Chapter Twenty-Nine: Power of the Heart

A large cloud of dust billowed around the estate, clouding the groups view as they approached. Instinctual fear shuddered through Shippo and Kirara, causing the fox to hide in Inuyasha's hair, and for the neko to shift and jump into Sango's arms. When Ah-Uhn drew close to the others, Jakken pulled back on his reins the slightest bit and hopped off of him.

"Rin, you stay with Ah-Uhn, if the situation gets worse, you may need to flee with him." Jakken explained, his eyes focused on the clearing smoke.

"Yes, Master Jakken." Rin could also feel the staggering cloud of fear grip her small frame.

Once the dust cloud had cleared completely, the group could finally see inside the courtyard. Sesshomaru was at the center, claws drawn out. Opposite of him was Naraku, a wicked grin on his face as he stared without fear at the burning glare of the Inu-lord. Between them was a girl, long blonde hair flowing down her back, a long fluffed out tail hanging over the ground. She was wearing a simple white kosode, the blue glow of fox fire coming from her open palm. Blocking Sesshomarus hand was a closed, black metal fan, his hand trembling with the effort to hold back.

"What's the matter, Lord Sesshomaru?" Naraku mocked, the sneer on his face stretching out across his lips. "See something strange?"

Sesshomaru responded only with a growl, jumping back when the fox girl swiped her own claws towards him, sending out streaks of fox fire towards him he had to dodge.

"What did you do to her?" He growled at Naraku, staring him down until he was met with the dull green eyes of his kit.

Narakus laugh chilled the air and he approached Kasumi, fiddling with her blonde locks, twirling the hair around his finger. "You seem angry, Lord Sesshomaru. I thought you would be excited to see that your intended mate. I for one am deeply enthralled by her myself." At Sesshomarus possessive growl, Naraku laughed once again.

"What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha wanted to jump into the fight, attack Naraku while he was distracted, but like everyone else his feet were rooted into place. He recognized the smell of Kasumi, but it was overwhelmed by the stench of his enemy, and Sesshomaru's scent, which has a lingering attachment to the princess was quickly becoming overpowered.

"That is the Lady Kasumi," Jakken hesitantly answered Inuyasha, walking up to his side.

"That's her?" Disbelief filled his tone as his narrowed eyes examined the two.

Sesshomaru tried to send a poison whip towards Naraku but pulled it back when Kasumi moved in front of him, protecting him from harm. This only light up the mocerky in Naraku's eyes.

"Why the hell is she working for Naraku?" Inuyahsa growled to the imp and that's when Kagome finally spoke up, holding onto Shippo.

"She's not," her voice was soft, eyes following Kasumi's movement as she sent out another wave of fox fire claws at Sesshomaru. "Not willingly at least."

"Girl," Jakken looked up at the miko. "Tell me, can you see what is going on?" Jakken didn't know Lady Kasumi very well, he knew her only through the stories Rin liked to tell him, and the rumors he heard about her in his lord's estate. She was a charming girl, with a warm heart and tender smile. She treated everyone she met at the estate with kindness, no matter how they treated her. It was a kick process for everyone to trust and believe in her.

Looking at the girl now, he saw none of what was said about her. She held herself with a silently lethality, poised for the next attack, keeping her dull gaze on her target. Sesshomaru couldn't attack, every time he tried to, he would move in the way and stop him, forcing himself to hold back. Jakken could see his Lord had truly come to care for the girl based off his unwillingness to harm her.

"Jewel shards," Kagome's voice broke the imp from his thoughts and he looked up at the miko again. "She has two of them in her chest. They are completely tainted. He's controlling her the same way he controls Kohaku."

"What do you mean by that?" Confused, Jakken stared up at the miko, then turned his eyes back to the fight between princess and lord.

"Naraku put jewel shards in the back of Kohaku and uses his influence over the shard to control his actions. It's why he doesn't always act the same." Kagome responded. "Kasumi has at least two in her chest... and a third one in her forehead." Very faintly Kagome could make out the dull pink glow in her forehead before the kit jumped back. "The best way for Naraku to lose control of her is to remove the tainted jewels. I'll be able to purify them if I can touch them."

"I wouldn't recommend going into that fight, Kagome." Sango placed her hand on the mikos shoulders. "It's not safe. Naraku could come after you, or the girl, even Sesshomaru."

"It's odd though," Miroku mused, stroking his chin. "It seems Lord Sesshomaru is intentionally not fighting to his full potential."

"That's because he's fighting against Onee-san!" Rin called from her perch on Ah-Uhns back, trying to observe the fight and remain a safe distance away. "Sesshomaru obviously doesn't want to hurt her. He loves her after all."

"Hah," Inuyasha scoffed at the little girl. "That cold blooded bastard in love? With a half-breed?" He scoffed again, ignoring the girl as she voiced her complaints. Then he started to really pay attention to Sesshomaru as he blocked off Kasumi's advances.

She still had her closed fan in her hand, using it as a means to block Sesshomarus clawed attacks towards her and Naraku, and was effortlessly holding him back while using her own claws. Naraku was still standing close to the girl, enjoying the view too much to feel the need to back away, and because the group hadn't made a single step forward, it seemed like the battle would continue on this way. Frustrated, Inuyasha growled under his breath and drew out his Tetsaiga and blowing out his wind scar in Narakus direction.

"Listen up you bastard," Inuyasha growled, as dust cleared. Kasumi stood in the way of Naraku with her fan half drawn out, and Sesshomaru stood in front of his kit, his sword Tokijin held out, deflecting the wind scar off towards the main house. "Stop using people like you did with Kikiyo and me." Inuyasha's flared up amber gaze was glued onto Naraku.

The other hanyo chuckled his amusement. "It's very easy to manipulate people's hearts," He explained. Despite how difficult it turned out to be to control the kits heart. Eventually she caved when I showed her visions of the Inu Lord. Smirking to himself he eyed Sesshomaru, who struggled to keep Inuyasha at bay without harming the kit. Slowly and carefully, Naraku took strands of Kasumis hair and moved them behind her shoulder. He leaned in and softly whispered into her ear. Inuyasha's ears flicked at the sound and the hanyo girl drew her claws back and quickly pierced through sesshomarus armor. As soon as her claws showed through the front of his armor Blue flames scratched through forcing Inuyahsa to jump back.

As blood flowed freely from Sesshomarus new wound, Inuyasha growled at his stupid older Half-brother.

"Idiot!" He yelled at him as Kasumi yanked her claws from Sesshomarus body, and then kicked him forward till he landed on one of his knees. "Can't you see Naraku is controlling her?! If you love this girl so much, then hurry the hell up and get those jewels shards out of her chest and forehead!"

AUTHORS NOTE

Hey guys, im glad some of you still read this, and your reviews have really just made me super happy.

My original plan was to just make this chapter the last one, and then do like an Epilogue as the final update but to be honest with you all, I Just decided to break up these scenes a little differently, if not to stretch the store out then to slowly torture you all as I spread out the ending.

For real though everyone's continued support has meant a great deal to me and it's the only thing that inspires and motivates me to keep going.

Stay Beautiful my dears, the conclusion is almost upon us!