Crickets were chirping as if they were talking to each other; carrying on several conversations all at once. Night had come for the Ninja Village, and after the events that day everyone was glad to be able to rest. Children were reunited with parents, the wounded were patched up and lying down, and things were finally simmering down.

            One person, who hadn't suffered any visible injuries, was waking up in a dimly lit room. His vision was blurred at first as it adjusted to the lack of light. He reached up to his eyes and gave them a quick rub. Then he heard a small voice next to him grow excited.

            "BRENT! You're awake! How are you feeling?"

            Shippo ran over and looked up at him as he sat up groggily. Brent's skin had returned to its former jubilant color.

            "You gave us quite a scare! You passed out after taking care of all those Demons!"

            When Brent's vision was fully focused, and he gained his awareness he finally spoke looking entirely too worried.

            "Is everyone else ok? Where are Lord Genji and Hiro?"

            As if on cue, the two people Brent named had entered the room, and when they saw him they smiled.

            "Good. You are well." Genji stepped forward.

            "We thought you had died until felt a heartbeat!" Hiro said as he kneeled down near Shippo.

            "Lord Genji, is everyone else ok?" Brent looked up at him with sincere worry.

            "Yes. Thanks to your efforts we only had to worry about tending to a few wounded people. No amount of gratitude can repay you. I am in your debt. You saved my life and everyone else's."

            "I was just doing what needed to be done. Don't worry about it." Brent smiled and even blushes a little.

            For a moment they are all chatting happily with everyone at least once asking if Brent is alright. It was after answering the question for the umpteenth time that the door opens to the room with a worried villager panting heavily.

            "Lord Genji! More Demons!"

            Everyone's eyes popped wide open in shock as they all turned their heads to the villager.

            "Are they nearing the village?!" Lord Genji stood up looking worried.

            "No my Lord, they're flying overhead!"

            The sound of quick footsteps threw everyone off for a moment until they noticed the source. Brent was already up, grabbing the Tanegashima, and heading toward the door. No one said a word as they all followed him and the villager. When they stepped outside the villager immediately pointed up. What they all saw frightened every last one of them. A large group of flying Demons, similar in the shape of worms, flew high above them all. But the truly disturbing part was where they were descending to...

            The forest just behind the village...

            "My Lord...What do we do?!" The villager was sweating as he thought back to earlier that day.

            "I...I don't know...We can't handle that many!" Lord Genji was looking just as bothered.

            "I'm going." All the focus went from the Demons in the sky, and over to Brent.

            "You can't take on all of them! They'll tear you apart!" Hiro protested.

            "That's suicide Brent! Let's wait for Inuyasha and the others to show up!" Shippo proposed.

            "And what? Wait to see if those things attack? No! After today I'm going to make sure NOTHING happens to this place." Brent started to walk around the house as everyone pleaded with him.

            "You only just woke up after passing out!"

            "We don't even know why you passed out!"

            "Don't be a fool!"

            "It would be foolish to sit by and do nothing! Look, I'm not going to argue with any of you! I'm going to see what is going on and stop them if I can. Stay here and be ready just in case!" Brent gave them all an intense glare as he spoke. They all realized they wouldn't be able to sway him from his decision.

            "Then I'm coming with you! You need someone to watch your back!" Shippo said as he bravely stepped forward.

            Brent almost started to argue with the Fox Child, but realized he did have a point. Shippo did save him after a Demon tried to sneak up behind him. With a resigned sigh Brent nodded.

            "Alright Shippo, but you stay close. Don't run off!"

            A few hops later the little Fox is perched up on Brent's shoulder. Responding with a confident nod he waves bye to the Ninjas as the two of them disappear into the forest.

            "I don't know if he's brave or just foolish..." Lord Genji muttered as he, Hiro, and the villager see them off.

            Had it not been for the moonlight Brent and Shippo would have been completely blind. As Brent carried them forward Shippo's gaze moves up to the Demons in the sky again. These Demons seemed so familiar...where had he...and then it hit. All the hair on his bushy tail stood on end, and fear took hold of the Fox Child. He knew where these Demons came from.

            "B-B-Brent! We should t-t-turn back!"

            "Not a chance! We've got to find out what these monsters are doing here!"

            "No! You d-d-don't understand! These D-D-Demons belong to-"

            Off in the distance two screams filled the midnight air...and one sounded like a child! The very moment this realization hit Brent he began to put all his worth into moving faster.

            "WAAAAAH! Slow down!"

            "If that's one of the children from the village we gotta move quickly!"

            Did one of the children sneak out? Was the child from another village? So many thoughts coursed through Brent's mind, but never the thought of giving up. He would fight just as hard as he was forced to earlier that day if needed; whether he passed out or died trying.

            Trees were beginning to clear up. The two friends could see the Demons trying to attack what looked like two children...but they were being protected by something. Then, a rather shrill voice rang out.

            "STAFF OF TWO HEADS!"

            When Brent and Shippo entered the clearing, the human was far more shocked than his little friend. A large, scaly, two headed beast was firing beams out of its mouths destroying anything that came near. A small green imp wielding a staff was shooting fire with it as though it were a flamethrower. And between the both of them was a little girl with long hair with part of it tied on the side of her head. What was going on? These Demons were protecting her...from other Demons?

            "WATCH OUT BRENT!" Shippo screeched as a group of flying worm-like Demons came straight for them.

            Pure white beams cut through the gaggle of attackers; instantly disintegrating them.

            "What the?! Who are you?!" The green imp yelled.

            "Get these guys first!" Brent called back as Shippo threw his Fox Fire at a group behind them.

            Between the two headed Demon, the imp, and Brent, the bloodthirsty fiends were dealt with quickly. Their shrieks and growls were silenced as they all disappeared from this world. When all was said and done the imp turned to his attention to the newcomers.

            "We did not need your help! Everything was under control!" The high and shrill voice said rather condescendingly.

            "Master Jaken! Be nice! These two really helped out! Thank you kind sir and little Fox!" The girl stood up and spoke sweetly with a warm smile.

            "Wait a minute! You guys travel with-"

            "LORD SESSHOMARU!" The little girl practically screamed with glee interrupting Shippo.

            Brent turned around, and behind him was a man who stood slightly taller than him. Long white, straight, and flowing hair traveled down to his waist. What looked like a great puff of fur wrapped over his right shoulder. And over his left shoulder was a spiky guard of sorts. Upon a closer look, Brent noticed his entire left arm was missing. On his forehead there was a purple crescent moon, and on his cheeks were red pointed stripes. His clothes were white while a pad of black armor covered him from mid-chest to his upper legs. To say he looked intimidating would be an understatement. Shippo froze up with a whimper as Brent's eyes grew wide.

            "You're that little Fox that travels with Inuyasha. And who are you? What business do you have here?" His voice was calm yet cold; straight to the point in delivery.

            "Lord Sesshomaru! This man helped save us from those Demons!" The girl said as she walked forward; still smiling as though things were perfectly normal. They were for her at least.

            "Is this true Jaken?" Even his gaze was cold...almost heartless.

            "Yes M'Lord! Though I had everything under control! I NEVER would have asked a human for-"

            "Silence."

            "Yes...M'Lord..." Jaken slouched and quickly hushed himself.

            "I assume you are traveling with that Inuyasha...you wreak of his scent." Sesshomaru showed a hint of disgust as he said this.

            "I am traveling with him...Um...How do you know him?" Brent asked. An incredible sense of danger swelled in his chest; worse than what he felt in the presence of the Lizard Demon. This was not someone he wanted to mess with.

            "That is none of your concern. Now leave. Rin, Jaken, let's go."

            It was just as Sesshomaru was turning his back to Brent that a loud buzzing filled the air. While Brent raised his gun and looked around, Sesshomaru already had his eyes on the source. When he finally caught sight of what it was making the buzzing noise Brent only caught sight of a silhouette in the dim moonlight. It looked like a...

            "Saimyosho." Sesshomaru said matter of factly.

            "What?" Brent was left clueless, but with Shippo shivering on his shoulder he knew it had to be trouble.

            "So...he's still after me...Come, we must keep moving." Sesshomaru began to walk away with Jaken, Rin, and A-un following.

            "Wait a minute. Who is after you? Maybe we can help!" Brent offered sincerely.

            Shippo just was about to interject before Sesshomaru interrupted coldly.

            "I will not accept help from my so-called little brother. Now. Leave, before I end your pathetic life."

            The last bit left Brent silent as he and Shippo watched them walk away; disappearing into the forest.  Little brother? Was that guy talking about...

            "That's Inuyasha's older brother...He's a full-blooded Demon..." Shippo broke the silence.

            "...Right...and uh...that...giant bug?" Brent's heart was still pounding.

            "It belongs to Naraku...so did those Demons that were after them..."

            The moment he heard that name Brent's heart beat even faster. Anger and fear welled up inside him all at once. Why was this? He knew what this Naraku guy had done to everyone else...but this feeling inside him...it went beyond that.

            "Let's get out of here...I don't want to find anymore of those things knowing this..."

            As ship sat on Brent's shoulder Shippo noticed his friend's hands shaking as they tightly gripped the Tanegashima. He could sense something was wrong. The look on Brent's face didn't hide it either. Shippo wasn't sure if the look meant he was angry or thinking.

            "Brent...Is everything alright?" Shippo asked cautiously.

            "Yeah...I just...Let's get some rest. We'll look for Kagome and the others tomorrow."