As you can tell I decided to continue the story thanks to minimoon4me and Shadowkat for the support. I think this story is definitely going to go real far and I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter 6: A Moonless Night

Pushing back the blue curtain entered a smiling young demon that appeared to be about Kagome's age. Kasumi's golden eyes scanned the room until they landed on Kagome, who could have sworn she had seen golden eyes like that before but she was not sure. Kasumi's pink lips gave way to a bright smile that could have cheered up anyone on the worst of days. She was both beautiful by demon and human standards. Her light brown hair was pulled up in a high ponytail on the top of her head and proceeded to go down to the middle of her back. Natural sun kissed blonde streaks accented her hair while a few small strands of hair lay in front of her eyes. Kasumi's very tall eleven-like ears were different than most demons, each being pierced with five golden studs and one small golden hoop at the top of each. The she-demon's clothing consisted of a yellow-golden dress that stopped a little above the knee. It would have been strapless if not for two thin straps, which attached to her maple colored shoulder armor. The bottom and top of Kasumi's dress had a thick brown line that went around the front and back. A thin brown belt rounded her waist but unlike most of the demons she had seen so far there was no sword attached to it, instead a quiver full of arrows was slung over her shoulder while a bow lay clutched in her clawed hand.

"Hi Sakura, I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"

"Good, thank you my dear and you?"

"Oh, you know, same old. You must be Kagome", stated Kasumi while looking towards the miko. "I am Kasumi, it is nice meeting you."

Getting up from her place and bowing Kagome said "Hi Kasumi, its nice meeting you too."

A small chuckle escaped Kasumi's mouth "Thanks but please you really don't have to bow, just for the king and queen."

"Oh, my bad", looking a quite embarrassed Kagome.

"But hey, I heard you were a miko, is that true?"

Now becoming much more relaxed at seeing how friendly Kasumi was being, it was Kagome's time to chuckle," Well I guess you can say that."

"That's still really cool. I was wondering, if you were feeling up to it, if you wanted to go down to the archery range for some practice. I am a pretty good archer myself, so it would be cool if I had someone to train with."

"Sure that would be great Kasumi, I need to stretch my legs after being so lazy."

Laughter erupted from the demon, "Great!"

Before either of the two young women could leave Sakura got up gently placing her hand on the young miko's shoulder.

"Lady Kagome please do not train to hard. Remember you can feel no pain so too much exercise can open your wound."

"Don't you worry Sakura, we will be real careful. I am just going to show her around the training grounds since it is getting late", stated Kasumi as they both turned to leave not before Kagome said goodbye.

Sakura now left the young miko's room as well. Her single set of footsteps could be heard echoing throughout the empty halls as she made her way towards the chamber where she was to meet the king and queen. Half way there, Sakura heard a pair of footsteps approaching her direction. Turning a corner she saw it to be Queen Murasakirro and bowed as the queen noticed Sakura's presence.

"Hello, Sakura I am sorry we will have to make this short, an ambassador from the eastern lands is coming unexpectedly, so we are in a rush to prepare."

"It is quite alright my Queen, now what is it that you wished to talk about earlier?"

"Sakura, you have known me long enough now to call me just Murasakirro, I would prefer it that way. "

"I know my Queen but it is just out of habit and respect."

Murasakirro smiled tenderly at elder, "As you wish, but I have come to talk to you about Kagome. She seems to have forgotten things such as when we mentioned a half demon being in her group earlier, I sensed she was quite surprised."

"I did as well and when I was talking to her when she had first awaken she asked if I knew where her friends; the monk, demon slayer, kitsune, and two-tailed demon were. Surely she would have mentioned Inuyasha since he is the leader of their group and maybe even something more to her."

"I am in a quandary Sakura. How could she have forgotten someone as important as the hanyou? Perhaps, through some head trauma?"

"I do not think so my Queen, it could be possible but to only forget one person especially as important as him, I am not so sure."

"What potions are she taking?"

"My newest one, the one that takes away all pain from a demon but that could be it. The potion takes away physical pain from a demon but it has never been used by a human before. Maybe the potion is strong enough to take away all emotional pain from a human which would make her forget the person it was caused by. It is indeed a powerful potion even for demons."

"So what you are proposing is Inuyasha may have been the one to inflict those wounds upon her which would indeed hurt her to no end and the potion takes away the pain by emitting him from her memories."

"For now that is what I will believe until it is further proven."

"We need to find out what happened to her than?"

"Yes, but I pray the hanyou did not harm her."

"I think we all do Sakura, now I must take my leave for it is getting late. Thank you for all the help."

Murasakirro hurried off quickly before Sakura could even bow for there was much work to be done.

Now up from the ocean into the dark moonless sky, past fields and villages into the forests was a small flickering light with smoke rising above, encamped was a group of travelers after a long day's quest.

The sky looked the way it always did during the autumn season. Drifting slumbering clouds blanketed the bright stars of night. Sometimes the stars would peer through wholes in the blanket of clouds only to be reminders of the season and memories past. Memories of summer smiles and cool delightful swims, memories of blood spilled and fierce battles like ever year past but this summer had been different. Different then any other summer would ever be.

A strong cool breeze sent a shiver down Sango's spine. She lowered her head from the heavens to the dirt ground.

"Sango, Lady Sango?"

Sango quickly sprung her head up and looked to the direction the voice was coming from.

"Hmm, oh, sorry Miroku, I was just thinking."

The fire began to faintly flicker, a sign to the end of it's dying day. Miroku silently got up from his place and went to retrieve more firewood from a freshly cut pile. Sango gazed around the campsite. Miroku had been sitting across from her, perhaps mediating because he had been awfully quiet while Kirara and Shippo had gone to sleep a while ago. She looked over towards her sleeping companions who were off to her left. A small smile escaped her lips at the sight of the two curled up together but it was quickly replaced with the sad look everyone had been wearing for the past four months. Luckily for Miroku he caught her smile and was filled with an overwhelming happiness in his heart. He placed the wood he had been holding in the dying fire bringing it back to life and sat on the other side of Sango.

"Miroku please, I am to tired to deal with your perverted antics"

"I love it when you smile Lady Sango."

"Miroku I am serious don't you even… wait what?" stuttered the demon slayer as her face was overwhelmed with a light crimson blush.

"Sango I have really missed your smile over these past months, without it I feel hopelessly lost.''

Now Miroku was the one to blush. He was not at all sure how she would react, prepared for rejection.

At the beginning of the summer, before the Sortanka attacked and before Naraku's most sinister unforgivable act, Miroku was planning to formally tell his love to the young and beautiful demon slayer. He had even talked to Inuyasha about it.

"So monk why ain't you going to look at the girls bathing in the hot springs?" asked a suspicious Inuyasha.

A small chuckle escaped Miroku's lips as he stared deeply into the fire. He then looked up at the hanyou leaning against the tree in front of him.

"Ah, Inuyasha why would you say such a horrendous thing?"

"Because monk that's what you always try to do."

Now a full laugh was heard from the monk, "Inuyasha, you know me all to well."

"You are right I do so don't even try anything because you are going no where."

"I know and I don't plan to."

"Miroku don't you even try because with everyone down at the springs I could give you such a beating you would not be able to walk for a week."

The monk became silent for a moment or two and this puzzled Inuyasha to no end.

What the hell is he up to?

"Inuyasha?"

"Yea monk?"

"I am not one to usually bring up this kind of talk but how do you thing Lady Sango feels about me?"

"Feh. How should I know? Half the time you are asking some other woman to bear your child and the other half you spend groping her. If I was her I would hate your guts but Kagome said something different."

"What did she say?"

"Something like how Sango really loves you but can't deal with your lecherous ways. She said she gets jealous when you are with other women but at the same time she wants to keep her dignity and does not want to be groped. After that I kind of got lost because Kagome talks to much sometimes.

"Inuyasha, Sit boy!"

A slam of the ignorant young boy's body could be heard throughout the forest. None of the two young men had noticed the rest of their party returning during Inuyasha's last sentence.

Sango began to talk, letting Miroku's memory slip away.

"Miroku sometimes you are just so sweet but.."

"But what?"

"I just wish for the times before. When things were simpler and were easier to understand. Your groping has seemed to lessen to some extent especially your fraternizing with other women. I thought I could read you like a book but before I knew it, there were pages I missed."

Both sat in silence, contemplating what had been said. A long but comfortable silence, which Miroku broke, "I need to be here for everyone, Sango, especially you. You do not need my lecherous ways to be even more of a worry. As a matter of fact they have been somewhat replaced by the need to help you. My heart aches at the constant reminder of our missing friends and I can only imagine that you all feel the same as well. I am here to help you and I always will."

Sango gazed contently into the caring violet of eyes of the man she loved. Even though neither of them had yet to come out and admit it directly they shared the same ever-enduring love.

"Miroku…" said Sango in yet a mere whisper, her eyes filling with droplets of water only to comforted by the embrace of the monk. She buried her head deep into his robes inhaling his rich scent of lavender, musk, and sweet pine needles. It soothed her to be with him and it soothed him to be with her. Looking up at the face of the handsome monk Sango let out a thank you that came from straight from her heart. He had always been there for her especially now with Kagome and Inuyasha gone but his comforting arms and steady heartbeat made her realize things would be ok as she drifted into a relaxing sleep.

Feeling her hold loosen and breathing becoming ever more relaxed the monk picked up the slumbering slayer, placing her in a maroon colored sleeping bag which Kagome had bought for her. Kissing her gently on the forehead a whisper from Miroku was heard, "Good night my love. One day you will be truly happy and I will do everything I can to ensure that."

With that the monk went to his own sleeping bag and fell asleep having a loving peace that he had so long missed with the starry night sky shining down upon them.

Up through the sky not but a great distance away a village to was drifting off into the land of dreams. One hut, in particular, still had a faint glow illuminating from it. Peering inside one would see but a normal man lying upon a futon covered in blanket. His black locks of hair lay spread out around him as he adorned a red fire rat robe and a matching set of the same colored pants. To the naked eye he was but a pathetic powerless human but to his brother he was yet a pathetic powerless half breed.

Sesshormaru had smelted his scent lingering from nearby. Curious to notice the scent of the reincarnated miko was not with him, he went off to investigate giving instructions that his party remain where they were and of course they listened. Entering upon the hut he was sure to notice one rabbit demon tending to his little brother, mixing up a potion.

"I am Lord Sesshormaru, of the Western Lands tell me what has befallen upon my brother demon."

Roshi who had been mixing a potion for Inuyasha, one that would keep him form starving, peered towards the lord.

"Heart's slumber as you do so formally ask. A lord of your stature has heard of it I presume."

Sesshormaru glared a deathly gaze towards Roshi.

"Again idiocy of that wretched half breed brother of mine, I will be taking him now."

"To do what may I ask?" said Roshi in almost a detested voice. True that they were in the western lands making Sesshomaru his lord, he had never done anything to help his people and never seemed to take up the ruling position either.

"As I wish, for that is no concern of yours lowly demon. May I remind you of your place."

"No but, as ruler as yourself, are you really going to take the life of your brother in such a state? For it seems like you show no compassion towards him so help is not what you are not offering."

"He sleeps yet again, his presence here in this world in only a nuisance and as are you becoming."

"You may try to kill him as you please but his soul will not allow it."

Unsheathing his demonic sword, Sesshomaru pierced his brother's chest only to see it completely healed as soon as his sword was removed.

"His love is strong for the young miko it will take much more than a sword to even dent his exterior or interior."

"Watch your tongue demon for I will be back in time for you and the half breed's head."

With that Sesshomaru left the hut in the direction towards where his party remained hidden. It was an exquisite night but that never concerned him.

I should have killed that insolent demon. Speaking out of place in such a matter. Have I become soft? Never, he shall die twice fold next time.

Two busy with his thoughts, he did not sense an unknown presence lurking in the shadows of the village, neither did Roshi who was still fuming over the encounter with the cold lord. She did not like what she had heard and neither would her master.

Inuyasha is still alive, but we figured he might be. As for the reincarnated miko, does this mean she is still alive? Naraku is going to be pissed.

I know that was a little much to take it but I hope you all enjoyed it.

Lovely Winds ' Lovely Seas