Chapter 25

Naraku laughed as he watched Inuyasha walk through the door from the walkway near the roof of the warehouse, "So you lived? But you being human is surprising. Did something happen?"

Inuyasha growled and glared at Naraku, "Bastard."

"Let me guess. Your father attempted to make an antidote for you and it backfired am I right?"

"Shut up. I'd rather be human than a killing machine under your power."

Naraku jumped down and stood a few feet away from Inuyasha, "Well you got your wish then."

Inuyasha growled, "What did you do with Sesshomaru and Father?"

"Worried about them Inuyasha? You should be more worried about yourself. You see they are not here. They are currently fighting a golem, so you are all alone. It is rather surprising that you managed to find me as a human and the demons just barely missed the mark."

"Feh. I just knew where to look."

"So it would seem, but tell me this Inuyasha, now that you are here, what do you plan to do? You have no weapon, no claws, and your senses are dull. Did you just come to die?"

Inuyasha continued to glare at Naraku and spat out, "I might not have claws or anything else but I can still take you out you bastard."

Naraku's eyes went wide, "So you came to fight is it?" He smiled and laughed, "Oh what a joke."

Inuyasha smiled, "If you think you can kill me so easily then come on."

"It is about time you followed that little girl to hell. What was her name again? Kikyo was it?"

Inuyasha flinched at the name and growled, "You have no right to say her name. You are the one who killed her!"

Naraku smiled, "Ah yes but you were the one who failed to save her."

"SHUT UP!" Inuyasha lunched at Naraku but only punched air. He looked around to see Naraku had disappeared again. "Where are you!"

A soft laughter rang throughout the room, "Inuyasha, you desperate half-breed, you will never amount to anything. You should have let me have your soul. I would have given you power and everyone around you would have respected you, but the best part is, you wouldn't need to feel fear anymore, or any of those other pesky human emotions."

Inuyasha smiled smugly, "It would have been easier yes, but unlike you Naraku. I have a heart and it doesn't just come from my human mother either. It also comes from my full demon father. I don't mind who I am. Yes, I feel fear like my human mother but, I am also strong enough to overcome it just like my father. I would never willingly join you for power."

Naraku growled and appeared right behind Inuyasha, "Noble words for a worthless half-breed."

Inuyasha quickly turned around only to have Naraku's hand wrap around his throat, "B…bastard…"

"Look at you. You could never compare to me. You can't even stay on your own two feet!" With a quick thrust of his arm, Inuyasha was sent flying into the opposite side of the warehouse, smashing into the wall on the other side. Inuyasha fell to the ground holding his head and rolled over, coughing up blood. Naraku calmly walked over and crouched next to him, "You are just a human at the moment with no hope, but even if you did still have your demonic powers you wouldn't have any hope. And you know it, don't you Inuyasha."

Inuyasha smiled and quickly slammed and injected a substance into Naraku's side, "and you are a cocky bastard that thinks he has everything figured out."

Naraku screamed and backed away from him, "What the hell!" Falling to his knees, Naraku started coughing up blood.

"That was the same crap Father and Sesshomaru put in me to stop you from controlling me. The only difference is I added some of your own serum to it so you must be going through hell right now, and with you that weak, I have a chance to kill you."

Naraku laughed as he spit out more blood, "Now I see, you came here wanting me to fight on your level. The only flaw with your plan is you will still die and I will rule."

"That's where you are dreaming Naraku. I will not let you win. I might die in the process but I'm alright with that."

"What about your precious little mate?"

"I'm willing to die because it will save her." Inuyasha ran forward attempting to punch Naraku but only hits air.

Naraku smiled evilly as he looked at Inuyasha, "I see you are serious about this. Well Inuyasha. Let us battle to the death."

...

Inu-Taisho growled as the golem fell to the floor, "DAMN IT!"

Sesshomaru glared at the ground, "Inuyasha was wrong. It isn't here."

"IS INUYASHA HERE!" Both men turned around to see Kagome running up to them.

Inu-Taisho raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean is he here?"

Kagome took a few breaths before standing up straight, "Inuyasha came after you two. He should have been here by now. So where is he! He didn't get hurt right?"

Inu-Taisho's eyes widened in surprise, "He what?"

Izayoi quickly ran in and stood next to Kagome, "Your son is as stubborn as you and ran after you two right after you left."

Sesshomaru turned away and mumbled, "Then he should have made it here already if this was his destination."

Kagome's eyes grew wide, "So this wasn't where he was planning to go?"

Sesshomaru looked up at Kagome but quickly looked back down again, "No it wasn't. But this is where he told us to go."

Inu-Taisho shook his head, "No. We went to the main headquarters of Haruka Industries because we thought Naraku would be near the source of power and when we saw him we ignored all other logic and attacked. Inuyasha probably meant the storehouse a few blocks down… and if he is there by himself…" Everyone froze and looked at each other, "We have very little time if we want to see him alive. Let's go."

...

Inuyasha and Naraku glared at one another, both breathing heavy. Inuyasha smiled as he held his injured arm, happy that Naraku was just as weak as he was, "What's the matter Naraku? Can't defeat a human?"

"Shut up you little half breed. You drained my strength and power I give you that. There is a mind in that stupid head of yours, but I am not defeated yet. My power will return."

"Yeah, but you will be dead before that can happen!" Inuyasha ran forward holding a scrap of metal and yelled as he plunged it into Naraku's shoulder. Naraku screamed and flung Inuyasha across the room, "D… damn… he dodged it." Slowly, he stood back up and found a piece of wood nearby and held it out like a sword.

Naraku pulled the metal out of his shoulder and growled at Inuyasha, "You. Will. Die."

Inuyasha quickly dodged one of Naraku's tentacles, "You keep saying that but haven't succeeded yet."

Naraku grinned, "Don't get too cocky half breed."

"Huh?" Inuyasha turned around and gasped as a tentacle from behind wrapped around his neck. Slowly he found it more and more difficult to breathe as he was slowly lifted up into the air.

Naraku laughed maliciously, "You missed your chance to kill me. My power is starting to return, and your father and brother are not here to save you this time."

Inuyasha struggled, trying to pry the tentacle off of his neck, 'damn it! I can't breath… m…my vision is starting to… no… no I will not give in!.' Reaching into his pocket, Inuyasha desperately tried to find something, anything that could do enough damage to him that he would let go, but found nothing. 'damn it no!' Weakly he looked at his hands and placed it on Naraku's tentacle, 'Please… please work… CLAWS OF STEEL!' Right as Inuyasha thought that, he felt his nails dig into Naraku's skin and rip it apart, releasing him from Naraku's grip.

Naraku stumbled back and growled, "How the hell?" He quickly looked down at the choking Inuyasha to see that he was partially transformed. His hair was still black, but he now had white dog ears on top of his head. His claws and fangs were halfway back as well, and one of his eyes was a golden yellow, "So that antidote wasn't permanent..."

"No… the effect was permanent just not the side effects." Both of them glared at one another about to strike again when the doors to the warehouse flung open. Inuyasha spun around to find his father, brother, mother, and his mate standing there. His eyes widened when he saw his mother and Kagome panting, "What the hell are you two doing here?!" He quickly turned toward his Father and brother, "And what the hell took you two so long?!"

Kagome glared at Inuyasha, "Looking for you! You were supposed to stay put! And…" Her eye's widened as she noticed Inuyasha's appearance, "you… you are starting to change back…"

Inuyasha was about to speak but sensed Naraku move in for an attack and quickly dodged out the way. Naraku growled, "You will die if you don't pay attention Inuyasha."

Inuyasha turned away from his family and focused on Naraku, "Your dreaming asshole." Inuyasha ran forward and attacked Naraku only to be knocked to the side.

Naraku laughed, "No you are the fool Inuyasha! Your stupid antidote has worn off! You no longer have the power to rival me!"

Inu-Taisho looked from Naraku to Inuyasha, "Antidote?"

Inuyasha coughed as he stood up, "Yeah… that antidote that you and Sesshomaru gave me. I injected him with it… It bought me some time and made the playing field even but as a human there was only so much I could do."

Sesshomaru growled, "That's why we told you to stay put little brother."

Inuyasha growled, "And if I did then Naraku wouldn't be wounded, he wouldn't be standing in front of us, and I was the smart one who knew where he was and that the antidote would weaken him so there."

Sesshomaru growled and snorted, 'even though I hate to admit it… the damn fool is right…' "Fine."

Inuyasha looked back towards Naraku and noticed his tentacle moving along the floor, and right for... "KAGOME! LOOK OUT!"

Kagome looked over and gasped as she saw the tentacle coming straight for her. With no room for escape, she just closed her eyes and braced herself, but the pain she was supposed to feel, never came. Slowly she opened her eyes but screamed when she saw Inuyasha standing in front of her, the tentacle running straight through his stomach, "INUYASHA!"

Naraku smiled, "Wasn't what I was planning, but this will do." He quickly pulled his tentacle back letting Inuyasha fall to the floor unconscious.

Kagome fell to her knees and started to shake him as tears fell from her eyes, "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!"