Authoress' Notes: Hm, I actually don't have anything to really say here besides that I hope you all enjoy the latest installment!
A Terrifying Transformation!
A Sword of Compassion Emerges?!
The shrill clash of metal against metal resounded repeatedly in the bloody, wooded area where Yoh found himself fighting for his life against a suddenly psychotic teen.
'Yoh-dono, we cannot allow him to close the distance between us!' Amidamaru warned Yoh as the young shaman side-stepped his opponent. 'Our best chance is to defeat him with Shinku Budha Giri!' The samurai spirit advised his partner.
"H-hey, before you try to kill a guy—" Yoh began as his opponent lunged at him with a clawed hand aiming a deadly swipe between his eyes. The swordsman took the opportunity of his opponent's lurched position to jab him in the middle with the hilt of his sword, causing the claw-user to lose his footing and stumble forward. "—you could at least give me your name," Yoh half-heartedly chastised as he turned around to face his would-be murderer.
"Heheh," the young man chuckled darkly, as he too turned around to face Yoh. He gave the younger teen a look of pure, primal hunger. A hunger for blood that a soul like Yoh would never understand. "It will do you no good, but you may call me Suikotsu,"
Hearing the name made Yoh's face harden with the confirmation that this young man was indeed one of Bankotsu's brothers. The Asakura watched with keen eyes as Suikotsu taunted him by scraping his claws against each other, much like a butcher sharpening a cleaver in preparation.
"Suikotsu, huh?" Yoh repeated as he held his sword out in front of him with both hands. "I honestly don't want to fight you," the shaman admitted, his serious expression slipping into a half smile. "I can tell that this isn't the real you," Suikotsu's eyes narrowed angrily at hearing those words. "There's a pure-hearted person in there, isn't there?"
Amidamaru gasped as he sensed his partner's emotional state. What Yoh had admitted was the absolute truth, as Yoh's reluctance and sympathy echoed through their bond. 'Yoh-dono,' the samurai began, his voice grave and cautionary inside of Yoh's head. 'I understand how you feel, but we cannot afford to take this battle lightly. This opponent is unlike any other we've faced before. He's not just fighting to kill; he's fighting to satisfy his lust for blood! He's a sadist!'
Yoh nodded to acknowledge his partner's position in the matter, but…
The hard truth was not enough to change how he felt about fighting Suikotsu. The aura that the other side of Suikotsu emitted was so pure, and so full of fear and remorse. Yoh simply couldn't bring himself to slay someone with eyes so sad…
'I know, Amidamaru…' Yoh thought back to his partner. 'I have a plan.'
Suikotsu scoffed at Yoh's heartfelt sentiments to his other half and indignantly spat on the ground. He held up his right hand to show off the menacing gleam of his claws, "That pathetic kid is just a parasite that needs to be burned off. This is the real me!" The killer insisted at the top of his lungs as he charged at Yoh, his claws bared like an angry grizzly. He smirked when he saw Yoh enter a defensive stance, preparing to parry or dodge his attack once again. 'Gotcha!' Once Suikotsu was within enough distance, he suddenly kicked his right foot into the ground, successfully dispersing a cloud of dust into the air around Yoh.
As Suikotsu had anticipated, Yoh's natural reflexes reacted first. The assault of microparticles in his eyes caused him to blink in an attempt to prevent the infestation. That split second of visual obscurity was all Suikotsu needed; His bloodlust took over as he impaled Yoh in the shoulder.
Conquering the resistance that skin and muscle put up against his blades was almost as delightful as the shocked, pain-filled expression on Yoh's face as he released a silent scream, but Suikotsu was not finished there. No, his bloodlust was not satisfied. The smirking killer then exacerbated the wound by dragging his claws downward, turning the simple punctures into long, deep lacerations.
"Yeeeeeeessss," Suikotsu whispered in his haze of sadistic pleasure. "You see? I'm enjoying your pain the way that a normal man would enjoy a woman. This. is. the real me," he hissed out before lifting a leg and kicking Yoh in the stomach to remove the shaman from his claws.
'Yoh-dono!' Amidamaru panicked. 'This wound is severe. We have to end this now or else—!' The samurai's eyes widened when Yoh merely hissed silently in pain while shaking his head negatively at what he knew his partner was going to suggest. The shaman shakily picked himself off of his stomach and managed to get into a kneeling position.
'I understand, Amidamaru…' Yoh replied internally as he delicately and tentatively placed a hand over the deep claw marks. The brunette winced instantly. 'But you have to trust me… everything will work out,' he reassured his partner as he forced a smile to his face despite the searing hot pain spreading from his shoulder to the rest of his torso.
"Ahhh," Yoh sighed as Suikotsu began walking towards him, flaunting the Asakura blood dripping from his claws. "You got me good there, Sui," he said lightly, as if he wasn't bothered by the brutal assault.
"Sui?" Suikotsu smirked, he continuing to approach Yoh until he stood over the smaller teen. "Don't tell me you still think that useless side is in here?" He held up his bloody claw triumphantly and continued, "If he were really in here, do you think he'd allow you to suffer like this?"
Yoh cracked a pain-filled smile and responded confidently, "I know that he's in there. And I know that he won't allow you to kill me, so I can't allow myself to kill you."
The latter part of Yoh's statement set Suikotsu's blood on fire. He drew back his arm before slashing down at Yoh's neck, aiming to decapitate the insolent boy.
Suikotsu's eyes widened when his attack was suddenly halted, his claws caught between Yoh's hands. The brunette looked up at Suikotsu and smiled wider, "I can feel it within you, the light… I'll help you set it free." Suikotsu gasped when Yoh's body was suddenly bathed in a brilliant white light. It was bright, yet comforting and soothing.
'Kagome…' Yoh thought as he felt the pain in his body wash away. 'This warmth… this light… it feels like you.'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Meanwhile, Sango and Jun were still caught in a deadlock duel with Jakotsu and Renkotsu. Sango's Tao pride refused to even think about this duel becoming a stalemate, their situation did not seem to be changing any time soon, however. With her dominant shoulder injured, Sango found herself unable to properly wield the Hiraikotsu, her main medium for channeling Kirara's power.
Several minutes had gone by, but it felt like hours, with each clash ending the same way. Jun would order Bailong to close the distance between them and their opponents, but his efforts would be thwarted by Jakotsu's snake sword sneaking an attack on Jun that Sango would rush in to save her from. In addition to Jakotsu's unpredictable yet brutal attacks, the young women also had to worry about dodging Renkotsu's various explosives and cannons.
"Jun!" Bailong called out as he leaped through the air to shield his partner's body with his own, successfully sparing her the whipping pain of Jakotsu's hinged blade lashing her body. After safely setting Jun down on her feet at a distance, Bailong looked down into her surprised green eyes and asked in a soft voice, "Are you alright?" She blushed lightly and nodded with a low hum in her throat.
"Ewwwww! Yuck!" Jakotsu interrupted the moment with a scowl. "I can't believe that delicious piece of man meat is interested in something so soft, squishy, and round—"
'Round…'
That final word resounded in Jun's mind like an echo.
'Round...' She repeated in her head as her face sported an uncharacteristically blank expression. Bailong saw his mistress' sudden change in demeanor and even he had the instinct to take a step back. "Round…" Jun suddenly whispered in a low voice as she slowly walked past Bailong and towards Jakotsu, who only stared at her with wide, curious eyes. "Round… is that you how described me?" She asked him once she was within arm's length of him.
Jakotsu merely responded with a taunting smirk, "Yeah, so what? You women are all the same! You're icky and your body favors fat over mu—EEHHKK!" Jakotsu's misogynistic rant was interrupted by a swift slap across the face with Jun's surprisingly sturdy paper fan. Jakotsu's cheek immediately turned red and he dropped to the ground with a shocked expression on his face.
"D-Dammit! Don't be so stupi—!" Renkotsu berated Jakotsu as he scrambled to load up another cannon. However, Sango took this opportunity to swing her giant boomerang at him using her left hand. It did not have the usual force behind it, but Sango smiled triumphantly when the flaming boomerang caused a small explosion that engulfed Renkotsu and his remaining artillery. Before anyone had the chance to celebrate or retaliate, all their eyes were drawn to a wide pillar of light that suddenly appeared off in the distance.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
All eyes could not help but be on Kagome as her body began to transform with the sudden spike of spiritual energy she radiated. It was unlike Furyoku, and it was unlike her normal spiritual powers. Even at the distance that Silva observed the spectacle from, he found himself squinting from the intensity of the pillar of light that surrounded Kagome. Her normally waist-length black hair escaped the confines of its ponytail as it violently whipped around her. The dark tresses grew and grew into unnatural lengths. Her hand-made fighting qipao began to rip and tear at the seams as her young body aged in front of their very eyes.
The realization and secret behind Higurashi Kagome's fierce powers were finally revealed to him. Silva could discern her secret from the mixed yet balanced aura she gave off—and yet, despite knowing the secret behind her powers, he couldn't imagine how this could have happened. 'There's not one… but… two… five…? How many of them are there?!' With this terrifying transformation from a girl with uncanny abilities into a being that should not even exist, there wasn't even the slightest chance that the rest of Patch would not take notice of her.
Meanwhile, Ren blinked when he realized that immense pain and exhaustion that he felt from his battle with Bankotsu suddenly disappeared. Now feeling completely rejuvenated, Ren easily got to his feet as he turned and looked at Kagome with wide eyes. "Ka… Kagome…?" He whispered in disbelief.
Her transformation was complete. Within a matter of seconds, Kagome had grown up from a thirteen-year-old girl to a young woman in her mid-twenties. Her striking beauty was something to behold, but the unbelievably endless aura of purity that surrounded her was even more breathtaking. After a moment that felt like an eternity of staring at the newly transformed Kagome, the pillar of light dulled into a soft glow around her form.
Hao merely watched the transformation with silent amusement. 'Well, I warned him,' The shaman mused as he crossed his arms and casually leaned back against a streetlight. 'Put on a nice show for me, Kagome,' He encouraged her as he watched the scene unfold with intrigue.
Kagome slowly opened her eyes and stared at the dark entity in front of her with not a hint of either fear or nervousness. "Naraku, you were not meant to be born into the world," She told him, her voice calm and gentle, yet firm and strong, like a mother talking to a child. "However, I allowed you to exist so long as you did not fall into darkness as you've done before," she explained as she began to take deliberately slow and menacing steps towards Naraku, who floated there in place silently as the brilliant woman edged closer and closer to him. "You've proven that you cannot be trusted with such a simple task. I am here to pass judgment onto you."
Once Kagome was within five paces of him, Naraku chuckled in response to Kagome's ominous, cryptic statements, "You seem so sure of yourself, little priestess…" He lowered his head and went quiet for a moment, as if he was going to admit defeat right then and there. HoroHoro and Pirika watched in shock as the dark creature that instilled a primal sense of fear in them become submissive in the presence of the older Kagome. "But I suppose that is to be expected when you transcend your mortal boundaries." Kagome's calm, firm gaze did not waver from Naraku's words. "I know what you are. And I saw what you did to get you where you are…"
Pirika whimpered as she knelt on the ground next to Bankotsu's lifeless body. For a moment, she stopped watching the stare-down between the dark and light entities to look down at Bankotsu. 'B-Ban-san…' She thought with tearful eyes. His normally tanned skin was deathly pale. She gingerly lifted his head, as if she would awaken him from a slumber, and placed it into her lap. She flinched when she felt the chill of death creeping into his cheeks. The heartbroken girl then raised her head to glare at Naraku, 'Kagome… defeat this creature and avenge Ban-san's death!'
"Tell me something, little priestess," Naraku whispered to Kagome, who continued staring him down with an unwavering, almost uninterested gaze. "Was it worth it? All the lives you stepped on to obtain these powers? Were they worth it? Do you feel—?"
"That is quite enough," Kagome interrupted calmly, unphased. She raised a single hand in front of Naraku. "You've caused enough damage. It is time for you to leave."
Kagome did not flinch or looked surprised when Naraku suddenly hissed out in a demonic voice, "We'll see about that!" The terrifying cacophony of countless demons spoke at once, chilling all the spectators except for Hao to their very core. A myriad of dark tentacles suddenly erupted and grew from the darkened depths of the baboon pelt, the tentacles made gushing and sloshing noises as they snapped and grew until they bulged like muscles of a bodybuilder. The tentacles—engorged with all of Naraku's darkness, anger, and hatred—shot out in several directions.
'Oh? He's going to try that?' Hao smirked as a barrage of tentacles sought him out, only to be burned to a crisp after coming within range. 'How pathetic. I came to see a show, but this is the best that he can offer?'
Meanwhile, Ren, HoroHoro, and Pirika were also attacked by their own personal jet stream of malicious tendrils. Naraku cackled when the extensions of his own body wrapped themselves around the wrists, waists, and ankles of Kagome's comrades. He swiftly hoisted them into the air for Kagome to see.
Kagome slowly tilted her head upwards and saw the three struggling against their restraints. "W-What is this?!" Pirika panicked as she tried squirming out of the iron-clad grasp on her. "I-It feels like… my energy is being drained…" She whispered.
Ren clenched his teeth as he tried to struggle out from the tentacles. He cursed his predicament under his breath, "Damn… it…!" He seethed against the restraints. "I just got restored…"
HoroHoro made a spectacle of himself by kicking his legs around wildly while jerking his head about, "Oh, come on! What kind of bad hentai is this?!"
Naraku smirked at Kagome and asked lowly, "What do you think you can do to me when I have your friends right where I want them? How about I make them into my loyal slaves and force them to kill each other?" That caught the attention of the three captured teenagers. Ren grunted; HoroHoro sweated; and Pirika whimpered.
Finally, after a moment of silence and staring, Kagome replied, "That won't do."
Without a word of explanation, the tentacles that held the trio hostage were suddenly surrounded by white light before eroding as if doused with corrosive acid. Before they even had the chance to scream about falling, Ren, HoroHoro, and Pirika found themselves gently floating down to the ground till their feet made contact with the asphalt. "You three…" She looked over to them and stated, "I need you out of the way."
Ren's eye twitched at how straightforward this Kagome was, "What?!" He hissed as he began to take a step forward, only to find that they were suddenly encased a soft, glowing bubble. "What the hell—a barrier?!" The Tao banged against the barrier, only to find that despite appearing soft and intangible, it was like banging against steel.
Pirika cupped her hands together when she saw a barrier also encase itself around Bankotsu's fallen body. "Kagome-neechan… if that's really her… she's become so different, and so powerful..." She whispered as she placed a hand to her chest, which still felt heavy with the grief that she was unable to express. "…and yet, she's still so kind… I see why Ban-san fell for her…" HoroHoro's eyes widened at his younger sister's words. To think that she was mature enough to say things like this…
"Pirika…" HoroHoro whispered as he pulled his younger sister close. He expected her to cry, but she did not. She merely rested her head against his chest and silently watched as Kagome faced the entity. 'Is this what love does? Does love force you to change? To grow up…?' He thought with a hardened face as he looked at Bankotsu's motionless corpse. 'Damn it…'
"Ehhhhhh?" Hao called out playfully, adopting false surprise from the sidelines. "No barrier for me, Kagome?" He asked aloud, an amused smile playing at his lips when Kagome looked at him from over her shoulder. It was even more amusing to see Naraku take the opportunity to thrust a ball of dark energy at Kagome as she looked away, only for the energy to dissipate against the aura of light surrounding her form.
"Asakura Hao," She greeted him.
"That's me~!" He greeted back with a small wave.
"This vessel is already reaching its breaking point," Kagome told him, successfully wiping the smile off of Hao's face. "This immature body was not ready to harness this power," She explained without bothering to look at Naraku, a fact that made the demon growl at being ignored so easily. "I request your aid in Naraku's capture."
"Ahhhhhh…" Hao smirked, more than elated that Kagome chose to rely on him. "If only the cuter Kagome would be so receptive," He whispered to himself. The shaman smiled as he held up a hand, a small flame appeared hovering over it. "On your command, my Queen." He then shot a victorious smile over to Sesshomaru, who didn't bat a lash at the silent jeer.
Before Kagome could give the command, however, Jun, Yoh, and Sango entered the scene from their respective directions. Jun gasped aloud, "Is that… Kagome-chan?!" She asked in disbelief. Sango was speechless at the sight of the older Kagome. It was certainly too old to be the Kagome that she knew, and yet, the aura could be no one else.
"Nee-san! Sango!" Ren suddenly called from within the protective barrier as he instinctively tried running towards them, only to run face-first into the translucent, glowing wall of energy. He growled and raised a hand to his nose, his golden eyes narrowed at the sight of blood on his fingertips. "Be careful out there!"
Kagome closed her eyes as she sensed the three new presences that arrived to the scene. She almost sighed. Meanwhile, Yoh's mouth was completely ajar as he tried to make sense of everything that was going around him. First, there was an older, much more powerful Kagome standing in front of an incredibly evil entity. Second, Ren, HoroHoro, and Pirika seemed to be trapped in some sort of barrier. Third… Yoh's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Bankotsu lying motionless on the ground with dark blood pooling around him. Lastly… off to the sidelines was a carbon copy of himself channeling a small fireball with one hand.
'What…?' Was all that Yoh's fragile mind could think. There was simply too much to take in and process.
Without much time left, Kagome willed a protective barrier around the surrounding area, one large enough to encase herself, Naraku, Hao, and the three shamans who witnessed her transformation. Yoh gasped when he realized that another barrier was formed between himself, Sango, Jun, and the rest of his friends to keep them out. "Hey, Kagome!" Yoh called out to her as he banged on the barrier. "It's me! Let me in!"
Kagome sighed, "Asa—"
But his name died on her lips.
All the shamans except Hao gasped.
In the instant it took for Kagome to open her mouth, Naraku changed into his true form. The humanoid body that was hidden beneath the baboon pelt convulsed and split open. From within the burst flesh emerged a giant spider with a fuzzy black body and long, furry legs. The spider leaned down with his mouth open, its intention was clear. 'I'll consume you, Kagome and all of that delicious power!' The spirit schemed as it closed the small distance within fragments of a second.
Kagome did not flinch.
She merely watched, unabashed, as a set of flaming rings appeared and clasped around Naraku's midsection, legs, and head like shackles. He was completely immobilized. "Hm, you're smaller than I thought," Hao smiled and marveled silently at his handiwork. Without a word of thanks, Kagome took a single step forward until she was staring into the eight, shining red eyes that reflected her own demeanor.
"You came into this battle, thinking that you would lure me out and consume my power…" Kagome whispered as the ends of her hair suddenly came alive and whipped around her. "However, the one who will become a meal is…" She did not have to complete her sentence. She was not bothered by the collective gasps at the sight of her hair wrapping itself around the giant spider's form and dragging the entity into her body.
"No!" Naraku cried out as he felt the agonizing pain of being purified. "No! No! This cannot beeeeeeeee—!" He screamed in terror at the reality of the situation. This was truly the end for him. No matter how much he desired that terrifying power, it could not be overcome. Kagome's irresistible, unfathomable willpower steadily shrunk his body down to size as he felt himself drifting away, as if falling into a painful sleep.
With each passing second that Naraku spent this close to Kagome's aura, he felt himself slipping away, all his demonic powers fading as if they never existed. He dug his nails into the pavement, trying in vain for something hold onto. However, it proved futile as he was still caught in the vacuum-like pull that dragged him deeper and deeper in the light that Kagome emitted. The meager five seconds of demonic scream ended seemingly just as soon it started. Without another peep, Naraku had completely vanished.
"S-She… absorbed it…" Ren whispered in disbelief when the barrier around him was finally lifted, signifying that the end of the battle. The Tao released a breath that was he completely unaware of holding. "Kagome…" His golden eyes took in the picture in front of him. This once busy intersection of downtown Tokyo had become a bloodbath, with corpses—including Bankotsu's—lying all over the street and sidewalk. The Usui siblings were still holding onto each other, as if they had yet to process that the danger had passed.
"H-Hey…!" Yoh called out weakly as he extended an arm towards the older Kagome across the street. "Kagome…? Is that…you?" He asked he began walking towards the transformed priestess. Hao smirked upon seeing the shocked expressions of the other spectators before he took a few steps back and merged with the shadows.
"It is," Kagome replied as she turned around completely to finally face Yoh. "Forgive me, but I must take my leave," she stated while bowing her head a small apology. With those words, Kagome took them all by surprise again as she began to levitate and slowly ascend into the air.
HoroHoro finally released Pirika when he felt her move to pull away so she could look up at Kagome. Pirika balled up her fists and called up at the slowly ascending figure, "Wait, Kagome-neechan! Where are you going?! Shouldn't you go back to your old self so we can all go home together?!"
"That's right!" HoroHoro chimed in as he shook a fist at Kagome, whose slow ascend did not cease even after hearing Pirika's words. "Stop playing around, let's go home!"
Kagome shook her head and closed her eyes as she explained, "This vessel is damaged and unsuitable for the consciousness of the Kagome that you are acquainted with. If I were to trade spaces with the Kagome that you know, she would likely suffer through an agonizing healing process." Finally, after the being was well beyond the reach of the shamans, her ascension halted. "Do you understand? She has to sleep to repair the damages."
Yoh's eyes widened, running towards Kagome and stopping on the ground below her, Ren and the other shamans were just as quick to come at his side. "B-But…!" Yoh interjected, still unsure if he was following everything correctly. "Kagome can just sleep at home, with us! We'll make sure she gets better!"
Ren crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Kagome, "Asakura is right. Kagome doesn't have to leave to rest up," he then looked at Yoh, and the two nodded at each other in an unspoken understanding and truce, "We'll take care of her."
The statement made Kagome crack a small, wistful smile. "Your kindness is appreciated. I'm sure hearing that would make her happy," Kagome replied before she waved an arm, summoning a swirling vortex of light behind her form. "However, it is for her own good that her body rests in place outside this physical world. Do not fret. You will see her again, someday," Kagome promised as she took a single step backward, one foot inside of the portal and one foot outside.
Sango decided to step in and called up, "Kagome-chan is very precious to us! You must understand that we're concerned—! How long will it take to repair her body?!"
"The healing process is indefinite," Kagome replied as she placed her other foot inside of the portal. "It will be alright," She smiled in reassurance at the group of shamans who huddled close together and stared up at her with varying expressions of fear, disbelief, and even anger on their faces. "If you ever truly need me, all you need to do…" She placed a hand on her chest earnestly, "from the very bottom of your heart, is pray."
"Are you kidding me?!" Ren suddenly shouted as he glared up at Kagome. "You think that we're going to pray in order to see you?!" He scoffed indignantly at the thought. Jun threw a hand over her mouth at her brother's choice of words and attitude. "We want Kagome, the bumbling priestess! Not you!"
Kagome continued smiling at the teenagers who stared up at her and desperately pleaded for her to return the Kagome that they were accustomed to. "Forgive me. I must take my leave." For a moment, her resolve faltered when Yoh took another step forward, his brown eyes never leaving hers.
"Kagome… if you're in there… where are you going?" He asked, his voice was shaky and weak. His eyes wavered as a wave of anxiety washed over him. 'Kagome, you just came back. You can't leave. You can't leave me again.' So many panicked thoughts raced through his mind. He gasped when he saw the edges of the portal began to close in on itself.
"Wherever I am needed…" was her final reply before she turned her back to them as proceeded to walk further into the mysterious dimension.
"YOH!/-DONO!" The group cried out when the Asakura jumped towards the portal unexpectedly. They expected him to fall short. However, as if gravity itself had given him a pardon, he floated upward and managed to enter the portal just before it completely closed itself off, leaving nothing but an empty sky with no trace of either Kagome or Yoh.
"They both… just… disappeared," Pirika whispered with wide eyes. Her eyes began to water up, but she threw her hands over her eyes to avoid the shame of others seeing her tears again. "W-Why do I keep losing people that I care about?!"
HoroHoro's eyes widened when Ren suddenly placed a hand on Pirika's shoulder, causing her to send him an inquisitive look over her hands. The Tao then spoke in a surprisingly soothing voice that Pirika would expect from Jun or Sango, "Don't worry. 'Everything will work out'," he told her before looking back up at the spot where the portal disappeared. "He may be a sloth, but Asakura cares about Kagome… he'll bring her back." Jun and Sango smiled at this side of Ren, a side that put his jealousy aside in order to comfort others. It was a side of him that they wanted to see more of.
"He's right, Pirika-chan," Sango added as she too looked up at the space where Kagome and Yoh disappeared. "Yoh and Kagome-chan have a special bond that nothing can break. If anyone can bring her back, it'll be him."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Yoh looked left, then right, then left again. He then turned around quickly. There was nothing but empty white space all around him. It was like a lonely place the Gods had forgotten to bring life into. "Where am I…?" He wondered to himself. "More importantly," his eyes narrowed in determination, his hands clenched into fists. "Where is Kagome?" He asked no one in particular. In a place so empty and devoid of anything recognizable, Yoh could not tell which direction was where. He hadn't the slightest clue as to where to begin searching, but he knew that he had no time to waste just standing, or rather floating, around.
Yoh launched himself forward, both amazed and unsurprised that his body floated along from the motion. "Okay, this is kinda cool," He couldn't help but admit to himself while a small smile spread on his face. "This must be what it's like to be an astronaut in space!" He grinned at the thought that he was in such an amazing place, doing something no other human would probably get the chance to do. He then paused before bopping himself on the head, "There's no time for fun, Asakura Yoh!" He chastised himself. "Gotta find Kagome—and fast! Before I get…" He looked left and right again. There truly was nothing but white space in every direction. "…lost…" he sighed while scratching the back of his head.
Who was he kidding?
He was lost the very moment that he set foot into this empty dimension.
Before Yoh had the chance to continue berating himself for his stupidity, the sound of familiar giggles suddenly caressed his ears. "Ka—" His eyes widened at the sound and desperately spun around, looking left and right, and spinning again as he tried to pinpoint the direction from where the laughter came. "Kagome?!" He called out in hopes of receiving an answer in return. "Where are you?!" He continued to call out when he heard more sounds of her laughter. "Tell me where you are and I'll take you home!" He insisted as he turned around once more, hoping his ears would pick up on the sound again.
"Eh?" He blinked when a small parade of iridescent bubbles slowly floated past his face. "What the—?" One of the many bubbles popped as it floated by and released the sound of Kagome's voice.
["You sure do love reading, Manta-kun. But isn't there a more interesting way to find out about shamans?"]
Yoh blinked as he recognized where and when that line came from… it seemed so long ago, back when Kagome first admitted that she was a priestess to him and Manta.
"Could these be…?" Yoh whispered as he watched the procession of bubbles float by. He lifted an arm and tentatively poked at a bubble with his pointer finger. It popped and replayed Kagome's voice like the previous one. However, her words were not ones that he recognized, no matter how hard he wracked his brain and memory.
["You're engaged, Yoh…"] Kagome's voice was low and weak, as if she were whispering.
Yoh's jaw clenched as he suddenly felt himself unable to breathe. The pain in her voice was unmistakable. 'Did I… did I do something to cause her so much pain…?' He thought, feeling a sense of dread and despair creep up on him. 'What… what did I do…?' He wondered as the voice continued to play like a record.
["Mind your own business. Whoever I decide to kiss has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU—!"]
"SHUT UP!" Yoh suddenly demanded, throwing his hands over his ears protectively. "I know that!" He shouted back at the voice that suddenly went silent, as he slapped his hand to his chest. "I know that, Kagome! I'm sorry if I hurt you—!" He had to stop himself. He had to take a step back and realize that his apologies and outbursts were falling onto deaf ears. The bubbles that floated by him were mere sound records of memories. He knew that know. He only lamented that he could not remember the reason for Kagome's outburst...
'Kagome… I've hurt you… I've made you angry, but I've forgotten,' Yoh thought to himself, hoping that his thoughts and feelings would follow the parade of bubbles and reach the girl on his mind. Yoh suddenly gasped as a thought struck him. 'Follow the—!' He didn't want to waste any more time. The Asakura pushed himself further, following the procession of memories in hopes that they would lead him where he needed to go. Floating in an empty void truly felt timeless with only the memory bubbles as his company. He stared at the bubbles with wide eyes: there were hundreds of them, if not more.
[POP!]
Yoh scratched the back of his head and smiled to himself, 'I hope there's no consequence to popping these…' he thought with a hint of sheepish nervousness. 'Oh well. Nothing I can do about it now.' He listened to the bubble that he involuntarily popped with his hand as he floated by. It was Kagome's voice again, older, but just as kind and warm.
["You just can't get enough, can you?"] Her tone was teasing and almost sultry in nature, causing Yoh to lower his head and hide his blush from no one in particular. ["I wouldn't mind if you spent the night with me~! How 'bout it?"]
Yoh scratched his cheek and scowled a bit. Only to himself would he admit that he had mixed feelings about what he just heard. The playful seductiveness in Kagome's voice was more than enough to get his blood rushing, but at the same time, he could not help but feel doubtful and anxious when she did not say his name. He shook his head at the thought, 'I can't think that way… I can't… let myself fall in love with Kagome.' Yoh was snapped from his thoughts when a bright light suddenly shone on his face from straight ahead. The bubbles rushed into the light where they disappeared beyond the shining threshold. 'Just beyond here...' Yoh shielded his eyes with one hand as he willed himself into the light.
Stepping beyond that light, Yoh gasped as he found himself in the most beautiful paradise that he had ever seen. The paradise was small and dome-shape where he could see the curvature of the clear, blue sky. "Eh—?" He blinked when he realized that he suddenly no longer felt weightless. He looked down and saw the lush, green grass well below him. "Oh boy." With that realization, the Asakura went crashing to the ground below. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH—ooof!"
Instead of crash landing into the ground, Yoh blinked when he realized that he was being held up in the air by a pair of rather large, strong hands. The Asakura opened his eyes and they widened in recognition of the face that grinned at him from below, "Ehhhh?! BANKOTSU?!" He called out. The taller shaman chuckled at Yoh's reaction and then placed him down on his feet. "W-What are you doing here?!" Yoh asked with a shocked expression. Despite his reaction, he felt a sense of relief at seeing such a familiar face.
Bankotsu grinned and replied nonchalantly, "I came here to keep Kagome company after I died." Yoh's jaw dropped at the statement. "Our Kagome has been sleeping for a while, so I decided to stick around for a bit and bug the hell out of the other Kagome," He admitted, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. "It's hella fun. You should try it~!"
"Don't give him ideas," Came the voice of the older Kagome, which then sighed softly.
"Eh?" Yoh blinked as he sidestepped Bankotsu because he was not nearly tall enough to peer over his shoulder. "K-Kagome?!" The shaman shouted in shock at the sight of the older Kagome, casually lounging on a bench made of spiraling, flower-covered vines. Instead of the torn qipao from earlier, this Kagome was now dressed in a pure white, spaghetti-strapped dress. He felt the blood rush to his cheeks when he took in her full appearance.
She lazed about on the bench as if she were his Kagome at home on her bed or a sofa. Her long hair spilled over the side and back of the bench like dark drapes. The skirt of the dress hiked up as one of her legs was propped on the bench and the other half dangled over the edge. 'T-this Kagome is the devil,' Yoh suddenly thought while averting his eyes from the glimpses of thigh and cleavage that the supposed celestial-being showed off.
The older Kagome smiled and giggled behind her hand, "Alpha, you really never change. How cute~!" She mused as she decided to spare him a bit by sitting up straight, adjusting her skirt, and pulling up her fallen dress strap.
"W-What… do you mean…?" Yoh asked as his eyes to tried to find anything else to look at. There was the soft grass. There were the gorgeous flowers sprinkled across the greenery. There was the amazing furniture made of flowery vines that made up a fantasy-like lounge set. Then there was… the cleavage that the somewhat low-cut neckline of Kagome's dress revealed. 'Truly, the devil…' Yoh surmised as his cheeks burned even more.
"You looked at my breasts, and you liked them," Kagome told him as if it were nothing at all.
Bankotsu could not help but burst out into a loud fit of laughter as Yoh shot this older, devilish Kagome an incredulous wide-eyed look, he could not believe that she would dare call him out on that! "I-I…!" His voice caught itself in his throat, unable to even attempt a cover-up when he was caught red-headed. "I-I just want my Kagome back!" He retorted with a red, scowling face. "Where is she?!" He insisted as he took a few steps towards the mysterious being.
Kagome sighed, "You mortals truly are a pain…" she lifted a hand and then pointed into deeper the part of the dome paradise. "I told you, she's sleeping and healing her body. But since you made it all the way here on your own, I will send you back." Yoh nodded and pressed on in the direction the dainty finger pointed. He was still too flustered to look at her again, so he left without a word.
Once the two of them were alone again, Bankotsu looked at the older Kagome and grinned while pointing at himself, "You know, I like your breasts too. So if you need—" The impatient glare caused Bankotsu to throw his hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay. I'm actually here to ask a favor of you…"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Yoh was relieved that the path to his Kagome was a relatively easy one. He traveled down a red and yellow brick road that led him to a structure that appeared to be a giant birdcage made of the same flowery vines as the lounge furniture. "Oh… wow…" He stared in awe at the intricate, seemingly infinite twists, turns, and curls that formed the round cage, whose base was circular and vine-based bars met top-center. "Eh? No door?" He mumbled with an eye twitch, 'The rules of this world are strange.' Yoh walked forward and effortlessly phased through the vine bars.
"KAGOME!" Yoh called out when he spotted his Kagome's sleeping form. She was lying on her back with her hands folded together across her stomach. Her slumbering form was held up by an altar made of a pristine, silver marble-like material. He ran over to her side and stared down at her. Despite his shouting her name, Kagome did not stir in the slightest. His eyes scanned her form. Her clothes were tattered from her transformation, but he was relieved when there were no signs of injury.
"Kagome," Yoh spoke her name again, this time in an indoor-speaking voice.
He blinked. Nothing.
"Kagome!" He spoke louder, his eyes never leaving her peaceful, sleeping face. "Hmmm…" Yoh crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he went into deep thought. "…deep sleeper," he deduced. With that, Yoh proceeded his attempts to wake the sleeping girl. He poked her cheek several times repeatedly, all the while repeating her name like a mantra. He then moved on to lightly slapping her cheek to rouse her, "Yo, Kagome. Wake up. We have to go." Yoh frowned. He was already out of ideas.
"Mmm…" He groaned, scratching and rustling his hair in frustration. "There's gotta be something that I haven't thought of!" He didn't mind shouting his thoughts since not even shouting seemed to bring Kagome out from her slumber. "How do you wake up a beautiful g—?" Yoh's mouth clicked shut as his heart missed a beat at his next thought. He looked at Kagome's face…
She was so peaceful and quiet that it was almost like she had passed, but the healthy color to her skin and her subtle, shallow breathing told him otherwise. He gulped when his eyes landed on her pink lips. 'This couldn't be…' a bead of sweat ran down his forehead. '…one of those fairytale situations?!' He thought in a panic.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The Asakura cried out in frustration as his hands shot up to his forehead, and he found himself hopping around, his body unconsciously trying to expend the nervous energy that pulsed through his veins. "I can't do THAT!" He shouted at himself. "That would be cheating on Anna, and—she's not even awake to enjoy it—!" He caught himself with a facepalm. "No… that is, she wouldn't want something like that. And I shouldn't either." Despite his comical reactions to his own thought, Yoh truly did feel trapped and hopeless. He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he walked back over to the altar. After just one thought of kissing those lips, Yoh found that he could not get his heart to stop pounding… and he hated it.
"Kagome…" He whispered softly, knowing that his words would not reach her. He reached down and placed a hand delicately on her cheek. "I'm sorry… I'm the worst type of guy, I know," he told her of the guilt that had been haunting him, "I made a promise to Anna, one that I… I have to keep." It hadn't been long since he discovered that he loved Kagome, and yet, it felt like he was spending an eternity in silent agony knowing that he could never tell her how he felt. He could never truly make her his. "A man is only as good as his word…" He explained. Yoh believed that he did not have many redeeming qualities. He knew that he was a slacker, and not the sharpest tool in the shed. But there was one thing that he could call a redeeming trait: his sense of duty and honor.
"I've already dishonored both of you, though…" Yoh admitted as he thought about how he openly interfered with the kiss that should have belonged to Tao Ren. He thought about how he was unable to control or hide his jealousy towards Ren. "I… truly am weak… for you…" he whispered as he leaned down towards Kagome's sleeping face. "Kagome…" he whispered, closing the distance…
…and leaned down so that his lips hovered over her ear, "Come back home with me…"
["Kagome… if you're in there… where are you going?"]
["Wherever I am needed..."]
"The place where you're needed most is by my side," He confessed to the bottom of his heart. Perhaps it was easier to be honest with his feelings when there were no judging eyes or fear of hurting someone else. "Kagome…" Yoh frowned, feeling embarrassed at the way his eyes began to sting and burn with unshed tears. "You want to be with me, don't you?" He asked her as his tears spilled over the edge of his eyelids and streamed down his cheeks. 'Why won't you wake up? Do you not want to see me anymore? Are you angry at me? Do you—?'
[Plop!]
A single tear dropped onto Kagome's face.
"Mm…" She groaned softly as her eyelids began to flutter.
Yoh blinked his tears away and gasped softly, "Kagome?!" He asked as he jumped onto the altar with her. "Kagome, you're awake?!" He called out again. His shocked, desperate expression changed into one of utter relief when Kagome's eyes open and she turned her head to look at him. "KAGOME!"
Kagome glared at him with a frown, causing him to blink. He expected for her to smile at him, or at the very least, looked as confused as he was. Instead she grumbled, "Yoh, you're too loud. My head is killing me," she told him as she slowly sat up until her torso was in an upright position on the altar. She then looked around, her grumpy expression becoming the confused one that Yoh had initially anticipated. She turned those blue eyes to him and asked with a small frown, "Where… are we…?"
Yoh couldn't help but sniff as his eyes began to water again. He threw his arms around Kagome and hugged her tighter than he ever had before. "Kagome, I'm so glad!" He grinned widely after sighing in relief. Kagome blinked and blushed a little. She gave him a few pats on the back to comfort, as she sensed that he had just gone through some sort of rough ordeal… for her sake.
'Oh, great- even that's effective!' He inwardly groaned when he felt like he was getting zapped from the feeling of her small hands on his back. 'Not gooooood…' he whined inwardly as he pulled away from her.
Kagome blinked and her blushed deepened. Yoh's face was obviously nervous and flustered for a reason that she did not understand—but it was a cute expression on his face, nonetheless. "Yoh… are you okay?" She asked as she reached up to place a hand on his cheek, looking confused and concerned.
'Kagome, you truly are my—' Yoh bit his lip to prevent anything embarrassing from escaping his mouth. He had a hard time trusting himself around her. "Of course, I am~!" He offered her a wide smile. "How about you?" He deflected the question back at her. 'That other Kagome said that her body is damaged…' That was a thought that never left him.
"Mmhm~!" Kagome nodded cheerfully as she laid her hands flat against the altar and began hoisting herself off. She gasped, her heart dropping at her new discovery. Something had changed, something drastic. Her eyes quickly shot to Yoh's worried face. She forced a smile to her own and requested, "Actually… I guess I'm exhausted from the battle… I don't remember what happened, but it must have been big…" She then looked up and Yoh and extended her arms towards him with a small, embarrassed expression on her face. "Could you… carry me?"
'Not good! Too cute!' Yoh cried internally when he looked into her big, pleading eyes. On the outside, he smiled and nodded while easily scooping her small body into arms and carrying her bridal-style. "Is this comfortable for you?" He asked while looking down at her, noticing that her wide eyes, small pout, and reddened cheeks. It looked like she was going to have a meltdown. 'It must be too embarrassing for her… stupid me,' Yoh thought to himself, but he committed to carrying her this way.
He stepped out of the birdcage and blinked when he saw Bankotsu standing there with his arms crossed and a pouty scowl on his face.
"BAN-KUN!" Kagome cried out, her eyes sparkling with happy tears at the sight of him. "You're—!"
"Dead," Bankotsu cut her off with a huff, Kagome's eyes widened at those words and she could not help but wonder where she was again. "Get ready. She's kicking us out." Before the couple had the chance to ask the spirit what he meant, they blinked and found themselves in front of their friends, who were still huddled together and comforting each other.
Ren, who had been standing in the middle of the group with a scowl on his blushing face as he received pats and words of comfort from everyone else, was the first to spot them. "K-Kagome?!" His golden eyes widened at the sight of the two shamans.
"Kagome-chan?" Sango and Jun whispered as their eyes lit up from the melancholy state they were just in. Similarly, the Usui siblings perked up at the sound of her name. All eyes turned to the couple standing before them. Kagome had her arms wrapped around Yoh's neck as he cradled her close to his body.
Kagome smiled and nodded at all of her friends before greeting, "I'm back~!"
"KAGOME/-CHAN!" The group cried out as they rushed the two of them, all except for Ren who stood in the same spot. He huffed at the sight of Yoh and Kagome, but it did not mean that he was not grateful for their safe return. With a groan, he too began to make his way over to the two of them. After the girls had their fill of checking Kagome over, Ren finally cleared his throat.
The Tao huffed again, his cheeks turning a bit pink as he told them, without even attempting eye contact, "Asakura… good job in bringing her back, and… Kagome," for a short instant, he looked at her face and added, "welcome home." He blinked and glared when Jun and Sango cooed, all the while clapping and crying tears of joy at his progress. That was all that it took for him to lose his cool as he shook a fist at them, "Cut it out, you two!" He then pointed an accusing finger at Yoh, "And you, you can put her down now!"
A mischievous smile spread across Yoh's face as he recognized the emotion in Ren's eyes. It was one that the shorter teen made him feel just yesterday. "Ehhhhh?" He asked a bit too innocently. "But Kagome here is exhausted. She can't stand so I have to hold her like this," Yoh explained cheekily while smiling down at Kagome, who returned his smile and nodded to validate his point.
"T-Then…" Ren grumbled while huffing and averting his eyes. "Icanholdherinstead," he whispered in a voice so low that it was inaudible to everyone surrounding him. Yoh did not have to hear Ren's response to know what is was, but he pretended to be clueless nonetheless and changed the topic.
"While I was off getting Kagome from that strange dimension, I actually bumped into Bankotsu," Yoh suddenly stated with a smile directed at Pirika, whose eyes lit up upon hearing this.
"You did?!" Pirika chirped excitedly. "S-so, is he—?"
Yoh shook his head negatively but continued to offer Pirika a soothing smile, "He's not alive, but… he's alright, I'm sure." Pirika tried to smile at thought, but she still felt deflated. "Don't worry. I'm sure that you'll see him really soon~!"
"Kagome," Sesshomaru greeted in his usual solemn voice.
Kagome nodded at her spirit and smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, yeah, I know~! I probably embarrassed you, didn't I?" She scratched her cheek, feeling embarrassed that her partner probably regretted joining her at all.
However, instead of a harsh response or even his usual cold silence, Sesshomaru told her, "No, you did excellent work." Kagome's eyes widened, and she lit up at the rare compliment. "And for that, I have a gift for you." The group of shamans all watched in awe as Sesshomaru held up a single hand and summoned an orb of golden light that floated slowly towards her. "Take it," He commanded as the orb elongated from both ends. Kagome held out her hands and watched as the light morphed into the form of a katana-like shape. A moment later, the light faded to reveal a rather heavy, sheathed sword that fell into her grasp.
Kagome gaped down at the gift. It appeared to be a traditional katana with a silver sheath covered in intricate linear patterns, and a black hilt with white, diamond-shaped patterns adorning it. "What is this thing?" She suddenly asked while looking back up at her partner.
Ren rolled his eyes and scoffed, "It's obviously a sword, genius." HoroHoro could not help but snicker at the sarcastic response, earning him a bonk on the head from Sango who huffed.
"I wasn't asking you, you jerk!" Kagome rebutted before looking back at Sesshomaru with her questioning blue eyes. When he offered no immediate answer, Kagome careful maneuvered her arms and hands so that she unsheathed the katana without causing Yoh any harm. The blade appeared to be that of an ordinary sword, albeit shiny as if it were recently sharpened.
"The Legendary Sword of Compassion," Sesshomaru announced. "Tenseiga."
"T-Tenseiga?!" Kagome's jaw dropped upon hearing this. "I thought… I thought this sword was a myth, honestly! There hasn't been a record of its existence for centuries!" She explained as her eyes lit up in recognition of what she could do.
"Well? Fill us in, already," Ren impatiently demanded.
Kagome shook her head and responded, "No, I'll show you." She then looked up at Yoh and smiled sheepishly, "I'm still a little weak from before. Do you mind helping me?" She motioned for the sword in her hands using her eyes. That was all that it took for Yoh to understand.
"Gotcha," The Asakura nodded and gave her a big smile.
"All of the spirits here..." Kagome began to explain as she gripped Tensei's hilt single-handedly, smiling a bit when Yoh's hand moved to grip the hilt as well, his just below hers for support. "You should leave the vicinity. Go as far away as you can," She warned them while looking Amidamaru, Kirara, Kororo, Bailong, and Bason. Sesshomaru had already left the scene, knowing of the sword's abilities. The spirits looked at each other, nodded, and disappeared just as Sesshomaru did moments earlier.
"Here we go…" Kagome closed her eyes to focus on what she wished the sword to do. Yoh followed her lead and raised his arm as she did her own. Yoh was surprised when he felt the sword pulse within his grasp, as if it was begging to be used. 'Blade of light… Sword of Compassion… hear my prayer!' She thought as she and Yoh swung the sword the north, releasing a blue wave of light. 'Resurrect them all!' They swung the sword to the east. 'Save them! Heal their wounds!' They swung the sword to the west and south, each swing releasing a shockwave of blue light that passed through the shamans as if it were made of gas. Kagome and Yoh panted lightly but smiled at each other. The priestess then placed the blade back into its sheath. "It's done," she gave her friends a tired smile.
The other teens looked completely lost at those words. They had never heard of this supposed "legendary sword", so they did not know what to expect. HoroHoro furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before deciding to speak, "I have no clue what we're supposed to be looking—!"
That was when it hit their ears: the sound of the city coming to live with collective groggy groans. The bodies on the street began to pick themselves up. Some of them dusted off their clothing, others looked around in a daze or in shock. "T-They're ZOMBIES?!" HoroHoro squeaked as he threw himself at Sango and wrapped his arms around her waist for protection, causing her to facepalm and shake her head.
Ren looked at the new revived humans, most of them seemed too confused to know what to do. But he also noticed that their bodies were devoid of any trace of the mortal injuries that caused them their lives. "They're not zombies. They've been resurrected, idiot," The Tao explained.
"Correct~!" Kagome beamed at someone beyond the group of shamans. "How are you feeling, Ban-kun?" She asked sweetly. Pirika's heart fluttered at the sound of his voice coming from behind her. She spun around, her straight blue-hair whipping around her dramatically.
"Pretty good actual—Ack!" Bankotsu was caught off guard when Pirika cried out his name with the biggest smile and tearful eyes as she threw herself into his arms. "Easy there, girl," he chuckled while placing her on the ground safely and patting her head. "I've already died twice now. You don't have to worry about me leaving for long," he reassured her with a wink that made the young girl's entire face go red.
HoroHoro sent him a deadpanned look, "Dude, stop hitting on my little sister."
Ren then shot him a glare as he pointed out, "And you can get your grimy hands off of my cousin." HoroHoro blinked before he realized that he was still attached to Sango, who only sighed before smacking her palm into his face and sending him flying away. Sango huffed and avoided Jun's teasing smile.
Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her friends interact and banter with each other. It truly was an amazing feeling to be surrounded by so many wonderful frien—
[WHHHHEEEEEW!][WHHHHEEEEEEEEEW!][WHHEEEEEEEW!]
Their moment of relief and peace was short-lived when the sound of sirens began quickly approaching them from all directions. "Oh, shit," Bankotsu stiffened as he reached for Banryuu and threw it over his shoulder. "I've gotta run. You guys should do the same!" He told them in a hurry as he proceeded to impress Pirika by making great, inhuman leaps from light pole to light pole as he fled the scenes. 'I've gotta round up my brothers and figure out what we're gonna do...' He thought to himself. He looked over his shoulder to steal one last glance at the raven-haired girl in Yoh's arms. 'I'll see you soon, Kagome. Don't think that I've given up.'
"He… he ran…" HoroHoro gritted his teeth at the retreating form of the scoundrel who stole his little sister's innocent heart. "He caused all of these problems for everyone, and then he RAN!" He exclaimed with wild arm gestures.
The sound of car doors opening and guns cocking resounded in that intersection. An entire squad of police officers hid behind their open car doors while aiming their guns at the group of teenagers. Ren smirked confidently, his arms across his chest defiantly as he stuck his nose in the air, "They're just humans. I could easily—" A dark glare from Kagome instantly shut him up. "Tch." The prideful Tao reluctantly put his hands in the air in surrender, following the example of everyone except for Yoh, who continued holding Kagome as he glared defiantly at the squad of law enforcement.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"After days of investigation behind the alleged attack on downtown Tokyo, authorities have ruled the incident to be a case of mass hysteria, as people who claimed to be victims have been found to be in perfect health. Authorities have also claimed that the immense damage done to properties were a result of the victims of the hysteria going into a violent psychosis which caused them to wreak havoc throughout the city—"
"So, that's the power of money," Anna remarked as she changed the channel. Frankly, she was bored of the news. 'Any Tom Cruise movies on today?' She wondered to herself. She almost regretted not going to visit Kagome at the hospital after she had not returned in days… almost.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The shared laughter between Kagome, Manta, and Yoh was interrupted when Ren burst into the hospital room. The trio looked at him. His hair was slightly disheveled, his chest puffing in and out as he panted heavily. "Ka… Kagome…!" He huffed out her name between gasps for air. His golden eyes narrowed as he began to take heavy, angry steps towards her.
"Renny, you have to be quiet," Jun pointed out as she and Sango entered the room. The latter Tao made sure to let the door close gently behind her instead of allowing it to slam shut. "This is a hosp—"
"Is it true?" Ren suddenly asked in a low voice that was a mixture of disbelief and desperation clinging to denial. Kagome nibbled her lower lip as she looked away, unable to meet his eyes. She did not know if she would be able to smile for him if she saw the look in his eyes. "I said, IS IT TRUE?!" Ren asserted as he leaned down and tilted Kagome's face up by the chin, forcing her to stare into eyes that burned with so many intense emotions.
"Now, now," Yoh smiled nervously as he gingerly removed the hand from Kagome's face. "There's no need to cause a scene," The Asakura tried to keep a calm face and voice, but on the inside, he was just as torn up about it as Ren was.
"You're awfully calm for the one who did this to her!" Ren suddenly shouted as he grabbed Yoh by the collar. "If you hadn't interfe—!"
"Yes, it's true!" Kagome suddenly spoke up to divert Ren's anger away from Yoh. The last thing she needed was for a fight break out in her room. She tried to smile, but she could only glare at the fists balled up in her lap. "It's true, okay?" She repeated, almost in a whisper. "My legs… they don't work anymore," She admitted with a forlorn smile.
Authoress' Notes: And there you have it, Naraku is done for. Like my beta Why-chan pointed out, it makes sense for this arc to end so quickly when the other half of Kagome is so overpowered in comparison. Hopefully, she was not so overpowered that this chapter came off a boring though~! Anyways, please drop in your reviews with comments and such!