A1696: I'm updating again, yay!
Inuyasha: hmph! About time!
Kagome: Inuyasha...
A1969: hey, Inuyasha, I was just reading the manga here, and I was wondering—have you met Sesshoumaru's mother?
Inuyasha: -twitch- don't digress!
A1969: just wondering—besides, Kagome's curious, too, I should think.
Kagome: eh...well...yeah—I was wondering that.
Inuyasha: keh! Anyway, thanks to the people who bothered to read and review.
A1969: yeah, they're much appreciated, and—wait...did you just thank the reviewers?
Kagome: what have you done with the real Inuyasha?!
Inuyasha: keh!
Chapter Forty-Three: Choice
XoXoXo
Helen's cheeks were a blazing red, her heart beating, no spluttering, in her chest. Did...he...just say...she was...his? She felt the butterflies fluttering energetically in her stomach as she looked at Sesshoumaru, who was glaring at Toshimaru with narrowed eyes.
Sure, it should worry her that they were both so fierce at the moment—swords drawn, eyes narrowed, demonic energy rising dramatically—but, instead of feeling worry...she honestly felt euphoric (more than euphoric even) at what he had said.
"What is going on here?" one of the lords asked.
"Finally," Lady Takeida was heard saying.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, really, you shouldn't..." a random golden haired lord said, only to be silenced with a death glare from the said demon lord.
"He's fond of making such a dramatic entrance," Lady Shinsuke muttered, eyeing Lady Takeida meaningfully.
Lady Takeida sighed, and shrugged. "I don't know where he gets if from," she said in a long suffering tone of voice.
Right, Lady Shinsuke thought sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at her friend.
"So, cousin, what brings you here?" Toshimaru asked, the pleasant tone still in his voice.
"I came to claim what rightfully belongs to me." He took a step towards Toshimaru, his eyes warning him. Once again, Helen felt her heart splutter in her chest, and her cheeks take on a bright shade of red.
"I see nothing that is yours for the taking," Toshimaru said, tightening the grip on his sword.
"Let me enlighten you," Sesshoumaru said coldly. "The girl standing behind you—she belongs to me."
A low murmur ran throughout the room as Helen felt her cheeks burning again. She didn't even bother to listen to what the guests were saying—her attention was focused on Sesshoumaru and no one else.
"Does she now?" Toshimaru asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes."
"I've never heard of such a thing!" someone was saying.
"Well, isn't this surprising."
"Surely, they don't mean to fight?"
"Lord Shinu, you are strong enough—restrain Lord Sesshoumaru!"
"And lose my head?!"
Sesshoumaru and Toshimaru were both oblivious to the banter going on around them. Their eyes were fixed on each other, narrowed and cold.
"Will you step aside, Toshimaru?" Sesshoumaru asked nonchalantly. "Or are you foolish enough to risk your life?"
"I will protect what is mine," Toshimaru snapped.
"Then you are protecting nothing," Sesshoumaru said softly. "For I see nothing that belongs to you." His tone was colder than normal.
"Don't you, now?" Toshimaru took a step towards him, sword held at the ready. "Then perhaps, dear cousin, I should gouge your eyes out and cleanse them for you, don't you agree?" He was acting very much out of character, thus was the effect of the jealousy that tormented him.
Helen felt her heart beat again, not because of what Toshimaru said, but because of what he meant. He was going to fight Sesshoumaru. And much as she knew that Sesshoumaru was more than capable of handling his cousin, she didn't want to see them fighting because of her. It was flattering, yes, but the flattery was nothing compared to the guilt she was feeling. After all, these two lords, these two cousins by blood, were fighting because of her—who wouldn't feel guilty?
"Please don't fight!" she cried out, placing a hand on Toshimaru's shoulder.
All eyes in the room suddenly shifted to her. Eh?! she thought, mortified. What're they looking at me for?
"Sesshoumaru, she does not wish us to fight," Toshimaru said quietly. "You may leave, and perhaps I shall forgive you."
"I neither need nor want your forgiveness," Sesshoumaru retorted. "And I shall leave, but I am taking what belongs to me."
Another low murmur ran throughout the room.
"I thought he didn't want Lady Shinsuke's daughter?" a feminine voice quipped.
"Apparently, he changed his mind," someone replied.
"This is still unheard of!"
"But exciting, nonetheless."
"Silence!" a high feminine voice cut through the discordance, and everyone's eyes—Toshimaru and Sesshoumaru excluded—turned to Lady Takeida, who had stood up and was staring at the guests in the room with fire in her eyes.
"Toshimaru, Sesshoumaru," she said, turning to the lords who were still eyeing each other. "Put those away, and let us settle this without the loss of a limb, shall we?"
Both lords glared at her. "Unless you wish to wage war on the North, Sesshoumaru, put your sword away," Lady Takeida repeated. "You too, Lord Toshimaru."
Helen—though it was rather inappropriate at a time like this—couldn't help but find the situation funny. Lady Takeida sounded just like the mother she was, reprimanding her son.
Sesshoumaru and Toshimaru did not, instead they continued glaring at each other. Sesshoumaru, nonchalant, calm, aloof, and indifferent; Toshimaru furious, but controlled.
"Put those away!" It was Lady Shinsuke this time. She stood up and stood next to Lady Takeida, both of them looking like the formidable mothers that they were.
Sesshoumaru ignored her, and took a step towards Toshimaru. "Step aside," he commanded imperiously.
Toshimaru raised his sword. "Don't fight!" Helen stepped from behind her fiancée and stood beside him, her eyes fixed on Sesshoumaru.
"Are you defending him?" Sesshoumaru demanded, his tone colder than usual, his golden eyes boring into her silver ones.
"No," Helen said. "It's just that you two shouldn't—"
"You aren't?" Toshimaru asked, turning to her.
Urgh, Helen thought, inwardly sighing. I just might get a headache after all of this.
"It seems to me," Lady Takeida went on, making her way towards them. The dog demoness silently stood between Toshimaru and Sesshoumaru, her glorious golden eyes warning them. "That Lady Helen must make a choice."
Once again, all eyes in the room turned to Helen, who blushed violently. Choice? she thought, still feeling rightfully mortified. There is no choice to be made—Sesshoumaru is the one I'll always want...
She vividly became aware of his eyes on her. She looked up at him and met his gaze. There was something in his eyes...not exactly cold, but...there was something there, something she could not discern, which was a first.
Sesshoumaru met her gaze with his own. Choice? He inwardly scoffed. He knew—thought it was rather arrogant of him, it was still a fact—that he was the one she wanted. No choice was to be made. It had taken him the very last minute—indeed, the very last second—to throw his pride to the wind (even though it was done with the greatest hesitance), and storm here in the first place. He didn't want to hear about choices after all the choosing he did himself.
But then, if there was no choice to be made, then why was Helen hesitating? Did she perhaps think that he himself was not sure of his own feelings? Though, there was still a part of him that questioned his actions, he was mostly decided...or so he thought.
He would have her.
Even if she didn't want him, which was selfish.
Besides, it was time that he got what he wanted.
So why was Helen not opening that mouth of hers yet?
"Helen?" Lady Shinsuke had approached them and stood beside Lady Takeida, her eyes fixed on her daughter.
Helen tore her gaze from Sesshoumaru to her mother.
"Your choice?"
Helen blinked, her eyes on the floor. She didn't want to hurt Toshimaru, and she thought it wrong of her to forego her word about marrying him, but...
Kagome was right.
She didn't want to do this. It was time that she stopped acting like an idiotic martyr and be...selfish.
"There is no choice," she said, looking up and meeting Sesshoumaru's gaze once again. She took a step towards him and, beside her, she could feel Toshimaru tensing. "There never was." She took another step towards him again.
"Well, isn't this touching?"
Helen froze. The voice was familiar, haughty, and came from the open doorway. Before she could even blink, both Toshimaru and Sesshoumaru stood in front of her, and Lady Shinsuke and Lady Takeida stepped aside. The guests gasped.
"Kagura," Sesshoumaru said coldly, eyes narrowed at the wind witch who stood at the open doorway.
Helen peeked tentatively from over Sesshoumaru's armoured shoulder at the wind witch whose gaze was fixed on her.
Kagura laughed. "Am I interrupting something?" she said, sneering.
Lady Shinsuke suddenly stepped in front of Sesshoumaru and Toshimaru, her own claws held out. "You," she hissed, her eyes narrowed. It was then that Helen realized that her mother could be frightening when she wanted to.
"How dare you set foot here?" Lady Shinsuke snapped.
"Whatever," Kagura said, tapping her fan to her chin in a bored manner.
"What now?" one of the guests muttered.
"Why are you here?" Sesshoumaru asked, striding past Lady Shinsuke so he faced Kagura.
"Is that any way to greet your old lover?" Kagura asked, raising her eyebrows.
Helen felt a sharp pang in her chest, as the guests began muttering madly among themselves. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously and, before anyone could blink, he charged towards Kagura, sword aimed at her heart.
"Dance of Blades!" Kagura waved her fan at the oncoming Sesshoumaru who merely waved his sword. The wind blades dissipated.
"Impudent wench!" Sesshoumaru snarled as he slashed at Kagura with Ryuko. She jumped into the air to avoid being hit, her head lightly brushing against the high ceiling. She landed gracefully behind him, as light as a feather.
"Dance of Blades!" Kagura's wind blades made a whooshing noise as they headed straight towards Sesshoumaru's back. He quickly spun around and dispelled the wind blades with another wave of his sword.
While Sesshoumaru dissipated the wind blades, Toshimaru charged towards Kagura, his sword pointed at her back. Kagura rapidly spun around and sent her wind blades at him. Like Sesshoumaru, Toshimaru dispelled them with his sword.
What was Kagura thinking? Helen thought. Taking on both Toshimaru and Sesshoumaru was...suicidal. What did she want now?
Before she could think of anything else, she heard a low chuckle coming from behind her—an all too familiar chuckle.
Sesshoumaru knocked Kagura's fan from her and pointed his sword at her throat. "Why are you here?" he hissed again as Kagura's fan fell to the floor with an audible clatter.
Kagura only smirked at him. "I distract you so easily, don't I?" she asked softly. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her. A second later, a familiar scream reached his ears.
"Helen!" Lady Shinsuke screamed.
Naraku was there. He stood behind Helen, a hand gripping her by the arm, a barrier around them both. The bastard was smirking triumphantly.
"Let me go!" Helen snarled, trying to tug her arm away from him.
Naraku chuckled again. "Sorry to interrupt your wedding," he said mockingly.
Helen narrowed her eyes at him. He had neither scent nor aura, which was why he was able to slip in. Kagura had been a distraction.
"Naraku!" Toshimaru sent a blast of light at the barrier. "Release her!"
"Fool," Naraku said as the blast struck the barrier. There was a flash of light and the attack was absorbed by the barrier.
"Watch out!" Helen shouted as the barrier pulsed with energy. A second later, there was another flash of light and Toshimaru's attack sped back towards him with deadly speed. Toshimaru held out his sword and it glowed with light. There was another flash and the attack was dissipated.
"Naraku!" This time, it was Sesshoumaru. He charged past Toshimaru and towards Naraku's barrier, but before he could reach it, miasma bellowed from the barrier and swirled around it.
"Farewell, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Naraku's voice echoed around them. Miasma swirled around the barrier again, and it vanished.
"Helen!" Lady Shinsuke screamed.
XoXoXo
"You've been sighing a lot lately," Inuyasha pointed out to Kagome just as they left the outskirts of Kaede's village.
Kagome sighed again. "Helen's fate is sealed by now," she said, looking up at the clear afternoon sky. "The idiot," she added.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Sango, who was walking behind them, asked.
"Frankly, she'll be miserable," Miroku said, as his hand inched surreptitiously towards Sango.
"Uh, sis," Kohaku said, noticing the monk's hand.
"She will," Sango said, sighing, not noticing Kohaku's warning. "I can't believe she'd be stupid enough to—MIROKU!" A second later, there was a loud slap.
Kagome was silent. She'd thought Sesshoumaru was bad, but Helen was worse. No, not worse—both of them were the same. Sesshoumaru continuously being stubborn about his feelings, while Helen thinking that condemning herself to misery was the right thing to do...
"Look up there!" Shippou's voice snapped Kagome out of her reverie.
Kagome stopped and looked up. Two soul collectors were hovering lazily above the trees, not far from where they were. The wind blew softly, and the soul collectors undulated indolently against it. It had been ages since they had last seen Kikyou...
Kagome's eyes darted to Inuyasha, who was looking up at the soul collectors with impenetrable eyes. He obviously wanted to go.
Kagome's mood instantly darkened. She could feel Miroku and Sango's eyes on her back, could practically feel their worry and pity.
"Go, Inuyasha," she said, sighing.
Inuyasha turned to her, startled. "What?" he asked.
"I said go," she repeated.
Inuyasha seemed to struggle with himself. He sniffed the air.
"What're you waiting for?" Kagome snapped. "Go—it's not good to keep Kikyou waiting."
"I don't have to," Inuyasha said, trying to sound repentant.
"Of course you do," Kagome said, narrowing her eyes. "Just who do you think you're kidding?"
"I don't have to," Inuyasha repeated gruffly, annoyed. "Because Kikyou is headed this way!"
"What?"
A moment later, the bushes rustled and Kikyou stepped out, flanked by her soul collectors, her eyes fixed on the bewildered group in front of her.
"Where is the boy Kohaku?" she suddenly said, not even bothering to look at Inuyasha.
Sango instantly stood in front of her brother to protect him. "What do you want with him?" she asked as the undead priestess made her way towards them.
Kikyou stopped and looked at Sango. "For months, I have been trying to find Naraku's castle," she said.
"We can't find it either," Inuyasha spoke up. "The bastard got rid of his scent and aura."
Kikyou nodded once, her eyes still fixed on Sango, who tensed. "I have found a way to trace Naraku's castle," she went on. "But I need Kohaku's shard to do it."
"I won't let you kill him!" Sango snapped.
"I do not need to extract his shard," Kikyou reassured, her tone cold. "I merely need to touch it."
"No," Sango said stubbornly.
"Sis," Kohaku said, stepping away from her. "I want to help."
"Kohaku, I won't let you," Sango snapped, turning to her brother and placing both her hands on his shoulders. "After all this time, I've finally found you—I don't want to lose you again!"
Kohaku gently removed his sister's arms from around his shoulders. "Please," he said quietly. "Lady Kikyou says it won't endanger my life—I want to help her sis...I...want to...make amends..."
For what he did to our Father and comrades? Sango thought. She sighed. There was nothing she could do about that, if it eased Kohaku's guilt. Stifling another sigh, the taijiya nodded.
Kagome and the others watched as Kohaku calmly made his way towards Kikyou. He stopped in front of her, looking hesitantly up at the impassive priestess.
"Turn around," Kikyou ordered.
Kohaku turned around, showing his back to Kikyou. The priestess stepped forward, her eyes falling on the Shikon shard on the boy's back. At her approach, the shard glowed pure purple. She placed both her hands over the shard, closing her eyes as she did so. The shard beneath her hands glowed even brighter.
"What's she doing?" Kagome asked.
"I'm guessing," Miroku said. "She's trying to track down the whereabouts of Naraku's Shikon no Tama by using Kohaku's shard."
"But...if that's so," Sango mused. "How come she didn't try this before?"
"Maybe she wasn't sure of it before," Miroku suggested as they turned to look back at Kikyou. As they watched, the light beneath Kikyou's hands pulsed and glowed even brighter. There was another pulse, and then, Kikyou slowly opened her eyes. She removed her hands from Kohaku's back.
"I know now," she said softly, looking up at Inuyasha and the others. "I know where Naraku's castle is."
XoXoXo
Rage.
Pure undiluted rage was all he felt at the moment. He couldn't think of anything else. He couldn't think of Lady Shinsuke, sobbing hysterically behind him; he couldn't think of his mother trying to comfort her friend; he couldn't think of the silent Toshimaru. All he could think about was the fact that he had been so close to what he wanted and then, unbelievably, she had slipped through his fingers.
Naraku...
The bastard.
For a brief moment, he wondered why Naraku chose such an inappropriate moment to snatch Helen. In fact...why did he snatch Helen? He had a feeling Lady Shinsuke would know.
"She's getting away!" someone shouted.
Sesshoumaru rapidly spun around just in time to see Kagura darting towards the door, her feather in her hand.
"Oh no, you don't," Lady Shinsuke hissed as she pulled herself away from Lady Takeida. She placed her hands together to form a circle. The circle formed by her hands suddenly glowed white.
"Jikoku Teiryuu!" she hissed.
Kagura suddenly stopped in her tracks, her hand holding the feather held high above her head. She appeared frozen.
"Shinsuke!" Lady Takeida exclaimed as her friend fell to her knees, exhausted. She knelt beside her, placing both her hands on her shoulders.
Sesshoumaru was silent, his gaze fixed on still Kagura. Lady Shinsuke could be scary when she wanted.
Lady Takeida suddenly looked up, at the other lords and ladies who were looking on with concern in their eyes. "Why are you all still here?" she snapped. "Can't you see there will be no wedding? Leave now."
The nobles—who were all used to her capricious moods—stood up and, with great dignity, left the room, carefully filing past the unmoving Kagura. When they were gone, Lady Takeida turned her attention to Lady Shinsuke again.
"You idiot," she snapped. "You know what happens when you do that."
Lady Shinsuke ignored her, and turned to Sesshoumaru who was still looking at Kagura with narrowed eyes. He made his way past Toshimaru and towards Kagura. Without hesitating, he gripped her by the neck and yanked her off the ground. Yet, despite that, the wind witch was still frozen stiff.
He glanced over his shoulder, at Lady Shinsuke, who was still on the floor. "Undo your time spell," he ordered.
"It will...wear off soon," she stammered as she carefully got to her feet, using Lady Takeida as support. "Right...about..."
A second later, Kagura blinked. The hand holding her feather suddenly fell limp at her side, the feather falling noiselessly to the floor. Sesshoumaru tightened his grip even further, causing Kagura to cough. She clutched his hand with both of her own in an attempt to pry him off, but to no avail. She would have had better luck at moving a mountain.
Sesshoumaru ignored her futile thrashings and squeezed even tighter, his rage seeping throughout him. After all of the debates he had gone through with his accursed emotions, after all of the thinking and effort he had put into coming here to save Helen from the doom that was her wedding, he had been thwarted.
And he didn't like being thwarted.
"Where is she?" he hissed, his tone cold and deadly.
Kagura only coughed as she continued to thrash desperately in his grasp. He squeezed tighter, the killer in him delighting in the sight of her frantic face.
"Where. Is. She?" he asked again.
"Really, Sesshoumaru," Lady Takeida said from behind him. "How are you going to get an answer if you squeeze her throat like that?"
Sesshoumaru loosened his grip. "Where is she?" he repeated, his voice colder than normal. He could feel his temper getting the better of him. His vision was clouded with red.
"What...do...you...see...in...her?" Kagura gasped.
"That is none of your concern." Sesshoumaru roughly threw her against the wall. There was a loud thud as Kagura hit the wall. She whimpered as she fell from the wall to the floor, one hand on her throat, and coughing.
Sesshoumaru drew out his sword and took a step towards her. "I won't ask again," he warned, his tone dispassionate.
Kagura looked warily up at him. "And if I don't tell you?" she asked insolently. A second later, the point of Sesshoumaru's blade was pressed against her throat as the demon lord towered over her, his eyes blood red, but his face devoid of any other emotion.
"Enough, Sesshoumaru." The voice was unexpected, came from behind him and only added to his temper.
He glanced back over his shoulder, at Toshimaru who, until now, had remained silent. "Do not interfere."
"You're concerned about her, as am I," Toshimaru went on. "But you're cruelty goes beyond your normal standards, cousin."
"Silence."
Toshimaru sighed. "Step away from Kagura," he said. "If you kill her, we'll never find Lady Helen."
Much as he didn't want to admit it, Toshimaru was right. Besides, with the way his temper was going, he might just slaughter Kagura. Reluctantly, he withdrew his sword and stepped back, just as the red in his vision receded.
"Kagura," Toshimaru said as he stepped beside Sesshoumaru who turned his back on them both. "Where is Lady Helen? If I were you, I would confess—Sesshoumaru is not the most placid of people." His eyes were hard, but his tone was persuasive.
Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to growl at the bastard. Helen was in danger, and he was being kind to Kagura?! The fool.
Kagura looked up at Toshimaru's eyes. Why was she doing this? She asked herself. Why was she risking her life, still doing Naraku's bidding? Was she doing this all for a cold-hearted bastard?
"She's...in...Naraku's...castle," she said, in between coughs.
"You will lead me there," Sesshoumaru ordered, glancing over his shoulder at the wind user.
Toshimaru glanced at him. "I will go alone," he said quietly. "She is none of your concern."
"Oh?" Sesshoumaru said quietly in a tone that would've sent Inuyasha scampering. "None of my concern, you say?"
"I hardly think my fiancée's well-being is any of your concern."
"Your fiancée? We both know she doesn't want you." Arrogance again.
"Whom did she wish to marry?"
"You think she's yours, because she merely committed a mistake?"
"Oh, do shut up, both of you," Lady Takeida snapped, narrowing her eyes at them both. "Halt this childish dispute, and find her, won't you?"
Sesshoumaru gave his cousin a condescending look. "Sesshoumaru," his mother said, sighing. "Really, where do you get your stubbornness from?"
"Kagura," Sesshoumaru said, turning his attention back to the woman still sprawled on the floor. "You will take us to Naraku's castle. Now."
XoXoXo
What happened?
Helen could think of nothing else as she slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on a futon, with the blankets covering her, in a dark room. A single brazier burned in the corner of the room, providing a dim light. Shadows were sprawled along the walls and across the floor. The room itself wasn't so large. A series of wooden bars on the wall on her right served as a window. The sky outside seemed unnaturally inky, and what was this demonic aura she was feeling?
Where was she?
"Awake, aren't you?" a pleasant voice said. Helen's eyes adjusted to the dimness. There was someone sitting beside her futon, just underneath the window.
"Naraku!" she said. She tried to sit up but, to her horror, she couldn't move. She couldn't even twitch a finger.
Naraku laughed pleasantly, a laugh that filled Helen with dread. That pleasant laugh sounded ominous to her. "Let go of me," Helen snapped.
"Now, now," Naraku said sadistically. "I didn't pull you out of your wedding to let you go."
"What are you going to do?" she demanded. The fact that she couldn't move only added to her panic.
"Why, I'm going to absorb you, of course," he said in a tone that made it clear that it was quite obvious.
Helen felt dread build within her. She recalled that he had tried to do just that before, but it was so long ago, it almost seemed like it belonged in another life.
"Why?" she hissed. "There are many demons who're more powerful than me."
Naraku's smile became mocking. "That is true," he said. "How ignorant of you, not even knowing your own family history."
"What?" How the hell was she expected to know her family history when she had lived most of her life as a human?
"Each of the four lands is blessed, didn't you know?" Naraku went on. "Wealth to the North, wisdom to the South, power to the West, and time to the East."
Helen continued glaring at him. "Your point?"
"I need your time," he said, smirking.
She narrowed her eyes, at him, not getting what he was saying. "What?" she asked.
"Your time," Naraku repeated pleasantly. "Did you not hear me? Time to the East. Your clan, the Shirogawa, have been timekeepers. How do you think your dear mother sent you away to the present in the first place?"
Helen was silent, her gaze fixed on Naraku who was still looking pleasantly at her. "Why me?" she finally managed to ask.
"Because your mother is far too experienced," Naraku said, still smiling wickedly at her.
"What makes you think I'm like my mother?" Helen bluffed. It dawned on her then that Naraku was dead serious—he was going to absorb her. She had to keep him talking, and wait. But wait for what? Help, of course. But...would help (a.k.a. Sesshoumaru) come, after what happened between them?
"You are," Naraku said, as he stood up, and looked down at her.
Helen felt her heart beating faster. But unlike earlier when it had beat because of entirely different reasons, her heart beat with dread.
"You are very much like your mother," Naraku went on, circling the futon like an overgrown vulture. "You may lack her looks, but I'm sure you have her skills."
Yeah, Helen thought sarcastically. Getting into trouble—ain't I skilful? Oh, and let's not forget the part where I make really stupid spur-of-the-moment decisions.
Naraku knelt back beside her, this time closer. He smirked at her. "Why me?" she asked, still stalling. "Let's say what you're saying is true—let's say that I do have my mother's time bending skills, which I highly doubt I do. Why time?"
"Time," Naraku said softly, "is a very difficult gift to manipulate. Your mother often gets exhausted just by doing the most simple of acts. I, however, am not as weak as her..." His voice trailed off and he continued to smile pleasantly at her. Helen didn't like that smile—it only meant that he was confident about killing her, or absorbing her, or whatever.
"You didn't answer my question," Helen pointed out, now feeling frantic. Where the hell was Sesshoumaru? Please let Naraku be one of those bad guys who like to boast about themselves...
"With your time," Naraku went on, still smirking. "I can change the course of events." His disgusting smile widened. "You surely must know what that means?"
She did. Now what else can she talk about? Darn it, where the hell was Sesshoumaru? She tried to move her fingers but found that she was still held, and held fast, by the enchantments that Naraku placed on her.
"Why haven't you absorbed me yet?" she asked, knowing that it was stupid to ask that particular question.
"Why, bait, of course," he said, still pleasant. He stood up and looked out the wooden windows, at the inky sky. "As of this moment, I am certain that Sesshoumaru is using Kagura in order to find you." His smile became even more sinister. "Lord Sesshoumaru will die by your own hand."
Helen's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Ha!" she said. "Sesshoumaru is far stronger than me. And besides that, I would never harm him. I'd rather die over and over again than harm him!"
"How noble of you," Naraku sneered. He knelt back beside her. "However, that choice isn't really up to you now, is it?" He reached a hand out to her, and she tried flinching away from him, but she couldn't move. His hand brushed the top of her hair, and she felt revulsion rise within her. He'd better not be thinking in that direction.
A second later, she felt a sharp tug, and Naraku's hand came away, a strand of her hair between his fingers.
"Yes," Naraku said, still smiling pleasantly. "Lord Sesshoumaru will die by your hands—or so he'll think."
XoXoXo
"Get back!" Inuyasha warned as he held the barrier breaking red Tessaiga tightly in his grasp. Behind him, Kikyou, Kagome, Sango and Miroku backed away.
Inuyasha stared up at the looming mountain in front of him, made only darker by the falling night. Kikyou had led them here, to Naraku's supposed hide out. Sango had left Kohaku with Shippou at Kaede's in order to keep him away from Naraku.
"Tessaiga!" Inuyasha slashed at the air in front of him, releasing a jet of light from the Tessaiga and towards the mountain. The light struck a barrier, which only seemed to waver and shimmer, but nothing happened.
"It didn't work," Kagome said, stating the obvious.
"Inuyasha," Kikyou said, notching an arrow to her bow. "Again."
Kagome glanced at her. So they were going to hit the barrier together? She hastily shoved aside all thoughts of jealousy. Naraku was far more important than her issues right now.
"Together, then," Inuyasha said, nodding. "Wind Scar!" Inuyasha's Wind Scar sped towards the barrier at the same time that Kikyou released her arrow. The arrow and the Wind Scar merged in a blinding flash of light, and struck the barrier together. The barrier only wavered as the Wind Scar and arrow struck.
"It's not working!" Miroku said.
"Dragon Strike!" Before Inuyasha could even blink, a flash of blue light from above shot towards the barrier, merging with his Wind Scar and with Kikyou's arrow. The barrier wavered, and then, it faded away.
"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha said, looking up. Three demons were hovering above them, Sesshoumaru, Toshimaru, and Kagura.
Inuyasha watched as Sesshoumaru landed neatly on the ground. "What're you doing here?!" Inuyasha snapped.
"None of your concern," Sesshoumaru said coldly as he strode past Inuaysha to look up at the mountain with narrowed eyes. High above the mountain, a castle slowly materialized. She's there, he thought. Without another word, he darted past Inuyasha and Kikyou and towards the mountain, vanishing amidst a light mist.
"Quite anxious, isn't he?" A familiar feminine voice said.
Kagome and the others looked up to see Toshimaru and Kagura descending to the ground. "Toshimaru?" Kagome said, as the said youkai looked up at the mountain, preparing to run towards it. "What's going on? I thought you and Helen were supposed to be..."
Toshimaru didn't answer. Instead, he darted past Inuyasha and towards the mountain, leaving them staring after him.
"What's going on, Kagura?" Inuyasha demanded, turning his attention to the wind witch.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kagura sneered, taking out her feather. "Why those two are in such a hurry should be quite pronounced, don't you agree?" She took out her feather and, before anyone could stop her, she flew off, towards the mountain.
"Damn her," Inuyasha growled.
But Kagome was silent. "Wait a minute," she said slowly, her eyes widening. "I could understand Sesshoumaru's involvement with Naraku, but Toshimaru? And besides, weren't Toshimaru and Helen supposed to be...?"
"You mean Naraku's got Helen?!" Inuyasha said.
"Most likely," Miroku said. "After all, Sesshoumaru seemed to be in such a hurry."
"What are we still standing here for?!" Kagome said, automatically worried. "We have to go now!"
XoXoXo
As he gradually ascended the mountain and towards the palace, the mist seemed to thin out. Sesshoumaru quickened his pace until he reached the gates of the palace.
You think these mere obstructions can deter me? Sesshoumaru thought as he slashed his sword at the gate. There was a loud boom and the gates were blown back towards the inner courtyard, raising dust in the air. He stepped towards the courtyard, his vision filled with nothing but dust. But as the dust slowly cleared away, he could make out two figures standing in the courtyard, waiting for him.
One was Naraku. He stood there, smug, his tentacles flailing behind him, a malicious glint in his red eyes. But beside him stood a young woman wearing armor, her golden hair framing her pale face, a sword clutched in her hand.
Helen...
But she didn't smell like Helen at all.
"Where is she?" Sesshoumaru demanded stopping just a few yards away from Naraku and Helen.
"What are you talking about, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Naraku demanded, smirking. "Isn't this the young woman you were looking for?" He tilted his head at Helen, who only looked at Sesshoumaru with a perfunctory look on her face.
"Do you take me for a fool, Naraku?" Sesshoumaru hissed, pointing his sword not at Naraku but at Helen who continued to look at him nonchalantly. "Do you think I am doltish enough to fall for your puppet?"
Naraku only smirked and he moved closer to Helen. He brushed a finger against her cheek. "Yes, you're right," Naraku said. "My puppet. Very alluring, don't you agree, Lord Sesshoumaru? One of my finest creations, I should think." To Sesshoumaru's indignation, Naraku leaned in towards Helen and brushed his lips lightly against her cheek.
He suppressed a growl. Sure, that wasn't really Helen, but still...
Naraku pulled away and raised an eyebrow contemptuously at Sesshoumaru who glared. "What's the matter, Lord Sesshoumaru?" he asked mockingly. "You aren't feeling wrathful, are you?"
"Ridiculous."
Naraku smirked again and tilted the face of his puppet towards him, brushing his lips lightly against the puppet's.
Calm. That puppet wasn't Helen. It wasn't her, it wasn't her, it wasn't her...
He might have been able to see the logic, but, unfortunately, his emotions did not. Anger seethed throughout him, and he tried to suppress it. Urgh, his accursed emotions were overriding his honorable judgement and his infallible logic...
The moment Naraku pulled away from Helen, a blast of light lifted him off his feet and sent him sprawling back several yards on the cobblestones. Sesshoumaru glared at him, Ryuko held out, his eyes screaming death.
Naraku got to his feet, and chuckled. "Lord Sesshoumaru..." he began. But before he could even go on, Sesshoumaru rushed at him, sword pointed at his chest.
The puppet suddenly jumped in between him and Sesshoumaru, sword held out. There was a clang of steel on steel as the two blades collided and locked. Damn it. He didn't have time for this. He easily pushed back Helen's blade and she jumped backwards, near Naraku as though to protect him.
Sesshoumaru rushed towards Helen who once again blocked his attack with her sword. Their swords locked, sending sparks into the air. Sesshoumaru had to admit that the puppet was strong.
"Enough!" With a surge of strength, he pushed Helen away from him. The puppet-Helen fell to the ground, her sword making a metallic clatter as it fell beside her on the cobblestones. Sesshoumaru stood over her, sword held above her head.
She suddenly looked up at him, her silver eyes piercing.
He had to kill her now, but he hesitated, his cold eyes fixed on the girl on the ground.
"What's the matter, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Naraku taunted. "Kill her."
That wasn't Helen. That wasn't her. That was nothing more than puppet, and yet, seeing his own blade slice through her...
Damn it.
"You're weak, Lord Sesshoumaru," Naraku sneered. "You're just like your hanyou brother and your dear father—weak." He suddenly chuckled. "To think I'd live to see this day—I'm impressed with myself."
Sesshoumaru tried ignoring him, but he could not. Weak, huh?
He tightened his grip on his sword. "Are you going to kill me?" Helen suddenly asked, looking up at him with wide silver eyes.
Dammit all.
She suddenly stood up, and looked at him, hurt in her eyes. "You're fed up with hurting me," she said softly. "So now...you want to kill me?" If it weren't for the fact that she didn't smell right and didn't have any youki at all, he would've thought she was the real thing.
He was silent, glaring at her. That wasn't her, stupid emotions, that wasn't her. He gripped the sword tighter, and raised it above his head. That wasn't her. That wasn't the girl that belonged to him.
Before he could even blink, the puppet suddenly hurled herself at him, her arms wrapping around him. "Do you hate me that much?" she whispered against his ear, her hair lightly brushing against his cheek.
He gripped his sword tighter. Damn it, damn it, damn it...
Accursed feelings...
How he hated them...
The delicate sound of a bowstring being released suddenly filled the night air. There was a loud thud and Helen's arms suddenly went slack. She let go of him and fell to the ground, an arrow piercing her forehead. A moment later, the puppet dissolved into dust, a wooden doll, with a strand of golden hair tied around it, resting amidst the dust.
He glanced over his shoulder just as Kagome lowered her bow, her hair blowing softly in the breeze. Inuyasha and his companions stood behind her, both Kikyou and Toshimaru among them.
"That was familiar," Inuyasha remarked gruffly.
Damn it. They had seen him in a moment of weakness.
"Where is Helen?" Toshimaru demanded, stepping away from Inuyasha and the others, his eyes fixed on Naraku. "If you have harmed her..." He stopped. There was an excruciatingly high rise in youki, and it all came from Sesshoumaru.
"Bastard," Sesshoumaru hissed, his red eyes fixed wholly on Naraku. "You. Will. Die."
XoXoXo
She could hear him.
Sesshoumaru had come for her.
And it seemed like he wasn't alone.
She had to go to him—she had to see him. The need to see him was strong, stronger than anything she had ever felt before. She struggled to move, but found that she still couldn't. Naraku's enchantments still held her, and they held her fast.
Stupid Naraku. Urgh! She couldn't move.
Drats, drats, drats!
The door to the room suddenly slid open. "Helen?" a familiar voice called out.
"Kagome!" Sure enough, Kagome stepped into the dim light cast by the brazier, but she wasn't alone. There was someone else with her, someone whom Helen had only seen once.
"Kikyou?" she said, incredulous.
Kikyou approached the futon and knelt beside her. "What are you...?" Helen said.
"She's going to help you," Kagome reassured.
Kikyou only looked at her. The last time Helen had seen her, she had tried to kill Kikyou on Naraku's orders. She gave Kikyou a furtive look , as though she highly doubted that Kikyou would help her. Besides, how sure was she that Kikyou wouldn't just purify her instead of helping her?
Kikyou placed a finger on her forehead, and she wanted desperately to cringe away from that cold finger, but, of course, she couldn't. Kikyou smiled mockingly at her. "Skittish?" she asked, pressing her finger on Helen's forehead.
Helen suddenly felt a jolt go through her, as though she had been electrocuted. A brief spasm of pain flashed through her, and then it was gone.
"Get up," Kikyou ordered.
Helen blinked, and then felt her fingers twitching. She sat up, shaking her head. Whoa, head rush.
"Helen!" Kagome said, as she knelt beside Kikyou and threw her arms around her cousin. "I'm so glad you're safe!" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "And, truth be told, I'm kinda glad you and Toshimaru aren't married yet."
"Right," Helen said.
Kikyou stood up, and looked down at them. "Get up, you two," she ordered. "We have company."
The door to room the suddenly slid open with a loud bang to reveal Kagura standing there. "You!" Kagome hissed as she and Helen both stood up.
Kagura only raised an eyebrow at them, her gaze straying to Helen, who cringed beside Kagome. "As much as I'd love to let you all go," she said, sighing. She opened her fan. "I'm afraid it's just not possible."
Kikyou notched an arrow to her bow and pointed it at Kagura. "We both know who loses," the undead miko warned.
Kagura smirked. "And we both know you only helped Helen because you don't want Naraku getting what he wants," she said idly.
"Of course."
"How selfish of you, Kikyou," Kagura said. "But, of course, we really can't expect much from you now, can we? Pathetic."
"Pathetic?!" Kagome snapped, having had enough of the wind witch. "No, Kagura—pathetic is risking your neck for someone who obviously doesn't want you; pathetic is making a complete fool of yourself for a man who has no interest in you."
"Dance of Blades!" Wind blades rushed towards them, but Kikyou released her arrow. Her arrow whizzed through the blades, the spiritual power dispelling them with ease. There was a loud thud as the arrow hit the wall just behind Kagura, narrowly missing her by a hair's breadth.
"Get out, you two," Kikyou said coldly, to Kagome and Helen, as she notched another arrow to her bow.
Kagome looked at her, dumbstruck. Was Kikyou ill?
"Now," Kikyou said, more forcefully.
"Right," Kagome said, grabbing Helen's wrist. "Let's go!" The two of them rushed out the door that led towards the veranda and towards the courtyard, where the battle raged.
XoXoXo
"How now, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Naraku taunted, hovering in his barrier high above them.
Sesshoumaru glared up at him, his vision still obscured by red. "I will kill you," he hissed, pointing his sword at Naraku.
"Outta the way, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha shouted, as diamond slowly covered the Tessaiga. "I'll break his barrier!"
Sesshoumaru glared at him from over his shoulder. "Stay out of this, half-breed!"
"Fine, don't move, you stubborn jackass!" Inuyasha shouted. "Kongousouha!"
Sesshoumaru jumped out of the way as spears of diamond flew towards Naraku. They struck his barrier with a loud boom as dust obscured everything. Slowly, it settled to reveal Naraku, his barrier destroyed, hovering above the ground.
"You're mine," Sesshoumaru hissed, as his sword glowed with energy.
"Sesshoumaru!" That voice. Sesshoumaru's head snapped towards the veranda, where two figures ran towards them—Helen and Kagome.
"Wait—where's Kikyou?" Inuyasha demanded.
"She's fighting Kagura!" Kagome said as she and Helen jumped off the veranda.
"Sesshoumaru!" Helen said, but before she could reach him, her way was blocked by Naraku who jumped in front of her and Kagome, grinning.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha roared.
Naraku grabbed both Helen and Kagome with his tentacles by the neck and drew them to his side, smirking at the angered looks on Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's faces. Behind the two brothers, Miroku, Sango and Toshimaru were busy dispatching Naraku's demons.
"What are you waiting for, Lord Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha," Naraku said, smirking. "If you attack now, you can kill me once and for all."
"Bastard, let go of Kagome!" Inuyasha roared.
But Naraku only smirked, tightening his tentacles around Kagome and Helen's necks. Helen's eyes widened as she felt the slimy tentacles around her throat. She tried to slash them with her claws, but before she could even raise a hand, Kagome spoke up.
"D...don't...Helen," Kagome said, gasping. "These...ten..tacles...are...made...out...of...miasma!"
"What will you do, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Naraku asked, smirking. "It seems to me that you are trapped in the same boat as your dear brother. I never thought I'd live to see the day that you, of all people, would lose your heart to a woman and grow weak. How unexpectedly pathetic, don't you think so? The great Lord Sesshoumaru—weakened like his father and half-breed brother. It seems to run in the family."
Sesshoumaru only glared at him. He wanted desperately to ignore Naraku't taunts, but how could he knowing that they were all true? He was weakened, it was a fact. If he didn't have feelings for her, he would have slaughtered Naraku along with Helen and Kagome right now.
"Shut up, Naraku!" Inuyasha snarled, unexpectedly defending his brother.
But Naraku went on, looking at Sesshoumaru. "I will die if you attack," he said, smiling. "If you kill me now, it will be all over. Don't tell me you're going to throw my death away all for the sake of a girl?" He tightened his tentacles around Helen's throat, and she gasped her eyes fixed on Sesshoumaru.
"Kill him," she gasped. Beside her, Kagome nodded her head in agreement, her own eyes fixed on Inuyasha, who looked desperate at how pale she was becoming.
"Don't let your feelings get in the way, Lord Sesshoumaru," Naraku taunted, still smiling at him.
He was torn.
A part of him didn't want to sacrifice her life, knowing that he needed her. The other part of him—the more sinister part—screamed at him to forget his short infatuation, and be done with it. As he looked at Naraku, he could feel the conflict within him. He knew that every insult Naraku had thrown at him today was nothing but the truth—he had been weakened, there was no doubting it.
"Hesitating, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Naraku taunted, tightening his tentacles, making Kagome and Helen gasp simultaneously.
"Don't let him get to you," Inuyasha warned.
Great—now even his brother was giving him advice. How low had he sunk?
"It seems you have a choice to make," Naraku said, smirking. "Choose carefully, Lord Sesshoumaru." He suddenly tightened his grip on Kagome and Helen's throats. Both of them gasped and then slumped in Naraku's grasp, unconscious.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted.
Sesshoumaru's gaze strayed to Helen. Her head slumped forward, her hair falling past her shoulders. Anger gripped him, and at the same time, resignation.
Choose...
He would have to choose.
But this wasn't about whether or not he would let Naraku live, no—it was about whether or not he would follow in his father's footsteps. It was about whether or not he would commit the same mistake as Inuyasha and his Father...
But before he could come to a decision, the sound of a bowstring being carefully drawn back reached his ears. A moment later, an arrow whizzed through the air and, with a loud thud, struck Naraku's back. Pinkish light suddenly erupted from behind Naraku and his eyes widened in fury and rage as he let go of Kagome and Helen who both fell to the ground, unconscious.
Naraku spun around, to see Kikyou standing there, her bow held high, her eyes narrowed at him. The light from Kikyou's arrow enveloped him. There was a brilliant flash of light, and Naraku was reduced to nothing but slivers of flesh.
"Curse...you...Kikyou..." Naraku snarled.
Now.
Sesshoumaru raised his sword at the same time that Inuyasha did. But before he could launch an attack, miasma swirled around the pieces of Naraku's flesh and soared upwards, eventually fading into the sky.
"Dammit!" Inuyasha roared. A moment later, he rushed towards Kagome, and lifted her into his arms. She was alive. She was breathing. He felt relief course through him.
Sesshoumaru made his way towards Helen and, like Inuyasha, he lifted her into his arms. She was breathing.
"Lord Sesshoumaru." It was Kikyou.
Sesshoumaru tore his gaze away from Helen's face and looked up to see Kikyou making his way towards them, not even bothering to look at Inuyasha, who was still looking at Kagome's inert form.
"That girl," she said.
"What of her?"
"Naraku will be after her," she said quietly. "He wants what Helen and her clan have been protecting for millennia's—time. You must not let that happen. Though the Shirogawa are not capable of utilizing this power directly, someone like Naraku can. With it, he will change the course of events—he can go back in time and make sure you were never born. He can go back in time with the power he has now, and snatch the Sacred Jewel from me, fifty years ago. You must not let it happen—you must protect her."
Sesshoumaru was silent.
"Kagome!" Miroku, Sango, and Toshimaru were making their way towards them, having just finished off Naraku's demons.
"Naraku got away?" Miroku asked, to which Inuyasha nodded. "It can't be helped—we'll find him again."
Sesshoumaru ignored their conversation as he looked at the girl resting in his arms. He could feel Toshimaru's gaze on him. He knew Toshimaru wanted to grab her, but—strange enough—he didn't. Had the fool finally realized that she belonged to him?
But no...
As he looked down at her, he realized one thing...
He would have to make up his mind, once and for all.
He would have to make a final choice.
XoXoXo
A1969: I am so tempted to keep going until the end of the story, but I thought better.
Kagome: you mean...the next chapter's going to be the ending?
A1969: sadly, yes.
Inuyasha: ah, don't be down, Kagome, we're about to be rid of her, after all.
A1969: -glare-
Kagome: sit boy!
Inuyasha:
gah!
A1969: anyway, please don't forget to review!