Previously:
Inside, Sesshoumaru still faced Inuyasha.
'He missed… on purpose…?' Sesshoumaru thought.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said. Tessaig transformed into its main form.
'Tessiaga…?' Sesshoumaru thought. 'Tessaiga is… maintaining Inuyasha's last bit of sentience!?' Tentacles came up under Inuyasha and held him as one tentacle took away Tessaiga.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome said. 'Tessaiga was…!' Inuyasha was pushed up into the next level above them. Tessaiga remained behind with them.
'He escaped...' Sesshoumaru thought. "Take Tessaiga! We're going after Inuyasha and Magatsuhi!"
"Right!" Kagome said, running over to get the sword.
Chapter 26: Inside Naraku
Sesshoumaru slashed the wall of flesh in front of them with his claws.
'Inside this ball of flesh… I can smell them! Inuyasha and Magatsuhi… are still nearby!' Sesshoumaru thought.
"Sesshoumaru, I know you're capable of it! You can defeat Magatsuhi without hurting Inuyasha!" Kagome said. "When we came here, Naraku said it… What the shikon no tama desires is your souls… Your hearts which hate me… Your anger…."
"I've heard it before," Sesshoumaru said.
"Then you know the jewel wants the negativity in our hearts," Kagome said. "So… if two brothers fight each other, it'll be just what Naraku wanted."
'I'm through!?' Sesshoumaru thought, surprised by how easy it had been. Sesshoumaru stepped through the opening he made. Inuyasha and Magatsuhi were waiting for him. Magatsuhi made Inuyasha pounce, attacking with his claws. Sesshoumaru dodged. "You stay here! You'll just get in the way!" he told Kagome, who stood in the opening. Sesshoumaru punched Inuyasha, sending him falling down away from there. Inuyasha landed and sprang back up, slashing his claws at Sesshoumaru the same time Sesshoumaru slashed at him. Inuyasha landed on a lower stretch of flesh, while Sesshoumaru took the high ground. A small tear appeared in Sesshoumaru's sleeve.
"Ah…!" Kagome gasped.
"Hmph… It's only because you've transformed into a youkai in body and mind that your blows are landing better than usual," Sesshoumaru said. 'Two brothers fighting would be just what Naraku wants… huh. Even if it's as she said… taking that into consideration would merely prolong this fight… In that case, I'll settle this in one blow!' He drew Tenseiga and leaped at Inuyasha. He swung his sword.
"Inuyasha!!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha grabbed Tenseiga's blade with his bare hand to stop it. "He caught Tenseiga's blade…!"
"Tenseiga is a sword which cannot cut beings of this world..." Magatsuhi said. "As long as I'm borrowing Inuyasha's body, you cannot hurt me." He made inuyasha grip the blade tighter. "I'll break this." Sesshoumaru pushed forward, making Inuyasha slide backwards into a wall of Naraku's flesh.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome said. 'I have to give him Tessaiga.' She began climbing down. 'I have to get near him…!'
"!" Sesshoumaru said when he noticed what she was doing, and saw her slip.
"Aah!" Kagome cried as she slid down too fast.
"You idiot!" Sesshoumaru said, furrowing his brow in frustration. Kagome moved the hand that was holding Tessaiga and stabbed its blade into the wall of flesh to stop her fall.
"Ugh!" she said. 'Please, Tessaiga… give me your support!' "Inuyasha! You just wait there! I'm coming for you!"
"You're too late," Magatsuhi said. "I have already… taken over every corner of Inuyasha's mind. Even if he were to have Tessaiga's power, he won't return to normal."
"Inuyasha, don't lose to him! Inuyasha!!" Kagome shouted. Her wound bled more.
'Blood...' Inuyasha thought. 'The scent of... Kagome's blood.. I wounded her. Kagome is gone. I was supposed to protect you with my life.' He remembered Naraku's taunting words.
Inuyasha, you've done it again… instead of protecting those two women, both Kikyo and Kagome… fell victim to your weak heart…
"!" Kagome said when the flesh she had stabbed Tessaiga into throbbed. "Aah!" The flesh formed tentacles that pushed her and Tessaiga away, making them fall.
"Tch!" Sesshoumaru said. Inuyasha let go of Tenseiga and jumped after her. "!"
'Kagome!' Inuyasha thought. 'Kagome is alive!!' Sesshoumaru flew after them. 'That's right, Kagome… I… pledged to protect you with my life!!'
'Inuyasha… were you able to escape Magatsuhi's curse without borrowing Tessaiga's powers!?' Sesshoumaru wondered. Inuyasha caught Kagome. Tessaiga fell into the darkness.
"Ooh..." Kagome groaned. As she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in Inuyasha's arms. "Inuyasha… you saved me…? Do you recognize me…?"
"I heard your voice… Kagome..." Inuyasha said.
"Inuyasha where's Tessaiga…?" Kagome asked.
"Dunno… it fell..." Inuyasha replied.
"What will you do, Magatsuhi?" Sesshoumaru asked. "It looks like that hanyou is harder to control than you thought." Kagome and Inuyasha looked up at him. He was standing on a stretch of flesh just above them.
"Sesshoumaru..." Kagome said.
"Sesshoumaru, do you… wish for me to leave Inuyasha?" Magatsuhi asked.
'If Magatsuhi were to discard Inuyasha's body, then next would be...' Sesshoumaru thought, looking at Kagome.
"He's probably going to try to possess me next...' Kagome thought.
'When Magatsuhi leaves Inuyasha's body… I will only have a moment's chance...' Sesshoumaru thought. Magatsuhi's aura began to surround Kagome.
"!" Kagome said.
"Release her!" Sesshoumaru told Inuyasha.
'I can't move!' Kagome thought.
'He's trying to transfer to Kagome!' Inuyasha realized. He quickly jumped away from her. Sesshoumaru flew forth with Tenseiga.
"Kukuku… You're too late," Magatsuhi said. "Even if you get away from Kagome now, a part of me has already transferred into her," he told Inuyasha. "Sesshoumaru. If you wish to kill me with Tenseiga, then there is only one way… You'll first have to rip both Inuyasha and Kagome apart with you claws, and make sure any piece of flesh I could possess is destroyed."
'Dammit, I'm… losing consciousness again...' Inuyasha thought. He saw something gleam in the darkness below him. 'Tessaiga!?' It was flying back toward him. Inuyasha put his hand out to catch it. It transformed into the dragon-scaled Tessaiga. 'Dragon-scaled Tessaiga!?' Youkai energy swirled around Inuyasha.
"!" Kagome said when the ominous aura moved away from her. 'Magatsuhi… left my body… He's being drawn towards Inuyasha!?'
'What!? I'm being forced out of Inuyasha's body!?' Magatsuhi thought, shocked, as his face emerged from Inuyasha.
"What's wrong, Magatsuhi?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Not hiding in people's bodies anymore?"
'What's the meaning of this!?' Magatsuhi thought. 'I can't enter his body… nor can I escape.'
'The source of my youkai power, the youketsu… has captured Magatsuhi!' Inuyasha thought.
"Hmph… Regretting who you'd possessed… huh..." Sesshoumaru said. He attacked. 'Tenseiga!' he stuck Magatsuhi right down the middle of his face. 'It ends here, Magatsuhi!'
"Impossible… How could I lose to a mere hanyou's… youki..." Magatsuhi said as he faded away. Sesshoumaru sheathed Tenseiga. Kagome suddenly felt a change come over herself.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha said, looking up at her.
'This feeling… it's like a haze has been lifted...' Kagome thought. 'Magatsuhi is destroyed. My spiritual power is returning...'
"!" Inuyasha said when the whole of Naraku suddenly shook.
"Aah!?" Kagome cried as she was thrown off the piece of flesh she stood on.
"Kagome!!" Inuyasha said. Sesshoumaru watched as Inuyasha leaped to catch her. The moment they touched, Inuyasha was purified and the red faded from his eyes and the jagged stripes left his face.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said. Inuyasha landed. Naraku was still shaking. "Inuyasha… your face… let me see it." She turned her head to look at him.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha said.
"Thank goodness, Inuyasha… you've changed back..." Kagome said.
"Yeah… It's thanks to your spiritual powers, Kagome," Inuyasha said.
"It was because of Sesshoumaru killing Magatsuhi, though," Kagome said, turning her head to look at him. "Thank yo..." They realized he was already gone. "Sesshoumaru..."
Sesshoumaru was flying through Naraku, hot on a new trail.
'I've picked up Rin and Katsumi's scents…' Sesshoumaru thought. Although, it concerned him that they weren't together, at least he knew where they were now. 'It's like a fog has been cleared. So this means Kagome's spiritual power… has dispelled Naraku's Jyaki!?' Tentacles grew out in front of him. Sesshoumaru flexed his claws and sliced the tentacles apart. 'Hmph, Naraku… looks like you've become unable to concern yourself with methodology.'
Meanwhile, Kohaku, Shippo, and Jaken were flying through Naraku on Ah-Un.
"Wh-What's going on!?" Jaken asked when Naraku started to shake.
"Did Naraku spot us!?" Shippo asked. "!" He was startled to see the sharp tentacles and jagged, stone-like growths that were coming out around them.
"Gyeh!" Jaken exclaimed when he ended up getting stuck on one.
"Jaken-sama!" Kohaku said.
"Aaaaaaaah!" Shippo cried as he was knocked off Ah-Un, too.
"Shippo!" Kohaku said.
"T-Take your time, Kohaku!" Shippo said. "This sort of thing, I'm..." He nearly slid into a really sharp one that grew up behind him. Shippo managed to stop just in time. "Where are youuu? Kohaku! Jakeeeen! Waaaaaaah!"
"Jaken-sama! Shippo..." Kohaku called. He had gotten separated from them. 'Is… something happening!?'
At the same time, Katsumi was waking up.
"Ugh..." she groaned. The last thing she remembered was being pulled apart from Rin as they were moved through Naraku's flesh. She looked around. She was now in a completely different part of Naraku, but she could smell Rin and Sesshoumaru. And someone else. Someone whose scent she didn't recognize was fast approaching. She got up on her feet and drew her sword, not knowing what to expect. She was glad she did, because a blast of energy suddenly came shooting at her. She swung her sword and sent a wave of her own youki energy out to cancel it out. "Who are you!?" she demanded to know. "What do you want!?"
[[Your death,]] said a handsome man almost as good-looking as Sesshoumaru with cornsilk hair, blue eyes, and triskeles tattooed on the backs of his hands. Katsumi recognized him from the description her cousins had given her.
[[Cathal,]] she said, narrowing her eyes at him. [[Now I know how Naraku got that anti-faerie blade. It was you, wasn't it?]]
[[Hmph. I don't see any need to confirm what you already know,]] Cathal said. [[But it seems if you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself.]]
[[This is totally unnecessary. I don't even want to be queen,]] Katsumi said, trying to avoid an unnecessary fight so she could leave to find Rin.
[[It's not about what you want,]] Cathal said, glaring at her. [[The king is the one who chooses his successor from the candidates. With the king being your grandfather, it's obvious he will choose you. Only seventeen years old and already a legend. He's far too proud to pass you over.]]
[[There's nothing I can say to convince you, is there?]] Katsumi asked.
[[No,]] he said and lunged at her to attack. Katsumi raised her sword to block his, which was a European longsword.
CRRK.
"!" Katsumi said when a tiny crack appeared in her blade where they made contact. She immediately jumped back, putting more distance between them.
[[Heh. That's an interesting sword you have there. It's part of you, isn't it? Too bad it's just as susceptible to a faerie slaying sword as you are!]] he said mockingly, charging again. Katsumi dodged and grabbed her sheath to block his follow up attack, trying to protect her sword. The sheath held even though the sword's pressure alone was strong enough to cut her skin. She looked at Cathal again, searching for weaknesses. His armor was the same style as hers, which meant she couldn't pierce it through ordinary means.
'But I'd bet Selective Strike will work...' she thought as she dodged another attack and struck Cathal hard on the chin with her scabbard. He stumbled back and glared at her as he rubbed his sore face. 'But what should I target!? His heart?' She dodged another attack. 'No… something tells me I'd be better off leaving him alive… His spleen—he can live without his spleen!' He swung his sword at Katsumi. She side stepped it and closed the distance between them in an instant, getting close enough to be outside the range of his sword as she drew hers.
[[!]] Cathal said with a furrowed brow, startled.
"Selective Strike!" Katsumi said as she swung, aiming for his spleen. Cathals' eyes widened in shock when her blade passed painlessly through his armor and other organs only to feel excruciating pain as his spleen was destroyed. Katsumi stepped back as he fell to his knees. Cathal gritted his teeth and stagger back to his feet.
[[Aaarrggghhh!]] he roared, charging at her with all the strength he could muster. Katsumi dropped low and swept his feet out from under him. He hit the ground with a loud thud. Katsumi was quickly back on her feet again, staying out of reach of his sword, which he swung wildly as he staggered to his feet again. The pain from his wound and the anger over the humiliation he felt being injured by her was making him sloppy.
"Rabbit Hole!" Katsumi said and cut the air in front of her. She disappeared into the portal and reappeared right behind him, kicking him in the back. He face planted in the ground. Maybe it was a little dirty doing that to an already wounded opponent, but he was seriously trying to kill her with a super dangerous sword.
[[Grrr!]] he growled, pushing himself to his feet again. He charged at her.
"Rabbit Hole!" Katsumi cut the air in front of her and disappeared again. He spun around, expecting her appear from behind again, but this time she attacked from his right and delivered a roundhouse kick to his ribs. He fell onto his backside and glared up at her. 'He's not giving up… I'll have to cut something else.' When he lunged back onto his feet, Katsumi swung her sword, aiming for his left kidney.
"Selective Strike!" she said, slicing through it. Cathal fell to the ground, bitting his lip to keep from crying out in pain. "I think that's enough, don't you?"
[[It'll never be enough,]] he said and raised his hand to hit her armor's weak spot with a fairy shot. Katsumi quickly cut the ball of energy with her sword and made it dissipate. Cathal was struggling to push himself up again.
[[Why don't you give up?]] she asked.
[[Why don't you just finish it?]] he countered. Katsumi frowned.
[[Because I'm not actually trying to kill you,]] she said. Cathal stared at her for a moment as if she had said something strange. Then he laughed.
[[Ahaha… Hahahaha—BWAHAHAHAHA!!]] he cackled like mad. [[You are showing me pity!? If our positions were reversed, you wouldn't be breathing right now.]]
[[I'm aware. But I still don't want to kill you,]] Katsumi said. He stopped laughing. He lunged at her again. This time Katsumi performed two consecutive Selective Strikes on his abdomen, cutting his left and right rectus abdominis muscles, severing his core pillar of strength. He could barely move now. [[Shall I do your arms and legs next?]] she asked. [[I don't have time to mess around here.]] She had to get to Rin and Sesshoumaru and help everyone defeat Naraku.
[[Heh. I'm fighting desperately here, but you're already fighting a different battle, aren't you?]] Cathal said. [[You're better than they said you were.]]
[[I'm desperate, too!]] Katsumi said. [[As we speak, someone precious to me is in danger!]]
[[Then kill me, and go to them,]] Cathal said. Katsumi furrowed her brow.
[[No,]] she said, and she sheathed her sword. Cathal began to sink into Naraku's flesh. 'Is he helping him escape…?' Katsumi wondered. Her eyes widened when she realized something was different this time. 'He's being absorbed!' Katsumi quickly drew her sword and cut away the flesh that had attached itself to Cathal. She dragged him to his feet, pulled him into a fireman's carry, and she started walking.
[[What are you doing!?]] he asked, bewildered.
[[I'm saving you,]] Katsumi said. [[There's no telling what will happen if I leave you there, so be grateful and stop trying to kill me.]]
[[...]] He stared at her as if she had two heads. He turned his free hand to face her head. Katsumi tightened her grip on his wrist and reached up with her free hand to touch his head before he could form a faerie shot, reminding him that she could just as easily blast his head and hand off before he got her.
[[Don't even think about it,]] she said. [[I don't want to kill you, but I will.]]
Naraku's main body was inside a barrier, with the tentacles connected to the flesh that made up his spider form coming out of his back. He stared at the shikon no tama.
"The shikon no tama's… light has returned," he said. "Meaning that Magatsuhi has been vanquished, and Kagome's purification power has been released… In that case, this light… is like Inyasha's group's light of hope. Kukuku, in that case… let me change this to a light of despair."
Katsumi was dragging Cathal along when a shaft of light pierced the gloom. Katsumi looked at it for a second and continued on her way.
"What's the matter, Katsumi?" Naraku asked, forming a face in the flesh she trudged past. "That's the light that returned to the shikon no tama. If you follow it, you may be able to find me."
"Who cares about you. I'm looking for Rin," Katsumi said, furrowing her brow. 'It's probably a trap anyway...'
Sango flew on Kirara towards the light.
'If Naraku is destroyed and the curse is broken… the Kazaana will disappear!' Sango thought. 'If I can defeat Naraku, Houshi-sama's life will be saved!' She came out through the tunnel of flesh and found herself face to face with Naraku and the corrupted shikon no tama. She grabbed Hiraikotsu. "Naraku!" Something started coming out of Naraku's chest. "!?" She was started to see that it was Rin. Naraku had her floating in his arms. "Rin!"
"You've reached me, Sango," Naraku said. "You're the first one here. Now… destroy me. Along with the shikon no tama."
"Release Rin!" Sango yelled.
"With Rin here, you can't throw your Hiraikotsu?" Naraku asked. "Even though this is your once in a lifetime chance to destroy me. You're so kind, Sango. However, that kindness… will kill the monk."
"!" Sango gasped. She gritted her teeth and glared at him. "… What are you talking about…?"
"Even without being told, you should understand it the most," Naraku said. "The monk is currently wandering about being drawn in by a fake light. He will open his Kazaana soon. Sucking up the illusion he's following will be useless, and his final Kazaana will be..." Sango glared at him. "This girl called Rin… Sango, what is she to you? Is she someone you must protect even at the cost of the monk's life…?"
"Khh..." Sango said, frustrated.
'Goodness, such a busybody,' Byakuya thought, watching from a distance. 'I have to show all these illusions to different people. Although, that Rin girl alone… is the real thing.'
'No!' Sango thought, biting her lip. 'If Houshi-sama dies, then… even if I'm cast into hell, if at least Houshi-sama's life can be saved...'
'Kukuku, that's good, Sango...' the real Naraku thought. 'Kill Rin to save the monk's life.'
Kohaku was walking down a tunnel of flesh with Ah-Un, when he saw someone familiar up ahead.
"Katsumi-sama!" he called, and he and Ah-Un caught up to her.
"Kohaku!" Katsumi said, stopping to let them catch up. "Ah-Un, too. That's good. Could you take this guy for me?" she asked the dragon. She wanted to get her hands free. Ah-Un stopped, and she and Kohaku stopped too so she could relieve herself of her burden.
"Who is this person?" Kohaku asked as he watched her put Cathal on Ah-Un's back.
"An enemy," Katsumi replied. "So watch out for him. He's unconscious now, but he might try to cause trouble if he wakes up." She had knocked him out for being too annoying.
"Why are we taking him with us?" Kohaku asked.
"My intuition is telling me not to kill him, and Naraku will absorb him if we leave him, and I don't know what adding a faerie to his flesh will do," Katsumi explained as they started walking again. "Come on, I smell Rin this way."
"Rin is?" Kohaku said. They saw a light. "!" he said. "Light…!?"
"Rin's scent is coming from there," Katsumi said. They followed the light and came to the end, where they could see Sango and Naraku through the holes in the flesh covering the small opening.
"!" they said.
"Ane-ue!" Kohaku said.
"Rin!" Katsumi said.
'If I defeat Naraku, then Houshi-sama's life will be saved...' Sango thought.
'Is she intending to throw Hiraikotsu!?' Katsumi and Kohaku thought.
"Sango!" Katsumi called.
"Ane-ue!" Kohkau yelled. "Ane-ue!"
"Yo, Kohaku. Katsumi," Byakuya said.
"Byakuya!" Kohaku said.
"What's going on here?" Katsumi asked.
"Just be quiet and watch," Byakuya said. "Sango isn't hearing your voice, anyway..."
"What do you mean!?" Kohaku asked.
"I'm saying that human hearts are weak," Byakuya said. "Especially your sister's, whose head is currently overcome with thought of saving the dying monk."
"That's an illusion around Rin, isn't it?" Katsumi asked, furrowing her brow.
"Eh?" Kohaku said.
"That's right, but she doesn't know that," Byakuya said.
'But surely Sango wouldn't throw it knowing Rin is there...' Katsumi thought, the crease in her brow deepening.
'If I let him go now, it'll be too late...' Sango thought. 'The Kazaana will split… and because of an illusion, he'll end up just like his father...'
"Sango, your fear and weakness… is becoming well acquainted with the shikon no tama's darkness," the real Naraku said.
'Even if it means sacrificing Rin...' Sango thought.
Kagome noticed the change as well from where she was with Inuyasha and Miroku.
"!" she said. 'The shikon no tama's darkness is… repelling my purifying light!?'
"Kukuku… It looks like Sango has fallen," their illusion of Naraku said.
"!" Kagome said. 'The light is being swallowed… I have to stop this. Before Naraku takes back his power… Right now, the one I have to shoot is… Look carefully...'
"Kagome…!?" Inuyasha said, still holding Miroku down. Kagome continued to search for Naraku with her powers. She saw the barrier and Naraku sitting inside of it with the shikon no tama.
'I see him!' she thought, drawing her bow and arrow. She let it fly. 'Hit him!'
"Forgive me, Rin!" Sango said, throwing Hiraikotsu.
"Ane-ue!" Kohaku yelled as Katsumi immediately began slashing the flesh separating them with her claws. "Stop, Ane-ue! Rin is…!"
"Kukuku..." the real Naraku laughed as he watched. "When Sango's Hiraikotsu crushes Rin… the shikon no tama will be filled with darkness once again.'
'Naraku!' Kagome thought, watching her arrow fly.
'Kagome, what are you shooting at!?' Inuyasha wondered. The arrow suddenly vanished. 'The arrow disappeared!?'
'It's the same as before!' Kagome thought. 'The time with the miko Hitomiko-sama...' The miko had told her she knew what she must shoot, to look carefully, and believe. 'My arrow will definitely… reach Naraku!'
Naraku was startled when something pierced his barrier, and Kagome's arrow tore off his left arm.
"!?" Kohaku said when Byakuya's arm was ripped off too. Hiraikotsu was inches away from Rin. Katsumi launched herself through the hole she made, desperate to get to her. The illusion of Naraku began to fade just as Katsumi's arms wrapped around Rin, and she tackled her to safety.
"!" Sango said. Hiraikotsu flew through the space where Rin used to be, cutting the mass of tentacles where the illusion of Naraku had appeared. Katsumi stood to the side holding Rin, glaring at Sango. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Kohaku's face. He could see Rin was safe now and was glad, but his sister...
"Ane-ue..." Kohaku said.
'Katsumi… and Kohaku...' Sango thought. She didn't blame Katsumi for glaring at her.
"You were aiming at Rin, too…?" Byakuya said. "Along with the illusion of Naraku I was showing you."
'Illusion...' Sango thought, shocked.
"You thought that if it would save the monk's life… you didn't care if Rin died, am I right?" Byakuya said.
'I...' Sango thought, looking down. "!" she said when Hiraikotsu came spinning back.
"Whoa," Byuakuya said, dodging it. It embedded itself in Naraku's flesh behind him.
"!?" Kohaku said. Sesshoumaru had thrown it. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"
'Sesshoumaru…' Sango thought.
"If that was aimed at me, you're barking up the wrong tree, Sesshoumaru," Byakuya said. "Right, Katsumi?"
"I blame you, too," Katsumi said.
"How harsh," Byakuya said. "But you heard the conversation, right?" he asked Sesshoumaru. "So I'll leave you guys to settle things. Bye!" The flesh parted to allow him passage, and he flew away. "Seriously, give me a break. It seems that the real body got hit bad." Fissures were opening up all over the place, leaking miasma. 'Even so, the fact that an incarnation like me is like this… means that Naraku and the shikon no tama are alive.'
"Sesshoumaru… Katsumi..." Sango said. "If you want to rip me apart, go ahead."
"Ane-ue! What are you saying…!?" Kohaku cried. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Katsumi-sama, Rin is fine! So…!"
"I was ready to kill Rin!" Sango said.
"Ane-ue was being fooled by an illusion!" Kohaku said.
"The fact doesn't change that I was prepared to sacrifice Rin," Sango said. "Even so, it was because I wanted to defeat Naraku!"
"Ane-ue!" Kohaku said.
"I have no intention of making excuses or begging for my life," Sango said. "However… until Naraku is defeated… and the curse on Houshi-sama's Kazaana is broken… I'd like you to wait," Sango pleaded with tears in her eyes.
"Ane-ue..." Kohaku said. A shaft of light broke through the flesh above Sesshoumaru. "Light…!"
'The scent has changed,' Sesshoumaru and Katsumi thought.
'In the direction of that light is...' Katsumi thought.
'Naraku's real body!' Sesshoumaru thought. Sesshoumaru flew into the light.
"Kohaku, take Rin," Katsumi said, and handed him over to her. "Let's go." She looked at Sango with a hard expression on her face. "We'll settle this later." She hurried after Sesshoumaru.
"Let's go, Ane-ue!" Kohaku said.
"… Yeah," Sango said.
'Does this mean… they are going to wait until Naraku is defeated to kill me…?' Sango wondered. 'Is Houshi-sama still alive?! I want to see him! Just once more...' They all flew through the tunnel of flesh together with Sesshoumaru in the lead.
"Ooh..." Rin groaned as she opened her eyes.
"Are you awake, Rin?" Kohaku asked.
"Kohaku..." Rin said.
"You're safe now," Kohaku told her.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! Katsumi-nee!" Rin said. Katsumi smiled back at her. Part of the flesh in the tunnel burst, gushing miasma.
"!" Katsumi and Kohaku said.
"Wha… Miasma!?" Kohaku said, trying to shield Rin. Sango went over to them and placed her own gas mask over Rin's face. "Ane-ue!"
"Rin… I'm sorry..." Sango apologized.
"Eh…?" Rin said, wondering what she had to be sorry for.
"..." Sesshoumaru and Katsumi watched the exchange.
"I'm going on ahead!" Sango said, urging Kirara to fly faster, passing Sesshoumaru. Kohaku quickly put his own gas mask on.
"Ane-ue!" Kohaku yelled. "Without your mask, you'll…!"
'Risking her life… huh,' Sesshoumaru thought.
'She gave Rin her mask, even though this miasma could kill her...' Katsumi thought.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, Katsumi-nee, please go after Sango-sama!" Rin asked. "The miasma will get her!" Hard, jagged rock-like formations grew up between them and Sango.
"!" Katsumi said.
"Wha..!" Kohaku said.
"Hmph… so does this mean he doesn't want her followed..." Sesshoumaru said.
Meanwhile, Jaken was wandering around Naraku on his own.
"Wh-What the?" he said when miasma started pouring out around him. "Bwaahchchch!" he exclaimed when it nearly hurt him. "I… I really shouldn't have come… I've been by myself the whole time..."
"Sesshoumaru-sama! Katsumi-sama! The miasma has gotten stronger!" Kohaku said.
'Something has happened…' Katsumi thought.
'Inuyasha, huh...' Sesshoumaru thought. 'You've been cornered, Naraku… In that case, I will personally escort you to your death!' He drew his sword. "Bakusaiga!" he said, cutting the flesh in front of him. It crackled with energy and crumbled away.
"A… Amazing..." Rin said.
"He opened a path!" Kohaku said. Sesshoumaru flew forward and they followed.
Byakuya watched as Naraku's body seemed to break further. There were cracks in his own face now.
'Sesshoumaru… did you finally use it?' Byakuya wondered. 'Sesshoumaru's Bakusaiga continues its destruction even after its opponent is cut… the destruction even continues in the body of one absorbing those pieces.'
"Eh? Now what?" Jaken wondered when he felt the flesh shake beneath him. "Geeeh!?" he cried when it crackled with energy and fell apart under him. "Ah!" he gasped when he saw Sesshoumaru emerge from another tunnel. He hopped from one piece of flesh to another, throwing himself at Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-samaaa!" he exclaimed with big puppy eyes that had tears of joy in them and a sparkling aura. Sesshoumaru stepped on him and sent him flying past Katsumi to land on Ah-Un.
"Jaken-sama, you came, too?" Rin asked.
"What have you been doing…?" Kohaku asked.
"Be quiet!" Jaken said with dizzy eyes. Naraku's flesh continued to break down in front of them as they moved forward.
"Amazing… the destruction isn't subsiding," Kohaku said.
"And that was just one cut..." Rin said.
"Sesshoumaru-sama's Bakusaiga is really something else!" Jaken said. Naraku sent sharp tentacles at Sesshoumaru.
"Hmph, Naraku… still squirming, huh..." Sesshoumaru said. "Bakusaiga!" He cut the tentacles. They flew on. 'Naraku is still alive… Inuyasha, what are you waiting for!?' The flesh continued to break up ahead of them, with Sesshoumaru occasionally drawing Bakusaiga again, and they followed the path of destruction straight the real Naraku. Sesshoumaru cut the last layer of flesh between them and the others.
'Sesshoumaru! Katsumi!' Inuyasha thought as they emerged. Katsumi noticed Inuyasha and Kagome were standing on Shippo. Naraku was cut up, surrounded by some kind of web.
"Ane-ue!" Kohaku said.
"Sango-sama!" Rin said.
"Kohaku… Rin..." Sango said.
"Ane-ue… You're all right..." Kohaku thought. Bakusaiga's energy ripped through Naraku's flesh around them.
"Bakusaiga's destruction is spreading… As I thought, the one to defeat Naraku will be Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken said.
CRACK! RIIIIP!
Part of Naraku broke and fell off.
"Narkau's discarded that part of his body!" Kohaku said.
"You think you can escape Bakusaiga's destruction!?" Jaken asked.
"Hmph… A worthless tactic," Sesshoumaru said. They all stood out in the open sky, staring up into Naraku.
"Hmph… So you've assembled," Naraku said. "Comrades… or whatever ridiculous thing you call yourselves..."
"We're not missing anyone," Inuyasha said.
'Light has returned to the shikon no tama...' Kagome thought.
"Well, aren't you a happy lot. Just because you're all together," Naraku said. "The light has returned to the shikon no tama… is this what you people call hope? But don't forget… the shikon no tama is already one with my body..." the jewel became darker.
"The darkness pushed it back!?" Kagome said. Naraku transformed to look even less human.
"Naraku's face..." Sango said.
"Bastard… He finally let his heart be consumed by the jewel…" Inuyasha said. Naraku gathered balls of miasma around him and then fired them at the heroes.
"Bundles of miasma again!" Kagome said.
"Meidou Zangetsuha!" Inuyasha said, sending blades of meidou at Naraku.
"Inuyasha, did you just use a new attack?" Shippo asked.
"Yeah, but..." Inuyasha said. He could see Naraku had somehow managed to keep himself from being completely sucked in. "Even though I'm hitting and damaging him, he won't die… It looks like it's because the shikon no tama is clinging to this world!"
"!" Katsumi said when something below them made a burbling sound, and she saw more bundles of miasma. They shot up at them.
"From below, too!" Kohaku said.
"Ridiculous," Sesshoumaru said. He drew his sword. 'Bakusaiga!' he hit all of the bundles of miasma with a single blow. "!" he said. 'The pieces of flesh destroyed by Bakusaiga… are scattering a much more potent miasma than before.'
'The miasma is getting stronger!' Katsumi thought, furrowing her brow.
"Jaken!" Sesshoumaru said.
"Y-Yes!" Jaken said.
"Get out of Naraku's body!" Sesshoumaru ordered.
"Yes!" Jaken said. 'The words I've been waiting for!'
"But…!" Rin said.
"Don't you get it? You two would just be in the way!" Jaken scolded her.
"What about you, Jaken-sama?" Kohaku asked. Bundles of miasma came flying at them.
"Eh? From outside, too!?" Jaken said. Katsumi prepared to strike them down with her sword, but she was beaten to it. Hiraikotsu smashed the bundles of miasma to smithereens.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango said. She caught her weapon as it returned to her. "Kohaku, hurry and get outside!"
"Ane-ue!" Kohaku said.
"Sango-sama! Your gas mask..." Rin said, removing it from her face to give it back.
"Rin..." Sango said.
"Thank you," Rin told her.
"..." Sesshoumaru and Katsumi watched the exchange.
"Houshi-sama, take this…!" Kohaku said, handing his over to Miroku.
"Kohaku..." Miroku said.
"Please use it," Kohaku said. "Take care of my sister."
"… Right," Miroku said. They both put on the gas masks. "Let's go, Sango!"
"Right!" Sango said. Kohaku flew Ah-Un out of Naraku.
"Ooh!" Jaken said when they looked back and saw the state of it.
"It's enveloped in incredible miasma..." Kohaku said. "But look. Naraku is cracking."
"It's as big as when I saw it before," Jaken said. "Though the insides are getting a bit cramped."
"And it's starting to collapse," Kohaku said.
Inside Naraku, Miroku sucked up more miasma.
"Even if I suck it up, the miasma keeps pouring out!" Miroku said.
"Kagome-chan, are you all right!?" Sango asked.
"I'm fine!" Kagome said. "But it's weird..." 'I should be able to purify the miasma around myself. But… whenever I try to draw my bow, Naraku stops me. If I could just shoot and hit him...'
'I won't let you shoot,' Naraku thought. 'Not yet...' He sent more bundles of miasma at them.
"Meidou Zangetsuha!" Inuyasha said, unleashing another attack that thwarted the bundles of miasma and reduced Naraku to half a head.
'Just… a little more…' Naraku thought. 'Just a little longer...'
Outside Naraku, the villagers in Kaede's village were worried.
"Ka… Kaede-sama," one of the older men said.
"Naraku…!" Kaede said. His injured body was moving closer and closer. 'He's closing in on the village!'
"It's heading towards the village..." Kohaku said, flying near it on Ah-Un with Rin and Jaken and the still unconscious Cathal. 'This is the direction… of Kaede-sama's village!'
Inside Naraku, Naraku was firing more miasma bundles.
"Meidou Zangetsuha!" Inuyasha said again, swinging Tessaiga. Sesshoumaru and Katsumi cut the bundles he missed with their swords. Sango destroyed the ones near her with Hiraikotsu and Miroku sucked up some of them.
"It's useless Naraku!" Inuyasha said. "The parts of your body you're saving just keep getting chipped away!"
"Kukuku..." Naraku said. "My body is still sufficient… to wipe out a single village..."
"What!?" Inuyasha asked.
"Village!?" Sango said.
"!" Kohaku said when bundles of miasma were launched outside Naraku's body.
"The balls of miasma are hitting the ground…!" Rin said.
"It's getting closer!" a villager cried as bundles of miasma the size of boulders rained down on them.
"Run!" a man shouted, and everyone around him ran for their lives. The bundles of miasma crashed into houses.
"Everyone, hurry and escape!" Kaede yelled. "If you're touched by the miasma, there's no saving you!" She looked up at the giant spider that was falling apart. 'Naraku… Do you intend to involve this village!?'
"Naraku, you bastard…!" Inuyasha said.
"Kukuku… Did you not realize where you were?" Naraku asked. "You're too late. If you kill me… my miasma-stained body will rain upon the village." Inuyasha growled at him. Katsumi furrowed her brow, worried about Kaede and the others who might get caught up in it. Sesshoumaru closed the gap between him and Naraku.
"So what?" Sesshoumaru said. He had no attachment to that village. He swung his sword, cutting Naraku directly. 'Bakusaiga!' Naraku crackled with energy and the rest of his body began to fall apart at a faster rate.
"It's collapsing!?" Sango said.
"No, this is..." Miroku said. The shikon no tama had become exposed again.
'The shikon no tama is alive...' Kagome thought. 'Naraku is falling of his own will!'
"Shippo-chan, can you get outside?" Kagome asked.
"S-Sure," Shippo said.
"Sango, us too!" Miroku said.
"Right!" Sango agreed, and they flew out on Kirara.
"I'm going, too! I think there's something I can do to help!" Katsumi said, running outside.
'Tch… even hit with Bakusaiga, the shikon no tama is unscathed...' Sesshoumaru thought. Katsumi saw where several bundles of miasma were going to fall and cut the air as she quickly jumped from spot to spot.
"Rabbit Hole, Rabbit Hole, Rabbit Hole, Rabbit hole, Rabbit hole!" she said, slicing the air with a clear destination in mind. The bundles of miasma passed through the portals and reappeared on the edge of the village, away from the people and fields. The people standing under her cheered.
"Uwaaah! Cried one man, trying to help up an old man as a bundle of miasma came flying at them. Kirara flew between them and the miasma, and Miroku sucked it up before it could hit them. Katsumi was cutting more portals, when Inuyasha yelled up at her.
"Move, Katsumi!"
She looked down and saw that he was going to use Meidou Zangetsuha and quickly moved out of the way.
"Meidou Zangetsuha!" Inuyasha yelled, swinging his sword. Giant meidou blades sliced up Naraku's spider body.
"!" Katsumi said, looking around for Sesshoumaru. 'Ah, there he is!' she thought when she saw him flying out of the mess, completely unharmed. She was relieved. She had been scared for a moment. Inuyasha's Meidou Zangetsuha also destroyed many bundles of miasma before they could hit the ground. Kagome stared up at the swirling orb of dark energy and miasma that was still gathered around Naraku. She was looking for the shikon no tama. She found it.
'I see it!' Kagome thought. "If I shoot it now…!" She drew her bow and arrow. 'I believe in this shot!' She let it fly. 'My arrow will hit the shikon no tama!' The arrow flew toward Naraku. It vanished.
'The arrow disappeared...' Inuyasha and Katsumi thought.
'Please… pierce the jewel!' Kagome thought.
Naraku floated in the darkness around the shikon no tama like a skeletal fetus. He was thinking about how Kagome had said the shikon no tama didn't grant his real wish.
'My real wish...' Naraku thought. 'That's right… I simply… wanted Kikyo's heart...' There was a bright flash of light as Kagome's arrow reappeared. 'Hmph… It looks like… I won't be able to go… to the same place you've gone, Kikyo.'
Outside Naraku, the dark swirls were infected with light and became purified.
"Ooh!" Kaede said.
"The bundles of miasma!" one villager said.
"Are disappearing!" said another.
"The miasma around the village is being purified," Miroku said.
"Did Kagome-sama's arrow defeat Naraku!?" Kohkau asked, standing together with Rin, Jaken, Sesshoumaru, and Katsumi.
'Did I do it!?' Kagome wondered. "!" she said when the huge swirling ball of energy ripped through the air, heading straight for her and Inuyasha.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha said, quickly grabbing her. The swirling mass crashed into the ground.
"Kagome-chan!" Sango yelled.
"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted. But they needn't have worried. Inuyasha was already jumping out of the way with Kagome. The swirling mass ended up over the bone-eater's well. It cleared, and they saw what was left of Naraku, who was little more than a spine with a head, floating there with the shikon no tama, which had been pierced with Kagome's arrow.
"Naraku…!" Inuyasha said.
"Hmph..." Naraku said. The others came over, too. "At that time… I made a wish… on the jewel..."
"!?" Kagome said.
"The moment Byakuya of the Dreams… cut Kagome…" Naraku said. "That was when..."
'She was cut by Byakuya!?' Shippo and Katsumi thought, concerned.
'She doesn't look wounded...' Katsumi thought. Still, it gave her a bad feeling.
"The moment I die, that wish… will be granted..." Naraku said. 'The wish… I made on the jewel… was the wish… of the shikon no tama itself...' He disappeared.
'Naraku!' Katsumi, Kohaku, Rin, Miroku, and Sango thought as they Sesshoumaru watched their enemy vanish. A round Meidou suddenly appeared behind Kagome.
"!" Katsumi gasped.
"Wha… A meidou!?" Inyasha exclaimed. Kagome was pulled off her feet. "Kagome!" He tried to grab her, but it was too late. Kagome had been sucked into the meidou.
"Inuyasha…!" Kagome cried.
"Kagome!" Katsumi yelled.
"Kagome-chan!" Sango called.
"Kagome!" Shippo yelled.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, jumping after her. "!" The meidou closed before he could enter.
"!" Kaede said.
"It vanished…!" Kohaku said.
"Kagome..." Katsumi said.
'Kagome...' Inuyasha thought. 'Wha… What's going on!?'
"Was Kagome… cut by Byakuya…?" Shippo asked. "I saw it… Byakuya of the Dreams stole the Meidou Zangetsuha's youkai power..."
'Meidou Zangetsuha's youkai power…?' Inuyasha thought. "Kagome… Where did you..."
"The well..." Kaede said.
"Kaede-sama..." Miroku said.
"What happened to the bone-eater's well…?" Kaede asked.
'!' Everyone else thought as they realized it had disappeared.
"The well… is gone," Miroku said.
"The jewel is gone, too…!" Katsumi said.
'If Naraku wanted to get rid of Kagome, he could have done it then,' Inuyasha thought, thinking of when she was cut. 'Instead, he purposefully came to the village… was he really after the bone-eater's well!?'
"What if Kagome… returned to the world beyond the well?" Shippo asked.
"What did Naraku wish for in the end…?" Inuyasha said. Miroku looked at his cursed hand and began to unseal it.
"Houshi-sama…?" Sango said. Miroku finished unsealing his hand. It was now a perfectly normal hand.
"The Kazaana is gone!" Kaede said.
"Houshi-sama…!" Sango said. Tears of joy formed in her eyes. "Your curse... is broken..."
"Yes, there's no doubt… Naraku is gone," Miroku said. "However… the shikon no tama… What happened to it?"
'The shikon no tama!' Inuyasha thought. He activated the black Tessaiga.
"Inuyasha..." Miroku said.
'Please, Tessaiga! Take me where Kagome is!' Inuyasha pleaded. "Meidou Zangetsuha!" He swung Tessiag, creating a huge blade-shaped meidou. Inuyasha dove in.
"Inuyasha!" Kaede and Miroku said.
"Inuyasha-sama!" Kohaku said.
"..." Sesshoumaru said.
'He's going to get Kagome, isn't he!?' Katsumi thought with her brow furrowed.
'The Shikon no tama feared Kagome,' Inuyasha thought as he disappeared into the meidou. 'If the shikon no tama is still alive… there's no way it would allow Kagome to live in peace! Wait for me, Kagome! I will definitely find you!' The meidou closed behind Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha!" Shippo said, worried.
"He went to get Kagome," Katsumi said, clenching her fist. "He'll save her. I know it."
"I do feel better hearing that..." Miroku said. "But how are they going to get back?" Katsumi and Sesshoumaru smelled a familiar sent.
"They will be free when the shikon no tama is destroyed," Tsukihime said, landing gracefully behind them. Everyone turned to look at her.
"Mama! What do you know about this?" Katsumi asked.
"Only that your friend will finally make the right wish," Tsukihime said. "And that you won't see her again for a few years."
"A few years!?" Katsumi and Shippo said.
"They'll be in there that long?" Miroku asked.
"No, but Kagome won't return with Inuyasha," Tsukihime replied. "He should be able to give you more details when you see him again in a few days."
"Is that why you're here?" Katsumi asked. "To tell us this?" Her mother grinned behind her kimono sleeve.
"Actually, I'm here to make sure a certain wedding takes place," Tsukihime said.
"Eh?" Katsumi said, blushing.
"Your future mother-in-law and I have been making plans," Tsukihime said.
"..." Sesshoumaru was fairly certain he wouldn't like what came next.
"We already have your kimono picked out. Now we just need to decide the guest list..." She removed a scroll from her sleeve and let it unroll until there was a six-foot long list.
"Um, I thought a traditional Japanese wedding only had close family and a few guests present..." Katsumi said, beginning to feel a little uneasy.
"Then there's the food and the gifts for the guests..." Tsukihime said, ignoring her.
"I'm really okay with something small…" Katsumi said. In fact, she'd prefer it. "Haha… Maybe we should just elope?" she suggested to Sesshoumaru with a wry smile on her face. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her. Everyone was shocked, except Tsukihime and Rin.
'Wha… Wha-Wha-Wha-What!?' Jaken screamed internally.
"Fine by me," Sesshoumaru told Katsumi.
"I suppose a small wedding will do," Tsukihime said with a smile.
"Isn't that great, Katsumi-nee?" Rin said, also smiling.
"Y… Yeah..." Katsumi said, blushing, feeling a little shy but enormously happy. The others were still staring. Sesshoumaru looked at them, daring them to say anything on the matter.
"Con… Congratulations!" Kohaku said, recovering first.
"Best wishes... to the happy couple," Miroku said.
"Here's to a long and happy marriage..." Kaede said.
"Thank you, everyone," Katsumi said, still a little red in the face.
'Weren't we all worried about something really serious a moment ago..?' Shippo thought. 'Well, I guess it's true that all we can do is wait, and they are coming back… I just wish it wasn't going to take Kagome so long...' Two shimmering green rings of energy formed on the ground and became filled with swirling orbs of light. Fearghal and Tadhg appeared in them.
[[Katsumi! I hope we're not too late!]] Fearghal said. [[We heard Cath—]] He stopped short when he saw the unconscious Cathal still slumped over Ah-Un's back.
[[It seems we're late,]] Tadhg remarked.
[[Just a little,]] Katsumi said. [[What should we do with him?]]
[[We'll take him,]] Tadhg said. [[He can't say it was an 'accident' this time. Did you fight him in a one on one duel?]]
[[You could say that,]] Katsumi said. [[He attacked me when I was alone, and I defended myself.]]
[[You defeated him in combat. That means the throne is yours,]] Tadhg said. [[A king (or queen) is he that can hold his own or else his title is in vain.]]
[[I keep saying, I don't want it,]] Katsumi said, sweat-dropping.
[[What did you do to him?]] Fearghal asked, picking Cathal up. [[He doesn't look injured, but something's not quite right about him...]]
[[I cut him up on the inside,]] Katsumi replied.
[[Without leaving a scratch on his armor?]] Tadhg asked. [[That's terrifying.]]
[[So is a faerie slaying sword,]] Katsumi said.
[[Oh, he used one of them, did he?]] Fearghal said. [[Well, you're no worse for wear. It looks like he didn't even touch you, aside from that damage to your armor.]]
[[No, but he did give a faerie slaying knife to Naraku,]] Katsumi said. Her cousins' expressions became grim.
[[That's a grave crime, giving that sort of thing to outsiders,]] Fearghal said. [[Especially to a wing-ripper.]]
[[Were's the knife?]] Tadhg asked. [[We'll take that back with us and let it testify against him.]]
[[How can a knife testify?]] Katsumi asked.
[[Scrying magic is placed on the sword and a re-enactment of events can be replayed,]] Fearghal explained.
[[But will faerie magic work on a blade that's anti-faerie?]] Katsumi asked.
[[We'll place the magic on the handle. The handles are made from a more compatible material, usually,]] Tadhg replied.
[[Okay. Let me ask Kaede-obaa-chan what happened to it,]] Katsumi said. "Kaede-obaa-chan, do you know what became of that knife I gave you? I need it."
"It should be in the storage shed," Kaede said. She turned to look at one of the village men. "Could you fetch it for us?"
"Yes, Kaede-sama!" he said and rushed off to get it.
[[What's going to happen to Cathal now?]] Katsumi asked.
[[With the knife as evidence, he'll either be imprisoned for at least seven millennia or executed,]] Tadhg said. [[Why? Are you pitying him?]]
[[He's tried to kill me at least twice. So, no, not really,]] Katsumi said. [[It does seem like a long time, though.]]
[[He's a pure-blooded faerie through and through. He'll live forever and a day, so seven millennia may actually be too kind,]] Fearghal said. The village man returned with the knife. He handed it to Kaede, who carefully handed it to Tadhg, who made sure to keep it completely wrapped up as he held it.
[[Even holding it covered makes me feel a little weak,]] he said, touching the concealed blade. [[Better to hold it by the handle, then.]]
[[Well, I think that's everything,]] Fearghal said. [[We'll take care of this for you, so be sure to invite us to the wedding!]] Katsumi blushed and smiled.
[[You bet!]] she said happily.
—∞—|—∞—
"Kaede-sama, hurry!" Rin said as they went down the steps built into the hill.
"Don't rush, Rin," Kaede said.
"But it'll be born soon," Rin said.
"And where is the father?" Kaede asked.
"He's out working," Rin replied. Miroku and Inuyasha were out taking care of a youkai problem in another village.
"Well… it is his third one..." Kaede said. 'That's right, it's already been… three years...' During the past three years, some things had changed. Miroku and Sango got married and started a family. Shippo started leaving the village frequently to train. In order to help people plagued by youkais, Kohaku was training to be a strong youkai slayer. Totosai even made him a new weapon.
—∞—
"You did well, Sango," Kaede said as she washed the baby with Rin's help. They returned the clean baby to his mother.
"Oh, it was born!" Miroku said as he entered the house, happy to see the baby and his wife were okay.
"Come hold him," Sango said. Their two little girls were looking at their brother with curiosity.
—∞—
Later that evening, in a palace in the sky, Katsumi had just finished telling her own children a bedtime story.
"I still don't see why Kaguya-hime had to go back to the moon if she was happy on earth," her son, Akatoki, said. "The emperor really loved her."
"It was her birthright," her daughter, Tsukiyo, said. "She was never supposed to stay there forever."
"Is that what happened to that friend of yours?" Akatoki asked.
"You mean Kagome?" Katsumi asked. "Yes, it was something like that..." It never ceased to amaze her how quickly they grew. They were only one and a half years old, but they could already have conversations like this. Her grandpa had proudly said it was because of her faerie genes. Faerie children tended to develop quickly as a defense mechanism. He said Akatoki and Tsukiyo would probably grow physically at the same rate as human children up until they were the age of fifteen or sixteen. Her mother had confirmed this. But they had the appearance of full youkais. They had both inherited Sesshoumaru's markings and her eyes. Akatoki had her golden hair and took after her more, but Tsukiyo had inherited her father's silver hair and was the spitting image of Sesshoumaru. The eye color may have been different, but Tsukiyo still had the same cool gaze that could make children three times her size back off with one look.
"Are we going to the human village soon?" Tsukiyo asked.
"That's right. In a few days, we're going to visit Rin and your uncle, Inuyasha," Katsumi said with a smile.
"Yay!" Akatoki said. He liked visiting Rin and playing with her and Shippo. "I like the village. It doesn't have as many rules as this place."
"But you like visiting your grandmothers, don't you?" Katsumi said. She had left them there for three days while she trained in the fairy world for another three weeks with her cousins. They were helping her learn how to control her powers better, but she didn't like to be away from her kids for too long.
"Well… It depends..." Akatoki said honestly. On whether they were toying with him or spoiling him.
"Chichi-ue says Inuyasha-oji-chan is an idiot," Tsukiyo said bluntly with a straight face. Katsumi sweat-dropped and smiled wryly.
"Well, your father and uncle don't exactly get along..." she said.
"I don't think Chichi-ue likes us seeing him," Tsukiyo said.
"Well, your uncle happens to be my friend, too, so he doesn't stop me," Katsumi said. "You know your father's coming too."
"Chichi-ue is?" Tsukiyo said, perking up.
'She's such a daddy's girl,' Katsumi thought fondly. "That's right. We'll meet him there. We're giving Rin a new kimono."
"Another one?" Akatoki asked. "How many kimonos do girls need?"
"Well, Rin is growing even faster than you are these days," Katsumi said.
—∞—|—∞—
A few days later, Katsumi found a big surprise was waiting for her in Kaede's village.
"Kagome!?" Katsumi exclaimed when she saw her friend standing there in the flesh. She squealed excitedly and hugged her.
"I missed you, too, Katsumi-chan," Kagome said, hugging her back.
"When did you get back?" Katsumi asked.
"Only a few days ago. But I'm already under the instruction of Kaede-baa-chan, and I've been learning to make medicines and helping with purifications."
"They put you to work fast, huh," Katsumi said.
"Katsumi-chan, behind you… are those your children?" Kagome asked. "They're adorable!"
"Thank you!" Katsumi said. "They're our pride and joy." She leaned down to place her hands on her children's heads. "This is Akatoki and Tsukiyo."
"Pleased to meet you," Kagome greeted them. " 'Sunrise' and 'moonlit night', huh? Those are nice names."
"You're pretty!" Akatoki blurted out.
"Well, that's nice of you to say," Kagome said, smiling.
"Hey, you little punk…!" Inuyasha said, pressing down on Akatoki's head. "Just who do you think you're flirting with?"
"He only complimented her. What are you getting jealous of a toddler for?" Katsumi said, furrowing her brow at him and pushing his hand off her child.
"Idiot," Tsukiyo said bluntly.
"Why, you little..." Inuyasha said, forming a fist.
"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome said, making him slam face first into the ground.
"Whoa," Akatoki said.
"Do it again," Tsukiyo said with the hint of a smile.
"You…!" Inuyasha said, frustrated. He wanted to smack the smirk off his little niece's face, but he couldn't hit a girl, and even if he tried Katsumi or Kagome would make him regret it.
"Well, I originally came to see Rin. Can we keep talking after that?" Katsumi asked Kagome.
"Sure," Kagome said. Katsumi and her children waved 'bye-bye' for the moment and went over to Kaede's house. Katsumi was just about to knock on the doorframe, when Sesshoumaru landed next to her. He had the box with the new kimono tucked under his arm. Katsumi smiled at him.
"I missed you," she said, hugging him and standing on her toes to kiss him on the cheek.
"You're as shameless as ever," Jaken remarked.
"Is there something wrong with a wife missing her beloved husband?" Katsumi asked coolly, crossing her arms.
"I… uh..." Jaken said, trailing off under Sesshoumaru's cold stare.
"Arguing with Haha-ue is pointless," Akatoki said sympathetically. "She always wins."
'I think it was actually Sesshoumaru who won that round...' Katsumi thought, smiling wryly.
"I don't need your pity," Jaken huffed, though his tone was noticeably nicer than when he talked to Katsumi.
"Shall we go in?" Katsumi said, knocking on the doorframe. Rin threw the woven mat hanging in front of the door aside.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! Katsumi-nee! Come in!" Rin said happily, inviting them in.
"We're here, too, Rin-nee!" Akatoki said excitedly, making himself known, dragging his younger sister along. Rin greeted them with hugs. Sesshoumaru gave Rin the kimono, which she really appreciated, and then she and Katsumi spent some time catching up on what the other had been doing. Sesshoumaru listened. After awhile, it was time to say goodbye, and Sesshoumaru took to the sky again, with Jaken tagging along, while Katsumi stayed behind with the kids to talk to Kagome, who was sitting in the grass with Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru flew over them.
"Ah! Sesshoumaru-sama, it's Kagome…!" Jaken said, surprised. He hadn't realized she was back.
"Onii-san!" Kagome called up to him. Sesshoumaru's brow twitched and he glared down at her.
"Aw, he made a really mean face at me," Kagome said. "And, Inuyasha, so are you."
"That had a really nasty ring to it," Inuyasha said, staring at her with a furrowed brow.
"Pfft! Haha!" Katsumi laughed. Their reactions were priceless, all of them.
"?" Akatoki said.
"… You laugh at the strangest things..." Tsukiyo told her.
"I can't help it," Katsumi said, squatting down and putting her arms around her children. "I'm happy." Everyone was together again.
The End