Disclaimer:I'm reading the future right now. It's telling me I'll never own Inuyasha because I'll turn it into a big load of crap.
Chapter 2: A mere memory
Inuyasha sniffed the air.
'Today brings bad news...the smell of the air...it almost smells like...death..but...somehow..it's not? Don't tell me something bad is going to happen!Not to Kagome!' Inuyasha quickly spun around, checking to see if Kagome was feeling well. Kagome caught Inuyasha's eyes with hers.
"Something wrong, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha shook his head no and continued walking down the dirt path. Kagome stared at his back, with curiousity. She ran up to him and stared at him, hoping he'd make eye contact with her for just one moment. Unfortunatly, he didn't seem to want to. Kagome put her hands on his shoulder and spun him around.
"Look Inuyasha! I know something is up! So, why don't you just spill okay?!"
"Kagome...are you...feeling...feeling well?", he asked with worry.
"Well? Well, yeah...I mean I guess so. Why? Is anything going on?"
"No..nothing at all."
With those final words, Inuyasha took a huge leap and sat up in one of the trees, lost in his own world. Kagome looked up at him, shook her head sadly, and walked away.
'I hate it when he keeps things from me! Can't he trust me? Aren't I understanding enough?', Kagome thought with worry.
Sango came up to Kagome, with a towel in her hand.
"Hey Kagome-chan! Want to go to the springs with me? Houshi-sama is busy helping Kaede so I know he won't peek." Sango said with certainty. Kagome nodded and ran to get her bath things. A hot spring sure would help clear up her mind.
As Sango and Kagome got into the springs, Kagome's body began to tense up. Sango looked over at her with worry.
"Something wrong? You look a little pale..."
Kagome turned her head to Sango slowly, her eyes never leaving a certain area.
"I...I sense...something...powerful...like...it's dead..but...isn't. Almost like a ghost.",Kagome managed to choke out. Sango stared at her for a few moments, and then slowly chuckled.
"Oh come on Kagome-chan! You know you're just over-reacting!"
"No Sango-chan! I'm not! I can sense it! I really don't feel comfortable being here...can we just leave?"
Kagome grabbed her towel and picked up her bath things and walked away quickly. Sango did the same, with a look of great worry on her face.
Kagome felt like puking until she dropped dead. The aura she sensed gave her stomach the butterflies, big time.
'It..It was so powerful! I thought it could've killed us just by stepping five feet away from us! I better make sure that I don't come into contact with that powerful thing again...for my sake...and everyone elses..'
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Inuyasha sat in a tree staring out at the sun with a puzzled look on his face. Something seemed to be nagging at the back of his mind. He just couldn't place his finger on it. He was just about to give up thinking and jump out of the tree, when he heard a soft voice. A very familiar, soft voice.
"Inuyasha...Inuyasha...it's me...Kikyou...", the soft voice rang out. Inuyasha's ears swiveled to the direction of the voice, and found a girl that looked to be eighteen or so, with long, flowing, raven black hair swept into a ponytail, and was clutching a huge bow with a quiver full of arrows tied to her back. She had a soft smile on her features,and her chocolate brown orbs seemed to glitter under the setting sun.
'Kikyou...what...what is she doing here...she...she was supposed to be dead!', Inuyasha thought surprised that the woman he had loved that was once dead, was now standing before him, with a small smile gracing her face.
Inuyasha hopped out of the tree, and cautiously walked over to Kikyou. He was puzzled. Deeply puzzled. Could this be her ghost? Or was this really the Kikyou he loved, flesh and bone?
"Kikyou...I thought you died...fifty years ago...didn't you?", Inuyasha asked with uncertainty in his voice.
Kikyou gave him a loving smile.
"I did...but, that's all in the past. I am now back Inuyasha, and I want to be with you again."
Inuyasha stood there, shocked. He of course still had feelings for Kikyou but, what about Kagome? He loved Kagome dearly. She showed him how to love again. Something he thought he'd never be capable of. If he continued to love Kikyou, then Kagome would never be his, like he had dreamed. Being with Kikyou just wouldn't seem right anymore. Kikyou gave him a curious glance. "Is something wrong, Inuyasha?", she asked with concern. Inuyasha lifted his head to stare into her eyes. "Kikyou, I don't understand. I thought you died fifty years ago. How are you back now? Is this your spirit?" Kikyou reached out for Inuyasha's hand, and gently led him to an area deep in the forest, where they could talk and not be disturbed.
Kikyou sat down on a log, while Inuyasha sat down across from her, waiting to hear her story.
"You remember...you remember that day when the Shikon no Tama began to get this great surge of energy?", Kikyou asked. Inuyasha nodded his head, with a pained expression on his face. The day he lost his Kikyou. "Well, a voice...called out to me. It said that the power surge was because of me. It was reflecting my emotions. I learned that the voice was, Tsubaki. The darker side of me. The side that had been locked away into the darkness of my heart. The jewel became stronger, because my hatred for the task of guarding the jewel was so great, and also, knowing the fact that you and I were not meant to be. It made me angry. My life would never be how I wanted it to be. Having Tsubaki remind me of my hatred, made it even stronger, eventually leading the jewel to consume my soul." Inuyasha stared at her with shock on his face. He couldn't believe it. And he couldn't help but feel that he was to blame for Kikyou losing her soul.
"Don't blame yourself, Inuyasha. It was my own fault to begin with.", Kikyou said, almost as if reading his mind. Inuyasha looked up at her, not even wondering how she knew he was feeling that way. "How can I not blame myself?! I should have kept my distance! If I did, you would have been alive today!" Kikyou shook her head. "If it were not for you, I would have led a bitter life. I'm greatful for you Inuyasha, and don't you ever think otherwise." Inuyasha took a deep breath, trying to control himself from letting tears fall down his face. "Wh-What happened after you got consumed?"
"A man...by the name of Onigumo, learned of the tragedy, and desired the jewel, because of me. Apparently, he was in love with me it seemed, and of course, wanted power too.. Other demons had tried countless times to come to the jewel, but because of the fact that they were demons, it could not be possessed by them. Onigumo, on the other hand, was a human. Which is why the jewel allowed itself to be in his care. Wanting to free my soul, he shattered the jewel into several shards, scattering them all across the Fuedal world, while freeing my soul in the process. But,Tsubaki's soul took over me, and killed him. That is why I am where I am today. I need to find the shards of the Shikon no Tama, so I can wish Tsubaki's soul to be gone forever!"
Once after registering all the information, Inuyasha spoke. "We know of a demon, named Naraku, who possesses some shards of the jewel. We are trying to gather them from him, before he collects every shard. If he did, the world would most likely be destroyed. And...since you need the jewel...we'll help you gather them and get rid of Tsubaki!"
Kikyou reached over and hugged him while tears began to run down her cheeks. "Would you really help me, Inuyasha?" Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her, and stroked her hair lovingly. "Of course I'll help you Kikyou! I want you to be happy!"
"Thank you Inuyasha...thank you." Kikyou said, after the sobbing had stopped.
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"HIRAIKOTSU!!!!"
Inuyasha and Kikyou looked up abruptly at the sound of Sango's voice. Inuyasha picked up Kikyou and put her on his back as he ran with his demon speed through the forest, towards the camp site. They got to the scene of about fifty demons attacking everyone. Sango was riding Kirara, while hitting all the demons she could with her hiraikotsu. Kagome and Miroku were on the ground trying to get rid of the demons that were coming towards them. Inuyasha growled and set Kikyou down. "Stay here!", he yelled, as he drew out Tetsusaiga. With his great speed, he ran towards the youkai and let out his attack.
"KAZE NO KIZU!!!!"
A blinding light flooded the area from the kaze no kizu attack. As the light died down, Inuyasha stood there, with demons slain all around him. Kagome quickly got over the shock, and ran towards Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha! I was so worried about you!", she yelled out while wrapping her arms around Inuyasha, in a tight embrace. Kikyou stood behind a tree, in the distance, watching with fogged up eyes. Tears threatened to fall down her face as she saw the young girl embrace Inuyasha. 'I...I thought Inuyasha loved me...'
Sadly, Kikyou turned away from the scene and began to walk away. 'Was it all a trick? Did he really mean that he would help me? I thought he cared for me, yet, here he is embracing another woman. How...how could you Inuyasha?'
Kikyou dashed through the forest, running farther and farther away from the scene. She felt out of place, just standing there, watching him hug another girl. She looked so stupid. With these thoughts surfacing, she began to run even faster, not even noticing the man that was standing before her.
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Inuyasha saw Kikyou run away into the forest, while hugging Kagome. He hated himself more than ever now. Why didn't he go and stop her? Explain the whole situation to her? He looked down at Kagome, who looked up at him, with a small smile gracing her lips.
"I'm just glad that you're okay, Inuyasha...", she whispered.
Inuyasha smiled a little, and released her.
"Why don't you go back to camp with the others? I'm just going to go check around the area a little. You know...make sure no other demons are around."
Kagome nodded and ran off towards the campsite.
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'I have to make sure Kikyou's okay! I have to explain to her the whole situation. I've already hurt her once...'
Inuyasha heard some quiet voices, conversing. One, he recognized as Kikyou's. Who was she talking to? He strained to hear the other voice, which he found out, was a man.
'It sounds oddly familiar...'
"Who are you? And what do you want me from me?", Kikyou asked suspiciously. She didn't trust this man. He had a foreboding presence. Her grip on the bow became tighter and tighter, in case the man were to attack her.
"Well, well, I'm surprised you wouldn't recognize me, seeing as I WAS the man who released you from your prison.", the man spoke with a smirk on his face.
Kikyou stood back in shock. How could this be the same man who freed her fifty years ago? He didn't look like the same man at all. Onigumo was a much weaker man. Although he had a foul mind, he really could not do harm. So, why was it that Onigumo was back from the grave with a much more powerful form and a different look?
"Onigumo...how are you back from the grave? Tsubaki killed you, did she not?"
The man chuckled. "Onigumo? You dare to call I, Onigumo? That idiotic, little man is not me. I am now Naraku. Remember that. As for Tsubaki killing Onigumo...who said he died? He did indeed survive. Millions of demons came to feed upon him. They merged into one, creating Naraku. Much better improvement, wouldn't you say so, Kikyou?"
Kikyou grabbed an arrow from her quiver, and notched it, aiming straight for Naraku's chest.
"You're the one...the one who is after the Shikon no Tama! Inuyasha warned me about you. You will destroy the world if the jewel falls into hands like yours! I don't even know why I never stopped to think that the gleam in your shoulder was a part of the jewel!", she yelled out while drawing back the the bow string.
"Is it because you are troubled? Troubled by the fact that Inuyasha now is with another woman? Making you run away?", he asked mockingly.
Kikyou's eyes gleamed with hatred. Hatred because this man knew very well what was going on in her mind. Just saying everything she was troubled about made, angrier.
Inuyasha heard the name Naraku and without thinking, he stepped out of his hiding place, and jumped in front of Kikyou. Kikyou's eyes widened in shock as the arrow she had just released hit another target. One that she wasn't aiming for.
...This sucked. This chapter sucked. ;-; so forgive me. I didn't really edit it, so there might be some grammar and misspellings. So I am very, very, VERY sorry! And I don't how soon I'll post another chapter. Maybe depending on reviews..or how quickly I can write...Just don't expect anything soon. Unless I write today. ;;;