Full Moon

Belief and Betrayal

I don't know how long I stayed curled up on the tatami mat that night, crying my eyes out, trying to find a reason to continue living. I didn't know how I managed to not get up, go outside, and find a river to drown myself in, solving all of my problems in an instant. I also don't know how the night could have taken so long to pass, how time could have slowed down so much that it barely beat a few seconds per minute.

But, I did survive the night. And, eventually, I did stop crying, wiping the tear stains from my face. It was still dark when this happened, though I imagined light wasn't far off, and once I'd finished having my pity party, I stared at the floor, my mind racing.

I knew I had to do something, knew I couldn't just lay here and wallow in my pity. I didn't think anyone would blame me for it - after all, my life had just been ripped from me, torn away in perhaps the most cruel way possible - but even if they didn't blame me, their kindness wouldn't stop what was to come.

I was going to be hunted. It was inevitable. The monsters would come at me quick, striking first and thinking later. There would be no escape.

I was a goner.

I was prey.

I was the Irazumi.

This was my life now, no matter how much I wished differently.

My heart sank into the deep crevices of my chest as I thought this, sighing, wanting to cry more at the cruelness of it all, though I'd shed so many tears I didn't think I'd ever be able to cry again.

I was stuck in this strange world, wherever and whenever it was, and I was going to be hunted by demons, and one of them would eventually catch me. I couldn't go back home - could never see my family again...my mom's smiling face, my brother's quirky smile; I would never hear my dad laugh another time.

I was doomed, reduced to demon chow, and if not that…

My heart wrenched in an almost painful way as I remembered back to what Myoga had said, remembered the two sons (only one of which he'd mentioned) that would also be looking for me.

Would I have a better chance if I ended up with one of them? It was their duty to protect me, since their father had been the protector of almost all of the past Irazumis, but would they take on that duty, or would they ignore it?

Myoga had seemed absolutely certain that the son named Inuyasha would come, would probably be by my side in the morning, but...what if he was wrong? And what about the other son? As I closed my eyes and remembered the image I'd seen of him - tall and regal, unfeeling, with eyes as cold as the arctic, though as golden as the sun - I highly doubted it. He looked more likely to kill me than protect me.

My heart wrenched inside of my chest again as my feelings of despair increased. It seemed I was doomed either way - whether the rogue demons attacked me or I was killed by the son with the feral countenance. My only flicker of hope left seemed to be Myoga's Inuyasha, though I had no idea what he was like, whether or not he would care to take on the responsibility of protecting me, or would be strong enough to fend the other demons off.

My mind took to pondering then, as I shifted on my tatami mat, wanting to keep my thoughts as busy as I could so that they couldn't shift back to my family, back to what I had lost. I thought of what Myoga had told me about the Inutaisho, thought of what I knew of him from when his ghost (or whatever it was that had been) that had saved me back in the well.

I was sure that it had been him now. After all, who else could have possibly appeared and saved me, told me of my fate, shown me the images of the two sword and the two sons?

He had seemed...nice enough, though in a strange way. But was Inuyasha anything like him? What would he say, how would he react? Was he really bound to protect me, as Myoga had suggested, or was it an option for him? I wasn't sure exactly how the Irazumi thing worked, but I knew that his father had gained power by protecting the Irazumi who had come before me.

My lids finally began to feel heavy though my thoughts began to increase, the weight of what I was feeling weighing heavily into me, the loneliness tugging at my chest again. I had to push more thoughts of my family aside as I focused on Inuyasha, what he may have been like, picturing the brief flash I'd seen of him and trying to dissect it bit by bit, envisioning him as a real person, someone I could reach out and touch.

The vision came slowly at first, and all I could really imagine was a big glob of bright red, which seemed to be the color he liked to wear. But then, I thought about the Tetsusaiga, which my mind could easily picture, and then the vision of him cleared, and I suddenly felt as though I was looking right at him, the real thing. And that's when I noticed something…

He had ears. Strange ears, not like a human.

My mind, seeking for another thing to keep me away from my misery, I focused hard on the ears, trying to figure out what they reminded me of. This Inuyasha, he seemed...strange...and…

That's when my mind put the pieces together.

Inuyasha. Inutaisho. There sure was a lot of "inu" going around lately.

Tiredness closing in and despair threatening, I had to wrack my brain hard to remember what it was exactly that "inu" meant. I shivered as I pulled the blanket closer around me, curling into even more of a ball on the tatami, before suddenly, the meaning popped into my head.

Inu.

Dog.

Inu meant dog.

A frown played on my lips as the answer to my question came, and the motion hurt, since not long ago, I'd been crying and sobbing. I wrestled with my despair for a moment before I conquered it again, thinking of Inuyasha's ears - his dog ears.

Inuyasha must have been a dog demon - I remembered (vaguely) from my studies on Japanese culture that there were supposedly a slew of demon types, a good variety of which were animals. But why did my supposed savior have to be a dog demon? I'd always been terrified of dogs…

Though my brother hadn't. He'd always wanted one when we were little, but every time we'd gone to get one I'd cried, run, darted away, sobbed, and even passed out a few times from fear, and so we'd never -

The despair came back in an instant, bone-crushing, as I gasped, the tears I'd thought would never come again returning, stinging in my eyes. A flood of memories came back along with faces - my mother, my brother, my dad. My family. They were all laughing and happy, all spending time together, all sharing in each others accomplishments and failures. And then there I was, standing beside them, running towards them, but never able to grasp them in my hands.

They were gone. I was gone, and I would never be able to see them again…

Or so I had been told.

My jaw clenched as a strange, gutteral growl escaped my lips, anger boiling along with the pain. My fists tightened as my whole body became rigid, tears still streaking down my face.

How did I know that I wouldn't be able to get home? How did I know that Myoga hadn't lied to me - that he was telling the truth about anything? A look at my arm reminded me of the tattoo-like mark I had, of what had happened in the well, the light that had shot forth from my arm, but still it didn't convince me.

After all, I believed Kaede, the old...was she a priestess(she had to have been, wearing what she wore; a miko, if you wanted to use the Japanese term)? She hadn't seemed like she was lying to me, and from the look on her face, I could tell that she had felt pity towards me, had wanted to help. But Myoga had left things out in his explanation. He had mentioned the Irazumi and the Inutaisho and even Inuyasha, but he hadn't said anything about the other son, for whom I had no name, or about the Tenseiga, his sword. Who was to say that he hadn't left other things out as well, hadn't lied to me about being able to return home?

If this Inuyasha was his new master, then of course he would want me to stay. If I did, then eventually, if I wanted, I could make Inuyasha stronger. I suddenly felt like a fool for not realizing it sooner, for not knowing that I was being duped.

Maybe...

Of course, I had no way of knowing whether or not he was telling the truth. For all I knew, he could have been telling the truth, could have been keeping the other son a "secret" (since he didn't know what had happened in the well, or know that I knew about the swords) for some other reason, but…

But the part of me that loved my family couldn't accept this notion, that I'd never, eversee them again. It was just too cruel, whether it was the truth or not, and I didn't want to put any weight to it, because I wanted to go home.

I wanted to see my family again.

And so, I made a pact, fists clenching - that no matter what I had to do or what I had to say, I would find my way back home again.

And nothing - not Myoga, not the Inutaisho, not Inuyasha or his brother - would stand in my way.

When my eyes opened, I was bound, my hands tied behind my back and my ankles aching, my knees hurting beneath me because I was kneeling, as was the Japanese traditional, not at all used to it. For an instant I wondered where I was, how I could be in pain if this was nothing but a dream, but a shift in the shadows took my thoughts away as alarm raced through me, and I looked up.

I was in some sort of building - big, from the looks of it, with an out-cut window in front of me, overlooking a mountain. The floor beneath me was wooden, polished and clean, and the ceiling high above me was made of the same wood, though it was a darker color. I vaguely noticed that I was wearing something different - a kimono, pink and cream colored - before the figure that had been lurking in the shadows materialized completely, sitting across from me on a deep, red cushion.

I recognized him immediately, my heart pounding in my chest at the sight of him. He looked strangely different than he had before, more of a man and less of a monster, though his crimson eyes still held the same burning hate.

I tried to open my mouth, about to demand he tell me where I was and what he wanted with me, not caring about the consequences at the moment, but then I realized that my mouth refused to move, to open, and panic began to set in.

For his part, the man laughed, a cruel smile curving along his lips. "Do not be alarmed, Irazumi-san," he said in a mock-comforting tone, and I glared at him, wishing my hands were free so I could try and claw open my mouth, or even strangle him. "I simply wanted you to hear what it is that I have to say."

My shoulders hunched as my glare increased, my hands moving furiously, trying to break out of their binds, though I found it useless. I didn't want to hear anything this man - monster - had to say, remembering the last time I had seen him, in the dream with the little boy, where he had suddenly appeared and threatened me, but I didn't seem to have any choice.

It was like I was gagged, though there was no gag over my mouth. My lips were simply sealed shut.

The monster man seemed to relax a bit as I quit trying to free my hands, instead keeping still, tilting my head and silently asking him to say his piece. "My name is Naraku," he finally said, introducing himself, and despite myself, I shivered at the name and its sound. "And you are Luna-san, the Irazumi. Welcome to our time, what I believe you might call the Feudal Era."

My heart nearly stopped when he said this, and I lurched forward a bit, shock causing me to twitch. I already knew that he knew my name, but the fact that he knew I wasn't from this...time...bothered me as much as the fact that he knew what era I was in, knew what history would call this.

My heart also stopped because of the news of where I was - in the Feudal Era, the era of war and pain, and obviously demons - though it also made sense. Things were definitely old-fashioned here, and it would explain the weapons they used, and the homes they lived in.

"I bet you are wondering how it is that I know this," Naraku's cruel smile lengthened a little then, though it was still small, sly, unworried. "Unfortunately, that is not what I called you here for. You see, Irazumi-san, I have a proposition for you...a little...bargain, which requires nothing on your part, accept that you say yes."

My heart fluttered instead of stopped when I heard this, my mouth still glued shut, my mind trying to sort through the signals that Naraku was giving off.

He didn't look like he was trustworthy, and he had attacked me before, saying that he was after me...and yet...now he wanted to bargain, wanted nothing in return for what he was willing to give me?

It just didn't make sense. He had to have been trying to con me into something, though I had no idea what.

Naraku must have sensed my disbelief, because he chuckled again. "I see you thinking, Luna-san," he said, and I cringed as he uttered my name. "I assume you are wondering if I am trying to trick you or not. I can assure you that the answer is no," his smile turned an inch reassuring then, though it didn't reassure me at all. "My quest is simple: I gain power by absorbing others into my body," the revelation made me want to gag, but I didn't say anything, didn't give myself away. "When I first met you, as I'm sure you will remember, I though that with you I could do the same…" his eyes darkened just a smidge then, a small frown showing on his face. "But I have discovered that is not the case, and so I wish to aid you in your quest to return home," his gaze bored into me as he abruptly finished talking, and I did my best to digest what he'd just said.

It didn't make any sense, but then again...it sort of did. I had met this Naraku character in one of my dreams, which I knew by now were somehow connected to my reality, and he had tried to attack me - and for good reason, too, since if he really did absorb others as he said he did, from absorbing me he could have gained a huge amount of power...if that was how the Irazumi's curse worked.

But it wasn't. I had already been told that. As the Irazumi, I had no power to give away my power until death, and that was only if I wanted to give it away, not if I was forced. Absorbing me would do Naraku no good, and having me in his time, where the Inutaisho's sons could find me and continue on the bargain that their dad had forged wouldn't help him, either - because eventually, if I were to stay in the Feudal Era, I was going to die, and if I wanted, my powers as Irazumi would be passed onto one of them...making them stronger than Naraku.

But, if that were the case...why didn't Naraku just kidnap me and try and force me into death, into giving him my powers willingly? Was that just too time consuming for him? And why had he attacked me in a dream, and how did he even know how to do that? Had he been hoping to force me into some sort of coma, so that he could come and find me in real life?

Looking up, into Naraku's ugly, burning gaze, I had no answers for any of these questions. But then again, I really didn't want to ask him, either, because if I did, then it would show him just how clueless I really was. I didn't know if he were still a threat, or if he was telling the truth, but I didn't want to give any small amount of power I had over my fate away.

Enough control over my life had been given away as it was.

"You would return me to my time, to my home?" I asked after a moment, composing myself so that my voice didn't shake as much as my insides were shaking, showing off my fear of this strange man. "And you want nothing in return? How am I supposed to believe that?"

Naraku shifted his weight before he did exactly what I had expected him to do - he laughed. I felt irritation bubble in my veins as I stared at his laughing self, but the laugh lasted only a moment, and then he returned his serious gaze to me, smiling a bit.

"My dear Luna, I assure you that I tell the truth about this matter," he said in a smooth voice, and my insides curled, because he reminded of a snake, something not to be trusted. "I'm sure that you have already ascertained that your continued presence here would be a hinderance for me. Why should I not return you to your own time, so that both of us can be at peace?" he watched me as he spoke, trying to judge my reaction, and though I did my best to keep myself composed, I wasn't able to hide my uncertainty.

I didn't understand what it was that he was getting at. I knew that he was right in the sense that my staying in the Feudal Era could be harmful to him, but at the same time, I wasn't sure why he was bothering to help me. He didn't seem like the nice, trustworthy type...but then again, if he was offering to return me to my home, then how could I refuse?

I had to make it back home, and it didn't seem like anyone else would help me get there, so what if I had to make a contract with the devil? Myoga had said that there wasn't a way home, but he had also excluded other information from me, so I didn't feel as though he were telling the truth. And this Inuyasha character, he was with Myoga - and even if he did decide to try and help me, what if he failed?

Naraku's offer would be my backup plan. If I couldn't find another way home, then I would turn to him, and if I did find another way home, then the offer would be void anyway, because I would no longer be in Feudal Japan. I didn't trust Naraku as far as I could throw him, and in a way, I felt like I was betraying Inuyasha, though I didn't know him - but I also didn't see what choice I had. It wasn't like Naraku was going to kill me, and as long as I was alive, I would eventually be able to make it home.

After making my decision, I nodded my head in acceptance, since I couldn't speak through my invisible gag. I watched as Naraku's dark eyes lit up, making my heart sink. I wanted to get home, but I also felt like there was something I was missing, something that I should have been noticing. The crushing feeling of betrayal weighed even heavier on me as I watched him.

"I look forward to seeing you in person, Luna-san," I drew in a heavy breath as the world around me started to dissipate at the edges, signaling that I was about to wake up, end my dream. Though the ends of my vision started to sway, Naraku stayed clear, eyes never leaving my face. "Do not worry about seeking me out. In a few days, I will find you," the end of his sentence lingered as my vision swirled, and I hoped, the feeling of betrayal still biting at me, that I hadn't just made a grave mistake.

The arrival of the next day came swiftly as my eyelids fluttered open, and I groaned, seeing sunlight travel in through the cracks in the hut, reminding me of where I was. I simply lay there for a few moments, hearing hushed voices coming from outside the hut's entrance, before I finally made myself sit up, knowing that pity would do nothing for me.

Yes, I felt broken and tattered inside, and I had just made a bargain with a man who I knew was evil, possibly a demon, but it didn't really matter, because I still had a promise to keep - a promise to myself, a promise to make it back home to my family, and I had already decided that I would do whatever it took to make my promise a reality...no matter how much it hurt, or who I trampled on.

I stood to my feet shakily as I looked around the small, cramped hut, feeling my heart sink again to the bottom of my chest. Thankfully, my family was overly zealous about camping, so I was used to surviving in the outdoors, living in tents, roasting things over fires, but it would still be hard to adjust to living in the Fuedal Era, where I wouldn't find so much as a cell phone, especially if I never...made it back home again.

I shut my eyes closed tight when I thought this, forcing images of my family's tear-stained faces from my mind as I pictured what would happen if I never did return. I knew that in reality, it was probably a long shot that I would find a way home, that Naraku would be able to help me, but I couldn't start doubting myself now.

I had to make it home. I had to be strong - stronger than any Irazumi had ever been before, stronger than the demons and the challenges I would face, stronger than the Inutaisho or his sons.

I felt a steely calm settle over me as I breathed in a fresh breath, putting an invisible sort of mask over my face. There wasn't a wash bin anywhere in sight, so I had no idea how awful my face looked (though my makeup was probably smudged, my eyeliner probably running down my face), but I could at least put on a show and make others think that I hadn't turned catatonic. Myoga had said that Inuyasha would probably arrive in the morning, and morning had come, and I definitely didn't want my supposed protector's first image of me to be that of a crying, homesick girl.

But as I stepped forward to exit the hut, I heard voices echo outside, and I stopped, listening, curiosity and self-preservation taking over me.

"Tell me, Myoga-san, do you think Inuyasha will be the only one to seek out Luna-sama?" I stiffened when I heard Kaede's voice, every fiber of my being listening intently, begging Myoga to answer, begging my muscles not to move.

Of course. The two of them were sitting outside of the hut, guarding it for me. Kaede had said she would do so the night previous, before I'd fallen asleep, before I'd gained my steely resolve. I wondered then if they had heard me crying, wailing, missing my family. I also wondered why they hadn't realized I was awake yet - maybe along with my steeliness, I'd also adopted stealth?

But, the burning question in my mind was this: would Myoga answer Kaede truthfully? The old priestess (because now, I was sure that's what she was) didn't seem to be stupid, and must have figured him out, figured out that he wasn't telling us (me) everything. It seemed that she knew Inuyasha too, so maybe she knew about his brother as well.

"Whatever do you mean?" Myoga answered nervously, and in that moment I wanted to strangle him, frustration taking over. I stayed in place, however, fighting to keep my breathing normal, not wanting to give off any indication that I was awake, moving, listening. A moment later, Myoga sighed, finally giving in, and I wondered if Kaede had glared at him with her one good eye. "No, I do not think Inuyasha-sama will be the only one to seek out Luna-sama. In fact, I know he won't be. Aside from the other nefarious youkai who will no doubt seek to make Luna-sama their prey, there is also…" blood pumped quickly in my ears as I willed him to say the name, to give the image of the other son that had been plaguing my mind a title.

In the end, it was Kaede who said it, and her words left me speechless, my mind reeling.

"You mean to say Sesshoumaru-sama, do you not?" the old priestess asked, and I nearly felt my legs give out, shock overcoming me.

At first, I thought I had heard her wrong - or, at least, hoped I had heard her wrong. But as silence reigned, Myoga giving nothing away, I knew that I hadn't heard wrong at all. I had heard right, and the idea left me reeling, an all-too familiar shiver trickling down my spine.

Sesshoumaru. Whenever I heard that name, I felt a sort of nauseous fear overcome me, though I didn't know why. I had never met anyone by that name, but, if I remembered and pictured the cold-eyed son I had seen, wielding the Tenseiga, then the name made perfect sense. Because, even though I couldn't translate the name completely, I knew it had to do something with death.

What an awful thing to name a child.

I felt confusion fill me then as I thought of the name, of where else I had heard it. One time, when I'd been talking with Rin, she had mentioned a Sesshoumaru. But, were her Sesshoumaru and mine the same, or were they different? Rin was so cute and sweet, somehow I couldn't picture her being anywhere near someone who sounded so dangerous.

I shook my head as more words traveled to me from outside, trying to dislodge these thoughts. There was a good chance that Rin was real since I had seen her in my dreams, but I would probably never meet her in real life, despite what she had said. And, on the contrary, there was probably very little chance that Rin knew the Sesshoumaru that Kaede was talking about. Fate simply wasn't that cruel - or at least it hadn't been to me, until it had deal me the Irazumi card.

My heart clenched as I thought about how fate had screwed with my life in the past few days, and I shook my head again, ears training on the conversation going on outside once again.

"Yes, Kaede-san," Myoga finally relented, telling the truth for once. "I was referring to Inuyasha-sama's older brother. As I mentioned before, the Tetsusaiga will be drawn to the Irazumi unrelentingly, and will thus lead Inuyasha-sama here, to Luna-sama. My old master saw to it that the sword was equipped with this feature so that if anything were to happen to him, his bargain with the Irazumi would live on," I wrapped my head around the information as I tried to get my heart to slow, tried to get myself to calm down. "The Tenseiga will do the same, begging its master to find the Irazumi, thus leading Sesshoumaru-sama here as well...and though Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't care for ningen on the best of days, I have no doubt that he will follow the Tenseiga. He, unlike Inuyasha-sama, knows of the dealings his father had with the Irazumi in the past. And he is a prideful youkai, and surely would want to carry out his father's duty, whether he agrees with it or not…" Myoga sighed, and inside of the hut, I felt illness wash over me. "I can only hope that Inuyasha-sama is closer, for Luna-sama's sake…" the flea demon trailed off then, and Kaede sighed heavily, and I felt like I had just be dealt my fate.

Either way, I would meet both of the Inutaisho's sons, and either way, I couldn't stop being the Irazumi. I knew that, deep down. I had known it from the beginning - or close to it. But I hadn't expected things to happen so quickly.

I hadn't expected to meet both of them nearly at once.

I took in a deep, heavy breath as I stilled my shaking legs and set my jaw, determined to go outside now, since Myoga and Kaede had fallen into a sort of silence. I knew I was afraid, especially now that I had heard that name, but I also knew that it didn't change anything, knew that I still had to be brave, even if it was only an act, so that I could make it back to my family.

I had to go home. I didn't belong here. I didn't know why I was here in the first place, how it was I had become the Irazumi.

For some reason, these thoughts led me to think of Kagome as I stepped forward, towards the entrance to the hut, and I gasped. Since I'd arrived in the Fuedal Era, I'd thought very little of her or of what had happened to her, other than the fact that if I could go back through the well, I could send her family after her, but now...I was sure that she'd been eaten, probably become snack for some hungry demon. I wondered if she had felt any pain, and my heart ached as I thought about the fact that she was most likely gone, since I'd liked Kagome. We hadn't spent much time together, but I had known her instantly, like we'd been best friends for a long time...like we had met before, numerous times.

Thoughts of Kagome dissolved from my mind as, out of nowhere, something hit me - a wave of some sort of energy, making my hair stand on end, everything in me screaming. But, my insides didn't scream to run, even though I felt panicked. Instead, they told me to gooutside, quickly, and, moving like a robot, I listened.

"Inuyasha-sama!"

I heard the cry just as I stepped out of the hut, pushing the flap that served as a door aside, seeing the stranger who wasn't a stranger standing not that far off, in front of the hut, wielding a pulsing Tetsusaiga. My eyes immediately went to him as the sword pointed directly at me, and then stopped pulsing, as if satisfied. I took in Inuyasha in all his strangeness - the sight of the dog ears atop his head made my body stiffen when I saw them, but after a few seconds, the feeling went away - before he looked up at me, golden eyes both wide and narrowed.

He didn't know what to think. And I didn't blame him, because I didn't know what to think, either.

"Inuyasha-sama!"

Something unidentifiable passed between us before Myoga leapt off of the hut's porch, making his way over to Inuyasha quickly. The little flea leapt up onto him and attacked itself to his neck before Inuyasha blinked, and, with an annoyed look flashing across his face, slapped the flea harshly. Myoga let out a little cry before he puffed back up to size, falling into Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga-less hand.

"Hey there Myoga, I was wonderin' where you'd run off to this time," Inuyasha said with that same annoyed look on his face, his eyes squinting as he looked away from me towards Myoga, who now faced him, looking up.

"Inuyasha-sama," Myoga said, and though I was on the porch, I could swear that I saw tears streaming from his eyes, as if he were hurt by the way that Inuyasha had slapped him, stopped him from drinking any blood. On the porch next to me, Kaede stood slowly, looking at Inuyasha but not saying anything, cracks issuing from her bones as they moved. "I was hoping you would arrive quickly - that is why I informed the Irazumi of you. And I see the Tetsusaiga has reacted," he said, glancing at the sword, which was in Inuyasha's other hand, looking strong and formidable and overly large.

Inuyasha blinked when Myoga mentioned the sword, and his eyes narrowed instantly. "What the hell is going on, Myoga?" he asked in a harsh tone, making the flea jump, as I glanced at the Tetsusaiga, which I would know anywhere now. "Tetsusaiga's been acting strange, and I take it you know all about it?" his mouth twitched into a frown as he looked from Myoga to me, his golden eyes intense.

I could hear my heart beat as I looked back at him, not sure if I should say anything or not. When he looked at me he looked wary, but at the same time...confused, as if he was trying to figure something out. And I shared in his confusion.

I just didn't understand.

"Inuyasha-sama, your Tetsusaiga was reacting to the Irazumi. Your father insured that the sword would do so, so that when the next Irazumi appeared, you would be able to find and protect them, thus continuing the pact your father had made," Myoga rambled on for a moment, but Inuyasha's eyes never left me. Finally, Myoga got the hint and turned in my direction. "This is the new Irazumi, Inuyasha-sama. She arrived here yesterday. Her name is -"

"Luna," both Myoga and Kaede seemed shocked when Inuyasha said my name, eyes still trained on me, but I wasn't shocked in the least bit, because I knew -

I knew him.

I didn't know how, but I knew him. I had no distinct memories of him, and I couldn't quote things that he had said, but I knew his face, his stance, found it strange that he wasn't being his normal, grumpy self, though there was no way I could have ever seen that grumpy self before. It was strange, like my instant connection to Kagome - only intensified, stronger, like instead of staring at a best friend, I was instead looking at someone who was close enough to be my brother.

And, judging by the look in Inuyasha's eyes, he knew me too. It must have been why he'd looked confused, wary, not sure of himself. But after he said my name, everything seemed to fall into place, and I offered him a small, fragile smile, feeling relief spread over me.

Though it made no sense, I was happy, because I knew my protector, the person I had been worrying about. I knew that he was a good person, though a little rough around the edges, and that he would help me try and find a way home, would do anything he could to get me back. I also knew that now I wouldn't need Naraku, of which I was grateful for, and -

Something inside of me beat against this idea when I thought it, telling me no. And again I got the idea that I was missing something, something that should have been apparent, something that was going to affect everything from here on out, something that would change my life while I was Irazumi. And, it was -

"Inuyasha!" I froze when another voice broke through the air, and then, from the same way that Inuyasha had no doubt came from, a girl in a school uniform appeared - Kagome. "Inuyasha, why did you run off like - " the stopped mid sentence when she saw me, staring, her eyes going wide. "Luna-san?" she asked, and before I could stop myself, I started crying, rushing forward to envelop her in a hug.

A few hours later, I found myself seated once again in Kaede's hut, though under much happier circumstances this time.

Across from me sat Inuyasha, who I would find watching me every few minutes, a thoughtful look in his eyes, though when I made eye contact he would look away and pretend to grimace. I wanted to talk to him, to ask him questions, ask him if he knew how we knew each other, but I never got the chance. And though I wanted to ask, I also found that not asking was okay - because the feeling was there, somehow, that he would take care of me, and I knew that along our journey, I would be able to talk to him.

Next to me sat Kagome, who had an hour or so ago returned from her home to bring me some supplies - we had tried the well, and I hadn't been able to go back home through it, a blow that had nearly crushed me, that still ached in my chest. But, though I'd felt crushed, I'd also been happy to see her come back with my backpack, which I had stuffed into my suitcase before leaving home, a long-ago gift from my brother, though the pack had also made me sad…

And all the more determined to find my way home.

Upon Kagome's return (after I had cleaned myself up a bit, thanks to Kaede's offer of a woven rag and some water; I was so glad to have my makeup smudges gone, though I also felt naked without the makeup), Myoga had explained the situation to both Kagome and Inuyasha, who had been particularly interested, glancing down at his Tetsusaiga, sheathed and docile now that it wasn't trying to find me, when it was mentioned. I'd felt my insides squirm a bit as Myoga had again skipped over the bit about Sesshoumaru, who I couldn't help but think was drawing closer with my every breath. I especially squirmed when Myoga again mentioned the fact that I wouldn't be able to get back home - ever - and the look that was to be found in Kagome's eyes when she promised me that she and Inuyasha would help me find my way back, even if we had to scour all of Feudal Japan.

"There has to be some way," Kagome said now as he bit down on her lip, thinking, Inuyasha's canine eyes landing on her this time, distinctly serious. "Maybe the well just didn't want to accept you because you came out of it just yesterday - maybe for the Irazumi, it takes time. We can try again tomorrow, or the next day, and maybe then you can go home," her brown eyes sparkled as she looked at me, hope lighting them up, refusing to be negative. "We have to wait for the others, anyway, so it wouldn't be bad to stay."

At that, Inuyasha grimaced. "Stay?" he echoed, folding his red-clad arms in annoyance. "We can't stay here. It's way too dangerous. We have to meet back up with Miroku and Sango," his eyes flashed to me in that instant, and though he still looked annoyed, I could also see a hint of worry lurking deep in his eyes.

It was strange, knowing someone but not knowing them. Ever since I had had the revelation, remembering Inuyasha, I had been in awe of it. It was strange, worrying about someone you had never met; I found myself worrying what would happen to Inuyasha because of me, what demons he would have to face, what would happen to Kagome and his other friends.

They had already told me about their travels, about their companions (Sango, the demon slayer, and her partner, Kirara, Shippo, the cute little fox, and Miroku, the lecherous monk whom Kagome had told me to be careful of), who had been left behind in a village that was being attacked by a rogue demon fleet that they had promised to destroy - a job they could handle, with people they needed to help. They had decided to stay behind and them meet up with Inuyasha and Kagome a few days later in Kaede's village, but it seemed that we were going to be meeting up with them instead.

Kagome had also told me about Naraku...about what an awful demon he was...about all of the lives that he had destroyed, and yet...I couldn't wish him away just yet. I didn't trust him, but I knew that, in this instance anyway, he was after me, not them. And though I liked Kagome and I knew Inuyasha like a brother, if they weren't able to help me find a way home quickly, I wasn't willing to sacrifice my family for either of them. It was selfish, and even cruel, but I wasn't going to let anything get in the way of my getting home.

Though I would do everything in my power to keep them out of Naraku's clutches. I didn't want to betray them so far as hand them over - I was an awful enough person for even considering keeping my pact with Naraku, and didn't want to make myself any worse.

"Inuyasha, perhaps it would be wise to stay here a few days and wait," it was Kaede's voice that broke through my thoughts, sounding thoughtful and wise. Inuyasha's gaze turned to her as he grimaced, obviously not liking the idea. "Myoga-san may be wrong, and perhaps Kagome-san is right. If ye can send Luna-sama back through the well, then there will be no need for her to endure the pain that comes with being the Irazumi."

To everyone's surprise (even mine), Inuyasha scoffed, grimacing even harder than before. "Are you all stupid?" he asked, tone condemning though his eyes were serious. "If we wait in this village any longer, then Luna won't stand a chance. I know I'm not the only one after her - if my sword could track her, then I bet Sesshoumaru's can, too. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna offer her up to him," his lips pulled together in a thin line as he looked directly at me, fire in his golden eyes, a promise that he wouldn't let his brother win.

But, despite the promise, I wasn't reassured. Fate seemed too cruel to make his words a reality.

And there was still that feeling - the feeling that I was missing something, which burned even brighter at the mention of Sesshoumaru.

Kagome's look sobered. "Inuyasha's right," she said as she stood, turning to look at me. In the background I saw Myoga glance at me as well, looking worried, his eyebrows furrowing when he seemed to sense that I already knew about Sesshoumaru. Kaede, for her part, didn't seem surprised. "Luna-san, there isn't any time to waste. We should get going and meet up with the others - we can come back at a safer time," she tried to smile at that, as I too stood to my feet, fighting the shakiness I felt, wanting to appear as steel again, but the smile looked fake, and couldn't cover over her worry.

I felt the steel within me start to melt to liquid metal as Kagome started for the door, ready and eager, and I followed - and then stopped, a strange sensation hitting me, like power floating through the air, making my hair stand on end, just as it had when Inuyasha had arrived.

Only this air, this power, this feeling...it was stronger than the last, stranger, more close, somehow. If I had been able to feel Inuyasha's presence in the air around me, I could feel this one in my bones, at my very core.

We were too late. Fate had intervened again, and I wasn't sure what to think. Part of me had known, had expected, but the other part…

I wasn't sure if I was ready for this.

But I was sure that this was part of what I had been missing, though there also seemed to be another key...something I couldn't grasp quite yet, but something that my mind knew already.

"Damn," Inuyasha appeared in front of me as he growled, pulling the flap that made the door to the hut back and looking out into the light, sniffing the air, making my fear of dogs (even him) creep back. Outside, everything seemed to be normal, though I knew it wasn't, the strange power still too present. His eyes narrowed as he reached for his sword, and then looked back at me. "He's here," he said, but, as he blinked, I could tell that he already knew that I was aware of it.

Was it that obvious that I was afraid now, steel melted to liquid, any trace of courage gone?

I wasn't a priestess or anything, but I seemed to be able to sense Inuyasha and his brother...Sesshoumaru. Maybe it had something to do with the pact their father had made with the previous Irazumi, or maybe it was their swords I was sensing instead, but whatever the case, their presences were definitely known to me. I felt them like I felt my heartbeat, like I felt the life flowing through me, like I felt alive.

"Kagome, grab Luna and head towards the well - I'll hold him off," Inuyasha said quickly as he drew Tetsusaiga, which transformed from a small, little thing into its normal, huge form. With it in his hands, he looked stronger, more fierce, determined. "Try the well again, and if you can't get her back…" he glanced at me once more, and I felt my heart sink. "We'll figure something else out then," he let out a small sigh as he turned back towards the doorway and darted out, calling out over his shoulder: "And hurry it up!"

As I watched him move and disappear, heading for some sort of clearing towards the west, I found that my legs didn't want to move, to respond to what my brain was telling them to do. I simply remained in my stop by the doorway, my thoughts racing even faster than Inuyasha had.

I wasn't sure what was happening, didn't know what to do. Life had change so quickly - this morning I'd been determined to get home, determine to sacrifice whatever I had to, not afraid of the consequences; then I had met Naraku again, and he'd promised to send me home, and I'd made a bargain, shaken but still determined; and then I had met Inuyasha and seen Kagome again, and they'd told me of the horribleness of Naraku, but I'd still been determined. And now, all it took was the appearance of Inuyasha's brother to shake me?

I hadn't been able to make it through the well earlier.

I was trapped, still.

I wanted to find a way home, but...at what cost?

What was I really willing to sacrifice?

And, if I didn't find a way back, could I ever hope to make this place, this time, my home?

Nothing was certain as Kagome gasped, said a quick goodbye to Kaede and Myoga, handed me my backpack, and dragged me out the door towards the well, not nearly enough time on our hands.

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the long delay with the chapter. Work has been insane, and so I haven't been able to write as much as I would like. Hope this chapter wasn't too fast...Next chapter...we finally see Sesshoumaru. As a major fan-girl (yes, I will admit it), I'm very excited!

Thank you to my reviewers for their lovely words: KuramaMustangElric, Bird That Flies At Dawn, The Poet's Muse, Fracktacular, ImmolationPiggieOfDoom, uwohali, Inumimi1, ChangeOfHearts3, and Neon Knightly.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and please leave a review! Until next time!

Cross~