A/N: Because I know I'll be murdered if I have 2 cliffies in a row, here is the conclusion to chapter 33. We've got several people for 'H'...Hakkaku, Hakaru, and Hana. Ginta already went, it'd be weird to have both of them to do it...Hakaru's gone off somewhere, probably pillaging and burning some unfortunate village...and since this chapter's mostly about a huge-ass battle between Hana and Kikyo, it's only fitting that Hana does the disclaimer...
Hana: Thank you...now, Aki doesn't own Inuyasha. All of you should know this by now...if she did, I'd really exist...and so would Mei Lhi...and Kyo...and Hakaru...ok, you get the point. So please enjoy this chapter...How much am I being paid for this anyway? Plus, all the people that have done it haven't gotten paid yet...they all wanted me to ask you about that...
Me: They'll get their money...but you get paid five dollars and you get a 25% off gift card at "The GAP of the Feudal Era".
Hana: That's nice...
Me: And since you're so cool, you're the first one to be paid!!! (Gives Hana $5 and the GAP of the Feudal Era 25% off gift card) And to answer my reviewers: Dragon Man 180, I don't know...maybe...they might get together...it depends on what everyone else thinks (hey, everyone, that's your cue to tell me if you want Hana and Sesshy together in your reviews!) Oh, that's good! Yay! The lines worked! My hyperness...ignore personalities, eh? Hmmm...lol...Angie, you can live again. I finally completed it...Sanosa, "Soul Draining Shard"...that's great! (it's going to be used for Ch. 35...thank you!!!) I'm glad you're enjoying it! And now, while Hana goes shopping, I give you, Chapter 34!!!
Chapter Thirty-Four: Clash! Hana versus Kikyo
Both mikos let their arrows fly, dodging the other's arrows.
"Is that all, Hana?" Kikyo taunted.
Hana drew her sword.
"No...but it's not like you can do any better!"
Hana charged, swinging the katana, hitting Kikyo in the shoulder, souls leaking out.
Kikyo looked furious and grabbed Hana's right wrist and left shoulder, gathering negative miko energy in her hands, forcing it upon Hana. The dark purple aura sparked around them, Hana writhing in pain. She dropped her sword and finally cried out.
------------------------------------------------------
Kyo looked up suddenly.
"It's time to go..." He said.
"Hana-chan! How is she?" Mei Lhi asked concerned.
"Not too good now...we have to hurry...now, I want you all to promise me that'll you'll never tell Hana I did this...I'm going to transform and get us there faster. All of you will get on, and you'll have to hold on tightly...ok?"
Everyone nodded.
"Inuyasha, I want to go..." Kagome said.
"Stay here with Kaede-baba..." Inuyasha replied.
"No! I'm coming with you!"
"Fine...if you get hurt, it's your problem..."
Kyo walked outside, and tossed Inuyasha's red haori back at the half-demon.
"You might want that..." He said.
Then wind surrounded him and he stood before them as a white dragon. Kagome was assisted onto Kyo's back, then Inuyasha, Mei Lhi, Miroku, and Sango. Shippou sat with Kagome, Kirara on Sango's lap. Once everyone was on securely, Kyo left the ground in a millisecond and they soared through the air.
---------------------------------------------------------
Kikyo released her grip on Hana, and then pointed at her instead, her Shinindama-chuu lifting Hana up, holding her still. Kikyo reached for her bow and pulled an arrow from the quiver.
"Now...let's talk..."
------------------------------------------------------------
Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, grasping Tenseiga's shaking hilt. He drew the sword and on the blade, he could have sworn he had seen Hana's reflection upon it. However, it disappeared as soon as it had come. He listened, hearing a scream, and attempted to walk away, but Tenseiga shook more violently. Sesshoumaru turned around, heading back through the direction he had just come from.
-----------------------------------------------------
"Kikyo...I only want to know...what will stop Kagome's soul from being taken..."
"It doesn't really matter if I tell you or not...I'm about to kill you..."
"Just tell me!"
"The fake jewel around it must be destroyed. The shard itself will need to be purified. But only a truly powerful miko could do it...and I don't think either of us has such power...so it doesn't matter anyway..."
Kikyo pulled the arrow back, preparing to fire. The arrow soared through the air, glowing with miko light.
At that moment, Kyo and the others arrived, seeing the arrow streaking through the air, about to meet its target. Also at the same time, a lone figure arrived, leaping forward, sword drawn, and sliced the arrow in the air, landing on his feet without making a sound.
"Sesshoumaru?!" Everyone gasped.
Hana was stunned.
'He...he saved my life...' She thought, stunned.
Inuyasha noticed the sword that his elder brother held was not Toukijin, but Tenseiga.
Sesshoumaru looked at them all an eyebrow rising slightly.
Mei Lhi rushed forward and unsheathed Tetsusage and with one swing cut all the Shinindama-chuu, releasing Hana.
'That was a lot like my nightmare...I can't let it happen...' She thought.
"Hana-chan, are you alright?" She asked.
"I'm alright...but how'd you all get here?" Hana wondered.
"Ummm...flew...but so what if Kyo flew us? Now's not the time."
Kyo had changed back into his normal form, and slapped himself in the forehead.
"Baka Mei..." He muttered.
Kikyo spotted Kagome who was leaning on Inuyasha to stand. She drew another arrow, and then let it fly.
"INUYASHA!" Mei Lhi screamed.
Inuyasha lifted Kagome up and jumped off to the side, dodging the arrow.
"You vile WITCH!" Mei Lhi spat at Kikyo.
Kikyo smirked. Mei Lhi ran forward.
"I'm gonna kill you!!!"
"I've already died...besides...I could easily purify you at this range." Kikyo replied.
"Kikyo! Leave her out of it!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Inuyasha...I wish I could...but she's part of the plan..."
"What?"
Kikyo turned away, looking over the edge of the cliff. One of her Shinindama-chuu floated to her. She reached out her arm, and lovingly stroked its head and whispered something to it. It flew off, and she turned back to face the hanyou boy.
"You will see soon..."
Then she saw Hana with an arrow, stabbing at the jewel.
"No! My soul!"
"It's not your soul! It's Kagome's!" Hana said angrily. "And will stay that way!"
"Not unless I kill her first!"
Kikyo grabbed another arrow and pulled her bowstring back, her aim set on Kagome, who now leant on Sango and Miroku for support. The miko glowed a dark aura, and focused it into the arrowhead. The arrow flew, Mei Lhi running to knock it out of the air with her sword. She missed.
"Kuso!" She muttered.
Kyo closed his eyes, listening as the arrow flew through the air. Then, stepping in front of Kagome and raising an arm, he sent the arrow back at Kikyo. Sesshoumaru now took the chance to strike, and swung Tenseiga, the blade shattering the middle of Kikyo's sham body. A bright light, brighter than all the others that still remained, drifted out slowly.
Hana looked up.
"Kagome's soul!" She said suddenly. "Quickly, one of you, get it before it goes away!"
Inuyasha was closest and reached out for it, the small bright orb hovering between his outstretched hands, centimeters from his fingertips.
"Don't let it escape from your grasp, Inuyasha!" Hana warned.
Inuyasha nodded.
Kikyo clutched at what was left of her chest, and fell to her knees. All of her souls had left her body and she could no longer move.
"So...you truly do love her more than me...Inuyasha..." She said to him quietly. "But no matter the circumstances, you will come with me to hell."
A giant ball of flame appeared behind Kikyo.
"Is this all you wanted me for?" A male voice asked from the flames.
Kyo's eyebrows narrowed, his eyes burning with hatred.
"Hakaru..." He growled.
The ball of flame disappeared, revealing Hakaru, who tossed his long hair back.
"Ah, Kyo! What a pleasant surprise! I didn't expect you to be here..." He said.
"Well neither did I..." Kyo replied rather coldly.
"Now, now, what's with those hateful eyes, brother?"
"Don't play dumb with me! You almost killed the entire Ryuu Order! And now you're getting everyone all riled up because of the war you've started!"
"I did not start that war, Kyo...it was already on the brink of beginning...I only gave it a little push forward..."
"Liar!"
Kyo opened his left hand, a double-ended sickle blade weapon with a handle the same length as a broom's appeared. His hand closed around it.
"I don't think you should be playing with that...you're still wounded from our previous quarrel...besides, are you stupid enough to use that here? We're on a cliff...if you wield it, it will knock all of us off this rock."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take..."
"What? What's going on?" Mei Lhi asked.
"You know, hanyou, that's the exact reason why I don't like you. You're so annoying and poking into everyone else's business!" Hakaru said venomously.
"You will take back those words!" Kyo said angrily.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to pass, brother...I only came for Kikyo...perhaps I'll see you...some other time..." Hakaru said, and then turned to Kikyo kneeling on the ground. "Get up!" He said irritably.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a standing position and then together the two vanished in a rush of flames.
Kyo swung the weapon in his hand, a giant gust of wind coming from one of the sickle-blades flying at another cliff across from where the rest of them stood, splitting it apart. He yelled with anger and aggravation, and then snapped his fingers, the weapon disappearing.
'Damn it...damn it all...Hakaru...you bastard...' He thought.
All looked at Kyo in shock, even Sesshoumaru look mildly interested.
"What in all hells was that?!" Inuyasha asked.
"Uh...just my little instrument of doom..." Kyo replied. "Well, actually, it controls my wind...and uses it as a weapon...as you saw...that's all it is, really..."
Sesshoumaru sheathed Tenseiga and turned to Hana.
"Hanajima-san..."
Hana looked up from the shard she was still trying to break.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Are you injured?"
"No...I'm fine..."
"Oi...Sesshoumaru! Since when did you care at all about humans?" Inuyasha inquired curiously.
Sesshoumaru ignored him.
"Miroku-sama, Sango-chan, bring Kagome over here..." Hana said.
The monk and taijiya walked over helping Kagome.
"Lay her down. Inuyasha, come..."
The half-demon walked over, looking confused.
"You're going to have to put that piece of her soul back in her."
"Nani?!!!!"
"It's quite simple, really. All you need to do is bring it to her and just get it close enough so that the rest of her soul will connect with it..."
"Huh?"
"Man, you're really stupid, aren't you, Nii-chan?" Mei Lhi said.
"You wanna run that by me again?"
"No, no, that's alright...you stupid dog..."
"Now is not the time to fight!" Hana interrupted. "Inuyasha, since you're still confused, I might as well just do it..."
Hana reached out for the soul, and held it in her hands, then brought it down to where Kagome's heart was and the soul dissolved.
Kagome was less pale now, and she looked just as she did before...only a little more tired than usual.
"The part of her soul has returned...although it will remain within her body, it won't completely bond just yet..." Hana said.
"Why not?" Mei Lhi asked.
"Love...only love can bind it to her..."
Mei Lhi glanced at her brother, Sesshoumaru also looking at the hanyou boy. Shortly after, everyone was staring at Inuyasha.
"What?! Why the hell are you all looking at me?!!" He snapped at them.
All but Sesshoumaru sighed and slapped their foreheads at their companion's stupidity.
"You truly are a fool, Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru said blandly, now walking away and disappearing into the green sea of trees.
A/N: Ok, it's late...writer's block has hit me...I literally had to squeeze the last 7 lines out of my brain...now in Ch. 33, there is an uncorrectable error. As you know, when Sesshoumaru is in thought and I guess you could say, 'talking to himself', there is a particular sentence that I noticed just cut off. It's the line before Sesshoumaru thinks, "'Hmph...Chichiue was a fool...'" As you most probably know, the end of the line above just ends with 'make you'. I tried to correct this error today (July 18, 2004) and try as I might, it refuses to work. So I'm sure those of you who have me on your author alert, you probably got one and only see 33 chapters...I apologize. I removed the chapter and tried to put it back up with the new text. Didn't work...but the end of the sentence, it was supposed to read "'make you more compassionate'" (if it still says 'make you' again it's supposed to say 'more com-pass-ion-ate'). And I even tried "'make you less cold'" and it didn't work either. Well, now that that problem has been settled, please review...if this chapter sucked it's a result of me pulling random ideas out of thin air, or attempting to write something on an idealess mind...basically trapped in my pain of writer's block...anyway, I'll shut up now...
Hana: Thank you...now, Aki doesn't own Inuyasha. All of you should know this by now...if she did, I'd really exist...and so would Mei Lhi...and Kyo...and Hakaru...ok, you get the point. So please enjoy this chapter...How much am I being paid for this anyway? Plus, all the people that have done it haven't gotten paid yet...they all wanted me to ask you about that...
Me: They'll get their money...but you get paid five dollars and you get a 25% off gift card at "The GAP of the Feudal Era".
Hana: That's nice...
Me: And since you're so cool, you're the first one to be paid!!! (Gives Hana $5 and the GAP of the Feudal Era 25% off gift card) And to answer my reviewers: Dragon Man 180, I don't know...maybe...they might get together...it depends on what everyone else thinks (hey, everyone, that's your cue to tell me if you want Hana and Sesshy together in your reviews!) Oh, that's good! Yay! The lines worked! My hyperness...ignore personalities, eh? Hmmm...lol...Angie, you can live again. I finally completed it...Sanosa, "Soul Draining Shard"...that's great! (it's going to be used for Ch. 35...thank you!!!) I'm glad you're enjoying it! And now, while Hana goes shopping, I give you, Chapter 34!!!
Chapter Thirty-Four: Clash! Hana versus Kikyo
Both mikos let their arrows fly, dodging the other's arrows.
"Is that all, Hana?" Kikyo taunted.
Hana drew her sword.
"No...but it's not like you can do any better!"
Hana charged, swinging the katana, hitting Kikyo in the shoulder, souls leaking out.
Kikyo looked furious and grabbed Hana's right wrist and left shoulder, gathering negative miko energy in her hands, forcing it upon Hana. The dark purple aura sparked around them, Hana writhing in pain. She dropped her sword and finally cried out.
------------------------------------------------------
Kyo looked up suddenly.
"It's time to go..." He said.
"Hana-chan! How is she?" Mei Lhi asked concerned.
"Not too good now...we have to hurry...now, I want you all to promise me that'll you'll never tell Hana I did this...I'm going to transform and get us there faster. All of you will get on, and you'll have to hold on tightly...ok?"
Everyone nodded.
"Inuyasha, I want to go..." Kagome said.
"Stay here with Kaede-baba..." Inuyasha replied.
"No! I'm coming with you!"
"Fine...if you get hurt, it's your problem..."
Kyo walked outside, and tossed Inuyasha's red haori back at the half-demon.
"You might want that..." He said.
Then wind surrounded him and he stood before them as a white dragon. Kagome was assisted onto Kyo's back, then Inuyasha, Mei Lhi, Miroku, and Sango. Shippou sat with Kagome, Kirara on Sango's lap. Once everyone was on securely, Kyo left the ground in a millisecond and they soared through the air.
---------------------------------------------------------
Kikyo released her grip on Hana, and then pointed at her instead, her Shinindama-chuu lifting Hana up, holding her still. Kikyo reached for her bow and pulled an arrow from the quiver.
"Now...let's talk..."
------------------------------------------------------------
Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, grasping Tenseiga's shaking hilt. He drew the sword and on the blade, he could have sworn he had seen Hana's reflection upon it. However, it disappeared as soon as it had come. He listened, hearing a scream, and attempted to walk away, but Tenseiga shook more violently. Sesshoumaru turned around, heading back through the direction he had just come from.
-----------------------------------------------------
"Kikyo...I only want to know...what will stop Kagome's soul from being taken..."
"It doesn't really matter if I tell you or not...I'm about to kill you..."
"Just tell me!"
"The fake jewel around it must be destroyed. The shard itself will need to be purified. But only a truly powerful miko could do it...and I don't think either of us has such power...so it doesn't matter anyway..."
Kikyo pulled the arrow back, preparing to fire. The arrow soared through the air, glowing with miko light.
At that moment, Kyo and the others arrived, seeing the arrow streaking through the air, about to meet its target. Also at the same time, a lone figure arrived, leaping forward, sword drawn, and sliced the arrow in the air, landing on his feet without making a sound.
"Sesshoumaru?!" Everyone gasped.
Hana was stunned.
'He...he saved my life...' She thought, stunned.
Inuyasha noticed the sword that his elder brother held was not Toukijin, but Tenseiga.
Sesshoumaru looked at them all an eyebrow rising slightly.
Mei Lhi rushed forward and unsheathed Tetsusage and with one swing cut all the Shinindama-chuu, releasing Hana.
'That was a lot like my nightmare...I can't let it happen...' She thought.
"Hana-chan, are you alright?" She asked.
"I'm alright...but how'd you all get here?" Hana wondered.
"Ummm...flew...but so what if Kyo flew us? Now's not the time."
Kyo had changed back into his normal form, and slapped himself in the forehead.
"Baka Mei..." He muttered.
Kikyo spotted Kagome who was leaning on Inuyasha to stand. She drew another arrow, and then let it fly.
"INUYASHA!" Mei Lhi screamed.
Inuyasha lifted Kagome up and jumped off to the side, dodging the arrow.
"You vile WITCH!" Mei Lhi spat at Kikyo.
Kikyo smirked. Mei Lhi ran forward.
"I'm gonna kill you!!!"
"I've already died...besides...I could easily purify you at this range." Kikyo replied.
"Kikyo! Leave her out of it!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Inuyasha...I wish I could...but she's part of the plan..."
"What?"
Kikyo turned away, looking over the edge of the cliff. One of her Shinindama-chuu floated to her. She reached out her arm, and lovingly stroked its head and whispered something to it. It flew off, and she turned back to face the hanyou boy.
"You will see soon..."
Then she saw Hana with an arrow, stabbing at the jewel.
"No! My soul!"
"It's not your soul! It's Kagome's!" Hana said angrily. "And will stay that way!"
"Not unless I kill her first!"
Kikyo grabbed another arrow and pulled her bowstring back, her aim set on Kagome, who now leant on Sango and Miroku for support. The miko glowed a dark aura, and focused it into the arrowhead. The arrow flew, Mei Lhi running to knock it out of the air with her sword. She missed.
"Kuso!" She muttered.
Kyo closed his eyes, listening as the arrow flew through the air. Then, stepping in front of Kagome and raising an arm, he sent the arrow back at Kikyo. Sesshoumaru now took the chance to strike, and swung Tenseiga, the blade shattering the middle of Kikyo's sham body. A bright light, brighter than all the others that still remained, drifted out slowly.
Hana looked up.
"Kagome's soul!" She said suddenly. "Quickly, one of you, get it before it goes away!"
Inuyasha was closest and reached out for it, the small bright orb hovering between his outstretched hands, centimeters from his fingertips.
"Don't let it escape from your grasp, Inuyasha!" Hana warned.
Inuyasha nodded.
Kikyo clutched at what was left of her chest, and fell to her knees. All of her souls had left her body and she could no longer move.
"So...you truly do love her more than me...Inuyasha..." She said to him quietly. "But no matter the circumstances, you will come with me to hell."
A giant ball of flame appeared behind Kikyo.
"Is this all you wanted me for?" A male voice asked from the flames.
Kyo's eyebrows narrowed, his eyes burning with hatred.
"Hakaru..." He growled.
The ball of flame disappeared, revealing Hakaru, who tossed his long hair back.
"Ah, Kyo! What a pleasant surprise! I didn't expect you to be here..." He said.
"Well neither did I..." Kyo replied rather coldly.
"Now, now, what's with those hateful eyes, brother?"
"Don't play dumb with me! You almost killed the entire Ryuu Order! And now you're getting everyone all riled up because of the war you've started!"
"I did not start that war, Kyo...it was already on the brink of beginning...I only gave it a little push forward..."
"Liar!"
Kyo opened his left hand, a double-ended sickle blade weapon with a handle the same length as a broom's appeared. His hand closed around it.
"I don't think you should be playing with that...you're still wounded from our previous quarrel...besides, are you stupid enough to use that here? We're on a cliff...if you wield it, it will knock all of us off this rock."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take..."
"What? What's going on?" Mei Lhi asked.
"You know, hanyou, that's the exact reason why I don't like you. You're so annoying and poking into everyone else's business!" Hakaru said venomously.
"You will take back those words!" Kyo said angrily.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to pass, brother...I only came for Kikyo...perhaps I'll see you...some other time..." Hakaru said, and then turned to Kikyo kneeling on the ground. "Get up!" He said irritably.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a standing position and then together the two vanished in a rush of flames.
Kyo swung the weapon in his hand, a giant gust of wind coming from one of the sickle-blades flying at another cliff across from where the rest of them stood, splitting it apart. He yelled with anger and aggravation, and then snapped his fingers, the weapon disappearing.
'Damn it...damn it all...Hakaru...you bastard...' He thought.
All looked at Kyo in shock, even Sesshoumaru look mildly interested.
"What in all hells was that?!" Inuyasha asked.
"Uh...just my little instrument of doom..." Kyo replied. "Well, actually, it controls my wind...and uses it as a weapon...as you saw...that's all it is, really..."
Sesshoumaru sheathed Tenseiga and turned to Hana.
"Hanajima-san..."
Hana looked up from the shard she was still trying to break.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Are you injured?"
"No...I'm fine..."
"Oi...Sesshoumaru! Since when did you care at all about humans?" Inuyasha inquired curiously.
Sesshoumaru ignored him.
"Miroku-sama, Sango-chan, bring Kagome over here..." Hana said.
The monk and taijiya walked over helping Kagome.
"Lay her down. Inuyasha, come..."
The half-demon walked over, looking confused.
"You're going to have to put that piece of her soul back in her."
"Nani?!!!!"
"It's quite simple, really. All you need to do is bring it to her and just get it close enough so that the rest of her soul will connect with it..."
"Huh?"
"Man, you're really stupid, aren't you, Nii-chan?" Mei Lhi said.
"You wanna run that by me again?"
"No, no, that's alright...you stupid dog..."
"Now is not the time to fight!" Hana interrupted. "Inuyasha, since you're still confused, I might as well just do it..."
Hana reached out for the soul, and held it in her hands, then brought it down to where Kagome's heart was and the soul dissolved.
Kagome was less pale now, and she looked just as she did before...only a little more tired than usual.
"The part of her soul has returned...although it will remain within her body, it won't completely bond just yet..." Hana said.
"Why not?" Mei Lhi asked.
"Love...only love can bind it to her..."
Mei Lhi glanced at her brother, Sesshoumaru also looking at the hanyou boy. Shortly after, everyone was staring at Inuyasha.
"What?! Why the hell are you all looking at me?!!" He snapped at them.
All but Sesshoumaru sighed and slapped their foreheads at their companion's stupidity.
"You truly are a fool, Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru said blandly, now walking away and disappearing into the green sea of trees.
A/N: Ok, it's late...writer's block has hit me...I literally had to squeeze the last 7 lines out of my brain...now in Ch. 33, there is an uncorrectable error. As you know, when Sesshoumaru is in thought and I guess you could say, 'talking to himself', there is a particular sentence that I noticed just cut off. It's the line before Sesshoumaru thinks, "'Hmph...Chichiue was a fool...'" As you most probably know, the end of the line above just ends with 'make you'. I tried to correct this error today (July 18, 2004) and try as I might, it refuses to work. So I'm sure those of you who have me on your author alert, you probably got one and only see 33 chapters...I apologize. I removed the chapter and tried to put it back up with the new text. Didn't work...but the end of the sentence, it was supposed to read "'make you more compassionate'" (if it still says 'make you' again it's supposed to say 'more com-pass-ion-ate'). And I even tried "'make you less cold'" and it didn't work either. Well, now that that problem has been settled, please review...if this chapter sucked it's a result of me pulling random ideas out of thin air, or attempting to write something on an idealess mind...basically trapped in my pain of writer's block...anyway, I'll shut up now...