InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Transformations ❯ Evil Cliffy! Authoress Attacks! ( Chapter 48 )

Inuyasha nodded again and glanced back at their pack, as he'd labeled the remaining blue wolves and humans. "I think it's time to talk to your father," he said, and looked down at her.

With a shaky nod Kagome set off, speaking briefly to Sango and Miroku as Inuyasha spoke to Gar. They joined up again inside the hut as Kagome gathered her extra kimonos and wrapped them up, deciding to bring them with. Certainly a few of them could fit her mother, right? Ray would be overjoyed to have such beautiful kimonos, things no human could possibly have made, in either times or the distant future.

~*~ Rare ~*~

If she could have, she would've smiled when she lost consciousness. She needed a break - and lately she wasn't eating well, anyway. She trusted her father to take care of her and let her rest. She trusted Inuyasha to take care of Souta, should anything happen. She trusted Gar and Sango and Miroku and everybody else to watch over the orphans and Shippo.

But she wasn't so sure she trusted herself.

~*~ Inuyasha ~*~

At a loss for what to do, what he possibly could do, Inuyasha dropped his head and buried it in his hands. He was shaking, he knew that, but he couldn't stop it now. He didn't notice Souta next to him, wondering what was wrong. His awareness retreated inward, to the point where all he knew was that Kagome was pregnant, he was going to be a father, and Naraku had the power to take that away, if they didn't kill him first.

Souta was shaking his shoulder, worried and scared, but Inuyasha wasn't moving except to breath. He could only wonder what he was thinking about to make him so sad and blind to the world.

Forty Eight

When Inuyasha finally made it back, Souta still quiet with curiosity, it was nearing dusk and Rare was waiting for him. And he was scared.

In the five centuries it took to get here, Rare had learned to trust that Kagome would make the right decisions and Inuyasha would protect her at all costs. And, above all, that they would make it - no matter what. But he hadn't been in this situation before, not even in his wilder youth. He'd never even heard of a demon parasite - but perhaps Inuyasha did, and knew how to get rid of it without potentially hurting Kagome.

That part scared him the most. Although Kagome had inherited his regenerative gene, he couldn't be sure that this demon could be removed or killed without hurting her - permanently. His logic backed him up, though, reminding him that he had no evidence that Kagome returned to the well hurt, or at the very least, not permanently so. But he hadn't been able to touch her and see for himself.

Nonetheless, he stood in the kitchen, waiting for Inuyasha to come. Normally the hanyou would come in Kagome's window, but since he was carrying Souta, he had to take a detour to the living room first, where Souta's homework still awaited. Rare was thankful for that distraction.

"Inuyasha," he said now, as Souta was set on the ground. "I'm afraid I need your help." He didn't explain about Kagome or his fears, but when Inuyasha looked up, he could tell that Inuyasha knew what the subject was. Once in Kagome's room, he explained what he found, and his fears.

Inuyasha, though, looked even more scared and helpless than he felt. Rare was wrong, then, and Inuyasha didn't know what to do. It was a bad sign, for Kagome as well as himself and Inuyasha - after all, knowledge was a power hard to come by. And that's what Rare had always believed above all else. The more you knew, the more you could protect your family against.

"What do we do?" Inuyasha wondered aloud, breaking into Rare's thoughts. "What can we do?" he added, more in a whisper.

"We get it out," Rare supplied. "Hopefully without hurting Kagome more than the parasite is. It is also possible that the scent you thought was pregnancy was just the demon."

"No!" Inuyasha denied, swinging burning eyes on Rare. "I know what I smelled, and she is undeniably pregnant."

Rare hesitated a moment and nodded. "We should not tell Ray or Souta about this unless it is necessary," he said, deciding on it.

Inuyasha nodded his agreement. "How do we -" his voice caught, cutting off his words. He swallowed and tried again. "How do we get it out?" His eyes on Kagome, he could only hope and pray that Rare came up with the right answer.

"We take it out. Or, rather, I do." Rare sat down on the bed and motioned for Inuyasha to come closer. Instructing him about his part in this, Rare had him sit behind Kagome and hold her - comfort her. And then, hesitantly, Rare began to undress her - more or less with Inuyasha's aid.

The hanyou was both growling at Rare for touching her while getting the sashes undone and nuzzling Kagome in hopes of keeping her asleep. Not that either of the men could keep her asleep if she wanted to wake up, but they were doing everything they could to make this as painless as possible, and there was more chance that Kagome wouldn't remember feeling it if she were asleep.

Uncommonly nervous, Rare struggled to control his shaking hands as his eyes sought out the parasite again. The problem was how small the demon was, its size probably fitting into his palm like a newborn kitten. But he noticed, not for the first time, that it was growing, feeding off of Kagome somehow.

The thought made him just as scared as it did make him angry. He fisted his hands and had Inuyasha turn her over, scanning her back crucially while his anger steadied his hands. He'd have to be deadly accurate to get this thing, thinking that if he missed it would do something to harm Kagome and preserve its own life. If what Kagome said was true, then this demon spoke to her, probably using his biting her as cover for its presence in her body. That suggested intelligence, which was the most hazardous type of foe to defeat. Most likely it kept moving because it knew that it'd been found, and that its life was in danger.

Not seeing it, Rare opted for feeling for it, with more than one warning snarl from Inuyasha. More annoyed than concerned, Rare told him to stop or he'd send him away. As he expected, Inuyasha shut his mouth and ran his fingers through Kagome's hair, hoping and wishing and needing that she make it out of this. For her sake as well as the pup's.

Presently Rare instructed Inuyasha to roll her over again, and resumed trying to feel out the demon as Inuyasha bit back his growls. It was hard to think straight in this situation. On the one hand, Kagome was his and no one else was allowed to touch her. On the other, this was father and her very life could depend on Rare finding this demon that Inuyasha couldn't see.

A thought entered his head that Rare might just be doing this to get to touch her this way, but Inuyasha shoved that away. For one, it wasn't smart, not with Inuyasha present. Two, Rare wasn't that type of man. And three, Rare had a hold of something.

"I've found it," Rare told him, his right hand on Kagome's chest, above the stronger side of her heart. "You little shit," he half whispered, half muttered, not even hearing his own words. He rarely swore - almost never, even in the heat of battle. This scene reminded ironically of the movie The Matrix, when a tiny tracking bug had been implanted in Neo's stomach and had to be removed by an electrical shock. Swearing again when it moved, trying to go deeper, he told Inuyasha to hold her tightly, no matter what. And then he struck.

~*~ Kagura ~*~ [DL: Ahh, hate and love. Two sides of the same coin. If you kill me now, you won't get the rest of the story, now will you? Ha ha! *Raspberry*]

She woke with a shock, and sat up straight, her first thought being Where am I? It took a moment to remember all that had happened, and then she looked down at her side, seeing Kanna actually with closed eyes, something that the child only did when she was too tired to keep them open. In the back of her mind, she wondered why Naraku had just let her get away. He was much too smart, far too loving of those intricate plots of his, to not have had one waiting.

And then it occurred to her that this might very well be part of it. He might know she came here, to -

Eyes widening, she looked around more carefully. This isn't where she meant to go! Sesshomaru must have brought her here, thinking undoubtedly that this is where she'd intended to go. She meant to speak with Sesshomaru, to make a fair trade with him. In return for protecting her and Kanna, she would give Sesshomaru any information he asked for and help him in whatever he needed - if anything. Hell, she'd been a maid and messenger for Naraku, so why wouldn't she be able to be one for Sesshomaru? The man didn't hold her heart in the palm of her hand -

A new thought struck her, one she hadn't thought of lately. Naraku still had her heart! One squeeze - no matter where he was - and she'd be in a painful heap wherever she landed! And Naraku, the sneaky bastard, could be anywhere at any time! She had no way of feeling for him. He could be waiting right outside and she wouldn't know it until he came inside of made himself known.

She had to get out of here, and with Kanna. Soon. Quickly. Now.

Getting up, she rearranged her kimono and checked to make sure her fan was still tucked into her obi [DL: Thich sash for kimonos.] and woke Kanna. The child slowly opened black, soulless eyes and sat up, still holding her mirror. Kagura picked her up and pulled a leaf out of her hair. She ran outside without notice, in fact making her own door through the nearest wall, and threw the leaf. It instantly expanded to fit herself and Kanna and she leaped onto it, settling Kanna into her lap as she took to the skies.

Their were shouts from below, and Kagura surveyed the villagers carefully. Naturally, Sesshomaru brought her to Kagome's village. Or rather, it was Kaede's, but Kagome was definitely the most famous of the village. She and Inuyasha, and the Demon Exterminator - the last of them. But no one was stopping her. In fact, they all seemed to be checking the damages done and wondering at why she didn't try to destroy them all.

At another time, it would have been an interesting thought. She might have done it. But now, she had other things that had to be taken care of.

Turning back in front of her, she ordered the winds to stop and hold her, seeing that flaming cat in front of her, fangs and hiss all for show, and three people on her back. She recognized Sango and the cursed Miroku, but not the man standing in front of them, with shoulder-length blue hair and nice, long furry tail. He had to be one of Kagome's pack. Kagura was a little surprised any of them survived, really. The flames Naraku had sent as a finale should have finished them all off, considering they were still having trouble with the miasma.

"You're in my way," she told them.

"And where are you going?" the unknown demon said.

"West Lands, since you just have to know." She added a sneer for good measure and lifted the winds more, to go around them. The fire cat leapt up again, to stop her. She hissed at them. "I don't have time for this! The skies are dangerous enough without dawdling in them! Now move!"

That sparked Sango's interest. "How are the skies dangerous?" she asked.

"Have you forgotten about Naraku's insects? They are everywhere at once! Do you want to draw him out?!" she snapped.

Before Sango could snap back, Miroku spoke up. "Why are you going to the West Lands?"

"That is between myself and Lord Sesshomaru," Kagura said evasively. In her lap, Kanna shifted and turned her head to the right.

"He nears," she said.

The humans and demons across from Kagura looked to their left, and Kagura took the chance. She called the strongest winds she had and went around the fire cat, now more than ever needing to make it to wherever Sesshomaru was. Time was against her, and so was everything else.

~*~ Kikyo ~*~

She stared down at her shaking hands, looking at them like they belonged to somebody else. The skin was starting to peel and dry up, becoming dirt again. Everything was going wrong for her. The entire thing started when she tried to take care of that damnable bandit, Onigumo. Now everything was headed to her unavoidable destruction and the ultimate battle between Inuyasha and Naraku.

But she hadn't been expecting this. It was getting harder and harder to hold onto the souls she took, and now she needed more and more of them to keep herself together. But so many factors proved to be a part in all of this. It all pointed at Kagome and Inuyasha, but in so many ways. Kikyo's demise had begun when Kagome became the hanyou she is today. That bite changed her in more ways than one, more than just physical. It attracted Inuyasha, as well it should have.

But then the two of them had begun to get closer, more comfortable with each other, more self-reliant while also more trusting of each other. Naturally, desire and passion had started as a result, and now the two of them were together, mated, the strongest bond any demon could have to one another.

Kagome's powers had grown drastically, to the point where she surpassed Kikyo's. It was hard to admit that her reincarnation, at a mere sixteen years and no longer a virgin, could have such strong powers. And now Kagome as well had the jewel, ready to be completed.

The jewel. . .

Kikyo lifted her head, no longer seeing her hands but instead a mental picture. In her mind she saw three lone shards, each a shade of pink and each already been found. If she could get those and employ them, then she could certainly make her body last longer! Her powers might be fed as well, and if that was so. . .

"I could defeat Kagome and take back my soul!" she finished aloud, growing strength in her voice. The shards were easy enough to attain; she could see the demons that held them now. An oversized boar who spoke and stood on two legs. A mindless spider looking constantly for food for its young. And a simple finch, larger than herself, and with a powerful and destructive voice. Easy enough to attain.

The hard part would be controlling all three shards. She could control one, perhaps two, but three might overthrow her mind and make her destroy as all the demons had. But she could feel others as well. In Naraku's castle, she got the feel of a shard he was using, reanimating a young boy who had died. And there was a wolf out there who had two shards as well, one in each of his legs.

If she took all of them, she'd have six. Kagome was unpredictable, she reminded herself. During the fight, she could simply employ the shards one at a time until she defeated Kagome. It was an idea, at least, but she'd need time to devise an actual plan. If this were to work, she couldn't be distracted by Inuyasha's presence, and most likely he would come to the aid of his mate.

Mate.

Kikyo sneered at the word. Bound by a bite and the scar, the bite symbolizing the union to each other and the scar a telltale sign to any other demon who wanted them. Like the human vows and ring. The only real difference was that humans could get a divorce, should something go wrong. She'd heard tales of demon mates when one died and the other did as well, because of how strong the bond was. With humans, should you be widowed, you have the opportunity to remarry.

Mates. . .

At one time, she wanted that of Inuyasha. She thought of it, of actually feeling him bite her and claim her. And at the time, she was still young, and while the thought excited her, it had disgusted her as well, demon half be damned. That alone had given her the idea to have him use the jewel for good, to rid it of the earth forever. To make him human and become hers in marriage.

It was a lovely idea, and more than once she thought of it and smiled, or stayed awake late at night thinking of how perfect he would look, of how perfect her wedding would be. She didn't mind the rumor that once married, a priestess loses her power. She would purify the jewel as best she could before then and give it to him, and then the wedding. . .The beautiful wedding, with little girls with flowers in their hair and raining down from the sky. . .

Wishful thinking, she snapped at herself. Nothing that good ever happens. Either you find your perfect match within your own species or you don't find your perfect match. That is why Inuyasha's father died so soon after taking a human mate.

Nonetheless, at one time she had hoped, even prayed, that things could work out for them. She'd even been tempted more than once to think of what he would look like as a human, what his children would look like, how strong they would grow up.

But now wasn't the time to think of this. After all, the author was starting to make this chapter too long. It's time for Kikyo to quit thinking and go to sleep. . .Lullaby, and good night. . .Go to sleep evil priestess. . .Close your eyes, so good night. . .And there's some words I don't know. . .

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Ha ha, a new way to end chapters! I know, I know. "How could you just leave Kagome like that?! You evil, damnable bitch!" Well, here's my response. . .

"I like being evil. It's fun when people get all red-faced and start spitting when they talk cause they're so mad. And I don't mind the 'bitch' bit, either. It stands for a lot of things. Like 'Beautiful, intelligent, talented, caring and honest' and 'Babe in total control of herself'. You like? I have more."

But now I'd like you to welcome Twisted Angel - at least I think so. I got a request from somebody on fanfic to be mentioned at the bottom - or. . .eh heh. . .bad things would happen. To me. But I have to go to my sister's for the internet and I forgot to take home my notes so. . .well, sorry. But I DO remember my newest weapon! *Snicker* You guys are getting really, really creative with your weapons, you know. So here's the one I actually remember! (I know, it's a miracle.)

Remote-Controlled Hamsters! *Pulls out remote* Well, let's see here. . .Eat. Sleep. Bite. Poop. Dance. Mutilate. . .nifty. =^_^= Scratch. Run. Wiggle. Wiggle? Eh. Nuzzle. Do Cute Stuff. Hide. Cuddle. . .awww. Betray?! Now THIS I gotta see! *Pushes button* Attack, my pretties!! Uh-oh. . .I think I just figured out what "Betray" meant. . . Yipe!! *Runs away, followed by an army of hamsters that betrayed me cause I hit the button before I read the manual*

Geez! This stuff never ends! See ya!