Unsheathed Crimson Tears, Fallen Sakura Blossoms

Chapter One Follow Me

By Inuyasha's Youkai

The Forest perimeters,within Kaede's village known as Inuyasha's forest ,the night was quiet ,with the exception of the crackling embers the fire omitted. The awkward traveling group of friends were settling down for the night,knowing that tomorrow they would resume their journey. Surrounding the warming fire ,huddled from the brisk chill rolling off the horizon,were numerous forms laying positioned in a invisible circle ,while the fire consumed.

Kagome was snuggled with Shippo ,with her bow and arrows close by in reach. Sango and Kirara at her side ,her Hirotkotsu firmly placed around her backside,just in case the curse of the wandering hand decided to appear in its favorite habitual spot. Miroku leaned against a wall carrying his withered staff between his calloused hands from lingered abuse. Inuyasha was in his favorite spot ,that imprinted his form,in his familiar god's tree , overlooking the campsite , as his eyes drifted closed unconsciously deciding to rely on his ears.

The Dawn's rays peeped, making it's way thru the clouds ,a peak a boo act that replaced the need for alarm clock while in the past. Kagome woke to the warming comfort, that took in the form of the warming sun, and knowing her adopted son was snuggled to her chest . She moved her sights around her in the campsite. Everyone, like her was just waking to the birds soft melodies , and the breezes gentle undertones, informing them a new day is born. Deciding to move, Kagome slowly removed herself from the embrace within her sleeping bag with her son,in hopes not to wake him.

Upon placing one of her palms on the other side of Shippo to brace herself a slight pain pricked her distracting her concentration, sending her off balance . To prevent from landing on Shippo , she rolled backwards back to her side then jumped to stand .Kagome looked to minor throb to her hand ,blood oozed in its minor wake , and immediately placed the offensive wound to her mouth to suckle on it. Then, Kagome looked down towards the offending object ,there next to where she and Shippo slept was a single Sakura sprig , glistening back at her. Immediately looking up towards the hanyou's known spot though the empty spot told her that he wasn't there and mentally crossed off him as the sender.

Curiosity, lingered as she continued towards the her bathing needs before summoning Sango to join her at the hot springs. When the girls left towards their destination, Inuyasha came back through the village's entrance to find Miroku rubbing his cheekbone where Sango's hand print appeared smiling, giving away to what had happened.

" You never learn ,Do ya monk?" Inuyasha joked knowing full well of the opposite circumstance being true.

" Neither do you , sly dog?"Miroku returned laughing

Though Inuyasha retorted in a mocked confused look on his face as he stuck his snout in the air .

"I don't know what your talking about ,I am just doing my job nothing more"

"Yea right , your playing with fire ,Inuyasha ,when you play with two women, even worse when their incarnations" Miroku informed.

They sat back laughing for a moment then regained as the mood all of a sudden became serious .

" Miroku , I know I can't have the one who's taken my heart because its already been taken in the past .I have made my choice already but the decision was already made upon Kikyo's resurrection, taking away my ability to choose. So if I can't have the one I want before I die why not love both ,in the time I have left cause in the end ,it's Kikyo taking me straight to hell."

In the moment of truth ,Inuyasha was right unless they another way or change Kikyo's intentions ,the hanyou would forgo his remaining existence into the depths of hell, with a women beyond sending her in peace to the never world, over the years growing a mute dislike towards her along with the lines of the past sentimental notion. The hanyou had grown to see that she wasn't the same person ,only a replicated copy filled with hate residual from the life that ended an eternity ago. He had accepted his fate of being trapped with a women he longer loved, but adored her in the past ,this he can't say why. After musing, he directed his line of sight to the monk who was staring at him with his mouth gaping in shock.

" Did I say all that out loud?" Miroku ,slowly nodded his head to the affirmative.

"Oh hell , figures it would come out sooner or later " Inuyasha whispered .

" Have you told them ? " Miroku teased.

" Are you crazy , Kikyo would have my head and Kagome... Kagome . I can't Miroku ,you don't think after she does away with me she'd go after Kagome. Kikyo would have a field day " Inuyasha spat against Miroku's growing ignoramus aptitude.

Miroku returned with a shake to his head ,"Inuyasha you are looking at it all wrong ,what if you cant give Kikyo peace in death and find happiness with Kagome without having to go to hell?"

With a mph ,Inuyasha ,with a slight smile returned nodding his head. "That would never happen Monk! "

Inuyasha and Miroku's conversation was interrupted by the scream rippling towards their current location. The sound was piercing as it broke through the quickly dispersed tension as the human roar crashed down in their midst. The two men jumped as soon as it came and had gotten into ,upon habit , their defensive stances.

" What the hell was that ?" Inuyasha questioned .

Miroku slightly chucked in his nervous bout as familiar circumstances hit him. " I don't know why, but I know whom ,I know that scream anywhere" Miroku spoke as he was nonchalantly rubbing his cheekbones .

"Miroku ! Will you snap out of it ,I have got no time for watching you daydream ya coming or not ?" The hanyou mentioned while in a half sprint towards the place in which he scented the loud scream coming from .

No doubt it was Sango but why , what had happened that had summoned so much turmoil within her. It had taken some time to reach the location, before the surroundings had in fact became dangerously silent . No sounds of the breeze, no birds , no noise from the falling of leaves riding on the winds current , nothing, just dead silence.

Within the cove of the hot spring in which the girls traveled to , the only proof to what occurred here was: some shredded fragments of Kagome's top, a end part of a sacred arrow, two unconscious girls being Kikyo and Sango ,and blood, Kagome's blood ,lots of it. Miroku took place near Sango while Inuyasha took place near Kikyo, their minds raging ramped in thought to the whereabouts and vitality of their missing friend . Kagome.

Kikyo awoken first,looked to the hanyou ,catching his orbs ,and filling them with malice in their wake. The elder priestess mastered from bones and clay quickly separated from them as though her thoughts returned to the mission she unintentionally had to part from, then ran in pursuit.

" I will find a way take away this distraction ,from your task Inuyasha , and remove the one who stood in my way" This was all that Kikyo left the group with .

The recent events up till now, brought on more confusion as they unfolded ,and sparking a little jealousy within the hanyou . Questions that currently had no answers to frustrated the two men as they attempted to care and rouse Sango,in hopes they would find the answers that they sought. It was in the next few hours that Sango rose with fright , unintentionally jumping from her comrades upon first sight .Moments following,Sango physically relaxed but inside her instincts were on guards for the next sign of upcoming trouble to appear. Then , as if on cue she frantically freaked out about where Kagome was , and what had happened to suddenly warrant the change come from her.

" Kagome ? Where's Kagome ? We have to find Kagome before it's too late !I have to be sure that she's okay." Sango rambled .

" Sango relax, take a deep breath , slow down and tell us what happened" Miroku soothed while running non hentai hands stroking her back.

"Yea , what is this about Kagome and what does it have to do with Kikyo?" Inuyasha said a little more rash than he intended.

Sango ,took a few steady deep breaths before she spoke in a low ominous impeding whisper

" Something happened to Kagome ,she changed but I don't know why or how ,but I do know that your precious Kikyo had everything or at large part to do with it." The last part Sango scream with emphasis for Inuyashas benefit.

' Ouch ,that was harsh !'

Although the hanyou knew what she meant due to not knowing , though a heavy feeling of guilt began to overwhelm him as it took hold. Miroku had squeezed her shoulder to encourage her to continue. As she took as such, she continues with a look towards the two men in melancholy.

"What do you mean changed ? "Inuyasha dared to ask with a little more gentle tact.

"Kikyo came unexpectedly ,catching us off guard , saying about Kagome being Inuyasha's distraction and it needed to be dealt with , before drawing her arrow and shooting Kagome in the heart, or at least in that general location. In the seconds before the arrow hit Kikyo mentioned that if Kagome didn't willingly leave this world ,she was going to take her out , permanently. It was after the arrow pierced in Kagome that she changed . Its hard to explain what had all happen or the questions that linger but I can say this. After she was struck by that arrow she appeared far away ,though she was in my sight. Kagome looked at me shortly after with the fluttering, near collapsing eyes, then gave me a tired smile. Before ,the moment came that I thought she would've, and should've fallen , she turned in a new unknown direction . It was almost like she was being called to it, because she was torn from going or staying for a short period of time. Kagome had looked at me again and mouthed the words 'I am sorry' to me , a burst of energy exploded from where she stood and moved outward knocking Kikyo and myself unconscious . The rest I don't know ,when I woke Kagome and Kikyo were no where in sight and you too were in their place"Sango retold

Inuyasha and Miroku filled Sango in to what she missed while she was out of sorts.

"We need to find Kikyo ,wherever Kagome is Kikyo is sure to follow " Inuyasha stated out loud

Miroku nodded" Yes ,I believe your right but we need to be on our guard. "

They three comrades went to pack their camp, gathering the missing within their group, except Kagome. Afterward they started on the path that Kikyo set out for them, in hopes that it might lead to a solution , though to some it didn't come fast enough.

With Kagome

Kagome had limped down the hidden path made on the forest floor. Bushes, tress, plants , and rocks altered her way many times ,but she kept going for feeling the need to escape overcame her. Her hand grasped the hilt of what remained of the sacred arrow ,seething at the pain ,tender to the touch ,while the crimson liquid leaked ,and falling to the unforgiving ground in her steps behind. While trying to makeheads or tales in what she was hearing as her skull pounded.

" Come on Kagome ,Follow me everything's alright take my hand ,truth will be in sight" The ghostly chant within her mind echoed within the walls of her head ,rattling her brain.

She made it to a cliff overlooking the vast wilderness beyond the deadly drop below. She took in the flowers, littered with her blood surrounding her as a presence became known to her . Kikyo . Kagome stilled when she felt the pure hatred radiating off ofKikyo in waves ,then she slowly turned to face as fate had written .Upon making eye contact , Kagome let her hands fall to her sides ,dropping her bow and arrows in defeat. Kikyo rose her weapon and began to draw her bow, readying for her release . Seconds passed , the bow was released soaring towards Kagome, while she forced her eyes shut waiting for the end to come. A force , suddenly pushed her, sending her flying ,Kagome braced for the impact that never came. Followed by the distant scream calling her name, then nothing collapsed within her self ,as the voice she heard previously had returned.

" Come on Kagome ,Follow me "...

To be continued.