For the record (ahem): I do not own, in whole or in part, any part of the Inuyasha franchise. Nor do I own any of the characters from said franchise that is used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and is not to be taken or believed as part of the true Inuyasha saga. That being said, please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction. Feel free to critique ad nauseum. (Whew!)
Chapter Seventeen – The Miko Unleashed
I know she is coming. She is less than twenty feet from my door. I will not back down. Sesshomaru would not want me to back down. Kagome took a deep, steadying breath and drew her bow and arrow. She concentrated all her energy into the tip of the arrow, creating a large blue orb at the end of it. When she walks through that door, I am going to hit her so hard that there will be nothing left but microscopic particles of clay dust. I will not be harassed by her again.
She continued to wait. She could still hear the creepy, broken soul song Kikyou emitted, just behind her door. Does she know that I am planning to attack her? Maybe my body gives off a song that she can hear. Her blue orb was faltering, and she had to re-focus her inner thoughts to the task at hand.
After about five minutes, she heard a shifting that sounded suspiciously like a door sliding open. She lowered her bow a little as she strained to hear any movements from behind her door. Then, Kagome heard a soft thump and clang. And another. Oh my God! She is going after Rin.
"No!" Kagome screamed as she ran towards the door, barely getting it open before bursting through the doorway and sprinting across the courtyard. Another thump and clatter. Then she heard something that made her blood turn to ice as she raced down the hallway. Rin's shrill scream a rustle of clothing and a dull thud.
Ripping the door open, Kagome was greeted at the door by a huge silvery soul catcher. Its mouth was open to expose transparent fangs. Without hesitation, she clawed the catcher with her nails. Her hand glowed blue with the focus of her anger, and the soul catcher shattered into pieces in front of her. She frantically searched for Rin, but at first didn't see her anywhere. Then she tripped over something lying in her path.
Frightened that it was Rin, she dropped on her knees, tears staining her face. She looked down and saw Jaken. Rin screamed for Jaken. She was so relieved that it took her a moment to realize that Jaken was not moving. He isn't breathing either. She turned him over, and saw a large burn mark across his squat chest.
"That stupid little toad got in the way. Poor thing thought he could stop me from getting to her." Kagome looked up to see that Kikyou was standing right over her. "I think he really was rather fond of her. They were about the same height. Come to think of it, I think they are perfectly suited for each other. Both have high opinions of themselves and both never know when they cannot win."
Kagome was trying to find Rin, expecting to see her flayed on the ground like Jaken was. She looked on the ground all over the room, ignoring the laughing remarks Kikyou was taunting her with. But, Rin was nowhere to be found.
Leaving Jaken on the floor, Kagome slowly rose to her feet, still scanning the room. The thumps she had heard earlier now became clear. Her eyes flowed from Kikyou's feet, she saw not too far away a small willow arrow, which had been broken. As if reading her thoughts, Kikyou said "That silly little girl thought she could defeat me by shooting twigs at me with a tiny bow. As if she were you." Kikyou couldn't finish, she was laughing so hard.
To the right of the arrow lay another broken arrow. Then another. Kagome stopped breathing as she continued the line. Finally, her eyes lighted on the bow, which had been cleanly snapped in half. The cord that ran the length of the bow had been singed into a little ball. "Oh that. That was when I got tired of the girl shooting her weak little blue arrows at me and sent her a real jolt of power. But that insipid little toad got into the way, so I burnt him instead."
Kagome felt no relief at those words. Right beside the broken bow was the end of a large, silvery tail. Looking up the tail, she saw that another very large soul catcher had Rin in its grasp. The poor little girl was unconscious, but otherwise did not look hurt. She was finally able to breathe again.
Kikyou noticed that Kagome was relieved, but did not want her to stay that way. "I need her soul. She will not be alive much longer. Normally I only take the souls of those who are already dead, but in this case I think I can make an exception." She balled her fist and created a blue orb of light. She raised her arm up to shoulder length and hurled it in Rin's direction.
Without a second thought, Kagome leapt in front of the girl, thinking that in all likelihood it would be her last gesture. The combined powers of the two mikos created a shield that instantly deflected the orb Kikyou hurled. Kagome however did not notice this and instead slashed through the soul catcher, cradling Rin as she was dropped. She dove into a corner of the room and deposited the little girl beside her dresser.
"Kikyou, I have had enough of you!" She yelled at her as she stood back up.
"I quite agree. I must say that I cannot stand you either. Which is why I must do this..." Before Kagome could do anything, another blue orb was fired at Rin. This one struck its target, entering Rin's body through her chest. Another blood curdling scream went up from the little girl, and her soul rose up out of her mouth. When the scream finished, the soul was out of her body, floating above her. Kikyou opened her outstretched hand, closed it, and pulled it towards her own chest. The soul followed, and entered Kikyou through her mouth.
"What are you doing?" whispered Kagome. She was shocked that Kikyou would simply kill Rin like that. What is wrong with her? Has she finally gone insane? "Why did you kill her?"
Kikyou waived her hand dismissively. "She was in the way. No matter. My soul is complete. Well, now I seem to have a little extra. All of hers, part of yours, as it were. I can feel myself getting stronger." Kagome watched as Kikyou's whole body turned blue with power. She positively glowed with it. Rin's soul must be more powerful than Sesshomaru thought.
The thought of Sesshomaru brought Kagome out of her reverie. I have failed him. He will never forgive me for letting her die. I could never forgive myself. "You killed Rin. You bitch." Kagome also brought all the power she could muster to her defense, and she also glowed blue with it. Help me, Rin. Fight against her and I will set your spirit free. It is the least I can do for you.
With a last cry of vengeance, Kagome ran at Kikyou, and the two collided in a flash of brilliant blue electricity. The force of the collision knocked both bodies to opposite sides of the room.
Sesshomaru and Inuyasha found the courtyard where the barrier was erected. It was immense and strong. Inuyasha almost ran into it because it was invisible, but Sesshomaru pulled him out of it just in time. "We cannot lightly pass through. There must be a weakness."
"There is." A voice from behind them called out. They both turned to see Kagura sitting on the edge of the roof behind them. "But you may not like to go through. I think that he is too strong for even you two to handle."
Inuyasha was the first to come up to her, complete with his signature huff and anger. "What are you doing here, you evil witch? Shouldn't you be doing Naraku's dirty work?"
She sneered down at the hanyou. "I am. But, you two should be fighting each other. Not looking for a way into his barrier." She let herself off the ledge, coming to stand before them. "But, if you are not fighting there is nothing I can do about it... now."
Sesshomaru walked closer to her. "Tell us how to get into the barrier. Now."
She pointed to up. "The oak tree is tall. I doubt his barrier covers the entire tree. To get in, go to the top of the tree and climb down. It might be a tight squeeze, but it would be the only way in." Then, she summoned up her wind feather and flew away. Hah! Let us see how mighty you are now, Naraku.
Without a word, Sesshomaru lifted himself and his brother to the top of the oak tree. He touched his foot on the uppermost branch, and sure enough, he was not hurt by a barrier. "She spoke the truth."
"I wonder why she led us to his weakness..."
"She has always wanted to get away from Naraku's clutches. Kagura always works for her own gain." The two brothers quickly and quietly worked their way down the tree. Halfway down, the barrier began to close in on them. Inuyasha's hair was singed on the barrier. Sesshomaru got his elbow burned by it as well. But, they made it low enough that they could jump to the ground.
"What took you so long?" said Naraku from the entrance to the courtyard.
"You aren't surprised to see us?" Inuyasha muttered as he drew the Tetsusaiga.
Naraku laughed, a low hollow laugh. "Of course not. I knew that if I sent Kagura outside that barrier she would do whatever she could to send trouble my way. And she never disappoints. I will deal with her later. Right now, I must deal with the brothers."
Sesshomaru summoned his poison whip. "You have come into my home and desecrated my quarters. Prepare to pay."
Naraku flashed an evil half smile. "Desecrated?" He looked towards the tree. "Oh. You mean the tree, where you and Kagome..."
"Shut your mouth, Naraku!" He spat the words out so viciously that both Naraku and Inuyasha flinched at the words. "What happens in my house is none of your concern."
"What did you do to Kagome, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha's attention was turned from Naraku.
Naraku took this moment to strike. "Foolish pup. You will never learn..." He raised his hand to strike, but was cut short by a high pitched, piercing scream.
The brothers both looked towards the west. "Kagome!" was Inuyasha's first thought.
It was Sesshomaru whose attention was now diverted. "No. That is Rin." He dropped his poison whip, turning his full attention to the pain he heard in that scream.
Again Naraku laughed. "Kikyou must have killed her. Rin's soul now belongs to her."
Inuyasha was confused. "You mean, Kikyou came with us to kill Rin? Not Kagome?"
"Yes. But don't worry. The same soul cannot occupy a body twice at the same time. She will not live long." He again raised his hand to strike, but Inuyasha was now ready and deflected the attack with his sword.
"What do you mean, the soul cannot occupy a body twice? That makes no sense." Inuyasha talked to Naraku while striking blow after blow. Each strike of the Tetsusaiga was deflected over and over. Sesshomaru likewise drew his sword and attacked Naraku from the opposite direction. But, he agilely defended himself against both brothers.
"How ironic, isn't it? Both brothers, fighting together for the same woman. I wonder... when you are finished with me, will you turn on each other?"
"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru called to his brother as they fought Naraku. He looked up from the battle, but did not stop fighting. Sesshomaru stared at his brother, willing him to read his thoughts. We must strike together to catch him off guard. Be ready. Inuyasha nodded.
Before they could coordinate their attack, another scream from the little girl drew attention from Sesshomaru from Naraku. Kagome must be having a time with Kikyou for Rin to be screaming like that. If she can just manage a little bit longer, I will be able to help her. He nodded to his brother and they both raised their swords.
Quickly they brought their swords down on Naraku, who easily deflected them, a sword in each hand. As soon as Naraku's hand touched the sword, Sesshomaru let go, revealing his poison whip and lashing it around Naraku's throat. He pulled it back as quickly as he was able, snapping Naraku's neck clean off his body.
"That was easy," said Inuyasha. A little too easy. The body disappeared, and in its place, a little wooden puppet fell to the floor, in two pieces. "I knew it. He sent another damned puppet. He is too cowardly to ever come in public."
Miroku and Sango reached the duo just as they killed Naraku's puppet. "What were those screams?"
Sango gripped Miroku's shoulder. "Was it Kagome?"
Without a word, Sesshomaru left. Inuyasha answered the question as they followed. "No. It was the little girl, Rin."
Miroku murmured to Sango. "It sounded so much like Kagome..."
The group reached the farthest wing as sounds of a battle reached their ears. A cry could be heard, and running of two sets of feet. As they got to the door to Rin's room, a brilliant blue flash blasted them all to the floor, blowing the door and front wall away. The force of the collision knocked both Kagome and Kikyou to opposite sides of the room. As Kagome fell, she bounced and hit her head against the wall. As Kikyou fell, she crashed to the floor and shattered into a thousand pieces.
The lost portion of Kagome's soul came up from the wreckage, weaving through the air until it found its way back to Kagome. While unconscious, she breathed it in, completing her soul. A shimmer covered her whole body for a moment, then disappeared. The other soul that exited Kikyou's remains had nowhere else to go, as Rin's body was not longer living. It stayed near the remains it departed from, waiting for a soul catcher to take it away.
"Incredible," said the monk. "She finally has her whole soul returned to her. How did that happen?"
Sesshomaru ignored the question and stood up. He walked over to the far wall where a crumpled little body laid beside the dresser. Without hesitation, he drew the Tenseiga and sliced it through Rin's body, which drew the hovering soul back into her. She choked and coughed, then sat up, tears welling up in her eyes. "Kagome..."
Upon hearing the little girl crying out her name, Kagome woke up with a gasping breath. She sat bolt upright and looked around her. Inuyasha was sitting beside her, tentatively reaching out a hand towards her. Miroku and Sango sat together beside a broken heap of toad, and... "Rin?"
The little girl awkwardly got to her feet and stumbled over to Kagome. "I tried to stop her. I told her she could not take you away from me. Jaken stopped her from hurting me..." She couldn't say anymore, because she was buried in the big, smothering hug that Kagome gave her.
"Where is Sesshomaru?"
Sango spoke up, because Inuyasha couldn't bring a single word to his lips. "He left. He said something about tying up loose ends."
"Kagura. She is still around here, somewhere." Inuyasha spoke brokenly. "We saw her. Before we fought Naraku's puppet."
"Ah. I should have known he would not actually be here." The monk nodded sagely, relishing the feel of Sango pressed to his side.
"I have to go to him...:"Kagome tried to sit up, but her head was swimming.
"You are not going anywhere. You almost died. Take it easy. You can ride Kirara back to the village." Inuyasha was speaking fast, afraid she would not listen to him otherwise.
"I can't go to the village now, Inuyasha. Sesshomaru and I have unfinished business." She eventually raised herself up on her feet, although swaying to and fro the whole time. She stumbled out of the wreckage of a room, following Sesshomaru's trail.
Coming Soon -- Chapter Eighteen -- Twisted Mettle