Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. I've been having a hard time lately dealing with certain things, and it really made me feel very depressed for a long while. The love of my life is still a hundred miles out of my reach, my life is changing for the better and worse, I'm just moving on from things I don't want to and it was slowly tearing me apart. I'm trying to grasp life again and I think I have...Any of that make sense? Oh well, please read and review!
Inuyashas' Plaything: Thank you very much! And I'm so sorry, but uhh, as you can see in the review that you sent me, the whole address thing didn't show up. Try spelling it out like "dot com" or something. Hope it works, thanks for your review!
InuYasha-luver235: Thank you! And I've seriously thought of becoming an author. I'm taking journalism in school and am getting very good grades there. I'm considering to major writing in college! I hope it works out; I'd love that so much! And because I've been taking a longer time to post chapters was because I was so busy. Read my profile. At the top, the 'Author's Update' is how you can know which story I'll update and when. I always have the latest on what's going on with me so check it out. lol, and yeah, I knew you'd like that part where Miroku was thinking about the slapping thing! Thanks for your review!
lost my sanity: Awesome! A new reviewer!... Um, you are, aren't you? If you've reviewed before please tell me because I can kinda forget things easily… Um, sorry you had to know that… (Crickets chirp)… Anyway! Thank you for checking out my story! And sorry if the updates are kind of slow, but my profile will explain all of that. Thanks for your review!
>>> I am using the quote from Sarah Krantz in this chapter, hope she doesn't mind. I liked it a lot and so used it. It's, 'Goodbye is forever, I'll see you later.' It means that sometimes the word goodbye is meant as an official farewell. Inuyasha doesn't really mean is it as that in this story, and Miroku understands that, but still says what's in his heart about it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Keep the Courage and Determination, Deep in Your Heart
How strong is the heart? Is our determination deep inside of it, just not strong enough to fight back for the ones we love most, especially at a point in time when evil domination has power over everything everywhere?... How can it fight back, when there are no loved ones left behind at your side to gain that strength and desire?... After all, you can't fight for something that you don't have. However at times, that feeling alone, knowing you can get them back, puts more of that determination in your heart than ever before… at just the right time when you need it to.
Rin immediately stopped her tears and narrowed her deep violet eyes dangerously.
She was angry. Angry because of what Inuyasha and the others had worked so hard to retrieve was seemingly to her, a complete myth. Had…. Had Kikyo actually lied to them? Was the priestess in fact deceiving the hanyou even in death once more as she did nearly fifteen years ago when their feelings for another were still at a loss in confusion and longing?
The damn things didn't work! They didn't make her wish come true! And because of that alone, all Rin could do at this point in time was take into consideration that Kikyo had deceived them all; there was nothing else she felt!
She cursed Kikyo's name silently, the only option she was able to think of, the only person she could think of to blame for their misfortunes.
Rin took a both shaky and deep breath as she slowly rose in a sitting position and tightened her fists, her claws piercing both of her slender ivory palms. Blood seeped through between her fingers and she didn't take one notice of it at all. She then threw her head back and let out a furious cry of loss and rage.
Rin whipped her head to look at Taisuke whom had only glanced at her, his dark and strange eyes only giving a minor hint of curiosity toward her actions.
Rin stood up carelessly, letting her body waver vaguely as she did so. She looked down to see her mate lying on the ground, eyes closed. Rin growled and glared daggers into Taisuke's soul, hoping to one way or another hurt him in that way. Yet, Rin screamed for a second time and ran in the direction of Taisuke even more rapidly than when she did the last time, and that was pretty damn fast too.
Her expression was fierce and unforgiving, "You bastard! I'll kill you!" She shouted at the top of her lungs and punched the powerful demon clear in the chest.
Well heck, he sure didn't see this coming. His eyes widened by her incredulous speed. As he was being thrown back by the impact of the punch to his chest, he was still in slight amazement.
He staggered back a few feet and held his pained chest with only one hand. 'She was much faster than last time.' He thought and wondered what this woman could actually do now that her mate was down for the count. Oh well though, he was for certain that whatever power she had hidden under her sleeve, he could bring it to an end it with no trouble.
Rin wasn't thinking. She didn't even check twice to make sure if Sesshoumaru was truthfully still alive or not. All that processed all the way through her brain was that he was lying on the ground and motionless, which was enough to make her attack at anyone who caused such a thing to happen to her mate.
Inuyasha and the others heard a cry of rage and instantly ran to the edge of the cliff to see what was going on.
Kagome was the first to gasp and she brought both of her hands on the side of her head in fright, "Oh no, Rin! Sesshoumaru!" She saw the demon lord lying on the ground while Rin attacked Taisuke, blinded by her anger.
Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome intently with thought. The hanyou was reluctant to do this, but he had to. Together, they were capable of anything. He was well aware of this. Inuyasha took a quick breath before saying, "Kagome, let's go. Come on, get your arrows." He said and she at first looked at him surprised, and then immediately obeyed his request.
Miroku stood in front of the kids, "We'll handle things from here."
The hanyou nodded, "Yes. Miroku, I'm going to get the orbs from Rin and try to make the wish as soon as possible. You guys can fight from here as you had said." He was about to turn around, however, the sound of his son's groan in protest stopped his feet from moving another step forward.
Taikan took a step toward his father as he turned around to look down at him, "Dad, are you kidding me? How are we going to help you and Mom fight from way up here on this stupid cliff? I thought we were all going to fight this guy together, no matter what." He asked with wide arm gestures to try and prove his point to a further extent.
Inuyasha smiled, that's exactly what he thought Taikan would say, and so was prepared to reply. As he walked toward him, he noticed his human son standing straighter in pride, getting ready for what his father would tell him. He probably thought that that Inuyasha was going to ask him to fight by his side.
Inuyasha reached Taikan and looked down at him, his smile softening, "Don't worry about it. I really want you to stay here, for now. When the time comes, I'll need you though, okay? You'll see what I mean when the right time comes for it." He studied his son's expression and only saw confusion. "But, Father, I-" He seemed to think about it a minute and looked deeply into Inuyasha's eyes that mirrored his own in both color and emotion, "I understand, we'll stay here." He motioned his shoulder to him and Sanae.
The young girl did a double take toward her brother and then looked down in unhappiness. She didn't want to be away from her parents, but she would stay anyway.
Inuyasha kneeled in front of her and noticed that she had retrieved a few of her smaller arrows and bow from the cave before it had collapsed. He smiled fondly, it was cute how she wanted to go into battle and that she thought she was invincible. He wished she could truly be what she felt, but knew it wouldn't happen anytime soon. The little girl's dreams would remain only a dream for a long while longer, however, he could make apart of it come true.
Inuyasha spoke to her kindly, "Can you help Daddy beat this guy and shoot your arrow when I need you to?" He asked gently. She looked up at him with wide eyes quickly and bit her lip, nervous at first, but then nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes I can. You can count on me Daddy." She said enthusiastically with a big smile as her little body was shaking with nervousness.
Inuyasha put a hand on her shoulder, "Good, thank you." He stood up once more and looked down at Taikan whom had watched the scene with softer eyes of understanding. He looked up at Inuyasha, "Ok, we'll fight from here." He promised in a quiet voice and smiled. Asoka smiled also, he was proud of his best friend for protesting to too many things at a time like this when he knew he didn't want to. It showed a sign of maturity to sometimes say no to what you want. And Taikan saying 'no' to what he wanted was rather a very big deal.
Miroku handed Kagome the weapons that he had managed to save from the collapse of the cave from the explosion and she accepted them appreciatively. "Thank you for saving these Miroku. We would have had a much harder chance of beating Taisuke without them." She said and he nodded, "Yes. We need every singly weapon and power of technique we can get. At this point… We can't risk wasting one thing." He replied in a serous manner and Kagome responded with a determined nod to him, "We'll all keep that in mind." She waved to him and then walked back to Inuyahsa's side.
The wind blew their hair slightly and Kagome turned her head to look at Inuyasha, "Ready?" She asked and placed her hand by her ear to keep her hair from blowing in her view of him.
He looked back at her with much determination in his violet eyes that she knew all too well of, "Yeah, let's go." He said and they both walked to the edge of the cliff. Inuyasha stopped and looked behind him to the other four that he was leaving behind, "… Goodbye." He whispered and he and Kagome left, climbing down that cliff as carefully as they were able.
The message was silent, Inuyasha had thought. However, the wind carried it to Miroku's ears and he at first looked sad. But then, he smiled and nodded toward his best friend, "Goodbye is forever, I'll see you later."
Inuyasha gripped a rock in his strong fist and practically crushed it out of aggravation, 'Damn, I wish I was demon so that I could jump high again.' He glanced hurriedly over at Kagome who seemed to be doing just fine, "You ok?" She looked over at him, shaking her head somewhat to get stray hair from her eyes, "Yeah, don't worry about it." She smiled and climbed another step downward. As they climbed, they both tried to hide behind other ledges that bulged out from the mountain so that Taisuke didn't see them coming just yet.
At that moment, Kagome also wished that her hanyou had his powers return, for she loved sitting on his back and having the wind blow through her hair. She loved it when Inuyasha carried her and would only fly across the sky in bliss. Kagome looked at Inuyasha before taking another step downward and hanging onto a little rock handle. She could remember a time long ago when she was scared to death at riding on his back. That was all in the past, when they first met. The time when she began to love things about him that she never thought ever could be loved. She saw sides of him now that he had yet to show others, and she cherished it, and always will even passed the day when she would reach eternal sleep.
Long minutes later, Inuyasha landed on the dirt ground as gracefully as he could in his human form and hurried to help Kagome come down safely. Once they were both standing again, they were prepared to fight the battle that must be fought once more. Inuyahsa inwardly grimaced at the sight of his fallen brother. He had rarely ever seen his own older brother so helpless. 'No, I was planning Sesshoumaru and I fight him together, but now that he's down, I'm not so sure of that anymore.'
As they progressively came closer, they could see the more concisely detailed battle of Taisuke and Rin, and the sight of Sesshoumaru become clearer.
Inuyasha swallowed so hard and loud that he thought Kagome heard it. He was just simply scared to death, but he had to put that feeling behind him. It was all he could do in hopes to win.
Rin didn't seem to become aware of of their presence as she attacked the demon lord Taisuke once more with her claws that trickled poison yet again.
He of course saw this coming now and so grabbed a hold of her wrist that she was about to strike him with. Rin cried out in pain and wrapped her hand around his fist, trying to get loose. But he grabbed her other hand and held her higher by her wrists until her feet dangled in the air. She grunted and tried to kick him but it was of no use, now she was even more powerless against him.
His words from before rung in her thoughts and she couldn't shake her head to get rid of them any longer like she had been able to before.
"Are you all so simpleminded that you're too blind to see that you're already dead?"
Rin shut her eyes tight, 'No… we're not meant to die, at least not yet.' She was losing hope all the more, and so she lost her strength and hung her down as her grip on him loosened. She let her feet dangle carelessly. "There is no escaping this hell."
Was that true?
Was there really no way out of this?
Taisuke waited a moment in the dead silence and then smirked. He created a tight fist and punched her in her stomach with much force.
Inuyasha and Kagome gasped, "No, Rin!" Kagome cried and fell to her knees. 'This can't be happening.' Was all she could repeat in her mind.
Rin's eyes widened in pure agony and she coughed up blood. She managed to whimper faintly as the impact was still taking its effect on her when he pulled his fist from her middle. He finally threw Rin's limp body several meters away and she lay there, unmoving just like Sesshoumaru.
At hearing Kagome's cry a while ago, Taisuke turned to see the couple together, the woman was slowly getting to her feet again he noticed. He looked at them with narrowing eyes, yet filled with wonder, as if he was thinking about how they could truly beat him. Did they really have a master plan against him that would destroy him forever?
Taisuke inwardly shook his head, that was highly unlikely, he had thought. What plan could they possibly have? He was practically unstoppable.
Inuyahsa growled in worry, 'Where are the orbs?' He knew he had given the two to Rin to go find the other one. Where were they now? He knew they weren't in Taisuke's possession; otherwise he would be holding them and making his wish to attain immortality and undying power.
Taisuke looked at them more closely and spoke, "Inuyasha. You will die before me. Your blood will be on my bare hands when I kill you. I will win and conquer this world with the orbs of Higan. Accept this fact, there is no escaping my reign." He announced to them in a deep and solemn voice.
Inuyasha was snapped out of his thoughts at hearing the demon speak. He snorted once in disgust and clenched his fists, preparing to fight, "Keh, we'll see who's blood will be on who when this is all over." He whispered in a deadly tone.
Kagome glanced at him with uncertainty in her eyes, 'Something's wrong with him.' She knew him too well, she knew he was thinking something and she wanted desperately to know what it was.
All the while this was going on, they didn't notice Sesshoumaru's fingers twitch, but that was all the movement he made from time to time.
Kagome looked back at Taisuke, hate filling her heart the longer she gazed at the merciless killer. She got an arrow from behind her and aimed it in the bow perfectly, "Yeah, we'll see."