Hi everyone, chapter 3 here. I'd like to thank Tera Earth who gave a review of my first story arc. I also appreciate his comments on one of my chapters where Tomas has the runs! It was meant to be over the top and funny. I'm trying to keep this fic in the spirit of anime. That includes totally ridiculous situations that stem out of almost nothing. Keep the comments coming. I'll be happy to thank anyone that takes the time to tell me what they think. If you people take the time to read my story and tell me what you think the least I can do is write a thank you. After saying that I'd also like to thank nanohanasai who reviewed chapter 2 of this new story arc. And in response I'd say anyone taking a swing at Kikyo would learn why Hiten Mitsurugi was such a feared sword style! There is some bad language and words in this chapter. More so than usual. If you offend easy or don't like swearing please don't stick any federal or dogs on me. I'm a struggling writer, have some mercy. Anyway, disclaimer. I don't own Inuyasha or any other animes I write about. What I do have is creative insanity so all you money grubbing lawyers, YOU'LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT!

I woke up to the most wonderful sensation. I had something soft and warm in my arms. I tighten my hold on the woman of my dreams. It happened last night. I can't believe it did. I never, NEVER saw myself with Kikyo. But here we are. And I wouldn't change it for anything. I open my eyes to see her looking at me with soulful eyes. I kiss her nose. "Good morning. How are you feeling?" She smiled. No defenses, no false fronts. I am seeing Kikyo, the woman. "Happy." She smiles wryly. "And a bit sore.." I blush but don't look away. I just return the smirk. "Well, you need more practice if you want to keep up with me!" I puff my chest out. Her smile turns dangerous. "Are you saying you….practiced before?" I gulp a bit. Smiling widely I answer "Nope. I'm naturally talented." She just smiled a bit too artificially. "Hmm, I think you could be better." I look under the covers at her nude form. "Maybe we both need more practice?"

She smiled devilishly but it slid off and she sighed. "Maybe later. I don't think I can take anymore practice and I think we need to get up sometime." I feel a little disappointed but agree. If she felt even a bit uncomfortable I didn't want to push things. It was just INCREDIBLE last night…

We got dressed….slowly. We admired eachother and stepped out of the house. My injuries mostly healed. I may have strained myself last night but I'll happily take the pain as it comes today. She turned to me. "I must go out with Kaede today. I trust you will not get into any trouble today?" I smile at her. "Me, get into trouble. No way. Now trouble finding me, that's something else!" She rolls her eyes at me and pulls me in for a kiss. Mmm, I don't think I'll ever tire of this. I watch as she left, eyes transfixed on her backside. I hear a voice comment beside me. "Yes, it is a lovely example of womanhood." I turn to see Miroku's eyes transfixed on Kikyo's backside. I smash my fist into the top of his head.

"You are too much like your great grandfather, perverted monk!" He rubbed his bruised head but looked unperturbed. "What sort of follower of Budha would I be if I did not admire the beauty of the things around me?" I half snarl at him "Admire the damn trees and wildlife. Trust me it'll be safer!" And I crack my claws.

"Hey, Tomasaru!" I look to see Kagome waving at me with a red bundle wrapped in her chest. I approach and see the red furry bundle turn its green eyes on me. I look at the little boy and ask "Hey there little guy, what's your name?" The kid snarled at me. "My name is Shippo, and I'm no kid! Don't treat me like one…" He said the last part with a pout. I can't help but laugh a little. Kagome puts him down and I kneel to the little fox demon. "I'm sorry Shippo. But there is nothing wrong with being a kid. I was one once. Enjoy being one until you can't." He just looks at me. "Wow, you are NOTHING like Inuyasha!" I chuckle a bit.

"We may be twins but we are different people. He is who he is just like I am who I am." Kagome looked at me. "Wow, you seem to be in a better mood today." I just smile. "I had a good night". Miroku just looked at me. His eyes widened and opened his mouth when I blurred, slapped my hand to his mouth and growled into his ear. "Privacy monk, or I tear off your right arm and you don't have to worry about the Wind Tunnel!" He paled a bit but nodded. Kagome looked at me innocently. "So what did you do last night?" I blushed a bit. I didn't want to blurt out what we did last night so I bent the truth a bit. "I just had a good night is all. So where is Inuyasha?" Kagome growled in a good imitation of a demon. "That….JERK is in the forest. I had to sit him a few times last night. He was being completely nuts and was trying to charge into your house!" I nod. Inuyasha probably knew what happened. Hell the smell is still all over me. I walk over to his direction. "Me and my brother need to have a long talk so if you'll excuse me."

I found him easily enough. He was right by the God Tree. "Hey Yasha." He just glared at me and growled. He sniffs a bit and his eyes practically glow gold. He grips the Teisaiga hard. "You……" he growls low in his throat. I meet his furious gaze with a cool one. "Yea Yasha, I love her. I couldn't help that. She told me she told you, that's the only reason why I allowed it. I refused her fifty years ago." Apparently that wasn't the right thing to say since he unsheathed the Teisaiga and took a swing at me. I wasn't at a hundred percent but I easily evaded his clumsy swing. I jump a bit to give us more room. "You bastard! You have to take everything from me!" I jump again away from his swing but I know my face is confused. "What are you talking about Yasha?" He looked at me and I could not see the brother I loved when we were just children.

"The one person I loved and you took her away from me!" He swung. "First through her death…" He swung at me again. "…then when she comes BACK!" I use my sword to block his next swing and I get into his face. I am still calm. Why shouldn't I be? Yasha is not much of a threat since he doesn't know how to unleash the full power of Teisaiga and I finally have the woman I love. "Yasha, I was prepared to let her go to be happy. Can you do the same?" He jumped back and looked at me confused. "All those years ago, and even to the present today I waited for one reason. To give her a choice. If she chose you I would not have tried to fight you over it. I would have accepted it since the one thing I want, the one thing I EVER wanted was the happiness of the woman I love. Can you say the same? Can you say you'd want her to be happy even if the person that MADE her happy wasn't you?" He just sneered. "It's SO easy, huh? Easy to say those words when she CHOSE you! What would you have done if she didn't? HUH?" I looked him straight in the eyes. "I would have wished her the best, moved far away and found some way to kill myself." Yasha froze and looked at me in shock. "I've lived without her for fifty long, agonizing years. In those years I have fought near constantly to create a world she could be happy in. If I were NOT the person she loved I would have set her up for life to be as happy as possible and gone away to die. I lost her once Yasha, I'm not strong enough to see her live happily with someone else."

He looked torn. I sheath my sword. "I am not your enemy nor do I want to be. I am your brother. All my life I've strived to be the best one I could. I may not have succeeded but I tried my best. Its time to look at yourself, brother. Are you being the best you can be?" I turn and walk out of the clearing. I hear his voice, hesitant. "How…how do I know? How do I know if I am doing my best?" Without turning around I answer "If you can think back at a time you failed. Think back and remember every part of that failure. If you could have done nothing more in that instance. If there was nothing possible that you could have done of prepared for when that tragedy happened, then you know you did your best."

I keep walking and I hear him again. "Is that true?" I shake my head. "It's the only thought that helped me sleep the past fifty years…"

I train in an open field near the village. I still have a few lingering injuries but I am almost one hundred percent. Now…the tricky part. I still remember what the Kami told me about fate and destiny. Miroku's wind tunnel opened up as well leading me to believe Naraku somehow revived. If it were the destiny of he and Inuyasha to fight, then destiny was going to be sorely disappointed. I am also worried about Kikyo. I think I heard that in the manga she died at the hand of Naraku. Was that her fate that the Kami was talking about? If it was then it's going to change! Kikyo will be safe in the village. Actually she'd be safer in Outkast but I doubt she'd go back. I can see it in her eyes. This is her home to her. If this destiny thing is true I know Inuyasha and his group will be safe. At least in the short run. I need to find Naraku and kill him again! Once he's gone fate's plans are tossed out the window!

I arrive back in the village to see Kikyo by the door of the house I stayed in. I walk up to her. "Won't you come in?" She asked eyes sparkling. I just nod and let her lead me by the hand.

Hot lovemaking scene here. Children close your eyes. Well it doesn't matter, we are skipping this!

I have my arm around Kikyo and look up at the ceiling. A hanyou can get used to this kind of life. My eyes slide down to the woman in my arm. Damn, I still can't believe how beautiful she is. And she loves me. ME! But….seems my life is full of them. But, it can't last. If I stay here, be happy, then something bad is going to happen. Not only to Kikyo but for everyone. This isn't about a journey or a story. This is about people and their lives. I also promised Kikyo she'd be able to live a normal life as a normal woman. That can't happen with the jewel out there. Damn, she's going to be pissed at me. I slip out of her arms and quickly write her a note. Just a quick "Hi, sorry to leave on short notice but I am going to get some more jewel shards and hopefully kill Naraku. Don't be pissed, I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you Tomas" That ought to be good enough. I put on my clothes and slip out silently. I walk up to the God Tree. Even at night it has an aura. After looking at it for a few seconds I turn around and see Kikyo fully clothed and ready for traveling. I eeped and jumped up a good ten feet. When I came down I had my hand over my heart and my eyes were wide. DAMN, how did she DO that?

She looked at me coolly. "I got your note. A little short wouldn't you say?" I shrug and twirl my toe nervously in the dirt. "Well, I figured you needed to know where I was. I didn't want you to think I was just up and abandoning you." Her eyes broke her mental shield and I saw the fury behind them. "Weren't you though? Leaving like a thief in the night!" I stifle my anger. She needs to know. "I promised you a normal life, as a normal woman. Right now with the situation with the jewel I can't give that to you. I wanted to finish the jewel and Naraku then join you." She looked at me in slight anger, not the full fury of moments ago but still an impressive aura of menace. "I am accompanying you." I look at her in shock before I put my foot down. "No, no WAY in hell!"

She put her hands on her hips and looked at me with anger as well as some hurt. "Why not? I accompanied you before." I look at her sadly. "You died before. I lost you once. Please, I can't go through that AGAIN!" She looked at me. "You promised me happiness, yet you would deny me that which makes me most happy?" I looked a bit confused because that's how I felt. She is just putting my brain through the ringer! "I know I said I longed to be a normal woman, and I do. I however, am NOT normal. I am a powerful Miko. I remember much of our travels and….I enjoyed them! I enjoyed being with you and Kohaku….and Kami preserve me Miroku as well. Helping Nena as well as so many others. When I did my duties before, they were just that. Duties. I took some satisfaction at a job well done but I felt it was only a job. When we traveled together, when I saw you help others not out of any kind of duty or loyalty, but just out of a genuine interest to help someone else it made me realize how hollow my life was. When I was with Inuyasha, he made me believe I could escape my destiny. When I was with you, you made me believe I can do the right thing no matter what my destiny was!"

My throat and chest felt tight. I never took compliments well, especially ones so heartfelt. She continued. "Please. I know the journey will be difficult and dangerous. I know that but I will still go and travel by your side as you traveled by mine. You also taught me no matter what friends stay together! I want to be with you Tomasaru, please don't push me away." I just looked at her. Damn it. I know she's going to get hurt. I feel a strange certainty that she'll die again and it will be my fault. I also can't deny her. I never could. That's the reason why I tried to leave while she was asleep. I knew I would cave and I proved myself right.

"Well Kikyo, shall we be off?" I offered my arm. I tried everything but I couldn't get away from her. Even though I know it might turn out bad I still can't get the smile off my face….

Two weeks later

"Tomas it's in the head, right above the left eye." I grunt and jump. My sword impales the spider demon in its mouth and I reach with my claw to rip into its left eyebrow. As soon as I grab the jewel and pull it out the demon starts to turn into a puddle of goo. I jump down to her side and show her the fragment. I present it with a flourish. "Your jewel my good lady." She smiles at me but makes no move to take it. "If the kind sir would wash this wonderful jewel piece so the lady's hands won't get soiled…." I roll my eyes. "You're such a baby sometimes Kikyo." She just smirks. "Though I don't see you complaining when it comes time for my spankings…" I stumble a bit on the way to washing off the jewel piece. "Just for that you get twenty spanks." She just flutters her eyes and tells me "That's a bad thing?" Man, Kikyo was really surprising me. Not only is she a…..well a lot more than a lady in bed she knows how to cut the comments. I thought it was me but I think she was just repressed….

After washing it thoroughly I hand her the jewel piece. "Better?" She just nods and lowers her head. "You know how much I hate to sully myself Mog-chan…" I just roll my eyes. We were chasing a demon that had a jewel shard right into a nasty swamp. I was holding my nose while we went in. The demon dived into the water and Kikyo dived in headfirst after it. I just blinked cause that stuff smelled NASTY. I see her rise out of the muck, her aura still glowing, with the jewel shard. After that I teased her about taking a bath for days. Now she's taking shots right back at me. The Mog-chan is just something that stuck with her. When I asked her about it her eye's got soft and told me that was when she really fell for me. When she put it like that who am I to argue?

So far we found four jewel pieces. Hopefully at this rate we'll have the whole thing collected in a few months. The compass the Kami gave us so long ago is no help. So many fragments all over the place just makes it spin wildly. On the bright side, if we ever lose most of the jewel it should lead us right to it! We set up camp and Kikyo goes out to fetch some water. Now that she is gone I can brood about something else that was bugging me. Naraku KNEW about me. He was being his normal, sadistic self by twisting his words a bit but there is no doubt in my mind he some how knows that I don't belong here. I look at the direction Kikyo left in and feel my heart just clench at the thought. I may have come here a bit differently than most but I BELONG here. Once I may have fooled myself into thinking I was just here as a clean up guy. Come on in, fix all the messes and leave everyone all happy and shiny but that's not how it went nor should it have. This is LIFE. Life is messy, unorganized, and unpredictable. I may know of what COULD happen but my being here throws all that off. Truthfully the knowledge is more a burden than anything. I know what people's "supposed fates" were but they aren't going to stay that way. We have a choice to make life better, on how to live.

My internal ramblings were cut short when I saw Kikyo walk in with water in a jar. Her miko garb is also all wet and clinging to her in very intimate ways. She is just looking at me in a too innocent way. "Here is the water. I also fell into the river and my clothing is all wet. Oh dear, whatever shall I do?" She puts a hand to her mouth like it's a real problem. Damn, Kikyo is awful playful when she doesn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders. I look at her in a pose of contemplation, my chin in my hand. "Hmm, you might have to take them off." Kikyo put her hand to her chest as in shock. "Oh, but some wanderer might see my maidenhood! Is there no other way?" I smile up at her. "You can always use my blanket good Lady" She made a pose as if thinking. "I'm not sure, could I trust a ruffian such as yourself?" I smirk. "No" I then lightly tackle her to the floor. During the past few weeks I've learned a lot about Kikyo, especially her…

I got her giggling right off the bat and where my finger went I got some full blown laughs "To-too…TOMAS stop.." she gasped as I tickled her mercilessly. "Hmm, high and mighty lady want the bad ruffian to stop……NAH!" I increase the speed of my assault. I never thought my speed training would allow me a high speed tickle attack but you learn something new everyday. Well, I have to say one thing. My mood has never been brighter!

Two days later

I catch the smell of something that REALLY darkens my mood. Naraku…I look over and I see Kikyo can feel his presence as well. It's a bit earlier than I expected to find him but I won't look a gift kill in the mouth. Without the full power of the Shikon no Tama there should be no problems dealing with him. I hope. He's smart so he must have a plan for why he'd reveal himself now. We stop and scan the area around us. It seems to waver and change. We appear….in the middle of a courtyard? With a VERY familiar castle ahead. Naraku. It seems like he repaired the place. I'm going to have fun with him this time…

"Kikyo…" He purred, then turned his gaze on me. "Ah, Tomasaru….or is it?" I looked at him evenly with my hand on my sword. "It is. It's who I am now." He just smiled at me in a condescending way. "I'm sure you may think that, but it's not true." He smiled at Kikyo. "Did you know your friend has a secret?" I felt an ice cold lump in my stomach. Kikyo HATED being kept in the dark about anything. Naraku chuckled as if feeling how uncomfortable I was with him talking about this.

"Yes, did he ever tell you that he isn't who he says he is?" Kikyo looked unimpressed. "I know this man Naraku, you cannot turn us against eachother!" Naraku just laughed again. "Oh my this will be more enjoyable than I thought. When I possessed the jewel I was made privy to many secrets of this land. One was a traveler, someone not of this place nor of this time. A man who was sent here of his own violation to meddle in affairs that does not concern him." Kikyo looked at me and I just kept looking at Naraku. How could the jewel tell him ALL of that? He got my wish down to the nutshell!

"Hmm, yes. You were very impressive for a mortal whose previous life was that of a scholar. But you were still a mortal. Dissatisfied with your current life and instead of changing it you used a wish and traveled your way here. The truth is you are a bigger manipulator than even I! You are to be commended….Tomasaru…" I growled deep in my throat. How….how can he KNOW?

I draw my sword. "Great story Naraku. I got a better one. It's about a hanyou and a priestess kicking your sorry hide all over. I'm pretty sure you heard that one. It was big fifty years ago!" Naraku just shook his head. "Trying to distract from the truth with bravado. You must be getting desperate…" I half snarl. "Listen, I really don't care about all this crap you've been saying. I care that you are somehow alive after we killed you and you activated the Miroku line's Wind Tunnels again." He just smiled. "I am alive because it is my destiny to weld the power of the Shikon no Tama. You, who don't even HAVE a destiny can not stop me."

I grin and Kikyo answers "We stopped you before Naraku, we can do so again." He just sighs like he is dealing with fools. "The only reason you stopped me, was because I was never supposed to have the jewel at the time…" I nearly drop the sword. So, we are back to fate then huh? "Fools. You can not stop what is to be! I know the future and you two….are not in it…"

I spare a glance at Kikyo. So that's what the Kami meant. Kikyo's fate was sealed… "No…NO!" I got both of their attention. Good. "I don't care what you say Naraku. The future has not been determined yet! Our lives and our will won't bend to any supposed fate!" He just gestured to an empty space. "Why don't we look at a bit of a show? I think you have probably seen this but I don't think Lady Kikyo has…" The space where he gestured waves and formed into….a TV Screen? Playing….Inuyasha! Damn, complete with sound!

Before us played out the sequence where Inuyasha and Kikyo were tricked into betraying eachother. We saw things from each of their points of view. It must be creepy for Kikyo, hearing her own voice spoken by the anime character. Kikyo looked on in shock while I was getting angry. Angry and scared. This should be beyond Naraku, especially without the full power of the jewel. "Enough Naraku!" He just smiled evilly. "You don't like that show, I must admit it was one of my favorites. How about another? How about….a pathetic little nobody getting granted a wish….by….lets say a blonde goddess! Doesn't that sound like something….entertaining. Right….Tomasaru?" Kikyo just looked numb in shock from seeing that little bit from the anime. If she saw what Naraku claimed he had, it could destroy her. Exactly what he wants…damn.

"Enough Naraku! What the hell do you want?" The playfulness left his face. "I want my destiny! I want the power that you took away. And I want you to suffer. Enjoy the show." He faded out of existence as well as his castle, the only thing left was the window showing….me. As I was before the wish. Just a chubby Italian guy talking to a blonde supermodel. Kikyo listened at the exchange. The final wish granted. Then, a scene of a burning bedroom, of a beautiful woman whose arms were filled with two small white haired bundles. Then, the screen just faded away as with the castle. Kikyo looked….devastated. Her face was lined with tears. I am hoping its due to the stress but my luck was never that good.

"Kikyo?" She stayed on her knees where her legs gave out. I reach out and touch her arms when she stares at me eyes wild. "Don't touch me!" I raise my hands and back away from her. She rises and stomps toward me. "Is it true?" I try to put my hand on her shoulder while saying "I really don't think it matte…" She bats my arm off. "Don't you DARE say it doesn't matter! Is it true? Do you now even exist? Is everything you are just some sort of a lie?" That hurt but wasn't totally unexpected. After all it WAS technically a secret.

I just sigh. "I am who I am. I never lied about that. I'm here, I'm real. You're felt my, talked to me. It….is true that I came from a….different background than everyone else. But that doesn't mean I'm not…who I am." Damn, this is confusing me. I feel like that clone of Jack O'Neil from SG1 explaining his existence! Kikyo just looked pissed. "I can't BELIEVE I trusted you. That I loved you! You are just like everyone else in my life. A damn liar!" She stormed off and I grabbed her by the arm. "Now just wait a…" I was stopped by Kikyo's power which washed over me like a torrent. I refused to let go. I felt her jerk her arm away but I kept it in a soft but firm vicelike grip. I can see her tears through my haze of pain. "Not….til….you….hear…my sii….AHHHhhhh….". After hose words I passed out from the pain.

I woke up in the evening. I saw a fire going and I see Kikyo tending the fire. "You didn't leave…" She just glared at me. "If I left you would have died. And then I wouldn't get any answers….and if the answers are NOT satisfactory, I may have vengeance." I gulped. No doubt in my mind she means every word of that. "Fine, I'll tell you everything. From beginning to end."

She was just staring at me silently. OK, no help there. "My life, at least my first life….well the first life I can remember was one that was at around Kagome's time. I was born to a land far west of here. In a country that will not be found for a few more hundred years. Naraku was telling the truth, I was somewhat of a scholar. The reason why I never seemed like it or used it was that nothing of it could apply to this time period. I studied mainly math and computers, computers are….well they are complex and lets leave it at that. I worked and I studied but my life felt empty. I had a nice family, decent job but I felt….useless. Like nothing I did really mattered to anyone. When I die, would anyone remember something I did as worthwhile? Then I made a phone call, it's a device that allows you to talk over great distances, I made a call and this woman answers and tells me I get a wish. And another woman appears and asks me what I want." I take a deep breath and look at Kikyo. I can see some tears but other than that her mask is on tight.

"So, I get this wish, but I don't know what to wish for. I wish for peace in the world but the woman said I can only make a wish that affects myself. I really didn't think I could make much of a difference to anyone where I was now. I wanted a fresh start but not completely fresh where I would not know my past mistakes. I….learned of the story of Inuyasha. A half demon who's trials were endless and had almost nothing but pain and heartache his entire existence. I figured I could use the wish to help him. I could only make a wish that affected myself so it put me in as his twin. Everything else is all me." Kikyo still looked at me with her mask on. I get a little angry. "Come ON! Do you think you would have believe A WORD of this? You had trouble believing that I wanted to help you!" Kikyo just kept on with the stare and expressionless face.

I can feel my heart breaking at the sight. My voice started cracking. "What was I supposed to do?" I get up and turn to her fully. "WHAT THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?" I slumped back down with some tears lining my face. "My life, before. It didn't really mean anything. What good was it? So I remember more about another life than most people. So what? Everything I did I did because it was the right thing to do. Because it was how I, ME, Tomasaru felt! I am who I always was. Nothing has changed. I haven't changed."

"But my views of you HAVE changed!" I look at her with wide eyes. "Wha…What do you mean?" She sighed and looked at me with a sneer. "I thought you were honorable. I thought that you would never lie to me. You would think after all this time I would learn that NO MAN can be trusted." I got up to face her. "Hold on! You're saying just because I didn't tell you something that had no relevance in either of our live PLUS the fact you'd never have believed it makes me untrustworthy?" She nods her head. "If you did not tell me about this, what other secrets are you hiding?" I look at her….I stare hard at her. I can't help it, I laughed. I laughed hard. I was crying in emotional turmoil but I was laughing hysterically.

I try to compose myself "You.." I chuckle a bit more "…have GOT to be shitting me! I can't believe how DENSE you are!" Now I see anger in her eyes. Good. "You are truly truly sad if YOU think me not telling you about a life that has NO FUCKING BASIS on this one!" I start giggling again. I'm losing it. "So, I'm a liar huh?" I take a step toward her and she takes a little step back but firms herself. She meets my crazy gaze with a steady one. "Yes". I laugh again. "So, because I don't tell you something you would not have believed I'm a great big liar?" She doesn't take my mocking well. "You never gave me the chance to choose for myself if I believed it or not." I shake my head. "So if I crapped at the base of a tree when I was four, you'd like to know that as well?" She just looked at me in confusion.

"Well, I didn't tell you about that, well then I guess you want to know about everything. You know I probably broke a few branches jumping in the trees, that make you feel better?" She's already angry, I'm just adding some more fuel to the fire. "Damn it Tomasaru this is NOT funny!" I laugh at her again. "Come on Kikyo, it is WAY more than funny. You realize what fucking HELL I've been through for you?" I don't give her time to answer. "Of course you do, buts lets do a little recap huh? That sound like fun since you seem to be focusing on my past. OK, lets see….."

I look her straight in the eye. I'm pretty sure mine are glowing from how pissed I am. "Lets see….hmm, when I first met you I stopped you from dying right in front of your sister. Yes, must have been part of my sinister plot. Hmm, then I save you from fighting Naraku when you could barely go three feet without stumbling. Yes, I am a bastard aren't I Kikyo?" Kikyo tried to cut in "Toma…" I scream, cutting her off. "I'M NOT FINISHED! Come on, listen to what a bastard I am. I travel with you, protect you. Help out hunters looking to kill me and keep perverted monks from grabbing your ass. Gee, I deserve an arrow right to the HEART, don't I? But wait, that's not the end to my despicable history. I help more people, and more villagers, probably trying to sucker poor you in. I mean, I fight Kamis and demons using the full strength of the jewel, I HAVE to have an angle. Oh, then I actually FULFILL your last request. Oh GODS, I should just burn in HELL, shouldn't I? HUH? Then, oh yeah. To impress you while you are dead I decide I'll just TORTURE myself for a few decades. You know. To impress you from suddenly rising from your grave. After all, I have some damn plot in this evil head of mine. So lets see, I travel, help people, get impaled….gee, maybe you should just put me down now Kikyo!" I see her crying and she whispers "Please Tomas.." I put my hand up. "Wait, I've got more to confess!"

"So here I am, wandering around, feeling sorry for myself for not saving you. Gods, what's wrong with me right? So I go to a certain village and see a certain dead woman. In an act of total selfishness I use up a favor granted to me by a KAMI to give you back the life you lost and to ensure your life and soul are your own. I then put you in a village where you can do ANYTHING you want. Then I LEAVE to make sure that anything you do is your choice. You know what Kikyo, Naraku is right, he don't light a candle to how evil I AM? RIGHT?" I'm breathing hard from my tirade and blood is pouring out of my palms from where my claws pierced the skin. After all we've been through she DARES think that I was FUCKING with her head? She looks at me frightened. Yeah, she actually looked scared. And that's yet ANOTHER thing that PISSED me off!

"One more thing. You're looking a little frightened there Kikyo, I think there's ONE more thing I should confess." I stormed over to where she stood. I moved to less than a foot away and leaned into her ear. "When have I EVER gave you reason to fear ME?" I then step away and move to sit down by the fire. I toss her a blanket. "I think it's best we don't sleep together honey, so bundle up, its cold tonight." I just looked into the fire. I didn't know what was going on in her head and right now I could care less. If all we went through together can be destroyed from just one damn thing like this then I was the biggest fool in the world to think this could actually work!

I woke up a bit early. In fact I didn't get much sleep at all. After I told Kikyo my origins then her reaction just set me off. I know she had trust issues but DAMN! She got a bit too controlling there. Especially for something she'd never have believed without Naraku's little "This is Your Life, Hell Edition" display he put on. I look on at Kikyo's troubled face while she slept. Damn, I am a whipped puppy. Even though she deserved the tongue lashing I gave her I can't help but feel bad for hurting her. Damn I wish I could be heartless and dump water on her or something to wake her up but….I just can't Cursing myself for being such a wimp a gently take hold of her shoulder and lightly shake. "Kikyo, rise and shine. It's a wond…..well a new day is here."

She groggily awake and took me in as I gently wake her. Unlike all the times she's woken up to my face, I don't have a smile on. Neither am I in a very happy mood. "Come on Kikyo, we have to decide where to go from here" She shook the sleep from her eyes and sat up. She wore her blanket like a cloak. She looked at me sadly. "I thought you wanted nothing more to do with me after last night." I shook my head. "It's not THAT. I won't lie, I'm still angry at you Kikyo. Very angry. But I love you" She seemed surprised to hear me say that. "What, you think I'd throw away everything we had together because of one stupid fight? Come on, we've been through a lot worse together than a fight!" She still looked sad and moved her eyes to her lap. "But, what you and I said…" I cut her off. "Yea, we both were angry, and we both had our reasons WHY we were angry. We were both right. We were also both wrong." I gentle took her hand in mine as I kneeled in front of her. "This is not going to be easy. We both have a lot of pride, that's a good thing sometimes, but it is something I refuse to get in the way of what's truly important."

Kikyo just looked at me with her stone face on. I can see it cracking a bit. This giving me a new strength as I push on. "What would that be?" She asked in a calm voice. "For me, it's you. It always has been. For us it's being together and being HAPPY. Kikyo, you told me that first night we were together that you were happy. That's all I want, all I ever wanted. I want to keep making you happy, I want to be with you for as long as I draw breath and beyond. What we have, it's special. I'm not saying it's all going to be easy. Look back to what we've gone through. But in the end. At the end of the day, watching the sunset with you, traveling with you, all the little things we do for eachother. THAT'S what's important. Not the fights, not the who's right and who's wrong, but to be able to look past whatever flaws or mistakes the other person has and look past them. Look to what's truly important."

She smiled at me. It was a small one but it's a big victory none the less. "So it's important to you that we stay together?" I shake my head. "I told you it's important to me that you are happy. I never said I was perfect. All the times you pulled my ear and dragged me halfway around a few villages should have taught you I'm not." I get a little burst of giggles out of that mental picture. "All I'm saying is to think about what I truly did wrong and if it's that's bad for you. I meant what I said, I do love you and I truly did believe that you'd never have believed what I told you." She shook her head at me. "Do you know why I truly felt so angry and betrayed when Naraku revealed this?" I shook my head. "Because you BELIEVED that I would not believe in you! How many times have we stood together, side by side against all odds? And after all those times you did not think I would believe you about something when you tell me its true?" I wince at that. I really never thought of it QUITE like that. I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it gently.

"Kikyo, we can't change the past but we can learn from it. You're right. After all we've been through it would not have been a stretch for you to believe me and I am sorry for doubting you. All I can do is promise you I'll not commit the same mistake." She squeezed my hand. "I too, apologize for my outbursts. I let my anger cloud myself." I shake my head. "You're not the only person who's anger got away with them. Let's just promise to learn from this and let this go. This….is not something I want to dwell on. But will not forget." She nodded. "Yes, I will forget either." I stare at her. She stares at me. I scratch my head. "Uhm, what's for breakfast?" I FINALLY got her to facefault!

Recovering a moment later she looks at me in shock. "After we confessed ourselves like that you are thinking of EATING?" My stomach chose THAT moment to growl like a hungry lion. I blushed a bit. "Well, it sort of snuck up on me, I was hoping to say something else before my stomach made itself known." Looking a little miffed Kikyo stared at me. "Really, what WAS the thing you were going to say?" I shrug my shoulders. "Nothing much, just this." I lean in and cup her face. I then kiss her gently on the lips. I look deep into her eyes and say "I love you Kikyo, I will always love you no matter how bad things get or what was said."

I can see the emotion running through her eyes "Oh Tomas, I love you too. I'm sorry about earlier, I let my anger get away from me. I'll try not to get so ang…." My stomach chose THAT moment to again tell everything in fifty yards that I was hungry. Kikyo's eyes flash and I am no longer seeing love, just extreme annoyance. She grabs my right ear "Dammit Tomasaru I am TRYING to show my affections and how much I LOVE YOU!" As she was saying that she was ripping into my ear. My whole body was being practically dragged into the air by her grip. I was flopping around while she declared her love. I could only whine one thing while my ear felt like it was ripping off. "Ohhh Kaaaaammmiii! Love huuuuuuuurrts!"

After making breakfast while I tended my ear wounds we were off again. We weren't so lovey dovey as when we first started but we were on the road to relationship recovery. I STILL wanted to find Naraku for his beat down. It was probably better in the long run that she knew, but NOT like that. Sheesh, never the easy way with us is it?

We stopped by a village about two days in. We had mostly forgiven one another. We slept together but sleeping is all we did. Right now we just needed the comfort of eachother against all our hurts. I figured we finally are on the right track when I catch a scent, or a few familiar scents. I catch a faint voice "I can sense jewel shard, quite a few of them, this way!" Naturally I had Kikyo pulling my other ear in excitement. "Tomas! There are jewel shards." She jerks my head by my ear in the direction I heard the voices. "It's that way!" I just groan in pain. "I know Kikyo…."

Kagome, Shippo, and Miroku emerge and look in shock as Kikyo has me by the ear bend almost in half, pointing me right toward them. Inuyasha just walked in, took one look at me, snorted in amusement and said "I TOLD you I smelled them." Kikyo is looking at them in some embarrassment so I talk low to her "Can I have my ear back?" She realized what she looked like ripping into my ear and immediately let go. Being in such an awkward position gravity took firm hold of me and I landed face first into the ground. I looked up from the dirt to see Shippo bending down to look at me. "Yup, you're Inuyasha's brother all right!" I just whine on the ground while everyone chuckled over me. "I saved the world….why can't I get any respect….."

Seems Inuyasha and Kagome have been busy little shard hunters. They have about a fused quarter of the jewel. With our shard we have a bit more than half. We are almost done. Almost. Can't get complacent now. I'm just trying not to wince as Yasha is getting into Kikyo's face about the shards. "We should be the ones holding them! It's Kagome's anyway Kikyo. You gave it up!" Seems he has a bit of hostility toward Kikyo. Probably the break up. "Yasha, the fragments are safe and Kikyo IS a good protector for them. You'll have the damn thing whole soon enough." He just glared at me. "I wasn't talking to you!" I guess he's got some hostility toward me. I wish I could say I didn't know WHY. I see Kagome glaring at Inuyasha. Oh no. "Yasha, I think you might want to…" He just whipped his head at me and actually put his hand on the hilt of Teisaiga. "Shut UP! I told you I don't want to hear anything out of your damn lying MOUTH!" Kikyo looked a bit spooked at the comment and I guess she's thinking of the little secret we fought about a while ago. I look at Kagome and it seems she's reached her limit. "SIT!" BAM. Well, argument won….

It has reached the evening and we were all sharing a room in an empty house of the village. Having two mikos and a monk, no matter how perverted, opens doors it seems. I am playing with Shippo on my lap while Kagome and Kikyo have a talk. I really EALLY hope it isn't girl talk. I then notice they both look at me. Kikyo whispers something in Kagome's ear that I can't quite get and I see Kagome go red. Damn it Kikyo….They both start giggling again when they notice my expression. I look at Shippo down in my lap and he seems to think that my situation is funny as well. Wait till you grow up kid, I'll remember this! Miroku was the picture of Zen like calm in his meditative pose but I didn't buy into that one bit. His great grandfather snuck in A LOT of conversations by pretending to be in a trance like state. Gods, what the monks do just for a grope….

Inuyasha is all by himself, sulking. Well, I feel bad for him but he really brings it on himself. He is always so damn aggressive, even to the people that want to help him the most. I sigh and tell Shippo "I think I'm going to talk with the Grump for a while." He giggled a bit at my new pet name for Yasha but looked pensive. "You sure? He doesn't seem to like you that much." I smile at the little kit. "That is an understatement. But we need to clear the air. Make sure Kikyo and Kagome are distracted. I don't need them to sit Yasha, we need to really finish this stupid fighting." I walk past Yasha to the outside. "Come outside, brother" without breaking stride. I walk outside the village to a nice clearing in the trees. He'll know were I am. After about two minute I smell him approach. He comes out of the brush looking at me in distrust and a bit of hatred. Damn it, how did things get so damn FUBARed?

"What the hell do you want?" I shrug. I expected hostility. Hell, I'm expecting an attack. "I want things to be good between us." He barks out a bitter laugh at that. "Good? GOOD? Are you STUPID or something?" I smile at him. "You're not the first one to say that. But no, I am not stupid, just tired. Tired of fighting with one of the people I do not want to. With my family." Yasha just growled. " We are NOT family, not after everything you've done!" I look at him evenly. "Yasha, what the HELL have I done that was so unforgivable? I love Kikyo, yes. Yes, we are together. I did not want that to happen, I in fact fought it tooth and nail. I can not deny my heart Yasha, even if you can." He looked at me suspiciously. "What the HELL are you talking about?"

I smile. "You and Kagome of course." He just looks like he's about to draw his sword. "I do NOT like Kagome, she's just my shard detector, THAT'S ALL." I raise my eyebrow. "Really, hmm. You got the Teisaiga to work when you protected her. A selfish reason like protecting a shard detector wouldn't have done it. You had to have TRUE fee…" "SHUT UP!" He roared unsheathing the Teisaiga. I hastily draw my blade to keep from being cut down. DAMN, he's gotten faster!

"Are you CRAZY? I'm just talking here and you are drawing your sword on me!" He just snarled. "I'm through with talking. That's all you want to do, talk talk talk. Fight me DAMN YOU!" He swings at me a few times. I dodge some of them and forced to block others. Damn it Yasha….

I jump twenty or so feet away. I sheath my sword and keep my hand on my hilt. "Is fighting all you wish to do? Don't you want more out of life than this?" He just looks at me in fury. "Fine, a duel. I win, you actually listen, you win I shut up and I'll only talk when you want to, fair?" He smiles ferally. I think he was in at the words I'll fight you….

I blur and swing at Yasha, I don't want to prolong this. He blocks my swing and takes one of his own. By the time his swing connects to the spot I was in I was long gone. My brother's sword is POWERFUL, of that I haven't a shred of doubt. I could FEEL its power even while its dormant. In this fight I can sense it bubbling to the surface, waiting to be released. I thank all the Kamis in the world that he doesn't yet know how to release it. I dodge most of his strikes, going under his guard for a quick cut or kick. This just him angrier which in turn gets him sloppier. I jump out of his reach and speak "Yo, Yasha. This is a duel, not a damn death match. Control yourself a bit!" My words seem to only get him angrier and he charges at me. I duck under the Teisaiga's swing and hit him the chest as hard as I could with the bottom of my hilt while drawing my sword. The hit sends him skidding down a dozen or so feet before he swings the Teisaiga down and stops himself. I continue as I was not interrupted. "Look at me! You want a fight, fine! I'm giving you one. Ou can at least do the same. Calm the hell DOWN and THINK! You are a great fighter but not when you are so angry you can't see straight. Watch my style, watch how I fight, use my style to your advantage!" He doesn't look furious anymore but still quite pissed.

"Well how the hell am I going to do that when you keep running away and I can't hit you!" I shake my head at his apparent stupidity. "Yasha, look at your sword, look at mine? Mine is made for speed in mind. Yours is made for power. Think of it in elements. I'm more like water, I flow out of your reach and I attack you in a wave, crushing you beneath me. Your style is like that of fire. Slow at first but can burn quickly and leave only ashes behind. That's fine. I'm just trying to get you thinking about where you'll be….say after four swings, or even where you're second swing will be going." He looked thoughtful but then mistrustful. "We are dueling, why the hell are you telling me all this?" I just shake my head. "I'm not out to kill you! This is just a stupid duel. And I'm telling you this so you'll improve! I don't want to see you die Yasha, no matter what you think of me. And….it seems fighting is the ONLY way you'll listen to when I have to say!" With that I blur and unsheathe my sword sending a cutting wind attack at him. He just puts the wide edge of the Teisaiga to shield him. Good, he's learning. I attack with my sword and I'm proud to see he's not swinging in such wide arcs. He keeps his sword close to his body and shifts it to block my attacks. Since it is such a big sword he can just move it slightly to improve his defense. I give him a wide smile. "Good, you aren't letting me get in your guard anymore." He just gives me a tight smirk and attacks.

Whoa, he's getting pretty good. Only from a few comments and criticisms. Damn, took me a while longer to grasp this sort of stuff. I guess you need to be a prodigy to survive the crap he had to in the original series. His sword glows and I widen my eyes. I leap out of the way and see the devastation he left in the spot I previously occupied. "Damn it Yasha, I said this is a duel not a damn DEATH MATCH!" He just gives me a cold look and attacks again. SHIT! This is actually worse than a Wind Scar. Power decreases over time and space. In Power for Dummies that means when using a blast, the further away you are, the weaker the blast. Since his power is concentrated so close to his sword it's like a Mega Wind Scar every time he swings his fang. SHIT! I leap backwards and he's following me. I don't see any kind of compassion or any sort of emotion in his eyes. They are just dead. I leap to the side as another swing blasts me a bit further away than I thought it would. I set myself for using my Wind Scar on him. I can see all the lines of power I could ever need to start it off. But…it could kill him. I try to make the swing but…I can't. While I hesitated he approached me faster than I thought he could have and brought the Teisaiga down in a crushing over the head motion. Shit, I can't dodge. I place all the power I had into my sword and place it to block the blow. This won't be pretty. I blocked it and moved his sword to the left while I tried to roll out to the right as I blocked I saw my sword start to crack, when I pushed with all my might to change the direction of the swing so not to be cut in half it cracked even more and stattered, spraying me and Yasha with bits and pieces.

I roll and look at my broken sword. My first thought was 'Oh no, not again!' My second was 'That was a KILLING blow!' I looked at Yasha and he was smiling evilly at me. I couldn't fight, not now, not what might happen. "Yasha, you win, I yield, this is enough!" He just swung the Teisaiga on his shoulder. I see a small speck leap toward Inuyasha. "Master Inuyasha, you have won the match, please you do not know what might happen if this should.." He just swatted Myoga away and moved the Teisaiga back to a two handed grip. He was serious…he's actually going to try to…kill me. I can see the power radiating off the Teisaiga. Father's sword….his fang….should NOT be used to slaughter his children! "Yasha, please stop, LISTEN! You won, there's no…" I never got a chance to finish my plea when he cut down the spot I was speaking from. I rolled away but the power from the strike and from the sword itself burned and blew me several dozen feet away. I bounced along the ground and tried to roll with the impact.

I look at Yasha and feel….anger. He's trying to kill me, my brother, my twin….trying to kill me. Well….this is war then. I can feel power well up inside me. My claws lengthen. I smile with my enlarged canines emerging. "You want….a fight to the death. Fine, sounds…" I lick my lips "…enjoyable." I takes another swing at me and I blur out of the way and to his exposed side. With contempt I slash him open. He cries and flies off to hit a tree….hmm or two since he went through one. He is getting to his feet. Good.

"One hit and you look like you are dead on your feet. Hmm, well you will be!" I sent out a few energy needles at him which he blocks with the Teisaiga. Damn sword. I smile. I create an energy whip and grap hold of the sword. "Lets play claw to claw like the good old days….brother." I yank the sword out of his grasp and rush in with a closed punch to his nose. Mmm, blood. He holds onto his empty sheath. Hmm, going to fight me with that? Desperate. I hear the air parting and smell power so I leap straight up. I see the sword fly right to his hand and transform again. Hmm, well him fighting with a sword is an easier kill for me….

I rush him and I see he raises the Teisaiga like a shield. Foolish brother. I quickly leap over him and send an open handed claw strike right to his unguarded back. I feel my claws slip into the hot flesh of his lower back. I wiggle my fingers a bit to hear more screams of pain before I slowly pull it out. He slumps to his knees so I kick his sword and the sheath away. I roll him face up so he can see my face. I make a show of licking his blood off my claws before speaking. "Aren't you happy brother? You wanted this. I guess we know which one is the strongest. And which one of us is bleeding and broken under the other's heel." I stick my foot in his open would so I can see more pain in his eyes. I love ripping a hole straight through someone. "You look to be a bit hurt Yasha, maybe I should just send you off? After all there is no need for weaklings in this world, right?" I smile in hunger. I can finally take the life of my defeated foe and maybe even tear the flesh off his rotting corpse! I raise my claw so he can see his own blood dripping from them before I deliver the final blow. I start moving my claw down in which would have been the fatal strike when a burning pain in my back distracted me.

I jump off Yasha and rip off the ward before turning to see a man in purple robes preparing another ward. A memory tickled through. "You AGAIN monk?" I growl. I see a child try to make its way to my bleeding brother. I blur and catch it and place it between me and the monk with the burning wards. "Now now, you send another one of those things and I'll make sure this little creature gets hit with them. I can see frustration in his eyes. I look to the little kit and see fear there. Mmmm, I can smell its fear as well. I hear more people coming. Damn. I guess killing my brother will have to wait. I want the death to be one on one. I want the personal satisfaction of ending his miserable life. I look at the child in my claws. "Can you fly?" He looked in confusion as I tossed him at high speeds at the monk. I see them both go down as I disappear into the forest. There will be other nights to hunt.

I think this is a good spot to end the chapter. This one is a bit darker bt like they say, it's darkest before the dawn. The dawn isn't for a WHILE but I'll be shedding some moon light for this story. I hope people aren't offended at some of the language used in this chapter. I'm trying to keep the serious parts serious and that would be difficult when people in the midst of a heart wrenching argument say stuff like fudging or dang darn it! Writing the chapters longer means longer times till I update but I hope people are liking the story so far. I got a few reviews which I am very happy about. Well, one review for this arc but I'm hopeful I'll have two or three…..in a month maybe? Review, it's not for just movies anymore!