A/N: Well...I also have seen the third movie...twice...and seeing now that it's very highly impossible for Inuyasha to have a younger sibling several years younger than he is, I almost considered rewriting this fic. But...because I've spent nearly a year of hard work on this, there's no way in hell I'm gonna quit! Besides...let's just pretend Inu-kun wasn't a kawaii newborn baby when Inutaisho died...he can just be a kawaii five year old...but seriously, Sesshy looks weird younger...his hair is so short!!! Anyway...enough of my rambling...let's get the bandwagon rolling...today's disclaimer will be read by...Rin! Go ahead and read, Rin-chan...
Rin: Hai! Aki-chan doesn't own the series about Sesshoumaru-sama's brother...because if Aki-chan did, there would've been a real-live action movie of Inuyasha and...Orlando Bloom would be cast as Sesshoumaru-sama or Inuyasha...Aki-chan what does this all mean?
Me: Uhhh...nothing Rin-chan...nothing...but you've basically finished the disclaimer...I think Sesshy's looking for you...
Rin walks away, spotting Sesshy in the distance.
Me: Anyway...reviewers...my loyal reviewers...almost at 100 reviews! I'd like to at least get 100 before this fic is over...anyway...answers to you all, Dragon Man 180, I know you didn't get the chance to review, but...I'll include you anyway...I hope you like this chapter...unfortunately, not much Jaken-bashing...I read your latest chapter...And SUGOI! I was in awe...just completely stunned...Angie, Unfortunately not...sorry...don't worry...they'll be in love...not deaf...if they were deaf, that would drive you to madness and eventually you'd die from their stupidity...Sanosa, I know you only reviewed Ch. 39, but because I love you and your work, just like all the rest of you too, I'll include you too, and hope you enjoy this chapter as well...Riku-of-Darkness, Yes, I realize that the excruciatingly long length is a big problem. This one's shorter, so you can relax...Aww, is my fluffy-ness that good? Honestly, out of sheer curiosity, (not because I'm a hentai) I've read through some of the 'more detailed' romance fiction...and to me, THAT is some INCREDIBLE fluff, even if it's citrus-ish...Listen-er, READ. THIS. VERY. SLOWLY. YOU ARE NOT INFERIOR. The angst you can write for Riku's suffering and his dark emotions will always tower above my ability to write such things! Your details are vivid and colorful, much more complex than my own vague descriptions. You think that my details are like way better than yours, but trust me, your own work and other really great authors (cough)Dragon Man(cough)Sanosa(cough) are what I'm aiming to write like. Yes, he's going to be like that a little more...losing his persona...gotta keep the OOC to a minimum...will you believe I wrote all that on an empty brain? lol...you're so silly...what? I do procrastinate! Very badly! I completed a biology project that we had 2 weeks to do the night before we were supposed to do turn it in! Yes, sequel is coming...I have a title already...I stole it off a guy's shirt I saw at the mall...lol...(claps hands over mouth) I never said that! (looks around suspiciously) Anyway...lil'killer(), hehe...sorry! I don't mean to make them so long! But that one was 4000 words shorter than Ch. 39, so the chapters are going to gradually shorten themselves. Yes, I'm glad you liked the Jaken-bashing...Toady-Fry...lol...I had too much sugar...and it just happened, and it stuck...Ramen...ah, wonderful suggestion...I shall do that in this chapter...We haven't seen Kouga for a while, so let me just get the gears in my brain to turn, and we shall end up with this chapter being humorous and action-packed at the same time! And now, Chapter Forty-one.
Chapter Forty-One: Empty Shell
"How much longer?" Shippou whined.
"Cram it, runt!" Inuyasha barked angrily.
"Kagome-chan, Mei-chan, how much longer?" Shippou asked.
The two girls turned to the kitsune, opening their mouths to give an answer but before they could speak, Inuyasha did.
"I said 'cram it'! What part of that don't you understand?!"
"Inuyasha, you don't have to be so mean!" The kitsune replied.
"Keh! Yes I do! We're on our way to Naraku's castle, and you're going to get us all killed if you don't shut your trap! Another one of Naraku's youkai detachments could be waiting for us somewhere, or something worse, and they'll find us in a heartbeat with all the noise you're making every time you open your annoying little mouth!"
"You know, Inuyasha, you yell louder than Shippou-chan can whine, so if any of us get killed it's your fault..." Mei Lhi said matter-of-factly.
"I didn't ask for your opinion! Besides, it's Shippou's fault anyway!"
"Inuyasha, please, shut up..." Hana muttered, annoyed. "You're give me a headache..."
"Hana-baba! You-!" Inuyasha began to growl.
"-Damare Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru said cutting off his half-brother, drawing Toukijin.
Kagome's eyes widened.
"I sense the shards...they're close..." She said suddenly.
Inuyasha sniffed the air, his expression becoming more annoyed.
"It's just that wimpy wolf..." He ground out.
"Kouga? That jerk who thinks Kagome-chan's his woman and thought I was..." Mei Lhi began, stopping to shudder before she said the last two words of her sentence. "...your mate...?"
"Yeah...that's him..." Inuyasha replied.
A small tornado appeared along side them on the ground, while Miroku and Sango flew on Kirara, with Shippou on the neko youkai's head. Jaken, Rin, and Hana rode on Aun. Kagome was on Inuyasha's back, Mei Lhi and Kyo ran side by side jumping from tree to tree. Inuyasha ran with them, growling as he watched Kouga below. Sesshoumaru watched amusedly as he gracefully leapt from tree to tree on the other side of the road.
"Oi! Dog Turd! Stop for a minute, will you?!" Kouga called up the group.
Inuyasha ignored the wolf youkai.
"Hey! I said STOP!"
"Kouga!" Ginta gasped from a ways behind.
"Wait for us!" Hakkaku managed, as he too attempted to catch up.
"Inuyasha...please, just stop..." Kagome pleaded. "I feel bad for Ginta and Hakkaku having to eat Kouga's dust..."
Inuyasha growled and reluctantly came to a halt the others stopping as well, jumping down in front of Kouga, while Ginta and Hakkaku finally caught up.
"What do you want?" The hanyou ground out bitterly.
"Eh...well...nothing...we're just on our way to defeat Naraku, that's all..." Kouga replied.
"The hell you are! The only one who's going to kill Naraku is me!"
"Hmph...just what makes you think you can take on someone like Naraku, dog turd?!"
"Keh! Don't make me laugh! I've been gathering shards longer than you have, wolf butt! Besides, you're nothing without the shards in your legs..."
"What makes you so special mutt face?! You're nothing without your stupid sword!"
"You wanna bet on that?"
Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. Mei Lhi sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"For Kami's sake, Nii-chan...knock it off..." The hanyou girl muttered.
"What's that?"
"Don't pick fights with the wolf...besides, he's not worth it..."
"Nani?! I'll tell you something mesuinu! You're only a hanyou! I'm full youkai!" Kouga said fiercely.
"I don't like it when anyone calls me that..."
Kagome climbed off Inuyasha's back putting herself between the three of them.
"Let's just save this for later...I'm starting to get tired, and the sun is setting...we should set up camp...we've only been traveling for almost two days straight..." She said, yawning.
"WHAT?! Stupid Dog Shit! How could you neglect my woman's needs?!" Kouga yelled, pointing an accusing finger at the hanyou.
"Fuck you, wolf!" Inuyasha spat back.
"My woman needs to sleep!"
"SHE'S NOT YOUR WOMAN!!!" Inuyasha and Mei Lhi shouted, making Kouga wince from the great noise enhanced by his youkai hearing.
Kouga took Kagome's hand and started to pull her away.
"Come, Kagome...we'll go sleep...since somebody doesn't care if you pass out from exhaustion..." He said.
"The hell she's going with you! She's gonna stay right here!" Inuyasha growled, taking Kagome's other hand, trying to pull her back.
Kouga pulled with more force. Inuyasha pulled back. And so, the two pulled back and forth for a minute or so before Kagome couldn't take it anymore.
"Would you just stop it?! I'm not made out of spandex for Kami's sake!" She snapped at them.
But she was ignored.
"Inuyasha, I really don't want to do this, but you're making it really difficult not to...Inuyasha...Osuwari!"
The hanyou let go of her hand before he crashed into the earth.
"Have you chosen to go with me, Kagome?" Kouga asked hopefully.
"No! I'm not going with you. I'm staying with Inuyasha. But if you want to tag along...and behave...then that's fine with me..." Kagome replied, taking her other hand out of the wolf youkai's grasp.
Mei Lhi helped her brother to his feet and dusted off his shoulder just before her stomach growled.
Everyone with youkai hearing turned to look at her.
"...I guess that must mean I'm hungry..." She said with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of her head.
"We'll find a place to rest for the night...then in the morning we'll keep going..." Inuyasha finally relented.
Kouga ran off and found a safe clearing in an instant, the group moved towards it and settled down.
Kagome pulled out several containers of cup ramen, and poured some hot water into each one.
Inuyasha, Mei Lhi, and Shippou got their ramen first. Then Sango, Miroku, Kyo, Ginta, Hakkaku, and Kouga. Finally Hana, Rin, and Jaken. Kagome hesitantly held out the extra cup she had made to Sesshoumaru.
"I'm not sure you'll like it, but it's better than nothing..." She said to him.
He nodded and took the cup and chopsticks in Kagome's hands. Inuyasha looked up suspiciously.
"You're sharing...my ramen...with him?" He asked in a low voice.
"Yes, I'm sharing your ramen with your brother. Sesshoumaru is alive too, and every living thing or person needs to eat too." Kagome replied, crossly.
Another word wasn't spoken through the entire meal. The group soon learned, that like his younger siblings, Sesshoumaru also liked ramen.
After their meal, all settled to go to sleep.
Kagome spread out her sleeping bag, and crawled in, Shippou curling up with her. Sango leant against a transformed Kirara, Miroku leaning against the neko youkai as well. Kouga and his two wolf companions settled themselves near Kagome, but far enough from Inuyasha, who was in the tree branch above Kagome. Mei Lhi and Kyo slept side by side, Hana held Rin in her arms, leaning against Sesshoumaru.
A drowsy silence settled, and the stars twinkled overhead, crickets chirped in rhythmically in the night, the moon high in the sky, an perfectly calm, undisturbed evening.
-
The sun peeked over the horizon, everyone roused from their slumber as the bright rays of light slipped behind their eyelids. Breakfast was rushed, they packed their things, and set off once more.
Hana slipped her bracelet back on.
"Rin-chan...put your rosary back on..." She said to Rin.
Rin nodded, the beads now around her wrist.
They journeyed on a little further, stopping suddenly as the ground split open, the gaping hole swallowing Kagome.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha yelled, running to try and reach her, only to be thrown back by a barrier.
He growled and drew Tetsusaiga, the blade darkening to a deep crimson. He swung the blade upon the barrier, only to find Tetsusaiga's youki purified, the sword shrank to its smaller size, the blade growing dull and rusty.
Within the hole, an incredible amount of Shinindama-chuu lifted Kagome up, the barrier still around them, fading from view in a shimmer of light.
Hana's eyebrows narrowed.
'What is going on...?' She wondered.
-
Kagome landed roughly on the ground. The Shinindama-chuu flew away from her, footsteps approaching. The miko turned, meeting Kikyou's cold stare. Kikyou smirked, and walked forward, and with a small laugh, reached towards Kagome, taking the shards.
Kikyou walked away, behind Kagome. Out of curiosity, the miko girl turned, meeting Naraku's blood red eyes. Kikyou handed Naraku the shards, which were added to the nearly completed jewel.
"...Kikyou...get Kouga's shards...they are the only ones left. Then the jewel shall be complete." He instructed.
Kikyou nodded, grabbing her bow and quiver of arrows, sending her Shinindama-chuu to bind Kagome's body to ensure that she wouldn't escape. Without a word, Kikyou silently turned on her heel, leaving the unknown area, thick fog obscuring Kagome's view of her surroundings.
"Inuyasha...please..." She whispered.
-
"Stupid dog shit! This is all your fault!" Kouga yelled.
"Well I didn't see you making an effort to do anything, wolf butt!" Inuyasha yelled back.
"If you were paying attention, then none of this would've happened!"
"Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah! My mate is in danger!"
"She's not your fucking mate, wolf!"
"Oh is someone jealous? Because I claimed her first!"
"Jealous? Me?! Keh!"
"Yeah right, dog breath! It's written all over your face! She's mine!"
"No she isn't!"
"Yes she is!"
"No she's not!"
"Yes, she is!"
"No, she's NOT!"
"WILL YOU TWO PLEASE JUST KNOCK IT OFF?!" Mei Lhi yelled loudly.
Both stopped and turned to face her.
"If you two didn't notice, we aren't finding Kagome any faster just standing here, so I suggest that you both quit your arguing and we start looking! Because as of now, just standing here puts Kagome's life in that much more danger."
"I agree..." Hana, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kyo, Ginta, and Hakkaku all chorused.
Kouga sighed.
"...you're right, mesuinu..." He said.
"Oi! Don't call me that! I do have a name, you know!" The hanyou girl snapped at him fiercely.
"Please, both of you, it's not the time to argue...we must find Kagome-sama..." Miroku said.
Mei Lhi nodded, turning away from Kouga, looking to her brother.
"So...what do you wanna do?" She asked.
"Keh. Isn't it obvious? Let's get moving..." Inuyasha replied.
All nodded and resumed their journey onward.
-
As Kagome looked around the huge room, she discovered Kohaku slumped against a wall, looking lifeless.
'I can't sense the shard that was there...which means...Naraku removed it? But then...that means...Kohaku-kun...is dead...'
Her eyes brimmed with tears.
'Sango-chan...she'll be crushed...oh Sango-chan...I'm so sorry...'
-
"Wait..." Hana said suddenly.
"What now Hana-baba?" Inuyasha grumbled.
"Something is coming..."
Hana's head snapped to look over her shoulder, seeing an arrow streaking through the air. She gasped, her eyes widening.
"KIYOME KEKAI!" She yelled, one of her hands shooting out in front of her, the other holding Rin tight against her body.
A bright blue wall sprang up, the arrow hitting it and becoming hundreds of little sparks of light.
"All of you...get out of here...Sesshoumaru-sama, Jaken, take care of Rin...save Kagome, Inuyasha. Now go!"
Hana released Rin and waited until she had run safely to Sesshoumaru's side until she picked up her bow and reached for an arrow from her quiver.
"Hanajima-san...I cannot leave you alone...you will surely be injured..." Sesshoumaru said.
Hana nodded in understanding.
"Sesshoumaru-sama...I'm aware that such actions will put myself in danger, but I am prepared for it. This is something I cannot ignore. Please understand..."
The taiyoukai looked imploringly into the miko-youkai's eyes, and nodded, leading Rin away.
The rest of the group followed after Sesshoumaru, turning on their heels and moving onward.
Hana felt Kikyou's dark miko aura grow closer, and soon the undead miko appeared.
"Heh...Hana...you're still alive..." She said with a small grin.
"Kikyou..." Hana replied in acknowledgement.
"I have no time to waste with you. Where is the leader of the wolves, Kouga?"
The corners of Hana's mouth turned upward slightly into an almost unnoticeable grin.
"Kikyou...you fool...do you truly think that I will tell you what you need to hear and step aside?"
"No...I never expected it to be easy..."
"I never said anything about it being easy..."
"Hana, you are hindering my progress...I will have no choice but to kill you, seeing as you're in my way..."
"Ha! Did Naraku tell you to kill me? Or did he not specify who to kill and who to leave alive?"
Kikyou didn't respond. The undead miko raised her bow and reached for an arrow.
"Kikyou...I never thought it possible for you to sink any lower than you already were...first, you attack the man you once loved for no apparent reason, then you attack and try to steal the souls of the two women closest to the man you once loved, after that, you tried to kill me, your friend, that you've accused me of trying to kill you when it was a trap set by Naraku. But that's not all, Kikyou. You joined ranks with the very man who killed you before, the very man that desired to steal the Shikon no Tama and taint you, make you an impure dark miko like Tsubaki. And yet, you let him succeed. Naraku has the Shikon no Tama, you're giving him the pieces to it, and now you're an undead evil bitch."
The undead miko nocked an arrow, and pulled back, letting the arrow streak through the air.
Hana dodged it easily, thanks to her youkai speed.
"Hana...if you truly value your life, you will take those words back!" Kikyou said angrily, reaching for another arrow.
"I'm only speaking the truth, Kikyou. You've let Naraku trick you again!"
The Saimyoushou appeared. Kikyou turned to them, listening to what they had to say.
"Pull back, eh? Alright then..." She said, disappearing in an instant.
Hana let out a long-held breath and took off to rejoin the group.
-
"Kikyou..." Naraku said.
The miko looked up.
"...take the girl, Kagome, take her soul...become alive again..."
Kagome gasped in surprise.
"Kikyou! Listen to me! It's a trick! Don't listen to Naraku!" Kagome yelled in desperation.
Kikyou ignored Kagome's cries and approached her almost lovingly, and pried her soul away like one takes off a blanket.
"...Kagura...you know what you must do..."
Kagura raised her fan.
"Fuujin no Mai!"
Kagome's soulless body fell into Naraku's complete control. Kanna approached with Naraku's heart, the baby, in her arms. The baby inserted a spider-like thread into the back of Kagome's neck. Naraku smirked.
'Inuyasha...I am anxious to see your reaction...what will you do...if you cannot attack?'
-
"There! That has to be it!" Kouga exclaimed.
"Hai...it appears so..." Miroku agreed.
Rin's body shook from the strong jyaki around them, the air thick with it.
"Sesshoumaru-Otou-sama..." She whimpered.
Sesshoumaru turned to look at her.
"...Hai? What is it, Rin...?" He asked passively.
Rin was silent for a little while, but then her youkai sense of smell picked up a familiar scent.
"Hana-Okaa-sama! She's close! And she's getting closer!"
Soon, Hana came into view.
Rin bolted to Hana's side and hugged her tightly.
"Hana-Okaa-sama, are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, Musume..."
"Where's Kikyou?" Inuyasha asked.
"She left...The Saimyoushou called her away..." Hana replied.
-
Inuyasha heaved a sigh through his nose, taking in a deep breath, his eyes widening.
'Kagome's scent...? And Kikyou's...?!'
He ran forward, the others looking to him curiously.
"Inuyasha! Wait for us!" Miroku called.
The hanyou ignored the monk and continued on, until finally he stopped in an area surrounded by thick, white fog.
Through the thinner areas, he saw Kikyou walking around with her Shinindama-chuu at her side, her bow resting loosely on her arm.
"Kikyou!" He called.
The miko stopped and turned to look at him, her eyes smiling slightly.
"Inuyasha..." She whispered.
"Kikyou...why are you here...?"
"I came for you..."
"Kikyou! Don't lie to me! Why are you really here?!"
"The wolf prince...I came for the last two shards of the Shikon no Tama...which the wolf prince possesses."
Inuyasha stared at the ground thoughtfully for a few seconds before voicing his next question.
"Why are you helping Naraku? It's his fault we both died...I don't understand, Kikyou...he's our enemy!"
Kikyou's eyes softened.
"Inuyasha...there are some things that I must do...it is Naraku that needs the jewel more...Inuyasha, you are already powerful enough...you do not need to become a full youkai..."
"And what about becoming human for you?"
"That is not what your heart truly desires anymore..."
Inuyasha stopped for a moment.
'Since when did she know I wanted to use the jewel to become a full youkai? Wait...those are...Kagome's words! That's right! I smelled Kagome's scent! She's around here! And it was Kikyou who kidnapped her, because it was Kikyou's Shinindama-chuu! Finding Kagome is my main priority...'
He looked around frantically, squinting through the fog to try and see if he could spot even the slightest indication of Kagome's presence other than her scent.
Kikyou watched him, her eyes seeming to read his thoughts.
"What's the matter, Inuyasha? Looking for something? Like that girl, Kagome, perhaps?" She asked.
Inuyasha's eyebrows narrowed.
"Where is she? Where's Kagome?!"
"She is here...but it is a pity you haven't figured it out yet..."
"Figured out what?!"
"...that she is truly alive..." Sesshoumaru replied from behind the hanyou.
Inuyasha whirled around.
"WHAT?!"
"...her scent...it no longer reeks of death...you can smell her blood..."
"And also Inuyasha, you should pay attention to Kagome's scent...can you feel her warm, pure aura? Or do you feel a cold, corrupted one instead?" Hana added.
"Heh...so you've figured it out already, Hana?" Kikyou asked with a smirk.
"Hai...such a simple plan...so remarkably easy to see...yet so easy to be successful...tell me, Kikyou...did you apologize for all things you've done to her before you took her soul into your body?"
"N-Nani...?" Inuyasha choked. "Kikyou...you...you took Kagome's soul...?"
Kikyou nodded a smirk playing at her lips.
"WHAT?! YOU BITCH!!! HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY WOMAN!" Kouga yelled angrily.
Kikyou turned to look over her shoulder.
"Kagome...retrieve the wolf's shards..." She said quietly.
Kagome appeared behind Kikyou, with glazed eyes, much like how Kohaku's were when he was under Naraku's full control. She raised her bow, and without warning, nocked and released an arrow in a second.
Kouga paled and froze as he saw the arrow nearing him.
"Hiraikotsu!" A female voice shouted from above.
The giant boomerang flew through the air and struck the arrow down, returning to Sango's hand.
Miroku and Shippou rode with Sango on Kirara, Mei Lhi and Kyo behind them, Ginta and Hakkaku resting on Aun with Jaken.
Kirara and Aun touched down, their riders dismounting.
Inuyasha stood frozen.
'Kagome...why? I thought...I thought you were stronger than this! I thought you'd never fall into Naraku's hands so easily! That's right...you couldn't fight back even if you wanted to...Kikyou took your soul...but...I can't kill Kikyou...or you...Naraku...you bastard...you did this on purpose...you knew all along didn't you? The two people I can't bring myself to kill...because if I did, I'd never be able to live with myself...both of you fell so easily into his hands...and it's all my fault...Kikyou, if only I had trusted you from the very beginning...things wouldn't be like this now...Kagome, if only I had kept a closer watch on you and reacted more quickly, you wouldn't be like this...you wouldn't be...this empty shell...'
The Wonderful Little Dictionary with the Crappiest Translations Possible:
-Baba – Old hag
Damare – Silence, don't say anything
Mesuinu – Female dog, literally means 'bitch'.
Kiyome Kekai – (looked it up in my dictionary myself...so very original...) Purifying Barrier. A type of barrier (one of many) that Hana can create...
Jyaki – Evil aura (I think I mistranslated it as miasma...and I believe that miasma is actually poison/acid...)
Hai – Yes
Nani – What
Musume – Daughter
Hiraikotsu – Name of Sango's boomerang...means Boomerang Bone...she shouts it out when she throws it too...
Shinindama-chuu – Soul Skimmers, Soul Snatchers, whatever...you get the idea...
Saimyoushou – Naraku's poisonous insects which Miroku is vulnerable to when absorbed by his Kazaana (Wind Tunnel, Air Rip, Air Void...)
Fuujin no Mai – Kagura's attack, Dance of the Dead, I think...(Ryuuja no Mai is Dance of the Dragon...or is Dance of the Dragon Blades? Whatever...I don't remember...)
A/N: Yep...bet this ending just killed you...you want more, I know...but it's been over 2 weeks since an update, and this is just showing that I haven't quit...or vanished off the face of the earth...so I hope that this can hold you over until I get Ch. 42 up...Oh you'll probably be seeing a new reader soon...she'll be my friend, Jane, from school...I corrupted her with the delights of Inuyasha...just as she corrupted me with Neon Genesis Evangelion...Ok, I think that's it! Please review! I hope you enjoyed this hopefully shorter chapter! Please stay tuned for Ch. 42!