Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha Characters, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I'm merely using them for my own twisted enjoyment. I do however, own all Original Characters, this plot line, and all the fan fics referenced in this story. :D
Chapter twenty four:
Inuyasha placed Kagome on the ground. "Shippo stay with her." He drew his sword and entered the fray helping Bankotsu finish off the tentacles.
Miroku coughed through the purple mist and his eyes burned with tears as he made his way through the sea of demon parts, blood, mist and haze. He spotted the baby and an opening. He lunged for the baby.
A tentacle flew towards him and pierced his shoulder. Miroku cried out in pain and used his staff to cut the tentacle before pulling the limp limb from his body and tossing it away angrily. He then dove point first towards the baby and missed by just an inch.
Coughing he lay on the ground and felt himself slipping into the realm of the unconscious.
"Miroku, no!" Sango's frightened scream rent the air as she watched her love fall. Anger overcame her and she began fighting like a mad woman making her way to his side.
Kohaku appeared from the smoke. 'I will finally be able to end Naraku's terror and free myself from the demon's grasp!' He flung his chained scythe towards the infant slicing it cleanly in half.
The tentacles immediately ceased moving and a horror filled scream resounded in the air as Naraku began shrieking.
Smirking Bankotsu jumped into the air twirling Banryu. He pulled to the surface all the hate and anger he'd been feeling since his brother died. "This is for Jakotsu!" He landed on the ground releasing his own attack toward the screaming mass of demonic flesh.
Pink and yellow light made a beeline for the flesh, incinerating chunk after chunk.
The screams of Naraku woke Kagome up. She quickly saw what was happening and sent an arrow toward the writhing halves of the infant. "Your terrorizing of innocents ends now!" Sheer determination filled her eyes and veins.
Naien was solely focused on her battle with the wind demoness.
Kagura hissed. "You little bitch, you destroyed my favorite fan." She edged her face closer to the human. Anger, hatred, and malice raged in her eyes.
Kagura extended her fangs and was about to bite the woman. Her face was mealy an inch away from the woman's unguarded throat. She leaned her head back about to sink her fangs into the soft flesh. She stared down at an angle into the woman's eyes. "Now die," Before she could lower her head the woman spat into her face, coating it with a strange mixture of spit and some kind of powder.
Kagura yanked back hissing as her eyes burned.
Naien used her legs pushing up, causing the demoness to flip over her head, releasing her hold on the demoness's wrists at the same time. She rolled away from the thrashing body that was currently clawing at her burning face.
The more she tried to focus, the more they burned. Kagura's voice pierced the air. "What the hell have you done?" She continued to thrash about on the ground, trying to make the burning cease.
Naien smirked. 'Thanks for the pointers Ban.' She retrieved her weapons.
Naraku began exploding from the inside out as the infant's demonic shriek filled the air and it began to purify inside out. When the screams silenced there was no trace of either the infant or Naraku, they had been obliterated molecule by molecule.
Kagura lay writhing on the ground, screaming about her eyes burning, before she too was purified by Kagome's arrows, which were protruding from her chest where her heart had beat once before stopping forever.
Bankotsu smirked in pleasure at the sight around them. He'd avenged his brother, ended his captor's life. He was pleased with having heard the horrified screams of his enemies.
"Yo Ban, a little help, would ya?" Naien struggled to stand, feeling the adrenaline began to wane.
Bankotsu snapped out of his trance as her voice penetrated his bloodlust. He watched her begin to sway and sink to her knees. He ran to her side catching her just before she could hit the ground. "What happened to you?" he asked confused.
Naien sighed and pressed her head against his chest, taking a minute to get her head to stop spinning. "Thanks for the capsule."
He smirked. 'So she used it eh? Good.' Realizing she must have been battling too as was evident by the scratches along her skin and the tears in her clothes, he scooped her into his arms and walked a few feet away to a cleaner spot, inspecting her for any serious injuries.
Kagome made her way to Sango, who was holding Miroku's head in her lap and sobbing. His chest rose and fell.
"Take me to them."
Bankotsu carried Naien over after she asked him too. He knelt beside the monk.
Naien slipped from his lap. "Get my pack Ban, quickly."
He nodded and went to retrieve her bag.
Kagome was already administering an antidote to the fallen monk and then began cleansing his wounds.
Sango stared on in worry as tiny crystals of water slipped down her cheeks. "Please be okay." She stroked his hair.
Naien accepted her pack from her lover. "He should be fine. Let me in, so I can sew up those wounds." She held up her needle.
Bankotsu pulled out a few strands of horse hair and handed them to her as he and the other's watched her meticulously sew the wounds shut.
Sango frowned. 'Where did this woman learn this?'
Kagome watched awed.
Inuyasha stood behind Kagome with a clawed hand on one of her shoulders and worry in his eyes.
Kohaku walked up shifting his gaze from the fallen man to his kin. "Sister?" His palms began to sweat as they stared deeply at each other a minute.
"Oh Kohaku," Sango cried relieved, she hugged him to her and began crying a mix of joy and sadness.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and closed his eyes.
Kagome placed her hand on Inuyasha's and smiled at him, before returning to watching the girl from her time.
Once the wounds had been closed Naien nodded and handed the needle to Bankotsu, who replaced it into her kit in her pack. She leaned against his chest. "Someone needs to boil some water for his medicinal tea."
Kagome and Shippo wasted no time in making the water.
Naien carefully scrubbed the skin around the wounds. 'Please let these herbs work.'
After Miroku had been helped to drink the tea, Bankotsu carried Naien.
Inuyasha carried Miroku and they all moved toward the last village they'd crossed a few days back.
XOXOXO:
Six weeks later Bankotsu walked into the hut. "How is he?" He used a hand to indicate the resting monk.
Naien wiped her brow with the back of her sleeve, before dipping the cloth and wiping it across the beaded forehead of the monk. "Well the poison's been neutralized as we'd hoped, so the rest is up to him."
Sango walked in dropping a bucket of clean linen. "Any luck yet?"
Naien shook her head and the demon slayer frowned. Walking over to kneel beside her injured love, Sango spoke to him. "Come on Miroku, wake up please." Her eyes widened as she felt something grope her butt and noticed the smirk on the monk's face.
She slapped his forehead. "Damn lech!" She glared down at him. "How long have you been awake monk?"
Miroku chuckled. "Long enough to know you were worried about me love," he groped her butt again.
She scowled and smacked his forehead before storming to the other side of the room.
Naien's lips tilted at one corner. "It's good to see you're back to normal monk."
Miroku whined, "Aw come on Sango, I'm injured remember?" before smiling at Naien.
Bankotsu chuckled.
Sango huffed. "Apparently not enough to stop groping women," She scowled at her misbehaving monk, grateful he was alive.
Bankotsu and Naien winked at Sango. "Aw come on Sango, at least he's awake again." They chuckled.
Her blush deepened.
They laughed and walked outside.
Sango walked over glaring at Miroku and hissed. "I told you, only when no one is around lecher." She slapped his face and then captured his smirking lips in a heated kiss.
Inuyasha and Kagome were outside watching Shippo and Kirara play tag. They'd just discovered she was pupped and were waiting to tell everyone at the same time. They'd mated shortly after arriving at the village. Inuyasha had finally put Kikyo's soul to rest and decided that his future was right here, with his mate - Kagome.
Miroku and Sango exited the hut and walked over to where they sat. Miroku spotted Kohaku and waved him over.
Kohaku helped Miroku sit down and left to gather fish from the river for dinner.
The monk leaned his back against the tree. "Hey you two, what's up?"
Kagome brightened. "I'm glad you're better now Miroku." She stared at her friends, unable to contain the grin on her face.
Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Kagome and I have something we want to say to you."
Kagome smiled and placed her hand in his. "Thanks to all of you, Naraku has been banished and the jewel has been completed and is now back where it belongs." She placed a hand over her heart.
Bankotsu smirked. "So, what's this big announcement?" He and Naien walked over holding hands.
Her face was flushed and her hair looked like it had been let down recently.
She reached over and pulled a twig out of Bankotsu's hair giggling as everyone watched him blush slightly.
Inuyasha grinned. "So, I'm not the only one who's been busy, eh merc?" His amber eyes held laughter.
Bankotsu fired back. "Busy huh? Who'd want to 'do the nasty' with you mutt?" he scrunched his face and then laughed at his own joke.
Inuyasha growled.
Kagome hotly informed the smug mercenary, "For your information, Inuyasha and I are expecting a baby."
Bankotsu blinked and then walked over and punched Inuyasha in the arm. "You sly dog you," He sent the hanyou a knowing look; causing Inuyasha to blush and everyone laugh.
As Kagome's words sank in, Sango asked, "Kagome, are you serious?"
Kagome blushed and nodded as her happiness shinned in her eyes.
Sango squealed and ran over hugging her up and they began chattering in excitement.
Naien smiled and walked over. "Congratulations Kagome. I'm glad things are finally turning out right for you."
Her gaze dropped to Kagome's stomach and a brief longing filled her soul. Shaking it off she smiled at the priestess and hugged her.
Not missing the movement Bankotsu frowned. 'What was that look for?'
Naien sat under the tree and stared off into the sky stretching her legs out.
Bankotsu walked staring at her with concerned blue eyes. "Hey, are you okay?"
She smiled up at him. "I'm okay." She pushing the brief sadness from her brown eyes
He sat beside her. "I'm sorry you can't have kids Naien, but it's kind of a good thing too. People who live the kind of life I do shouldn't really have kids anyway." He placed a soft kiss on her eyelid.
Naien agreed, "That's true and it's okay." Having Bankotsu's love was enough for her. Like all women, she'd wonder about it and from time to time she'd feel the need for a child, but she was content just being in his arms.
Bankotsu hugged her to his side and leaned his head on top of hers. Their hands were entwined as they stared at the sky. Bending over he whispered in her ear. "I love you Naien." He placed a tender kiss under her ear.
She smiled. "I love you too Ban." She wrapped her arms around his neck and climbed into his lap needing to be held.
Bankotsu stared up at the sky and smiled. 'Rest in peace Jaky.' Accepting his brother's death and finally able to move on with his own life. For the first time since his brother died Bankotsu was at peace with the world around him and the woman in his arms. He smiled down at her sleeping face. "And we're both finally where we belong too."
XOXOXO:
A/N: Okay guys and gals that's the end of this one, I hope you enjoyed it.