Luna: 31 IS HERE! YAAAAAY!

Veron: Now then, let's continue shall we?

Jareth: ((lies on the floor, twitching continuously while humming the poke'mon theme song))

Luna: ((sweatdrop))

Veron: Like I said, thou art cruel

Disclaimer: I own the story and my Inuyasha DVDs but not Inuyasha himself. Such a pity…((sighs))

Chapter 31: Return of the Miko
Kagome sat up in bed; her raven locks in a ruffled mess that fell about her bare shoulders. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. A sick feeling brewed in her stomach that caused her to swallow, battling the false feeling of nausea. Standing, she ran her hands over her bare arms of the spagetti strap shirt and her flannel pants. Something was wrong, something was coming. Growing apprehensive, she quickly dressed in her priestess garb and slung over her shoulder her bow and quiver.

Inuyasha blearily opened his eyes as he gazed unfocused at the shadow in his doorway. Standing, he wandered over, scratching his ears and grumbling at the weird feeling of his red haori and pants that he slept in for fall. His ears perked as he heard Kagome's whisper to follow her.

" Why?"

" Can't you feel it?"

" Feel what?"

" The youki that's surrounded this building…"

" Youki?!"

Inuyasha retrieved his pistol from his bedside table drawer and holstered in at his hip. Following Kagome, he twitched his nose. Yes, he could smell them. The grotesque smell of rotting flesh and hungry demon bodies that swirled about the house. For one brief moment he was relieved that his half-brother's home was deep in the hills. Less commotion for the stupid human neighbors should he have selected a ritzy neighborhood.

As the pair entered the living room, Kagome gave strained smiles to the four beings waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. Sesshomaru's amber eyes were narrowed and glowed darkly in the surrounding blackness. One hand braced upon Rin's shoulder and one hovering over the hilt of Tokijin. Sango was adjusting her mask for a moment before tightening her hold on Hiraikotsu, Kirara growling in her larger form. Miroku had a fistful of sutras in his robes and his shakujo thrust in a defensive stance as his twilight eyes examined the room. Rin maneuvered away from her surrogate father and stood beside Kagome, an arrow notched in her bowstring. Kagome nodded in approval at her pupil before doing the same, their eyes glowing an increasingly brighter pink color as their spiritual powers peaked about their aura. Inuyasha growled as he realized his stupid gun wasn't going to help in this battle.

The feudal miko looked over at the agitated hanyou and gave him a brief smile as she let her hand glow and run over the cool steel of his pistol. It transformed back to its original form in his hands, turning into a giant resonation fang that he swung around for a moment before nodding in thanks to Kagome. She merely smiled before they felt the floor rumble beneath them.

" It's coming." Rin whispered, slowly pulling back her bowstring and aiming down at the floor. Kagome mimicked the movement, the wooden shafts of their projectiles surrounded by a familiar sakura-colored light.

And the marble floors ruptured and broke beneath them, a vortex of black sucking them in, their screams left on deaf ears of the slumbering population of the earth.

Rin groaned and rubbed her head; she lifted herself up to her hands and knees. Her chocolate locks spilling about her slender shoulders, her pale skin glimmering with a thin layer of sweat. She breathed heavily, expelling her fear from being pulled into the black hole. A voice knocked her out of her reverie and caused her heart to stop in fear, her eyes snapping open and staring unfocused at the wall opposite of her.

" I always did like that position. My little Rin."

She slowly looked over her shoulder and gasped her face paling.

"K-K-Kageromaru-San…"

Sesshomaru growled at the absent presence of Rin's scent. Standing, he gripped the hilt of Tokijin and let his impassive gaze sweep over his dark surroundings. A familiar feeling of déjà vu' swept over him. Female screams cause him to look up and his gold eyes widened at the sight before him. There was Rin in her familiar orange and yellow checked yukata, the cloth curving about her bust line. Her long brown hair in a tangled sweaty mess as tentacles squeezed her slender body. He leapt up, swinging his sword upon the tentacles. Only to be knocked back by a purple barrier and thrown into the opposite wall.

Her screams grew louder as various demons flew by her body and sank their fangs into her tender flesh. There are only two scents Sesshomaru cannot stand, his filthy half brother's and Rin's blood. He leapt up again and slashed at the barrier, only to be repeatedly knocked backwards no matter how many times he tried. It was as if Rin was dying before him all again.

" Sesshomaru-sama…" She whispered raggedly as her tired eyes slowly gazed at him. She smiled weakly at him before she convulsed, her voice turning harsh in hacking coughs. Blood burst from her mouth and stained her lips.

"Sesshomaru-sama…" Rin coughed again and more red liquid spilled from her mouth and stained her clothes. Her eyes turned frantic as the tentacles squeezed her body harder, the cracking of her bones echoing in his ears. "Sesshoma-" Her voice cracked as she screamed in agony as another demon bit her, it's vile poison causing her flesh to slowly disintegrate.

"Sesshomaru-sama…

…

Save me…"

And he leapt at the barrier again.

Sango spun around, her eyes tearing up as she watched the men slowly close their circle tighter about Kohaku and herself. Her magenta eyes hardened as she threw Hiraikotsu into a defensive position. Looking behind her, she gave a reassuring smile to her younger brother. Only to watch her brother's shoulders quiver with rage as he watched his face in his comrade's blood. The blood that stained the men's pitchforks and farming tools. The blood that was forced to be spilt by the rifles they held. The blood that could have been prevented if they had just not fallen for this trick…

Kohaku's grip on his chain scythe grew tighter, the razor edge glimmering in the red sky. The sky that reflected the red liquid that stained everyone's clothes, which fell from their cold gray bodies, that gave them life and that caused them to lose their life. Tears spilled over Kohaku's face and the men laughed at his weakness. The grip grew ever tighter and Sango grew scared.

" No Kohaku…don't…don't hurt them!"

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as his sickle was raised over his head and glinted red. With blood. The blood of vengeance desired, of vengeance sought, of vengeance gained. His brown eyes turned black with hate as he ran through the crowd of people, ignoring the searing pain of their sharp objects and shrapnel of missed rifle shots.

Sango screamed as he murdered them all. Again, in cold blood. His chilling voice making her heart stop and her face blanch.

" Help me sister. Or face the consequences."

Her eyes snapped open as a searing pain flashed over her lower back. A clean cut made only by one weapon.

" Kohaku…"

Miroku winced as he watched his father give him a blank expression, his familiar purple eyes filled with naught a sign of recognition. Of his own son.

" Who are you again?"

" Someone who knows you."

" But I don't know you."

The boy bowed his head at his father's deathbed and felt tears shimmer in his young eyes. He looked up at his father.

" That is our curse."

The man didn't speak for a moment.

" What is a curse?"

" Something bad…"

" Like when I killed your mother?"

Miroku's eyes snapped open at the evil expression on his father's face. He gave him a vile grin and laughed, his sickening voice echoing off the placid white walls.

" You…didn't kill her…"

" On the contrary, I did."

" How-"

" With your beloved shakujo."

Inuyasha growled at the woman before him, she laughed and smiled. Cupped the other boy's face and kissed his mouth, ran his fingers through his hair.

" I love you…Inuyasha-kun."

" And what of my reincarnation?"

" No, only you." She smiled and kissed him on the mouth and gave an apologetic smile to Inuyasha.

" I'm sorry."

The hanyou growled and glared at her.

" No you're not."

Kagome laughed and clapped her hands.

" Of course not! You're nothing like my beloved Inu-kun!"

And his heart broke.

" Do you see it Kagome? The utter pain and agony that is tugging at your beloved friends hearts? Can you see how much you cannot save them from?"

The voice caressed Kagome's wide-eyed face and ran enticingly down her hair. The voice laughed and Kagome winced, tears brimming in her stormy eyes.

" Onigumo…you bastard!" She cried, her tears flying from her eyes, causing crystals to form in the air. And sink into Inuyasha's skin. Kagome gasped and took a step back.

" Even now, his pain is contrived from you. For your never ending adoration of that deceased half-breed. Even now you cannot choose. Because you are not kind and pure like you think you are. You are diseased, dark and selfish. You refuse to reject your happiness for another. You're nothing but a hypocrite Kagome dear."

Kagome whimpered and closed her hands over her ears. Her mind blocking out all the images of her comrades being held by the poisonous tentacles. Their bleeding bodies and agonized faces.

" NO! IT'S NOT MY FAULT! I never meant to- to-"

" To break Inuyasha?"

Her eyes snapped open and her heart beat painfully in her chest. Kagome gazed over at Inuyasha's body, his face contrived in one of sorrow and his body limp from defeat. Rin was still with fear, her face contrived in one of pain. Sesshomaru continued to strain subconsciously against his bonds, but his blood continued to fall from his numerous wounds; his face set in one of desperation. But his straining grew slower and weaker as time passed. Miroku was in a state of shock, his skin blanched. Sango was in one of guilt and hate, blood dripping from her back.

" I DIDN'T! I didn't…I didn't…" Kagome fell to her knees, trying to hold back her tears of guilt and pain. Her body shuddered and she bit her lip to keep from crying. All she could do, was scream. Scream and scream until her voice turned hoarse and her throat raw. She could taste the blood from the raw skin of her throat.

" You did. And you know it."

Kagome bleakly looked up at the person before her. And her eyes widened.

" Ki-Kikyo!"

The woman gave her a cruel smile.

" Long time no see, Kagome-Chan."



Luna: Evil cliffie!

Veron: Mwahaha

Luna: REVIEW!

Jareth: ((has reduced to whimpering in a fetal position in the corner))

Veron: Vile evil woman

Luna: Mwahaha!