A/N: Ah...now I hope you're ready for more! I've got ideas! FINALLY! Take that evil school! You can't steal ALL my ideas! (Smirks) Anyway, our disclaimer will be read by...Sango, Sesshy-
Sesshy: Call me that again and I will have no choice but to slice your throat to crimson ribbons...
Me: (sweat drop) Uhh...uhh...I mean...Sesshoumaru... (Sees Sesshy nod in approval)...and my Sesshy plushie, and Shippou will read the disclaimer!
Shippou: Yay! My turn finally!
Sango: ......
Sesshy: Does the brat do this all the time...?
Sango: ...afraid so...
Me: HEY! You're supposed to be reading the disclaimer! Not having a conversation amongst yourselves, damn it! (My Sesshy Plushie appears on my shoulder and huggles me) Aww...arigatou, Sesshy-kun...now go give the disclaimer to Sesshoumaru so he can read it...I don't think Shippou can read, so Sango and Sesshoumaru will read, along with you, while Shippou just does whatever he wants...
Sesshy Plushie: (nods and gives paper to Sesshy)
Sesshy: (reads)
Sango: (reads over Sesshy's shoulder)
Sesshy Plushie: (reads)
Shippou: (munches on Pocky)
Sesshy, Sango, Sesshy Plushie, and Shippou: Aki doesn't own Inuyasha...
Sesshy: Damn it...he owes me Tetsusaiga when I kill him...
Sango, Shippou, & Sesshy Plushie: No more comments! Just read!
All: (continuing on) because if she did, she would've had at least ¾ of the world addicted to Inuyasha, and she'd be working on corrupting the ¼ that was left...and then she'd go for world domination, and everyone's first born son would be named Sesshoumaru, their second-born sons would be Inuyasha, and all daughters would be named Kagome. All adult males would officially change their names to Inutaisho, while the adult females would change their names to Izayoi...anyway...reviews!
Me: Damn you all talk way to freaking much! (Sweat drop) I'm wondering if it was a bad idea to put the four of you together... (Sighs) Anyway...
Angie, It'll be alright! Don't worry! I would never leave Kagome like that! Calm yourself! Ugh...school...I have tests this week... (Grumbles) Stupid biology...stupid geometry...
Riku, lol sorry...yes, well I am very much lacking a proper insult vocabulary...I'm really mindless and I'm so very unimaginative...I will try to expand Kouga's vocabulary and not try to make him look stupid...too much...oh, well, for some reason, Kikyou's a character I like now...yeah, call me crazy, I started a message board thread called the 'Psychiatric Ward' ask Angie, it's true...there's a bit of fluff in here, so that should keep you happy. Omg, I seriously don't think I could ever write citrus content...it seems so difficult and complicated...hate to break it to you, but the sequel is so full of angst and dark evil-ness in the beginning you'll be choking on it. But I highly doubt it'll ever reach the level of yours. Yay! Write more! It's very inspiring! I will keep up the good work, that I shall! (Smiles)
Sanosa, lol yes that's very true. Well, I'm sure you'll like this one just as much! Oh don't worry about it, I don't mind a bit. I get attacked by homework youkai very frequently.
lil'killer, yes I did! And after I wrote it, I got hungry (which explains Mei's stomach growling) and guess what I made? Yep, ramen. Lol...that's so weird...we were both hungry at the exact same time...hmm...this could use some investigating... (Conan from "Case Closed" appears out of nowhere) Umm...riiiight...anyway...I'm getting sick and starting to lose my voice...I think the illness is going to my head...or is it the soda and the sugar and candy I had today? I dunno...whatever it was...it's certainly knocked me off my rocker...
Dragon Man, lol... (Hands you some of Sasuke's shurikens, which I happened to steal "accidentally") Target practice! (Sasuke appears looking really pissed)
Sasuke: (with Sharingan eyes) Give me back my shurikens...NOW...if you want to live!
Me: Why don't you go see Itachi and ask him to pull that stick outta your ass, you cold-hearted bastard?!
Sasuke: (draws kunai and charges)
Me: (throws one of Miroku's ofuda)
Sasuke: (frozen)
Er...right, anyway, Dragon Man...this chapter seems a little weird to me... (Kikyou suddenly turns nice!) But that's the only spoiler for now...read! And hurry! Before Sasuke breaks free from the ofuda and starts killing everyone! I don't want to have to send in Neji and Sesshy... (My unofficial personal bodyguards)
Now let's move on...Chapter 42...
Chapter Forty-Two: Blood Bond
Kikyou observed Inuyasha's current state.
"It hurts, doesn't it, Inuyasha? To see Kagome like this...being so easily manipulated...I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done...I am alive again...is that not enough? I am truly alive! I have no use for the souls of young girls anymore! My flesh is warm, and I am real! You cannot possibly find me disgusting anymore can you?" She said.
Inuyasha looked up at her, hurt obvious in his eyes.
"Kikyou...It's not that I find you disgusting...it's not that at all...but you took a soul, Kagome's soul...just so you could live...but what about Kagome? She has a family...a family that cares about her...and...because of this...I-I've failed...I've failed Higurashi-san, Souta...everyone...I failed to protect her...I've failed everyone who ever loved her or cared about her...and...the worst of all...I'VE FAILED MYSELF!"
Everyone but Sesshoumaru and Jaken gasped suddenly from Inuyasha sudden outburst.
'Is that he cares about Kagome...?' Mei Lhi wondered.
Inuyasha choked back the lump that welled in his throat, which was trying to force tears to gather in his eyes. He fought them back, and fisting his hand, his claws puncturing the skin, he drew back, and for the first time, Inuyasha hit Kikyou.
No one could believe their eyes. Kikyou stumbled and hit the ground. Hard.
"Inuyasha...why?"
"Kikyou...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..."
"Nii-chan! Why're you apologizing?! You don't owe that bitch an apology! She owes you one! Are you just going to let her get away with what she did to Kagome?! Wake up Nii-chan! KIKYOU ISN'T WHO YOU KNEW BEFORE! SHE'S NOT THE SAME!" Mei Lhi screamed at him.
"Shut up!" He snapped back.
Kikyou stood, and turned away hurt-filled eyes.
"She's right, Inuyasha...how could I be so selfish...? I do owe you an apology...but not for taking Kagome's soul...but for not getting rid of her more quickly! Then you wouldn't have gotten so close to her! So there would only be me in your heart!"
Hana bit her lip, and taking a deep breath, she took out a small dagger into one hand and extended her other hand, cutting her palm. She pushed Inuyasha aside, and took one of Kikyou's hands and cut her palm, holding their cut hands together.
"Kikyou! This is my last resort. Listen to me! This is the only thing I have left that could possibly bring you back! I know you weren't like this! You were such a wonderful person, Kikyou! Do you not remember the years we spent, in the village, training our powers together? Do you not remember all the times we talked and shared stories? Do you not remember this? This sacred oath that we had vowed? Do you not remember our blood bond? Do you not remember how we had pledged to stay together to the very end? Do you not remember how we had promised each other we would not let the other stray into darkness like Tsubaki? Do you not remember how we had sworn to help one another when the other needed it most, and the aid needn't be continued to be given until one of us passed on? Do you not remember any of it?! Kikyou! Do you not remember?!" She asked in desperation, tears starting to trail from her eyes.
Kikyou looked to their hands; their blood had met between, dripping onto the earth at their feet. She smiled.
"...how could I forget...my friend...? My dear...Hana-chan..." She said quietly.
Hana sighed with relief.
"Kikyou-chan...at last..."
They pulled their hands away, observing the fresh cuts, their skin painted red from their blood. Kikyou's aura changed from dark and tainted to light and pure.
"Kikyou-chan...will you give Kagome-chan back her soul...?"
"Hana-chan...I...never learned how to reverse it..."
"So, Kikyou...this is how it truly is..." Naraku's voice said from above.
"Naraku!" All exclaimed.
Inuyasha quickly drew Tetsusaiga and prepared to unleash the horrific power of Bakuryuuha.
"Inuyasha! Wait! If you use Bakuryuuha, you'll hit Kagome-sama and Kikyou-sama! Most likely Hana-sama as well!" Miroku interceded.
Naraku laughed evilly, enjoying the predicament he just put his adversary in.
"What's wrong, Inuyasha? Why won't you attack me?" He asked teasingly.
"You bastard, Naraku! You planned this out from the beginning!" The half-demon growled angrily.
"You can do nothing, Inuyasha..."
The half-demon growled out of frustration, sheathing his beloved sword.
'What can I do? I can't attack...I can't hurt Kagome or Kikyou, and Sesshoumaru will kill me if I even as much as think of hurting Hana-baba...kuso...this is bad...what am I gonna do?! Damn it...I don't know...there's nothing I really can do right now...shimatta...Kagome...why this?'
-
Naraku's smirk grew, his red eyes bored into Inuyasha's watching his opponent struggle with an important decision. It was at that moment, the demon decided on a plan.
"...Kagome...kill Inuyasha and retrieve the wolf's shards ..." He said flatly.
Kikyou's eyes narrowed.
"Naraku! How dare you..." She seethed.
Naraku turned to look at her and smiled evilly.
"...That's right, Kikyou...you are in my service...and you are disobeying orders..."
One of his tentacles shot out and impaled the miko in the abdomen going straight through her body. A thin, almost invisible spider thread lashed out and attached to Kikyou's neck. The miko's aura darkened and became corrupted once more.
Inuyasha watched shocked, just barely missing an attempted shot from one of Kagome's arrows.
-
The arrow glowed pink as it streaked through the air. Inuyasha looked at it quizzically.
'Nani? It's still pure? But Kagome's aura is corrupted! The arrow would only still be pure if...part of Kagome was still left inside her!' He smirked at the thought. 'Good Kagome...you didn't let me down after all...but I have to somehow get her to quit attacking...so...something must be controlling her...but if I can get close enough...'
He began to move towards her.
Another arrow whizzed past him.
'Ok...not gonna work...if there's still part of her left...damn it, I REALLY don't wanna do this...but if she's still there, she'll have to stop completely out of shock...that'll be my chance...maybe a few seconds time, but I just hope I can do it...'
With a determined look in his eyes, he approached Kagome and waited for the arrow to come.
WHOOSH!
He could hear it.
"Inuyasha! Look out!" Everyone yelled.
He ignored them and stood still.
THOK!
The arrow made contact and hit him in the chest. He winced and ground his teeth to stop from crying out from the pain.
All froze, including Kagome, Kikyou, and Naraku, who looked absolutely tickled with joy.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome and Kikyou gasped.
All stood still, not moving.
"Nii-chan...doshite...?" Mei Lhi whispered.
Kikyou was shaking and her aura was pulsating around her. She couldn't move. Kagome's aura pulsated, and the miko girl somehow willed her body to gain strength and rush forward towards the half-demon.
Kagome's eyes were less glazed as she approached. She stopped before him, surveying what she had done.
"Inuyasha...I'm...so...sorry..." She said, sounding strained. "I'll...get this out of you now...just...hold on..."
Her hand closed around the arrow, and she gave it a sharp tug, pulling it out completely. The cream-colored wood was now a deep red, the obsidian arrowhead dripping with warm blood.
Kagome's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Inuyasha, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" She sobbed.
The hanyou merely shook his head, brushing it off, his gaze catching a glint of light coming from a thread attached to Naraku's hand. He followed it with his eyes. The thread split in two. One lead straight into Kagome, the other was in Kikyou. He finally understood.
"It's alright...it doesn't matter..."
Kagome's soul was slowly being ripped from Kikyou's body, straining to return to its true owner.
"...it doesn't matter? Inuyasha! I could've just killed you! I was so scared that I did!"
She gently embraced him, and let the tears run down her face as she sobbed into his haori.
"Inuyasha...why? Why didn't you dodge my arrow? You knew it would hit you! Why didn't you move out of the way?"
He rested his chin on top of her head, and sighed.
"...it's because...you were the one that shot it..."
"But you've dodged all my accidental shots before! This shouldn't be any different!"
His arms wrapped tightly around her, one around her neck, and the other around her shoulders.
The miko girl's soul was pulling away from Kikyou.
"That shot wasn't an accident...you meant it..."
"But it was against my will! You knew that! Why didn't you dodge it, Inuyasha?! Why?!"
He paused for a moment, his claws finding the spot where the thread was attached, and snapped the bond in half.
"...Kagome..."
The miko girl's eyes cleared and regained their usual rich almond hue, the sparkle of life, returned.
"H-hai, Inuyasha?" She asked nervously.
"You want to know why...I let myself get hit with the arrow?" He asked softly, whispering in her ear.
She nodded, swallowing hard.
"...Kagome..."
She looked into his eyes imploringly, begging him to go on and finish his back to me..."
He titled Kagome's chin upward, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. His gaze fell to the girl's soft, full lips. He could hear Kagome's heartbeat quicken, and sensed her blood grow warmer. Adrenaline and anxiety pounded through his veins, as he slowly moved closer to Kagome, his breathing became heavier. At last, his mouth closed upon hers, his hand gripping her shoulder tightly.
When they finally pulled away, in an instant several things happened at once. Kagome's soul completely ripped away from Kikyou in milliseconds with incredible force, and returned to Kagome's body. The group was in a stunned silence, even Sesshoumaru was somewhat amused. Naraku was furious, seeing that his adversary not only lived, but also the fact that he lost his newest servant. Kagome's miko aura was purified and the gap in her heart was filled.
Inuyasha turned to her, looking her straight in the eye, a thing he did very rarely. Kagome found herself lost in his golden orbs. He sighed lightly, embracing her.
"...ima...to...korekara...ai shiteru, Kagome...Eien ni...ai shiteru, Kagome..." He whispered in her ear.
Kagome's eyes streamed with tears.
"Inuyasha!" She exclaimed happily.
She held him tight, not wanting to let go of him, in case this was a wonderful dream.
But like all good things, they must come to an end...the moment was shattered by Naraku lashing out one of his many appendages towards Kagome. Inuyasha turned quickly so the tentacle hit him instead.
Kagome cried out despairingly, and screamed.
Time seemed to slow down at that moment. Inuyasha was pulled from Kagome's arms, and was being flung about in the air. The hanyou drew Tetsusaiga once more, attempting to break free of Naraku's clinching hold upon him. The world around them seemed to fall into shades of grey, cloaked about them like a colorless veil.
Kagome reached out, gripping her bow, drawing an arrow, preparing to fire. She pulled the string back and released the shimmering arrow.
"Naraku! Let Inuyasha go! Now!" She yelled.
Everyone shifted out of their frozen states, and Kouga sprang into action at once, charging towards Naraku. Kyo summoned his weapon, and starting chanting something in Ryuuyoukai, the sickle blades began to glow, and he swung the mighty halberd wind blades shooting out from it. Sango threw Hiraikotsu with Miroku's shakujou, Hana shot a miko arrow to fly alongside Kagome's, Mei Lhi drew her own blade, and unleashed a mimicked Kaze no Kizu, Sesshoumaru stood watching, and after a moment of thought, ran forward, his claws gleaming with poison.
Each attack hit the youkai, causing him to loosen his hold upon the inu hanyou. Inuyasha pushed himself off of Naraku, and unsheathed the Tetsusaiga.
"Naraku! Are you ready?!"
A/N: Ok, don't kill me, seriously, don't. I at least got Inu-kun and Kagome together, so that should be enough. Honestly, the beginning of the sequel's mostly plotted out in my head...but who cares...I should finish this and not keep you all waiting in suspense...I actually finished writing something for a category completely different than this, and I find it astounding as to how easily I can rotate from one to the other. But anyway, nobody cares or wants to know about my boring life, so our dictionary...
Aki's Dictionary of Wonderful Little Terms and Words (Or phrases):
"...ima...to...korekara...ai shiteru, Kagome...Eien ni...ai shiteru, Kagome..." – "Kagome, I love you, now, and from now on...Kagome, I love you...eternally..." (I tried to put it in the Japanese word order...I know I've gotten it all mixed up...but just work with me here, ok?)
Onegai – Please (another word for it...more formal, I think...)
Doshite – Why
Shimatta – shit (and probably means lots of other crap...)
Shakujou – Miroku's staff
Hiraikotsu – Bone Boomerang, name of Sango's weapon
By the way, I need a name for Kyo's sickle-blade weapon thingie...so if someone could help me with that...and I need more attack names...(sweat drops) I'm so lazy...my brain is so fried...my creativity level is rather low right now...(sighs) I'm so pathetic...asking readers for help...(wanders off muttering) Anyway, enough of that! Expect Ch. 43 and the fight you've all been waiting for! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I shall see you all again soon if my teachers don't bury me with assignments and projects...Ja!