Chapter 30: Dependence
"So, it's all set then?" Sesshomaru asked Naraku. "Two fighters, one from each side. No one may fully enter the designated fighting circle without his or her side forfeiting the victory. The same goes for the two fighters. They may not leave fully leave the circle before the match is over, so they will forfeit. Everything else goes; a fight to the death."
"And what shall the victory prize be?"
"The winner decides the terms of the treaty and the losing side can do nothing. They must follow the terms."
"No matter what?" Naraku asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"No matter what." Sesshomaru nodded.
'Oh, man. They're both insane. Hundreds of people's lives, even my life, rest on that treaty, and they're going to decide the outcome with a battle?! What kind of…'
"Agreed." Naraku nodded. "I will fight for the factions."
"Very well." Sesshomaru nodded, stepping away. "Inuyasha, go ahead. You're fighting."
"What?! But you said you would kill him!" I protested.
"I said that I would watch him die. Don't put words in my mouth."
"Why do I have to fight him?"
"It's obvious. You have Tetsusaiga. Besides, if you lose, you're dead either way." Sesshomaru replied, not meeting my eye. I glared at him, but his cold, calculating face did not waver.
"Why, you son of a fuckin'…"
"He has a point." Kagome sighed, placing her hand on my arm. "I know you weren't expecting to fight and I know this battle is really important. Lots of people are depending on the outcome. I know it' s a lot to ask, for you to gamble with your life, and I don't know if you've ever fought before in your life, I know you can do this. Don't ask me how, but I know you're going to win."
"Go ahead, Inuyasha!" Miroku grinned, punching his fist into the air. I turned and looked at him. He was still sitting next to Sango, protecting her and holding her hand. "Beat the snot out of his damn head!"
"Don't make him do anything he doesn't want to do" Naraku laughed, and I turned to glare at him. "If the disgusting hanyou is to scared to…"
"I'm not scared, you hypocritical asshole." I spat, walking forward into the circle. "I was just talking it over."
"If you say so. I didn't know that cowardice was called 'talking it over' these days." Naraku shrugged. "Well, lets move it along."
"Relax. You've got the rest of eternity to be dead." I laughed, as I slowly inched my hand towards Tetsusaiga, which I had slipped into the waistband of my jeans. I liked the comforting weight it offered, and I was especially glad I had it now.
"So do you." Naraku smirked, and I leapt high into the air. Twisting as I fell, I turned to face him and I grasped Tetsusaiga's handle. I bent my knees to absorb the impact of my landing, when ten root-like objects sprang out of the ground and wrapped their tentacles around my ankles and waist. The roots also wrapped around my elbows, and began to pull at them.
"Stay." Naraku laughed, as he turned to face me.
"You…" I began, as I struggled against my bindings I tried to free my gun, but the roots were keeping it trapped, while they pulled at my arms. Eventually giving in, I let the roots pull my arms up so that my elbows were touching my head.
"No. I can't have you using your gun. I know all about that." Naraku grinned.
"But how?" I wondered.
"You think no one else has heard about Tetsusaiga? It's a legend! The only one of its kind. Pity it's wasted on you."
"So why don't you take it?"
"I may be jealous, but I'm not stupid." Naraku laughed with a condescending smile. "I know it's the only thing that keeps your demon form locked away."
"What?"
"Oh! You don't know. That's why your father gave it to you. The sword will lock away the youkai part of you. Didn't Sesshomaru tell you?"
"No. He didn't." I frowned, as I looked over at Sesshomaru, who simply shrugged.
"Hum. Looks like you two have had a conflict of… interest?" Naraku taunted, and I suddenly realized what he was trying to do.
"You son of a…"
"Of a what?" Naraku asked as he walked forward and punched me in the face. I felt a small cut in my cheek produce blood. I heard Sesshomaru grunt in disgust and I looked up to see his face contorted into a sneer of disappointment. Just as I was about to yell at Sesshomaru, I noticed that, to my horror, Naraku was leaning forward to lick the blood off my face. I moved my eyes to watch him and shivered in disgust as Naraku's tongue slid across my face and lapped up my blood.
"Let me tell you something, boy." Naraku smirked. "I haven't got a mother. Just hundreds of fathers. Do you want to know something else? Those roots that are binding you? They're a part of me. That happens when you' re a hanyou… of many colors."
"You're only colorful in your choice of victims, you freak"
"Cheap taunts will get you nowhere… fast."
"I like road trips."
"Cute. Hey, Sesshomaru. I think I'm going to like killing your brother."
"Half-brother." I heard Sesshomaru respond.
'Asshole. You can't be considered any more related than we really are, can you?' I mentally snarled, when I noticed Kagome kneeling next to Sango. Suddenly standing, Kagome flashed me a small smile.
"INUYASHA!" Kagome shouted, before twisting her body slightly "CATCH!"
Blinking in surprise, I watched Kagome fling a metal object at the area above my head.
"What the hell?!" Naraku wondered, as he turned. In his confusion, Naraku must have loosened my bonds a little, because I managed to relax my arms just enough to catch Sango's gun, which Kagome had thrown at my head.
Switching the gun to my other hand, so that the handle was in my hand, I quickly shot at Naraku. I was almost positive that it wouldn't kill him, but it would definitely hurt the bastard.
I felt the Naraku release me and I fell to my knees, drawing Tetsusaiga. I brought it up and prepared to blast out Naraku's brains. If only I could have decided which one to shoot at.
"Holy shit." I whispered. I spun around quickly, trying to figure out how there could be fifteen different Naraku's surrounding me, each one holding its right arm in pain.
"HEY!" Kagome shouted. "That's not fair."
"Actually…" Sesshomaru muttered. "I did say anything goes."
"Then you're screwed in the head!" Kagome retorted, turning on my brother. Licking my lips, I fired twice at one of the Naraku's, but the bullets passed through.
"Missed me." Naraku giggled from behind me and I fell to the ground as Naraku punched me in the spine. I grunted and turned, firing again. "My, Inuyasha. You're not a very good shot, are you?"
"Play fair!" I insisted, as punched the ground and jumped to my feet.
"Inuyasha!" I heard Miroku shout, as Naraku hit me in the neck, causing my eyes to water. Growling, I wiped my eyes, but managed to keep on my feet. "He's going for your left!"
"What?!" I shouted, just as a fist connected with the left side of my face. I fell onto my back, winded for a moment, and looked up to see thirty Naraku' s looking down at me. Whether the bastard had multiplied again, or whether I was too dizzy to see straight, I couldn't tell.
"The one on your right!" Miroku shouted. "Right!"
"Gotcha!" I snarled faintly, as I reached up with my gun and, in an attempt to save bullets, smashed the handle of Tetsusaiga into Naraku's face. The Naraku I had hit stumbled back a step and most of the Naraku's surrounding me disappeared. Flopping onto my back, I rolled onto my side and tried to get my strength back as I watched him. Naraku placed his fingers against his face and when he removed his hand I could see that he had a giant cut right above his left eye.
'SCORE!' I thought foggily.
"Meddling human. Why don't you stay… out of my way!!" Naraku yelled, as he turned to look at Miroku. There was a sudden burst of dirt and a large root, like the ones that had bound me, snaked out of the ground and headed towards Miroku.
I opened my mouth to call out a warning, but it happened too fast to comprehend. I saw Sesshomaru reach into his coat to pull out one of his guns while he moved forward, and I thought I heard Kagome scream. Miroku was covering his head and bending over Sango's body.
Suddenly, before Sesshomaru could even pull his gun, there was a shot and Naraku's root recoiled as if it had been shocked.
"Leave Genkaku alone." A boy's voice commanded. "Stay in the circle."
"Kohaku." Naraku snarled and I shakily got to my feet. "I thought I smelled you on the air, but I thought the stench of a traitor must have been coming from Kagura."
"No, you smelt me. I apologize for being so late, Lord Sesshomaru." The boy, presumably Kohaku, snapped, as he helped the sister of Kagura climb onto the platform. Returning his full gaze to Naraku, Kohaku smirked slightly. "I' m late because I had to save Kana from falling. Well, Naraku, aren't you going to continue the fight? It seems your opponent is ready."
'Damn.' I thought to myself, as Naraku gave Kohaku the finger and returned his attention back to me. I was still seeing double and I could barely stand. Raising Tetsusaiga, I fired but the shot was so poor that Naraku didn' t even dodge.
'I'm going to die.' I realized, as Naraku took a step forward and I raised my gun to fire again. 'I'm honestly and truly going to die.'