InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Transformations ❯ The Final Battle Ends ( Chapter 56 )

It faded completely, revealing a new Kagome, one no one recognized. This was, in fact, not Kagome. With the face, the clothes, the coloring - it couldn't be.

But it was.

Her hair had lengthened, becoming roughly the length of Midoriko's. The star on her forehead was still white, only now it was bigger and lower. Three stripes still adorned each cheek. A tiny blue diamond was at the corner of either eye. Her black lips had turned violet, shining in both ruby and white, and thicker than they had been. Her bangs looked as though they'd been clipped, leveled. Her forelocks had been cut as well, leveled at her chin. Her ears remained pointed, although not quite so much as normal demons.

And that was just for her head.

**Fifty Six**

Her clothes were in so many layers that it was nearly impossible to describe. The topmost was armor, as any warrior would have. Further down seemed to be padding for that armor. Beneath those were a seemingly royal demon kimono, pants not included. And beneath that still, the first visible layer: priestess robes. Not like Kikyo's kimono, white top and red bottom. This was white top and blue bottom, and both shined like well-polished leather. And sitting atop it all was her father's fang.

She opened her eyes finally, looking up at Naraku, meeting his gaze directly.

Her eyes didn't seem to be there. Where earlier they were green irises and black pupils, now they were pure blue, such a light shade that it seemed as though it was white at first glance, and even second.

"Onigumo," she said, as though acknowledging her opponent. But she turned from him, and reached for Hojo, the closest person to her.

Very gently, with fingernails that had turned the same shade as her eyes, she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him.

If not for the next reaction, Inuyasha might have gotten up to separate them and possibly slice Hojo in half.

Hojo began glowing.

Not in the same bright, purely white way the Jewel had shone. Not the blue, white in the center way Kagome's star had shone. Not in the yellow-green, neon way Kagome's power shone in her attacks. In a very light, fairy-like way that made his skin brighter and shine only an inch away from his body.

Kagome drew back after just a few seconds' time, and the shine lasted until she made it to Inuyasha, still laying in the skid, still unable to move. She knelt by his head and leaned down, catching his face in her hands as she did to Hojo and kissed him, just as sweetly, as impersonally. And just as Hojo had done, Inuyasha's skin glowed.

When Kagome drew back and made her way to Miroku, Inuyasha stared straight up at the still-cloudy sky. He could feel his entire body healing, bones connecting again and repairing, skin smoothing over, blood replenishing. Bruises faded and his three lost teeth regrew.

By the time he got up, Miroku was just standing, holding his arm painfully and slowly removing his hand, staring oddly at his arm.

Kagome kissed each of them as she made it to them, and the closer she got to Naraku, the more he backed up. She kissed all her allies, all of the gold pack, every dead demon and Hime and Kirara. She went so far as to seek out Jinenji and bring him back. They all got back up and stared at her, as she took her place again at where she had started, near Hojo. Everyone was standing, staring at her. Stunned by her grace, awed by her power, shocked by her beauty. No one could look away.

Until she spoke.

"Are you prepared, Onigumo?" she asked, eyes on the giant hanyou. Everyone in turn looked over at Naraku.

Naraku's jaw moved as he struggled to form words, at last narrowing his eyes and strengthening his resolve. "I am not Onigumo!" he shouted, the forest around shaking with the force of his yell. "I am ready - ready to kill you!"

"Then let it be so," Kagome returned, voice as calm as her expression and pose. Her eyes drifted shut and her head tilted back, each move equally slow. His arms lifted and spread to the side, her back arched slightly. And two wings extended from her back, built by power, the same light blue shade that now covered her form. Those wings were solid, despite their transparent sight, as though they were made of glass or a jewel.

Her head tilted down again and her eyes opened, focusing on Naraku - if you could call it that. Those wings flapped and she lifted from the ground, showing that she was barefoot. It was almost a vision of a goddess, and everyone present wondered if they were dreaming.

And then Kagome lifted her right hand and grasped a long, transparent katana. That light green shade of Kagome's power flowed around its blade, making it quite a sight to see. If anyone were to wonder if Kagome was pure, powerful, or beautiful, this would prove all three.

The fight that followed was like something out of a dream itself. Kagome, purely powerful and good, versus Naraku, formerly Onigumo, pure hate and evil. Every time Kagome got within feet of him, his skin would begin burning, either from fire or her purifying power, or both. Whenever she slashed him with that power-built summoned katana, he would scream in pain.

And no matter how he would retaliate, how many times he or his tentacles would reach for her, he couldn't touch her. Partly because she was fast, partly because she knew what he would do, but mostly because of her own powers burning him. Her wings alone scorched him, her hair, her clothes. The katana was simply doing the most damage.

And then something new happened. Something that proved that Kikyo had finally let go, had died. Her spirit returned to Kagome. The rush caused winds to blow strongly, and the katana in Kagome's hand changed. That green glow became a green fire, and the blue blade became white, blending in with the green. It became one large flame, completely under Kagome's control.

Naraku screamed again, in pure, unbridled rage and hatred.

Kagome floated in the air, staring at him.

No one moved on the ground, staring up at them, eyes darting back and forth between the ultimate evil and ultimate good.

And then Kagome rushed forward, swinging her katana before her. Naraku screamed again and stepped back, arms swinging in hopes of knocking her out of the way. And then the katana, fire blazing brighter, dove into his chest - his heart. It cut through him easily, as simply as one would slash the air.

Naraku's eyes, bright blue during the fight, faded to coal black, and his mouth closed slowly. His knees buckled and wavered, and then he simply fell back, hitting the ground hard enough to cause an earthquake, and everyone braced themselves at the impact. Kagome still floated, blade relaxed now, and soon it disappeared. Her feet touched the ground and she stayed there, watching, as Naraku's body shrunk back to his human form.

His skin was still black in most places, burnt. His eyes were only slightly open, blood soaking the ground beneath him and pouring over his chest. His arms were spread out, hair fanned beneath and around him. Kagome stepped up to his head and stood there a moment.

"Have you said your goodbyes to this world yet?" she asked, voice impassive.

No one expected Naraku to answer, which is why they all stood by in shock when he did so.

"I have," he got out, weakly.

"And have you asked redemption?"

"Nay," he replied, and his eyes flicked over to her.

"Why not?"

"Even if I were to ask, it would be pointless. I would never receive 'redemption'."

"Ask," Kagome urged, although her voice was still impassive, unemotional.

"Never," Naraku said back, voice gaining strength.

"You've done many wrongs," Kagome told him, kneeling. "This is your only chance to make it right, Onigumo."

"Onigumo has died," Naraku returned, voice angry. "And you will be too, could I move any longer."

"Ask."

Naraku's eyes flashed in rage. "See you in hell," he snarled.

At that point, so many things happened at once that they must be told separately. First, Inuyasha started forward, worried. Second, Kagome straightened, about to stand. Third, Naraku's chest lifted as though yanked upwards, and a tentacle stretched up faster than Kagome could have dodged. It tore through her left shoulder, and Kagome jerked herself back, eyes going wide and mouth falling open.

And then the part that scared everyone: Kagome's form faded. Her clothes let go of her body, her hair shorted and her ears changed shape and position. Her tail returned and her stripes faded, her glow dissipating. Her eyes returned, green as ever and wide in fear and shock. Her lips turned black again. The jewel reappeared from out of her chest on its necklace. Her usual 'Battle Uniform' came back, solid as though it'd never left. As she stumbled back, claws returning to black, the tentacle fell limp and slipped out of her shoulder as easily as it entered.

And Kagome fell back, mimicking Naraku's fall down to the heavy impact. Her head turned and looked at the wound - the hole - in her shoulder just as Inuyasha skid to a stop next to her. It was oozing. Kagome could feel it as well as see it, the green goo - no, not goo. It was acid. And Kagome was half demon, unable to heal it.

"Inuyasha," she said, looking up at him.

He reached over to touch it.

"Don't!" she said, sharply. "It's acid, Inuyasha."

The look on his face when she said that was so hard to describe that she quit trying. Painfully, wincing, she sat up. Her eyes picked out the hole again and she tried to heal it through her power, but that strong power Midoriko had imparted on her was gone already. Her own powers weren't made for healing - she'd already said that, too.

"Can't you heal it?" Inuyasha asked, not hearing her thoughts but knowing what she was trying.

Kagome looked up at him with sad eyes and didn't say anything.

Everyone stopped moving, had they been so earlier. They were in little groups: the Gold Pack all close together, the Brown Pack doing the same, Gar and Kure and Sana on Kagome's left, Sesshomaru and Kagura near each other and off to the side with Kanna, Miroku and Sango beside Kirara not far from where Inuyasha had stood, Hojo closest to Kirara but still by himself, Jinenji on Naraku's left.

Kagome was right. It was acid. They could all see it, see her wound getting larger by the second, dissolving her blood before it could leak out.

"Inuyasha. . ." Kagome began. "I'm sorry."

"No!" Inuyasha returned sharply and pulled her tightly against him. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."

She leaned against him, closing her eyes. "I wish I could have had your pups," she told him.

It was a painful thing to say, and just as painful to hear.

Inuyasha lowered his head and pulled her closer. "Don't say that."

"But it's true," she whispered.

"Kagome," Sango said, and then trailed off.

"There has to be something," Miroku finished for her.

"Mistress," Gar said, stepping closer. "That fight. . .You were beautiful," he told her, unsure of what to say.

Kure was thinking along the same lines: comfort her. "Graceful."

Kagome lifted her head and sniffed, then looked over at Kagura. "Here," she said, opening her left hand - which was still limp on the ground. A small jewel was there, the size of the Shikon no Tama. "It's your heart."

All eyes turned to Kagura, who took a stunned step back. She hadn't asked anything of Kagome, or gave anything to her, and yet Kagome took her heart from Naraku and was handing it to her.

"Take it," Kagome urged, and then coughed.

It was all she needed. Kagura came forward and took her heart from Kagome's hand, but remained kneeling, looking at her.

Kagura had murdered many people. A dozen times she'd been ordered to kill or trap Kagome and Inuyasha and their friends. Even since she was borne from Naraku she'd cared only for herself and Kanna, and no others. She'd thought it amusing when she killed part of Koga's pack and brought them back long enough to cover Inuyasha in their blood. She'd nearly laughed when the two fought. Against Naraku's order she brought the scent of Toujikin to Sesshomaru. A dozen other times she'd laughed outright, watching them all fight.

Each one worthy of her death. Yet Kagome had killed Naraku, Sesshomaru agreed to watch her and her sister, and Kagome had given her her heart. It brought up emotions Kagura didn't want to analyze.

So instead she stood up and stepped back, bringing her heart to her chest and letting it get absorbed back to where it belonged.

The wound was getting bigger still, now the size of a softball, nearly taking up the room needed to connect her arm and shoulder. She couldn't move her arm anymore. Nonetheless, her fingers were clenching reflexively, as her nerves were eaten through, one by one.

"I didn't want to die yet," she confessed, two hot tears making their way down her cheeks.

"Neither did I," Inuyasha whispered, sounding close to tears himself.

"Gods, I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," she whispered, voice nearly croaking.

That seemed to snap him. He looked up sharply at Gar and snarled at him. "Isn't there anything you can do?!"

"I wish there was," Gar replied, stepping back under the gaze he was receiving. "But. . ."

"We weren't made to heal acid," Kure finished.

"But Kagome's the daughter of the Master," Inuyasha argued. "Doesn't that make her special?!"

"It would, normally," Gar agreed.

"But Mistress Kagome is half demon," Sana went on, looking the most torn up at her dying.

Inuyasha turned his heated look on Sesshomaru. "What about you?! Tensaiga can -"

"Bring the dead back," Sesshomaru cut him off. "It does not heal. It does not cure acid."

Inuyasha looked over at Miroku, eyes as frustrated and angry as panicked and frightened. But Miroku looked away, his left hand scratching his right. "Isn't there anything anyone can do?!" he yelled, looking from one person to another. But everyone looked away when his eyes met theirs. Eventually he looked down at Kagome again, and in one blink - for the first time since his mother died - two tears slipped from his eyes and slid down his cheeks. "But the Jewel could. . .we. . .t-the demons. . .It. . ." was all he could manage, unable to link two thoughts together. "You can't die!" he finally snapped, and jerked Kagome against him again.

Eyes lowered, bodies tensed, tears slipped out. Throats clenched and shoulders hunched. Heads turned away, eyes shut, lips moved in an attempt to say something. But there was nothing to say, nothing to do, nothing to think. No one could do anything but stay quiet and unmoving, some crying, some experiencing foreign emotions and fumbling with them.

And then Hojo's head snapped up and he drew attention to himself. "Could Kagome's father heal her if he were here?"

All heads turned to him, but he was looking at Gar, apparently understanding that he was Kagome's second in command.

"If he were here," Gar agreed.

"If," Kure stressed. "If only."

"But he is here," Hojo argued, getting odd looks. "Isn't that his fang around her neck?" All eyes turned to Kagome's necklace. "It healed her earlier, didn't it?"

Inuyasha drew back and stared hard at the fang.

"It did," Kagome breathed. "It glowed."

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1. One new pictures. First: Kagome with Midoriko's spirit. Wings and katana included. Thank you.

2. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU HATE ME, DON'T YOU?! WELL, GUESS WHAT??!!!! THE FIGHT'S OVER!!! KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?!!!!

I THREATEN YOU TO REVIEW!!!! *Voice lowers* Not that you won't anyway, to give your two cents on the fight, but - *voice gets louder* I THREATEN YOU ANYWAY, BECAUSE IT'S WHAT I DO!!! MY TRADEMARK!!!!

SO I TAKE THIS JEWELED SWORD THAT I MENTIONED IN CHAPTERS PAST AND - um. . .I forgot what it does. *Fiddles with it, swinging and such* I'll figure it out soon enough. . .*Swing swing, slash, thrust drop* Oops. *Picks it up* Hmmmm. . . .

*Chapter ends and reviewers give their 'two cents' as I continue fiddling*

See ya!! =^. .^=