I'm making it up to all you people, two chapters. I'm tired, and sleepy, and here we go…

Oh yeah, and

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I owned nothing in the last chapter, I own nothing now.

Inferno

The more you fight it, the brighter it burns.

Chapter 9: Fires of Love

" Moeru-shi? Doesn't that mean 'burning death'?"

" Something to that affect, I believe."

" So, you're totally hot over a guy whose name means 'burning death'? How awesome is that!"

" Tarot!"

Shaking her raven head, Kagome reached for the bag of cookies lying a few inches from her form that was collapsed on her bed. The simple over-sized t-shirt she wore as night clothes rode up slightly, and the girl plopped down on the floor before her was given a perfect view of Kagome's thigh, toned from two years of shard hunting. Tarot let out a low whistle.

" Damn Kaggsie, I know about fifteen girls who would kill to have a body like yours."

" Have you been ogling me again?" Kagome asked, rolling her eyes. " Keep looking at me like that, and I'm gonna think you've turned bi on me and are interested."

Tarot pulled herself up onto the bed, her face a breath away from Kagome's. The raven haired beauty blanched.

" Well, who says I haven't?" Tarot replied breathily, running her hand over Kagome's clothed side. Kagome's surprised looked morphed into one of panic, and she tore away from Tarot to the farthest corner of the bed near the wall. Tarot burst out laughing.

" You should have seen your face!" She gasped out between laughs. " It was priceless!"

Realizing she had been tricked, Kagome snarled angrily at Tarot, before launching the pillow next to her at her laughing friend, hitting her dead on the face. Tarot wobbled, and toppled off the bed, pillow and all.

" Oh, it is on!" Came her muffled cry of battle from somewhere off the floor.

Fifteen minutes, and several destroyed pillows later, Kagome and her companion lay panting on the bed, faces flushed from their battle, chest heaving up and down from the lack of air they had taken in as they attacked one another, and hair in tangles messes, tumbling down their backs.

" So what's he like?"

The question drifted over from Tarot, who didn't seem to mind the randomness of it. Tarot was a random person. If she wanted an answer, she would go to any lengths to obtain it, even so far as black mail. Tarot wasn't what could be called 'normal', because she herself had once stated,

" Who wants to normal? Being bizarre is way more fun!"

And it was true. For them, anyway. Being 'normal' never had much appeal to Kagome or Tarot. They enjoyed being weird, standing out. It meant being different, being special. It meant being able to hide the pain of not fitting in, of not having friends, with having everyone look at you, half frightened, half amazed, because you were willing to show that you were like other people. So what if being different meant being lonely? It was still way more fun then being normal.

Well, lonely didn't really work with them. They had each other.

" He's perfect." Kagoem whispered back. " He's all hot and warm and it's like I'm on fire just being near him. I stop thinking, I stop wondering, and all there is is this feeling this wonderful feeling, like he's all over my body, and inside me too, and I can't even remember my own name. I just want to stay there, right there with him, where he is, and let him kiss me and hold me, and then I want him to make lo-"

" AH! Too much info!" Tarot, blushing and more than a little freaked, threw her hands up over her ears in an effort to block her best friend's monologue." Aren't you getting a little heavy a little! I mean, you met the guy yesterday! And now suddenly, you're ready to have sex with him! Damn it Kaggsie, if he's all that then he should be worth waiting for!"

" This coming from you?" Kagome asked quietly, but knowing she had hit a nerve. She didn't have to look at Tarot's face to know it had darkened and her bright blues had dulled like shades had been pulled down behind them.

" That…That was a …a-a mistake. It was a mistake, and you know that. You know I would never, that I didn't want to…not with him…not with…"

Kagome sat up and pulled Tarot over into her arms. She hugged the girl as if it were as natural as breathing, as though she had done it a million times before. And she had.

" Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

" No. It's okay. You're the only person who really knows what happened that night, besides me and…him."

" What I don't get," Kagome muttered softly, still gripping Tarot, " is why you didn't try to get him on rape. He could have gone to prison for what he did to you."

" You can't rape the willing." Tarot murmured, her face still pressed into Kagomes shoulders.

" You can't mean you were…"

" I was when he suggested it, I was while it happened, it wasn't until after that I realized…I realized what a horrible mistake I'd made. I mean, c'mon, him? I could so do better!"

Snickering as the mood lightened, Kagome gently let Tarot up. That night, the night so long ago, remain a secret to the grave between the two friends. Kagome would sooner take her own life, then let loose one whisper of what had occurred that night. Tarot trusted her with that life long secret, and it would remain as such until the afore mentioned girl released them from the pact. Kagome glanced over at her oldest friend, whose face, though covered in a cheery smile, couldn't hide the haunted look of her eyes.

' Bastard!' She hissed in her head. ' Tarot was too good for you!'

A soft and somewhat comfortable silence settled in between the two girls, each one too caught up in her thoughts to say anything.

" It's him, you know." Kagome said finally. Tarot glanced up, startled. Kagome's eyes were staring blankly ahead. Her face was flushed with an excitement Tarot hadn't seen in a long time. Her voice was soft, whispery, alluring, and then Tarot understood. She understood Kagome's desperation to be with this demon. She understood why Kagome could think of nothing else. In the span of a few hours, as the two had sat in the club, Kagome had revealed all to Tarot of what had occurred over the last few days. Tarot, ever watchful of Kaogme's mood and body language, had seen the stirrings of an obsession, rivaling even the miko's love of fire. Tarot, in an effort to understand and protect her friend, had urged every detail that Kagome could recall about Moeru-shi, and tell her. Now, some two hours later, after ditching the club and going over to Kaogme's home (It was safe she was home alone. Mrs. Higurashi was less than fond of Tarot), Tarot finally understood why Kagome felt so strongly about the Moeru-shi.

" Your savior?"

>

Neither trembling nor shaking she walked, her white form a stark contrast with the writhing shadows of the demonic hordes that were at Naraku's beck and call. She walked steadily onward, ignoring their rumbling growls and the blood lust that was reflected back at her through their glowing, merciless eyes.

She was a being of nothingness, she did not know fear.

She envied the others sometimes. True, she had her freedom, she could come and go as she pleased, for there was no way for her to be sensed, not by scent, nor sound, nor tracing footsteps. She was a being of whiteness, and knew nothing of the cruel burdens emotions could leave upon a soul. She could not understand Kagura's desire to be free any more than she could comprehend the wicked laughter that escaped Naraku's lips when one of his twisted plans went to his accord. She could not understand emotions, for she could not feel them.

Or so they thought.

Somewhere along the path she walked now, at some point in time, she had begun to wish she could feel. To not just breathe the air because she was required to, but to want to breathe it, to feel the rush of the wind through her body as she inhaled. She wanted to know why it was that her younger sister would sit by the window, staring off into the distance, a wistful and sad expression etched onto her beautiful face. Oh yes, she knew Kagura wanted freedom, but she, she who had freedom, wanted to know what it felt like to experience it, to actually smile because she was capable of doing so, to laugh when she found something amusing. To cry when her heart broke in two. These were freedoms her sibling had and she did not, and she would trade places with the wind sorceress in an instant.

So she went on wishing and longing to feel, until on night, looking at the brilliant full moon (she had little need for sleep), she realized she was longing. She wanted something, she desired it. She craved and yearned and wished on every star in the sky twice for it. And she had it. She was longing, she was feeling.

It was like being born all over again. It was like seeing the dawn after a night of hardship and battle. It was like surviving a long and difficult journey, and then looking up and seeing your home.

She watched the sun peak up over the mountaintops that morning, and breathed in the new day. The air rushed sweet and cool in her lungs, and for the first time since she had been created, little under two years, she smiled. A breath taking, sweet, innocent smile, that burst forth from her like a wave crash onto the land.

' This is what I have been missing.' She thought to herself as the dawn's light faded into day. ' This is what you kept from me Naraku. But no more. I won't let you take this away from me.'

So she hid it. She was good at hiding it. Naraku, nor Kagura, nor anyone ever learned of her secret. She acted impassive, uninterested, emotionless, and fooled them all so easily. She was trusted far too much, relied on far too much, for her to let on just yet. Just a little bit longer, and she may just be able to bring her master to his knees.

So she sat there, mirror in hand, showing him images of his handiwork, watching as his face lit up with glee at each mangled body, at each obliterated home, at each cry of pain. She watched as he murmured unheard instructions to unsuspecting pawns who played right into his hands without even realizing it. She watched him through her white bangs, her expression neutral, her face impassive.

' Monster.' She whispered in her mind, knowing her couldn't hear her. ' Monster. Filth. Thief. Just wait, just you wait. Your tricks can't protect you forever. One day, this will all catch up with you, Master, and then no trick will be able to save you then.

>

He caught her scent out of instinct. It was purely that, a basic reflex, to search the air for her scent, just in case she was nearby. Just in case she needed him. So when he caught the first trace of her scent on the evening breezes, he detected that she was just fine, perfectly all right, and very much not in need of him at all.

So it was habit, he would alter claim, that had him tearing from his position by the well (not that he would admit who he was waiting for, or that he was even waiting at all) and darting off into the forest at break neck speeds to get to her.

His demon half screaming for him to turn right around and go back to the well all the way.

He found her, as he always did, leaning by a tree, her beauty frozen in one single moment in time. She stood, untouched by time, the very same image he had once fallen so deeply for. The emotions of old coursed up through his body, which ached with longing for her touch. He walked toward her, ever so cautious so as not to appear as though he would attack.

As if he could ever harm her.

" Kikyo." He breathed, his tone love sick. She turned to him, neither please nor pleased with his presence. Her face, pale and unearthly beautiful in death, remain neutral, betraying nothing.

" Inuyasha." She said in her calm, quiet tone. Never did she give him the hint that she still clung to their romance as he did, but he prayed, prayed to the Heavens that there was still some spark between them, something that could rekindle the love they had had for one another.

As he took another step forward, his demon side let out a piteous whine, which sounded suspiciously like Kagome's name. Shoving the demon within him aside, first telling it that he loved Kikyo, he stood before her, unable to think. She was as breathtaking in death as she had been in life. His entire being welled up with emotion and he darted forward, enveloping her in an embrace. She remained stationed, refusing to return his warm arms with her won. She was cold, so cold from death. Perhaps his heat could warm her up again, bring her back to him, so they could-

" You claim you love me, but fly into jealous rages when another male so much as glances in her direction, Inuyasha. Truth be told, you are quite amusing."

He jumped back at her voice, cool and calculated as usual. There was the faintest shadow of a smirk on her face and her eyes were glittering slightly, instead of flat and dead as they normally were. He took a step back, unsure of how to deal with this new Kikyo presented to him.

" Wh-What are you talking about?"

She turned her head to the side, and closed her eyes, and sigh puffing out of her lips.

" Don't be coy with me, Inuyasha. It didn't work then, and it won't now."

Blinking in bewilderment, Inuyasha cocked his head to the side in confusion.

" You claim that you love only me." Kikyo said wearily, humoring him and explaining. " Yet when another male comes near Kagome, you fly to fits of rage and jealous and attempt to kill the male. Only to be stopped by sweet and gentle hearted Kagome, who wishes to help all living things. Your antics are amusing."

Slack jawed from being told by his love that he was jealous over Kagome, Inuyasha began to splutter and babble.

" Wh-What! J-Jealous! Over Kagome! She's-She;s my shard detector, h-how-how els-else would we-we find the sh-shard-shards?"

" You were practically frothing at the mouth when you came upon Kagome being ravished by that fire demon."

Her phrased stopped him dead through his babble, and he looked up at her in alarm. If she had been there, then she would have seen how close his demon was to taking over, and she might think that he cared more for Kagome then he did for her.

" Kikyo…I-"

" If I were you, I'd be less worried about what I think, and more worried about my reincarnation." She cut him off, her voice clipped.

" Wh-Why?"

" Simple, my love," Her voice was almost a sneer, " He's looking for her as we speak."

>

She stood at the mouth of the well, staring down into tits blackened pits.

Two years. Two years since Mistress Centipede has caught hold of her and dragged her down into a world of monsters and mikos and a jewel that could end up saving or destroying the world. Two years since she had been doing this. Two years sicne she had been that ignorant little girl. How the time had flown by. Now, here she was, seventeen, and she had finally found him.

Flash

" Be careful." Tarot whispered as she crouched on Kagome's windowsill. The car pulled into a garage far below, the head lights killed as it drove in. Kagome, back in her school uniform, glanced over at her best friend.

" Get outta here before my mom finds you." Kagome hissed, sounding rougher than she meant to. But Tarot was Tarot, and she knew better than to hold it against Kagome. " She said she'll get you for trespassing if she ever caught you here again."

" I'm goin', I'm goin'" The blue haired girl began cussing darkly under her breath as she eased herself onto the branch of the Goshinboku near Kagome's window. " But you will be careful, ne? You won't rush into things, you won't go runnin' off to see this guy, will ya?"

Kagome looked up into her best friend's pleading eyes, their original hazel, her contacts in a case in her pocket. Kagome felt every soft laugh they had ever shared, every stupid prank they had ever pulled, every circle Tarot had drawn on her back as they hugged each other tightly when she moved.

" I'll bring you." She whispered. Tarot looked up, hardly daring to believe her ears.

" Next time I come back, when I go there, I'll bring you." Kagome's heart was going very fast, and she was almost certain tarot could hear it. " You have a right, I mean, you're the only one outside my family that knows, so you should be allowed to come. You'll love it."

Tears gathering the brown eyes, Tarot flung herself back into the room and hugged Kagome to her. The two stood, locked in their embrace, not noticing the approaching footsteps.

" Kagome, dear, are you asl-"

The two jumped back from each other as Mrs. Higurashi caught sight of them.

For a single instant, the three were frozen, unable to move, unable to comprehend what was going on. Then the shock wore off.

" You!" Kagome's mother yelled, in a way that had never been used before. Kagome gave a quick shove.

" Tarot, GO!"

Tarot leapt from the room to the tree with feline grace, and scaled it. She landed on two feet on the soil, looked up, gave a jaunty salute to Mrs. Higurashi, and took off running like a bat out of Hell. By the time Mrs. Higurashi had pulled her head back into the room after watching Tarot disappear, Kagome was half way to the well house.

Flash

Sighing, Kagome flung herself over the edge of the well, figuring she'd deal with her family when she got back. She pushed them from her mind as the feeling of floating over took her and the bright light signaled to her that she was indeed flying 500 years into the past.

She touched down on soft earth, her bag slung daintily over her shoulder. Grumbling about stupid hanyous, and why they had to go off and see their undead lovers right when she needed help getting out of the well, she yanked a vine and hauled herself up, cursing Inuyasha to hell the entire way.

No sooner had she dropped her bag on solid earth and was mid way through a stretch when arms wound their was around her waist and she was twisted around to face her captor before she could scream. She met with a pair of glowing, red-hot coal like eyes.

" Moeru-sh-" But even before his name could completely pass from her lips, he had dove down like bird of prey, and swallow her voice in a bruising and passionate kiss.

' How can I not rush into things,' She thought as her knees went weak, ' when he's the one doing the rushing?'

>

I'm tired, I'm going to bed, please review.