Disclaimer: Do I really have to type anything here? If I WAS the owner of Inuyasha I wouldn't have to buy all the Inu gear I have now, I'd get it for free.

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Chapter 16:

Kagome watched silently as Inuyasha turned into his human form. She looked up at the moonless night with wonder.

Why today? We should have been more careful, now what are we gonna do?

She moved her eyes back to where the hanyou stood, no doubt looking a little enraged. The wolf demon next to him didn't seem to mind though. He actually laughed.

"Ha mutt. You couldn't even remember the day of your weakness! Not to worry though, I, the real demon, shall protect all of you by myself. Stand back puppy."

Inuyasha growled various obscenities, but stepped back all the same. He was in charge of protecting Kagome and the others. That would be his first priority.

"Kagome, go behind that tree and get your arrows ready!"

She nodded and did as told.

She looked closely at the demon and pointed towards its chest. "There Inuyasha! The fragment of the jewel is in the middle of his chest!"

Before the hanyou could answer, Koga leapt forward and punched the lizard square in the face, only to get no reaction from it.

A few seconds passed and the lizard charged. The hit didn't seem to phase him, it only made him more angry.

Koga was back in its face before he could get hear the others, "Oh no you don't! Your fight is with me you bastard!"

He kicked it's face back and went to punch him in the stomach, but the demon was too fast. With tremendous speed it lifted one of it's massive feet and managed to cut Koga in the back with his sharp claws.

Koga screamed out in pain as he fell to the ground near the group.

Kagome shouted from the back of the tree, "Koga! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just got careless."

Inuyasha went to where Koga was struggling to stand, "We're gonna need all the help we can get if you can't fight. Looks like I'm not the only helpless one here."

"Don't even start to compare us."

"Feh."

Inuyasha looked back, "Sango! I need you to take me on Kirara so that I can slice that stupid demon. Obviously normal attacks won't work on it."

She came forward, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. After we get the jewel out we need Miroku to use his wind tunnel. Then it'll be over."

They mounted Kirara just as the lizard came to charge at them. Before they could reach the demon, a purple light flew past them and hit the monster. It screamed in pain as a sacred arrow hit his left eye.

Inuyasha looked back at Kagome with gratitude and brought back his gaze to the monster.

It was momentarily stunned. It couldn't pay attention to what was going on around it because of the pain that the arrow had inflicted on it. As Kirara went closer to it he crouched and prepared himself for the strike. He knew they weren't gonna like his plan.

Then again, they never do.

It was going to be impossible to hit the thing while staying safely on top of Kirara's back. That was simple enough. He would have to launch himself onto the demon while it was still distracted and hit it right were the jewel was.

Kagome's gonna give me a thousand sits after this...

Without any warning to Sango, he jumped off Kirara when they were only a few feet away from the lizard. His right hand held onto the hilt of the rusty tetsusaiga as he aimed it towards the heart.

He could hear Sango scream his name but he was already upon his target.

The sword embedded itself in the demons chest as it cried out in pain. Inuyasha held out, but he didn't have enough strength to pull the sword out.

Shit...

The demon realized this and looked back down.

Just as he raised his claws to strike, a glow seemed to come off the sword. It was a blinding light, that when it dissipated, revealed a fully transformed Tetsusaiga.

What the hell?

As the sword was back to its form, Inuyasha was able to grip it and pull it out. Surprisingly it was as light as a feather, and he could wield it perfectly.

The demon became more furious and spat some green liquid from it's mouth at Inuyasha, and used his claws to throw him unto the ground.

Kagome started to run towards him "Inuyasha!"

No. Don't come Kagome... You'll be killed... Go back.

The stinging pain from the poison prevented him from talking and rendered him motion less; he waited to feel the claws of the monster upon him back.

He knew Miroku couldn't save him. He couldn't get between him and the demon to use his wind tunnel.

Kagome... I...

He didn't feel any pain.

Just a gust of wind that threw him even further and smashed him against a tree. When he looked all that remained of the terrifying demon was a corpse of green goo and bones.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome went running to him and put his head on her lap. "Are you okay? You stupid jerk! How could you do that? Risking your life when you're mortal like this? What do you think I would have done if you died huh! What were you thinking!"

He gave her a smirk, "I got rid of him didn't I?"

Tears sprung into her eyes, "But you're hurt."

He looked at her lovingly, trust her to go from maniac to concerned in two seconds.

"Not badly. The haori protected me from most of the acid, but some of it got inside and got to my chest."

As Sango and Miroku tended to Koga, Kagome ran towards camp and brought the first aid kit back with her. She cleaned some of the bruises on his face and opened his shirt to see his chest. Not much of the acid had gone through, but there was enough to leave deep burn wounds on his chest.

She cleaned off the stay goo and cleaned the wound with an antibiotic. Inuyasha flinched, "That hurts wench!"

"Well sorry! I wasn't the one who had the great idea of throwing myself at a demon while I was vulnerable!"

She's worried. I shouldn't bother her so much.

He remained silent for the rest of the time that she cared for him. When she was done bandaging him she smiled and gave him a small pat on the head. "There. All done. You were a very good boy!"

"Feh, you act as if I'm your dog or something."

She just smiled and stayed silent at his comment.

She helped him up and he limped his way over to where Koga and the others were. His sword was close to where they were, but unlike moments before, it was back to its original 'can't even cut butter' stage.

Miroku walked up to him and motioned his hand at Koga. "He'll be fine. A days rest should be enough for him. But what about you?"

"I'm fine."

"Do you have any idea about what happened with the tetsusaiga to make it transform. There was no was that you could make it change in your current state."

"I know."

They walked over to where the sword lay and Inuyasha picked it up.

Nothing happened.

"What the hell."

Everyone looked at him until Miroku spoke up. "I think I might have an idea on what happened tonight."

"Well spit it out already!"

Miroku held his hand up to show a fragment of the sacred jewel. It was such a large piece that it could have easily been half of the jewel.

"While you stabbed the demon Inuyasha, the blade connected with this fragment; thus allowing you to wield it to its full power. I doubt though that you would have withstood doing the Wind Scar or any other major attack."

Kagome spoke up, "That also explains what happened to the demon. It was just a corpse, but when powered by the jewel, it had enough strength to become a monster."

"So the size of the jewel allowed it to come back from the death and wreak havoc? Amazing."

Inuyasha stepped up and took the jewel from Miroku, then he turned to Kagome and tossed it at her, "Well, at least we now have most of the jewel. That'll make the fight with Naraku easier, I hope."

He started walking back to the camp but stopped for a second.

"And now we also know you're pretty much useless Koga. Well, then again, you're a wolf."

"I dare you to say that to my face you mangy mutt!"

"Oh but I don't need to. Even when I have no powers I can still kick your puny ass."

"Dog breath."

"Jerk."

"Flea bitten puppy."

"You disgusting excuse for a demon."

"Fucker."

"Sit boy! No cursing at Koga!"

Kagome walked over to the dear whole in which her love lay in. "Come on Inuyasha. It's no time for fighting. Anyways, didn't you say that you and Koga had patched things up? We don't want to destroy that relationship, do we?

"..."

"OI don't be that way." She pushed him to their side of the tent. "Then you won't get your reward for being so brave..."

His eyes lit up. "You're gonna cook me ramen!"

Her eyes became small enraged slits as she smiled wickedly at him. "SIT"

"Wahhh!" Inuyasha had just destroyed the tent. His scream didn't alarm anyone, but he could envision a small fox-shaped fur ball walking next to him only to say one thing.

"Idiot."

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It was now two days later, and the group would be reaching Sesshomaru's castle by sundown.

The day was uneventful and quiet. The only things that could be heard were a few slaps, a few painful cries from the lecherous monk, and a few small arguments between a certain hanyou and a wolf demon.

Even then, Inuyasha had been on his best behavior. He helped clean up camp, and he constantly stopped so that the others had the rest they needed. And even after all HIS hard work, he couldn't manage to get the person on his back to give any signs of life other than a few grunts and evil glares.

"Yo Kagome, what's the matter with you? You've been acting weird since... Don't tell me you're still mad at THAT!"

For the first time since that little incident, she looked him square in the eye. Her voice was as sweet as it could be, "I'm sorry, could you put me down for a second?"

"Huh? Oh. Okay."

He crouched down so she could get off him easily and stood a few feet away from him, "Inuyasha ... I love you..."

His eyes widened, "huh?"

She took in a deep breath, "And that's why I'm not going to break your back."

Inuyasha was still lost in this whole conversation, "Huh?" Her words repeated in his brain over and over again.

"And don't worry, I won't break your back. After all, we still need to get to the castle by today."

It finally kicked in.

"What! No Kagome! Please don't! I love you! Please! I swear, I really thought you were gonna give me ramen, since you're so good at making it!" His eyes darted everywhere trying to think of ways of stalling her, "Yes! And how was I suppose to know what the reward was! I mean if we were alone .. then... maybe..."

He stopped talking as he heard a quiet snicker coming from behind him.

Shit. How could I have forgotten that they were all still here?

He looked back at Kagome who now had a giant smile adorning her face. She went closer to him, extending out her arms.

"You forgive me?"

She shook her head.

NO.

"Sit boy! SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT!"

As he writhed on the ground she went down to her level and bent to whisper in his ears.

"I love ya too. You arrogant puppy."

Puppy?

Arrogant?

Puppy?

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"They are approaching."

"What?"

"Inuyasha and his companions are near. I can smell them."

"You know why they are here."

"Yes."

"Then you know I cannot stay."

"Yes."

"..."

"When will you be back?"

Her eyes drew away from his and looked down to the floor.

"Whenever I am able to. I do not know if I'm being watched, although I am pretty certain that I am not."

"If you stayed, many things could be cleared up, our plan would be made more easily."

"IF I stayed, your brother would waste no time in slicing my head off."

"And I would waste no time in returning the favor."

"I don't want to cause more problems that the ones I already have."

"Yes, I suppose. So, you're leaving then?"

She nodded.

"I don't suppose I'll make it out alive at the end." Her eyes were sad, "Even if I don't get to see you after this, I still want to thank you for your help. No one would have ever aided me as much as you have."

She looked him in the eye, "Thank you"

She turned to leave.

But she couldn't move.

Was it the fear of leaving and the possibility of never coming back?

No.

It was the two arms wrapped tightly around her from the back.

"You will come back. I will make sure that you do."

She smiled and walked forward, "Kohaku! We're leaving!"

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"Aww! Man! Did you have to sit me so many damn times Kagome!"

"Yes, otherwise, you wouldn't have learned your lesson."

Miroku popped his head between the walking couple, "It's true you know. Women never want to be insulted. In any way. Right Sango?"

She looked up from her place on Kirara, "Yes you know that well, don't you Miroku?"

"Heheee. Yes my dear."

"Man, they've got you guys whipped!"

"Shut up Koga! What about you and Ayame?"

Koga blanched visibly.

"Word is that you're gonna take her as your mate soon. Any truth to that little rumor?"

Koga started to sweat.

"So what if there was?"

"Nothing. Nothing really..."

"Really?"

"Really."

Kagome spoke up, "Oh Inuyasha, stop taunting Koga. You know he's here to help. Anyways, we're here already."

The tall castle that lay in front of them took several acres of land as was decorated in pure white. It was enormous to say the least. One had to think why a loner such as Sesshomaru would live in such a lofty and spacious castle.

"So Inuyasha, you think we should just go in?"

"MEOW."

"Did you just meow at me?"

"No."

"Yes you did."

"That wasn't me. Look behind ya."

Her eyes traveled to where he told her to look. A fat orange cat greeted her. "Meow."

"BUYO!"

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That's all that I'm gonna write for this chapter, but do not despair, there are still lots of things on the way.

I kinda am a little disappointed with the action scene, but then again, I kinda knew it wouldn't be that good. I'm trying to get ideas on how to make the final battles more interesting and more believable, haha, I should have thought of that when doing the everyone vs. Naraku fight a few chapters back!

Oh well, anyways, I'd really would like some reviews! And ideas and/or comments are welcome! And thanks to those who did last chapter!

So review!

I know everyone says that.

But it still would make me happy! Even if you haven't reviewed before, or if you have.

Review!