InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blackout ❯ Turning the Tables ( Chapter 31 )

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.


Turning the Tables


“Um, Kagura-sama? Where are we going?”

The wind sorceress rolled her eyes. It was the third time Rin had asked that question. She had ignored the first two, but the girl was annoyingly persistent. I almost would have preferred it if she was all panicked and scared. But Rin had shown no real fear, from the moment Kagura had plucked her from the river. She was nervous, yes, but apparently not that her abductor would hurt her. She was likely more concerned with what might happen to her when they arrived at their destination, or who would be waiting for them. As well she should be. Naraku’s orders had been clear and concise. “Kidnap Rin and bring her here.” ‘Here’ being the small mountain dwelling where he’d taken up residence.

Kagura was almost positive that she knew exactly what awaited them when they arrived. Naraku had known that Sesshoumaru would pursue her if she took Rin, and would not slow his pace so Inuyasha’s group could keep up. The daiyoukai was far too arrogant for that, and to this point her master had predicted his adversary’s moves perfectly. Sesshoumaru was indeed following her, a tiny speck on the horizon discernable only to youkai eyes, and even then only if she squinted. He was likely gaining on her gradually, and would probably catch her by the end of the day, if she had to hazard a guess. Not that the pursuit would last that long. She had almost reached Naraku’s lair already, and there would end the chase, as well as Sesshoumaru’s life. For Naraku and an army of youkai would be waiting. Even if the multitude of lesser youkai weren’t enough to overwhelm the daiyoukai, Naraku’s barrier, miasma, and invulnerability would finish the job. No one could kill him without destroying Hakago first, not even Sesshoumaru. It was a testament to Naraku’s cowardice that he had taken so long to exploit his invincibility in a one-on-one battle.

Even knowing this, Kagura saw no alternative to obeying her master’s orders. If she changed course or gave Rin back to Sesshoumaru, then Naraku would execute her. It would be a pointless sacrifice. If Naraku wanted to engage Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha’s group separately, he would find a way to split them apart. Her betrayal would only delay the inevitable. Guilt weighed heavily upon her shoulders, but all was not lost. Even if Sesshoumaru died here today, as long as Inuyasha’s group survived, and possessed the final shard of the Shikon no Tama, then there was still hope. Hope for Naraku’s death, and for freedom.

“Shut up, kid,” she snapped gruffly, taking her frustration out on her captive. “We’re almost there.”

Kagura sighed. I’m sorry, Rin. Naraku had instructed her to bring the girl to his lair, but hadn’t told her what to do with her afterwards. If possible, she would take her to a human settlement and let her live a normal life. She would even plead with her master to allow this if necessary. Rin was just a young girl, completely innocent in all of this, not that such a thing would matter to Naraku. The only way Kagura could see Rin coming out of this alive was if Naraku was so jubilant about his victory over Sesshoumaru that he decided to be merciful for a change, or if he forgot about her. The latter was more likely, especially if she could spirit Rin away during the battle. As hopeless as it seemed, Kagura vowed to do what she could for Rin. At least that would ease her conscience somewhat.

At last the wooden building nestled in the mountains came into view. From a distance, there appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary, but Kagura was sure that would cease to be the case as she moved closer. To her surprise, no foreign presence made itself known, even as she dismounted her feather and landed on the building’s exterior platform. She looked around, perplexed, but the place seemed completely abandoned. What the hell is going on here? Finally the main door opened, but instead of Naraku, it was Kanna who stepped over the threshold and into the open air. Kagura peered into the room behind her older sister, but found it empty.

“Kanna, what’s going on? Where’s Naraku?”

“Take Rin inside and keep her there,” Kanna responded in her usual monotone, ignoring the question.

“What? Why?”

“Those are Naraku’s orders.”

Kagura frowned, narrowing her eyes in consternation. This was all wrong. Why would Naraku lure Sesshoumaru here, only to confront him with Kanna, who at best could perhaps delay the daiyoukai for a short while? It didn’t make any sense. Or rather, it didn’t make any sense under the assumption that Naraku’s target was in fact Sesshoumaru. An assumption Kagura was now regretting. Shit! Naraku never wanted to fight Sesshoumaru first. He was going after Inuyasha’s group all along!

“Kanna, where’s Naraku?”

“Naraku ordered me not to tell you.”

“Well, then where’s Hakago?”

“Naraku ordered me n–”

“DAMMIT!!!”

Kagura clenched her fists in frustration. Naraku had planned this perfectly; he had fooled everyone involved and covered every conceivable eventuality. Right now he was surely making preparations to destroy Inuyasha’s group once and for all, if he hadn’t done so already. And anyone who might be interested in betraying him had been suitably checked. She had been sent on a fool’s errand, and who knew where Hakago was? Probably hidden away in a secure place which only Naraku knew the location of. Well, not only Naraku… Even in this miserable situation, there was a faint light of hope, namely the eerily pale girl standing before her. Kanna had always held Naraku’s trust, and even if he hadn’t told her of his plans, she could see things with her mirror that no one else could. The trouble was that Kanna had never shown any inclination to betray their mutual master. She might not even be capable of feeling any sort of yearning for freedom, or understanding the meaning of the word. Still, it was the only way Kagura could see of upsetting Naraku’s carefully-constructed plans. As unlikely as it was to meet with success, she had to try. If she failed, Inuyasha’s group would perish, and she herself soon after.

“Kanna,” she said gently, kneeling down and placing her hands on the girl’s shoulders as she gazed into those black, vacant eyes. “I need you to tell me where Naraku and Hakago are.”

“Naraku ordered m–”

“I know Naraku ordered you not to,” Kagura interrupted, trying very hard to reign in her impatience. She attempted to craft her words calmly and soothingly, as she imagined a parent might speak to a young child. “But I need you to tell me anyway.”

“Naraku ord–”

“DAMMIT!!!” And with that, playing nice officially went out the window.

“Kanna, do you know what’s gonna happen to me–to us–if Naraku wins? He’s gonna fucking kill us! We’ll be lucky if it’s quick and painless, but I’m not optimistic. He’s always said that you don’t feel pain, or fear, or anything, but I don’t believe it. How can a person exist and not be able to feel?”

Here Kagura paused to see if her speech had garnered any sort of response from Kanna, but no such luck. Either the girl really didn’t feel any emotions, or she was an expert at hiding them. Staring into those lifeless eyes, Kagura’s heart sank. That’s it, then. I’m…I’m going to die today. It was not as though she had never contemplated the idea of death; she’d lived under its constant threat ever since her creation. But never before had she been forced to regard its imminent arrival as a certainty. Even against the Yomotsu-shikome, there had always been a slim hope of escape. Here, there was none. Unless Hakago was found, Naraku could not be killed. And if Naraku survived, then she would not. It was that simple.

All of the strength in Kagura’s legs suddenly deserted her, and she sank to the ground, lungs heaving for air. It was an odd experience, to hyperventilate like this. She’d always been strong, hadn’t she? She’d lived her life with courage and determination, never letting the threat hanging over her head turn her into a sniveling weakling. But here, at the end, her resolve was wavering, and she found that there was nothing she wouldn’t do to preserve her continued existence. She’d cry, she’d beg, she’d probably even fuck him if he promised to spare her life. She wasn’t ready to find out if an afterlife awaited her, the unholy spawn of some deranged monster. She wasn’t ready for nothingness.

“I don’t,” she whispered as moisture pooled in her eyes. “I don’t…want to die. I don’t want to die!”

Then the dam broke, and tears began flowing freely down her cheeks. She didn’t start balling uncontrollably; she simply cried quietly to herself, as emotions long held back finally burst forth. She was tired, so very tired–of being strong, of waging her futile war for freedom. She was tired of living as Naraku’s slave, tired of striving so hard to become something more. Most of all, she was tired of disappointment. If there was one good thing about death, it was that she could finally stop fighting. Though it frightened her, in nothingness she would at least find peace.

After several minutes, Kagura’s tears wound down to sniffles, and she took a deep, shuddering breath. She crawled over to the wall of the building and leaned against it, closing her eyes as her body entered a state of exhausted relaxation. It was not contentment, but she did experience a measure of acceptance. Soon Sesshoumaru would come to rescue his lost ward. Perhaps he would do her a favor and kill her before Naraku got the chance. More likely, he’d glare at her for a moment in that silently fierce way of his, then leave without looking back. She doubted that he’d show her any sympathy, not that he had really ever shown her any emotion at all. Perhaps it was better that way. Still, she was glad that she would get to see him one more time, before the end. The thought was enough to twist her lips upward in the faintest ghost of a smile.

She heard soft footsteps coming closer, but she couldn’t sense Sesshoumaru’s aura so she knew it wasn’t him. She opened her eyes expecting to see Rin, but instead it was Kanna standing before her, gazing down at her with her usual expressionless visage. But Kagura’s heart skipped a beat as she noticed her sister’s eyes, which seemed to be looking directly into her soul, perhaps truly seeing her for the first time.

“You wish to live…so dearly?” the girl said at last. Kagura bolted upright as hope welled within her once more, and she reached out to grasp Kanna’s hands tightly. Her skin was cold to the touch as always, but somehow she seemed less lifeless than before.

“Yes, I do,” she answered, gazing deeply into her sister’s hauntingly dark eyes. For several moments Kanna only continued to stare, and finally the oppressive silence became too much for Kagura to bear.

“Dammit, Kanna,” she swore, her voice soft and pleading this time instead of angry. “Yes, I want to live. I’ve been alive this whole time, but I’ve never really lived. Everything I’ve done has been about Naraku–either following his orders or trying to find a way to be free of him. I want to live for myself, for me. I want to do things just because I felt like it. I want to know how it feels to travel wherever the wind takes me, or do something insanely spontaneous. I’ve never swam in the ocean or lied with a man or even laughed, Kanna. There are so many experiences out there, waiting for me. I just want the chance to live some of them. Will you help me?”

Kanna regarded her silently, but this time Kagura resolved to wait patiently for her answer. Time stretched on with agonizing slowness, but in reality it was probably only a few seconds before Kanna spoke.

“Naraku ordered me not to tell you where he or Hakago are,” she declared at last, and Kagura’s heart sank. She dropped her sister’s hands and slumped against the wood at her back, fervently wishing that Kanna had just left her alone to die in peace. Yet more false hope, yet more disappointment.

“But,” the girl stated in a voice barely above a whisper, perking her sister’s interest. “Perhaps…I could show you. Take my hand.” She held out her tiny appendage, and as Kagura met her gaze she swore she saw a fleeting flicker of emotion light up her sister’s black depths. Then it was gone and the darkness returned, though something remained behind. Kanna was no longer empty.

Kagura took her hand. She gasped, resisting the urge to cry out as Kanna’s power lifted her high into the air, soaring off into the sky. Past great mountains they flew, over lush plains and rushing rivers, many times faster than she had ever flown before. Onward they raced, until at last they stopped to hover over a seemingly random location in the middle of an ancient forest. Looking down, Kagura spied a break in the trees where a stream flowed over a small waterfall into a pond. Kanna took her lower, so she could see under the trees hanging over the water. No one was visible, but Kagura instinctively knew who she would find if she were to actually travel there. As soon as her mind reached that conclusion, they were off, once again launched into the beautiful blue sky. This time Kanna took them to a ruined castle, an old graveyard for hundreds of human corpses. Again, Kagura realized what her sister was trying to tell her. Then her world went dark, and it took her a few moments to realize that she was gazing at the inside of her eyelids. When she blinked them open, she was back at Naraku’s lair, the quaint cottage nestled in the mountains.

“Wow,” she muttered, awed by Kanna’s power, and even more so by the fact that her sister had decided to share such crucial information with her. The ‘tell me-show me’ distinction that Kanna had drawn was an extremely weak justification for disobeying Naraku’s order. She knew damn well that her actions constituted a definite betrayal of her master, but she had done it anyway. Because I asked her to…because she cares about me more than she cares about him. It was a humbling revelation, and Kagura vowed to take the time to properly express her gratitude at the earliest opportunity. But for now, she had some unfinished business to take care of. She grabbed Kanna and a startled Rin and took to the air once more, pushing the limits of her feather’s capabilities along their previous line of flight. Only then did she glance over her shoulder to check on the proximity of their pursuer.

“Shit,” she cursed, upon finding that Sesshoumaru was far closer than she would have liked. He must now be visible even to Rin’s human eyes, though she probably wouldn’t be able to identify him as anything more than a speck against the sky. That would soon change. Not if I can help it, Kagura vowed. Rin had to stay with her. Sesshoumaru had a crucial task to complete, and she couldn’t afford for him to be saddled with a helpless human girl. The trick was going to be convincing the daiyoukai that his ward was safe in her care.

“Is that–Sesshoumaru-sama?” Rin called, shielding her eyes from the sun’s rays. “Sesshoumaru-sama? Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshou–mmpphhh!”

“Quiet, Rin!” Kagura snapped as she clamped her hand over the girl’s mouth, just firmly enough to stifle her cries. Sesshoumaru probably couldn’t hear her at this distance, but fairly soon he would be able to. And that was something Kagura had to prevent, if she had any hope of reasoning with the daiyoukai.

“Sesshoumaru has an important job to do!” she told Rin. When the girl only continued to struggle, Kagura pinned her arms to her sides and pulled her back against her chest. Her free hand remained clamped over Rin’s mouth, swung to and fro by her constant squirming and moistened by her tears. Shit, if Sesshoumaru finds out about this he’ll kill me for sure. Rin had been calm before, but now that she could see something which might be her guardian coming to rescue her, she seemed determined to reach out to him. And the fact that she was being restrained from doing so had her on the verge of panic. Kagura scrambled for anything which might pacify the girl without hurting her.

“Do you want Inuyasha to die?!” she finally demanded, a question which had the desired effect–Rin froze and panned her eyes up to meet her captor’s gaze. Inuyasha was but a casual acquaintance to the girl, but her heart was apparently big enough to wish for his well-being.

“Inuyasha and his friends will die unless Sesshoumaru helps them,” Kagura promised gravely, which was not a lie, though it wasn’t the whole truth either. “Do you want that?” Rin’s shoulders slumped in dejection, but she shook her head. “If I take my hand away from your mouth, are you gonna scream?” Rin shook her head again, more firmly this time. Kagura pulled her hand away, though she did continue to hold the girl securely in her lap. True to her word, Rin made no effort to scream, which was not to say that she remained silent.

“Wh-why c-c-can’t I go w-with him?”

Kagura grimaced, knowing that another lie was in order. She couldn’t very well tell Rin that she would slow Sesshoumaru down because she was a weak human. Not without being unnecessarily cruel, that is.

“Where Sesshoumaru is going is very dangerous,” she replied gently. “He wouldn’t be able to take you with him.”

Rin pouted, her bottom lip trembling, but she didn’t protest that explanation. Still, the pitiful display made Kagura feel rather terrible, so she tried to offer what reassurances she could.

“Don’t cry, Rin. You’re important to Sesshoumaru, so…you’re important to me, too. I’ll protect you with my life, okay?”

Rin stared up at her in shock for a moment, but when she nodded, much of the despair had vanished from her gaze. Kagura favored her with a grin which the girl did not return, but her eyes did brighten considerably. Finally the wind sorceress released her hold, depositing Rin behind her on the feather once more. She was surprised to feel the light tug of a small hand holding the sleeve of her kimono, but she didn’t mind. She saw no reason to deny Rin that small comfort.

With that matter taken care of, Kagura turned to the crucial task at hand. She inhaled a deep breath, then released it slowly, allowing the action to ease the tension in her body. She repeated this cycle several more times, focusing her mind toward the task she must complete. She had never used her power in this way before, but she believed that she would succeed. She had to; there was no room for failure. I am the wind…the wind is mine to command…I am the wind… Finally, she judged that she was ready, and held out her hand behind her.

“Kanna,” she whispered. “Once more, please show me the way.”

There was a momentary hesitation, but then Kanna took her hand. United at last, the two sisters joined their power, becoming something more than Naraku’s servants. And in doing so, each experienced true freedom for the first time.

* * *

Sesshoumaru glanced down briefly as he passed over the small wooden building, then focused on his target once more. This is where they stopped for a significant period of time earlier. He didn’t know why Kagura had chosen to land here, but it mattered not. It was the least of the many questions the wind sorceress would answer for, an encounter which would take place much sooner than expected thanks to her inexplicable pause. He felt his blood boil at Kagura’s betrayal. Whether the wind sorceress’ actions could be accurately termed a ‘betrayal’ was a moot point, as far as Sesshoumaru was concerned. I should have killed the wench long ago. She claims to desire freedom from Naraku, yet she still follows his orders. An uncomfortable feeling settled in his gut at the thought of slaying Kagura, but he ignored it. The wench had better have a most persuasive explanation for her behavior. Otherwise, he would reduce her to dust to blow away in her precious wind. No one took that which was under his protection.

A strong gust of wind buffeted him, but he plowed through it without slowing his pace. He was sure he had imagined the almost familiar quality of the air, and the way the wind seemed to be reaching out to him, as if in greeting. A second gust, gentler this time, showed the error of that assumption.

“Sesshoumaru…”

“Kagura,” he said aloud, before he could stop himself. The wind blew again, and he heard her chuckle.

“So, you remember my name.”

Sesshoumaru ignored the happiness in her voice, and the almost sensual caress of the wind against his face. It was as though she was taking a measure of him for the last time, her power over the air replacing her visual senses. It felt like a farewell.

“Cease your flight and surrender Rin to me. Now,” he ordered, a hard edge to his tone.

Kagura sighed. “You must listen to me, Sesshoumaru. If I do as you ask, you and Rin will die by Naraku’s hands.”

“Preposterous.” The very notion that he, the mighty Sesshoumaru, would perish at the hands of a lowly hanyou was the height of absurdity.

“You are blinded by your pride,” she told him, which stunned him for a moment, since no one ever dared to speak to him in such a manner. Perhaps sensing an opportunity, Kagura pressed her case.

“You believe yourself capable of slaying Naraku, but you are not. As long as his detached heart remains safe, Naraku is invincible.”

Sesshoumaru frowned. Detached heart? He thought back to a recent conversation with Inuyasha. The hanyou had mentioned something about Naraku’s heart being outside of his physical body, but had seemed reluctant to share any further information. As if there was something he didn’t want his elder half-brother to know. Sesshoumaru had let the matter go, believing any such knowledge to be trivial. Naraku existed, therefore he could be killed. Or so he had thought at the time. Now, he wasn’t so sure.

“Why are you telling me this, wind sorceress?” In response, Sesshoumaru felt a new power brushing against his consciousness, one which his mental defenses rejected with ease.

“Sesshoumaru, you must trust me. Let me show you…”

“Show me what?” he demanded, but there was no answer. Again the new power prodded his mind, seeking permission to enter. Sesshoumaru held it at bay, debating what course to take. Finally, curiosity won out over caution. He sensed that the strange power was too weak to seriously damage his mind, and that its intent was benevolent at any rate. He relaxed his defenses, and allowed the foreign presence to take him on a spectacular journey, soaring through the air at a speed not even he could come close to matching. They stopped at only two locations, and when the exhibition was over, the power receded, leaving only confusion behind, along with a memory of the journey burned into his subconscious.

“Go to the lake, Sesshoumaru,” Kagura urged. “There you will find the key to defeating Naraku.”

The wind which had been swirling around him suddenly subsided, and Sesshoumaru sensed that its wielder had said her peace. The decision was in his hands now, and the daiyoukai found himself oddly torn. His strong desire to protect Rin warred with the rational part of his mind, which was at least partially convinced that there was something to Kagura’s request, something of great importance. Ultimately, it came down to this: did he trust Kagura? Did he trust her judgment, that her advice was sound? Beyond that, did he trust her intentions, that she wasn’t leading him into a trap, or keeping him separated from Rin so Naraku could continue to use her as a hostage? If she was being truthful, then perhaps she had an honorable reason for keeping Rin from him. But that was the whole question, and it was a difficult one.

Sesshoumaru’s pace gradually slowed, until at last he drew to a halt and hovered several dozen meters in the air. The answer at which he had finally arrived shocked him to the core. He trusted Kagura, completely and on all counts. He knew not why this intuition was so strong, but it came from deep within him, from his sense of instinct. It had never led him astray before, and he was not about to start doubting it now. In the blink of an eye he was gone, soaring into the unknown, toward the small lake in the ancient forest, which evidently held the key to slaying his most hated enemy.

“You will take care of her, Kagura,” he said aloud, unsure if she heard him. “You will protect her with your life.”

Somehow, he trusted that she would.

* * *

Sesshoumaru stood still, stonily regarding the figure before him. She rose to her feet and met his gaze unflinchingly, simultaneously surprised and pleased to see him. He recalled that she had never been afraid of him; she had even stood up to him on several occasions. The fact that he could end her life with nothing more than the flick of his wrist had never seemed to matter to her when Inuyasha’s life was in jeopardy. This, however, was not the foolishly headstrong human woman who challenged him where sensible people would flee in fear. Her eyes and facial expression gave it away, but he could also detect a faint aura of foreign youki about her. This woman–Kagome, if he remembered correctly–was no longer in control of her own body. Most interesting, indeed. So this is what Inuyasha did not wish for me to discover…

“You are the spawn of Naraku,” he declared, his eyes widening slightly as a new thought occurred to him. “You are Naraku’s detached heart.”

Kagome chuckled, speaking with a tone which confirmed her happiness at his arrival. “You are quite observant, Sesshoumaru. I assume your presence here is Kagura’s doing?”

The daiyoukai’s eyes narrowed; he misliked the smug confidence of this wom–incarnation. He would not think of her as Inuyasha’s wench. The mind and soul belonged to Naraku; the body was just an empty shell. Though perhaps ‘empty’ was not the correct term, given her delicate condition. Never had his opinion of his half-brother sunk so low as it did now, for only a complete and utter fool would allow the woman carrying his child to be kidnapped by a rival. Inuyasha had, however, been wise to attempt to keep her abduction a secret from him. Sesshoumaru’s hand settled on Tokijin’s hilt, and he drew the sword with deliberate menace. His opponent’s smile only widened.

“It is certainly in your best interests to slay me, Sesshoumaru. But would you really kill your own brother’s beloved woman, and your unborn nephew?”

“That abomination is no blood of mine,” the daiyoukai snapped fiercely. “And if you are counting on a human wench and a mongrel brat to still this Sesshoumaru’s sword, you will be sorely disappointed.”

“Kukuku, I am not disappointed at all. I can only marvel at your mindset. A daiyoukai through and through. But unfortunately for you, I have no intention of allowing you to kill me.”

For just a moment, the barrier surrounding the creature which was Naraku’s heart became visible. But it was enough to give Sesshoumaru pause. He was normally skilled at analyzing the likely outcome of a battle before it was joined, and his intuition was telling him that neither his power nor Tokijin’s would be enough to break that barrier. He was debating whether to make an attempt anyway when the woman spoke once more.

“I see that you’ve realized the hopelessness of defeating me. That is good. Perhaps now we can accomplish something. I’m sure you’ve wondered why Kagura sent you here?” Sesshoumaru made no reply, but his stern silence was an answer in and of itself. “I know not how Kagura learned of my location, but I am very glad that she did. Before you arrived, I had started to think that I was doomed. Naraku left me here, with nothing to do except wait for him to return. I could sense the twilight of my existence fast approaching. Then you appeared, and gave me hope. Hope that I will not be reabsorbed into that bastard’s body. Hope that you will help me kill him before he kills both of us.”

“Hmph, so you desire Naraku’s death as well?”

“Can you blame me, knowing what he is? He has had but one truly loyal incarnation, and my guess is that she played a crucial role in guiding you here. So, what will it be, Sesshoumaru? Will you fly off to fight a brave but futile battle against Naraku by yourself, or will you listen to my alternate proposal?”

“Speak,” the daiyoukai ordered. He would listen, but his patience was wearing thin.

“Fair enough. It is true that I am the physical embodiment of Naraku’s heart, which he cast out inside Mount Hakurei in order to gain the ability to kill Kikyou. It is also true that he cannot be slain while I still live. If I were an honorable person, I would lower my barrier and allow you to kill me here and now. But I value my own life far too much for that. I am, however, willing to assume substantial risk toward the goal of destroying Naraku and gaining my freedom. The only thing I lack is a means of transit–these weak human legs are worthless. Take me to Naraku’s castle, Sesshoumaru. There, I will help you eliminate him, once and for all.”

Sesshoumaru snorted lightly. “And how will you accomplish this?”

“It matters not,” Kagome replied quickly, too quickly in the daiyoukai’s opinion. “You lose nothing by taking me to the castle, and you potentially gain the means to destroy Naraku. All I desire is an opportunity. The one thing I can say for sure is that if you proceed to the castle without me, you will die by Naraku’s hand.”

Sesshoumaru considered this proposal carefully, more than a little suspicious. Clearly this incarnation did not have a well-formed plan for slaying his sire. But it was as he said; bringing him to the castle would do no harm. Kagura had directed him here, to this place to meet with this person. Therefore, she must believe that this incarnation had a crucial role to play in bringing about Naraku’s destruction. Again, Sesshoumaru decided to trust her judgment.

In moments, they were on their way, the daiyoukai flying and Inuyasha’s human wench clinging to his trailing mokomoko-sama. He sensed that the barrier was still firmly in place, so he made no effort eliminate his passenger. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be deep in thought, which was fine with Sesshoumaru. Journeying in silence was by far the most pleasant way to travel, especially when the company was undesirable. The sooner he rid himself of the stench of his half-brother’s unborn spawn, the better.

Onward they soared, growing closer and closer to a long-awaited date with destiny.

* * *

Kagome hovered in a blissful state of pre-wakefulness, as sleep slowly subsided and awareness returned. Judging by how groggy she felt, it had been some time since she’d last regained consciousness, probably a few days at least. Still, as always it was a relief to wake up. Each time she succumbed to the pull of slumber, she wondered if this time it would be permanent.

Still, it was not so bad being a prisoner in her own body. Most of the time she remained unconscious, and she could not say that she was suffering. Neither could she honestly claim to be living; she was merely existing, her physical form obeying an outsider’s commands. But her abductor’s supremacy was not absolute. Periodically, the true Kagome would rise from her forced hibernation, her sense of self firmly intact. The first time had been shortly after Naraku’s infant corrupted her heart. She felt a surge of miko power, and had opened her eyes to find herself standing before none other than the dark hanyou himself. She’d only remained conscious for a few moments, but it was enough for her to figure out what had happened. She noted Naraku’s enraged expression and the smoke wafting from his hand, as well as the sound of her own voice speaking words of explanation even though she hadn’t ordered her lips and larynx to form them. Her spiritual energy had responded to her innate yet unspoken desire to protect her child, and its activation had roused her from her involuntary slumber. Then the infant comprehended her awareness and exerted pressure on her mind, forcing her to lose consciousness again.

It always ended that way. She’d never been allowed to remain awake for more than a couple minutes at most. And it only happened when her captor lost focus, or when one of her friends was in danger nearby. The last time, she’d been able to observe a portion of Inuyasha’s battle inside the youkai graveyard. She saw him finally penetrate the diamond-youkai’s back with Tetsusaiga, then watched in horror as he was viciously swatted away. Her last glimpse before her world went dark was the sight of her hanyou, gravely wounded, plummeting into the abyss. She’d blacked out wondering if she would ever see him again, or if he would die in that graveyard, broken and alone. That fear still remained, eating away at her and churning her proverbial stomach. She sincerely hoped that she would learn the truth of what had happened before the infant forced her to sleep again. If Inuyasha was really dead, and Naraku possessed the completed Shikon no Tama, she had a feeling that her remaining time on this earth was going to be brief, and pure hell.

But Inuyasha had come through worse, so she would maintain her faith until it was proven to be in vain. He was still the man she loved, and the warrior she respected. Being awake for less than ten minutes during the entire period since her abduction had not afforded her much time for reflection, and her sleep was blessedly dreamless. If she ever regained her freedom, she would consider in detail all of the wicked words the infant had used to poison her mind. And at that time, she would determine if they held any merit. Inuyasha’s statement in the graveyard came back to her. “If I can’t…save Kagome…then nothing else matters!” What those words did or did not mean, Kagome couldn’t say. And it didn’t really matter; none of it did. What mattered was her decision, independent of anything Inuyasha could do or say. She wanted to live. She wanted to be a mother. That desire had never wavered, but she’d succumbed to the infant’s influence in a moment of weakness brought on by a broken heart. It would not happen again. Even if everything the infant said about Inuyasha was true, there were other people in this world who loved her. She would live for them, her family and friends, and her unborn child.

“Kagome.”

The sound of that voice, high-pitched and sadistic, immediately roused Kagome to full alertness. He hadn’t spoken to her since taking over her body, so she was instantly on edge. Then her mind’s eyes reconnected with her physical ones, and she gasped. It was a dreadful scene. She was hiding behind a building on the outskirts of what used to be a great castle. Now old corpses littered the grounds, but this is not what horrified her. Though her view was partially obscured by miasma, the noxious fumes had dissipated enough for her to glimpse what the infant obviously intended for her to see. Namely, Miroku and Sango kneeling unsteadily, either wounded or poisoned, supported by Shippou and Kirara. Inuyasha stood on shaky legs nearby, clearly affected as well. And finally, she saw Naraku, who was speaking to his captive audience, likely savoring the delectable moments before he claimed his final victory.

“Observe the plight of your friends, Kagome.”

“Why are you showing me this?!” she demanded, shouting into the abyss which imprisoned her mind.

“Because you are the only one with the power to save them.”

Sesshoumaru had joined the battle now, but even the powerful daiyoukai’s presence would make no difference. For Kagome had learned the harsh truth–while the infant lived, Naraku could not be killed. While her body breathed, Naraku was invincible.

“Killing yourself is not the way,” the infant told her, anticipating the direction of her thoughts. “As if I would allow any harm to come to my body.”

“Then what can I do?”

“Your spiritual energy is the key. Surrender to me, Kagome. Let your power become mine.”

Kagome heard what the infant didn’t say. If she did as he asked, she would likely never wake up again. It would essentially be committing suicide, at least in the mental sense. He’d been steadily trying to wear down her defenses since taking control of her body, but had yet to make any major progress. With this proposal he was attempting to remedy weeks of frustration in one fell swoop.

“If my spiritual energy is the key, then release me. I’ll defeat Naraku myself.”

“Heh, nice try, but it doesn’t work that way. If any of your friends are going to live through this, then so am I. And I guarantee that if I go back to my infant form, somebody is going to squash me.”

“They won’t! I’ll stop them, I promise.”

“Oh, wonderful. So then I guess I just lie there until I starve to death or some predator picks me off? No, thank you. Give it up, Kagome. I’d rather die than spend another moment as an infant. You have only two choices: surrender to me, or watch your friends perish.”

Kagome hesitated, scrambling for any available alternatives. If she had a lower lip, she’d be biting it right now. But despite her desperation, no inspiration came to mind, and her captor pressed his point home.

“Do you know what’s going to happen if you refuse me, Kagome? You’ll watch your friends die, then you’ll fall asleep again. When you wake up you’ll be free of me, but Naraku’s hands will be around your throat. He’ll show you the bodies of your friends, letting you see every detail of their lifeless faces. Then he’ll tear your unborn child out of your womb and smash it on the ground. After that, he’ll likely torture you for a while, until he becomes bored of your screams. Only then will he show you the mercy of ending your miserable life. He’s been dreaming of this day for a long time, Kagome. If you let him get what he wants, you’ll end up wishing you were never born.”

Kagome bit back a sob, imaginary tears streaming down her cheeks. Hearing of this possible future was horrible enough, but what would it be like to live it? And she knew that the infant was telling the truth; if Naraku won, a terrible fate awaited her. Unless she did something to turn the tables, and soon, Naraku was going to win. But what could she do? There had to be a viable strategy other than sacrificing herself. If there was, she had yet to come up with it. And her friends were running out of time. Finally, Kagome was forced to acknowledge that there was no other option. She and her baby were likely going to die anyway; by sacrificing herself now, she at least gave her friends and the man she loved a chance to survive. It was this thought which gave her the strength to let go.

“I love you, Inuyasha. Live well.”

With those final words of farewell, Kagome surrendered to oblivion.

* * *

Kagura clutched at her chest, gasping for breath. Her eyes bulged out, staring unblinkingly at her heart, clutched cruelly by Naraku’s tentacle. He was deliberately taking his time, tormenting her as he drew out her final agonizing moments. The pain was overwhelming, leaving her almost wishing for death. But mercifully, it would all be over soon.

Blinding light flared off to her left, appearing in her peripheral vision an instant before it flashed in front of her. It was an arrow, trailing a massive stream of spiritual energy which purified the miasma in the air and chased away the gloom. It struck Naraku’s tentacle, passing straight through and disintegrating the appendage all the way back to his barrier. Kagura observed her heart falling in slow motion, fading before her eyes and vanishing completely before it struck the ground. She inhaled a massive breath at the sudden rush of sensation in her chest, and as she exhaled, she experienced for the first time what it was like to be truly alive. My heart…it’s beating… At long last, she was free.

Still in a state of profound disbelief, she turned to locate her savior. There she was, striding confidently forward, clad in the kimono Kagura had given her with a quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder, a bow clutched in her left hand. She wore a smug grin, as though she was genuinely enjoying the magnificence of her entrance. No one on the battlefield could find the ability to speak, as she drew to a halt before them.

“Hello, Naraku,” she said in Hakago’s voice, her smile widening at his stunned expression. “I hope you don’t mind if I join the party.”