Chapter Four- Naraku's Deceit

Sorry I haven't updated. I'll try my best to continue! Thank you, btw, for the reviews. It may not be much, but just a few words of support are good enough. Besides, fanfictioning is something I enjoy doing, reviews don't matter much (except if they're nice!). And also, forgive me for any spelling mistakes. Oh yes, and note that 'fanfictioning' is not a word… oops…lol. I made it up and my word processor isn't allowing me to use it. As Inu-Yasha would say: 'Damn it all!' Enjoy it, destroy it, just read!

'I-Inu-Yasha?'

Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha's expression. It was definitely much different than the one he when she last saw him. He seemed… serious, but there was something in his eyes. Some sort of innocence…

'Inu-Yasha,' Kagome repeated, 'you came-'

'We're going back,' Inu-Yasha said suddenly grabbing Kagome's arm, but Kagome didn't move.

'I-I can't,' she whispered.

'What did you say?' Inu-Yasha asked looking at her angrily.

'I-I said I CAN"T!' Kagome yelled.

Inu-Yasha frowned. 'Are you still going on about that whole Naraku situation?' Inu-Yasha growled. 'That's what makes you weak Kagome. You never seem to pay attention to the more important things, like the fact that he's still somewhere out there, lurking around and trying to destroy us-'

'Inu-Yasha, please STOP!'

Inu-Yasha stopped. He didn't want Kagome screaming at such a late hour and he didn't want her to sit him either.

'What is it?' He snapped at her. 'Come on, the others are waiting.'

'But Inu-Yasha, you aren't-'

'Kagome!' Inu-Yasha shouted suddenly. He didn't want to wake the house up, but he couldn't help it now. 'Don't start with that again. Don't you understand? Naraku is only trying to fool us again. He's trying to separate us Kagome, just like he did to me and…'

Inu-Yasha stopped. He thought for a moment while Kagome fell to the floor in some sort of confusion. Inu-Yasha bent down beside her.

'Look,' he whispered. He held Kagome's hand. 'D'you feel my hand?' He asked. 'Do you?'

Kagome nodded slowly, releasing her hand from his touch. His touch. She did feel him there. She could see him too. Sitting across her with a pensive look on his dark face. His ears… she remembered touching them the first time she'd met him. His touch… was he really there?

'Here,' he said lifting his hand to her head and slowly guiding her to his chest. Kagome was surprised by his sudden movement but as her face came closer to his chest, she heard something… some sort of beat… ba-dump, ba-dump…

'A-A heartbeat!' She thought to herself.

'D'you hear that?' Inu-Yasha asked. 'Kagome, I must be real if I've got a heartbeat.'

Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha in shock. He took out his tetsusaiga and lay it down on his arm.

'Look Kagome,' he said quietly. He moved the tetsusaiga in a swift movement and suddenly, blood seeped down his arm.

'Inu-Yasha!' Kagome gasped. She went toward him to help clean the wound, and she saw. Inu-Yasha indeed had blood. This blood… it was real. His heartbeat was clearly there. And his touch… It all made sense to Kagome now. She smiled slightly and sniffed her tears in. Inu-Yasha, suddenly realizing how gentle and kind he was being quickly turned into himself again.

'Aw, don't cry now Kagome,' he exclaimed. 'Come on, don't be such a whiner.'

'I'm not whining!'

'Then stop crying!'

'I-I'm not crying either!'

'Then-' but before he finished, he came to a stop. He knew what would come next if he'd continue this arguing, so he kept quiet.

'Inu-Yasha,' Kagome said quietly. 'You… are real, right?'

'How many times do I gotta tell you Kagome,' Inu-Yasha snapped back. 'Yeah, yeah, of course I'm real. I'm the most "realest" thing that ever existed.'

'Realest?' Kagome repeated with a grin. 'Come on Inu-Yasha, let's go back now.'

'Kagome?' A little voice suddenly said.

'Sota? Mom?'

'Sorry to interrupt dear,' Kagome's mother said quietly, sneaking into the room.

'How long were you standing outside my door?' Kagome exclaimed wiping her tears.

'Long enough,' Sota said quietly. His mother nudged his shoulder.

'Well, I figured you were going back so I quickly packed some things for you and Inu-Yasha,' Mrs. Higurashi continued.

With both hands she walked over to Inu-Yasha and gave him a small package. Inu-Yasha looked down on it puzzlement and looked to Kagome. She smiled to her mother.

'Mom,' she said hopelessly, 'thanks a lot.'

Her mother nodded and smiled as Sota looked at Inu-Yasha in awe.

'Good luck, and be safe Kagome!'

'Don't forget to bring back some stuff for us!'

Inu-Yasha jumped out the window with Kagome on his back holding little o-bento's in her arms.

'You think it's enough for Sango and the others?' Kagome asked.

'Probably,' Inu-Yasha replied.

They approached the well, but as they did, Kagome sensed something.

'What is it?' Inu-Yasha asked. 'A jewel shard?'

'No,' Kagome answered. 'The group… they're in trouble!'

'N-Not real?' Sango yelled.

'Sango, that's not Inu-Yasha!' Miroku yelled to her.

'But, then, who is it?'

Kirara's fur shook while Shippo shivered slightly.

'M-Miroku, you don't think it's-' he began, but 'Inu-Yasha' had already jumped into the air and attacked Sango viciously.

'Hiraikotsu!' Sango's boomerang bone flew into the air and towards Inu-Yasha, but he dodged it quickly. He landed beside Sango and pushed her back into Miroku. Miroku smiled at this, then quickly came back to his senses.

'Okay Sango, we have to concentrate,' he replied.

'I am,' she said angrily. 'What have YOU been doing?'

Miroku unwrapped the beads on his hand and held them tightly.

'I hate to do this,' he said. 'But I know for sure he's not Inu-Yasha. Maybe this will break down his defense.'

As he prepared to open his kazaana, Naraku's insects suddenly appeared.

'Insects?' Miroku yelled. 'No, it can't be!'

'Miroku, it's Naraku!' Sango shouted.

'Then where is the real Inu-Yasha?' Shippo asked Kirara. Kirara leaped into the air and turned into its larger form. Sango ran to Kirara and looked into the air as Inu-Yasha leaped at her again.

'Sango, watch out!' Miroku yelled. He went to Sango, but didn't reach her in time. An arrow shot out from out of nowhere, surrounded by a pink light. Could it be…?

'Kagome!' Shippo cheered.

Kagome stood at the well while Inu-Yasha stood below her.

'That imposter, Naraku!' Inu-Yasha yelled.

'Then it is Naraku,' Miroku said to Sango. She nodded to him.

'Or maybe it's an imposter.'

Kagome's arrow pierced the fake Inu-Yasha to a tree. He lay motionless hanging to the tree. His eyes opened suddenly though, and he looked to Inu-Yasha and said in his normal voice:

'This scene Inu-Yasha, does it remind you of something?'

Inu-Yasha ripped open his tetsusaiga and slashed it onto his own self.

'IMPOSTER!' He bellowed.

The fake Inu-Yasha disappeared into a million pieces and soon, it was only Inu-Yasha, Kagome and the rest of the group.

'I-It's over,' Shippo whispered. Kirara turned into a tiny cat again and Sango rested her boomerang bone down onto the earth.

'Inu-Yasha, where have you been?' She asked.

'None of your business,' he growled at her.

'Tell me Inu-Yasha,' Miroku began, 'what exactly did you do to bring back Kagome?'

'T-That's for me to know,' he snapped at the grinning monk. 'And for you to find out!'

'Oh, I'll find out,' Miroku insisted winking to Kagome.

Kagome blushed deeply and smiled.

'Well, we should continue now,' she quickly said.

'Yes, I agree,' Sango added. 'Shall we go on from here?'

They all walked onto the following road in deep conversation. Kagome noticed Inu-Yasha wasn't with them, so she asked to go back quickly to get him. When she found Inu-Yasha, she saw him standing before the same tree where Kikyo had shot him many, many years ago.

'Inu-Yasha?' She whispered. 'Are you okay?'

Inu-Yasha turned to her and grinned, which was something, Kagome did not expect.

'I wonder where she is now,' he said quietly.

'Oh, her,' Kagome realized. 'Hmph.'

Kagome began to walk away, when suddenly, Inu-Yasha ran over to her.

'What now?' He asked. 'What are you "hmphing" about?'

Kagome turned and frowned at Inu-Yasha.

'Don't act like you don't know Inu-Yasha!' She snapped back at him.

'Don't know what?' He growled. 'This is what I get for trying to ask a simple question?'

Kagome continued walking away.

'Damn it all Kagome, COME BACK!'

Kagome turned to Inu-Yasha again and looked at him furiously.

'Oh, so you're jealous about Kikyo?' He asked.

Kagome built up all her anger and gave Inu-Yasha a horrible look.

'SIT BOY!'

'Where do you think Kagome went?' Sango asked.

'Hmm, do you think Kagome went back to her era again?' Miroku suggested.

Kagome suddenly appeared from the woods smiling.

'Well, we better get a move on if we want to find those jewel shards!'

She was so eerily happy, Miroku moved closer to Sango in fear.

'K-Kagome, what did you do to Inu-Yasha?'

'Oh him? He'll be coming along soon.'

Kagome continued walking, guiding her bike along with her.

'Inu-Yasha is definitely real,' she thought to herself. 'A really big idiot!'

The End

"Realest"? "Hmphing"? Okay, I need a dictionary, real fast! Don't worry, it could have been worse. I'm thinking of writing a fic about Miroku this time, my faithful assistant. Hmph… Well, while I'm "hmphing" about it, review my story please. Hardwork and dedication went towards it, so please be kind and review! Thanks again, especially to linkmaster27 for the support! If you're reading this, thanks a lot! Okay, I'm done... for now… thanks a lot!

Luv, Lee