Disclaimers: I don't own InuYasha or any of the copyrighted characters or themes and whatnot. Sorry to disappoint you.

A/N: If you review, please tell me what you think of the characterization I've done. I'm feeling pretty insecure about Sesshoumaru and InuYasha. Also, this is Part 1 because not because it is a 2-part chapter, but because there will be more than one chapter titled "Trash Talk."

Also, whatever is written like (this) is Kikyou speakig to Kagome.

Trash Talk Part 1

Kagome woke up gently, an unfamiliar but not unwelcome warmth surrounding her. She had a vague thought of being in bed under several quilts, but she realized she was almost sitting up, leaning against something solid, but definitely not laying down. The warmth seemed to have a mind numbing effect on her, making her senses dull.

No, her senses weren't dull, she thought. They just weren't as good as InuYasha's. She was aware of this before, but she hadn't realized just how handicapped humans were compared to youkai.

She burrowed into the warmth around her, her vision drowning in a sea of red and white as she brought her hand up to clutch the course-yet-soft fabric. It was achingly familiar, but her head just didn't want to wake up enough to remember how it was familiar.

Amber slits joined the red and white, and Kagome's mind was suddenly fully awake, even if her body wasn't so suddenly a riser. She was sitting in InuYasha's lap, his arms locked around her as he leaned up in a corner of Kaede's hut, for once well away from the door.

"Good morning," Kagome smiled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Morning," InuYasha replied with a sleepy mumble.

"Actually, its mid-afternoon," Miroku interjected. He didn't face them. He was preoccupied with his stew that Kaede handed him. The rest of the group, too, was gathered around the fire pit, happily lapping up the food, still hungry after the seven-day battle.

Oddly, neither InuYasha nor Kagome realized the full extent of their group's injuries. Miroku's left arm was in a sling, and there was a bandage around his head, covering a scalp wound. Sango's right leg was splinted, and her right hand was bandaged. Kouga, not being able to get home with his injuries, was also receiving medical attention from the elderly miko, as well as a hearty helping of stew. His treatments were few, since he was a fast healer, but his ankle was bandaged, and his right arm was covered in medicinal herbs that were supposed to help get the blood flowing through the limb again. Shippo suffered a bruised tail bone, but no other serious injuries. He was expected to make the quickest recovery. But, being the child he was, he wanted some "pretend" injuries, and treated himself to Kagome's first-aid kit. He had Band-Aids on his hands, feet, and even several on his face.

Kagome had a few scrapes and cuts, but no serious physical injuries. She had more psychological damage than physical. InuYasha, on the other hand, was the most physically damaged, though he refused to admit it. More than once he had gotten nicked by the root-like appendages of Naraku, and the strain over the course of the seven-day battle had opened and reopened those wounds until they were worse than when they were inflicted, and a few were even infected. His joints were stiff, his back was kinked in several spots, one knee was swollen, and there was a nick in his ear.

Just then, Sesshoumaru waltzed in like he was entering a grand courtroom instead of a humble wooden hut. Behind him trailed his little green imp and Rin. Rin giggled and joined Shippo by the fireside, wondering about the many Band-Aids that littered his form. Jaken looked disgusted. It was unclear what Sesshoumaru thought, because he kept his face carefully blank.

"Naraku has been properly cremated," he reported. "The villagers, though, are less than pleased to have Kouga or myself in their midst."

"Well it's not like you have to stay here," InuYasha sneered. "We're not holding you against your will or nothin'."

To this Sesshoumaru glared. He was determined to test his theory of InuYasha's mental capacity and ability, but was wary to admit that to his "inferior little brother." So he said, "Rin seems quite happy here. I think we will stay a while."

Jaken cried out in alarm. "B-b-but m-my lord! Th-this place is hardly… appropriate for a youkai such as yourself!" He would have continued, but Sesshoumaru graced him with an icy glare.

"Jaken," he said in a warning tone, "you would do well to remember who it is you are talking to. Should you speak out of turn again, your life shall be forfeit."

The toad-imp bowed his head. "Y-y-yes, my lord," he complied, bowing his head.

"Great," InuYasha grumbled.

"Do you not approve of my presence, little brother?" Sesshoumaru inquired. "In that case, we shall leave."

"But… Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin frowned. "I thought you said that we could stay a while… I wanted to play with Shippo."

"Insolent child!" Jaken exclaimed, whirling on Rin. "Know your place! To challenge Lord Sesshoumaru's word is to look death in the eye!"

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru said sharply. The imp flinched.

"Fine, fine, you can stay," InuYasha wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Just keep an eye on your brat. I don't want her getting in the way of things around here."

.: xXx :.

(I am Kikyou.)

I am Kagome.

(I loved InuYasha once, fifty years ago. He promised to be human for me. He will be human for me.)

I love InuYasha now, for who and what he is. He doesn't have to be human for me. He turns human every new moon.

(I guarded the Shikon no Tama with my life.)

The Shikon no Tama has become the base of my life.

(InuYasha betrayed me.)

InuYasha would never betray me.

(He loved me.)

He loves me.

(You are merely a carbon copy. InuYasha only took you as his lover because you remind him of me. He cares nothing for you. You merely find him the jewel shards.)

We have all the jewel shards now. And he took me as his mate when you were right there at the foot of the hill. He wouldn't have done that had he still wanted you. He even had Sesshoumaru kill you.

(He wanted revenge on me for leaving him. You were merely a tool for that. He always came to me. He wanted me to merge with you so that he wouldn't have to search for me any more.)

That's not true. He's been ignoring you for several weeks now. He's gotten over you.

(That cannot be.)

Now you're the one that doesn't sound so sure.

(He still has feelings for me.)

Yes, he does. Regret, sorrow, pain, pity-

(He does not pity me! I do not need his pity!)

Pity isn't something that can be controlled. Either you pity someone or you don't, and that can't be changed very easily.

(You will regret talking down to me, wench. I swear you will pay for that.)

How? We share the same body now. Whatever you do to me, you have to do to yourself, too. I don't deny that you love InuYasha, so I don't think you'll take your own life just so that I can't have him.

(You would place your trust in me so easily.)

I don't trust you, Kikyou. I just know that there's more of a force to keep you from killing me now. If I die, you die. And there won't be anyone to resurrect you again. For now, I think you had better just settle down.