InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Bear Witness ❯ To Get You Back Part II: Shu's Downfall ( Chapter 32 )

Disclaimer: This week is so screwed, I haven't had time to write a proper disclaimer. So here's what I have so far. {::Holds up a sign that says 'Me no Own' in bright red letters::} See, not even time to put a stick on the sigh. {::sighs, then walks offstage::}

Chapter Thirty-Two: To Get You Back Part Two: Shu's Downfall

Kanna stepped back, watching as Sutaasafaia's youki swirled around her. Her sealing spell dropped instantly, her blonde tail wrapping around her waist as powder blue streaks appeared in her hair.

"So you are youkai," Kanna hissed, setting her mirror aside and withdrawing a sword from her waist. "No matter. It will just make killing you more fun."

"Then I'm so sorry to spoil things for you," Sutaasafaia smirked. "See, I'm a real bitch to kill. You won't be the first to try."

"But I will be the last!" Kanna struck first, raising her sword and sweeping it toward the inu youkai. Sutaasafaia jumped back, pulled her revolver from its place on her shoulder, and fired. The bullet struck Kanna in the shoulder.

Kanna fell to one knee, using her claws to dig for the bullet. She pulled it out, flicking it across the room and smiling at Sutaasafaia. "Only a coward would use a gun in a sword fight."

Sutaasafaia growled, plunking the revolver back into it's holster. "And only a coward would fight an unarmed person."

"Then call me a coward!" Kanna thrust forward, only to be blocked by a flaming sword. She blinked, then flew backward at Sutaasafaia's uppercut to her jaw.

"Did I say I wasn't armed?" Sutaasafaia cooed innocently. "Damn. I'm so sorry about that."

*

Kagome's eyes widened, jumping aside at the last possible second. The ki blades whizzed past her head in a blinding flash. She rolled to the other side of the room, cursing the swirling winds around her as she searched for Kagura's ki with her own.

'She's powerful, and I bet her attack would have done more than left a bruise. She means business. How do I stop-' She quickly threw up a shield, Kagura appearing on the other side of it moments later. She smiled wickedly and charged the barrier, shock replacing her triumph when the shield repelled her to the other side of the room.

"You're strong miko," she whispered softly, the winds once again hiding her as Kagome stood up and pulled out her gun. "But you're not strong enough. You will die today."

Another set of wind blades slashed through the air, ripping their way through the room toward Kagome.

"Oh, no. Not this again." Kagome raised her hand, and instead of dodging the attack she returned it to Kagura with a vengeance.

Kagura gave a startled gasp as her own attack knocked her feet from underneath her. She stood up slowly, her crimson eyes glowing an unholy light as she glared at Kagome. "How?"

"I'm a miko, remember?" Kagome told her as she aimed toward Kagura's ki. "And I believe you're time is up."

"I don't think so!"

Kagome blinked, watching in awe as her gun suddenly fell apart and fell to the floor with a loud clang. "Woah…" she muttered under her breath. Kagura cackled loudly, her fan closing a moment before opening again.

"Do you think you're the first miko I've dealt with? I'm glad you're impressed, but that little show is the least of you're worries."

*

Shu attacked first, unsheathing his sword and slicing through the air toward her. Katrina dodged, her whip wrapping around his wrist. She jerked him backward and dragged him half way across the rooftop.

Shu jerked back, removing the whip from her hands. He tossed it over the edge, watching it fall for a moment before grinning.

"And now we are equally matched."

Katrina frowned, but said nothing as Shu charged toward her once again. Katrina sidestepped him, ramming her elbow in his spine and drop-kicking him in the back of the head. She shuffled back when he slammed into the ground, dirt and dust flying up around him.

"You've gotten better little sister," Shu groaned. He slowly rose to his feet, wiping blood away from his split lip and flicking it at her. "But you should know better than that. Looks like you need a reminder."

Katrina stood still as he rushed her, her arms crossed in front of her. Shu crashed into a lightening barrier, cursing as he flew backward. Katrina punched the rooftop, lightening shooting from the cracks created toward him. Shu grinned, throwing up an ice shield of his own.

"You're pitiful attacks won't stop me," he grinned, throwing a volley of icicles across the rooftop toward her. Katrina blinked, the lightening suddenly combining with a bright orange flame. She raised her hands, and a bright fireball shot toward him, melting the icicles and ramming into Shu's body with a vengeance.

"Damn it bitch!" he hissed, stumbling and holding his chest. "How did you-"

"Artemis."

"Ah…" Shu smiled evilly. "Even in death that bitch haunts me."

"Don't you ever speak of her that way!" Katrina snarled, her eyes blazing as she ran toward him.

*

"Stay behind me Rin," Inuyasha warned softly as Maten approached them. "And run if you get a chance."

"But what about you?" Rin asked, peering over his shoulder as Maten cracked his knuckles. Inuyasha grinned, his fangs lengthening as he flexed his claws.

"I've handled worse than him."

A flash of lightening touched down directly in front of them, startling Inuyasha into grabbing Rin and vaulting them into the air. Maten looked up at them, shaking his head and giving a bored sigh.

"You won't leave here. You may as well come down."

Inuyasha ignored him, choosing instead to sit Rin on top of a faraway shelf. "Stay. Here."

"What do you think I think this is, a cartoon or something?" Rin hollered as Inuyasha landed behind Maten. Maten turned expectantly, grinning in amusement as Inuyasha charged him. He stepped underneath the first blow, dodged the first, then executed a swift uppercut to Inuyasha's chin. He smirked as Inuyasha slid back and away, colliding into a pile of boxes on the other end of the room.

"Again," Maten said calmly as Inuyasha stood up. "You won't leave here."

"We'll see about that! IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!!"

Maten quickly leaped above the blades, only to have Inuyasha slam his fists into the base of his spine. He fell back to the floor, groaning as Inuyasha landed on top of him. Inuyasha jumped up and landed on Maten's back again before stepping off with a heavy spring.

"There, now beat that." He kicked the youkai in the side until he was satisfied, then turned and walked away.

"Yay Uncle Yasha! You got that jerk good!" Rin cheered happily. "You're the ma…n…um, Uncle Yasha?"

"Yeah Rin?" he reached up for her, scowling when she ignored him to point behind him. "Are you coming or what?"

"You should turn around," she said, insistently pointing behind him. Inuyasha shook his head and reached for her once again. "For what?"

"Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha froze, then turned as Rin hm-ed in annoyance. "I told you to turn around but no…"

"Where have I heard that name before…" Maten thought a moment, then suddenly snapped his fingers. "Inuyasha Hitame, right?"

"Yeah, what's it to ya?"

"You had a wife named Kikyou, right?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed into golden slits, anger radiating off of him in waves as he stepped closer to the lightening youkai. "Yeah, what about her?"

"Real pretty thing. Drove a '98 Mustang, with a funny purple paintjob that shimmered different colors in the sun?"

"How do you know that?" Inuyasha asked, he and Rin simply dumbfounded. "How do you know so much about her?"

"Simple," Maten shrugged.

"I'm the one that cut her brakes."

*

Sesshoumaru entered the room, not entirely surprised when the door slammed shut behind him. "Show yourself Naraku," he commanded, his voice thundering throughout the dark room.

"How rude of you Sesshoumaru-sama," said the darkness around him. "Telling a man what to do, after you've enjoyed his hospitality."

"Is that what you call it?" Sesshoumaru quipped. "I always thought it was abduction."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, making a joke?" laughed Naraku as the lights flickered on. "The world must be coming to an end."

"For you at least." Sesshoumaru glanced around the room, immediately recognizing the master Tenseiga as it stood in the middle of the room. The blade pointed toward the ceiling, with the hidden compartment on the hilt open with numbers blinking on the screen. Sesshoumaru approached slowly, his mind scanning for anything out of the ordinary before coming to a stop in front of Naraku.

"My, touchy aren't we?" Naraku shrugged when he received no answer, reaching instead to type a few more symbols into the Tenseiga's hard drive. "This would be so much easier if I had the key." He glanced over his shoulder at Sesshoumaru. "Would you be willing to give me the key now?"

Sesshoumaru stood still as marble, his eyes narrowing slightly in answer as his right hand clenched into a tight fist.

"I thought not. Oh well. You know, I never figured you're miko to be so smart. After all, most humans are pretty stupid.

"But she, she's unique. Nearly unstoppable in her power. Have you ever wondered where it comes from?" Naraku sighed as he once again answered by silence. "You know, you're a hard guy to talk to. I guess that means that there won't be much to miss when I assimilate you."

Naraku turned around quickly, red and blue sparks flying through the air as his sword clashing violently with Sesshoumaru's.

*

Kanna shrugged, then lunged forward once again. Sutaasafaia blocked, then ducked underneath the blades and punched Kanna in the stomach. Kanna stumbled backward, but not before slicing the tip of her blade across Sutaasafaia's cheek.

"Oh," she gasped, stopping to touch her cheek. She stared at the blood on her fingertips, then snarled. "You're going to pay for that." She sliced through the air in front of her, watching as flaming blades raced toward Kanna.

Kanna flipped over one, jumped over another, and dodged two more before finally slicing through the last one. "Any more, inu youkai?" she laughed.

Sutaasafaia smiled, her hands clasped together in front of her. "Look up."

Kanna did, and gasped as flaming rose petals encircled her inside a fiery tornado. Sutaasafaia opened her hands and the petals descended, each not only burning Kanna but slicing through her legs and arms like tiny razors. She dropped to her knees, attempting to stop the bleeding as Sutaasafaia placed the tip of her sword at the base of Kanna's throat.

"Give up?"

Kanna nodded despondently, her eyes hidden by her bangs as she stood up. Sutaasafaia nodded. "Good. Let's go."

Kanna waited until Sutaasafaia turned her back, then raised her blade. Just as the sword's edge reached Sutaasafaia's hair, Sutaasafaia ducked, pulled out her gun and fired. The bullet flamed instantly, leaving a smoking trail of air upon impact.

Kanna blinked, then dropped the sword. Her hand grasped her chest, the coppery scent of blood flooding the air as thick blood pooled from between her fingers. Sutaasafaia frowned. "Perhaps you'll be smarter in your next lifetime."

She walked out of the room, turning only once as Kanna slumped lifelessly to the floor. "Serves you right for cutting my face," she humphed. She turned down the hallway and toward the stairs, debating between finding Kagome or helping Miroku when she caught Katrina's scent. 'Please tell me she's not where I think she is,' Sutaasafaia groaned, staring up the stairs to the rooftop door. 'I bet she is…' Sutaasafaia jumped the stairs two at a time. 'I bet she is…' She stopped jumping and started running, becoming nothing more than a blonde streak as she ascended the stairs.

Sutaasafaia burst the roof door open, it flying off the hinges and landing a few feet away from her. 'Oh hell, she is…'

*

Kagome threw up another shield, this one to protect her from Kagura's physical attacks as the hanyou attempted to slice through Kagome's upper arm. She jumped back, stopping a moment to apply a weather barrier as Kagura watched.

"You've come prepared." She sighed in disappointment, the winds around them dying angrily as Kagura frowned. "That means this will take longer than necessary." She launched another volley of blades at Kagome, watching keenly as she jumped to the side and behind the control panel.

'Great,' she mumbled to herself as she struggled to catch her breath. 'This girl is serious. What to do?' She glanced at the body of the neko youkai beside her, the dagger in his back glinting her reflection merrily at her. 'Hey, that gives me an idea…' She fingered the sheath on her arm, palmed a dagger and stood up.

"OK Kagura," she hollered to the wind youkai. "I give up. Just don't kill me."

"What?" Kagura quirked a brow curiously, then pouted. "Are you really giving up just like that?"

"Yeah," Kagome said, making sure to make her breath heavy and labored. "I think I broke something. I give up."

Kagura walked toward her, a small smile on her face as Kagome stepped from behind the control panel. "And to think Naraku feared you. You're nothing but a little coward."

"Just don't kill me," Kagome said as Kagura grabbed her arm. "I don't want to die!" She jabbed the dagger into the youkai's arm quickly, then twisted from her grasp.

Kagura hissed angrily, jerking Kagome backward and breaking her neck with a flick of her wrist. She held Kagome to her as she slumped forward, the life instantly drained from her being. "There, maybe you'll be smarter in your next life."

"The same could be said for you!"

Kagura gasped and looked down, watching the arrow as it imbedded itself through Kagome and into her chest in a violet comet-like streak. She reached to pull it out, but instead braced herself when her knees gave out. She fell to the floor heavily, her eyes searching for the owner of such power.

Kagome stood on the other side of the control panel, her bow still aimed with another arrow nocked and ready.

"How?" Kagura whispered, covering her mouth when she began to cough. "How did you-?"

"Misdirection," Kagome admitted. She lowered her bow, sending it and the quiver of arrows back to Sesshoumaru's dojo before stepping from around the control panel. She touched her duplicate, it instantly becoming one of the wooden mannequins from the dojo as well.

Kagome slowly kneeled beside Kagura, watching the dying youkai a moment before holding her hand. "Why?" Kagura asked as Kagome wound her fingers around hers. "I tried to kill you. Why would you try to comfort me?"

"Because I don't like to take a life," Kagome answered softly. "No matter what you may have tried to do to me. I forgive you."

Kagura snorted weakly, her vision darkening as she glared up at Kagome's gentle face. "I…don't…need your…" Kagome watched as Kagura's eyes closed and her breathing slowed to a stop, then turned into ash on the wind.

'You may not have needed my forgiveness,' Kagome thought as she retrieved her arrow and opened the door to the hallway. 'But you have it. Now to find Sesshoumaru…'

*

A low growl began in the back of Inuyasha's throat, his ears twitching at Rin's gasp as Maten grinned back at them. "You lie…"

"Why would I?" Maten asked. "After all, I was in the backseat when she crashed. She didn't really do as much damage as Naraku would have liked, so I…helped."

"Oh God," Rin whispered in horror. "You killed Aunt Kikyou. How could you?"

"Again, Naraku's orders. I had fun though. She screamed at the sight of me, but she soon stopped tha-"

"That's enough!!!" Inuyasha rushed forward, his fist slamming into Maten's jaw as the lightening youkai began to laugh. Hit after hit, punch after punch until Maten's face bled from numerous cuts and bruises, but still he laughed until Inuyasha stepped backward.

"You bastard," he huffed. "She didn't do a thing to you!"

"Not to me, but Naraku wanted her. She dared to tell him no. No one ever tells Naraku no and lives." Maten wiped a bit of blood from his bottom lip, glancing at the sullied digit before licking it clean.

"It's her own fault," he said accusingly. "If she would have left you, she would still be-" He dodged Inuyasha's next blow, then directed his own to Inuyasha's stomach, laughing when he doubled over.

"You're too sensitive," Maten jeered as he kicked Inuyasha again. "But then again, you are a hanyou." He clamped his hand around Inuyasha's neck, pinning him to a wall by thrusting his claws through the concrete. "And just think, you're going to loose another one as well."

"What…are you talkin…about?" Inuyasha wheezed, his lips slowly turning blue as Maten grinned down at him. Maten simply rolled his eyes, taking a moment to pummel the right side of Inuyasha's face before answering him.

"Naraku wants you're little birdy, and he'll have her once I get rid of you. Too bad you won't be here to see the wedding." Lightening flashed around them, it surging around Maten's feet as Inuyasha struggled to get free.

"Goodbye hanyou. See you in Hell!"

"Uncle Yasha, catch!"

Inuyasha turned just as Maten struck, barely avoiding the blow as Maten's lightening charged punch crashed into the wall. He reached up and caught Rin's shoe, staring at it in disbelief before turning to Rin.

"What the…(cough) fuck-"

"Don't just stand there!" Rin hollered as she climbed down the shelf to the ground. "Hit him with it!"

'Is she fucking kidding me?' Inuyasha asked himself as Maten extracted his hand from the wall. He turned to Rin just as she jumped to the ground, pinning the teenager with a blood-red gaze.

"You…" he growled angrily, his fisted hand toward her as it began to glow. "You'll be the first, since you're so ready to go."

"Uncle Yasha!"

"Hey ugly!"

Maten turned just as Inuyasha raised the shoe over his head.

"Here!" He brought the shoe down on Maten's head with a heavy blow, watching as he merely glared at him. "Hee…um…"

Inuyasha let go of the shoe, and to his amazement it remained where it was in the middle of Maten's forehead. Blood trickled from underneath the shoe, down Maten's nose to his chin in thick rivulets. Maten reached up to touch it, glared at Inuyasha one last time, then slumped forward and down, streaking Inuyasha's shirt red with his blood as he fell to the floor.

"Holy shit…" Inuyasha breathed as he dropped to the ground beside the lifeless body. Rin ran to his side, helping him to stand before grimacing.

"Eww…I didn't say to do that!" she complained. "Now all I have is one shoe."

"Give me that!" Inuyasha demanded, reaching down and jerking the other shoe off Rin's foot. His eyes widened marginally at the metallic heel. "Where did you get these?"

"Prada, now can we go? I really don't want to stay here and discuss the latest fashions."

*

Naraku leapt away first, Sesshoumaru in hot pursuit as he split his sword in half. "Come now Sesshoumaru," Naraku taunted as he dodged Sesshoumaru's blades. "We don't have to fight. Why are you so angry?"

"Because you've stolen from me," Sesshoumaru growled as Naraku backed himself against a nearby wall. "And this Sesshoumaru is not kind to thieves."

"Ah, but Sesshoumaru-" Naraku barely stepped out of the way as Sesshoumaru thrust his right hand forward, his blade impaling the wall instead of Naraku's gut. He glared over his shoulder at the hanyou, jerking his sword free as Naraku landed on the other side of the room.

"You don't even know what I want the weapon for? Don't you think you should ask before taking my head off?"

"I do not care." Sesshoumaru walked forward slowly, his golden gaze intimidating as Naraku smiled back at him.

"Of course you do. My plan would benefit you." His smile widened considerably, his crimson eyes glowing brightly before he spoke again. "I plan to take back this world run by humans and bring youkai out of hiding. We deserve to rule the pathetic creatures, not live in fear of them."

"I fear nothing," Sesshoumaru commented, his blade once again slicing through empty air as Naraku dodged his blow once again.

"Of course you do, or you wouldn't have a sealing spell. Imagine, instead of settling for your miko, you could have hundreds of them, falling at your feet like the willing servants they are. You could rebuild your harem."

Sesshoumaru darted forward quickly, catching Naraku off guard as he zipped toward him. He quickly slashed forward, his swords slashing an x across Naraku's chest. Naraku hissed painfully, reaching up to touch the wound before glaring at Sesshoumaru.

"All this over some skinny, flat-assed miko! At first I thought to ask you to join me, but now-" Naraku shuddered, then gasped as hundreds of tentacles shot from beneath his pelt. "Now you'll die along with her!"

'I cannot dodge them all,' Sesshoumaru realized as he jumped back, putting some distance between himself and Naraku as the tentacles zipped closer to him. 'So I will dodge what I can, and hack off what I can't.' Sesshoumaru braced himself as the first tentacle flew past his leg, but didn't get the chance to do anything more when a violent purple explosion went off between he and Naraku. Both youkai were instantly blinded, then thrown to the floor as the shockwaves flowed over their bodies.

Sesshoumaru stood first, with Naraku not far behind as they turned toward the now glowing arrow, and then to the source.

*

Katrina ducked a passing blow to her chin, then jabbed Shu in the jaw before kicking him in the chest. He grabbed her foot at the last minute, laughing as he dangled her over the edge of the building.

"Did you think it would be that easy?" he taunted, shaking her a moment before tightening his grip on her ankle. "I'm not that hanyou you're in love with. I'm smarter-" he stepped away from the ledge, swung her over his head and slammed her into the asphalt beside him. "faster-" he picked her up and slammed her again, grinning when bones snapped below him. "And deadlier. But better than that-"

Shu stopped, jerking as flaming blades sliced across his back. He turned, his gray eyes bleeding red as he snarled.

"Put her down," Sutaasafaia said slowly, poised and ready to volley off another assault. "Or I'll deep fry your ass."

"What is with you two?" Shu asked jovially. He set Katrina down slowly, his hands in the air as he stepped closer to Sutaasafaia. "I'm not going to hurt her."

"Yeah? Then what was that? Brotherly love?" Sutaasafaia taunted, raising her sword as Shu stopped in front of it.

Shu shrugged and smiled. "I'm just trying to teach her a lesson, that's all. After all, I am the oldest. I'm just trying to look out for her."

Katrina groaned from behind him, reaching up to grasp her right shoulder as Shu stared at Sutaasafaia. "So, you're a fire element," he observed. "Interesting…"

"I'm sure it is." She winced when Katrina shoved her arm back in place, the sound nauseating to the youkai's sensitive stomach. Shu grinned and in an instant water flowed from his fingertips and into her chest, pushing her toward the edge of the building.

Katrina's whip wrapped around Sutaasafaia ankle, it dragging her across the rooftop as Shu's attack shoved Sutaasafaia off the building. Katrina stopped inches from falling, her foot wedged in a crack in the roof as she struggled to hang on to her.

"Sutaasafaia?"

"I'm still here," she called from the side of the building. "but I don't think Miroku's gonna appreciate me throwing up on his helicopter."

Katrina shook her head, Shu momentarily forgotten as she wrapped the whip's length around a nearby support beam. She detached the whip's handle and pushed a button, watching as a short samurai blade protruded from it before confronting Shu.

"Oops," he said with a grin. "Did I do that? I'm so sorry Katrina. Next time I'll be sure to kill her." Shu started to laugh, then stopped when Katrina disappeared. "Where did she go?" he wondered aloud, peering over the side of the building. "Well she didn't go here…but here you are." He smiled at Sutaasafaia, slowly leaning over to the whip ties.

"I think I should untie this. You're youkai, so the fall won't kill you…but it will hurt like he-"

Katrina collided into him from behind, throwing them both off the rooftop and down the building.

"Bitch!" Shu snarled, turning around to face her. "Don't you know that this won't kill me?"

"It may not, but this will." She flipped her blade in her hands, then ran it through his chest. "That was for Father-" she withdrew and sliced through him again "That was for Artemis, and this-" she stabbed through his heart, watching as his eyes widened in surprise. "Is for you. You're not my brother."

"Katrina!" Sutaasafaia struggled with the whip, but swung helplessly from it as Katrina and Shu crashed into the ground.

*

Inuyasha ran outside, Rin clinging onto his back for dear life as he threw open the metal double doors. His sealing spell returned the instant the sunlight touched his face, white hair immediately becoming jet black as his ears slid down his skull to the sides of his head.

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha turned and waved to Miroku, who stood a little away from him with a sickly youkai in his arms. "Miroku! I didn't know you were here!"

"Yeah well, I had to get him out for Katrina. This is her dad."

Inuyasha bowed respectfully to the youkai, noticing for the first time the similarities between father and daughter. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"As it is you," the youkai croaked, his voice smoothing out with each syllable. "Tell me, are you the hanyou she talks about?"

"She's told you about me?" Inuyasha asked as Rin slid off his back and to the ground. Katrina's father nodded.

"Of course she has. She's very taken with you. Please, call me Ra."

"Yeah, no prob-"

>THUD!!!!<

"What was that?" Miroku asked as a helicopter landed closer to them. Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know. Look, take Rin to the chopper. I'll go see what it is."

*

Katrina sat up slowly, her head reeling as dust settled around her. 'Where am I…' she wondered, then looked down. Shu lay bleeding below her, her sword impaled in his chest. She withdrew it slowly, watching as he winced.

"Katrina?"

Katrina stopped, watching as Shu opened his eyes. Warm gray eyes stared back at her, and he smiled. "Shu?"

"Katrina, I'm so sorry." A tear slid down his cheek, and in that moment she realized that this was her brother, not the monster that she fought since her sister died. "I'm sorry for everything. I couldn't control myself. Naraku poisoned my heart-"

"I know Shu," Katrina held his hand, smoothing his hair away from his eyes. "I know."

"Do you forgive me?"

Katrina nodded, tears streaming from her own eyes as she sighed. "I do."

"What of our sister? Will she forgive me too?"

"I bet she already has."

Shu sighed, closing his eyes a brief moment before looking behind her. Inuyasha stood a few feet away, struggling between going to her or letting her be. "Thank you Katrina. You set me free…go. You're inu youkai awaits."

Katrina glanced back, smiling when Inuyasha smiled back at her. "Shu, I just want to-" she stopped, realizing that she could no longer hear Shu's breathing. "Shu?" She placed her hands on his chest, then his neck, feeling for a pulse. "Shu? You're gone, aren't you…You've left me, just like Sis…" Katrina rested her forehead to his, reaching up to close his eyes as her tears splashed on his face. "I hope you're happy Shu," she whispered, then fainted beside him.

Inuyasha walked forward, not exactly understanding all that happened as he swept Katrina up and carried her away from her brother's body. 'Don't worry Katrina,' he told her as he walked away. 'I've got you.'

Two figures watched them go, one glancing at the other with a smile. 'Do you think the youkai will take care of her?' the female asked, her dark hair swirling in the breeze. The male nodded.

'I believe so. However, he is still only a hanyou.'

'Then I take it you're going to do something about that.'

He smiled, then turned to Inuyasha, watching his retreating back for a moment before raising his hand. 'I am. I must insure her safety, after all.' He blew across the palm of his hand, waiting until Inuyasha shivered to look at his companion. 'See, easy as pie.'

'If you say so. Come, let's be off. Our sister has a new life to lead…'

*

Sutaasafaia sliced through the whip, falling a couple of feet before landing on her flaming cloud. 'That was close,' she gasped, wiping a drop of sweat from her brow as she floated to the ground. The first thing she saw was Shu's body, it slowly turning to ash and scattering on the breeze.

----

SF: So sorry for how screwed the updates have been. (If you're on mm, then you have no idea what I'm talking about. Never mind this for the moment.) These past few weeks are a prime example of one thing: Mudslides are stronger than you think. Anyway, (ok mm, you guys are here) a few reviews are here, but not all. My computer's acting funny again, and this time I took it to someone who understood them. It should be back from the doctor's office next week. Until then, I'm stuck with Silver's, aka Mr. Stingy and Tight with My Stuff's, laptop until further notice. Here are the reviews that I could get. Things will be back to normal next week, I promise.

P.S. I'll have a recommendation next week too!

Responses:

Black-Cat-on-the-Wall: Awww! I love a really good song. Let me know if you ever get the name of it.

Crimson Demon: {::blushes::} Thanks so much! I'm definately going to finish this story (can you imagine the emails if I didn't) I'll take really good care of Mr. Know-It-All, so long as he- Sesshou: {::waves a bag of Cheetos in SF's face::} I have another story for you crossbreed. You can have these cheesy things if you type it. SF: No! Must...resist...the...Cheetos! {::divebombs Cheetos::} Sesshou: {::grabs SF by the ankle and drags her toward her computer::} I knew that would work...

Tsuki Yume: Maybe they will be, and maybe they won't be. I still have a few tricks to pull. Glad you're digging it thought, and hope you won't be willing to choke me when the bad stuff gets here.

Rain of Stars: You're a mischivous little bugger, aren't you? My kind of person. Anyway, I can't say if I'll kill anyone off just yet, because that would be telling and telling is bad. I think telling is bad. Good to see you back! I've missed you! And thanks for the cookies, even thought {::points to the empty plate and the burn and water marks surrounding it::} I didn't get to them to eat them. Thank the muses. Greedy little...

MoonliteCrescndo: I'm so glad you're feeling better. I've been so busy running around, I haven't had a chance to check up on you! Someone told me you've updated already. {::sob::} I haven't had time to read! {::sniff::} But that's ok, because as soon as I do, I'm coming straight for you! Sorry for the chapter mix-up. I don't know how things go so screwy.

Mediaminer:

PhoebeMoon: I agree with you, but do you really think it'll solve anything....you never know with me.

Cresent Moon22000: Thanks a lot! I'm coming with another update next week!

Lunabelle: Yup, you're right! (From Egyptian mythology) Shu and his twin sister Tefnut ruled the sky as the god of air and the goddess of moisture. Both and Anut are children of Ra. I tried the tongue twister and couldn't get past saying it twice. I used to be very good at them...

Kitsune_Bi: YAY!!!! Great job! How'd you do it? I think I recognize her name from one of the reviews. Thanks for the description approval. I think I go overboard sometimes, but it's good to know that I didn't.

Sundragon: Thanks a lot!

S1Cherry: Yup, it is. Nope, the two didn't have a thing planned out. They just know each other. I agree with the oral presentation stuff. I had to do one on the gods of ancient Japan before I passed my finals in December. Sucked, I swear. Silver is a real trip. I try really hard not to pay him any attention, but that idea was too good to pass up. Yup, he air dries, with the bathroom door open and everything. It takes forever to get the smell out.

(BlazingNymph7): Nope, I don't think...nope, Rin doesn't get to do anything, but she does get to help. Shippou and Sonia are waiting for the others. to get there.

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SF: My apologies to everyone that's not on here. This is everything I have on disk, and the others are still in my locker at work. But no worries, because everything will be right as rain next week!