Chapter 11

Among The Living

inuyashas hun: Well I'm glad I answered your question. I had never seen the two hanyou get together to form a full youkai, so I tried it. : grin: she called me smart… did you hear? Lol, thanks for the review.

ArwenRivendell: I feel so stupid right now. I went back to check your last review to find out what you were talking about when you said harsh, and I realized I read it wrong. You said FEWER spelling errors, I thought it said but I still needed fewer spelling errors… does that make sense? I agree with you totally, I try not to have a pencil around when I reread my fics because I always have to make some correction. : cough: Anywho, I'm glad you liked the chapter, and read on, soon I will get back to Sessho-maru and Tetsusaiga. Thanks for your review!

Sisana: I don't know what I'm going to do with you. Well, first, GET OUT OF MY HEAD! Lol, I'm joking, but if you didn't review exactly what I was thinking, then my little sister isn't a demon… lol. But, anywho, here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything to do with Inu-Yasha or Ashura. Everyone else, MINE! Lol, ok?

((Chapter 11))

A strong wind kicked up suddenly, whipping the girl's hair around her face. She closed her eyes in anticipation, a smile slowly spread across her lips.

She was going back.

(( Break))

Inu-Yasha stared at Kagome's body. Nothing had changed. "What's going on?" The hanyou growled.

"Give it more time, Inu-Yasha." Miroku said, his eyes still closed in prayer. The male hanyou growled under his breath as he turned back to Kagome's body.

"Miroku, do ye feel that?" Kaede questioned.

"Aye, Lady Kaede."

"What is it?" Inu-Yasha asked, his eyes locking on the two. Neither answered, instead the hanyou's ears were met by a gasp. Everyone turned to look at the priestess from the future, and now back from the dead.

"Kagome!" Shippo shouted, jumping into the girl's arms as she sat up.

"oh, Shippo!" Kagome laughed as she hugged the youkai tightly. Her dark orbs lifted to the rest of her friends, tears shining in her eyes. Four pairs of dark eyes stared back at her. No gold.

"Kagome…" Inu-Yasha breathed almost silently. Her laugh met his ears, and they twitched toward the sound.

"Where's Inu-Yasha?" Kagome asked. The hanyou looked up as the crow of people around the girl parted. He looked upon her smiling face, the one that lifted his spirit higher than heaven itself. "Well, aren't you going to say hi?" She asked playfully, getting to her feet. The Inu was at her side, as soon as she swayed.

"Stupid girl, lay down before you hurt yourself." He snapped. Kagome smiled in return. The hanyou froze as the woman wrapped her arms around his chest and held him tightly.

"I never want to be in your head again." Kagome whispered only loud enough for him to hear. "To loud." She added with a laugh.

"Feh," Inu-Yasha replied, but returned to embrace, happy to be able to touch a warm Kagome again.

(( F.F. ))

Kagome sat outside Kaede's hut that evening. Miroku and Kaede's prayers had helped her heal quickly. The priestess smiled as she thought about the welcome she had received earlier that day.

It had taken all of her might (and some of Inu-Yasha's) to get Shippo to let her go. Sango had kept hugging her until Inu-Yasha again had stepped in. Kagome's eye twitched as she thought about Miroku's welcome. (Need I say more? -)

The priestess sighed lightly as she got to her feet. She began to walk toward the Sacred Tree, something drawing her there. It's so wonderful to be in my own body again... It wasn't even that long… Kagome thought as she walked. It's Kikyo… She thought calmly, continuing to walk.

"So my reincarnation is alive again." Kikyo's cold voice said. "You become more and more like me everyday."

"There are many things alike between us, Kikyo." Kagome said calmly, as her eyes fell on the dead priestess. "But we are even more different." They stood silently, wind blowing coal hair across russet eyes.

"Why have you come?" Kikyo finally spoke.

"It seems I was being called."

"Hm, is that so."

(( View Switch))

Inu-Yasha had been watching Kagome from his perch on top of Kaede's hut as she had left, so he followed the girl into the forest. The hanyou froze as another scent mixed with Kagome's. "Kikyo…" He breathed as he again moved forward.

The silver haired hanyou stopped just outside of the clearing around the Sacred Tree. He watched the interaction between the two priestess'. They seemed to be talking normally…

"What has brought you here?" Kagome questioned back.

"You know the answer to that."

"Inu-Yasha."

"No, not Inu-Yasha."

"You felt my spirit leave my body, and you came to claim it as your own again."

Kikyo grinned slightly. "You are a smart girl."

"Are you ever going to leave him alone?"

"I cannot rest until he has died at my hand.."

"He loves you! He always has, and always will! He already told you he'd go to hell with you! What more do you want, Kikyo!" Kagome suddenly screamed.

Inu-Yasha watched in shock as the two priestess' stared at each other. Kagome… He could smell her tears.

"And that hurts you." Kikyo said roughly. "Your love for Inu-Yasha is not hidden to me."

"Does it matter? My love seems to be hidden from no one but Inu-Yasha." Kagome fell silent. Inu-Yasha tried to quiet his heart in the silence. "Why do you have to remind me so often? He always rushes off to see you, always runs away from me. He only wants you, I know that, but I can't stop my heart from hurting anyway." Kagome said softly. "Can't you understand that?"

"Your feelings mean nothing to me." Kikyo's eyes narrowed slightly as she caught a glint of silver hidden in the bushes. "I'm done talking. Leave." She said coldly, turning away and walking out of the younger priestess' view. She whirled around in surprise as she heard the bushes move.

"Inu-Yasha…" She whispered as the hanyou came into view from behind the tree in front of her.

"What was that?" He asked softly. He turned his face away.

"Inu-Yasha, what did you hear?"

"All of it." His head lifted again. "I heard everything you said, Kagome." His voice was stronger. The priestess smiled softly.

"Don't think anything of my words, Inu-Yasha." She walked up to him. "Let's go back to Kaede's." She added, touching the hanyou's arm. She let her hand run across his arm as she kept walking. Her heart jumped as a clawed hand grabbed her wrist.

"Let's not go back yet. We need to talk, without any interruption." Inu-Yasha said roughly.

"What do you want to talk about?" Kagome asked, blinking once. The hanyou didn't reply, instead lifted the girl into his arms and ran off.

(( F.F. ))

"Inu-Yasha! You're going to get lost!" Kagome shouted as the moon rose higher into the sky.

"I'm fine." Just then the hanyou slid to a stop. Kagome lifted her head off of his chest to look at where they were. Her breath caught in her throat.

"It's beautiful…" She whispered. Inu-Yasha set her down on the ground, folding his legs under himself as he sat down next to her. "How did you know about this place?" The priestess asked, turning to look at the hanyou.

"Does it matter?" He replied. Kagome shook her head with a smile and turned back to the scene in front of her.

There was a river that bubbled lightly in front of her, while she sat on a lawn of soft green grass. There was a bunch of white flowers that seemed to glow gold with light purple butterflies all around. She blinked out of her trance as Inu-Yasha laughed lightly. She looked over at him again.

"What's so funny?" The teen asked, almost hotly.

The hanyou laid back onto the grass, hands behind his head. "You." He replied.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing." He turned his head to look at her. "Kagome, why did you say those things?" The hanyou questioned.

"Why?" She smiled sadly then and looked back at the water. "What do you want to hear?" She replied. Inu-Yasha sat up and turned her toward him.

"The truth, was it the truth?" He pressed.

"No," her heart began to break, "I gave up on my feelings for you when you chose Kikyo." Her eyes burned, she turned her head away. There, she had said it, now the hanyou could go back to Kikyo.

"I," Inu-Yasha started as he put a finger under her chin and pulled her now wet face up to his own. "I don't believe you." He whispered, using his thumb to wipe away the tears on her cheek. Kagome's heart fluttered at his touch.

"Why?" She whispered back. He smiled lightly at her and rested his hand on her cheek.

"I thought I would never be able to touch you again Kagome. I never thought I would be able to feel the warmth that you give me when I see you smile. And that—it scared me." He answered quietly. The girl's eyes first widened in surprise and then narrowed in kindness.

"Oh, Inu-Yasha…"

"Hu?" He blinked once. "Eh, it's not that important. I mean, it was more for Shippo, he'd hang all over me if you weren't there." Inu-Yasha said hurriedly, pulling his head away. Damn! What kind of excuse was that! He growled at himself.

"But—"

"Quiet." He suddenly snapped. His ears twitched as they listened for any more sounds.

"You seem to be as hard to kill as me." A voice said suddenly. Inu-Yasha growled and got to his feet. His hand reached for Tetsusaiga, but fell on air.

"Stay behind me, Kagome." The hanyou said as the priestess got to her feet. He flexed his claws as his golden orbs searched in the darkness. "Come out, Ashura, fight like a youkai." The woman laughed as she did as she was asked, coming out of the trees to allow the hanyou and priestess to see her.

"Seeing isn't enough."

"The hell it isn't." Inu-Yasha replied as he jumped forward. "Iron Revere!" He growled, gold blades aimed at Ashura. The youkai sighed and used her sword to block the attack.

"Is that all you've got?" She asked, walking toward the hanyou. He took a step back, Kagome following. "Where's your pretty sword?" Ashura asked, stopping her movement.

"What's it to you?" The hanyou growled.

"It just makes killing you even easier."

(( View Switch))

Kagome backed away further. She knew it was a good idea to give Inu-Yasha plenty of room to fight. The priestess stopped as he back hit a tree, or what she thought was a tree.

"Inu—" She tried yelling as someone's hand wrapped around her mouth. The girl struggled to get free.

"I can keep you busy while Lady Ashura takes care of the hanyou." A voice growled in her ear. The priestess' heart dropped into her stomach.

"You…you…" She stammered through her captive's hand.

"The fun has just started." He snickered as he pulled the frozen girl away from the fighting hanyou and youkai.

((Switch))

Sango looked outside of Kaede's hut again. There was still no sign of either hanyou or priestess. "Don't worry, Sango." Miroku's voice met her ears. The slayer turned to look at him.

"What?" She questioned back.

"Let the two have some time alone, it'll be good for them." The monk replied. Sango frowned at the look in his eye.

"I hate to say it, but I think you're right…" The woman said with a sigh, walking to the fire and sitting down.

"Of course I am." Miroku said as he came to sit next to her. "Everything will be fine."

((Switch again))

Inu-Yasha jumped backward again. "Blades of Blood!" He yelled, dragging his claws across the gash in his shoulder.

"Mutt…" Ashura growled as one of the red blades cut her upper arm. The hanyou skidded to a stop.

"Feh, I thought you were going to kill me." He taunted.

"It's more fun to play with you first." The youkai replied. The hanyou growled and cracked his knuckles, still covered in blood, again.

"Then let's play, so I can kill you." He said with a frown.

"Whatever you say half-breed." Ashura said as she banished her sword again. Inu-Yasha's narrowed as she took a fighting stance.

((Kagome))

"So, you remember me, I feel honored." The youkai said as he threw Kagome to the ground. The priestess quickly jumped to her feet.

"Stay away from me." Kagome said darkly. I wish I had my bow… She thought as she backed away from the advancing youkai.

"Now, that wouldn't be any fun." Sorano said with a grin.

"I—I mean it!" Kagome stammered, falling onto the ground as she stumbled backward.

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" The youkai taunted. He reached down and pulled the priestess' hair to get her back to her feet. Kagome winced and looked away from his face. Sorano laughed. "Still as weak as late time, I see."

He's wrong. Kagome thought as she set her jaw. Her face slowly rose to look into the youkai's eyes. "Let me go." She demanded quietly.

"When I'm done, little human." He replied, using one of his claws to tear the girl's uniform top down and open. Fire danced in the priestess' chest as the youkai rubbed her left breast. Her eyes blanked out as he licked first her lips and then down her neck.

"Get your hands off me." The ebony haired girl said again, not really realizing what she was saying. Her last days before Ashura had killed her flashed in front of the priestess' eyes.

"Get off…"

((Author's Notes))

Alright, just review for me, ok? I'm not really supposed to be typing this up. Mom's on me about finals, so please don't be angry if I don't update right away. I will try my hardest to get back to you guys quickly, she can't control all of my spare time! Ha, well, got to go study now, see you all soon!

Myst