Author's Note: I gave Kikyo more a voice. She is Kagome's best friend after all. I don't hate Kikyo… To be honest, I haven't been a Kikyo Hater in three years (yay me!) so I am approving.
Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha characters or A Perfect Circle (but they are awesome! Listen to them!)
Episode Two: Goodbye and Hello
Kikyo woke up in the strong arms of Inuyasha. Her cheeks turned bright red in embarrassment, but then she got over it. He was warm, plus he was asleep. Upon looking at his face, she notice that he looks so calm and relax, almost boyish. She couldn't keep her eyes away. 'He's sooo cute!' she thought. 'I'm glad we didn't kill him.' When she saw him beginning to stir from his sleep, she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
Inuyasha's ears twitched, hearing the sounds of birds chirping, Kikyo's slow breathing, and water splashing in the nearby lake. He couldn't hear his brother, but his scent was nearby. And Kagome's scent was missing. He opened his eyes and gently shook the sleeping priestess. "Kikyo."
"Hm?"
"Wake up! Kagome's gone."
Kikyo's eyes snapped open. "Oh no!" How could she forget about her best friend? "Where did she go?"
"I don't know but Sesshomaru is nearby. Let's go!" Putting the priestess on his back, Inuyasha leaped from tree branch to tree branch, following the scent of his brother. 'If he done something to Kagome, I swear I'll kill him!' he thought as he went faster.
When Sesshomaru came into view near the lake, Inuyasha landed a few feet from him, sat Kikyo on her feet and pulled out tetsusaiga. He notices that Kagome's cloak-hood, boots, and Artemis were right next to the Demon Lord, which made Inuyasha even angrier.
Sesshomaru, very stoic, glanced at his brother. "What do you want?"
"You bastard", he growled. "Where is Kagome? What did you to her?"
Sesshomaru stared at the lake. "Impudent Half-Breed", he muttered loud enough that Inuyasha to catch it.
Inuyasha growled until he received a tap on his shoulders by Kikyo. "What?"
Kikyo pointed at the lake. Inuyasha turned towards the lake. Floating near the center of the blue lake was Kagome. She was on her back, often splashing to scare off the birds that thought she was dead since she didn't move much. She stared up at the sky with a blank face; she didn't look to be thinking.
"Oh boy", Kikyo sighs. "She's depressed."
"Eh?" He looked at the priestess. "How do you know?"
"This is what she does when she's depressed", Kikyo answered. "She hasn't done this since last year after she returned from Kaname's birthday celebration. She just floats in the water until she feels better."
"How long does it take?" He asked, sheathing his sword.
Kikyo shrugs. "A day or two? After what had happened last night, I wouldn't be surprised if she stays there all week."
"Why?"
Kikyo sighs again and sat on the grass. "You really are a dumbass."
Inuyasha flinched after hearing the word, but nothing happened.
"Relax. Since Kagome picked the word to subdue you, she has control. I don't."
"Oh." Inuyasha sat next to the priestess and stared at the water. "So what did I miss?"
"It's simple", Kikyo said. "Kaname found Kagome five years ago. She didn't have any memories of her prior life, but Kaname knew some or, at least, he knew who Sesshomaru was. Kaname should've told Kagome that Sesshomaru had tried to kill her in her prior life, but instead, he told her at the last minute."
"Maybe he had forgotten?" Inuyasha asked.
Kikyo shook her head. "No. Kaname is sharp. He would've told her after her second or third year of her new life. Plus, it was at a very strange moment that he went out to find her. He knew exactly where Kagome was." Kikyo tugged the sleeve of her kimono. "I think, this is just a hunch, but I think Kaname knows more of Kagome's memories than he lets on. I think he is controlling what she remembers."
Though Sesshomaru stayed silent, he was listening to everything the priestess was saying.
"Is that possible?" Inuyasha asked.
"Vampires can do a lot of things", Kikyo replied. "A lot of blood magic, that's their specialty. Think about it. Kagome trusts Kaname because he had found her and gave her a new life. Maybe if she was sleeping, he might've stolen some of her blood so he could control her."
"Dark Blood Bond", Sesshomaru commented, now joining in their conversation. "It's a very rare and difficult blood magic that only Pure-Blooded vampires can do it to lower-class vampires, Humans, or Demons to control them. It can sometimes be used to erase the memories of the said creature, give them fake memories, and change their thoughts to the point of changing the entire person."
Kikyo had an idea. "Sesshomaru, can you perform any blood magic?"
The Demon Lord glanced at the Priestess. "Only the ones Kagome had taught me years ago."
"And Kagome doesn't know much blood magic right now." Kikyo pointed out to the hanyou.
"She didn't back then either", Sesshomaru added. "She had told me that blood magic was just laziness in among the vampires, since vampire only uses blood magic to fight instead combat training."
Kikyo smiled at the Demon Lord. "Kagome said the same thing not too long ago."
"So Kaname knows more about Kagome and is controlling her!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"That's just my hunch." Kikyo said. "But that's not why Kagome's upset. She could be thinking that right now, but that's not why she's this way."
"Oh…" Inuyasha frowned. "Then what is it?"
"You saw how Kagome came close to attacking Sesshomaru last night, but then stopped?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, because it was the past and she doesn't want to remember or be part of it because it wasn't her of today."
"Correct. She forgave Sesshomaru, but having a hard time forgiving Kaname."
"Eh?" Inuyasha scratched his head. "What did Kaname do?"
"Kaname lied to her."
Splashing and the caw of birds flying away filled the silence.
"To have the person you trust more than life itself lying to you", Kikyo continued, shaking her head, "it hurts. But it's killing Kagome right now. Kaname taught her everything she knows right now. He should've told her about Sesshomaru, at least about her past regardless of how much she doesn't want to know or how she doesn't want to change. He found her, knew about her, but didn't tell her for five years."
"But Kaname said that Sesshomaru tried to kill her", Inuyasha countered. "It should make up for the lie and for her to forgive him, too."
Sesshomaru growled. "I've had it." The turned towards to hanyou and the priestess. "I would like to make one thing clear, regardless of you believe me or not. This Sesshomaru did not, would not ever, try to kill Kagome."
"I believe you", Kikyo said.
"What?" Inuyasha exclaimed.
The Demon Lord relaxed a bit.
"I think you're thinking waaaaay too hard, Kikyo." Inuyasha poked the Priestess' forehead. "This is Sesshomaru we're talking about. He had tried to kill us."
Kikyo smacked the hanyou's hand away. "Yes, Inuyasha. He has tried to kill us, you and me, but not Kagome. I've notice he was really soft on her. In fact, he didn't even try to attack her then."
Inuyasha feh'd. "So?"
"He didn't even attack us when he find us again", Kikyo added. "He had the chance to kill us both and still has the chance now, but he hasn't. That should give you a clue."
Inuyasha glanced at his brother, then back at Kikyo. "I guess you have a point."
"He had promise to protect us until Kagome remembers him", Kikyo added. "I trust Sesshomaru and I believe he didn't try to kill Kagome."
"If he didn't, then who did?" Inuyasha asked. "Kaname is a suspect of controlling Kagome's memories, but who was it that tried to kill her?"
They all were silent after that.
"It could be Kaname", Kikyo suggested. "If he could control her memories, he could also change it. It could've been him that attacked her but changed it to be Sesshomaru attacking her."
"Impossible", Sesshomaru said.
"How so?" Kikyo asked, shocked to hear the Demon Lord say that.
Sesshomaru stayed silent for a bit before answering. "It's impossible…because I was on a mission with him that very night she was attacked. She was all alone in that castle. All the servants were asleep and so was she when I left her."
Kikyo gasped. "No way!"
Inuyasha's head felt like it was going to burst. "Grrr! If it wasn't you or Kaname, than who was it?"
Sesshomaru sighs. "I don't know."
'Cast the calming apple
Up and over satellites
To draw out the timid wild one
To convince you it's alright'
Kagome's voice, sad and unsure, filled the area. The group didn't realize how much time had passed. The sun was already setting. Inuyasha heart raced to the sound of Kagome's voice. 'She's singing' he thought.
Sesshomaru's heart was also racing. It had been years since he heard her sing. But instead of the song she would sing to him that would bring chills to his very core, this song was rather sad.
'And I listen for the whisper
Of your sweet insanity while I formulate
Denials of your effect on me
You're a stranger
So what do I care
You vanish today
Not the first time I hear
All the lies'
Tears streamed down Kikyo's face. She never heard her friend sing such a sad song before. She could feel Kagome's pain and sorrow.
'What am I to do with all this silence?'
A bird landed on Kagome's stomach, but Kagome didn't pay attention. She was off in her own little world.
'Shy away, shy away phantom
Run away terrified child
Won't you move away you fucking tornado
I'm better off without you
Tearing my will down'
The bird cawed and then flew away.
Kikyo wiped away her tears and clenched her fists. "I don't know who has wrong Kagome, but when I do, I will them. And when I find them, I will personally kill them. I will rip out the bastard's heart and make them eat it. I'll personally drag them screaming to a guillotine and boil their bodies in oil."
Inuyasha, hearing Kikyo's words, inched away.
Sesshomaru smiled. 'She really is Kagome's good friend.'
888888
While Inuyasha and Kikyo went to bed, Sesshomaru continued to watch the little vampire floating in the lake under the moon light. He wanted to comfort her, tell her that everything was going to be fine, but with discussing the matters with the priestess and his brother, he wasn't so sure and he didn't want to be a liar to her. It was killing him, though. After her song, his very soul was crying out for her.
He had remembered one of their conversations:
"Sesshou, what's death like?" Princess Kagome asked, while lying on the Demon Lord's lap.
"I don't know", he answered, rather confused. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I heard from some of the servants that Vampires are the closest to death. They refer to vampires as 'Grim Reapers'."
"What's a 'Grim Reaper'?"
She ponders for a moment. "Vampire of Death?"
The Demon Lord chuckles. "You have no clue, do you?"
"So?" Kagome stuck out her tongue. "You don't know what death is like."
"Because I haven't died yet."
"Oh…" She stayed silent for a bit. "I bet Death is like a cold kiss to the lips and a harsh sting like a bite."
Sesshomaru shook his head. "The weirdest things we talk about…"
Sesshomaru smiled at the memory, but almost didn't notice Kagome swimming to the bank of the lake. Her eyes, beautiful violets, were cold and distant as she stepped on to the grass. Water dripped from her body, but she didn't care to dry off.
Sesshomaru untied his kimono, shrugged it off and walked over to the wet vampire. "You're going to catch a cold." He draped his kimono over her shoulders.
"Vampires don't catch colds", she answered nochantly.
"But you do."
She feh'd.
He smiled. 'At least she's talking.'
"Hey…Sesshou."
"Hm?"
Kagome looked up at him, eyes more alive but sad. "She isn't coming back."
He raises a brow. "Who isn't coming back?"
"Her…Princess Kagome, the girl you fell in love with." She then grimaced. "The girl that used to be me. She's never coming back to you. She died that very night you attacked her."
Sesshomaru held his tongue. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't him that attacked her, but he couldn't bring himself up to it.
"But", she continued, "I know you want her back and you miss her. I don't want to remember anything anymore. You ought to just go back home."
Sesshomaru was shocked. She wanted him to leave. But for how long, he wasn't certain.
"You were a good friend to her, Sesshou", she said. "You cared for her, loved her, and give her a special gift…I don't know what came over you… Could it be a bad reaction to her blood? Did she do something wrong while making the Promise Mark?"
Sesshomaru gripped her shoulders. "Don't blame yourself, Kagome. It wasn't your fault. Don't you ever blame yourself for what happened."
She just stared at him. "She wants to say 'goodbye'."
"What?"
"Her…She wants to say goodbye to you", she said. "I want to continue on with my life for today, but I can't if she wants to break free."
As much as he didn't want to, he couldn't stop Kagome for making her choice. He loved the girl from years before, but he knew there would be trouble of trying to bring her back. All he could do was accept it. "Very well. I guess this is goodbye."
Kagome smiled. She caressed both of the Demon Lord's cheeks, reached on her tip-toes and kissed passionately. All of her emotions and love from her previous life poured into this one kiss, this final farewell to her ex-fiancé. Sesshomaru was overwhelmed by the kiss. He deepens the kiss, tasting the love she had left for him, a sweet kiss goodbye, before she pulled away.
"Goodbye, Sesshou." Kagome smiled again, and went to turn away, but she was yanked back to the Demon Lord, smacking into his bare chest. "Wah?"
Sesshomaru, his golden eyes glowing in the moonlight, smiled down at her as he hooked his finger under her chin. "I said 'goodbye' to my princess, but I want to say 'hello' to this vampire." He kissed her roughly, sliding his hands down to her waist. He felt her tiny hand snaked up his chest and wrapped around his neck. He reached down to her thighs and lifts her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Until they both were dying for air, they break the kiss, panting heavily.
"So," Sesshomaru smiles, "do you want me to go, Kagome the Half-Breed?"
Kagome giggled and smacked his chest. "Just let me go, you son of a bitch."
Author's Note: While writing the second part, I was listening to 'Sweetest Goodbye' by Maroon 5 and 'Late Goodbye' from a Max Payne game to set the mood. I think I did a really good job on this chapter.
