Sometimes Evil Wins

I'm lying here. The village is blazing with fire-but it's pouring, so fire's going out. It's a full moon and Naraku decided to attack, I protected to Shikon Jewel best I couldn't, but being a useless human instead of a hanyou, I couldn't do much. I'm sorry, Kagome, but the Shikon Jewel is gone. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so damn sorry. I tried my best, but the Shikon Jewel is with Naraku, the village is ablaze, and I'm slowly dying.

A teardrop slowly slides down my cheek and I don't notice I'm crying until the teardrop slides into my mouth.

Why am I crying?

I sigh and close my golden eyes. I try to think of you-all my friends.You all helped me when I was in need, up until now. I don't mind, you didn't know Naraku would ambush the village in search of the Shikon Jewel. I'm just glad Kagome's okay, glad she's not here and can't see me like this.

The rain suddenly stops. I open my eyes. An angel is kneeling over me, blocking the rain. Her wet black hair tumbles over her shoulders, a red cloak covers her green and white shirt, her big black and gray eyes are shiny with tears and an innocence I can't even begin to understand. The angel wipes a strand of hair out of my face and moves my head on her knees. I hiss in pain.

The angel flinches in surprise and she traces a cut on my face. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha! I didn't mean to hurt you. You'll be okay; sunrise is only a few hours away. Just hold on, okay?"

The when I realize the angel is Kagome. She's wearing my cloak I lent her. 'Just in case' I'd told her, thrusting the cloak towards her. She was going to be surrounded by Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Shippō, plus a bow and arrow on their way to a different village to get something. So why did I give her my cloak? She was going to be fine, it was only a mile walk to the other village, and after a year of demons and such, you think she'd gotten used to it. And she was. I just loved her so much, I couldn't bear to think of life without her. So I gave her my cloak. YES, it was a stupid choice because of the full moon. But did it seem stupid then? Not really.

"Here, don't move," Kagome lays the cloak over my like a blanket. I try to tell her something, but end up coughing up blood. Kagome gasps and uses her sleeve to wipe away the blood. I open my mouth again tell her something, but Kagome, being the stubborn mule she is, puts her finger to my lips. "I told you not to move! TALKING IS MOVING! SO DON'T! You'll lose more blood. Then you won't…"

And although it sounded like she was screaming at me, it was really more like she was pleading with me to stop. Then the tears she's trying to hold back start falling down her cheeks, and onto me, mixing with the rain and blood. I hate seeing her like this, I don't want her to cry-it kills me, literally.

So I listen to her. I stop trying to talk and she stops telling me to shut up. And we stay like that, softly gazing at each other. I can't feel the time passing and I don't know how long its been.

My vision slowly darkens; my heartbeat thumps slower and slower. It's either now or never. If I don't tell her, she'll never know and end up cradling a very cold, very bloody, very dead me. And I don't think she wants that.

"Kagome,"I croak. She bends her head closer to hear me. "I'm sorry I lost the jewel."

Her head bops ups and down as she nods, "It's okay, Inuyasha, we can fight Naraku to get it back, don't worry." Fake cheerfulness is on her voice. But even that can't hide the tears from falling down her flawless face onto mine.

My vision is so dark I can barely see her. "I have a secret to tell you."

With effort I lift my head so that my lips are almost touching her ear. In a barely audible whisper I say what I have to say in five simple words. "I will always love you."

My vision clouds and with a sigh and a smile my head falls back on her lap. I want to see Kagome just one last time, but the pain suddenly intensifies and I grit my teeth and try to bear it, try to hold on just a little longer to say goodbye. I try, but my life slips through my fingers.

I can still hear Kagome's sobbing, I can still see Naraku triumphant face as he swipes the jewel from my finger and delivers a final blow, I can still feel the pain.

The good guy doesn't always win the fight-sometimes evil gets the better hand. And sometimes evil wins.

fin