"Hurry up." Kagura said impatiently, glancing over the destruction her newest sibling had wrought. 

            Asilu merely rolled her eyes and cut down four more villagers with her whip.  "These people aren't even primarily the ones we're after.  Why expend energy making it a point to slaughter them all when killing a lesser number will accomplish the same thing?"

            Kagura's silence conceded the point, and she wandered off to await the arrival of Inuyasha and his little gang of misfits. 

*

            Inuyasha stopped, turned, and sniffed the air.

            "Something wrong?" Kagome asked anxiously. 

            "What do you smell?" Miroku added.

            "Human blood." the half- demon replied tightly, dashing off in the direction the scent had come from. 

            The others shared a look and ran after him, Miroku and Sango on foot and Kagome on her bicycle, with Shippo swinging wildly from his deathgrip on her shoulders. 

            They ran for what seemed like an eternity before coming across their first villager. 

            Inuyasha growled.  The man reeked of death.

            "Please, help!" he begged.  "Demons- attacking the village!"  His message delivered, the wind holding him together deserted him and the upper half of his body tumbled away.

            "Kagura." Inuyasha muttered resentfully, increasing his speed.  The others followed some distance behind, shouting in vain for him to wait.

*

            He was here.

            Kagura unfolded herself, and Kanna came to stand beside her.  Asilu strode some distance ahead of them, meeting the half- demon head on.  The poison insects hovered around them.

            "Who're you?" he demanded.

            "My name is Asilu.  I am the most recent incarnation of Naraku." she introduced herself.  Asilu's violet eyes glittered in anticipation.  "And you must be Inuyasha."

            "Oh, aren't you smart." he scoffed, unsheathing the Tetsusaiga.    "Let's get this OVER WITH!"  Inuyasha leapt forward, sword first.

            Asilu sidestepped with a rapidity her opponent could hardly believe.  It reminded him of Juromaru… 

*

            They arrived in the village to find Inuyasha already attacking a tall, female demon with blue- violet hair that they didn't recognize. 

            "Inuyasha." Kagome whispered in worry, as the demon circled around behind him and almost struck him with her whip.  Inuyasha barely managed to use the Tetsusaiga to block it.

            "Get down!" Miroku yelled, dragging the girls with him as he leapt sideways to avoid a Dance of Blades attack from Kagura.  Kagome noticed Kanna appear on their other side. 

            Shippo scampered off to what looked like a relatively safe distance, and Kirara stood over him as a guard. 

            Kanna's mirror flared, and Sango stopped cold and began to glow.

            "Oh no you don't!" Kagome growled fiercely, firing off an arrow.  The arrow pierced the mirror, and Kanna was forced to abandon her attempt. 

            Sango shook her head and glared at the demon that appeared to be nothing more than a little girl. 

            Kagura reminded them of her presence by sending another attack their way.  The monk dodged.  Sango and Kagome dove in the opposite direction and looked around for Kanna.

            She was gone.

            They looked around wildly for her.  She was doing her little vanishing act again, disappearing from one place and popping up almost instantly in another in a circle around them, so fast that Kagome couldn't get off a shot.

            Sango knew that Kagome was the bigger threat for Kanna, and that the little demon would probably attack from behind to try to steal her soul again.  Sango guarded Kagome's back and readied her chain. 

            Sure enough, Kanna appeared behind Kagome.  Sango threw the chain and was gratified to see it connect.

            "Kagome!" she yelled.

            Her friend didn't need further word.  She spun around and as soon as the arrow was nocked, it was off. 

            Kanna, remembering that she couldn't deflect the arrow, rolled to the side.  The arrow struck the ground, close enough to her that her demon wind (A/N: You know how the Tetsusaiga can cut through the wind scar, the place where the demonic winds collide?  That's the wind I'm talking about.) was dispelled, and Kanna was left next to defenseless.

            Sango readied Hiraikotsu. 

            Kagura, who had been dodging Miroku's written spells (A/N: Real name, please?), sent a volley of Blades her way.  They cut through the chain, and Kanna was freed.

            Perhaps realizing that the girls wouldn't let her near them long enough to steal either of their souls, Kanna ran over to Kagura and the sisters began their own tag team.

            Miroku stopped, trying to fight off the influence of Kanna's mirror.

            Sango pulled him away as Kagome loosed another arrow.  Kagura and Kanna leapt aside. 

            Seeing her chance, Sango hurled Hiraikotsu. 

            Unfortunately, Kanna wasn't as affected by the arrow's proximity as Sango had counted on, and the giant boomerang bounced off her shield again.  The demon hunter dove in time to avoid being struck on the upper body, as she had been before, but Hiraikotsu was too fast for her to pull her legs out of the way in time.  Hit, Sango tumbled out of control. 

            "Sango!" Kagome cried.

            Kagura took advantage and, avoiding Miroku's spells, sent a Dance of Blades attack at Sango.  The injured demon hunter twisted from one side to the other, rolling along the ground, trying desperately to avoid the deadly wind.  She only partially succeeded; the blades ripped gashes in her shoulders, sides, and legs. 

            Miroku and Kagome stood protectively in front of their fallen friend, and Kirara launched herself at the other demons. 

            Kagura tossed the firecat back with a careless flick of her fan. 

            "Kirara!" Shippo cried.  He ran towards her.

            Kagura smiled and sent him flying.  The child fox demon smacked hard against a tree and, unconscious, fell from one branch to another before hitting the ground and lying motionless. 

            "Shippo!" Kagome called. 

            Kagura sent her Blades in his direction. 

            Kagome shot an arrow, shielding the boy.

            "Would- you- stop!" Kagura snarled, using the Dance of Blades yet again.  Miroku and Kagome grabbed Sango and ran.

*

            Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in frustration.  Asilu was too fast, dodging all of his thrusts with the Tetsusaiga.  It was all Inuyasha could do to defend against that whip.  He already had superficial cuts all over his arms.

            The whip snapped again, and Inuyasha jumped straight up and sent an Iron Reaver attack flying at her. 

            Asilu changed direction and streaked toward where Miroku, Sango and Kagome were running from Kagura.  The whip snapped a third time.

            Inuyasha punctured his own arm and tried a Blades of Blood.

            Asilu rolled over in midair, avoiding Inuyasha's attack even as her own opened a deep gash across Kagome's ribs.  The girl cried out and fell, dragging Sango and Miroku with her.  The monk covered both girls with his own body as the Dance of Blades rolled across them. 

            Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror as he hit the ground, watching.  He had never felt so slow as he flashed across the ground to his friends.

            Asilu, taking advantage of his distraction, drew her hands back.  When she flung them forward, lethal lines of red light streaked toward Inuyasha.  He ran through them, ducking under some, running ahead of the brunt of her attack and stepping around the rest. 

            Now the worst part.  The two incarnations' attacks merged, and Inuyasha had to withstand them while he grabbed the girls and monk and ran.  He was slowed by their weight and his awkward hold, and barely missed getting them all killed.  He gave a mighty leap and landed beside Shippo, where he set them down. 

            Asilu touched down beside Kagura, and Kanna came to stand on her other side.  The three demons marched forward. 

            Inuyasha stood in front of the group and drew Tetsusaiga.  Miroku groaned, raising himself up.  Seeing what was happening, he used his staff to pull himself upright and took his place beside the half- demon. 

            "Miroku…" Inuyasha started.

            The monk didn't look at him.  "I won't let you face them alone.  Not while I can fight."

            The half demon shot him a grateful, sidelong look.  "You'll get yourself killed."

            "It was going to happen anyway." Miroku said quietly, determined.  No fear showed on his face, only resignation.  The only sign he gave of agitation was his white- knuckled grip on his staff. 

            A miasma interrupted them, and both friends watched with narrowed eyes and tightened jaws as Naraku emerged from it to stand beside his incarnations. 

            He smiled.  "So."

            "Naraku." Miroku and Inuyasha spat in unison. 

            The half- demon lifted an eyebrow.  "I'm surprised to see you still standing, monk, with all the blood coming from you."

            "I won't die before I kill you." Miroku vowed, and Inuyasha saw the same stubborn conviction in the monk that had kept him fighting so many times, no matter how much it hurt or how much damage he did to himself. 

            Naraku's smile widened.  "Well, you'd better hurry, then."

            Inuyasha dashed forward, drawing the Tetsusaiga. 

            Asilu moved to meet him.  Inuyasha scented the wind scar, and-

            saw Kagura out of the corner of his eye. Remembering that Kanna was also present, he realized if he tried to use the wind scar, she would fire it back on him.  But if he could catch them unawares…  Hoisting Tetsusaiga above his head, he started to bring it down, then switched his handhold and used his Iron Reaver attack.

            Caught off guard, Asilu didn't dodge quickly enough, and the yellow light cut through enough of her kimono (A/N: That IS what they wear, right?  Kagura and Kanna?) to reveal the spider scar on her back.  She and Inuyasha hit the ground at the same time.

            Asilu snapped her whip, but Inuyasha drew the Tetsusaiga and used it to shield himself again.  She growled in frustration. 

*

            At the same time that Inuyasha started fighting with Asilu again, Miroku took on Kagura.  The wind sorceress sent her favorite Dance of Blades attack at him; Miroku, having learned from the last time he'd done this, spun his staff to deflect some and sidestepped others. 

            Kanna angled her mirror at him.

            Out of nowhere, a sacred arrow appeared and pierced the mirror. 

            "So Kikyo's reincarnation is still alive." Naraku observed, turning his attention to Kagome.  The girl had pulled herself upright and was holding herself there with a hand to the ground.  The other was pressed against her wound. 

            I hope he doesn't try anything else. Kagome hoped, though she knew it was in vain.  I don't think I have the strength for another arrow.

            Kagura sent her Dance of Blades at them.

            One arrow shielded them, and another provided cover for Hiraikotsu, thrown with all the desperate strength Sango had left.

            Kagura, Kanna and Naraku were all forced to move for the giant boomerang, which sailed past them-

            and went right through the midsection of Asilu, who had turned at the noise Hiraikotsu made.

            Naraku's mouth tightened.  He sent a miasma swirling around the group and disappeared in another one.

            Inuyasha made his way through the deadly stuff as quickly as he could.

            Kagome, coughing, fired her last arrow into the ground.  The pink light that accompanied her shots pierced the miasma long enough for Inuyasha to reach them and drag them out of the worst of it. 

A/N:  This is my newest fic, and if I'm going to neglect a story, it'll probably be this one.  I've only seen the episodes CTN has aired, which means that I've only seen up to Father's Mortal Enemy, Ryukottesei (spelling?).  I haven't seen that episode, but I have seen the one before it.  Just think of this as my way of coping with yet ANOTHER plague of reruns.  Virtual cookies to anyone who reviews.  Tell me what you think!  If you like, I'll continue.  If you don't I'll probably continue anyway until I lose interest.  BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!