01-13-10: Kay, I fixed the error in chapter 42. It's not much, but I thought that I should just tell you guys so you know. Also! I changed how Kaori's head hurts when she was with Koga and I made it hurt first when she's with Sesshoumaru . I have an idea now about how I'm gonna work this in.

ALSO!! I drew a picture of Kaori :D

http:// chichikuu . deviantart . com /art/Kaori-150178754 - there's the link (without the spaces) o.o'

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You're Kinda, Sorta, Basically, Pretty Much, Always On My Mind.

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I Don't Own Inuyasha

"Talking"

45. Naraku's Castle

"Damnit! That bitch Sango!" Inuyasha cursed, leaping into the air. I lifted my aching head off his shoulder and gazed at him.

"Don't be angry Inuyasha. There must be some reason." I whispered.

"Cut that out!" He snapped.

"You cut out your yelling! It makes my head hurt more!" I hissed in reply.

"Sango is most likely being blackmailed by Naraku." Miroku cut in, running up beside us. "Naraku probably holds her brother's life, and so she stole Tetsusaiga. It's exactly the sort of thing Naraku would think of."

"I know that!!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Stop yelling!!" I whined. My head was pounding.. I didn't know why. It seemed to do this only when the Shikon Shards were near.. but.. I didn't hurt when Yura had one, or when Miroku, Koga.. had them. None of those people. Why only Kohaku and Sesshoumaru?

A branch snapped against my cheek and I ducked my head into Inuyasha's shoulder. I was in no situation to be running with them. It was already taking a lot out of me to stay conscious. I glanced toward the sky and my breath caught in my throat at what I saw. Full moon. I stared down at my hands and watched my blue hair fly up around my face as Inuyasha jumped into the sky again. I was still normal.. I looked up again and noticed now the moon wasn't 100% complete just yet. I must have at least.. about.. maybe two or three more days left. I exhaled. I'd have to make sure we don't get into anything too big after this.

I clenched my teeth together as the pain suddenly intensified, and I felt Inuyasha skid to a stop. A loud annoying buzz fulled my mind.

"Saimyoushou!?" Miroku gasped.

"Naraku must be close then..!" Shippo squeaked.

The buzzing started to fade. I felt Miroku tense beside me. "They're inviting us."

"It could be a trap.." I managed to say, and watched as the yellow and purple bees turned around to watch us.

"Heh, interesting." Inuyasha mused. "That damn Naraku.. it seems he really intends to kill us all off."

"I see.." Miroku murmured. "I can't open the Kazanna without getting poisoned."

"He must have heard from that brat about Kaori." Inuyasha continued. "He had my Tetsusaiga stolen. Also with great precision.. he made reliable use of Sango.."

They decided to go for it.. even though it was most likely a trap. But.. Inuyasha did the most peculiar thing.. He didn't send me away. I was practically unconscious but he took me with them. I watched him the whole way there. I couldn't understand him.. I really couldn't.. Did he no longer worry for me anymore?

The pain in my skull intensified as we got closer and closer, and the scent of Sango's blood filled the air.

Seconds later we arrived in a giant castle. The wood was darker than anything I'd ever seen and red paper doors stood out against the snow.

Sango knelt, in a pool of her own blood, in the middle of the courtyard. Her back to us, and her arms wrapped around her little brother.. who stood still yet unemotional as she cried. A dark long haired man with glowing red eyes sat on some steps a few feet away, watching them cynically and extremely amused.

My heart thudded painfully against my ribs, forcing the pain in my forehead to just about disappear completely. "SANGO!"

"Kaori..?" The taijiya turned her head toward me and I pushed myself off of Inuyasha's back. Her face was sweaty and flushed red. A small trickle of blood ran down her chin from the corner of her mouth.. Suddenly she slid off Kohaku and collapsed to the ground at his feet.

"S..Sango.. Warm droplets of water ran down my cheeks and I didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Her own brother was forced to do it.." The monk mumbled. I looked at the child. He hadn't moved from his position.. But his round freckled face was confused as he stared upon the young woman at his feet.. I knew that somewhere deep in his subconscious he knew Sango was his sister. He still loved her. He hadn't completely forgotten..

"Naraku..!" A low canine growl more hostile and angry than I'd ever heard, even from the most viscous of dogs, erupted from the boy in front of me. "You bastard.."

Naraku chuckled. "Kukukuku. Such a foolish lot. You came even though you knew it was a trap, huh."

"Get stuffed!" Inuyasha raced forward, his claws digging onto his own skin as he clenched his fists. He was more angry then I'd ever seen him before.

Naraku's dark hair grew and reached out toward the hanyou, blocking his body from view. Inuyasha growled again, slashing through the weak strands in an instant.

The hair fell limp, and Naraku was no longer in his seat.

"Ugh.. He's freaking legged it, huh?" Inuyasha muttered, grudgingly.

"I wont run." Naraku's sinister voice floated about the castle.. almost as if it were from the sky. "Because I wanted you to come here."

The limp hair began to tremble and suddenly they were long black snakes. They slither quickly along the ground towards me. I growled, the pain in my now just a dull ache, and slashed through them, my claws glowing yellow. They turned to liquid upon contact and I hissed as the skin on my arm burned. Miasma.

"Kaori!" Inuyasha leaped to my side pulling me behind him. "Idiot don't kill them!"

"Yeah well thanks for that update. I'll sure to put it to good use." I scowled, at his indifference, struggling to pull my sleeve over the burns as they raged upon my arm like wild fire. It hurt.. but.. it was manageable..

"If you want a fight, then you will have one.." Naraku laughed, as more black snakes slithered towards us from every direction. "This place is full of miasma. You'll be covered with it and die."

The dull ache started to grow back into a violent throb and I knelt down beside Sango's unconscious body, letting my hair fall over her. I glanced towards Inuyasha and out eyes met for a second before he looked away.

"Show your effing self, Naraku!" He cursed. I'd been wrong before. He was worried. Way more extremely worried than he let show. The expression in his eyes at that moment made it clear.

"Kukuku.. Inuyasha.. You low-lifes have no where left to run to."

A group of snakes lunged towards Inuyasha, and he slashed through them, showering himself with miasma. He cursed and stepped back as he revived similar burns as I on his cheek and arms.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted. "If you're covered with the miasma each time you destroy one, your body won't be able to take it!"

"I know that!" The hanyou hissed.

I felt Sango stirr under me and my eyes snapped to her. "Sango-chan."

"I'm.. sorry.." She gasped, her heart beating dangerously slow. "I.."

I shook my head. "It's alright. We understand."

"Thank goodness," Miroku sighed in relief. "Sango's still alive.'

"Bah!" Inuyasha scoffed. "Do you think she'll drop dead so easily?"

An inappropriately wave of jealousy hit me. He has full confidence in her abilities but not my own? Ugh, jerk.

"Sango! I'm going to really harass you about this later!" The Jerk snapped. "So, don't you die!!"

Naraku's sinister laugh filled the air once more. "So you think you can return alive, huh. This is where your lowlifes die. All of this is.. because of Sango's betrayal. Instead of your lives, Sango chose to save her brother's. If you're going to hate someone.. then hate Sango for her shallowness."

The whole crowd of snakes cam rushing towards us at that moment. I heard Inuyasha curse and suddenly the bright red kimono fell over my head.

I growled. No. I wouldn't be the useless one here. I tossed the fire red fabric over Sango, and closed my eyes. I wished for something, a barrier. I couldn't remember how I used to put them up before..

I felt like a balloon was being pulled away from my skin, and was being blown up bigger and bigger.. but it was happening in a faction of a second. I felt something like a hundred knives were just thrown toward my bubble and it flexed and shook where it was hit but nothing happened.

I opened my eyes.

My bubble was red.. a glossy almost transparent red. I wondered why it wasn't the usual pink or purple.. but that didn't seem to change anything. I watched and felt as the snakes lunged into my bubble but then bursting into liquid as they came in contact with it. The dark purple mist seeped over the dome, searching for an entrance.. but it failed and quickly dissolved away into the air.

"Kaori are you doing this?" Miroku asked.

I looked up at him, they were both looking at me in awe, and felt the bubble retract slightly. Ugh.. little beads of sweat appeared on my forehead, and the pounding in my head intensified ten fold. I nodded. This wasn't as easy as I remembered.

"Kukuku.. fool." Naraku hissed..

The ground shook and rumbled, louder and louder.. I felt my body being lifted from the earth.. Suddenly the snow flew up into the air in the centre and inside of my barrier and a cloud of giant black snakes burst from below. My bubble popped and I felt the ground disappear below me. My body twisted and my back hit wood, breaking through upon contact. More pain scorched through my body, and I slid to the ground clenching my teeth together so I wouldn't cry out.

I heard Inuyasha call for me, but I dare not unclench in fear of the tears that threatened to fall. I had to get stronger. The scent of Inuyasha's blood caught me and I opened my eyes.

"Kukuku, how pathetic, eh, Inuyasha?" I looked around, I was in an abandoned room. "Along with your friends you will die in pain. For a failure of a half-youkai, it is an appropriate way to die."

I blinked. My vision went red, my blood boiling in my veins. My thirst for bloodshed returning with a vengeance. I smiled. I didn't care what Inuyasha said. I knew the difference between friend and foe. I knew what I wanted. I sensed the danger. It would not take over my life. I needed this.

I was on my feet, running. Following the disgusting scent of that evil demonic sick bastard. My head throbbed and I stopped. I was halfway through the door. My vision clicked from reality to some find of ex-ray vision and I saw through the wall ahead of me. Tainted jewel shard. I unsheathed my sword. The sound of iron sliding against the scabbard pleasing my thirst.

I gripped them tight in my hands.. and with a flick of the wrist one twisted through the air. It spun in tight spirals throwing crimson blades of light into the air. It cracked through the stone wall which my tainted shards were hiding behind.. and a familiar flash of red exploded through the stone. As soon as my ears picked up on it the second sword transformed into a bow and diamond arrow erupted into a florescent white light bursting through the miasma, demon and out the stone through the back before disappearing into bright orbs once it touched the snow.

I smiled again digging my toes into the frozen wood beneath them.

"The miasma is dissipating!" I heard Shippo gasp.

"This is.. because of Kaori-sama?" Miroku wondered.

"Kaori.." My eyes flashed toward Inuyasha and then the red in my eyes intensified. He was bleeding, and burned all over. Sweating and weak..

"Naraku, you bastard." I hissed.

The demon stumbled. Half his body had been blown away and he held a missing shoulder with the only arm he had left. "Girl.. you.." He growled. "Who are you.. A long time ago.. there was a girl with the same powers as you.."

I scoffed, my tail twitching occasionally. "You know who I am. You tricked my sister into a trap which got her killed. You tried to kill me a few months go. Let's consider this, as revenge shall we?"

"You're.. Itami Kaori..?"

The my unfamiliar full name made my heart thud against my chest. The red blur started to dissappear from my eyes.. but I hid my reaction and smirked. "Mhmn." Another arrow appeared in my silver bow and I pulled the string. The familiar 'twang' and blinding white light sent a pleasurable shiver up my spine as it shot through the air faster than any bullet and hit Naraku square in the chest bursting his body apart, leaving just his head.

A wave of panic stuck me and my bow turned back into a katana. I had to finish everything. I raced forward and the head grinned.

"Kaori, watch out!" An arm wrapped around my body and I was pulled back, shielded by a cloud of miasma as the head practically exploded. Inuyasha pulled my head into his chest, and the sound of rumbling was all that was heard for a moment..

The pain in my head disappeared and I opened my eyes. We were all sitting in a giant field.. not even a trace of the castle left behind.

"The castle's gone.." Shippo exclaimed from Miroku's shoulder.

"It was a fake castle, huh.." Miroku replied, eyeing the area.

I blinked. Naraku is dead..? I looked around and my eyes landed on something. Tetsusaiga and my second katana were trust into a mound of snow together, forming a careful X. I pulled away from Inuyasha and got to my feet. He followed. I pulled my katana from the dirt as he did Tetsusaiga, and bent down to scour the ground.

"Did he escape?" Miroku asked.

I frowned and searched the area with my eyes. "He must have.. the shikon fragment is gone." I sighed and dropped to my knees. "I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough to finish him off.."

"If you hadn't been there, Kaori-sama, all of us would have died." Miroku exclaimed.

"It seems you.." Inuyasha murmured. "Were the most amazing of all of us."

I blushed and closed my eyes. "Thank you.."

"Ehh!! Don't move about Sango!" Shippo shouted. I opened my eyes and turned around. Sango was stuggling to her feet, Shippo tugging on the bottom of her long green skirt.

"Sango-chan!" I gasped, running even before I got to my feet.. which caused me to stumble and hold the ground.

"Where are you going?" Miroku asked.

"Sorry.." She breathed. "I can't go with you anymore.."

"Sango.. about your brother, and Naraku threatening you, everybody accepts that."

"That's why!" She shouted, turning on the monk. "I'd betray you all again! Naraku has Kohaku completely under his thumb..."

"Sango you.. intent to slay Naraku by yourself, don't you?"

"That's the only way.."

"You can't do it alone!" I came up to her and carefully grabbed on her arm preventing her from moving.

"Right." Miroku agreed. "Alone, you can't match him."

"Why.. are all of you.." Sango mumbled.

Inuyasha growled. "STOP GABBLING! IT'S BETTER THAT WE'RE ALL TOGETHER! BECAUSE YOU'RE A STRONG FIGHTER!!"

My ears flattened themselves against my head from the volume. "Inuyasha.."

"While you had stolen Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha had said there wasn't a problem with it" Miroku informed her.

"You saying I'm an idiot or something?" Inuyasha scowled.

"I'm saying you have a big heart."

"Do you hate us, Sango?" Shippo asked, his green eyes watering.

"...Is it okay.. for me to come with you?" Sango whispered.

"Hey, we've already said so!" Inuyasha snapped.

The girl trembled and then collapsed into my arms. Her loud uneven sobs shook me.. I bit my lip as tears then welled up in my own eyes. I buried my face into her hair as the the tears escaped down my face and she cried into my chest.

"..Why are they crying..?" I heard Inuyasha mumble.

"You really don't understand girls, do you?" Miroku sighed.

Sango had been hurting this whole time. She'd been scared.. that she would be alone. Heartbroken over the loss of everything she held dear..

"It's okay now.." I whispered. "because we'll all be together from now on.."

End Of Chapter 45.

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R&R Please

Thanks 4 Reading

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~ :D hurraayyyy now some good chapters can finally happen!! Yes!! I'm so happy!! But.. this chapter's end really got to me. I feel like hugging Sango too and just start bawling. I'm such a girl xP

But I realized that in this chapter in the original.. Kagome says some pretty stupid stuff O_o which made me embarrassed for her.. yeah.. I hope you liked my drawing :3