The Lost Daisy

I didn't think I'll get this chapter out, seeing how real-life has pulled me away from writing but... somehow, I had the time and some inspiration today, so here it is! I would like to apologize if this chapter is a little choppy, since it's been quite a while I wrote this story and continuing it is pretty difficult. Well, many details to take care of and Im trying to tie up the loose ends. Not that it's going to end soon, still a fair bit more to go actually.

I hope you guys like it. I tried. :)

PS: The temple is a based on real one that I've visited in Japan. Its called Kinkakuji. And... the title has a meaning. Pls review! Your reviews make this chapter come true!

"Why could he not turn his life towards me, as trees though troubled by the wind yet continue in the path of the sun?"

- Jeanette Winterson

Miroku partially shielded his eyes while he tried to focus at the gleaming, beautiful shining temple that was not too far away. There was a small dark crane on top of it and it seemed to him that the whole temple was coated in gold. Brilliant, eye-hurting, attention-seeking gold that was a screaming contrast from its dulled background of fork-like bare, gray trees.

"Inuyasha, that is a temple."

"Hmm," Sango pursed her lips while Shippou remained abnormally quiet.

Inuyasha let out a derisive snort and folded his arms while he continued to head forwards, "How would I know?!"

Miroku absentmindedly rubbed his stubby chin and said out loud his thoughts, "I wonder what is Kikyou-sama's true intentions..."

"Inuyasha, do you think we are going in the right direction? I don't think that is Naraku's hideout," Sango frowned a little.

"And it's also unlike him, to be this loud... it looks like a trap or diversion if you ask me," Miroku added.

"Maybe Kagome is not there at all! And why would Naraku want to hide inside a temple?" Sango instantly followed up.

The hanyou threw his hands up into his air and jumped around to three startled friends, "Can you guys SHUT UP!"

All three of them instantly clamped their mouths shut; it was simply no good to agitate Inuyasha further now. Even Kirara gave a small squeak-like sound and hid behind Sango's nape. To be truthful, everyone was exhausted and disheartened and Inuyasha's irate temper just made everything worse.

"Can anyone sense his presence? Or perhaps there is a barrier surrounding this temple? Isn't it a little odd that there is a temple in this place?" Shippou calmly asked.

No one expected this, but it seemed that the smallest of all had wisdom to offer sometimes. Inuyasha

Miroku's head snapped up, "Shippou, you are absolutely right! This temple is out of place here, but I don't understand why Naraku would erect or create such an illusion just to attract us? Is he tired of waiting or is there a more important purpose..?"

His words faltered away as he slipped into deep thought along with Shippou. Sango squinted hard at the glaringly magnificent temple, "I don't sense anything... but there could be a barrier as before..."

Inuyasha took a few steps forward and allowed his gaze to settle on the crane on top of the gold temple; Shippou was right. Miroku could analyze, Sango helped wherever she could. But what about him? He only yelled, pushed everyone around and brooded.

Inuyasha scoffed at his pathetic self-conclusion mentally, and caught himself doing that. He would not have thought like this last time; it was Kagome who changed him. Somewhere, in a distant part of his mind, he was really, really very impressed with her. She had powers, but they were not very reliable and she was only a human. Yet she could change people, and even though Inuyasha found this a little hard to swallow down, Kagome had changed Sesshoumaru too.

He knew, deep down in his heart, that Sesshoumaru was no longer the old Sesshoumaru. He knew that something happened between them, but it didn't seem important for him to know anymore. At least not now. As long as Kagome's heart was with him, Inuyasha found that he didn't really care for all these finicky things anymore. And his Kagome was somewhere inside this temple, he was pretty sure. It didn't seem to him that Kikyou would lie... and besides, he could feel that time was running out. Their quest would come to an end soon, and no one wanted to prolong it further than necessary. Blood would be shed, he knew, but whose blood?

Again, the image of Kagome's dead face and glassy eyes came to his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut.

No, Inuyasha took in a deep breath, No.

She cannot be the sacrifice, he opened his eyes and rested his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga.

"Unless..." Miroku's voice shook all of them out from their thoughts, "Unless... Naraku is making this his final showdown. Or some kind of ultimatum..."

Sango's and Shippou's face paled a little.

"Let's go and test it out, that's the only way eh?" Inuyasha began to make his way towards the temple but his tone was considerably softer and more genial. His companions smiled a little and agreed in unison.

There was truly a barrier surrounding the temple. But nothing that Inuyasha's Tessaiga cannot split it. As they walked through the diminishing temple, they could feel traces of Naraku all around but it was rather slight. As if he'd already left this place and this temple was only a show. A pretty show to get their hopes up so that they could be weakened further.

Inuyasha scowled, and Miroku thought that was pretty considerate of him.

"I suppose he's left, or at least, his real person is not here," the weary monk could not help but to let out a sigh. If they could fight, against their enemies, perhaps they could at least let out their hopelessness and frustration a little but it seemed that their enemies were always a step ahead of them.

"Wait," Sango tensed and Kirara'd transformed. Inuyasha sniffed a little and Miroku's eyes sparkled.

They could sense a familiar youki in the courtyard now. It came suddenly, but it felt strong and... sly.

"Byakuya!" Inuyasha shouted when the illusionist-youkai waved his hands from the tiled roof-top.

"Hello you people! Waiting for me?" Byakuya teased and let out a short, high-pitched laugh.

Inuyasha however did not respond to his taunts; he had more important issues on hand, "Where is Kagome?!"

"And Rin," Miroku added and Sango prepared her Hiraikotsu while Shippou held onto Kirara's furs.

Byakuya dangled his legs and gave a pondering face, "Hmmm... I think they are right here... but where, I cannot say. Isn't this supposed to be a hide-n-seek game? Aren't the human females prizes? Or are they not?"

This time round, it was Sango who responded and her tone was testy, "So much crap!" And Hiraikotsu was out.

Byakuya ducked the gigantic flying boomerang so easily as if he was hopping on floating lotus leaves, "That's all you can do? Patheeeetic!"

Sango caught hold of her boomerang and was tempted to swing it out when Miroku stopped her, "Don't! Don't waste our effort on him; he's delaying us for some reason, let's just go inside and look for Kagome-sama!"

But the illusionist-youkai landed onto the courtyard and grinned, "Ho? So only the monk has some brains... and do you think you can just go in like that, so easily? Naraku is no fool, and I am no weakling you know."

"So this is the case huh? Inuyasha, you go and find Kagome-sama and Rin! Sango and I will fend off this disgusting creep!" Miroku unwrapped the cloth around his right hand and the rosary beads. Kirara let out a growl while Shippou had already took out whatever tools he had.

Inuyasha muttered a 'thanks' under his breath and raced off for the interior courts.

Naraku sat leaning against the wall and observed the two; it was interesting how these weak humans would behave when they were so near death. Having seen and caused countless deaths, Naraku has never gotten tired of it. Every human was more of less the same; plead for mercy, grovel on the ground, losing control over their body and sometimes mind...

Kagome was slightly different. Naraku pursed his lips, wondering whether that was true or whether she didn't think she would die today. The two females sat huddled together, clinging to each other for warmth and sanity. The little one was ready to go, in his opinion since she had almost no more strength left in her body anymore. Her blood was not moving fast even though the room was no longer cold. Kagome looked to be a bit more studier although she avoided eye contact with him.

"So, have you considered my proposition? I do not have all day for you," Naraku stretched out one leg.

"I said that I won't give you my eyes or my soul or my body, just kill me, and let Rin go," Kagome closed her eyes and buried her face into Rin's hair. She was so tired that she felt like dying; all the imaginable bones and muscles in her body were so weak and aching and she couldn't even move one more bit even if she wanted to. Deep inside her heart, Kagome'd already resigned herself to her Fate and even then, her mind stopped. She could think no more further. Lack of food and good sleep and stress was zapping her sanity bit by bit, but at least, she would hold out as long as possible until Rin was safely in Sesshoumaru's arms.

And at the thought of his name, her heart ached and went cold.

"Fine, I'd expected this. Let's go out and meet your lovers then," Naraku got to his feet and channelled a sphere around the two weak females, lifting them up before him as they moved to the inner courts.

"Sesshoumaru! What are you doing here?" Inuyasha stared at his half-brother bewildered.

"Of course my lord is here for Rin! Can you not remember anything at all?!" Jaken angrily replied while stomping Nintoujou on the ground. Sesshoumaru did not even turn his head but merely looked at the Buddha statue looming before them. He knew that Inuyasha could also feel Naraku's presence moving towards here, but made no mention of it. Whether this would be the final battle or not didn't matter to him either.

There were only two things on his mind; Kagome and Rin. Sesshoumaru wanted to see them, desperately and he would acknowledge this to no one. He would rescue Rin, and Kagome... he would let her make the decision.

And suddenly, without any warning, Naraku appeared before them in his red sphere of barrier. Crouching behind him were Kagome and Rin.

"And so you found the holy grail! Or are they not?" Naraku laughed, "I am not surprised both of you came... oh, all for one woman. Or two?"

Inuyasha pulled out the transformed Tessaiga and barked, "Don't fucking pull anymore shit on us! Let's just get this over quick and fast!" And with that, he charged for the barrier and hacked at it. Naturally, it was unbreakable and Tessaiga merely bounced off it like a plastic sword on a rubber ball.

Sesshoumaru remained impassive, his eyes fixed on the two females. Rin was so weak that he almost couldn't smell her pulse, and that alarmed him greatly. She was already drifting in and out of unconsciousness and her neck couldn't even seem to support her head. Whereas Kagome did not dare to meet his gaze at all. For reasons unfathomable to him; his heart felt gripped by an icy-cold hand which refused to loosen its hold. Sesshoumaru wanted to pull away the hand, dig out his heart, give it to Kagome and return to his home with Rin.

He admitted to himself that he was tired, too. Tired of being caught up between her old love and hesitations and duties to his half whelp of a brother and his love for her. Even now at the juncture, she dared not meet his eyes. Why? This question ran through his mind and was reflected in his eyes yet she would not see.

Perhaps she wouldn't even care for his heart, even if he gave it to her on a silver platter.

"Sesshoumaru! Are you going to help or not?!" Inuyasha panted and glared at the taiyoukai who seemed lost in his thoughts.

Sesshoumaru remained quiet, for he knew that he too could not break through Naraku's barrier and it was obvious that Naraku wanted negotiations, or whatever plan he'd hatched in his mind. It was futile and a waste of one's energy to try hack at the sphere even though he himself never had to find himself physically tired.

Emotional fatigue was another issue, and new to him. Still, he had to deal with it.

"Naraku, state your business," Sesshoumaru's words were icy and firm. They were at the disadvantaged point, not Naraku.

Inuyasha seemed to have realized this point and kept silent; his companions having distracted Byakuya enough, rushed to the inner court and found all of them gathered there. "Kagome-chan!" Sango could not help but to let out a tearful cry; she was so very glad to see her in one piece yet her heart hurt to see her so broken. It was written all over Kagome's face as she hugged Rin tightly to her skinny body. Shippou's tears brimmed, but he would not allow himself to cry for he knew that Kagome now needed support and strength.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said out her name softly, a million thoughts running through his mind.

The corners of Naraku's lips lifted up slightly, "So everyone is finally gathered here... well then let us waste no more time. I will only let one go."

Kagome shuddered and concentrated.

"Fucking bastard!" Inuyasha charged for Naraku's barrier again and this time round, Sesshoumaru did not wait. Everyone joined, even Jaken but no matter what they did, they only managed to bring the roof top crashing down. Naraku's barrier remained solid and un-penetrable.

"This is no fun, isn't it?!" Naraku gave a shrilly yet deep, maniacal laughter and let down his barrier, "Even if you slice me apart a thousand times, I will not die!"

Then before anyone could react, Naraku pulled apart the two females and Kagome shrieked. She tried to purify the tentacles surrounding her waist and wrists but she was so weak that her palms shone lightly and nothing else. She despaired at her own weakness and lack of strength and cried, "Bastard! Bastard! Kill me!"

Inuyasha shouted and charged again but only ended up slicing tentacles. There was no way he could unleash any attacks since Kagome and Rin were with him. Sesshoumaru braked to a stop and his lips parted at Kagome's cry; had something transpired between her and Naraku? He let out a feral growl, his inner beast struggling to get out and urged him to transform to his original form but he hesitated. His poisonous whip sliced apart the tentacles holding onto the females and he tried to get to them as fast as he could, but proximity was a factor and Naraku had them in his hold and blocked out the inu-brothers.

"So, do you want her?" Naraku lifted up the unconscious Rin, and then Kagome, "Or her? Who loves Kagome more?!"

Miroku scowled at this dirty trick; he was trying to drive a wedge between the inu-brothers and he had no idea why. Sango and Shippou shook their heads and cried out, "Kagome!" Jaken stared tearfully at little Rin who looked like a small skin-bag of bones.

Sesshoumaru wanted to say something, anything to make Naraku stop but he knew he wouldn't. The ending was already decided before they came and he had no idea who would be sacrificed. He wished he could use Tenseiga but he couldn't. Inuyasha raged and raged and Miroku held him back; if he antagonized Naraku further, he could kill both.

"No answer?" Naraku asked quietly and leered . Night had fallen, and the moon was visible above their heads.

"Kill me," Kagome's voice was begging him. But Naraku was never one to fulfill one's wishes, so he swiftly pulled apart Rin's body.

And Kagome was the only one who screamed.

I know, I killed Rin. Its not done on impulse, I'd planned her death a long while ago. :(

I will try to finish this fic, really I will.