Author's Note: Oh, boo. A blackout happened as I was typing. -- I would have posted this yesterday, but I had to go visit the cemetery and my cousin's house. Sorry, and thanks for the reviews :)

Brief: Kagome wants to know. What is love? Race, race!

Disclaimer: I do not own IY and co.

Chapter 7: Rush

Kagome's POV

Last afternoon at school, I finally got what daddy meant. About those little butterflies, fluttering in your stomach that gave you these inexplicably pleasuring and reassuring feelings rushing through your body. I admit, I felt a lot better than I usually do. It made me feel happy; not like happy as if I was with Miroku, but more… serious, you know?

I lay on my side on top of the covers of my bed, thinking. Dad said that mom had made him feel those butterflies, and they loved each other, right? That didn't explain my feeling though. I absolutely cannot love Inuyasha… could I? I mean, I admit, he's pretty attractive and I could tell that he was just a big softy inside that hard exterior. Just like a caramel filled chocolate; hard on the outside, but sweet and all gushy in the inside. I also noticed that Kikyou would throw some occasional glances at Inuyasha, some emotions swirling in her soft brown eyes.

When I saw those emotions, I sort of snapped mentally. Did she love him? I didn't want to believe it; I think I was blinded, I just wanted Suikotsu to be happy, you know? Or is that the reason? This just all ties to the fact that I felt those butterflies when I'm with Inuyasha. This is all just so confusing. Where, when, and why in the world had they created 'love' and 'emotions'.

I guess this is all just Kami's plan of the world. There has to be a reason.

But, I absolutely refuse the fact that I could possible fall in love with someone like Inuyasha. I don't want to hurt Kikyou's feelings. People tell me I'm a bit too unselfish; I put their problems before mines way too much, and end up ignoring the hurt inside of me. Inside, I've always really wanted someone else just like me to heal me. Treat me nicely; heal my mental and inner wounds. Somehow, I only think that I'm the only person in the world like this. Everyone else… is everyone else. They may be unselfish, but I don't think anybody would ever be as unselfish as me. I completely forget about my problems, as they eat me from the inside.

There may be a person in this world that can heal the wounds that may be impossible to heal. Who knows? For right now, I'm going to take action. I'm going to stop these inner parasites, silently killing me from the inside.

I silently scream, only allowing the person who connects to my soul to hear it. I haven't found that person, so for right now I think I'll stick with Miroku and Bankotsu. Although, maybe I've found that person but I just don't know it yet. Only Kami knows…

As for Kikyou… I am honestly not so sure about her anymore. After all, it's been a year…

Whatever.

Author's POV

Kagome got up from her bed and walked out of the door. She searched around, not being able to find Miroku. She caught up to one of the gang members.

"Hey, do you happen to know where Miroku or Bankotsu are?" she asked.

The rugged older man turned towards his leader and answered. "I think Miroku went over to the market to pick up some food and such, and Bankotsu is most likely in the training room."

"Thanks!" Kagome called out as she looked back and waved, running towards the training room.

The man watched as she ran, pondering. He shook his head with a small smile on his face. 'I have always wondered why we have such a kind leader,' he thought. He walked to his destination…

No where at all.

Kagome sat on her chair backwards, chin resting on the top of the chair. She watched as Bankotsu furiously punched the blue colored bag, beads of sweat trailing down his face. He was shirtless, showing his flawless and muscular body, also having sweat trickling down to the confinement of his shorts. When he was finished, Kagome threw a towel at him, which he gracefully caught.

He wiped his head and body from the sweat, before ringing the towel around his neck and looking at Kagome. "Is there something wrong, Kag?" he asked, using her childhood nickname.

Kagome tilted her head. "Sort of. Bankotsu…" she started, "do you happen to know anything about… love?" she finished hesitantly while wondering what he would think about this choice of subject.

Bankotsu tilted his head towards Kagome, and looked at her strangely. "Why do you ask…?" he questioned.

Kagome looked down at the chair, observing the swirls of the wood design and then following the imaginary circles with her index finger. "I don't know, I just… yeah."

Bankotsu grinned, looking at her in a somewhat 'knowing' way. "Are you having these little feelings for that Inuyasha guy, hmm?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. (HAHAHA, I LOVE THAT )

A very light pink hue formed on Kagome's cheeks, causing her to cover her face. "No, no!" came out her muffled voice, sounding exasperated.

Bankotsu laughed, and sat on the ground next to her chair. "I'm just kidding, Kag. And well, about your question, sorry, but I can't answer that."

Kagome looked (ALMOST) crestfallen and sighed. "What am I going to do…?" she groaned.

Bankotsu grinned once more, and put his right hand up to his chin doing 'The Thinker' pose. "So you do like that Inuyasha boy!"

Kagome covered her hands with her face and let out a little scream of frustration and annoyance. "I do NOT like Inuyasha!" she screamed.

Suddenly, Miroku's head popped through the door. "You like Inuyasha?"

A vein popped out in Kagome's forehead. "I…do…NOT…like…INUYASHA!" she gritted out between her clenched teeth. She raised her fist, ready to punch something… or rather, someone.

Miroku laughed and went back outside the door, running because he knew Kagome was going to catch him and beat him up one way or another. Kagome ran out the door, chasing after Miroku. They turned in hallways, bumped into people –earning a 'Hey! Watch it!' before they saw it was Kagome- and they ended up at a dead end.

Miroku stared strangely at the wall, stopping him from escaping Kagome's wrath. 'Who the hell builds a dead end in a hallway?' he questioned no one in particular, praying to Kami that his physical punishment will be quick. She wasn't abusive, but she could pack a punch. After all, she was the leader. He was only second in command.

Kagome released the hold on her arm in a swift motion, Miroku instinctively covering his head with his arms. She stopped abruptly about two inches away from his face, where he looked up and saw her fist. He looked up at her face, and saw that Kagome's eyes were hidden under her bangs, and she was trembling.

A outbreak of laughter sounded out through the hallway, bouncing off the walls and echoing all the way down. Miroku looked at her disbelievingly. 'I thought she was angry when she was trembling!' he thought.

As her laughter died down, she looked at Miroku with a twinkle in her eyes. "Did you really think I was going to hit you?" she asked.

Miroku looked down and sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Actually… yeah."

Kagome sighed with a smile on her face. "Well I haven't hit you for the past ten years; what makes you think I'm going to hit you now?"

"Ehh… I guess you wouldn't…" Miroku said slowly.

"Exactly," she prompted.

The two childhood friends were now in Miroku's room, Kagome prepared to ask a question as Miroku was waiting… somewhat patiently.

Kagome was fidgeting with the fabric of the bed sheets, not looking at Miroku. Soon after a few minutes, a vein popped in his forehead in which he tried to keep in. "Wasn't there something you needed to ask me, Kagome…?" he asked slowly, watching what he was saying. He didn't want to make her mad… again.

Kagome made an 'o' with her mouth as if she had just realized what she was in the room for. "Uhh, actually… do you know anything about…" Kagome struggled with the next word. "…love?"

Miroku stared at her incredulously. "Could you repeat that, please? I don't think I heard that."

Kagome sighed. She did not want to ask that again. "I know you heard me, Miroku. Now answer me. Do you, or do you not?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "Well, I'm not sure, but I've got an idea," he sighed. He didn't exactly like reliving this particular memory.

"Oh?" she tilted her head to the side. "You do?"

Miroku nodded. "Yeah, I think I felt it when I was with… a girl."

Kagome furrowed your eyebrows together. "You had a girlfriend? You never told me tha-" She was interrupted by Miroku, who was waving his hand.

"No, she wasn't a girlfriend. It's just this girl that was around," he answered.

"Oh… so how did you feel around her? How'd you know that it was love?" Kagome asked curiously.

His eyes softened considerably as he thought of the girl from his past. "Well, I'm not sure seeing as I was only fourteen, but… I don't know. It felt like my heart went up to my throat; butterflies were in my stomach and that… that I felt more complete somehow. When she was around or talking to me, I felt as if I would melt into a puddle. Do you get it?" he asked softly, still thinking of that girl.

"Oh…" Kagome said, and then suddenly turned a pink color. "Does… does that mean I like Inuyasha? I mean, I feel that way when I'm around him."

Miroku grinned. "So you do like Inuyasha!"

"Shut up!" Kagome yelled. She laughed nonetheless as she was tackled by Miroku and given a 'brotherly noogie', he called it. She ran across the room and out the door, before sticking her head back in and giving him a raspberry.

"I'll get you back somehow, I promise," she grinned as she pointed at him. He smirked back at her.

"Oh yeah? Well I'm hoping for the day you'll beat Super Miroku!" he shouted out enthusiastically.

Kagome laughed, feeling happy after that 'love' thing. She walked out the door, leaving Miroku to his own pool of thoughts. His eyes became dark and hid under his bangs as he thought of his past love.

'Sango…'

Kagome skipped down the halls, getting strange looks from the gang members. One of the men looked at her until she was out of his eyesight. 'Why is she skipping? Skipping is for… happy… people,' he thought, shivering. He was obviously one of those people who think rainbows and ponies were evil things from hell.

She suddenly stopped skipping, looking down at her own feet strangely. "Why the hell am I skipping?" she said out loud, as if she was going to receive an answer from out of no where.

'You're happy.' A voice sounded out from seemingly no where, shocking Kagome.

"Wha-! Where are you?" she asked, looking around the empty hallway.

'I'm your conscience. I'm in your head. Stop babbling around to no one like some kind of idiot!' The voice echoed in her head again.

'Hey, I take offense,' she said, this time in her head and not out loud like 'some kind of idiot'.

'Uh huh, well, like I said, you're skipping 'cause you're happy.' The voice said.

'And why exactly am I so happy that I would skip?' she asked her conscience dubiously.

'Because you found out that you love Inuyasha,' the voice replied simply.

Kagome stopped in her tracks, standing right in front of her door. There was no way that she loved Inuyasha!

'You know you told Miroku that you felt the same way with Inuyasha as he did with that girl, right?' the voice asked.

'Oh yeah… Maybe I like him, but I don't know about love,' Kagome thought.

'Well at least I got you to admit something,' her conscience said, before disappearing altogether.

She entered her room, as she roamed through her heads; she saw the memories… the good and the bad. She saw joy, misery, like, hate, and… love?

Kagome woke up to the annoying shrilling of the alarm clock, feeling tired and achy. She looked down at her body, seeing she had slept in yesterday's clothes; Dickies pants and a wife beater. She groaned. 'Oh yeah, wearing a belt to sleep really makes me feel good…'

She slowly got up from her bed, hearing cracks the whole time. She reluctantly walked sluggishly to the bathroom, craving the hot water on her back more than chocolate on that time of month.

Doing her stuff, Kagome turned on the hot water to the shower and stepped in, immediately feeling relaxed. 'I'm never going to bed in day clothes ever again…' she sighed.

The water pounded on her back as she closed her eyes, relieving them. She was really tired, waking up in the middle of the night and feeling as if she didn't know where she was. Everything felt so unfamiliar in Tokyo…

Kagome was ready for school, and went downstairs. She searched around, but couldn't find Miroku. "Miroku's not ready yet or something?"

Everybody shrugged, focusing on their meal or what not. Kagome shook her head and went back upstairs and into Miroku's room. She pushed open the door, prepared to yell but saw Miroku curled up into a ball on top of his bed, still in his pajamas.

She walked up to his bed, gazing at Miroku's face. It was scrunched up, as if he was having a nightmare. She sighed, and decided to let him off for the day. He didn't look so good…

Leaning her face closer, she gave him a sisterly kiss on the cheek, which seemed to make him calm down. His face was one of tranquility; it seemed like the nightmare had just suddenly stopped.

Kagome walked out of the door, and before softly closing it, she said, "Feel better, 'Roku…"

The gang, minus Miroku, arrived at school fifteen minutes early. Kagome walked towards Kikyou as she turned around, as did Inuyasha and Sango. Sango noticed one person missing, and spoke without thinking. "Where's Miroku?"

Kagome stared at her, hearing the question. She hadn't ever seen Sango make any conversation with Miroku. 'I wonder why she would ask…'

"He's not feeling good today," Kagome responded.

Kagome watched as Sango looked away and her face drooped a little, looking sad.

'Why is she so sad? Does she like Miroku…?' Kagome asked herself. Kagome turned back to Kikyou, who was talking on and on, when she suddenly remembered what today was.

Kagome cleared her throat, trying to get Kikyou's attention. It worked. "Kikyou, you said you would decide by today," she stated.

Kikyou bit her lip, finally reminded by her fateful decision. Don't get her wrong; she had thought about it all night yesterday. She had an answer for Kagome, and didn't care if Kagome would be happy or not. She was sticking with it.

"I want to go back in the gang."

Kagome silently put on her leather elbow length fingerless gloves, then flexing her fingers as if testing them out. She slipped on her black short-sleeved button up vest over her white wife beater, the seemingly glowing blue dragon sewed on in a slithering motion on the back. She pulled up her oversized black denim jeans, before sagging them down and showing blue boxers. She raided her own closet, looking for her pair of checkered Vans slip-ons and putting her feet into them, checking that they fit nicely.

It had been four days since the day Kikyou had decided, and they had a race this Saturday night at two. Kagome had given Kikyou back her motorcycle, the same one from longer than a year ago. She had told Kikyou to drive it and get the feeling back in her veins, because they were going to race this night.

Kagome went to her bathroom and grabbed a hair tie, in case she needed it for the race. She walked across the plush carpet, softly opening the door as it gave out a squeak of protest. Coincidentally, Miroku had come out of his door at the same time.

"Hey," Miroku said a little louder, wanting to break the somehow deafening silence. It was making ringing sounds in his ears, and it annoyed him to no end.

Kagome gave him a nod of acknowledgement, not believing that she felt her stomach make flip flops. She didn't really blame herself for being nervous, though; they hadn't had a real race ever since Kikyou had left the other year. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Nervous?" Miroku asked. He, too, was nervous even if he wasn't racing. He didn't have any doubt about Kagome, though. She had been practicing. Kikyou, though? He hadn't seen her for nearly a year, and he had his doubts. He pushed them to the back of his head, reassuring himself that they would do perfectly fine, win or lose.

Kagome let out a shaky breath, and responded. "Yeah, I guess… I mean, we haven't been racing for a few months now," she said as she closed her eyes and leaned on her balcony railing, where they had traveled to during their tiny conversation. She watched the crescent moon glow brightly in the navy blue colored sky, clouds not invading its presence. The moon glowed as if it was proud, basking in its mysterious bluish glory.

The crisp night air made her calm as she took in a deep breath. The cool breeze blew on her face, carrying away the nervousness and worries into the wind. As Kagome looked at the scene of tranquility, she was reminded of her painful past. 'Why couldn't my life have been peaceful? Why did it have to be so… hard…?' she thought, tears threatening to slip through her closed eyes. Memories flashed through her head, playing and switching around like an old film.

"Kagome, I think we should get going now," Miroku said, taking Kagome away from the agonizing memories.

"Yeah…" Kagome nodded, and walked out of her room behind Miroku. They went to get their bikes, and then drove slowly out of the garage to the street in front of the mansion, finding the whole gang outside and ready to go.

"C'mon, 'Gome, 'Roku! It's about one-thirty right now!" yelled out Bankotsu. Hearing this, the two slipped on their helmets before Kagome took hers back off.

Miroku looked at her confusedly, wondering why she had taken it off. "Why did you take off your helmet, Kagome? It's time to go," his muffled voice came from under the helmet.

Kagome didn't answer, but instead took out her Motorola Razr V3 cell phone from her pocket. Miroku watched as she dialed a number, and put the phone to her ear. Kouga strained his ears to listen in on their conversation.

"Hello?" he heard a feminine voice sound out from the phone.

"Kikyou, are you ready yet?" Kagome asked. 'So it was Kikyou,' Kouga and Miroku thought together.

"Yeah, I was just about to go out of the house. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay, good."

"Oh, and I'm bring Inuyasha and Sango with me. Is it okay with you?" Kikyou asked.

"Sure, just let them make sure they're out of trouble," Kagome replied nonchalantly.

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye, Kikyou," Kagome said, closing the phone and successfully ending the phone conversation.

Kagome put her helmet back on, and then yelled out. "Let's go, Yoko Mountain Pass!" She slid down the face covering, revved her engine, and drove out first in front of the gang.

The gang arrived at the mountain pass, where there were people scattered about at the sidelines, leaving room for cars and motorcycles alike to drive onto the streets. They chattered excitedly, the cause of The Dragons finally making their comeback after a long seven months.

The gang drove all the way near the starting line, where as Kagome instead stayed at the front to wait for Kikyou and her friends.

Kikyou finally drove up on her motorcycle, a glossy black Mitsubishi Eclipse following in her path. Her bike was a metallic silver color, with light pink claw marks on the sides, with a 'K' in fancy, high-class looking blue cursive. She had insisted on having at least a little pink on her bike, thus the claw marks. Hey, we couldn't have little pink flowers and butterflies on one of the most powerful gang's bikes, right?

Kikyou got off her bike and took off her helmet, shaking her head and freeing her mass of wind-blown hair. Her eyes twinkled in happiness, obviously showing she had enjoyed the drive. Inuyasha came out of the driver's seat of the Mitsubishi and Sango out of the passenger's.

"Hey, Kikyou," Kagome greeted Kikyou with a slight jerk of her head, imitating some guys' way of greetings.

Kikyou waved and smiled. "Hi, Kagome!"

Kagome turned back around to the person on the desk. It was a teenage guy, probably about eighteen years old. "So, who's entering?" he said in his deep voice, the effect of adolescence. He was still looking down at his paper and writing, not even glancing at the girls.

"Kagome Higurashi, Miroku Lee, and Kikyou Hiromi," Kagome replied.

The man finally looked up, and his eyes widened in surprise. "O-oh, I'm sorry, okay, Kagome, Miroku, and Kikyou…" he frantically wrote down the new contestants. "Miroku will be racing Kuranosuke in race one, Kikyou with Kagura in race two, and you, Kagome, with Naraku in race three, the last one. Good look," he said, more confident.

"Thanks," Kagome said simply, before driving near the starting line, as did Kikyou. Inuyasha and Sango stood there with mouths agape, not believing that Kikyou had left them in a place that they've never been. Inuyasha stared at Sango, and they both got into the car and went to the same place as Kikyou.

Inuyasha POV

I got out of the car for the second time we were all here, and looked at Kikyou's 'team'. I watched as Kikyou and that Miroku person stretch their arms and legs, while Kagome sat on the railing swinging her legs like a little girl. I couldn't help but feel that pang of worry that she was going to fall off or something. She looked really cute with her arms to her sides, legs swinging about, and those big cerulean colored eyes. I could drown in them, and I almost did that time in class.

I turned around to Kikyou and watched as she stretched gracefully, flexing her arms and long legs like a princess. She was so poised; sometimes I wondered if she had blue blood in her or something. She stopped exercising her arms and legs, and then sat down on the railing also with Kagome.

I also felt a pang of worry, but it wasn't quite as much as Kagome's.

I wonder why?

Author's POV

Kikyou sat next to Kagome on the railing, heart pounding. Kagome seemed to notice somehow.

"Are you alright, Kikyou?" Kagome asked, worried it was too much pressure again.

Kikyou shook her head and smirked. "You're too unselfish, Kagome. Think about yourself for once."

Kagome frowned. "I do too think about myself."

"Uh huh, I believe you…" Kikyou said sarcastically.

Kagome pouted and crossed her arms. Inuyasha covered his eyes seeing this. 'It should be illegal to be that cute…' he thought, trying to repress a smile and his blush.

The feminine scream of "QUIET!" rang out through the street, causing everyone to stop their prattle almost instantly.

"Alright, today's races are between Kikyou and Kagura, Miroku and Kuranosuke, and Kagome and Naraku. The Dragons have come back after a very long few months and came back with Kikyou too," she said sweetly this time. People cheered as they heard Kikyou, Miroku, and Kagome's names up on the microphone, announcing they were going to race again.

Miroku's eyes narrowed as he heard the name of his old rival. 'Kuranosuke is racing now, hmm? Well I'm going to make sure I beat him…' he thought determinedly, reasons unknown to people outside of his mind.

Miroku drove up to the starting line as the race was ready to begin, as did Kuranosuke. Miroku kept his head straight forward, looking at the road and beyond it.

"So, Lee, we meet again, hmm?" Kuranosuke said in his cocky voice.

Miroku turned to him, trying to keep his face stoic as he could. "I suppose so, Moto."

"So, have you won her yet?" Kuranosuke grinned, almost giving Miroku a silent challenge. He mentally accepted it, and kept quiet at his inquiry.

"You haven't, have you? So I guess she's still free for me to have, right, Lee?" Kuranosuke smiled in malice.

"Just… shut up," Miroku said finally, fed up with his talk.

"Heh. Well, good luck, 'cause you're going to need it in this race," Kuranosuke said, cocky once more.

Miroku ignored him, when a high pitched voice sounded out through a loudspeaker. "Okay, the race is about to begin! So contestants for race number one, Miroku and Kuranosuke, please get ready to race!" Miroku willed himself not to stare at the skimpy clothed girl, trying very hard to focus on the road and winning this race.

"You will race on your motorcycles two laps around the mountain pass!" she projected her voice again.

The skimpy clothed girl held a gun, and shot once, making a loud noise project through the streets as Miroku and Kuranosuke speeded off past the starting line.

Miroku held on to the bars, savoring the rush of racing on the motorcycle once more. He looked to his right where Kuranosuke was almost passing him, and immediately looked back up to focus on the race.

He made a sharp turn at the corner, leaving dust to fly around the area, slightly lessening Kuranosuke's sight.

Kuranosuke revved his engine more, catching up to his previous place besides Miroku. He drove closer to Miroku, closing in on him, only inches away. He looked about ready to Miroku.

'Hey, there's no body contact allowed!' Miroku thought, alarms ringing in his head. He drove even faster, avoiding the hand of Kuranosuke's that had shot out milliseconds before Miroku had moved out of the way.

Miroku sighed in relief as he looked ahead once more, passing the starting line and beginning the second lap. Words of encouragement were shouted at him from his gang as he raced ahead of Kuranosuke, in first place.

Inuyasha watched fascinated on how focused and serious they were of racing. Sango also watched, captivated of Miroku's racing. He had been so refined on his motorcycle.

…What happened to the dorky boy from junior high?

Miroku finished the race, successfully winning it. Kuranosuke left with his chin up, not admitting defeat. Miroku watched as he walked off to his team, and couldn't help but feeling just a tiny bit of admiration. Kuranosuke lost, but still kept his chin up. He wouldn't forget that.

Miroku headed back to his own team, where the guys gave him slaps on the back. As they were done, they departed from him and Kagome gave him a huge hug.

"You won, Miroku! I'm so happy," she said, still hugging him. Miroku laughed and hugged back, howling a "Whoo!" and pumping his arm up into the air.

He wouldn't forget the rush of racing once this night.

4616 words :) Review.

-Green FR00TL00PS