Three on Three
“Kagome-sama!” Miroku and Haruko yelled at the same time. They rushed over to Kagome along with Kirara.

"Miroku-sama… Haruko-chan! How did you…” Kagome is absolutely stunned by her friends’ sudden appearance. “Why are you with Sesshomaru? Where’s Sango-chan and Shippo-chan?”

“We’ll explain everything later, Kagome,” Miroku eyed her for injuries. “Are you hurt?”

Kagome rubbed her neck a little, but shook her head with a “no”.

Kirara transformed back to her mini size and nuzzled the miko with her nose.

“Dear uncle,” Sesshomaru’s voice silenced everyone in the cavern. “I think you went a little too far with your plans.”

Yugumi stared at Sesshomaru with a slight grin. His keen face mirrored Sesshomaru’s. “Teaming up with your brother? I never thought I’d live to see the day.”

“If you don’t stop now, I’ll assure you that you won’t live for very long.”

Yugumi laughed out loud in a clear voice. “My nephew… how proud I am right now. You threaten to kill your own uncle.” He laughed once more. “Proud indeed.”

Yugumi waved his right arm. All the youkai that were half-standing in the room all stood up immediately and armed themselves. They gathered behind Yugumi, while the old youkai floated above ground to be on eye level with Sesshomaru.

“Sesshomaru, why are you suddenly interfering? Is it because we have your brother and his human miko? Then you do not have to worry, we were just about to let them go.”

Sesshomaru smirked coldly, a smirk that he almost never gave, and was similar to Inuyasha’s signature smirk. “Let them go too.” He pointed to the two unconscious miko girls.

“When did you start worrying about humans, bastard?” Inuyasha cut in. He had jumped back to be next to his friends.

Sesshomaru eyed Inuyasha from the corner of his eyes. But he talked to Yugumi instead. “You’re upsetting the balance, uncle. Your youkai army is getting stronger and larger, while you leave the humans no miko to defend themselves with. At this rate, the Western Lands will not have any human left at all.”

Inuyasha raised his eyebrow in disbelief. Yugumi laughed again. “We are youkai, Sesshomaru, what does it matter whether there are humans left or not?”

Everyone held their breath, waiting for an answer. Sesshomaru waited quite a while before responding. “My father cares.”

On referring to the old Lord, every youkai in the room except for the four leaders fell on their knees, looked up at the ceiling of the cavern, and closed their eyes to pray. They were all still loyal to the old Lord. Yugumi and the others looked around anxiously, signaling them to get up, but none would.

Finally Yugumi turned to Sesshomaru. “Of course your father would care about humans. But my question is why you would carry down your father’s will when you despise humans.”

Again Sesshomaru waited a while before answering, as though he’s trying to word his answer carefully. “My father came to me,” He finally said, “in a dream. He commanded me to stop you from killing any more miko. My mother told me to take back my throne.”

“Oh, is that so?” Yugumi is now very interested. “So your mother wished you to kill her older brother as well?”

Sesshomaru’s brows were knitted together. “Mother said to do whatever it would take.”

At that last word, Sesshomaru drew out one of his swords from its sheath. Yugumi smirked and drew out his weapon as well: a round, steel stick. With a “swoosh”, the stick increased twice in size. Its two ends were incredibly sharp, the middle caved in to allow easy handling.

“I didn’t think it’d ever come to this, nephew.”

“Enough talk,” Sesshomaru floated up as well, “uncle.”

Taking only a second, Yugumi turned to the youkai behind him and signaled them to attack. But every single one of them remained still, kneeling and praying. Seeing that they were now useless to him, Yugumi howled in anger and dashed forward to attack Sesshomaru.

The two youkai moved in midair with an incredible speed. They seemed as though they were everywhere at once. Only the sharp clanging of their weapons can be heard. The bystanders tried to track their movement, but it was almost impossible.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome took the chance to tug Inuyasha’s sleeve, when the hanyou turned to look her, she pleaded, “save those girls, onegai.” She didn’t need to say it twice.

Inuyasha silently rolled his eyes at Miroku and Kirara. Kirara took Miroku down while Inuyasha leaped down once again. They traveled as quietly as possible, but since the girls were in the center of the room, it was impossible to get there without the youkai around them noticing it. But none of the insignificant henchmen said anything.

However, Damedaru and Jinozomu noticed Inuyasha and Miroku. While the two were working on getting the girls out of the vines that were binding them, the other three youkai sneaked behind them.

Jinozomu aimed his claws at Miroku’s back, and Damedaru went for Inuyasha’s neck.

“Inuyasha, look out!” Inuyasha and Miroku both heard Kagome’s warning and tried to dodge the sneak attacks. Inuyasha leaped out of the way unharmed, but Miroku received some small scratches on his back.

Seeing that they escaped, Kagome and Haruko sighed in relief.

“A sneak attack, ehh?” Inuyasha hissed at Damedaru. “Oi, bouzo, can you still fight.”

Miroku flinched a little, but still stood up straight. “It hurts less than Sango’s slaps, I’ll live.”

After another “bouzo”, Inuyasha took out Tessaiga. “If I could, I’d take the time to poison you, bastard, but I guess your death will have to be a fast one.”

“Still bitter about it, Inuyasha?” Damedaru placed both of his claws on the ground, and from the ground he extracted some soil. He shoved the soil into his mouth and swallowed all of it down. Jinozumo followed suit. “You should be thankful that it didn’t work on you.”

Damedaru and Jinozumo’s veins were floating, glowing red. “We ate the soil tainted to miko blood, now we’re even stronger and faster. Give up, hanyou.”

“Inuyasha,” Miroku placed his left hand on the beads around his right hand, “I don’t know about you, but if I don’t start moving now, I might die of boredom.”

Inuyasha smirked, “I’ll leave the older one to you.” He nodded him head toward Jinozumo, whom growled at the comment.

“Older?” Miroku quoted him. “How can you tell the difference?”

“Enough of this, if you two want to fight, fight now!” Sick of the insults, Jinozumo opened his mouth as wide as possible.

Miroku laughed at the sight. “What’s he planning to do, yawn us to death?”

“Get down!” Inuyasha suddenly yelled while he dashed toward Miroku and knocked him down on the ground. A huge ball of fire went over their heads, almost burned Miroku to a crisp.

“Jinozumo is a mix of ka-youkai and inu-youkai, if I recall correctly.” Inuyasha lifted Miroku up and threw him toward Kirara.

“I’d say you did remember correctly, Inuyasha.” Miroku complained. “I just wish you told me sooner that he’s also a fire controller.”

Kirara followed Inuyasha and they both landed on the platform the four leaders were sitting on. “Can you take him, Miroku, I want Damedaru.”

Miroku raised an eyebrow at Inuyasha. “When have I failed at a battle, Inuyasha? I am Miroku, after all.”

Inuyasha smirked, he yelled a “sure, bouzo” before he leaped toward Damedaru. Inuyasha swung his Tessaiga at Damedaru’s head, but the youkai moved out of the way in a flash. The extra boost he got from the blood-tainted soil must’ve really increased his speed.

Damedaru countered at the same time with her claws. Like Inuyasha, he was able to release daggers of blood through his claws. It didn’t take Inuyasha too much energy to block all of them with the Tessaiga.

“You must be dreaming if you think you can defeat me with such an amateur attack that I can do myself.” Inuyasha mocked him.

“Then try this.” Damedaru raised both of his claws, his nails were glowing green. All of a sudden, his nails extended into ten long glowing whips.

“Just like Sesshomaru’s attack,” Inuyasha smirked again, “I’ve had my shares of those, not a big deal.”

Damedaru ignored his comments and flung his claws around. The nail/whips seemed alive and ten of them were tangling around and around Inuyasha. If there were only a few, then he can deal with them. But ten seemed too much, even for Inuyasha. When Inuyasha was busy blocking two to the right of him, a stray one came from his back and went through him. Inuyasha moaned a little in pain, but quickly pulled himself out. His stomach was bleeding terribly.

“Keh,” He snorted arrogantly, “I’ve had my share of these too.” Suddenly he heard a small sob and a gasp. He looked over his shoulder and saw Kagome and Haruko, both staring at him with wide open eyes, full of concern. Kagome looked as though she was about to cry, and Haruko was having a hard time keeping herself away from battle.

“Damn it,” Inuyasha whispered silently.

Meanwhile Miroku’s hands were full trying to defend himself against the Jinozumo. Despite the old youkai’s age, he was fast and strong. Miroku was so busy just defending; he hasn’t had a chance to attack yet. Jinozumo aimed fireball after fireball, slashes after slashes at the Houshi. Finally Jinozumo managed to pin him to a corner. Miroku thought about suing the kazaana, but was afraid if he accidentally sucked in others.

“In all my years of hunting, my favorite part is when I trap a prey to its end.” Jinozumo grinned evilly. He opened his mouth, knowing what’s coming, Miroku was just about to release his kazaana. Innocent ones or not, he has to do it before he gets killed.

But before any of the two did anything, Haruko shot an arrow at Jinozumo, but only managed scratch his left cheek. The old youkai turned around and snarled at the miko standing high up. She looked tall, fearless, and beautiful.

“Arigatoo, Haruko-sama!” Miroku yelled. And taking the moment when the old youkai’s attention is diverted, Miroku took out of talisman and stuck it on the youkai’s head. The talisman sent off electric sparks through out his body. Jinozumo screamed in horrifying pain. Miroku did not back off, he stuck even more talisman onto Jinozumo.

The youkai was in a terrible pain, he stumbled forward a little and leaned against the cavern wall. Miroku now took the youkai’s previous position. Now that there was nothing else before him besides the screaming youkai, he took a few steps back and pulled the beads off his right hand. The kazaan opened up, and in no time at all, it swallowed up the old youkai. Quickly Miroku replaced the beads.

Miroku looked back at Kagome and Haruko to give them a victory smile. Jinozumo is dead now. When he saw the surprised and half terrified look on Haruko’s face, he almost laughed himself to tears.

“It’s a family curse.” Up near the entrance Kagome has already started to explain to Haruko about Miroku’s kazaana. “Miroku’s grandfather was cursed by Naraku fifty years ago. All the direct descendents of his grandfather would have that terrible wind tunnel in their right hand. The power of the kazaana only increases with time. Miroku’s grandfather and father were all unable to break the curse, so the kazaana eventually swallowed them up.”

Kagome can hear Haruko gasp, but she kept her attention on Inuyasha’s battle with Damedaru. The two seemed to be exchanging more words than moves. Inuyasha’s stomach is still bleeding, but he didn’t seem to be bothered by it. He has managed to do some damage to Damedaru’s nails. The both of them were on the same level.

“So does that mean Miroku will be swallowed by the kazaana one day too?” Surprisingly, after a small debate inside of her head, Haruko decided to ask about Miroku first before she asks about Naraku.

Kagome nodded slightly. Her eyes drifted to Miroku, who’s now trying to get the girls out of their vines with Kirara’s help.

“Kagome-sama…who is Naraku?” Haruko finally caught Kagome’s attention. The two young miko stared at each other eye to eye. Kagome is obviously shocked by the sudden question. But her eyes softened after a little while.

“After we get out of here,” Kagome finally replied, “Haruko-chan, I’ll tell you everything about us.”

“Kagome, watch out!” Kagome and Haruko heard Inuyasha’s warning and dodged out of the way of a stray nail/whip from Damedaru. The youkai has an advantage of floating in mid-air, while Inuyasha can only leap certain distances.

“You bastard, you almost hurt Kagome.” Inuyasha growled. Cavern or not, if Damedaru pushes him any further, he just might release his Kaze no Kizu.

“Hit a sore spot, haven’t I?” Damedaru grinned. In a flash, he dashed toward the two girls. But Inuyasha saw it coming. Before Damedaru could reach Kagome, Inuyasha jumped between them and sliced Damedaru’s shoulder with the Tessaiga. Somehow it seemed as if Damedaru was slowing down.

“Keep your dirty hands off Kagome!” Gravity pulled Inuyasha back down. And Damedaru went down as well from his injury. Inuyasha walked over to the youkai and placed one foot heavily on his chest.

“Are you now going to taunt me with your triumph, hanyou?” Damedaru gritted his teeth as he clutched his shoulder. Although inside, he was somewhat surprised that he wasn’t faster than Inuyasha, even though he just ate the soil with miko blood.

Inuyasha stared coldly into Damedaru’s eyes. Then, without a single word, he drove the Tessaiga deep into Damedaru’s chest. But before Tessiaga even made contact, Damedaru’s eyes opened wild, and his mouth was foaming. He tried to scream, but if seemed as though he lost his voice. The shoulder wound Inuyasha just gave him was expanding, his left shoulder was decaying. From inside his stomach, a hole appeared, and within seconds, the hole increased, swallowing Damedaru’s entire body. Like a wind, The entire body of Damedaru disappeared… or rather, melted.

Inuyasha looked at the remains of Damedaru with a horrified look. Miroku saw the scene and rushed over. Kirara carried the two girls to where Kagome and Haruko were.

Inuyasha is still unable to speak. Miroku however, seemed as if he saw this coming. The Houshi grinned, and said to Inuyasha, “Stupid youkai ate the soil with miko blood…” He then chuckled.

Inuyasha looked back at Miroku, and suddenly he came to a realization. “The miko blood was…”

“Purified.” Miroku finished the sentence for him. “If they just took miko’s powers, then it would be fine, but to actually come in contact with miko’s flesh and blood are deadly to youkai.”

“No wonder!!!” Inuyasha gasped, and then he broke into laughter also. “What a bunch of dumbasses.”

Inuyasha sheathed Tessaiga and sighed. “Okaasan,” he whispered, “I’ve avenged your death.”

Inuyasha then jumped back to where Kagome and Haruko are. He smirked arrogantly at Kagome. But Kagome did not smile back. Instead she rushed over to check on his chest wound.

“Inuyasha, you’re…” Kagome looked as though she was about to be broken down to pieces.

Seeing how worried Kagome is about him, Inuyasha was both glad and apologetic. “Keh, it stopped bleeding already.” He smiled at her to reassure her. “And Miroku got that old Jinozumo-jiji, didn’t he? Keh, our work here is almost done.”

“But what about the fourth leader?” Kagome suddenly realized the whole time there were only three that were fighting.

Inuyasha looked around for Megira, and found the youkai prowling around Kaede, who finally fell asleep from exhaustion. “Stop him, Miroku!”

At Inuyasha’s voice, Miroku swung around and dashed toward Megira. But to everyone’s surprise, the youkai yelped. “Please don’t hurt me, mighty Houshi-sama!” Megira pleaded. “I was just gonna get the miko for you. I’m not a part of this, I swear. They made me join them, I swear, I swear!!!” The youkai looked scared like a mouse before a fierce cat. Miroku couldn’t help but smirk, trying desperately to hold his laugh back.

Miroku looked back at Inuyasha for instruction. The hanyou ignored him and turned away, giving Miroku full consent to do whatever he wished. Being a monk and all, Miroku waved his hand, and instructed Megira to go pray with the rest of the youkai to Inuyasha’s dead father. Miroku signaled Kirara to come back down and get him and Kaede.

Once everyone gathered on the top, they all looked around for Sesshomaru and Yugumi. Uncle and nephew were still battling in mid-air, no one has the advantage.

“I’ve never seen Sesshomaru having so much trouble during battle.” Inuyasha commented absent mindedly.

“Inuyasha, Sesshomaru said that your father came to him a dream, commanding him to rescue the miko from Yugumi.” Kagome reminded him, “Is that possible?”

This caused Inuyasha to think back to his own encounter with his father in a dream. Of course it’s possible, but he can’t let Kagome know about the dream, and his father’s instructions for him to take the Shikon Kakeru for himself. “I guess.”

“Was Sesshomaru always obedient?” Miroku asked Inuyasha. The youkai’s behavior are really surprising.

“If there’s one person in this world that Sesshomaru listened to,” Inuyasha’s attention was focused on his brother’s battle. The two shapes went from one side of the cavern to another, impossible to track. “It was Otoosan.”

With all the influence from foreign films, the first phrase that popped up in Kagome’s head was papa’s boy.

Miroku turned his head to check on the girls. When he found that Haruko was too busy trying to track the fight, he whispered to Inuyasha. “You’d never guess who our new travel companion is related to.”

Inuyasha cocked his eyebrow. “Who?”

“Tell you later.”

Inuyasha didn’t mind the suspense, for now he needs his undivided attention to focus on Sesshomaru.

Suddenly the two flashes of bodies stopped, and remained in center of the cavern, still floating.

Now that they’ve stopped, their injuries were clear for the bystanders to see. Yugumi was a mess. He has sword marks all over his legs and arms. His left ear was also cut off by Sesshomaru’s sword. The side of his hip was bleeding as well.

Sesshomaru was far better. The only places where he got hurt were a scratch on his right cheek, which is currently healing; a longer scratch on his right arm, but it didn’t seem to bother him too much.

“I guess I’m really getting old.” Yugumi remarked. He was panting as well, trying to keep afloat. Sesshomaru said nothing. He waited for his uncle to catch his breath. Yugumi nodded in appreciation.

After one last breath, Yugumi went back in attack position. Sesshomaru put on his alert as well. “I’ll tell your parents what a great son you are, nephew.” To everyone’s shock, Yugumi drove his weapon into his chest.

Sesshomaru’s never-changing expression finally released a look of shock. Yugumi’s body fell to the ground with a thump. The youkai that were previously praying raised his head to look, and all squealed in surprise.

“He… killed himself!” Kagome gasped, she cupped her mouth with her hands.

“It would be shameful if an elder was killed by a lower generation.” Inuyasha put a hand on her shoulder. “Besides, he didn’t have a chance.”

“Yugumi-sama!!!” Megira rose from the crowd and rushed over to his former leader.

Yugumi still had one breath left. And with that one breath he looked over at Inuyasha, then Sesshomaru and smiled. He said to Megira hoarsely. “Tell them about the doors.”

And with that, the old inu-youkai forever closed his eyes.

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