Kagome narrowed her eyes toward the sky. Across the inky black backdrop, soul carriers were slithering, sailing through the air. That only meant one thing, that wench was nearbye, the one who was always after her soul. Grimacing, she whipped around, heading in the same direction as the serpents, her jet black her swishing slightly behind her.

Her other half, her purer half, Junsei, was crying inside of her. She could almost feel the tears. It made her skin crawl to know that somewhere in her, she was a truly weak being, by terms of emotions. 'Do not worry. It will be for the best in the longrun.' Though she would never admit it aloud, she knew full well her other half was as strong as she was physically. She'd shown that dozens of times, but she was still human, and they were all weak.

"Why are you here, reincarnation?"

Kagome stiffened invisibly, her claws twitching slightly. "I've come for-"

"You're tainted." The walking dead miko uttered coldly. "By Naraku." She knotched up her arrow.

"Drop that. I don't have the time to play with you. This is important."

"Is the hanyou controling you? Has he taken over your mind?"

Kagome snorted arrogantly. "As though that mongrel could. Now, drop the bow and arrow."

Kikyo narrowed her cold eyes. "Do you think me a fool." She gasped softly, staring in shock at her bow that was now stabbed into a tree yards away. 'When did the wench move?'

"Good. Now, it's about Inuyasha."

A flicker of warmth spread in the dead woman's eyes. "What of him?"

"He loves you, and you love him." She shot the woman a glare when she opened her mouth to deny. "Don't lie. It only further taints you. Your power is fading."

"..." Kikyo took a step back, anger and fear dancing in her eyes.

"And it's because you aren't loving him the way you should. You're forcing yourself to hate him. I want to help, the both of you."

The woman of clay grimaced. "Your assistance is unwanted, reincarnation."

Kagome folded her arms, cocking a brow. "Uh huh. Well, the gaping hole in your abdomen tells me otherwise." She watched boredly as Kikyo folded her arms over her middle protectively.

"How?"

"How do I know? I don't know it. Call it same soul intuition. Come with me, weak human." Kagome turned on her heel, starting off gracefully.

Rage bubbled in her chest. Looking toward her bow, Kikyo dashed at it, whipped it from the tree, and shot two arrows at her. "Watch your mouth, you excuse for a reincarnation!"

Swiveling lightly, Kagome slashed her claws gently, but dangerously, slicing the two arrows before they could harm her. She ran at the other woman, punching her in the chest.

Kikyo screamed as she was thrown back into a tree. "D-damn you, wench."

Squating, Kagome tsked. "Listen, ignorant, I don't want to hurt you. I'm trying to help. Inuyasha will be more than glad to see you. He misses you."

I small smile crept onto Kikyo's face. "Could he really?" She clenched her eyes shut. "The fate's cursed our relationship."

"And I'm going against them."

"Foolish girl. What of your own feelings?" She heaved, her lids dropping.

"I'll survive," Kagome remarked as the woman fainted. Collecting her in her arms, she headed off, toward the west.

_S_S_K_K_S_S

"Shippo-kun!" Rin giggled as the young boy tickled her. "Shippo-kun, stop it!"

"Take it back!" He yelled, his face covered in blush.

"But you did purr like a kitty!"

"I'm a fox! It's different!"

"Oi, Sesshomaru, back off! That was the last of the ramen Kagome left me!" Inuyasha screamed, reaching for the small bowl.

The Daiyoukai held out a hand, holding his younger brother at bay as he took a light sniff of the contents. "This does not taste like human food." 'It's far better than anything those humans could come up with.'

"It's called instant ramen! Of course those lazy humans made it!"

"Lazy?!" Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu, slamming it into the hanyou's skull. "You're worse that we are, seeing as you won't even cook your own instant ramen!"

"Allowing a human to punish you, dear brother, really?" Sesshomaru exhaled disdainfully.

Sango's face suddenyl went red. "Hentai!" She shrieked, turning to whack Miroku, who's hand seemed to be permanently attached to her behind.

He whined. "Dearest, you wound me."

"You, get away from there!" Jaken squawked at Kirara, who laid curled into Ah-un's side.

"Mew mew!" She replied, nuzzling deeper into the beast.

Ah-uh seemed to smile, lowering their heads to press against the neko's.

"You stop that! My lord doesn't need yound dragons and kittens!"

Kagome couldn't hold back any longer. She cracked up, laughing loudly as she watched them. They all turned to her, gaping, "Kagome."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. 'When did the miko arrive? Why did I not sense her?'

"Okaa-san, what are you doing here?" Rin said, a large smile on her face. "And whose that lady?"

"Kikyo." Inuyasha breathed. He hadn't even noticed her. "Why are you carrying her? Is she hurt?" His ears flattened on his head as everyone glared at him.

Kagome stared at Inuyasha for a brief moment, before sighing and walking toward him. She dropped Kikyo into his arms. "A gift. She's yours, to love, to have, to mate."

Inuyasha blinked at her. "M-mate?"

Hearing the underlying question, Kagome snorted. "I don't love you anymore."

His face fell, hurt in his eyes. But he nodded, accepting it and sighing. "No one can persuade Kikyo to return to me."

Kagome arched a brow as Kikyo cuddled against Inuyasha, murmuring his name with a smile. "I beg to differ."

"But she's dead."

"I can bring her back. I can't give her my soul, but I can give her an artificial one that ought to return her to flesh."

"But how?"

"I'll bring you the soul I created soon."

His eyes widened. "B-but you aren't staying?"

Kagome closed her eyes. "No. I'm staying with Naraku. I will not be on his side, but I no longer belong here, with you, so I will stay with him."

"You can stay here." He assured her.

"Lady Kagome, we need you." Miroku whispered.

"She can sense the jewel shards as well."

"Kagome, to hell with the jewel shards!" Sango cried. "You're my sister."

Kagome growled, a scowl on her face. Her aura flared around her again, as it had during the battle with Naraku, and once again, her two parts seperated. "What's wrong now, pest?"

Ashi glared. "Your attitude."

"What, this-this human thinks that she means something to me."

"You're an idiot. You're not a full demon. You're not even really half. I don't know what you are. But I am human."

"And you disturb me as well. The second I find a way to kill you, you're gone."

"Whatever, I thought we had an agreement. We aren't going back to Naraku."

Ashi sneered. "We are."

Junsei clenched her fists. "Then you can go without me. I'm not going back to that sick,"

"Misunderstood,"

"Hideous,"

"Handsome,"

"Bastard,"

"Hunk."

Junsei rolled her eyes. "You only think that because you have his blood in you."

Ashi smirked, "And you won't admit it because you're afraid of what people will think." She shrugged then. "Fine. You stay, I'll go."

Junsei blinked. "I-I wasn't serious. Can we really split up like that?"

"I'm counting on it to get me the hell away from you. Catch you later when I have the soul, Junsei!" Turning, she stalked off toward the woods.

"You get back here! There's no way Naraku is touching half of my body."

"Don't worry." She smirked, glancing over her shoulder. "You won't even feel it." She disappeared.

Kagome growled. "Damn it." She sat down, covering her face with her hands. Feeling all eyes on her, she snarled, "Leave me alone!" Storming over to a tree, she cut it down with her claws, lying her head against the stump and patting down her kimono. 'This wasn't how it was supposed to heppen.'

*With Ashi*

'Naraku is going to murder me when he finds out I let her go back. Hell, he'll murder me for running out on him after sex.'

"He certainly will." Naraku growled, appearing before her as she skidded to a stop. "My little lover, who gave you permission to leave? And after such...intimacy."

"I don't need permission." 'Hm, maybe he didn't hear the first part.'

"You don't." He chuckled a spine tingling chuckle. "I'm beginning to think that you enjoy punishment."

"Maybe." She purred back, untying her obi. "I have been defying you a lot lately."

Naraku smirked, edging toward her. "That you have."

Kagome gasped, pretending, "Oh, but please don't punish me."

"Beg all you want, my tainted miko. It is no use." He lunged at her, throwing her to the ground.

"Kami, you know I like it rough, Naraku."

He gripped her waist tightly, grounding into her while gnawing at her neck. "What was that strange phrase you uttered earlier? Ah yes, "Rough" is my middle name, Kagome." He opened her kimono completely, sliding down her body and licking at her woman hood.

Kagome tossed her head back, mewling loudly. "Oh!" She let out a bloody shriek as his fangs sank into the severely sensitive skin of her nether region. "Y-you're," she winced, "nev-vah done that befew." She smirked. "Do it again."

"As you like." Drawing back, he licked his fangs before once again embedding his fangs in her again.

Kagome clenched her fists. She'd never felt anything so utterly euphoric. She howled as he brought her to her first orgasm of many. Junsei really didn't know what she was missing.