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Itty Bitty Pretty One

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As they crossed the courtyard, Inuyasha subtly slipped his hand into hers and squeezed lightly. He couldn't shake the ominous feeling racing through his veins the closer they approached the well that would bring them home. For some unfathomable reason, he felt going back right now was a mistake but he didn't want Kagome going alone so he'd insisted on accompanying her. Now that they actually were heading back – however – he was having to fight the impulse to turn tail and run.

"We won't be long," Kagome soothed as she squeezed his hand and smiled up at him, "All I want to know is whether they've heard anything or found a solution. I'm sure they're looking."

"Or they're waiting for us to get back," Inuyasha muttered, "Or they're dead because I wasn't there to protect them."

"Wow, morbid much?" Kagome laughed lightly as she rolled her eyes, "The whole thing won't take more than an hour. What's the worst that could happen?"

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"Grandfather? Kenji?" Emi asked incredulously as she stared bug-eyed at the two individuals before her, "How did you get here so quickly?"

There was something wrong. More than wrong. Neither of them smelled of exertion and as far as she could tell, they'd left all their supplies behind. It left her with one conclusion. It wasn't them. It was a trick.

"I'm sorry I left you both behind without explaining myself," she began slowly, "But we can head out now. I merely forgot something and I've got it."

"No, we should rest at the village," the grandfather replied sternly as he narrowed his eyes, "Perhaps we can still be of assistance."

"Yeah," Kenji replied quickly, "I'm sure we can help."

Narrowing her eyes, Emi felt her theory was confirmed. When everything first transpired, they had insisted on going as far from the village as humanly possible and moreover, they'd tried to convince her to leave the issue to the professionals. It wasn't them.

"You're not them," she hissed with false bravado as she flashed her fangs and tensed, "Leave now or I'll have to stop you myself."

"Now why would you do that?" came a third unfamiliar voice, "For the record, it is them. Their bodies at least. If you cooperate, perhaps we'll give them back their souls."

"Their souls?" Emi repeated quietly as the blood in her veins ran cold. The woman who had flown on the feather, whose scent she had been confusing with that of the old woman, stepped out from behind a barrier within the tree line and smirked, "Yeah. Their souls. All we need you to do is manage to either get Inuyasha to drink those potions or get it onto his skin. I don't care how but if you fail, your family dies. Well, relatively speaking. Their bodies die and their souls will forever be trapped within my accomplice's mirror."

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Emi's gaze flickered between her family and the evil woman before she swallowed thickly and nodded as she held her hand out to accept the vials.

"How long do I have?" she asked quietly – her body numb with shock and pain as the cold glass bottles were placed in her hand.

"One full day," Kagura replied condescendingly, "Otherwise, you might as well kiss your family goodbye."

"So he either needs to eat it or get it on his skin?" Emi asked emotionlessly as her heart plummeted into her stomach. No matter what happened she'd lose and all because she was foolish enough to try to shrink Inuyasha in the first place.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" Kagura scoffed, "Now go. I'll be waiting."

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The buzzing the insects followed the poor girl as she ran through the forest. They were watching her every move, probably had been this whole time. How had she never noticed it before? There was no way out. No winners in this situation. Even if she did manage to save her family, they'd never forgive her for doing what she was about to do. Whatever this potion did, it'd kill him or worse. If she told those mercenaries, they might go fight that crazy woman but that bitch might kill her family anyway. If she poisoned him, she'd end up being killed and most likely her family still wouldn't be saved. There was no way out.

"Hey! Did you find your family?" came a small familiar voice. Slowing down, Emi looked around only to see the small kit bounding up to her. As he jumped on her shoulder, he looked down at the small package in her hands and frowned, "What've you got there? You didn't…"

"Shhh," Emi hissed as she glanced over her shoulder, "Where are the others?"

In that moment, Emi made her decision. Her family was as good as dead. No matter what happened – they were gone or soon would be. All she could hope was that she could perhaps save the man who'd risked everything to help.

Quickly entering the village and subsequently the hut, Emi listened intently for the insects before sighing in relief when she found she could no longer hear them.

"What on earth?" Kaede groaned as she sat up, "Twice in one night child?"

"I need your help," Emi whispered quietly as she knelt down – Shippo still on her shoulder. For a moment she paused before glancing at the kit, "Can you go get the others? Be quiet. Don't mention me."

Nodding, the kit was off in an instant as Emi sighed shakily and turned back to the elderly miko, "I was approached by one of Naraku's minions. She said she stole the souls of my family and would return them if I gave these vials to Inuyasha. I don't know what they do. But…but my family would want me to do the right thing. They're…they're…."

For a moment, her chest heaved erratically as the adrenaline faded away and grief finally set in. Emptiness flooded her heart, numbness pounded her brain, and salty tears began to flow unchecked from her eyes. The shear nothingness that now took hold of her soul threatened to engulf her entirely. She was alone. Truly alone now in a world where those of her kind were hated and ostracized all because of her stupid mistake. Mistakes really. All of this was her fault. So many lives ruined and now the only people she'd ever loved had been ripped from her without so much as a chance to say goodbye.

"Child?" Kaede whispered sadly as she moved as quickly as her old body would allow to embrace her – her withered hand stroking her hair gently as she rocked the poor grieving girl, "It will be alright. Don't lose hope quite yet."

"They're gone," Emi managed to sob, "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

And that was the scene the slayer and monk found when they finally entered the hut with none other than Inuyasha the Kagome in tow.