Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, only my OC :(

"What happened here?" Kikyo asked the village children.

They were all huddled up and crying. All around the village were the bodies of mutilated men. Some of the bodies were decapitated; others had their throats slit open. Shiori could tell that some of the murders were done with a sword, but others weren't. A large portion of the bodies appeared to have been slashed by claws. Blood stained the ground of the village. While Kikyo was talking to the children, Shiori prayed over the fallen village men.

"It was Dr. Suikostu," explained the oldest child. "He and one of the men who attacked you came and killed everyone."

"Suikostu did this?"

"But he was different. He had the face of the good doctor, but acted like that evil killer," he explained. "I don't understand it."

"He acted like the doctor for a little while. Then he killed everyone, kidnapped a little girl and then left," said the boy.

"They took a girl with them?" asked Kikyo with alarm.

"Yes, but none of us knew her. She wasn't from here. The doctor brought her with him because she was lost. She was separated from her 2 companions after being attacked by some men,"

"What was her name?" Shiori asked.

"I think her name was Rin," he said.

Shiori froze…..Rin had been kidnapped by the Band of Seven. How did she get separated from Sesshomaru in the first place?

"Does she mean something to you?" asked Kikyo.

"Do you know where they went?" Shiori demanded.

"They went towards Mount Hakurei," said a little girl. "I hope they don't hurt her."

"They must've gone through the barrier," Shiori thought, "in hopes that Sesshomaru won't be able to follow."

Shiori stared out straight towards Mount Hakurei. This place had caused her much pain and turmoil. Ever since she arrived, the only thing she wanted to do was get as far away as possible. Now, it seemed to be drawing her back in. The mountain truly was taunting her after all.

"I'm going through the barrier," she said to Kikyo. "I have to…"

She started to run, but Kikyo stopped her.

"If we must go," said Kikyo limping towards a horse. "Then we'll need transportation."

"You're coming as well?" said Shiori.

"Suikostu has a tainted shard in his neck," she explained while slowly easing on the horses back. "If I can purify it with my arrow, then I might be able to stop his madness."

Shiori also climbed onto the horse, "But if you go, then the souls of the dead will leave you. You won't be able to more your body."

"Maybe so," said Kikyo pulling on the reigns of the horse, "But I must try."

Shiori and Kikyo quickly rode towards Mount Hakurei. Since the village was at the base, they didn't have very far to go. Both of them felt a little weaker as they got closer to the mountain. Of course, Shiori was in much better health than Kikyo was.

"Does she really intend to go through the barrier?" wondered Shiori. "All for the sake of purifying the shard and stopping this man?"

It wasn't long before they made it. Shiori was now face to face with the sacred mountain. It was the closet she'd been so far. The horse skidded to a stop. They could sense the invisible barrier just yards away from them, but made no effort to move.

"I feel like I can't breathe….Just the surrounding air of Mount Hakurei was enough to purify my blood. What will happen when I pass through? Before, I thought it wouldn't affect me since I've already been purified….but now, I'm not so sure. What if it actually kills me?"

"Are you afraid, Shiori?" asked Kikyo. She was still staring at the barrier. Shiori could only imagine what was going through her mind.

"No," said Shiori shaking her head.

"I am," Kikyo confessed. "I'm absolutely petrified….but my fear won't stop me from going forward."

She pulled on the reigns of the horse and it raced on. Shiori closed her eyes as her body passed through the barrier. It was the worst thing she ever felt in her entire life. For a moment, she thought her soul was being torn from her body. It was a completely unnatural feeling. Shiori went from having half her strength, to only a third of it. Kikyo also felt the pain of passing through. She instantly lost half the dead souls that were in her body. They had to work fast, or Kikyo might lose all the dead souls and be rendered helpless.

…..

Sesshomaru and Jakostu were caught in a deadlock with their blades. Suikostu stood behind and watched the fight with Rin in his arms. He held his hand claws to her throat.

"Hurry up and kill him, Jakostu," he shouted. "I'm itching to kill this little brat."

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin cried out. "Look out!"

Jakostu swung his sword at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru managed to dodge him, but he was hit in the wrist. Rin screamed in complete horror. She didn't want to see him get hurt. Jakostu laughed.

"It seems you have been affected by the barrier after all," he taunted. "Your speed has decreased. It's because of the barrier isn't it?"

Sesshomaru said nothing . He only glared at his opponent. Jakostu swung his retractable sword at him again. Sesshomaru let it wrap around his blade, then hurled it behind him. Jakostu, who was still holding on the handle, was sent hurling over Sesshomaru's head. He slammed down on his hip.

"That bastard!" he thought. "He's trying to steadily push me out of the barrier. It really is hard on him!"

Jakostu instructed Suikostu to stay away from the edge of the barrier. They'd figured out Sesshomaru's plan. Even though he was a powerful demon lord, it was extremely difficult for Sesshomaru to be inside the barrier.

"Don't try anything," Jakostu warned. "Or we'll kill the girl. Of course, that would happen anyway!"

He attacked again, but this time Sesshomaru zoomed forward and threw back his sword.

"What? He's throwing away his sword?" Jakostu thought.

The sword flew back and stabbed Suikostu threw the chest. At that same time, Sesshomaru rushed and shot his hand through Jakostu's body. He was sliced in the shoulder on the way. Rin fell from Suikostu's grasp and tried to run. But Suikostu expelled forward and pinned down the girl. He was still alive.

"You're not getting away," he darkly whispered.

Jakostu was also still alive, though he was bleeding from the mouth. He leaned close to Sesshomaru.

"Now that I got a good look at you," he said with a smirk, "you're really a sexy guy. Not my type though. You missed your aim. We wouldn't die of something like this."

"Jakostu," called Suikostu. "Is it okay now, to kill her? I don't know if it's because I was injured…but that doctor's scared to come out."

Sesshomaru withdrew his claw from Jakostu's chest and tried to get to Suikostu. But Jakostu laughed evilly.

"You're too late!"

Suikostu raised his hand claw over Rin, "Now die!"

Just as the claw was coming down on Rin's head, he was shot in the neck by a sacred arrow. Sesshomaru stopped and looked to the cliffs. Shiori and Kikyo had finally arrived. Kikyo was still holding up her bow. Shiori, who had already climbed down from the horse, rushed down to the scene. Kikyo followed after her.

"Lady Shiori!" cried a tearful Rin.

Rin ran and to give Shiori hug.

"Are you alright?" Shiori asked somberly.

Rin nodded, "yes, I'm okay."

Rin walked over to Kikyo.

"Excuse me priestess," she said politely. "Thank-you for saving me."

"You're very welcome," said Kikyo warmly. "You must've been very scared."

Shiori stood up and turned her attention to Sesshomaru.

"You've been injured," she said looking at his wrist and neck. Seeing his blood often gave Shiori an unpleasant feeling.

"What's she doing inside the barrier?" he wondered while looking at her.

He could feel that she wasn't as strong as before. The barrier decreased her power even more.

Meanwhile, Kikyo sat down beside Suikostu. Her arrow was still lodged in his neck. She managed to purify the shard in his neck and turn him good again.

"Please Lady Kikyo," he begged her. "Take out the shard from my neck, so that I may die a good man and not as that ruthless killer."

"You choose death?" she asked. "But why?"

"I remember now," he said staring into the sky. "When I was alive…I was one of the Band of Seven. I killed many people, and couldn't do anything to stop it. I couldn't bare it if this happens again."

Sesshomaru, Shiori, and Rin were all standing around listening to Suikostu's recollection. Normally, Shiori would have felt his emotions swelling inside her body. Even though she couldn't feel his emotions, she could still…feel for him.

"Lady Kikyo," he pleaded. "Please remove my shard. I wish to be saved."

Just as Kikyo was about to remove the shard, Jakostu's lightning sword crashed down on Suikostu's neck. The shard popped out and flew into Jakostu's hand. Suikostu's body became nothing but a skeleton.

"I'll just take this as a souvenir," he said before running off.

Kikyo watched him go, "He went further into the barrier. I can't follow."

Shiori prayed over Suikostu before rising up, "But I can."

Kikyo glanced back at Shiori, "You can't go either. You've already been weakened."

"I may have been weakened," she said. "But I can still fend for myself. I'll find away to end this."

Sesshomaru walked in front of her and loomed down at her. She bravely stared back.

"Don't be a fool," he said coldly. "Even I can't stay here much longer. The further in you go, the weaker you'll become. You may even die."

She walked around him, "I'm not afraid of death."

"I advise you not to go," he said sternly.

"I'm sorry my lord….but I have to…" She said,

The thought of Shiori dying brought Rin to tears. She didn't want anything bad to happen to her. But Shiori insisted on going. Kikyo watched as Shiori disappeared into the mist. There was nothing more any of them could do.

"She'll be fine," said Kikyo as she consulted Rin.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Because….she is Isao's daughter," said Kikyo. "and she has the potential to one day become a daiyokai."

Rin turned to see Sesshomaru walking away. He didn't want to stay in the barrier any longer than he had to. Rin said good-bye to the priestess before running after him.

"Shiori," thought Sesshomaru. "If you die….I'll never forgive you."

….

Shiori could barely see through the thick mist. The air was so unbelievably pure, that it was difficult for her to breathe. Even so, Shiori pressed on. She couldn't sense Jakostu in the purified fog.

"Where has he gone?" she wondered.

She felt a tingling sensation by her hip. Shiori looked down and discovered that it was her sword, Gin Tsugunai. It was pulsating with spiritual energy.

"Why is it doing that? It's never pulsated like this before,"

Shiori removed the sword from its sheath and examined it. The blade of Gin Tsugunai was as white as Shiori's hair. Like herself, the Gin Tsugunai had become purified by Mount Hakurei's barrier. She didn't know what to do with the completely purified blade that was even stronger than herself. There was no way she could properly wield her sword now. But she refused to turn back….she couldn't.

"Shiori…" echoed a voice from behind her. "Shiori….."

She turned around, but saw no one. She then heard the voice again coming from in front of her.

"Shiori…" it said again. "My now, isn't this an interesting predicament."

"Renkostu," she said, recognizing the voice.

He spoke again, "You seem to have been purified like that half demon brat!"

"Half demon….Inuyasha?"

"I battled with him earlier, but unfortunately he escaped from me. It seems his human blood was more useful to him then he thought," his voice boomed. "But don't worry, I'm still here. And this time, I've been given orders to kill you."

She searched around for the direction his voice came in. But it seemed like he was all around her. She couldn't pin point his location in the thick fog.

"What's the matter? Are you having trouble finding me?" he taunted. "Can't you sense me? Can't you feel my energy?"

"….He has the upper hand on me. If I could just figure out where he was."

"What happened to that fire you had in you? It looks like it's been extinguished," he said. "We'll have to fix that."

From her left, Shiori saw a swirling ball of light flying towards her. She dove out of its path just in time. Shiori fell flat on her face. She looked over and saw Renkostu standing with a large shoulder fire arm. He had a devilish grin on his face.

"Like my new toy?" he teased. "It does give me much enjoyment, especially when I'm firing it!"

He fired a series of shots at Shiori. She got up and ran to avoid being hit. As she ran, she glanced down at her sword.

"I don't know if I have enough spiritual power to use it. But I have to do something. I can't avoid his attacks forever."

"Where are you going?" Renkostu amusingly asked. "Retreating further into the barrier will only get you killer faster! Is it death you want?"

"I do not fear death!" she shouted.

She leapt out of the way of another attack. She took her sword and transferred her spiritual power into it. She swung towards Renkostu.

"What?" he thought. "She still has some power left, eh?"

Renkostu dodged the blast easily and landed back on his feet.

"Your power has diminished," he jeered. "It's good that you don't fear death. Or so you say."

She fired again, this time Renkostu took the blast. Shiori watched in horror as Renkostu emerged unaffected. Her attack didn't even slightly injure him.

"Not only has become weaker, but he appears to have become stronger .Nothing I've tried so far is working. My attacks don't have any real power behind it. If I could just get the jewel shard in his neck….."

"I can see right through your little farce," he continued. "I know all about you, Shiori."

"You don't know anything about me," she snapped.

"Oh," he said lowering his cannon. "But I do."

Renkostu slowly approached the young tennin. She stood motionless, even as he stood right in front of her. He could have easily blown her head off with his cannon.

"I read your file," he explained. "I know all about your illegitimate birth between your shinigami father, and tennin mother. And I know of how you were lied to about your origins all your life."

"So, you think you know all about me just because you gathered a few standard facts about my life?" she asked blandly.

"I also know that you hide your emotions," he said. "You pretend to be so fearless, so emotionless…it kills you on the inside. You don't want anyone to discover who you are."

"Is that so?"

He smirked, "Underneath it all, you're scared out of your mind. Even though you claim not to fear death, I know you do. You're afraid of dying…you're afraid of this barrier…you're afraid of being helpless….you're afraid of feeling emotion…and you're afraid of me. I can practically smell your fear…."

He stepped closer to her, "you're so lost and confused….you don't even know what to do next do you? Admit to it! Admit your fear!"

He raised his cannon and pointed it right into her face. Shiori didn't even blink.

"Even now you won't show fear," he complained. "This won't prove to be a very satisfying kill unless you show me some emotion."

"Emotion," she scoffed. "It's always the same exact conversation. Over and over again. It's quite tiresome. Fine then, I admit it."

"You what?" he asked, looking shocked.

"I'm afraid. Yes it's true, I've suppressed my emotions. I don't understand them…and sometimes they frighten me. I run at the slightest sight of emotions….especially the emotions of others. I may be lost right now, but I know for sure I'm on the right track…I have many sides to me that no one else knows of. So you don't know me."

This time Shiori was the one taking a step forward. She was now looking up at Renkostu due to their height difference. As she spoke, Gin Tsugunai began to tingle in her hand. Renkostu looked down at the sword. It was swelling with spiritual power. It emitted a purple glow. Shiori's body was also starting to glow with that same energy. He tried to fire the cannon at her head, but she knocked it out of her hands. He was now completely unarmed.

"I fear dying, because I don't know what will happen to my soul after death. All though I've come this far, I'm afraid of this barrier. I don't know how far in I can continue. I have huge fear of being so helpless, that I won't be able to defend myself."

Her lilac eyes changed back to their normal violet color. He couldn't believe what was happening.

"But let's make one thing clear," she said sourly. "I do NOT fear you!"

With one hand, she swung Gin Tsugunai at him and beheaded him. The shikon shards went flying from his loose neck. A bright purple light exploded from Renkostu's body as it changed back into a skeleton. Shiori knelt down and prayed over the remains. Once she was done, she picked up his shards and put them in her lining. Her eyes changed back to lilac and the purple aura disappeared. Her power dropped back to the way it was before.

"That power…where did it come from? Father, is this what you meant about coming in terms with my emotions?"

She ran deeper into the sacred grounds and was not directly in front of Mount Hakurei. She surveyed the mountain and walked along it. There was a menacing purple haze at the very top.

"I have to find a way inside it. I don't have a choice"

She held out her hand towards the mountain, "Purifying blast!"

Her spiritual energy tunneled into the side of the mountain. Though her power was still greatly decreased, she was powerful enough to make a small hole. Shiori wedged her body through the opening she made and stumbled inside.

"Naraku is in here—somewhere! I just know he is! That means there's a place inside the mountain that's not purified. If I can just find it, I'll revert to my normal form. Naraku must be destroyed. He can't leave this place alive!"

Shiori heard a loud explosion just ahead of her. Was she going in the right direction? Suddenly, she heard a soft pitter patter coming her way. Someone was running towards her. Next thing she knew, someone slammed into her body as she turned a corner. She was knocked down on her backside.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" growled a familiar voice.

"My apologies," she said sourly.

"Huh," said the man. "Shiori?"

It was Inuyasha in his human form. His trademark dog ears were replaced by normal human ears. His once golden eyes were brown and his hair silver hair was turned black. He was completely covered in blood, and his kimono was almost tattered. This was what Jakostu had been up to. He was busy torturing Inuyasha. Shiori didn't understand Jakostu's sick obsession with him.

"Yes," she said slightly irritated. "It's me. We've both been purified."

"But I don't understand," he said. "Tennin are still demon. You should've been reduced to ash. I have an excuse, I'm half human."

"Oh I'm sorry, should I apologize for still living?" she said sarcastically. "In any case, I'll have to explain that later," she eyed Jakostu, who casually walked up behind Inuyasha.

"So this is where you've gone Inuyasha! You won't escape me so easily!" he looked down at the tennin Shiori. "You? What are you doing here, wench?"

He waved her sword at Shiori and released the blades. Both she and Inuyasha ducked out of the way. Shiori quickly evaded more and more of Jakostu's attacks. He turned his attention away from Inuyasha and focused only on Shiori. Just as she was about to retaliate, She was caught in the sword's grasp. He managed to wrap her up in a tangle of retractable blades.

"You won't interfere! I've dreamed so many times of finally fighting Inuyasha. I will get the fight I always wanted with him!" he screeched. "And no filthy woman is going to get in my way!"

"I can't…escape him," thought Shiori.

The blades tightened against her body, Shiori cringed in pain. Her tennin body wasn't as durable as her normal one. She would be killed for sure. Just as Jakostu was about to slice him to pieces, Inuyasha leapt forward.

"Get away from her you bastard!" he yelled.

He slashed at Jakostu's neck with the blunt tessaiga. The sword only managed to barely slice the tip of his neck. Even so, he was distracted from killing Shiori and released his grip on her by accident.

"Now's my chance!" she thought.

Shiori escaped Jakostu's grasp and fell down on the cave floor. Her sword was projected away from her in the process.

"You were going for the jewel shard in my neck, weren't you?" asked Jakostu. "That sword is useless here. It has no power."

He elbowed Inuyasha in the stomach and knocked away tessaiga. Inuyasha fell back against the wall. Jakostu slowly edge toward him with his blade in hand.

"Damn it," thought Inuyasha. "I've lost too much blood…"

"It's been fun Inuyasha," Jakostu lured. "But now I have to kill you…"

Suddenly, a swarm of demons flew out from the back of the cave. They flew past them and disappeared in the direction of the entrance. They were emptying out the cave.

"They should have been confined toward the back of the cave," thought Jakostu.

Inuyasha suddenly felt a strange stir of power in his body. He was regaining his demon abilities. Slowly, his sense of smell was coming back to him. He could smell Naraku's filthy scent.

"Miroku and Sango must have weakened the barrier," thought Inuyasha.

In a flash of light, his normal appearance emerged. He was once again the half demon Inuyasha. Jakostu attempted to kill Inuyasha, but Inuyasha averted his attack with his own. The tessaiga also regained its demon power.

"Windscar!" he called, while swinging his faithful sword.

Jakostu tried to block, but was covered in an avalanche of rocks. He was finished. Most of Inuyasha's injuries started to heal. He quickly went over to Shiori. She was lying down on her side, soaked in blood. Inuyasha noticed that she was still in her tennin form. She didn't transform back like he did.

"For once, you beat me to the scene," she joked weakly. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Shiori, why are you still in that form?" he asked lifting her head up. "The barrier was weakened. You should have changed back along with me."

"I was already purified before I entered Mount Hakurei's barrier. The surrounding air was enough," she explained. "I won't change back unless the barrier is destroyed."

"But you'll die," he said.

She smirked, "maybe, maybe not. But one thing is for sure; the mountain won't last for much longer. Those demons are evidence of that."

Inuyasha looked up at the loads of demons emerging. It was then that he picked up Naraku's demonic scent. He was close. Inuyasha scooped up Shiori and put her on his back. Shiori was once again too weak to put up a fight. This was the second time she had to be carried—much to her dismay!

"What are you doing?" asked a flustered Shiori.

"We're going after Naraku! I'm sure the air around him isn't pure. It should turn you back," he said prepared to leave.

"Wait!" she exclaimed. "The Gin tsuganai."

"The what?" he asked.

She pointed, "My blade."

Inuyasha saw the blade laying about a yard away from them. It silver again.

"That's a good sign," she thought.

Inuyasha picked it up and placed it in Shiori's sheath. They then ran after Naraku. Shiori was also picking up on Naraku's scent. She was getting some of her power back the more they followed Naraku. It was because the air was becoming tainted as they went along. The inside of the mountain began to crumble. Every time Inuyasha took a step, part of the cave ceiling seemed to fall. They came to a dead end and almost fell off a cliff. Shiori looked up over the steep drop. There was an opening all the way at the top.

"Inuyasha," said Shiori grimly. "There's someone coming."

He was so focused on following Naraku's scent, that he didn't notice the smell of bones and graveyard soil. He looked behind him. A tanned skin man with a long black braid stood at the end of the path. He was young, but very strong. The large halberd in his hand was evidence of that. This was the leader and sole survivor of the Band of Seven—Bankostu.

"I'm afraid I can't let you past Inuyasha," he sneered.

"I don't have time for you right now! Get out of my way," Inuyasha demanded.

"You won't get to meet Naraku," said Bankostu lashing his weapon, "Because you ran into me. The others have all died in battle, so I'll consider this a revenge battle."

"Get out of my way!" shouted Inuyasha. "Windscar!"

"Ha, this has no effect on me!" he shouted as he countered it with his own blast.

Shiori ducked her head down on Inuyasha's back as the two blasts collided in an explosion. It seemed they were evenly matched.

"You've gotten stronger since we last fought," said Inuyasha. "It's because you're using the shards of your fallen comrades aren't you?"

"They're a memento for the other members. I'm using them all of course," said Bankostu staring at Shiori, "Well, not all of them."

"The poisonous insects must've been spying on me when I took Renkostu's shards…..shards? Of course! When Inuyasha defeated Jakostu, we forgot to take his shard. The insects must have come behind us and removed it."

"Hand over the shards, woman," Bankostu demanded. "On second thought, don't hand it over. I'd much rather take it by force!"

He swung his giant blade at them. Inuyasha moved back and they fell of the cliff. Thinking fast, He threw a protective arm around Shiori's waist, bringing her forward. She clung to him as he wedged tessaiga into the side of the mountain as the fell. They quickly stopped falling and hung in suspension.

"Shiori, are you okay?" Inuyasha asked.

"About as okay as anyone who's dangling off the side of a cliff inside a cave," she said flatly.

"Will you shut up before I drop you?" he hollered.

"But if you did that you'd lose my shards," she said smirking.

Meanwhile, Bankostu had jumped across to the other side of the edge. He was now looking down at them ready to swing the halberd again.

"Still alive, huh? You both will die!" he shouted as he swung.

"Inuyasha," said Shiori adamantly, while facing the oncoming blast, "Withdrawal Tessaiga from the edge."

"What?" he said "Are you crazy? We'll fall to our deaths!"

"You can question my sanity later, but right now I need you to trust me," she said sharply. "Release tessaiga."

Just as Bankostu's blast was about to strike, Inuyasha pulled his sword from the wall. The two of them fell once again.