Chapter 4: A Threat To Myself

Hey guuuuyyys! I'm really gonna try to write more today and make it more interesting, but bear with me! Right now I'm just going wherever the plot takes me.

(Kagome's POV)

I was home in, in the modern era. I figured maybe in this demonless place, I could find peace. Especially since to my surprise, school was on break, which meant I could relax.

"It feels great to be at home in my bed." I said to myself, melting into my sheets, "But I still don't feel as good as normal... Kaede said the darkness was having issues controlling me, so does that mean that maybe I could fight back?" My eyelids grew heavy until keeping them wide and awake was a pointless mission. I just fell asleep.

-2 Hours Later-

"Kagome!" Souta called, realizing I was home. It seems I had just gone to my room and fell asleep without actually telling anyone I was here.

"...Hey Souta." I groaned, not wanting to leave the safety of my blankets.

"Don't be cranky..." He mumbled, "Mom is gonna be so happy that you're home! She was talking about it this morning that she wished you would return soon!"

Hmph, who would be happy to see you? Good for nothing.

"I'll go down and say hi to her!" I reluctantly got up, and Souta led the way to the living room where my mom hugged me as always, and we watched some TV.

"You seem a little down, Kagome!" Gramps said, eyeballing me, "Do the demons keep you up at night? Does Inuyasha nag you while you're there?"

I laughed, "He sure does." I felt bad for saying that behind his back. While I'm sure my family took it as a joke, I felt bitter towards him when I let the words escape my mouth.

"Why are you watching movies here, then? Go get some sleep, Kagome. I'll make a good breakfast for you in the morning!" Mom was really a great mom. There's no way I could ever feel hatred for her.

"Thanks!" I found myself back in my room, wrapped like a taco in my blankets. Buyo came in and laid on my side. He snuggled into me, and purred as he readied himself for sleep.

Stupid cat! Ugly stupid cat! Get off! Get off! I WANT TO SLEEP!

I shoved Buyo off the bed. He ran out of my room, shocked. I shocked myself, too. I always let Buyo cuddle with me and all of a sudden, I was just not in the mood. I have to be stronger though. My emotions don't control what I do, they only influence me. And while I still had my morals and opinions, I can still keep control of my actions. I just need to work.

It's pointless. Weakness can't become strength. Weakness cowers when faced with something more powerful, and that's your fate.

Who was this in my head?

We may share a body, but you are weak while I am powerful. You put up a fight, but who will win the battle can be obviously determined.

I didn't want to hear myself think. Just sleep, Kagome. And this time, without any interruptions.

-(Inuyasha's POV)-

Dammit. Naraku is gonna pay for this.

I rested upon a small tree outside of Kaede's village, frustrated. Kagome was back in her own time. She left without telling me, and Kaede left as well in search of someone who might know of any cure or treatment for that stupid red hell poison. I was supposed to stay here in case Kagome came back, but I was not to go and get her.

"Inuyasha." A voice called for me, as if I couldn't already smell him coming.

"What do you want, Miroku." I rolled my eyes. He was probably gonna try to give me some of his wise advise on how to not make the same mistakes again, like always.

"The poison is feeding off of the way she feels when you leave in the middle of the night." Miroku began, "She feels abandoned by you when you go, and those feelings are opportunities for feelings of hate to form, which is probably why she's attacking you more than anyone else."

"Don't you think I know that, Miroku?" Does he think I'm an idiot? "It's not like I go out of my way to upset her!"

"Well, Inuyasha I don't think I have to explain why you leaving causes her pain, but I would think about that for now, and correct your behavior around her." Miroku loved to sound like a genius.

"Keh...whatever." It was the only thing I could think to respond with. He made his way back to the village.

I don't do things to piss her off on purpose. And it's not like I don't think about how my actions affect her! I tried to tell her it was safer to stay in her own time and she wanted to come back! Not that I don't like having her around me, I just can't help but worry about Kikyo. Every time I see her soul collectors, I have to go see if she's okay...

"You're just an idiot, Inuyasha." Strange, I didn't smell her behind me.

I turned swiftly to see Kikyo surrounded by her soul collectors. "Kagome is the strongest one on your team. She was the only one who could evade Kanna's mirror and the infant's control. As well as she's the one who saved you from losing your human side. She should have been carefully protected. You won't defeat Naraku if you can't think." She was holding a bow and arrow in her hand.

"K-Kikyo..." I didn't know what to say to that. She was right that, although I am the best when it comes to physical battles, Kagome is the only other tool to defeating Naraku besides Kikyo, who's spiritual powers still don't surpass Kagome's.

"Only a fool will let his past get in the way of the future." She continued, "It's what Naraku wants, for you to jumble up your priorities and leave the team vulnerable. But he can't control her, at least without the infant."

"So...I have to protect her and solely her...is what you're telling me...in order to defeat Naraku?" I was stunned. I always swore I would protect and now avenge Kikyo.

"Inuyasha, you know that's what you've wanted to do for a while." She responded, "And my passion, the only thing that I want, is to rid the world of Naraku. Only then, will I rest in peace."

Immediately, I nodded, but didn't know if I was ready to let go of what I promised to her. "Kikyo, will you die after this battle?"

She looked down, "To my surprise, I would like nothing more than to be free from this world. Inuyasha, while I was alive, I thought I would be with you forever, but I didn't understand Fate. She, although looks cruel, in the end, creates a perfect story, and who follows it, finds the perfect ending. She favors goodness, Inuyasha. She gives us what we need. I couldn't see that when I was alive, I needed peace, in whatever form I could get it in. I found some of that in you, but the rest couldn't be found here. I will find it when I leave, and I will be in love."

"Promise me that is really what you want..." I breathed out.

"It is. And fate will give you yours." She responded, "Now, Naraku is confused right now. Although he was able to latch on to the darkness at first, she fought him off, and that scares him. He is desperate to be rid of the threat and that means he is going to try again to get Kagome, but next time, with the infant. And if that fails, he will see his only option is to kill her."

No, I will not let Naraku kill Kagome. I'll rip him to shreds.

"I don't any more time to waste here, Inuyasha." She said, turning her back on me, "Remember what I said."

Goodbye, Kikyo...

-(Author's POV)-

The days ahead weren't pretty for Kagome. Although she didn't want to cause harm, she was losing control of her outbursts and stayed in constant arguments with her family, even resulting in cursing at her little brother.

Finally, after 5 days, she decided it was better if she left. In the midst of a silent night, she tiptoed out of the house, leaving a not on the kitchen counter to let them know she had gone back and that she was sorry.

"Maybe Kaede has found a cure for me...maybe a light from Heaven or something that can destroy this..." Kagome's wishful thinking gave her both courage and anxiety. If she was right, she would be happy, but she didn't want to be wrong and be let down.

"I've been so mean to my family, they probably think I've gone crazy. It's just been so easy to get upset over little things that never even used to bother me, and even more easy to lose my temper. Even with myself." She shook her head, "Maybe this poison will drive me crazy..."

She entered the well, closing her eyes. For the first time, she felt afraid she would crash at the bottom. She was afraid.

Not even after she safely traveled through time did she feel at ease. The moon glared down at her.

Look at you. You ran away from your family because you don't know how to deal with yourself and the monster you're becoming. You're making it so easy for me to make our decisions. Doesn't that make you feel pathetic and worthless? The voice echoed itself all inside her mind.

It did. Especially after hearing it that way, she felt unworthy of her powers and her responsibilities.

"M-Maybe I am..." She whispered, releasing a tear.

It doesn't take long to reach Kaede's village. Maybe 5 minutes. But it didn't even take 2 minutes for Inuyasha to smell her scent and realize she was back.

"Kagome!" He felt relieved to know that she came back. "Hey...how are ya feeling?"

"Oh Inuyasha!" She ran into him, pressing face into his chest, "I am terrible! I said so many things I shouldn't have said while I was at home! I am a bad person! I hate myself!"

Inuyasha squeezed her tight, "No...you aren't bad. You aren't yourself."

"I feel pathetic!" She cried into his chest. It seemed that whenever she would hurt someone else, it really hurt her more. She felt lost.

You're just gonna hurt everyone! The voice rattled her skull.

"I'm just gonna hurt everyone!" It was almost as though she was suffocating herself against him. She didn't know any way to feel strong against something meant to go against everything she is.

"K-Kagome...you won't hurt me. I hurt you. I'm sorry..." He said quietly.

Not even the wind could fit inbetween the two at that moment.

Sorrrrry if this chapter is all over the place. I really want to put chapters up as soon as possible so I'm trying to get these done fast. But I MADE DRAMATIC SCENES! Feeling good, man.

Comment!
Also, if you didn't know, the italics are the people thinking based on whose POV it is. (For Author's POV: Most of the time, it's the 'darkness' in Kagome trying to spread hate, there will be an indicator telling you who it is; in this chapter, the darkness was acknowledged as 'the voice')