"Talking"
'Thinking'
StressedKagome froze as she fell to her knees. A deep laughter filled the air as Seiryu stepped over Bankotsu's ashes. The ashes faded out of existence as Kagome held her tears back. She wiped her eyes of the nonexistent tears and glared at Seiryu.
"Do you like my illusions…I personally love them," Seiryu purred as the ice melted and then evaporated.
"Bastard," Kagome hissed at him.
"This is what will happen to him if he comes through those doors," Seiryu promised.
"Never," Kagome firmly said.
"Since when has your faith grown stronger for that killer?" Seiryu questioned. "You put your self at risk for that man and yet…you don't seem to accept that your actions do nothing for the dead."
"I put myself at risk because I care for him," Kagome whispered as she looked away with a frown.
"You can't lie to me, I can see through your illusions," Seiryu warned.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kagome huffed with a glare.
He reached out and his hand passed through the water without harm. Kagome took a step back and found the chair digging into her knees. Seiryu's index finger touched her nose and traced down to her heart. He firmly poked her heart with his claw and grinned.
"You're heart tells a different story," Seiryu said before he pulled away and left through the doors.
"Is he finally gone?" Kagome asked Genbu.
"Yes, he has gone to the others," Genbu assured.
Kagome sighed and looked over to the cauldron from behind her watery prison. It was empty and she could no longer see the others. She silently prayed that they would be safe.
Inuyasha growled as he slashed through another demon. The demon splashed to the ground in a puddle of water. Bankotsu quickly brought his sword around and took out at least five of the demons. Water exploded and drenched them as they continued to fight. The tiny demons stopped fighting and turned back into water. The hallway pulsed and Bankotsu looked over to the others. They were gone once again. A soft curse left his lips as he took off down the hallway. The flames of the torches began to dim as he reached for the double doors. The water puddles absorbed his heavy steps as he reached for the door.
The double doors flung open before he could touch them. His cerulean eyes widened in fear as he stepped into the room. Bankotsu frowned as he searched the empty room for danger. His eyes eventually landed on the old man sitting on a throne. Cerulean and forest green orbs clashed before Genbu looked away with a sigh. Bankotsu scowled and prepared his sword to block any attacks.
"It's a shame," Genbu whispered.
Bankotsu's eyebrows furrow in confusion as he watched the old man look away. Before he could demand an answer, he heard a soft groan. His eyes landed on throne next to the old man. A pale figure dressed in the Chihaya lay battered against the wooden seat. Her blue-gray eyes slightly opened and then closed with a ragged breath. Bankotsu ran over to her and scooped her into his arms. She whimpered at his touch and he looked panicked.
He cradled her hand in his left arm as right arm held her around the waist. He kneeled on the ground so she could have support from the ground and his arms. A red stain appeared on her haori as she whimpered. He softly kissed her on the head and searched the room for a trap.
"Bankotsu," Kagome softly whispered.
"It's alright, I'm here," Bankotsu assured as he gently began to rock her.
"H-he said you'd die," Kagome whispered as her eyes slightly opened.
Bankotsu grimaced at the fading light in her eyes. He had never wanted to see those orbs dull. Never had he imagined watching her die, holding her as she died. He pulled her closer to his form not caring about the escaping red liquid.
"I'm already dead," Bankotsu whispered.
"You can live," Kagome whispered to him as her hand gently squeezed his haori for support.
"It doesn't matter now," Bankotsu growled as he held her tighter. His life didn't matter if she was gone.
"Take my soul and live," Kagome coaxed.
"What?" Bankotsu asked in shock.
"You want to live," Kagome softly whispered.
"Yes…but."
"Then take it and live," Kagome encouraged.
"What about you?" Bankotsu questioned.
"I'll be with you," Kagome whispered with a soft smile.
'Could I live without her?' Bankotsu questioned.
"I don't want to live," Bankotsu began.
Kagome's eyebrows furrowed in shock and anger. Her eyes flashed with hate as he continued to look away.
"I don't want to live without you," Bankotsu firmly stated.
"Why?" Kagome almost growled.
"There's no point in living if I can't have you," Bankotsu answered with a sad grin.
"You're stupid," Kagome hissed as his eyes widened.
"Kagome," Bankotsu whispered.
"Why would I want to live with you when I could die and be free of everything?" Kagome growled as she weakly pushed him away.
"You've lost too much blood," Bankotsu stated before she slapped him.
"You're stupid to think that a Miko would settle for a resurrected assassin," Kagome hatefully said as his grip loosened.
"You don't mean that," Bankotsu said as he felt his own anger.
"Damn, I wish you weren't so dense or childish," Kagome growled.
"You…you used me?" Bankotsu questioned as his bangs covered his eyes.
"This whole time," Kagome confirmed.
His hands slid to her shoulders where his fingers dug into her skin. Kagome cried out in pain as he shook her once. A laugh escaped her throat as she felt him breaking.
"This whole time was an act. I never wanted you," Kagome chipped at his barrier.
"I don't believe you," Bankotsu firmly whispered.
"What? You should!" Kagome growled.
"You didn't act," Bankotsu stated as he intensely gazed at her.
"You don't know me well enough to claim that!" Kagome growled.
"Your eyes can't lie…besides," Bankotsu whispered, "I know you wouldn't lie."
Her pupils narrowed as the room around them shattered. Kagome faded from his grip as he looked at his surroundings in surprise. His eyes met blue-gray eyes the instant he gazed at the water prison. Tears poured down her cheeks as she smiled at him. Bankotsu gave her a grin as he stood up to face her. He stood in front of the water with a smirk as she shook her head.
"I knew you'd come," Kagome whispered. She had seen everything that the illusion had created. The only thing that wasn't an illusion was he.
"How could I not come for my defiled Miko?" Bankotsu teased.
"You jerk," Kagome laughed as he grinned.
"He will die," Seiryu growled as the ice spiked erupted from the floor.
Bankotsu jumped from the floor as the spikes rose to his height. He balanced on the edge of the cauldron as the dragon appeared. A grin made its way to the dragon's face as the orb in his neck flashed black. Bankotsu watched the dragon turned back into its human form. The orb remained in his neck.
"Who are you?" Bankotsu asked.
"I am Seiryu, Guardian of the East," Seiryu introduced.
"Thanks," Bankotsu honestly said.
"What for?" Seiryu demanded.
"I needed to know your name, or else I wouldn't have had anything to write on your tombstone," Bankotsu replied as Kagome rolled her eyes.
"This time there won't be enough of you left for a tombstone," Seiryu growled as he charged.
Bankotsu laughed before the Junjou pulsed in his hand. He brought the zanbato down. The castle floor split open as lightening bolts of Miko ki sprang from the ground. Seiryu laughed as he effortlessly dodged each bolt of energy. Seiryu charged Bankotsu and backhanded him into the wall.
'The ki from the sword…it's mine, but it is also his ki,' Kagome thought in confusion.
"You are pathetic and weak without your balance," Seiryu taunted as he grabbed Bankotsu by the neck. His claws dug into his skin as Bankotsu put his feet on the dragon's chest and pushed. He flipped away with a gentle cough.
"I am not weak," Bankotsu growled.
"You are dead, and the dead are weak because they have no balance," Seiryu stated as water began to leak through the ceiling.
Bankotsu tightened his grip on the handle before he attacked. He blindly swung the sword left to right in an attempt to hit the dragon. Kagome focused on the sword and noticed that there were two different ki in it. One was a powder blue and the other was a pure whiter. The sword was fully engulfed by the powder blue ki, but the white ki was slowly merging with her ki. Her eyes opened in realization.
'His ki is like Miroku's…he has spiritual powers,' Kagome thought.
"Death has no balance," Seiryu growled as he punched Bankotsu. Bankotsu slid back and grinned.
"You're wrong, life is death's balance," Bankotsu answered.
The Junjou pulsed and Kagome watched in awe. A ring of ki circled around Bankotsu. His eyes followed the ring and he grinned. Kagome' ki and his ki were mixed together, but there was a point where they met. He could see where it was held together. He stuck his tongue out f the corner of his mouth as he focused on the point. If he could hit that point then what would happen. Seiryu lunged at him as spikes of his formed from the gathering water.
"Right…now!" Bankotsu shouted.
He hit the point and an orb shot out from it. The two ki's mixed in a volatile manner. Sparks formed as it hit Seiryu in the chest. He grunted as the orb entered his body. Seiryu flew back and hit the wall. Stone cracked and fell to the ground as he began to glow a faint powder blue. The light engulfed him from the inside out and he screamed as his body was burned away. Bankotsu relaxed once the threat appeared gone. The water vanished from the room and a blue ball appeared in the handle of his sword.
"Ban-Chan!" Kagome shouted as she ran over and embraced him. The water prison had vanished and the palace was nothing more then decaying remains. Everything had been an illusion
He wrapped one arm around her and held her close. The throne the old man had been on was decaying and covered with moss. Bankotsu sighed as he rested his head on her crown. Kagome sighed and rested her ear against his chest. A soft thump made its way to her ear. Her eyes snapped in open in surprise. The three balls on the sword pulsed and shot off into the sky. Bankotsu frowned at the sight as he held Kagome. Even if he was still dead then he had her.
"You've done good Betsushimiko," an old voice said.
"Genbu," Kagome whispered as she looked at his misty form.
"I have taken the other Shijin back to the earth so they can recover from the darkness," Genbu explained.
"I hope they recover," Kagome whispered. Genbu reached up and stroked his beard with a thought.
"Yes, but I have a gift for young warrior," Genbu said with a smile. Kagome gave him a confused look. He simply chuckled and vanished into the night.
Kagome turned around and quickly laid her hand against Bankotsu's cheek. He softly blushed as her fingers traced his skin and ran along his arms. She smiled and tightly embraced him.
"You're warm…you're alive," Kagome confirmed.
Bankotsu tensed before a grin broke out across his face. He tightly held Kagome and dropped the sword. He spun her around they both laughed.
"Where they hell have you been?" Inuyasha growled.
"In this room," Bankotsu replied as he held Kagome tighter. Now that he was alive, he was never going to let her go.
"Kagome," Sango and Miroku said.
"Bankotsu beat the guardians and now he is alive," Kagome happily explained.
Sango hugged Kagome and Miroku didn't dare hug her for fear of being slapped. Inuyasha pulled Bankotsu away from the by his arm. Bankotsu raised an eyebrow as the hanyou growled.
"I guess you're serious about her…but if you hurt her. I'll make sure there's nothing left to bring your sorry ass back," Inuyasha growled as he jumped out of the palace.
Bankotsu shrugged as he walked back over to the group. Now that he was alive there was nothing to prevent them from being together. He would prove that he could provide for her.