Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Chapter Thirty-One: Back in the Proverbial Saddle

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" wailed the distressed miko as she dropped to her knees.

"FOXFIRE!"

"Poor Kagome," snickered Sango.

"Come on," said Miroku cheerfully, "It isn't all THAT bad."

"Quit being a baby," admonished Inuyasha as he nudged her with his toe. "Stand up and let's get going."

"FOXFIRE!"

"It's so unfair!"

Sango kneeled down beside her friend and pat her on the shoulder. "Oh, Kagome... it isn't the end of the world. Besides, it looks cute on you."

Inuyasha had to hide his grin when Kagome growled.

"I'm not supposed to look CUTE! I'm supposed to look like a warrior on her way to defeat an evil villain. I'm NOT supposed to look like some helpless school girl heroine from an anime!"

Sango patted her again. "Yeah, but some of those anime girls can really kick butt."

Kagome sniffled and smiled.

"Besides, maybe it's some kind of special armour. Remember that battle bikini one of your characters had to wear to deflect spells?"

"Please, Sango, I'm trying to repress that memory."

"So are we done being all touchy feely? Can we go now?"

"FOXFIRE!"

"If you say 'foxfire' ONE MORE TIME, runt, I will knock you back through the portal missing a few teeth. You're going to set someone on fire!"

"Grouch."

Kagome sighed and stood up. "You are so impatient, Inuyasha. He's just excited to have powers again."

"I really like the outfit," Miroku leered as Kagome passed him. Once he came to he came to the conclusion that some thoughts were best left unspoken.

At the beginning of their second adventure within the jewel, Inuyasha made it very clear that they were heading straight towards Naraku. That had caused a little bit of conflict within the group. Sango and Kagome felt that they should get a little bit stronger before the go off to fight Naraku. Inuyasha felt that they should head straight towards him before he got any stronger. It was Miroku who suggested the compromise. They would fight the random battles if they had to, but they were not to go off seeking battles just to level up.

"How do we even know we are going in the right direction?" asked Shippo as they headed east.

"The voices told me," said Kagome.

"Please don't get her started on the voices," begged Inuyasha. "It's just too creepy."

"What do the voices sound like? What do they tell you?"

Kagome looked at Shippo quizzically. "I thought I already told you guys about that back in the hotel room."

Shippo smiled innocently, sparing Inuyasha only a momentary smug glance. "You did, but it is just so interesting! Please tell me again! Pleeeease!"

It was much more difficult to resist Shippo when he looked like a little fox kit demon. So Kagome smiled indulgently. "Well," she said, "The voices are from the souls of the other priestesses who went from Kikyo's body to mine. Even though they were all once a part of one soul, each one contained their own unique life, so they are all different personalities. Different people. And they have different strengths. A couple of them obviously have really good sense of direction, because they are certain that Naraku is in this direction."

"Will the souls stay a part of you after we defeat Naraku?"

Kagome would have stopped walking if Inuyasha hadn't dragged her along beside him. "I don't know, Shippo. I hadn't really thought about it. Some of the souls decided to go on to the light. I don't know what these will decide. It's possible that since the soul was split for so long, that it is split for good. They might just be lending me their strength until they decide to pass on."

Inuyasha tried very hard not to listen to the conversation. Knowing that lots of different spirits were currently enjoying a vacation in Kagome's body made him feel a little uneasy. Instead he focused on Miroku and Sango's conversation, who were hanging back so that they could talk privately. Though that one wasn't any more comforting.

"I thought that Kagome went mad," whispered Sango, perhaps forgetting that the dog demon had phenominal hearing. "Should we really be trusting her judgement to lead us? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love her... not like THAT you pervert!" she hissed. "I love her, but there are voices telling her what to do. Voices, Miroku!"

"I know, Sango."

Inuyasha's fists clenched in rage. They were doubting Kagome's sanity. He couldn't let Kagome know, it would break her heart. He would see them all turned into kibble before he allowed them to break her heart.

"Midoriko said that although it was unusual, Kagome is still Kagome." He sighed. "Though one has to wonder what the effect of so many voices speaking to you will have on your psyche. Can one of the personalities take her over, as Kikyo was planning to do? Is Kagome strong enough to fight them if they tried? Her body is still healing..."

"I may not have demon hearing," called Kagome from in front, "But I'm not deaf."

Sango and Miroku both blushed. Inuyasha cursed. He hadn't wanted her to know what they were talking about. He KNEW he should have left the others behind with Kouga in the real world to guard their bodies.

"Kagome..."

"It's okay, Sango... but if you have questions... just ask me."

Sango nodded.

"Could you really hear them?" whispered Inuyasha as they continued to walk.

"Nah. One of the voices told me what was going on."

Creepy.

"I'm more worried about what Kouga is doing with our bodies," said Shippo as he hopped onto Kagome's shoulder. He didn't see Inuyasha stiffen. "I mean, what if he puts my hand in a bowl of warm water? What if he draws pictures on my face?"

Kagome laughed, "I don't think you have to worry, Shippo. Kouga is on the phone with Ayame right now trying to convince her he hasn't forgotten their second year anniversary of their first kiss."

Inuyasha turned to her in surprise. "How do you know that?"

She smiled at him secretively. "I just know."

He shivered. Definitely creepy.

Just then, Kagome heard the music that signaled an oncoming battle.

Two boar demons, two condor demons, and one shadow demon with wings attacked the group. Inuyasha jumped into battle, taking both condors out in one swing of his sword. Sango threw her boomerang and knocked out one of the boar demons. Miroku cast a spell to put a barrier around the group. Kagome sent an arrow flying through one of the shadow demons.

Yes. Through. As in, the arrow went right through the body without connecting with any flesh.

"Uh oh..."

Inuyasha's sword also made no contact. But the wave of ice shards that they hissed out made plenty of contact with the group of warriors. It ripped through their clothes and drew blood on every member.

"So how come you aren't insane?" asked Miroku. "Kikyo said that you were broken in spirit as well as body."

Kagome glared at the monk. "You think you could pick a better time for a conversation, Miroku? Like, maybe when we aren't fighting shadow creatures we can't touch but can rip us to shreds?"

Miroku shrugged and cast another barrier spell. "Do all your personalities get in such bad moods?"

Kagome let another arrow fly. "Stop talking like I have a multiple personality disorder, Miroku. I just... have unexpected guests... in my head..."

Miroku laughed.

"Hey, Shippo," said Inuyasha. "Why don't you give it a shot?"

The fox kit grinned. "FOXFIRE!"

The shadow creature burst into tiny pixels.

"Well..." said Kagome. "That was pretty impressive!"

"Way to go Shippo!" Sango grinned.

"Oi, runt, you have one more to finish off."

"FOXFIRE!"

After the last demon was dispatched, Kagome and Shippo began searching the ground for items that may have been dropped. The miko was glad that her bag was waiting for her, and that it still contained all the items from their previous journey.

"I wish Kirara could have come," sighed Sango as she bent down to pick up one of Shippo's transforming leaves.

Kagome stood up and stretched. "I know, but you wouldn't want to risk us not being able to bring her back. I have no idea how she managed to escape into our world... but I don't know if whatever magic worked will work again."

Sango smiled sadly, "True."

A hand landed lightly on her shoulder. "I will keep you company until then," Miroku whispered. Of course, two seconds later he was laying flat on his back with an angry demon exterminator heavily pressing her foot into his ribs.

"Keeping me company does NOT mean putting your hand THERE!"

Miroku smiled. At least when she's fuming she doesn't have time to be sad. After carefully dislodging himself he stood up and straightened his robes.

"You were going to tell us why you are not insane," said Miroku as he gave his staff a twirl. "Kikyo said that..."

"DON'T use that creatures name in my presence, monk," growled the dog demon.

"Who? Kik..."

Growl.

"Ohhh, okay. Kagome, when that woman..."

Growl.

"... when that creature..."

Growl.

"Oh for pete's sake, Inuyasha! Let the man talk!" Kagome stood with her hands on her hips and glared.

Miroku cleared his throat, making sure to keep Kagome AND Sango between him and the irate dog demon.

"We were told that your spirit was broken. That re-living the deaths of the others who came before you would break you."

With a sad sigh, Kagome started walking to the east again. "Yeah, it was awful. Naraku did some... horrible... really horrible things to those women. And yes, it was like I was there. Like it was me." She looked away. "I'll have nightmares for the rest of my life, Miroku, there's no doubt about that."

"Kagome... I'm sorry..."

She turned and gave him a small smile, taking Inuyasha's hand and hugging Shippo to her. "It's okay, Miroku. But, those women gave me other memories too, not just of their death. They were happy women once. Brave. Strong. Fierce. They had wonderful lives and did wonderful things."

She walked closer to Inuyasha. "I also got a glimpse of Kikyo's life." She felt Inuyasha vibrate as he growled. "She was so sad. Most of the others wanted to be priestesses. It was an honor, and it was what they lived for. Kikyo was a priestess because it was expected of her as the eldest daughter. But all she ever really wanted was a family of her own. A husband and a dozen or so children. Being forced to become a priestess stole all of her dreams. It essentially stole her life."

"Don't ask me to feel sorry for her, Kagome. She tried to hurt you. I can't forgive her."

"Just don't hate her, okay?" She nudged him playfully. "Hate isn't good for your soul."

"One of those voices tell you that?"

She grinned. "Yup!"

He grimaced. "You know that's kinda disturbing don't you?"

"Yup!"

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note:

Thanks to Shoomy2003 for beta reading this chapter for me! Get better soon!