Sota sat in the cab with a massive proud smile on his face. he was advancing to the finals of the tournament; his dedication had paid off. Kagome however, while proud of her brother, was slightly bothered by the fact that she didn't know Sota asked Inuyasha to teach him to use his sword. All the times he visited her era and not once did she see them practicing.

"Sota what sword are using for the finals?" Kagome asked remembering the mix up of a legendary hero sword turning out to be the destructive sword So'unga of Inuyasha's father. "cause last time…"

"don't worry sis this isn't an evil demon sword. Inuyasha gave this one to me he said it was made to protect me and those that I protect" Sota quickly replied as he passed his sword over to his sister.

"Inuyasha gave Sota a sword? When did he have time for this? And why am I finding out now?" as Kagome looked over the katana she saw a seal on the scabbard, 'Purotekuta' "Protector and this is the symbol for fang…did Inuyasha commission a sword from his own fang like his father did?"

Curious Kagome drew the sword. It glimmered in the sunshine and caused the flowers to lower in its presence a truly beautiful work of art. she finally cracked a smile despite his protesting and complaining Inuyasha took measures to (in his own way) make sure her family was safe. Reluctantly she returned the sword to Sota to let him finish before she went inside to help her mother with dinner.

Across the city however Sota's opponent, Kiba was readying himself for the finals. His sword was a family heirloom a 500-year-old weapon wrapped in a scale like leather his grandfather said that in 500 years the blade never chipped nor ever needed to be sharpened made to slay demons. "bestow immense power on those worthy, Pawa; blade of legend grant me my victory" Kiba chanted.

As Kiba placed the sword in his case he failed to notice the blade began to glow a deep purple demonic aura seeped from the case.

Kagome stood before the bone eaters well debating jumping in hoping against every odd that what she saw didn't really happen and that Inuyasha would be sitting by the well grumpy with her being away for so long in her world. "I could do it just jump through and see for myself" she thought. Debating with herself consumed more time than Kagome realised, it was now getting dark "huh, damn hesitated again…at this point he'd call me an idiot" she sighed.

They sat down to dinner with buyo crawling around their knees and Sota boasting about his advancement in the tournament it was almost like the days before Kagome fell into the well, a simple family feast.

"Kagome" Sota asked, "were you…mad when you saw how I won? I mean the face you made"

"not mad Sota, it just caught me off guard that Inuyasha gave you a sword and taught you how to fight and I never even knew" Kagome replied.

"heh, well…Inuyasha said you'd get mad if you knew so…" Sota shrunk in his chair as he watched his sisters face turn a new shade of red with her, what he captioned as, sit boy! Face. "you left me here with him all day it's really your own fault!" he blurted.

"mom may I be excused?"

"sure dear everything ok?"

With no answer Kagome went to her room and dropped on her bed staring at the photo strip on her desk. "he followed me to school and tried to kill the camera booth that day" she smiled fondly at the memory "I can't see him anymore, my voice can't reach him anymore, my hands can't touch him anymore…I can never be with Inuyasha ever again" she gave in to a sniffle which fell into a heart felt cry.

Inuyasha however was trekking through the swamp of stolen souls on his journey west. The slimy swamp water soaked his clothes and left a foul stench clinging to him. "damn it! Stuck In wretched swamp wadding through this disgusting sludge water"

He growled and cursed for the next 4 miles until he came upon a bandits camp filled with armed humans getting drunk on Sake and roughly pushing women around the tents. A sight that angered the already unhappy half demon. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists "hey you! if you're looking a beating I'm all to happy to oblige" he snapped.

The bandits looked over from their entertainment, annoyed that someone had interrupted. "well boys looks like we have a noble hero wandering around lets show him what happens to nosey trespassers!"

One by one they drew their weapons on Inuyasha with sinister glares but the half demon smirked "you idiots just stepped into your own graves and don't even realise it"

Inuyasha dashed through the camp using his claws to slash down the bandits. By the time he cut the last bandit down he left them all laying and writhing in the mud, blood and sake making sure to only inflict damage rather than kill them all.

"girls you're free to go, get out of here" he ordered waving the ladies away from the camp. they quickly ran for their freedom failing to thank the half demon for saving them, but he was used to humans not acknowledging him before he met Kagome it used to bug him when the humans and demons ignored him but now as long as Kagome acknowledged him he couldn't care what anyone else said or did. A scent brought him to a quick stop, a smell that awoken his empty stomach with a low grumble "roasted boar I'm starved" with a satisfied smirk Inuyasha walked off with a cooked boars leg in his hands.

Rain fell from the sky as thunder and lightening clashed among the clouds. It was nearing the time of the finals and Sota was twitching with nervous energy "I'm scared gramps what if I can't win?" he asked his grand-father

"Sota just do your best and trust in our ancestors ancient sword…."

"Dad, that's Sota's sword that Inuyasha gave him remember your sword came to life and flew away" Mrs. Higurashi interrupted with a playful smile "Sota just do your best and believe in yourself win or lose you made it to the finals and that says a lot for someone so young"

"thanks mom" Sota replied.

Kagome descended the stairs with a cloth case in her hands and Inuyasha's red robe tied into a hood over her shoulders "Sota promise me you'll be careful today ok you're using real swords I've seen how dangerous they are" she stopped talking as she felt Sota hug her waist.

"I'll be ok sis, Inuyasha taught me remember and he's the best fighter ever"

As Sota let go and raced for the cab Kagome thought on his words and on 'Purotekuta' Inuyasha would be protecting him, even if it was just a small piece of him "you're right little brother he was the best" she thought to herself letting a small half smile slide across her lips.

It was match time as Sota and Kiba took their places the very air in the arena felt stuffy and weighted Kiba's sword looked as if it was shaking in the scabbard. Sota stared at the sword, it was actually shaking and his eyes widened, the sword was acting like So'unga the day it came to life.

"begin!" the announcer shouted.

Both young boys drew their swords clashing in the center of the ring, bringing Kiba's sword to its full effect. The swords demonic power had awaken at the touch of meeting Sota's blade.

"that sword it wreaks of the wretched mutt! The son of the mongrel dog who slew us! Kill him, destroy that fang now!" the sword hissed.

Kiba's eyes turned black as he swung at Sota again but in miracle move Kiba's sword flew from his hand "this child is weak I need a proper host to destroy that fang!"

Kagome watched in horror, she knew those signs all to well. "Sota get out of there!" she tried to push through the crowd but was being met with resistance until Kiba's father grasped the demonic sword unleashing a wave of destructive power. The crowds were slammed against the walls by the sheer pressure of the swords aura and cracks began to from in the concrete as the windows shattered and lights blew into shards "that demonic aura…Shysiquon?"

"come, challenge me with that fang runt and I Kiba burkea will shatter it to pieces!" Kiba's father bellowed with maniacal laughter as the evil aura circled him "suffer my dragons wrath!"

A torrenting vortex of wind tore through the arena throwing bodies over the street.

"Inuyasha… help us"