A/N: I made it through my tests! AP History wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I did kinda fluff my way through two essays though…
The SAT also wasn't as horrible as previously assumed, but it took FOREVER! I was sitting in that room for about SIX HOURS taking that stupid test.
I had better get a good score on that one, because there is no way they can make me take a six hour test all over again.
Chapter 4: A Familiar Face
Kagome knelt in front of the altar in the temple, locked in prayer. The Shikon no Tama was on a stand in front of her, glowing a pure pink.
She lifted her head up, gazing at the jewel in which the fate of the world hung fifty years later. "It should be fully pure by now." She said out loud, Kikyou's soft voice filling the temple.
Sighing as she stood up, Kagome thought, Now that it's completely pure, not as many youkai will come after it. If the vilest youkai touched the pure Shikon no Tama, it would vaporize them instantly.
Kagome paused after that statement, blinking in surprise. She rolled her eyes. There I go again, thinking like Kikyou. I've been in her body for so long that I can't help but think like her.
She turned and walked out of the temple, squinting slightly at that bright orange sunset as she slid open the doors. Kagome glanced down at herself, seeing Kikyou's clothes, and knew her face was no one but Kikyou's. Has it really been a month already?
I wonder what happened back there…Did time go backwards...Or am I just in a coma or something? If I am, I hope Inuyasha isn't too worried…
A tragic sigh escaped her as Kikyou's eyes glanced downward in heavy thought. Inuyasha…
Suddenly, a cry broke through her glum. "Kikyou-sama!"
Kagome's head shot up and lookedaround for who had said it, when another call came. "Kikyou-sama! Come quick! There's a youkai!"
Though Kikyou would never do this, Kagome couldn't help but give an annoyed grunt. Another youkai, huh? Day in, day out, that's all she did. Fight youkai, and purify the Shikon no Tama. Was there anything else to this life of being Kikyou?
However, Kikyou would never shirk her duty to the village, and neither would Kagome.Once again, she found herselfrunning back to her hut, to grab her bow and arrows for another youkai fight.
Kaede was there, looking worried when her sister suddenly burst in. "Onee-sama! Is it a youkai?"
"Yes, Kaede." Kagome quickly explained, grabbing her weapon. "A youkai has attacked. Since I didn't see it in the village, it must be nearby in the forests."
The girl looked even more afraid as she asked, "Is it a big youkai?"
Kagome shook her head. "I don't know, Kaede." Glancing back at her, she could see the small fear she saw in Kaede's eyes whenever she went off to go find youkai. She manged to give her an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Kaede. It is nothing to worry about. I'll be back soon."
And with that, Kagome raced out of the hut, bow and arrows in hand. She ran through the village, seeing alarmed villagers faces, like she always saw when there was a threat, and a few animals, including the small white dog she had seen earlier, looking fearful as well.
It was like this at every battle; the villagers would hear of the youkai and be afraid while she went to fight it alone, and once it was over, they would praise her for being the savior of the village. But after that, they would say things about her behind her back. All people are fickle, I suppose. She reminded herself as she entered into the dark forest as she felt the great youki of the youkai.
Kagome notched an arrow in her bow, and continued walking in the forest, following the youki. It didn't take her long to find the youkai, which appeared to be an overgrown brown lizard with green eyes. It snarled and its eyes seemed to light up when it recognized the miko that protected the Shikon no Tama. It sat up on its hind legs, seeming to be twice as tall as her.
Kagome glared through Kikyou's eyes as it opened it's spiky mouth and spoke, "Shikon no Tama…"
"You will not have the Shikon no Tama." Announced Kagome in a threatening tone, gripping the arrow notched fiercely. "Now get out of here, and your life will be spared."
The lizard gave an angry snarl at her proclimation. "You will die, miko!" and with that it attacked, lunging at her, it's mouth open and ready.
Kagome was more than prepared. The arrow she had strung flew, striking the lizard near it's right arm, causing it to fall back and snarl as it saw the bolt stuck at the shoulder joint.
Another arrow soon joined it, and this time it was a purity arrow, hitting nearly the same spot as the first, with pink light exploding as it hit. Blood spurted as the lizard fell back, mouth open and hissing in pain; she had blown its arm off.
Kagome knew from experience that it was not time to get cocky. Some youkai could attack strongest when thought to be at their most weak. Another arrow was already strung as the lizard pounced back fast enough to get Kagome to jump back, Kikyou's large pants getting in the way slightly as she landed on her back, the youkai above her.
A gasp escaped her as it jumped up topounce on her, and without a moment's hesitation she rolled, a small piece of her white sleeve getting caught in the claws and ripping. Kagome jumped up, feeling a part of Kikyou's hair coming undone from the bow holding it back and falling over her shoulder as she readied another arrow to fire.
Her arrow flew true, but the lizard was quick this time, it dodged and jumped closer, forcing Kagome to use her bow to slash at it, pink light glowing from the wood. Again the lizard cried in pain as the purification powers burned his belly, angering him even further.
Finally, the lizard had enough. It didn't care if it died, as long as it could take this miko with it. Charging, with its claws raised, Kagome only had seconds to decide how to dispose of it. In a flash, she thrust out her right hand, pink light collecting in the palm before it exploded inches away from the lizard, Kagome having to close her eyes as she felt the blast of miko powers, and hearing the youkai's dying cry.
When she opened her eyes, pieces of the destroyed youkai fell to the ground, its blood everywhere, and she was panting from the amount of energy she had used. She had never had to use that much before to get rid of an insignificant youkai.
Kagome felt an ache all over, mostly from the amount of energy used, and knew she had certainly received some scrapes at the end. All she wanted now was to go back to the hut and rest, for a glorious few hours of sleep before the cycle of fighting would begin again.
The sun sunk beneath the sky, darkening the clearing, while Kagome suddenly felt some strange youki nearby. It wasn't as much as usual youkai, yet what was there seemed to be powerful. Looks like my fighting for tonight isn't over. She thought grimly, feeling her tired self protest.
She glanced back, her eyes locking on a tree where she felt the youki, but she saw no one. So they're hiding…perhaps they're hiding from me, seeing what I did.
Kagome held a small smile on her face. If they do decide to fight, I'll give them a fight they'll never forget.
Suddenly, to her surprise, the youki faded away. What was going on?The youkai hadn't left;she hadn't heard anything move. Could it hide its youki perhaps? It certainly was possible; Naraku had done it before.
Finally, tired of its games, Kagome called out, "How long do you intend to hide?"
There was no answer. She turned around fully, Kikyou's eyes glaring as lightning flashed nearby, illuminating her face and giving her an eerie look.
Another flash of lightning, before rain started falling down. It didn't hinder either of them in the least. "Are you also after the Shikon no Tama?" Kagome spat, not hiding her annoyance this time.
Pause. Then, reluctantly, a voice she had heard before spoke, "'Shikon no Tama'? What's this Shikon no Tama thing?"
Kagome gave a small gasp, her eyes wide. That voice…that she had been longing to hear for so long…That voice that always comforted her…That voice she loved… She was beginning to think that he'd never come, but he did..."Inuyasha…?" she gasped, in a soft whisper.
She heard him stiffen in the tree, and remembered his dog ears. She began to panic. What if he heard?
Thinking quickly, Kagome masked her emotions once more under the Kikyou façade. She wasn't Kagome, meeting Inuyasha after waiting what seemed like forever to see him. She was Kikyou, a fierce youkai-killing miko, meeting a youkai that she couldn't see, that could be a potential threat. Her face went back to Kikyou's deadly serious one, her eyes once more glaring.
Neither of them spoke, the tension between the two enemies by nature thick. The only sound heard was the gentle pitter patter of the raindrops hitting the muddy ground.
Deciding it was time to say something, Kagome spoke, "If you don't know, that's just as well." Knowing it was what Kikyou would say. "However, if you don't want to be killed, don't come near me." The destroyed youkai on the ground was enough proof of that.
But I won't kill you if you try, Inuyasha...I could never kill you. Kagome silently added, turning away with Kikyou's glare still on her face. Inuyasha did nothing to stop her, just letting her go.
She had only gone a few steps when her tired muscles gave way in protest, Kagome falling to the muddy ground in exhaustion. Fighting youkai everyday had tired her out, and that power she had just used was the last straw. Shemade no move to get up, ground feeling oddly wonderful at that moment. It didn't matter that Inuyasha had just jumped down from the tree, running up to her, she didn't open her eyes or move.
He kneeled next to her, and it suddenly occurred to Kagome that he could really hurt her. She knew Inuyasha would never kill Kikyou when he loved her, but he didn't at the moment. What was to stop him from killing her this instant? What if he decided he wanted the Shikon no Tama without getting to know the miko that protected it, and tried to kill her?
But he did nothing. He just sat next to her, staring as the rain washed the dirt from her face. Kagome could almost see the look that would almost certainly be in his amber eyes, that calculating, puzzled look. She wanted to just open her eyes and gaze on his face once more, just to know for sure that he was there, but she was too tired.
It wasn't an option anyway, since a second later, she heard someone calling her name through the trees. "Kikyou-sama!"
Kagome could hear the small, frightened gasp come from Inuyasha, and he soon jumped up and darted away, as more voices joined the first. "Kikyou-sama!"
They came to find me… was her only thought, as a young girl's voice pierced the clearing. "Onee-sama! Kikyou onee-sama! Onee-sama?" Kaede gasped and ran towards her, her sandals splashing through the rain covered ground. "Onee-sama!"
With the girl's hand pulling her arm up, Kagome decided to sit up, despite her protesting muscles. Opening her eyes, she saw the young girl, wearing a hat and a reed coat to keep off the rain. "Kaede?" she whispered, sitting up slowly, glancing around to see where Inuyasha had gone.
"Are you all right?" the young girl asked, but Kagome wasn't listening.
Would Inuyasha really sit there if Kikyou fell like that? He'd have to…since this is fifty years ago…but…didn't he hate her at first? This was puzzling her. From what Kagome had learned, Inuyasha did fight Kikyou at the beginning, but he hadn't done anything at that moment.
I guess I'll have to ask him. she decided, her mind for once at ease since the day a month ago she had ended up in the past.
At least now I know he's here…Now I won't have to be afraid, since he's here…
Inuyasha…
A/N: I think I did better on this chapter, since I got in a healthy mix of Kagome and Kikyou's personalities.
Although, I do like this scene done better in the episode. I do love human Inu.
