Chapter 4

"Hey, everyone!" Kagome said as she brought herself out of the well. She held a sack of food in her right hand.

"Kagome!" Shippo said, excited that Kagome had brought the food. "You've brought us more ninja food!"

Moments later they were sitting on a blanket eating the food Kagome had brought.

"This is good Kagome!" Shippo said as he stuffed another piece of food in his mouth.

"Yes, Kagome, thank you," Sango said.

"You're welcome, Sango," Kagome said.

"Yes, the food is good," Miroku said. "But Sango, you are better." Sango's face went red. The slap was heard across the forest.

"You perv." Sango said as Miroku smiled. Both Kagome and Shippo laughed.

"Served you right." Shippo said and ate more. Meanwhile Inuyasha was too busy eating since Kagome had arrived to notice anything.

"It's about time you got back Kagome," Inuyasha said between mouthfuls. "We have to go look for Naraku."

"Is that all you can think about?" Kagome asked angrily.

"What's your problem?" Inuyasha asked.

"Here we go again." Miroku said.

"I brought back all this and you didn't even thank me." Kagome said. "And all you do is mention Naraku."

"I didn't think it was necessary to thank you," Inuyasha said. "You know I appreciate everything you do."
"Oh," Kagome said sweetly to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha."

"Besides," Inuyasha said as he swallowed. "The food isn't as good this time."

"Uh-oh" Shippo said.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said, very angry.

"Uh-oh." Inuyasha said, knowing what was coming.

"Sit boy!" Kagome said. Inuyasha slammed into the ground. "Sit! Sit! Sit!"

"There goes the food." Shippo said as Inuyasha slammed into the ground and into the food as well.

"It was fun while it lasted." Sango said. A wind suddenly blew through the trees. "Miroku."

"Yes, I feel it too," Miroku said. "A demonic aura, very close. Inuyasha, get up."

"Yeah, easy for you to say." Inuyasha said as he struggled to get up.

"Is it Naraku?" Sango asked.

"I can't tell, the aura is too indistinct." Miroku said.

"Why would Naraku come and attack us just like this? It wouldn't be like him." Kagome stated.

"I'm sure he has another trick, as usual." Inuyasha said.

They all formed a tight circle as they grouped around watching for any sign of Naraku. There was not a sound. They heard the sound of someone approaching and readied themselves. A man came tumbling out of the bushes, scars across his body. Kagome ran to the injured person.

"He's hurt." Kagome said and quickly began to take out her first aid kit. She rolled the man on to his back and began bandaging up his wounds.

"Miroku, the demonic aura is gone." Sango said.

"Yes, it is. I guess it wasn't Naraku after all, and whatever it was went away." The two along with Shippo and Kirara approached the man. Inuyasha gave one last look around and then put his sword away. He then joined the others.

"Is he still conscious?" Miroku asked.

"Yes he is." Kagome said. He looks different from everyone else. He doesn't look like he's from Japan. Kagome thought. "What's your name?"

"Mishra." He said.

"What happened to you, Mishra?" Miroku asked.

"I was walking through the forest, continuing on my journey exploring the country, when all these demons came out of no where and attacked me. I barely escaped with my life."

"Well, don't worry, we'll heal you up." Kagome said.

"Thank you, you're so kind, to a stranger like me."

"It's no problem." Kagome said. Inuyasha meanwhile stared intently at the man.

He said he was attacked by demons, but I didn't sense anything. Inuyasha thought.

"Tell me, young lady, what is your name?" Mishra asked Kagome.

"My name is Kagome." She said.

"Kagome,…" Mishra said. "I have heard of that that is the name of the girl that carries shards of the sacred jewel. Are you the same girl?"

"She sure is," Shippo put in. "This is the same and only Kagome right here."

How does he know about the jewel? Inuyasha thought. And that Kagome is the one carrying it? I don't like this.

"Please, may I see them? I promise I won't try anything."

"Um, sure." Kagome said, a little hesitant at first, but brought out the container with the jewel shards. Mishra looked at the shards. A troubled feeling passed over Inuyasha.

This guy is…

"Kagome, get back." Inuyasha said as he brought out his sword but it was too late. The jewel shards were gone.

"The jewel shards are gone!" Kagome said. "What happened?"

The man on the ground began to laugh. The others stared at him.

"Mishra, what are you doing?" Kagome said, backing away from him. Slowly, with an evil smile on his face, Mishra began to stand. The wounds on his body disappeared as he stood fully.

"What happened to his wounds?" Sango said.

"They were never there to begin with," Inuyasha said. "It was all a trick."

"Yes, you're right, Inuyasha," Mishra said. "It was merely an illusion, one of my many new powers it appears."
What does he mean by new powers? Miroku thought. "Stand back everyone, I'll suck him up in my windtunnel."

"But if you do that, monk, your precious jewel shards will be sucked up as well." Mishra said. He revealed the jewel shards, still in the container. "Thank you for the shards, Kagome. I would never have got them if not for you."

"Give them back." Inuyasha said and fired his windscar.

"No, I think not." Mishra said. "They're mine now." As the windscar approached Mishra put up his other hand, palm out. An invisible burst of energy slammed into the windscar and pushed it back as well. Inuyasha and the others went flying as well. The windscar dissipated.

"What was that?" Shippo said.

"Just another trick." Inuyasha said and ran at Mishra, his sword ready to strike. He suddenly froze in midstride and began to float into the air, though still frozen in place.

"I can assure you it was no trick. And neither is this." Mishra said and with a wave of his hand repeatedly slammed Inuyasha into the ground, and then into a tree, and then sent him flying back towards the others. "I suppose you all are wondering how I knew exactly who you all were. My powers of clairvoyance allow me to know anything I wish. But that is enough for now, I must leave. Thank you once more for the jewel shards." Mishra said and started to float away. Sango's bone boomerang slammed into Mishra's back, or it would have had it not stopped right before it struck him. "A futile effort." He waved his hand and the boomerang snapped in two. The others watched on disbelief. Mishra floated away.

"We have to get the shards back." Kagome said.

"But he's already gone." Miroku said.

"Damn him, he tricked us completely." Inuyasha said. "It must have been his demonic aura we felt, and then he masked it to fool us."

"What do we do now?" Kagome said.

"First we should get Sango's hiraikotsu fixed," Miroku said. "Then we should begin searching for Mishra, or whoever he really is."

"And when we do, I'll kill him." Inuyasha said.