AN: hey guys, sorry it took so long to update. Finals are coming up soon, and I've got a lot of stuff. Plus, my birthday was a few days ago, and I got a new kitten, and that's a lot of work, too. So, yeah, sorry it took so long to update. Let me get to the replies, and then you can read the story! Oh, and this chapter is going to be long, and it might be sad in the middle of it. So, you might bring some tissues or something.
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RobinluvsAmon
Chapter Twenty-A Fight at Last
Kagome opened her eyes slowly, her body feeling tired, and weak, and her eyes hurt. The sun gleamed on her through her window, and she groaned, rolling over to her side.
"Kagome?" A quiet voice called for her. "Are you awake?"
She rolled over to the other side and saw Sota kneeling on the ground next to her bed. She nearly jumped out of her bed, screaming, scaring Sota to cause him to fall back.
"You're okay!" Kagome shouted.
Sota laughed, "yeah, I am. That Takudo really knows his stuff."
Kagome made a face, "huh? Takudo?"
"Yeah, after you guys left, he helped the doctors wake me up."
'Why would he do that?' Kagome thought. 'Is he still trying to convince Inuyasha and I to help fight Naraku?'
"Sis?" Sota asked, a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay?"
She laughed, "yeah! Fine! I better go find Inuyasha."
"He's outside, by the God tree," Sota told her and she got up, grabbed her robe and walked outside to find him.
Sota was right, Inuyasha was standing out in front of the God tree, looking up at it as the wind blew in his hair and the leaves above him. Kagome felt warmth from inside her grow, and she smiled. She walked up to join his side, and that warmth grew once he grabbed her hand. She looked up at him and blushed.
"Kagome, are you ready?" He asked, still looking at the God tree.
Kagome made a face, "for what?"
He looked down at her, his eyes soft as silk, and his expression saying 'please say you're not ready.' "To fight Naraku. Takudo finally told us how we could defeat him."
'Takudo again?' Kagome thought. 'Why does he keep helping us?' "He did?" She asked out loud.
Inuyasha nodded, "yes, he did. But, I don't want to go fight unless you are ready."
"Why is that?" She asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. Something inside her kept yelling at her to ask him, and she was almost excited and scared to find out.
"Because... I don't want to loose you like I did four years ago." Inuyasha said, holding onto her hand tighter. "If something goes wrong, I might not be able to keep you here with me. I don't want to risk loosing you again, living another four years wondering."
Kagome blushed, "I don't want to wonder anymore, either, Inuyasha. I want to know what will happen. So... I am ready. If we're not ready by now, then Naraku just might get stronger the next time. We have to take care of him once and for all." She held his hand tightly as well. "Together."
Inuyasha smiled, and so did Kagome. They stood there, holding onto each other's hand, gazing into each other's eyes. They were locked, couldn't move, and didn't want to move, either.
"Inuyasha, Kagome, you guys okay?"
They turned their head and saw Takudo standing there, looking at them strangely.
Inuyasha quickly let go of Kagome's hand, and blushed. "Yeah, we're fine. We're going to go back to the feudal era today, hopefully, catch up with Sango and Miroku and try to battle Naraku."
Takudo's face lit up, and he smiled. "Great! I will come back soon with my information you could use to battle the incarnations, their weaknesses, and everything. I'll be back shortly."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Kagome looked up at Inuyahsa, "why was he so glad about it?"
Inuaysha shrugged. "I don't know, and I don't really want to know. But, hey, he's going to show us their weaknesses, so, I guess he's not all that bad."
Kagome looked in the direction Takudo left, and let out a quiet sigh. "I think he is..." she muttered quietly.
Inuyasha grabbed her hand again, and held it firmly. Kagome gripped his in return, and they walked to the house to pack for their trip.
Sota already had Kagome's backpack ready with lots of medical equipment, and they said a quick good-bye, not wanting to let tears fall. Inuyasha gave Sota a brotherly pat on the back, and left with Kagome to the well house.
"Are you sure you're ready?" Inuyasha asked, and Kagome took a deep breath.
"No, I'm not," she admitted. "But I'm just going to have to be."
Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, letting in her jasmine scent. "You'll be fine. You're strong, very strong, and I won't let anything happen to you."
Kagome reached and touched his hand that was on her shoulder. "Same here, I won't let anything happen to you."
The well house door slid open and Takudo walked inside, carrying lots of books, and papers. Kagome frowned and took them as he handed them to her.
"I have written everything that has been in my dreams," Takudo explained. "Everything from which Naraku really is, to what powers he and his incarnations hold. These are all the most recent ones I have kept record of, and the ones about their powers, origins, and all that other stuff. I would advice you to go over it before you go into battle."
Kagome flipped through the books, and fingered through the papers. She smiled and looked at Takudo, "thanks, we will."
He smiled and nodded, "good luck."
Kagome nodded and Inuyasha grabbed her hand. She looked up at him, and they jumped into the well... together.
Kaede's hut was just up ahead, and there was a crowd surrounding it. Kagome and Inuyasha walked faster, making their way through the crowd to get to the front. There was a small fire, and on top of the fire was a body. Kagome saw Sango and Miroku, holding onto each other tightly and their small children clung to their legs, shedding tears. Shippo and Koga stood in the crowd, and Shippo tried to remain calm, although letting small tears fall down cheeks.
The villagers wept, and Kagome looked at the body. She felt her heart stop, and she began to breathe heavily. She dropped every paper onto the floor and Inuyasha held onto her as her knees gave out and she almost fell.
The body was Kaede's.
Kagome let out a scream and she pounded her fist into Inuyasha's chest, seeing tears of his own fall from his eyes down to his cheek as he watched the body burn with the flames. Kagome screamed and cried, letting it all out. Inuyasha held onto her tightly, so she didn't fight any of the other villagers. He cried with her, softer, but with her. Sango and Miroku saw Kagome, heard her screams, too, and walked up to her, holding onto her tightly.
Shippo jumped away from Koga, and Koga ran with him to aid Kagome. Everyone held onto Kagome tightly, crying with her, sharing her pain, her tears, and shed their own pain and tears on the way.
"NO!" Kagome screamed at the sky. "NO!" Sango gave Kagome a small cup of tea and Inuyasha tightened his grip around her shoulder. Miroku finished tucking the children in, and he returned to join them around the fire outside.
"Are you okay, Kagome?" Sango asked, rubbing her shoulder.
Kagome nodded and looked at her tea. "Naraku's incarnation killed her. I know he did. He was trying to get Inuyasha and I, and he killed Kaede."
"You don't know that for sure, Kagome," Miroku said.
Kagome looked up at him, "I may not, but I do know that he has to be the one that killed her. Who else would?"
Inuyasha sighed, "well, maybe it's time we went over Takudo's papers. We might have a battle tomorrow."
Kagome grabbed the books and papers and began to read them.
They already knew about Kagura and Kanna, but it was good to know that they gained their freedom from Naraku once he died. But, Naraku's most recent incarnation happened to be Naraku. He made him right before he died, and that was who killed the original. His only weakness, was for a purified arrow to hit him on the spider on his back.
After reading some more, the gang decided to think of a plan of action. Koga and Shippo appeared in the middle of their reading, and decided to help them. Sango and Miroku decided to leave their children here with Kirara and the village. The rest was up to them. All they had to do was find a way to get Naraku to come out of hiding. There was only one way to do that. Kagome ran through the forest, breathing heavy, sweating furiously, and screaming. A dark shadow chased after her, and she looked back, trying to run faster but her weak legs wouldn't let her. She tripped on a root and fell face forward. The shadow came right up to her, and she giggled.
The shadow figure began to take form of a body, one that looked exactly like Naraku. Kagome smiled and lay on the ground. Naraku walked up to her, hovering over her body as she lay on the ground. Inuyasha came out from behind a tree, Tetsusaiga in hand, coming down to attack Naraku.
Naraku turned around just in time to grab the Tetsusaiga with his hands, and laughed at Inuyasha. "Trying to use tricks against me, are you Inuyasha?" Naraku said with a cold laugh. "Using your own woman as bait?"
Inuyasha growled and tried to push forward. Sango came out and threw her boomerang at Naraku. Naraku held the Tetsusaiga with one hand and pushed the boomerang away with the other. The boomerang came back and Sango grabbed it. While Naraku was busy blocking attacks, Miroku threw Kagome her bow and arrows.
Kagome got an arrow ready, and nodded at Sango. Sango threw her boomerang again, and Naraku blocked it once again. After he was just about to move his hand away, and Kagome could see his back clearly, she shot her arrow at him, a bright pink light shining and glowing with power as it flew in the air towards him. It struck him in the back, and he screamed. Inuyasha jumped out of the way, and ran to Kagome.
"Did you hit him?" He asked, and Kagome smiled and nodded.
"Oh yeah!" She shouted.
The pink light grew stronger as Naraku cried in pain, his arms lifting in the air, and the wind blowing around him. The arrow sunk deep into his flesh, tearing away skin and bones, going through his entire body. The group watched as Naraku screamed in pain, and Koga came out from his spot behind a tree, Shippo following him, and they both kicked Naraku onto the ground, his body turning into ashes.
The last of the ashes floated away with the wind, and Kagome let out a whoop. "Yeah! He's dead!"
Inuyasha turned and hugged Kagome tightly. Sango and Miroku embraced, and Koga gave Shippo a pat on the back.
"We did it!" Kagome shouted, running to Sango and Miroku and embracing them both. After letting them go, she ran to Shippo and Koga, embracing them as well.
Claps were heard, echoed around them. Kagome stopped smiling, and Inuyasha walked to her side. They all turned their heads to down deeper in the forest, and Kagome gasped. Takudo walked up to them, clapping, and smiling wide.
Inuyasha, Koga, and Shippo growled, and Sango held onto Miroku, who stared knives at Takudo. Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand to hold him back. On Takudo's shoulder were a bow and an arrow case. On his hip was a sword sheath, and on his face was a cold grin.
"Well done," he said, his voice cold and harsh. "Very well done."
"What are you doing here?" Kagome demanded.
"Well, I guess I'm a few moments late." He said, looking down at the ground where Naraku had vanished. "If I was here on time, I would be fighting with Naraku. Oh well, I guess it was that old woman's fault."
Kagome cursed, "you bastard!"
Takudo laughed, "hey, she put up a good fight, that's all I can say. I guess I can still enjoy this battle. A little tougher then I thought it would be, but, hey, it's still a fight."
"If it's a fight you want," Inuyasha said, grabbing onto the Tetsusaiga tighter, "then it's a fight you'll get!"
Takudo pulled his sword out of its sheath, and glared at Inuyasha. "Bring it on."
