Chapter 42: End of Life

{A.N. In this chapter, I use a few flashbacks of conversations, where other characters are talking while the character is thinking. The speech used in brackets like {these} and secondary speech in the same 'remembered conversation' is in (parentheses). Not too complicated (I hope)}

Kyoko gritted her teeth as she turned away from her three friends and headed towards the village. She paused as she passed Inu Yasha, sitting alone by the campfire.

"Where's Kagome?"

"She'll be here in a few moments. Inu Yasha…"

"Yes?"

"I want you to promise me that you'll stay here and take care of Kagome. Not just now, but for forever. I wish you the best of luck in fighting Naraku, and I hope that you are able to destroy him before Miroku loses himself to his curse… Goodbye, Inu Yasha."

"Goodbye? Kyoko, what are you talking about? You act like you're going to—Kyoko, don't… Don't do anything rash, Sesshoumaru should be back today…"

"If he comes, tell him I don't want him to join this fight."

"Kyoko, what fight?"

"Stay here, Inu Yasha!" Kyoko snapped as she heard Kagome and the others approaching.

Inu Yasha stood and reached for Kyoko's arm, to stop her, but he was stopped by Kagome. Inu Yasha turned back towards Kagome, anger in his eyes. "What's going on?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know, but Kyoko requested that we stay here, you especially. That is… at least until dawn…"

Inu Yasha grimaced as he sat back down and crossed his arms in impatience. "Luckily, dawn isn't too far off. Just a few more minutes…"

~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~ ~

Sesshoumaru strained to see below him as he saw only Inu Yasha and his friends. He signaled for Aun to land and leapt from the two-headed dragon before it landed. "Where's Kyoko?"

Kagome turned her head towards the village and then back to Sesshoumaru. "She headed down to the village, but I don't know what's going on. She acted like she was going to her death..."

Sesshoumaru turned back to Aun, whom was just behind him. "Jaken, watch Rin and both of you stay here."

"But sire, you wish that I stay with these humans?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in anger, causing Jaken to shudder and nod furiously. "Stay here."

Inu Yasha stood and pulled Kagome's hand off of his shoulder. He grinned as he looked towards the horizon, seeing that the sun had just risen. In a pulse of energy, his hair returned to its normal color, his ears returned to their normal place and shape, as did his fangs and claws. "I don't think that I could have had better timing…"

Sesshoumaru glanced at Inu Yasha and nodded in approval. "You're coming too?"

Inu Yasha nodded as he headed towards the village. "Kagome, Miroku, Sango, stay here with the other three."

Kagome stepped forward in anxiousness. "Inu Yasha… be careful."

~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~ ~

Kyoko entered Kaede's hut and shook the woman awake. "Kaede-baba, there's a giant oni getting ready to attack the village, get yourself and the rest of the people in the village to a safe place."

Kaede, still fogged with sleep, nodded as she reached for her bow and arrows.

"No. There'll be no time for that. Go!" Kyoko turned out the hut, barely noticing that Shippo was also sleeping within the quarters of the hut. She nudged Shippo awake and handed him to Kaede. "I'll make enough time for you to get to safety, now hurry!"

Kaede nodded as she headed out of the hut with Shippo on her shoulders.

Kyoko gritted her teeth as she heard the oni coming from out of the forest. Her heart raced as she exited the hut to greet the beast before it entered the village. [I've got to stop this… I cannot lose Sesshoumaru… not now, not ever! I won't let him go!] She leapt to the roof of one of the huts and stared at the oni that had just emerged from the village. It stood tall, nearly four times Kyoko's height, and every inch of its skin was covered in thick, metallic looking scales. [Now what?] Kyoko sighed as her thoughts wandered back to a conversation she had once had with her sister. [I think I can do well in this fight, but what about when Sesshoumaru comes? {The answer is easy. (It is?) You push him out of the way.}]

Kyoko growled at the oni as she leapt high into the air and landed upon its head. She flexed her claws and thrust her right hand into the beast's forehead. The creature screamed out in pain and shook its head violently until Kyoko was thrown from it. She whimpered as she fell hard against the ground on her broken left arm. Kyoko scrambled to her feet and ran at the beast again, this time, ready to attack it from its underside.

The oni was not slow to attack when it saw Kyoko coming towards itself yet again. It snapped its razor sharp teeth just inches next to her, and then pushed her down with its nose.

~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~ ~

Sesshoumaru felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Kyoko lying on the ground, unable to stand with the oni's nose pressing her against the ground. "Kyoko!" He screamed out as he slashed the beast's nose with his claws. He turned around and helped Kyoko to stand. "Kyoko, are you okay?"

Tears lined Kyoko's eyes as she nodded. "Sesshoumaru, why are you here?"

"Didn't you want me to return?"

"Of course I did… Just not while this thing is around."

Sesshoumaru nodded as he pulled Kyoko into a loving embrace. "Kyoko, I missed you," he said as he drew her into a kiss.

Kyoko smiled as she slowly broke away. A blush of happiness spread over her cheeks as she nodded. "I missed you too, but I think that this might not be the time," Kyoko said, pulling Sesshoumaru just out of the way of the oni's claws.

Dust flew up into the air, nearly blinding the two. "Sesshoumaru, I'll take care of this," Kyoko shouted as she strained to rub the dust out of her eyes. She scrambled backward as she heard the oni's claws slice through the air and barely miss piercing through her abdomen. She blinked away the dust as she drew her sword and got back on her feet. She had readied herself just in time as she jumped into the air to dodge another well-aimed attack by the beast's left forearm. She landed on the joint of the creature's arm and charged towards its chest. However, she had forgotten the beast's other arm and was thrown and pinned to the ground. With each move she made to try escape, the oni pushed her harder and harder into the ground.

Kyoko whimpered as she felt several of her ribs crack. She closed her eyes and took in what she was sure would be her last breath when she saw a flash just above—Inu Yasha had cut through the oni's arm with his Tetsusaiga. She attempted in vain to push the severed arm off of herself, but it was to be Sesshoumaru that threw the arm off of her. Kyoko smiled in gratification as Sesshoumaru helped her to stand.

"Kyoko, you shouldn't fight."

Kyoko bit her lip as she brushed the dirt off of her kimono. "I perfectly capable."

"Really?"

Kyoko nodded, determination flaring in her eyes. "Really."

Sesshoumaru grinned slyly. "Then…" He paused as he tapped her injured left arm, sending her to her knees in pain. "That's what I thought."

Kyoko winced as she held her injured arm. "Sesshoumaru…"

"Stay here." Sesshoumaru grinned playfully as he turned away from Kyoko and drew his sword, ready to attack the oni. He slowly walked towards the beast, watching its every move, studying it.

Kyoko's heart nearly stopped as she recalled the same conversation in her dream, her nightmare. [No!!! I've got to stop this!!!] Kyoko jumped to her feet and watched as she saw Inu Yasha leap into the air behind the oni, his sword drawn. She ran as quickly as her feet could carry her to Sesshoumaru. She tackled him, throwing him several feet out of the way. Her eyes widened as she turned around, just in time to see Inu Yasha. She screamed out in pain as the Tetsusaiga pierced through her chest, going through to the hilt.

Still dazed from being thrown to the ground, Sesshoumaru turned back, anger in his eyes. "Kyoko, what do you think you were—"

Fear gripped Sesshoumaru's heart as he saw the result of Kyoko's actions, Tetsusaiga had been lodged into her chest, all the way to the hilt.