PART 24
"How are we going to get into the castle without Naraku spotting us?" Miroku asked as everyone stood around the outside of the castle trying to figure out a way to get in.
Inuyasha noticed Kikyo seemed to be standing a good distance from the others looking thoughtful and a little sad.
"Kikyo," he said walking up to her.
She looked at him surprised. "Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, like she couldn't believe he was standing beside her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're acting rather... quite."
"I'm sorry," she said, looking away from him. "I was just wondering about something.
"What?" he asked curiously.
"I shouldn't tell you," she said looking away. "You might think I'm selfish."
"No I won't," he said. When she didn't look at him he put his hand under her chin and made her look at him. "Kikyo, I love you. I'm not going to think anything you say is selfish. I promise."
"Okay," she said blushing slightly. "I was wondering if when we rescue Kagome and defeat Naraku I'll be left alone again. I'm afraid you'll forget about me and return to Kagome."
"Kikyo," Inuyasha said. "That's not going to happen. When all this is over Kagome can go home to her own time and we can be together with Aijou." his face was very close to her by then. "Then we can finally be the family we wanted to be and you can be the woman you were never allowed to be." he smiled at her as her face turned bright red. "I'm not going to ever leave you again. I promise!" he kissed her lips lightly.
She blinked then got into the kiss. Before anything else could happen Miroku shouted to them. "Hey, lovebirds, this isn't the time for romansing! We have a mission!"
"Oh yeah," Inuyasha said moving his face from Kikyo as they both blushed. He smiled at Kikyo. "I never thought I'd hear that come from Miroku's mouth."
Kikyo giggled in spite of herself.
Aijou, who was watching the whole thing in silence, smiled. If felt nice seeing her parents act like that.
"So has anyone figured out a way to get us in?" Inuyasha asked as he and Kikyo joined the others.
"We thought it over and realized the only way to do it is storm the catsle," Sango replied. "With that girl Kanna and her maginc mirror the chances of us getting in without being seen are very slim."
"So," Inuyasha said, unsheathing his sword. "Seems we have no other choice. Let's go."
The group of eight quickly made their
way around the side of the wall, surrounding the castle. When they
reached the front gate they were surprised to find the doors hanging
wide open.
"What?" Snago said staring at the gates.
"Keh," Inuyasha said. "It looks like he's expecting us."
"Then we'd better be careful," Kikyo adviced.
The others nodded.
They walked cautiously into the courtyard. "Naraku!" Inuyasha shouted once they were inside. "Where are you, you coward?" he looked around the courtyard for any sign of the baboon dressed demon. "Show yourself!"
"I'm right here, Inuyasha," said a voice infront of him.
Eveyone looked toward the castle. They saw the purple clad demon standing at the top of the steps smirking at them.
"Naraku!" Inuyasah growled. "What have you done with Kagome?"
"Kagome?" he said, putting his hands on his hips. "You mean the girl? Oh, I've been taking care of her."
"Where is she?" Inuyasha demanded.
"Right here." Naraku moved out of the way. Behind him stood Kagome.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted to her. "Get down here!"
She folded her arms and shook her head. "No," she said, sounding defiant.
The group of good guys stared at her. "No?" Sango said, looking at Miroku. "What does she mean by no?"
"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, staring at her in disbelieve. "What are you doing?"
"You don't need me," she said. "You have your bastard child and your living clay pot now. What part of your life am I now?"
"You're my friend," he replied angrily. "Why are you talking stupid?"
"Don't call me stupid, Inuyasha," she shouted at him. "You're the one who's stupid! Running after Kikyo when it's clear she doesn't want you! Why can't you see that she doesn't love you anymore?"
"I do too love him," Kikyo told Kagome mildly.
"But you hate me."
"If I hated you I wouldn't have agreed to come rescue you," Kikyo told her, sounding offended.
"What about your brat?" Kagome demanded, looking at Aijou now. "What is her reason for coming to save me?"
"I came because I wanted to," Aijou replied. "I came because I know Inuyasha cares about you even if I don't. Why should it matter if I came? Are you just asking this question to make people feel guilty? Well it's not going to work. I don't know what Naraku's been telling you but-"
"Shut up!" Kagome shouted, raising a bow and aiming it at Inuyasha's daughter. "I've had about enough of you! You and your mother! You two keep getting in the way of Inuyasha and my love! You have no right! You should both just die!"
"Kagome-" Aijou began.
The human girl let the arrow fly. Aijou
jumped out of the way of the arrow. It hit the ground where she'd
been standing and exploded, blowing everyone away from their spots.
"What was that?" Miroku asked putting his arm up to
avoid flying debree.
"A purity arrow," Kikyo replied, rising to her feet with her own bow. "Something doesn't seem right here. Kagome's aim was never this good." she watched the girl shhoot her arrows at Aijou who could only dodged them. "She seems to be taking her anger out on Aijou..."
Aijou avoided the arrows Kagome was shooting at her. She noticed the girl had gotten much better aim than the last time they'd met. Something's wrong, she thought. There is no way she could have gotten this good in such a short time. she chanced a glance over at the others. Inuyasha was having it out with Naraku and the others seems to be accupied by other demons. They seem to be doing fine but I can't help having a bad feeling about this. she looked back up at Kagome who was still pelting arrows at her.
That's when she noticed something... off.. The girl looked like herself but didn't. Something didn't look right. That's when she saw it. A dark aura was swirling around Kagome. Something definately isn't right here... Is something controling Kagome? She dodged another arrow and changed direction. She headed straight for Kagome. I gotta find out!
Inuyasha pushed Naraku back just in time to see Aijou running right at Kagome. "Aijou!" he shouted at her. "Don't!"
Aijou looked toward him. "She's under a spell, father!" she called to him. "I'm going to try to break it!"
"You'll get killed if you get too close!" he shouted at her then had to block as Naraku came at him again.
Aijou dodged another arrow as she ran toward Kagome. She knew she had to stop the school girl from shooting at her but as she ran questions filled her mind. Do you really want to just break the spell? You could kill her and be done with it. Then you wouldn't have to worry about her again.
I can't do that, she answered the questions. I promised I wouldn't. There is another way!
By then she'd reached where the girl was standing. "Kagome!" she yelled, reaching up and grabbing the girl's wrist. "Stop it!"
Kagome glared at the girl. "Let me go!" she shouted, swinging her arm.
"No!" Aijou shouted. "Not until I take care of business!" she raised her other fists and planted it into Kagomer's forehead.
The school girl dropped the bow and grabbed her head, moaning in pain. Aijou stood over her, watching the dark aura swirl around the girl. How is he doing this? she wondered. How am I going to get rid of this spell?
Before she could think of anything Kagome turned on her, the school girl raised her head and swung at the miko. Aijou moved back, just in time to avoid the blow. Kagome came at her, screaming like a banshee and throwing punches at her.
"I hate you!" the girl screamed in her face. "I hate you!"
Aijou grabbed one of Kagome's fists and held onto it as the girl struggled in her grasp. "You're pathetic!" she shouted.
"I am not pathetic!" the school girl yelled wiggling out of the girl's grasp and lunging at the miko. "I am more powerful than you will ever be!"
"No you're not," Aijou shouted, dodging the crazy girl. "You only got your powers from my mother when she died. You stole them. You didn't even earn them! You are pathetic!"
Kagome managed to get a hit in. She slapped Aijou across the face. "You don't know anything!" she yelled. "You don't know what kind of things I have to deal with!"
Aijou held her cheek then grabbed Kagome by the arms and pinned her against the wall. "What kind of things you have to deal with?" she demanded. "What about my parents and your friends?! Inuyasha was treated horrably as a child and his brother wants to kill him. Kikyo was killed to early in her life and never got to have the womanhood she wished for. Sango lost her whole family and her brother thanks to Naraku! Miroku has to live with the fact that one day the Wind Tunnel in his arm will suck him in! Shippo's father was killed and turned into a pelt! What do you have to deal with compared to them? Your grade in math class? Compared to them you have an easy life!"
Kagome looked away. The aura around her darked slightly then seemed to brighten. Aijou held her there, as she watched the aura, she continued to talk. "You need to learn to consider what other people go through before you think about what you have to go through! You probably have a family waiting for you at home. I don't! I had to live my whole childhood without my parents. I bet you have at least one parent."
"My mother," Kagome said softly, still not looking at Aijou.
"You see," Aijou said. "You don't undertsand what it's like. You don't understand..."
Kagoem glared at the girl as the aura darkened again. "I understand enough!" she screamed.
Then with a mightly heave she shoved Aijou away from her. The miko stumbled and fel to the pavement. As she started to get up Kagome picked up an arrow and turned on her. And the girl stood up and tried to grab the arrow Kagome raised it above her head and plunged it into the miko's chest.
Inuyasha turned toward them just in time to see his daughter fall. "Aijou!" he shouted running toward them.
A/N
Ummmm... I don't have much to say. This chapter drove me crazy. I tried my best to make it interesting but I think I killed it. Sorry. Well at least it's got some Inukikyo fluff...
