A big kettle of ramen had put most of the gang to sleep, except for Kagome. She sat with her knees drawn into her chest, and her chin resting on her hands. The journey for the jewel shards was almost complete, and she wondered what this would mean for her and Inuyasha's relationship.
What am I thinking? Kagome scolded herself. We don't even have a relationship. I mean—it's not like he's my boyfriend or anything, but...
Kagome thought back to the day she saved Kikyo in the cave, and how surprised yet thankful Inuyasha was that she had saved his beloved. What she didn't tell Inuyasha was that right before they emerged from the cave, a faint Kikyo had whispered something in her ear.
"There can be only one."
Who does she think she is, one of those immortals from Highlander? Kagome mused, remembering a movie about immortals who were destined to fight each other until only one of them remained.
She had faced countless demons, yet the tragic priestess Kikyo scared her the most—and proved to be her most formidable enemy.
Inuyasha stirred. Kagome quickly pretended to be asleep, not wanting him to be worried about her.
Seconds later, she popped one eye open and saw that he was still asleep. But they had company.
Kikyo, Kagome thought with fear and resentment. Sharing the same soul, the two could easily sense the other, sometimes before even Inuyasha could.
Kagome slowly lifted up from the floor and tiptoed out of the hut. Looking out toward the forest ahead, she noticed some of Kikyo's soul stealers zipping through the trees. She decided to follow them.
"Foolish girl," she sneered.
Kikyo slowly made her way into the hut, and lay down where Kagome had been just a moment before.
Kagome walked on—it seemed to take forever but she just blamed it on her own fear. Aside from the soul stealers' light, the forest was pitch black and she kept hearing rustling noises. Strangely enough, she was somewhat glad that Kikyo was in the forest, because maybe she could fight off whatever demon or wild animal happened to be lurking about. Kagome cursed herself for not bringing her bow and arrows.
The soul stealers finally stopped. Kagome's eyes widened as she recognized the tree to which Inuyasha had been sealed by Kikyo—but Kikyo wasn't there.
Kagome looked up at the soul stealers, who know began circling her.
"What the..." she said shakily.
She screamed as they engulfed her body. Kagome fainted, and the soul stealers pinned her to tree, wrapping themselves around her in rings to seal her.
Inuyasha... Kagome's mind called out weakly.