East of the Moon
Chapter Nine

Outside, White House, 5:59 a.m., August 16:

Inuyasha panted as he dodged another bullet. He was currently keeping shelter behind a large tree. His chest heaved for air as his hand feebly held his gun. It wobbled in his hand and his whole body seemed to be shaking. He'd been fighting all night against a man who seemed impossible to kill.

Normally, as a hanyou, fighting into the wee hours of the morning wouldn't have bugged him too much. But he was human, and the sun had yet to rise. Beads of sweat ran down his cheeks and into his purple eyes, the stinging sensation causing the teenaged boy to close his eyes and hiss in pain.

He'd been nicked occasionally by Naraku's bullets; mostly in the arms and one in his leg, but nothing that could threaten his life. He'd been very good at protecting his vital organs thus far, a simple procedure his father and trainer had taught him over the course of his training.

But despite that, the hanyou turned human was experiencing exhaustion and dehydration. He hadn't known it would take this long to kill Naraku. The man was very quick, but that was understandable due to the demon's heritage.

A bullet whizzed by his head and Inuyasha realized that Naraku had changed positions. With a quick roll, he dodged in between bushes and came back out into the open. He glanced around him to see a gun that wasn't out of bullets. He was eternally grateful that his father made him take more than one gun. But then again, he really wished he'd had that bazooka. He'd used two guns already and was running out of ammo fast.

He really wished he had that bazooka.

"I'm surprised you've lasted this long, boy," Naraku said with a large smirk, "I would have expected to defeat you rather quickly. I see my damnation of the free world has been suspended," Naraku said coolly as he walked towards Inuyasha, a gun held in front of him.

Inuyasha's hand closed around the larger gun on his back and slowly took the safety off. Difficult to do when the gun was behind him. Inuyasha smirked. "No damnation today or ever, Naraku."

"Oh?"

Inuyasha, quick as lightning, threw the machine gun over his shoulder and caught it as it flew in front of him. He pointed the gun at Naraku and his finger went to the trigger. He pulled and Naraku dodged the onslaught of bullets.

"You're very quick," Naraku complimented.

"So are you, I see." Inuyasha mentally cursed, but remained cool on the outside.

"Unfortunately, our little gunplay must come to an end," Naraku said, feigning disappointment as he pulled an object out of his pocket. He held it in front of him and Inuyasha stared.

"With a push of this button," Naraku said calmly, revealing that the device did indeed have a button. "My followers will be given the signal to launch attacks on several locations within the United States."

"You're lying," Inuyasha snarled.

"Am I?" Naraku asked. "My men are ready to strike at a moment's notice. I have a bomb set in every major location that touches the American heart."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and gripped his gun.

"Take one more step towards me, or aim that gun at me and I will set the bombs off. The Columbia Tower, Statue of Liberty, Washington Memorial, Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Chrysler Building, the pentagon... and most importantly, the grand finale," Naraku said with a smirk as he held a thumb over the button, his eyes narrowed and a large smirk on his face, "The White House."

Inuyasha pursed his lips, "Now I know you're lying. Why would you blow something up when you're standing right next to it?"

"You think I'd let a mere bomb destroy me, boy?" Naraku asked with a laugh. "I can get away in time. You, however, will not." Naraku smirked. "I am the shape shifter here, after all."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed when the truth of the man's words hit him full force.

"Face it, human, you've lost."

---

Basement, White House, 6:04 a.m.:

Kagome fidgeted. She'd been unable to sleep the whole time Inuyasha was out there. She had a dead dread within her that something bad was happening, but she was denied the permission to leave the room. "He's been gone too long. Would it really take this long?" Kagome demanded.

"Kagome, that is the tenth time you've asked and my answer is still the same," Inuyasha's father said firmly. "Inuyasha will be fine."

Kagome took a deep inhale of breath and slowly let it out. She rubbed her temples and massaged the aches and pains in her neck. But still she could not calm herself down. 'Something is happening,' she thought to herself as she bit her lip. She lightly touched the beaded rosary that hung around her neck. 'Something's wrong. Inuyasha needs help, I know he does!'

Kagome clenched her eyes shut and bawled her hands into fists. No one noticed the girl's inner dilemma as she took deep breaths. 'But what can I do? Nothing. I'd be shot if I went out there.'

A pulse seemed to run through Kagome. The girl paused and cracked open her blue eyes, a look of confuse plastered on her face. She looked around with a bemused expression when she felt it again. "What the...?"

Her father glanced at her when she muttered to herself. "Kagome," the president stated calmly, "You should try to get some sleep."

"How can I sleep when Inuyasha could be killed while I dream?" Kagome demanded quickly. Her father rolled his eyes and closed them once again, his head lolling against Kikyou's.

Kikyou let out a sigh and watched her daughter for a long moment, her dark brown eyes taking in her daughter. "Kagome," she said kindly with a gentle smile as she softly moved her father so that he was lying against the wall instead of her shoulder. The man was heavy, after all. "Please try and relax. If anything happens to Inuyasha, the demons in this room will know right away. He's doing fine, I'm sure of it." Kagome smiled lightly at her mother who nodded her head. "Just try to keep calm."

"Yes, Mom," Kagome said, feeling a little better. "Thanks."

"Of course, sweetie," her mother said gently and closed her eyes. After a few moments her head slouched onto her husband's.

Kagome smiled silently at her parent's display of affection. It was something she rarely saw.

But despite her mother's comforting words, she still felt like something bad was happening.

Squaring her shoulders she turned her attention towards Inuyasha's father. "Can you hear anything?"

"They're talking. They aren't fighting," Inutaisho said, confusion evident in his voice. "I don't understand why, though..."

"Maybe they're coming to a compromise?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"The day Inuyasha negotiates something is the day I die my hair green."

Kagome pouted but said nothing more. The room grew silent and she continued to glance at the tall man beside her.

Suddenly, as if a bolt of electricity had been shot through Kagome, she jolted and stared straight ahead. No one seemed to notice when she began to walk, as if mechanically, towards the door that would lead to the outside.

Kagome's blue eyes stared at the staircase before her and she gulped down the large lump in her throat. 'He needs me,' she realized and began to run. The residents of the room seemed to snap to life.

"Kagome! No!" Kagome didn't listen to her father's command as she began to run up the staircase. She heard the bodyguards behind her trying to fit through the doorway at once. "Kagome! You can't interfere with the prophecy!" she heard her father's voice growing faint.

"He needs me!" she yelled back as she burst through the door and found herself in the front hall of the White House. Before anyone could stop her, she threw open a pair of doors that would lead outside and began running along the grass.

"Kagome Higurashi Jones!" his voice was so faint that she almost didn't hear the annoyance and anger in her father's voice. 'I am so grounded!' she realized as her blue eyes searched for two men fighting to the death.

On the other side of the White House, Inuyasha stared at Naraku with his lavender eyes narrowed in fury. "You will not hurt a single soul tonight."

"Oh?"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha snapped. The demon's cool demeanor was starting to rub him the wrong way and he was becoming more and more aggravated. "You're really pissing me off!"

He began to walk towards him and Naraku made an emphasis on the thumb over the button held in his fist. Inuyasha growled and clenched his machine gun. Had he been hanyou, the gun would have snapped.

"Face it, Inuyasha," Naraku said with a large smirk, "There's no way you can beat me. You are simply a stupid little human the government was desperate enough to hire. They know nothing of what they really have. What they've had for so many years. The prophecy fell into the hands of the stupid."

Inuyasha took a step back and glared at the man. "The prophecy..."

"Oh yes, I know a lot about it," Naraku said cockily and reached into his pocket, extracting a sheet of paper. "I know just as much, if not more, as your pathetic father and his henchmen."

"You fucking bastard," Inuyasha whispered.

"Drop your gun, Inuyasha," Naraku said and motioned to the machine gun held in the teenager's hands. Inuyasha dropped it.

"Obedient. Wise choice, human," Naraku said with a snarl.

"Fuck you," Inuyasha snarled. Naraku frowned and aimed his gun at Inuyasha, his other hand still holding the button that would give Naraku's henchmen permission to launch the attacks. Not only was Kagome and the others in danger, but so was his mother. The Columbia Tower was in Seattle and his mother worked there. He was in one of the worst situations of his life and for the first time he felt completely helpless.

"I'd rather not," Naraku said with a snort, his cold smirk never leaving his face. His eyes darted to somewhere behind Inuyasha and his smirk widened. "Inuyasha... I was not aware your girlfriend would be joining us."

"What... Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice called and Inuyasha whipped around to see Kagome coming towards him. Her whole body seemed to glow a light gold and he stared in a mixture of anger and surprise.

"You idiot, stay away!" Inuyasha turned his gaze back to Naraku to see the man was aiming his gun at Kagome.

"My sniper failed once," Naraku snarled as his finger moved to the trigger. "But I will kill the clause of the prophecy that those Government-loving fools missed!"

"What?" Inuyasha asked himself before he sprung into action. His hand went to the sword, almost forgotten at his side, and pulled it out. The rusted sword wouldn't provide much damage, he knew, but he figured he might as well try.

His feet seemed to move without him as he darted towards Kagome, his eyes wide in the idea he may not make it to the glowing girl in time. Kagome stared at him as he leapt off his left foot and dove forward just as Naraku pulled the trigger.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock and a silent gasp escaped him as his head was thrown back in pain.

His hand went to his stomach and grasped at where the bullet had made contact. He hissed in pain and fell to the ground. Kagome screamed his name and collapsed down with him, her hands touching his warm skin.

"Inuyasha, no!" Kagome screeched in agony. Naraku frowned and began reloading his gun, watching the two with a curious gaze.

Naraku pursed his lips. "Ignorant fool. Now nothing can stop me from killing you, wench."

"Fuck you," Inuyasha whispered, his eyes still clenched in pain and his lips drawn back in a snarl. "Fuck... it hurts," he whimpered as blood stained his shirt and fell onto his hand.

"Inuyasha, oh God, I'm so sorry," Kagome whispered, tears collecting in her eyes.

"Shut up, Kagome," Inuyasha murmured. He looked up at her and a small smile graced his face. "If it's your life or mine, I'll choose yours every time."

"No, don't say that, you moron, you're fine. It's just a stomach wound," Kagome assured, trying to convince the boy and herself. A tear ran down her cheek.

"Feh," he said with a cocky smirk. His other hand moved towards her and he showed her Tessaiga. "This stupid piece of shit was supposed to protect us. This sucks major ass, Kagome."

Kagome choked, a mixture of a sob and a laugh. "How can you joke?"

"Feh." His smirk widened as Tessaiga fell from his quivering grip. "Run, Kagome..."

And his eyes closed as he passed out. Kagome stared at him, her eyes wide and disbelieving. She heard a dark chuckle in front of her and the cocking of a gun. Kagome froze, her vision blurring to red as she looked up. She looked upon the face of her enemy, Naraku.

"Naraku," she hissed, her voice eerily calm as a feeling surged within her. "Prepare to die."

"Funny, that's what your boyfriend said," Naraku said, amusement evident in his voice. "And look how that turned out?" he laughed.

A wind seemed to pick up in the yard of the White House. The two stared down each other and Kagome's aura sprung into a glowing gold that surrounded her like a blanket. Her eyes narrowed and her lips drew back in a snarl similar to Inuyasha's. Naraku watched in a mixture of horror and fascination as the girl's eyes began to glow a dark crimson red and as the wind blew her hair upwards, her aura surging with power.

Naraku, surprised, took a step back from the glowing woman. She let out a loud scream as her hair seemed to stand upright on its own and her eyes glowed a deep scarlet. The crimson gaze locked on his and her hands began to glow. Her right hand came up and seemed to grasp something and Naraku saw a ball of white light spiking in her hand while her left hand clenched and glowed with its own aura.

She slowly stood, her deadly gaze never leaving his. Frightened, Naraku shot his gun but the bullets ricocheted off the teenaged woman effortlessly. She screamed again and her golden light faded into the purest white Naraku had ever seen.

'Purification...' was the last thing he thought as the ball of white shot out around Kagome, surrounding everything around her, including him.

He felt an excoriating pain and stared up at Kagome before he deteriorated into nothing. The ball of white spread away from Kagome and covered all of the White House.

The bodyguards and presidential family who had just left the basement in order to get Kagome back stared as the white light burst into the house, shattering glass and doors and surrounding them. President Jones cringed and looked around. His demon bodyguards no longer had their traits and appeared to be human. Agent East, who was closest to him frowned.

"The prophecy. That's the only way to explain it," he whispered, normal human nails digging through his dark hair, his dark brown gaze trying to see through the purifying wave Kagome had unleashed.

---

NASA, Houston, Texas, 6:17 a.m.:

"Sir," A man turned towards his supervisor. "We're detecting some odd images on our satellite."

"What is it?" a tall man asked as he stroked a bushy white beard.

The younger of the two men clicked away at his computer and brought up a full screen image. "It seems to be a blinding light coming from the Washington D.C. area."

"It's not the sun?" the old man asked stupidly.

"No sir, it's much smaller and whiter than the sun's rays," the man said. "Besides, the sun doesn't rise in Washington for another five minutes. It seems to be coming from Washington itself, not an outside force."

"Hm..." the man hummed curiously as he continued to stroke his beard. "Zoom in."

The younger colleague did as he was told.

"Can you pinpoint its location?" the man asked once the task was completed.

A few minutes passed as the young man at the computer typed away. "By God," he murmured. "It's coming from the White House!"

---

Outside, White House, 6:21 a.m.:

Kagome's scream died down as her power spread across the Washington D.C. area. Her eyes drooped and returned to their normal color. The bright blue orbs looked around, blinking in confusion as she rubbed her eyes in confusion. She felt her power stow away within her and everything seemed to slam into her at once.

"Inuyasha," she whispered as she scrambled towards the fallen boy. She looked over his body to see that his lavender eyes were staring up at her. "You're okay," she murmured and leaned over him, hugging him gently.

"What the hell was that, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, his voice weak and droopy. "Did you go super saiyan or something?"

"Oh God, don't even bring up Dragon Ball Z, or I will slaughter you," Kagome whispered as she let out a small laugh. Inuyasha was being sarcastic; that was always a good sign. She hugged him tighter, being careful of his stomach. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"Feh, like I'd let that stupid bastard kill me," Inuyasha said cockily as his hands came up and lightly touched hers. "But seriously, what was that?"

"I have no idea," Kagome admitted with a sheepish smile.

"Well, now that's all been sorted out, excuse me while I pass out from the excruciating pain in my stomach... and possibly my spleen," Inuyasha said with another grin as he closed his eyes and flopped down onto the ground.

A moment later the sun rose.

---

Author's notes:

-I bet they regret not giving him that bazooka. But seriously, who wouldn't want one? My question still stands!

-And Kagome did the stupid ditzy thing that all daughters of the president should do. Unfortunately, Kagome is the first one I can think of who actually ran out onto a one on one battle in her backyard. I think she's the first president's daughter to experience this scenario.

-Kagome did not go super saiyan, for the record. I haven't watched DBZ in forever. Ack, that was one of my gateway animes.

-There are several spellings of 'Tessaiga'. There is the English dubbed version and English manga version and then there is the correct version. In Japan, the 'tsu' in Tessaiga's name is used to make the 'sa' longer. Therefore, its replaced by another 's' and thus spells out Tessaiga. 'Tetsuaiga' is a translation error made by anime dubbers.

-Fanart:

Inuyasha at the interview:
www(dot)deviantart(dot)com(slash)deviation(slash)12232251

Kagome killing Naraku:
www(dot)deviantart(dot)com(slash)deviation(slash)12232414