Hojo walked steadily through the school campus, taking moderate steps, drinking in the trees and grass strewn about the courtyard. He gave a inward nod of approval. The high school campus was a favorable one, unlike other high schools with their dreary towering buildings and abundance of concrete and brick. Just the presence of grass was enough to give Hojo the feeling of a relaxing breath of fresh air. It was nice.

            His period of tranquility was rudely interrupted by a desperate shout of "Inu-kun!" The voice was of a young woman's. And she wasn't particularly content. It was followed by another shout, angrier than the first.

            "Inu-kun!!"

            To Hojo's astonishment, a black-haired figure leapt suddenly behind a corner, steering skillfully past Hojo. Hojo didn't have time to blink when a woman screamed after him, "Inu YASHA!!"

            Now knowing the identity of the runner, he turned to see the identity of the caller. A frustrated Kikyou stumbled out from the shadows, clutching the building for support. Her eyes were furious and her hair ruffled and the entire image reminded Hojo of a cat who'd spent a round in a laundry machine.

            Her glare caught Hojo and halted in surprise. She hastily straightened up, trying to regain the composure she'd just lost. Hojo raised an eyebrow. Kikyou stared back with the ferocity of a tiger.

            "What an event to see you here, Hojo," she breathed, "Isn't it well past school hours?"

            "I'd ask the same of you, Kikyou," Hojo added her name with the hint of a snicker. Kikyou's eyes flamed dangerously.

            "I have no time to be wasted on you. Where has Inu Yasha gone?"

            "What makes you assume that I know?"

            Kikyou's eyebrows angled angrily, but before she could retort back,

            "And more, what makes you think I would ever tell you?"

            Kikyou's muscled tensed in outrage at his petulance, ready to sacrifice her dignity for a mere strike at Hojo's face, before she heard Hojo's next comment.

            "I know better than to think you're only here to seduce that idiot Yasha. Where is Kagome?" Each word was pronounced with the dead weight of seriousness. Hojo's eyes were lowered and he gazed threateningly at Kikyou as she halted slightly at the severity of his look. In this dire moment, the hunter felt like she was about to be hunted.

            "Kagome is of no importance to me," she replied, but her voice stumbled albeit upon the words.

            "You're not fooling anyone. What plan did you hatch this time?" This question morphed into a demand when Hojo took a precarious step forward.

            Kikyou faltered again. "My only target today was Inu Yasha. There's nothing wrong with a girl chasing after love. I even got so far as to kiss him." A small ray of pride shimmered on Kikyou's dark features.

            Hojo's eyes widened with rage. "Where's Kagome?" He snatched the collar of Kikyou's shirt. "Where's she now?" His breath seethed hideously from his mouth, terrifying the dangling Kikyou.

            "She ran off, with Kouga! I don't know where she went!"

            Kikyou's body was flung roughly to the floor as Hojo raced off in the same direction that Inu Yasha had disappeared to as Kikyou gripped her shirt and calmed her hammering heart. Through great panting breaths, her mind could only think of Hojo's murderous dark eyes.

            Eyes wide like glimmering globes stricken from horror, quivering lips on a parted mouth rosy from fear, cheeks pale and forehead moist from absolute terror, that was the image that clung to Inu Yasha's memory as he staggered out of the nurse's office. He was certain now that Kagome had seen him kiss Kikyou.

            He ran his hand through his hair roughly, gritting his teeth. His head pained from the flurry of thoughts circulating inside. The memory of the kiss was all too vague, almost surreal; he had felt like a half-blind man watching a soundless movie. From the moment Kikyou had locked eyes with him, he felt his soul dissipate, leaving him with nothing but a human being.

            Yet something told him even if he was in the right of mind when she'd kissed him, he wouldn't have resisted. Remembrances of past love from two years ago floated into his mind, causing another painful headache. Kikyou, the epitome of the beauty and happiness of youth, beckoning to him with affectionate intimacy was followed by a horrific image of a raging beastlike woman with mangled hair and claws for fingers.

            Inu Yasha halted and clutched his head, hissing. Never did he want to remember that traitorous monster, that murderer! His heartbeat sped up then slowed as he grabbed a nearby tree for support. Closing his eyes, he released his breath slowly.

            Who could love someone like that, anyway?

            A chill shivered through Kikyou's spine.

            The frequent chirps of birds caressed Kagome's ears as she stirred from a deep sleep. It smells...nice... Her eyelids fluttered open to find her face buried comfortably in Kouga's shirt.

            "Kouga?!?" Her eyes snapped open and she jumped from shock, frightening poor Kouga he almost dropped her.

            "Ka-Kagome, you freaked me out..." Kagome blinked and realized her current position: arms around Kouga's neck and body being held only by Kouga's arms. Princess-style.

            "Aaah!!!" Kagome cringed and squirmed in Kouga's grasp. Paranoia seeped up into her head and she feared desperately Kouga's arms weren't going numb from her weight. (AN: I get paranoid too. I get all freaked out if someone offers to carry me anywhere oO I dunno about you guys, but I'm just strange like that).

            Kouga dropped her gently onto the ground and gazed worriedly at her. "Are you okay? Can you walk by yourself?" Kagome bit her lips and turned away from Kouga's eyes as her cheeks grew warm. Why the hell is he looking at me like that? She attempted to support herself to no avail and fell haphazardly back into Kouga. Gaah! Why can't I walk properly??

            "Sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me..." she laughed shakily. I feel like all my energy's been sucked out of me...

            "Don't worry, Yasha isn't coming back, I told him off really good for you," Kouga tried helplessly. Kagome stiffened.

            "Please...don't talk about that," she whispered through tight jaws.

            "Sorry," he replied hastily.

            Kagome smiled back. "It's okay." Kouga's face developed a rosy color. When she smiles, I can't breath for a couple seconds.

            "Kouga..."

            He gave her a curious look.

            "I just want to say thanks...for being there for me."

            He smiled and helped her to his car and drove her home.

            Evening molded into darkness as Kikyou sat in her room, typing away at her computer. With the glow of the screen reflecting an eerie light onto her face, she punched desperately at her keyboard. Come on, come on...it has to be here somewhere... She pressed "enter" and activated the five hundredth search she'd made that day. No results. She pounded the table and growled in frustration, holding her forehead in one hand.

            There has to be something on whether people can develop split personalities through an emotional trauma...

            She thought of Inu Yasha's conversation with himself under the tree in the lone grass field. She typed in another search.

            "Aha!" she gasped. She clicked eagerly at the link and devoured its contents. So it is possible...my dear Inu-kun...you poor thing. Don't worry, Kikyou nee-chan will help you...

AN: dude, I'm tired. My brain hurts, and this story is sucking. Sucking the creativity from my head. But sucking in the general meaning as well. Paoeihjf,kdnfaliuerfnjkzd. No...more...

REMINDER: once again, ANY suggestions or ideas for this story are DEEPLY DEEPLY appreciated. And needed. Authoress is dead. Her brains have sizzled and liquefied.

I love my reviewers for helping me keep the story going, although I'm not sure that was a very smart idea...;; Oh well. It's my most successful story yet, so w/e. May the mayhem continue!!