Chapter 9

So ... here for once the next chapter relatively quickly. I dedicate it to everyone who has written clerks to me so far ^^

“Kagome!” Inuyasha looked grimly across the meadow. It looked peaceful, but the Hanyou wasn't fooled. Kagome was gone somewhere here, so she had to be somewhere here, too. And he could bet that it was no coincidence that her smell was still there in one place, but had disappeared two steps later. A barrier?
He could not feel anything, nowhere was he prevented from going any further, like the usual blockages. “Well, I'll do a test then!” Inuyasha pulled his Tessaiga sword from its sheath and felt it pulsate in his hands. He activated it with his Youki and it transformed. The hanyou used even more energy. "Ah, I knew it!" He shouted triumphantly to the sky, where apart from a few birds there was nobody who could have appreciated his 'cleverness': Tessaiga actually turned red - the sign that a barrier existed had to.But why didn't he see her? More or less indiscriminately, the half-demon struck through the air. Nothing happened. ° Yes, there! I can smell Kagome's smell! "But as soon as he wanted to locate it, it was already gone again. What kind of new devilry was that?

Kagome, however, still followed Kikyo's soul-catchers, which she had been leading for a long time. Tiredness welled up in her, caused by the argument with Inuyasha, the long way and not least because of the still very gloomy atmosphere of this enchanted forest, which made her very sad in a certain way - she was immune to the magic in any case Not.
After what seemed like endless hours the girl saw a glow. She had seen it often enough to immediately recognize it as Kikyo's souls. Every soul that is withdrawn from the body of a dead or living person has its very own aura, just as the souls of Kikyo had a very special one, although they were not even their own.Kagome didn't know if everyone could feel the differences, at least she could.
Kikyo's Shinidamachuu stopped, now that they knew the way, to buzz around them and gathered around a large empty tree in a small forest clearing, which was illuminated by the light of a few souls, otherwise it was pitch dark. She seemed to be right in the heart of the forest.
° Where am I? And where is Kikyo? Why does she lure herself here if she doesn't want anything from me? Or is that about ... ° But her doubts were unfounded. While Kagome was still thinking about it, Kikyo appeared in a glistening white light, just in front of the tree. "Always a tendency to impressive performances, huh?", Kagome muttered to himself. The dead, young woman across from her did not show whether she had heard these words or not, but just looked at the girl from modern times in silence. It was almost cold down Kagome's spine. This view…
What did Kikyo want from her? Finally the miko spoke: "So you have come.""Eh? What else should I have done?", Kagome replied, startled. Kikyo looked her up and down again. "So you are immune to the magic of this demon? Again?" She looked thoughtful, as far as one could say of Kikyo that she ever really looked thoughtful. "Demon? I don't see any da ..."
"The forest"
"The forest? The forest is ... a demon?"
"Hai. A demon who pretends a gloomy world in order to draw any happiness out of the people. When the living being has then given up out of desperation, the demon soaks up the leftovers."
Kagome grimaced. ° That sounds disgusting. °
"And yet ...", Kikyo looked into her eyes. "Again, you turn out to be special.
"Eh? Why Beson ..."
Again, the miko did not let the girl speak.
"You are not desperate, you have found a way - in the deepest heart of the forest too."
"He's just an illusion?"
"Shark."
"Uh ... what am I doing here then?And how do I get out? And what are you doing here? I mean ... "Kagome stopped abruptly when she saw Kikyo just shake his head.
"Chatty as always, huh?"
The modern girl flinched. ° No wonder Kikyo doesn't take me seriously ... What am I talking about here? ° She remained silent, slightly ashamed. In the presence of the dead Miko, she always felt embarrassed - for good reason - and didn't know what to say.
"In reality you are standing in a large meadow that is surrounded by a barrier. You cannot see it," she said when Kagome looked around, "you would have to defeat the demon first. Why did you come?"
The younger just looked at her, startled. "But ... but I didn't come voluntarily ... I mean ... I was lured ...". Then she continued, more quietly. "Well .. I mean ... I also had an argument with Inuyasha ..." She just whispered. "He won't come to get me ... He won't help me ..."Kikyo smiled. It was an almost terrifying sight as there was no warmth in the smile.
"You want Inuyasha to help you? Why don't you finally help yourself, Kagome!"
"Nani ?!"
° What is she up to? She won't be ...? ° Kagome looked at Kikyo with wide eyes. She read her thoughts and laughed coldly.
"You don't really think I'm going to hurt you, do you?"
She smiled again, mockingly.
"No, I wouldn't have bothered to meet you in a place like that for that."
Kagome was rather offended by this statement, even if she couldn't deny that she was somehow relieved. ° So I'm not worth it, am I ?! ° At the same time, she also became defiant.
"And then why all this? What is this eternal fuss about?"
Kikyo suddenly changed the subject.
"Who are you really?"
"Eh?"
° Somehow I have the feeling that I have nothing else to say ... What does she want from me? ° Kagome was getting really pissed off."What's this all about, Kikyo ?! I've told you who I am often enough! Besides, we're standing in the middle of a strange forest, I still don't know why, and I certainly don't know what you want from me!"
Slowly she talked herself into motion.
"What are you aiming for with this thing? And why the fuck am I here ?!"
The dead Miko showed no emotion.
"Naraku is getting stronger."
Kagome was almost frustrated. Kikyo just couldn't have a good conversation ... This was clearly not her day.
"We know that. But what does that ..."
"You have to get stronger too."
"Wh ... what? Why?"
"You rely on Inuyasha to protect you."
When the modern girl wanted to reply, Kikyo just continued.
"But that won't always be enough. If you really are what I think you are ...", she hesitated a little, "if you are really a bit like me ... then you have to get stronger. Don't rely on others!Use your powers, because they are something special. "
Kagome just stared helplessly at her. What are they mad about? The miko continued talking.
"Inuyasha will not always be able to protect you ... Apart from that, he needs your help. Naraku is so close to his goal, he will not give up, he will do everything possible, the last splinter," she pointed to the small piece of Shiko no Tamas, which to Kagome's neck, "to get. That must be prevented in any case!"
The girl looked helplessly at the young woman.
"But…"
"You are strong. Even if you often don't know. But you have great powers dormant within you ... You just have to use them more often. Awaken them. Use them. Get stronger. Prevent Naraku's victory."
"But what about you? I would have thought you ... I mean, you want to stop Naraku, right?"
"You are stupid."
Kagome winced again. ° As she says it ... not even insulting, or hurtful, just stating. Maybe she's right ... but it still makes me angry.Who gives her the right to judge? °
"Naraku tries everything to kill us all. Do you really think we will be able to prevent that one hundred percent? Don't be naive. Too often your lives have all hung by a thread."
° And yours? °, asked Kagome.
"He's going to strike again soon ... I can feel that. That's why I want you to get stronger. Apart from that ...", Kikyo turned around and said as he was walking away: "Otherwise it would be a waste." With that she sent herself to Kagome to leave.
At first the girl just looked after her, perplexed, then called Miko loudly by name.
"Kikyo! You can't leave me here alone! And why do you want to help me at all?"
"Help yourself ... otherwise this will clear the way for you." She turned around one last time and handed her an arrow. A purple glow seemed to shimmer around him.
Kagome took it from the Miko's hand, but immediately winced, as if she had burned her hand, and the arrow fell to the ground."He ... he rejects me!"
"Get stronger," Kikyo repeated before turning around again and slowly fading away. Her Shinidamachuu also disappeared.
"Kikyo!"
“Use your strength!” The words echoed after her. "Get stronger!"

In the meantime, Inuyasha had set out to discover the secrets of this strange barrier. But no matter how often he used the red Tessaiga, he could neither break nor even see the barrier. That made him pretty angry and he let loose a stormy Kaze no Kizu over the meadow - which didn't help either. However, the Hanyou smelled that whiff of Kagome again - he would have recognized her smell anywhere - and a slightly musty smell of something similar to a swamp, perhaps also of a forest. Just as he was about to start an - admittedly pointless - attack on the blockade, a glow and a wild, uncontrolled force tore the magic apart.

Kagome first stared after the missing Kikyo, then at the arrow still lying on the ground in front of her.° What is she actually thinking? What is all of this "get stronger" stuff ??? And what does it all mean? ° It was clear, with all the open questions, that she had absolutely no desire to spend any more time in this hideous forest. "Get stronger", the girl muttered defiantly, "I'll show you ..."
With these words, she resolutely bent down for the arrow from Kikyo, who in turn refused her hand. “Kikyo! Is this a sample?” She gritted her teeth. She would do it ...
She pulled herself together and was finally able to actually pick up the arrow, even if it hurt a little. But she would, she had