This isn't good, I'm almost finished revising all of my chapters. This means that I have to actually start generating more stuff for this storyline. (See the tears?

Dark Lineage

Shade Nine

"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered, staring at the girl in front of him. She was the same as before, only a puzzled and scared look was in her eyes. He remembered seeing her like this before, when they had met for the first time.

"I suppose you are Inuyasha? And that must be Sango and Miroku over there. I don't see a little fox thing anywhere…where's Shippo?" she inquired, peering at each of them. Sango and Miroku nodded mutely, their struggles ceasing, and Inuyasha started forward. He dumped them off his shoulders, ignoring the indignant looks that followed him.

"Kagome, Shippo's lost. We were going to try and find him…I thought you were dead. You impaled yourself on the Tetsusaiga, only yesterday." He said, choking a little. His bangs hid his eyes, making his facial expression unreadable.

Kagome giggled nervously and set her almost empty backpack down.

"Well, you see, I don't really understand this at all either. I don't have any memories of you or any of the feudal era. But Kagura filled me in on what happened-"

"Wait a minute. You say Kagura told you? She disappeared, it's not possible. Not only that, she was one of Naraku's incarnations! Then again, you don't remember…"Sango said incredulously.

"Yes, Kagura did explain that she had once been under his power. Something happened, and when she reached the brink of death, her connection was severed. There were some details, but I didn't understand them. The guardians wouldn't let her through to Hell, but instead told her that I was going to die and she would have to make sure I wasn't ignorant of the situation. Kagura was given the choice to go through the well-once-and she chose to do so. She never told me what the other choice was, but I like to think that it was a sacrifice." Inuyasha thought that this was characteristic of Kagome, always thinking the best.

"Evidently, her wind powers have been replaced with mind control. She convinced all of the humans there that she had been there for a while. Then she found me and began to tell me as soon as she was sure that I had died on this side." She paused, and said as she walked forward,

"I'm still amazed that the well really was a transport. I hope my mom doesn't know or worry. She was supposedly given a dose of demon instincts-and miko powers. That's how she sealed the well before." Her destination reached, she began to touch Inuyasha's ears. This time he let her, his surprise evident on his face

Kagome gasped when Inuyasha pulled her into a hug. She suspected that he was crying, but instead wisely just hugged him back, despite the fact that she still didn't remember anything.

"I really thought you were dead." Embarrassed, he stood back and wiped his eyes. Miroku was also crying openly, and whispering to himself, 'So this is where my feelings went. Wait…that really doesn't make any sense.''

"Okay, shard-hunter, let's get you a bow and arrows." Sango said while imprinting the image of the boys crying into her mind. This was a rare sight. Kirara purred, bringing her attention to Kagome's backpack. There was a note on the top, addressed to Sango…

Shippo transformed in to a puffy ball, went high up in the air, than transformed into a boulder, and came crashing down several times. Each time, Kimo caught him-with her bare hands, the little rock going poof into a kitsune, before the cycle repeated itself again.

"Shippo, stay down here. We're almost at the village, and I don't want you to give away the game yet. Remember, you want to get to the hanyou last."

"Yes Kagome, I remember." The kitsune said, exasperated. She had gone over this every half hour, and it was getting boring.

"Um, Kimo…" the boy began, not sure how to address her.

"Yes?" she said politely, turning to face the dark monk she'd been ignoring for the past few hours.

"The Nobu asked me to make sure that you don't go near Inuyasha and the others. It could blow our entire plan." He said, nervous about how she would take it. Kimo looked at him coldly, and replied,

"The Nobu trusts me to carry out this task. I don't need you or him to warn me. I can take care of myself." She was careful to keep her words empty.

He nodded meekly, and turned his attention to the group of voices getting louder with each step. A group of villagers and Kaede were fast approaching. He beckoned to Shippo, and they retreated into the bushes, an illusion masking them as an extra precaution. He readied an attack, in case it was necessary.

Kaede turned and looked in their direction. Her minute miko powers had been able to pick up their presence. She swiveled and spoke.

"Stay back and ready your weapons. There is a demon or some great evil nearby." She warned the group of villagers behind her. Some nocked arrows to their bows, some drew swords. She turned back to face them.

"Now, show yourselves. We both know you're there, and that you mean harm. Who are you?" Kaede demanded.

Kimo began laughing maliciously. She signaled for the monk to lift the veil. He did so reluctantly, knowing he had no choice. Kimo was vastly powerful, and while he possessed skills that she had not yet refined, there were many things that she could do to him. He tried to keep a cloud of distortion over the kitsune though, keeping in mind more words from the Nobu.

Everyone gasped when they saw her face.

"Kagome?!" Kaede voiced the thoughts of all. Kimo frowned, her face crinkling into a less than attractive expression.

"Who is this you speak of? Do you not know that I am the Kimo, dark miko, prodigy of the Nobu?!" she said indignantly, color rising in her pale cheeks. It was all a cover-up for her confusion. For Shippo to call her this was okay, but for perfect strangers to as well implied something that she didn't want to think about just yet.

She waved her hand, and the sky immediately grew darker than before. A black bow streaked with silver appeared in her hands.

"Now let's see...one arrow for all of you? Or should I have you come up one at a time to be my targets?" she mused, nocking a silver arrow to her bow and raising it.

'Kimo! You are not evil! You would not admit it to the Nobu, why are you letting it control you now?' asked a little voice in her head.

Kaede stopped the villagers from firing their weapons with a raise of the arm. Her sister, Kieoko, was telling her something, her voice in a rushed form.

'Sister. This is the miko Kagome brought back. She has not the strength of a pure miko as she had before, but her powers as a dark one are formidable. However…her soul is not whole. Interest her, and then you may rejoin your friend's soul.'

Kaede opened her then closed eyes, and stared deeply into the violet eyes of Kimo. The piercing gaze stirred something in her, something deep and uncomfortable. A message was conveyed.

Kimo's bow was lowered, as well as her head.

"I apologize." She said abruptly, and turned, disappearing as soon as the last of her purple eyes were seen. It meant that as soon as her head was turned, her entire body disappeared as well.

"Kimo? I am not sure that was wise, we will have to let Shippo take out the process another day. It is too late now, and if that Kaede hag tells them of this meeting…well, the Nobu wouldn't be pleased." The monk fussed. Kimo was having a very hard time controlling her temper, he was very aggravating.

"We will just finish up tomorrow. Please leave me now, I do not want to have to wish for a better partner."

Kaede stared at the place where the miko resembling Kagome, Kikyo, and her sister once stood.

"I must inform Inuyasha of this new piece of information."

Kagome walked next to Inuyasha, admiring both the scenery and his ears. She could hardly believe that her life had been full of this before. It was too good to be true, to have traveled with such a cute guy all the time.

"Inuyasha, let's find somewhere to sit down." No sooner had she uttered the sentence then he crashed into the ground.

"How did that happen?" Kagome wondered while helping the disheveled hanyou to his feet.

"Well, since you don't remember, I just have to tell you that when you say the word sit, I have to obey you-the rosary makes me. Not too sure about how smart telling you is, but it could go both ways." Said a disgruntled hanyou. He wasn't as irritated as he would once have been, but there were going to be limits. Sango and Miroku gaped at the way he had brushed it off.

They approached to village outskirts. There were no children playing outside, but groups of adults were scattered, murmuring worriedly. When one of the men caught sight of Inuyasha and Kagome, his eyes widened, but he tactfully did not comment on her presence.

"Lady Kaede wishes to see you, my lady and lord." He said, bowing deeply and pointing to where she could be found.

"Damn it, there better not have been another attack." Swore Inuyasha, fingering the Tetsusaiga.

"Wouldn't there be blood and wounded if there were?" asked a pale Kagome. "I'm sure there hasn't, I believe I would faint if there were gory people around here." She said, shuddering.

"Have you gone soft, Kagome? You helped us destroy many demons, most of which were not that pleasing to the eye." Replied Sango, very surprised. Kagome had not acted squeamish before. Then again, her reappearance may have something to do with it. She recalled the note she had found.

To Sango:

Your friend Kagome has died. What the hanyou told you was true. Her soul has been deterred at the gates of Hell by the guardians. Instead of becoming a ghost, or a wandering sprite, she has been moved back into a body. To be more precise, she has returned in two. One has been stationed at her home in the present. The other has been reincarnated into a body identical to the original(s). That version of her is misguided, and on a side you don't want to engage in battle. You would do best to convince the dark miko that she is good, and to tell her of her past. The demon Tetsaki may be of help, he has fallen in love with me-or so he thinks. Since we all are one and same, his attention and loyalty may be turned elsewhere.

You must protect the present-time Kagome. She is more vulnerable now, and noticeably different. Innocence is desirably in many for different reasons, but you must either harden her once more, or combine her fragments together before they each develop into separate beings. That would be the worst thing possible. The two parts must be whole.

It would probably be best not to mention this to your friends. I highly doubt that the hanyou will appreciate this 'meddling' from me, and the monk…will be best left alone.

I'll be in touch,

Kieoko

Kaede turned at the snap of a stick. Inuyasha and the others had arrived.

"I have seen-" she cut herself off as she looked upon the face of Kagome again, and then the rest of her, still dressed in the indecent clothing. Gathering her composure, she continued,

"I have seen one who calls herself Kimo. Her appearance is the same as the Lady Kagome, but her magic and attention are much different. I believe her to be the same as Kikyo was - a dark miko. My sister had contacted me, preventing bloodshed, and told me this. At the same time, the miko appeared to have second thoughts when our eyes met, and she and her company fled. There was a young man-and a kitsune that resembled our Shippo. However, if it was our Shippo, he has changed greatly."

Sango wore a look of understanding; well, more so than the others. Miroku wore an expression of utter confusion, while Inuyasha retained a look that spoke of him as clueless. Kagome just stared at the news, and felt more unwanted than before.

"We must think of how to deal with this." Sango said simply.

"Tomorrow. That is all." Kimo said simply, Shippo crossed his arms, pouting at the news. He had been looking forward to having fun with Inuyasha, who never seemed to like him much at all. Since she had said that he could do whatever he wanted without having the stronger man pound him, he had thought of many devices of torture to put him through.

However, Kimo had assured him that he couldn't go with Kaede, or else the fun would be ruined.

He didn't want to put off his time any longer, and was ready to do something rash.

"Mitsuko, my sister, how indeed was it in the spirit world?" asked Akira with a false smile on. Mitsuko took note of it, and replied calmly,

"Why would you want to know? Preparing for another visit there, maybe permanently? That would be a relief to everyone. You really are a pain in the ass, you manipulative witch."

Akira's expression never changed, but the air began to tense as the two mikos stared intently at each other. Akira relaxed first, and said,

"Still as sharp as ever, aren't we. Perhaps you can hide it from others, but since I am your sister, I know what your true personality is. Mother always favored you, probably because you two were so much alike."

"Awww, you were the one being made fun of all the time at home, weren't you." Mocked Mitsuko, clenching her fists. "Why are we doing this? There is no point in jabbing at each other, nothing is going to get accomplished."

'That is what you think.' Thought Akira to herself, allowing a small smile to penetrated her cold outside.

"Whether you were more popular or not, that is in the past. You died, and since I am the one who summoned you, you are under my command. This is what you have to do. The Nobu has taken Kagome's second fragment of soul, and is trying to turn her. You must make sure that Kimo gets relatively enough information about her past to keep her from attaching herself to the Nobu forever. However, if this knowledge is leaked too fast…there will be consequences."

She finished, extending her nails and examining them. The threat was not subtle by any means.

Mitsuko spat, but obeyed by leaving in a cloud of black mist, her features contorted in a mask of hatred.

"Tsk, you should be more grateful sister. I give you a second chance to live, demonic powers, many things. The things that will happen will see how much control I have over you though." Akira said to empty air. "Jealousy can ruin a perfectly good mind."

Shippo hummed and twirled around in the courtyard. The aromas around him lulled him into a stupor, deep enough for him not to notice the demoness creeping past him into the fortress. Mitsuko snickered silently as she observed the dizzy kitsune. 'How adorable,' she thought sullenly.

'Well, must get to the Nobu and "do my mistress proud" by acting cool and not getting detected.' She thought resigning to her fate. She thought it was quite funny that she, so innocent and trustworthy in her former life, would now have to cross , and triple cross all the people who thought they could control her. In order, she was to report to herself, Akira, the Nobu, Naraku, and finally, her sister yet again. Of course, none could truly control her, she who had held absolute power in life.

She rolled across one hallway and ducked into the next. She got into the 'groove' looking sideways in a comical matter. Mitsuko knew her superior senses would warn her long before normal ones would have suspected anything.

A hand grasped her shoulder. She let out an inaudible gasp and spun around to face Tetsaki.

He smiled grimly, and asked, "What would you be doing here?"

She regained her composure and replied harshly,

"Sneaking to the Nobu, of course. I might ask the same of you."

His eyes hardened, and he put a hand to his heart.

"The Nobu has…convinced, my lord Naraku to give me into his service for a time. And so, I shall stay here with my present liege-lord. Come, I shall take you to him then." With Mitsuko protesting soundly, but to no avail, he led the way.

Kagome stopped and shook her head. Spots were dancing in front of her eyes, and they wouldn't go away. They had been there since she had woken up, and they were clouding her vision. Inuyasha noticed, and asked irritably,

"What's the matter with you? You act like a bitch soaked in water. We've only been walking for about one or two hours."

Kagome looked meekly back, and replied,

"I can't see well. I know that this won't help, but it gives the semblance of helping, and that is enough for me. Would you like me to stop?" Sincerity shone through the confusion, befuddling her friends. Inuyasha was ready to nod, but stopped himself.

Sango shook her head. This part of Kagome was very strange, all good-girl, willing to please.

Kagome focused on one spot that didn't seem to be flickering around in her line of vision.

"I believe that, is a jewel shard. Or maybe two." She said, squinting in the direction she indicated.

A rapid cloud of dust could be seen zooming towards them. Inuyasha cocked his ear and sniffed the air, not seeming to believe what his senses were telling him. He put a hand on his sword.

"Kagome honey-where have you been? I only found you because of mutt-face here; your scent has totally changed!" Kouga said worriedly, all the while inching closer to Kagome, who looked bewildered.

"Kouga?! What the hell are you doing here? Everyone's turning up alive these days…" said Inuyasha incredulously. Miroku nodded in muted agreement.

"And what is that supposed to mean? Are the dead walking the paths of life again?" asked Kouga cryptically.

"But you really don't know? We found your body a few weeks ago, and it was not in the best condition." Stated Miroku heartlessly.

Kouga let out a faint howl of anguish and started muttering, "I knew something was wrong, it is wrong…"

Suddenly he froze and smiled strangely, almost crookedly.

"Ha, monk, stop pulling my leg. That was not true, was it?"

"I'm afraid it was, Kouga. You are acting most intelligently today." Miroku replied calmly, with a cool face. "That is most unusual."

"That was an insult." Growled the wolf youkai, and he lunged at Miroku. Kagome stepped in front, and with her knees shaking, commanded him to stop. Kouga stopped, and inquired,

"My honor is at stake. Even if you are my woman, I can't stop myself from hurting you if you continue to defend that imbecile."

"Kagome, step aside." Miroku said with a cheery grin. Kagome did so, trusting in the monk.

"Wind Tunnel!"

REVIEW!!!!