Disclaimers: InuYasha and the others do not belong to me, and I don't think they ever will.
A/N: If I messed up spelling something (like attack names) please don't hesitate to tell me I've done so. If you can give me the correct spelling, I'll fix it.
Ruby Amethyst and Gold
"Sango! Behind you!"
"Don't worry about me, block to your left!"
Sango hurried to bring her boomerang into position, staving off the attack of a particularly nasty-looking snake-youkai. She managed to twist out of the way at the same time that Kirara sank her teeth into the neck of a human-shaped youkai covered in scales. Miroku was set upon by several other demons, the poison wasps buzzing threateningly in the air. Sesshoumaru slashed through several demons in one sweep, covering InuYasha's back as the younger made his way toward Naraku.
Kagome stayed by the tree line, aiming her arrows at Naraku. The first one swung wide, the purifying aura just missing the evil hanyou's arm. Kouga was battling with Kagura, and managed to give her several major injuries that hindered her movements. It was clear to her master that she wouldn't last much longer.
An arrow hit home in the tree behind Kagome. Kikyou was suddenly on the hill next to Naraku, bow in hand. Kagome could see InuYasha fighting his way up the hill, Sesshoumaru at his back. He was growling, and Sesshoumaru was growling back. The demons in the clearing below were only meant to hinder, and keep the others from coming any closer. It felt suspiciously like Naraku was merely toying with the group.
Soul stealers snaked their way around Kagome's waist and hands, making her drop her bow as they lifted her into the air. InuYasha saw this and tried to turn back. Sesshoumaru wouldn't have it. He pushed InuYasha in the other direction, towards Naraku. The soul stealers were bringing her to Kikyou.
Naraku's albino baboon pelt around his waist shifted, and large root-like appendages shot out of the ground. Kouga barely avoided one, and Kagura took that time to strike the already injured wolf prince. His right arm was numbed from shoulder to fingertips, useless. His left ankle was broken, rendering him immobile for the most part. Kagura thought she somehow hit both his arms, and moved in to deliver the final blow personally.
"It looks like you will succumb to the same fate as your comrades, wolf boy," she smirked. She raised her fan to strike, but Kouga moved first. His hand shot through her throat and exiting through the other side. After only a few seconds, Naraku realized she was dead.
Sesshoumaru wouldn't allow InuYasha to turn back. He pressed forward, determined to end the battle as soon as possible. Even he couldn't go on forever and with the strain of this fight continuing for days. He was beginning to feel it in his bones. The allies that had followed him and his brother into battle- both human and youkai alike- lay numerous at his feet, his shoes crunching on their bones already picked dry by the youkai. InuYasha saw Kikyou bringing Kagome closer, and grew determined to make the first strike. He was nearly within sword range when one of the root-tentacles nearly impaled him. He wasn't without injury, to be sure, and that little maneuver pulled something. Sesshoumaru pushed him on, and for once InuYasha was grateful for it. He wasn't sure if he could make it the rest of the way up the hill on his own.
Naraku had the gall to stand there and smirk, looking like he wasn't even making an effort. In truth he was pulling off his part of the Shikon no Tama like never before. He was pulling all his resources to keep the monk and demon slayer at bay. He hadn't counted on Kouga or Sesshoumaru being with them. Nor had he accounted for the veritable army that backed them. That put a strain on his powers. He barely managed to spare Kagura enough to fight the wolf boy and what was left of his pack, and now she was dead. Kanna was straining, and he'd be willing to bet that she would die that night.
Apparently striking at midnight wasn't the smartest of ideas. He hadn't counted on InuYasha or Kouga being awake, or Sesshoumaru suddenly sounding the alarm from a distance. It wasn't the ambush that he was trying for. He'd been so confident in his plan that he'd even come down in person to take the jewel shards.
It was just luck that Kikyou was around when he began to weaken. She jumped in just as the misfit group nearly gained the advantage.
Kouga let out a cry of alarm. One of Naraku's root-tentacles had wrapped around his body, and was nearly crushing him. In another moment Naraku would have done just that if Kirara hadn't broken it. Kouga fell to the ground, twisting several injuries. He winced. He was swarmed by a hoard of youkai, but they didn't attack. They seemed to be forming... a blockade?
"Don't fight the lesser youkai!" Kouga shouted, his voice strained. "They're only a distraction!" For this he was glad. His muscles were protesting painfully, almost to the extent that he couldn't move.
By this time Kagome was right up next to Kikyou, and Kikyou was smirking while Kagome looked terrified. "You are no longer needed," Kikyou said coldly, snapping the chain around Kagome's neck for the second time in as many years. Kagome felt her body go cold.
Kagome tried to speak, her voice coming out strangled and shaky. "What's... happening?" she managed. Kikyou had to smile bitterly at her.
"Your life is tied to this jewel, as was mine," Kikyou explained. "You ask me why I took the jewel from you long ago. It's because when the jewel is corrupt, you are corrupt. And when it is gone, so are you."
"You really... r-really mean to... t-to kill me..." Kagome stammered. Kikyou didn't say yes. But she didn't deny it, either.
InuYasha managed to take a swing at Naraku. The evil hanyou sidestepped and sent out another of his appendages. Sesshoumaru shoved his younger brother out of the way and closer to Naraku. While the mirror-child was aiming her weapon at InuYasha, Sesshoumaru managed to launch himself into the air, twisting so that he landed behind Kanna, and shred her young-looking body with his claws.
Just as Naraku reared to strike with his tentacles, he quickly set up the strongest barrier he'd ever produced. InuYasha sensed this, and the Tetsusaiga glowed red just as the silver-haired hanyou screamed, "Bakkryuuha!"
There was a blinding flash of light that reversed not only Naraku's powers, but the powers of the Shikon no Tama he used in order to create the barrier, which shredded him beyond belief.
Naraku's piece of the jewel rolled down the hill, right into Shippo's shaky hands. The young fox demon 'eeped' and bounded off into the trees, trying to draw away all the youkai. He succeeded. Thankfully, he was clearheaded and more agile than them.
Miroku froze with his back to Sango. He had just ripped the prayer beads off of his cursed hand, attempting to suck up as many youkai as he could before the poison of the Saimyosho overcame him. His hand shaking almost so that it looked like he was having a fit, he looked at his palm without immediate fear of killing himself. He almost collapsed, so great was his relief.
"Oi, Kouga!" InuYasha called out, facing Kikyou. "Can you move?"
"B-barely," Kouga struggled, trying to rise to his feet. The only thing that let him do so was the anger now coursing through him at the sight of Kikyou near Kagome. InuYasha cursed under his breath.
"Sesshoumaru," he growled. He could feel Sesshoumaru's attention turn to him. "Go protect Shippo."
"I do not take orders from you," Sesshoumaru protested.
"If anything happens to Shippo, you die. If he so much as cries, you cry. Got it?"
Sesshoumaru didn't reply. He took off to go fend off the youkai pursuing the kit. The look in InuYasha's exhausted golden eyes told him that it was not a threat to be taken lightly.
InuYasha glared at Kikyou. Kikyou glared back. Miroku and Sango hurried up the hill to wearily flank InuYasha, scarcely two steps behind him.
Sango stood ready, her boomerang held in a shaky hand. Throughout the scuffle, she'd been smeared with dirt and blood. Still her brown eyes burned in anger, expressing that should Kikyou make any cruel gesture toward Kagome, she would kill her without hesitation. Miroku wore a similar look on his face. Though he was grateful that his curse had been lifted, he sorely wished he could unleash the wind tunnel on Kikyou, just to get rid of her.
The fierce expression that was on InuYasha's face moments ago fell. It was as if he was locking himself up inside for what he knew he had to do next. He'd been preparing for it, but now, suddenly faced with the actual situation, both Kagome's and Kikyou's so-different eyes on him, he almost faltered.
"Well, InuYasha," Kikyou said calmly, "what will you do now?" She chuckled and gripped Kagome's chin, turning the girl's face from side to side. "Such a pretty face," she commented. "But then again, I am looking at my own face, am I not?" She laughed again, mockingly. Kagome shivered and closed her eyes.
"That's low, Kikyou," Miroku glared. "Even for you."
"Good monk, do you deny me that which was promised long ago?" Kikyou raised her eyebrows, turning from Kagome to the group. "I was promised a human InuYasha. I intend to collect that promise if I must take him to hell with me." Kagome shivered again, but this time in anger.
"You... cruel..." Kagome tried to say. She was so cold, though, that her own shivers cut her off. She was cold, so very cold.
Kikyou smiled. "Why, thank you." She turned to InuYasha again. "Do not hold this girl in suspense any longer, InuYasha. Come with me."
InuYasha didn't move. It wasn't until he could feel his brother's presence at his back that he moved. His stoic facade remained tenaciously in place while his thoughts were anything but emotionless. As soon as he thought he was getting somewhere, his thoughts crashed and derailed. Kikyou looked amused.
Kagome couldn't keep the chill from creeping into her heart. Somewhere deep inside she knew InuYasha would chose Kikyou. He'd always choose Kikyou. He'd always choose death over life.
Doubt reared its ugly head in Kikyou's mind. Perhaps InuYasha would choose Kagome. After all, the girl did seem to be more innocent and pure than she could ever be, ever was.
The opportunity he'd waited for, the moment he'd been preparing for, the chance to be free to go on with the one woman he loved... and he was rapidly losing his inner battle. He thought he'd won just the previous night, but he was sorely mistaken. It was as if all three sides of his being were screaming at each other. His human side, stupid and blindly loyal, wanted to stay with Kikyou because they promised her. His youkai side argued that they hadn't promised Kikyou anything, and if they did it didn't matter because Naraku was dead and Kikyou was dead. His hanyou side screamed, long and ragged screams.
Those that knew became increasingly unnerved, nervous because of InuYasha's uncharacteristic behavior.
Sesshoumaru approached InuYasha, holding Shippo in his hand. Shippo clutched half of the Shikon no Tama for dear life, as if it would disappear if he let go of it.
He shared a past with Kikyou, that was true. She was his first love. But he also shared a future with Kagome. Kikyou was cold and vindictive, and Kagome was so sweet and child-like in disposition.
If nothing else, Kikyou had taught him not to trust and to keep his heart locked behind tall stone walls that no one wanted to venture into. Kagome had taught him how to trust again, and how to love. Kikyou hadn't done that. True they had loved each other once, but that was once. He realized then that his youkai side was right; she was dead, Naraku was dead, and his promise to Kikyou was fulfilled. Kagome, on the other hand... well, he hadn't specified as to what he would protect her from, had he? Hmm... he decided he didn't remember.
Seconds stretched on, seeming to last for hours upon ages. Shippo shivered in Sesshoumaru's cold grip, while Sango and Miroku struggled to remain silent until InuYasha made his choice. Sesshoumaru watched with a critical eye, trying to find out just what it was InuYasha had to decide between. Kouga struggled on with the few remaining humans against the few remaining youkai, but he was attentive to the scenario up on the hill.
If InuYasha chose Kikyou, Kouga swore to himself he'd take Kagome away from all the pain. He listened intently to the silence, but didn't allow it to interfere with the various small fights he was ending.
Something clicked in InuYasha's mind. His three sides finally decided to stop arguing, and a tense silence filled him to bursting with cold anger.
"Give Kagome her soul back," he demanded of Kikyou. The threat in InuYasha's eyes was enough to tell her that he meant it with everything he could possibly be. His irises started to bleed from the pupil into a dark purple color, and red seeped into the whites of his eyes. Kagome was transfixed, and Kikyou was paralyzed.
"If I give her my soul," Kikyou glared, though her knees shook, "I will die."
InuYasha said nothing, maintaining his stoic expression as his eyes stopped changing. His eyes were rimmed with a deep ruby shade, his pupils almost drowning in a clear amethyst color surrounded by brilliant gold.
Kikyou took two steps closer. A warning growl rose up in InuYasha's chest, while he ground out between his fangs, "Move again and you won't have to give Kagome her soul back by yourself."
