I'm going to say it now, just to get it out of the way. You people are
probably going to hate me. But I did say this was going to be a dark fic
in the beginning and even I'm not so evil as to keep it up forever. So
please, no killing.
I'm trying something different in this chapter. I'm so sick of not being able to differentiate when someone talks as opposed to thinks as opposed to narration. I should have fixed it long ago but I was just hoping it would go away. ^-^x Anyhow, all thoughts from here on out will look something like this: 'I am a thought' as opposed to speaking "I am speaking to you." I hope it hasn't been terribly confusing up till now. Maybe I'll go back and fix it…
This is chapter six and I really wanna thank those of you who have been reading along. I know I'm grateful for your reading, but I don't think I've ever come right out and thanked you all. I'm so appreciative of the fact that you read and enjoy my story, that you put up with all the hellish things I do to the characters. I'm an evil person, I know, but…thank you all for sticking with me regardless. It means so much to have you with me, because without people to read it, there would be no reason to write. You all make me so happy and I want to thank you individually, but…there's so many of you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you thank you thank you.
Chapter six pretty much ends part one of this story. I was only planning on having two parts, so…yay! We're halfway there. And I PROMISE I won't keep being so mean. I mean, I can't stand the suspense. Well…please enjoy. And thank you all, again. I can't thank you enough.
Where Lost Souls Meet Again
Chapter Six: And Having Once Turned Round Walks On
Silence permeated the air as human faced demon. Lying face down between them, an arrow protruding from his ribs, blood running in the grass, was Inuyasha. His eyes were closed in pain and he clawed at the earth; clods of grass and dirt came up with each dig, his nails growing black from the soil. Behind Sesshoumaru, Kagome struggled to reach the half-breed on the ground.
Expressionless, Sesshoumaru asked again: "Give me the Shikon Jewel."
From the space between them, Inuyasha barked a laugh. "You think…we'll just give…you…the Jewel? Heh…idiot…" He stopped, his body racked by coughs; blood dripped from his mouth. When the spasm passed, he continued: "I'll…kill you…Sesshoumaru…before I ever give…you the Jewel…" With obvious pain, the half-breed turned his head so that he could see Kagome. He smiled. "You're alive…Kagome…"
"Inuyasha…"
Bored, the demon lord took a step forward. "I will not ask again. Now give me what is mine."
Sango crouched low, one hand resting lightly on her boomerang. She glared at the demon, then sneered: "No way."
Miroku nodded in agreement, his staff out and ready. His eyes were nothing more than cold slits. "We will not give you the Jewel, Sesshoumaru."
Standing off to the side, Shoukaki bit her lip, worried. Sesshoumaru was a powerful demon, she could sense that easily; he'd also been able to wound Inuyasha with only a bow. She had the feeling that even Miroku and Sango couldn't fight off this monster. She gasped. What about Shippou? The little kitsune was already hurt badly…he wouldn't stand a chance against Inuyasha's brother.
'What'll I do? I can fight, but…will I help any? Sesshoumaru is really strong—far stronger than that soot-wolf. What can I do?' She paused. 'Wait a minute…that soot-wolf…it was made up of the souls of dead demons. Only someone very very powerful could bring it into existence…' Her eyes drifted up until they met with the demon lord's and she cringed. 'Someone very powerful indeed'.
Taking another advancing step, Sesshoumaru held out a slim, beautiful hand; it crackled with lightning. His eyes bored holes through the three humans across the way. Even Shoukaki, who was only a spirit, could feel the venom in his gaze and couldn't help but take a step back. She shuddered. So much power was stored in that creature that it was almost unthinkable that they could beat him. How would any of them survive this?
Miroku and Sango must have been thinking the same thing as she, but they never lost their nerve. The two humans faced their foe with deadly looks and held their ground. Sango stood, the grip on her boomerang tight enough to make the knuckles white. "How did you find us?"
Sesshoumaru almost smiled. His claws flexed as he took another frightening step forward. He was almost to Inuyasha now. "My demons are very good trackers."
Sango growled: "Don't play word games, demon!"
"He means," Shoukaki said sharply, "that the soot-wolf we fought was raised by his magic and that our fight tipped off our location."
The demon blinked, taken aback slightly by the child's knowledge. "Quite." His advancing stopped as he looked the phantom girl over. "You…I have never seen before. Where do you come from?"
Shoukaki gulped. "Nowhere…"
Before she could even react, the demon was beside her, his claws gripping her chin as he lifted her face to his. His eyes were frightfully cold. "Come now, little human whelp. You must come from somewhere, else my half-breed of a brother never would have found you. You can tell this Sesshoumaru."
Shaking, the girl licked her lips and gasped out: "Nowhere."
His eyes morphed to slits; with a flick, he tossed her aside. Shoukaki landed hard near Sango. "Enough games. Give me the Jewel or I will kill you all."
"That isn't much of a choice," Sango said softly, her boomerang in a throwing position. "You'd kill us whether we gave you the Shikon Jewel or not." She smiled. "So I say you earn it!" And with that she flung her weapon at him and the battle began.
Miroku lunged forward with lightening speed, swinging his staff hard. It connected with Sesshoumaru's raised arm just as Sango's boomerang came soaring in, aimed at the demon's white-haired head. Inuyasha's brother dodged the flying weapon easily as he parried the monk's staff with his forearm and claws. His tail whipped out and smashed into the boomerang as it returned to its owner, spinning it off course and into Sango's side hard. The demon hunter screamed and fell to the ground, clutching her broken arm.
Enraged, Miroku swung again, harder this time. Again, Sesshoumaru parried the blow. As Miroku recovered from the parry, the demon brought his other hand around; claws wrapped around the priest's neck and lifted him off the ground. The monk dropped his staff and scrabbled at his foe's gripping fingers, trying his best to leverage them off so that he could breath. Sesshoumaru only tightened his hold; the sound of them pressing into Miroku's neck was sickening.
Shoukaki stared on in horror as the priest was slowly strangled. This was so familiar… 'It's happening again…It's all happening again!' She clutched her head and fought off the painful memories. Miroku struggled on; Sango had long since gone silent, her screams echoing distantly. 'This is just like that time…Mommy…Papa…This is just like then!' The phantom girl fell to her knees and began smashing her head against the ground, trying her best to drive away the memories. 'So much killing…it's like that time. Big Brother, Big Sister…Papa, Mommy…
'I don't want to see this again! Mommy…Big Sister, Papa…Big Brother…It's the same! I don't want to see this again!' "No…not again…" Even as she bashed her head and tried her best to ignore what was happening, Shoukaki began to glow. Beneath her closed lids her eyes clouded and turned black; black cords coalesced around her arms and snaked across her waist; a thin silver wire tightened around her neck. "No more. No more!" In a burst of power, the girl threw her head back and screamed.
Sesshoumaru paused in his choking of the priest to see where the scream had come from. Shoukaki had crawled back to her feet and was staring listlessly at the demon lord. Her cords slithered slowly around her limbs. Interested, he let the monk drop from his fingers; Miroku landed hard on the ground, gasping and holding his neck. The demon paid him no attention as he advanced on the phantom.
The child glared at him as he approached, her black eyes dull. "No more. I won't let you hurt my mommy and papa anymore!"
Amused, Sesshoumaru lifted a curious eyebrow. "Parents…? You are far more than just these weakling humans' whelp. Would you care to tell me who you are now?"
She ignored him, her thoughts lost in the past. She wasn't even aware of whom she was fighting anymore. Instead of an advancing demon lord, she saw only roughly clad thieves and bandits. Behind him lay her mother and father, dead. Tears slid slowly down Shoukaki's cheeks. "Mommy…Papa…I won't let you hurt them anymore! No more!"
With that, the ghost threw herself forward, arms outstretched. Like fingers, her cords extended and whipped about at her command, hurling themselves at Sesshoumaru. He countered them all easily, his claws ready. More cords shot his way, weaving about him desperately, trying to get a hit. Shoukaki continued to advance, commanding her ropes as she went. Sesshoumaru continued to walk toward her.
Miroku crawled slowly along the ground, panting horribly. His throat was terribly sore, but right then he didn't care. Sango lay on the ground, clutching her wounded arm and sobbing quietly into the grass. When he was close enough, he reached out and took her hand in his. She whimpered, but shifted a little closer to him. He sighed and let himself collapse fully into the grass. He could only wonder what was going to happen next. What was happening with Inuyasha and Kagome, away from them all? 'Be careful, my friend. I wish you luck…little one…'
When they were within a short distance of one another, Shoukaki recalled her cords just as suddenly as she'd sent them out. Her foe continued his assault, unmoved by her apparent retreat. She waited. Sesshoumaru took another step forward—he was just within range of her now. Screaming like a fiend, Shoukaki threw herself bodily at the demon. Indifferent to her sudden physical assault, the youkai nonchalantly moved to bat her body away. As his arms moved outward to connect with her, the ghost's black cords reappeared. Without his arms to block them, Sesshoumaru was caught off guard; a cord slashed across his chest and another grabbed his legs. His claws connected with Shoukaki as her ropes brought him down to the ground.
Away from the fighting, still lying in the damp grass, Inuyasha struggled to get up. Every time he moved, the arrow in his side throbbed and brought him down again. Pain lanced through his body with even the most minimal of movements. 'Shit…what's happening? How could an arrow do this to me?'
"Inuyasha!"
He looked up to see Kagome running toward him. Kagome. Her face was streaked with tears and her lips trembled, but she was still the most beautiful creature in the world. In any world, as far as the dog-demon was concerned. He tried to lift himself up but only felt excruciating pain for his efforts—he collapsed back down. His face was once again in the grass as the girl skidded to a halt and knelt down beside him.
With gentle hands, Kagome reached down and lifted the half-demon from the ground. She cradled him in her lap and smoothed his damp hair as he cried out from the pain of being moved. "Inuyasha…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you…" She felt across his face and through his locks; she rubbed his puppy ears and tenderly touched his lips and eyes. "Gods, I've missed you so, Inuyasha."
The dog-demon reached up and touched his love's cheek, doing his best to ignore the lancing pain that tore through him as he did so. Smiling behind her tears, she tilted her head into his palm and nuzzled his fingers. "Kagome…it's really you. You've been alive…all this time. Why…why didn't you…why didn't you return to me…?"
Crying, she held him close. "I couldn't, Inuyasha. I'm so sorry…I couldn't get to you."
Inuyasha nodded, then turned his head toward where his brother was fighting the others. Sesshoumaru had Miroku by the neck and was choking him slowly. 'Damnit! This damned arrow won't let me get up! I need to help them…they can't beat Sesshoumaru without me, that bastard. How the hell did he get this arrow to stop me? I don't understand…even Sesshoumaru doesn't have the kind of magic power necessary to hurt me with an arrow. I have to stop him, before he kills someone.'
As he watched, Inuyasha saw Shoukaki undergo her transformation from relatively harmless spirit to vengeful poltergeist. It was frightening, to see such an innocent child become such a monster. Even in the face of his brother, who could bring out the worst in everyone, seeing this happen to little Shoukaki was still terrible. 'And even with this extra power, I don't think she'll be able to hurt my brother. Phantom or not…I fear he may be able to kill her. He could animate the dead souls of demons, after all. What's to stop him from killing an already dead human? Shit, I need to help them! Why can't I defeat this arrow? It's like Kikyou's arrow from so long ago.'
Kagome shifted nervously as Shoukaki and Sesshoumaru fought. Her movements jostled Inuyasha around enough to make his wound ache further. He gasped as a particularly bad pain took him; Kagome continued to move. "Kagome…please, stop fidgeting. It hurts…" Something smelled funny. Inuyasha took a long, deep breath. What was this smell? Something didn't seem right here. "Kagome?"
She shifted again and the half-breed could hear the delicate rasp of a knife coming out of its scabbard. Turning his head back up to look at her, Inuyasha caught the glint of metal as Kagome's face disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rolling himself off her knees, Inuyasha struggled to his feet, the pain from the arrow in his side nearly knocking him down again. He held his ground, however and waited for the smoke to clear.
When the smoke cleared, Kagome was gone and in her place stood a tall, sleek kitsune. She smiled, showing her sharp fangs, then attacked. Inuyasha parried the knife blow clumsily and collapsed to the ground, unable to support himself and fight at the same time. The fox-demon skidded to a halt and turned back around to face her opponent, the morning light sparkling on her pristine white fur. Her grin was vile.
"Oh, Inuyasha, I'm so sorry I couldn't return to you." She laughed harshly. "Bah, you're such a fool. Pathetic half-breed. Did you actually think you could win back your precious Kagome so easily?" She laughed again. "You'll be lucky to leave here with your life. Even if by some miracle you defeat me—and I highly doubt that given your present condition—Lord Sesshoumaru will finish you off. Your precious Kagome indeed. Hah!"
Standing once again, his body wracked by countless spasms of pain, Inuyasha stared hard at the kitsune who had taken his love's form. The amber of his eyes looked black beneath the shadow of his lids. "Is Kagome here?"
The fox-demon stood calmly and watched as her opponent fought simply to stand. She grinned evilly. "It really doesn't matter, does it, half- breed? You'd have to beat me to get that answer and with that arrow embedded in you, beating me is out of the question. So it really doesn't matter."
Inuyasha took a step forward; blood ran down his side and soaked his clothing, while pain riddled his entire body. He ignored it all and kept staring at the female who had dared to take his dearest Kagome's form. "Is Kagome here?" he asked again.
Amused, the woman readied herself for a fight. "Ah, so it'll be like that, will it? Well, this should prove interesting, at the very least. Very well, half-breed, if you can beat me I'll tell you where your precious Kagome is. Prepare to die."
She jumped at him, knife whizzing through the air toward Inuyasha's unprotected head. The demon grinned. There was no way he could protect himself in his state. This fight was hers!
At the last moment, Inuyasha brought his arm up to deflect the blow. Caught off guard, the kitsune tumbled to the ground. When she turned to stand, she found herself peering up the length of the Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha glared at her from the sword's hilt, his breathing heavy, but with a determined face. "Is Kagome here?"
The kitsune sighed. "It would seem I've lost, huh?" She grinned. Her legs shot out from under her and took the half-demon in the knees; Inuyasha fell with a thud, Tetsusaiga clattering to the ground beside him, reverted to its original shape. The fox woman skittered over to where her enemy lay, knife in hand and ready to slit his throat. She yanked his head up by his hair and laughed. He was as good as dead!
Small, paw-like hands grabbed her tail and pulled hard. Screaming, the kitsune wheeled around and swung at her attacker, only to watch her blade whisk through air. Fuming, she turned back to Inuyasha, only to find him on his feet again, sword in hand. Beside him lay the arrow that had felled him, tip bloody, but harmless now. The woman gulped and took a step back. Inuyasha grinned and took a step forward.
"Is. Kagome. Here?"
Not waiting for an answer, the hanyou lunged forward and brought Tetsusaiga down on the fox's arm. Her hand went flying, knife still gripped in her claws and she fell to the ground, holding the bloody stump and screaming in agony. The dog-demon took another step forward. He pressed the tip of Tetsusaiga against the demon's throat and tilted her chin up. "I win. Now answer my question."
Fearful, the kitsune shook but answered: "She's in the brush, with Jaken. Lord Sesshoumaru demanded that she not be seen and had the toad keep watch." The sword pressed harder against her skin; her eyes glinted and she steeled herself. "I'm telling the truth, you pathetic half-breed. Your precious Kagome is here. That's all you wanted to know." She flicked her wrist and was engulfed in smoke. By the time Inuyasha had stopped coughing enough to look again, she was gone.
He sighed. "Come on out, runt. She's gone."
Slowly, Shippou crept out from behind the tree where he'd hidden after distracting the fox-woman and pulling the arrow out of Inuyasha's side. He examined his burnt fingers and cringed. The arrow was enchanted; it had hurt a lot pulling it out.
"Inuyasha…are you okay?"
The half-demon nodded, then turned to where Shoukaki and Sesshoumaru lay panting on the ground. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've just got some unfinished business to attend to, that's all." With purposeful strides, he headed toward his brother.
Shippou began to follow, then stopped as he came near the arrow. It looked like any other arrow upon inspection. The fox leaned in closer, sniffing. It smelled funny. There was Inuyasha's scent, since he had worn the weapon for so long, but also another smell…something familiar. But try as he might, Shippou couldn't place the scent. "Inuyasha, the arrow smells funny." The hanyou frowned, then shook his head and continued on. After a moment more with the weapon, Shippou shrugged and bounded off after his half-demon companion. Sesshoumaru was what was important now.
Said demon was even now pulling himself up from the ground. A large gash tore across the front of his chest, bleeding badly. He placed a claw to the wound, then stared dully at his blood stained fingers. It was unbelievable that he be injured so and by a human, no less. 'That damned child…' Venomously, he turned his gaze to where Shoukaki lay unconscious. Her cords were gone and a trickle of blood wove down her arched neck. 'She will die now for what she's done to me.'
The demon took a step toward the sleeping ghost when a shout from behind caught his attention. Sesshoumaru whirled around at the sound of his brother's voice. Inuyasha grinned maniacally, Tetsusaiga draped across his shoulders. For the moment, Sesshoumaru's attention turned from Shoukaki to his half-breed brother. This fight would be far more satisfying.
"Ah, if it isn't my half-breed of a brother. I see that the arrow is gone from your side. What a pity. It was a grand decoration for such a filthy creature and terribly fitting. Perhaps you'd like a new one?"
Inuyasha grunted. "If I can give you another windpipe—preferably down your entire front—I'll think about it. I've been waiting for this moment a long time, you bastard. Have you got anything to say for yourself?"
Sesshoumaru's eyes sparkled with malevolent hatred as he faced his younger sibling. Glibly he responded: "I suppose you were happy to see your woman again?"
Nearby, Shoukaki slowly awoke and crawled to her knees, only to stop as she saw the brother's facing off. 'Oh, no…I couldn't beat him, after all…' She hadn't been able to wound Sesshoumaru as much as she'd hoped and he faced Inuyasha far more intact than the half-demon. With her own wounds, there was no way she could help, either. 'Inuyasha…be careful…'
Miroku as well came to as the brother's prepared to fight. Slowly, agonizingly, he pulled himself to a kneeling position. Beside him, Sango moaned and dragged herself up with him, still clutching her arm. The priest winced as he caught sight of the bone glistening red through the demon hunter's torn flesh. Gently, he pulled his love closer and held her protectively. 'Please, Inuyasha, don't lose. If you do, a broken arm and bruised bones will be the least of our worries.'
There was a piercing shriek as Inuyasha sliced through the air with Tetsusaiga. He stared at Sesshoumaru angrily and demanded: "Where is Kagome, you bastard?" He took a step forward, the Fang swinging to and fro dangerously. "What have you done to her? If you've hurt her in any way, I'll…"
"Fool, what do you think you can do? You're a pitiful half-breed who can't even protect his woman. What do you think you can do against this Sesshoumaru, who can raise the souls of dead youkai and command them to do his bidding?"
Dog Boy didn't answer, but instead jumped forward, his sword swinging. Sesshoumaru easily dodged, a sharp jab of his fist connecting with Inuyasha's skull and sending him flying. With an audible crash, the hanyou smashed into the ground, clods of earth spraying everywhere. He lay still a moment, then struggled quickly to his feet, turning to meet his brother. The demon hmphed, but said nothing.
Again, Inuyasha made for his brother. This time, just before he connected with Tetsusaiga, the half-demon reversed his swing and brought the blade in from the side. Sesshoumaru stepped back, the razor edge just barely missing his arm and gliding harmlessly through the air. He just as smoothly grabbed Inuyasha's fist as it came flying toward him in the wake of the sword swing. With a disdainful growl, the demon lord shoved his brother back down to the ground.
"You are no match for me, pathetic half-breed. Give up and hand over the Shikon Jewel. Perhaps I will return your woman to you then."
Enraged anew, Inuyasha leapt to his feet, Fang swinging. "Where is Kagome, Sesshoumaru?!" Swing, swing, parry, thrust, swing, counter. "What have you done with her, you bastard?!"
Sesshoumaru easily dodged his brother's wild swings, amused. Perhaps the girl would prove even more useful than he'd originally planned. He dodged another thrust as he contemplated his next move. Yes, the human female could prove quite valuable in the future. His dark thoughts made him smile slightly. It would appear his brother would not die today.
"Sesshoumaru!"
The demon looked up as Inuyasha brought his sword down heavily. He moved to parry the blow, only to have a fist in his stomach and a foot in his knee, instead. Sesshoumaru collapsed to the ground, Inuyasha on top of him. Tetsusaiga cut painfully into his right arm, positioned between his muscle and humorous. He tried to get up, only to have another fist connect with his skull.
Inuyasha grinned and laughed coldly. "Where…is Kagome…you bastard?" he rasped, short of breath. Tetsusaiga twisted ever so slightly—just the smallest fraction, really. Sesshoumaru could feel his muscle detach further from his bone. He glared up at his brother, eyes cold. "Well? She better be all right, or else…"
"Or else what? I believe the kitsune already told you where your human woman was, brother of mine. Jaken has her safely behind the brush; she's probably watching you right now. Why don't you go to her, detestable half- breed? I'm sure she is waiting for you."
For a moment, Inuyasha looked at his brother skeptically. 'Sesshoumaru…what are you planning? You've never been this cooperative with me before. I can't believe that I've won this battle so easily. Unless, of course, you don't want to lose the only other arm you have?' He grinned devilishly at that. It'd serve his brother right, if his right arm was severed just as clean as his left. 'But still…if he's telling the truth and Kagome is in the brush right now…Finally, after all these months…she'll be with me again…' "All right, Sesshoumaru. I'll let you go this time. But she'd better be all right, bastard, or you can expect to lose your right arm just as you lost your left."
With a tug, Inuyasha ripped his sword out from his brother's arm and stood. Sesshoumaru climbed slowly to his feet, holding his bleeding arm close to his body. He didn't speak as his brother walked slowly over to the bushes.
Miroku stared at the demon lord suspiciously. Something wasn't right. "What are you up to, Sesshoumaru?"
The demon lord didn't even look at him. "What I do is of little concern to you, human filth. Be content that you survived this day."
The priest glared, but silently consented. He really did need to be thankful he'd survived, as well as the others. He could only hope that the terrible feeling in his stomach was ungoverned and simply the side effects of his fight with the demon lord and not because something dreadful was about to happen.
Inuyasha approached the line of bushes where he'd originally seen the Kagome-kitsune before he was shot. Shippou crawled along behind him, tail tucked between his legs. That same scent was around here, the one that had been on the arrow with Inuyasha's smell. It made his hair bristle. Timidly, he pulled on his companion's pant leg. "Inuyasha…I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right. And I can't smell Kagome, either…"
There was a quiet grunt of acknowledgement, but the dog-demon kept on. He knew something was fishy, but just the thought of seeing Kagome again pushed him forward. He didn't care if it was a trap, if Sesshoumaru was planning something. He knew, inside, that Kagome was in those bushes somewhere and he had to get her. True, he couldn't smell her and true, his spine shuddered uneasily, but he had to do this. He had to.
Shippou clung to Inuyasha, shaking. 'Kagome…Kagome might be behind those bushes. The real Kagome, not some fox-demon in disguise. I feel bad, now, for all those times I pretended to be her when she was gone and Inuyasha was upset. And as long as she's there, I'll never do it again. I just want to see Kagome again.' The kitsune sniffed. He still couldn't smell her, but maybe that was because Jaken was with her, or Sesshoumaru had covered her scent somehow, so that they wouldn't know she was there. Whatever the reason, just as Inuyasha knew deep inside that Kagome was there, so did Shippou and there was no way he was going to give into cowardice this time.
They stopped, having reached their destination. Slowly, ever so slowly, Inuyasha reached out and parted the brush with his claws. His breathing was heavy as he pushed apart the clingy branches and foliage of the bushes, his whole body tense. Shippou could feel his heart beating faster and faster. 'Just a little more and we'll see Kagome again…Please oh please let her be there…'
The bushes finally fell away and Inuyasha and Shippou looked directly into the face of Jaken. The toad squawked as Inuyasha picked him up by his throat and roared: "Where is Kagome?!"
Jaken pointed off to the side. "There," he croaked out. "She's…she's over there!"
Inuyasha threw the demon down and dashed over to the bushes to his side. He tore them apart feverishly, all the while calling Kagome's name. Shippou stayed behind with Jaken, sniffing. Something was terribly amiss. Why was this smell so familiar, yet so alien at the same time? What was going on?
There was a cry over by Inuyasha. Shippou perked up his ears. 'That's Kagome's voice!' Faster than he ever thought he possibly could, the fox- demon raced over to where his half-demon friend hunched over. The smell of the arrow was overpowering, but the kitsune didn't care. Beyond the hanyou's shoulder he could see the soft, black locks of Kagome's hair and hear her muffled voice. He skidded to a halt beside the two, tears in his eyes. "Kagome…" he breathed out. "Kagome…Kagome Kagome Kagome!"
Looking up, the girl smiled at her little friend and held out her arms to him; she was crying. The kitsune tossed himself into her embrace, rubbing his face into her chest and calling out her name repeatedly. She held him close. "Oh, Shippou…look at how much you've grown…" She smiled and turned her face to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha…look…look at how much Shippou's grown…he's not a little boy anymore, huh?" She bit back her sobs as she looked deep into the hanyou's eyes. He looked right back at her, his golden eyes shining wetly.
"Yeah…you've missed a lot…We've missed you a lot, too…" He paused briefly, then grinned; a tear trickled down his face. "It's been so lonely without you here. And so much has happened while you were away…we thought you were dead. I was so afraid…And I tried, Kagome, I really tried but…I just couldn't do anything without you here. I need you with me. I've…I've missed you terribly, Kagome."
Unable to hold her sobs back anymore, the girl tossed herself at him, Shippou and all and wept into his chest. "I've missed you so much Inuyasha. I've missed you so much."
He held her tightly and rocked her back and forth. Burying his face in her hair, he whispered: "Don't ever leave me again, Kagome. Please, don't ever leave me again."
She nodded and didn't speak.
Standing over with Miroku and Sango, Shoukaki kneeling close by, Sesshoumaru smiled. He turned his eyes to where Jaken sat in the bushes and nodded his head. The toad grinned and grabbed his staff, then hurried through the brush to where the three friends clung to one another. He cackled as he lifted his weapon high to strike.
Inuyasha's head snapped up as he smelled the demon coming. Pushing Kagome away, the half-breed stood, Tetsusaiga in hand, ready to protect his love. Jaken only laughed harder as he ran straight toward the dog-demon, staff at the ready.
Shippou clung to Kagome as he watched Jaken approach. She was trembling and held him closely. 'Of course Sesshoumaru wouldn't let us get Kagome without a fight. Why is he doing this, though? He hates humans…especially Kagome. Why is he making this so difficult?' The kitsune held his friend tight, his face pressed into her shirt. He couldn't help but smell her. 'What…wait a minute…' Something about Kagome's smell wasn't right. There was something very very wrong with it. Shippou took another sniff. 'What is wrong? It's definitely Kagome, but something is wrong. Why does she smell wrong? What is—' Shippou stiffened. He knew what was wrong, now.
Jaken was approaching quickly, his twiggy arms swinging the two-headed staff crazily. Inuyasha growled and prepared to jump him, when Shippou suddenly cried out. The half-demon twirled around to see the kitsune struggling vainly to get out of Kagome's arms, while the girl was looking at him with frightened, tear-filled eyes and asking him what was wrong. Shippou didn't answer, only tried harder to get away. Kagome pleaded with him more, her words choked by sobs. "Shippou…Shippou, what's wrong?"
Inuyasha didn't have time to watch anymore, however, as the toad reached him just then. Angrily, the dog-demon parried the staff attack, then brought his arm around and smashed Jaken in the skull. Sesshoumaru's lackey spun through the air and landed heavily in the bushes.
Just then, Shippou tore himself from Kagome's arms and ran to Inuyasha. He was crying as he grabbed the half-demon's leg and pointed back toward the girl they'd both longed to see for the past eight months. "Inuyasha, that smell I told you about earlier, the funny one on the arrow. I figured it out. Inuyasha…Kagome smells like the arrow. Kagome…Kagome smells like the arrow!"
Kagome stood, her hands pressed to her chest. Her eyes were large and dark, with tear stains along her cheeks and large drops still caught in her lashes. Those eyes looked to her love and her little friend pleadingly. "Inuyasha…Shippou…"
Suddenly, she began to gag, coughing and clutching at her heart and throat. Inuyasha took an instinctive step toward her, but she waved him off. Through her choking gasps, she stared at him; terror radiated from her and clouded over her eyes. "Inuyasha…run away…quickly…"
He shook his head. "Kagome, what's going on? Why do you smell like the arrow that hit me?"
There was a laugh behind them and Jaken bounded into sight, a bow gripped in his hands. He darted over next to Kagome, grinning like a fool. She watched him with loathing, but made no move to push him away. Instead, she reached out—her movements were mechanical, as though she weren't controlling her own body—and took the weapon in her hands. She also took an arrow from the satchel on the ground next to her. Jaken cackled more as he called out: "She smells like it because she's the one that shot it! For Lord Sesshoumaru, die, Inuyasha!"
Slowly, Kagome drew back the string, arrow knocked and ready. As she let fly her weapon, she screamed: "Run, Inuyasha! Run now!"
'No…Kagome, what's going on?' Inuyasha just stood and watched as the arrow flew toward him. He made no move to avoid it. "Kagome…why…?"
"Inuyasha, look out!" Shippou jumped up and tackled his friend to the ground as the arrow whizzed by harmlessly. Inuyasha just stared at Kagome as her body moved woodenly away from him. Shippou watched as well, his whole body trembling. 'Kagome…Kagome…why?'
Even as she walked away, the girl stared at Inuyasha, her eyes full of tears. Over and over she said: "Run, Inuyasha, I can't stop it. Run away, Inuyasha. Run away." Then she disappeared into the surrounding trees, led by Jaken and her voice couldn't be heard anymore.
Sesshoumaru walked over to his brother slowly, his face as cold and beautiful as before. He looked down at the half-breed callously, then moved on, careful to step around Inuyasha's body. As he disappeared into the brush, he said: "If you really want her back, bring the Shikon Jewel to the Western Falls within a week. I will be waiting for you there." And then he was gone.
Miroku and the others stared, mouths agape and hearts breaking. Twice now Inuyasha had been separated from Kagome, but this time…this time was too much. She'd shot him with an enchanted arrow, much the same as Kikyou had so long ago. By the looks of it, her body was being manipulated by Sesshoumaru, but still… "Inuyasha…"
Shoukaki wiped at her eyes, then crawled over to where the dog-demon lay. She pulled herself up onto his chest and buried her face in his front. "Inuyasha…please don't be sad again…" Her fingers twined into his kimono as she pleaded. "Kagome…she didn't do it because she wanted to. And you'll get her back when you beat your brother, so…please don't be sad again—"
A hand on her head stopped her words short. The ghost lifted her face to see the hanyou smiling weakly down at her. She blinked. "Inuyasha…?"
His voice was soft as he replied. "I gave up once and became weak, because I thought Kagome was dead. But she's alive and to save her, I can't afford to become weak again. I will not turn back to that coward again. Everyone would be sad if I did. And I don't think I could face Kagome if I did. So don't worry; I'm not turning around again."
Shoukaki nodded and pressed her head into his chest, her spirit calm. 'You'll save her, Inuyasha. There isn't any other possible path for you to take.'
Shippou sat beside them, staring into the trees. A breeze ruffled his fur. "Kagome…" he whispered. The wind carried his words and they disappeared among the clouds.
I'm trying something different in this chapter. I'm so sick of not being able to differentiate when someone talks as opposed to thinks as opposed to narration. I should have fixed it long ago but I was just hoping it would go away. ^-^x Anyhow, all thoughts from here on out will look something like this: 'I am a thought' as opposed to speaking "I am speaking to you." I hope it hasn't been terribly confusing up till now. Maybe I'll go back and fix it…
This is chapter six and I really wanna thank those of you who have been reading along. I know I'm grateful for your reading, but I don't think I've ever come right out and thanked you all. I'm so appreciative of the fact that you read and enjoy my story, that you put up with all the hellish things I do to the characters. I'm an evil person, I know, but…thank you all for sticking with me regardless. It means so much to have you with me, because without people to read it, there would be no reason to write. You all make me so happy and I want to thank you individually, but…there's so many of you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you thank you thank you.
Chapter six pretty much ends part one of this story. I was only planning on having two parts, so…yay! We're halfway there. And I PROMISE I won't keep being so mean. I mean, I can't stand the suspense. Well…please enjoy. And thank you all, again. I can't thank you enough.
Where Lost Souls Meet Again
Chapter Six: And Having Once Turned Round Walks On
Silence permeated the air as human faced demon. Lying face down between them, an arrow protruding from his ribs, blood running in the grass, was Inuyasha. His eyes were closed in pain and he clawed at the earth; clods of grass and dirt came up with each dig, his nails growing black from the soil. Behind Sesshoumaru, Kagome struggled to reach the half-breed on the ground.
Expressionless, Sesshoumaru asked again: "Give me the Shikon Jewel."
From the space between them, Inuyasha barked a laugh. "You think…we'll just give…you…the Jewel? Heh…idiot…" He stopped, his body racked by coughs; blood dripped from his mouth. When the spasm passed, he continued: "I'll…kill you…Sesshoumaru…before I ever give…you the Jewel…" With obvious pain, the half-breed turned his head so that he could see Kagome. He smiled. "You're alive…Kagome…"
"Inuyasha…"
Bored, the demon lord took a step forward. "I will not ask again. Now give me what is mine."
Sango crouched low, one hand resting lightly on her boomerang. She glared at the demon, then sneered: "No way."
Miroku nodded in agreement, his staff out and ready. His eyes were nothing more than cold slits. "We will not give you the Jewel, Sesshoumaru."
Standing off to the side, Shoukaki bit her lip, worried. Sesshoumaru was a powerful demon, she could sense that easily; he'd also been able to wound Inuyasha with only a bow. She had the feeling that even Miroku and Sango couldn't fight off this monster. She gasped. What about Shippou? The little kitsune was already hurt badly…he wouldn't stand a chance against Inuyasha's brother.
'What'll I do? I can fight, but…will I help any? Sesshoumaru is really strong—far stronger than that soot-wolf. What can I do?' She paused. 'Wait a minute…that soot-wolf…it was made up of the souls of dead demons. Only someone very very powerful could bring it into existence…' Her eyes drifted up until they met with the demon lord's and she cringed. 'Someone very powerful indeed'.
Taking another advancing step, Sesshoumaru held out a slim, beautiful hand; it crackled with lightning. His eyes bored holes through the three humans across the way. Even Shoukaki, who was only a spirit, could feel the venom in his gaze and couldn't help but take a step back. She shuddered. So much power was stored in that creature that it was almost unthinkable that they could beat him. How would any of them survive this?
Miroku and Sango must have been thinking the same thing as she, but they never lost their nerve. The two humans faced their foe with deadly looks and held their ground. Sango stood, the grip on her boomerang tight enough to make the knuckles white. "How did you find us?"
Sesshoumaru almost smiled. His claws flexed as he took another frightening step forward. He was almost to Inuyasha now. "My demons are very good trackers."
Sango growled: "Don't play word games, demon!"
"He means," Shoukaki said sharply, "that the soot-wolf we fought was raised by his magic and that our fight tipped off our location."
The demon blinked, taken aback slightly by the child's knowledge. "Quite." His advancing stopped as he looked the phantom girl over. "You…I have never seen before. Where do you come from?"
Shoukaki gulped. "Nowhere…"
Before she could even react, the demon was beside her, his claws gripping her chin as he lifted her face to his. His eyes were frightfully cold. "Come now, little human whelp. You must come from somewhere, else my half-breed of a brother never would have found you. You can tell this Sesshoumaru."
Shaking, the girl licked her lips and gasped out: "Nowhere."
His eyes morphed to slits; with a flick, he tossed her aside. Shoukaki landed hard near Sango. "Enough games. Give me the Jewel or I will kill you all."
"That isn't much of a choice," Sango said softly, her boomerang in a throwing position. "You'd kill us whether we gave you the Shikon Jewel or not." She smiled. "So I say you earn it!" And with that she flung her weapon at him and the battle began.
Miroku lunged forward with lightening speed, swinging his staff hard. It connected with Sesshoumaru's raised arm just as Sango's boomerang came soaring in, aimed at the demon's white-haired head. Inuyasha's brother dodged the flying weapon easily as he parried the monk's staff with his forearm and claws. His tail whipped out and smashed into the boomerang as it returned to its owner, spinning it off course and into Sango's side hard. The demon hunter screamed and fell to the ground, clutching her broken arm.
Enraged, Miroku swung again, harder this time. Again, Sesshoumaru parried the blow. As Miroku recovered from the parry, the demon brought his other hand around; claws wrapped around the priest's neck and lifted him off the ground. The monk dropped his staff and scrabbled at his foe's gripping fingers, trying his best to leverage them off so that he could breath. Sesshoumaru only tightened his hold; the sound of them pressing into Miroku's neck was sickening.
Shoukaki stared on in horror as the priest was slowly strangled. This was so familiar… 'It's happening again…It's all happening again!' She clutched her head and fought off the painful memories. Miroku struggled on; Sango had long since gone silent, her screams echoing distantly. 'This is just like that time…Mommy…Papa…This is just like then!' The phantom girl fell to her knees and began smashing her head against the ground, trying her best to drive away the memories. 'So much killing…it's like that time. Big Brother, Big Sister…Papa, Mommy…
'I don't want to see this again! Mommy…Big Sister, Papa…Big Brother…It's the same! I don't want to see this again!' "No…not again…" Even as she bashed her head and tried her best to ignore what was happening, Shoukaki began to glow. Beneath her closed lids her eyes clouded and turned black; black cords coalesced around her arms and snaked across her waist; a thin silver wire tightened around her neck. "No more. No more!" In a burst of power, the girl threw her head back and screamed.
Sesshoumaru paused in his choking of the priest to see where the scream had come from. Shoukaki had crawled back to her feet and was staring listlessly at the demon lord. Her cords slithered slowly around her limbs. Interested, he let the monk drop from his fingers; Miroku landed hard on the ground, gasping and holding his neck. The demon paid him no attention as he advanced on the phantom.
The child glared at him as he approached, her black eyes dull. "No more. I won't let you hurt my mommy and papa anymore!"
Amused, Sesshoumaru lifted a curious eyebrow. "Parents…? You are far more than just these weakling humans' whelp. Would you care to tell me who you are now?"
She ignored him, her thoughts lost in the past. She wasn't even aware of whom she was fighting anymore. Instead of an advancing demon lord, she saw only roughly clad thieves and bandits. Behind him lay her mother and father, dead. Tears slid slowly down Shoukaki's cheeks. "Mommy…Papa…I won't let you hurt them anymore! No more!"
With that, the ghost threw herself forward, arms outstretched. Like fingers, her cords extended and whipped about at her command, hurling themselves at Sesshoumaru. He countered them all easily, his claws ready. More cords shot his way, weaving about him desperately, trying to get a hit. Shoukaki continued to advance, commanding her ropes as she went. Sesshoumaru continued to walk toward her.
Miroku crawled slowly along the ground, panting horribly. His throat was terribly sore, but right then he didn't care. Sango lay on the ground, clutching her wounded arm and sobbing quietly into the grass. When he was close enough, he reached out and took her hand in his. She whimpered, but shifted a little closer to him. He sighed and let himself collapse fully into the grass. He could only wonder what was going to happen next. What was happening with Inuyasha and Kagome, away from them all? 'Be careful, my friend. I wish you luck…little one…'
When they were within a short distance of one another, Shoukaki recalled her cords just as suddenly as she'd sent them out. Her foe continued his assault, unmoved by her apparent retreat. She waited. Sesshoumaru took another step forward—he was just within range of her now. Screaming like a fiend, Shoukaki threw herself bodily at the demon. Indifferent to her sudden physical assault, the youkai nonchalantly moved to bat her body away. As his arms moved outward to connect with her, the ghost's black cords reappeared. Without his arms to block them, Sesshoumaru was caught off guard; a cord slashed across his chest and another grabbed his legs. His claws connected with Shoukaki as her ropes brought him down to the ground.
Away from the fighting, still lying in the damp grass, Inuyasha struggled to get up. Every time he moved, the arrow in his side throbbed and brought him down again. Pain lanced through his body with even the most minimal of movements. 'Shit…what's happening? How could an arrow do this to me?'
"Inuyasha!"
He looked up to see Kagome running toward him. Kagome. Her face was streaked with tears and her lips trembled, but she was still the most beautiful creature in the world. In any world, as far as the dog-demon was concerned. He tried to lift himself up but only felt excruciating pain for his efforts—he collapsed back down. His face was once again in the grass as the girl skidded to a halt and knelt down beside him.
With gentle hands, Kagome reached down and lifted the half-demon from the ground. She cradled him in her lap and smoothed his damp hair as he cried out from the pain of being moved. "Inuyasha…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you…" She felt across his face and through his locks; she rubbed his puppy ears and tenderly touched his lips and eyes. "Gods, I've missed you so, Inuyasha."
The dog-demon reached up and touched his love's cheek, doing his best to ignore the lancing pain that tore through him as he did so. Smiling behind her tears, she tilted her head into his palm and nuzzled his fingers. "Kagome…it's really you. You've been alive…all this time. Why…why didn't you…why didn't you return to me…?"
Crying, she held him close. "I couldn't, Inuyasha. I'm so sorry…I couldn't get to you."
Inuyasha nodded, then turned his head toward where his brother was fighting the others. Sesshoumaru had Miroku by the neck and was choking him slowly. 'Damnit! This damned arrow won't let me get up! I need to help them…they can't beat Sesshoumaru without me, that bastard. How the hell did he get this arrow to stop me? I don't understand…even Sesshoumaru doesn't have the kind of magic power necessary to hurt me with an arrow. I have to stop him, before he kills someone.'
As he watched, Inuyasha saw Shoukaki undergo her transformation from relatively harmless spirit to vengeful poltergeist. It was frightening, to see such an innocent child become such a monster. Even in the face of his brother, who could bring out the worst in everyone, seeing this happen to little Shoukaki was still terrible. 'And even with this extra power, I don't think she'll be able to hurt my brother. Phantom or not…I fear he may be able to kill her. He could animate the dead souls of demons, after all. What's to stop him from killing an already dead human? Shit, I need to help them! Why can't I defeat this arrow? It's like Kikyou's arrow from so long ago.'
Kagome shifted nervously as Shoukaki and Sesshoumaru fought. Her movements jostled Inuyasha around enough to make his wound ache further. He gasped as a particularly bad pain took him; Kagome continued to move. "Kagome…please, stop fidgeting. It hurts…" Something smelled funny. Inuyasha took a long, deep breath. What was this smell? Something didn't seem right here. "Kagome?"
She shifted again and the half-breed could hear the delicate rasp of a knife coming out of its scabbard. Turning his head back up to look at her, Inuyasha caught the glint of metal as Kagome's face disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rolling himself off her knees, Inuyasha struggled to his feet, the pain from the arrow in his side nearly knocking him down again. He held his ground, however and waited for the smoke to clear.
When the smoke cleared, Kagome was gone and in her place stood a tall, sleek kitsune. She smiled, showing her sharp fangs, then attacked. Inuyasha parried the knife blow clumsily and collapsed to the ground, unable to support himself and fight at the same time. The fox-demon skidded to a halt and turned back around to face her opponent, the morning light sparkling on her pristine white fur. Her grin was vile.
"Oh, Inuyasha, I'm so sorry I couldn't return to you." She laughed harshly. "Bah, you're such a fool. Pathetic half-breed. Did you actually think you could win back your precious Kagome so easily?" She laughed again. "You'll be lucky to leave here with your life. Even if by some miracle you defeat me—and I highly doubt that given your present condition—Lord Sesshoumaru will finish you off. Your precious Kagome indeed. Hah!"
Standing once again, his body wracked by countless spasms of pain, Inuyasha stared hard at the kitsune who had taken his love's form. The amber of his eyes looked black beneath the shadow of his lids. "Is Kagome here?"
The fox-demon stood calmly and watched as her opponent fought simply to stand. She grinned evilly. "It really doesn't matter, does it, half- breed? You'd have to beat me to get that answer and with that arrow embedded in you, beating me is out of the question. So it really doesn't matter."
Inuyasha took a step forward; blood ran down his side and soaked his clothing, while pain riddled his entire body. He ignored it all and kept staring at the female who had dared to take his dearest Kagome's form. "Is Kagome here?" he asked again.
Amused, the woman readied herself for a fight. "Ah, so it'll be like that, will it? Well, this should prove interesting, at the very least. Very well, half-breed, if you can beat me I'll tell you where your precious Kagome is. Prepare to die."
She jumped at him, knife whizzing through the air toward Inuyasha's unprotected head. The demon grinned. There was no way he could protect himself in his state. This fight was hers!
At the last moment, Inuyasha brought his arm up to deflect the blow. Caught off guard, the kitsune tumbled to the ground. When she turned to stand, she found herself peering up the length of the Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha glared at her from the sword's hilt, his breathing heavy, but with a determined face. "Is Kagome here?"
The kitsune sighed. "It would seem I've lost, huh?" She grinned. Her legs shot out from under her and took the half-demon in the knees; Inuyasha fell with a thud, Tetsusaiga clattering to the ground beside him, reverted to its original shape. The fox woman skittered over to where her enemy lay, knife in hand and ready to slit his throat. She yanked his head up by his hair and laughed. He was as good as dead!
Small, paw-like hands grabbed her tail and pulled hard. Screaming, the kitsune wheeled around and swung at her attacker, only to watch her blade whisk through air. Fuming, she turned back to Inuyasha, only to find him on his feet again, sword in hand. Beside him lay the arrow that had felled him, tip bloody, but harmless now. The woman gulped and took a step back. Inuyasha grinned and took a step forward.
"Is. Kagome. Here?"
Not waiting for an answer, the hanyou lunged forward and brought Tetsusaiga down on the fox's arm. Her hand went flying, knife still gripped in her claws and she fell to the ground, holding the bloody stump and screaming in agony. The dog-demon took another step forward. He pressed the tip of Tetsusaiga against the demon's throat and tilted her chin up. "I win. Now answer my question."
Fearful, the kitsune shook but answered: "She's in the brush, with Jaken. Lord Sesshoumaru demanded that she not be seen and had the toad keep watch." The sword pressed harder against her skin; her eyes glinted and she steeled herself. "I'm telling the truth, you pathetic half-breed. Your precious Kagome is here. That's all you wanted to know." She flicked her wrist and was engulfed in smoke. By the time Inuyasha had stopped coughing enough to look again, she was gone.
He sighed. "Come on out, runt. She's gone."
Slowly, Shippou crept out from behind the tree where he'd hidden after distracting the fox-woman and pulling the arrow out of Inuyasha's side. He examined his burnt fingers and cringed. The arrow was enchanted; it had hurt a lot pulling it out.
"Inuyasha…are you okay?"
The half-demon nodded, then turned to where Shoukaki and Sesshoumaru lay panting on the ground. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've just got some unfinished business to attend to, that's all." With purposeful strides, he headed toward his brother.
Shippou began to follow, then stopped as he came near the arrow. It looked like any other arrow upon inspection. The fox leaned in closer, sniffing. It smelled funny. There was Inuyasha's scent, since he had worn the weapon for so long, but also another smell…something familiar. But try as he might, Shippou couldn't place the scent. "Inuyasha, the arrow smells funny." The hanyou frowned, then shook his head and continued on. After a moment more with the weapon, Shippou shrugged and bounded off after his half-demon companion. Sesshoumaru was what was important now.
Said demon was even now pulling himself up from the ground. A large gash tore across the front of his chest, bleeding badly. He placed a claw to the wound, then stared dully at his blood stained fingers. It was unbelievable that he be injured so and by a human, no less. 'That damned child…' Venomously, he turned his gaze to where Shoukaki lay unconscious. Her cords were gone and a trickle of blood wove down her arched neck. 'She will die now for what she's done to me.'
The demon took a step toward the sleeping ghost when a shout from behind caught his attention. Sesshoumaru whirled around at the sound of his brother's voice. Inuyasha grinned maniacally, Tetsusaiga draped across his shoulders. For the moment, Sesshoumaru's attention turned from Shoukaki to his half-breed brother. This fight would be far more satisfying.
"Ah, if it isn't my half-breed of a brother. I see that the arrow is gone from your side. What a pity. It was a grand decoration for such a filthy creature and terribly fitting. Perhaps you'd like a new one?"
Inuyasha grunted. "If I can give you another windpipe—preferably down your entire front—I'll think about it. I've been waiting for this moment a long time, you bastard. Have you got anything to say for yourself?"
Sesshoumaru's eyes sparkled with malevolent hatred as he faced his younger sibling. Glibly he responded: "I suppose you were happy to see your woman again?"
Nearby, Shoukaki slowly awoke and crawled to her knees, only to stop as she saw the brother's facing off. 'Oh, no…I couldn't beat him, after all…' She hadn't been able to wound Sesshoumaru as much as she'd hoped and he faced Inuyasha far more intact than the half-demon. With her own wounds, there was no way she could help, either. 'Inuyasha…be careful…'
Miroku as well came to as the brother's prepared to fight. Slowly, agonizingly, he pulled himself to a kneeling position. Beside him, Sango moaned and dragged herself up with him, still clutching her arm. The priest winced as he caught sight of the bone glistening red through the demon hunter's torn flesh. Gently, he pulled his love closer and held her protectively. 'Please, Inuyasha, don't lose. If you do, a broken arm and bruised bones will be the least of our worries.'
There was a piercing shriek as Inuyasha sliced through the air with Tetsusaiga. He stared at Sesshoumaru angrily and demanded: "Where is Kagome, you bastard?" He took a step forward, the Fang swinging to and fro dangerously. "What have you done to her? If you've hurt her in any way, I'll…"
"Fool, what do you think you can do? You're a pitiful half-breed who can't even protect his woman. What do you think you can do against this Sesshoumaru, who can raise the souls of dead youkai and command them to do his bidding?"
Dog Boy didn't answer, but instead jumped forward, his sword swinging. Sesshoumaru easily dodged, a sharp jab of his fist connecting with Inuyasha's skull and sending him flying. With an audible crash, the hanyou smashed into the ground, clods of earth spraying everywhere. He lay still a moment, then struggled quickly to his feet, turning to meet his brother. The demon hmphed, but said nothing.
Again, Inuyasha made for his brother. This time, just before he connected with Tetsusaiga, the half-demon reversed his swing and brought the blade in from the side. Sesshoumaru stepped back, the razor edge just barely missing his arm and gliding harmlessly through the air. He just as smoothly grabbed Inuyasha's fist as it came flying toward him in the wake of the sword swing. With a disdainful growl, the demon lord shoved his brother back down to the ground.
"You are no match for me, pathetic half-breed. Give up and hand over the Shikon Jewel. Perhaps I will return your woman to you then."
Enraged anew, Inuyasha leapt to his feet, Fang swinging. "Where is Kagome, Sesshoumaru?!" Swing, swing, parry, thrust, swing, counter. "What have you done with her, you bastard?!"
Sesshoumaru easily dodged his brother's wild swings, amused. Perhaps the girl would prove even more useful than he'd originally planned. He dodged another thrust as he contemplated his next move. Yes, the human female could prove quite valuable in the future. His dark thoughts made him smile slightly. It would appear his brother would not die today.
"Sesshoumaru!"
The demon looked up as Inuyasha brought his sword down heavily. He moved to parry the blow, only to have a fist in his stomach and a foot in his knee, instead. Sesshoumaru collapsed to the ground, Inuyasha on top of him. Tetsusaiga cut painfully into his right arm, positioned between his muscle and humorous. He tried to get up, only to have another fist connect with his skull.
Inuyasha grinned and laughed coldly. "Where…is Kagome…you bastard?" he rasped, short of breath. Tetsusaiga twisted ever so slightly—just the smallest fraction, really. Sesshoumaru could feel his muscle detach further from his bone. He glared up at his brother, eyes cold. "Well? She better be all right, or else…"
"Or else what? I believe the kitsune already told you where your human woman was, brother of mine. Jaken has her safely behind the brush; she's probably watching you right now. Why don't you go to her, detestable half- breed? I'm sure she is waiting for you."
For a moment, Inuyasha looked at his brother skeptically. 'Sesshoumaru…what are you planning? You've never been this cooperative with me before. I can't believe that I've won this battle so easily. Unless, of course, you don't want to lose the only other arm you have?' He grinned devilishly at that. It'd serve his brother right, if his right arm was severed just as clean as his left. 'But still…if he's telling the truth and Kagome is in the brush right now…Finally, after all these months…she'll be with me again…' "All right, Sesshoumaru. I'll let you go this time. But she'd better be all right, bastard, or you can expect to lose your right arm just as you lost your left."
With a tug, Inuyasha ripped his sword out from his brother's arm and stood. Sesshoumaru climbed slowly to his feet, holding his bleeding arm close to his body. He didn't speak as his brother walked slowly over to the bushes.
Miroku stared at the demon lord suspiciously. Something wasn't right. "What are you up to, Sesshoumaru?"
The demon lord didn't even look at him. "What I do is of little concern to you, human filth. Be content that you survived this day."
The priest glared, but silently consented. He really did need to be thankful he'd survived, as well as the others. He could only hope that the terrible feeling in his stomach was ungoverned and simply the side effects of his fight with the demon lord and not because something dreadful was about to happen.
Inuyasha approached the line of bushes where he'd originally seen the Kagome-kitsune before he was shot. Shippou crawled along behind him, tail tucked between his legs. That same scent was around here, the one that had been on the arrow with Inuyasha's smell. It made his hair bristle. Timidly, he pulled on his companion's pant leg. "Inuyasha…I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right. And I can't smell Kagome, either…"
There was a quiet grunt of acknowledgement, but the dog-demon kept on. He knew something was fishy, but just the thought of seeing Kagome again pushed him forward. He didn't care if it was a trap, if Sesshoumaru was planning something. He knew, inside, that Kagome was in those bushes somewhere and he had to get her. True, he couldn't smell her and true, his spine shuddered uneasily, but he had to do this. He had to.
Shippou clung to Inuyasha, shaking. 'Kagome…Kagome might be behind those bushes. The real Kagome, not some fox-demon in disguise. I feel bad, now, for all those times I pretended to be her when she was gone and Inuyasha was upset. And as long as she's there, I'll never do it again. I just want to see Kagome again.' The kitsune sniffed. He still couldn't smell her, but maybe that was because Jaken was with her, or Sesshoumaru had covered her scent somehow, so that they wouldn't know she was there. Whatever the reason, just as Inuyasha knew deep inside that Kagome was there, so did Shippou and there was no way he was going to give into cowardice this time.
They stopped, having reached their destination. Slowly, ever so slowly, Inuyasha reached out and parted the brush with his claws. His breathing was heavy as he pushed apart the clingy branches and foliage of the bushes, his whole body tense. Shippou could feel his heart beating faster and faster. 'Just a little more and we'll see Kagome again…Please oh please let her be there…'
The bushes finally fell away and Inuyasha and Shippou looked directly into the face of Jaken. The toad squawked as Inuyasha picked him up by his throat and roared: "Where is Kagome?!"
Jaken pointed off to the side. "There," he croaked out. "She's…she's over there!"
Inuyasha threw the demon down and dashed over to the bushes to his side. He tore them apart feverishly, all the while calling Kagome's name. Shippou stayed behind with Jaken, sniffing. Something was terribly amiss. Why was this smell so familiar, yet so alien at the same time? What was going on?
There was a cry over by Inuyasha. Shippou perked up his ears. 'That's Kagome's voice!' Faster than he ever thought he possibly could, the fox- demon raced over to where his half-demon friend hunched over. The smell of the arrow was overpowering, but the kitsune didn't care. Beyond the hanyou's shoulder he could see the soft, black locks of Kagome's hair and hear her muffled voice. He skidded to a halt beside the two, tears in his eyes. "Kagome…" he breathed out. "Kagome…Kagome Kagome Kagome!"
Looking up, the girl smiled at her little friend and held out her arms to him; she was crying. The kitsune tossed himself into her embrace, rubbing his face into her chest and calling out her name repeatedly. She held him close. "Oh, Shippou…look at how much you've grown…" She smiled and turned her face to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha…look…look at how much Shippou's grown…he's not a little boy anymore, huh?" She bit back her sobs as she looked deep into the hanyou's eyes. He looked right back at her, his golden eyes shining wetly.
"Yeah…you've missed a lot…We've missed you a lot, too…" He paused briefly, then grinned; a tear trickled down his face. "It's been so lonely without you here. And so much has happened while you were away…we thought you were dead. I was so afraid…And I tried, Kagome, I really tried but…I just couldn't do anything without you here. I need you with me. I've…I've missed you terribly, Kagome."
Unable to hold her sobs back anymore, the girl tossed herself at him, Shippou and all and wept into his chest. "I've missed you so much Inuyasha. I've missed you so much."
He held her tightly and rocked her back and forth. Burying his face in her hair, he whispered: "Don't ever leave me again, Kagome. Please, don't ever leave me again."
She nodded and didn't speak.
Standing over with Miroku and Sango, Shoukaki kneeling close by, Sesshoumaru smiled. He turned his eyes to where Jaken sat in the bushes and nodded his head. The toad grinned and grabbed his staff, then hurried through the brush to where the three friends clung to one another. He cackled as he lifted his weapon high to strike.
Inuyasha's head snapped up as he smelled the demon coming. Pushing Kagome away, the half-breed stood, Tetsusaiga in hand, ready to protect his love. Jaken only laughed harder as he ran straight toward the dog-demon, staff at the ready.
Shippou clung to Kagome as he watched Jaken approach. She was trembling and held him closely. 'Of course Sesshoumaru wouldn't let us get Kagome without a fight. Why is he doing this, though? He hates humans…especially Kagome. Why is he making this so difficult?' The kitsune held his friend tight, his face pressed into her shirt. He couldn't help but smell her. 'What…wait a minute…' Something about Kagome's smell wasn't right. There was something very very wrong with it. Shippou took another sniff. 'What is wrong? It's definitely Kagome, but something is wrong. Why does she smell wrong? What is—' Shippou stiffened. He knew what was wrong, now.
Jaken was approaching quickly, his twiggy arms swinging the two-headed staff crazily. Inuyasha growled and prepared to jump him, when Shippou suddenly cried out. The half-demon twirled around to see the kitsune struggling vainly to get out of Kagome's arms, while the girl was looking at him with frightened, tear-filled eyes and asking him what was wrong. Shippou didn't answer, only tried harder to get away. Kagome pleaded with him more, her words choked by sobs. "Shippou…Shippou, what's wrong?"
Inuyasha didn't have time to watch anymore, however, as the toad reached him just then. Angrily, the dog-demon parried the staff attack, then brought his arm around and smashed Jaken in the skull. Sesshoumaru's lackey spun through the air and landed heavily in the bushes.
Just then, Shippou tore himself from Kagome's arms and ran to Inuyasha. He was crying as he grabbed the half-demon's leg and pointed back toward the girl they'd both longed to see for the past eight months. "Inuyasha, that smell I told you about earlier, the funny one on the arrow. I figured it out. Inuyasha…Kagome smells like the arrow. Kagome…Kagome smells like the arrow!"
Kagome stood, her hands pressed to her chest. Her eyes were large and dark, with tear stains along her cheeks and large drops still caught in her lashes. Those eyes looked to her love and her little friend pleadingly. "Inuyasha…Shippou…"
Suddenly, she began to gag, coughing and clutching at her heart and throat. Inuyasha took an instinctive step toward her, but she waved him off. Through her choking gasps, she stared at him; terror radiated from her and clouded over her eyes. "Inuyasha…run away…quickly…"
He shook his head. "Kagome, what's going on? Why do you smell like the arrow that hit me?"
There was a laugh behind them and Jaken bounded into sight, a bow gripped in his hands. He darted over next to Kagome, grinning like a fool. She watched him with loathing, but made no move to push him away. Instead, she reached out—her movements were mechanical, as though she weren't controlling her own body—and took the weapon in her hands. She also took an arrow from the satchel on the ground next to her. Jaken cackled more as he called out: "She smells like it because she's the one that shot it! For Lord Sesshoumaru, die, Inuyasha!"
Slowly, Kagome drew back the string, arrow knocked and ready. As she let fly her weapon, she screamed: "Run, Inuyasha! Run now!"
'No…Kagome, what's going on?' Inuyasha just stood and watched as the arrow flew toward him. He made no move to avoid it. "Kagome…why…?"
"Inuyasha, look out!" Shippou jumped up and tackled his friend to the ground as the arrow whizzed by harmlessly. Inuyasha just stared at Kagome as her body moved woodenly away from him. Shippou watched as well, his whole body trembling. 'Kagome…Kagome…why?'
Even as she walked away, the girl stared at Inuyasha, her eyes full of tears. Over and over she said: "Run, Inuyasha, I can't stop it. Run away, Inuyasha. Run away." Then she disappeared into the surrounding trees, led by Jaken and her voice couldn't be heard anymore.
Sesshoumaru walked over to his brother slowly, his face as cold and beautiful as before. He looked down at the half-breed callously, then moved on, careful to step around Inuyasha's body. As he disappeared into the brush, he said: "If you really want her back, bring the Shikon Jewel to the Western Falls within a week. I will be waiting for you there." And then he was gone.
Miroku and the others stared, mouths agape and hearts breaking. Twice now Inuyasha had been separated from Kagome, but this time…this time was too much. She'd shot him with an enchanted arrow, much the same as Kikyou had so long ago. By the looks of it, her body was being manipulated by Sesshoumaru, but still… "Inuyasha…"
Shoukaki wiped at her eyes, then crawled over to where the dog-demon lay. She pulled herself up onto his chest and buried her face in his front. "Inuyasha…please don't be sad again…" Her fingers twined into his kimono as she pleaded. "Kagome…she didn't do it because she wanted to. And you'll get her back when you beat your brother, so…please don't be sad again—"
A hand on her head stopped her words short. The ghost lifted her face to see the hanyou smiling weakly down at her. She blinked. "Inuyasha…?"
His voice was soft as he replied. "I gave up once and became weak, because I thought Kagome was dead. But she's alive and to save her, I can't afford to become weak again. I will not turn back to that coward again. Everyone would be sad if I did. And I don't think I could face Kagome if I did. So don't worry; I'm not turning around again."
Shoukaki nodded and pressed her head into his chest, her spirit calm. 'You'll save her, Inuyasha. There isn't any other possible path for you to take.'
Shippou sat beside them, staring into the trees. A breeze ruffled his fur. "Kagome…" he whispered. The wind carried his words and they disappeared among the clouds.