InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Overcoming the Past ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and Co. (But I do own Nika, Yukio, Katsuga, and Hana ^_~.)

'…' Indicates thoughts.

"…" Indicates words.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*

The sun rose slowly over the Western Lands as the group of shard hunters reached the home of Inuyasha's brother. Inuyasha smiled fondly as he recalled all of his childhood memories, both happy and otherwise. The others were all frozen in astonishment at the sheer size of Sesshoumaru's castle.

"Your older brother lives here?" asked Miroku incredulously. Both he and Sango turned their heads to the hanyou, who in turn grunted an affirmative 'feh' and looked away.

"He must be a great Taiyoukai to have such a grand home," remarked Kikyou even though she acted disinterested. Inuyasha nodded.

"He inherited the Western Lands from Father when he was still considered a young pup. I've heard that he outmatched some of the strongest and outwitted some of the wisest of taiyoukai to ever exist. Still, he's a heartless bastard who deserves death for kidnapping my Kagome!"

"Your Kagome?" came a deep and angry voice in the forest. "I don't recall smelling any claim of yours on Kagome-san." Out of the darkness of the woods appeared Yukio, fully clad in youkai armor with a sword in hand. Inuyasha growled instinctively.

"Who are you…and when were you close enough to Kagome to be able to smell her, you bastard?!" Inuyasha snarled and drew Tetsusaiga. Miroku and Sango also drew their weapons and stepped into an offensive stance, and Kikyou simply stood there gauging her new opponent.

"Where is Kagome-chan, you filthy youkai? You better not have done anything to her!" Sango cried. "Isn't that right, Shippou-" she was about to continue, but stilled when she realized that Shippou wasn't with Inuyasha as she had previously taken for granted. "Where's Shippou?" The others soon began to look frantically around for the missing kit.

"I'm right here. It took you all long enough to realize that I was gone. Of course, that clay bitch probably covered her tracks pretty well. How many spells did you use to conceal my blood's scent and absence?" Everyone turned to see Shippou with a wicked grin on his face that was directed entirely toward Kikyou. Kikyou paled when she saw that the kit was alive and about to expose her.

"How…?" Kikyou whispered almost inaudibly.

"Shippou-chan, that's enough. I told you not to interfere, didn't I?" asked Kagome sternly, finally emerging from her position behind Yukio. Shippou looked back in apology and scurried off to find Rin, leaving Kagome to take care of the revenge. Kagome turned to Kikyou and allowed her suppressed rage to flow freely from within her. Her ki created a violent wind that surrounded her, making the kimono she was wearing flare up slightly around her well-toned form. Her friends all stared in amazement. Everyone had changed tremendously over the time Kagome left.

"Kagome-chan! Thank kami, you're all right!" Sango exclaimed, trying to calm the powerful miko. "Did you escape? Are you injured? What happened?" Kagome stared blankly at the demon exterminator, the spinning image of Kikyou, before turning back to the said chunk of clay and Inuyasha.

"Kikyou, Inuyasha… you will pay for you heartless actions that resulted in the untimely demise of my kit. I will seek divine retribution and avenge Shippou's death." The whole time, Kagome spoke with calm authority, just as she learned from Sesshoumaru. Yukio gazed at her in surprise. "As for your question Kikyou, the reason Shippou is still here is because, unlike me, Sesshoumaru had the compassion to revive him with Tenseiga."

'Sesshoumaru really is a good teacher. She hasn't even released her battle ki and I am uneasy in her presence. This could get real ugly…' As Yukio was thinking that, Kagome unsheathed her sword and stepped calmly into a battle stance. She addressed the group icily.

"Anyone who interferes will be shown no mercy." Inuyasha stepped up to face Kagome, and although he was reluctant, the feeling of betrayal he felt made him turn Tetsusaiga on Kagome. The forest grew silent. Not a creature dare make a sound as two friends faced each other as enemies and prepared to begin a battle that would undoubtedly result in the utter defeat of one of them. When the sun's bright rays trickled through the forest to illuminate the battlefield, Kagome attacked with a speed that should have been impossible for a human. Inuyasha was barely able to raise his sword before it clashed with Kagome's. When the clash finally registered to the hanyou, she was behind him, diving in for a second attack. Her movements were so swift and graceful that Inuyasha saw several after images circling him.

'She's so fast… I don't have a chance! She fights just like Sesshoumaru, but with absolutely no restraint on her abilities.' Inuyasha felt a blade pierce his shoulder and howled in pain. Kagome smirked and towered over the hanyou as he fell to his knees. Sesshoumaru, who had been watching from the shadows since Shippou ran into the castle to look for Rin, watched Kagome's every movement and noted that she was holding back her full strength.

'Why is she hesitating to give Inuyasha what he so deserves?'

"Inuyasha… I have but one question to ask you before I finish this battle and kill your mate." Inuyasha stared up at Kagome in fear. "Why?! Why did you betray me, Inuyasha?" Inuyasha winced when he heard those words leave her lips. Kikyou had asked him the same thing after Naraku had deceived them.

"Kagome, I-"

"I told you I loved you and that I would stay with you even if you chose her over me, but I don't think I can keep that promise. When you took Kikyou as your mate… I felt this pain in my chest and it overwhelmed me. I knew my heart had been broken, shattered like the Shikon no Tama. I knew that it was beyond repair. Yet, even then I didn't interfere with you and Kikyou. I just silently stepped aside. I expected that you would just live your life and forget me… and let me forget. Isn't it enough that you broke my heart in the first place? No, of course it isn't. You had to come here and re-enter my life when I had finally begun to heal…" Kagome trailed off and a single tear slid down her cheek. Sesshoumaru fought hard to suppress a growl as she smiled sadly at Inuyasha. "I don't understand. Why? Why can't I be happy? Why can't you just let me be happy?" Inuyasha gasped.

"Kagome… I thought Sesshoumaru…" Kagome's smile slowly twisted into a feral snarl.

"I don't really care anymore Inuyasha. I only wish to avenge Shippou. Kikyou tried to murder him and succeeded. Shippou died right before my eyes. The moment will be forever engrained in my memory." Kagome raised her sword once more, this time at Kikyou. Kikyou's eyes widened and she tripped, landing on the cold ground, as Kagome slowly approached her. She came to a halt and towered over her incarnation, grinning maliciously as she heard the older woman's quiet pleas for mercy. "I don't know mercy. Now, I will have my soul back, you clay bitch." Kagome's sword began to glow with her miko powers. She sliced the air with the blade, sending her ki hurdling towards the clay miko faster that the eye could see. When the attack reached its target, it instantly purified Kikyou and all that was left were Kikyou's original ashes. Inuyasha stood frozen in horror as his mate died a second time. He cried out in agony at his loss.

"KIKYOU!!!" Inuyasha continued to howl and gnash his teeth over Kikyou's remains. Kagome had already sheathed her sword and turned to Yukio with an arrogant grin.

"I told you I could take care of those idiots on my own. You wasted your time by coming with me, Yukio-san." Yukio chuckled.

"I didn't doubt your ability nor Sesshoumaru's for a minute. I just wanted to have a front row seat to the show." The two laughed amiably until Inuyasha interrupted.

"Why? Kagome, she was everything to me! If you hate me that much, then why didn't you just take my life and let Kikyou live?" Kagome turned to him stoically.

"You will live to feel and understand the pain I have suffered, Inuyasha." Inuyasha snarled at her.

"I have felt that suffering of loss for over fifty years since Kikyou betrayed me and died! Don't you lecture me about loss, wench! I have lost more that you can ever imagine! No one could ever understand better than me!" Sesshoumaru stepped forward and glared at the hanyou.

"I believe you are mistaken, half-breed. You lost everything because of your own careless stupidity. You caused your own losses…both then and now. As for understanding, I don't think you can feel enough to understand such despair." Inuyasha growled and moved to attack the taiyoukai.

"Osuwari!" Inuyasha fell to the ground. He remained still until long after the spell wore off. He wept bitterly, knowing he lost everything that was important to him. He lost his mate, his companions' trust, the Shikon no Tama, his mother, and most of all, Kagome. He had betrayed her trust and now she was gone, lost to him forever.

"Inuyasha, get up," Kagome commanded softly, and Inuyasha obeyed, knowing that she deserved his utter obedience. "I want you to live so that you can mourn your losses. I have finally moved passed my time of grief, but you have never been able to properly mourn the loss of your loved ones and move on. You never forgave yourself for Kikyou's death. Take the time now and live. You are so much better that Kikyou and should not be so burdened by her existence. Live and atone for what you've done. If you do, I am certain that, someday, we will see each other again… as friends." Kagome's words gave Inuyasha a sliver of hope and he nodded to her in appreciation. He then glanced at Sesshoumaru curiously, wondering why his brother had gone to such lengths to help Kagome. He saw something in the taiyoukai's eyes that answered all of his questions.

'He's…'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*