Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha… not a single bit… nope… *runs off crying*

Ahem… thanks for the three whole reviews I got ~.-  whitewingedragon1, Ore Goddess of Wonderland, and demon_girl_2002  you guys are the best J

Keep Breathing

Chapter 2: A Truth Well Known II

Inu Yasha blinked in surprise once again. "Kagome…?" Blank stares centered themselves on the two who had just entered, Kagome with her passiveness, and Kouga with his arrogance.

"Kagome-sama… what would you have Inu Yasha explain to Kouga-san?" Miroku inquired.

Kagome bent down and reached out for the warmth of the fire.  This is how Kikyo's body was destroyed, and this is how it was created. The radiating warmth seeped into her hands and fled up her body.  Deciding it was time to explain what she meant she looked up to meet her companions questioning look. "Kouga-kun… he saw Kikyo…"

At the mention of the miko's name Sango and Miroku made a quick exit… leaving the two temperamental males of youkai blood for Kagome to handle.

A shuffling noise was made in the direction of where Inu Yasha was sitting. Kagome glanced over at him and noted that his face had changed. It always did when Kikyo's name rolled off Kagome's lips.  She knew that he was fully aware that she was literally the walking dead but those eyes held so much grief that one day it might just blind him from reality.

"Dog face…" Kouga's eyebrows twitched in annoyance at having to wait so long to get a simple answer, or so he perceived it to be.

"Kouga-kun, the woman you saw…" Kagome gulped down. "The woman…"

"Her name is Kikyo…" Inu Yasha interrupted. Gathering his red haori around his hands Inu Yasha began the tale of 50 years ago.

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"Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation…" Inu Yasha mumbled as he finished the story.  Never would he have told such a thing to Kouga, but Kagome's eyes, they were so solid in their stare… so demanding.

Kagome studied Kouga's face as the story was finished.

"So what if they look the same!" Kouga stubbornly refused to believe that the dead miko walked the same earth as her reincarnated self.

"Kouga-kun… Kikyo lives because we share the same soul… part of it resides in her." Kagome lowered her eyes as the day she lost her soul for the first time came back to her.

"Dog face… you let that wench get away with part of Kagome's soul?" Kouga's diamond blue eyes glared at Kagome's supposed protector.

"I couldn't…" Inu Yasha mumbled. "Keh! Like I have to answer to a wimpy wolf like you!" With his annoyed look set upon his face Inu Yasha grabbed the hilt of his sword and rose to his feet. "Go back to your pathetic tribe."

"Inu Yasha… Osuwari!" Kagome clenched her teeth… He couldn't kill the woman he loves. He couldn't finish that sentence either. Kagome turned her attention to Kouga "Kouga-kun…?"

Kouga's mind was elsewhere when Kagome tried to get his attention. His thoughts drifting to number of times Kagome had shown affection for Inu Yasha despite the many complications in their relationship. He lifted his eyes to meet hers and looked at her with a new gratified respect.  "Kagome… Now that I understand the trouble you go through with dog face." Kouga nodded his head in the direction of Inu Yasha who was still twitching on the ground. "I will put more effort into making you mine. I formally invite you to our moonlight feast in one week. Dog face, make sure she's not late!"

"Why you little…" Inu Yasha sprang to his feet just as Kouga sped off towards the mountains with a quick "Ja!".

Inu Yasha snarled as the dust settled in the direction Kouga had sped off in.  He let out a grunt and jumped to the roof of the hut. 

"That went well…" Kagome told herself.  Grabbing her backpack she went off to find the others so that they could renew their hunt for shards.

Walking down the village path sometimes proved to be a difficult task.  She acquired many stares from the villagers who had come to know her only as Kikyo's reincarnation. Only… Kagome sighed inwardly and continued on despite her heavy weight of loneliness.  That's why I come back… ever since that day or I should say that period of time. I haven't been the same person.  I discovered more about myself than I wanted to know… and since then I've fallen in love only to be held arms length. And worse… I'm happy with just that. 

"Kagome-chan!" Sango called out to her waving her head rapidly in a motion for her to hurry. Kagome caught side of her friend and a smile broke out on her face to match the one on Sango's.  Next to them stood Miroku with Shippou perched on his shoulder.  It was a perfect picture, minus herself and Inu Yasha. 

Where was that stubborn hanyou?  She had left him behind in the hut after their awkward meeting with Kouga and had assumed that he would somehow beat her to her destination. He must have known where she was going after all, he could smell her! Kagome looked towards the sun that was halfway through the sky. "Hmm… doesn't that mean it's around noon?" Kagome murmured.

"What was that Kagome-sama?" Miroku popped out of nowhere with an idle look on his face. 

"Eh? Oh nothing.  Maybe we should get going and let Inu Yasha catch up, ne?" Cheerful with her decision not to wait for him she set off down the patch once again with her overloaded backpack.

Three hours later, Kagome had seen no sign indicating Inu Yasha's presence. Then again… he might just be keeping his distance to avoid confronting her about this makeshift date arranged between her and Kouga. 

Kagome made an attempt to shift the heavy weight on her shoulders and winced as her muscles let out a screaming protest. Sango caught sight of her companions struggle and motioned for Kagome let her carry the backpack for a while. "Thank you Sango, but most of the weight is my own personal belongings… don't worry about it!" Kagome smiled despite the overwhelming pain developing in her shoulders and back.  Only an hour or so to go… Come on Kagome! Little flags of encouragement waved inside her mind and Kagome picked up her pace to match the others.

It was at this point in time a random youkai as usual decided to viciously attack the group. Shippou squealed in terror and ran to hide behind Kagome. Miroku gripped his staff and next to him Sango positioned herself ready to strike.

It was a revolting creature really… Much like the first youkai Kagome had ever seen, the centipede monoke. Come to think of it… the blank expression on this thing's face matched the one that had breathed in her scent while Kagome made her first journey to this time.  The first time she met Inu Yasha… The first time she used her undeveloped miko powers…

And then it was over, a battle that had hardly begun… The centipede lay in pieces and next to it stood Inu Yasha cracking his hands. "Kagome, I've decided. Your not going to that festival" A confident smile spread upon his face as he finally made an assertive decision. Unfortunately for him though… Kagome was not a force to be reckoned with.

Well now… that took a long time eh? I've been flooded with tests etc. I'm really hoping to enter this round robin contest.. but I dunno If I'm going to be able to anymore… no one will hear my lame idea's…. ;-; then again.. I could just write the other iy fic.. and not submit it for the contest.

Anyways drop me a line of what you think ^_^'  this is such a mild fic.. x_x'