(Apologies ahead of this as this is my first ever fan-fic...please forgive spelling errors.)
In Loving Memory of My Daughter, Ella Dawn and dedicated to my husband, Aaron, who has been my rock through all times,
good and bad. Without him, I would not be where I am today.
Chapter One: May It Be An Evening Star, Shines Down Upon You
Kagome stood at the edge of the village of Edo and stared up into the sky. Tears began freely sliding down her face as the events of the day began to replay in her mind.
FLASHBACK
"Kagome! Get Back!" screamed Inuyasha as Naraku's tendrils rushed towards her. Startled, she froze, unable to move herself from the spot. A blur whipped her away from the spot and it took a minute before she realized what had happened. Inuyasha had soared over to where she stood just before her heart was pierced and carried her over to a safe spot. "Kamei I swear!
You need to be careful, you have fought long enough to know better then to stand still!" The group has been traveling in pursuit of their latest lead on Naraku when suddenly his incarnations had shown up. After a mear ten minutes into the battle, Naraku graced them with the honor of personally showing up.
"INUYASHA!" screamed Kagome as she noticed Kagura aiming her fan at the unsuspecting hanyou.
"You'd do well to keep an eye on your own back Inuyasha." Kagura sneered. Inuyasha turned to face her with Tetsuiga and cried out, "Medoki Zangotsha!" The unsupecting demoness's eyes grew wide as she was unable to dodge the attack. Her body disintigrated into that which she longed to be. "kekekeke," came Naraku's snide chuckle. "Why thank you Inuyasha, you have rid me of a great problem. I still had some use of that traitor, however you saved me the trouble of having to muddie my hands by riding her from this world for me." "Feh," came a reply from Inuyasha. "The day you actually muddy your hands for any cause will be the day hell freezes over." "Kekekeke,
it seems you do not know me as well as you once thought."
In a flash he was behind Sango. Before she had time to react Naraku whipped her Hirakotsu out of her arms and slung it towards Miroku. His eyes widdened as he was thrown across the battlefield finally slumping unconciously upon a rock. "MIROKU!" cried out Sango. Naraku smilied evilly at her discomfort and reached out and grabbed her. "kekekeke, what will you do now Inuyasha?" Naraku smiled for he gained great pleasure in seeing Kagome and her friends in pain. He would never admit it but he secretly pined after the Miko who so resembled his long lost love. Killing Kikyo had been easy for all he had to do was exploit her weaknesses. She had longed for Inuyasha since her living days and with the promise of returning to human, it had been easy to trick her into servitude. The only thing that brought him greater pleasure then watching her writh benighth him as he brutally raped her cold, hard body was watching the only man she truly desired kill her. Inuyasha had been so enraged at her trechery and attempt to end Kagome's life that he had slain the woman he had only ever truly loved.
"Inuyasha," said Naraku, "How would you like it if I saved you the trouble of hunting Sango down after I force her to betray you. I believe I will do you a justice and end her life right now." "You BASTARD!" cried Inuyasha. Just as Naraku's arm delved into Sango's breast and grasped her heart, Inuyasha jumped onto Naraku, fangs digging into his throat. Sango gasped at the intrusion and soon felt the poison from Naraku's miasma strangling her heart. Naraku pulled his bloodied hand from her body and permitted her to collapse on the ground before him. "And you said I would never muddy my hands. My how wrong of you to underestimate me, clearly for it has cost you your life. kekekeke" He grabbed Inuyasha by the throat and dug his fangs into it, ripping his adams apple out. Inuyasha gasped and grabbed at his throat as he realized it was missing. Naraku threw him to the ground and said, "Your pathetic attempt to defeat me has been undone. Is this what you wanted Inuyasha, to watch your friends as they draw their last breaths? You would have done well to follow the clay pot in death. I have had enough of this,
the Shikon No Tama will be mine, and I will rule over the planet! All will cower before me and die!" A manaticle laugh erupted from his throat.
Kagome just stood and watched in shock as she watched Naraku walk over to Miroku. It was clear he intended to kill the man.
She arched an arrow into her bow and cried out, "NARAKU! I am your opponent!" Naraku slowly turned to face her, an evil gleam in his eye. "Oh? And just what do you suppose to do? Even your beloved Inuyasha could not stand against me! KAKAKAKAKa"
"I intend to be the one to end your life!" "You must have hit your head somewhere along your travels for surely you do not think that a mear reincarnation of Kikyo could defeat me! You have not even half the power of that clay pot and you witnessed her downfall!" With that he slung out a tenticle and knocked her into a tree, causing her to loose conciousness. "I will deal with you later bitch." he murmured before turning back to his initial target. Inuyasha watched as Naraku approched Shippo and Miroku. Shippo was trying his best to stand strong before Naraku and defend his fallen friend.
"Kit, you would do well to remove yourself from my target if you value your life at all." sneared Naraku. "Never! I will never abandon my friends! It is time for me to be the strong one instead of always relying on them! They need me!" Naraku simply smirked as he unleashed a piece of his body to pierce the kit's. With a shocked look on Shippo's face, he was skewered onto Naraku's tenticle. All life faded from the kit's face before he was cast away. With one last breath he placed a curse upon Naraku. "A pox on you and yours for all the harm you have caused to fall upon others. May your life always be hunted and may it end soon. A moments rest shall you never get and upon entering the gates of hell, for no amount of repentance shall save your soul from this curse, may Hades be your personal tormentor." Naraku mearly glanced at the kit,
words unfazing. Gazing upon the Monk's body with contempt, with a quick swipe he pierced his body with his tentricles as well,
unleashing a lethal amount of his miasma. Miroku never even flinched as his heart stopped within seconds.
Inuyasha, panting, raised himself up with the help of Tetsiaga, Naraku turned to find his worst enemy preparing to strike. "Fool, you still try to resist? Your life shall be mine!" he shouted as he readied his tenticles to pierce the half dead hanyou. "FOOL! YOU DARE TO CLAIM HIS LIFE AFTER I MADE IT BE KNOWN HE WAS MINE TO SLAY?" cried out an unknown voice. Sesshomaru flew into the scene, Bakusaiga risen, eyes tinted red. The sight of his half dead brother and pack laying shrewn on the ground was nothing to the cold-hearted demon, but hearing the claim on his life hit a nerve. Sesshomaru's sword sliced through all of the tentricles and sliced through the shocked half-demon's shoulder. Naraku had a look of fear upon his face as he took in Sesshomaru's regal form. Swords clashed as Kagome woke from her stoupour. As she took in the scene before her; Sesshomaru and Naraku fighting, Inuyasha down on his knees surrounded by a puddle of blood, Shippo and Miroku's bodies, torn, and Sango with a hole in her chest, fury embodied her mind and very soul. How dare this filth lay a hand on her beloved friends and dare she call them, family? A powerful suge swept the land before her as Inuyasha, Naraku, and Sesshomaru turned to face the fearsome Miko. Pink tinged her eyes as her body coursed with raw power. Her hair turned white and grew to her buttocks, her fingernails grew and turned to a sparkly pink, her ears tipped at the top much like Sesshomaru's she herself grew to 6 ft. Her body's curves took the form of a woman's. No longer did she hold the shape of a 15 year old girl, but now held the curves of a 20 year old in her prime.
Kagome's attire changed to that of a traditional pristesses of the time. She spoke, mulitiple voices overlapping her own. "Naraku, for too long you have caused misery and harm to innocents. The ground you step upon repels you for the sake of purity. No longer can we stand and permit such evil to defile us. We are the pristesses of the ages, the ones who have been directly inflicted by the curse that is you. We are Midoriko, Kikyo, Kaiede, Hitomiko, and Kagome. Together, we shall banish you to the relm of Haede, for we have heard the cry of the child you claimed." Sesshomaru and Inuyasha looked upon Kagome in wonderment. Inuyasha fleetingly thought of how Kaiede could be embodied in Kagome at the moment if she was not in the relm of the dead, and his answer was given to him as soon as he thought it. "Kaiede is lending us her powers, any and all who are still alive are able to embody their powers into Kagome's essence." Inuyasha was shocked upon realizing that Kagome had heard his thoughts.
Naraku had a momentary look of fear upon his face but quickly regained himself and was able to remit the words of the pristesses with fire. "Weak pristesses shall not be able to lay a hand upon my head for in life I have defeated you and so shall I in death!" With a roar he sent all that he possesed upon Kagome, who mearly stood there as her barrier disintegrated any and all embodiments of the half-demon. "You shall not touch us for it is the will of the Kamis. Know this now Naraku!
Your time here is over!" They shouted. A burst of pink purificating energy surged from Kagome who's head was slammed back towards the sky in a scream. All Naraku could do was stare with a horrified look upon his face as the pink energy washed over him purifying him instantly. In a second all was over. The sacred jewel landed in Kagome's outstretched hand.
The images of the pristesses appeared before her. "Make your wish now, but be careful, for only the correct wish shall rid the jewel from this world." Kagome thought of the words her grandfather had spoken to her and knew what the one true wish was." Quietly she spoke, "Jewel, Dissapear, Forever!" In a bright flash of light the jewel was gone as well as the pristesses,
however, Kagome held her current form. Such purity as such had coursed through her soul allowing her to never return to the state she previously held.
Kagome rushed to Inuyasha as Sesshomaru stood in wonderment before her. "Inuyasha! Are you hurt, silly me of course you are.
Lay down, everything will be ok. It has to be!" Inuyasha layed down in gasps as his life was nearing it's end. "Kagome. You were amazing," he gasped. "And so beautiful now too. Not that you weren't always beautiful, but now you radiate with a purity fit for one so kind." "Inuyasha..." "Shush now Kagome. I should have told you sooner but, I love you. I always have.
I was just too much of a Baka to realize it. I'm sorry for that Kagome. I am sorry for calling you a wrench and a bitch and for every harsh word I ever used." "Inuyasha, don't talk like that. You'll be fine, you have to be! Naraku is finally dead!
This is what we have been fighting for ever since I came here! You can't give up now! You just can't!" exclaimed Kagome with tear filled eyes. Inuyasha's breathing became even more labored. "Kagome. Don't ever forget. Don't forget everything we fought so hard for. Carry on in life, and know that even though I will not be with you in body, I will always be near you in heart and in soul. I am always with you. I love you." "Inuyasha!" Inuyasha stared at her with his golden orbs and gasped as he took his last breath. Kagome had never seen death before. She always thought it was peaceful, but Inuyasha seemed to have been in dire pain during his last seconds. His body rattled horribly as his brain struggled to keep him alive. For several minutes after he took his last breath came breaths with a minute in between that shook the body horribly. Kagome could not bear to see her friend in so much pain. She cried out into the night, to the Kami's, to anyone who could hear her grief. After about five minutes of struggling to stay alive, his soul finally rose to heaven, and his eyes took on a glassy look. Kagome jumped as Sesshomaru reached around her to close his brother's eyes. "Rest in peace brother." he stated softly.
Kagome suddenly remembered Tenseiga. "Sesshomaru! Use the Tenseiga! Bring him back!" Sesshomaru had a strange look of hurt cross his eyes. "The messangers of the underworld did not appear. Tenseiga will not work without them. "But why! Why won't it work?" "Father must have used it on Inuyasha when he was a child, when father succombed to Ryokostsu during the fight to defend Inuyasha and his mother. The sword will not work twice." Kagome simply screamed out in frustration. After a few moments she looked around and noticed Sango a short distance away still breathing. She rushed to her side unable to believe she had forgotten about her friend. She lifted Sango's head into her lap. Sango opened her eyes and spoke to her friend.
"Kagome, do not mourn. I am going to be with my family and Miroku. I do not wish Tenseiga to be used on me. I am sorry to leave you sister. Is he gone?" Kagome nodded. "Kagome. Thank you for having faith in me and believing when noone else did.
I am proud to look upon you as the sister I never had. Take care of Kirara for me." She gasped suddenly. "Sango," whispered Kagome. "Sango. I love you. You will never be forgotten. Rest in peace dear sister." With that Sango's eyes closed slowly as her breathing stopped. Sango seemed to pass into the netherworld peacefully, perhaps because she was ready to go.
With the passing of her friends, Kagome stood and looked around. She was the only one to make it out of the fight with Naraku. They should all be standing together and rejoycing but instead she stood facing the tasks of burying her friends.
Kagome stood at the foot of her friend's graves. Sesshomaru had gone to fetch Jaken and together the three of them had proceeded to carry the bodies to Edo and dig the graves. Kiaede, knowing what had occured, had walked out to the trio and prepared to perform a short service over their bodies. After the service, and after Kagome had placed some flowers and incense at the foot of their graves, Sesshomaru had biden them farewell and walked off with Jaken. What Kagome did not know was that he had sent Jaken on his way back to Rin at the Western Castle and proceeded to hide in the trees, watching Kagome. Kiaede asked Kagome when she would be returning to her hut, for she had invited Kagome to spend the night and was told that she would be along shortly. After Kaiede walked off, Kagome walked to the edge of the village and stood looking up at the stars. Tears began to flow down her cheeks.
END FLASHBACK
Kagome gasped as the events of the day replayed in her mind. They were gone. She could not believe they were gone! NO!
It's impossible! It was not supposed to be like this! They were supposed to be sitting in Kaiede's hut drinking Sake and celebrating their conquest! She was supposed to be laughing as Sango hit Miroku upside the head for his hentai anticts. She was supposed to be listening to Inuyasha complain about how there was never enough Ramen, and how Shippo was treated better then he was. She was supposed to be awaiting Sango and Miroku's wedding, and perhaps finding that her romance with Inuyasha would blossom into something new. This was never supposed to happen...WHY? Why was her whole world torn from her?
WHY! HOW COULD THE KAMI'S BE SO CRUEL AS TO TAKE EVERYTHING THAT EVER HAD ANY MEANING FROM HER! WHY! She screamed out the last why as she fell to her knees. Sobs overtook her delicate frame. She felt broken. Cold.
Slowly, and softly as the wind began to blow she began to hum a tune. Her mother used to sing this song to her often after her father died. Her mother explained to her once that it was a lulliby for the dead, a song about their passing into the next world and all the promises that lay before them. She felt it fitting and it brought her comfort to sing a song to her friends to let them know that they were not alone, for when they died, little pieces of her heart did as well.
"Lay down, Your sweet and weary head. Night is falling, you have come to journeys end. Sleep now, dream of the ones who came before. They are calling, from across the distance shore. Why do you weep? What are these tears upon your face, soon you will see, all of your fears have pased away. Safe in my arms, you're only sleeping. What can you see? On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea, a pale moon rises! The ships have come to carry you home.
And all will turn to silver glass, a light on the water, all souls pass.
Hope fades, into the world of night. Through shadows calling, out of memory and time. Don't fade. We have come now to the end. White shores are calling. You and I will meet again. And you'll be here in my arms, just sleeping. What can you see, on the horizon! Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea, a pale moon rises! The ships have come to carry you home!
And all will fade, to silver glass. A light on the water. Grey ships pass, Into the West."
Sesshomaru sat in the trees not far from where Kagome was kneeling in the grass, and his ears twitched curiously as he heard the beginings of her song trail from her lips. He sat mesmerized at the beauty of her song. THe song was truly fitting for the memories of the ones who had fallen that night. He knew they were looking down from the heavens smiling. He suddenly shuddered as he realized that he was growing softer then he usually was in watching Kagome in the moonlight. He felt an overwhealming urge to go to her and comfort her, which was completly uncharaturistic of himself, but upon hearing the moonlight goddess becoming wracked with sobs, he decided to put his pride from his mind. He knew not why he felt feelings of sorrow for the humans and his brother. He despised them but upon seeing their broken forms, something sparked inside that ice cold heart. Leaping from the trees, he made his way over to the fallen Miko. He realized that she had not detected his presence as he stood before her. "Really," he thought to himself, "she ought to be more careful. Any number of demons could attack her while in this state of dispair." He shocked himself, since when did he care about the human's safety?
He sat down silently in the grass beside her and when she turned to him in shock, she did something which shocked him. She flung her body into his arms sobbing. "Sesshomaru," she sobbed. "You came. I can't believe they are gone!" "Nor I miko."
came his silent reply.
He held her throughout the rest of the night until she fell asleep in his arms from overexerting herself. As he watched the sun rise, he felt something a little odd about the broken Miko in his arms. Deciding not to give it much thought, he sat there, and thought of his brother and the life they never had.
