"So what's the hurry you stupid idiot? Why are we…?" Inuyasha pounded Shippo on the head leaving an enormous bump on it. "What you do that for?" he growled.

"That's for not minding your own damn business. Why don't you go over there with Kagome? I'm sure you two have loads to talk about," Inuyasha smirked.

"Now now Inuyasha. Shippo was just…"

"Shut up Miroku!" Sango shouted.

"Hey, what did I do to you?"

"Miroku, don't mind them. They are just being stupid as usual. The more you do for them, the more ungrateful they become."

"Inuyasha sit!" Inuyasha hit the ground with another load thud.

"Which is exactly why you're still walking," he said through gritted teeth, pulling himself up off the ground. She turned her nose up in the air and proceeded to talk with Sango. Inuyasha shook his head and continued to lead the group south.

"MASTER INUYASHA! MASTER INUYASHA!"

"Inuyasha, do you hear something?" Miroku asked.

"MASTER INU…Oh, good." Myoga proceeded to drink blood from Inuyasha's nose but he thumped him off a second later.

"Myoga? Where the hell have you been ya lazy flea?"

"Is that anyway to greet a faithful servant?" he asked tearfully.

"Oh whatever. So why are you here?" Myoga hopped onto Miroku's shoulder and made himself comfortable.

"I have a bit of info that might be useful to you. Inuyasha, terrible things are about to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"The Band of Seven has been resurrected." Everyone stopped in their tracks to listen to this story.

"Huh? Band of Seven?" Sango asked.

"You haven't heard?" Myoga asked.

"Yeah, I've heard but not much. Kikyo was telling me something about it before she took off." Everyone got quiet as Myoga continued with his story.

"Well, it seems the fair priestess is always one step ahead of you."

"I'd expect nothing less of my Kikyo," Inuyasha replied proudly. Ooops. Did I say that outloud? Inuyasha could feel the angry stares and decided to turn away and face the opposite direction. "Continue you lazy flea or else I'll have to smack you again."

"Alright already. Anyway, well the band was a group of seven mercenaries known for their brutal slaughtering of innocent people. They'd kill with no remorse and were very good at it too. They all specialized in different areas and I hear the most powerful of the seven was a man by the name of Bankotsu."

"I bet he ain't all that tough. So who are the others?" Inuyasha asked impatiently.

"I don't know but he's the one I heard the villagers down south screaming about. A few of them claimed to have spotted him in the area a few days ago."

"Inuyasha, we need to quickly get there and question the villagers. If he's the most powerful you need to…" He was cut off by loud screaming coming from a distance. Inuyasha stood up and looked around.

"Sango…"

"Already on it. Kirara!" Sango mounted Kirara and started scanning the area from the skies. "Oh, my…INUYASHA! YOU NEED TO COME QUICK!"

"Hop on Kagome!" Kagome mounted Inuyasha and off they ran southward down the rocky path towards the village.

"I smell blood and lots of it," Inuyasha commented. Seconds later they all came to a stop.

"Oh my…look at all those dead bodies!" Kagome cried. There were close to ten dead soldier bodies lying in the middle of the village square. There were still a few villagers running around trying to get away from the village. Sango and Kirara landed next to Inuyasha and surveyed the area.

"Inuyasha, this is terrible," Miroku replied clearly saddened. "Who would…Inuyasha I see somebody in the fog."

"Yeah, I smell something, but it smells dead and decayed. Stay here Kagome." Inuyasha walked forward through the slight mist to survey the bodies. He kicked a few around gently to see if any had survived but there were none.

"Damn." Inuyasha kept walking until he heard some movement. "WHO'S THERE? SHOW YOURSELF DAMMIT!" He heard a shrill laugh and then someone withdrawing a sword. Inuyasha immediately took out his tetsaiga readying for battle. "Why don't you get rid of the mist so I can see your face when I kill you," he said softly.

"Oh I think I will." Seconds later there was a strong wind, clearing up the fog and mist. Before him stood a tall, skinny man who could have easily passed as a female. "Ah!" he screamed. "Don't you look delicious?"

"What?" Inuyasha took a step back, clearly disgusted at his cross-dressing opponent. "I don't…I mean…keep away from me ya big loser!"

"Aw, I only want a small taste. You know, if I wasn't on such an important mission, I would take you as my own before killing you," he said dreamily.

"Inuyasha, is he hitting on you?" Miroku asked.

"No way he's getting Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. "HEY YOU! KEEP AWAY FROM INUYASHA!" Kagome cried.

"Oh, yuck! A stupid little girl! Damn. And to think a cutie pie like you would know better than that. Clearly you can do better…" He stopped talking at stared at Inuyasha excitedly.

"Enough small talk. Just who they hell are you? Why are you so excited all of a sudden? Answer me dammit!"

"Today must be my lucky day! You're the great Inuyasha. Damn. I don't wanna kill you just yet, cause you are so damn gorgeous!"

"Huh?"

"Inuyasha, there's something funny about that guy," Miroku replied grimly. Kagome leaned over and whispered something in Miroku's ear. "HEY INUYASHA! HE HAS A SACRED JEWEL IN HIS NECK!"

"You bitch! You must be working for Naraku. You reek of death and your skin is inhumanly pale."

"That I am. Very good Inuyasha."

"Who are you anyway?"

"My name is Jakotsu."

"MASTER INUYASHA! HE'S PART OF THE BAND OF SEVEN! KILL HIM NOW!"

"No problem. WINDSC…WHAT THE HELL?" His windscar was instantly stopped by Jakotsu's trick blade. "What the hell kind of sword is that?" Before Jakotsu could answer, they were surrounded by a cloud of thick smoke.

"INUYASHA GET OUT OF THERE! IT'S POISON!" Miroku yelled. Inuyasha looked around for Jakotsu but he had already vanished.

"I'LL SEE YOU AROUND INUYASHA. DUMP THE GIRL. YOU'D HAVE MUCH MORE FUN WITH ME," Jakotsu yelled before disappearing for good. Inuyasha ran back towards his friends grateful to be out of the line of fire.

"Inuyasha, let's hurry and get to the village. We need to gather more info and pursue the others…hey you got a cut on your right arm."

"It's nothing Miroku. I tell you this; he may look pretty but he's no joke. I barely dodged that trick sword of his. If Bankotsu is the most powerful, then I have my work cut out for me."

---------------------

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"Okay so this Jakotsu fellow is he like some he-man woman hater?" Kagome asked curiously. Kaede just laughed.

"Well you're actually right Kagome. He's a man but of course he dresses as a female, but to him it's different."

"In a sense I can't say that I blame him. This Kagome girl seems annoying. Always telling Inuyasha to "sit"…I think I'd have to do her in," Haku added with a smirk.

"You would do something like that being as you seem to be a vindictive person," Kagome snapped.

"My Kagome, I didn't know you cared so."

"Alright you two let's continue. We will pick back up with Kikyo's journey. As you know my sister is now traveling alone."

"Why won't she travel with Inuyasha?" Haku asked.

"It's a bit complicated Haku dear. You see my sister is still in love with Inuyasha but she also knows that her reincarnation is in love with him also."

"So? He loves her right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then what's the problem? Kagome should get a life. She should go after Miroku or something. Sango doesn't seem to care all that much for Miroku."

"They all have pride issues you dork," Kagome snapped.

"Oh really?" he asked eyebrows raised and arms folded.

"It's clear that Sango has a thing for Miroku and he has a thing for her as well but neither one wants to admit it."

"What about Kagome?"

"Well…I suppose it's more Inuyasha than Kagome. He knows that she loves him but he's still into Kikyo. I don't know why since she's dead but I'm sure things will get clearer as the story continues."

"That's right Kagome," Kaede replied with a nod. "Inuyasha will eventually tell Kagome that he still wishes to pursue a relationship with Kikyo and he gives her the opportunity to leave him."

"But she stays right?" Kagome asked hopeful.

"Yes, she decides to stay in hopes that Inuyasha will fall in love with her as she did him."

"Does he?"

"Well…eventually he'll start to deeply care for her but it will be some time down the road after the Band of Seven is taken care of."

"Oh yeah!" Haku shouted.

"Alright then, we'll journey with Kikyo for a while…"

AN: Hope you enjoy the chapter. Things are about to get interesting. There will probably be room for a sequel because of Haku, but I'm not sure how open I am going to leave things. I'll update again when I get the chance. I have a Harry Potter story I need to start on. -grins-