*~`$`~*

"Grandpa! Can you stop putting these things in my room?" A young girl around the age of 14 stormed downstairs into her family's living room. She held a fake jewel with a small keychain attached to it. The teenager's normally warm brown eyes flared with irritation. She shook her head angerily, raven locks that reached almost mid-back tousling around her shoulders. The girl wore pink pajama bottoms and top. She snorted disdainfully and glanced at the dangled jewel in her fingers. "What is this thing anyway? And why do you insist that I keep one in my room? Hello? Grandpa! Are you listening?"

He was not. His face was plastered to the TV, listening to the daily news. He put a wrinkled finger to his lips. "Shush Kagome. I'm watching the news." He said sternly.

The girl identified as Kagome clenched her fists. "Grandpa..." She hissed.

"After the news..." He waved a hand absently in her direction.

Kagome stomped towards the TV and flicked off the power button.

"Hey! Turn it back on!" The elder demanded.

"Not until you answer my questions! Why in god's name must I have these in my room?" Kagome desperately asked, holding up the keychain.

Grandpa gazed at the object, now intrigued. He cleared his throat. "That, my granddaughter, is the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls."

"Jewel of Four Souls? It looks like an ordinary keychain to me." She repeated, bringing the chain closer to her face.

"It's not just a key chain." Grandpa huffed. "It's a replica of an ancient jewel which had extraordinary powers. Powers so great that-"

"Do you seriously think you can fool tourists into buying these fake things?" Kagome studied the keychain then yawned widely. She walked past her grandpa, dropping the fake jewel into his hands. "I'm going to bed."

Suddenly, the girl clapped then turned back to her grandpa, grinning. "You do remember that tomorrow is my birthday right?"

"Yes, of course Kagome. I got you something nice too." Grandpa repiled.

"Can I have it now? No, wait!" The young girl slapped her forehead. "I'll open it after school tomorrow okay? I don't want to get distracted before my big test."

"I guarentee that you will be too distracted with my gift if I gave it to you now." He winked.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight!" Kagome waved. She raced up the stairs and into her bed where she almost instantly fell asleep.

*~`$`~*

A surge of freedom captivated the teenager. A gust of wind playfully tousled his locks of hair which normally framed his handsome face. He leapt into the entangled branches of a maple tree and burst through the vegetation to another. The male breathed in deeply, crisp autumn air filled his expanded lungs.

To the human eye, he was only a blur. Darting from one tree to the next. He landed to catch his breath, panting and gazing at the small round object in his hand. It glowed with an unearthly, almost foul shine. The object seemed deceptively evil and it was.

But he liked it anyway.

Hell, he loved it.

A twig snapped and a scent found it's way to his nostrils.

The teenager's ears twitched and his eyes widened in utter surprise.

"No...it can't be."

Suddenly, an extreme amount of pain enfolded his very being. Something which only desired to hurt him, struck the teenager with pinpoint accuracy and purpose. The force of the blow pinned him to a tree and he gasped weakly as the round object soared out of his hand and fell innocently onto the ground. A female figure staggered out of the bushes, her hands still tensed on her bow professionally. All that counted was that her subject was caught.

Seeing this, the woman groaned in pain and collasped onto the grass.

The teenager's eyes flickered faintly with anger and he clenched his fists in injustice. This wasn't his fault! He was betrayed by her. He had fallen for her tricks!

Pity wrapped it's arms around him.

She was hurt. Badly hurt.

Eternal sleep began to envelop the male. His eyes drooped and with the last of his strength, he reached for the woman on the ground who could barely lift her head to gaze at him.

"K-Kikyo? How could-I thought-" He never finished. The arm dropped and his eyes finally rested.

The woman crawled forward. Her left hand grasped her right shoulder where she had been brutually slashed across her torso. Her skin had already begun to pale and blood flowed steadily from the open wound. "I-Inuyasha..." She reached the small round object on the forest floor and grasped it with her right hand. Blood dripped onto the smooth surface and tainted the jewel black.

Kikyo stood up dizzily. Her gaze wavered on the pinned half-demon whose expression was oddly peaceful. "M-Maybe death will be a release for you, as it will be for me." The woman sighed wearily, trudging towards the tree. Kikyo's arms encircled around the teenager's form, grasping him tightly.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha. But why? Why did you have to betray me?! I loved you so much..." She wheezed.

"Lady Kikyo!" A shrill voice echoed.

Kikyo slowly lifted up her head. "My poor sister. Kaede..."

"Lady Kikyo!" The cry was getting closer.

Kikyo released her hold on Inuyasha and slumped to the ground, clutching her wound. A small cry parted her lips and she shook her head visibly. A young girl burst through the bushes, her simple kimono covered in twigs and leaves. An eye patch covered her right eye and her black hair was tied up in a ponytail.

Tears filled her one good eye. "Sister!" She hurried over to her sister, a stumbling, sobbing mess. "You're hurt very badly!" She gingerly held up her older sister who no longer had the will or power to do it herself.

"I forgot who I-I now see. All of this for the sacred jewel which-" Kikyo cringed.

Kaede stood up. "Your in pain, I'll get someone to-"

"I won't feel it much longer and I give this to you." Kikyo held out the sacred jewel to her younger sister.

"Why? Please don't leave me..." She hiccuped, rubbing tears from her swollen eye.

"Listen Kaede." Kikyo placed the jewel in Kaede's hands and clasped them together. "Get a hold of yourself. Every priestess sees an endless amount of death." The older woman ruffled the younger's hair. "You are strong. You will get through this. Now, you must take the jewel and burn it with my body. It must not fall into the hands of those who would abuse it."

Kikyo winced and keeled over. The last breath of life left her and a wistful experession was all that was left on her face.

"Sister Kikyo! Sister Kikyo!"

The cry of agony that went up was like no other.

*~`$`~*

With a roar, the demon cat raced forward, grabbing Sango and bringing her away just in time. Mistress Centipede's jaws caught only air as her attempted assault on Sango was foiled by the other demon. The centipede turned, Kirara was snarling viciously at her, ready to shake the life out of the surviving creature. Not wanting to stick around for her future demise, Mistress Centipede fled through the debris and into the forest nearby.

So, he tricked her.

That bastard! Mistress Centipede growled inwardly. He purposely decieved me. He sent me into an open trap and I willingly walked into it! I have this globe of power inside me and I was promised at least tenfold of this. It was because of this power that I wasn't killed when that bitch slayer impaled me with her katana.

Speaking of said katana, it was still stuck inside the demon. Blood dripped steadily from the wound and pooled on the ground where she rested beneath a tree. With one of her many arms, the centipede pulled out the offending appendage and threw it as far as she could. The demon breathed deeply, It's probably only a matter of time before this damn wound kills me. But instead of feeling worse, the wound now felt-better? Mistress Centipede glanced down at her chest where the hole was already healing itself. Soon, only a small scar was seen.

This gives me an idea. The demon thought maliciously. Maybe I can finish that bastard's plan after all. I can track that demon slayer, learn her fighting habits and face her. Once I give the human wench to the bastard and he gives me my power, I will kill him and that bitch!

They're both in for a real surprise.

"Sango, are you alright?"

The dazed teenager glanced up into warm, worried brown orbs. She chuckled lightly to herself and burshed some dirt off of her slayer suit. "Kirara saved me Kohaku. I'm just fine." Sango patted the cream-colored feline on the back who licked her mistress back in return, purring softly.

"Oh, good. I was sure she had you Sango. By the way, she-uh-got away." Kohaku stammered, glancing in the direction of the forest.

"She got lucky then." Sango muttered, using the help of Kirara to bring herself up.

Kohaku blinked. "You're not going after the demon?"

"No. She'd be impossible to track inside that forest. But even a dopey demon would know better then to attack this village again." Sango stated. Kirara, meanwhile, was suddenly surrounded by a wall of swirling flames. And then, she was a tiny cream-colored feline.

People began emerging from their refuges. Doors opened and heads poked out to check if there was any remaining threat. When they only found a blood-soaked slayer, her brother and a tiny cat; the humans thought it safe to come out. Oddly, people began cheering and running around as some form of celebration. Children were hugged and fawned over, people were kissed, some cried, some laughed, some yelled. It was a strange sight to behold.

Out of the commotion, an elderly man passed with hard determination. As he passed, the cheering would halt slightly as some form of respect but then regain it's former volume once the man had passed. The elderly man stopped in front of Sango who was in the center of the village. Kirara leapt into Sango's arms as the teenager bowed slightly to the older figure. Kohaku watched his sister curiously then copied her gesture of respect, looking sideways at his older sister.

"Thank you very much demon slayers. I, on behalf of my village, am thankful that you showed up just in time." The old headman said.

"No problem. It's our job to protect others from demons." Sango repiled, stroking the tiny Kirara behind the ears.

"Yes. To be honest, I was worried about you two in battle. Especially you, young lad." The headman turned to Kohaku who shrunk a little under the elder's friendly gaze. "But, I'm glad to see that both of you pulled out just fine. I'm sure that some of the villagers are surprised that a young boy and a woman could take on those giant demons."

"See, Kohaku?" Sango nudged her little brother playfully. "You did great."

"I guess I did good." Kohaku shrugged, blushing and staring down at his toes.

"Now, for your payment. Follow me you two." The man beckoned both of them with a wrinkly finger as he headed towards the large house just a few yards away from them.