D Yeah new chapter. had some difficulties with the uploading .. so I had to wait a while. --

Chapter 40 – Karma

Kagome whirled around to find a girl standing boldly behind her. The girl looked almost exactly like her, but this girl's feature seems so mean and evil. The glare that the girl was sending Kagome was familiar.

"Hello, I'm Kagome. I heard that you are one of the master archers," Kagome greeted politely, but cautiously. Kagome stuck out her hand, half expecting the girl to shake it.

"I'm the only master archer. You may know me as Kikyou," The girl replied, her tone as icy as her stare. Kagome lowered her hand.

"Oh, ok. Nice meeting you," Kagome said with a hesitant smile. Kikyou formed a sneer on her lips.

"I see you've met Little Miss Ayame. The wolf-girl," Kikyou sneered. Ayame glared at her and opened her mouth to speak, but Kagome cut her off.

"So, what do they call you? Little Miss Meanie?" Kagome sneered, forgetting the politeness. Ayame stared in amazement and stifled back a laugh. Kikyou appeared to be taken aback.

"And who are you to speak?" Kikyou said in her icy tone. Kagome flashed a hidden grin at Ayame.

"I've already told you, I'm Kagome! What, are you deaf?" Kagome said, mimicking Kikyou's icy tone. Kikyou gasped and narrowed her eyes at her.

"I can hear perfectly, and I KNOW that you are a little slut," Kikyou lowered her voice in a menacing sound.

"Ooh, that'll be the day I ask you on a date," Kagome said, mimicking Kikyou again. "So sorry, I'm not interested. I have my eyes set on someone."

Kikyou arched her eyebrow. "And that is? Surely only geeks and nerds will go out with you? Or am I mistaken?"

"Heh, don't worry your warts, you're definitely mistaken. I have my eyes set on someone," She jerked her head over to where Kouga and Inuyasha were still fighting. Kikyou looked over and glared at Kagome.

"You're after Kouga?" Kikyou sneered.

"Heh, you're probably blind as well deaf AND slow," Kagome rolled her eyes. Kikyou gasped.

"That guy is mine," Kikyou shouted. Kagome glared at her.

"You can't take a joke??" Kagome was getting annoyed... "C'mon Ayame. We're wasting time." Kagome turned to leave with Ayame next to her.

"Jigoku o iku," Kikyou muttered. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks.

"What did you say to me?" Kagome asked calmly. Kikyou smirked.

"Jigoku o iku," Kikyou said louder. Kagome gasped.

"Mocca-mocca su su!" Kagome shouted. "How dare you!" Kikyou gasped in return.

"Me? What about you? I'm not in favor of fucking myself!" Kikyou shouted back. Kagome's anger rose up.

"How do you know, you probably do it all the time!" Kagome shouted. She had the urge to kick Kikyou in the shins.

"Let's settle this then! Tomorrow! After school! 5:oo!" Kikyou shouted back.

"Fine! I'll be there!" Kagome shouted then huffed off with Ayame next to her. Ayame waited until she talked to Kagome.

"That… was totally-" Ayame started. Kagome shook her head.

"I'm such a moron," Kagome said. It was Ayame's turn to shake her head.

"That was AWESOME!" Ayame shouted, her fist hitting the air before her. "Nobody ever talked like that to Kikyou before! This'll be in the book of records!"

"Hah… Wait… Nani!?" Kagome said without any thought. Ayame giggled.

"It's ok. I'll back you up when you go fight Kikyou."

&&

Inuyasha grinned while Kouga threw a punch at him. Inuyasha dodged it. This fight would've lasted for a few days, but seeing as there was commotion at where Kagome and Ayame went, they had stopped to see what was happening.

"Hey, wimpy wolf, why is Kikyou there?" Inuyasha said. Kouga just plainly stared at him.

"Maybe… they're having one of those cat fight thing. I bet Kagome will win. She's hot," Kouga said with a big smile on his face.

"Oh, get your head out of the clouds! Why don't you just go with Ayame, wolf? You know she likes you, and the only other person you likes you is your mama," Inuyasha growled. Kouga growled back.

"Bah! Of course I'll go with Ayame… just as soon as I figure out what to do," Kouga mumbled. Inuyasha scoffed and walked away.

He met up with Sango and Miroku. "So, you two had been partnered up, eh?" Inuyasha said. He was in an unusual mood, and it was starting to bother him. He had the urge to kick somebody.

"Yeah. Unfortunately," Sango mumbled. Miroku, on the other hand, had an exceptionally large hand mark on his red cheek. He had a foolish grin on his face.

"Lecher," Inuyasha said simply. The day was over now, and the loud bells made sure of that. Inuyasha flattened his ears as a feeble attempt to block the sound. "Well, I'm going home!" He called out before he ran off.

"What's his rush?" Sango and Miroku said as they watched the back of Inuyasha's head disappear behind a wall.

&&

"Ahh! I'm starved!" Kagome exclaimed as she kicked off her shoes in a corner. She dropped her backpack on the couch and immediately went for the fridge. 'Eggs… milk… bread… ahh, nothing interesting!' She grumbled and flopped on the couch to watch some T.V. 'Boring!' She thought as she flipped through the channels. Kagome sighed and turned off the computer and went upstairs to her room.

She flopped on her bed. She got up suddenly and went downstairs. There, she saw a note on the table. She picked it up hastily and skimmed through it.

'Dear Kagome,

I'll be working late, and Souta's staying over his friend's house. Grandpa should be back tomorrow from America. There is some money in the cabinet if you need something to eat. I'll go shopping after work.

Love, Mom'

Kagome sighed. That would mean she would be home alone for almost the whole day. She wondered if Sango is doing anything…

Right on cue, the phone rang. She picked it up from the holder and answered eagerly.

"Hello?" Kagome said.

"Hey! Kagome in? This is Sango," Sango's voice was heard on the other line.

"Yeah, Kagome's here! Hi Sango," Kagome smiled gratefully. Finally! She was saved from boredom!

"Cool! You wanna go to the mall?" Sango asked. Kagome twirled her finger around her hair.

"Yeah! Meet you at my house?" Kagome said. She could hear someone else talking on the other line. "Is Miroku coming as well?"

"Yeah. Inuyasha too. We're all bored, and it would only be right if we asked you to come too!" Sango said cheerfully. Kagome laughed along.

"Oh, ok. I'll go get ready. Bye!" Kagome said before she hung up. She had to figure out what to wear- and fast.

&&

HONK HONK!

Kagome walked out of her front door and made sure it was locked. She smiled as she jogged her way to Sango's car. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, and her shirt was a v-neck that showed a little too much cleavage, but it still looked pretty hot. Kagome's low cut jeans hugged her hips and her big grin lightened up her face.

Sango wolf-whistled. "All this for the mall?" Sango joked. Kagome laughed.

"After the mall, we can hang out at my house. My mom isn't going to be back until 11:30 at night," Kagome greeted them. Inuyasha looked bored in the back seat of the car and Miroku had a hand mark on his right cheek. Kagome climbed in the empty seat next to Inuyasha. His black shirt looked pretty hot on him and his jeans fitted him well. Kagome nearly found herself drooling.

"You got staring problems, wench?" Inuyasha said heftily. Kagome blinked and looked away.

"Mou, what flew up your butt? Who'd want to look at you?" Kagome said coolly.

"Feh! Obviously you do, because you keep looking at me! What, do I got something interesting on my face??" Inuyasha retorted.

"Oh, shut up!" Sango said from the driver's seat. Miroku looked pretty content, because it was either that or he learned how to be unconscious with his eyes open.

"Man, I didn't even want to come! You guys dragged me off my couch and stuffed me in your damn car! I was almost at level 10!" Inuyasha glared at the back of Sango's head.

"Don't get your nuts in a knot! We're only going to go to the mall!

Sango parked her silver car and locked the doors. With a cheery grin, the four walked in the front doors. It was a bit full, but they were still able to get around. Sango took Kagome's wrist and led her to one of the clothing stores.

"Let's go look around!" Sango said as she stepped in a store. Kagome giggled and followed her. She looked back at the others.

"What about-"

"Nah, they'll be fine. When they're hungry they'll look for us," Sango said with a wink. Kagome smiled. She somehow felt familiar with all this… but it was painful. They were off with a fresh new start, only they didn't know that half of it.

&& -- Eh , this is like a little flashback.

Kagome knelt by her bed, her sleeves already soaked with tears. How could she do such a thing? She couldn't believe it herself. She had nearly wished them away.

Kagome looked up from her hands.

'The Shikon Jewel… it's still glowing…' Kagome stared at it and frowned. "Because of you, I lost all my friends!" Kagome shouted at the jewel and threw it across the room. She watched it roll under her bed. She stared at it for a minute then groaned as she bent over to pick it up. She knew she had to set things right. But it seemed so hard…

She couldn't do it even if she tried. She knew that she didn't complete the wish… so that means that she would still know them. But she didn't know about the others. 'Inuyasha… will he still remember me?'

She sat back down next to her bed and leaned on it. The jewel was safe away from Naraku… but she didn't know how much longer.

She retraced her memories of the night she used the jewel. 'I wish none of this had never happened and-' … isn't that what she had wished for? She would have completed it if only Inuyasha hadn't woken up. But then again… she would have been glad. After that had happened… all she saw was a great big light. And now, Inuyasha was just a name. A name with no image whatsoever. The wish had erased what she had left of her friends… so now she didn't know what they looked like. What she had left… was only mere names.

'Sango… Miroku… Inuyasha… why don't I remember what they look like?'

She knew that if she went to school… she would bump into someone whose names were Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha. Like before… and this time, she could only make sure that the same things won't happen again…

&&

Inuyasha paced back and forth in his room. 'Kagome… Kagome… where the fuck does that name come from?' Frustrated, He punched the wall of his bedroom. He stared at the hole and groaned at himself. 'Look at me… adding another hole to my collection…' He grimaced as he looked around at his walls. There had to be at least five in each one. Inuyasha flopped down on his bed.

'No matter… something will pop up soon enough…' He thought as he let the darkness of sleep take over.

&&

Sango glared at the back of Miroku's head. Yet again, another hand of his had gone wandering, and yet again, it had landed on her butt. That was just great.

A large red mark grew brighter with every second. Soon enough it was like it was blinking. Miroku rubbed his head.

"Sango… have you ever heard the name of… Kagome?" Miroku asked. Sango's eyes widened.

"Yeah… that name has been in my head ever since last night. Weird huh?" Sango answered. 'Soon… soon we'll find that person. Or at least I hope so…'

"I think I know that name somewhere… I feel as if I've met her… but have forgotten what she looks like," Sango continued. She hung her head low and sighed. "I miss her."

Aww .. they need a hug. :) Reviews help me update faster ! :D