End Game
Rin led the way. It had been too quiet and she couldn't stand the thought of something happening to Sesshomaru or Kagome and the others. Shippo hadn't been hard to convince and the two held hands as the walked to the temple's entrance. Peering out they saw the humans gathered together to face two moth demons and a huge cocoon. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were gone!
The moth demon from the village was feeling high at the thought that Sesshomaru was now gone forever – the threat of the dog demons were history. He too laughed at the united front of the puny humans.
Ba-bump! Ba-bump! Ba-bump! The ground shook and again everyone froze. An earthquake? But no, it was coming from the cocoon. Ba-bump! Ba-bump! Ba-bump! The cocoon started to contract as if it were breathing.
"Move! Take cover!" Miroku called and pulled the girls with him toward the temple. But he was grinning – they were alive!
Blue light then streaks of yellow could be seen. The cocoon contracted more, faster and larger each moment. Kagome saw the little faces as she crossed the threshold.
"You guys are supposed to be hiding!" She kneeled and pulled Shippo and Rin close and turned to face the wall.
"Where's Lord Sesshomaru?"
"Where's Inuyasha?"
Kagome could smile now. "Oh don't worry, they're about to make a grand appearance!" She felt Sango and Kirara join her and Miroku stood over them all. They wanted to watch but they also didn't want to loose an eye.
Disbelief colored Danzaemon's and all the other moth demons' faces. It couldn't be. Were the brothers powerful enough to withstand the poison and acid of the four moth demons? Powerful enough to hold out against Danzaemon's two-pronged attack? Impossible!
The air was different. It was heavy with expectation. More shaking of the ground and then an…EXPLOSION!
Claws and bits of cocoon flew in every direction. Trees were trimmed, shorn and torn apart. The temple's walls were imbedded with them. Gituku's body was scored with two of the claws and he fell bloody to the ground. The moth demons fell flat trying to avoid being skewered.
Finally it was quiet again, the missiles all having found a place to rest. Kagome moved quickly to get a glimpse of Inuyasha and grasping Tetsusaiga ran out of the temple. Everyone followed her only to stop short again.
A barrier glowed around the two brothers. Sesshomaru stood tall, hand on Tokijin. Eyes intensely red, his face dirty, arm burned and his hair flowed with the energy surrounding him. Inuyasha was on all fours, his eyes too were still red and he was growling, hair also moving with the combined energy of his and Sesshomaru's power.
"The sword." Sesshomaru spoke as the barrier began to dissipate.
Kagome hesitantly stepped forward then ran to them. Inuyasha scared her when he was like this, in fact he turned on her and would have jumped if Sesshomaru hadn't held him back.
"The command. Now!"
"Sit!" She winced as Inuyasha thumped against the ground but Kagome was relived to see his golden eyes once more. Brushing back his hair, tears flowing down her cheeks she pleaded, "Come back to me Inuyasha. Come back and defeat these bastards!" The sword was placed in his right hand and even as he lifted his head – it transformed.
"Dammit!" Head still down, Inuyasha shook his whole body. He was glad to be back to his old self. A tired smile was shown to Kagome as he raised his head finally. "Hey good looking." Inuyasha grinned remembering a line from a movie they'd watched.
"Hey sweet-thang." She couldn't help but laugh as she took his arm and helped him up.
Inuyasha gave her hand a squeeze then turned to look at his brother. "I'd say it's time to send these insects to hell." Sesshomaru and he stared at each other for a moment, then nodding they turned to the two moth demons in the sky.
Together they walked forward leaving the others behind to watch. Swords were raised as they eyed the enemy.
"Danzaemon is mine."
"Yeah, yeah I know. Whatever as long as I get to kill one of them." Inuyasha laughed. "This shouldn't take long – as weak as they are."
"True." Sesshomaru allowed himself a small smile.
"Danzaemon! We need to work together or it'll be the end for us!" Desperation filled the elder's voice.
Danzaemon wanted to tell the old bastard where to go. He didn't think they had a chance against Sesshomaru. In fact he was contemplating getting the hell away from there.
"I'm leaving! Handle them on your own." Danzaemon turned in midair and started to fly away.
Gituku had figured Danzaemon would leave and so would he. He camouflaged himself and as best he could, dragged his body into the forest.
"Wait! Damn you! This is why nobody wanted a mixed-breed as a leader anyway!"
"Oh, no you don't!" Sesshomaru ran after Danzaemon, a blur to most eyes.
Inuyasha grinned. "That leaves you to me, old man!" He hefted Tetsusaiga before him.
"No, no wait! We can work this out!" He flew higher and started to move away.
"No, I don't think so! You just tried to kill me!" Inuyasha ran forward and jumped high. "Wind Scar!"
The demon flapped his wings hard and emitting a demonic aura, sent the wind scar back to Inuyasha. He jumped quickly out of the way and growled deeply. "You want to play like that do you? Okay!"
The demon moth was already gearing up, wings beating frantically, intending to blast Inuyasha before he could attack again. His body flew upward as he let go of his attack but… the dog was grinning. Why?
Inuyasha spread his legs and raised his sword. "Bye bastard. Backlash Wave!" The wind scar transformed into a swirling whirl of energy. It encompassed the moth's attack and kept moving forward until it made contact with the demon.
"No! W-what's this? M-my attack is…Nooooo!" It broke him apart. It tore him to shreds and his scream echoed throughout the hills.
Sesshomaru's smile widened when he saw Danzaemon falter at hearing the screams. He jumped up and his pelt came alive. It whipped up and around Danzaemon, immobilizing his wings.
Danzaemon struggled but the pelt held him tight. He'd transform! And he did – into his panther form and slid out of the pelt's embrace to the ground. Once down he rolled then set off running again occasionally sending lightning over his shoulder.
Sesshomaru dodged easily and in moments was running side by side with Danzaemon. "Ready to give up?" He taunted.
Danzaemon stopped dead then ran in another direction but it didn't help. Sesshomaru was always there – calm and smiling. What the hell could he do? Sesshomaru was just playing with him now. He'd have to face him, he couldn't get away! Maybe if he…
Danzaemon stopped cold and turned to face Sesshomaru. "Looks like I don't have a choice. I'll have to fight you."
"Fight me? That would be something new although you will never beat me. Your father realized it all those years ago. You've improved your powers but you should have stayed away from me. Attacking the girl sealed your fate. This is the day you die."
"Maybe." Danzaemon smiled then closed his eyes.
Sesshomaru titled his head, now what was the mixed-breed up to? In silence he watched as Danzaemon's body transformed again. He retained his panther form but he grew wings and antennae. A laugh escaped Sesshomaru. "Do you believe that this – this form will help you? It's an abomination!"
Danzaemon shrugged and laughed, "Whatever works! Die Sesshomaru!" He ran forward with webbing flowing from his mouth but there was also a miasma entwined with it. As it touched the ground and trees – grass and leaves immediately burned and died.
Sesshomaru avoided the toxic stuff and as he did, he moved ever closer to Danzaemon. Suddenly his leg was caught. The webbing wrapped tight and began to disintegrate his kimono and burn his leg. Growling, Sesshomaru ignored it and stopped where he stood. "Die!" Tokijin was held out and turned on it's side before Danzaemon's smiling face. "Dragon Strike!"
"What?! No! Damn yooooou!" Danzaemon couldn't believe the power that came at him. It hurt; it really hurt as he watched the attack disassemble his body. "I was…supposed…to…to rule…" Were his last words as he winked out of existence.
"Vermin. You're gone at last." Sesshomaru sheathed Tokijin and headed back to Rin.