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Disclaimer: I own this story, the computer the story is on, and this awesome black and red Inuyasha shirt from Hot Topic.
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"..." regular speech
'...' thoughts
italics flashback/memory
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Chap.4-When All Seems Lost
Inuyasha looked ahead at Kouga's back in thought. He had stayed up all night thinking on whether or not he felt something for the wolf. He continued walking until he bumped into him.
"OI BAKA! Watch where you're not going! Do yo---"
Kouga cut him off, shoving his finger in the hanyou's face. "Do you smell that Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha sniffed the air and froze. "Blood."
"Yeah...and the stench of a dragon demon."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as Kouga turned to face him.
"It's the same one Inuyasha. I don't think you should go. It's no---"
"What the hell do you mean I shouldn't go! That demon killed my friends! If anyone should kill it, it's me." He pushed pass Kouga with his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga, but tensed when he felt a hand grab his shoulder. "Let me go wolf. I'll take care of this myself."
"Inuyasha! Look at you! Not only have you lost a lot of strength, but your emotions might get the better of you! You could die!" Kouga tried to reason with him.
Inuyasha smirked and turned towards Kouga whose anger currently showed on his face. Inuyasha noticed a little something else in the wolf's eyes. Inuyasha kept his face stoic as he replied, "You're right Kouga. I could die," he turned away and, while Kouga was about to turn him around again, sucker-punched him with the hilt of his sword knocking him out. He pulled Kouga into a small cave where he'd be safe. "Sorry, but I'd rather die than live in a world without everyone else."
He sprinted off into the forest and quickly made it to the edge of the village. It was relatively small so the little fires were spreading quickly. Without a second thought, he ran into the burning village looking through the windows of the blackened, one-room houses for survivors. His ears twitched and jumped to the left, narrowly missing the demon whose outstretched claws would have cut him in half. He picked himself up and drew his sword before the demon could react.
"I might not have been able to protect Kagome and the others from you, but today you will die!" He rushed towards the demon, arms in position for a wind scar, but before he could do anything the dragon demon grabbed the Tetsusaiga and threw him away from it.
"You stupid half-breed. Did you actually think you could defeat me?" He laughed ravenously, the malice in his voice clearly showing. "You are a fool. I almost feel sorry for your friends. Having someone like you to protect them. A lot of good you'll do now!"
The demon began bringing his claws down. Inuyasha closed his eyes so he wouldn't see his death coming. Oddly, it never came. He opened one eye, then the other and looked up. Kouga was standing in front of him, restraining the dragon demon from making any more moves.
"Hey mutt! Go now! I'll take care of him! Get to safety!" With that he tossed the dragon into a nearly burnt down house behind him.
Inuyasha just stood staring at him blankly. 'The demon said that he felt sorry for them, having me to protect them. They're dead though. How could I protect them any? Unless...' He was pulled out of his thinking by Kouga's jab to his left cheek. He put his hand up to where the hit impacted. "Kouga..."
"Get out of here now! I did not stay with you all this time to let you die! I would never forgive myself if I failed Kagome by letting you commit suicide like this. Now go! I don't want you in the way while I'm pounding this guy into the ground," he finished nodding in the direction of the house and smirked cockily.
Inuyasha grinned equally arrogant. "Try not to hurt yourself wimpy wolf."
"Heh. Why don't you worry 'bout your own self you stupid fleabag."
They gave each other one last look before Inuyasha took off into the forest and Kouga watched him.
'Go Inuyasha. It's best like this.'
Kouga turned around facing the demon who had gotten himself up and was currently overflowing with rage.
"Heh. Came back for another round?" Kouga tauntingly shook his hand towards the demon.
"You shall perish for your foolishness wolf. Then after I kill you, I'll go to your tribe and feast on their bones as well."
"I'd like to see you try you bastard."
With that the battle started.
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Inuyasha rolled over in his tree. It had been a good 3 months since Kouga had told him to leave and let him fight. After an hour, he went to see if Kouga had slew the demon already and just went to sleep there, but there was nothing. Most of the village had burned down. He walked around calling for him, anybody, to answer. Nothing but the smell of smoke in his nostrils and the faint whispering of the wind answered him. The only thing left of Kouga's existence there was a spot of blood in the dirt. Inuyasha pulled out a container and sniffed the contents. After nearly committing suicide, he bottled Kouga's blood so that he would have at least the smell of someone with him. He sighed and looked at himself in a puddle below. His eyes were slightly sunken in and his skin was a pasty color. At first glance, you'd never be able to tell that his hair was white before. Somehow, his clothes remained intact although hanging off of his emaciated body. He wasn't starving himself, but he wasn't going out to hunt either. He rolled over again, not wanting to look at how pathetic he had become anymore. He looked over to the Testusaiga. It was becoming mighty welcoming right about now. He reached out and unsheathed it. The untransformed blade glimmered slightly in the slight light from the setting sun. He looked at the bottled dirt once more.
'I'm sorry Kouga, but I can't exist like this. I need someone else. I need my friends. I need Kagome. I need...you.'
He placed the blade above his heart, ready to run it through until he heard a familiar voice.
"Inuyasha! I-nu-ya-sha!"
Inuyasha gave a weak laugh. He could've sworn he could here Miroku calling him. The spirits must've sent him to take his soul. He readied the blade once more, but was interrupted once more as the word 'sit' echoed through the forest. Inuyasha stared wide-eyed ahead of him and was flipped on his back. He squinted adjusting to the light above him. He blinked a few times and finally focused on the five figures above him smiling. They lifted him up and brushed him off.
"Thank goodness you're still alive Inuyasha! We've been looking for you for months. After Naraku's demon came we all split up and when we went back, you were gone. It's been real...Inuyasha, what's wrong?"
Inuyasha's eyes had begun to flood with tears. He wasn't dreaming. Standing in front of him were the shapes of his companions. The same smell, look, sound. He began crying and hugged them all. All was not lost.
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Hope you liked it. I might not be able to update much due to my site and school and whatnot, but I'll try. Remember, more reviews means hopefully quicker updates! ;)