DISCLAIMER: Still don't own it.... T_T
*This story is dedicated to a friend who wishes to remain anonymous. I'm sorry Fate took everything away from you.
I Wish It Was Different
Ch. 10: Showdown: Kagome vs. Kikyo
There is an ecstasy that marks the summit
of life, and beyond which life cannot rise.
And such is this paradox of living, this ecstasy
comes when one is most alive, and it comes in complete
forgetfulness that one is alive. This ecstasy, this forgetfulness
of living, come to the artist, caught up and out of himself in a sheet
of flame.
--Jack London
"The Call of the Wild"
The sun shined down in streaks upon the golden grass. Not a cloud in the sky was to be found, and a cool breeze blew every
few seconds. However, there was an eerie silence; not one bird sang, and not one movement was heard. Two women, both wise
beyond their years, glared at one another.

Time seemed to stop just for these two; one a trained miko, who knows how to use her power, and also carried with her, a
bow and several arrows. The other was unarmed, and very ill-trained, if trained at all, and did not know how to use her
powers.

The first one to strike was Kikyo, who lock an arrow onto the bow, and fired it. All Kagome could do was dodge it, barley
missing her, and hit the ground.

Kagome tried to run Kikyo down in order to disarm the miko, but Kikyo kept Kagome at pay with her arrows. Kagome was very
venerable while she was with out a weapon, and also at a loss.

Here she was, fighting a powerful miko unarmed. Was she crazy or what?!

*Kami! How am I going to get out of this alive?!*

Not only was she unarmed, but also wounded two ways in her backside.

Kagome didn't see it coming, but she suddenly felt a burning, stinging pain on the front side of her shoulder. She looked
down to see one of the arrows imbedded into her skin, down to the bone.

Kagome looked up at Kikyo with angry, yet triumphant eyes.

"Why don't you stop trying to kill me with your arrows, be a true woman, and come fight me in hand contact?" she told the
already dead miko with a calm voice as if she was not even wounded.

Kagome calmly grasped the arrow and pulled it out. Blood started to flow out, yet her blood was slowly starting to clog it.

Kikyo frowned at this, yet the threw down her bow and arrows, and calmly walked up to Kagome. They stared at each other in
what was a second, but it seemed to last hours. Both women knowing that only one will make it out of this battle alive.

Kikyo reached out and started to zap Kagome with her miko powers. Kagome jumped back and out of Kikyo's grasp. She frowned
at the miko and held her burned arm. Okay, so Kagome didn't say anything about not using miko powers, but this will have to
do.

Kagome rushed at Kikyo, and the dead one dodged her attack, turned around at kneed Kagome in the gut. Kagome jumped back
from her repelled attack and tried not to fall to her knees in pain. For if she did, it would be instant death for her.

Kikyo saw her opportunity and rushed at Kagome, her hands ready to zap her other half again, but the other woman dodged the
miko's attack, and hit her hand as hard as she could on the dead one's back.

Kikyo recovered to her feet before Kagome could move back, and the miko grabbed the woman's leg, and zapped her again.

Kagome was more frustrated than desperate. She couldn't get a good shot at the miko, while her blood flowed out of her
body, and her body screamed in pain.

Kikyo had the advantage, for she was a trained miko, and knew how to control and use her powers. Kagome didn't even know
how to call upon her powers. Kikyo knew this and decided to finish the human girl off instead of playing around.

Kagome didn't even see Kikyo maneuver to her backside, and grasp her cold hands around her neck, and started to zap her.
Kagome struggled in her grasp, yet Kikyo held on hard. Kagome choked and sputtered as the miko's power flowed into her,
burning every nerve along the way.

Now Kagome was desperate, and she had to act quick. She kicked Kikyo in the gut as hard as she could. This made Kikyo
release Kagome and jump back.
Kagome, however, fell to the ground, choking and sputtering. While Kagome caught her breath, Kikyo grabbed her arrows and
her bow, and loomed over Kagome.

Kagome looked up to see death awaiting her. Kikyo locked the arrow to the string of the bow, pulled back, and aimed.

Kagome didn't know what happened to herself, but instead of seeing her life flash before her, she felt immense power
flowing in her, begging to be released. The ecstasy and forgetfulness of living made the power overwhelming to the point of
forcing a realise.

Just as Kikyo fired the arrow, power to the exteem bursted out, and flowed around her. The arrow, as well as Kikyo, flew
away from the ill-trained miko.

Kagome stood up, her heart pounding, and she looked at her hands and saw power that could overcome Hell flowing around
them. She smirked, and saw Kikyo's face. Her jaw was slacked, and her eyes were bulging out.

Kagome rushed Kikyo, and this time, Kikyo didn't have time to react. Kagome reached out, grabbed Kikyo's shoulder, and
zapped her with more power than Kikyo had ever seen, or thought of.

Kikyo forced herself out of Kagome's grasp, and backed away. Kagome put more power into her than she could handle, so she
slumped, fell to the ground, withered, and lay still. Her body became dust again that scattered when the wind blew.

Kagome was the better woman. Not because she won, but because she went to the forest, gathered some flowers, despite her
injuries, and placed them on the dust.

The wind picked the dust up and to the Heavens, symbolizing Kikyo was finally at peace.

Kagome fell to the ground, and gave into unconsiousness.
To Be Continued.....
Ch. 11: "The Final Battle"
The ground shook harder, even though Kagome levitated above the ground, and she concentrated her power into her hands. The
ground split and broke.

"Oh no!" Sango cried out. "She's going to destroy the world!"
AN: Okay, I'm sorry this chapter was so short, but I can't write well with battle senes. Also, I don't like the "wussy"
fighting. You know, the pulling hair, scratching, etc. Wow! Look at all the reviews I got!!!!! I'm soooo happy!!! ^_^
This story is just a couple of chapters away from being completed!! I swear it!!!

*If you are confused by what Jack London meant by what he said, just ask me in a review and I'll answer in the next
chappy!!!* ^_^
Clump: uh, heh, gomen nasai!! ^.^()
animeann: Well, congratulations about your date to the dance!! Hope you had a good time! The sneeze thing is a fable, but
I personally like it! ^_^ Uh, in this fic, Kagome did have twins, she just almost died, and no one told her, but she found
out later! ^_^
violettegal345: Yea, I'm sorry about Kagome's abuse. T_T Inu Yasha and Kagome were dreaming the same thing at the same
time. In other words, they were talking to each other in their dream. Wait until my next fic comes out called, "Minds of
Insanity" Now THAT will confuse you! @.@
Milana Pashmina: Thank you! I saw that you have Ranma ½ fics! Ranma and Akane belong together!! ^_^
arctic: LOL! That would be nice, wouldn't it? Thanks for your vote! ^_^
Dark VisioN: Well, only a couple more chapters to go to find out who goes with who! ^_^ and thanks for your vote!
Animaniac Girl: ack! Um, was killing Kikyo good enough? And you will find out how Inu Yasha feels about Kagome killing
Kikyo next chapy! I'll tell you this much: This is NOT a sess+Kag fic. I'm just starting to like Sess-chan, that's why I
put him in here, but I'm not a Sess+Kag fan ^_^
Trunks Gal: Ah. The famous reviewer! ^_^ Guess what? I'm almost done! Then you will find out who goes with who! ^_^
I'm sorry, but I refuse to kill Sanbi. But I'll think about the IY+Kag thing... ^_^
fallon: Did I do a good job?
QueenPiscies: You're right about that. That means I can't bring my dead rat back to life???? Nooooooooo!!!! T_T
Queen of Blades: Kikyo was trying to make Inu Yasha her's, but was working with Naraku at the same time.
Aravan Fox: Thanks for correcting my grammar! That was very nice of you! ^_^ I was looking more towards 'charma' or the
really bad feeling one gets. Basically a 6th sense.
Rei-Neko: s'ank you!! ^_^
Rinoa: *sigh* The last two chappys will tell you who is going with who! ^_^


B-chan: I actually tried really hard to like Kikyo, but when Kikyo tried to kill Kagome, that was when i said, "Nah uh! The
b**** has GOT to go!" And I hated Kikyo ever since! I am also not a Sess+Kag fan, so you don't have to worry about that!
Thanks for your vote! ^_^
Elvenkitty: I decided Kagome will think about how that bastard (husband) died! Then every one will know! Yah! ^_^
Animeotaku789: And I did kill Kikyo... now if only it would happen in the anime!
Hyperactive Kitsune: And she's dead! Yah! ^_^
Always-a-kiwi: yep. Got it! And thanks!
nicole: I was thinking of where to place Kouga, but then I thought where will I put him? So to make it up to you, I will
put him in some fics I'm writing, k? ^_^
Megumi-chan: I'm sorry about Buyo. I'm a cat lover too! *looks over at her two cats, Sylvester and Princess* I LOVE YOU
GUYS!!! *cats get freaked out by the crazy girl and run off* n-e-way, I never liked Kikyo either, even though (I confess)
I tried to like her.
DeadDrag0n: Yes, Kikyo is all of the above. And thanks for your vote! ^_^
Eike: In almost all my fics I have been stricken with the ILTTIYS (I Love To Torture Inu Yasha Syndrome). But please stick
around to find out what happens!! ^_^
piyo: You will find out in the last two chapters who Inu Yasha falls for! ^_^