Chapter 8

"Kagome! Kagome? KAGOME! Kagome where are you?" Kagome's mother cried. She couldn't find her daughter anywhere! She was worried that her daughter might have gone for a walk to clear her mind, and something happened...

"Kagome!" Jii-Chan shouted. "Kagoooooommeeeeee!" Kagome could hear their yelling form inside the well. What luck!

"I'm down heeeeeeeeeere!" she hollered back. Her mother looked worried.

"That sounded like the well house... oh no..." Kagome's mother said worridly. What if Kagome was trying to get back to Inuyasha but couldn't? That would only break her worse! Her mother rushed into the well house to find it empty. "Kagome?"

"Mom! I'm down here! I hurt my ankle, so I couldn't climb out on my own!" Kagome cried weakly. She'd been down there for a few hours.

"Kagome! What are you doing down there? What are you thinking?" her mother yelled down. Kagome began to cry.

"I... I had a bad dream, and woke up in the middle of the night. Something told me that something really important happened on the other side of the well. I can still sense things because Kikyo has a part of my soul... and I came in here. I don't know why. I just walked randomly and ended up here. I looked into the well, and I fell in..." Kagome lied for the last bit. She didn't want her mother to know that she'd jumped down the well. Kagome's mother sighed.

"Oh, Kagome. Alright. The ladder's still here, so i'll come down and carry you back out, okay?" her mother answered.

After a few minutes, Kagome was back in her bed icing her ankle. The tears had stopped, but only temporarily. Her mother looked at her with sympathetic eyes. She knew her daughter was only getting worse. Without Inuyasha, she was so lost.

"I'm going to call the school. At least this time you have a real excuse!" her mother laughed. Kagome smiled weakly, but burst into tears when her mother left. The cold thud of her falling onto the well floor only reminded her that she would never see her beloved hanyou again. He's right there on the other side of the well, and I can't reach him... all because I got jealous of Kikyo. Kagome's eyes widened. She could feel an awful, tainted evil on the other side of the well. She could sense that something was wrong- something wasn't right. Kagome shuddered. The negative feelings enveloped her. She tried to stand up to call for her mother, but the feelings were too strong. Kagome sat back down until the feeling faded. What is happening over there? Kagome shook her head. I hope he's alright... please... please be alright... I love you. Kagome's body was weak and tired from the events of the morning, and she quickly fell asleep.

"Kagome. I don't understand. Why... why did you leave us?" a sad Sango cried.

"Mommy..." Shippou sobbed.

"It's all his fault. You just can't trust Inuyasha with your heart, Kagome." Miroku observed.

"Who, me?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah, you! Who else?" Miroku yelled.

"Keh!" Inuyasha said, agitated. Kikyo appeared by the tree, leaning her back against it. Miroku, Sango, and Shippou disappeared, and night fell. Inuyasha turned to Kikyo. "Kikyo." he breathed as he embraced her close. She returned the hug, looking straight at the invisible Kagome and smirking.

"Inuyasha... give me the jewel. Let me use it to make all our dreams come true." Kikyo pleaded. Inuyasha nodded.

"Of course." He handed her the pink jewel, but it turned black in her hands. She pushed him away and shot him with an arrow.

"Die, Inuyasha!" she cried as her arrow pierced Inuyasha- but Inuyasha was no longer Inuyasha- he had changed into Naraku.

"You saw through me, Kikyo." he sneered. "You used your hatred against Inuyasha to kill me." Kikyo looked at the jewel, and held it close to her. Inuyasha found her, and looked at the jewel.

"Why... why is it black?"

"I will use this to make my wish come true."

"What wish?"

"To wish for the only thing I need. The one thing I want." Kikyo's eyes slid over to Kagome again; another smirk plastering her clay face.

Kagome woke with a start. What kind of dream was that? Kagome turned over onto her side. Her heart was beating in terror. Was that what that negative feeling was? Was the jewel tainted in Kikyo's hands? Kagome panicked. What will she do to Inuyasha? She knew that her dream wasn't just another random movie played inside of her head. It meant something. All Kagome knew was that she had to go back somehow- she had to stop Kikyo from using the jewel for her own sadistic wish- whatever it was. "Something she needs and wants... what does she not have..." Kagome wondered aloud. "She's dead, so she doesn't have life... she doesn't have a soul of her own... maybe she wants her own soul back... but... if i'm her reincarnation... then... isn't the soul she wants... mine?" Kagome felt like her room was spinning. What if that's true? What if she plans to kill me with the jewel? Kagome didn't have the time to think about what might happen to her. She had to get to Inuyasha- and quick! She had to warn him at any cost. Even if he loves her, she couldn't let Kikyo hurt him. She was afraid. If she tainted the jewel that badly, chances are she's not just planning to kill me... she may even exact an unfair revenge on Inuyasha!

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Racing through the forest, Inuyasha's mind was focused on one thing- Kagome. He had to save her! He promised he'd protect her always. Just because he might never see her again didn't mean he would stop protecting her. He vowed to keep at least one of the promises he'd made over the years- to protect her with his life. His feet barely touched the branches as he hopped from tree to tree following Kikyo. He could smell her- her scent had gotten stronger, so she was nearby. He spotted the dead priestess and her soul stealers headed for a nearby village to collect souls. He sped up and jumped high into the air, landing without a sound in front of Kikyo.

"Oi, Kikyo." Kikyo looked at him blankly, not even surprised a little.

"I thought I told you to stay behind?" she mentioned. Inuyasha smirked.

"You know me. Can't stay still for too long." he bared a fang.

"Well, it's a nuisance." Kikyo spat and brushed past him. She didn't very far before a clawed hand grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back.

"You're not going anywhere Kikyo." Inuyasha stated angrily. "You won't dare touch Kagome if I have anything to say about it."

"That's too bad- you don't really have anything to say about it." Kikyo mocked. She slipped the jewel out of haori and held it close. "I should have enough souls. I'll be fine." Kikyo looked down at the black jewel in her hand. She closed her eyes and began to wish; the jewel pulsing in her hand. I wish for that wretched girl Kagome's soul to be-" "Ahhghh!" Kikyo screamed as she found Inuyasha's claws digging into her fragile clay arm. She clutched onto the jewel tightly. I wish for the girl Kagome's soul to return to me! The jewel's blackness radiated with a dangerous power. Wind blew around Kikyo's body as a small bluish light began to enter her body. Inuyasha stared.

"Kikyo... Kikyo you didn't..." The soul struggled to enter Kikyo's body. Kagome must be fighting for her soul! The wish is weak because Kagome is five centuries away... If I can grab the jewel and wish it back to Kagome she'll be fine! Inuyasha took one last look at Kikyo.

"I'm so sorry Kikyo. Forgive me... I never meant to hurt you. I truly thought what we had was love... even if it was not I still respected you... but I can't let you kill the one person who put all of her trust and faith in me. I can't let Kagome down. I'm sorry I broke the promises I made to you. I'm sorry." Inuyasha slowly raised a clawed hand and held it close to his heart. I have to protect Kagome... even if it means doing this. I can't kill Kikyo, but I can put her to rest. You can't kill someone who's already dead. Inuyasha began to feel an awful anger surging through his body. He was angry at Kikyo. He couldn't believe that she could do something like this. He didn't want to believe that someone would dare hurt someone like Kagome. Kagome had even risked her own like to save Kikyo, even though Kikyo made it clear she hated her. His youkai blood pulsed; it wanted revenge on the woman who dared to hurt someone from his pack. The hanyou within him just wanted to save Kagome and put Kikyo to rest. Inuyasha allowed his claws strike Kikyo's arm. Kikyo's eyes widened. Not again... just when I was going to get my soul back... Kikyo fell to the ground silently. Not a sound was made. No scream. No cry. No words. Just a soft thud as she fell to the ground. She looked up at Inuyasha with hateful eyes.

"You killed me again..." she said bitterly, using every last ounce of strength to insult the hanyou. Kikyo's soul stealers began to disperse as Kikyo's breaths became short and shallow. Inuyasha grabbed the jewel that laid just beyond her grasp, instantly turning it pink. Even though i'm half demon... it's still pure... He held it close to his heart, hoping Kagome would be alright. He could see the soul disappear from sight. Inuyasha sighed with relief. Kagome would be fine as soon as her soul returned to her. He could still hear shallow breaths from Kikyo's near-lifeless body. She looked up at the hanyou, and for one second he swore he saw a pang of regret and thankfulness. Inuyasha retracted his claws. "I'm sorry Kikyo." Kikyo simply nodded, and smiled for the first time. Dust filled her lungs and her body dissintegrated into a pile of dirt and clay. The wind began to carry her body away from Inuyasha.

"Why... Inuyasha... I... i'm sorry... I... just wanted to live... forgive me. Thank you for stopping my selfish wishes. I... I respected you... i'm sorry I never loved you the way I should have" she whispered as she was carried to the afterlife. Inuyasha was still worried at the back of his mind. What if Kagome doesn't hold out long enough for her soul to return to her? I have to at least try to get to her... it's the least I can do. I don't care if she wants to see me or not. I will protect her.

Inuyasha ran as quick as his legs could carry him towards the bone eaters' well. He had to at least try.