InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix ❯ Purify ( Chapter 8 )

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! (More at the end of chapter)

 

Disclaimer: Seriously, the only thing I own in this story are the ideas and concepts not shown in the series. I don't own the characters, but I do own that sexy red electric guitar-shaped paperclip.

 

 

 

//The Phoenix\\

§Purify§

 

 

"Fear less, hope more;
Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours."

--Swedish Proverb

 

 

The youkai hadn't started an attack yet, like they were waiting on her to do something so they could. Kagome didn't keep her eyes on one place for too long, afraid that if she did it would give a demon a free shot. Sometimes her gaze would lie on Tessaiga, which still hadn't been transformed into the great fang yet. She could feel its desire, but she waited until, at last, she could think of nothing better to do and watched as the sword became the lethal weapon that made it legendary.

 

As though a floodgate was opened, the youkai charged at her, shrieking battle cries and raising their weapons. Kagome swung Tessaiga, defending herself as she belatedly realized that she wasn't exactly sure how to conjure the Wind Scar. If she had the time to do so in between killing off demons, she would have hit herself in the head. How could she be so foolish as to not think of that?

 

Oh, InuYasha, what I wouldn't give for you to be here to talk me through this… she thought as she expertly decapitated three demons. At least the sword wasn't as heavy as it looked. She lifted one hand from the grip to send out a beam of holy energy, disintegrating about twenty of the enemy before replacing her hand. I could really use your help right now. I won't let the others down. I have to protect them, even if I really do have to die for it.

 

Suddenly, time seemed to stand still. Slowly, a demonic breeze flitted by and wrapped itself around the sword. A feeling Kagome could never forget filled her very being, tying her to the Tessaiga. For the first time in a while, Kagome felt shielded and cherished; she felt safe, and she wanted nothing more than to protect. She could have sworn that something was beside her, and for some reason she wanted to cry, but whether it be for joy or sorrow—maybe even a combination of them—she didn't know, and she didn't care. Her arms moved Tessaiga up, and when time returned to her she arced it down with the cry of, “Kaze no Kizu!” Maybe it was her imagination, but she could have sworn she heard InuYasha's voice ring out along with hers.

 

The earth in front of her cleaved as five great claws of wind tore apart at least one hundred demons with a roaring ease. She watched the progress in shock, nostalgia playing the scenes where InuYasha had wrought the same results. Invisible arms wrapped around her waist from behind and unseen lips pressed against her cheek, but real warmth lingered where the touches had been. “Feh, told you it was easy,” murmured through the air and she felt that she was alone again, but the feeling that brought forth the Wind Scar stayed within her like a present given to her by a friend. Finally, tears fell down her face in a bittersweet heartache.

 

“Inu…InuYasha?”

 

§

 

Kikyo watched with awed hatred as the Kaze no Kizu ripped through about one-tenth of the demons she sent to attack her reincarnate. A sickening wave of nostalgia swept over her, forcing her to recall the many times she had seen her InuYasha do the same in the defense of that girl, the sloppy second. Embittered, Kikyo set her glare on the one who conquered her in InuYasha's heart. How dare that stupid girl…

 

Kagome continued to use the Wind Scar on her opponents, even though it didn't seem as necessary as a few moments before. She would just turn a step to the side and let loose the technique, even if there were only ten demons in the path of destruction. `What is that girl thinking?' Kikyo asked herself.

 

A stray attack was heading right for her, but it was coming at her too quickly to jump out of the way. Instinctively she brought the Mirror of the Void forth and reflected the Wind Scar back to a smirking Kagome as the younger miko watched the yellow energy come back, hitting her in the chest. Kikyo watched with satisfaction as Kagome's body impacted heavily into the ground, but something was nagging her, biting away at the back of her mind in an attempt to get her attention. Finally, she realized something as she looked at the prone body of her reincarnation.

 

Why is she smirking?

 

Suddenly, any of the remaining demons glowed and started to dissolve into nothing. Panic rising inside of her like bile, Kikyo quickly rushed her gaze to Kagome, only to see that the girl was no longer where she had been laying. She was about to make a step forward to investigate when cold steel was pressed against her neck. Whipping around, she was met with the end of Kagome's blade and livid blue-gray glare.

 

§

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama, I have urgent news!”

 

When Sesshoumaru landed, Jaken had immediately ran and bowed to him. “Speak, Jaken, or I leave you on this side of the barrier,” the lord threatened. The imp jumped before bowing even lower.

 

“Forgive me, my lord. There has been a brief but drastic rise in youki in the Ningenkai; I believe that it was Lady Mukuro's second-in-command, but it diminished too quickly to bode well. Also, if I'm correct, the Kaze no Kizu has been implemented numerous times. I believe the battle between the two mikos has officially begun,” Jaken reported. He timidly looked up into his lord's eyes, quickly diverting them at the unfathomable rage seen there.

 

“Then we're late,” Sesshoumaru said at last. “Let's get moving.”

 

Mukuro followed silently behind him.

 

§

 

“It's going to end now, Kikyo. No more pain, no more hatred, we'll both find what we want,” Kagome said calmly despite her eyes. Her chest pained her greatly, but she didn't let it bother her. More important things were happening.

 

“I won't let go so easily,” Kikyo said with empty conviction. She knew that she was in no position to make such declarations, and so did Kagome.

 

It was an ingenious plan with only one drawback. By using the Wind Scar, Kagome pinpointed Kikyo's location when the attack rebounded on her. She had never been so relieved to be attacked before then.

 

“You'll never find what you want if you don't let go, Kikyo,” she whispered. “I don't hate you, despite the feelings you have for me. It pains me to see you like this. You deserve more than this pretense of an existence. InuYasha knew it, too, deep down in his heart, but it was his heart that wouldn't let him free you. But now,” Kagome lifted the transformed fang, “Look at the Tessaiga! Not even InuYasha supports you!” she shouted.

 

Kagome resheathed the Tessaiga; she wouldn't make InuYasha's sword destroy the woman that had made him so torn. Instead, the miko drew Shinkirou. Kikyo's eyes flickered nervously to the new weapon, no doubt wishing to instead face of with the former katana. She was right to be nervous. The Shinkirou wouldn't falter if hit with the kuromiko's arrow the way Tessaiga would. Kagome made her move.

 

§

 

Kikyo was amazed at how fluid her reincarnate was attacking. The sword slashed forward with a grace that made everything surreal, as though this were a dance rather than a battle and the weapon was instead a flute giving the dancers a tempo with which to pace themselves. It wasn't until the sound of cracking reached her ears that she came back to earth.

 

She had been doing rather well dodging the attacks, but as she looked down at her chest and noticed the large gash on her clay body Kikyo knew that she was at a serious disadvantage. She was best at long distance fighting, but she needed to get away from Kagome for that to happen. Kikyo formed an orb of energy and blasted Kagome's wounded chest to the other side of the battlefield and into a tree.

 

Kikyo reached behind her for her bow and an arrow. The arrow flew at her reincarnate before being swiftly cut in two. Kagome was slowly making it back to her feet as Kikyo shot three more arrows, but they met the same fate as the first. Fed up, Kikyo concentrated on another orb of energy as Kagome was doing the same. The blasts impacted midway and sent them both flailing to their feet.

 

Gripping her head, Kikyo sat up and looked to see that Kagome was staring at her, leaning against a tree. Glaring again, Kikyo released a beam of energy from her hand. Once more, Kagome matched the attack perfectly. The kuromiko stood as her reincarnate did, and they both charged at each other.

 

Throwing her entire logic of distance into the fire, Kikyo tried landing hits with her fists and feet. None of her punches were making crucial hits, and all of her kicks were met with resistance. “Have you realized it yet, Kikyo?” Kagome asked. “It's pointless. I can match everything you throw at me.” The heel of Kagome's palm swiftly collided with the underside of Kikyo's chin, forcing the woman to lose balance. A low kick to the back of her ankles swept her onto her back where her head thumped against the ground. Kagome had the Shinkirou in her hand as she stood over the dark miko. “I can also overpower you in a way you will never be able to do to me,” she added, panting heavily. Her skin was starting to turn chalk-white, and her eyes were forming mauve circles beneath them as tears were building within them.

 

“You've been bleeding this whole time, incarnate,” Kikyo murmured. “You long to cry. Is your pain that great?” She watched in fascination as one tear made its path down the other woman's cheek, coinciding with one of the tear markings before continuing and falling to the ground.

 

“Yes, Kikyo, I'm in pain right now; this struggle of killing you is tearing me apart,” Kagome answered, closing her eyes to clear them of the salty liquid blurring her vision. “I don't want you to die with such bitterness in your heart.”

 

Kikyo turned her head away from the new tears, confused by the words spoken to her. Was the girl truly being sincere? Was the cause of those tears really…

 

“I'm already dead,” the kuromiko whispered, facing the girl once more. There was something in the way those eyes were looking at her, telling her that all of her words have been truthful. The look stirred something within her; it mirrored the ocher gaze InuYasha used to give her. Kikyo had the sudden urge to cry as well. “Why…do you cry for me, Kagome?”

 

The young miko's head snapped up. “You…used my name.”

 

“Answer my question,” Kikyo said, sitting up. Kagome let her.

 

“It hurts me to see how jaded the world has become to you, Kikyo. I know it will do no good, but I find myself asking a lot of `If' questions concerning you. If you hadn't been entrusted with the Shikon, would you have fallen in love with InuYasha? Would you have lived longer? Would you have died too young anyway? If I were in your position, would my outlook be the same?”

 

Kikyo watched as Kagome knelt down next to her and pulled her into an embrace. It amazed her that after so long of feeling nothing she could feel the warmth of Kagome's body, the heat of Kagome's tears. “I think I would,” Kagome continued, somehow managing to find comfort and be comforting at the same time.

 

Kikyo looked down at the young woman in a new light. For the first time she saw Kagome as Kagome, and not her reincarnation, not as the one who trumped her in InuYasha's heart, not the one who she attached a deep-seated acrimony. Seeing her this way…no wonder InuYasha cared so deeply for her. Sighing in a long-since-felt contentment, Kikyo weaved a hand through the raven tresses of the young woman clinging to her. “That well may be. I do not think you would.”

 

Kagome pulled away enough to look into her eyes. “Kikyo…”

 

“If you had been in my position from the start, you would never have fallen for Naraku's deception. Your love for InuYasha would have been stronger, just as his would have been for you. You would never have died in bitterness. You would never have been reborn in spite.” Kikyo gazed gently at Kagome, bringing the younger miko to stand with her. “I want the peace I've been denied for five hundred years. I think I'm ready to take it…as soon as you revive to two women I killed today.”

 

§

 

When Shiori opened her eyes immediate warmth spread through her body. The first thing she saw was a very pale, very bloody, yet very beautiful young woman kneeling next to her with a gentle smile on her ashen lips and reflecting in the soft warmth of her blue-gray eyes. Bewildered, she looked around at the obvious chaos of the scene until her eyes fell on the one who she could have sworn killed her. The kuromiko appeared different somehow, almost kinder, leaving her even more confused. A cold hand rested on her shoulder, drawing her eyes back to the pale young woman. “Don't worry; you have nothing to fear now.” For some reason, even though the kuromiko was still moving, Shiori believed her.

 

She stayed leaning against the tree as the young woman continued on to the sea foam-green haired girl who was alive the last time Shiori could remember, but was now pinned to the tree by an arrow. She watched as the young woman wrapped her small hand around the shaft of the arrow, saw it fill with a light violet glow, and sat in fascination as the weapon disintegrated before her eyes. The young woman then carefully pulled the unconscious one from the tree, the bindings disappearing much like the arrow, and laid her on the ground. Shiori's confusion switched to shock as the young woman drew a sword with a blade that appeared to be made of violet flames and sliced it right through the prone body. The mother couldn't even scream. What the…

 

The young woman then sheathed the sword and knelt beside the body, and they all watched as color began returning to the pallid cheeks. Shiori watched, stunned, as the girl opened her crimson eyes once more, looking up at the young woman much like she did. The young woman smiled again, offering reassurance without saying a word, and gestured for Shiori to come over. As soon as the two were sitting next too each other, the young woman faced Kikyo. “Should I revive Hiei now? I'm sure he'd find satisfaction in your death.”

 

Beside Shiori, Yukina gasped as her eyes found Hiei's lifeless body and the blood that pooled around him. The mother circled an arm on the girl's shoulder in an effort to console while trying to understand the conversation. Were the two women allies or enemies?

 

“I don't think it wise to revive him just yet. If he can even move, I am most positive he'll rip my head off,” Kikyo answered, but not in the tones that Shiori was used to hearing. She sounded more benevolent. What happened to the woman who killed her?

 

“Are you ready now, Kikyo?” the young woman asked.

 

§

 

“Yes, I want my peace,” she answered. Across from her Kagome lifted her bow and the single arrow the young miko had brought with her for this specific purpose. It took on a heavenly amethyst glow before it rushed at her, hitting her where her heart would be. She was surprised to feel no pain, but instead a great cleansing as all of the sins she had committed, the corruption that stained her. “Thank you, Kagome.” For purifying me.

 

Kikyo was peaceful at last.

 

§

 

The souls inhabiting Kikyo's body escaped into the air as the clay body decomposed into a small pile of ashes. A ghostly white orb about the size of a normal human soul shot out and hit Kagome in the chest, causing her to fall back into the two women sitting behind her.

 

Kagome couldn't help the moan of joviality as her soul completed itself. She didn't realized how much pain she had been in until she felt the difference again. If only her chest would stop hurting…

 

Four benevolent energies made their way into her radar, and maybe if she wasn't so tired she'd put a little more effort in trying to see if she could recognize them, but with her soul combining again and her blood loss…she wondered briefly if she would die again. Twice in one day had to be the worst track record ever.

 

But Hiei…she couldn't just leave Hiei like that…

 

Opening her eyes—when had they closed?—, she saw that the two strangers she revived were talking, but for the life of her she couldn't hear a word. The looks on their faces screamed concern. Were their voices? In any case, she was wasting precious consciousness trying to read blurry lips, and at this moment it was unacceptable. She had to at least try and save Hiei.

 

She ignored the protesting faces as well as the words she couldn't hear and forced herself to stand. Her blurry world stayed upright for about four seconds before seesawing and smacking her in the face with the ground. How rude…

 

Frowning, she pushed herself up on all fours, the most she thought she could handle, and painstakingly forced herself to crawl over to Hiei. She reached a hand out to his body; he was slightly warm, but that could just be because she was so cold. Kagome smiled wryly. He always felt warmer than her. She admired his heat but knew that if she did nothing than she couldn't continue to do so. Besides, she wanted to admire him alive, too.

 

Her body screamed at her as she drew the Kiseki-Jihi, but she ignored it like she ignored the two women who had apparently followed her over to the dead man, watching with apprehension and wonder. Blinking heavily, she brought the sword up and swept it down…completely missing Hiei by a mile. “Oh, dammit,” she cursed before drunkenly lifting the sword again, this time managing to get him in the chest.

 

Kagome simply let the sword go as she felt life return to the man she knelt beside. The wounds weren't healing, probably the consequence of self-infliction, but he was alive, and that was good. She smiled as he opened those crimson eyes of his, looking bewildered as she looked amused. His gaze wondered over to the two now-living women before returning to her, searching for an answer.

 

“I told you I would fix everything, Hiei. It couldn't hurt to have just a little faith in me,” she whispered. He just continued to look at her. “Do I look like hell that much?”

 

She passed out on top of Hiei's reheated body before getting an answer. That was okay though, because Hiei passed out before giving it.

 

§

 

The carnage was evident fifty meters away from the actual site of the battle. Great gauges cleaved into the earth: the Kaze no Kizu, without a doubt. They had been running in the direction the attack seemed to originate from, but Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly and brought the entire group to a standstill as well. He lifted his nose slightly higher in the air and sniffed.

 

“What is it, Sesshoumaru?” Mukuro asked, moving to stand beside him.

 

“Kagome has been bleeding for a long time. The air reeks of human blood, youkai as well.” Sesshoumaru paused. “And death. It's rather repulsive.”

 

“Let's hurry, then,” Mukuro said before running again. Sesshoumaru caught up to her and took the lead with Jaken riding Ah-Un taking up the rear.

 

The carnage grew more frantic as the scent of blood increased. At last they reached the clearing.

 

Blood was lying in puddles and trails on the decimated earth. Right in the center, Kagome had half of her body lying on Hiei as a demon, Yukina if the eyes were anything to go by, and presumably Kurama's human mother, knelt beside them. The two looked up in fear as the powerful strangers walked over to them.

 

“Who are you?” Yukina asked, standing in front of the others defensively, knowing if they wanted to harm her it would be only too easy. “If you're going to hurt us, you might as well just leave.” Her voice was unsteady with fear.

 

“Insolent wench!” Jaken shouted from his perch on Ah-Un. “Silence that impudent tongue and show Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Mukuro the proper respect before they slice you in half!”

 

“L-Lord S-Seshou-shoumaru…? Lady Mu-Mukuro…?” Yukina stuttered, falling to her knees in shock and fear.

 

Mukuro glared at the imp in distain. “We have no interest in slicing anyone in half, you twit,” she informed before turning back to Yukina. “However, we do have interest in Hiei and Kagome. Please move aside, Yukina.”

 

The Koorime was motionless until reality hit her and she scrambled away, bowing in apology. Even so, she couldn't help but gawk a little as two of the most powerful youkai in all of Makai knelt beside her brother and the woman who saved her life. This definitely constitutes as one of the weirdest days of her life; she could hardly fathom what Shiori was feeling right now.

 

On one knee, Sesshoumaru carefully turned Kagome onto her back, almost flinching at how unhealthily pale she was. Hiei had more color, but not much. Her wounds though…they looked like… “She was attacked by the Kaze no Kizu.”

 

Mukuro quickly looked up from her inspection of Hiei. “She wields the sword now, and it wouldn't hurt a human.”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. “But Kikyo has been using Kanna's mirror. I've heard that it can even reflect the Wind Scar.” They both observed the battlefield more intently. A small circle remained completely undamaged and from it sprung an array of marks classic to the Kaze no Kizu. Only one set doubled back, and the way the foliage was arranged suggested the return happened from behind some thick bushes.

 

“She did it on purpose,” Mukuro concluded. “She knew Kikyo had to give up her location if she would save herself.”

 

“She's shrewd,” Sesshoumaru commented before lifting her in his arm. Mukuro easily lifted Hiei, nodding to signal she was ready. “Let's go.”

 

“Wait!” The two lords turned to see the human looking at them desperately. “What about my son?”

 

Sesshoumaru and Mukuro glanced at each other, wondering how they didn't notice the absence of the clever fox or the loudest lord earlier. Mukuro silently closed her eyes, staying still for a moment before turning to her friend. “They are within a twenty meter radius of Higurashi Shrine.”

 

“Jaken,” Sesshoumaru said sharply. The one word sent the imp to his knees. “You will carry them to Kagome's home. Use Ah-Un.”

 

Jaken's face fell.

 

§

 

When Hiei managed to open his eyes again and saw them over his face, at first he thought perhaps there was a mirror on the ceiling, leading him to wonder if someone thought it would be funny to leave him in a cheesy hotel, and the hooker was in the bathroom. Thankfully with a few more blinks and some squinting the image morphed into Yukina's worried, yet relieved, face. He had never been so happy to see his sister.

 

“Aniki?”

 

He let out a garbled groan that was supposed to resemble Yukina's name.

 

“Don't try to talk too much, Hiei.” Yukina turned to face the door. “Mukuro-sama, he's awake!”

 

Hiei's eyes bulged slightly. Did she just say Mukuro, or had whatever screwed with his voice do the same to his ears?

 

Sure enough, Mukuro walked into the room with a tall demon following behind her. Hiei forced himself to sit up; at least his body would cooperate with him. The strange demon faced him for a few seconds, as though sizing him up, before turning to the other side of the room. His right hand was holding a washrag in a bowl of water. He sat on the edge of a bed Hiei hadn't realized was there and carefully rung the cloth, laying it tenderly on the face of…was that really Kagome? She looked so pale…

 

“Hiei?” Mukuro asked. This time, when he opened his mouth, the words must have been articulate enough to make sense.

 

“Where are we, Mukuro?”

 

“Higurashi Shrine, specifically in Kagome's room. Yukina,” the ice maiden's head jumped up to face the woman, “please be so kind as to check on your friend, Kuwabara. Jaken, while not completely incompetent, has a rather strong dislike for all but one human, and while Kuwabara means a lot to Kagome, Jaken will probably just have him tossed in the general direction of the bed and take his leave.”

 

Yukina's eyes widened in surprise before she bowed. “Of course, Mukuro-sama.” She turned to the other demon and bowed again. “Sesshoumaru-sama,” she said, promptly rushing from the room.

 

Hiei turned to look at the other demon, just now noticing that the youkai's left sleeve was rather limp. So this was the Mighty Lord Sesshoumaru? No wonder Mukuro seemed relaxed. Why was he here, though, taking care of Kagome, a miko?

 

“I don't know if you've realized this yet, Hiei, but Kagome is a rather special person,” Mukuro said, her blue eye staring at him intently. Hiei carefully moved himself to lean against the wall his futon was nearest. Remaining silent, he waited for Mukuro to continue. The woman turned away, and he followed her gaze to the miko. “She is an excellent storyteller. Her words are always carefully woven, leading one to interpret what she means.”

 

Hiei raised an eyebrow. “She's a liar?” He was confused when Mukuro gave a small smile.

 

“Are you?” she asked rhetorically. “Kagome is a horrible liar, and she knows it. Other people are willing to lie for her, especially if you hear them call her with an honorific, like Myouga. In fact, it's rather safe to say that the only one you can expect the total truth from would be Kagome herself,” Mukuro informed before turning to the silent lord. “It might be best if we leave them to recuperate, Sesshoumaru.”

 

Sesshoumaru stood and finally tore his eyes from Kagome's face. He gave a slight nod and headed for the door. “We should probably make sure Jaken didn't decide to not see one of the humans,” he announced in a stoic voice before leaving the room.

 

Mukuro stood and smoothed out her pants. She laid a hand on the light switch by the threshold, but paused and whispered, “Oh, and Hiei?”

 

“Hn?”

 

The powerful woman turned her head just enough for Hiei to see the grin on her lips. “In case you happen to notice before we do, please tell us if something happens to Kagome-sama.”

 

The lights blacked out and the door closed on Hiei's startled face.

 

§§§§§

 

A/N: “That well may be. I do not think you would,” is actually an alteration of the last line of Edna St. Vincent Millay's “Sonnet 30,” “That well may be. I do not think I would.” Not much different, but it sounded like something Kikyo would say. This mentioned, I would like to add to the disclaimer that I do not own Edna St. Vincent Millay or any of her work.

 

I know it's shorter even though I took a long time, but I was at the part where Hiei woke up when I got news that a good friend of the family passed away, so if the ending seems a little lack-luster, I apologize. I also wanted to get this out before much more time has gone by. With that said, I sincerely hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 

(By the way, I don't know if you got it from this chapter, but I actually like Kikyo as a character. If I had to choose, I would rather Kagome be with InuYasha, but I still like Kikyo.)

 

Happy Valentine's Day! (Hey, has anyone heard from Ryukotsusei? I kind of miss her reviews…)