Chapter 25

Amongst her frail and sad shape, glowing lights hover around the tree lighting up her very pale skin. She looks like a porcelain doll, ready to break at any moment. Even as I slowly approach; the orbs floating on pass me, I have to crane my head back to look up at her. Even in death or as death, whichever way you'd put it, she is still beautiful and I can see how Inuyasha fell in love with her.

Her soft eyelids twitch and then open, caramel brown orbs stare down at me with an emotionless expression upon her beautiful visage. She scoots herself up against the trunk of the tree to get a better vantage point on me, her eyes searching my body.

"I see that my barrier was not strong enough to prevent you from finding me."

Barrier? I don't recall seeing or feeling a barrier as I made my way here, but it does explain why Miroku and Shippo are no longer with me. Then, how did I get through?

Just then two serpentine demons fly on by me with the souls of the dead in their tiny little arms.

"So, it has been you stealing the souls of the dead," I already figured this by what the monk said earlier, but to see it actually happen makes it solid. "You have to stop; you have to set them free."

"Is he not here with you?" She ignores my plea, her eyes tightening as they glower down at me.

A frown creases my cheeks. So, she is searching for Inuyasha even after their last meeting. Just as he is searching for her. My heart feels heavy with this thought lingering in my mind. He has no idea that I found her. "No, he left to find you."

"Tell me, what is your relationship?"

Relationship…. My mind goes back to the tender times when we sat by the tree at Kaeda's village and expressed our loneliness. We were both alone in this world, but now Inuyasha has someone he once loved. He's no longer alone. If he chooses, he could have Kikyo.

When I don't respond immediately, she leans forward and out stretches her hand for me, two fingers touch my forehead, and a light blue aura blankets my entire body. I am unable to move, but as I am thinking this, my body is being forced back first against the tree trunk. Three of her soul stealing demons encircle the tree and me, their bodies push tight, preventing me to move even more so.

"This will stop your interfering."

"But I haven't done anything!" What am I interfering? She comes down from the tree and steps in front of me, ignoring me once again. A weak smile spreads across her face as a soul stealing demon drops a soul down into her opened hands. She holds it up to her chest and watches it as it shimmers there.

"Inuyasha has come. I fear he has no come to save you; his purpose is to see me. I will not let you interfere." She repeats lastly. Her eyes narrow as she looks at me, the smile on her face wiping clean off.

Why does she want to see Inuyasha so badly when the last time they saw each other she tried killing him! Unless, that her plan this time as well!

"You better not hurt him!" I threaten, "It wasn't him back then who hurt you, it was someone who pitted you against each other on purpose. Inuyasha would have never hurt you." I am sure of this. The way Inuyasha looked when he saw Kikyo after all these years spelled it completely. He is still madly in love with her. He would still do anything in his power to prove to her that he would never try to kill her.

"From your countenance I gather you expect me to be rejoicing." Kikyo says with a small grin.

No, you got me all wrong Kikyo. There is no way I want you to be rejoicing, I just want you to not hurt him. Go and die somewhere for all I care; the dead should be left dead. When I don't respond her grin grows and her eyes narrow further.

"Someone caused my premature demise, will my murderer's death bring me back to life? I guess not. The dead have but one wish, to walk amongst the living once again. A wish that will never be realized. However, this dead woman can wish for one thing. I wish for a heart. The heart of the man whom I shall never allow to forget me. That is my desire."

"How could he?" her grin falls a little when I speak, "He could never forget you." Regardless he should after finding out you're stealing the souls of the dead."

"It is clear that Inuyasha wishes for my death. That is a good thing. Because it means he feels remorse for our dispute. Let him feel remorseful! I shall never allow him to forget me. Time will not advance thus allowing me to exist in a dimension where time is frozen. I can live on inside his heart!" She shouts, and yet calm remains on her face.

"So it's not good enough. How much he thinks of you even after all these years." I mutter, earning a grin from her once again.

"When Inuyasha and I parted, we despised one another. Nothing can resolve one's determination for exacting vengeance in the water bitterness can," she closes her eyes and crosses her hands against her chest where a beating heart would be if she were alive. Three serpentine demons float around her in a very mystical kind of way, as if protecting her from some unseen force. "If he must love, then let him love my consuming resentment, and in return, I shall love his heart while it falls into deep despair."

There is no sense in talking to her. Nothing is getting through to her head. She's so stuck on vengeance and bitterness that she'll hear nothing else no matter what I say. That's when I see him, approaching from my right side with a shocked expression on his face. His eyes never falter from Kikyo, not once glancing in my direction. My heart skips a beat seeing and knowing this; is he not at all concerned that I am stuck against a tree with silvery snake-like demons holding me hostage. "Inuyasha, you need to get out of here!" I say. But my words don't faze him. It is like he can't hear me.

He steps closer to Kikyo until they are only a foot apart, his amber eyes not once wavering from her. "You were the one doing it, gathering the souls of the dead women."

"My body molded from the Earth and bones at my gravesite. It must be sustained by human souls if I am to remain here. You must despise me. I have drawn in the souls of the dead to maintain my presence, and it is my hatred of you that fuels my actions."

"That's just ludicrous! You may very well despise me, but the feeling's not mutual! Kikyo, I never stopped thinking about you, not even for an instant!" Inuyasha clutches at his chest as he speaks powerfully about his feelings.

I frown and look away from the two of them, my heart beat drums loud and clear in my ears, but each beat hurts. Of course, even when he was with me, he was thinking about her. All this time we've shared with each other so far - why do I feel this way?

"I could never hate you or think less of you. It's your spirit I care for not your appearance." Inuyasha says. I glance back up through my lashes and notice Kikyo's back is towards Inuyasha. A sadness droops on her face. Is she playing a role or is this sadness real? My eyes narrow at her.

"Truly, Inuyasha? You wouldn't?" She turns back to him, planting her delicate left hand on his right cheek. "You wouldn't despise me if I used these hands to steal the life from you?" She cuts the distance between them to nonexistence, and leans up using her tiptoes. Her soft lips brush against his before interlocking together. At first, Inuyasha looks surprised, but as she pulls away his expression begins to change to one of warmth. She wraps her pale arms around his chest and presses her head against him, "Inuyasha, after meeting you I renounced my position as a shrine priestess. I became an ordinary woman. I always longed to embrace you like this."

She closes her eyes just in time for Inuyasha to wrap his arms around her, pulling her body taut against his.

'Why' I think to myself, 'why are you forcing me to watch this?'

"We are unable to turn back the hands of time, so please allow me to embrace you a little longer." Kikyo mutters.

"I can't save you, I can't do anything to help you except stay like this. If time could only stand still." Inuyasha whispers just loud enough for me to hear from where I am trapped.

"Would you agree to that? If I did stop time?" Kikyo's eyes open cynically.

My heart comes to a stop. There is no way – no fucking way she can do that, can she?

"Yes. I don't care. As long as I'm with you." Inuyasha mutters, his eyes closing slowly.

Just as his eyes close, the ground beneath them splits and breaks becoming a hole that vacuums up the wind, souls, rocks and grass surrounding us. My hair flies into my face, forcing me to shake my head repeatedly to get it out of my way so I can see what is going on.

Kikyo is further in the hole than Inuyasha, her hands clutching to his back and dragging him down with her slowly. "Inuyasha, I will never let you go. Come with me to the depths of hell!"

"Oh hell no!" I shout, my heart beats heavily in my chest as I struggle against the serpentine demons. The blue aura flickers with each jolt I am able to make, giving me a moment in time to pull free little by little. Kikyo's eyes glare over to me, a displeased look on her face tells me that I am not supposed to be able to do what I am doing.

"Inuyasha! Get out of there!" But even with me breaking free of the blue aura here and there, Inuyasha still doesn't respond. His eyes remain closed and his mouth parts softly. He must be unconscious. "You need to stop this Kikyo! Inuyasha's going after Naraku, the demon that deceived you and Inuyasha fifty years ago! He's trying to get vengeance for you!"

Kikyo lifts her right hand, pointing her pointer finger in my direction. A white orb develops on the tip of finger and blasts out for me. I bow my head in response, expecting a collision or pain – something. But nothing happens. When I look back up the orb is gone, and Kikyo's eyes are wide.

"H-how?" She stutters. She shakes off the shock from her face, "And what if he does exact revenge? Will that serve to revive me?" She turns her attention back to the unconscious half breed, her hands now tugging at the front of his red kimono. "Inuyasha, come with me father than staying here and living with my memory. You and I share the same desires."

"Stop being such a brat!" I shout, struggling harder against the serpent demons. My left arm breaks free and I wave it in Inuyasha direction. "Let go of him!"

There is the sound of an explosion, and ground shakes around us. From the hole, the souls of the dead rush out and fly up into the sky. Kikyo screams as if she's in pain, her eyes and mouth wide open as shock runs through her. She turns towards me again, just as I am slowly being released of the serpent demons. My back slides down the tree until I am on my ass looking up at the two that are almost eye level with me now.

She tugs harder at Inuyasha, and he inches down into the hole ever so slowly. "I must hurry before this body is completely emptied. Inuyasha, come!"

"No!" I scream, "Inuyasha, wake up! Wake up!"

His eyes twitch and then open sluggishly. He glances in my direction, "Keara? Keara!" Pulling from Kikyo's grip, he leaps out of the hole and lands in front of me. "Keara, what in the world do you think you're doing here!"

"Me? I've been trapped here ever since I went looking for you and Kikyo!"

"The whole time?"

Numerous serpentine demons fly on by the tree and us, and to Kikyo. They float around her in a protective manner as she sits in the hole, her eyes calm as she watches the two of us.

"Does that girl mean more to you than I do?" She whispers.

My face warms up from the very sound of those words. Inuyasha glances back at me where I can just barely get a glimpse of a blush on his visage as well.

The demons grab a hold of Kikyo with their tiny arms, lifting her up and out of the hole and up into the sky where the souls of the dead linger as they try to find their way back to their bodies.

"No wait! Kikyo!

"Never forget. Remember the feel of my lips against yours…for it was real." Amongst the souls of the dead, she disappears into the night like she never was here to begin with.

"Goodbye, Kikyo…" Inuyasha mumbles.

Using the tree as support, I stand up and watch Inuyasha with my heart breaking slowly. He looks so lost without her here. My eyes slowly slip to the ground as I start my way off in the direction I recall leaving Miroku and Shippo in.

"Hey, wait!" Inuyasha says, catching up to me.

"Let's not talk about it, Inuyasha."

"What are you mad at me for?"

I come to a halt, and so does he.

"All I am good for is finding the jewel shards, and that's the only real reason you need me around." I cross my arms against my chest, my hands clenching the fabric of my white sleeves. Please tell me something different. Please don't let me feel alone in this world.

"What are you talking about?" He says a little more gently.

"I guess I feel alone."

"But you're not alone, I'm right here with you." Yes, he is. But a part of him is still with her. Far, far away from my grip.

"I saw it all. From start to finish. The entire thing. I feel bad for you."

"Feel bad for me?" He reaches out to me, trying to close the distance between us as I watch him from over my shoulder.

"She wanted to hurt you, drag you to hell," hesitantly I turn towards him, "Doesn't that make you worried?"

He drops his hand and frowns, shaking his head. "I can't help the way I feel."

And neither can I.

Inuyasha's POV

"Man, does she look upset." Shippo says from a tree root beside me. We sit around the dead tree I normally sit at, all except for Keara, whose been with Kaeda since we've returned to the village for more supplies. She hasn't talked to me much since our conversation, or even looked at me since then. Though, she normally is quiet, I never felt it so heavy than now.

Even after the long night of traveling, my memory is still fresh of the event. I can still feel Kikyo's lips, hands and body against mine. I can't help but admit my words were real when I was talking to Kikyo.

"Now what course will you take? Kikyo can't have gotten too far yet. Will you follow?" Miroku asks beside me. Should I follow?

"Keara is more important than Kikyo is! So hurry up and make up with her!" Shippo shouts.

I cross my arms against my chest and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Which girl will you choose?" Miroku asks with most serious expression on his face.

"I don't suppose I can have both of them." I grumble. The thought of it doesn't really cross my mind since I believe it's impossible.

"You two timing!" Shippo barks.

"Well, it's a common problem between men such as ourselves, and it's one thing to have both, but another to keep it a secret. For if either girl were to find out, they would be devastated."

"I don't want to hurt anyone!" I yell, throwing my arms in the air.

"Wise decision."