Disclaimer: Inuyasha = Not mine. Ok? You got me to say it...please don't
make me do it again...*looks sheepish*
From Chapter 2:
"Kikyou, you are right. Kagome and Sango are never going to let us just take the Jewel Shard with them in agreement, though. We are going to just have to do it. Let's go back and we'll allow Sango to saw her goodbyes. Then, we will completely the jewel, once and for all. It needs to be done now." Inuyasha turned to go back to the battle site as he spoke. He was still somewhat unsure of himself, so he wanted to go and get it done with while he still had the momentum he had then. But, once again, Kikyou stopped him.
"Inuyasha, wait. We will take our time to go back. It will not be easy to get Kagome and Sango to allow this. They will probably attempt to stop us somehow. We need to be prepared. Come, walk slowly back with me. There is still much to consider." As she said those words, Kikyou easily sauntered over to Inuyasha and took his hand in hers. For a moment, the hanyou just stood, stunned. Then, he looked directly into her eyes and smiled. They turned and slowly began walking back towards the others. Knowing they would have a difficult evening a head of them.
Chapter 3 – Like sand through the hourglass...
'Where did they go? They've been gone for too long!' A distracted Kagome thought. But the thought was quickly brushed away be a more than slightly upset Sango.
"Houshi-sama! You lecherous monk! How is it that at a time like this all you can do is grope me?! Really!" Sango's anger was muffled by her tears, however, so her point wasn't as clear as it normally would have been.
"I am sorry, Sango-san. I can't help it; I swear these things have minds of their own!" Replied the monk, a bright red hand print beginning to appear on his left cheek. As he spoke he shook his hands in the air, hoping to show that he had no control over them.
"Perhaps then, they could get a lobotomy..." Kagome wondered aloud, saying it just loud enough to tease the other two.
"A lobotomy? How would one get that? And what do they do?" Sango questioned, perhaps this 'lobotomy' thing would be worth looking into later...
"Well...um...they...oh nevermind! Don't worry about it, Sango; I don't think they could do it anyway..." Kagome tried to think of a way to explain the thought of removing tiny non-existent brains from Miroku's fingers, but came up empty.
There was a long pause. They have finally gotten Sango into a relatively calm state, so no one wanted to re-earth the subject from earlier. Although, they didn't really have much of a choice.
"Oh, Kohaku! What are we going to do? I can't just let you die?" Sango's sadness carried through the words as she let out a long sigh.
Kohaku took a deep breath. He knew this would happen eventually – that his sister would ask him his thoughts on the matter. But how was he going to tell her that he didn't want to live after all the sins he'd committed? Would she understand? He doubted that she would, but he could hope that she might.
"Ane-ue, I don't think we can do anything." He band. Then he topped for a few minutes as Sango resumed her tears.
"I...thought...you'd...say that..." Sango managed to say between sobs.
"Ane-ue, I don't know if you will understand this, but I don't think that we should fight Kikyou, and Inuyasha, if he continues to fight with her, about my life anymore..." Kohaku began to explain himself, but was interrupted.
"No! ...How can you say that!... You can just die!" Sango rushed her words so that she could get them out between her rapid and sporadic breathing. As she spoke she ran to Kohaku, wrapping her arms around him, knocking them both to the ground as she knelt back down.
For a moment, everyone sat perfectly still. Kohaku was buried against Sango's chest. Her left arm was wrapped firmly around his shoulders and her right hand came up to tangle in his hair, holding his head close to her as she put her face against the crown of his skull and began sobbing once more.
Kohaku waited for Sango to cry herself out before he continued. When her breathing had become a little more regular, Kohaku pushed back to face her and began again.
"Ane-ue, listen to me. What I'm saying is something you might not like, but it's how I feel and it's important. You and Kagome, need to stop fighting the others for my life. I was not meant to have lived as long as I have, and this shard is the only thing that has kept me here as long as I have been." He wasn't done yet, but he wasn't that much of what he'd said to since in.
"But, Kohaku – you _are_ still alive! We can't just let Inuyasha and Kikyou kill you like that! It's wrong!" It was Kagome who replied to Kohaku's explanation. Sango was still catching her breath from her dramatic outburst moments before.
"Yes, but Kagome-san, I don't deserve to live." He stopped there. He had finally said it. Kohaku had said the words that had been running thought his head like a broken record repeating for the past months since he had regained his memories. 'I don't deserve to live.'
At his words, Sango looked up sharply, shocked by his statement.
"Kohaku! That's not true!" Both Kagome and Sango began at almost the same moment. But Kohaku lifted a hand to stop them.
"Kagome-san, Ane-ue, it _is_ true though. I _don't_ deserve to live. I killed my own father! I almost killed you, Ane-ue? How can I be forgiven for such things? I slaughtered whole villages! My soul has been darkened to black by all my sins. I am not worthy to continue in this life." Kohaku's voice began strong, but gradually softened as the waved of final defeat crashed over him once more. 'Kohaku, you are not worthy of this life.'
"Kohaku-chan, I know you have committed many sins. But your soul should not be burdened; you were under Naraku's control through the entire period, so you are not at as much fault as he." Sango turned her head, surprised, as her future husband spoke those words, an attempt to console the child she still tried to hold in her arms.
"Houshi-sama, Arigatou for your sympathy, but I am undeserving. I will gladly give my life when Kikyou and Inuyasha return." Kohaku's solemn response made Sango feel as thought her heart had been pulled from her chest and slowly ripped apart.
"But, Kohaku – you realize that what Naraku made you do was wrong! That should be enough! Besides, if you continue to live, you can make amends for your sins." Kagome's head was spinning as she tired to think of ways to convince Kohaku not to commit suicide by forfeiting his life.
"Kagome, what you say is true. And, I admit, if I knew there was a better option, I would ask to stay a bit longer. If there was one thing I would liked to have done before I died, I would have liked to have gone to the graces of father the rest of my village. I would have asked for forgiveness from their souls for all the things I did." Kohaku could feel his eyes beginning to sting as he allowed tears to come to him for the first time since that fateful night at the castle with his father and his sister.
"Oh, Kohaku-chan! There must be a way! Don't give yourself over them, not yet at least..." Kagome was suddenly filled with ideas.
"Kagome – " Kohaku began, but Kagome cut him off as she burst forth with all her ideas.
"Maybe Kaede...or in my time...no, that wouldn't work...but could it? Kikyou would have to understand for something like that...hm... yes, that might work...or if Inuyasha..." Kagome began listing bits and pieces of ideas, partly to the others, partly to herself. Sango could feel her excitement building – could they really save Kohaku's life?!
"Oh, Kagome! Do you think there really might be a way?!" Sango was suddenly filled with more joy than she could hold at the thought of saving her younger brother.
"There must be a way!" Kagome replied. Both girls were now wearing smiles from ear to ear.
"If we can get Inuyasha and Kikyou to agree, we can go back to the village. I'll ask Kaede if she knows any miko powers to resurrect the dead." Kagome began.
"Oh! I hope she does! But, what if she doesn't?" Sango was hopeful, but she knew in the back of her mind that she also needed to be realistic.
Well, I was also thinking that there might be some medicine from my time that might work. I'd have to go back home and look. But I'm sure that I could, the only thing would be keeping Inuyasha from getting too upset..." Kagome responded. She was already going over everything in her head. If she could just get Kikyou to go along with it...Inuyasha would be a piece of cake, regardless. 'That jerk better not go with Kikyou – not when we could save Kohaku's life!'
Kagome thought it over. She could take them all back to Kaede's village, tell Kaede the news of Naraku's defeat and ask her of miko magic for Kohaku. Kagome needed to go home in a couple of days for a test anyway; this would work perfectly!
"Kagome, do you really thing that medicine from your time could save him?" Sango had pushed herself up to her hands and knees and was half-crawling on the ground toward Kagome, anxious for an answer.
"Well, I don't know for sure...but I can go back and see. _And,_ while I go back, to my time, we can send Inuyasha to the Western Lands. If anyone might be able to convince, or just plain force, Sesshoumaru to use Tenseiga to revive Kohaku, Inuyasha could!" Kagome was getting more confident of their plan as each minute passed.
"I could also look for any Buddhist charms that might help his healing." Miroku added, all of this joy was contagious, and he wanted to be a part of it. It pulled at his heart to see Sango so sad, and to see her so happy made him want to jump for joy himself. He was justly rewarded for his attempt as Sango granted him a joyful smile at his suggestion.
"Oh, Houshi-sama!" Replied Sango, truly touched by his attempted to help.
But, as the three continued to plan, they were interrupted by a solemn voice from Kohaku. "Kagome-san, Houshi-sama, Ane-ue, you concern is very night, but I still don't' see how this well cleanse my soul. I have harmed so many..." Kohaku was moved by their excitement, but he knew that even if he lived, he would still be unworthy of life.
"Kohaku-chan, while we are looking for a way to restore your life without the Shikon fragment, you and Sango can go to your village! You can say your goodbyes and give honor to the dead." Kagome responded, after a moment of thought. Kohaku _had_ to be convinced to want to live!
Kohaku nodded, "Yes, you are right. I could do those things – I _would like_ to do those things. And, I could ask forgiveness from my father's soul. At least, then I could die in peace." Kohaku's words seemed to be more like spoken thoughts than an actual response to Kagome.
The last sentence Kohaku said still bothered Kagome, but she didn't say anything. At least she had him convinced for a short while.
"Yes. Now, if only we can convince Kikyou..." Kagome began, but then was interrupted by none other than Kikyou herself.
"Convince me of what, Kagome? I hope you do not intend to convince me to spare that boy, because Inuyasha and I just had a talk and we _will_ take that shard. We will take it _now._" Kikyou's determination was apparent despite the lack of emotion in her voice, and it frightened Kagome a bit, but Kagome was determined too. And she wasn't going to let Kikyou kill Kohaku.
Before Kagome could respond, Inuyasha moved to Kikyou's side from where he was standing behind her.
"Kagome, don't fight us on this. Kikyou's right. Kohaku's shard needs to be removed now before anymore trouble is caused." Inuyasha tired to sound as determined as Kikyou, but Inuyasha knew how scary Kagome could be when she was angry.
"Inuyasha." Kagome began with just the single word, and Inuyasha closed his eyes and folded her ears, waiting for the yelling to begin. But, it never came. He slowly opened his eyes again.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha said tentatively. She looked calm...maybe she wasn't going to fight him...
But before he could finish that thought...
"OSUWARI!" Kagome shouted. "Osuwari, osuwari, osuwari!!!!" And Inuyasha found himself planted into the ground with a mouthful of dirt.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha began from the ground, but it was muffled by the dirt.
"Osuwari!" Kagome finished with one last sit command.
"Ka...unf..." Inuyasha made one last attempt, but didn't finish and just collapsed into the dirt, waiting for the spell to wear off.
Meanwhile, Kikyou had walked slowly over to Kohaku.
"Don't you touch him!" Sango shouted. During Kagome and Sango's earlier discussion of how to restore his life, Kohaku had stood back up and wandered around the dirt cleared area. Now he was standing several feet from Sango. Despite that, Sango managed to get up from the floor and cross to him in mere seconds, wrapping her arms around her brother protectively and glaring at Kikyou from over his head. "I don't care if you are a priestess or not, you're not going to kill him! Not yet!"
"Taijiya-san, release him and allow me to take the shard. Now." Kikyou's forceful voice would have been enough to frighten anyone, but right now, Sango was too angry to be scared.
"I told you, you will not touch him!" Sango's reply was like ice formed into words.
In response, Kikyou drew her bow from behind her, watching Sango's eyes widen in surprise and fear. She took a single arrow and readied it to fire. "Then you leave me no choice but to use other means to take the shard."
"KIKYOU! NO! WAIT!" Kagome was shocked. As she shouted, she ran directly between Kikyou and Kohaku.
Kikyou couldn't believe Kagome's actions. 'Why is she doing this? The boy is no kin to her...'
"Move Kagome. Do not think that I will not shoot you as well." Kikyou coldly stated her intentions.
"Kikyou, wait. While you and Inuyasha were gone, the rest of us talked and there might be a way to save his life! But you can't take the shard yet!" Kagome frantically tried to make Kikyou understand.
"I'm listening" Kikyou said simply, but she left her arrow aimed directly for Kagome.
"Kohaku's soul is tainted because of all the evil he did while under Naraku's control..."Kagome began.
"I am fully aware of that, girl. It is just one more reason to remove the shard now. You are not helping yourself with that statement." Kikyou replied curtly.
Kagome swallowed, then took a deep breath. "Well, he wants to go back to his village before the shard is taken, so that he can ask his father's soul for forgiveness." Kagome paused while Kikyou took in this information.
"I see. However, you have not explained how this will prevent his ultimate death." Kikyou response made Kagome want to cringe, but she held her ground.
"While he cleanses the darkness from his soul, I want to go to my own time and try to find any medicine that might help him." Kagome paused again, this time to formulate her next statements. Kikyou simply nodded her response.
"While Kagome-san is in her own time, we were hoping that Inuyasha could go to Sesshoumaru-sama and attempt to convince him. Also, we thought that a miko might have the power, so we were going to ask your sister, Kaede, to look for us." Miroku picked up where Kagome left off, and Kikyou put the bow down temporarily to turn and face him while he spoke.
"I see. And how long do you propose to take for these things, monk?" Kikyou responded, she didn't really want to take a life unless she had to, but if this was going to take too long, then she needed to kill the boy and just get it over with now.
"A week." Four heads turned in surprise and Kohaku responded to Kikyou's question.
"A week?! Kohaku, that's not enough time!" Sango and Kagome both began to argue the short period of time that he had given.
"Very well. I think that a week will work well." Kikyou nodded her approval. 'This boy understands well the situation that he's been placed in, perhaps best of the others.' Kikyou thought while looking directly at Kohaku.
"But, Kikyou, we need more time!" Kagome began.
"Kagome, I am sparing him for that long, you should be grateful for that. Now, I suggest that we return to the village so that you can begin, you are already wasting time."
"But – " Kagome began, then stopped, realizing the futility in her words. Instead, she simply nodded. And began to gather her things from the ground.
"Kagome!?" Sango questioned. But Kagome gave her a look that Sango understood to be agreement with Kikyou, and gave up fighting as well. She then turned her brother around to face her, asking "Why did you do that?"
"I do not want to continue to live with the shard in me. A week will be more than enough time if we are going to find something. If not, then we will have time to say our goodbyes. Either way, something needs to be done quickly, this is not meant to be drawn out any longer." Kohaku replied, but he avoided his sisters eyes while he spoke, knowing that she would not approve.
"Oh Kohaku!" Sango said, pulling him close in an embrace. Then, they turned and began to gather with the others in the center of the clearing.
Inuyasha was the last to join the group as that he was just not standing back up as the rosary's spell wore off.
"Shall we?" Miroku asked the group. And with those words, the remaining fighters turned and began their journey back to the village.
A/N: Well, there's chapter 3. More action soon to come...Promise! But please, R/R! I love to know what you think!
Stripe: Yeah, I think that Kikyou is misunderstood. I don't think she's as evil and people make her out to be. But she also happens to be tied with Sesshy for my favorite character...so, that might be why I don't think she's so bad. *grins*
Tache: Thanks! How's it going to turn out? You'll have to read and find out!
Kaze ga fuku: Thanks! I'm glad you like it, I'm trying really hard to make it a good story! Kill off Kanna and Kagura for good? Hm...maybe...maybe not...You'll have to read and see. *evil grin*
From Chapter 2:
"Kikyou, you are right. Kagome and Sango are never going to let us just take the Jewel Shard with them in agreement, though. We are going to just have to do it. Let's go back and we'll allow Sango to saw her goodbyes. Then, we will completely the jewel, once and for all. It needs to be done now." Inuyasha turned to go back to the battle site as he spoke. He was still somewhat unsure of himself, so he wanted to go and get it done with while he still had the momentum he had then. But, once again, Kikyou stopped him.
"Inuyasha, wait. We will take our time to go back. It will not be easy to get Kagome and Sango to allow this. They will probably attempt to stop us somehow. We need to be prepared. Come, walk slowly back with me. There is still much to consider." As she said those words, Kikyou easily sauntered over to Inuyasha and took his hand in hers. For a moment, the hanyou just stood, stunned. Then, he looked directly into her eyes and smiled. They turned and slowly began walking back towards the others. Knowing they would have a difficult evening a head of them.
Chapter 3 – Like sand through the hourglass...
'Where did they go? They've been gone for too long!' A distracted Kagome thought. But the thought was quickly brushed away be a more than slightly upset Sango.
"Houshi-sama! You lecherous monk! How is it that at a time like this all you can do is grope me?! Really!" Sango's anger was muffled by her tears, however, so her point wasn't as clear as it normally would have been.
"I am sorry, Sango-san. I can't help it; I swear these things have minds of their own!" Replied the monk, a bright red hand print beginning to appear on his left cheek. As he spoke he shook his hands in the air, hoping to show that he had no control over them.
"Perhaps then, they could get a lobotomy..." Kagome wondered aloud, saying it just loud enough to tease the other two.
"A lobotomy? How would one get that? And what do they do?" Sango questioned, perhaps this 'lobotomy' thing would be worth looking into later...
"Well...um...they...oh nevermind! Don't worry about it, Sango; I don't think they could do it anyway..." Kagome tried to think of a way to explain the thought of removing tiny non-existent brains from Miroku's fingers, but came up empty.
There was a long pause. They have finally gotten Sango into a relatively calm state, so no one wanted to re-earth the subject from earlier. Although, they didn't really have much of a choice.
"Oh, Kohaku! What are we going to do? I can't just let you die?" Sango's sadness carried through the words as she let out a long sigh.
Kohaku took a deep breath. He knew this would happen eventually – that his sister would ask him his thoughts on the matter. But how was he going to tell her that he didn't want to live after all the sins he'd committed? Would she understand? He doubted that she would, but he could hope that she might.
"Ane-ue, I don't think we can do anything." He band. Then he topped for a few minutes as Sango resumed her tears.
"I...thought...you'd...say that..." Sango managed to say between sobs.
"Ane-ue, I don't know if you will understand this, but I don't think that we should fight Kikyou, and Inuyasha, if he continues to fight with her, about my life anymore..." Kohaku began to explain himself, but was interrupted.
"No! ...How can you say that!... You can just die!" Sango rushed her words so that she could get them out between her rapid and sporadic breathing. As she spoke she ran to Kohaku, wrapping her arms around him, knocking them both to the ground as she knelt back down.
For a moment, everyone sat perfectly still. Kohaku was buried against Sango's chest. Her left arm was wrapped firmly around his shoulders and her right hand came up to tangle in his hair, holding his head close to her as she put her face against the crown of his skull and began sobbing once more.
Kohaku waited for Sango to cry herself out before he continued. When her breathing had become a little more regular, Kohaku pushed back to face her and began again.
"Ane-ue, listen to me. What I'm saying is something you might not like, but it's how I feel and it's important. You and Kagome, need to stop fighting the others for my life. I was not meant to have lived as long as I have, and this shard is the only thing that has kept me here as long as I have been." He wasn't done yet, but he wasn't that much of what he'd said to since in.
"But, Kohaku – you _are_ still alive! We can't just let Inuyasha and Kikyou kill you like that! It's wrong!" It was Kagome who replied to Kohaku's explanation. Sango was still catching her breath from her dramatic outburst moments before.
"Yes, but Kagome-san, I don't deserve to live." He stopped there. He had finally said it. Kohaku had said the words that had been running thought his head like a broken record repeating for the past months since he had regained his memories. 'I don't deserve to live.'
At his words, Sango looked up sharply, shocked by his statement.
"Kohaku! That's not true!" Both Kagome and Sango began at almost the same moment. But Kohaku lifted a hand to stop them.
"Kagome-san, Ane-ue, it _is_ true though. I _don't_ deserve to live. I killed my own father! I almost killed you, Ane-ue? How can I be forgiven for such things? I slaughtered whole villages! My soul has been darkened to black by all my sins. I am not worthy to continue in this life." Kohaku's voice began strong, but gradually softened as the waved of final defeat crashed over him once more. 'Kohaku, you are not worthy of this life.'
"Kohaku-chan, I know you have committed many sins. But your soul should not be burdened; you were under Naraku's control through the entire period, so you are not at as much fault as he." Sango turned her head, surprised, as her future husband spoke those words, an attempt to console the child she still tried to hold in her arms.
"Houshi-sama, Arigatou for your sympathy, but I am undeserving. I will gladly give my life when Kikyou and Inuyasha return." Kohaku's solemn response made Sango feel as thought her heart had been pulled from her chest and slowly ripped apart.
"But, Kohaku – you realize that what Naraku made you do was wrong! That should be enough! Besides, if you continue to live, you can make amends for your sins." Kagome's head was spinning as she tired to think of ways to convince Kohaku not to commit suicide by forfeiting his life.
"Kagome, what you say is true. And, I admit, if I knew there was a better option, I would ask to stay a bit longer. If there was one thing I would liked to have done before I died, I would have liked to have gone to the graces of father the rest of my village. I would have asked for forgiveness from their souls for all the things I did." Kohaku could feel his eyes beginning to sting as he allowed tears to come to him for the first time since that fateful night at the castle with his father and his sister.
"Oh, Kohaku-chan! There must be a way! Don't give yourself over them, not yet at least..." Kagome was suddenly filled with ideas.
"Kagome – " Kohaku began, but Kagome cut him off as she burst forth with all her ideas.
"Maybe Kaede...or in my time...no, that wouldn't work...but could it? Kikyou would have to understand for something like that...hm... yes, that might work...or if Inuyasha..." Kagome began listing bits and pieces of ideas, partly to the others, partly to herself. Sango could feel her excitement building – could they really save Kohaku's life?!
"Oh, Kagome! Do you think there really might be a way?!" Sango was suddenly filled with more joy than she could hold at the thought of saving her younger brother.
"There must be a way!" Kagome replied. Both girls were now wearing smiles from ear to ear.
"If we can get Inuyasha and Kikyou to agree, we can go back to the village. I'll ask Kaede if she knows any miko powers to resurrect the dead." Kagome began.
"Oh! I hope she does! But, what if she doesn't?" Sango was hopeful, but she knew in the back of her mind that she also needed to be realistic.
Well, I was also thinking that there might be some medicine from my time that might work. I'd have to go back home and look. But I'm sure that I could, the only thing would be keeping Inuyasha from getting too upset..." Kagome responded. She was already going over everything in her head. If she could just get Kikyou to go along with it...Inuyasha would be a piece of cake, regardless. 'That jerk better not go with Kikyou – not when we could save Kohaku's life!'
Kagome thought it over. She could take them all back to Kaede's village, tell Kaede the news of Naraku's defeat and ask her of miko magic for Kohaku. Kagome needed to go home in a couple of days for a test anyway; this would work perfectly!
"Kagome, do you really thing that medicine from your time could save him?" Sango had pushed herself up to her hands and knees and was half-crawling on the ground toward Kagome, anxious for an answer.
"Well, I don't know for sure...but I can go back and see. _And,_ while I go back, to my time, we can send Inuyasha to the Western Lands. If anyone might be able to convince, or just plain force, Sesshoumaru to use Tenseiga to revive Kohaku, Inuyasha could!" Kagome was getting more confident of their plan as each minute passed.
"I could also look for any Buddhist charms that might help his healing." Miroku added, all of this joy was contagious, and he wanted to be a part of it. It pulled at his heart to see Sango so sad, and to see her so happy made him want to jump for joy himself. He was justly rewarded for his attempt as Sango granted him a joyful smile at his suggestion.
"Oh, Houshi-sama!" Replied Sango, truly touched by his attempted to help.
But, as the three continued to plan, they were interrupted by a solemn voice from Kohaku. "Kagome-san, Houshi-sama, Ane-ue, you concern is very night, but I still don't' see how this well cleanse my soul. I have harmed so many..." Kohaku was moved by their excitement, but he knew that even if he lived, he would still be unworthy of life.
"Kohaku-chan, while we are looking for a way to restore your life without the Shikon fragment, you and Sango can go to your village! You can say your goodbyes and give honor to the dead." Kagome responded, after a moment of thought. Kohaku _had_ to be convinced to want to live!
Kohaku nodded, "Yes, you are right. I could do those things – I _would like_ to do those things. And, I could ask forgiveness from my father's soul. At least, then I could die in peace." Kohaku's words seemed to be more like spoken thoughts than an actual response to Kagome.
The last sentence Kohaku said still bothered Kagome, but she didn't say anything. At least she had him convinced for a short while.
"Yes. Now, if only we can convince Kikyou..." Kagome began, but then was interrupted by none other than Kikyou herself.
"Convince me of what, Kagome? I hope you do not intend to convince me to spare that boy, because Inuyasha and I just had a talk and we _will_ take that shard. We will take it _now._" Kikyou's determination was apparent despite the lack of emotion in her voice, and it frightened Kagome a bit, but Kagome was determined too. And she wasn't going to let Kikyou kill Kohaku.
Before Kagome could respond, Inuyasha moved to Kikyou's side from where he was standing behind her.
"Kagome, don't fight us on this. Kikyou's right. Kohaku's shard needs to be removed now before anymore trouble is caused." Inuyasha tired to sound as determined as Kikyou, but Inuyasha knew how scary Kagome could be when she was angry.
"Inuyasha." Kagome began with just the single word, and Inuyasha closed his eyes and folded her ears, waiting for the yelling to begin. But, it never came. He slowly opened his eyes again.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha said tentatively. She looked calm...maybe she wasn't going to fight him...
But before he could finish that thought...
"OSUWARI!" Kagome shouted. "Osuwari, osuwari, osuwari!!!!" And Inuyasha found himself planted into the ground with a mouthful of dirt.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha began from the ground, but it was muffled by the dirt.
"Osuwari!" Kagome finished with one last sit command.
"Ka...unf..." Inuyasha made one last attempt, but didn't finish and just collapsed into the dirt, waiting for the spell to wear off.
Meanwhile, Kikyou had walked slowly over to Kohaku.
"Don't you touch him!" Sango shouted. During Kagome and Sango's earlier discussion of how to restore his life, Kohaku had stood back up and wandered around the dirt cleared area. Now he was standing several feet from Sango. Despite that, Sango managed to get up from the floor and cross to him in mere seconds, wrapping her arms around her brother protectively and glaring at Kikyou from over his head. "I don't care if you are a priestess or not, you're not going to kill him! Not yet!"
"Taijiya-san, release him and allow me to take the shard. Now." Kikyou's forceful voice would have been enough to frighten anyone, but right now, Sango was too angry to be scared.
"I told you, you will not touch him!" Sango's reply was like ice formed into words.
In response, Kikyou drew her bow from behind her, watching Sango's eyes widen in surprise and fear. She took a single arrow and readied it to fire. "Then you leave me no choice but to use other means to take the shard."
"KIKYOU! NO! WAIT!" Kagome was shocked. As she shouted, she ran directly between Kikyou and Kohaku.
Kikyou couldn't believe Kagome's actions. 'Why is she doing this? The boy is no kin to her...'
"Move Kagome. Do not think that I will not shoot you as well." Kikyou coldly stated her intentions.
"Kikyou, wait. While you and Inuyasha were gone, the rest of us talked and there might be a way to save his life! But you can't take the shard yet!" Kagome frantically tried to make Kikyou understand.
"I'm listening" Kikyou said simply, but she left her arrow aimed directly for Kagome.
"Kohaku's soul is tainted because of all the evil he did while under Naraku's control..."Kagome began.
"I am fully aware of that, girl. It is just one more reason to remove the shard now. You are not helping yourself with that statement." Kikyou replied curtly.
Kagome swallowed, then took a deep breath. "Well, he wants to go back to his village before the shard is taken, so that he can ask his father's soul for forgiveness." Kagome paused while Kikyou took in this information.
"I see. However, you have not explained how this will prevent his ultimate death." Kikyou response made Kagome want to cringe, but she held her ground.
"While he cleanses the darkness from his soul, I want to go to my own time and try to find any medicine that might help him." Kagome paused again, this time to formulate her next statements. Kikyou simply nodded her response.
"While Kagome-san is in her own time, we were hoping that Inuyasha could go to Sesshoumaru-sama and attempt to convince him. Also, we thought that a miko might have the power, so we were going to ask your sister, Kaede, to look for us." Miroku picked up where Kagome left off, and Kikyou put the bow down temporarily to turn and face him while he spoke.
"I see. And how long do you propose to take for these things, monk?" Kikyou responded, she didn't really want to take a life unless she had to, but if this was going to take too long, then she needed to kill the boy and just get it over with now.
"A week." Four heads turned in surprise and Kohaku responded to Kikyou's question.
"A week?! Kohaku, that's not enough time!" Sango and Kagome both began to argue the short period of time that he had given.
"Very well. I think that a week will work well." Kikyou nodded her approval. 'This boy understands well the situation that he's been placed in, perhaps best of the others.' Kikyou thought while looking directly at Kohaku.
"But, Kikyou, we need more time!" Kagome began.
"Kagome, I am sparing him for that long, you should be grateful for that. Now, I suggest that we return to the village so that you can begin, you are already wasting time."
"But – " Kagome began, then stopped, realizing the futility in her words. Instead, she simply nodded. And began to gather her things from the ground.
"Kagome!?" Sango questioned. But Kagome gave her a look that Sango understood to be agreement with Kikyou, and gave up fighting as well. She then turned her brother around to face her, asking "Why did you do that?"
"I do not want to continue to live with the shard in me. A week will be more than enough time if we are going to find something. If not, then we will have time to say our goodbyes. Either way, something needs to be done quickly, this is not meant to be drawn out any longer." Kohaku replied, but he avoided his sisters eyes while he spoke, knowing that she would not approve.
"Oh Kohaku!" Sango said, pulling him close in an embrace. Then, they turned and began to gather with the others in the center of the clearing.
Inuyasha was the last to join the group as that he was just not standing back up as the rosary's spell wore off.
"Shall we?" Miroku asked the group. And with those words, the remaining fighters turned and began their journey back to the village.
A/N: Well, there's chapter 3. More action soon to come...Promise! But please, R/R! I love to know what you think!
Stripe: Yeah, I think that Kikyou is misunderstood. I don't think she's as evil and people make her out to be. But she also happens to be tied with Sesshy for my favorite character...so, that might be why I don't think she's so bad. *grins*
Tache: Thanks! How's it going to turn out? You'll have to read and find out!
Kaze ga fuku: Thanks! I'm glad you like it, I'm trying really hard to make it a good story! Kill off Kanna and Kagura for good? Hm...maybe...maybe not...You'll have to read and see. *evil grin*
