A/N: Welcome back! This chapter was a little late due to some medical issues, but I am hopefully back to posting every two weeks or so from here on out. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think!
Chapter 6: The Other ShoeMarried life had been blissful. The first few days especially so, as the two barely left their minka. They got to explore each other in ways they never had, and learn things about each other that they never needed to know before. The most exciting of which was learning how their mating bond impacted each other.
They laid in bed for hours guessing what emotion the other was feeling. Their bond allowed them a connection to each other that they hadn't expected. Occasionally they would have a thought that felt disconnected from them, like it came from the other person's head. And then their body would react with a feeling. The thing about emotions is that you tend to feel the strong ones somewhere in your body, but it may not be in the same place between different people.
Inuyasha's happiness was deep in his chest. Kagome's was like a flutter in her stomach. Inuyasha felt fear in his entire body. Kagome felt it in her throat, as though it were trying to choke her. Inuyasha felt sadness roll through his stomach, while Kagome felt as though her chest was caving in on itself. Learning to distinguish whose feelings were whose was made a little easier knowing that.
Currently, they laid in their bed with the gentle breeze blowing in from the window, quizzing each other.
"Are you-" She paused, feeling something akin to excitement bubbling up in her, starting at her fingertips. A thought crossed her mind then. It was of her own face during their wedding, tears sliding down her cheeks. "You're thinking about our wedding. And you feel excited."
"Nailed it!" He said raising his hand, she high fived him with a giggle.
"Yes! I'm so good at this."
"Hell yeah you are." His arms came around her and pulled her on top of him. They laid like that for a while, listening to the sounds of the birds chirping outside mingled with each other's heartbeats. She trailed her fingers lazily over his mating mark. It was fully healed, and resembled a lilac half moon. She had stared at hers for a while after their wedding night. She had an almost identical mark, but it was more of a silver color.
"I love it here. It's so peaceful. I feel like I can see our whole future stretching out in front of us. And it's perfect." He squeezed her even tighter to his body.
"It's only perfect because you'll be there."
A knock sounded at their front door. Kagome smoothed her Kimono as she went to answer it.
"Hello!" She exclaimed as the group shuffled inside. Kohaku had left after the wedding, Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Shippo all flooded inside.
"Man, we weren't sure you'd really answer the door. I'm surprised you're clothed!" Miroku was quickly slapped on the back of the head by Sango.
"Forgive him. We're so happy to be here! How is married life?" She asked as they settled into the main room.
"Wonderful honestly. We've been so happy. And hearing each other's thoughts and feelings has been wild!"
"Please tell us more. I am very curious." Kaede leaned forward, intrigued. They had never seen such a spark of life in the old woman's eyes. Kagome explained what they had been up to the last few days, and the little tests they had done with each other.
"It's fascinating Kaede. And we even feel like our energies are different." She reached out with the Reiryoku.
"Yes!" Kaede's eyes widened. "I thought I was just sensing Inuyasha, but it's like your energies combined into one unique one." The old woman reached out and prodded at the young miko with her own power. The force pushing against her felt greater and greater and Kaede tested the limits.
"Hey careful!" Inuyasha said as he came in from around the corner. He had a tray of food in his hands. "I can feel that too, you know." he said with a light scowl. Kagome moved to explain.
"While we can't feel each other's physical sensations, we can feel each other's emotions. I think the spiritual energy manipulation has a mental and physical component, so we can feel the mental part."
"I've never heard that the bond could do that. I wonder if this is a unique circumstance. A powerful miko and a hanyou-" Kaede began to muse aloud as she pondered the possibilities. "Kagome has always had a strong power for empathy. I wonder if this is a magnification of that ability. We will all three train together tomorrow. There is more I must know." Kaede nodded at them, mind made up.
Kagome felt a wave of disappointment wash over her, and a thought entered her mind of sleepy half lidded eyes, and a dark sky despite it being morning.
"You don't have to wake up as early as me, Inuyasha. You could just as easily meet us after the sun is up." She said out loud. He gave her a sheepish grin.
"I don't know if I'll ever get used to you being in my head." He shook his head as if shaking out the thoughts.
"Gotta say, that's a little freaky." Miroku remarked, shoving a bite into his mouth.
"Well, I think it's beautiful. Like a manifestation of your love." Sango disagreed. Kagome returned her smile and nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. There's something really special about it. It almost feels natural. Like it should have always been this way." Kagome shrugged as Inuyasha took a seat at her side
"Yeah maybe to you." Inuyasha scoffed with a chuckle. "You've always been all… empathy-ey. That's never been my thing."
"Trust me. We know." Sango rolled her eyes playfully. The group laughed, the banter coming all too naturally, as they dug into their meals. They spent several hours talking and reminiscing, as the sun fully set in the distance. Sango gave an exasperated sigh as the time ticked by.
"Ugh" she groaned, "we can't leave Rin alone with the girls much longer. I worry about them. Especially with Root Head clearly having it out for us." She moved to stand and gave Miroku a heavy look.
"Oh!" He exclaimed, catching the subtext. "I didn't want to bother you with this until you had some time to enjoy the honeymoon. But, I heard a rumor that a monk was killed a little ways away from here. People are saying his life force was drained. Then I heard the same story from a town away from there. A spiritual healer was killed the same way. Happened yesterday." Miroku locked eyes with Inuyasha who looked conflicted. Kagome could sense his hesitation, and there was a pang of guilt buried inside as well.
"We should go." Kagome's fingers brushed his shoulder. "I will be able to sleep better at night knowing that threat is out of the way. This is the best lead we've had for weeks. Sounds like a pattern we can follow." He gave her a hopeful look.
"I wanna kill that bastard. Let's do it. Tomorrow morning?" Miroku nodded in agreement before looking back to Sango.
"Would you want to come for this one?" He said it quietly, allowing her the space to refuse.
"If you'll have me, I'll be there. I want him to pay for what he did to Kin'u. She's still afraid of the forest." A tear slipped out of Sango's eye, just before Miroku wrapped her in a hug.
"It's settled then. The gang is back together!" Shippo yelled from his place at the table. Kagome giggled at him.
"Oh! You've decided to finally spend some time with us?"
"Hey! Now that you have that nice spare room I might hang around more often." He made menacing eye contact with Inuyasha, grinning widely, clearly bating him.
"Whatever runt." And then under his breath, "just see how long that room is empty for." The comment elicited an excited gasp from Sango.
"Woah woah woah. Let's not put the cart before the horse." Kagome smiled nervously, and Kaede fortunately provided a break in that conversation.
"Rin and I will watch the girls tomorrow while ye are gone." She gestured to Miroku and Sango. And then to Kagome and Inuyasha. "I would still like to see ye both tomorrow before ye leave. It would be helpful to understand more about your bond before ye go into battle again."
"Well, I guess there's no getting out of that early morning." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stretched his arms above his head with a yawn. "Alright. Everyone get out. We have to sleep before tomorrow." Shippo made a sound of irritation and Inuyasha groaned. "Except you, runt. You can sleep here."
Kagome gave him a kiss on the cheek as they moved to start cleaning up the room. She prepared the spare bedroom for Shippo, piling the futon with extra pillows.
"Jeez Kagome. Did you take every pillow we have? That thing is like a nest." Running feet whipped past Inuyasha through the doorway of the extra room as Shippo rushed in. With a jump he flew through the air and landed in the cushions.
"Woah!" His voice was muffled from his buried face. "This is the best! I might never leave." Kagome laughed and covered him with a quilt while Inuyasha rolled his eyes and watched her. She felt something akin to pride from him.
"Goodnight Shippo. We'll be at Kaede's by the time you're up. Go find Sango and Miroku when you're ready to go." She ruffled his hair.
"Thanks Kagome!" He agreed as he snuggled in further.
"Of course. Come get us if you need something, okay?" Shippo nodded lightly as he began to drift to sleep.
As Kagome left the room Inuyasha's arm wrapped around her waist and light kisses found their way to her cheek and neck.
"You're good with him ya know? You can tell how much he looks up to you." He said. They walked into their room together.
"Taking care of Shippo is like second nature to me honestly. Feels like I've been doing it for a very long time. And really I guess I have. He's still just as much of a kid as when we met him." Kagome said.
"Yeah. You're right. As much as he bugs me you'd think I'd remember that better than anyone. Kid has a way of getting under my skin though." He said and paused for a moment
"You know you'd make an amazing mom right?" He said it quietly as they laid close together.
"You think?" She questioned.
"I really do. You were great with Shippo and Kin'u from the moment you met them. Gyokuto even warmed up to you within a couple weeks. She's so shy, but she adores you." He smiled at the memory.
"I just love them all. It doesn't make every moment easy but it certainly helps. Kids can be a lot."
"Would you wanna be a mom?" Kagome sat up a little, pondering his question.
"Undoubtedly." She nodded her agreement. "Would you want to be a dad?"
"With you?" He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. "Abso- fucking- lutely." She laughed at his insistence and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.
"After all this is over we can really try. Kaede mentioned that hanyous aren't that easy to conceive in our training." She trailed off and looked up at him.
"Hmm. I guess I wouldn't have a way of knowing one way or the other. I'm sure that's something Kaede can help us figure out if we need to." He said it calmly but a faint blush colored his cheeks and she could feel the mild twinge of embarrassment run through her.
"It's weird to talk about that stuff with her, I know. Even asking her about the mark felt like a lot. But, I gotta say she handled it with grace. I'm sure it'll be the same for this if we need answers." She reassured, covering his hand with hers.
He smiled back at her and they settled into bed once again. As they got comfortable Kagome could feel waves of anxiety running through her.
"Worried about tomorrow?" She asked as she ran her fingers through his hair and scratched his ears.
"Would you believe I'm always like this before a big fight?" His eyes met hers and she paused for a moment, mulling over the words.
"I would and I wouldn't." She decided. "You put on a strong face, but as much as you try to hide it I know how much care runs underneath. You want to protect everyone all the time, and you worry you won't be able to." He nodded at her assessment, now unable to meet her gaze.
"Well, I'll tell you what." She got a little closer and tilted his chin toward her. "I have your back. And the stronger I get the more I can do to protect you." She smiled at him triumphantly, and her pride elicited a smile from him as well.
"I have every faith that you will." He agreed. Then he gathered her in his arms and they drifted to sleep together.
"Alright." Kaede clapped her hands together. Inuyasha and Kagome were standing in the clearing behind Kaede's. The sun had barely started to crest the horizon. "I have a few theories I want to test. Let's start here. Stand back to back." She gestured for them to turn around, and had Kagome face her with Inuyasha facing away. Kaede began to hold up different numbers of fingers.
"Inuyasha, how many fingers am I holding up?" She asked with a very serious tone. This immediately caused Inuyasha to dissolve into a fit of laughter.
"You're kidding Kaede. Fingers?" He scoffed in response.
"Yes! I'm testing your bond." She said resolutely.
"Okay okay." He agreed with a laugh. "Four."
"Very good. And now?"
"Two." Each time he answered he had to pull at their bond a bit to 'see' what was happening. It was beginning to give him a slight headache.
"Well done. And now?" There was a pause this time.
"Butterfly?" He said it as a question, confused by the thought he just felt. He pressed his fingers to his temples
"Sorry! I got distracted." Kagome refocused her attention as the movement in her peripheral vision drifted away.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha complained lightly.
"That was good enough for my first test. Inuyasha, are ye okay?"
"Yeah." He took a breath. "Just getting a headache."
"The bond isn't meant to be used this way in quick succession. I would imagine ye feel a little strained." Kaede agreed. "Let's switch." The two turned around and ran through a few more numbers. Neither of them could access every thought on a whim, but focusing like this made things much easier.
Kagome found that this came with some ease for her. In a lot of cases she didn't have to strain to reach Inuyasha's mind. He, however, expended a lot of energy throughout the process.
"Okay we'll switch one more time. This time Kagome, try to hold your thoughts back." Kaede prompted as they moved around each other. Suddenly, a massive force of Reiryoku surged at Kagome and she felt herself go on high alert from the surprise. Before she could react Inuyasha was standing in front of her, growling. It took him a moment to relax.
"What the hell Kaede! You could have hurt her."
"Exactly. I wanted to know how ye would react to her fear. To a dangerous presence. Your instincts are strong."
"Hmph." He made a displeased noise at her. He was a little proud at the compliment, but equally annoyed.
"This is one of the true reasons for the bond. It is meant to protect the mate from harm. I want to test this on Kagome as well, but now she knows it's coming so I will wait." Kaede gave her a wink and gestured for them to follow her inside.
"Have ye experienced physical pain since the bond was formed?" She questioned them.
"No, I don't think so. So far we haven't noticed any physical feelings come through." Kagome shook her head.
"Are ye comfortable testing that?"
"How?" Inuyasha, already on edge, narrowed his eyes.
"Just a finger prick. Do not worry, it is perfectly safe." The woman pulled a needle from her medical supplies and began to heat it in the fire of her hearth. Inuyasha watched her warily.
"I don't know Kaede." Inuyasha said warily. Kagome placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and took a seat next to Kaede.
"It'll be fine. Let's do it." She held her hand out, while Kaede gestured for Inuyasha to turn around. After a moment he smelled blood, and turned back around to find Kaede already wrapping Kagome's finger in a small bandage.
"Well, I guess that didn't work."
"It seems not. Though I wouldn't be surprised to find that the bond changes over time." Kaede gave him a warm smile and he felt himself relax the tension in his body. The reaction to Kaede's Reiryoku earlier had left him feeling on edge. The adrenaline was starting to wear back down a bit.
"Let's go for a quick run. Thanks Kaede." Kagome jumped onto his back and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
"Be safe today. Root Head is not one to be underestimated." Kaede offered as they left.
Inuyasha took off running, thankful to get some of his excess energy out. The two ran in circles around the forest, with Kagome occasionally calling out a nearby tree they could climb. They settled in the boughs and watched the birds and squirrels scamper to and from their nests.
"Feel a little better?" She asked as she settled next to him on the branch.
"Yeah. I'm still adjusting to all this. It's kinda overwhelming." She placed an arm around his shoulders and he rested his head on hers.
"You've seemed more on edge since the mating. Care to share what you're feeling?"
"Its just-" He paused for a moment. Her fingers rubbed at his shoulder reassuringly, giving him the strength to be vulnerable. "I feel so bad about this. But, it's like before now I didn't have to worry about what other people thought or felt most of the time. And now I have your thoughts and feelings playing through my head all day everyday. I have to be conscious of how you feel. Even if I wanted to just worry about myself I physically can't." He took a breath and quickly continued.
"I'm not upset. I'm just adjusting. And the biggest reason I feel bad is because you clearly don't have a problem with it. You've always taken my thoughts and feelings into consideration for everything. I'm realizing that maybe that wasn't the case for me before. And that isn't fair to you. I'm so sorry, Kagome. I never want you to feel like you're not my number one priority." He nuzzled his face a little deeper into her.
"Hey." She pulled back a bit to look him in his watery eyes. "You know I really appreciate you saying this. There were times in the past where I really felt like you didn't care about how I felt. Times when I thought you were being the biggest jerk you could be. But, I can't even tell you how long it's been since I felt that way. Since I've come back, really since before taking down Naraku, I can tell how important I am to you.
You said that I've always had your thoughts and feelings on the forefront right? I can tell how you're feeling without this link ninety percent of the time, Inuyasha. I get you, and I see you. I know how much you love me and prioritize me." His lips found hers immediately as she stopped talking. He poured all of his urgency and concern into the kiss, and she could feel his intention physically and mentally.
"I love you." He whispered against her lips.
"Hey!" They heard Sango call from below them, both of their heads snapped in her direction. "You two love birds about done? It's time to go!" Sango was perched on the balls of her feet, Hiraikotsu slung across her back. She was clearly eager to get out on the road. The sun was still fairly low in the sky, and it was only a couple of hours past dawn.
"We're coming!" Kagome reassured her, just as Inuyasha grabbed her and jumped from the tree. Miroku and Shippo were just around the corner as they left the woods, and the five of them began their trek to, hopefully, find Root Head.
The trek was long, but very pleasant. The group chatted as they trailed along and reminisced about their time fighting against Naraku.
"It's so crazy to all be together again." Sango said. "I thought moments like this were just fond memories a few months ago." They all nodded in agreement.
"Despite the circumstances, it is great to be here again. I hope we find Root Head. I'm a little worried about the timing. It feels like he's always so far ahead of us." Kagome agreed.
"Me too. It's tough when we aren't on the road. Not that it was easy to find Naraku, but it certainly didn't take us quite as long to get from one place to the other to follow the trail." Miroku added.
"We'll find him." Inuyasha said resolutely. "No matter how long it takes. That asshole has a bounty on his head that we're gunna collect."
It was an hour or so later when the group passed through the town where the most recent spiritual healer had died. Several people were happy to talk to them about the strange event from two days before. It was a fairly quiet evening when a fox demon entered, stumbling it's way through the streets. The healer sought to help them, ever selfless, and as soon as she got close enough it wrapped its hand around her neck. Her energy drained away and then the demon was gone, barreling in the direction of the nearest village.
"Did anyone see exposed roots coming out of the ground near her?" Kagome asked the merchant, as she had each person they talked to before. The man looked confused.
"Might have been. But what does that have to do with anything?" He questioned.
"It's just another demon we're keeping an eye out for." She explained simply, and the group moved on. "I think we need to press on. We know which direction the fox demon went in after leaving here, and I don't think we're going to get any more information."
"Agreed." Miroku nodded in response.
"Onward!" Shippo yelled out from Kagome's shoulder. The group headed out of town toward the next. The walk was incredibly quiet as they trudged through trees and mud. It had rained recently in this area so everything was more slippery than they were used to this time of year. The next town was rather close by, and it wasn't long before they were walking into the town square. Looking around, it was clear that nothing bad had happened here recently. People were milling about like it was any other day as they shopped and carried out mundane chores. As they passed by a well Kagome sensed another person with spiritual power nearby.
"Excuse me?" She walked up to the woman. "Did you hear about what happened in the next town over a couple days ago?" The woman looked up at her with wide eyes.
"Oh my, yes I did." Her gaze went to the ground as she pondered it. "We all did really. Such a tragedy. We're lucky that nothing like that happened here. We're so close to them."
"Yes. We heard that the demon responsible for it came in this direction after. You didn't have a run in with them?" She asked. Before the woman could respond a blood curdling scream echoed around them.
"Over there!" Inuyasha yelled as he darted off after the sound. Kagome looked in that direction and saw a fox demon standing over someone who had fallen into a heap on the ground. Something was off about this and Kagome could feel warning bells ringing in her ears as though they were really sounding.
"Wait!" She yelled after Inuyasha. He looked back at her briefly, still running. "This has to be a trap. This demon would have been here well before us. Why did it wait until we were here to attack?" She yelled out, but before they could think on that any further the man was raised up by a large root that began to unearth itself from the ground.
The root grew larger and larger until it came to a head as Root Head stood before them, eye trained on Kagome. It laughed menacingly.
"Too easy." It said, as its root splayed out around it and grabbed people nearby to use as human shields. In a blur, blades and weapons flew at the demon. Sango's Hiraikotsu cut through roots like butter as people fell to the ground in their wake. Inuyasha's Tessaiga flew out in different directions causing Root Head to dodge and weave pulling bodies in front of him.
Miroku's staff uselessly sliced off roots, as another would quickly take its place. Shippo's fox fire had grown significantly stronger since he had last traveled with the group, and he was able to burn some appendages away. The flames would quickly spread at the ends of the roots, but once they met the core of Root Head they would fizzle out. Kagome nocked an arrow and raised it, targeting Root Head's eye. This was the perfect moment, as he was distracted with the myriad of attacks coming his way and had stopped paying her mind.
The bond between Kagome and Inuyasha connected in a new way as they became aware of each other's movements. He readied an attack as she imbued her arrow, and at the same moment they moved to attack.
Kagome's hand's shook and the arrow in her bow wouldn't seem to fire. Inuyasha's raised sword trembled in the air. It was then she noticed that the fox demon had already fallen to the ground and looked to be dead. A thick crimson miasma was pouring out of its open mouth and flooding the area they were standing in rapidly. Kagome could feel her muscles tighten as the poison interacted with their bodies. It filled her lungs, burning her from the inside.
The smoke billowed up around them, and her eyes started to flutter closed on their own accord and she fell to her knees. She watched as Miroku reached for Sango before both of them fell to the ground. Inuyasha swayed on his feet for a moment, his eyes meeting Kagome's before he passed out. She couldn't see Shippo's form, and guessed he was already under the smoke. She was alone.
With Root Head now on the ground a woman emerged from the mist around them. As though the smoke had no effect on her she gracefully navigated the battlefield and made her way toward Kagome. Everything happened so fast she had little time to react. Her bow was still raised and pointed at Root Head, but her muscles wouldn't listen to her enough to change targets or even fire.
"Ah ah ah little miko." The woman tsked at Kagome's raised bow, her blood red hair shook around her shoulders. "I can't have you killing my most important pawn now can I?" She waved a hand over the bow and it fell from Kagome's grasp, arms still raised.
"Kagome Higurashi." Her name felt like venom falling from this woman's tongue. "Well, I suppose you aren't really a Higurashi anymore, are you?" She ran her fingers over Inuyasha's sleeping form, still a distance away. Kagome tried to speak, to yell at her to leave him alone, but her voice failed her completely.
"But there isn't exactly a new last name for you I suppose." The woman continued, rambling mostly to herself. Her eyes looked far away for a moment, then they made their way back to Kagome and locked in.
"I didn't think you would be returning to this time. You've been gone for quite a while. But, once I heard Root Head sensed your power a few weeks ago I knew we were in trouble. Or perhaps saved, that really depends on you. The strongest Miko to exist outside of Midoriko herself. That truly is some power you have." She took a deep breath as she got closer to Kagome, as though she was breathing in her aura. She inhaled some of the Miasma, and Kagome could feel some sensation return to her fingertips. "My apologies, a little too much poison eh? You should be able to speak."
"What do you want from me? Who are you? How do you know where I come from?" Kagome did not allow her voice to shake as she returned the woman's gaze, but it did rasp from her hoarse throat as some use finally returned to it. There was a fire inside of her that was flaring brighter the longer she was in the woman's presence. She could feel that this was something incredibly evil.
"Oh how rude of me. I am Jubo. A Daiyokai of the plant domain. Or, I suppose, these days I am the Daiyokai of the plant domain. Most other plant demons fall under my thumb." Her thumb, which almost looked as though it were dipped in green paint, gestured to Root Head. "He is a simple yokai. Easy to puppeteer if you know what you're doing. And believe me, I do." She let loose a cackle that echoed loudly around them.
"So you've been behind all of this? Stealing spiritual power?" Kagome questioned.
"Why, of course. Did you think Root Head had even a thought behind his eye?" She laughed again and immediately switched gears. "Could you be persuaded to join my cause Kagome?" Jubo ran a finger down her cheek, but Kagome didn't flinch away. She released some of her power around her and heard the crackle as it met Jubo's skin. She didn't relent woman only laughed, delighted at the tenacity.
"Yes! That is exactly why I want you dear." She took a few steps away and Kagome felt more of her strength starting to return. The miasma was dying down. A few feet away Tessaiga lay in the dirt. She reached over and grasped it with the tips of her fingers, pulling it closer.
"What is your cause, Jubo?" The woman laughed in response.
"Well, if I told you that you might have more aim to stop me. Let's just say I am amassing an army. And spiritual power is what I need to see it come to fruition. Unfortunately Root Head isn't strong enough to take in the amount of power you have, not that I want you dead." She made her way to Inuyasha and fisted the back of his hair, pulling him up off the ground a bit.
"Join me Kagome, and this will end."
"What will end?" Kagome was on her feet now, unsteady as she was, she was only getting stronger. Tessaiga was firmly planted at her side, digging into the ground beneath her.
"Kill him. Or surrender yourself to me. But he won't stop his attack until I say, or until he is in the ground. Oh and let's take care of that." She flung her hand again out and Tessaiga flew through the air, impaling itself into a tree. It was so far from her reach there was no chance she could get to it in her current state.
Suddenly a light bulb was in Jubo's hand. She took a breath, and whispered something Kagome couldn't hear. Red miasma spilled out of her mouth and clouded the glass with its glow. With a thrust of her hand she twisted the offending object into Inuyasha's sternum and a bright red glow emanated from him. He regained consciousness immediately and growled loudly as his yoki surged up and overtook him, but his eyes were distant.
Kagome watched as the bulb was taken into his body, his skin wrapping around it and pulling it completely in as though it had never been here. She felt the Tessaiga pulse from its place in the tree behind her, desperately trying to save the hanyou from the demon inside. The mark on her shoulder burned and she felt his agony. She felt his pain. It took the wind out of her and she almost fell to the ground again.
Kagome watched as her love charged her, snarling and gnashing at her with abandon. She opened her minds eye then and let her Reiryoku take hold. She couldn't bear to see his face like this. He looked inhuman and deadly, and there was no warmth of familiarity in his gaze. She easily dodged every attack he sent her way, trying to buy time as his clawed fingers swiped at her uselessly. What could she do? How could she stop him?
She prodded at their bond and saw him flinch, growling louder and coming at her faster. She tried to hold the picture of him settling in her mind, and it only seemed to spur him. He quickly caught up to her movements. Any read she tried to get from him, and anything she tried to project to him, was having a catastrophic effect on him in this state.
He didn't seem to have any logical thoughts like this. He snarled and growled, but never spoke. It was as though the inner beast had taken complete control of his actions.
She put up her spiritual barrier and shielded her mind from their bond to hopefully prevent this from getting worse. She could see the strain in his movements as he bounced off of her barrier repeatedly with no regard for the pain it must be causing. It was then that she heard him make a sound she had only heard a few times in the time she had known him. It was a high pitched whine of sheer agony that she hoped she would never have to hear again. Her eyes flew open for the first time since this started.
"Inuyasha!" She screamed out to him. He was still fighting her barrier but behind his eyes she could see the pain. Tears were streaming down his face as he fought. He had over exerted and his body wasn't prepared for his full demon form for this long. This could kill him. The fear that seized her then was too much, and her barrier shattered at his next attack.
"Submit to me Kagome. This will end." Jubo was standing very close to her again, and speaking very quietly. "You must say the words."
She stood still. No longer dodging or resisting, as his claws sunk into the flesh of her stomach on this attack. She pressed her hands to his face and allowed every bit of her Reriyoku flow through her into his body, along with every bit of love and concern she had been holding back from their bond. Blood was pouring from her wound, down her legs, and she could feel it pooling around the hem of her hakama.
This was her last effort to stop him. The only option left after this was doing as Jubo asked and giving in. But, she at least had to try.
Jubo stood staring in shock as she watched Inuyasha's attacks stop completely, the white slowly fighting against the red in his eyes, and he blinked it away. The light bulb pushed itself out of his chest and fell to the ground, bouncing in the dirt as it did. Kagome heard her name fall from his lips and the world went black.