Prologue - A Decision To Be Made

Kagome ran as fast as she could not knowing where to go. Her eyes blinded by pain and her tears mixed with the pouring rain. She shouldn't have hoped that Inuyasha would someday see her as her own person and not some poor imitation of the dead miko.

"Inuyasha? Do you love me?" Kikyou asked him with a false smile etched on her face.

"Of course I do, Kikyou." Inuyasha reached for her face and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"More than my reincarnation?" She stared into Inuyasha's eyes intently.

"Of course! Why would I care for that stupid useless bitch? She's just a pathetic miko who can't even use her powers right!"

He heard a gasp and caught Kagome's scent. He cursed and started to go after her, but was stopped by Kikyou.

"You said you loved me, why are you chasing after her?" she asked, pain written all over her face and unshed tears started to gather in her eyes.

Inuyasha cursed again and looked longingly at the direction which Kagome went to.

"Kagome … I'm sorry …" he whispered.

Hope. What a useless thing to have! Maybe Sesshoumaru was right, maybe feelings are a weakness. She sighed and continued to ponder about what she should do. She couldn't leave, that was totally out of the question. She was here to finish her quest, not to find love.

Screw Inuyasha! She was going to find the jewel shards alone. They'll realize that she wasn't just a weak human. Besides, the sooner she collect the jewel, the sooner she'll get out of this hell hole. Stupid Shikon No Tama! Why did it have to be inside her?

She made her way to the well and wore an expressionless face, much like Sesshoumaru's. She'll be damned if Inuyasha gets the satisfaction of seeing her in her fragile state.

"Where are you going, bitch?" Kagome looked up and saw Inuyasha with a scowl on his face as usual.

"Home." she said nothing more and continued to head to the well.

"BITCH! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ONE OF YOUR STUPID TESTS AGAIN!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Sit." Kagome said calmly and jumped down the well.

Inuyasha grumbled his few choices of colorful words and went after her when the spell passed. He jumped in the well, but was surprised when the familiar bluish light did not come. He felt the ground underneath him and growled. Why wasn't the well transporting him to the future?

"DAMN!!!!" he yelled out and went back to the village. There was only one thing to do, and that was to wait. Inuyasha hated waiting.