Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Author Note: This really depends on how you look at it. Either Kikyou or Kagome is the good guy in this story.

A Mother's True Love

Chapter 1: Pain Lingers in my Heart

"Inuyasha!!!!" Kagome cried out as she clutched the small bundle close besides her.

"Kagome?" The hanyou turned around as soon as he smelled the fresh scent of blood. He dropped his tetsuiga as soon as he watched her collapse to the ground.

The arrow was pierced through her left shoulder and blood was constantly dripping down her clothes, leaving behind a rich, dark stain.

He shuddered at the sight and closed his eyes. "Don't worry Kagome, I'll take it out for you."

She winced in pain but not because of her wound but because she knew... Something terrible was going to happen to them and it was going to affect them all. Every single one of them.

"I sense something out in there in the woods around here Inuyasha." She cautiously looked around as she fought against the pain. "Maybe we should move a little faster to Kaede's."

"Come on, you have a wound right now. How can we possibly move a little faster with that?"
He frowned as he carefully took out the last splinter of wood. Then he ripped out a piece of cloth and bandaged her shoulder.

Kagome watched him as sweat trickled down her forehead. 

"Come on, you have a wound right now. How can we possibly move a little faster with that?"

"But...."

He frowned as he carefully took out the last splinter of wood. Then he ripped out a piece of cloth and bandaged her shoulder.

"Inuyasha." Kagome tugged onto the sleeve of his kimono. "Run."

"Heh?" He suddenly turned around to meet face to face with an arrow which was flying right towards him.

~*~

His eyes became blank and his arms weak as he watched Kikyou, the dead miko whom he promised to protect before, approach them.

Inuyasha collapsed onto the ground but as quickly as he could, he moved over to Kagome.

"Inuyasha.. I heard that you went off with my reincarnation. And Kagome, that you completed your journey with shikon shards after defeating Naraku."

Kagome's eyes grew wider and she clutched the bundle she was holding closer.

"But, did you rememberer of a shrine maiden named Kikyo? Where 50yrs ago, she was the protector and guradian of the Shikon no Tama?"

Her grew, cold eyes turned over to Kagome where she gave a small smile.

"And, did you heard of the offer she made to a hanyou to become a human with the Shikon no Tama? Then, vowed that if she couldn't become an ordinary women, she could take the hanyou with her to hell?"

"Kikyou... I know that I had promised you a lot of things in the past and meant it." Inuyasha said as he looked down. "But the only thing I can promise you is to protect you." He looked up, into her eyes.

"So..." Kikyou said as she looked up into the cold, grey skies. "What I expected you to say was actually true. I really couldn't get back what I had before."

'Kikyou. You actually feel that way?' Kagome thought as she watched the dead-miko turn away.

"But no matter how I look at it Inuyasha. I just can't accept it!!" She tightened the grip on her bow.

"Kikyou."

"There's only one thing that will satisfy me..."

She turned around. "And that is by killing you two!!" Taking up her bow and arrow, she aimed stealthily at her targets.

"KIKYOU!!!!!!"

~*~

The dead-miko wiped the blood splatter off her chin as she gazed at their bodies, drenched in blood. It actually came to this, Inuyasha. She thought. I succeeded in killing you.

"Kikyou..."

She quickly turned as she watched Kagome slowly rise up, with left her hand pressing against her wound.

"So, you're still alive aren't you?"

"I still don't understand Kikyou. Why can't you just leave us along? Inuyasha avenged you by killing Naraku. But yet, isn't it enough for you?" She turned as she watched the hanyou lie down still.

"Since you're just my reincarnation, you'll still wouldn't understand."

"Heh?"

Kikyo sighed. "I'm sick of this conversation." She turned and was about to walk away till.

"Wait!!!"

Kikyo's eyes grew red as she watched her following her after, to make her think about this and this when there was no point in them. How sick of this, she was.

Kagome stopped midway as she watched Kikyo glare back at her.

"I am really sick of your talks. You know that?" Kikyou furiously pushed her off the cliff ledge.

Kagome started to scream as she felt herself falling a thousand feet off the ground. She was going to die for sure when she wasn't ready yet. She had been hoping to live a happy life with Inuyasha. Yet that has been all but true.

Meanwhile, Kikyo stopped as she waited to listen for any more cries for help but there wasn't for some strange reason. She got down and look of the ledge.

Kagome, still with her bundle in one arm, was clutching onto the vines with her other. More blood began trickle down from her wound than ever before and the pain was like walking into a blazing fire.

"Kikyou!!!!"


"Why can't you just vanish off the face of Earth!!!?"

Kagome gasped as she watched the vine beginning to be burnt off by Kikyou's powers. It was going to be no use stopping her and nobody was there to help her now.

"Kikyou!!"

She turned around angrily at Kagome, still wanting to speak to her about this and that.

"Please... Don't kill me."

"Why? If I don't, I'll never be satisfied."

"Please. Make this an exception."

"No." Kikyou turned away.

Soon, the vine broke through. Kagome cried out as she watched her walk away, leaving her to face her death on the ground.

Kikyou was about to leave the scene till she heard a faint cry coming from the bundle that Kagome had been holding the whole time.

She carefully picked it up as it hung down from the vines and pulled back the sides of the blanket.

A girl? So the two actually had a child.


~*~

"Mama!!!! I picked some fresh flowers for you." The child smiled as she held up the small bouquet.

Six years have gone by and it seemed like only yesterday since it all happened.

She was growing faster now. Her long, raven locks nearly reached her waist and her golden eyes beamed with laughter. Even the small kimono, that Kaede had once worn long ago, seemed to shrink.

Kikyou bent down as she took the flowers. "Thank you, Kyoujo. I'm sure that it's very fragrant."

Kyoujo smiled back in joy and to Kikyou's astonishment, took her hand as they headed off to the next village.

Kikyou looked up into the blue skies as she was being leaded the way by a small, little child.

This feeling.. Somehow, it comforts me but I don't know why.