Okay everyone Akie-Kitt here. I have decided that I needed to revamp and start writing my stories again. So for the next couple of months I will be going back and rewriting my old stories (except Blinded by the Light) and revamping them. Polishing the old high school crap off and making them worth something. I hope you all like the new stuff better than the old, even if you liked my old stuff. Lots of love fellow writers.
~ Akie-Kitt
Kagome leaned heavily against the tall oak tree her emerald eyes taking in the scene with tears brimming. All of her friends were gathered in the now still battlefield, each caring for each other's wounds and searching for her. Her heart ached deeply and all she wanted to do was move away from the tree and run to them but something was stopping her from doing it. So she stood there and watched as Sesshoumaru carefully bandaged Rin's arm and reflected on the battle that had just transpired.
"Are you sure you are going to be able to stop him," Inuyasha demanded as he paced the small wooded clearing. "That you have enough control over your powers to do this?"
Kagome sighed and lifted her hand, a small pink aura of purifying magic surrounding it.
"As long as the rest of you can keep Naraku's goons off of me," she began with a resigned sigh. "I can stop him."
"She has practiced long enough. She is ready for this," Sesshoumaru growled at his brother for second guessing the miko. "If we wait any longer Naraku will have overrun the Eastern kingdom and be on these borders before we know it. It's now or never."
Kagome looked over at Sesshoumaru, internally brimming with the compliment he had paid her.
"We should all get some rest," she looked over at the sleeping Rin and Shippo with a heavy heart. "Tomorrow will prove to be a battle none of us will ever forget."
"And what does tomorrow bring for this ragtag group of pathetic beings?" Naraku's dark voice echoed through the clearing.
Everyone leapt to their feet, Kirara rushing over to the children with Jaken and guarding them.
"Naraku!" Inuyasha snarled. "Come out and face us!"
"I don't like this," Kagome whispered to Sango as her dear friend guarded her back. "How did he sneak up on all of us without us feeling his presence?"
"I don't know," Sango breathed. "Be safe my sister, we shall see the dawn together."
Sesshoumaru glanced over at the miko, Kagome, he corrected himself. He felt a small sense of pride at how she held herself due to his teachings over the past week and knew that she could defeat the scum that was Naraku.
"Face us you coward!" Miroku screamed; his hand wrapped tightly around his staff to prevent him from using the wind tunnel too soon.
Dark purple miasma drifted into the clearing, clouding most of their vision. They all stared deeply into the dense cloud, searching for any sign of movement that would give them a clue as to where he would attack from first.
"Miko," Sesshoumaru called. "Dispense with this filthy cloud!"
"I'll try," Kagome inhaled deeply as she summoned her powers and sent out a small dome shield to surround her and the group, quickly the miasma faded to nothing leaving them with clear line of vision once more but no sign of Naraku.
"Good job Kagome!" Miroku grinned happily right before Naraku dropped out of the sky behind him and stabbed a razor sharp tentacle towards his heart.
"Miroku!" Sango screamed as she flung her Hiraikotsu towards the vile thing trying to kill her love.
That small amount of warning was enough for Miroku to drop to the ground a split second before the Hiraikotsu sliced through the air where Naraku had been and buried itself deeply into a tree.
"Sango," Miroku breathed as he gained his feet once more and she barreled into him. "You saved my life…"
"It's what you do for the man you love."
Sesshoumaru used his claws to rip through the demons that began to pour out of the forest surrounding them.
"Miko," he snarled as he sliced through another demon. "We will take care of these underlings, you deal with Naraku."
Kagome nodded, raising her bow as Naraku appeared behind him and quickly losing an arrow towards Sesshoumaru, trusting his reflexes to dodge it in time. Naraku smiled cruelly and spun away from the arrow but straight into the path of Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga. The blade bit deeply into the foul demon's side but not as far as they all wished it would. Naraku howled in anger and disapreared in a whirl of miasma. She nodded towards Sesshoumaru and raced towards the trail of blood leading away from the battle. She paused a moment before slipping past the tall oak tree to check on her friends.
"Go Kagome!" Inuyasha called. "Finish him."
"We have them covered Kagome," Miroku nodded, back to back with Sango.
Sesshoumaru elegantly spun in a circle, killing several demons and facing Kagome.
"Go miko," this time miko came out as a soft term of endearment instead of a mockery. "We will stop the minions but it is up to you to stop Naraku now."
Emotion filled Kagome and she sent a quick love filled look towards the huddled children before nodding at Sesshoumaru and racing after Naraku.
They will be alright… she prayed as her legs carried her deep into the forest towards a smaller clearing.
Naraku leaned heavily against a tree, gasping in pain.
"Naraku," Kagome leveled another arrow at him. "This ends here."
Naraku straightened, there no sign of his previous injury as he turned to face her.
"Why yes, my dear miko," he grinned and his body grew into a grotesque tentacle form. "This is where it ends…"
Her heart began to beat madly in her chest and she forced herself to stay calm and release the arrow towards his heart.
Naraku laughed maliciously and easily dodged her arrow and the purifying energies surrounding it.
"Do you really think a few simple arrows will stop me? You should have just stayed with your little pathetic friends, at least then you would have been able to see them die."
Kagome gasped as she released yet another arrow and didn't even come close to hitting the hated demon. She fired off another arrow and dove out of the way of the tentacles as she turned to try and make it back to her friends before she was too late.
Naraku surged after her, his tentacles coming within mere inches of her as she dodged roots of trees and a few demons.
"Come back little miko!" He snarled at her and launched himself into the air as she stumbled to the ground over a hidden root.
He landed in front of her and laughed maliciously as she gained her feet, her fear palpable.
Kagome's eyes darted around for her bow and she saw that it was a few steps ahead of her, there was no way she was going to be able to get it before Naraku would stop her.
Unless…
"We're not done yet…" he whispered and his tentacles raced towards her once more.
Kagome's breathing steadied as time seemed to slow just a little for her. She inhaled deeply and instead of dodging the incoming tentacles she stepped right into their path. She gasped in agony as Naraku cried out in triumph. Her breath was stolen from her as Naraku pulled her towards him, towards the bow. She reached out for it in her pain filled blindness and Naraku snapped it up and shattered it.
"Did you think I had not seen it little miko?" His disgusting voice whispered through the haze of pain. "I was hoping you would do something rash to get to it. Though I do have to admit I was not expecting you to just give me your life like this.
Kagome's mind was reeling in pain as her last desperate plan was shattered along with her bow.
Think damn you think! She screamed at herself. This is not how it ends! You never even got to tell him how you felt! You have to defeat him because Sesshoumaru is waiting for you!
Hope blossomed in her and she splayed her hands onto the tentacle piercing her abdomen. She gathered her energy and tried to do something she had never tried to do. She had never tried to purify something without her bow and arrows but she needed to stop him. She opened her eyes and gazed into his eyes with cold calculated fury.
"I have not given you my life just yet Naraku…" she rasped as she tried to catch her breath. "If I am going to die tonight then I am going to take you with me!"
She released the purifying energy she had been amassing and watched as his foul body slowly disintegrated beneath her feather touch. His anguished screams echoed throughout the forest and soon she was left kneeling on the forest floor holding the tainted shikon jewel. The other shards were back in the camp around Rin's neck protected by everyone.
Miroku let out a cry of pure joy as the wind tunnel that had plagued him slowly sealed itself away. He grabbed Sango and pressed his lips to her in carnal assault and tears of joy streamed down her cheeks.
Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha dispatched with the last few demons side by side as Koga and the wolves patrolled the perimeter and scouted for any more demons. Kohaku held Rin as she shivered in the dark cold night while Jaken and Shippo attempted to make a fire to bandage everyone by.
Sesshoumaru left Inuyasha to watch for more demons and began to scan the forest for any sign of Kagome. His heart ached to tell her what he had been trying so hard to keep hidden while they had prepared for battle.
You should have told her when you had the chance damn it! He berated himself as worry creased his usual calm exterior. You're a moron for not telling her!
Pain almost drove her to her knees as she dried her tears and looked at the ashes of the demon that had killed her. She looked upon the ashes of her fallen foe and smiled, happy that she had given the people that she loved a second chance at life, even if it meant her death.
They're looking for me. I might as well get this over with; she took a deep breath and stepped out of the trees that had hidden her from sight.
Sesshoumaru spun around when he smelled the miko that saved them all step into the clearing. Blood cover her, her clothing was torn and ripped in several places, and her beautiful emerald eyes were filled with tears. He ran over to her and caught her as she lost her balance and slowly fell to the ground. Deep inside of him his beast raged at the sight of his beloved miko dying in his arms. He let his mask of indifference fall when she met his eyes and opened her mouth to speak.
"I am sorry I never got to tell you…" She trailed off as Inuyasha and the rest of her friends ran over.
Sesshoumaru quickly shook his head. "You didn't need to, I knew. It is I that must apologize. My entire life I loathed my father for mating a human woman and now I find myself in love with one. I am truly sorry Kagome…"
Kagome shakily raised her hand and caressed Sesshoumaru's cheek with her bloodied fingers. The tears that had been welling up in her eyes slowly spilled out onto the forest floor.
"Don't cry my dear…" he whispered to her.
Kagome turned her other hand over as Sesshoumaru reached for it and he gasped at the sight of the still tainted jewel nestled in her palm.
Rin appeared at Kagome's side, the few shards she had been keeping safe in her hands.
"K-Kagome…" She whispered. "I think you need these…"
Kagome smiled gently at the girl and shakily reached out for the shards. With shaking hands she reunited the jewel and purified it in one smooth motion. She held the completed Shikon jewel up to the moon light and smiled at the beauty of the jewel reflecting in the moonlight. She closed her eyes and made the wish that would rid the world of the jewel forever.
"Please," she began in the barest of whispers. "All I wish for is everyone that I love to be happy."
A soft pink glow flashed through the clearing and Kagome met Sesshoumaru's eyes one last time. The lights in her eyes slowly faded and she used her last ounce of strength to caress his cheek one last time. As her hand fell to the ground Sesshoumaru, the great Lord of the Western Kingdom howled his anger and sorrow to the moon.
Inuyasha sat down hard on the cold earth and the first of the beads around his neck began to fall apart. He clutched them tightly, trying to keep it together just because Kagome had been the one to curse him with it. Tears streamed down his face and he watched the last bead fell apart.
Sango turned and buried her face in Miroku's shoulder, no longer capable of watching her sister's body lie cold and dead in Sesshoumaru's arms. Miroku held Sango in his arms and silently stared at his hand. The one thing he had been fighting so hard to get rid of was now gone, and he would take it back in a heartbeat just for his friend to come back.
Shippo and Rin sobbed uncontrollably on Kohaku, holding each other tightly as if they let go the other would fade away as well.
Sesshoumaru looked down at Kagome's cold, dead body. He leaned down and placed a long kiss on her cold dead lips. He pulled back and whispered gently into ears that could no longer hear his voice.
"I love you Kagome, I will look for you in the next life and for all eternity if I must, but I will not lose you when I have just found you."
He laid her body on the ground and drew Tenseiga, but when he looked at Kagome's body her soul had already been taken from him. He threw his sword to the ground and roared to the heavens.
"Is this the way it must be, for me to find the woman I love and for you to just take her away from me? All I want is for her to live I would do anything for her: I would kill, become human; I would even die for her! I would die for the woman that has captured my heart." Sesshoumaru fell to his knees. Tears streamed down his face.
"I would die for her if you just gave her back to me." He roared.
An ethereal light filled the clearing, blinding everyone for several moments. When they could all see once again an angelic woman stood across from Sesshoumaru, Kagome's body separating them. The woman's long white air fluttered on the breeze and in her hands a long sword, the point digging gently into the earth.
"Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Kingdom, you claim to love this woman who lies cold and dead upon the ground, am I correct?" Her voice ran clear and loud as if a thousand bells were ringing at the same time.
Sesshoumaru stood up and faced the ethereal creature, not even bothering with his usual calm façade.
"I do not claim to love her. I DO love Kagome, I will always love her. I would die for her." He stated with much passion.
The angelic woman looked at the group of people gathered around the clearing, contemplating their reactions.
"Am I to take it that you all feel, to one extent or another, the same way for this woman?
"Her name is Kagome…" Rin whispered, her hands tightly clenched by both Kohaku and Shippo.
The woman nodded once more as everyone in the clearing nodded their heads vigorously. She turned back to the seething Sesshoumaru and met his eyes without fear.
"I have heard your pleas," she began grandly. "Lord Sesshoumaru, you love this woman so much you claim that you would die for her?"
"If it would bring her back you could strike me down right here and now."
"But then you would be with her."
"But she would be alive, and able to care for the children that need her more than they need me. She gave her life for all of us; I am more than willing to give my life for hers."
"Very well than," She lifted the sword from the ground. "Kneel Lord Sesshoumaru and I shall exchange your life for hers."
He knelt and bowed his head to reveal his neck for her to strike.
"Sesshoumaru don't…" Inuyasha whispered. "Please…"
"I will do what I whatever it costs, even if the price is my life, to bring her back." Sesshoumaru met his brother's tear filled eyes. "I will bring her back…"
He lowered his head once more as the ethereal creature raised the blade high above her head and started to bring it down.
"I love you Kagome…" He whispered.
The blade stopped mere seconds away from his hair. The lightest of winds blew some of his hair onto the blade and sliced them in half, proving that the blade was truly sharp.
"You truly mean that you would die for her…" She mused lightly. "Answer me this Lord Sesshoumaru, if you are willing to die for her are you willing to live for her as well?"
Sesshoumaru looked up sharply, meeting her eyes without flinching.
"Yes," he rasped, voice choked with emotion. "I would live for her."
"Then rise Lord Sesshoumaru," She removed the blade and stepped back. "Rise and live for her the woman you love. Love her with all your heart, for she will need that love in the months to come."
The woman quickly slammed the silver blade into Kagome's chest and light flared once more. When the light faded the ethereal woman and her blade were gone. All that was left was Kagome's body and the last whispers of the woman.
"Cherish her for the treasure that she is and love her deeply…"
Sesshoumaru didn't hesitate as he rushed to Kagome's body and scooped her into his arms once more. His eyes were filled with hope as her flesh once again grew warm and regained the healthy tan it once had.
Kagome inhaled sharply and sat up, clutching at the air for something, anything, to hold onto. Her fingers met Sesshoumaru and she clutched him tightly as she blinked her eyes open once more.
"Sesshoumaru?" She whispered incredulously, shakily reaching up to wipe her still wet blood off of his cheek. "How…?"
"I love you Kagome," he told her earnestly. "I would die for you, live for you; I don't care, as long as you love me too."
"I do love you Sesshoumaru," she smiled brightly and he pulled her to her feet.
He held her tightly, happily breathing in her scent. Rin and Shippo rushed over and hugged them as well.
Okay so that was the new chapter one, like I said just polishing off the old stuff and making it better. Read and Review if you wish. Hope you enjoyed it. I shall endeavor to get the next chapter up soon.
~Akie-Kitt