InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Centre ❯ Cruel Intention ( Chapter 35 )

Few things before this chapter. First, yes, there is a bit of a gap between a couple of chapters. No, I'm not dense; it's there for a reason. Sorry, you'll have to wait to find out. There is a method to my madness….really….trust me.

Sorry about the wait. School started here in Japan and my school is the type to wing it….all day every day. It's fun, but time consuming. I wrote most of this chapter while riding the train to a friend's house. Bet you wish I made more train trips.

Chapter 35: Cruel Intention

Eyes darted back and forth, quickly registering the fact that no one in the group had uttered that last sentence. It only took a fraction of a second for the confusion to be replaced with a much more powerful emotion…..anger laced in fear.

"After all," Naraku's voice echoed from above. "What's the point of drowning kittens when you can't watch them beg for mercy?"

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's ears were twitching as their eyes scanned the area trying to pinpoint Naraku's location by sound since his scent had long since disappeared.

Inuyasha would have given anything to learn how he pulled that neat little trick.

"Or perhaps," Naraku's drawled, "I should say puppies."

"Dammit!" Inuyasha fumed. "I can't tell!"

"He's moving," Sesshoumaru said, his normal airs gone. Demon eyes narrowed as his body tensed ever so slightly. "Or else he's found a way to have his voice in multiple locations."

"Very good, Sesshoumaru," multiple echoes replied. "You always were the more intelligent dog."

Kagome felt Sango's back press against her own as they formed a protective circle against the unseen terror. Kohaku had his weapon in hand, the chain producing a light rattle as he quivered where he stood.

"Fucking coward!" Inuyasha snarled. "Show yourself!"

"Tsk, tsk, Inuyasha. Always quick with your temper. I believe you mistaken caution for cowardice. Or perhaps you think me a complete idiot? I know the hatred you feel for me. Did you really think I would just hand myself over?"

"Sure likes to talk a lot," Miroku muttered.

"The more he talks, the more time Sesshoumaru has to pinpoint his location," Rin whispered.

"Fuck this shit!" Inuyasha shouted, raising Tetsusaiga high above his head. He brought the sword down in a powerful stroke, eyes intensely focused on the darkness in front of them. True to its nature, demonic power surged from the blade, clearing all before it in a spectacular blast of light and power. The ground trembled beneath them causing Kagome to fall to her knees. As the trembling stopped the building groaned in protest to the weight shift upon the foundation. A fine powder of dust settled on them.

Only Inuyasha looked pleased at this new development.

Sesshoumaru moved so fast he was simply THERE before anyone could register he'd moved. The taller demon grabbed the wrist Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga with, poison seeping from his claws causing the hanyou to yelp in pain and drop the blade.

"Asshole!" Inuyasha snarled and took a swipe at his brother….who of course dodged it like a practiced veteran.

"Before you bring the building down upon us," was the demon's explanation.

"Keh! Who's to say I didn't kill him with that?"

A nearly inaudible chuckled echoed through what remained of the darkened hall.

"Because OBVIOUSLY he wasn't in that direction," Miroku said dryly. "And OBVIOUSLY your blast away theory doesn't work."

"Keh! You sure are cranky with certain death hanging over you MONK." A deadly spark of anger settled in Miroku's normally calm eyes.

"Keep talking, HANYOU, and I'll make sure you go first!" Miroku snapped. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and growled in response as Miroku began pulling out purification spells, murder in their eyes.

"Monk?" Sango muttered. "Then why the hell does he-" A dark blush stained her cheeks as she quickly shut up.

"ENOUGH!" Kagome managed to say loud enough to gain their attention. All eyes were now focused on her…some more intently than others. "Don't you see? He wants us to fight! He wants us divided. Alone, none of us can get him. Stop fighting and focus on doing what we came here to do!"

"Well aren't we the little cheerleader?" Miroku replied, only to be hit rather hard by a large boomerang. Sango gave him an unamused look.

"You can kill each other afterwards," Kagome offered. Neither Inuyasha nor Miroku responded, but they did give each other a look that promised much pain to follow.

"It is a good thing your bitch has sense," Sesshoumaru drawled. "It might make up for your lack of it."

No one had to ask who his comment was addressed to. They could all tell as Inuyasha fumed, claws twitching with the desire to rip out his darling brother's throat. Kagome laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, pulling him away. Inuyasha merely growled in response and licked the raw wound on his wrist.

"We stand a better chance together, but what can we do from here?" Sango asked.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru said, his deep voice carrying a tone that brokered no argument. "Your arrows are the only weapon that won't bring the building down."

"But…" Kagome began, holding up the broken bow with slightly shaking hands. She felt like a child who had to tell their father she broke something. The two pieces of the bow dangled limply from the ancient string. Without a word he took the bow from her.

Holding an end in each hand he began to pull them together, muscles straining to pull the bow sting taunt. The old wood groaned under the strain as the pressure increased in areas the wood was not made to hold. Carefully he grasped the wood and held it together in his left hand. The bow made one final twinge and was silent.

Everyone watched in amazement as he held the bow up before her, barely visible in the darkness.

"Great," Miroku commented. "Perfect. That works well until she tries to use it. 200+ years old and you come up with that? Oh wait, you're gonna play I'm a Pretty Miko and fire the pretty arrow that saves us all?"

"Rin," Sesshoumaru said quietly, his voice barely audible. "Shut the monk up before I do it permanently."

"Sango?" the woman asked. A dull thud was heard in the darkness and no more comments came from the Miroku peanut gallery.

"But how-" Kagome began, looking at the demon in wonderment.

"I'll hold it. You shoot."

"But…your arm….not only with the string hit it, purification energy will cut into the wound!"

"That is acceptable," Sesshoumaru said, his face impassive.

"But-"

"Kagome, if he wants to lose an arm, let him," Inuyasha interjected.

"It is the only way for now. This Sesshoumaru will not be brought down by purification."

A dark laugh echoed somewhere above them.

"You think to bring ME down with a Miko's arrow?"

Kagome took out one of the slender wooden arrows, notching it in the bow string. Sesshoumaru held his left arm out, turning his face away from the inevitable light that she would emit. Kagome's hand fit under his, aiming the bow, as her other hand grasped the string below the arrow, pulling it back.

The hall was soon bathed in a gentle light from the bow that began to increase with intensity. Sesshoumaru's skin began to turn red, but the demon held on to the bow, not even flinching. Kagome pulled all the energy she could, focusing it into the arrow as she concentrated on her target.

This time her target wasn't a piece of paper several yards away. This time she aimed toward the evil that lay within Naraku's heart. The miko energy surged as it honed in on its target. No matter how he moved that arrow would find him.

It was a more dangerous game of seek and destroy.

A bright light flashed, nearly blinding Inuyasha as Kagome released the arrow. The bow string twanged with the force behind it, lightly scraping Sesshoumaru's arm. His arm trembled ever so slightly, but not a word nor expression escaped the demon's stoic face. They all watched as the arrow hurled toward an invisible destination, obviously intend upon something. As its glow increased they could see him.

High above them Naraku was floating upon a giant feather, a confident smirk upon his face. The arrow seemed to gain speed as it neared him, glowing brightly. Kagome felt a surge of joy.

Her joy was quickly shattered as the arrow hit a barrier of miasma, purifying the evil energy that surrounded Naraku, but leaving him untouched. Kagome wasn't sure what was worse, the fact it didn't work or the horrible smirk upon Naraku's face. The light from the arrow quickly dimmed.

"Again," Sesshoumaru said, breaking the shocked silence.

"But-"

"Again," the demon snapped.

Kagome was at a loss. Her arrows were not going to work. She was a champion when it came to archery, years of practice and hard work….but it suddenly made no difference. There was nothing she could aim for that would differentiate Naraku from the evil surrounding him.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said quietly. "Fire your arrow through Tetsusaiga's power."

"But the building!" she responded.

"Your arrow will keep Tetsusaiga's power contained," he affirmed. "Fire straight down the middle and it will pull Tetsusaiga's power with it. Trust me."

Kagome gave a quick nod and reached back. The arrow she grabbed felt a little odd as she ran her fingers over it. It pulsed slightly, sending a small series of shocks up her arm.

`This isn't my arrow….' She thought, eyes widening as her eyes strained to see it. The arrow began to glow lightly, but the color was slightly different. `This…is Kikyou's arrow!' The arrow pulsed once more before it stopped reacting to her touch. Slightly confused she notched the arrow, looking at Sesshoumaru briefly before pulling back on the string. This time the demon visibly winced, but held his arm out nonetheless.

Kagome felt more than just her power swirl within the arrow. As the arrow began to glow, the bow answered, emitting a glow of its own. Smoke began to rise as Sesshoumaru's hand began to burn in earnest. Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga above his head and brought it down with a terrifying yell, unleashing the terrible power. Drawing the bowstring farther back than she ever had before, Kagome let the string loose, her entire body pulled by the energy propelled forward. The arrow swirled in between the power Tetsusaiga had released, sucking up the energy like a vacuum. The normally pink color was now surrounded by a blue spiral; the miko and demonic power combined.

***

Naraku smiled again, miasma already awaiting the arrow. His smile soon dropped when the arrow cut through without deviating from its path toward him. Perhaps if it had been a normal arrow he would have been able to dodge it. Instead he froze.

If someone had asked Naraku, he would have said he saw Kikyou's face within the swirls of power. Kikyou and another woman. The two mikos smiled as they neared…and they were not smiles one would give to a long lost friend. More like the smiles a long hungry hunter gave easy prey. His eyes widened as pain shot through his entire body.

***

Sesshoumaru was forced to drop the bow, a pink glow starting from his hand and slowly beginning to creep up. He hissed in pain, dropping to his knees as the stripes on his cheeks widened and his eyes flashed red. His body screamed to transform in an effort to fight the purification, but caution kept him from allowing it. Transformation would only make it spread faster.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru snarled. The hanyou looked down at his brother, eyes wide. "Cut off my arm."

"W-what?" Inuyasha looked down at his brother in shock. Surely he wasn't serious!

"Cut off my arm!" Sesshoumaru snarled. "NOW!"

For once in his life Inuyasha did not argue with his brother. Slicing upward Inuyasha got to do something he never thought he'd ever truly accomplish. Sesshoumaru howled as the blade cut through his bicep, leaving a bleeding stump as the demonic arm fell to the ground, still glowing. The purification energy engulfed the arm, glowing brightly until only dust remained. Rin gave a strangled sob, dropping to her knees next to Sesshoumaru who was breathing heavily with his eyes close, but was otherwise ok.

Inuyasha looked at the sword in his hands. Tetsusaiga had transformed back into a rusty old blade, a result of having come in contact with the purification energy. He'd finally gotten to inflict serious damage on his brother. So why didn't he feel the least bit happy?

"Uh…Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, tugging on his sleeve.

"Yeah?" he responded, unable to tear his eyes from his brother's form. He felt no regret…but he felt no happiness either.

"Uh….where'd the kid come from?"

"The what?" Inuyasha responded, his attention finally diverted.

As the area began to fill with light Inuyasha's eyes adjusted, focusing on the area Kagome pointed toward. Not to far from them a short kid with white hair dusted himself off, looking unamused at his present state. He looked up at them and gave them all a dark glare that spoke volumes.

"The kid," Kagome repeated.

Sesshoumaru's eyes were glowing red as the demon's eyes focused on the small rebellious child.

"He's mine," the demon snarled.