Author's Note: This weekend has just been killing me to no end people! I've been super busy with all kinds of things like babysitting, working out with my mom, driving lessons, and just so many other things. If I hadn't been doing all that, maybe we'd all be at chapter twenty-two or something ha, ya know? Yeah I wish… Oh well! Nothing I can do about it! Please read and review! Enjoy!
Lady kjerston of the western: I know I know! Ugh! Don't you hate me? Ha! More inu for me lol, that's made me laugh. Thank you! And it's fine that it's a little shorter than usual. Who is this genie that you don't want to be around? Lol. Thanks for your review!
Inuyasha-luver235: Yeah, lol, the boy's mane is Asoka. Ah don't worry about it though, I feel guilty about making you guys memorize so many new names in my fic, lol. I feel so happy that I'm your favorite author! Only two other people said that to me before, now I have three! Cool! And where do I get my ideas? I honestly have no idea! Most times I just make up crazy shit as I type! lol, before I write a story, I think long and hard of something different to do that maybe no one else has done before. But that's kinda hard since there are so many inu fics out there. Anyways, before you begin, just ask yourself always, 'How can I make my story different from everyone else's?' But it's not always that easy. And uh, I'm pretty good for a sixteen year old? Cool, how old are you? And hey, I know this thirteen-year-old girl who writes way better than I ever can! I don't think age matters in what you can do when it comes to writing stories, lol! And yeah, I made Kagome not so whimpy for once. Have you noticed in the episodes when there's something coming her way, like a big ass boulder or something? And she just stares at it like a deer caught in the headlights and doesn't do one damn thing to save herself! She's so helpless sometimes! That's why my penname is what is it, heehee. Thanks for your review!
Akida411searcher: Well, I'm glad that I'm not as evil as I was last time you reviewed…. Right? lol, thanks for your review!
Psychotica Bunny: I know, don't you hate me? Yet love me so much? lol, I knew ya would! Thanks for your review!
erica0606: Yes yes, poor Kagome. Well, come on now, I had to freeze somebody and Kagome was the only option at the time, lol. And no need to worry, Sessy and Rin will make more appearances throughout the rest of the story. Thanks for your review!
Water-Goddess-Inu-Luver1: Thanks for your compliments and for your reviews!
DarkHanyouGurl: Ha! I can't tell you! (says in singy songy voice). The kiddies would be devastated wouldn't they huh? I guess I should let her live huh… But hey, I could just change my mind like that (snaps fingers) and she could be as dead as a doornail! You'd never know unless you keep on a readin'! And yeah, every story has to have at least a little bit of romance in it right? But I'm more of the action/adventure type of girl, but I still love a little romance here and there! That's why I wrote the stories before this, 'Sing to Me, the Song of the Stars' which is nothing but fluff and romance, and 'Awake in an Infinite Dream'. And now this third sequel! Yay! I've come a long way huh. Thanks for your review!
Suaru: Of course it's not fare! I'm the most un-farest person in the whole world! Thanks for your review though!
Akuma-chan-69: Thank you for your compliments and for your review!
Damn, I'm being called 'evil' so often nowadays, heehee….
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha
Chapter Twenty: Come Back to Me. No Regret, No Disappointment
A dull sigh escaped Reina's lips, 'Let's get this over with now.' She thought to herself and positioned her sapphire colored fan above her. "This is it, all will be over soon enough." She mumbled as she watched Inuyasha elevate his weapon high above his head.
"That's right, you'll be dead before your body hits the ground. I'll make sure of that.' Inuyasha muttered and prepared his sword for Windscar.
So much has happened in the last half hour that it was really sinking in. The blue sphere was missing somewhere, fallen in between the jagged rocks of the valley at the back him. Kagome was frozen and couldn't be brought back to life until Inuyasha destroyed Reina, and possibly Taisuke if needed. His children were in much danger, how could he let that happen?
First, it was Taikan whom he had allowed to take along with him for the journey.
"Yes!" Taikan exclaimed and punched the air with his two fists in triumph, "Yeah! We get to go!" He high-fived Asoka.
"Now hold on Taikan." Inuyasha spoke up, "We just agreed you could go, but I don't know how your mothers would feel if you came with us."
The boys' cheering suddenly faded and they both looked slightly depressed.
Miroku looked at them, "You know, we shouldn't be letting you come with us at all. But we are considering it since you are both almost teenagers now and have good fighting experience. There may be a chance that we will need your help in a battle."
"That's right." Inuyasha said. "Don't think this is some kind of vacation or anything, we're really gonna need your help if worse comes to worse."
… "Don't worry Father; we'll help you no matter what.
Then, it was Sanae, his oldest daughter of eleven. In the beginning though, he would've never let her come along. She just wanted to prove something of herself, that she was strong and ready to fight.
Inuyasha sniffed the air and his eyes widened, "S-Sanae."
… "Oh, I'm so sorry Daddy! I didn't mean to not listen to you and come here. But I just wanted to be with you and Mommy and show you how strong I am, and-"
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and walked toward her, very angry. Sanae was too scared to move or make another sound. 'Oh no, he is mad at me.' …
He stopped just in front of her and spoke low and seriously, "What are you doing here?"
… "I...I" She shook her head, still not looking at him… "Sanae, you disobeyed me. How could you?"
Sanae cringed and a moment later, looked up at him and saw not an angry face anymore, but a frightened one. He was scared, but why?
Inuyasha took another step closer to her and dropped down to his knees and hugged her. "You could have been killed, what were you thinking?" … his voice was too soft. 'Thank gods she's ok.' … He thought about how far she had walked to get to get to them, how tired and hungry she must have been, and of how many demons she must have fought along the way.
…"I'm sorry Dad. I just wanted to be with you and Mom. I promise I won't disobey you ever again."
Inuyasha pulled away from her and smiled, "Ok, but have to keep your promise."
Inuyasha shook his head; he endangered his children and only had himself to blame. If anything happened to them, he would never forgive himself.
He had wondered all of this… and now, he thought about how his life would be if Kagome remained like this forever. He knew not of any other spell that could release her from this frozen prison. How could he save her then, if he wasn't able to win the battle after all?
Inuyasha narrowed his amber eyes that were filled with desperation for a plan to win, 'I… I know what I'll do… I have to, sneak past Reina's attacks somehow so that she won't freeze them like before. It'll be my only chance though. If she knows what I'm doing, and I fail at it, then she'll know next time I do it and stop it again. I can't afford to mess this up, I just can't…' He swallowed and gripped his Tetsusaiga. He felt his palms practically soak with sweat, and hoped he wouldn't drop his sword like an idiot and lose everything.
Ugh, that would be such a bitch…
He breathed heavily out of nervousness and felt his heart sink, 'Focus… focus…' He kept reminding himself and let hid body slowly calm.
Reina smirked. 'He won't win.' She brought her fan down so fast that no one in the world could've seen it coming. Her unbelievably swift movements made Inuyahsa's heart descended to the ground and even further below. There was a powerful cold wind coming his way and he straight away brought down Tetsusaiga. "Windscar!" He shouted and unleashed an enormous energy wave.
Miroku turned around, "Let's go hide somewhere else for now! It's not safe here!" He yelled over the noise and ran with the kids to a nearby cave. Once they made it inside, they heard the deafening noise of thunder made of ice and energy clashing against one another.
Sanae closed her eyes and hugged herself. Taikan saw this and hugged her once she began crying for a second time. "T-Taikan, I'm so scared, what if Dad can't win?" She sobbed against his arm. Taikan hugged her tighter, "No, don't say things like that. Dad is the strongest demon ever. He'll win, just believe in him." He said to her in an encouraging voice she heard all her life from both him and their father.
Taisuke formed a large barrier around himself as he made his way in the direction of the mountain where the orbs of Higan were currently located. 'So this is it I see.' He mused and looked at his surroundings of trees and valleys filled with flourishing green grass.
He began to think of how this place would look once he had complete control over all of Japan and burnt everything to the ground. No trees, no grass, no homes for people. They would all be his slaves during his progressing conquest over the world. He got shivers of excitement just thinking about it.
Taisuke would continue the repeated tragedies and repeated pain humanity knew all too well in this era. Who would've known that surviving was this hard? This painful? He knew all of this when he was only a young human mortal boy. He remembered being childish and was always thankful that he had gotten the chance to see the sun rise each day. Whatever happened to that innocent boy that he was born as? When he turned demon, those thoughts and feelings he had felt as child were all foreign to him now, and so he banished it from his heart.
It wasn't possible to be like that ever again. He couldn't have that same soft heart he had as a young teenager. He couldn't ever become a human once more.
Taisuke shook his head; he didn't even desire such a thing. When he had all this massive power, he didn't need anything of the sort.
And yet, at the most rare of times, lasting for even one second in his demon life, why did his dark heart long for it so much?
Just as Reina's attack was coming full force, Inuyasha managed to block it and escape. If he hadn't done so, then his entire right arm would've been frozen. 'Damn, I've got to watch out and be more careful.' He scolded himself for an instant and retuned his absolute attention back to the fight at hand.
Inuyasha landed in front of her and took one of his hands away from his sword. The dry ice smoke surrounding them, he made a punch to her stomach and almost heard himself laugh once he felt his fist make contact.
Reina flew off and her side slammed against the rock wall that was a few yards to the right of her. "You bastard.' She hissed and stood back up shakily. She blinked and wiped blood from her mouth, 'I'll make his death even more painful.' She glared at him and prepared herself.
Inuyahsa dismissed his celebration for the moment and gripped Tetsusaiga with both hands another time. The dry ice smoke had more than cleared by now and the hanyou smirked when he saw that he done a great deal of injury to Reina for the second time, recalling how he had thrown her own attack back at her when they last fought in the forest before coming here.
… "Backlash wave!" He swung his sword toward the attack, and suddenly whirlwinds surrounded them. The wave blasted Reina's attack back at her….
Reina felt her arm freezing and turning into clear frost. "Damn it." She silently cursed and disappeared before the ice devoured her. "This isn't the end Inuyasha" Were her last words.
… He closed his eyes and casually waved his hand lightly at her comment, dismissing it effortlessly, "I've heard that like a million times now from demons who wanted to kill me, and it was the damn end, ok? This ain't different… Man, what a persistent bitch…" He muttered.
Inuyaysa laughed a bit, "Ha, yeah I got her that time." He muttered with a smirk and raised Tetsusaiga.
Reina waved her fan and unleashed razor-sharp icicles toward Inuyasha. He flipped his sword so that the blade could be used as a shield and so he hid behind it, all the while gathering his power and making the sword's blade turn a brilliant red. Inuyasha smirked and saw that Reina wasn't at all aware that he was making the Tetsusaiga much stronger than it had been in their first battle.
The ice sorceress breathed heavily and waved her fan once more, releasing more icicles. "Die!" She shouted in frustration and waved her fan another time, hoping that she had somehow pierced the half dog demon against a rock wall and died.
Reina leaned against the hard wall that she had just recently crashed into, 'Why am I losing so much power all of a sudden?… This makes no sense, I should be greatly stronger than this.' She gripped her kimono just above her chest, 'Something….something is draining all my power…' She blinked and stood up fully yet again, struggling to keep her balance and stand all together.
Reina was healing herself down in a deep dark place that was underneath the castle. She sat cross-legged on the floor, meditating her hand over her arm that was frozen over by her own power. After a long while, the ice melted away from her and her skin appeared in her normal color.
She opened her eyes, 'How dare he humiliate me by injuring me with my own attack?"Reina shook her head, 'I'll not let that happen again. Never again.' She secretly vowed to herself and looked around for Inuyasha.
Still gripping her heart, she spotted him hiding behind his sword that had, turned red?
Reina cursed, "No, not again." She muttered and grit her teeth.
Inuyasha flipped the blade back in the position to strike Reina whenever necessary, and grinned with pride when he saw her face behold a shocked look for once. Then, he noticed how much her power was decreasing, "So, already losing your strength when the fight has just begun?" He mocked, although still reaming utmost cautious.
Reina was about to make a smart ass remark to his statement, but she felt a sharp pain in her chest and she collapsed to one knee on the tough rock ground. "W-What's happening to me?… My power, it's being absorbed by something else…" She coughed and held a hand over her mouth.
Her eyes suddenly widened, "It… can't be…" She narrowed her eyes slowly and growled louder by the second, "Taisuke you fucking traitor!" She hollered at the top of her lungs the best she could. She had a horrible coughing fit afterwards.
Inuyasha stopped, "T-Taisuke? He's here?" He whispered and felt his heart beat faster and faster. He looked around, "But I don't sense him here, anywhere." He gasped. Maybe he was concealing his power with a barrier. Of course! It had to be a barrier!
The hanyou furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, trying his hardest to sense even an ounce of evil aura anywhere around him that could possibly be Taisuke's. Not worrying about Reina attacking him any longer, he lowered his sword so he could focus better. 'Where the hell is he?' He kept wondering.
Miroku peered out of the cave opening, "What's going on out there?" He wondered aloud and the children shrugged. Sanae had stopped crying, now wiping away the tearstains that graced her soft face. Asoka walked next to his father, "Dad, what's happening now? Is Inuyasha ok?" He asked in a whisper, making sure he didn't startle Miroku from his thoughts.
The monk didn't answer him right away; he couldn't tear his gaze from the sight of the battle, afraid of missing a second of the fight that could change everything.
Inuyasha saw Reina laying on the ground now, her ice blue eyes now turning into a lighter blue each passing moment. 'Wait, if she's dying, then… Kagome…'
He whirled around to look at Kagome who was still frozen. He didn't move. 'Come on, she has to come back.' He clenched his fist that was free from holding the sword.
Never taking his eyes from Kagome, he gradually sheathed Tetsusaiga and walked one hesitant step toward her. He noticed his breath turn into short gasps of slight excitement. He took another step.
Reina's eyes were pure white as of now. She closed her eyes slowly and breathed her last breath.
Kagome, she was coming back, Inuyasha could feel it. He saw the ice on her body was melting into little dazzling snowflakes in the air.
He took another wobbly step on the way to her, knees feeling fragile. 'Is she c-coming back to me? I can, sense her power now, but it's faint.' He smiled vaguely nonetheless, and all the while it was growing brighter.
Kagome's body was losing its crystal appearance and vivid white light surrounded her. She blinked her eyes and curled her fingers into a tight fist.
Inuyasha gasped, 'She's trying to break out of it.' He took another step, a bigger one than the last.
The light slowly faded and Inuyasha saw her. Kagome was no longer frozen and left for dead, but now she was alive and beautiful.
Inuyasha let out a light laugh, "Kagome." He only said as she opened her eyes and breathed in a deep breath of fresh air, "Inuyasha." She whispered with a weary smile. She took an unsteady step toward him, and unexpectedly fell to the ground with a soft grunt.
Inuyasha ran now, "Kagome!" He fell to her side and held her against him securely, "Are you all right?" He asked and held her head to get a better look into her eyes. She smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'm me again." She laughed and sat up. Kagome pulled him in for a very passionate kiss, and he gladly returned it.
Miroku smiled, "Well, it looks as though good fortune is in our favor this time."
Taikan and Sanae looked out of the cave and the young girl jumped with much joy, "Mommy's alive again!" They both were about to run to their mother and give her a hug but Miroku stopped them, "Um, let's give your parents some alone time for now, ok?" He suggested and the children reluctantly agreed.
Miroku laughed when he saw Kagome push against Inuyasha to deepen the kiss, only to end up falling on the ground with her on top of him.
Taisuke was coming closer; he sensed what was going on. 'Finally, Reina's remaining power will all belong to me soon.'
He knew he had betrayed her. He could care less though. 'I don't need any assistance to any further extent. I am stronger now and don't need help with whatever thing anymore.' He closed his mysterious dark eyes and let his body fully absorb Reina's power little by little as he came nearer to the mountain.
He decided to let his barrier down soon, for his fight with Inuyasha would commence before long.