Chapter 9: Surprises

Everyone watched Miroku silently until Inuyasha began punching at the cage they were in. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!" He roared loudly.

"And why should I?" the demon asked blocking Miroku's punches while still looking at Inuyasha.

"Because I asked you nicely? I don't know maybe because it's an unfair fight!"

"So what that just makes everything interesting."

"Inuyasha…stay out of this…he wont release you and your just wasting time by asking him…," Miroku said looking up. "You 2 need to hurry and find a way out of there…because to be honest I don't think I'll be able to fight much longer."

It was true by the look of Miroku's body. His breathing was ragged and short and sweat was dripping from his hair. Burns covered his chest, legs and arms as he swung Tetsusaiga once more.

Sesshomaru pulled out Tenseiga (not sure of spelling) "Then I'll buy you more time. I do hate to use this blade but desperate times call for desperate measures," he said and swung right for Miroku as a long beam hit him full force the wounds on his body slowly healing.

The body switching demon blinked backing away slightly. He hadn't expected Miroku to come back in action after he had taken out that other brat. That's when the 2nd demon that Miroku had slashed earlier jumped up driving his claws towards Miroku's back. Miroku quickly dodged ramming Tetsusaiga through him then flung the body at the body switching demon who blasted it down into the lava.

"You don't even care for your own men…," Miroku said softly.

"I have no need for someone who is completely useless to me. Besides you had killed him with your sword anyway you hit his vital points."

Sesshomaru began slashing at the cage with his claws. Then when that didn't work he pulled out Tokijin slowly. "Stand back," he said simply before swinging his sword crushing the bars completely.

Now I'd say this is an even fight!" Inuyasha said jumping up onto a pillar then got slashed with Tenseiga his back healing.

Sesshomaru repeated the process of healing everybody before joining them on the pillar. Rin stood on the sidelines silently, knowing there would be no way of helping them even if she had wanted to.

"6 on 1 that hardly seems fair," the demon said a slight smirk still on his face.

"You're one to talk of a fair fight? You split each of us up and sent that 2nd demon after me when I was trying to help Shorin!" Miroku roared.

"Ah but I had no intention on killing him or you."

"Enough of your lies," Miroku said Tetsusaiga ready. "You're finished."

The demon smiled and raised his hand a ball of fire forming in his hand. "I may be about to lose but the game isn't over just yet."

Miroku and Sesshomaru charged then skidded to a stop as the size of the fire in his hand grew. Now it was big enough to engulf his entire body! They began backing away then got blasted back by a fire inferno. Miroku rammed Tetsusaiga into a pillar clinging onto it so he wouldn't fall. Sesshomaru was buried into a wall then fall onto a pillar face first.

This body switching demon had just taken out a half-demon and a full-demon with one fire blast.

That's when Shorin who had been looking for a way around the demon jumped up behind it blasting him with a lightning bullet. The bullet bashed into its back knocking it forward slightly.

"Brat…," it said softly it's back smoking slightly static still dancing on it.

"Thank you," Shorin said smiling then getting caught by surprise as the demon rammed a fireball into his stomach.

Screaming in pain Shorin fell to his knees and got kicked along the pillar falling onto another.

"Monster…," Kagome said softly and fired a purifying arrow towards it.

Sango following the tail of the arrow threw her boomerang (could someone tell me it's name ) at the demons head.

The demon stopped the boomerang but got hit with the arrow stumbling back towards the edge of the pillar. It's smirk was gone now and it was feeling pressure. Even with knocking out people he still was having trouble beating them!

How can they keep fighting? What drives them to do this! It though its stomach bleeding heavily.

Miroku slowly made it to the top of the pillar and hoisted himself up seeing Shorin.

Shorin made his way to a standing position slowly as Sesshomaru landed on the pillar helping him.

Inuyasha who had been on the sidelines suddenly made his attack. He began jabbing at the demon with his staff. Then he swung his leg around connecting with its side. Ignoring the fire on his leg he switched to the arrow delivering another swift kick to it's side.

Miroku, Sesshomaru, and Shorin by the time were making their way quickly towards Inuyasha. They were going to gang up on it as best as they could. That's when a wave of fire spread out from the demons body hitting everyone except Rin.

Inuyasha got the full force of it and felt his feet lifted from the ground flying into the care where Rin was once more. His body was singed but he was still ready to fight…the only problem was he was having trouble standing at this point.

Miroku hit the ceiling when the fire caught his stomach bashing his head in as he fell slowly towards the ground. Hitting the ground he didn't move groaning softly.

Sesshomaru tried turning his into a back flip before he got hit but found that was impossible as the wave smashed his body into the pillar as it broke falling towards the lava. It crashed on the lava slowly sinking with Sesshomaru's body now on it.

Shorin before it hit blasted the wave heading for the girls lessening it's force slightly. He got hit from behind slamming into the hard wall falling on the edge of a crumbling pillar.

The girls, thanks to Shorin got hit with less force than most. Sango also heaving her boomerang up helped. They got their legs burnt from trying to keep the fire from singing them. Their legs were nearly useless now but their arms were enough to use the normal attacks they wanted. If it came down to leg speed though they were going to die for sure.

Everyone was down except for Kagome and Sango. Kagome already had pulled out an arrow and Sango had pulled out her boomerang. They were going to buy all the time they could but they knew they definitely couldn't promise very much. Shorin had saved them and bought them time to fight…somehow they thought he knew that something like this would happen.

"Jeez…that hurt a lot…," Miroku said softly his head bleeding. He was awake but he wasn't going to be standing in the next few seconds. First though the world needed to stop spinning around him.

Rin was knelt by Inuyasha and was gingerly trying to shake him awake. He had been burnt badly but he was alive and he needed to help.

"Inuyasha…wake up…WAKE UP!" Rin bellowed in his year.

Inuyasha sat up quickly then cried out in pain. "What's going on?" he asked looking at Rin.

"Um…you were taking a painful nap?" she offered helpfully.

Inuyasha stood slowly grabbing his staff. It was red hot and made his hand burn but his whole body was burnt anyway another burn probably wouldn't make to much more difference. Miroku may be mad though seeing as I trashed his body Inuyasha thought smiling some.

Miroku stood slowly swaying on his feet. He gingerly touched his head feeling the stickiness of blood matting his hair. He picked up Tetsusaiga as it transformed and he winced. He could barely lift its weight let alone swing it effectively…maybe the demon was so tired all he'd have to do was drop it on the demon and it'd work…and maybe the demon would also invite them over for tea later.

Sesshomaru's eyes opened and the first thing he seen was lava. Lava was slowly seeping around his body and he was about to touch it. Jumping quickly to a pillar his legs gave out as he landed on it. His legs were weak and he thinks he'd busted a few ribs with that crash.

"This isn't good…," he muttered softly under his breath. "I don't know how I can use Tenseiga so many times and quick enough…I can't even use it to its full power…I can't heal anyone…"

Shorin opened his eyes just as the pillar crumbled. Rolling quickly to the other edge Shorin let out a sigh of relief. He had made it…barely. Standing quickly he groaned falling back down. Every time he moved his spine felt like it had been given another blast of that wave. He held up his hand a weak lightning ball in it, he had enough power for one blast and he had to make it count.

Kagome fired her arrow and Sango threw the boomerang. They both prayed this would hit…but it didn't. Right when they were about to think a victory was at hand the demon leapt over the arrow and grabbed her boomerang. The only good thing that came from the attack was the force of the throw broke its arm when it tried to catch the incoming hit.

"An ok kind of hit…," Kagome murmured under her breath softly.

Inuyasha's staff suddenly came spinning from behind the girls. It quickly flew into the demons face sending it stumbling back. "Never…count me out…," Inuyasha said his breathing heavily one of his legs completely useless.

How are these people still standing? The demon thought in rage as blood slowly dripped down its face.

Shorin smiled and quickly let the blast fly towards the demon. He cried out in victory as it hit its chest then cried out in pain as he felt his back burning again. Falling back he groaned…

"I think the demon is the real winner…oh my aching back…," Shorin said softly.

"What're you talking about?" Miroku asked.

"It doesn't have a hurt back that's what!" Shorin said slowly.

"….Pathetic…," Sesshomaru said.

Miroku smiled and slowly jumped from pillar to pillar. Each movement made every body part hurt. He sighed getting nowhere fast then got an idea. He pulled out the sheath to Tetsusaiga and threw the sword into the demons side. Then before it could fall in the lava he pointed the sheath at it as Tetsusaiga flew back in.

"Good thing Inuyasha told me about that…," Miroku said smiling softly.

The demon roared in pain bleeding heavily. He had a broken arm a slash from the lightning and sword in both sides, and had a staff smash into his head. More punishment came as Sesshomaru quickly used his whip breaking the other arm. Then Kagome's arrow pierced through it's chest ending all feeling that the demon had. Falling back into the lava white balls burst from it's body flying out of the volcano. 2 flew into Inuyasha and Miroku.

When Inuyasha looked up he seen Miroku's body. When Miroku looked up he seen Inuyasha's body.

"I'M ME AGAIN!" The two cried in unison then blinked looking at their bodies. Both were oddly enough healed.

"I guess that'll make the job of carrying everyone back to the village a lot safer," Shorin said grinning. "Anyway, I'm going to take my leave. Good-Bye everyone and I hope we meet again," he said as he slowly disappeared.

Sesshomaru walked over to Rin and knelt by her. Then, they too disappeared.

Kagome stumbled to Inuyasha touching his face. "Is it really you?" she asked poking his cheeks some.

"Who else would it be?" he asked.

"Yup…same bad attitude its you," Kagome said then hugged him happily.

Miroku ran to Sango and picked her up hugging her tightly.

"How 'bout we all go to the village and celebrate?" Sango asked a wide smile on her face.

"Might as well," Inuyasha said as they stepped out of the volcano.

They had all been through a lot; they were burnt and covered in soot. But they were happy and now had a new story to tell.