Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 15- Naraku's Castle

"Come on Inuyasha are you really still mad about Kouga?"

"Yes, I am. I'll have to kill him before this is all over with. He'll never stop throwing it in my face that you said that."

"Inuyasha, I had to do something to get him out of our way."

Inuyasha looked up at his friends traveling in the air beside him and decided they were out of hearing range.

"Kagome, why are you in such a hurry? You never seemed to be in a rush before."

"I just want things to be over with! Is that so bad?"

Inuyasha sighed. "No, it's not. Your right the sooner we get this over with the better."

"I'm glad you finally see that. Do you think the well will close itself once we complete the shard and you wish on it?"

"I don't know." That was a lie on Inuyasha's part. He was almost positive that it would.

"I hope not."

"Yeah, so do you sense anything?"

"No, I don't. But don't worry we'll find all of them."

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"Are you sure you know where we are going?"

"Yes, I told you all I have to do is get inside Naraku's mind."

"I don't want to imagine what that's like."

"It's terrible, I'll admit. But it has to be done. It was rather difficult at first. I think, he may have suspected that Kagome or another miko might try to get into his mind. but no one besides a very Dark miko would be able to handle his mind. Except me of course."

"How far away are we?"

"It's hard to tell. While, the location of his lair is always on his mind I have no way of knowing how far it is."

"Yeah, sorry I just thought maybe that might be one of your talents."

Sankotsu laughed. "That would be too easy, don't you think?"

"Yes, it would be too easy. I just hope we reach him soon."

"He's not going anywhere right now. He knows that Kagura is dead. He is using this time to think about what his next move will be. He knows he needs to act quickly but he doesn't want to be unprepared."

"But how prepared can he be? He doesn't know about you."

"Yes, you are right, but it has to be you that defeats him. That's how it is supposed to be."

"Good, because I will enjoy that very much."

"I thought you might say that, but will you really enjoy it because you want to or because of everything he has done?"

"Because of everything he's done. That's why. I'll enjoy getting rid of such an evil being. Why did you ask?"

"I just wanted to help you. I want you to realize the many things that have changed about you. I think it is important that you do. It will help you leave the past behind."

"If you say so. You're the one that knows about all of this stuff."

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"Kagome, how do we know that Naraku doesn't already have all of the shards?"

"I guess we won't until we meet up with him. Unless Bankotsu gets there first. Then, we won't know until he brings all of the shards to us."

"He can't beat Naraku on his own. He'll die if he tries."

Kagome didn't say anything. She didn't want Inuyasha to realize how much what he said had scared her.

'What if he does die? Then everything I did would be for nothing. No, he won't die. He can defeat Naraku.'

"I don't know Inuyasha, I think Bankotsu is pretty tough." Shippou said receiving a glare from Inuyasha. Shippou huddled closer to Kagome and stuck his tongue out. Kagome smiled. Shippou;s words helped her more. She was glad she wasn't the only one that felt that way.

"I agree with both of you. I think he can defeat Naraku, but I do not believe that he will be able to do it alone, because Naraku is not the only thing he will have to fight. I do not think he can survive fighting all of the other obstacles in his way and defeat Naraku alone. He would have needed us to clear the way for him, so it would just be him and Naraku."

"Feh, you'd be clearing the way for me not him. He could have stayed behind and helped all of you. Not that I care that he went alone. Now he will be out of my way too. Naraku can finish him off that way I don't have to."

Kagome couldn't take it anymore. She stood up from the grass she had been sitting on and glared at Inuyasha. "Do you think that I will ever allow you to fight him? No, I will not! I will not have two of the people I care most about killing each other. And I didn't think that everything that was sacrificed for Bankotsu's life that you would even think of taking it away."

"Y-you're right. I know that you want him to live. And if you want that then he will."

Everyone looked on in shock. It even took Kagome a few minutes to realize what had just been said. Kagome ran over and hugged Inuyasha tightly.

"Thank you Inuyasha. I just want all of you to live and be happy."

"I know, don't worry about it. We all will be. Even you."

"I can never thank you enough for saying that. It means everything to me."

"Feh don't get all emotional about okay?"

Kagome pulled away and looked at Inuyasha. He was smirking down at her tear filled eyes. "Okay."

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Bankotsu stopped when Sankotsu did.

"What is it?"

"We are close. We are very close. You stand here while I walk a little ahead. I need to see if I can get through the barrier that will surely be set around his hiding place."

Sankotsu kept walking forward. She knew that she was close. Her connection to Naraku was stronger. She could sense the barrier. She put her hand out and it revealed itself. Her hand on the other side. "Come Bankotsu I found what we are looking for."

Bankotsu came to stand beside her. "I guess you can get through. But how will I? We will have to break it won't we?"

"I don't think I will. If we do Naraku will know and then he will be prepared. We do not want that. We don't want him to have time to send reinforcements. I hope I'm right about this but I think if you hold my hand that I can cover you in my own barrier. It will get us both through. So, grab my hand."

He grabbed her hand. She closed her eyes and a second later opened them again. They walked through the barrier without any problems at all.

"I'm glad you're on our side."

"As am I. It's always nice to be on the winning team."

"Yeah, so what now. I'm sure there are guards. How will we get rid of them without any of them informing Naraku that we are here? You know the answer to that already dont you?" Bankotsu said looking as Sankotsu had began to smile at his question.

"Yes, I do. You see I will put a type of forcfilled around them and me. I will fight them while you go to Naraku. I know where he is so I'll put it around everything but the room he's in once I know you've made it there. It will be your job to sneak there. He's inside the castle in the top most tower."

Bankotsu looked ahead noticing the castle for the first time. It was one of the biggest he had ever seen. He began to wonder if Kagome would like to live in a place like that and then shook the thought from his head. He had a job to do. "Okay, where will you be waiting while I do this? You'll have to act kind of quick won't you?"

"Don't worry I'll be here. Are you ready?"

"Yes I am." He gripped Banryuu tightly in his hand and got ready. He began walking away and didn't look back at Bankotsu.

Sankotsu watched him go. 'Please be safe Bankotsu.'

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It was dark and cold. It had been difficult to get inside but he had found an entrance that he though Sankotsu probably made herself for him. He thought he could feel her peeking into his mind every once in awhile, but he wasn't. He could have just been imagining it. He peeked around the corner of the first hall. There were only a few candles as far as he could see. That would be enough. It could make it easier just in case he had to hide in the shadows.

As soon as he rounded the corner he could feel something wasn't right. And he was right. Hundreds of weak youkai came rushing towards him.

'Do not worry about them Bankotsu. They are just part of security. Naraku knows how to command them. I know it will be easy for you to destroy them. Do so and I will make sure Naraku won't know about it.'

Bankotsu gave a nod and got ready for them. He slice through the first few hundred without any problems. He got rid of them quicker than he thought. But they were very weak. He guessed a baby might have been able to beat them.

He continued down until he finally came to a flight of stairs.

'It's safe. I have put a spell over the youkai that were to guard the stairs. They will not know you are there. But I think it would be best if you did not touch them. If they are as strong as I think then it could bring them out of the trance.'

'You think of everything don't you?' Bankotsu thought back smirking. He knew it was important that she do all of this and not him. It would take everything he had to defeat Naraku. He didn't need anything else to wear him down before he even got to his destination.

He kept going up the steps moving around the youkai that he saw. He knew there were probably more of them in hiding, but he didn't worry. Sankotsu was strong and he knew he had nothing to worry about yet.

He climbed for what seemed like forever and finally he came to the door.

'The forcfilled is up everywhere except where you are and the room in front of you. I can't help you or it will fall. I have to concentrate on destroying the guards. When I am done I will come assist you in anyway that I can. But I don't think you'll need it. You are strong. Good luck to you. And thank you for letting me help.'

He felt her leave him and out his hand on the door. He took a deep breath and opened it. The room was dimly lit by more candles. These candles were black.

'Went a little over board didn't he?' Bankotsu thought walking fully into the room. He didn't bother closing the door. Naraku had his back to him. He was standing.

"I see you made it. I am just curious as to how you did it?"

"You don't need to worry about that. All you need to worry about is me."

"You? You are nothing! You couldn't even get rid of a stupid human girl."

"You're right I couldn't. Not because I don't have the ability because I do. I just didn't want to hurt her. The only one I want to hurt is you and I plan to."

"If your wish is to die then I shall fulfill that wish."

"The only one that is going to die is you!"

"Kukukuku, if you really believe that then defeat all of my guards. Come all of my youkai and rid me of this nuisance!"

Bankotsu smirked as the one on Naraku's face slid away. "Not so sure without your guards are you?"

"This isn't possible. I would have known if you defeated them."

"Maybe not."

"It is no matter. I guess I will have to waist a few moments on you. After all, that's all it will take to get rid of you. I admit, it might have taken a little longer to defeat Inuyasha. But you are a human. It will be too easy."

Naraku's body began to transform. Different parts from many youkai began to show themselves until Naraku was much larger than when he started. Bankotsu ran and jumped as high as he could and tried to cut off one of the tentacles. However, Naraku grabbed him with that very tentacle and slammed him against the wall.

Tentacles began flying towards Bankotsu. Naraku thought he was already knocked out by the force in which he hit the wall and wanted to be rid of Bankotsu. .

Bankotsu waited and acted right at the moment intended. He cut the tentacles coming for him and they fell to the floor. He did this again and again until he realized something. They were regrowing.

He now knew he'd have to find the shards and take them and stab Naraku at there precise location. And since Naraku no longer had a heart Bankotsu had a good idea to where they were the only problem was how would he get there.

He decided that he would have to let himself be hurt in order to make it.

'Bankotsu I am on my way now.'

Bankotsu couldn't wait. Kagome had made a sacrifice for him and he would do so for her. He allowed the tentacles to grab him. One of them went straight through his stomach and he gasped in pain but kept his eyes open.

He was dragged to Naraku's face. He had dropped Banryuu on the way up but he didn't care. He took his fist and punched as hard as he could. He went into the skin and gripped the almost complete Shikon Jewel and ripped it out. He dropped to the floor. He closed his eyes. Before everything went black he heard Sankotsu scream 'No' in his mind.

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Miroku sat up quickly. He could feel a tingling in his hand.

'Is this it? Am I going to be consumed?'

He stood up and ran away from his friends. He ran into he forest until the stars in the sky were hardly visible. Then he took off the prayer beads and looked down.

"Guys wake up!"

"Feh, what the hell do you want?"

Miroku looked around to make sure everyone was awake before he spoke. They were all looking at him expectantly except for Inuyasha who looked as if he was about to kill him. He lifted his hand where his Wind Tunnel used to be and they all saw it. The hole was gone and his hand was back to normal.

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A/N: I know that I didn't do the fighting scene with Naraku and Bankotsu justice but I am terrible at fighting scenes. I hope you all can use your imaginations and fill in all the things that I did not put there. Also, I would like to add that some of you might not be happy that the rest of the gang wasn't there for the fight but there is still Sankotu's ex to get rid of. And on that note don't think that there will only be one or tow more chapters because there are still other things left to solve and I am not finished with Sesshomaru. So thanks for all of the reviews and keep them coming because I heart all of them!!!!!!!!!