July 25, 2006

Disclaimer: No, sadly, I do not own Inuyasha because when I was chosen to become a fanfiction writer, they told me that I cannot have him. However, this story is mine, for it was typed on my computer.

Author's Note: Um, to all loyal Exotic fans, I'm sorry to say that it is dead. However, before you start to hate me, Sesshoumaru has Tenseiga (yes, I can spell it), which can (cannot) revive it.

Uh, this is a Bankotsu and Kagome fanfiction, maybe, I haven't exactly decided, which I probably will never attempt to make again, but only Kouga and Kagome, Sesshoumaru and Kagome, or any hot four members of the band of seven (four).

In addition, I'm thinking of doing a trade-off. Me and who ever is interested to write some kind of Inuyasha Fanfic. As long as it's not Kikyo, yaoi, or yuki? Sorry, I DO take the fun out of everything!

Please enjoy my sweeties and review, or else I shall sick my hell bound dog…er…baboon Naraku. insert evil laugh here

Ayla Athol

--

Redemption

Prologue

The spicy smell of the scented oils drifted over the grave like a ghostly summon. The candles flickered across the face of the dark figure that stood still in the shadows, watching with cold red mirth.

Another figure stood over the grave, tears fell to the soil above the grave, as did the blood that titter-tat from his shoulder wound. It drenched his arm and mimicked the irregular beating of his heart. He gasped in pain and clutched his chest with a bloody hand, staining the already soiled clothes he wore. He closed his eyes tightly, his breathing coming out in short desperate pants.

A bubble of blood caught in his throat until her forced it up, spitting it onto the grave. The blood was as black as the night, despite the candles. He swiped a hand under his nose where he felt the blood twinkling down steadily, and did the same motion to the blood coming from his tear ducts.

" You're going to kill me aren't you, you bastard?" He asked quietly. His brown eyes flashed in anger as he turned to look at the red-eyed black-haired devil behind him.

A small smirk was his answer.

" If I remove the jewel shards, you cannot sustain life. You will wither away into the dust you are. If you call him to rise again, I shall let you have your pathetic life."

A ghostly wind blew, causing the dead branches above to moan in turn. He turned back to the grave, his eyes soften at the mound of soil, but harden once more at the smell and sight of the spicy smoke of the oils. " He already tried to kill him. If he couldn't succeed last time, what makes you think this time is any different? His Banryuu was destroyed in Inuyasha's attack. He will refuse to fight a battle without his Banryuu, it's like another brother to him. We're all dead.

" His desire for revenge will override anything else, and he knows you won't kill him if you do through all the trouble of reviving him. He deserves rest." He turned back to Naraku, a small smirk upon his face. " If I do raise him, I hope he spills you fucking guts."

The manipulative smile disappeared. " You'll raise him up, one way or another." He moved from the shadows quickly and grabbed him by the neck, looking into his dying eyes and smiled. " It looks like you better hurry." He released him and returned to the shadows.

He grasped his neck, rubbing the bruised skin softly, regaining his breathe. He stood again, and looked to the pathetic excuse of a grave. " Bankotsu, please forgive me." He drew the sword that he stole from Sesshoumaru, calling it to his commands. " I beg of you, oh mighty Tenseiga, release Bankotsu's soul from hell and revive him!"

He felt the sword pulsing with his command. He covered the sword again, and turned to Naraku. " We'll see you in hell, Naraku."

Naraku only chuckled. " I've made a pact with hell, Jakotsu. No you won't."

--

" Inuyasha! You're such an insensitive jerk! You never, ever can see what's right in front of you!"

Inuyasha ears pressed tightly to his head, and he bent his head in defeat. " Look Kagome. I didn't mean to hurt you, but I meant every word of it. I'm not going to lie to you about this." He grabbed her in his arms. " I care for you so much, but she thought she killed me and chose to follow me into death. Why can't you see Kagome? She chose death over life, for me." He swallowed the lump in his throat. This was not what he wanted. Not her tears, but Kami, he could smell her, could feel it as he held her, as the sobs shook through her.

She buried her face in his warm chest. " But you lied to me about everything else! I thought with Naraku…being so weak…that once I told you how I felt before it was too late…that you would feel the same. You know? But…you continue to choose her! I mean after everything! Yura, Sesshoumaru, Menomaru, Kaguya…Sounga. Kami, I feel like a fool! You still compared me to Kikyo. I not just her reincarnation, I'm a person with a heart of her own! The only way that I'm similar to Kikyo is my desire to be with you!"

She pulled away from him, searching his golden gaze with her own. The rare azure sapphire of her eyes was stormy with passion as she came up to kiss him. Her lips were soft and salty from tears, but sweet for it is virginal warmth. " I'm in love with you! You, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. She had said she loved him Kikyo had never admitted that she loved him, he just assumed. And then, when they thought they betrayed each other…they fought and she tried to kill him. But with Kagome, when she was possessed, she tried to fight it. She always came back to him; she promised to stay by his side. And when…he was a full demon, pass the point of return, it was her soft 'sit' that originally reached him…and then at the Castle beyond the Looking Glass, it was her voice that reached him. Her words…" I love you, I love you as a half-demon Inuyasha."

She accepted every up and down of him, and he was pushing her away. But not entirely for Kikyo, no, but for a totally different reason. Ever since her twentieth birthday, he had been fantasying about her and him together. All those times he had seen her naked had been pushed into the back, okay, slightly from the front of his mind. But her alluring scent had changed into an…arousing one, and now every time he looked at her, he could only imagine….

" I'm leaving Inuyasha! I'm going to finish my training, then I'm going to look for the jewel shards on my own. Please let our friends know that I love them." She had already picked up her bike and was heading back to the village.

He had been snapped out of his usual reverie when the words finally sank in. I'm leaving Inuyasha! He wanted to say, " please don't leave me Kagome," but as he opened his mouth, he saw her retreating back from wince. " You can't go. Who's going to protect the jewel shards and you from danger? We need you ability to sense and see the jewel shards. Besides, you know your arrows don't always hit their targets." He folded his arms inside his haori and looked off into the distance to appear aloof.

She spun around, releasing her grip in the bike, it crashed to the ground, and he winced at the racket. Tears swam in her dark, burning eyes, and her delicate hands were balled into tight fists at her side. She wanted to scream out in rage, and he winced, waiting for her notorious 'Oswari', but it never came. She closed her eyes, trying to beat back her tears before she attempt to speak. When she did her voice was low and artic, and when she opened her eyes, they were hard sapphires impaling him.

" Inuyasha. I will not say that I hate you, because I don't. But I know how to fight with more than a bow and arrow. Yes, Inuyasha. I had so many things to tell you like, I sealed up the well to stay with you. I mean I can always go back, eventually, but I wanted to stay with you. Obviously, I've overstayed my welcome. Good-bye, Inuyasha."

Of course he wanted to have one of those uh…what do we call them in the future? Romantic moments? No, that's not it. Okay, I'm going to call it a soft moment, or a fluff.

Instead of saying, " Kagome, I'm sorry. Please don't go," or, " I want to be with you too," it came out as, " You always go back. You promise to stay with me, but you always leave me again. At least Kikyo keeps her promises."

She turned away/ " I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Kikyo has obviously accepted my place in our group and in your heart. Next time we meet, I shall have a warm home for my son. You all will be welcomed to come. I…I still love you no matter what." She picked up her bike, and swung her leg over. Then she rode off without another word.

Okay, this is one of my first attempts at a serious fanfic and not a…a fling to pass my pathetic time. Yeah, that sounds pretty good so far. I mean, I guess. Remember, this may be a Bankotsu and Kagome ore whomever, but will eventually result in a lemon for them and then, uh…damn, what was I going to say? Lemons…lemony…characters…ah! Miroku and Sango moments. A fanfic's not good until you got Miroku and Sango lemons!

I need inspiration and your votes on who Kagome should be with.

Kouga

Sesshoumaru

Bankotsu

Jakotsu

Naraku…?

Okay…? Where did Naraku come from?

Sincerely, oh crap, screw it, from me.

P.S. If you don't review, I can so totally kick your –! What do you mean I can't say – on the internet. I mean it's internet, hello!