Welcome to Gaia! ::

oh, and I'll put up the next chapter when at least 9 other people comment or vote in the poll for me to continue the story.

Thanks Hikeshi. ^_^

[Thanks, since I probably have at least one or two people that come here just to see if the story has a new chapter I will post chapter two.]

Chapter Two

The next day, the group traveled down an old path. Inuyasha yawned, grumbling as usual.

"When are we going to reach this village?"

"It's only a little further Inuyasha." Sango replied. She had scouted ahead that morning and had seen the village.

"I hope so."

"You whine too much." Shippo said, walking halfway between Kagome and Inuyasha.

"What was that welp?!" Inuyasha said, suddenly turning to face Shippo.

"Yipe!" The kitsune ran behind Kagome for protection.

"Oh no you don't. Get back here!" Shippo ran from behind Kagome towards Sango and Miroku who were bringing up the rear. The two ran in circles in the middle of the group. Sango gave Miroku an exhasperated look.

"Those two never learn."

"Shippo would have less problems if he would learn to not antagonize Inuyasha. We all know he has a temper." Sango peered at him sideways with a strange look, that was the first thing he'd said all day. He'd been lost in thought for most of the day. His gaze was far off as he kept walking and for once he'd not tried to grope her. Though it had been a nice change it began to worry her.

"Miroku...." She said hesitantly.

"Hmmm?" He turned to her, stopping when he saw the worried look on her face.

"What is it Sango?"

"I know something has been troubling you lately...." She didn't meet his gaze.

"I saw you staring at your hand last night and..." She met his gaze with determination.

" I was worried. Are you okay? I mean, nothing has happened has it?" Miroku blinked a moment. She had noticed? Well, he supposed it was not that big of a surprise.

"No, not that I'm aware of." He stopped walking and turned towards her.

"I'm honored that you are concerned Sango, but it's nothing really. I was just thinking last night that's all."

I hope it's nothing at least. If this pain continues though can I continue to believe that it's just nothing?' He wondered silently.

"All right. It's just we can't afford to lose you, even if Naraku has disappeared. We still have to kill him and get my brother back. There is no way he's dead, that was just too easy."

"I agree." Miroku fell silent, going back to his thoughts. Sango watched him; still not entirely convinced that he wasn't holding something back.

"Look up ahead!" Kagome said suddenly.

"Huh? What is it?" Inuyasha asked, puzzled.

"A hut, someone is there I'm sure of it. Let's go see!" Inuyasha frowned.

"Why should we waste time when we need to find those jewel shards and Naraku."

"Give it a rest Inuyasha," Shippo pipped up. "you haven't found any trace of Naraku here. Besides, we've been walking all day and I'm sure Kagome and the others would like a brief break."

"Feh. All right." The group headed towards the small hut that was sitting all by itself next to a small stream. There was no one in sight at first. Miroku poked his head inside the hut.

"Hello?" There was no one there.

"Ah, I've been waiting for you." A voice said behind him, causing him to jump. Shippo tried not to laugh. Miroku turned around to see an elderly woman in a green tunic and pants with a brown shawl drapped across her shoulders. Her blue eyes were as alert though as a hawk's.

"Please, excuse us. We meant no harm. Wait, did you say you were expecting us?" The woman nodded.

"I did indeed youngster. Come inside." Miroku moved inside to let the old woman in. She was followed in by Kagome, Shippo, Sango, Kirara and lastly Inuyasha. They all looked around, the hut had all sorts of herbs and demon skins as well as bones laying about near the walls and on various small tables.

"What exactly is it that you do?" Sango asked.

"I make various medicine and sometimes even weapons. Though most people stop by for fortunes." Miroku frowned slightly in thought.

"Fortunes you say?" He asked. She nodded.

"Yes indeed. I was born with the ability to see things about humans and demons alike. That was how I knew to expect you."

"I see."

"Would you like your fortune told?" Before Miroku could answer, he noticed the old woman was looking not at him, but at Sango and Kagome.

"Sure." Kagome said. The old woman moved over to a kettle of water she had sitting to one side and dipped a laddle into it, carefully scooping a little bit of water into a bowl. She sat down and set the bowl in front of her.

"Come here child, sit before the bowl, but don't spill it mind you." Kagome sat down in front of the bowl. The old woman looked into the water as the others looked on. Miroku stood next to the old woman, watching carefully. He wasn't not quite sure if he believed she had such an ability as she had claimed. The water, that was clear, suddenly turned black then to a deep purple.

"Interesting." It was all the old woman said. The water then turned red as blood. Inuyasha, who had been lounging against one wall, stood up suddenly.

"Settle down young half demon." The woman said, not looking up. Miroku blinked as the contents became water again.

"What was that all about Inuyasha?"

"Blood, I smelt it." The old woman waved the notion aside.

"I'm not responsible for what the water does."

"What does it mean?" Sango asked, moving to stand behind Kagome as Shippo sat next to her.

"Black usually indicates death, but because it went from black to purple it is not a true death that comes."

"What do you mean by that?" Kagome asked.

"There is more then one way to die without actually dying physically." She replied.

"As for the red, it means that you will face a great battle, though what kind is hard to say." Inuyasha snorted.

"Like we didn't know that already."

"I don't think that it is the type of battle you are thinking of half breed."

"Do me next!" Shippo said eagarly.

"All right, sit down in front of the bowl where your young friend is."

"My name is Kagome." Kagome said as she got to her feet.

"I guess we forgot about introductions when we first saw you because it was a bit of a shock." The woman nodded.

"My name is Hirowi." She said in turn.

"I'm Shippo." The fox demon pipped up.

"That's Sango, with her cat Kirara, the monk is Miroku and Inuyasha is over there against the wall." He said, sittind down where Kagome had moments before. The water before him shimmered almost imediately, show a lightening storm before it turned yellow then was back to water.

"Hmmm, it seems you've gone through something traumatic in your past young kitsune." Shippo nodded.

"I didn't have anyone until I met Kagome and Inuyasha. My parents were killed. What about my future though? Is there anyting about that?"

"Not as far as I can tell other then it will be a happy one."

"Yay!!" The kitsune leapt to his feet happily. Hirowi looked up.

"Anyone else? Perhaps you monk?" Miroku frowned slightly.

"Very well." He sat down before the bowl. As he did, the water turned black; in the middle two roses appeared, one was as red as blood and the other was almost as black as the water. The two flowers intwined before fading into the blackness and the water turned normal again. The woman stared at the bowl, not saying anything.

"What is it?"

"Grave trouble I fear." She answered after a brief silence.

"The red rose symbolizes love, but the black symbolizes death as well and the images faded into darkness. It will be an usual death I fear." No one moved or said anything. Sango just stared at Miroku who stood up after a brief pause. He didn't seem upset at all, yet deep inside he felt fear grab at him. He suddenly knew why he'd been feeling pain lately, a pain he'd told no one about. He walked out of the hut without a word.

"Miroku!" Sango said, but she didn't go after him. She watched him go sadly. They all knew that he worried about his wind tunnel and finding Naraku. Sango turned around, anger flaring in her eyes briefly.

"You had better be wrong old woman." She let the threat hang, but Hirowi just shook her head. Sango whirled and left as well. The four watched her go, no one wanted to speak at all.

"I'll tell your fortune too if you like." Hirowi said after a while to break the silence.

"Feh. I don't believe in that kind of stuff. It's all just tricks and nonsence." Kagome frowned at Inuyasha.

"If it's just tricks and nonsense then why don't you just sit down and prove it?"

"All right, I will!" Inuyasha sat down before the bowl, promptly and imediately shifted slightly to hide his unease.

I hope I don't regret this. He thought to himself as he watched the bowl, the water clouded into gray. Several different images flashed through the gray, a red rose, the shikon jewel, a bow and arrow, a sutra, a rosary necklace, a scythe, sango's weapon, a small spinning top, a yellow back pack and lastly the bone eater's well. The water then swirled with black and red before fading.

"Hmmmmm..."

"Well?" Inuyasha demanded, his uneasiness was growing.

"It seems that you too face a battle. More then one it seems. You will be forced to make a choice between two things in your life. What the well reprents I am unsure, but the mix of black and red indicate a great battle that could go one way or another. You have much that will happen in your life, but your future is very uncertain and will depend on those around you as much as yourself." He leaned back.

"Feh. Whatever." He got up as the water became clear again.

"I warn you, be careful. There will be some tough decisions you will have to make and like as not you won't always like the results." Inuyasha snorted and went outside to find Miroku and Sango. He didn't seem to believe what the old woman had said, but he had really gone out quickly so that Kagome and the others wouldn't see the worry that he felt in his eyes. The woman's predictions worried him and he couldn't let them see just how bothered he was. He went in search of Miroku and Sango, if he was bothered by her predictions, he could easily figure out just what Miroku had made of his own.


[srry that the first chapter was so short. let me know what you think of this one.]

This one is just my fanfic, sorry. Though that's an idea... I'll make one with the final battle and you can add to that. I'll call it... ummm...
Inuyasha: Begining of the End (An interactive fanfic ) How about that? You can post there then. ^_^

redface thank you Hikeshi, I guess all the practice I've had with stories is paying off.