Naraku stood across the smoldering clearing from the specter that should not be there…the specter that he had slain himself! And the one he watched burn to ashes, with a weeping Kagome clawing at the ground….he felt the life leave him, yet, there he stood, cradling that miko with one arm, a now dragon scaled Tessaiga in the other. His eyes glowed fiercely, and Naraku noticed too that he seemed changed, not the hapless youth he was not too long ago. He was more like Sesshomaru now…
He was dressed strangely too; he wore that insufferable fire rat haori, but his other clothing was strange, like Kagome's…and that rosary hung from around his neck. His silver hair whipped wildly as the debris settled around them.
Naraku took a step back…
"Now then, where were we?" InuYasha said between clenched teeth.
Naraku swallowed hard….
InuYasha's blood boiled, not only from the repulsive being that stood across the smoldering clearing from him, but also from the freely bleeding wound on Kagome's shoulder. He didn't want to, but he set her down behind him, the scent of her blood fueling his rage. She tried to make a brave face, but he knew better. Her skin was deathly pale already. He clenched his jaw, but kept his voice steady.
"Don't worry Kagome, this won't take long." He reassured her. He had to make this battle fast, if not the final battle. Kagome was in trouble and despite all that Naraku had done to him; he was more concerned about her.
But that didn't mean he wasn't going to make Naraku wish he was never born. And if Naraku DID escape this fight, he would be hurting worse than he ever had before.
That was when he noticed the strange look on Naraku's face. Like a mixture of extreme confusion, and fear. Not only that, but fear radiated from him. InuYasha gripped Tessaiga firmly in one hand and stood to his full height. Naraku didn't seem as tall as he usually did or as confident. In fact, he looked downright pathetic.
"What's the matter Naraku? I dare say you look a bit surprised." InuYasha spoke up. Naraku visibly swallowed, and finally blinked.
"I'll admit I am a bit surprised. But it is only a minor detail. I just need to make sure to finish the job this time. I thought I had rid the earth of your foul hanyou stench." Naraku spoke up, trying to grasp the confident ire he often employed.
"Not if I have anything to say about it. You're going to regret hurting Kagome like that you bastard!"
"Ah yes, I think I may have distracted her due to your abrupt and unexpected appearance. I had no intensions of harming her. If anyone is to blame, it is you InuYasha!"
"Why you-!" InuYasha sneered at him in disdain. How dare he?! Why was he wasting his time with the banter when he SHOULD be ripping Naraku to pieces! Without hesitation, he raised Tessaiga above his head, and glared at the yokai across the clearing.
No more….
He was tired of the endless battles, and constant struggle for some semblance of a life; a future that hung on the verge of nonexistence as to whether or not Naraku was finally destroyed. He was sick of his friends constantly putting themselves in harm's way, tired of all the pain this one being caused them. He wanted it to end. Naraku stood between him and all that lay beyond.
"You should know by now that your efforts are in vain!" Naraku seethed, his barrier forming a bright ring of light against the darkness.
"Well, we'll just have to see about that. I'm not the same person that faced you last time, I can assure you. You were a coward and attacked me while was a human. Such a foul tactic is unforgivable! Prepare to die Naraku!" InuYasha roared before swinging the sword in a high arc around him over and over again. The dragon scaled Tessaiga pulsed in his hand. He could feel the maelstrom of power building within the space around him from the motion of the swords swing. He did this once before, he recalled, but not with Tessaiga. His anger seemed to ebb, as the flow of energy around him increased, forming a massive sphere of energy above him that seemed to grow larger. How in all the hells had Tessaiga been able to create this much power? A Meido appeared above, one that felt much more powerful.
All his anger poured into this one attack and he blinked in surprise as Tessaiga then began to glow red as the barrier breaking power was added to the fury that radiated into the skies. He kept swinging back and forth, until finally, he launched the assault down upon the fear stricken Naraku. InuYasha watched in stunned disbelief as it hit Naraku's barrier, and dissolved it as if it were nothing. Naraku's tentacles shot out at him, and InuYasha dodged, as the tentacles hit the hard ground instead. InuYasha took the opportunity to launch a volley of Meido scars towards Naraku, severing the tentacles from his body.
Naraku regenerated of course. What he wouldn't give to have the power Bakusaiga had. He bit his lower lip for daring to covet his brothers powerful weapon. Naraku will one day regret his regeneration power. If Kagome wasn't wounded, she could have fired an arrow to combine with his own attack to cause some damage to the bastard.
Kagome! The scent of her blood was still heavy on the air, and he lunged towards Naraku. InuYasha reached towards him with his claws outstretched…
A barrier blocked him, and Naraku sneered at him. InuYasha felt a jolt as Naraku's energy revolted against InuYasha's own, and sent him flying backwards.
"Drop that barrier you coward!" he roared.
"Why would I make things easier for you?" Naraku scoffed back.
InuYasha gasped, having dropped his guard for a split second to yell at Naraku. One of the detached tentacles impaled his shoulder from behind on its way back to Naraku…he dropped to one knee.
"You're a bit slow there, InuYasha," Naraku taunted him. InuYasha tried to ignore the pain, but it was so familiar and vivid, he felt frozen in place. His eyes met Kagome's wide, fear filled ones.
And, as always, Naraku retreated up into a cloud of miasma, and streaked off across the sky.
"Keh…true to form, run away…" he muttered.
InuYasha turned and looked to Kagome, whom regarded him with a startled expression.
"Inu…Yasha?" she managed to get out before cringing. He was at her side in a flash, gathering her up into his arms.
"I'm so sorry Kagome," he apologized quietly. She rested her head against his uninjured shoulder.
"I'll be fine." she tried to reassure him. Her eyes bore into his bloodied shoulder. He cursed at himself inwardly. He swore that he would never put her in harm's way again. He'd let her down.
He bit his lower lip, and turned his face away so she couldn't see the tears that lingered. He was responsible…
"I must say, that was interesting to say the very least," A familiar voice broke the silence like a hammer on glass. InuYasha snapped his head to the side to glare at the uninvited imposer.
"Who invited you?" InuYasha asked, irritated. Sesshomaru offered him a less than enthusiastic glance before looking to Kagome.
"I thought it strange, to have watched your body burn to ashes, and suddenly smell your scent once more. Of course I came to see for myself whether or not my nose was playing tricks on me."
"It wasn't, now go away." InuYasha grumbled. He may be kind to him back in the modern era, but right now, this Sesshomaru wasn't as friendly.
"The miko is wounded. Where has Naraku gone? And what was that power from Tessaiga I sensed?" Sesshomaru asked.
"What's with the interrogation; I don't know, and I don't know!"
"You never did know much." Sesshomaru countered.
"Why you-!"
"Perhaps you should get the Miko some treatment, rather than waste your time arguing." Sesshomaru said. And with that he turned on one heel, and walked off.
"Where are you going?!" InuYasha roared.
"I have found what I had been searching for." Sesshomaru replied, as if that answered everything.
"Wait," Kagome spoke up. Sesshomaru stopped, but didn't turn around.
"It's very late, and I'm sure Rin-chan might enjoy something to eat. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you about Kohaku." She said. InuYasha stared at his brothers back. After a moment, Sesshomaru turned around, and regarded them all with a curious expression.
"Rin?" he asked.
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?"
"Are you hungry?"
"A little bit, Sesshomaru-sama."
"Very well, we will stay then," he replied.
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Kagome sat, InuYasha sitting behind her, acting as support, as Kaede attended her wounds. Her shoulder was badly injured, but the spiritual powers within her had begun to heal while InuYasha and Naraku had been fighting, so there wasn't a huge gaping hole anymore. Still, it hurt like crazy, and Kagome bit her lower lip as the herbs were applied to the open wound. InuYasha's firm grip on her shoulders gave her the extra strength to keep from passing out.
That or, the strange proximity to which they were sitting was too much of a distraction. She sat in his lap, his legs open, and his chest served as support, but it was the sensation of his rapid heartbeat against her back that had her so distracted, that , and his body heat. She had felt so cold before, and he took care of that problem. His own wound was almost healed. If he were in his human form, history would have certainly repeated itself. Still, Hanyou or not, seeing him injured in any way made her heart ache…
They all listened to what Sesshomaru had to say. Kagome was surprised that he had entered the hut at all, let alone sitting by the fire, the girl Rin, eating one of the fish she was offered. Kagome glanced at him. He sat cross legged, his big fury pelt splayed all around him on the floor. She couldn't recall ever seeing it anywhere than on his shoulder. His arms crossed over his chest, he was a stark contrast to the Sesshomaru she saw earlier that day…the one in a white t-shirt, flannel pants, a robe and….bunny slippers. She just couldn't fathom why he, of all people wore bunny slippers, unless they were a gift to him one Christmas from Aiki.
She couldn't get the image of Sesshomaru in bunny slippers out of her head…
"The boy is alive." Sesshomaru spoke up. This caught Sango's undivided attention, and she sat up straighter.
"How can that be?! Without the shard-" she began, Sesshomaru offered her a sidelong glance, and Kagome swore she saw the hint of an emotion there.
"During an encounter with Naraku, the shard was removed, yet before Naraku could get a hold of it, I dispatched him; at least for the time being. The boy rose after that, as if nothing had happened, without the shard. It is possible that the boy was never truly dead in the first place, the shard was used to ease the pain of his severe wounds he had received long ago, much like the Youkai exterminator, only you were all led to believe that it simply was used to keep him alive."
Kagome glanced to the weeping Sango. Another way Naraku toyed with their emotions, always thinking that Kohaku was doomed, when in fact…
"So…that means he's finally freed from Naraku." Kagome spoke up.
"And more importantly, he is still alive." Miroku added.
"But where? Where is he?" Sango cried.
They were all so caught up in the conversations topic that they never noticed the new shadow that had entered the hut. Kagome always could sense where Kohaku was, since he had a jewel shard in him, so she never expected to see him…
"I'm right here." he spoke up. Sango was at his side in a flash, embracing him. Kagome smiled to herself. It was Kohaku, she could recognize his presence. He seemed a bit taller too, growing up into a man. If he was undead, he wouldn't have grown at all. Kagome cried, watching the tearful reunion long overdue.
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"So the final shard…where is it?" InuYasha asked. Kohaku closed his eyes.
"I still have it. It's exactly where Naraku wouldn't look. He thinks I've lost it, and so that's why he came here. I apologize for that, I didn't think he would come after you. In fact, I didn't believe you would ever return."
"Return? What do you mean return?" Kagome asked. Her heart hammered in her chest. Just who all knew about her time travel?
"Myouga-sama told me." Kohaku explained. Kagome relaxed against InuYasha. She now wore the traditional garb of the times, which was a flowing white kimono top, and hakama, but unlike the traditional red and white, Kaede made hers green and white. She was grateful for the color change, wearing the red was too much like how Kikyo looked.
She sighed. It wasn't that she didn't like Kikyo; sure, they had their moments. She always had been jealous, it was just so complicated. She didn't want to look so much like the woman InuYasha had first loved so much, and probably still did. Yet despite all that, Kikyo's objective was the same as theirs. Defeat Naraku. Where was Kikyo anyways?
"Myouga always had a big mouth…" InuYasha grumbled.
"I find that anything that flea has to say is not worth hearing," Sesshomaru spoke up. And with that, he stood along with Rin and Kohaku. Sango stood as well.
"Wait! Are you leaving?" Sango asked.
"Wherever Sesshomaru-sama goes, I go." he said. Sango's heartbroken expression nearly broke Kagome's own heart.
"Do not worry, Youkai Exterminator, once Naraku has been defeated, you will be a family once more. The boy's decision is to accompany me for the time being, I do not force him to follow. As it was said, he is finally free." Sesshomaru said. He put the huge pelt back onto his shoulder, and glanced to the small girl, whom looked rather sleepy now. Sesshomaru made a face that made Kagome snicker a bit.
"Perhaps we will wait until morning to depart then." he said. Kohaku nodded, and turned to Sango. Rin yawned then, and curled up on the floor beside the fire. Sesshomaru sat beside her, his back against the wall.
Was this when it began? Sesshomaru did seem a bit different that his usually cold ruthless self, then again, he was no less ruthless back in the modern era, he just had adopted more qualities since…
Kagome fully relaxed in InuYasha's embrace, and closed her eyes.
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"Here," Kohaku said, holding out his hand towards Kagome. InuYasha kept quiet as he watched Kohaku offer Kagome the final jewel shard.
"Are you sure you want to give this to me?" she asked.
"I understand that this was yours in the first place, besides, I can't keep it purified if something were to happen." he replied. InuYasha glanced to where Sesshomaru and the girl Rin waited by the trail, and exchanged a look with his brother.
"You seem changed," Sesshomaru said. InuYasha simply shrugged. They didn't tell him about being resurrected and everything about the modern era, it didn't seem relevant to what had been going on, besides, and Sesshomaru wasn't one to worry about details.
"So do you," InuYasha countered defensively. He didn't feel all that different, and it sort of bugged him that everyone else saw him as different.
"Indeed," Sesshomaru replied. Beside him, the small human girl smiled. InuYasha glanced back to Kagome and Kohaku, and watched her accept the jewel shard, with reverence. Kohaku then said his goodbyes to Sango, and left with Sesshomaru.
"He'll be alright," InuYasha said aloud to no one in particular. So long as he stuck with his brother, he would be just fine. Beside him, Kagome slid the jewel shard into the small glass bottle she carried still, and put it around her neck. He could still smell the wound on her shoulder, but thankfully it wasn't too bad anymore, but she had to take it easy for a while.
"I'm sorry guys. I know we have a lot of work to do, but while Kagome isn't feeling one hundred percent, I think we should go back for a little while." He spoke up. Shippo jumped up and landed on his shoulder.
"Now, this is something I'll never get used to…you WANTING to go back."
"Well, she could use the rest and the antibiotics…" he grumbled. Shippo giggled.
"You're blushing!"
"AM NOT!" InuYasha roared, knocking the Kitsune upside the head. He had to admit, he didn't hit him nowhere near as hard as he used to, and Shippo knew it too. Instead of crying, he gave him a bewildered expression.
"It's a good idea, just to be on the safe side." Sango agreed.
"That's right; you need to be at your strongest for when we face Naraku." Miroku added.
"Bring back some ninja snacks!!" Shippo squeaked. InuYasha offered him a stern expression.
"We just brought some back, are they gone already?!" he exclaimed. Shippo's face then looked fearful.
"I couldn't help it!"
"Fine…I'll get more ninja snacks…" InuYasha grumbled. After all, he wasn't one to complain, he ate everything up a few times himself.
"We better get going then." Kagome spoke up InuYasha nodded, and knelt down so she could climb up onto his back. He did want to get her some rest and antibiotics for that wound, but more importantly….tomorrow night was the night of the new moon, and he wanted to be as far away from Naraku as possible, and what better way five hundred years into the future?