Inuyasha Regashi chapter 33: Reaching the Top
"This is great! we found it!" Shippo cheered.
"I told you the staff of two heads never fails!" Jaken said pridefully.
The two approached the island and Shippo reverted to his normal form. they approached the shrine where the kaji no ishi was held. the stone glowed with a warm, sparkling glow.
"Now if you dont mind, I will do the honors!" Jaken said pretentiously.
"Hey! who said you could do it!?" Shippo said.
"Well it was my staff that found it!" Jaken huffed.
"So what?! Meimei gave me the Kori no Ishi, not you!" Shippo shouted, clutching the Kori no Ishi to himself.
"GIVE ME THAT STONE!" Jaken shouted as he tackled Shippo for the stone. They tried to wrestle the stone away from each other, but it slipped from both of their hands. The kori no ishi bounced and rolled dangerously close to the edge of the floating island. Shippo and Jaken held their breaths in fear. When it stopped they sighed in relief.
"Well that was a close one. SEE WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE YOU STUPID BOY!?" Jaken scolded.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING STUPID, YOU LITTLE TOAD!?" Shippo said, bonking Jaken in the head with his staff. When Jaken landed on the ground, the force from his fall caused the kori no ishi to fall over the edge.
"NOOOOO! THE KORI NO ISHI!" Shippo and Jaken screamed horrifically.
"YOU INSUFFFERABLE SIMPLETON! YOU LOST IT!" Jaken squawked.
"WELL ARENT WE QUICK TO SPREAD THE BLAME? YOU ARE JUST AS GUILTY AS I AM!" Shippo shouted back.
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW!? MY LORD WILL BE SO DISAPPOINTED IN ME!" Jaken said, crying.
"H-hey, look at it this way:the kori no ishi cant be that powerful! I think Inuyasha and the others will do just fine!" Shippo reassured.
"Do you really think so?" Jaken murmured, looking up at Shippo with a hopeful face.
"Err, yeah! you should have more faith! They'll do just fine!" Shippo said.
"Yes! you're right! more faith in my lord Sesshomaru's abilities!" Jaken echoed.
There was a moment of silence between them.
"So... what are we supposed to tell them when they find out we lost it?" Jaken said.
~*0*~
Ryukoushi let out a bellowing laugh as he watched the sun near its end. "You are all too late! even if you were to somehow make it here in time, you can do nothing! Father, I hope you are ready!" the sunlight gleaming in Ryukoushi's eyes made it seem as if they were glowing.
"And you, Naraku: are you ready to witness the reawakening of a god?!" Ryukoushi asked.
"Oh im ready..." Naraku said, grinning.
"Ahhh, i have been awaiting this day for so long!" Ryukoushi said. He snapped his fingers and the torches around the balcony and around the altar where *Inuyasha's body lay. Inuyasha's skin was a pale white in the light of the fire.
Ryukoushi approached the altar, a long naginata forming in his hand. He prepared to raise it but he heard a sound from the door behind him.
"Well, my dog brother...you have come after all..."
~*0*~
Sesshomaru walked through an empty, dark corridor silently. He could feel that he was very close to his destination. When he came to the end of the corridor, he found a staircase made out of plain wood. He could smell the scent of Ryukoushi and Naraku leading up the stairway.
"So this is where you are hiding?" Sesshomaru thought before sprinting up the stairs. he reached the door at the top and blasted through and found himself on the outside.
The sun was nearly at the horizon. Ryukoushi was holding his naginata and preparing to sacrifice Inuyasha's body.
"Ryukoushi." Sesshomaru said loudly and with authority.
"Ahh, my dog brother. you have come to join the ceremony?" Ryukoushi said.
"Hardly. i have merely come to finish the job my brother didnt have the nerve to finish." Sesshomaru said.
"Oh your brother, eh? the last time I checked you hate him with all of your being, isnt that true, Sesshomaru?" Ryukoushi said.
"Him, along with you and that disgusting creature standing behind you called Naraku." Sesshomaru said.
"Well greetings and salutations to you as well, Sesshomaru. I thought you would be glad to see me. just see it as another chance to try and kill me; or will you let you little brother take that away from you again?"
"It would be wise to shut that mouth of yours, Naraku. I will have absolutely no mercy on you."
"Well then, my dog brother...shall we?" Ryukoushi said.
"Hmph..." Sesshomaru grunted as he drew out bakusaiga.
the two daiyoukai charged at each other with blinding speed. their weapons clashed together and stared each other down.
"Ahh, the sweet memories. I remember how we used to sparr as children. You were always such a spoiled sport. And it seems like you still are today. You see, thats what seems to be the problem with your kind. Too principled. Trying to act like something you're not. you are demons, for heavens sake. you should really start acting like one." Ryukoushi said.
"If by acting like a demon, you mean ruling my lands as you and your father have for the past 500 years; terrorizing the lands under my rule, making sport of murdering innocents, and neglecting my own people? If thats how it is, perhaps I should make a new standard!" Sesshomaru grunted as he pushed Ryukoushi back.
"Oh now you sound just like your father...justice this and equality that. what a pretentious, self righteous whelp!" Ryukoushi taunted.
"What did you say?!" Sesshomaru growled.
"Listen here Sesshomaru, and I will tell you a little secret: If you dont get with the times, you will fail and fail miserably. look around you! Man and beast are turning against one another in a struggle over land! It is, and pardon my reference: a dog eat dog world. Exploiting your resources is a normal rule in the game. And the humans dont give a damn. once they figure out that you have become soft, they will rise up and take hold of the land that you and your ancestors have worked so hard to protect. so why dont you follow my example: instill fear in them; that is the only way you can keep them in check." Ryukoushi said.
"pardon me Ryukoushi, but I do not think that this is a 'game' as you call it-"
" Im only telling you this because i care about you... you are my greatest friend, after all." Ryukoushi said.
"You do a terrible job of lying, Ryukoushi." Sesshomaru said.
"Oh, harsh!" Ryukoushi said, slashing at Sesshomaru's head. He managed to duck and jump away and stood in front of Inuyasha's body, seeming to guard it.
"Well, isnt that adorable! you do care about him after all!" Ryukoushi said.
Sesshomaru grunted at his comment.
"Oh dont be so bashful, Sesshomaru! I cared for my younger siblings as well; So much that I exterminated them, so they wouldn't have to compete for the throne when the time came...Ahh, competition can sure bring out the worst in people. But of course, you know that already..."
"Your humor does not amuse me." Sesshomaru said plainly.
"Oh it doesnt, does it? Well, maybe this will: SEIRYUU STRIKE!" Ryukoushi shouted as he raised his naginata and released a blue colored ball of energy.
At the last moment, Sesshomaru grabbed *Inuyasha's body and leapt away. When he landed, he carefully set his body down on the ground.
'Hmph. Ryukoushi is powerful: But not enough to match me in strength. I merely need to divert him until the sunset has passed.'
"I know what you are probably thinking...You are probably thinking about stalling our battle so that I cannot make the sacrifice. but I assure you, that I am one step ahead of you...Naraku?" Ryukoushi said.
"Right away, master Ryukoushi..." Naraku said. his arm turned into massive tentacles that broke into the floor.
'What is this fool planning?' Sesshomaru thought.
~*0*~
Inuyasha finished redressing himself and put the tetsusaiga back in its sheath. He walked over to where the two Kagomes were tending to their unconscious son. *Kagome applied some of her medicine to Itaru's wound and wrapped a bandage around his neck.
"There, that should do for now."
"Thank you for your help. if it weren't for you, someone would have gotten killed." Kagome said.
"Yeah, I'll say." Inuyasha said. "Even so, why are you moving around so much!? You're still pregnant you know!"
"dont know. i guess its the stubborn streak in me that wont stay where im told." *Kagome said.
"And of course, you know yourself well enought that you wouldnt do it either. You see, with your soul inside of me, I cant always control what I do..."
"So you're saying I made you come?" Inuyasha said unamused.
"Well, lets just say I didnt put up much of a fuss." *Kagome said.
Inuyasha grunted to himself for a moment, before they all heard a rumbling from above them.
"What is that?" Kagome asked indirectly.
"I smell Naraku! he's coming this way!" Inuyasha said.
Both Kagomes readied their bows and arrows and awaited their enemy's arrival. A loud explosion boomed and several giant tentacles emerged from the ceiling. Before they knew what was happening, the tentacles grabbed Inuyasha and began to drag him up through the ceiling.
"He's taking Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted.
"Go after him, I'll take care of Itaru!" *Kagome commanded.
Kagome nodded and managed to jump on one of the tentacles going up.
"Inuyasha! are you okay?!" Kagome asked.
"Yeah! im fine! but I have an idea! these tentacles will most likely take us straight to Naraku or Ryukoushi! so hang on tight!" Inuyasha said.
"Okay!" Kagome replied.
The tentacles went t"hrough the whole castle, along the way they saw many of their friends. *Miroku and *Sango were running up the stairs to the top.
"Hey! thats the future Sango and Miroku!" Kagome thought out loud.
"Is that Kagome and Inuyasha?!" *Miroku said.
"It is them! lets grab on!" *Sango said. they both took a big leap and latched on to the tentacles.
"*Miroku! *Sango! are you two okay?!" Kagome called.
"We're just fine! we're glad you two are okay!" *Miroku said.
"These tentacles must belong to Naraku! are you going to follow it?" *Sango said.
"Yes! It should lead us right to them!" Kagome said.
"Then it must be near time for the ceremony to take place..." *Miroku said.
After that, they burst through the ceiling of one room and through the floor of another.
next they saw Kazuka and meimei catching up with each other.
"Whoa! look at that!" meimei exclaimed as she saw the mass of tentacles. "WAIT! THATS MY MOMMY AND PAPA!
"Grab on to this!" Kazuka said, a whip of light lashed from her fingers and grabbed hold of one of the tentacles. They swung from the staircase and onto one of the tentacles.
"MOMMY!" meimei called.
"Meimei! Are you okay?!" Kagome asked.
"Im okay! Whats happening?!" meimei asked.
"We believe that this will take us to the top of the castle! just hang on!" Kagome explained.
"Okay!"
They soon spotted Miroku and Sango from the present. They had just finished slaying ginkotsu and saw the tentacles as well.
"Follow those tentacles!" Sango said. The two ran up and jumped on the tentacles just as everyone else had.
"Thats almost everyone...hey! you guys! where is Shippo?!" and Jaken?!" Kagome called to them.
"It depends on which one you're asking about!" Miroku shouted back. "The Shippo we know went with Kazuka, Meimei and Jaken. the other *Shippo was with us, but we told him to go ahead of us!"
"In either case, we should see him soon!" Sango said.
And right on cue, they saw *Shippo trudging up the stairs with his scythe slung over his shoulder.
"Shippo! GRAB ON!" they all called to him. he jumped off of the stair case and flew after them.
"Is there some kind of party that I wasnt invited to?" he said floating in front of Inuyasha.
"Just grab on to the damn tentacles, Shippo..." Inuyasha growled.
*Shippo instead followed close behind them and up through the ceiling they went. Jaken and Shippo were still on the miniature island where the kaji no ishi was held. however, the others did not see them. But Jaken and Shippo did.
"HEY! ITS INUYASHA AND KAGOME! MIROKU AND SANGO TOO!"
"LADY KAZUKA!" Jaken shouted after them. but their voices were not heard.
"They're too far away! we need to go after them!" Shippo said. he transformed into his ball shape and Jaken hopped on top of him.
"ONWARD!" Jaken commanded.
"HEY WATCH IT! IM NOT YOUR HORSE!" Shippo snapped.
"Well, you might as well be...you just as much sense as one..." Jaken said with a smirk on his face.
Shippo paused for a moment.
"Hey Jaken..." Shippo asked.
"What is it?" Jaken replied.
"Can *kappa demons fly?" Shippo said.
"Of course not!why would you..." Jaken began before realizing what Shippo was alluding to.
"I thought so..." Shippo said triumphantly. they followed the tentacles up toward what seemed to be the final ceiling.
"We're almose there! I know it!" Kagome said.
"Yeah, I can smell Naraku's wretched stench!" Inuyasha said.
As predicted, the tentacles surfaced to the top and they all came face to face with Ryukoushi and Naraku.
"Good work, Naraku. you even got his friends." Ryukoushi said.
"NarakuUUUUU!" Inuyasha shouted.
"Though I believe Inuyasha is all we need for this ceremony. Naraku, would you please?" Ryukoushi commanded.
"Of course..." Naraku complied. he shook the tentacles to make the rest of the gang fall of and on to the floor, while only Inuyasha remained.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.
"PAPA!" meimei echoed.
"Ryukoushi, im suprised at how dense you are. you're outnumbered now." Sesshomaru said.
"Haha, it seems that way doesnt it? well then, why dont we even things up a little bit? MEN?!" Ryukoushi called out.
Suddenly, they were surrounded by a large group of soldiers.
"Sesshomaru, meet the Seiryuu Seventy-seven. These are my elite warriors that have trained across this country and even a little bit on the continent. They have battled armies twenty times their size and have never lost a battle.I hope they prove to be entertaining for you..." Ryukoushi said.
"Hah. childs play." Sesshomaru scoffed.
"Childs play you say? Speaking of children, where is your daughter, Sesshomaru?" Ryukoushi asked with a devious smirk.
'My daughter...?' Sesshomaru thought. Then he heard a familiar scream from behind him. He turned to see one of Ryukoushi's soldiers dangling Kazuka over the edge.
'Kazuka!'
"I hope you taught your daughter how to fly, Sesshomaru...Ryushin?" Ryukoushi hinted. the soldier nodded and threw Kazuka over the edge of the balcony.
"KAZUKA!" the group cried.
"LADY KAZUKA!" Jaken yelled as he ran and jumped after her.
Sesshomaru started after his daughter and dropped *Inuyasha's body to the ground.
"SHIPPO! LETS GO!" meimei commanded.
"Right!" Shippo transformed again into his ball form and they both jumped over the edge to save the princess.
"YOU FOOL!" Ryukoushi barked in laughter.
"INUYASHA''S BODY!" Kagome cired
One of Ryukoushi's soldiers dragged the body right to him. Ryukoushi grabbed his naginata again and lifted it up to strike.
"EXCELLENT! JUST EXCELLENT! YOU MAY TRY AND RESIST ALL YOU WISH, BUT YOUR EFFORTS ARE IN VAIN!RESIGN YOURSELVES TO THE NETHERWORLD AND WITNESS THE REBIRTH OF A GOD!
The tentacles around Inuyasha's neck began to sharpen until they were like knives. They were beginning to cut deep into Inuyasha's skin.
"Now everything is coming together at last! This is going perfectly! two heads to give to the rebirth of my father! And after he is revived, he can devour the last remaining of the dog demon clan, and nothing will be able to stop me!"
"Forgive me for contradicting you, lord Ryukoushi, but I believe it will be three heads in offering to your father..."
"What are you talking about?" ryukuoushi implored.
Before he knew it, he felt many arms around him. He heard chuckles behind him and looked up to see none other than Naraku standing behind him.
"I do believe you are missing one head, lord Ryukoushi: yours."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DUN DUN DUUUUN!
FINALLY, THE MOMENT YOU HAVE ALLLL BEEN WAITING FOR! THE FINAL BATTLE COMMENCES! UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER!
I estimate that there will be three to four more chapters to go, not including the epilogue. but it wont be long at all! the end is in sight!
classes start tomorrow. So I will update whenever the time is available.
KEEP THOSE REVIEWS COMING!
Kappa demon: a kind of water deity or sprite in japanese shinto/buddhist mythology. It is believed that that is what Jaken is.
source: inuyasha wikia