Miko... Kitsune?

Disclaimer: If ya'll don't know, you just aren't listening

Chapter 16: Battle

Renshi wandered through the gardens, his mind jumping from thoughts of the oncoming battle to his unrequited love for Tsaisuki. He had almost missed the strange sight he fell upon as he walked on, but was glad he hadn’t. There, amongst the dawning light and under one of the larger sakura trees, lay a sleeping InuYasha and Sango. Both were in a severe state of undress, covered only by the hanyou’s fire-rat haori. Idly, he wondered if he’d ever be able to find a woman that would fall asleep with him in a garden, his own castle on his father’s lands feeling rather empty as of late. Quietly, he approached the mated couple and nudged the hanyou with his toe.

InuYasha’s ears twitched and he grumbled something about ramen, causing the tiger general to smile, memories of his younger brother flashing through his mind. “Wake up, InuYasha. Before Tsaisuki or Sesshomaru find you in this state.”

InuYasha woke instantly at the mention of his brother and his surrogate sister. Amber eyes lifted to see the tiger he considered a surrogate brother and blushed at his and Sango’s nakedness. “Renshi,” he greeted.

Sango mumbled something and turned in her sleep, curling into her mate’s arms as she attempted to stave off waking. She then heard a foreign voice and woke quickly, a bright blush staining her cheeks as she noticed the tiger general. “Renshi-sama!”

“I mean no intrusion, but it would be safer to retreat to one of your respected rooms before a youkai, not as respectful as I to your… predicament, comes upon you,” Renshi teased.

InuYasha glared at the tiger as he pulled on his hakema and wrapped Sango in his haori. “We will, thanks,” he grumbled as they began to gather their scattered clothes.

Renshi chuckled softly as he headed away from the scurrying pair and towards the palace. “Strange morning,” he laughed as he started down a hallway.

“What is strange, I wonder?” Miroku asked as he came up beside the tiger youkai.

Renshi smiled, knowing the monk would appreciate his story. “I stumbled upon the most interesting thing in the gardens this morn, my dear friend.”

Miroku raised a brow. “Oh?”

“Yes, it appears InuYasha and the lovely Sango had mated last night under the stars and had, mistakenly I’m sure, fallen asleep.”

Miroku’s eyes sparkled with mirth. “I see, interesting indeed. Shall we make sport of this predicament?”

Renshi grinned. “My, great minds do think alike.”

~*~*~*~

The day finally came, the battle against Naraku had begun. The four lords had conferred with the tatchi and Renshi, finally coming to an agreement that while the four lords’ armies fought with his hoards of demons, the original tatchi, Sesshomaru, Tsaisuki and Renshi would make a frontal assault upon Naraku himself. The children were commanded to stay behind at the Eastern Palace until the battle ended, where they would be safest.

The armies and three taiyouaki left the day before, and now only the small group walked together towards where they sensed Naraku to be. The vile hanyou wasn’t hiding anymore, letting them know exactly where he was located.

“I don’t like this, it feels like a trap,” Kagome muttered as they entered a dead forest that surrounded the miasma covered palace.

“Indeed,” Sesshomaru agreed.

“He knows that we come for him,” Tsaisuki stated. “He’s waiting for us.”

The forest was suddenly washed with his vile laughter as Naraku appeared before the group flanked by Kagura and Kikyo. “You are truly amazing, Lady Tsaisuki.”

“Naraku!” InuYasha barked as Tetsuaiga was brandished.

“He has the shards!” Kagome gasped.

“I see you’ve come yourself, Naraku,” Miroku said. “You must be very sure of your winning.”

Naraku chuckled. “But of course. I know the one link that would destroy you all. As soon as it is gone, I am assured victory,” Naraku laughed.

“That, is highly doubtful,” Sesshomaru growled.

Naraku cackled again. “Oh, but you’re wrong, my lord. The very instrument of your destruction stands amongst you and soon, I will watch you all fall. Kikyo.”

Kikyo raised her notched bow, and, before anyone could attack, fired. The others watched in horror as the arrow flew past InuYasha, Kagome, and Sesshomaru, imbedding into Tsaisuki’s chest with a dreaded thud.

Eyes of all colors widened, pain filling all as three pairs turned red with rage onto Naraku. InuYasha snarled as jagged, violet striped appeared on his cheeks and his claws became viciously longer. Naraku chuckled loudly as he leapt out at Kikyo and tore into her clay body with enough force to shatter her arm.

Sesshomaru looked to his mate, who nodded and rushed to her retainer and cousin’s side. Then, he and the tiger general leapt out with mirrored moves. Their swords flew into the dead miko’s body, plundging deeply into her chest and causing her torso to fracture and begin to fall apart. Miroku turned angered eyes onto the dark hanyou himself and scowled. “Today, you will leave this world for the fires of Hell!”

Naraku laughed. “You think so, monk? Not before I take your precious consort to the afterlife.”

Miroku was then diverted as Tsaisuki let out a soul tearing scream, a miko-based poison had been laced on the arrow that now protruded from her chest. It was now eating away at her blood. Kagome did her best to restrain the struggling kitsune, but was thrown back by her claws as the blue-haired female staggered to her feet and clutched at her wound.

“You monster!” Sango hissed.

Naraku grinned. “Kagura.”

The wind sorceress nodded, her face bearing a look of hatred towards the dark hanyou. “Dance of the Dead!” she shouted.

Sango gasped as a figured shuffled into the clearing. “Oh kami! Kohaku!”

“It is not him, Sango. Only his body!” Tsaisuki choked out as she moved beside her consort, whom supported her with an arm.

Sesshomaru and Renshi leapt over to where the others stood, Kikyo now nothing more than dust. Unfortunately, InuYasha was trapped in his rage and bloodlust and leapt at the wind sorceress and her puppet.

“InuYasha! Iie!” Kagome shouted. “Sit!” she commanded, sending the berserking hanyou into the earth.

Naraku laughed. “Do you think that your simple command will stop him? No, now he will merely attack you!”

True to the word, the inu-hanyou rose to his feet, his red eyes turned upon the group before he leapt upon them. Sesshomaru turned to the others and gave them a nod, letting them know, silently, that InuYasha would be his to deal with. Kagome and the others nodded back and moved past the rampaging hanyou to attack the vile creature that had spurred his transformation. Sesshomaru made sure to draw his brother away as Renshi and Miroku defended the wounded Tsaisuki while Sango and Kagome fought with Kagura and Kohaku.

Tssaisuki knew that the poison would soon kill her, but this had to end. She then turned to her battling cousin, and, through her own mental powers, sent word to the miko kitsune to deploy the last attack on Naraku. Kagome alighted her blue eyes to the silver of her cousin and nodded in understanding. She then fell back as Miroku joined the tajia in battle. The cousins then began to chant as blue and lavender light grew around their bodies.

Narkau’s eyes widened as he felt the power of the shards leave him. He watched helplessly as his jewel flew into Kagome’s hands and both she Tsaisuki released a blot of miko power and lightning into his body. The hanyou screamed, causing all battles to stop as the dark hanyou writhed in pain. InuYasha’s unconscious body was dumped beside the kitsune females. Sesshomaru, with Tokijin in hand, leapt forward, sheathing the blade into the body of the vile hanyou. He then leapt back as the sword’s aura flared and was absorbed into the hanyou. Renshi then sliced the hanyou’s gut and made a face of disgust as many lower demons tumbled from his skin and a wave of miasma. The two females then shot out their power again and watched as the creature burst into thousands of demons.

“Miroku!” Kagome shouted.

The monk nodded and turned to the attacking demons and unleashed his wind tunnel, sucking them in until there was nothing left of the hanyou, save Kagura. The monk then fell to a knee as he felt the hole in his hand close and seal itself, leaving only a black spiral on his palm where it had once been, in remembrance.

Sesshomaru turned his golden gaze to the wind sorceress. “You asked me once to help free you from his power. That has been done.”

Kagura nodded and let Kohaku’s body fall to the earth. She then pulled a small, glass vial from her robes and handed it to the tajia. “His soul resides within. I believe the western lord knows what to do with it.”

Sango nodded and took the vial, looking to the taiyoukai. Sesshomaru unsheathed Tenseiga and walked to her side. “Open it,” he commanded.

Sango did as he asked as he brought his blade down and killed the imps of the afterlife and healed the boy’s body. Sango watched with a mix of joy and sorrow as brown eyes opened and he called to her. She was embracing him at once. “Oh, Kohaku!”

Miroku smiled at the sight before turning to where his love sat. His violet eyes widened as Kagome let out a strangled cry and the blue haired female fell to the earth. “Tsaisuki!” he called.

~*~*~*~
Levii: Cue the cliffhanger!
Sess: Interesting choice in ending.
Inu: Yeah! I got to kill stuff!
Levii: I don't know why, but I just started writing out Naraku's end.
Sess: This Sesshomaru approves
Levii: I'm glad you're happy
Sess: (Grin) Allow this Sesshomaru to show my appreciation (Tosses authoress over his shoulder and runs offstage)
Inu: Damn, this seems to happen a lot. (Sigh) Anyways, remember to review and maybe the next chapter will come as soon as this one did. Later! (Starts to walk offstage) Thank god I was able to break that damn bathroom lock... stupid ass muse. (Curtain closes)