InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Finding Kagome ❯ Chapter 40

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

A/N: I know, I know... no I didn't drop dead, aliens didn't abduct me... Summer is finally over though, and the Kami-sama have blessed me with a couple of fine betas to keep me on my toes. Special Shouts to Mooman_fl and Sacred_Sagittarius for their much appreciated input on this difficult chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it... through the writers block and all...

 

 

 

Finding Kagome

 

Chapter 40

 

 

Donna Bodine set the phone back into the cradle, a perplexed expression crossing her features. She had called repeatedly, and for days there had been no answer. Now she was getting a disconnect recording. It made no sense to her.

It simply was not like Kagome Higurashi to just . . . disappear.

Kagome taught the combined fourth and fifth grade class at Bayview Elementary School, where Donna had been Principal for the last 10 years. She was perhaps the most open, kind, outgoing individual that Donna had ever had the honor of knowing, and to have her suddenly go missing worried the woman more than she had words to describe.

When Kagome had first suggested a performance by students of one of her 'family stories' in the city wide Cultural Fair, Donna had initially balked. That was, until that fated Christmas party back in December, when she had stolen the show from Old Saint Nick himself, by telling a story that she had touted as a 'Fable from the Sunset Shrine'.

It had been nothing less than magic, as her youngest instructor relayed the tale from the perspective of an ancient tree which had been a silent witness to the events. A story of a girl and a boy from totally different backgrounds, different worlds, who met and joined forces in a common cause. They battled supernatural creatures, complete with dragons and an evil sorcerer, gathering pieces of a shattered relic which would restore peace to the land. It had been completely enchanting. Donna had been quite impressed, not only with the tale itself, but also with the enthusiastic animation exhibited by the young teacher in the telling of it. A rare gift, in this age of movies and television.

When Kagome had suggested presenting a portion of the tale in the form of a dance performance, Donna could only smile and agree. The story should be told, and the annual cultural fair was a perfect opportunity. It had taken a little bit of work, but she had found the funds to underwrite most of the production costs, leaving Kagome free to compose the music and choreograph.

She had just assumed that somewhere, the Higurashi family had chronicled these fascinating tales. But last week Kagome had informed her that the stories were an oral tradition, shared primarily during tours at a shrine in Tokyo which had been maintained by her family for generations. They had never been published.

Donna's penchant for righting universal wrongs had gone into overdrive with this revelation. Surely with the contacts that she and and her husband Gerard had, they could find the girl a publisher.

“Gerry, you spoke to Seth Inudono at the reception . . . did you by chance mention anything to him about Kagome's stories?” she called out toward the back of the apartment.

“No, not specifically. I did ask him to call me on Monday about a proposal, though. . . It's the best I could do under the circumstances,” her husband ambled into the room, his customary scotch on the rocks in hand. “He had his hands pretty full with that brother of his. Strange family.”

Donna laid her arm on the back of the sofa, tracing the interwoven floral design idly with a finger. “Surely he'd be interested. After all, they originate from his homeland . . .”

“I didn't get a chance to pitch anything, honey. That Caleb is operating about six cards short of a full deck.” Gerard shook his head in sympathy for the normally aloof business magnate. ”I think the guy was trying to single-handedly exhaust the reception's champagne supply,” he joined her on the couch and sipped at his cocktail, the ice tinkling in the glass. “I don't envy Inudono having to babysit him, that's for sure . . . It's funny, for as quiet and controlled as Inudono is, his brother seems to be the exact opposite. Brash, rude. . .” Breaking his musings he glanced at his wife, noting her apprehensive expression. “Tell you what, if I don't hear from him by noon tomorrow, I'll call his office. I know this is important to you.”

“I found this amazing artist. A fantasy illustrator . . . “ Latching onto the subject like a life preserver, she perked up a little. “Kagome doesn't know, yet. I was hoping to surprise her, but . . . I can't find her, Gerry. She didn't say anything about going out of town during vacation. Now her phone's been disconnected, “ she folded her arms to fend off a chill that was unrelated to any temperature changes in the room.

Gerard picked up the newspaper that was laying on the coffee table, and shook it open to the business page, walling himself away from her swinging mood. Accustomed to Donna's passions regarding causes and friends, he found life simpler if he just let her moods run their course. “Maybe she finally moved out of that closet you said she's been living in,” he ventured, distractedly.

“She didn't say anything about a move. She's not very spontaneous. She would mull over something as important as that for a while, I'm sure I would have heard about it.” She sat forward and clasped her hands together agitatedly, casting a furtive glance at the phone, which was useless to her at this point. Realizing that her ramblings had become nothing more than background noise to him, she reached over and brazenly pulled the newspaper down to get her husband's full attention, “I'm worried about her, Gerard.”

“I am sure everything is fine, Donna.” He flicked the paper back to wall himself off again, casting her a sideways glance. “You'll see her tomorrow morning and then kick yourself for being such a worry wart.”

“With all the crime recently, I. . . just can't help it,” she sighed, then picking up the television remote, she aimed it at the television. “She's such a gentle, sweet person . . . always so kind and considerate . . . never a cross word. . .”

 

~oo0O0oo~

 

“Empty your goddamn pockets, Mikey!”

Michael's back stiffened at the sound of Kagome's terse command, sponge poised where he had been trying to scrub scorch marks off the enamel of the stove.

“NOW, damnit!!” She insisted, arms folded and a single foot tapping impatiently,

“For the love of . . . What now??” Michael dropped the sponge onto the stove top, and glared back at Kagome.

Selene, hands deep in sudsy dishwater, turned to find InuYasha standing in the doorway. In each of his hands there appeared to be long wooden dowels. Her mouth pulled into a small 'o', as her brows crested. Shaking her head with wonder at the hanyou's obvious selection of weapons, she glanced at her fiance.

“Better do what she says, Monk . . .” she smirked, before she returned to her dishes. “You've been cruisin' for it, looks like you've finally got your wish.” Pulling out a molten mass that had recently been one of her nylon spoons, she grimaced, then tossed it into the trash by the door.

“Wish? Surely you don't think . . .” he shook his head, raising his hands in his customary placating manner.

“You want your chance to kick my ass?? You got it!!” InuYasha announced, deftly tossing one of the poles across the room to Michael, who just as agilely caught it. “But, a fair fight, asshole. No tricks . . . so lose the shit in your pockets.”

Michael examined the dowel with a confused expression. “Shouldn't this been holding up hangers somewhere?”

“Yeah, and it will again, after I kick your 'sorry ass', bouzu!” InuYasha grinned wickedly as he swung his pole out and lightly tapped against Michael's. “Let's go!! It's getting' dark . . .” he sneered, “I don't wanna take unfair advantage.”

“Oh,” Selene dried her hands on the back of her jeans. “I can fix that!” She grinned and reached over to press a switch on the wall. Suddenly the dusk darkened yard lit up.

“Good.” InuYasha nodded, then tapped Michael's pole again expectantly, nodding toward the door.

“Sally!! Who's side are you on??” Michael nearly whined. For some bizarre reason it was beginning to feel like he was the focus of some kind of an intervention. A very strange and surreal intervention. A potentially very painful intervention.

“If you aren't going to empty 'em, I'll do it for you!!” Kagome crossed the kitchen, and grabbed for his pants pockets. Squirming away from her, he started to laugh. The whole situation just seemed so ludicrous. “Hold still damnit!”

“Need some help?” Selene offered with grin, grabbing him around the waist.

“I think I once had a dream like this . . .” he mused, his eyes alight with glee as the two women pawed at him. “Ladies! Surely there is enough to go around!”

InuYasha snorted and rolled his eyes. Some things just never change.

Michael's amused expression remained, even though Selene succeeded in grasping his arms behind his back, causing him to drop the pole with a loud clatter. Kagome finally wriggled her hand into a pocket, digging for the contents.

“Mm, a little to the left. . .” he murmured seductively into her ear with a raised brow.

Kagome choked, then blushed furiously. InuYasha emitted a low growl of warning and advanced a step.

Swallowing back her embarrassment Kagome pulled her hand out of the pocket with a handful of harmless looking paper articles.

She knew better.

“Hey!! Those are mine!!” He jerked against Selene's hold on him and grimaced as he found his arms hefted uncomfortably higher against his back. “Not fair, torture wasn't part of the dream,” he mumbled, brows lowering into a glower.

Examining the articles she had just retrieved from his pocket, Kagome looked up grimly at her friend's now moderately pained expression. “You've been practicing, I can see.” Her face pinched briefly recalling how helpless InuYasha had been under the spell of the one in her room. Glancing back at her hanyou as he stood there expectantly, she found herself momentarily lost for words.

Kagome scowled down at the 'leash' in her hand, the one Michael had used to subdue InuYasha. It was more intricate, more elaborate than any other examples of his work that she had seen. Not only paper, but fibers were incorporated into the woven mesh. She could only guess what those fibers were from. She could only guess how he had learned how to make such a thing.

Even though she knew in her heart that it had been crafted to be used for her protection, she found it immeasurably offensive now.

Her impulse was to burn it.

“Kagome . . .” InuYasha stepped closer, his ears twitching. She knew he sensed her turmoil.

After seeing InuYasha driven to his knees, quite literally, and their subsequent discussion, it was at this moment while staring at the now offensive Ofuda, that she realized just how profound her feelings for him were. In such a short time, he had become everything.

“You can't . . .” her brow furrowed and she studied InuYasha, his head cocked to the side in question. She shook her head only slightly then looked back at Michael.

“My . . . fiance . . . is not your damn guinea pig, Mikey.”

InuYasha blinked. Slowly his features softened as understanding came to him.

“Fiance?” Michael and Selene echoed in unison, Selene's grip loosened slightly with the revelation and Michael on sensing an opening for escape, yanked an arm free of her grasp.

Realizing her error, Selene quickly pulled the remaining arm up with a, “No you don't!” and Michael gasped as he felt the tendons of his shoulder stretched to their limit. Instinctively reaching back with his free arm to try to dislodge her hold on him, she snared it as well and he found himself in an even more dire predicament than before.

Neither of them saw the silent, however significant exchange between Kagome and InuYasha. Granted, it was far from what Kagome had ever imagined it would be like. Like most girls she had imagined a ring being involved, and perhaps a suitor on his knee. The stuff of the romance novels she had lost herself in so many times. Somehow, InuYasha on his knees again was not a pleasant thought, even if it were to profess his devotion.

Breaking the trance that those golden orbs inspired, Kagome turned to quickly dig into Michael's other pocket and pull out several more articles designed for demonic torture. “When did you find the time to make all of these??”

Michael would have shrugged -- if he had been able to move. Instead he just lowered his head, and tried for an 'innocent' look between grimaces as Selene's hold on him tightened.

“Leave some for me, wench,” InuYasha admonished Selene with a wry grin, as he tilted his head in obvious fascination at the control she was maintaining on her quarry.

“I think that's it . . .” Kagome looked at the small pile she had assembled on the counter, most of which were completely foreign to her. She had no clue what they were meant to do, and that disturbed her.

She didn't really want the men to fight. She didn't want to see either of them hurt. But she knew any further argument against it would fall on deaf ears. It was a guy thing, she supposed. If the two of them couldn't get past their differences, things were going to get very messy. As if they weren't messy enough as it stood. All she could do right now was try to even the playing field between them. .

Selene released her grip, and Michael rotated his abused shoulder, rubbing it.

Pushing the dropped dowel with his bare foot toward Michael, InuYasha growled, “Let's go,” and proceeded toward the door.

Kagome suspected that he didn't really want to do this either. He felt pressed by honor into doing it. Michael had humiliated him. It was the only way he knew to address that humiliation.

Glancing at the pile on the counter, Michael sighed. His best defense had just been stripped from him. His eyes fell on the sword looped into InuYasha's belt.

“Hey, Wait! What the hell is he doing with THAT??” He demanded. “No way . . .” he waved his arms.

Kagome glanced back and forth between them. InuYasha looked as though he was about to protest, his lips pursed and his eyes narrowed, but when he didn't say anything Kagome stepped in.

“He's right, you know,” she held out her hand. “Why don't you let me hold it for you?”

InuYasha paused as though considering her offer. Kagome saw something in his expression that she hadn't expected. It was subtle, but it was most definitely there. Fear. Was he really that worried about being able to win against Michael? Surely he wouldn't want to use Tetsusaiga to fight him.

“It's only fair, Puppy . . .” she urged him in a low whisper.

“Keh! Fine . . . gotta be fair . . .” he snarled sarcastically. Pulling the sword from his belt, he held it out to her then leaned close to whisper in her ear, “Just . . . bring it to me if I ask you to, ok? Promise me, Koi. It's important.”

Searching his eyes for answers to her questions, Kagome nodded. This sword . . . it was more than just a weapon to him. She didn't know why he might need it but she had to trust that he would not use it to harm Michael.

Bending to pick the dowel up off the floor, Michael glanced back at Selene who had a smug expression on her face.

“You're really enjoying this, aren't you?” He accused her grimly, then followed InuYasha out the door.

Seeing the shocked expression on Selene's face, Kagome placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. Selene didn't move for a moment, and Kagome knew that she was considering the implications behind Michael's words, the subtle suggestion that she wanted him to lose.

“He doesn't understand,” Selene muttered. “He really just doesn't get it, does he?”

“Don't worry,” Kagome offered. “It's an ego thing . . . ” She grinned at Selene, wriggling her fingers in the air. “I got him covered.”

 

 

“You know, Caleb, you really should get some professional help!!” His tone obviously an attempt at reasoning, Michael's voice was raised an octave with anxiety. “This penchant of yours for violence isn't healthy!!” He held his pole upright on the grass with one hand.

“Shut your hole, monk!” InuYasha responded, knees bent as he stalked around the man. “Fight me, damnit!!” Extending his pole, he smacked it against his opponent's tauntingly, knocking it free from the ground.

Flinching to grab the dowel up into both hands, Michael shouted to the sky, “Am I the only rational person around here!?!”

“Be careful Mikey!! Aren't you the one who told me that's what the really crazy people say??” Kagome taunted from the porch. Glancing toward the hanyou, the predatory gleam in his reflective eyes nearly stopped her heart.

“Hey!! I'm not the one who drug out closet poles!!” Michael retorted, dropping his stance to the same stalking crouch, eyes fixed on his opponent's weapon. “Talk about crazy. . .” he muttered.

“I think this show is worth a few wrinkled shirts,” Selene commented quietly nodding with a grin toward their men. Leaning on the porch rail, she settled in for the exhibition. “I've never seen the monk spar. I have to admit, this is a treat.”

Kagome shook her head. Selene, with years of training after being raised with four brothers, knew her way around defense. It was all foreign to Kagome, who had been brought up in a completely non-violent atmosphere.

Even so, Kagome couldn't shake a feeling of deja vu that had begun to seep in like a fog bank. They had fought over something, something irreplaceable that Michael had taken. He had tricked her and InuYasha was going to make him pay . . . with his life if necessary. Jewel shards . . . no wait, the Jewel isn't broken . . .

“Fuck this,” InuYasha growled, and proceeded to take the offensive. Swinging rapidly in a series of windmilled slashes toward Michael, each of his attacks were quickly deflected.

The cracking sound of the wood as it struck heavily echoed against the house, pulling Kagome back to the now and she couldn't help but jump with each loud connection. This was really going to take some getting used to. She grit her teeth just as she saw InuYasha back off, bouncing his pole off one hand.

“Not bad, kisama . . .” he sneered, and one fang glinted in the overly bright artificial light.

Michael bowed slightly in acknowledgment, his brow furrowed slightly at the unfamiliar term.

“What's he going to do?” Whispered Selene, pulling herself upright as she watched InuYasha.

Kagome's eyes widened as the hanyou drew his pole over his head and slammed it down toward Michael.

Quickly raising his pole braced horizontally over his head, Michael absorbed the potentially devastating blow, falling to his knees from the force. Drawing it down swiftly, he swung low as InuYasha drew his weapon back.

“Ha ha!! Now who's on their knees, asshole??” InuYasha gloated, drawing up his dowel for another hammered strike, Michael's swing was true and knocked the hanyou's feet out from underneath him landing him on his posterior with a loud “Umph!”.

Kagome gasped.

An indelicate snort erupted out of Selene.

“The better question is. . .” Michael grinned broadly as he used his pole to regain his feet, “who . . . is now on their ass?”

“Keh! Whatever . . .” InuYasha muttered, rising much more gracefully than he had landed.

Knees bent, Michael assumed ready position. Pole in both hands, he rotated it in invitation to his opponent, his face bright with enthusiasm. InuYasha did not disappoint, and again the resounding clacks of their poles meeting echoed off the house.

“I'll . . . be . . . damned,” Selene muttered with awe. “The monk's enjoying this!!”

Kagome marveled at the forms of the two men locked in their fierce dance around the yard. There was a feral beauty in the way InuYasha moved around Michael to attack, and the speed of those attacks were impressive. She had never seen Mikey move so quickly, as he dodged a high sweep, then jumped over the following low one. He was really giving InuYasha a run for his money.

The sound of wood on wood dimmed in her ears, becoming a nearly musical counterpoint as her eyes unfocused to another time. Another place.

The thought kept echoing through her mind, 'that monk . . . he isn't a bad person . . .'

She could only gasp when InuYasha jumped against the trunk of the walnut tree, to push off high, flip in a somersault and then land behind Michael, a wide swing knocking the mans pole right out of his grasp, then dancing backwards with a wicked grin.

Selene winced. “That had to hurt . . .”

“GAH!!” Michael shook his hands and flexed his fingers as he turned narrowed eyes on his opponent. “Damn show off . . .” he grumbled, before picking up his weapon. Swinging around, he scored a moderate blow on InuYasha's right thigh before distancing himself by using his pole as leverage to leap past the hanyou, who twirled around swinging the length of his pole out, scoring wildly against Michael's back, propelling him head first into the fence.

Both of the women winced at the sound of Michael's head hitting the wood. Stunned, he backed up a step and shook his head. InuYasha froze in place, and Kagome noted the look of concern that flitted across his features. He dropped his pole and yanked off his shirt, wiping at his face before tossing it to the side.

Kagome's eyes widened. Not having seen InuYasha in any state of undress, the sight of his well toned physique took her breath away. While his arms were not overly large, they were well defined, and his broad shoulders narrowed to a trim waistline. He had the well toned 'six-pack' set of abdominal muscles, that rippled as he tossed the shirt away.

Kagome swallowed, and glanced to find Selene watching her obviously oggle the hanyou. Blushing profusely she grasped the sword in both hands, and cleared her throat.

 

Picking up his dowel, InuYasha watched Michael closely as the man shook off the effects of the collision with the fence.

“Gotcha right where I want ya, now!” InuYasha raised his dowel for another hammered strike just as Michael raised his own to the horizontal position again.

“DAMN!! You think that's an ax??” Michael huffed, as he intercepted the blow square on, hissing at the stinging in his hands.

“InuYasha is playing with him, do you see that?” Kagome whispered to Selene.

“He's warning him, giving him time to set a defensive stance,” Selene responded. “He's trying to keep his promise.”

“Promise?” Kagome flinched at the sound of breaking wood, as InuYasha struck at Michael again.

“GIVE monk!! I've beaten you, your weapon is in two pieces!” InuYasha shouted, dancing backwards with a look of triumph.

Michael examined the two halves of his dowel, one in each hand, with shocked fascination.. Suddenly his face lit up with a grin.

“Here Boy!!” He flung one of the poles across the yard. “FETCH!!”

InuYasha's eyes brightened as he watched the path of the tossed stick, his torso twisting as if he might actually take off after it.

“Oh my GOD!! He didn't just do what I think he just did . . . did he??” Kagome choked at Michael's audacity, unsuccessfully quashing a nervous giggle with the back of her hand.

“You son-of-a-bitch . . .” InuYasha ground out as he slowly turned back toward the chuckling man. “That wasn't fucking FUNNY!!”

“Hey! Leave my mother out of this!” Michael wheezed, unable to control his escalating mirth. He hesitated briefly before adding maliciously, “My mother wasn't a bitch, or was it daddy that was the mutt, Caleb??”

“Oh, Damn . . . He's really pissed him off, InuYasha's furious . . .” Selene mumbled, her expression sobering..

“I'm gonna wipe that smile off your face, asshole!!” Picking up his dowel, he advanced toward the laughing man. “I'm done playin'.”

“Caleb!!” Selene shouted. “Remember your promise!!”

This stopped InuYasha in his advance. Choking his hands around the pole he glowered at Michael, who had recovered from his fit of laughter, wiping a tear from his eye. On seeing the murder written on his opponent's face, he blanched.

Glancing at Selene, Kagome saw the same shadow of the fear that she herself was feeling. This was going downhill fast, but she was at a loss as to how to stop it. Why did Mikey have to be so insulting?

“No bloodshed between brothers. . . yeah, I got it,” InuYasha growled. “Doesn't mean I can't fuckin' break his face!!” And he tossed his dowel to the side, then rushed Michael, savagely swinging a right hook directly into the gaping man's left cheek.

Michael swung what was left of his dowel at the hanyou's head, to find it lodged firmly in his opponent's grip then yanked out of his hand. InuYasha twirled around and using the same pole, landed a blow on Michaels right arm with a resounding CRACK.

“Mikey!!” Kagome cried frantically. “Just give up!! Say 'Uncle'!!”

“Like hell I will,” Michael grunted, holding his now useless arm protectively. “Bastard! Take that! Houriki!!” Yanking a pair of small scrolls from up his sleeve, Michael flung them where they adhered to the slick perspiration of InuYasha's bare chest, sparks flying from the point of contact. Raising two fingers just below his chin in a strange mockery of a Buddhist blessing, Michael lowered his head and willed the ofuda to complete it's purpose.

The scream that erupted from InuYasha was unearthly. His hair stirred by a breeze that no one else could feel, his features began to distort as he fought the effects of the Ofuda that continued to sizzle against his skin.

Breaking from his prayer, Michael was unable to mask a look of amazement as he watched the effect of his handiwork.

“MIKEY!! STOP IT!!” Kagome screamed, dropping Tetsusaiga as she ran down the stairs. “What the HELL IS THAT?? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE??”

Tripping on the last step, Kagome landed on her hands and knees, her mouth gaping. InuYasha's entire body had begun to change. The near howl that had emanated from him when the Ofuda first stuck, had become something else, something frightening and unreal. It was a powerful, inhuman roar, his eyes darkening to a blood red, and his fangs had become nearly tusk like. Jagged slashes of purple had appeared on his cheekbones. His fingers appeared to elongate, and the long, tough claws on his hands thickened and grew menacingly longer.

The sparking paper on his chest pulsed with a strange vapor that Kagome realized was actually smoke. The paper was burning away, disintegrating as InuYasha quieted, ceasing his fight against the transformation.

The demon eyed the ash on his chest. Flexing his fingers in front of his face, he then met Michael's shocked expression with a sinister grin.

“Inu. . .InuYasha?” Kagome gasped, edging her way closer. “What's happened to you?”

“It's his true form, Kagome. . . your 'Puppy'. . . really is a monster after all,” Michael announced quietly, drawing up his injured arm.

“NO!!” Kagome screamed. She had to stop this insanity. But how?

"Houshi-sama!!" Selene gasped as she reached up over her shoulder grasping for her weapon, her eyes never left the transformed figure in the yard below. But -- Hiraikotsu wasn't there, and her hand flexed at thin air. Her expression morphed to disbelief, then to horror as she slapped hands around behind her frantically.

“Touch Miroku again and I won't forgive you!!” Selene cried as she ran down the stairs to block Michael protectively.

“Fine then, two for one!” The demon growled and raised his clawed hand. “Now. . . you die.”

Kagome gasped, and ran to intercept InuYasha as he moved toward the pair. Michael shouldered past Selene, bracing his injured right arm, palm forward.

"S-Sango!! Kagome!! GET BACK!!" Michael shouted. Selene instinctively grabbed his waist from behind and ducked her head behind his shoulders.

Kagome grabbed hold of bush, unsure if it would be sturdy enough, and braced herself for an onslaught of assaulting wind. She had to protect InuYasha, or he would be swept into oblivion.

“KAZAANA!!”

Selene tightened her grip.

Kagome ducked her head under an arm, squeezing her eyes closed.

InuYasha leaped back with a low snarl.

A dog barked in the distance.

Kagome opened one eye, to see the others cringing, crouching and ducking against. . . nothing. Michael's brow furrowed, and he frowned at his hand, then shook it as though he was trying to get it to work right.

Her mind reeled with flashes of InuYasha going down, hitting the ground face first. From a tree, on a bridge, in a meadow, going through a floor, laying in a crater on a mountainside created by his own body . . .even in this form.

“OSUWARI!!,” Kagome screamed from her prone position, just as InuYasha began moving toward the couple by the fence, and suddenly the rosary glowed followed by an enormous thud as InuYasha hit the ground. Seizing her opportunity, Kagome darted across the yard and pounced on InuYasha's back, shouting, “You guys stay away!! I don't know how long this will work!!”

Michael blinked in confusion at his hand as Selene tugged him away from the writhing monster at their feet.

Kagome could feel the muscles of the demon rippling beneath her as he struggled against the spell, the growl erupting from his throat inhuman and frightening, but she was determined to not succumb to the fear. The heat of his demonic aura was scorching against her skin, and she buried her face in his hair.

“Please come back to me, InuYasha,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. Looping her arms around his as he fought against the subjugation, she prayed that she was doing the right thing. She had to save her friends.

Kagome felt the surge of power building inside of her, helpless to stop it. There was a roaring in her ears like a huge wind, then suddenly the bulbs of the outdoor lights popped, and she vaguely heard the tinkling of the glass as it fell. She could feel a rush of what felt like a whirlwind swirling around them both. The power -- was too strong. She couldn't control it.

“I'm. . . sorry. . . InuYasha. . .” she whispered, struggling against the inevitable.

She felt as though her heart were going to explode before a blinding flash of pure white light turned the world black and dark as death.

The last thing that she heard was Selene scream her name.

 

***

 

She was floating, suspended as if in deep water. But there was no sensation of wetness, no current. There was no sensation at all. Just a knowledge of being.

'What is this place?' she heard her mind say. 'Did I die? Is this the nothingness of Nirvana?'

'Hardly,' came a familiar sounding response. It wasn't a voice. It was more like a companion thought. 'It isn't finished yet.'

'Then why? What happened?' There was a stirring in the nothingness and she could see herself in the distance below, sprawled on InuYasha's back. 'Oh . . . no . . .'

'That disturbs you?' a face began to form in front of her. 'Don't worry . . . '

'But . . . InuYasha. . .' she looked on the scene below her, a great sadness enveloping her.

'Is a lot harder to get rid of than that,' the face solidified and it was the face of her InuYasha, untouched by any transformation. 'I couldn't leave you, Kagome.'

'Are we dead?'

'Nah, I don't think so, look. . .' he nodded toward the scene below them. 'But. . . it's time for both of us to get honest . . . too much is at stake.'

Kagome could see Michael and Selene hovering over their bodies. Michael bent and took InuYasha's wrist, then held it as though checking for a pulse. A look of relief washed over his face.

'So, we're just unconscious? Not dead?' Kagome was still confused. 'I hurt you. . . I'm . . . I'm so sorry.'

'To die is to live, and to live is to die . . .' InuYasha recited. “Hell of a lot better than the alternative.”

“You've changed.”

'Good becomes evil, and evil is good . . .' He continued.

'I. . . I remember that song . . . I thought it was confusing . . . now it kind of makes sense. . .' she mused.

'The Yin and Yang balance the world, and interchange and intermingle according to one's perspective. . .' Kagome watched the scene unfold below. Her friends were pulling her body away from InuYasha to lay beside him on the grass. Selene patted the unconscious Kagome's cheek, attempting to bring her back.

'Kagome. . .' his face began to obscure, and the scene below began to dissolve.

'InuYasha,' she made to reach for him, but there was nothing to reach with. . . nothing to grasp.

***

 

“Maybe we should we call an ambulance. . .” Michael released InuYasha's wrist then examined his own palm, a look of consternation shadowing his features.

“Maybe I should call his brother. . .” Selene suggested sitting back on her heels as she examined InuYasha, who was still face down on the grass.

“Don't tell me you want to be the one to explain. . . this . . . to him??” Michael responded, worry lacing his tone.

"Would you rather do it?" Selene shot back. "Be my guest."

"I would. . . If I had any clue as to just what has happened here. . ." Michael took in the darkened yard, blinking in disbelief.

"Oh, man. . ." Kagome muttered, rubbing a hand to her temple. "Explain what?"

"OH! Thank God!! You're awake," Selene let out an audible sigh of relief, as she dropped to her knees beside Kagome. "Are you ok?"

"InuYasha!" Kagome's breath hitched. Raising to her elbows, she glared at Michael. "You were going to kill him. . ." then she gasped in realization. "Oh Kami!! So was I!! I couldn't control the power. . ." Her eyes sought out InuYasha. In the darkenss what she found was not what she was looking for. The man laying beside her was a raven haired human, not a silver haired half-demon.

"I told ya," he groaned, "I'm a lot harder to get rid of than that." Rubbing the heels of his hands against his eyes, he blinked them trying to focus. Glancing first to his left to see Michael's knees, then to his right where he could make out Kagome's form. He sniffed deeply at the air, then muttered, "Kuso."

InuYasha rolled roughly to his back, glaring at his clawless fingers, then peered up at three sets of wide eyes gazing intently at him.

"So. . . who won?" He winced, forearm laid against the dull ache behind his eyes.

"I believe. . ." Michael's voice was gentle as he lowered himself to sit beside his former opponent, "the miko was the victor."

"Keh! No shit," InuYasha examined his hands again for signs of bloodstains. "You're all ok, though. . . right?"

"Remarkably fit, all things considered," Michael pronounced. "It seems, however that you have suffered some. . . changes. I think we all have, to be honest." He gazed at his hand again.

Kagome found her voice, finally. "I am so sorry, InuYasha. . . I tried to stop it, I really did. . . what have I done to you??"

"You did what you had to do, koi. You stopped me. . . though a kiss would have been alot nicer," InuYasha grimaced against his throbbing head. "It ain't like it's the first time I've been purified."

"Was that what that was?" Selene asked in awe, looking to Kagome for her answers. "I didn't realize you packed that much of a . . . whallop with your powers."

"So it's not permanent?" Kagome held her breath.

"I fuckin' hope not," InuYasha pulled himself up to a sitting position. "But with the completed jewel. . ." he looked at her pointedly, "your guess is as good as mine."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat.

"You told him?" Michael inquired, almost too nonchalantly.

"No." Kagome gazed in wonder at the now human in front of her, shaking her head, "I didn't."

"She didn't have to," he turned his attention to Michael. "No, that's not why I am here. But you know that's why Kouga has targeted her."

Michael stared at InuYasha for a long moment, then dropped his gaze to blink at the birthmark in his right palm. The void that was no longer there. Raising his eyes, they were met with those of the love of his life. His Selene, who had faced down an honest to God, raging demon trying to protect him. His Sango, who had faced countless demons by his side.

Kagome watched as her friend's expression went from horror, to fear, to awe, then settle on one of peaceful acceptance. It had taken provoking InuYasha nearly to the point of no return to finally reach Mikey. Perhaps this is what InuYasha had planned, had hoped for all along.

"So, bouzu. . . You ready to listen to me now?" InuYasha queried.

"Don't call me that," Michael replied meeting InuYasha's brown eyed gaze levelly. "Call me. . . " he stood and reached down to take InuYasha's forearm, assisting him up with low grunt, "Call me. . . Miroku."

 

 

 

 

 

~oo0O0oo~