Author's Notes: This chapter promises to be a record breaker for plot twists and unpredictability. Because no matter how many fanfictions you've read, you've never read one like this.
The Mirror of Uzume Part 2Humans ran for their lives while hundreds of youkai stormed the village. Chaos ensued in all directions and blood covered every inch of ground and wall the eye could see. Whether it was the red sorrow of human blood or the black hatred of youkai blood… no one could tell anymore.
And through all this, one youkai – the leader of them all – killed with a maniacal enjoyment. The red in his eyes seemed to glow brighter with each frail, pale skinned human that fell beneath his massive blade.
Yamatsu stalked purposefully towards the largest building in the village. It calls to me…The Mirror of Uzume…
Landing before him, Sesshoumaru blocked his path. He unsheathed Tokijin with his one arm and held it out before him. "This is where it ends, Yamatsu."
"Oh really? And only you are here to stop me?" Yamatsu held up his already bloodied sword.
Without any warning, Sesshoumaru slashed with the evil blade, releasing a blaze of blue energy that flew straight towards the dark lord.
Planting his sword in the ground, Yamatsu hid behind it and blocked the fury attack. But when he stood up again, unfazed, there was a deep scar in the ground from when he had been pushed back.
Yamatsu raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. My turn." With speed that rivaled Sesshoumaru's, Yamatsu was on top of his enemy and although his swings were wide and slow, the sheer force they carried with them was almost too much for the dog demon.
Already Sesshoumaru was loosing ground and his arm was about to break. Without two hands to wield the sword, Sesshoumaru – although he would never admit it – was at a disadvantage.
Flipping backwards to gain some distance, Sesshoumaru slashed with Tokijin's hidden power once again.
Smiling, Yamatsu watched the blue energy race at him and at the last possible moment, he slashed with his own sword, the blade already glowing as red as the Dark One's eyes – bouncing the attack back at the dog demon!
As pain and agony flew over his body, Sesshoumaru was reminded of when Inuyasha had attacked him with Kazu no Kizu. Except instead of a burning heat, it felt cold, like daggers of ice were ripping through his body.
When his tattered body fell to the floor, Tokijin landed a little ways away…yet out of arms reach. The sword's smoldering hiss was combined with the falling debris that was once Sesshoumaru's armor.
Standing over his body, Yamatsu held his sword casually over his shoulder as he juggled the Dark Orb of Mikaboshi in his other hand. Yamatsu raised his sword and ran it into the ground besides him. Then his fingertips glowed black as he latched his black whip-like tendrils around Sesshoumaru's neck, yanking him up a bit.
Sesshoumaru, still weakened by his own attack being rebounded back at him, had no energy to fight back with and was barely staying conscious as it was.
"First one falls before me. And now the second dog brother lays defeated at my feet. On a leash and at my mercy. It befits a canine like you, Sesshoumaru." Yamatsu said as he held the orb over his victim. "Enter the darkness and serve by my side…"
Kagome stood on the same hill Sesshoumaru had before and watched the burning village with even eyes. Weakness…everyone has a weakness… She had the streak below and above her eye again as well as the headband with the defiled jewels behind her head, leading to her temples.
Her dull eyes first found Sango battling with her boomerang.
"Hiraikotsu!" She threw the youkai bone and cut through three flying demons before it came back to her.
Her eyes…always watch the weapon instead of her back. So, the miko sent four demons to gang up on the taijiya's exposed backside. But they were intercepted by Miroku's staff and holy power, disappearing into nothing more than dust.
Narrowing her eyes, Kagome glared at the monk. He must go first. She decided. He is always drawn to the taijiya. Taking care of him will be simple.
With her abilities, Kagome rallied more demons against the taijiya. The monk had his hands full keeping them off his love. It was when he least expected it that Kagome sent a particularly evil looking demon towards him.
Before the demon could strike, Inuyasha jumped in and landed a chop to the back of Miroku's neck. The monk fell to the ground unconscious and without a target, the fire demon went to find other prey.
No matter, now the taijiya is defenseless… Kagome thought as she sent the demons to battle the taijiya.
Kirara came trotting into the cave and as the two humans dismounted, Yuuki ran up to Shippo who stood at the front of the cave. "Anou…Shippo-kun." She said.
Startled by the way she called his name, the fox demon turned around curiously. "What's the matter, Yuuki?"
"I've looked everywhere, but I can't find either of the children." She looked sadly at the ground. "Shaoran and Shiori aren't here."
Paling, Shippo looked out into the fiery hell that had become the battleground. "Oh no…"
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango spun her boomerang in a short loop, slaying the demons closest to her. With the added battle room, Sango prepared herself for more fights, but none came.
Inuyasha…destroy the woman… Kagome's thoughts immediately went to Inuyasha's collar and he was running towards Sango before he knew it.
"Sankon Tesshou!" His shout was enough to get Sango to turn and block the slashes, but it split her boomerang in two.
"I-Inuyasha!?" She exclaimed.
Before Kagome could give him another command, Inuyasha punched Sango in the gut and she doubled over in front of him. "H-how could you?" She said before passing out.
Looking calmly over at Kagome, Inuyasha thought. She's done. Let's find better prey.
Nodding, Kagome commanded the forces to disperse to other locations.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!!" Out of nowhere, Rin jumped onto Yamatsu's back and stabbed him with her small sword two, three times as hard as she could.
Accidentally loosing his grip on the orb, the Dark Lord exclaimed, "What!?" He released Sesshoumaru, who collapsed to the floor, and reached behind him. He grabbed Rin by the back of her kimono and threw her into the nearest hut.
She cried out as her head hit the wall and slumped to the floor, her short sword still in hand.
Sesshoumaru looked up in shock at what had just happened. Rin…saved me?
The orb rolled over towards Rin and Yamatsu angrily walked over to pick it up. Rin stayed against the wall with her head slumped as he bent down to retrieve it. But as soon as his eyes were off her, she shot her head up and let out a cry as she drove her sword through his hand and into the ground, pinning it down.
Yelling out in rage, Yamatsu backhanded the girl and she was sent reeling back into the blood soaked earth.
"R-Rin!" Sesshoumaru tried to get to his feet.
Pulling the sword free of his hand, Yamatsu threw it aside and instantly picked up his precious jewel. "How dare you." He snarled at the human.
I'm sorry. It's just that I fear for you when I can't see you. I know I'm just a powerless human and even if you were to get hurt I wouldn't be able to save you, but I would still try – I would give up my life if it meant you would be okay. Rin's thought came back to Sesshoumaru as he stared at her stilled form. Rin… "Leave her alone!" He made it to his feet, but was instantly thrown back with Yamatsu's black energy whip.
"Silence!" The Dark Lord ordered. Walking over to Rin, he held the orb over her body and as Sesshoumaru opened his eyes, he saw the blurry form of Rin shaking and convulsing as her soul was sucked into the void of the crystal.
"Your fight is with me!" He tried to get the evil one's attention.
When Yamatsu was finished, Rin's body slumped even further into the sludge, her skin as pale as ever. The Dark One laughed and held up the glowing black orb. "She's mine now."
Then, leaving the dog demon to live with the torture of loosing his companion, Yamatsu walked into the mansion after his real prize. He is weak, I will come back for him when the time is right. He thought.
Crawling over to Rin's limp body, Sesshoumaru was in shock. Never before had any human gone so far to protect Sesshoumaru and now that human was… "Rin…" He held her body close and closed his eyes as the foreign feeling of grief and loss racked his already torn and pain filled body. "NOOOOOOO!!!!!"
A few of the demons began picking up the scent of the hiding humans in the far off cave and began to converge in that direction. Yuuki and Shippo had their hands full trying to keep them at bay.
Yuuki with her survival instinct having kicked in long ago gave her the same edge Shippo had because of his years of experience battling youkai with the rest of the gang.
As the small fox demon who had stood by Kagome and Inuyasha's side for so long battled the demons coming their way, he was reminded of when he first met the couple. True, he had stolen their shards in order to get revenge against the thunder brothers for killing his father, but he would never forget the great deed both had done for him. Not only had Inuyasha defeated both self confident youkai, but Kagome had risked her life to save not only Shippo's little life, but that of his father's fur, the only heirloom he had left of his once proud and grand father.
It was because of them that he would battle any amount of forces Yamatsu sent his way because he owed it to both to see them safely through this. He knew his father would never forgive him in heaven if he turned tail and ran in the face of danger.
The fire of passion that burned behind his green eyes made him a fearsome opponent as he used all of his tricks and illusions to defeat his enemy. "Kitsune top!" He shouted as he threw his little toy down the hill leading to the cave.
The youkai saw it coming and laughed, but when it grew and came barreling towards them, they turned around and tried to run away but it was too late. The top hit them and collected more and more bodies as it flew down towards the burning village.
Another youkai pounced on the unsuspecting duo from bushes off to the side.
But the fox demons were not the only defenders on that mountain cave. Kirara jumped in front of her friends and rammed the youkai back down the hill where it belonged.
Yuuki turned to Shippo worriedly. "Do you think the children are all right down there?"
Shippo looked back towards the village and couldn't help but worry himself. The flames that rose and licked the black clouds in the sky gave the normally calm midnight air and new hellish color. Instead of pleasant blues and blacks, it was brown and red with hate and anger. The moon itself, which was now barely a sliver in the sky, was no longer a soft pale light in the night sky, but an omnipotent and bloody crimson red. The fire itself, which created pillars and pillars of smoke in the sky, seemed to have a life of its own and roared in victory over the small human village.
"I don't know." He said. Looking over at his long time friend, Shippo addressed Kirara. "Kirara, go back down to the village and find Shaoran and Shiori. They can't see Kagome and Inuyasha the way they are. Not yet."
Kirara nodded and flew back down towards the blazing charcoal of a settlement.
Shippo watched the fire cat leave and prayed she would be successful. There would be a lot of explaining to do if she wasn't.
Yuuki saw another pair of glowing yellow eyes in the bushes next to them and gasped as a lizard youkai leapt towards the unsuspecting Shippo. "Shippo-kun!" She exclaimed, digging into her pockets. "Duck!"
"Huh?" Shippo threw himself down to the floor and watched in amazement as his gentle Yuuki threw a small pebble over him. "Kitsune magic!" She shouted, transforming the small pebble into a giant boulder.
The youkai was surprised and got a mouthful of painful rock right in the face as it threw him back into the mountainside.
Shippo looked up shocked as Yuuki offered him a small hand up. "Are you okay?" She asked.
Taking her hand with a deep blush, Shippo could barely nod. "U-un."
Yuuki looked back in the direction in which Kirara had disappeared. "Be careful, Kirara. Bring them back safely."
Making his way down the many stairs beneath his family's home, Akitoki finally arrived at the doors leading to the shrine hiding the Mirror of Uzume. Chanting a few words to break the seal on the door, the village leader stood back as the doors opened themselves and revealed their hidden treasure.
Inside, floating on a mystical pedestal was the sacred Mirror of Uzume. Sighing with relief, Akitoki stepped forward and prepared to wrapped his hands around object evil wanted to badly and that he had to get out of there.
"I should thank you, young man." Yamatsu said from behind Akitoki.
Gasping, Akitoki grabbed the mirror and spun around, unsheathing his sword in the process. "Stay back! How did you get in here!?" He demanded.
Smirking, Yamatsu replied, "It was simple, I followed you. If it hadn't been for you opening these doors, I might not have succeeded in getting what I so desperately desired. For that I thank you."
"Silence demon! I'm not handing this over to you!" Akitoki said with bravery.
Laughing, Yamatsu took out his jewel. "So brave yet so naïve." The jewel began to glow and Akitoki's sword fell from his hand as his soul was sucked into the crystal.
Closing his eyes, Houjou Akitoki fell to the ground and the mirror fell into the hands of ultimate evil.
Bringing up the mirror to eye level, Yamatsu's smile grew. "Sleep well for all of eternity, human. For you are the first of many who will soon find themselves locked within my crystal prison. Consider yourself lucky. I have no use of a pathetic weakling such as you. So long." Then he turned and left, a pale shell was all that remained of the former leader.
Running through the near abandoned village, Inuyasha searched for any survivors. The more he found, the more he could "save". They would wake up later with a massive headache, but they would indeed wake up, which is more than he could say if Kagome found them first.
"Dad!" Shaoran saw his father and call out to him, making the silver-haired hanyou freeze in his tracks.
His blood ran cold when he saw the small boy, with nothing but carnage and death surrounding him. Shaoran!? What is he doing here?
Running up to him, Shaoran looked into the normally calm face of his father, but couldn't see any light shining behind his golden orbs. "Dad? W-what are you going? You're not working for Yamatsu, are you?" Looking down, the boy saw the collar around the dog demon's neck. "Dad talk to me! It's me! Your son! Tell me what's going on please! Tell me you have a plan!"
Inuyasha could neither speak nor move from his spot. On the other side of the battlefield, Kagome saw what Inuyasha saw and immediately assessed the threat, not even recognizing her own son. Kill him. He is nothing.
Inuyasha heard the command and fought the urge he felt in his arms and razor sharp claws to rip the boy in front of him to pieces. No! He isn't a threat! He thought back.
It doesn't matter. All will fall before the Great Yamatsu-sama. Kill him. Kagome commanded.
Inuyasha couldn't fight it when his claws raised above his head and came down upon his own child.
Thankfully, Shaoran saw it coming and jumped back in surprise. "D-dad?"
With his other hand, Inuyasha pulled the sleeping Tetsusaiga from his waist and threw it at Shaoran's feet. Glaring at him, Inuyasha growled and jumped away before the collar could react. As soon as he was out of sight though, the collar erupted in lightning and sent Inuyasha to his knees in pain. Please…forgive me, Shaoran.
Left behind with nothing but his father's sword, Shaoran bent down and picked up the untransformed weapon. "What are you trying to tell me, dad?" Shaoran knew if his father wanted to kill him, he could've. Something wasn't right.
As soon as his fingers wrapped around the sheath of Tetsusaiga, Shaoran was immediately bombarded with what seemed like a random memory.
It was when his father had just woken up from the spider youkai attack, and Shaoran had finished his side of the story about the youkai's destruction.
Kagome got up to get fresh cloths and Shaoran was left alone with his father. Handing the sword back to its rightful owner, the hanyou looked into his dad's bright eyes. "Here you go."
Smiling weakly, Inuyasha took back the birthright his father left behind for him. "So, from what I heard, you kicked major youkai ass, eh?"
Smirking, Shaoran couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. But I couldn't have done it without your sword."
Nodding, Inuyasha laid back against the soft mat. "The fact that Tetsusaiga transformed for you means that it's accepted you as its future master. And when it comes time for me to go, it will become yours." Looking over at his son, Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "That doesn't mean I'm going anywhere for a long time."
Shaoran scoffed. "I wouldn't dream of it. If a spider youkai can't take you out, nothing can!"
"There's something else, though." Inuyasha suddenly got very serious. His grip tightened on the sword as he spoke. "If at any time I have to go away, no matter what the reason, know that I will entrust Tetsusaiga to you, so that you can protect your mother and sister until I come back. Do you understand?"
Shaoran was a bit confused at the time, but nodded. "I think so…"
"Good, now get out of here, I need to rest. I did almost become spider food."
Gasping at the memory, a smile grew on Shaoran's face. "YES! I knew it! He's alright!" Then he turned around in search of his sister.
Shiori had long found her mother standing atop that lonely hill, but had yet to find the courage to approach her. Although her mother's aura was undeniable and easy to find, the coldness in her distant stare and black reverberating aura that overshadowed her more gentle pink aura kept Shiori from making herself known.
Taking a deep breath, Shiori swallowed her fear and came out from behind the tree she had been hiding. "M-mom?" She called out quietly.
Instantly turning around, Kagome glared at the human who had dared disturb her concentration.
"Mother, it's me. Shiori." The little black haired hanyou spoke up.
But already, Kagome was commanding one of the youkai to come to her aide and dispatch of the pest.
"Everyone's been really worried about you and daddy." Shiori said. "But now that Yamatsu's gone, you can come home! Everything can go back to the way it was!" She exclaimed with small tears in her eyes.
When the youkai took too long in coming, Kagome began trying to find the little girl's weakness, so she could take her out herself. Her weakness…her weakness…
"Can you hear me, mommy!? It's time to come home! You don't have to do what that evil Yamatsu guy says! You don't have to!" She tried to reason. "Aniki and I need you!"
Her weakness..is…
Finally breaking down, Shiori ran up to her mother and fell to her knees before the woman, wrapping her arms around her legs not daring to let go. "Mommy! Speak to me please!"
Her…weakness is…me…? A pain erupted in Kagome's head and she shoved the child off her, jumping back to grab her head. The jewels on the headband were glowing from pink to black and back again.
At the same time, Shaoran – who rode on Kirara – grabbed Shiori, while Inuyasha came and took Kagome away.
"No! Mom! Let me go! Mommy!" Shiori struggled in her brother's embrace while Kirara took them to safety.
"It's all right! We'll be with them soon!" He comforted. "Just not now!"
Stopping her struggling, Shiori looked up at her big brother. "A-are you sure, Aniki?"
Looking down at the sword in his other hand, Shaoran nodded confidently. "Positive."
Jumping out of the way with Kagome on his back, Inuyasha sighed with relief that Kagome was unhurt for the moment. He knew that although it would be great if Kagome remembered everything, until he could break the crystal that held her soul, she could be nothing but an empty shell. He couldn't afford to have his children see their mother like that. He just needed a little bit more time…
"YAMATSU!!!" Inuyasha heard his brother's heartfelt cry and skidded to a halt.
The cry also brought Miroku and Sango out of their unconscious state. Moaning they looked up and saw Sesshoumaru a little ways away, his eyes as blood red as ever.
In his arms was the pale lifeless form of Rin.
Gasping, Sango pushed herself to her feet. "Sesshoumaru!? What happened!?"
Running to her side, Miroku pointed to the sky. "Look up there!"
In the sky, Yamatsu floated into the sky just above Akitoki's home and in his hand was the very mirror they had fought so long and hard to protect.
Placing Rin softly back on the ground, Sesshoumaru's form began to shift and elongate into his true form.
Running up, Sango picked up Rin as she and Miroku made their way to the cave. They met up with Kirara and the children and the group watched from afar as Sesshoumaru's large white body faced off with Yamatsu.
Inuyasha shook his head in shock. Don't do it, Sesshoumaru!
Growling, Sesshoumaru leapt up and tried to eat Yamatsu – mirror and all.
Yamatsu simply disappeared and reappeared behind the hound as he landed and turned to strike again. This time, though, Yamatsu thought it best to put his new mirror to the test. When Sesshoumaru opened his mouth, Yamatsu raised the mirror and it began to glow with a bright white light.
Howling, Sesshoumaru's form also took on the same white light and something was sucked into the mirror, much like Akitoki's and Kagome's soul's were. Had Sesshoumaru suffered the same fate?
That's what everyone feared when they saw what was left of Sesshoumaru fall back towards the earth. "Uncle Sesshoumaru!" Shiori exclaimed.
"Come on!" Miroku ran back towards the village.
"You stay here!" Sango told the children, before running down after him.
Shaoran, along with his sister and two fox youkai watched in worry, while Rin remained on Kirara's back, still as pale and lifeless as before.
Smirking at a job well done, Yamatsu looked over and saw Inuyasha with Kagome on his back. "We're done here. Let's go."
Inuyasha nodded and followed his "master" on the ground until they were gone from sight.
Finding the pile of rubble Sesshoumaru had landed in, Sango and Miroku began picking up pieces of burned wood and hay off of his body. "Sesshoumaru, are you alright?" Sango asked.
When they found him, both were at a loss for words. He stood up in one piece, but had they not seen it with their own eyes, they would not have believed it. Instead of yellow eyes, he now had brown eyes and his hair was no longer white, but a deep black. His ears were small and his fingers no longer had claws. What happened to him?
Looking in the direction his adversary had disappeared; Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in hatred. "This is far from over, Yamatsu."
Author's Notes: How's about them apples! Bet you didn't see that one coming! Would Sesshoumaru still be sexy to all of his fans out there without his golden eyes and silver hair? I don't know, but it does make for an interesting plot twist. Now, I apologize for the delay, but I was celebrating my 21st birthday (July 6) at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Now that I'm back, though, the story shall continue! Review review!