Here we go, just like I promised. Next chapter! Thank you so much for all your reviews, everyone. They make my day!
This is a repost. I did a little work on it, so I hope it's all better now!
Disclaimer: I got caught trying to nab Kouga-kun. So, no, I still don't own Inu Yasha.
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Kirara flew into the clearing, bearing two humans and a small kitsune youkai with her. "There, Kirara!" Sango cried, pointing down at the ruins of a wooden building. "That looks like Kouga!"
The firecat landed gracefully a few feet from the pile of shattered wood and stone. Her paws had barely touched the ground when Sango jumped off and ran toward it. Miroku quickly followed, with the kitsune perched on his shoulder.
"Kouga! Are you all right?"
Suddenly, she stopped. Miroku crashed into her from behind. He was about to try something lecherous when his gaze landed on the wolf youkai.He was cradling something in his lap.
Shippo suddenly leapt from the houshi's shoulder, running at top speed toward the youkai.
"Kagome!" Before Kouga could stop him, he had jumped on the dead miko's lap. "Kagome, wake up!" He touched her face with his small childlike hands. He turned tear-filled eyes up at the wolf. "What's wrong with Kagome?"
"She's dead," he answered softly, laying her head gently on the floorboards.
Kouga looked up, and saw identical expressions of disbelief on both humans' faces. Sango rushed forward and kneeled beside her body, tears beginning to course down her cheeks. "How?" she asked brokenly.
Kouga swept her hair aside and pointed at the bite mark between her neck and shoulder. "It looks like poison," he said bitterly. "Naraku, probably."
Sango narrowed her eyes. "And Kikyo?" When the youkai nodded, she fisted her hands fiercely on her lap. "How could they have done this to Kagome? She didn't deserve this!"
Miroku joined her, placing one hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "Of course she didn't," he said. His voice shook with anger. "But Naraku is a monster, incapable of mercy. He is probably laughing at us from a safe distance."
He was struggling to suppress his own tears, when Sango turned and threw herself into his arms. And even though his grief was overwhelming him, he stood fast and held her silently as she sobbed into his robes.
Shippo had curled himself into a wildly sobbing ball of misery on the floor by Kagome's head. It was too much for him to lose another mother. He was heartbroken. Kirara licked him once and mewed sadly from his side.
The wolf prince abruptly rose to his feet, and his expression turned deadly as he turned toward the courtyard. "Stay here with her," he ordered. "That bitch'll pay for this," he added with a growl. "I'll rip out her heart and feed it to her!"
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"I am not Kagome, Inuyasha," Kikyo said bitterly. "Won't you stop thinking about her for just a moment?"
"Kikyo?" The inu hanyou looked her over carefully, his ears twitching.
"You're different," was all he could say.
"I'm complete," she replied, frowning.
"Complete?" Inuyasha's eyes widened, and he took a step away from the miko. "What did you do to Kagome, Kikyo?"
"My reincarnation?" Kikyo took a step forward to close the gap. "I didn't do anything to her. Naraku did it for me, since you refused." Her eyes glinted with humor. "I told you, Inuyasha. I'd make you suffer, one way or another."
The hanyou gave a strangled gasp, and started to turn away.
Before he could move, her Soul-Gatherers had wrapped themselves around his body. He would have ripped them off, if Kikyo hadn't set a spell on him just then. He struggled against it, but it was no use. He couldn't move his arms and legs anymore.
His eyes stung. He wanted desperately to get to Kagome. He was sure that's what Kouga had found now. He turned watery amber eyes at the revived miko.
"Why, Kikyo?" His despair was evident in every word. "Why do you still hate me so much?"
"Hate you?" Kikyo looked at him, thinking hard. "I died for you, Inuyasha. I gave up my opportunity to live through the Shikon no Tama, just to follow you in death." She laughed bitterly; those words seemed oddly forced, now that she had said them. "And for what? You lived, and I did not. My life ended in deceit, and in stupidity, all for you."
She looked at him. "And here you are, Inuyasha, angry because I sacrificed a meaningless girl to come back!"
"She's not meaningless, Kikyo!" Inuyasha yelled. "She was pure-hearted, like you used to be when I met you. She would've never thought of harming you, even though you stole her shards." His ears drooped sadly, and his voice became a whisper.
"I love her," he said slowly.
Kikyo stared at him. *Why is my heart beating so quickly?* she wondered, putting a hand to her chest. *She must have wanted to hear him say those words.* Her brow creased, and she willed her racing heart to calm down.
"If you loved her so much, then why did you hurt her?" The anger in her voice surprised her, but she preferred it to the sadness she had been feeling before. It went much better with the bitter hatred that had been part of her for so long.
"She died willingly, Inuyasha. You should have seen her," she continued mockingly. "She didn't even struggle. It was as if she was already dead inside. When I took her soul, I felt her pain pass with it into me."
"Why do you have to keep wounding my soul, Inuyasha?" she cried, jerking his face up so she could see his eyes.
"I…didn't…I couldn't stop seeing you." He sounded sad, and very tired. "I knew it hurt her when she saw me go to you, but I couldn't stop doing it. I loved you once too, Kikyo. And I know that I owe you my pathetic life."
The pain flared inside her again, coupled with her resentment.
Before she could answer, however, there was a sudden gust of wind as an infuriated wolf youkai tackled her to the ground.
"Kikyo!" Inuyasha fell to the ground as the spell wore off, thanks to her temporary loss of concentration. He moved to help her up, but was thrown back by a jolt of pink light.
"You! You bitch, you killed Kagome!" Kouga's pupils had gone red, and his irises were black. "You killed my woman!" His fangs grew, as did his claws. He flexed them dangerously and moved to strike.
"No!" Inuyasha moved quickly. Unsheathing the Tetsusaiga, he positioned himself between the transforming youkai and the miko. "There has to be another way!"
The wolf prince paused, eyeing the deadly fang in his opponent's hands. "You make me sick, Inukkuro," he growled, before rushing in.
Even in a normal state, Kouga was no doubt faster than Inuyasha. Now, in his maddened fury, there was no way Inuyasha would have been able to stop him as he used his speed to sidestep him and jump, with his claws outstretched, at Kikyo. "You'll pay!" he barked, locked on his target with a deadly determination.
It was all useless. He felt a painful jolt run through his body from his extended arm as he made contact with Kikyo's powerful barrier. He fell and skidded several feet back, countless rocks scraping at him as he went.
Unfazed, he stood up and jumped at her again and again. Each time, he was thrown back by her barrier.
Meanwhile, the revived miko had recovered from his first attack enough to stand and glare at him.
"Stop it, youkai," she snapped. "I do not have a quarrel with you. Stop your mindless attacks or I shall have to kill you." She didn't know why, but she was hesitant to attack him.
Inuyasha stood by, staring at Kouga as he redoubled his efforts. His hands were trembling, and the Tetsusaiga clattered to the ground. He fell to his knees beside it.
*If I help Kouga kill her, then maybe we can get Kagome's soul back,* he thought. *But can I kill Kikyo? She died because of me, even if it was all Naraku's doing. She could have lived, but she chose to die with me.* He cradled his hands in his claws, and rocked slowly.
*Kikyo or Kagome?* His head felt like it was about to burst. *Kikyo or Kagome?*
"Kikyo!" He rose suddenly and gripped the Tetsusaiga tightly.
The miko had somehow grabbed onto Kouga's arm, and was sending powerful surges of energy through him. He yelped in pain, seemingly unable to move away from her deadly touch.
Hearing Inuyasha call to her, she looked away and loosened her grip for an instant. Kouga took advantage of this, and brought his knee up to her stomach.
The force of his blow brought her to her knees. She wrapped her arms around her midsection and backed away. Kouga gave a sidelong glance at the inu hanyou, daring him to interfere.
Inuyasha stared back at the youkai levelly, then shut his eyes and sprinted away in the direction of Kagome's body. Kouga grinned, then moved in for the kill. "I will enjoy this, bitch," he snarled.
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Inuyasha hurried toward the small group huddled amid the rubble. He could smell their pain as he approached. He braced himself as he neared them.
"Inuyasha!" He was suddenly attacked by a furious hairball that could only be Shippo. "How could you have let this happen?" His voice was raw, and it was all Inuyasha could do to look him in the face. "Why didn't you protect her?" He stopped hitting him, and began to cry again. "You let my mother die!" he cried softly, burying his head in Inuyasha's haori.
"I'm sorry," Inuyasha whispered painfully, stroking his fuzzy head. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
He dropped the sobbing kitsune gently on the floor by Miroku, as he kneeled down by Kagome's body.
His breath hitched. *Kami, she looks so peaceful,* he thought numbly, reaching out and picking her up tenderly. He crushed her to him, burying his face in her hair. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Kagome," he whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I won't do it again, if you come back." His voice broke, and he got up quickly.
"What are you going to do?" Miroku asked, looking up at the hanyou.
"We're going to get her back," he declared, making his way out of the room. Then, as if on second thought, he turned back. "Naraku is still somewhere around here," he said grimly. "Try to find him, so we can get rid of him once and for all."
Sango wiped her eyes and nodded, getting up somewhat shakily. "Naraku will pay for all he's done," she declared. "I won't have him take another person I care about!"
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While Kouga had been watching Inuyasha, Kikyo had reached up and pulled his small sword out of its sheath. It pulsed as she sent waves of power through it. With a groan, she pulled back and drove it deep into his stomach. "Enjoy that, filthy youkai!" she hissed.
Kouga fell backwards onto the ground, clutching at the sword. The wound made by the blade was not mortal, but the purification process it had started was. The wolf youkai howled as he felt his insides begin to burn.
"I warned you not to attack me," Kikyo panted, getting to her feet. Just then, Inuyasha reached them with Kagome in his arms. He put her down gently, then stared wide-eyed at the writhing youkai on the floor.
"Kikyo, no!" He unsheathed his Tetsusaiga once more, and stood between Kagome and the miko. "Give Kagome back her soul!"
"I shall not! This is my soul!"
"Don't make me kill you!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
Inuyasha launched himself at the furious priestess, readying the fang above him for a deadly blow.
"Don't be such a fool, Inuyasha," Kikyo said calmly, as her barrier went up again. There was a resounding crash, and energy crackled as the Tetsusaiga was repelled. Inuyasha watched, horror-stricken, as it detransformed in his hands.
"Don't you see?" She smiled evilly. "You cannot withstand me, Inuyasha. Resign yourself to your fate, as she did."
"Bitch!"
She whirled around and narrowed her eyes.
"How could you still be alive?"
Kouga had managed to tear the sword out of his gut. His hands were scorched, and there was a huge, gaping wound in his torso, but he was standing.
"Kagome!" He clenched his fists, trying to fight off the darkness that was threatening to consume him. "Kagome, fight her! I know you can!"
"Pitiful wolf," Kikyo said angrily. "She is dead!"
He was unable to react in time, and she quickly managed to get her hands around his throat. "I will make sure you die this time," she stated bitterly. Her hands glowed pink as she used her powers on him once again.
He screamed, and slowly lowered to one knee. "Ka…Kago…me," he choked out. "Fight her…I know…you can." His gaze went slowly to the dead miko's body.
"I…love you…Kagome…."
His eyes closed, and he went limp.
Suddenly, Kikyo's face twisted. "No!" she screamed, dropping her victim as a bright light began to shine from inside of her. "She is dead! There is no way…I won't let you!"
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome's body, shocked to see that it was emitting the same light as Kikyo's. *Her soul must be fighting to go back to her own body!* he thought.
"Inuyasha!" Kikyo stepped toward him, swaying as her strength began to fail. "Don't let her kill me, Inuyasha!" she cried, pitching forward.
A strong wind had picked up, and several streaks of light were leaving Kikyo's body and flying into Kagome's.
Inuyasha caught her as she fell, and tried to help her stand. "Kikyo, you have to let go," he said sadly.
She looked up at him, and they locked gazes one last time.
Suddenly, she laughed. Inuyasha blinked in surprise. It was the same laugh she had long ago, when they had just met. Pleasant, and tinged with sadness.
"I have no purpose," she said, clinging to his yukata. "When I took her soul, her pain blended with my hatred and changed it. That hatred was the part of my soul that remained with my clay body, and it was the only reason I was able to linger here. But I do not believe the rest of her soul could allow such hatred to exist."
Her voice became a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," she breathed. "I am free to rest at last, but I leave so much pain behind me."
She closed her eyes. "Hold on to me, one last time."
The hanyou brought her close, trying to hold on to her scent as she faded away. "Goodbye, Kikyo," he murmured. "Goodbye."
Behind him, Inuyasha heard Kagome stir.
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Hello, everybody! I hope you liked this chapter. I feel weird about it, but I don't quite know what that means. So, I'll let you be the judges!