Disclaimer: Ahsayuni ton enim...can you read that?
Chapter Three ~ Confusion
Pacing nervously in Kaede's home, Kagome pondered on how she was going to explain this one to Inuyasha. Certainly, she had a reputation for being merciful...but this was going a bit far. She'd purposely spared the life of a murderer who'd been about to slay the hanyou she loved.
Damn, her life was getting complicated.
Of course, she could attribute it to crosswinds, or perhaps she could cut her hand and say that the pain had reduced her archery skills. Unfortunately, there were no winds, and Inuyasha would be able to tell that the wound was recent if she tried the latter option.
She sighed disparagingly and threw herself down on the bed. 'I'm too young to die...' she protested. 'After all, in this era, I haven't even been born yet!'
That was when someone entered the enclosure.
Namely, Inuyasha.
Who was one steaming, livid, and very pissed hanyou.
After consistent sitting, he finally agreed to listen to her version of the story. In the time it'd taken her to subdue him, she'd been able to come up with a fabricated version.
"Well," she began nervously, "I know how you always talk about honor, and all that junk."
Eying her suspiciously, he nodded – or tried to, anyways, with his face still plastered to the ground.
"So I figured...since you were fighting him, you wouldn't want your honor disturbed by having your opponent killed by someone else."
He acknowledged that, looking thoughtful. "Is that all?" he inquired.
She nodded nervously.
"I have no need for honor concerning Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha roared. "Why the hell didn't you kill him?"
Kagome groaned. This was going to be a long day.
*
Inuyasha was finally forced to listen to reason, and forgave Kagome after she made three pots of ramen just for him. Exasperated, she picked up the empty containers and tucked them neatly into her backpack. "You're such a slob," she remarked fondly.
He laughed, still gobbling the last few mouthfuls. Moving over to her so he could hand back the pots, he froze. He sniffed the air delicately.
"Kagome," he began, "why do you smell like Sesshoumaru?"
'Kiyoshi was with me the entire day! Kuso!'
"Kagome?"
"Um..."
"You haven't been seeing him, have you?" Inuyasha continued, his tone deadly. "Perhaps that's the reason why you couldn't kill him today?"
Noticing her lack of a reply, he glared at her. "You bitch, get out of my sight! Now!"
Picking up her backpack, Kagome turned and ran for the well, ignoring the tears which threatened to flow down her cheeks.
*
She scrambled into the wellhouse, trying not to cry. Stepping out into the sunlight, she surveyed modern Japan.
'Inuyasha will never accept Kiyoshi...and I can never reject him.'
She began to move towards the shrine, her head downcast. A hand on her shoulder alarmed her, but she recognized Kiyoshi's worried voice. "Kagome, what's wrong?"
"Go away!" she cried, lashing out at him. 'I can't deal with this...'
He recoiled, staring at her in disbelief. "Kagome..."
"Just...leave me alone..." she whispered.
Then he understood, and disappointment flashed in his eyes. "You saw him, didn't you," he accused. "You saw Sesshoumaru." Anger clouded his features. "I thought you'd be able to realize that we're not the same person, seeing that you're Kikyo's reincarnation. I thought there was someone who could listen to me..."
"No! Kiyoshi, I do understand..."
His smile was bitter, with none of the playfulness she'd admired before. "You understand? Then you're just too cowardly to be with me. Your precious hanyou wouldn't want you to associate with me, is that correct?"
Her anguished expression didn't dissuade his rant. "So, you're afraid of hurting Inuyasha. Ever thought about how you're hurting me?" He yanked up one side of his shirt, revealing a crimson gash, and Kagome gasped. "I don't know why the hell this is happening to me, but every time Sesshoumaru is wounded, the same wound appears on me."
She reached out a trembling hand, but withdrew instantly. He laughed derisively.
"You're face with somewhat of a conflict, aren't you, Kagome? You can keep pretending to Inuyasha, you can keep telling him lies, but what about the end?"
"The end..." she reiterated, tonelessly.
"Yes, the end. The last battle. You'll have to kill Sesshoumaru, Kagome. And for some inexplicable reason, we're connected. It most likely has something to do with the way you travel between times, since you're the only person who can evoke this effect."
He looked at her, something akin to icy mockery in his eyes.
"Poor, innocent Kagome," he said quietly, and she realized that he'd been laughing at himself. "That's a choice you'll be forced to make. You can still change history, Kagome. What I see in my mind every night, while I'm dreaming...the past can be remolded to your wishes. Just remember this.
"If Sesshoumaru dies, so do I."
*
"You did WHAT?" Sango shrieked, after hearing Inuyasha's rendition of his conflict with Kagome. "You...you BAKA! You basically called her a slut!"
"I did no such thing!" the hanyou retorted, affronted, but he couldn't sway the taijiya.
"Oh, and after you keep sneaking off to see Kikyo, too! I wouldn't be surprised if she never comes back!"
"She'll come back..."
"You always say that! Did it ever occur to your miniscule mind that she may not *like* always being the alternate in your love life? You inconsiderate jerk!" With that last scathing insult, she stormed off.
Miroku and Inuyasha stared at her retreating back. "She's right, you know," Miroku began, in a conversational tone.
"Don't even start," the hanyou grumbled, racing away to situate himself before the edge of the well.
*
Kagome pored over her math textbooks, writing out the ten problems assigned each night. (A/N: For those of you who don't know, optimization is a thoroughly irritating process that takes a really long time.) Her weariness soon grew apparent in the deterioration of her handwriting, and she collapsed back on her bed.
'What am I going to do? If I change the past, the entire future will change as well...I could end up killing those I love.
'And if I change the past, Inuyasha could die...
'Why do I even care about Kiyoshi? He's just some boy from my school. It's not like I care about him.
'But I can't force him to die. I'm not a murderer!
'And there's Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. What if I end up hurting everyone I care for?
'Sometimes, I think they'd be better off without me. Maybe I should seal up the well forever and forget anything that happened. After all, Inuyasha has his precious Kikyo...'
Sobbing, the girl buried her face in the comforting pillows.
*
Kiyoshi wasn't there the next day. Waiting for him at his locker before homeroom, Kagome gazed around the hall eagerly, searching for the distinctive silvery hair. He didn't come, and she had to scramble to make it to math, where she completely embarrassed herself before the entire class.
Eri accosted her after math. "Kagome, you look really tired. Are you staying up all night thinking about Taisho Kiyoshi?"
"Something like that," she replied tiredly, trying to conceal a yawn.
Eri squealed in delight. "So, you really do like him! Kagome and Kiyoshi...that's such a great pair of names! I'm going to tell Yuka and Ayumi!"
"No, Eri! Wait..."
The hyperactive girl had already rushed off, however, so all Kagome could do was lean against Kiyoshi's locker with a sigh.
"What's that I hear about Kagome and Kiyoshi?" a familiar voice teased, and she flung herself away from the locker, glaring at Kiyoshi.
"So, you're here. Where were you all during math?"
He grinned at that, though she could still sense the unveiled anger in his eyes, which terrified her. Sesshoumaru never betrayed his emotions; if his reincarnation was furious enough to show his feelings, she was certain she'd be facing an extremely livid person quite soon.
"I was asleep," he answered nonchalantly. "But the real reason I came..." His smile disappeared in a flash as he watched her reaction. "Will you kill me?"
"I...don't know..."
He watched her curiously, like a predator. Discomfited by his piercing stare, she pleaded, "Please, Kiyoshi, I don't know how it'll affect Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Souta, Mother, or anyone else I love!" More quietly, she added, "I don't know how it will affect Inuyasha."
Sighing, he nodded in acquiescence. "All right, Kagome, but you'll be forced to make the choice in a week," he said softly.
"One week?"
He nodded. "Another thing," Kiyoshi remarked suddenly. "You know how I never act natural around you?"
She agreed calmly, confused as to his intent. She'd always assumed that it was because she'd killed him, the past him, but apparently it was something different. He always seemed skittish, perhaps, or overly taunting.
"Well, it's time for that façade to go down," he purred softly. Kiyoshi glanced around at the crowded halls, then bent and pressed his lips to hers.
She froze, a strange buzzing in her ears, and her body subconsciously melded into his. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she deepened the kiss, ignoring the shocked gasps from the various students watching the scene.
Finally pulling himself away, Kiyoshi laughed at himself. "Well," he whispered, "it seems as if I've fallen in love with my assassin."
Turning, he sauntered away, leaving a stunned Kagome leaning against the wall.
Chapter Three ~ Confusion
Pacing nervously in Kaede's home, Kagome pondered on how she was going to explain this one to Inuyasha. Certainly, she had a reputation for being merciful...but this was going a bit far. She'd purposely spared the life of a murderer who'd been about to slay the hanyou she loved.
Damn, her life was getting complicated.
Of course, she could attribute it to crosswinds, or perhaps she could cut her hand and say that the pain had reduced her archery skills. Unfortunately, there were no winds, and Inuyasha would be able to tell that the wound was recent if she tried the latter option.
She sighed disparagingly and threw herself down on the bed. 'I'm too young to die...' she protested. 'After all, in this era, I haven't even been born yet!'
That was when someone entered the enclosure.
Namely, Inuyasha.
Who was one steaming, livid, and very pissed hanyou.
After consistent sitting, he finally agreed to listen to her version of the story. In the time it'd taken her to subdue him, she'd been able to come up with a fabricated version.
"Well," she began nervously, "I know how you always talk about honor, and all that junk."
Eying her suspiciously, he nodded – or tried to, anyways, with his face still plastered to the ground.
"So I figured...since you were fighting him, you wouldn't want your honor disturbed by having your opponent killed by someone else."
He acknowledged that, looking thoughtful. "Is that all?" he inquired.
She nodded nervously.
"I have no need for honor concerning Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha roared. "Why the hell didn't you kill him?"
Kagome groaned. This was going to be a long day.
*
Inuyasha was finally forced to listen to reason, and forgave Kagome after she made three pots of ramen just for him. Exasperated, she picked up the empty containers and tucked them neatly into her backpack. "You're such a slob," she remarked fondly.
He laughed, still gobbling the last few mouthfuls. Moving over to her so he could hand back the pots, he froze. He sniffed the air delicately.
"Kagome," he began, "why do you smell like Sesshoumaru?"
'Kiyoshi was with me the entire day! Kuso!'
"Kagome?"
"Um..."
"You haven't been seeing him, have you?" Inuyasha continued, his tone deadly. "Perhaps that's the reason why you couldn't kill him today?"
Noticing her lack of a reply, he glared at her. "You bitch, get out of my sight! Now!"
Picking up her backpack, Kagome turned and ran for the well, ignoring the tears which threatened to flow down her cheeks.
*
She scrambled into the wellhouse, trying not to cry. Stepping out into the sunlight, she surveyed modern Japan.
'Inuyasha will never accept Kiyoshi...and I can never reject him.'
She began to move towards the shrine, her head downcast. A hand on her shoulder alarmed her, but she recognized Kiyoshi's worried voice. "Kagome, what's wrong?"
"Go away!" she cried, lashing out at him. 'I can't deal with this...'
He recoiled, staring at her in disbelief. "Kagome..."
"Just...leave me alone..." she whispered.
Then he understood, and disappointment flashed in his eyes. "You saw him, didn't you," he accused. "You saw Sesshoumaru." Anger clouded his features. "I thought you'd be able to realize that we're not the same person, seeing that you're Kikyo's reincarnation. I thought there was someone who could listen to me..."
"No! Kiyoshi, I do understand..."
His smile was bitter, with none of the playfulness she'd admired before. "You understand? Then you're just too cowardly to be with me. Your precious hanyou wouldn't want you to associate with me, is that correct?"
Her anguished expression didn't dissuade his rant. "So, you're afraid of hurting Inuyasha. Ever thought about how you're hurting me?" He yanked up one side of his shirt, revealing a crimson gash, and Kagome gasped. "I don't know why the hell this is happening to me, but every time Sesshoumaru is wounded, the same wound appears on me."
She reached out a trembling hand, but withdrew instantly. He laughed derisively.
"You're face with somewhat of a conflict, aren't you, Kagome? You can keep pretending to Inuyasha, you can keep telling him lies, but what about the end?"
"The end..." she reiterated, tonelessly.
"Yes, the end. The last battle. You'll have to kill Sesshoumaru, Kagome. And for some inexplicable reason, we're connected. It most likely has something to do with the way you travel between times, since you're the only person who can evoke this effect."
He looked at her, something akin to icy mockery in his eyes.
"Poor, innocent Kagome," he said quietly, and she realized that he'd been laughing at himself. "That's a choice you'll be forced to make. You can still change history, Kagome. What I see in my mind every night, while I'm dreaming...the past can be remolded to your wishes. Just remember this.
"If Sesshoumaru dies, so do I."
*
"You did WHAT?" Sango shrieked, after hearing Inuyasha's rendition of his conflict with Kagome. "You...you BAKA! You basically called her a slut!"
"I did no such thing!" the hanyou retorted, affronted, but he couldn't sway the taijiya.
"Oh, and after you keep sneaking off to see Kikyo, too! I wouldn't be surprised if she never comes back!"
"She'll come back..."
"You always say that! Did it ever occur to your miniscule mind that she may not *like* always being the alternate in your love life? You inconsiderate jerk!" With that last scathing insult, she stormed off.
Miroku and Inuyasha stared at her retreating back. "She's right, you know," Miroku began, in a conversational tone.
"Don't even start," the hanyou grumbled, racing away to situate himself before the edge of the well.
*
Kagome pored over her math textbooks, writing out the ten problems assigned each night. (A/N: For those of you who don't know, optimization is a thoroughly irritating process that takes a really long time.) Her weariness soon grew apparent in the deterioration of her handwriting, and she collapsed back on her bed.
'What am I going to do? If I change the past, the entire future will change as well...I could end up killing those I love.
'And if I change the past, Inuyasha could die...
'Why do I even care about Kiyoshi? He's just some boy from my school. It's not like I care about him.
'But I can't force him to die. I'm not a murderer!
'And there's Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. What if I end up hurting everyone I care for?
'Sometimes, I think they'd be better off without me. Maybe I should seal up the well forever and forget anything that happened. After all, Inuyasha has his precious Kikyo...'
Sobbing, the girl buried her face in the comforting pillows.
*
Kiyoshi wasn't there the next day. Waiting for him at his locker before homeroom, Kagome gazed around the hall eagerly, searching for the distinctive silvery hair. He didn't come, and she had to scramble to make it to math, where she completely embarrassed herself before the entire class.
Eri accosted her after math. "Kagome, you look really tired. Are you staying up all night thinking about Taisho Kiyoshi?"
"Something like that," she replied tiredly, trying to conceal a yawn.
Eri squealed in delight. "So, you really do like him! Kagome and Kiyoshi...that's such a great pair of names! I'm going to tell Yuka and Ayumi!"
"No, Eri! Wait..."
The hyperactive girl had already rushed off, however, so all Kagome could do was lean against Kiyoshi's locker with a sigh.
"What's that I hear about Kagome and Kiyoshi?" a familiar voice teased, and she flung herself away from the locker, glaring at Kiyoshi.
"So, you're here. Where were you all during math?"
He grinned at that, though she could still sense the unveiled anger in his eyes, which terrified her. Sesshoumaru never betrayed his emotions; if his reincarnation was furious enough to show his feelings, she was certain she'd be facing an extremely livid person quite soon.
"I was asleep," he answered nonchalantly. "But the real reason I came..." His smile disappeared in a flash as he watched her reaction. "Will you kill me?"
"I...don't know..."
He watched her curiously, like a predator. Discomfited by his piercing stare, she pleaded, "Please, Kiyoshi, I don't know how it'll affect Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Souta, Mother, or anyone else I love!" More quietly, she added, "I don't know how it will affect Inuyasha."
Sighing, he nodded in acquiescence. "All right, Kagome, but you'll be forced to make the choice in a week," he said softly.
"One week?"
He nodded. "Another thing," Kiyoshi remarked suddenly. "You know how I never act natural around you?"
She agreed calmly, confused as to his intent. She'd always assumed that it was because she'd killed him, the past him, but apparently it was something different. He always seemed skittish, perhaps, or overly taunting.
"Well, it's time for that façade to go down," he purred softly. Kiyoshi glanced around at the crowded halls, then bent and pressed his lips to hers.
She froze, a strange buzzing in her ears, and her body subconsciously melded into his. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she deepened the kiss, ignoring the shocked gasps from the various students watching the scene.
Finally pulling himself away, Kiyoshi laughed at himself. "Well," he whispered, "it seems as if I've fallen in love with my assassin."
Turning, he sauntered away, leaving a stunned Kagome leaning against the wall.