~Rin's POV~
I knew exactly what he was going to do. Did I want him to? I felt like that. But then another part of me knew different. His eyes were glazed over and partially open. Oh gods!
"Kagome NO!" I heard a yell from the village.
Shippou looked over my head and I turned around in his arms. DAMNIT! We ran towards the village. It was gone, what? Where's my kiss?!
~Inuyasha's POV~
I had come back to the village to see the person I wanted to the most- Kagome. But she was different, possessed.
"Kagome NO!" I yelled as she shot an arrow at me.
I could feel Kikyou's negative energy surrounding her, making her powerful enough to get the chance to hurt me. Miroku came out of the hut from behind me followed closely by Sango and Kirara.
"Kagome, don't do this!" Came Miroku's voice behind me. And then his yell of terror.
Wind whistled through the village. I froze, but Kagome didn't. She shot another arrow and I moved but not fast enough. It grazed my neck. She was aiming to kill!
~Shippou's POV~
Rin and I ran as fast as we could back to the village. I was so close! But my anger was put on hold as I saw Kagome shooting arrows at Inuyasha. Miroku, Sango and Kirara were all behind him, Kirara running toward Rin, and Sango helping to brace Miroku and hold his arm steady. The wind tunnel had come back! Wind was whistling violently though the grounds and Inuyasha turned to look, giving Kagome the chance to graze his neck. I heard Rin's gasp of horror.
"Sango!" Rin screamed as Kagome's arrow passed Inuyasha's neck and narrowly missed her foot.
Sango paid her no attention as holding Miroku's hand steadily pointed away from our friends was taking all of her concentration and strength. I raced into the fight with Kagome, as did Rin. I saw Rin had out her sword. but wait, Rin had Tensaiga because Sesshoumaru gave it to her. Tensaiga was a healing sword!! If any time we were to test the two swords, now would be it.
"Rin! Put that sword away and take out Tensaiga!" I yelled to her as we slashed and hacked at the arrows pointed and flying at Inuyasha and us.
Comprehension dawned on her face, "Destruction and Rebirth!" I heard her whisper.
Grabbing her roughly as the winds grew steadily as strong as a tornado; I placed her behind me where she held a death grip on my shoulders. Holding Tetsusaiga in front of me, Rin and I made our way to Kagome.
"But what if she's not possessed?" Rin asked, but it was too late, we were too close to back out now.
I felt the tip collide with flesh and saw Kagome fall backward, and in my mind's eye, in slow motion and hit the ground with a sickening thud. Rin grasped her sword and moved quickly forward. Slashing over Kagome with it, I felt her intake of breath. For what seemed eternity there was no sign of life from her. Inuyasha was so tense it came in waves, passing over Rin and myself. Then we heard Kagome mumbled incoherently. Inuyasha shoved us aside to get to Kagome. And tripped Rin.
~Miroku's POV~
Upon hearing Inuyasha's yell to Kagome I practically flew outside, Sango on my heels. We saw Inuyasha trying to dodge Kagome's arrows. In mere seconds, the tiny hole that hadn't grew so much as a centimeter since Naraku's damnation grew to its original size- and bigger. I yelled in terror, this was simply impossible!
Giving my arm an upheaval tug, it raised, taking in everything that wasn't nailed down to the ground. Sango braced me quickly, using both her arms coming around me and holding onto my arm to try and point it directly to the ground. Faintly I heard Shippou, Rin and Inuyasha battle Kagome and her death-filled arrows, but was more concentrated on what was happening to my right hand. It was a couple of seconds in quick succession as it went from the others finishing their battle with Kagome to Rin tripping. I knew it was going to be hard for anyone to reach her before she was in the wind tunnel. She fell to the ground beside me, but didn't exactly reach it as her body flew up.
"RIN!" I heard Shippou's voice yell.
I closed my eyes, unable to see such a wrong scene before me, when it stopped. I cautiously opened my eyes to find Rin not in front of me and the old rosary back in place. I turned, and Sango let go of me reluctantly.
Next to Inuyasha and Kagome on the ground in shock was Sesshoumaru, holding Rin in front of him.
"Rin!" Shippou sounded shaken. I was ashamed.
~Kagome's POV~
I waited for the pandemonium to pass and before I knew it, it was over. I lay on the ground, Inuyasha's hands on my shoulders, and Sesshoumaru close by with Rin in his arms. Miroku and Sango stood beside one another by 'our' hut, Miroku's rosary on his hands.
"Rin!" Shippou's voice sounded out.
Looking around I spotted him behind us all, Tetsusaiga still in hand and looking petrified. He was shaking, badly. Sesshoumaru got up slowly, taking Rin with him. Shippou rushed forward, but kept back due to Sesshoumaru's presence. Inuyasha let up his hands so I could get up too, which I did. Everyone came forward.
No one said a word as a harsh, cold sounding, lifeless laugh flew around us all, and one by one, pinkish tinge grew in our formed circle. The Shikon shards. They were exerting their power!
"Kikyou!" Inuyasha said darkly.
"Walking dead miko bitch." I heard Rin say. We all turned to her. Rin didn't even know Kikyou, only by reputation.
Rin suddenly dashed forward, having put away Tensaiga had her other sword drawn. She leapt to a place in the trees. Kikyou gave another laugh.
"You are nothing but a powerless human with a youkai's sword. Do not test my patience." Kikyou said, calling clearly. I notched another arrow and Inuyasha swore under his breath. Then said, "Shippou, could I have my sword back?"
Shippou looked affronted. "Hell no."
"Inuyasha, use your born abilities." Sesshoumaru reprimanded.
Sango pulled Hiraikotsu from behind her, readying it in battle form, and Kirara gave a growl. Rin had leapt again. A thought struck me, a little on the fantastic side, but it was there. Rin can sense Kikyou!
I voiced it, and Shippou said, "I can too, I thought we all could."
"Shippou, help Rin then!" I yelled at him.
I instantly regretted it having not yelled at him in his entire life, and didn't want to start now, but there wasn't time. Not at all. Then I felt another spirit.
"Naraku!" Inuyasha snarled.
"Naraku was the one who possessed me!" I realized.
"What?!" Sango asked, temporarily distracted.
"He must not be able to regain his body without the Shikon no Tama, and with it, he can wish to be a youkai." Sesshoumaru said. And then there was that familiar red tinge to his eyes as he transformed to his youkai form.
I pointed my arrow to the front and turned around fast, stopping on instinct alone and let fly. Naraku and Kikyou both laughed.
"This time you won't get away!" Naraku yelled.
We had come to the final battle.
~Shippou's POV~
I obeyed Kagome at once, and leapt off to help Rin. Tetsusaiga wasn't the one that could kill Naraku, but it could certainly destroy Kikyou. That's what I was aiming for, although Rin was too.
"Rin!" I called as she jumped closer to avoid Kagome's wayward arrow, "Aim to get Naraku with Tensaiga, it'll destroy him! I'll get Kikyou!" She nodded hurriedly, and leapt to where she felt him.
Then we were ambushed. Flying youkai here and there coming in the hundreds. Naraku was calling them to form another body. I could hear that Miroku had gained control of the tunnel once more to fight, Sango slashing away as it was, and Inuyasha felling useless with just Iron Reaver.
Sesshoumaru in turn had transformed to his youkai form, which was helpful, but he got in the way. There wasn't enough to room to fight with us all as it was, but the fact that his size alone crowded us all and made it almost impossible for Sango to aim anywhere near him to help without hitting him, as well as Miroku.
"Inuyasha, get everyone to try and lead them towards the well, we're too crowded to fight here!" I yelled to him.
"What am I, your shepherd?" He yelled back.
"Inuyasha, do it!" I heard Kagome order.
Everything was sheer chaos as it was the normal with Naraku there, but it was absolute horrific pandemonium as we made our way slowly but surely towards the well.
Feeling Kikyou around me all the time was just wrong. Her smell, putrid as it was already, was magnified ten times over. Kagome's arrows weren't making their mark in Naraku, and neither was Rin. I did my best, but Kikyou was too fast.
"Having troubles, kitsune?" She mocked.
"You wish!" I retorted.
"Then why are you having so much trouble hitting me?" She asked, and I felt her smirk somewhere near my shoulder.
I swung the blade over but it missed as she moved.
"Damn." I cursed.
"You don't have to do this, little kitsune." She said. This utterly confused me.
"What are you talking about, bitch?" I asked. "I know you remember." Her floating dead voice was all around me, "You remember your parents, their death." She came close and I froze, "Inuyasha's betrayal and Kagome's departure."
"No." I breathed, "They didn't, they wouldn't have."
"But it's true you saw it. You saw Inuyasha. kill an innocent."
%! FlashbacK !%
"Inuyasha, Kagome sent me to find you." I called to find the hanyou.
Faintly I heard him say "And next time, do well to stay clear of this forest."
"Huh?" I ambled closer to where I heard it.
"You do not own these lands, they aren't YOURS!" I heard.
Peeking through the bushes, I saw Inuyasha, pinning a human to a tree. They were bleeding profusely from gashes in the stomach and legs.
"Inuyasha?" I called quietly.
He looked sharply to the side, seeing me looking at him. I scampered. I ran as fast and far as I could. Breaking through a bush I ran into Kagome's knees.
"What? Oh, Shippou," Kagome noticed my eyes wide with terror, "What's the matter? What's wrong?"
Faintly but clearly through the silent, death-still night I heard the scream of the human. He was dead. Inuyasha. killed an innocent. How could he? After all the things he'd done that were good, even if he pretended that he didn't want to do them. What if he turned on Kagome?
I didn't speak or answer her question as just a few seconds later he came back.
"Hey Shippou!" He called cheerily. It disgusted me. That scene was wrong, it shouldn't have happened. I didn't speak. Ever about it.
%! End of FlashbacK !%
"No, that.that never happened!" I screamed.
"And then a month later he did try to kill Kagome. Your dear Kagome, such a great stand in mother for yourself. And you were so small. You couldn't stop him." Kikyou cooed. She was making me sick.
I felt cold fear, dread creep into my stomach. No. He had never tried to hurt Kagome, not intentionally. That had never happened. Inuyasha would never do that.
"He sent Kagome back. So you couldn't kill Naraku. Don't you remember this, kitsune?" Kikyou said into my ear, her harsh nails digging into my shoulders, "And now that you've finally cared about someone. he wants to take them away."
He had. He had killed that human on the night just before he turned human. Then a month later, he had tried to kill Kagome. I remember. I didn't want to remember that he did those things, because he was my father in my eyes. And he told me I'd never get to see Rin again. That day, he battled Sesshoumaru was the day I'd met Rin. We had never fought Naraku he was fighting Sesshoumaru. And Inuyasha had killed Sango. and tried to do the same to Miroku over Sesshoumaru's lands. Inuyasha was the one who entombed Sesshoumaru in the ground, and made Rin leave me. Inuyasha gave Kagome to Kikyou! And now that I had someone to care about, he was trying to hurt them, to take them away from me. Inuyasha planned to make me miserable, so I could never be happy! He was trying to take Rin!
No, he can't have her she's mine! I can be happy, I don't need his permission, I don't have to wait for him to kill the ones I love, and he can't have RIN!
I shouted this last word aloud. Rin turned around, and as she did, something black encased her.
"Rin! NO! Naraku get your filthy spirit off her! NO! RIN! You can't have her Naraku!" I yelled, positively screaming in terror again. Just like that day. This was all his fault, just as Kagome had said before she departed, it was Inuyasha's fault.
I felt Kikyou remove her hands from my shoulders, letting me rush forward in search of Inuyasha. He had to die.
~Inuyasha's POV~
UGH! This is aggravating. I could do nothing but use my claws as Shippou wouldn't let me use Tetsusaiga, and Rin couldn't fight without Sesshoumaru's swords. But I did as Kagome ordered, well, ok, Shippou ordered but I'll never admit it. I led everyone to follow me. Sango was on top of Sesshoumaru, and I thought he'd buck her off by now, but he didn't. Kikyou was attacking Shippou as she held onto his shoulders, and I wanted to help but it was important to him that we leave the village out of this and I lead them to the well. I guess on some level it was important to me too.
"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" I called out again as I struck youkai near as I could get.
"Inuyasha!" I heard someone call. I turned and lucky I did, I found Tetsusaiga swinging at me.
"Shippou?" I asked disbelieving.
Shippou's never attacked to kill or even hurt me before in his life. Kikyou! She must have done something to change him. I had no time to think as he swung toward me again. He apparently knew Wound of the Wind because when he did manage to graze me, it felt like he cut me open.
"Shippou, stop! STOP!" I yelled at him.
This is exactly what Naraku wants. He wants us to kill one another and focus on a fight within the circle rather than kill the former. Naraku was so evil even hell doesn't want him.
"You killed her!" He yelled at me.
"What?" I asked. This was insane. I hadn't killed anyone for almost six years. And I'd never killed anyone good since I met Kagome, and I met her before I met Shippou!
"YOU KILLED SANGO!" Shippou screamed.
"Shippou, you're under a spell, snap out of it!" I managed to hit him hard and struck him in the back of his head. He was flying toward the ground but at the last second turned to his feet and pushed up again.
"You tried to kill Kagome too! And Miroku! YOU KILLED KAEDE!" He yelled.
This time, I froze. I'd never laid a hand on the old miko even when I wanted to. Kikyou had put him under an enchantment, spell binding him to hell bend his will on killing me. But those last words. Those last three words were bound to get the one person's attention I did not want it to.
It was inevitable, after all, but Kagome turned last minute as she let another arrow fly. It zoomed and missed Sesshoumaru's back leg by inches.
"Kagome, be careful with those!" Sango called to her as she noticed it.
"Inuyasha.." Kagome whispered.
"Kagome no! It wasn't me! I didn't do it! I'm innocent!" I yelled desperately. How much was Shippou going to convict me of and how much was Kagome going to believe?
"You killed. You killed Kaede?" Kagome asked. And her distraction was all it took.
"Kagome, watch out!" I screamed and dove for her. I was too late.
As our emotional war was going on, Kikyou managed to notch and arrow and let fly at Kagome. It hit her back, and shoved her forward a few feet.
"NO!" Miroku directed his wind tunnel to late, at Kagome trying to get the arrow.
"Miroku, move your arm!" I yelled.
Kagome and I started to fly towards Miroku and that hole of death he had.
~Sango's POV~
This was torture. Absolute. Hell could do no worse to us than what Naraku was doing. I watched helplessly as Inuyasha and Kagome went flying towards Miroku who tried in vain to direct the tunnel elsewhere. Underneath my feet I felt Sesshoumaru move and swipe a paw at Miroku. It hit him full force into a hut.
"Sesshoumaru this isn't working!" I said to the dog. Despite my need to shout, he didn't need to hear it. "Kirara!" I called to my old pet. She didn't come however.
I saw she was battling her way out of the village killing every youkai she saw. I knew she was trying to make it so the villagers could run for safety. And then I spotted Rin, but mutely, as I was catching my boomerang.
Rin was high overhead, floating in thin air and laughing insanely at the scene spread below her like an ugly blanket. She was insane. She was human! Naraku had possessed her; there was no other answer. And she had put a spell over Shippou and attacked Inuyasha. I looked to the kitsune. He was battling himself and other youkai were attacking him.
There were so many youkai! They were everywhere, and when we killed enough to win, more came! Sesshoumaru apparently noticed this, but was more concerned with something just to the right of him. Inuyasha was battling and having a bit of a hard time trying to take down a youkai.
"Inuyasha! Don't just scratch it!" I screamed to him.
Coming out of nowhere, an arrow shot through the back of my armor. and I started to sink in between consciousness. It was. Kikyou's arrow.. Damn her.
~Kagome's POV~
This was not going as planned. We were supposed to win this time!! Damnit, why- SANGO! I just noticed her on top of the great dog that was Sesshoumaru. She was bleeding as was everyone, but there was an arrow sticking from her back. Kikyou shot her. Nothing was going right. What happened to our well-formed plan?!
Suddenly I heard a whizzing sound, apart from my own arrow I'd just let fly- and felt a sharp stab in my arm. and the warm sensation of blood trickling down my arm made me stop what I was doing. I saw from all areas somehow, everyone and everything happening at once. I saw Sango fall from Sesshoumaru who was battling youkai, and Shippou get hit from behind and grow into a rage, Rin was still above, laughing, Miroku struggling to control the wind tunnel now, and Kikyou. Kikyou had the smuggest look I've ever seen. She threw her head back and laughed as insanely as Rin was doing now. And her bow fell from her hands.
That was the last thing I saw as I fell and hit the ground falling unconscious.
~Inuyasha's POV~
"Kagome!" I yelled as she went down.
I took my claws away from Kikyou's neck. "Next time, die." I said.
There was no regret in my voice. No sadness. Everything is now as it should be. Except for what was happening with Naraku now.
(A/N I am so sorry about the three chapters that were the same. It had to do with something I accidentally uploaded and up and forgot about. Don't worry, I corrected it!! GOMEN!)
~Rin's POV~
Naraku was. using me? Why me? What power did I possess that would enable him to get what he wanted? My thoughts were no longer mine, or alone in what I wanted to think.
'Leave them alone!'
'The more you struggle, the more painful it will be.' He taunted.
His voice was all around me, everywhere, imprisoning me, using me, devouring me. He was disgusting; he wasn't even youkai, or human. I saw the feeble rays of dawn come out over the hill. We fought all night.
'No! Leave them ALONE!' I yelled at my mind. This time, my answer was Naraku laughing insanely.
'Do you honestly think I would listen to a mere human?'
'You're not so far off that you know!'
'Father than you think. Especially with the power of your shard.'
'No. You can't, it's not.' I stuttered to get my thoughts out.
'Indeed it is, it's no longer the purified shard it was.' Naraku kept laughing, 'Now it's about your desires.'
'But I'm not. evil.' I whispered.
'Every human is evil, bitch, otherwise this world would die.' Naraku said, and laughed harder.
"NO!" I yelled this word aloud.
I refuse to let Naraku take me over without a fight. I wouldn't go down then, and I certainly won't go down now.
"Get out of my body, and go to hell!" I screamed at him.
I reached for Tensaiga. He was making it difficult. He swung my body around so I saw the fight. Sango was down, as was Kagome, Shippou was fighting himself and hundreds of youkai, Inuyasha was apparently useless. Suddenly, I reached for my sword. Grabbing the hilt, I swung it unsheathed.
"You wouldn't." Naraku's voice came out of my mouth. I laughed at this.
"Naraku, a filthy hanyou such as yourself could not even comprehend what I would and would not do in this or any other lifetime. Now get OUT or I will force you out." I said. He didn't. "Very well."
I swung it in an arc across the sky, and placing the tip near my heart, I gave him one chance. He didn't get out.
"Fine." I said.
And I pushed the sword into my heart.
~Shippou's POV~
A scratch here, a bite there, it didn't matter, I didn't feel it, I didn't feel any of it. I had tried to attack Inuyasha.. He was innocent, as I knew he was. How dare Kikyou? She had no right. In a burst of power and use of the Tetsusaiga, I got out of the mass of youkai.
"Finally." I muttered.
Rin was above everyone, Tensaiga drawn and aimed at her. I watched for mere seconds as she pushed the sword into herself.
"Rin!" I yelled.
Sesshoumaru leapt toward where she was above the village. Grabbing onto his fluffy tail, I hoisted myself up. On him, with an arrow in her back, was Sango. Miroku was somewhere, probably trying to control the wind tunnel.
"Inuyasha!" I yelled.
He was so close by when Sesshoumaru passed him that I grabbed the back of his shirt, but barely.
"OI!" Inuyasha yelled, "I was doing just fine!"
"Shut up!" I said, "We've got to get to Rin!"
"Oh." He said softly.
"Where are Miroku and Kagome?" I asked.
"I haven't seen Miroku since I killed Kikyou, and Kikyou shot Kagome."
"She got Sango too." I said.
It was about damn time that he killed Kikyou. It was his fault in the first place that she had come back by holding onto hate. Naraku's too. Suddenly, I felt another person on Sesshoumaru. Turning I found Kagome.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.
"I'm fine. Let's leave explanation 'till we defeat this bastard." I had never before heard Kagome use language like that.
I nodded, as did Inuyasha.
~Sesshoumaru's POV~
Damn those humans and hanyou, what am I, a mule? Nonetheless, I let them do as they pleased for the moment. Rin was my objective. She had used Tensaiga on herself to rid herself of Naraku. Smart, I taught her well.
Rin's body fell softly onto my back as I ran over through the village. I was going to take us to the well. I was almost there when we all noticed the flash of light that was growing stronger every second. Getting to the well, I transformed to normal.
~NO POV~
Inuyasha stood beside Kagome who was in front of them all. Miroku staggered into the clearing beside them, and Sesshoumaru picked up Sango.
"The Shikon no Tama." Kagome said quietly.
Rin opened her eyes. "Give it to Rin." Shippou said.
"What?" Inuyasha asked. "We were the ones who broke it so long ago, give it to us!" Shippou declared angrily. Rin got up gingerly.
Kagome complied by giving her recovered shard, and Inuyasha did so reluctantly. Rin took Sesshoumaru's shard, and Sango's from Kagome. She took off her own and Shippou's. Before she could get Miroku's, however, a cold wind tornadoed the clearing.
"It's not me this time!" Miroku yelled.
"It's Naraku!" Rin said.
"Kukuku, what a bright little girl." Came Naraku's taunting voice.
(AN: I am SO sorry!! I was having some serious problems with fanfiction.net. Please just skip it!)
I knew exactly what he was going to do. Did I want him to? I felt like that. But then another part of me knew different. His eyes were glazed over and partially open. Oh gods!
"Kagome NO!" I heard a yell from the village.
Shippou looked over my head and I turned around in his arms. DAMNIT! We ran towards the village. It was gone, what? Where's my kiss?!
~Inuyasha's POV~
I had come back to the village to see the person I wanted to the most- Kagome. But she was different, possessed.
"Kagome NO!" I yelled as she shot an arrow at me.
I could feel Kikyou's negative energy surrounding her, making her powerful enough to get the chance to hurt me. Miroku came out of the hut from behind me followed closely by Sango and Kirara.
"Kagome, don't do this!" Came Miroku's voice behind me. And then his yell of terror.
Wind whistled through the village. I froze, but Kagome didn't. She shot another arrow and I moved but not fast enough. It grazed my neck. She was aiming to kill!
~Shippou's POV~
Rin and I ran as fast as we could back to the village. I was so close! But my anger was put on hold as I saw Kagome shooting arrows at Inuyasha. Miroku, Sango and Kirara were all behind him, Kirara running toward Rin, and Sango helping to brace Miroku and hold his arm steady. The wind tunnel had come back! Wind was whistling violently though the grounds and Inuyasha turned to look, giving Kagome the chance to graze his neck. I heard Rin's gasp of horror.
"Sango!" Rin screamed as Kagome's arrow passed Inuyasha's neck and narrowly missed her foot.
Sango paid her no attention as holding Miroku's hand steadily pointed away from our friends was taking all of her concentration and strength. I raced into the fight with Kagome, as did Rin. I saw Rin had out her sword. but wait, Rin had Tensaiga because Sesshoumaru gave it to her. Tensaiga was a healing sword!! If any time we were to test the two swords, now would be it.
"Rin! Put that sword away and take out Tensaiga!" I yelled to her as we slashed and hacked at the arrows pointed and flying at Inuyasha and us.
Comprehension dawned on her face, "Destruction and Rebirth!" I heard her whisper.
Grabbing her roughly as the winds grew steadily as strong as a tornado; I placed her behind me where she held a death grip on my shoulders. Holding Tetsusaiga in front of me, Rin and I made our way to Kagome.
"But what if she's not possessed?" Rin asked, but it was too late, we were too close to back out now.
I felt the tip collide with flesh and saw Kagome fall backward, and in my mind's eye, in slow motion and hit the ground with a sickening thud. Rin grasped her sword and moved quickly forward. Slashing over Kagome with it, I felt her intake of breath. For what seemed eternity there was no sign of life from her. Inuyasha was so tense it came in waves, passing over Rin and myself. Then we heard Kagome mumbled incoherently. Inuyasha shoved us aside to get to Kagome. And tripped Rin.
~Miroku's POV~
Upon hearing Inuyasha's yell to Kagome I practically flew outside, Sango on my heels. We saw Inuyasha trying to dodge Kagome's arrows. In mere seconds, the tiny hole that hadn't grew so much as a centimeter since Naraku's damnation grew to its original size- and bigger. I yelled in terror, this was simply impossible!
Giving my arm an upheaval tug, it raised, taking in everything that wasn't nailed down to the ground. Sango braced me quickly, using both her arms coming around me and holding onto my arm to try and point it directly to the ground. Faintly I heard Shippou, Rin and Inuyasha battle Kagome and her death-filled arrows, but was more concentrated on what was happening to my right hand. It was a couple of seconds in quick succession as it went from the others finishing their battle with Kagome to Rin tripping. I knew it was going to be hard for anyone to reach her before she was in the wind tunnel. She fell to the ground beside me, but didn't exactly reach it as her body flew up.
"RIN!" I heard Shippou's voice yell.
I closed my eyes, unable to see such a wrong scene before me, when it stopped. I cautiously opened my eyes to find Rin not in front of me and the old rosary back in place. I turned, and Sango let go of me reluctantly.
Next to Inuyasha and Kagome on the ground in shock was Sesshoumaru, holding Rin in front of him.
"Rin!" Shippou sounded shaken. I was ashamed.
~Kagome's POV~
I waited for the pandemonium to pass and before I knew it, it was over. I lay on the ground, Inuyasha's hands on my shoulders, and Sesshoumaru close by with Rin in his arms. Miroku and Sango stood beside one another by 'our' hut, Miroku's rosary on his hands.
"Rin!" Shippou's voice sounded out.
Looking around I spotted him behind us all, Tetsusaiga still in hand and looking petrified. He was shaking, badly. Sesshoumaru got up slowly, taking Rin with him. Shippou rushed forward, but kept back due to Sesshoumaru's presence. Inuyasha let up his hands so I could get up too, which I did. Everyone came forward.
No one said a word as a harsh, cold sounding, lifeless laugh flew around us all, and one by one, pinkish tinge grew in our formed circle. The Shikon shards. They were exerting their power!
"Kikyou!" Inuyasha said darkly.
"Walking dead miko bitch." I heard Rin say. We all turned to her. Rin didn't even know Kikyou, only by reputation.
Rin suddenly dashed forward, having put away Tensaiga had her other sword drawn. She leapt to a place in the trees. Kikyou gave another laugh.
"You are nothing but a powerless human with a youkai's sword. Do not test my patience." Kikyou said, calling clearly. I notched another arrow and Inuyasha swore under his breath. Then said, "Shippou, could I have my sword back?"
Shippou looked affronted. "Hell no."
"Inuyasha, use your born abilities." Sesshoumaru reprimanded.
Sango pulled Hiraikotsu from behind her, readying it in battle form, and Kirara gave a growl. Rin had leapt again. A thought struck me, a little on the fantastic side, but it was there. Rin can sense Kikyou!
I voiced it, and Shippou said, "I can too, I thought we all could."
"Shippou, help Rin then!" I yelled at him.
I instantly regretted it having not yelled at him in his entire life, and didn't want to start now, but there wasn't time. Not at all. Then I felt another spirit.
"Naraku!" Inuyasha snarled.
"Naraku was the one who possessed me!" I realized.
"What?!" Sango asked, temporarily distracted.
"He must not be able to regain his body without the Shikon no Tama, and with it, he can wish to be a youkai." Sesshoumaru said. And then there was that familiar red tinge to his eyes as he transformed to his youkai form.
I pointed my arrow to the front and turned around fast, stopping on instinct alone and let fly. Naraku and Kikyou both laughed.
"This time you won't get away!" Naraku yelled.
We had come to the final battle.
~Shippou's POV~
I obeyed Kagome at once, and leapt off to help Rin. Tetsusaiga wasn't the one that could kill Naraku, but it could certainly destroy Kikyou. That's what I was aiming for, although Rin was too.
"Rin!" I called as she jumped closer to avoid Kagome's wayward arrow, "Aim to get Naraku with Tensaiga, it'll destroy him! I'll get Kikyou!" She nodded hurriedly, and leapt to where she felt him.
Then we were ambushed. Flying youkai here and there coming in the hundreds. Naraku was calling them to form another body. I could hear that Miroku had gained control of the tunnel once more to fight, Sango slashing away as it was, and Inuyasha felling useless with just Iron Reaver.
Sesshoumaru in turn had transformed to his youkai form, which was helpful, but he got in the way. There wasn't enough to room to fight with us all as it was, but the fact that his size alone crowded us all and made it almost impossible for Sango to aim anywhere near him to help without hitting him, as well as Miroku.
"Inuyasha, get everyone to try and lead them towards the well, we're too crowded to fight here!" I yelled to him.
"What am I, your shepherd?" He yelled back.
"Inuyasha, do it!" I heard Kagome order.
Everything was sheer chaos as it was the normal with Naraku there, but it was absolute horrific pandemonium as we made our way slowly but surely towards the well.
Feeling Kikyou around me all the time was just wrong. Her smell, putrid as it was already, was magnified ten times over. Kagome's arrows weren't making their mark in Naraku, and neither was Rin. I did my best, but Kikyou was too fast.
"Having troubles, kitsune?" She mocked.
"You wish!" I retorted.
"Then why are you having so much trouble hitting me?" She asked, and I felt her smirk somewhere near my shoulder.
I swung the blade over but it missed as she moved.
"Damn." I cursed.
"You don't have to do this, little kitsune." She said. This utterly confused me.
"What are you talking about, bitch?" I asked. "I know you remember." Her floating dead voice was all around me, "You remember your parents, their death." She came close and I froze, "Inuyasha's betrayal and Kagome's departure."
"No." I breathed, "They didn't, they wouldn't have."
"But it's true you saw it. You saw Inuyasha. kill an innocent."
%! FlashbacK !%
"Inuyasha, Kagome sent me to find you." I called to find the hanyou.
Faintly I heard him say "And next time, do well to stay clear of this forest."
"Huh?" I ambled closer to where I heard it.
"You do not own these lands, they aren't YOURS!" I heard.
Peeking through the bushes, I saw Inuyasha, pinning a human to a tree. They were bleeding profusely from gashes in the stomach and legs.
"Inuyasha?" I called quietly.
He looked sharply to the side, seeing me looking at him. I scampered. I ran as fast and far as I could. Breaking through a bush I ran into Kagome's knees.
"What? Oh, Shippou," Kagome noticed my eyes wide with terror, "What's the matter? What's wrong?"
Faintly but clearly through the silent, death-still night I heard the scream of the human. He was dead. Inuyasha. killed an innocent. How could he? After all the things he'd done that were good, even if he pretended that he didn't want to do them. What if he turned on Kagome?
I didn't speak or answer her question as just a few seconds later he came back.
"Hey Shippou!" He called cheerily. It disgusted me. That scene was wrong, it shouldn't have happened. I didn't speak. Ever about it.
%! End of FlashbacK !%
"No, that.that never happened!" I screamed.
"And then a month later he did try to kill Kagome. Your dear Kagome, such a great stand in mother for yourself. And you were so small. You couldn't stop him." Kikyou cooed. She was making me sick.
I felt cold fear, dread creep into my stomach. No. He had never tried to hurt Kagome, not intentionally. That had never happened. Inuyasha would never do that.
"He sent Kagome back. So you couldn't kill Naraku. Don't you remember this, kitsune?" Kikyou said into my ear, her harsh nails digging into my shoulders, "And now that you've finally cared about someone. he wants to take them away."
He had. He had killed that human on the night just before he turned human. Then a month later, he had tried to kill Kagome. I remember. I didn't want to remember that he did those things, because he was my father in my eyes. And he told me I'd never get to see Rin again. That day, he battled Sesshoumaru was the day I'd met Rin. We had never fought Naraku he was fighting Sesshoumaru. And Inuyasha had killed Sango. and tried to do the same to Miroku over Sesshoumaru's lands. Inuyasha was the one who entombed Sesshoumaru in the ground, and made Rin leave me. Inuyasha gave Kagome to Kikyou! And now that I had someone to care about, he was trying to hurt them, to take them away from me. Inuyasha planned to make me miserable, so I could never be happy! He was trying to take Rin!
No, he can't have her she's mine! I can be happy, I don't need his permission, I don't have to wait for him to kill the ones I love, and he can't have RIN!
I shouted this last word aloud. Rin turned around, and as she did, something black encased her.
"Rin! NO! Naraku get your filthy spirit off her! NO! RIN! You can't have her Naraku!" I yelled, positively screaming in terror again. Just like that day. This was all his fault, just as Kagome had said before she departed, it was Inuyasha's fault.
I felt Kikyou remove her hands from my shoulders, letting me rush forward in search of Inuyasha. He had to die.
~Inuyasha's POV~
UGH! This is aggravating. I could do nothing but use my claws as Shippou wouldn't let me use Tetsusaiga, and Rin couldn't fight without Sesshoumaru's swords. But I did as Kagome ordered, well, ok, Shippou ordered but I'll never admit it. I led everyone to follow me. Sango was on top of Sesshoumaru, and I thought he'd buck her off by now, but he didn't. Kikyou was attacking Shippou as she held onto his shoulders, and I wanted to help but it was important to him that we leave the village out of this and I lead them to the well. I guess on some level it was important to me too.
"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" I called out again as I struck youkai near as I could get.
"Inuyasha!" I heard someone call. I turned and lucky I did, I found Tetsusaiga swinging at me.
"Shippou?" I asked disbelieving.
Shippou's never attacked to kill or even hurt me before in his life. Kikyou! She must have done something to change him. I had no time to think as he swung toward me again. He apparently knew Wound of the Wind because when he did manage to graze me, it felt like he cut me open.
"Shippou, stop! STOP!" I yelled at him.
This is exactly what Naraku wants. He wants us to kill one another and focus on a fight within the circle rather than kill the former. Naraku was so evil even hell doesn't want him.
"You killed her!" He yelled at me.
"What?" I asked. This was insane. I hadn't killed anyone for almost six years. And I'd never killed anyone good since I met Kagome, and I met her before I met Shippou!
"YOU KILLED SANGO!" Shippou screamed.
"Shippou, you're under a spell, snap out of it!" I managed to hit him hard and struck him in the back of his head. He was flying toward the ground but at the last second turned to his feet and pushed up again.
"You tried to kill Kagome too! And Miroku! YOU KILLED KAEDE!" He yelled.
This time, I froze. I'd never laid a hand on the old miko even when I wanted to. Kikyou had put him under an enchantment, spell binding him to hell bend his will on killing me. But those last words. Those last three words were bound to get the one person's attention I did not want it to.
It was inevitable, after all, but Kagome turned last minute as she let another arrow fly. It zoomed and missed Sesshoumaru's back leg by inches.
"Kagome, be careful with those!" Sango called to her as she noticed it.
"Inuyasha.." Kagome whispered.
"Kagome no! It wasn't me! I didn't do it! I'm innocent!" I yelled desperately. How much was Shippou going to convict me of and how much was Kagome going to believe?
"You killed. You killed Kaede?" Kagome asked. And her distraction was all it took.
"Kagome, watch out!" I screamed and dove for her. I was too late.
As our emotional war was going on, Kikyou managed to notch and arrow and let fly at Kagome. It hit her back, and shoved her forward a few feet.
"NO!" Miroku directed his wind tunnel to late, at Kagome trying to get the arrow.
"Miroku, move your arm!" I yelled.
Kagome and I started to fly towards Miroku and that hole of death he had.
~Sango's POV~
This was torture. Absolute. Hell could do no worse to us than what Naraku was doing. I watched helplessly as Inuyasha and Kagome went flying towards Miroku who tried in vain to direct the tunnel elsewhere. Underneath my feet I felt Sesshoumaru move and swipe a paw at Miroku. It hit him full force into a hut.
"Sesshoumaru this isn't working!" I said to the dog. Despite my need to shout, he didn't need to hear it. "Kirara!" I called to my old pet. She didn't come however.
I saw she was battling her way out of the village killing every youkai she saw. I knew she was trying to make it so the villagers could run for safety. And then I spotted Rin, but mutely, as I was catching my boomerang.
Rin was high overhead, floating in thin air and laughing insanely at the scene spread below her like an ugly blanket. She was insane. She was human! Naraku had possessed her; there was no other answer. And she had put a spell over Shippou and attacked Inuyasha. I looked to the kitsune. He was battling himself and other youkai were attacking him.
There were so many youkai! They were everywhere, and when we killed enough to win, more came! Sesshoumaru apparently noticed this, but was more concerned with something just to the right of him. Inuyasha was battling and having a bit of a hard time trying to take down a youkai.
"Inuyasha! Don't just scratch it!" I screamed to him.
Coming out of nowhere, an arrow shot through the back of my armor. and I started to sink in between consciousness. It was. Kikyou's arrow.. Damn her.
~Kagome's POV~
This was not going as planned. We were supposed to win this time!! Damnit, why- SANGO! I just noticed her on top of the great dog that was Sesshoumaru. She was bleeding as was everyone, but there was an arrow sticking from her back. Kikyou shot her. Nothing was going right. What happened to our well-formed plan?!
Suddenly I heard a whizzing sound, apart from my own arrow I'd just let fly- and felt a sharp stab in my arm. and the warm sensation of blood trickling down my arm made me stop what I was doing. I saw from all areas somehow, everyone and everything happening at once. I saw Sango fall from Sesshoumaru who was battling youkai, and Shippou get hit from behind and grow into a rage, Rin was still above, laughing, Miroku struggling to control the wind tunnel now, and Kikyou. Kikyou had the smuggest look I've ever seen. She threw her head back and laughed as insanely as Rin was doing now. And her bow fell from her hands.
That was the last thing I saw as I fell and hit the ground falling unconscious.
~Inuyasha's POV~
"Kagome!" I yelled as she went down.
I took my claws away from Kikyou's neck. "Next time, die." I said.
There was no regret in my voice. No sadness. Everything is now as it should be. Except for what was happening with Naraku now.
(A/N I am so sorry about the three chapters that were the same. It had to do with something I accidentally uploaded and up and forgot about. Don't worry, I corrected it!! GOMEN!)
~Rin's POV~
Naraku was. using me? Why me? What power did I possess that would enable him to get what he wanted? My thoughts were no longer mine, or alone in what I wanted to think.
'Leave them alone!'
'The more you struggle, the more painful it will be.' He taunted.
His voice was all around me, everywhere, imprisoning me, using me, devouring me. He was disgusting; he wasn't even youkai, or human. I saw the feeble rays of dawn come out over the hill. We fought all night.
'No! Leave them ALONE!' I yelled at my mind. This time, my answer was Naraku laughing insanely.
'Do you honestly think I would listen to a mere human?'
'You're not so far off that you know!'
'Father than you think. Especially with the power of your shard.'
'No. You can't, it's not.' I stuttered to get my thoughts out.
'Indeed it is, it's no longer the purified shard it was.' Naraku kept laughing, 'Now it's about your desires.'
'But I'm not. evil.' I whispered.
'Every human is evil, bitch, otherwise this world would die.' Naraku said, and laughed harder.
"NO!" I yelled this word aloud.
I refuse to let Naraku take me over without a fight. I wouldn't go down then, and I certainly won't go down now.
"Get out of my body, and go to hell!" I screamed at him.
I reached for Tensaiga. He was making it difficult. He swung my body around so I saw the fight. Sango was down, as was Kagome, Shippou was fighting himself and hundreds of youkai, Inuyasha was apparently useless. Suddenly, I reached for my sword. Grabbing the hilt, I swung it unsheathed.
"You wouldn't." Naraku's voice came out of my mouth. I laughed at this.
"Naraku, a filthy hanyou such as yourself could not even comprehend what I would and would not do in this or any other lifetime. Now get OUT or I will force you out." I said. He didn't. "Very well."
I swung it in an arc across the sky, and placing the tip near my heart, I gave him one chance. He didn't get out.
"Fine." I said.
And I pushed the sword into my heart.
~Shippou's POV~
A scratch here, a bite there, it didn't matter, I didn't feel it, I didn't feel any of it. I had tried to attack Inuyasha.. He was innocent, as I knew he was. How dare Kikyou? She had no right. In a burst of power and use of the Tetsusaiga, I got out of the mass of youkai.
"Finally." I muttered.
Rin was above everyone, Tensaiga drawn and aimed at her. I watched for mere seconds as she pushed the sword into herself.
"Rin!" I yelled.
Sesshoumaru leapt toward where she was above the village. Grabbing onto his fluffy tail, I hoisted myself up. On him, with an arrow in her back, was Sango. Miroku was somewhere, probably trying to control the wind tunnel.
"Inuyasha!" I yelled.
He was so close by when Sesshoumaru passed him that I grabbed the back of his shirt, but barely.
"OI!" Inuyasha yelled, "I was doing just fine!"
"Shut up!" I said, "We've got to get to Rin!"
"Oh." He said softly.
"Where are Miroku and Kagome?" I asked.
"I haven't seen Miroku since I killed Kikyou, and Kikyou shot Kagome."
"She got Sango too." I said.
It was about damn time that he killed Kikyou. It was his fault in the first place that she had come back by holding onto hate. Naraku's too. Suddenly, I felt another person on Sesshoumaru. Turning I found Kagome.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.
"I'm fine. Let's leave explanation 'till we defeat this bastard." I had never before heard Kagome use language like that.
I nodded, as did Inuyasha.
~Sesshoumaru's POV~
Damn those humans and hanyou, what am I, a mule? Nonetheless, I let them do as they pleased for the moment. Rin was my objective. She had used Tensaiga on herself to rid herself of Naraku. Smart, I taught her well.
Rin's body fell softly onto my back as I ran over through the village. I was going to take us to the well. I was almost there when we all noticed the flash of light that was growing stronger every second. Getting to the well, I transformed to normal.
~NO POV~
Inuyasha stood beside Kagome who was in front of them all. Miroku staggered into the clearing beside them, and Sesshoumaru picked up Sango.
"The Shikon no Tama." Kagome said quietly.
Rin opened her eyes. "Give it to Rin." Shippou said.
"What?" Inuyasha asked. "We were the ones who broke it so long ago, give it to us!" Shippou declared angrily. Rin got up gingerly.
Kagome complied by giving her recovered shard, and Inuyasha did so reluctantly. Rin took Sesshoumaru's shard, and Sango's from Kagome. She took off her own and Shippou's. Before she could get Miroku's, however, a cold wind tornadoed the clearing.
"It's not me this time!" Miroku yelled.
"It's Naraku!" Rin said.
"Kukuku, what a bright little girl." Came Naraku's taunting voice.
(AN: I am SO sorry!! I was having some serious problems with fanfiction.net. Please just skip it!)