Not too sure if anyone was waiting for Version 2.0 to come out here, but I have done it. Old readers should re-read, major changes.

For new readers, some details.

The story used to be called They Must Be Put to Rest.

I used to be known as blackcats of the moon. Obviously, I've changed that, and I'm almost positive that the reason why people don't read this anymore is because I haven't made that clear.

I realized that the summary was lacking in hooks, so if you have miraculously found your way in, here's a better one.

Kagome is descended from a line of protectors of the Shikon no Tama. However, the mikos also have a gene that makes corruption easy. Reincarnation or not, her turbulent feelings get out of hand and result in her death. Exactly how much does Naraku have to do with it? Did he interfere with the half that got reborn as a demon in the feudal era? Kagome needs to become whole again, or else both the present and the past will have serious enemies to deal with.

My updating schedule is going to be every other Sunday. If I'll be late, I'll probably make a note of it in the chapter before.

Have fun.

Dark Lineage

Chapter One:

But everything is tied to something. And the trees have been here longer than we, and hold more knowledge.

It was a statement such as this that brought the miko back.

Kikyo was standing in a clearing, in front of the Goshinboku, the tree that Inuyasha had been pinned to for 50 long years. So many memories surrounded this touching memorial. She touched the arrow hole in the trunk gently, and frowned. Her reincarnation had left her mark time after time, always gazing pityingly at the groove. It was pathetic the way she tried to feel what Kikyo had felt. It wasn't right. Scoffing at her feelings of jealousy, Kikyo summoned her soul collectors for her to leave the place.

"I think we have enough ramen left for you to have sixths, if you would like to make me go back again tomorrow, Inuyasha." Kagome declared a bit sarcastically after sifting through the contents of her bag. She had returned 2 days ago, and Sango and Miroku were off somewhere, looking for a place to spend the night. That left Inuyasha to guard her-not that she couldn't take care of herself.

"Inuyasha?" she glanced up, already dreading what she would see. His white hair was rapidly fading as it bounded to the west. "Sit, you stupid...baka!" she practically screamed, tears almost coming to her eyes. He had been drifting off more and more, obviously thinking of Kikyo.

Unbeknownst to her, the white sphere of her innocent heart (which had been purged when Kikyo was "reborn" out of her hatred and bad feelings) had acquired another blemish. Slowly, her heart was turning black. When the transformation was complete...

Inuyasha jumped onto the cliff. He stumbled a little, and regained his balance easily. Kikyo turned towards him, and smiled a little. She took her current project and hid it behind her back. While making hand motions to conceal it, she walked a little closer.

"It's good to see you again, Inuyasha. What brings you this time?" she asked gently, hiding the note of irritation skillfully.

"Uh-I just wan-wanted to see you again. It's been weeks since I saw you last." He stuttered uncharacteristically.

"Are you sure that it wasn't because my reincarnation has been pestering you? She can be quite annoying. Doesn't ever appreciate what she has."

"Yeah, that is true. She can't even stay one extra day at times because she has these things called 'tests' that can't be missed. What could be more important than finding the shards of the Shikon Jewel? She should be glad that she has the opportunities to go on an adventure like this." Inuyasha agreed blindly.

"Damn! I forgot! She's alone back at the camp! I was supposed to protect her! I'm sorry Kikyo, but I have to leave. I promise to return." He turned to leave, but was stopped by Kikyo with a kiss. She didn't feel it, and also wished she didn't have to, but Kikyo had to stop his thoughts.

After she broke it off, she said, "Come back soon, and remember, you're mine. I'll hold you to your promise with these two shards." She held them up for emphasis. She had planned to add them to the ones that Naraku already possessed, but perhaps there was some use in keeping them. Leverage, that was the word that ruled her second life in the feudal era.

"Really Sango, you should allow me to help you with your armor, it would go faster." Miroku pleaded, his hand inching towards her elbow, and then lower down.

"Not a chance, you lecherous freak of nature! Don't think that I don't know what you really want to do. I hope that Kagome and Inuyasha are okay, I don't think they'll be happy to know that there are no temples or villages around for us to stay in." said Sango as she took off the various pieces of her armor.

Arriving back at camp, they were only half-surprised to see a grim-faced Kagome alone.

Sango sat down next to her. "He left to see Kikyo again, didn't he?" she asked casually, sighing at the impossibility of the hanyou.

Kagome nodded, her eyes starting to water. The reminder had turned her heart another shade darker.

Inuyasha didn't arrive until nightfall. By then, everyone was asleep.

"Inuyasha."

He turned; his sword half-out. Kaugra stood before him with a mocking smile playing about her lips. It began disappearing as she continued with her message.

"How is your beloved Kikyo doing? Much better than Kagome, isn't she? Much prettier, more powerful, what is less? At this rate, you'll be seeing more of her than Kagome. You know, her heart is getting darker every time you see Kikyo. There will be consequences. You had best see to what you truly want." She finished with a scowl, and summoned her feather, flying off.

Kagome was still preoccupied with the events of the day before. Her mood didn't improve much when Inuyasha said, "Kikyo has two of the shards we'll need to complete the jewel. I think that we can count on her to help a little. After all, she did have the skills necessary to obtain those two." He ignored to daggers shot at him by Shippo, Sango, and Miroku, even though he knew that it was wrong to mention it that way.

"And how is she doing?!" Kagome asked, a little too sweetly, her hands clenching the air as she made rude gestures every few minutes. She really couldn't control herself; she was making signs she didn't even know she knew.

The morning passed on, the group traveling in silence, when suddenly, with a screech, a large bird dropped from above and carried Kagome off. Her backpack was caught with her, and she grabbed it tightly to make sure it didn't fall down below. Not crying for help, but smirking slightly instead, she gave Inuyasha the eerie feeling that she had this planned.

As the bird soared into the sky, Inuyasha and Kirara began following. That is, they were until several more of them came down and started fighting. By the time the battle was over, the raptor was nowhere to be seen. The distraction had worked.

"Damn! That fucking bird got away!" Inuyasha swore.

Sango and Miroku watched worriedly. They were well aware of his feelings for both Kagome and Kikyo.

"Can't you smell them out or something?" asked Sango, returning her weapons to their sheaths. Squinting, she recovered a shard, that amazingly, was still pure after being used by the rocs.

"If I could, I would be there by now!" shouted Inuyasha brusquely. "Those other birds messed me up, there are too many scents for me to distinguish Kagome's from!" 'Not to mention that they also made sure they each carried her scent.' He added silently, unnerved by the intelligence they were displaying.

The wind carried Inuyasha's distress to me, clear and piercing through my head. Sensitivity to feelings...that was something I wouldn't mind losing anytime soon. I was currently preparing to leave for Kaede's. My sister had one of the things I needed, and information about my reincarnation.

If I killed her, would my soul completely return to me? Could I live in a semblance of life with Inuyasha?

Now I was headed for him. He still meant something to me...

...but what did I mean to him?

I landed softly. They were all facing the other way, so it was unexpected for me to drop in suddenly.

"So Inuyasha, I can see that you have lost her again. Or is it that she as run away from you again?" I said a little mockingly. Perhaps it was too much, as he finally lost his temper. I seem to have lost a bit of that diplomatic touch that I possessed.

"Yeah?! So what?! I'm going to find her, no matter what it takes." He growled, pacing.

"Yes, of course, but I am well aware that you cannot use your normal means to find her. You DO remember when I was able to disguise her from you a while ago. You lack the means, dear, to find her in all but the simplest situations." I goaded. This was getting to be fun.

You could see a fuse going off in his head. A vein was throbbing in his right temple, and he blurted, "And what do you suggest, Kikyo?!"

I waited a while until I commanded all of their attention, forcibly taken or otherwise. Then, I said simply, "I will find her for you."

Sango and Miroku looked at Inuyasha disapprovingly when he showed signs of considering. Personally, I thought that the only reason they disliked me was because of Inuyasha's injustice to Kagome as a result of seeing me. I was charming enough to convince anyone that I was wonderful, if they had not been seeded by someone else first, of course.

"Of course we will accept your offer! Anything for Kagome." murmured Shippo, a little falsely. I had forgotten about him, but it only stands to reason that he was the one to speak first. He was devoted to her. Then again, such rash agreement...I eyed him skeptically.

There must have been something in the air, I don't usually act like this.

They all stood, weighing the pros and cons of accepting or refusing Kikyo's offer, Inuyasha the most disturbed. Everyone, even the innocent Shippo could tell that he didn't want to rescue Kagome with Kikyo by his side, but what could he do?

"Very well, I will take you up on your offer." He sighed finally. It had occurred to him that he could ask her to stay until Kagome was safe, but he knew that they could not handle the demons that would erupt there.

Kikyo smiled in triumph, and shot a look of glee at Sango, (if you can imagine Kikyo gleeful). Concentrating, she summoned a soul and used it to power her miko abilities. Her entire body seemed to expand, and her hair lifted in the unfelt breeze. Eyes blank, she turned in a complete circle, staying to the east longer than to the other directions.

After a few moments, she gasped and released the remains of the soul, collapsing right away. Instinctively, Inuyasha caught her, blushing as he did so. Kikyo basked in his attention for a few moments, ignoring Sango's glares, and then continued dramatically.

"She-she is at the-the cliffs of the Rocs (sorry about the hackneyed name, but I couldn't think of anything original) beyond the western seas. It is heavily guarded, and Naraku presides over the doings of the Rocs." Kikyo poured out. Her face had colored, and she looked much like she had before her new body had been made. (A/N: no, not the dead body, the original one.)

She screamed again for fun, although she knew by now that it was futile. The giant bird had been flying for at least a day, and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. (No, there were no bathroom troubles. There never are in mangas, haven't you noticed?)

'Inuyasha, where are you?' she wondered bitterly. This bird was no match for him; he should have caught up already. Perhaps he was making her wait, to make her realize even more how much she needed him. Maybe she shouldn't have twisted her mouth like that, but the pain was sharp.

Sharp enough not to have been as natural as she wished it should have been. It had been sent as a reminder, or a prelude to what would follow maybe.

She could only wait now, until she got to where she was supposed to be.

Who was behind it this time? Naraku would be the answer, which Kagome was sure of. He was always trying to take her shards, but this time she had managed to weave a spell that would protect them, at least for a while. Kaede had helped, doing research and asking her connections to also see if they could find some information.

Oh no, Kagome wouldn't go down easily.

So, you understand what makes me happy, right? Reviews.

Review...I took the time to edit and rewrite it, you can just send me a few sentences, or even just a few words.