Never Forgotten, Always Loved

Chapter 5

Author's Notes: By now you would've realised that I seldom update … but I do write once in a while. And this is one of those rare occurrences, so enjoy! As always, reviews are much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Inu Yasha but the plot of his story.

'She's No You'

The miko's features hardened at the sight of the scantily clad girl, and her amazing resemblance to herself. Her lips were pursed as she eyed Kagome from head to toe, observing the way her incarnation moves and always seems to be cheerful. 'Just a shell, like mine … but she does possess some sincerely within her.' Kikyou noted.

Inuyasha carefully observed his companion and her obvious distrust of the other human. Her displeasure with Kagome's outfit was evident in their conversations.

"How do you know she's me?" Kikyou asked, whispering in the hanyou's ear.

"Her scent, really like yours … and obviously by the physical resemblance." Inuyasha replied nonchalantly with a casual shrug of his shoulders. He was curious as of how she'd react.

"Oh, does she now? You've been in such close proximity of the girl?" She asked pointedly. Inuyasha was speechless.

"Are you jealous, Kikyou-san?" He smirked. The sharp miko was only slightly caught off guard by Inuyasha's playful suggestion. With an equal sly expression, she replied,

"Do you want me to be?"

Inuyasha, possessing not near the amount of wit and poise Kikyou did, immediately felt his face flush and at a loss for words. 'That's for trying to play it cool,' he scolded himself with a groan. 'She's too damn sly, even for this ol' dog.'

Kikyou, noting the amount of distress and desperation from her male companion to find a suitable comeback, laid her hand casually on his shoulder as if to signify that he needed not to reply.

"So, miss Higurashi …" the miko began to draw in a subtle manner the attention back onto Kagome. The flustered young girl took a moment of focus into her voice.

"Yes?" She replied in her usual cheery voice.

"Would you care to explain just how you came to be in our world, in detail please?" The miko asked, her expression turning back into that of complete seriousness.

"I'm not sure, really. It's all a blur. Something pulled me down the Bone Eater's well, that happens to be located at the heart of my family's shrine." Kagome tried her best to recall the situation, but found the images in her head rather blurred, unclear and perhaps even out of order. "Some really long bug, maybe a worm or an oversized centipede burst through the lid of the well and grabbed me with its creepy tentacles. She had human facial features and several lacerations … but not much of her appearance stands out." Inuyasha and Kikyou nodded apprehensively.

"What else?" The hanyou asked curiously.

"Some sort of pink light enveloped me the instant I reached the bottom of the well, and fell through the liquid bottom. The last thing I remember from that time was some distant screaming – probably from the bug lady." Kagome sighed, "Well and when I emerged from the other side of the well and walked around for a bit … I met you." She smiled, "You know the rest, Inuyasha."

"Ah … yes," the hanyou scratched his head nervously, "well, I don't know. Does she have the jewel, Kikyou?"

The miko nodded solemnly. "She certainly does. An operation must immediately be performed to remove it from her body."

"What? An operation? Isn't … isn't that a little dangerous? And I don't have anything inside of me!" Kagome protested, automatically wrapping her hands around her middle for protection.

"Where is it?" Inuyasha asked Kikyou, knowing that she's the only one with the ability to see the Shikon Jewel.

"Above her eight rib. About two thumbs down from her heart." Kagome's eyes appeared to have popped out of their sockets.

"You're kidding me … you remove anything that close to my heart, you'll kill me!" She stammered fearfully. "Inuyasha … please, don't remove whatever it is …" the young girl was on the brink of tears and crept eerily towards the pair. Kikyou and Inuyasha were becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the situation.

"I don't have a choice …" he muttered angrily.

.:8:.

"What is she worth to you, Inuyasha?" Kikyou asked softly, her curiosity cleverly masked behind an emotionless façade as they sat on the grassy slope overlooking the village. Her eyes bore into his, forcing him to answer her. Inuyasha was usually quite evasive and was seldom pinned down, but that night wasn't one of those times. Shifting under her gaze, the hanyou opened his mouth to speak – but decided against it several times. "Well?" Kikyou spoke again, in her same soft voice.

"I don't know. Just a girl … I guess." The amber-eyed boy replied as casually as possible, but was failing miserably.

"You are a terrible liar, and I hope you know that." Kikyou laughed, her happiness shining through her bright hazel orbs while her voice, light and cheery (not at all annoying) brought new perspective to the woman, Inuyasha thought he knew.

The hanyou, in the meantime, only mumbled inaudibly and played with the leaves between his claws. "Am not …" was the only coherent clause that could be heard by the miko.

"Well, it's alright, Inuyasha. I'm sure the lady is very fond of her rescuer and I have no doubt that she is thinking of you right this moment." The miko grinned. Inuyasha decided to play along with the game.

"You … you really think so? I mmmean … I have no clue how to approach her." Inuyasha began rambling like a normal love-sick fool, making insensible sentences and fidgeting before the priestess. "I don't know for sure, but I think I might like her …" he continued, laughing internally at the well-masked shocked expression portrayed by Kikyou.

"Well, in any case, I believe that you should go talk to her then." She instructed in her emotionless voice, the sadness that she felt properly hidden behind a familiar façade. The miko stood up, brushed the grass from her outfit and was about to walk away when Inuyasha pulled her down fiercely by the wrist so she fell into his arms.

"So clumsy of me …" he muttered fake apologetically before closing the small gap between them, resulting in their lips meeting.

"Inuyasha …" Kikyou began, flustered and unsure when they parted. She hated when she loses control of her body, when her strong will and intelligence is overpowered by the impulsiveness of her heart, when her emotions are in total sync to the hanyou before him. While it pleased Inuyasha beyond belief to be able to bring Kikyou down to Earth it pleased the miko too, but she wasn't about to admit it.

"Sure she looks match those of Kikyou, and her scent is closely related to that of Kikyou … but she's no you." Inuyasha explained with a genuine smile, surprised that this time, it was the polite, sacred miko who silenced the half-breed with her lips.