Fatal Attraction

Disclaimer: What!!! Own something… Who… me? I can assure you I don’t own anything… much less a thriving anime series!!!

A/N: This chapter has been "somewhat" edited. If you find any mistakes... let me know so I can fix them later.

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Chapter Two: This is the End?

Sesshomaru heard enough. The monk was right, but they were all wrong about the life of the priestess. He stepped out of the tree line and walked up to the barrier with Rin hot on his heels.

A collective gasp could be heard from the group standing in front of Shippo.

“Sesshomaru! What do you want!” Inuyasha yelled as he took a defensive stance. “Answer me!”

Before Sesshomaru could reply, Sango thought it was best to defuse the situation. “Inuyasha stop! We need to get to Kagome before it’s too late!”

Sesshomaru looked at the slayer; his bored expression never wavering. “You’re wrong. It’s already too late for your friend.” They all looked at him with shocked eyes; all but the kit, who obviously knew of the girl’s plans. “Her heart has already ceased to beat; the woman before you is nothing more but a puppet to her powers.”

Sango and Inuyasha looked stricken, but Miroku simply nodded. “Then she is preparing to cast her soul from her body….” He didn’t like the idea any better than the other two, but he now understood Kagome’s purpose. “… and absorb Naraku and the other sacred jewel.”

“What!” Sango yelled franticly. She already lost a brother, now fate wanted to take her sister as well.

……

While Inuyasha and the others were preparing to argue about the situation, Shippo slipped away. He stalled for time just as Kagome asked him to, now it was time to prepare to leave. Once Kagome completed her task, he would be entrusted with the care of the second jewel until another guardian could be found.

Kagome knew he wasn’t the strongest demon or the most efficient, but she believed in him. For that, Shippo decided, he would do his best.

…..

“Hmmn…” Sesshomaru watched the young kit closely as he slipped past the barrier. Apparently the boy was preparing for the outcome of the battle.

He made to touch the barrier, but drew his hand back when it started to sizzle from the contact. Sesshomaru looked over to Rin. “Rin, see if you can touch the miko’s barrier.” He watched as she drew her hand toward the barrier. Nothing happened. Maybe only the innocent can pass, Sesshomaru thought. That was the only logical thought. If the girl was indeed making a second jewel, then any impure soul near her would automatically be drawn into its making. Also, if she succeeded in making the jewel, he would never get his revenge on the vile hanyou.

With his mind in sync, Sesshomaru prepared to stop Kagome from carrying out her plans. “Rin, prepare yourself. I want to run at the miko as fast as you can. Knock her down, grab the jewel shard that hangs from her neck, and wait for the other half. Once I have thrown it to you, throw them at the miko.”

Rin nodded enthusiastically. Finally, she would be of some help to her lord!

ssss

“Kukuku… it that all you can do?” Naraku’s cruel laugh echoed in Kagome’s ears.

Kagome could feel the hairs on the back of her neck grow stiff with anger, but she quashed those thoughts. She would have an eternity to be angry so why start now? “Worried Naraku?” Kagome wiped more blood from her mouth. “I’m not. Despite this reign of sadness that has washed over me, today is my day to shine. No matter what, I’ll win.” Kagome started to prepare for the last phase of her plan when she felt a disturbance inside her barrier. She turned away from Naraku, for only a second, but that was all he needed.

A cruel smirk formed on Naraku’s face. When the priestess turned around to check out the disturbance, he thrust a tentacle through her chest; intent on crushing her heart.

…….

As the argument came to a head between Sango and Inuyasha, Miroku stopped trying to play mediator. Instead, his attention was drawn back to the barrier. He watched as the girl that traveled with Sesshomaru ran full speed towards Kagome. Miroku blinked once. When he opened his eyes again, Kagome had a gaping hole in her chest. The hole was so large he was sure that he would be able to see straight through. His breath hitched and that caught the attention of the others.

Rin stopped running.

Shippo, with a heavy heart, turned away from the gruesome scene and continued to do what he was told to do. He would do anything for Kagome; except watch her die.

Inuyasha and Sango immediately stopped fighting.

Sesshomaru’s calculating gaze never left Kagome shocked countenance. After a moment, he drew his attention back to his ward. “Rin, continue.”

Rin nodded and started her run anew.

…..

Kagome immediately fell to her knees. She messed up; she knew that. However, in this stage in her plans, it didn’t matter. Her goal had been achieved. After coughing up the blood lodged in her throat, she looked down to survey the damage. Despite being covered in filth, Kagome flashed Naraku one of the brightest smiles. “Find what you were looking for?” She asked with a bit of humor. She could feel herself weakening, her barrier was failing, but she still saw reason to smile. Naraku’s reign of terror would be over in but a moment.

“What is the meaning of this!” Naraku roared. The Bitch with a heart of gold, who always wanted to see the good in everyone and save everyone in sight, had no heart at all. He tried to pull the appendage back but it wouldn’t budge. He tried to sever it next, but that failed as well. “Answer me wench!”

The barrier around them crashed.

Once Kagome was sure the others could hear her she started to speak. “Please forgive me.” Her hands struggled to come up in prayer. “I never meant to hurt any of you; especially you, Sango.” Kagome coughed up more blood. “You taught me a lot Miroku, and I’ll never forget that. Remember I’ll always love you, Shippo.” She closed her eyes and started a silent prayer. “I’m sorry, Inuyasha. I promised to be by your side forever, but this is the end.” A rueful smile crossed Kagome’s ruby stained lips. “We’ll be worlds apart, but I’ll always be with you in spirit. So please, continue to be strong for me?” Kagome started to chant out loud while an unnatural glow surrounded her body.

The air around the clearing started to pulse and time seemed to slow down.

Suddenly Kagome’s eyes snapped open; she felt Naraku break free. Looking around, she noticed Sesshomaru. He cut Naraku away. Before Kagome had a chance to protest or make her displeasure known, Rin collided with her side and she fell.

…….

Sesshomaru nodded to Rin.

Understanding his meaning, Rin stood by Kagome and waited for her lord to do the rest.

He turned back to a weakened Naraku, and sneered. “Pitiful.” Sesshomaru spat. “…and foolish.” Without waiting for a reply, he thrust his sword in to Naraku’s chest and cut the darkened jewel free. Immediately Rin went to retrieve it.

Following Sesshomaru’s instruction, Rin tore the jewel away from Kagome’s neck and placed it in the same hand with the larger jewel. “Sorry….” She muttered, and threw the jewel at Kagome’s glowing body.

As Sesshomaru expected, Kagome absorbed the jewels but her reaction was not anticipated at all.

ssss

Faster than anyone thought she could move, Kagome jumped to her feet. She staggered a bit before she fell again.

“Kagome!” Before anyone could convince him otherwise, Inuyasha ran toward Kagome’s prone body. “Kagome!”

Miroku turned sad eyes to his comrade, but could not follow. In his arms, he held a very distraught Sango.

Shippo was at a loss. What was he to do now? Kagome had worked out every possibility of failure, but this situation was never discussed. His forest green eyes shifted to Rin. She was their mistake. They never imagined Sesshomaru would bring her along, much less use her. Without a plan of action, Shippo stood his ground and fought back his angry tears. He couldn’t do anything else.

Sesshomaru couldn’t help but be confused as he watched Kagome thrash around the ground with an uncontrollable glow surrounding her body; he thought he had stopped her plans. He shook his head free of those thoughts; he didn’t have time to ponder on it now. Naraku needed to be dealt with.

……..

The aberrant light around Kagome’s body suddenly condensed. She grasped at her chest and let out a silent scream as the skin started to knit back together.

The air pulsed again… and then again.

Everyone looked on in silent awe as a holy light shot from Kagome’s mouth and eyes. It seemed like forever before the flow slowed down, however, the energy by no means stopped. The condensed power suddenly dissipated, sending a powerful wave throughout the area.

Naraku weakened body was purified on contact; severed in two. Only this time, he could not regenerate. Naraku was forced to flee with the section of his body that remained intact.

Inuyasha was thrown into a tree and fell unconscious upon impact.

Shippo ran to Rin and protected her as best as he could by pushing her to the ground.

Sesshomaru was brought to his knees. For a moment, he feared that his fate would resemble that of Naraku’s. After a moment, he blacked out.

Miroku’s actions, more or less, mirrored Shippo’s. He attempted to erect a barrier but failed. In the end, he and Sango were thrown several feet before they passed out as well.

And…. Kagome’s, seemingly lifeless, body dropped to the ground in dead weight.

…..

The final battle had finally come to its end…. It took years to figure out, months to plan, minutes to prepare for, and only seconds to complete.

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End Note: Thanks to everyone that reviewed. This story is still experimental, but I really appreciate all of the nods to my creativity with this story and plan to continue it.