InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Infatuation ❯ Powerhouse ( Chapter 22 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Lizzie Welling 
The epic battle. (I apologize for formatting problems. MediaMiner isn't too compatible with my new Mac.)
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.02.2009 | Updated On: 01.02.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 579 | Status: Work In Progress
The epic battle. (I apologize for formatting problems. MediaMiner isn't too compatible with my new Mac.)
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.02.2009 | Updated On: 01.02.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 579 | Status: Work In Progress
----------------------
Infatuation
By Lizzie Welling
Rated M/R for strong language and violence
----------------------
AU InuYasha fan fiction
Disclaimer: Don't own InuYasha. Never have, never will. All
other quoted songs, excerpts, etc. are cited and attributed to
their respective owners.
A/N: Happy New Year! Hope this chapter finds you all in good
spirits and good health. My laptop essentially died over the
holidays, but thankfully I had backed up everything I needed. So
there was a smooth transition from my Toshiba to my new Mac.
Here is the long-awaited epic battle. I was listening to "Weight of
the World" by Evanescence, "Inside the Fire" by Disturbed, and
"The Little Things" by Danny Elfman when I wrote this, so feel
free to find the songs and listen along to get you in the mood.
Lol. ;-D
---------------------------
Recap:
Just then, an explosion sounded from upstairs, shaking the whole
building.
Their chanting was interrupted.
"Go you morons! Find out what that was!" Naraku shouted at
Hiten, Bankotsu and Jakotsu.
Just as Bankotsu moved to open the door, the door was blasted
off its hinges and knocked all three of them to the floor.
In stepped InuYasha, followed by Sesshomaru, Rin and Ayame.
"Remember me, you fucking bastards?" InuYasha growled.
Bankotsu instantly lunged at InuYasha, and the fighting began.
Sesshomaru engaged Jakotsu, while Ayame and Rin took on
Hiten.
"Keep chanting!" Naraku bellowed at the remaining circle.
No one, aside from Kagura, noticed Kagome arch in the metal tub
and open her eyes.
-----------------------------------------
Chapter 22: Powerhouse
-----------------------------------------
InuYasha slammed the butt of his sword into Bankotsu's head.
Bankotsu fell sprawling backwards into the wall, but managed to
twist his body so that he could push off. He used the momentum
to ram into the inu-hanyou and knocked them both onto the
laboratory floor.
Growling, InuYasha gained the upper hand, rolling the pair and
thrusting his sword's blade against Bankotsu's throat. Bankotsu
knocked Tessaiga out of InuYasha's grasp and twisted the pair so
that he was on top. Bankotsu wrapped his hands around
InuYasha's throat and began to squeeze.
InuYasha head-butted Bankotsu, doing a backwards roll to throw
him off. He dove for his sword, rolling again and jabbing the blade
into Bankotsu's gut. The Band of Seven leader fell backwards,
gasping. InuYasha didn't have time to drag this fight out.
'I have to get to Kagome!'
He quickly swung the blade back around in a practiced arc,
decapitating Bankotsu. His headless body crashed to the ground,
turning into ashes. InuYasha stepped over the pile, glancing at his
comrades. Rin and Ayame were fine holding their own against
Hiten, and of course his asshole brother didn't need any help. At
that moment, Sango and Kouga crashed through the door,
diverting attention away from himself. Ayame joined them, and
together the three took on Kikyo, Kanna and Urasuae. Tsubaki
ran to hide, having no powers left to fight with. He was free to
rescue Kagome.
As InuYasha dashed his way over to the metal tub, Naraku
stepped in his path. The megalomaniac smiled malevolently.
"You think I would let you have her before the ritual is complete?"
InuYasha growled low and threateningly. "I don't give a shit what
you will or won't do. I'm taking her back."
Naraku laughed darkly. "We'll see about that."
He raised his hands, a black glow seeping out of them. The black
substance floated over to the tub, dropping down and into
Kagome's every pore. The wires and electrodes were all magically
ripped from the miko. Her broken body raised itself from the tub
and stepped out, as if on puppet strings.
InuYasha couldn't believe this was his Kagome. She had so many
bruises and cuts, it was hard to find a patch of her recognizably
smooth skin. Her arms and legs were hanging at odd angles.
InuYasha growled in anger.
'What the hell did they do to you?'
The thing that bothered him the most were her eyes. They lacked
their usual luster of warmth and sparkle. These pools now
seemed endless, in a bad way, very blank and lost.
Naraku cackled, stepping forward to curl his arm around
Kagome's waist. She didn't move. Not even a flinch.
"Get the fuck away from her, you bastard!" InuYasha snarled.
Naraku's mouth split into an evil little smile. "My presence does
not seem to bother her."
InuYasha took another step forward, grasping her shoulders.
There was no movement, no sign of recognition on her part.
"Nor does yours seem to either," the evil hanyou snarked.
"Kagome," his smirk widened at the dismayed look on the inu-
hanyou's face as the miko turned her head toward him.
"Kill him."
Kagome obediently stepped forward, taking the long dagger
Naraku had offered.
-----------------------------------
"Ooo, the big bad taiyoukai has come to punish me!" Jakotsu
squealed, jumping out of the way of Sesshomaru's poisonous
claws. "I like the sound of that!"
"Do not speak to me, you fool," Sesshomaru growled. "Prepare
for your demise."
Jakotsu released a high-pitched cackle, spinning out of Tokijin's
reach and blowing the taiyoukai a raspberry. He jumped on top of
a lab table and whipped out his own sword, flicking the handle so
that the curved blade began to replicate. Sesshomaru blocked it
with an upswing of Tokijin, forcing Jakotsu's sword back. The
force of the blow caused Jakotsu to lose his balance and topple
backwards off the table.
Meanwhile, Rin was pinned against the side of a tall, metal
machine by Hiten. He was using his electrical shocks to keep her
paralyzed in pain. Mustering all her strength and willpower, Rin
kneed him in the groin, causing Hiten to buckle. She used the
momentary distraction to kick him away from her as she made a
dive for her dropped gun.
Rolling on the floor, Rin aimed and shot a poison bullet right into
his heart. Hiten dropped to the floor, twitching and screaming as
the poison ate away his heart.
Rin turned her head to search out her partner. She took two
shots, lodging a poison bullet in each of Jakotsu's kneecaps as he
scrambled to stand. The last remaining member of the Band of
Seven cried out as his legs gave way. Sesshomaru took no time in
beheading him, his body turning into a pile of ashes. The
taiyoukai walked over to Rin, offering his hand. He pulled her up
and into his embrace, holding her to him tightly.
"I'm okay, Sesshomaru," Rin whispered, stroking his bicep
comfortingly. She quickly pecked him on the lips, then turned to
find her other comrades.
She spotted Sango, Ayame and Kouga in a spot of trouble with
Kanna, Urasuae and Kikyo. Nodding to each other, Rin and
Sesshomaru stepped in swinging and firing.
"Stand still, you obnoxious bitch!" Ayame yelled, struggling to
keep Kikyo ensnared in her chain.
Kikyo shoved Ayame off, sending her crashing into a glass cabinet
containing many suspicious look vials and beakers. The dark miko
then sent a wave of purification through the metal, sending
Ayame flying backwards into Rin. The smallest Slayer helped her
up, and they both squared off against Kikyo.
Ayame executed a flawless front tuck over Kikyo's head, landing
elegantly behind her. The ookami Slayer swung her chain out
again, wrapping it around Kikyo's torso, pinning her arms to the
side. Rin used a high kick to try and knock Kikyo unconscious.
The miko smiled coldly. Kikyo bent backwards and threw Ayame
over her shoulder and into Rin.
Sango had her katana pressed against Kanna's throat. The void
youkai made no move to struggle. Sango decided she would push
her luck while she could.
"Where's Kohaku?" Sango demanded.
If they could rescue both Kagome and her brother, Sango
believed it was worth a shot.
"I will take you to him if you spare me," Kanna answered in her
eerie and quiet voice.
Sango pushed her over to the control booth, where Kagura sat
hiding behind it. Sango pulled some dead wires off the side of the
booth, tying the two youkai together.
"Stay with your sister. Either of you make a move against us, I'll
kill you myself."
Sango ran over toward Rin and Ayame, sending her Hiraikotsu
flying. The giant boomerang knocked Kikyo to the floor. The three
Slayers dove on her, struggling to keep her pinned down. Kikyo
flared her powers and kicked out, sending them flying away.
Kouga finally gained the upper hand against Urasuae, cornering
her with his katana. Sesshomaru had grabbed Tsubaki, spying her
trying to sneak up on a recovering Rin with a dagger.
"Let me go!" Tsubaki demanded, trying to stab him.
She caught him in the face, dragging the blade through his
cheek. A shot went off, and Tsubaki slumped in his grip, passing
out from the pain. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at Rin.
"What?" she asked innocently. "No one hurts my Fluffy!"
Sesshomaru's eyebrow went even higher. He placed the
unconscious Tsubaki in a corner, ducking out of the way of
Urasuae's flying head. Sesshomaru glared disdainfully at the
blood spattered on his white button-up Oxford. He leveled a glare
at Kouga.
"Eh, sorry?" the ookami said sheepishly, scratching the back of
his head.
----------------------------------
InuYasha's eyes widened in horror as Kagome took another step
forward, raising the wicked-looking dagger higher and higher.
"Please, Kagome! Don't do this!" InuYasha pleaded. He glanced
again into her eyes, praying to the kami for a change.
'What was that--?'
Suddenly, she spun toward Naraku, plunging the blade into his
jugular. Naraku screamed, falling back on the floor. Kagome
collapsed, the extra bit of Naraku's magic that had been holding
her up evaporating.
"InuYasha?" she gasped, struggling for air. The pain from those
broken ribs was a bitch right now.
"I'm here," he said, dropping to his knees beside her. "Funny, you
looked like you were gonna stab me for a moment."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Try fighting off mind control magics
after you've been practically beaten to death. Let's see how you
do."
"Keh," was InuYasha's eloquent response.
Kagome struggled to stand, clutching something in her right
hand. InuYasha grabbed her by the waist to steady her. He pulled
her so that she could rest her weight against his body, tucking
her head under his chin.
"Which of those bastards did this to you?" he asked quietly,
gently handling her broken arms. "I'm gonna slowly disembowel
them and feed them their own guts!"
"Ew," Kagome said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Morbid much?
Besides, does it really matter? We have more important things to
take care of."
She opened her hand.
"The Shikon no Tama!" InuYasha breathed. Kagome nodded.
"You can control it?"
"My mother told me I can."
"Your mother?" InuYasha looked perplexed.
Kagome smiled gently. "Another story for another time. Right
now, I need your help," she said, breathing heavily. "I can't do it
alone."
InuYasha nodded determinedly. "What do you need me to do?"
"Just hold me up," she gasped through ragged breaths, raising
her arms out before them.
Kagome and the Shikon no Tama began to glow.
------------------------------------
"Oh my word," Rin whispered in awe as she observed Kagome
beginning to glow.
A pink bubble of glowing light had formed around the Shikon no
Tama and began to expand, slowly swallowing Kagome, and then
InuYasha, and began absorbing the room, inch by inch. They
watched in awe as some of Kagome's more serious breaks on her
arms and legs were healed.
Then they heard a cackling. Rin dug her fingers into her partner's
sleeve in fear as she saw Naraku rise up off the floor. Kikyo had
rejoined his side.
"Foolish miko!" Naraku snarled, his black aura snapping
electrically around him. "You can't stop the inevitable! The Shikon
no Tama is mine!"
"No," said an eerie disembodied voice. It was almost musical in
its intonation. And it was coming from Kagome's lips. Her eyes
opened, revealing completely silver orbs. "The Shikon is mine.
You are a thief and a murderer. Your crimes number in the
thousands. Your soul is tainted with every atrocious deed you
have ever done."
The Slayers and Hunters stared in disbelief at Kagome. They
knew Kagome was powerful, but the new levels she was currently
radiating was close to 50 times her normal power! The demons in
the room where flinching in pain that the proximity to her pure
aura. InuYasha, however, seemed unaffected. It was if her power
recognized him for who he was to Kagome.
"The Shikon can never be yours," the lyrical voice continued. "I
am it's Keeper. I am the descendent of Midoriko. I am Balance, I
am Power. You are the foolish one for ever thinking I or the
Shikon could be controlled!"
"Uh-oh," Ayame muttered.
"Kags is pissed," Sango chimed in.
"Ooo, Naraku is in for it!" Rin laughed.
"You think they would learn that it's bad to try and control her.
She hates that," Ayame quipped.
"Some people are too stupid to learn," Sango sighed.
Everyone shielded their eyes as Kagome and the jewel glowed
brighter, pulsing with power. Suddenly, a beam shot out directly
from the Shikon to Naraku, hitting him squarely in the chest,
burning a hole. He howled in pain and rage, making an attempt to
muster up more of his power to counter the attack. But it was no
use. Naraku's power clashed with the light, but his was quickly
being overpowered.
With InuYasha holding her tightly, Kagome took a deep breath
and concentrated. There was a surge of pure energy that shot out
of the jewel and traveled directly along the beam.
"Naraku, I banish you to the seventh level of hell!" Kagome
commanded in the same musical voice.
The megalomaniac screamed and howled as the hole grew bigger
and bigger, engulfing him whole.
Naraku was no more.
Kagome slumped instantly in InuYasha's arms, the light and
power gone. She clutched the now dull Shikon weakly in her
hand.
"You did it, wench," InuYasha whispered in her ear as he cradled
her to his chest.
"Hmm, yay me," she mumbled sleepily, burrowing closer.
"ARRG!" Kikyo howled in rage.
Kagome, InuYasha and the others turned their attention to the
cold miko. She was positively seething in anger.
"You," she growled, glaring at Kagome. "You will pay."
She lunged at Kagome, but was thwarted and thrown into a lab
table by Sango, Ayame and Rin. Sesshomaru and Kouga were
standing threateningly behind them.
"Don't even try, bitch," Ayame growled, twirling her chain.
"In fact, don't even think about it," Sango said, her katana
trained on Kikyo.
"Yeah," Rin added, leveling her gun at the cold miko.
Kikyo realized she was trapped. With a sharp burst of her miko
power, she knocked the three youkai aside and made a mad dash
out the nearest lab door. Rin and Sango ran after her, but were
thrown backwards by some mystical bomb Kikyo launched behind
her. Once the smoke cleared, Rin ran to the door, glancing down
the hallway.
"She's gone," Rin announced dejectedly.
"Oh well, she can't do much without Naraku now," Kagome said
tiredly.
"How ya holding up?" InuYasha asked.
"I'll live. But I think I might sleep for the next two weeks."
"What should we do with them?" Kouga asked, thumbing in the
direction of Tsubaki, Kagura and Kanna.
"Kanna promised me she would take me to Kohaku," Sango said,
striding forward.
"We'll take Kagura and Tsubaki into custody," Rin said, training
her gun on the two as Sesshomaru and Kouga grabbed each of
them by their upper arms.
"We'll go with you," Kagome said.
"Kagome, you need to go to the Infirmary," InuYasha said
worriedly.
"Psh, I can handle another hour or so."
Sango prodded Kanna. The void youkai nodded, walking toward
an unmarked door in the back of the lab.
------------------------------------
Special thanks to reviewers: psycho_chick32, jin,
Koigokoro_inu_kag, PrincessJaded, InuyashaCrazed908,
yashkags4eva, narutoboy03, Brandy Jay, bearsammi2011,
TiffanyM, AzureFlames, Yankeeluvr, beautifulyreal,
FoxyLove, DesMM, BlueEyedWulf, pyscho-pyro-shrink,
lovely123, and BoredGirl17.
Jin: Thanks for reviewing! Yes, Chapter 21 did go up pretty
quickly, as promised. InuYasha is quite pissed, and I think he
was able to get his own vengeance, don't you?
Brandy Jay: Wow, all week? That makes me blush! Thank you
for such a kind and positive review! The girls are powerhouses
because I absolutely hate when Kagome is made to be some
weakling. Girls kick ass (says so on the T-shirt), lol.
A/N: *wipes brow* That was a huge relief to get done. Been
worried about this chapter for a good long while. Only two
chapters left! Anyone feeling sad yet? I know I am.
Thanks for reading! Please review! I love hearing your thoughts.
Lizzie
Infatuation
By Lizzie Welling
Rated M/R for strong language and violence
----------------------
AU InuYasha fan fiction
Disclaimer: Don't own InuYasha. Never have, never will. All
other quoted songs, excerpts, etc. are cited and attributed to
their respective owners.
A/N: Happy New Year! Hope this chapter finds you all in good
spirits and good health. My laptop essentially died over the
holidays, but thankfully I had backed up everything I needed. So
there was a smooth transition from my Toshiba to my new Mac.
Here is the long-awaited epic battle. I was listening to "Weight of
the World" by Evanescence, "Inside the Fire" by Disturbed, and
"The Little Things" by Danny Elfman when I wrote this, so feel
free to find the songs and listen along to get you in the mood.
Lol. ;-D
---------------------------
Recap:
Just then, an explosion sounded from upstairs, shaking the whole
building.
Their chanting was interrupted.
"Go you morons! Find out what that was!" Naraku shouted at
Hiten, Bankotsu and Jakotsu.
Just as Bankotsu moved to open the door, the door was blasted
off its hinges and knocked all three of them to the floor.
In stepped InuYasha, followed by Sesshomaru, Rin and Ayame.
"Remember me, you fucking bastards?" InuYasha growled.
Bankotsu instantly lunged at InuYasha, and the fighting began.
Sesshomaru engaged Jakotsu, while Ayame and Rin took on
Hiten.
"Keep chanting!" Naraku bellowed at the remaining circle.
No one, aside from Kagura, noticed Kagome arch in the metal tub
and open her eyes.
-----------------------------------------
Chapter 22: Powerhouse
-----------------------------------------
InuYasha slammed the butt of his sword into Bankotsu's head.
Bankotsu fell sprawling backwards into the wall, but managed to
twist his body so that he could push off. He used the momentum
to ram into the inu-hanyou and knocked them both onto the
laboratory floor.
Growling, InuYasha gained the upper hand, rolling the pair and
thrusting his sword's blade against Bankotsu's throat. Bankotsu
knocked Tessaiga out of InuYasha's grasp and twisted the pair so
that he was on top. Bankotsu wrapped his hands around
InuYasha's throat and began to squeeze.
InuYasha head-butted Bankotsu, doing a backwards roll to throw
him off. He dove for his sword, rolling again and jabbing the blade
into Bankotsu's gut. The Band of Seven leader fell backwards,
gasping. InuYasha didn't have time to drag this fight out.
'I have to get to Kagome!'
He quickly swung the blade back around in a practiced arc,
decapitating Bankotsu. His headless body crashed to the ground,
turning into ashes. InuYasha stepped over the pile, glancing at his
comrades. Rin and Ayame were fine holding their own against
Hiten, and of course his asshole brother didn't need any help. At
that moment, Sango and Kouga crashed through the door,
diverting attention away from himself. Ayame joined them, and
together the three took on Kikyo, Kanna and Urasuae. Tsubaki
ran to hide, having no powers left to fight with. He was free to
rescue Kagome.
As InuYasha dashed his way over to the metal tub, Naraku
stepped in his path. The megalomaniac smiled malevolently.
"You think I would let you have her before the ritual is complete?"
InuYasha growled low and threateningly. "I don't give a shit what
you will or won't do. I'm taking her back."
Naraku laughed darkly. "We'll see about that."
He raised his hands, a black glow seeping out of them. The black
substance floated over to the tub, dropping down and into
Kagome's every pore. The wires and electrodes were all magically
ripped from the miko. Her broken body raised itself from the tub
and stepped out, as if on puppet strings.
InuYasha couldn't believe this was his Kagome. She had so many
bruises and cuts, it was hard to find a patch of her recognizably
smooth skin. Her arms and legs were hanging at odd angles.
InuYasha growled in anger.
'What the hell did they do to you?'
The thing that bothered him the most were her eyes. They lacked
their usual luster of warmth and sparkle. These pools now
seemed endless, in a bad way, very blank and lost.
Naraku cackled, stepping forward to curl his arm around
Kagome's waist. She didn't move. Not even a flinch.
"Get the fuck away from her, you bastard!" InuYasha snarled.
Naraku's mouth split into an evil little smile. "My presence does
not seem to bother her."
InuYasha took another step forward, grasping her shoulders.
There was no movement, no sign of recognition on her part.
"Nor does yours seem to either," the evil hanyou snarked.
"Kagome," his smirk widened at the dismayed look on the inu-
hanyou's face as the miko turned her head toward him.
"Kill him."
Kagome obediently stepped forward, taking the long dagger
Naraku had offered.
-----------------------------------
"Ooo, the big bad taiyoukai has come to punish me!" Jakotsu
squealed, jumping out of the way of Sesshomaru's poisonous
claws. "I like the sound of that!"
"Do not speak to me, you fool," Sesshomaru growled. "Prepare
for your demise."
Jakotsu released a high-pitched cackle, spinning out of Tokijin's
reach and blowing the taiyoukai a raspberry. He jumped on top of
a lab table and whipped out his own sword, flicking the handle so
that the curved blade began to replicate. Sesshomaru blocked it
with an upswing of Tokijin, forcing Jakotsu's sword back. The
force of the blow caused Jakotsu to lose his balance and topple
backwards off the table.
Meanwhile, Rin was pinned against the side of a tall, metal
machine by Hiten. He was using his electrical shocks to keep her
paralyzed in pain. Mustering all her strength and willpower, Rin
kneed him in the groin, causing Hiten to buckle. She used the
momentary distraction to kick him away from her as she made a
dive for her dropped gun.
Rolling on the floor, Rin aimed and shot a poison bullet right into
his heart. Hiten dropped to the floor, twitching and screaming as
the poison ate away his heart.
Rin turned her head to search out her partner. She took two
shots, lodging a poison bullet in each of Jakotsu's kneecaps as he
scrambled to stand. The last remaining member of the Band of
Seven cried out as his legs gave way. Sesshomaru took no time in
beheading him, his body turning into a pile of ashes. The
taiyoukai walked over to Rin, offering his hand. He pulled her up
and into his embrace, holding her to him tightly.
"I'm okay, Sesshomaru," Rin whispered, stroking his bicep
comfortingly. She quickly pecked him on the lips, then turned to
find her other comrades.
She spotted Sango, Ayame and Kouga in a spot of trouble with
Kanna, Urasuae and Kikyo. Nodding to each other, Rin and
Sesshomaru stepped in swinging and firing.
"Stand still, you obnoxious bitch!" Ayame yelled, struggling to
keep Kikyo ensnared in her chain.
Kikyo shoved Ayame off, sending her crashing into a glass cabinet
containing many suspicious look vials and beakers. The dark miko
then sent a wave of purification through the metal, sending
Ayame flying backwards into Rin. The smallest Slayer helped her
up, and they both squared off against Kikyo.
Ayame executed a flawless front tuck over Kikyo's head, landing
elegantly behind her. The ookami Slayer swung her chain out
again, wrapping it around Kikyo's torso, pinning her arms to the
side. Rin used a high kick to try and knock Kikyo unconscious.
The miko smiled coldly. Kikyo bent backwards and threw Ayame
over her shoulder and into Rin.
Sango had her katana pressed against Kanna's throat. The void
youkai made no move to struggle. Sango decided she would push
her luck while she could.
"Where's Kohaku?" Sango demanded.
If they could rescue both Kagome and her brother, Sango
believed it was worth a shot.
"I will take you to him if you spare me," Kanna answered in her
eerie and quiet voice.
Sango pushed her over to the control booth, where Kagura sat
hiding behind it. Sango pulled some dead wires off the side of the
booth, tying the two youkai together.
"Stay with your sister. Either of you make a move against us, I'll
kill you myself."
Sango ran over toward Rin and Ayame, sending her Hiraikotsu
flying. The giant boomerang knocked Kikyo to the floor. The three
Slayers dove on her, struggling to keep her pinned down. Kikyo
flared her powers and kicked out, sending them flying away.
Kouga finally gained the upper hand against Urasuae, cornering
her with his katana. Sesshomaru had grabbed Tsubaki, spying her
trying to sneak up on a recovering Rin with a dagger.
"Let me go!" Tsubaki demanded, trying to stab him.
She caught him in the face, dragging the blade through his
cheek. A shot went off, and Tsubaki slumped in his grip, passing
out from the pain. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at Rin.
"What?" she asked innocently. "No one hurts my Fluffy!"
Sesshomaru's eyebrow went even higher. He placed the
unconscious Tsubaki in a corner, ducking out of the way of
Urasuae's flying head. Sesshomaru glared disdainfully at the
blood spattered on his white button-up Oxford. He leveled a glare
at Kouga.
"Eh, sorry?" the ookami said sheepishly, scratching the back of
his head.
----------------------------------
InuYasha's eyes widened in horror as Kagome took another step
forward, raising the wicked-looking dagger higher and higher.
"Please, Kagome! Don't do this!" InuYasha pleaded. He glanced
again into her eyes, praying to the kami for a change.
'What was that--?'
Suddenly, she spun toward Naraku, plunging the blade into his
jugular. Naraku screamed, falling back on the floor. Kagome
collapsed, the extra bit of Naraku's magic that had been holding
her up evaporating.
"InuYasha?" she gasped, struggling for air. The pain from those
broken ribs was a bitch right now.
"I'm here," he said, dropping to his knees beside her. "Funny, you
looked like you were gonna stab me for a moment."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Try fighting off mind control magics
after you've been practically beaten to death. Let's see how you
do."
"Keh," was InuYasha's eloquent response.
Kagome struggled to stand, clutching something in her right
hand. InuYasha grabbed her by the waist to steady her. He pulled
her so that she could rest her weight against his body, tucking
her head under his chin.
"Which of those bastards did this to you?" he asked quietly,
gently handling her broken arms. "I'm gonna slowly disembowel
them and feed them their own guts!"
"Ew," Kagome said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Morbid much?
Besides, does it really matter? We have more important things to
take care of."
She opened her hand.
"The Shikon no Tama!" InuYasha breathed. Kagome nodded.
"You can control it?"
"My mother told me I can."
"Your mother?" InuYasha looked perplexed.
Kagome smiled gently. "Another story for another time. Right
now, I need your help," she said, breathing heavily. "I can't do it
alone."
InuYasha nodded determinedly. "What do you need me to do?"
"Just hold me up," she gasped through ragged breaths, raising
her arms out before them.
Kagome and the Shikon no Tama began to glow.
------------------------------------
"Oh my word," Rin whispered in awe as she observed Kagome
beginning to glow.
A pink bubble of glowing light had formed around the Shikon no
Tama and began to expand, slowly swallowing Kagome, and then
InuYasha, and began absorbing the room, inch by inch. They
watched in awe as some of Kagome's more serious breaks on her
arms and legs were healed.
Then they heard a cackling. Rin dug her fingers into her partner's
sleeve in fear as she saw Naraku rise up off the floor. Kikyo had
rejoined his side.
"Foolish miko!" Naraku snarled, his black aura snapping
electrically around him. "You can't stop the inevitable! The Shikon
no Tama is mine!"
"No," said an eerie disembodied voice. It was almost musical in
its intonation. And it was coming from Kagome's lips. Her eyes
opened, revealing completely silver orbs. "The Shikon is mine.
You are a thief and a murderer. Your crimes number in the
thousands. Your soul is tainted with every atrocious deed you
have ever done."
The Slayers and Hunters stared in disbelief at Kagome. They
knew Kagome was powerful, but the new levels she was currently
radiating was close to 50 times her normal power! The demons in
the room where flinching in pain that the proximity to her pure
aura. InuYasha, however, seemed unaffected. It was if her power
recognized him for who he was to Kagome.
"The Shikon can never be yours," the lyrical voice continued. "I
am it's Keeper. I am the descendent of Midoriko. I am Balance, I
am Power. You are the foolish one for ever thinking I or the
Shikon could be controlled!"
"Uh-oh," Ayame muttered.
"Kags is pissed," Sango chimed in.
"Ooo, Naraku is in for it!" Rin laughed.
"You think they would learn that it's bad to try and control her.
She hates that," Ayame quipped.
"Some people are too stupid to learn," Sango sighed.
Everyone shielded their eyes as Kagome and the jewel glowed
brighter, pulsing with power. Suddenly, a beam shot out directly
from the Shikon to Naraku, hitting him squarely in the chest,
burning a hole. He howled in pain and rage, making an attempt to
muster up more of his power to counter the attack. But it was no
use. Naraku's power clashed with the light, but his was quickly
being overpowered.
With InuYasha holding her tightly, Kagome took a deep breath
and concentrated. There was a surge of pure energy that shot out
of the jewel and traveled directly along the beam.
"Naraku, I banish you to the seventh level of hell!" Kagome
commanded in the same musical voice.
The megalomaniac screamed and howled as the hole grew bigger
and bigger, engulfing him whole.
Naraku was no more.
Kagome slumped instantly in InuYasha's arms, the light and
power gone. She clutched the now dull Shikon weakly in her
hand.
"You did it, wench," InuYasha whispered in her ear as he cradled
her to his chest.
"Hmm, yay me," she mumbled sleepily, burrowing closer.
"ARRG!" Kikyo howled in rage.
Kagome, InuYasha and the others turned their attention to the
cold miko. She was positively seething in anger.
"You," she growled, glaring at Kagome. "You will pay."
She lunged at Kagome, but was thwarted and thrown into a lab
table by Sango, Ayame and Rin. Sesshomaru and Kouga were
standing threateningly behind them.
"Don't even try, bitch," Ayame growled, twirling her chain.
"In fact, don't even think about it," Sango said, her katana
trained on Kikyo.
"Yeah," Rin added, leveling her gun at the cold miko.
Kikyo realized she was trapped. With a sharp burst of her miko
power, she knocked the three youkai aside and made a mad dash
out the nearest lab door. Rin and Sango ran after her, but were
thrown backwards by some mystical bomb Kikyo launched behind
her. Once the smoke cleared, Rin ran to the door, glancing down
the hallway.
"She's gone," Rin announced dejectedly.
"Oh well, she can't do much without Naraku now," Kagome said
tiredly.
"How ya holding up?" InuYasha asked.
"I'll live. But I think I might sleep for the next two weeks."
"What should we do with them?" Kouga asked, thumbing in the
direction of Tsubaki, Kagura and Kanna.
"Kanna promised me she would take me to Kohaku," Sango said,
striding forward.
"We'll take Kagura and Tsubaki into custody," Rin said, training
her gun on the two as Sesshomaru and Kouga grabbed each of
them by their upper arms.
"We'll go with you," Kagome said.
"Kagome, you need to go to the Infirmary," InuYasha said
worriedly.
"Psh, I can handle another hour or so."
Sango prodded Kanna. The void youkai nodded, walking toward
an unmarked door in the back of the lab.
------------------------------------
Special thanks to reviewers: psycho_chick32, jin,
Koigokoro_inu_kag, PrincessJaded, InuyashaCrazed908,
yashkags4eva, narutoboy03, Brandy Jay, bearsammi2011,
TiffanyM, AzureFlames, Yankeeluvr, beautifulyreal,
FoxyLove, DesMM, BlueEyedWulf, pyscho-pyro-shrink,
lovely123, and BoredGirl17.
Jin: Thanks for reviewing! Yes, Chapter 21 did go up pretty
quickly, as promised. InuYasha is quite pissed, and I think he
was able to get his own vengeance, don't you?
Brandy Jay: Wow, all week? That makes me blush! Thank you
for such a kind and positive review! The girls are powerhouses
because I absolutely hate when Kagome is made to be some
weakling. Girls kick ass (says so on the T-shirt), lol.
A/N: *wipes brow* That was a huge relief to get done. Been
worried about this chapter for a good long while. Only two
chapters left! Anyone feeling sad yet? I know I am.
Thanks for reading! Please review! I love hearing your thoughts.
Lizzie