A/N: Umm...I think everyone's too mad at me to listen to excuses, so... Yeah. It's been four months so let me start over again. Hi everybody! :-D Here's the deal: it took me a long time to update, yeah, but at least I updated, right? At least this story didn't end up like my other ones, which it could've...

So just remember that me updating is a luxury for you and stress on my part, so no flaming me cuz I haven't updated in months. Shit happens.

Therefore, I'm starting over. (kinda...) I think we all forgot about this story, but anyone who reviewed last chapter, thank you! This chappie is dedicated to you because I can't reply (me busy...)! I'll reply this time though...

Anyway, before you start reading, here's what's happened so far because even I forgot:

So, a few weeks after everyone came back from Portugal, Inuyasha got into an argument with Kagome and Houjo and was totally pissed off and 'awakened' his dormant powers from his former life. What that means is that he can unlock Kurayami's (dead half-uncle) Blade (you know, the scythe thing). So he tears up the city, Kagome awakens and unlocks Midoriko's spear thing, Sesshoumaru shows up 'awakened' too (he has Kurayami's Nightmare spear thing) and finally Rin shows up to bring everything back to normal by singing. So she awakened, too.

Afterwards, Rin and Sessh are enlightened by Jaken and Myouga about Kurayami and Midoriko and crap, Inu and Kagome have feelings to sort out, and then Meimori (Inu and Sessh's cousin, twin of Kizurei) shows up wanting to kidnap Inu by Naraku's orders. But that doesn't happen because Kikyou shows up and stops him along with Kizurei.

She takes Inu and Kag for some extra training but they get stuck between dimensions and Inu loses his wings. Finally they get out and find themselves in a huge rainforest--they agree to stay engaged despite everything that's happened. Then Yuka ruins everything with her annoyingness and pisses off Inu, making him think Kagome doesn't care about him.

Shit happens and he blasts Yuka, making Kagome angry in turn, and storms off.

Meanwhile, Rin tried to convince Sessh to let her go with him to the immortal after his uncle told him he needed to ascend into kingship immediately. He has none of it and escapes without her noticing. Jaken and Myouga help her get to the immortal realm, yet she comes in the middle of a battle against an evil Kagura (Naraku stole her heart to piss off Meimori).

Kizurei's badly hurt, Rin looks like shit, Sessh is devious, and he finally decides to marry Rin and become a king. And let's not forget about Kouga and Ayame, who are both married, King and Queen respectively, and are pissed off. Sango and Miroku are off in the Eastern Lands trying to get help for the sudden attack on the Western Lands.

So basically, everyone is pissed off. The End! :-D

NOW ENJOY THE CHAPPIE!

Oh My Gods! 41

"DAAAMMIIIT!"

Boom!

"STUPID BIIITCH!"

Boom!

"FUCK HEEER!"

Boom!

"GRRRAAAHH!!!"

BOOOM!

Inuyasha sunk to his knees and gasped for breath, inwardly cursing his lack of energy and feeble mentality. Dammit all! I...can't fucking stand this! Sweat poured in waves down the side of his neck, his cheeks, his forehead... The salty liquid constantly leaked into his eyes, burning the delicate organs, and he was forced to wipe them dry. His chest heaved every split second as his lungs expanded in vain to hold more air—but his agitated fury prevented him from settling his irregular breathing.

"Shit..." The vituperation sounded like a weak mumble tumbling off his lips, and the hanyou ground his elbows into the dark soil beneath him, closing his eyes and suppressing the urge to scream his frustration away. Physically, he was unable to move even the slightest muscle—his vision was tunneled and all his energy reserves were empty.

Mentally, however, his thoughts were racing, adding fuel to the fire burning within his anxious soul.

He clenched his hands into trembling fists, yet uncurled them in order to rake his damp silvery bangs plastered against his flustered forehead away from his haggard honey eyes. Now what? Since I already screamed and raved like some fucking pansy, now what am I supposed to do?

Focusing on the nearly black soil underneath him was impossible, so moving from his spot was out of the question. Inuyasha sighed before his body collapsed onto the ground completely, and he just laid there with closed eyes and stretched limbs. The clearing he was in hadn't originally been a clearing; nope, it was solely the uninhabited place he encountered along his journey and therefore chose to demolish.

Usually, he had a great respect for nature and would never think of destroying it, but irrationality was just that—irrational. He hadn't even thought about what he was doing until he exerted all his energy and was brought to his knees. Heh, the area now looked like the place a plane crashed in, or so Inuyasha mused. Trees with long roots were parallel to the ground, decimated or mutilated, while their strewn leaves added an effect of disarray in the clearing.

The ground itself was scarred by three large tears that conspicuously seemed as though huge talons sunk beneath the surface. Yes, the hanyou hadn't spared nature from his uncontrollable fury this time around.

Releasing blast after blast after blast of disintegrating crimson energy deteriorated his strength and rendered him in the state he was currently in. It was only now that he regretted losing control of himself so brazenly—shouldn't royal princes be able to control themselves?

They should. But he wasn't one of them; he wasn't like Sesshoumaru, Prince Stick-Up-Ass.

Far from it.

"There's no point in sulking," Inuyasha muttered, thoroughly disgusted with his recent conduct. "Then again, there's no point in berating myself." What a fool he was, to fall into these traps, to lose his rationality in stupid mind games.

He wasn't stupid! He knew that bitch-face Yuka was just trying to get under his skin and make him dump Kagome, but then why did he still feel as though he was betrayed? Just because the wench didn't defend him like a mate should, just because the wench didn't admit she loved him or something sappy like that didn't mean she wasn't thinking it!

Hell, it didn't mean anything!

And yet...here he was...lying on the ground, lost and full of rage...despondent and hapless.

Yup, here was the future King of the Eastern Lands, stuck in a fucking rainforest with two annoying bitches as he frequently pondered his self-worth. Oh yeah, people definitely looked up to him to fight a war against Naraku. Keh! Hadn't Inuyasha vowed that his kingdom came before all else?

So, what was he doing forgetting his pride, values, and priorities in favor of worrying about a human cunt who had shit in her mouth? What was he doing cursing himself to hell when he should be undergoing an ascension ceremony and blowing a creepy, blood-crazed bastard to fucking bits?

"Tired..." At last his answer came in the form of yet another languid mumble. The hanyou deeply exhaled and refrained from budging an inch from his comfortable spot. Yes, his spot on the ground was comfortable... Pesky flies were too afraid of his recent tantrum to invade his personal space. "Too tired..."

Surely Kagome would understand if he delayed their reunion for a few minutes?

It wasn't like he planned on leaving her and her bitch-ass friend in a dangerous rainforest alone and virtually defenseless! He was pissed at them both, but he was not a bastard! Besides, he already committed his bastardly deed for the day: blasting Yuka and her Shit-in-Mouth syndrome the fuck away from him.

"Aww...the poor puppy is taking a break. How cute."

Inuyasha, despite his earlier debility, bolted into a sitting position and faced the person who had spoken in such a smooth yet condescending voice. His golden amber eyes widened at the sight of a dark-haired demon god—a rank ten demon god since he managed to enter and leave the rainforest with ease—standing only a few feet away from him, gazing down at him with amused crimson eyes...

Something about this demon nicked at his sixth sense...alerted him of looming danger...

Luckily, he heeded his instincts and rose to stand a good ten feet away from the bastard. How the hell hadn't I caught his scent?! Was there a new spell travelling around that hid a person's scent or what?! Kizurei and Meimori both managed to sneak up on him and now this random person did, too! I could use a spell like that...

Um...he was straying from the situation at hand...

"I'm not in the mood to play games, so let's just cut to the chase. Who are you and what do you want?" Inuyasha narrowed his gaze when the demon across from him merely smirked in response while he crossed his arms over his torso, adorned in a simple black silk shirt. "Hey! I want answers!"

For all he knew, the demon god could've been spying on him! Ew! Was he staring at me while I was lying on the ground with my eyes closed? Pervert!

"But I want to play a game, puppy," the intruder crooned in his suave voice. His smirk widened enough to expose a gleaming pearl white fang as he took a step closer to his target. "Shh, you don't have to be afraid. It's a fairly easy game—trust me."

The hanyou ignored his 'comforting words' and barely suppressed a threatened growl. Adrenaline was beginning to infiltrate his veins once again, giving him the energy required to either fight or take flight, while the hairs on the back of the hanyou's neck rose in alarm once the demon treaded even closer. This time, he made sure to snarl viciously in warning.

However, his vision faltered once. Twice.

His head felt overly light; his muscles ached and tensed from its earlier overuse. Inuyasha immediately realized that he was in no condition to initiate a fight, no matter how threatened or apprehensive he felt. Gods, this bastard just makes me feel sick! My skin is literally crawling just knowing he's breathing the same air I do... The way he's staring at me creeps me out, too.

Those amused crimson eyes...the color of blood... Those beady white pupils that seemed to search deep inside his soul...penetrating him...destroying his defenses...

His heart constricted as the demon took another step towards him. For some reason, however, Inuyasha found it difficult to move his legs and retreat. He just couldn't! It was as though his body was frozen stiff, bewitched by the malicious eyes feeding voraciously on the fear most likely overwhelming his scent...

Hell, he had felt the same way the first time he met Kikyou and he clearly remembered the outcome of that fateful meeting—a 'spirit bullet' right in his cranium. At least she hadn't killed him, and thankfully he wasn't in his human form at the moment.

Fuck, I wished I had controlled myself back there. Now I don't have the energy to blast this guy. Then he had no other choice; his wings were his last resort. Shit...he totally forgot he had them ripped off a while back! Even if he chose to run away like a damn coward, he wouldn't be able to get far in his condition and lack of wings! DAMMIT! Fuck my life!

Which was a better fate—fleeing for his life although he would be caught or staying to meet his doom, if he was killed by an obviously stronger opponent? Keh! I'm not a fucking pansy! Like hell I'm ever running from a good fight! "Back off, dipshit! Like I said—I'm not playing any of your fucking games! So if you're looking for a fight, take the fat stick out of your ass and fight me!"

Good thing Kagome was no where near him or she'd beat his ass for instigating a fight...

"Ku ku ku..." The dark-haired demon god's chuckle caused Inuyasha's eyes to widen again, and he felt the same sick feeling overwhelm him from prior, the same crawling sensation on his skin every time that bastard opened his mouth... "Fine, puppy, let's play. If you win, I'll let you go free. If I win, however...you'll do as I say."

"Oh yeah, I might as well chop my hair off and make you a coat, too, right? Sorry, I don't know any spells for sewing clothes so I guess we can't—ah!!!" Slam!

Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!The demon god claimed to be playing a game, but he was serious when he slammed the hanyou against the ground with a seemingly effortless punch. Inuyasha groaned when his vision wavered, and he tried to stand up despite his obvious weakness, but...

"Hey, get your fucking foot off me!" Blood red eyes smiled down at him, and the foot grinding into his chest only applied more pressure. Throughout the torture, he attempted to hide all signs of discomfort or pain, yet it was conspicuous with the pained grimace marring his dirt-smeared face. "Get off!"

"Like I said: if I win...you will do as I say..."

"Like I said—go rot in fucking hell!" What's up with me these days—everyone wants to kill me! GRR! I'm not that weak! Inuyasha growled in rage, allowing adrenaline to rush through his veins once more and give him the strength to retaliate. He wasn't about to let this damn perverted bastard have his way with him!

Not that he was getting raped...at least momentarily...

His hands began to glow a furious crimson red, just like earlier, and he was about release his radiating energy onto his oblivious opponent, but the deadly glint of a dagger caught his attention... Before he could even react, however, the dark-haired demon god smirked cruelly and flaunted the dagger before his eyes.

The dagger was tipped with a dark purple liquid...Inuyasha gasped when he realized the demon god's true intentions.

"From hereon, your every thought will be mine. You can never hide from me, puppy, and when I call upon you, you will come to me." His fangs glistened as he smirked widely, twirling the dagger in his hand prior to bending down towards the captive hanyou until their faces were inches apart. "I will kill you, Kurayami, because I am the hell that is Naraku."

Wait, this is the stupid-ass bastard who declared war against three kingdoms?! This is Nara— Inuyasha's mental declaration was abruptly cut off and the ability to think escaped him. His golden eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets while his back arched, lifting at least half of his body off the stable ground beneath him. Inwardly his nerves were rampant; they were rushing along with his blood, increasing his awareness of pain...heightening his senses.

He didn't even perceive the dagger that was protruding from his left shoulder—all he knew was that pain wracked his body like it had never done before. Usually he was more tolerant to pain! Not even enduring a hole in his gut was as bad!

And all the while...he felt like acid was poured on his wound... Hell, he felt like a slimy creature with long tentacles was stretching inside of him, establishing limbs in each corner of his veins!

It was a disgusting feeling that he became aware of after the initial pain and left each one of his violated appendages shaking in a losing battle. But although Inuyasha desired nothing more than to reach up and pull the dagger out of his shoulder, and then perhaps claw Naraku's eyes out, his body had reached its limit; even moving his finger proved difficult.

He was utterly defenseless...and his head felt lighter than before...his vision failed to focus on the gleaming crimson eyes staring at him...

At long last, Naraku retracted the dagger but the damage was already done... The dark-haired demon only smirked in triumph—it pleased him to know that he wouldn't have to worry about the malicious, vindictive part of Kurayami's soul for a while.

And by the roll of the half-breed's eyes to the back of his head, he instantly surmised that he was blessed with a new vision, as well. Perfect...his plan had been absolutely perfect. He had caught the hanyou alone and defenseless in an impenetrable rainforest who knew where and the outcome of their first meeting united their minds with the help of his own miasma.

Hmm, no wonder he was so feared since he could control essentially the most powerful hanyou ever born. Oh well! It was his—

"Get away from him!!!"

Whiz!

Naraku jumped a good few meters away from the hanyou before a glowing pink arrow most likely created out of purifying miko energy almost lodged into his shoulder and faced a newcomer in the clearing. Immediately his smirk returned and he cocked his head slightly, analyzing the protective raven-haired teenager who came to stand in front of her fallen mate with an arrow cocked on her long ebony bow.

Ah, so Kagome is no longer a helpless little girl with dormant powers. This is becoming interesting. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kagome. As you can see, I have already greeted your future husband."

The miko didn't dare glance at her unconscious fiancé, refusing to remove her chocolate eyes from the unnerving demon across from her. Her energy arrow was prepared to destroy the demon's smug face, crackling sporadically in tune with her rage to be released. How she conjured the handy weapons was lost on her—one moment she was searching for her fiancé and the next she was pissed as hell.

Last time she was involved in a battle, she conjured a huge staff with an orb situated between a U-shaped blade, not bow and arrows resembling that of Inuyasha's mother! But she wasn't complaining!

"Who are you and what did you do to Inuyasha?!" Hmph, it was pointless to ask the enemy questions because they never responded. Or sometimes they just flaunted their plans in a lapse of arrogance and met their early demise.

Yet, what disturbed Kagome greatly was that this particular demon hurt her hanyou and knew her name, too. Was he some sort of stalker? If she recalled correctly, Inuyasha had said only rank ten demon gods could come in and out of the rainforest dimension without any effort...

Certainly no one would enjoy a relaxing, leisure stroll in the wilderness...

"Well, well, well, aren't we demanding today?" Naraku chuckled at the miko's narrowed eyes and intimidating glare. It was so cute when humans and their caring hearts tried to protect their loved ones! In the end, he merely offered them a reality check and a free passage to hell. "You should ask your mate who I am once he awakens while I take my leave."

"I'm not letting you escape!" No one hurts Inuyasha and gets away with it! Even Meimori learned his lesson with a good beating from the Slipper of Death! And besides, she wanted to know what this bastard did to the immobile hanyou still lying on the ground; he had suffered enough the past few days, for goodness sake!

"Fine then," the dark-haired demon conceded, shrugging as he took a step towards the miko only to have an arrow pointed at his chest. He blinked at her method of greeting an old acquaintance. "Hmm...I'll have to remind you who and what I am."

Enough of this! Whoever this demon was, he was pissing her the hell off! Kagome wasn't the type of person to charge into battle without a plan, but this was an exception! Her soul had felt Inuyasha's pain through their bond, had sensed when he was in danger and actually afraid for once in his life—it had nearly killed her on the spot!

She still had to explain to Yuka why she spent five complete minutes on her knees just staring despairingly at the ground!

Therefore, for Inuyasha's sake, Kagome was going to do the protecting and challenge this demon with the spiritual powers she never knew she could command. Surrounded by a bright, pure pink aura, she knew she stood a chance against a being vulnerable to purifying energy, immortal or not. If she stood a freakin' chance, then she could prove once and for all that she was a worthy mate for Inuyasha—she would prove that she did care for him more than her own life!

Why else would she risk her life in this irrational way if it wasn't because she truly lo—?

"Kagome!"

The raven-haired miko glanced behind her out of the corners of her eyes only to see a panting Yuka hugging what was left of a tree sliced into two; she had sprinted from where her friend had abandoned her and now needed some kind of solid support. Anyone would feel bad for her, but then again, Kagome didn't have the time or the will to deal with a bitch...

"Seems like you're friend needs your help. Do you still want to challenge me when you should be tending to her and your hanyou?" Naraku was obviously trying to make the miko doubt her standing and her fighting spirit—like hell she was going to succumb to his mind games!

Yuka could go crawl under a rock for what she cared at the moment! "Shut up! I'll deal with you in a second!" Kagome glowered at the confident demon, daring him to make a cunning move while she addressed the confused and distraught teen a few feet away from Inuyasha's prone form. "Yuka! Stay out of the way or you'll get hurt!"

Inwardly she smiled, strangely excited for the upcoming fight. Any chance she had to prove herself, Kagome would surely enjoy it. Hell, things are about to get ugly. Right now, it was just her and a pompous demon who cared more about rolling up his pristine black shirt's sleeves rather than his opponent.

Yuka blinked rapidly, wondering why her friend was pointing a glowing arrow—why the hell was it glowing?—at some handsome yet indubitably fiendish demon wearing amazing eye shadow. Then she glanced at the unmoving figure on the ground and recognized the silver-hair of Inu-freak...

Adding Kagome's protective stance, offensive weaponry, and determined expression to Inu-freak's current loss of conscious... Crap!

"No way, Kagome, you're protecting Inu-bastard?!" Yuka, having finally recovered from the hanyou's energy blast from twenty-minutes prior, bound to her feet yet remained far enough away from the two opponents glaring at one another, waiting for the other to make the first move. "But why?! What has he done for you?! How can you even think of risking your life for him when he blasted me and—"

"Yuka shut UP!!!" The auburn-haired teen eeped at her friend's furious shout, and Naraku's amusement wasn't missed by either of the two females. "I've had enough of your hissy fits! Understand something once and for all: Inuyasha has sacrificed everything for me time and time again! It's annoying!"

It was annoying because she couldn't return the favor being the weak, gullible human she was. It was annoying because she desired him to be happy yet at the same time she was a selfish bitch who thought of her needs on top of his. It was annoying because he...he would do anything for her, goddammit! And she in turn just fucking couldn't!

"Aw, the supposedly selfless miko has at long last revealed her true feelings," Naraku said, going so far as to clap in fake astonishment. "I might just be moved to kill you even sooner."

"Grr, do me a favor and wait quietly to die! Thank you!" Now that the asshole was taken care of, Kagome only had to worry about getting her pesky friend out of harm's way. She couldn't promise that she would be unscathed in the future and didn't want that pressing on her conscience along with Inuyasha's abundant sacrifices.

"Kagome, please..." Yuka took one look at the smirking demon across from her alleged best friend and knew instantly that he was a force to be reckoned with. She couldn't win against a handsome demon who wore all black, used eye shadow, and smirked 24/7! "Think this over for a bit! Just run away—what would Inu-freak do if he found out you got hurt?!"

Yuka thought so little of her, sheesh... The miko refused to concede and shook her head. "No, it's time that I do something for him! I can't just leave him here hoping he'll miraculously wake up and protect me!"

Naraku nodded in agreement, 'patiently' drumming his claws along his crossed arms. "That is very true...but won't his pride suffer in the process?" He received a deadly glare as an answer to his innocent inquiry and raised his hands in mock surrender.

Yuka didn't know what else to do! She ran towards her friend until she was right beside her, not fearing the fact that she was within striking distance of the miko's opponent. It bothered her that Kagome was clearly focused on the enemy; her narrowed chocolate eyes remained trained on Naraku, discouraging any deceit.

"Please," her blue-gray eyes pleaded with the raven-haired teen whose life she probably made a living hell along with her dear fiancé's, "just tell me why you're doing this for a bastard like him."

Not many men would actually take a bullet for the woman they loved, much less merely cared for, and she doubted the hanyou was any different. Usually the arrogant, loud-mouthed men were the most cowardice...

Yet, her belief held true solely until Kagome dispersed her lingering doubts. "I'd risk my life for Inuyasha because he's the only person who merits it. He's..." She needed to say it to herself aloud, she needed to prove to her hanyou, although he was not conscious, that she wasn't a lost soul in a crowd—she knew what she wanted!

And she wanted him.

"But Kagome, he doesn't treat you like you should be treated! He doesn't deserve you!"

"I'm the one who doesn't deserve him!" I'm not a princess with unimaginable power and astounding battle skills. I'm not queen-material, either. But I still... It took her so long to realize the part of herself that had surely existed from her former life five years in the future...

"This is becoming too sappy for me; I prefer hatred and fear." Naraku sighed in dismay, shaking his head at the soap opera unraveling in front of his eyes. "When is this fight going to begin, hm?" It was rude to keep a guest waiting due to trivial human affections.

"Listen you weird eye shadow-loving bastard with greasy hair—Kagome and I are having a conversation so you have to wait your turn!" Yuka was taking no bullshit from anyone right now, not when her best friend was about to commit a grave mistake! "Grr, Kagome, you're being irrational! I still don't get why you—"

This nonsense had to end! "It's because I freakin' love him, Yuka!" The raven-haired teen allowed her allegation to sink in for a second; reveling in the silence she was met with. Good, there was no opposition. "I love him—L-O-V-E! No matter how many times you try to talk me out of it, no matter how many times you try to turn me against him...I am in love with Maebashi Inuyasha, Prince of the Western-Eastern Empire and a huge pain-in-the-ass hanyou god! So shut up and run for cover already!"

Sheesh! There, she said it! She declared it in public with no doubt clouding her mind—if he returned the sentiment or not, whatever! Not that he was awake to hear her confession, however; he'd probably be offended in a way.

Well, they were getting married and mated, anyway. No matter!

Yuka couldn't compete with her friend's revelation and stood in silence for a few seconds. Mutely, she nodded and retreated to where the clearing became a thick, dense forest, protecting her by shrouding her form amongst the brush. She would've dragged Inu-freak to safety since he was kind of in the middle of a battle field, but she didn't have the strength to lug a six-foot-three hanyou around, unfortunately.

Well, at least she was glad Kagome wasn't a dimwitted idiot who wasn't sure if she loved the man she was supposed to marry or not... A firm declaration—an extremely firm one with no room for crap—from the teen was better than wondering if she was ruining her life too early on. Heh, now all Yuka had to do was pretend to like Inu-freak...

Not that he remotely liked her, though.

Oooh, and he was a prince! She thought she heard Meimori saying that at some point, but she never listened to his homicidal, arrogant, extremely creepy rants.

"Dear lord, I never knew declarations of love were such potent weapons," Naraku muttered sardonically, clutching his chest over where his heart should be as though he was in real, gut-wrenching pain. "This is why I hate priestesses and their purity—they nauseate me."

"Argh! That's it!"

Finally, after what seemed like ages later Kagome allowed herself to launch the arrow at her opponent, foreseeing his side-step maneuver and swiftly moving from her spot while preparing another arrow. She recalled that Inuyasha had warned her not to overdo it with the energy arrows—she could only conjure as much energy arrows as the energy she possessed.

Naraku lunged at her with all the speed and ferocity a complete demon god could harness, but the miko reined her fear and worked on ensuring that his claws never touched her delicate skin—they left a huge crater in the area she had been standing in, so...

Heh, although she had believed she had a chance to win this battle, it was a totally different notion trying to hit him with her arrows.

The more arrows she wasted, however...the more energy she consumed needlessly.

Okay, so maybe I was stupid for thinking I could protect Inuyasha for once! Kagome suppressed the urge to cry out when she landed on her back from the force of one of Naraku's missed shots rumbling the earth. Hell, she definitely couldn't let him land a blow on her—one punch and she was dead! But as long as I can keep the fight away from him, Inuyasha can— "GAH!"

Too late—one punch and the miko was sent flailing to the ground with a screaming Yuka in the background. It was even worse when Naraku languidly strolled over and ground his left foot on her wrist that was connected to the hand holding her spontaneously evoked long bow.

"Oh, what's this? Are you in pain?" The grimace on her face told it all. Heh, he delighted in her torment; his crimson eyes glistened like diamonds oozing in blood, highlighting his enjoyment. "Here, let me make it worse for you." He applied more pressure on the girl's wrist, loving the way her eyes squeezed shut as her trapped fist clenched air tightly.

"Y-You...bas..." Kagome couldn't even form words on her tongue when the urge to cry out overcame her, but she bit her bottom lip in order to suppress it. Ha! Giving him the satisfaction of her pain was not acceptable!

Oh crap, she couldn't deny it hurt like fucking hell, though...grr! She needed to break free before she fainted or something!

"KAGOME! FIGHT BACK! FIGHT BACK!!! PUNCH HIM IN THE BALLS!!!"

Oh gods, Yuka, why don't you ever shut up? At this rate, the dark-haired demon was going to break her wrist! Well, there goes using a bow and arrow for defense...

"Heh, I like stepping on people." He had said it so casually, too, as though he was on a first date and was stating his favorite color. His entire body weight shifted onto his left foot, increasing Kagome's torture enough to prevent her from forming a complete thought due to the tremors of pain wracking her body. "You mortal humans are pitiful. All I have to do is step on you to subdue you."

Laughable...it was laughable at how easy it was to overpower the keeper of the legendary Midoriko's soul. Was he killing two birds with one stone by keeping both Midoriko and Kurayami in Kagome and Inuyasha at bay? Yes...yes he was! Amazing! Wow, he was coming back with vengeance!

Kagome gritted her teeth, turning onto her side in order to dislodge the foot threatening to shatter the fragile bones in her wrist, yet to no avail. Her free hand pushed at the damn foot; her frazzled mind cursed the booted-foot to oblivion hoping that it would ease her pain, but nothing worked! This couldn't be the end of her!

Not yet!

N-No...Inu...pro... Her brain couldn't form any words containing more than three letters since her neurons were bombarded by alerts of pain overwhelming her system. However, she didn't need to form words to know that her main goal at the moment was to protect her hanyou and make herself useful for once; to prove that she wasn't a coward and could actually utilize her spiritual powers!

But where were they?

Suddenly, the pain under the smug supervision of Naraku became too much for Kagome, and her goal changed to removing the obstacle pressing down on her wrist at all costs. It was all that her very essence focused on, and her extreme desire to return the pain bestowed on her gave her the energy to retaliate. In an instant, both of her hands glowed a bright pink, and they both happened to be close to a part of her enemy's body...

"Dammit!" With a hiss, Naraku quickly jumped away before the appendage was purified right before his eyes, and the miko sat up on the ground, panting heavily as she regained her footing. Her hands were still glowing...the bright pink of her aura soon enveloped her long bow, as well...

Now the real fight commenced.

Kagome's bow abruptly morphed into a more useful weapon for hand-to-hand combat—the tall metal staff with the U-shaped blade that she had summoned the day she awakened. The weapon stopped glowing once she did, and the miko stood, facing her opponent with steady chocolate eyes. Strangely, she wasn't possessed by Midoriko's soul; no, her mind was strong and clear.

And from behind a tall, looming tree, Yuka gawked in admiration.

Now all traces of overconfidence erased from Naraku's being; rather, he glared at her with acute eyes, finally realizing that the longer this battle lasted, the greater the risk was. But he met his new challenge with a lazy smirk. Yes, all he needed was a lazy, arrogant smirk. If Kagome was going to pull a new weapon out of nowhere, then he might as well do the same, right?

"Ku, ku, ku..." His strange, eerie chuckling grated on the miko's nerve and made Yuka gag from a distance. "Well, if it isn't Midoriko's staff! This only means you're getting closer and closer to tapping into the Shikon no Tama. I suppose this is due to your love for Inuyasha, Kurayami's keeper."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, positioning the tall staff vertically in front of her. Somehow, she recalled how to use the overly large weapon from her last battle with it... Thank god for gradually returning memories! "No one asked you! You just like listening to yourself talk!"

"Hmm, you're right." Naraku shrugged, nonchalant towards her growing ire. "I love the hell that I am. The darkness is always welcoming."

Yet, suddenly the aura surrounding him became even more malicious, if possible, and its color changed from a smooth purple to a dark purple bordering on black. It flowed wildly around him, shocking Kagome who was able to see the change in his youki unlike Yuka, who was confused as to why the two were merely staring at each other again.

What in the hell is going on? The blue-gray-eyed teen blinked rapidly, but soon enough even she began to sense that something was wrong with the dark-haired demon challenging her best friend. She trained her eyes on him, analyzing his physical form, until she gasped and recoiled; taking a few steps back from the tree she spied behind. Instantly she pitied the unconscious hanyou not too far from the...the...

She was going run away and throw up...

"Oh my gods..." Kagome was gaping at the scene across from her in complete, utter shock. Her complexion paled considerably as she absorbed the powerful vortex of demonic immortal energy surrounding Naraku at the moment, yet it was because he was morphing into... "He's an octopus!"

Eight slimy green tentacles with openings appearing like razor-sharp mouths at their ends sprouted from the demon's back, slithering in the air ravenously, searching for their next prey. Meanwhile, Naraku remained smirking, unfazed by his physical transformation. Heh, he wasn't even finished yet! Then all of his lower body disappeared into a mass of larger tentacles and what seemed like six spider legs joined the tentacles on his back.

Only his torso appeared remotely human now...

"Now let's see who has the greater power, Kagome," the demon god said, chuckling at the horror and disgust she barely hid. "For I am Naraku—the hell you and your friends seek to destroy."

W-What? This was the demon who caused Midoriko's death and...? Kagome's chocolate eyed widened a huge fraction and her grip on her metal staff slackened the slightest bit. Great, this was what happened when she entered a battle without a plan! Inuyasha... Glancing at the immobile hanyou, she knew for certain there was no way he was going to wake up and save her any time soon.

Therefore, she shouldn't count on help from him. Just as she had wished, she was doing the protecting.

Facing her opponent again, the miko gulped down her fear and braced herself, refusing to give into the supreme evil threatening her existence for the second time. All she focused on was her opponent—no other thought crept into her mind in order to weigh her down, not even her life in the mortal realm. Ha! Forget studying, homework, and her scholarship! Forget everything else that wasn't Naraku!

Although he was currently too revolting to think about...

"As the future Queen of Seijou," Kagome had to admit that it felt amazing to refer to herself in such a way and couldn't believe it took her so long to accept the role in life she was fated to have, "I will stand my ground and fight you, Naraku. I won't lose to you...not this time!"

I won't die today. For Inuyasha's sake and for the immortal realm, I won't be afraid for my own life—not now, not ever. That is my oath...as a future Queen.

A/N: END! Whew, that took four months to post, can you believe it? Me neither. *sigh* It's pure crap, and I feel that things are happening too fast after the forty chapters to develop Inu and Kag's relationship, but seriously, I gotta pick things up.

To everyone complaining that this story is too long...well, I agree with you. It is too long and even I'm getting tired of the same old-same old. Originally, this is supposed to be the 27th chapter, but with long as chapters in between. So let's hope I can end this without rushing through it like an idiot. But I did want Kagome to get her feelings out there...which means switching Yuka's purpose around a bit.

Next chapter: Okay, now this time we get to see what's the deal with Sessh and Rin's marriage and if Kizurei died or not. :-D Nah, he ain't dead. Meimori would freak. Also, we gotta pick things up with Inu, Kag, and Yuka cuz I need them in a certain place...

Sooo...will I take another four months to update? Why does Inu always get victimized? Does Naraku secretly want to ravage the poor, victimized hanyou? Is Kagome truly capable of taking down Naraku? Why is Yuka so useless? Is she done being a bitch? Will Rin keep her doggy man in check?

Hopefully this time Rin and Sessh do get married...

Well, until my next update! Feel free to review because after this long abscence, I could use some enouragement...and motivation...and brownies... *too exhausted from a tennis game and spontaneously combusts*