Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Because if I do, Kikyo will live and be with Sesshomaru happily and forever after.

Chapter 1: Mortal Life

"Kikyo-sama, could we rest a while?" Kohaku requested to the raven-haired woman who walked before him slowly. He felt so exhausted for walked along the day, morever it came close to the nightfall. Kikyo looked to the sky which now clearly became more crimson and the sun slowly went down.

"Let's take a rest under that tree," Kikyo pointed her finger to the tree that not too far from where they were standing.

Kikyo leant her body against the tree, so did Kohaku. Kikyo closed her eyes, while Kohaku was starting to the horizon. "Thank you for letting me travel with you, Kikyo-sama," Kohaku begun to speak. "I feel so… save."

Kikyo opened her eyes and put a bitter smile on her lips. "You'd better not stay a little longer with me, Kohaku-chan," Kikyo stated suddenly. Kohaku surprised for her words and looked at to the woman beside him. "What do you mean, Kikyo-sama?" Kohaku inquired. "I won't put you in the danger when we encounter with Naraku," Kikyo explained.

"But you need the last shard in my body to defeat Naraku," Kohaku insisted to get more aim about what the young miko was speaking about. "Indeed. But not with your life," Kikyo uttered. Kohaku fell into the silence. He knew now what Kikyo meant, she will take the shard without take his life, thought he still couldn't understood greatly how will Kikyo do that..

"I will search for food or something." Kohaku stood up and walked to the forest and dissapear in the thick forest. Kikyo glare for the corner of her eyes and close her eyes again.

..oOo..

"Look, Sesshomaru-sama! Rin catches many fish!" Rin cried contently as she held five big fish. "Just shut up, you spoiled brat! Your voice annoys my ears!" Jaken snapped while he was preparing for the fire to roast the fishs. "Jaken-sama is in bad mood," Rin simple mocked "Won't you eat, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked the tall silver-haired dog demon who was sitting before her.

"I don't like human food," Sesshomaru answered coldly.

"Oh, Okay!" Rin nodded.

'What a noisy-spoiled-brat!' Jaken cursed sighly.

Sesshomaru stood up suddenly. His nose snifted the air. It was a familiar yet untranslatable scent, clay and bones. Sesshomaru started walked and headed to the forest. "Sesshomaru-sama, where will you go?" Jaken asked. "Stay here," Sesshomaru ordered Jaken and Rin while keep walking penetrated the darkness of forest.

'Gah! What was Sesshomaru-sama thinking? Leave me here with this pathetic human!' Jaken protested his Lord secretly, but he couldn't utter it or he will cut a half of his life. "Itadakimasu!" Rin started eat her fish hungryly.

..oOo...

Kikyo was still leant against the tree with closed eyes and absorbed the dying souls which were brought by her loyal Shinidamachu. The soul's light made her body glow in the darkness. Without her aware, Sesshomaru has studied the woman who seemed to sleep not far from his amber eyes. Her raven black hair just like a mindnight sky, that creamy yet pale soft skin of hers, cherry blushed cheeks and her delicious petal rose of lips. Thought she smells of clay and bones, but still lingered by a heaven scent, a bellflower scent.

Kikyo slowly opened her mahogany eyes for she finally felt his presence and met the golden orbs that keep starting at her.

"I never guess we will meet again, Sesshomaru," Kikyo smiled and spoke softly.

It was their first encounter at Mount Hakurei, when Kikyo saved Rin from the evil-side Suikotsu, Long before, Sesshomaru heard the news about she was once a powerful miko and Shikon Jewel protector. Many demos tried to steal the Jewel and beat her down, but she always could purified the demons.. She was the strongest among human kind. And yet, she was the one his pathetic half-brother had fell in love but ended with she pinned him at Goshinboku tree. She was once dead and now living a dying life. A mysterious yet beautiful human.

Kikyo stood up and now faced the Lord of the West, her Shinidamachu flew high, leave them alone.

"Where is that little girl, Rin?" Kikyo asked when she realized the little human and the toad creature were not with him. "I left them at the camp in forest," Sesshomaru answered coldly. Sesshomaru never shifted his eyes from the steady and calm posture before him. Both of them are a silent person. No wonder there's an awkward silence befall them.

"Sesshomaru, would you mind to help me?" Kikyo asked, lost in thought. Sesshomaru frowned at her question. "Help you?" "It's about Naraku," Kikyo answered the dog demon's amazement.

..oOo..

Kohaku held a dying rabbit in his left hand and clutched tightly two red apples with his right hands. That would be an enough food for him and Kikyo. Kohaku sped up his step; he almost arrived at the place where he left Kikyo hours ago. When he finally saw Kikyo was standing face to face with a tall man whom he could tell that the man was so familiar to him. Kohaku hid behind the bush quite far from Kikyo and Sesshomaru.

'His name? Somewhat like Sess…,' Kohaku tried to remember the name. 'That man who travel with Rin-chan.' 'Sesshomaru! Sesshomaru-sama! That's his name' Kohaku finally remember the name. 'That Sesshomaru who intended to kill me when I was kidnapped and tried to kill Rin-chan.' Kohaku could saw them and hardly hear what they were talking about.

"You want me to take Kohaku with me?" Sesshomaru confirmed the miko about what they had just spoken about. "Hmm," Kikyo nodded slightly. Kohaku's eyes widened for heard the miko's words. Kohaku repeated the memory in his head about Kikyo said Kohaku should not stay any longer with her.

"What makes you think I will not kill him once again?" asked Sesshomaru. "After what have done" "Because I believe in you," Kikyo spoke softly that made Sesshomaru did not understand these woman more than before. 'She trusts me?'

"I believe that you are never really intended to kill Kohaku, you know it's just Naraku's trick. You have a kidness that you never know, and you secretly prove it with protected Rin when Kohaku was directed to kill her," Kikyo explained thought she knew Sesshomaru would be angry and attack her to said those words.

"Feh, pathetic human!" Sesshomaru said unwillingly. "Don't you think you know about me, woman" Kikyo smile slightly, first because she didn't expect that Sesshomaru did not angry or even attack her. And second, his words seemed s fool. "Sometimes, there's one or two things we hate to admit it."

"Is it at all?" Sesshomaru once again inquired.

"Naraku always try to kill me and that would put Kohaku in danger," Kikyo explained. "And to keep his shard pure, the last Shikon Jewel's shard." Kikyo pause for a long while before she continued, "Would you do me one more favor, Sesshomaru?"

"Say it," Sesshomaru stated dryly. "Revive Kohaku with the sword of yours, Tenseiga." The more Kikyo spoke, the more Kohaku shocked. He could not understand what her real purpose above it all is. "Fine," Sesshomaru accept the miko's demand. "Consider it as my gratitude for saved Rin that time." Kikyo smiled for the inu youkai's words. Without him realize, he already admited that he has a kidness inside his icy behaviour.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru," Kikyo felt thankful.

"What will happen to you when the plan has done?" asked Sesshomaru. "Why do you care?" Kikyo amazed. "Just curious," Sesshomaru stated. "I will die… permanently." Sesshomaru uttered nothing as for his reaction while Kohaku shocked.

"Kikyo-sama?" Kohaku came out from behind the bush; his eyes showed saddness. Kikyo surprised because she could not feel his presence while talking with Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru just glared over his shoulder.