Hello there~ Time for the third chapter to come out already? Gosh, I haven't finished writing Chapter Four yet. I should get to work on that... Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or any of its associations.

Chapter Three

When Kiriko was able to see color again, she was lying on her back, and Kagome was leaning over her, watching her wake. "I-I can see again," Kiriko murmured. "When did you get here, Kagome? And…how did I…get down here? Where…I'm confused."*

"You fainted," Inuyasha told her bluntly, peeking over Kagome's shoulder.

"Oh, shoo!" Kagome waved him away. "Are you feeling alright?" Kagome looked concerned as she helped Kiriko to her feet.

"Uh…yeah. Did you by any chance see that...thing?"

"The youkai? I didn't. Inuyasha took care of it, and then brought you back here. Can you walk? We're about to head out…."

"Yes, I'm fine." The group began to migrate.

"I still don't get why the youkai was after you," Kagome wondered aloud. "They usually come for Inuyasha."

"It's her scent," Inuyasha called from his position in the lead. "Whatever the heck she is, no one has smelled anything like it before. The stupid ones get curious and come looking."

"But can't they still tell that she smells human?" Kagome asked.

"She doesn't."

"Then what does she smell like?"

"How should I know? Whatever she is, I haven't met one before."

Everyone on the group took advantage of the silence that climbed over them and pondered over what Inuyasha had just said—especially Kiriko. 'Not human? How is that even possible? Does he even know what he's talking about? I'm pretty sure I'm a human.' Kiriko sighed, not knowing what to think anymore.

When they had stopped for a lunch break, Kiriko sat on the bank of the nearby stream*2, staring into its crystal waters. She gazed blankly, wondering if she could really handle the mess she had gotten herself into. Kiriko took a deep breath and drew her knees to her chest. 'Don't make yourself think too hard,' she scolded herself. 'I should take this opportunity to clear my mind, and try to rid myself off all doubt.' Kiriko continued to stare blankly at the flowing waters, and eventually all thought emptied itself from her mind. The girl was impassive and completely unaware of herself and her surroundings. And think a spark flew in her mind. Before she could do anything, Kiriko felt as if she were being drawn into another world. The sparkling water disappeared before her eyes and in its stead appeared a tall, elegant man. His silver hair, and distinct facial marking made him seem exotic, even more so than Kiriko's monochrome-toned eyes.

He seemed to be speaking, but Kiriko could not hear a word he was saying. Whatever he was speaking of or whomever he was speaking to was most likely boring him, for his facial expression was of one who is distinctly disinterested. Kiriko looked around to see if he was indeed talking to another person. He was, and Kiriko vaguely recognized him or her. She stared intently, trying to see if she could recognize the person. She could, and with a jolt she realized it was herself. Her inky-black hair was a bit ruffled, her face had a few smudges on it, her sleeveless cardigan ravaged: Kiriko looked a mess. Watching herself speak to the man unsettled Kiriko, especially because she seemed to grow more terrified with every word she spoke.

Kiriko tried hard to focus, hoping to be able to hear the conversation, but the more she thought about it, the blurrier her vision became. It was only a matter a time before everything faded to black. The next thing Kiriko saw was the darkening sky, and a fire flickering in the corner of her eye. She shot upright and looked around wildly.

"You're awake," she heard someone say. Kiriko turned to find the source of the voice, which turned out to be Miroku. "You fainted again," he explained, seeing the baffled expression on her face. "Shippo found you by that stream and called everyone else over."

"And it was a pain carrying you all over the place," Inuyasha added, somewhat glaring at Kiriko from across the fire. "Some 'Protector' you are. I've been protecting you."

"I'm sorry," Kiriko said, glancing at him. When she saw his face she gave a small squeak. She had only looked quickly, and with the shadows playing their games upon face he looked vaguely similar to the man she saw before she woke up next to the fire. She told him so when he asked her what was her problem, describing what she saw and how she came upon seeing it—or rather how she was not entirely sure how she came upon seeing it.

"Hmm…" Miroku began after she had finished. "It sounds like you had some sort of psychic vision, even though I heard that the psychics that usually have them can only see events that can or have happened. What do you think Inuyasha?"

"What the hell do you mean, 'What do I think?' I don't know anything about psychics and visions."

"Yes," Miroku continued. "But the man she described sounded a lot like Sesshomaru did he not? Surely she has not met him before, so what are the chances of her meeting him in the future?"

Inuyasha sniffed the air, and then he shook his head. "I don't smell him nearby." Miroku shrugged, and the matter was put to rest.

If one strained his or her ear, they could just barely hear the faint breathing. The figure doing the breathing were tired of waiting for the hanyou in front of them to fall asleep, but luckily for him, he had finally dozed off. He silently waited a few more minutes for the hanyou to drift even further into Dreamland before he crept forward. When the man was standing over his target he allowed himself to give a small smirk. When he reached for the girl he heard a voice growl from behind him, "Did you really think I didn't know you where there?" The man turned and saw Inuyasha standing there, looking intimidating with his hand on his sword hilt. "What do you want?"

The man did not answer, and instead grunted as he lunged forward to attack.*3 Inuyasha quickly braced himself for impact, but was surprised when he went flying a lot farther backwards than he had expected. The noises of the battle woke up the rest of the members of the group, and the silent attacker decided that he should get a move on. He deflected an attack of Inuyasha's, and while the hanyou was unbalanced the assailant quickly moved over to Kiriko and grabbed her by the arm. He was about to run off with her when the very arm attached to the hand holding the girl was severed by Sango's Hiraikotsu. Said boomerang flew back at him, threatening to slice him in half, but as he turned to face its owner, it just missed him. The aggressor looked at his detached arm, and merely grunted. Kiriko shrieked in disgust and proceeded to back away from the man as quickly as possible.

The attacker switched his gaze to the stub attached to his torso and squinted his eyes. Within a few seconds, a new arm had sprouted and the feat earned a gasp of surprise from Sango. As Inuyasha lurched forward to attack again he hissed at Kagome. "He's after your friend. Take her and get out of here!"

Kagome merely nodded and quickly grabbed Kiriko's hand, dragging her away. When Kiriko began to run herself they headed into a wood, desperately trying to distance themselves from the battle and would-be kidnapper. Kiriko's heart was pounding in her chest and she could feel the blood rushing through her veins at top speed. When the girls thought it safe to stop, Kiriko nearly collapsed, trying to catch her breath. They stood there in eerie silence, waiting for one of their friends to come a give them the 'All-Clear.' Kiriko stiffened when she saw Kagome suddenly grow alert, her eyes determined and scanning. A rustle shattered the silence, and before either of the girls had time to blink their own eyes, Kagome fell to the ground unconscious. Kiriko gasped, and when she saw a shadow shift ever so slightly in the moonlight her instincts screamed to her only one command: run. Though she felt pained to leave Kagome in the state she was in, Kiriko obeyed.

Kiriko sprinted deeper into the wood; branches of trees nipped at her clothes, she tripped numerous times over the roots of the trees, and twigs scratched at her arms and hands.

She ran as far as fast as she could, powered by sheer adrenaline. When it seemed to Kiriko that she had been running forever, her legs began to slow down of their own accord. Soon after, her vision began to blur once again and Kiriko mentally cursed herself for being so weak*4. Just as her legs were about to give out, Kiriko burst into clearing where the light of a fire reached her closing eyes. She stumbled, collapsed, and fell heavily to the ground.

*: This is just my assumption of how a person behaves after they revive from fainting. I'm not entirely sure because the only time I may have fainted, no one was there to tell me that I did. I was standing, and then slowly my sight faded to black. I heard something fall and I was cursing my eyes—they often go black on me—because I couldn't see what fell (I was afraid it was my mother's fancy lamp). The next thing I know, I'm on the ground looking underneath a table. Entire process only felt like two minutes though it might have been longer. Took me another five minutes to realize I was the thing that fell. You tell me if I fainted.

*2: Do streams have banks?

*3: Oh gawd, here it comes. The scene I've been dreading. *sucks at writing battle scenes*

*4: Not really, she just ran 1 ½-2 miles since she ditched Kagome. Took her…twenty-five minutes. Have faith in yourself Kiriko!

A/N: Well? I know the chapters are getting shorter and I apologize for that. I'm trying to work on that. Hope you liked it anyway.