InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Haunted ❯ Weaving it all Together ( Chapter 29 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 29: Weaving it all Together

The next several days were spent with everyone sparring and getting ready for what everyone knew would be the battle of their lives - nothing else they could ever get into would equal this.

While Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Kikyou practiced fighting against each other, Sesshoumaru, true to his word, sat with Kagome, and taught her how to control her power, so that she didn't leak her presence.

She was a quick study, he was pleased to find, and once again, he privately praised his brother's choice of mates.

Finally, after three days of training, the group once again gathered all together, and once Kagome raised a sound-proof barrier again, they began one last discussion on their plans.

Sesshoumaru spoke up first. "We can expect Naraku to attempt to wear us down first with hordes of lower youkai, while releasing saimyousho to keep your wind tunnel, monk," he glanced at Miroku, ''out of the fight. That means that you will be reduced to your native combat skills, rather than being able to utilize your curse."

Miroku nodded reluctantly.

"I would suggest that you do not attempt to use your hand. Naraku will try to force you into doing so, but if you do, you will only be playing into his plans."

Sesshoumaru broke off as he noticed Kagome smirking and shaking her head.

"Tell me, miko, why are you amused?"

Kagome openly grinned, and pulled out several Epi-pens. Miroku's eyes lit up when he saw them, recognizing what she held. She'd used them before to rid his body of the saimyousho poisons.

"Don't worry, Lord Sesshoumaru. Miroku can suck up every hell-bug on the field, and with those, he'll be just fine."

Sesshoumaru raised a slender brow. "Poison antidote from your time, I gather?" At her nod, he asked, "And you are sure it will work against them?"

"Sure will. Miroku knows how to use them, so I'll just give two of them to him to carry, and I will keep the last one just in case."

He nodded, pleased. "Well, then. I suppose the next thing to discuss is my father. None of you will be able to defeat him, so it will be up to myself, and Inuyasha. He will be our opponent."

He looked away for a moment, then met his brother's surprised eyes. "Father is an opponent that neither you nor I can defeat alone. It will take both of us. For all of our sakes, we must work together, Inuyasha. Can you do that?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. I'm just glad you're on our side this time, Sesshoumaru. It's hard enough to know we have to face our own father on the field - but I don't think I could handle having to fight you, too."

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru said softly, as everyone watched as the two brothers finally made their peace with one another. "I would not want to have to fight you, either, brother."

Kikyou spoke up at that point. "While you two are fighting your father," she glanced at Kagome, "you and I will be taking on Naraku himself. Can you trust me enough, after everything I have done, to work with me?"

Everyone watched as Kagome nodded and grinned. "Sure. After all, if you'd betrayed us in this battle, I wouldn't have been born, since our soul wouldn't have been purified, and would instead be languishing in hell about the time I should have been being born."

Kikyou blinked in surprise, then said slowly, "I believe you are right. I had never thought of that."

Sesshoumaru merely raised a brow again as everyone else laughed, a certain tension draining from the group with Kagome's easy acceptance of her one-time rival and chief tormentor.

Inuyasha reached over and grabbed his mate's hand and squeezed it. She was so much more than he had ever hoped to have, and he loved her more every day. He swore then and there that Naraku would not come between them - both would live through the battle. Nothing else was acceptable.

'Well, my dear?' Kagome smiled secretively as she heard her mate's mother's voice in her ear. She knew none of the others could hear the Lady. 'Are you ready for what is coming? I know your attention will be split during the battle, trying to fight Naraku himself, and keeping a close watch on my mate as well.'

Kagome nodded, as if to herself, and said into her mind, 'I'll be okay. I've always been a good multi-tasker, so I guess that little talent of mine will be getting a good workout.'

She could feel Izayoi's hesitance within her mind. 'But for this plan of ours to work, my dear, you must have absolute trust in me. Can you really be sure you trust me enough for what we have in mind?'

'Absolutely, my Lady. You love your son as much as I do, and I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt him. So don't worry about it. It'll all work out - just keep an eye on the fight, and when it's time, let me know.'

She felt Izayoi smile, then let go of her attention, and Kagome tuned back in to the rest of the group finishing up their talk.

"Hey. Are we planning to wait for Naraku to come to us here, or what?"

Inuyasha frowned at her and shook his head. "I don't want that bastard anywhere near the village. We should head out tomorrow - I have the perfect place in mind to finish this... its a no-mans land, the soil is useless, and no one lives near there, so we won't be endangering anyone, and yet it's wide open - no place for Naraku to hide. He'll have to come out and play."

Sango looked thoughtful. "I know the place you speak of, it would indeed be an excellent battlefield. So what do we do? Head there, then camp in the area until Naraku gets tired of waiting, and just attacks?"

"Exactly."

Everyone got silent at that, and sat for a while just thinking everything over.

Finally, Sesshoumaru stood, and Kagome dropped the barrier. "I am going to hunt. I will meet you all here at first light tomorrow. Rest well this night." With that, the Western Lord turned and faded into the trees, leaving everyone else to stand and head back to the village.

Kikyou turned away, and also headed into the trees - only turning back when Kagome called out to her. She waited patiently for the girl to speak.

"Have you thought anymore about what you asked me to do?"

Kikyou shook her head. "I do not need to. It is what I want. Everything in me wants peace - and once you purify our soul, I will gain that. I have no desire to walk this earth any longer, at least not in this body." She gestured to herself. "Our soul wants to be re-joined, and I am ready... no, I am more than ready for that, Kagome."

Kagome sighed, then nodded firmly. "Then that's what I'll give you. I just wanted to be sure it's what you really wanted."

Kikyou turned and continued walking. "It is." She smiled over her shoulder at her reincarnation. "I will also meet you all here at first light. Goodnight, Kagome."

"Night, Kikyou." Kagome turned back towards a patiently waiting Inuyasha.

"What was that all about, wench?"

She glanced up at him, then back down thoughtfully. "Just wanted to make sure that she really wanted me to purify our soul, like she asked. I had thought of using the jewel to give her another chance at life, but she isn't interested. She said she's tired, and ready to rest."

Inuyasha grabbed her around the waist and swung her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her neck. "Keh. Thank you, K'gome. I don't know how you do it, always giving more and more of yourself. After everything she's done to you, and you still tried to help her. You'll never know how much that means to me."

Kagome pulled back from his embrace and looked him in the face. "Can you let her go, though, Inuyasha? Knowing that this is what she wants - can you let go?"

He nodded easily. "Yeah. I just want her to be happy, and if this is what it takes, then I have no problems with it. Don't worry about me."

She beamed at him, then pulled away and grabbed his hand. "C'mon, dog boy, let's go get dinner before its all gone."

He followed her happily, heart at peace with Kikyou's decision, and content to know that his mate would have her complete soul. It was about time.

---cCc---

Morning came far too early for the Inutachi and their allies, as everyone gathered their belongings and said their goodbyes to those that would be staying behind. Shippo had the hardest time - he didn't want to be separated from Kagome, but understood that she would be too distracted to fight if she was worried about him, and so, eventually, after many tears, he finally let her go.

They made good time as they traveled swiftly, but uneasily, under leaden grey skies that only emphasized the weight of what they were heading into. The group was silent, all lost in their own thoughts, and as they neared their first nights camp, everyone broke off into their chosen tasks silently, functioning as a group fluidly, as though they had always traveled together.

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru peeled off from the main group first, heading out to hunt, and Miroku and, surprisingly enough, Kikyou, went after water and firewood. Sango and Kagome, meanwhile, set up the encampment, and had a firepit ready for when the two came back with the wood for it.

Dinner was quickly spitted and cooked when the hunters returned with several rabbits, and just as quickly eaten. Afterwards, Kikyou faded into the trees and found herself a quiet place to spend the night meditating, and Sango and Kagome went looking for a bath.

When they returned, they found Sesshoumaru gone, and Inuyasha and Miroku already bedded down.

Kagome raised a brow at her mate. "Decided to sleep with me tonight, instead of in a tree?"

"Keh. Sesshoumaru will keep watch tonight - he slept last night and doesn't need to sleep again for a while," he said quietly. "Besides, I just want to hold you tonight, is that all right?"

Her eyes softened. He was suffering from pre-battle jitters, hell, they all were. "You know it is, Inuyasha. You don't even have to ask. C'mon."

She climbed into the sleeping bag and held the corner back for him to climb in. He curled up with her, and within ten minutes, they were asleep.

---cCc---

Kagome yawned, cracking her eyes open, she caught sight of Sango beckoning her to wake, and nodded. Seemed she'd just fallen asleep, and it was already time to get up. Elbowing her mate lightly, she unzipped the bag and sleepily climbed out.

With a disgusted look up at the sky, Inuyasha grumpily got up. "Feh. I swear, Naraku must have had this weather made to order for him. Damn depressing clouds."

Kagome privately agreed with her mate, but didn't say anything, and the group quickly got breakfast done, and prepared to move out again.

About mid-morning, Kagome glanced at her mate, then the others, and nodded. "Naraku's watching. I can feel his aura just touching the furthest edges of mine."

Sesshoumaru looked up at the sky. "It makes no difference. According to Inuyasha, the place we want to draw him to is close. Let him watch. When he realizes that we are not moving from this next camp, he will come."

Everyone sank back into their thoughts as they continued on, rapidly reaching the outskirts of their chosen battlefield, turning and skirting along the southern edge of it, they moved towards the only area that held water, and set this up as their new temporary home.

No one knew how long it would take Naraku to get the message that they were not moving - so they made themselves as comfortable as possible, and settled in for what could be a long wait.

Now, it was up to Naraku. They were as ready as they'd ever be.

---cCc---

The silence in the place was eerie, and everyone within the confines of the camp huddled, together or separate, waiting for the end to begin. Kagome sat, curled up with Inuyasha, just absorbing as much of his touch as she could, and trying to keep her mate calm.

He was extremely tense, and she was well aware of what his fear was all about.

For the first time, they both had everything to lose. Each other. Even though they'd been in love with each other for a while, it hadn't quite been the same before they'd mated. Now, if one died, the other would immediately follow - and that was frightening to both of them, but especially Inuyasha. He didn't want his mate to die, even if he did.

She smiled slightly and snuggled into his chest a little bit more. 'Don't think that way, Inuyasha. If you died, I wouldn't want to stay here anyway. There would be no joy left for me in living in a place that didn't have you. But don't worry, love. We aren't going to die. Only Naraku is.'

'How can you be so sure?'

'I don't know - I just am. A sure as I am that the sun will rise in the east, I'm sure that we will be fine.'

He tightened his arms on her and hoped she was right... his gaze wandered to Miroku and Sango, who were sitting very near each other and staring into the fire, and then his brother, who, along with Kikyou, was sitting by himself. Even he, though, was sitting fairly close... no one wanted to be alone on this day.

They could all feel the presence of the spider, weaving in and out of their consciousnesses - he had been trying to draw them further south, into the forest of illusion, with teasing touches on their auras, and mild attacks by his few remaining lesser youkai slaves.

But they had refused to budge, and they all knew that sometime today the dark hanyou would finally tire of trying to move them, and simply change his battle plans.

'He is coming, Kagome, my dear. The time is upon us. Remember, no matter what happens, you must trust me... if you can do that, I can take back my mate's mind from the power of the jewel just long enough for you to call the fragments to you. It would be best, however, if you warn my son and his brother what you are going to do - that way they do not strike at the wrong time and ruin any chance we have to fix what Naraku has done.'

Kagome nodded in agreement. 'I guess you're right.'

Inuyasha had a faint frown on his face - Kagome's aspect was as though she was speaking to someone in her mind - but it wasn't him, and he was suddenly concerned. What's going on?

Kagome straightened in his lap, and cleared her throat. When she had caught everyone's attention, she spoke. "Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha... there is something I need to tell you. There is an... ally here, for lack of a better word, that neither of you has been privy to. She and I feel that it is time to for you to know - Naraku is on his way, and we must be ready."

She sighed as everyone gave her a mystified look, knowing this would be difficult - especially for the brothers.

"Apparently, when Naraku ripped your father's soul from his rest and called it here, he also pulled his mate's soul - in other words, Inuyasha," she said, with an understanding glance, "your mother. She's here with us, and she and I have come up with a way to neutralize the threat from your father."

Sesshoumaru's eyes had widened as much as his brother's had done, and he spoke into the silence that greeted that statement. "Tell me, miko. How does my father's mate plan to stop him? She is merely a spirit."

"She drew a deep breath, knowing Inuyasha wasn't going to like this - even though the spirit was that of his mother, if she chose to not let go after this was over, she could conceivably destroy his mate's mind. She knew that if it had been anyone else, he'd never allow this.

"You both know that if I can get close enough to him, I can call the shards back from within him, thereby taking Naraku's control away. However," she held up a hand as Inuyasha started to protest, "it would be, under normal circumstances, too dangerous to get close enough to him. But Izayoi can, at the right moment, take over my body for a few seconds, and call to him. That'll get his attention, even if its only for mere moments, letting me get close enough to take the shards from his flesh. Then there will be no need for you to fight him - and we will gain another ally against Naraku."

Sesshoumaru sat back, and looked at the sky thoughtfully. "I see what she is aiming for. It very well might work." He caught her with a keen glance. "The biggest danger here, is to you, miko. If she chooses, she can refuse to give your body back - then what?"

Inuyasha choked at that. His first instinct was to shout out that his mother would not do that - but Sesshoumaru was actually expressing concern for his mate, and he couldn't help but appreciate that. He himself, felt conflicted... she was his mother, and he'd loved her, but she'd been gone for almost two hundred years - and Kagome was his mate, his other half. He didn't know what to think.

Kagome smiled brightly at the daiyoukai. "Thank you for your concern, Lord Sesshoumaru, but I will be fine. The Lady Izayoi shows no falsity in her, she will surrender her grip on my body as soon as she has accomplished what she needs." She tightened her grip on her mate's hand, and turning her head, looked up at him.

"She says to tell you she loves you, Inuyasha, and that she is proud of you - that you have become a fine man, one worthy of great respect." She looked away, and over to Sesshoumaru. "She also says to tell you that your father is, indeed, proud of you, as well. You have given honor to the House of the West as it's heir."

Sesshoumaru held her gaze for a moment that felt like a lifetime, an oddly sad look in his eye, and then nodded gracefully. "Tell her... tell the Lady Izayoi that I thank her for her words. This Sesshoumaru is grateful for the chance to know the mind of his father."

Inuyasha's eyes widened on his brother. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru." Turning to his mate, he asked, "Will you tell her that I miss her? And that... I love her. She's never been far from my thoughts."

Kagome smiled. "She knows, Inuyasha. She can hear you all, you know. She just can't talk to you."

Sango, Miroku, and Kikyou, who'd all been oddly quiet during this exchange, glanced between the brothers and Kagome, and realized that whatever exactly had divided the brother's for so many years, had finally been brought to an end by Kagome. It was just who she was. No matter the circumstances, when she was around, old anger and hatreds seemed to die away.

There was just no one like Kagome - even Kikyou had to admit that. Reincarnation or not, she was most definitely a completely different person - one all her own.

Kagome smiled then, a secretive, though joyous smile, and knew, that if they succeeded in freeing the Inu no Taisho, and he lived, Inuyasha would have the chance to say all the things he wanted to his mother.

She knew exactly what she'd wish for when she got her hands on the jewel.

And keeping him alive was what she was aiming for. If she had her way, the Taisho family would have a new chance to heal all the divisions within it.

To hell with Naraku and all his schemes, this time, something good would come from his evil mind.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru stood, and nodding to the south, he said, "It is time. Naraku has arrived."

Everyone broke off their introspectives, and Kagome took that moment to reiterate her plan to the two brothers. "Remember, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha - when you see me become Izayoi, you must break off your attack. The point of this is to take away Naraku's control of your father... not kill him."

They both nodded, and everyone gathered their weapons and began walking to the middle of the dead zone they were in to confront their fates.

---cCc---

Inuyasha and Sessshoumaru ranged themselves together to the left side of the group, with Sango and Miroku, astride Kirara, on the right, and Kagome and Kikyou right in the middle.

Kagome laughed, and then laughed again when she caught the strange looks from the group. She gestured towards the sky, where waves of youkai, and saimyousho were advancing.

"It's just that Naraku's nothing if not consistent in the way he starts off a battle. He always has these convoluted, complicated schemes that confuse the hell out of everyone, but when its a straight fight, he's easy to predict."

Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side, considering her words, and then, to the absolute astonishment of everyone on the field, actually chuckled.

"I had not noticed it 'til you pointed it out, miko, but you are correct."

Inuyasha snorted after he'd recovered from the shock of Sesshoumaru actually showing amusement at something other than killing. "Keh. That bastard isn't too smart, really, just sneaky. But eventually, the time for sneaking comes to an end, and then he's screwed."

Sango laughed. "Yeah... I guess that's why he always tries to get others to fight his battles for him," she said, as Miroku nodded in agreement.

Kagome smiled, and watched as the dark miasma carrying Naraku's opening salvo moved closer, and finally, the waves of jyaki parted, and Naraku himself appeared, coming to land softly across the field from the companions, surrounded by his servants... and one other.

She remembered seeing him the time they had fought and defeated Sou'unga. He was imposing, beautiful, and powerful - a deadly combination.

Naraku laughed, and gestured to the male standing beside him, closely watching the expressions on the faces of his enemies. "Well, well, well. If it isn't a family reunion. Tell me, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, how does it feel to see your father again... and in my hands, no less?"

Kagome stepped forward, powers flaring suddenly as she wrapped herself in a barrier of purity. "We already knew what you were up to, Naraku. You haven't surprised us this time, so get on with it already. We aren't impressed."

His pleased expression morphed instantly into hatred at her words, his anger at the shock and horror he'd hoped to bestow on the group being negated fierce and overwhelming.

"Well, then, why don't we just move right on, since you aren't surprised, I will find my enjoyment in watching the Inu no Taisho, quite against his will, destroy all of you instead. And believe me, he is fully aware of what he's doing... he just cannot stop himself. I will obtain great pleasure from his anguish as he kills his own sons!"

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze on his father, and a twinge of pain entered his heart - he looked exactly the same as he had the last time he'd seen him... well, other than the tainted dark aura surrounding him. As he caught his father's eyes, he gritted his teeth in rage - he could see his father's pain in his gaze.

Naraku would pay dearly for this.

Turning his head, amusement oozing from his voice, Naraku gestured with his hand, signaling his puppet that it was time.

With his gaze pinned on his father, Sesshoumaru braced himself for the fiercest battle of his life. He'd always wanted to fight him - but not like this - never like this...

The clash as the two met was titanic.