Disclaimer: Inuyasha and Kagome sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G… That would be the theme song for Inuyasha if I owned him.
A/N: I'm so sorry for making everyone wait! Again!! . But I made this chapter extra long to make up for it! It's the long awaited battle!
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Ch. 15:::{}{}:::
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Kagome yawned softly. She, Inuyasha, and Shippo had been walking for a little over an hour now. Just like before the six of them had split up, they found nothing. Shippo had complained about his little feet hurting a while ago, and now he was dozing lightly in the crook of her arm.
"Are you tired?" Inuyasha asked.
Kagome smiled at his concern. "A little."
He guided her head to his shoulder and Kagome welcomed the motion. Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her waist and she shifted Shippo gently so that she had a free hand to lace her fingers with his.
"You know, Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered.
"What?" She asked sleepily.
"It's times like these," he sighed in content, "that makes me feel like I have a family again." He looked down at her upturned face. "And that I'm not alone anymore."
"No, Inuyasha, you're not alone anymore." Kagome told him seriously. "Whatever happens, you will always have me by your side. I love you. I'll never leave you."
Inuyasha stopped walking and looked at her. He didn't know what he'd ever done to deserve such an angel. Tenderly, he kissed her and let the feelings of love he felt for her wash through.
Suddenly, his ears twitched. He heard an odd noise coming from the forest around them. Before he knew what was happening, he'd been flung from Kagome, her screams ringing in his ears. He looked up to see something long and dark hurl into his stomach. He grabbed onto it, letting out a small groan of pain, and suddenly, the thing wrapped around his waist, squeezing him tightly. Try as he might, he could not let it release him. The surface of the tentacle-like thing was tough and leathery. Before he was able to pull back his arm and slash at it, another tentacle shot out and wrapped around his arms.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed as the tentacles squeezed the breath out of her.
"Kagome!" He struggled gallantly against his binds, but he was unable to get free.
A deep voice chuckled malevolently, "Struggle all you want, but my power is only enhanced by the Shikon no Tama."
The two of them looked up and for the first time, looked to where their binds came from. The ends of the tentacles reached toward the sky and were concealed by the large, white cloak of a dark-haired young man. There must have been dozens of tentacles extending from the man's body, writhing around the two figures menacingly.
Shippo watched fearfully from his position in a nearby bush, his small hands parting them slightly. When the demon had attacked, he had been thrown from his place in Kagome's arms and into the foliage. He quaked in pure terror and the shaking of the bush leaves attested to that. As he watched the helpless Inuyasha and Kagome, he suddenly caught the eye of the former and Inuyasha nodded to him. Understanding what he meant, Shippo reached into his shirt and pulled out a small toy horse. He threw it into the air and with a small pop, it grew larger, large enough for Shippo to ride it.
He fled rather noisily from the grounds, surprisingly escaping attention from their attacker and traced their steps from when the group had first parted.
Inuyasha watched the little kitsune boy escape and let out a small sigh of relief. He turned his attention back on the dark-haired man. No amount of assessment was needed to tell him that the man was a demon. His midnight-black hair was wavy and extended to the middle of his back. His eyes were dark and ruthless and his lips were curled into a humorless smile. Needless to say, the man looked downright evil.
"Who are you?" Inuyasha demanded, though deep down, he felt he knew the answer.
The man smirked, "I doubt you have to ask me that. Why I am Naraku, holder of the Shikon no Tama, and father of all demons." Naraku narrowed his eyes to what Inuyasha assumed to be amusement. "That includes you, Inuyasha."
"I don't give a fuck if you're related to me! It won't stop me from ripping you to pieces when I get the chance!" Inuyasha shouted at the demon. He grimaced in pain as the tentacles tightened around him.
Naraku only smiled. "Which is precisely why I won't be giving you a chance."
"Why?" Inuyasha asked through clenched teeth.
"Why what, my great-great-great-great-great-great-great- " Naraku looked up as if pondering something, "-et cetera grandson?"
"Why did you attack us when you already have the damned jewel?" Talking was obvious effort for the hanyou as the binds grew ever tighter.
"No big reason really," Naraku said breezily, "I just wanted to get rid of my biggest obstacles before I tackle world domination. After you, I'll attack the headquarters of the Organization. I haven't seen Sesshoumaru in years."
"You, monster!" Kagome suddenly shouted, her heart going out to her brave hanyou. "Life doesn't mean anything to you! You just care about power and control! Well, I'll tell you something, buster! You won't get away with this, you stupid greedy git!" She gave a cry of pain at the sudden increased pressure on her lungs.
"Kagome!"
"Stupid naïve girl," Naraku shook his head pityingly, "What is life, after all, to an immortal. I don't care what you think of me. Only what I think is important. In fact… I think I'll kill you."
As if in slow motion, she saw a spiked tentacle come at her, aimed at her heart. Even if she could move, she would have been too frozen in shock to escape. Distantly, she heard Inuyasha screaming her name.
Then, without warning, a huge boomerang flew through the air and severed through the limb, stopping its attack.
"Hiraikotsu!"
Kagome watched as Sango caught her bone boomerang, sitting on Kirara with Miroku behind her and Shippo perched proudly on his shoulder.
Miroku shot out two ofuro from out of his long sleeves and they glued themselves to the tentacles holding Inuyasha and Kagome captive. Within seconds, the 'skin' around the papers began to burn and disintegrated. The two dropped to the ground.
Immediately, Inuyasha got back up and drew out his Tetsusaiga with flourish. With a fearsome battle cry that was part roar part shout, he threw himself at the enemy.
"Kagome!" Miroku called.
She looked at him and he tossed to her a bow and a quiver of arrows.
"Bow and arrows?" She asked him. "But I don't know how to use them!"
"Now would be a good time to learn!" He leapt off Kirara and away as a tentacle came flying at them. He hurriedly pulled the beads off his gloved right hand and to Kagome's surprise, a torrent of wind erupted and pulled everything within the vicinity toward Miroku and into his hand. She was grateful that he was standing in front of her, protecting her from attack.
Carefully, she tested her bow and notched an arrow to it. Before her family was killed, she had been a shrine maiden and had been taught a bit the art of archery. Though she was by no means an archer, she had experienced just a little of the sport. Awkwardly, she pulled back the string and aimed at a tentacle to their right. It hit the tree instead.
Frustrated, she tried again. Although the second attempt was better, it still only grazed the limb. "I can't do this, Miroku!" She cried to her friend.
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Yes, you can, Kagome! We need your help! You can do this! Just clear your mind and focus on your target. Don't worry about the rest of us! Just do what you can!" As he spoke, tentacles continued to rush into the air rip in his hand, pulling the entire figure of Naraku closer and closer toward him.
Kagome tried to concentrate, but suddenly, she heard an odd sound. It sounded like buzzing and it was getting louder and louder. From behind the trees, burst out the countless figures of large, frightening bee demons. They buzzed menacingly and Miroku gave a small cry of frustration before wrenching his hand back and resealing the beads.
"What's the matter, Miroku?" Kagome asked.
He watched the bees as they hovered around Naraku, not attacking, but not retreating. "Those are Saimyoushou. I've encountered them before. They are very poisonous and even if I suck them up, they will still affect me. I've learned to leave those bees be." He gave a small chuckle, though his heart was not in it. Miroku turned to her. "You'd better learn to wield that bow fast."
Kagome nodded her head grimly. "Right."
Miroku pulled more of his wards out of his sleeves and flung them at the demon. Sango was nearby, wearing her demon slayer's outfit and a gas mask. She'd dismounted Kirara and was fighting by herself. In her right hand, she clutched Hiraikotsu and in her left, she held a sword. With a giant heave, she threw her larger weapon and slashed at a tentacle with the katana. Inuyasha was struggling bravely to reach Naraku's heart, swinging his sword left and right, but as he drew closer to his goal, only more tentacles piled onto him.
These were her friends and they were all in danger. She needed to help them. Closing her eyes, she did as Miroku had instructed and cleared her mind as best as she could. Slowly, she notched another arrow to her bow and pulled back the string until it was completely taut. Carefully, she aimed at Naraku's head and let her energy flow to her hands, feeling a rush of power flood through her. With a powerful twang, she released the arrow and it sped toward its target. A pink light flared from the tip, catching Miroku's attention as he felt the powerful surge of energy. To Kagome's disappointment, it didn't knock off his head, but it wasn't far from it. The arrow caught the evil demon's shoulder, taking out a good chunk of it.
"I did it!" She exclaimed happily. "Did you see, Miroku? I did it!"
"You did indeed," Miroku watched the area around Naraku's wound bubbled up and blister painfully. "That has got to hurt."
Kagome's eyes shifted from watching Naraku curse angrily to slightly to the right and locked eyes with Inuyasha. He was grinning at her and she couldn't help but return it with a grin of her own. She gave him a thumbs up and he nodded before turning back to the enemy. She noticed that his blows were released with a renewed vigor.
Her eyes them traveled to the center of the knot of tentacles and she gave an involuntary gasp.
Miroku looked at her. "What is it?"
She pointed to just below Naraku's humanoid figure. "I can… see something. It's… glowing, I dunno. I think… it's the jewel!" She waved her arms to try to capture the attention of her love. "Inuyasha! Go for the middle of the tentacles! That's where the jewel is!"
"Bothersome wench!" Naraku roared and sent several limbs toward her.
Miroku stepped in front of her and held out his staff, erecting a small, albeit strong, barrier around them.
Inuyasha aimed his sword right at the heart of the tangle of tentacles, but there were too many of the things. In the cramped space, he was unable to swing his sword.
"Use the Kaze no Kizu, Inuyasha, the Kaze no Kizu!" A cracked voice suddenly came from Kagome's right.
She jumped, startled, when she noticed an old man sitting atop a three-eyed cow next to her. He was holding a strange sort of hammer that had a long, thin handle. "Who are you?" She demanded, pulling out another arrow and stringing it to her bow.
He waved a hand to assure her. "No need to worry young miss. I'm not here to harm you. My name is Toutousai."
"Toutousai!" She gasped. "We came to look for you! Why are you here?"
The old man scratched his head with a single claw, "Eh? Well, I came here to see what all the commotion was about. Not letting a body sleep, it is."
"What was it that you were saying, old man," Miroku spoke up. "The Kaze no Kizu. What is it?"
"It is a technique that can be used by the Tetsusaiga. It has the power to kill one hundred demons at a time." Toutousai nodded his wizened head.
"One hundred demons at a time?!" Miroku and Kagome spoke in unison.
"You must teach this to Inuyasha, and fast!" Kagome pleaded.
The old man shook his head. "It cannot be done. I'm sorry, but Inuyasha has to learn it himself." Without warning, his cheeks bloated and he opened his mouth, letting a rush of fire stream forth. It attacked the area very close to where Inuyasha was standing and he leaped out of the way. "Did you hear that, Inuyasha?" Toutousai shouted to him. "You must learn the technique of the Kaze no Kizu on your own!"
"Eh?" Inuyasha looked confused. "Who's the old man?"
"It's Toutousai!" Kagome called back. "And you have to do what he says! That technique can kill one hundred demons in one stroke!"
"One hundred demons?! That's fucking impossible! Tell the old man he's gone off his rocker!"
"You'd better believe it, you young whippersnapper!" Toutousai puffed out his chest indignantly. "Kids these days… they've got no respect for their elders,"
he muttered.
Kaze no Kizu… Scar of the Wind? Inuyasha thought to himself. What in the hells is that?
Unfortunately, his distraction cost him dearly. When he was thinking, a particularly small tentacle whipped out and the tip caught him full in the face. Its sharp point scratched across his eyes, very nearly gouging them out. He gave a cry of pain as red exploded into his vision.
Kagome screamed his name, fearing for him, and shot an arrow at a tentacle that was about to stab him in the back.
Inuyasha scrubbed fiercely at his eyes, ignoring the pain, but it was no use. Everything was now in a blood red haze. He couldn't see a thing.
"Do something! Help him!" Kagome yelled at Toutousai.
The old demon shook his head. "There isn't anything I can do. Only the Kaze no Kizu will save him now."
Kagome watched worriedly as Inuyasha swung around with his sword blindly. Naraku was laughing at his pathetic attempts. "Please, Inuyasha, you can do it!" She murmured to herself.
Inuyasha stood on a thick limb, clinging to it as it flailed about. Another one swiped at him from behind, but he jumped over it, landing heavily on the ground when the previous limb he had been standing on moved out of the way. He tried to calm his racing heart as he jabbed randomly with his sword.
The Scar of the Wind… what is it? It's got to do something with the wind, that I know for sure… but what? Is it… a scar in the wind? His thoughts raced franticly through his mind. If it had to do with seeing something the scar, then I would have seen it already, so that means it's invisible. He listened hard, but he could hear anything either. Well, if it's not sight, and it's not sound, and I certainly can't hear it… Maybe… Inuyasha sniffed at the air, breathing in deeply through his nostrils.
And suddenly, it hit him.
He breathed in breath after breath. I can smell it! It… it's the wind of my youki and Naraku's youki scraping together! That must be the scar! And if I cut along it… He raised his sword high into the air. "Well, I've got nothing to loose…" he muttered to himself. With all the strength he could muster, he swung his sword along the area where the violent crashes of the youki coincided.
Miroku could sense something was about to happen before Inuyasha swung, "Sango, Kirara! Get away! NOW!"
Sango didn't question his demand. She leapt onto Kirara and the neko youkai flew up and away from the battle site. Immediately afterward, an explosion of light rushed from Inuyasha's sword. It crashes mercilessly into the bulk of Naraku's tentacle body, blowing away his abdomen and stomach in the process.
Inuyasha would have given anything to see the look of surprise on his face at that very instant.
Suddenly, a torrent of dark clouds swept along the remainder of Naraku's body, hiding him from view. "This is not the last of me, you can be sure! And when I come back, I will make all of you suffer…" his voice drifted down to them as the clouds slowly faded away, leaving nothing behind.
But that battle was not completely without reward.
"Kagome, look!" Miroku tugged on her shirt.
There, laying in all its pink glory, was the Shikon no Tama.
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A/N: How was that? Pretty long wouldn't you say? It's got fluff AND the battle! Review please! I like reviews
Unfortunately, because I'm in a hurry to update all my stores, I can't give review responses this chapter. But thank you guys so much for all the support! Shout outs to: Alana-star, anime-craziegurl16, Anglestar = mitsukai-hoshi, Kikyou-miko-Kagome-future girl, Inferna, InuYashaKagome, roren-dono, and Call Me Shiggy. Thanks bunches you guys and I'll see you in the next update (that will hopefully not take as long to get up)!