A/N: Okay, yes, I have started writing again… Only because my friend Miharu Kishimoto (her penname) started and I felt that I should get back into the practice since I'm going to be kinda co-writing some of her stories. Yes, Miharu does have an account on here if I didn't already give you enough clues.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Inuyasha… or the rest of the group. :turns and glares at the lawyers behind her: That good enough for you jerks! …NO! Why not! …Fine! They belong to Rumiko Takahashi! HOW ABOUT NOW! …Finally…

Someone To Join the Fray

Chapter 1: The Beginning

"No… I was too late!" A girl whispered as she looked down on a burning village. Screams of agony and despair could be heard from it. The girl sighed as a hot wind blew back her long, silver hair, revealing a pair of pointed ears. Her golden eyes shined with worriment before dropping down into the village to see what or who she could salvage.

.:Later:.

"What the hell happened here?" Inuyasha said at the sight of Kaede's halfway burnt village. The villagers all scrambled around, either tending to the wounded of the village or rebuilding huts. Kagome looked around before an awful thought ran through her mind. Had Kaede been injured in whatever happened? Did she need Kagome's help?

"Kaede! Are you alright!" Kagome called out before running in the direction of the old woman's hut. It was of the few buildings that seemed untouched by what had happened. Kagome rushed inside to find the old woman unharmed. She was wrapping a villager's wounds.

"Hello child," Kaede said over the back of the villager. "I see that you have returned. What ails you?" Kaede finished the bandaging the villager as she said this. (No, I am not going to use the "ye's" and stuff like that. It's too hard.) Kagome let out a sigh of relief before shaking her head.

"It's nothing Kaede." Kagome said as she sat down next to the old woman. Inuyasha then chose to enter the hut he looked around before growling. Kagome blinked at the hanyou. "Is something the matter Inuyasha?"

"I smell a demon," He growled out. Kagome was quiet, not sure of what to do while Kaede tried to ease Inuyasha's mind.

"Hush now Inuyasha." Kaede started. "There WAS a demon here-"

"Was it the one who caused this!" The hanyou barked out before the old miko could finish.

"No it was not." The elder miko stated.

"Unless you SIT down and let Kaede finish maybe you'd hear about the demon." Kagome said, starting to get angry. Inuyasha crashed to the floor, not yet making a crater, and let out a string of swears aimed at the younger miko. He glared at Kagome after the spell wore off and took a seat in the corner farthest away from the two women. "Please continue Kaede." The older woman nodded.

"Yes, anyway, there was a demon here but she did not come to cause bloodshed. She came to help us rather than destroy us." Kaede began. "During the night, a fire seemed to spring up out of nowhere. Long after the fire had spread, the demon appeared. She began helping us. I can see your surprised face Kagome and I am just as shocked as you are. We have never seen that demon before and never before has a demon helped us without something in return. Not much later after the fire was out and some of the huts were back up, she left without a word. I do not know her name for she did not give it."

"…It's probably a trap." Inuyasha said from his corner. "This demon, whoever it is, has probably marked you for its next target."

"Possibly Inuyasha," Kaede said calmly. "That may be true but we are still indebted to the demon." Inuyasha growled lowly but said nothing. Kagome stared at the floor thoughtfully, trying to process what she had just heard.

"It does seem rather strange…" Kagome trailed off. "A demon helping humans of its own accord… It just doesn't seem normal to me while all this is happening."

"Lady Kaede!" A villager yelled as she rushed in. "Lady Kaede, the demon from before has returned! She wishes to speak to you!" Kaede nodded.

"Alright," Kaede replied to the villager's excitement. "Please bring her here. I also wish to speak to her." The villager bowed and left once more. Kagome looked at Kaede to try and see if the old miko had anything else planned but only saw her calmly waiting for the new comer. A few minutes passed before Inuyasha stood up in the back and growled as the demon scent came closer and closer.

When Kagome was able to sense the demon's aura, she was amazed to feel no hostility towards any humans in it. The villager came back in and moved to the side so the person behind her could enter.

.:Elsewhere:.

The silver haired girl growled at a human she held by the collar of his shirt. "They had nothing to do with this! That village was innocent!"

"Get your hands off me demon!" The human yelled with traces of fear in his voice. The silver haired girl's eyes flashed a violent red before her growl got deeper. She tossed the human to the ground.

"Leave now unless you want to die." She said in an icy cold voice. "I'm giving you a warning this time, Jinsuke. The next time I will kill you." She bared her fangs and her eyes flashed red again when Jinsuke did nothing but stand up.

"I doubt you'll ever kill me, Mizuno." Jinsuke said as he came closer. "You forget that I have power over you." He reached out and fingered a thin chain necklace around her neck. This simple gesture seemed to make Mizuno snap on the inside. She grabbed his hand and threw him to the ground once more.

"YOU HAVE NO SUCH THING." She said in an angry voice. "You dare say you have power over me! I'll give you a head start to run!" Jinsuke's face paled as he held his hand. The bones inside seemed to be crushed from her grip. He got up and still tried to look strong.

"B-bah!" He stuttered. "You could never hurt me! You still have that spell over you!" Mizuno looked out into the direction of the village that she had helped rebuild before sending Jinsuke a chilling side glare.

"…Who said I was going to be the one who kill you?" Mizuno said. Jinsuke's eye widened as another demon entered the area. It reeked of human blood and its eyes were on Jinsuke. It shifted its hungry gaze to Mizuno.

"Mistress…" It rasped out in a hopeful tone. Mizuno turned and began to walk away in the direction of Kaede's village before nodding. The demon licked its disgusting lips before stalking closer to the frightened Jinsuke. Mizuno kept walking as pained screams yelled from behind her. The necklace that Jinsuke fingered before glowed a slight red as she laid her hand on it.

"I know…" She whispered. "I'm not supposed to do things like that but… Lives were at stake… I'm not willing to be the reason for their deaths." The glowed dimmed slightly before she removed her hand and sped up her walk to a slight jog. The village came into view and a few villagers stood on the outskirts, doing something or another. She didn't really care as she sped up and leaped over to the nearest hut rooftop. She needed to speak to the old miko that was in charge of this village. She needed to apologize for the things the stupid human had done. As she continued on, two new scents filled her senses. One belonged to a human girl and the other belonged to a half demon. She stopped and dropped to the ground.

"This is strange…" She thought to herself. "What is a half demon doing here?" A villager noticed her descent and cautiously approached her.

"Excuse me…" She said, somehow plucking up the courage to talk to Mizuno. "You are the demon from before, are you not? The one who helped us?" Broken from her inner musings, Mizuno looked at the villager. The villager cringed as if expecting a painful blow but received no such thing.

"Indeed I am." Mizuno replied. "I wish to speak with the old miko of this village. Will you take me to her?" The villager nodded quickly.

"Please," She began. "I am sure that Lady Kaede would want to talk to you as well. I will go announce your arrival to her." Mizuno nodded before the village girl ran to Kaede's hut. Mizuno watched her go before she sat down against a nearby tree to wait for the villager's return. She stared up into the sky and remembered that what was clear and blue now used to be filed with smoke and ash. Another memory ran through her mind, a woman's scream of anguish rang through her ears.

"Mizuno!" the woman's voice screamed. "Please! Please give me back Mizuno!" Mizuno's eyes went out of focus as she remembered that the sky was also filled with the heat and smoke of fire that time.

"Excuse me!" A voice snapped her out of her memories. "Miss!" It was the villager. Mizuno blinked and shifted her gaze to the villager. The villager stood back as if still afraid of being struck.

"Yes…?" Mizuno asked. "I'm sorry, you wanted me?" She stood once more, and the villager bowed to her.

"Y-Yes…" The villager began. "Lady Kaede said for you to come."

"Very well." She said. "Please show me the way." The villager nodded and turned to leave in the direction of the old miko's hut once more, Mizuno following not too far behind her.