Chapter 11

"InuYasha, it's been almost 2 months! Please make Kikyo go away. She might betray us again. She freaks all of us out. She doesn't talk or even seem to want to. And, she treats Shippo badly," Miroku pleaded.

Miroku had always prided himself on his toleration of others. For a couple years he tolerated InuYasha's company. He was never bothered by the half demon, but because he was friends with Kagome, he sometimes was angry with InuYasha for his treatment of the girl from the future. He liked to be nice and help people. Despite having a lecherous side and sometimes lying to get a good room and plate of food, he happily helped. However, he could no longer tolerate Kikyo's presence in their group. He considered himself a holy man for the most part, and Kikyo's malicious aura unnerved him night and day. He could not figure out why a woman who still called herself a priestess would choose to lead a path to Hell instead of a path to Heaven. He understood what had occurred between InuYasha and Kikyo long ago, but even after both now knew that it had been Naraku that had orchestrated the whole mess, that she was not forgiving. She knew she wanted to use the jewel to make InuYasha a human, and in the end, freeing her of the duties that came with the jewel. Her wish was not pure.

It was selfish in every way to ask InuYasha to become something else, in order to allow her to live her life normally. Miroku wanted to sit and talk with Kikyo about her ways, but he knew she would not listen. Even from the elder villagers that had lived during Kikyo's life, he had heard that she had often snubbed them, and regarded herself better than them. She did not exactly tell them that, but she had acted that way. She seemed somewhat normal around the village children, but even so, she practically had no friends because of her cold ways.

Sango nodded in a agreement. She had hated Kikyo from the start, as Kagome was like a sister to Sango. She knew that nothing good would come of Kikyo and to allow her to be in the group was not helping. In fact, they had not found as many jewel shards as they did with Kagome. She could not decide whether the reason was that there were so few shards left in difficult places or that it was only a matter of time before the key people against Naraku would come together at the right time to battle him. She hoped it was the latter as she thirsted to see Naraku's demise.

Shippo was cowering a distance away, keeping lookout for Kikyo's return. Kikyo still had a soft spot for children and despite Shippo being a demon, he was still a kit and she would pick him up and coo to him. Shippo hated her scent and practically shuddered at her touch, but he allowed her to pet him. In a way he had no choice. He was too small to be able to do anything to the dead priestess.

InuYasha had refrained from hitting him as his way of apologizing for putting up with Kikyo. Shippo wished for Kagome's pleasant scent and warm hands. He missed sleeping near Kagome. He considered her like a mother to him as she worried over him and made sure he was okay. Being without his adopted mother was depressing.

"Houshi, I know. I want Kagome back too. I already told Kikyo that I needed her to help us for a short time, but now she refuses to leave. Although this seems childish, I will try this one last time. Gather Sango and Shippo, and have Kirara fly you to Kouga's pack. Explain to wolf breath the situation. I will meet up with you after I visit with Kagome's family. She was there a week ago and I missed it, so maybe I can ask her if she'll come back," InuYasha revealed his plans.

Miroku nodded and gathered the rest of the group, leaving InuYasha alone. InuYasha listened for Kikyo's soul collectors, and once he found them, he followed behind. Kikyo was in a meadow by a small brook resting as the collector's released the spirits into her.

He shuddered as a soul collectors brushed by him.

'How did I ever love this cold woman? She makes my skin crawl,' he mentally complained

"Have you come to seek me out and go to Hell?" Kikyo asked, raising her eyes to InuYasha.

Kikyo had been surprised that InuYasha sought her out. He rarely did that in the past. Usually she sent her soul collecting spirits out, so he could detect them and come to her. She stood and approached him, willing her powers to surround InuYasha and bring him under her control.

'So souless are her brown eyes. No warmth at all,' Inu Yasha shuddered.

He felt Kikyo trying to reach out and ensnare him, and growled.

'How dare she try reeling me in again!' he raged.

"Kikyo, I think it is best if you leave the group. They're quite uncomfortable with your presence and so am I. You don't talk to any of us. Come on, who are you? You're aren't Kikyo," InuYasha said, quite upset.

"Do not be daft, InuYasha. I'm Kikyo. You will go to Hell with me," Kikyo hissed.

"No, I won't! I only promised to avenge your death. I don't love you. I love Kagome!" he yelled, cracking his knuckles, preparing to swipe at her if things became out of control.

"You cannot love her!" Kikyo said disbelievingly, stepping even closer, while gather her soul collectors around her.

"You're dead, only partially alive by the grace of Kagome's soul. Bitch, don't presume to tell me anything about my feelings," he growled, then turned to go.

"You will regret choosing my copy. This I will make sure of," Kikyo warned as InuYasha left her by the brook.

InuYasha whirled around to face her and further growled, "No, you'll regret messing with me, you cunt. I'm tired of you. Next time we meet, I'll kill you without a second thought. You'll not harm Kagome. She will be my mate. You will be avenged, and then you will die and return the rest of her soul to her. For a woman that was well respected, you are a vindictive little bitch. You are dead. Stay dead."

InuYasha turned back to the way he was going. Their journey had taken them to the Northern Lands, and so he had to make it to the Bone Eater's well within two days, using all the speed he could muster.

Kikyo was fuming. InuYasha had not succumbed to her seduction, and had insulted her. She did not care that it was really Naraku that had killed her, and made her pin InuYasha to the Goshinkboku tree. She was a woman robbed of her life and she wanted it back. But since that was not possible, and her reincarnation walked the lands, she would take her soul, kill Naraku, and take InuYasha to Hell with her. That was the only peace she could accept. Kagome had healed her, but Kikyo did not owe the girl anything. Slowly she was losing her hold on her clay body, and after Naraku's attack at Mount Hakurei, she was more determined than ever to get her way before she passed on again.

'When she dies, you will be next, InuYasha,' the clay priestess vowed.