Welcome to chapter 1 of my first non-oneshot Inuyasha fanfiction.
This is a very long chapter, and is an alternate ending to the anime/manga. I try to keep as true to the manga as possible, but if there are small problems please don't be too upset XDD.
This is an InuKag story, so please, no couple based flame. I am not worrying about it, but I just want to say it.
This chapter doesn't have much InuKag, it's a more prologue chapter, that ends the battle.
I hope you enjoy! It was fun to write! XDD.
Chapter 1: Reconciliation
"Damn it..." Inuyasha said to himself, his body not responding to him. He was laying on his back on the ground, trying to get back, as he did countless times in this battle. The makeshift armor he had to resemble his father's, which rested over his kimono, was tattered and barely clinging to him. His brother began to approach, wielding Bakusaiga. That damned sword was what put Inuyasha on the ground. Since Naraku had taken Rin hostage and threatened to kill her, Sesshomaru had joined the wretch.
'This is the final battle... and here... I can't kill this jackass... this is sad.' Inuyasha thought to himself, forcing himself to his feet, still unable to stand.
"This is where it ends... brother." The man clad in white said, with his usual cold expression.
It wasn't long ago that he had his true power unlocked, and the uncontrollable demon side in him quelled. However, this hadn't come without a price... Inuyasha had no idea how to unlock the power. And the cost of unlocking his power came at the price of their shards of the Shikon Jewel, which was now being handed to Naraku. Inuyasha had planned to take them back, but the reach of Naraku was ever expanding.
"That's what you think!" Inuyasha said, while letting out a groan as he stood up. "If you couldn't kill me before, what makes you think you can kill me now?"
"I don't know... but I really don't care." Sesshomaru said, as he gathered what energy he had, and he put it into his blade. "I will end this now."
Inuyasha thought of anything that he could do to beat Sesshomaru, he was using what power he had to stand up now. The desire to save his friends was strong... maybe enough to conjure a backlash wave...
"Bring it on, you mangy mutt!" Inuyasha said, swinging Tetsusaiga in front of him.
Sesshomaru held forth Bakusaiga, and uttered the words...
"DRAGON STRIKE!"
'No!' Inuyasha thought, remembering the last time that Sesshomaru had called forth the Dragon Strike on him. He wasn't strong enough to repel the attack...
It was over...
'Stupid!'
Ran through his mind.
'Kagome?'
Right now, Kagome was being held by Naraku, and was going to be used as a sacrifice to fully taint the jewel, as was Rin. Sesshomaru didn't know, but Inuyasha didn't feel like explaining in the middle of a fight.
'You are so stupid! You know that?!'
The thoughts of her saying that flickered with mental images, every moment they had together.
"Yeah..." Inuyasha said, as the Dragon Strike approached, and Sesshomaru looked in confusion.
"I AM SO STUPID!!!" He said bringing back the Tetsusaiga, and swinging it full force against the whirlpool of energy that formed between himself and the Dragon Strike.
"BACKLASH WAVE!" Inuyasha called, and to Sesshomaru's surprise...
It worked.
The blast was sent back towards Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha walked behind it.
"I am so stupid, I can't give up now, no matter how bad the odds are against me! I will always find a way through, you know why? Because I'm the stupidest, most greedy, and arrogant half demon that ever lived!" He said, bringing the Tetsusaiga back from one more swing.
"ADAMANT BARRAGE!!!"
And with that, Sesshomaru's own Demonic energy was sent right back at him, plus hundreds of shards of pure adamant. He cried in pain, as the shards tore at his flesh, and the wave consumed him.
When the cataclysmic blast subsided, Sesshomaru was beaten badly, and on the verge of death. Inuyasha walked up to him, looking down at him.
"You're lucky I'm feeling nice today." Inuyasha said, lifting up his mangled older brother.
"Let go of me... you wretched half blood..." He said, blood accompanying the words.
"You don't know how much I want to, but we have to move on, or Naraku will sacrifice Rin and Kagome to blacken the jewel forever.: Inuyasha said, struggling to keep carrying his brother.
"He... wanted to sacrifice her?"
"Yeah, idiot. He sent you to fight me, because he needs both of them to believe one of us is dead. Kagome needs to think I'm dead, and Rin needs to think you're dead. To put them in a state of total despair... or so I was told, that's how to truly blacken the jewel." Inuyasha said, basically summarizing the entirety of Naraku's plan, and explaining why they were drawn here.
"Damn him... but... why did you say I'm lucky?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Because I'm not going to kill you after I kill Naraku, I have no reason to kill you, now I know I'm stronger, the backlash wave proved it." Inuyasha said, the backlash wave will only work if you're stronger than the opponent you use it on.
"...I wish I were dead then." Sesshomaru said, half halfheartedly. The disgrace of finally losing to Inuyasha was hard to bare, but he learned that there was more to life than just being more powerful than everything else.
"Good, if you bleed to death I won't feel bad then." Inuyasha said, as he started to walk up the stairs from the large spire that contained the room they were fighting in, that lead to the main spire that was Naraku's castle.
"The miasma... is getting stronger." Sesshomaru said, weakly.
"And?" Inuyasha replied, not really thinking about it.
"Leave me here, I'll be fine..."
"Fine, I was going to let you watch Naraku die." Inuyasha said, sitting Sesshomaru down.
"It doesn't matter... but, take this." Sesshomaru said, extending a hand, with the white fur he kept sashed over his shoulder. "Raise it over your mouth and nose... and it will protect you from the miasma."
"Thanks... but what's the catch?" Inuyasha said, hesitantly taking it.
"Make sure Rin comes out alive, or your death will soon follow." Sesshomaru said, his threat seemed rather hollow, especially now that Inuyasha was stronger.
Inuyasha just nodded, and wrapped the fur around his mouth and nose as instructed. "Fine, whatever." He said, hurrying back up the stairs.
Sesshomaru looked up at the sky, and thought to himself.
'I never thought I'd say this little brother... you'd better not die.'
'Inuyasha...'
Was all the barely seventeen year old girl could think about. The visions in her mind played over and over again.
Sesshomaru killing Inuyasha.
Sesshomaru killing Inuyasha.
Sesshomaru killing Inuyasha.
As much as it pained her to watch the one she loved die, there was something wrong... these visions weren't right.
Inuyasha was alive, and she could feel it.
She knew he was alive, and that's when she started to open her eyes.
"Where... where am I?" she asked, looking around.
"Damn... you aren't supposed to be awake." A certain voice said, rather angered and disappointed.
"Naraku!" She said, angered, realizing where she was. "You've got some nerve!"
"Quiet, wench. Soon it won't matter, and you'll be dead." He said, taking a step towards her, his dark power awe inspiring.
"You'll see, Inuyasha will come for me!" She said, knowing Inuyasha wouldn't let her die.
"Oh really?" He said, teasing her. "Look around, the other hostage is still here." He said, gesturing to poor Rin, Kagome thought how despicable he had to be, to kill a little girl like this. "And where is your savior, hmm?" He asked..
"You'll see..." She said, tears welling up in her eyes, she knew he had to come.
"Oh Inuyasha! I hope you don't mind I paint my keep with the blood of your woman!" He called out, teasingly, loud enough for anyone in earshot to hear, but all that was heard was a prolonged silence.
Kagome listened, hoping to hear the footsteps of the red clad warrior, but all she heard was.
"You see... he isn't coming for you." Naraku said, his words having extra effect. "You're going to die here, all alone."
"Inu..." was all she managed to say, before the tears started pouring down her face, feeling the despair begin to overwhelm her.
"Excellent." Naraku said, having achieved his goal of having Kagome reach utter despair. "Now, die and give me my reward!" He said, holding his hand under her throat, palm upwards, conjuring a spike to end her life.
She closed her eyes, tears falling, waiting to be struck down...
However, a hand reached out, and pulled Naraku's arm away just in time.
"...I-Inu"
"Inuyasha!"
He heard, having wrenched Naraku's arm away, just in time to save his beloved's life. Now, he was standing next to Naraku, still grasping his wrist, as he thrust Tetsusaiga into the ground, and gave Naraku a death glare.
"Don't you dare touch Kagome." He said, in the darkest possible voice he could muster, as he kneed Naraku in the gut, causing him to move backwards, with a groan of pain.
'oh, I'm not done.' he though, as he walked up, and contorted his body to dodge another spike formed from Naraku's palm, and punched Naraku in the face, hard enough to propel him back into the wall on the other side of the room.
"Kagome... are you alright?" He asked, in a soft, quiet voice, as he walked back, and regained Tetsusaiga.
"Y-yeah." She said, smiling, the tears still on her face, even though they had stopped.
He wiped some of them away, and noticed the statue she and Rin were bound too. He could easily smash them, but Naraku would have to be dealt with first. "Where is Miroku, Sango, and Shippo?"
"They're dealing with the demons outside. They're still alive, but they won't last too much longer. You have to stop Naraku." She said, worry in her voice, but still he could sense how relieved she was.
"Stop me!? Are you joking?" He said, grinning. "That was a nice sneak attack Inuyasha, but it won't work twice, my barrier is stronger than ever, and you will have a hard time breaking it." Naraku said, smiling.
"Inuyasha... be careful." Kagome said, still worried, knowing that this battle would effect the entirety of the world.
"Don't be worried," Inuyasha said, turning to face Naraku. "I've done some thinking, and now, I think I've learned something.
"Oh really? Let's listen to what you have to say then." Naraku said, toying with Inuyasha.
"Kagome, do you know why he sent Sesshomaru to fight me, instead of coming to kill us?" He said, looking down, so his facial expression wasn't readable.
"I don't know... to get Rin and I to think that the situation was real?" Kagome said, not really sure why.
"No... it's quite obvious really." Inuyasha said, looking up at Naraku, grinning...
"He doesn't have the means to kill either one of us."
"SILENCE!!"
Naraku yelled, as wind scoured through the room.
"Enough! I will deal with you myself." He said, as the wind tore the roof from the building at the top of the spire, and Inuyasha was pulled upwards.
"Inuyasha!!!" Kagome called, as she saw him being thrown up into the sky.
Inuyasha let out a long yell as he was lifted up into the sky, until he landed on the circular roof of the building that they were just in, seeing Naraku just in front of him.
...An arena in they sky, apparently. He wondered why the floor was so smooth and ornate.
"Do you have any final words, Inuyasha?" Naraku said, as he pulled out the spear he got from his one incarnate, Hakudoshi, after leaving him to die. He swapped out the spear for a fake prior to the battle. He had the fake made exactly the same, except, not quite as durable, and designed only to withstand that battle.
Inuyasha withdrew the Tetsusaiga, and said only this.
"...Thanks."
"What? Has insanity finally claimed you?" Naraku said, rushing towards Inuyasha.
"No, if you hadn't had Kikyo turn on me, I'd never have been able to beat you." He said, swinging forth Tetsusaiga into the spear that Naraku held.
The resulting shock-wave creating lightning like streaks in the sky. Awing those below.
"WINDSCAR!" Inuyasha called, just after having the Tetsusaiga turn red. It didn't pierce Naraku's barrier, but it sent him sliding back, and as Naraku was busy with that, Inuyasha leaped into the air, and his Tetsusaiga started to shimmer with a crystal like texture.
"ADAMANT BARRAGE!" He yelled, sending countless shards down to rain upon Naraku, various numbers of them piercing through his chest, and weakening his barrier.
Kagome watched in awe, as the lightning and thunder like effects struck through the sky.
Every now and then, the statues that held them would make a strange sound. And it repeated and became more noticeable, until she was able to discern what it was.
The statues were cracking.
She assumed that these statues were linked directly to Naraku's power, to thwart any attempt at them using their powers to escape. So, either he was losing focus.... or....
"Inuyasha... please be okay." She prayed, hoping Inuyasha was alright.
She could hear stirring next to her, and the sound of yawning, and when she looked over, she saw Rin waking up.
"Hey, are you okay?" Kagome said, relieved Rin was okay.
"Where... where is Lord Sesshomaru?"
"He's alright, He and Inuyasha are both alive." Kagome said, smiling at Rin, who appeared to be very worried.
"Oh... I knew my lord couldn't have been killed... but..."
"But what?" Kagome asked.
"He's in trouble, and he needs my help." Rin said, struggling against the statues.
"Hey wait, don't hurt yourself."
"Let me go!" She said, struggling, before the statue gave and broke around her.
Kagome was awed, and when she struggled, it was actually pretty easy to break free as well.
"I'm coming Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin said, running out of the room and down some stairs, and Kagome ran behind in suit.
"Hey, wait! Don't go alone!" She said, but her words fell on deaf ears as Rin kept going.
"Why won't you die!" Naraku said, charging Inuyasha again, who was bloodied and beaten slightly more than Naraku.
"Because I will never give up! I'm not going to lose to scum like you!" He said, swinging the sword, as it turned red, which was enough to smack through his barrier. Inuyasha swing again which then wedged into his hip, as he called.
"Windscar!"
The resulting energy wave mauled Naraku, and sent him toppling towards the edge of the ground they were standing on.
"It's over Naraku, give up!" Inuyasha said, as he stumbled forward, still badly beaten from this fight with Naraku.
Naraku began to laugh maniacally, as a demon wasp flew over to him, containing two more shards of the Shikon Jewel. One larger, and one...
"You bastard! You killed Kohaku!" Inuyasha yelled, holding his sword, ready to swing at Naraku.
However, Naraku used what power he had, to put the jewel together, and with that...
A maelstrom of wind and miasma formed around him, and Inuyasha was thrown backwards.
The miasma swirled around for a bit, until it was a black aura around Naraku. His form was unrecognizable as he stood in the blackness.
"I am corruption... I am death... I am your end!" A rather echoing and harmonic voice called, as he stepped towards Inuyasha.
"Yeah, yeah... I've heard it all before!" Inuyasha said, before running at the new Naraku, only to be repelled by the swirling blackness, and then tossed to the floor.
"You don't understand what I am... let me... show you." He said, as he spread his blackened aura around Inuyasha, which caused him to wrench in pain. Had he not been wearing the white cloth around his face, he may have already had been dead.
The miasma burned at his skin, and pressured his insides, he could feel himself losing power, and being eating away.
"Master Sesshomaru! Thank goodness you're alright!" Rin said, approaching the injured Sesshomaru.
"Sesshomaru, are you okay?" Kagome said, joining Rin beside Sesshomaru.
"What are you two doing here... leave this place now." Sesshomaru said, turning to them momentarily, then turning back away.
"I'm not leaving you my lord." Rin said.
"Sesshomaru, let us..." Kagome said, before she turned to the sky and looked to the giant swirling mass above them, where the clashes of battle had once been. She could sense Inuyasha fading.
"Girl." Sesshomaru said, and when Kagome looked over, she saw him holding out Bakusaiga. "Take this... and there should be a bow on a dead demon just down a few more stairs..."
"Why are you..." Kagome began to ask.
"Inuyasha is the only one who can stop Naraku now, due to my weakness... but his strength... lies in you." Sesshomaru said. "Spiritually, and now, physically. I may not know you, but I know your powers. Only someone with your skills and your strength can weaken Naraku's new form."
"How do you know that I..."
"Stop questioning me, and shoot him with Bakusaiga, it will enhance the natural powers of those who use it... your power is great... so you will be able to weaken him... and... save" he said, disgusted by what he was saying. "Inuyasha... now go!"
Kagome was surprised, but nodded, and went to go get the bow.
Inuyasha still cried out in pain, as Naraku continued his onslaught.
"Do you see now, half demon? Do you see what I am!?" He said, as Inuyasha slowly came to his feet, Naraku pausing in his attack.
"Yeah... you are one bad-ass cloud." Inuyasha mocked with a grin.
"so you say, oh well, this is where you die." Naraku said, as he extended his hand, still in his miasma like cloud that functioned as a barrier too, the strongest yet.
However, he suddenly turned, and yelled.
"Wait, what is that!?
"Hit the mark!" Kagome said, using the bow, the sword, and all the spiritual power she had, to shoot the sword up to Naraku.
Had it been a normal sword, Kagome would never have been able to fire it. However, the fact it increased her natural abilities was one thing, but it conformed to suit her needs, it became lighter, and easy to string on the bow, and it glided with great speed through the air, with great purifying power.
As the light hit Naraku, his cloud dispersed, and he was exposed. He appeared the same, but pitch black skin... He had used the jewel to become a demon, but all it had done was multiplied his base powers. And, unfortunately for him, light always shews away darkness.
Inuyasha grinned as he thought this, but he grinned even more, as he put all of his energy into this attack. He could feel all his friends pitching their energy in too... even Sesshomaru. So, he had to make this one count.
"This is my last word Naraku... WINDSCAR!!!" Inuyasha called, as he blasted at the fully vulnerable and weakened Naraku.
"No!!! Damn you Inuyasha! Damn you Sesshomaru! Damn you Kagome!" He said, as he was blasted and disintegrated by the Windscar. "Damn you Kikyo! Damn you Shikon No Tama!"
With those final words... he was gone... Naraku was dead.
The countless demons in the fields below started to die. The miasma and darkness caused by Naraku began to disappear... but most importantly... the spires and castle started to disappear.
Inuyasha jumped from the platform he was standing on, down to the stairs to where Kagome, Rin, and Sesshomaru were. He had Rin and Kagome get on his back, as he picked up Sesshomaru, and jumped down...
Gliding down as the massive structure crumbled around them.
It had been only a few minutes but it felt like a lifetime. Everyone was standing in a large circle, around Kagome, as she held the Shikon No Tama, and Inuyasha walked up to her.
"Well... make your wish." Kagome said, holding back tears, as she held the jewel in her palm, fully formed.
Inuyasha held out his hand, and touched the Jewel.
He looked over at all his friends.
Miroku was comforting Sango, who was crying over the death of her brother.
Shippo and Kirara were asleep, exhausted from their efforts in battle.
Rin was tending to Sesshomaru, who looked like he would manage to survive after all.
So, he exhaled deeply, and made his wish...
When he moved his hands, the Jewel wasn't there.
"Wha... what did you wish for?" Kagome asked, taking her hands back.
In a few moments, light breathing could be heard not far off... Everyone looked, surprised... as they saw Kohaku laying on the ground, sleeping.
"I couldn't let Kohaku just stay dead, I told Sango we'd find another way, and I don't go back on promises I make to friends." He said, looking over at Sango, with his usual proud smile.
She smiled back, with tears still in her eyes, but these ones tears of joy. "Th-thank you so much Inuyasha."
"What about becoming a full demon Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, standing up, leaning on his staff due to an injury to his leg.
"Weeeeell." He said, humorously. "Since I just defeated Sesshomaru, and Naraku in the same day, after Naraku became a full fledged demon, I don't think I need to be a Full blooded demon to be any more powerful than I already am!" He said, obviously gloating.
Everyone laughed, except for the unconscious ones, which included Sesshomaru, which was probably best. After Kagome stopped laughing, she looked at Inuyasha and said.
"Hey, Inuyasha, close your eyes."
"What?"
"Close em'" Kagome said, smiling.
"Alright, fine." Inuyasha said, closing his eyes.
In a few moments, Kagome said. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."
When he did, he saw her holding out a most peculiar necklace.
He felt around his neck...
He continued to do so for a few more seconds.
"You... you took the beads of subjugation off!?"
"Yup, you thought it was going to be something pervy again, didn't you?" Kagome said.
"N-no I didn't!" Inuyasha said.
"SIT BOY!" Kagome called.
The look on Inuyasha's face was priceless as he turned away, as if trying to defend himself. And Kagome laughed, fairly hard, as did everyone else.
"Hey! That's not funny!" Inuyasha whined.
"Yes... it is." Sesshomaru said, lightly chuckling, now awake, as was Shippo.
Inuyasha was fairly upset, but needless to say. He was glad that the day was over...
The fighting was finally over.
Yes, all the fighting is now over.
But... now what?
That is going to be the question asked in the next chapter!