Ch. #10: A Sesshomaru and Kagura Love Story
Author's Notes: Long time no see guys!
I know, I know, it's been an insane amount of time since my last update.
I haven't been writing much lately due to being busy with college (yes, even over the summer), life, and well, coming up with new ideas. Writer's block is a doozy, to say the least haha
So, I've noticed a few of you have inquired about Ch. 9 being the last chapter and I know this is pretty much my fault for the slow updates, but the answer to the question is no, Ch. 9 was not the last chapter. I know this might be obvious with the whole Ch. 10 heading, but I just wanted to clarify this point so that there is no confusion.
Also, I just wanted to let you guys know that I am very grateful for all the reviews this story has been getting and the overall interest in the story so far. It makes me happy to know that there are people out there who enjoy reading about Sesshomaru and Kagura as much as I do. Plus, you guys are great motivators so if you can, keep it up. I love to know what you guys think.
Lastly, I know that some of you guys came for the romance, others came for the action, and others came just because lol. Well, in this chapter, I want to meet you guys half-way. There will be some romance between characters, specifically between members of the Inuyasha gang, and there will be some action too, which applies to all the characters, so be on the lookout for it and I hope you enjoy it.
Okay…I think I've covered everything. I'll let you get onto the reading now, if you didn't skip this haha
Onwards to Ch. #10!
"I am not a saint, nor will I pretend to be one," Miroku stated, keeping his arms folded against his chest as he continued to walk alongside Sango and the rest of the group.
He couldn't believe that Sango would make such a big deal over something that happened a couple of hours ago. So, he flirted with a couple of beauties at the village. They were practically asking for it when one of the girls winked over at him flirtatiously while the other girl giggled. He couldn't help himself—it was simply too hard to resist all temptation. Besides, it wasn't like this was the first time he had done this. Why hadn't she just learned to get used to it by now? She knew he wasn't perfect…so why did she always get this way with him? If only she knew how beautiful she was already, that he had only eyes for her, then maybe she wouldn't feel the need to get so angry with him all the time.
He sighed. 'Women…'
No matter how many times he had tried to tell this to her, she would never listen. She just didn't understand…
Sango sent him a sharp glare in response. "But you're a monk, right? And aren't monks supposed to be holy?" Sango questioned, anger evident in her voice.
"And you believe that? Haven't you seen his drunken teacher, Mushin or whatever the hell they call him?" Inuyasha chimed in, with a bored expression. 'Here we go again…' He thought with an eye roll.
He was so tired of this. They'd already been through this for the millionth time already. It's always been the same pattern over and over again. Miroku flirts, Sango gets angry, she refuses to speak to him for a couple of hours, Miroku gets worried, they make up, and lo and behold, we're back where we started again. To think she'd get used to it by now. 'I mean, what the hell is she marrying the guy for if she can't put up with his womanizing antics?' He thought to himself. He just couldn't understand it. He rolled his eyes. 'Someone ought to put a damn leash on the guy. It's obvious the guy's not the least bit trustworthy otherwise…'
"Well, they say an apple doesn't fall too far from its tree," Kagome agreed, walking beside her newly-shined pink bike with a cute little fox demon riding in the basket.
"Mmhm," Shippo said, nodding in agreement.
A very nervous laughter could be heard from Miroku. It seemed that everyone was against him today.
Kagome looked over to the arguing couple walking shortly ahead of her and Inuyasha. Taking the distraction, she discreetly leaned over towards Inuyasha, whispering, "Hey Inuyasha, don't you think that we should give Sango and Miroku some time alone to sort out their problems?"
"Hmph, it wouldn't help the issue much, seeing as leaving those two alone is only bound to make matters worse, if you couldn't already tell." He whispered back uncaringly.
"Yeah, but it wouldn't hurt to try, ya know? I mean, just look at them. We can't just leave them arguing like that. Miroku doesn't stand a chance." Kagome tried to reason with him.
"Forget it, Kagome. We're not wasting any more of our time solving problems that have nothing to do with us." He protested, keeping his ground.
"It does too have something to do with us! They're a part of our group, remember?"
"And I'm sure they'll figure out something eventually. But for now, we've got a demon to catch. So quit whining and shut up."
"I am not whining!" Kagome fumed. "And don't you tell me to shut up unless you want me to say-"
Inuyasha flinched. No, not that word again.
Kagome sighed, seeing his reaction. Some things would never change…
Calming herself, she whispered to Inuyasha once more. "Look. All I'm suggesting is that we take a few minutes to let them calm down some before searching for Naraku. Besides, what's the rush? We don't even know where he is."
Inuyasha scowled, turning away from her. "Yeah, yeah, whatever! It's not like I have much of a choice…" he relented.
Kagome instantly brightened at his response. "Great! I'll go tell the others we're taking a break."
"Fine, whatever." Inuyasha snorted dismissively. But Kagome paid him no mind. She was already busy conversing with Miroku and Sango, informing them of the break.
"Sango, I understand that you're angry and I just want to say—I'm sorry." Miroku said sincerely, sitting beside Sango on a hill.
Sango's eyes remained focused on the ground before her. "Miroku, do you even know what you're apologizing for?" She asked solemnly.
"It's my womanizing, isn't it?" Miroku responded with a small smile, looking at her.
"It's…not just that, Miroku." Sango said, finally peeling her eyes away from the ground to meet his. "It's about us. I…don't think it's working out."
Miroku's heart sank. Was she breaking up with him?
Sango continued. "It's just…I don't think I can bear the thought of you fraternizing off with some other woman anymore. It's too much. I feel as if…as if I'm not good enough for you. That you…don't love me." Sango said honestly, hugging her knees as tears began to fall from her eyes. She looked down again, unable to face him like this—to appear so vulnerable in front of him.
It was silent for only a moment before Miroku's calm voice penetrated the air.
"Sango, look at me." He said gently, slowly reaching out and tilting her chin up to meet her eyes with his. He could see her agonized expression, the answer that had been written clearly on her face. The fear of losing…him. His love, whom he would never want to hurt, was crying because of him. And he had no one else to blame but himself. With one finger, he gently wiped a stray tear from her face.
"I love you, Sango and I would never want to hurt you. Maybe I haven't exactly been the most faithful of fiancés and maybe it's my fault for not showing you how much I care. But Sango, I swear, you're the only one for me. No other woman could ever take your place." He answered, smiling sincerely.
Sango's soft brown eyes looked into his cerulean blue hopefully. "Do you…really mean that, Miroku?"
"There was never any doubt in my mind," He responded, smiling reassuringly.
"Kagome, why do we always have to stick our noses in other people's business?" Inuyasha complained, lying beside Kagome and Shippo on a tall hillside overlooking the couple conversing below.
"Shh…it's getting to the best part!" Kagome said, putting a finger to her lips to get him to quiet down. She turned her attention to the couple below. "Don't blow this now, Miroku. You've already got her hooked. Now, reel her in!"
Inuyasha just stared blankly at her. "Reel her—what the heck are you talking about, Kagome?" he asked, scratching his head.
Kagome gasped. "Huh? Don't tell me... you've never heard of the saying, 'there are plenty of fish in the sea'?!" She exclaimed disbelievingly.
"What idiot came up with that?! Of course there are plenty of fish in the sea! Anyone with eyes can see that!" Inuyasha countered.
Kagome face palmed. "Not literally…" She responded, surprised that he managed to dress himself every day. "Inuyasha, 'there are plenty of fish in the sea' is a saying that means there are more men or women out there than just that one person. Understand?"
"I…think so…" Inuyasha said with a perplexed look on his face as he continued to scratch his head.
"…Inuyasha, you're an idiot." Shippo interjected.
"Why you—!" Inuyasha growled, cracking his knuckles as Shippo quickly took refuge behind Kagome.
"Now Shippo…don't you think you should be a little nicer to Inuyasha?" Kagome chastised, looking to the fox behind her.
"Heh. Hear that? She said, 'Be nice.'" Inuyasha said, smirking triumphantly.
Shippo pouted.
"And you, Inuyasha, shouldn't rub it in either," Kagome remarked, looking sternly at Inuyasha.
"What?! But he started it!" Inuyasha pointed out.
"And you finished it!" Kagome responded firmly. "Shippo's only a child. He doesn't know any better, but you just keep encouraging his behavior by acting so immature. You're the adult so quit acting like such a child."
"Ha ha!" Shippo laughed, now smiling triumphantly.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up while you can. We'll see who has the last laugh when there's not enough fish to go around." Inuyasha muttered, folding his arms over his chest.
Kagome sighed. 'What did I do to deserve this?' She thought to herself, resting her head in one of her hands.
They all continued to watch the couple below.
Overcome with joy, Sango took his hands in hers. "Oh Miroku! So then, does this mean that you promise not to flirt with any more women?" She exclaimed.
Miroku didn't answer. Instead, he looked away from her, avoiding her gaze.
Sango stood up without a word and started to walk away when Miroku's voice suddenly penetrated the air.
"Sango, wait."
She stopped, without so much as a glance back and said unwaveringly, "I think we've already said enough. It's clear to me now, Miroku…you've already made your decision."
She continued walking.
"Sango wait. You don't understand!" Miroku quickly got up, following after her. He easily caught up to her, grabbing her hand in an effort to get her to stop and listen to him.
Sango turned around, leveling him with a glare. "No, Miroku. You don't understand." She said, breaking her hand away from his grasp. "Miroku, you made a promise when you proposed to me. You vowed that 'I was the only one for you. That no other woman could take my place.' Isn't that what you said?" She paused, tears starting to pool in her eyes. "Just this once, why can't you give me the reassurance that I need to know that I'm not just some woman in your life? That I really matter. I don't want just empty promises anymore, Miroku. I want you to prove to me that you love me. That what this is, isn't just some stupid mistake. Miroku…I want to know that you care." Sango answered solemnly.
"Sango…" Miroku replied.
"I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore." Sango responded, her head bowed low as she continued on until a voice stopped her.
"…You're right."
Shocked, Sango stopped again, still facing forward. Miroku walked up to her, gently turning her around to face him.
"Sango, you're right. All I've ever been doing is making empty promises to you." He said, looking deeply into her eyes.
"Miroku…you…" Sango started, but Miroku silenced her by placing one swift finger to her lips.
"Sango, you have my word. From this day forth, I vow to remain faithful to you 'til the day I die." Miroku responded, removing his finger from her lips.
However, he froze when he noticed Sango acting strangely. She was silent, her head now bowed with her bangs covering her eyes.
"Sango?" he asked worriedly.
Hearing her name being called, she slowly raised her head to where her eyes could meet his. She was crying.
Seeing this, Miroku quickly took her hands in his and asked, "Sango, what's wrong?"
"Oh Miroku, I don't know what to say. I'm just so happy. You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words from you." She answered happily.
He breathed a sigh of relief. 'Whoo! She really had me worried there for a moment…' He thought. Sango's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"And Miroku…this does mean that you aren't going to speak with those two women from the village again, right?" She asked, a little firmly.
Miroku said nothing.
Surprised at his lack of response, she tried again. "Um…Miroku, you do promise that you aren't going to flirt with those women, RIGHT?" She said, with a little more emphasis on 'do' and 'aren't' so that she was sure that they were on the same page.
Miroku suddenly got up, breaking his hands away from her. "Oh, uh, would you look at the time!" He avoided, flustered. "We should…probably get going. We don't want to keep Lady Kagome and Inuyasha waiting. You know how impatient Inuyasha gets heh, heh." He said quickly as he stood up and began to walk away.
"Hold it! Not so fast, Miroku! We're not done here yet!" Sango called after him. She quickly stood up, following after him.
"Oh, uh, is that so? Well, maybe we can discuss this at a later time. Uh, I think I hear Lady Kagome calling me…can't keep her waiting, got to run!" He said, increasing his speed.
"Hey! Get back here you womanizing monk!" She fumed, coming to a halt as she watched his retreating form. She was so fed up with him and his aversion tactics. Why couldn't he just answer her question and face her like a man? Why did he have to be so difficult?!
'Ugh! That Miroku…he makes me so frustrated! Wait till I get my hands on him…' She thought angrily. She sighed. "Honestly, that man will never change." Then, she smiled, shaking her head. "But…he's the man I gave my heart to so I guess I've got to live with it." She paused to think it over. Then, she sighed. "One step at a time…"
Watching the turn of events from the hillside, Inuyasha just sighed in boredom.
"Well, we all knew how that would end…" He said tiredly.
"I don't believe this! He was that close!" Kagome exclaimed. She sighed. "Why do men always have to be so clueless when it comes to love?!"
"Hey! What do you mean by clueless?" Inuyasha asked.
Kagome sighed. "My point exactly…Exhibit A everyone." She responded, gesturing over to him dramatically.
"Oh and what do you know about love, Kagome?" Inuyasha countered.
"Obviously a lot more than you, Inuyasha." Shippo chimed in.
"Alright, that's it! Come here, you little…"
"Eep! Kagome, help!" Shippo screamed, taking cover once again behind Kagome.
"Hey! No fair hiding behind Kagome!" Inuyasha fumed.
Trembling, the young fox appealed to Kagome, giving her his puppy dog eyes. "Kagome, Inuyasha's being mean to me…" he said in a childish voice.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome warned.
"Grr…Shippo, you coward! Come out here and face me like a man!" Inuyasha hissed.
Relieved that Inuyasha couldn't reach him, Shippo decided to have a little fun. He jumped on Kagome's shoulder and turned around with his back facing Inuyasha. Then, he started waving his tail in the air humorously.
"Haha you can't get me! You can't get me!" He chanted teasingly.
Inuyasha was boiling. Angry veins started appearing on the sides of his forehead, but Shippo was too busy having fun to notice, he just continued chanting.
Kagome, on the other hand, had seen how furious Inuyasha was and became very scared for Shippo.
"Um…Shippo? You really shouldn't be doing that…" She said sheepishly.
"Huh?" Shippo stopped to ask.
Too late.
Within seconds, Inuyasha managed to grab hold of Shippo's bushy tail and harshly bring him up to his height.
"Ohhhh….Shiiiiipppppo….guess who…." Inuyasha drawled in a mysterious voice.
Reluctantly, Shippo slowly turned his head to get a glimpse of Inuyasha's face. He was smiling darkly at him.
Shippo was terrified. He squirmed in every direction, flapping his little arms and legs violently in an attempt to free himself from Inuyasha's grasp. "Inuyasha, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I was kidding! I'm just a kid! I didn't know any better! Please don't hurt me!" Shippo begged, rambling off a list of excuses in hopes that Inuyasha would have mercy on his poor soul.
"Oh, I understand." Inuyasha replied shortly. Then, promptly, he began using the small demon fox as a punching bag, unrelenting despite Shippo's screams.
"Ow! You're hurting me!" Shippo whined, now with multiple lumps all over his head.
"Oh, you bet I am," Inuyasha answered, unrelenting with the blows he was giving him until…
"Inuyasha, SIT BOY!"
Immediately, Inuyasha came crashing to the ground, taking the poor fox with him. Feeling Inuyasha's grasp loosen after the fall, Shippo slowly managed to stagger back to Kagome, no longer having the strength to taunt Inuyasha.
Inuyasha, on the other hand, was a little preoccupied with other things.
"Ohhhhh…." He complained. "What'd you do that for, Kagome?!" he answered, angrily looking to the source of his misery.
"Don't you think you were going a little bit overboard with punching Shippo like that?" She asked.
"Nope." Inuyasha simply answered. Stubbornly, he shifted his eyes away from her in order to detach himself from the conversation.
Kagome huffed, crouching down right in front of him.
"Would it kill you to look at me when I'm talking to you?!" She asked, yanking his two side bangs to face her.
"Ouch! Would you quit that?!" He painfully replied.
"So long as you're looking at me," Kagome answered. "Now, I think Shippo deserves an apology."
"Hmph. Me? Apologize to that runt? Nothing doing," Inuyasha said, beginning to turn away from her until his bangs were yanked yet again to face her.
"It isn't your decision." Kagome stated firmly.
"Feh. Make me," He responded, carelessly.
Kagome sighed. "If you say so…" She relented, getting up from her spot and walking a few feet from him before turning around.
Inuyasha blinked. He wasn't expecting that. 'What the heck is she doing now?' he thought, completely clueless.
"Last chance…" Kagome called out to him.
Inuyasha turned away. "Hmph. I said. 'Nothing doing'." He reiterated.
"Okaaaaaayyyy." Kagome responded. Inuyasha looked back to her curiously. She took a deep breath and….
"SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT!" Kagome yelled out.
This continued for many minutes…
Instantly, Inuyasha was pummeled into the ground repeatedly, creating a 20 ft. crater in the ground.
"Had enough?" Kagome asked from the top of the ditch. Poor Inuyasha was buried in the rubble.
A strained and muffled, "Ooooooo…" was all that could be heard from Inuyasha at the bottom of the ditch.
Kagome blinked. "Inuyasha?" She asked.
"Ohhhh….LEAVE…ME…ALONE!" Inuyasha responded, but in a pained voice.
"I will, when I receive an apolo—EEK!" She was cut off when the ground next to the ditch crumbled from beneath her. Instantly, she was sent plummeting into the ground and…on top of Inuyasha!
"Ohh…well, that hurt." Kagome said, rubbing her bottom with tears in her eyes from the pain.
"Will you get off of me?!" Inuyasha muttered from underneath her.
Kagome gasped, immediately getting off of him. "Inuyasha, are you okay?!" She replied worriedly.
"Yeah, I always spend my time buried in holes…What do YOU think?!" came the short, sarcastic reply.
"Geez, I was only trying to help," She responded, catching his sarcasm. "And besides, this wouldn't have happened if you had just gotten off your high horse and apologized like I asked you to."
"Apologized like you—HELLO! Did you suddenly forget how we ended up in this hole in the first place?!" Inuyasha bit back.
"Well, whatever the case, we have to figure out some way out of this ditch. Do you think you can climb out of here?" Kagome asked.
"Hmph. Yeah, I can. But you…well, get used to rotting in this ditch as far as I'm concerned." Inuyasha replied, grinning as he tried to push the rubble off of him.
Kagome groaned, turning around with her back facing Inuyasha.
"Hey…don't tell me. You're not…crying, are you?" he asked, worriedly.
Kagome turned back around, a happy smile on her face.
"Inuyasha…" She cooed.
And suddenly, he got the creeps. BIG creeps. Almost like a deer in the headlights as it faces its impending doom. Something bad was about to happen, he could just tell.
That smile of hers…scary. He knew that if he didn't get the hell out of there soon, he might not make it out at all. Slowly, he attempted to crawl away from her.
Too late.
"Inuyasha…." She cooed once more.
Uh-oh.
"WOULD YOU LAY OFF ALREADY?!" She roared as fire emitted from all around her and her devilish eyes.
With that, she stormed off to one side of the ditch, but not before grumbling to herself, "I swear, he's so immature…"
Inuyasha, on the other hand, was frozen stiff. He could not move a muscle. He was petrified. Kagome seemed to have that effect on people.
Suddenly, Miroku and Sango could be seen standing above the opening of the ditch.
"Um…what are you guys doing?" Sango called down.
"Oh, uh, you know, just digging some holes to pass the time," Kagome replied sheepishly.
Miroku and Sango both looked at each other and then back to the couple below.
"Well…do you guys need any help getting out?" Sango responded.
"Yeah, that actually sounds like a pretty good idea right about now," Kagome replied.
"Here, take my hand," Sango said, lending a hand out to her. Kagome took it, giving her a grateful smile, before being hoisted up out of the ditch.
"Thanks Sango! You're a lifesaver!" Kagome said.
"You're welcome but…what about Inuyasha?" Sango answered.
Kagome flinched. Her face instantly wore an irritated expression.
"Inuyasha who?" She coldly replied before storming past them and heading deeper into the woods.
Sango and Miroku just turned to each other with the same startled looks.
"What was that all about?" Sango asked.
"Well, it's not as if we can't guess what this is about," Miroku simply stated. "It seems that Inuyasha has once again managed to do something stupid that has caused Lady Kagome to be angry with him."
"You mean, they're at it again?"
He sighed. "Yes, I believe so and I think our best course of action would be to just simply let things run its course until one of them finally decides to make up so we can continue on our way."
"I say this whole thing is stupid." She muttered.
"It always is…" He agreed. "But it's best for us to not get in the middle of their feud and try to hold up the fort the best we can."
"I see…and what do we do about him?" She answered, pointing her thumb in the dog demon's direction. They both turned their heads to see Inuyasha still sitting in the middle of the ditch, unmoved, with the same dumbfounded look on his face.
"Leave Inuyasha to me." Miroku replied, already climbing down the edge of the ditch towards Inuyasha.
"What do you plan to do?" Sango called after him. He didn't respond. She watched as he walked over to Inuyasha's form and squatted down in front of him.
Miroku stared close into Inuyasha's face, but Inuyasha's expression remained blank. He blinked.
"Inuyasha?" He questioned, waving his hand back and forth in front of Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha's temper returned as he was once again brought back to reality. He swatted Miroku's hand away, much to Miroku's surprise.
"Do you mind?! I'm trying to think here without you constantly waving your hand in front of my face like I'm some damn parrot wanting a cracker," came his angry reply as he stood up and shoved Miroku aside like yesterday's trash.
"Just trying to see if you were alive," Miroku replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, keep it out of my face next time. Just leave me alone and mind your own business." Inuyasha snorted, leaping out of the giant hole.
"Ha ha, I'll…keep that in mind," Miroku replied lightly.
"Yeah, yeah…so where's this place we're supposed to be anyways?"
Miroku stood up, sighing at Inuyasha's usual bluntness. "According to my calculations, the village shouldn't be much further away…" he said.
"Well, what are we waiting for?! We should be on our way already. In case you haven't noticed, Naraku's not exactly the type to sit and wait around."
"Please be patient, Inuyasha. Without Kagome, we have no hope of finding the sacred jewels shards Naraku has." Miroku said, calmly.
Inuyasha looked around, his eyes searching intently for something. "Well, where the hell is Kagome?! We don't have time to be pussy footing around." Inuyasha cried out.
"You mean you don't know?" Sango asked in confusion. "We figured the two of you had an argument by the way she stormed off at the mere mention of your name."
"Kagome, angry? At me?" Inuyasha responded, just as surprised.
"So it would seem," Miroku stated.
"What'd I do?!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"I don't believe this! You don't even know?!" Sango questioned in utter disbelief.
"And what exactly is there to know? I didn't do anything. Whatever Kagome's angry about, it ain't got nothing to do with me. If anything, I'm the victim here. Do you see the type of abuse she puts me through?" He replied stubbornly.
"Well, whatever the case may be. I think it would in your best interest to hear from her side what's going on and—"
"HEY KAGOME! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SO ANGRY ABOUT?!" Inuyasha's voice could be heard from a faraway distance in the woods.
Miroku blinked. He shook his head in pity. "The poor fool…" he said.
"HEY KAGOME! QUIT ACTING LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG AND LET'S GO ALREADY! HEY KA—"
"WOULD YOU QUIT YELLING MY NAME LIKE THAT?!" Kagome's voice replied. "GEEZ!"
Inuyasha immediately stopped to see Kagome climbing through two small bushes.
"What do you want already?" She asked.
"Hmph. What do I want?! I want you to stop acting so angry so we can continue searching for Naraku."
"It's not acting. I am angry because you obviously don't respect me enough to want to keep me alive."
"Oh, is this about that comment I made about you rotting in the ditch? Look, I said what I said because—"
KA-BOOM!
A loud explosion had sounded throughout the forest, causing him to end mid-sentence. Instantly stopping what they were doing, they both looked to the source of the explosion.
"…what was that?" Kagome said, with concern in her voice.
"I don't know, but it looks like we're going to find out." Inuyasha replied, forgetting their prior conversation.
Miroku and Sango could now be seen racing towards them through the trees.
"Lady Kagome! Inuyasha! Come quick! Something has happened in the village!" Miroku called after them.
"What?! The village?!" Kagome questioned. But they had just come from there. Wasting no time, they all hurried to the edge of the cliff overlooking the village and they could not believe what they had witnessed. Smoke covered the surrounding area of the village, blood curdling screams could be heard, and new fires had sprung up, the entire village, in utter chaos.
Sango picked up her boomerang, now in her demon slayer's jumpsuit, and hopped on Kirara. "We have to hurry! People's lives are at stake!" She said before she and Kirara headed off towards the village.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Kagome called out after her, already grabbing her bike with a now conscious fox demon in the front basket.
Inuyasha and Miroku stayed where they were, a look of gravity etched across their faces.
"Do you sense that?" Miroku asked.
"Yeah. I've got a bad feeling about this. Naraku's scent reeks from the village. I can smell the blood a mile away." Inuyasha replied.
"Kagome didn't seem to sense any sacred jewel shards so I don't believe Naraku came by himself."
"Yeah, and what's strange is that Sango didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary either."
"What could this mean?" Miroku questioned thoughtfully.
"Who knows? Now quit dawdling and face it like a man." Inuyasha responded. He was already halfway down the cliff before Miroku could open his mouth to reply.
He sighed. "It seems I have no choice," Miroku said, before running after his friends.
Naraku's hideout…
From his hideout, Naraku was currently witnessing the events though Byakuya's detached eyeball. He smirked darkly. "Hehehe…Inuyasha…it's only a matter of time 'til you find out just what's been eating the village. However, by then, it will already be too late..."he said.
Shift to the Inu-gang…
Sango and Kagome had just arrived at the village, only to see the place amassed with the bodies of villagers everywhere. There was no need to check whether these people were dead…the torn limbs, decapitated heads, fractured skulls, and life-threatening wounds were enough evidence to answer that question. The pungent odor of burning flesh sent shivers down their backs. What exactly had happened here? Before they had arrived, they had heard the torturous cries of people screaming for help amidst their homes and surroundings being ablaze, but now, everything was silent. The roaring fire, which had plagued these villagers, had already died down, but had taken everything with it. All of the buildings that they had seen from the cliff had all been reduced to a pile of rubble. The pleasant image of a prosperous community, bustling with the lives of its carefree inhabitants had now seemed like a distant memory, gone with the fortified structure of the village.
Had it not been for the fact that they had witnessed the events leading to its destruction, they would have ventured to question if there even was a village to begin with. Nothing could have prepared them for this. It was as if whatever had attacked this village had suddenly vanished after getting its fill and left only a trace of what it was capable of. The stillness of the village is what haunted them the most…was whatever had attacked this village still here? Was it waiting for them to lower their guards? And why had they not sensed its presence sooner?
"This is horrible…who could have done all of this?" Kagome asked, her eyes scanning the village in sheer horror. No longer feeling safe in the front basket of Kagome's bike, Shippo sought comfort elsewhere, racing desperately to Kagome's shoulder as he trembled in fear.
Sango walked over to one of the bodies with its head facing the ground. She knelt down and gently flipped the body over. After examining the body for a few moments, she sighed, turning the body over once more.
"This was not the work of humans…" She answered softly, turning back around to face the others.
"Then if humans didn't do this…who did?" Kagome questioned thoughtfully.
"I don't know," Sango admitted. "But whatever caused this was much bigger than a human." She motioned for them to come closer. "Here, take a look at this."
Reluctantly, Kagome and Shippo did as they were told. They followed Sango's line of vision to the mangled body lying on the ground. Slowly, Sango reached down and turned the body over. Kagome and Shippo both gasped at what they saw. The mangled body revealed to be what had resembled a female, her identity slightly marred by the long strand of three dark, red marks burned across her face and alongside the crest of her chest.
"Eek! What happened to her?!" Kagome shrieked in alarm.
"Something must have been pretty powerful to harm all these villagers and cause this much damage in such a short amount of time," Sango replied.
"Kagome…!" Shippo suddenly cried, tugging at Kagome's shirt to get her attention.
"Huh? What is it, Shippo?" She asked.
"Look over there!" the fox demon replied, pointing straight ahead. Both Kagome and Sango immediately turned their heads to see what Shippo had been pointing at. They were shocked to see a large, 20-ft. demon encased in thick, glass-like armor standing idly by while they continued to stare at the creature. Though its large size contributed to its intimidation factor, the demon was seemingly equipped without a weapon to defend itself.
"What is that thing?!" Kagome exclaimed.
"This must be the demon that destroyed the village and killed all these people," Sango explained, raising her boomerang in defense.
A white figure in the form of a young girl suddenly appeared in front of the statue.
"Look! Isn't that…Kanna?" Kagome asked in surprise.
Without a word, Kanna pointed straight ahead in their direction. Almost immediately, the glass-like demon came to life, sending tremors in the ground with every step it made towards them. The glass-like demon raised an arm to strike them.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted, throwing her boomerang at the demon. As luck would have it, the boomerang hit the demon full-force into its left shoulder, the demon stumbling back a couple of steps on impact. Like all boomerangs do, Sango's boomerang returned to her hands.
"Yes!" Kagome exclaimed.
"She did it!" Shippo said.
Cracks from where the boomerang had hit appeared in the demon's glass armor. Pieces of glass fell from the demon's body, landing on the ground with a clank. Miraculously, the demon recovered from the attack as glass replaced those that had fallen on the ground. A small knick appeared in Kanna's neck, but went unnoticed by Sango, Shippo, and Kagome. A large boomerang formed in one of the glass demon's hands.
"Say…does that boomerang look familiar to anyone?" Kagome exclaimed in surprise.
Once again, Kanna pointed a finger towards them. The glass demon responded by flinging the boomerang towards the group. Instantly, the giant boomerang came spiraling towards them.
"Get behind me!" Sango shouted, jumping in front of Kagome and Shippo with her own boomerang to protect them from the attack. They all braced themselves for impact when suddenly it hit, knocking all three of them backwards, off their feet, and onto the ground. The giant boomerang quickly returned to the glass demon's hands.
"Oh…" Sango groaned in pain, feeling her aching head as she slowly sat up to kneel. She was definitely going to feel that in the morning. She looked around and found Kagome and Shippo lying on the ground not too far away.
"Are you guys okay?" She asked.
"Ugh. Yeah…I think so…" Kagome answered, slowly sitting up as well. Shippo didn't respond.
"Shippo!" Kagome exclaimed. She got up, walking over to where the fox demon was lying and picked him up, cradling his small body in her arms.
Kanna pointed straight ahead as the giant glass-like demon prepared for its next attack. Sango looked around for her boomerang, but it was nowhere in sight. Intensely scanning the area, she finally caught sight of her boomerang. It had landed several feet away in the wreckage of some of the burned down houses. Before she had time to think of how to get to it, she noticed a giant glass boomerang heading straight for Kagome.
"Look out!" Sango shouted, trying to get her attention.
"What?" Kagome replied, turning around with Shippo in her arms. She screamed upon seeing a giant boomerang being hurled in her direction. She shut her eyes, clinging onto Shippo for dear life.
"Wind Scar!" she heard a voice call out from behind her. She opened her eyes just as a powerful force hit the boomerang, causing it to shatter into a million crystallized pieces. Three large scars appeared in the ground. A flash of red and silver appeared before her eyes.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed happily.
"Are you alright?" He responded, his golden eyes looking into hers worriedly.
"Uh…yeah, I'm fine…" She reassured.
Sango was getting up from her spot when Miroku suddenly appeared on the scene.
"You girls alright?" He asked.
"Lord monk!" Sango exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah…we're fine, but Shippo's been knocked out," Kagome answered.
Inuyasha snorted. "Hmph. That wimp probably didn't even know what hit him," He remarked.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome chastised.
"So, I take it that this is the thing that's been plaguing the village?" Miroku asked, changing the subject.
"And it looks like Kanna's been at it too." Inuyasha agreed, eying the young girl standing next to the glass demon. "Huh. I figured Naraku probably had his hand in this."
"What's more is that that glass-like demon seems to have a knack for mimicking our attacks," Sango responded.
"Do you think it has something to do with Kanna's mirror?" Kagome asked, pointing to Kanna's hands. "See? It's no longer with her."
"You're right…hmm. It could be that Naraku is using Kanna as a way to use our attacks against us since Kanna's mirror has the power to reflect our attacks." Miroku analyzed.
"Of course! It's a mirror demon!" Sango pieced together. "That would explain why my boomerang was thrown back at me when the other demon had copied my attack."
"Indeed," Miroku agreed.
"So…any ideas on how to defeat this thing?" Kagome asked.
"Well, there's only one way to find out..." Inuyasha challenged, walking ahead of them and raising Tetsusaiga up to the demon. "You and me, demon…let's dance!"
"You cannot do it…" Kanna stated plainly, her expression unchanging.
"What?!" Inuyasha asked in surprise, lowering his sword.
"You are too weak," she said as she signaled to the mirror demon yet again. On cue, a giant Tetsusaiga suddenly appeared in the demon's hands.
"Hmph. Bring it on. We'll see if that false sword of yours can measure up to my Tetsusaiga," Inuyasha replied, raising his sword again.
The mirror demon raised the sword, preparing to unleash its attack.
Miroku's eyes widened in realization. 'No…it couldn't be—' he thought to himself.
"Inuyasha! Look out! That demon's getting ready to use the Wind Scar!" Miroku warned.
"What? The Wind Scar?!" Inuyasha questioned, looking back to Miroku. Before he could think any further, a flash of bright light came hurling towards him. Instinctively, Inuyasha used his quick reflexes to block the force that was pushing him and his sword back. He struggled determinedly, his feet digging into the ground as the power of the mirror demon's sword soon began to overwhelm the Tetsusaiga.
"Look! Inuyasha's being pushed back!" Kagome exclaimed, watching on in horror.
"I wonder if he can handle it," Sango commented, more to herself.
Inuyasha's sword gave way causing him to be hit full force by the mirror demon's wind scar. He screamed out in agony as his back hit the ground, the light of the attack fading out across his chest.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, her voice full of concern.
On the ground, Inuyasha had shut his eyes tightly, wincing from the damage he sustained from the attack. He struggled to sit up, his hand still firmly wrapped around the handle of the Tetsusaiga. Ignoring the pain in his right side, he finally managed to pull himself up to a sitting position. He breathed heavily, keeping one eye open in a display of pain. Kagome rushed over to him to see if he was alright. Kneeling down next to him, she gasped at the extent of his injuries. He had a long, bloody gash along the right side of chest and he looked drained as he continued to breathe heavily.
"Inuyasha, you're hurt…" Kagome said solemnly.
"I'm fine," Inuyasha answered roughly, using what strength he had left to use his sword in order to pull himself up to a standing position. "Kagome, back away." He said, raising his sword once again. He turned to face the giant mirror demon.
"Be careful," she replied, moving away from him slowly.
"Now you'll see what a real Wind Scar is like," Inuyasha said. The mirror demon raised its sword in defense from Inuyasha's attack. Inuyasha prepared to strike, his eyes searching for the break between the two sources of energy.
His eyes widened. 'There it is!' he thought, slicing through the ripple and unleashing a wave of light that hit point blank into the mirror demon's Tetsusaiga and then…was absorbed?!
'It absorbed my attack. This is bad…' Inuyasha thought sternly.
Meanwhile, back at Sesshomaru's camp…
"Come on, Master Jaken. You promised you'd help me and Kohaku attend to Ah-Uhn after you were done surveying the area for Lord Sesshomaru." Rin exclaimed to the imp happily.
"Why, I promised no such thing," Jaken countered.
She gasped. "Did too! Don't you remember?" She argued. "I can prove it. You see, it all began like this…" She started, raising a finger knowingly.
…
Rin is walking through the woods, searching for something. "Master Jaken! Master Jaken, where are you?" she calls out. She approaches an opening in the forest and sees Jaken sleeping with his back against a tree.
"Oh! There you are!" Rin exclaims in surprise. She walks close enough to where the small imp is sleeping in order to get a better view of him.
"Master Jaken!" She exclaims, attempting to get the sleeping imp's attention.
No answer.
"Master Jaken?" she asks, puzzled that he didn't seem to acknowledge her.
No answer.
Rin gasps. "Master Jaken!" She tries again, worriedly. She shook him gently.
"…nngh..?" came the incoherent response from the imp's mouth.
Rin sighs in relief, putting a hand over her heart and begins asking the question that she had originally intended for him.
"Master Jaken, I was just wondering…could you possibly help me and Kohaku attend to Ah-Uhn later on?" She asks, kicking one foot against the ground shyly. "I know you're busy and all helping Lord Sesshomaru, but—"
"Of course…" Jaken answers sleepily.
Rin perks up at that. "Really?!" She exclaims. "Yay! I'll go tell Kohaku! Now don't forget…" She says before skipping off into the woods again.
Jaken continues to sleep peacefully against the tree.
"Of course I'll always be here to serve you, mi'lord…" He finishes with a smile on his face.
….
"Is that what happened?" Jaken responded, thinking thoughtfully over the events. He honestly couldn't remember any of what Rin had explained ever happening. Only that he might've taken a short nap while he was supposedly surveying the area for traces of Naraku's whereabouts. But he would never admit that aloud.
'Imagine what would happen if Lord Sesshomaru ever found out that I, his faithful servant, had been sleeping on the job…why, I could kiss my seat right next to Lord Sesshomaru goodbye if word ever got out about it…' he thought, nervously. He had nightmares just thinking about it. No, if he were to keep his position as second-in-command, no one would ever know what went down in the forest today. Especially not that Kagura woman. She'd go blabbing his business any chance she got if she knew.
"Of course it is! I would never lie." Rin protested.
Jaken sighed. As much as he hated tagging along with these humans, he might as well just learn to suck it up now because it could always be a whole lot worse.
"Fine…as promised, I shall help you look after Ah-Uhn." He conceded.
She grinned. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's hurry and meet up with Kohaku and the others!" She exclaimed, already dragging him along.
"Wha—? Others?!" Jaken said, gulping. He didn't like the sound of that one bit.
When Rin had finally stopped pulling Jaken, he was surprised to find everyone together with Ah-Uhn.
"Err…what's going on?" He asked, scratching his bald head.
"What does it look like? We're all here for some party again?" Kagura suggested sarcastically. "Sesshomaru seems to think it would be wise for all of us to stay together since Naraku is bound to come looking for Kohaku's shard soon. Huh. Selfless call for such a withdrawn character, eh Sesshomaru?" She mocked, looking up to see his reaction.
"Hmph." were the only words to escape Sesshomaru's lips. He had been sitting in a tree with one leg drawn up to his chest while the other hung loosely beneath him. His eyes were averted somewhere else, his body completely detached from the conversation.
A small smirk played across Kagura's face before Jaken's voice interrupted again.
"…As a matter of fact, Kagura, Lord Sesshomaru is the most selfless person I know. Why, I do recall him being the one to save your life as well when you were at death's door from Naraku's miasma." He stated, matter-of-factly.
"That's right! And he saved my life twice, and Kohaku's when we were in the Underworld," Rin chimed in.
"And he's saved mine many times from that Kajinbo fellow, that Yokai leader many years ago, the time I got poisoned from that wasp…" Jaken recounted on his fingers.
"Alright already. I get it. Sesshomaru's a real hero. He saves so many lives at the drop of a hat that it puts Prince Charming to shame." Kagura summarized casually.
"And don't you forget it!" Jaken said, waving his staff at her.
"No need to convince me. I'm already a fan. I am on his team after all." Kagura said, confidently. "Sesshomaru's the only one capable of destroying Naraku."
Jaken gaped. 'Such blatant praise…' he thought.
Hearing her words, Sesshomaru just smirked.
Meanwhile, Rin smiled cheerfully. It was no surprise to her that Kagura seemed to care a great deal about Sesshomaru.
Kohaku just sat, watching the events unfold with Ah-Uhn.
Suddenly, everyone's expression, excluding Ah-Uhn, Jaken, and, Rin, quickly turned grim. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, shifting to the right. Buzzing nearby were two familiar insects hovering in the sky.
Kagura took her fan out from her kimono. "Them again…I'll handle it," She said, preparing to launch two of her wind blades at the creatures.
"That won't be necessary," Sesshomaru simply said, before the tiny insects began to fly off.
"Look! They're getting away!" Kohaku pointed out as Sesshomaru quickly followed in pursuit.
'Now's my chance,' Kohaku thought, attempting to run after him, but was thwarted by an arm outstretched in front of him. He looked up to see Kagura standing before him, her presence preventing him from going any further.
"Hold it!" Kagura said. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going after him!" He answered. "I have to see what Naraku's up to."
"No. You stay here. If I know Naraku, he'll be more interested in getting hold of your shard than dealing with the likes of Sesshomaru." She responded.
"That's fine with me. The closer he is, the closer I am of defeating Naraku."
"You fool! Have you learned nothing from what's been happening?!" She shouted. "If you go after Naraku now, you'll only be getting in Sesshomaru's way. Naraku's main objective is getting hold of your shard. The closer you are to him, the easier it'll be for Naraku to take that shard away from you. Did you forget the last time he tried to control you?"
"I…I know, but I have to try," He responded, thoughtfully, "I still think I can get him. I don't think he's able to gain hold of my shard just yet. Almost like there's something's preventing him from reaching it…"
She scoffed. "Hmph. There's no use continuing on with your petty imaginations. Even if something were preventing him from taking it, what makes you think Naraku won't find a way around it?"
For a moment, Kohaku just stood there in silence, contemplating her words. "…if he does, then I'll be ready for him."
"It's useless!" Kagura argued. "You have no idea what Naraku is capable of. He'll use you to kill your own flesh and blood! Are you prepared to risk the lives of even the ones you care about?"
"Now, you listen here, Kagura-" the imp tried to cut in.
"Shut up! I've heard enough out of you!" She shouted. She turned back to Kohaku. "Meanwhile Kohaku, what will it be? Will you risk endangering us all by chasing after Naraku or will you end all our troubles by putting these ridiculous thoughts about gaining the upper hand to rest?" She inquired.
He looked down. "It's…not an easy decision." He stated solemnly. He looked back up, placing his hand over his heart in an attempt to reach her, to make her see his viewpoint. "Believe me, Kagura, I understand the danger of facing Naraku. But this is something I have to do. My sister—"
"Forget I ever said anything." She responded quickly, cutting him off. She turned around, no longer facing him. "Go. Go and make your futile attempt at facing Naraku, but know that the end result will always be the same. You'll die. I won't be blamed for anything I didn't cause. Goodbye."
With that, she began to walk away.
"Kagura, wait!" Kohaku called after her. But it was too late. She was already gone.
He took one last glance in the direction she went before heading in the opposite direction.
"I'm…sorry…" were the last words he uttered.
Jaken just blinked. What just happened?
He heard some shuffling in the background. He looked behind him and saw Rin take hold of Ah-Uhn's strings.
"Hm? What are you up to, Rin?" he asked.
"Come on, Master Jaken. We have to follow him. Didn't you hear what they said? Kohaku will be in trouble if he goes alone. We can't let that evil man get ahold of him again," She responded, already walking past him with Ah-Uhn not too far behind.
Jaken closed his eyes and shook his head. "Hmph. You weak mortals with your ridiculous morality. If we demons shared the same level of mentality, we wouldn't survive past a day." He boasted.
He opened his eyes and saw that he was alone.
"Ack! Wait up, Rin! Don't leave me!' He shouted, running into the forest after her.
Heading in the opposite direction, Kagura wandered aimlessly through the woods, trying to get her mind off of her earlier argument with Kohaku.
'Fine then. If he's so eager to die by Naraku's hands, then I see no reason why I should stick around and postpone the inevitable.' She paused, looking up at the sky. "It's not like it matters anyways. In the end, that bastard always gets what he wants."
"So you've finally come to the right conclusion. You understand there can only be one definite ending. That of course being the death of Kohaku…" A voice said.
Her eyes widened. She quickly pulled out her fan. 'That voice…' She thought.
"Why don't you come out and face me like a man?" She commanded, her crimson orbs darting around for any signs of a figure. "Or do you prefer I do the scouting for you? I like a good challenge."
A man's laughter could be heard all throughout the forest. "Oh, don't worry. I'll come to you." He said.
Suddenly, several swords came flying in her direction. She smirked. "Feh. Is that the best you can do? I can manipulate the wind's direction. " She said. "Dance of the dragon!"
Two whirlwinds moved adjacently in front of her. She intended to use her winds as a barrier between her and the swords. However, she soon began to discover that these were not just ordinary swords. To her shock, a blue aura surrounded the perimeter of the swords as they cut straight through the whirlwinds and were now spiraling directly towards her.
'I can't avoid them…I've…lost…' She thought as she awaited her impending doom.
She watched as the swords sliced straight through her body, her waist, arms, and legs being detached from her body, piece-by-piece. Her eyes widened, her mouth agape, with only a fleeting image of Sesshomaru before being plunged into a dark abyss.
A deeper voice from the one earlier spoke. "How unfortunate that she was defeated so easily…Kagura of the Wind…"
Several yards away, Kohaku stood over a heap of severed demons on the ground.
'No sign of Naraku yet, but by the looks of these demons he sent after me, I gather he's not too far away.' He thought. 'I should get going.' He started to move, but a girl's voice startled him.
"Kohaku!" She called.
"What?! Is that…Rin?" He asked in surprise.
Sure enough, he saw a giant double-headed dragon demon carrying a familiar human girl and a green imp in the distance. The voice grew louder as they neared his vicinity.
"Kohaku!" Rin called out again, waving.
A few short minutes later, they landed next to Kohaku.
"Rin! What are you guys doing here?" He asked, still in shock.
Rin immediately got off the dragon demon and tackled Kohaku with a bear hug. He blushed, looking off to the side, embarrassed.
"I was so worried! I was afraid Naraku had gotten you so we came here to make sure you were okay." She explained, looking up into his brown eyes.
His shade of red grew deeper. "Rin…I mean," he stammered, putting his hands on her shoulders to make her understand. "You have to go back. You can't stay here. It's too dangerous."
"But, what about you, Kohaku?" She asked.
"I'll be fine." Kohaku reassured. "Now hurry! There could be demons lurking about."
Jaken got off Ah-Uhn. He looked tired. "Er, have you seen Lord Sesshomaru, by any chance?"
Kohaku shook his head. "No, I haven't encountered him yet. I was a little distracted by these guys over here." He said, pointing to the pile of severed demons.
He sighed. "It figures. I'm always the one to get stuck babysitting these humans all the time." He muttered, more to himself.
"Um, excuse me." Kohaku interjected, rubbing his head. "If it's not too much trouble, can you please escort Rin back to camp?"
"Now, you listen here, Kohaku. I may seem like a pushover when Lord Sesshomaru's around, but that doesn't mean I take orders from mere humans, let alone two small children. If I do say so, myself, I have to deal with a lot of trouble already with watching over you rapscalli—"
"Come with us, Kohaku!" Rin cut in.
"Hey! You listen to me when I am—" Jaken shouted, waving his stick angrily.
"I can't…" Kohaku responded to Rin's invitation. "There's something I must do first."
"I mean it! You two are messing with the wrong—" Jaken tried to continue, but was ignored yet again.
"But you'll be in danger!" Rin exclaimed.
Jaken sulked. 'I just can't get any respect nowadays…'
Kohaku gave a small smile. "Don't worry about me, Rin. I—" he stopped, pulling out his sickle from behind him. His face grew serious.
Rin blinked. "What's wrong?"
"Don't move. We're surrounded."
Suddenly, a whole slew of lizard, centipede, spider, alligator, boar, and moth demons emerged from the trees. The ground started to shake and trees rustled as a giant one-eyed ogre stepped out of the trees that reached his waist. In his hands, he carried a wooden club with spikes coming out of it. He looked down on four tiny dots and bellowed out. "Kohaku, we know you have it! Give it to us! Give us the shiiiiiiiiiiikkkkkooooon!"
Kohaku spun the sickle and chain around, contemplating his next attack. His eyes shifted to Rin and Jaken. "I'll try to hold them off while you two escape on Ah-Uhn."
"But—" Rin tried to protest.
"Go!" He yelled, throwing the sickle at an approaching lizard. It disintegrated on contact. A spider demon jumped on his back, knocking him to the ground with its legs feeling for the jewel shard in his back.
"Kohaku!" Rin gasped.
Jaken used the old man's head on his staff to get rid of the spider with fire. The Spider disintegrated on impact.
"Thanks," Kohaku said, as he got up.
Meanwhile, swarms were still approaching them when the ground started shaking as the ogre took a step closer.
"Look out!" Kohaku shouted, before grabbing Rin and Jaken as a giant club impacted the ground. The ogre laughed as it tried to play wack-a-mole with them as he formed giant craters in the ground with each impact, the force of which caused a thunderous booming sound to pervade the area.
The surrounding demons were on them in an instant, causing Kohaku, Rin, and Jaken to collide into the ground. The ogre demon's club hovered over the three of them right when Ah-Uhn breathed fire on the demons that had the three immobile. The three quickly hopped on Ah-Uhn with Rin in front, Kohaku in the middle, and Jaken in the back as they tried to make their get-a-way, dodging the ogre swinging its club like a baseball bat. They were almost in the clear when the wooden club suddenly collided with Ah-Uhn's side. Ah-Uhn groaned in pain as they were sent flying deeper into the woods and straight into a tree. All four lay motionless as the demons and giant ogre slowly approach the territory where they landed.
'I can't…move. My body…it won't respond.' Kagura's thoughts filtered into her mind. She opened her eyes slowly and noticed that she was in a small room dimly lit by two torches on either side of the walls. 'Where…am I?' She thought. 'Have I died?' She looked around the room and saw nothing but shadows. She smirked. "Heh. How ironic that even here I am forced into a secluded lifestyle. But really, I guess I expected nothing less than to wallow in my own self-pity for an eternity. This is…fate." As she tried to move her body, she realized that both her arms and legs were in shackles.
"What…what is this?!" She shouted, struggling to pull herself out of her chains.
"You're awake, I see." A sinister voice resounded in the room. "Did you enjoy your time on the outside?"
"Naraku," She spat, leveling him with a glare. "I should have known. This has you written all over it. What am I in for this time?"
"And don't forget me." Byakuya said, waving. "Hi there, remember me? The one who went through all the trouble of bringing you here?"
On reflex, she felt for her heart to make sure that it was there.
"Oh, not to worry. This isn't one of Byakuya's illusions like last time. This time, I assure you, the pain will be real." Naraku responded.
"Why don't you just get it over with already?" She questioned. "Anything's better than being forced to sit and stare at that ugly face of yours any longer."
A hand grasped hold of her neck in an instant. Kagura grimaced, her eyes shut tight, as she felt more pressure being applied to her throat.
"Be careful what you wish for," Naraku stated, his face settling into a deep frown. "I could rip your scrawny little throat out in an instant anytime I want." He dug his claws into her neck causing blood to trickle down her throat. She winced at the pain.
"But I won't," He said, releasing her throat and taking a step back. "Such a frivolous task wouldn't be worth the blood on my fingers."
Kagura coughed and sputtered, feeling relieved that she wouldn't be dying just yet.
"No, I have other things in store for you." He said, casually. "You now belong to me and thus, I have already decided, you will serve me once more. For I am your creator and it is your duty to obey my command."
Her head snapped up, her crimson eyes burning intensely into his. "Fuck you! You think I'm just some meek puppet that can be ordered around and controlled at your every whim?! Ha! I'd much rather die than serve the likes of a filthy half-breed such as yourself." She lashed out at him.
He narrowed his eyes. "Hmph. Half-breed, you say? Surely you must know that it is wise for you not to take me so lightly. Unless perhaps…you care for another reminder of what I'm capable of," He responded coolly. His eyes quickly averted to Byakuya's.
Byakuya came forth and removed one of his eyeballs from its socket. He released the eyeball from his fingertips, allowing it to hover above everyone in the room. The eyeball flashed an image of a battle going on between a large crystallized demon and a familiar half-demon.
The half-demon's bloodied arm hung limp as he weakly leaned against the hilt of his sword before the other demon. The crystallized demon, on the other hand, remained unscathed. Kagura watched as the half-demon charged into the larger demon, their swords clashing into each other.
Off to the side, she saw the Inu-gang watching the scene intently, their eyes never leaving the battlefield. Suddenly, something white caught her eyes. Standing behind the crystallized creature was a pale young girl dressed in a white kimono, her expression unreadable as she gazed listlessly at the two fighters. As far as Kagura noticed, nothing seemed out of the ordinary as she was already used to seeing Naraku make his minions do his work for him because after all, she used to be one of them. That is, until she observed Kanna's form a little more closely. There were small cracks running through Kanna's left shoulder. However, it was unknown to Kagura as to how she had acquired them.
'Kanna…' was the only thought that came to mind as she looked to her sister in sympathy. It seemed she wasn't the only one that was bound to Naraku's will. She turned to face Naraku once more as he slowly opened the palm of his hand to reveal a sapphire crystal. The crystal evoked an eerie glow, which shone across the corners of the dark chamber.
Kagura's eyes widened. 'That's…'
"You are aware of what this is, yes? It is the heart of your elder sibling." Naraku stated. His expression turned sinister. "Watch as I apply a little pressure to her delicate heart…" As promised, he began to crush the small crystallized stone. The stone shone brighter with cracks beginning to form across its center. Kagura eyes immediately averted over to the scene displayed in Byakuya's eyes. She watched in horror as the large cracks from Kanna's heart became inflicted into her sister, causing her left arm to break off and her right eye to be stained from the cracks. Small pieces of glass fell off from her body and the crystallized demon's body crashed into the ground, breaking apart. Kagura couldn't take it anymore. This had to stop now before her sister was killed.
"Enough! You're killing her! I'll do what you want." She shouted, casting a sharp glare in his direction.
Naraku didn't answer. His bangs covered his face as he squeezed even harder causing the heart to crumble from the pressure.
Small pieces of Kanna continued to fall off with a deep gash spreading across her torso that threated to split her in two. Her right leg broke off. Kanna was like a broken vase that was beyond repair. If Naraku didn't end this soon, she would die.
"Damn you, Naraku. Leave her out of this!" Kagura shrieked. "I won't disobey, you have my word." She shut her eyes tight, turning her face away. Tears began to trickle down her face. The next word she spoke surprised even her. "Please…" She pleaded softly.
A devious smile crept across his face as Naraku released the pressure he had on Kanna's heart. By now, the heart's size had decreased considerably. The heart receded back into his hand. Likewise, Byakuya's eye closed up and he regained hold of it once more, placing it back in its proper eye socket.
"My dear Kagura, I'm happy to see that we have reached an understanding. There will be no second chances. Defy me again and her life will reach an untimely demise." He stated.
She didn't look at him. She couldn't bear to face his ugly mug. "I don't understand. What could you possibly gain from killing Kanna when she has always remained faithful to you?" She questioned.
"Her purpose to me will soon expire. I have no need for any of her services any longer." He stated casually.
She narrowed her eyes as she stared off into a corner. 'Damn him. He's trying to write us all off, one by one.' She felt completely helpless. Once more, she was forced into doing another deed for the one person she couldn't stand and who just happened to be the bane of her existence. She would never be free.
She turned her face to him once more.
"What plan do you have for me this time, master?" She said, feigning compliance. Her eyes and her voice spoke two different meanings.
"I want you to follow through with the first mission Moryoumaru had assigned to you. I want you to steal Kohaku's shard. Do so and I promise not to lay a single finger or injure her heart in any way. She will be free," He assured. Kagura could have scoffed at his words. Free? To her, there was no such thing as freedom. She now understood that only in death could one truly be free.
He continued. "I believe you know the stakes of not complaining with the task I have given you."
Kagura frowned. 'So, he wants to use me to gain Kohaku's shard. But…why does Naraku need me to be the one to do it? He could always just assign a thoughtless slave like Byakuya or even Kanna or himself to do it. Taking Kohaku's shard shouldn't be such a major feat. Unless...unless he needs me to do it.'
She remembered Kohaku's words: '…I don't think he's able to gain hold of my shard just yet. Almost like there's something's preventing him from reaching it…'
Her eyes widened. 'Something is stopping Naraku from taking Kohaku's shard. Or rather...someone. And who else has that power but that timeless wench Kikyo?'
"How very interesting, Naraku." she replied with a smirk. "Am I to gather by the way you're plotting that the all-powerful Naraku is a coward after all?"
The smile fell from his face.
"After all, you don't need me to steal Kohaku's shard for you, do you? You can do it yourself, if you want it that badly. Or...you can send that slave over there to do it for you." She carried on, her mocking voice full of amusement.
She waited a couple of moments to hear objections, but none came.
She feigned surprise. "What? No takers? Then am I to assume that you actually need me, a lowly servant, to carry out this plan that you can't do it by yourself because you're afraid that a human woman's powers stand in the way of you getting to it?' she asked. "It seems that you care for your own life, more than I first thought. In that case, maybe I should simply refuse and see if you can prove me wrong?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.
"Oh and before you try to silence me by threatening my sister's life like the coward you are, I realize now that you are unable to kill Kanna because without Kanna, I am no longer tied to you. You need me to carry out this plan of yours. After all, you can't send Kanna or that fool over there to do your bidding, can you? They are still bound to you and doing so would surely mean death to you. Isn't that right, Naraku?"
He was silent, clearly thinking.
She laughed. "What's wrong, Naraku? Cat got your tongue? Afraid to see your plans to manipulate me fail so soon?"
'Hm, maybe I can have my freedom after all…' she thought with a smirk.
Her heart stopped when he suddenly started laughing.
"Hehehe...I'm surprised. When Byakuya mentioned that you are far more intelligent than you seemed, I thought he was merely exaggerating. However, it seems your recent pleasurable escapades with Sesshomaru have allowed you to see more clearly through my schemes."
"This has nothing to do with that." she responded firmly.
"Nonetheless, it's a shame you couldn't offer those same words of wisdom you were rattling off earlier to Sesshomaru as it seems he needed them more than you." he said, knowing full well that mentioning Sesshomaru's name would get her attention.
Byakuya laughed, showing an image of Sesshomaru battling numerous demons in the forest through his detached eyeball. "I was surprised to see him walk right into it. The fool. It seems he couldn't see through the ruse quite as clearly as you did." He said.
Kagura's eyes widened. 'The Saimyosho...' she thought, recalling Sesshomaru chasing after the two insects.
"As you are probably aware by now, those three other companions you were traveling with got caught in my trap as well." Naraku stated with a smirk.
The eyeball flashed an image of an imp, a young girl, and a young boy lying lifelessly on the ground with small vines slowly covering their bodies.
"Do you like it? It's a similar illusion that you were under before except this one's a bit classier." Byakuya stated. "Unless the three realize that they've all been victims of my vine illusion, they will die when the vines slowly pierce into their souls and suck the precious life out of each one of them. Oh and the vines are hard to get rid of. If you cut one of them, more will follow in its place, killing them at an even faster rate."
Naraku cut in. "But you can end this. Dear Kagura, you know exactly what you must do. Kohaku's shard is the one in which the vines are reacting to. Remove the shard and all three will be free of the vines. Kohaku will die instantly, but you will have saved the lives of your two companions and your sibling."
Kagura shook her head, defiantly. "As if I would believe your lies! Even if I were to carry out this little task of yours, how do I know that you won't just off Kanna and the others as you almost did me?!"
"Now, now, Kagura...I suggest you think it over more carefully before you make your final decision. Will you honestly risk the life of your precious sibling and fellow companions all because of some mere trust issues?" he asked. "And do know that I always keep my promises. You are free, are you not?" he responded calmly.
"You have me in chains!" She fumed.
"And yet you remain alive and well..." he pointed out.
"Damn you!" She shouted, lunging at him, but was held back by the chains.
"One hour." he stated
"What?!" She shouted angrily. She was sick of Naraku and his pathetic attempts at games.
"You have one hour before the vines steal the souls of your companions and by then, it will be too late to save them." Naraku answered.
"And if I refuse? You can't make me after all," she asked
Both he and Byakuya laughed, their voices and their bodies distorting slowly with the objects around them.
"I think we both know what'll happen if you choose to refuse my offer...now go forth, my child, and take Kohaku's shard." Naraku said.
And just like that, the voices disappeared and she was no longer in the chamber. She was sitting down on her knees in the forest.
Kagura blinked as the sunlight in the trees shone into her eyes.
She thought of Naraku's final words: "One hour. You have one hour before the vines steal the souls of your companions…"
'Damn him...it figures that even when I think I finally have severed ties with Naraku, he still has a way of weaving himself right back into my life.' she thought. She sighed, picking up her fan. "I'll never be free of him..."
With that, she got up and started heading towards the direction Kohaku went after their argument.
"Look Inuyasha! Something's happened to Kanna!" Kagome shouted, pointing to the bent-out-of-shape girl before her.
"You're right…" Inuyasha agreed, now kneeling on the ground. It was getting harder to stand with his injuries.
"This has Naraku written all over it," Sango concluded.
"Perhaps so…." Miroku replied. "I wouldn't doubt that someone like him could do something as underhanded as going against his own incarnations. Remember how it was with Hakudoshi?"
"Yeah…but the question is why would Naraku attack his own incarnations? What could he possibly gain from it?" Inuyasha thought aloud.
"Do you think it's a trap?" Kagome asked, looking to Miroku.
"It's possible…after all, he didn't even have the time to finish the job. He could be plotting for us to take Kanna in and get close enough just so that he can order her to strike when we're least expecting it; much like he did with Sango's kid brother." Miroku theorized.
"If that's the case, then there's really only one way to find out. We have to ask Kanna." Sango answered.
"You hear that?!" Inuyasha shouted in Kanna's direction. "We want to know why Naraku attacked you so start talking." He pointed his Tetseiga at her.
Kanna didn't respond. Instead, her body shone with a blue aura. Likewise, the mirror demon also shone with a blue aura and suddenly the broken pieces of the mirror demon began to move. The pieces of the mirror demon began regenerating.
"What's happening?" Kagome asked in fear.
"I don't know, but stand back. I think she's ready for another round." Inuyasha said, rising up and leaning against his sword weakly.
"But you can't! Inuyasha, you're in no condition to fight anymore!" Kagome asserted, standing in front of him.
"Out of my way. We still have a score to settle, demon to demon." Inuyasha shouted, pushing past her.
"Kagome's right, Inuyasha. For now, I think it would be wise for us to retreat until we've all had enough time to recuperate." Miroku stated.
"Besides, we don't even know how to defeat this thing," Sango said.
The mirror demon rose to its feet, standing just as intimidatingly as it did before with its large Tetseiga in hand. With one hand, the mirror demon picked up the badly injured Kanna and put her on his shoulder.
"Go," Kanna commanded.
With that, the mirror demon raised its sword, preparing for its next attack. The Tetseiga crystallized.
"Oh no, it's preparing for the adamant barrage!" Miroku yelled. "We have to leave now!"
"Quick! Get on!" Sango shouted to everyone while she rode on Kirara. Everyone quickly obeyed and Kirara was off.
The mirror demon launched its attack, but it narrowly missed the gang.
Kanna and the mirror demon were left standing idly in the field.
….
The Inuyasha gang sought refuge in a cave. Using his powers, Miroku had erected a barrier to prevent any demons from coming in as they tried to recover and plan out their next strategy for facing Kanna.
….
Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was busy fighting a slew of demons in the forest. However, he thought it strange that no matter how many times and no matter what amount of demons he destroyed, they seemed to regenerate and come back relentlessly. He was also becoming increasingly aware of the fact that the demons did not vary; they were the same every time. As proof, a red dragon that he had slaughtered only moments ago suddenly reappeared before him with the same attack that had caused its demise previously. Demons that disintegrate don't usually regenerate on their own without another force controlling them.
He finally decided that he was through with this tiresome game. He stared hard at the demons charging for him and stood his ground. He saw the image of the demons flicker for an instant and then he knew.
"An illusion, is it?" He asked. "Heh. Does Naraku truly think that some inferior trap of his can fool this Sesshomaru?"
He took out his Tenseiga and sliced through the illusion. Everything returned to its normal state.
He smirked, slipping his Tenseiga back in its sheath. "Heh. Mere child's play."
With that, he proceeded towards camp.
A distance away, Kagura trudged through the forest until she caught sight of her three unconscious companions covered in vines against a tree. She removed a fan from her kimono. She walked over to Kohaku and stood over him.
"Dance of Blades!" She said, launching two wind blades from her fan. The wind blades cut through the vines instantly and Kohaku was left lying face-down on the forest floor. Kohaku's shard shone brightly before her.
"Forgive me, Kohaku, but I can't let allow you to live any longer." She said, regretfully before hesitantly reaching for his shard.
Suddenly, she sensed something heading in her direction. She jumped out of the way at the last minute right as powerful crystals shot past her, paving a path through the forest, once occupied by trees.
She looked beside her and couldn't believe her eyes.
"Kanna?!" She exclaimed.
Sure enough, her sister was standing on top of a crystallized creature's shoulders. Her face was neutral.
"Kagura." She stated plainly.
Author's Notes: What? Kanna is defending Kohaku? Oh, how the tides are turning….
Next chapter: Kagura will have to make an important decision between saving her sibling and killing Kohaku once and for all.
Stay tuned for next time!
And as always, reviews are appreciated! :D