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Author's Notes: I personally am in a great mood right now, how about you guys? I finally got a call from the guy I went out with that one time, asking me out for some ice cream this Thursday. Why is this a good thing? Because up until now it has been me calling him all the time, not the other way around, so now I don't feel like it's just me interested, you know?
Anyway, enough about my life, in this chapter the ball starts rolling for the plot, along with some action, and a very demonish Inuyasha. Kagome and Kikyou are also thrown into an interesting situation, so we'll see how this goes. And in the next few chapters, Nancy is going to start proving her worth in the group as they start looking for their friends. So I hope you like it.
Thanks for all the reviews. As always, you're all wonderful, and I hope this story continues to please. If anything ever feels like it's moving along too slow, be sure to let me know, and I'll try and fix it. Thanks, and enjoy chapter eleven!

Astaldotholwen: Thank you so much! I'm glad you've liked the trilogy so far, and I hope you continue to like this story. And don't worry about not reviewing, I know how that goes sometimes. You read the story, but then just don't have the energy to hit that review button. Thanks for the review!

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Title: Soldiers in a Timeless Battle

Author: dolphingirl0113

Chapter: Eleven

Rating: PG-13 (for language and, at times, sexual implications)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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They all stood in a circle, just staring at Sukiono, almost like they believed if they gaped long enough, he would just disappear and Kikyou would fall to the ground, unharmed. Gideon was frozen in place, and it looked like his legs wouldn't have moved even if he wanted them to as he stared in horror at his wife, who had just become a bargaining chip.

"What's your answer, Kagome? Will you come with me, or will Kikyou die?"

All eyes turned to Kagome, who was standing still with a blank expression. No one could tell what was going through her mind, or if she would do what Sukiono wanted.

"I need an answer, Kagome," the man taunted, and surprisingly, it was Kikyou who spoke first, her voice raspy, but strong.

"If you think she is going to give herself up to you for my sake, you are sorely mistaken." Kikyou turned her head so that she met Kagome's eyes, and seemed to be communicating a silent message to her reincarnation. But Kagome just shook her head in reply as Sukiono laughed.

"Please Kikyou, I know Kagome has no sentimentality where you are concerned, but she does love Inuyasha, and he loves you. Do you honestly think she could live with herself if it was her fault you died?"

Another long silence filled the clearing as the truth behind what he said registered. Inuyasha had gone extremely pale, Sango and Miroku were poised to fight, unsure of what to do, Kirara behind them with Shippou on her back, Kaede clutching at an old bow and arrows, and Gideon clenching and unclenching his fists. Sesshoumaru had placed Nancy behind him protectively, where she was now peering around his shoulder at the scene, and Kouga and Ayame were poised for battle, their bodies rigid. Finally, Kagome stepped forward.

"If you want me to come with you that much, I will," she said with resignation, but before she could take another step, Inuyasha jumped in front of her.

"Don't even think about it," he hissed dangerously, turning to face Sukiono. "Why don't you stop hiding behind the skirts of women and fight me like a man?"

"You'll get your chance, Inuyasha," the blonde haired man replied with a smirk, "Although, as I recall, you are only alive today because someone saved you the last time we fought."

"Bastard," Inuyasha hissed, "You truly are as cowardly as your father."

Sukiono narrowed his eyes dangerously. "What did you say?"

It was Inuyasha's turn to smirk. "What? Don't tell me that surprises you. Don't you know how many times Naraku sent his minions out to do his dirty work, because he was too afraid to fight us on his own? And he had good reason. Look what happened when we finally did fight. He's dead."

"Enough!" Sukiono roared, squeezing his hands tighter around Kikyou's neck and causing the woman to pale, nearly matching the color of her white top. "Decide what you're willing to do Kagome, or she dies."

"I already said I would come with you," she replied, stepping around Inuyasha. "But only once you put Kikyou on the ground."

He seemed to think for an instant before shaking his head. "No, you do this on my terms, no exceptions."

Glancing again at Kikyou, Kagome sighed and walked forward a few more paces, only to feel herself propelled backward by Inuyasha's strong grip. "Don't go, Kagome! I'm not letting him take you from me again!"

She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "I have to, Inuyasha. You don't want Kikyou to die, do you?"

His ears fell back against his head, and his entire attitude seemed to sink. Kagome sighed, knowing what he was thinking, because it was on her mind as well.

It always comes back to this, she thought, glancing back at Kikyou, whose eyes were squeezed shut against the pain she was obviously experiencing. It always comes back to choosing between Kikyou and myself and, this time, I have to choose Kikyou.

"I love you," she whispered, leaning forward and kissing the hanyou on the lips gently. He tried to grab her and hold her to him, but Kagome wouldn't let him, knowing if she did, she wouldn't have the courage or the strength to leave his warm embrace.

Turning around, she once more faced Sukiono, who had a strange look on his face, somewhere between jealously, envy, and confusion. It reaffirmed what Kagome already knew; he was just a little boy at heart who had been sucked into Naraku's world of lies and deceit because of the simple wish to avenge his mother. And while she could never forgive him for being the man who had killed her baby, at least she knew that while she was his prisoner, she would be safe.

"I'll go with you," she said firmly, and walked toward him, stopping at his side. He glanced down at her, and only then did she see the flicker of triumph pass through his eyes, telling her he wasn't done yet.

She barely had time to register what was going on before he pressed a cloth to her mouth, that familiar sweet smell filling her nose before her body went limp. Sukiono caught her against him before turning to Kikyou and doing the same to her.

"What are you doing?" Gideon cried, suddenly springing to life at the sight of his wife's lifeless body curled over Sukiono's arm. "Give her back!"

The blonde smirked. "These two women are the biggest threat to me." He glanced at both to accent his point. "I can't have them roaming free. But I will keep my promise. Kikyou will be safe, you have my word."

"Screw your word!" Gideon snatched the bow and arrows from Kaede and aimed for Sukiono's head. "Let her go!"

"Would you risk killing your wife? Or is your aim better then I give you credit for?"

Realizing that Kikyou's head really was right in his line of fire, Gideon sagged in defeat and let the weapon drop to the ground, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Inuyasha's right," he muttered, "You are a coward."

"Or perhaps I'm just smart," Sukiono replied, before leaping up into the air, above the forest trees, and disappeared.

Inuyasha fell to his knees and let loose a howl of rage loud enough to frighten even the people living in the farthest corners of the world. He was a man in pain, and a man enraged.

Sango and Miroku approached him silently, but as the monk went to place his hand on the hanyou's shoulder, he recoiled. "Inuyasha," he whispered, his voice suddenly laced with fear.

The hanyou's eyes had gone completely red, purple tattoos appearing on his face, his claws lengthening into sharp points worth of any knife, his fangs growing so that they hung out over his lower lip. A long, low growl emitted from his throat, and it was only now that everyone realized the tetsusaiga was still inside Kaede's hut.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said again, backing away slightly, "Calm down, we'll find her."

"The bastard wont get away with this," the crazed hanyou replied, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he flexed his fingers, the knuckles popping slightly. "He took my mate."

"And we'll get her back," Sango said quickly, trying to sound reassuring, but the only person who could ever calm Inuyasha in this state without the aid of his sword was Kagome.

"No," the hanyou replied, rising to his feet and growling even more, causing everyone to back up several paces. "I want him dead. He killed my pup, and now he has taken my mate again. He will pay."

"Don't, Inuyasha," Kouga tried, bravely stepping forward, but backed up sharply when the hanyou turned his attention on the wolf, his red eyes blazing.

"This doesn't concern you, you wimpy wolf," he growled. "I will kill this man, and reclaim what is mine."

"But not without our help, you fool," Kouga replied, trying to draw him into an argument with the hope it would bring Inuyasha back to reality. But it didn't. The hanyou only became more violent, moving into a battle stance.

It was Sesshoumaru, surprisingly, who stepped forward, a frown marring his otherwise perfect face. "Don't be a fool, little brother. In your state, you won't get Kagome back."

"Who asked you, you bastard?" Inuyasha had a look of pure hate in his eyes as he viewed his older brother, but the demon lord seemed unaffected as he scoffed.

"Look at you. You're a hanyou, Inuyasha, not a demon, and when the demon blood overtakes you, you become nothing more then a mindless killing machine. Is that what Kagome married? Is that what Kagome is mated to?"

The words seemed to affect him slightly, because Inuyasha lowered his guard for an instant, giving Sesshoumaru the chance to deliver a solid punch in the poor hanyou's gut, the impact and the pain rendering him unconscious.

"Let's get him back to the hut, and put the sword in his hands before he wakes up," the demon lord stated simply, picking up his brother and slinging him over his shoulder as he walked past Nancy, who was gaping like an idiot.

"Clearly I have a few things to learn about you yet," she muttered before turning around and following him back toward Kaede's home, the others close behind.

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Her body felt extremely heavy as she returned to consciousness, and Kagome found herself blinking several times before she even attempted to move, even then only managing to roll over onto her side. Man, the situation sure felt familiar, except for one thing.

She was now laying on a hard floor, covered, partially, by a thin blanket, her head on a pillow. That was a far cry from the outdoor setting she had experienced previously.

The room itself was dark, with only a small window high up in a corner to accommodate the light of the sun, but even so it looked like it was cloudy outside, so that didn't matter. A small door off to one side was the only variation on the theme of solid wood walls, and Kagome instantly decided to make a run for it, just as soon as her head cleared a little more.

"So you're finally awake," a female voice stated simply, and Kagome turned around slowly, opening her eyes in surprise.

"Kikyou, what-"

The older miko put up a hand for silence, her face passive but still firm. She was clearly thinking about something.

"Sukiono tricked all of us. Once you were in his possession, he proceeded to put me to sleep as well. The next thing I knew, I woke up here."

Kagome didn't know what to say or do, let alone think, as she tried to pull herself into a sitting position on her knees, the blanket falling away from her body into a heap on the floor.

"And where exactly is here?"

"If I knew that, I would tell you."

Nodding, Kagome looked away, feeling very uncomfortable in the presence of Kikyou, the woman who shared her soul and her love for Inuyasha. Or at least, she had loved him at one time.

It was almost better when I was alone, she thought to herself as she stretched her arms above her head, smacking her lips together to rid her mouth of its dry feeling brought on by whatever drug Sukiono seemed so intent on using.

"It would seem that fate will never be content to leave us alone," Kikyou finally muttered, and at first Kagome wasn't sure if she was even supposed to respond. But she had never been one to avoid conversation, so she decided to add her own thoughts to the situation.

"I know; there is always someone out there to fight."

Kikyou smiled half-heartedly, still not looking at Kagome, instead focusing on one of the far walls as she sat perfectly still, her knees beneath her, her posture erect. "That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?"

"That you and I, it seems, will forever be forced to work together to some end. And if we're not working together, we are pitted against one another for Inuyasha's sake."

Kagome frowned and nodded, knowing it was true. "But at least this time we don't have to fight one another. We can work together to escape."

At that the miko turned and looked Kagome full in the face. "Escape? There is no escape from here, Kagome. The entire room is surrounded by a negative energy barrier, and without our purity arrows, there is no way to breach it."

That brought forth a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, but Kagome shook her head, refusing to believe it. "There is always a way. Inuyasha and I figured that out many times. Like once, we met this man who was really big and really strong because he ate peaches from this holy tree. He captured Inuyasha while he was human, and nearly killed him, but Inuyasha managed to escape, with the help of Miroku and Shippou." Kagome put a finger under her chin. "Who were actually only about the size of my hand, now that I remember correctly."

Kikyou smiled in spite of herself. "You're still talkative, that's for sure."

Kagome swallowed the comment she had been about to make, blushing profusely. She had always felt like such a foolish girl in the presence of this great woman who had achieved so much, and suffered so greatly, in her short life. After all, what did she, Kagome, really know of pain compared to Kikyou?

"Sorry," she muttered, looking away.

"I never said that was a bad thing," Kikyou replied.

"But you made it sound like you were annoyed."

"Not annoyed, just puzzled that someone who is supposedly my reincarnation would be so different from myself. I'm always thinking about that, whenever I see you."

Kagome was about to respond when the door opened and she met the eyes of a very familiar man with blonde hair and blue eyes. "Sukiono, what is the meaning of this? You swore if I came with you, Kikyou would not be harmed."

The man shrugged his shoulders, ignoring the fact that Kagome was lecturing him like a child. "I kept my word, didn't I? Do you see a mark on her perfect little body?"

Kagome folded her arms, wishing her body was less hung over from the drugs so that she could rise to her feet. "Then why are we here? Why did you want me back?"

"I told you Kagome, I need your power. Since within you is practically a living version of the Shikon no Tama, you are vital to my plans. And as for her," he glanced at Kikyou, who refused to return the gesture, "I just feel better knowing she is under my thumb."

"I don't know what good it will do you, keeping me here," Kikyou remarked coldly, her voice lacking any and all emotion, a lot like Sesshoumaru when he was talking to the enemy. "I have nothing to give you that you could want."

"True, but you are still a worthy opponent. My father failed to remember that, and look what happened to him."

"As I recall, it was Kagome who killed Naraku, not me."

"But you were there, and you are one of the reasons for his ridiculous obsession with the Shikon jewel in the first place. If he had never seen you, he would never have learned of the jewel's existence, and would never have wanted it for himself."

"And you would have never been born," Kikyou retorted, though still monotone, and Kagome almost smiled at the way Sukiono closed his mouth quickly, unable to formulate a response to that.

The elegant miko finally turned her head and met his stunning blue eyes, her own dark orbs blinking several times, making her look almost disinterested in whatever he had to say.

"Your blame is misplaced if you think I am the sole reason for your father's undoing. Onigumo wanted the jewel long before he ever became Naraku, and it was only because he was seeking the jewel that he met me. So truthfully, it was the jewel's fault that we ever met in the first place." She narrowed her eyes. "Do not blame me for the sick obsession of a twisted man."

Sukiono glared back at Kikyou with hate, though she seemed unaffected, and the two were locked in a heated gaze for several minutes, until Kagome coughed slightly to break the tension. Kikyou looked away, while the man seemed to recover some of his former control.

"What is it that you want, Sukiono?" Kagome asked, hoping that this time he would give her a straight answer. "You say you want to use me for your own plan. What is that?"

He smirked. "You still ask too many questions, Kagome. You will know in time."

"And you need to understand that because this time the power you crave exists within a living being, I can refuse to help you."

"Which I don't think you'll do, considering you already passed my first test."

"What test?" Kagome raised her eyebrows fearfully.

"You came to me willingly to save Kikyou's life. If you would do that for a woman who you couldn't stand for the longest time, what will you do, I wonder, for someone like, oh, say Kouga, or Sango, or," he narrowed his eyes, "Inuyasha?"

"You leave Inuyasha out of this!"

"Don't exert yourself, Kagome; it isn't good for your body while recovering from the drugs."

She sank back against her knees with a huff, a glare firmly set in place as she glanced at Kikyou, still silent, wishing with all her heart she could be as subtly intimidating and wise.

Sukiono began to turn and walk toward the door when another question popped into her head, one she hoped he would answer. "If you won't tell me what you want of me, then at least tell me where we are?"

He turned and regarded her for several seconds, as though trying to decide in his mind if it would be wise to reveal such information. Finally he shrugged his shoulders and indicated the room with his arms.

"This is the castle where my father kept me safe after my mother died. This is where I learned to use his powers, where I honed the skills I inherited from him."

"Where you became a monster," Kagome added, and he narrowed his gaze in her direction, for the first time seeming to regard her with anything less then care and concern.

"I'm no monster," he whispered, and Kagome realized at that moment he truly believed it. He truly couldn't see what he had become.

"Yeah," she shrugged her shoulders, "You just keep telling yourself that as you hold two women hostage against their will."

Her last comment seemed to affect him greatly, because she saw a flicker of pain and uncertainty cross his eyes before he abruptly turned away and left the room, leaving her alone with Kikyou once more.

"He's not like Naraku at all," the miko commented after a long while.

"What do you mean?"

"Naraku was pure evil, with no regard for anyone but himself. He didn't care what happened to people, so long as he got what he wanted. But this man, his son," she shook her head, "He truly doesn't see that what he is doing is wrong. He wants to do what he thinks is right, in this case avenging his father's death."

"Avenging Naraku? I thought he wanted world domination, like his father."

Kikyou shook her head, a tolerant smile on her face that made Kagome feel years younger then she was. "No, I saw it in his eyes. He couldn't lead the world any more then his father could understand love and kindness. It's not in him."

"Then, why all of this pomp and ceremony, if all he wants is revenge against those who killed his father? And," Kagome swallowed, "Why be so nice to me if I'm the one who ultimately fired the fatal shot?"

Kikyou responded with silence for a few minutes, clearly carefully considering all the possibilities before responding. Finally, she sighed and rocked back slightly on her heels, for the first time allowing her rigid back to sag slightly in posture.

"Having lived here under Naraku's protection, Sukiono probably had some view of the rest of the world without ever needing to leave the castle."

"Those bees?"

"Probably. With those spies, he was clearly watching our every move throughout the quest to piece together the Shikon no Tama, or how else would he know everything about our lives? And then, whatever questions he might have had Naraku would have been more then happy to explain, like the history between myself and Inuyasha."

She went silent for a while, and Kagome knew Kikyou was remembering everything she and the hanyou had been through over the years, including the time they met, the betrayal, her resurrection and quest for revenge, and finally, her conflict over whether or not she still loved him. It was a long and twisted story, full of pain and anguish unlike anything Kagome would ever know, and for that she was eternally grateful.

"Kikyou, um, I just want to say that, well, putting aside everything that's happened between the two of us in the past, I am sorry for everything you've been through." Kagome looked away as she spoke, completely forgetting about their conversation regarding Sukiono.

The miko smiled half-heartedly. "Please, save your pity for someone else, Kagome. I've had so much of it already in my lifetime, I don't need any more."

"But-"

"You gave me back my life, and that is enough. No one could have done more for me, except perhaps turn back the clocks of time." She looked away with raw pain in her eyes, and Kagome knew she was witnessing a rare moment indeed when the stoic priestess let down her guard enough to show her emotions.

But the silence soon became uncomfortable, so Kagome decided to return to their previous topic. "So, um, what were you saying about Sukiono?"

"Just that obviously somewhere along the way, watching us, he has decided he's in love with you."

"With me?" Kagome felt her jaw drop.

"Don't act so surprised, Kagome, that's how it was with Naraku, too. He could never destroy me, because Onigumo still loved me. Even the cruelest of men still have desires."

Kagome looked away with a silent 'oh' on her lips. She suddenly felt very tired again, as though everything was too much for her mind to take in.

"I think I'll sleep for a while, since we're stuck," she commented offhandedly, not quite sure why she felt the need to voice her thoughts, but doing so anyway. Kikyou just shrugged.

"Do what you want; it is of little consequence to me."

Kagome tried not to wince at the harsh tone, knowing that was just Kikyou, and no matter how much time they spent together, it would never change.

With a sigh, she curled up into a little ball, pulling the blanket once more up around her ears, even though that left part of her legs exposed. It was going to be a long imprisonment at the rate things were going.