Following Me
by RoS.
I do not own Inuyasha. D:

Farewell, Kagome.

Shinidamachuu rose to the sky.

"Bad signs . . ." Kagome muttered under her breath. Inuyasha sniffed the sky. It was the same old routine. Kagome didn't even have to nod in his direction anymore, but Inuyasha always made sure to get consent anyway. Kikyou had made herself more obvious and had appeared more often than before. A sign, Kagome knew, but she wanted to ignore it. Though, she wasn't something easily ignored.

"Why do you even ask me anymore? Just go chase her," whispered Kagome. She knew he'd hear. He never missed anything, especially if you were talking about him.

He gave her a look. Because I know you can't stand it. But he jumped off anyway. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get her to admit to a thing. She was as solid as a rock.

"Going to chase him?" Miroku asked.

"No. I don't think so. Why would I?" she asked. "It only causes more trouble . . . and pain. I'm only going to go if there's real danger. I've learned my lesson. . . ."

"But you love him, dontcha? Isn't that what happens in those movies of yours?"

"Shippou, this . . . it's different. It's not a movie." But sometimes I wish it was. They always come out perfect in the end. I have a feeling that it's impossible to get a perfect ending out of this. "A . . . a jewel shard. I sense one near."

"Should we chase it?" asked Sango. "I mean, why ignore it? We're capable without lovesick hanyou."

"Why not?" Kagome said. "It can't be too bad . . . that way." She pointed in the opposite direction Inuyasha had gone. At least we won't be meeting up.

Kirara transformed, then Sango boarded Kirara, Miroku behind. Kagome and Shippou managed to squish on there. "I don't sense an aura, so, it can't be too powerful. . . ."

"Well, we better hope it's not a trick," said Miroku. (A/N: the "cliché" sense just BURNS inside of you, doesn't it? X3) Thanks a lot, Miroku. Every time you say something like that, WE GET SCREWED. Kagome sighed as Kirara took off, staring into the sky and wondering . . . what was Inuyasha doing right now? She wanted to know, but knew she was better off not knowing. It could crush her and change everything. Kagome couldn't do that to everyone, as much as she wanted. . . .

"It's getting stronger . . ."

"Which way?" asked Sango.

"We're going the right way," Kagome said. "But we're getting closer, since it's getting stronger."

"Maybe we should prepare," said Miroku. "We can be all planned for our attack."

"How about we drop you and Shippou off," Sango declared, Shippou looking worried. "Then me and Kagome will stay on Kirara and attack from above?" Miroku and Kagome both nodded back and looked down, waiting to see even a hint of youkai anywhere.

1.o1.o1.o

I can't smell Kikyou . . . my only guide are the Shinidamachuu, but where are they taking me? I can't find Kikyou's scent anywhere! Inuyasha stopped walking. He stopped thinking, for a second.

What am I saying? He found himself stuck in yet another Kikyou-or-Kagome moment. It took me this long to realize something I've known forever . . . I should be comforting Kagome . . . but I wouldn't have to if I didn't even go. It's too late now, and I'm probably real close to Kikyou now . . . these Shinidamachuu can't go too far, can they?

He wasn't sure what to do, and maybe it wasn't too late, but Kikyou was probably in her last moments. Naraku was always on Kikyou lookout, so he needed to talk to her as much as he could . . . right?

He didn't know it yet, but Kikyou was not in her last moments.

Kagome was the one who would suffer, this round.

1.o1.o1.o

Kagome kept her eyes down, surveying the area, and soon noticed a blue headed figure in the forest. She wiped her eyes, forgetting for a moment what they were looking for.

"Oh Kami . . . we can't go down there, it's—it's—" Wide awake, shocked, for one moment. . . .

"Naraku . . ." whispered Miroku, at once seeing it, and realizing it too. "We've got to turn back, at least find Inuyasha . . . but still, I doubt we're ready for the final battle."

"Why would Naraku be hanging out here, anyway?" said Shippou . . . a bit too loud. Kagome put her hand over Shippou's face. "Shh! Maybe he won't hear us, if we get away in time!"

But Naraku turned to face them.

1.o1.o1.o

Kikyou was barely ahead of him dressed in the usual, her hair flowing down. This meeting, it was almost long enough to touch the ground. Inuyasha gawked at first, but revealed himself from the tree when she stared in his direction.

"We meet again?" she murmured into the air. Kikyou's voice never seemed to project itself, she always seemed to whisper or mutter it, but it made way to everyone's ears.

"This time . . . I didn't pick up on your scent," replied Inuyasha, "I had to follow the soul collectors."

"It's a little something . . . new, I'm trying. It makes me less obvious to Naraku."

"Oh . . . I just, thought . . . maybe you'd—"

"Died? Like it would matter. I'm already dead, basically," she said, as if it wasn't a big deal. Inuyasha came closer to her as the Shinidamachuu disappeared and went elsewhere. "How's the reincarnation been holding up? Does she even care that you always leave her anymore?"

"You make it sound so horrible, when I come to visit you."

"Well it's not like I can't say I don't feel for her or anything, but really, how is she doing?"

"Fine, I guess."

"You're dense."

"You're starting to sound like Kagome."

"All I'm saying," Kikyou said, coming closer to him this time, "is that she's obviously not excited about you always leaving. Are you blind, or what? She loves you. I thought it was obvious."

She loves you.

She loves you.

SHE LOVES YOU.

Of course I already knew. I knew I was hurting her, but had I ever taken anything into deep thought . . . ? Just as Kikyou tried living, maybe I need to try giving the two of them a break. . . .

"You know that one day, you'll have to make a decision. And do you know the consequences of that?"

"How am I supposed to decide?"

"Well, if you don't, things could be worse. You won't know until it plays out, and you can't kill everything."

"What are you saying?"

"You always resort to violence . . . but you can't always get rid of your problems like that. . . ." Kikyou sighed and took another step forward. She wrapped her arms around Inuyasha and brought him into a hug, diving into his shoulder and resting her head there.

"That's just. . . ."

"The youkai part taking over you . . . and once you were going to become human. If I'd asked you that again, would you accept?"

" . . . I really . . . don't . . . know."

Inuyasha and Kikyou heard a scream in the background from far off.

1.o1.o1.o

"Kagome!"

"And now you're going to leave me?" murmured Kikyou.

"You're not in any danger, though. . . ." Just let me go. I have to save Kagome. . . . "And Kagome's in trouble! I have to go!" He lightly pushed her away, and didn't bother saying goodbye. He jumped off in the direction he'd heard the scream.

How dare you get yourself in trouble . . . you could die out there!

"KAGOME!"

"Inuyashaa-eeee!" Oh Kami. I have to save her.

But the scene ahead of him was not pretty. Kagome was lying against a tree, but no youkai in sight. Sango and the rest surrounded her.

Am I too late?

1.o1.o1.o

Please leave reviews  Hope it wasn't too cliché D: I swear, I'm not going to magically bring Kagome to life. That's super-cliché. ): Sad, but cliché and not my plan.

Apologies,
Kiwitastical!