Disclaimer: No one who wrote this or reads this owns Inuyasha... unless
Rumiko Takahashi reads this... which I sincerely doubt.
AN: Ok, I'm really tired of writing happy fics. What's a story without angst? So prepare to flame me for being evil... sorry...
Two Faced
I'm Sorry
"Accept defeat gracefully, Inuyasha." Miroku tossed his empty ice cream bucket over to Inuyasha who had just finished his last mouthful. "You lost before we even started."
"Well... I was only in it to do this!" Inuyasha promptly stuffed his bandaged hands into the cold bucket and sighed happily. "Pure bliss..."
"Sore loser."
"Actually... you're a sore winner, or you will be tomorrow when you wake up with indigestion and diarrhoea." Inuyasha smirked.
"Lovely..." Miroku wrinkled his nose. "You're so vulgar."
"That's bull shit."
"Quite..."
Suddenly the door slammed open and Sango ran in. "Quick - it's Kagome!" she panted and then ran out again. Miroku and Inuyasha glanced at each other before dumping their ice cream buckets and running after her.
"What happened?" Miroku asked as he slowed to crouch by Kagome's side who hadn't had the energy to make it to the inn. Inuyasha stopped a short distance away, having to step back a bit as Kagome's little purifying field slowly grew larger.
"I don't know - she just collapsed on me and she can't breathe." Sango said hurriedly, rubbing her face to rub away the tingles she felt. It was like she'd stepped into an electrical field around Kagome and the current was running through her.
"Kagome, nod if she can hear me." Miroku told her sharply and she nodded quickly, still clawing at her throat.
"Maybe she's having an allergic reaction?" Sango frowned with worry.
Shippo, Rin and Mr Higurashi soon came hurrying out of the inn after Inuyasha and passed him on their way to Kagome. Inuyasha hated it that he couldn't go to her side and see what was wrong... but he had a strange feeling. Even through all the spiritual powers and the purifying magic, he could feel it... the presence of a demon... was she possessed?
"Somebody get a doctor!" Kagome's father yelled angrily and grasped his daughters hand. "It'll be ok, Kagome, just take deep breathes and try to stay calm."
Kagome ignored his advice. If she slowed down to take deep breathes she would suffocate. It was becoming a major effort to drag in one lung-full of air after another. It also didn't help that people were crowding in on her. Then she noticed something as she lay on her back, staring upwards.
"The... sky..." she wheezed out, raising a weak arm to point towards the clouds. Everyone else glanced up in confusion and saw what she was looking at.
The clouds had gone from droll grey to almost completely black and were clouding over the sun as they watched. And as if that wasn't enough, the moon was also moving in front of the sun in a solar eclipse...
"The day of darkness..." Sango murmured.
"But we're not ready yet!" Shippo yelled, almost in full panic.
"Major Houshi - send a fax down to headquarters if you can - tell them that it's arrived!" Kagome's father ordered and Miroku wasted no time to carry out his wishes. Sango stayed behind and chewed her lip as she stroked her friend's hair.
"It'll be ok, Kagome, you'll be ok, just hang on until it's over." Sango told her.
"She'll die when it's over." Kagome's father said gravely.
"What?!" Sango snapped a stare on him.
Kagome angrily thumped his arm. "Thanks... a lot...!"
"She can't die!" she looked down at the struggling girl. "You can't die - it wasn't in the prophecy!"
"Yes it was." Her father said softly. "There's nothing we can do - the jewel is too impure to disappear. It'll kill all demons..."
"Look... it's getting darker..." Rin pointed to the jewel that lay against Kagome's throat. She was right, it had changed from dark pink to almost blood red.
"Shit..." Shippo ran a hand through his hair.
"It's becoming defiled - Kagome - what happened?" Kagome's father pressed. "Did a demon touch it?!"
Kagome opened her mouth to speak but couldn't spare the air to speak.
Inuyasha finally hit realisation. "No - it's because she's touching it!"
"What?" everyone looked round at him with confusion. Sango grew angry at once. "Oh come on - she's not contagious, stop milling about over there and come help!"
Inuyasha ignored her. "She's defiling the jewel herself - she has demon blood in her veins! The jewels absorbing the evil... and she's purifying herself..." he stopped and took a deep breath. "She's in pain..."
"I knew it..."
Inuyasha turned sharply to see Kikyo coming up behind him with a hard expression. "What?"
"You can't touch her can you? Because it hurts you." She cast a brief glance down at his hands. "What a pity."
She didn't sound so convincing, so Inuyasha just turned away and watched what was happening.
"How did this happen Kagome?" Sango asked, grasping the girl's other hand. "Is it true?"
Kagome didn't know what to say, even if she could speak, all she could do was labour for oxygen and writhe in pain. She half wanted everyone to just leave her alone and stop talking at her, she wasn't in the mood... but she was afraid of being left alone.
"At this rate that jewel is going to kill us all." Kagome's father said, coughing as he began to find it difficult being this close to Kagome. "This isn't good."
"You think!" Sango snapped and made to grab the Shikon. "We have to destroy that thing!"
"No - don't touch that!" Mr Higurashi shouted a little too late.
A bang went off when Sango's fingers connected with the jewel and she screamed as she was thrown forcefully back. She cradled her scorched hand and glared at the smouldering jewel. Kagome was shaking her head as tears were starting to leak from the corner of eyes.
"I don't... want... to die..." Kagome gasped, letting a few breathy sobs shake her frame.
"Neither do we, honey." Her father stroked her cheek, ignoring the little jabs on pain he felt in his palm when he did this. "I don't know what we can do..."
Miroku arrived back, out of breathe. "They got the message - they're sending helicopters and planes over right now."
"A bit late aren't they?" Sango hissed with venom as she sucked her burnt fingers. "Stupid... lame ass... government pigs..."
"What do we do?" Rin asked hesitantly, glancing at the rest of the crew that were hovering around the inn, too anxious to venture any nearer.
"Go..." Kagome suddenly gasped.
Her father shook his head. "Kagome - I don't think we should leave-"
"Go!" Kagome said a little more forcefully. Her voice was barely more than a whispered gasp. "I can... purify it... myself! Go! Don't come near me - I don't want to hurt... any of you!"
"Kagome-"
"GO!"
They hesitated before Mr Higurashi nodded at the younger people and they started to retreat back towards where Inuyasha, Kikyo and the soldiers were gathered.
"You sure you can do this?" Mr Higurashi asked his daughter worriedly.
She just nodded and clasped his hand tight before pushing it away with a strong hint that he should go too. He sighed in defeat. "At least let me take you inside."
Kagome nodded. She was cold, and it was growing very dark by now that she was having trouble making out her father's face. He helped her to her feet and started to walk her towards the inn. The rest of the group parted to make way for them as Kagome's father led her back inside and into one of the vacant bedrooms. "You'll be ok?"
"Yes..." she hissed in pain and closed her eyes momentarily before forcing them open with an equally forced smile. "You can go now, thanks."
He hesitated only a moment before quickly exiting the room and closing the door tightly behind him. Outside he came upon a very anxious sight. Sango was taking comfort, crying in Miroku's arm who simply held her looking rather worried and slightly angry. But Inuyasha stole the show with his anger as he stomped up and down in the dark, pacing a groove in the ground. Kikyo watched him tightly, arms folded and fists clenched. She looked worried and pensive, while everyone else just stood not knowing what to do with themselves. There was no way they could help.
Inside Kagome rolled up to sit up on her mattress and tugged at the Shikon on her throat. So she'd lied about trying to purify it... she was going to destroy it!
She placed it on the wooden floor and grabbed the lamp, a difficult task when sun spots danced before her eyes and just summoning the energy to grab the lamp enflamed her hand with burning pain, but she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. She brought it down with a grunt against the small bead and did it again and again...
But the Shikon no Tama was stronger than diamond... it wouldn't shatter under one measly lamp. If she still had those spiritual powers inside of her and had something sharp wooden and pointy then maybe she could shatter it... but no... She was officially screwed.
"I'm... gonna die..." she clenched her fists and closed her eyes to fight the pain as she sank to the ground. "So... is Inuyasha..."
She hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye... he could only stand by helplessly while she died slowly.
She glanced out the window and saw nothing... it was so dark out there that she couldn't even make out the tree line in the distance, or the outline of the houses nearby. Yes... this was definitely the day of darkness... she was dying... the jewel was about to irrupt... and all she could think about was how much she was going to miss Inuyasha.
She'd miss him more than her own family... her own flesh and blood. Did that mean she loved him more?
Probably...
And she was never going to get the chance to tell him that either.
She cried out as another spasm of pain riddled her body and she curled herself into a ball to try and fight the loosing battle. The jewel that lay on the ground before her was turning black ever so slowly... Now she knew how Inuyasha felt when he was around her.
^_^
"Someone has to go check on her!" Inuyasha snarled at Mr Higurashi who clenched his own fists angrily.
"Stop throwing a hissy fit Inuyasha and calm down!"
"Calm down?!" Inuyasha growled. "We're all about to die and you're telling me to calm down!"
He didn't like this. Usually when his life was in danger there would always be something he could do about it. Like run out of the way of that damn bus or fight that attacking demon for all he was worth. But when Kagome was the cause of the danger... he found that he couldn't run away and he couldn't fight it...
"Nice to know you're so positive!" Miroku snapped.
"We'll know if everything is ok when the sky clears!" Mr Higurashi growled at the younger boy. "Until then there isn't much we can do unless we want to make matters worse!"
"There must be something we can do!" Inuyasha resumed his pacing. He could feel Kagome's energy even though he was outside and she was inside... it still hurt, but he wasn't about to move away. "She's your daughter! How can you abandon her!"
"I'm not abandoning her!"
"When will we know if we're all saved?!" Inuyasha snapped. "When we see the clouds clear and we aren't dead! We have like what?! Seven more seconds to live?!"
Rin whimpered softly leaning against Shippo who was glaring at the ground.
"Stop talking like that! You aren't helping!" Mr Higurashi shouted.
"So what?! You're not helping either! It's not like words and talking is going to change the way things have turned out! I can't help that! I could never help that! I can't help anything!" Inuyasha lashed out at the nearest inanimate object, sending a pale of water smashing against the wall of the inn, close to Mr Higurashi's head who didn't even flinch. Inuyasha glared heatedly at him for a moment before resuming pacing again. "Useless...!"
"Just because you can't protect yourself doesn't mean you should take it out on us!" Sango shouted at Inuyasha, taking a break from her crying to snap at him.
"That doesn't bother me! It's because I can't protect Kagome now - and none of you idiots are helping her either!" Inuyasha walked up and punched a fist sized hole through the wall of the inn. "You're all just happily sitting around, waiting for her to die!"
"And us to die - don't forget we'll die too!" Sango yelled back.
Kagome's father ground his teeth. Inuyasha was not the kind of person you needed around in a situation like this. With him around he was bound to get everyone's spirits down and turn all those optimists into pessimists like himself.
Suddenly Kikyo jumped to her feet and kicked the box she was sitting on. "That bitch! She'll kill us all if we don't do something!"
Before anyone could really register what she'd said, she lunged towards the door of the inn and had thrown herself through it.
"Stop her!" Mr Higurashi jumped to his feet as well, about to give chase along with Miroku... but Inuyasha was way ahead of them.
He ignored the pain as he barrelled through the corridor after Kikyo who was amazingly quick on her feet. He swerved around the corner after her, narrowly avoiding hitting the wall and had to pause a moment to set his balance straight. But Kikyo had murderous intent... she was scared for her life and she wasn't going to let Kagome get away with it.
"Shit..." Inuyasha cursed as he saw a silver blade flash from inside Kikyo's shirt. He threw himself after her and caught up to her the moment she reached Kagome's side.
"Die now you murderer!" Kikyo screamed as she brought the knife down on Kagome. Inuyasha was quick to knock it out of her hands, sending it skidding across the floor to wedge itself under the bed. No sooner had he done that but Kikyo collapsed. The energy the tainted Shikon was giving out was becoming too much for her to handle and she'd reached her limit.
Inuyasha knew he had to get out or he'd collapse too... but he couldn't move. He found himself wondering what the point would be. If he was going to die, why not die right beside the girl he loved... it wasn't like he could hide from a fate like this. He might as well die with some semblance.
"Kagome..." he started to slump down beside her and reached out to touch her face, ignoring the blisters that lathered his skin at the merest touch. She stirred and looked up at him.
She was shocked to begin with, and then angry. What was he doing here? Didn't he know that she was about to kill them all... he had to get away... But some selfish part of her wanted him to stay with her... she didn't want to be alone at a time like this. Her last time to be any place in the world alive...
Inuyasha suddenly pressed a hand to his mouth as he began to cough up blood like Kagura had done. He stared fuzzily down at the dark red blood splattered across his bandaged palm and then glanced down to see Kagome was moving away from him, towards the Shikon jewel that lay on the ground, glowing darkly. "What are you-"
"I can't... let you die..." she breathed grasping the cursed bead and holding it close to her chest and closing her eyes to concentrate. "I'll purify it..."
"You won't be able to... it's too defiled..." He gripped a hand to his stomach as a sensation similar to claws ripping at his insides found him.
If it absorbed her pure energy then that would be enough to purify it. She knew she could do it... she'd die as a result but if it meant keeping Inuyasha safe then she was willing to let it absorb her life force.
After a few moments she stopped trembling and a great numbness washed over her entire body. She was probably beyond pain by now... just letting it absorb her.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha said warily as he began to understand what she was doing. "Don't do that! Stop it!"
"Sorry..." she murmured softly. "I have to... let it take me..."
"No!" Inuyasha forced himself up and began to crawl closer to her. "Don't let it absorb you!"
"I have to..."
"You don't!" Inuyasha snapped angrily, clenching his teeth as he found her side and gripped hard with his hand, ignoring the blinding pain that surged through him. It felt like his blood was on fire but he didn't care... he would suffer a thousand deaths for Kagome. Didn't she understand that yet?
She was going to let it absorb her human essence and die for him and everyone else... maybe... but he had a better idea.
Kagome jolted up as the Shikon jewel was suddenly snatched from her hands rather abruptly. She focused uneasily on Inuyasha who had the jewel squeezed in one palm and the bed post in the other. It was taking all he had not to cry out from the pain.
"No!" Kagome lunged at him, trying to snatch the jewel back, hitting blindly at him to keep it from him. "Give it back! Don't do this to me!"
"Two can play at this game!" he gave her a shove that sent her toppling back with a cry.
He let the bed post go and started to crawl as best he could away from Kagome, to put as much distance between himself and her as possible. He glanced down at the jewel in his hand and stopped. it was absorbing his own energy to purify itself now and was turning a better shade of light pink.
Kagome was quick to recover and quickly crawled after him. "Don't! Give it back, Inuyasha!"
"Kagome!" he felt her grab onto his ankle and twisted away, rolling away from her with the last of his strength. He stopped as he thudded against the wall and slumped onto his back. With a sigh he felt a strangely warm sensation flood his body... slightly painful but it washed away the rest of the pain, so it was pretty much relief. The weight of the Shikon in his palm vanished and white blinded his vision.
Kagome had been about to launch herself at Inuyasha again when the Shikon disappeared and his hand, which had clutched it, went limp. "Inuyasha!" she was about to reach him when a flash of light went off followed by a resounding crack that seemed to splinter the air in the small room. Kagome gasped and smacked her hands to her ears as some invisible force caught her and threw her against the far wall, holding her suspended above the ground for what seemed like an eternity. She couldn't see anything, white just swamped her vision and a horrible droning noise echoed in her ears.
Then it all stopped in an eye blink. Her sight returned the moment that pressing force released her and she fell to the ground with a cry and a thud. For a moment her sense were scattered around, and she slowly pushed herself up as she gathered them together again.
When she finally remembered what had just happened, and who she was along with where she was, she slid her gaze slowly across the floor to where Inuyasha lay... or where he had lain... he was gone...
In his place lay someone she'd never seen before...
"Inu... Inuyasha..." Kagome slowly pushed herself up to her feet. She was no longer in pain, though her throat hurt like hell from having strained it. But right then she was more focused on the boy who lay perfectly still on the other side of the room.
She quietly slipped forward and crouched beside him. It was definitely Inuyasha... but he had changed. His ears had gone and his white hair had gone... he looked... like a perfectly human version of himself.
"You fool..." she whispered, feeling hot tears prick her eyes. "You purified yourself!"
She hesitantly touched his cheek, worried she'd hurt him, but without the presence of demon blood in his veins he didn't feel a thing. But without the demon blood in his veins there was nothing to keep him alive anymore. He felt cold to the touch and a sob welled up in her throat. "You idiot..." she bowed her head and allowed hot tears to run down her cheeks and splash against his blood stained shirt.
A feather light touch to her cheek had her head snapping up in surprise. He was still alive... but he had to be in terrible pain from that expression he was wearing. "Kagome..." he managed to cough out, along with a trickle of blood. He was bleeding internally again. He may have just survived that as a hanyou... but as a human...?
"Are you ok?" she whispered hurriedly, gripping his shirt with her fingers.
"Stupid question." He cringed outwardly and tried to shift.
"Don't get up! I'll get help!" she made to get up and run but his grip on her wrist stopped her and she looked back down.
"I love you... I'm sorry..."
He closed his eyes and his head slowly lolled to the side, his hand going slack around her wrist. Kagome pulled her hand back sharply and stared at him through watering eyes.
She expected him to move at any moment... and she waited... waited for some kind of sign... "No..." she said weakly and shuffled closer. "No... Inuyasha?... Inuyasha, open your eyes..."
She shook his shoulders slightly... but he didn't move... "Inuyasha! Get up!" her voice began to break as she bordered on hysterical. "No! I love you! I love you! Please don't leave me - I don't wanna be alone! Inuyasha - don't go!"
She threw her arms around his neck, trying to offer some of her warmth to his growing coldness. "Don't go... don't go... please..." she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and grimaced as a tear splashed down onto the skin she'd kissed. "I love you..."
"Kagome!"
She didn't move as Sango barged her way into the room followed by Miroku and everyone else. They slowly took in the scene that lay before them. Kikyo, unconscious or dead, lying beneath the window and Kagome crushing herself to Inuyasha... a human Inuyasha who looked fairly bashed up.
Sango stepped forward tentatively and touched Kagome's shoulder gently. Kagome just gave a soft sob and shrugged her off. She wanted to be alone with him for just one minute, but they just weren't allowing it. When Kagome shrugged her off she slowly took Inuyasha's hand instead and turned it over to check for a pulse. She had to unravel the bandages first and carefully pressed two fingers to his wrist. After a few moments she slowly laid it back down by his side and turned to the others.
"He's alive... but his heart his weak... I don't think... I don't..." her voice faltered as she bit her lip.
A long silence stretched on, broken eventually by a soft buzzing sound that echoed in the distance. The sound grew louder until it eventually became a droning roar of helicopter propellers.
Mr Higurashi moved forward and placed two firm hands on his daughter's shoulders. "You have to let him go... so the people can take care of him now..." he said softly.
Kagome was reluctant to let go, but eventually she complied and leaned back to look down at him. He looked so... pale and lifeless...
Across the room Kikyo started to sit up as sunlight began to spill from the window above her. She glanced at the scene before her and then out the window. It was light again and they were still all alive... they were saved... But also outside she could see men in fatigues jumping down from helicopters that had landed in the middle of the village, the gust of air from the propellers causing people to keep their distance.
"They'll kill him if they get him..." she said slowly.
Sango glared spitefully at her. "You - you nearly killed us all!"
"What did you say?" Miroku asked Kikyo, ignoring Sango's angry outburst.
"They'll kill him... he's a traitor... he's committed treason of the highest degree... they'll execute him for this." Kikyo looked down at Inuyasha. "If he isn't dead already."
They didn't understand what she meant, only Kagome did, and she could only bow her head and cry silently into her hands as her shoulders shook.
Suddenly General Taijiya appeared in the doorway. "Is it done?"
Sango recognised his voice at once and turned quickly. "Dad!" she threw herself into his arms with relief. Everything would be alright now...
After a few moments of embracing he gently pushed her away and stepped forward. "Is the prophesy complete?"
Mr Higurashi nodded. "But it failed."
General Taijiya's gaze fell on the still boy that lay on the ground before them. It could be none other than Inuyasha, and his gaze hardened angrily. No doubt he was responsible in some way for the failure... "Get him!"
Men suddenly entered the room behind him and grabbed Inuyasha, none too gently and started to drag him out. Kagome gasped. "Stop it! He's hurt!"
"He's unconscious, he won't feel it." The general said shortly. "We'll take him back up north and put him on the executioners block tomorrow... he'll be lucky if he dies on the way."
"What are you doing?!" Sango cried. "Can't you see he's injured - what are you playing at!"
"You wouldn't know." Her father shook his head. "He's a part of cell twenty- four - the same guy who attempted to assassinate Kagome several times and delivered her into the hands of the enemy only a few days ago. She was lucky to escape."
Everyone stared at him, completely speechless, their whole view of Inuyasha slowly being tipped on it's head. they all turned to Kagome who was staring dully at the floor.
Miroku was the first to speak. "Why didn't you say something to us?" he asked quietly.
"Let her be." The General said softly. "No doubt he threatened her to silence..."
Kagome choked on a sob that welled up suddenly and her father was by her side at once to hold her tightly. "Shh... it's ok... it's ok now..."
"No it's not..." Kagome whispered into his jacket.
AN: Well seeing as you all probably hate me, I'll go crawl under a rock. Next chapter (yeah, I'm not done yet) - 'Hateful Goodbyes'.
AN: Ok, I'm really tired of writing happy fics. What's a story without angst? So prepare to flame me for being evil... sorry...
Two Faced
I'm Sorry
"Accept defeat gracefully, Inuyasha." Miroku tossed his empty ice cream bucket over to Inuyasha who had just finished his last mouthful. "You lost before we even started."
"Well... I was only in it to do this!" Inuyasha promptly stuffed his bandaged hands into the cold bucket and sighed happily. "Pure bliss..."
"Sore loser."
"Actually... you're a sore winner, or you will be tomorrow when you wake up with indigestion and diarrhoea." Inuyasha smirked.
"Lovely..." Miroku wrinkled his nose. "You're so vulgar."
"That's bull shit."
"Quite..."
Suddenly the door slammed open and Sango ran in. "Quick - it's Kagome!" she panted and then ran out again. Miroku and Inuyasha glanced at each other before dumping their ice cream buckets and running after her.
"What happened?" Miroku asked as he slowed to crouch by Kagome's side who hadn't had the energy to make it to the inn. Inuyasha stopped a short distance away, having to step back a bit as Kagome's little purifying field slowly grew larger.
"I don't know - she just collapsed on me and she can't breathe." Sango said hurriedly, rubbing her face to rub away the tingles she felt. It was like she'd stepped into an electrical field around Kagome and the current was running through her.
"Kagome, nod if she can hear me." Miroku told her sharply and she nodded quickly, still clawing at her throat.
"Maybe she's having an allergic reaction?" Sango frowned with worry.
Shippo, Rin and Mr Higurashi soon came hurrying out of the inn after Inuyasha and passed him on their way to Kagome. Inuyasha hated it that he couldn't go to her side and see what was wrong... but he had a strange feeling. Even through all the spiritual powers and the purifying magic, he could feel it... the presence of a demon... was she possessed?
"Somebody get a doctor!" Kagome's father yelled angrily and grasped his daughters hand. "It'll be ok, Kagome, just take deep breathes and try to stay calm."
Kagome ignored his advice. If she slowed down to take deep breathes she would suffocate. It was becoming a major effort to drag in one lung-full of air after another. It also didn't help that people were crowding in on her. Then she noticed something as she lay on her back, staring upwards.
"The... sky..." she wheezed out, raising a weak arm to point towards the clouds. Everyone else glanced up in confusion and saw what she was looking at.
The clouds had gone from droll grey to almost completely black and were clouding over the sun as they watched. And as if that wasn't enough, the moon was also moving in front of the sun in a solar eclipse...
"The day of darkness..." Sango murmured.
"But we're not ready yet!" Shippo yelled, almost in full panic.
"Major Houshi - send a fax down to headquarters if you can - tell them that it's arrived!" Kagome's father ordered and Miroku wasted no time to carry out his wishes. Sango stayed behind and chewed her lip as she stroked her friend's hair.
"It'll be ok, Kagome, you'll be ok, just hang on until it's over." Sango told her.
"She'll die when it's over." Kagome's father said gravely.
"What?!" Sango snapped a stare on him.
Kagome angrily thumped his arm. "Thanks... a lot...!"
"She can't die!" she looked down at the struggling girl. "You can't die - it wasn't in the prophecy!"
"Yes it was." Her father said softly. "There's nothing we can do - the jewel is too impure to disappear. It'll kill all demons..."
"Look... it's getting darker..." Rin pointed to the jewel that lay against Kagome's throat. She was right, it had changed from dark pink to almost blood red.
"Shit..." Shippo ran a hand through his hair.
"It's becoming defiled - Kagome - what happened?" Kagome's father pressed. "Did a demon touch it?!"
Kagome opened her mouth to speak but couldn't spare the air to speak.
Inuyasha finally hit realisation. "No - it's because she's touching it!"
"What?" everyone looked round at him with confusion. Sango grew angry at once. "Oh come on - she's not contagious, stop milling about over there and come help!"
Inuyasha ignored her. "She's defiling the jewel herself - she has demon blood in her veins! The jewels absorbing the evil... and she's purifying herself..." he stopped and took a deep breath. "She's in pain..."
"I knew it..."
Inuyasha turned sharply to see Kikyo coming up behind him with a hard expression. "What?"
"You can't touch her can you? Because it hurts you." She cast a brief glance down at his hands. "What a pity."
She didn't sound so convincing, so Inuyasha just turned away and watched what was happening.
"How did this happen Kagome?" Sango asked, grasping the girl's other hand. "Is it true?"
Kagome didn't know what to say, even if she could speak, all she could do was labour for oxygen and writhe in pain. She half wanted everyone to just leave her alone and stop talking at her, she wasn't in the mood... but she was afraid of being left alone.
"At this rate that jewel is going to kill us all." Kagome's father said, coughing as he began to find it difficult being this close to Kagome. "This isn't good."
"You think!" Sango snapped and made to grab the Shikon. "We have to destroy that thing!"
"No - don't touch that!" Mr Higurashi shouted a little too late.
A bang went off when Sango's fingers connected with the jewel and she screamed as she was thrown forcefully back. She cradled her scorched hand and glared at the smouldering jewel. Kagome was shaking her head as tears were starting to leak from the corner of eyes.
"I don't... want... to die..." Kagome gasped, letting a few breathy sobs shake her frame.
"Neither do we, honey." Her father stroked her cheek, ignoring the little jabs on pain he felt in his palm when he did this. "I don't know what we can do..."
Miroku arrived back, out of breathe. "They got the message - they're sending helicopters and planes over right now."
"A bit late aren't they?" Sango hissed with venom as she sucked her burnt fingers. "Stupid... lame ass... government pigs..."
"What do we do?" Rin asked hesitantly, glancing at the rest of the crew that were hovering around the inn, too anxious to venture any nearer.
"Go..." Kagome suddenly gasped.
Her father shook his head. "Kagome - I don't think we should leave-"
"Go!" Kagome said a little more forcefully. Her voice was barely more than a whispered gasp. "I can... purify it... myself! Go! Don't come near me - I don't want to hurt... any of you!"
"Kagome-"
"GO!"
They hesitated before Mr Higurashi nodded at the younger people and they started to retreat back towards where Inuyasha, Kikyo and the soldiers were gathered.
"You sure you can do this?" Mr Higurashi asked his daughter worriedly.
She just nodded and clasped his hand tight before pushing it away with a strong hint that he should go too. He sighed in defeat. "At least let me take you inside."
Kagome nodded. She was cold, and it was growing very dark by now that she was having trouble making out her father's face. He helped her to her feet and started to walk her towards the inn. The rest of the group parted to make way for them as Kagome's father led her back inside and into one of the vacant bedrooms. "You'll be ok?"
"Yes..." she hissed in pain and closed her eyes momentarily before forcing them open with an equally forced smile. "You can go now, thanks."
He hesitated only a moment before quickly exiting the room and closing the door tightly behind him. Outside he came upon a very anxious sight. Sango was taking comfort, crying in Miroku's arm who simply held her looking rather worried and slightly angry. But Inuyasha stole the show with his anger as he stomped up and down in the dark, pacing a groove in the ground. Kikyo watched him tightly, arms folded and fists clenched. She looked worried and pensive, while everyone else just stood not knowing what to do with themselves. There was no way they could help.
Inside Kagome rolled up to sit up on her mattress and tugged at the Shikon on her throat. So she'd lied about trying to purify it... she was going to destroy it!
She placed it on the wooden floor and grabbed the lamp, a difficult task when sun spots danced before her eyes and just summoning the energy to grab the lamp enflamed her hand with burning pain, but she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. She brought it down with a grunt against the small bead and did it again and again...
But the Shikon no Tama was stronger than diamond... it wouldn't shatter under one measly lamp. If she still had those spiritual powers inside of her and had something sharp wooden and pointy then maybe she could shatter it... but no... She was officially screwed.
"I'm... gonna die..." she clenched her fists and closed her eyes to fight the pain as she sank to the ground. "So... is Inuyasha..."
She hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye... he could only stand by helplessly while she died slowly.
She glanced out the window and saw nothing... it was so dark out there that she couldn't even make out the tree line in the distance, or the outline of the houses nearby. Yes... this was definitely the day of darkness... she was dying... the jewel was about to irrupt... and all she could think about was how much she was going to miss Inuyasha.
She'd miss him more than her own family... her own flesh and blood. Did that mean she loved him more?
Probably...
And she was never going to get the chance to tell him that either.
She cried out as another spasm of pain riddled her body and she curled herself into a ball to try and fight the loosing battle. The jewel that lay on the ground before her was turning black ever so slowly... Now she knew how Inuyasha felt when he was around her.
^_^
"Someone has to go check on her!" Inuyasha snarled at Mr Higurashi who clenched his own fists angrily.
"Stop throwing a hissy fit Inuyasha and calm down!"
"Calm down?!" Inuyasha growled. "We're all about to die and you're telling me to calm down!"
He didn't like this. Usually when his life was in danger there would always be something he could do about it. Like run out of the way of that damn bus or fight that attacking demon for all he was worth. But when Kagome was the cause of the danger... he found that he couldn't run away and he couldn't fight it...
"Nice to know you're so positive!" Miroku snapped.
"We'll know if everything is ok when the sky clears!" Mr Higurashi growled at the younger boy. "Until then there isn't much we can do unless we want to make matters worse!"
"There must be something we can do!" Inuyasha resumed his pacing. He could feel Kagome's energy even though he was outside and she was inside... it still hurt, but he wasn't about to move away. "She's your daughter! How can you abandon her!"
"I'm not abandoning her!"
"When will we know if we're all saved?!" Inuyasha snapped. "When we see the clouds clear and we aren't dead! We have like what?! Seven more seconds to live?!"
Rin whimpered softly leaning against Shippo who was glaring at the ground.
"Stop talking like that! You aren't helping!" Mr Higurashi shouted.
"So what?! You're not helping either! It's not like words and talking is going to change the way things have turned out! I can't help that! I could never help that! I can't help anything!" Inuyasha lashed out at the nearest inanimate object, sending a pale of water smashing against the wall of the inn, close to Mr Higurashi's head who didn't even flinch. Inuyasha glared heatedly at him for a moment before resuming pacing again. "Useless...!"
"Just because you can't protect yourself doesn't mean you should take it out on us!" Sango shouted at Inuyasha, taking a break from her crying to snap at him.
"That doesn't bother me! It's because I can't protect Kagome now - and none of you idiots are helping her either!" Inuyasha walked up and punched a fist sized hole through the wall of the inn. "You're all just happily sitting around, waiting for her to die!"
"And us to die - don't forget we'll die too!" Sango yelled back.
Kagome's father ground his teeth. Inuyasha was not the kind of person you needed around in a situation like this. With him around he was bound to get everyone's spirits down and turn all those optimists into pessimists like himself.
Suddenly Kikyo jumped to her feet and kicked the box she was sitting on. "That bitch! She'll kill us all if we don't do something!"
Before anyone could really register what she'd said, she lunged towards the door of the inn and had thrown herself through it.
"Stop her!" Mr Higurashi jumped to his feet as well, about to give chase along with Miroku... but Inuyasha was way ahead of them.
He ignored the pain as he barrelled through the corridor after Kikyo who was amazingly quick on her feet. He swerved around the corner after her, narrowly avoiding hitting the wall and had to pause a moment to set his balance straight. But Kikyo had murderous intent... she was scared for her life and she wasn't going to let Kagome get away with it.
"Shit..." Inuyasha cursed as he saw a silver blade flash from inside Kikyo's shirt. He threw himself after her and caught up to her the moment she reached Kagome's side.
"Die now you murderer!" Kikyo screamed as she brought the knife down on Kagome. Inuyasha was quick to knock it out of her hands, sending it skidding across the floor to wedge itself under the bed. No sooner had he done that but Kikyo collapsed. The energy the tainted Shikon was giving out was becoming too much for her to handle and she'd reached her limit.
Inuyasha knew he had to get out or he'd collapse too... but he couldn't move. He found himself wondering what the point would be. If he was going to die, why not die right beside the girl he loved... it wasn't like he could hide from a fate like this. He might as well die with some semblance.
"Kagome..." he started to slump down beside her and reached out to touch her face, ignoring the blisters that lathered his skin at the merest touch. She stirred and looked up at him.
She was shocked to begin with, and then angry. What was he doing here? Didn't he know that she was about to kill them all... he had to get away... But some selfish part of her wanted him to stay with her... she didn't want to be alone at a time like this. Her last time to be any place in the world alive...
Inuyasha suddenly pressed a hand to his mouth as he began to cough up blood like Kagura had done. He stared fuzzily down at the dark red blood splattered across his bandaged palm and then glanced down to see Kagome was moving away from him, towards the Shikon jewel that lay on the ground, glowing darkly. "What are you-"
"I can't... let you die..." she breathed grasping the cursed bead and holding it close to her chest and closing her eyes to concentrate. "I'll purify it..."
"You won't be able to... it's too defiled..." He gripped a hand to his stomach as a sensation similar to claws ripping at his insides found him.
If it absorbed her pure energy then that would be enough to purify it. She knew she could do it... she'd die as a result but if it meant keeping Inuyasha safe then she was willing to let it absorb her life force.
After a few moments she stopped trembling and a great numbness washed over her entire body. She was probably beyond pain by now... just letting it absorb her.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha said warily as he began to understand what she was doing. "Don't do that! Stop it!"
"Sorry..." she murmured softly. "I have to... let it take me..."
"No!" Inuyasha forced himself up and began to crawl closer to her. "Don't let it absorb you!"
"I have to..."
"You don't!" Inuyasha snapped angrily, clenching his teeth as he found her side and gripped hard with his hand, ignoring the blinding pain that surged through him. It felt like his blood was on fire but he didn't care... he would suffer a thousand deaths for Kagome. Didn't she understand that yet?
She was going to let it absorb her human essence and die for him and everyone else... maybe... but he had a better idea.
Kagome jolted up as the Shikon jewel was suddenly snatched from her hands rather abruptly. She focused uneasily on Inuyasha who had the jewel squeezed in one palm and the bed post in the other. It was taking all he had not to cry out from the pain.
"No!" Kagome lunged at him, trying to snatch the jewel back, hitting blindly at him to keep it from him. "Give it back! Don't do this to me!"
"Two can play at this game!" he gave her a shove that sent her toppling back with a cry.
He let the bed post go and started to crawl as best he could away from Kagome, to put as much distance between himself and her as possible. He glanced down at the jewel in his hand and stopped. it was absorbing his own energy to purify itself now and was turning a better shade of light pink.
Kagome was quick to recover and quickly crawled after him. "Don't! Give it back, Inuyasha!"
"Kagome!" he felt her grab onto his ankle and twisted away, rolling away from her with the last of his strength. He stopped as he thudded against the wall and slumped onto his back. With a sigh he felt a strangely warm sensation flood his body... slightly painful but it washed away the rest of the pain, so it was pretty much relief. The weight of the Shikon in his palm vanished and white blinded his vision.
Kagome had been about to launch herself at Inuyasha again when the Shikon disappeared and his hand, which had clutched it, went limp. "Inuyasha!" she was about to reach him when a flash of light went off followed by a resounding crack that seemed to splinter the air in the small room. Kagome gasped and smacked her hands to her ears as some invisible force caught her and threw her against the far wall, holding her suspended above the ground for what seemed like an eternity. She couldn't see anything, white just swamped her vision and a horrible droning noise echoed in her ears.
Then it all stopped in an eye blink. Her sight returned the moment that pressing force released her and she fell to the ground with a cry and a thud. For a moment her sense were scattered around, and she slowly pushed herself up as she gathered them together again.
When she finally remembered what had just happened, and who she was along with where she was, she slid her gaze slowly across the floor to where Inuyasha lay... or where he had lain... he was gone...
In his place lay someone she'd never seen before...
"Inu... Inuyasha..." Kagome slowly pushed herself up to her feet. She was no longer in pain, though her throat hurt like hell from having strained it. But right then she was more focused on the boy who lay perfectly still on the other side of the room.
She quietly slipped forward and crouched beside him. It was definitely Inuyasha... but he had changed. His ears had gone and his white hair had gone... he looked... like a perfectly human version of himself.
"You fool..." she whispered, feeling hot tears prick her eyes. "You purified yourself!"
She hesitantly touched his cheek, worried she'd hurt him, but without the presence of demon blood in his veins he didn't feel a thing. But without the demon blood in his veins there was nothing to keep him alive anymore. He felt cold to the touch and a sob welled up in her throat. "You idiot..." she bowed her head and allowed hot tears to run down her cheeks and splash against his blood stained shirt.
A feather light touch to her cheek had her head snapping up in surprise. He was still alive... but he had to be in terrible pain from that expression he was wearing. "Kagome..." he managed to cough out, along with a trickle of blood. He was bleeding internally again. He may have just survived that as a hanyou... but as a human...?
"Are you ok?" she whispered hurriedly, gripping his shirt with her fingers.
"Stupid question." He cringed outwardly and tried to shift.
"Don't get up! I'll get help!" she made to get up and run but his grip on her wrist stopped her and she looked back down.
"I love you... I'm sorry..."
He closed his eyes and his head slowly lolled to the side, his hand going slack around her wrist. Kagome pulled her hand back sharply and stared at him through watering eyes.
She expected him to move at any moment... and she waited... waited for some kind of sign... "No..." she said weakly and shuffled closer. "No... Inuyasha?... Inuyasha, open your eyes..."
She shook his shoulders slightly... but he didn't move... "Inuyasha! Get up!" her voice began to break as she bordered on hysterical. "No! I love you! I love you! Please don't leave me - I don't wanna be alone! Inuyasha - don't go!"
She threw her arms around his neck, trying to offer some of her warmth to his growing coldness. "Don't go... don't go... please..." she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and grimaced as a tear splashed down onto the skin she'd kissed. "I love you..."
"Kagome!"
She didn't move as Sango barged her way into the room followed by Miroku and everyone else. They slowly took in the scene that lay before them. Kikyo, unconscious or dead, lying beneath the window and Kagome crushing herself to Inuyasha... a human Inuyasha who looked fairly bashed up.
Sango stepped forward tentatively and touched Kagome's shoulder gently. Kagome just gave a soft sob and shrugged her off. She wanted to be alone with him for just one minute, but they just weren't allowing it. When Kagome shrugged her off she slowly took Inuyasha's hand instead and turned it over to check for a pulse. She had to unravel the bandages first and carefully pressed two fingers to his wrist. After a few moments she slowly laid it back down by his side and turned to the others.
"He's alive... but his heart his weak... I don't think... I don't..." her voice faltered as she bit her lip.
A long silence stretched on, broken eventually by a soft buzzing sound that echoed in the distance. The sound grew louder until it eventually became a droning roar of helicopter propellers.
Mr Higurashi moved forward and placed two firm hands on his daughter's shoulders. "You have to let him go... so the people can take care of him now..." he said softly.
Kagome was reluctant to let go, but eventually she complied and leaned back to look down at him. He looked so... pale and lifeless...
Across the room Kikyo started to sit up as sunlight began to spill from the window above her. She glanced at the scene before her and then out the window. It was light again and they were still all alive... they were saved... But also outside she could see men in fatigues jumping down from helicopters that had landed in the middle of the village, the gust of air from the propellers causing people to keep their distance.
"They'll kill him if they get him..." she said slowly.
Sango glared spitefully at her. "You - you nearly killed us all!"
"What did you say?" Miroku asked Kikyo, ignoring Sango's angry outburst.
"They'll kill him... he's a traitor... he's committed treason of the highest degree... they'll execute him for this." Kikyo looked down at Inuyasha. "If he isn't dead already."
They didn't understand what she meant, only Kagome did, and she could only bow her head and cry silently into her hands as her shoulders shook.
Suddenly General Taijiya appeared in the doorway. "Is it done?"
Sango recognised his voice at once and turned quickly. "Dad!" she threw herself into his arms with relief. Everything would be alright now...
After a few moments of embracing he gently pushed her away and stepped forward. "Is the prophesy complete?"
Mr Higurashi nodded. "But it failed."
General Taijiya's gaze fell on the still boy that lay on the ground before them. It could be none other than Inuyasha, and his gaze hardened angrily. No doubt he was responsible in some way for the failure... "Get him!"
Men suddenly entered the room behind him and grabbed Inuyasha, none too gently and started to drag him out. Kagome gasped. "Stop it! He's hurt!"
"He's unconscious, he won't feel it." The general said shortly. "We'll take him back up north and put him on the executioners block tomorrow... he'll be lucky if he dies on the way."
"What are you doing?!" Sango cried. "Can't you see he's injured - what are you playing at!"
"You wouldn't know." Her father shook his head. "He's a part of cell twenty- four - the same guy who attempted to assassinate Kagome several times and delivered her into the hands of the enemy only a few days ago. She was lucky to escape."
Everyone stared at him, completely speechless, their whole view of Inuyasha slowly being tipped on it's head. they all turned to Kagome who was staring dully at the floor.
Miroku was the first to speak. "Why didn't you say something to us?" he asked quietly.
"Let her be." The General said softly. "No doubt he threatened her to silence..."
Kagome choked on a sob that welled up suddenly and her father was by her side at once to hold her tightly. "Shh... it's ok... it's ok now..."
"No it's not..." Kagome whispered into his jacket.
AN: Well seeing as you all probably hate me, I'll go crawl under a rock. Next chapter (yeah, I'm not done yet) - 'Hateful Goodbyes'.