InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Second Chance At Love ❯ War and Peace ( Chapter 29 )

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN INU YASHA OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS KNOWN AND ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

 

Thank you to my wonderful betas Wendy and Deborah. They are the best betas anyone could ask for. And I know I haven't said it often, but thank you to all those who read this fic and to those who reviewed… from all sites!!! I really appreciate it!!

 

“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.”

-Friedrich Nietzsche

 

“War is so unjust and ugly that all who wage it must try to stifle the voice of conscience within themselves.”

-Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace.

 

 

Chapter 29: War and Peace

 

This chapter begins from inside Sango's dream…

 

 

Kagome opened her eyes and was surprised at the sight before her. She couldn't believe things had progressed so far in so little time. It couldn't have been more than ten minutes since she was last in Sango's dream, but the thirty or so demons that had been left were gone. All that remained was Sango and Kohaku. She noticed that the young lord was still standing framed in the doorway and watching the battle. He didn't look to have moved at all since she was last there.

 

Sango's hair had fallen free and her exterminator suit was cut in various places. Neither she nor Kohaku looked to be in good shape and Kagome wondered how long they'd been fighting each other.

 

“Sango…”

 

Kagome blinked. She'd forgotten just that quick that she'd brought Miroku with her until she heard him breathe her friend's name. She turned to look at him then and her heart lurched at the sad look on his face. His shoulders hung dejectedly as he watched the two siblings fight one another.

 

“She's crying,” he whispered aloud.

 

Kagome wasn't quite sure if he was actually speaking to her or just commenting. She turned her gaze back towards the fight and sighed as she saw the evidence of his words. “I know.”

 

“If she doesn't want to fight him, then why does she?” asked Miroku in wonder.

 

“I don't think she has a choice,” she responded sadly.

 

“But she does!” he said vehemently. He turned blazing eyes on her then.

 

“I know she does, but she doesn't see it that way,” replied Kagome with an unconscious shrug. “Look at her. She believes the world around her. She's probably already made an excuse for why the rest of us aren't with her and hasn't bothered to think twice about it; especially after seeing Kohaku.”

 

Miroku stared at Kagome's profile as he digested everything she'd just said. It did make sense and in Sango's case, nothing ever had to really make sense for her to go charging after her brother. “You're right,” he sighed as he turned back to watch Sango. “She would do anything for Kohaku… and the Obake probably knew that, which is why he chose this setting.” He waved his hand around to indicate the entire dream.

 

“I was wondering about that myself,” said Kagome with a thoughtful look. “I'm not so sure that's how this works. I mean think about it; how could the Obake have possibly known about all of this?” she mimicked his hand motion to refer to the world around them. “Even if he was getting his knowledge from Kanna she wasn't `created' until after all of this.”

 

“Could Naraku have told Kanna?”

 

“For what purpose? Besides, did Naraku strike you as the `sharing' type?” she asked with a skeptical lift of her brow as she turned towards him.

 

“True.”

 

“It doesn't add up. Let's just say you're right and out of some fluke of nature Naraku did tell Kanna how he acquired Kohaku. Why? Because she… asked?” she frowned. That sounded even far less possible then Naraku sharing. Kanna spoke when she had something to say, period. “Do you really think that the Obake is powerful enough to not only control what you dream, but also dictate it and make it real enough for you to believe while at the same time fighting with Sesshoumaru? And creating multiple clones that must be sustained? We both know how difficult it is to control another's thoughts-”

 

“And cloning isn't easy either,” he added with nod. He'd also seen the clones before Kagome had taken them into Sango's dream.

 

“Right. And I imagine he isn't finding fighting the Lord of the Western Lands very easy either. And now with Inu-Yasha and Tetsusaiga helping…” she trailed off to leave the rest to him to think of. “I don't think so.”

 

Miroku had to admit she had a point. He didn't believe the Obake's powers could be split so much and still be so powerful. They wouldn't have any hope of defeating him then. That still left the question unanswered.

 

“Then what's causing this?” he asked unnecessarily.

 

“Us. Well, you guys,” she shrugged off her mistake. “I think all he did was gave you guys a nightmare. You, or your sub-conscience, chose what that nightmare would be. Though I don't doubt he had a suspicion of what it would be, especially in your case. Basically he dictated the dream, but you did the details on your own.”

 

“Then why won't she wake up? I did.”

 

“Yes, but you also had Naraku as your antagonist. And you know he's dead. She doesn't. It's more about her losing Kohaku and its much scarier for her because it's happened before… a couple of times.” She turned back to Sango before continuing, “It's her worse nightmare.”

 

Miroku's heart gave an erratic thump in his chest as he listened to what Kagome said. He knew she was right about Sango and his heart hurt for the woman he loved because he knew how much Sango loved her brother. She had blamed herself for so long over him being captured by Naraku that he didn't doubt that the nightmare was bringing up many a painful feeling for her. But, he'd thought that Sango's fears had subsided when they had finally gotten her brother back and Lord Sesshoumaru had used his Tensaiga on the boy. Had she been having this nightmare all this time? He was amazed she was still able to sleep at night. She was even braver then he thought.

 

Kagome silently watched as brother and sister fought each other in a desperate battle of wills. Sango had discarded Hiraikotsu in exchange for her katana as her weapon of choice. All they could hear was the ring of metal clashing against metal as attacks were made and blocked. Narrowing her eyes, Kagome took a step a closer as she watched their movements closely. She noticed that her friend was doing a lot more blocking and whenever Sango had the chance to attack she didn't. What was the other girl playing at? Why wasn't she fighting back?

 

“She won't win like this. What is she doing?” she asked aloud to herself.

 

“She's not trying to win,” replied Miroku.

 

Kagome looked over her shoulder at him then. She hadn't been addressing her question to him, but she didn't mind getting an answer so she arched a brow in question.

 

“You said it yourself Kagome; she would never fight her brother.”

 

“She's fought him before Miroku.”

 

“No. She's protected others from him and, when she could, protected him from himself. But she has never done anything that would harm him. She can't.”

 

Kagome saw the truth in his words as she eyed the taijiya. They needed to get her attention off of Kohaku and on to them. Only then could they get her to see the truth, but Kagome had failed miserably when she'd tried to get to Sango earlier. Sango was too emotionally attached to what was happening around her to hear Kagome. Her only hope was that, she prayed, Sango couldn't ignore Miroku as easily.

 

“You have to help her Miroku! She won't listen to me but maybe she'll listen to you. We have to get her out of here. I could force her out, but I don't know what damage it would cause to her mind,” she said, deep concern in her eyes. “But I would rather risk that then the possible alternative if she stays and continues this fight.”

 

“What alternative?” asked Miroku with a slight frown. He didn't like the sound in her voice.

 

“Where I'm from there's a little saying that goes `if you die in your dreams, you die in reality'. It's like the dream a person has of falling off a high cliff. You always wake up before you hit the ground. And no matter how much of a dream it is you still wake with your heart pounding and your palms sweating. You carry that fear of dying with you even while you sleep. Can you imagine what it would be like to wake up believing yourself dead? It's still only a theory in my time, but I'd rather Sango not be the one to prove it right or wrong,”

 

He wouldn't either.

 

“I wouldn't be surprised if that was the bakemono's goal all along. Let Sango and I finish ourselves off unknowingly, while he deals with Inu-Yasha and Lord Sesshoumaru without interruptions.”

 

Kagome froze. She'd never thought of that. The thought of them dying in their dreams had only just occurred to her. As she thought more on the idea her anger surged inside of her and she decided that Miroku might be right. Her eyes flashed red in indignation before she clamped a tight hold on to it.

 

Miroku saw the dark look come over Kagome's face and was momentarily shocked. When her eyes flashed red he'd almost begun to worry as he'd felt a slight chill run down his spine. He'd never seen her express so much anger before. Then they'd changed back to her natural blue and he'd taken it as a trick of the light. It was better then the demonic aura he thought he'd begun to sense.

 

He moved forward and stepped past Kagome, but not before placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Moving towards Sango he called out to her, but received no response. He waited until he was a few more steps closer before trying again. This time he saw a slight hesitation in her movements when he called her name a second time. Miroku gave a slight grin; so she wasn't able to ignore him then.

 

“Sango, you must listen to me.”

 

Once again Sango hesitated for a split second before dodging a blow from her brother. She blinked as she tried to focus on Kohaku and not the voice in her head that sounded an awful lot like her houshi. Miroku's voice had never distracted her during a battle before, no one ever had, but now she was having difficulties concentrating on her brother with the monk calling her name. She had to stay alert and focus because she needed to protect her brother. She'd failed to do so before and he'd ended up being used to kill their father and friends. There was no way he'd be able to live with himself if he knew he'd allowed Naraku to make him kill his sister and she refused to let that happen to him. She wouldn't fail in her duty to protect her brother again.

 

Miroku stepped lightly up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back flush against his chest. Leaning forward, he rested his chin on her shoulder as he held her close against him. Miroku pressed the soft flesh of his lips against the curve of her ear as he spoke to her once more.

 

“Sango do you hear me? You have to stop this.”

 

A shiver went down her spine as the warmth of his breath tickled and moistened the inside of her ear. She tried to ignore the feel of his arm around her and the press of his body against her own, but the sensations felt too real; as if her houshi was truly there.

 

“What you see here is not real,” he continued evenly as he tightened his arm around her waist. “You trusted me with your heart will you not trust me with your life as well? With your brother's life? I promise you Sango, on the very love I hold for you that no harm will come to him here.”

 

Sango began to tremble as his words hit a chord deep within her. She knew Miroku would not lie to her, not about something like this, but she was afraid to believe in him. What if he was wrong? But, he asked her to trust him and if she knew anything, she knew that Miroku would not have bothered saying what he said unless he believed it to be real. And now he was asking her to believe him too.

 

“Look at me Sango. Turn your head and look at me,” he asked of her quietly. “Trust in me.”

 

Sango couldn't resist him when he was being like that; all love and faith in each other. For her to turn her head and look at him, that mean taking her eyes off Kohaku and possibly getting herself hurt or even killed. And if Miroku was truly there, as her heart and body was telling her, he could also get hurt. But if what he said was true…

 

Shutting her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath then reopened her eyes. Deep brown eyes met a matching brown. She stared into the fathomless eyes of her brother's then slowly turned her head as her eyes began to water again. She was trying to keep her brother in her sights as well as look at her Miroku as he'd asked of her. She immediately forgot about Kohaku as her eyes met the familiar purple of Miroku's.

 

Miroku released a breath as her eyes met his. He'd remained still as he'd waited for her to make her decision; to believe him or believe what she was seeing. He didn't realize just how much it meant to him for her to choose him until he'd seen her head begin to turn towards him and he felt the pressure, he didn't realize was there, release from his chest.

 

His heart twisted as he saw, first hand, the raw pain reflected in her watery vision. Part of him would never understand how hard it must have been for her to look at him and away from the image of her brother, because he didn't have any siblings, but he did know what it meant to love someone so much that you placed all your faith in them and he swore to himself in that moment that he would never do anything to make Sango regret her decision to love him that much. He replaced the arm at her waist with his free arm so he could bring the other hand up to place along her cheek. He watched her eyes shut briefly as a tear slipped from between her lashes before she opened them again and focused on him.

 

“Oh, Sango…” he swiped at the lone tear with the pad of his thumb, “I'm sorry you had to go through this alone, but you're not alone anymore. Kohaku is not here. Remember, we got him back and Kagome has the completed Shikon no Tama. He's free from all of this. This world isn't real.” His eyes flickered back and forth between hers as he looked at her earnestly for any sign that she understood what he was saying. “Do you remember?”

 

Sango watched his deep blue eyes, so deep they were more purple than blue, as she listened to all he said. She fought with herself to ignore the brother in front of her and focus on the images his words were conjuring up for her. Slowly she began to remember the battle with Naraku and how they'd removed the shard from her brothers back. She remembered watching the light of recognition coming into his eyes only to begin fading a moment later. She'd tried her best not to let him see her cry, but she couldn't stop the tears from falling before she'd reached out a shaking hand to close his eyes when his chest ceased to move.

 

And… she remembered Lord Sesshoumaru using his sword, the Tensaiga, to bring her brother back.

 

She blinked. Miroku watched as the light started to come back to her eyes and felt a small sense of relief.

 

“Kaede's…” she breathed.

 

“Yes,” he smiled then, “he's at Kaede's. You remember.”

 

She nodded. Sango could still hear the swaying of her brother's weapon and wasn't sure if it was her imagination or something else, but she refused to turn around and check. Her brother wasn't there. She had to believe that. She did believe that.

 

Miroku leaned forward and softly covered her lips with his own. He slowly ran the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips, dipping swiftly inside for a quick taste when she allowed him access. After his small exploration of her mouth, he retreated once more, but did not remove his lips from hers. He rubbed his lips against the soft curves of hers as he turned her fully around towards him.

 

“I'm sorry I wasn't here,” he whispered against her mouth. “I had my own demons to fight.”

 

She opened her eyes then, in question. They had closed of their own volition the moment he'd touched his mouth to hers. Sango didn't know what he meant by that and wanted to ask him about it, but she figured there would be plenty of time for that later. Now, she'd rather get out of there.

 

“It's okay,” she replied as she leaned into him slightly. “Can we leave now?”

 

“Yeah… we can go now,” he grinned as he tightened his arm around her. As long as he had his Sango he realized he could get through anything, even the Takashis.

 

Suddenly he felt the same sensation behind his eyes as he'd felt when Kagome had pulled him into Sango's dream and wondered at it. He pulled his face back from Sango's, without letting her go, and turned to look over his shoulder. He stared in puzzlement as a teary eyed Kagome gave him a small wave then his vision began to blur. He turned back to Sango as he realized the miko was taking them back. He smiled down at his taijiya and her answering grin was the last thing he saw before everything around him swirled and blurred into one messy blob.

 

**

 

Kagome had watched the interaction between her two friends and had nearly cried when Sango had chosen to believe Miroku. She'd been holding her breath for those excruciatingly long minutes it took for the exterminator to decide. It was good to know everything was going to be alright: Sango and Miroku were safe now, and Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha were alive. Her world was finally getting back on its axis, or so she believed. She didn't understand how her friends were able to touch each other in this world, but she guessed it probably had something to do with both of them wanting the touch at the same time or something like that. Kagome never professed to understanding the dream world.

 

She'd tried not to eavesdrop on their conversation and had turned her head away in effort to do just that, but it was impossible not to hear them. The world around them had slowly begun to fade as, she figured, Sango's mind became more focused on Miroku and not it. That probably also had something to do with why they were able to touch, she wasn't really sure. But, when she heard Sango-because she couldn't help but hear-she knew it was time to finally leave.

 

Kagome marveled at the love between them and had a fleeting moment to wish for the same thing for herself. But she knew if she was meant to be with Sesshoumaru, like she believed she was, their relationship would never be like Sango's and Miroku's. Just the thought of Sesshoumaru showing her that much affection in public scared her senseless… but maybe they would have a different kind of wonderful that was just as much of a marvel to witness as it was to see the taijiya and monk together.

 

Quietly she reached out for the string of consciousness that lead to her own mind and severed her and Miroku's link to Sango. She figured she probably should have warned them so they could say goodbye, then thought better of it. They'd being seeing each again in a matter of moments anyway; why put them through the sorrow of `goodbye'?

Kagome turned her head backed to them just in time to see Miroku's head turning in her direction. She lifted a hand in goodbye as she gave them a watery smile then watched him turn back towards Sango.

 

Kagome saw them smiling at each other before everything went fuzzy for the last time.

 

****

 

Kagome blinked as she felt the world around her right itself as she slowly got on her feet. She moved to lift her head when she felt a strange sensation slither down her neck causing the small hairs on the back of her neck to stand. She tensed as she slowly lifter her head; not sure what she was going to see, but having the feeling she wasn't going to want to.

 

Her eyes widened at the sight before her.

 

She froze as she stared in horror at the demon she loved being surrounded by Bakemoni with swords. He was covered in front, back and from above. She couldn't see how he was going to get out of that even with his demon speed. Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to scream out a warning when suddenly all three bakes moved in for the kill.

Kagome stood paralyzed as she waited for the inevitable to happen, when a flash of red crossed her vision from the left and the next thing she saw was Inu-Yasha crossing Sesshoumaru and getting behind him. She watched in amazed shock as Sesshoumaru used both his acid whip and Tokijin to block the two demons above and in front of him. Her body slid to the ground as she watched Inu-Yasha, eyes watering again, block the demon at Sesshoumaru's back.

 

She released a sigh of relief that soon caught in her throat when she saw the demon Inu-Yasha blocked pull another sword from nowhere. Her hands lifted to cover her mouth as she watched in terror as Inu-Yasha neatly spun and placed himself between Sesshoumaru and the sharp blade. Her best friend had just been stabbed and Kagome was too shocked to even move.

 

Miroku and Sango both sat beside her as they stared with similar looks of horror on their faces. All three of them had an uninterrupted view of what happened. Nations were built and destroyed in the moment-that felt like an eternity-it took for the sword to go through Inu-Yasha's back and be withdrawn.

 

Kagome sat frozen as more tears gathered in her eyes and began to stream down her face. She saw the blood spreading on Inu-Yasha's clothes as he looked up at a stiff-backed Sesshoumaru. She had no idea what he said to the Taiyoukai, it was too low for her to catch from her distance away, but she was jerked into action when she saw her friend lift a blood covered hand to his face.

 

“INU-YASHA”

 

The scream tore from her throat as she jumped to unsteady legs and ran towards them. The tears kept streaming from her eyes as she ran as fast as her human legs could carry her. She watched as Inu-Yasha turned to look at her then open his mouth to say something, but she didn't hear anything at first. A sob tore from her when she heard her name whispered brokenly from his lips.

 

“Inu-Yasha,” she sobbed as he turned to look at Sesshoumaru then promptly fell to the ground at the demon lord's feet.

 

Kagome reached them only moments after Inu-Yasha's head hit the ground. Ignoring the laughter coming from the bake, she dropped clumsily to her knees beside him as she turned him on his back. She reached trembling fingers to his throat to feel for a pulse then choked up more when she didn't find one. Her entire body began to shake as she balled her hands into fists to stop their trembling. She looked up at Sesshoumaru frantically as her heart pounded in her throat.

 

`He's dead.' Her own pulse was beating erratically, while Inu-Yasha's wasn't beating at all. `It could have been Sesshoumaru…' Those were the only thoughts going through her mind as she raised scared and hurt filled eyes to the Taiyoukai.

 

Sesshoumaru stared down into the anguish on her face. He could see all the love and care she had for the hanyou right there for everyone and the world to see. Something painful twisted in his chest. It had been centuries since he last felt a feeling like that and he quickly remembered why he usually didn't deal with emotions. But, even through all his pain he still couldn't stand the sight of her tears.

 

“He lives,” he said quietly to her.

 

He watched her blink once, twice, and then turned her vision back to the hanyou on the ground. The houshi and the taijiya had made it over to them now and had taken up posts on either side of the miko. Briefly he thought of using Tensaiga but the sword wasn't calling to him, so he knew however much care Inu-Yasha needed he wasn't dead yet.

Sesshoumaru didn't know why he believed she could love him and forget about his brother, but he had. He didn't know what he was going to do about that and, truthfully, didn't want to think about it. He did not like being wrong.

 

His eyes connected with the Bakemono's then. There was nothing he could do about the hanyou, unless he died, but there was something he could do about the bakemono. This was going to be finished once and for all, one way or another.

 

“Do what you will,” he said, eyes still on the bakemono, before he attacked the demon.

 

Kagome leaned down to listen for Inu-Yasha's breathing and shut her eyes in silent relief when she felt warm air touch her cheek.

 

She stiffened when the air suddenly stopped.

 

Sesshoumaru paused in his fight with the bakemono when he felt the Tensaiga begin to pulse at his side. “Inu-Yasha…” For the first time he wasn't sure how to proceed. He silently dodged a blow from the bake as he wondered whether to continue the fight or go help the hanyou?

 

“No…” Kagome sat as she shook her head continuously. “No, no, no!” She cried as she placed her fists on his chest. “NO!” she screamed as she raised her hands and hit him hard in his chest.

 

Everyone froze for a moment at her outburst, including Sesshoumaru and the Obake. Miroku and Sango exchanged sad, knowing looks.

 

“Kagome…” began Sango quietly, “there's nothing you can do. He's gone.”

 

“NO! No he's not dammit! Don't say that! Don't even think it!!” She turned and screamed at her friend before turning back to Inu-Yasha's silent form. “Come on, Inu-Yasha!” she yelled as she hit him again in his chest. “Wake up, damn you! Wake up!” She continued to hit him, with both fists, with every word she yelled.

 

**

 

Sesshoumaru could hear everything she said, even without his demon hearing, as he fought with the bakemono.

 

The Obake grinned as he thought he saw a shadow pass over the Taiyoukai's face. “This couldn't have turned out better, if I'd planned it myself,” he laughed then his eyes widened as he quickly jumped back, barely missing getting sliced by the Taiyoukai's sword.

 

**

 

“I promised,” said Kagome brokenly as her hits got slower and her strength died. “I promised me and you… always me and you. “ Another, slow, weak hit, “Come on Inu-Yasha… I promised! Always a team, always me and you… together,” she whispered brokenly as the tears continued to fall.

 

Her hands began to glow, unbeknownst to her, with a bright blue light that was quickly turning white. Kagome could feel her hands getting warm, but figured it was from squeezing them so tightly closed so she didn't bother to open her eyes and look at them. Some few minutes ago she'd shut her eyes and laid her head down on Inu-Yasha's chest as she continued to bang on him with her fists on either side of her head.

 

Even though Kagome wasn't seeing what was happening, Miroku and Sango sat, transfixed, as they watched the interaction between the miko and the dead hanyou.

When Kagome's hands came down on Inu-Yasha's chest once more, they watched as the glow sent a shock wave through Inu-Yasha, jolting both him and Kagome.

 

Kagome's head shot up when she felt the shudder run through her friend's body. She stared in awe at the glow surrounding his body and her hands. She had no idea what was going on or how she was doing it, but when she saw his chest rise she knew not to move her hands. Sliding her left hand down to cover the open wound in the side of his stomach, she kept the other near his heart. Shutting her eyes she sent every healing power and spell she could think of to him.

 

After what seemed like ages, she opened her eyes to see the glow had disappeared and Inu-Yasha had begun breathing on his own. She raised a shaking hand to his face and released a sob when familiar, sun kissed eyes clouded with pain opened to greet her.

 

Kagome gave him a bright watery smile as she slipped one of her left hand into his and squeezed. “Hi. How are you feeling?”

 

Inu-Yasha stared up at her and wondered why she was blubbering. He could hear Sesshoumaru still fighting with the bake so he knew nothing was wrong with his brother and Sango and Miroku were sitting a bit behind Kagome on either side of her.

 

“Fine,” he responded in a raspy voice as he arched an inquisitive brow.

 

He wondered at the quality of his voice as he opened his mouth to ask a question when what happened came flooding back to him. He remembered it all: the bakes surrounding Sesshoumaru, his rushing to help, and the bake pulling out an extra sword and stabbing him with it. Yep, he remembered it all…

 

Inu-Yasha frowned and winced as a sharp pain went through his head and his vision started to blur again. He gave a light squeeze to the hand holding his, in reassurance, when he saw that Kagome had seen his reaction and was worrying. Then he shut his eyes as oblivion took over him and he slept.

 

Kagome sighed as she realized he was asleep and quietly extracted her hand from his. That's when she saw the blood.

 

She'd unknowingly wrapped her hand around the hand Inu-Yasha had used to press against his wound. Staring at the blood streaking her palm and fingers, she didn't see her hand, but instead saw the image of the Obake trying to kill two of the most important people in her life. Her mind darkened as the images played over and over in her head.

 

Kagome's anger rose as her mind continued to darken. The Obake had not only tried to kill her Sesshoumaru with a dirty, rotten trick, but he'd nearly succeeded in killing her best friend. `He'd cheated!' she screamed in her head in indignation as she saw the events unfold in her mind for the umpteenth time.

 

Anger turned to righteous fury then righteous fury turned to burning rage. Her eyes darkened, blue slowly turning to black, as she stared at the blood coating her hand.

 

The bloodied hand balled into a small fist.

 

Miroku and Sango leaned back as they sensed the power inside the miko churning and changing. They could see the nearly white aura that usually surrounded their friend darken as her ki crackled around her.

 

When Kagome turned her head to look over her shoulder, they both nearly jumped at the nearly black orbs looking past them. They exchanged nervous looks as the miko got to her feet and walked past them. They'd never seen so much hatred and anger in all their life.

 

Sango reached out a hand to do something, maybe stop her friend, but was waylaid by the monk. She turned her gaze to him then.

 

“Don't,” he shook his head at her. “She won't hear you. And she might hurt you for interfering.”

 

“Interfering?” asked Sango with a tremor in her voice. “Interfering with what? What is she going to do?”

 

“Can't you feel it Sango? The power?” he looked at her with a solemn look on his face. “She may be the most powerful miko to date and somehow she has the power of the Four Souls within her… and she's pissed.”

 

Sango's eyes widened as she turned to stare at her friend. Miroku's use of the speech that they'd learned from said friend seemed rather more appropriate then anything they could have said instead.

 

“Not only pissed,” she breathed as realization dawned and she repeated herself, “not only pissed, but out for revenge.”

 

“Yes,” he agreed as he followed her gaze. “I don't think she's going to allow anyone to get in her way; including us.”

 

“Oh Kami-sama…” she breathed.

 

Someone was in trouble.

 

**

 

Sesshoumaru stared in wonder as the Tokijin began to shake in his hand. It was almost as if the sword was trying to leave him… His fist tightened as he exerted his will over the sword and wasn't surprised when the sword stilled once more. He moved to attack the bake again, when the sword began to resist him once more. `Peculiar' he thought to himself as he stilled. He calmly dodged the Obake's attacks while he puzzled over his swords odd behavior. After a moment he stopped moving as he realized the bake had also halted and was eyeing the sword. He figured the other youkai had realized Sesshoumaru's sword was no longer doing his biding. He was too full of curiosity to feel anger at the sword for showing such a complete show of insubordination.

 

“What's wrong, my lord?” asked the Obake with a gleam in his eyes. “Can't handle your sword?”

 

Sesshoumaru ignored him as he eyed Tokijin. The sword seemed to be gravitating towards something behind him. He turned to look in the direction the sword was pointing and stared in interest. He watched as the miko bent over to pick up Tetsusaiga.

 

He blinked in astonishment when the sword transformed in her hand, but not into the large fang that in changed into for Inu-Yasha. No, the blade was now a cross between the gleaming fang and the rusty sword. It was small in stature like the rusty sword it usually looked like, but gleamed bright and sharp as his father's fang. He'd never seen that look for the sword before.

 

His eyes turned back to his own sword when the blade renewed its efforts to get away. Sesshoumaru had seen the dark look in the miko's eyes and he could sense the dark power coming from her. He could only assume that that very power was calling to the dark soul within his Tokijin.

 

“Interesting,” he said aloud to himself, making a quick decision.

 

Decisively he opened his palm and watched, with no great surprise, as the sword swiftly flew towards the miko. Sesshoumaru observed as Kagome lifted a small hand and caught the sword, deftly, at its hilt. He watched as the demonic aura within the sword began to glow with a bright red light that reached up and shined out of the miko's eyes.

 

**

 

Kagome walked over and retrieved Tetsusaiga from the ground. She watched impassively as the sword transformed into a smaller more manageable form of the large fang, but said nothing. She looked up towards Sesshoumaru then, but she only had eyes for the bakemono behind him. Her anger surged even higher as she stared at her enemy.

She was surprised when Sesshoumaru's demonic sword came, flying, towards her, but still lifted her empty hand to catch it. The moment the hilt touched her palm she felt something strange and unfamiliar wash over her. It seemed to be feeding her anger and drawing from it all at the same time.

 

“Go on, miko. Do it! Kill… him. Take your vengeance, use me, and kill him. He can not win…”

 

She could hear a voice in her head pushing her on and for once she didn't question it or herself, she just listened to what it said and obeyed.

 

Kagome grinned sinisterly and charged.

 

**

 

The Obake had watched the strange happenings between the Taiyoukai and his possessed sword. He was feeling elated at the lord's folly. Only an inu-youkai would think he was strong enough to control a possessed sword. He'd always figured it was only a matter of time before the sword rose against him. And it seemed like that time was now.

He laughed at his own good luck,

 

But, he stopped laughing when he saw where the sword had chosen to go. `The Guardian.' He could sense the power surging inside her and he could almost taste her hatred, it was so strong, but he still foolishly believed she was no match for him. In his mind, the miko was too good; she didn't know how to be evil.

 

Apparently the demon had forgotten, or hadn't been told, that while the miko was good the Shikon no Tama could be governed by either power; good or evil. And right now, being good was the furthest thing from the miko's mind.

 

“What's this?” he laughed as he saw the miko eyeing him, both swords firmly in her hands. “The miko wishes to fight? Me?”

 

His eyes darkened then and no more was said, because the miko had suddenly moved forward and attacked.

 

**

 

Kagome attacked with a vengeance she'd never felt before. Her blows were lighter thea Sesshoumaru's, considering her strength compared to his, this wasn't a surprise. But, what she lacked in strength she made up for in speed and accuracy. She dipped and dashed, swirled and struck with a precision she didn't know she possessed.

 

Her eyes narrowed as she realized the Obake was healing himself nearly as fast, if not faster, as she was cutting. With a surge of fury she remembered Kaede telling her of a spell that mimicked a certain poison: a poison that tainted the blood and caused a wound to take an inordinate amount of time to heal and sometimes never healing properly.

In a surprising show of skill, she twirled both swords backwards in a flip with the twist of her wrists before pointing one of the swords, Tetsusaiga, straight out in front of her, aimed at the bake's chest.

 

With a decidedly evil grin she sent the spell coursing through the two blades then she smiled as she watched both blades glow with the black aura of the poison. She lifted red, furious eyes to him then attacked once more.

 

She growled fiercely as she swiped at the demon with both swords. She took pleasure as he cried out in pain when one tainted blade came into contact with exposed flesh. Kagome vowed, before she was finished the Obake would know what it felt like to be stabbed in the back, but first he was going to learn how it felt to be out numbered and tricked; like he'd tried to do to her Sesshoumaru. He was going to feel her pain, if it was the last thing she did.

 

Kagome jumped backwards out of the way of a counter attack from the bakemono, than she gave the demon a feral grin when she saw the realization in the bake's eyes as he noticed the wound on his arm wasn't healing. Using a dark spell she wasn't sure how she knew, Kagome gave the Tokijin the power to suck ki from the opponent with every slash to his skin. Her plan was simple; first she would take what he stole then she would take what he cherished, but first she had to draw it out of hiding… and she knew just how to do it.

 

With the demonic power of Tokijin fueling her rage she attacked the demon once more. She shot forward with a burst of speed and just seconds before hitting him with Tetsusaiga she twisted around in a tight circle, bending her arm, she knocked him square in the face with her elbow, breaking his nose. She brought her right knee up between his legs as she lifted her arms above her head then brought both hilts down on the back of the bake's neck when he bent forward to grab at his privates.

 

The Obake's breath caught in his throat as he felt the painful, burning sensation between his legs and bent over in an attempt to ease the pain. The horrible sensation seemed to spread up into his abdomen and outwards. His knees went out from under him as he felt a sharp pain in his neck that quickly shot down his spine and seemed to meet the first pain somewhere in his waist and lower back area. What the hell did that bitch hit him with!? He grimaced as he tried to pull much needed air into his lungs.

 

He'd dropped his own swords on the ground beside him when her first attack had rendered him speechless; not to mention sending him into a temporary state of paralysis. Gritting his teeth, he slowly stood to his feet and leveled a menacing look at the Guardian miko. Eyes full of hate, he took a heavy step toward her and, ignoring the pain in his groin, pulled his fist back and punched her clean across the face, sending her flying backwards.

 

“Bitch!” he spat as he sucked in a satisfied breath, flexing his arm muscles.

Kagome, twisting her body in the air and stabbing Tokijin into the earth beneath her, used the weight of the sword to stop her sudden flight through the air. Landing nearly two feet from where she had been standing, kneeling on one knee, she lifted her head up with a jerk, tossing her hair behind her and out of her eyesight.

 

She cut her eyes at the Taiyoukai in warning when she saw him make a move as if to come and aide her. This was between her and the Obake.

 

Sesshoumaru had been watching the fight and was amazed at her agility. He didn't believe she had the strength to beat the bakemono, but she was smaller and faster than the taller and bulkier demon and that gave her an advantage. He hoped she was smart enough to use it.

 

He had been beginning to think she was smart enough and when he'd noticed the bake wasn't healing so quickly anymore, he'd entertained the thought that she just might defeat the demon. Then the Obake had punched her and sent her smaller frame flying. He'd admired the little vertical twist she'd made with her body and using his sword to stop her flight, but had decided it was time he took back over when she'd sent him a warning look that clearly said: `fuck off!'.

 

While usually, and with anyone else, he would have ignored such a look and continued to do exactly what he pleased, his instincts told him that what he usually would have done was not a wise decision in this case. Not to mention Tensaiga was singing and vibrating as if it was putting on a show. Something wasn't right and his mind was telling him to stay back, watch and wait.

 

He didn't like it, but Sesshoumaru never ignored his instincts.

 

Kagome slammed the tip of the unusually transformed Tetsusaiga into the ground on the opposite side of her from the Tokijin and used both swords to push herself into a standing position. She brought the back of her hand up to her mouth and ran a knuckle over her sore lips. She cut her eyes to her hand as she pulled it away from her face and wasn't surprised to see the bright red of her own blood staring back at her.

 

She lifted her eyes back to the demons then as she stuck the tip of her tongue out to lick at the blood on her bottom lip. She'd figured it had been busted. Kagome grinned at the Obake then and gave a small, breathy laugh. She leaned down and extracted her weapons from the ground before straightening and tilting her head to the side in question.

 

“Didn't anyone ever tell you it's ungentlemanly to hit a woman?”

 

“When did I hit a woman?” he growled back at her, eyes narrowed.

 

“Aww, that's not nice,” she said in the same mocking and quiet voice. “You hurt my feelings.”

 

He grinned evilly. He had every intention of hurting more then that. And soon. The bitch was going to regret thinking she could take him. Shikon or no Shikon, she was going to die… and then he'd take the power of the Four Souls for his own.

 

“Did I?”

 

She nodded. “Oh, well,” she shrugged, “I guess I'll just have to give you a lesson in manners. A warning though;” she flipped the swords upwards again; “it's going to hurt.”

 

She charged forward then. She slashed out at different angles with both swords each time. Sometimes she used force, and others, she used her agility and cunning to attack with speed instead. But, no matter how much skill she used, his larger frame and stronger hits soon had her on the defensive which made her attacks turn out to be blocks more than anything else.

 

“Bitch!” he spat with narrowed eyes as he hit at her with his sword again. “You think you, a ningen, can defeat me!? I don't care how much fucking power you have, you will regret fighting me this night. You can not win!”

 

“I'll remember you said that,” she promised with a flash of anger in her eyes, “when I'm severing your head from your shoulders.”

 

He growled in anger and brought his sword down heavily over her head. She brought both her swords up, one crossed over the other, to block his blow then used the force of his blow to push off and jumped backwards when he slashed out towards her stomach with his other sword.

 

“You're dead miko,” he promised, his eyes flashed with a dark light. “Just like that filthy hanyou,” he added in with a disgusted sneer. “Don't think you've saved him. You've only delayed the inevitable. And then I'll finish your Taiyoukai.”

 

Wrong. She wondered briefly why all bad guys found a need to boast about what they would do, instead of actually doing it. “Do you always talk this much or am I special”

Her eyes flashed when he'd mentioned Inu-Yasha then turned a burning hot red when he said what he would do to her Sesshoumaru. With her mind supplying pictures of Sesshoumaru almost being stabbed and Inu-Yasha lying unconscious on the ground, heart no longer beating her fury grew to incomprehensible proportions.

 

Kagome released a battle cry as her wrath was, once more, fueled by Tokijin. She could almost taste her revenge as the sword fueled and fed off her.

 

With a speed faster than she knew she had, she sped forward and attacked the demon with all her vengeance and might. Slashing out with speed and an uncanny accuracy, she landed nearly every blow. For every attack he blocked successfully three more hit their target on his body. Kagome, slashed and cut, sliced and diced, as she quietly and methodically cut away at the demon. With every hit she made a new wound that refused to heal was formed or Tokijin stole a power from the bake.

 

The Obake gritted his teeth as his arms, legs, and chest began to burn from all the cuts he was sustaining to his person. Shaking his head, he tried to shake off the sudden feeling of dizziness as his vision blurred for a moment. He stumbled backwards as his equilibrium seemed to waver and move without his permission. He lashed out clumsily with his sword and was startled when it was knocked from his hand, leaving him with only one weapon left. He knew he could easily conjure up a replacement for the lost one, but couldn't concentrate on the task enough to accomplish it.

 

Kagome smiled triumphantly as she knocked one of his swords from his hand. She advanced on him when he tried to retreat and, pursuing relentlessly, she continued to slash out with both Tokijin and Tetsusaiga. She watched as the aura around Tokijin seemed to glow and pulse with every ki it took from the Obake.

 

Using the swords she slowly worked the bake down into a useless heap. Pivoting around on the ball of her left foot, she delivered the youkai a roundhouse kick to the chin, sending the demon sailing through the air in a similar flight to the one he'd sent her on a while earlier. She watched as he landed with huge thud on the ground about a foot away; the other sword falling from his hand.

 

Kagome flipped forward and landed neatly on the bake's chest, the heels of her boots digging into his chest.

 

Her eyes were wild as she lowered both sword tips in the shape of an x to the exposed flesh of his throat.

 

The Obake grunted when the miko landed on his chest then met her stare with a weak, yet defiant, one of his own. He couldn't believe he'd been bested by the miko, and the fact that she was the Shikon Guardian was the only thing keeping what was left of his pride and ego intact. Slowly the glamour he had over his appearance fell as he watched the angry miko above him; he was too weak to hold the image.

 

Kagome watched impassively as silver eyes changed to a warm hazel. His features changed from the sharp and beautiful plains that echoed Sesshoumaru's face into smooth and softer features. The shape was rounder than Sesshoumaru's angular one and his cheekbones were not as high. The look ended with a full mouth that was shaped more for kissing then sneering; all and all, the Obake was very beautiful. The only thing that remained the same was the color of his hair; it was still as dark as a night sky without stars.

 

Kagome pressed the swords harder into his flesh. “You're almost as beautiful as you are evil.”

 

He returned her look and words with an indifferent look of his own; showing neither interest in nor concern for his current situation. The Obake wasn't hiding behind a mask like the Taiyoukai, in all truth he felt exactly how the miko was seeing him; he didn't care one bit.

 

She pushed against his throat again and this time drew blood. She opened her mouth to say something else, when she felt a shift in the air to her left as a new presence showed up.

 

It was about time!

 

“Please stop.”

 

Kagome, not missing a beat, swiftly brought up Tokijin; stopping a hairs breath from the newcomer's throat. She saw something flash in the Obake's wine colored eyes and felt him shift beneath her. It seemed Midoriko was right; the girl was his weakness. Good.

 

“Don't move,” she ordered and pressed Tetsusaiga against his throat again, drawing more blood. Her hands remained calm and steady as she held a sword to both of their throats. She turned her head slowly to the side then. “Nice of you to join us Kanna. We've been waiting for you.”

 

Kanna watched the miko, but said nothing. She could feel the evil within the miko and worried over it. This was not the priestess's nature and she feared for the other girl's sanity.

 

Sesshoumaru watched the scene unfold before him and wondered at it. He, personally, didn't usually play with his opponents (unless his opponent was Inu-Yasha, of course) as he found it a waste of time. Just kill them and get it over with was his way. He hadn't imagined Kagome was the type who tortures and taunts either, or kills for that matter. Something was obviously wrong with this picture and he had a feeling that Tokijin was apart of it; if not behind it completely. He should not have allowed the sword near the miko.

 

Sesshoumaru moved silently closer. If she was going to kill them, she should have just done it, he could sense the evil aura surrounding her and within her. It was feeding off her anger and pain over Inu-Yasha; not to mention attracted by the power. He glanced for a moment over at the exterminator and the monk. They were sporting identical looks of shocked horror, yet they both remained faithfully by Inu-Yasha and out of the way their friend and her dark intentions.

 

Sesshoumaru focused his attention back on Kagome when he heard her begin to speak again.

 

Kagome turned back to the Obake then and smiled sinisterly at him. “You care for her,” she stated calmly and saw that something flash in his eyes again. She had him now and she knew it, but more importantly, she could see he knew it too. “What would you give for her? Would you give anything for her safety?” she taunted. “Would you give your life for hers?”

 

He remained quiet, but narrowed his eyes in hatred at her. He had not expected something like this… not even remotely. It was humiliating to see how much he had misjudged the situation.

 

“Or maybe, I should just slit her throat,” she continued with demonic gleam in her eye. “Or better yet, stab her clear through her back and out through the stomach while you watch. What do you think?” she asked with a mocking tilt to her head, eyes glowing bright red. She scraped his skin with the sword as she nudged his chin with the cold metal. “Huh? How about I show you how it feels to see someone you care for killed before your eyes? I promise, it makes a lasting impression.”

 

The Obake jerked his eyes toward Kanna's, but said nothing. He watched as the fathomless orbs turned to the pale blue she only ever showed to him.

 

Sesshoumaru didn't like how this was going. Kagome's aura was getting darker and darker. He moved forward to stop what was happening when, suddenly, the obake moved.

 

Galvanized into action by the miko's word, the Obake stretched his hand and grabbed for his sword that had fallen on the ground beside him when he'd gone down. He swung heavily up towards the miko and watched as she gracefully jumped off of his chest, releasing him. He immediately flipped to a standing position and in one fluid motion grabbed for Kanna, placing her behind him and out of the way of danger.

 

Kagome had seen the look he'd given the female youkai and relished it. She'd been waiting for him to make his move, and hadn't been disappointed. She laughed at the way the bake was trying to hide the girl behind him; as if that made a difference.

 

Sesshoumaru's ears twitched at the ugly laugh coming out of the miko. It was not a pleasing sound and he could tell the Obake wasn't finding the moment pleasant either, from the sour look on his face.

 

“Imagine how easy I could have slit her little white throat. Only the flick of a wrist…” she breathed quietly. “Though, I think, I'd prefer stabbing her through with Tokijin and allowing him to suck all the ki out of her… that just might do it for me,” she gave a thoughtful nod as she addressed the Obake. “How about you?” she asked with evil cheer. “What? No thoughts on the matter?” she added when the bake didn't seem to want to answer.

 

“Kagome.”

 

Kagome's eyes flickered from red to blue as she heard her name called in that familiar voice, before she shook her head and focused on the anger surging through her. Her eyes stayed red as her attention returned to the Obake.

 

“I think it would be a fair and even exchange: her life for his.”

 

“He is not dead. You saw to that,” spoke the Obake for the first time since Kagome had started her deadly dialogue.

 

“Yes,” she hissed at him as something ugly passed over her face, “but he could be. You saw to that!” She stilled then. “Maybe you're right,” she stated then, in a complete about-face it seemed. “I am not being fair.”

 

He narrowed his eyes and waited. She was toying with him, he knew, and was waiting for whatever was coming next. He didn't have to wait long.

 

“Fair,” she began in a thoughtful voice, as if she was proposing an idea of something mundane and slightly chore-ish, “would be for me to stab her to within an inch of her life, perhaps enough for her heart to stop, and then let you try and fix her. Yes, that would be fair.”

 

In the blink of an eye she shot forward and swung one of the swords at the Obake's head. He missed being decapitated by less then an inch as he leapt backwards then sideways, taking Kanna with him.

 

Kanna eyed the miko from her position behind the Obake's back. She'd been observing her from the moment she and the bakemono had begun fighting. She'd known nearly from the start that her friend was not going to win this fight, he'd had a small chance with the Taiyoukai, but the moment the miko took over his chance had flown out the proverbial window. Kanna knew the miko was not acting under her own will completely, but part of the miko had been at first, but now… something was different. Something had snapped within the priestess when she'd seen her friend almost killed and having the blow being meant for the youkai she loved had only made matters worse. Kanna knew the bake had, literally, pushed the miko over the edge and now he was paying for it.

She knew that while the miko was taunting her friend Kagome still had every intention of killing her. She could sense it in the steady grip the miko kept on both swords; neither blade moved, not even an inch, unless the miko wanted them to move. The priestess, for all intents and purposes, was in complete control.

 

But, Kanna had been watching the miko for many years now, and she knew that the miko did not like taking a life, but was still capable of it. And while she wasn't too sure on what the young miko's reaction would be to learning she'd killed the Obake, she figured she had a good idea on how the priestess would react to knowing she'd killed Kanna. It would eat away at her soul until there was nothing left.

 

Kanna did not want this to happen to the miko. She turned her pale blue gaze on the miko again. “You must not do this.”

 

Kagome focused her gaze on the void demon behind the Obake then lifted one dark, finely shaped brow. “Why?”

 

“If not for us, then think of yourself priestess,” replied Kanna in an abstract way.

Kagome's ire flared. “I am.”

 

“No,” she countered quietly, “you are not.”

 

Kagome glared at the female demon. If she was more herself she might have wondered why her anger was so quick to raise all of sudden, but since she wasn't the thought didn't occur to her. Her temper had always been a quick one, especially where Inu-Yasha was concerned (and Sesshoumaru occasionally), but never had it manifested itself in such a violent way.

 

She attacked again. With a quick series of slashes and swings and, since the bake was not as fast as he once was, she easily separated him from Kanna and had him cornered, once more, against the side of a tree.

 

Sesshoumaru would not admit it, but now he was worried. He had a feeling it wouldn't be a good idea to allow Kagome to kill the bake with Tokijin. He'd seen how she was using the sword to suck up the demon's powers and knew that such a thing would only make the blade more volatile.

 

“Kagome,” he called her name once more.

 

Kagome froze when she heard the familiar voice, but forgot it as pictures passed through her mind. She still had images of Inu-Yasha lying helpless on the ground, blood leaking out of him in an alarming way. And she could also see the sword point that was heading for Sesshoumaru's back only to end up in Inu-Yasha's.

 

With a burst of furious rage she plunged Tetsusaiga deep within the Obake's stomach. She'd moved so fast he hadn't seen her coming until it was too late. Kagome quickly withdrew the sword and watched the youkai slide slowly towards the ground before turning towards Kanna and advancing on her.

 

Kanna watched with watery eyes as the Obake fell with his hands holding his stomach. She stared into his hazel eyes as she watched the life slowly draining out of him. `I'm alone…' She shook her head fiercely to deny the thought as she took a step back before raising her eyes to look at the miko as she approached.

 

“You must not let the power control you, Lady Kagome,” spoke Kanna once more, teary eyes staring openly at her.

 

Kagome opened her mouth to make a scathing response when the demon's words triggered the memory of a familiar voice in her head.

 

“Power corrupts, Kagome. And one must be forever vigilant if they are to remain as they were before such power.”

 

Midoriko. Kagome heard the words of the deceased priestess echoing in her mind and something warm and new ran over her. What was happening to her? Kagome looked down at her hands, fisted tightly around the two swords, and stared as her mind reeled.

Kanna watched as the miko's eyes flashed to her usual piercing blue eyes before turning back to the possessed red.

 

Kagome frowned. “You are just trying to defend him! I-”

 

“Yes,” agreed Kanna, cutting her off.

 

Kagome's eyes narrowed dangerously as she tightened her hand on Tokijin's hilt. A dark look came over her face as she stared back at the void demon. She didn't know how the girl knew about what Midoriko had said to her, but she did not appreciate the priestess's words being used against her.

 

Did the female demon think she would let the Obake get away with what he did? He nearly killed everything that she cared about in the Sengoku Jidai, and she wasn't about to just let that go. Her eyes burned with the un-natural red glow as she systematically worked herself up into a fine fury once more.

 

“Kagome.”

 

Kagome froze as she felt the heat of a familiar body pressed close behind her. She hadn't even heard him move, but there he was. `Sesshoumaru'.

 

“Sesshoumaru…”

 

She turned around and faced him. Her face lifted to his when he placed a hand along her cheek. Her eyes watered as they began to flicker between colors as her body began to shake softly. The rage in her was trying to take control and she could hear the voice of Tokijin urging her to take the void demon's life and to use the blade of Tokijin to do it. She didn't like being drawn in different directions. Kagome had never been out to hurt Kanna; she was just supposed to be a way to get to the Obake. When had things changed?

 

“Never forget why you made this choice, my lady. Hold it and it will guide your path in the darkest of times.”

 

Kagome stilled as she heard the remembered words of Wisdom echo through her head. `Sesshoumaru… her friends… love,' those were the reasons she'd accepted the power of the Four Souls. Not to kill. The two swords slipped from her hands as her epiphany hit home.

 

Kanna watched as the eyes of the miko turned to a mixture of red and blue, like purple, but then seemed to move towards the piercing blue she was use to seeing in the miko's eyes.

 

Kagome leaned back against Sesshoumaru for a moment before taking a deep breath; she knew what she had to do. She looked into Kanna's eyes then and after a moment turned back to the where the Obake lay.

 

Stepping up to the youkai's body, Kagome knelt down, and after taking a deep breath placed a shaking hand over the wound she, herself, had caused only moments ago. She didn't want to do what she was about to do. Kagome didn't like getting this close the youkai and she didn't like having to touch him, but there was no other way. She had to do this, because she didn't like the way she had just taken a life and the knowledge of it was eating her up from the inside out.

 

Slowly her hand began to glow with the same hot, blue light that turned white, as before with Inu-Yasha. The light encircled the bake's entire form before receding back into Kagome's hand. She waited for the Obake's eyes to flutter open before removing her hand and standing up. She stepped back and away from the offending youkai, and promptly ran into something.

 

She turned and stared into the bright gold eyes of Sesshoumaru.

 

Sesshoumaru looked, impassively, down at her. He understood why she did what she'd just done, but he didn't agree with it. He would like nothing more then to see the Obake dead; he would allow the demon to live this one time… but should they ever cross paths again, he would not hesitate to kill the youkai. The demon had tried to hurt what belonged to him and for that he would pay with his life. There was no getting around it, but he would not kill him after Kagome had gone through the trouble of bringing him back; for today.

 

He looked up and connected gazes with the Obake, doing his best to send the silent message that he would not continue to seek his life for that day. When the Obake gave a small, imperceptible nod, he knew his message had been received.

 

Kagome couldn't read him. She tried to see how he felt about what she'd just done, but he wasn't letting her see. He was shutting her out once again. Kagome sighed and lowered her eyes to the ground. She could hear the Obake moving behind her but didn't turn to check or worry about it. She knew Sesshoumaru wouldn't allow any harm to come to her. She could also hear the others; Sango, Miroku, and Inu-Yasha coming forward from behind him.

 

She could feel all eyes on her. The feeling wasn't pleasant.

 

Turning around, Kagome searched for pale blue eyes, than gave a small nod when she found Kanna standing silently beside the Obake. They seemed to have been watching her as well.

 

The Obake nodded at the miko, though she had not truly acknowledged his presence. Her eyes, he noted, stayed centered on the girl beside him.

 

“I give his life to you,” said Kagome solemnly. “Do what you will with it.”

 

Kanna nodded. She stared up at the beautiful miko then and in that moment, as she stood before her, she could see the priestess for whom and what she was. Even without the aide of her mirror, Kanna could see in Kagome the regal Lady she would one day become. She hoped that she would get to see it, when it happened, with her own eyes. The future Lady of the Western Lands was going to be something extraordinary and Kagome was already well on her way to fulfilling that prophecy.

 

“Thank you, Lady Kagome,” she said in her soft voice.

 

Kagome nodded as she watched young woman in child's body. “I don't do this because he deserves it. Though what started him on this path was not his choice, many of the choices he made later, were his to make. He has taken many lives for his own gain and he must be held accountable for that. You, alone, are the reason he has this second chance. I do this, because in truth, it is the only choice to make. Take him where you choose.”

 

Kanna nodded again then after a moment, she took her friend's hand and turned to leave. She knew exactly where they would go; the only place for them.

 

“But Kanna,” Kagome called out softly and waited for the fair-haired half demon to turn and look at her. “Never bring him here again. There are many who do not agree with my decision and even more who won't once its spread. I can't guarantee his life a second time. As he is, he would not make much of an opponent. Don't let him waste this chance given to him. He is never to come back.”

 

Kanna looked up into the hazel eyes of the demon that held her heart then back at the priestess and sighed. So, be it. She was stuck in a child's body and he was, more or less, banished. All they had were each other. They would make do.

 

“I understand,” she replied looking at Kagome again. “We won't come back here again. Goodbye.”

 

Kanna turned away from the miko and her companions for the last time and, after taking three steps, she and the Obake disappeared into thin air.

 

Kagome silently wished the girl luck. She turned to look at her friends then. They all stared at her with different looks on their faces, but it was Inu-Yasha's that caught her attention.

 

Inu-Yasha scowled as he stared at his friend, still not believing what she'd just done.

 

“You let him go,” he stated in a hard voice. He took a step forward, “Why the hell did you let him go!?”

 

“What should I have done Inu-Yasha?” she asked heatedly. “It was my decision to make.”

 

“No, it wasn't!” he yelled back at her. “It was all of ours! He nearly killed us!”

 

“YES! Nearly, being the operative word,” she screamed back at him. “He killed many, many others! And they didn't get a say!! I'm the one who killed him Inu-Yasha. ME!”

 

Inu-Yasha opened his mouth to say something like `so what', but stopped when he saw the haunted look in her eyes. He knew Kagome didn't like taking a life, but he hadn't thought this would bother her so much, since the Obake had deserved it. But, it did. He could see it clearly in her eyes.

 

Kagome could only imagine what Inu-Yasha was seeing when he looked at her, but she doubted he was seeing what was truly haunting her. Yes, she didn't like killing, but she knew that sometimes it was necessary. That wasn't what had her spooked and hurting inside. No. What was getting to her was that she saw just how evil she could be, but Inu-Yasha didn't know about that because he'd slept through it all. He didn't witness the horror that she had become. That she could be just as blood thirsty as the Obake had been; and it scared her because she had the power within her to be far worse then the bake had ever been or could be.

 

And to finish it off, it looked as if Sesshoumaru didn't want her anymore. It was taking all her will power not to breakdown and cry right there.

 

“I killed him,” she reiterated. “And I gave it back. It was my choice to make; no one else's.”

 

She stared into his gold eyes for a moment, before exchanging looks with the others, who'd remained quiet throughout it all.

 

Kagome felt her eyes begin to prickle and blinking once she turned on her heels and walked away, away from them, away from the castle; away from it all. She'd rather cry alone.

 

****

 

Kagome had no idea how far she'd walked or for how long she'd been walking, but she did know that when she'd finally stopped she was back in the forest they'd been in before they'd arrived at the castle and, looking around now, she had no idea where she was. All she could tell was that a good amount of time had passed because the sky had darkened and the sun had already set.

 

And she couldn't begin to care.

 

She swiped furiously at her eyes as she took a seat on the ground beneath a tall oak tree. Her head hurt terribly and her heart hurt worse. She'd never felt so drained and tired in all her life.

 

How could she have been so cruel to Kanna like that? She'd never imagined she could ever have anything in common with Naraku or the Obake, but it seemed she could be just as mean, spiteful, and evil as they. It was a scary thought and an even more scary feeling. She didn't like thinking that she had it in her to truly hurt someone, but that wasn't so bad considering everyone had it in them to do bad, what was bothering her was the fact she had the power to do much, much worse than that. She hadn't realized what it all meant when she'd agreed to accept the power of the Four Souls, and now that she knew, she couldn't give it back.

 

If it hadn't been for Sesshoumaru and Kushimitama (however the hell that happened…) she would have probably killed both Kanna and the Obake. It had all started out of her need to avenge what had happened to Inu-Yasha and what could have easily happened to Sesshoumaru, but then it had quickly spiraled into something else… something less righteous and a lot more sinister.

 

There was a weird kind of excitement in knowing you had the power to take someone's life… and that that someone knew you held that power. It was maddening and seductive the way she knew that the moment she'd tired of playing with them she could and would kill them both.

 

Kagome wiped at the tears streaming down her face then hugged her arms around herself as she tilted her head back and stared at the night sky. She watched, unseeingly as the stars slowly made an appearance.

 

Then there was Sesshoumaru. She had no idea what or why he seemed to be acting so strange around her but she knew that whatever it was, he didn't feel for her anymore the way she thought he might have before.

 

Sesshoumaaru, his name meant `destroyer of life' or something like that, she knew. He killed when it was necessary and, sometimes, when it was not, but in this time and age that was expected of him. He was the Lord of the Western Lands and he needed to be able to prove he would not take kindly to anyone trying to take what belonged to him. That was how life was in these times… Did that mean that she would have to be that way to, if she was to spend her life with him?

 

Would it even come to that now?

 

Kagome felt something in her chest spasm as if her heart were being squeezed. She lifted a shaking hand to her chest as she gasped for breath. A sob came out of her and she lifted the same shaking hand to her mouth as her tears came faster. She wanted so badly for her life to come to that. She wanted to spend her life with Sesshoumaru. Kagome wasn't sure if she could handle losing him like she'd lost Inu-Yasha. She knew now, after being with Sesshoumaru, that Inu-Yasha wasn't her one `great love' and that, in all honesty, they would have never lasted as anything more then friends. No matter how much he said he could, Inu-Yasha couldn't look at Kagome, as a lover, without seeing Kikyo, and Kagome could never love him that way knowing he was only there because she was the next best thing.

 

Kagome looked at the palm of her hand as she brought one down, away from her mouth and moved the other up beside it. They still looked the same as she remembered them. Her fingers were still some what long and slender and the skin of her palms still appeared just as smooth as they always had. You'd never believe that, not too long ago, such fragile and feminine looking hands had wielded not one, but two swords of great power.

You would never imagine the power that such small hands had within them. Kagome knew that while she'd chosen to take on that power to not only protect her friends, but mostly it was because she didn't want Sesshoumaru to die. No matter how much she'd wanted to save her friends, it was Sesshoumaru's face she'd seen in her mind and it was Sesshoumaru's life she had been willing to change her own to save.

 

Kagome loved him so much. Just the thought of going through an eternity of life without him or with someone else was enough to send her into a panic attack. She didn't want to be with anyone else; only him. She would give anything to be with him, but she would not lower herself to beg him; he wouldn't respect her for it and she wouldn't respect herself… much less, know how to do it in the first place. She would never beg for his love, but she also couldn't stay here and see him and know she could never have him.

It was time she went home.

 

She needed to see her mother so Kagome could sit at her mom's feet while her mother rubbed her hands through her hair and told her everything would work out. She needed to hear that now more then ever, even though she knew it wouldn't be true. She slowly stood up then wiped at her eyes and cheeks one last time. Rubbing a nervous hand down her clothing, she looked down and followed its path with her eyes.

 

This would never do. She couldn't go home wearing what she was in. Her mother would have a fit. She needed her yellow backpack, but for the life of her she couldn't remember when the last time she'd seen the darn thing. Kagome ran a hand through her hair as she tried to remember when she sensed an approaching aura. She tensed for a moment then looking around for somewhere to hide. After a second she leapt up into the oak tree. After two more leaps upward she knelt down and waited to see the youkai heading in her direction.

 

**

 

Inu-Yasha came crashing through the trees and stopped near an oak tree. Her scent seemed to stop near the tree, but he couldn't see Kagome anywhere.

 

“Kagome!” he called out as he looked suspiciously around.

 

Her scent lingered strong in the area so he didn't think she could have left to long ago, and yet it didn't seem to be anyone here. He could smell her tears heavily on the air and knew she was upset, but where the hell was she.

 

“I'm right here Inu-Yasha,” came a voice from above him.

 

Kagome had seen the hanyou come rushing through the trees with her yellow backpack. At first she had thought of ignoring him and waiting for him to either go back or continue on. Then she'd remembered his nose and realized that it was her smell that had probably led him to her in the first place. She doubted he was going anywhere soon.

 

She jumped gracefully down from her perch high in the tree. Kagome landed softly in front of him.

 

Inu-Yasha looked up and watched as she leaped, then seemed to glide, and land silently on the earth before him.

 

“I'm never going to get used to that,” he said, mostly to himself, as he eyed her, then the treetop, then back to her again.

 

“Where are the others?” she asked quietly.

 

“Behind me,” he replied as he handed her the backpack.

 

Kagome nodded silently and, taking the bag from him, sat it on the ground. She knelt down to dig inside for the outfit she knew was in there somewhere. Pulling out the miko uniform in blue and white, she motioned to him of her intent before walking around to the other side of the tree to change.

 

Inu-Yasha waited patiently for her to finish with his arms crossed over his chest. He'd leaned his back against the tree while he waited the five minutes she'd taken to change; which he'd secretly thought took three minutes too long, but said nothing.

 

He watched as she knelt once more to put the outfit she'd removed in her backpack and waited for her to stand back up and look at him. Inu-Yasha opened his mouth to speak when another thing caught his attention and something else came out his mouth.

 

“I thought you're clothes were blue and white?” he questioned curiously.

 

“They were,” she said with a nod. She looked down at the black hakamas she now wore and the fuchsia colored kimono shirt. The shirt had been white and the pants blue when she'd taken them out of her bag. “They changed when I put them on.”

 

Inu-Yasha eyed the outfit that was now the same colors as the one she took off, but said nothing more. She didn't seem to be worrying about it, so why should he?

 

He could still smell her tears, though her face was dry. He could also sense and smell her sadness. “What's wrong Kagome?”

 

“Nothing; I'm just going home for awhile,” she shrugged, not meeting his eyes.

 

“What do you mean you're going home for a while? For how long of a while?” He waited a moment for her to answer him, but when she let the silence grow between them last longer then he liked he lifted a hand to her chin and tilted her head up. Gold met blue. He didn't like what he saw. “You're running away.”

 

“No I'm not, Inu-Yasha,” she said in an exasperated sound in an attempt to convince. It wasn't working. “I just need to get away from here. I need to see my mother.”

 

“This is about Sesshoumaru isn't it? You're running because of him.”

 

Kagome didn't confirm or deny his accusations. She just stared back at him and willed herself not to cry.

 

“When are you coming back?” he asked quietly after a moment. “Are you coming back?”

 

Kagome gently pushed his hand away from her face and looked down at her feet. “Soon. I'm not sure,” she shrugged.

 

“But you are coming back?” he asked straight forward. He didn't like the fact she wasn't looking at him.

 

“Of course,” she shrugged and glanced up at him before returning the gaze to her boots.

He really wished she'd look at him. The glance wasn't enough for him to read her and her scent was sending him mixed signals. It was like she believed what she said, while, at the same time, knowing it wasn't true. Inu-Yasha was confused… and not just a little worried.

 

“We're still a team Kagome.”

 

Kagome head shot up then. Her eyes were wide as she caught her breath. She stared back at him as her eyes began to water. Her emotions were already on overload and now Inu-Yasha had just pushed them beyond. Kagome opened her mouth to respond but, nothing came out. The tears started streaming down her face as she sucked in large breath.

 

“Always,” she whispered with a nod then she threw herself into his arms and buried her face against his chest. “I promise. Me and you forever, right?” she said into his chest”

Inu-Yasha gave a silent nod as he wrapped his arms loosely around her.

 

They stayed that way for a moment before she pulled back from him and bent to pick up her bag. When she stood back up she caught his eye and held it.

 

“I'll be back,” she promised with small smile. Kagome had no idea when it would be, but she knew that she was telling the truth; she would come back to Sengoku Jidai… but for now she needed to get away from all reminders of the Taiyoukai and she could only do that in her own time. “I have to go.”

 

Inu-Yasha remained quiet. He knew if he said anything he would try to make her stay, but Inu-Yasha knew that would be selfish on his part because he could see she needed to leave. He could sense the others getting closer and he figured that she could too, since she was trying to leave so quickly.

 

Kagome took a step towards him then and, lifting a hand to his neck, she removed the prayer beads that had been around his neck since, almost, as long as she'd known him. “I think we can take these off now, hm?”

 

“Feh!” It was about time in his mind, but he didn't say it.

 

She smiled and a tiny sparkle had come back into her eyes for a brief moment. She reached down and pulled up his right hand. She let the prayer necklace pool into the palm of his hand before she closed his fingers around it with both her hands clasped around his. She liked to think he'd keep them, if only to remember her by.

 

“It's time you learned to love again, Inu-Yasha,” she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Kikyo is gone and isn't coming back. Its time you found someone who can love you the way you deserve: completely and whole-heartedly.”

 

Inu-Yasha's eyes widened. He didn't know where to begin. He wanted to ask her what she meant by that remark about Kikyo, but he also didn't like the way she was talking. It was as if she was saying goodbye. Part of him knew that was exactly what she was doing.

 

“Bye Inu-Yasha,” she said as one more tear slipped out. Kagome squeezed his hand for a moment then released him. She turned and walked away in the direction of the Well.

 

Inu-Yasha watched her body fade away, much like Kanna's and the Obake's had done hours before, as she walked away from him.

 

“Goodbye Kagome,” he whispered as a tear slipped from the corner of his own eyes. After a moment he leapt up into the tree and sat in the same spot Kagome had sat in while he waited for the others to join him.

 

 

oOo

 

 

Duchess: Well there's Ch. 29, which means there's only one more chapter!

 

Shippou: And then you start the sequel Duchess!

 

Duchess: That's right Shippou… (smiles)

 

Inuyasha: Feh!! I'll be glad when it's over!

 

Miroku: I, personally, found the story quite intertaining.

 

Sango: (with scowl) You would.

 

Duchess, Kagome, and Inuyasha: (blink blink)

 

Sango: What?! (Irritated look)

 

Shippou: You didn't hit Miroku…

 

Sango: Well… I don't always hit him!

 

Kagome: Hehe… Of, course you don't Sango-chan. (quickly picks up a frightened Shippou)

 

Duchess: Yes, she do- AHHH! (jumps 3 feet in the air when a pair of hands land on her shoulders)

 

Sesshoumaru: I expect better awareness Duchess. *hands on her shoulders)

 

Celeste: Hello, Sesshoumaru… (moves to his sides and quietly removes his hands from Duchess) Would you like to go for a… walk, with me?

 

Sesshoumaru: You're touching me.

 

Celeste: (grins) Yesss… And, I'll take that as a `yes'! (yanks him away and out of the room)

 

Duchess: (frowns) Well… I don't know how I feel about that… (walks away muttering)

 

Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango: (bursts out laughing)

 

Shippou: (confused look) Well, goodbye everyone!