Disclaimer: YES! I STOLE THIS FROM THE SECOND MOVIE! JUST DON'T SUE ME!

Sorry the story was so late, we had to get the internet work and all, persay. Thank you everyone for being so patient and now here's your reward: The next chapter!

Shoutouts:

Tsukinoko: So that is Hanakimi, eh? Sounds quite interesting and intriguing and all out fun, fun, fun. ^_^ But no, I never heard of it, I just sorta gave Mizuki his name and made up Micky because it's the closest 'Americanized' nickname I could think of, plus it sounds stupid. But this Hanakimi thing sounds very, very interesting. And you're right, it is Ginkotsu. That's my second spelling mistake now. I also accidentally got Renkotsu and Suikotsu mixed up, but I fixed that. -_-*

Inuficcrzy: Some special truffle cookies! *eyes go all starry* How spectacularly wonderful! Oh, I love you so much! My house warming party is involving much pool and DDR death battles. Hehheh… And no one dropped my computer! Just my scanner. My poor, poor scanner…

Vold: My house is cool and moving was BORING. All we did after the hectic painting and packing was sit in the house for five hours, waiting for the movers to come from the other house. *sigh* Ah wells.

And now, here's your brand-new chapter! Again, sorry it's late and sorry if it seems cliché. But I didn't actually steal it from the movie (well, maybe a liddle bit). I actually had most of this though up some time around November, when I didn't even know there was a second movie. And now they're making a third. With Sesshoumaru. A movie with Sesshoumaru! Quick, someone fly me to Japan now!

Chapter 37:

Love

"Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, damn…" Mizuki paced back and forth, fiddling with his staff, trying not to pull his hair out. He glared at the sheet of rain, now beginning to get curious as to the happenings outside the watery barrier. "Shit, shit, shit…" He turned to face the cement wall beside him, glaring at the piece of mortal realm as if it where completely at fault. He punched it, fruitlessly, and growled, leaning his head against the cold, damp stone.

He closed his eyes and listened to the rain, deciding to completely and utterly ignore everything else. The different sounds the water made as it drummed against different things: the street, the lights, the buildings, the cracks, the bumps, the puddles. After a few moments Mizuki felt relaxed and almost smiled.

His kind were water demons, but there wasn't much water in a foul, barren wasteland, which was why his race had come to live in the mortal realm. Then the damn angels had to get touchy about the kappa's choice of appetite, humans organs, and tried to ban them. This led to a rebellion, which led to a massacre, which led to very, very few kappas, who were poor fighters and pretty stupid. That was Mizuki's motivation behind becoming the strongest leader and strongest soldier in the strongest army any of the three existences had ever seen. Despite his carefree attitude, strange sense of humour and lack of respect, Mizuki had a feared reputation and even the Fourth Lord had to give him credit. Mizuki had made a new name for his kind, even if the old names of idiocy and poor attention spans still remained.

A thought suddenly came to the general and he began to chuckle. He took out his tiny cell phone from underneath his armour and carefully pressed the correct sequence of numbers with his claw. Still chuckling he held the phone up, waiting for the other end to unhook. He stopped chuckling so he wouldn't appear insane, and instead smiled to himself.

The kappa had a plan.

Hato immediately knew something was wrong the moment his opponent stood up. The fallen angel frowned, feeling cheated. The threeblood was certainly different but the energies he was giving off were so random Hato didn't know if he had either met his match or is this battle would barely be worth it. The stories seemed to be true enough but Hato couldn't help wondering if Kagura had either misjudged Inu-Yasha's strength or he, Hato, was underestimating this opponent (which was hardly likely). Snorting contemptuously, Hatonomaboroshi arched his wings over his shoulders cautiously, to protect him in case the threeblood decided a surprise charge, or proved he was stronger then Hato had suspected.

However, Inu-Yasha didn't seem interested in his opponent at the moment, looking more curiously at his broken wrist. He brought it close to his face and sniffed it, then sniffed the air before the threeblood's eyes came to rest on Hato. The look in them was so sudden, so drastic that it shocked the dark angel. A mild look that suddenly changed into a ravenous, near gleeful hunger for blood. Hato cursed Kagura to the fourteen heavens for tricking him like this. No doubt she was hoping Inu-Yasha would kill both of them in this fight.

The fallen angel smiled cruelly. She wasn't going to get any satisfaction out of this battle. Even if the threeblood was feral now he wouldn't defeat the angel that easily. Stretching one hand out he brought forth a sword from the palm of his hand, one nearly the length of his body with a golden hilt that he had inherited and stolen when he was cast out of Heaven. Hato almost felt like laughing. The threeblood might had stood a chance when Hato used no weapons, but now Hatonomaboroshi could break the angel's oath, since his opponent was no longer an angel.

Inu-Yasha eyed the sword for a second before seeming to complete ignore it's existence as he turned back to Hato. Grinning darkly, the threeblood crouched to attack before his ears and then head snapped to the left and he quickly jumped out of the way to avoid an explosion at the very spot where he had been standing.

Hato looked sharply to the left, glaring at Ginkotsu who stood, as much as a tank-like creature could stand, on the overcrest, a smug look in his eyes as one of the few parts still visible under the metal reconstruction. Hato glowered and raised his sword, bringing it down in an arc before him, creating a wind blast that nearly knocked the behemoth over. Ginkotsu righted himself and turned to look at Hato.

"Hatonomaboroshi, do not mess with me. I will kill Inu-Yasha." He said in a deep voice. Hato narrowed his eyes and glanced to the right.

"Oh?" He said toyingly, holding the sword in front of him like a gun and arching his wings, crouching as if ready to attack the Shichinin-tai member. "Shall you?"

Ginkotsu rumbled and turned to face Hato. "Yes. My brothers think I will be satisfied with killing only a fox. But Inu-Yasha's father destroyed my body and I'm going to kill his son with my new one."

Hato suddenly relaxed, standing upright again and resting the sword on his shoulder. "Then perhaps you should have paid more attention to him and not to me."

"What?" Ginkotsu's eye squinted as he glanced over and widened suddenly. Hato only turned his head slightly to the side to avoid the few blood spatters as Ginkotsu's head was ripped forcibly off. Within a matter of seconds his entire body was completely ripped apart before the weapons he carried soon detonated into a large explosion. Hato ducked, shielding with his wings as the dust, rocks and metal shards went flying through the air. He then stood up and smiled, rebrandishing his sword.

"Perhaps you will be a worth opponent after all." He said with a smile as Inu-Yasha stood up, half his clothing ripped from the explosion. The threeblood turned and looked at him, an indifferent but amused look in his red eyes. Casually shaking his head to get some of the dust out of his matted hair, the demonic Inu-Yasha clenched his claws and crouched, watching Hatonomaboroshi with a look that said one intent: you're next.

Hato held his sword at an angle across his chest, smiling. "Then let's begin." He said, spreading his wings open to the fullest, leaping forward as he used his wings as a sort of hang glider to speed faster through the air. With a growl Inu-Yasha sprang forward to meet Hato in midair. With a resounding knoll ringing through the barren landscape of Hell, claws met steel as the two met head to head at full speed.

Sesshoumaru's cell phone, set on vibrate because the dog demon's sensitive hearing simply couldn't stand the high pitched tone of the ringing, began to vibrate quite ruthlessly on the Lord's desk, sending a rattling noise echoing in the silent room. Sesshoumaru snapped his head around and glared at the cell phone as if this entire screwed up mess was it's fault. Then, assuming that it had to be important at this time in the war, and since demons don't have telemarketers, the Lord picked up the small object and turned it on to stop it's relentless shaking, bringing it up to his ear.

"Sesshoumaru, it's you right?" The voice came before Sesshoumaru could even confirm he was actually acknowledging the caller. Recognizing the voice, the Lord refrained from sighing and replied.

"Mizuki, as you no doubt know, this is a bit of a sufferable time. I would appreciate it if you do not try to inform me of what I already know." Sesshoumaru said wearily.

"Eh, I figured you already knew." Mizuki said as impudently as even, Sesshoumaru noticed with a frown. "I just got a bit of a question."

"Yes, I have already sent the wolf boy out after my nephew. No, you may not join them."

"What? Him over me? Come on Sesshoumaru-sama, that kid doesn't even know about Inu-Yasha! I bet you haven't even told him! What's wrong with sending me?!" Judging from Mizuki's rather predictable reaction, Sesshoumaru knew that he had hit the nail on the head. For all the brains that kappa had, he was still more readable than Sesshoumaru's own brother had been.

"Kouga is a reliable leader, despite his rashness and arrogance that goes about with his kind. The same things could be said about other demons, however." Sesshoumaru added, silencing the argument Mizuki was about to bring up. "Plus the boy's father had been useful in the past and Kouga could probably handle my nephew for long enough."

"Long enough for what? This has only happened once before! And the last time…"

"I am well aware of what has happened with the Guardian Mizuki, you forget that not only am I a Lord but I have ties to these things. Everything will go as according to the past."

"But Kouga-"

"Was not in the previous Strike, yes I am well aware of that." Sesshoumaru said in the tone that Mizuki noticed and decided to drop the argument. "Mizuki, you forget my allies. Kouga will be out of the picture soon enough."

There was a pause over the phone, where nothing broke the silence except for the steady buzz of static and rain in the background. "About those allies, Sesshoumaru-sama, there's something I should - "

"Don't bother." Sesshoumaru said, indicating the conversation was over. "Mizuki, for all your admirable brains you are still naïve. I suggest you change that when this Strike is over."

Another pause. "Yes Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru nodded and hung up the phone, placing it down on the table again and looking out to the horizon of Hell, where dark clouds were beginning to form, a pure indicator of the break in the existences. It never rained in Hell.

For once in her long life, for all her smugness and superiority, Kikyou was speechless. She stood there, watching Inu-Yasha as he killed Ginkotsu after his bizarre transformation, the only impression of shock on her stoic face a raised eyebrow and slightly widened eyes, but speechless all the same. She finally recognized the strange aura surrounding Inu-Yasha, after the so many years it had eluded and confused her.

Inu-Yasha was a pure, full blooded demon.

Kagura, on the other hand, was enjoying this immensely as she watched Inu-Yasha turn to face off with Hatonomaboroshi. "How does it feel Kikyou? To finally understand?"

Kikyou was silent for a moment until she looked at Kagura, a curious look disappearing to be replaced by the usual stone expression. "So you used Inu-Yasha's own blood against him."

"More or less." Kagura nodded. "I was supposed to control Inu-Yasha long enough for the poison that awakened his demon blood to kick in. Naraku simply figured that if it worked for Inu-Yasha's father it would work for him as well, and he was right. The plan was that Inu-Yasha would retain his memories or at least be slightly aware during the battle, but apparently he had no idea what was going on because of the demonic take over. Well, it was at least just as effective to have him regain consciousness and not have a clue as to what was going on." The wind demon smirked.

Kikyou didn't share Kagura's amusement. "And so now you're hoping that history, as it has, will repeat itself and cause Inu-Yasha to kill the Reborn girl?"

"That would benefit us all, won't it?" Kagura smiled.

Kikyou was silent for a moment and then returned her attention to the fight, where Inu-Yasha and Hatonomaboroshi were still even matched and trying to defeat each other in a sheer battle of strength. "And afterwards? I don't believe that either of us are strong enough to take him down."

"We won't have to." Kagura said simply. "Inu-Yasha will either fight until he is dead or until the point of exhaustion, in which we'd be able to take him easily. I don't think we have to worry."

Kikyou was silent again. "I'm not so sure about that. I think you may be underestimating him."

Kagura eyed the undead angel. Still have feelings for him, she though to herself. No matter. Kikyou would soon be joining the threeblood in death. Now that Kagura had no more use for her, the wind demon could use the power she'd be able to siphon out of the former Guardian.

Kagome woke up more from the throbbing headache than from anything else. Instinctively the first thing she did was clutch for Shippo, whom she was getting so accustomed to holding. When her hands grasped air she sat up in fright, before sensing two things that almost made her forget about Shippo: a Shikon shard and a powerful demonic force.

Remembering the fox child, Kagome scrambled until she found him, half covered in dust and just waking up as well. The Shikon shard, luckily, was not to far away and as Kagome was standing up and fitting it into her shirt pocket Shippo began to wake up completely.

"Miroku?" He muttered, shaking his head. "Kagome? Where's Miroku and everyone else?" He asked worriedly before he froze, a look of terror on his features.

Knowing it could only be one thing, and yet too frightened to ask, Kagome decided to anyway. "Shippo-chan? What's wrong?"

"Kagome…" Shippo said slowly. "I think we should leave."

"Why Shippo-chan? What's wrong?" Kagome said worriedly, turning to glance around.  Shippo scrambled to her shoulder, puffed up and trembling with fright. Kagome froze when she saw it as well, trying to register it in her head.

It was Inu-Yasha, but it wasn't. His energy had turned for a turn for the worse, completely dark and evil, like some ravenous monster created by a horror novelist. And whether or not the feeling of that energy changed his appearance or not Kagome couldn't tell, but she knew he looked more dangerous, his hair more wild and his clothes and flesh were torn, spattering him with blood. He was standing over the body of the fallen angel, a broken sword hilt in the former's hand and pieces of the blade shattered around the two of them.

Against everything she knew was smart and right, Kagome began to walk forward. As she began to move forward Shippo squealed and tugged on her hair. "Kagome! Kagome, what are you doing?!" He said frantically.

Carefully Kagome pried the frantic child off of her shoulder and placed him on the ground. Before Shippo could latch himself onto her again, she turned him around and redirected his attention.

"MIROKU!" Shippo cried, suddenly torn between loyalty and trying to stop Kagome from this suicide. Kagome knelt down and placed a hand on his head, smiling warmly.

"Shippo, what's wrong with Inu-Yasha?" she asked calmly.

Shippo sniffled. "It's something that happened to his da too. When Inu-Yasha gets really, really angry or irrational or something just triggers it, his demon blood takes over everything else. Also, it's because Tetsusaiga was broken. It was a seal for his da's blood and also for his."

"Can it be reversed?" Kagome asked. Shippo saw where this was going, but nodded truthfully.

"I don't know how though. All I know is that… Kagome!" He cried as she stood up again and started walking towards the fight.

"Shippo-chan, just take care of Miroku. He is your task after all." She said before turning and walking away. Shippo faltered before running over to Miroku and trying to wake him up, hoping maybe someone larger than him could at least do something.

Kagome knew that she was walking towards inevitable death, unknown that she was being watch by four pairs of eyes, two waiting for her death, two hoping for her victory. Inu-Yasha stopped studying the blood on his hands and turned to look up at her. Growling he backed up, claws ready to slice into her. Kagome could feel the Shikon shard in her hand reacting to Inu-Yasha's demonic presence, sending a bit of pain through her arm. Still she walked purposefully towards her demonic guardian.

He looked different entirely. Two jagged stripes decorated his face and his eyes were a dark red with blue irses, his fangs and claws longer and sharper and his general self lost in his animalist demoncy. But she knew he was there.

"Inu-Yasha?" She said quietly, causing the demon to back up some more and prepare to run away. Realize what he was doing she ran up and grabbed his arm. "No, Inu-Yasha, wait!"

Inu-Yasha snarled and swiped at her, catching her just below the chin. Kagome winced, tears coming at the edge of her eyes from the pain as the blood trickled from her wound, but she refused to let go. Instead she tightened her grip and grabbed his other arm, stopping him from trying escape. Inu-Yasha squirmed but Kagome held on tightly.

"Inu-Yasha, please listen to me!" She said, knowing full well she could be turned to mincemeat in a second, but just that fact that Inu-Yasha was holding back gave her hope. Still, Inu-Yasha tried to escape and Kagome tugged him forward a bit. Then boldness took her over and she made her decision, to do what she wished one last time. Even if she died right here, right now she would have no regrets then. She closed her eyes, steadied herself, and then focused on Inu-Yasha before pulling him forward as hard as she could.

And kissing him.

End Chapter 37

*grin* And thus I'm done. It's been a harsh week (it's gonna be a harsh month actually, considering everything that's went on. Phew!) but I prevailed. Maybe a little late, but a little late's better then a Dead Ama Day, ne?

And you know what I saw! X2! Oh the millions and millions of the little, little subtle hintings! Like Gambit's real name appearing on the database. And Dr. Mccoy on the TV. And the phoenix on the back of Jean's jacket (I didn't notice that one, but I thought I'd point it out) It's great how they put in all those tiny, tiny little subtle things (I think there's about 12 in total) that keep us amused! Ah, we love them.

More shoutouts:

Litwolf689:  Is this one good enough? Oh, I hope it is. Yes, I realize that it's getting shorter and shorter, but it's the quality that matters, right? And to answer your questions: Yes, Momiji was based after the one from Fruits Basket, hence being a little yellow bunny. Except his personality is nowhere near, I was just on a Fruits Basket kick when I made him up. And two, was that good enough? Or do you want me to do more? Don't worry, there'll be some more good chapters, so don't touch that … er… mouse?

link no miko: Yay, you reviewed because you love me! And I put up shoutouts because I love you people, even though the chapter was MIA. You had your last final? *claps* good for you, I'm quite happy! And yep, the Miyazaki-thon will involve My Neighbour Totoro, Laputa, Kiki's Delivery Service and Nausicca (I just know I spelled that wrong) I've watched Spirited Away too many times, so I'm almost getting sick of it. Almost. I just wanna watch the ones I haven't seen yet (ie, above) I also wanna see The Cat Returns, but I don't know where to get it. And the only place I know to get fansubs it eBay, and for IY you can get these HongKong DVDs, subtitled in English and with like 5 eps on each DVD (it comes in packages of three DVDs) Except I don't know how much they are and unlike fansubs they pay the Japanese companies! And don't worry about AS. Now that I have high speed internet (W00t!) I can download it as fast as possible. So I'm getting there. Slowly but surely. Heh, heh, heh. And yes, I'm learning how to make UFO catcher dolls, so I'll make one for you of Micky. Howsa? A pretty pressie. And yes, Kurapika is wonderful. I like his swords but I really like his chain-thingies! Yay chain-thingies! And I wanna be able to do Killua's claw-thingy. And Killua's dad is mighty creepy. Rurouni Kenshi manga being brought over? YES!

Well, that's all for today. See you guys next week with the next chapter: Wounds! Yay!

~Ama

Quotacular: There are two types of people in this world: those who hate being categorized, and those to categorize.