Chapter 52:The Final Battle Part 2
Kaori's eyes fluttered open just after Sesshomaru disappeared into the trees. She moaned, alerting Kagome and Joo-yun she was coming to. Sango and Miroku were also nearby. Kohaku had run off with Kagura to join Naraku in the battle. The Poisonous Insects were mostly killed thanks to Sesshomaru.
"Kaori, are you all right?" Kagome asked, helping her sit up on her own.
"Where's Sesshomaru?" Kaori asked instantly.
Kagome was silent, looking at Sango and Miroku before back at Kaori. "He and Inuyasha went to kill Naraku."
"On their own!" Kaori exclaimed and tried to get up, but her entire side hurt. "They're idiots."
"I guess I can agree with you there. But Sesshomaru just wanted your safety," Kagome said.
"Kagome speaks the truth. He gave Joo-yun the Tenseiga just to protect you," Sango said. Kaori looked at Joo-yun and she held the sword she had hoped Sango hadn't said.
"Joo-yun, I need you to give that to me," Kaori said as softly as possible.
"But Papa told me to hold it and protect you," Joo-yun whined.
"Joo-yun, this isn't a debate. Give me the sword!" Kaori yelled. Joo-yun burst into tears and Kaori leaned back into the tree and cried herself. Sesshomaru was going to die. And she couldn't do anything!
Kagome sighed and stood. "We'll get you to Sesshomaru. He has no right to go out and commit suicide like this," Kagome said. "And neither does Inuyasha!"
Kaori looked up at Kagome and was helped to her feet. She thanked Kagome, but Kagome didn't respond and just helped Kaori walk.
Kaori got used to the pain and walked on her own. Sango carried a sobbing Joo-yun and Tenseiga. Miroku walked behind the ladies. She pushed the branches and saw the men fighting Naraku. The sound of clinking swords was heard from back at Kaori's original spot. And now she knew why. Naraku had materialized a sword, protecting himself from the swords. But Kaori could see slashes on Naraku's robes. He must have gotten slashed a few times, but he wasn't sprouting blood. Inuyasha was, but not Sesshomaru. He was avoiding every attack and Kaori could only assume Sesshomaru was the one who had given Naraku those slashes. Inuyasha collapsed with the Tetsusiaga in hand, leaning on it until the sword gave way and he fell to the ground.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out and ran to his side. Sesshomaru looked at the bushes where Kagome came from and Kaori standing there, watching him.
"Sesshomaru, watch out!" Kaori exclaimed, pointing behind him. He looked, but wasn't quick enough and was thrown aside into a tree. Kaori ran, ignoring her injuries, to Sesshomaru side and kneeled next to him. "Idiot, idiot, idiot."
"Yeah, you are," Sesshomaru hissed, sitting up. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Trying to save your life," Kaori spat.
"Well, if you hadn't come, I wouldn't have been knocked aside," he growled. He spat beside him and some blood was seen in it.
"Can I help?" Kaori asked almost silently. "I really want to get my revenge as well."
Sesshomaru sighed and stood up. "If you can do anything, be my guest."
Kaori stood and then leaned on the tree. Sesshomaru looked back at her, slightly worried, but then on his target. Naraku had his tentacles out behind him and was crackling.
"How sweet. Two couples, working together to kill their enemy. You know, this could make the perfect romantic novel. Perhaps, Kaori, write one after this, while in my lap, in my castle, huh?" Naraku crackled.
"In your dreams!" Kaori spat. She quickly searched her pockets, while everyone attack Naraku, for her red pearl bracelet. She found it and slipped it on. She fired it after Inuyasha was knocked away and it hit Naraku dead on.
He hissed at her and leaped over Sesshomaru, straight in front of Kaori.
"How dare you? After all I have done for you? I haven't killed you, or tried, even, but yet you try to kill me. Do you not care?" Naraku asked, pushing her against a tree with anger.
"Truthfully, NO!" Kaori yelled, pushing Naraku away. He went flying a little bit, but flew back into Kaori. His body was pressed against hers and she felt something she didn't want to feel on her leg. She turned her head away with disgust.
"I guess I'm going to take you by force!" Naraku yelled, grabbing her kimono crease. But just as he did, Sesshomaru slashed that arm off and stepped on it after releasing Kaori's kimono and hitting the ground. He pushed Naraku aside and stood protectively in front of Kaori.
"NEVER touch her again," Sesshomaru hissed loudly and angrily.
Naraku hissed at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru was always getting in the way. Before he made another move, white blades went flying towards Sesshomaru and Kaori. Sesshomaru quickly grabbed Kaori and darted out of the way. Kaori wasn't injured a bit, but Sesshomaru received a slash on his shoulder. Naraku was infuriated. Kagura almost killed Kaori!
Kaori thanked Sesshomaru for getting her to safety, but then saw the blood on her hand. Sesshomaru was injured. "You really should sit down," Kaori said, very worried about her husband. He was already exhausted from the battle, and with being injured, she knew the battle would only get worst for him.
"Only after that bastard is killed," Sesshomaru hissed, looking over his shoulder to Naraku. Naraku yelled angrily at Kagura before inserting two fingers into her neck and pulling out a jewel shard.
"That is what you get for endangering Kaori!" Naraku yelled as Kagura disappeared into ashes. Sesshomaru nearly rolled his eyes. Naraku had helped him on his own.
Sesshomaru stood up and grabbed Tokijin from a nearby stump. "Kaori, stay back. I can't risk your injury," Sesshomaru told Kaori, positioning himself for an attack.
"And you can? I'm helping," Kaori said, stepping next to Sesshomaru. But he pushed her right back behind him.
"If you die, who the hell will raise our daughter?" Sesshomaru hissed.
"You, of course," Kaori said angrily.
"I'm most likely going to die this battle, Kaori. And if you don't raise her, I won't know what will become of her. Please, just stay back," Sesshomaru said somewhat harshly. Kaori was shocked. He was going to die? Well, if he was, he was. She had to stay alive, for Joo-yun. She nodded her head with some disappointment and Sesshomaru ran towards Naraku.
Kaori kept near a tree, just in case an attack should come flying at her, she would have some sort of shield.
"Mama, where's papa?" Joo-yun
"Stay back!" Kaori yelled. Sesshomaru turned to Kaori and Joo-yun's voice and was hit by Naraku's tentacle, hitting him into a tree. He was too exhausted and injured to get up. Kaori heard the thud and grunt from Sesshomaru when he hit the tree. She had to make an important decision; Sesshomaru or Joo-yun?
She took the biggest chance of her life and ran towards Sesshomaru, kneeling next to him. He saw her, and pointed her to get Joo-yun, growling loudly at her, but she didn't listen. She kneeled next to him, tears running down her cheeks. Just as she reached Sesshomaru, Joo-yun screamed. Kohaku had just appeared in front of her.
"Kaori, YOU ASS!" Sesshomaru yelled, worried about his daughter. He would be there in a flash if he wasn't so injured.
Joo-yun covered her eyes, expecting the worst. She was going to die. She was going to join Papa in heaven. But nothing came. In the nick of time, Miroku had run by and scooped her up in his arms, getting her out of danger quickly. Kaori and Sesshomaru sighed with relief. Joo-yun was going to be all right.
"Kaori, I told you to stay back," Sesshomaru hissed and just looked at the battle between Naraku and Inuyasha. Kagome momentarily shot arrows at Naraku, but her aim still wasn't so well.
"I couldn't just let you die," Kaori said almost silently. "Plus, I could be a shield. You saw what he did to Kagura just for endangering me. He wouldn't try anything if I'm standing in front of you."
"I'm not going to use you as an object, risking your survival even more," Sesshomaru growled.
"Well without me, you'll survival will be minimum!" Kaori yelled.
"At least I will die like my father. Protecting my family from a hated foe," Sesshomaru sighed.
Kagome was seen hitting Naraku with an arrow manually before being knocked aside. Kaori got an idea. She quickly grabbed a bow and arrow that laid nearby.
"Sesshomaru, is it possible for you to poison this arrow? It might be enough to kill Naraku," Kaori suggested, looking at how effected Naraku was. The area that still held the purified arrow was sizzling, like acid.
"Perhaps. What do you have in mind?" Sesshomaru asked, curious to Kaori's logic.
"Perhaps your poison, my priestess powers and the injury of this arrow can kill him. Now quickly poison this," Kaori said thrusting the arrow to Sesshomaru he touched it and it glowed a sickly green. He passed it back to her and she burnt her hand on it.
"Perhaps this one plan of yours will not work. You can't even hold the arrow," Sesshomaru nearly mocked. Kaori shook her head and forced her body to pick the arrow up. It burnt her fingers like acid. Almost exactly like the acid she once felt on her arm. She stood and positioned herself to release the arrow. She only had one chance, and if she missed it, their only chance to kill Naraku would be ruined.
She closed one eye, helping her aim. Her arm was steady and the string stretched, she waited until Inuyasha moved out of the way before she released the arrow. And everyone who saw the arrow being released, watched without movement to find out if it would hit its target and do any damage.