Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any characters in that anime/manga. I must pause to thank Mikaila for allowing me to write a fic based on one of her fanarts. This is the link to her website: I suggest you check it out!
Full Circle
Part One
Solemnly he wrapped his fingers around the staff he called a weapon. His features were grave, his jaw set and his body ready for the battle ahead. The wind toyed with the ends of his navy blue robes. His hair, black as a starless night, also swayed slightly in the breeze. His dark eyes narrowed as he focused on his destination. At his side were his friends; they too were readying for battle. On one side he saw silvery hair flying crazily as the wind played with the long strands. On the other side dark hair flew.
"This is it," said the silver-haired individual. His voice was steady, but he could not hide the excitement in his yellow eyes. "This is where he finally pays for what he's done."
"Inuyasha?" called the raven-haired girl at his side. "What if..." She paused, her eyes frightened. "What if one of us dies?"
"None of us will die, Kagome!" snarled the half-demon. "We're all going to make it out of this alive, do ya hear me?" She nodded and tightened her grip on the bow in her shaking hands. "Now quit with the sentimental stuff! Let's get going!"
"Inuyasha's right," agreed the monk quietly. "If we are to do this, we should do it now. There is no reason to linger." The half-demon flashed a fanged grin.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Well said, Miroku! All right, everybody! It's time for Naraku to meet his maker!" He unsheathed his weapon, the Tetsusaiga, and rushed forward. Kagome was only a pace behind him, and Miroku was quick to follow them. Sango mounted on her demon-cat companion and bounded after her three friends. The young Shippo lagged behind, shivering in fright and worry.
"Oh, man! I hope everything turns out okay!" he whined.
The group raced to where their foe was awaiting them. They all hated the half-demon Naraku, and all had their reasons for wanting the creature dead once and for all. They had spent many months racing against him in the collection of the Shikkon Jewel shards. The race for the shards was now over with their side as the victor. Now all that remained was for them to rid the world of Naraku. They had tracked him down to a castle that had once belonged to a young lord, whom Naraku was impersonating. There were now no obstacles separating them from Naraku; there was no longer any place for him to hide.
They would kill him, or die trying.
Naraku calmly awaited his attackers, clothed, as always, in the skin of a white baboon. He had pulled back the baboon head so his own face was visible. He watched as the fighters grew progressively closer to him. He knew that they wanted him dead. He had no intention of running away from them; that would only prolong the time when he would have to fight them. The time had come for this to finish. This place would be the scene for their final battle, and he would not rest until they all were lying dead at his feet.
At last they arrived. He knew their faces well: the half-demon Inuyasha, the girl Kagome from another time, the cursed monk Miroku, the Demon Slayer Sango and her demon-cat, and the young Shippo. He almost felt like laughing out loud at these foes he would have to face. He had fought with them in the past and they had yet to defeat him. Their faces, though steady with concentration, showed not a trace of fear.
"Time for you to die, Naraku!" snarled Inuyasha.
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong. It is you and your friends that will die this day, Inuyasha."
He didn't see the arrow coming. Kagome had shot the half-demon in his left shoulder blade. Naraku howled in pain and tried to extract the arrow from his arm. In that moment of distraction, Sango and Miroku bounded forward and each dealt their enemy a hard blow with their weapons. He was winded and the arrow still shot waves of pain through his arm. Just then Kilala rushed towards him and head-butted the demon, causing him to fly several feet away.
There wasn't even a pause to offer up congratulations on a job well done. Sango and Miroku were running after him the next moment, quickly followed by Inuyasha. Kagome sent another arrow at Naraku, this one lodging itself in his right arm. Now both of his arms were nearly immobilized with pain caused by the holy power Kagome possessed. This power, heightened by the Shikkon Jewel, was enough to subdue Naraku. Inuyasha was moving in with his weapon flashing in the pale light of the moon.
To the group's great surprise, Naraku stood up and blasted Inuyasha in the stomach with a wave of dark energy. The half-demon went sailing through the air, his hands still clutching the hilt of his sword. In the next moment Sango and Miroku were also hit by dark energy. Kilala raced forward to avenge them. She was knocked to the ground in the next moment. Naraku stood over the fallen fighters, laughing at them. Kagome shot three more arrows at him, all managing to hit him directly in the chest.
"Why, you..." He glared at her. "You shall pay for that!" He raised a hand to punish her. Her eyes darted fearfully around at her fallen friends. Naraku smirked, delighting in her misfortune. "Not so tough without your friends, eh?" Kagome chose not to respond. She was too busy keeping an eye on Sango and Miroku, who were getting to their feet and quietly making their way over to Naraku. Kagome's mind raced to find a way to stall him.
"Wait, you don't want to hurt me! I have the Shikkon Jewel!"
"Is that so? Then I'll just have to--" A heavy blow to his back cut off the rest of his words. Sango grabbed her weapon, smiling at Kagome. She aimed and fired the large boomerang again, this time directing it at Naraku's head. This blow toppled him to the ground. He didn't move, but they knew better than to hope that he was out for good. Kagome's arrows were severely weakening him but he was still alive.
"Make way!" shouted Inuyasha. The group hurried to move out of his way as he came running through. Naraku was shakily getting to his feet when Inuyasha arrived. The two foes glared at each other, both breathing heavily. Blood dripped from Naraku's multiple wounds. He and Inuyasha rushed towards each other.
A low grunt escaped Naraku's lips. Inuyasha smirked, and twisted the hilt of his sword before yanking it out. Naraku fell to the ground, blood gushing out of his chest. Inuyasha had rammed his sword all the way through the half-demon's body and out the other side.
"That was for Kikyo!" Kagome walked over and fitted an arrow on her string. She aimed it at the demon's throat, and fired.
"That was for all of the people you killed!" Sango slammed her weapon into Naraku's body.
"That was for my family!"
"And this is for all of us," concluded Miroku, smashing his staff into Naraku's skull.
Silence followed this. They were bruised and aching, their clothes were tattered, and they were breathing hard from the battle. They all stood there over the still body of Naraku and watched his blood seep out from him. Inuyasha knelt down on the grass and cleaned the blood from his weapon before returning it to its sheath. Kagome and Sango strapped their weapons to their backs, and Kilala became a small demon-cat. The solemn moment was interrupted by a frantic Shippo.
"Are you guys okay?" he wailed. "I saw the whole thing!"
"We'll be all right," Kagome assured him. Inuyasha turned his golden eyes on Naraku.
"Do you think he's…?" There was an uncomfortable silence.
"There is one way to know for sure," said Miroku. All eyes turned to him. Slowly, the monk reached over and unraveled the prayer beads that kept his Wind Tunnel locked. The group was tense, holding their breaths as they waited. He opened the palm of his right hand. His left hand shaking, he completely exposed his right hand.
Nothing happened.
"It's... gone," he whispered in astonishment, staring at his right hand with wide eyes. The gaping hole that had been in his right hand since the day he was born had indeed vanished. He flexed the fingers on his right hand, his lips spreading into a smile of delight. "It's gone!" he cried again.
"That means Naraku's dead!" gasped Inuyasha. He too smiled at this news and threw his arms around Kagome. The poor girl didn't know what to make at this sudden burst of affection. She blushed and allowed the excited half-demon to hold her. Miroku couldn't seem to take his eyes off of his hand. There wasn't even a scar to show that the Wind Tunnel had once been there. It was if the whole thing had been only a horrible nightmare that they were all waking out of. Sango stood with Kilala, basking in the joy that came from knowing Naraku was finally dead.
"Kohaku... father. You are avenged."
"Sango?" She turned, her cheeks flushing as her eyes met with Miroku's. She had never seen him look so happy. The weight of his curse had been lifted from his shoulders and at last he had a future to look forward to. He smiled at her and held out his hand. "Beautiful Demon Slayer, I would be honored to dance with you." She stared at his proffered hand, then at his handsome face. She returned the smile.
"I would be delighted." She rested her hand in his and he swept her into his arms.
Miroku had his left arm wrapped around Sango's slender waist and the fingers of his right hand were interlaced with hers. His robes were torn and tattered from the fight. One of Sango's shoulder guards was chipped, her armor looking no better than Miroku's robes. Both of them bore smudges of dirt on their faces. Despite this they were smiling as their feet moved as one. If their friends were watching neither of them cared. The only thing that mattered was that they were together. The moon watched over the couple, their noses close to touching and their eyes locked.
"I promise to remember this forever," whispered Miroku.
"So do I," added Sango. "I will never forget, I swear it."
"Then let's seal the promise," he suggested. He moved his face close to hers. Her heart began to race inside her. In that moment she knew she would always love this monk that held her so gently in his arms. Miroku felt his own heart race as he moved close to the woman he loved. After she came into his life no other woman seemed quite so beautiful. He fell deeper in love with her every day, and now he had no curse to separate him from a happy life.
Miroku gently kissed Sango's lips, both arms clasped around her waist. Overhead the moon continued to shine, witness to their promise to remember that night forever.
End of Part One
