Chapter 2
This has to be it, thought Kagome as she readied her bow. There's no way this is a puppet. Adrenaline and fear ran through her blood, just like every battle, but anticipation joined them. It's really Naraku this time.
Originally, she and the rest of Inuyasha's group were following the trail of a rumor of one of the shards of the Shikon no Tama. From the way the rumors went, a demon got hold of it and went berserk on the neighboring village, flattening the majority of the huts and scattering the residents like sheep. Of course, Inuyasha insisted right then and there that they look into it when they overheard the conversation. Kagome understood his rush for the only lead they'd had in a while, and the others did as well. Naraku already had most of the jewel, and every shard they kept away from him was one more obstacle in the half-demon's quest for power.
The journey to the other village was uneventful, and it was rare that they had days this nice during the rainy season. Up ahead, Shippou and Kirara chased each other around in circles, and Sango giggled behind her hand as she watched them and adjusted Hiraikotsu with her free hand. Miroku, against Kagome's expectations, walked with Inuyasha and spoke quietly with him. The girl thought he'd try to cop a feel of Sango since her guard wasn't as high today, but the monk didn't look like he was in a playful mood. She felt that this behavior, so out of character for him, should concern her, but she couldn't find it in herself to worry on such a nice day. If he wanted to talk about his troubles, then she would listen, but she wouldn't ask him before he was ready.
Her good mood vanished when she felt the pull of the Shikon shard, but the pull was much stronger than a single shard gave off. The force of it was like a strong magnet, and it surprised the high school girl that she didn't fly off her feet and zoom right to it, but she was grateful that she didn't. The strong pull plus the malicious aura in the area meant one thing to them. "Wait," she called, wanting to be sure before giving voice to her thoughts. Whether she was right or wrong, off Inuyasha would go with his sword already swinging.
Everyone stopped and surrounded her. Shippou and Kirara stopped their game of chase and joined the circle, looking up at her with curious eyes. The older members of the party saw Kagome's grim expression and were on their guard. "What is it, Kagome?" asked Sango, reaching out and touching Kagome's sleeve. "Do you sense it?"
Nodding, Kagome swallowed. "It's not just one shard."
Before she could continue, Inuyasha growled. "Is that mangy wolf following us again?" His nose crinkled as he tried to catch a whiff of wolf demon in the air, but Kouga and his pack were nowhere near the vicinity. That didn't stop him from getting Tetsusaiga into position, though he didn't draw the sword from its sheath. "He'd better not stray too far into this territory or he'll find himself on Sesshoumaru's bad side."
That evil presence hadn't wavered; if anything, it seemed to concentrate further. On the ground, Kirara and Shippou shifted uneasily and glanced around, and Inuyasha stopped griping to look over his shoulder with narrowed eyes. Shaking her head, Kagome replied, "I don't think it's Kouga. It's stronger, and I can sense the miasma around it." Despite everyone knowing what that meant, she still felt the need to say it aloud. "It's Naraku."
Instead of getting excited, the atmosphere of the group deflated. "Another puppet," sighed Sango, her face grim as she loosened her boomerang on her back. Miroku nodded, looking disappointed. Whenever they fought one of Naraku's puppets, the Saimyoushou always managed to take away the jewel shard before they could grab it. The whole group had been looking forward to taking home a shard this time, and to learn that the sly villain was behind the rampaging demon of the rumors was more than a little disheartening.
Fortunately, Kagome's correction would raise the morale, though it wasn't something they should be happy about. "I don't think it's a puppet this time," she said, her voice soft as though saying it too loud would draw too much of the wrong attention. "And…I think Kikyou's there, too." No one else had such a strong, pure aura, though it appeared small and pale in comparison to the overwhelming malice of Naraku's aura.
Her words had the expected effect. Everyone stilled, then Inuyasha grabbed her arm, his grip cutting off circulation in that area. "You're sure?" he demanded, his golden eyes glinting in the bright sun. His claws, which he had to consciously keep away from her skin to avoid injuring her, dug into her arm. Small, red droplets gathered around the edges, but he didn't notice in his attentiveness to her answer.
Of course he would get excited if Kikyou was involved. Fighting the urge to roll her eyes and pull away from his painful grasp, Kagome affirmed, "Yes, I can feel her close by, and it's in the same direction as the shard." She didn't have time to say anymore before he released her arm and bounded forward. Giving a painful sigh as she watched his retreating back, she glared at the pitying looks she got from the rest of the group. "It's nothing new," she snapped and, stringing her bow, marched after the half-demon. She shouldn't take her hurt feelings out on them, she knew that, but Inuyasha was so infuriating when it came to Kikyou! How did he think she felt every time he tossed her to the wayside when Kikyou was around? He didn't, that's what! His mental faculties deserted him every time Kagome's previous incarnation came wandering through the area.
It didn't take long for the others to catch up to her; she wasn't moving that fast, after all. A light jog brought them alongside her, all ready for battle. Miroku's mouth was set in a thin line, the monk likely thinking of the Saimyoushou that would prevent him from using his Wind Tunnel. Atop Kirara's battle form, Sango had her game face on, but that old fear glittered behind her neutral mask. She's worried that Kohaku will be there, thought Kagome, bringing herself out of her funk in the face of her friend's dilemma. If it was the real Naraku, then Kagome didn't doubt that he'd bring Sango's younger brother with him. That evil demon didn't just want to beat them, he wanted to break them emotionally at the same time, and there was no better way to break Sango than to make her face Kohaku.
When they arrived, the battle was already underway. Hordes of Naraku's minions crowded the sunny slope, and more entered the area as Kikyou's purification arrows cleared space for them. In front of her, Inuyasha fended off the demons that came too close. Kagome could see the determination on his face as Tetsusaiga tossed back the smaller demons into the crowd. By her side, Miroku drew in a hissed breath at the sight. "He wouldn't waste this much energy if it was just a trap," the monk stated, readying his staff. No Saimyoushou were visible, but they all knew they were mixed in with the demonic horde. Inuyasha looked like he could hold his own for a while longer, so there was no urgent need for Miroku to open himself to the Saimyoushou's poison just yet.
"Agreed," replied Sango from the other side of the monk. Her slayer mask covered the bottom half of her face, so all Kagome could see were her narrowed eyes as she scanned the demonic crowd before them. "He has to be somewhere nearby." Kirara rumbled her agreement as she, too, searched through the demons. It was a toss-up what Sango was looking for, but Kirara searched for Kohaku in particular. On the rare occasions when Kohaku was himself, Kagome had seen how close Kirara was to him, and she knew that the demon cat had every intention of fighting her way to him and protecting him the best she could. Unlike most other demons, Kirara didn't care one way or another about the Shikon no Tama; her only wish appeared to be to protect the two humans who meant most to her.
Both Miroku and Sango surged forward to join Inuyasha in beating back the demons, and Kagome was about to join them, but when she glanced down, she saw Shippou poised to go but with terror in his green eyes. "Shippou, stay up here," she said, kneeling down so she was eye level with the child. "There are too many demons for you to take on, and Naraku is somewhere down there, too. You'll be safer up here." Even though she never mentioned this to anyone, her knees shook every time they went into a battle, and she used to wish someone would say those words to her. She was a high-school student, for crying out loud! Her biggest adversaries were supposed to be exams and group projects! However, as the battles became constants in her life, Kagome learned to deal with the butterflies that swarmed in her stomach so she could support her friends as they threw themselves into the midst of the fighting without a backward glance. No matter how great the fear was, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if one of them died while she stood on the sidelines doing nothing.
It seemed that Shippou followed in her footsteps because even though his fear shone out of his eyes, his back and tail stiffened, and he answered in a high, fierce voice, "I don't want to be safe while everyone else is fighting! I'm going to protect you since…since there is no one else around!"
The hesitation didn't go unnoticed. Kagome knew that he was going to say since Inuyasha wasn't there to protect her, but that would've brought attention to the fact that he wasn't there because he was too busy protecting Kikyou. Now is not the time for this, thought Kagome as she pushed down the bitter feelings that tried to well up. He loves her…I know that… It wasn't like she and Inuyasha had anything like he used to have with Kikyou; they were traveling companions, that's all. She just wasn't that fond of Kikyou because she kept trying to kill Kagome and sometimes Inuyasha. Shaking her thoughts off the path they wandered down, she smiled at Shippou. "Thank you," she said, rising back to a standing position while Shippou drew close to her legs. "Let's go help them out."
Because she now had Shippou to worry about in addition to herself, the young miko kept close to the forest line and away from the majority of the demons. A few turned to attack their position when Kagome started firing her arrows into their midst, but most of the demons kept their focus on getting through Inuyasha to Kikyou. There was no question of who did more damage between the two miko. Kikyou's arrows took out whole rows of demons while Kagome could only eradicate a few at a time, so of course the demons wanted to take out the bigger threat. It would have upset Kagome to see such a drastic difference between the two of them, but just the few demons that descended upon her and Shippou chased any other thoughts out of her head. "Eek!" she shrieked and ducked as a bony bat demon flew past her head, raking her hair with its claws.
Her scream was like a clarion call for the tiny fox with her. "Foxfire!" shouted Shippou, summoning green fire around the bat until it fell to the ground, keening its own death song amidst the dancing flames. When Shippou saw the demon out of the air, he turned to Kagome and asked, "Are you okay?" His tail twitched all over, a visible sign of his anxiety over her safety.
To tell the truth, that brush scared Kagome to death. If she hadn't ducked when she had, the bat demon's claws would have torn her head right off her shoulders. Her heart still thundered in her chest at the close encounter. Instead of admitting that, Kagome took a deep breath and answered in a voice that was as steady as she could manage, "I'm fine. Thanks for looking out for me." With his hearing, he should be able to hear how fast her heartbeat was, but with all the sounds of battle, she hoped he was distracted enough that he wouldn't realize how scared she was.
The other demons that came their way didn't appear impressed with one weak human and one kitsune kit even though that tiny kit burned one of their own into ash. The demonic battle cries echoed against the trees behind Kagome and Shippou as the demons rushed forward. Drawing back her arm, Kagome charged her arrow and released it into their midst as Shippou threw his foxfire at them. These weren't the smartest of demons since they didn't bother to dodge either attack, and as a result, the arrow purified the majority of them while the fire finished off the pieces that remained. It was not much of a win, but Shippou danced his victory dance, and Kagome let out the breath she'd been holding. Thank goodness they didn't get close, she thought as she glanced down at the carrot top by her side. She knew better than to overestimate their skills; in close combat, she and Shippou were toast. If they couldn't keep the attacking demons far away, then their best chance of survival was fleeing.
Shippou stopped his dance and readied himself. "Here come some more," he alerted her, his voice trembling despite his outward bravado. No matter how fearless he wanted to be, he was still the same, scared Shippou underneath.
It didn't take long before one of the demons chased the two of them away from their position. "Where did that one come from?" cried Shippou as the snake demon smashed its tail down behind them while the two of them fled. Pure luck was to thank for Kagome noticing it from the side while its companions faced them from the front. Grabbing Shippou, the miko ran into the trees a split second before the tail came down on their previous location. The demon, angry that its prey escaped, slithered after them with its compatriots in close pursuit.
"At least they aren't Naraku incarnations," wheezed Kagome as she threaded her way between tree trunks and leaped over roots. "I think he got tired of them all turning on him." After Naraku reabsorbed his human heart, no one had seen hide or hair of anything that smelled like Naraku that wasn't a puppet. They knew for sure that Kagura and Kanna, the oldest of the incarnations, were dead, and Hakudoushi and that baby bit the dust not too long ago.
Despite the head start they had over the demons, neither one of them was fast enough to outrun the demons on their home territory. Slowly but surely, they closed the distance between the two fleeing targets. Kagome swore that if the scaly, scarlet snake stuck out its tongue, she would've felt it on her back. By this time, the other demons caught up with the snake demon, though its head was still the closest to Kagome and Shippou. It lost this lead when it got too greedy and tried to spring forward to grab them only to have its head stuck in some tree branches as it reared back to give itself a speed boost. Its angry hisses caused Shippou to turn around and taunt the caught demon. "Hah! Serves you right!" he cried, pointing back at it while he continued to sprint forward. He wanted to stop and rub it in the other demon's face some more, but there was no time with the other demons leaping and dashing past the snake to get to them.
"Shippou, watch where you're going!" shouted Kagome, but it was too late. The young fox caught his foot on one of the upraised roots and went tumbling head over tail until he ended up against a tree upside down. Immediately, Kagome back tracked and stood between her companion and the oncoming demons. She didn't have enough time to grab him and run; they would've overrun the pair before she'd gotten out of the trees. Drawing an arrow out of her quiver, she placed it against her bowstring and took aim with trembling hands. She could purify a few of them, but her best track record didn't include the amount of demons charging her. Her knees shook at the sight before her, but she refused to give into that primal urge to flee; she wouldn't leave the dazed Shippou to die alone.
Even though she was prepared to go down fighting, fate had other plans for her. Before she could release her arrow, a familiar, whistling sound reached her ears, and the demons she was about to incinerate fell in a tangle of limbs and gushes of blood. Whipping her head around, her bow and arrow following suit, she saw a bloody scythe return to the hand of someone she hoped to not see today. Kohaku ignored her, pulling his arm back and sending his scythe back into the stopped demons. His young face, usually a blank mask, had a determined set, and it could have been Kagome's imagination, but his eyes didn't look as glassy. However, she was still too far away to get a good look at him.
The young slayer didn't stop until all the demons, even the snake that managed to free itself from the tree branches and caught up, were lying in a bloody heap on the forest floor. As the last demon fell, he slowly lowered his throwing arm clutching the scythe so that it dangled by his side. He didn't look at Kagome and Shippou or make any move toward them. Is this another trap? Kagome wondered as she watched him. It wasn't the first time that Kohaku seemed to be acting on his own and free of Naraku's influence, but every time they thought he threw off Naraku's control, the half-demon proved them wrong and caused Sango unnecessary grief. Therefore, as much as she wanted to believe that he helped her, she couldn't make that final leap of faith yet.
It seemed that Shippou didn't share her reservations to the same degree. "Kohaku?" the young demon asked uncertainly. During the slaughter, he'd recovered himself and now took two cautious steps toward the demon slayer. Shippou may have taken the initiating step at contact, but that didn't mean his guard was down. His bushy tail was stiff and twitched, as did his nose as he sniffed the air to detect any sign of ill intentions towards them from the boy before them. While Shippou was more prone to trust than his older companions, sans Kagome, that didn't mean he was willing to put his and Kagome's lives on the line in the face of a repeat attacker.
After a few seconds, Kohaku met their gaze, and Kagome was taken aback by the amount of determination she saw in his eyes. She was used to a blank puppet looking back at her from Kohaku's body, and in spite of all her instincts telling her not to trust him, she dared to hope, once again, that he was free. "Are you…yourself?" she queried, lowering her bow so it no longer pointed at him. However, she didn't release the tension in the bowstring. Not that she thought she could hit an experienced fighter like him, but it made her feel better.
He didn't answer either one of them. Instead, he turned tail and ran. "Kohaku, wait!" cried Kagome as her feet took off after him. After the look she saw in his eyes, his sudden flight surprised her. A small part of her worried that she was running right into a trap and she didn't have Inuyasha to bail her out, but she kept moving forward. She didn't know why she ran after Kohaku, but she felt like she shouldn't lose sight of him. Shippou kept pace with her, though she could hear him puffing from the effort of keeping up with her longer legs. Please don't be a trap, she thought. It would kill Sango if anything happened to her and Shippou because of her younger brother.
Because Kagome didn't want to leave Shippou behind, Kohaku outpaced them within moments, but they weren't so far behind that the telltale sign of moving branches had time to still. Every so often, the girl caught a glimpse of his ponytail as it disappeared behind the foliage. We're heading back towards the battlefield, she realized as the angry roars and death keens grew louder in her ears. When she ran into the forest with Shippou, she hadn't known how far away they had gone; her instinct was to get away from the danger, and nothing else mattered. Now that they returned to site of combat, she found that if Kohaku hadn't rescued them, she wouldn't have been able to find her way back without Inuyasha coming to get her. It's possible that Shippou could have tracked their scent backwards, but with all the demons around and going every which way, it wasn't likely that he would've met with success. The stronger scent of the demons overwhelmed their scents enough that only demons with strong senses of smell, such as canine demons, would have found their subtle scents buried beneath all the others.
Her momentary distraction caused her to lose sight of the boy she chased. "This isn't good," she murmured, looking around. "Where is he?" The foliage moved all around them thanks to the powerful blows exchanged by the distant combatants. She even heard Inuyasha unleash the Wind Scar, and a powerful breeze blew past a few seconds later that was tempered by the trees between him and them. Her skirt rustled in the wind, and she put a hand over it so it wouldn't go flying up to expose her legs to the world. Not that anyone would notice or care at this moment in time, but Kagome's sense of modesty prevented her from letting such a thing happen, even if she was in the middle of a battlefield.
Tapping on her leg caused her to look down, and she saw Shippou looking intently off to the side close to where the trees ended and the open plain began. "He's waiting there," he whispered. His green eyes stayed trained on Kohaku, though Kagome couldn't see him. "He's just watching the fight from back here." His voice grew worried. "You don't think he's going to try something, do you?"
Against who? If Kagome were to be honest, she could see him acting against either party depending on who was in control of his mind. He had reason enough to hate Naraku and make an attempt on his life if he got the chance and was in control of his faculties, but that didn't mean that he would. Moving as soundlessly as she could, Kagome followed Shippou as the two of them sneaked closer to where he saw Kohaku. He does look like he's ready to attack someone, she realized when he came into view. The boy crouched low to the ground and kept his gaze locked onto the action on the plains. Because of his background, Kagome didn't doubt that he heard the two of them coming despite their careful foot placement, but he ignored them in favor of whatever caught his attention beyond the trees.
Maneuvering around so she could see what Kohaku saw, Kagome peered through the open spaces between tree trunks and bit back a gasp. It's Naraku! After chasing that baboon coat for a year, she would know it anywhere. Except the malice that she felt earlier wasn't coming from that baboon coat. Instead, it emanated from the dark-haired man with pale skin that stood next to the figure in the baboon coat. Hanging from his neck, Kagome could feel the pull of the tainted Shikon no Tama fragment in his possession. The vile feeling of the taint made her sick, but she couldn't afford to lose the contents of her stomach now. No, she needed to be as steady as she could, or else she couldn't aim her bow.
The trio watched as Inuyasha skipped the usual insults with the villain and immediately started the blow exchange. The hanyou seemed more agitated than normal, but that could be due to any number of reasons. Maybe Miroku or Sango were hurt, maybe he was worried since Kagome disappeared and he couldn't find her, the possibilities were endless. Once he faced Naraku, though, he put whatever it was aside and focused on the present battle. Per usual, Kagome's heart was in her throat as she saw Inuyasha dodge the miasma-laced tentacles that Naraku sent to impale him and bring Tetsusaiga forward to block another attack. However, her attention was drawn back to Kohaku when she noticed him searching around the battlefield instead of focusing on the fight in front of him. "Where is she?" he muttered as he cast his gaze around.
Now Kagome chose to step forward. "Kohaku?" she asked. "Who are you looking for?" It had to be Sango. He didn't have that glassy look, and he wasn't acting the same as when Naraku controlled his actions. It was times like this that he remembered his surviving sister. But she felt it better to ask instead of assume.
His answer surprised her and Shippou both. "The other miko," he replied in a distracted manner as he continued to peruse the field. "She was supposed to be here by now."
Kagome felt like someone hit her over the head. Why is he looking for Kikyou? To her knowledge, Kohaku didn't even know about Kikyou's existence aside from anything he might have done under Naraku's influence. However, his apparent agitation at her absence made her think that something was going on between the two, like they somehow made a plan together, and Kohaku only waited for his counterpart to be ready before carrying out whatever it was. Based on his reaction, she was supposed to be in place already. "Why are you expecting Kikyou?" she asked. As much as she'd rather continue watching the fight between Inuyasha and Naraku, Kohaku and Kikyou's unexpected alliance had her interest. Shippou looked just as anxious to hear his answer as Kagome was.
Looking away from the action, Kohaku's eyes, worried and haunted instead of blank, met theirs. "She is the only one who can destroy Naraku. She told me that if I could provide a distraction for Naraku, then she would be able to purify him." Giving one last, frantic look around, he turned back to Kagome. "If she is not here, then she has fallen."
Instead of feeling relief that there was one less person in the world who wanted her dead, Kagome looked back at Inuyasha and felt her heart go out to him. No wonder he was so upset when he saw Naraku, she thought, remembering his unusual behavior. He tried so hard to protect her; it must have killed him when something got through his solid defense to the undead miko behind him.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Kohaku's look as he evaluated the two beside him. Reaching a decision, he leaned over and grabbed her arm to get her attention. Surprised, she met his serious gaze with some trepidation; it wasn't like he had proven himself trustworthy just because he hadn't taken a swipe at either of them yet. "You're Inuyasha's miko, aren't you?" he asked. His intent expression took her aback. It wasn't like it was a secret.
"Yes," she replied slowly. She had a suspicion of what the boy planned, and she wasn't sure that it was a good idea.
"Maybe you can do what the other miko was supposed to do." Now that the words were spoken, Kohaku seemed to find his resolve and continued over Kagome's attempt to explain that she didn't have the power or the training that Kikyou did. "All you have to do is hit the Shikon no Tama with a pure arrow. I will provide the distraction so Naraku is focused on me."
Kagome and Shippou shared a glance, then looked out where Inuyasha and Naraku were locked in combat. "That's a lot of ground to cover," she murmured, leaning closer as though that would diminish the distance her arrow would have to travel. "I don't think I could hit it from this far away."
While Kohaku hadn't looked happy before, his face fell even more at her statement. "It's the only way to defeat him according to the other miko," he said. "She said Naraku draws power from the tainted jewel, but if we could purify it, then his power would return to what it originally was."
Looking once again where Naraku tried to impale Inuyasha on poisoned tentacles, Kagome frowned. "Maybe if he was closer, I'd have a better chance," she mused. "There's no way I'd hit it from this distance."
"Then I will bring him closer." Kohaku glanced down at Kagome's hands that still held the bow. "The other miko said that an arrow of wood wouldn't work. She planned to use an arrow of pure miko power. Is this possible for you?"
No, that wasn't something she'd done before. She was lucky that she could channel her power through the arrows she had! But if Kikyou said that it was necessary, then that's what had to be done. When it came to the eradication of Naraku, Kagome was not going to doubt Kikyou's word. However, that didn't mean that she could do it. Giving Kohaku an honest answer, she replied, "I'm not sure if I can. I've never tried."
It wasn't what Kohaku wanted to hear, but he accepted with a grim nod. "We will do the best we can, then," he said and slipped through the trees before Kagome or Shippou could speak again.
Heaving a sigh as the weight of the world fell on her shoulders, Kagome took Kohaku's former place and watched the battle between the two hanyou. "Without my arrow, huh?" she murmured to herself. "Is that even possible?" Setting her arrow down on the ground beside her, she pulled back the bowstring and tried to imagine an arrow make of purifying power. It wasn't something she was comfortable trying in the heat of battle, especially when so many lives were at stake. Using her regular arrows would've made her feel more comfortable.
But if I hit the Shikon no Tama with a physical arrow, what will happen? She still remembered shattering the jewel the first time by doing just that. With a sinking heart, she realized that was exactly what would happen if she used one of her arrows. Kikyou already knew that, which was why she was going to use an arrow of purifying power instead. What a choice to make. If she succeeded in either one, then Naraku wouldn't have access to the jewel's power anymore because either it would be purified or shattered once again. However, if she shattered the jewel, then there was a chance of something worse than Naraku getting hold of the shards. Sighing once again, Kagome put down the arrow she'd picked up without noticing and focused once again on forming a purifying arrow in the space between her bowstring and the wooden framework. At least if this doesn't work, I have a plan to fall back on, she thought as small, pink sparks formed around her fingers.
Out on the battlefield, Inuyasha leaned against the Tetsusaiga and attempted to catch his breath. Even from this distance, Kagome could see his exhaustion and how much he needed that small respite from fighting. Where are Sango and Miroku? She thought it unusual that she hadn't seen either of them since they joined the fight. It worried her, but her worries took a backseat when Kohaku ran into Naraku's sight and goaded him into chasing him. Inuyasha yelled something at the fleeing boy, but Kagome was too far away to hear. The demon slayer led the dark hanyou in zigzags around the battlefield, but he grew ever closer to Kagome's location. By this time, Kagome was able to get a shape that vaguely resembled an arrow into place, and it was enough to make Shippou uncomfortable. He sidled away from her as she stood and took aim, though he remained close enough that should something happen, he could jump in front of her. Please work, she begged and released her arrow where Naraku should appear between the trees.
He appeared where she predicted, but in the burst of light from the contact with his barrier, she wasn't sure if she hit her mark. The light display from the purifying energy of her arrow reacting with the dark miasma infused in his barrier blinded Kagome, and she had to look away for a few seconds. Did I do it? She prayed that it went well, and she had her hopes up when she saw the barrier down, but they plummeted when she saw him still standing and looking in her direction. "Shippou, run," she whispered, but she was too late to follow her own advice. The tentacles wrapped around her body, stinging her exposed skin with the poison and miasma, and yanked her out of the safety of the trees.
When she stopped moving, she was face-to-face with her year-long nightmare. "So it was the other miko who did this," Naraku stated as he dragged his eyes over her wrapped body. "I was right to get rid of Kikyou first. If she had been the one to shoot the arrow, my body would not have survived."
If there ever was a way to get under Kagome's skin, it was to compare her to Kikyou. Had the situation not been as dire as it was, she would've snapped at him for the insult. Instead, she glanced around, hoping he wouldn't notice her eyes on the Shikon no Tama around his neck. If she could get a hand free, then she was close enough to touch it. Purifying it through physical contact was something she had done before. He needed to be distracted enough that he loosened his tentacles. "How could you do that to her?" she demanded, hoping to get a rise out of him. "You loved her! How could you kill the woman you love?"
Naraku laughed in the face of her outrage. "That fool Onigumo loved her, not I. She means nothing to me." He leaned in closer. "I would think you would be more grateful for the favor I did. Now that she is gone, Inuyasha won't run to her anymore. Isn't that what you wanted, deep in the depths of your heart?"
Per usual, Naraku played dirty. It was like he knew all of Kagome's dark secrets that she kept hidden from the world. Don't let him get to you, she told herself and pushed back the pang in her heart. She would not be glad that Kikyou had passed on in such a violent way. "Inuyasha will avenge her," she snapped. "He won't let you get away with this."
Her outburst caused Naraku to chuckle. "You should be more worried about him avenging you," he responded, and his tentacles squeezed her tighter, causing her to gasp in pain. "Look, here he comes now."
Turning her so she could see, Kagome's fading eyesight took in Inuyasha's red clothing speeding towards them. He may have shouted her name, but she couldn't hear over the roaring in her ears. "Inuyasha," she wheezed as her breath was forced from her lungs. Don't pass out! You can't purify the jewel if you're not awake, and no one else can do this. It's all on you now.
Naraku hissed, and his grip on Kagome grew slack. With air getting back into her deprived lungs, Kagome revived and twisted around to see what caused Naraku to lose focus. Inuyasha was still too far to attack unless he used one of Tetsusaiga's long-range attacks, but he wouldn't risk hurting Kagome. Off to the right, she saw Kohaku dodge a tentacle and throw his sickle through another one. He's the one that distracted Naraku, she realized. If he hadn't intervened when he did, Kagome would be down for the count, and the chance to purify the Shikon no Tama would've been lost. The tentacles around her were loose enough that she wriggled both arms out. Naraku was too focused on Kohaku's quick motions and Inuyasha's approaching presence to pay attention to her even though she was right next to him. Just a little closer. She only had one shot at this. Scooting herself further out, she bent low on her arms and lunged forward. The tentacles tightened around her out of reflex, but she had enough reach that she touched his torso. Her hands reached out, her fingers just brushing the hanging jewel, but she couldn't grab it.
Thanks to her sudden movement, Naraku's full attention fell on her. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed and grabbed her arms. "You still think you can defy me? A weak human like you?"
His arms pushed her away from him, and his tentacles pulled at her lower body. Kagome resisted as best she could, but the half-demon was stronger than she was, and she saw her objective moving further away. Her struggles did little to stop the backward motion of her body. It wasn't until she felt him stiffen and snarl in pain that she stayed in place. The reason for his pain was clear; Kohaku's sickle dug deep into Naraku's side, and black blood spewed forth when the boy pulled it back. Enraged, Naraku's attention swung back to Kohaku, and Kagome didn't waste the opportunity the taijiya gave her. Stretching forward one more time, she didn't stop until her hand grabbed the black orb hanging from Naraku's neck.
Her touch was enough to banish the taint from the jewel in an instant, and Naraku felt the difference immediately. The jewel shone with a pure light, which was anathema to the tainted hanyou, and he tossed her away from him with a scream of agony. Because Kagome still grasped the Shikon no Tama in her hand, the cord binding it to Naraku snapped, and it flew with her through the air. Even though her life was in peril, as she hung suspended between the earth and the sky, her thoughts were calm. I did it, she thought as she began her descent to the unforgiving earth. I purified the jewel. She gave no thought to her impending impression of a broken doll.
It was Kagome's good fortune that Naraku remained too distracted from the pain of his near-purification that he didn't attack her or her comrades nearby. Because of the injury done to him, he didn't notice when Shippou transformed into his balloon form and caught Kagome before she impacted the earth. The force of her fall did send him tumbling downward, but he was lucky enough to have Kohaku cushion some of the fall, though it wasn't by choice. The three of them ended up in a jumbled heap in the dirt, and that's when Inuyasha caught up to them. He didn't linger, only long enough to assure himself that Kagome was all right. Once he had that reassurance, he charged forward with Tetsusaiga poised to kill.
When Kagome managed to disentangle herself from the other two, she looked up just in time to see her hanyou deliver the final blow to their longtime nemesis. Without his barrier and the Shikon fragment, it was ridiculous how quickly Naraku was struck down. However, none of them expected the explosion of miasma from his body after he was sliced in half. "Inuyasha!" she gasped, fearing for the one closest to the miasma, but he was already grabbing her, Kohaku and Shippou and running. He couldn't outrun it all, and the sting on Kagome's flesh caused her to flinch and cry out as it caught up to them. She could feel her skin burn and peel away as the poison ate away at her.
The miasma could only spread so far, and Inuyasha set them down when he deemed them far enough away that the miasma wouldn't reach them. He appeared to be fine, but Kagome's breaths came in gasps, and she could hear Kohaku hissing and Shippou coughing. "Kagome?" Inuyasha squatted down next to her and eyed her anxiously.
"I'm fine," she started to say, but a waving blade of grass brushed against her leg and shot a wave of pain over her. "I'll live," she amended her earlier statement when she caught her breath. I'll have to get some antibiotics when I get home, she thought. Her legs were open sores, and she could see the dirt embedded in them. If she didn't want a skin infection or worse, she'd have to be careful.
Not far ahead, the girl was relieved to see Sango and Kirara approach. They looked battered from the battle, and Kirara walked with a definite limp, but Kagome was just glad to see them alive. After all, if the demons managed to bring down Kikyou, then it wasn't such a stretch to imagine the same fate befalling any of them. Her relief was short-lived when she realized Miroku lay draped across Kirara's back, and Sango looked close to hysteria. The only reason they weren't running up to them was because of the wounds they sustained during the fight. "We need poison antidote!" shouted Sango when she was within hearing distance. "Miroku took in too much of the Saimyoushou's poison!"
Kagome's bag, which had the antidote, was left by the road when they joined the battle. Only one of the demons with them could get to it in time, and two of them were not up to the run. Shippou didn't waste any time. "I'll go get it," he cried and bounded away before Inuyasha could open his mouth.
With nothing else to do but wait, Inuyasha proceeded to check her over as though to assure himself that she was in one piece. On a normal day, she would've pushed him away and called him out for acting overprotective, but today was different. He'd fought so hard to protect Kikyou that Kagome doubted he left her side, which meant that she fell right in front of him. Of course he would need to reassure his frazzled nerves that Kagome wasn't badly injured or dead as well. Allowing him to check her over was the most comfort she could give at the moment. If he'd had the strength, she knew he would've been the one to go fetch Kagome's bag for Miroku so he'd still feel useful. She did the best she could to hide her flinches and stifle her whimpers when he touched a spot made raw by the miasma.
While Inuyasha continued his perusal of every cut that Kagome gained, Sango and Kohaku engaged in a staring contest. The female taijiya didn't leave Miroku's side for fear of the monk sliding off Kirara, and Kohaku didn't approach for the shame of his past actions, whether or not he was responsible for them. They would have remained frozen statues, never speaking, if not for Kirara. At the sight of the boy behind Kagome, she gave a happy purr and limped forward, taking Miroku and Sango with her. Kohaku gained the deer-in-the-headlights look and would've retreated, but he suffered from the miasma as much as Kagome did. As a result, he remained in place while Kirara curled up behind him, rumbling in her happy way. The boy managed to raise one hand and rubbed Kirara's head with a small smile. Sango's face still held unwanted hope and apprehension. "Kohaku?" she asked. "Is it you? Do you know me?"
This was not a conversation he wanted to have with an audience, but Miroku was unconscious, and Inuyasha and Kagome were preoccupied with each other. Sighing, he replied, "Naraku is gone, and so is his control over me." He wanted to say more, though he didn't know what else to say. He was sorry for killing their father and comrades? He was sorry he wasn't strong enough to fight Naraku's influence over him? He was sorry that he caused her so much pain? None of it was enough to make up for what he did, but Sango didn't give him a chance to say any of it. When he hesitated to think about what to say next, she released her grip on the monk, threw herself around Kohaku's shoulders, and sobbed. It surprised him, and the only action he could think to comfort her was to rub his hand over her back, up and down, while she cried and said his name over and over.
When Shippou returned, he found everyone in those respective positions. Inuyasha fussed over Kagome, Sango was wrapped around Kohaku, who tried to get in some air as his older sister's arms progressively got tighter around him, and Miroku lay across Kirara's back while the cat watched her two humans with bemusement. The young fox wanted to take a moment to look at the scene, but Miroku's pale face and labored breathing showed that time was running out for the monk. "Here it is!" shouted Shippou to get their attention. With all the noise going on, he had to shout, or else his voice wouldn't be heard. "I brought Miroku's medicine!"
Now Sango leaped up and ran to the bag, leaving a wheezing Kohaku in her wake. Taking out the antidote compound they made before leaving the village, she returned to Miroku and forced him to swallow the bitter liquid. The monk gagged at the taste, but Sango allowed him no opportunity to spit it out. Once it was in his system, the taijiya breathed a sigh of relief, as did the others of the group, though not all of them were audible.
Assured that Miroku would survive, Kagome opened her left hand and looked down at the majority of the Shikon no Tama. It's almost done, she thought as she turned it in her hand. Its smooth surface was only marred by the small dent where the remaining few shards would go. Glancing over at Kohaku, her eyes saddened. If we complete the jewel, he may not survive. Is it worth his life? Depending on who she asked, the answers could vary. While she was fairly certain that none of them would trade Kohaku's life for the completion of the jewel, she didn't know if Kohaku himself would agree. Inuyasha seemed to care less about completing the jewel for purposes of using it and more for denying Naraku the pleasure of having his wish granted as time passed, but he never stated it outright, so Kagome didn't want to assume. Sango was one of Inuyasha's closest friends, and killing Kohaku would be equivalent to killing her. She hoped that would be enough to deter him from saying anything about completing the jewel in front of Sango for the present.
Looking up, she saw Inuyasha's golden eyes following the jewel's rotations in her hand. The palms of his hands rested against her knee, one of the few spots that didn't suffer poison burns, but he seemed to be finished with his injury assessment of her. "It's almost complete," she whispered as she brought the dented side up again. "Soon our journey will be over."
The hanyou before her said nothing, though she felt a tremor through the hands on her knee. For some, the journey for the Shikon no Tama ended today, and Kagome knew he couldn't hold back his emotions much longer. She couldn't make herself catch his gaze and see the agony he felt reflected back at her. There was nothing she could do for him, no words she could say to make him feel better, and that hurt as much as the burn marks from the miasma did.
None of the humans or half-humans were in a state of mind to take charge, so it was up to Shippou to get them herded back to the village they had left only hours before. Sango and Kohaku walked beside Kirara to steady Miroku, who didn't have the strength to lift his head off Kirara's back. The poison burns on his legs were not bad enough to prevent him from walking, but he had to lean on Sango and hobble forward as best he could since there was no room on Kirara for both him and Miroku. Kagome had to be carried by Inuyasha. When she tried to stand, the pain in her legs when she applied pressure to them made spots appear in front of her eyes, and she couldn't stifle the gasp of pain that accompanied it. Inuyasha caught her before she fell, and when her eyes met his, all she saw was concern for her. He maneuvered her so she could fall onto his back, but she couldn't grip him with her arms or legs because of the pain, so she traveled cradled against his chest. The miko could feel the tension in his arms, in his whole body, but his touch was gentle as he held her to him. It's not fair, she thought as she shifted her head against his shoulder. He deserves a happy ending more than anyone else I know. Why did Kikyou have to die in front of him? He loved her so much…
Despite the pain of her open injuries, the strain of the day caused Kagome's eyes to drift shut, and when she became aware of her surroundings again, she saw the familiar motif of the inn they had stayed at the previous night. The flickering candlelight made it hard to make out the designs on the walls thanks to the dancing shadows and the feeble light of the tiny candle. Whoever was in charge of snuffing the candles had forgotten the tiny flame near Kagome. Struggling to sit upright, she noticed that her arms and upper body were bandaged. She couldn't see or feel her legs, but she bet that those were bandaged, too.
She wasn't alone in the room. On the mat next to hers, Sango lay curled up on her side facing away from Kagome. The taijiya's hand rested in Kohaku's, who lay on her other side. Kirara stretched out against the wall and conformed her body around the boy's like she was a body pillow. At Kagome's feet, Shippou and Miroku slept quietly. The small kitsune must have fallen asleep while watching over Miroku because his upper body rested on Miroku's chest. Kagome's eyes glanced over the room and her sleeping friends, but there was no sign of Inuyasha. It didn't surprise her. He never was one to mourn where others could see him.
After blowing out the candle, Kagome returned to her supine position and tried to return to sleep. It hurt to move because it caused her burned skin to stretch. It hadn't felt this bad earlier. Despite her attempts to ignore the pain, a few tears leaked through her closed eyes. Inuyasha. She scrunched her eyes and mentally slapped herself. He would only feel useless if he was here, she berated the part of her that wished for him to be by her side. It's better that he's away. She fell asleep convincing herself of that.
When Kagome opened her eyes again, Sango and Kohaku were awake and talking quietly in the corner with Kirara curled around both of them. Miroku still slept and Shippou sat beside him, his twitching tail giving away his anxiety over the monk's condition. Glancing by the door leading to the rest of the inn, Kagome saw Inuyasha in his usual guard position with the sheathed Tetsusaiga in front of him. He had perfect balance, and with his head bowed down, an onlooker couldn't tell if he was asleep or awake. He had caught many a potential thief in this way and saved the lives of his traveling companions because the attackers thought they were all asleep. However, after a year of traveling with him, Kagome knew that he was lost in dreamland. His ears twitched whenever Sango or Kohaku's voices rose above a certain decibel, but otherwise they lay close to his head.
Hoisting herself to an upright position didn't hurt as much as it did last night, though the skin pulled when she moved and stung as she crawled over to Shippou. "How's he doing?" she whispered.
Shippou looked up as she settled into a sitting position next to her. She knew he was taking in the bandages on her body, and that was why he didn't try to climb into her lap like he otherwise would. Just as she'd suspected the previous night, her legs were as bandaged as the rest of her. Swallowing, Shippou looked back at the monk before them. "He's sweating, so that's a good sign," the fox reported. "But…he hasn't woken up yet." His high voice trembled, and his eyes sparkled with unshed tears when he met her gaze. "We got the antidote to him in time, right?"
"Of course we did," Kagome was quick to assure him. "Look, see Sango?" She waited until he turned to look in the corner where the two siblings sat. "If she thought he wouldn't make it, she would be here next to him." It wasn't a good sign that Miroku hadn't regained consciousness, but he must've exhausted himself in the battle yesterday. Coupled with the positive sweating and normal breathing, Kagome was confident that he just needed rest so his body could recover.
The two sat in silence and watched over Miroku until the two demon slayers joined them, taking seats on the opposite side. "Has he woken up?" asked Sango. The tender look she had when she saw Miroku made Kagome avert her eyes. That was a look reserved for lovers, not something that onlookers should witness.
"Not yet," Shippou answered her. "He must've taken in a lot of poison to still be out."
"He did." The tender look was gone, and in its place was grim remembrance. "I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. We almost didn't make it out of there." She placed a hand, bandaged like Kagome's, on his forehead. "He saved my life. If he hadn't used the Wind Tunnel, we would've been overrun."
"I didn't have a choice," Miroku's hoarse voice replied. He could hardly open his eyes, but he managed a small smile. "If I held back and you had died, I never would have forgiven myself." His eyes caught Sango's, and once again that lover moment descended, but Kagome couldn't look away this time. The monk continued, "A world without you, my dear Sango, is not a world that I wish to be in."
That statement caused Shippou to jump in, shattering the romantic moment. He was young enough that he couldn't read atmosphere any better than Inuyasha could. "You would've killed yourself?" he gasped.
In response, Miroku chuckled and reached over to ruffle his hair. "Who knows?" he said. That's when he seemed to notice Kagome. He raised his eyes to meet hers, though she could see the effort of it, and asked, "Were you able to get the Shikon no Tama?"
She nodded. Someone had put it in a pouch and left it by her side. Even through the bag, she could feel its call. "It's almost complete," she said. "Just a few more shards left to get."
That drew everyone's attention to Kohaku, who looked down at his folded hands. The same thought was on all their minds. Will he live after taking out the shard? No one could say, but it was unlikely. No one else reanimated through the power of the jewel had survived. However, no one in the room was going to mention that. Even if it was false hope, Sango needed it.
"Since we've come this far," Miroku broke the silence, "we might as well pay Kouga a visit. He has two of the shards we need."
"He's right," chimed in Shippou. "Those should be the last two we have to worry about. Then we can go back to Kaede's village."
Gratitude radiated off Sango. She wouldn't have to worry about what would happen to her younger brother until after the shards of the wolf tribe came into their possession. Because Kagome sat across from her, she could see the tears forming in her friend's eyes. Embarrassed by her reaction, Sango stood up and walked around to Kagome's side. "We need to clean your wounds," she stated, not looking anyone in the eye.
In the bathing area, Kagome winced as Sango sat her down on a stool and proceeded to unroll the bandages from her body. She cringed even more when she saw the amount of blood and dirt that came off with the bandages. "We didn't have time to wash last night," apologized Sango as she placed the dirtied bandages in a pile off to the side. "To be honest, I don't remember much of last night. But," she leaned in closer, "I did want to tell you about Inuyasha."
"What about him?"
Sango's eyes shone with worry. "I saw it happen. She was so weak already, and Inuyasha couldn't block them all." There was no need to specify who "she" was. "While Inuyasha kept the demons back, Naraku's tentacles got past his guard. I could see her try to purify them." Reliving the events of yesterday caused the demon slayer to shudder. "I was too far away to help. The tentacles…Naraku ripped her apart. I've never seen Inuyasha look the way he did." Her gaze had fallen to the tiled floor, but she brought it up again. "I'm concerned about him, Kagome. When he saw her fall, he looked like the light had gone from his life."
It was no secret what was going on between Kagome and Inuyasha and Kikyou. For Sango to make a statement like that meant that she expected drastic action on Inuyasha's part. She may side with Kagome, but Inuyasha was still an important friend that she didn't want to lose. If anyone could help keep him grounded, it was the miko from the future. She was the only one who could make him break the promise to go to hell with the undead miko of the past.
"He won't do anything before the jewel is complete," Kagome said and winced as some of her skin came off with the bandage. But was that true though? She was certain that he would've joined Kikyou much earlier if that was the case, but what if this drove him over the edge? A new fear wove its way into her heart, and at the end of her painful bathing, she still hadn't come up with a way to convince Inuyasha to stay if he decided that it was time to fulfill his promise to Kikyou.
Revision Date: 01/22/2015