Tora-chan: Well here we go another chapter to start.

Aillas: That's right and long as you're on a role keep going.

Tora-chan: You do know that lying on the coach isn't helping me right?

Aillas: And what did Yuki do all day?

Vitanie: That puny wolf, he spent a lot of time hiding in the closet.

Aillas: And why did he hide in the closet.

Tora-chan: because he ticked me off and I reminded him that I could embarrass him big time in the story.

Hiroshi: Yes, you never tick off the writer that created you. It's a general rule of thumb. Now if you would please continue the story.

Tora-chan: Kay-kay

--------

Last time: Vitanie and group made it to the shrine where the Hoshi Ken is. Leiko and Hideaki made it to the fox dens to find that Rei destroyed everything because of Hideaki's betrayal.

--------

Vitanie sat restlessly next to Kagome and Sora in the main shrine. She had been surprised to find Sora already there but had realized that she is so quiet that it was easy to forget that she was there. Mani sat in front of her with a smile as she kneeled in front of her pouring some tea.

"Please just relax. Sora has explained much about why you are here. But I most know why you want the sword so much. As I said it is in my protection."

"If Sora explained then why do you need to know why Vitanie wants the sword?" Kagome asked sipping at the herbal tea.

"She explained that you want the sword not why you want it," she sighed shooting a side long glance at the gray clad young woman.

Vitanie turned toward Sora and sent a searching glance but gave up when she noticed the dulled look in her eyes. What spirits would be here that she needs to listen too? She wondered before turning back toward Mani.

"I need the sword to take down the barrier around the Spirit Stone," she stated flatly deciding that honesty was the best course of action.

"I'm afraid that I can't believe that," the golden haired priestess sighed. "You see I've seen many that have said the same thing. I don't know how or why they found out about the stone, but I do know that they all said the same."

"But it's the truth - -" Kagome started.

"No it's alright Kagome. I had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy to get the sword. Inuyasha was right when he said it was too easy to get in here, so there had to be something else to do to get what we came for. Mani what can I do to show you that I tell the truth," Vitanie asked leaning down in a bow as the asked.

"How did you know of this shrine?" she asked offhandedly.

"My mother told me of it," she answered truthfully with a shrug.

"Your mother?"

"You mentioned her earlier, Akiasa, the priestess of the Sunrise Temple. You mentioned earlier that her worries about the stones were for nothing. If that is true then how can you doubt me now?"

"Many have come with fake stones and stories. It is not easy to weed out what is true and what is not. I sense that you will do no harm to me or others around you, but I have sensed the same from others," she sighed. "It is not the stones people want as much as the sword."

"But why would they want the sword and not the stones?" Kagome questioned.

"It is a demonic sword with great power," Sora answered in a monotone voice. Her eyes were still grey from her connection to the spirits in the area. "It is even more powerful then the legendary sword of the great dog general."

"Are you talking about the tetsusaiga?" Kagome blurted out in shock.

"Yes."

"Well this is very interesting but that doesn't answer what I need to do to get the sword," Vitanie huffed, her patience going thin.

Mani turned to her with a smile, "That is easy you must go through a purifying ritual and then see if the sword accepts you."

"Purifying? You do realize that I'm a demon right? I can't undergo a purifying ritual without if killing me," Vitanie managed to get out without yelling.

"It isn't that type of purifying ritual. It is one to cleanse the body and soul. Most can't make it through the first step; the cleansing of the body," she explained.

"What all does this imply?" Vitanie asked warily.

"At dawn you will dress in training robes and join me for my cleansing. I begin with meditation at the falls, then sword practice in the fields. This will cleanse the skin of dirt and then sweat out anything that doesn't belong in the body. From there we go to stone steps and climb to the top so that we might bathe in the lunar ponds at night fall," she proclaimed happily.

"I take it nobody makes it past sword practice?" Kagome commented more then asked.

"No, which is interesting since they are after a sword," she shrugged. "Now I recommend getting some sleep. It's late and you have an early morning tomorrow," she began as she started to stand. "Oh I almost forgot." She mentioned half way up.

"What?" both Kagome and Vitanie asked cautiously.

"You came at the perfect time. Tomorrow in the dark of the moon; that is when the power of the lunar ponds is at isn't strongest."

"What the new moon is tomorrow?" Kagome blurted out.

"Well it looks like you will have a full day tomorrow," Sora mentioned as her eyes changed back to blue and her emotions laced her voice again.

"Actually," Mani started looking between Sora and Kagome. "You and Kagome will be coming as well. Since you both use powers that could be considered spiritual in nature it would be good for you to go through the ritual as well," she declared walking toward the door. Before she disappeared she turned and smiled at the three of them. "I'll see you all in the morning."

"How did I just get dragged into this?" Kagome asked looking over a Vitanie.

"I don't know, but she knows more about us then she's letting on," Vitanie sighed.

"She knows everything that is going on. Or so the spirits told me," Sora said matching Vitanie's sigh.

--------

With Leiko and Hideaki

Leiko moved cautiously over to where Hideaki sat besides the graves of the other fox demons. The night before they had been able to put out most of the fires Rei had started and had started digging the graves for the dead. It wasn't until almost daylight that they had gotten to the last three graves. It was at that point that Hideaki had asked Leiko to leave the rest to him. He wouldn't accept help from anyone when it came to burying his family.

Most of the foxes that had lived in the western dens where not family to Hideaki, but the three that had been in the center of the clearing the night before; the three that had been torn to pieces had been his mother, father, and little sister. Leiko had given him his request and had gone to unbury one of the dens so that they could have a place to rest before continuing on. She didn't know where Hideaki would go, but she didn't feel that leaving him alone at the moment was a good idea; so for the time been she would go with him.

"Hideaki, I've unburied one of the dens. You should go in and rest for now," she whispered setting a hand on his shoulder. He slowly turned his head up towards her his purple eyes pleading for answers.

"I don't understand. I helped him. He promised they wouldn't be hurt. He said that you were the ones that would hurt them. I believed what you guys said about not wanting to hurt them. I saw it in your eyes when you said it; that's why I joined you and fought against Rei. But why hurt them, they didn't do anything. They didn't deserve this," he sighed turning back and looking at the mounds in front of him.

"Hideaki, I can't tell you why he did this. At one point in time he wouldn't have dreamed of doing this. Rei originally wanted power to protect those weaker then him. But now," she stopped and shook her head sadly. "Now his crave for power will stop at nothing."

"How can you forgive me?" he asked quietly when she finished. "I kidnapped and hurt one of your friends. How can you forgive me and help me after that?"

"You stupid fox, I grew up around you remember. I know you better then anyone. You might have some bad habits but I know that you have a kind heart. Just keep your hands to yourself and get over you obsession with hurting people and you would be surprised by how many friends you would have," she ranted at him.

Hideaki looked up at her with wide eyes as she started pacing back and forth behind him. After a while her rant grew softer but she continued to pace and mutter to herself.

"Leiko, stop," he called grabbing her arm as she walked past. "Are we talking about me or you?" he asked pulling her down to sit down beside her.

"You asked why I could help you when you kidnapped one of my friends. But what if I told you she wasn't a friend? What if I told you that my first words to her were that I was going to kill her?" she asked her voice turning rough pleading for some understanding. "I thought that she was what I hated about myself, the Tijian part of myself. But she didn't laugh at me as I said I would kill her but couldn't stand on my own. She helped me and ended up saving me so that I could try to kill her later. And then she pushed me aside and locked me behind stone walls to fight off an enemy that I had gone to save her from. I owe her my life twice over," she almost didn't get out.

"Leiko, I don't know what you're trying to say."

"She isn't my friend. I want to kill her, but I can't. I have two life debts to pay to her," she nearly yelled as tears started down her face.

"That's where you're wrong, Lei. If you wanted her dead she would be by now. It wouldn't mater if you had a life debt or not to pay."

"Yes it does, I must pay the debt."

"No you don't. A life debt is a Tijian tradition. You have tried to deny everything that had to do with Tijians for as long as I can remember. No, Lei, you're using it as an excuse. You haven't killed her because you consider her a friend," he whispered as he stared off into space toward the graves. "She must be a great person to have turned you so quickly. It wasn't that long ago that you left this area to search out the Tijian village and destroy anything that was left. That's the type of friendship that you don't want to give up."

"Hideaki," she sighed. "Damn you, why do you have to be right!" she finished in a growl.

The black fox turned toward her and started to laugh. "Because like you said about me I know you better then anyone. You only rant like that when you don't believe what you're saying. Now come on when should get some sleep and then catch up with your friends," he said standing and reaching down to help her up.

"You want to go back to them?" she asked in shock.

"Yes. After we stop and the Lion clan I want to join up with them."

"But why?"

"Rei wants her; that means he'll attack again. I will get him back for what he did to me family. And when he appears it will be around her," he snarled the red ring around his purple eyes growing in his anger.

---------

Tora-chan: Yea, another chapter done!

Aillas: See you got two chapters done quickly. Doesn't that mean I'm doing my job?

Vitanie: Hey Tora, isn't Leiko and Hideaki not in your original story.

Tora-chan: Well they are now. And what does everything think of some of the back ground for these two? Hideaki will start acting a little bit like Miroku once he's over the shock of losing his family.

Leiko: You mean we get to stay?

Tora-chan: For now.

Aillas: You seem to have plenty of muses now.

Tora-chan: Oh-no, don't even think about it. You aren't going anywhere yet. I'm just now getting any work out of you. Besides Yuki isn't done learning manners yet.

Hiroshi: Well at least I'm not stuck here alone (whispered)

Tora-chan: What was that Hiroshi?

Hiroshi: I was saying maybe we should close out the chapter.

Tora-chan: Okay. Aillas, would you close the chapter please?

Aillas: Sure thing. Thank ya's to everyone. Please review (and ask for me to go home). Cheerio!