"Katsukeeee!" Hikari screamed, frantic. She tried to claw herself out, but her fragile body was held in place by bands of aura, which pulsed and glowed.

Tsuki had her older brother in a headlock. Katsuke roared and snarled at the slim arm that held him in place, but Tsuki was firm. Finally, when the elemental got tired of his squirming, she lightly shocked him with electricity and, with a cry of pain, he fell unconscious. Another shriek clawed the air.

Gina, on the other end, stood protectively in front of Naraku, and fan in each hand consisting of razor-sharp edges and poison-coated metal. She tensed, teeth bared when Naraku reached for his uchigatana, kept at his waist for fast-pulling. He scowled, took one look at the unconscious demon at his floor, and dropped his hand.

"What the hell is going on?" he snapped, sounding more annoyed than anything else.

Tsuki looked up at him with epic calmness. "He was here for his kidnapped sister."

"The one that the woman dropped off?"

"What woman?" Gina mumbled, angry about not understanding. She studied her sister's blank eyes, clouded whenever she reached into someone's mind.

Hikari was crying now, the aura biting into her skin.

The fabric over the doorframe was ripped down and Naraku grabbed onto his sword again. Gina instantly fell into her rightful place in front of him.

Kagome stumbled into the room, doing a not-so-graceful face-plant onto the wooded floor. She quickly recovered and was on her feet again, chakara glowing at hand. Naraku, with a smirk, inwardly praised her speed.

"What's going on? What happened?"

Gina grinned. "Someone dropped that girl here and a very pissed brother followed."

Kagome frowned, confused. "Someone?" Her attention was caught on the squirming girl in the corner, whimpering now. "Hikari!" She ran over to the little demon girl and, with a touch of her finger, the aura disappeared. The girl fell into her arms. Naraku's eyebrows rose; that was an unbreakable seal.

"You know each other?"

Hikari buried her head in Kagome's shoulder as she cradled her gently. "She's ... Sesshoumaru's cousin," she sighed, belatedly, not wanting to say his name. "I saved her life, once, from a sea demon. I'll try to explain the situation to Katsuke."

"She doesn't have a very good protector," Gina snorted.

Tsuki blinked rapidly, coming out of her trance. "That woman."

Her sister gingerly stepped over the sprawled-out body on the floor and dragged it out of the way. Naraku sat down on a mat, his face guarded as Kagome rocked Hikari.

"That woman," she repeated, turning to Naraku, "knows you very well."

"What, like a stalker?" Kagome called out. Gina laughed before she caught herself.

Naraku scowled again. "And?"

Tsuki bit her lip and looked down at Katsuke, who was just struggling to get up. He moaned and fell down again. Maybe it wasn't such a light shock after all.

"I can't tell you till the time is right."

"Dammit all with these stupid prophesies!"

Gina stood over the waking demon. "Tsuki's right. Don't ask for anything until you know you're ready for the information. Her sayings may be painful, but their right."

"I am not a very patient person," Naraku snarled. "Tell me."

"Naraku..."

"Tell me!"

"But-"

"I've been to hell and back. I think that I can take a bit of spoken word."

Hikari, her tears stopped, looked up in child-like interest at the direction the conversation had turned. Kagome kept rocking her, her mind fogged. Of course, she would always keep that hatred for her sworn enemy, but this was different. Even before Tsuki reluctantly opened her mouth, horror was destined to hit home. A small surge of pity flowed though her.

"You haven't been though hell yet, Naraku. The worst part isn't over."

"What part?" he whispered now.

Gina winced and shook her head fervently at her sister.

"The part where your mother makes a deal with Izanami, becomes an undead vampire and tries to kill you."

OoO~OoO

"No no! I haven't seen anything!" the man wailed. InuYasha's golden eyes narrowed.

"Human, I know that Naraku's brat and his pony passed by here because I JUST FUCKIN' SAW THEM." His clawed grip on the poor man tightened until his eyes bulged and his face turned purple.

"S-s-tooop! Caaa...n't breee..th!"

"WHICH WAY DID THEY GO?!"

The man lifted a shaking finger to the north, his gasping turned shallow. With a sickening eggshell-crunch, the man's neck was broken and InuYasha dumped his limp body on the ground, kicking it out of the way like it was something gross.

"North," he muttered to himself. InuYasha was no longer the healthy demon he was a few days ago. His face was streaked with dirt, his whole frame a little thinner. His clothes were torn and muddy. Red splashed his golden eyes.

"InuYasha?"

He whirled in the figure which had uttered the name he hated the most. With a quick twist, the person was trapped between his claws and a tree.

Miroku stared at him in fear before recognition settled in. The two looked at each other, not really sure what to do.

"Hello, comrade." He actually smiled now, even though InuYasha still had a grip on his throat.

How easily broken.

InuYasha released and took a step back, inspecting his best friend. It had been a few days since they had last seen each other, not since...

...the incident.

"Thank Kami was found you! Sango was starting to stare at those ramen packages Kagome left behind."

InuYasha took one long, bitter, sorrowful look at Miroku before stalking off. Of course, his human friend tagged along, panting at his quick pace.

"Hey, do you want to talk?"

"Shut up and leave me alone."

Miroku half-heartedly grinned. "Come on, for old time's sa-"

"Shut UP already!" InuYasha screamed. Miruku fell back, betrayal twisting his face. "That's what's wrong with you frickin' humans! You don't know when to SHUT UP!"

"InuYasha-"

"NO!"

Miroku was once again trapped under his hand, choking slowly. His face quickly turned purple.

A whisper echoed silently in his head, a laugh. Many laughs.

...animal...

...freak...

...uncontrollable...

"RUN FROM THE MONSTER!"

"AAAAAAUUGGHH!!!"

"Too late, you demon."

InuYasha ran away from the limp body before his conscience could drown his again.

OoO~OoO

NUUU! Is Miroku dead? DON'T ASK STUPID QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU READ THE OTHER CHAPTERS!

....

....

....

*Looks over chapter again* GAH! It's short again! ~.~ Never mind. I'll write a longer one, or my name isn't Sweetie Pie Bob! Um... wait... Anyway, I'm sure that you're al drowning in all the info I just crammed into your minds; this was an "informational chapter"! ^-^ Luvs all who reviews! *throws cyber-cookies to reviewers and hits one in head* Gomen, peeps! 3