Chapter twenty one is here and with it the epic clash between Kagome and Inu-Yasha! is it epic? Well you can decide that yourselves I suppose. Not to answer reviews. YuniX-2: aren't you always hyper? Dragonlance: how will I wrap it up in five chapters? Simple, I can't write fight scenes that are more then two pages unless it involves a lot of people and is the last one of the story. agent-doo: Wise? Kenda? God no! if he was wise he wouldn't have messed up so bad. Experience and knowledge he had but wisdom and common sense? Nope. You'll see what I mean when I write the story about him. As for Kagome purifying herself she would likely kill herself if she tried, Like setting off a matter/antimatter explosion inside herself. Though if it didn't then how it would actually effect her is the real question, one which I will consider. Now on with the story!
Sango stretched and opened her eyes the next morning and looked around seeing everyone else was still asleep. She got up and was about to get the fire going when she spotted two things. The first was that Inu-Yasha was missing, the second was the note. She reached down and took the note. Upon reading it she shook Miroku and Shippo awake.
Miroku blinked his eyes open to find Sango's worried face hovering above him. "What's wrong Sango?" he muttered sleepily.
"Read it" said Sango thrusting the note in Miroku's face.
Upon finishing reading the note Miroku was fully awake. "This can't be good" he said.
"What's going on?" asked Shippo hopping up onto the monks shoulder.
"Inu-Yasha has left" said Miroku.
"What?" squeaked Shippo, "are we going after him?"
Sango shook her head. "No Shippo, if Inu-Yasha snuck away it was probably for a reason"
"So we just wait?" asked Shippo looking downtrodden.
"Even if we did try to follow we would never find Inu-Yasha any time soon" said Miroku, "he could be anywhere by now. We have no other choice I'm afraid".
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Sesshoumaru paused and sniffed the air one more time to confirm what he had guessed. They are in the same place now he thought. He turned to Rin and Jaken and said "Remain here until I return".
"Where are you going milord?" asked Jaken.
Sesshoumaru said nothing as he walked off. An observer might think he just wasn't in the mood to explain himself as he rarely was. Bit this time he really didn't know how to answer. He had no idea where he was going or how to do what he was supposed to do. He was just going where tensaiga was pulling him.
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"What is it Kouga?" asked Ginta. Kouga was crouched down sniffing at the ground.
"Kagome passed through here a little while ago" he said standing back up, "I'm guessing two or three hours".
"It's about time we found something" said Hakkaku, "none of the other trails have been this fresh".
"Agreed" said Kouga, "let's go before this one gets cold too". With that they were off.
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Kagome was the first to attack. She swung her left hand in low, her claws crackling with deadly energy. Inu-Yasha brought the flat edge of the tessaiga up blocking the strike.
The attack set the blade ringing and Inu-Yasha twisted it up and pushed sending Kagome skidding back. He then brought it around and, still using the flat side swung at Kagome.
Kagome leapt over the blade and aimed a kick at Inu-Yasha's head. He dodged missing the outstretched foot by less then an inch and, letting go of the tessaiga with his left hand, reached up and grabbed Kagome's trailing leg and twisting viciously sending her sprawling.
When she stopped she flung her arms up just in time to block a downward stroke from the tessaiga. Her claws contacted with the blade and the two ended up locked in a standstill.
"Why?" growled Inu-Yasha, "Why did you do it? Tell me"
"Guess" snarled Kagome heving upward and forcing Inu-Yasha back. Kagome scrambled to her feet and the pair began to circle each other.
"I can't guess at why you would betray us Kagome" said Inu-Yasha.
"Come now Inu-Yasha" said Kagome, "you mean to tell me that you have never considered doing anything for more power?" Kagome sprung foreword again and began to deal rapid fire bone shattering blows toward Inu-Yasha. He blocked them all and the tessaiga groaned in protest.
"I know what you mean" grunted Inu-Yasha as he blocked the strikes, "I've even given in to those urges before. But only once did I go too far like you did. And that was when I thought Kikyo had betrayed me". Inu-Yasha planted his feet and pushed when Kagome swung again causing her to stumble back. "Just like you have betrayed me" Inu-Yasha snarled, his voice filled with acid and poison, before charging forward and swinging his sword down with all his strength.
Kagome dug her feet in and grabbed onto the blade. Sparks flew and the metal shrieked in protest as Kagome was forced to her knees from the strain. "So you do understand" she grunted.
"Not entirely" snarled Inu-Yasha, "why would you join Naraku?"
Kagome laughed when Inu-Yasha said this. "Join him?" she chuckled as she forced herself back to her feet causing Inu-Yasha to take a step back, "I plan on taking the jewel when all the shards are gathered. Naraku is nothing to me".
Inu-Yasha backed off and snorted. "And how would you do that?" he asked, "Naraku is not one to just hand anything over, especially the sacred jewel".
"Simple" said Kagome, "I let him think I'm loyal and when the time is right…" Kagome mimed driving her claws into someone's back.
"That's the dumbest thing you have ever said Kagome" snarled Inu-Yasha launching another attack. Kagome jumped up and laded on the tessaiga's blade pinning it to the ground.
"Join me then" she purred, "together we can take care of Naraku right now. And then we could collect all the jewel shards ourselves. Our power could be limitless".
Inu-Yasha snarled and wrenched the tessaiga out from under Kagome. She sprung away and Inu-Yasha charged at her again. "No" he snapped, "I don't want more power right now. All I want is the old Kagome back".
Kagome sidestepped the swing and said "sorry Inu-Yasha. But as I said before she is gone".
Inu-Yasha just stood there with his back to Kagome. "Fine" he said sheathing the tessaiga, "if she really is gone then you'll be able to finish me off".
Kagome was totally taken aback. Inu-Yasha had thrown her totally off balance just then. Why would he of all people do something that left him so open? "Draw your sword" she snarled.
"No" said Inu-Yasha turning back around, "if the real Kagome is gone then there is no point in me fighting". Inu-Yasha then began to slowly walk toward Kagome.
"Stay back" hissed Kagome. Inu-Yasha paused for a split second before continueing.
"I said stay away" screamed Kagome making a frantic swipe at Inu-Yasha. Kagome left three bloody claw marks on his cheek but Inu-Yasha kept coming until his face was inches from hers.
Kagome was terrified now. The dull ache in her body had become a throbbing pain. Inu-Yasha looked deep into her eyes and said, "Come back with me Kagome. Let's put all this behind us".
"What?" she snarled, "and forget what happened? Look at me, I'm a demon now".
"So what?" whispered Inu-Yasha taking Kagome's face in his hands, "so am I. Not so long ago I said you weren't alone. That is still the truth, you don't need to be alone Kagome. I can help you, so can the others".
The pain was unbearable now. Kagome felt like she was being shredded from the inside out. She pushed Inu-Yasha away and stumbled back. "Stay away from me" she hissed.
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Sesshoumaru crouched downwind from Inu-Yasha and Kagome so they couldn't smell him. He narrowed his eyes when Inu-Yasha put away his sword having no idea what the idiot was thinking. He was literally asking for Kagome to attack him. Whatever tensaiga wanted him to do it had better hurry.
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"Kagome" said Inu-Yasha trying to get near the demoness again.
"Get back" snarled Kagome, "I don't need anyone. I have what I need". Kagome pulled her jewel shard out and waved it around. "I just need to use it"
"No" shouted Inu-Yasha, lunging forward in an attempt to stop Kagome. It was too late though. Kagome plunged the shard into the upper part of her back.
Kagome hissed in triumpth as her body began to glow with black energy. "You had you chance" hissed Kagome, her eyes burning like red hot coals, "now you die".
Kagome lunged forward, fast and precise as a bolt of lightning striking for a metal rod. Inu-Yasha was just able to draw the tessaiga and turn the attack aside. The tessaiga shrieked in protest sounding like an animal letting out a cry of the greatest pain imaginable and Inu-Yasha's arm went numb from the kickback.
"Have you gone insane!" shouted Inu-Yasha blocking several more shattering blows, "you'll end up destroying us both if you keep this up".
"I don't care" snarled Kagome swinging viciously with each word she spoke, "I am not that weakling any more. If killing you is the only way to prove that then so be it".
"What about your original power?" panted Inu-Yasha. He was almost on his knees. Kagome wasn't letting up for a split second this time. She really was intent on finishing Inu-Yasha off. "Won't it try to purify the jewel shard?"
"I am not her anymore" screamed Kagome, "I don't need any of those powers". The pain was intense now. Like Kagome's body had been filled with white hot coals. It was like her very soul was on fire. It was driving her insane.
Kagome suddenly leapt back and began to crackle with energy. "This is just a fraction of the power I will have once the entire jewel is mine" she hissed, "and when I have it thee world will burn".
There was no way around it. Kagome was gone for good. There was Nothing Inu-Yasha could do. "Fine" he said raising the tessaiga, "let's finish this".
"Yes" snarled Kagome, "let's". Kagome sent a massive surge of demonic energy toward Inu-Yasha that was sure to leave him nothing but a burnt crisp.
"I'm sorry Kagome" he whispered before… "BACKLASH WAVE!"
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"Now" said Sesshoumaru, leaping from the bushes and drawing the tensaiga. Kagome tried to dodge the Backlash wave but still took a massive blast. She went flying back and a glazed look came over her eyes. Sesshoumaru darted forward as fast as he could aiming for the shard in her back.
When Kagome was in range Sesshoumaru swung hitting the spot with the shard dead on. Time seemed to freeze for what seemed an eternity but was, in fact, less then a split second. Then the tensaiga flared and sent the shard flying away as it swung around. Kagome fell to the ground unconscious.
Sesshoumaru re-sheathed the tensaiga and turned to his brother. "Take her" he said.
"What did you just do?" stammered Inu-Yasha.
"A chance" said Sesshoumaru, "no more, no less. My part is played for now brother. Next time I will not be so helpful". With that Sesshoumaru was gone again.
Inu-Yasha stuffed the tessaiga back into its sheath and ran over to Kagome. She was twisting around and sweating just like she had been when this had all started. "Kagome" whispered Inu-Yasha taking the girl into his arms, "I'm so sorry this happened". Inu-Yasha picked Kagome up and she unconsciously gripped at him. Kagome's claws dug in but Inu-Yasha ignored the pain as he retrieved the jewel shard and began to head back to where the others were waiting.
Author's notes
Chapter twenty will be up soon. nothing else to say except I hope Sesshoumaru didn't come off as too…whatever in this chapter. I had a little trouble writing for him this time around. Ciao!
