A/N Hi! Okay, this is my first IY fic, so...yeah, I hope you like it. It's
InuKag...eventually anyway.so, enjoy
She woke up to the morning sun on her face and sighed heavily to herself. She didn't want to get up. Getting up would only serve to force her to face the day, and reminders of what had happened, what she had done. Besides, she'd earned a break, and Naraku was gone. Naraku was gone.the thought took a while to sink in.. but was it really worth the price she'd pay? She closed her eyes to hold back the tears she could feel coming. Funny, she hadn't thought she'd have any left to cry. Despite her efforts, the tears spilled over silently and Naraku's defeat played like a movie behind her close eyelids.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I looked around frantically, searching for something, anything that would end this suffocating darkness that held me confined. There! A flash of light! There it was again! It stayed this time. Even though I recognized it as one of Kikyo's soul catchers, I didn't care at that moment; it was a light to lead me out of the darkness. As the darkness dissipated, I gasped at the scene before me.
The battle had started without me. Kagura and Kanna were fighting with Kouga and Miroku respectively. Unfortunately, the spawn of Naraku seemed to have the upper hand. Sango was battling the hoards of nameless demons that had been to battle by the smell and promise of blood. Although she was on Kirara and moving quickly, I could tell she was tiring. How long was trapped inside that spell? I looked around, hoping for some clue, and found Inu-yasha, facing off against Naraku on his own. He wasn't faring well. Sword at ready to strike, his breath was coming fast and shallow, his once silver hair was now red with saturated blood. Not Naraku's, hiss own. Naraku was looking smug. Somehow, he had managed to dodge all of Inu- yasha's attacks and didn't have a scratch on him. I searched for something to help, but I had nothing, no defense and no offense. No bow, no arrows, not even my backpack that might have a faint hope in it. Unfortunately, I was then that Naraku noticed that I had broken free of his spell.
"Ahh.young miko, well, it seems that I underestimated your powers." he paused to throw Inu-yasha to the ground as he charged. I ran to help, but was stopped when I found Naraku right in my path. "Now, be a good little girl, and hand over the shards of the Jewel of Four Souls." I reached into my shirt and held the necklace that I kept our shard on, and stepped slowly back. As Naraku slowly advanced, he seemed to stop, as though he hit an invisible wall. The sounds of the battle receded, as though someone had pulled a blanket around me. I kept moving backwards, until I collided with something soft. I turned to find emotionless brown eyes staring at me. Kikyo had raised the barrier that kept Naraku waiting patiently on the other side. Suddenly, I was pulled behind the trees, out of sight of Naraku. I couldn't think what Kikyo would want, especially now. She looked at me and spoke softly.
"If you do not give him the jewel shards, then you know he will not stop at hurting your friends to get you to give in." She nodded at the battle taking place; I watched as Kirara fell, taking Sango with her. Sango was soon up and fighting again, but Kirara did not move. I knew Kikyo was right, but what should I do? My confusion must've showed on my face, for, at that moment, Kikyo reached out her hand. "Hurry, for we haven't much time. We have never been friends," she remarked "And I expect we never will be, do not take this offer as a gesture of friendship, but, to get out of this, we must work together. Give me the jewel shards. When I leave, run, find a spot were you can see the battle, but not be seen. I will present Naraku with the shards, when he reaches for them, I will start to purify them, then, you must fire and arrow at him" She handed me her bow and one arrow. "It must be a perfect shot, for this chance will not come again."
Needless to say, I was a little dumbfounded, but, as her words sank in, they made sense. I left the deep thinking as to why Kikyo of all people was helping me till later, gave her shards and ran. I could feel the barrier disappear, and the sounds of battle once again filled the air. I knew of a cliff close by, and raced to reach it before Kikyo reached Naraku. I reached the cliff, and surveyed the tableau below me; Kikyo was making her way slowly towards Naraku. Sango had finished off the demons, but was now faced with her brother. Although I was high above her, I could almost feel the tears on her cheeks as she blocked blow after blow meant to kill her. Kagura stood, laughing as a fallen Kouga tried to get up unsuccessfully. Kanna, her face expressionless as ever held her mirror out towards Miroku, his soul was struggling to keep a hold on its body. Then, Inu-yasha went flying. He was still trying to distract Naraku, and Naraku was still blocking and dodging every attack, before throwing them back at him. He landed hard on the ground, and didn't make a move to get up. Kikyo reached Naraku. I was unable to hear, but I could see the greedy smile spread across his face as he saw the jewel shards. I started to line up my shot, Kikyo was right, this was our only chance, and it had to be perfect.
I didn't see Inu-yasha slowly get up and head for Naraku prone back, I guess he didn't see me either, hidden bow at ready. Kikyo and Naraku's hands touched, and a blinding light exploded around them, I loosed the arrow, somehow knowing that my aim was true even while blinded. Naraku's scream ran through the air. The scream of one who knows he is dying and defeated. But, before I could sigh in relief, another screamed pierced the air, and another.
When the light cleared, I blinked, trying to cure my eyes of the annoying blind spots. I could see Sango; she was holding her little brother for the last time. Her tears ran unchecked, but they were no longer tears of regret. Kanna had stopped trying to do anything, so Miroku stumbled over towards Sango to rest his hand on her shoulder. Kagura was flying off. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn there was a look of triumph on her face. I could hear Kouga's victory howls.
When at last the spots faded, I could see what was left of Naraku, almost nothing, but next to that were two others, who had also been pierced by arrow. I could only stare in horror. Kikyo, but some weird twist of fate, had been pierced in the same place that Naraku had fatally wounded her over 50 years ago. Now, she was lying on Inu-yasha's lap, waiting to die again. Inu-yasha had only been scratched by the arrow, but it looked like his left arm was useless because of it, it hung at his side, as his right arm cradled Kikyo. I could see their lips moving, but was too far away to hear anything. Suddenly, Kikyo's head dropped and her body turned once again to grave yard soil and ashes. I had killed her. By accident yes, but the arrow I had shot had caused her death. I watched as Inu-yasha bowed his head, I was unable to see his face anymore, I wasn't sure I wanted. He would blame me for Kikyo's death, why shouldn't he? I blamed me for her death, even if it was for the better. Even though.even though she was never supposed to be here, she had a right to live, a right to happiness, and I had destroyed that. Both Inu-yasha's and Kikyo's chance at happiness were gone, I knew he still loved her, even after everything that had happened. I felt his pain, I felt my pain, of loving him, and know being sure he would hate me for killing his happiness. Then, his head shot up and whirled around, as if looking for something, or someone. I guess he found it, because his eyes connected with mine, above him, I just couldn't deal with the emotions that were there. Hurt, love, sadness.it was just too much. I fled to the well, back to my own time. I flopped down onto my bed. My nice, cozy, warm bed, and soaked my pillow with tears, and prayed the others could go on without me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Her tears came faster then ever. She couldn't return to Inu-yasha's era, she didn't have the shards anymore. Besides, she couldn't face Inu-yasha. She pulled the covers over her head and tried to get some more sleep, hoping to dream of happier times. She didn't notice the flash of red and white looking longingly through the window.
She woke up to the morning sun on her face and sighed heavily to herself. She didn't want to get up. Getting up would only serve to force her to face the day, and reminders of what had happened, what she had done. Besides, she'd earned a break, and Naraku was gone. Naraku was gone.the thought took a while to sink in.. but was it really worth the price she'd pay? She closed her eyes to hold back the tears she could feel coming. Funny, she hadn't thought she'd have any left to cry. Despite her efforts, the tears spilled over silently and Naraku's defeat played like a movie behind her close eyelids.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I looked around frantically, searching for something, anything that would end this suffocating darkness that held me confined. There! A flash of light! There it was again! It stayed this time. Even though I recognized it as one of Kikyo's soul catchers, I didn't care at that moment; it was a light to lead me out of the darkness. As the darkness dissipated, I gasped at the scene before me.
The battle had started without me. Kagura and Kanna were fighting with Kouga and Miroku respectively. Unfortunately, the spawn of Naraku seemed to have the upper hand. Sango was battling the hoards of nameless demons that had been to battle by the smell and promise of blood. Although she was on Kirara and moving quickly, I could tell she was tiring. How long was trapped inside that spell? I looked around, hoping for some clue, and found Inu-yasha, facing off against Naraku on his own. He wasn't faring well. Sword at ready to strike, his breath was coming fast and shallow, his once silver hair was now red with saturated blood. Not Naraku's, hiss own. Naraku was looking smug. Somehow, he had managed to dodge all of Inu- yasha's attacks and didn't have a scratch on him. I searched for something to help, but I had nothing, no defense and no offense. No bow, no arrows, not even my backpack that might have a faint hope in it. Unfortunately, I was then that Naraku noticed that I had broken free of his spell.
"Ahh.young miko, well, it seems that I underestimated your powers." he paused to throw Inu-yasha to the ground as he charged. I ran to help, but was stopped when I found Naraku right in my path. "Now, be a good little girl, and hand over the shards of the Jewel of Four Souls." I reached into my shirt and held the necklace that I kept our shard on, and stepped slowly back. As Naraku slowly advanced, he seemed to stop, as though he hit an invisible wall. The sounds of the battle receded, as though someone had pulled a blanket around me. I kept moving backwards, until I collided with something soft. I turned to find emotionless brown eyes staring at me. Kikyo had raised the barrier that kept Naraku waiting patiently on the other side. Suddenly, I was pulled behind the trees, out of sight of Naraku. I couldn't think what Kikyo would want, especially now. She looked at me and spoke softly.
"If you do not give him the jewel shards, then you know he will not stop at hurting your friends to get you to give in." She nodded at the battle taking place; I watched as Kirara fell, taking Sango with her. Sango was soon up and fighting again, but Kirara did not move. I knew Kikyo was right, but what should I do? My confusion must've showed on my face, for, at that moment, Kikyo reached out her hand. "Hurry, for we haven't much time. We have never been friends," she remarked "And I expect we never will be, do not take this offer as a gesture of friendship, but, to get out of this, we must work together. Give me the jewel shards. When I leave, run, find a spot were you can see the battle, but not be seen. I will present Naraku with the shards, when he reaches for them, I will start to purify them, then, you must fire and arrow at him" She handed me her bow and one arrow. "It must be a perfect shot, for this chance will not come again."
Needless to say, I was a little dumbfounded, but, as her words sank in, they made sense. I left the deep thinking as to why Kikyo of all people was helping me till later, gave her shards and ran. I could feel the barrier disappear, and the sounds of battle once again filled the air. I knew of a cliff close by, and raced to reach it before Kikyo reached Naraku. I reached the cliff, and surveyed the tableau below me; Kikyo was making her way slowly towards Naraku. Sango had finished off the demons, but was now faced with her brother. Although I was high above her, I could almost feel the tears on her cheeks as she blocked blow after blow meant to kill her. Kagura stood, laughing as a fallen Kouga tried to get up unsuccessfully. Kanna, her face expressionless as ever held her mirror out towards Miroku, his soul was struggling to keep a hold on its body. Then, Inu-yasha went flying. He was still trying to distract Naraku, and Naraku was still blocking and dodging every attack, before throwing them back at him. He landed hard on the ground, and didn't make a move to get up. Kikyo reached Naraku. I was unable to hear, but I could see the greedy smile spread across his face as he saw the jewel shards. I started to line up my shot, Kikyo was right, this was our only chance, and it had to be perfect.
I didn't see Inu-yasha slowly get up and head for Naraku prone back, I guess he didn't see me either, hidden bow at ready. Kikyo and Naraku's hands touched, and a blinding light exploded around them, I loosed the arrow, somehow knowing that my aim was true even while blinded. Naraku's scream ran through the air. The scream of one who knows he is dying and defeated. But, before I could sigh in relief, another screamed pierced the air, and another.
When the light cleared, I blinked, trying to cure my eyes of the annoying blind spots. I could see Sango; she was holding her little brother for the last time. Her tears ran unchecked, but they were no longer tears of regret. Kanna had stopped trying to do anything, so Miroku stumbled over towards Sango to rest his hand on her shoulder. Kagura was flying off. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn there was a look of triumph on her face. I could hear Kouga's victory howls.
When at last the spots faded, I could see what was left of Naraku, almost nothing, but next to that were two others, who had also been pierced by arrow. I could only stare in horror. Kikyo, but some weird twist of fate, had been pierced in the same place that Naraku had fatally wounded her over 50 years ago. Now, she was lying on Inu-yasha's lap, waiting to die again. Inu-yasha had only been scratched by the arrow, but it looked like his left arm was useless because of it, it hung at his side, as his right arm cradled Kikyo. I could see their lips moving, but was too far away to hear anything. Suddenly, Kikyo's head dropped and her body turned once again to grave yard soil and ashes. I had killed her. By accident yes, but the arrow I had shot had caused her death. I watched as Inu-yasha bowed his head, I was unable to see his face anymore, I wasn't sure I wanted. He would blame me for Kikyo's death, why shouldn't he? I blamed me for her death, even if it was for the better. Even though.even though she was never supposed to be here, she had a right to live, a right to happiness, and I had destroyed that. Both Inu-yasha's and Kikyo's chance at happiness were gone, I knew he still loved her, even after everything that had happened. I felt his pain, I felt my pain, of loving him, and know being sure he would hate me for killing his happiness. Then, his head shot up and whirled around, as if looking for something, or someone. I guess he found it, because his eyes connected with mine, above him, I just couldn't deal with the emotions that were there. Hurt, love, sadness.it was just too much. I fled to the well, back to my own time. I flopped down onto my bed. My nice, cozy, warm bed, and soaked my pillow with tears, and prayed the others could go on without me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Her tears came faster then ever. She couldn't return to Inu-yasha's era, she didn't have the shards anymore. Besides, she couldn't face Inu-yasha. She pulled the covers over her head and tried to get some more sleep, hoping to dream of happier times. She didn't notice the flash of red and white looking longingly through the window.