Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copyrighted/licensed/trademarked materials mentioned in this fanfiction (from InuYasha to my references to Nine Inch Nails or Harry Potter). They are the properties of their respective copyright holders and I in no way am insinuating that I own them. (Consider it free advertising.) I only own the storyline and any new characters that may crop up.
Chapter Eighteen: Fangs Bared
"NO!" Sesshomaru roared with sorrow and wrath. He ran at the spider, picking up one of Megami's abandoned swords on the way. He lifted the sword over his shoulder, preparing to carve the spider to pieces, screaming furiously, "You bastaaaarrrrrd!" The incarnation readied itself for Sesshomaru's attack, knowing the blade would glance. At the last second Sesshomaru dropped the sword and flexed his claws, mustering the toxic poisons to their tips. He ran under the beast and slashed repeatedly at its belly, spreading the noxious poison. The incarnation screamed from the slashing and the poison seeping into the open wounds. Sesshomaru retreated from beneath the creature, but before he got far he felt something seize his neck. He turned to see that the torso had a thick rope of spider silk spewing from its mouth and wrapped around Sesshomaru's neck. The incarnation began to reel Sesshomaru in, and he dug his heels in, fighting all the way.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango threw her hiraikotsu, attempting to free Sesshomaru from the stranglehold. The spider intercepted her attack, knocking the boomerang off course.
It pulled Sesshomaru off the ground until finally he was at eye level with the torso. A burned hand reached out and grasped Sesshomaru's neck, replacing the spider silk. The mouth severed the strand of silk with its teeth and admired its catch. Sango threw the hiraikotsu again; only this time the spider blocked it by emitting a large discharge of spider silk to entangle the weapon. "I have had enough of your meddling, slayer," the incarnation hissed as he shot a strand of silk at Sango. She ran to avoid it only to be caught around the ankle. She clawed futilely at the ground while the spider wheeled her in for the kill.
Megami sank lower and lower into the water, the sound of the world above being slowly replaced by the dull roar of the world of the lake. Her ribs were throbbing from the excessive pressure exerted upon them, and her eyes slowly fell closed as she felt her life force slipping from her. My lord … I have failed you. I never even told you that I love you. Kami above, help him. Save him. Don't let him suffer because of my mistake. Sesshomaru … my lord … my love … and Megami lost consciousness. She drifted lower into the waters and she neared Kikyo's remains. All of a sudden, a pulse echoed through the lake. Megami's eyes sprang open. The pulse throbbed again. Megami looked around and recognized the pieces of Kikyo's clay body. She turned to swim back to the surface but a glow caught her eye. Megami turned back and saw the light coming from behind a clay hand. She reached out and lifted the clay hand. Megami's eyes bulged as she saw a slender chain with a silver pendant holding a sliver of a pink jewel. The shard! She grabbed the pendant and kicked off, speeding for the surface. The pulse beating around her grew louder and louder. Sesshomaru, I'm coming … I haven't failed you! Megami broke the surface with a rejuvenating gulp of air. She swam to the shore and got to her feet, gasping for air. Megami wrapped the chain around her wrist and tucked the pendant into her gauntlet. She had almost caught her breath when she heard "Hiraikotsu!"
Megami's head snapped around to see Sesshomaru hanging by his neck from the incarnation's hand, and Sango's attack being stopped by a ball of spider silk. Sango turned to run and was caught around the ankle by a strand of silk. Megami looked upon the scene with horror and fury. She felt the pulse from the lake run through her body, and she jumped slightly. Slowly, her hand made its way to her back and felt the Tetsusaiga still securely strapped between her cloak and hakama. "Kami bless you, Kagome." She looked back to her endangered comrades, "I will protect you all. This will not end like your last battle. I won't let it." Megami pulled the Tetsusaiga from its hiding place and strapped it to her waist. Her face became cold and calculating. I have to draw its attention from everyone else. Megami pulled the pendant out of her gauntlet, and shouted to announce her resurrection in true arrogant fashion, "Hey asshole!"
The spider stopped reeling Sango in and turned to where Megami stood on the shore. His mouth dropped open in surprise. Sesshomaru caught sight of her and his expression was somewhere between relief and shock. He was relieved to see her alive and spunky, but shock coursed through his veins as he beheld an indigo crescent marking upon her brow. Her tail was also longer and fuller. Sesshomaru choked out, "How?"
Sango gaped at Megami's forehead as she arose. "What the hell?" she muttered, "How does she bear a crescent, too?"
Megami lifted up the pendant and let it dangle from her grasp for the spider to see. "Looking for this?" she taunted and then tucked the shard back into her gauntlet. The incarnation shrieked in anger, and Megami's hand tightened around the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "Come and get it, bitch." She charged at the demon, drawing Tetsusaiga from its sheath. The blade came forth in a flash and took on its fang form. Sesshomaru was awestruck as she came tearing after her enemy. She leaped at the spider, and in one sweep, severed the spider silk and the arm imprisoning Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru hit the ground, but was no worse for the wear. Megami landed beside him and helped him up. As she led him away from the spider, he demanded, "How the hell is that on your forehead?"
"In your words, my lord, there is no time. Later," Megami insisted as she led him out of danger. "Stay here," she said lightly as she turned away wielding Tetsusaiga. The spider spat strand after strand of silk at Megami, but with an easy flick of Tetsusaiga, she deflected them all. Sesshomaru watched her intently as suddenly her fire whip shot out from her hand and wrapped itself around the Tetsusaiga.
She held the flaming Tetsusaiga out with her right hand and began to spin as she approached the demon. She spun faster and faster, her cloak and hair whipping around behind her. She reached dizzying speeds and with a last burst of energy she propped herself up on the tips of her toes like a demented ballerina. Megami spun like a top heading straight for the spider and she struck her foe repeatedly with the flaming Tetsusaiga. The force of her strikes sent the incarnation back into the waters of Hot Lake.
Megami turned back towards Sesshomaru, and touched her forehead gently. She heaved a defeated sigh, and slowly walked towards her lord. She spoke softly, solemnly, "Sesshomaru, I can explain …" But she couldn't finish her sentence. She whipped around as a horrendous roar rent the air. The incarnation was crawling back out of the lake, wailing in wrath.
"Worthless half-breed bitch, you shall suffer for your interference!" the spider howled as it hobbled ahead.
Megami walked forward, calmly, decisively, and it unnerved the spider. Her aura crackled around her as she lifted the sword high. She then brought the blade before her at a horizontal angle and concentrated deeply, staring at empty space before her. Sesshomaru recognized the look. She can see the Wind Scar. But who would expect less from the granddaughter of Totosai? Megami took a deep breath and gave a great, war cry as she wheeled around with the blade, striking the Wind Scar with the fire wreathed Tetsusaiga. Electrified flames sped for the giant spider and blazed across its body. The spider screeched and shrieked as its legs kicked and twitched. Soon the body remained still, the legs curled beneath the body. As the flames gave way to mere smoke and embers, Megami walked to collect her prey's head. Sesshomaru watched with great anxiety as she drew nearer and nearer to the spider's head. She gripped the scalp with outstretched fingers and tilted the head back to face her. Its eyes were wide and staring without focus. She gave it a predator's smile, "Now that I have killed you, I shall take care of your master." She raised the Tetsusaiga to take its head when she felt a searing pain in her ribs. Megami looked down to see one of her own swords impaled through the right side of her rib cage. The Tetsusaiga withered back to its decayed form while still in her fingers. The spider's eyes were now locked onto her own while its hands held the hilt of her sword and it was smiling.
"You should watch where your leave your toys, half-breed." The incarnation began to spew spider silk onto her, beginning a cocoon.
In a last ditch effort, Megami threw the Tetsusaiga behind her with all the strength she had left before passing out. Unfortunately, Senkotsuke regained consciousness in time to see his sister ran through with her own sword. He screamed "No!" as he saw her slump in the spider's hold. He lifted himself off the ground and picked up his claymore. Senkotsuke moved to charge the spider, but Sesshomaru caught him.
"Stop, Senkotsuke! It wants us to charge. It wants to draw us in," Sesshomaru said, trying to remain calm. He observed the battlefield, and thought things through carefully. His eyes fell upon Tetsusaiga, laying about twenty feet from him. It looked rusted and decrepit once again, belying its raw power. I wonder … it's the only way to save her, no matter how much it may damage me. "Sango!" he bellowed, and she came running to his side. "I need you to distract it, and damage it as much as you can. Take off its legs and immobilize it. Senkotsuke, when I give you the signal, grab your sister and get her and yourself as far away as you can. The same goes for you, Sango. I just hope this works."
Sango nodded and ran to perform her task. She began throwing her hiraikotsu at Naraku's offspring, leaving deep cuts in its back. It would not relinquish its hold on Megami. Every second more and more spider silk inched up Megami's body as the thing produced a seemingly endless fount of the foul substance. Sango zigzagged around, keeping the incarnations eyes on her. Senkotsuke quietly and covertly crept around in the shadows, slowly making his way to the spider's right side.
Sango wove about to avoid attacks from the spider's legs. Damn it! I need to unlock the power of this weapon. If I could do that we could defeat this thing quicker and Megami will have a chance to survive. But how will I know what to do? Sango gritted her teeth and went on weaving in and out of the line of fire, constantly watching for an opening in the spider's guard. She thought of Miroku momentarily and felt her spirits lift. A calm voice echoed in her mind, "Just know you can use that weapon. Just let it come to you." Sango took a deep breath, and as she saw an opening in the incarnation's guard, a single word rang through her consciousness. She heaved the hiraikotsu and cried, "Kamisoriga!" The boomerang flew for the spider, lighting up like a Catherine Wheel on the Fourth of July. It sliced the spider's remaining right legs off as if they were constructed from tissue paper.
While Sango battled with the incarnation, Sesshomaru took deliberate steps towards the sword that once belonged to his brother. It lay flat on the ground, almost calling to him. Sesshomaru stood over the relic, staring down at it deep in thought. I fought with InuYasha so many times over this sword. And now I only lay hands on it in the hopes of saving one of the few people I have ever loved. Even if the blade rejects me, I must fight to rescue her; just as I did the time InuYasha was possessed by Sou'unga and he made to attack Rin. I cannot fail her now. And just who he meant by "her" was never really clear even in his mind. One could say that he meant both Rin and Megami, that by saving Megami he would amend his mistake of failing to protect Rin. Only, those thoughts did not come to him until later, for now, he bent to take hold of Tetsusaiga. Lord Sesshomaru held his breath and grasped Tetsusaiga's hilt with his right hand. He prepared for a burning, electrical sting to jolt his system … but there was none. He released his breath, feeling the pulse of Tetsusaiga run through his body. A vengeful smile slowly spread across Sesshomaru's face. He looked to see Senkotsuke in position, and Sango's enchanted hiraikotsu severing the demon's right legs.
Sesshomaru gave a triumphant scream, "NOW!"
In a flash, Sesshomaru charged as Tetsusaiga morphed into a fang, Sango began to run towards the gates of Hot Lake, Senkotsuke leaped from the shadows and tore a half-covered Megami from the spider's grasp. Senkotsuke landed in a somersault, and when he arose, he broke into a full run towards the gates. Sesshomaru didn't even stop running as he raised the sword and focused upon the colliding energies of the Wind Scar. He brought the blade down, swift and accurate, as he called out, "Wind Scar!" Five jets of energy flew without delay towards its target. The spider tried to shield itself with two feeble, charred arms. The Wind Scar raked over its body. The incarnation screamed in terror just before its body disintegrated into oblivion.
The Tetsusaiga resumed its rusty façade as Sesshomaru watched the small pile of smoking ruins that was all that remained of his foe. He turned slowly, sliding Tetsusaiga into the sash besides Tenseiga. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sango and Senkotsuke running to him.
Senkotsuke looked alarmed. "Sesshomaru!" he howled, "She's not breathing!"
"Oh Kami!" Sesshomaru ran to meet them half way. Senkotsuke kneeled as Sesshomaru skidded to a stop before them. Megami was laid across his lap with blood dripping down her chin, the sword still jutting out from her ribs. "No, no, no!" Sesshomaru blathered as he scrambled to rip all of the spider silk from her body. Once all the silk was torn from Megami, Sesshomaru looked to Senkotsuke, "Hold her steady."
"Why?"
"Just do it!" Sesshomaru growled. Senkotsuke held Megami at the shoulders and Sesshomaru gripped the sword hilt with both hands. He pulled firmly and quickly, removing the blade from her ribs. The force of the sword being ripped from her body jolted Megami into taking a breath. Blood gushed from the wound and Megami began to whimper from the pain. Sesshomaru told Senkotsuke to help him remove her armor and they pulled her chest plate, shoulder guards and other pieces of armor off. Megami laid there, clad now only in her black hakama, black tank top, and gauntlets.
She weakly lifted her arms towards Sesshomaru, and she whispered, "Hold me."
Sesshomaru gathered her into his arms without a second's hesitation and barked orders to the others. "Sango, go rouse the fox demons! Senkotsuke, get the truck!"
"But how the hell am I going to get it in here?" he asked.
Sesshomaru lost all patience and just snapped at him, "I don't care how you do it! Ram the fucking gates for all I care! We need to get her to Kagome now! I'm not losing her!"
Sango ran off to the fox demons, and as Senkotsuke bolted for the truck, Sesshomaru swore he heard Senkotsuke mutter, "She's rubbing off on him."
Sesshomaru heard Megami chuckle weakly, "He's right, you know."
He looked at her with love and fear, "I know." He pushed her hair back from her face. "You're going to be all right."
Megami took a ragged breath, "I certainly don't feel it." She coughed violently, spraying blood over her tank top and hakama, "It's bad, isn't it?"
He wiped the blood off her chin. "You're strong. You'll pull through," he kissed the crescent on her forehead.
"Sesshomaru," she said hoarsely as an owl flew overhead, "I love you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about," she winced as she brought her hand to her forehead to point at her marking, "About this."
Sesshomaru moved her hand back to her side and then rested his forehead against hers, "It's all right, dear one." He placed his hand over her heart, "I love you, with all of my heart." He felt her pulse weakening, and his soul screamed. Kami, don't let her die. I know I can just use Tenseiga, but that's not the point! Don't take her from me! "Megami?" he asked. She did not answer. "Megami?" he asked a little louder. She still did not respond. He still felt her heart beating and he whispered to her, "Stay with me. Don't leave me." Sesshomaru heard the roar of the Avalanche's motor and looked up to see the headlights of Megami's truck speeding for the gates locking Hot Lake from the world. With a horrific, renting CRASH the truck rammed through the gates and came tearing across the lawn to where Sesshomaru held Megami in his arms. Soon, the Durango came through as well.
Sango and Hoshi came marching to the vehicles, and Sesshomaru asked, "How the hell did Ryuji get the car?"
"Didn't you see the owl?" Sango asked as she opened the back door of the Avalanche for Sesshomaru to climb in with Megami. Senkotsuke scrambled to pick up his sister's armor and toss it into the truck bed and Sango loaded her hiraikotsu as well.
Sesshomaru stood up and lifted Megami bridal-style again. "Hang in there, Megami. We're going to get some help. Stay with me, dearest," he whispered to her as he climbed into the truck. He sat down, still holding her to his chest, and closed the door. Sango clambered into the front seat as Senkotsuke got into the driver's seat, and after their doors shut Sesshomaru said, "Drive like the devil was on your heels, Senkotsuke."
Both trucks raced towards the Fox's den.
The Avalanche came to a screeching halt in the fox's driveway. Sango jumped out of the truck and ran into the house shouting, "Kagome! Sakura! Megami is hurt! Come quick!" Senkotsuke came around and opened the door for Sesshomaru and his sister. Lord Sesshomaru carefully climbed out, holding Megami tenderly and marched into the house. Kagome came running to them and she gasped at the sight of all the blood that had collected on Sesshomaru's haori and hakama. Megami was deathly white, and Sesshomaru was breathing shakily. Kagome just clapped her hands over her mouth. Sakura came out from a back room and looked upon the injured Megami.
The old fox demoness took a deep breath. "My lord, bring her back here. Kagome, you, too, I'll need your help." And she led the way to a back room with Sesshomaru and Kagome in tow. Sakura led them into a spare bedroom and bade Sesshomaru to set Megami on the bed. "What happened to her?" Sakura asked as she stripped the tank top from the girl with a firm tear.
"She's been crushed, and stabbed."
Sakura nodded and took another deep breath, "This will be hard for you to do, but I beg of you to wait outside. Trust us, please."
"In a moment," Sesshomaru bent down to Megami and whispered, "Don't you leave me. Fight this. I love you too much to lose you." He kissed her forehead and straightened up. He left the room feeling as if his whole body were made of lead.
He stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind him. He wandered back into the living room slowly. Every face in the house was staring at him. Sesshomaru looked at himself and tried to picture this in everyone else's eyes: he walked in like a robot and still wore a heavily blood-stained haori and hakama.
Senkotsuke looked to him with trepidation, "Is my sister all right?"
Sesshomaru began to shake again, "I don't know, Senkotsuke."
Sango got up and took Sesshomaru's arm. "Come on, Sesshomaru. We all need some fresh air." She led him out of the house. Shippo and Senkotsuke followed them out to the porch. Sesshomaru seated himself on the porch steps and put his head in his hands. Senkotsuke joined him on the other side of the steps, only he clamped a single hand over his mouth and chin in worry. Shippo came to sit between the two of them, and he looked to them with sympathy.
"Sesshomaru?" the young fox asked with uncertainty.
"What is it, Shippo?" he answered weakly.
"Don't worry about Megami. If things go wrong, I mean, can't you always use Tenseiga to revive her?" Shippo cringed at the end of his statement, preparing for Sesshomaru to smack him.
Sesshomaru did not strike Shippo. He only sighed mournfully, "I could, and I would, Shippo. I would revive her without hesitation. The major point here is that I didn't want her to die in the first place. Once again, I have failed to save someone I loved."
Sango looked at him with understanding, but Shippo just wrinkled his brow at the demon lord. "Sesshomaru, don't blame yourself. Megami isn't helpless. She is a fighter. She would have never remained behind with me and Kagome, nor would she have held back in battle. Megami fought with everything she had in her. She went forth and faced death without fear, without delay."
Sesshomaru stared at the little fox with surprise.
Sango added her own view, "Sesshomaru, thinking that you failed to save her is the backwards way of looking at things. She risked herself to save you when she waved the shard at that thing and came after it with Tetsusaiga. She did everything she could to save you; to save us all. She bore the brunt of its wrath so that we wouldn't be hurt. She knew what she was doing," Sango's voice became strained as tears flooded her eyes. "Megami will make it through this."
Senkotsuke just put his face in his hand and cried. Sango rose and crossed the porch to Senkotsuke. She crouched down and hugged him from behind. He leaned into her, crying and muttering, "She can't die. She's too damn stubborn." Sango moved beside Senkotsuke and wrapped her arms around him.
"It's all right," she nudged his face up to look into hers, "She'll be all right." And she kissed him reassuringly. Sango began to smooth back Senkotsuke's hair and comfort him as he worried over his sister.
Sesshomaru turned away from everyone as tears flowed down his face.
They waited on the porch for news of Megami's status. While waiting, Sango and Senkotsuke filled Shippo in on the finer details of what happened at the lake. Sesshomaru just stared into the distance, worrying and brooding. They sat in silence as the time rolled by. Shippo leaned on Sango, as Sango held Senkotsuke. Sesshomaru sat hunched over with his hands clasped and his forehead resting on his thumbs. Two hours must have easily ticked by before Sesshomaru finally snapped. "I can't take this waiting! What is going on with her?" he stood and turned around. As he stepped onto the porch, Sesshomaru stopped.
Megami stood in the doorway, slowly swinging the screen door open, smiling gently at him. She still wore her gauntlets and filthy hakama, but now donned a black, ladies style tank top emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest from Harry Potter. Her ribs looked a little puffy from the bandages, and someone had managed to help her pull her hair into a high pony tail. Megami inched forward, "Hey everyone."
Shippo, Sango, and Senkotsuke turned to see her creeping across the porch. Senkotsuke sighed with great relief at the sight of his baby sister walking on her own. Sesshomaru was breathless with his reprieve. Megami smiled at Sango, "Sorry, Sango. I borrowed a shirt."
Megami looked back to Sesshomaru and held her arms open to him slowly. Out of the blue, Sesshomaru closed the gap between them and took her into his arms swiftly yet gently, mindful of her wounds. He began to laugh and cry at once. "I was so worried about you. Oh Megami, I'm so glad you're all right." He kissed her tenderly. "I love you, Megami."
Megami smiled, "That's what kept me going through it all. I love you, too." She looked at everyone and then back to Sesshomaru, "Let's pack up. I want to go home. I feel like I could sleep for a week."
