Hey!! Yes, I'm updating sooner than usual!! lmao I'm so glad I finished this chapter, I worked late into the night for 3 days trying to get the middle right. .;;; Anyway, I'm FINALLY happy with it. AND it's a freaking long chapter, 10 pages. I hope you guys are pleased also!!! On to the chapter!!!!
Disclaimer: Inuyasha wo shoyuu shitenai ze. Ba~~ka. ^_~V
____________________________
To Be With You Tomorrow
Part Ten :: Naraku's Soul
Chapter Forty-Two :: The Reborn Tyrant
"Tama-chan, are you okay?"
At the question, the bandaged hanyou lifted her head weakly to look up to meet the taijiya's concerned eyes. Slowly she nodded and Sango turned back towards the front. Tanpopo was sitting in her lap, holding onto Kirara's fur for dear life.
They were flying hard and fast, faster than they had been going for the past day altogether. The fast travel was bothering Tama, but the hanyou never complained; she knew the gravity of the matter. She was just as worried about Inuyasha as any of them.
Miroku ran at Sango's side, Shippou hanging to his shoulder. The little kit looked worried as he leaned forward to speak into the houshi's ear. "Miroku, what do you think they're gonna do with Inuyasha?"
He shook his head, glancing offhandedly at the kit. "I'm not sure. I know for certain though that this is a trap." Hearing this, Tanpopo turned her little auburn head the monk's way, eyebrows raised in query. "A trap?"
"Yes," he replied, "I do not know what Uramiko is up to, but she is surely luring us to her shrine." As Miroku spoke, Sango watched him. He seemed more worried than her, as if he knew something else and was holding it back so that the others would to have to worry more than they needed. But out of the bottom of her vision she noticed her beloved's right hand clenching.
Sango pursed her lips, turning back towards the pathway hacked through by Kagome minutes before and pondering what that could mean. He was just worried about Inuyasha, but something told her the action held more meaning than simple concern for a friend.
The answer hit her like a bolt of lightning and she shook as if physically shocked. Uramiko had mentioned several times before whom she served. It had never even occurred to the group why she seemed to familiar with his techniques, why she would be able to control his minions. But as they flew through the air, it seemed to fall into place for Sango, the tiny hints and clues that they had dismissed or not even noticed.
She gently patted her faithful cat-demon's head, leaning down by her ear. "Kirara, we have to hurry!" The big cat gave a roar of agreement and sped up.
~*~
Kagome hit the ground hard, slipping and sliding on the polished wooden floors as her momentum whizzed her past. Inuyasha stood where she had been before, his face angry. Again she had dodged his attack, and he growled menacingly at her, as if cursing her.
Kagome looked down at her arm. The bandages lining her hand and arm, the bandages Inuyasha had put on for her, had been shredded off with her sleeve. She still clutched the torn fabric of her shirt up over her breasts. It seemed a little stupid to worry about being seen half-naked; after all, it would appear she was in a life or death situation.
But there was something different about Inuyasha, and Kagome knew that she was the only one who could see it. Kagura, Torou, Kanna and Uramiko all stood nearby, watching the hanyou attack the miko repeatedly, and everytime she just barely managed to dodge, they cursed. She knew that they didn't see what she saw.
Kagome knew his abilities almost as well as he himself did. She knew how fast he was, how strong he was. She had been with him for almost a year, and more than anything she knew him. She knew how deadly he could be.
Inuyasha would never miss. As a hanyou he had his shortcomings, but as a full youkai, in a death match against a human? He would never miss. Never.
And what she saw was that he was.
With every attack that just barely grazed her, every slice that only took off a strip of clothing, Kagome felt a tendril of hope grow in her heart. Inuyasha couldn't hurt her. He was hardly trying. It was easy to dodge him because he wasn't trying to hurt her.
Did that mean he still had his human heart? That he had only taken the youkai form and managed to keep his head? *No,* Kagome told herself, leaping to the side again and feeling his claws rake down the back of her uniform, a few strands of hair snapping and fluttering into the air also. *He really is a youkai right now… But maybe…*
Against the doors, those in the room all heard a creak as something heavy pushed against it. For a moment Inuyasha paused, turning with a snarl towards the wooden-framed doors. Kagome, as well as Uramiko and her brood also, all turned to the doors. From outside it, the young miko heard Miroku's voice.
"Push harder!"
"Guys!" Kagome called happily, elated at their arrival. From the other side, she heard the kits squeal is relief at her voice. Sango's own relief was not lost as all as she called out, "Kagome-chan, are you alright?!"
Across the room, Uramiko growled low in her throat, a sound both bewildered and irritated. She lifted a hand and uttered a short incantation, and Kagome's throat tightened when she saw a black aura slide over the doors like a veil, and it seemed to push back. Miroku uttered a short curse, before continuing to push hard against the doors.
Bored with the situation now, deep red eyes turned on Kagome again, and in an instant Inuyasha had pounced towards her. The teenager let out a yelp of surprise at his sudden quickness and tried to dart to the side, but he reached out, snagging her arm. Kagome spun abruptly, turning to face her attacker, and before she realized what she was doing, she had brought her bow up in a powerful thwack to the crazed hanyou's temple.
Her miko energy flared through the weapon and put the force of cinderblock behind it. Inuyasha let out a cry of pain as the purifying power threw him back, and he crashed into the wall, crumpling to the ground, his face twisted into an expression of pain. He made a shaky effort to move, but after only a moment his body went lax as he lost consciousness.
Kagome caught her breath, snapping from her daze. She had just hit him… She had struck him as if he had been an enemy and not the man she loved. Her bow clattered to the ground and she ran towards the body lying slumped at the base of the wall.
He was breathing, but his eyes were closed and his limbs slack, as if sleeping. Kagome's bottom lip quivered as she inspected the side of his face she'd hammered. It was slightly burned and a huge reddish-purple welt in the shape of her bow was already rising up on his flawless skin.
Her fingers gently traced over it as she whispered his name regretfully. She leaned forward, hugging him. "Inuyasha, I'm so sorry…"
A deep, threatening growl rumbled deep in his chest, and a clawed hand tightened painfully around her small wrists. Kagome's eyes snapped open and she pulled away sharply, only to be yanked back, hard against his chest. Claws dug into her skin, and Kagome felt a warm trickle down the backs of her arms.
The halfling was furious, and Kagome tried to cringe away from that angry stare. *He.. tricked me…* Inuyasha's upper lip curled back, baring his fangs with a wide, toothy grin that conveyed every ounce of the bloodlust he was experiencing. Kagome's eyes crinkled sadly. *Inuyasha, did you really forget everything we've been through? Did you forget me??*
"You're.. not Kikyou.."
"You get it?! My name is Kagome! Ka! Go! Me!"
*
"Shut up! I'm saying I'll protect you!"
*
"You know, at that time I thought it didn't matter where you were. But then, when I saw your face, my strength came. And I realized… I want you by my side."
*
"I like seeing the soft side to you every so often."
"Keh! That sounds like you're saying I never give in…!"
"That's okay, isn't it? After all, you're not alone anymore."
*
"I thought you had forgotten me too. I got scared."
"Don't be stupid. No matter what happens, I'm me. There's no way I could forget you."
*
"So.. you'll stay with me…?"
"……Yes."
*
"I'm not crying! I'm just glad everyone's alive!"
*
"I'm not going! I'm never leaving your side again!"
"Liar."
*
"..You idiot…! Why.. did you…"
"It's okay...As long as you're alive... I don't mind... I just... couldn't let him... kill you...…"
*
"Kikyou held me in my loneliness. You saved me from it. Which is why I love you, Kagome. I only see you."
*
"You promised me. You said you would never leave my side again... You haven't left me yet... don't leave me now...!"
"Okay. I won't leave you. I'm still here."
*
"I talked to Kikyou."
"What happened...??"
"... It's... it's over."
*
"Don't get lost, koinu-chan, now that I've taken off your collar."
"…….Thank you, koishii."
*
"You can't blame yourself."
"The hell I can't. As long as you're with me, no matter how hard I fight or how strong I get, they're always going to go for you. Why the fuck do you even stay with me? It's because you're with me that you get hurt."
"Because I love you, stupid."
Kagome looked up at him desperately, her eyes narrowing as unbidden tears filled her eyes. She felt no fear of death, only the fear that he had truly forgotten her. The pain of that betrayal. The anger of it. She lifted her hand, fighting his strength, until her fingers closed around the long shank of silvery hair that hung by his face. She gave the hair a hard tug, bringing their noses inches apart.
His red eyes widened, emitting a mangled protest that sounded like both a child crying out and a kicked dog. For the first time in his youkai state, Kagome saw him as Inuyasha, and not a monster who wore his face. He had the very same expression he always got when he was about to be reprimanded, and in his surprise, his hands opened, releasing her.
As quickly as the surprised grimace appeared, it disappeared, replaced by a repulsed frown. But she never wavered, even when he began to growl again; without a moment's hesitation, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling herself up close to him and burying her face in his hair. "Inuyasha!"
"Uh.." He sounded ever more like himself with that half-sound. She knew his face to be horrified; the youkai simply didn't know what to do. His arms hung out to the sides as if he now did not know what to do with them, his entire body tensing as though the very sound of her voice were confusing. Like he was unable to grasp the concept of his own name. *I know this voice,* he said to himself, *I know her scent. I know the feel of her arms around me. ..Why…?*
"Uramiko!" The old miko was roused from her spell on the door by Kagura's call, and she turned towards to Inuyasha and Kagome. The sight of them, together, was both puzzling and infuriating, and the stepped down from the raised altar back to the floor. "Inuyasha, kill that girl, now!"
The half-youkai hesitated, his mouth hanging agape, eyes narrowed in bewilderment. Uramiko grit her teeth with a half-snarl. *What is that stupid brat-child doing?! She can't possibly think, as untrained and weak as her powers are, that she could undo this Uramiko's spell?* She lifted her hands in a form for a spell, willing him to go through with what she had bid him. "Inuyasha! Do as I tell you!"
Inuyasha groaned, one hand going up to hold his head. The other pushed weakly at Kagome's shoulder, trying to get her away from him. The miko held onto him doggedly, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "Inuyasha, please!"
Uramiko continued her chant, immersing her focus in that. The spell over the door slowly wore down, and abruptly they slammed open with a bang. Miroku and the others staggered in, not prepared for the sudden release of the formerly stubborn door. The houshi's eyes searched the room quickly before finally landing on the struggling hanyou and miko.
"Kagome-sama!!" He started forward as if to go to her, but Kagome shook her head, still refusing to let Inuyasha go. "NO! It's okay, stay there!!"
The other man stopped, irked, his face obviously telling of how badly he wanted to get his friend away from the mad Inuyasha. Sango stood at his side, her hand on Hiraikotsu's tether. "Kagome-chan…" The group watched from afar as Inuyasha flexed his hands, still unable to regain himself. Blood was seeping through Kagome's sleeve where he was tearing into her shoulder with his claws.
*I believe in you,* she prayed silently, *I trust you.*
"GrrrrrAGH!" Inuyasha bellowed, pushing at her harder. "…Get.. off me!!"
The young miko shook her head outwardly. "You promised me you wouldn't leave me!! I'm not going to lose you!!"
From the corner of her eye, Tanpopo noticed Uramiko's lips moving in a quiet chant. Puzzled, the kit looked at Shippou. "Shippou-kun, what is that old bag doin'?" The smaller kit peeked out from behind Miroku, wide blue eyes narrowing. After a moment he gasped. "She's puttin' a spell on Inuyasha!! C'mon!"
In an instant, he'd grabbed her hand and Tanpopo let out a soft squeal in confusion as Shippou raced towards Uramiko. The focused youkai miko didn't even see the kits until they were on her, Shippou pouncing onto her head and Tanpopo on her leg. Both children bit down as hard as they could.
"AAAH!" Uramiko screamed, wildly flailing in an attempt to remove the offending little monsters from her body. Naturally the commotion caught the attention of Miroku and Sango. "What in the hell?"
"Little brats," Kagura cursed, lifting her fan. "Fuujin no--" A whooshing sound broke her away from her attack, and she ducked in time for Hiraikotsu to whiz over her head and slam into the wall with a crunch. Irritated, the wind sorcereress glared up at the taijiya. Sango narrowed her eyes back. "I'm your opponent."
Uramiko reached up, grabbing Shippou by his hair and throwing him to the ground, and with a kick threw off Tanpopo by him. Wrinkled hand crackling with energy, she prepared to attack them-- when Miroku's shakujou leveled at her throat. In a voice that brooked no argument, he said, "Don't touch them."
~*~
He shook his head. "I won't go," he told her, his voice filled with conviction. His face was solemn as he promised, "I'm never leaving your side again!" Despite his words, the girl across from him looked bored and disbelieving. "Liar."
He was insulted. "WHAT? That's not a lie!" *I swear it! I won't ever leave you again.*
Beneath closed lids, the youkai watched the memory play out. Why did he remember this? Who was the girl who clung to him so desperately? Why did he seem to care about her? From deep inside himself, appearing from underneath the bloodlusting haze, was a voice that sounded much like his own. *This person is precious to me,* the voice said softly, almost like a dream, *I love her.* Inuyasha's eyes creaked open. Blurry vision fell on the girl.
She looked up at him painfully as she watched him struggle to regain himself. She could only imagine the war raging inside of him, the fight that surely he must have endured his entire life. He was a hanyou after all, with his human heart and his youkai instincts vying for superiority inside him.
Unexpectedly, Kagome heard herself say out loud, "You're a hanyou, my hanyou. You don't have to choose between them, you're both! And I like it that way!" She hugged him tighter. "I love you that way… Inuyasha…!"
His eyes snapped open.
Kagome tensed when she felt his hands come up around her again, but the warm arms only wrapped around her, pulling her closer. She looked up at him, and was met with dark gold irises, staring down at her apologetically. "Ka… gome.."
"Inuyasha~!" Her fingers knotted into his clothes and she threw herself into his chest, allowing the tears to coming finally. Inuyasha leaned down, holding her tightly. His claws stank of her blood, and he could smell fear and despair on her. It didn't matter right now, he would apologize later.
But now, he just wanted her near him.
~*~
Everyone seemed to stop at Kagome's cry, and Miroku breathed a sigh of relief. "He's back to normal…" Sango smiled. "That's good…"
"It's too late."
Miroku turned, narrowing his eyes at Uramiko. The old woman grit her teeth, her red eyes blazing with the undeniable fury at her spell's defeat. No doubt, the houshi considered, it was enough to drive one stark-raving mad, watching the power of love break her invincible spell.
"What do you mean?" he demanded, pressing the end of his shakujou against her throat. Uramiko smirked and abruptly fell to pieces underneath their eyes. Miroku cursed softly, looking around for her.
"I mean," her voice called from behind the table, "that it is far too late to save you fools now." Everyone turned back towards the altar, looking over the table where the bones laid out in the form of a man lay. Kanna had already lit for Uramiko a braid of herbs similar to the one she'd used on Inuyasha, and she held them symbolically over the bones. "I have the hanyou's blood and the rest of you are here, just as you were before! To witness his rebirth the way you witnessed his death!"
"Wait up, you bitch!"
Uramiko looked past Miroku to Inuyasha. Across the room, Kagome was helping the hanyou to stand. Uramiko felt a swell of pride in herself. Even if he had failed to kill her, the spell had done its job; the boy was now weakened and he could hardly stand on his own. He had wrapped his fire-rat cloak around her, considering he had shredded her own clothes. The hanyou glared at her. "If you think I'm going to allow you to bring back Naraku, you're got another fucking thing coming!"
"Bring back…" Sango echoed in shock, and Miroku cursed, clenching his right hand. "So that's it then. That's how you know everything about him, how you know so much about us! Naraku left you behind to bring him back when we killed him!"
The witch smiled, tipping her head as though bowing. "Well detected. Indeed it was I who salvaged Kagura's broken body and Naraku's bones from the wreckage. It was I to whom he gave shards of the Jewel to in the event you filth won and took the Jewel. But on this day, he shall be reborn!"
"I won't let you!!" Inuyasha roared, drawing Tessaiga. He left Kagome's side though and his knees buckled. The girl went to him, drawing his arm over her shoulder. "Inuyasha!"
"Fucking.. she did this to me," he cursed. Kagome watched him anxiously. His eyes held a fatigue that she hadn't yet seen in this sort of situation, and she wondered just how hard he had to fight to come back to her. Or was there something else to this puzzle..??
Thunder rumbled outside, and the crew stepped back in apprehension as a dark jyaki began to fill the room. Uramiko crumpled the burning herbs in her hand and then threw the ashes over the bones with a final incantation, and over the gumi's heads, bolts of black lightning cracked. Miroku pulled Sango from the danger, taking her under his protection while Kirara handled the kids and Tama, and then a gigantic bolt struck the table, setting the bones ablaze with an ethereal fire.
"Dammit, no!" Inuyasha yelled, as a horde of lower youkai swarmed in through the open window and began to flow over the bones. In the midst of a purple cloud of shouki, muscle began to take form over the bare bones, and then skin and hair began to grow.
Miroku and Sango watched with wide brown eyes as the arm lifted from the table. Kagome's breath caught as the form sat up. Inuyasha's throat rumbled with a threatening, hateful growl.
Naraku sagged slightly, as one does when first wakened from deep sleep. One hand reached out to his side, and Uramiko came to him, slipping his baboon pelt around his naked body. After a moment, the youkai's lids rose over deep red, amused eyes.
"It's been awhile… Inuyasha."
~*~ To be continued ~*~
a/n :: Okay! ^_^ Naraku's back! I've been DYING to write him, he's the coolest freaking bad guy on the planet, don't you agree?! Dick though he may be, he's a COOL dick. And he's the kind we LOVE to hate. Plus he's pretty good looking (until he gets to the icky transformation-into-tentacles part, and then its minikui-- ugly.)
Btw, the quotes are from various Inuyasha/Kagome scenes from both the original manga and my fic. The first eight are from volumes 1, 2, 8, 12, 16, 18, 25 and 29. The next six are from 2bwu2morrow chapters 1, 7, 10, 28, 34 and 40. My Japanese isn't the best, so my translation might be a little scritchy on the quotes from the manga. ^^;;; Did my best though, so I get an A for effort.
(remember that my fic takes places before Hakudoushi appeared, a little bit into volume 30. That's why I don't have any of the awesome scenes that happened AFTER that. My next fic will be current with the manga. ^_^ …I think. ^^;;; )
Okay, well, please review! I will try to have the next chapter up as quickly as this one, ne? ^_^
~*~ V^-^V ~*~
~Tessen
Disclaimer: Inuyasha wo shoyuu shitenai ze. Ba~~ka. ^_~V
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To Be With You Tomorrow
Part Ten :: Naraku's Soul
Chapter Forty-Two :: The Reborn Tyrant
"Tama-chan, are you okay?"
At the question, the bandaged hanyou lifted her head weakly to look up to meet the taijiya's concerned eyes. Slowly she nodded and Sango turned back towards the front. Tanpopo was sitting in her lap, holding onto Kirara's fur for dear life.
They were flying hard and fast, faster than they had been going for the past day altogether. The fast travel was bothering Tama, but the hanyou never complained; she knew the gravity of the matter. She was just as worried about Inuyasha as any of them.
Miroku ran at Sango's side, Shippou hanging to his shoulder. The little kit looked worried as he leaned forward to speak into the houshi's ear. "Miroku, what do you think they're gonna do with Inuyasha?"
He shook his head, glancing offhandedly at the kit. "I'm not sure. I know for certain though that this is a trap." Hearing this, Tanpopo turned her little auburn head the monk's way, eyebrows raised in query. "A trap?"
"Yes," he replied, "I do not know what Uramiko is up to, but she is surely luring us to her shrine." As Miroku spoke, Sango watched him. He seemed more worried than her, as if he knew something else and was holding it back so that the others would to have to worry more than they needed. But out of the bottom of her vision she noticed her beloved's right hand clenching.
Sango pursed her lips, turning back towards the pathway hacked through by Kagome minutes before and pondering what that could mean. He was just worried about Inuyasha, but something told her the action held more meaning than simple concern for a friend.
The answer hit her like a bolt of lightning and she shook as if physically shocked. Uramiko had mentioned several times before whom she served. It had never even occurred to the group why she seemed to familiar with his techniques, why she would be able to control his minions. But as they flew through the air, it seemed to fall into place for Sango, the tiny hints and clues that they had dismissed or not even noticed.
She gently patted her faithful cat-demon's head, leaning down by her ear. "Kirara, we have to hurry!" The big cat gave a roar of agreement and sped up.
~*~
Kagome hit the ground hard, slipping and sliding on the polished wooden floors as her momentum whizzed her past. Inuyasha stood where she had been before, his face angry. Again she had dodged his attack, and he growled menacingly at her, as if cursing her.
Kagome looked down at her arm. The bandages lining her hand and arm, the bandages Inuyasha had put on for her, had been shredded off with her sleeve. She still clutched the torn fabric of her shirt up over her breasts. It seemed a little stupid to worry about being seen half-naked; after all, it would appear she was in a life or death situation.
But there was something different about Inuyasha, and Kagome knew that she was the only one who could see it. Kagura, Torou, Kanna and Uramiko all stood nearby, watching the hanyou attack the miko repeatedly, and everytime she just barely managed to dodge, they cursed. She knew that they didn't see what she saw.
Kagome knew his abilities almost as well as he himself did. She knew how fast he was, how strong he was. She had been with him for almost a year, and more than anything she knew him. She knew how deadly he could be.
Inuyasha would never miss. As a hanyou he had his shortcomings, but as a full youkai, in a death match against a human? He would never miss. Never.
And what she saw was that he was.
With every attack that just barely grazed her, every slice that only took off a strip of clothing, Kagome felt a tendril of hope grow in her heart. Inuyasha couldn't hurt her. He was hardly trying. It was easy to dodge him because he wasn't trying to hurt her.
Did that mean he still had his human heart? That he had only taken the youkai form and managed to keep his head? *No,* Kagome told herself, leaping to the side again and feeling his claws rake down the back of her uniform, a few strands of hair snapping and fluttering into the air also. *He really is a youkai right now… But maybe…*
Against the doors, those in the room all heard a creak as something heavy pushed against it. For a moment Inuyasha paused, turning with a snarl towards the wooden-framed doors. Kagome, as well as Uramiko and her brood also, all turned to the doors. From outside it, the young miko heard Miroku's voice.
"Push harder!"
"Guys!" Kagome called happily, elated at their arrival. From the other side, she heard the kits squeal is relief at her voice. Sango's own relief was not lost as all as she called out, "Kagome-chan, are you alright?!"
Across the room, Uramiko growled low in her throat, a sound both bewildered and irritated. She lifted a hand and uttered a short incantation, and Kagome's throat tightened when she saw a black aura slide over the doors like a veil, and it seemed to push back. Miroku uttered a short curse, before continuing to push hard against the doors.
Bored with the situation now, deep red eyes turned on Kagome again, and in an instant Inuyasha had pounced towards her. The teenager let out a yelp of surprise at his sudden quickness and tried to dart to the side, but he reached out, snagging her arm. Kagome spun abruptly, turning to face her attacker, and before she realized what she was doing, she had brought her bow up in a powerful thwack to the crazed hanyou's temple.
Her miko energy flared through the weapon and put the force of cinderblock behind it. Inuyasha let out a cry of pain as the purifying power threw him back, and he crashed into the wall, crumpling to the ground, his face twisted into an expression of pain. He made a shaky effort to move, but after only a moment his body went lax as he lost consciousness.
Kagome caught her breath, snapping from her daze. She had just hit him… She had struck him as if he had been an enemy and not the man she loved. Her bow clattered to the ground and she ran towards the body lying slumped at the base of the wall.
He was breathing, but his eyes were closed and his limbs slack, as if sleeping. Kagome's bottom lip quivered as she inspected the side of his face she'd hammered. It was slightly burned and a huge reddish-purple welt in the shape of her bow was already rising up on his flawless skin.
Her fingers gently traced over it as she whispered his name regretfully. She leaned forward, hugging him. "Inuyasha, I'm so sorry…"
A deep, threatening growl rumbled deep in his chest, and a clawed hand tightened painfully around her small wrists. Kagome's eyes snapped open and she pulled away sharply, only to be yanked back, hard against his chest. Claws dug into her skin, and Kagome felt a warm trickle down the backs of her arms.
The halfling was furious, and Kagome tried to cringe away from that angry stare. *He.. tricked me…* Inuyasha's upper lip curled back, baring his fangs with a wide, toothy grin that conveyed every ounce of the bloodlust he was experiencing. Kagome's eyes crinkled sadly. *Inuyasha, did you really forget everything we've been through? Did you forget me??*
"You're.. not Kikyou.."
"You get it?! My name is Kagome! Ka! Go! Me!"
*
"Shut up! I'm saying I'll protect you!"
*
"You know, at that time I thought it didn't matter where you were. But then, when I saw your face, my strength came. And I realized… I want you by my side."
*
"I like seeing the soft side to you every so often."
"Keh! That sounds like you're saying I never give in…!"
"That's okay, isn't it? After all, you're not alone anymore."
*
"I thought you had forgotten me too. I got scared."
"Don't be stupid. No matter what happens, I'm me. There's no way I could forget you."
*
"So.. you'll stay with me…?"
"……Yes."
*
"I'm not crying! I'm just glad everyone's alive!"
*
"I'm not going! I'm never leaving your side again!"
"Liar."
*
"..You idiot…! Why.. did you…"
"It's okay...As long as you're alive... I don't mind... I just... couldn't let him... kill you...…"
*
"Kikyou held me in my loneliness. You saved me from it. Which is why I love you, Kagome. I only see you."
*
"You promised me. You said you would never leave my side again... You haven't left me yet... don't leave me now...!"
"Okay. I won't leave you. I'm still here."
*
"I talked to Kikyou."
"What happened...??"
"... It's... it's over."
*
"Don't get lost, koinu-chan, now that I've taken off your collar."
"…….Thank you, koishii."
*
"You can't blame yourself."
"The hell I can't. As long as you're with me, no matter how hard I fight or how strong I get, they're always going to go for you. Why the fuck do you even stay with me? It's because you're with me that you get hurt."
"Because I love you, stupid."
Kagome looked up at him desperately, her eyes narrowing as unbidden tears filled her eyes. She felt no fear of death, only the fear that he had truly forgotten her. The pain of that betrayal. The anger of it. She lifted her hand, fighting his strength, until her fingers closed around the long shank of silvery hair that hung by his face. She gave the hair a hard tug, bringing their noses inches apart.
His red eyes widened, emitting a mangled protest that sounded like both a child crying out and a kicked dog. For the first time in his youkai state, Kagome saw him as Inuyasha, and not a monster who wore his face. He had the very same expression he always got when he was about to be reprimanded, and in his surprise, his hands opened, releasing her.
As quickly as the surprised grimace appeared, it disappeared, replaced by a repulsed frown. But she never wavered, even when he began to growl again; without a moment's hesitation, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling herself up close to him and burying her face in his hair. "Inuyasha!"
"Uh.." He sounded ever more like himself with that half-sound. She knew his face to be horrified; the youkai simply didn't know what to do. His arms hung out to the sides as if he now did not know what to do with them, his entire body tensing as though the very sound of her voice were confusing. Like he was unable to grasp the concept of his own name. *I know this voice,* he said to himself, *I know her scent. I know the feel of her arms around me. ..Why…?*
"Uramiko!" The old miko was roused from her spell on the door by Kagura's call, and she turned towards to Inuyasha and Kagome. The sight of them, together, was both puzzling and infuriating, and the stepped down from the raised altar back to the floor. "Inuyasha, kill that girl, now!"
The half-youkai hesitated, his mouth hanging agape, eyes narrowed in bewilderment. Uramiko grit her teeth with a half-snarl. *What is that stupid brat-child doing?! She can't possibly think, as untrained and weak as her powers are, that she could undo this Uramiko's spell?* She lifted her hands in a form for a spell, willing him to go through with what she had bid him. "Inuyasha! Do as I tell you!"
Inuyasha groaned, one hand going up to hold his head. The other pushed weakly at Kagome's shoulder, trying to get her away from him. The miko held onto him doggedly, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "Inuyasha, please!"
Uramiko continued her chant, immersing her focus in that. The spell over the door slowly wore down, and abruptly they slammed open with a bang. Miroku and the others staggered in, not prepared for the sudden release of the formerly stubborn door. The houshi's eyes searched the room quickly before finally landing on the struggling hanyou and miko.
"Kagome-sama!!" He started forward as if to go to her, but Kagome shook her head, still refusing to let Inuyasha go. "NO! It's okay, stay there!!"
The other man stopped, irked, his face obviously telling of how badly he wanted to get his friend away from the mad Inuyasha. Sango stood at his side, her hand on Hiraikotsu's tether. "Kagome-chan…" The group watched from afar as Inuyasha flexed his hands, still unable to regain himself. Blood was seeping through Kagome's sleeve where he was tearing into her shoulder with his claws.
*I believe in you,* she prayed silently, *I trust you.*
"GrrrrrAGH!" Inuyasha bellowed, pushing at her harder. "…Get.. off me!!"
The young miko shook her head outwardly. "You promised me you wouldn't leave me!! I'm not going to lose you!!"
From the corner of her eye, Tanpopo noticed Uramiko's lips moving in a quiet chant. Puzzled, the kit looked at Shippou. "Shippou-kun, what is that old bag doin'?" The smaller kit peeked out from behind Miroku, wide blue eyes narrowing. After a moment he gasped. "She's puttin' a spell on Inuyasha!! C'mon!"
In an instant, he'd grabbed her hand and Tanpopo let out a soft squeal in confusion as Shippou raced towards Uramiko. The focused youkai miko didn't even see the kits until they were on her, Shippou pouncing onto her head and Tanpopo on her leg. Both children bit down as hard as they could.
"AAAH!" Uramiko screamed, wildly flailing in an attempt to remove the offending little monsters from her body. Naturally the commotion caught the attention of Miroku and Sango. "What in the hell?"
"Little brats," Kagura cursed, lifting her fan. "Fuujin no--" A whooshing sound broke her away from her attack, and she ducked in time for Hiraikotsu to whiz over her head and slam into the wall with a crunch. Irritated, the wind sorcereress glared up at the taijiya. Sango narrowed her eyes back. "I'm your opponent."
Uramiko reached up, grabbing Shippou by his hair and throwing him to the ground, and with a kick threw off Tanpopo by him. Wrinkled hand crackling with energy, she prepared to attack them-- when Miroku's shakujou leveled at her throat. In a voice that brooked no argument, he said, "Don't touch them."
~*~
He shook his head. "I won't go," he told her, his voice filled with conviction. His face was solemn as he promised, "I'm never leaving your side again!" Despite his words, the girl across from him looked bored and disbelieving. "Liar."
He was insulted. "WHAT? That's not a lie!" *I swear it! I won't ever leave you again.*
Beneath closed lids, the youkai watched the memory play out. Why did he remember this? Who was the girl who clung to him so desperately? Why did he seem to care about her? From deep inside himself, appearing from underneath the bloodlusting haze, was a voice that sounded much like his own. *This person is precious to me,* the voice said softly, almost like a dream, *I love her.* Inuyasha's eyes creaked open. Blurry vision fell on the girl.
She looked up at him painfully as she watched him struggle to regain himself. She could only imagine the war raging inside of him, the fight that surely he must have endured his entire life. He was a hanyou after all, with his human heart and his youkai instincts vying for superiority inside him.
Unexpectedly, Kagome heard herself say out loud, "You're a hanyou, my hanyou. You don't have to choose between them, you're both! And I like it that way!" She hugged him tighter. "I love you that way… Inuyasha…!"
His eyes snapped open.
Kagome tensed when she felt his hands come up around her again, but the warm arms only wrapped around her, pulling her closer. She looked up at him, and was met with dark gold irises, staring down at her apologetically. "Ka… gome.."
"Inuyasha~!" Her fingers knotted into his clothes and she threw herself into his chest, allowing the tears to coming finally. Inuyasha leaned down, holding her tightly. His claws stank of her blood, and he could smell fear and despair on her. It didn't matter right now, he would apologize later.
But now, he just wanted her near him.
~*~
Everyone seemed to stop at Kagome's cry, and Miroku breathed a sigh of relief. "He's back to normal…" Sango smiled. "That's good…"
"It's too late."
Miroku turned, narrowing his eyes at Uramiko. The old woman grit her teeth, her red eyes blazing with the undeniable fury at her spell's defeat. No doubt, the houshi considered, it was enough to drive one stark-raving mad, watching the power of love break her invincible spell.
"What do you mean?" he demanded, pressing the end of his shakujou against her throat. Uramiko smirked and abruptly fell to pieces underneath their eyes. Miroku cursed softly, looking around for her.
"I mean," her voice called from behind the table, "that it is far too late to save you fools now." Everyone turned back towards the altar, looking over the table where the bones laid out in the form of a man lay. Kanna had already lit for Uramiko a braid of herbs similar to the one she'd used on Inuyasha, and she held them symbolically over the bones. "I have the hanyou's blood and the rest of you are here, just as you were before! To witness his rebirth the way you witnessed his death!"
"Wait up, you bitch!"
Uramiko looked past Miroku to Inuyasha. Across the room, Kagome was helping the hanyou to stand. Uramiko felt a swell of pride in herself. Even if he had failed to kill her, the spell had done its job; the boy was now weakened and he could hardly stand on his own. He had wrapped his fire-rat cloak around her, considering he had shredded her own clothes. The hanyou glared at her. "If you think I'm going to allow you to bring back Naraku, you're got another fucking thing coming!"
"Bring back…" Sango echoed in shock, and Miroku cursed, clenching his right hand. "So that's it then. That's how you know everything about him, how you know so much about us! Naraku left you behind to bring him back when we killed him!"
The witch smiled, tipping her head as though bowing. "Well detected. Indeed it was I who salvaged Kagura's broken body and Naraku's bones from the wreckage. It was I to whom he gave shards of the Jewel to in the event you filth won and took the Jewel. But on this day, he shall be reborn!"
"I won't let you!!" Inuyasha roared, drawing Tessaiga. He left Kagome's side though and his knees buckled. The girl went to him, drawing his arm over her shoulder. "Inuyasha!"
"Fucking.. she did this to me," he cursed. Kagome watched him anxiously. His eyes held a fatigue that she hadn't yet seen in this sort of situation, and she wondered just how hard he had to fight to come back to her. Or was there something else to this puzzle..??
Thunder rumbled outside, and the crew stepped back in apprehension as a dark jyaki began to fill the room. Uramiko crumpled the burning herbs in her hand and then threw the ashes over the bones with a final incantation, and over the gumi's heads, bolts of black lightning cracked. Miroku pulled Sango from the danger, taking her under his protection while Kirara handled the kids and Tama, and then a gigantic bolt struck the table, setting the bones ablaze with an ethereal fire.
"Dammit, no!" Inuyasha yelled, as a horde of lower youkai swarmed in through the open window and began to flow over the bones. In the midst of a purple cloud of shouki, muscle began to take form over the bare bones, and then skin and hair began to grow.
Miroku and Sango watched with wide brown eyes as the arm lifted from the table. Kagome's breath caught as the form sat up. Inuyasha's throat rumbled with a threatening, hateful growl.
Naraku sagged slightly, as one does when first wakened from deep sleep. One hand reached out to his side, and Uramiko came to him, slipping his baboon pelt around his naked body. After a moment, the youkai's lids rose over deep red, amused eyes.
"It's been awhile… Inuyasha."
~*~ To be continued ~*~
a/n :: Okay! ^_^ Naraku's back! I've been DYING to write him, he's the coolest freaking bad guy on the planet, don't you agree?! Dick though he may be, he's a COOL dick. And he's the kind we LOVE to hate. Plus he's pretty good looking (until he gets to the icky transformation-into-tentacles part, and then its minikui-- ugly.)
Btw, the quotes are from various Inuyasha/Kagome scenes from both the original manga and my fic. The first eight are from volumes 1, 2, 8, 12, 16, 18, 25 and 29. The next six are from 2bwu2morrow chapters 1, 7, 10, 28, 34 and 40. My Japanese isn't the best, so my translation might be a little scritchy on the quotes from the manga. ^^;;; Did my best though, so I get an A for effort.
(remember that my fic takes places before Hakudoushi appeared, a little bit into volume 30. That's why I don't have any of the awesome scenes that happened AFTER that. My next fic will be current with the manga. ^_^ …I think. ^^;;; )
Okay, well, please review! I will try to have the next chapter up as quickly as this one, ne? ^_^
~*~ V^-^V ~*~
~Tessen