InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Birth Marks ❯ Devil Begone ( Chapter 53 )

Chapter 53: Devil Begone

 

Last time: “Let's just get this over with.” Keiko was last; her defiant body language was betrayed by the slight tremor in her voice. “Unlike most of us, I want to finish my homework before school on Monday.”

 

This Time: Breathing deeply, Kuwabara closed his eyes, summoning his barrier-splitting sword. As his weapon glowed with an orange flame, so did the circle that they stood in.

 

Kagome watched in awe until the light grew too bright to keep her eyes open. When next she opened her eyes, she was in the black nothingness of the Middlelands. Far below was the land with the great river to the afterlife splitting through it like a great infected wound. The river ran tainted with innocent blood of the children whose souls had been devoured before reaching their final destination.

 

“Everyone here now?” Kuwabara asked, drawing his large flame-like wings back from enclosing the others.

 

“Yeah, I'm good.”

 

“Oh my god! The river,” Keiko gasped, a hand covering her mouth as she stared at the river far below, “it-it's dying..”

 

Yusuke nodded grimly, looking anywhere but down. “We should start looking for him now. C'mon.” Kagome nodded grimly and jumped from the quickly fading platform that had brought them here. Spreading her black and green wings after her steep dive, she sped just above where the river's spray could reach her.

 

Looking after his cousin, all Yusuke could murmur was a `useless' before diving off as well. Moments after, the platform dissolved completely, dropping Keiko briefly until Kuwabara snagged her waist. A moment later, he gave her enough of a toss to instinctively spread her wings. “Better now?” he asked, swooping down to where Keiko hovered. Receiving a nod, Kuwabara returned the gesture. “Then we should hurry up.”

 

Far ahead and below, the cousins looked like large birds flying upstream. Diving, Kuwabara and Keiko easily caught up with the duo. “What's the plan?” Keiko yelled over the rushing wind.

 

“Find the bastard and kill `im,” Yusuke yelled back, having overheard the question.

 

Kuwabara rolled his eyes and waved his hand in a placating gesture, “What your boyfriend means is that we find him, Yusuke and I attack while you and Kagome play defense and back us up. Your weapon is long-range anyway, remember?” Keiko nodded grimly, watching the tense form of the only other girl on the team. She had that gleam in her eye that she had seen all too many times on Yusuke and the boys, that determination to win, that battle-lust that all-too-often proved fatal. Honestly, it scared her, wondering if she carried the same look when she thought of the children whose parents would never know what had become of their babies.

 

“Kuwabara, you feel that?” Yusuke murmured, getting a nod from Keiko and an ear-twitch from Kagome.

 

“Yeah, that `im?” Even though they didn't technically need to breathe in this form, Kuwabara's chest tightened to the point that he felt like he had dived too far underwater and had run out of oxygen.

 

“It's coming from about ten `o'clock, in those trees over there.” Kagome pointed at a copse of trees that seemed to suck the very light out of the air.

 

“Gee, what gave you that idea?” Keiko rolled her eyes, absently plucking two loose feathers from her wings, transforming them into a crossbow and bolt. Shooting the bolt, it hit and shattered on the barrier that was only visible for a moment as purple energy rippled out from the hit like a pebble dropped into still water.

 

Immediately after, the Devil roared, rising above the trees to glare at the four birds that would disturb his rest with one icy blue eye.

 

“Well, too late to sneak in now, huh?” Kagome gave Keiko the stink-eye before collapsing her wings and diving, summoning her sword from a feather.

 

“Get back here!”

 

“Kagome, you promised to stay back!” Kuwabara followed Yusuke's dive after his cousin after gesturing Keiko to stay back.

 

“Hell no, I'm not going to stay back like a sideliner this time!” She pulled up, hovering right above the barrier with Yusuke as he pulled out the twin blade to her own.

 

Taking a deep breath, Yusuke looked down to the devil, up to Keiko and back. “Fine,” he gave Kagome his most serious look, “but the first scratch you get, you're back up there with Keiko.” Weapons glowing with power, the twins dived, slashing where Keiko's bolt hit, immediately after, Kuwabara dived, burying his naginata's blade in the middle of the two-toned `X', shattering the barrier just long enough for Kuwabara to dive straight through and the twins to circle around and follow in after.

 

“Kagome!”

 

“Right!” Kuwabara slashed at the Devil's eyes, flames licking its brow with a burst of white light immediately after, blinding the giant with stars; giving Kagome enough time to gather her energy.

 

Stepping back, Kagome focused her energy, staring at the Devil that had been destroying lives for years, many before their lives could even really begin. The shadow pocked that she needed to create was larger than any she could recall making before. Flying around the perimeter of the shadow pocket, Kagome didn't really need to warn the boys, since they knew and expected what was happening. The shadows bled from each tree, bush and rock, swirling around the Devil's cloven feet.

 

Yusuke, seeing the living shadows. Added his own light, making the shadows deeper, stronger, as they rose up to slowly enclose and bind the Devil, snarling and straining to break the thing that should not be able to touch him.

 

“Kuwabara!” Kagome called as her shadows nearly totally engulfed the Devil, except for his protruding gut.

 

“Going.” He absently twirled the naginata into an attack position and dived, slicing the Devil's gut open.

 

Screaming in pain and anger, the Devil managed to snap the restraints on one arm, swiping at the annoying orange bird. With the spell broken, his other arm was freed to clutch at his wound and to stop it from bleeding out the souls that he had eaten.

 

“Kagome, are you ok?” Keiko asked, swooping down through the broken barrier to gather the freed souls.

 

“Yeah, get them out of - Kuwabara, now!” Yusuke swooped down, stinging its hand with the blade of his sword. Kuwabara snuck in, slashing a new gash into the Devil's gut. Hanging back, Keiko realized something: that the Devil was… shrinking. With each soul that managed to escape, the Devil seemed smaller, hopefully weaker.

 

Try to bind him again!” Keiko yelled, shooting another bolt, this time at its vulnerable eye.

 

“What do you think I've been trying to do?” Kagome growled back, strained from the recoil of her binding breaking the first time around. Finally gathering enough Shadows, Kagome bound the Devil again, reinforcing the shadows around its arms and claws.

 

“Why don't you go for his head?” Yusuke asked, getting a look from Kuwabara and Kagome. Kuwabara, who had grown up hearing the stories of Naraku's incarnations, exchanged a look with Kagome.

 

“The same way that you won't stay dead, baka.” Kagome rolled her eyes, tightening the bonds that held the Devil. “Just separating the head and the body won't kill a demon…”

 

“It has to be weakened enough to destroy at least twenty percent of the body,” Kuwabara added, going in for a slice that transected his previous two cuts, the gut bursting and freeing all the souls that had yet to be completely absorbed. The Devil's scream of protest was the perfect accompaniment to his sudden decrease in size.

 

“Urameshi, wanna do the honors?” The redhead gestured with his naginata at the now-diminutive Devil.

 

“What?” Yusuke pointed as well, just with his sword, “that thing? I forgot my bug spray. Didn't think I needed it.”

 

“Uh, guys?” Keiko landed with the others, having collected all the escaped souls.

 

“Kags, why don't you do it?”

 

“Guys…?”

 

“Heh, you guys wanted me to just stay back and observe, and now you want me to—“

 

“Ok,” Keiko sighed, “fine, be that way—“

 

“It's nothing like that!” Kuwabara held up his hands.

 

“We just thought you'd like to be the one to have the final shot!” Yusuke grinned, putting his free hand into a pant pocket.

 

“—I'll do it!” Keiko growled, being the only one still watching the Devil as it tried to sneak away. She grabbed both swords from the cousins, using one to pin the demon down through the chest and bisected the mouse-sized Devil's head with the other. “There, done!” Keiko huffed, handing the swords back to the cousins and went back to taking tally of the surviving souls.

 

Silenced by their teammate, the trio of long-term demon fighters followed the `sideliner' back to the souls. The spirit balls hovered, clustered together in fright, not knowing what was happing and what would happen next. “Put your weapons away already!” Keiko snapped at the boys, having already dissolved her crossbow and was now trying to placate the frightened souls. Touching one, she gave it enough of her life energy for it to regain its humanoid form.

 

“Mizuki?” Kagome gasped, recognizing the neighbor child.

 

“Kagome-nee-chan?” the child asked, wiping away pearlescent tears, “I'm scared.” Smiling humorlessly, Kagome hugged the frightened spirit, pressing the child's head into her shoulder.

 

“Ssh, I know Mizuki-chan, we'll get you home really soon, ok?” She whispered, just loud enough for the other spirits to hear as well. As Keiko gave each spirit enough energy for a form, they gathered around Kagome, each wanting to be reassured.

 

“Kuwabara, are you ready?” Keiko asked, finishing giving each of the twenty or so souls enough energy to animate their bodies when they returned.

 

“Yeah, think so.” Kuwabara finished drawing a simple return circle with Kagome and the souls in the middle.

 

(O)

 

“Inuyasha,” Miroku poked the half-asleep hanyou, having been startled out of his meditation.

 

“Yeah, I see it Monk.” He had been aware the entire time, smelling more than seeing the four bodies that had collapsed in the clearing. Now, a pinpoint of white light hovered in the middle, swaying slightly in the breeze, seemingly unblinking as living and spirit starting in on a staring contest. Soon enough, the light started to spin, growing outward into a circle of light, of which many orbs of smaller lights burst forth like a firework, flying up into the sky and disappearing.

 

Back on the ground, the light faded, revealing the four bodies, unconscious, but waking. “Kagome?” a groan was the response as said hanyou rolled over, arm draped over her eyes to block out the real world. Peeking out, Kagome aimed and kicked, catching Yusuke in the ribs.

 

“…Ow…” Yusuke groaned, actually the first one to manage sitting up.

 

“Did we get all of them through?” Kuwabara asked, the moment before Yusuke would have dug his heel into the taller boy's, ahem, gut.

 

“Yeah, made sure of that.” Keiko spoke up, not giving any other indication that she was awake.

 

“Damn, I feel old,” Kagome muttered, then started giggling as she finger-waved at her mate, clutching Yusuke's arm to keep her upright. It turned out that they were all tired enough to start laughing, causing Miroku and Inuyasha to share a look that questioned the children's sanity.

 

“.. Lazy-ass gods…” Yusuke muttered when they had finally calmed down. “Why couldn't they just kill the Devil themselves?”

 

“Because they're lazy.” Kuwabara was the recipient of a `duh' glare for that.

 

“Because gods will not do for you what you can do you yourself.” Keiko spoke up like she was giving the answer for `what is two plus two' or some idiotically simple question.

 

“In other words, they're lazy.” Kuwabara sat up, dangling his hands between his knees.

 

“Yeah, but I like Keiko's response better.” Kagome crawled over, pulling Keiko up by her wrist. “Sounds like a valid excuse that way.”

 

“So I take it things were successful?” Miroku spoke up, startling the four. They had honestly forgotten that they weren't alone.

 

“Yeah.” Finally Kagome spoke up, “The Devil that was stealing children's souls wasn't as powerful as they made it out to be.” Reaching back, she untangled the ribbon from her hair, fingering the gold embroidery on the black stain background. “There's a reason why children are chosen as guides for the young dead, but it also means that they haven't reached their full potential.

 

“Children don't know to fear death.” Kuwabara shrugged, finding himself the pillar that the other three leaned on. “It's something that's learned as we grow up, that's why they use kids.”

 

“But it also means that kids are weak when it comes to defending their charges.”

 

I wouldn't be surprised it none of the children we rescued respond to summons after this.”

 

“Yeah.” Keiko looked down, then back at the others. “They learned of death too soon and must live with it, like we do. Let's go home already.” Standing up, she gave a hand each to Yusuke and Kagome.

 

“Yeah, let's go.” Yusuke agreed, standing up and helping Kagome up.

 

“And tomorrow, we can check on the kids that made it, and pray for the ones we didn't.” Kuwabara stood a little wobbly, but not much more so than the others' stances. Leaning on each other, they managed to make it to the shrine steps.

 

“Stairs…” Keiko's eyes unfocused, staring up the flight it would take to make it up to the shrine and no-doubt a free bed for her. Untangling her limbs from the mutual support of her teammates, Keiko looked at the half-lit sky with a small smile. “At least we didn't take that long. I can actually get a full night's sleep before dawn.”

 

Schooling his amused grimace, Miroku halted Keiko's steps with a polite cough, “Miss Yukimura, forgive me , but that is sunrise not sunset. School would be starting in about two hours.”

 

Yeah, that is as full night for Keiko.” Yusuke snickered, starting up the stairs.

 

“And where are you going Yusuke? You are going to school, right?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Skipping.”

 

“Sle~ep…” and with that, Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand and trudged up the stairs, one thing on her mind: a soft, warm, fluffy bed with her name embroidered in one corner of the comforter in pink.

 

(O)

 

“Ah, Kagome,” Gin smiled seeing Kagome and the boys return, “Do you want some breakfast before bed?”

 

“(Ye~es…) Sorry, Mama, I just want to crash right now.” Tugging Inuyasha's hand, she only growled at the stairs for a moment before heading straight for her room.

 

“Maybe I should just let you sle—“

 

“No.” Kagome growled tiredly, “be my teddy bear?” She simpered, too tired to care that she sounded like a shallow girlfriend. Giving up all sense of protest, Inuyasha hoisted Kagome into his arms and into the mostly-bare bedroom.

 

Turning away from the scene, Gin squealed in excitement. “They make such a cute couple! Do any of you boys want breakfast, or is it off to bed with you too?”

 

“Depends. Oden?” Yusuke asked, turning on the cute.

 

“Not for breakfast, Yusuke, but maybe tonight when everyone wakes up.” Gin smiled, not fooled by his cute act for a moment.

 

Kuwabara didn't even really bother, covering a yawn as he bee lined straight for his futon that was set up in Souta's room.

 

“May I ask, Higurashi-dono, where my lovely wife has gone to?” Miroku asked, not able to help the flirting tone that had gotten him into trouble more than once.

 

“She's up in the guest room, but she should be up in a few hours if you want to wait.”

 

Smiling, Miroku shook his head and left as well, content to wait until the others awoke for the day. “Well,” Gin chirped, I guess it's just me and…“ she looked around the empty kitchen, a small smile on her face as she grabbed her bag and wrote a short note. “Mr. Convenience store bento for breakfast at the park today.” And with that she slipped out the door, knowing not that her note slipped off the refrigerator and fell onto the wooden floor:

 

Gone Shopping

 

--Momma.

 

Well, once again, I've proved to myself that I'm horrible at writing fight scenes, which is ok now since this is the last chapter. That's right, folks, after 6 years, I'm finally giving up, poof, done, over with, fin, exit to the left!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok… so not quite yet. I do have an epilogue that I have mostly written that I promise Will be Posted Next Week… sometime. Independence Day possibly? Depends on how my work schedule goes…

 

^_^ Don't worry though, I will be coming back though! Just not on this story after next chapter. I have other stories planned and ready to burst into typing any day now… just have to remember what they all are now… So, I'll see you around, right?

 

Dark Inu Fan