InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Laying Down the Law ❯ Recovery ( Chapter 34 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I got such good feedback on the last chapter! I love you all so much and as we come to the end, I hope everyone will carry on into the sequel with me. We're like a team. That was corny. That's okay.

Sesshomaru became vaguely aware of a warmth at his side before he ever opened his eyes. The sound of ocean waves crashing on the shore, mixing with that of seabirds and beach breeze, was soothing and disconcerting at the same time; Sesshomaru knew no familiar place where he could be resting by the sea. His amber eyes opened to find that the warmth at his side was Rin, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully, and that he appeared to be in some sort of beach house; the room was tan and the floors a polished hardwood, along with white linen curtains in the doorway which let in gusts of sea air. The peaceful air captured him for a moment before he furrowed his brow; how did he get here?

It was then that Sesshomaru noticed a certain tightness in his torso and glanced down, startled to find a small patch on the right side in the middle of his chest, right between his abdomen and sternum. There was a dark black stain in the center of the bandage, obviously dried blood, but Sesshomaru couldn't remember being injured; it was then that the fight returned to his mind and he sighed, closing his eyes wearily. They'd finally won, Naraku was dead, and Salter was theirs. Relief washed over him like the waves on the shore below and he allowed himself to lay back heavily against the pillows behind him.

It was then that the dog demon felt a pair of eyes on him and he glanced down at his side, where Rin's large brown orbs were observing him intently. He raised a smooth silver eyebrow and couldn't help but release the smallest of amused smiles. "Good morning, Rin."

The girl smiled brightly, sitting up in a gentle manner and allowing the sheets to fall below her torso; it weren't as though Sesshomaru hadn't seen her naked many times before. Her boyfriend noticed the gingerness with which she moved and finally understood when his eyes fell to her chest and arms, which were littered with gashes and bruises, many of them bandaged and others open to heal. Rin must've seen the pain in his eyes for she reached up a slender hand, cupping his tan cheek.

"I'm okay, Sesh."

The honesty in her eyes nearly broke his heart and he sighed, covering her hand with his larger one. "I know," he replied quietly. He sometimes forgot that Rin was among the strongest women in the universe; it was this reason, amongst many others, which caused him to love her so deeply though, at times, he only wanted to protect her without interruption. Namely her interruptions. It looked as though this time he'd failed to protect her at all.

"Where are we?"

"The Shark headquarters at the oceanside. They took us here after the fight."

"I don't remember much," he confessed, voice low and rather hoarse from lack of use.

"You were transformed for at least fifteen minutes," Rin said, eyes downcast. "That's why you slept for so long, maybe two or three days. This right here," she continued, running her fingertips along the patch on his chest, "Is a burn wound from where Kagome transformed you back; you were at such close range that it left a third degree burn."

The amusement in Sesshomaru's eyes was evident as he asked, "Kagome? Little Kagome caused me a third degree burn?"

"'Little Kagome' saved us all," Rin replied quietly, smiling all the while. Sunlight drifted briefly through the curtains, catching her face and making her seem radiant and otherworldly in Sesshomaru's eyes. He gave one of his rare, genuine smiles and leaned forward, kissing Rin lovingly on the forehead. She closed her eyes at the contact, savoring a moment with the man she'd loved since childhood.

"Then it seems my brother chose his woman well," was all the Fang leader said in reply.

"And now I'll choose her too," Rin said strongly, eyes burning as she tightened her mouth determinedly.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "And what do you mean by that?"

"You'll see," came Rin's mysterious response. With this, the lovers laid down on pillows of clean white cotton, drifting into sleep as their hearts and minds felt finally at ease.

Sango winced slightly as she readjusted her shoulders against the lawn chair in which she was reclining, soaking up the sun on the deck of the Shark beach house. Miroku glanced over at her, watching her for a moment as though waiting to see if she needed assistance, before returning to his thoughts; the battle, though a few days ago, seemed so far away. The bruises on his neck had grown enflamed and were now painfully obvious, a gross yellow blue green, around his throat. It was painful to laugh, but he could talk almost comfortably. He was just happy that the battle had ended with only one significant death: that of Naraku.

Only when he heard footsteps did Miroku open his eyes. They were soft but calculated footsteps, footsteps which undoubtedly belonged to a woman. Smiling to himself, Miroku turned to face Gan the Gun, musing to himself that no matter how flawless her performance had been, the signs had always been there.

Gan was wearing one of her oversized shirts and jeans with her Shark's jacket thrown over her shoulder; it looked rather odd to see her in the oversized clothes she'd worn as a boy. Watching her approach, golden hair hanging loosely about her shoulders, Miroku couldn't help but shake his head; though he'd never say it out loud, especially to Akago, he respected and admired Gan for being able to crossdress without mistake for almost four entire years.

"Morning Gan," he said, nodding to the girl in a gentle way.

Gan turned at his voice and nodded as well, in the same ginger manner. Though their injuries were of a similar kind, Gan's was more long lasting; when Sesshomaru hit her in the throat, it had consequently damaged her voice box and she was now forced to speak in a quiet, hoarse tone. Demons could understand her perfectly, though humans often had a bit of trouble.

It was at this time that Miroku noticed the duffel bag thrown over her shoulder for the first time. "Going somewhere?"

"I think its time to leave," Gan whispered, observing Miroku with her calculative violet eyes. "I wish both of you happy lives." With this, she offered them both a second nod before walking calmly around the side of the building, footsteps receding along the plank walkway.

Sango glanced over at Miroku, face unreadable. "She left."

"Hmm," was all Miroku said in reply as he refocused his gaze on the horizon, thinking his own private thoughts about Gan the Gun and her many mysteries.

Gan sighed as she rounded the corner, reshouldering her bag and glancing out at the sea; the late morning sun caught the waves just perfectly as the seagulls cooed overhead. A soft, salty breeze blew in from the South and the girl closed her eyes as her golden hair danced around her face; she would certainly miss this place. Gan ran her hand lightly over the wood of the beachhouse behind her, letting out a deep, defeated breath. It was time to say goodbye.

She turned to go, staring at the ground before her when her eyes came in contact with a pair of familiar black boots. She followed them up a black pants leg where they eventually collided with a white venetian shirt; she knew his body before she even reached his face. Akago let out a breath of smoke, catching some of his white bangs in the crosswind; part of his braid was coming unwoven in the sea air. He seemed unfocused, though Gan knew he was there for a purpose.

"Are you going?" he asked quietly, voice its usual rich red timbre.

Gan felt part of her resolve wavering, but she shook away the uncertainty and addressed him as firmly as possible. "Yes. I've done my part."

Akago said nothing for a moment. He took another drag on his cigarette, causing Gan to glance away as the true impact of this day finally hit her; she was leaving Akago. For good, she was leaving him. No more playful banter, no more late night discussions of ancient philosophy, no more fantasizing about the future over coffee in the mornings. No handsome smiles, no pearls of wisdom, no chuckles of amusement, nothing; she would see no more of the man she'd shared her soul with for four straight years. With a pang of guilt, she realized that she'd thrown away the trust required to maintain a relationship. While she'd almost been forced into this life by unfortunate circumstances, the guilt still ate away at her gut like cancer.

Trying to ignore Akago's presence, as saying goodbye for the final time would probably kill the rest of her, Gan put one shaky foot forward and tried to continue along the plankway.

She found a white-clad arm barring her way, appearing so suddenly that she gasped and stumbled backwards. Akago looked unfazed and only continued smoking his cigarette, casting an eye over the girl when the silence began to thicken. She was gazing at him, violet eyes confused and almost hurt; was he going to prolong this? Must he torture her? On second thought, maybe I deserve that, she thought dully, smiling faintly in a sick sort of way.

Akago finally dropped his cigarette and crushed it to a smoldering stub beneath his boot sole. He seemed unbothered and unfettered, though he rarely seemed ruffled by storm or standoff. After a moment, he glanced over at the girl with which he'd unknowingly shared secrets and desires he could share with no man. Perhaps her femininity had played a part in their relationship, but he would never truly know. In the end, he wasn't sure if it mattered anyway.

"I haven't relinquished control of you," he said finally, crimson eyes holding her gaze locked in place.

Gan said nothing, wondering if her lip was trembling or if her entire body was. When held so sternly in his eyes, it was hard to tell backwards from forwards, in any case.

When he realized that Gan's mouth was going to remain closed, Akago continued, "And until I do so, you may go no where."

Though the words floated away on the breeze, Gan felt as though they were constantly parading around her skull. Was he suggesting...?

"Akago?" she asked uncertainly, furrowing her blonde brow in a disbelieving way.

"I still have use of you," came Akago's simple response. "And in kind, you may not leave." Without another word, Akago turned to exit by way of entering the beachhouse, but his journey was interrupted.

"After everything I've done you're going to keep me here? When I was going to leave peacefully, without contestation? I can't tell if your a sadist or a masochist!" Gan shouted bitterly, voice of a pleasantly sweet tambre, one quite unlike her normal tenor. The volume and force with which she spoke proved to be too much and Gan's throat gave a painful contraction, causing her to cough and wheeze as fire roared through her esophagus. She clutched at her neck, wincing as the sheer agony forced her to lean with her free hand against the beachhouse; tears leaked out her eyes from the marked intensity of the sensation.

"Gan?" Akago asked urgently, walking quickly towards her and steadying her with his arm. "Breathe slowly. I told you not to speak too loudly; you won't be able to yell like that for at least three months without pain. Honestly, and you call yourself a doctor."

"You're a bastard," came Gan's pained whisper as tears of pain dripped down her face, spotting the wooden planks below.

Quite used to insults like this, Akago couldn't help but smile faintly. "At least I dress to fit my sex."

Gan smiled, even through her tears. "You'd look awful in a dress," she gasped, still trying to catch her breath.

Akago smiled fondly and Gan smiled in return, the two meeting eyes before they forced themselves to look away. Akago furrowed his brow; what a strange feeling. At least he knew Gan's presence was assured for at least a little while longer. Boy or girl, Akago couldn't imagine life without Gan the Gun. And now he wouldn't have to.

As Ayame became steadily aware of the light assaulting her eyelids, she also noticed the warmth of someone's hand on her bare stomach. The touch was familiar and glanced easily down at it, managing to make out a series of freckles on the back of this mysterious hand; she smiled. The girl ran a hand through her red hair, which was matted and disheveled, obviously in desperate need of a shower and wash. The room smelled of salty see air and the cacophonous bird calls sounded throughout the bungalow; wherever she was, it was quite peaceful.

Beside her, Kouga breathed deeply against Ayame's shoulder blade and his hand shifted slightly, sending a smooth, cool sensation across her belly. Ayame sighed peacefully and covered Kouga's hand with hers, beginning to resettle into sleep when flashes of the battle returned to her. Her eyes snapped open quite suddenly and drifted towards her stomach where she distinctly remembered being shot. Shifting Kouga's hand slightly, she rested her green gaze on a bullet wound near the right side of her abdomen. It was scabbing over and had been left open, most likely for healing purposes, but it was still rather grotesque. It wasn't that she minded scars so much, it was just so...unsightly. So angry.

"Morning, babe."

Kouga's voice set her at ease somewhat, though she couldn't help but think about the scar all the same. "Morning," she said with a small smile, twisting her head back and kissing him sweetly on the lips. The kiss lingered for a moment and came to a natural end, leaving Ayame falling prey to Kouga's ice blue eyes when they parted. His eyes were so mesmerizing, it was a wonder she hadn't already drowned in them.

"How you feelin'?" Kouga asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Fine," came Ayame's distant reply. "It doesn't hurt."

Kouga quietly observed Ayame's downcast gaze, noticing as it strayed towards the bullet wound, before he murmured, "If it doesn't hurt, why are you looking at it?"

"Because..." Ayame trailed off, wondering briefly why she was looking at it. Her hands had plenty of scars from shop accidents and she was sure there were some on her legs from sports. But on her stomach, chest and back there were none. Why did it bother her so? "It's just gross looking, thats all."

Kouga was silent for a moment before he said, "It'll look better when it heals, babe. It'll just be a white mark, like scars always are." When Ayame said nothing, Kouga continued lightly, "No one will see it."

"You'll see it," Ayame replied in an almost bitter whisper.

Without a word, Kouga ran his thumb over the bullet wound, kissing her neck in a loving gesture. Ayame couldn't help but smile as Kouga said, "Aya, I've always thought you were gorgeous and I always will. No scar is gonna change my mind."

Ayame sat up gingerly, feeling a certain warmth engulf her at Kouga's words; unconditional love was a blessed thing to be sure. She glanced down at her lover only to noticed something strange about his naked torso; there were three hideous wounds on his chest, gross blacks and reds, at least nine inches long each. Gasping, she reached down her hands, running her fingertips lightly across the offending gashes and causing Kouga to wince slightly.

"Aya-"

"What are these?!"

The desperation in his girlfriend's eyes caused Kouga to wince, this time not out of physical pain but emotional pain. "Akago told me that Sesshomaru got me with his acid claws when we were transformed." Ayame looked almost surprised, though she knew Sesshomaru hadn't been in his faculties; he and Kouga were best friends to the point of death. Even in his demonic state...how could Sesshomaru have done this?

"Does it hurt?" she asked faintly, tracing her fingers along the black and red scars, which were raised from the skin and reminded her of burnt liquid, what with their crusted black surface.

"Yeah," Kouga said truthfully, taking her wandering hand gently in his and removing it from his skin, which burned fiercely under any sort of touch. "Not a whole hell of a lot, but just enough."

Ayame seemed to calm slightly, though she still looked fairly upset. She leaned back against the pillows, allowing her head to rest on Kouga's shoulder a fair distance away from his injury. The couple was silent for a moment, breathing in unison, until Kouga murmured steadily, "We'll be okay."

Ayame closed her eyes softly, nuzzling her cheek against Kouga's smooth skin. Finally she said, "Yeah. We'll be okay."

Shitora became aware of her surroundings only to find something very disturbing about her current situation: she was naked, as was her bed mate, who just happened to be Ranbou. Blushing madly, the half demon girl closed her eyes and wondered momentarily what could've caused Kei and Nanashi to do such a thing. They must've assumed that Shitora and Ranbou had already had sex, which they hadn't.

Despite her proccupation with her nakedness, Shitora noticed something far more disturbing when she finally got a good look at her own naked body. It was covered in hideous gashes, browns, blues and blacks which seemed to stain every part of her skin. She looked like she'd been to hell and back more than once, which she supposed she had; she remembered very little about the fight, only vaguely recalling the screaming of her seppanyoukai as she entered the darkness of her transformation. Her own problems were momentarily forgotten as she glanced down at Ranbou and noticed the alarming amount of gauze and bandages around his stomach; crimson red was already beginning to stain the top of the gauze pad.

Though she couldn't see very much of the wound, Shitora found herself frightened by the mere thought of it. It was then that her amber eyes, a muddy gold with sleep, came across a much different mark on Ranbou's shoulder. It was actuall a series of marks, obviously made by claws which she gauged were of the dog family. The girl furrowed her snow white brow as she ran her fingertips lightly over the gashes, wondering if the impossible had occurred during her mental absence. She hadn't done this, had she?

Shitora gasped as a much larger hand grabbed hers, pulling it away from the scars. "You molesting me in my sleep, Sukini?"

The girl's voice warmed at the sound of Ranbou's playful tone. "You wish, Wolfboy," she replied, voice hoarse and quiet. "Sorry if I woke you up."

"Nah," Ranbou replied haphazardly, sitting up slightly as his black hair fell like a curtain around him; someone had released it from its normal ponytail. His eyes were their normal ice blue, which somehow set Shitora's mind at ease, almost as thought she'd expected everything to be different when she woke up. "You were the late riser. I've been awake since yesterday."

"Yeah? You look a lot worse off than me," Shitora commented, brow furrowing cutely in the way Ranbou adored. "Wonder what took me so long."

"I dunno," Ranbou replied mildly, grinning handsomely.

His smile faded slightly as his eyes unconciously drifted downwards. Shitora followed his eyes and gave a small squeak, grabbing the sheet and pulling it frantically up to her neck. "Hey! Don't look!"

"Sorry," Ranbou laughed, finding a good deal of humor in this situation. "Wonder who stripped us naked."

"Whoever they are, I'm gonna kill em," Shitora muttered mutinously.

"Not like I care, Sukini, and you shouldn't either. Just cause we ain't had sex yet doesn't mean we can't deal with bein' naked. We're adults, right?" Ranbou reasoned, looking completely unaffected by the goings on. In all reality, he was so inwardly smug he could barely keep it down; yes, he'd seen her breasts. And he could die happy because apparently, her ass wasn't the only perfect thing about Shitora Taisho.

Shitora continued blushing for a moment before she suddenly adopted a sly smirk. "Had sex yet? Who says you're gettin' anything from me?"

"Hey, I'll have you know that you'd be missin' out on the best fuck this side a town," Ranbou said pompously. "I'm great in bed."

Shitora giggled, as she knew this was Ranbou's way of joking, and laid calmly back down. "Yeah, I bet you talk dirty." In her best impression of Ranbou's deep, gravelly voice, she growled, "That's right baby, take it all. Oh yeah, that's real good, scream for me just like that."

As Shitora collapsed in a fit of giggles on his upper chest, Ranbou sighed dramatically and muttered, "You just don't appreciate it cause you ain't had it. Lemme tell you, once you get a go at this joy stick, you'll never even touch another gaming system, you feel me?"

This only continued to worsen Shitora's hilarity and Ranbou smiled fondly; like Shitora, he'd almost expected everything to go down the toilet after the battle. It seemed that nothing had changed at all, excluding the states of their bodies, as they were currently sitting with one another, joking about sex; this was as per usual, so perhaps this supposed "change" wasn't going to be the drastic disaster Ranbou had imagined.

It was then that Shitora's hand accidentally brushed the gauze on his stomach and he winced ever so slightly. Shitora stopped laughing abruptly and frowned, looking fearfully up at Ranbou. "Oh god! Sorry, sorry! I'm a clumsy shit, Ran, are you okay?"

"You just barely touched it Sukini, I'm not gonna keel over or anythin'," Ranbou replied lightly, blue eyes twinkling. "I'm just glad all this shit is over. Akago said Naraku died in the end."

Resettling herself, Shitora looked warily at the wound she'd irritated and wondered if things would ever really be "over." Instead of voicing her cocerns, she simply said, "Yeah. Me too."

The two closed their eyes and drifted into a light sleep, wary of each other's wounds even in their sleep. Even with Naraku dead and his threat momentarily gone, Shitora couldn't help but shake the feeling that Naraku was only the tip of the evil iceberg in this town. It was as though an underground movement were surging up, preparing to overtake her peaceful way of life. Smiling slightly, Shitora lovingly nuzzled her head in Ranbou's shoulder and was rewarded with a gentle ear rub from one of Ranbou's strong, tan hands. Maybe it wasn't always peaceful, but Shitora found herself appreciating life more and more as the days moved forward. She was fairly sure that love had something to do with it.

Inuyasha saw nothing put darkness when he first awoke, only able to feel sea breeze and hear the sweet sound of distant humming. As he became more aware, his senses returned slowly until he could see hazy colors and images floating before his eyes. The humming grew closer, louder, though it was still gentle and calm. He could now recognize the scent and sound as Kagome's, a fact which brought a smile to his face. The scent of this whole place was strangely familiar, but he soon equated it with the Shark headquarters he'd barged into earlier that summer, looking for Gan the Gun to attend the merger meeting. The summer had taken such a strange turn in the end, but Inuyasha supposed that it had been a good one.

Unlike the others, Inuyasha remembered the events immediately and his eyes snapped open as he said desperately, "Is he dead?!"

Kagome gave a visible start and nearly toppled back in her seat, breathing heavily as she readjusted her back against the wooden beach chair in which she rested. The sight of Inuyasha's open amber eyes made her smile; he'd been asleep for a few days now, worrying her endlessly, and she hadn't moved from his bedside but to take bathroom breaks and occasionally meals. It seemed that now it was truly all better.

But Inuyasha wasn't satisfied with simply being awake; he had to know. "Is he dead? Is Naraku dead?" he repeated urgently.

Kagome smiled almost sadly, eyes recalling those pictures and images from the fight, which now seemed so long ago when it had only been days. "Yes. Dead as dead can be."

Though Inuyasha relaxed visibly, he still sat erect, ignoring the pain in his chest. "Who got him in the end?"

"Ryuukoytsusei."

The two were silent after Kagome's words, which Inuyasha couldn't seem to find an answer to. It wasn't long before a sick and almost twisted smile found its way to his lips, where it lingered like a paralyzed limb. He looked so ill it pained Kagome's heart, but she knew to find joy in such a terrible thing could only make a person mad in the head such as it was doing to everyone in the Fangs. They'd dealt with Naraku's terrorism for too long and now, his death brought them great happiness. Kagome had to admit that, deep inside her bitter and bruised heart, she too was glad to see him die. After all, he'd practically put cancerous disease upon her pysche and it ate away at her, day after day. She acted as though it didn't bother her, but every single second she thought of the torture she'd undergone. He was so perverse, it sickened her physically just thinking of his face. This war had taken its toll on everyone, but she was suffering far more than anyone knew.

"That's not how I imagined it goin', but I guess that suits me fine," Inuyasha said gruffly, working himself into a sitting position with Kagome's careful assistance.

"It surprised us all," Kagome agreed, sighing to herself and looking far less happy that Inuyasha supposed she should. Naraku was finally laying with the worms; what was there to be sad about?

Inuyasha reached out one of his clawed hands, noticing briefly that most of his limbs were now covered in scars. "Kagome? What's wrong?"

The girl shook her head slightly, turning her face away. "Nothing," she replied, though hardly convincing. Inuyasha could swear he heard the tears in her voice before he even smelt them.

Without another word, Inuyasha reached out his arms and pulled Kagome to him, wherein she dissolved into fits of sobs. She buried her face in the clean cotton sheets, grabbing handfuls of material in angry fits as Inuyasha raked his claws gently across her back; it always soothed her, but not this time. Nothing could soothe her this time. Perhaps it hadn't bothered her at the time, but the fact that Kagome had been stripped, tied to a cross and brutally abused was starting to wear on her already tired conscious. She was tired, tired of wondering if a simple walk down the street would mean death in this town. Maybe Naraku was physically gone from this world, but his presence lingered behind in every scar, every welt, every tear she shed. He was behind the corners she turned, walking beside her down the streets she crossed, turning the wrenches in her hands. It wasn't even Naraku himself so much as it was the things he represented; hardship, anger, fear, loss. Oh yes, even though they'd gained a victory, every single Southerner carried a feeling of loss with them along with that sensation of triumph. They'd lost many things in this war, pride included. Perhaps they'd won this war, but who knew what the next would bring? Throughout history, whenever a dictator left, something more horrible followed and Kagome was expecting it just as much as the next Fang. Who would come to torture them now?

"Kagome," Inuyasha said quietly, burying his nose in her hair; she always smelled of roses, even now. "I know...I know that it's hard. I know this sounds lame and cheesy like a crappy romance movie, but I've been here before, all of us have. I mean, back in the days before Sesshomaru was leader, we were beat up on a daily basis, our bikes and cars fucked with, all that. Naraku used to have free reign of this place. I mean, Miroku still had a huge scar on his leg where a Spider cut him up at a race when we were 11." Kagome glanced up, eyes glassy with tears; 11? As though he could read her questions in her gaze, Inuyasha said sadly, "Yeah, we started young. We've never known nothin' else cause hell struck right when we got into middle school. Everyone's moms started dying, the Yakuza moved up in power with the death of the mayor, our dads started disappearing to do hell knows what, but we got through that and it was twenty times worse than this. We'll get through this too, not cause we're strong or 'good people,' but cause we don't got a choice. If the Fangs aren't on top, someone else will be, and that could never be right."

Kagome listened carefully to Inuyasha's words, drinking them in, savoring their flavor. For someone who rarely spoke a wise word, he had the strangest tendency to come up with brilliant speeches on command. She looked deep into his amber eyes, seeing more than simple strength there; she saw determination, sadness, pain, power, grief, anger, but most of all, love.

Resting her raven black hair against Inuyasha's smooth, naked chest, Kagome murmured, "I've never seen anything scarier than all of you in your demon forms. I mean, it was one thing at the race, but this time...if I never have to see that again, it'll be too soon."

Inuyasha sighed, a tired, beaten sigh. "Yeah. I don't know what the fuck those guns were, but I'm gonna destroy ever single fucking one. Enemy or not, I could never use those. It just ain't right and we were taught that right outta the womb."

The two were silent for a moment as the sounds of seagulls drifted in from the outside. The salty air made Inuyasha's nose itch, though he wasn't sure if it was the salt or the sensation of Kagome's hair tickling his skin. Either way, he was already burning with the desire to run, to get out of this bed and flee from this place. He made as though to sit up, but grunted and lay back down almost immediately; his stomach was writhing with pain.

"Don't move, Inuyasha," Kagome ordered fiercely, wiping away her tears and fixing him with an icy glare. "It took an hour just to stich those wounds."

It was then that Inuyasha noticed the large claw marks on his stomach, though he knew they were anything but ordinary. They burned with not only pain but familiarity; Sesshomaru's acid claws. "He got me good," the hanyou remarked, looking more amused than anything.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "And scared us half to death. I thought Sesshomaru was scary when he was just walking around, but I had no idea."

"Did he...hurt anybody else?" Inuyasha asked tentatively; he already knew the answer for, once in his demon form, Sesshomaru was unstoppable and he knew that. He just wanted to hear the words.

Kagome sobered, shaking her head. "He crushed Gan's voicebox, practically ripped out Ranbou's stomach, then he got you. This was all after he did God knows what to everyone else; we were busy trying to reconfigure one of the ray guns to shoot backwards." At Inuyasha's confused glance, she muttered, "Yeah, don't ask."

"Gan's...voice box?" Inuyasha practically whispered; the injury sounded painful, though he wasn't quite sure what it entailed.

"She can only whisper now; any louder and she starts coughing and she's in a lot of pain. I'm not sure what's going to happen," she replied, looking thoroughly distressed by this news. She laid down beside Inuyasha once more, wary of his wounds as she closed her eyes softly, inhaling his scent. "I'm so tired, Inuyasha. I just want to sleep for a few weeks, leave this all behind."

"Go to sleep," Inuyasha replied in a gruff whisper. "This time, I promise I'll protect you."

And Kagome knew it was true.
As soon as Shitora's breathing slowed in sleep, Ranbou gently moved her aside and inched carefully out of the bed, wincing ever few motions and praying to the Gods that he made it outside without a sound. He knew Shitora needed a peaceful rest since she'd done nothing but toss and turn since the battle; he could probably use a little sleep himself, but the very thought of another nap made him physically ill. He needed one thing and one thing only to sustain himself and by god he would have his cigarette.

The outside air was cool and alive on his skin as he leaned on the banister, looking out on the beach below and the ocean beyond. Seagulls were beginning to turn in for the night and the low belch of a fog horn soothed Ranbou as he drew in a deep breath of smoke; it was familiar in his lungs. He pitied humans like Miroku and Sango who smoked at a price; as a demon, it was virtually impossible for cigarettes to harm him in any way. He felt as though he needed something to do with his hands and his mouth at the same time to keep them both out of trouble. The wolf demon winced as pain shot through his stomach; perhaps he hadn't died this time, but he'd obviously come closer than ever before.

"You shouldn't be movin' around."

Ranbou glanced haphazardly to his right where Kouga was leaning, likewise, against the wooden railing. He wasn't looking at his older brother, but this last comment was obviously aimed in his direction. Ranbou didn't answer for a moment as he unconsciously glanced Kouga up and down, as though looking for injuries. He found a few, but nothing that worried him to any noticeable extent. The slash marks on Kouga's chest were the most bothersome, but Ranbou knew his brother would push through just like he always did. Ranbou sometimes felt weak in the presence of his little brother, though he might never say it.

"I needed a smoke," was all the older Ookami said in reply.

The brothers were silent, twin ponytails blowing like raven-black whips in the wind, until a pair of small footsteps approached from their left. Both turned their ice blue gazes to face the disturbance, only to let out audible breaths as they recognized the presence; the battle had certainly left them on the edge.

Kinanme paused warily, shrinking back from her brothers. "What? Did I interrupt guy time or something?"

"Naw," Ranbou reassured her, sighing tiredly. "We're just...you know what, never mind, come on over here."

The youngest Ookami girl did as she was bid, hugging her thin arms to her chest as her white house dress billowed around her. Ranbou smiled slightly as he watched his sister leaning back against the same wooden banister as her brothers, lips pouty and face entirely like their mother's. Kinanme was like a walking, talking carbon copy of the late Ookami queen and sometimes, it made Ranbou miss her. Other times, he felt as though he was with her anyway.

"You alright?" Kouga asked his sister, glancing her over for injuries.

She shifted her shoulders slightly, showing her brothers a scalding red burn on her left shoulder blade. "They got me with that stun gun thing, but otherwise I'm okay." After a brief silence, she murmured, "I, uh, checked on both of you once but you were both kinda naked with your girlfriends...so I din't stick around. But I was there."

Kouga blushed and Ranbou grinned wolfishly, chuckling at bother his brother's and sister's embarassment. "S'not like we were havin' wild sex, Kina. We were kinda busy bein' unconscious."

Kinanme rolled her ice blue eyes and reached habitually for a box of cigarettes in her dress pocket. "I know that, aniki, but you were naked." When Ranbou was silent, Kinanme glanced over at her brother as she carefully lit the cigarette between her lips. "What?"

Ranbou was looking wistfully off into the distance, his own cigarette almost forgotten; his eyes were such a dark blue as he looked towards the horizon, they could've been the ocean's mirror. "Nothin'. I jus' haven't heard you call me that in a while."

Kouga could swear that he saw a glimmer in Ranbou's eye, but he would never say a word; with the lives they were all leading these days, everyone needed to sit down and have a cry once and while. He did pity the fact that Ranbou was having his cry in public, but Kouga had top admit that the idea of being called 'big brother' again made even him a little emotional.

At Ranbou's explanation, Kina squirmed a little under the weight of such an admittance. "Oh...sorry, I didn't mean t-"

"Naw, kid, s'alright. I missed it, I guess."

After a moment, during which Kinanme wasn't sure what to do, she finally took a few steps forward and embraced Ranbou from the side, almost dwarfed by his much larger frame. Kouga smiled as Ranbou wrapped his good arm around Kinanme's thin shoulders, smiling down at her as she buried her face in his side. He could feel the wetness of tears on his skin, but just like Kouga, he said nothing.

Kouga glanced up at the sound of footsteps, smile lighting his face as Kotone entered the scene from behind him. Her hair was hanging loose around her, a midnight waterfall on her pale skin. She, too, was smiling, though her usual demure one as opposed to Kouga's toothy grin. She looked slightly ill, though Kouga knew that the stun guns had probably done their work.

"Hey," he murmured.

Kotone followed his gaze to where Ranbou and Kinanme were standing, holding one another as smoke rose in two separate trails. Her smile quirked slightly and she siged elegnatly, "She really missed him. Every other word was 'Well, Ranbou always said...'"

Kouga chuckled. "Well, he talks a lot so I guess she might have a quote for every occassion."

Smiling, Kouga gently wrapped her arms around Kouga and rested her head on his shoulder; the action made Kouga's smile falter slightly; his mother had always done that to Kibishii when he was younger. It had always looked strange, with Kibishii being so tall and burly and then his mother like a graceful little dancer, holding him. As a young child, Kouga had always wondered why his father didn't push his mother away; after all, having a woman making you look so unmanly was compromising, wasn't it? But his father never did. No matter what the circumstances, Kibishii always smiled and kissed his wife's head. And Kouga did so now, smiling when his sister's arms tightened around him.

Ranbou and Kinanme were currently leaning forward on the pier railing, watching the horizon like hawks waiting for prey. Both were restless souls, though they didn't know what could be waiting for them. Finally, Ranbou said, "So, you stayin' here er what?"

Kinanme sighed, heavy and tired. "I dunno, Ran, we're probably goin' back home. I mean, we've got lives out there now. Lives, friends, fami-"

The girl cut off quickly, startled by her near usage of the word, and looked pointedly away from what she was sure would be Ranbou's hurt face. After a moment Ranbou murmured, "Family, huh? So...yer pretty serious about Skull, or what?"

At this point, Kinanme blushed fiercely and muttered, "I dunno."

"How long you been goin' out?" Ranbou replied casually.

Kinanme had to think for a moment before she finally replied, "Maybe...2 years? It's hard to remember sometimes, but I think its been about 2 years."

"Huh. Two years," came Ranbou's second muttered reply. He seemed to think in silence for a moment before continuing, "Guess it doesn't get much better than Tobi Skull, huh?"

There was a silence between the two before Kinanme realized that this might be what Ranbou considered consent. He was giving her consent to date Skull. Her smile grew impossibly wide and she glanced over at him with her clever ice blue eyes, which met his like twin glaciers.

"Guess not. He's somethin'."

While she seemed nochalant, she would never tell Ranbou that, in the end, his approval was the only approval that mattered.

"...and I don't remember much of anything. But I plan on making rounds later to check on everyone."

Inuyasha nodded menially at his brother's comment, watching Sesshomaru levelly as his brother's profile became gracefully silhouetted against the sunset. Something about the way he stood there, looking so sternly out at the sea, seemed to capture the moment for Inuyasha. Sesshomaru seemed to think he was in command of absolutely everything, the sea included, and he must think that it would bow to him just like the gangs did. The hanyou sighed, watching as guilt crept up in his brother's gaze; despite his awesome power, Sesshomaru was feeling the weight of his demon sins. It seemed like every moment he remained there, he recounted the battle in which he'd unknowingly and unconsciously torn apart his friends and family. Not even the powerful Sesshomaru Taisho could outrun guilt forever.

Casting his amber eyes out across the ocean, Inuyasha murmured, "I dunno what to do now, ya know? I mean, our whole life was racing and all that shit...but now there ain't no one to fight."

"The Dragons," Sesshomaru mentioned. "Though I suppose many would consider it rude to challenge the man who just killed our greatest enemy."

"Feh, we coulda killed him if we'd got the chance," came Inuyasha's bitter reply, though he knew Sesshomaru spoke the truth. Going after Ryuukoytsusei would be counter productive.

Sesshomaru lit a cigarette and cupped the flame in his hands, willing away the sea breeze as he took a drag. "I can't tell whether or not I regret not killing him or regret the thought of being unable to kill him. But whatever the reason, the absence of Naraku means the absence of another thorn in my side."

Inuyasha smirked; calling Naraku a mere "thorn" was so copasetic, he almost wanted to give his brother a high five, though nothing of this sort would go on. Smiling a little, the hanyou leaned on the banister and mumbled, "I almost don't know what to do now."

"It's not like races will stop. I'll contact Ryuu and we'll be up and running again."

"Well then," Inuyasha said thoughtfully, "Maybe I do know what to do."

"There's only one thing to do, little brother," Sesshomaru said with a smoky smile.

The brothers exchanged a glance and grinned simultaneously, chuckling as the forsaw the future. With Naraku and his gang disbanded, there really was only one way for the Fangs to finish out the summer. And Inuyasha would see to it that next Saturday.

WOOT. Sorry for the wait, I had hell week for the play and now I'm charging straight into the musical and then I have SATs, SAT IIs and APs. I hate standardized testing. Its so unfair. Anyway, love you guys, and next chapter we'll talk about how I'm gonna set up the next story! SO EXCITING!

KOLU