's forehead wrinkled.

"She can use you more than I can!" She said. "This way we can get to the shards before Naraku does!" Kirara turned her nose up and nuzzled Sango.

"Tyao-o-o…" She reassured. "Tyao…"

…

"But Sango-Chan's trying so hard, we can't do this to her!" Kagome wailed.

"As cruel as it seems, I believe we have little choice in the matter…" Said Miroku reasonably. "Lady Sango is a spectacular person, but she can't help us…"

"So we're just going to strand her out there? With no one else? We keep Shippo with us, why not her?" At this Shippo looked offended, and hurt. He scrambled away, but no one noticed, which further confirmed what Kagome'd just said. "We have to at least tell her!"

"No, because she'll refuse to turn back." Said InuYasha. Kagome looked at him. He was up in a tree, staring off somewhere else. Kagome couldn't remember a time when looked so guilty.

"Osuwari!" She yelled. InuYasha fell flat, face-first into the ground. However when Kagome was expecting was him to snap back up and yell at her. What he did was different.

"Kagome…" He said with a slow, deliberate drawl of someone trying desperately not to loose their temper. "Don't." Somehow he managed to pack more warning and threat in that word than in all the other words Kagome had ever heard him say combine. Quickly she shut her mouth and sat straight up.

"Yessir…" She said, a little shocked at her own reaction. And that was the end of that.

…

Sango sighed, watching the flames. They were dying by now. She couldn't say she wasn't expecting this, really. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew this would happen. She stomped out the fire and looked at her little cat.

"See?" She said. Kirara looked sheepish.

"Tyao…" She said apologetically.

…

Later in the night Kagome could feel the shard like a knife through her. She could feel the velvet pink glow in the distance. She closed her eyes, pausing there a moment.

"Yoki." She said. "From all around. Naraku got here first. But how did he raise such a force so fast!" Before she could get an answer a demon swooped in. She saw Miroku begin to unleash his wind tunnel, then remember it wasn't there anymore and get hit. She struggled to string her bow.

"Tetsusaiga!" She heard screamed from behind her as a golden glow filled clearing signifying that InuYasha had drawn his sword. She felt an arm wrap around her waist. She tried to cry out, but another hand had her mouth and nose covered. She watched as InuYasha and Miroku fought their asses off, and realized there was nothing she could do. All she ever did was get in the way. She might as well just submit to what ever this creature wanted her to do. It would be better this way. It would always be better if she just… Just let go.

Her bow dropped.

The demons were gone, and InuYasha and Miroku looked at shed weapon.

"They got her." Said InuYasha. Miroku nodded grimly. "What are we gonna do now?" Asked InuYasha. Miroku tossed his staff in the air. It soared quite high, and was coming down at a typical, horizontal angle.

"Where ever this points..." Said Miroku. The staff was coming, and it was facing the way they had been going.

"…Is where we go." The staff was about to hit the ground when it seemed to slow, and change directions. It stopped, and landed perfectly on it's flat. Both men looked up.

"Nuh-uh." Said InuYasha. The staff spun, then pointed – still standing up – where they'd been going.

"I guess we're--" Then it whirled out of the way I Miroku's hand, hopping up and pointing back the way they came and laying flat. "—Going that way…"

…

Sango felt a familiar tingle in the back of her neck. The same feeling – if a little dulled – that meant someone was watching. She turned. There was no one there.

"Down here." Said a small voice. She looked down. "I'm sorry I got angry…" Said Shippo. Sango smiled, and picked up the little Kitsune.

"Well, it was still a bit tactless of me…" Said Sango. "Hungry? No one else seemed to want to eat." She said with a sniffle. Then Sango felt that same tingle, along with something else. A spark. Her hand groped for her weapon instinctively, and before she could remember that she couldn't use it she was holding it, perfectly. It felt right, too. She grinned. Her expression was replaced with one of utter shock when she saw who it was. She dropped Hiraikotsu.

"But… You're dead…" Then, after a moment she added, "Again…" The figure stepped out of the gloom a little.

"Yes." It said. "Apparently you have some sort of gift. Lets make use of it." Said Kikyo

End Chapter Seventeen

Hhihihhihihihihihihihi! I'm back! Yay me! WEEEE!

All right, now for the more adult author's note…

Well, I'm back from Spokane, and I'm pretty tired. Only barely managed to write this chapter when I got home, so it might be pretty crappy… If so, sorry…

Aaaanyway… -Yawn- Night. –Checks reviews- YEEEEK! I have 100!