All Change In Time

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Had Sesshomaru arrived any later, he might have been ill at Inuyasha for making such a fuss in front of his mortal enemy. But indeed he had come just at the moment when his half brother charged Naraku, aware of a basking pride in the way his handling of the Tetsusaiga had improved considering his lack of training. But he was prohibited from seeing the true scale of Inuyasha’s improvement on behalf of Naraku’s loathsome blow to the undead Kikyou.

Sesshomaru reflexively squeezed Rin tightly to his chest when the sound of the exploding belly reached his ears, his amber eyes narrowing at the sight of crimson painting the nearby perimeter. Rin gave a terrible sigh, her skin lightening in color, but she fought off her fainting spell by hiding her face against her new father, teeth grating to drown out the sound of Inuyasha’s pain. The Lord’s grip only tightened as he spotted Kagome, who was released by some unknown servant, and he watched her reaction of becoming dumbfounded, troubled by the look of horror on her face. Kagome seemed to be more conflicted than the kneeling Inuyasha, and she barely remained standing, her knees locking together while she slumped back on a heavy drapery while clutching one hand to her heart.

He could not hear Naraku’s sick humor, but Sesshomaru swelled with surprising anger. What if that had been Kagome? What if he had plans of the next victim being Kagome?

He excused his weak personality and affection for the human by explaining that he would kill Naraku for the revenge of his unable half brother. Besides, he had to kill Naraku to safely escort Rin. Gently, Sesshomaru placed Rin on the floor and touched her forehead with the balls of his fingertips, hushing her protesting whines. He did not say anything, lest she attempt in following him, but he gave a malicious snarl and darted into the crowd, paying no heed to the various minions he killed in doing so. The crowd soon gave leeway to him, allowing a wide path in his favor for fear of being one of the unfortunates who literally ate the wrong end of his talons, the dead bodies piling considerably behind him as he went.

“ Naraku! You have done wrong for the last time!” Sesshomaru’s voice did not contain any more of the boyish terror that had been expressed before, and though his mouth was still in bad condition, it did not seem to hamper the volume of his proclamation. His teeth were exposed, sparkling under the light focusing more on him more than that of the rest of the retreating audience. Miroku’s gaze flew over his shoulder, pallid and weak, but they were almost grateful for Sesshomaru’s appearance. Kagome looked down at him as well, but her gaze shimmered with unshed tears, and she took one trembling step forward, her arms lifting out at the man who had obviously come to save them all from this nighe. e.

Sesshomaru gave her one sideward look, but he decided that Naraku had enough time to retaliate. Thus, he gave a mighty roar that dwindled the effect of Inuyasha’s sobbing and ran forward, his hair bellowing about his face in expressive commentary to his quickness. He was double the size of his half brother, and also double the speed. The Lord’s face was twisted back in slow motion, irritably focusing on his target…Naraku.

Naraku however, only looked over Sesshomaru’s shoulder araveraveled to the girl who had stood and began running after her master. Rin was illuminated to him, and Naraku smiled a bit before stepping aside as Sesshomaru tore into the back of his throne. The tricky dodge sent Sesshomaru crashing headlong into the vacated chair, and his weight completely surprised the piece of furniture and sent both things tumbling over. Sesshomaru shot up on his knees, being helped up by yet another unknown demon who was rooting for the “good guys” and he gave a wild look of hatred at his escaping foe.

Naraku returned the look over his arm casually, before he made a running leap for the stunned Rin. Sesshomaru’s amber gaze shot open with distraught fear before he screamed for Rin to move. But the girl was so weak and conflicted that her ability to run abandoned her. She fell to her knees as well, folding both hands over her face as though such tiny objects could possibly evade the wrath of the Dark Lord. She had memories of being raped and beaten flask inside her head, and she screamed at the thought of actually being killed with such a bad complex in her mind.

But one again…things were not to go as they seemed.

In the entire ruckus, no one noticed the ebon-haired girl who had wandered down the length of steps, completely going past her fallen lover Inuyasha. She even bypassed Miroku, who was frowning and looking up at Sesshomaru, struggling to find no humor in the clumsy way the demon’s fle flew over his head on his fall. But Kagome did indeed have a target, who was currently midway in her collapse. Kagome began running for her when the girl ceased advancing forward and fell forward, but she sense a flutter of movement just behind her, and spied Naraku slithering toward them. She was not certain if the obsessive beast had spotted herself just yet, but Kagome’s legs stretched, trying to get a better lead on him. She was only human…she could not beat the wickreatreature in a race. But somehow…she did.

Maybe there was a smiling God who decided to give the poor Kagome an extra boost and give a fretting point of goodness on her side. After all, she had been pressured by living, as Kikyou was more important to Naraku than she was and thus chosen to be sacrificed. Maybe she could amount to something…But the God was not smiling for long.

Kagome just managed to get between Naraku and Rin, her body screaming with the bewitchment of making such a long distance on such a short stretch of time, but this victory was without reward. Naraku instead found the maiden in his way, and he had no effort in trying to move her out of his way. Instead, his talons embedded in her flesh, satisfied in the way the skin peeled like hot butter on a knife. The poison caked the holes that formed, and Kagome’s eyes narrowed with the spitting pain, her breath sucked wearily between her clenching teeth. Naraku’s face twisted with a pleased laugh, now knowing this would surely break Inuyasha and ensure his awesome victory, but he ultimately forgot the reputation of Kagome’s power.

Though human, Kagome was indeed a remake of Kikyou. And for this chance, Kagome reached up and managed to hold the Lord’s face in her hands, the fingers clawing weakly into the taunt cheeks, which drew up hastily as soon as the realization hit Naraku. He tried to fly away from her, his sudden glory wilting down intfumbfumbling panic, but her eyes held no warmth…no pain at all. She firmly used the depth of Naraku’s blow to keep him near, and her mouth parted in a brief sigh as she felt the energy brush past her fingertips and into his face.

Naraku’s screams overpowered Inuyasha’s, who had stood and began rushing down toward the pair, and Kagome smiled a bit, aware that she was winning while she was loosing. The room broke into chaos as Naraku’s forehead began to peel, as though it was being slaughtered by vicious sunburn. The glow spread down to the sides of his earlobes, following the line of broken skin. The expression of terror and hatred glistened, and he fought furiously to get away, throwing his weight back in order to retract his hands from the girl’s belly. But Kagome’s grip grew firmer, only saved by the fact that she conjured a dying strength, her fingers locked in the firm slant of her enemy’s once handsome face. Naraku’s expression faded into a picture of priceless admiration once he accepted he had been defeated, and there was a grin of ironic amusement before he burst into a cloud of flame and dust, his remains scattering around Kagome in a splendid display of her achievement. She had defeated Naraku.

But Kagome could not enjoy her victory for long, for as soon as Naraku ceased to exist, blood seeped the front of her attire, spreading like a blooming flower. Her breath was fringed with a pained cry while she fell, and she might have crushed her nose on the floor had Inuyasha not interrupted the collapse by catching her in his arms. She heard him faintly…screaming her name, but she had no skill left in her. So instead, she licked her lips, and traced the halfling’s chin with an absent finger.

Inuyasha folded his arms around the frail shoulders and rocked Kagome like a kitten, his tears staining the front of her clothes as they fell. He felt as though his heart had been ripped out at the witness of Kikyou’s demise, but now he knew what pain really felt like. Kagome was the portrait of innocence and gentle love, and here she was, fading away like an old photo. And he could do no more than hold her as it happened! He closed his eyes and relished the touch that Kagome gave him, apologizing profusely for all her suffering. He swore it would never happen again…as though not comprehending that he would not leave this castle with her by his side. At least, not alive.

“ Inuyasha,” Kagome said, her voice ba fin finding his ears, “ I love you. Please don’t doubt that.” She traced back down his chin, her lips thinning preciously in a smile that captured his own reply.

“ I’ll protect you, Kagome.” He leaned forward as though about to kiss her, but instead he whispered in her ear, vowing this promise so that she would never forget. Her hand fell listlessly to her waist, covering the nasty holes that Naraku had given her, but she said nothing to him. He finally looked into her eyes, which were unfocused as they trailed up to him. “ Inuyasha…I can’t see you.”

“ Please don’t leave me Kagome!” He held her tighter, pressing his face into the slope of her neck, forcing his plead to be steady. He still managed to feel her shudder as he clung to her, and his ears fell back to the sides of his head with the sound of her last breath. He lifted himself from her, sobbing quietly at the blank stare she gave back to him, and lovingly his hand placed itself on the side of her face, tilting the chin up proudly. “ I love you, Kagome.” His whisper was choked, but the sentence was powerful, relating all his pain to the world merely by its tone.

He was still cradling his dead maiden when the shadow of Sesshomaru fell open him. The Lord said nothing, but his eyes were taunt with age at the forbidden sight of his fallen Kagome. He listened breathlessly as Inuyasha swore his protection and then took a brief inward sigh as the words of ‘I love you’ fell on his curious ears. He would have at first beckoned his half brother with ultimate scorn should this scene have arrived other than the way it did, but he could muster no scorn for Inuyasha since he had been graced in Kagome’s presence. He basked in the thought of such memories, and then sadly turned to go, knowing that there was nothing he could do to help the other’s aching heart.

Sesshomaru almost met a clumsy fall once more as he tripped over a squeaking ball that had annoyingly set up just under her as he looked over Inuyasha. Sesshomaru’s arms pin wheeled, dancing on one foot to try and get around the green demon, who screeched Sesshomaru’s name with a familiar voice of praise and adoration. Jaken’s eyes bugged out as he looked up at the red flush on his master’s face, and he scrambled back to avoid becoming one with a swinging foot, his beak parted with a terrified scream. In the commotion he dropped his package, the object making a metallic hum as it hit the scarlet-dotted floor. Following this drop, the thin hide that had wrapped the package fell back, exposing a sword’s black hilt, which struck Sesshomaru’s gaze with a teetering hope.

Was this his…sword of healing? The Tensaiga met Sesshomaru’s gaze with a warm pulse, placed uselessly on the ground as Jaken hurried to pick it back up. Obviously the demon had followed Inuyasha to Naraku’s castle, and had been so belated by carrying the weapon that he had just arrived. Sesshomaru did not inquire as to why he had brought the sword in the first place, but he did not question the stupid servant. However, he did not really care, and he bent down hastily to beat Jaken’s oddly fingered hand. Stiffly, he curled a lip at the toad, sparring the glare from the other with a threatening wave of his clawed hand. Jaken immediately took advantage of the warning and scrambled toward Rin, who was hanging back only a few feet away with one knuckled in her mouth to hold back her tears.

Sesshomaru leaned over Inuyasha, touching the male’s back with only the briefest tap, the contact making his skin curl within itself. The boy was like poison to him…but Kagome was another story. He looked sternly at Inuyasha, who spied the sword, and he had hardly managed to get out of the way before Sesshomaru kneeled and took the back of Kagome’s skull in his palm, nursing the head from the floor as his blade nuzzled against her dead flesh.

The stroke from the sword was simple and without grand ceremony, the ritual of healing being a ridiculously simple matter. In fact, Sesshomaru was seen as a foolish creature in some of the bystander’s eyes, and they chattered among themselves quietly as he waved the sword up and down the length of Kagome’s head and waist, the crackling blade doing nothing more than making a pretty show. And yet…something was changing.

Kagome’s eyes, which were certainly meant to remain as they were, suddenly sprang to life and became wet with trapped tears. Her breath was quick and deep, flustering her deflated lungs with a furious strength, and her hands flex into a fist while she contracted. Her seizure was violent but short, and her gasps were signs that her body was returning to its normal stage, and thus reng hng her into an unbelievable recovery. Radical looks of confusion drew Inuyasha into Kagome’s gaze, and she fought to get away from Sesshomaru, but he did not take it offensively.

Kagome was crying, barely sitting up before Inuyasha tackled her into his embrace, and he threw her around him like one would a tissue during a particularly strong sneeze. He was bouncing and hugging her tightly to him, her breathless gasping informing him that he was mindedly clutching her tightightly, and she was unable to draw in a breath. But he still did not put her down, and he looked to Sesshomaru with deep wonder in his eyes, caressing the silken back of Kagome’s hair with a timid hand.

Sesshomaru stood and brought his sword faithfully to his side, watching Kagome with a wishing, unreadable smile on his lips. He looked over his head to the fallen Kikyou, who was very much alone at the top of the steps, but he made no move toward her. Inuyasha made a soft sound in the back of his throat, as though pushing for Sesshomaru to save her as well. But Sesshomaru looked once more to Kagome, knowing that if Kikyou were to again enter the world of the living, that not only would she break the reincarnation’s heart by flirting with Inuyasha’s emotions, but she might very well indeed set a similar plot such as this in the making.

“ Let the already dead remain so, Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha nodded, holding his cheek tightly against Kagome’s, before the girl pulled away to gaze affectionately at her savior.

Sesshomaru turned and made his way toward Rin and Jaken, who were happily waiting for him, but before he ducked out of sight, he glanced at Kagome and mouthed a soft choice of words, which brought Kagome’s mouth to stretch into a sincere and tearful smile. “ Thank you.”

Then with the voiceless praise, Sesshomaru and his followers left the castle, leaving the Inuyasha group to themselves. There was a strange pause, before Inua sta stepped away from Kagome and held his hand out for her. Meeting his eyes, she couldn’t help but notice a drastic change of manner within the golden orbs. There was a sense of appreciation…of love. She slipped her hand shyly into his, nodding as he ordered them. “ Let’s go.”

And so they all left, including everyone in the group who had made the frightful journey, and added their lost member. The departure was swift, but meaningful, and one had to wonder...what on earth they could tell Sango and the others when they returned?

[Writer] Aha! My final conclusion! But dun tune me out yet people...I have one last chapter. And it'll be my sweetest lemon yet! -beams- I luff this story.[ End Writer]