Fly By Night
Vladygasckgyn

Disclaimer: I don't own IY or YYH.

Chapter 1

Kagome leaned back, tapping her fingers impatiently on a rock behind her. Off in the distance she could hear the sounds of a fight, no doubt her friends destroying the most recent demon outbreak. They had left her behind at the camp since she hadn't felt any shards and was incapable of defending herself. Of course, she didn't stay there. She went for a walk to clear her head, and ended up in a clearing.

She gazed up at the stars, so wise and beautiful in their splendor. They were always a comfort to her in times like this, never-changing and non-judgmental.

She was shaken rather rudely from her reverie by a twig snapping. Startled, she glanced behind her in search of the intruder. At first nothing was visible, then a faint glow as Kikyo's soul stealers floated into view, then the miko herself. Kagome tensed - Kikyo's arrival did not bode well for her survival.

"Um...hello...Kikyo. What brings you here?" Kagome asked nervously. Kikyo's penetrating stare made her uncomfortable, although she would never admit it.

"Girl. You are in my way." Kagome blinked, not completely understanding. "Your existence complicates things. It is time for you to die." With those words Kikyo stepped forward and placed her hand just above Kagome's heart.

"Kikyo...why?!" She received no answer, not that she expected one. She felt... drained...as Kikyo's eyes seemed to gain a spark of life. Kagome's eyes rolled back in her head as Kikyo absorbed the rest of her soul, then everything went black.

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Kagome woke up, feeling groggy and more than a little confused. She sat up, immediately grabbing her pounding head. She looked around at her surroundings. From the looks of it, it was early morning, and she was still in the clearing from before.

She cautiously climbed out of her sleeping bag - how had she gotten there? - and stood up. Shippo was on top of her sleeping bag, and both Sango and Miroku were leaning against their respective trees. Inuyasha was probably up in a tree somewhere. She concentrated, trying to recall the events of the past few hours and had to grab onto a nearby tree for support as they all rushed back.

'Kikyo...the bane of my existence. I truly am weak, since that clay pot had virtually no trouble in stealing my soul. I have to get it back... but how? I certainly can't count on the hanyou on account of his inexplicable love for the creature, and I can't risk the others getting hurt because of me... I suppose I have no choice but to take care of her myself. I must gain the strength to defeat her and reclaim my soul.'

Having decided upon a course of action, she soundlessly made her way into the woods, being careful not to wake the others up.

"Goodbye..."

-:Okay, I know that could have been better...but as of right now, I'm just playing around. So have patience... Give me a review and tell me what you think, and what I should change. If you don't, then I cannot make it bettere and improve.:-