Be there for me

Chapter 13:



'Hmph, who does he think he is, treating me that way?' thought Kagome as she walked down the pathway.



'But then again, I do sort of need him. After all, I am a pretty weak fighter by myself. Heck, I try to avoid fighting if I can help it, where as he seeks it out about every chance he gets. And unlike Inuyasha, he's not very likely to come after me. I should go back to the castle.' she pondered as she came to an intersection. Judging from the position of the sun, and from where she had been walking a few moments ago, Kagome estimated that she was headed to the east northeast, and would enter the middle lands pretty soon.



Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes to her left distracted Kagome from her thoughts. She pulled an arrow out of her quiver and notched it on her bow, ready to fire should whatever was hiding behind the bushes attack her. The thing, it was a snake demon, headed up a tree, before bounding into the air, intending to come down upon her from above.



Kagome simply raised her bow straight up in the air, filled her arrow with her spiritual powers, and let it fly. The arrow was surrounded by a blue shining energy as it purified the snake demon into nothingness.



'Wait...blue energy? My spiritual powers normally produce an arrow of purple essence, don't they? Could this be a side effect of my dying earlier?' she wondered as she returned her bow to her shoulder. An aroma of stew reached her nostrils then, telling her that a village was nearby.



As Kagome wandered off, she did not notice that, having been attracted by the sight of a demon being purified in mid-air, that several bees were now tracking her every movement. Although the bees themselves didn't notice that they too, were being tracked by another demon as well....



* * *



Naraku smiled as his Saimyosho reported the location of the missing miko. She had apparently been with Sesshomaru in the Western Lands, although judging by the fact that she now traveled alone, meant that she and him had a following out. Knowing those two as he did, it's likely that she was driven away by his cold personality.



But no matter what the reason was now. The point is that Naraku now had an excellent opprotunity to capture the miko, and he would not waste this chance. Relying on his remaining servants to guard the captives, he would go himself to take the girl into his possession. And this time, there would be no one in his way.



* * *



"Dance of the blades" spoke Kagura as she released another one of her wind attacks. The attack was intercepted and parried by another sacred arrow released by Kikyo, as the miko dogded from tree to tree, using the foliage as cover.



Inuyasha and Hakudoshi were still battling fiercley, the constant parry of swords interrupted only by one or the other using an advanced attack to try and gain an advantage over the other one.



However, Miroku and Sango, making use of their weapons and sacred sutras, were making quick work of the demon and undead horde. It wouldn't be too long before they finish up their battle and head over to reinforce first Kikyo and then Inuyasha.



Hakudoshi read the writing on the wall and decided that it was time to make a tactiful withdrawal.



"Kagura." he said, as he planted the thoughts in her head of what he wanted her to do. He then parried another thrust from Inuyasha, before he made his move.



"Dance of the dragon." this time, Kagura unleashed her most devastating attack, sending several vorticies hurtling towards Kikyo. These tunnels of wind ripped up the trees were she was hiding, exposing her to attack.



Kikyo let another sacred arrow fly at the wind sorceress, however this one merely broke up her attack.



Then, the little kid threw a number of demon slugs at Kikyo. One of these wrapped it self around Kikyo, and began absorbing her energy and powers, while corrupting her with Naraku's miasma. The miko dropped into a kneeling position in pain as she battled these damned demons.



Inuyasha leapt in to the rescue, unleashed an adamant barrage at Hakudoshi, who, still occupied with Kikyo, didn't dodge in time, and was ripped to pieces.



Kagura collected the kid's head as she flew away on a feather, with Miroku and Sango coming to help them, having finished with the demon horde.



Inuyasha ran to Kikyo's aide, and was about to cut through the demon worm. Kikyo looked up at him with a weak and fearful apprehension, more worried that he was going to cut her in half then slice away the demon worm.



"Wait, Inuyasha." said Miroku, running up to the scene. Inuyasha looked like he was about to protest Miroku's wanting him to wait, but the words died on his lips as the monk held up several sacred sutras.



Moments later, Kikyo was freed from the worm, however Naraku's miasma still flowed through her body. Bad as it was, it was nothing compared to the incident on Mount Haukerai.



"You should go ahead and track those two to the castle. I will be fine. As soon as I have finished myself, I will be along as well." said Kikyo as the others gathered around her. Inuyasha was about to protest, and Kikyo knew that he wouldn't leave her all alone, so she nodded to him that he could stay.



That left Miroku, Sango, and Kirara to follow Kagura and Hakudoshi as the two headed off in retreat towards Naraku's castle. Shippou, still out cold, remained behind with Kikyo and Inuyasha.



* * *



Kagome was almost at the village when the scent of human blood came to her nostrils. For her to detect the smell, then it must be close by and on the ground in great quantities. Fearing at what she could find, she prepared another arrow in her bow as she came in sight of the village.



A moment later, her sinking suspicions were confirmed when she saw the village, bodies strewn about everywhere. Except, that is, for one standing and very familiar figure, one that was looking directly at her when she came into view.



"Naraku" she hissed at him as she took a step back. Facing Naraku, all alone, with no allies anywhere nearby? This did not bode well for her at all.



"Ah, Kagome. It's about time my next victim showed up. Tell me, are you prepared for a journey into the afterlife?" said Naraku as he chuckled loudly.



"I thought you wanted to take me alive?" asked Kagome as her fear and nervousness grew. She could not know that this was merely Naraku being Naraku, toying with his victims as usual.



"Perhaps I changed my mind. You have been difficult to apprehend, after all." he said. With that, his word games were finished, and he extended his root spikes, preparing to cut her in half.



Kagome didn't hesitate for another second before loosing the notched arrow she had, watching as it struck Naraku dead on, causing him to be purified in a blue bathing light of aura. She at once felt elation at vanquishing Naraku, before her common sense kicked in and told her that she couldn't have possibly defeated him just like that.



She reached back into her quiver for another arrow. That's when her hand was caught in another's grip, she whirled around to see another Naraku standing there, a wide smile on his face. Moments later he opened his mouth and out came a modified form of his miasma, assaulting her nostrils and knocking her out cold.



Naraku caught her as she was falling, and scooped her up in his arms. He began walking to the edge of a village, looking down at his captive, thinking of what all he wanted to do to her. He was preparing to fly off when the spike of a familiar aura came into his senses.



Suddenly, a glowing green hand cut through his heart from behind, exiting his chest just above where he was holding Kagome. Dropping the knocked out miko in suprise, he turned his head to see Sesshomaru standing behind him. The dog demon withdrew his poision hand from his chest, and he staggered backwards.



"Sesshomaru, damn you." ground out Naraku as the demon backpeddaled over Kagome's body and made to retreat.



"Die." was all that Sesshomaru had to say in response. Stepping over Kagome as well, the dog demon delivered a powerful blast of blue shining energy from his sword, the attack cutting Naraku into pieces. Those pieces flew into the air, before being collected by Saimyosho that flew away. The dog demon noted the direction in which they were headed, before kneeling down by the fallen miko.



Taking her palm into his hand, he noted that her heartbeat was unsteady, and that apparently some of the miasma remained in her system. Having watched what Naraku was doing to Kagome, waiting for the pefect opportunity to make his move, Sesshomaru knew he had to do something to save her.



He intended to suck the poision out of her body, and he knew of only one effective method that could work on short notice. He released his demonic aura into her body through their shared hands, letting it mix with the remaining miasma. Then, bending over, he kissed her, right on the lips. But this wasn't an act of romance. Instead, through her lungs and throat, he withdrew his demonic aura, drawing out the poision as well.



He had just finished absorbing the miasma and dispelling it within his own body when she awoke.



To say that Kagome was suprised to see Sesshomaru kneeling there kissing her right on the lips was a vast understatement. Moments later, a loud echo sound of an open hand striking flesh was heard through out the local forest.



"You lecher, what's the deal?" said Kagome. As soon as the words were out of her mouth however, she found herself unable to speak or even breathe, as his foot came down on her throat, pinning her to the ground and cutting off her air supply at same time.



"Do not strike this Sesshomaru ever again. As for the kiss, it was to draw out the miasma in your system, not for some perveted sense as pleasure as others might." he said as he lifted his boot from her throat.



Turning away from the coughing miko, he walked to the center of the village, then looked back at her.



"We will now follow Naraku to his hiding place. Wait until I transform, then crawl on my back." said Sesshomaru. Moments later, his eyes turned blood red, and he was encased in a whirlwind of pink glowing energy. The whirlwind expanded, before dissipating, leaving Sesshomaru standing there in his fluffy form.



Kagome nodded in understanding, before running over to his front paw and looking up at him with purpose. Sighing, Sesshomaru lowered his head, and allowed her to climb on. Then, letting loose a loud howl into the evening air, he picked up Naraku's scent and took off, heading into the setting sun....



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A/N: sorry for not updating in a while. Had a bit of writer's block, but I seem to be over it now.