A/N:  I REACHED 200 REVIEWS!  I REACHED 200 REVIEWS!  I REACHED 200 REVIEWS!  YEY!!  (205 or 208 to be specific…depending on which page of ff.net you want to believe.) I am so happy I'm skipping around everywhere I go!  THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU to everyone! 

As for the story, well, I got some reviews saying that I should clear up how Kagome got out of the house without Inu sensing her, so I think I'm going to clear it up not in this chapter I'm posting now, but in the next one.  I hope that makes sense and I'm sorry if I didn't make it any clearer. 

I also got a question as to how Inu could see the well glowing since it is inside the well house.  This was very perceptive, Sukuri.  I didn't catch my mistake in the chapter, because in my mind I knew what I meat to say, so since I don't have a Beta, I missed that one!  Sorry, everyone.  What I meant to say was he could see the glow coming out of the wellhouse because the well was glowing!  I'm going back and making that clearer in the chapter, but for all y'all who already read that one before, just thought I'd clear it up. 

Also, you all have AgentScully to thank for this relatively quick update…she threatened me where it hurts…^_~.

Let's see…any other questions? 

Oh, yeah!  And this chapter is a bit longer and you get more info on Benten here, so I really hope to hear from all you wonderful people out there how you like it and if it flies or not! 

Disclaimer:  A-ha!  I caught you looking!  Of course, I don't own Inuyasha…I still haven't even been able to get the darn movie, despite looking at BestBuy and Virgin for it…I don't want to buy it online cause I don't trust it, but…sigh  Oh, well, you get the point!

Rating:  Um…have I been forgetting to do this again?!  Puck laughs hard.  "You're so going to get you're A%* thrown off of ff.net!"  Emania glares.  I am NOT!  I have not written anything lemony…just a few bad words and… Puck laughs again  "An almost naked kiss on a bed…"  Emania's glare deepens  Hey!  Who's side are you on, anyway?!  If I get kicked off ff.net you are out of a job, mister!  Puck thinks and sobers  "Right, well, nuthin' to see here, folks…just move it along…everything here is as clean as a whistle…" Puck whistles just for good measure

Thanks:  Wow!  I am so amazed that I hardly know what to say!  Thanks to something like 21 or so reviews this past chapter has put me over the 200 mark!  YEY!  YIPPEE!  I love you all so much!  You're such wonderful reviewers!  wipes tears from eyes  I just…don't know what to say!  throws out chocolate kisses, Godiva chocolate truffles, and any other chocolate thing she can think of to all her reviewers…then, as an afterthought, throws out skittles and starburst and such for the non-chocolate eaters

Pruningshears:  Thank you thank you thank you!  You can't imagine what your response means to me!  I'm so glad that this chapter in particular went over well.  (You know me and mushy stuff!)  ~_~.  Anyway, thanks for reviewing…A LOT.  I was very worried that it might be too out of character for Inu, but thanks for saying it wasn't…so, um…thanks!  ^_~.

Niamha:  Thanks!  Hope you like this chapter too! 

LilacRose23:  Howdy, Lilac!  So good to hear from you again!  It's really great to get positive reviews about something you think might not be particularly in character from a writing with such exceptional talent such as yourself.  To answer your question:  I think she did it instinctively, but I can't be 100% sure about that yet…you see, Puck hasn't told me.  glares at Puck menacingly, who just ignores her  I think part of her development in my series, though, is going to be where she comes to terms with a lot of her abilities, though, so she might learn to do that right now.  Glad that someone sees my reasoning for Shippou!  I feel bad for not putting the little tike in, but…sighs  Oh, well! 

Bluefuzzyelf:  Blue!  Hey!  Great to hear from you again!  grimaces  Sorry about the evil cliffy.  This one kinda ends on a doozy too, but since I'm reaching the end, so many things are happening, I can't seem to end it without it being a cliffy!  Thanks!  This one's longer, as promised, so hopefully, I'll make up for the shortness of the last few!  ^_^

Eartha:  aww…I'm sorry.  I hate it when my computer's acting up like that.  When I wanted to post that last chapter, ff.net was given me grief, too, so I understand.  Your reason for Inu not hearing Kag was my first instinct, really, until Puck convinced me I needed something a little more concrete.  Thanks for reviewing again!  I love hearing from ya!  ^_^

RinoaOHeartilly:  Thanks so much, Rinoa for saying that Inu didn't seem OOC.  I was soo worried about that…I suppose cause I was getting so touchy-feely with him.  I very much love to hear from you, your reviews are always so well thought out and pleasant to read!  ^_^  I am planning to write another story once I finish this.  I have a few ideas to choose from (Puck keeps buzzing around me giving me ideas) and although I think I know which one I want to start with,  I refuse to write in it until I finish this one, cause I know myself…I'll start writing in the other one and abandon this one, and I can't do that!  I want to know how it's going to end!  About Kagome leaving the house…the way I ended up decided to do it was that since she knew she was going to go meet Benten and she decided that she couldn't have Inu & crew follow her, she sort of without realizing it, used her magic so they wouldn't sense her leaving.  Also, I think, at least in my mind, Benten sort of made it so Inu fell asleep, but I don't know if I'll write that in the fic, although I might.  ANYWAY…thanks again for reviewing and for sticking with me!  ^_~.  I hope you like this one, too!

Elissa:  grins stupidly  Thanks!  That's a great compliment!  I hope I didn't make you wait too long!

Niku:  ^_^;;  I hope this was soon enough for you.  I am sorry about the cliffies, but since I'm getting close to the end, I can't seem to end one without a cliffy of some sort.  I'm so glad that everyone's seemed to like 'Benten' for the death character.  Tell me what you think about him, now, will ya?  You're getting a bit more info about him and he actually has some dialogue now!  Awww…I'm so happy you liked it when Inu couldn't sleep.  I loved writing that and I was so worried it might be OOC, but if you liked it, then I'm glad I kept it in! 

Inuphoria:  Thanks!  Sorry about the shortness…I hope this one makes up for it, even if just slightly.

AgentScully:  OH-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!  takes in a deep breath, her eyes wide as saucers, doing that cute, anime-teary-eyed-shaking-eye-thing  You wouldn't do that, would you?  Not Season 9!!!!  Not while you were watching Season 3!  You couldn't be soo cruel!  Even Puck's hiding from that one!  He went in, double time, to inspire me so that I could get this out quickly!  looks out carefully from behind her screen  Was this quick enough?!  Please say yes…I couldn't stand Season 9!  Finally, she gets past the ::shiver:: season 9 threat and her lips curve into a VERY big GRIN  Awww…thanks for saying I'm doing good.  It's taken such a big weight off me!  I'm so glad, and when you put it that way, it's really very convincing.  That's it!  I won't be worried about OOC anymore…except…well…you see, this chapter…shy grin  I can't help it!  I don't think I'm ever going to be certain of my writing.  It was always my problem in creative writing classes!  I'm sorry to leave it on a cliffy and about making the chapter short.  This chapter's a little longer and it's got a bunch more information about Benten, so I hope you like…And about the freakish coincidences…wow…that is very freaky.  That's like 'Mulder/Scully' freaky.  The Princess Bride is pretty well known, (in movie freak circles, anyway ^_^) so although it wouldn't be that weird that you knew the quote, it is very weird that you had just finished watching it, but what really put the freak-o-meter off the roof is that you were listening to the song!  It's a pretty unknown song!  Wow.  (I wasn't interest in Doggett/Reyes either, but at least they got the point about Doggett/Scully!  winces  That just even looks wrong!  sighs  Well, anyway, we can always hope that they come back to their senses by the time the movie comes about.) 

MoonFairy:  Hello!  waves happily  Aw, Moon, you know I'm updating soon just for you!  Especially after you say my fic is breathtaking!  ^_______^  Hope you like it!  ^_~.

Sukuri:  blushes  Well, of course I care!  If you guys take time out of your life to write me a review, then I wouldn't feel right not responding!  About your question…I didn't really think about specifying it, but in my mind, it was glowing beyond the well house…you know, like the glow was coming out of the wellhouse.  I guess I shouldn't have said the well was glowing, more like the glow from the well was making the well house glow.  Dos that make sense?  I will make that clearer in the chapter, and repost it.  Yes, the song was from Evanescence.  I am soo on an Evanescence kick.  I adore them.  They're sooo cool.  Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.

RavenShadow:  I hope this was fast enough and…um… "more" enough!  I also hope you like this chapter and the information in it doesn't disappoint!  ^_^

Katergator:  Thanks!  I'm planning on explaining a little more about how her magic got her out of the house in the chapter after this one.  I can't really see Kagome explaining it at this point as I don't really think she quite knows what happened.  Thanks, again, for thinking it's well written!  ^_^ 

Michelle:  Oh, wow!  I'm your first Inu fic?!  I'm so honored!  I'm also glad you liked it!  I'd hate to ruin your first experience!  ^_~.

Evil Irish Eyes:  Okay, so I figured out a way to do this…I just have to cut and paste your review (or reviews, as the case may be…^_~) onto a totally separate document and then take it from there!  BIG GRIN  I feel better now that I've figured out how to do it, so please continue to send long reviews!  I love them!  Awww…you'd send your minions after them?!  That's too sweet.  Thanks, Evil.  I'm so glad I have a friend like you!  I hope you like this chapter and how I've explored the character of Benten…I thought that I'd…trails off, unable to concentrate, under Puck's unwavering glare.  Finally giving up, she looks at him.  What?

Puck raises an eyebrow  After you explored the character of Benten?  You thought you'd, what exactly?

Emania sighs.  Right, sorry.  What I meant to say was that I hope you like the way we've explored the character of Benten and that we've…

Puck interrupts, clearing his throat loudly 

Emania glares at him  Well, I did have something to do with this, you know!  You may inspire me, but you don't tell me what…pauses, thinks… Okay, so maybe you do, but you don't… pauses, Puck raises the other eyebrow 

You were saying?

Emania sets her jaw stubbornly  I refuse, you megalomaniacal faery!  I did contribute to this story, it's not just you!  You only inspire and give me ideas, lead me in the right direction, I choose words and such…

Puck smiles, content with having flustered her  Sure, okay, English teacher.

Emania seethes  Oooh!  Just for that, I won't let you tell Garlend what you were practicing all afternoon!  So sticks out tongue  There!

Puck's smug look falls off his face  You wouldn't!

Emania smiles stubbornly.  Watch me.

Puck seethes, but doesn't know what to say, so he pops out of the room with a particularly angry pop

Emania watches him go  Ooh, I'm going to hear about that one… turns back to screen  So, Garlend, I'm not really going to keep Puck from saying anything to you…I just wanted to tease him.  Anyway, he says it's in thanks for the thank you note…mumbles  I'll never understand you two, honestly…thanks for the thank you note? 

Puck appears, smiling  I knew you'd cave in.

Emania smiles.  I had you going there for a second, didn't I?

Puck shakes his head and turns to Garlend  Here goes… "O! give thy self the thanks, if aught in me / Worthy perusal stand against thy sight; / For who's so dumb that cannot write to thee, / When thou thy self dost give invention light? / Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth / Than those old nine which rhymers invocate; / And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth / Eternal numbers to outlive long date. / If my slight muse do please these curious days, / The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise."

Emania sighs  He's such a show off. 

Puck grins, glad that he could remember it all  You're just jealous cause I didn't quote Shakespeare to you.  he turns to Garlend proudly  I inspired him to write that, by the way!

Emania smiles at him sweetly  Why should I be, jealous, Puck dear, you give me such wonderful ideas, I'm all aglow, merely thankful to have such a wonderful muse grace me with his presence…

Puck blinks, then smiles  Aw, that's nice of you to say, Em.

Emania flutters her eyelashes at him  Glad you liked it.  Grows smug  See I can write good stuff, too!

Puck sweatdrops

Emania smiles happily  So, um, Puck…you gonna show me the card Garlend sent you?

Puck narrows his eyes at her  No. 

Emania shrugs  I'll get it eventually…laughs wickedly Oh, and thanks Evil, Garlend for the congratulations on reaching 200!  I'm ecstatic!  I can't believe it!  And I was so worried about reaching 50 not that long ago!  whew  How time flies! 

Puck feels under his tunic and finds the colorful card, smiles.  Bye, guys, and thanks for the congratulations blushing  And so happy you liked the fruit, Garlend.

Moon Baby:  Ah!  Yes, of course!  Expanding!  Definitely!  ^_~.  You're too kind, really, to say what you've said about my humble story!  I'm just glad that you like it 'cause it's been so much fun to write!  And I'm super-duper glad you like the quotes from the songs at the beginning…I hate thinking up titles, so I started it because of that, and now, it's just become like a theme or something of my story that I need to find a corresponding song for each chapter!  Sometimes, I've cursed it, 'cause I haven't found one right away, but usually, I've enjoyed that, too!  Thanks again for reviewing!  It's good to hear from new reviewers!  ^_~. 

Elventeen:  Thanks so much!  I'm so happy you didn't think he was OOC.  That seems to be my biggest fear, especially when I write mushy stuff, cause mushy stuff not OOC isn't too bad, but OOC mushy stuff is just unbearable!  (unless you're in like an AU or something!)  ^_^  I hope you like this chapter, too!

Jen:  reviewers = love.  Thanks so much!  I hope you like this chapter, too!

Chapter 23: Somewhere I Belong

"I will never know myself until I do this on my own / And I will never feel anything else, until my wounds are healed / I will never be anything till I break away from me / I will break away, I'll find myself today / I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm somewhere I belong"

-Somewhere I Belong, Linkin Park
+~+

She knew where he would be as soon as she touched the rich soil of feudal Japan.  The wind seemed to draw her nearer and nearer to him, her magic drawn to him as a compass needle is drawn to true north…

The scent of rain greeted her as she stepped into the clearing and the power flooding the area nearly overwhelmed her.

It took her a moment to focus enough so she could look upon the source of the power, but when she did, she drew in a surprised breath…

He was beautiful…

His hair wasn't black as she had thought from the initial vision.  Rather, it was a dark shade of blue, the color of the sky before true night falls…the color her crayon box had called midnight blue…and it fell loose and straight so that the tips just barely touched the points of his ears, the soft wind blowing it back away from his face so she could see that the features of his face were masculine, yet delicate.  His full lips were curved in a sardonic smile and the expression made his otherwise pleasant features seem harsh and his eyes as they focused on her were the color of he ocean before a storm—a blend of blue and green—a nearly impossible color, their expression hardening them to resemble cool marble. 

He was tall, nearly Mirouku's height, and his body was lithe and slim, his clothes rather like the loose robes of the Etruscans Kagome had read about in her history books and tinted a light almost pearlascent blue. 

His laughter brought her attention back to him.  "Does my appearance surprise you, Priestess?"

His voice spoken aloud was as she remembered from her vision—deep and commanding but not grating—like molten steel.

Kagome was surprised, and not only because of his beauty, more because of his command of a body.  She knew this was his true form, what he had looked like before Kikyo had…shot him?  Weakened him?  She hadn't killed him, obviously.

"Yes, Benten, I am," Kagome admitted.

He laughed again.  "My father was a God to his people," he spoke as if his words should explain away her surprise.  He met her eyes and the emotion in them turned to anger.  "Before your people killed him and my mother…as you tried to kill me."

Kagome felt the pain travel through the magic and thought how Inuyasha could very easily have turned to this. 

As the thought occurred to her, the fear drained out of her.  She was not afraid…she felt compassion and pity at what he had gone through, the life he'd had to live with no one there for him. 

"It is time to let go, Benten," Kagome spoke, her voice serene and calm even to her own ears.

"Let go?" he asked, laughing.  "I have only just begun, Priestess."

Kagome felt the energy beneath the surface of his aura, pulsing through it, and she realized that he was feeding off of auras not his own.  It was what was supplying the power to be this visible, this real…he was feeding on human energy.

She looked at him, her eyes ripe with emotion.

"Ah," he said softly.  "I see you can feel the lives I am using to maintain this shape," he said almost proudly.  "It has taken me decades to regain my strength and you yourself have helped me there, Priestess," he taunted.  "For it was when you stepped on the very place of my death that I gained a surge of your power…not enough to give me the shape on its own, but enough for me to reach out, just enough so that I could lure the children to my shores and take them to make me strong…" he smiled at the emotion running across her face.  "They are still alive," he almost whispered.  "Can you feel them?"

Kagome schooled her face into passivity even when his words made her want to cringe.  She could indeed feel the lives struggling to breathe as he held them alive enough to supply the energy to him, but in that darkness under the surface of water and dreams.  And still, she felt only pity.  This was the action of a man in pain.  He had not killed them, they were still alive. 

"You see, Priestess?" he brought her attention back to him.  "I have become the monster you once thought me to be."

She knew he was speaking not to the person she was, but to the person she had been.  It was why she had put on the priestess robes rather than her own clothing.  It was why she had brushed her hair into her own version of Kikyo's.  She wanted him to make the connection.  It was the only way she could think to get to him. 

Kagome shook her head.  "This is not you, Benten," she said softly.  "This is hate…anger…pain…"

His face contorted in rage.  "Now you claim to know me?" he demanded.  "What know you of me?"

Kagome smiled, reaching out a hand.  "I know only what you have shown me," she said softly.  Her magic flowed through her and reached for him, like an arrow, and crashed against his own aura, bathing it in a shower of light.  She pressed it deeper, reaching for him.  She felt her magic push through as if her hand were pushing through a rich, thick gelatinous substance.  "I know you loved."

The vision came suddenly, like flipping on a switch and as if the sun had been turned on by that switch, it was no longer the dead of night, but the twilight that falls over a peaceful land as the sun languorously falls behind the horizon.   

Kagome moved so that she was watching the scene with interest, and Benten was no longer before her, but was reliving the moment in his previous body, ignoring Kagome's silent vigil.

Benten was sitting with his back against the large tree trunk, a gentle slip of a girl laying lightly against him. 

"Would you give up your abilities?" she asked softly as he played with her hair.  "Would you give them all up?"

He didn't even blink.  He continued to look down at her contently.  "I had nothing before I had you, Liana," he said sincerely.  "What would abilities mean to me if I could not have you?" He tapped her forehead playfully.  She raised her head to look at him without moving.  "I would give up anything," he spoke into her eyes.

Kagome could feel Benten suffering at the memory, the loss and longing warring with the feeling of betrayal and resentment. 

And then, the sky darkened, a bright moon shone in the sky and the image shimmered.  Kagome watched as Benten and Liana re-appeared, this time, his arms were around her, holding her to him tightly. 

"We must be silent," Liana whispered.

"Why?" Benten asked, making no effort to lower his voice.  The woman reached out and shushed him, looking around her to see if they had drawn any attention, but all was quiet, nighttime forest.  "I wish to scream it from the treetops!" Benten continued, his voice softer.

Liana looked uncomfortable and she stepped away from his embrace.  "Because they would not understand it," she said her voice still a soft whisper.

Benten frowned, watching her as she stepped away from him.

"They would not understand it, or you do not wish to explain it to them?" he asked, his voice slightly cold.

Liana shivered.  "Stop doing that, Benten," she chastised softly, rubbing her arms.

"Doing what?" he asked, a hard look coming to his eyes. 

"That!" Liana replied, motioning to the water near to them. The water in the previously placid lake stirred, seeming to come alive, as if dancing to a song played on the wind, only there was no wind.

He looked out at the water and could feel her fear.  She feared him and it pained him because there was nothing but love in him for her.  "You mean more than just the water's response when I'm upset, don't you?" he asked, truly whispering now, only not for fear of being discovered.  She didn't answer, but she didn't have to.  He could feel her emotions.   "I can't help what I am." 

Kagome watched as the lake's surface turned more tumultuous, mirroring the storm in Benten's gray eyes.  He looked away from where Liana was walking away from him to meet Kagome's eyes.  He was realizing what it was, but couldn't seem to stop it.  

His growl died away as the vision faded, replaced by another one that felt more familiar to Kagome.  She could hear the voices of the villagers as they approached and she could feel it as Benten realized what was happening.  He didn't run…not at first.  He waited.  He was tired of always running.  He wished to clear up the misunderstanding, make them see the truth… 

"Liana!" he exclaimed, surprise and hurt evident in his voice.  "Liana, what have you done?" He didn't care about the villagers approaching him, all he could see was Liana's face as she stood with them, her eyes which were cold and afraid.  "What have you done to me?"

Liana turned to her side and he watched as the Priestess of the village appeared from amongst the villagers.  "Lady Kikyo…" Liana whispered, her voice sounding unsure.

Benten turned to see the cool eyes of the Priestess assessing him.  "You did this?  You turned her against me?"

"You are a demon," the cool voice replied.

Benten turned back to Liana.  He could run, but he didn't want to.  He remembered his father having to run from villagers, he remembered having to run from villagers before, even if he didn't look like a demon and could usually pass for human.  He had thought that would all change with Liana.  "Liana…" he whispered.  He had refused to pry into her mind before, but in his wish to understand, in her uncertainty, he was drawn unwillingly into her memories.  He watched her go to the Priestess, he felt her worry, her doubt in him.  The Priestess convinced her that he was evil, that he must have taken the children…it was the Priestess' fault. 

Liana blinked, coming out of the trance she had gone into as he probed her memories and she backed away from him, turning to the villagers.  "Yes…" she spoke.  "That's him, that's Benten, the water demon…" she turned her back to him.  "He killed the children."

In the end, he ran.  What more could he do? But his heart wasn't in fleeing or escape…his heart had already died at the hands of the Priestess…

+~+~+

Kagome blinked, coming out of the trance, unsure of how long she had been inside his head.  Benten staggered, the loss of concentration momentarily making him loose some of the consistency of his shape, making him seem almost watery.  Before Kagome could think of what to do, if anything, he found his center, focused and drew enough energy to make himself solid again. 

"It was not you who hated then, Benten," Kagome spoke, stepping just slightly closer to him.  "It was Liana who lost faith, Liana who didn't believe in you."  She shook her head, feeling the truth in her words.  "You truly loved, she was too young, too easily swayed…"

"Quiet!" Benten roared, a crack of thunder emphasizing his words.  His face was rage as he looked down at her.  "You can know nothing of what we felt for each other!" 

Kagome felt the water lap at her sandal covered feet and looked down to see that the lake had overflowed, reaching out to touch her.  She half expected to feel something of his power.  She rose her eyes to his. 

"You poisoned her heart!" he exclaimed, his voice dangerously low. 

Kagome's instinct was to deny any association to Kikyo, but she couldn't.  She could not take the coward's way out.  She had to face him.  "Until you let go of the pain and the hurt you cannot see the past for what it really was," Kagome tried to reason with him, managing to maintain her voice neutral and soft.  "You loved, but as much as it might hurt you to come to that realization, she could not love you the way you loved her and so…"

"What know you of my suffering?" he demanded. 

Kagome felt the first push of magic emanating through the water and her instinct was to move, end the contact, but there was nowhere she could go. 

Benten felt her fear and laughed.  "You looked into me, Priestess," he said tauntingly.  "You saw my pain…" he slowly raised a hand, palm outstretched, as if he were reaching for her, but Kagome didn't think to go to him…not this time.  "Now it is my turn," he said softly.  "Let me see your pain…" his voice was almost hypnotizing.  "Let me see your fear…"

Kagome felt the force of his will as if it were a physical thing crashing into her.  It surprised her, and unprepared, she could not withstand his attack.  When he gained access she felt it just as she had when she had her first vision, only this time…

Kagome blinked her eyes open and found herself tied to the tree, immobile, helpless, as before her Kikyo and Inuyasha sunk further and further into the ground.  She couldn't move.  She felt the desperation and the fear overwhelm her like a wave dragging her under. 

She screamed aloud, wordlessly as the tears started to fall from her eyes.  'Not this again, not this…'

"Curious," Benten spoke inside her mind.  "Your pain stems not from something done to you, but rather from something done to another… for the inability to help them."

Kagome felt her magic pulse through her, but she was not strong enough.  The witch had been wrong, she was not strong enough, Inuyasha had been right, she couldn't deal with this…She thought about calling out to Inuyasha.  She so wanted them here with her, but they couldn't help her.  She was so tired…she didn't think she could fight.  She could somehow feel them on the edge of her consciousness, on the edge of her barrier…all she had to do was call to them and the barrier would fall and they would rush in like water after a dam breaks…she felt the stab of pain flash through her again and she screamed, but she didn't call out to them.  As tempting as the thought was, she wouldn't call to them.  She couldn't bring them into danger. 

Still, she couldn't bear to look at the scene before her so she closed her eyes.  Persistently, as if mocking her pain, it continued to play out behind her closed lids.  How could that be?  It should go away when she closed her eyes, she shouldn't be able to see it when she closed her eyes…but it was still there, Kikyo was still speaking softly in Inuyasha's ears, dragging him slowly into the ground, into Hell with her and Inuyasha was still not struggling.  'This can't be happening, why can I still see it?'  Slowly, it dawned on her. 

'This isn't real,' she thought.  'This already happened, and Inuyasha fought her back…Inuyasha didn't sink with her…'

The thought gave her strength and she opened her eyes to see the vision gone, and she was once again looking into Benten's eerie blue-green eyes. 

He had his head cocked to the side and was looking at her curiously.  'You truly are a pure soul?' he asked in her mind.  'You would sacrifice yourself to save your friends.'

"I'm not giving up yet," she spoke aloud. 

He raised an eyebrow.  'Well, that was only your pain, let us see your fear…' he spoke quietly.  'What causes you fear, little miko?' his voice took on that hypnotic element again and Kagome found herself shaking her head and blinking as if trying to stay awake. 

She could feel him inside her, probing, and she closed her eyes to try to fight him off.  'Ah, ah, not yet,' he taunted.

She felt the ground give way beneath her and although her instinct was to close her eyes tighter she fought to open them even while her stomach seemed to push up against her throat. 

+~+~

A/N:  Okay, sorry to do this to you guys again, but this time, I don't really know where I want Benten to take her!  I've been wracking my brain but I couldn't think of one that I liked enough, so I figured if I gave Puck some time, he'd come up with something…so this is me giving Puck some time…

Have no fear, though, the next chapter is mostly done (I keep saying that, don't I? ~_~)  But it's true!  It's just not typed up. 

But…do review and lemme know what y'all think of Benten so far!  And especially of Kag's reaction to him!  You know I LIVE for your reviews!