Hello my loves. Sorry, I can't respond to anyone cause I'm heading to work in like 5 minutes. But thanks again for your undying support of this fic. I am always looking to improve my writing, so if I can in any way, just let me know. I like this chapter a lot. Perhaps after reading this, you'll understand the metaphor implied in the title… maybe? We'll see…

Chapter 4: Three Points of Freedom

The day possessed all manner of spring in its warmth, spirit, and beauty. After the arduous winter, the citizens of Japan had been greatly rewarded for their trails with warm mornings and evenings, and wet nights to provide for the parched earth in between the waking hours. Inuyasha could feel that Goshinboku was still damp from the night's weather. Not a branch he found seemed dry enough for him, but he supposed this one would have to do. Settling into a comfortable position, he folded his hands behind his head to support himself. His right ankle was cocked over his left knee and he twiddled his toes in boredom. Not that this was a day to be bored. Rather it felt like a day of excitement and triumph. The hanyou rather liked to relish in his victory for now.

In that tree, he fell asleep with his thoughts countless time, but before long was awoken once again by a few drops of gathered dew tumbling onto his face every morning. In the wondrous tingle they provided, he was awoken in concern, thinking them Kagome's tears. He never stopped to question the logic behind how Kagome's tears were of morning dew. But he settled with himself that they couldn't be distinguished from each other. This time, he was awoken by a warm breeze, thinking it to be Kagome's touch.

The hanyou yawned in contentment and smacked his lips a few times. One of the best naps he had ever had, probably because he had little to worry about recently. It had been about two weeks since he had presented Kagome with his gift of a promise, the flowers which said that he needed her to stay with him always, and she hadn't gone back home since. He had been worried she wouldn't accept them from one such as him, but was in utter delight upon finding that she was staying with him for good this time. Now that she knew she was needed so much, there would be no need to return to the future. He had years to look forward to seeing her beside him, even if he was to be with Kikyo. She always accepted him, even for Kikyo, therefore why would she not now?

He caught her nearby scent almost instantly as it alerted him to her proximity. In what had become a reflex over the months, he lifted himself to see what she was up to. From what he could make out, she was kneeling on the ground and talking to Shippou, and holding a white fabric over a glass container and shaking it. Shippou followed suit, and for some reason seemed rather proud of himself for doing such a pointless task. However, taking a closer look, the amber eyes picked up something vibrantly colorful within the glass. He confirmed it was indeed a butterfly. No, three butterflies.

Kagome shut the lid on the tank and led Shippou back to the path of flowers closer to where Inuyasha was perched. He was able to hear what they were saying now. Shippou spoke first, "So when do we eat them?"

Kagome laughed a little at this, "No, no. You don't eat them. You just… capture them for study, or for their beauty."

"But why do we need to study butterflies?"

"Um… I don't really know… Maybe it's just because they're beautiful and nice to look at," Kagome replied after some thought, "But isn't it fun? Let's see how many we can catch. We'll set a record."

The kitsune gripped his net tighter, "Hai!"

The little one began running through the flower fields, trying to snatch up anything that resembled a butterfly, including innocent flowers. Kagome just laughed at his childlike glee and started putting some twigs and leaves into the tank to create their subject's pseudo-environment. As silent as the wind, Inuyasha came down from the tree and approached the girl. Her back was turned to him, and her human ears did not hear him approaching. When he had reached her, he simply looked over her shoulder at her project. His ears noted how she began to hum sweetly will she worked. Just a simple tune she had made up in her head on the spur of the moment, but Inuyasha wondered if it had anything to do with the nature of butterflies and what one was supposed to do with them.

He leaned over farther, until his chin loomed straight over her shoulder, but still he made no sound. Eventually, Kagome's head cocked just enough to catch the hanyou mere inches from her face once again. She gave a small gasp of surprise, and prepared to berate him for sneaking up on her like that. She never got the chance though, for his curious mind stepped in. "What the hell is this Kagome? These can't be of any use. They'd die in the first battle."

Kagome's brow fell forward in confusion before she realized the obvious that Inuyasha of all people wouldn't understand the purpose of beauty. "They don't battle, Inuyasha. They just look nice, that'll all."

She leaned her head to the side so that she wouldn't be so close to him as they talked. The miko hated to admit she felt uncomfortable being this close to him when they were discussing anything. Inuyasha leaned back also and looked baffled, "That's all? Keh, then get rid of this thing. You're wasting our time."

Kagome rolled her eyes and stood up with tank in hand. "Unlike some people, there are those of us who appreciate the beauty of nature and fine arts."

"I just don't think we need to catch something as stupid as butterflies."

As she looked back at him for a moment, her gaze seemed far off, but still directly towards him, "You'd be surprised what you could catch, Inuyasha."

For some reason, Inuyasha's palms were getting sweaty again. The hanyou racked his brain for a come-back, but found none. He changed subjects, "Come on, let's get back to the hut. We have to find the others so we can keep going."

"I'm gonna catch a few more butterflies with Shippou-chan…" she suddenly turned towards him hopefully, "Please, Inuyasha, would you help us? With your fast reflexes, it shouldn't be that hard to catch them. You'll beat our record for sure."

"Catch them?"

Kagome was slightly taken aback by this, "You… didn't you catch butterflies when you were a kid?"

"Keh! No way! I wouldn't waste my time with that stupid stuff. No way I'd do it now either, so forget about it," Inuyasha said, and huffed off towards Goshinboku to rest again.

Kagome stared at him as he walked away. Nearly all childhoods she had known involved some sort of play, like playing in the mud, camping, scouting out as one used their imaginations to make adventures, but Inuyasha was the exception. She wondered if his childhood had been joyful at all. As she followed Shippou away into the field of flowers, her thoughts remained with the poor hanyou. 'No wonder he's so miserable all the time. One of these days, I've gotta teach him how to let go of himself and have some fun.'

Coincidentally, one butterfly fluttered past the hanyou's nose and carried on its journey. Inuyasha eyed it for a few moments and then huffed at it. 'Mom always liked them too.'

How could he forget how his mother was when he was little. He remembered when he was young, she would often take him out into the garden, and he would eye the flowers and bugs with curiousity standard of any child. He would hear her giggles at his little antics to catch the birds.

FLASHBACK

"Look, Inuyasha. A monarch butterfly," she exclaimed.

The butterfly was perched on her finger as if it had been summoned by her. She brought it up to the little one's face and let the butterfly's wings tickle the hanyou's nose. He giggled at the touch, much like any toddler would.

A grieved sigh escaped his lungs. He still hadn't gotten over her death, or any memory of her kindness. For most of his life, he considered her the only other living being who cared for his well-being. Even Kikyo did not give him that satisfaction, but his theory had been reconsidered when he found Kagome. He turned his head away from where his thoughts might lead him. If anything, these butterflies were not only a reminder of his beloved mother, but of his beloved mother's likeness to Kagome. But it was too late to keep his simple mind at bay.

As he watched Kagome running gleefully with little Shippou, he couldn't help the next thought from crossing his mind, 'She'd make a good mother...'

Though he hadn't said it out loud, he immediately felt like slapping himself. There had been nothing derogatory implied in the thought, but it sounded too much like
Miroku for comfort. And Inuyasha, of all people, couldn't ever be thinking such thoughts when he had Kikyo to consider. At times, the dead miko was like a burden to him. He loved her, and he knew it whole-heartedly, but what he failed to understand was that Kikyo had changed since she had died. It didn't matter to him how she had changed, because in his mind, her death was his fault and he couldn't let that go unpunished. And the hanyou couldn't let thoughts about Kagome and pups get in the way of such plans.

When sunset first began to make an impression on the skyline, Kagome decided it was time to get back to Kaede's hut for the night. In such times, they couldn't afford to
be vulnerable to nocturnal youkai after all. She called out to Inuyasha, who she knew was still in the tree. He looked down at her at being summoned. His eyes widened ever so slightly as he saw her beckoning him to follow her, not just with her voice, but with her features such as her eyes. It felt shocking to him, because somewhere in the back of his mind there lay a memory of another whom he would have followed to the ends of the earth. They had the same eyes as Kagome, and a calming smile that was meant for only one to see. Theirs had been lost, but Kagome's remained. For a moment, he looked behind him into the forest, and wondered, 'Is this truly our fate?'

When Kagome called for him again, he forgot such worries, and leapt after her. Somewhere within the mass of trees, a figure's hand clenched into a ball, which shook momentarily before relaxing again. The wind picked up and blew her hair back and forth like a clock's pendulum. Her lifeless eyes held nothing but a sad memory, which used to be a happy one, only to be soiled by the impurity of a villain. The existence of such a woman entirely based upon memories which should have been lost once she had vanished from the world of living. Her head was bowed, "I am but a memory of my former self, Inuyasha, I know that. Then why can't I seem to let you go? Why can't I let go of what should have been?"

Finding no comfort in the current nature of her hanyou, Kikyo turned and didn't look back. Only after taking two steps did she recognize the certain rustle of leaves behind her. Her miko senses kicked in again, and she knew who it was. She wouldn't look at him, "Why have you come?"

"Don't tell me you're not happy I'm here, sweetheart," his dark voice replied.

She did not reply, but in one swift movement, removed her arrow, hoisted it, and turned to aim. When she had turned, he was already gone. She relaxed a bit, thinking he was gone already. He appeared some feet behind her once again, "You don't really think you can kill me, do you?"

"If you're here to mock me, it's pointless," Kikyo responded as she stared daggers into what should have been his soul.

Naraku removed his baboon covering and revealed his face. In doing so, his height seemed to rise off the ground. He smirked, "I have a proposition for you."

"You're a fool if you think I would do anything for you."

"Not if it's in your interest. Not if it means keeping Inuyasha."

"You know nothing of what I would do to keep Inuyasha," she remarked coldly.

Naraku chuckled, "I know you are nothing but hatred and regret. You can't help but want what you had back. I know you'd do anything to make sure he stays by your side forever."

She hoisted her arrow and aimed for him again, but spoke calmly, "I'm not like you, Naraku. I don't force people into love."

She let her arrow fly, but as expected, he dodged it in time. He appeared next to her and took a hold of her bow. Caught off guard by this movement, she struggled to release her weapon. He glared into her empty shell cockily. He knew at any moment he could rip her to pieces, but he had bigger plans for her. "You say that, but I know your true desires."

He finally let go of her bow and she stepped away from him. He put the baboon coat over himself again, "Just think about it."

Just as soon as he arrived, Naraku was gone, consumed by a swarm of his bees. Kikyo watched as the swarm disappeared over the horizon. She dusted herself off and kept walking. Once, long ago, she had watched a young boy dying, who had entrusted the miko with the sacred Buddha bowl. A complete stranger to her, and a naïve one at that. As she walked onward, his voice ran in her head, 'You don't seem like a bad person.'

The dead miko sighed in sadness. "You know nothing of who I am."

To be continued…

This will not be a Kikyo-bashing fic, but she definitely plays a part in both good and in evil.