Hey everyone! Sorry for the slow update, but darn it, it's not easy writing two stories at once, you know! Plus that combined with the fact that I have had some major writer's block for both stories, well, let's just say it hasn't been easy! Fortunately, I am quite disciplined in that category and forcing myself the write in order to meet some of my more crazed reviewers' needs. Hehehe. Anyways, I am SO happy so many of you like this story so far. There is an old unofficial rule that the sequel is never as good as the first. Well, hopefully this will be just as good at least! Don't have much to say except that I don't own Inuyasha. Here's the next installment!!:

The next day I ordered Jaken to stay at the campsite with Rin while I would leave to take care of some matters. As I had predicted, he questioned me in the irritating way that he had always done. A simple icy look was all that I needed for a reason, and he immediately hurried back to Rin with trembling feet. After that was taken care of, I leapt off. My destination? I had long ago heard about a wealthy proprietor who owned an enormous library—one of the biggest in the land, or so the story said. This is where I would surely find my answer.

Breaking in was the easiest part. Most of the guards were out to breakfast, while the others were defeated quickly enough. As soon as I was completely satisfied that I was all alone, I walked into the innermost part of the library and began to search among the books. Admittedly, I could read very little of it, but I could make out just enough to understand the overall meaning. Truthfully, this was one of the last places that I would have ever thought of myself to be going into, but here I was nonetheless.

I read all sorts of stories in that hour or so. Tales of romance—how to capture a woman's heart. It was almost incomprehensible that there were so many different ways of doing this. My youkai mind was quite annoyed over how the humans had, yet again, needlessly complicated things. One story told about a Japanese man who searched for many years in order to find his love. Another talked of a couple who could only meet in secret because of the different statuses they had. I wondered if I would turn out to be much the same way—alone and desperately searching for years and forced to live that part of my life in secrecy. My emotionless mask was strong, but for something on such a large scale…I did not know what would become of me, or what I would be reduced to.

I read though more. "I did not know this process would be so complicated. One wrong move and Kagome may never look at me again." Again I was becoming annoyed with the way humans had turned something so simple into something so overly and needlessly intricate. But then, I reminded myself that love was much different and it deserved to be so complex.

It was then that I realized that I could not do this alone. I needed to seek advice from another. I grabbed a few more books and parchments. Then, without looking back, I leapt out of the room.

As I was about halfway to my destination, I stopped abruptly with a full, tense stature. My eyes scanned the area. "There…over there." I leapt up to the trees. Already I could hear my brother's piercing voice. I landed softly down onto one of the branches and peered down.

"I'm telling you, we're not lost!"

"Well, what would YOU call it!?"

"I'd call it 'it's not that much further,' Shippo. Stop being impatient!"

"But I'm tired!"

"Here Shippo, you can rest in the basket of my bike." My ears tensed. As they came closer and closer, I could feel her miko presence radiating through the trees. Already with my keen senses I could detect just how far away they really were. I watched on.

"This forest looks foreboding." I heard the monk say. "There is hardly any sunlight coming through at all."

My brother growled impatiently. "That's what you say about all the places we go to, Miroku!"

I leapt silently off the branch and over to another one that was more downwards so I could get a closer look. Amongst all the variations of scents that came from the mixed party, Kagome's stood out the most yet again. I had jumbled emotions about this—I was glad to feel her presence, but the scent was simply agonizing to my heart. I had figured out long ago that the reason it had such a powerful effect on me was because in Kagome's era, I knew, humans had many more hygienic ways for them to make their true scent more apparent. I was amazed by the fact that she could torture me so much from so far away without even knowing it. 'If only Kagome could be mine…then I know I would be able to stand it.'

And then, they appeared to me from within the trees. The ravenous taiyoukai in my mind was telling me to kidnap her right then and there, move away to some obscure location that my brother would not be able to reach, and have my way with her. That part of me was growing impatient, but of course I refused to do such a thing. Still, I was concerned that this powerful refrain was growing weaker and weaker every time I would look at her beautiful form. It was a constant inner struggle.

"Maybe if we go down the left path…er, say, what's that over there?" My body froze as I saw Kagome walk over near where I was resting. She bent down and picked up something from the ground to study it.

"Nani?" Everyone asked curiously.

My heart sped rapidly as she looked it over. "…It's a book. Someone must've dropped it while passing through here or something."

Inuyasha scoffed. "And just who exactly could have dropped it? We're not exactly following a path here…"

The fox kitsune sighed. "Maybe they were lost, like us!"

He growled. "We…are…NOT…lost!"

"Put that down, Kagome." The other woman said. "We need to move on."

She hesitated a little. "I think…I think I'd like to keep it." I watched as Kagome scanned down the pages. It was one of the stories I had taken from the library. I probably dropped it during my short journeys from branch to branch. And Kagome wanted to read the story? I didn't know how to react over this—but it was mainly fear that her expectations would be raised after reading it.

"Well, at any rate…we should be moving on…" Inuyasha looked to the west and began walking. The rest nodded in agreement and followed him. Kagome started to move forward, but she hesitated suddenly and looked up into the trees. Half of me wished desperately that she would notice me up there, and of course the other half commanded my body to stay hidden.

"…Are you coming, Kagome?"

She was snatched away from me and back to reality. "Oh…of course! Let's go!" And with that, she ran gracefully away to catch up with the others, leaving me there up on the branch…alone and angry at myself for my hesitation. When I was sure that they were gone I leapt down and stood in the same spot where my treasured Kagome once stood. I could still feel her presence, and I let out a frustrated growl for her being so close, and yet out of reach at the same time.

Suddenly, I heard a ferocious roar that answered mine. My youkai hearing immediately told me that it was coming from the direction the party went a few moments ago. Another roar, and I sensed an evil aura with it. Metallic clangs of a battle led me to a quick conclusion: the group was fighting something huge, but more importantly, Kagome was in danger. If I was capable of fearing then I would have, but anger towards the beast came to me instead. I sprinted away to where they were, and landed far from them to see what was happening.

"He has a few jewel shards! Be careful!"

"Don't worry—I can handle him!"

A laugh from above. "Don't overestimate yourself, hanyou. I'm more powerful than you can imagine."

Inuyasha returned the laugh. "We'll see about that!"

"I'll crush you to bits!"

"Shut UP already! I'm going to get you…" Inuyasha leapt up to the head of the youkai and chopped it off in one, clean slash. As it fell to the ground, even he was amazed at how easily it was defeated.

But I wasn't. 'That youkai is still alive, can't Inuyasha sense it?' No, of course he couldn't. That fool was too busy soaking up proudly in the glory of victory to notice anything. Because the youkai had a resemblance to a large insect, the body began to sway back and forth frantically…without the head. It scrambled around, and then ran straight towards the group.

"Look out, Kagome!" The kitsune cried.

In a flash I leapt out from where I hid, gave a quick, powerful slash with my claws to cut it in half, and sprinted away again before anyone could see so much of a glimpse of me. When I turned back to survey everything, I was relieved to see that Kagome did not have a scratch and the youkai was dead.

All of them looked down at the broken body with perplexed faces. The monk bent down to examine it. "…What occurred just now? None of us attacked the body, so surely…I do not understand." He looked at Kagome. "Kagome, it was about to attack you. Did you see what happened?"

She shook her head, and I thanked the deities. Just then, my brother stepped forward. "Who cares, Miroku? It's dead now, and that all I need to know! Now, let's take those shards out and move on already!" Clearly he was upset that he did not defeat all of it. I smirked a little over the immeasurable amount of ego that Inuyasha had. It was obvious that he had many more things to learn.

The monk cleared his throat. "…I suppose you're right. Kagome, tell us where the jewel shards are so we can take them into our possession." She nodded, and they set about obtaining all of them. When that was over, the monk sealed the youkai's power up with a piece of parchment.

"Okay everyone…let's move on now."

As they were leaving, Kagome looked around one last time. Clearly, she was not sure what to think. "Could it be…?" My mind silently urged her to guess correctly. "…No." She said at last. "That's impossible." My face fell from hope as Kagome turned to follow the others.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! You're back!" Jaken ran up to me and praised me return gleefully. "I hope your journey faired well?"

"It did not." I replied to him scornfully. "The matter I had attended to did not run as smoothly as I had hoped for. Furthermore, I must go out again for something else. You will stay here with Rin." He looked at me like perhaps he was expecting that, and said nothing—a rarity for Jaken.

I looked around. "Where has Rin gone? Have you not been watching her properly while I was gone, Jaken?" My eyes began to blaze in annoyance.

He bowed mercifully. "No, master! Rin's just getting a drink of water from the brook over there, that's all!" He began to tremble violently.

I turned away from him. "I see. I expect you to be her guardian when I'm gone. That includes watching over her at all times. Humans are weak, and they cannot properly defend themselves. I hope you understand this, Jaken." He nodded eagerly, hoping that his punishment would be no more than my anger.

"…Very well." I turned away from him. "I shall leave now. I will return in a few hours. Stay here." Without saying another word, I sprinted away into the trees. My destination, I knew, wasn't too far from our camp. I had traveled there many times in the goal of learning new information and obtaining advice.

As I moved across the sky I saw Rin by the brook Jaken mentioned earlier far, far below. Her black hair and smiling face reminded me once again of Kagome. Something clutched tightly to my heart suddenly, and I quickened my pace to tear my mind from it.

I landed softly on the ground. Before me was a 2000-year-old magnolia hypoleuca tree resting peacefully in the sun. "Bokusenou." I called from below. "I have come to visit you once more. I have questions that perhaps you may be able to answer."

Slowly but surely I saw him open two tired eyes. "Who calls? Is that you, Sesshoumaru?" Bokusenou peered down at me. "…Yes, I see that it is you. For what purpose have you come here, Sesshoumaru?"

I thought for a moment. "Tell me about my father. How did his love come to be with a human? For clearly he did love her."

The enormous tree sighed. "It is difficult to say. Every dozen centuries or so, there will emerge a taiyoukai who is not as concerned over power as his predecessors. Rare though it is, I believe that is what happened with your father. He wanted a family and was more concerned about that then protecting his territory. It was hardly the type of behavior that a taiyoukai has."

"I see." Could it be possible that his views were passed onto me? "Tell me Bokusenou, am I much like my father?"

The tree cast a weary eye down on me. "You are exactly half your father and half your mother, who was a proud youkai." He examined me some more. "…You have changed since last I saw you, Sesshoumaru. What has happened?"

I considered for a moment. What would be best? On the one hand, I needed advice over the matter. On the other hand, my shameful secret would be revealed. Could I trust him enough?

I decided that I could. "I am…in love. With a human female."

He stared down at me with an indifferent expression to the news. "That explains why your eyes are less cold whenever you look at me." The tree replied gruffly. "Tell me how this came to be."

I recalled the events of the castle we lived in long ago, how we slowly became drawn to each other, how I had carelessly failed to protect her from death, and the way we returned back, losing only her love for me. Bokusenou listened carefully until I was finished.

"I see." He said after awhile. "So she does not love you in return. And you wish her to?"

I nodded solemnly. "Yes, but love is unnatural for a taiyoukai. My soul and heart tell me to pursue her, but my pride and honor as a youkai twists me in two. I do not know how to confront her properly. As a result, I am tormented day by day of her and the memories I have of us together. I do not know how to react. Consequently, my strength in battle has weakened, and it will remain so as long as I have this on my mind."

"Yes." He answered. "Indeed, it is not the nature of the taiyoukai to act so. I have found that, when a youkai finds a permanent attachment, their once carefree life turns to fear and worry over the safety of whoever it is. They lose concentration in battle…some may even die from it. No, it is not natural for the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru, I see in your eyes that your love is already too strong to be reversed. Is that true?"

I did not hesitate. "Yes. I have tried to forget about her many times now, but I simply cannot help loving her. My love, I think, is the one thing in this world that I am not able to control."

"…Very well." He replied. "Then there can only be one thing that you can do at this point in time."

I looked up at him wearily. "What would that be?"

"It seems as though your need for a returned love must be fulfilled. Therefore, you must take her to the place where you once fell in love, together. This way, the human's memory of what happened might return. If not, then you will at least have the ability to create the same feelings once again. It may be the only way in this instance."

I groaned bitterly. "I have already made a vow to myself that I would not return to that place. I don't wish to lose her again."

"That's fine." Bokusenou answered. "I am not saying that you necessarily have to return to the specific place."

I stared at him. "I don't follow what you mean."

"It's simple, really. Around 1,500 years ago, a witch doctor would frequently sit under my trunk and study his craft. He would often talk to me, and once in particular, I remember how he mentioned a type of spell that could be used. With it, you would relive your memories. Therefore, you could return to the castle with her and draw the human's feeling out. I am sure that her memories of it are deep within, though she may not realize it."

I thought for a moment. Surely something like that was bound to fail. However, at this point I was prepared to try anything. "Tell me what is needed and how it should be done." The wise old tree gave a cracked smile and began telling me the secret.

Review Responses:

xypherscompany: Haha, why yes, you ARE my first reviewer! Glad you like it!

DarkPyroPlanet: Aw, don't cry! Yeah, I'll admit the ending was sad, but c'mon, aren't we all just a little sick of perfectly happy endings? Lol! Well, hopefully this sequel will make you happier…or something…yeah! Oh, and next chappy, I'll promise I'll e-mail you!

Hell's Angel-Heaven's Demon: Yes, it's because she died that she can't remember anything.

Supreme Neo slytherin Countess: Ah, that's because the translation isn't in my profile, it's on my webpage, which IS in my profile! Hehehe.

puffin: Hahaha, well you're not the only one who hated it, that's for sure! =D

OMFG: Aw, thanks lots! My birthday was cool with all the reviews!

Animesurfer: Ah, you flatter me. But arigato! Lol.

Raye:SesshyFan: Thank you! Glad you like it so far!

csailorgirl21: Yes, I hoped that the OOCness of this story would be halfway tolerable…glad to see you don't mind it!

dvine dreams: Arigato! Yes, like you many people have been waiting…

Youkai no Yume: Vira is quite curious as to what (GlOmP) means. Lol. I'm really happy that you like it! Oh, and hurry up with that WHR update already!!! I'll throw you out the window if you don't! Hehehe.

Pixy-Misa-Misao-Amano: Thanks! Yeah I don't blame you for thinking it's kinda weird, heh.

m1sstr3ss: Hahaha you think so? Well I hope you're right!

DeAtH2aLLpRePZ: Ah, another fan of TIKAQ. Well, thanks for reviewing!

sakurapetal13: lol, yeah a secret admirer, you could say it's something like that…

jazngurl: I hope this update is quick enough! Arigato, glad you like the first one!

sweets247: Aw, thanks! Hope you'll be able to read the update!

Sesshoumarugurl: Arigato! Hope you'll love the rest! Hehehe…

queenanneus: Yes yes, many trials! Vira feels like torturing him a little. Oh, I'm so mean! XD

Satu-chan: YAY!! I'm glad to see you again. And don't worry, I'm sure everything will work out soon enough!

the-evil-soup-can: What a cool screename. Anyways, yeah sequels usually aren't as good…

Aishiteru until my dieing day: Hahaha, you know what, everyone that reads my stories seem to have a tendency to read them very late at night/very early in the day. Why is that? Hehehe.

Miko-Princess: Aw, don't cry please! Onegai? Here's an update for you!

BlueDove: You're welcome! Sorry for the long wait!

Troy-ness1: Ah, but I can't tell you that! You'll just hafta find out!

Blue Rhapsody3: Kitsune chan! Glad you could come! If you wanna be a beta reader, you better apply via e-mail or I'll forget…lol.

Inuyasha-my-lover: Yeah, I'm sure it will! And a little torturous too, ne?

wren-chan: Arigato! Hope you'll be able to read this chapter!

Sesshy's koi: Yes, I hope they get together too! =D

Sapphire-Starlight: Yes, well I needed some kind of conflict! Not too many people were happy about that, though…

mai: Yeah, this is a Sess/Kag pairing. Would I lie to you? =D

Again, thanks for all the reviews! It means a lot! This chappy has a weird mixture of genres—humor with Sess trying to get guidance from romance novels, and of course tragedy from his predicament. Lol. Vira must confess that she is feeling a little guilty about this story, because after watching the eppy where Sess tries to kill Kagome, she realized that they would never actually make it! OH! But I did like the one on Saturday, when Inu pictured a family reunion with Sess! That was too funny! XD Did anyone else see that? Hehehe. Anyways, R&R! Arigato, ja ne!