I decided to start on the next chapter quickly since I am going to be extremely busy during the week with tests, work, and my Christmas Banquet. So onward!
Winter Wonderland
Chapter Twenty
Miroku walked around the small hut, making sure that all his scrolls were placed around it. Shippo was on the monks shoulder and passed Miroku the last scroll which was placed on the closed window.
"That should do it," said Miroku, giving off a small sigh.
"We're going to be okay tonight, right?" asked Shippo nervously.
"Of course my dear Shippo, these scrolls will even keep Naraku from getting to us,"
Shippo nodded as Miroku walked into the hut to see Sango trying to start a fire. The monk bent down and kissed his future wife on the cheek, "What are we having for dinner?"
"I believe Kagome said Ramen for tonight," said Sango, adding another log to the fire.
"Speaking of Kagome, where is she and Inu-Yasha?"
"They went down to talk with Kaede before the sunset," sighed Sango.
Miroku nodded. The group had headed back to Kaede's village since tonight it would be the new moon, and they didn't want to be vulnerable for Naraku to attack them since Inu-Yasha would be vulnerable in his human form. Kaede had suggested for them to stay in a hut that was by the shrine of Kikyo's grave. Miroku then looked out the window and noticed that the sun was getting near to setting.
"I'd better get those two before the sunsets," said Miroku, walking out of the hut with Shippo still on his shoulder. Sango only nodded, still tending to the fire.
The monk approached the low stairway, which lead down to the village, but stopped as he saw Kagome and Inu-Yasha just starting to climb.
"Hurry it up you two! The sun is about to set!"
"Can it monk, we're coming," called Inu-Yasha.
Miroku just shook his head and turned around, but almost yelped in surprise as he saw Inu-Yasha land in front of him with Kagome in his arms.
"So what did Kaede say?" asked Miroku.
"Nothing really, I was just giving her Kikyo's ashes," said Inu-Yasha, heading into the hut with his mate still in his arms.
Miroku just nodded and followed the two inside. Inu-Yasha set Kagome down, and took a seat in the corner of the hut. Kagome went to her bag and grabbed the packages of Ramen she had brought and handed them to Sango. It was quiet in the hut since everyone was nervous about tonight and how vulnerable they would be, although neither of them showed it of course. Although if you had Inu-Yasha's hearing, you could hear Shippo's teeth slightly chattering.
"I know everyone's thinking it, and I'm going to say it, Naraku is most likely going to attack tonight," said Inu-Yasha.
"Does he even know that you turn human on the new moon?" asked Kagome.
"Well Kagura, so most likely she told Naraku about my secret," sighed Inu-Yasha.
"These scrolls will protect us, as long as we stay in the hut, we are fine," said Miroku.
Inu-Yasha just nodded as Kagome took a seat beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. The half demon couldn't help but smile and wrap his arm around Kagome. Suddenly a chill swept over his body and then another . . . the sun had finally set. Inu-Yasha closed his eyes as he felt his nails shorten, he felt a jolt of pain come from his head as he felt his dog ears disappear and his human ears come out from the side of his head. He could no longer hear Kagome's heart beat, or smell her scent around him. Opening his eyes, his vision was now that of an ordinary human, and running his tongue along his teeth, he could no longer feel his fangs. His eyes glanced from Kagome to his hair, which was black like hers. Inu-Yasha could feel the pain subsiding from his body. He never told anyone, but transforming from half demon to human would sometimes be painful, although he never showed it. As a small child his mother would often hold him during the new moon while silent tears would run down his cheeks.
"You okay?" asked Kagome.
His eyes returned to her, and he smiled, "I'm fine now,"
Kagome nodded and wrapped her arms around Inu-Yasha, her hands running through his midnight hair.
Inu-Yasha glanced at Kagome and frowned . . . he felt weak, unable to protect his mate if Naraku were to show up, and could only wait for the sun to rise the next day. He would not be able to sleep tonight, and in fact, none of them would be getting any shut eye tonight.
"It's going to be a long night," commented Miroku from his spot by Sango.
"Sure is," whispered Kagome.
Shippo and Kirara were perched on the windowsill, watching to see if anyone would be coming their way.
"So I take it you guys didn't open your presents," said Kagome.
"No, we didn't get a chance," sighed Sango.
"Do you want me to g o get them?"
"No!" cried Inu-Yasha and basically everyone, "No one is leaving this hut,"
"Alright," sighed Kagome.
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Naraku peered down at the small hut from his perch high up in a tree. He smirked and glanced down to see Kagura and Kanna on a branch lower than him, waiting for his commands.
"Fools, tonight will be the night I get the remaining shards from that nuisance of a girl, and then I'll go after that wolf," sneered Naraku.
"What shall we do?" asked Kagura.
"We wait hear, I believe Kohaku is making his way to the hut," said Naraku.
"Why did you send him? I could have that hut down in a matter of seconds,"
"There are scrolls around that hut, you wouldn't be able to put a scratch on it,"
Kagura didn't say another word.
Naraku smiled, and finally caught a glimpse of the boy as he made his way to the small hut, "Kohaku will wait there for hours, and hopefully they will be fast asleep if not, I will tell him when to attack,"
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Six hours passed, but the group refused to get any shuteye for the evening. (So roughly it's around one or two in the morning since the sun sets around eight in my time, at least I think it does, I wasn't really paying attention to day and the sun rises)
"I hear someone coming," whispered Shippo sitting up from the window ledge.
Kirara mewed in agreement. Everyone was now on their feet. Miroku grabbing his staff, Sango her boomerang, Kagome her bows, and Inu-Yasha his tattered up sword. Kagome and Inu-Yasha peered out one of the windows, while Sango and Miroku took the other two.
"Blast, I don't see anything," hissed Inu-Yasha.
"Shippo are you sure you heard someone?" asked Miroku.
"Yes, I heard footsteps," said Shippo.
"Well it must be Naraku," whispered Sango.
"But it smells human,"
Sango's eyes widened, "Kohaku . . ."
Miroku looked more closely into the trees and caught a glimpse of something metal shining from the torch on their hut, "Get down!" screamed the monk, grabbing Sango.
Inu-Yasha pulled Kagome down and watched as Kirara and Shippo landed beside him. They could hear the sound of metal cutting wood, but nothing seemed to have happened. Suddenly the roof of the hut split opened, causing the whole thing to collapse.
Naraku leaped into the air from his tree and landed silently beside Kohaku. Kagura and Kanna did the same, landing by their master. Naraku smiled as he watched the monk and exterminator crawl out of the rubble, followed by Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Shippo, and a now transformed Kirara.
"Damn it!" growled Inu-Yasha, making sure he was in front of Kagome.
"It seems you were unprepared for me to use Kohaku to take down that pathetic hut," chuckled Naraku, glancing at the boy who was under his control.
"Kohaku . . ." whispered Sango, looking at her brother.
"I don't worry, once I take Kagome's shards, you can have his body back,"
"Bastard! No way we're giving you our shards," yelled Inu-Yasha.
Naraku just smiled, "Get them," he whispered to Kagura and Kohaku. The two nodded and slowly started to approach the group.
Miroku and Sango stood in front of the others, their weapons gripped tight in their hands. Kagura just chuckled as she grabbed her fan, and Kohaku pulled out his weapon out again.
"Kagome, you and Inu-Yasha head to the well, we'll hold them off," said Miroku.
"What?" asked Kagome?
"We can't win until the sun rises, so you and Inu-Yasha head to the well and escape," said Sango.
"There is no way in hell we're running away!"
"I agree," added Inu-Yasha, although deep down, he really wanted to send Kagome home through the well.
Miroku nodded and stepped forward, "Sango can you get your brother out of the way?"
Sango nodded and charged forward. Kagura moved out of the way to attack Miroku, but the monk removed the prayer beads and opened his wind tunnel. The wind user screamed as she tried to pull back from the powerful wind of the black hole. Sango reached her brother and knocked her brothers weapon out of his hand. Inu-Yasha then lept forward and punched the kid hard in the end, causing him to be knocked out. Kagome then grabbed her arrow and aimed it at Kagura, who was holding onto a rock for dear life. The miko was about to shoot but was tackled from behind by Inu-Yasha. Miroku noticed that Naraku had tried to attack Kagome, but when Inu-Yasha tried to save his love, the half demon accidentally pushed himself and Kagome in the way of his wind tunnel. The monk quickly closed the wind tunnel and watched as Kagura got to her feet, and did a back flip back to her master.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, and here I thought you would destroy them with a single blast Kagura," sneered Naraku.
Kagura just gave off a small growl and turned her attention back to the group in front of her.
"Allow me to make things easier," said Naraku, throwing his hands up into the air. From the trees came his poisonous insects, the insects of hell.
"Damn it," whispered Miroku, knowing he could no longer use his wind tunnel.
Kagura just smirked, and lunged forward, "Dance of the dragon," she whispered as her blades of wind came charging at the others from her fan.
Both men tried to push the girls out of the way, but both ended up with a cut mark on their backs. Kagura smiled and walked towards the group at a slow pace. The two girls seemed to be knocked out, so Kagura approached the monk first.
"I'll kill you first for trying to suck me up into the wind tunnel," whispered Kagura as she raised her fan.
Sango suddenly opened her eyes, and Miroku jumped off the exterminator so she could hit Kagura with Hiraikotsu. Kagura gave off a small grunt of pain, and was about to attack again, but stopped as a piercing pain came from her stomach, and then another. Looking down, she could see two arrowheads sticking through her gut. The taste of blood was now in her mouth as she turned around to see that it wasn't Kagome who fired the arrows but Inu-Yasha.
"What?" she whispered, but when she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, she knew it was the end as she felt the miko's power run through her body. Kagura gave off a final cry as she felt her body being disintegrated by the miko's holy power.
Naraku's expression did not change as he watched his detachment being killed, "Interesting Inu-Yasha, you used the arrows as a distraction for Kagome to attack my detachment,"
"Inu-Yasha I didn't know you could shoot an arrow," whispered Kagome, her eyes still locked on Naraku.
"Watching you all the time, I learned it pretty easy," smiled Inu-Yasha, his eyes also locked on Naraku.
"So you managed to destroy one attachment, I still have one left, and a knocked out useless boy,"
Kanna then stepped forward, her mirror still in her small hands.
"We can't attack her with out our attacks being reflected back," hissed Miroku.
Kanna however just stood there, she didnt move or speak. Miroku looked extremely confused, and shifted his eyes back to Naraku, but felt a chill run down his spine as he realized that the demon wasn't there. Looking up into the air, he saw Naraku, and was coming down to land right on top of him. The monk dodged, as did the others.
"This is the end," hissed Naraku, "Good bye monk,"
Miroku watched in horror as Naraku raised his clawed hand and was about to bring it down, but stopped as something hit him from behind, taking his clawed hand off. He turned around, but only saw a miko arrow hitting him square in the chest.
"Miroku! Get out of there!" cried Sango.
Miroku didn't need to be told twice as he got to his feet and ran to stand by the exterminator.
Naraku just smiled as his arm was reattached, but there was still a large hole in his chest. He then jumped back and landed behind Kanna. Smiling the girl was sucked into his body, covering the hole in his body, "Just like new,"
"Damn it," whispered Sango.
"Kagome," hissed Inu-Yasha, looking at his lover.
"Yes?" she asked.
"We'll hold him off, and you head to the well,"
"Inu-Yasha we've been through this, I am not leaving," whispered Kagome.
"And now it ends . . ." sneered Narkau, charging forward, his clawed ands aimed for Kagome. Inu-Yasha immediately stood in front of Kagome and tried to push her out of the way, but something caused Naraku to stop his attack and turn his head.
Out of nowhere, Kouga came running up the hill and kicked Naraku hard across the face, "Keep your hands off Kagome!"
Inu-Yasha for once happy that Kouga showed to help them for once.
Kouga landed beside Miroku, "Looks like I arrived just in time,"
"Thank you," said Kagome from behind Inu-Yasha.
"Hmm, well thank you Kouga, you have saved me the time of trying to find you," sneered Naraku.
"Keh, like you could ever kill me," snarled Kouga, "I'm going to kill you for killing my kin!"
"Kouga no! Don't just charge!" cried Kagome.
"You fool!" yelled Inu-Yasha.
Kouga just ran forward, his arm rose ready to hit Naraku with a powerful blow. Naraku just remained in his spot, a smirk on his face. The wolf demon was about to hit Naraku in the face, but Naraku had suddenly grabbed Kouga by the throat, holding him up in the air.
"Fool, it seems I will be getting your shards first before Kagome's,"
"Damn it," choked Kouga.
Naraku just smiled, as his other hand dug into Kouga's right leg and pulled out the jewel shard, which was a light blue, but suddenly turned black by Naraku's touch. Chuckling, Naraku grabbed the other one and threw the wolf demon back to Inu-Yasha and the others. Kouga could no longer move since both his legs were injured.
"Now I only have three jewel shards to add, and I will then have the completed Shikon no Tama,"
Kagome and Sango were both being well protected by the two men, who at the moment were trying to come up with some sort of plan for them to escape.
"How long till sunrise?" asked Inu-Yasha.
"Another five or six hours," whispered Miroku.
"Damn it,"
Naraku then lunged forward, first hitting Miroku out of the way and then Inu-Yasha who skidded on the ground. Sango threw her boomerang, but Naraku easily dodged it, hitting her in the stomach. Naraku then approached Kagome and reached for the necklace which had the bottle of the two jewel shards, but was suddenly thrown back. Everyone watched with wide eyes as Naraku was thrown back by Kagome's miko power. (Well she does it in the video game, and I beat Naraku every time I use that move, so I decided to use it. Yes I play video games and I love it! However I won't let Naraku die just from that of course) Inu-Yasha was immediately by Kagome's side, "Where did you learn that?"
"I . . I don't know," whispered Kagome, staring at Naraku who was lying on the ground.
"Wench . . . you'll pay for that," whispered Naraku, getting to his feet, "I've done enough playing around, time to finally finish you off,"
Naraku ran at Kagome, his clawed hand ready to strike her in the chest. Inu-Yasha immediately shielded her with his body, but Hiraikotsu stopped the demons attack. However, Kagome and Inu-Yasha were hit by Naraku's arm and Inu-Yasha got a dash of poison into his eyes. Both went tumbling down the long hill towards the village. Miroku and Sango immediately started to go all out on Naraku so he wouldn't go after their two friends. (Oh and if you are curious, Kirara and Shippo are watching over Kohaku)
The two continued to tumble down the hill at a rapid speed, with Inu-Yasha's arm wrapped tightly around his mate. He couldn't see a thing with the poison in his eyes, and wouldn't be able to until the morning. Kagome clung to Inu-Yasha, her eyes closed as well, knowing they would be crashing into one of the huts any minute. Hitting a patch of ice they started to roll even faster, their bodies frozen from rolling in the snow. Kagome and Inu-Yasha cried out as they went through a hut wall, which caused Inu-Yasha to let go of his love. He could feel his back collide with a lantern, and the glass pieces digging into his back, but the fire rat cloak prevented his skin from being cut. He coughed a few times due to the wind had been knocked out of him.
"Kagome! Kagome are you okay?" asked Inu-Yasha. He couldn't see her, and his body was in so much pain. His right arm was definitely broken. *It's just like the night we faced off against the peach man* "Kagome!"
Inu-Yasha urged his body to move, his hands searching for his mate.
"I'm here Inu-Yasha," whispered Kagome.
Inu-Yasha followed the sound of her voice and finally found her hand. He wished he could see her face, "Kagome . . . I think my arms broken,"
"Yes . . . it's at an odd angle,"
"Kagome . . . please . . . I beg of you . . . you can still make it to the well,"
"I can't,"
"Damn it Kagome! I don't want to lose you like this! Please do this for me!"
"I can't,"
"Kagome please," whispered Inu-Yasha, his forehead now pressed against hers, "Please?"
"Inu-Yasha . . ."
"Please? We can't win like this! My arm is broken and I will be blind till morning. It's going to be another five hours before I can fight him,"
Kagome didn't say a word; instead both her hands found Inu-Yasha's.
"Kagome?"
"Inu-Yasha . . . I can't move . . ."
"What . . . did you break your leg?" asked Inu-Yasha, wishing he could see.
"No . . . nothings broken . . ."
"Then what is it?" asked Inu-Yasha.
Kagome's hands were still in Inu-Yasha's as she took his left hand and moved it down her body. Inu-Yasha could tell that she was lying on her side, but suddenly his hand came in contact with something. He could feel a long, thin metal piece with a point at the end, which was wet with something.
"Kagome, why are you lying near a pitch fork?" asked Inu-Yasha.
"I'm not lying near it . . . it's . . . it's . . ."
His hand went down the pitchfork points and stopped at Kagome's abdomen. "N . . . No . . ." whispered Inu-Yasha.
"Inu-Yasha . . ."
"No . . . no this can't be . . ." whispered Inu-Yasha, his voice shaking.
"Inu-Yasha . . . I love you . . ."
"No! Don't you start saying good byes!" cried Inu-Yasha.
"But . . . I am . . . dying." whispered Kagome.
He could feel her hands in his again, "Kagome . . ."
"My love . . . I'm . . . I'm glad that I got to tell you how I felt, and that we . . . got to spend a magical week together,"
"Kagome . . . no . . ."
"I'm glad I got to show you my love for you that night . . ."
"Kagome . . . please . . . don't leave me," Inu-Yasha whispered painfully.
"I'm sorry it had to end like this . . . I love you with all my heart and soul . . . please keep fighting and destroy Naraku before . . . more lives are taken,"
"No . . . you can't go . . . you can't leave me . . ." Inu-Yasha continued to whisper.
"Inu-Yasha . . . would you please give me one final kiss?" requested Kagome
Inu-Yasha felt his way up to her face, tears running down his cheeks as his lips locked with hers, he pulled away for a moment, and whispered painfully, "I love you . . . Kagome,"
"I . . . love . . . you . . ."
Inu-Yasha continued to kiss her, he could feel her kiss him back, but after a moment her fingers became limp in his, and she was no longer kissing him back. Inu-Yasha could no longer hold off the pain, and gave off a harsh sob. His hands reached Kagome's hips, and he pulled the fork out of her body. Sitting up, he held Kagome's body in his arms, his nose buried into the crook of her neck, feeling the last bit of warmness from her flesh. He could feel blood still poring from her wound. Inu-Yasha let off another harsh sob, and screamed, "Kagome! No!"
(I would have stopped it here, but since it will be a while for the next chapter, I just kept going)
His hands wrapped tightly around her limp body, his sobs becoming harsher.
"No . . . this . . . this cannot be . . . you're not supposed to die . . . not like this . . . Kagome . . . please come back . . ." sobbed Inu-Yasha, his face still buried in her neck. "It wasn't . . . supposed to be like this . . . we were supposed to defeat Naraku . . . build a home in my forest . . . have children together . . . and then live out the rest of our days . . . Gods it's all my fault! If I had just hanged onto you . . . then this never would have happened! I couldn't protect you . . . I swore to protect you and I couldn't!"
Inu-Yasha finally removed his nose from her neck, and shook her gently, "Come on Kagome . . . wake up . . . please wake up . . ."
She gave no reply, just the howling of the wind he could hear with his human ears.
"Don't leave me Kagome . . . please don't do this to me . . . don't leave me alone . . . I don't want to be alone . . . please . . . Kagome please wake up,"
He gave off another harsh sob, reality slowly setting into his mind. Leaning down and kissing his mates dead lips one last time and he whispered, "Now that you are gone, nothing matters anymore . . . I can't go on in this world with out you,"
He could now hear someone running down the hill, but paid no attention as he continued to hold his dead mate.
"Inu-Yasha! Are you and Kagome alright!" called Miroku entering the hut.
Inu-Yasha didn't say another word; he just buried his face back into the crook of Kagome's neck.
"Oh gods . . ." whispered Miroku as he stared at the bloody pitchfork and the pool of blood on the ground, "No . . . it can't be . . ."
"It's my fault . . . it's all my fault," whispered Inu-Yasha.
Miroku bit his bottom lip and said a silent prayer for Kagome before placing his hand on Inu-Yasha's shoulder.
"No . . . it wasn't your fault . . . "
"Yes it was . . . I should have hold onto her . . ."
"Inu-Yasha . . . the one to blame is Naraku . . . will you just sit there holding your dead mate . . . or will you come and avenge her death?" asked Miroku.
"If I could see, I would already be up on that hill trying to kill Naraku with my bare hands until I drew my last breath,"
Miroku knelt down beside his friend, "She is gone my friend, so wait until the sun rises before you come after Naraku,"
"How can you act so calm? Kagome is dead!"
"I am feeling the same pain you are . . . not as much but still . . . I can not let my emotions take the better of me when we have a demon to destroy before we can morn over the death of Kagome,"
Inu-Yasha knew that what Miroku said was true, "I know, but . . . I can't fight . . . "
"Hmph, what a pathetic excuse . . ." sneered someone from behind the monk.
Miroku turned around and came face to face with Sesshoumaru.
"And what honor do I owe to your visit?" growled Inu-Yasha, his grip tightening around his dead lover.
"I am here to fight Naraku, but before I do I have a little something to do here,"
"If you want to kill me now go ahead,"
"No . . . I won't do that . . . yet anyway. You are a pathetic human, and that would just be a waste of my time,"
"Then leave and let me be!"
"Do you want her back Inu-Yasha? After all, I owe her . . . even though I hate to admit it . . . she got me out of that cave,"
Miroku backed away and Sesshoumaru stood beside his brother, his hand reaching for the Tenseiga. Inu-Yasha could hear the metal rub against the inside of the sheath.
"I will bring her back to life . . . but not for you . . . I only do this since I always pay my depts." whispered Sesshoumaru, bringing the sword down on the two. (Okay I don't know if the Tenseiga can heal someone, but since this is my fic . . .)
Inu-Yasha could feel a certain warmness pulse through his body, and the pain in his arm was no longer there. Opening his eyes, he was no longer blind. Looking down, he saw the wound in Kagome's chest healing, and she gave off a small gasp as air once again returned to her lungs. Her blue gray eyes slowly opened as she stared into Inu-Yasha's brown ones. Tears welled up in Inu-Yasha's eyes, but this time they were tears of happiness as Inu-Yasha kissed his mate.
Sesshoumaru just grunted and walked out of the hut to the battle, which Sango was currently fighting alone.
"Thank you," whispered Inu-Yasha to his brother.
Sesshoumaru said nothing as he ran up the hill towards the battle, followed by Miroku.
"Inu-Yasha?" questioned Kagome, "Didn't I . . . I thought I . . ."
"Ill explain later my love, but right now we have a demon to deal with," said Inu-Yasha.
Kagome nodded in agreement before grabbing her bow and arrows, and then towards the stairs, which would lead them back to the battle.
TBC . . .