"Hmhmhm. Luna was raised by two entities shrouded in darkness. Her aura is dark, yet she was born with a heart of purity, and a child like innocence. Of blackest darkness, and purest light."
Inuyasha said matter-of-factly, watching as he sheathed his sword into it's sheath. Kuro held his gaze to the ground, waiting for Luna to say something. However, Luna was simply stunned. Master? No way, she didn't...then again. Luna grinned mischeviously. She had the power of the most powerful swordsman in the world at her disposal at any moment she wished it. She looked back to Inuyasha and the others and sat on Kuro's back, placing one leg over the other and Kuro merely obeyed as she played around with his ears.
"I have a toy!"
Sango giggled and Kagome shook her head. Sango then noticed something. The sound of an arrow being pulled back. Inuyasha was entranced with Luna's achievement, but Sango lifted her foot and slammed it into Inuyasha's shoulder, sending him flying to the right as Kagome's sacred arrow flew past the spot Inuyasha had been standing on. Luna shot up as Shiori rose a barrier, knowing it would have no effect against Kagome's sacred arrow. Kohaku drew his scythe, spinning the shaft and swiping it, clenching as he aimed to protect.
Kouga and Akitoke were in front of Kagome as she nocked another arrow, cursing at Sango for causing her to miss. Miroku was clenching the beads of his wind tunnel. Curse that damned monk. If not for Sango, and Miroku's prayer to St. Hakushin to protect her, he would not have that accursed tunnel since Naraku was long since dead. Sango gripped her Hyoretsuzan, as Inuyasha recovered from flying through the air, placing his feet against the water and walking atop it's surface back to Sango, stroking her hair gently.
"Thank you, my love."
He turned back to Kagome's group, and lifted his hand to his Sesshomaru.
"I should have known a trustworthy alliance with you was too much to ask for."
He was about to draw his weapon when Luna shouted 'stop'. They turned to look at her, and the image they saw was both dazzling, and frightening. Luna was standing beside Kuro, and Kuro held both of his weapons in his hand. Kuro opened his eyes. Luna lifted her gaze to Kuro, speaking.
"Do you have anything new since I've taken you under control?"
"Yes, my mistress. I am able to create the weapon in which these swords were intended."
"Then create it!"
"...Cerberus. Come to me, as my mistress desires."
Kuro lifted his weapons, and they rose into the air of their own accord. A bright red flash encompassed them, and Kuro's body was visible only as a glowing black figure, no detail. The two swords vanished, but soon began to reform. From his elbow to his knuckles on his right arm was a long gauntlet. It was scale-style, and each individual scale was long and sharp, especially the ones ending on the knuckles. They were hooked like claws, talons almost. Held in the palm of that amazing gauntlet, was his new sword.
It was about three feet long. The hilt had a handle jutting out for Kuro to grip, so that the point of the blade was going behind his shoulder as he usually held his weapons. The blade was slender, exotic, and a dark blood color. The hilt and handle were black. He called these weapons his Cerberus, obviously. He awaited his mistresses command as she lifted her finger to Kagome's group.
"Kuro."
"Yes, my mistress?"
"...Kill."
"Yes, my mistress."
Kuro bowed down, and pushed off, flying forward. His body became a black comet as trails of his dark aura whipped behind him. He sped towards and past Shiori's shield, leaping into the air and flipping once. He descended, and landed in front of Kouga. The wolf lifted his right foot to kick at Kuro's head. Kuro ducked down as if it had been nothing, and thrust his gauntlet into Kouga's stomach. The claws dug into flesh, and Kuro ripped them out from the right side of Kouga's body. Kuro leapt into the air as Kouga screamed in agony, spun, and slammed his foot into Kouga's face.
Kouga flew towards Miroku, crashing into the monk and they both tumbled to the ground as Kouga bled. Kagome released a sacred arrow, and Kuro turned in place. They all saw Kuro's arm become a tan blur moving at a rapid speed in all different directions, and Kagome's arrow fell, in nine or ten pieces behind Kuro. Kuro rushed forward, kicking Akitoke aside and lifting his sword. The pack leader. Cut the head off the snake, and the body dies. Sango turned towards Luna, shouting out to her in hopes to be heard.
"Don't kill her, please!"
Luna looked to Sango and her ears drooped a little, pouting her lower lip. She lifted her head and shouted to Kuro.
"Stop!"
Kuro's blade froze, just in front of Kagome's face, the tip just before her nose as she cowered under the grip he had on the collar of her shirt.
"Return to me!"
Kuro dropped Kagome and bent his legs, flipping backward several times in a black blur of motion before landing beside Luna, bowed down to her. She scritched behinds his ears, and he tried to hide his pleasure of the touch but the purr that escaped him proved wrong. Sango sighed in relief. Kagome stood up, looking to Sango, and shouting.
"Why did you stop him!?"
"Kagome...I thought at least...you and I...could still be friends."
"Me, friends with a backstabber like you!? You took Inuyasha from m-"
"Mistress. May I speak?"
They all looked to Kuro as he spoke, and Luna nodded.
"You may."
Kuro stood up, and looked to Kagome. He spoke from across the walkway, so everyone could hear.
"From what I had learned from rumors and villages, as well as several demons, i you /i were the one who left Lord Inuyasha to sleep with a lecherous monk by the name of Miroku. Not only that, but you did it once more, even after Lady Sango was betrothed to the monk. The only one deserving of the title of backstabber in my den, is you, and the monk. Demons, mate for life. I am quite happy for Lord Inuyasha for not mating with a backstabber such as yourself. So Kagome. Becoming jealous...making a mistake, and through that mistake, since you are so angry you cannot see the truth, you shoot at Inuyasha...sounds alot like Kikyo, to me."
And i that /i cut Kagome deeper than any sword could have. She dropped to her knees as tears stained her face. Akitoke went to help her, holding her shoulders, but Kagome simply stared at the bow in front of her. She felt a rush of wind, and looked up. Kuro stood there, and spoke.
"Lady Sango offers you mercy, and friendship. Yet you spit in her face. Through all the things you have done, Kagome, I believe there is only one thing you truly deserve."
His Cerberus weapons faded from his grasp, and Kuro raised his hand. The sound of skin against skin resounded against the cave walls, fish moving away from the source as Kagome flew a foot or so to the side, the imprint from where Kuro's hand had struck her cheek. She landed to the ground with a yelp, holding her cheek, apalled. Akitoke lifted his weapon, and Kuro looked to him.
"How far do you think that will get you, human?"
Akitoke paused, and then lowered his weapon, dropping his head in shame. Kouga, however, would not have it. He rushed forward, black tail moving back and forth, as he jumped into the air, attempting to drop kick Kuro. Kuro turned his body to the side, and lifted his elbow. He slammed it into Kouga's back, and Kouga crashed into the ground, yelping. Kuro placed his foot on Kouga's head, holding him down, and spoke.
"Look now, Kagome. Your human partner, Hojo I thought his name to be, cowers in shame. This wolf demon, Kouga of the wolf demon tribe, fights valiantly for your honor. Demon and Human. Love is not bound by species, Lady Sango and Lord Inuyasha are a fine example of this. Kouga."
Kuro reached down and lifted Kouga to his feet, looking the growling wolf in the eye.
"Ayame, is right for you. Ayame of the white wolves. She has sent messenger after messenger to the Ten inferno's in search of you. Kagome, is not to be trusted. She betrayed both Inuyasha, and Akitoke. Akitoke forgave her, but such an act should not be forgiven. Akitoke merely forgave her because he is a human, and a fool. Is this truly what you want, Kouga? To be kept to such a woman?"
Kouga's eyes slanted and he continued to growl, searching for a rebuttal, but found none. He slumped his body, and shook his head 'no'. Kouga had not known about kagome's betrayel, not the full extent of it anyway. Miroku was up again, however, and lifted his hand to his wind tunnel. Kuro looked to Miroku and Kouga did as well. Kuro leapt into the air, and Kouga dashed in a circle. Kuro came down on Miroku's head with a sweeping kick, and Kouga with a vicious uppercut. Miroku was sent into the water, and Kuro landed down, sighing.
"Thank you, Kouga."
"Yeah, well...I suppose I owe you one. Sorry, Kagome. You're a good friend. Just...not a good mate."
Kouga turned to the exit, and Kuro spoke.
"You are welcome here anytime, wolf demon. Simply come, and my tiger shall step aside."
"You got it."
Kouga waved off, and then began to jog, and then sprint from the cavern.
"That is enough, Kuro. You've done well. Return to me."
Kuro pushed off into the air, soaring backwards, and landing down beside Luna, pleased with himself. And Sango and Inuyasha both looked happy to see Kagome finally get told off, and even better, slapped. Kagome stood up, a hateful glare in her eye. Apparently, setting Kagome off, though humorous, was not the best battle tactic. Her aura began to spread and become visible, pink and blue dancing as one another in an entrancing melody, as she raised her fingers, dropping her bow. A large pink bow, made entirely of aura, formed in her fingers.
In her other hand, was a golden arrow, made of energy alone. She nocked the arrow, drawing it back as far as she could, and aiming at Kuro. Kuro simply watched, but Inuyasha pulled Sango away, Shiori using a barrier to lift everyone else. Inuyasha looked to Luna, who was about to say something, but quickly shot out his tentacles of darkness, to pull her back. Kuro watched with a light interest, as Kagome released her arrow. The energy it emanated was extremely pure, and even more radiant in power alone.
Kuro had no way to dodge it, and turned to sprint backwards, away from the arrow. He couldn't jump out of the way, for there was no time and he would lose speed in the air. Kuro turned to Kagome, running backwards as the arrow neared him, and his back neared the cave wall.
"We all have demons to face, priestess! You would strike me down for causing you to face yours!?"
Kuro's eyes popped open wide as his back hit the wall. He raised his Cerberus and slashed against the arrow, and roared as his aura and his sword fought against the energy, but it was too radiant with light. The arrow slammed into his chest and his clothing burst into waves as he looked to the cavern ceiling, screaming in pain from the purification. The glow encompassed his body, and he vanished in that light as nothing but ashes. The cave began to shake, and collapse as Luna screamed Kuro's name, unable to accept the reality of his death.
"We must go!"
Inuyasha said, and they all bounded towards the entrance, Sango pulling Luna as the others simply ran. By the time they emerged, Hatchi, the black and white demon tiger, was roaring, and clawing at the cave entrance as it collapsed, becoming inaccessible. They all sighed from escaping the cave, and Inuyasha could smell Kagome's scent trailing off along with Miroku's. They escaped. Luna fell to her knees, saddened by the loss of Kuro.
"He's dead..."
"...A shameful loss, indeed."
Inuyasha said to console her, but Luna merely walked to hatchi and tugged on it's fur. The great tiger turned to her, emitting a small whine of sorrow, and followed when she began to walk. The tiger was roughly a bit bigger than Kilala. Luna scritched behind the tiger's ears, and it followed.
"...Let's go..."
"Halt!"
They turned to see a woman standing atop the cave entrance, holding two swords. They looked exactly like Kuro's old swords, except black blades and red hilts, instead of vice versa. She had long black hair and wore a two piece outfit, a short cut off shirt that hid her chest, and a small, tight miniskirt that reached her mid-thigh. She had the same cat-like ears and tail as Kuro did as well. She pointed to hatchi, and commanded.
"Return to me, Hatchi!"
The tiger mewled sadly towards Luna, but remorsefully padded it's way over to the woman. Luna growled lowly, clenching her fists. She would not allow her one remnant of Kuro to be taken!
"Return Hatchi to me! Who are you, how dare you take him from me!?"
"Silence! I am here because he is rightfully mine, now tell me of Kuro's whereabouts, so that I might slay him!"
Inuyasha turned to look at her, and spoke to the group.
"Kagome has returned."
Sure enough, the young priestess emerged, hatred still coursing through her eyes, her cheeks tear-stained, as she formed her aura bow and aura arrow, nocking it and aiming at the woman. The woman spun her weapons, demanding respect.
"How dare you all raise your weapons and tones to me! I am Sakura, heir to the bloodline! Is Kuro dead?"
Kagome grinned, and spoke.
"I killed him."
"You lie! I knew your body was riddled with deceit, priestess!"
"True as that may be...he is, dead."
Inuyasha interjected, and Kagome looked slightly hurt. Sakura spoke, swiping her swords.
"LIES! If he was dead, Cerberus would be in my possession! WHERE, Is Ku-"
Her valiant speech was interrupted by soil shooting up from the ground not far off, and a hand emerged. The hand pulled back, and they all saw the sweep of the Cerberus blade pass over the ground, and the sound of a resounding kick sent soil flying into the air. The dust from the explosion cleared, and Kuro stood there, a long scar over his chest, clothing reforming on his body as black smoke touched his skin.
"It is with great displeasure to tell you both, that Hatchi, is mine."
Luna's eyes popped open, and Kagome aimed at Kuro again, releasing an arrow with a twang. Kuro looked to her, and growled lowly. He lifted his right hand and caught the arrow of energy in his palm. Electricity crackled and singed his palm, yet he merely looked upon the arrow, before clenching it tightly and tendrils of darkness encompassed it, causing it to burst.
"I allowed that first arrow to strike me so my mistress would be able to avoid the attack. However, a second strike, is unacceptable."
"...Bastard."
Kuro turned to the person who had called him such a vulgar term, and smiled in her direction, holding Cerberus in the air for her to see.
"Hello, Sakura, dearest little sister."