Chapter 24:
Ruination of the Grim Reaper
"Woe, destruction, ruin, and decay; the worst is death and death will have his day."
― William Shakespeare, Richard II
Prompt: Eyes Closing by Two Steps from Hell and The Hero in Your Heart by Two Steps from Hell
Kagome continued to hold Ryura as tightly as she dared. It was only when twilight hit that she let go of him, after she found she couldn't cry anymore. She pulled back to look down at him, and he up at her. His eyes were now the same red she was used to, but his hair remained black. Kagome gave him a small, sad smile, one he hesitatingly returned.
"Your hair," she hoarsely said. "It's so short."
Just to prove her point she ran her fingers through the black locks and Ryura let out a broken sounding chuckle.
"Having hair that touches the floor is not generally seen as a good thing in this era when you are a man," he said playfully.
"It's a shame!" Kagome continued to run her fingers through it, grumbling inwardly when his hair would run out and she was left with nothing but empty air.
"Kagome!" Hitomi's voice echoed through the courtyard of the Shrine and Kagome looked up. "Eri's on the phone!"
"I'll be right there, mama!" Kagome called back.
She smiled down at Ryura again and together the two stood. Their hands instantly found the others and their fingers wove together as they headed towards the house. Ryura would have liked to walk slower, but knowing Kagome wanted to speak to her friend for what she thought was going to be the last time, he allowed her to keep walking the fast pace she had taken.
When they were in the house, Kagome excused herself and took the phone from her mother, disappearing into the kitchen.
Souta, sitting on the couch and watching one of his favorite shows, did a double take when he saw Ryura.
"Whoa! I thought you left, and what are you wearing!?" he asked as he bounced him from his seat to hang over the back of the couch. Souta's hand found a corner of Ryura's suit jacket and he fingered it with an expression of awe at how soft it felt. It was nothing like the stuff his mother would force him into on special occasions.
"I'm glad to see you again, Souta!" Ryura laughed. "And I did just leave, but I just arrived, too."
Souta gave the man a confused look. "What...?"
"You're this era's Ryura, aren't you?" Hitomi asked with a small grin.
"No way!" Souta said.
"Yes way," Ryura chuckled as he ruffled the boy's hair. It had been so long for him since he'd visited with the Higurashi family.
The door to the kitchen slightly swung open and Kagome's head popped out.
"Hey, Ryura... Eri is wanting to know if you will meet her," she asked sheepishly.
"The one whose magazine you stole?" Ryura asked with a grin in her direction. Kagome blushed fiercely, but nodded all the same.
"Sure, why not?" he answered with a one shoulder shrug.
He could Eri squeal with excitement from where he stood. Kagome cringed and started talking to her softly, asking where she wanted to meet them.
"An... amusement park? Eri, you can't be serious," Kagome said dryly.
"Why not?" Eri asked in return. "You do know your boyfriend just doesn't build houses but he designs roller coasters too, don't you?"
"Of course I did!" Kagome lied.
"You design roller coasters?" she mouthed at Ryura. The Dragon grinned again and nodded, and Kagome rolled her eyes.
"I'll see you at Yomiuriland at seven!" Eri chirped before hanging up.
Kagome stared down at the phone. "Doesn't anyone say goodbye anymore?" she grumbled.
"Two hours, eh?" Ryura asked, having heard the last part of the conversation.
"Where you going?" Souta asked.
"An amusement park," Kagome answered.
Souta's face lit up and he bounced around on the couch, "Can I go, mom? Please? I'll do anything you want me to!"
"You'll have to ask your sister," Hitomi said with a chuckle.
"Can he, Kagome?" Ryura said right after. Together both he and Souta turned big, wet puppy eyes on the Miko.
Kagome didn't stand a chance. She groaned and nodded, and Souta ran away whooping up the stairs to get ready. She wasn't going to say no in the first place, but the puppy eyes had sealed the deal.
"I'll return shortly," Ryura said once Souta was up the stairs.
"Huh?" Kagome blurted out. "Where?"
"I want to change," he admitted. "Being in a suit on a roller coaster isn't something I particularly enjoy, you know. I do have to test the roller coasters I design. This isn't going to be my first party!"
"Oh," Kagome said as she blushed again and looked away.
Ryura walked over to her and brushed his lips across her forehead, "Don't worry. I'll be back soon, I promise."
Hitomi watched with a small smile as Ryura said his temporary goodbyes to Kagome. She sighed whimsically and hummed as she walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner for when everyone returned.
Kagome moved slowly up the stairs, thinking on everything. She had wanted Souta to go with her, because she knew by Ryura's earlier actions this was the last time she was going to see her little brother. Kagome wanted his last memory of her to be a happy one. When she came home, she was going to spend as much time with her family as possible, especially her mother. For now she would put on a smile and face whatever was going to happen later. Her time was short, and she didn't want to waste it.
She decided to wear comfortable clothing befitting of a chilly night. Autumn had set in and the nights had become colder. If she was going to be on roller coasters and Ferris Wheels she didn't want to freeze to death. Save that joy for Naraku or Magatsuhi, she thought bitterly.
Kagome ended up dressing in a pair of tight, but comfortable, light blue jeans and a white tank top. Over it she wore a cherry red sweater that was loose on her body. She tossed her hair into a high tail, washed her face, and after grabbing a pair of ankle-length flat brown boots, she trotted down the stairs.
She sat at the entrance to her home to put on her boots, only to head outside after yelling for Souta to hurry up and telling him where she'd be.
As Kagome looked up into the night sky, she fingered the small purse that held only her wallet, a brush, and an extra hair band. The purse's color matched her boots and the strap was meant to cross over her chest. She didn't want it flying away on a roller coaster, after all.
She thought over her life and the people she had met. Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Sesshoumaru, Kaede, Kikyou... no one was left out. Kagome thought the longest on Ryura and found she was pleased that he was able to find happiness in his life, and that he decided to spend her last night with her, even if they were going to be with Eri and possibly the rest of her friends.
Kagome really didn't mind. All of her friends were important to her, and she wanted each of them to have happy memories when they thought of her. Eri would be able to meet someone she looked up to highly as an aspiring architect. Kagome wouldn't deny her that.
"Kagome?" Ryura's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked to him with a small smile.
"You look good," she said after looking him over. He wore loose-fitting jeans that hugged his hips and a long-sleeved black shirt. Again the first two buttons were left undone.
"As do you," he responded as he came to stand beside her. Ryura's hand found hers and he held it tightly, stroking her palm with his thumb.
She felt the prickling of his claws and looked down. Ryura had allowed his claws of the hand holding hers to show, unafraid someone would see them. He traced random patterns over her palm with a claw and Kagome shivered.
Ryura noticed the shiver and grinned faintly before turning his eyes to look up at the sky.
"You used to be able to see the stars so well from this exact spot," he said.
"I was thinking the same thing," Kagome said with a light laugh.
"Okay!" Souta flew from the house. "I'm ready!"
Hitomi and Daisuke followed after him, albeit much slower.
"Don't keep him out too late, Kagome. He has school in the morning," her mother warned.
"Yes, mama. I won't."
Souta whined, but it went ignored. Why couldn't he just have one day past his curfew?
Ryura tugged on Kagome's hand lightly and tilted his head towards the Shrine's entrance. "We should go, ne?"
"Bye guys!" Souta called out before he bolted for the stairs.
"Have fun!" Hitomi called out to their retreating forms. "Don't let Eri hog him all night, Kagome!"
Ryura laughed and Kagome shook her head. Leave it to her mother to embarrass the living daylights out of her.
Her embarrassment left her as she and Ryura descended the long staircase. Ahead of them Souta was hopping from stair to stair, slowing himself down on purpose to let the other two catch up. After all, he had no idea which amusement park they were going to, or how they were going to get there.
When Souta's eyes landed on a car that almost screamed Ryura, his eyes almost fell out of his head. The car, one of the newest Corvettes that had only been released to the public in the last month, was colored in the same colors both Ryura and Kagome had worn, which were explained to Souta to be the House of Storms' colors. Black was the main color and silver and navy blue etched along the body of the car as accents.
"Oh... my God," Souta stuttered out. "You can't be serious!"
"Serious as the plague," Ryura said from behind him. "I thought you would like this one, Souta."
"This one? How many cars do you have!?" Souta excitedly yelled, only glancing back at the Dragon Daiyoukai.
"I have been alive for many, many years. Without youkai wars and bloody battles, cars have become a hobby of mine," Ryura admitted as he tugged the shocked Kagome closer to the road.
With his free hand, once he was close enough, he opened the passenger side door and pulled down the seat, jerking his head for Souta to get in. The boy whooped and almost literally dove into the back of the car. When he was situated, Ryura raised the seat and helped Kagome inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
Both Higurashi siblings watched him walk in front of the car and open the driver side door, sliding in. Kagome, however, could only watch with wide, shocked eyes as he started the car. It purred to life under his touch, its engine roaring as Ryura stepped on the gas while the car was still in park to rev it up, watching in the rear view mirror for Souta's reaction.
Ryura, laughing loudly, had never seen Souta look as happy and exicted at the same time. To say the least, Ryura was pleased with Souta's reaction. He looked to his side at Kagome and raised a brow.
"What?" he asked.
Kagome's mouth opened and closed like a fish before she finally said, "...you're driving. You."
"And?" he asked as he shifted the car into drive and pulled out into the road. It was a manual, so he had to keep his hand on the stick-shift.
"I just saw you this morning wearing armor and carrying two giant swords around on your back, not having an idea what a car even is. Can't you imagine how weird this looks!?" Kagome exclaimed.
"I think it's awesome!" Souta threw in from the back.
Ryura half smirked. "You'll get used to it."
When Ryura got to the point he didn't need to shift immediately he reached out and took Kagome's hand, bringing it to set atop the stick-shift, where he placed his hand over hers. Their fingers wove together again and as they drove, Kagome could easily feel every movement he made when he needed to shift the car's gears. His grip was strong on her hand, needing it so he could make her move the stick-shift.
Behind them, Souta chattered away, asking Ryura what he did for a living and what type of cars he owned. Ryura, glancing to look at the boy in the mirror whenever he had the chance, answered honestly.
"I've done everything from architecture to being a poor artist and back again. I think this is the twentieth time I've been an architect," he said. "When you live for this long and have to fake your death every couple dozen years, you get bored easily and learn how the world really works early on. As for cars? It would be easier to name what I don't own than what I do own."
"Can I see them?" Souta asked, looking at Ryura's reflection.
"If your mother allows it," the Dragon replied with a grin.
Kagome remained silent the entire trip, something Ryura didn't miss. He didn't push her, however, knowing what was on her mind. For that, he couldn't blame her. He only tightened his hand around hers and gently traced his claws over her fingers as a silent comfort.
They made it to the amusement park and eventually found a place to park Ryura's car at. For some reason the amusement park was overly packed that night for reasons unknown. Possibly because of the arrival of fall, or that it was the last day the water side of the park was going to be open, meaning it would be open later than it normally would be.
Eri found Kagome fairly easily, having had years of practice spotting friends from long distances. She eyed Kagome and Ryura's entwined hands with a wide grin, then happily said hello to Souta.
"Everyone's waiting inside!" Eri said after the awkward introductions. She had almost fainted when it was time to actually speak to Ryura. Kagome got a good laugh out of that.
The four headed into the park, and Ryura all but demanded he buy the other three's tickets. Kagome gave up, defeated after a small argument. He had the money to buy the entire damn park if he wanted to. It was either she let him get her and her friends in this way, or he was going to go and buy the whole thing now and get them in that way. It was up to her.
If he wanted to spoil her, she wasn't going to offend him by not allowing him to buy the tickets. She wasn't going to be alive much longer, anyway. Might as well let Ryura do what he wanted. He was the one who was going to have to experience her death twice. Once being the past, and once in the future, knowing she had yet again died.
Within an hour of being inside the park and after riding at least six different roller coasters, a snow flake fell on Kagome's nose. She turned her blue eyes to look up and she smiled brightly as the snow continued to fall faster with each moment that passed. It was the first snow of the year, and at such a rare time, too. She felt blessed that she was able to see the snow fall this early in the fall season before her death came to greet her.
"It's so beautiful!" she said to Ryura next to her.
The Dragon Daiyoukai of the future looked down at her and smiled softly. He pulled her against his side and wrapped his arm over her shoulder. "It is, isn't it?" he said once he too looked to the sky.
"Kagome, come on! There's one of those weird swing things you like!" Yuka, Kagome's other friend, called out. She ran up and grabbed Kagome's hand, tugging both her and Ryura away.
Kagome laughed and Ryura chuckled as they followed her and the rest of Kagome's friends along with Souta.
By the time they returned to Kagome's home, Souta was asleep. Kagome helped Ryura settle Souta on his back with the boy's arms draped over Ryura's shoulders, hanging limply on his chest. Carrying Souta up the stairs wasn't an issue for Ryura.
Hitomi met them just inside the main entrance to the house and with her help, Ryura changed Souta out of his clothing into his pajamas and had the boy tucked into bed. Kagome entered his room once they were finished and sat beside Souta on his bed. She raised her left hand and gently brushed her young brother's bangs from his forehead, a sad smile on her face the entire time.
Ryura stood at the doorway, watching carefully until Kagome leaned over and kissed Souta's forehead then stood to leave his room. The Dragon backed up slightly to allow Kagome to pass, then closed the door slowly behind her.
"You're sure he won't be hungry?" Hitomi asked when Kagome and Ryura appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
Kagome laughed. "Trust me, mom. He pigged out at the park. He'll be fine."
"How about you? Are you hungry?" Hitomi asked and Kagome nodded. "Wonderful! I'll heat up the food!"
Ryura's cellphone vibrated in his pocket and he excused himself to answer with a frown on his face. He specifically remembered telling anyone and everyone to not disturb him today unless someone was one death's door.
Kagome watched him go then sat herself down beside her grandfather. Daisuke looked to her, surprised when she laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his.
"Something wrong?" he asked her quietly.
"No, not really. I just missed you," Kagome said with a tone that matched his.
His aged and withered hand came to rest on one of Kagome's and he patted it softly. "Well, if something is wrong, everything will be fine. You're just like your father, and you have a lot of your mother in you, too. You'll figure it out."
Her eyes burned at the sudden tears that sprang up. She turned her head and buried her face into her grandfather's white haori and silently cried against him. Daisuke didn't say anything about it, however. He only smiled softly and held Kagome's hand, leaning his head down to rest on her own.
Kagome cried, knowing this would be the last time she ever saw her grandfather. It would be the last time she ever saw his smiling face, last time she ever heard his voice, last time she ever smelled his natural scent.
She felt herself being transferred to a different set of arms, and she heard her grandfather say, "Take care of her, boy."
Kagome mentally followed her grandfather's aura into the kitchen where it joined her mother's and she took the chance to imprint their auras to memory. Even in death she would never forget them. The aura that had now surrounded her, however, was that of Ryura's.
Slowly she opened her eyes and looked up at him, only to see him looking back at her with worry. His human guise left him, leaving behind the appearance Kagome knew so well, and she couldn't stop her tears from starting over and starting at the beginning again. His hair was blue, eyes were red, and his markings were showing.
"What is it?" he asked, and Kagome could see his fangs as he spoke.
"You know what," she said over the lump in her throat.
Ryura smiled sadly and ran his now clawed hand through her hair. "I suppose I do."
Kagome rose up slightly only to crawl into his lap. Ryura's arms wrapped around her to steady her and he lulled his head to the side to give her room as she tucked her own ahead in the crook of his neck. Kagome gripped his hips with her thighs and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It was an extremely compromising position for the both of them, and Kagome didn't think as far as what if her mother should see her like this.
"I am not going to leave you, Kagome. Not yet," he said softly into her hair as he breathed in her scent. "I will stay with you until the morning, and the me of the past will show up, and only when I feel my own youki will I leave you. You will stay at my side, no matter what happens."
Even though his words were confusing, Kagome understood what he meant. Whether it be this Ryura of her era, or the Ryura of the Feudal Era, he would stay with her. It gave her comfort, knowing she wasn't going to be alone when she died.
As they sat together, Ryura began to hum. His chest vibrated hers and she let herself fall into the sound of his deep, rhythmic humming. Ryura reached up and pulled her hair from its tail, watching with his head still tilted to the side as her long black locks spilled around their joined bodies, covering them like a blanket. He ran a hand through it, all the while he continued to hum.
They stayed in that position until Hitomi came out of the kitchen. She squealed at seeing her daughter straddling Ryura, but she was quickly pulled back into the kitchen by Daisuke.
"Just let them be for now, Hitomi. Something's wrong with Kagome," he said.
"What?" Hitomi asked once the shock wore off. "What's wrong?"
"I'm unsure, but it's only something Ryura can fix," Daisuke said, his voice one of worry.
They were interrupted from speaking further when Kagome and Ryura entered the kitchen. Kagome was blushing brightly and rubbing at her still wet eyes, and Ryura looked like nothing happened at all. It was a far cry from the Ryura of the past who had been embarrassed by simply kissing Kagome or hugging her.
The four ate dinner together, the mood greatly lightening up as Daisuke went into a particular embarrassing story about when his son and daughter-in-law had first moved in to help him with the Shrine's upkeep. At the end, Hitomi was left an embarrassed mess and Kagome was laughing her head off.
Stories were exchanged back and forth, ones from Ryura mostly consisting of things Kagome had been around for in the past. Once dinner was finished and dishes cleaned, Hitomi and Daisuke excused themselves, wanting to head to bed.
Ryura and Kagome followed suit, each taking a shower one after the other. While Kagome was taking hers, Ryura bolted out to his car and grabbed a long bag from the trunk and was back inside without Kagome knowing what he did. He pulled out clothing then kicked the bag under Kagome's bed right as she opened the door and announced the shower was free.
As Ryura took his shower, Kagome towel dried her hair. Something was off. She could feel a deep thrum coming from under her bed. When Kagome was finally annoyed enough she dropped to her knees and looked under said bed. A long, black bag she had never seen before was soon pulled out and unzipped.
Two gleaming swords stared back at her, pulsing in greeting. It was Raijing and Fujinga.
Kagome laughed happily and lightly touched the hilts of the swords. "I bet you two missed me!"
She was somehow able to have almost a conversation with the swords. Kagome would ask a question, asking if Ryura had taken care of them or things of that nature, and they would respond with either a single pulse for a positive answer or two pulses for a negative answer.
"I still use them every day," Ryura said behind her. "They become extremely annoying if I don't."
Kagome looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened. His short blue hair was plastered to his head and still dripping slightly. The rivulets of water landed on his shoulders and back, running down the bare skin until they met with pair of black pajama pants, which was the only thing he was wearing.
Ryura waved a brush in her face and Kagome squeaked, but then grinned when she realized what he was wanting. She hopped on to her bed and bounced slightly as Ryura laughed and sat down in front of her on the floor.
While his hair was much, much shorter, he was still allowing Kagome to care for it. As Kagome brushed through his hair until it was dry with both her fingers and the brush, Ryura fished around the black bag until he pulled out a book.
He stood when Kagome was finished and shooed her off the bed, turning down her sheets and comforter once she was completely off of it. With the book still in his hand he crawled in her bed, covering up his legs, then pulled her in with him. Ryura tucked her against his side in the same place she had woken up in against Ryura of the past only a short half week before hand.
Kagome didn't protest. She was going to take all she could get now.
Laying against his side with her head resting on his shoulder, Kagome listened as Ryura began to read. He was reading the same book Kagome had first given him. It was the book of poems. She listened to him, felt him against her, felt his body rumble as he spoke, and almost turned to goo as his hand ran through her hair, until she finally fell asleep.
When Ryura was sure Kagome was asleep he closed the book, transferred it to his other hand and laid it on her bedside table, turning out the light as he did so. He laid in the dark, listening to the sounds of her breathing, wide awake as time passed by.
The sun began to rise and Ryura carefully pried Kagome off his body and crawled over her until he was standing on the floor. He sat down at her desk and opened one of her notebooks, grabbing a pen as he went, and then, he began to write. Once he was finished he left the notebook where she would be able to find it, and went about dressing and replacing his human disguise.
Ryura left her room after kissing Kagome gently on the forehead. He exited the house, and as he walked down the stairs of the Shrine, he pulled out the cellphone from his pocket. He brought it to life by simply sliding a finger across the screen and pressed a single button on it. As he put it to his ear he heard the ringing begin and he waited patiently for the other person to pick up.
"Hello?" came a groggy voice over the phone.
"Inuyasha?" Ryura asked. He received a grunt in return. "I'm just leaving Kagome's house. It's time."
After a bout of cussing including if Ryura had any "fucking idea what time it was," the line went dead shortly after and Ryura let out a small chuckle. He replaced the cellphone in his pocket and unlocked his car.
He as gone before Kagome woke up.
Kagome was woken by a slight shaking of her shoulder and her voice being said softly. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes to look into the concerned red orbs of Ryura.
"G'morning," she mumbled.
His hair tickled her face as Ryura leaned down and sniffed her. Kagome then noticed his hair was long and he was wearing armor. This Ryura was the one from the past.
"I don't want to sound rude or anything, but why in the hell do you smell so much like me?" Ryura asked, confused.
Kagome only looked at him just as confused as he appeared to be, then she shot out of bed and started looking around the room. The long bag that held Raijinga and Fujinga were gone, except the swords were on this Ryura's back, five hundred years younger the lot of them. Kagome stumbled slightly and Ryura grabbed her bicep.
"Kagome? What's going on?" he asked, concerned.
"Y-you... You were here."
"What? I just got here!" he exclaimed.
"No! I mean you of this era!" Kagome said. She took one look around and noticed a notebook was open with writing on one of the pages in the form of a letter.
Kagome reached out and grabbed the notebook, eyes scanning over the page. Behind her, still confused, Ryura began to read as well.
Kagome,
By now you should have woken up to find me missing, only to be replaced by the five hundred years younger me. Confusing, isn't it? I did promise I wasn't going to leave you, no matter what happened. I barely managed to get out of bed before I felt my own youki pouring from the well-house – get that shit together, Ryura! Every youkai within a seven hundred mile radius has called me asking why in the world I'm releasing so much youki when we're supposed to be hidden since you found out you could pass through the well! If you weren't me, I'd kick your ass for all the headaches you've caused me!
Take care of her, Ryura. I shouldn't have to warn myself of the dangers she will be facing today.
Ryura Kumori
Both Kagome and Ryura stared at the letter for a moment, looked to each other, then read over it again.
"Whaaaat the hell?" Ryura asked.
Kagome had to explain after that, omitting the part of her dying, of course. She didn't want Ryura to put himself in any danger by trying to protect her when she was meant to die. It took Ryura a moment to adjust to it, and he had to beat down the jealously he felt over himself being that close to Kagome. It just didn't make sense to him, but he couldn't help it!
Ryura wrapped his arms possessively around Kagome then and hugged her tightly against him. He was trying to replace his own scent, for Kami's sake!
Kagome couldn't control herself. She started laughing hysterically. Ryura just grumbled.
Kagome stared into the face of Naraku. His true form had been revealed and it looked like the last fight was to happen over top Kaede's village. The form was growing closer with each passing second and Kagome had to chomp down on how nervous she was. Ryura was with her, it would be okay.
But then again it wasn't going to be okay. She was going to die.
Well, she wasn't going down without one hell of a fight, Kagome thought to herself as she gave a deteremined nod.
Breaking into the true form of Naraku had been a trip through Hell and back again. Every one of them were drenched in spider goop from their head to their toes, and none of them liked it.
The cavern of Naraku's body was dark, dark enough the youkai had to lead the way. Tsuyoshi held a ball of glowing ice out in front of him, acting as a lantern to light their path. Ryura took up the back of the group, eyes scanning back and forth.
Inuyasha was the first to be separated from the group. Naraku had shown him an illusion of Kikyou being alive once more and in Naraku's grasp. He disappeared into the darkness with a yell that was the deceased Miko's name.
Sango fell next, having an illusion of her family still alive and happy shoved in her face. Shortly after Miroku followed. His illusion was one his Wind Tunnel ripping open and it was attempting to suck Sango and Kohaku into it.
Sesshoumaru didn't fall for his illusion, for it was beyond stupid. The illusion he was faced with was of his father handing him both Tessaiga and Sou'unga, the sword of Hell before his father's death. Sesshoumaru had Bakusaiga now, and apparently Naraku failed to realize Sesshoumaru held no desire for either sword. Sou'unga was in its rightful place in Hell, trapped away forever, and Tessaiga now truly belonged to Inuyasha.
Kagome wasn't very impressed with her illusion, either. It had been of herself and Inuyasha smiling happily as they looked down to a small child roughly about two years of age. The child's hair was black as Kagome's, but all other features screamed Inuyasha. It was their child. The whole illusion just felt so wrong to Kagome.
Now, if Naraku had been paying enough attention, he would have made Ryura be in her illusion and the child a product of herself and the Dragon Daiyoukai. Kagome may have just fallen for that.
Ryura and Tsuyoshi luckily weren't plagued with illusions. It appeared to them that Naraku had set this visions up some time ago, before Tsuyoshi and Ryura joined up with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's packs to fight against him. It made them realize that Naraku had started to panic, and his plans were haphazardly thrown together. He knew his death was fast approaching.
Sesshoumaru, Tsuyoshi, Ryura, and Kagome trudged their way further into Naraku's body until Sesshoumaru quickly shot forward.
Rin had screamed for him in the distance and he knew that was no illusion.
"Rin!" Kagome yelled out with worry. She tried to follow Sesshoumaru, but was stopped by Ryura.
"No, Kagome!" he said, "It's a trap!"
"A trap for Sesshoumaru!" she retorted.
"What did I say about having faith?" Ryura asked with a frown. Kagome then reluctantly agreed. If Sesshoumaru needed their help, he would find a way to let them know.
Tsuyoshi led the last of those who remained with his spear clutched tightly in his hand, prepared to strike at any moment. What trials was Naraku going to throw at them?
The three stepped into a large cavern after possibly an hour of walking that was as tall as it was deep, which was extremely deep. Tsuyoshi tossed down the ball of glowing ice into the pit and watched as it fell. None of them heard it crash.
"Up?" Ryura asked, and Tsuyoshi nodded.
Considering both of Ryura's hands were tied up by his swords, Tsuyoshi took over carrying Kagome. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her against him, taking off with one powerful leap. As they ascended, Kagome felt the darkened power of the Shikon no Tama and scurried on to Tsuyoshi's back. The water Dragon helped her situated herself and behind him he could feel Kagome draw an arrow, waiting.
Ryura flew along beside the two, his face stoic as he prepared himself to fight.
Ahead of them, they saw Inuyasha standing toe to toe with Naraku with Magatsuhi's ethereal face floating directly behind Naraku.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called out as she loosed her arrow.
Inuyasha ducked to the side, knowing that call when he heard it. Naraku's eyes widened and he threw a barrier up, only to have Kagome's arrow disappear and reappear with a blink behind his barrier. The blue glowing arrow obliterated his left shoulder and he growled.
"Enough of this!" Naraku hissed.
Ryura was in his face before he could fully disappear, with Tsuyoshi following after. Their weapons crackled with youki as they stabbed them into either of Naraku's sides. Naraku howled in pain, his eyes wide and terrified as Inuyasha and Kagome, who had been safely deposited on a cliff, prepared their own attacks.
"We're going to need everything for this!" Kagome yelled as she charged her arrow with the bright flame-like reiki.
"Agreed!" Inuyasha responded loudly.
"Then you shall have it, Kagome." Sesshoumaru said as he shot out from a cave above them. Rin was clinging to his pelt next to Jaken. The gami looked terrified, but he held his staff out and in the mouth of one of the two heads rested a flame.
Sango and Miroku, both atop Kirara with Shippou clinging on for dear life, followed. "Right!" Sango yelled.
Shippou had apparently shown up, going against everyone's wishes, and brought himself and Rin right into the fray.
Together, each of them aimed for both Naraku and Magatsuhi, who was tied to the Shikon no Tama Naraku still held in his chest. Simultaneously they released their attacks and watched as all the energies, all the weapons soared for the two beings who were evil incarnate.
The timing was perfect. Everything came together at once. Everyone's arrival combined with each of them pouring all their feelings; all their hate and anger, all their sorrow, everything into their attacks.
The backlash from the combining energies was enough to rock everyone from what perches they were standing on, unless they were lucky enough to have been in the air.
Ryura ran and jumped off the cliff he had stood on, having moved away with Tsuyoshi in time to release their own attacks on Naraku. He sailed for Kagome and scooped her up before she fell off her own perch. Ryura tucked and spun in the air, taking Kagome with him, and flew for towards the other side of the large cavern everyone was now in.
As Naraku's body began to crumble, Inuyasha ripped a hole through the cave-like area they were in, and one at a time, the band exited. Ryura was the last to leave, and after what happened, he wished he had been the first.
Kagome was grabbed by a pair of hands made of flesh and ripped straight from Ryura's arms. Her longbow was knocked from her grip as another flesh-hand appeared. Even as the flesh-eating attack of Sesshoumaru was destroying his body, Naraku was still fighting. He was planning on taking Kagome with him. He was going to crush the hearts of the ones who had defeated them by taking away the woman who meant so much to all of them.
No one could reach her fast enough. Each were engaged in their own battles with sudden manifestations of Naraku that swarmed around them.
"Kagome!" Ryura yelled. Her name ripped from his throat loud enough it began to bleed.
Inuyasha spun around and hopped from one floating dead fake body of Naraku to the next, his eyes trained on Kagome's form trapped against the slowly falling true form of the spider-hanyou. At the same time Ryura tore apart one fake after another, trying as hard as he could to get to her.
None of them could stop what was happening. They could only watch with horror as one of the flesh hands turned into a long, dangerous spike and drove home through Kagome's chest, directly through her heart.
Kagome let out a gurgled gasp of shock and pain. Blood flew from her lips and she jerked forward with the sheer force the spike had dug into her with. She could feel it protruding from her back, and slowly she looked down to see her white haori bleed red.
Naraku kept up the attack, fully intending on keeping Kagome with him until her soul was gone to the point not even Sesshoumaru would be able to bring her back with Tenseiga.
Ryura, however, wouldn't stand for it. He ripped away the barriers put in place to keep his humanoid form and shot towards Kagome in a streak of white. When Ryura landed, the white disappeared to show his true form - the giant, winged blue dragon. His long, sword like claws dug into Naraku's body, keeping him attached to the side of it.
His massive head fell back and he roared his anger, then it lunged forward and began to tear at Naraku's body. Piece after piece fell away until nothing was left to hold Kagome up. She fell towards the earth and it was only then Ryura let go. His body twisted as he fell, wings tucked tightly against himself.
Ryura dove for Kagome's now lifeless body and when he reached it, he took her small form in one giant claw-like hand and his wings unfurled from his body. The wings stretched out and heaved, keeping Ryura aloft in the air.
Red eyes looked down to Kagome, taking in her appearance, and Ryura let out the most sorrowful whine. The Miko lay dead in his hand, and because of that single sound he admitted, anyone with ears could tell the same. Kagome was gone.
In the future, Ryura sat in a large, comfortable looking chair in the darkness of his home. His human disguise was missing, allowing any who might have seen him to freely see his real form. Thankfully, however, he was alone. As the sun set at a certain point in the side, Ryura's face contorted.
He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, and buried his face in his hands. His fingers gripped at his blue bangs as his shoulders shook.
Five hundred years ago to the second, Kagome had died in those same hands.
Ryura was still for a few minutes until he rose to his feet and staggered his way to the door of the room he was in. He needed to go. He had to go back to the Shrine. He needed to see her family. He wanted to sit in her room and inhale her scent.
Blue eyes watched as Ryura stumbled down a hall in his home. It was Tsuyoshi. The water Dragon couldn't keep the frown off his face. For some reason unknown to all of them, Ryura had suddenly forgot everything that happened in the past beside Kagome's death and what came before it – it was like every memory after that just ceased to exist for Ryura. Right now Ryura was reliving Kagome's death all over again.
Ryura had been fine one moment, then the next he was a complete mess to the point he couldn't contain his youki anymore. It had flared wildly around him and within the span of a few moments every phone and cellphone in the house was ringing.
A.N.: Like I said, everything has a purpose!