Previously:

The group looked at each other in uneasy. Their normal confidence seemed to crumble without the priestess. She had always been the glue of their pack. And now she was gone.

The only one who looked on without fear was Sesshomaru. He knew Kagome was very weak after everything she'd been through. But he had faith in her. She would pull through. She had to.

Chapter Twenty

Mirror of Hatred

Sesshomaru parried the stone appendage Naraku sent after him, a flurry of sparks erupting from his sword. Immediately, it came after him again. Despite the stone consistency, the daiyokai sliced through it, leaving a jagged stub behind. Just as he was about to turn his attention to the source, the stone began to fester and mutate. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as the limb replaced itself with a new pointed edge.

"What the fuck?" Inuyasha said from across the field as he experience the same problem. "Regenerating bastard," he growled as he hacked at the extension again. Kirara flew past with Shippo on her back while he kicked, punched, and burned demons that began to swarm the clearing. Some were periodically sucked into Miroku's vortex as he used it whenever there weren't any poisonous insects within range. Next to him, Sango heaved her boomerang back and forth, attempting to thwart off two of Naraku's extensions that had selected the two of them as their targets.

"I'm tired of this shit," Inuyasha shouted. "Wind scar!" Three blades erupted from his Tetsaiga and continued toward the mass that was now Naraku. They shattered the body parts in the way and carved into his round body.

"Idiot!" Sesshomaru growled at him as he cut away two stone tentacles. "Kagome's still in there!"

"Since when do you care?" Inuyasha yelled as he jumped to avoid another dagger, landing next to the demon. Sesshomaru jumped backwards as Inuyasha ran alongside him, attempting to outrun the four tendrils that were now seeking revenge on the two.

"If you want to make sure she isn't in pieces, I'd suggest you avoid using that technique," Sesshomaru said coldly, cleverly avoiding Inuyasha's question. The brothers where suddenly in the air as the four daggers crashed into each other where the two just were. They immediately shot into the air after them. Demon and hanyou sliced the pointed tips and landed just as they finished regenerating again.

"Well then how the fuck do you suggest we kill him?" Inuyasha shouted at his brother as they cut into the stone again while the daggers were still in the air. The four fell to the ground like towers as their remains began to fester and bubble again. "Because this obviously isn't working," Inuyasha finished as the newly regenerated limbs chased after them again.

Across the field, Sango hid behind her weapon as an extension crashed into it, sending her skidding backwards. Miroku stood next to her, panting and sweating from the poisonous insects that found their way into his Tunnel despite his caution. The second appendage sped towards Sango, and despite her bracing, sent her flying into Miroku. The two rolled across the floor as demons began to swarm them. Shippo dropped from above them, Kirara following, and let out a ring of fox fire. The surrounding demons disintegrated, giving the couple enough time to recover and start fighting again.

Inuyasha groaned in pain as a dagger burst from the surrounding forest and cut into his side. His brother fought to fend off all four extensions while Inuyasha regained focus.

"I can help myself," Inuyasha growled as he picked up his sword.

"Then stop slacking," Sesshomaru replied coldly as he swiped at a tendril coming up behind the hanyou.

"You have no room to talk," Inuyasha grumbled as he eyed the scratches and cuts that found their way through the demon's armor. Before Sesshomaru could retaliate on this comment, Inuyasha jumped away to go solo again.

Sango cried out suddenly as a dagger curled around her boomerang and sliced into her shoulder. The other one followed up by plowing through her thigh, leaving blood pouring from both gashes. She crumpled to the ground, her wounded leg giving out. As the two sharp stones attacked again, Miroku threw himself over her body, gasping as they carved into his side and arm. Seeing his friends in danger, Shippo jumped off Kirara as she flew toward them to the rescue. Despite a gash on his forehead and bruise on his arm, he battled off the demons that tried to overwhelm them.

The brothers backed into each other as the daggers surrounded them. Inuyasha glared with determination despite the pain pulsing from his wound. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as the four prepared to attack simultaneously.

"That's enough!" Naraku suddenly shouted. His stone limbs retracted back to their master and the demons melted into the forest's edge. He surveyed the battlefield in satisfaction. "I'm done playing now. It's time to end this." His voice held a note of finality. "Shikon Jewel," he began, closing his eyes. "You will grant me my wish. Fulfill my only desire and—"

He was suddenly silent as he furrowed his brow. His eyes opened as he growled, "Stupid wench. You're making it impossible to use the jewel. It's helping you instead of me! Begone!" A small hole formed in his stone sphere body and a black glob shot from it, slamming onto the ground in front of the group of onlookers. Naraku glared at it for a moment before continuing. "As I was saying, Jewel of the Four Souls, grant me…"

He trailed off as the glob twitched and began to move. As it stood up, the thick black molasses fell away to leave the body of a woman.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted as she stood facing Naraku. Her body was naked and unscathed, not a single scratch to be seen. But a purplish black energy swirled around her, her hair floating like a thick curtain. "What's wrong with her…?" Inuyasha asked with clear confusion.

Sesshomaru stared at her haunting aura. "The jewel must've healed her. But since the majority of it was tainted with Naraku's dark energy…"

Kagome turned to face her companions. Her face was expressionless and her eyes were pure black. She stretched out her arms and clenched her fists, black energy bubbling around them. The girl's feet lifted and hovered off the ground.

Behind her, Naraku's villainous laugh echoed. "This just got a whole lot more interesting," he smirked.

"Um… Kagome?" Inuyasha said cautiously. As if that were her cue, she charged after him, black eyes narrowed. While he scrambled back to avoid her, he exclaimed, "Kagome! Snap out of it!" She showed no sign of recognition or understanding, instead swiping at him with blacked fists. Sango and Miroku watched with alarm, unable to move from their loss of blood, exhausted Shippo and Kirara next to them.

Sesshomaru drew his sword and flew after the couple as they passed him. She skid to a stop and drew her sword just in time to parry his attack. He narrowed his eyes, seeing that she obviously wasn't mindlessly fighting. It was similar to when her priestess powers took over, except now it was a new power entirely.

Kagome began to attack him with fluid grace and relentlessness. Sesshomaru only parried her attacks, unable to tear his eyes away from hers. They were so dark and cold, free of every emotion except for one: hatred.

"Naraku!" Inuyasha shouted as he charged after him, forgetting his pain for a moment. "Stop controlling her right now!"

As he dodged the gleaming Tetsaiga, Naraku laughed. "I'm not doing a thing to her. She's acting on her own."

"Lying bastard!" Inuyasha shouted as he poured his hatred into his every swing.

Sesshomaru finally put some force into a parry, sending Kagome backwards. He jumped onto the tree tops, staring down at her. He sheathed his sword and waited for her to follow so he could lure her away from the friends. He knew she'd regret hurting them if it came to it. Instead, she lifted her hands over her head. A tiny ball of dark energy began to form between them. After growing in milliseconds to the size of her head, she launched it. Sesshomaru braced himself to avoid it, but then realized she'd aimed at the trees he stood on. The innocent trees disintegrated as soon as the dark mass made contact, sending Sesshomaru plummeting to the forest floor. As Kagome charged after him again, the daiyokai lured her deeper into the forest.

The demon attempted to process what just happened. If her pure miko powers had the gift of life, her new dark demonic powers had the curse of destruction. That would explain why the trees just disappeared. But her priestess powers could also purify evil. That would mean this demonic power could dispel good. Did that mean Kagome's pure heart was destroyed by the Jewel's tainted energy?

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Inuyasha landed on the boulder, breathing heavily. His natural healing had taken over and healed his previous gash, but now there were several more to make up for it. With his friends temporarily out of commission, trying to bandage each other up, and his half-brother and Kagome nowhere to be found, he had Naraku's full attention.

"What's the matter Inuyasha?" Naraku cooed. "Can't keep up?" He sent two stone tendrils after him.

After dodging the sharp limbs, Inuyasha replied angrily, "I can keep up just fine." He punctuated this with a wind scar. It barely even scratched the enemy's stone body.

Inuyasha jumped around the clearing, avoiding the extensions that kept coming after him. He had incredible endurance, but he could tell it was running thin. He'd put so much energy into dodging and swinging that he couldn't even make a strong wind scar anymore.

The hanyou halted in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by the stone tentacles from every angle. "Your time is up, Inuyasha," Naraku growled. Inuyasha braced himself for the pain but instead was greeted by an incredibly strong gust of wind. Opening his eyes, he saw only broken stone fall to the floor, the jagged stubs hovering around him.

"What the…?" Inuyasha questioned. His hair whipped around him as a feather descended from the sky next to him, wind pushing the regenerating claws away. "Kagura?" he exclaimed as she tucked her feather into her hair, snapping her fan closed.

"Kagura, you traitor!" Naraku hissed. "You'll pay for that. And for leading Sesshomaru here since you're the only one who could've done it."

"I'm done being a slave to your will," Kagura said with deadly seriousness. "And I'm tired of your sick games."

Naraku chucked maliciously. "Have you forgotten, wench? I own you." He reached into a pocket in his armor and pulled out a pulsing bag. Kagura narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth. She knew this would happen. But she'd never be able to rest in peace knowing she'd run away from her fears. So instead she stared her fate straight in the eye, ready for what was bound to happen next.

Naraku tightened his grip on the bag, causing Kagura to gasp. She fell to a knee and clutched at her chest as excruciating pain ripped through her whole body. Inuyasha stared at her. The evil hanyou threw his head back in laughter as he watched her suffer in pain.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and made up his mind. With accurate precision, he took aim and threw his sword. It sliced through Naraku's arm before landing in the earth behind him, transforming into its original skinny form. He yelled in pain as his arm toppled to the floor, the bag still dangling from the dead hand. Inuyasha darted for it, picking it up and his sword before returning to Kagura's side.

"Here," he growled, tossing the bag into the exhausted woman's hand. She stared at him incredulously. "We're even now," he added nonchalantly. He watched in moderate disgust as she took her beating heart from the bag. She pressed it into her chest and took a deep breath as her body natural absorbed it. It was the first time she'd been or felt free.

Naraku roared in outrage. "I'll kill you both!" he exclaimed as his arm regenerated.

Inuyasha and Kagura looked at each other. They grinned before facing their foe, sword and fan armed, ready to attack.

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The girl huffed in frustration as she missed her target once again. Her dark sphere of energy splattered against the trunk of a tree, disintegrating it instantly. No matter what she did, all he did was dodge her attacks.

"Fight me," she growled, running after him through the forest with a darkened sword. Her voice was shadowed by a deeper inhuman tone. They were her first words since being overcome by the darkness.

"This isn't you," Sesshomaru said as she swiped at him.

"Shut up," she hissed as her sword burst with dark energy. Sesshomaru carefully avoided the black ribbons of destruction that contacted tree trunks, leaves, branches and grass instead, annihilating them at contact. She came after him again, holding her sword with both arms. With a massive swing, she sent a ban of black across forest at him. Grass withered and trees were obliterated as it traveled at an incredible speed. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes before bending his knees and leaping up and over the wall of death. The girl yelled in frustration, black eyes boring into his. She swung her sword with one hand in a crisscross pattern, sending smaller black walls across the open charred field she just created. The demon dodged each one, sometimes using his poison whip to dispel the energy. She glared at him in hatred from across the field, panting heavily.

"Kagome."

The girl's eyes widened, and she stood frozen staring at him.

"You've got to stop," Sesshomaru said softly. She blinked. "Hatred is the one emotion you've never allowed to take over. Why let it now?"

She shook her head and glared at him again. "I can finally let myself feel it – all the hate that's built up over the last two and a half years of my life." The deeper undertone in her voice almost drown out her normal voice as she spoke angrily. She began walking toward him, her steps angry and dark energy bubbling from her naked body. "Hate for Inuyasha as he continued to belittle me every chance he got; hate for Kikyou when I realized time and time again that only she could have his heart, even after she was dead; hate for myself as I proved myself to be worthless in every battle, only confirming Inuyasha's hurtful words, and then crying about it later, as if I wasn't weak enough already; and even hate for you, who kept that stupid 'high and mighty' attitude anytime you saw me with my friends, acting like we weren't even worthy to even be in your presence." She stopped walking and caught her breath, only a few yards from the demon. He listened, realizing that she wasn't being controlled by her hatred; she was letting it influence her. It felt like looking into a mirror. There was a time when his amber eyes held just as much hatred. But she had been the one to change that…

"I just kept pushing it away," the girl continued, sadness reaching her voice, "hiding my true emotions. And not a single person realized the real pain I was holding inside…" She paused and looked away. The dark energy no longer visibly filled her body, but her aura was still purple and violent. When she stared at him again, her black eyes were narrowed. "So when the Shikon Jewel became whole again, connecting with my pure shard, I chose to let the darkness fill me instead of letting the purity overpower the evil. I'm done hiding my hate and sadness for the sake of others, unlike you, who would never take that emotionless mask of yours down. You just let others guess how you feel, or even if you feel anything at all, and all because your daddy chose another woman instead of your mom. It makes me sick!"

The demon had been listening patiently until she said this. Now he glared at her. "How dare you make assumptions! You know nothing!"

"Well of course not!" she shouted, her aura quivering angrily. "Who have you let into that cold heart of yours, Sesshomaru? No one! Not Rin, who's been with you for a few years now. Not Jaken, who's probably been with you for centuries. And certainly not your half-brother, whom you only feel unexplained hatred for." She looked away as her aura settled a bit. Softly, she said, "And not me either when all I've done is try to be nice and warmhearted so you would open up to me. Even a little bit. Instead, all I had to work off of was body language and your ever-changing aura."

"You did the same thing," Sesshomaru said quietly. "You never told me what made you start your journey. All I had was assumptions too." She didn't say anything in response.

The demon sighed and looked off into the distance. "When my father left my mother for Izayoi…" he began quietly, "I couldn't understand why he didn't want to be around us anymore. He just rejected us, all because of the love he felt for another woman. A human woman at that. My mother was strong, but I could see her pain every time I looked at her. The heartache I saw in her eyes started my hatred for my father. I respected him as a powerful leader, but as a demon, a father, and a husband, I hated him. Eventually, the hatred broadened to anything to do with him. It went from Izayoi and humans in general, to Inuyasha and half-breeds, until finally the very concept of love or any other emotion. So I shut myself away from all it, either hating it or ignoring it."

Sesshomaru looked back to the girl. Her eyes were her normal cocoa color for an instant before flickering back to cold black.

"Well, you can keep hiding from your emotions, but I'm done," she growled, tightening her grip on her sword.

Just as she began to raise it, Sesshomaru said quietly, "You're wrong." She stared at him with her sword in midair. "I'm done hiding from my emotions."

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Prove it!" she hissed, emphasizing her words with a swing of her sword. When the demon did nothing, she glared at him. "Prove it!" she screamed. The demon just continued to stare at her. "That's what I thought," she raved. "You just—"

Suddenly, she was staring into amber eyes. "Kagome," Sesshomaru said softly as he tangled his claws in her raven hair. He held her gaze as he said, "You always hide your emotions, but you still knew and acknowledged how you felt, which is more than I've done. I shut emotions away from even myself, not allowing myself to feel a thing. But you changed that." Her eyes kept flickering from brown to black. He leaned in closer so their faces were only inches apart and closed his eyes. "I tried to deny it. I denied it for so long that I didn't even really realize what it was."

Kagome's mocha eyes closed too. "Realize what?" she whispered, the inhumane voice no longer clouding hers.

"That I love you," Sesshomaru said softly. He closed the gap and captured her lips. As he pulled her closer, she dropped her sword and returned the kiss with passion, wrapping her arms around him and allowing her hands to become lost in his mass of silver hair.

She broke the kiss, gasping for air. When she smiled at him, Sesshomaru knew she was back. "I love you too."

He smiled at her. "Now, let's see if we can direct this new power of yours at the real enemy."

Kagome frowned, picking up and sheathing her sword. "But this is pure dark energy. It would probably heal Naraku instead of hurting him. After all, I did get this from his energy that had tainted the Shikon Jewel."

"Something I know about hatred," Sesshomaru said quietly, "is that it is never up building. It knows only destruction and doesn't discriminate." He paused and glanced at her. "The real question is can you control it, harness its power and force it to do what you want? Otherwise, you'll be attacking friend and foe."

Kagome closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were charcoal black. Her face was emotionless as she stared up at him. After a moment, her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched until she forced herself to return to normal. "Control was a big part of what you taught me," she said, "but since I always hid my hatred, I never learned to control it. What you just saw is about the extent of my control over it." She looked away, hiding her eyes.

Sesshomaru gently lifted her chin to look at him. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Kagome. Even I can't control my anger and hatred sometimes." She smiled at him as memories of Pachi's clan came to mind. "You can just use your miko powers. You are more comfortable with them anyway." Kagome nodded slowly in agreement.

Sesshomaru stepped away and stared at her. Finally he sighed. "But first," he said as he reached behind his back. His armor fell to the ground, putting craters in the black soil. He shrugged off his outer shirt and handed it to her, looking away. "You have no idea how distracting your body is," he mumbled as she blushed and quickly covered up, forgetting she was still naked.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she tore a strip from the bottom of the shirt and tied it around her to keep it in place.

"Now," Sesshomaru said as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "What do you say we end this?"

A smirk spread across her face as an idea began to form. The final fight would certainly be one interesting battle if what she had in mind worked.

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Finally! Lol, this chapter was kinda tough. Now before I start hearing all kinds of complaints saying, "Omg, that was so OOC for Sessy," or "Eww, lovey-doveyness!" or whatever, I'd like to justify it by saying that after a prologue and twenty chapters, Kagome and Sesshomaru definitely deserved a full out mushy gushy scene. So there! Lol, jk. Really, I knew that Sesshomaru getting all emotional was the only way Kagome would've snapped out of it. I mean, hatred and love just can't coexist... or can they? Lol, there's a little hint for you in regards to the next chapter. (Le gasp! Is she really giving us a hint?)

Anyway, I'm actually pretty satisfied with how this chapter turned out. As always, I'd come up with a few things as I was writing. I hadn't planned on bringing Kagura back into it until the fight was all over and stuff, but I like it better this way. And I hadn't originally planned for Kagome to go all hatred-psycho. But it definitely helped the storyline better this way. That's what I think but I wanna know what you think though. And as always, suggestions are always welcome. Until next time!

Hiko