A/N: This is set during a completely imagined showdown between everyone and Naraku. No setplace in the canon-time line. Though, the Band of Seven are in this story so not long after the hundredth episode.
Once upon a time, in feudal Japan, deep in the Northern Territories, there was a battle. This battle had been brewing for a long time and all participants were ready and willing to have it out one last time. The relationships and chemistry between the participants would take a very long time to explain, so let me cut it short, girl likes boy, boy likes girl(s), other boy likes girl. Repeat this over and over and you will know everything there is to know here.
This story, however, focuses on one girl, Kagome. When Kagome was fifteen she was pulled through a time portal in her family's ancient well and ended up in the feudal era battling demons. That was two years ago and she'd yet to regret coming back again and again. Part of this was Inuyasha, a half-demon who was all softy under his tough guy exterior. Another part was being able to be a part of history, being able to be here, with all these things that didn't exist in her time but fascinated her all the same. Back home, her friends had always made fun of her for loving history. Now, she was history.
Back to the point, Kagome was currently piggy-backing on Inuyasha as they chased Naraku through the forest. To both sides of them were their friends and family. To their left were Koga and his wolf-demon tribe. They were here for vengeance, as Naraku's incarnate Kagura (who was running ahead with Naraku) had slaughtered their brethren. To their right were Sango and Miroku, both on Kirara's back (a cat demon who, unlike Koga, his wolf-demons, and Inuyasha did not have a human form). Just past them, running alongside but not with, was Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's half-brother. Sesshomaru was a full-blooded dog-demon, and had once been one of the coldest men Kagome had ever encountered. However, a change in him was evident by the small, human girl that rode a large two-headed flying dragon beside him. Two years ago he would never have allowed a human that close, let alone a female.
Kagome dragged her attention front and center and tried to focus. They were currently chasing their greatest foe through a large clump of trees and there was a field coming up. She frantically gestured to the others that they should surround Naraku and his incarnates there. Apparently, the others got the message; Koga grabbed Hakaku and Ginta and sped away faster than she could track so that he was in front of Naraku, while at the same time both Kirara and Sesshomaru took to the air. The latter surprised her; she had no idea that Sesshomaru would actually do as she said.
Up ahead in the clearing, Naraku slowed to a halt as he took in his situation. He was surrounded by his enemies and only Kanna and Kagura were left of his incarnates. What was left of the Band of Seven, Bankotsu, Suikotsu, and Jakotsu, had disappeared weeks ago, abandoning Naraku, so to speak, to the wolves. Naraku was nothing if not stubborn however, and had a back up plan in mind in case this pathetic group of demons and humans managed (though impossible to think) to hurt him.
Inuyasha ground to a halt and gently let Kagome off of his back. Then, with Kagome safely ensconced in the relative shelter of the trees, he grasped Tetsuiga and began to attack. At the same time, both Koga and Sesshomaru descended upon Naraku. The battle became fierce in seconds. With Miroku and Sango fighting to keep the insects Naraku released at bay, it left only Kagome to assist the demons in fighting.
Koga chose Kagura as his target; after all, she was the one to slay his brothers. He sent his wolves in first, but the poor beasts were nothing more than target practice for Kagura. She released her wind powers upon the poor animals and they were cut to shreds in seconds. Next, Koga took his brothers in with him. They surrounded the wind witch in seconds but had to contend with a large tornado encircling her. That was cool with Koga however; if she wanted to play with cyclones then he could play too. Koga began to spin ferociously and soon had a tornado going to rival Kagura's. With that battle not needing help, Kagome searched for Kanna.
She had cornered the Lord of the Western Lands, and had him in what appeared to be a staring contest. It was not as it seemed as what was really occurring was a battle of wills between the two. Kanna had her mirror in her hands and was trying to remove Sesshomaru's soul, just as she had once tried to remove Kagome's, but Kagome's was so pure that the petite incarnation had failed. It did not appear that she was failing with Sesshomaru, however, and Kagome raised her bow in anticipation of taking the child out.
Before Kagome could release her arrows though, a cry came from the other side of the clearing, where Inuyasha had been battling Naraku. Kagome whirled and was confronted with the sight of Naraku in his true demon form, with tentacles and tree-branch like arms shooting out of the miasma, he was a frightening figure. This might explain why Inuyasha was screaming as he was being pulled in by one of said tentacles.
Kagome ran out of her shelter in the trees and drew one of her arrows as she came close. "Let him go!" She screamed as she released her sacred arrow, which, shining a bright pink, hit it's target...Naraku's head. He screamed and released Inuyasha, reeling backwards and falling into the trees behind him. He seemed to be shrinking, or at least that was what all the frozen figures in the field thought as they watched him fall. Even Kanna and Kagura were frozen, one with indifference and the other with glee at the thought of freedom.
For a few scant seconds, everyone though that it might be over, that their lives might finally get back to normal, that Kagome would be able to return to her time, that Inuyasha would be able to find Kikyo and give her peace, that Koga would be able to return to his domain and care for his pack, that Sango would find Kohaku and make everything alright with him, that Miroku would be finally rid of his curse, and so on and so forth...
It was not to be. Even as Naraku pulled himself (all of himself with the exclusion of a few pieces he felt he no longer needed), the remaining members of the Band of Seven lit upon the ground from the sky and started the battle anew. With the insects taken care of (and Miroku laid out from using his wind tunnel on them) Sango began a fight with Jakotsu, Sesshomaru (having taken out Kanna with his Tensaiga) engaged Bankotsu, which left Ginta and Hakaku with Suikotsu.
Kagome rose from where she held the mostly weakened Inuyasha on her lap and held firm even as Naraku barreled down upon her.
"Foolish girl...did you really think you could hurt me?"
"Yeah!" Kagome smiled even as she drew two arrows from her quiver and aimed them. As they released they sang with power, more miko power than she'd ever wielded before was laced in those arrows, though neither she nor Naraku knew it at the moment. As they hit their target, went through and took a great deal of Naraku's demon energy with them, Naraku gasped. This silly Kikyo imposter would dare to attack him...and hurt him as well?
Now was the time for action. Now was the time to activate his backup plan. Calling on his Shikon No Tama enhanced magical powers, Naraku opened a portal in time. Not just any portal, a suspended time portal. All this really meant was that while few minutes would pass here, where ever he landed when he entered the portal a great deal of time would pass...enough for him to rejuvenate and become a great deal more powerful.
Naraku called his minions to him and they entered the portal, and while everyone stood in shock of what had just happened, Naraku decided it appropriate to take Kagome with him as he traveled to her time (a place he felt good to recover from this battle and plan the next). One of his tentacles flashed out of the portal and grabbed her by the waist to pull her in.
Immediately, both Koga and Inuyasha had hold of her arms but nothing could keep her from going into the portal. As their grips slipped, she screamed and was pulled in, but before they could follow Kikyo stepped out of the shadows and erected a barrier around the portal. Before their eyes, said portal closed, sealing Kagome's fate and raising anger from almost everyone in the field.
"Why'd you do that, you stupid bitch?" Koga demanded. His precious Kagome was gone and he felt strangely helpless as he stood there and he didn't like that one bit.
"You could not follow her to that place."
"And why not?" Inuyasha demanded, his concern for Kagome for once overriding his urge to go to Kikyo.
"Naraku would have destroyed you. It was a portal of his conjuring and allowed only people he chose to go through," Kikyo explained in her soft, calm voice.
"Where'd Kagome go?" Shippo asked tearfully.
"It's a time portal. She's either in the future or the past. Either way she'll return in a few minutes."
Everyone (including Sesshy) looked confused so Kikyo explained. "Time portals are unique from other portals. From the look of this one, it will be only minutes to us when the portal reappears but will be months or perhaps years that have passed on the other side."
"More reason that I should have gone with her! Anything can happen to her on the other side of that damn thing! What am I going to do now?" Inuyasha demanded, his eyes flashing red.
"I suggest we seek shelters in the trees. The portal will open in a few moments and you will have no idea how powerful Naraku or whatever comes out of it will be like when it reopens."
"What about Kagome?" Sango asked.
"She will have been gone for a long time when the portal reopens...there's no telling who she might be when and if she returns."
"Kagome would never change so drastically as to be bad or something!" Koga denied.
"Are you sure of that?" Sesshomaru asked, pessimistic about the outcome of this situation.
Since no one was really sure of anything at the moment they all sought hiding places in the trees and waited for the portal to reopen. Exactly six minutes (to them) and three years (to her) later Kagome stepped through the portal and back into the feudal area. Looking around she stretched her arms above her head and smiled. "Hey, Bankotsu! Get your ass out here! I thought we were going on a date!"