S's A: Don't own it. Never will. How depressing.

Hm.. This one's not changed all that much, either. Wonder what possessed me to completely repost it? I dunno. Only that it's just easier that way. *shrugs* I hope I'm not breaking any weird rules. They seem to have a lot of those lately, don't they? I mean, you're not allowed to post Author's Notes, can't have reader participation. I guess that means I can't ask advice. Yare, yare. I'll just shut up now.

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            Jaken came stumbling back to the cave an hour before dawn. He never seemed to learn how one measly glass of watered-down sake could affect someone of his minute size. He vaguely remembered something he had to do.

            "Kuso! Rin! Where is that little brat?" he muttered. He had to find her, and soon, or else Sesshoumaru-sama's return would be most unpleasant for all concerned. But mostly for him. He rubbed his head and cringed in anticipation.

            He scurried away, calling, "Rin! Rin!" in his icky little voice. But Rin was no where in sight, and Jaken did not possess his master's keen sense of smell.

            Sesshoumaru had been three days gone when he finally reached his destination. Being a youkai lord, he usually got around faster, riding on Ah-Un, but this time, he did not wish to advertise his presence. He knew the meaning of caution.

            This place he was in, it was in the heart of an area overrun by rogue demons. Sesshoumaru did not like the aura of this place. He felt himself to be in the presence of a being much older, and stronger, than himself.

(A/N: somebody stronger than Fluffy? What have I done? *hits self on head*)

            There was a permeating stench of evil seeped into the land. It was repulsive. Sesshoumaru himself was not evil; he was cold, very, very cold - like the frost of a midwinter morning - but he was not completely evil.

            There was a tiny spark of compassion, or some like emotion, buried deeply in the recesses of his soul, hidden so well that even he was not fully aware of its existence. But none of that was important now.

            'What manner of creature could have caused this?' Sesshoumaru asked himself, surveying the scene before him.

            Kota dispassionately regarded the human child curled up on the table where she herself had once lain. The fires were burning much higher now, thanks to the youkai's attention, bringing the temperature in the shrine-like cave up to a comfortable warmness.

            The girl was sleeping peacefully now - no one remained sick for long after being treated by Kota and her herbal concoctions. The youkai was only thankful the plants she was familiar with still grew in the area. As of yet, she was not sure of the state of the world where she had found herself. That would take time, but Kota was a patient woman.  

            Speaking of patience. She shifted her eyes back to the girl's face. An ordinary face. Cute, but not beautiful, although it had the look of one used often for smiling. What was a child like this doing out all alone in the rain? Surely she had not been abandoned. The girl appeared to be well-cared for.

            An earlier thought drifted through the youkai's mind. A lingering scent. Kota unfolded her legs and smoothly rose to a standing position and walked over to the stone table. Leaning over the girl's sleeping form, Kota breathed deeply through her nose. There it was again. Faint, almost completely obliterated by the rain, but still present. The personal smell of an adult male youkai. An inu, most likely. That scent was only acquired through long association or a blood link.

            Kota leaned closer. The girl was whispering in her sleep. "Sesshoumaru-sama." she breathed. Kota's brows contracted. Sesshoumaru-sama?

            InuYasha was bored. Very VERY bored. Kagome had gone back to the future again. Why did she always go back? Didn't she know how much he missed her? Wait! Where had that come from? He had a duty to Kikyo, didn't he?

            Are you sure? asked an annoyingly sly voice in the back of his head.

            "Dammit," he muttered. Then he went to go see if there was any leftover Ramen he could eat.

            Kagome sighed as she trudged back up to her house. It's not like she didn't like her home; she just hated leaving all her friends from the feudal era. Especially InuYasha. Following this thought, Kagome became briefly angry with herself. She just couldn't get over him, no matter how hard she tried.

            'I'm lucky he'll even be friends with me, with that Kikyo woman around,' she thought bitterly. Instantly she regretted this, thinking that she would just stoop to her level if she became mean like that. It just wasn't in her personality. And thus the cycle started over again. She'd come to grips with her feelings for the hanyou and his relationship with the dead miko Kikyo, then she'd see them together and become bitter all over again.

            "Higurashi!" Kagome heard a voice she dreaded to hear. A voice that could only belong to. *dum dum dum! dramatic music plays* . Hojo!

            "Oh, hey, Hojo-kun," she said, forcing a smile.

            "Glad to see you're feeling better," he said. "That recurring bout of rheumatism must have been absolutely awful," he sympathized.

            Kagome was too depressed to sweatdrop. She just nodded, that bright smile still plastered on her face.

            "Anyway," he continued, looking at the floor, "I was wondering if you'd be able to come to the movies with me this Saturday? That is, if you're sure you're feeling better."

            Kagome nodded. She couldn't talk. She was afraid if she forced the words out, she would cry. And then Hojo would ask what was wrong, and she'd have to make up another stupid lie. It wouldn't matter. InuYasha would just have to wait.

            "See ya then," he called, waving to her as their paths parted.

            Just then, one of her school friends, Eri, caught up with Kagome. Did the fates just hate her that much?

            "Oohh, does this mean you've gotten over that violent, rude, overprotective boyfriend that broke up with you?" she asked innocently.

            "What do you mean?" Kagome asked. Just keep it cool.

            "You're going out with Hojo this Saturday! Isn't that great?"

            "I am?" Kagome was confused. Did she really say that?

            "Of course, silly! I'm so happy for you!" Eri exclaimed, hugged her, then ran off.

            Oh well. What a great day.

            InuYasha, finding that there was no ramen to be had anywhere in the feudal times, and aware that Kagome didn't want to see him, climbed back up into the branches of the Goshinboku where he sat brooding.

(by the amazing powers of the authoress, everything suddenly turned the dusky colors of sunset) 

            InuYasha was thinking that he would rejoin the others for one night when he noticed Kikyo's soul collectors floating around. "Kikyo." he whispered.

(A/N: Damn that bitch! 0.0 I can't continue with her for now. So the scene changes to Miroku, Sango, and Shippo, who are thinking much the same thing as me, only Shippo in more innocent terms.)

            Sango noticed the soul collectors flying around about the same time Miroku did. "So Kikyo's here again," she said softly.

            "I'm glad that Kagome-sama is not around," replied Miroku, behaving himself for once.

            "InuYasha does not see how much it hurts Kagome-chan," said Sango.

            Shippo yawned and woke. He saw the soul collectors and growled. "I guess that Kikyo woman is here again," he said, cutely annoyed for Kagome.

            "Yes, she is," Miroku said flatly.

            Sango, as though she could guess what was on his mind from his tone, glared, privately agreed with the hentai houshi. All of them loved Kagome, and held no affection for the dead miko, Kikyo, who always seemed to cause trouble and not care at all.

            "Then its safe to say InuYasha will not be joining us tonight," Sango said, shaking her head.

            "He's never around when Kagome's not here," muttered Shippo sleepily.

            "Just go back to sleep, Shippo," Sango said soothingly.

            When the little kitsune finally drifted back into slumber, Sango and Miroku made eye contact over the firelight, telling each other without words that the tension between Kikyo and InuYasha and Kagome was sure to snap soon, and that maybe they would not like the outcome.

            "Kikyo." InuYasha murmured again, sliding out of the tree to go look for her. He found her leaning against a tree, staring at him through eyes lazily half-closed.

"Kikyo."

            "Can you not say anything besides my name, InuYasha?" she asked disdainfully. "I suppose not."

            InuYasha was rooted to the ground. He saw nothing but her cold eyes, beautiful to him, her perfect face. He longed for her touch, the feel of her lips upon his.

            "InuYasha," the undead miko said coolly, surveying him as one might look at a favorite pet dog. She smirked inwardly at the look of blind worship in the hanyou's golden eyes. She traced one finger along his jawline and down his chest.

            "Kikyo." he said again.

            She touched her cold, lifeless lips softly to his for only a second, one blissful second, before shoving him away again. "Goodbye for now, InuYasha," she said, as coldly as ever.

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S's A: Hmm. I suppose I did change it, after all. Mostly just minor editing, but the whole scene with Kota is rewritten completely.

I'm actually feeling rather mellow at the moment, so I'll take this time to let you know that I absolutely HATE Kikyo (as she is now, anyway, I didn't particularly mind her before she died.) I wish she would just go to hell by herself. Save us all a lot of grief.

If any new readers want to see the original, it's titled "How I Messed Up Everything" in case you have a lot of time on your hands that you need to kill.

Angel64: Hm, a mistake on my part or hers? Not quite sure what you mean there. Kind? I dunno. I meant for it to be more of a reflex, like when somebody passes and you smile. But you can interpret it however you like. I really don't know where this is going. I guess a story always changes a bit in the retelling.

Marnkia: That he is! Thanks for reviewing!