(End of the Band of Seven: Part I)
Obsidian Dreamweaver: Thanks, I'm glad to see you liked it. I'll keep your offer in mind for the future.
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Once they had entered the cave near the summit of Mount Hakurei, Miroku and Sango made the choice to charge into the heart of the mountain itself until they came across a cavern ringed with flights of stars, only to find Kagura waiting there with a horde of demons with an ambush ready for them. She didn't hesitate in springing her trap, confident that Miroku wouldn't risk using his Wind Tunnel with a swarm of Saimyosho present, but that didn't stop them from defending themselves using Sango's Hiraikotsu and Miroku's own spiritual powers.
Amidst the chaos of the ensuing battle, Kagura ended up destroying a part of the staircase, leaving Miroku and Sango stranded on opposite sides of the chasm. Angered by this, Sango took the chance to hurl her Hiraikotsu at Kagura, only to end up catching sight of Kohaku for a brief moment, providing the opportunity for Kagura to use her wind manipulation to send it right back toward Sango, hitting her dead on and throwing her to the ground.
Seeing Sango lying unconscious on the ground, Miroku leapt over the abyss to protect Sango just as Kagura released another wave of demons. In spite of knowing the risks, Miroku chose to open his Wind Tunnel, sucking in all of the demons along with the Saimyosho, leaving him to slowly weaken from the effects of the poison. As he continued to feel its effects, he used Hiraikotsu to bridge the gap in the stairs and carried Sango across, using the threat of his Wind Tunnle to ward off the horde of demons hovering over them. As his body grew more and more diminished by the poison, Miroku finally collapsed and apologized to Sango for his failure to protect her…
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Meanwhile, at the bottom of the mountain…
'This doesn't feel right…' Kagome found herself riddled with anxiety as she looked up at the vast strucutre of Mount Hakurei in front of her from just beoynf the barrier, cradling the unconscious form of Shippo in her arms 'Miroku and Sango still aren't back. They've been gone way too long by this point. I just hope they aren't in any kind of trouble.'
"You're thinking the same thing right?"
Kagome looked over to see Tatsu (now shirtless with only the pants of his gi remaining, due to the excessive battle damage) standing alongside her with his swords in hand "What are you doing?"
"Probably the same thing you're thinking of. Miroku and Sango should've been back by now, and there's only one way to figure out what the hell is going on. You wait here with Inuyasha and the others, I'm going up the mountan to see whatever is going on with my own eyes."
"Hold on, what? But you can't go past the sacred barrier, even if you could your set of Fangs would be rendered powerless, and that's assuming you don't get purified on the spot."
"I'm more likely to get through without being purified than Inuyasha or Koga, and even if there is some kind of reaction I can just take the Fangs off."
"Tatsu this is crazy, you don't know anything for sure about what's gonna happen if you go in there."
"We don't have time to stand here arguing about this."
"I know that just as much as you do, but apparently this is the only chance we'll get to have it and there's too much at stake for us not to." Kagome's gaze hardened slightly as she levelled a stern glare in Tatsu's direction "Just tell me the truth Tatsu, why are you so dead set on doing all of this on your own?" that question was enough to make him turn his head away.
"I just… I don't want anyone else getting hurt." his voice was quiet and held a small degree of uncertainty to it.
"Look, here's my case: I'm the only one of us we know for a fact can fight at full strength inside the barrier. For all we know, you and Inuyasha could get purified the second you walk through that thing. I've been training for these kind of risks for months now, and you know that just as well because YOU were the one to train me." she paused and breathed a small sight "Look I get it, I know you want to keep me safe more than anything, and I love you for it… But I need you to love me enough to let me make this decision for myself." she was met with silence "I know just as well as anyone that there's a lot of risk to this, but I'd rather face them by your side than have to chase after you in some kind of desperate panic. You've spent pretty much all our lives trying to protect me. So let me do the same for you."
"...I had a feeling it was going to come to this." Tatsu slowly placed both of his swords back in their sheaths on his back "You never did take no for an answer."
"Neither did you when it comes to protecting the people you love… so I see no reason why I should do the same."
"That… That sounds about right." Tatsu paused for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh "Doing what you have to do."
"Isn't that what you would do in my place?"
"Yeah… it probably is." Tatsu suddenly grabbed Kagome by the hand and pulled her close, giving him the chance to press his lips against hers in a tender kiss, one that Kagome was quick to return, and after they broke away he gently held her against his chest "I love you."
"I love you too." Kagome gave a small smile as she leaned into his embrace… right before she felt a sudden poke to the back of her neck, and then everything went black for her as her body fell limp.
"And that's why I'm doing this." Tatsu caught Kagome's unconscious form and gently sat her on the ground 'I get it now. There's only one way to stop what we started without anyone else having to get hurt… and it's for me to do all of it myself. Even if it means you'll hate me, you'll be safe, and that's enough for me. I love you Kagome… please never doubt that.'
"You sure about this?"
Tatsu glanced over to see Inuyasha walk up alongside him with the Tessaiga in hand "I think you know the answer to that by now. I know she wouldn't want this… but I do. I have to end all of this, right here and right now."
"Figures you'd try to pull the big hero act." Inuyasha let out a small growl, but he quickly placed his Tessaiga back in its usual spot on his waist "Then we better get going."
"What the fuck do you mean we? You have even less chance of getting past the sacred barrier than I would."
"Don't forget that I'm only half-demon, there's no chance in hell I'm gonna let some stupid sacred ground purify me." Inuyasha paused and looked at Kagome's unconscious form, then back at Tatsu "Besides she was right, for all we know those Fangs of yours will get purified and then you'll be rendered nothing but a weak mortal. You go in there alone and you might never come back out, and I don't want anyone blaming me when we gotta drag your body down from the mountain and bury it."
"This is my risk, I don't want anyone else's help." Tatsu looked down at Kagome, then back up at the mountain as he gritted his teeth "I won't put anyone else at risk… I can't."
"Yeah? Well tough shit." Inuyasha let out a snarl "If you wanna throw your life away then do it on your own time, no chance in hell I'm letting you do it when I'm around. I won't let anyone else accuse me of abandoning you or give me any fucking guilt trips, that's one responsibility you don't get to lay on me. The bottom line is, there's only one way you're gonna be heading up that mountain, and it's if I go with you."
"...There's no chance I'm going to talk you out of this is there?"
"What the hell do you think?"
"Right right, stupid question." Tatsu rolled his eyes, but paused as he picked up Kagome in his arms bridal style and cast a look back "Don't bother trying to be stealthy, I sensed you and your buddies the second you got here Koga."
Sure enough, it was at that moment that Koga leapt to his feet from his place behind a nearby rock, with Hakkaku and Ginta poking their heads out at the same time "Figures you'd catch on that fast, so what the fuck do you want?"
"You swore to me back when we had our proper fight that you'd do everything in your power to keep Kagome safe." Tatsu gave Kagome a quick kiss to the forehead, and then gently passed her over to Koga "Now you're getting the chance to prove it."
"Hold on, what exactly are you planning to do?"
"The only thing we can." Tatsu glanced up at the mountain in front of them "Miroku and Sango went up to Mount Hakurei to scout it out awhile ago but they still haven't come back, so Inuyasha and I are going up to track them down and see what the hell is going on."
"You two going up there? Are you fucking for real right now?"
"I'm only a human wielding demonic artifacts and Inuyasha is half-human, we have a better chance of surviving inside the barrier than you or your buddies back there." Tatsu paused and cast a look back at Kagome, then at Koga "Oh and this should go without saying, but if anything happens to her while I'm gone I'm carving off your arm again."
"Duly noted." Koga looked down at Kagome in his arms, then up at Tatsu "You know there's a decent chance she's gonna be pissed at you for knocking her out and leaving her like this."
"...Yeah. I figured. But if this is what I have to do to keep her safe then I will… even if she hates me for it. Besides… I don't think I deserve to be by her side now. Not like this." Tatsu took a heavy breath as he turned back to Inuyasha "Let's go."
"Right." Inuyasha gave a simple nod, and then the two of them took off towards Mount Hakurei, where they quickly disappeared into the misty depths of the barrier.
"And there they go." Hakkaku and Ginta took the chance to approach Koga "Do you think the two of them are going to be alright? I mean they've both got human in them, so they might make it out okay."
"Tatsu had a point, they've got a better shot at that than the rest of us. Either way there's really only one way to find out." Koga paused and looked down at Kagome's unconscious form lying in his arms 'One thing is for sure though. You had better make it back in one piece meat sack, because I know enough to know that Kagome is never gonna forgive you if you go and die on her up there…'
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By this point, Jakotsu was left travelling alone on the road to Mount Hakurei, both whining and shivering with his kimono having been tattered from his confrontation with Sesshomaru and doing little to protect him from his enemies. Fortunately, he found a solution to this problem as he came across a band of travelling merchants that were kind enough to provide him with a brand new kimono, albeit posthumously.
It wasn't long after this change in wardrobe that Bankotsu came across Jakotsu, and the two of them took the chance to rejoin forces, with Jakotsu not hesitating to give Bankotsu the Shikon Jewel shard he retrieved from Suikotsu's remains, prompting Bankotsu to reinforce his claims that Jakotsu was the only person in the world he could truly trust.
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Nightfall came, and the moon was shining brightly over Mount Hakurei.
'Okay yeah, now I'm definitely feeling the effects.' Tatsu gritted his teeth as he forced his way further and further into the barrier, and then glanced over to where Inuyasha was trailing close behind him "How are you holding up out here?"
"Shit, this feeling is a lot worse than I was expecting it to be." Inuyasha let out a snarl, but he also gave a pained smirk amidst the various surges of spiritual energy surrounding him "But it looks like we were right. I'm not being purified."
"Neither am I for that matter."
"You're just a human wearing demon artifcats, with you it was pretty obvious. Either way we're making it, nothing is gonna get in our way now." Inuyasha continued to launch himself forward, only for one particularly strong surge of spiritual power to cause him to skid to a halt and then fall to his knees "Fuck… me and my big stupid mouth…"
"Are you okay?" Tatsu came to a halt and knelt down in front of Inuyasha, earning a dirty look and a certain finger gesture "Right stupid question, I know. At this rate it's too dangerous for you to go any further. I'll carry you until you can move on your own… and then you should go back to the others."
"Not a fucking chance!" Inuyasha let out a snarl as he tried to leap to his feet to protest, only to pause as he took a sniff "Aw shit, we got other problems right now."
"Like what?"
"So this is where the two of you wound up." a new voice drew their attention.
"...Looks like we have our answer." Tatsu's expression darkened as he drew his twin katanas off his back and whipped around to face the source of the voice "The only good thing about this, now I don't have to hunt you down like the fucking beast you are Renkotsu."
Sure enough, it was at that moment that Renkotsu emerged from the mist, a fire cannon tucked under his arm and a smirk plastered across his face "It seems that the barrier has taken quite the toll on you. I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised too, it's not like either of you to not notice that I was following you all this way."
"Yeah well, you coming all the way out here means that the Band of Seven must be ridiculously short handed." Inuyasha levelled a glare of defiance in Renkotsu's direction as he pulled himself to his feet.
"Seems to me as though that mouth of yours is as sharp as ever. One thing is obvious here, both of you are in quite the hurry to get in there aren't you? The only problem is, you take one more step further and there's a good chance even those with human blood like the two of you will end up purified on the spot. Now do me a favor and get moving!" Renkotsu held up his fire cannon and immediately fired a series of explosive cannonballs in their direction.
'Shit!' Tatsu quickly found himself forced onto the evasive, only to see Inuyasha get forced into another direction and then make direct contact with the barrier, resulting in a surge of spiritual energy and causing him to scream in pain and agony "Inuyasha!" he tried to rush toward him, only to find himself blinded by a white light that stopped him in his tracks.
"Well so much for him, at least that's one more nuisance out of the way." Renkotsu's smirk grew wider… only to fall away in shock at what he saw as the light subsided "What the-?!"
"Inuyasha hold on!" Tatsu didn't hesitate in rushing to the side of the figure lying on the ground in front of him, giving him a chance to look him over 'He has a heartbeat and I can still hear his breathing… He's still alive, but… Okay, I did not see that coming…'
"Dammit, that hurt like a fucker… But you were wrong, I'm not dead yet." Inuyasha gave a smirk of defiance as he pulled himself up onto his knees… only to freeze on the spot as he saw his long black hair flowing from his head "What the fuck… Am I…"
"Yeah. You're human now. So much for you only being vulnerable on the night of the new moon I guess."
"Son of a- Okay, I'm seriously starting to hate this fucking barrier right about now."
"Take being human over being dead, and we've got other things to worry about."
"I hate it when you're right, I really fucking do."
"Well I have to say, this really is quite the surprise." Renkotsu let out a chuckle as he drew the attention of the duo back to him "Here I thought the sacred grounds were going to purify you on the spot, but all it did was make your demonic powers disappear. I suppose it's convenient for you that you also have human blood coursing through your veins."
"Sucks for you then, cause I'm feeling way better than I was before." Inuyasha gave a smirk as he leapt back to his feet.
"You never are one to be at a loss for words are you? Not that it really matters in the grand scheme of things, since now you're both nothing but mere mortals!" Renkotsu let out a snarl as he fired a barrage of exploding cannonballs from his fire cannons… only to suddenly scream in pain when he felt his arm drop from his body, and the fire cannon hit the ground next to him with a loud crash, while Renkotsu was met with a kick to the head that sent him crashing face first into the dirty.
"Call that a sample of what's to come. Next time you're not gonna be so lucky." Tatsu landed on the ground next to Renkotsu and sheathed both of his swords, then took off after Inuyasha and managed to catch up with him fairly easily "You good?"
"I'm not dead." Inuyasha told him flatly, then paused and shot a look in his direction "You know that we don't have time to waste on him."
"Why do you think I settled only on taking one of his arms? Blindsiding him like that went a lot better than I was expecting, so at the very least we know that I still have my enhanced strength and speed."
"So what, does that mean the barrier didn't make you weaker?"
"I can't say for sure, but either way I don't plan on pushing my luck any more than I actually have to."
"Fair, I guess." Inuyasha cast a quick glance back at where Renkotsu was picking himself up off the ground and gave a small smirk "I gotta admit though, watching you rip his arm off and kick him into the dirt was sure as hell satisfying."
"Without a doubt… a lot more than it probably should've." Tatsu's face fell slightly, but he was quick to shake it off "Come on, let's get some distance before he tries pulling out a new weapon with his other arm."
"Don't think you can escape from me that easily!" a stream of flames erupted forth and quickly forced Tatsu to drag himself and Inuyasha out of the way, courtesy of Renkotsu as he picked up his discarded arm and reattached it to the rest of his body, and then he immediately began firing a barrage of exploding cannonballs in their direction, chuckling maniacally as he did so "How long do the two of you really believe you'll be able to keep running?"
"That depends, how long can you keep running your own filthy mouth?" Tatsu quickly ducked under a cannonball, only for him and Inuyasha to be blown away by the force of the explosion that followed, sending both of them tumbling down a small embankment and crashing against a large rock wall "Shit."
"Looks to me like there's nowhere else for you to run." Renkotsu let out a chuckle as he came to a stop at the top of the embankment, looking down on the two of them as he readied his fire cannon "It seems to me that this is as far as you go."
"You piece of shit…" Inuyasha let out a snarl of defiance, only to pause as he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and he and Tatsu shared a brief look "Is that…"
"Yeah." Tatsu cast a brief glance over at Renkotsu as he inched one hand towards the katanas on his back 'I'm only going to have one shot at this…'
"I've had more than enough insolence from the both of you to last this lifetime or any other, now DIE!" Renkotsu fired one last exploding cannonball at the two of them and apparently engulfed them in an explosion… at almost the exact same momentas Tatsu threw his katana at Renkotsu, sending it careening into the fire cannon and piercing through it, causing it to detonate on impact and resulting in a powerful explosion engulfed Renkotsu on the spot. Once the blast subsided and the smoke cleared, Renkotsu slowly lifted his head up from where he lay in a scorched crater covered in burns, and found another crater at the bottom of the embankment 'He managed to destroy my fire cannon at the last second… Was he just trying to take me with him? Well it didn't work, and now they… Wait, there's no blood anywhere or any sign of bodies…' he paused as he looked around the crater, and then his gaze fell onto something else, in the form of a small nearby crevice in the side of the mountain 'Shit! The two of them must have been able to slip through this crack before the blast, Tatsu just threw his sword to try and throw me off.'
"Hey Renkotsu, over here."
Renkotsu glanced over to see Jakotsu making his way toward him through the mist "Jakotsu, I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"The feeling is mutual, so what are you doing in a place like this?"
"Well…"
One brief catchup session later…
"So that's it." Renkotsu let out a sigh "I guess you and me, along with Bankotsu, are all that's left of the Band of Seven."
"That sounds about like it, more or less anyway." Jakotsu frowned in thought "And that's where the big problem lies now."
"What do you mean?"
"The name itself. How the hell are we supposed to be the Band of Seven when we only have three of us left? We have to try and come up with a new name."
"That uh… That's not really what I was thinking of, but okay." Renkotsu paused as another thought came to mind "Though that does remind me, I don't supposed you have any idea as to what happened to Suikotsu's jewel shard do you?"
"Oh, that thing? Well I took it and handed it over to Bankotsu, I mean that was what he wanted us to do with them so I did it."
"...Of course you did." Renkotsu gritted his teeth and suppressed a snarl 'Dammit! He doesn't have a single shred of greed anywhere in his body. Still though, this is bad new for me. Now it confirms that Bankotsu is getting his hands on all of the shards, so eventually he's going to want the jewel shard from Jakotsu too.'
"-maybe something like the three ravens or the trinity of terror, no that sounds too gawdy and stuff."
'And that's one thing I definitely can't let happen. Which means I have to set a few things in stone then.' Renkotsu suddenly gave a grin "Actually that reminds me Jakotsu, there's something that I meant to tell you about a certain something interesting that happened recently."
"...Define interesting."
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Inside the cave near the summit of Mount Hakurei, Sango regained consciousness and was taken by surprise to find Miroku lying on top of her, having lost consciousness due to the effects of the poison he consumed, and then she noticed the horde of demons above them poised to kill. Driven to tears by the grave situation, she managed to rouse Miroku back to consciousness, only to find that he was too weak to move thanks to the poison.
Miroku begged Sango to go on without him and save herself, but she refused, claiming that if he couldn't go on then she would rather they die together, and then she collapsed in tears. Miroku held Sango as she wept, and he began gradually feeling better, as well as noticing that the demons weren't attacking him. This led them to the realization that they had passed into a new sacred barrier, even stronger than the initial one, the effects of which were neutralizing the poison in his body and keeping the demons at bay.
With this in mind, the two of them chose to continue on their quest and soon came across their goral, that being a small cave located at the top of the cavern.
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Meanwhile, with the cavern explorers…
"I don't know what the fuck we were expecting." Inuyasha looked around as he and Tatsu made their way through the cave leading into the mountain "But I didn't think we were gonna end up at the fucking bottom of the mountain. It's pretty deep too, at this rate I gotta wonder if it goes all the way down."
"Pretty sure that's how caves work." Tatsu rolled his eyes as the two of them continued making their way forward "Say what you will about your human half, it's probably the only reason you're not fucking dead right about now."
"Hey I said I wasn't gonna get purified like Koga or his wolves would, frankly I still count this as me being right. Tell Kagome and the others that when we get out of this." he paused when he noticed Tatsu flinch at the mention of Kagome's name "Fuck, we're doing this whole thing now aren't we?"
"Doing what?"
"Trying to figure out what's eating away at you."
"You wanna know? Fine, I'm upset. I just lost one of my swords and now you know how I feel, so let's just drop it."
"Don't bullshit me, I'm not a fucking idiot. I'm talking about trying to get to the point of why you're more… broody and depressing than you were. I mean up until now you've been more broody and pissed off now than… well more than me."
"Yeah, I don't want to talk about that."
"You think I do?"
"So then why the hell are you talking about it? When did you start caring about sentimental stuff like that?"
"Blame it on the human part of me, it fucking sucks. But since I can't stop it from spilling it out, just spill your guts already." there was a pause as Inuyasha noticed Tatsu stop in his tracks in front of him.
"...You saw her at the river, didn't you?" Tatsu's voice was quiet and void of emotion "When you pulled me out of there and brought me back to the others, you saw it right?"
"Gonna need you to spell it out for me."
"She was crying. She practically threw herself at me and she was crying… because of me. I did that. I couldn't blame the Band of Seven or even Naraku for that one. She was crying because I threw myself at Renkotsu and almost got blown the fuck up. And because of the way I've been acting all this time." Tatsu's voice grew slightly hoarse "I crossed the worst line I could."
"What do you-"
"It's something my dad told me back when my mom was still alive. He told me that there was nothing worse than making someone you love cry. Not just sobbing or weeping, but genuinely crying. He said it's the worst thing you can do in this world. She was crying then… and it was because of me." he gritted his teeth "All I want to do right now is take her in my arms and swear to her that I'm not gonna do anything like that again, that I'm done acting like a ragaholic maverick… but I just can't, okay? I can't because I'm still so angry."
"At who?"
"Who do you think? The Band of Seven for poisoning Kagome and the others and trying to burn them the fuck alive, Naraku for bringing them back to life to begin with… myself for not being able to save her because I wasn't good enough… and for keeping it from her that I died and had to be brought back by Sesshomaru and Tenseiga. She doesn't want me to be like this… I don't want to be like this… but I can't. I can't let go of all of this hate and anger I feel. Not so long as the Band of Seven are still alive."
"...So what the fuck are you gonna do then?" Inuyasha slowly looked over at Tatsu "You're just gonna keep fighting until we kill all of the Band of Seven, and then you think everything is just magically gonna get better for you?"
"Honestly… I don't even know what else to do anymore." Tatsu breathed a heavy sigh as he buried his face in one hand… only to suddenly snap to attention and draw his remaining katana just in time to dodge a barrage of linked blades hurtling in their direction "Okay feelings talk is over for now, we've got other shit to worry about."
"And the part that fucking sucks is I'm pretty sure I know who we're dealing with."
"So it seems that Renkotsu was right." sure enough, Jakotsu was the one emerging from within the shadows, Jakotsuto slung over his shoulder, and he shot a grin at Inuyasha "But is that really you as a mere mortal Inuyasha? I have to be honest, you're as cute as a norman human as you are as a half demon."
"...I gotta be honest, being purified couldn't be too bad if it meant I didn't have to deal with this guy again."
"And deny me the chance to see you again? I don't think so." Jakotsu's grin turned wicked "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for the chance to fight you again."
"Nowhere near long enough if you ask me."
"Agree to disagree!" Jakotsu let out a cackle as he advanced on Inuyasha and let the blades of his sword hurtle forward.
"Get down!" Tatsu yanked Inuyasha to the ground and used his own katana to fend off the series of blades, and then he grabbed Inuyasha by the arm and the two of them took off running through the cave at full speed, only to find the blades quickly hurtling after them once again "Fuck!"
"I don't need you fighting my battles for me!" Inuyasha pulled out Tessaiga (still in its sheath) and used it to fend off the blades, only for them to once again hurtle towards him, leaving him to be once again tackled out of the way by Tatsu.
"You're not gonna be able to fight those battles if you get fucking stabbed through the skull."
"Well I say you oughta keep running either way." Jakotsu let out a chuckle as he made his way towards the two of them, keeping his gaze locked on Inuyasha "Personally I want to take the chance to have my fill of fun with you here, because I can't tell you how often I've dreamt of being able to cut you up. You really were adorable when you had those dog ears, but this new human form of yours is so luscious that I just want to take you into my arms and have my way with you. And to be alone with you without that third wheel around to ruin things."
"Do you have any idea how disgusting you sound?" Inuyasha let out a scoff "Hearing all these fucked up things coming out of you makes me wanna puke."
"Everyone doubts it until they try it!" Jakotsu hurled the blades of his Jakotsu forward at full speed once again.
"Not this time you goddamn maoschist!" Tatsu leapt in as the blades closed in on Inuyasha and managed to fend them off with his katana, forcing Jakotsu to retract them.
"There's nothing I want more than to slice you up one little piece at a time and Inuyasha, and I would be by now if he wasn't getting in the way. All I have to do is get going and then even a group of smart mouths like you are quickly rendered submissive, and in the end you'll be left on your knees crying and begging at my feet. You'll cry because all you want is for me to hold you in your arms."
"...And I thought my brother was fucked up when he was trying to seduce women."
"Keep on doubting me, everyone is a critic."
"He's right when he says that you're fucked up." Inuyasha cast a defiant glare at Jakotsu as he held up the sheathed form of Tessaiga "I'd quit it with all of the bullshit stories if I were you, or I'm gonna do what I've wanted to do since the first time I saw you and crack your fucking head open!"
"Oh yeah that's the spirit, I can't wait to see you crying at my feet!" Jakotsu launched the blades of Jakotsuto forward at full speed.
"Get back!" Tatsu shoved Inuyasha out of the way and began fending off the blades using his own katana, dodging and weaving around as many of the blades as he could 'I have to remember what Akira taught me… evading the weapon of an enemy when you can't tell where they're going to attack from shows your ability to sense the intent of your enemy. It's not just about know that they'll attack, it's about predicting the when, where and how of it. Inuyasha can't defend himself well enough in his human form, and I'm not letting anyone else get hurt.'
"Go ahead and run my pretty, there's nothing more exciting than the sight of my prey fleeing for their lives! And getting rid of the fucking third wheel!" Jakotsu continued hurtling the blades of his sword forward.
'It starts with a direct attack, you fend it off and it loops back around from another side, then it should…' Tatsu fended off the blades the first time with his katana, then leapt out of the way of the second strike, only for a third one to slash at him across his torso, leaving a bloody gash as he clutched at it in pain 'Shit!'
"Get back!" Inuyasha yanked Tatsu out of the way of the next follow up attack, only to end up with a gash on both one arm and one leg, forcing him onto one knee 'Dammit this is bad, feels like the Robe of the Fire Rat lost its power in here too, so I can't count on that thing acting like armor to save my skin. So much for that.'
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Meanwhile, outside the barrier….
'It doesn't feel right sitting around like this.' Koga found himself pacing rather anxiously around the outside of the barrier, glancing up at the form of Mount Hakurei in the distance 'Tatsu and the mutt shouldn't be taking so long, shouldn't we have heard something by now?'
"Hey Koga, you doing okay over there?" Hakkaku and Ginta made their way to Koga, holding the unconscious forms of Shippo and Kilala in their arms respectively "Is the barrier having any effect on you?"
"Nothing I can't handle, aside from feeling some of my fur standing on end. You weren't kidding about this place giving demons the creeps. We got it easy if you ask me, at least compared to the likes of the meat sack or the mutt."
"Speaking of which, what is going on with Tatsu and Inuyasha? Should they really be taking so long in there? I guess even a half demon or a human with demon powers would have a rough time on sacred grounds. You think they already bit the dust or something?" Ginta flinched as he noticed the look Koga was giving them, and then he and Hakkaku were met with rocks being hurled at each of their heads "Hey! What the hell did you do that for?"
"Call it a little payback for running your mouths about stuff you shouldn't." Koga shot a quick look over at where Kagome lay unconscious on top of a nearby rock "The only reason why I didn't hit you both myself is cause Kagome wasn't awake to hear that."
"Um… fair enough, I guess…?" Hakkaku and Ginta shared a look.
"Trust me, if you two think the meat sack and the mutt are gonna go down that easily then you don't know a damn thing about either of them. And I know Kagome is never gonna forgive Tatsu if he doesn't make it back to her in one piece.' it was then that the sound of a low moan drew their attention 'And she's awake, guess I shouldn't be surprised by that.'
Sure enough, it was at that moment that Kagome slowly opened her eyes as she shook off the feeling of disorientation and pulled herself back to her feet "What the- What happened?"
"Take it easy Kagome, try not to rush into it." Koga sat her down on the rock "You feeling okay after that?"
"Fine, just my neck is a little stiff from- After what exactly?" Kagome shot a look at Koga, then paused and looked around until her gaze fell onto Mount Hakurei, and her expression turned much more solemn "Tatsu went up to Mount Hakurei alone, didn't he? And he knocked me out so I wouldn't go with him…"
"Not really alone… He took the mutt in there with him." Koga flinched as he noticed Kagome's expression turn even more despondent "He… He was trying to keep you safe."
"I know, I just… Does that mean he thinks I'm weak? That I couldn't help him?" she blinked back a few tears and turned away from him, which caused Koga to scowl.
'Dammit Tatsu, you didn't think about how she'd feel over you doing something like that. What the fuck is taking you and the mutt so long?' he paused as he looked in the direction of Mount Hakurei "Enough is enough."
"Hold on, what?" Hakkaku and Ginta looked over at him "Where are you going Koga?"
"The meat sack and the mutt are taking way too long, I'm going in there after them to see what the hell is going on."
"What?! Are you out of your mind?"
"I know it sounds like it's crazy and stupid, but someone's gotta do something."
"Don't do it." a hand grabbed onto Koga's arm to stop him, courtesy of Kagome "They're right about this you know, if you go in there you'll just get purified."
"I know, I just…"
"Tatsu and Inuyasha can take care of themselves. Let's just trust them and wait a little while longer for them." Kagome turned her gaze back to Mount Hakurei 'I just wish I knew what was going on over there…'
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After entering the cave located at the top of the cavern, Miroku and Sango ended up finding the form of Saint Hakushin himself, and found him to be in an undead state. Hakushin took the time to tell them of his own story: He had dedicated himself to the service of others and helped those he came across that were suffering from famine or disease. When he himself became sick at one point, he chose to become a living buddha to protect the land and its people, to which was buried alive and eventually died.
Despite his death, he had come to be filled with regret and fear of his own death, which was preventing his soul from entering the afterlife. It was then that he was approached by Naraku, who told him to hold hatred for everyone and join him, resulting in him being resurrected in an undead form.
While sympathetic to his feelings and not choosing to judge him personally, Miroku and Sango still saw him as enemy for protecting Naraku. They chose to attack Hakushin, only to find that he was projecting a barrier they were unable to penetrate. Eventually Miroku ended up using his Wind Tunnel and was able to destroy the barrier around Hakushin, but the sudden arrival of a swarm of Saimyosho prevented Miroku from absorbing Hakushin, while giving Hakushin himself a chance to escape.
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As she rested in a field located outside of the mountain, Kikyo sensed that the spiritual aura that surrounded Mount Hakurei was growing weaker, along with noticing something else coming out of the mountain.
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Meanwhile, inside the mountain cavern…
"Well isn't this just a shame." Jakotsu let out a chuckle as he looked over at the forms of Tatsu and Inuyasha in front of them, both of them being covered in blade and stab wounds across their bodies "It's too bad your bodies aren't cooperating with you, but at the same time it makes it all the sweeter for me!" and so he sent the blades of his Jakotsuto hurtling forward.
"Yeah cause entertaining your fucked up fantasies is the goal here." Tatsu rolled his eyes as he fended off the blades of Jakotsuto and leapt over them when they tried to circle around on him, only to see them pierce Inuyasha's back "Inuyasha!"
"It isn't too much fun for me at the moment, so how about we make it more entertaining with a bit of screaming and crying from you?" Jakotsuto retracted the blades of Jakotsuto in order to give Inuyasha bit of breathing room, leaving both him and Tatsu panting heavily "If nothing else, at least I have you panting good and hard. Definitely shows you're putting in the extra effort right about now."
What none of them noticed was that Renkotsu had entered the cavern himself and was watching the battle from his hiding place, only to scowl at the events taking place 'Damn those wretches, I had hoped that the two of them would at least be able to wound Jakotsu to make it easier for me when the time comes. At this rate it may not be too long before the two of them bleed out, and even before that happens Jakotsu will surely torture them to death.'
"Come on now Inuyasha, I think the time has almost come for our embrace. And you can be sure I'll make it slick with your blood." Jakotsu's smirk only grew wider as he began advancing on the two of them.
'Shit!' Tatsu gritted his teeth as he slung Inuyasha's arm over his shoulder and began dragging him away from the scene, though he didn't get far before he began to stumble 'Starting to feel lightheaded… must be the blood loss getting to me… This is bad…' he paused mid-step in order to try and regain his balance, using his free hand to grip his remaining katana 'I'm not sure if I can hit him there as I am now… but it might be the only chance we have…'
"You two might as well go ahead and give it up while you can. Don't worry, I don't have any plans to kill you right away Inuyasha, seeing how I do want to take the chance to spent some time with you first." Jakotsu continued advancing on the two of them and prepared to extend the blades of his sword again… only to be met with a sword slashing across his neck, forcing him back a short distance 'Dammit, that was way too close for my liking… that unwanted little shit was aiming for the jewel shard in my neck… You know something Tatsu, you really are getting on my nerves right about now."
"I've been told I have a knack for that." Tatsu wiped the blade of his katana against his pants to clean off some of the blood "And I think I speak for both of us when I say that we don't have the time or patience to fuck around with you and your weird fetishes."
"Aw, that's adorable. You think you have a choice." Jakotsu burst forward and unleashed the blades of his sword to slash Tatsu across the chest at point blank range, sending him tumbling to the ground as blood spurted into the air while he dealt Inuyasha a blow to the gut usin the hilt of his sword, sendig him crashing to the ground, but Jakotsu quickly picked him up by his hair "I can tell you now for a fact, neither one of you can scare me. I don't want you passing out either, that would mean I don't get to hear any screaming from you."
'This is bad… I can't get loose…' Inuyasha glanced over to where Tatsu lay sprawled out on the ground a short distance away 'My vision is going blurry… and we're both losing blood… Might be too much blood… We couldn't catch him off guard…'
"Come on now, go ahead and cry for me. How am I supposed to get any fun out of this if you won't start whimpering?"
"Like hell…" Inuyasha spat out a small amount of blood "If you think you can kill me… then I say hurry up and get it over with…"
"I don't see why we need to rush, we've got plenty of time. But if it's what you want then fine, I'll finish you off. But at my own pace, and at the very least I think you owe me one little scream of agony." Jakotsu held up his Jakotsu and prepared to bring it down on Inuyasha… only to falter as the sound of hissing drew his attention to where numerous figures were becoming visible in the surrounding tunnels 'What the hell is going on? The demons aren't supposed to be able to pass through the barrier, so what's getting them all so worked up? Fine, you freaks want it? You can come and get it!" and so he let go of Inuyasha and quckly found himself being forced onto the defensive, ripping through the incoming demons left and right using the Jakotsutom, only to see more of them coming in from every direction 'Dammit, there's too many of them! Does this mean that the barrier is dissipating?'
"Inuyasha… hold on…" Tatsu began inching his way to where Inuyasha lay unmoving on the ground, albeit coughing up blood himself in the process… but he stopped in his tracks when he noticed a pulsing sensation ringing out 'This sensation… is he…'
"Miroku and Sango… looks to me like they did their job…" Inuyasha gave a smirk as he slowly pulled himself back to his feet… with his prominent features becoming more animalistic and his hair turning form black back to white with ears on top of his head "The two of them finally took down the barrier… and they're not dead, so that's a win."
"Way to keep… priorities in order…" Tatsu rolled his eyes, but he quickly coughed up some blood as he pulled himself onto his knees "You might be on your own for this one… I don't think I have the strength to fight right now…"
"Works for me either way, I didn't want you butting in." Inuyasha's smirk widenedd as he drew Tessaiga from its sheath "Time to get to the good shit."
"Well what do you know, looks like you just got your demonic powers back." Jakotsu gave a smirk, then let out a sigh "I have to admit though, I will miss your human form a bit. It had a certain charm to it."
"You're a lot more of a fucking idiot than I thought you were Jakotsu, you should've killed us when you had the chance cause now that's gonna be what fucking kills you."
"I couldn't help myself, I let myself get excited only when I have the chance to cut my victims up nice and slow. It really ups the entertainment value. Plus I let myself get killed once before, and then I wound up getting brought back from the dead and found myself face to face with a sweet thing like you. Talk about a bonus."
"I don't want or need any fucked up details about your life, and at this point it's pretty obvious the two of us are never gonna have a normal conversation."
"Depends on what you think is normal. Either way it looks like this are heating up a lot around here now, so I guess that means the fun is over. You can be sure that I'll be taking those dog ears of yours as a souvenir though!" Jakotsu gave a wicked grin as he sent the blades of his Jakotsuto hurtling forward.
"Not fucking happening you freak!" Inuyasha batted away the blades with Tessaiga… only for them to loop back towards him and pierce him from multiple angles, coating them in some of his blood, and then wrap around his body to pin him to the ground 'FUCK!'
"All I have to do is blow on this sword, and then you'll be slashed to pieces. Looks to me like this is goodbye Inuyasha, but I want you to know that of all the men that have died by the blades of my sword, I have to say that you're by far my favorite." and so Jakotsu he swung the hilt of his sword, causing the blades of Jakotsuto to dig into Inuyahsa's body, resulting in his blood spurting into the air.
"Hate to break it to you Jakotsu, but it's a little too soon to gloat! WIND SCAR!" Inuyasha let out a roar as he ripped himself free of the blades with a burst of physical strength, and then he unleashed a Wind Scar from the blade of Tessaiga, ripping the blades apart and engulfing Jakotsu in the blast instantly, destroying Jakotsuto on impact and leaving Jakotsu himself buried amongst the rubble, allowing Inuyasha to breath a sigh of relief as he sheathed Tessaiga "Looks like it's over now."
"About fucking time too."
Inuyasha glanced over to see Tatsu pull himself back to his feet, albeit now with numerous burn marks across his body "Weren't you bleeding out a minute ago?"
"At first yeah, but once I realized that you were getting your demonic powers back I figured it was safe to use my own, so I used my fire manipulation to cauterize my wounds."
"...What?"
"I basically used my fire to burn my skin on the areas where he slashed me in order to stop the bleeding."
"Oh. Humans are fucked up."
"Well not all of us can have freaking healing factors." Tatsu rolled his eyes, then paused and cast a look down at the
"Whatever, let's just get out of here already." the two of them turned on their heels and prepared to leave, only to stop at the sound of coughing, and Inuyasha looked back to see Jakotsu still alive behind them, but buried amongst the rubble "Oh for the love of fuck, what does it take to kill you?"
"Why don't you come over and find out…?" Jakotsu gave a sultry smirk "So go on then, what are you waiting for? Just go ahead and do it… You know truth be told Inuyasha, I don't really mind dying by your hand…."
"...Hate to break it to you, but that's not how I do things." Inuyasha picked up Tessaiga and stuck it back on his waist.
"Are you sure about that? You should know that if you don't kill me now, then I'm just going to keep coming after you. You should know by now just how stubborn I can be."
"Then I'll just kill you the next time I see you." and so he took off running into the darkness of the caverns.
"You sure about leaving him like that?" Tatsu quickly took off alongside him and cast a hardened gaze toward Inuyasha "He's right you know, they're just going to come back as long as they're left alive."
"And I'll tell you what I told him, I'll kill him next time he comes after me. I'm the one he wants so I'll deal with it."
"...Fine. But that means whatever else he does is on your head." Tatsu's expression darkened as he turned his gaze forward "You can deal with him however you want… but Renkotsu is going to be mine the next time I get my hands on him. The same with Bankotsu."
"If you say so." Inuyasha cast an uncertain gaze in Tatsu's direction, but paused as a certain other sensation drew his attention, along with the demons hurtling past them "Wait a minute."
"What is it?"
"I'm pretty sure I'm picking up Naraku's scent, and I think it's coming from the same direction as these demons."
"You sure about that? I'm not picking up any Ki signatures that I recognize."
"There's no doubt about it, Naraku is at the core of this mountain."
"...Then let's go rip the legs off that spider." Tatsu's gaze hardened further, and he and Inuyasha took off running into the darkness.
"Oh that Inuyasha… he really is such a man of principles… So cut though" Jakotsu let out a sigh as he lay among the rubble and tried to pick himself up, to no avail 'I don't have the strength to get back up… I guess this is it for me then… Well what the hell are you going to do? I guess I did have a lot of fun through it all…"
"I'm sure you did…"
'That voice…' Jakotsu looked up to see Renkotsu emerging from the shadows and reach out a hand to him, and he merely offered a small smile 'Renkotsu…'
"Jakotsu… I hope you can forgive me for this…" Renkotsu breathed a small sigh as he reached into Jakotsu's neck and pulled out his jewel shard, causing his body to decay until there was nothing left but bones and clothes "It may only be one, but I still need the power of your Shikon Jewel shard Jakotsu. I will use whatever means are necessary to make sure that I stay alive in the end." and so he turned on his heel and walked out of the cave without another word.
It was only a matter of moments after he left that a lone Saimyosho flew onto the scene and picked up the hairpin left behind by Jakotsu before flying away from the scene.
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As the barrier around Mount Hakurei began to fluctuate and crack, Kikyo found Saint Hakushin sitting alone on the ground, protecting himself with a pure barrier. The two speak with each other for a short time, until Kikyo tells him that his soul is already bared to her.
This ended up bringing a memory of Naraku back to Hakushin, one where Naraku told him to hate everyone Kikyo was left wondering if hating people and protecting Naraku really was the true desire of the saint. The two of them revealed to one another that they both tried to live with no sense of doubts or make any mistakes, and Kikyo told him that doubt is in human nature, and that it served as the reason why people wished to be divine.
Hakushin was left saddened by the fact that he was unable to become a living buddha as was intended, while Kikyo assured him that it wasn't a sin to shed tears over a desire to live. She asked that Hakushin dissolve his barrier, and upon being asked why, she said she wished to touch his soul.
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Meanwhile, with the cave dwellers…
"Okay, that one I definitely felt." Tatsu cast a quick look at Inuyasha as the two of them carried on their way deeper into the caves of Mount Hakurei, both of them taking note of the ground and walls vibrating all around them "You're feeling that too right?"
"I thought you couldn't feel anything from there." Inuyasha gave a raised eyebrow.
"I don't need it to sense these." he tapped the Fang of the Divine Quake hanging on the necklace he wore "It lets me sense vibrations in the earth and around me, but I'm still not sensing any Ki or anything like that. You sure it's Naraku's scent you're picking up?"
"No doubt about it, that's one rotten stench I'll never forget, and it's getting stronger with every pulse." Inuyasha let out a snarl as he drew Tessaiga from its sheath "He's here, it took god only knows how long to search but I finally found him."
'And if it's not Naraku, does that mean it's one of his puppets? If I can't sense any Ki, then it's either that or… one of the Band of Seven…'
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Meanwhile, outside the mountain…
"This doesn't feel right…" Kagome looked up at Mount Hakurei and watched as energy began to surge widely around it 'Something just feels wrong about Mount Hakurei… It's like the barrier up there is becoming unstable… Does this mean something happened to Tatsu and the rest of them?'
"Kagome what is it?" Koga was quick to rush to her side "Are you sensing something?"
"It's… It's nothing…"
"...You're worried about Tatsu and the others?" Koga was met with silence, and that was all the confirmation he needed "Like I said, Tatsu is… he wanted to protect you."
"I get that, I just… I wanted to be there and fight by his side, not just get blown off and brushed to the side because… because he doesn't think I can handle myself. I just… I want him to have faith in me too, you know? Maybe this is selfish or stupid, but to see him leave me behind like that, it just… it feels like he doesn't think I'm good enough for this."
"...Then prove him wrong." that blunt statement from Koga was enough to make Kagome look up at him "You probably noticed by now, but when it comes to the Wolf Demon Tribe, we're the kind who believe in actually doing shit instead of spending hours talking about it. You really think Tatsu left you behind because he doesn't think you can handle these kinds of things without him there to protect you?"
"I mean… maybe…?"
"Then get up and prove him the fuck wrong."
"...In that case, stay here with Shippo and Kilala. There's something wrong with Mount Hakurei, and I have to go check out the barrier." she grabbed hold of her sword and her bow, then strapped her quiver to her back and took off running toward the barrier 'Tatsu, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, all of you please be safe.'
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Meanwhile, with an inevitable confrontation…
'This sensation…' Renkotsu paused at the entrance to the crevice as he took notice of all of the vibrations himself 'I have to wonder, does this mean that Naraku is starting to make his move on everyone?' it was then that he chose to pull out a small item from his robe 'The jewel shard I got from Jakotsu… I have to wonder, should I use it? Whether I choose to run away or stay and fight for myself… one thing is for certain… I intend to survive…' so with that in mind, he made his way back through the crevice, only to freeze in his tracks at who he saw out there waiting for him 'It's him… Bankotsu…'
Sure enough, Bankotsu sat on a rock near the entrance to the crevice with Banryu at his side, and he cast a glance back at Renkotsu "Oh hey Renkotsu, so you're still alive."
"Y-Yes… I'm fortunate in that regard…" Renkotsu swallowed slightly as he began making his way forward 'Damn that Bankotsu… He's got the shards of Mukotsu and Suikotsu. Since we were never able to retrieve Kyokotsu's shard from Koga, that leaves him with three in total. The shards that I took from Kagome were embedded in his halberd Banryu, which leaves him with six jewel shards in total. I myself have the jewel shards with the ones I got from Ginkotsu and Jakostu, so if I can keep Bankotsu from using his Banryu then it should make us just about even. If I'm going to do this, then it has to be now…' he came to a stop behind Bankotsu… only to suddenly find a hand piercing his neck, with two jewel shards being ripped out.
"Okay that makes two, and I think you still have one more of them don't you?" Bankotsu pulled himself to his feet and turned to look Renkotsu in the eye.
"Dammit, you little…"
"You know it's kind of funny Renkotsu, you sure can be fucking stupid for someone that's meant to be the smartest of us. You kept doing all of this plotting and planning, but you waited too long to make your move."
"Do… do you plan to kill me?"
"Well that depends, what do YOU think I should do?" he held up Jakotsu's hairpin as a single Saimyosho hovered next to him, and his gaze hardened "After all, you killed Jakotsu so you could get your hands on his jewel shard."
"Well… Well who the hell are you to talk?! In the end power is the only thing that counts, and the more jewel shards you have the more powerful you can become!" Renkotsu was met with only a smirk and a small snort "What the fuck is so funny about that?! Don't forget that you have plenty of jewel shards in your body too big brother, and you used all of us so you could get them for yourself!"
"...Is that what you think?" Bankotsu paused for a moment as he looked down at the jewel shards in his hand, then back up at Renkotsu "In that case, what do you say we put your little theory to the test?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Here." he tossed the two jewel shards back to Renkotsu "Go ahead and take them, you got a problem with that?"
"That's my two, but…" Renkotsu's gaze trailed over to Banryu, which didn't go unnoticed.
"Oh don't worry about that, I don't even plan to use Banryu."
"...Okay then." Renkotsu stuck the jewel shards back in his neck and leapt back to gain some distance.
"Now then, I think it's time for me to give you a little demonstration of just how differente the two of us really are in the grand scheme of things." Bankotsu was met with silence, which caused him to scowl "Well what are you waiting for, I said let's do it. If you don't plan on attacking, then I have no problem coming at you first!" and so he charged forward.
"Stay back!" Renkotsu drank from his gourd and breathed out a stream of flames as fast as he could, only for Bankotsu to leap over it "DIE DIE DIE!" and so he breathed out more and more flames, only for Bankotsu to dodge and leap around all of them until he had landed directly in front of Renkotsu, causing him to let out a yelp of terror.
"What's the matter Renkotsu? Here I thought you had better aim than that." and that was enough to make Renkotsu fall to the ground in terror "And what now, you're telling me that you can't balance either? Get on your feet so I can kill you like a real man."
"Dammit!" Renkotsu leapt back as he drank from his gourd and unleashed as large a stream of flames as he could, engulfing Bankotsu on the spot, much to his relief "Yes, I… I think I finally got him…"
"Is that what you think? Well think again!" the figure of Bankotsu was still visible from within the flames, and he tossed Jakotsu's hairpin at Renkotsu and struck him in the chest, which ended up sending Ginkotsu's jewel shard flying out of his body "You get it now?"
"Then tell me… What is the difference? Just tell me big brother… How is that what I've done is any different to what you're doing right now?!" Renkotsu glared at Bankotsu in defiance, just as he received two fingers piercing his neck.
"It's actually pretty simple when you stop to think about it… The difference is that unlike you, I would NEVER betray any of my friends." Bankotsu pulled out the two remaining jewel shards, causing Renkotsu to fade away back into a skeleton, and the flames around him to dissolve as he let out a sad sigh 'What a shame… It seems now that I'm the only one left…' he was handed the wayward jewel shard by the Saimyoso "I know I know, you don't have to say it. I still have a few things to finish." so he stuck the jewel shard into himself, along with the others, as a sensation pulsed through his body and he picked up Banryu 'Let's see… Right now I've got seven, take away the one Koga took from Kyokotsu and that's six, add in the ones from Kagome and that should be ten.' he hardened his gaze as he glanced up at Mount Hakurei "Don't worry my brothers, I promised that all of you will be avenged before I'm through here… The time has come for the final battle for the Band of Seven…" and with that, he slung the blade of Banryu over his shoulder and made his way back into Mount Hakurei.
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At Kikyo's request, Hakushin dissolved the barrier around himself in hopes of satisfying her, though he made it clear he did not believe he could be saved, due to his soul being tained with malice and hatred when he was alive. Kikyo said that she was unable to save Hakushin's soul, but she wished to know the origin of his sadness.
She put her arms around the saint and came to learn that his sadness was not caused by hatred for humans or the world, but because it was his wish to die as a saint, which did not occur. It was not his wish to know his own weakness, and he cried over the weakness of his own heart.
Kikyo claimed that she knew how painful it was, and that Hakushin had served enough people and wished for him to be free. Hakushin asked if it was alright for him to be free, to which she assured him that it was. That was enough to make Hakushin close his eyes and cause his body to disintegrate, leaving his soul to float up into the sky. At the same time, Kikyo pulled out a lock of her hair from her dress given to her by a dying man by the name of Kansuke, causing it as well to disintegrate and his soul to float away, with Kikyo knowing that it had been purified.
It was almost immediately after that Mount Hakurei began rumbling, and the pure barrier of the mountain disappeared, leaving it to take on the form of a jagged rocky mountain with demons bursting forth from every part of it.
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Meanwhile, with the other priestess…
'What the-?!' Kagome stopped in her tracks when she saw the barrier around Mount Hakurei disappear and demons start bursting out from everywhere 'Okay it looks like the barrier is down, but the demons… there must be thousands of them!'
"DIE!" a large swarm of demons quickly began bursting forth in Kagome's direction.
'This is it!' Kagome didn't waste any time as she drew her Seishin Rozu and unleashed a wave of spiritual energy, purifyng the demons on the spot, giving her the chance to aim and fire a Sacred Arrow at the next swarm of demons, purifying them as well, only to see a group coming at her from behind, until…
"LIGHTNING CLAW!" a blast of lightning ripped engulfed the demons and obliterated them on the spot, courtesy of Koga as he leapt onto the scene, the Goraishi surging with demonic electricity "You okay Kagome?"
"Better now that you're here, thanks for the save Koga."
"I swore that I'd protect you didn't I? Besides, if anyone were to happen to you then a certain meat sack would never let me hear the end of it. Now you'd better get that sword of yours ready, we've got more of them incoming."
"Right." so Kagome placed her bow on her back with her quiver and tightened her grip on her sword, with Koga by her side and the Goraishi surging with electricity as the next group of demons came into view.
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As chaos erupted around Mount Hakurei, a long awaited showdown was about to begin within its depths.
"I know you're there!" Inuyasha let out a snarl as he continued venturing forward with Tatsu right beside him "Get the fuck out here and show yourself Naraku, you're not getting away from me this time!"
'Something isn't right…' Tatsu kept his gaze hard and focused as he looked around 'I can still feel the vibrations so something is definitely up, but I'm not sensing any Ki… Either it's another puppet or… Wait…'
"Dragon HAMMER!" a familiar burst of pink energy suddenly carved through the caves in front of Tatsu and Inuyasha and began hurtling towards them.
"Sea Dragon's CRADLE!" Tatsu managed to raise a water dome around himself and Inuyasha at the last second to protect them from the blast 'I'm still not sensing any Ki… that can only mean one thing… I was wondering how long it was going to be before you showed your face around me again Bankotsu."
Sure enough, the smoke cleared away to reveal Bankotsu standing before the two of the amongst the rubble, Banryu slung over his shoulder and a confident smirk spreading across his face "Nice job blocking that one Tatsu, here I thought this was going to be easy. Hate to break it to you, but you and Inuyasha won't actually be meeting Naraku… because that would mean you have to live through fighting me again, and that sure as hell isn't going to happen."
"Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you." Tatsu's expression darkend as he drew his katana from its sheath "You and I have a score to settle, and let me tell you now, only one of us is walking away with our lives."
A/N:
And here we are, the beginning of the end for the Band of Seven and for Mount Hakurei as a whole. The barrier has been taken down and Bankotsu is the last surviving member of the Band of Seven. Not only that, he's on the warpath armed with up to 9 jewel shards (the four shards stolen from Kagome, his own shard, and the five belonging to the other members of the Band of Seven barring Kyokotsu since Koga has that one), and Tatsu and Inuyasha are right in the line of fire. The final battle is about to begin.