A/N: Never buy sushi from the grocery store. You may find a freezing, but still alive, ladybug in it.

…Just thought I'd warn you all.

Chapter 21: Remembrance

Inuyasha growled, flexing his claws. He didn't like this woman, whoever she was. She looked…somewhat familiar, as if her name was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't remember. What he did know was that her presence gave him an uneasy feeling. "Who are you?" he demanded, in his deep youkai voice.

A sigh escaped the woman who was currently pointing her bow at him. "Of course you don't remember me. That spell should have broken your memory."

I won't be mocked. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, his blue pupils flashing to show he meant business. Any wrong moves and this woman would find herself dead.

Just as he thought that, her scent filled his nostrils…it wasn't a normal, human scent at all. It was something gave him a slight chill up his spine even in his current state…It was of bones…and soil…

This woman…isn't human! That made a warning growl escape him. Whatever she was, he wasn't going to let her beat him.

A smile found her face. "I see you caught my scent, Inuyasha. Don't worry, I don't mean any harm…at least," Her triumphant eyes reflected the moonlight. "Not at this moment."

That did it. Inuyasha lunged forward, anger pulsing in his red eyes, his claws extended, ready to slice her in half. She didn't budge an inch, it was as if she was offering herself to his claws.

He was less than a foot away from her when a pink barrier sprung up. The minute he touched it, he howled in immense pain and was blasted back sharply, landing hard against a tree trunk, the leaves scattering all around him.

Inuyasha stood up shakily, feeling pain all over. His eyes fell to his right hand, which was red as if burned, the thin scar glowing pink. He glanced up at the woman still within the barrier, her clothes still swaying in the wind of her power, and he knew it instantly. A miko!

He grew wary. He had troubles with miko's before…and he didn't want to get into any worse at the moment.

Inuyasha got back into a fighting stance, but made sure to keep back. If that woman was a miko…he knew he wasn't about to have an easy time.

Kikyou smiled to herself. So, Inuyasha, at least, knows that I am not one to be trifled with. "Inuyasha, do not be a fool. You cannot win against me."

He didn't listen, just as she had expected. He charged forward once again, this time faster, as if to beat the barrier, but he was not quick enough. Kikyou grabbed his shoulders and gave him a quick jolt of purifying energy, wounding him and making him yell in pain, as he flew backwards once more.

As he was recovering, Kikyou notched an arrow and let it fly, its mark true. It pinned Inuyasha to a tree through his white shirt, just under the arm. His eyes were wide in surprise as another arrow flew to pin him to the same place on his other side.

Sighing, Kikyou lowered her bow and walked toward the struggling Inuyasha. He tried to pull himself free, but the arrows would not budge. He gave a fierce growl as she came near, but he knew in his mind that she had him cornered.

"Now listen, Inuyasha," Kikyou said, "Those arrows will release you in an hour's time. You may do what you wish then, but for now, you will listen to me."

His piercing glare could only mean one thing, he would listen, but he wouldn't like it. "Inuyasha," Kikyou continued. "You know this is not your true self. You have no memories, no semblance of self, you just know your rage, rage for an unknown reason."

A growl escaped him at the word 'rage', and Kikyou had no doubts that he was thinking of killing her right now. Her eyes scanned Inuyasha, the hanyou she had once loved, who had now turned into a killing machine. She had never seen him this way before, red eyes with blue pupils, elongated claws and fangs, the purple stripes on his cheeks. Inuyasha, you are a monster…Her eyes narrowed. and I know just who is to thank for that.

A small smile lit her face. "Would you like me to tell you who is responsible for all this?"

"Tell me." Inuyasha demanded in his deep voice.

Kikyou replied, "It was none other then that girl, the one whom you have seen before. She is responsible for your transformation."

There was surprise on Inuyasha's face, and then she saw anger as he cast a sideways glance at his right hand.

Her smile widened. "Yes Inuyasha, her. Are you angry? Don't you want to punish her for all of this?" Her voice became low as she declared, "Then do it. Release your anger, Inuyasha. Follow your desire for her blood, give in to these emotions, and forget all about the feelings you have for her…You will be free of her torment." Her eyes, the key to her thoughts, were fixed in anger, but the smile on her face grew as Inuyasha imagined killing Kagome.

"Free," he repeated, growling, hatred in his eyes.

Kikyou turned, "Go, Inuyasha. Go and feed on that girl's blood."she replied,walking away into the night.

And by so doing, Inuyasha, Kikyou thought, You will have sealed your own fate.

Kagome grasped Inuyasha's haori, sighing as it brought her comfort. The sun was high in the afternoon, and everyone was out doing their daily duties. Except, for her. Ever since she came back, they had wanted to leave her alone, hoping not to get a crying fit from her again.

The tears had stopped, but now she had the permanent look of sadness etched on her face. She wouldn't eat, she would hardly sleep, making everyone worried about her.

Kagome couldn't help but think that if Inuyasha were here, he would have forced some food down her throat by now. That thought, which had been accompanied by a smile, slowly faded as reality set in.

Inuyasha…

Kagome remembered what Miroku had said, how Inuyasha would come back for her. Though the idea of youkai Inuyasha coming back to kill her scared her, in truth, she missed him so much she didn't care. She closed her eyes, and tried to feel for him one more time, but the answer was the same as always; nothing.

She sighed as she opened her eyes, turning as she heard someone come into the hut. It was Sango.

"Kagome-chan?" she asked, looking at her with pity. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, Sango-chan, I'm fine." Kagome replied.

Her friend came closer and sat down next to her. "Are you sure you're all right? I mean...you're okay?"

Kagome sighed, and lowered her eyes. "If you mean, okay, then no…I don't ever think I'll be okay…Sometimes, when I just wake up, or if I forget for a moment, my first thought it how much I want to run into Inuyasha's arms, and let him comfort me…the worst part is when I have to remind myself that he's not there to hold me anymore."

Sango murmured, "Kagome..."

Taking a breath to steady herself, Kagome continued, "I've accepted that its happened, and that I can't change the past…but now I'm not sure what to do. Inuyasha's not here to tell me what I need to do to fix things, I just don't know how to fix him, or if I even can…"

A false smile once again crossed her face. "But I can't let those thoughts drag me down. Inuyasha's not here, and I have to live with that." She stood up, stretching. "I feel like a walk right now, it'll make me feel better."

Sango stood up with her, not able to say a word. It was killing Kagome inside, they all knew it, but it was even sadder that she had now decided to hide her pain with fake cheeriness. "Kagome, do you want me to come with you?" she finally asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No, I need to go by myself." Just before she walked out of the hut, she made sure to grab Inuyasha's haori, which she took everywhere. It was all she had left of him,the one who once loved her.

As she walked towards the woods with the well, pondering over whether she should go back and apologize to her mother for leaving so abruptly, a cold wind started to blow. Shivering, Kagome wrapped the wrinkled haori around her, trying to fight the wave of memories of all the times she had been wrapped in it by Inuyasha.

The wind picked up speed, blowing her hair in her face as she walked into the forest, her arms wrapped around her to keep herself from being cold. She couldn't help the thought that floated into her mind, If Inuyasha was here, he'd keep me warm…

Suddenly, the brown leaves on the forest floor swirled around in a whirlwind around her. She turned, and suddenly, the last person she would have expected to see appeared before her.

Kagome gasped, "Kikyou?"

The dead miko looked at her with a disapproving stare. Kagome returned it with a surprised look. "Kikyou, what are you doing here?"

The miko's eyes narrowed. She got right to the point. "Didn't I warn you that Inuyasha's love for you was dangerous?"

Kagome's heart panged as she remembered what Kikyou had said…It seemed like so long ago now, so much had changed since then. She looked down but said nothing.

Kikyou continued, her eyes cold. "You are responsible for his transformation, since you gave in to your lust and desires, you didn't stop to think of the consequences."

Kagome looked back at her, a tear shining in her eye. "I'm sorry, okay! I didn't know what would happen! If only I had known…If I could have known…" she stopped, unable to go on, trembling with unshead tears.

Kikyou watched her suffering, and then sighed, "You were in the wrong, but it could have just as easily have been me that brought out this violence in him. If I had lived…who knows what might have happened?" Her dark eyes, that usually reflected anger, now were of sadness, longing, and remembrance.

Kagome could do nothing but watch as she mused on times past. Kikyou had never really been this open with her before. But she stopped her memories as sudden as they came. Looking back at Kagome, she said, "Because you have created the problem, you have to take responsibility,"

"Take responsibility?" Kagome asked, timidly.

Kikyou's eyes became cold once more. "Because you have turned him into a youkai, it is your responsibility to take care of the problem."

Kagome repeated, "Take care of the problem? Do you mean change him back?" Her heart swelled with hope. "I could change him back! If I could get Inuyasha to remember me, then—"

"And if you couldn't?" Kikyou interrupted. "What then?"

Kagome went silent. What if she couldn't turn him back? What then? "I don't know." She admitted.

"He will be no more than a danger." Kikyou told her. "He would not remember himself, you, or anyone else. He would just be a monster, only knowing killing for joy." She continued, "If that happens, then you will have only one option; to take his life."

Taking a sharp intake of breath at the sound of that, Kagome replied, "K-kill him? But I can't! It's Inuyasha, I could never—"

"He is not Inuyasha." corrected Kikyou. "He is a youkai now, with no memory of who 'Inuyasha' previously was. If he could never remember you, he would only become a danger, if he endangered your life, what would you do? What about the lives of your friends? Or the innocent villagers, like the ones he slew mercilessly days ago? Would you endanger them all, to a youkai possibly worse than Naraku, only because you cannot let go of the memory of the one you loved?"

Kagome gasped upon hearing Inuyasha had already killed. Merciless villagers? Inuyasha…what have I done to you? She thought over Kikyou's words. They made sense, at least. She knew that keeping him alive only put everyone here in more danger…and if he found out about the well, she had perhaps doomed her own time as well…Killing him would be the sensible thing to do in that situation, but…

"I couldn't do it." Kagome replied, hugging her shoulders, feeling the fire rat haori beneath her fingertips. "I just couldn't…I love Inuyasha too much, no matter what happens, I couldn't do it."

Kikyou sighed, she knew that she could not make her see reason now. "I see. One can only hope that you can, at least, reverse the transformation. But," she added, in an undertone, "I doubt it."

And with that, Kikyou faded away, leaving Kagome in a state of confusion and worry. But her determination decided for her. I will change Inuyasha back. I will!

It was nighttime when Inuyasha finally made it back into the village. He immediately sniffed for Kagome's scent, intent on finding her and killing her before she had a chance to scream.

It was easy for him to make his way through the sleepy village, and, quiet as a cat, he snuck into Kaede's hut. Thankfully, everyone was asleep, and, more to his advantage, Kagome was curled up in her sleeping bag closest to him.

A twisted smirk on his face, Inuyasha knelt down, and took one last look at this girl that caused him so much anxiety. Her face in slumber was so peaceful, so calm. Her black hair was spread about her like a halo while she slept on her side, holding his haori to her chest like a security blanket.

He wanted to swipe her with his claws and be done with it, but something about her stayed his hand. Once again, unknown feelings piled up in his chest, and the mating mark on his hand started feeling warm at being reunited with its partner, once again.

Inuyasha, despite his violent thoughts against her, had the sudden desire to touch her, to feel her soft skin beneath his fingertips, his hands craving the sensation of touching her once again. He was being hypnotized as he watched her, his eyes surveying her beautiful form. With no control over himself, he slowly stretched out his hand, intent on touching her, to get the pleasure of caressing her cheek, the happiness that her soft body offered.

But he nearly jumped when she murmured in her sleep, "Inu…yasha…" He stopped his advancing hand, and stared at her, as she hugged the haori closer. "Inuyasha…" she moaned once again, making Inuyasha's heart soar at hearing her speak his name with such affection, such longing.

But with her moan, Shippou, who was sleeping nearby, started stirring. Inuyasha jumped up and raced silently to the bamboo curtain, but took one last look at Kagome before he departed, not being able to keep the emotion starting to resurface from his eyes.

A/N: Before you ask, "OMG IZ KIKYOU EVIL?" I'm just going to say this. Those who know me and read my author's notes know how I feel about the character. Also, you SHOULD be wondering about her character right now, so don't think I'm bashing her for the fun of it.

Also…he he…Making youkai Inuyasha do that last scene was fun. Reminded me of the old days in Who Says We're In Love? Of course, Inuyasha being a youkai makes this more interesting…