Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out what goes here by now, I have nothing to say to you.
A/N: Wow, can you believe this story's a year old already?! But don't worry. This will, in no way, make it to the 2-year mark. This is the LAST CHAPTER with a short epilogue afterwards. Wow, I'm so excited!
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Ch. 16.
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"Are you okay now, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked worriedly, smoothing a soft cloth over his eyes and cradling his head in her lap.
"Yeah, it's better now. I can see again."
She leaned down and delivered a quick kiss to his lips. "How about any other wounds? Are you hurting anywhere else?"
"Keh, I heal fast, wench. You don't need to worry so much about me." He sat up, "We have to go start going after Naraku again. He was wounded pretty badly and he doesn't even have the Jewel anymore. This is the best chance we have at defeating him once and for all."
"But—" Kagome began to protest.
"No buts, Kagome. I'm not all that hurt and no one else is either. We have to take this opportunity before it slips away."
"I agree," Miroku said, "If we move quickly, we can catch him before he heals himself. We've lost a bit of time taking a rest here." He stood up and helped Sango to her feet.
Soon, they were rushing in the direction Naraku had disappeared. Toutousai had slipped off along with Shippou ("It's for your own good!" Kagome told him for the tenth time.) once he'd explained to Inuyasha about the Kaze no Kizu and its possibilities. The old man was obviously not a fan of war. But his absence was not much missed. He had been slightly on the eccentric side.
Inuyasha, who was in front, suddenly stopped, forcing Kirara to stop as well. He stood on a thick branch of a tree he'd landed on and sniffed the air.
"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome, who was on his back, asked.
"I can smell something… or someone." He sniffed, "It's very familiar…"
He tensed and his instincts pushed him to jump out of the way just as a brown and black blur of movement crashed into the place he'd been seconds ago.
"Eh, fancy to see you here, Kagome," Kouga said, grinning, pulling his fist out of the thick, sturdy wood.
Kagome's eyes grew wide. "Kouga… you… you…" Impulsively, she grabbed an arrow from the wicker basket on her back and notched it to her bow, a furious expression on her face.
Kouga looked slightly surprised at her belligerence. "Whoa now, Kagome, what kind of greeting for your boyfriend is this?"
Inuyasha growled angrily. "You bastard, Kouga! Don't act as if you don't know!"
His instincts saved him yet again as he leaped away and familiar, yet vicious wind blades sped through what would have been his midsection.
"It's time to finish that fight of ours, Inuyasha," Kagura drawled, whipping open her deadly battle fan. "Fuujin no Mai!"
Inuyasha jumped again, avoiding them. He landed on the ground to where Kirara had stopped to allow her riders to dismount. Inuyasha deposited Kagome on her feet. "Watch her!" He told them, before drawing out his sword and leaping away.
"What am I, a baby?" Kagome grumbled half-heartedly. Carefully, she aimed her arrow at the smirking Kouga watching the fight between Kagura and Inuyasha. She fired it and it nearly missed his head. He jumped, surprised, before orienting on where it came from. Giving a wolfish grin, he jumped to where she stood.
"Well, well, well. How have you been, baby? Miss me?" Kouga sneered, thrusting his face in front of hers.
"Kagome…" Sango warned, shifting into a defensive stance. Miroku followed her example, watching his friend and her ex-suitor carefully.
The young woman didn't even flinch, wrinkling her nose slightly at his wolf breath. She pulled her fist back and punched him fully in the face. Kouga gasped and reeled back, not expecting the sudden aggression. He brought his hands to his nose, which was now bleeding.
"Why, you—!" He snarled.
She moved back a few feet and aimed another arrow at him. Her hands trembled as she held her bow. "Don't move, Kouga, or I'll shoot you!" She threatened.
He smirked. "You're not going to shoot me, Kagome, I know you're not. You don't have the guts." He turned his attention on Sango and Miroku, whom were slowly advancing toward him. "And don't you two dare interfere. This is between me and Kagome."
They still lingered nonetheless.
"Sango… Miroku… do as he says. This is between us. I have some unfinished business with Kouga here. You guys go on and find Naraku. He's healing as we speak. I can handle Kouga." Kagome's eyes never once left the wolf demon's face.
"That's right, darling, you can handle me any day you want!" He sneered at her.
"Kagome, this is no small thing! He could seriously hurt you," Miroku cautioned, not moving from his spot.
"Don't worry, Miroku, if anything bad happens, I'm sure Inuyasha will be able to help me. You guys need to leave now. Go!"
"Very well, if you say so," Miroku said reluctantly.
"You can't possibly be letting her do this!" Sango hissed at him.
He sighed, "This is Kagome's wish. We'd better get to Naraku before he manages to patch up all the damage we've done to him so far."
Sango looked at Kagome hesitantly.
Kagome gave her a small smile. "Go on, Sango. You can trust me."
With those words, Miroku pulled her away and they sped off toward the enemy.
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Kagura sent her wind blade attack at the ground where Inuyasha was standing. Dirt and dust flew up around him and for a moment, he was blinded as he coughed and scrubbed his hand across his eyes. She slipped behind a tree and waited for the opportune moment.
Inuyasha stumbled about and as soon as he was close enough, she leapt from behind her cover and pinned him to the ground. Kagura pressed the sharp, steel tip of her fan until it pricked his throat.
She leaned down and spoke lowly into his ear, "Now listen, and listen good. I have a proposal for you. If you help me get my sister, Kanna, back, I'll help you kill Naraku. How about it?"
"Why should I believe you?" Inuyasha gritted against the fan; she lessened her pressure.
"I hate Naraku. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. He's controlling my sister and me. I want out. Once he's dead, we'll be released, but I need your help."
Inuyasha could clearly see the anger blazing in her ruby eyes.
"Alright, then," Inuyasha replied grudgingly. "I'll help you get your sister, but don't you dare chicken out on me during the battle."
Her eyes flashed, "I am no coward."
They eyed each other and reached an understanding.
Moments later, they heard a screeching yell of horror.
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Kouga spread his arms, exposing his torso. "Well, you've got me all to yourself. Are you going to shoot me?"
"You bet," she said through clenched teeth, but her hands continued to shake, throwing her aim off.
Kouga noticed her hesitation and smirked. "Heh, you can't shoot me can you? After all, to you, I must still be your beloved Kouga," he mocked.
Kagome's hands tightened on the bow, her nails scoring the sturdy wood. "That's not true! I loathe you!" She bit out fiercely. She released the arrow, but it hit a nearby tree instead of Kouga.
"Come on, Kagome, if you join forces with me and Naraku, I will certainly make the change worthwhile. What do you say? You'd have power over everything. Whatever you want, you will get."
"Never!" She said vehemently. "I'm not a selfish, evil, power-seeking monster like you!"
"Now, now, Kagome," he reprimanded, "that's not very nice."
Strengthening her resolve, Kagome released her second arrow. It only barely grazed his arm.
Kouga gripped a hand against the shallow wound and snarled. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"Look, Kouga," Kagome said firmly, "I'm not your girlfriend anymore. And you're not going to get away with killing my family." She pulled out a third arrow.
"If you're not going to submit to me, I'll just have to destroy you!" Kouga snarled. He dove at her, his hands outstretched.
Kagome watched him come at her, head first. She had no choice but to shoot him. Pulling the bowstring taut, her arrow was released with a twang. She watched almost remorsefully as the arrow struck her former love in the abdomen. He gave one last horror-filled yell before the light from the purifying arrow consumed him. When her vision cleared, there was nothing left of Kouga; his ashes spread to the four winds.
Almost immediately, Inuyasha descended to where she stood. She turned toward him and was startled to see Kagura land several feet behind him.
"Inuyasha! Look out behind you!" She cried in warning.
Inuyasha merely gave a glance over his shoulder. "Don't worry, Kagome. Kagura and I have come to an agreement. She's going to help us kill Naraku."
"Why are you believing her? She works for Naraku," Kagome said suspiciously, wondering if Inuyasha had taken one too many bonks on the head.
"In return for allying with us, we're going to help her get back her sister and free her from Naraku's control. We're going to have to work together if we want to destroy him."
"Wow, those are some words I never thought I'd hear come from you," Kagome commented.
"Keh," Inuyasha replied eloquently. "Now, let's get going, Miroku and Sango have probably found him already." He crouched down to allow Kagome to climb onto his back.
"There's no need for that," Kagura said a bored voice. She pulled a feather from her hair and flung it skywards. It transformed into a feather the size of a car and she motioned for them to get on. They piled onto it and flew in the direction Miroku and Sango had previously gone in.
Kagome sighed and leaned against Inuyasha. This was the last break they'd get before confronting Naraku for the final time. Truthfully, Inuyasha didn't expect much of a confrontation. After all, the guy had been half blown to bits. What more could a head and a half-torso do? He curled his arms around Kagome and nuzzled his nose into her hair. After all this was over, he could finally settle down and perhaps start a family with Kagome. The thought sent a pleasant tingle through his body and he inwardly urged the feather on faster.
They finally passed the fringe of the trees and landed in a clearing where they spotted Sango and Miroku. They were standing while Kirara had her nose to the ground, using her demon senses to help sniff out Naraku.
Inuyasha leapt down from the feather. "What are you guys doing?"
"Kirara lost the trail for a bit so we had to stop," Sango told him. "He can't have gotten far though—what with that number you pulled on him."
The feather landed and Kagome got off, along with Kagura. Both Miroku and Sango backed up instantly.
"What's she doing here, Inuyasha?" Miroku demanded.
Inuyasha told them of their deal, though somewhat exasperatedly, annoyed at having to tell the tale a second time. Just as he was finishing up, a large bee, a Saimyoushou, crashed into him.
"What the fuck?!" Inuyasha shouted in surprise. He pulled out his sword and unceremoniously cut the bee demon in half. A swarm of the bees encompassed the small group.
"Well, looks like my kazaana is out of the question," Miroku chuckled grimly, his hands pulling out his purifying ofuda.
Sango surveyed their situation, tight-lipped. Already, there were hundreds around them and more were pouring into a tornado of demon bees around them. The incoming Saimyoushou flew above them, encasing them in a living dome. There seemed to be no end to them.
"Keh, does that bastard really think he's going to kill us with these worthless things?" He cracked his knuckles. "Sankon Tetsusou!" His sharp claws shredded one side of the dome, but more of them piled on to cover the gap. "Where are these fucking things coming from?" He snarled.
"Inuyasha, I'll shoot a path through these bees," Kagome told him, readying her bow, "Get ready to jump out when I do."
"But… Kagome…" He protested.
"Don't worry about us," she assured him, "We'll be fine. These bees are… small fry." She gave him an easy grin.
Inuyasha suddenly remembered the time so long ago when he'd called the giant centipede demon "small fry". He gave her a thumbs up and she shot the arrow confidently. It mowed a path through the demons, just as promised. He leapt out before they could recover the gap. He gave one last look at his friends before sniffing out Naraku's diminishing scent trail and following it determinedly.
Kagura raised her battle fan. "Fuujin no Mai!" The wind blades pierced through the bees easily. Kagome followed up with another arrow and Sango launched hiraikotsu into the fray. The bee dome exploded into severed corpses. The four of them braced themselves for the still oncoming swarm.
"Do they never end?" Kagome whispered.
The Saimyoushou rapidly descended and the group found themselves in hand-to-hand combat. Sango used her boomerang as a club and Miroku mimicked her, using his staff. Kagura sliced through them with her fan and Kagome used her bow, as her arrows were useless in close range. She discovered that the strong wood easily destroyed the bees.
"Kagome, behind you!" Kagome shouted suddenly.
She turned to find a Saimyoushou behind her, ready to plunge its poisonous stinger into her body.
"Kyah!" She screamed.
Kagura threw her fan and it imbedded into the demon's abdomen. It collapsed immediately, its wing twitching weakly before departing to the afterlife. Kagura bent down to retrieve her fan and Kagome put a tentative hand on her shoulder.
"You… you saved my life," she breathed.
Kagura gave a somewhat frosty smile, "I know."
Another Saimyoushou loomed behind Kagura's turned head and Kagome thrust her bow at it, cleaving right through its middle. It also collapsed, barely avoiding their feet.
"There, now the score's even," Kagura said.
She got to her feet gracefully and they fought together as the battle against the demon bees waged high.
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A very familiar smell tickled Inuyasha's nose. He ground to an abrupt stop and looked around. "I know you're out there. Come out!" He demanded. The smell reeked of bones and grave soil. I couldn't have been anyone but Kikyou. He felt a strange sort of animosity rise within him. He was not in the mood for this kind of confrontation.
The undead priestess stepped forward into his line of vision. She carried a basket of arrows on her back and her bow was swung casually on her shoulder. "Hello, Inuyasha," she said calmly.
"What are you doing here, Kikyou?" Inuyasha queried with slightly bared teeth.
"What are you doing here?" She countered.
"I'm here to defeat Naraku, so I suggest you get out of my way."
"And I'm here to defend Naraku, so I suggest you get away." Kikyou had an arrow to her bow in a blink of an eye.
At first, Inuyasha thought his ears weren't working properly. "You… you're working for Naraku?!" Inuyasha barked angrily.
Kikyou gave a humorless smile, "Is there something the matter, Inu-chan?"
"Why are you doing this?!"
Kikyou's face hardened, "Naraku has resurrected me in order for me to finally get my revenge. My loyalty belongs only to him."
"Kikyou, why won't you believe me?" Inuyasha growled, "I didn't kill you! It was Naraku! He's the one who tricked us in the first place!"
"Don't think that you can trick me with your lies! I know that you killed me and I will do everything in my power to bring you to hell with me!"
Inuyasha had a broken look on his face before he slowly took in a long, rattled breath. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Kikyou." He looked her straight in the eye. "Please don't make me do this."
The priestess sneered. "And what do you presume you will do?" She started when suddenly, Inuyasha's face was no less than three inches from her own and his hand was wrapped firmly, but gently, around her neck.
"Kikyou… you're different now. You're not the same as you used to be. Why did you change?"
A bitter smile spread across her face, "Death has done things to me, Inuyasha, things you'll never imagine. Naraku was my salvation. And now it's time to repay all you've done to me." Her hands came up and gripped his forearm.
Inuyasha grimaced as her electrifying power seeped through his skin and burned him. His fingers tensed and unconsciously tightened around her windpipe. "I'm sorry, Kikyou," he grunted. "I never wanted things to end between us like this, but I can see, through your actions alone, that you're not the Kikyou I once knew. You won't even listen to reason."
She choked and clawed at his arm desperately, gouging his skin. Her body flailed and she tried to kick him from her position suspended by her neck.
Inuyasha closed his eyes tightly and crushed his fist together. "I'm sorry," he whispered again.
Saliva trickled lethargically from the corner of her mouth and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she tried to draw in a ragged breath. Finally, she grew limp. Inuyasha released her and gently lowered her to the ground. He looked at his hand and then closed it into a tight fist, his claws piercing his skin. A small dribble of blood fell. A single tear escaped from his eye, but he wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"Kikyou… it had to be done. I'm so sorry. I hope one day you'll be able to forgive me…" He watched as Kikyou's corpse began to disintegrate back into the grave soil and bones it had started out as. A blue light burst up from the pile, failing to disturb the ashes, and shot up at the sky, disappearing from view.
Kikyou… You were never really here, were you? Inuyasha thought sadly. You were just a bunch of memories and a borrowed soul. Well, after I destroy Naraku, maybe, just maybe, you can finally get the peace you deserve.
He gave one last look at the pile of ashes and continued on his way. The scent trail was getting stronger. It was becoming obvious to him that Naraku had come this way. After several more minutes of running, he felt a strange sensation. It was a combination of the feeling of his heart being pulled out and his mind going numb. He tried to shake away the dizziness but his head still felt clouded.
"Inuyasha, you might have destroyed my body, but I can always get a new one. After I kill you, there will be nothing stopping me from conquering all that I deserve."
Inuyasha turned his head and saw Naraku, supported by what looked like a giant cauldron. In front of him stood a little girl. She was completely white, from her kimono to her skin and even to the flowers in her hair. She held a mirror in her hands that reflected his dazed expression.
He could feel something moving from his body and as he held his hands in front of him, he saw a sort of transparent substance escaping from him and drifting toward the mirror. My soul… she's sucking out my soul! "You… you're Kanna… aren't you?" He asked the girl.
She looked at him blankly and said nothing.
Slowly, he staggered toward her until he was kneeling in front of her. "You have to… wake up, Kanna! Your… sister wants you back. She's fighting for you. Wake up!" He clasped his hands to her shoulders and tried to shake her roughly, but he could feel his strength being zapped away.
"Heh, it's no use," Naraku sneered, "she's under my control! Nothing you do will break her away. And soon, your soul will be mine."
Inuyasha's hands slid from Kanna's shoulders and he fell to the ground, motionless.
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Kagome gasped as something translucent and blue flew into her. Her body heaved a bit and she felt a momentary dizziness that soon went away.
"Kagome, are you alright?" Sango called to her.
"Y-yeah, just something… never mind, it was probably nothing."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." She stood up and brandished her bow once again.
The swarm of bees was beginning to thin out and a round of wind blades and a well-place boomerang bone later, the Saimyoushou were finally no more.
"Is it over?" Kagome asked.
Miroku shook his head. "I doubt it. Naraku is the sire to all demons. Surely he has more demons under his control than just a hive of bees. But now that the Saimyoushou are out of the way, I can suck up whatever is left. But what I'm really worried about is, where is Inuyasha? Surely it can't take that long just to dispose of half a body?"
"Do you think… that Naraku is trying to distract us?" Sango asked hesitantly.
"It's very possible," Kagura responded. "I know Naraku. He is very devious. It is possible that something has happened to Inuyasha and he's preventing help from getting to him."
"Oh! I have to go to him!" Kagome cried.
"Wait," Sango stopped her, "take Kirara. We'll take care of things here."
"Thank you, Sango," Kagome said gratefully and jumped on the cat demon's back. Seconds later, Kirara was gliding through the sky, flames licking at her paws.
"Brace yourselves, guys," Miroku warned, "I feel a demonic presence."
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"I think I see something, Kirara," Kagome told the cat. "Over there, I'm not sure what it is."
Indeed it was Inuyasha and immediately, Kirara landed on the ground.
Kagome scrambled off of her. "Inuyasha!" She tried to pull him up by his shoulders, but he was too heavy for her.
"He will not wake up."
Kagome looked up to see Naraku and Kanna watching her. "What have you done to him!" She demanded.
"I have taken his soul."
"Well… put it back then!" Kagome said fiercely.
Naraku chuckled, "I will do no such thing."
Kagome put Inuyasha gently back on the ground and advanced toward the demon, an arrow to her bow. "Put it back or I'll blow you to pieces!"
Naraku nodded to Kanna and the girl shined the mirror on her, Kagome's face reflecting on the smooth surface. Kagome stumbled as she felt her newly pieced together soul come apart again.
"Wh-what are you doing to me?"
Naraku just gave her a malicious grin and said nothing.
Her hands shook, but she tightened her hands on the bow. She was but ten feet from him. At that distance, not even she could miss.
"Stop her," Naraku ordered Kanna.
Kagome's soul continued to fly at the mirror. Kanna gave a small frown as the flow slowed.
"Her soul is too big." Kanna said in a soft, bland voice.
Kagome pulled the bow taut.
"Stop her!" Naraku said again, a bit of desperation creeping into his voice.
Kanna shook the mirror and the flow stopped altogether.
"Deflect the attack!" He shouted. Kanna stepped in front of her master holding out the mirror just as Kagome released the arrow.
For a moment, it seemed as if the mirror was going to suck in the arrow as well. It slowed upon impact and slowly disappeared into the mirror. Kagome held her breath. Seconds passed and then, a single crack lined the surface. More cracks broke out from the first, creating a spider web effect. The mirror burst into hundreds of shards of glass.
Kagome choked as her soul once again entered her body, quite forcefully this time. On the ground, Inuyasha shuddered.
Kanna stared at the glass fragments in her hand and then blinked, as if coming out of a trance. A shiver went through her entire body and she fell to the ground. A trace of color filtered through her face.
Naraku felt, for the first time in his immortal life, the sensation of fear building in the back of his throat.
Kagome drew out one last arrow and aimed at his head. "Naraku, it's finally your end." The arrow sped forward and hit his forehead. He screamed as the miko energy purified him from the inside out, his body imploding.
Then, he was gone.
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Miroku gasp and clenched his left hand to his wrist as he was in the middle of sucking in the enemy demons. His attack suddenly stopped and he fell to his knees. He pulled his right hand into a fist, an expression of surprise on his face.
"Miroku!" Sango shouted at him.
The demons seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking at each other and Kagura took the chance to finish them off with one last wind blade attack.
"Miroku!" Sango kneeled by his side. "What's the matter?"
"It's… over…" Miroku said, disbelief was written on his face.
"What do you mean? What's over?"
He brandished his right hand in front of her, whole for the first time in his life. "It's over."
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A/N: Wow, one more chapter left! I can't believe it! Wasn't this chapter long? Yay! It was five pages!! It must be a record for me. =P
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Review Responses:::::{}{}{}:::::
AnimeBrat: Thanks! I'm not all good with battle scenes but I'm glad you like it! Inusgurl: Thanks. It's almost over! Yay! Inuyasha1990: Haha, I tried to make this a bit original, but it turned out a lot like Rumiko Takahashi's plot. I love fluff of course, so I had to put more of that in. XD Dragon Man 180: Yeah, Shippo wasn't in this scene, don't worry I haven't forgotten about him! I don't think he would have been much use in a battle so I left him out. He'll show up again though. And here's Kouga for you! FieryDemonFox: You think it's that good? I don't… LOL. This is my first fanfic. I'm glad it's almost over. It's a year old! Hope you liked this chapter! The Lady Cassandra: Wow, 10/10?? Thank you so much! I try to give lots of description but I also try not to go over the top with the vocab. When people do that, it seems like they're trying too hard. Or at least, that's how I feel. Thanks for the review! AlleyWings: Thanks! Yeah, I know it was kinda weird for Inuyasha to kiss Kikyou, but then again, he didn't in the real story didn't he? Grr… I wish he'd have more moments with Kagome in the actual plot line though… LOL. Akai Kiniro: Wow, what a long review! One of my longest I think. XD Thanks for all the suggestions! Surprisingly, some of them go with what I was planning. Oh and if you want hot, have I got the picture for you! www. deviantart. com/ view/ 6959661 / Leave out the spaces! And here's one for Sess: www. deviantart. com/ view/ 6959739 / Look at it and revel in the hotness. Morlana: Haha, thanks! Hope you liked this chapter! Call Me Shiggy: Heehee, my fav couple is Inu and Kag too! They're the best couple in the world! Thanks for the review. What did you think of this battle scene? I don't think I'm very good with battles… Oh well. Hope you liked it anyway!