Disclaimer: I think you've got the idea…
AN: Gah, this chapter's tough… though… I think it turned out well. I wanted to
(once again) thank you for all the reviews!! There are only a few more chapters
of Icari left you guys… then I'm done with Inuyasha fics for a while. I think
about… September at the latest (I could be wrong) I'll start on another one,
but better than this now that I have a bit of experience and a good feel of all
the characters. Thanks for all the comments and criticism people! It helped!
Also, for animemistress, Kaede was
possessed by Kikyo for that bit because, in her sleep, she could interpret
whatever it was they were planning in the afterlife, and Kikyo knew about it. I
had something that could change fate itself and she had to stop it, so she
stopped her sister by taking control of her. All the weird stuff I put in last
chapter helps show that this battle was going to be really important…
Icari
Chapter 30
"Kirara… do you… hear that?" The little
cat looked up at the monk curiously, before jumping into a defensive stance.
Seconds later, Large, black tentacles burst from the ground and wrapped
themselves around the two. A faint cackle echoed down the halls. The room they
had been standing in melted away and Miroku could see that Inuyasha, Sesshomaru
and Yasuo weren't that far away. In fact, they were watching, dumbfounded, as
Miroku was hefted high into the sky.
Soon enough, the monk could see the
girls too, on a small open arena not far to his right. Kanna and Kagura were
there also. Fascinated, Miroku's eyes were trained on Icari as she fought the
wind demon gracefully, seeming to have fun while she was at it. Sango, Kagome,
and Rin were slashing away at vines that flew at them from every which way,
most likely controlled by Kanna.
"Sango!"
Miroku called, but the demon exterminator didn't hear. Icari did, but
only barely acknowledged it. That was when his eyes looked down to focus on his
current… situation. Flexing his hands as he swayed back and forth, wrapped by
the tentacle, the monk closed his eyes and began a mantra. In his mind's eye,
he saw Inuyasha running towards him with Yasuo on his back, Sesshomaru not far
behind. Though, his powers had grown in the last few years, and he could now
use more attacks than his wind tunnel.
Both hands pressed against the large bit
of flesh, white bolts ran though the tentacle; making it withdraw. Both monk
and cat fell, but Kirara turned into her largest form and caught him in
mid-air. They landed on the bit of stone where Inuyasha had stopped and Miroku
jumped down.
"Miroku! Did you see the girls?" he
nodded and pointed towards the direction he had seen the platform where the
fight was taking place. Inuyasha strained his ears in their direction and
listened carefully.
"Icari's facing off with Kagura, and the
others are keeping vines away from the battle as not to ensnare your sister.
Apparently, Kanna is controlling the vines; she seemed in deep concentration."
Miroku explained.
"Funny, though, I'm not sure if she's
ever used that power before." Inuyasha huffed. He turned to them and slumped
his shoulders slightly, careful not to drop the water youkai on his back.
"There's something moving between us and Kagome, I think it's those vine
things. We can't go on Kirara, or else they might get us in midair. We'll have
to walk."
The group nodded, and Miroku looked over
at Yasuo.
"He looks terrible, what happened?"
Miroku walked around the hanyou to inspect the demon.
"He used blood instead of water for his
magic, and did some pretty fancy things. Now he's exhausted, but I don't know
about sick." Inuyasha explained, turning his head every which way to see that
was going on. Miroku nodded and searched his robes.
"Here's an herb I found a while back,
Yasuo. Chew it, and it'll help you regain your strength." The small, leafy
plant was brought to the demon's lips and he took it gratefully. "With your
demon blood, I'm guessing you'll be back on your feet and in full strength in
time."
Yasuo nodded, already feeling the effects.
*~*~*~*~*
Icari dodged another of the wind demon's
gusts, and sent some flailing vines behind her over the edge. Keeping on the
defensive, Icari stepped from side to side for an opening. 'There!' Her mind
screamed, and Icari swiped for it with her claws. The demon dodged, and sent
another gust her way. It was deflected by Tensinshi and bounced right back.
Kagura hit it back and this continued on for some time. Finally, Kagura's magic
power started to drain, since it went a bit quicker than physical energy.
The gust hit the demon full blast, and
shot her back. Icari took this as her one opening.
Heading over to the demon, she hit
Kagura on the head with Tensinshi's dull side, so that its powers would not be
used. This guaranteed a few minutes time for Icari to kill the girl.
"Too bad that I had to kill such a
worthy opponent." She lifted the other demon's arm and bit into it, letting her
poison flow into her veins. Once she was sure there was enough, Icari stood and
turned. Sango and Rin were still beating at the vines, while Kagome strung and
arrow into her bow. Kanna was distracted by the fact that her sister lay
unconscious only feet away from her.
The arrow flew, and Kanna realized it
too late, though there was no reaction when it pierced her mirror straight in
the middle. Cracks distorted the mirror's clean reflection, and white souls
began to fly out, slowly. More orbs flew from the vines, proving that they had just
been giving another's souls to make them behave as they did.
The mirror shattered, and Kanna fell
listlessly to the ground, smoke coming out of her and slowly disintegrating her
body. Over to the side, Kagura's eyes shot open as smoke began to flow from her
too. Her eyes rested on Kanna before closing, and her body was gone too. In the
end, the four ladies stood there, tired and worn.
*~*~*~*~*
The door came upon them abruptly as they
ran, and Inuyasha nearly went right past. It was no doubt the right one.
Icari's back was turned to them as she panted, and the scents of the others
came from behind her. A bit tired, Inuyasha managed to wheeze her name out.
"Icari…" the youkai turned, and he felt
that he had never been happier to see her green cape flying about. She studied
them for a second and sighed in relief.
"Inuyasha…"
The ground underneath them melted away, literally. All solid turned into a
sticky fluid almost instantly and everyone began to fall with the chunks of
gush. Inuyasha searched around for Kagome, but only saw flashes of green over
in her direction. Icari was free-falling too, but she'd be alright.
"Kirara!" Sango called from her place,
and the fire cat shook herself of any debris on her and leapt towards her
master in her large form. Sango was caught, then Kagome, and Rin, then Miroku.
She finally turned to help the three demons and one hanyou before they hit the
ground. They were all caught.
Kirara landed on the ground, but the day's
activities took affect and she fell forward, dropping everyone to the ground
with a low thud. It was a moment before they had all gathered their bearings
and began to acknowledge what had just happened.
"Inuyasha!"
"Sesshomaru!"
"Miroku!"
"Icari…"
Rin ran to her mate and embraced him,
while Sango did the same to the monk. Kagome instantly sought for her hanyou's
embrace while Icari patted her little brother on the back before going to the
older. Yasuo watched her from a distance, now only beginning to stand. There
was a snicker from his right.
"A little reunion before your deaths, I
presume? You may have killed my minions, but I am not that weak." Naraku appeared stepped into view from the white
mist that had obscured their sight. By raising his arms out wide, the mist
dispersed, clearing the dark meadow. Black, looming trees moved, but now with
the wind, they were alive and moving.
"I've been preparing for this moment for
so long, and I've learned quite a few tricks over the last few years, for
example, how to make your own world…" the trees turned into dark, thick
tentacles as he spoke, and his arms fell limply at his sides as a slow smirk
tugged at his lips. "It isn't easy, but it gives you quite an advantage. Now, I
say, Let the games begin, shall we?"
Icari, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru growled
deeply in their throats. Yasuo stood tall, unwavering, as he prepared himself
for battle. Sango pulled out Hiraikotsu as Kagome prepared her bow. Rin stayed
back, knowing this was out of her game, while Kirara and Miroku took fighting
stances. Naraku smirked again.
Icari, tired of all this, stepped up
ahead of everybody and readied herself to pounce. "Naraku, you've done nothing
but corrupt everything around you. Mark my words, you will die." Naraku only laughed in response.
Yasuo walked up beside her, and touched
her shoulder lightly, telling her he was right beside her to the end. His
powers concentrated, he murmured to her, "Draw blood."
Her body turned from solid into a ball
of light, and heavy winds blew in the area. A low growl echoed in the distance,
seeming to come from the earth itself, and the ball of light flew until it was
above the treetops and grew. Soon, it had grown so bright everyone shielded their
light, obscuring their vision.
A large presence's aura emitted off of a
figure in front of her, and Kagome moved her arm to see a large, snarling dog
in Icari's place, Yasuo underneath her, between her legs. Two large fangs
protruded from her bottom half of her mouth, and acidic drops of pure poison
dripped onto the ground, burning a large hole every time. Her golden eyes were
set on Naraku, who was regarding her curiously.
Icari, it was Icari in her true form.
She was just as large as Sesshomaru, though her body sleeker and the marking
under her eyes were a tad shorter. The protruding fangs were definitely a
difference too.
Another growl emitted from her throat,
and Naraku laughed.
"I'll kill you first." Kagome blinked,
and opened her eyes to see that Naraku's tentacles had been brought out, and he
was now in his octopi form, for a lack of better words. Inuyasha drew out
Tetsusaiga and Sesshomaru, Toukijin, But Icari turned to snarl at them too.
Inuyasha blinked in surprise beside her.
"L- Let her go first?"
*~*~*~*~*
Dun dun dun… I've finally
decided that Naraku dies the next chapter, and I know if someone dies or not,
but I'm keeping that a secret. Also, Icari may seem a bit ignorant in this chapter
when she didn't go to Yasuo during the Reunion, but
Yasuo went to her before she transformed, so I'd like to explain that. I want
to make her more of a family person, and leave her own love needs until the
end, while caring for her brothers' first. More will be explained later.
