A/N: I'm excited and eager…let's get going! Next to read the disclaimer, Chouji!

Chouji: (Munching on chips)

Me: Oi! Read the disclaimer or else no barbeque for you!

Chouji: (Stops eating and clears throat, reading very fast) Aki doesn't own Inuyasha or Naruto. Please don't bother her, you evil lawyers! Or else you will have to face the doom of her ultimate ninjutsu! Can I have my barbeque now?

Me: Yes, Ino and Shikamaru are waiting for you over there now…your sensei is going to be treating you to it. I bribed him into doing it…anyway, reviews!

Angie, lol…ok, enough with your repeating…yes, I know Eminem rules…for you…Do As Infinity and Hamasaki Ayumi all the way for me! Yes, Tenshi-chan, it's you…well, it's my story so too bad! (Sticks tongue out at you) So they'll have conversations in their sleep like that and there's nothing you can do about it! (Laughs evilly and starts my evil scheming) Oh…yes, that's evil…ooh, that's really evil…lol…yes dramatic entrance for you and poor Inu in the closet…just trying to lighten the mood with a little comic relief…Post more? Then what's this, if not a post? Lol…

Riku, yay! You made it! Yes, I know it's slow…but I swear things will speed up here…not very boring…maybe the play will be a little boring, but I fast forwarded through it much as possible, just leaving a few scenes for it…yeah, I had a visual on that one too. I thought it was cute also…but how can it not be cute? Lol…yes, if I hadn't fast forwarded, this story would be so excruciatingly slow and boring and I didn't really want that. Yes, if you do that, I will personally gun you down. Alright, that's fine. Get some sleep, Riku-chan…just read this when you wake up…lol…enjoy!

Ohiowriter, you're welcome! Awww, well there's always next time. Laugh and be happy to you too! Update, that I will…

Now Ch. 4!


Chapter Four: Haku no Yuri

Mei Lhi sat backstage with Tenshi at her side, both of them getting their makeup done.

"Good luck, Mei-chan." She said to her friend.

"You too, Tenshi-chan." The girl replied.

"Alright, you're done." The makeup person said to the girls.

The girls stood from their chairs and were suddenly approached by the costume designers, who were busy tweaking their costumes, adding or taking things away, making things have a better fit and all that sort of thing. Mei went to the curtain and peeked out, spying Kyo who had gotten a front row seat, and saving five extra seats.

'Five? But there's only going to be Kagome, Souta, Higurashi-san, and Higurashi-jichan…' She thought. 'Maybe Kyoshi-kun is bringing Megumi?'

"Alright people! Hurry, everyone come here! The play is about to begin, so I have a few words to say before we get this show on the road…" The director began. "We all worked really hard for this, and I'm going to wish everyone to do a good-no great job, and I want to wish you all good luck. I also want you all to know that I truly appreciate all your hard work and I personally know that it has all paid off. So let's rock the house!"

With those words said, all around cheered joyously.

The director then went and stepped outside the curtain.

The audience went silent.

-

"Welcome everyone to this year's school drama play production. We are focusing on the familiar tragic story of Hyuuga Ami and her lover Hatake Van. We have been planning this play for a while, and now we finally gained the funds to put it into motion. Without further adieu, let the journey begin…"

Kagome, Inuyasha, and the rest of the Higurashi's slipped into the theatre and took their seats.

The curtain opened, Mei Lhi and Tenshi walking out onto the stage.

"So…Ami-chan…how's life for you?" Tenshi said.

"It's good, Kanoe-chan…how about you?" Mei replied.

"Ne…Ami-chan, you wanna talk about the new guy?"

"Who?"

"You know, Hatake-kun…"

"Oh him…"

"What? What's the matter?"

"He is the biggest jerk I have ever seen in my life."

"But he's really hot though, isn't he?"

"Ha! Yeah right…"

"I know you like him, Ami-chan! Admit it! You only get all defensive like this when you like someone! Besides, we're childhood friends. I've only known you nearly all my life!"

"If I tell you what I think about him, will you shut up and leave me alone?"

"I swear it! On my honor!"

Mei rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Alright…yeah, I do…Kami Kanoe-chan…you know me so well you can read me like a book…sheesh…"

"Well, in that case, we should hook you up with him!"

"I highly doubt he'll even want to go out with someone like me…or even know me for that matter…"

-

Forty-five minutes of acting passed by, but not once did Mei Lhi look at the audience.

Finally, it came to the part of Van's betrayal to Ami.

"Ami, please, listen to me!" The actor for Van cried.

Smack!

Mei had raised her hand to him, making the almost completed slap look so real.

"No! I don't want to hear it! You've been spewing lies all this time! Never once were your words true! I gave you everything I had, and you just took it all and destroyed it, and by doing so, you destroyed me! I can never forgive you!"

"Please, Ami, koishii, give me a chance! Just one more chance, I swear to you I'll make things right again!"

"I have given you more than enough chances to fix this! But it's too late now! I hate you! Get away from me, or else!"

"But, koishii-!"

"Don't even dare to call me that again!"

"But-!"

"LEAVE! NOW!"

Van retreated from the stage.

Mei fell onto the stage floor, giving the impression of crying.

"…you bastard…I hate you…" She said quietly.

Tenshi came on stage.

"Ami-chan, daijoubu?"

"Iie, Kanoe-chan…"

"What's wrong, Ami-chan?"

"It's…Van…that jerk was just using me!"

Inuyasha sighed, somehow feeling that her words weren't completely directed at the 'Van' guy, but more towards him, except for the whole thing about the 'using' which he didn't understand.

Mei's eyes skimmed the audience, she saw everyone there, but what immediately drew her eye was the fifth seat that had been saved where a boy with silver hair sat next to Kagome. She met his eyes, only then realizing that she was looking at her brother's face. She shut her eyes to make it go away, praying she was seeing things again. She looked at the seat, and found it empty.

'Thank Kami…I know it's only because this stupid play is almost exactly how I feel now about him…that's the reason why I keep seeing him…or rather, my mind invents him being around…'

"I said maybe he didn't mean to!" Tenshi's voice said, interrupting Mei's thoughts.

"Oh…anno…how could you say that?! Are you blind?!" Mei finally responded.

Tenshi gave her a look that read 'about time you said something'.

-

Finally, after another hour or so, the play reached its closing. The last scene, Mei stood with a fake katana with the actor playing Van standing by.

"I hope because of this you will know the pain that I have felt all this time!" Mei shouted.

Mei then raised the sword to stab herself, when the curtain closed and reopened to reveal her looking rather dead. The boy playing Van took Mei into his arms and cried.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!! FORGIVE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He yelled into the theatre.

The curtain closed and opened once more, the entire cast now appearing. The less important characters walked up to centre stage and took a bow, followed by Tenshi who received applause, then finally Mei and the guy playing Van.

The audience roared with an amassing applause for the two.

"Thank you for attending tonight. We all wish you a happy and safe journey home. Happy holidays, and good night!" The director said.

The audience began to exit, and soon the theatre was empty except for Kyo.

"Mei you were awesome!" He said, smiling.

"Thank you! You know…I don't think I could've actually made it this far without you…" She replied.

"Mei-chan, Mr. Director isn't going to be happy if he has to wait for all the costumes to be returned. Besides, don't you want to take off all that fake blood?" Tenshi asked.

"Oh right…I'll be back in a few minutes, Kyoshi-kun…"

Kyo nodded and waited.

Mei was back a few minutes later, in her normal clothes and in her coat.

"Well, let's get home…Kagome has a surprise for you…" Kyo said.

"Hey, wait for me!" Tenshi yelled after them, nearly falling off the stage and tripping as she hurried to catch up with them.

The girl and Ryuuyoukai boy shook their heads and sighed, stopping and waiting.

Tenshi caught up and together the three of them walked out into the snow, soon reaching Tenshi's home, where they parted ways.

Mei Lhi and Kyo continued walking on into the cold night.

-

'Something doesn't feel right…almost as if…I'm being watched…' Kyo thought, as they passed a dark alley.

"Aghh! Kyoshi-kun!" Mei Lhi screamed as she was pulled into the alley.

"Mei!" He exclaimed, running in.

"Going somewhere, brat?" Harukichi's voice sounded from behind the boy, as he latched his clawed hands onto the Ryuuyoukai boy, preventing him from moving.

"Harukichi! You set this up!"

"Yes…now you will not have to worry about her…I have hired these men to take care of her for you…you will no longer have to have your thoughts troubled by this disgusting half-breed. I'm even allowing you the privilege of watching her die…humans are so easy to dispose of. They die everyday…she will not be missed."

"You…" Kyo began.

"Ah, I'm afraid to say, but you can do nothing…you do recall what happens when one defies their superiors, do you not?"

Kyo growled angrily.

"Perhaps you need a little light so you can see what's happening, Kyoshima? I would hate for you to miss the show…"

A few beams of light filtered into the alley, and Kyo saw Mei backed into a corner, with at least six men surrounding her.

"Do what you want with her. I have no use for her. But please do make her suffer…it gives me utmost joy to observe human torture…their cries of pain equals my delight…"

"You're sick, Harukichi…you're such a sick bastard…" Kyo spat.

The men pulled out weapons of their own; Kyo looked away, at the ground, only to have his chin be turned, forced to look at the scene by Harukichi's clawed hand.

"Let the show begin!"

-

'Kuso…Kyoshi-kun can't do anything…and I'm kind of out of luck…let's see…there's no one around to hear me if I scream, and besides, someone should've come by now…oh please…let someone come! ANYONE, please, help me! I have to hold them off somehow…oh shimatta…how much I wish I had my youkai blood…then I could take them all easily…but I don't have that option unless I can figure out how to transform in the next five seconds…but I don't think that's going to happen…shit…what can I do? Wait…of course! Kyoshi-kun! I love you so much! You are in a way still helping me! The wakizashi! I'm such an idiot!' She thought, as she found the sheath and drew the blade.

Kyo felt a small bit of hope upon seeing that Mei had a weapon.

'That's…the one I gave her…good Mei…you really did keep it…' He thought, relieved.

She raised the small blade and rushed forward, succeeding in wounding one of the men, and escaping the alley. The other five unharmed men came after her, looking much more ferocious.

"Get her! All at once! Surround her!"

They approached from all sides, Mei blocking strikes from one of the men in front of her, only backing up into another man that stabbed her in the back. She twirled the blade to it was directed behind her, took a swing and missed, landing hard on the snow-covered concrete, white becoming crimson. She quickly got to her feet, turning around to face her attackers, only to get stabbed in her left shoulder and a quick swipe across her stomach.

Her actions were slowing down as she lost more and more blood. Her vision was fogging up and blurring. She only had one thought in her mind, 'keep fighting'. Again she ran to attack, only to have her weapon knocked from her loose grip, and be thrown several feet away, hitting a nearby wall.

"M-Mei!" Kyo choked.

Already the Ryuuyoukai could see many bruises that were beginning to form.

'She's going to die at this rate…kuso…' He thought.

-

"They're still not back yet, Inuyasha…" Kagome said. "I'm worried…can you go outside and see if you can smell them coming?"

"Hai…" The hanyou replied.

He walked outside onto the snow-covered earth, sniffing the air, but sensing nothing.

-

Kyo became aware that Inuyasha was outside of the main house of the shrine.

'Please let it reach him…' He thought.

A small almost unnoticeable breeze picked up, resting over Mei to take the scent of her blood, and it blew away, traveling all the way to the shrine.

-

Inuyasha smelled the air once more that had been brought in by the breeze that had come from nowhere.

'Imouto-chan's blood! Kuso!'

"Kagome! They're in trouble!" He yelled.

"Nani?! What do you mean?" Kagome shouted back, coming outside.

"I smell it…her blood…"

"Mei-chan's…?"

Inuyasha nodded and without saying a word took off, following his nose.

-

"Someone…please…I…don't want to die…not yet…" Mei Lhi whispered.

"Oh isn't that sweet? She's pleading for her life!"

'Come on, get up! Get up! You have to get up! PLEASE! GET UP!' The girl's mind was screaming.

One of the men grabbed her by her throat and started to cut off her already lessening air supply. She was choking, and tears were forming in her eyes.

'I'm really going to die…no one's coming…but, I just…I don't want to die yet!'

The hand that held her at her neck suddenly released itself and dropped her onto the snowy-soft ground.

She gasped for air, trying to breathe.

Someone had come to help her. They had knocked away the man that was choking her. The sound of a sword unsheathing reached her ears. It was so familiar, but yet it seemed foreign to her. She found little strength to keep her eyes open, and so they closed.

"You bastards had better leave her alone! Your opponent is me!" A familiar voice growled.

"Ha! What're you going to do about it, runt?!"

"I'm sick and tired of being called a fucking runt! You'd better take that back if you want to live!"

The men all started laughing.

"You died! You are not supposed to be here!" Harukichi yelled angrily.

"Oi, Kyo…I'm gonna get you free from that asshole behind you, then you go make sure that nothing hurts Mei Lhi…alright?"

"Hai!"

"Eat this!"

The sword was swung, about to reach Harukichi but the Ryuuyoukai of the Sun disappeared and fled. Kyo, now free, ran over to Mei where she lay unmoving in the red-stained snow.

"You fucking bastards! Picking on her like that! You're gonna regret every minute you've lived your lives!"

Inuyasha raised his sword once more.

"You all deserve to die…if I can't kill that bastard that hired you, the six of you will be good enough in that bastard's place…"

Mei Lhi's eyes opened a little, trying to discern the colors and shapes around her.

"KAZE NO KIZU!"

'Kaze no Kizu…? That voice…no…it's not possible…'

The men were killed instantly by the Wound of the Wind. Inuyasha sheathed his sword and rushed over to where his sister rested in Kyo's arms, very much like how she had looked earlier in the play.

She turned to look at him and smiled.

"Inuyasha…" She whispered.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she fell silent, losing the battle of her conscious mind to the unconscious.

The hanyou picked up his sister carefully, Kyo grabbing Mei Lhi's fallen wakizashi. The two of them quickly set off for the Higurashi shrine, reaching it in record time, rushing through the front door.

"Inuyasha! Kyo!" Kagome exclaimed.

The miko saw Mei Lhi.

"Oh Kami, what happened to her?! I'll go get the first aid kit…Mama! Can you get some blankets?!" Kagome yelled frantically.

The miko returned, carrying the kit, and began dressing the wounds.

"They're pretty deep…and she's human…Inuyasha, I'm not sure if she'll make it…We might have to 'borrow' Tenseiga…" Kagome said.

"She'll make it…" Inuyasha replied.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Kagome, if I know her as well as I think I do, she won't give up. Just like me."

Kagome nodded, and finished bandaging the younger girl's wounds.

"She'll need to rest for a while. If she wakes up, make sure she doesn't try to move around…she could easily start bleeding again…the blood's only just stopped…and let her have what she wants if she asks, alright? I'm going to wash off all this blood. Inuyasha, you can give your haori to Mama…she'll wash it for you…"

The hanyou nodded, handing his fire rat robe to Higurashi-san, who took it and went off with it. Kagome went upstairs; Souta had been told to stay in his room and still remained there. Higurashi-jichan had gone outside to shovel snow off the shrine steps and walkways. Inuyasha and Kyo both remained sitting in silence.

-

Mei Lhi's eyes opened a small bit as she stirred.

"How long…was I out…?" She asked.

"Not long…just a few minutes…" Kyo's voice replied.

The girl opened her eyes fully, seeing her brother's face above her with a worried expression.

"Thank you…" She said softly to him, her eyes aglow.

Inuyasha nodded as he replied, "Keh. It's nothing really…I should've expected you to be in trouble from the beginning…"

Mei Lhi lay on the couch for a few seconds, before her brain clicked with something.

'He's back. He's come back, only now. And he was gone all that time, leaving me alone! That bastard!'

Her eyebrows narrowed, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

Inuyasha staggered slightly from the force of impact. Keeping his gaze to the floor, he sighed.

"I understand…" He said.

"And…here come the fireworks…" Kyo muttered to himself.

"You are such a bastard! You left, just like that! I was only just getting to know you! Do you even realize how much I had depended on you back then when we met?!"

Inuyasha shook his head.

"Well, I needed you so much! A lot more than that dead bitch could ever need you! Yet you still went to her, even though you loved Kagome! Do you know how much it hurts to be turned down for someone who's dead and doesn't love you? We both loved you, Kagome still does. As for me, I don't know…but what I do know is that I'm going to get away from you, traitor…"

The girl managed to sit up, and staggering, she stood.

"Iie, Mei! You're not supposed to be moving!" Kyo said suddenly.

"I'll live…"

"…don't be so stubborn! You're acting just like-!"

"Go on, finish the sentence, Kyoshi-kun…"

"You're acting just like your brother!"

Mei Lhi laughed, as she started walking away.

"Kyoshi-kun…what do you expect? We're related."

The girl didn't get far before she collapsed on the floor and passed out again.

-

"Oi, Kyo…you go get some rest…you've got enough problems already…I'll look after her…besides, I'll be having to do a shit load of ass-kissing anyway to make it up to her…"

"Yeah, I warned you…she was pretty mad at you…"

"You don't think she's going to want to yell at me some more?"

"In the future, maybe. But not now…she basically summarized everything and yelled it right at you…"

"Keh…aren't you just helping a whole lot? Go to bed."

"Yeah, yeah…"

The Ryuuyoukai boy headed upstairs, sighing.

'Hopefully he doesn't screw up…because seriously, all chance of things being normal again, everything's all on him now…'

-

"Oh god, not again…" Mei Lhi groaned.

"Keh. It's your own fault." Inuyasha replied.

"Thank you Captain Obvious…"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind…why are you here anyway?"

"Feh. I don't need to tell you shit."

"Oh I think you do…you owe it to me…"

Inuyasha defensively crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh fine, be that way you jerk!"

"Now you're starting to sound like yourself…"

"Spare me. Now answer my question."

"Feh, fine! 'That bitch' as you say, let me go."

"Is that the only reason why?"

Inuyasha was silent.

"Answer me."

"…no…it's not…"

"What's your other reasons, then? If you actually have any…"

"I heard you…I heard you call out to me…and…I felt your tear drops…and Kagome called out to me too…and she cried for me…and when she would go back to the shrine through the well, she would talk to me, and I would always hear her, and I would always listen, I wished so much that I could answer her back…but I couldn't my voice couldn't reach her…it didn't take long for Kikyou to realize that she had made a mistake by making me promise to go to hell with her. She soon realized that I had so many people who cared about me, who loved me. So…she decided to help me. She used her power and opened the gates of hell to the living world, and I escaped…"

Mei Lhi sat silently.

'Is it all really true? Is it possible…?'

"Thank you…" The hanyou whispered.

"For what?" The girl asked curiously.

"The lilies…"

"But…I only gave you one…the day there was the ceremony at the shrine. I gave you one lily."

"There's a patch of white lilies growing at the base of the shrine…"

"They grew? But why?"

"I don't know…Miroku had said…that they grew out of love…the purest possible love known to live and thrive…"

Mei Lhi was stunned.

'Since when could he be so nice? I feel in my heart, like something has shattered a glass cage that I have kept my heart locked away in…can he really do so much with so little words?'

"Anyway…I'm keeping you awake…you need to sleep so you can heal."

Mei Lhi agreed, silently.

Inuyasha pulled the blankets up to the girl's chin, and tucked her in. He turned away afterward, making his way towards the tree outside.

Mei's hand reached out and caught his wrist.

"Stay with me…"

He nodded and complied, sitting down in front of the couch, leaning his back against it.

"Good night…" She called out into the darkening night. "…Nii-chan…"

Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"…Good night, Imouto-chan…"

"…I love you…"

"…so do I…"

Soon he heard the sound of his sister's breathing even out as she fell asleep. Sleep soon took the hanyou as well.

And then, there was silence. Nothing dared disturb the peaceful night.


A/N: I have now made everything almost normal. Please review. Now, I know you're going to ask, "What the hell does the chapter title mean?!" 'Haku no Yuri' I am going to translate it as 'White Lily' or we can just go all-out formal and say 'Lily of White'. And a wakizashi is a short sword. Please review. I know you're going to kill me because of the length of this chapter…it's another Ch. 39! (Screams like the typical scream from a horror movie) Except this one turned out to be 11 pages in Word…oh the horror! I hope your eyes didn't die…I'll try not to make my chapters so long! I didn't know it'd take so many words just to put in a bit of the play, a battle scene, and the normality slowly seeping in. Anyway, review! Look forward to Ch. 5!