Disclaimer: Did you know I met Rumiko Takahashi on my way to Japan and she open-handedly gave me her entire, I mean her whole entire Inuyasha characters to me? I can't believe it. She gave them to me and told me I could do whatever I want with them. Aren't I lucky? HAH! I wish she gave Inuyasha to me. Now ppl, I'm telling ya that I own nothing of Inuyasha. Nada. Zip. Zero. Ok?

A/N: Hey pplz, thanks for your reviews and I'm really happy to have received them. Arigatou! Hey, why haven't XsangoX, Rezo1, and FieryDemonFox reviewed this story yet? You guys have been reviewing my other chapters to "R for Revenge" almost for every chapter so why haven't you guys been reading this story? Is it because you guys don't like it? wails It's ok. I just hope you guys read this story at least. Alright, on with chappie 2.

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Red to Your Heart

Chapter 2: The TestPart1

It had started to pour. It was raining cats and dogs. The rain helped to rinse down the fire that had been burning the Higurashi shrine for almost the whole night. Kagome had long left her home, now wondering in the streets of Tokyo in tears, full of anger and grief. Kagome walked down the streets in her night gown, and bear foot, not caring what the people around her have to say. She could care less for all the mocking and derisiveness the strangers spit out at her. She was a girl who just lost everything— her home and her only and dearest family member— her mother.

Meanwhile, at the Aku Inu cabin, Kikyo was pounding furiously on the door begging for entrance. She was still wounded and needed treatment, and now it was raining. The pouring rain burned her wounds like several blades had cut her skin. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" Kikyo cried, desperately. "Open up! I can explain!" Kikyo was banging on the door. " I thought you loved me, Inuyasha?"

"Feh! Me? Love you?" Inuyasha just snorted at her remarks. "You were only pleasing to me in bed, and you were the only blue-crescented female vampire who was able to carry our pup, that's why I let you stay with us. If you didn't have our pup, I would have thrown you out a long time ago! Just because we made love, didn't mean that I loved you." Inuyasha had to laugh at his last comment. He couldn't believe that Kikyo actually believed that he loved her just because they made love. If Inuyasha had really loved Kikyo, he would have marked her, claimed her or something. But since none of that happened, their love was nothing. "Leave, Kikyo! I've said it once and I don't want to say it again! You've killed our pup and I won't forgive you for what you did!"

Miroku stuck his head through the cabin window and said, "Kikyo-sama, please leave. You have been permanently removed from the Aku Inu. You are no longer welcomed here, so please leave!" Miroku pleaded, hoping she would leave, but instead, she laughed.. It was no ordinary laugh, it was hysterical laughter. "Kikyo?" Miroku asked.

"Hahahahah!" Kikyo looked scary. Her laughter echoed throughout the dark forest. "Inuyasha Taijuda!" Kikyo yelled, "you haven't seen the last of me! I'll get you for this! This I assure you! You bastard! You'll be sorry that you ever slept with Kikyo Sakamoto!" With that, Kikyo left, laughing hysterically to herself while in the rain, and disappeared into the night.

"Brother, I think you're wench has gotten crazy," said Sesshoumaru in a bored tone. "She's talking to herself." Sesshoumaru couldn't stand Kikyo. The sight of her made him sick even if she is a vampire. Sesshoumaru was grateful that ingrate was kicked out from his group PERMANENTLY.

"Hah! Forget that bitch! Now we have only three members in this team so we have work extra hard," said Inuyasha. "Now I have go find out if that girl is alive or not!" Inuyasha walked over to grab his cloak.

"Hmm...so you could get a few sips?" asked Miroku, grinning. Then something flew across the room and hit Miroku in the face. "Ow!" exclaimed Miroku. "What was that for?" Miroku picked up the shoe that was thrown at him.

"That was for your stupid question," snorted Inuyasha, annoyed. "I'm not going to do any of that sort right now!"

"Oh? Is that so? So you're gonna get a few sips later?" That lecherous grin again.

"Shut up! That is not for you to decide, bouzo! Now I'm going to leave. Watch him, Sesshou," pointed Inuyasha at Miroku.

"Hey! I'm not a dog, you know," frowned Miroku, his hands crossed across his chest.

Before Miroku could say more, the door already slammed shut. Inuyasha was out.

Kagome was grieving terribly. She walked around Tokyo looking like a wet zombie, her feet began to hurt from all the walking. She was tired as well. She won't accept it. The fire at the Higurashi Shrine and her mother's death was just a grisly dream. It was just a dream! Sirens were heard from ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars. They were all speeding to the Higurashi Shrine. Kagome decided to block all the loud sounds out her ears and continued trekking down the streets. She felt lost and cold. Walking with her head down, she failed to notice someone walking towards her until she crashed right into his broad chest. "Sorry..." Kagome managed to mutter out. She looked up at the person whom she crashed into and to much of her surprise, this gentleman had silver-white hair, golden orbs, a blue crescent present on his forehead, and that smirk! The same smirk she saw in her bathroom mirror!

'It's him!' Kagome gasped and pushed him away. "Get away! Get away from me!" Kagome backed a few steps and ran across the street, panicking. 'He's here. He's here to kill me!' thought Kagome, frantically, running like a wild chicken.

"Oi!" Inuyasha called out to the girl, trying to prevent her from doing something stupid.

As Kagome was running, she heard something rush towards her. It had its headlights beaming blindly at her and a horn honking furiously. It was a car. A car was going to hit her. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. She was paralyzed. She couldn't move a muscle. Oh, she was going to die.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" screamed Kagome, her hands raised, shielding herself and waiting for the car to hit her. Suddenly, her crescent glowed brightly. The car never reached her. Instead, it flew over her head and landed back on the ground with a loud 'thud.' Kagome peered around her. It seems that time has stopped. No one was moving. Everyone was frozen in their spots except the silver-haired man who was openly staring at her with his orbs, wide-eyed. Kagome touched herself and didn't notice any injury. Appalled and scared at the same time, she continued running down the streets and into the wilderness. Time has begun to flow once again as Kagome started running. Inuyasha stood there, dumb-strucked. The driver of the car who almost crashed into Kagome sat in this seat, sweating. He could have sworn that he hit the girl, but the girl was no where to be found.

Inuyasha hid himself in the shadows, thinking to himself, 'such power,' he thought incredulously, 'she first escaped me, then the burning fire, and now the car! She must be the one. No doubt. She has a red crescent adorned on her forehead. She is the new Bara leader!' Inuyasha then leaped out from the shadows and into the dark night for it had stopped raining. Inuyasha immediately headed back to his cabin.

'What is happening to me?' Kagome cried, desperately needing some answers. "How could I possess such powers?" Kagome muttered aloud. "Does it have to do with this red crescent?" Kagome said as she slipped her fingers across her forehead. The crescent felt burning hot. She was scared. She have to find the Hana Forest and ask for Kaede for this Kaede is the only one who has all the answers to her questions. Kaede is the one right now who can explain everything to her.

'Huh?' thought Kagome as she felt no raindrops. 'It had stopped raining!' Kagome looked down in a puddle of water and found that her crescent disappeared. Her crescent was just there a few minutes ago, now it was gone. Just when Kagome reached the other side of the forest, she saw beautiful scenery appearing before her very eyes—there were flowers everywhere, blooming gracefully, and the trees looked like they were dancing, swaying back and forth. It almost looked magical! Then she spotted something. It was a sign. It read: "Hana Forest." 'Hana Forest?' Kagome wondered to herself. This was the forest that she had been looking for. She found it! Kagome quickly entered the forest without thinking. Just as she stepped foot into the forest, the whole scenery changed. It had changed from vivacious to dark, dead, and eerie. No longer were there any flowers blooming and trees swaying, now it was replaced by dead trees, with thorns everywhere.

"She here," a female whispered in midair. "I see," another female answered, floating next to her. They had seen a female walking into their forest, dressed in a night gown with no shoes. They are the ones who are to challenge this so-called new leader. They have a test for her. If she is able to surpass this test, then she is the real, destined leader of the Bara. If not, she will fall to her death in this forest of illusion.

"Eh? What is this? An illusion?" Kagome asked outloud. She looked around frantically for someone. "Hello? Is anyone here? My name is Kagome Higurashi, and I'm here on behalf of my mother's request to find Kaede for she has all the answers to my questions."

"Hey, it's that Higurashi that Kaede told us about. She seems pretty decent to me, let's not give her this test," urged her companion in a whisper.

"No, Rin. We can't be so sure. There are imposters who may claim that they are some Higurashi. We must obey the orders Kaede has given us."

"You're right, Sango."

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?" Kagome called out again. She was becoming impatient.

"Yes, we can hear you just fine," answered a voice. It was a female.

"Who are you?" asked Kagome, "show yourself! I'm not afraid of you!" Kagome challenged.

A female appeared in front of her eyes. "Ah, you are brave, girl. Now if you want to meet with Kaede, you will have to pass this test," she said. "If you are the real Kagome Higurashi we've been long waiting for. Only the real Higurashi will pass this test."

"I am the real Kagome Higurashi," Kagome answered back, "so let me see Kaede, now!"

"Ah, ah, ah," Sango shook her head, "we'll only know for sure if you pass this test."

"What if I fail?," asked Kagome, getting a little nervous.

"If you fail," answered another voice. It belonged to another female. She said, "if you fail this test, you will fall to your death in this forest of illusion."

Kagome gulped. She inhaled and exhaled slowly. This was harder than she aniticipated. This was going to be difficult. She has never being told that she had to pass some obstacle course. But Kagome was ready. She had promised her mother that she would talk to Kaede. She wasn't going to back down because of some test. She will pass it no matter what! She is a Higurashi and a Higurashi never gives up.

"Alright," Kagome complied, "I will take this test that you bestow upon me. So lead the way." Kagome turned to look at the two female but noticed that they had vanished. "Oh, great. Just great. They say they have a test for me and they don't even give me instructions? What kind of test is this?" Kagome muttered to herself, irritated.

Kagome then walked straight into the deep, dark forest. As she walked, there was no one in sight. Not even a forest animal. 'What kind of forest is this?' she asked herself. As she walked deeper and deeper into the forest, many things were waiting, inconspicuously, in the shadows for Kagome. Lurking in the shadows are the lingering dead trees and their devious thick sharp vines. You never know when they'll strike.

Kagome suddenly toppled backward onto the ground while she was walking. She found a long piece of log lying under her feet. "Ugh! Stupid log! How did you get here?" Kagome exclaimed to herself, while dusting herself from the dead leaves. As she stood up, sharp vines swerved around her and pulled her to the ground gyrating tightly around her body. "WHAT?!" Those vines were so sharp that they ran straight through Kagome's body. Thick vines were attacking her and piercing her through her legs. "Aiiee! The vines went straight through my legs! They're piercing me." Kagome looked at her arms and saw that there were vines making deep holes in her arms. They pierced right through her. "NO! I can't die!" Kagome sobbed, shutting her eyes shut from everything. "I can't die," she cried, hoping this was just a nightmare.

"Sango! Look, the Higurashi girl is having trouble getting through out magical vines. If she fails then she isn't the true Higurashi she confirmed to—

"Rin, look!" Sango interrupted Rin. Then Rin turned her head to look at what Sango was pointing at.

"What?!" exclaimed Rin. "What is she doing?" said Rin looking shocked.

Kagome managed to open her eyes and power surged through her. "SNAP!" The vines snapped, releasing Kagome. She had managed to escape. When she stood up once again, a sharp log shot right through Kagome's stomach!

"Hah! Let's see her escape that!" laughed Sango. Sango was not trying to be cruel or anything. She was just doing what Kaede instructed her to do.

"Sango..." sweatdropped Rin. She never knew her friend could be this cruel.

Kagome collapsed to the ground in a pool of her red blood with the log in her stomach.

"This can't be happening...I can't die yet...I have to..." Kagome almost fainted but she tried her hardest to keep her eyes open. Just when she was going to black out, a squirrel ran past her, holding a nut in his hands then stopped to look at her. "Little squirrel...leave this place," Kagome started to say, "this place is too dangerous for you. You have a family to go to." 'That's right, you have a family while I do not.' Kagome then thought of her mother. Her mother had died, saving her and she wasn't going to die right here before fulfilling her mother's last wish. She will not die. Kagome used all her strength and used her arm to grab a nearby branch. It was the only thing in her reach that she could use to recover her to consciousness. Kagome grabbed the branch and stabbed herself in the wrist with it. Blood spilled from her wrist and now Kagome was wide awake. Kagome then stood up and realized that all that was just an illusion to scare her. There was no pool of blood. The log was just an illusion and she didn't get pierced with all the wines. Those illusions were made so real that Kagome thought she felt them. They felt so real but they never occurred in reality. Just illusions. "Thank you little squirrel. You saved me. You made me realize that I still have accomplish my mother's wish." Kagome petted the squirrel and ripped a piece of her night gown to make a bandage out it to stop her wrist to coagulate .

"What?! This can't be, Rin!" Sango thought frantically, "could she be?" How could a little girl escape such an illusion? Sango was floating in the air with her mouth gawking wide open.

"We don't know yet, until she is able to pull the secret weapon out from the tree I planted in for her. We'll have to wait and see for ourselves," Rin managed to calm down Sango for a while.

"Yes. We'll see, Rin."

"Man, this is one weird forest," said Kagome, walking down a glowing path. She licked her lips. She was thirsty. Very thirsty. Soon Kagome reached a small lake. The water there looked placid and fresh, so she bent down and cupped her hands to grab herself a sip. When she was finished, Kagome turned to leave but then she felt some movement. It was coming from the lake. Kagome turned around and saw the scariest thing she could ever see in her whole entire life. It was something Kagome wished to never encounter again. Coming out from the waters was the blood-sucking, silver-haired, golden-orbed monster! The only with a blue crescent moon on his forehead and that scary smirk. He came out of the waters smirking widely at Kagome. And he was coming for her.

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A/N: CLIFFHANGER! CLIFFHANGER! YOU HEAR? HAHAHAHAHA! I'm evil. Lolz. You know if I don't get another 10 reviews or so, I'm not gonna continue onto the third chapter. So all you who want to read the third chapter, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!