Kore wa daisuki wo benkyoushimasu, ne?

A/N: Okay, I took pity on you reviewers and decided to unveil this chapter early. Hope you enjoy! =)

Everyone’s gonna love this chapter. I promise. It’s most likely going to be longer than normal. Hopefully it comes out okay. Please R and R! =) Oh, and just so you know, there be lemons in this chappie—kind of gross ones that probably shouldn’t have even appeared, but I’m just a typer. The muses are the ones who make me delve in the unknown. If you aren’t down with them, skip em. Actually, I know authors that outline the lemons in chaps. I have no problems if they do, but I won’t. Not that I don’t care, but this IS aff.net. If you didn’t want to read lemons, wouldn’t you be at ff.net? O_o Neways, on with the chappie!

VITAL INFORMATION!!!----FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE KEPT UP WITH THE STORY UNTIL THIS POINT, TAKE A SMALL DETOUR AND RE-READ THE LAST PART OF CHAPTER 5—THERE WAS A MINOR CHANGE WHICH MADE THIS CHAPTER POSSIBLE. I WON’T SPOIL IT FOR YOU, BUT TRUST ME, IT’S BETTER THIS WAY, AND EXPLAINS A LOT. =)

THANK YOU!

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho, Inuyasha….I own neither. Scouts honor. If I did I’d be living the high life in Japan. ^_^

Chapter 8: Brother, Sister, Mother, Father


“Who are you, ningin?” Seiichi’s cold voice came out, his nose picking up a familiar scent and his brain trying to place it.

“You know me, Seiichi. My name is Kikyou.” The miko said, her eyes not betraying any emotion for her next actions. ‘My reincarnation will pay with her life for stealing him away again. Inuyasha is mine. Mine to pleasure, mine to hurt, even mine to destroy.’ She thought maliciously as she stared at the half demon before her.

“Kikyou…it has been so long, my love. How are you?” Naraku said, seizing control of the body him and his offspring shared.

A tear came to her face. “Naraku…” she raced forward and embraced the demon quickly, trying to hide her feelings. Onigumo always held her heart, and Inuyasha would always be second best in her opinion. The violet eyed hanyou held the woman close, and relished in her scent. It was no longer dead, but quite alive with fragrance.

“Kikyou…you are alive…blood runs through your veins…your scent pure and full of life…how?” he asked, not knowing the events after his death except the joining of his son’s body when he was killed.

“That reincarnation of mine.” She said bitterly. “She made a wish on the jewel and I was brought back to life. She left for her time, and she said she had given up on Inuyasha, but he has not given up on her.” The miko added, her voice dripping poison.

“With that tone, I assume you still wish for his death?” he said, raising an eyebrow. Kikyou always did have a deep sated hate for the hanyou. The betrayal was just an excuse for her anger. She nodded into his chest. “I wish for their deaths. I wish for their love to be thrown back at them as ours was. Let them suffer together in the depths of hell.” She said coldly, still holding onto the demon.

An evil smirk that hadn’t adorned the hanyou’s face in decades came forth, making his eyes and face glow with a malicious light. “As you wish, my love. I wonder, do you wish to break their spirits, as well, or just for their deaths?” he asked, his mind already working on the possibilities that would shatter their souls once and for all.

“I wish for them to suffer. Suffer as I have suffered. Suffer as you have suffered. Make them pay for their love, as we did.” She said softly, her voice now taking on a hurt tone as her eyes met with Naraku’s.

He looked down to the woman who held his heart completely. In the beginning, it was Onigumo’s heart she held, but as time went on, she began to hold the attention of Naraku as well. Especially when she worked with him for a time against the hanyou, and her hate for the miko reincarnation came to light. He smirked but then lost it to a true smile. She was in his arms again, and she loved him. He leaned down and their lips met and he reveled in her warm softness. This was something he had rarely experienced with her, as she had met death before he was allowed to even touch her. He couldn’t help but allow his tongue to slip in between her silky lips, finally tasting her.

Kikyou wouldn’t allow the mood to be changed. She had gone too long without his touch. She gasped as his tongue entered her, paralyzing her with passion and lust. Inuyasha? Inuyasha who? She arched against him, silently letting him know that his actions were wanted and that she wanted more of them. He didn’t need her reaction to know she was highly aroused. Her scent flooded his senses, waking the demon within him. Or rather, demons. The demons that had inhabited the area around his final resting place were there for a reason. They all had feelings for the miko, Kikyou.

She leaned her head back as his kiss left her mouth and traveled down to her neck. He inhaled her scent deeply again and sighed. She was his now. His completely. He sniffed again and a smile graced his lips. She was still an innocent. Her innocence had not been taken by anyone—not even the hanyou, Inuyasha. She was as pure as the day she was born, and he reveled in that. She would not be an innocent for much longer, he would make sure of that.

Kikyou was in bliss. No one had given her this kind of attention. Of course, many a man would have loved to be this intimate with the miko, but she had standards. Well, now standards be damned. She was sick and tired of bending to everyone else’s rules. She may still be a miko, but she was also a human, and as forbidden as the thing she was about to do was, she still wanted this. And only with this hanyou before her.

Naraku’s teeth grazed lightly over the area between her neck and shoulder, making her shudder in pleasure. He grinned into her skin as he did it again, kissing her with increased force. Kikyou let out a moan and he finally decided clothes were no longer necessary. Quickly, he pulled at her miko top and pants, letting the material float off of her skin.

She gasped at the sudden cold with her skin, as she hissed slightly. The mountain air was making her body harder, and he had yet to stop his ministrations to her body. He disposed of his own yukata and lowered her down to their shed coverings. She was absolutely beautiful, and her skin was flawless except for one exceptionally nasty scar running down the length of her arm and back. He dismissed it. It was by his own hand she had received that scar, but in the end, it had been worth it. Making her think it was Inuyasha was just part of the plan to win her heart completely.

He began his kisses anew, his demonic black hair slightly floating over her skin, making her shudder again. “Kikyou…” he moaned out, his mouth latching onto a pale breast that was slightly hard already from the wind swirling softly around them. He placed his hand on one of the mounds and made love to the other one, making her squirm relentlessly against him, her body shuddering in immense pleasure.

“Naraku…please…” she begged softly, her body arching up into him, making his own arousal scrap against her already dripping womanhood. He smirked. ‘Putty in my hands…’

He traveled even further south to her naval, dipping his tongue inside before continuing his quest. He lapped at her thighs, nipping slightly as she jumped at the contact. She moaned again, her hands finally latching themselves into his hair, pushing him closer to where she wanted him to be. He suppressed a growl, smirking as she gasped and arched involuntarily into him as he finally allowed his tongue to delve on the tiny hidden bundle of nerves. Slowly he continued his conquest of her body, wanting her to scream his name, wanting only her to ever feel these things from him. No one else would have her. Or he would kill them.

He felt her body twitching increase and suddenly she screamed out, the pressure that had so slowly built up finally releasing, allowing the yami hanyou to taste the fluids she produced. He let them wash around his mouth a moment before swallowing, his eyes glowing a slight red. His demon side was through with playing. He wanted his mate, and he wanted her now. The hanyou was more than happy to oblige, but his son was a little less enthused. ‘You let me out now! There’s no way in hell you’re going to mate with her! This is my body! You don’t dare!’ Seiichi shouted, fear in his voice. He hung his head in defeat. There was no way he was going to stop, he had already felt the demon presence take precedence over his own influence.

Naraku placed himself above her entrance, and she reached out her hands and touched his chest, bracing herself somewhat for impact. His eyes glowing red, he thrust forcefully into her tight cavern, her cry of pain stopping him temporarily. After a few moments, she moved, and he didn’t hesitate to continue what he had so mercilessly started. Her moans and cries drove him further on. Her tight body clinging to him as sweat began to glisten on them. She matched his thrusts with near equality until his demon side took completely over, and she was just hanging on for the ride. Her body climaxed one time after another and finally, he felt her body clench painfully down on him, pulling him deeper into her body and making a loud growl escape his lips.

He bared his fangs and bit her hard, her cry lost between pain and pleasure as his seed swiftly made it’s way into her cavern. Panting, he shifted slightly from her form. Her eyes were dilated and unfocused except when he looked at her. She smiled and placed a hand on his chest. ‘He’s finally mine.’ She thought, gathering her strength. She knew they would have no time to rest. Revenge was in order, and revenge was next on her ‘to-do’ list.

He rose with her, ignoring his son’s shouts and protests. They dressed and he held her to him again. ‘Pleasure is sweet…revenge is sweeter…’ he thought, giving her a malicious grin. She nodded and took his hand. It was time to go back. Back to where it all began.

“What did you do to the hanyou?” he asked, looking to her as she walked. “I’ve restrained him in the most interesting of places, love.” She smirked as she remembered his painful cries at being ‘stay’ed. Her grin intensified at the burns she saw on his wrists at her restraints. “Where would that be?” he asked curiously, wondering what would make his mate this happy. “Oh, it was particularly enjoyable, koi. I restrained him where it all began. Back in that little cave.” She said, smirking evilly again.

He added to her smirk. “My dear, I believe you have spent entirely way too much time with me; my dark nature is starting to rub off on you.” Kikyou grinned and replied, “What if I want your dark nature to rub off on me?” he stood speechless a moment before grinning. He was going to enjoy the look on her face when she was finally able to demise the half breed Inuyasha.

Kikyou led him to a place he didn’t recognize and looked puzzled to her. “This is the well that my reincarnation used to go to the past. I believe she is in the past. I have not found her here yet, and I do not sense the jewel anywhere here.” She said, looking to the well.

He nodded in understanding before taking her hand. They jumped together and instead of hitting the bottom, as he had anticipated, they fell completely through and a dark swirling energy surrounded him and Kikyou, before they landed at the bottom of the well again. He looked up surprised to find a darkening sky above him, signaling the end of the day. That’s when he noticed it. Demon energies above him. He smirked. A confrontation already, ne? He was going to have such fun in the demise of the miko he had come to hate.

><><><><><><><><><><>
Kagome’s eyes went wide with fright, while Inuyasha’s became filled with anger. ‘How dare she!’ he thought quickly before his nose was assaulted with a putrid smell. Kikyou had mated with him. Her scent, once clean, was now dripping with his miasmic smell. He looked away quickly, his eyes threatening tears. She had gone to him and rubbed it in his heart that she did, indeed, not love him as she had so often claimed. His anguished growl filled the air and Kagome didn’t hesitate to go to him. The demons holding their respective weapons to Kouga’s throat released him, now standing in front of Kagome and pointing them at the yami hanyou and his mate. They remembered this woman from before, and even now, they smelled her deceit and treachery and his completely evil scent around her.

“Inuyasha…” Kagome said softly, whispering in his ear. He whimpered, something he had not done in so very long that it hurt. Kagome’s heart broke at the sound, as she pulled him into a tight embrace, letting him cry on her shoulder. She didn’t care that Naraku was there, or that Kikyou was glaring daggers at her. Inuyasha was hurting, and she wasn’t going to leave him to deal with this alone. Kagome could feel the change in Kikyou, but she also felt the change in Naraku. There was something unusual hidden in his body. It wasn’t the jewel, but it was pure, and full of life, not evil, like the rest of Naraku. She didn’t worry herself with that for the moment, as she hugged Inuyasha tighter. Leaning closer to his ear, she whispered, “Inuyasha…remember…remember that I’ll always be here for you. I won’t leave you, and I won’t forsake you. You are my friend, but above all, you are my brother. She won’t hurt you anymore. I won’t let her. I’ll protect you from her, just let me help you now, let her go. I promise, I’ll be right here.” She said, holding him closer to her. He let out a choked sob, pulling the girl into an almost crushing embrace, which was interrupted by a fierce growl from Kikyou, of all people.

“Let her go, Inuyasha. I wish to kill her and then send you to hell.” She hissed, taking a step in front of Naraku and aiming an arrow into her bow. Kagome’s anger intensified and she turned to face the miko. “You leave him alone! You will not hurt him anymore! I won’t allow you to! He is my brother, and you are not going to continue to break him with your defiled actions!” she screamed, holding out her newest weapon and pointing it at the miko. Just as she did, a swirl of tentacles came shooting out of Naraku at her, but at they reached her, they were cut as a shout of “Hiraikotsu!” came echoing over the clearing.

Kagome flashed Sango a smile and growled at Naraku. Before they could act, a hoard of demons appeared, along with a small army of Saimyoushyou. “My followers still remain. If I had known of this portal sooner, I would have returned. I am sure that not much time has passed in my absence. I wonder, how much time has really passed, my koi?” he referred his question to Kikyou, giving her a smile. “A little over a month, love.” She replied, still glaring with her arrow aimed at Kagome.

“A month. A month more and I will complete my ultimate goal.” He smirked evilly, raising six puppets from the ground complete with twirling tentacles. Hiei and Kurama’s eyes went wide with shock. ‘This was the bastard she had to fight before! No wonder she was so scared when he was mentioned…’ they thought simultaneously, as Kurama instantly handed control over to Youko. The spirit kitsune growled, his leg twitching as he instantly grew a small group of man eating plants, complete with a strong acidic saliva to take on the tentacles.

Kagome shot out a beam of miko energy at Naraku, burning a chunk of his tentacles up, but as quickly as she had destroyed them, they regenerated, further enraging Kagome. The puppets surround them on three sides, and each one reached the same conclusion at the same time. If they were surrounded on all sides, they were doomed. Kagome grabbed Shippou up in her arms and began the retreat to somewhere more open. The trees weren’t good for the Hiraikotsu, even though Sango had gotten in off once, and no one could really move in the forest. She watched as one of the puppets quickly followed her and she spun around, an arch of energy shooting out from her weapon, halting its pursuit temporarily.

Yusuke quickly fired his spirit shotgun, allowing Youko, Hiei, and Sesshoumaru to back up slightly, getting them further out of the range of some of the tentacles. Hiei’s dragon growled fiercely, wanting to be released to fight, but Hiei wouldn’t let it, keeping it as a last resort. Tentacles were falling left and right onto the ground, only to disintegrate into piles of miasma, threatening to overtake them with their noxious fumes. Kagome turned around and shot an arrow at the ground, purifying the deadly toxin into water, giving her friends the time they needed to get out of there. Slowly, the battle made its way to somewhere familiar, somewhere they had just come from. They had bypassed the village altogether and ended up near the cave where Naraku was born. He glared at the purity that blanketed the area that he had thought would be permanently covered with his evilness.

“You did this, bitch!! Didn’t you!?” Naraku shouted at Kagome, her fierce face glaring at him. She grinned as the puppets and demons hit the barrier of purity, slowly dissolving at the pure energy. Naraku charged, his anger multiplied by their falling. As he hit the barrier, he screeched in pain as the pink light burned into his skin. He shuddered in his faltering skin, Kikyou screaming in fear the entire time, adding to the stress of the battle. Kagome watched with puzzlement as he wasn’t being destroyed, only hurt immensely. She frowned and then gasped as a body began to be drawn from him. A human body.

Everyone looked to the body with confusion and guarded expressions, not knowing if this was another trick of the hanyou’s or not. Kagome looked closer, her heart beating rapidly. ‘This was the pure energy I felt. The pure life energy that I felt when I first saw him again. Who is that? Is that why Seiichi didn’t hurt me?’ she thought back to when he invaded her mind, cringing slightly at the remembrance of his tongue on her neck. She paused. ‘Why did he do that? Naraku would never think of something like that…so why did his son do that? And why was he so easily stopped by Hiei?’ she looked closer to the ever emerging figure, stepping closer to the edge of the barrier.

“Onigumo?” she questioned quickly before stepping through everyone’s now still bodies to come to the edge of the barrier. Her eyes widened as her voice whispered out, “Kohaku?!” Sango’s eyes shot open and she jumped forward as the rest of the body came forcefully from Naraku’s miasmic one. She jumped up and grabbed the human boy’s body, her tears in check for the moment. Once the boy was free, Naraku looked to the demons and human miko again. “You will pay for your insolence! I will make you suffer for your defiance!! You will become a part of me, miko bitch, and together, I will use you to take what is rightfully mine!” he shouted, quickly retreating in a swirl of miasmic energy and wind.

Kagome stared at his retreating figure, and looked back to Sango. “I take it you never found Kohaku’s body when I left.” She said, her eyes locking with her sister’s. Sango finally let her tears fall over his body, but they stopped instantly as he groaned. “KOHAKU!!” Sango shouted with surprise and happiness. She hugged the boy tighter, covering up his nude form with her over shirt. “Little brother…” she whispered, as his chocolate brown eyes fluttered open. “Onyue?” he questioned, disbelief in his voice. Sango choked back a sob, her happiness flooding her senses. “Kohaku…how…how did this happen? After the battle, we looked for you, but we never found your body.” Kagome asked, leaning down beside the boy. “Kagome…” he looked away from her, making Sango raise her eyes at her friend.

“What is it, Kohaku?” she asked, somehow knowing before he said anything what the topic of discussion was going to be. She looked to him and gave him a smile, offering him silent courage. He nodded and said, “Naraku had a son with Kagura. He absorbed me. I don’t really know why. Then, I don’t know what happened. I was just kind of floating. I kept thinking of what I did…” he stopped, his eyes glistening with tears, as Sango placed a hand to his cheek. “I know you didn’t do it on purpose. I’m just glad you’re alive, and you’re safe.” She said, hugging him again, his tears coming out stronger. He cried harder and Kagome leaned back, giving him time to collect his emotions.

After a couple of minutes, he sniffled, taking a deep breath. “I was inside Seiichi for a long time, then another person came into his body.” His shuttering breath said, “Naraku.”

“I knew it. Naraku shared his son’s body like Youko shares Shuichi’s body.” Kagome said, looking to Youko.

Kohaku looked up to her gaze and saw the spirit kitsune. “You are a demon. What is Kagome talking about?” he questioned, puzzlement on his face. ‘Let me out, that should be the easiest way to explain us.’ Kurama said, getting Youko’s approval now that the danger was passed.

Kohaku’s eyes went wide as the silver haired kitsune transformed into the red headed human. His wide eyes went into a frown though, as he said, “But…I never was able to control the body. I was just kind of there. In the shadows.”

Kagome took a deep breath. “I believe you still had an influence on him though.” He blushed and looked away from her, more tears forming in his eyes. Kagome’s face softened as she said, “Thank you, Kohaku. You helped protect me, without even thinking about it.” She said, giving him a smile. He looked to her and Hiei and Kurama went to her side, knowing instantly what she was talking about.

Everyone looked to her curiously, not having any idea what she was talking about. Kagome sat back. ‘Should I tell them what happened?’ she asked Hiei, confusion in her voice. He relayed her question to Kurama and both answered at the same time, ‘Yes. Now is the time to share what happened.’ Kagome sighed. They weren’t going to be happy with her, but they had to be told.

“Let’s go back to Kaede’s. I’ll explain everything then.” She said, taking a deep breath and helping the newly added member of the team to his feet. “You’re alright, right, Kohaku?” Sango asked, looking to his back for and sign of tainted life. Kagome looked to her friend and smiled. “Sango, you don’t have to worry. He’s alive, and he’s healed. Naraku isn’t controlling him anymore.”

Sango’s eyes filled with tears again. She had him back, this time for good. Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder and offered her a smile. Kohaku hugged her back as he stood beside her, saying, “I’m sorry for everything, Onyue. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Sango held him closer and said with a voice full of honesty and trust, “It wasn’t your fault. It was never your fault. I love you, little brother.”

Kagome faced the cave again as everyone trudged slowly towards Kaede’s. Her purification went above and beyond the call of duty. She looked down to the staff she had used to purify the area. “Midoriko was right. This thing is powerful.” She said to herself, smiling, which turned into a frown. Naraku was back, and he was back with a vengeance. Kikyou was also at his side, hurting a member of their team more than most. She looked to Inuyasha who was attempting to look angry and gruff, like he usually did, but Kagome could feel the raw pain coming from him.

She caught up with him and placed her hand in his, as she had done at least one time before, giving him a smile and a squeeze. ‘I’ll always be here for you, Inuyasha.’ She thought, wrapping him up in her spirit, giving him her silent support and comfort.

Everyone was basically silent on the way back to Kaede’s, the days events playing over in their heads as the sun every slowly sank down below the horizon. Everyone shuffled into the small hut, taking comfortable spots where they could, while Sango went to her home and got Kohaku dressed and armed with his best weapon.

Kagome stood against the wall, her hand at her mouth, the deep thoughts of everything clearing out everything and everyone else. Hiei watched her and took a stand next to her. He could tell her next words would either make or break the team, but he wouldn’t leave her alone. Kagome was afraid they would all be mad at her for not telling them sooner of Seiichi’s attack on her mind, but then again, Seiichi was actually being influence by Kohaku, so she remained safe, if only scared. Taking a deep breath, she finally made eye contact with everyone. “Supper first. Then we’ll talk. It’s been a long day.” She said, bringing out absorbent amounts of ramen from a hidden space in Kaede’s hut. Inuyasha growled and gave her a playful smirk. “If I would have known that was there, I would’ve eaten it already!” he shouted, making everyone sputter with laughter. Then a familiar smack could be heard and Kagome almost dropped everything. Sango couldn’t help but laugh along with everyone else as a sheepish look came upon the monk’s face. It felt so good to be able to laugh. Even though there was such danger around, laughter could still be found, it made Kagome feel much better about what she was going to say after dinner.

After everyone’s stomachs were full, Kagome took her spot back against the wall. Everyone stopped the small chatter to give her their undivided attention. She gulped. Closing her eyes, she calmed her nerves and then began.

“Before any of you says anything, I want to ask you to not say anything until I’m done. Don’t interrupt me cause this is a lot harder to say now then it would have then.” She took a deep breath and began, “Seiichi invaded my mind earlier today. He came in my dream and he was really strange. He said I smelled good and he said I was beautiful. I thought he was just getting his kicks from touching me and creeping me out, but then he licked my neck and said, “Perfect.”
Hiei knocked him away from me and he fell to the ground and then left. He didn’t even stay around to fight or anything. Then there was the battle today, and Kohaku…he came out of Naraku when he ran into my purity barrier. I think…I know…that Kohaku was influencing Seiichi, and I wonder if the demon son actually wants to be as evil as his father.” She stopped, taking each person’s face with different expressions weighing heavily on them.

Inuyasha growled, “Does it matter? Anything born of Naraku has to be evil, that bastard went into your mind for kami’s sake!”

“But did you see who was running the show when they came through the well? It wasn’t Seiichi, it was Naraku.” She said, calming considerably since she realized they weren’t going to yell at her for not telling them sooner.

“But Kagome, even so, Seiichi is as evil as his father, maybe even more so.” Kohaku said, shocking everyone.

“Really? What kind of things do you remember when you were joined with him?” Kagome asked, taking a seat beside Kurama.

“I don’t remember much, just flashes of things. I kept seeing this child over and over again, although he could talk and everything. He had a blue outfit and he always had this thing in his mouth.” He said, frowning. Fear froze in everyone. They knew that description perfectly.

“Hey kid!” Yusuke shouted, getting his attention. “Did this kid have a hat on his head that said ‘Jr.’ and a really annoying voice?”

Kohaku nodded to the stranger and looked even more puzzled.

“Koenma…he’s going after Koenma.” Yusuke whispered, looking quickly to his team.

“NO!” Kohaku shouted. Everyone looked to his outburst. “No.” he said softer, looking down. “He wasn’t going after that kid. I just remember seeing a lot of that kid. The feeling around the kid was just one of annoyance. But…” he paused.

“But what?!” Kuwabara yelled, getting irritated with this turn of events. Kohaku’s eyes widened but calmed at Sango’s touch.

“There was someone else. Something else. It was a demon, but he was huge. He was red and he had horns on his head. He looked really scary. I don’t know who that was, but he was always angry at that thing for some reason. Every time he thought of that demon, he was really angry.”

The Urameshi team froze. The description was flawless. “Enma…” Hiei voiced, making everyone who knew of the leader look to him.

Genkai finally spoke up after her intense silence. “There’s no way Enma would fall to a hanyou like that. It’s just not possible.” She said, glaring her disapproval at the insinuation.

“Yeah, well, no one thought he could do everything else he’s done, but everything he’s said he wanted to do, he’s done, with the exception of getting rid of us.” Miroku said, frowning at her lack of worry.

“Besides, we don’t know the extent of his power. Now that Kohaku is gone from him, his influence is gone, and now there are two distinct souls in that body, as well as all those demons.” Kurama said, looking to Kagome quickly.

She frowned in concentration. “Something is off. If this Enma person is as powerful as you all say, there must be something else we’re not figuring in. Naraku’s no idiot. He’s quite smart, which makes me think there’s something more. Something else.”

“It’s you, Kagome.” Kohaku said softly, his face hidden by his bangs.

Everyone growled at the boy, making him cringe slightly before getting a strong face. “It’s you. Every moment I was in there, I saw you. You were the only beautiful thing in his mind.” He blushed, but continued. “Always, I saw him taking you into his body and then there was a lot of pink light. I don’t know what that light was, but there was loads of it. He used this pink energy a lot in his thoughts. I don’t know why, but the light only comes from you, not him.” He said, looking deeply into her eyes.

Kagome couldn’t tear her eyes away from the boy’s brown ones. The staff beside her glowed brightly and just as it began to glow, Hiei’s Jagan flared imprinting its image on Kagome’s forehead quickly, making a scream emit from her mouth before she felt her insides thrust forward into Kohaku’s mind.

‘What the hell? Where am I?’ she asked to herself, looking around the darkness that surrounded her. She let her eyes scan the area before she turned quickly and saw Hiei. “HIEI!” she shouted out, reaching for his figure.

Hiei looked around the boy’s mind frowning. He didn’t ask to be brought here, yet here he was. He was shaken out of his thoughts as a familiar voice shouted out his name. He looked ahead of him and saw her running for him, and he welcomed her embrace. ‘I’m glad you’re here.’ She said, looking up at him. ‘Any idea where we are?’ she asked. ‘You’re in my mind, Kagome. You are able to see what I was seeing all those years I was in Seiichi.’ A voice said, making her jump and look to her side. Kohaku was standing there, and took her hand, the darkness disappearing completely and light blanketing the area. Hiei growled at the boy. He didn’t want to be here in the boy’s mind. Kagome squeezed tighter on Hiei and he hugged her back. He could smell her fear, and he wasn’t against killing this boy if it meant that they would get out of here. Kagome spoke first.

‘Kohaku…how is this possible?’ she asked, following him as he walked her through his mind, holding onto Hiei tightly. ‘You have some strange power, Kagome. I don’t know why, but at least maybe you can make more sense of this stuff than I can.’ He gave her a smile which she involuntarily returned. ‘Let’s go. I have a lot to show you, and we don’t have a lot of time.’ He said. Kagome nodded and picked up the pace.

~*~

“Kagome! Kagome!!” Inuyasha was the first to shout, followed by Sango’s voice as she shouted, “Kohaku!”

“Dammit, Sango! What the hell did he do to her?!” Inuyasha shouted, trying to hold his hand back from drawing the Tetsuseiga. “I don’t know, but something’s happened to him too!” she shouted back, tears flowing softly down her face.

Kurama’s shout brought both of their attention to himself as he shouted out, “Hiei!” ‘Dammit! What the hell is going on?’ Youko shouted, anger in his voice. He tried mentally nudging Hiei, but it was like no one was home, and that’s what worried the kitsune most.

Everyone gathered around their chosen person, as each one tried to revive the fallen hero’s and heroine. “Come on, guys. Snap out of it!” Genkai shouted, touching her hands to their foreheads, testing to see if her spells would have any effect.

Kaede frowned at the scene as it unfolded. She saw the flash of red on the short demon’s forehead and then on Kagome’s. Then it hit Kohaku’s and then their bodies were still. “I believe that they are in Kohaku’s mind.” She said, looking to each of them. Silence filled the area. “And how did you come up with that conclusion, Grandma?!” Yusuke shouted irritably.

“That demon…Hiei…his head glowed with a red light, then Kagome’s, and the Kohaku’s. I think they are somehow in his mind.” She elaborated.

Kurama looked to Hiei’s forehead and gasped. His Jagan was exposed and pulsing slowly, a thin, almost invisible line trailing to Kagome, and then to Kohaku. “She’s right.” He said, frowning, while also feeling a small sense of relief.

Everyone looked to him and he showed them the links, before sitting. Sesshoumaru looked to the demon before nodding to him. The uncertainty was killing him, but he knew that if that smaller demon was with Kagome, he would let nothing happen to the girl. No matter where they were.

~*~

Kagome looked forward and she saw an image of herself, surrounded in pink light. ‘This is the Shikon no Tama…that light…he plans on using it to beat that demon. Who is that, Hiei? Do you know?’ she asked, holding on tighter to his hand. ‘That would be King Enma. He’s the King of the Spirit Realm.’ He informed her, returning her gesture.

They watched as the pink light from Kagome began to eat away at the demon king, emitting a gasp of horror from her and a growl from Hiei. She buried her head in his chest and he held onto her. ‘Damn that Naraku. He’ll never get his hands on you. I won’t let him.’ He promised her, watching the battle with a newfound blood lust. He would relish in the killing of that hanyou that hurt his future mate.

‘You must watch, Kagome. I’m sorry.’ Kohaku said, as she was almost forcefully turned around to face the image again. Hiei growled loudly, glaring at the boy. He looked indifferent to the demon and then the image changed to show him absorbing the rest of the team. Kagome was tied up and she was forced to watch as each of her friends were absorbed into the demon Naraku. Kagome’s tears raced down her face, as she tried to look away, but found she couldn’t.

Then there was no one left but Inuyasha. She cried out for the hanyou, but just as she did, Kikyou stepped into her line of vision, making her gasp and cry out again, as a miko arrow flew out and pinned the inu hanyou to the same tree he had been pinned to before. Kagome cried and finally was allowed to fall to her knees. Hiei placed his hands around her shaking shoulders, trying to comfort her. The image of him being so easily absorbed into that demon did not sit well with him. He did not believe he was defeat able, but this image told him that his opponent thought he was. The one question that ran through his mind over and over again was, ‘How did he know that we were going to be the ones protecting Kagome?’

Her tears slowly diminished and she got to her feet rather unsteadily at first, falling into Hiei’s embrace. ‘He can’t be allowed to do this. We have to defeat him before it comes to this. He can’t be allowed to…’ she froze as her mind was snapped back to a freshly conjured image.

Her mouth was held open in a small ‘o’ of surprise and horror as she saw a barrier being trampled down. ‘What is that, Hiei?’ she questioned, fear unimaginable in her voice. He swore loudly, looking back to the image. ‘That’s the wall between the Makai and Human Realms.’ He said, swearing again.

Kagome stepped closer to the image, reaching out a hand as a flood of demons came running across the wall, and running straight into a wall of humans. Kagome’s tears fell silently down her face as she watched the human race being slowly slaughtered and the demons taking over. ‘He plans on dominating everything…he wants to use me to do it. The jewel…he’s going to use the jewel to take over everything…’ she whispered out, watching as buildings began to go up in flames and havoc was reeked on the people of the world.

As she stood there, a tiny glow of energy came to her outstretched hand, distorting the image. She looked to her hand and pressed it closer to the image, strengthening her power. Even more, the image was distorted, pulsing ripples through it, dissipating it into nothing. It wasn’t enough to destroy the image completely, because it came back, but maybe there was something else that she was meant to do. Something else…

She gathered her resolve and nodded to Kohaku. She got the message loud and clear. He nodded back to her and she turned back to Hiei, hugging him again. She felt her soul tug at his own and she let it surround them again. ‘It’s time to go home, my Hiei.’ She said, using the endearment again. He nodded and slowly, the light disappeared to reveal color and shapes that leaned over them. Hiei awoke first, pushing Inuyasha and Yusuke aside to get to Kagome as she woke up. She smiled at him, placing a hand to his cheek as she looked toward Kohaku, who was now up and in his sister’s arms.

“Kagome…are you okay?” Sesshoumaru was the first to ask, finally making his way to her. She smiled and nodded, hugging him as he set her on his lap. Her face was thoughtful, and she stood, grabbing up Hiei’s hand and taking up her spot where her explanations began, she began them anew. This time, revealing plans of the Spirit Realm being completely taken over, and the Makai being allowed to overrun the Human Realm. Everyone gasped and cursed and swore at each new piece of information, never before thinking that Naraku would go so far to do so much damage to humans, considering he was part human himself.

After she was done, she took a seat. Things were becoming much more dangerous and complex. She just hoped they would all survive it.

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A/N: How’d you like? I think the battle wasn’t really done justice, but as I said in the beginning, battle scenes are not my forte, and the focus was relationships, not battles. Well, anyways, please R/R!
Oh, PS—next chapter we won’t hear from Naraku or Kikyou…much. It’s going to be trying to establish the ties between loves, and you still won’t know who the pairing are! *laughs evilly* Ah, don’t be mad, I still love you all!

A/N #2: Faithful reviewers! How I love thee! Let me count the ways…hehe…:: huggles :: Thank you for your time and patience and especially your wonderful reviews! =)

Kudos, Loves!


A/N #3: Next Chapter—Hearts of Fire