Disclaimer: I don't own the Inu-tachi today, but tomorrow there's supposed to be an airdrop where they'll be dropped off in my yard...

A/N: It's official: High school is a freakin' hellhole. Good thing I've got good friends staying by me, no matter what I decide to write! Although I did say I'd finish DR before working on TWM again... Well, darn. What ever shall I do?

Kaelie: XP

Enjoy, folks! And yes, you meet Kiyoshi. This setup for the library computers is weird...

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Three Way Mirror
Chapter Fourteen
This is Kiyoshi
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Sesshoumaru amidst his observations saw Riku twist his attention from the ground to the east. After a subtle scenting of the wind, the western lord identified the new scent that the boy was supposedly after. It didn't occur to him that this scent was that of Kiyoshi's. He was suddenly interested though, and swiftly approached the Efáyêth. When he did not receive instant attention, the angry youkai cleared his throat.

This brought Riku's head swiveling around faster than Sesshoumaru thought possible, and for additional attention to turn to the lord, too. Jaken flinched, thinking he was on the receiving end of a swift punishment. Kouga had picked on the poor toad youkai on non-stop, and the wolf didn't show any signs of stopping, either. It was only to the woe of the little creature when Kouga would "trip" during their travels, and "accidentally" land on the imp. Jaken would nearly respond before sending a frenzied glance to his lord, and hobbled on his way, thinking of the harsh punishment that could follow should he speak out. Somehow he thought that the tenseiga would not come for him again.

"Quit terrorizing the pup," InuYasha growled, holding a drowsy Kagome in his lap. The poor girl was having horrible dreams involving Kikyou, a weak binding spell, and a bloody InuYasha that she knew was her fault. She would sleep fitfully, and woe to the one that woke her before InuYasha deemed it time. Kouga was nearly left in a coma not ten hours ago when they set off at first light. InuYasha was reluctant to wake the girl, but Kouga had tried to rouse her prematurely. InuYasha was livid with anger, lashing out at the youkai uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" Sesshoumaru demanded, ignoring his younger brother completely.

With a shaky breath, Riku put forth, "Kiyoshi's close," before Miroku could interrupt, he continued: "as in really close." His face was pale, his breathing shallow. He looked... afraid. It only really occurred to InuYasha then that they hadn't even inquired as to how Riku felt about Kiyoshi or the betrothal.

It was Kagome that pulled herself into the waking world to comment, "Do you want to see her so soon?" Riku seemed to shudder. It pulled painfully at Kagome's heart to see someone in such a similar situation as she was in before. Afraid to see the one she loved, yet wanting to see him more than anything. She felt a wash of pity swell over her in the direction of the boy. InuYasha seemed to sense her sudden-- though slight-- unease, and pulled her into a close, comforting embrace.

"What're you going to do?" Miroku wondered gravely, the air suddenly changing to that of professionalism, and the dirty letch was gone.

Kilalla helped Riku get to his feet, having curled up near him after a time. "I'm... I'm going to go after her," he announced, abruptly bolting in the direction Kiyoshi's scent appeared to be coming from.

With a course of heavy sighs, the weary travelers followed him.

--

They had been running for nearly a full hour when Riku finally stopped, every one else coming to a halt behind him. InuYasha was none-too-pleased to be behind again. If Sesshoumaru was provoked because of the position, he gave no sign.

"What's wrong?" Shippo asked, sensing the boy's utter confusion.

"She's lead us in a circle," he whispered. Suddenly his tone changed and he was enraged, absolutely infuriated at the fact. "Damn you, Kiyoshi!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the forest. "Damn you and wherever you come from to hell, you damned bitch!"

The unceremonious altering in attitude caught everyone off guard. Several of them were taken aback, but least of whom the boy desired to fume at. Glancing around, it was discovered that they were in the exact same place they started from.

Without warning, a large snake wrapped around the form of the young shapeshifter, squeezing all but his head. The scales glinted sickeningly in the dying light, catching a deathly opalescent color accented by poisonous fumes that were only lethal at close range.

"Stay back, Kagome," InuYasha ordered, pushing the girl behind him. Before he could draw his sword, though, both Kouga and Sesshoumaru were attacking the snake.

"You just focus on protecting that mate of yours from that witch!" Kouga shouted, aiming a blow at the serpent's head. The fiend promptly shrank back from the would-be lethal strike, and reared back, eyes shifting from a clear green to a cloudy red in the process. Preventing the snake from hitting Kouga, Sesshoumaru struck with toukijin. The creature writhed in agony, uncoiling from Riku with a deathly shriek. Sango rode in on Kilalla, Miroku jumping off just as she passed the boy, and managing to drag him over to the sidelines, letting the three youkai and taiji-ya handle the hellion.

Avoiding any further attacks that could have been made, the snake youkai shifted smoothly into a large wolf, eyes glowing red with blue slits as pupils as multi-colored scales flew in every direction, to be replaced by shimmering white fur. Kouga was taken aback, and even went so far as to recoil.

"What're you doing?!" Sango demanded, looking back at the wolf.

"Imposter or not, I can't attack the form of a Sacred Ookami!"

Everyone let that slide, deciding to ask about it later-- if there was a later. The large wolf swiped at Sesshoumaru, but the dog reacted faster. He jumped back, flipping through the air, and slicing the limb before rearing back and taking a quick slash. The wolf's paw was easily severed from its body, and it teetered on its three remaining feet. Its red eyes shifted to a dark purple, blue changing to a sickly green. The severed body part smoked and steamed, the grey fumes issuing from it creating a hazy barrier to obstruct view as it seemed to get smaller.

A spray of blood was coming from the wolf, and InuYasha barely managed to grab Kagome and get out of the way in time before they were bathed in the sticky crimson fluids. The same substance that covered the once-wolf-paw arm now came from the body of the wolf. It wasn't as thick, so some changes could be seen through the veil of disgusting vapors. The youkai among the small group nearly gagged from the smell of poison coming from the "wolf". InuYasha covered his nose with his sleeve, Sesshoumaru going through similar motions. Kouga, who had no sleeves to hide behind, backed up a good distance, almost collapsing against a tree.

The nearly forgotten Riku raised his injured body to its knees, glaring straight through the clouds to the figure inside. Slowly he got to his feet, eyes dangerously dark.

At an agonizingly lethargic pace, the clouds of poisonous-smelling miasma grew smaller, and eventually dissipated all together, leaving behind the bleeding form of a human girl. The only things that kept her from looking completely human and in the era that she belonged in were the blue bangs hanging before her eyes. Other than that, she looked completely at home. Her pants were reminiscent to those of InuYasha's, but her shirt was made of bandages. She wore nothing on her feet.

"Kiyoshi," Riku growled. The girl's attention swiveled to him, though she kept her shoulders at such an angle that no one could see where the blood flow began. Glancing over to the second cloud of disappearing smog, InuYasha saw a human arm, fingers curled slightly, blood pooling around the place where it was severed. He put himself in such a position that he blocked Kagome's view of the spectacle. She didn't notice.

Though he received no reply, Riku continued, "Why did you kill them?" His eyes began to water. The expression on his face betrayed nothing, but his eyes... his eyes were the real key. The eyes Kiyoshi had were a murky purple where a human's would be white, and red irises. "Why lead me around like that?"

The smirk on Kiyoshi's face was absolutely horrible. The sadism displayed there had nothing to do with intimate positions, but everything to do with mental turmoil and every kind of pain. "So you could smell them."

"All of them."

Sesshoumaru, regaining his composure the quickest, discreetly scented the air. Even as he did so, InuYasha grimaced. In a few seconds, the youkai lord knew why. The scent of death and the blood of others clung to the girl's frame as she strode lightly over to her fallen limb. She walked on the balls of her feet, as a wolf would. The small observation was not lost on Kouga. She'd spent too much time in the shape of a wolf.

"That's right, all of them," Kiyoshi growled. "Every single one." She picked up her arm, and held it where it was supposed to be attached. It was at least an inch away from the gruesome stub, but something rather disturbing happened.

Muscles reached out and connected with their lost ends. Tissue stretched out, taking its former positions, and the skin spread in a grotesque crawl from both ends. The bone glistened in the afternoon light like a wet stone by a river. In a single moment, the girl was whole again. She flexed her fingers just to be sure. They moved perfectly. She tried to rotate her shoulder. It rotated.

If anyone felt sick, it was Kagome. Somehow InuYasha knew it was some sort of obscene display to do just that. He felt the first waves of frustration come over him as his mate clung to his arm in a helpless gesture. That frustration fueled his voice, and he found himself talking without thinking, something that often happened.

"Just what the hell was that all about?" he shouted, fisting his hands at his sides. The second Efáyêth glanced over to him, a cruel smirk on his face.

"Can't your mate take it?" she wondered aloud, the insult achingly clear to everyone. "Rather weak, eh?"

Before anyone could so much as blink, the girl was knocked flat on her back, spread-eagle. InuYasha's face was contorted in a mask of anger, hand clutching the tetsusaiga for dear life. Kagome felt slightly dizzy. She stayed on her feet, which was why no one noticed when she blacked out.

"Don't you ever insult my mate!" he growled behind clenched teeth.

From her prone position on the ground, Kiyoshi rubbed her jaw. Riku moved to launch a counter-attack, but was intercepted by a now fully recovered Kouga.

Kiyoshi sat up, one hand pressed to her face, cradling her jaw. The cloudy colors of purple and red of her eyes were gone. Replacing the evil shades were white, as per normal for a human, and a very vibrant green. She looked confused. Just as she was about to say something, both her attention and the attention of her would-be attacker turned to the young miko.

A sinister energy was swirling around her. Her bangs hid her face, and her frame went rigid. She was tensing up, preparing for the strike.

"No," InuYasha whispered desperately to himself. The word was hardly in the air before he threw himself at his mate. The girl saw this coming, and quickly dodged to the side. The end result was InuYasha landing on all fours, and skidding a good distance, spinning at the same time to keep his eyes on his mate. He stubbornly ignored the burning pain on his shoulder, though tears were forming in his eyes.

Kagome's mouth twisted into a cruel smirk, much like the one Kiyoshi wore not two minutes ago. Sesshoumaru and Kouga made no move to stop her, and neither did Riku. They all knew that the aura around Kagome would automatically start to purify their youkai blood. Riku wasn't sure of the effect it would have on him, but he didn't want to take any chances.

Knowing that "Kikyou's" reactions were enhanced by InuYasha's mark, Miroku and Sango were powerless against her. The rings on Miroku's staff rang as his hand started to shake.

Kikyou, in Kagome's body, slung an arrow slowly but purposefully, aiming it at Kiyoshi. The Efáyêth didn't know what was going on, as InuYasha suddenly noticed. He pounced on Kagome's body, but Kikyou was the one in control. Out of the corner of Kagome's eye, Kikyou noticed the subtle changes in the hanyou's positioning. Just as Kagome could draw off of Kikyou's knowledge, Kikyou could draw off of Kagome's. It was not a pretty realization.

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(aimless prattle has been deleted, then new, improved, RANTING has been added!)

That's all I've got for now. I'm thinking about posting Desert Rose on here... Did I delete the comments about that? If I did, you can ignore this next part, if I didn't, if you're interested, you can read it:

Desert Rose is the prequel to Close To Me, and the sequel to CTM is Mad About You. (Don't joke about the MAY abbreviation; I already know.) All three make up the Yu-Gi-Oh trilogy I'm writing, as well as Interlude, which fits as a nice filler between CTM and MAY (I hear sniggering). If you think I should post it, let me know. Email, review, IM, any way you can get a hold of me, let me know. (Email will work best)

Th-th-th-that's all for now, folks!

Ja matte, minna-san.