Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. I do however own a great pair of socks! Yay socks!
Inuyasha's gaze was set stubbornly forward as he raced quickly through the forest, heading west. His feet rarely touched the ground as his pace quickened with every step. Miroku and Sango were a long ways behind him, and he doubted that they would be able to find him now. Still, he couldn't stop. Stopping was out of the question. Kagome was in danger.
It wasn't long before Inuyasha's eyes settled upon a faint light coming up in the distance, and unbeknownst to the hanyou, as he took the last final leaps towards the shrine, he passed through a barrier, which shimmered mockingly behind him as he passed through it.
Finally Inuyasha brought his hurried pace to a halt, and continued at a walk. His golden eyes stayed trained around him, searching for any sign of life, yet all he could see was fog, and a bright light glaring through up ahead. He made his way in that direction, his ears trained for the smallest sound.
The outline of a large building came into view, and Inuyasha instantly recognized it as Naraku's shrine. He had found it. He had found him. The thought of why it had been so easy for him to find Naraku's shrine now as opposed to earlier never even teased the back of his mind. Instead, all he could think of was Kagome.
Quickly he made his way to the front of the shrine, stopping at the bottom of the shrine's steps, where two lights burned brightly from candles above him. He paused a moment, his hand falling to the hilt of the Tetsuiga. Then he narrowed his golden eyes in a deathly glare and raced up the steps and into the shrine.
He had intended to race in, draw his Tetsuiga, and finish Naraku once and for all. He had intended to race in, save Kagome, and save the day. He had intended to do anything but stop dead, his Tetsuiga drawn and yet lowered in his hand, and stare. But that was exactly what he did.
Standing in the center of the room was Naraku, looking smug and confident as always, his long black hair falling almost gracefully around his shoulders and framing his face. Standing behind Naraku in the far dark corner, was Sesshoumaru, leaning against the wall and watching with something of consideration or disgust in his eyes. But worst of all, destroying his hot headed plan most of all, was that Kagome was no where in sight, and he didn't sense her anywhere.
"Ah, Inuyasha. Right on time." Naraku said coyly, and set his eyes on the hanyou.
"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha growled through clenched teeth. He opened his mouth again, to utter a threat when his eyes settled on something he had missed when first entering the room, and his breathe caught in his throat. For what he was seeing, was the Shikon No Tama, hanging around Naraku's neck. No. The –completed- Shikon No Tama, laying nonchalantly about Naraku's neck. Naraku was obviously aware of Inuyasha's surprise, because he grinned, and motioned towards the jewel, which was swimming with dark energy.
"Looking at this, Inuyasha?" He asked innocently. "Surprised?"
"How..... how did you....." Inuyasha began, but then trailed off, closing his eyes tightly and then reopening them again with a shake of his head. He had to concentrate. He would worry about the jewel later. "Where is Kagome?" He repeated his earlier question.
"Kagome?" Naraku chuckled softly. "You mean Kikyou's pathetic excuse for a reincarnate?"
"Where is she?" Inuyasha growled again, narrowing his eyes. He was hardly aware of his ever silent brother in the corner, watching with apathetic eyes.
"Don't get so aggressive. She's right here." Naraku said. Inuyasha watched him for a moment, and then looked around the room once more. Still no Kagome in sight. But when he looked back, Naraku took a swift step to the side, and revealed something lying upon the floor that had been hidden behind him. No..... It wasn't something, it was someone. It was.....
Inuyasha's eyes grew wide, and his breath caught in his throat for the second time. Suddenly everything was slow. He could see Naraku's lips twist slowly into a devious grin. He could see Sesshoumaru look half- heartedly to his brother, waiting to see his reaction. And he could hear his own heart, pounding ominously in his head.
'Kagome.....'
Everything after that happened quickly, as Inuyasha raced forward quickly, dropping the Tetsuiga carelessly to the floor of the shrine, and gathering Kagome's still and fallen form in his arms. Naraku stepped forward, and uttered some cruel words that Inuyasha didn't have the heart to hear. Sesshoumaru walked calmly from his corner, and to the door of the shrine, where he knelt and easily picked up the Tetsuiga with the arm he had borrowed from a mortal. He and Naraku exchanged words, and then Sesshoumaru had left the hut.
Naraku chuckled, madness brimming in his voice, and then followed in the direction Sesshoumaru had departed, leaving Inuyasha, all work almost completed.
Now everything depended on Kikyou doing her part.
"Wait! I think I see something over there!"
Miroku looked in the direction Sango had pointed, and squinted. At first he didn't see anything, and his hope was all but crushed, but then, sure enough, he thought he could see a light pinning out from the darkness. With a leap of hope that filled his heart, he nodded quickly.
"Yes! I think I see it too Sango-chan."
"What do you think it is?"
"I think it's what we've been searching for."
Kirara landed quickly, and Miroku and Sango jumped off, heading towards the light. Miroku was ahead of Sango, running quickly, his eyes set ahead. It wasn't long though, before he hit the barrier Inuyasha had easily passed through, and fell backwards. Sango stopped quickly at the sight of the fallen houshi, and after a quick glance to see if he was bleeding, she stepped forward. Slowly she raised a hand and moved it forward. It touched a surface, that felt much like glass, and the air in front of her and around her hand shimmered and pooled like water.
"It's a barrier." Sango said softly, and then, as an after thought she added, "A very well disguised one."
Miroku slowly clambered to his feet, a hand holding his head. He let his eyes fall to the area around Sango's hand, where the barrier was shimmering and swimming around her skin. With a groan he closed his eyes.
"Now what do we do?" He asked, his voice filled with the doubt he felt.
"I..... don't know." Sango said, and sighed desperately. She turned, and leaned back against the barrier, letting the invisible wall swim around her form as she crossed her arms about her chest. Her gaze turned to the ground, and her voice lowered. "Maybe you were right..." She began. "Maybe it is hopeless--"Sango stopped abruptly, as she slowly felt herself sinking backwards. Before she knew what was happening, her arms were flailing at her sides and her backside and head came in rough contact with the soil. It took her a moment to realize she had cried out.
"Sango-chan!" Miroku exclaimed quickly, and raced towards her.
"I'm okay—"She began, until she realized Miroku wasn't even looking at her.
"The barrier! It's gone!"
Sango blinked up at him, and then turned her gaze around her. Sure enough, she was now lying on the ground on the opposite side of where they had just been. Somehow, the barrier was now gone. Hope had been restored again.
With a grin, Miroku leaned down and offered a hand to Sango, who took it gratefully and let him pull her to her feet.
"Are you alright Sango-chan?" Miroku asked, but not without the hint of a faint grin. Nevertheless he began to brush off her clothes and hair of the debris it had picked up.
"Fine." Sango said. "But I'd be even better if you would get your hand off my butt." Miroku chuckled, but next thing he knew, he was once again on the ground, this time with a decent sized bump on his head.
Inuyasha's breath came in short gasps as he gazed down at Kagome. He was holding her tightly to him in his arms. Her eyes were closed and some of her raven locks had fallen over her still face. Her chest did not move with the rythmatic breathing that Inuyasha had been calmed by so many times before. She was perfectly still, limp and lifeless in his arms.
Slowly Inuyasha raised an unsteady hand to her face, brushing aside the black stands. He forced himself to swallow, but his breathing didn't steady, and his eyes were threatening to tear.
"K-kagome....." Inuyasha stammered quietly. "K-kagome. P-please, Kagome. Please... wake up." His voice broke upon the last plea, and finally he closed his eyes, tears finally spilling forth slowly and falling upon his sleeping beauty's cheeks and lips.
But unlike any fairy tale ever told, Kagome did not awake at the touch of Inuyasha's tears. Nor at his broken cry for her to return to life in his arms. She was gone. She was truly and really gone this time.
Inuyasha's cries were becoming more frantic and hysterical, and he clutched Kagome to him tighter, beginning to rock slowly back and forth lightly, shaking his head and managing to utter a broken and desperate 'no' through his tears. At the moment, the anger he felt towards Naraku was unimportant. Even the fact that his brother had finally managed to take his sword was a minuscule point. The only thing that mattered was being there with Kagome, holding her tightly and praying that she would come back to life. That she would return somehow.
"Inuyasha....."
Inuyasha looked up quickly, his teeth bared as a growl echoed from his throat and his golden eyes narrowed. But as he laid sight upon his visitor, his features quickly softened, and he stared with a perplexed expression.
"Kikyou?" He asked unsurely, his voice weak.. She looked different somehow, more alive and real than he had remembered seeing her since she was alive.
'Did you ever cry like that for me?' Kikyou thought as anger grew deeply within her heart. Inuyasha looked a wreck, sitting upon the shrine's floor, holding the miko girl and bawling like a child. It disgusted her.
"Inuyasha, what happened?" Kikyou asked, and took a step forward, training her eyes upon the lifeless Kagome. Inuyasha followed her gaze at once, and his eyes settled upon Kagome's soft features.
"She's......" Inuyasha began, with no intention of finishing.
"Dead?" Kikyou said, and Inuyasha flinched, closing his eyes tightly. He took in a deep and very unsteady breath.
"Yes."
"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha." Kikyou said softly, and took a few steps towards him. "What will you do now?"
Inuyasha was silent, but slowly reopened his eyes, staring down at Kagome. His heart was heavy, and he wanted nothing more then to feel nothing.
"Inuyasha?"
"I should have been there. I should have..... protected her."
Kikyou's heart swelled with rage and anger, and her right hand balled into a tight fist, her nails digging deeply into the skin of her palm. She took a deep breath though, and relaxed her hand again. After a moment or two, she spoke again, when she trusted her voice not to shake with anger.
"There was nothing you could do Inuyasha." She spoke, more quickly now, as if in a rush. "But..... there is something you can do now."
Inuyasha looked up finally, his eyes suspicious.
"......What?" He asked cautiously.
"Come with me, Inuyasha. It's the only way to escape your pain now. You let Kagome down, and now she's dead. There is nothing left for you to do. Come with me to Hell, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha stared at her for a while, listening to her words half- heatedly. After he didn't answer, Kikyou became more frantic, and began speaking again.
"Look at her Inuyasha." Kikyou instructed, her eyes narrowing lightly. "She's dead because you weren't there to protect her. If anything, you deserve, to come with me. This is all your fault, after all."
Inuyasha eyes were lowered again, a shadow cast over his apathetic gaze, and he was still silent. Kikyou's heart gave a leap of hope. Surely he would give in now. He had no other choice. Naraku and Sesshoumaru had gotten what they had wanted from Inuyasha, and now it was only fit that she would get what she deserved too.
"Inuyasha?" She said quietly, watching him curiously.
"You were part of this weren't you?" Inuyasha asked quietly, something new brewing in his voice.
"What?" Kikyou asked, startled.
"That's why you are here now. That's why you distracted me earlier." His hands clenched, fingers digging into Kagome's lifeless form. "You were part of this."
"Don't be ridiculous Inuyasha." Kikyou said, though weakly.
"You killed Kagome."
Inuyasha slowly raised his gaze again, and Kikyou's heart jumped to her throat. Slowly she took a small step back, as Inuyasha's eyes flashed a brilliant red. A dangerous growl that spoke only of death was growing in his throat, and it was evident then. Inuyasha wasn't going to Hell with Kikyou.
A/N: For anyone who is spazzing right now, I suggest you take a look at the author note for chapter 6. So cool yer jets and dun worry. At least dun worry a lot. ;;;
Anyway – I'll try to post the next chapter soon! Mwah! Hands out Irish Potatoes.
Kimmy-chan
Inuyasha's gaze was set stubbornly forward as he raced quickly through the forest, heading west. His feet rarely touched the ground as his pace quickened with every step. Miroku and Sango were a long ways behind him, and he doubted that they would be able to find him now. Still, he couldn't stop. Stopping was out of the question. Kagome was in danger.
It wasn't long before Inuyasha's eyes settled upon a faint light coming up in the distance, and unbeknownst to the hanyou, as he took the last final leaps towards the shrine, he passed through a barrier, which shimmered mockingly behind him as he passed through it.
Finally Inuyasha brought his hurried pace to a halt, and continued at a walk. His golden eyes stayed trained around him, searching for any sign of life, yet all he could see was fog, and a bright light glaring through up ahead. He made his way in that direction, his ears trained for the smallest sound.
The outline of a large building came into view, and Inuyasha instantly recognized it as Naraku's shrine. He had found it. He had found him. The thought of why it had been so easy for him to find Naraku's shrine now as opposed to earlier never even teased the back of his mind. Instead, all he could think of was Kagome.
Quickly he made his way to the front of the shrine, stopping at the bottom of the shrine's steps, where two lights burned brightly from candles above him. He paused a moment, his hand falling to the hilt of the Tetsuiga. Then he narrowed his golden eyes in a deathly glare and raced up the steps and into the shrine.
He had intended to race in, draw his Tetsuiga, and finish Naraku once and for all. He had intended to race in, save Kagome, and save the day. He had intended to do anything but stop dead, his Tetsuiga drawn and yet lowered in his hand, and stare. But that was exactly what he did.
Standing in the center of the room was Naraku, looking smug and confident as always, his long black hair falling almost gracefully around his shoulders and framing his face. Standing behind Naraku in the far dark corner, was Sesshoumaru, leaning against the wall and watching with something of consideration or disgust in his eyes. But worst of all, destroying his hot headed plan most of all, was that Kagome was no where in sight, and he didn't sense her anywhere.
"Ah, Inuyasha. Right on time." Naraku said coyly, and set his eyes on the hanyou.
"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha growled through clenched teeth. He opened his mouth again, to utter a threat when his eyes settled on something he had missed when first entering the room, and his breathe caught in his throat. For what he was seeing, was the Shikon No Tama, hanging around Naraku's neck. No. The –completed- Shikon No Tama, laying nonchalantly about Naraku's neck. Naraku was obviously aware of Inuyasha's surprise, because he grinned, and motioned towards the jewel, which was swimming with dark energy.
"Looking at this, Inuyasha?" He asked innocently. "Surprised?"
"How..... how did you....." Inuyasha began, but then trailed off, closing his eyes tightly and then reopening them again with a shake of his head. He had to concentrate. He would worry about the jewel later. "Where is Kagome?" He repeated his earlier question.
"Kagome?" Naraku chuckled softly. "You mean Kikyou's pathetic excuse for a reincarnate?"
"Where is she?" Inuyasha growled again, narrowing his eyes. He was hardly aware of his ever silent brother in the corner, watching with apathetic eyes.
"Don't get so aggressive. She's right here." Naraku said. Inuyasha watched him for a moment, and then looked around the room once more. Still no Kagome in sight. But when he looked back, Naraku took a swift step to the side, and revealed something lying upon the floor that had been hidden behind him. No..... It wasn't something, it was someone. It was.....
Inuyasha's eyes grew wide, and his breath caught in his throat for the second time. Suddenly everything was slow. He could see Naraku's lips twist slowly into a devious grin. He could see Sesshoumaru look half- heartedly to his brother, waiting to see his reaction. And he could hear his own heart, pounding ominously in his head.
'Kagome.....'
Everything after that happened quickly, as Inuyasha raced forward quickly, dropping the Tetsuiga carelessly to the floor of the shrine, and gathering Kagome's still and fallen form in his arms. Naraku stepped forward, and uttered some cruel words that Inuyasha didn't have the heart to hear. Sesshoumaru walked calmly from his corner, and to the door of the shrine, where he knelt and easily picked up the Tetsuiga with the arm he had borrowed from a mortal. He and Naraku exchanged words, and then Sesshoumaru had left the hut.
Naraku chuckled, madness brimming in his voice, and then followed in the direction Sesshoumaru had departed, leaving Inuyasha, all work almost completed.
Now everything depended on Kikyou doing her part.
"Wait! I think I see something over there!"
Miroku looked in the direction Sango had pointed, and squinted. At first he didn't see anything, and his hope was all but crushed, but then, sure enough, he thought he could see a light pinning out from the darkness. With a leap of hope that filled his heart, he nodded quickly.
"Yes! I think I see it too Sango-chan."
"What do you think it is?"
"I think it's what we've been searching for."
Kirara landed quickly, and Miroku and Sango jumped off, heading towards the light. Miroku was ahead of Sango, running quickly, his eyes set ahead. It wasn't long though, before he hit the barrier Inuyasha had easily passed through, and fell backwards. Sango stopped quickly at the sight of the fallen houshi, and after a quick glance to see if he was bleeding, she stepped forward. Slowly she raised a hand and moved it forward. It touched a surface, that felt much like glass, and the air in front of her and around her hand shimmered and pooled like water.
"It's a barrier." Sango said softly, and then, as an after thought she added, "A very well disguised one."
Miroku slowly clambered to his feet, a hand holding his head. He let his eyes fall to the area around Sango's hand, where the barrier was shimmering and swimming around her skin. With a groan he closed his eyes.
"Now what do we do?" He asked, his voice filled with the doubt he felt.
"I..... don't know." Sango said, and sighed desperately. She turned, and leaned back against the barrier, letting the invisible wall swim around her form as she crossed her arms about her chest. Her gaze turned to the ground, and her voice lowered. "Maybe you were right..." She began. "Maybe it is hopeless--"Sango stopped abruptly, as she slowly felt herself sinking backwards. Before she knew what was happening, her arms were flailing at her sides and her backside and head came in rough contact with the soil. It took her a moment to realize she had cried out.
"Sango-chan!" Miroku exclaimed quickly, and raced towards her.
"I'm okay—"She began, until she realized Miroku wasn't even looking at her.
"The barrier! It's gone!"
Sango blinked up at him, and then turned her gaze around her. Sure enough, she was now lying on the ground on the opposite side of where they had just been. Somehow, the barrier was now gone. Hope had been restored again.
With a grin, Miroku leaned down and offered a hand to Sango, who took it gratefully and let him pull her to her feet.
"Are you alright Sango-chan?" Miroku asked, but not without the hint of a faint grin. Nevertheless he began to brush off her clothes and hair of the debris it had picked up.
"Fine." Sango said. "But I'd be even better if you would get your hand off my butt." Miroku chuckled, but next thing he knew, he was once again on the ground, this time with a decent sized bump on his head.
Inuyasha's breath came in short gasps as he gazed down at Kagome. He was holding her tightly to him in his arms. Her eyes were closed and some of her raven locks had fallen over her still face. Her chest did not move with the rythmatic breathing that Inuyasha had been calmed by so many times before. She was perfectly still, limp and lifeless in his arms.
Slowly Inuyasha raised an unsteady hand to her face, brushing aside the black stands. He forced himself to swallow, but his breathing didn't steady, and his eyes were threatening to tear.
"K-kagome....." Inuyasha stammered quietly. "K-kagome. P-please, Kagome. Please... wake up." His voice broke upon the last plea, and finally he closed his eyes, tears finally spilling forth slowly and falling upon his sleeping beauty's cheeks and lips.
But unlike any fairy tale ever told, Kagome did not awake at the touch of Inuyasha's tears. Nor at his broken cry for her to return to life in his arms. She was gone. She was truly and really gone this time.
Inuyasha's cries were becoming more frantic and hysterical, and he clutched Kagome to him tighter, beginning to rock slowly back and forth lightly, shaking his head and managing to utter a broken and desperate 'no' through his tears. At the moment, the anger he felt towards Naraku was unimportant. Even the fact that his brother had finally managed to take his sword was a minuscule point. The only thing that mattered was being there with Kagome, holding her tightly and praying that she would come back to life. That she would return somehow.
"Inuyasha....."
Inuyasha looked up quickly, his teeth bared as a growl echoed from his throat and his golden eyes narrowed. But as he laid sight upon his visitor, his features quickly softened, and he stared with a perplexed expression.
"Kikyou?" He asked unsurely, his voice weak.. She looked different somehow, more alive and real than he had remembered seeing her since she was alive.
'Did you ever cry like that for me?' Kikyou thought as anger grew deeply within her heart. Inuyasha looked a wreck, sitting upon the shrine's floor, holding the miko girl and bawling like a child. It disgusted her.
"Inuyasha, what happened?" Kikyou asked, and took a step forward, training her eyes upon the lifeless Kagome. Inuyasha followed her gaze at once, and his eyes settled upon Kagome's soft features.
"She's......" Inuyasha began, with no intention of finishing.
"Dead?" Kikyou said, and Inuyasha flinched, closing his eyes tightly. He took in a deep and very unsteady breath.
"Yes."
"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha." Kikyou said softly, and took a few steps towards him. "What will you do now?"
Inuyasha was silent, but slowly reopened his eyes, staring down at Kagome. His heart was heavy, and he wanted nothing more then to feel nothing.
"Inuyasha?"
"I should have been there. I should have..... protected her."
Kikyou's heart swelled with rage and anger, and her right hand balled into a tight fist, her nails digging deeply into the skin of her palm. She took a deep breath though, and relaxed her hand again. After a moment or two, she spoke again, when she trusted her voice not to shake with anger.
"There was nothing you could do Inuyasha." She spoke, more quickly now, as if in a rush. "But..... there is something you can do now."
Inuyasha looked up finally, his eyes suspicious.
"......What?" He asked cautiously.
"Come with me, Inuyasha. It's the only way to escape your pain now. You let Kagome down, and now she's dead. There is nothing left for you to do. Come with me to Hell, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha stared at her for a while, listening to her words half- heatedly. After he didn't answer, Kikyou became more frantic, and began speaking again.
"Look at her Inuyasha." Kikyou instructed, her eyes narrowing lightly. "She's dead because you weren't there to protect her. If anything, you deserve, to come with me. This is all your fault, after all."
Inuyasha eyes were lowered again, a shadow cast over his apathetic gaze, and he was still silent. Kikyou's heart gave a leap of hope. Surely he would give in now. He had no other choice. Naraku and Sesshoumaru had gotten what they had wanted from Inuyasha, and now it was only fit that she would get what she deserved too.
"Inuyasha?" She said quietly, watching him curiously.
"You were part of this weren't you?" Inuyasha asked quietly, something new brewing in his voice.
"What?" Kikyou asked, startled.
"That's why you are here now. That's why you distracted me earlier." His hands clenched, fingers digging into Kagome's lifeless form. "You were part of this."
"Don't be ridiculous Inuyasha." Kikyou said, though weakly.
"You killed Kagome."
Inuyasha slowly raised his gaze again, and Kikyou's heart jumped to her throat. Slowly she took a small step back, as Inuyasha's eyes flashed a brilliant red. A dangerous growl that spoke only of death was growing in his throat, and it was evident then. Inuyasha wasn't going to Hell with Kikyou.
A/N: For anyone who is spazzing right now, I suggest you take a look at the author note for chapter 6. So cool yer jets and dun worry. At least dun worry a lot. ;;;
Anyway – I'll try to post the next chapter soon! Mwah! Hands out Irish Potatoes.
Kimmy-chan