Why hello there reader, here's a fanfiction that I'd came up with awhile ago and was typing until an unfortunate incident in which all my computers files were deleted. Anyways, I feel that I have been given the opportunity to make this story better then what it was and I hope that you are one to enjoy it. Please review if you think it's good!

Disclaimer :I do not own Inuyasha or anything related on the topic -

FRIEND OR FOE PROLOUGE

"speech" 'thought'

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It had been three years since Kagome had entered the feudal era and for once she really hoped that this was the end. She hoped that this would be, perhaps, the last battle with Naraku. As her eyes lurked at her surroundings she exhaled somewhat curious. This was indeed the first time that most of her friends and "allies" were in the same place. Everyone was here to bear witness to the fight of all fights. Of course like always for the past three years, Kagome was pushed into the back of all her comrades.

Naraku was in the front of all those who wanted him dead in the large clearing of the dense forest he had been followed into. He could sense the pressure around him and all the anxiety and stress of all the beaten and bloodied enemies he had. Fatigue had mixed it's way into the air and even the silence seemed to tire. Naraku let a smirk crawl to his face as his tentacles and extra limbs tangled and knotted behind him, waiting to attack.

Suddenly, he lunged and all tension in the air was broken. Inuyasha drew his tessaiga into the air and over his right shoulder and ran forward to counter. Air wrapped around the blade as he called at his windscar, aided by Kikyou's arrow of purification. Before they had gone into battle, everyone noted that the most sensible way to defeat Naraku was to attack together. Although, a certain high-ranking demon didn't think of being one to aid anyone. He was one who simply stood on his own two feet like any being should.

As everyone continued to fight, Kagome stood in the background feeling quite worthless. She was sadly just a shard detector, she thought. In her thoughts of trying to find someway to help, her eyes caught a glimpse of something strange.

Behind Naraku appeared to be a clump of flesh that pulsed slowly and glowed distinctively with a red youki. She glanced back to make sure that everyone was still deep in battle as she readied her bow with an arrow. Although, this arrow was very unique. It was indeed her most sacred arrow.

She had excavated it from Midoriko's grave not terribly long ago, a couple weeks maybe. Even though Midoriko was a master swordsman, she was also an excellent archer Myouga once explained. This arrow was special for another reason as well…it was the arrow that the legendary priestess had used to seal the Shikon jewels power. She had stabbed herself in her own heart to dispel the power from it's prison, casting that of the war and her power into the jewel.

The bow in Kagome's hand was special as well. For this was the bow that Kikyou had used to seal Inuyasha into his slumber 53 years ago. If Kagome used these two tools, it would contain power greater then any before. The arrow was filled with Midoriko's certainty to ensure the suspended war of demons decades ago. Her bow was filled with Kikyou's hurt,anger, and confusion that ensured one never to rise again.

Now, the essence of power left behind in these two tools, the signature of their wielders, would now be signed with Kagome's hope for the world, for the future.

She prayed very hard as the sounds of battle and exhaustion drifted distantly from her mind. Everything was still….clear as she inhaled and slowly took in what was happening around her small figure. Sango threw her hiraikotsu which was plastered with seals from Miroku. Flames supplied by Shippo and Kirara surrounded the flying bone. Kouga sped a wild whirlwind as Au and Un and Jaken spat fire and lightening within the vortex of air.

Sesshoumaru followed behind with a powerful Dragon Strike that was aided by an extremely large amount of poison acid. Powers collided and spun creating a storm in the air. Kagome widened her eyes as she sensed her opening and let out her prayer.

' Please bring liberation and freedom to this world.

Give all those good salvation and let this arrow destroy

The evil that had plagued these lands for so long

Let this battle be the last!!!!!!!!!!! '

Her arrow was fired and it glowed violently and she was actually sent backward as if the power had a recoil. As the arrow entered the clashing of energies everything went still for a moment. Then the vortex of power glowed gold, so pure it was as if it was the essence of light itself. The now invisible arrow came back into vision falling from the sky although something changed.

The arrow guided the power into the shape of a sapphire crystallized dragon, which flew toward Naraku and pierced the place Kagome had aimed towards. The light of sapphire and crystal started to devour Naraku as if he were its prey. The storm that had still been in air then turned black as Naraku's poisonous gases were expelled. Kagome's eyes stretched and stared hard to see if this would be the final hit.

She was staring so hard she didn't realize that she was breathing in the toxins. She was dazed at how powerful the energy around her was and how the storm of gases fed the lights power as it was being consumed. The air roared with a great fury and the ground even started to shake and quiver.

Everyone tried to mask his or her face to avoid being poisoned. Well, everyone except Sesshoumaru who could withstand it all. The only one who took breath from this miasma was Kagome, who hadn't even known she was doing so. Only slightly did Kagome realize that beside her Kikyou fell to her knees surrounded by her soul collectors begging for air. Kagome just…. stood and watched. Her mind was blank with curiosity. 'Is this the end?' she thought, asked.

Suddenly…. the wind dissipated and all was left peaceful as rain started to fall from the darkened sky after Naraku was consumed. Kagome's eyes lowered from where Naraku had last bore his flesh and into the sky. She felt her eyelids become hot and heavy with tears. "Ah!" she heard from the recesses of her mind, soon processing that it was Miroku's voice. "M…My wind tunnel is….gone…It's finally gone!!!!!" he yelled as tears came into his eyes.

As soon as his tear hit the ground, Kagome felt it. Pain engulfed her body as she collapsed onto her knees and shook on the ground. She was paralyzed, as the only thing she could do was clench onto the dirt beneath her. Cries of pain came from her throat as Sango looked in her direction and Kouga jogged to her side. Her held her up as she bit hard onto her lip in trauma. "Kagome! What's wrong!?"

The words didn't reach her ears through her shrieks of pain. She coughed and then spued up a deep purple substance mixed within her blood. "She's been poisoned!" Sango screamed. Kouga looked up with fierce and worried eyes. "No….it can't be…we need to get her to someone who can--" he paused as he picked her up and started to speed of on foot towards Kaede's hut.

Everyone was up after the wolf and Kagome. Sango, Miroku, Kohaku, and Shippo road on Kirara. Miroku looked to his right and saw Inuyasha carrying Kikyou on his back. "What's wrong with her?" he asked. Inuyasha jumped up to gain more ground, letting his words float back. She's been poisoned as well…. was what had been told.

Kohaku held tight between Miroku and Sango and heard a light other set of footstep behind the group. His eyes widened to see that Sesshoumaru followed. "Nii-san…" Kohaku whispered to Miroku, who turned his head. "What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru? I would have thought you'd gone your own path," He said. Sesshoumaru then merged his eyes up into the monks.

Then in that moment, for a second at least, Miroku thought he understood what Sesshoumaru was thinking. Even Sesshoumaru was slightly worried about the young Miko who could have possibly even saved his own life and was responsible for Naraku's prolonged demise.

Kouga and Inuyasha were now side by side in the front of everyone and were growing tired from the running. Kouga was in worse condition since having the shards from his legs ripped out. The wounds that took were still open and bleeding. Every time his legs bent to keep momentum, the shock of hitting the ground caused his eyes to squint. He didn't stop to rest because he knew he didn't have that luxury when the woman he loved was dieing in arms.

' Her pulse is getting weaker by the second. I wonder though, how did Kagome obtain so much power? Why did she let herself get poisoned?'

Kouga glared over to Inuyashaand then down to Kikyou. Why was Inuyasha saving someone who was already dead. Her clay body had no warmth, no soul or spirit. She was living on just hate and resentment and the pieces of Kagome's soul that still inhabited her body. Inuyasha didn't even glance at the person who liberated them all.

Although even thought their biggest worry had been eliminated, a new tension had begun to weave its way into the air. Sesshoumaru had pasts everyone up and was now in the treetops above Kouga and Inuyasha. He noticed high above the scent of illness the two bodies had obtained and it almost repulsed him to a point he should cover his sensitive nose with his kimono sleeve.

He picked up the scent of blood and as he glanced down he noticed Kagome had spued up blood again. ' She only has about a day to live if she doesn't make it top the village in a few hours…it's still 6 hours away at the pace they're going,' He thought to himself. He looked ahead into the raindrops and squinted his eyes slightly. 'It is going to storm….' As soon as his thought had come and gone, he made a decision.

Sesshoumaru jumped in front of Kouga and Inuyasha and both males stopped in their tracks. Sesshoumaru reached out his arms. " Give the girl to me, Wolf. You won't make it in time at your pace, especially now that you have no shards of that jewel. You're body isn't used to this slow pace…." He explained. " I'll have her beat her demise..."

Kouga couldn't argue for he knew the TaiYoukai was correct in his statement. He looked down at Kagome as Inuyasha ran forward with Kikyou who merely looked as though she was asleep. She was only in a 1st degree state of poisoning. Sesshoumaru picked Kagome up bridal-style and darted passed Inuyasha who was merely staring at the ground. Sesshoumaru didn't really think of why he was doing this other then the fact that he owed Kagome enough respect to try to save her somewhat.

His life had been quite boring until Naraku came along and now that he was dead he didn't want to go back to his mostly boring life. He could have just brought her back to life with tensaiga if she died but, he thought it seemed quite interesting to see what level of willpower she possessed. He almost chuckled at the suspense of what the outcome would be. Would she live? Would she die? He felt like putting her life in her own hands...not his. Perhaps, this was a way of paying his one due to her…perhaps anyways.

He soon reached the outskirts of the village and scanned the horizon, sniffing the air to find the hut using Kagome's scent to see where she had last been. He made his way to the hut of the old woman and bent under the hay curtain. Kaede's eyes widened as the two wet figures emerged from the dark outside as it was now turning so.

"She…defeated Naraku, but, in the process, was poisoned by his miasma when it was expelled from his form. For her sake, you should have something to counteract with it." He said as he laid Kagome down unto the floor by the fire. "You are Inuyasha's elder half-brother…are you not?" asked Kaede. Sesshoumaru was already at the hay curtain. " That is correct…." He said in a low tone.

" Then why did you choose to help her? I was told that you despise mortals…" he whispered, leaving just her question in the air although Sesshoumaru heard her unfinished sentence. He glanced back at the old wrinkled miko with calloused and scared fingers from years of helping the village around her. He squinted his eyes and sighed into himself. " I have no particular reason for saving her…." Was all he said as he walked out of the hut.

Kaede tended to Kagome best she could with herbs and medicines as one of her other apprentices worked hard to pull the plants necessary to neutralize the poison and toxin in Kagome's body. She looked out the window and into the sky where a full moon lingered overhead and rain hell from the sky's eyes. The world was so unbalanced but, at the same time, was very even.

Inuyasha was racing through trees as fast as he could while his group of friends trailed a ways behind him. " Don't worry Kikyou…we're almost there! " he yelled with worry in his voice. Sesshoumaru noticed through through the scent of the rain was his brother's scent. He opened his closed eyes from where he sat on the tree and glanced down beneath him to see Inuyasha jump into the clearing. Panic had crawled over his face as he sprinted in the direction of the old miko's hut.

Sesshoumaru traced Inuyasha's form and then his eyes fell onto the dead priestess. She appeared to only be asleep and he didn't see that she had the symptoms that Kagome had. Kagome had been quivering within Sesshoumaru's arms and didn't cease to hack up blood every 10 minutes. Kikyou was just still…Sesshoumaru came to the conclusion that since she was already dead and had her clay body that she wasn't affected like those who still lived.

Yes, he was certain that was the reason although, that didn't mean she wasn't poisoned…she just had no blood to give. He closed his eyes again as the other mortals and two demons sprung from the bushes.

Back at Kaede's hut, Kagome was running an extremely high fever and she was still shaking even though she was unconscious by now. He body jerked forward and back as her hands clenched the futon she was laying on. " Easy child…try not to struggle too much. Ai should be coming in a short time and then I can help you…I can only hope that she comes in time." Kaede whispered to Kagome's side as she stroked her damp face.

Not only a few minutes later did the young girl Ai stumble in with wet and dirty clothes. " Kaede-sensei, I found the herbs you requested. Although the amount was scarce in the mountainside, I managed to scurry up enough for Kagome onee-chan." She said with a small amount of panic in her voice. Kaede nodded "I am proud Ai, you have done well…" she said as she scooted to a corner in the hut and picked up a wooden bowl and a small oval piece of wood to grind the herbs.

Suddenly, after Kaede had mixed the grounded herbs with a small amount of water and put it on the fire to boil, Inuyasha ran into the hut. Sweat ran down his neck camouflaged by the rainwater with Kikyou on his back. " Inuy--" Kaede couldn't finish as her eye noticed Kikyou on his back. "Sister…." She whispered. "Old woman…. you've got to help Kikyou, she's been poisoned!" he told.

Kaede stared up at Inuyasha and then to the ground beneath her. Inuyasha sat down after laying Kikyou on another futon. Inuyasha only glanced at Kagome once when he heard a low groan come from her throat. Kaede studied his face when he did not see. " How bad is Kikyou's condition?" she asked, abandoning her relationship to her for a small moment.

Inuyasha looked in the direction of the old priestess. "She hasn't moved at all…when I'd first aided her side, she was coughing and struggled to breathe, " he whispered. Kaede nodded. 'I see…then it is not as bad as Kagome's state of being. Perhaps Kikyou can heal on her own with help from her soul collectors…' she thought to herself. Inuyasha studied the old woman's face as she raised a thumb to her chin in deep thought.

He looked over to her and then a quick look at Kagome and then Kikyou. Kikyou looked as if she was fading in his mind and Kagome looked like she was fighting the poison. In that instant, he made up his mind on something rather harsh. "Kaede… is that the antidote? " he asked with a tone of voice. The gang of mortals and demons arrived into the hut after Kaede had nodded yes to Inuyasha's question.

Kaede had the started answering the questions of the monk, wolf, and demon slayer. "So you've acquired the herbs necessary to neutralize Naraku's poison?" asked Miroku. Kaede nodded silently. Kouga was next to ask. "So how is she? Kagome I mean, " he said as he glared at Inuyasha who could not see it. "She is doing better then expected. I have nursed the amount of poison lower then what it was at originally."

Sango then merged her eyes up into the miko's. "So all you have to do now is have her take the medicine you've made and she'll be alright?" she asked, glancing at Shippo and Kirara who were now at Kagome's side. Kaede nodded, bringing a smile on Sango's face.

As soon as her smile had come, it was gone when she heard Shippo ask something. " Inuyasha…. are you really supposed to be giving that to Kikyou. I thought it was going to be for Kagome." He said. Kaede turned around and then her eyes widened.

"Inuyasha… what have you done? " she slowly whispered. Ai, who had been in the corner gasped as she placed her palms on her mouth. " That was for Kagome onee-chan! " she yelled as tears welled up in her eyes. "There was only enough for one person!" she screamed as she began to sob.

Everyone stood shocked until Kouga stomped over to Inuyasha and grabbed him by the collar of his haori. "What the hell have you done? You just cursed Kagome to death!" he yelled s he punched Inuyasha across the face as hard as he could in his weakened state. Miroku tried to restrain him down so he wouldn't hurt himself since he was still bleeding out through the bandages Sango had given him while in the forest.

Sango was just as furious though as she started to shed tears of frustration. "How could you? MURDERER! She's as good as dead now you bastard!" she yelled as she slapped Inuyasha where Kouga had punched and then collapsed onto her knees. She punched the ground as Kaede rubbed her shoulders to comfort her. "Why! Dammit…as soon as someone regains something, another things is lost."

"I did what I had to okay! I won't lose Kikyou again… she needed the medicine!" he yelled. "No Inuyasha…Kikyou could have survived with the help of her soul collectors. Now Kagome will die since there is no longer any more of the herb that neutralizes Naraku's poison."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. 'Then I just…. I ' he couldn't even finish his thoughts as Shippo bit onto hisarm. " I HATE you! You killed Kagome for someone who was already dead!' he yelled as tears fellfrom his wide blue-green eyes. Then he felt a hand on his sleeve. To his amazement, it wasKagome's hand.

Everyone except Inuyasha and Kikyou knelt to her side. Kouga held her in his arms as even as tears fell from his eyes. Kagome smiled a weak smile towards Kouga and brushed the back of her handon his left cheek. "Thank you…" she whispered as she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Then herfeatures hardened as she glared toward Inuyasha with tears in her eyes.

Her hand rose towards his face and he almost flinched away from her until she stopped."Inuyasha…I have always loved you. My love burned deeply for you, yet you didn't even acknowledgeit." She said, looking at her palm. "These hands…did everything they could to save you from dangerbut you didn't care or bother to thank me even once. I guess it can't be helped though. In theend…you chose her. You'd better hope my soul stays within her after I--" she couldn't finished whenher heart surged and she coughed up blood and collapsed against Kouga.

Kagome's eyes darkened and then closed as blood ran down her jaw line. Kouga looked down to her."Kagome…Kagome…" he said as he started to shake her. Nothing happened as the words she wasable to hear kept becoming distant until everything turned black and she could hear no more.

Had the miasma…claimed her life? Was it possible that Naraku killed Kagome even after his death?

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I didn't think it would come out this long but I sure am proud that I finished it. (yay!) I hop you all liked it and I hope you will read chapter 1 or Friend Or Foe. Please review!

-SMDS (SoulessMassacreDreamlessSleep)