Kikyo ran to the camp. She had to tell them the truth about Orochi. Although, she had a feeling that Orochi used forbidden spells, they might not believe her that their leader was using dark holy magic to... well, she really had no idea why or how he has youki in his aura. All she knew was he didn't have it when she first met him. She has to warn them. They probably won't believe her, but she had to try.

Once she ran into camp, Kikyo's apprentice, who was named Keiko*, came running in as Kikyo slouched and had her hands on her knees. She was panting from her running. "Lady Kikyo, are you alright? You looked pale."

After taking a few deep breaths, she said, "I am fine. You are just the person I was going to look for."

"You want me? What for?" Keiko was an open-minded person like Kagome was. She also believed that not all demons are evil.

"I want you to..." She trailed off because she saw something shining on the middle of camp. It has a circular shape. She asked, "Keiko, what's that?" She pointed to where the item in question was at. Keiko's eyes followed to where she was pointing at.

"That? That's just something that Master Orochi had bought back from one of his journeys. Why, Lady Kikyo?"

Kikyo ignored Keiko's question. "Keiko, I want you to gather everyone by the campfire."

"Okay, Lady Kikyo." She went to do what she was told.

About an hour later, everyone was gathered around the campfire. They were waiting for Kikyo to arrive. Once she did arrived to the campfire, one of the priestesses said, "About time Kikyo. What is this all about?"

"To the point as always, huh? Very well, then. I had you gathered here because I need to inform you about something I just discovered."

"Well, what is it, Kikyo?"

"Orochi. He's been using dark holy magic. He isn't who he says he is."

"Are you telling us that Orochi is a dark monk?"

"Yes."

There was silence, then everyone started to laugh. All, except for Kikyo and Keiko, that is. For some reason, Keiko can't bring herself to reject what Kikyo had just said.

"That's absurd, Kikyo!"

"He had brought us together to vanquish all evil. How can you say that he's a dark monk," another priestess asked.

"Because I sensed dark holy magic within his aura." She knew that they wouldn't believed her. So, she walked away from them. Keiko followed her. "What do you want, Keiko? To taunt me about the absurdity of Orochi being a dark monk?"

"No, Lady Kikyo. I believe you." That made Kikyo stopped walking.

"You do? Why?"

Keiko shrugged. "I don't know, but something tells me that what you said was true."

Kikyo smiled. She knew that she could count on her apprentice. She gave her a small scroll from her left sleeve. "Keiko, we must warn the Cardinal Lords about Orochi and what he had been planning on doing. I have a feeling that the priestesses and monks will use that thing that's in the middle of camp. I was around it earlier while they were around the fire. I sensed holy purification from it. Now also take this," she handed an anti-reiki bracelet, that was given to her, while she was staying at the Western Palace. Keiko took it with a look like she was asking 'why'. "This is an anti-reiki cuff. This will show the Cardinal Lords that you mean no harm to them."

"It will," she questioned with a tilt of the head.

"Yes, it will. You must go to the one known as Lord Sesshomaru."

"Lord Sess-sesshomaru?!"

"Shhhh! Yes, him."

"But but he hates humans."

"Yes, but he can tolerate them. Now go. Just follow the strongest demonic aura."

"What will you do?"

"I'll go see his lady. Now go." Keiko nodded and left.

Keiko ran towards the camp that held the strongest demonic aura. She just hope she would ran into the right one because there were several gathered together. She skidded to a stop because she felt strong demonic aura. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the strongest. She smiled in satisfaction as she ran towards the west.

Once she got close, a inuyoukai yelled, which startled her to a stop. "Halt! Who goes there?!

Keiko was breathing hard. The inuyoukai was patient with her, which she was grateful for. "I am Keiko, a miko."

"A miko? What's a miko doing here?!"

"I have a message to Lord Sesshomaru."

"If you mean no harm to my lord, then show me proof."

Keiko was thinking, "Show him proof!" Her eyes widen when she realized that she was wearing the anit-reiki cuff that Kikyo gave her. "See, I have this." She showed him the bracelet. He recognized his lord's emblem.

"Alright. Come and follow me."

Just before they walked into camp the inuyoukai advised Keiko that she must remain calm. It was easier said then done because once they entered into camp the inuyoukai, kitsune, and a few okamiyoukai were walking around carrying items to and fro to places unknown to her. She was nervous and they could sense it. She remembered her escort's advice and took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.

Suddenly, he stopped in front of a huge tent. Keiko had her eyes closed, while she was taking her deep breathes, as she ran into him. He looked over his shoulder. He said in a stern voice, "Wait here and don't go anywhere."

Just before the inuyoukai walked inside the tent, InuTaisho and his son were talking about the last minute details when that same inuyoukai came in and knelt down on one knee.

"A thousand apologies, milords, but I have a miko here. Her name's Keiko, She bears an anti-reiki cuff."

"Father, I want to meditate before the battle." He went into his room.

"Hn, send her in, then," InuTaisho said.

"Yes, milord." He walked out and brought in the said miko.

"Alright, miko. Speak your peace."

Keiko was speechless. She had no idea how handsome they were. InuTaisho caught her blushing. He chuckled. He knew how handsome he was, especially, to human women. But he dare not repeat the past.

Keiko remembered that he said something. "Um, pardon me, milord. Could you repeat what you'd just said, please?"

InuTaisho smirked. "I said, 'Alright miko. Speak your peace."

"Oh," she laughed, nervously, as she rubbed on back of her neck. InuTaisho noticed that it wasn't because of his appearance, but the fact that he was a youkai.

He sighed. "Would you like something to drink? Some green tea, perhaps?"

"Um, sure, why not."

Meanwhile Kikyo was running to the Western Palace. She dare not rest until she got there. She made sure that she had two anti-reiki cuffs before she went to the campfire. She prayed that Keiko made it in time and arrived at the right camp. She knew that one of those powerful auras was InuTaisho, so she'd probably run into him. She hoped so. Sesshomaru could be or, should I say, would be so damn intimidating.

Once she arrived at the gates, a guard yelled, "Halt! Who goes there?!"

"I am Kikyo. I am here to speak with Lady Kagome."

The guard was told that miko weren't to be trusted because of a certain monk. "Sorry, miko. I couldn't let you inside. We was told not to trust a miko."

She sighed. She knew it would be difficult. That was why she sent Keiko to InuTaisho or Sesshomaru. "Please, I have information that Lady Kagome needs to hear."

The guard looked at her very closely that seemed like he was looking into her very soul. He found that she was truthful. He, also, noticed that she had an anti-reiki cuff on. "Follow me."

Once they were inside the palace, she felt like there are more humans here than the last time. "Oh, that's right..." she thought because she remembered why. "I betrayed Inuyasha and his friends. I hope that I would listen to me."

The guard stopped Kikyo stopped just before she ran into him. They were in front of the throne room. He looked over his shoulder. "Her ladyship still have to keep up appearances, while our lords are away. Please wait here. I'll let her know that you are here." She nodded in understanding. He went inside the throne room.

Kagome had court that day. Inukimi told her, from the beginning, that just because they were at war, things at home don't stop. They still needed to make appearances in court. Their people, youkai and human alike, needed to be reassured that everything is fine. Inuyasha was sitting on her left as Natsume sat on her right. Kaede was behind her, assessing each situation that they came across.

"Mama, I am bored. Can I go play, now?"

"I am so sorry, honey. Just a little bit longer." By that time, Inuyasha's shoulders tensed and his puppy-like ears were standing up. Kagome noticed. "What's wrong, Inuyasha?"

"Someone is here. Someone that we hadn't seen since we left Edo," he growled. He refused to say her name.

"Calm down, Inuyasha."

After she that, that guard came inside and knelt on one knee. "A thousands apologies, milady, but someone here by the name of Kikyo is here. She said that she needs to have a word with her ladyship. She also bears an anti-reiki cuff."

"Send her in."

"Kagome," he growled.

"Be quiet, Inuyasha, I am interested in what she has to say."

"Keh, fine, but if she made the wrong move, I won't hesitate in killing her."

"Fine."

By then, they saw Kikyo walking in. She was nervous. "Keh, she better be nervous," Inuyasha thought bitterly.

"Speak your peace, Kikyo."

"I have information about Orochi." By hearing his name, Inuyasha's ears perked.

"What about him," Kagome asked.

"He's been using dark holy magic by disguising himself as a youkai."

"We already know that."

"You'd known that," Kikyo said with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, if that's all then..."

"He's planning on using something big to vanquish the youkai there on who are at war," Kikyo quickly said.

"What's that?"

"I confess that I don't know exactly what it is, but I know it well be used during the final battle."

"What does it look like?"

"It's circular in shape. A lot like the Shikon Jewel, but much bigger. Before coming here, I looked closely at it. It felt like purifying energy. The energy felt as big as your mate's father's aura is. I already sent someone whom I trusted over there."

To Kagome, she sounded confident in what she was saying. She looked at Inuyasha. He knew Kikyo best. He, reluctantly, nodded. She gave him a nod. "I believe you, Kikyo. Let us go fine the others and you will tell them just what you told me."

Kikyo nodded.

After InuTaisho and Keiko had their tea, she seemed relax. It came to her that she doesn't know this one's name.

"Umm..."

"It just occur to me that I hadn't introduced myself."

"I didn't introduced myself, either." InuTaisho was going to say that he already knew, but he decided against it. She cleared her throat. "My name's Keiko."

"I am called Inu no Taisho, but you can say InuTaisho. It seems easier to say."

"I have heard stories about you, sir."

"Oh," he said with a quirked eyebrow, "What do they say about me, miko?"

"It's Keiko. I preferred to be call by my name; not miko."

He chuckled. "Well, forgive me, Keiko. May i ask what they say about me?"

She gave him a big thankful smile, "Well,' she put a finger on her chin, 'well, they said that you are a legendary inuyoukai, who defeated an evil dragon, but they'd never mentioned their names."

"What else?"

"That you fathered two sons. One's the Lord of the West and the other one's an inuhanyou. "That was when she felt the scroll in her pocket. "I almost forgot why I came. I was suppose to give this to Lord Sesshomaru, but since you are his father, I guess that's alright."

His eyebrow quirked when she was digging in her pocket. Once she grabbed it from the said pocket. She gave the small scroll to him. He furrowed his eyebrows as he gently grabbed it.

He opened it slowly. He knew from the scent that it was from Kikyo. At first, he wanted to throw the scroll away, but he continued reading. His eyes widen slightly.

He roared, which made Keiko covered her ears. She knew that it was bad news coming from the scroll. It had something to do with Orochi and the circular thingy that was inside their camp.

Sesshomaru came from his room and found a small miko and a pacing father.

"Father," he said, which made him stopped pacing, and gestured to the girl. "Who's the girl?"

"Never mind her, Sesshomaru. We have a problem. It seems we do need them here, after all."

"What are you talking about? Who are you speaking of?"

"Here read this," he'd thrown the scroll to his son, who began reading it soon after.

His eyes widen slightly and said, "I see." He went into his room and he returned with a pen, ink, and parcels of paper. He began writing. After he finished, he rolled up the parcels. He summoned three youkai. When they got there, he gave it to them and then gave them instructions. They left afterwards.

"What about the girl, son? Surely, she can't return back to her camp. They will sense our youki on her. They will deem her a traitor and then abandoned her."

"This Sesshomaru knew this. That's why I'll summon Ah-Un to come. He should here with an hour.

"What you are going to do with me?"

Sesshomaru turned to her. He looked at her in the eyes and said, "You'll be going to my palace and deliver the message to my mate and your teacher, Kikyo."

"What was said on the other messages?"

"The same as the one that you'll be delivering soon."

"Oh." Sesshomaru went out of the tent.

"Forgive him, he'd never talk much."

"That's alright. I don't talk much either."

He chuckled. "You remind of a lot of my son's mate, but she's talkative."

She giggled, "Well, Kikyo said that I remind her of a friend of hers, Kagome. She was so sad whenever she talked about her, though. She told me that I regretted siding with Orochi. We planned on going to the Western Palace to seek shelter, but for her, it's more about redemption. I'd never agreed on Orochi's philosophy on youkai."

"What's your philosophy on us, then?"

She smiled. "Well, when I was a little, I had always heard a story about a powerful miko, that was from another world. The story goes that the miko helped everyone; anyone. No matter on the species, human, hanyou, and youkai alike, she would still help them. I wanted to be like that. So, my philosophy is simple: Help all Kami creatures; no matter if they were youkai, human, and/or hanyou."

InuTaisho chuckled as he nodded. He liked this miko. No, not in a romantic way... He could see her as a friend of sorts... probably for Inuyasha and his daughters.

Suddenly, they heard a roar outside. InuTaisho sighed because he knew who it was. It was the twin-headed dragon-steed.

"He's here. I hope you aren't afraid of heights." He motioned her to come with him outside. She did.

When she went outside, she squealed in delight, "Oh, they are so cute!" She ran to them to pat on their mane. She noticed that Sesshomaru, InuTaisho, most inuyoukai nearby covered their ears. "Sorry, I forgot about your sensitive ears." By the way her facial expression, she seemed to be sympathetic.

InuTaisho sighed as Sesshomaru called her over. "This is Ah[Uh. He's my dragon-steed. He'll take you to my palace. My guards will know that you are my messenger. You understand?"

As he was saying this, she continued to pet Ah-Un. Then she nodded when asked if she'd understood.

"Good. Now, be your way." Sesshomaru helped her up on Ah-Un. Soon after, Ah-Un, with Keiko on their back, went on their way to the palace.

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi
Fanfiction & OCs (c) ladytari