Kagome's eyes cracked open slightly, awakened by the fury eloping around her. She turned and noticed Sesshomaru, whose half-dead body was lying beside her.
What the hell is going on? Kagome thought between gasps. What has happened to Sesshomaru?
She looked up and saw Inu-yasha standing protectively right above her.
Inu-yasha.
"Look," Miroku sought out Sango's attention. "It may seem that Kagome has finally regained consciousness.
"Inu-yasha!"
"Can't you see I'm busy now Miroku?"
"Inu-yasha listen," Miroku advised. "Kagome has regained consciousness behind you. I would suggest that you try battling with Naraku somewhere else. Fighting here any longer will only put Kagome at risk."
"Kagome!"
Sango ran carelessly over to the spot where Kagome laid.
"Sango, that's too dangerous! Get out of here!" Inu-yasha ordered. "Run! Go to Kaede! And take Kagome with you!"
Inu-yasha then turned around looking squarely at Miroku as if trying to urge him to make a move. Reading his thoughts Miroku stepped forward and acted as a shield to protect the others.
"You stupid fools!" Naraku cursed. "Do you actually think a defense like that can really stop me!"
Naraku called forth a dark twister and sent it raging towards Sango.
"Oh no! Sango look out!"
"Wind Tunnel!"
"Miroku wait!" Inu-yasha shouted. "That's too much of a risk! You don't want to suck in Sango and Kagome do you!"
"Sacred Arrow!"
Miroku and Inu-yasha turned around in much delightment as they heard Kagome's voice piercing through the thick black mist. As the mist gradually dissolved, they discovered that Sango was lying in the soil motionless from exhaustion. Kagome, soon after, collapsed over her.
"Kagome!"
Inu-yasha turned his back to Naraku ready to run to Kagome's aid.
"Lesson number two, never turn your back towards the enemy. Fuujin No Mai!"
"What...? Ahhh!"
Inu-yasha howled in agony as the attack struck him piercingly towards the ground.
I thought that was Kagura's move, Miroku thought with eyes widened in fear.
"Yes Kagura, she served me well," Naraku purred. "She served me well until the end indeed."
"You sick bastard!" Inu-yasha growled struggling to his knees.
"That must be the third or fourth time you've called me that Inu-yasha. I'm beginning to think that you've forgotten my name."
"No one's listening to your lame jokes here Naraku! Playtime is over! I'm gonna send you to hell right where you belong!"
"You couldn't do it one hundred times before. What makes you think you can do it now!"
"Kagome shoot one of your sacred arrows!" Inu-yasha shouted. "Shoot it as close as possible to Naraku's head!"
"Right!"
Kagome weakly struggled to her knees and reached behind her for her bow and arrow.
Oh no, it's gone.
She looked further ahead of her and saw it scattered next to Sesshomaru.
It must have fallen off my back when Sango was trying to help me. I've got to get it.
"Kagome, come on! Hurry up!"
But I'm so weak. I don't think I'll ever be able to get over there in time.
"Looks like your little girlfriend is having some problems," Naraku teased. "She doesn't even seem to have enough strength to stand up."
"Damn it all!" Inu-yasha grumbled. "Guess I'm on my own with this one."
Purr
Kagome looked down into her lap as if defeated, to see Kirara purring up at her.
"Kirara," she said elatedly, "you don't how glad I am to see you. Come on Kirara, transform. And take me over to my bow and arrows."
The rent in the wind that appears where Youkai collides with Youkai... Inu-yasha thought. … the Cutting Wind... The maneuver that draws out Tetsusaiga's greatest power...
"Time to do the cutting wind!" Inu-yasha shouted.
"I'm ready to shoot Inu-yasha!"
"Huh?" Naraku gasped a bit surprised.
"Prepare to die Naraku! Tetsusaiga!"
Inu-yasha sliced through the Wind Scar directly after Kagome's sacred arrow pierced at Naraku's forehead. With that one sweep he managed to dissolve half of Naraku's frame as the Shikon no Tama came tumbling to the ground.
"You did it Inu-yasha!" Miroku commended from the sidelines. "You managed to defeat Naraku!"
"Managed? What is that supposed to mean? You're acting like I had some type of struggle or something."
"You fools!" Naraku's voice echoed in. "This is so farfrom over!"
Inu-yasha and Miroku firmly stood their ground looking around restlessly in fear.
"I'll be back for you Inu-yasha! And when that time comes, I guarantee it'll be your end!"
A purple mist surrounded the area before dissolving into nothingness.
"And I'll be waiting for you Naraku!" Inu-yasha bellowed confidently towards the air. "Damn him for getting away."
"Lord Sesshomaru."
Miroku and Inu-yasha turned around suddenly to see Jaken kneeling near his master. Next to him, to Inu-yasha's surprise, was Kagome hovering sadly over Sesshomaru's half-dead body.
I can't believe it, Inu-yasha thought. She's actually shedding tears for that wretched Youkai.
Inu-yasha puffed his face up irately and walked over angrily to Shippo's mangled corpse. Miroku, in the mean time, went to help out an injured Sango who was lying motionless on the ground.
"Are you okay Sango?"
Sango opened her eyes slightly to see Miroku looking worriedly down at her. She couldn't help but blush profusely as she noticed the genuine concern seeping through his eyes.
"Uhh… yes I'm fine?" she shakily replied trying to bar the tears welled into her eyes. Miroku turned to face the other direction nervously fiddling his thumb between his laps.
"I'm going to take you back to Kaede's if you don't mind. Besides, Inu-yasha seems to have his own troubles to deal with."
They both looked over towards Inu-yasha who seemed to be drowning in a pit of misery.
"Inu-yasha! I'm carrying Sango over to Kaede. Bring Shippo to me and I'll give him a proper burial!"
Miroku took Shippo away from Inu-yasha then lifted Sango unto Kirara's back.
"See you later at the village!"
Kirara disappeared with Miroku and Sango through the forest.
"Take care of him Jaken," Kagome whispered as Jaken whisked Sesshomaru off unto one of his minions.
She later turned around to see Inu-yasha standing somewhere far off behind her.
"Inu… yasha?"
"Oh, so you're ready to go now?" Inu-yasha asked bitterly trying to ignore Kagome's apologetic stares.
"Inu…"
"No need to explain Kagome. You've already made it perfectly clear."
He stooped to the ground in front of her and urged her to climb unto his back.
"What are you waiting for?" Inu-yasha asked wrathfully. "I don't have all day you know. Come on, jump on!"
Kagome climbed onto Inu-yasha hesistantly sinking her fingers softly into his clothes.
He must hate me now, she thought sadly. I won't be surprised if he never forgives me.
Are those tears I feel dripping lightly upon my neck? Inu-yasha thought. I wonder what I said to hurt her this time. Sighs Oh Kagome, I understand what you're going through fully well now. It's the same predicament I had between you and Kikyo. But I never knew it would actually hurt this much coming from the receiving end.
Inu-yasha stretched his hand behind him faintly, stroking away a few of Kagome's tears.
"I'm sorry Kagome," Inu-yasha whispered apologetically. "I promise I'll never hurt you again."
"But Inu-yasha…?"
"Just promise me in return Kagome, that I can always be at your side…"
B r e a k
A/N: Well, thanks to all those who reviewed and I'm sorry for dragging the fic out for an entire 2 years. I was just so busy. It's an old story and when I look back on it, the chapters could have been written much better. I'll make another attempt at an Inu-yasha fanfiction some time in the future. In the meantime, you can check out my other stories. Don't forget to review this last chapter. I'll appreciate it!