I own nothing but a notebook and pen...and a cute Trunks pillow that I bought at Walmart. Don't sue me. ^_^

“Are you sure, Shippo?” The teenage girl swept a lock of her long dark hair behind her shoulder and looked down at the short brown haired fox demon.

The little demon nodded confidently. “Hai, Kagome.” He pointed to the ancient looking well nearby. “It went in there. I saw it.”

“A—“ Kagome began.

“Demon.” Inu-Yasha wrinkled up his nose in disgust and pricked his dog-like ears as he turned towards Kagome. “I can still smell it’s fowl scent.”

“But why do you suppose a demon would go into your world, Lady Kagome?” A young, dark haired monk stepped up next to her, a slightly confused look etched on his handsome face.

Kagome’s dark brown eyes focused on the well. It was her way home, the link between this ancient feudal world and the modern one she knew. She looked back to the monk, Miroku, and shook her head, unable to provide an answer to his question. “I don’t know.” She said finally. She looked to the white haired half demon standing next to her. “Inu-Yasha?”

“Let’s not stand here wondering how or why this happened.” Inu-Yasha suddenly snapped. “We must destroy this demon before it causes any damage to your world, Kagome.” He turned his head to Shippo, who was now sitting on his shoulder. “What did this demon look like?” He asked in a much calmer tone than he had used earlier.

“Like a little girl.” Shippo said, indicating a height not much taller than himself. “She had long black hair that was tied back and big shiny green eyes. She was wearing a dark green robe and carrying a doll made out of hay and wool.”

“Anything else?” Miroku asked, lightly flicking one of the rings on his gold staff.

The little demon nodded. “Yeah, her laugh.”

“Laugh?” Inu-Yasha raised an eyebrow.

“It…it made my ears and my head hurt terribly.” Shippo finished with a whimper.

“Let’s go now,” Miroku said. “Before this child demon can cause any harm in Kagome’s world.”

“Hai.” Inu-Yasha agreed. He already had one leg in the well before Shippo spoke up again.

“One more thing,” The fox demon said, uneasiness creeping into his small voice. The others turned and looked at him. His ears lay back against his head and we whined softly. “She has a…a…Shikon shard!”

Kagome gasped. “What?”

“In her doll’s eyes.” Shippo pointed to his own eyes as he explained. “They were shiny like crystals. And they reflected like that in the girl’s eyes.”

“That means,” Miroku began. “That the little girl is possessed by the demon! How terrible!”

“Can we please not waste any more time?” Inu-Yasha angrily raised his voice again. “Let’s go.”

Kagome nodded and climbed into the well, followed quickly by Miroku and Shippo. Inu-Yasha sat for a moment on the edge of the well and looked up at the full moon hanging high in the sky. ~~ Thank goodness, ~~ He thought. ~~ That tonight is not a new moon. ~~ Then, he followed the others into the well.

“Hey, Hee-chan!” Duo’s voice rang out again. “C’mere and look at this!” Heero Yuy sighed and walked over to the long haired boy, who was eagerly pointing to some knick-knack on the cart of a street merchant. He picked up a small wooden box decorated with ornate carvings all over it. “Isn’t this cool?” Duo smiled widely and his violet eyes lit up as he showed it to Heero. The Japanese boy looked at it for a moment, uninterested, then walked away. Duo smiled and shook his head. He paid the merchant several coins for the box then ran after Heero. He had almost caught up to him at a jogging pace when he bumped into someone.

“Itai…” A soft voice whimpered.

Duo looked down at the little girl who he had accidentally knocked to the ground. “Gomen nasai.” He said quickly, squatting down to the girl’s height. She looked up at him with tear-filled green eyes and sniffled. “Are you okay, youjou-san? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

The little girl shook her head, her black hair bobbing across her face. “Iie.” She said in a soft, haunting tone. “I’m okay.”

Duo looked around as he helped her up. Somebody around must be worried about this girl. She couldn’t be any older than six. “Where are your parents?” He asked.

The little girl’s shiny green eyes filled with tears and she clutched an ancient looking doll to her chest. “I…I don’t know.” She said as tears began to roll down her pale cheeks. “I can’t find them. I saw them a-a few minutes ago, but when I went to look at some toys, I turned around and they were gone!” She began to sob loudly, ignoring Duo’s attempts to calm her.

“Hey, don’t worry.” Duo smiled at her reassuringly. “I’ll help you find them.”

She smiled excitedly and threw her arms around Duo. “Domo arigatou!” She cried happily.

“No problem.” Duo said. He looked up and scanned the crowded sidewalk. Heero had vanished, so he really had nothing better to do until Heero would find him and scold him for wandering off. “What’s your name?” Duo asked as they began to walk along.

“Midori.” She said and smiled up at the American. “What is your name?”

“I’m Duo.” He said, taking Midori’s small hand in his so he wouldn’t lose her in the crowd.

“Duo…” She repeated slowly, giggling as she spoke his name. “That is a strange name.”

“A lot of people say that.” Duo covered one of his ears and winced as she laughed. A sharp wave of pain shot through his head and faded just as quickly as it had appeared. “What the…” He trailed off, thinking the pain was nothing.

The demon Midori watched the long haired boy through the eyes of the doll. Something powerful rested in his soul. Something that he most likely did not even realize he possessed. ~~ I must have him… ~~ She laughed softly to herself. ~~ I will make him mine! ~~

“Wait!” Kagome shouted, throwing her arms in front of her to stop Inu-Yasha, Miroku, and Shippo from getting past her.

“Why?” Inu-Yasha snapped.

“You three can’t go out the way you’re dressed!” Kagome returned just as sharply. “No offense, but you guys look like freaks. You need different clothes.”

Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes, Shippo swallowed hard and Miroku stared at her confusedly. “Different clothes, Lady Kagome?” The monk asked.

“People will stare if you are dressed in those clothes.” Kagome walked to the door of the mini-shrine near the well. “Stay here and I’ll go get you some clothes.” She ran to her nearby house and came back a few moments later with a pile of used clothes. She handed a shirt and pants to Miroku, identical clothes and a hat to Inu-Yasha, and a smaller shirt, pants, hat and a backpack to Shippo. “Put those on quick.” Kagome said as she turned away, having no desire to watch the three of them change clothes. A few moments passed and Kagome felt a light tug on her skirt.

“Kagome,” Shippo looked up at her in confusion and held up the back pack. “Where does this go?”

Kagome knelt down beside him and showed him a hole in the back. “This old thing used to belong to my brother.” She explained. “Since there’s a hole in it, I figured it would hide your tail.”

“My tail?” Shippo’s yellow eyes grew wide. “But I don’t want to. It’ll get lonely in there!”

“It’s okay,” Kagome assured him as she slipped the backpack onto his tiny shoulders. “It’s just so people won’t stare at you.” Shippo blinked up with her with a half smile and waged his tail inside the backpack, just to make sure it was still there. “All right now?” Kagome asked.

Shippo nodded. “Hai.”

“Good,” She returned. “I guess we’re ready to go then.”

“Kagome,” Inu-Yasha began in a low voice.

“What is...oh...” Kagome’s eyes widened as she turned around.

Inu-Yasha glared at her from under a mop of black hair as if what had just happened to him was her fault. “What does the sky look like out there?”

Duo looked down at Midori as they walked along the crowded sidewalk Something was not right with this child. Her clothes were strange, like she had just come out of a history book. Her eyes were even stranger. They were bright green and shining on their own, despite the fact that it was dusk. The shine was not a normal spark of life that could be seen in most people, but an eerie, silvery glow that almost sent shivers down the American’s spine.

Midori noticed he was staring and looked up at him. “Is something wrong, Duo?” She asked.

Duo stared at her blankly for a moment, then shook his head. He looked down at the doll, quickly wanting to change the subject. “That doll looks pretty old.” He commented.

“Hai.” Midori held it up for him to see. “It belonged to my great grandma.”

“Really?” Duo smiled as she handed the doll to him so he could get a closer look. It’s body was made of hay and clothed with white wool. Long strands of human hair hung from its head and a small piece of black cloth formed a smile. He found the doll’s eyes just as odd as Midori’s. They were made of a clear tiny crystal-like stone. Duo stared at them for several moments, the eyes on the doll seemed to reflect into hers. Something about them were utterly captivating and he found himself almost unable to look away. Finally he snapped his head up and looked down at Midori as she tugged on his hand. “What is it?” Duo asked in a slurred tone.

“I see my mom and dad.” She cried, pulling her hand free from Duo’s grasp. “Arigato for helping me, Duo! Sayonara!” Midori ran off and vanished into the crowd without taking her doll.

“Wait!” Duo shouted, starting off in the general direction Midori had run. “Your doll, I--” She was no where to be found, she had completely vanished into the mass of people. The American looked at the doll, then back up at the crowd. “Well, I guess it’s just you and me.” He said to the doll. “I’ll go try and find her, she probably misses you.” He slipped the doll into his pocket and wandered off to find her.

“There you are!” Duo turned as he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Hey, Hee-chan!” The braided boy smiled widely at Heero, who had appeared behind him from out of nowhere. “I was just about to report you to the missing children department.”

Heero grunted in annoyance and grabbed Duo by the braid and started to pull him along the sidewalk.

“Ow ow ow! Leggo Heero!” Duo cried, trying to get Heero to let him go. “Where are we going?”

“Home,” Heero said flatly. “It’s getting late.”

“Okay, okay! We’ll go home!” Duo squirmed to get out of Heero’s grasp. “I can walk on my own y’know!” Heero let him go and kept walking. “Sometimes I have to wonder if ya still like me, Hee-chan.” He said as he followed him, forgetting about the doll as they walked home.

The demon Midori smiled to herself. She no longer needed that child, by now the girl was probably wandering around the market, lost and terrified. She almost had the boy, Duo he was called, in the palm of her hand. ~~Anything to get out of the body of this doll...~~ Midori thought to herself. She sampled the American’s energy as he tagged along after Heero. ~~God of Death and you don’t even know it, huh boy? You can not even begin to comprehend the amount of power you possess. No matter though, little one, your power will soon be mine to control.~~

Duo felt a slight chill as he and Heero approached their apartment, but he simply dismissed it as a soft breeze.

“I-Inu-Yasha?” Kagome gasped. “You’re...you’re human!”

“That is rather apparent,” Inu-Yasha growled. He shoved past her and walked outside. He looked up at the dark sky, then back at Kagome. “Why is there no moon?” He demanded loudly. “Back home there was a full one!”

“I guess it’s different because of the long passage of time,” She suggested.

“Well how are we going to track down and destroy a demon that lives by possessing people if I don’t have any of my powers to track it?” He shouted.

Kagome sighed as she looked at him. His long normally white hair had turned completely black, and his claws and fangs were gone. His only feature that remained the same was his demon-like yellow eyes. Inu-Yasha sighed and met her gaze with a frustrated expression.

“Well?” He murmured, still staring at Kagome

“I can track it.” Shippo spoke up. “After all, I saw it and I know its scent.”

“You remember it, Shippo?” Miroku asked.

The little demon nodded. “Hai.”

“Feh,” Inu-Yasha grunted. Kagome glared at him. “Shippo is all we have until your powers come back.” She pointed you. “And we have to find this demon before any people are hurt here. We can’t wait.”

“Alright,” Inu-Yasha said with a sigh. He turned and looked down at Shippo, “Where did it go?”

Shippo sniffed the air for a moment, then pointed in a southwestern direction. “That way,” He said decisively.

“There’s a pedestrian street market in that direction.” Kagome said. “It’s usually pretty crowded.”

Miroku and Shippo looked at each other. “What’s a pedestrian?” Shippo asked him.

“I don’t know,” The monk shrugged. “A kind of monster maybe?”

Shippo scampered out a few feet and the others followed him. Kagome went last, inspecting the clothes of the other three. She noticed how Miroku was wearing his pants and immediately shouted. “Miroku!”

He stopped, startled, and turned and looked at her. “Ore?”

“You, um, can’t wear your pants that way...” She said, slightly embarrassed.

Miroku looked down. He saw nothing wrong. He looked back up at Kagome with a confused look on his face. “I don’t see what’s wrong.”

“Your zipper,” Kagome murmured. “You need to pull it up...”

Miroku blinked.

“That little gold metal thing,” She said, pointing without looking. “Pull it up.”

“Oh...why?”

“Be...cause, you can’t be seen walking around with your fly down!” Kagome was almost yelling.

“Why not? Isn’t the design of these pants to show off a man’s...assets?”

“No!” Kagome shouted. “They’re just supposed to be comfortable.”

“I am comfortable.”

“NOT that way!” Kagome shouted, causing his eyes to widen. “Pull up that zipper right now!”

Without another word, Miroku did as he was told. In another minute, they were on their way again.

Inu-Yasha walked along silently next to Kagome, his eyes were sullen and fixed on the ground. He was obviously very upset from his sudden change in species. He sighed in frustration and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“I’m sorry,” Kagome murmured softly. “I didn’t know the moon was different. It isn’t something I pay much attention to.”

“It’s...not your fault,” He replied with a soft sigh. “I guess for now it’s for the best...I blend in better.” The young half demon watched as several happy couples passed by them, all holding hands and seeming very happy. After they had passed, he looked up at Kagome again.

The look in Inu-Yasha’s eyes was one Kagome rarely ever saw. It was so rare, in fact, that she hadn’t been able to pick out what emotion was hidden behind that look. Eagerness...longing...and dare she say love. She wished she could understand his expression, but she always found herself hopelessly lost when she tried. “What is it?” She finally managed to ask.

“Can I...hold your hand?” He asked shyly.

Overcome with surprise, Kagome could barely choke out a response. “Wh-what?”

“Sorry,” He murmured quickly. “I just thought, uh...” Inu-Yasha trailed off and looked away. However, he gasped in surprise when he felt another hand press against his.

“You didn’t have to ask, Inu-Yasha,” Kagome said with a slight smile.I don’t mind at all. She sighed happily to herself, pleased to forget their mission just for those few short moments. She leaned against the half demon’s shoulder and he stopped walking and looked down at her.

“What are you…” Inu-Yasha began in a soft tone, very uncharacteristic for him.

Kagome shushed him and leaned in a little closer. “I don’t mind this either,” She smiled and closed her eyes as moved to kiss him. Inu-Yasha’s heart leapt into his throat and he fought panic as she came closer. “K-Kagome?” He tried to use his normal voice, but it refused to function properly. He hesitated for a moment, then put a hand on Kagome’s shoulder. “Matte kudasai,” He said, almost whispering.

“Nani?” Kagome opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Nani wo?” She felt her face turning red and her heart aching. She had embarrassed him terribly moving in like that. As she looked back up at him, she noticed his eyes had grown cold again. “Inu-Yasha,” She began quietly, trying to apologize.

It took almost all of Inu-Yasha’s willpower to speak again without his voice shaking. “Not now, girl,” He said as sternly as he could.

Kagome’s eyes widened. He had called her ‘girl’ and not Kagome, which she had grown so used to hearing from him. “G-gomen nasai,” She murmured as she backed away from him. “I didn’t mean to be so pushy.” Her tone became much colder as she moved away.

“Kagome, “I—“ Inu-Yasha grabbed her wrist to stop her. Kagome looked sadly up at him, a hurt expression in her dark brown eyes. “I didn’t mean to say that,” He said, sounding very ashamed. “I didn’t mean—“

“It’s alright, Inu-Yasha,” She said tonelessly. “I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have tried to—“

“No,” Inu-Yasha took Kagome by the shoulders and embraced her tightly. He could not be cold to her any longer. He couldn’t hide his feelings. He had never felt this way about anyone else but Kikyo, and she was gone. He had never told her that he… “Kagome,” He began softly, gazing down at her. His heart pounded as he searched for the words to say to her. Inu-Yasha nearly choked on his words as he spoke again. “Kagome, I…I—“

“Oi, you two,” Miroku’s voice abruptly interrupted Inu-Yasha’s confession. They both looked over at the dark haired monk, who was standing nearby with a serious expression on his face. “Are you coming along, or would you just like to have a romantic interlude?”

Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha for a moment, then turned back to Miroku. “Coming,” She said as she again pulled away from Inu-Yasha. This time she got far enough away that she was out of his immediate reach.

Inu-Yasha took a step after her, needing to let his words out. “Kagome,”

Kagome only turned slightly, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. “Sit.” She said icily.

“Na—“ Inu-Yasha couldn’t finish the word before his beaded necklace seemed to gain a thousand pounds and he fell to the ground, pinned by the tremendous weight. “Kuso!” He snarled into the dirt. “KA-GO-ME!!” He shouted, raising his head. “Kagome!” He sighed as he realized she was ignoring him. The half demon sighed and lowered his head again. Black strands of hair fell across his face as he closed his eyes. “Kagome…” He whispered almost silently.

“Hey everyone!” Shippo’s high-pitched voice reached his ears. “Come here quick!”