Inuyasha sped through the quiet forest in close pursuit of the flying demon. His golden eyes never left the iridescent trail as he made his way to some unknown destination, not knowing exactly what he would find when he got there. As the demon began to descend into the snowy trees Inuyasha released his steady gaze for only a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of where Kikyo's servant would land. The hanyou's keen eyes had watched as the demon made its way into what appeared to be a break in the tree line, so Inuyasha pushed himself the last few meters to meet whatever waited beyond the trees.
With a final step, Inuyasha found himself viewing the same sight that Kotori had days before. Except for Inuyasha, the scene before him caused his heart to cease pounding for the few brief seconds that it took for his eyes to absorb everything. There stood Kikyo, her beautiful hair shining in the thin glow from her soul collectors. The pair stood frozen, and for a moment the rest of the world melted away into warmer memories of times gone past.
"Inuyasha, I have been waiting for you. There is something of which we must speak."
Silently, Inuyasha found himself drawn toward the undead miko, and in moments he had his arms wrapped tightly about her. "Kikyo"
"Inuyasha, this cannot go on, not like this"
The hanyou pulled his face away from her hair. "What are you saying, Kikyo�"
"We cannot continue in this manner, Inuyasha. I must tell you something important, something that I have discovered that will end this half-life and allow us to be together for eternity."
Now Inuyasha gently pushed the woman away until he could clearly see her face. "Kikyo? You mean that you've found a way to live again? Butâ€how?"
"This body of clay cannot survive without the souls of maidens. But if I were to have a body of flesh and blood, a body that bleeds human blood and sheds human tears, then I may once again live, Inuyasha. I could once more feel the summer breeze upon my face, and I could once more feel emotions other than hate. I could love again"
"Wait... Kikyo, what do you mean, to have a body of flesh and blood? What are you talking about?" Inuyasha's heart pounded as he thought of the possibility of having Kikyo back for good. If it were really possible
But what would happen to his quest for the jewel, and to the small group that had stayed so faithfully by his side all this way? What about Kagome...?
Inuyasha remembered the stricken girl with a jolt that shook his body. "Kikyo, we can talk about this on the way. I need you're help. Kagome's been poisoned and we need your knowledge of healing" he trailed off as Kikyo's brown eyes slid away from his own. "What's wrong?"
"Inuyasha, it is too late. If I am to live again, I require body that can sustain me, that can host my powers of past and present. I need a body that can house my soul" her eyes found his again, and Inuyasha shuddered at what he saw there.
"No, Kikyo, you couldn't have!" he slowly began to back away, suddenly repulsed by his first love as the pieces of her twisted plan fell into place. The diluted world that he had built around himself and Kikyo melted away as the truth of her scheming took hold of his heart. He stopped breathing for a moment, his mind whirling as he tried to figure out why Kikyo would sacrifice Kagome's life for her own. The miko he had fallen in love with always cherished the lives of others before her own... A sudden noise from behind broke the moment, and he spun around to face the newcomer.
The ugly little demon that had poisoned Kagome strode into the glen, carrying in his brawny arms a tightly wrapped bundle.
Inuyasha's heart sank as he caught a flash of white beneath the blankets. "Kagome!"
"Yes, Inuyasha. Don't you see, her body is the perfect vessel. The poison is already causing her mind to shut down, leaving her an empty shell. When the poison has run its course, I will be able to merge and take over her body. I will live again, Inuyasha!"
Kagome found herself running without knowing why. Every instinct told her that she needed to run, to put as much space between her and her pursuer as possible. So the girl continued to speed blindly through the silent forest.
Her chest heaved as she pushed onward, struggling to draw in her next breath. She knew that she couldn't stop yetâ€whatever was behind her was too horrible to face again. Though she couldn't remember what she was fleeing from, Kagome forced her tired body to continue on.
Soon the trees gave way, leaving her in a little glen. At its center was the Bone Eater's Well, the gateway that connected the feudal era to her own time. Kagome took off in a desperate leap, knowing that if she could clear the rim of the well she would be home free.
But her jump fell short as she slammed into something soft, and she landed on the ground in a heap. Quickly pushing herself back, Kagome glanced at the mysterious wall that stood in her path. The red cloth of Inuyasha's clothing caught her eye first, and then Kagome shifted her gaze to chance a look at the hanyou's face.
"Inu-yasha?" she whispered in horror.
Time seemed to pause for a moment as the two stared each other down. One cowered on the earth in fear, and the other glared down at her with pure hatred burning in his crimson eyes. In his bloodied hand he grasped a necklace with the completed Shikon no Tama hanging limply from the chain. It glowed with the same color as his demon eyes.
Then time resumed its normal course again as Inuyasha roughly reached down and drug the girl to her feet. "You fool," he spat as he pulled her face close. "You fell for it. You fell for everything! You stupid human... you actually believed that I could love you?"
Kagome drew back from the verbal attack. No! How could he say that? After all they'd been through together
"You were just a useful tool, Kagome. All I ever needed you for was to find the Sacred Jewel shards so that I could reform the jewel and have my wish." Inuyasha lifted the hand that held the necklace until it was between their faces. "Now that I have my wish, I have no further need of you or those other useless pieces of flesh!"
Memories flooded Kagome's vision; images of Miroku, Sango and Shippo, their lifeless bodies reaching out in shock at the betrayal.
"No!! Inuyasha, stop it! Please!" tears ran from her eyes, blurring her sight.
Evil laughter escaped his thin lips as he threw his silver-haired head back. "I shall enjoy this very much."
Kagome watched as the blood lust crept into his eyes. He threw her down to the ground, knocking the breath from her lungs. Please, let this be a dream! Please let me wake up! she cried silently.
Kagome, remember!
Confusion fought against the terror that was gripping her heart as Inuyasha drew back his clawed hand for the final blow. That voice- that was Souta's voice! Suddenly another memory triggered, and Kagome cried out in recognition.
Inuyasha noticed the change in expression, and stayed his hand. Something had changed in girl, and he watched as she struggled to her feet.
"No! Nightmare or not, this is still MY dream!" Gathering her courage, Kagome pulled out the last defense she had against Inuyasha.
"SIT, BOY!"
The youkia slammed into the ground, his curses muffled as he screamed into the dirt. Kagome continued to yell the command as she ran, hoping that Inuyasha's sharp ears would hear the words until she had gained enough of a head start to escape. The landscape became a blur as she forced her legs to pump harder, and soon her lungs burned with the effort. It wasn't long before she could hear Inuyasha crashing through the forest after her, and she pushed herself even harder.
The tears that had emerged earlier came back in force, blinding her as she flew heedlessly through the trees. She had no idea where she was running; only that if she stopped Inuyasha would be right on top of her, ready to finish her off.
I thought that this would end! Her mind screamed in confusion as branches whipped past her face and scratched her exposed thighs. All of the previous nightmares had ended after she had realized they were illusion. If all she needed to do was remember that they were dreams, then why wasn't this one ending?
Kagome let out a startled yelp as her foot caught on a raised root. She fell to the ground, scraping her knees and cutting her hands on the rocks scattered around her. When Kagome's body hit the ground, the wind rushed over her head as Inuyasha flew right over her. When had he gotten so close? She wondered.
The demon landed, turning slowly until his red eyes glared down at her. His mouth twisted into a cruel smile as he watched Kagome struggle to sit up. He watched her stand, like a wolf watching its prey before the final kill.
"Sit!" She yelled, and leapt over the demon as hit the ground face-first.
As before, she kept yelling the word as she sped away. This time she paid more attention to the path beneath her feet, and soon found herself standing beneath the God-Tree.
This is where it all began... where I first met Inuyasha. Memories flooded the miko as she remembered the hanyou pinned to the tree. It seemed as though every memory of Inuyasha surfaced, and Kagome had to fight to regain control again.
While she stood transfixed beneath the tree, Inuyasha crept silently up behind her. Before she could sense his presence, he had her pinned to the ground and was placing a gag in her mouth. "There, now I don't have to listen to you anymore!"
He hulled her to her feet and sneered. "Ah, what a place end up at. I think it's fitting that you die here, where I should have killed you the first time we met!" He raised his clawed hand and prepared to rip her broken heart from her chest...
