TITLE: Cursed Twins

AUTHOR: InuYoukaiAki

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and Co.

Author's Note: This is the edited chapters. Thank you to my wonderful beta who never tire of giving me advices, criticisms and encouragement. Thank you!

Chapter 12: The Descendants of the Moon

Kikyou called forth her soul stealers as she felt the jolt of sudden pain inside her. She had been too preoccupied that she had forgotten that tonight would be the full moon and the night of their birth. Her anxiety for her twin increased as she realized that the time was near.

Something inside her twisted as she felt Kagome's agony. She should have followed her and Sesshoumaru as soon as she found out that the demon lord had taken her. She should never have left her knowing that the time of Kagome's awakening was near.

Kikyou urged her soul stealers to go faster. Her heart ached as she neared the Western Palace. There was no mistaking the raw miko powers were coming from Kagome. It was totally out-of-control.

"I'm coming, Kagome," she whispered to the wind. "Hold on."

- - -

"What do we do now?" Inuyasha asked in panic. Everybody stood helplessly just a few feet from Kagome's barrier. They were all clueless as to what to do.

InuTaisho shook his head. "I do not know," he said sadly. "There was nothing stated in the prophecy about this."

"What prophecy?" Inuyasha asked sharply.

"This is not the time to ask about that!" Kenji said irritated. "Let's worry about Kagome first."

Sesshoumaru looked as stoic and as unaffected as always but his mind was turning. If this kept up, the miko might drain her life force. But then, the power coming out of her seemed inexhaustible. Still, it was a possibility that he could not risk. This state she was in was unacceptable and he would have to do something to rectify that. With his mind made up, Sesshoumaru began to move towards the barrier until his father stopped him.

"You cannot risk purifying yourself," InuTaisho said harshly.

Sesshoumaru stared back into his father's golden eyes. "I am not that weak to be purified easily," he said levelly.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Trust Sesshoumaru to still be arrogant," he said. "Kagome's barrier is very different from other miko. I bet you noticed that, too. Her power seemed different."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru answered noncommittally. "Do you not care what happens to your miko?" he asked Inuyasha.

"And since when did you care what happens to Kagome?" Inuyasha flared back. "Have you forgotten she is human?"

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome's prone form. She looked so vulnerable even with the massive amount of power surrounding her. "I am fully aware that she is human," he said. "Thus, my decision is to stop this."

"And you care because?" Inuyasha insisted angrily.

"I need not explain myself to you," he answered coldly.

Yoji stepped in front of Sesshoumaru. "You are not going anywhere near that barrier," he said forcefully. "The Western Land is your responsibility. And as its ruler, you should keep in mind that you should not put your life at risk needlessly."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Do not presume to tell this Sesshoumaru what to do." he said menacingly.

"What made you think that you can do something about the situation?" Kenji interjected.

"You dare question me?" he said with a threatening growl.

Sango looked up in irritation. "This is going nowhere!" she said angrily. "Your bickering is not doing anything to help Kagome's present situation."

It was then that they heard a commotion from around the corner as Kikyou appeared. Her usually calm and expressionless face was replaced by one of worry and panic as she looked at Kagome's still form. "Kagome," she whispered in agony.

Inuyasha's eyes swiveled to the direction of the woman he had loved and lost. He watched as she walked towards the barrier, only to be repelled back.

As soon as Kikyou made contact with the barrier, Kagome's crumpled form slowly lifted up in a standing position. Kikyou's eyes widened in alarm, causing everyone's attention to turn back to Kagome. She was floating a few inches above the ground. Her hair whipped around her. The shikon shards circled her form. Slowly, Kagome's eyes opened to reveal pure black orbs replacing her clear blue ones.

A smirk appeared from Kagome's lips as her power flared anew. It was so different from her usual sweet warm smile that they were all taken aback by this sudden change in her demeanor. The smile was replaced by a smile that promised to bring pain to anyone unlucky enough to get her attention. "Finally," Kagome breathed in a strange deep voice. She turned her eyes on the group. Her eyes lingered on each of the demon. "The mighty inuyoukai clan," she whispered in a chilling voice as her eyes narrowed menacingly.

"Kagome, can you hear me?" Kikyou asked desperately. "Do not let it consume you!"

Kagome's eyes turned to Kikyou. "Ah, my dear twin," she said. "How nice of you to join us, it is good to finally be able to unleash this kind of power."

Kikyou's eyes welled up. "I know you are in there, Kagome," she said.

"But you see, Kikyou," Kagome said, relishing the shock and agony on all their faces. "I am Kagome or at least I am a part of her."

"You are not Kagome!" Inuyasha said angrily. He just could not believe that this cold person in front of him was the Kagome who had stuck by him even if he was unreasonable most of the time.

"You do not like the new Kagome, Inuyasha?" Kagome said mockingly. "I am no longer the useless weakling that you always complained about. No longer will you need to defend me from anything."

Kagome narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Or maybe you just don't like the fact that you can no longer boss me around to be your shard detector," she hissed. "After all, you made it perfectly clear that is all I am to you."

"No," Inuyasha whispered, stricken by Kagome's words.

"No?" Kagome asked mockingly. She laughed humorlessly before her eyes turned cold. "How many times have you called me a useless bitch? Well, guess what, I am no longer that useless stupid bitch who allowed a hung up hanyou like you to trample all over her heart."

Kikyou stepped closer to the barrier. "Please, Kagome," she pleaded. "Come back to us."

"NO!" Kagome boomed. "I will no longer let anyone dictate what I should and should not do. I am no longer the naïve girl who was willing to sacrifice everything for everyone!"

InuTaisho stepped forward. "Kagome," he said calmly. "I know you are confused and hurt. Probably, you have every right to get angry with us for treating you wrongly. But I know that this is not really you. Come back to us."

Kagome's face softened for a brief moment before the mask of cold fury was back on her face. "Every one of you wanted something from me," she said angrily. "But nobody cared about what I wanted or what I needed. I do not belong anywhere! Everything I ever knew about myself was a lie!"

The old demon bowed his head. "I care, Kagome," he said sincerely before stepping past the barrier. InuTaisho was immediately engulfed in Kagome's power. Pain was visible in his eyes even as he stood there, enduring the pain being inflicted on his body. Blood began to drip from the corner of his mouth.

"NO!" Kagome's anguished voice screamed. Her wide eyes were back to its clear blue color as she looked in horror at what her power was doing to InuTaisho. Tears began to stream down her face, as she looked straight at InuTaisho's face. He was smiling at her in understanding. "Stop! Get back!" she screamed as she doubled over in pain. Her eyes started to flicker from blue to black.

InuTaisho was flung back. Smoke billowed around him. Miroku immediately went to the fallen demon who was mercifully unconscious. "He is alright," he informed everyone.

Another anguished scream tore from Kagome's throat. "I won't let you hurt them," she said. "Please, Kikyou, help me end this," she pleaded as she stared to her twin.

Kikyou's eyes widened as she saw the resolve in Kagome's eyes. She knew what her twin was asking of her. "I cannot do that," she said in a stricken voice.

"I can't control it any longer," Kagome said desperately.

Kikyou nodded in understanding before her shaking hands slowly prepared to shoot an arrow.

"You will not harm her," a menacing voice said from behind Kikyou.

Everybody turned surprised gazes to Sesshoumaru. He then proceeded to walk towards the barrier.

"Don't do it," Yoji said.

Sesshoumaru ignored him and went forward.

- - -

The intensity of the miko's power engulfed him. It was excruciating and he felt the blood drip from the corner of his mouth. He unconsciously wiped it away and advanced towards Kagome's crouching form. He allowed his youki to flare around him. It somehow diminished the pain. Hopefully, it would prevent Kagome from purifying him long enough to get to her.

Through the haze of pain, he went forward. Sesshoumaru did not notice the way that his youki reacted with Kagome's power. The two conflicting powers seemed to be blending, surrounding them both with a brilliant white light that prevented the others from seeing what was happening. He was not even aware of the others calling his name in worry. After an agonizing short walk that seemed to last forever, Sesshoumaru finally reached Kagome's side.

Slowly, Kagome lifted her eyes to meet Sesshoumaru's unwavering golden gaze. Tears streamed down her face as she noticed Sesshoumaru's battered body despite his stoic appearance. "I am so sorry, Sesshoumaru," she whispered brokenly.

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome's brilliant blue eyes and felt something inside of him calm down. He gently touched the glowing crescent mark on her nape. "You belong in the Palace of the Moon," he said.

Kagome's eyes widened before a tremulous smile crept on her lips. The barrier disappeared before Kagome's eyes closed completely. She fell forward and Sesshoumaru caught her before she fell to the ground.

The shikon fragments fell to the ground and Sesshoumaru picked up the pieces with the hand that was not holding Kagome. His eyes widened in realization as he looked at his new appendage. It was his arm, complete with the claws and markings. He looked curiously at Kagome's prone form before pocketing the fragments and lifting her up in his arms.

- - -

Sesshoumaru looked at the faces of his family and Kagome's companions. Almost everyone wore a worried expression. His gaze went to his father who was quietly sitting in a corner. He had healed almost instantaneously. Then his gaze flickered to his arm before he focused his eyes to the wall opposite him, almost willing it to disappear. He knew that the wall was the only thing separating them from the unconscious woman.

Everybody was surprised when the light had disappeared completely to find him standing inside the pavilion with Kagome in his arms. They had stared dumbly at them before he walked towards them. It was his father who had regained his consciousness after a few minutes that remarked on the presence of his new arm. It had broken the spell and everyone rushed towards them to ask what had happened. He promptly ignored them and walked towards the palace and brought Kagome to her room.

The previous night's events had shaken everyone. Kagome was very powerful and they could not accept that there is a repressed part of her that could hurt them. It was full of hate and loathing. Nobody had expected that from her. She was always the kind and sweet miko who had a ready smile for anyone. What happened had confused them all. But Sesshoumaru understood. Behind every smile and every laugh, Kagome had kept all her pain and fears bottled up inside of her. She had repressed it all for the benefit of others. Finding out that everything that she had believed in was a lie must have triggered the dam of pain and fears to burst.

The entrance of the undead miko disturbed his contemplation. It was already mid-afternoon and the priestess had tended Kagome. There were still brief flickers of a barrier around her that only seemed to disappear around Kikyou and Sesshoumaru. She had then decided to forbid anyone except her and Sesshoumaru to enter Kagome's chambers.

"She is stable," Kikyou said simply. She looked weary.

"What happened?" Inuyasha asked. He was uncharacteristically subdued. It was clear that Kagome's words had affected him.

Kikyou looked up at them. "There were two prophecies made at the same time," she began. "One was seen by InuTaisho's mate while the other was seen by one of Midoriko's descendants. It all tells about Kagome."

InuTaisho's eyes flickered. "So there is another prophecy?" he asked Kikyou.

She nodded. "I have only found out a few days ago," she said. "The younger twin would be born when darkness ruled the land. Her pure soul would be vulnerable to the spirit that seeks to destroy the Descendants of the Moon. She would be bestowed with a great power. On the full moon night that marked her 22nd year the spirit that was destined to destroy the descendants would consume her unless one of the Descendants of the Moon seals the spirit that lies within."

"How do we seal this spirit?" Yoji asked.

Kikyou looked away. "One of you must mate her," she said quietly. "Make her part of the Palace of the Moon."

- - -

Kagome looked up at the ceiling. She had heard Kikyou's declaration from the other room. So that's why she needed to mate one of them. It was the only way of preventing the monster inside her from consuming her and destroying the inuyoukai clan.

Tears streamed down Kagome's face as she listened. It was either she mate with one of them or she would destroy them. She thought of how she had almost succeeded in killing InuTaisho and Sesshoumaru as they tried to save her. "I am so sorry," she whispered brokenly.

"Do not blame yourself." a quiet voice said from the doorway.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome whispered as she watched his silent approach. She watched how he walked gracefully and sat down. Tears streamed down unchecked. "I could have killed you and InuTaisho."

The demon lord looked at her quietly for a few moments before speaking. "But you did not. You fought the spirit that was supposed to consume you," he said levelly.

Kagome looked at the eyes that had been so sincere when he told her that he belonged with the Palace of the Moon. "Did I hurt you a lot?" she asked shakily.

"It was nothing this Sesshoumaru could not handle," he said stoically. He opened his palm to reveal the shards. "These belong to you."

Kagome took it from him. It was while she was taking the shards when she noticed that the hand she saw Sesshoumaru was using was the one that Inuyasha had severed a few years back. "Your arm," she whispered. "How?"

"You did this," Sesshoumaru said stiffly.

Silence ensued as the two lapsed into their own thoughts. Then, Sesshoumaru stood up and looked intently at her. "I am giving you the choice," he said.

Kagome's brows furrowed in confusion. "What choice?" she asked.

"Your mate," he said simply. "I expect an answer by the end of the month."

"Oh," Kagome said. "Who are my choices?" she asked timidly, averting her eyes.

"Any of us," he replied before leaving Kagome to her own thoughts.

- - -

Sesshoumaru entered the library to see InuTaisho, Inuyasha, Kenji and Yoji sitting quietly. He had called for this family gathering in order to tell them of his decision. He walked inside and looked at each face before sitting with them.

"I have decided to let Kagome choose her mate," he said bluntly to the quiet room.

"Who are her choices?" Inuyasha asked.

"I have told her that she would choose among us," he replied.

"By 'us', you are also including yourself?" Kenji asked.

He nodded his head simply. It was not as if Kagome would choose him over them. She would probably choose Inuyasha seeing as he was the only one that she had known for a long time. And she had harbored feelings for him back then. A tiny part of him protested at the thought but he suppressed it. Why did he care anyway? He was only looking after the interests of the inuyoukai clan.

An image of Kagome smiling at him in the rain flashed in his mind. He remembered how her soft lips felt against his.

Sesshoumaru was so uncharacteristically wrapped up in his own thoughts that he did not notice InuTaisho's knowing smile or the speculative glances that Inuyasha and the twins were giving him.

"So why did you decide to give her the choice?" Kenji asked. "She could choose you and you would be mated to a human."

"Many choices had been made for her," Sesshoumaru replied. "It is only fair that this choice be given to her."

Before anyone could say anything more, Sesshoumaru stood up and walked out of the room. He needed time alone to sort himself out. These confusing images in his mind were distracting him.

End chapter