Sorry it took me me so long to update! I have had a lot going on with work and a sudden wave of depression that I had to really fight back. Thankfully, I had friends to help out, but it still kept me very...nonproductive? I think that's the word I'm looking for. But anyways, here is the next chapter!

UPDATE: Since my updates are becoming spontaneous, I will have daily posts on my tumblr to keep you all updated! You can find the link in my profile!

Previously...

"Wait," Shippo interrupted. "Does that mean that Kagome never had your soul?"

"Originally, no. However, once the spell was broken, my soul was released. It searched for my body in vain as my body had been burned. Since my soul was not ready to depart, it latched itself onto the closest spiritual being in the area. That was Kagome. As a result, Kagome has walked around with two souls until a few moments ago."

"So that means-" Sango started, but a new voice cut her off.

"That I'm still alive? Correct." Everyone watched as Kagome emerged out of the forest.

Chapter 3: Separating

Tension filled the air as everyone stared at Kagome, too shocked to speak. Everyone, except one.

"Mama!" Shippo cried out, running to her. "I thought something happened to you when you left with Kikyo and didn't come back!"

Kagome smiled and hugged her son. "Of course not, sweetie. Kikyo and I were talking about how everything's going to be when the three of us leave."

"The three of us?" Shippo repeated.

"Leave?!" Inuyasha yelled, recovering from his shock.

"Yes," Kikyo piped up as Kagome grabbed her bag, "the three of us. After today, Kagome, Shippo, and I are leaving." Kilala let out a loud meow at that.

"You can come too if you want to, KIlala," Kagome added as she rubbed the nekomata's head. Kilala mewed in acceptance and jumped onto Kagome's shoulder, to Sango's chagrin

"So you're just going to steal Kilala and leave?!" the tajiya snarled in anger as she gripped her weapon.

Steal her?" Kagome repeated. "Kilala chose to come with me of her own free will. It is up to her whether she stays or go."

Sango shot a glare at Kagome and said, "Well I'm her master, and I say she cannot go." She then turned her gaze back to Kilala and called out, "Kilala, come here."

Kilala licked her paw, but made no other movements, intensifying Sango's anger.

"Kilala, I said get over here now." Kilala gave a small hissing sound and licked Kagome's cheek.

"Dammit Kilala," Sango exploded, "obey your master and get your ass over here this instant!"

In one fluid motion, Kilala jumped off Kagome's shoulder and transformed in midair, snarling at Sango as she landed.

"It seems Kilala has chosen a new companion," Kikyo said with an amused expression.

"Well, she had chosen a new compannion a while ago," Shippo added with a mockingly smug gaze directed towards Sango. "Isn't that right, Sango?"

Sango glared, and was about to throw her weapon, but Miroku grabbed her hand to stop her. She cast him an angry expression before stomping away.

"Lady Kagome," the houshi said, "don't you think it would be unwise to leave? What about the jewel shards? Surely you will need more protection than Shippo can give."

Shippo glared at the monk, but Kagome stopped whatever words he was about to say. "I can protect myself, Miroku, and I don't have just Shippo, but Kikyo as well to help me protect the shards."

"You would trust a traitor over your own friends?" he said in surprised, and Kagome recognized his tone. This was his 'coercion' tone. He's crazy if he thinks he's gonna convince us to stay,' Kagome thought.

"You should know that Lady Kikyo is helping Naraku," Miroku continued. "Also considering how jealous she is of your power and beauty, she is probably just trying to lead you to destruction." At any given moment-"

"Kikyo swore her loyalty to me." Miroku's words were cut off by Kagome's statement, and the entire clearing fell silent. To swear one's loyalty in the Feudal Era was taken extremely serious as well as a rare occurance. To pledge loyalty to someone formed an unbreakable vow between the two in question.

"Well what about friends?" Miroku spoke back up. "Surely, you would yearn for the companionship of your friends at some point, would you not?"

Kagome gave a humourless laugh at that. "Monk, do you truly stand there and pretend that we are friends?"

"Are we not?" Miroku asked innocently with a slight turn of his head.

"Innocence does not suit you monk," Kikyo sneered. Kagome placed her hand on the other miko's shoulder, calming her down, before addressing the group as Sango re-entered the clearing.

"You planned to kill me," Kagome stated and watched as the faces of the current Inutachi change to shock as she continued. "You wanted Kikyo, who was a stronger miko than I, to join the group and believed that killing me and returning her soul was the way to go about it."

"However," Kikyo added, "you were wrong. I knew of your injustices and heinous deeds, and there is no way I could ever forgive you for the innocent lives you selfishly ruined and destroyed. I will join Kagome in her quest to complete the Shikon no Tama, and the three of you can rot in hell."

Kikyo then turned to Kagome, who was slightly shocked at her speech. "Have you collected everything you need?" Kagome and Shippo nodded. As they turned to leave, they heard a shout.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?!" Kagome sighed before turning slightly to look behind her.

"We are leaving, Inuyasha," Kagome answered. "What part of that did you not understand?" He then jumped in front of them, blocking their path.

"You wenches ain't leaving if I have anything to say about it!" he yelled. Kagome reached for her hidden blades, but Kikyo stopped her as she notched her bow.

'Inuyasha, you have no power to stop us from leaving," she replied. She then let her arrow fly, but Inuyasha dodged, letting the arrow strike the nearby tree with a 'plunk.'

"Ha, stupid bitch, you missed me!" Inuyasha gloated as he lept towards them. Midway, he suddenly slammed into a barrier. "What th-"

"I didn't miss," Kikyo explained, cutting off the hanyou's words. "I simply created a barrier that would contain you." With that, she turned and nodded to Kagome and Shippo. The group consisting of two mikos, a kitsune, and a nekomata proceeded to exit the clearing, leaving the remaining Inutachi behind.

That's all for tonight people, but hopefully this reassures you that I haven't abandoned this story! I'm currently writing up the next chapter, but it will take a while. I hope you all are looking forward to the future chapters! Three words: Kikxkag friendship fluff!

And, with that, I am off to sleep! See ya next time!

~AnimeAndie~ (Yeah, I changed my pennname!)