Dancing blades, Silks, and Sakura Blossoms

Levii: the block has passed! Yay! Arigato to MyBrydy for giving those lovely suggestions. they gave me many ideas and inspired this chapter.

Inu: then why is Sesshomaru and Miroku still gone?

Levii: they'll return next chapter. MyBrydy can use them as a thank you for her help.

Inu: i have no problem with having you to myself.

Levii: I know ^_^

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Warnings: violence... and Miroku's lechery

Dancing Blades, Silks, and Sakura Blossoms
Chapter Thirteen

Yumi’s breath quickened. She then glanced to the ashes and broken doll and back to Naraku. “No… but how?”

Nararku chuckled once again as he straightened from his leaning position. “It was simple. While you and Kanna were asleep I took the shard from the boy’s back. He’s probably still lying on the ground where I left him to die.”

Kagome shook her head as tears filled her eyes. “No… how could you? You knew that shard was all that kept him alive!”

Naraku smiled. “Of course. Think of it as a present to the lovely Sango.”

Yumi growled in anger. “You are a monster!”

Naraku’s grin grew wider. “Thank you, I do try. Now, give me the shards, miko.”

Kagome took a step back as Sesshomaru stepped in front of her, blocking Naraku’s view of her. “This ends now, Naraku,” he said coolly as he unsheathed Tokijin.

InuYasha stood beside his brother, Tetsusaiga unsheathed and thrumming with power. “You’ve hurt us for the last time, you bastard!”

Naraku chuckled once again. He then snapped his fingers. The land was dead silent for a few moments and then erupted in tremors as thousands upon thousands of lower youkai burst through the tree line and made their way, like a black flood, tos ths the army below. Kagome and Yumi watched as their friends and family vanished in the large mass of youkai. They then turned to Naraku as Sesshomaru and InuYasha leapt into battle together.

Naraku smiled as tentacles shot from his body once again to battle the brothers. Yumi turned to Kagome and glanced down at the jewel. “Now, Kagome, purify the accursed jewel now!” she ordered.

Kagome nodded and closed her eyes, focusing her miko power into purifying the jewel. Yumi stood before her, shielding her from Naraku’s stray tentacles, lopping the black things that attempted to thwart the miko youkai.

InuYasha swung his sword, removing a few of the writhing tentacles, only to have to shield him self from five more. Sesshomaru was faring no better. No matter how they tried, they couldn’t get close to the imposter in Kohaku’s body. His body was weakening, the battle with the puppet and his army before had taken its toll. He could see the strain in Sesshomaru’s eyes as well, they were losing.

Sesshomaru felt drained. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Tokijin was glowing red with malice. He ignored it as he used the sword to hack off another ten tentacles. He then fell to one knee, something was pulling at his heart, slowing it. His breath became labored as he attempted to get this new pain under control. InuYasha was now in front of him, shielding him from the tentacles as best as he could.

Naraku laughed. “Is it true that you used the fangs of one of my detachments to create that lovely sword, Lord Sesshomaru?” he asked mockingly.

InuYasha looked over at Tokijin. It was that blasted sword that was weakening Sesshomaru. He quickly locked eyes with his brother, silently communicating in the inu youkai language as best as he could.

“Get rid of that stupid sword!” he growled.

“And use what, little brother?” Sesshomaru growled back.

“I don’t know, that stupid thing is killing you, now get rid of it!”

“What makes you think you can order this Sesshomaru around?”

“Oh Kami! Will you cut it out and toss the sword already, it’s part of Naraku, damn it! It won’t listen to you anymore! Now toss it, asshole!”

Sesshomaru adjusted his hand on the Tokijin as he stood and swung his arm in the air, hefting the blade above his head, he then used his whip, wrapped in his venom, and sliced the cursed blade in half.

Naraku laughed as he absorbed what was left of the sword into his body. “What are you going to do now, Sesshomaru?”

Sesshomaru felt something thrum against his hip. He glanced down to see Tenseiga glowing. Hesitantly, he unsheathed the sword and felt his body invigorated with new energy. Now, both swords were humming with power that had yet to be unleashed.

Kagome poured aer per power into killing the evil within the Tama. She could feel Midoriko’s spirit inside along with the youkai. She had to destroy the darkness within the jewel. ‘I can’t stop, they’ll die if I hesitate. No matter the outcome, this has to end now!’ her mind screamed.

She was then enveloped in a white light. That blinded all on the field, ceasing their fighting, momentarily. She opened her eyes, she was no longer on the bloody field. “Where am I?” she asked out loud.

“Inside the Shikon no Tama,” a cool and confident voice stated.

“Who? Who’s there?” she asked glancing about. A woman in miko’s robes and identical armor stood foreword. Kagome gasped. “Midoriko?”

The woman nodded and smiled. “I am she.”

“What is going on? How did I get in here?”

“Your selfless thoughts and love for your family and friends has purified the jewel. Ye have freed my soul.”

“But why am I here? What about Naraku and the battle?”

Midoriko smiled. “I am proud to be the former incarnation of ye. Ye are truly pure of heart. The battle wages on as we speak. InuTaoshio’s sons are still in battle with the evil Naraku.”

“I have to help them. I have to get back!”

“Worry not, ye will return. But ye must wish upon the jewel to finish the purification.”

Kagome smiled. “Oh… then I wish that my friends and loved ones find true happiness, no matter what happens to them in life.”

Midoriko smiled. “Even now, ye think of them before yourself. I am very proud to be part of ye, Kagome.”

Kagome bowed to her former incarnation. “And I am honored to be your reincarnation.”

Midoriko took Kagome into her arms and embraced her. “Your wish is granted. I shall return ye to those that love ye,” she said softly as the t ent enveloped them both once again. Before it receded again, Kagome heard Midoriko whisper, “The brother fangs must be used in unison to destroy the evil, destruction and life must be one to stop the darkness.”

****

Shippo sighed as he gazed out one of the many windows of the eastern palace. Rin sat at a table coloring away with some of the crayons that Kagome had given her and Shippo.

“Shippo?” the small girl asked.

“Hain?” n?”

“Will Yumi-sama be okay?”

“Hai, InuYasha wouldn’t let something bad happen to her.”

“Will Kagome-okkasan be okay?”

“Hai, Sesshomaru-sama won’t let anything touch her. They’ll be ok

“That is good. Come see my picture, Shippo-chan!”

Shippo leapt from his perch and took a seat next to Rin. On the paper before her was a crude drawing of what looked to be Sesshomaru, Kagome, InuYasha, himself, Jaken and Rin. “Wow, Rin that looks good!”

“It is Rin’s and Shippo’s family!”

“But where’s Yumi?”

Rin fro. “R. “Rin is not finished yet, Rin will draw Yumi next.”

Shippo grinned. “Don’t forget Sango and Miroku with Kilala.”

Rin nodded. “And the red handprint of Miroku-sama’s face. Why does he always have that handprint?”

Shippo shrugged. “I think it’s because he’s a lecher.”

“Oh… what’s a lecher?”

“I don’t know, Rin. But whatever it is, Miroku is one of them.”

“I thought Miroku-sama was a h-houshi.?”

“He is, but I think it has to do with how he touches Sango-chan.”

Rin nodded. “Okay, we can ask Sesshomaru-sama when he comes back!”

“Okay!” Shippo chirped as he picked up a clean sheet of paper and began to draw away as well.

Suriko, whom was watching the children, laughed to herself. She was going to love to see the look on Sesshomaru’s face when Rin asked him her question. She then sighed. Her baby was due to come soon, but she didn’t want to have it without Jin there or at least knowing her was safe. Contrary to what her sister in law thought, she did love her husband dearly. Jin was the kindest man she had ever known and he spoiled her rotten, which she loved about him most of all. He wasn’t afraid to show his emotions like a certain taiyoukai she knew. She then smiled wider. Kagome was good for the ice prince, he had shown more emotion in these past weeks than in all the years she had known him. She then sighed as she felt her baby kick. ‘Jin, please be safe.’

****

Jin grunted as he sliced through another twenty youkai. He and Kouga now stood before the weakened monk and youkai exterminator. After the light had faded, he had seen that Sango had been knocked down. Kagura was now lying beside Kilala, wracked with pain as Naraku slowly crushed her heart. Kouga had carried her to the fire cat’s side as he joined Jin in battle to protect the humans.

“This isn’t working!” Kouga shouted as he took down another ten. “They just keep coming!”

Jin then noticed something, there, at the edge of the woods was a strange figure in a dark haori and hakema. “Kouga!”

“What?”

“Do you see that? Where the evil is strongest.”

Kouga squinted and then nodded. “Yeah, I think we found the real Naraku.”

****

as the white light dissipated, Kagome landed on her feet. She then smiled to her sister and then noticed something. Something was inside ‘Kohaku’. She focused and saw it. A doll, with Kohaku’s soul trapped inside. She then searched for the true Naraku. She then saw it, the source of the lower youkai. Shen hen grabbed Yumi by the shoulder. “Tell InuYasha and Sesshomaru to focus their attacks so they’re simultaneous and to aim them over there,” she said as she pointed at the treeline.

Yumi seemed confused. “But why there?”

Kagome locked her eyes with Yumi’s. “Trust me, the thing they fight isn’t Naraku, it’s a puppet with Kohaku’s soul trapped inside.”

Yumi nodded. She then ran to InuYasha and told him and Sesshomaru what Kagome had ordered.

“Is she fucking crazy?!” InuYasha screamed.

“Listen, baka. You’ve fought him before, how many times has he actually fought you in person?”

InuYasha thought for a moment.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. “Don’t hurt yourself, brother.”

“Shut up, Sesshomaru! Okay, so almost never.”

“Then trust her, she can see him. and from the looks of it, Kouga and Jin can see him as well,” she said as she pointed to the two running youkai below.

InuYasha nodded. “So, Sesshomaru and I just have to attack at the same time with the swords?”

Yumi nodded. “That’s what she said.”

Sesshomaru seemed unconvinced. “How thi this work? The Tenseiga only heals.”

Yumi gave an exasperated sigh as she sliced at least thirty tentacles with her katana. “Just do it already! I can take care of a simple puppet!”

InuYasha and Sesshomaru nodded before watching as Kagome leapt into the fray, Tsunagi drawn. She winked to the brothers as she and Yumi took care of the writhing tentacles.

****

“Stand still you fucking bastard!” Kouga shouted as Naraku evaded his sword.

Naraku chuckled. The wolf prince was getting sloppy while Jin was calm and controlled as he attacked. He could see now why Jin was Eastern Lord. He and his sister had that in common, that control of overwhelming power that had such potential for destruction. He was fairly confident that Kagome was just as blessed with power. He smiled as a fantasy of having both of the powerful women under his power. Both were pure and corruptible. He could see them through his puppet’s eyes as they attacked. Such purity. Then he saw them. The inu brothers stood side by side, their father’s fangs drawn. They then leapt in unison towards him and equal look of anger and pain as the red leaked into their gold eyes.

InuYasha and Sesshomaru could feel pure power flow through them. The Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga were humming in unison; their hearts were beating as one. This was the true power of the twin blades. Time once again seemed to slow to a crawl as they both hit the dark hanyou simultaneously.

Naraku’s eyes went wide as he felt both blades slice through him. But all he could see were the red and gold eyes of the enraged brothers. The last thought that passed through his mind was one word. ‘Beautiful.’

Time resumed its normal pace as a huge explosion ripped the hanyou to pieces and washed over the field, killing all the lower youkai and healing all those that had sided with the youkai lords.

InuYasha and Sesshomaru looked down at what looked to be a horribly mangled and burned human. “Onigumo,” InuYasha breathed out.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the human. “This is Onigumo, Naraku’s true form?”

InuYasha nodded. “Hai, this is him.”

“He’s pathetic.”

InuYasha grabbed Onigumo by the throat and heafted him up until he was eye level with the hanyou. He laughed. “Hai, kill me, but know this, I would do it again, just to watch your pain. I hate you, InuYasha.”

“Why? Why do you hate me?”

“Because Kikyo loved you, because Yumi loves you. You have everything I wanted in life, pure things that you could embrace or corrupt. I wanted that power, I still do.”

Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Fool.”

InuYasha wanted to rip his throat out. “Everyone I care about has been hurt by you and your lust for corruption. You’re a real monster, Onigumo.”

Onigumo laughed. “Hai, I am a monster, but at least I embrace that which I am.”

InuYasha tightened his grip on the human’s crisped neck. Sesshomaru watched as his brother held back. ‘Why is he hesitating?’

“InuYasha?” a soft voice asked. InuYasha turned his head to see Yumi and Kagome standing behind them. Yumi walked up to him and placed her hand on his arm. “Don’t let him get under your skin. He can do us no more harm.”

Onigumo laughed. “Oh, but I can, I can always bring Naraku back!”

Kagome shook her head in pity. “Your soul is gone; you are only a living shell, as Kikyo once was.”

Yumi nodded. “Hai, a doll of flesh instead of clay. InuYasha let him down.”

InuYasha dropped Onigumo, letting him crumple at his feet. Yumi then concentrated and passed her hand over him. “Life Winds, take his darkened soul to where it belongs, in the fires that burn for him and him alone.”

Onigumo screamed as he was surrounded by whirling winds he felt his blackened and shrunken soul leave his body. He then felt as chains of the youkai of hell wrapped around his wrists and ankles and pulled him into the fires below. Onigumo was gone. Naraku was finally gone.

****

Miroku groaned as he got to his feet. He then noticed something. The battlefield was quiet. ‘Is it over? Did we win?’ he then turned his right hand so he could see the palm. He then gasped. He could no longer see the edges of the kazanna. He hastily removed the gauntlet that covered it and gasped. All that was left was a black spiral on his hand. It was gone, he was free.

“Miroku?” Sango called. He had a look of surprise written across his face. He then smiled happily to Sango.

“It’s gone,” he said softly.

Sango gasped and leapt to her feet. She then grasped his right hand and looked at his palm. She then smiled to her lover and embraced him. “Oh Miroku!”

Miroku laughed as he lifted her up and swung her around. “It’s gone! It’s really gone!”

“What the hell are you two so happy about?” Kagura asked.

Miroku then placed Sango back down and hugged Kagura. “The curse is gone! I’m free!”

Kagura was surprised, to say the least. She then felt something grab her ass. She then screeched and leapt out his arms and slapped the monk. “Hentai!”

Sango felt her eyebrow twitch. ‘He never learns.’

“So are we to take it that the kazanna is gone?” a cheerful voice asked.

Sango spun around to see Kagome, Sesshomaru, InuYasha and Yumi with Jin and Kouga standing behind them. They were covered in blood, their own and others. A small child, dressed in white also stood behind Yumi and hugged her leg. Sango smiled and hugged Yumi tightly. “You’re okay!”

Yumi hugged Sango back. “Hai, I suppose I am.”

Miroku waited until Sango pulled away to embrace his friend. “I knew you could handle it.”

“You aren’t going to be able to handle it if you don’t take your hand off my mate’s ass!” InuYasha shouted.

Miroku quickly pulled away. “Gomen, I can’t help it, my hand is whole and I guess it has a mind of its own.”

Sango and InuYasha snorted. Yumi and Kagome giggled. Kagura then noticed Kanna. “Kanna?”

The small white garbed child peeked from behind Yumi’s leg to see Kagura standing before her. she then did something out of the ordinary. She smiled and ran to Kagura. “Sister!”

The sister’s hugged and then Kanna pulled Kagura to Yumi. “Kagura, Yumi-san said she would be my okkasan!”

Kagura bowed to Yumi. “Arigato for taking care of her, I would be honored if you adopted her.”

“Wait a minute! Don’t I get a say in this?” InuYasha shouted.

Yumi rolled her eyes. “No. Are you sure, Kagura?”

“Hai, I am not able to take care of her, I want to see the world too much.”

Yumi nodded. “I understand. I would love to adopt her, she is a dear child.”

InuYasha was ready to blow a fuse. “Hold on! I should get a say in this! She would end up being my responsibility too!”

Yumi sighed. “We’re adopting her and that’s final!”

“You are not telling me what to do.”

“I am smarter than you, and wiser, I should be able to command you.”

“Who decided this? I’m the male, therefore I’m in charge!”

Yumi walked over to InuYasha and slapped him upside the head. “Baka, this is one matter you get no say in, just accept that! And who said that just because you happen to be male means you are in charge?”

InuYasha rubbed the back of his head. “I assumed-”

“Exactly, you assumed. Well, understand this, mate, you cannot and will not ever be able to control my decisions. I will, usually consult things that concern the both of us and our family, but there will be times that you have no say in what I do. I know what I’m doing, just trust me.”

InuYasha sighed and nodded. “Okay, whatever you say.”

Yumi then smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “I knew you would see it my way!”

Kouga and Jin snickered. “InuYasha, you are so whipped,” Kouga said between snickers.

“It’s just not worth arguing. She always wins somehow.”

Jin placed a hand on InuYasha’s shoulder. “Welcome to the world of mating. Here, males hold little power, and the females always win, no matter what.”

Jin then turned to the group as the other lords joined them. “I suggest we all return to my palace and celebrate our victory over Naraku and the mating of my sisters and the Western princes.”

The other lords gave a yell in agreement as Yumi rolled her eyes and Kagome blushed. Jin had such a way with words.

****

Levii: Whee!

Inu: What was that for?

Levii: i felt like saying whee.

Inu: Oh... okay... can we go yet?

Levii: Oh Inu-chan! you're insatiable! Remember to read and review and send cookies. Let's go Inu! Until next time... Ja Ne! ;)