AU: Probably the fastest update I've ever done...

DeluxxxxInu: Thank you!

inuyashafanficfan: Thanks, I updated this just for you . Tell me, what confused you so I can clear it all up.

Rated PG-13 for Inuyasha'sdirty mouth.

Chapter 2,

Failure

Kagome nodded, notching an arrow, pulling it back and letting go. Everyone held their breath, waiting. The pink arrow whizzed threw the air, leaving a purifying dust behind and lodged itself in the serpents tooth, melting it completely. The creature began screeching in pain as it's tooth melted into nothing.

"What the hell are you aiming at! Shoot again!" Inuyasha yelled getting tired as he struggled to keep the sword in place. His sides were aching and it was becoming difficult to breathe.

The demon kept on whipping it's head back in forth, right and left, trying to get the sword out of it's bleeding mouth making it extremely difficult for Kagome to aim.

Preparing her third arrow, she aimed and tried to calm her heart as it furiously beat against her breast. Pulling back the thin string and closing one eye, she was about to let go when everything became motionless, frozen in time.

"You'll never surpass me."

Kagome lost her concentration as Kikyo's voice ran threw her head.

"Useless"

The young girl shut her eyes as tears began collecting at the corner of her eyes.

"You cannot hold a bow right. How do you expect to hit your target? Tell me reincarnation, enlighten me."

Kikyo's soft voice floated closer as her figure appeared a few distance away. Kagome tried to form words but failed miserable as her mind only showed her flashes of her nightmare. She looked at the ground in shame, trying to hide the tears.

God's the pain was unbearable.

"I-I- may not be as good as you but I t-think I can do it." Kagome stuttered, raising her head to look at Kikyo's amused eyes.

"You think you can?" Kikyo asked as she lightly laughed at the almost none existent confidence the younger girl had in herself. " You cannot think you can. You must know you can."

Kagome was about to reply when the dead woman vanished and reality set in.

"The fuck are you doing wench! Shoot all ready, damn it!" Inuyasha was mad before but now he was in rage. Here he was, probably with broken ribs, in pain, trying to hold off the demon while their only chance was day dreaming. Damn! If he could just use the Wind Scar.

"Kagome-sama! Please shoot." Miroku yelled over the serpents screeching, knowing that Sango and him wouldn't be able to do anything for the time being and Kagome was the only one who could weaken the demon, even kill it.

"Come on Kagome!" Sango encouraged her friend and gripped her boomerang tighter, ready to attack at anytime now.

Kagome drew her eyebrows, determined more then ever to hit her together. Sweat began forming on her forehead as the pressure began setting in. Sticking out her tongue in concentration, she drew back the string.

The creature kept on moving but slower now as it got tired. "Now Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, crouching low enough to spring out of the monsters mouth before the arrow would come. Responding automatically to the command, Kagome let go of the string and watched as the powerful arrow cut threw the air.

She shut her eyes, terrified of what was going to happen next. Miroku and Sango watched, scared, as Inuyasha jumped with his sword, thinking Kagome's arrow would kill it.

Kagome cracked open her right eye and was able to see her arrow miss the demons mouth and head by a couple of centimeters and hit a random tree branch. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and she tried not to cry in anger and sadness. It wasn't supposed to do that! It was supposed to enter it's throat, kill the demon and convince Kikyo she could do it. Her knees got weak and she collapsed on the ground, injuring her knees.

Inuyasha cursed loudly as he felt heavier then normal and couldn't land on his feet, instead landed on his back, furious and in pain. That stupid girl had completely missed it!

"Kilala!" Sango called, as her feline partner came to her aid. Quickly climbing onto her demon, she held Kilala's torso with her legs and raised her boomerang in the air and swung it at the monster with all her might.

The demon still hadn't recovered from the previous attack and was tired from the struggle it put up against Inuaysha, so it wasn't fast enough to dodge the fast-coming weapon. The boomerang hit the serpent knocking it to it's side and spinning back to it's owner.

Miroku, close enough to attack the weakened demon, took out his spiritual ofudas and threw them at the it. Four holy papers hit the target's head, burning the flesh and weakening it further. It shrieked in agony as the skin of it's skull began slowly and painfully dissolving. The taijiya who had caught Hiraikotsu long ago was holding it above her head ready to attack.

Seeing her opening, Sango let out a battle cry and swung the bone weapon at the fallen demon, easily slicing it in half.

Letting out a final ear shattering wail, the serpent lay lifeless in it's own pool of blood.

Kilala flew back down onto the ground, letting down her exhausted mistress before transforming back into it's small form. As everything began to calm down, Miroku met up with Sango and Kilala. Both humans shared looks of pity as they gazed at the distraught young girl. Something was wrong, really wrong.

They cautiously walked, Kilala following, to Kagome's trembling figure. Before they could reach her, Sango abruptly stopped and said, "Miroku, go check if Inuyasha is all right, I'll go talk to Kagome."

Nodding in response, he changed his destination and went into the opposite direction as Sango and Kilala walked towards her friend. Her gaze softened as noticed the slump of Kagome's shoulders.

"Kagome? Are you ok?" She whispered, not daring to raise her voice. Sango knelt down to eye level with Kagome. "Hey, look at me. It's not your fault. You're still new at it. All you need is more experience and-"

"That's the problem! I don't have experience! I am not like Kikyo!" Kagome yelled, surprising Sango and scaring Kilala.

"I never said you-"

"I can't do it, I tried! I just..." Kagome let her sentence hang as she wasn't able to finish it.

Speechless, Sango wrapped her arms around Kagome, not knowing what to do but silently comfort her as Kilala rubbed her head on Kagome's leg.

When Sango's knees began aching from the position she was in, she got up, bringing Kagome with her. "Forget about it Kagome. There is always next time."

Giving her a last pat on the back, she moved away and the two girls and feline walked towards the monk and the injured half-demon. Sango led the way, Kilala on her shoulder as Kagome dragged her feet in the back, afraid of what Inuaysha was going to say.

Miroku reached Inuyasha's body and noticed a small puddle of blood was forming under him. Quickening his pace, he reached his friends side and any negatives thoughts were crushed from his mind as golden eyes glared at him.

"You ok?" The monk asked, kneeling beside Inuyasha.

"Keh! Just scratches. They'll heal soon" The stubborn half dog demon replied, wincing as he tried to move his upper body.

"Yes my friend, that's why you're going to die of blood loss. Come on, I'll help you up." Miroku laughed at the hanyou's stubbornness as he helped him get up.

Inuaysha let out a pained yelp as his ribs connected with Miroku's side. "Watch it!" He growled out between clenched teeth.

Miroku nervously laughed and apologized and with that, both began walking back towards the girls.

Up a head, Sango and a very worried looking Kagome walked. As she silently cursed at her stupidity something dawned on her. They didn't retrieve the shards yet and Shippo was still in bushes!

She suddenly took off in the opposite direction, heading back towards the battle field as Sango yelled her name out, telling her to come back.

Screeching to a halt, Kagome arrived in front of the bushes she had instructed Shippo to hide in in a record time. She looked between a couple before realizing she didn't know which one it was. Thinking of the only logical thing her mind came up with she began yelling his name.

"Shippo!"

Silence met her ears.

Fear grasped her heart and her stomach dropped when no one answered. With more vigor then before she yelled, "Shippo! Where are you!"

Yet the silence stretched on.

A rustle in the bushes to her left caught her attention. Whipping her head to the side she saw mop of red hair sticking out from the green colored bus. Relief flooding her heart and she let out a content sigh.

"Shippo come out." She softly said, knowing he had heard her.

Tiny feet appeared first and then the rest of the body came out, her yellow back pack in his tiny fists. He dragged the bag with him as he cautiously approached the teenager, looking everywhere just incase a demon popped up. He looked up at her, his green eyes silently asking her if it was dead.

Kagome knelt down before him, smiled and scooped him up into her arms. Giving him a short hug, she set him down picked up her yellow back pack. "Come on, the others are probably worried."

The fox demon followed Kagome as she led the way. Half way in the walk, Sango came up running, looking concerned as Miroku, who was supporting Inuaysha, were not to far behind. "Where did you go!" She said, as she took deep breaths in between words.

"I just went to get Shippo." Kagome replied casually, "we also forgot to get the shards."

Sango nodded and took out her small knife when Miroku and Inyasha finally arrived. Knowing it was time to face Inuyasha's wrath, Kagome stood her ground, determined. Inuyasha stood leaning on Miroku, his brow furrowed and started emotionless at Kagome. Scowl broke on his face and Kagome mirrored his action.

Tension swirled and rapped around everyone's throat, making it difficult for them to breathe. Sango began moving her eyes towards Miroku, who later caught her gaze. She silently asked him to say or do something as it the silence became very uncomfortable.

Not all to happy to be the one to brake the silence, Miroku cleared his throat before beginning, " We should go get the shards and find shelter before night fall. Inuyasha's wounds need to be taken cared of."

"Keh," Inuyasha looked away and Kagome crossed her arms over her chest, both to stubborn to talk to each other.

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Yours Truly,

Devious