Chapter one - Two wishes

Naraku and Kagome were both holding the jewel, trying to take it from one another as she stabbed him with a purifying arrow right in his heart, her hands covering with a thick liquid. As a victorious smile began spreading on her face, resolution downed on his. Both gazes falling to the completed Shikon jewel as they wish upon it at the same time.

"I wish you will become a damned full youkai, bitch." Naraku said with a poisonous smile.

"I wish the Shikon jewel never held power ever again." Kagome said serious.

When she realised what he had wished, her heart froze, eyes widening when a cloud of the jewel's power engulfed them. She immediately remembered the first time she saw a full-fledged youkai, when she went with Inuyasha to InuTaisho's skeleton in order to retrieve Tessaiga and Sesshoumaru transformed into that humongous dog. As soon as that image reached her mind, she felt as the Shikon embraced such form and forced her soul settle as a dog youkai.

Kagome could feel the jewel's powers pouring out, leaving the Shikon baren. The energy began to spiral around them and slowly trying to infiltrate into her body. They fell to the ground, Naraku on top of her and she saw her friends rushing towards her.

The only thing she could do was to cast a barrier to keep them away, she knew for sure that the amount of reiki and youki around her would badly hurt them.

Trapped inside the barrier and surrounded by holy power, Naraku began to be purified and disappear, the last thing that foul mouth said was "Now your precious hanyou will hate you for becoming what he always wished to be and your disgustingly weak human friends will fear and distrust you. Have fun with my goodbye gift, Kagome." his laughter lasting longer than his own body.

She could feel the shikon's power enveloping her and then invading her body, filling every bit of her and beyond, she could feel it mixing with her soul.

She could feel it becoming her.

-cCc-

When her human body could no longer hold her soul's new form and power, she began to change and that hurted like a bitch.

Her whole body was in agony, screams and cries escaped her mouth without her permission. The only thing keeping her awake was her barrier, she could feel her friends trying to break through it and knew that if she faltered and let it down, the turmoil of reiki and youki around her would hurt them.

The barrier wasn't sound proof and her screams were driving them mad and desperate to rescue her, but she couldn't stop it, it took all of her remaining strength to focus on keeping the barrier up.

After what felt like an eternity, her body suddenly felt warm as the changes ended. She could now feel her power humming within herself, she could also hear her friends crying, but what surprised her the most was that she could smell and taste their desperation and it was a bittersweet taste. Bitter because she knew it was her fault they felt that way and sweet because they were vulnerable and easy preys in such situation. That thought surprised her to her core, how could she think such things about her dear friends?

Because we can.

The answer came from inside her, her own voice only huskier and dangerous.

Oh Kami, is that creep Naraku still around? Fuck! Is he a part of me now? No no no no! I killed him, didn't I?

That thought is insulting. Naraku is gone. I am not him.

Then who are you? And most importantly, why are you inside my head?

I am you, the same as you are me. I am us.

Are you the Shikon?

No. But we came to be because of it.

What the hell are you saying? That makes absolutely no sense.

That is all we know about this matter. We only know what you know.

Is there more of you also? You keep saying 'we'...

There's just us, you and me.

So can you stop with this 'we' thing? You're confusing me. If you're not Naraku nor the Shikon, what are you?

Can't you tell? I'm your beast, your savage side, your most primal instincts. I'm the dog, if you will.

The dog? You mean like the one Sesshoumaru transforms? Like the one I imagined when Naraku made his wish?

Yes and no.

Do I really need to ask you to elaborate?

I can't really, what part of 'I only know what you know' can't you understand? That was his true form. We have little knowledge about youkais, but I am sure about that. Though we should try to transform so we can understand it for ourselves.

NO! We can't become a huge dog that close to my friends! What if we hurt them? I mean, will we? Become a huge dog? Maybe we're not that strong, maybe we're just a normal size dog...

I obviously didn't mean now! This is not the right time. I also don't know how big we'd be. But we are strong, I know you can feel it too. You can't lie to me.

Yeah, okay. But since we don't know how it'd go, I can't risk hurting them. We can try later, right?

Sooner rather than later, you need to learn to defend ourselves, or I will and you might not like my methods.

Damn. Hm, okay. Just one last question, will you always be this present?

Hn, I'll always be here, yes. But I'll keep quiet until I'm needed or if you're being very stupid. Whatever comes first.

Yeah, cool. Just give me some space for now, please. I need to let the barrier down, they're super worried and I can't hide here forever, unfortunately.

I'll be around, we don't know what's waiting for us behind the barrier…

Thanks, but I got this.

Kagome opened her eyes and sat up, her body felt so different, so light. She could see much better now, like she had somehow added magnifying lenses to her eyes. Everything was the same, but clearer and brighter.

Her barrier stood strong and impenetrable, thick enough to block the view from outside but she could still feel and smell her friends.

I can smell them?

We're Inuyoukai, remember?

I guess… It's just weird. It'll take time to adjust I think.

It's useful. You'll see. Try it, who's behind the barrier and where?

She focused on their smell and ignored their feelings, she wanted to identify them all first.

The smell of leather and dandelions was Sango, next to her was a smell of paper and wind, it was Miroku. Closer to the barrier was a smell of fire and grass, that was Inuyasha. They were all there, and they were safe, that warmed her heart and a smile touched her lips.

How can someone smell of wind and fire, though?

Hm, I don't really know. But I agree, they smell just like that, whatever that means.

There was also another smell, as far as possible from her friends and the barrier, but close enough to interfere if needed. This smell was very different from the others, it felt familiar in a weird way. Not like her friends' but still somehow familiar and strong. It smelled like rain, honey and… moonlight? She didn't know for sure, but that had to be Sesshoumaru.

She couldn't smell anyone else, so that must mean the fight was over, finally!

She stood up and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha's voice was very small and uncertain, full of fear.

Good.

Shush it, he's worried about us.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm okay, guys. Naraku was purified, it's over." Her voice was the same, thank Kami!

"Kagome-chan, can you drop the barrier then? We're worried, you were screaming so much…" It was Miroku, his voice was steady but low, seemed like he was very worried indeed.

"Hm, sure. But I need to warn you guys of something first, okay?"

"Just drop it already Kagome! What's happening?" Inuyasha's voice came even before she could finish her sentence.

"Inuyasha, I was speaking, and you will listen." her command came with a small growl, her voice husky and dangerous, her beast was poking through apparently.

Let me deal with it!

We will not bow to his orders. He's not our boss.

What the fuck are you talking about? He's just worried sick! Back off!

"I'm sorry, just hear me out first, okay?"

"What is it, Kagome?" Sango sounded curious but careful.

"Well, hmm, something happened and I'm a little changed now. I'm not actually hurt, but I might look different somehow. So don't get scared and attack me when I drop the barrier, okay?"

"Keh! You can't be much weirder, wench." She knew Inuyasha was just trying to ease her worries, but she couldn't help the growl that came from her, loud and clear this time. A warning.

Stop!

It was all you this time.

She swallowed hard before letting the barrier disappear, ready to put it back up, if needed.

As soon as the way was cleared, her friends began moving towards her, but they all froze midway when they understood what she meant by 'different'. Inuyasha growled, Sango's hand went to Hiraikotsu and Miroku tightened his grip on his staff. She bit down a growl and stood still, trying to look normal.

The first to break the silence, however, was Sesshoumaru, to everyone's surprise.

"So I take his wish worked. Did yours?" He was curious, gazing her up and down until they locked eyes. But before she could answer, Inuyasha was already yelling at them.

"What the fuck you're talking about? What wish? All saw was Kagome putting an arrow through that idiot's heart, then they got surrounded by a weird youki cloud and that wench put up a barrier."

She was growling again, lower enough for the hanyou to listen, but not Sango and Miroku.

"Is that all you heard, half-breed?"

"I'm sorry if I was too distracted with her screams, brother." They were both almost barking at one another with no real threat and it was just too funny, her laughter bursted before she could contain it. Everybody snapping their heads towards her.

"Whatcha laughing about, Kagome?" Inuyasha was angry but embarrassed, apparently.

"You two might not like it, but you act so much like brothers! Hah! Oh, come on. No need to get angry, nevermind that. Don't you want me to explain what happened?"

No one interrupted, so she decided that it was her cue.

"Well, neither of you is wrong. I did stab Naraku in his heart with a purifying arrow. But you see, the jewel was completed by then and when Naraku noticed he had already lost, he made a wish at the same time as me. I wished that the Shikon could no longer hold its powers, so no one could wish upon it ever again."

"And what was his wish?" It was Miroku's voice.

She didn't know how to break the news, so she stood quiet looking down.

"He wished for her to become a youkai." Sesshoumaru said flatly.

Lifting up her gaze, she found three of the exact same shock look froze in her friends face.

Inuyasha was the first to break the shock, his voice barely a whisper, but she could hear it just fine now. "Did it work?"

"Yes, it worked. But I don't know to what extent yet." She couldn't look at them, but they smelled of confusion, betrayal, fear and hurt.

"But why a dog?" It was Sesshoumaru again.

"How did you know?" she was a bit taken aback that he guessed it so fast. Maybe I've changed more than just a little? Oh Kami, I need a mirror!

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow but offered no answer to her question, she blushed a little but decided to answer truthfully "Well, I can only guess, but when he said 'full demon' I… Hm, I thought of the first time I saw you transform. That big dog, you know…" her blush deepening as she saw the tiniest smirk flash trough his face, so she looked away towards her friends and her heart fell. Inuyasha was gazing at her with a look of betrayal and hurt, while the others had a look of disbelief and confusion.

"You wanted to be like him?" the hanyou snapped.

"What? No, I just remembered him when Naraku said 'full demon'. Well, the other him." she added in a low tone, praying to Kami it wouldn't hurt Inuyasha too much.

"You're telling me that the first one you thought was HIM? Not Shippo? Not Kirara? Not even Kouga?" his eyes so big it looked like they'd pop right out. "And you thought of Sesshoumaru? Are you fucking kidding me, Kagome?" he was screeching now, red beginning to bleed into his eyes.

"I'm sure you would've thought of him too." she snapped back, regretting every word as they came out of her mouth. It didn't help that Sesshoumaru apparently had gone mad and was actually smirking oppenly.

"Keh! You must have hit you head, Kagome." he said shaking his head as he walked up to her, his hair covering his eyes and got a hold of her arm "Kaede will need to take a look at your head, maybe there's salvation or whatever. We can't let you get crazier. We're going home." he turned around before their eyes met and gave a pull to drag her with him, but she didn't move. She was, however, shaking a little bit.

"What do you mean by that, Inuyasha?" her voice was almost a whisper, but she could tell everybody heard the danger in it, because Sango and Miroku both immediately took a step back. Inuyasha, flinched waiting for a 'sit', but stood still.

"It means you've, apparently, gone crazier than Naraku if that's what you think, wench." he said turning to look at her and then fear struck him, his hand leaving her arm and jumping back to where he stood before.

Kagome was seeing red and her beast was howling inside. "HOW DARE YOU COMPARE ME TO THAT ASSHOLE?!" she was growling very loud now, she felt her body trembling all around.

How dare he insult us and order us around like he's our goddamn alpha? What makes he think could do that? NO, SIR. He should be the one to bow down. We'll teach him some respect.

Oi! Hold up, what are you saying? I don't want to hurt him, not really.

We won't, just teach him a lesson. We need to do this now, or he'll think we're all bark and no bite.

Are you suggesting we beat him up? We don't even know our own strength right now, we could really hurt him!

Not beat him up, just scare him a little. We have to show him we ain't a scaredy dog waiting to be rescued. You may have been that before, but we ain't.

Agreed, but how?

Well, can you feel our power sizzling up? Unleash some of it on him.

Hm.. Okay, but just a little or he'll be purified.

"Miroku, Sango. You should leave now. I wanna have a private talk with Inuyasha." she barked.

Just as she felt they were far enough, she released waves of youki and reiki, soon she flooded the ground around her, rapidly reaching Inuyasha and engulfing him, effectively trapping him from fleeing. He had no time to draw Tessaiga.

"What the fuck, Kagome?" he asked with wide eyes, whimpering a little when her reiki touched his neck.

"Listen to me, Inuyasha, I don't want to repeat myself. You may have gotten away with bossing me around before and belittling me, but now things are different and I won't take it anymore. You are my friend, not my alpha."

"Keh! Who said anything about alpha? You really must've hit your head. Let me go, wench!"

She began enveloping all of him in her powers, watching him squirming to free himself.

"My head is just fine, Yasha. But yours may not be if you keep crossing me. You see, I'm very new to all this youkai stuff and I'm already feeling difficulty in holding back my anger, as you can see. I might lose control over my beast anytime. That would be bad. So you might want to be a good boy for a while, okay?"

The hanyou looked sick inside her youki cocoon, but nodded his understanding, so she released him. As soon as he was freed, he turned and walked away, towards the village.

When he was far enough, she heard a strangled laugh and, turning around, she saw Sesshoumaru looking at her with amusement.

Fuck! We completely forgot about him!

Wow, that youki… He really is dangerous.

No shit, really?

"That was very entertaining, Miko. But you would do well to calm yourself down before going back to the village. This Sesshoumaru won't allow any danger near Rin." the stoic mask falling back in place as he turned around and left.