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Come little children
The time's come to play

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Shouts and battle calls, rising in volume, filled the air like thunder. Crippling Inuyasha's thoughts and assaulting his ears. It was hard enough to stand let alone move quickly and yet he knew they needed to push forward. The one good thing about his partial purification was that no one recognized him. No one was paying attention to just another couple darting about in the chaos. Servants breaking down doors and making off with palace riches. The elders fighting amongst themselves - physically fighting. Battered. Bruised. Bloodied. A fire seemed to have broken out in the kitchen area and on the far side of the palace estate. Smoke hung thick in the air as the rioting went unchecked.

"Up ahead," the general bellowed as he continued trying to clear the way, "Stay close."

"You!" Ieyasu's voice cut over the madness and Inuyasha instinctively whipped his heads towards the sound, "You did this! You and that whore mother of yours!"

"Ignore him," Kagome soothed as she kept them both moving forward, "We just need to get out of here and then you can pee on his grave."

Inuysha snickered slightly as he gave Kagome a strange adoring look before something sharp suddenly embedded itself in his back. Instantly Inuyasha tensed as a strange icy sensation rocketed outward from the wound followed quickly by a throbbing pain. It was a familiar enough sensation but three years without an injury had severely impaired his ability to brush it off. That and he was already posioned and purified and...

Inuyasha twitched once as his legs shook and one knee began to fold. The strange sensation continued crawling under his skin followed almost immediately by a burning sensation in its wake. Breathing hitching, Inuyasha tried to head Kagome's requests to move but it was getting harder to stay conscious with each passing second much less place one foot in front of the other.

"Oh my god" Kagome breathed in a horrified tone as her hand collided with the instrument and she realized he had, in fact, been stabbed.

"He's down! Bring him to me god dammit!"

"Not on your life," Kagome hissed as Inuyasha's legs officially gave out - his head lolling to the side as he slumped to the ground - his blunt fingernails clawing at her skin in a desperate attempt to stay upright. Any thought of leaving him to fend for himself was instantly wiped from her mind. Maybe...maybe that weird attack would just do its thing if they got too close.

"You're okay. You're okay. You're okay," Kagome managed shakily as she helped lower him to the ground - one trembling hand pulling out the dagger with a sickening pop. Which, in retrospect, appeared to be a mistake. As soon as it was removed, a pool of blood began forming beneath him as his skin took on a greenish hue. One of his hands began weakly batting at hers trying to get her to hold it.

"'Gome."

"My Lord," Yasumori hissed as he glanced over his shoulder and paled considerably before rushing forward and striking down the man going in for the fatal blow. The people nearby froze for just a moment to watch before a silence rippled across the village when the clearly decapitated assailant suddenly gasped for breath and his body awkwardly groped for the head - looking just as shocked as everyone else to still be alive.

No one even had eyes for Inuyasha who was struggling just to keep breathing while his lungs filled with blood. It didn't even bother the half-demon that the people here were trying to kill him. People had been trying to kill him all his life. Sure, the betrayal stung but not terribly. As the half-demons vision faded, he absently wondered whether he'd pop up like that beheaded guy. Just be fine once the pain had subsided and have a few more moments with Kagome. That'd be nice.

"Stay with me," Kagome pleaded softly as she knelt down next to him and cupped his face, "Just focus on me. Nothing else matters."

Inuyasha nodded weakly. His eyes instinctively closing as he fought against the pain. Even if he was dead already and especially if he was dying actively, one truth suddenly stood out. One heart's desire he'd been struggling against. Kagome was all that mattered. If the portal was open, she needed to leave. To escape. To live a long and happy life.

Without him.

"G-go," Inuyasha managed as Kagome began sobbing - her hands stroking his face and hair as she fought to stay calm. It was clear she was at a loss of what to do. She couldn't very well patch him up with a mob coming for them and even if she could, what on earth would she patch him up with. A tear welled in the corner of Inuyasha's eye as he weakly reached up to brush his fingertips against her face, "'Gome go. S'okay."

"Help me. Please," Kagome desperately addressed someone - probably the general. Inuyasha could barely feel anything anymore much less sort out who she was addressing. So long as Yasumori got her out of here, it would all be fine. Kagome was the only thing that mattered to him. The only thing he cared about. If she was safe, that was enough.

The last thing Inuyasha registered as the world faded to black was Kagome's lips pressing against his forehead and the distant sounds of shouting.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Help me. Please," Kagome cried out tearfully as the general crouched defensively over them, "We need to get to the garden and...he's...I think he's unconscious. I can't move him."

"Where in the garden do you need to go? Is that where you came through? Inuyasha always..." the general asked before startling when several people began rushing forward. Holding his sword up at the ready, the general prepared to buy them some time - seeing as how killing foes was pointless before gasping when everyone seemed to freeze and gape at the elder who was continuing to rant about how he killed Izayoi and had been trying to kill Inuyasha and worst of all, admitting that he was the one who pissed off the demoness who banished them all to this place. Not that he was that straightforward about it. It was all a nuanced justification for why this was all somehow Inuyasha's fault but the longer the elder ranted a strange silence fell - like the sounds of a sudden rainstorm in reverse. The din lessening around them as more and more people stopped their actions with looks of dawning comprehension.

And the elder continued to rant oblivious to the doom hovering over his head.

"...youkai have no place here," Ieyasu began concluding his rant, "That she'd meet the same fate as your whore mother if she stayed but she insisted you had knowledge of a grave and..."

"Hold on a minute. I want to get something straight," the youngest elder suddenly interrupted, "You threatened the demon?! And why wasn't the council informed she was here?"

"It was some relation," Ieyasu snapped evasively as he pointed at Inuyasha, "Asking where he was. Claiming he had knowledge of a grave. Nonsensical claims about..."

"So you threatened the beast," another man scoffed, "And yet you want us to believe this was Inuyasha's fault? By god man, have you no scruples?"

"She was going to kill us either way," Ieyasu snapped defensively before adding almost as an afterthought, "Besides, we had no need of Inuyasha. We had an heir. Why would we have kept him around?"

"It sounds to me like if it's anyone's fault it's yours," a burly man suddenly bellowed - followed by several shouts of agreement, "You were the one who pissed the bitch off!"

"Inuyasha is related to the beast. Probably asked her to kill us as revenge for his mother's death," Ieyasu scrambled but the people around him looked unconvinced.

"I don't buy it," one old woman suddenly opined confidently, "You just said that demon was asking you where he was. Why would she need to know if Inuyasha asked her to come here?"

There was a murmuring if agreement as an explosion sounded in the distance from the rioting that was still taking place on the far side of the palace.

"You insulted a powerful demon and then you act like you weren't asking for death," a different man - clearly peasant by his clothing - snapped before pointing at the slowing bleeding out half-demon, "And you just said you've been trying to kill him! Inuyasha never did anything to us. Seems like you're the one causing problems."

"You fools, that bastard son of..."

The accusations continued flying as the men and women of the palace slowly advanced towards the elder.

"Lets go," Yasumori whispered urgently as he awkwardly grabbed Inuyasha under his arms, "While they're distracted."

Nodding tearfully, Kagome desperately assisted best she could as they half-drug, half-carried Inuysha towards the garden.

"Inuyasha!" the little boy cried out as he turned from his place by the garden, "What happened?!"

"Do you mean why is everyone rioting or who stabbed him?" Kagome asked with no lack of bite as she tried to see if the garden house had any signs of activity.

"Both I guess," the boy replied shakily as he glanced between the very obviously dying half-demon and the miko, "I just got back again. I didn't..."

"And I don't care" Kagome groaned miserably before shaking her head, "We just need to get out of here. We just need to go."

"So you are aware of their origin?" the general asked - seeming appeased when the child nodded.

"Are they..."

"Ask questions later," Kagome huffed as she pushed the general out of the way and took control of Inuyasha's limp body. Doing her best to ignore the chaotic scene and the grotesque trail of blood that Inuyasha had left in his wake, Kagome drug him into the garden and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

"Nothings happening! Why...why isn't it...we broke the spell, didn't we? We broke it so why..." Kagome sobbed as she tried to summon her power in an attempt to open the portal before quickly retracting it when Inuyasha flinched and let out a soft cry to pain. Using her power right now was too risky. At least right now Inuyasha had some youkai to help him survive. Another blast - accidental or intentional - could very well kill him and she couldn't...she couldn't...

"I don't...it's not working," Kagome hyperventilated as she sunk to her knees and cradled Inuyasha's cold form against her, "It's not..."

"Let's get you both out of here," Yasumori huffed in frustration, "There will be time later to figure this out. The Lord needs medical attention and to recover. Even if you were to go back to...wherever you are attempting to go, he would not last long."

"That guy got beheaded and he popped right back up like a daisy," Kagome snapped hysterically, "Inuyasha'll be fine."

"If Inuysaha is already dead. Who knows what will happen if is not and he dies here," the general sighed exasperatedly, "We need to get him..."

"He'll be fine!" Kagome screamed, "We just need to get back! We just need to get back!"

The general glanced at the boy who seemed to know what was going unsaid before shrugging.

"Get away!" Kagome screamed as she gathered Inuyasha to her and the general unsheathed his sword, "Get..."

One solid thunk to the top of her head and she was out like a light.

XXXXXXXXX

Consciousness washed over the miko in waves, the sounds of people around her sounding a thousand miles away. Something warm and soft resting against her chest and stomach. A steady rise and fall against her body - a warmth and occasional movement.

It was that sensation that had her eyes fluttering open.

"I do apologize," Yasumori chuckled darkly from his place against a tree trunk before featuring at a middle aged woman with a kind heart shaped face, the servant girl who Kagome had sworn was taking notes and a twenty some man with ebony hair and striking blue eyes.

"My wife, Aiko. My most trusted spy, Ayano. And her husband, Haru," the general supplied wearily, "They helped me bring you here."

"But...but the spell..." Kagome began hoarsely before gasping, "Hey you hit me!"

"He needed attention and you were in hysterics," the general groaned before nodding towards the distance, "The palace is burning. Anarchy is upon us. Some of the remaining, however, have no interest in debasing ourselves over the actions of others."

"So you're..." Kagome groggily tried to sit up before realizing Inuyasha was snuggled up against her. Laying back down, she gently stroked his ebony locks - trying not to hyper focus on that tidbit - as she awkwardly looked at their saviors, "So you helped us."

"I had a vague memory of dying but I still bleed," the general hummed as he purposefully ran one finger down his sword and held it up, "I was not certain until I cut that man down and he recovered from an injury that should have killed him."

"But...but I don't understand," she continued as Inuyasha shifted and pressed his face into her neck in his sleep, "Is this the underworld?"

"I imagine so," the general supplied, "Or some form of it."

"Am I dead then?" Kagome asked before shaking her head, "No. We can't be dead. We..."

"Sometimes things do not always make sense," the general's wife offered softly, "Once everything has quieted down we'll bring you back."

"Those bastards," Kagome cursed softly as she closed her eyes as buried her face in Inuyasha's hair. The four souls nearby glanced at each other with sad little expressions before the wife came closer and knelt down beside the pair.

"You two are rather sweet," Aiko offered kindly as she plucked up a damp rag that had been set nearby and wrung it out before placing it atop the half-demon's forehead, "Inuyasha was always a soft hearted child. Very loving. It's good that he found someone to appreciate him for what he is."

Kagome couldn't help the face she made at that statement. Never had she heard anyone describe Inuyasha that way. It also implied that this woman was intimately familiar with him.

"He grew up to be rather rude though," Aiko continued as she sat back on her knees and laughed softly, "I can almost imagine his mother's face at his antics."

"So you knew him? Back then I mean," Kagome asked quietly and the woman sighed.

"I was a handmaiden to the late Lady Izayoi," the woman hummed, "And with my husband being tasked as the little lord's protector, we spent many hours with the little boy. Many of the others were unnecessarily cruel but the late lord...well Lady Izayoi's brother did care in his own way. Made sure his sister and his nephew were provided for in the palace even if he acted like they meant nothing to him. Supposedly, he grieved the loss but I never saw anything to suggest it."

"Well I did," the general scoffed, "Poor bastard was beside himself thinking Inuyasha had been abducted. Never believed for one second Inuyasha ran away."

"He was sent away," Kagome sighed sadly as Inuyasha groaned - his arm flexing involuntarily against her waist.

"And I'd bet my life that Ieyasu killed the lord too," the general huffed, "Or one of his women. Even if he had kindness towards his sister and nephew, he was a cruel man at heart. Raping women and..."

"I was confused when Ieyasu said there was an heir," Haru interjected as he stoked the fire, "I thought he died childless."

"He fathered a son," the general scoffed, "A bastard child. Turns out the boy died before we were sent here. His spirit haunts this place."

"A ghost in the underworld," Haru laughed morbidly, "What a strange world this is."

"Perhaps he was tethered to the world of the living," Ayano hummed sadly, "What a cruel fate."

"Or a blessing," the wife opined, "He can come and go as he pleases whereas we are to be here forever."

The fire crackled softly at the silence that followed that statement.

"You didn't act like you knew any of that. You never said you were dead. Just that there was a curse," Kagome murmured suddenly as she pressed her lips to Inuyasha's heated temple and the general sighed.

"I suspected but it seemed strange that nothing had truly changed. That only the memories were altered," he sighed as he ran his fingers through his head, "I did not wish to speculate."

"While all of this is..." Kagome began before clearing her throat, "Appreciated. I'm just surprised you all are handling this so well when others just..."

"Burned down the palace?" Haru chuckled dryly, "We're not the only ones. A lot of people ran to escape the madness. If we are in the underworld, it's not as awful as I imagined. It's actually rather pleasant. Just listen to the birds and crickets tonight. The breeze. It's actually..."

"Peaceful," Ayano supplied wtih a resigned sigh, "I guess the difference is that some are at peace with our circumstances and others decidedly are not."

Inuyasha shuddered suddenly as his breathing hitched. Humming sadly, Kagome gently traced his human ear with one finger before fondling his earlobe. The reaction was instantly as his body seemed to try and melt right into her. His breathing evening out as his muscles relaxed.

"I imagine the blade used for them to assassinate Inuyasha on his human night," the general observed as he glanced up into the sky, "We simply have to pray he makes it until morning - although if he does die and wake up, that does answer the question as to whether he is dead like the rest of us."

"Well, one positive is that we're all trapped here with our spouses," the servant girl hummed, "We could be alone in this world. Isolated. At least we're with those we love."

"We aren't..." Kagome began before smiling softly pressed her nose into Inuyasha's sweaty bangs, "No you're right. I'm with my husband. That is something."

The general's lips twitched upwards as his wife returned to his side and sat down.

"There are ruins of an abandoned village on the outskirts of our lands," the general offered as he rested his arm around Aiko's shoulder, "I spoke with a few of those leaving and that's where they plan on heading. Away from the madness. It's by an orchard. Overgrown now, of course, but with some maintenance..."

"But we need to get back. Try again," Kagome sighed and the general frowned.

"Whatever you were doing did not work," the general argued gently, "If you are dead, you will not be able to leave and if he is dead and you are not, you would leave him here?"

Kagome sighed shakily.

"No, I wouldn't leave him," she admitted as she closed her hand and lightly scratched Inuyasha's scalp, "Maybe...maybe you're right. When all of the rioting dies down we'll try again."

The general nodded.

"Once Inuyasha is well enough to move, we'll head towards the ruins then," Yasumori sighed, "A life without expectations. It sounds wonderful, actually."

"Much less stressful," Ayano hummed bemusedly, "I may have been your most trusted spy but I slept with a knife under my pillow. Always expecting the worst. Now I won't need to. One less thing to worry about."

"One less thing."