InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The curse of the dragon ❯ The End of a Deity ( Chapter 79 )

~<>~ Curse of the Dragon ~<>~

 

 

 

~<>~ Chapter 79 ~<>~ The End of a Deity

 

 

 

Rin stared coldly at the angry woman in the doorway, her heart beginning to speed up as their eyes met. Anger surged through her veins as her lips twisted up into a cynical smirk. Rin placed Kagome on the floor and worked her way slowly to her feet, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She looked over the doctor's attire with little interest. The doctor seemed disheveled, flushed even, as if she had been running. Gone was the pristine shell that the wench always fought to control and in its place was a women running on empty, scared and alone, ruthless, vicious…cornered. Yet Rin didn't give a damn. “You know…I'm really getting sick of seeing your face. Aren't you dead yet?”

 

Tsubaki gawked for a moment, those words not being what she expected to hear. With a rather offended huff, she exhaled sharply and looked towards Naraku. Her eyes slowly traveled back to Rin, an eyebrow arched in mocked interest. “Care to share what the hell happened to him?”

 

Rin shook her head, shifting her weight again and chewing on the side of her mouth. “Not exactly.”

 

Tsubaki shrugged uninterested. She waved the gun lazily towards Kagome's unconscious body. “She took him out? I'm impressed…never really sensed a miko spirit from her. Then again, what do I care?”

 

A rather gruff and primal voice echoed from across the room, soaked in pain and absolute anger. “I'm not out yet, bitch. Don't think these stupid cunts can get to me that easily.” Naraku lifted his head from the floor, his red eyes somehow more diabolically evil. “And if you couldn't sense the miko blood in her, then you are a fool. Sometimes I wonder why you aren't dead yet.”

 

Tsubaki jumped slightly at the sound of Naraku's voice, Rin merely rolled her eyes. Tsubaki laughed into her hand then offered Rin a pout. “Seems like your friend didn't do good enough of a job of killing him. Looks like you're gonna get yours after all.”

 

Rin shifted weight on her feet before taking a more protective stance in front of Kagome as Naraku worked his way to his feet. “If you think I'm just gonna back off…”

 

Tsubaki's smile only grew more cynical. “That would make this to easy, don't you see. But it is to little to late, my dear. You're group is already dead. I shot one of these little fuckers through his head…”

 

Rin's eyes widened as her breath caught in her throat, “who…who did you shoot?” Seeing the smile grow wider, Rin took a step towards the psychiatrist. “Who did you murder now?” Instantly Rin bit her lip, hating the wavering tone of her voice. She had to be strong no matter what they told her. If she buckled then their last stand was pointless. Her hands clenched to fists as her mission rang clear: protect Kagome, all else was irrelevant.

 

Tsubaki glanced towards Naraku unsure of how to proceed. Naraku was concentrating on regenerating his burnt arms; the skin that had once covered the serpent's limbs had slithered off his body and lay in ash on the floor. Though she was untrained, Kagome had harbored enough power to seriously do some damage. If she had been trained, Naraku would not be alive. Muscle and tentacles wrapped around the bones that were left of his arms forging him new. Tsubaki growled under her breath and turned her attention back to Rin. “Looks like it's just you and me right now, sweet cheeks. So, why don't you be a good troubled child and sit down!”

 

A bullet loaded a chamber and Rin cringed, yet did not stand down. If Tsubaki was going to kill her, then so be it, but she would not cower away. Instead, she heard the light startled cry from Tsubaki. Rin's jaw dropped as a much larger gun was aimed at the good doctor. Tears filled her eyes as a voice she was sure she would never hear again filtered through the room like a glass breaking. “Disarm yourself!”

 

Tsubaki's breaths grew short as she cleared her throat towards Naraku. The hanyou seemed to be on another world as he was engrossed in building new arms; he was deaf to the world. Tsubaki cursed under her breath and turned towards the new comer, aiming the gun at him instead. “For the love of…”

 

Rin didn't even see the barrel of the gun move before it struck Tsubaki across her right cheek, sending the woman sprawling across the floor, blood pouring from an open laceration on her cheek. Rin lurched forward and had her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist before he was even in the door.

 

Sesshoumaru grunted on impact, not fully aware of who was hugging him at first. When he broke down the remaining doors to the facility, he wasn't sure what to expect. But the minute Naraku's foul stench hit his nose accompanied by Miroku's blood, his senses went into over drive. Moving closer to the room, the fear level in his heart had sky rocketed. The scent of Kagome's blood, of Rin's blood…and of Naraku was too much for the Youkai. But now…now Rin was back in his arms and that was all that mattered for the minute. Sesshoumaru dropped the gun to his side, grabbed Rin's chin roughly and crushed his mouth against hers.

 

Tears spilt down Rin's cheeks as the love of her life kissed her. She had been sure it was over, absolutely sure that there was no way they were going to survive, and yet here was her hope, once again saving her in her time of need; her rock of sanity, her serenity…her mate. She kissed him back, her lips pressing readily against his. A sob broke from her lips only to be stolen by his mouth as his lips crashed over hers, his teeth pulling at her bottom lip gently, his tongue soothing the wound. For the first time in forty-eight hours, the tension that swelled in both teens' bodies released.

 

Sesshoumaru pulled back from the bruising kiss and ran his thumb over her engorged lips. His eyes drilled into hers as he just shy of barked, “don't you ever fucking leave me again!” Before Rin could comment, he slammed his lips over hers again, stealing away any retort she could offer.

 

The lethargic clapping of hands brought the duo back to reality like a brick through a window. Naraku smiled from across the room where he sat on the couch, Kagome's body at his feet. Rin's eyes widened as she brought a hand to her lips. Losing herself in Sesshoumaru had been to easy and in the trip, she lost her sense of responsibility. `Damnit…not Kagome, not again!' She looked up at Sesshoumaru, who had his gun trained on Naraku and death in his eyes. Naraku, on the other hand, seemed quite amused. He shook his head slowly, his red eyes filled with mirth. “Why, I would have thought you two more discrete then simply pawing at each other like wild creatures. I guess it can't be helped, though…you both are dogs after all.”

 

Rin flipped the hanyou off and crossed her arms, melting into Sesshoumaru as he moved closer to her.

 

Naraku smiled at the gesture and waggled an eyebrow. “We'll still see if you're offering after I kill your lover.” He kicked Kagome lightly in the back, her body flopping from her side onto her stomach and he raised an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru. “Do you really wish to cost your brother his mate? How about your mate; is she ready to lose her best friend? Put down the gun Sesshoumaru, or I'll kill her.”

Sesshoumaru cocked the gun instead. “Go ahead, Naraku…kill her and watch how many holes I blow through your disgusting body.”

 

Naraku shrugged and sat back on the couch. “tsk, tsk, Sesshoumaru. Temper now, I don't think you wish me to do anything…brash?”

 

Sesshoumaru sneered. “The day you chose to hurt Rin was the day you defined the word brash.”

 

Naraku gave him a sickly sweet smile then let it drop to a deeply disgusted scowl. “Such emotions Sesshoumaru, I do fear you are going to make me sick.” He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. Forming a steeple with his fingers, Naraku tapped the appendage against his lips. “You know, Sesshoumaru…the first day I met you at that club, I knew you were going to be a problem. Just your…dignity…was enough to make me want to hurl. But now your acting all self righteous and vigilante-like…it just isn't you.” Naraku hissed through his teeth then sat back, “I really expected more though, Sesshoumaru, not you simply walking in here with a gun demanding their release. I was hoping something on a larger scale…something dynamic.” The hanyou held up his hands and opened his eyes wider, as if waiting then shrugged and dropped his hands, “but once again, I am sorely disappointed.”

 

Rin scoffed and shook her head, “what, getting miko-zapped wasn't enough for you? Do you want I should drive a hummer through the wall…bring on the entire American Marine Corps while I do it? Maybe some fucking fireworks, you crack pot?”

 

Naraku flashed her a glower, “I am not speaking to you, you stupid bitch.”

 

Rin blinked twice then laughed and looked up at Sesshoumaru. “Sessh…I think Naraku's upset because you stole his glory. I say you show him what real glory is…and then why a kite-fuck like him will never grasp it.”

 

Sesshoumaru handed the gun to Rin and nodded once. He walked to the middle of the room and slowly took off his leather coat. Dropping the coat onto the chair, he unbuttoned the collar of his shirt and nodded to the floor in front of him then raised an eyebrow offering a silent challenge.

 

Naraku laughed loudly and stood up slowly. A smile crept onto his face as he shrugged off the purple shirt he was wearing. “You want a go at me, Sesshoumaru, is that it? You want to fight this out, hand to hand combat?”

 

Sesshoumaru stared the hanyou down as he approached. “No. I mean to kill you. I told you I would avenge Rin…”

 

Naraku sighed loudly and shook his head slowly. “Still about retribution, I see. Has she not yet admitted that she begged for it, that she wanted me to fuck her?”

 

Rin's eyes widened as she pushed her way in front of Sesshoumaru. “You son of a bitch, how dare you?” her hand reached out and decked the hanyou across the jaw with a short range rabbit punch. Naraku wasn't ready for the blow, obvious as his head snapped back and the curses fumbled out of his mouth.

 

Sesshoumaru wrapped an arm around Rin's shoulders and hauled her behind him and back further into the doorway where she collided with another body. Without even looking behind him, Sesshoumaru called out, “Sango…watch her.” As soon as Rin was clear of the fighting area, Sesshoumaru threw himself at Naraku. His fist collided with Naraku's jaw, cracking the boy's chin to his right shoulder.

 

With a growl, Naraku countered by ducking under the next uppercut that Sesshoumaru attempted to deliver, and kicked Sesshoumaru in the stomach. He followed up catching the hanyou in the jaw with his knee.

 

InuYasha barreled into Sango from where she stopped dead in the hallway. The two had used InuYasha's sense of smell to find where the girls were; yet neither was surprised to find Sesshoumaru already there. It was Kagome's blood in the air that set InuYasha's nerves on fire. After he was able to collect his head about Bankotsu, he zoned in on the smell. Sango followed him for little more else to do. They had encountered several guards, none of which made it out of the battle breathing. Pushing Sango aside, InuYasha surged into the room. “Move!”

 

Sango side stepped, pulling Rin with her, and gave the hanyou access to the room. “Be careful, Inu!” Rin gasped as InuYasha passed them then looked up to Sango and froze. The woman's eyes were filled with hate and loathing. The coldness that Rin saw in the brown pupils brought tears to her eyes. Something had happened, and it wasn't good. Never had she known Sango to hate. Sure, she had seen Sango get angry and watched her nearly castrate a guy once for touching her, but this was different, this was serious. Rin realized in that moment that they had grown up and there was no more turning back. Just like for her, her friends were with her in this cold lonely world. They couldn't lose themselves in the petty false reality of high school; they would never be able to step into that girl world again. Once you saw real life for the atrocity that it was, there was no going back. Sango had seen it…it was in her eyes and now in her heart and Rin silently welcomed her to her life.

 

InuYasha shoved his way into the room and stopped, his mouth dropping open. He watched his brother spar his mortal enemy, both boys giving and receiving equal blows. He watched Sesshoumaru be thrown across an empty gurney only to see him bound back up and use the IV rack as a Bo. His eyes traveled around the perimeter of the room searching for his heart. The moment his eyes locked onto the crumpled figure by the couch, he wanted to vomit. The amount of blood that covered Kagome was horrifying, and the fact that she wasn't moving was not helping his diagnosis. “Kag!” InuYasha brushed around the two hacking it out in the middle of the room to slide down by her side. “Kagome!” Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he rolled her over onto her back. He looked over her face and traced her cheek with his hand. Relief flooded over him as she turned slowly to rub her face against his palm. `At least she's responsive!' He lowered his head down to briefly kiss her forehead before turning very slowly to stare at Naraku, red creeping into his eyes once more. Yet this time he held it back; he was not going to change into a rabid monster here, not in front of Kagome or the others. Yet this decision did not outweigh his anger. Naraku was going to pay and he was going to do so with his life.

 

Sesshoumaru recovered with ridiculous speed from his prior injury to lurch to his feet and barrel Naraku into the far wall. Pinning the hanyou there, Sesshoumaru begin to deliver blow after blow, his punches faster then anyone could keep track. He bludgeoned the fiend from all sides, leaving him no chance to move let alone escape.

 

InuYasha stood slowly, his amber eyes ablaze with fury as he moved towards Sesshoumaru. Grabbing his brother's shoulder, InuYasha shoved him away and caught Naraku in the jaw with a roundhouse. Naraku fell to the floor and InuYasha swiftly kicked him in the ribs. “Bastard! Did you get off while you beat the shit out of her…out of them?” His eyes fell on Rin as the comment left his mouth and instantly realized Naraku had other intentions while going after Kagome. Much like the last time that Kagome had been attacked, Naraku had meant to rape her. InuYasha sniffed the air then paused, thanking the gods that he wasn't able to complete his goal. The faint trace of purification power though did catch his interest. Holding the bastard by his collar, InuYasha pinned him to the wall. “What…was she to much for you? You couldn't get your rocks off before she purified them from your disgusting body? You fucked with the wrong girl! Because whatever she didn't purify, I'm going to rip out of your chest!”

 

Naraku spit blood to the side and growled at InuYasha. “The bitch would have taken it if she hadn't intervened.” Naraku moved his head towards Rin, yet the victim and the intervener seemed rather ambiguous. InuYasha didn't seem to care, the meaning was still clear as glass. Naraku's head snapped back as InuYasha punched him in the nose. Watching as Naraku slid halfway down the wall, Sesshoumaru's sudden barked warning did little to save the hanyou from the spike that jutted out of Naraku's arm. Naraku swung forward and impaled InuYasha from the bottom of his stomach up through his back on a long spike that fell away from his body and rested in the hanyou's wound. InuYasha fell backwards, blood bubbling out of his mouth and pain written across his face.

 

Sesshoumaru was on Naraku in an instant. The two fought, tearing at each other's skin, gashing into the other with ignited fury. Howls of pain and of anger filled the room while Rin and Sango scampered to InuYasha's side.

 

Sango grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head, suddenly glad that she always wore a camisole under everything. She stared at the wound then at Rin for a moment then ground out, “get behind him and pull the stake from his body. Who knows if Naraku still has power over this limb? He could cleave Yash in half if he does.”

 

Rin nodded dumbly and did as was told. Grabbing the thing that had impaled her friend, Rin tugged on it, ripping it clear of the wound with all of her might. Sango instantly put pressure on the hole in his gut while Rin held her hands over the one in his back. Neither spoke for a moment as blood pooled around their hands, dyeing their skin red. Yet no organs seemed to spill out nor did the boy seem to be in mortal peril. After a moment, Rin asked cautiously, “Did he hit any vital organs? Is InuYasha okay?”

 

Sango shrugged, her eyes clouded over with a grim forbearing. `I can't lose another friend, not another one. I can't explain to Kagome why her lover is dead…as well.' Tears began to stream down her face as InuYasha slowly opened his eyes and spit up blood. “No…I…I think he'll be okay.”

 

Rin blinked back her own tears as they slowly lowered InuYasha to the floor. The spike had missed most major organs, or so it seemed, and the boy was healing already. Rin scooted away and sat next to Sango, who was staring off at InuYasha. Rin knew she was seeing past the boy and instantly her eyes filled with tears. She knew the blank stare…it was one of someone who had lost nearly everything. “No! Oh God! She wasn't lying…Sango…” Grabbing Sango's arm, Rin begged with anyone willing to listen. `Please don't let Tsubaki be right…please, not Miroku! He can't be dead…' Rin swallowed hard and slowly took in Sango's features. Everything made sense, her cold relation to the world, the morbid intensity in her eyes. The truth hurt like a jab from a knife as tears once again made their appearance. “No! No, oh god…oh God Sango, I'm sorry!”

 

Sango's face crumbled as Rin's words hit her open wound. It was like someone had taken her heart from her chest and ripped it wide open again. Sango turned and began to cry into Rin's shoulder, the fact that Miroku was gone blindsiding her once more. “Oh god Rin…I couldn't…I couldn't save him!”

 

Rin hugged Sango, cradling her head while the girl cried. She dissuaded her own tears with only sheer will power. `So many lives were taken…' Rin swallowed hard, noticing the other missing members of the party. “Sango…where's Ryen? Did Bankotsu…”

 

Sango shook her head and choked out, “Ryen's not here…and Bankotsu…he's dead. He tried to save me…but…InuYasha didn't realize that Bank didn't…he thought…and then he…” Her words became to slurred for Rin to recognize as she slowly fell back into sobs.

 

Sesshoumaru grunted and turned Naraku's line of attack away from the two girls and his brother. The blows continued, neither one relenting in strength, speed or versatility. No matter how many injuries they sustained, they kept fighting. Sesshoumaru caught one of Naraku's punches and returned it with an uppercut that put Naraku through the ceiling. As the hanyou disappeared, he took the minute to holler, “Rin, get out of here now!”

 

A bullet caught the Youkai in his knee and sent him crashing to the floor. Rin screamed and moved to run to his side, Sango prevented her flight. On the other side of the room, on shaky legs, stood Tsubaki. Tsubaki leveled the gun with Sesshoumaru's head and clicked the next bullet into the chamber. “You arrogant asshole! I'm sick of you and I'm sick of your shit! This ends now!”

 

Sango screamed in outrage, realizing that this was the same bitch that killed Miroku. She barreled across the room before anyone could stop her and knocked Tsubaki backwards. Sango took the moment to knock the gun from her hands and straddle her waist. Sango instantly began to bludgeon the doctor with punch after punch, tears streaming with each hit. “This is for...” thud, “Miroku, you stupid,” crack went the good doctor's nose, “dyke of a mother fucking,” Tsubaki lost her front teeth as the bottom of Sango's palm caught her jaw, “bitch! How dare you shoot someone,” Sango punched her again, her knuckles splitting against Tsubaki's cheekbone, “in the back! Have you no dignity?” Sango continued to beat the doctor until a scream from the other side of the room gave her a reason to pause.

 

Wrapped around Rin's throat was the tentacle that had impaled InuYasha. Naraku appeared from the hole in the ceiling he had been thrust through, a small barrier erect around him as he floated two feet off the floor. Rin was lifted off the floor and brought to this force field, her hands clinging tightly to the tentacle and her legs kicking with each movement. Naraku smiled as Sesshoumaru struggled to his feet, the tentacle wrapping tighter with each passing moment. “Bow to me now, Sesshoumaru, and I'll release her. Make a wrong move, though, and I'll break her neck!”

 

Sesshoumaru studied the situation for a moment before very slowly dropping onto one knee with disgust. He didn't doubt for a moment that Naraku would murder Rin to get a rise from him, and Sesshoumaru was sure that if Naraku killed Rin, he would not be able to keep fighting. `This is for Rin…and for InuYasha and Kagome. If I must bow to this creature, then so be it. The others will live…'

 

Naraku smiled wickedly, watching the lord of the western lands bow. With a grunt, he reached out a tentacle and smacked Sango away from Tsubaki with it. “Learn your place, wench!” with expert targeting, he pinned Sango to the wall by her neck with a rounded spike that embedded an inch from her skin on both sides. Turning his attention to Rin, he smirked down to Sesshoumaru. “Is this what you fought so hard for, Sesshoumaru?”

 

The tentacle around her neck dissipated to form his hand. Feeling no relief, Naraku squeezed her neck nearly as hard as the tentacle had. Rin yelped, her feet flailing wildly in mid air. Naraku stared at her face, the smirk growing on his. “I told you that you would watch the death of your friends…now behold…”

 

A bullet wound the size of a baseball suddenly appeared in the hanyou's stomach, two inches from Rin and instantly he dropped the girl. Rin closed her eyes and yelped, only to find herself suddenly in the arms of Sesshoumaru. Her feet only touched ground when they landed next to her savior. Ryen.

 

Ryen stood in the doorway, his Desert Eagle in one hand, a rather large sword in the other. Silver hair hung freely down his back as he slowly approached the filthy hanyou. He cast away his trench coat and cracked his neck. “You tried to destroy my family…” he shot again, the bullet ripping through the hanyou's left arm. Naraku screamed in pain and dropped to the floor. “You fucked with my nephews,” Ryen made an equally nasty wound on the right arm. “And for that, you deserve death.” He aimed the gun at the hanyou's forehead, having him pressed up against the far wall. Ryen moved to pull the trigger then paused.

 

Naraku looked up, pain surging through his eyes like lasers. “What are you waiting for? Just do it! Kill me already!” Watching Ryen regard the group, Naraku rolled his eyes. Bravado surfaced again, lasting even up until the last minutes of his life. “Down to the last minute, you fucking people still act as a group! All of you want to kill me I get it. If one of you think you can…then bring it on!”

 

Ryen flipped the gun in his hand, never looking at the hanyou during the course of his action, and pistol-whipped the bastard across the jaw. “Shut up.” he nodded slowly towards Sesshoumaru then stepped away. “This bastard…this filth has wronged both you and Rin on every level possible. It is your kill and I will not take him away from you.” He held out the gun and bowed his head curtly.

 

Sesshoumaru approached Naraku, a slight limp in his step from the metal in his bone, and then glanced at Ryen. With a slight pain-filled smirk, Sesshoumaru asked, “So now the loyal police officer condones murder?”

 

Ryen winked and turned his back, “what I don't see…”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded, almost in thanks, then turned back to Naraku.

 

Naraku cocked an eyebrow, growing old with the game. To tired to fight back, he slumped back against the wall and let the blood seep from his wounds. He knew that if one of the intruders didn't end his life, the blood loss would. “So…a fitting end, ne? You to be my executioner after I destroyed your mate; it is what the universe calls Karma, I do believe.”

 

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and bit into whatever Naraku was plotting. “You have not destroyed any part of Rin…”

 

Naraku shrugged and casually eyed Rin. “But I have…because no matter how much you want to focus on something else, you wont be able to. Every time you fuck her, all your going to wonder is if I did the same thing to her…if I touched her how you did…if I…”

 

Sesshoumaru reached forward and punched Naraku in the jaw. “Silence! I am sick of hearing your voice. It is justice that I am the one to kill you!” he leveled the gun at the hanyou and narrowed his eyes. “I will not lie; I have longed for this moment.”

 

Naraku shrugged, “I would be saying the same if the situation were reverse.”

 

Sesshoumaru scoffed, “but it shall never be. Now…perish!”

 

As his thumb moved to the trigger, a voice rang out. “No, Sesshoumaru!”

 

The last person ever thought to save the bastard flung her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist and pulled the gun away from its target. “No! Please!”

 

Sesshoumaru glanced down at Rin, his mouth agape. “Rin, we must! If we do not kill him then he will only come after us again. I cannot see you suffer more! How can you want to save the man who put you through…”

 

Rin shook her head vigorously, “No! He has no more power over me!” she sniffed once and pushed on the gun to be lowered. “You're right…he has put me through hell. I'll never forgive him nor ask for him to be forgiven, he doesn't deserve it. He'll burn in hell, I'm sure of that, but…no, not like this. This is a quick escape from everything he's done. He's caused years of suffering to these people in this hospital…months of suffering to victims. He's stolen away from countless girls something they'll never get back; their innocence. Why should he be allowed such a quick escape from the pain he'll endure later on?”

 

Sango pulled away the restraint that held her to the wall and ran forward to the couple. “Rin…think about what your saying!”

 

Behind the four, another voice chimed in, “the fucking bitch has lost her god damned marbles!”

 

Sango and Rin turned to see InuYasha struggling to stand, Kagome in his arms. Sango rushed forward to see if he was okay, and then helped him hold up Kagome. “You took quite the hit…”

 

InuYasha shrugged it off and took a few steps towards Rin and Sesshoumaru. “Look…Rin, do you really want to run from this shit brick for the rest of your life? Look what he's done to you…look what he made you become!”

 

Rin shook her head, her hands clenched to her chest. “No, you're wrong. I made myself this way…I believed what that bitch told me, I thought myself to blame. I feared him; I feared what he did to me. But…” she turned and looked over Naraku, her eyes narrowing. “I've seen him bleed…I'm watching him plead. He's not worth my time. I…I honestly don't know how I was ever afraid of him. He's pathetic.”

 

Naraku fought down the urge to lurch forward and show the girl the true meaning of the word pathetic but the energy just wasn't there. Tiring of the games, he called, “give me five minutes, you little bitch, and I can make you afraid again.”

 

Sesshoumaru whirled back around and planted his foot once again in the hanyou's gut. Brining the gun to target, he called to Rin. “Turn around, you need not to watch this.”

Rin returned to his side, her hands cupping the gun's handle. “Please, Sesshoumaru…listen to me. Put down the gun and let the real police handle him.”

 

Sesshoumaru laughed wryly, “That's a sick joke Rin! How can you say that? They released him! They let him go!”

 

Rin held out her hand and stared around her. “Look at this Sesshoumaru…look at what we have him linked to! He's going to jail Sesshoumaru! But if you kill him…” Rin lowered her voice and lifted herself closer to his ear. “First it would steal away any retribution that his victims would feel watching him be destroyed in jail, forced to think about his crimes for the rest of his life. And second, if someone who still works for him gets wind of it, they could…they…” tears gathered in Rin's eyes yet didn't spill. “They could take you from me. They could charge you for all of this and then where does that leave us? Where does that leave me? Please…Sesshoumaru, this is the hardest thing I will ever say in my life…but please, walk away.”

 

A very disgruntled voice called from the hallway, “Rin has a point, Sesshoumaru. Think about it…” all heads snapped around and a very loud collected gasp deafened the room. Miroku braced himself against the wall, Bankotsu helping to support him. Miroku blinked and slowly nodded towards Naraku, “let police deal with him. We have all these patients to help. Bankotsu and me rounded up the staff. After seeing us come back from the dead…” he flashed Ryen a slightly appreciative grin before regarding the group again, “they didn't pose a threat. They are all actually right now writing witness reports incriminating Tsubaki and Naraku with this whole charade.” He gave Rin a patient smile and nodded stiffly, “she's right. This bastard deserves to rot…to sweat it out. Death is to good for him.”

 

Sesshoumaru glanced from Naraku to Ryen, who nodded silently and finally to Rin. He lowered the gun and sighed briefly before wrapping his arm around Rin and turning her away from their target.

 

InuYasha turned to Ryen, his eyes blazing with anger. “This is bull shit…absolute….” Settling past the Youkai, he set his sights on his friends. “Shit! How…”

 

Miroku gestured towards Ryen and sighed, “apparently he can handle a couple swords.” He sighed once as relief flooded his eyes, “Thank the Gods for that…”

 

Bankotsu nodded in agreement before his eyes clashed with his friend and executioner. He took a tentative step away and rubbed his neck. “We're going to have to talk about that back there, ya know! You can't just snap my neck every time you think I fuck up…I mean honestly, can we curb the violence?”

 

InuYasha ducked his head and scratched behind one ear, avoiding eye contact with the man he had wrongfully slain. “Yeah…sorry bout that…”

 

Ryen shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned, blowing off the boy's conversation. “Well…your dad isn't the only one who can think of a couple ideas off the top of his head. He had to have someone help him with the swords, ya know. Test em and crap. How do you think I knew how to bring Rin back from the dead?” He reached back into his coat and pulled out Tensaiga, looking over the weapon slowly before tossing it to Sesshoumaru who caught it one handed. “It works well…but doesn't cut for shit.”

 

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and shook his head slowly. He placed the sword through a belt loop and wrapped his arm once more around Rin.

 

Sango pushed past the entire group and ran to Miroku, pausing only to look over his face, searching his eyes. “Is…is it really you? Are you really here?” she brought her hand to his cheek and ran her finger's over his cheekbone, as if in doubt that he was truly corporeal. When her fingers touched his cold skin, she jerked her hand back only to have a flood of new tears rush from her eyes.

 

Miroku smiled and nodded, his eyes focused deeply into hers as he gently reached out and cupped her hands. He kissed her warmly on the lips, sparks flying around the two. Pulling back, he muttered against her soft skin, “Yes, my love…Ryen was powerful enough to bring me…us…back to life.”

 

Sango's smile died on her lips as a red-hot blush enraptured her cheeks and she shoved the young boy in the chest, turning away from him and crossing her arms. “Hentai, I don't believe that after you've come back from the dead, the first thing you do is grope me! Yeah…you're you all right! Ain't no question there!”

 

Miroku shrugged off Bankotsu's arm and moved to stand behind Sango. “But my love…I needed to make sure that it was not a dream in front of my eyes, for I was sure that I was seeing an angel.”

 

Sango glanced over her shoulder at the boy, a quiet smile shoved behind the façade of a frown. “Oh? And what did you figure out?”

 

Miroku help up one hand and smiled, “that you are quite indeed the devilish angel I know you to be.” his eyes lowered and a smile broke out upon his lips.

 

The group cringed as Sango's hand connected with the boy's right cheek with a rather loud obscene cry. She shuffled past Bankotsu and walked from the tiny room, her face nearly as red as the mark on Miroku's face. Miroku blinked a few times then gently touched the mark. All eyes focused on the boy who closed his eyes and seemed to nearly hug himself at the reminded of his lecherous ways.

 

Bankotsu watched the interaction then blinked twice. “Dude…you're fucked up. I mean seriously, get help now.” he glanced towards InuYasha, the smile barely contained on his face. “Is he always like this?”

 

Miroku sighed dejectedly then turned from the room and offered InuYasha a smile. “I'm going to go help Sango with crowd control.” His eyes traveled to Naraku and Tsubaki, both of which who were staring at each other in contempt. He cleared his throat and nodded towards the two. “We need something to do with them so that this doesn't happen again.”

 

Ryen pulled out his cell phone and started punching numbers. He moved across the room to kneel by InuYasha and Kagome and spoke in rather hushed tones to them. “Are you two okay?” Though InuYasha was the general party included in the question, all three knew Ryen was asking about Rin and Kagome. The amount of blood lost by the two girls was substantial and after feeling the power that had resonated from Kagome to purify Naraku, Ryen knew that she had to be hurting.

Kagome blinked herself back to consciousness as Ryen's questions worked its way over in her mind. Her body hurt like hell and she wanted to vomit, but other then for that, she was intact. She nodded dumbly before snuggling her head into InuYasha's chest. `I didn't think he'd make it…I guess they were able to get down the barrier.'

 

Ryen studied the girl's face then looked up to his nephew. “Get her washed up. I'm sure that using as much purifying power as she did exhausted her. She's going to seriously need her rest.”

 

InuYasha nodded and looked to Naraku. “What are we going to do about him? I'm sorry Ryen but regardless of what Rin says, I cannot allow him to walk out this door. Not after what he did to Rin and not after what he planned to do to Kagome. I don't want to worry in ten years from now about this fuck off showing up at my door with a semi-automatic singing bloody Christmas carols. I can't and I won't.”

 

Ryen nodded then turned and walked towards the far wall of the room, muttering in codes into his phone. After a moment, he snapped it shut and nodded astutely. “The US government is going to get involved. Since the NPA released him, the USA is going to step in and charge him with terrorist actions through gang's in the major cities in the USA. It's enough to get him locked away over there.”

 

Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow from where he stood with Rin. “He'll escape from there to. It's inevitable. And if he doesn't, it would be to easy to order a hit. We'd never be safe.”

 

Naraku laughed suddenly, gathering the attention of all in the room. He sat back and put his hands behind his head. “You all love to speak of me as if I'm not sitting right here. Don't you all wonder what I'm thinking…what I plan on doing?” he looked towards InuYasha and raised an eyebrow. “And don't worry…it won't be five years until I'm knocking on your door. Give me a month…” he smiled when Ryen aimed the gun at his head. “Go ahead…do you not think that I'm ready for this? If you kill me, someone else will rise to take my place…and then they will see you all dead. If it isn't myself here in Tokyo, it's Hamura in India…or Knives in America, or Lagato or Europe. Someone will take back over Japan, and then you will have an entirely new army to fight. There will be no peace for any of you, no matter what you chose to do. You're best bet would be to cower into your places.” Naraku grunted as Ryen's shoe caught him in the gut, his head cracking back against the wall as pain engulfed his face.

 

InuYasha made motion to stand up until Kagome squeezed his shoulder. Slowly she turned her head and regarded the hanyou coldly. “In a month you better believe that if you ever get out of jail, which I doubt, I'll fry your ass if you step foot into any of my friend's lives. You better believe I'll be practicing.”

 

Naraku blinked then chortled, rubbing his side slowly. “I'm shaking, miko. To think that might just dissuade me.” he looked up towards the ceiling then shrugged his shoulders, the maniacal grin on his face speaking in volumes. “I say give up…”

 

Rin rolled her eyes and looked to Sesshoumaru. “Take me home? I really don't like our present company. I might ask you to break his jaw if we stay a moment longer.” She stared at Naraku for a moment before scoffing, “you can sit here and offer threats to our lives. I'd honestly rather see you in jail and have to look over my shoulder every so often then to let you go. You're like a log in a pond, Naraku; you would just keep surfacing every so often, no matter how often we push you down. So go ahead, make your trivial threats, they mean jack shit and if you keep running your mouth, fuck Sesshoumaru, I'll break your jaw.”

 

InuYasha piped up, “I'll do that regardless!”

 

Rin waved her hand at the two as Sesshoumaru slowly began to walk her from the room. It was the hardest thing either had to do and Rin was nearly dragging Sesshoumaru behind her by time they reached the door. Both knew the dangers of allowing Naraku to live. He could easily come after them, and neither doubted that he would find someone to attack them. He had been more powerful in prison then he had been on the street, and if that were to happen again, their next bet would be some type of witness protection program. Yet Rin wasn't foolish, she knew that would only be a temporary solution. They had limited choices, and their best was right now to trust Ryen.

 

Sesshoumaru paused at the door and glanced over his shoulder towards his uncle. “I trust you to deal with this accordingly.” The amber gazes locked and words were exchanged silently. Promises made, trusts strengthened. In the end, the younger of the two Youkai turned their back to the situation.

 

Tsubaki, who had been a silent witness to the proceedings, suddenly called out, “What about me, you fools? Do you plan on locking me away as well? I can make it worth your interest not to!”

 

Rin turned to glance at the psychiatrist. Her eyes narrowed and her hands clenched to fists, “you should suffer even more for betraying your occupation. I'm sure though that the USA will find ways to make your sentence just as painful.”

 

Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on her shoulders as the girl swayed in her step and escorted her out of the room.

 

InuYasha watched him move to the hallway before turning to his uncle. “Ryen…we can't…”

 

Ryen nodded slowly, his amber eyes for once reflecting his age and his knowledge. “I understand, InuYasha, trust me. I will see this matter dealt with.”

 

InuYasha pulled Kagome a little closer to his chest and seethed, “sorry old man, but that ain't good enough. I saw Naraku `dealt' with before, and look at Kagome now. If we hadn't…if Rin hadn't…he'd…”

 

Naraku glanced at the two, his ruby red eyes shining with each threat. “Trust me, I still will…just give me time.”

 

Tsubaki glanced up, tempted to throw one of her heels at the boisterous and rather cocky Naraku. “Shut up already. God, I'm so sick of your mouth! Can't you see that they have you by your balls right now?”

 

Kagome glanced from one to the other before sighing loudly in disgust and turned to InuYasha. “I want to lie down…can we leave?”

 

InuYasha glanced at Ryen, his eyes meeting his gaze. “Can I trust you to make sure that this is handled?”

 

Ryen shrugged and stiffened his back. “I guess that relates to the topic of the week; do you trust me?”

 

InuYasha studied his uncle's face before walking for the door. Pausing, he glanced back at Ryen. “You have his eyes, ya know? That's the one thing I remember about him. You can always know if you can trust someone by the look in his or her eyes. I never really got the time to have to trust my dad, so I'll trust you in his place.” He turned and walked from the room to join Sesshoumaru in the hallway.

 

Outside, Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome in his brother's arms to the girl in his. “Looks like today was to much for them.” he said while motioning to the girl asleep in his arms as well.

 

InuYasha glanced down, worry lining his face. “Do you blame them? Think about what they went through. I…I seriously can't imagine what would have happened if we hadn't gotten here when we did.”

 

Sesshoumaru cast a deep glower at his brother. “That would not have been acceptable.”

 

A smile finally breaking on his lips when he realized that Kagome had fallen into a deep sleep in his arms. He nodded twice then looked to the door. “I guess we should get them home.”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed and glanced back at the room as well. The silhouette of Ryen on his phone cast itself upon the floor and both brothers sighed. “Do you trust him to see this done properly?”

 

InuYasha shrugged. “Do you trust him at all?”

 

Sesshoumaru thought over his answer then slowly nodded. “He has dad's eyes.”

 

InuYasha made a face. “That's what I said. Then again, don't we all?”

 

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “No…it was always something in dad's eyes. Something that let you know you were safe, even if you never wanted to admit it. It was something that you knew, if all else failed, you could trust him to pull you through. I've always seen that in Ryen…I just hate having to rely in anyone but myself for these situations.”

 

InuYasha wrinkled his nose. “Then why do you always fight him? If you trust him so much, let him do his job!”

 

Sesshoumaru stared at InuYasha from the corner of his eye. “Why do you always fight me?”

 

InuYasha opened his mouth then closed it. With a roll of his eyes, he pushed past Sesshoumaru and walked out of the hospital and out of the nightmare.

 

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

 

 

Ryen circled Naraku, his hand tapping the end of the desert eagle slowly as he spoke with his superior. “Yes sir…I'm sorry sir, there was nothing we could do about it. No sir…no sir. Yes sir, they are safe and sound, a little banged up, but they are okay.” Ryen glanced down at the hanyou that was watching his every step. Ryen made a face and pressed on, “Who sir? I'm not really sure. You see, sir, there was such a volley of rounds going back and forth that it was impossible to discern that fact. Yes sir, I know that the government wanted him released. Yes sir, I know that this is a cramp on the socio-economic trade that we were working on with the government. Sir, I am…sir…sir!” Ryen's grip increased on the phone and the splitting of plastic filled the room. Ryen sighed deeply and hung his head, “Sir, I am well aware of the deal…err…situation…that our organization had arranged with the Onigumos. Again sir, I apologize. Yes sir…yes sir.” He sighed in relief as his eyes dug into the red ones staring at him. “Two bags, sir…no, one for Naraku and the other his subordinate. Yes sir…I'll be more careful next time sir. In the mean time, Sir, I'm sure I can find you a better retailer. Yes sir, I'll be in touch.”

 

Hanging up the phone, Ryen reached into his coat and pulled out a small black round segment that he slowly began to screw onto the end of his gun. He noticed Naraku's eyes widening and he smirked. “See…apparently you were released under the guise that your father had negotiated a good contract for military weapons to be sold at major discounts to a couple buddies in higher places around the militaries of the world. The problem is, that when you're not around the run the business, they don't have access to the ammunition so they aren't very happy people right now.”

 

Naraku's eyes never wavered from Ryen's hands. “Pity…”

 

Ryen nodded enthusiastically. “So I'm sure that they were distraught to hear of your death.”

 

Naraku raised an eyebrow. “Death? I thought you were going to hand me over to your authorities. Isn't that what your pathetic justice league decided upon?”

 

Ryen shrugged. “Well…that's the story. Of course, that was before you tried to run. I can't have a homicidal maniac on the streets after my kin, now can I? Besides, you really lucked out on Rin being a good person and not wanting your blood on Sesshoumaru's hands. To bad she never added mine to the equation.”

 

Naraku shrugged his shoulders and sat back against the wall. “It wasn't luck…I conditioned her that way. Fuck them hard enough and one day they will listen…”

 

Ryen reared back and kicked Naraku square in the forehead, breaking open the skin to let out a torrent of blood coat his face. Finishing the gun, he stared down at the hanyou, “you disgust me. That girl who you have done nothing but torment offers you your life but all you do is mock and scorn her. I'm sure that if I let you walk from here today, you would be after her in a week.”

 

Naraku nodded slowly. “You're right, I would be. See…she did something that no other girl has ever done.”

 

Ryen chuckled as he loaded the bullets into the gun. “What…talk back? Say no? Hand you your ass? Oh, that's right…she did all of those.”

 

Naraku shrugged, ignoring the jibes. Yet the weariness under the hanyou's eyes was becoming more evident with every passing moment. “She got away.”

 

Ryen frowned and shook his head. “Even before death you're focusing on the disgusting parts of your life. It's to late to repent Naraku. Save your prayers for the devil.” Ryen aimed the gun at Naraku. Before he pulled the trigger, he turned the gun to aim at Tsubaki and shot the woman once in the forehead, killing her instantly.

 

Naraku moved slightly as he watched the woman's body slump to the floor, blood beginning to ooze from the wound in her forehead, the wall already painted with a streak of red. He glanced up to Ryen and scoffed, “what is this, some type of stab at heroism. You kill the monsters in the kiddy's closet and life will be okay. You kill me and my people will hunt you for the rest of your life! How does that suit you?”

 

Ryen shrugged. “They can come after me and try to kill me, I have no problem with it.”

 

Naraku shrugged. “They'll go after your precious nephews…maybe that new girlfriend of yours. Maybe one day you'll return from a nice hard days work of defending these poor innocent people and find both your nephews murdered, their girlfriends missing, and your wife shot to death on her bed. That's how it will happen, you know. My people won't stop until you're dead, until the whole fucking family is dead!”

 

Ryen nodded slowly. “You're probably right, besides for the fact that my nephew had one idea right about me from the start.” Ryen crouched down next to Naraku and patted him twice against the cheek with the silenced gun. “See, I'm not a nice guy. I'm not the hero at the end of the day. I'm not my brother…I'm nothing like him. I have no want for peace, I want things done my way or it's six feet under for those who stand in my way. With you gone, I'm the one in charge of the city. I got the money, I got the power, and I got their attention. My `gang' will move into the streets and take over what's left of yours. I'll control everything.”

 

A small smile played upon the hanyou's lips. “So you and my father are hardly any different.”

 

Ryen sat back on his heels, his slightly psychotic grin only widening. “Oh no, we are quite different. See…my gang will include my officers. They'll lock away your gang members, hunt down anyone participating in organized crime and get rid of them. I'll force those bastards out of hiding, force them onto the street, and then shoot them like the sons of bitches they are. Organized crime will have no place to hide in my city. Then the streets will be run by the right people; the police.”

 

Naraku laughed cynically. “That's an awesome dream Ryen…but you need to come off that power trip of yours. You think you can lure out my supporters with what; a few guns and overzealous cops? Please! These men which of whom you seek have been supporting my father since grade school! Their fathers and their father's fathers have run with the big boys for centuries. If you think that you can scare them out, you have another thing coming. My death would only ignite a war, and one that I am quite sure you are not ready to wage.”

 

Ryen shrugged. “Maybe…maybe not. I think that without you or your daddy's money around, the Onigumo Empire will collapse. Who will pay your thugs for their services? If I've learned anything about the Dragons, they will not support another branch. Sure, in about five years they'll grow a new limb in Tokyo, but by then I'll be ready to stomp it out. The truth is, Naraku, is that this is my mother-fucking city now. How is it that you said…oh yes…you're yesterdays garbage.”

 

Naraku narrowed his eyes. “You're a fool if you think my supporters won't come after you!”

 

Ryen aimed the gun at Naraku. “Tell me, would you really go after the man who took down one of the largest crime bosses in the entire country of Japan?”

 

Naraku studied Ryen for a moment before scowling, “without a second thought.”

 

Ryen winked and cocked back the gun. “And that's why I'm the one with the gun…and you're the one with the hole in your head. Life just sucks, doesn't it?” His thumb lifted from the trigger, a muttered curse echoed in the empty room and a bullet ripped from the end of the metal. The sound was like a puff of air in Ryen's ears, silent to anyone else whose hearing was not so keen. Naraku's head jerked back, slamming the back of his skull against the wall as blood splattered from a hole in his forehead. The blood landed on his pant legs and dotted the pristine floor with a story of its own; it delineated the downfall of the Onigumo empire, spoke in hushed whispers of the family that dared to defy them, and foreshadowed the rise of a new era in Tokyo history, a time of peace. A second puff of air, more blood appeared, more stories to be told. And like that, it ended. The Onigumo Empire was destroyed.

 

 

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

 

 

………… tada. ::does a jig:: ……. ^__^;; and we're onto the final lap!

 

so…..that's over. Err…time to cover the play, ne? And let the games begin!!!