Author's Note: Hey everyone! The last chapter… So sad. It's okay, though, because I promise to write a sequel. It will come around in a few weeks or so. I've already got a whole bunch of ideas floating around in my head, and I can't wait to write it! I hope that you all read it when it comes out. Also, you guys made it to 200 reviews! I'm so proud… Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone:
Thank you- Iseedumppl, Crystal Twilight, clow12391, Araki-chan, Chelsbee, ViRgO, AngelWriter2006, Tashana Ambrosia, MystiKat, B, Ryoko-chan, Miaka, Ai, Coherentidiot, Mala, Eikos Butterfly, BeyondWords, Meow, BabyPrin, D/evil1, PikaGRL1115, BishounenChaser, ANONOMOUS, Kaylana, Cookie, Leila, WildfireDreams, Neo the Sword Mistress, White Witch, Need More!, KikyousDream, Heifer, Port, Vampyrgrl, Hoshi Tenshi, Ali, Ben, Lioness, FallenStardust, Lilhillbillie, SuperChic, Jackerz, Sylver-Ajah, Susie, Kagura, Nimue, Siuan, Chaos Kitty, Heather, Me, Chi, MysticalDreamer, JoJo, Shampoo, Higurashi Kagome, K-chan, Mimi Sama, Nightswift, Cute But Psycho, Blades of Ice, Chelsea, Aiko, S.p., Moonlight Priestess, Allflash33, Misakichi, Angel-Wing, Twister, Moonie Mage, SOS, Ann, Ludacris, Saki, Mysticalwaves, Lachesis, Yuji-i16, Vesta the Great, Hanamaru285, Starmoon, Silverstarlight, Ganny Orbit, Coco, and Stage10 – for reviewing this story.
Very Special Thanks Goes Out To- Nauge44, BiSHoneN CraZeD GiRL (J-Chan), Tsukomi, Minaku Aino, Nekoyasha-Hime, Ucchan, Son Sunami, Ryo-Chan, and Distant Luver – for putting me on your favorite author's list. J-Chan for being a great online friend. You rock, J-Chan! And even… Kota Magic, for yelling at me to get the story going along while it was in a slump somewhere in the middle, and for continuing to read after I yelled at her. You forced me to get moving!
Yes, every single person that reviewed this story should be on that list. Forgive me if I missed your name. I hope that you enjoyed this story, and I hope that you will all continue to be such great readers and writers. Have happiness! You all are awesome!
I would also like to thank Microsoft Word thesaurus, for helping me with those word blocks. I love you computer!
And finally, on with the last chapter!
WretchedChapter 13: Fight for a Family
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is only to be expected from those who are strong."
- Leo Rosten
"The smell's stronger. He's close," InuYasha muttered to Kagome on his back. The girl nodded, shifting so that Shippo could get a better hold on her shoulder. The hanyou's arms encircled her from behind, and she carried her bow and arrows in her hands.
"Good. We'll get her back," Miroku said, certain. He sat behind Sango on Kirara's back, his arms wrapped securely around the exterminator's middle. The speed that they were traveling whipped back the monk's hair, and his robes flapped behind him.
"We will," Sango added. She was dressed in her exterminator's outfit, clutching to Kirara's fur. She lifted up a hand to caress her weapon, the giant boomerang. It felt smooth and familiar under her fingers, and she longed to use it on the creature that had stolen her daughter.
InuYasha slowed quickly, coming to an almost complete stop behind some large bushes. He gently set Kagome and Shippo down, who also crouched low behind the thick leaves. The girl noticed that they were at the edge of a cliff, and the sky loomed out in all directions. It seemed to be painted in lush reds and bright oranges, with streaks of a subtle yellow in places. She gazed for a moment, watching the sun making its slow descent from the heavens.
Miroku and Sango joined them, peering through the leaves of tall, green bushes. The natural light of the sun was quickly becoming dim, and they squinted to see.
There was a shadowy figure, standing tall in the center of a clearing below the cliff. He had long hair that flipped about in the light breeze of the evening, and a large, flowing kimono.
Sango's eyes widened as she recognized the creature, but she didn't dare let out a sound.
It was Sesshomaru.
***************************
"Jakken, stop playing with the whelp. We have to get this done before my dear brother and the mother of this child find us. I believe that it will be a while, though. My brother's nose is not as strong as he would like it to be," Sesshomaru, the lord youkai, spoke in his calm, even voice to the pitiful green demon.
Jakken stopped pulling on the child's ears immediately, stepping away from it, "Yes me lord," He croaked. He moved to his master's side, staring up at him. After a moment of thought as they stood there, watching the sun set, he asked, "Why do you want this creature, me lord? It is simply an ugly hanyou child."
Sesshomaru glared down at the ugly green demon who slavishly devoted itself to him. "I have my reasons," He replied. The youkai lord took a moment to glance at the child. Pointed dog-like ears, wide, amber eyes, little pointed canine teeth…
Such a disgrace.
****************************
Darkness fell quickly. Soon, there was only the light of the moon to guide fearful eyes. The group crouched below the bushes, silently; each one thinking of a plan to carry out when the time came to move into action.
InuYasha glanced at the others, once he had collected his thoughts. He met eyes with each one, until he was sure that they were ready. It was time.
The hanyou jumped down first, leaving the others at the top of the cliff.
"I got enough sense of smell to catch your stench," He threw his older brother a wicked smile as he commented on the earlier thoughts of the youkai. Looking around quickly, InuYasha took in the scene. Nikomi sat, untouched, slightly to the right of Sesshomaru, and Jakken stood pressed against his master's left side.
"Ah, dear brother. How nice of you to join us. Where is that human you seem to like so much? Perhaps she is still up on that cliff. With the others I may guess," Sesshomaru glared back at his hanyou half brother as he spoke in his calm voice that held no feeling.
"That isn't any of your business!" InuYasha yelled as he rushed at the youkai lord. Sesshomaru easily avoided the hanyou.
"What could you want with a little whelp?" Jakken croaked towards InuYasha, trying to get his attention. The green demon was slowly inching towards the child as he spoke. He would pick it up and make off with it as soon as fate gave him the chance. Oh, Lord would be so pleased with him!
"Don't even think about it, you gross thing!" Kagome yelled from the top of the cliff. She was standing tall, her bow held an arrow, and she drew it back quickly. The girl took careful aim, making sure that Jakken was far from little Nikomi before she fired.
The arrow flew, straight and true, but caught the breeze and fell harmlessly at the creature's feet. Jakken laughed as he stepped over the harmless arrow.
"I won't miss this time!" Kagome called, hastily setting another arrow into the bow. She drew back, aimed, and let another fly. This one flew straight as the last one, but in a different direction. It hit Sesshomaru's armor, causing it to break into pieces and fall to the ground.
Sesshomaru turned up to glare at the girl. He hadn't expected her to fire at him, let alone actually hit. He should have learned by now that she was different from other humans. She was powerful.
InuYasha saw his chance. He moved in quickly, "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer!" His claws raked the empty air, just grazing the youkai lord's kimono.
Sesshomaru's mind raced. Outside he remained calm, standing regally, facing his foe; but on the inside, his thoughts fired off like lightning bolts in a cloudy sky. Two attacking him on each side, and he could smell the others in the bushes.
InuYasha ran and grabbed Nikomi, knocking Jakken out of his way with ease. The green demon growled with anger, holding the head staff in front of him. With a yell, he let loose a wave of fire that sprung forth from one of the heads.
The hanyou saw the fire coming at him, and quickly turned his back to it, hunching down with little Nikomi tucked securely amid his protective robes. When he felt the heat of the fire die away, InuYasha stood back up, checking Nikomi for any harm. She had a little smudge of dirt on her cheek, and she was crying uncontrollably. What an awful sound… She must have inherited it from her mother. Other than that minor detail, though, she seemed perfectly fine.
Turning around after a second, the hanyou glared at Jakken. The little green demon gasped, "But… He should have burned!" The creature stuttered. Sesshomaru was not surprised in the least. He knew well of the robes that his brother wore.
"Kagome! Take Nikomi!" InuYasha called to the girl on the cliff. She clamored down the side of the cliff, sliding on the damp dirt until she reached the bottom. She ran over, taking the child into her arms, InuYasha keeping a watchful eye on the youkai lord and green demon the entire time. "Now go," He whispered to her, and she did. Back up the cliff and to the false protection of the bushes.
Sesshomaru watched the whole thing. He continued to think about a plan, his mind racing. It came to him slowly, but came all the same.
"Jakken, take care of him," the youkai lord spoke. The green demon gaped at him, "But me lord!" He croaked, "The fire does not work on him!"
"Use it anyway," Sesshomaru said as he watched Jakken let out the fire from the staff. The youkai lord saw his chance, as his hanyou brother was busy trying not to be burned to death. He leapt over to the cliff, and was upon Kagome and the child in a moment.
Just as he was about to grab both, a human leapt in front of them, baring a giant demon bone shaped as a boomerang. He stopped to regard her. Her eyes burning with a fierce passion as she glared at him. He remembered those eyes from somewhere…
And then it dawned on him. This was the mother of his child, his disgraceful hanyou child. This was the woman whom he had raped.
A smile curved his lips, and an evil glint appeared in his eye. He reached out to push away her weapon, but she slapped his hand away with it, holding it ready to defend her child with her life.
"Get away from my child," She spoke harshly, her eyes refusing to break contact with his. He stared for a moment, unsure. Never had a human dared to look him so bold in the eyes.
"I grow tired of this. Give her to me, and I might spare your life, and the lives of your friends."
Sango faltered. How was she to compare the lives of her friends to the life of her child? Not to even mention the life of her love. Motherly instinct raged through her like a tidal wave. She was meant to protect this child. That was what she lived for, what she breathed for! But loyalty to her friends and love for another took hold of her thoughts also.
There was no way to choose.
A yell came from the side, and Sesshomaru glanced to his right. Miroku flung himself at the unsuspecting youkai lord, throwing him off balance. Both tumbled down the cliff, dirt and small rocks flying around them as they rolled to the harsh ground.
Sesshomaru was up in a moment after they landed. Miroku up only a second later, but that second was all the youkai needed. He bared his claws, and struck the monk with all of his force. It was a blow to crack the skull. Whether it had done it's job or not, Sesshomaru did not worry, for his crushing blow had never failed him before. Humans are such weak creatures.
InuYasha was still trapped in the flames. He slowly worked his way towards Jakken. "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer!" He yelled, throwing his attack out towards the appalling green demon. The fire that had engulfed him moments before disappeared, and he glanced at the situation. Miroku lay in a crumpled heap on the ground just a few feet away from the bottom of the cliff. Kagome, Sango, and Nikomi were safe on the cliff. Sango looked dreadful. He could smell her fear and rage mixed with confusion and disbelief.
But they were not safe, the hanyou checked, for the youkai lord stood at the bottom of the cliff, staring loath fully up at the women and child.
"Die already!" He yelled, finally pulling out Tetsusaiga. He rushed at his half brother, ready to kill.
Sango saw what was happening, and knew that this would all be in vain if they could not overpower the youkai lord. Her heart wretched as she saw her love in a heap on the ground, and from her throat sprung forth an involuntary whine. She had never heard such a thing before, and was confused even as it echoed back to her in her ears. The young woman did not know it to be the cry for a lost love. Tears welled in her eyes as she noticed that Miroku's purple robes, which he had kept as clean as he was able to, were covered in mud and dirt.
But despite it all, she pulled herself together. She must be strong, for the others, for Nikomi.
Figuring out a plan, she pulled out her weapon. With careful aim, and InuYasha's knowing placement of his sword, She threw the weapon with a cry, "for Miroku!"
It hit. Whether it was because of InuYasha's careful swipes, guiding his brother to the right spot, or the perfect aim of the boomerang, or perhaps it was because the great youkai lord faltered for the first time.
He was knocked to the ground, stirring up dust as he landed. His thoughts coursed with rage, and a new emotion… shame.
He got up, glaring at the group. Dirt covered his once spotless white kimono, proving that he had been taken down. The dim moonlight reflected from the bright color of his robes, accenting the dark splotches of dirt on them. This was not worth it. He could kill the child another time. Willing himself, he straitened up, bringing forth all of his pride to keep him sounding normal, "I have grown tired of this. There is such boredom in fighting humans… and a disgraceful hanyou. A few lucky shots you were able to get in, but I do not care of it. That child is not worth ripping my kimono. Here this, though. If I ever see her again, I shall kill her without a second thought." And with that, he was gone.
The group stood in their spots, breathing heavily. Sango, with a short cry of despair, slid down the cliff, half on her bottom and half on her feet and hands. She stopped in front of the space where Miroku was lying. She dropped to her knees in next to him, and saw that he was not breathing. That same strange whine came from deep in her throat, and her brain lost all conscious thought. She placed her head in her hands, and wept with unrestrained abandon.
And then something happened that no one could ever explain. If anything, it was a miracle willed by the gods. There was no other way.
Miroku slowly rose up, panting as if he had been holding his breath underwater. He braced himself with his arms, not trying to move his legs from the ground. Sango squealed and reached out to hug him as he wearily sighed. They embraced for what seemed like forever to the others.
******************************
"Na… Na…" Sango crouched in front of little Nikomi on this fine day. They were sitting on the dusty ground just outside the hut, basking in the shade of the building as the exterminator attempted to teach the hanyou child her first word, although the little one didn't seem to be getting it, as she continually repeated the word incorrectly.
"Mama," She repeated to her child, forming the word slowly and carefully with her lips so that the child could see. Little Nikomi regarded her for a moment, and then suddenly became interested in a passing butterfly. She got up, and ran off to chase it.
Sango sighed, leaning back and bracing herself on her hands. The day was beautiful. The sun shown brightly, the breeze blew gently, and it was neither too hot, nor too cold; an all around perfect day.
"Da…Da!" A little cry sprung forth from little Nikomi a few feet away. She ran towards a figure traveling towards the hut, her silver hair with the single black stripe flowing like a little cloud atop her head.
Sango got up, walking towards the visitor. She could not believe her ears. Had Nikomi just said what she thought?
With a pleasure filled sigh, the exterminator trotted over to see Miroku carrying little Nikomi on his shoulders, telling her of his battle with a wicked demon who had tried to eat the occupants of a nearby village. Pure delight sparkled in the child's large eyes as she listened to the story. Sango ran over to the monk, hugging him around the middle, "You've been gone for almost the whole day, I was starting to worry. Did you fix the villager's problem?" She looked up at him.
Miroku paused from his story, smiling down at his beloved. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear so as not to ruin his story for the child, " I threw on a few seals, and the 'evil' went away." He grinned at her.
"You are evil," She giggled to him, still gazing at his handsome face, "And I can bet that they paid you well for it?" The monk nodded, keeping the boyish grin on his face. Wrapping a free arm around Sango, they continued to walk towards their home.
The young woman could not stop smiling. Joy coursed through her spirit, and she felt as though there were butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. Everything was so perfect. A perfect day, a perfect… Family.
Love conquers all.
The End