-xolovexinuyasha! - Sorry, I completely missed your review! I'm not sure how it happened, but apparently it did. So I'll respond now, and hopefully you'll read. -- Yep, My Will is a good song. When I first heard it it annoyed me a bit, but now I really like it. -- I don't have any idea how anyone could ever enjoy volleyball. It is one of the most painful, annoying, undirect sports I've ever come across. But then again, I don't much care for most sports like that. I don't have the build for it-- no upper body strength at all. Plus, my skin gets really, really red everytime the ball hits it. When I first played volleyball in gym, my mom saw my arms and thought I had gotten some sort of rash or something, and she wanted to take me to a doctor. -- Woosh. Well, whatever... floats your boat I guess. I usually draw less... violent pictures, but if it helps you get rid of your anger, and not actually go around killing people, then that's good too. Anyway, I'm sorry that you had a bad(ish) day-- the fact that I missed your review probably didn't help much, so gomen again for that, and thanks for pointing it out! -- Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got something I need to do... Runs around deflating all the volleyballs .. Hope your arms feel better soon.

Strangely enough, I had the very cheerful song "Brand new world" playing in the background when I wrote this chapter as well as "Scars" by Papa Roach toward the end, Broken - Seether\Evanescence, which is weird, cause this isn't exactly a happy chapter... It's not sad necessarily, but there just isn't much happening...

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed "Haunted" and sorry to everyone I disturbed with that story. -- Gomen, been writing too much fluff lately, had to get it out of my system.

'Kay, I got a MOUNTAIN load of reviews, so I better get to it.

-Almandine-Azaleea - Lol, I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. Actually, I'm feeling a little guilty myself cause I've had to slow down my updates, but there's just nothing for it. Between school, family, friends, drawing and all my other stories, there's just not enough time to update as frequently. -- I love those two songs by Tackey and Tsubasa (Though I don't think I've heard the other you mentioned) I don't know why, they just have such a nice sound to them. Plus, everytime I hear Sotsugyou Sayonara was Ashita no Tame ni, I think of the episode where Kikyo died, and that always helps cheer me up. -- Anyway, good luck with all the work and updates! Hope you're getting along better than i am.

-Black Betty - Lol, what is this, slacker's month? Everybody I've talked to lately has been so tired and unmotivated to do stuff. Lol, no offence, I'm one of them! Maybe it's a new strain of spring fever? Anyway, glad I could make your day a little bit brighter! I know how nice it can be to read a new update after a long day.

-Kuroi - Glad I could help! It's nice to know my story is cheering people up! -- Oh, and to your comments on my "Haunted" story -- I'm glad you enjoyed these stories. And I'm glad they freaked you out a little-- they were supposed to do that. And sorry about the "Sesshomaru" and "Brother" in the other one-- I guess my editing job wasn't as good as it could have been, but I've fixed it now (hopefully) so maybe that won't get in the way anymore. I personally don't even care for the second version of it, but, since most people throw a fit when there is Sess/Inu, I figured I'd better give another version. Just in case.

-Sexy Kat - Lol, lucky you. I look forward to hearing from you when you get back.

-wolfygirl13 - Woosh. Okay, hang on, give me a few minutes... Lol, Wow, that's quite a mouthful (though really, who am I to talk?) -- Lol, sounds like the chibi's are making trouble in the chocolate factory. Maybe this is why Willie Wonka hired Oompa Loompa's?(sp?) -- Well, don't worry, once Inuyasha wakes up from his coma, maybe you can convince him to Wind Scar all their asses. Though it probably won't kill them, since the attack seems to vary in strength. That's always seemed weird to me-- How strong or weak their weapons are depending on the situation. Like how can Inuyasha use "Wind Scar" that one time and nearly kill Sesshomaru with it, when Backlash wave has almost no effect on him, and Wind Scar barely seems to be working with Naraku? And how can Sango use Hiraikotsu and slaughter all those demons just by throwing it, yet practically drop it on Miroku's head everytime he flirts and avoid cracking his skull? It's just weird... -- Changing details to suit their purpose I guess. Anyway, we're talking about your chibi problem. I might suggest rounding them all up and locking them in a room together for a while without any sugar. Once they come down from their little possessive highs you might be able to get through to them. If not, being in each other's presences for so long with certain sober them up, if not drive them to the brink of insanity. -- Yeesh. Y'know, chibi-Sesshomaru, I've been getting lots of threats lately to update this story (and get Inu and Kags back together) but threatening me with rubber duckies... that's definitely one I've never heard before. Besides, I thought you were in the chocolate factory? Why do you have rubber duckies in the chocolate factory? ... Actually, you know what? On second thought, I don't want to know. Just don't throw them at me, and I'll update, alright? -- Okay, wolfygirl13, sorry about that, now what was I gonna say to you? I know I was gonna thank you for the key, but I think there was something else... can't remember it though... oh well, I guess I'll just thank you for the key then. Arigato! I'll be sure to come and visit sometimes... if you can get the chibi's under control that is. -- And don't worry, I don't think you're there's anything wrong with your rambling. And if you say you're not insane, that's fine too. Denial is always the hardest stage to get through after all. -- "I'm not suffering from insanity, I'm enjoying every minute of it."

-ultimateromantic - Lol, yep the boys are back together. But they can't go kick Naraku's ass... at least, not without the girls... and some time to heal of course. Keeping that in mind, plus the number of other chapters... my average number of words per chapter... the amount of characters I have... Okay, the amount of chapters till they encounter Naraku should be, if my calculations are correct, completely unpredictable. I have no idea. It could be three chapters, it could be another fifty. It all depends on where this story takes me...

-RamblingPhilosopher - Yep, I imagine Shippo is happy. I haven't really said a lot about him in this story... frankly I don't want to. The less I say about him, the better I can portray him... because he annoys me to no end. What the hell is up with that stupid thing he does almost everytime there's a battle "Okay, let's go... Aw! I'm just a little kid, why do I have to go!... Forget it! I'm going!" It drives me up the wall everytime he does that! Yep, I know that uma means horse, I just don't care for the word "uma." I don't know why, I just don't like it. Tsukiko? Moon-Child? Lol that's weird, I was thinking of using that name in one of my other stories. Okay, sorry bout that, got a bit sidetracked, so Kirara is a nekomata then? Hm. I'll try to keep that in mind. Thanks!

-Clouds of the Sky - Well, I don't think the problem is necessarily getting Kagome out, it's keeping it hidden from Naraku... I don't know, we'll just have to wait and see I guess...

-Bluer Sky - Yeah, sorry bout that, but this is kinda a healing part of the story for the main characters. It's gonna be a bit slow I'm afraid. At least for the, anyway.

-Lord Makura - Thanks!

-MewMewFireHeart - Lol, I understand completely. I can't stand school either. And anyone who would say something like "don't you go to school to learn" is clearly very hard up for some good humour. -- A house caught on fire? Weird. I don't much like abandoned houses since they're fairly open targets for crime (and I don't mean like light crime, I mean like drug-dealings, animal gladiators and all the other hardcore stuff) so maybe it's a good thing it burned down if no one was living in it. Lol, now I sound paranoid, but I'm not. I actually really like exploring houses and things like that, but I'm just saying I don't think it's good for them to be left abanonded like that. Or something. Ugh! Nevermind, just forget it. -- Lol, so you played basketball? I never much liked the student-teacher faceoff things. But then, I never much liked sports. Still, now I'm curious, how did your teachers cheat? Things must be getting bad if the teachers are cheating to defeat the students... Still, the best way to defeat a cheater is to just give up on competing and try to turn it back from a sport/competition into a game. If you're just there to have fun, then what can they really do? That's my theory anyway... YES! I'm making other people ramble! I knew it was contageous... just needed enough time to allow it to spread... Lol, don't worry, it's lots of fun to ramble since usually people don't know what you're talking about, and you really don't have to care cause you've already said it.

-lunerfox - Lol. I don't know if I like linken park, I haven't listened to that much of them. I think I did listen to My December though, and I didn't like it very much.

-Inume-Blue - Oh that sucks. What was the episode? I haven't seen all the episodes either-- I've missed more than a few throughout the series. Still, I've seen enough to at least make people think I have some idea what I'm talking about, so it's working alright...

-Wish-Full Thinker - Lol, I'm glad you enjoyed that take on their relationship. I've seen it done a couple of times, and it always seemed to be a more complex side of a very simple relationship, so I went with it. I like that version anyway. -- You know what, I've been thinking about it and it seems to me that you don't seem to like reflective stories very much... No offence of course, but everytime there's a lot of reflection in my stories, you always point it out and seem a little disappointed... I don't mind, it's just a little observation, and I really have no idea what I'm talking about anyway. -- Lol... I'm sorry I had to do this to you. I was actually thinking about warning you that this fic comes from one of those darker areas of my mind that we talked about at the beginning of the chapter, but then I didn't know if you were even going to read the story or not so... Anyway, yes I know that I was more reflective and used spaces instead of lines. That was purposely done. Reflective allows me to be less... graphic in stories like this, and makes the content easier to get through. And the same happens with the lines-- the less I talk about something, the less of a scar I leave on your mind when you finish the story. It's just my way of trying to tone the story down a little bit. -- I get you're not a yaoi fan, so now I have to ask you the same question you asked me. Why? Why did you read this if you know that the content's gonna be something you're automatically not gonna like? Still glad, I could at least work an "Okay" outta you. Now, to answer your question, "Why?" As in "Why did you write this?" Well, mostly because I've really been writing too much fluff lately and needed something darker to hold me together. Then there's the fact that I wanted to write a songfic and I wanted to use that song. And also there's the thing that, if I didn't use Inuyasha, I probably would have had to have used one of the girl's in this position, and I just don't like either of them enough to make them the basis of one of my stories like that. Yep-- that's what I do to the characters I like. -- I don't think I'll lengthen this story out none because I'm fairly happy with it now (plus, I don't think it would lengthen out in a way that anyone on here would like) but still I appreciate you making the effort to read through this. And I agree-- The Sess/Inu one definitely came out better. I only wrote the other one cause most people throw a fit over Sess/Inu. -- Lots of people have been asking me what Rips are. So I guess, as I told them, I'll tell you. A Rip is, in a nutshell, annoying. Lol, they are, basically, flames, but one's that have absolutely no relation to the story at all. It's just an all out attack on the author for no reason, or sometimes not even on the author, but just an all out attack on something in general that is pointless and makes no sense. They can be a bit amusing, but mostly they are just space-wasters and I prefer not to encounter them. -- And yep, you can have strawberry's and sugar if you want. Don't worry, if the future I'll try not to put too many yaoi fics on here. Phew -- looks over response that was a long one, wasn't it?

-Wings of Fayth - I don't know. Maybe I'll kill one of them and it'll never happen.

-fairydiva - Lol, well if you're sure it's not a threat, I might considering heeding your plea.

-Darking Queen - Lol, my chapters never disappoint, so that makes me blasphemous? Or did I say something to make you think that? I don't actually mind bridge chapters (sometimes) but I hate books or whole movies that are just bridges between one another. Those are annoying.

-Box Queen - Well, my fav is the fourth, so, while they did do a moderately good job on it, I'm still disappointed. They should get Chris Colombus back as the director-- he's done the best job so far. I like the 5th book well enough too, but it was a little bit aggravating sometimes. Still, definitely one of my favs. So yeah, I really hope they don't ruin it. If they do I may just loose hope in them completely. I'm not kidding. -- My day? Oh, it's been well enough I suppose... I nearly fell down the stairs this morning, but other than that it's been good. You?

-Jtmscola - Exactly! That's exactly what I was trying to say about the 4th movie! It's fairly well made, but, especially for someone whose read the book, they rushed it way too much and left out a lot of details that made it confusing at some points. It's like they tried to make it the same length of the other three movies, which is really stupid since it's impossible for a book that long, and in turn ended up loosing a lot of the books charm and quality. Still, it's got it's own kind of charm to it that makes it worth seeing, but not as good as the book. phew Anyway, to your next comment, once again I agree with you. Coke definitely beats pepsi. Pepsi tastes like some sort of screwed up watery syrup. Plus, coke can help cure headaches, aand, if you have a nail you need disintegrated, it can take care of that too. -- You say your into anime? So? How old are you exactly? Nevermind, doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned, it shouldn't really matter how old you are. Well, unless you're still like sucking your thumb or something, but that's a little bit freaky... Like a little baby watching Desperate housewives (BLEEEEEEEERGH!) or something like that. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah, no, I don't think it's at all weird that you're into anime. It is a form of art after all, and even if it's not, it's still interesting and fun. As long as you enjoy it... And if you still think it's weird, then look at it this way, at least you know you're not alone-- How old do you think the people who draw, write, produce and play the voices of the characters in these shows are? Or the artists of the Manga's? I can assure you, they ain't no thirteen year olds. Almost everything you see out there nowadays is thought up and made by adults. Even if it's not meant for them. So no matter what you're into, you can just feel safe in the knowledge that somewhere out there there's someone else who had to come up with that idea in the first place. Yeesh, here I'm going all Buddha on the mountain on you, aren't I? Well, you did ask for honesty. Which is why this next might surprise you-- I actually don't look over my stories. Ever. At least, not until after their posted, when the chapters will seem new and fresh to me and I can actually enjoy them. I don't edit my stories. Any spelling/grammer errors I make stay in the story unless someone points out to me to correct them. I just don't care enough to edit them out. Too lazy I guess.

-angelwingz - Thanks, I sort of gathered that though.

Well, that's about it. Everybody's got their own personal rant, and I think the chapter has nearly doubled in size, so I guess that's about all I can do for now.

Ramble

Miroku shivered slightly in his sleep.

His fever had returned during the night, but had broken again by morning.

Inuyasha was practically beside himself with anxiety.

He had absolutely no idea how to handle a situation like this-- Kagome had always been the "healer" in their group, not him-- and, with the constant changing of Miroku's condition, he would find himself running around like a mad thing to fetch warm furs to wrap him in, or cool cloths to press against his forehead or the Gods only know what kind of foul mixture to try and force down his friend's throat.

It was very tiring work, but he refused to break from it until at last Sesshomaru, nearly going insane himself from watching his little brother run around like this (though he gave absolutely no sign of it) ordered the half-demon to be still and rest and then sent Jaken to see if he couldn't find one of the castle's healers, since many had left to go and help with the injured from the war.

Inuyasha sighed and slumped down next to the bed, his ears pressed back against his head as he tried to stare past the skin of his eyelids up at the ceiling.

The young kitsune was asleep in the hanyou's own room, curled up safely with Kirara for the time being.

The child had seemed no worse for the wear mentally, and his physical wounds were old and would heal soon enough now that they had the proper opportunity. It seemed Naraku didn't care much for torturing children he deemed useless.

Sesshomaru had always found it fascinating that his little brother could put up with the existence of three ningens, let alone fall in love with one of them, and the kitsune child like he did.

As far as he could tell, only the fire-cat really had enough sense, use, or battle skill to keep around.

But then again, he had been carrying Rin and Jaken around with him for a long enough time... neither of them had proved to be very useful or interesting to keep around, unless you consider their little conversations with one another interesting, but he had brought them anyway.

It was strange to think that he had actually done something, nay, make that two somethings that didn't have a greater purpose behind them.

Maybe that same unknown feeling was the same one that bid Inuyasha to keep his companions around him the way he did...

Inuyasha opening his eyes to look over at the monk-- 'Miroku' Sesshomaru reminded himself -- was enough to bring him back from his thoughts, and he watched as his little brother slowly reached up and clasped Miroku's injured hand in his own, staring at the kazaana thoughtfully.

'He was never afraid of very much.' He said suddenly, eyeing Miroku's hand with a strange sort of fondness that suggested he was currently thinking of a situation where the monk had behaved, in his opinion, like a complete baka. 'He was really strong for a human, and he always put up a brave front.' Inuyasha said, turning slowly to look up at Sesshomaru.

'But this scared him.' He said, gesturing toward the monk's hand.

There was a moment's silence before Inuyasha laughed.

But it wasn't a real laugh.

It was similar, he imagined, to what his laugh might sound like-- if he ever deemed it time to laugh. Not that that would ever happen.

It was a broken, foreign sound, completely devoid of humour and it had enough of an effect to send a single shiver up Sesshomaru's spine, in a similar manner that Inuyasha had when he had first seen him in his demon form.

It was a bitter sound of pain and irony and one that he never wanted to hear his little brother utter again, and only many years of careful training allowed him to resist the urge to go over and backhand his brother, if for no other reason than to get him to shut up and stop that horrendous sound.

He didn't need to worry though, for the next second the sound ended, just like that, and an uncomfortable sort of silence seemed to fill the room.

Inuyasha didn't seem to notice.

His eyes were grim and dull as he looked up at Sesshomaru through his shield of eyelashes and tears.

'That's so typical of Naraku.' He said, turning his eyes once again to Miroku's hand. 'It's not bad enough that he had to curse Miroku and his entire family, but he gave him a curse that existed within his very being and would one day spread and kill him.' He chuckled bitterly, the sound nearly making Sesshomaru's hackles raise as his little brother leaned his head back against the wall, silent for a moment, his eyes closing one again.

'He's not like the rest of us, Sesshomaru.' He said slowly. 'He doesn't have all this time to plan, though it is in his nature to, if I remember correctly.' He opened his eyes and glanced sidelong at his brother. 'He can't wait hundreds of years like some of the demons can, or even just a few decades like some of the humans can. I don't even know if he can wait one more year. He said that the wind tunnel spreads each year, but it's already been forcefully spread by other demons and Naraku. He doesn't have much time left.'

He closed his eyes again, tears beginning to fall from the corners and slip down his cheeks.

'Dammit all!' He said loudly, though not loud enough to disturb the monk or kitsune, his voice laced with frustrated agony. 'How can Naraku do all these things?' He asked angrily, though it was clearly a rhetorical question.

He smashed his head back against the wall once, not hard enough to do any damage, but still enough to draw attention and cause concern as he looked helplessly over at Miroku. 'I just want it all to stop, Sesshomaru.' He said, his voice a soft whisper, the tears evident in it. 'I want him to be stopped.'

'He will be, otouto.' Sesshomaru said slowly, considering the figure before him a moment. 'We will do everything we can to save your friend.' He said suddenly, surprising both himself and Inuyasha, though neither of them let on.

Inuyasha cast a sad look over at his brother, before offering him a weak smile. 'Thanks aniki.' He said, catching Sesshomaru off guard. 'I needed to hear that.'

Sesshomaru stared in stoic surprise at his little brother a moment more, before turning and walking out of the room without a word, and Inuyasha didn't try and stop him.

His brother had been spending a lot of time and energy on him and the other's lately and, youkai or not, even he would need some time to regenerate. Alone.

So he focused his attention instead on his friend, who had begun tossing around a bit in his sleep and mumbling things under his breath.

Knowing that a fever victim could hurt themselves if they were allowed to thrash about a lot, Inuyasha reached up and quickly rewrapped the furs around the monk more tightly, not giving him room to move an inch for fear that he would wriggle his way free again and then settling down to keep watch.

'I wonder what's taking that toad so damn long anyway.' He wondered was he rested his arms across his knees and leaned back against the wall once more. Miroku was still mumbling and was now struggling to get free from his knew captor blankets.

Frowning slightly, Inuyasha reached over and took his injured hand in his own again, which seemed to be the cause of all this distress in the first place.

Miroku instantly stilled slightly, his brow furrowing as he mumbled something to his sleep and fever claimed mind.

'Shh, Miroku.' He said softly, pressing a finger to his friend's lips. 'Stop wasting all your damn energy monk.' He added with non-existent humour in his voice. Miroku seemed to calm slightly at his words (though the hanyou doubted he understood who had said them and what he had said) but still continued trying to saying something.

Inuyasha sighed.

'I wish I knew how to help you.' He said softly, going quiet when Miroku unexpectedly did the same. For a moment the room was filled with silence, then Miroku's brow knitted together once again in distress and he began to wiggle about some more.

Instantly Inuyasha placed his hand on his friend's chest, holding him still, and then, acting on impulse alone with no real thought given to it, he began speaking again. Well, singing actually (not something he had ever been fond of, but he had watched Kikyo sing more times than he could remember to some of the sick people she helped or small children). Unfortunately he only knew one song that he had picked up on the many time's the children had sung it in the villages they had passed.

'Pure has now become Impure

Impure has now become Pure

Good has now become Bad

Bad has become Good.'

It was a simple tune and it sounded very depressing and sad, especially on his inexperienced voice, but Miroku seemed calmed by it nonetheless, and went very still, almost as though listening for more.

Not wanting his friend to being thrashing about or mumbling again, Inuyasha repeated the verse a few more times before it began to really play on his nerves (and vocal chords) and he gave up on the song. For all of five seconds before Miroku began to start up again.

Then he was forced to talk about things-- many things-- things he didn't normally talk about, things that he really didn't know what to say about, and things that had never happened at all.

He didn't know if Miroku could hear him or not, but that hardly mattered.

He was just rambling in an effort to soothe his friend, and if this was what worked, then he would continue to do it until his mouth ran dry and his throat shrivelled up from the effort.

Glossary

Kitsune - Fox

Hanyou - Half-Demon

Ningen - Human

Kazaana - Wind Tunnel

Baka - Fool!

Otouto - Little Brother

Aniki - Big Brother

Youkai - Demon

A\N: Okay, so, the song in this is just a little one that I've heard several times on the TV show (the little kids were singing it in the background and I think it was discussed for all of five seconds on one of the episodes) and I'm not sure if I got the lyrics exactly right (this is all by memory peoples). I don't know the name of the song nor who wrote it\sang it, but it wasn't me and I'm not laying any claim on it for that.

Anyway, if anyone's wondering what's happening with Kagome, Amaya and Sango, I'll get back to them soon enough, just please be patient-- I'm beating my brains out to try and get these chapter's up and I can only do so many characters at a time!

Hm. Here's an interesting thing... The closest word Spellcheck can find for "Inuyasha" is Natasha. o.O

Lol, well I thought it was weird anyway...

Anyway, again, sorry for anyone who seems OOC! Except for Inuyasha (but that's only because of the ordeal he's been through) I didn't mean to do it!

SPECIAL THANKS AND LOTS OF CANDY, POCKY AND STRAWBERRY'S TO: Almandine-Azaleea, Black Betty, Kuroi, Sexy Kat, wolfgirl13 (and chibi-Sesshomaru I guess... ), ultimateromantic, RamblingPhilosopher, Clouds of the Sky, Bluer Sky, xolovexinuyasha, Lord Makura, MewMewFireHeart, lunerfox, Inume-blue, Wish-full Thinker, Wings of Fayth, fairydiva, Darking Queen, Box Queen, Jtmscola and last, but not least angelwinz21

Phew

Hang on a moment!

Catches breath

Okay, those people are the AWESOME reviewers from the last chapter, and the main inspiration for this chapter! Thank them if you're enjoying this!

CMoC - Haunted - Evanescence (Can't get this damn song out of my head!), Brand new world - V6, Scars - Papa Roach, Broken - Seether\Evanescence, Bring me to Life - Evanescence, For You - Smile Empty Soul, Silhouettes - Smile Empty Soul, Never Again - Smile Empty Soul, Lies - Evanescence (Am I sensing a pattern here?), My Will - Dream aaand Hollaback(Is that it's title?) - Gwen Steffani

Bit of a change of pace at the end there, but mostly I guess I'm just listening to Evanescence and Smile Empty Soul. Hm. I didn't even notice until I typed this out...