Hey People! I hoped you liked the prologue... I know it was short... but yea... they usually are (except in "Canterbury Tales" but... we won't get into that.) Anyway, once again, I don't own any of the InuYasha characters, so please, review, and thanks to those of you who already did! I appreciate it!

Chapter 1

"Kagome!" InuYasha yelled, "You coming?"

"Gimme a sec InuYasha! I'm waiting for Sakura. She's still not back yet." Kagome turned to stare into the woods behind her. "She's been gone for two hours already."

"Damn, Kagome. You meet a total stranger on the street, and the next day she's your best friend! You don't know where she came from. For all you know, she could be dangerous. He sword has a different smell too it, and it gives me the creeps."

"InuYasha," Kagome giggled, "Are you worried about me? How sweet!"

"Humph" InuYasha scoffed, "Don't get your hopes up."

InuYasha and the gang had been in Kaede's village for the past week while Kagome had been in her own time studying for school. Sakura was found on the side of the village by Kagome, and they'd been good friends since.

"Hey guys!" Sakura's voice came from behind. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I just wanted to find some herbs for my leg is all."

"How is your leg anyway?" Kagome asked. "It was really bad yesterday. You couldn't even walk on it!"

"It's better thanks." She replied. "It was lucky you found me. I could've been there for days!"

"How did you get there anyway?" asked InuYasha.

"It's a long story," Sakura returned, "To make it short, I won't tell you." She smiled and walked towards Kirara and Sango.

Sakura had kept her half demon secret hidden from her new-found friends. She had already lost her previous friends, and she didn't want to lose anymore.

"Sango," Sakura said as she reached Sango's side, "Where are the others?"

"You mean Miroku and Shippou?" Sango asked in a ticked off tone, "Miroku's giving Shippou a lecture. Don't ask me why. I've been trying to figure that out for myself."

"Miroku!" InuYasha yelled, "Get your butt out here! We're waiting for you!"

Miroku and Shippou walked out of the tiny house, and Shippou jumped on Kagome's shoulder. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Miroku said in his usual tone. "I was giving Shippou a little man-to-man talk."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Come on. InuYasha's getting impatient." The group got all their luggage, and headed off down the path to the next village.

4 HOURS LATER

"InuYasha!" Kagome groaned, "I'm hungry! Let's stop for a sec!"

"Shut-up Kagome!" InuYasha yelled back, "It's not like you need anymore food!"

"SIT BOY!" Kagome screamed as InuYasha did a face-plant into the ground.

"What was that for?" InuYasha groaned as Miroku helped him stand.

"InuYasha," Miroku started, "If there's anything I've learned from my past years with women, it's the following. Number one: Never tell a girl she's stupid. Number 2: never ask a married woman to bear your child. Number 3: never call a girl fat."

"You'd think he would've learned from number 2 by now." Sango laughed.

"Sango, how am I supposed to know when they're married!" Miroku asked.

"Gee, I don't know." Sango replied sarcastically, "Maybe the big muscular man standing beside the pretty woman with his arm around her!"

"It could've been her brother!" Miroku exclaimed.

"Since when do siblings kiss like THEY did!"

"Um... in... um... I DON'T KNOW!"

Sango smiled at her victory. "I'm with Kagome. Let's stop. Kirara's getting tired."

"Fine." InuYasha whined. "We'll stop."

"There's a village over there." Miroku said as he pointed ahead of them, "I'll see if I can work my magic!"

AT THE VILLAGE

"What do you mean our village is haunted!" an old man exclaimed. "Can you help us monk? Please?"

"I can," Miroku replied in a serious tone, "However, it will take me all night to rid the evil spirit."

"Don't worry about that, monk." Replied the old man, "You'll stay in the palace, next to the princess' room."

"Thank you kind sir." Miroku grinned.

"Does he always do this?" Sakura whispered.

"Yep." Shippou replied. "Sad thing is, they always believe him."

InuYasha folded his arms. "I don't know why these people believe that all monks are kind, gentle, honest, and virgins. Miroku isn't any of those above."

Sakura slapped her head into her hand. "Did I REALLY need to know that!"

LATER THAT NIGHT

Kagome, Sakura and Sango were put in one room, and InuYasha, Miroku and Shippou were in another.

"Sango, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, "You've been sighing all night! Come and have some of this delicious food! That monk really knows his stuff!"

"I'm worried." Sango replied with a sigh.

"About Miroku?" Kagome asked.

"No." answered Sango, "About the princesses. If you haven't noticed, Miroku's room is directly beside their room."

"So? What's the big deal? He's a monk, right?" Sakura looked at Kagome. "Right!"

"Well, technically, yes." Kagome replied slowly. "But literally..."

"He's broken every rule in the 'Monk's Code of Conduct'!" Sango added. "He's a womanizing jerk!"

Sakura grinned. "I think you like him!"

"I do NOT like Miroku!" Sango exclaimed.

"Oh, come on!" Sakura laughed, "It's about as obvious as Kagome and InuYasha!"

"What!" Kagome followed, "InuYasha!"

"You know Kagome," Sango said calmly, "Sakura has a point. You and InuYasha HAVE been getting a little friendly lately. You sure you two aren't keeping something from us?"

Kagome's face turned as bright as InuYasha's fire rat Kimono. "NO!" she shouted. "So, what about you, Sakura," Kagome said as she calmed down, "You have a 'special someone' we should know about?"

Sakura sadly looked down. "I used to. Before you found me."

Sango sat down beside her. "Wanna tell us about it?"

Sakura took in a large breath. "He was one of the nicest guys I had ever met! We had been together for three months before we were attacked. We got separated, and I was knocked uncontentious. That's when you found me. I don't know what happened to him."

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FOREST

"My Lord, where are we going?" Jaken's voice rang through the trees as he ran to catch up with Sesshoumaru.

"I need to find her." the demon answered.

"But My Lord! She could be dead by now!"

Sesshoumaru turned sharply and stared at (the now terrified) Jaken. "She's not dead. Understand?"

"Y-yes! Yes My Lord!"