Urg... I just realized it's been THREE MONTHS since my last update. Fuck me, I'm SO sorry guys! T_T Believe me, it's not like my inspiration has gone down at all. With all the reviews I've been getting how could it!? However, college seriously keeps me busy as shit! All the same, I'm on winter break now (YAY) so I'm hoping to whip out quite a few chapters. Before we go to the chapter, though, a HUGE thanks and (of course) brownies to my most recent FORTY-FUCKING-SIX reviewers: Sutenki, Setsuna1986, TF fan-for-life, LadyEllesmere, EbonySapphire, victoria cullen33, AmimeGmr101, Guest, Momochan77, BraziaRios, Devious Neko Boi, Cathy, SarahBloomSakura, Write with Love and Passion, TheCaramelSecrets, trinity456, Guest, Guest, Lady Akiyama, ParkerERoy13, funnylittlestory, Crystalline Amore, yoyowezy, Guest, Davan33, Demona Evernight, Elizabeth Kirkland the 3rd, GetsueiNoYume, Sanngrior, MysteryGirl, MyLiloITAChIassasin, Luna Sakura Valentine, Lunar678, OkieBear, NotSoFancie97, Ash-Marie, Juhoni, Ochibi-san-sama-chan, Minomi Atsuki, SaiyaCat, RobynHood3, Nikolabear, Guest, supermeg12, Guest, and Wolf! OMG! I LOVE U ALL SO MUCH! *glomps* Holy shit I'm almost to 1200 reviews! *practically faints* Also, a HUGE thanks to all the people who have favorited and/or followed this story! Seriously, it's because of you guys that this story has become the TOP favorited OC fanfic in the Inuyasha section! THANK YOU SO MUCH! *cough cough* Now, I suppose I should let you get on to the chapter, especially considering the evil cliffhanger I left you with last time. Fufufufu... Hope you all enjoy chapter fifty-three! :D

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha, the Inuyasha plot, NOR the Inuyasha characters. I only own my OCs Kaze Hijikata, Riko Hijikata, Ryosuke Hijikata, Toga Akatsuki, Shido of the Massacre, any other OCs created along the way, and any part of the plot NOT a part of the Inuyasha anime or manga. This fanfic, however, is MINE and I'd like to keep it that way.


Chapter 53-Voice of Three
Inuyasha's Pack/In the Cave…

The hanyou as well as his companions went stark still when they heard the bloodcurdling scream split the air.

"What the hell!?" Inuyasha snarled in confusion, figure ridged from the sound.

"That was Kaze!" Kagome stated with horrified wide eyes.

The rest of the pack's eyes turned worriedly to the opening of the cave.

"We should go," Sango stated immediately, despite her exhausted condition. "What if-"

"No," the group's white-haired youth stated, sniffing the air. "Sesshomaru's already making a b-line for us." Golden eyes narrowed, unease coursing through his veins as his felt the violent churning of his sibling's youki, "and holy shit he seems panicked."

"Inuyasha?" Miroku gave his friend a concerned look.

"All of you, go deeper into the cave. Hurry," Inuyasha snapped, quickly realizing that Sesshomaru's beast must be in full control, and the hanyou knew enough about his own race that when something was wrong with their mate or intended things could get really ugly really fast. "Kagome, you too," he growled upon realizing that the young girl had not followed the others.

"Absolutely not!" the miko growled right back. "Kaze is my family! I need to see what's wrong with her!"

"Damnit, Kagome!" Inuyasha hissed, panic rising up inside of him. However, before he could argue back, a vicious burst of youki whipped around them as none other than the Western Lord himself landed in their midst, the limp figure of Kaze cradled in his arms.

"Holy shit!" the hanyou's eyes went wide upon seeing his half-brothers appearance. For at that moment, the Daiyoukai looked like a being out of someone's worst nightmares, eyes wide and crimson as blood, markings jagged, claws and fangs elongated to an unnatural length, and youki whipping around him as he growled.

"Miko," he snarled in a throaty, commanding tone as his eyes instantly landed on the human girl, "you will heal her now!"

Kagome felt a terrified shiver momentarily zap through her system until her eyes landed on the pale form of her cousin. "Lay her down," she said quickly, praying to all the kamis that the world held that her miko powers could do something to help.

"What the hell happened!?" Inuyasha demanded, trying to approach but stopping as a snarl warned him back.

"I do not know," the Inu's lips curled back in fury, clawed fingers itching to tear through or melt something, anything in a pool of acidy poison as he heard another whimper of pain fall from his beloved's lips. "It occurred with no warning." Not caring to listen for a reply from the pup, the Western Lord kneeled down beside his intended. Every muscle in his body was taunt, coiled like a bowstring ready to fire as he watched the miko examine his future mate. He could feel the turmoil inside of the spiritualist. However, he could not pin down the source of it. This was mostly because whatever power inside his intended was awakening from dormancy was also currently attacking the Inu's courting mark, clearly identifying it as a foreign entity. At that moment, in fact, Sesshomaru could actually feel his youki that resided in the girl slowly but surely being consumed.

In the meantime, Kagome was still attempting to discover the cause for the violent turmoil in Kaze's energy. It was no easy task, especially since every time the girl tried to insert her miko powers into her cousin, a violent, rogue energy instantly consumed them. Of course, even if Inuyasha was standing protectively a little ways behind her, Sesshomaru's growling and outright homicidal feeling presence was not helping her concentrate.

"Miko…" said Daiyoukai's growl was low and dark, quickly reminding Kagome that she should probably find some sort of answer and soon if she wanted her head to stay on her shoulders.

Then, after one more try, she finally found it.

She'll just say that it was not what she expected.

Her discovery came when she had tried one more time to force her miko powers into the other girl. This time however, she didn't go easy and used far more energy then she had before. The result was a splitting pain going up Kagome's arms as she felt a dark, violent energy attack her reiki. Pulling back quickly, the miko painfully rubbed her hands together, still quivering from everything that moment had allowed her to see.

"What did you find, miko?" Sesshomaru demanded tersely.

"Her soul," Kagome stated shakily, eyes wide, "it's split into three pieces."

"What!?" Inuyasha cried out behind her.

"Kaze's soul," the miko repeated in horror, "at some point it must have been split into three pieces, two of which have been sealed until now. That foreign energy," the girl shuddered, once again rubbing her burned hands, "it's the energy that one of the pieces of her soul emanates."

"But how!?" the hanyou pressed, confusion lacing his tone. "Haven't you two known each other throughout your whole lives!? There's no way that could have happened without you noticing!"

"Don't you thing I know that, Inuyasha!?" Kagome cried angrily as she whirled around to glare at the youth. Turning back around, she let her gaze return to her cousin, attempting to ignore the crimson gaze of the Inu across from her. "I know that," she whispered hoarsely upon seeing her best friend's body spasm one again as another wave of pain hit her. "It must… it must have happened before Kaze was born."

"What are you saying, miko?" the Western Lord growled menacingly, still awaiting the full answer. "Are you attempting to say that this is being caused from her being reincarnated?"

Kagome flinched at the term, having a special hatred for it due to her own circumstances. Therefore, she could admit that a small part of her was glad that for Kaze, this was not the case. "No," she corrected, still feeling a bit unsure herself but figuring that this was the only possible explanation. "Kaze has not been reincarnated, for reincarnation means that the soul is completely wiped clean of its last life so it can start anew, whole and unbroken. This is just like I have no memories of Kikyo's life or experiences. In Kaze's case, it's almost like she's just gone through simple rebirth."

"Explain the difference," Sesshomaru ordered.

"Rebirth is just that, your body is reborn, meaning that your soul is left exactly the same, no wiping or anything," it was here that Kagome paused, her hands trembling slightly. "However, it can only seem that if that is the case with Kaze, then at some point in her… last life, she must have actually broken apart and sealed some of her soul so… not to remember something. The only thing that doesn't make sense is that rebirth isn't a natural process! Therefore, Kaze shouldn't have had to worry about remembering something since the natural reincarnation process would wipe it away. So, why… why did she feel the need to break apart her soul and seal it herself?"

Sesshomaru was silent, fury radiating off him as he took in the explanation that the miko offered him. No part of this was even remotely okay. These factors were causing his intended pain, excruciating pain. They were dangerous to her. The worst part, however, was that there wasn't a single damn thing the Western Lord could do about it. There were too many factors that were out of his control, and he despised it.

As it currently seemed, his intended's soul appeared to be attempting to reassemble itself. That was not a process he could interrupt, for if the girl's pain was coming from a broken soul, then the cure was for it to be put back together. So, in reality, she was actually going through the healing process as they spoke. Of course, Sesshomaru figured there may be a few minor changes in the girl once she awoke, but those were nothing he couldn't adjust to. Kaze was his, and his alone. That was an absolute and unwavering fact that would never change. And once she awoke, because he refused to entertain even for a second the thought that she wouldn't, the first thing he would do is take her as his mate, Naraku be damned.

Another whimper of pain, snapped the Daiyoukai from his thoughts as his gaze instantly snapped back to his unconscious intended. Lips pulling back in a silent snarl, the Inu promptly gathered the girl in his embrace, holding her protectively against his chest. True, the reassembling of her soul may be necessary, but this pain was not.

"Miko," he once again addressed the other human female, "you will ease my intended's suffering to the most minimal amount possible."

Kagome felt herself cringe at the order, "I don't think there's anything I can do."

A dark growl left the Western Lord's throat, for that was not the answer he wanted hear.

"Unless…" the young miko had suddenly paused, a small flare of hope flashing across her grim expression as she briefly turned to Inuyasha. "Remember what Miroku said about mount Hakurei? Maybe if we take Kaze up there its purity will help assist the healing process. I mean, I can't know for sure, but it might be worth a shot."

"Don't be stupid, Kagome!" the hanyou behind her spoke up. "Just how are we gonna get her up there!? That pervert monk nor I can carry her past the barrier, let alone a full-blooded Daiyoukai like Sesshomaru. So what, are you or Sango gonna carry her past?"

"Be silent, Inuyasha!" the Western Lord snarled, crimson eyes flashing murderously, for as far as he cared there was no force in this world powerful enough to stop him from protecting what was his. "We will depart immediately."


With Kaze/In Her Unconscious…
Red eyes stared blandly into the inky blackness before her. She blinked slowly once, twice, a third and a fourth time before finally letting out a sigh and flopping over on her back. Letting her dull gaze return upward, the young woman ran a hand through her hair. Her head wasn't hurting anymore at least, not like before she came here.

"Where is 'here' anyways?" the girl wondered silently, restlessly returning to her previous sitting position. "And… where was I before I came here?"

The young woman peered down quietly at her hands, somehow still able to see them even in the darkness as she mulled over the term she'd just used.

'I.'

"Who am… I?" she questioned softly, eyes furrowing lightly at the question.

"You are us," came a voice from behind her, very similar to her own. The girl then felt a presence sit down behind her, back pressing against hers.

"And we are you," came yet another voice, higher and more childlike, and in the next moment, the young woman felt yet another back press lightly against her own as its owner sat down.

"I'd like to say I see, but really that would be a lie," the female spoke calmly, her lips quirking up into a faint smirk of amusement. Letting out another soft sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the head behind her. Her mind felt… muddled and cloudy, really what she wouldn't give for a pipe right now.

"A pipe, huh?" the young woman murmured lazily. "Did I use to smoke?"

"Yes, we did," the copy-cat voice chuckled. "Just another bad habit we picked up from that asshole."

A blurry image of a man with long, dark brown hair and sharp, light green eyes - or were they red? - floated through the young woman's mind. "Yeah," she smiled a bit, a strange feeling of fondness bubbling within her for the unknown man.

"You seem awful relaxed," the voice replied in amusement.

"I suppose," the girl shrugged. "Is that surprising?"

"Well, yeah," the copy-cat snorted. "You kinda flipped your shit when the three of us met up before."

"I don't remember," the female stated matter-of-factly before chuckling. "I suppose that should worry me, not remembering. I get the feeling that it did worry me at one point, but now…" she trailed off, literally being able to feel the smile gracing the other two being's faces.

"You'll remember soon enough."

"You know..." the female finally spoke up again, reopening her red eyes. "I think… I think I'm starting to get what you meant about us being the same person."

"Oh?" one of the voices spoke up. Funnily enough, it was getting harder to tell the difference between the two.

"Yeah," the young woman hummed. "It's like I can literally feel what you guys are feeling… and thinking… it's all just kinda melting together. Why am I so relaxed about this?"

"Because," the voices spoke in a satisfied, blurry unison, "this is how it should be."


TADAAAA! And there you lot have a new chapter! ^_^ I really hope you enjoyed it, cause I especially enjoyed writing this one. Hey, and I was even nice enough not to leave you with a horribly evil cliff-hanger this time! Aren't I so nice!? Fufufufu... I did still leave you all with a shit ton of unanswered question though. Well, guess you'll just have to wait. XD All the same, pretty please leave me a review before ya go. Seriously, you readers have been SO awesome in that area! There's no words to tell you how inspired it's kept me! Also, if ya haven't already, please follow and favorite this story as well! See you all in the next chapter! :D

Rock Out!
Kira