Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Sloppy Seconds	By : CutiePieHentai Category: InuYasha > General Views: 23931 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 30
- 31
- 32
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They were all there.

The band of humans and demons, lords and peasants, mikos and monks, approached by ground, river, and air, led by those to whom they held some loyalty, some form of respect. The Brothers of the Fang, a miko, a monk, two youkai, and a taijiya, never faltered in their strides as they pressed on to their destination, intent upon removing from the earth the scourge known as Naraku. The underbrush of the surrounding forests had been crushed in their wake but still they surged forward, an army unlike any other. Never before, and never again, in the history of Japan, would a militia such as this be formed.

Like a wave, a living tsunami, they crested the hill that looked upon the valley leading to the Notto peninsula and the fortress that stood at what would one day be the city of Wajima in the Chubu prefecture, a day�s travel north of Edo.

An infantry of three hundred and fifty samurai were led by Amari Nobunaga, who was sent by Princess Tsuyu and the Lord, her husband, of the Kai region. In their early travels, before they had met Sango, Miroku, or even Shippo, Kagome and Inuyasha had freed the Lord and many maidens of his province from possession by a toad demon. They were flanked by two hundred and fifty more samurai and the king Takeda Kuranosuku. As a young taijiya, Sango had unwittingly stolen the heart of the child king, and though she had eventually refused his proposal when he sought her hand in marriage, he had vowed to come to her aid. Bearing the crest of the Houjo family, which would one day lay claim in Japan as a great shogunate in the East, one hundred and seventy-five men walked abreast, shoulders squared and katanas clutched tightly. With them, Akitoki Houjo. He had seen the bravery and witnessed the mercy of the shard hunters on more than one occasion. They had helped him purify the destructive Halbread of Heaven and Earth. They had saved him from bandits. They had returned the Feathered Robe of the Heavens to his family after the demoness Kaguya had stolen it. It was because of them that he met his wife. Today, he would finally be able make some recompense.

Sango�s apprentices, the once ninja, now taijiya, Serina and Suzuna, had been honing the craft taught to them by their mentor. For two years now, they had been training others, secretly, in the ways of the demon exterminators. One day, they would repopulate Sango�s home village. The girls had taken the task of spreading word of the upcoming confrontation, using their ninja skills to travel swiftly and silently across the land as they gathered others to their cause. Thirteen novice exterminators, though young and fairly inexperienced, hoped to prove themselves in the upcoming battle.

A band of common men, some bearing no more than plows and pitchforks, others completely empty handed, came from all regions of the country. From the Shujin village came twenty-odd men, including the headmaster�s son, Taromaru. The Inu-tachi had saved he and his friends from becoming sacrifices to a false water Kami, freeing the true Goddess in the process, and now they intended to return the favor. Their patron, the water Goddess, clutching her holy trident, the Amakoin Hoko, and standing only six inches tall, joined them as well. At the behest of Shintauro, the headmaster of the island of Hijaru, came fifty strong men. Naraku had struck down Shintauro�s father while stealing the living Buddha from a temple in their care, before fleeing to Mount Hakurei, leaving the young man to fill his father�s shoes. They were but a small fishing village, but they had seen the strength of Inuyasha and his companions when they had come to the village�s aid; they hoped to add even more strength to the forces opposing Naraku. With them, another eighty came from other various parts of the country. They came from the township where Miroku had defeated a fish oni that had cursed the people; they came from the village that had been held siege by a bear youki�s spirit; they came from the village where a demon�s severed head had haunted until they had been freed by the group; and they came from the village whose women had been kidnapped by a boar demon. Even a single young man, then a boy, joined them from the town that had seen Inuyasha�s first transformation into a demon. Inuyasha had saved the village�s wives, mothers, sisters, from bandits that would have defiled them; the boy had never forgotten.

At the fore of the humans marched, flew, and jumped, the mightier and lesser demon clans that, for this day, rose above their petty squabbles for power and territory, to claim having had a hand in the annihilation of the evil hanyou who had manipulated and used them all.

The young Suzuki, head of the diminished Thunder clan, led her brethren in retribution for her love, Shippo. Bunza of the mountain cats, led thirty of his kinfolk with his father. Since the day that Inuyasha had trained with Bunza at Totosai�s, and helped them defeat a mantis demon that had been on their lands, the inu-hanyou had become a pack brother to the mountain cats. A band of ten kitsunes, uncles of Ippou, Jippou, Sanpou, Shihou, and Gohou, the kits who had admired and sought training from Shippo, mingled with fifteen monkey demons sent by the great monkey Kami who had been freed by Inuyasha and Kagome from his prison in a pickled cabbage barrel. Another dozen, otters and friends of Kanta, whose father had been decapitated by Hakudoushi and revived by Sesshomaru, added their fortitude to the numbers. Even the boar demon, Chokyuukai, and his lackeys, the turtle Sagojyo, and the monkey Songoku, found their way to the battle that day. Rouyakan, the gentle guardian of the forest who had once attacked Inuyasha while under the spell of a tainted jewel shard placed by Naraku, was loyal to the dog clan and walked with the other wolves. For his love of Kagome and the vengeance of his tribe, the Wolf Prince, Kouga, walked with Ginta, Hokaku, and his remaining ookami. At his side was the beautiful Princess of the White Wolf clan, Ayame, and her pack. The wolves totaled forty.

A cat�s aptitude for revenge and the length of their grudges was renowned, but after Sesshomaru had used Tenseiga to revive the Hyouzoku clan�s four leaders, the ice cat, Koura, the fire cat, Karran, the lightning cat, Shuuran, and the cat with the power of illusion, Shun, when their Lord, Oyakata, had killed them, the tribe had dissolved their many generation feud with the Inu brothers. Ninety-two strong, they came to repay a life debt and begin a new alliance between the two demon families of the Western Lands.

Above them all, Shiori, the little mild mannered hanyou, flew with one hundred bat demons, their numbers now replenished under their new mistress. Shiori was grateful for Inuyasha�s aid in freeing herself and those of her clan from her grandfather�s oppressive and prejudiced rule. She and hers would offer their strength and protective barrier creating abilities to the war on the horizon.

Myoga was nowhere to be found.

Holy powers were not forgotten, either, as Hachi the raccoon, and Mushin, Miroku�s mentor, marshaled two dozen monks and clerics, eager to ensure that good did in fact triumph over evil. The red miko, Momigi, and the white miko, Botan, once lead astray by the evil priestess Tsubaki during her alliance with Naraku, hoped to make penance for their remorseful actions against the seekers of the Jewel.

In a camp not far from the site, but more out of harms way, Jaken, AhUn, and Rin would be protected by the healers. Rin aided Kaede in creating barriers with ofuda to keep the area safe, while women from the Kwannon village, those who had been rescued from possession by a water demon sealed in an evil scroll, prepared healing salves and poultices. With his mother, Jinenji, the gentle hanyou giant, prepared strong remedies of the magical herbs from his father�s fields. He smiled at the young girl in pig tails who so reminded him of the kind-hearted miko who had stood up for him. When he had met Kagome and Inuyasha, villagers had thought him responsible for a string of murders because of his heritage as a hanyou. But the little human girl had never once appeared disgusted by him, had talked to him, and had even hugged him. Kagome was the first to ever treat him as anything other than a monster. It was her kindness that ultimately led to his acceptance in the village. It was her heart that was enabling him to gradually conquer his overwhelming shyness and make friends. Today was the first time he had ever left the sanctity of his little farm, but he could not deny helping Inuyasha or Kagome. While he did not have the spirit of a fighter, he would offer assistance to the best of his abilities.

It had been a ripple affect, a connectivity that was a living illustration of the twistings of fate, of the twinings of destiny, of the intricate weave of the fabric of all lives. Inuyasha, followed by the two mikos who held his heart, were trailed by the demon slayer, Sango, and her fire cat, Kirara, the perverted houshi, Miroku, the small kitsune, Shippo, and the eldest son of the late Inutaisho, Sesshomaru. Behind them, waiting for the call to advance, one thousand, three hundred and sixteen of the lives they had touched.

As they marched on, the inu-hanyou at the lead of it all chanced a last look over his shoulder to those he had come to know as his friends. Sango and Kirara both had a similar look of steadfast determination, of fierce certainty, that they would exact their revenge this day. Miroku appeared almost serene with the knowledge that today would either end his family line or end his family�s curse. From his perch on Kagome's shoulder, Shippo maintained a brave exterior that belied the anxiety that roiled underneath. Shifting his gaze, Inuyasha realized that he had not, until this moment, noticed how similar the stoic and expressionless eyes of both his brother and Kikyo were. Neither revealed anything but vague indifference to what was to transpire. His last glance was at the strangely dressed miko from the future, Kagome. He had changed since she had come into his life. The arrogance that hid his self-doubt was now tempered by true confidence, his thirst for power was checked by compassion and mercy, and his guilt and self deprecation was healed by friendship and acceptance. True, he still held onto many of the same traits that he had always had, but now his actions were often driven by habit than by attempts to hide behind a defensive emotional mask. He no longer faced the world alone. The girl had freed his body from its captivity at the Goshinbuku with a cry for help and a flick of her wrist, but she had freed his heart and soul with her smiles. Only anticipation and a measure of relief were in her eyes and he could sense no fear from her. Once again, as ever before, he was humbled by the amount of trust and confidence she held in him. He clung to the image of her face in his mind, her countenance was the light that guided him, the strength that spurred him on.

Kagura.

Kanna.

Hakudoushi.

Kohaku.

Naraku.

In the center of this theater of war was their nemesis. It seemed like overkill to bring so many to engage so few, but the Inu-tachi were well aware of Naraku's maliciousness and his prowess at calling forth demon servants and incarnations on a whim. At the moment, only the five foes were on the battlefield, but surely many more were primed to rise against them. Inuyasha and the others said a silent prayer that their legion would be enough. The long days spent traveling, searching, laughing, crying, arguing, and fighting had culminated in this moment.

Inuyasha�s steps slowed, and with a raised hand, all movement behind him ceased.

Silence hung like a palpable thing, the tension thick and heavy as both sides stood unmoving, the hanyous holding fast to the other�s gaze. A clap of thunder pealed like a starting gun�s blast and the heavens opened in a torrential downpour.

With a mighty roar, Inuyasha�s feet began to move, closing the distance as those behind him took up the battle cry and followed suit. The demons in Hell trembled and the enlightened souls in Nirvana peered from the Heavens as the sound of thousands of voices, armor, and feet elevated to a deafening cacophony, the sound of the just and the righteous reverberating across the land.

Almost instantly, the skies darkened further as the premonitioned servants of Naraku descended first upon the human contingent.

Shiori and her bats were immediately at their defense against the worms, dragons, and snakes, though her barriers were weaker without the red orb that multiplied her powers. The aid, though, was sufficient to give the combatants on the ground time to take up arms. Grappling to gain their footing in the sodden turf, the humans launched arrows and brandished swords at the lesser demons, some falling to claws and teeth, others dispatching their foes and continuing as new a demon took its place. Many of the humans fought back to back, the stance providing more cover from attack, samurai beside serf, lord next to farmer, as their class distinction melted with the falling rain.

At the fore of the battlefield, claws met claws and teeth met flesh as the demons on the side of the Inu-tachi moved against the larger of the malevolent barrage.

Ryoukan and the white ookami of Ayame�s tribe felled first a bear youkaim then a large viper. Some of the wolves succumbed to poisonous bites as the creature�s tail slashed at them. The cat clan came to their aid, Shuuran stunning the demon with his lightening attack, creating an opportunity for his sister Karran to incinerate the asp with a deft swipe of her claws.

A scorpion oni, looming nearly three stories high, lumbered into the quagmire against Suzuki and two of the Thunder clan. As the smaller demon managed to flip the arthropod to its back while distancing herself from the lethal point at its tail, Botan and Momigi released purifying arrows, piercing the armor that was thwarting the other�s attempts to land a killing blow. With the oni trapped in a vulnerable position, Bunza leapt to the scorpion�s belly, thrusting his blade into the unprotected flesh and adding its blood to the wetness that rained down upon them.

There seemed to be no respite. As soon as one demon would be killed, two more would take its place. Soon, many of the demons in alliance with the Inu-tachi adopted the technique of the ningen, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the monks and mikos. The spiritualists unleashed ofuda and arrows to hinder the advance of the encroaching evil mass while giving their demon compatriots the much needed advantage to slaughter their enemy.

Those on the frontline were oblivious to the turmoil behind them as they neared the inner circle of Naraku. Each member moved into play, forming an offensive that would have made any professional football team jealous, as they split and took position to distract and separate the incarnations of Naraku.

Kanna was the first and most easily removed threat. Kikyo�s soul gatherers circled the nothing child, wrapping themselves around her and pinning her arms at her side, rendering her mirror impotent. She held still against the glowing serpent demons, revealing no emotion as she awaited her fate. Kagura, they knew, held some small attachment to her sister, and the allies would not harm her so long as she was kept immobile and posed no threat. Since she was created without a soul, without the inner spark of emotion, Kanna, the void, did not feel resentful, angry, or have any fear of what was going to happen. She did not care, could not care, one way or another. While Naraku was distracted by Inuyasha, Kanna was lifted into the air by the shimandachi and carried away, to be held safe in a forest clearing away from the battle.

Shippo drew Kohaku�s attention with his kitsunebe, giving Miroku and Sango a chance to restrain the boy. Before she could allow herself to go after Naraku, Sango had to be assured that her brother was safe. Surprisingly, he put up little resistance, and when Sango noticed the light in his eyes that was usually repressed behind the blank stare of Naraku�s manipulation, she hesitantly relaxed her hold.

�Anue�� he whispered.

Sango�s eyes widened at the endearment. During their previous encounters, she had noticed that Kohoku had become increasingly reluctant to engage them in hand to hand combat. In his soft-spoken voice, she heard, once again, the brother she had known so well, the brother that she had feared lost. She realized, too, that it meant that Kohaku had regained some of his memories. It was undoubtedly difficult for him to bear, but she was buoyed by the fact that Naraku�s grasp on her brother had slipped. For now, she forgot about the shard in his back that was the link to his mortality.

In truth, Kohaku had regained his consciousness many months before, but he had hidden his awakening in the hopes of insinuating himself into a situation that would allow him to destroy the infant that hid Naraku�s heart. Killing the incarnation would have allowed him to deal the death blow to Naraku himself, helping to absolve some of the guilt he felt for his actions while under Naraku�s control. Now, he did not hide his awareness, as Naraku was too busy dealing with the inu-hanyou and the two mikos to notice his servants� actions. Or inactions, as it were.

Sango inclined her head, meaningfully eyeing the young taiyaji�s sickle and glancing at Miroku and Naraku. The houshi moved back, taking a defensive stance to protect the pair from the surrounding battle. Kohaku sloppily swung his chain, allowing Sango ample time to back spring out of the way, and as Miroku deflected a bloodthirsty centipede demon with the sharp edge of his staff, brother and sister began a dance.

To onlookers, it would have appeared that the two were locked in a heated altercation. To Sango and Kohaku, it was no more dangerous or strenuous than the sparring they had often engaged in for practice. They were killing time, reforming the bond between them, waiting for an opportunity to attack the half demon that had destroyed their family and their way of life.

Some distance away, a cloud of dust settled as the wind witch flicked her wrist towards the wolf prince. Her blades of wind glanced off of his shoulder, nicking his exposed upper arms and drawing a thin bead of blood for her efforts. Kouga was barely keeping rein on his volatile rage. He wanted to avenge his fallen comrades against the demoness for her attack on his kin, but he had been warned by Kagome that now was not the time. He wasn�t about to find out what it would feel like to have a hokodama rosary that matched the mutt�s. And, unlike a certain hanyou, he knew to fear the wrath of the girl if he disobeyed her request. Pivoting on his heel, Kouga felt the muscles in his legs bunch as he sprang into the air and swung his other leg around to connect with Kagura�s stomach. Holding back just before impact, his foot hit with only enough force to push her back a few feet. Kagura retaliated with another twitch of her fan, pulling her attack to fall at the ground just before the wolf landed from his kick. Barely stopping long enough to recoil, the demon launched into the air again, his fist rushing past her with enough force to dislodge one of her jade earrings. Kagura glanced back to her creator and saw him engaged with Inuyasha. Silently, she offered the inu luck. He was her last hope of ever being free. Returning her attention back to her fight with Kouga, she barely had time to dodge as a set of claws grazed her cheek. She glared at the wolf as a trickle of blood ran like a ruby tear towards her chin.

With an arrogant chuckle, he returned to a defensive stance, glancing at the already healing abrasion on his arm, �Now we�re even.�

Kagura smirked in compliment to his restraint and launched another volley of wind in his direction, throwing him off course in midair as he lunged at her again.

Sesshomaru�s foe was not like the others and he held nothing back as he parried first left, then right, against the arrogant Hakudoushi. Had he been anyone else, Sesshomaru might have felt a small measure of respect for the youth whose skill so evenly matched his own. Their temperaments were similar, both were expressionless, fluidly graceful, and annoyingly self-confident, but the Lord of the Western Lands had one thing his opponent did not. Desire. While the incarnation strove to best his enemy for the thrill of the fight and his own sadistic pleasures, Sesshomaru�s motive was much, much simpler. He was out for revenge.

He had not joined this fight to ingratiate himself with the humans or to avenge his hanyou half-brother and the fool�s first love. No, his incentive was purely selfish. Naraku had manipulated him. Twice.

First, the evil hanyou had given him a human arm with which to wield Tetsuseiga so that he could take his half-brother's life. The arrangement would have been mutually beneficial if he had been successful in retrieving the Tetsuseiga, but Naraku had already intended to renege on his half of the bargain when the deal had been struck, having given Sesshomaru a shiko shard enhanced arm that slowly poisoned his body. The second time that Naraku tried to play him for a fool, the vile monster had attempted to barter with him again. When Sesshomaru refused, Naraku kidnapped Rin to use as a pawn against him. To add insult to injury, Naraku had tried to absorb the Inu youkai lord into his body.

No one manipulated Sesshomaru and lived.

Hovering just above the ground, Sesshomaru raised Toukijin and advanced on Hakudoushi. The imp mirrored his movements with his katana, blocking the evil fang as it pierced his barrier. Metal rang against metal as the swords clashed, sparks flying, as neither refused to be pushed back. The jyaki in their swords was evenly matched as both pushed forth with more vigor, neither gaining any ground against the other. With an electric flash of blue light, both were thrown yards apart as the energies of each sword repelled the other. This time, Hakudoushi initiated the offensive, lunging through the air to land a blow against the youkai�s left side and the arm that had remained hidden and unused beneath his kimono. The mud at Sesshomaru�s feet sizzled as the acid in his blood fell.

With a cocky grin, Hakodoushi pointed the tip of his sword at the new wound, �It seems you underestimated me.�

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, �You presume too much. It is merely a flesh wound.�

Hakudoushi sneered and looked at the site he had struck, noting the absent limb and unaware that Inuyasha had been responsible for taking the arm years prior, �Your arm�s off.�

Sesshomaru shrugged and was suddenly at the incarnation�s side, his sword now through the boy�s chest. When the demon spawn�s lips turned into a petulant pout, Sesshomaru withdrew his blade with a satisfied smirk.

Unfortunately, Hakudoushi had the regenerative powers of his creator and their fight was far from finished.

In the midst of this all, surrounded by the stench of spilt blood and sodden earth, Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Kagome squared off against Naraku.

The evil hanyou leered at the trio, his mouth turning up into a sadistic grin, �So, Inuyasha, you promise to protect your women and yet you bring them into the battle against me? You are a fool. Will you tremble behind their kimonos or are you ready to die?� Naraku clucked.

Inuyasha�s eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to the villain, �Bastard, you�re the one who sends others to do your dirty work. We will see who dies today.� He raised Tetsuseiga and prepared his attack, �And it won�t be me!�

He charged at Naraku, his sword glinting as he reared back and released the Kongosoha. Diamond shards from the attack succeeded in piercing Naraku�s barrier, dispelling it, and embedding themselves in Naraku�s torso, but the evil hanyou easily expelled the shrapnel and his wounds closed. A sharp tendril shot out from the villain�s body, tearing through Inuyasha�s shoulder. Vaguely, the inu-hanyou heard Kagome shout his name in worry, but he ignored her exclamation as he grunted and dashed his claws against the appendage. Ripping himself from the tendril, he dropped to the ground and rolled to the side as another spear of flesh narrowly missed his leg.

Inuyasha leapt from his crouch and began slashing at the dozens of new arms that snaked from Naraku�s body. In his peripheral vision, the inu-hanyou saw Kikyo and Kagome standing just out of range of the attacks, looking for a vulnerability in the evil hanyou�s defenses. Returning his concentration to the foe in front of him, Inuyasha continued to hack away at the limbs, disregarding the chunks of flesh that writhed around him as he separated the pieces from their owner. One offshoot wrapped around Inuyasha�s wrist as he raised his sword, redirecting the blow that was aimed at the evil hanyou�s neck, before flinging him through the air. Inuyasha landed with a sickening thud in the sticky mud, the fall wrenching the air from his lungs and causing a jolt of pain to course through him from the puncture in his shoulder. Panting, Inuyasha regained his footing and adjusted his hold on Tetsuseiga.

As wind converged around the blade, Inuyasha nodded once. At the cue, the mikos raised their bows, drawing the strings taut. Inuyasha lifted his father�s fang above his head, ignoring the throbbing protests of his wounded arm, and snarled as he brought the blade crashing towards the earth, �Bakuryuuha!�

The backlash wave erupted from the sword, hurdling towards Naraku. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut as she released her arrow, its tip glowing with purifying energy, willing the projectile to hit its mark. Kikyo released her arrow in sync with her reincarnation, her gaze steady as both arrows converged with a burst of light in the spiraling vortex that sped towards Naraku.

Just as Kagome opened her eyes to see the convergence of energies reach their target, Naraku sidestepped the attack, the force ripping six runners off of his body but not striking any vital areas. Even as they were torn from him, the limbs regenerated.

Naraku seethed, quickly countering the attack and targeting Kikyo. His bulbous body shot two tendrils in her direction, but Inuyasha threw himself in front of the attack with a shout. One sharp, spear-like extremity impaled his upper thigh as he shielded the priestess, the other knocking both to the ground.

�What�s the matter, Inuyasha? Are you afraid to lose your precious miko again? Don�t worry, she has no flesh, she will not feel any pain. This time.�

�I won�t let you hurt her!� Inuyasha clenched his teeth against his own injuries, shook his head to refocus his blurred vision, and scrambled to his feet again, his amber eyes flashing crimson once before returning to their normal amber. He growled in frustration at Naraku as he lunged into the squirming mass of limbs again.

Naraku snaked a tendril along the ground, unnoticed, as he fought against Inuyasha. Kagome watched the fight, her heart in her throat, as the half dog demon barely avoided a glancing blow to his jugular. So absorbed was she, that she did not notice the offshoot until it was upon her, grasping her throat and pulling her into the center of the foray. As spots began to form in her eyes from lack of oxygen, she heard her name torn from Inuyasha�s lips. Closer, ever closer, until she was all but suffocated by the miasma that surrounded the evil hanyou, she was carried nearer to Naraku. Finally, he drew her against his chest, a human shield.

She heard her captor�s voice through a fog as he taunted Inuyasha, �You cannot save yourself. Could you have honestly believed that you could protect those around you?�

�Let her go, you fucking coward! Your fight is with me!� Inuyasha was in a rage at the pallor on Kagome�s face and the sluggish heartbeat that reached his ears, his body trembling from exertion as Tetsuseiga struggled to hold his demon blood at bay. Kagome watched, helpless, as another of Naraku�s tendrils shot towards Inuyasha, intent on decapitating him while the inu-hanyou was distracted by the sight of her in the clutches of his enemy.

The balance of power shifted in the space of two heartbeats.

Kagome drew on her last reserves of energy as she struggled against the hold on her neck, one hand clawing at the limb, the other pushing against Naraku�s chest. The vine loosened slightly, freeing Kagome enough to gasp for air. Screaming the subjugation spell, Inuyasha was sent plummeting to the ground as the lethal blow narrowly missed its mark, hitting only the empty space where his head had been just seconds before. The hold on Kagome�s neck tightened again and she pushed against Naraku�s torso. Her hands were glowing slightly as the flesh beneath her touch gave, her fingers stopping on an unyielding warmth. As quickly as it had all begun, it was over.

A blinding flash of pink light rippled through the battlefield, throwing everyone back.

As the radiance ebbed, a morbid stillness fell, only the soft patter of water hitting the earth breaking the utter silence. The rain slowed, then ceased, the clouds breaking to allow shafts of sunlight to illuminate the scarred countryside. A soft moan broke the emptiness, rousing Inuyasha from where he lay prone. He rose and frantically scanned the area for Naraku and Kagome.

The evil hanyou was nowhere to be seen and his legions of demons had vanished, but he found the girl holding her head and sitting next to the burned and disfigured body of a man. A gaping hole was in the man�s chest and she knelt over him, pressing a cool hand to his cheek. The man looked at her, his face frozen in a pained grimace, and a single tear rolled from his eyes, �Miko�forgive me.� She smiled slightly and nodded.

Inuyasha pulled Kagome into his arms as the man took one last shuddering breath and closed his eyes.

Kagome slumped against Inuyasha as he drew her into his lap and cradled her, rocking comfortingly, �Kagome? Kagome�are you okay? What happened?� She was silent, clinging tightly to his haori.

Kikyo walked over to the pair and also knelt next to the man, her fingers gingerly tracing the wound in his chest, �Naraku is dead.�

Kagome remained silent, seemingly in shock, as a murmur swept through the warriors, the wind carrying the undead priestess� words to the others.

Inuyasha raised his head from Kagome�s neck and turned his disbelieving eyes to Kikyo, �What do you mean? How do you know?�

Kikyo motioned to the man�s body, �This was Onigumo. It seems that Kagome purified the demons from Naraku, leaving only his humanity behind. How she did this I can only guess. This hole is where his heart was, before he removed it from his body and had it hidden in another incarnation. Without his heart, the human that was left after the purification could not survive.�

Inuyasha looked across the clearing and watched as the warriors who had allied themselves with the Inu-tachi collected themselves, dazed and weary, �Kikyo� what about the other incarnations? Hakudoushi? Kagura? Kanna?�

�It seems that the demons and incarnations of Naraku vanished when he was purified. They were made of his body, and though they were independent of him, the purification extended to them, as well. I have never been witness to such power.� An unfamiliar look of respect touched the priestess� eyes for a moment. �As for Kagura and Kanna, they were created by Naraku but not from him. They are alive to be dealt with as you see fit.�

Kagome raised her head and whispered.

Her voice was strained, too soft to be heard, and she tried again, her eyes pleading, �Let them go. They are free now.�

Kikyo looked seriously at the girl, �Are you certain? They are demons and have committed grievous acts for which they should be destroyed.�

Inuyasha nodded, answering for Kagome and holding the gaze of the priestess of clay, �Everyone deserves a second chance.�

Kikyo stood and straightened her hakama, �I will do as you ask.�

Inuyasha picked up Kagome and slowly carried her to a place in the clearing that was less desecrated. She clung desperately to him again, but he gently loosened her grip from his shirt and positioned her in his lap to check her for injury. She stared blankly at the nearly complete Shikon jewel in her right hand, but flinched when Inuyasha�s hand caressed a tender place on her neck. Drawing her hair away from her nape, he growled lowly at the ugly purple bruises that were forming where Naraku had gripped her.

�Kagome?�

Her eyes cleared and she looked up at him with eyes filled with worry, �Are you okay, Inuyasha?�

He sighed and sniffed tentatively, looking for any other wounds, �Hai. I�m half demon, remember? I�ll heal. Stupid girl, I�m more worried about you.�

She nodded and relaxed against him, her eyes closing in post-adrenaline high exhaustion.

A low growl from Inuyasha, and the feel of a shadow falling over her, caused Kagome to crack an eye. Kouga stood a few feet from them, blood caked on his arms. Seemingly fresh wounds on his legs oozed but were already healing. Kneeling to eye level, the wolf prince bowed his head, his actions mirrored by Ginta and Hokoku and the gray wolves behind him. Holding his hand out, palm up, he offered two Shikon shards to the little miko.

Kouga raised his head, looking at the confused expression in her face. He glanced at the bearer of the low growl that continued to reverberate through her body, then looked intently at her with a searching expression, the pair holding a silent conversation with their eyes. His shoulders drooped and his eyes fell, but taking a deep breath, he grinned again as Ayame stepped forward. Nodding once to Kagome, Ayame placed her hand on Kouga�s shoulder. He rose to follow after the red haired wolf princess, throwing one last smirk, he called back to Kagome, �You know where to find our pack if you ever need anything, sister.� Kagome smiled sweetly in answer and nodded once.

The rumble against her back ceased as soon as the wolves disappeared into the tree line, and Kagome fingered the shards, watching them glow a brilliant rose hue, before dropping them into the bottle of shards around her neck, to be added to the rest of the jewel later.

�What the hell was that?� Came a disgruntled inquiry.

Kagome shrugged, �It seems Kouga-kun understands things more than some people give him credit for.�

At her enigmatic response, the rumble resumed, �What�s that supposed to mean, wench?�

Before she could answer, a feather began descending from the sky, revealing Kagura and Kanna. Kagura held the younger girl�s hand and the two stepped from their craft to the ground in front of Inuyasha and Kagome. Both bowed low as Kagura handed a sliver of silvered glass and a delicately folded scrap of brightly colored paper to Kagome. Kagome felt the chill of the jyaki from the piece of mirror and the fan and realized that these were the remnants of the demonesses� weapons. Both Kanna�s soul snatching mirror and Kagura�s fans were destroyed. These were a peace offering, proof that the two would no longer threaten Kagome or her friends now that they were free from Naraku�s control.

�Arigato.� Kagura whispered. She guided Kanna back to the feather that hovered behind them before rising above the trees and into the west.

Eventually, other people and demons began to approach the pair. All bowed to the miko and the hanyou, some offering a short thanks in reverence to the destruction of Naraku, others leaving as silently as they had come. Slowly, the battlefield began to empty as the warriors, both demon and human, began to disperse, collecting the fallen and returning to their homes. At the prick of tears in her eyes, Kagome felt Inuyasha stiffen behind her, but she could not stop the slow descent of the moisture that was in response to the veneration that was being shown to her. She had not intended to kill Naraku, she still had no idea how she had managed it, and she felt undeserving of so much admiration when she knew full well that every person there that day was just as much responsible for their victory as she.

A bright laugh drew Kagome�s attention, and she turned her eyes to the sound. Sango had swept Kohaku into an embrace and the siblings were now spinning giddily, with Shippo and Kirara hugging and watching amused close by. Miroku made his way to Inuyasha and Kagome, a wide smile on his face. Hunkering down next to the pair, he took Kagome�s hand in his, his palm no longer covered in cloth or beads and only a small round scar in the center where his kazaana had been, and dropped a shard into her hand.

Kagome took the gem fragment with a look of astonishment. She looked again at Sango and Kohoku. Turning back to the houshi, she tried to form a question, but he held up a hand to interrupt her and inclined his head to a figure near a copse of trees. Sesshomaru was standing silent, watching the siblings, with his hand on Rin�s shoulder.

�It seems Rin that was rather fond of Kohaku,� Miroku offered in explanation.

When Sesshomaru heard his ward�s name and turned his face towards them, Kagome mouthed a thank you to the demon lord. A small, almost imperceptible, smile on his lips, he inclined his head to her in acknowledgement before melting into the darkness of the forest, Rin and his retainer at his heels.

Miroku stood and squeezed Inuyasha�s uninjured shoulder, �Thank you, my friends.�

�Keh,� the hanyou blushed as the monk returned to his family.

The last five, the miko and hanyou�s travel companions and closest friends, soon disappeared from view as well, and the pair was left alone in the clearing. Kagome had still not spoken to Inuyasha of the day�s events, nor of the absence of Kikyo after the battle, but her heart felt full to bursting. The relief of the outcome of the battle washed through her, her happiness compounded by the good fortune and thoughts of a bright future for her friends. She would grieve tomorrow for those who had lost their lives in the fight; for now, she could only think of celebrating.

�Kagome, do you think you can stand?� Something in Inuyasha�s voice caused her to tremble, but she nodded as he took her from his lap and wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her to up. She had to lock her knees and lean against Inuyasha but she steadied herself.

And then, Kikyo appeared at the edge of the forest.

Kagome did not notice her at first, the shimandachi that usually heralded her approach were absent, but Kagome almost collapsed again when she saw her incarnation. The pair of strong arms around her waist was the only thing that kept her upright. Kikyo seemed to glide, her feet barely touching the ground, as she made her way over to Inuyasha and Kagome.

She stopped in front of the pair and held her hand out to Inuyasha, �Inuyasha, it is time.�

Reluctantly, he released his hold on Kagome and accepted Kikyo�s hand, moving to stand between the two women. Kagome felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest, her previous feelings of well being nothing more than a memory. With a sob and fresh tears in her eyes, she grabbed Inuyasha�s sleeve, drawing his attention back from Kikyo to her, �Inuyasha, please, don�t go!�

He looked at her, his eyes bright with myriad emotions, �Kagome,� he asked in a whisper, �Do you trust me?�

Kagome�s eyes pled with his, wanting him to live, wanting him to love. After hearing his heartfelt confession the night before, when he had obviously thought she was asleep, she had been holding tightly to a certainty that he would not chose to go to Hell with past love.

He cupped her face with his free hand and brushed his thumb over the apple of her cheek, �Kagome, Kikyo needs to be at peace. She is surviving with only part of a soul from you and the energy from the souls of dead women. Our vengeance against Naraku has been fulfilled� I have to help her.� Inuyasha stepped to the side and released Kikyo�s hand. He asked again, �Do you trust me?�

Kagome looked at him uncertainly as he stepped away from both women. Finally, she nodded and answered with conviction, �With my life.�

Inuyasha�s eyes softened and he smiled at her, nodding to Kikyo. The undead priestess closed the distance between herself and Kagome, and before Kagome could react, Kikyo wrapped her arms around her in an embrace.

And then Kagome�s world went black.
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A/N: Holy Cow! Over 7,000 words! Hope it was okay, I�ve never written any kind of fight scene before. As proof of my insecurity with the topic, note that in the previous chapters, where opportunity arose for some kind of altercation, something ended it before it escalated to that. No long note today. I felt that this chapter needed no preamble. I will give more thanks to reviewers in the next chapters, but all appreciation for this one needs to go to Sherezade. Big, huge, mega props. All previous chapters were posted with only my own editing, but Sherezade beta�d more than half of this for me and I am very thankful for the suggestions and corrections given. And I highly recommend Scherezade�s �We Belong.� Again, thank you to all for the reviews and I hope this meets your expectations!
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Sloppy Seconds