Caged Souls

By Earthen Pyre

Rated: T

Disclaimer: If I owned anything like Inuyasha, would I write fanfiction? No. Rumiko Takahashi owns Inuyasha and I make no money from writing this.

Another update, and a name-change! Yay! This is part 2 of the Solitary Battle arc…Yeah. Sooo…What do you want to happen in the third part? Suggestions are accepted, and if I like 'em they will be added to the story in some way (but the story is NOT interactive, so don't expect your idea TO be added). I have a few more surprises to pull out, probably right after the end of the 'Solitary battles'.

Chapter 4: Solitary Battle! Pt 2

'Where did these youkai come from?' Was the only thought that ran through Inuyasha's head, beside the need to find Kagome. He was slashing and cutting through the hebi youkai madly, he knew that he had to get to Kagome. Fast.

"Die!" He screamed as he tore through an approaching youkai, slicing it cleanly in two. The beast's body, in reaction, sloppily fell to the ground, its blood spraying up and tainting the ground further. "This is taking too long!" Inuyasha growled under his breath, continuing his assault on the creatures, which had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

His claws tore apart snake after snake, leading him through the field and closer to where his dark side had run off with Kagome. "Get outta my way!" He roared, leaping out of the cloud of demons and into the sky of swirling pastel and fluorescent colours. The creatures attempted to follow him, but fell back when their prey was a good distance away, returning to whence they came. There would be no use in chasing him anymore.

"I don't know where they came from…but it can't be a good sign…" Inuyasha spoke anxiously as he plummeted to the ground, landing gracefully on the balls of his feet and breaking into a run. "Just survive a bit longer, Kagome! I'm coming for you!"

ooOOooOOOoo

Kagome's only choice now was to run. Run as fast as she could and hope that the homicidal maniac behind her wouldn't catch her. The schoolgirl veered left and right around the premises, making her way behind a large crystal, she wiped the sweat on her brow. 'I can't take much more of this…I have to figure out a way to get away….and fast!'

Kagome was a wreck, she was bleeding and bruised. Her uniform was tattered and her bow had taken so much abuse it had snapped. Her hair stuck to her dirty white blouse and her bangs stuck to her face, saturated with sweat. The girl panted and coughed. If she was lucky, the youkai wouldn't find her…

And there he was. Kagome looked up in horror to see Youkai sitting on top of the glowing crystal, amused crimson eyes grinning down at her. "Are you done thinking, Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes darted back and forth; she was searching for a way out, knowing the only way to escape would be to stall the beast. She stared him in the eye, trying to hide her fear. "Maybe I am. Why do you want to kill me, anyway?"

The youkai glared at her, confused as to why she did not scream, or try to run. "Didn't I tell you already?" He spoke in a matter-of –fact matter, still having his eyes fixed on the prey below him. "Your voice let that bastard take control and grab the sword, locking me up! It's all your fault!"

"How was I supposed to know that you would be locked up?" Kagome said, mocking concern quite well. She had never been a good actor, but this was life or death. If the schoolgirl couldn't pull this off, it would all be over for her. "I…I never wanted anyone to be hurt!" She was doing well; the youkai appeared to be (slightly) shocked.

"Why am I supposed to believe this?" Youkai's words were careful, he didn't know if the girl was telling the truth, or weaving lies…Yet he was falling right into the trap.

Kagome looked down, a fake look of defeat playing across her face. "You don't have to…"

'I'm not supposed to have feelings! Why am I concerned for the life of this wench! Is it the presence of that hanyou! Is he getting closer?' The beast growled, glaring at the miko below him. 'No matter. With that bastard's concern, and this memory room, I can't kill the girl…I'll have to destroy him first.'

Kagome looked up slightly when the youkai didn't reply. Was he going to kill her? Was this all over? She didn't know…"Aren't you going to kill me?" The teen inquired cautiously, as if the beast above her would leap down and shred her to bits at that moment.

"Not yet…" The beast snarled angrily. "Not until the conditions are met…" He stood up hastily, and his eyes snarled just as viciously as his voice. "Next time, you're dead."

Kagome was surprised, to put it mildly. Her brown eyes were livid with fear, still, and she was still tense. Yet the youkai made no move to destroy the girl. She straightened herself out, looking around the area. She couldn't tell if Youkai was planning anything, or if he was truthful. The miko had no choice though, if she didn't leave, the beast was sure to kill her. Just as Kagome was about to run, though, a voice rang through the air, and a familiar one at that.

"KAGOME!"

Her savior. Her Protector. Inuyasha had just arrived. It was the real Inuyasha and not some insane demonic being: the benevolent hanyou who she herself had released from the God Tree. The one she loved. Kagome's face lit up with relief, and her fear left her. This battle was over for her, but it had begun for Inuyasha. With no energy left to give the girl the strength to stand, Kagome fell to the ground sloppily in a heap.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled once more, running toward his companion. He crouched down to the tortured girl, examining her closely. She was just holding on to consciousness, her breathing had become steady, as if she was about to fall into a deep slumber. "Are…are you okay?" He questioned her worriedly, reaching down, almost to touch her.

"I knew you'd be here…" Kagome spoke softly, weakly, one could tell that the girl had been through hours of torture and battle. After her words, the girl went limp. The harrowing combination of terror and over exertion had been too much for the human body; it had worn away at the teen until she could stay awake no longer and was forced to pass out.

"What did you do to her!" Inuyasha shouted to Youkai angrily, his golden eyes shining with rage. The hanyou jumped to his feet, baring his claws at his enemy.

The youkai smirked down at the hanyou, leaping from his perch. "She got what was coming to her, she was asking for a fight…" His smirk then manifested into a snarl, "Of course, I can't kill her yet…you're in the way."

"What do you mean, bastard?" Inuyasha inquired, now quite confused. The youkai easily could have killed Kagome: she was injured and her quiver of arrows was empty. So why didn't he? It was the perfect opportunity, and probably would be his only one.

"It doesn't matter…but I really hate your feelings for the wench right now…" The beast growled with frustration laced within the primal sound. Fangs were bared and crimson eyes locked with golden ones in a battle of wills. "I'm going to kill you here and now!" The youkai roared, lunging for his good half and all the while was slashing wildly at him.

Inuyasha dodged left, barely out of the way of the creature's mad onslaught. The beast had no time to turn, before Inuyasha had kicked him in the stomach. The hanyou was not finished, though; clawing attacks and punches continued in strings, not to give the malevolent being a chance to retaliate in any way.

Attack after attack made quick contact with Youkai. His haori and hakama were dotted with rips and tears, and stained an even deeper red with his own (and Kagome's) blood. There were claw marks now zigzagging across his body: the wounds were deep, but even with their severity, they would quickly heal, but with Inuyasha in this state of anger, he wasn't sure if he could make it out in time.

"I'll kill you!" Inuyasha screeched, his talons tearing at the beast. If he had not been fighting his own demonic half; he would have probably taken on the beast's form in this rage-crazed position that he currently was in. "YOU HURT KAGOME!" His voice was raised, and he no longer had coherent thought; all that was on his mind was that he was going to destroy the fiend in front of him.

This was a mistake.

Inuyasha's blind attacks had only given the savage the chance he needed, a fatal blow could be dealt at that second, and the youkai took this chance. His extended talons reached out for Inuyasha, giving the hanyou a messy, bloody gash that ran from his navel to his shoulder. Inuyasha hollered out in pain and staggered backwards, a large amount of fresh blood spilling out and splashing on to the ground. The liquid was illuminated by the soft, eerie glow of the crystalline structures, and, by this light, cast the reflection of the two combatants in its depths.

"Fool." Youkai snarled, watching as Inuyasha's knees buckled and he fell to the ground, writhing in the immense pain that the (possibly) deadly wound that had been dealt upon him. The demon calmly walked towards his adversary, glowering over him. "Your emotions are what have injured you. You are weak, and you are going to pay for this with your life."

The youkai raised his right hand, and cracked his knuckles. Inuyasha managed to look up at the killer above him. Was this how it would end for him? To die at the claws of himself? This was never how Inuyasha had thought of it. He had expected he would die in a far more honourable way, not in a battle within his own mind.

'No. It's not going to end this way. If I lose, many people are going to die because of me! This is not an option!" He pushed himself up from the cold, hand ground, with lightning speed. Inuyasha would rather die to Shippou than to this monster. "I'm not going to lose!" Inuyasha snarled. "Not to you!"

Crimson eyes widened, stunned. "How are you still able to move?" Youkai inquired, frustrated. "Why won't you die!" His eyes shone a dark crimson, indicating his exasperation.

"I can't die here!" Was Inuyasha's simple reply, even though he was tired, even though the blood loss could kill him, he still persisted. It was hard to tell if the boy was being stubborn, brave, or maybe even plain stupid. What he had done was foolish, stupid, ignorant, there were so many words to describe it, yet his actions could be praised; he was not giving the evil what it wanted. He was proving that he was not a subordinate; a puppet, he was not going to sit there and listen to whatever the beast that faced him said.

"Yet you are going to…" The Youkai hissed in reply. He was as stubborn as his counterpart. The next thing both of them knew, they were battling once more; neither giving in, both knowing too much was on the line for either of them to give in.

ooOOooOOOoo

Kagome's eyes fluttered as consciousness returned to her. "Huuh? What's going on here?" Her voice came softly; she was still weak from her battle with the youkai. Pushing raven locks and strands of hair away from her face, Kagome sat up straight. The sounds of the battle came to her like the roar of a chainsaw, as her memories returned. "Inuyasha!" She gasped, he was fighting the youkai now, most likely.

Disregarding her pain, the miko leaped to her feet, her knees shaking with weakness. She wouldn't have been able to stand without the rush of adrenaline that her fear gave her. "Inuyasha?" She called softly, hoping that it was Inuyasha fighting, but also hoping he had escaped at the same time.

Then she saw it, Inuyasha fighting the beast.

More importantly, she saw the huge gash that was inflicted earlier.

Her brown eyes widened, he was hurt he had almost gotten killed…for her.At this moment, Kagome's emotions went wild; love, regret, hate, anger, sadness…She didn't know how to feel. Kagome only knew that Inuyasha was in danger, and that, without killing herself, she could ever help the teen.

But did it matter?

Inuyasha had almost died for her millions of times, the girl didn't now if she should return the favour or not. Should she follow self-preservation? 'It doesn't matter anymore…' Kagome thought quickly. 'I need to help, he can't do this on his own!'

The girl ran; her legs were going to collapse, but she didn't care. Her spiritual energy was drained, but, still, it didn't matter to her at all. "INUYASHA!"

The hanyou's ears twitched in reply to the shrill noise. "Kagome?" He questioned the air, and looked over in her direction, amber eyes filling with joy, taking in the image of his friend, but then worry when seeing that she was heading towards the fight. "Stay back! He'll kill—UGH!" A sharp blow cut off Inuyasha's speech, sending him back at least five feet.

The youkai smirked. "Only a fool ignores a battle!" He taunted, waiting for the hanyou to return to his feet, waiting for a response.

Kagome looked on in horror as the hanyou was knocked to the ground. "Inuyasha! Are you okay!" She ran towards him, when the teen was up, and prepared to attack once more.

"Fine! Now get away! It's not safe here!" Inuyasha yelled back to the girl, hoping that for once she'd listen to his words and escape. He wasn't worth a sacrifice.

But this was not to come true. A spark of defiance was living in the girl's eyes, subordination was not an option. "No! I'm helping!"

Between attacks, Inuyasha glared at the girl and spoke up. "No! This is my fight!"

The youkai grinned, breaking into the conversation. "An honourable choice…" The grin grew into a smile, showing his bloody fangs. "But you're going to die!"

Well, I finally remembered to update this! And I'm going to try and keep up with it now! I've gotten a bit better at writing now, as well, in my opinion. So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you later!

Ja Ne,

Jessica