And, I finally updated! Let me tell you, it took forever for me to get this chapter out because of school and work. It was a goal of mine to get this out before I went on my mini vacation this week and hopefully I'll get another chapter out before I head to Louisiana for the 4th of July. I'm in California and we're gonna be driving to Louisiana so it'll be a long drive. I wanted to thank SacredArcheress for messaging me and urging me to publish another chapter. Thanks for the positive feedback on this story, it makes me happy to know that there are people that like this story. So, I hope you all enjoy!

-ladyymermaid

Chapter 4

Walking around the endless forest for what seemed like hours I sighed loudly, "I'm so bored." I muttered while kicking a stick.

"Aw, poor princess." Renkotsu snorted clearly annoyed by my comment.

"I hope we run into InuYasha soon, I just want to nibble on those fuzzy ears of his." Jakotsu placed his hands on his cheeks, blushing.

"I hope we run into them too, my cousin needs to know I'm okay." I said, inwardly wishing they would find me and rescue me. "Jakotsu, it's so gross you have a crush on InuYasha."

"Why is that?" He glared at me.

"Well, he's like my brother. Plus, he isn't the best when it comes to relationships. He's constantly going back and forth between my cousin and this girl named Kikyo."

"I'll kill them both, then he won't be so confused about his feelings toward me." Jakotsu sighed happily.

"Jakotsu," I said calmly. "If you harm my cousin, I won't hesitate to take the jewel shard out of your throat. Understand?" I looked at him.

"Do you wish to die?" He responded angrily.

"No, of course not. I just don't appreciate you openly threatening to harm my family. You mess with my family, you're gonna get hurt." I said, eyeing every one of them.

"You've got some spunk, Em." Bankotsu laughed slightly, patting my shoulders.

"Eh, I suppose." I shrugged my shoulders and flashed a smile.

"Lets play another game," Suikotsu said casually.

"What could we possibly play?" Jakotsu said.

"We could play I spy." I suggested smiling at them.

They looked at me like I was crazy. Whispering among themselves as if trying to figure out what I had just suggested.

"What's I spy?" Renkotsu finally asked.

I smiled, "Well, to play the person who is spying says, 'I spy with my little eye…' and then they describe something. The rest of the people have to try to guess what it is and whoever gets it right takes the next turn. I'll show you how."

"Okay, I'll give it a try." Suikotsu said while putting his arm around my shoulder.

"Okay," I said while picking up Suikotsus arm and putting it down by his side. I began looking around the area, trying to figure out something to describe that they could get. "I spy with my little eye something big, shiny, it looks heavy, and-"

"- Banyruu" shouted Bankotsu smiling.

"Okay, so now you think of something." I said while walking next to Bankotsu.

He stared at me for a moment before smirking slightly, "um,I spy something tall and green."

"A tree!" I shouted. "I spy something big and on wheels."

"Oh, Ginkotsu!" shouted Jakotsu smiling widely. "I spy something pink,purple and green."

"That flower over there." Suikotsu said pointing at the flower. "Okay I spy something hot, sexy, short, and—"

"Ember!" Bankotsu shouted while smirking at me.

"You're right!" Suikotsu shouted.

" Oh of course I had to be brought into the game." I said while rolling my eyes.

" Of course beautiful" Suikotsu smiled to me, quickly approaching me and placing his arm around my waist pulling me closer to him.

" Oh come on really?" I said to him, trying to push him away from me. "I'm only sixteen." "You're old enough to be married," Suikotsu grabbed me again, and smiled down at me.

"No, I don't think my mom would be okay with me getting married this young." I said laughing slightly.

"Suikotsu," Bankotsu's harsh voice immediately made Suikotsu stop walking and let me go immediately.

"Sorry Big Brother." He said simply and began to walk ahead of me, leaving me behind the rest of the group but in front of Ginkotsu.

I watched the group walk at a quick pace toward Naraku's home and I thought for a moment, why didn't Naraku just have Kagura kidnap me…she has that floating feather and knows where he's hiding, why go through the trouble to have them take me to Naraku? I placed my hand on my cheek and felt the small scratches on it from Bankotsu, he's a fucking douche.

I began to glare at him and he must've felt me burning holes in the back of his head because he turned around and he smirked at me. "You got a problem princess?" Sarcasm dripped off of every word which made me grow even more irritated.

I stopped glaring at him, wanting to do nothing but escape from them. "No," they made me feel so small and so weak.

"Good," he smiled widely at me.

"Bankotsu," Jakotsu said, saving me. "There's a small village approaching, if my memory serves me correctly this is the village with the rich women always passing through." Bankotsu turned to Jakotsu and smiled, "women?"

"Rich ones, and they have rich husbands so I think all of us could have some fun."

I sighed for the millionth time as they talked back and forth about fucking females and males, it was honestly disgusting. Sure I had friends who would tell me about their love lives, but it didn't involve dirty men and women or money. The thought almost scared me, I knew that with Jakotsu I was safe, but that was only because he was gay and he hated women.

"I don't need to stop," Suikotsu said and then he turned to look at me. "I have what I want right here."

I looked at him, disgust clear on my face. "Stop being such a pervert, I don't want to have sex with you."

"Sweetie, you won't be saying that for long." He smiled at me.

"I think Bankotsu and Ember would make a cute couple," Jakotsu smiled at me, and then turned his attention back to Bankotsu who walked silently.

"Ha, funny." I muttered, feeling my face grow a little red.

We continued to walk for a few more hours, before the sun began to set. Throughout the time, light conversation was made mainly about women, money, power and their past. I learned quite a bit about the brothers. Of course, I knew they weren't actually brothers but they shared with me how they formed, what they did, and their passing.

"It's strange to think that we died fifteen years ago," Jakotsu said.

"Do you know how weird that sounds?" I said, without thinking.

They all turned to me, strange looks on their faces and I just shrugged my shoulders not knowing what else to say.

"I suppose it does," Renkotsu mumbled, turning his attention towards me. I watched him study me for a moment. "We should stop here," he said finally looking away.

It was late in the night and I sat quietly by the fire, not being able to sleep. Only Bankotsu still sat awake, and I wasn't going to begin conversing with him. He scared me, he was strong and would take down anyone or anything that stood in the way of what he wanted. Right now, I was threat number one. I couldn't kill him, but my life was in his hands because he depended on it. One false move that could end in my death or some sort of harm to me, would immediately get him killed.

I could feel him turn his direction from polishing his precious sword to me. He studied me for a minute and I pretended that I didn't notice, and just stared at my jeans. Thinking about it, he was bipolar. One minute he acted as if he hated my guts and the next he was joking and acting playful toward me.

"Jakotsu sure is funny," he whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"Why do you say that?" I looked up at him, unsure if he was mean or nice Bankotsu.

"The things he tells me about you," his eyes full of mischief.

"Like?" I said simply.

He began to laugh, "the other day, he asked why I was short with you. I told him because you ran off, his response was: 'It's because she was running away from you, and you like her.' I was so appalled that I couldn't even respond. If anything he's taken quite the liking to you. I can't recall him ever being so fond of a woman."

"Oh," was all I could manage to say as a blush formed on my cheeks. "Was what he said true though?" Stupid mouth, speaking without thinking.

He sat quietly for a moment, as if contemplating weather or not to say something. "I suppose I have grown an interest towards you, but you are a girl and it has been an awful long time." He said.

I felt my face grow even redder. "You like me?"

"I suppose so," he smiled at me.

"Oh," I said unsure of what else to say. "You should not take me to Naraku."

"Heh, my life and my brothers lives depend on bringing you to him." He stared at me.

"If I can find a way to keep you guys alive, without jewel shards can you take me home?" I said hopeful.

He laughed hard, "yeah, you find a way to keep me and my brothers alive and I'll guarantee you safely retuned to your home."

I smiled, "I'll find a way."

"Doesn't mean we're going to stop heading towards Naraku," he said smirking at me. He could see right through my desperate attempts to escape and he wasn't buying it.

"I don't know why you're trusting him," I started. "He's evil, pure fucking evil. He doesn't care about you or your brothers. Don't you think it's strange that he's collecting the jewel shards, trying to complete it but gives away seven. You think he won't claim them? You don't think he'd kill you for them?" I said rather loudly.

My loud voice had woken up the other members and they watched quietly as Bankotsu tried to come up with a reason why he believed Naraku.

Without giving him a chance to answer I said, "Look, he may have given you his 'word' that he won't kill you or your brothers but Naraku's words don't mean shit. I've heard endless amounts of stories from my friends how he has deceived them or others. They've all lost something. Sango lost her brother to him, InuYasha lost Kikyou to him, Miroku is cursed with the wind tunnel in his palm, Kagome is losing the jewel to him, and now he's after me.

"He's manipulative and a liar. He's going to kill you once you bring me to him and weather or not you kill InuYasha. If you take too long to kill him, you can guarantee your life will be over."

The men stared at me, unsure of what to say. They looked at Bankotsu waiting for the reassurance of their leader. "Big brother," Jakotsu said. "I don't think we should be working with Naraku anymore."

"We can't just stop!" Bankotsu sat up. "He's the reason we're alive today, if we betray him we will surely lose our lives."

"Either way you'll lose your life." I said. "He's not known for keeping his word you know."

"I'm not sure if we could betray him." Bankotsu said, staring at the fire.

I awoke before the rest of the group and sat silently. Something wasn't right. I felt myself not being able to breathe but it wasn't the same as the pervious asthma attacks I have had. It was different. I could take full breathes, it just felt as though something was putting pressure on my chest. While trying to calm myself down, the the wind floated around me. A small gentle whirlwind surrounded me and I immediately felt myself grow calm. The fire that was almost out began to grow bigger.

I, growing interested if I had something to do with it, began to concentrate on the fire. I stared at it, urging for it to grow bigger. C'mon fire, grow bigger. You can do it. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard, and when I opened them I was slightly disappointed that it hadn't grown, letting out a sigh my eyes grew in amazement as a small fire formed.

"No way," I muttered and began to breath on the fire watching as it grew larger and larger.

"Whoa!" I heard Jakotsu whisper. "How did you do that?"

I jumped and lost my concentration, causing the fire to immediately go out and turned toward Jakotsu. I just started at him for a moment before turning my head and whispering, "I have no idea."

His face paled a little and he woke up Bankotsu, explaining what had just happened with the fire. Bankotsu sat up urgently and eyed me warily. I sat there silently and watched as he woke up all the other members and they each looked at me, suspiciousness filled their eyes.

"Do it again," Renkotsu said, holding his concoction that allowed him to spew fire.

I nodded my head and stared at the fire, concentrating and breathing lightly. Nothing. The embers starting to go out completely.

"Do it again!" He demanded and he grabbed me by my hair, pushing me toward the pile of burnt sticks and ashes.

"I-I can't," I cried out as his grip on my hair tightened. "Let me go," I tried to claw at his hands but he was unaffected.

"Stupid bitch," He threw me to the ground causing my left side of my face to be covered in dirt.

I felt myself begin to grow angry as I pushed myself off the ground and glared at Renkotsu. I wiped some of the dirt off my face and glared at him, debating on if I should swing at the damn bastard but I stood there humiliated. I heard the snickers from the rest of the members and tried my best to hold back my tears, trying to replace the humiliation with anger. I turned to Jakotsu who was glaring at Renkotsu. I let out an aggravated scream. I could feel the heat of the fire heat up behind me, growing in length taller than me but staying on only the designated area for the campfire.

They stopped their laughing and stared at the burning fire in awe and fear. It was the moment we all realized that I could be a danger to them. What that meant for me, I didn't know. It could mean I could stay with them longer or rush the pace that I need to be taken to Naraku.

The fire burned brightly and I turned around to face it. I had no idea how or why I was suddenly able to do this but I needed to find out quickly.

Jakotsu walked up to me, placing his hand on my shoulder and I calmed slightly. The raging fire grew smaller and smaller the calmer I got, until it eventually burned back down to the embers. I looked around and saw Renkotsu have a look of shock and amusement on his face. Suikotsu smirked knowingly. Ginkotsu's eyes were wide, the only emotion I've ever really seen from him. Bankotsu had a large smirk on his face.

He made eye contact with me and his smirk grew into a smile. "Interesting." He muttered as he walked toward me. "Really interesting."