“LET ME GO!” She yelled. “Shut it wench! Or must I make you a mute when you are finally what you should be?” Kagome struggled on the abysmal table of souls. Her wrists and legs bound scratched and bite at her as she writhed to get free.

The grotesque shriveled up old woman was cracking off more of herself the more she spoke. The shikon shards in her had an opposite effect on her undead body and just managed to make her speak mangled spats. “YOU LET ME GO OR I’LL PURIFY YOU TO NEXT WORLD UGLY!”

“Ugly!? OH You has spoken your last words bitch!” Asusama the undead witch raised her curled arms and twig for a staff to the air. The wind shivered down to a halt. “I’M GONNA- !!!” Kagome gasped. The witch has spoken her first words.

Kagome froze, her black pupils swam into blue abyss. The pool throbbed and rushed out beneath her. Her back arched upwards as the current of her soul began to leave her body. A great amassing of spiritual energy lifted and rushed out in a swarm to skies.

Asusama yelped in glee it danced around happily as the very being of Kagome was spilling out of her. Her eyes still wide. She stopped dancing and glanced over to the girl. (The ritual is still going!) True, as it was Kagome’s soul was racing out of her as fast as it had started.

She gaped in disbelief (How can this girl carry such a large soul?) Before she could think more on it- SNAP! “UGH!” The deranged witch fell to the ground and shattered like glass leaving behind two shikon shards. The ritual came to a slow.

Behind the forest wall was Kikyou and she came walking out towards the mess. The ritual stopped. Kagome’s body settled down, no longer arching from the power in waves. Kikyou looked down gazing with empty eyes to the vibrant Shikon Shards. She picked them up and instantly purified them. “I thought I sensed some shards here.”

The winds began to pick up again and her soul stealers came to view. Kikyou looked up in interest then gaped in shock “Huh?” A great shimmering light came spilling forth, the soul stealers dove themselves into it retrieving its essence. They came back rushing to her but were left behind when the light itself rushed into Kikyou on it’s own.

The warmth of Kagome’s soul spilled and poured into Kikyou’s being filling her with shock and surprise. Her back bent backwards and she watched the never-ending light fill her bosom. The shimmering light filled her with life and essence again, making her clay become silk skin, her hair the once soft and feathery ebony and most of all her memories and love whole.

The light finally ended leaving behind a shocked now alive miko, she gasped and grasped her chest. (Could it be?) She gaped at her hand and lifted it before her eyes. Now colored as though she left the black and white paper. (Yes, it is!) “I’m alive!” Her hands traveled up and down in disbelief “But how?”

Her eyes once down looking at the life filled hands saw the abysmal table and glanced up. Kagome’s eyes remained still along with her body, the black pupils still hadn’t returned from the abyss. Her woven shackles held her down in place as Kikyou looked at her. She blinked not taking her eyes off the motionless girl. (It’s her.)

Her feet found movement and stepped one by one over to the girl. Kikyou glanced over her bound body and found in awe that she was the one that restored her. Even though she held no real content ness or fondness for her in that matter, it would only seem right to release her. Pulling out her dagger from her sleeve she worked the binds off.

Kagome still didn’t move and Kikyou found it odd. Placing a hand on her she shook her lightly. “Wake up, wake up now! You are free to go.” Her head turned mechanically over to her with the most lifeless eyes Kikyou had ever seen. And this frightened her. Her mouth barely moved when she talked “Where is Inuyasha?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I do not know.” Kagome blinked slowly. “Oh.” Then turned her head upwards to the sky “I must find him, he has the Shikon No Tama he must not have to jewel!” She hissed. Kikyou was dumbstruck , what was she talking about. About to speak but stopped when Kagome continued. This time she looked terribly distressed. “He betrayed me…I-I was, no, he promised me he would wish to become a full human and then…he attacked me.” Like lightening Kikyou gasped. (What is this?! She remembers my memories!)

The girl lie on the table with her hands placed on her stomach, eyes as held nothing like nothingness itself. Wind’s current played with Kikyou’s ebony tresses and kissed her lips.

What had happened? (She remember’s my memories so vividly, it’s as though she thinks they are hers!) Kagome blinked slowly once again letting a tear escape her eye. “I mustn’t let him have the jewel…it is my responsibility as a priestess to protect it and I must!”

Kikyou shook her head (No this is wrong, she is not allowed to know such memories!) Quickly placing her hands above Kagome’s body she thought over and incantation in her head and she shined a pink color. The color soon transferred into Kagome’s body and lifted her with the prescience of her power transfer.

It slowly seeped into her then let her body rest on the table beneath. Soon as Kagome’s body rested on the table Kikyou stepped back as if in horror. She rushed away quickly, yet not with her soul stealers for they seemed to dissipate as she became whole again.

She had made a spell to make her forget but the way it seemed it didn’t come right to her. If the spell was wrong the girl would seal Inuyasha like she had done before her and she could not allow that.

She had to find Inuyasha.

>

“KAGOOOOOMMMEE!” Shippou looked deep in a bush. “Nope, no Kagomes here. Sango I’m worried! I can’t find Kagome anywhere!” The little kit’s lip pouted in distress. Sango bent down and patted Shippou on the head and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry Shippou I’m sure we will find her soon.”

“KAGOME!” Inuyasha leapt high in the treetops and hollered her name. He landed on the tallest of all and let a clawed hand stayed grasping on the trunk while his dog-ears twitched. He couldn’t hear Kagome calling him. His nose twitched in sniffing sense but couldn’t find the smell of green tea and jasmine anywhere.

He sighed deeply “Where are you girl?”

Sango hugged herself and breathed in deeply. “Miroku I’m starting to worry, Kagome hasn’t been back until night fall yesterday and she is still yet to come back.” The priest glanced back from inspecting the forest and walked over to the demon exterminator. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry Sango, Kagome is a strong woman I’m sure she’s fine.” She shuddered a bit “I sure hope your right Miroku.”

Inuyasha kept glancing around aimlessly, Kagome had to be here, somewhere, anywhere!

This time again he stopped to sniff but still found nothing, and then it hit him like tumbling rocks. He sniffed once then inhaled deeply. (That’s Kagome’s scent!) His eyes narrowed now fully aware she was somewhere very nearby.

He glanced around desperately but still found nothing. She was so near and he couldn’t find her! He glanced around more, still only trees, looked around once more, that stupid oversized rock.

(Dammit! Where is she!?)

“Hmm.”

He stopped. He definitely heard that. Looking down only made his eyes widened in shock (K-Kikyou?) At the bottom of the tree was a miko-garbed woman; her gaze intently laid on him. She was stiff and immobile except for the ‘Hmm’ She had emitted in her throat. She was staring at him so deeply. Inuyasha stilled.

(Is that you Kikyou?)

Letting curiosity and wonder over come he jumped down letting his silver hair flow. His fire rat haori blew and waved in the falling wind. He thought it to be Kikyou but then it hit him again. It seemed like everything stopped (The smell of green tea and jasmine again)

His feet touched the forest floor and hair curtained over his gold eyes. (Was it really her?) He looked up but was taken back as though struck by lightening itself.

“Kagome!”

The girl stood and blinked ever so slowly but still held her gaze at him. The vision was blurry and she had a hard time recognizing him. Inuyasha growled in his throat, She was wearing the priestess outfit again. She looked too much like Kikyou.

“Where were you stupid girl?” he shouted at her.

She reflected nothing, which Inuyasha felt odd about. He narrowed his eyes in confusion. Kagome’s eyes were pools of nothingness and he was terribly confused. “Hey answer me wench!”

“No, no you are not him.” With that she passed by him like a ghost, her feet barely touching the forest floor. It was almost like she wafted across with the wind. Her movements left him in shock.

He blinked and felt himself panic a bit with the unfamiliar ness in her “Kagome?”

Her drifting seemed aimless but her senses told her otherwise. The aura from him was so very strong, stronger than she had last seen. It was like ribbons whipping around in the amidst of his prescience. Her insides burned with betrayal and forever sadness. The forest was so near, she would not be long.

“Ah Look!” Miroku pointed to the miko-clad girl and Sango gasped in joy. She ran over to Kagome and shippou behind her. “Kagome!” She cried as came to a stop. Shippou was panting and laughing happily. He raced up Kagome’s arm and sat on her shoulder happily. “Yay! Kagome your back! What took you? And what’s with the outfit?”

She stopped. Her head turned once again mechanically to him, she stared emotionlessly. Shippou was picking at her garb, and when he saw her he smiled but soon back downed at her odd stare. She looked dead. “Uh Kago-“ “Get off me kit” “Wha- whoa!” With that the miko brushed him off and began walking forwards were she felt the aura strongest. Shippou tumbled off and lie in a dust cloud. He coughed.

Miroku watched in shock as Kagome’s frigidness compelled her to do something like that. (What is wrong with lady Kagome?) She was nearing the forest and he took action quickly. Miroku ran up in front of her and placed both hands on her shoulders. “Kagome what’s wrong with you?”

She stared back in silence, then slowly picked up his hands and dropped them. “Please priest I am merely carrying out a duty of mine as a priestess.” With that said she brushed past him silently.

Miroku stood there in the silence she left and was still dumbstruck.

The dog demon burst out of the trees and landing squarely in front of her, His glare hard and mean. “What is wrong with you Kagome?!” She came to halt and saw those familiar gold eyes burn in her (He’s in my way again) She glared back with emotionless pools and started angrily. “Leave me be demon! My matters don’t concern you!” His glare hardened more and scoffed “Like hell they do!”

She growled the one of many emotions she could only do. Her aura began to burn bright and miko powers began to seep through. Inuyasha backed away. “huh???” It became a dome and soon burst throwing the Hanyou back. His spine crackling with the hard impact of the tree.

“Damn!” He had hit it hard and when he felt the need to stand it ached like no tomorrow. His head tilted up to glare heated at Kagome. The miko glared angrily back but cooled down quickly. The soul stealers that once helped Kikyou entwined themselves around the miko and lifted her up. Her garb flowing within the wind. She soon began to float away with the soul stealers leaving behind a wounded dog demon.

He watched her helplessly and gaped in horror “KAGOME!!!”

She ignored all his protests and continued on. She saw the aura like she had wanted and felt her eyes narrow in anger. He was near, she would strike him down like the heavenly maiden she was.

Her speed picked up greatly and was in a matter of minutes far from the Hanyou’s forest.

It was strong now; she could feel it pulsating, crackling within her. The stealers slowed and she saw from above, him standing in a clearing. It was him! The aura belonged to him!

Commanding the stealers to let her go, they did as told. In the air she dropped like a plummeting star her bow readied as she fell.

Once her feet came to meet the earth’s surface she pulled the string back and got into a ready position. The aura resonated enveloping the quiver in a bright light.

It pointed at a silver haired demon with a crescent moon on his forehead.

“INUYASHA!!!”

The string plucked.

She let go.

>

YAY!! I DID IT!!! WHOOT! Finally ugh I typed that up till I was miserable. Can you tell? Ugh (falls over) Review please!

Terra Mecca Solace