Ahhhhhh! I apologize so much for not updating sooner! There was some bad, bad stuff going on. Both Emily and I had our net cut off, then I had essays do, and now I have exams, and she's on vacation… we haven't even gotten a chance to chat, let alone decide upon our next update! So, to make up… uber long chapter!! ^^ Hopefully, this will tide you over until the next update time!! I'll try to keep my answer short, as we got so many!
Asya: Hm, you'll have to wait to see if Kagome's pregnant or not! We're not telling! ^^ Or, as the great Xellos says: it's a secret. I suppose you'll have to wait for signs of morning sickness. ^^
Aewi: Where haven't we been? Work, essays, school, boyfriends, volunteer work… bah! So much to do!! Hopefully, you'll find this chapter just as interesting. Writing fight scenes at one am leads to very crazy shit….
Tan: I think that MS and IK have to be far away from each other. Otherwise once one of them as sex, then the others would hear and they'd want to have sex….
Pattycake: No cliffhanger on this one, so don't worry!!
Silent Slayer, Solin: Actually, he's kind of trying to become a demon, but he's still holding on to the Tetsusaiga, so technically, he can't. But maybe he'll dump it in this chapter!
Kougasmyman: I apologize. Kouga has his moment of glory and then flitters away… but we'll bring him back just because he's that cool. ^^
Tsuki: Actually, I'd prefer being the power behind the throne.
Storymind: Secretly, at one point or another, we all wish our boyfriends were like Inuyasha or Miroku. And then there are people who should never try to be Inuyasha. Like my buddy Sean. Luckily, I'm going as Naru Narusegawa from Love Hina. I'm going to kick his ass.
lovelessKagome: Nope, no Shikon jewel here! Come on, we see enough of that in the show! This is what we don't see enough of: like Inuyasha and Kagome making out.
Ptbear: Hm, I don't think we explain whose power she sees. Meh, take your pick. ^^ We can make anything work out.
Miroku: given your comment, I love the irony of your name.
Kiko: Honey, take a deep breath. Good. Now remember: AU. AU. Alternate Universe. Anything goes in AU's. That's why the rock so much. I agree: the real Sesshy would never be this cruel, but this Sesshy? This Sesshy is and would be.
Everyone else: I love you all soooo much! H*huggles everyone in turn* And you're all such nice people that you're not going to kill me for how long this update took to get out? Right? …Right?
Chapter Nineteen: Hello, Goodbye
He closed his hand on his wound as he switched his sword to the other. He couldn't believe that the growl escaping his throat was his own. Inuyasha could think only of his love for Kagome and his hatred for his brother, both of them growing stronger, as if they were connected. His brother was deranged! He was twisting around the facts to make it sound like Kagome had wanted Sesshomaru to touch her! Inuyasha knew deep down that it couldn't be true.
Feet sinking into the ground, he braced himself as Sesshomaru flung himself at him. His rusted old sword might not be able to do much at such an attack, but if Inuyasha was going to die, he was going to make sure that Sesshomaru would go with him!
"What the. . . ." The sword's balance changed in his hands and he stared at it. The sword… looked like a fang! How was the even possible? Inuyasha didn't care: all he knew was that he stood a larger chance of standing his ground against his brother with such a weapon! Everything else fell away except for his enemy and his passions, the sword singing in his hands, guiding him. "This is for Kagome! Kaze no Kizu!"
Sesshomaru, to put it lightly, was surprised by the attack. He didn't anticipate or except it. How Inuyasha could possibly have suddenly gained suck skill, Sesshomaru didn't know. Leaping up high into the air, like a shooting arrow Sesshomaru landed on the top of a high pillar, completely unaffected by the attack. He was shaken by the fact that his worthless brother could use such a mighty sword, a sword he wanted to possess now seeing its true attack, but he didn't show it.
Instead, Sesshomaru fed the flames. "For Kagome? So that's her name?" Sesshomaru asked, simply swinging his sword through the air, sending waves of power down at Inuyasha. "I wonder, whose touch did she enjoy more? Or did she leave that out when crying on you shoulder?" Sesshomaru asked in an ice covered voice.
His words cut him, but he knew, deep down, that Kagome could never have enjoyed Sesshomaru's presence. He'd almost killed her! Inuyasha knew from experience, that it wasn't supposed to be like that. The sword cut through the attacks. He tried to push the words away, but instead they fueled the anger. Kagome was guiltless in his world. If Sesshomaru was trying to make Inuyasha hate her, he was failing miserably. Rushing at the tree, he feinted a leap, and instead swiped at the trunk. The sword swiped through the whole tree. Inuyasha tried to make his brother just as mad, hoping that Miroku would get the portal opened soon. His teeth felt sharper than normal, nearly cutting his lip as spoke.
"At least I'm not you, Sesshomaru. At least I can get my own woman instead of stealing somebody else's when their back is turned. The name of 'dog demon' would be better suited to you! You're so pathetic and weak that you can't keep a woman, you just slink into bedrooms and rape them. I'm not going to let your stupid tactics work on me, brother! No matter what you say, you're the one who's weak, and shameful, and in the wrong!"
Sesshomaru was impressed. Inuyasha was actually still trying to fight back. Some things had changed since last time with that other one, Kikyo. Personally, he blamed this change in Inuyasha on the damn Priestess. Bonding with someone really did change him. Sesshomaru leapt off from his stand and flipped, bring the sword forward to slash at Inuyasha, but being blocked by Inuyasha's sword. Swiping his sword back, the blade shone with its own glow, not reflecting the moon's shine. "Inuyasha," Sesshomaru's voice was bored and mocking. "It is not that I can't keep a woman. It's that I do not wish to have one." Sesshomaru replied courtly and then advanced on Inuyasha again.
This time, when their swords met he leaned forward, his cold exterior never once changing. "Slinking into bedrooms and raping?" Sesshomaru questioned mockingly. "I see your little bitch," Sesshomaru said using the derogative term a true dog would use for a mate, "really didn't tell you." He said toying mercilessly with the worthless half-breed. Pushing back with the blade of his sword, Sesshomaru stood his ground, the sword lowered by his side, feeling no need to stand in an attacking position. "Look at yourself, you can't even access your own demon blood without turning into a mindless beast. And then you dare call this Sesshomaru pathetic?"
Inuyasha's own stance slipped into one of less aggression, although he still held the sword out, ready to defend or attack. He ignored the comment about his demon blood. He didn't need to be a full demon to attack Sesshomaru! He had a feeling that this was another one of Sesshomaru's tricks, and was waiting for him to say that Kagome had wanted it, when his heart screamed at him that it was a lie. "What do you mean?" he growled. "Kagome didn't tell me anything. The scars you left on her body were more than enough to tell me everything that I needed to know!"
Sesshomaru looked bored, his golden eyes seemed to almost laugh. Inuyasha was so easy to toy with. If Inuyasha only knew how little damage he had inflicted on Kikyo at first... It was all in the screams. The mind games. And now, now that they were so close to being sent home... he could allow himself the pleasure of getting rid of this pebble in his shoe. "To tell you she likes it hard and rough?" Sesshomaru inquired, a cold mocking look on his face as he watched Inuyasha's hands tighten on the sword.
"I'll kill you," he said in a deadly voice. It wasn't much a threat, but it was the best Inuyasha could do. He didn't have his brother's uncanny ability to play mind games. Inuyasha rushed him with a war cry that sent the birds from the trees. His attack was made in anger, and his heart was pounding so hard his brain felt it. He felt stronger and more powerful than he ever had before, yet still the walls he had put up long ago refused to come down and let the demon side completely take over.
Sesshomaru had been right: he didn't have control over that part of his body, but his brother wasn't aware of Inuyasha's true feelings: Sesshomaru hated humans, and after falling in love with one, Inuyasha was starting to despise demons, especially his brother.
Now Sesshomaru was finally getting a work out. The swords clang, and vibrated with every meeting. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed cruelly when his brother's attacks became more fervent. Sesshomaru did an elegant twist in the air and brought his sword blade down on Inuyasha, simply to be blocked and actually thrown back. Standing on thin air, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes menacingly. What a pest this half breed was becoming! Releasing a wave of power, burning everything in its trail, Sesshomaru allowed his eyes to lighten. "I will take great joy in ripping her apart. From the inside out." Sesshomaru said and looked over at Miroku, who was still working with the spells.
Without another word, Sesshomaru flew off towards the pirate ship. He felt a wave of power send vibrations through the air and knew the portal had been opened. Perfect. He would just purge one more remaining piece of evidence of their lingering in this human infested world, and then he would go reclaim his throne. Standing on the crow's nest, Sesshomaru elegantly poised his sword and swung it. The waves of powers crashed through the ship.
"Get back here, you fucking bastard!" He ran off after Sesshomaru, but could not seem to catch up. His hot blood turned cold when he saw where he was heading. Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder. "Miroku! The ship!"
"Shit! Sango!" Miroku felt obliged to leave, but if he did the energy would become unstable, and would cause more trouble than ten Sesshomarus. "Inuyasha, if Sango sees him….!" He couldn't finish the thought.
But his words of warning came too late. On the ship, Sango felt the power coming as she kicked back a headless demon body so that it wouldn't land on her. She glanced at Kagome, and saw that she looked disturbed by the wave of energy coming from the island. She could feel Miroku in that energy, and even Inuyasha, but the third was foreign, and slowly getting familiar as it drew closer. Her instinct told her, judging by Kagome's reaction, that this was the one who had hurt her.
Her fighting grew more dangerous as she tried to get rid of as many demons as she could. There weren't that many. The women were good fighters, knowing that it was the demons or them, and to her surprise, Kouga had actually stayed and fought, although she didn't know why. Payback, perhaps? Was he trying to protect Kagome now, as he hadn't been able to stop the captain before?
"Clear the decks!" she cried, running through another demon.
She could practically feel it when he landed, sending power down at them. Flames ran across the deck, but that was okay. It meant she could see better, but the captain seemed to glow, so she didn't really need it to see him. He hadn't changed at all: the hair and the face markings were still the same. Sango knew she didn't have much time. Once the fire reached the ammunition…. She dropped the torch and walked straight to the mass, knowing that Kagome would have more than enough sense to either put out the flames or get everybody off the ship.
Tears stung her eyes. Miroku would have known. Damn him, he would have known! "You!"
Sesshomaru gazed down, looking like a bored marbled statue. Had a human? A female, dare look up at him and speak? Waving his sword again, Sesshomaru sent another blast of energy down at the deck, with her as the center of the power storm.
Kagome raced for Sango. "Sango!" Kagome cried but the flames erupted and threw her back.
"Dammit!" Kouga shouted and seeing Sesshomaru had a moment of worry. Sesshomaru would kill him for this betrayal, but then again, who's to say he wouldn't have killed him anyway? Baring his fangs, Kouga raced forward and caught Sango, racing her out of the way of the blast. "Stupid female!" Kouga yelled and then looked up at Sesshomaru. He had had enough of his 'captain's' cruelty. Perhaps he did deserve to be kicked off of the throne after all, Kouga thought, knowing the thought alone was betrayal. He was a dead man either way.
Grinning recklessly, Kouga ran for the mast and used the power of his feet to kick at it, breaking Sesshomaru's stand. If he was gonna go down, he'd go down with a bang. Not that even Sesshomaru could take him, Kouga thought proudly.
Kagome ran to the women. "We have to put the flames out!" She yelled and ordered them to go get water and anything else they could to put out the flames. Running up to the wheel, Kagome pulled out an arrow and aimed it for Sesshomaru. "May I hit my aim..." Kagome whispered and shot the arrow.
Sesshomaru didn't show any emotion, yet inside he was angry with this impudence. Female humans were attacking him and trying to take his ship. Kouga attempting an attack? How dull. Extending his sword, Sesshomaru sliced Kagome's arrow in two before it could even hit him. Leaping from the crows nest to the deck, Sesshomaru released his whips at Kouga then turned to the girl nearest. Without any acknowledgement, Sesshomaru allowed his poison to float out towards her.
Sango saw a green, fast moving mist-like attacks coming at her and wondered if this was how her family had felt when they died.
Kouga used what was left of the mast to dodge the whip. "It's poison!" he shouted, stepping back too soon. The backlash of the whip caught him in the back of his shoulder.
'How the hell do you fight poison?' she wondered, backing up. At least the girls were still drawing up water, to help put up the flames. She glanced up, looking for a rope so that she could get out of the way (if you can't go around it, or under it, go over it) but there was nothing. Sango cursed, and then she felt the wind change, as if it foretold the future of the ship. She looked back in front of her and the poison was gone. Instead, blissfully, Miroku stood with his back to her. Half of her wanted to run him through, a quarter of her wanted to smack his head, but all of her wanted to kiss him. What the other quarter wanted to do was most obvious.
Miroku held out his hand, the hole in his hand sucking up the air pulling anything loose into the void. When the last of the poison was absorbed, he wound his Buddha beads around his hand, sealing off the curse and looked over his shoulder at Sango. "Sango! Are you alright?" Miroku demanded to know, not bothering to look at her, he didn't dare take his eyes off of Sesshomaru. You never turned your back on that man. This was very problematic, Miroku realized, when he saw all of the frightened girls just dropping the buckets of water. Thankfully enough, his wind tunnel had sucked the flames in, putting out the fire.
Inuyasha landed a second later, setting down in front of Kagome to protect her. And because he didn't think he could look at her now. He worried the murder in his eyes might scare her. But he still managed to smile for her, even though she couldn't see it. "It's impressive. You do good work."
Kagome looked relieved when Inuyasha showed up. A part of her happy that the other part was wrong, and that he really did show up. She was worried he wouldn't. But from the state he was in, it was obvious he had broken his promise not to take Sesshomaru on. Kagome would bite into him about that one later. "Not good enough." Kagome answered him, stringing another arrow and aiming it for Sesshomaru. "Why didn't he go into the portal?"
Kouga got to his feet and cursed vehemently, spitting out blood Kouga got to his feet and growled like the wolf demon he was. "Smelly worthless dog!" Kouga yelled and advanced on Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru released two whips this time, each slicing at him from a different direction, he then sent on flying at Miroku and his woman. Betrayal was not something Sesshomaru let off of the hook lightly. "Jaken." Sesshomaru said in a monotone voice.
The small demon just climbed on board, his two headed staff held tall. "L-Lord S-Sesshomaru!" Jaken called out of breath. He would go down with his leader! He would help him right this wrong! He'd teach these insolence pigs a lesson.
"I do not need you. Go away." Sesshomaru said pulling the sword back out of its seethe. "But since you are here. Light the ship." Sesshomaru said and swiped through the air slicing it and sending streams of power headed for Inuyasha and his bitch, before he leapt and sliced at Miroku, his sword slicing across his hand, the whole time without an expression or an emotion showing. Not even breaking a sweat.
Kouga dodged out the way, nearly falling off the ship as he did so. Inuyasha held his ground, the sword slicing the power as he protected his beloved Kagome, knowing that he'd be in for it later. But maybe he could make Kagome understand!... who was he kidding? She'd yell his ear off. God, he loved her! Sango made a mental note to yell at her own husband.
When Sesshomaru attacked, she wound around him, making another note to smother Miroku in kisses after she'd yelled at him. Sesshomaru was powerful, but Sango wasn't a demon killer simply because she wanted revenge, it was also because she was strong and as stubborn as a true demon. Sango blocked the attack, her whole body feeling the force of the clashing swords. She winced in pain, and did not have time to dodge when Sesshomaru grabbed her.
Inuyasha stepped only slightly out of the way, so that Kagome wouldn't be tempted to run to her friend. He only moved so that she could get a clearer shot. "Shoot him!" As if he needed to tell her to do that.
Kouga winced as he steadied himself and went after Jaken. "Don't even think about burning down my ship, bitch!"
No one had to tell Kagome twice as she released her arrow. Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder and huffed. Tossing the girl away from him and off of the ship, Sesshomaru swerved his sword around slicing the arrow, the power of it hitting his sword and letting out a blinding light. Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru looked away from her to his brother. With uncanny speed he advanced on him.
Miroku had staggered back when his hand had been sliced. But seeing Sango... Miroku jumped into action and raced to the railing catching her hand in his own. "Sango!" Miroku yelled helping her up, grabbing a hold of her waist, Miroku pulled her back on deck and held her with bruising force. "Don't try to take him on." Miroku told her, knowing it was no use. Unable to use his wind tunnel now that it was sliced, Miroku pulled Buddist runes out of his jacket pocket and threw them at Jaken and Sesshomaru. Those that hit Jaken caused the little demon to go into a fit, however those aimed for Sesshomaru merely burned up when hitting his aura.
Jaken finally released from the runes and feeling electrocuted hmpfed at Kouga and tapped down his staff. The old man's mouth opened up and released a wave of flames.
Kouga leapt up on the riggings which still remained, and pulled on his eye while sticking his tongue out. He'd get the drop of the slimy little demon sooner or later! And when he did the guy was going overboard!
Inuyasha reached back and grabbed Kagome's hand, pulling it around his neck and telling her to hold on as Sesshomaru charged them. Sesshomaru was after Kagome, after all, so as long as Inuyasha didn't turn his back, he was certain that he could keep her from getting hurt. He shifted closer to the start of the second level, the wall of Sesshomaru's very cabin protecting his backside from one of Sesshomaru's amazing leaps. He countered his brother's attack and immediately came up in a butterfly sweep, trying to keep his brother on the defensive.
Sango shrugged, and managed to sneak in a quick kiss, as well as a worried glance at his hand. If she wasn't going to attack him, then what else would she do? Her face was surprisingly calm. "I'm sorry, Miroku, would you prefer that I dressed in drag and did the hula to try and distract him, or can I please go about my job now?!"
Kouga waited until Jaken had turned away, obviously as cocky as his master and thinking that the wolf demon poised no threat, especially when he was in the midst of pulling a monkey act. Shippo had run off and was slowly pushing kegs of gunpowder from below deck, rolling them overboard. They'd do no harm when they were soaking wet. Jaken, however, saw it and switched his flame from Kouga's direction to Shippo's. Caught like a deer in a hunter's gaze, Shippo froze before swearing so colorfully even Inuyasha would have gone red. He kicked the keg the rest of the way and then dove back inside the ship to hide from the fire.
Seeing his chance, his knees securing him to the ropes, Kouga hung upside down and grabbed the little demon by the head, slamming Jaken's face into whatever wooden structure was nearest.
Miroku narrowed his eyes at Sango and moved his hand away. "He's too powerful. Even Inuyasha can't take him." He whispered to her, knowing what was fueling her. Hardening his gaze though, Miroku nodded and let her out of his grip. "Just... Don't change your clothes. It won't help the situation." Miroku joked and reached for a sword that one of the girls had.
Turning on his best charms, he captured her hand. "Would you bare my children?" He asked caressing her hand. Out of force of habit of course.
Kagome took another arrow and strung it to her bow. "Inuyasha," She whispered in his ear. "If you move a bit I can hit him."
"MIROKU!!"
Inuyasha winced at Sango's voice. They were battling for their lives and all Miroku could do was hit on girls. He would have sighed if he had breath to waste. As it was he nearly lost is grip on the sword when Kagome whispered to him. He needed to concentrate solely on the battle. . . .
An arrow wouldn't work. They had to send him into the portal and seal it back up before he could come back out. He needed to give Sesshomaru exactly what he wanted.
He wanted Kagome. Inuyasha couldn't hand over his wife.
'Could I?'
"I've got a better idea." Without thinking he backed away and sheathed the sword, somehow finding that the sword fit back into the scabbard. He grabbed Kagome's legs and pulled her closer as he leapt up without warning, landing on the roof of the captain's quarters. "Hey! Sesshomaru! You want to purge the bloodline, right? Does that mean that you don't want your nephew named after you? Oh, sorry! I forgot! For all we know, you might just be the father! In that case may I suggest Sesshy Jr.?"
He only hoped that Kagome would kill him for how he'd so blatantly mentioned her rape.
Kagome grabbed a fist full of Inuyasha's hair and yanked. She was a Priestess. She had to remain calm, and serene. But right now, she decided to use the common word she heard tossed around so much between the Pirates. "What the fuck?!" Kagome hissed into his ear. It wasn't the baby idea that annoyed her as much as the 'you might be the father bit'. Well, actually right now she was so astounded by what Inuyasha said, that everything really about his last statement irked her.
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. It would explain the look on the woman's face when his claws ran over her stomach... Sesshomaru for a moment doubted it. But then he gave it another quick thought. His weakling brother had mated with a woman, shared blood, obviously gotten laid, they both stank of it... Swirling his sword, Sesshomaru sent a wave of power straight for the roof. Leaping up into the air, Sesshomaru released both the strength of his sword and his whip. "I'll kill her. The babe. And then you. Letting you hear all the pain you put them through."
'Ow.' Okay, he deserved that. He began to wonder if maybe he'd been a bad influence on her when she swore. Inuyasha didn't like his woman swearing. That was his bit. She was supposed to be the calm one to soothe him down, to chain the beast inside him so that he could be himself and not somebody who was always fighting with demon lurking in his shadow self. 'Aw, hell, she can just bitch about that when she complains about how I took on Sesshomaru even though I promised her I wouldn't. I can't believe I'd forgotten about that so soon after I promised her. . . .'
Inuyasha ran as quickly as he could, dodging under the attacks and running right off the bow of the ship. He landed on the beach, his feet sinking into the wet sand. Only then did he turn around to add more fuel to the fire. "You can't kill her you if can't catch me! Jaken must have rubbed off on you after one of you 'exploits' together, brother!" He ran toward where the portal had been opened, and managed to sneak a glance at Kagome. "Sorry," he sheepishly apologized, knowing how weak it was.
Kouga continued pounding Jaken against the wall, as Shippo continued to rid the ship of anything that might cause it to explode, just in case. "Can't go with you guys to the island, huh? Not strong enough, huh? I'm the bloody leader of the wolf tribe and you stick me in the ship to play baby-sitter!"
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and looked back at Kouga. "Kouga." Sesshomaru warned and sent his whips flying, slashing everything in sight. "Jaken. Get to the portal." Sesshomaru said pointedly and then leapt after Inuyasha.
Kouga growled and then stopped beating up the now unconscious Jaken. He undid the rope that was holding Jakotsu, who still believed he was blind and tied the small demon to the other end, planning on dragging them back through the portal. Shippo was hiding. Kouga spotted him anyway, the tail twitching. He sighed. "I'm not going to make you come if you don't want to, kid."
Shippo stopped pretending to be a stool and returned to his normal form. "Really?"
"Yeah, Shippo, really. I mean, how could I break up you and Inuyasha? You've been pretty much inseparable since you came to court. And I have to leave somebody here to make sure that Inuyasha's okay and that Miroku's chick doesn't go crazy and kill him. So that's you, understand?" Shippo nodded and Kouga hit him as a big brother would his little brother.
Miroku watched Inuyasha make off. "Sango, we have to get this ship moving - NOW!"
Sango nodded. "I can do that." She really wanted to go and kick the crap out of Sesshomaru, but… "Just follow them, would you? Go and close the portal so that crazy bastard can't come back here and hurt more people like he did to my family! If you won't let me fight him, then you have to go and have some sort of help in his downfall as my husband!" She poked him hard in the chest before she began to shout out orders. The ship was in a bad state, but all it had to do was to make it back home.
Miroku nodded and quickly grazed a kiss over her throat. "He won't bother you ever again. Besides, the demons in the other world will kill him. We will avenge your family, but not now. Today isn't the day." Miroku promised her and leapt off of the boat, landing in the water. He swam for it and then ran once the water was shallow enough.
"Are you using me as bait?" Kagome demanded in Inuyasha's ear, though she clenched tighter to him as he ran. "What did you mean by exploits together?" Kagome question innocently.
"You know, sexual ones. I can't insult that well. Tell you what: I'll fight, you try and make him pissed off!" he growled, feeling oddly embarrassed.
Kagome blinked. "How the hell do I piss him off?!" Kagome demanded then a thought struck her. "Hold on to my legs, would you?" Kagome asked wrapping her legs around him tighter. Grabbing her bow, Kagome twisted around and shot an arrow through the air towards Sesshomaru. Its power left a blazing trail behind. "Think that'll work?"
Inuyasha was starting to grow tired, but he refused to give up. Kagome's life depended on it. He stopped when he got to the portal, hoping that Kagome's arrows had gotten his brother irked enough to become unstable. The portal made him feel nauseous. He gripped Kagome's legs tighter, fearful of having her slip into the swirling void that filled the acropolis of the island. He spun around, trying to work out the rest of the plot. Okay, he had a pissed off demon leaping at his heels, and he needed to trick him into a portal. How the hell was he supposed to do that? "Got any more ideas?" he asked Kagome.
Kagome could hear his breathing, she saw the sweat that collected on his brow. Worry fought at her. "I do." Kagome said and sliced the arrow in her hand across her wrist then forcefully pressed it to Inuyasha's mouth. "Don't fight, it gives energy." Kagome said and looked right ahead, the trees were rustling and there was an angry roar.
Kagome doubled backed. A roar?
Looking up, Kagome saw a giant dog demon standing far above the trees and looking down at them. "That's... not..." Kagome began but then the dog demon breathed down at them, its toxic breath killing everything around. 'He lost the throne?!' Kagome thought, swearing. She never wanted to meet this Naraku. Feeling the pull of the portal, Kagome began to worry. "Can you cause him to get close enough that the portal would pull him in?"
At first he tried to resist her, but then he accepted her gift, gulping her blood down. Her scent enveloped him and for a moment he wanted to swing her around and kiss her until she was breathless, but he reminded himself that there would be plenty of time for that later.
He pulled her wrist away, and held it tightly, hoping to maybe help to stop the blood flow. The last thing he'd need is to have her pass out. Inuyasha wondered if she even had the energy to give him. He couldn't worry about hat now! It was already too late!
"Yeah, actually, it is," he told her. He took another flying leap, this one right over the portal. The suction it caused as he balanced on the other side of it pulled at his clothes. It was dangerous, but maybe he could get the suction to help him. Kagome could feel it too. He only hoped that his brother was angry enough to fall for it and step into the portal.
Inuyasha doubted he could leap over the portal again. He'd almost gotten caught in the drag. Straightening, he smiled at her. "I bet you fifteen minutes of your time that you can't hit him in the eye from here. If you hit him I'll do whatever you want for fifteen minutes, but if you miss, you get to do whatever I want for fifteen minutes."
Kagome twisted around to look at him. Arching her brow, Kagome strung the arrow through the bow. "Any ideas what I should have you do for fifteen straight minutes after I hit him?" Kagome asked, intentionally breathing close to his ear. Kagome then released the arrow.
He shrugged after she had let the arrow fly. "Well, having you come up with something is all part of the fun," he said, wishing that his brother would just die already. The arrow flew true, and Sesshomaru missed such a small target as he tried to swipe it out of the way. The arrow struck him in the nose instead of the eye. "Aw. Well, I'll give you seven minutes for hitting the bastard."
Kagome shook her head. "A deal is a deal, and we stick by our deals Inuyasha." Kagome said allowing herself a little squeeze of his shoulders. "Fifteen minutes." She promised then added. "Anything you want me to do. Look out!" Kagome shouted when the green cloud of poison came at them.
Leaping away, he watched as the poison got sucked into the vortex. It seemed that anything demonic got captured in there. That might mean Kagome was in danger too. But it meant that the pull wouldn't be as strong for Inuyasha as it was for Sesshomaru. Inuyasha was only half demon, after all. He got a plan.
Kneeling down so that she could slide off, he told her his idea. "If we can even get him close to the portal, it might be strong enough so that he'll get sucked in. We just need Miroku here so that he can close up the portal. He wants to kill you. He'll eventually try to come over here and reach you. You have to keep the portal between you, but don't get too close to it! I'm going to try and push him forward, okay?" he asked, doubting that she would appreciate being used as human fodder.
"Inuyasha, it's too dangerous!" Kagome said and looked around. Spotting Miroku, Kagome looked back at the portal. The other demons already went through it.... "You have to get him to change first. He's too big like this," Kagome said thoughtfully. She turned to get behind the portal but then turned and kissed him. "It's your last chance to go. I won't blame you." Kagome promised then ran to her position and began shooting arrows at Sesshomaru, without realizing how low she was running.
He was shocked but reacted immediately, even as he tried to figure out how to get Sesshomaru to change back. Inuyasha had to make him run out of energy. Sesshomaru didn't have a beautiful partner to lend him in a hand, though. Inuyasha knew that his brother was starting to run low, it was just a matter of making him burn his energy quicker. He caught up to Kagome and grabbed her, then kissed her passionately. Though he was pleased by it very much, Inuyasha knew that his brother was pissed off by the sight. When he let her go, slowly as it pained him to do so, all traces off the demon he could have easily been at the start of the fight had vanished to leave only his heart behind. "If I go, it will be because I had to, not because I wanted to." And with that he left, and ran around the portal, not daring to leap over it, drawing his sword which had once again become a demon's fang.
Sesshomaru deflected the arrows with ease and then morphed back to his human form. A beacon of light, he advanced on Inuyasha. His sword slashed across his brother's chest. "Noble effort. But worthless in the long run." Sesshomaru attacked again with his sword, the blade reflecting the moon light and shinning with its own inner demonic powers. "You are keeping me." Sesshomaru said, raising his eyes to where Kagome stood now arrowless. "Was she worth it?" He asked in a cold uncaring voice.
Barely managing to block Sesshomaru's attack, Inuyasha slipped his hand in his shirt and felt the wound. It was long, but shallow. It would heal soon enough, he just had to be a little bit more careful. "If you don't know the answer, then obviously she didn't 'respond' to you like we do to each other." How could his brother possibly comprehend the idea of seeing fireworks when they kissed or the feeling of his blood running hotter than hellfire when he smelled her?
His attacks were as fast as lightning as he attacked, trying to move so that his advances would help push Sesshomaru into the portal. "Why don't you just make it easier on yourself on jump on in? I'm staying right here." Then, with a lunge that almost hit Sesshomaru, he added, "Where I belong."
Sesshomaru shook his head in disgust. Assaulting Inuyasha again with his sword, Sesshomaru laughed. It was a cold sound. "Belong? Among humans? You might stink of them, but you aren't one of them. You never will be. And fucking her won't help. You'll never be accepted. So just die. Won't you?" Sesshomaru asked lunging forward, and feeling a weight full upon him. The stupid girl was trying to tackle him.
"Inuyasha! Now!" Kagome shouted.
"Kagome!" His anger fought through his surprise and attacked while his brother tried to dislodge the priestess. His approach was silent and he knocked the sword out of his brother's hands, his power sending it flying in the air. It was sucked into the portal. The pull of it ripped at his clothes and his hair. It felt like they were in a tornado. Having all three of them so close to the portal seemed to have acted as a sort of magnet, and all the pull was directed at that one point.
How was the wind was torrential and yet his brother somehow managed to stay so serene looking?
Grabbing Kagome's shirt to steady her –and maybe himself too- he kicked his brother square in the chest. As Sesshomaru's feet lifted of the ground, the pull grew even stronger. The portal could sense the demonic scent and knew the owner was weak, so it increased its strength, pulling and sucking at the evil aura as hard as it could until it got what it wanted.
"Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled, the words ripped right from his throat as he formed them. Stabbing his sword into he ground, he prayed it would hold. Kagome held on to his blood-splattered haori, and his free arm held her between himself and his anchor. "Start the closing ritual!"
Miroku walked up to the side of the portal and pulled a crystal out of place.
The portal closed. Smiling sheepishly, the once monk grinned. "That's the tricky thing about portals. They are easier to close then they are to open."
He fell into the dirt when the pull suddenly stopped. Pulling himself up, he glared at Miroku. "A little unimaginative and anti climactic, don't you think?" he asked. Inuyasha smiled after wards, and he turned to look at Kagome. She was pale, making her cheeks and eyes all the more brighter when she smiled back at him. He let go of her to brush her hair. "That was stupid, and headstrong and, and… and probably the exact same thing I would have done," he admitted before he pulled her into his arms for a celebratory kiss.
Kagome burst into laughter against his lips. "Not now…" She whispered to him. However she wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "You didn't leave..." Kagome said this time feeling tears touch her eyes. "I wasn't sure... But you didn't..." Kagome said holding on to him as though for dear life. Looking over his shoulder at Miroku, Kagome smiled softly. He looked worse for wear too.
"We better get back," Kagome said, seeing Miroku's obvious relief. They waited until Miroku collected all of the needed things, and began the journey to the shore of the island. Kagome couldn't help but notice the jaunty jump in Miroku's step as he walked along.
"Hey, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked as they followed Miroku hand in hand. "Were you serious about Sesshy Jr.?"
He stopped, and pulled her to a stop as well, letting the monk wonder ahead. He lifted his hand from the sword and cupped Kagome's chin in his hand, his eyes the gentle amber color they were when he was being honest with her. How he could he tell her what he truly felt about such a serious matter? But when he looked at her he had to smile. "I would never torture our kid with such a horrific name," he teased as he began to rub his thumb over her blushing cheek.
"As far as I'm concerned, Kagome, my brother did nothing at all to you. And neither did I. You're still as beautiful and innocent as the day when you shot two arrows through my shoulder, and you always will be. And, oddly enough, I'm fairly certain that was when I fell in love with you. Whatever happens in life, happens, and we can accept it because we have each other. And if you are pregnant, the chances are far better it's mine, and I don't care whose kid it is, because you're the mother. And because I'll be the father, no matter what."
Kagome stared at him in shock, then disgust and literally pushed him into the water. "What do you mean 'chances are it's mine'!?" Kagome shouted at him and began kicking at him. Battle with Sesshomaru or not, he was doubting her virtue and that was enough to get her blood boiling again.
Miroku paused and looked behind him. He couldn't help but wince, Kagome was seriously beating Inuyasha up. "Right now... I am quite happy with my decision for Sango..." Miroku muttered and resumed his advance to the ship, swimming the rest of the way.
Shippo was the one who threw the rope overboard for him to catch and climb up with. Dripping water all over the deck, he pushed back his bangs and grinned at Shippo. "Thanks." He said and looked around for Sango.
Tapping her foot impatiently, Sango's hands were on her hips. As soon as she saw Miroku she forgot whatever it was that she was supposed to yell at him for, and she leapt on him, not caring that his clothes were soaked and knowing that he wouldn't care that there was demon blood on hers. Sango kissed him soundly, pulling out his ponytail and laced her fingers in his hair as her tongue enticed him into kissing her back just as soundly. Which wasn't all that hard to do, considering it was Miroku. She completely forgot about Sesshomaru, and smiled at him as she pulled away after she found herself breathless and her brain foggy. "I love you, you perverted monk, but if you ever hit on another girl again I'll… I'll… I'll make sure that you never get your male heir!" She kissed him again, sighing and rubbing her nose against his. "And I'm sorry that I ever doubted that you'd come back to me."
Miroku pulled back and groaned. "Sango, it's force of habit..." Miroku explained, his hand feeling up her beautifully rounded posterior. "It's not like I would do anything with them…" Miroku stopped and stared at his minx of a wife. "What do you mean male heir?" Miroku questioned knowing that stuff she slipped into her sake didn't differentiate between sexes. "You know, there are certain positions which insure-" Miroku stopped when he noticed the women looking at him. "It's alright! I'm her husband! And to those whom I proposed mothering my young- The job has been filled! Thank you!"
Kagome on the other hand, was not as loving and still kicking at Inuyasha. "Are you seriously doubting my virtue? I was a virgin before you- you-" Kagome let out a frustrated scream. "You think I slept with someone else?! Chances are it's yours?! CHANCES ARE?! Well, if I were pregnant there were no chances about it! It would be yours! You better bloody well be hoping I'm not though! To think.... You'd be a father? So kind! You know what? Forget it! I can raise a kid alone perfectly fine! Chances are... Hey, Shippo!" Kagome shouted as she trudged through the water towards the ship, ignoring Inuyasha. "Feel like marrying me?"
Limping through the water, he still managed to catch up to her. His thoughts were bitter, though his heart was still happy. Obviously they had gotten their meanings mixed up. Inuyasha took her hand again. "Kagome, I was trying to make a joke about how many times we had sex. Not that I'm complaining or anything…." He laughed nervously, afraid he was going to start beating him again. "I don't doubt you at all. I lo… Shippo?" He looked at the ship to see the short demon waving a friendly arm. "Shippo? I try and tell you that I want to raise a family with you and you ask Shippo to marry you?!"
Kagome turned around, causing splashes of water as she did. For a minute she simply glowed. "A family?" Kagome asked thinking back to the one she left. But then she narrowed her eyes. "Well, you have some way about it! Chances are? Sure, funny, but Inuyasha... The chances are 100% unless you want me to lower those chances." Kagome said then grinned. Her wet hair was matted and clung to her face.
"Well…" Kagome said then stopped. "Actually, how tired are you?" Kagome asked looking him over. He looked exhausted. But still, she couldn't help wanting him. "I should hope you wouldn't complain, you are getting fifteen minutes after all." Kagome teased then looked up at the smiling demon, who obviously hadn't heard her. "Do you want to start a family now?" Kagome asked.
His eager laughter at her question died off when she asked her second one. A family? Now? Inuyasha closed the gap between them. "I just want you, right now. We can make a family anytime we want, but right now I just want to be able to hold you, and kiss you, and not have to worry about my brother walking in unannounced and interrupting us. And then after I have you, all I want is to be able to have a really long nap because I doubt I would have enough energy left to sit up, that's what I want."
Inuyasha wanted to kiss her just then and show her just how much he wanted and needed Kagome, but somehow he didn't think that everything was worked out between them and sex would not always fix it. So instead he gazed deeply into her eyes and pulled her hand over his heart so that she could feel its pulse. "The only reason why it's there is for you, Kagome."
Kagome leaned forward and kissed him. "After that long nap of yours, will follow a long bath." Kagome whispered then grinned, enjoying the feel of the waves splashing against them. "When I meant a family, I meant take in Shippo... He's alone in this world, and he looks up to you..." Kagome explained running her fingers over his chest, tenderly touching his wounds. "I'm glad I was awake that night," Kagome whispered kissing his jaw and seductively passing her tongue over the spot where she had bitten him. "When we get back to the village, you owe me a door. Then we can lock it whenever we want, no one to interrupt us." Kagome said, seeing it all now and loving it. "I want to love you, and I want to know you," Kagome whispered, running her fingers through his hair. "I've never felt so alive. You didn't leave. You're here with me... And we can be as loud as we want." Kagome said laughing into his mouth, while kissing him joyfully.
"Oh, and Inuyasha?" Kagome asked already starting to untie his jacket. "When we get back, I want us to do it better this time." She said blushing. "I want us to trade blood on purpose, knowing what we're doing and I want a marriage fitting this world too." Kagome explained then smiled impishly. "We can come up with our ritual, fitting our world."
Next week: The Epilogue…. Or is it?