InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lock and Key ❯ Questions learned, answers found ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights to the characters or properties of Inu-Yasha. This title belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and I have no argument as to whether or not that is true. On that note, leave me alone! ^.^

Yo, O.K., The last chapter went a lil bit better, maybe you guys accepted my apology and forgave Aka-Chan's big mistake of not warning anyone? I thank everyone who cared enough to review, I luv getting reviews. *smiles happily* I know you guys are itching to see some romance and…do I see a lemon? * giggles* That is not very far off in the future, so just bare with me while I try to fill in the spaces that lead up to that. I think that all the Kagome and Shippo lovers will be very pleased with this chapter, so make sure you leave a review!! ^.~ *Iz obsessed with reviews* Also, let me give a fair warning, WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLANCE AND GORE

Inu-Yasha kneeled on the banks of a shallow pond, the same pond in which he and Kagome had shared a sweet and gentle embrace. He sighed heavily, that was in the past now, there was no way he would be able to hold her again. Not if he was to complete the ritual he was to perform in order to bring her precious soul back to life. Placing his clawed hands in the clear water beneath him, he sighed as the cold water washed over him, cleansing them of any dirt. He smiled grimly, "Here goes nothing." Turning towards the bodies of both Kagome and Shippo, he trickled tiny droplets of water on different areas of their bodies. Standing to his feet, he removed the jewel of the four elders from deep within his robes, and set it cautiously between the two bodies. Taking a deep breath, he shot Kagome one last look and whispered softly, "I love you." With that, he closed his eyes, and whispered the incantation that was needed to activate the jewel. "On woven wings of past pages, arise to me through the golden ages. Feel the call of my love so deep, to awaken and dispose, that of her endless sleep. Shift through the eyes of the morning dove, and instead, awaken her, through my continuous love. I ask of you, to arise and walk, and bring back the soul of the one I lost." He shuddered as the words slipped from his mouth; this was to be the last thing he would ever say on the plain of mortal existence.

Kaede-Babba sat up in her bad, something was happening. There was more spirits in the forest than ever before. Only, they did not hold evil intentions, instead, they felt as if…"Oh my god…he's found the jewel…" She sprung form beneath her sheets, and leapt to the window nearest to her bed. Inu-Yasha had found the jewel…and had used it. She moaned to herself, "How…how could he have possibly have known the incantation? Isis was said to have been vanquished…is it possible that she roams the forest again?!" Kaede-Babba groaned as she felt the presence of even more spirits falling from the heavens, descending to the earth to revive Kagome and Shippo. A shutter ran through the small of her back, "Damn you Isis, I knew you loved him, but did you have to go this far?" She hung her head in defeat, once again, she had failed to warn them of the lurking dangers.

Inu-Yasha screamed in pain as a flash of lightning sliced the sky, marking the descendant of yet another spirit. "Aaaahhhhhh! God…What's happening?! You witch! You said it would just kill me, you didn't say it would torture me!" He cursed the woman that he had met in the forest, what was happening to his body? Every second or so a new ripple of pain shot through his body. A woman appeared before him, she resembled the goddess very much "You have completed the ritual…you fool!" She screamed, slashing at Inu-Yasha in mock anger. "Do you know what you have done?! You have given me, Amika, the power of all the seven hells and beyond! By giving your life, you have not only restored the girl's life, but the life of the demon who controlled her murderer." Inu-Yasha stared at her, "What? I thought Hiten was controlling Shippo? What lies do you speak of, bitch!" He spat, wanting to kick her until she screamed for mercy. Amika laughed, "You are so soft-hearted half-breed. Hiten was easily over-powered by my immaculate strengths, which in turn, over-powered the fur ball. Your little ring of friends was such an easy prey. The girl however, fought against my powers with such strength that I had to wipe her from existence before she told my little secret. It was you I was after; you were the only one that threatened my existence because you had access to the power of the Shikon no Tama. The only jewel in existence that had the power to defeat me." Inu-Yasha gaped at her, "What?! What the hell do you mean had, the Shikon is the most powerful item in extant, doesn't it still threaten you?!" Amika grinned, "You catch on quickly little one, but there you are wrong. Indeed it is the most powerful item in existence, but that is where you stepped in my brother. By activating the jewel of the four elders, you have depleted the powers of the Shikon no Tama, and restored my own. My strengths reside in the jewel of the elders; the Shikon only poses as a threat to me when the jewel of the elders is not activated. There is no way to deactivate it either, so you have sealed the fate of the world in your little act of love. Oh and by the way, would you like to see all your hard work unraveled? As soon as the girl and pup wake up, I will quickly kill them again."

Inu-Yasha snapped at this, completely forgetting the shocks of pain, he lunged at the woman. Slashing at her throat, he watched in satisfaction as blood splashed down her front. She grinned at him, "You think that mortal wounds can kill me little one? I am now immune to any and all of your attacks; you can do nothing to stop me." As this was said, the slash that ran across her throat healed, and her neck was left untainted. He growled, watching as thunder sliced through the air. It took her a moment to respond, but she snarled back in defense. "What's the matter my love? Afraid to face the fate that you have brought upon yourself over just a bit of puppy love?" Inu-Yasha growled again, and lunged at her once again. The flashing lightning only added to his look of pure hatred. He reached towards her again , this time slashing at her cheek. She stared at him in shock he had actually hurt her! She strained to try and recover the wound, but that only succeeded in making the cut bleed more profusely. She bristled, "What did you youkai?!" Her voice held that of one trying to conceal fear. He stared at the woman, how is it that I can pierce her throat and have no affect, but slice her cheek and it bleeds? A thought came to him, maybe she could not be killed through fatal wounds, but maybe he could cut her enough to make her bleed to death? He chuckled to himself, maybe he could defeat the witch after all!

Kagome stirred in her spot, fluttering her eyelids, she blinked at the surrounding darkness. "What happened? Inu-Yasha?" She looked around her, and tried to stand. She found that she couldn't, but instead tumbled back to the rocky terrain of the earth. As she fell, her hand brushed against a fuzzy piece of fur. "Shippo?" A happy yip was heard through out the forest as Shippo attached himself to Kagome. "I'm so happy that it's you! I've been laying here for an hour, I didn't know who was beside me, so I just decided to wait until you wake up." Kagome wrapped her arms around the tiny demon and cuddled his furry little body against her breast. "Shippo, do you have any idea where were at?" She felt him shake his head before huddling against her again. "Well, we have to try and figure something out…any idea why were having a heat storm in the middle of December?" Shippo shook his head again and sighed happily as he let his head fall to the curve in her arm. Kagome giggled as the tiny youkai murmured something about staying in that same spot forever.

Kaede-Babba shook in rage, her suspicions had been wrong after all, she know knew because Isis had come to her home. Explaining that her sister had intrigued the boy by the fact that the jewel of the elders could be used to revive the deceased. "Damn you Amika! How could go that low?! Seducing a boy to regain something that you lost as a result of your own stupidity!" Gathering a lantern, she ran through the front door of her home, making a bee-line for the forest and the spot where lightning was flashing vigorously.

"I have to tell Inu-Yasha the secret to defeating her, it has to be obvious after all this time!"

Inu-Yasha shrieked in agony as Amika raised her hand and clenched it into a tight fist. "Now you will pay for actions boy! You shall pay for destroying my beautiful face you little wench!" She squeezed her hand again, emitting a low, purring sound as Inu-Yasha nearly passed out from the pain. A rustle in the trees distracted her, causing her to drop Inu-Yasha and search the forest trees mentally. Someone was nearing…at an alarming rate. "Who the hell did you invite to the party?!" She soon got her answer as Kaede-Babba broke through the trees, panting from her run. "Inu-Yasha! There is only oneway to defeat her! Wait until the lightning strikes and than…" Her sentence was cut short as Amika stretched forth her hand and silenced the old woman with a flick of her wrist. Inu-Yasha fell to his knees as the sound of Kaede-Babba's neck being broken. Wait until the lightning strikes…what? What do I do? His mind screamed but he quickly understood what was happening. Duh! For some reason, the lightning seems to stop her; maybe that's why she was unable to heal herself when I struck her cheek. I hit her during a flash of lightning! His heart began to quicken it's pace as he understood what had to be done to insure victory. Grinning from ear to ear, he charged at Amika, claws extended to their fullest length. Leaping into the air, he wrapped his arms around his body and flung them outward, screaming "CLAWS OF BLOOD!" as a bolt of lightning flashed through the skies. Amika screamed as each one of the tiny daggers sunk into her flesh, each causing hot, searing flashes of pain to slice through her body. "AARGGGHHH!!!!" Her scream ran through the night with an urgent note of incredible pain. Dropping to the muddy terrain beneath him, he quickly prepared for his next attack. Pulling the Tetsuaiga from it's scabbard, he held it to the skies. "You will not live to scream again!" With that, he dragged the edge of the sword through her body in several different, slicing until a bolt of lightning flashed. As this was done, her body fell to the earth in three different pieces. A sudden relief ran through the youkai's blood.

Kagome found a seemingly weight being lifted from her body, and she was able to stand. The lightning had stopped, leaving her and Shippo alone in the darkness. This scared her, it was dangerous to be in the forest. She was in the forest at night with no light to shield her from any demons that might try t attack her. "INU-YASHA!!"

Inu-Yasha's ears perked up as her voice rang through the forest trees. "Kagome!" A smile replaced the smirk on his face, and a glint of happiness replaced the glint of hatred. Rushing through the forest, he barreled straight into her. Wrapping both arms around her waist, he rained kisses across her forehead and cheeks, landing a few on her lips as well. Shippo squirmed from beneath Inu-Yasha's chest, "Inu-Yasha!! Do you think you could stop smashing me?!" He paused in his affection only long enough for Shippo to escape before returning to his tasks. Pulling Kagome into a deep embrace, he brought his lips to hers in deeply rooted affection. Kagome blushed at his sudden approaches, but allowed herself to be drawn into his warmth. Shippo stood off by himself, scoffing at Inu-Yasha. "Your just lucky I'm not taller or I'd be kicking your ass for doin that to Kagome." Inu-Yasha paid no attention to the tiny youkai however, and continued on as though nothing he were not there. Picking Kagome up, he turned in the direction of the village, and ran towards it at full speed. Kagome eyed him in wonder, "What are you doing Inu-Yasha?" He smiled at her, " Taking you home so that you don't have to get caught up in all of this."