Inuyasha's change of heart,Tensaiga shows it's power, Naraku has a few tricks up his sleeve...as usual.
As always, Inuyasha and co belong to Takahashi Rumiko :bows: et al
As they flew to Kaede's village upon Kiara, Inuyasha became thoughtful. Serveral times Kagome would turn around and make sure he was ok.
He thought about a great deal of things - Kagome with his brother, Kikyo, Naraku, the Shikon, everything.
No, I can't kill Kagome. I swore to protect her. It isn't just that Sesshoumaru not only kill me dead HERE but also in the afterlife, but well...I - love her.
Because she always looked like Kikyo..
It was more than that - wasn't it? I just - oh Kikyo, when you were alive - before Naraku came - you were so good to me, merciful, kind. Your laugh, your smile, your pure beauty. I would have become human for you, Kikyo. We could have had a home, a family. That was our dream - and it was ruined by Naraku. As much as I miss you, Kikyo, I can't change anything, and I won't kill Kagome for the Tama. I can't. I won't.
Miroku, Sango and Shippo noticed how quiet Inuyasha was and left him alone.
"Hey." Inuyasha finally said. "I'm - uh - sorry."
Shippo almost made a crack about that, but then the little kitsume saw the real pain in his golden eyes.
Shippo got close to Inuyasha and said, "I'm sorry too, Inuyasha." Inuyasha turned to look at the normally exhuberant kitsune.
"When my parents were killed, I didn't know what to do." Shippo dared to touch Inuyasha's sleeve.
"Yeah." Inuyasha turned away from Shippo. "Feh! Like I need advice from a kid!" Shippo nearly stumbled as he saw Inuyasha's hand go towards his head, a precursor to getting some lumps. Instead, Inuyasha ruffled Shippo's hair and quietly said, "Thanks, Shippo."
Inuyasha drew his hand away as Shippo continued to look incredulously at Inuyasha.
Naraku Waits:
He had gotten his wish. Onigumo was gone from within him. However, Naraku had never expected this!
Weak. He had never been weak, never! And that insuffable human! Human? No, Onigumo, after these many, many years had become such a part of Naraku that he had become a demon himself, right under his nose! Damn Onigumo! How could he, Naraku, not have sensed the revolt within him? How? Nearly all of his demons left him, except for some of his other extensions.
He hadn't much time left. He would use them- the hanyou and the miko,to kill Onigumo and then get the Shikon back from the miko's reincarnation.
He would play his game with them..
:COUGH: He HATED this wretched body!
Naraku sat down on the ground and waited for them to arrive.
The Village - Kaede and Kikyo
Kaede dimmly felt herself being lifted, She was on fire! Had she joined Kikyo in hell? Kagome's worried voice, then Kaede felt no more pain as a dream took over.
A dream? Or was it?
Little sister...It is I.
Kikyo!
Kaede went to hug Kikyo but her sister held out her hand.
No, Kaede. Do not touch me. You are between this life and the next. Fate shall decide which...
I want to stay, Kikyo. Kaede said.You didn't go to Hell as I had thought all these years. This must be Heaven. Look! Iam young again, and my eye! I can see!
Kikyo smiled her old sweet smile.
"I don't hear a heartbeat! No,Kaede,don't die!"
Crying. Kaede heard Kagome crying.
Then Kaede heard and felt the swipe of a blade.
"Sesshoumaru!Please save Kaede!" Kagome's voice.
Kaede hadn't seen her smile in so long!
Nooooooo... Kaede felt herself being lifted up.
Little sister...your time has not yet come, you have tasks you must do...
Hurts...oh! Kaede could feel the terrible heat in her body, her old age, her anguish at her village being destroyed -
And she opened her eye and saw the demon lord, Sesshoumaru, standing over her, sword in hand. His face, as always, was emotionless, but his eyes, for a very brief moment, were filled with confusion.
Kaede sat up, her body restored from her beating by Onigumo and the fire.
"Kaede!" Kagome was kneeling by her side. Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku hovered on each side of Kaede..
Outside. They were outside of the village - almost within Inuyasha's Forest.
"Old woman...' Inuyasha tried to act nonchalant. His brother, who had hated humans, had saved Rin, and now Kaede! Had Rin and Kagome changed him that much?
Probably not, but still, love did weird things.
"Kaede, who did this? Naraku?" Inuyasha asked.
"You look. I see..." The group saw an old man leaning weakly against a tree.
"Another victim of the fire." Mirouku commented.
"Iye." The old man smiled a ghastly smile. "I know who started the fire. T'was a gentleman we all know of.
"It is Naraku!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"Naraku? Ku,ku,ku...would I be so obvious, Inuyasha?"
"You? No way!" Inuyasha replied.
"Good Evening, Sesshoumaru," Naraku ignored Inuyasha. "How is your little charge? Oh, and your - ningen - miko? Have you partaken of her yet? I certainly would."
Naraku heard the young woman gasp. Sesshoumaru said nothing, but his eyes were feral.
Inuyasha growled low in his throat.
"Ehhehehehe...:COUGH!COUGH: Still defending her, eh hanyou? I know Kikyo is truly dead - Onigumo killed her."
"No shit." Inuyasha's look was murderous. "But YOU killed her first, Naraku!"
Inuyasha talks too much. Kill the fool already! Sesshoumaru was alert, having the feeling that Naraku wanted something. Perhaps Inuyasha's hesitation would be useful in this case.
"What do you want, Naruku?" Kagome had her arrow pointed directly at Naraku's heart. Her eyes were narrowed. She would not hesitate to kill Naruku. She KNEW this man to be Naraku.
"What do I want, miko?" Naraku looked at Kagome, surveying her. There was something different about her.
Ah! The shikon is within her! Not just that, but she has been bitten by a inu-youkai, and the only one that fits the description is the Lord of the Western Lands. So, the miko has weaved her spell around him! Pity, really.
"What I want has been stolen from me." Naraku rasped. "Miko."
"Don't mess with me, Naraku!" Kagome tightened her bow further.
"Kagome!Get back! I'll handle this!" Inuyasha yelled, pulling out the Fang.
"Stay, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said lowly. "She is - 'becoming.'
Inuyasha's eyes were wide. "You - Kagome...you did that?"
Sesshoumaru did not answer. Kagome stayed where she was.
"Now, Naraku!" Kagome shouted.
Aggressive. She will learn to control that. Sesshoumaru thought.
"Ku,ku,ku, the young are always in a hurry." Naraku chuckled. Very well miko. Onigumo revolted against my rulership, took most of my demons - and what I had of the Shikon no Tama. His destination: here. The Bone Eater's Well - and YOUR world, miko! You see, I do know. HE knows.WE know from wence you came from, little miko." Kagome lowered her bow and arrow slightly in shock.
"And he has the Shikon no Tama!" Kaede whispered.
"Which is MINE." Naraku's eyes narrowed.
"It belongs to no one." Kakome raised her weapon again.
"Wait, miko! Return Onigumo to me,and I will - cough - cough - hack - make it worth your while!" Naraku backed away against a tree.
"He's trying to make a run for it!" Sango said.
"He can't get far..." Inuyasha advanced upon Naraku.
"No!" Kagome shouted as she released her arrow.
"FOOL GIRL!" Naraku shouted. "Did you believe I would come unprepared?"
Suddenly, there was a scream as something akin to a tentacle yanked Kagome along with Rin into the well throwing off her aim!
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Kagome screamed.
"SESSHOUMARU!" Rin called out.
In a moment, Sesshourmaru was within the well.
Outside, the purity arrow hit Naraku, pinning him to a tree.
"I'm going after Kagome! Naraku will be pinned to the tree, just as I was.
"INUYASHA!" Sango and Mirouku yelled.
Naraku's eyes opened as the tree he was pinned upon came to life, it's vines growing razors that pinned Inuyasha to the ground, stabbing through his clothing, into his chest.
"I have no heart, Inuyasha." Naraku laughed. "I'll just take yours."
"Hirokotsu!" Sango threw her weapon, and cut some of the vines but the vines grew back and snatched Sango by the neck, choking her.
"Meddlesome bitch..." Naruku snarles as the vines of the tree lifted.
"Sango!" Mirouku took off the seal that covered his cursed hand to find that was faded! It was then that he realized -
"INUYASHA! NARAKU IS DYING!STRIKE NOW!" Mirouku cried out.
"Nnnnngggghhhh! Die, you BASTARD!" Inuyasha broke free, leaped up and came down again, The Tetsuiga cleaving the tree - and Naraku - in half.
Sango fell - right into Mirouku's arms.
"Sango..." Mirouku set her down and held her as she caught her breath. "I thought I had lost you." The normally perverted monk said this in a low voice.
"You did, Mirouku?" Sango looked up as Mirouku brought her some 'bottled water' that Kagome left behind.
Mirouku stroked Sango's hair as she drank. "Are you all right, Sango?"
"I will be, now that is Naraku is dead." And then she heard a familar whistling - Mirouku's hand!
He sighed as he wrapped his hand in his prayer beads. "I had - hoped. Forgive me."
Abruptly, they heard Inuyaha cursing from the bottom of the well!
The small group peered into the well, and saw Inuyasha frantically digging into the ground.
"KAGOME!KAGOME! SESSHOUMARU! DAMMIT! STUPID WELL! I've got to get Kagome!" The hanyou leaped up and perched on the edge of the well.
"It seems that your brother has taken on that task, Inuyasha." Kaede said gently.
"Don't frickin' remind me, old woman." Inuyasha hung his head. "I failed her, just as I did Kikyo."
"No, that is not so, Inuyasha. At the last, your love and hers freed Kikyou from Hell.
"How do YOU know?" Inuyasha looked surprised.
"I was there in Heaven. I saw my sister as she been in life. T'was your brother who restored me."
"With Tensuiga." Inuyasha said dully.
"Hai." Kaede said simply. "I must return to the village, Inuyasha - to help my people, although I fear for Kagome."
"I'm gonna keep trying to reach her...!" Inuyasha replied. "You do what you want to, old woman."
"Don't forget about Naraku, Inuyasha." Mirouku calmly said.
"I didn't, Mirouku!"
"Plus..." Sango said thoughfully."The only way you can get through the well is through the power of the Shikon no Tama..."
"And the only one WE know that has a few shards is..." Mirouku added.
"KOUGA!" Shippo finished for him.
Kouga! Aw, man! ANYONE but HIM! Inuyasha grimaced.
Then again, a little wolf hunting wouldn't be TOO bad!
"Inuyasha, weknow what you're thinking." Sango admonished him."And NO killing Kouga! Kagome wouldn't want that."
"Don't talk like she's dead!" Inuyasha'seyesglittered.
"She's not, Inuyasha. Look at it practically." Mirouku replied. "If you kill Kouga, you're dead meat - literally. If you bargain with him for Kagome's sake, he'll relent and give you the shards.
Yeah, right, Mirouku. Inuyasha thought. I gotta do this for Kagome. Time is going fast. No telling what is happening! Besides, I don't trust Sesshoumaru. Kagome may trust him, but I don't.
Just then, Inuyasha heard the sound of a wolf howling.
Aw, man...
Next: Chapter Seven: The World Between Past and Present/Kagome's Distress!