InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Daughter of the West ❯ Tought Descisions ( Chapter 25 )

[A/N: Thank you all for the compliments. It really means a lot. No, it seriously does. Sorry it took so long for me to update! I got really caught up in a new story I'm working on, called Ketsueki Soshite Tamashii. Check it out, I think you'll enjoy it. Anyway, now that that' s out of the way, I really hope you enjoy this chapter!]

Daughter of the West

Chapter 25: Tough Decisions

As Inu-Yasha fell, he looked at the jewel shard in his hand. A fall from this height would most likely mean death, even for a half-demon such as himself. But if he were to implant the jewel into himself, it would give him enough strength to survive. The fact that someone would send a decoy Kikyo to lure him into such a terrible demise was absurd. At first glance, this would reek of one of Naraku's schemes. But upon closer inspection, Inu-Yasha knew that he wouldn't risk even the smallest jewel shard on such a feeble plan. But as he neared impact, he made his final choice. He jammed the jewel fragment into his palm, feeling a strange new power rush over him. A second later, he hit the ground, bones cracking and sharp rocks cutting into his skin.

Kimi's head darted up. "Sesshomaru?" she asked. The dog demon opened his eyes half way, glancing down at her. "What?" he asked blandly. Kimi sighed slightly. "Just a…strange presence--" the cat demon paused abruptly. She stood up, watching the forest like a hawk. Then Sesshomaru felt it too. He stood up, placing a hand on Kimi's waist. She extended her claws and pulled away from him. A second later, she leapt into the air, slashing at the trees. She brought a few down, also luring out a young priestess. She looked as though she were ready for a battle, arrows slung over her shoulder, and a bow gripped tightly in her hand. But she also looked as though she was prepared for an exorcism, as there was a sutra tucked into her belt.

The priestess, who was known as Kikyo looked sharply at Kimi. "Who are you, who dares to attack me so blatantly?" she demanded. Kimi scoffed at her. She was still in pain from the wounds she had suffered only a few hours earlier, but a human priestess, armed with only a bow and arrow, would be almost no trouble. Kimi smirked a little. "You have no idea how big a nest a trouble you have walked into," she growled.

Kimi lunged forward, heading straight for Kikyo, her claws drawn. The priestess didn't even have time to load an arrow into her bow. But, recalling the fact that there was a jewel shard imbedded in her bow, so it could in fact be used as a basic club. Kikyo swung her bow, almost like a sword. The sheer energy that the shard gave off was enough to force her back, roughly throwing her against an ancient tree.

Kimi groaned slightly. She had been slammed against that tree with a lot of force, and Sesshomaru could already pick up the scent of her blood seeping from her reopened wounds. The taiyoukai glared at the young human priestess. As if she could feel his stare burning into her, Kikyo turned, glowering fiercely at him. The undead priestess took a few steps toward him, smirking a little.

"Quite a resemblance to Inu-Yasha. If I'm not mistaken, could you be his elder brother…the one they call Sesshomaru?" she asked, her voice seeming hollow. He took a step forward. "Good eye," he replied simply, "And if I'm not mistaken, you are the priestess who sealed him to that tree…the one called Kikyo." The priestess's smirk grew as she loaded an arrow into her bow. "Good memory. Too bad it will have to go to waste."

With that, Kikyo released her arrow, although Sesshomaru was able to quickly dodge it. But he had felt the extreme power that had enveloped the arrow. This power…he thought, Such a power. This priestess is no human. Sesshomaru stopped, glaring at the priestess before him, who already had yet another arrow drawn. Sesshomaru took a few steps back, until he was backed up against the tree he was sitting under only a few moments ago. Dammit, he thought angrily. In his head, he was kicking himself over and over. He had just trapped himself. He quickly glanced over at Kimi, who was still unconscious. Kikyo neared, until she was right before him, her arrow directly adjacent from his neck. He could actually feel a burn mark forming on his neck.

"What do you plan to do?" he demanded angrily. "It's very simple, " she replied, "I plan to lure your little brother into a trap, and then take him off to hell. And if I have to kill you and your wench in the process, I will." Sesshomaru growled at her threateningly for a moment, but then noticed a blood-covered Kimi hovering behind the priestess, ready to tear her to shreds with her claws. Kikyo smirked. "One step closer and I'll send this straight through his throat." Kimi shuddered, backed off, and then fell to her knees, panting slightly.

Sesshomaru furrowed his brow a little. He could feel the energy from the arrow burning his neck. His concern over Kimi growing, he spoke. "I've had enough of your games, you impertinent wench!" he growled. He caught the arrow in his hand, and although it burned into hiss flesh, he quickly dissolved it with the acid in his claws. Her arrow gone, Kikyo took a step back, gaping at him. "H-how…did you sunder the power of my arrow?" she demanded angrily. Sesshomaru glanced over at a bush where Rin, Shippô , and a very terrified Jaken were cowering behind. "Do as you please," he said, walking over and picking Kimi up. Kikyo looked slightly confused. "You do realize that I plan to utterly destroy your younger brother. Do you not desire to even save your own kin?" she asked sarcastically. Sesshomaru scoffed, resting Kimi's head on his shoulder. "Personally, I could care less about him," he said. Kikyo began to walk off. "Very well, then."

As Kikyo disappeared, Sesshomaru walked over to where his servant, Rin, and the little fox child hid. "Come. We're going," he said simply, walking off. Of course, they all followed. "Shippô , who was that bad lady?" she asked. The little fox smiled a little. "It's kinda a long story, but Inu-Yasha used to be in love with her," he said. And so, they followed after.

Kagome ran frantically through the forest, calling out for Inu-Yasha. If Kikyo truly is here, she thought desperately, Then Inu-Yasha could be in real danger! She hadn't even noticed that Sango and Miroku were quickly on her tail, thanks to Kirara. "Kagome!!" sango called out. Kagome stopped, and as she caught her breath, she turned. "I didn't even see you two," she said. Kirara quickly picked Kagome up on her back. "We've looked everywhere and we still can't find Inu-Yasha," Miroku said, a worried expression on his face.

As soon as he finished speaking, Kikyo came into view, strolling down the path as if she didn't have a worry in the world. Kagome gasped a little. "Wait! If she's here, then who…or what was Inu-Yasha chasing after?!"