Authors Note.
Sorry about the delay -- I know this is taking a very long time. I have the next chapter almost written -- just one more scene. I hope you all can wait another week or so. Thank you all for reading.
"This will end today, and then we can all begin to heal." Kagome glanced back over her shoulder, focusing her gaze on Kouga. He had come to during the conversation, and his gaze, leveled in the trio, was troubled.
"You owe them your life, Kouga. Think on what you have heard, we will talk when the battle is over. If you feel well enough they need your help at the main castle." Kagome disappeared into the forest with her two companions, and the ookami stared after them in the silence of the forest, the sounds of battle and screams of pain carrying to him from a distance.
Kagome gritted her teeth in frustration. She wanted to go help the others, but she could not. She had trained for months for this moment – months, and she knew that it was not yet the time. She helped when she could, sending her powers out to purify demons, but as she watched the battle she ached to do more. She made sure that her friends were safe, Kagura and Kanna by her side silently watching, but it was not time yet. Naraku stood on the roof, observing the battle, and her friends seemed to be winning. It was a false sense of security since she knew that could not be all he was capable of.
Kagome strangled her gasp as she saw tentacles burst forth from Naraku, watching then weave through the demons towards her friends. She threw her miko purification though the host of demons, towards the tentacles, but she knew that she would not be in time.
Naraku chuckled as silence settles over the battle field. Sesshoumaru stared down at his side, blinking in confusion, a tentacle puncturing his side. How was this possible, no one should be able to strike the taiyoukai – no one. Sesshoumaru glanced to Inuyasha, and saw him collapsed on the ground, the tentacle running though his thigh. Kikyo was kneeling at his side and Naraku sneered.
"Your loyalties are thin as always, Kikyo."
"You are mistaken, Naraku. My loyalty is where is always should have been, and where it will remain now. Against you." Kikyo pulled out a knife and cut the tentacle that pierced Inuyasha's leg away. Naraku didn't make a sign that the motion hurt, and he stepped to the side as Sesshoumaru flashed to his side, a hand around his neck.
"No one dares touch this Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru dug his claws into Naraku's neck, and the hanyou smiled.
"You think it would be that easy to defeat me."
Kagome stiffened at the words and threw a shield up. Kagura and Kanna stiffened at the sudden surge of power, and Kagome stood as she heard Naraku chuckle.
"I am quite impressed, Kagome. You managed to turn my own offspring against me. And you have been orchestrating things from behind the scenes. You cannot believe that I would leave you alone here to meddle with things? I want the shikon no tama, and I will allow nothing to impede me in this. I will defeat you, and then I will have you, and when I am done with you I will toss you away. I will rule the world, and you will be nothing but an after thought."
"You are quite certain of your victory."
"You may appear strong now, but you are weak. Kikyo did not transfer her powers over to you. And I have the shikon no tama; there is no way for you to defeat me."
Kagome smiled, and Naraku stiffened. It wasn't a Kagome smile that adorned her face; it was a Sesshoumaru smile. Naraku shifted in place with a frown.
"Kagura, Kanna, please do not interfere, this is my battle." Kagome smiled slightly. "And when they notice, please try and keep them from interfering as well. Especially him."
"We will do our best, Miko-sama." Kanna's voice was soft and Kagome nodded her thanks as she pulled two long knives from her armor.
"Shall we begin, Naraku?" Kagome smiled and in a flash Naraku was advancing towards her.
It did not take long for the rest of the group to notice that Kagome was fighting Naraku. Sesshoumaru was the first to notice, after he destroyed the Naraku puppet, driving his clawed fist into the puppet and smiling as the puppet dissolved around his hand. Sesshoumaru turned and surveyed the battle below him. Kikyo was protecting Inuyasha while he bandaged his leg enough to stop the bleeding while it healed on its own. Kirara and the slayer were holding their own, a few scratches and wounds evident on their bodies. The monk, seeming safe from Naraku's samiyoushou, was using his wind tunnel to take care of the demons around him. This battle was too easy. Sesshoumaru frowned as he heard fighting from outside the castle, and when he saw Naraku fighting Kagome he growled. His jaki began to rise, and Inuyasha and Kikyo's gazes were drawn to the rooftop.
"Idiot miko." Sesshoumaru growled, easily jumping to the ground. He was irritated, to put it mildly. Kagome was outside fighting the real Naraku, while he was here playing with puppets. A puppet who had somehow managed to injure this Sesshoumaru. He was supposed to be aiding her in this fight, and she was battling without him.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, what is it that bothers you?" Kikyo appeared beside the taiyoukai, and he paused for a moment.
"Kagome is fighting Naraku." He continued walking, and Kikyo gaped after him.
"Was this her plan all along? Was this what her training lead her to?"
Sesshoumaru could hear Kikyo's soft murmur and growled.
The audacity of the shikon miko – if she dared.
Sesshoumaru strode towards the gates to the castle with purpose and frowned as Kanna and Kagura came to meet him.
"My apologies, Sesshoumaru-sama. The miko-sama requested that you let her handle this on her own. She knows that you will not be pleased but this is what she asked." Kagura did not meet Sesshoumaru's gaze, something uncharacteristic for the wind youkai and he frowned.
"Why do you not look at me?"
"You will be displeased with the current turn of events. Kagome-sama placed a barrier on the entrance, to be activated when we entered. It appears that Naraku did so as well, to make sure that no one can interfere."
"Naraku's interference is unanticipated, but it was not unexpected." Kanna's voice was soft. "Naraku is not done with you all in here. We should prepare for battle."
Kagura nodded. "He will strike while he believes you all are distracted by Kagome."
Kagura moved away from Sesshoumaru and Kanna followed. They could feel his jaki rise, and they knew he was not pleased.
Naraku chuckled as he watched Sesshoumaru advance towards the entrance. He had maneuvered the fighting so that he and Kagome fought in front of the gate, in plain view of her friends. He would defeat her there, where they all could see. It would please him greatly to demoralize her friends so, to destroy them one last time in his victory. The taiyoukai especially needed a blow to his pride. He was only there, Naraku was certain, because of some sense of duty to the miko.
"So tell me, Kagome—" Naraku smiled, a smile that would bring chills to even the most composed individuals, "how did you manage to acquire the loyalty of the taiyoukai?" As Naraku spoke he sent tentacles flying at Kagome, which she easily sliced away with her blades.
"What services did you have to perform to convince him that you were worthy of his attentions?" Naraku vanished and appeared behind Kagome. She didn't flinch but slammed the blades behind her back before spinning to face Naraku.
He had avoided the blades but only barely.
"I am impressed, miko. It seems I will not be able to toy with you as I would have liked. If the services you offered him were anywhere near as good as the finesse you have exhibited in battle I can understand why Sesshoumaru is so upset that you are out here with me—alone."
Naraku lunged at Kagome, leaping high into the air. He would attack from above her. As he sent his tentacles flying at her he frowned as he saw that she didn't even move; her gaze was locked on the taiyoukai at the gate.
Naraku cursed as his tentacles slammed into a barrier and hissed as they were purified. He quickly jumped away from Kagome. He didn't know how she did it, but this purification was different. It was traveling up the tentacles that he had sent at her and was spreading.
Growling, Naraku pulled a knife from his side and sliced off the offending tentacles.
"I am not pleased with you, miko."
Kagome laughed.
"You aren't supposed to be pleased with me, Naraku. You are supposed to die at my hand. The shikon no miko has a duty to destroy all things that stand between her and the protection and purity of the shikon no tama. You are that thing, and as such, you will die." Kagome gave another cold smile and Naraku growled.
"Woman, where did you learn such a smile?"
"From those whom I trained with." Kagome turned her gaze back to Sesshoumaru.
"I asked for your assistance in this battle, Sesshoumaru, not your assistance in this particular battle. This is my duty and mine alone." Kagome turned to face Naraku.
"Please go fight the battle that faces you now, and leave me to the battle that faces me." She looked over her shoulder and spoke softly, so Naraku could not hear. "I promise you have prepared me well for this battle, Sesshoumaru. You agreed to help in this battle because I asked you to. Will you not do as I ask now?"
Sesshoumaru did not answer as Kagome turned back to face Naraku, the barrier and her body falling away, and he growled, slamming his fist into the barriers that both she and Naraku had erected. He didn't flinch as his hand blistered but growled again.
"We will discuss this after the battle, miko. Make sure that you survive." Sesshoumaru spun on his heel and walked back to the battle and had to see this surprise that Naraku had in store for them.
"Now then, we can get back to the matter at hand." Naraku smirked and Kagome smiled in return.
"If you wish to meet your demise all the faster."
Kagome shifted, focusing her energy into her hands. It was time that she used her training. Kagome crossed the blades in front of her, so they formed an x, and soon the sound of metal on metal was heard as she separated the blades, flinging beams of purification at Naraku. She watched him tense, and as he leapt to the left she moved in to attack, following the rapid movements of the hanyou with a speed no one knew she possessed.
No one should have been surprised when Kohaku appeared on the roof, close to where the Naraku puppet had been. He has said that he a surprise in store for them, but all seemed hesitant to think of Kohaku as the only surprise. What was surprising, however, were the two figures that he had with him. As Kohaku appeared on the roof, the rattle of a chain sounded behind him. As he came into focus it became clear that he dragged two figures behind him, in chains. The group had been fighting off minor demons until this point, Kagura and Kanna slipping seamlessly into the battle beside them, but battle seemed to pause as Inuyasha and company took in Kohaku's figure. Behind him, bound and gagged, were Rin and Shippou.
Sesshoumaru growled, snarling at the figure on the roof, while Sango gasped. She could not believe it – she would not believe it. There was no way that Kohaku would have both Rin and Shippou. There was no way that Kohaku would do something like this.
"Kohaku!" Sango screamed, running for Kirara, who landed beside her. Before anyone could move Sango had mounted Kirara, and the pair were flying towards the roof.
Sesshoumaru growled again, his hands clenching, his eyes bleeding red. "How dare he touch that which is this Sesshoumaru's."
Kikyo frantically tried to contact Kagome, using their joined souls as a conduit, but Kagome was slow in responding.
Kagome, Kohaku just appeared, with Rin and Shippou.
Impossible. Was Kagome's reply. I will check it out though.
Kagome only barely dodged an attack from Naraku.
"It seems they have discovered my surprise." Naraku smiled as Sango's scream carried to his ears. "Everything is going according to plan."
"I will make sure that they know of your deception."
"Kukukuku – how do you know it is a deception, dear miko?"
Kagome laughed. "I have taken measures to protect that which is mine. I know that you do not have Rin or Shippou." She smiled and Naraku chuckled.
"You seem so sure – how can you know? A mere ningen cannot monitor two children in the midst of battle."
"Perhaps not a mere ningen, but you forget that I am the shikon no miko." Kagome smiled and darted past Naraku, slipping into the depths of the forest, her aura fading to undetectable. Her voice in a whisper carried back to Naraku.
"Don't go anywhere; I will be back in a moment."
Kagome settled against a nearby tree, her eyes closing. A barrier began to glow around her, and she knew that Naraku would come, but she needed her powers at this moment, and she would be protected while she used them.
Shippou?
It did not take the kit long to respond.
Kagome—how?
It does not matter. Naraku has set up a deception. Kohaku has dragged you and Rin into the battle in chains. Is this true?
No, Rin and I are safe where we are. Ah-Uhn sits in front of the door to the hut making sure that none but Kaede and Jaken enter or leave.
Good – take care.
Kagome cut oft the conversation and reached her powers out to the other amulet.
Rin-chan?
Hai, Kagome-nee-san?
Naraku is playing a trick on Sesshoumaru-sama. He is trying to make Sesshoumaru so mad that he will loose control – I need you to help me, ok?
Hai.
Sesshoumaru leapt onto the roof in one motion.
"Boy, you will release that which belongs to this Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru advanced on Kohaku, pausing slightly when the chain around her neck tightened. She whimpered and his eyes bled redder still.
"NO!" Sango leapt off of Kirara and landed in front of Sesshoumaru. "He is my brother, you can't"
"He has taken what is mine. He will die. Move now or I will—"
"It is a trick, Sesshoumaru!" Kikyo called out, her voice frantic. She did not want harm coming to Sango, and if Sesshoumaru was to hurt Sango, that would be a severe violation of his vow to aid in this battle. He had given his word to Kagome, at the moment that superseded his own devotion to his pack. "You promised you would help and protect us. Your vow to Kagome—"
"Rin—"
"Is inconsequential right now." Sango growled out.
"Woman—" Sesshoumaru moved forward, his claws dripping with poison, and to Sango's credit she did not flinch.
Sesshoumaru, do you not have any faith in my ability to protect Rin and Shippou?
What do you want, miko? I am in the middle of something!
There is someone that I think you should talk to. What you are seeing is an illusion, nothing more.
She smells of Rin, and he smells of the kit. They are real.
Trust me…
Sesshoumaru-sama!
Rin?
Rin and Shippou are coloring. Ah-Unh wont let us outside to go play, but Kaede-oba-san says that we need to stay inside until you and Kagome-nee-chan come back. I wanted to make some flowers—
Rin. Silence.
My thanks, miko. I will destroy the illusions, and I will allow the slayer to live. Her life was almost forfeit for standing between me and mine.
Sesshoumaru smiled at Sango. "Thank the miko later." Sesshoumaru leapt over Sango, his claws dripping poison. Sango spun around, a scream tearing from her throat as Sesshoumaru slashed at the figures behind her. Kohaku dodged his claws, but Shippou and Rin were not spared. As his claws sliced them the illusion fell, and two demons were revealed, before they disintegrated.
"Naraku will need better tricks that that to defeat me."
"It was almost enough." Kohaku's voice was dull, and it sounded more of Naraku than of the boy.
"If Kagome isn't keeping you busy enough I will come finish things." Sesshoumaru growled and Kohaku laughed.
"Kukuku. My pretty miko just scampered off into the woods. It seems we are playing hide and seek. She is such an enjoyable little thing. I really will enjoy having her as a plaything." Kohaku chuckled. "There is more planned, so take care."
Kohaku leapt off the roof, landing easily on the ground. He advanced towards the group, moving through the crowd of demons that attacked with renewed fervor.
"Kohaku!" Sango leapt off the room, landing on Kirara, who conveyed her safely to the ground. "Kohaku, stop!" The cry wrenched from Sango's lips as his kusarigama flew though the demons towards Miroku, slicing all those in its path.
"Miro—" Sango's cry was cut short as Kohaku whirled around, the kusarigama changing directions, slicing back towards Sango.
Kirara moved to change directions, trying to protect her mistress, but Sango slipped off her back and the sickening sound of blade though flesh could be heard as the kusarigama struck Sango's shoulder. She had enough training in battle to not allow it to strike her torso, but the wound was significant. In an instant Kohaku was as Sango's side, the chain on his weapon around her neck.
"Surrender or she will die."
Kagome leapt at Naraku, her sword flashing through the air. He easily sidestepped, his elbow flying back in an attempt to hit the miko.
"Did you miss me?" Kagome smiled as she asked, easily twirling out of the way of the attack. "Stop playing games, Naraku. We both know that you will need more than you are showing to defeat me."
"You assume that you have the skills needed." Kagome smiled, waving her hand at Naraku. She smiled as he cursed slightly, her miko energy once again beginning to purify them.
"What did you?"
Kagome chuckled. "A miko ninja is a very unique thing. They have a lot to teach. Now shall we get down to business or are we going to continue to play?"
"As the lady desires."
None of the group moved as Kohaku pressed the blade into Sango's throat, blood flowing down the blade and dripping on the ground.
"Kohaku—" Sango choked out, tears welling in her eyes. "Otouto—" She choked on the word as he pushed the blade harder into her neck.
"Surrender what?" Kikyo's voice was soft and Kohaku glanced up to her, his eyes blank.
"The shikon no tama. The shikon no tama for her life."
"We do not have it."
"Then she dies."
"You would kill your sister?" Sesshoumaru's voice was even.
"I have no sister."
"You have a sister. You had a family, but you killed them. You would kill the last one?" Sesshoumaru snarled at Kohaku, and the blank look in the boy's eyes flickered for a moment.
"The shikon or she dies."
"Sango – we have to—" Kikyo's voice was soft.
"I don't—" Tears streamed down her face, and she sagged against Kohaku, forcing her brother to change his grip on his weapon.
Sango locked eyes with Kikyo and nodded slightly, her eyes slipping closed.
"Do you really think that we would be so foolish as to bring the shikon no tama here with us to this battle?" Kikyo shifted, standing in front of Inuyasha, and Kohaku's gaze followed her.
"Why would you dare leave it unprotected?"
"Who says that we did?" Sango stiffened slightly, her hands flashing up over Kohaku's. She extended her hands, pulling him slightly over her shoulder as Inuyasha threw Kikyo into the air, over the pair. Kikyo's powers flared, and the shikon shard glowed pink in his back. As she landed behind Kohaku the shard flew into her hand and Kohaku went limp over Sango's shoulder.
"Aneue." His voice was weak, and with a sob Sango shifted, hugging her brother to her. "Gome—" His voice faded and Sango's head bowed in grief, sobs shaking her frame.
At that moment the demons, which had stilled when Kohaku had arrived, began to attack again in force.