*Hey peoples! Guess what!? It's another chapter! That...and this story is
finished! I have it written up an everything! It spanned 34 chapters and an
Epilogue! Go figure!*
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and co. but if I did I would be pretty rich right now, with a mansion, a nice car, and...*still daydreaming*...Anyways, enjoy the story!*
Chapter 31
Kagome thanked her lucky stars that the arrow hadn't struck her, and for some reason, she knew that Kikyo had meant not to hit her.
Instead, what her arrow had struck was one of Naraku's bees, now dead against the tree. In his beak, was the lone Shikon Shard that Kagome had had only a moment ago.
Naraku had tried to steal her shard away from her.
Kagome reached out and plucked the shard out of the bee's mouth, and returned it to her pocket.
Of course, she thanked Kikyo for saving her, only to receive a very rude reply.
"I only struck it because I didn't want Naraku to have any more of the jewel than he already has." Kikyo told her sternly, pulling out and stringing up another arrow to shoot Kagome with. "This one, is meant for you."
Kagome's arm zipped up to her chest, the way some women do when they know they are in danger of death, and prayed to the heavens and to what ever god was listening, that she would have the strength to fight with Kikyo.
She really didn't want to fight the miko, but she also knew that it would most likely put Kikyo at a sense of ease if she were killed and her soul returned to peace.
Kagome knew she had no weapon...that her bow was left in Kaede's village and that even then, her arrow supply was short. That...and she was no where as near as accurate as the miko aiming at her. She would most likely miss and hit something else. Then, there was also the fact that as soon as she turned around, Kikyo would lay an arrow deep in her back and most likely leave her to die slowly.
"Kikyo..." Kagome began, but she was cut off.
"I know that Inuyasha loves you now...and that he no longer has time for me. But perhaps if I killed the thing he loves the most, maybe then I can get him to go to Hell with me. Then, I will be remembered to him for eternity."
There would have been tears in Kikyo's eyes were she not made of clay and ashes, and Kagome felt sorry for her. She knew how heart breaking it was to know that the one man you loved, loved another. She had experience it ever since Kikyo had been returned to life.
Kagome nodded, and stepped toward Kikyo, some how knowing what to do. She felt a well of power with in her now, and she knew that it was the miko power in her welling up with in her body.
She was of course the reincarnation of this poor miko, and she felt sorry for her. This miko had lived a life of being a mere miko, and then had had to protect the jewel. Then, when it brought her Inuyasha and she had fallen in love with him, she was forced by betrayal to pin him the God tree. Kikyo had never truly been...a real woman.
Well...perhaps this time...Kagome could help Kikyo. Maybe she could free the miko from her pain.
"Kikyo..." She whispered again. Kagome no longer felt fear.
It was supposed to be that fear in her that Kikyo had left when she nearly killed her the first time...for the jewel. It was that fear that had followed Kagome...and now...now that she was standing face to face, and saw how weak and sad Kikyo was...she was no longer afraid. The fear had left her...and this time it was for good. "I want to talk to you." She told the miko, as she stepped forward.
"Well...I don't." Kikyo replied. "You stole the only thing that I ever possessed and now I will kill you for it."
Kagome was taken aback. Possessed...?
"Kikyo! How dare you say such a thing! You can't possess Inuyasha just like he can't possess you. He's a free spirit and he doesn't deserve to be locked up in a world of fire with you!"
So much for talking.
"He does belong to me. The day we met is the day I came to own him!" Kikyo replied, pulling even tighter on her arrow. She would attack very soon now.
"But Kikyo! How can you own him? It is not like he's a slave or can ever be a slave. No matter what you mean to him, he won't be enslaved by anyone through his free will. Sure you pinned him to the God tree...So what if he once promised that he would become human for you...He isn't that way anymore and that's just that!" Kagome shouted.
Kikyo had had enough. She didn't want to hear anymore of the young miko's senseless ramblings.
So...she set her arrow off...it whizzed through the air...but somehow...as if it were by fate...it did not hit the mark Kikyo had aimed for.
It did not hit Kagome's heart...Instead, it turned away from her and landed in a tree parallel to where she stood.
But why?
The wind was still even now...and there was no one in the area that she knew or sensed that could have diverted it...unless...
"Kagome...you've become quite skilled...not even I could have knocked the arrow away on such a pure spirit." Kikyo commented, setting her bow down.
It would most likely be of no use to her unless she could get Kagome from behind.
"But I didn't do that!" Kagome shouted back, still staring at the arrow in disbelief.
She didn't believe she had knocked it away...but then again...she had that feeling that she had...probably by spiritual energy or something like that.
"Very funny Kagome." Kikyo replied, stepping towards the jittery miko. "You even had me fooled that you had no power with in you." But as Kikyo commented her, she silently told her soul stealing dragons around her to pin Kagome to the wall.
Kagome couldn't knock them away with spiritual power...because that was all these dragons were...spirit. It's how they could steal and carry souls and could fly with out so much as food and water to keep them living. They were nothing but dragon illusions.
"I'm being serious...I didn't do that!" Kagome shouted in return, backing up as the miko came closer and closer. Soon Kagome's back was against the tree and she had no where else to run. She also noticed that it was a fair distance from the well.
"Say what you like..." Kikyo said as she stepped up to Kagome... "But whether you like it or not...no matter how much you deny it...you are of my soul...and just like that you can also be captured."
Kagome gave her a confused look, but quickly understood when Kikyo's dragons wrapped around her and pinned her tightly to the tree.
"What the...?" Kagome began, but a look around told her that either she had better find a way to tear the soul stealers off...or she would be in trouble.
The problem with this situation, was that she could not run, and she was surrounded by dragons that stole the souls of women for a living...literally...
And the fact that she was a women, and they may steal her soul if she wasn't careful...was not easy to think about.
"How very interesting..." Kikyo murmured with a smile. "...that you would die at the very tree I pinned Inuyasha to fifty years ago."
Kagome jumped at that, but another look at her surroundings told her that Kikyo was right. She hadn't even noticed that she had come this far from the well...she had only known that she wanted to get as far away from Kikyo as was possible. Well...that little idea hadn't done her too well.
"How would you like to die...Would you like me to kill you...or leave you pinned to that tree for eternity...a dead being with no soul and a lifeless body?" Kikyo asked, snickering with pleasure.
"How about this...I don't want to die!" Kagome told her, struggling against the hold of the dragons. But what she didn't know, was that these dragons didn't need a dead woman's body to steal souls from...they could take them from a living one...in which they showed Kagome that fact quite well.
She watched as the first batch of her soul was stolen from her, and then the second, and taken to Kikyo...where she took the souls and placed them in her own clay body.
By the third batch, Kagome began to feel wobbly in the knees and soon fell on her shins when there was no real energy left to support her.
Kagome had to think fast...she had to decide how to save her self...
But what could she do?
Kouga snickered when he finally planted his foot in Kagura's face. She had made a mistake of becoming too aggravated with him, and had underestimated his speed.
So...he decided to show her how stupid she was acting, and knocked her out of the sky as she was preparing another wind attack to send at him.
When she had landed, he raced in, and planted his foot on her chest, threatening her that he would crush her chest if she didn't tell him where Naraku was. He of course already planned on killing Kagura, because he had found out from Inuyasha that she had been the one to kill his comrades, but he also wanted to get at Naraku for sending her to do it and for giving him that poisonously fake shard.
After the kick, Kagura hit a tree, and then slumped to the ground, trying to stand up from the shock of the fall. There was a small trickle of blood coming down from the crease of her mouth, and she could already feel the loose tooth in her mouth that Kouga had knocked in. But just as she began to stand, he stepped up to her, just as beaten as she, and planted his foot down on her chest.
"Now Kagura...Where's Naraku?" He asked, gruffly, pressing down hard as to give her pain.
She groaned, and tried to brush his foot off, only to get him to press harder. "Where's Naraku?" He repeated even louder.
"How the Hell would I know!?" She shouted back, licking the blood at her lip. "He doesn't confide on me about his whereabouts.
"I think you do know though." Kouga continued...as he pressed even harder.
"Kill me...I don't know!" She shouted.
"I'll kill you in due time Kagura...now tell me where he is!" He accented his question with a rough press from his foot.
She gargled on her blood for a moment, and, knowing that her ribs were broken, finally informed him of the plan. Then afterward, she begged for her death.
Kagura wanted freedom from Naraku, and finally, now that she was on the verge of death...she realized that she may never get it unless it was in death. So now...she had finally given up on life.
But Kouga surprised her...he took his foot from her chest and began to walk away, in the direction of Kaede's village.
"Wait! What are you doing? Weren't you supposed to kill me?" Kagura asked, sitting up with a groan.
"Yeah...but I'll do it later...Now I got a scoundrel named Naraku to kill...But when you're free Kagura...then I'm gonna kill you!" He shouted back with out turning around.
Kagura snarled at him, but then, realizing that she might actually get her freedom from Naraku if Kouga actually did kill him, she smiled. It was the kind of smile you get when you were angry about something so bad you felt like tearing up something else, and you realized the situation from another angle. It's the smile you get when you realize how truly silly your actions of the past really were while in a fit of rage.
Kagura pulled a feather from her hair and enlarged it, using it as a ride to take herself somewhere to hide and recover.
Shippo had finally had enough of fighting Kanna. Their battle hadn't been long, but it had been grueling believe it or not. Kanna had actually stolen a large chunk of Shippo's soul from him, leaving him nearly defenseless along with the paralyzing seal over his body. Kanna almost had gotten his entire soul, only somehow, with out realizing it, he had managed to free one hand from the seal and hit her mirror. It hadn't done much damage, only left a rigid melt mark in one corner, but it had stopped Kanna for a moment.
Unfortunately, he was still trapped, and didn't know how to escape.
After a moment had passed, and Kanna had repaired the mirror with a strange wave of her hand, she returned to sucking his soul from his body.
Only then...a miracle happened.
You do remember Moru right? The little black dragon that had been brought from Kazu's own body? The little ghost like creature that was the only remaining dragon left to Kojika, and was of course, undisciplined like it's master Kazu.
The reason why he had survived was still unknown to even Kojika herself, but even she suspected that the little dragon had taken the most of Kazu's soul when it came from him...so perhaps...Kazu wasn't as dead as it was thought. That and the strange fact of him was that he had at first disregarded his master Kojika, and then, after Kazu's death, had been very warm to her. Another reason it was believed that he had taken on Kazu's soul instead of Kikyo. But there was no real proof.
Well...Moru had been hiding in a tree (for he was ghost like and he could go through solid objects) and upon seeing Kanna winning over a defenseless Shippo, had jumped out to help.
He had first tried to fight with Kanna from behind, but it was very apparent that he could not touch her with this ghost-like body. So then...next, he decided to attack her weapon.
This proved very helpful...for...because he was so much like a spirit, he was sucked into the little demon's mirror, and wreaked havoc on the inside.
Only a minute later, the glass trembled and shattered, leaving slivers of mirror every where. Then Moru and the rest of Shippo's soul jumped out of the mirror and the spell on Shippo's body was broken.
Of course...Shippo used this opportunity before Kanna could revive her mirror to fight with her.
Sure it seemed unfair, but you're talking about fighting a girl-like demon whom had pinned him down unfairly.
Now it was his turn...
He threw some fox fire at her, and scorched her hair, before taking the frame of her mirror and tossing it into a stream nearby.
Kanna stared at it calmly, her face never changing even as she quietly patted out the blue flames, then, just as peacefully, she began to chase her mirror by walking.
Shippo was very proud of himself for winning the battle, but he kind of felt bad about throwing the mirror in the water.
So...to make up for his little antics, he bent down and collected the pieces of mirror into one pile before leaving.
Moru watched him in confusion, wandering why he was saving what the little dragon had broke, but chirped happily as they began to walk away.
By now...Shippo had caught the scent of the real Naraku, and was on his way to help Inuyasha if he could.
He probably would have smelt Kagome too...but Kikyo had lead her away from the well, and even then, created a force field around them with out Kagome's knowledge, so that she might kill her reincarnation with out disturbances.
Miroku, Sango, and Kirara, had just barely made it into Inuyasha's domain, noticing the familiar trees as they passed them by and smiling happily even though they knew they might not leave the battle with Naraku alive. Kirara purred on Sango's shoulder, rubbing her neck whenever she could, and Miroku, suddenly serious for even him, walked ahead, leaving small imprints of his staffs bottom as he banged it on the ground. Sango carried her boomerang tiredly, and simply wished that they could have another day or so and that there was a hot spring nearby.
They were so close to Naraku they could feel and even see slight traces of the miasma in the wind. The further they traveled, the thicker it grew.
But they were not alone...Sango didn't know how she knew...but there was somebody else there...watching them...
She wondered who it could be.
At first, she hadn't taken too much mind to this other presence, merely noting that it followed them and that it kept close by.
Now...it was so close that she could actually feel what it was thinking...smell it's sweat and feel it's warm flesh...
Kill...It thought. Kill them for my master...
Of course Sango kept her guard up, and she looked around every time she felt it come to close.
Finally...it seemed as if it came too close.
Upon the right feeling she managed to jump up and away from a flying scythe that was heading at her.
Miroku had witnessed how uneasy she had been on their little voyage back, and upon catching her dodge from the corner of his eyes, he did the same.
Sango worked by instinct when it came to being attacked. As she floated up in the sky, past the trees, she instantly pulled forth her boomerang bone and tossed it at their predator.
It didn't hit of course, for this person that was trying to kill them had seen this attack before, and had been prepared. He jumped up and out of the way, flying up into the sky just as Sango and Miroku were coming down.
Kohaku...
He was wearing the usual demon slayer uniform, with the yellow embroidery on the chest that was their family image and the green pieces that attached as armor.
His poison mask was on, and his eyes were tiny sinister slits, staring at them with a hunger for blood.
What had happened to the innocent little boy she once knew...The cute little brother who was partially afraid of the trade of the demon exterminator. The little kid that she grew up with and taught and whom was more important to her than probably anyone else.
Kohaku...
He looked ready and willing to kill them both now...and being that they were all wounded didn't sit well with Sango at all.
How would they escape this one? What could they possibly do to save Kohaku? Would they survive this?
Rushing thoughts in her head, as they are with those that think their close to death.
Yet not all die after such thoughts.
Sango landed and caught her boomerang from the air. This was to be the final battle for her brother, whether she saved him or not. She would not allow him to go on fighting like this.
Either Kohaku would be saved or killed...she vowed.
Miroku noticed Sango's determination towards her brother. He knew how precious Kohaku was to her, but also how much love she had for him.
If she killed him, she would most definitely kill herself afterwards.
He knew that he would have to prevent that action, and so he only thought of one way.
They would have to save Kohaku, no matter what.
"Kohaku...please wake up...I'm your sister...Remember me!" Shouted Sango, watching her brother with pain in her limbs.
She hadn't expected that jump to cause her so much pain in her wounds.
Kohaku retrieved his scythe, and continued to stare at Sango blankly.
"Kohaku!" Sango shouted, just as her brother tossed the scythe at her once more. This time, Miroku had to push her out of the way of the attack lest she get hit and killed. Sango was having trouble fighting her brother seriously. Then again, would anyone have the guts to kill that of which they loved and that which is all that is left of their family?
"Miroku?" Sango asked in question when they landed again a few feet away. He was hugging her warmly, as if afraid to let her go.
"Sango. The Kohaku you once knew is no more. Naraku has destroyed his mind. We have no choice but to kill him or force Naraku to free his soul and let him die in peace."
"No! That's not true! He's still there Miroku! I know it! We can save him...He'll live!" But just as she argued this, she heard the whistle of metal through the air, and the sick shredding sound of flesh when it's stabbed.
Her eyes widened in shock when she noticed the scythe imbedded in Miroku's back, and the warm trickle of blood on her hands.
"Miroku...MIROKU!!!" She shouted, hugging him close with tears in her eyes. An instant later, she pulled the scythe from his back, and held him, bleeding in her arms. "Miroku...! Miroku...!" She continued to yell, holding him close with tears.
"Sango...Are you okay?" the houshi asked, reaching up to touch her face. "Did he hurt you with the attack?"
"I'm fine..." she answered a moment later, taking his hand in hers at her face. "But what about you...?"
"I'm sure I'll be fine...." He whispered, a small trickle of blood beginning to come up over the corner of his mouth. "Sango...I'm sorry...I can't help you any longer in this fight..."
"Don't be sorry Miroku...!" Sango whispered back, holding his hand to her heart. "You'll be fine...and it will return back to normal okay...there's nothing to be sorry about." She replied, trying to scrub the tears from her eyes with her sleeve.
"Sango...should I die...I want you to know..."
"You won't die! You'll be fine...It will all be fine...Please Miroku!"
"Sango...I...I..." His eyes were beginning to close.
"Miroku...please stay with me! Don't go...Please don't go!"
"I...I love you...Sango..."
His hand went limp in hers, and his eyes closed in eternal slumber...
Miroku...was dead...
"Miroku...Miroku..." She whispered, shaking him softly. "Miroku...Miroku...! MIROKU!!!!"
But it was no use...he was gone...and she couldn't save him.
He was the only man she had ever truly loved...the only one...
No matter his silly little excuses and his perverted little ways...no matter his little antics and lies and the way he asked every woman for his child...no matter that he liked to peek on her when ever he could...
She had loved him...and now she couldn't tell him...
He was gone...and she could no longer confess her one and only secret to him...her love...
Kirara mewed sadly, and sat next to Miroku, nudging him with her nose. He did not stir.
Sango could not control the tears...the heat and warmth of them spilled past her lashes like waterfalls and unto Miroku's pale warm face.
No longer...
Gone...
"NOOOOO!!!!!!!" She sobbed, hugging him close to her. "NOOOOO!!!!"
You're most likely asking why she had not been attacked during this little scene...
Well...although Kohaku was controlled by Naraku...there was one thing Naraku could not destroy in a kind and loving boy...one thing that evil could not suppress...
A boy's love for his sister and his family...his love for life and humanity...his desire to be free and happy...all could not be controlled by a simple evil composed of deadly demons...
Kohaku stood there, moving only to retrieve his scythe, and stared at the two...tears coming down his own cheeks as he raised his scythe, ready to kill Sango...
He knew what he was doing...he saw who it was he was supposed to kill...but he could not control his body...it did Naraku's will...
"I love you..." Sango whispered, kissing Miroku's cooling lips... "I love you...and I always will..."
She set him down and stood up, staring at Kohaku with sad eyes.
He too stared at her...his eyes full of sadness as well, but there was no restraint to his body...nothing stopping him from killing her but his sorrow...
"Kohaku..." She whispered...then...unlike the usual warrior...she stretched out her arms and bid him to kill her... "Do it Kohaku...I don't want to live... Fate has a sick sense of humor... it likes to play with me, and instead of taking what it has given to me, it has taken everything around me...I took father, and mother before him. It took my friends, the people I knew...it took the only man I loved..." she sobbed slightly before returning her eyes to her brother. "And it took you away from me and made us fight like this... Why I don't know...But I want to end it...I'm tired of vengeance, of revenge...I want peace...and if we must fight...then I bid you kill me now...so that I no longer must see and suffer pain...Please...do this for me!" Sango shouted, bowing her head. "Kill me...Kohaku..."
"Sango...I...I can't stop it..." He returned, surprising her...She hadn't expected him to remember. "I know you're pain...I share it...but sis...I can't stop my body...I can't control it... Stop me...please..." He pleaded, crying. "Please!"
"Kohaku!" Sango shouted, jumping forward and hugging him tightly, not caring whether he stabbed him or not..."You are my one and only brother...and I love you no matter what...but if you can't fight it...can't fight Naraku...then you have no hope of dying in peace. Fight him Kohaku! Fight Naraku's will and live! You can do it!" she shouted, hugging him tighter.
"I can't..." he returned.
"Yes you can...there's no such thing as can't! You can do it! I believe in you...so believe in yourself! Don't let me down!"
"Sango..." He whispered, closing his eyes.
The scythe came down with out him realizing it...
It hit he leafy forest floor with a thud as brother and sister embraced tightly.
"Sango...I'm free..." He whispered, smiling... "I fought him and I won...I'm free...and I remember everything..."
"Kohaku..." she whispered. "I'm...glad..." *What do you think? I think it was okay, but you all probably hate me now for killing Miroku right? I figured so. Anyways...no worries...I'll take care of the story...I'm sure you're wondering if Miroku will return? Well...that you'll have to find out...I can't tell you! (Don't you just hate me?)*
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and co. but if I did I would be pretty rich right now, with a mansion, a nice car, and...*still daydreaming*...Anyways, enjoy the story!*
Chapter 31
Kagome thanked her lucky stars that the arrow hadn't struck her, and for some reason, she knew that Kikyo had meant not to hit her.
Instead, what her arrow had struck was one of Naraku's bees, now dead against the tree. In his beak, was the lone Shikon Shard that Kagome had had only a moment ago.
Naraku had tried to steal her shard away from her.
Kagome reached out and plucked the shard out of the bee's mouth, and returned it to her pocket.
Of course, she thanked Kikyo for saving her, only to receive a very rude reply.
"I only struck it because I didn't want Naraku to have any more of the jewel than he already has." Kikyo told her sternly, pulling out and stringing up another arrow to shoot Kagome with. "This one, is meant for you."
Kagome's arm zipped up to her chest, the way some women do when they know they are in danger of death, and prayed to the heavens and to what ever god was listening, that she would have the strength to fight with Kikyo.
She really didn't want to fight the miko, but she also knew that it would most likely put Kikyo at a sense of ease if she were killed and her soul returned to peace.
Kagome knew she had no weapon...that her bow was left in Kaede's village and that even then, her arrow supply was short. That...and she was no where as near as accurate as the miko aiming at her. She would most likely miss and hit something else. Then, there was also the fact that as soon as she turned around, Kikyo would lay an arrow deep in her back and most likely leave her to die slowly.
"Kikyo..." Kagome began, but she was cut off.
"I know that Inuyasha loves you now...and that he no longer has time for me. But perhaps if I killed the thing he loves the most, maybe then I can get him to go to Hell with me. Then, I will be remembered to him for eternity."
There would have been tears in Kikyo's eyes were she not made of clay and ashes, and Kagome felt sorry for her. She knew how heart breaking it was to know that the one man you loved, loved another. She had experience it ever since Kikyo had been returned to life.
Kagome nodded, and stepped toward Kikyo, some how knowing what to do. She felt a well of power with in her now, and she knew that it was the miko power in her welling up with in her body.
She was of course the reincarnation of this poor miko, and she felt sorry for her. This miko had lived a life of being a mere miko, and then had had to protect the jewel. Then, when it brought her Inuyasha and she had fallen in love with him, she was forced by betrayal to pin him the God tree. Kikyo had never truly been...a real woman.
Well...perhaps this time...Kagome could help Kikyo. Maybe she could free the miko from her pain.
"Kikyo..." She whispered again. Kagome no longer felt fear.
It was supposed to be that fear in her that Kikyo had left when she nearly killed her the first time...for the jewel. It was that fear that had followed Kagome...and now...now that she was standing face to face, and saw how weak and sad Kikyo was...she was no longer afraid. The fear had left her...and this time it was for good. "I want to talk to you." She told the miko, as she stepped forward.
"Well...I don't." Kikyo replied. "You stole the only thing that I ever possessed and now I will kill you for it."
Kagome was taken aback. Possessed...?
"Kikyo! How dare you say such a thing! You can't possess Inuyasha just like he can't possess you. He's a free spirit and he doesn't deserve to be locked up in a world of fire with you!"
So much for talking.
"He does belong to me. The day we met is the day I came to own him!" Kikyo replied, pulling even tighter on her arrow. She would attack very soon now.
"But Kikyo! How can you own him? It is not like he's a slave or can ever be a slave. No matter what you mean to him, he won't be enslaved by anyone through his free will. Sure you pinned him to the God tree...So what if he once promised that he would become human for you...He isn't that way anymore and that's just that!" Kagome shouted.
Kikyo had had enough. She didn't want to hear anymore of the young miko's senseless ramblings.
So...she set her arrow off...it whizzed through the air...but somehow...as if it were by fate...it did not hit the mark Kikyo had aimed for.
It did not hit Kagome's heart...Instead, it turned away from her and landed in a tree parallel to where she stood.
But why?
The wind was still even now...and there was no one in the area that she knew or sensed that could have diverted it...unless...
"Kagome...you've become quite skilled...not even I could have knocked the arrow away on such a pure spirit." Kikyo commented, setting her bow down.
It would most likely be of no use to her unless she could get Kagome from behind.
"But I didn't do that!" Kagome shouted back, still staring at the arrow in disbelief.
She didn't believe she had knocked it away...but then again...she had that feeling that she had...probably by spiritual energy or something like that.
"Very funny Kagome." Kikyo replied, stepping towards the jittery miko. "You even had me fooled that you had no power with in you." But as Kikyo commented her, she silently told her soul stealing dragons around her to pin Kagome to the wall.
Kagome couldn't knock them away with spiritual power...because that was all these dragons were...spirit. It's how they could steal and carry souls and could fly with out so much as food and water to keep them living. They were nothing but dragon illusions.
"I'm being serious...I didn't do that!" Kagome shouted in return, backing up as the miko came closer and closer. Soon Kagome's back was against the tree and she had no where else to run. She also noticed that it was a fair distance from the well.
"Say what you like..." Kikyo said as she stepped up to Kagome... "But whether you like it or not...no matter how much you deny it...you are of my soul...and just like that you can also be captured."
Kagome gave her a confused look, but quickly understood when Kikyo's dragons wrapped around her and pinned her tightly to the tree.
"What the...?" Kagome began, but a look around told her that either she had better find a way to tear the soul stealers off...or she would be in trouble.
The problem with this situation, was that she could not run, and she was surrounded by dragons that stole the souls of women for a living...literally...
And the fact that she was a women, and they may steal her soul if she wasn't careful...was not easy to think about.
"How very interesting..." Kikyo murmured with a smile. "...that you would die at the very tree I pinned Inuyasha to fifty years ago."
Kagome jumped at that, but another look at her surroundings told her that Kikyo was right. She hadn't even noticed that she had come this far from the well...she had only known that she wanted to get as far away from Kikyo as was possible. Well...that little idea hadn't done her too well.
"How would you like to die...Would you like me to kill you...or leave you pinned to that tree for eternity...a dead being with no soul and a lifeless body?" Kikyo asked, snickering with pleasure.
"How about this...I don't want to die!" Kagome told her, struggling against the hold of the dragons. But what she didn't know, was that these dragons didn't need a dead woman's body to steal souls from...they could take them from a living one...in which they showed Kagome that fact quite well.
She watched as the first batch of her soul was stolen from her, and then the second, and taken to Kikyo...where she took the souls and placed them in her own clay body.
By the third batch, Kagome began to feel wobbly in the knees and soon fell on her shins when there was no real energy left to support her.
Kagome had to think fast...she had to decide how to save her self...
But what could she do?
Kouga snickered when he finally planted his foot in Kagura's face. She had made a mistake of becoming too aggravated with him, and had underestimated his speed.
So...he decided to show her how stupid she was acting, and knocked her out of the sky as she was preparing another wind attack to send at him.
When she had landed, he raced in, and planted his foot on her chest, threatening her that he would crush her chest if she didn't tell him where Naraku was. He of course already planned on killing Kagura, because he had found out from Inuyasha that she had been the one to kill his comrades, but he also wanted to get at Naraku for sending her to do it and for giving him that poisonously fake shard.
After the kick, Kagura hit a tree, and then slumped to the ground, trying to stand up from the shock of the fall. There was a small trickle of blood coming down from the crease of her mouth, and she could already feel the loose tooth in her mouth that Kouga had knocked in. But just as she began to stand, he stepped up to her, just as beaten as she, and planted his foot down on her chest.
"Now Kagura...Where's Naraku?" He asked, gruffly, pressing down hard as to give her pain.
She groaned, and tried to brush his foot off, only to get him to press harder. "Where's Naraku?" He repeated even louder.
"How the Hell would I know!?" She shouted back, licking the blood at her lip. "He doesn't confide on me about his whereabouts.
"I think you do know though." Kouga continued...as he pressed even harder.
"Kill me...I don't know!" She shouted.
"I'll kill you in due time Kagura...now tell me where he is!" He accented his question with a rough press from his foot.
She gargled on her blood for a moment, and, knowing that her ribs were broken, finally informed him of the plan. Then afterward, she begged for her death.
Kagura wanted freedom from Naraku, and finally, now that she was on the verge of death...she realized that she may never get it unless it was in death. So now...she had finally given up on life.
But Kouga surprised her...he took his foot from her chest and began to walk away, in the direction of Kaede's village.
"Wait! What are you doing? Weren't you supposed to kill me?" Kagura asked, sitting up with a groan.
"Yeah...but I'll do it later...Now I got a scoundrel named Naraku to kill...But when you're free Kagura...then I'm gonna kill you!" He shouted back with out turning around.
Kagura snarled at him, but then, realizing that she might actually get her freedom from Naraku if Kouga actually did kill him, she smiled. It was the kind of smile you get when you were angry about something so bad you felt like tearing up something else, and you realized the situation from another angle. It's the smile you get when you realize how truly silly your actions of the past really were while in a fit of rage.
Kagura pulled a feather from her hair and enlarged it, using it as a ride to take herself somewhere to hide and recover.
Shippo had finally had enough of fighting Kanna. Their battle hadn't been long, but it had been grueling believe it or not. Kanna had actually stolen a large chunk of Shippo's soul from him, leaving him nearly defenseless along with the paralyzing seal over his body. Kanna almost had gotten his entire soul, only somehow, with out realizing it, he had managed to free one hand from the seal and hit her mirror. It hadn't done much damage, only left a rigid melt mark in one corner, but it had stopped Kanna for a moment.
Unfortunately, he was still trapped, and didn't know how to escape.
After a moment had passed, and Kanna had repaired the mirror with a strange wave of her hand, she returned to sucking his soul from his body.
Only then...a miracle happened.
You do remember Moru right? The little black dragon that had been brought from Kazu's own body? The little ghost like creature that was the only remaining dragon left to Kojika, and was of course, undisciplined like it's master Kazu.
The reason why he had survived was still unknown to even Kojika herself, but even she suspected that the little dragon had taken the most of Kazu's soul when it came from him...so perhaps...Kazu wasn't as dead as it was thought. That and the strange fact of him was that he had at first disregarded his master Kojika, and then, after Kazu's death, had been very warm to her. Another reason it was believed that he had taken on Kazu's soul instead of Kikyo. But there was no real proof.
Well...Moru had been hiding in a tree (for he was ghost like and he could go through solid objects) and upon seeing Kanna winning over a defenseless Shippo, had jumped out to help.
He had first tried to fight with Kanna from behind, but it was very apparent that he could not touch her with this ghost-like body. So then...next, he decided to attack her weapon.
This proved very helpful...for...because he was so much like a spirit, he was sucked into the little demon's mirror, and wreaked havoc on the inside.
Only a minute later, the glass trembled and shattered, leaving slivers of mirror every where. Then Moru and the rest of Shippo's soul jumped out of the mirror and the spell on Shippo's body was broken.
Of course...Shippo used this opportunity before Kanna could revive her mirror to fight with her.
Sure it seemed unfair, but you're talking about fighting a girl-like demon whom had pinned him down unfairly.
Now it was his turn...
He threw some fox fire at her, and scorched her hair, before taking the frame of her mirror and tossing it into a stream nearby.
Kanna stared at it calmly, her face never changing even as she quietly patted out the blue flames, then, just as peacefully, she began to chase her mirror by walking.
Shippo was very proud of himself for winning the battle, but he kind of felt bad about throwing the mirror in the water.
So...to make up for his little antics, he bent down and collected the pieces of mirror into one pile before leaving.
Moru watched him in confusion, wandering why he was saving what the little dragon had broke, but chirped happily as they began to walk away.
By now...Shippo had caught the scent of the real Naraku, and was on his way to help Inuyasha if he could.
He probably would have smelt Kagome too...but Kikyo had lead her away from the well, and even then, created a force field around them with out Kagome's knowledge, so that she might kill her reincarnation with out disturbances.
Miroku, Sango, and Kirara, had just barely made it into Inuyasha's domain, noticing the familiar trees as they passed them by and smiling happily even though they knew they might not leave the battle with Naraku alive. Kirara purred on Sango's shoulder, rubbing her neck whenever she could, and Miroku, suddenly serious for even him, walked ahead, leaving small imprints of his staffs bottom as he banged it on the ground. Sango carried her boomerang tiredly, and simply wished that they could have another day or so and that there was a hot spring nearby.
They were so close to Naraku they could feel and even see slight traces of the miasma in the wind. The further they traveled, the thicker it grew.
But they were not alone...Sango didn't know how she knew...but there was somebody else there...watching them...
She wondered who it could be.
At first, she hadn't taken too much mind to this other presence, merely noting that it followed them and that it kept close by.
Now...it was so close that she could actually feel what it was thinking...smell it's sweat and feel it's warm flesh...
Kill...It thought. Kill them for my master...
Of course Sango kept her guard up, and she looked around every time she felt it come to close.
Finally...it seemed as if it came too close.
Upon the right feeling she managed to jump up and away from a flying scythe that was heading at her.
Miroku had witnessed how uneasy she had been on their little voyage back, and upon catching her dodge from the corner of his eyes, he did the same.
Sango worked by instinct when it came to being attacked. As she floated up in the sky, past the trees, she instantly pulled forth her boomerang bone and tossed it at their predator.
It didn't hit of course, for this person that was trying to kill them had seen this attack before, and had been prepared. He jumped up and out of the way, flying up into the sky just as Sango and Miroku were coming down.
Kohaku...
He was wearing the usual demon slayer uniform, with the yellow embroidery on the chest that was their family image and the green pieces that attached as armor.
His poison mask was on, and his eyes were tiny sinister slits, staring at them with a hunger for blood.
What had happened to the innocent little boy she once knew...The cute little brother who was partially afraid of the trade of the demon exterminator. The little kid that she grew up with and taught and whom was more important to her than probably anyone else.
Kohaku...
He looked ready and willing to kill them both now...and being that they were all wounded didn't sit well with Sango at all.
How would they escape this one? What could they possibly do to save Kohaku? Would they survive this?
Rushing thoughts in her head, as they are with those that think their close to death.
Yet not all die after such thoughts.
Sango landed and caught her boomerang from the air. This was to be the final battle for her brother, whether she saved him or not. She would not allow him to go on fighting like this.
Either Kohaku would be saved or killed...she vowed.
Miroku noticed Sango's determination towards her brother. He knew how precious Kohaku was to her, but also how much love she had for him.
If she killed him, she would most definitely kill herself afterwards.
He knew that he would have to prevent that action, and so he only thought of one way.
They would have to save Kohaku, no matter what.
"Kohaku...please wake up...I'm your sister...Remember me!" Shouted Sango, watching her brother with pain in her limbs.
She hadn't expected that jump to cause her so much pain in her wounds.
Kohaku retrieved his scythe, and continued to stare at Sango blankly.
"Kohaku!" Sango shouted, just as her brother tossed the scythe at her once more. This time, Miroku had to push her out of the way of the attack lest she get hit and killed. Sango was having trouble fighting her brother seriously. Then again, would anyone have the guts to kill that of which they loved and that which is all that is left of their family?
"Miroku?" Sango asked in question when they landed again a few feet away. He was hugging her warmly, as if afraid to let her go.
"Sango. The Kohaku you once knew is no more. Naraku has destroyed his mind. We have no choice but to kill him or force Naraku to free his soul and let him die in peace."
"No! That's not true! He's still there Miroku! I know it! We can save him...He'll live!" But just as she argued this, she heard the whistle of metal through the air, and the sick shredding sound of flesh when it's stabbed.
Her eyes widened in shock when she noticed the scythe imbedded in Miroku's back, and the warm trickle of blood on her hands.
"Miroku...MIROKU!!!" She shouted, hugging him close with tears in her eyes. An instant later, she pulled the scythe from his back, and held him, bleeding in her arms. "Miroku...! Miroku...!" She continued to yell, holding him close with tears.
"Sango...Are you okay?" the houshi asked, reaching up to touch her face. "Did he hurt you with the attack?"
"I'm fine..." she answered a moment later, taking his hand in hers at her face. "But what about you...?"
"I'm sure I'll be fine...." He whispered, a small trickle of blood beginning to come up over the corner of his mouth. "Sango...I'm sorry...I can't help you any longer in this fight..."
"Don't be sorry Miroku...!" Sango whispered back, holding his hand to her heart. "You'll be fine...and it will return back to normal okay...there's nothing to be sorry about." She replied, trying to scrub the tears from her eyes with her sleeve.
"Sango...should I die...I want you to know..."
"You won't die! You'll be fine...It will all be fine...Please Miroku!"
"Sango...I...I..." His eyes were beginning to close.
"Miroku...please stay with me! Don't go...Please don't go!"
"I...I love you...Sango..."
His hand went limp in hers, and his eyes closed in eternal slumber...
Miroku...was dead...
"Miroku...Miroku..." She whispered, shaking him softly. "Miroku...Miroku...! MIROKU!!!!"
But it was no use...he was gone...and she couldn't save him.
He was the only man she had ever truly loved...the only one...
No matter his silly little excuses and his perverted little ways...no matter his little antics and lies and the way he asked every woman for his child...no matter that he liked to peek on her when ever he could...
She had loved him...and now she couldn't tell him...
He was gone...and she could no longer confess her one and only secret to him...her love...
Kirara mewed sadly, and sat next to Miroku, nudging him with her nose. He did not stir.
Sango could not control the tears...the heat and warmth of them spilled past her lashes like waterfalls and unto Miroku's pale warm face.
No longer...
Gone...
"NOOOOO!!!!!!!" She sobbed, hugging him close to her. "NOOOOO!!!!"
You're most likely asking why she had not been attacked during this little scene...
Well...although Kohaku was controlled by Naraku...there was one thing Naraku could not destroy in a kind and loving boy...one thing that evil could not suppress...
A boy's love for his sister and his family...his love for life and humanity...his desire to be free and happy...all could not be controlled by a simple evil composed of deadly demons...
Kohaku stood there, moving only to retrieve his scythe, and stared at the two...tears coming down his own cheeks as he raised his scythe, ready to kill Sango...
He knew what he was doing...he saw who it was he was supposed to kill...but he could not control his body...it did Naraku's will...
"I love you..." Sango whispered, kissing Miroku's cooling lips... "I love you...and I always will..."
She set him down and stood up, staring at Kohaku with sad eyes.
He too stared at her...his eyes full of sadness as well, but there was no restraint to his body...nothing stopping him from killing her but his sorrow...
"Kohaku..." She whispered...then...unlike the usual warrior...she stretched out her arms and bid him to kill her... "Do it Kohaku...I don't want to live... Fate has a sick sense of humor... it likes to play with me, and instead of taking what it has given to me, it has taken everything around me...I took father, and mother before him. It took my friends, the people I knew...it took the only man I loved..." she sobbed slightly before returning her eyes to her brother. "And it took you away from me and made us fight like this... Why I don't know...But I want to end it...I'm tired of vengeance, of revenge...I want peace...and if we must fight...then I bid you kill me now...so that I no longer must see and suffer pain...Please...do this for me!" Sango shouted, bowing her head. "Kill me...Kohaku..."
"Sango...I...I can't stop it..." He returned, surprising her...She hadn't expected him to remember. "I know you're pain...I share it...but sis...I can't stop my body...I can't control it... Stop me...please..." He pleaded, crying. "Please!"
"Kohaku!" Sango shouted, jumping forward and hugging him tightly, not caring whether he stabbed him or not..."You are my one and only brother...and I love you no matter what...but if you can't fight it...can't fight Naraku...then you have no hope of dying in peace. Fight him Kohaku! Fight Naraku's will and live! You can do it!" she shouted, hugging him tighter.
"I can't..." he returned.
"Yes you can...there's no such thing as can't! You can do it! I believe in you...so believe in yourself! Don't let me down!"
"Sango..." He whispered, closing his eyes.
The scythe came down with out him realizing it...
It hit he leafy forest floor with a thud as brother and sister embraced tightly.
"Sango...I'm free..." He whispered, smiling... "I fought him and I won...I'm free...and I remember everything..."
"Kohaku..." she whispered. "I'm...glad..." *What do you think? I think it was okay, but you all probably hate me now for killing Miroku right? I figured so. Anyways...no worries...I'll take care of the story...I'm sure you're wondering if Miroku will return? Well...that you'll have to find out...I can't tell you! (Don't you just hate me?)*
