Inuyasha jumped off of Kilala's back, and into the air. "Kagome!", he yelled, landing next to her as she walked. "Where are you going, Kagome?", he asked. Shifting her backpack, she said, "Home, Inuyasha. I am tired of the fighting between you and I." Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. "Huh?", he asked. Kagome just huffed and walked away.
Inuyasha's shoulders slumped. "Kagome?", he said. Kagome kept walking. Chasing after her he called out to her again. "Kagome? Don't leave!", he cried. Kagome turned around and smiled. "I'm not really leaving, silly!" For the second time, Inuyasha stopped in mid-walk. "I am so confused.", he said, shaking his head. Kagome laughed at the baffled look on his face. "You are such a worry wart, Inuyasha. Must you know where I am at every second?", she asked him. Inuyasha nodded his head so hard, his ears started to flap with it.
Rolling her eyes, Kagome sighed. "If you absolutely must know, I am going to take a bath. Care to join me, Inuyasha?", she said sarcastically. Again, Inuyasha nodded. Kagome blushed, and turned away from him, "Well, too bad, pooch.", she said. Inuyasha's face turned red as he realized what he had answered to. "Kagome, I didn't mean that.", he said, blushing an even deeper shade of red.
"Yes, you did, Inuyasha, and you know it. Now, leave me be.", she said, and made her way to Kayade's hut for a bath.
Sinking into the hot water, kagome sighed. "This is heaven.", she said. "Is it, really?", a voice said. Kagome jumped, and splashed water all over. Looking round, she spotted the intruder. "Want to watch it with the water?", Inuyasha asked, shaking himself to rid himself of it.
"INUYAHSA!", she screamed. Inuyasha stood stock still, and cringed at her voice. "Yes, Kagome?", he said. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING IN HERE!", she yelled. Inuyasha shrugged. "You asked if I wanted to join you.", he said.
Kagome sunk low into the water, and turned beet red. "I- oh, fine, you can stay, but turn around, will you?", she said. Inuyasha did as he was told. When he was turned around, she slipped her bathing suit on, which she pulled from her pack beside the bath. "Okay, Inuyasha, you can turn around, now.", she said when she was done. Inuyasha turned around, and looked at her. He looked disappointed that she now had a bathing suit on.
"You may literally join me now, if you wish.", she offered. Inuyasha's ears twitched. "Really?", he asked. Kagome nodded. Inuyasha stripped to nothing but undergarments, and slid into the water. "I see what you meant.", he said as he relaxed in the water.
Kagome flicked water at him, hitting him in the nose. "Hey!", he cried, and splashed her. Giggling, she flung water back at him, and ended up being dunked by him. Beating at him with her fists, he grabbed her top to hold her still. twisting to escape, Kagome heard a rip. Her top had come off in Inuyasha's hands! Gasping, she glanced at Inuyasha, as he stared at her. "Inuyasha!", she said, and hid in the water. "Sorry, Kagome.", he said.
Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "It's okay."
After the bath, Kagome and Inuyasha went outside, and sat beneath the stars on a blanket. "Inuyasha, what are you going to do when you defeat all of the evil?", Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged, and looked back at the stars. A slight breeze lifted, and Kagome shivered. "Are you cold, Kagome?", Inuyasha asked her. Nodding, she replied, "A little."
Inuyasha held out his arms to her, and she climbed into his lap, welcoming the warmth of his body. Holding her close Inuyasha whispered, "I love you, Kagome." Kagome snuggled into him, and sighed. As they sat, they saw a shooting star move across the sky.
At the same time, Miroku and Songo were watching the star. All four made a wish.
Songo: I wish I had Kohaku back.
Miroku: I wish Songo was happy.
Inuyasha: I wish I was what Kagome wanted me to be.
Kagome: I wish everyone here could live normal lives.
Immediately the wind started to howl. Leaves blew around and into the couple's faces. Miroku and Songo ran to join Kagome and Inuyasha. In a whirl of wind and leaves, a figure appeared in front of them. It was a young woman, her hair as black as night, and her eyes as bright as flame. She was holding a staff with a crystal embedded in vines at the tip.
"You have all wished upon the same star, at the very same moment.", she said, "Therefore, there will be a challenge to bestow the wish unto one of you four." Waving her staff over her head, she cried, "Let it begin!"
Inuyasha, Kagome, Songo, and Kagome shielded their faces as another gust threw them to the ground. When they looked up, they were not at Kayade's hut any longer. Instead, they were in front of a huge crack in the earth. Inuyasha looked down, and quickly stepped away from it. "That does not look like fun to fall down in.", he said.
The young woman appeared again, standing next to Miroku. Startled, he backed into Songo, who held him up. "Make a little sound when you move, would you!", he said. Bowing her head slightly, she said, "Certainly."
Settled, Miroku stood straight, and looked at her. "What's going on here?", he asked. The young woman smiled. "Why one of you will get your wish granted, depending on who succeeds first." Inuyasha shook his head, "Succeeds in what, exactly?", he remarked.
Pointing into the gap, the woman replied, "Each of you must face the thing you fear most. The first to conquer their fear, is granted their wish.", she said. Inuyasha put his hand on the Tetsaiga, "Easy enough.", he said. The woman shook her head. "Let it begin.", she said, and pushed Miroku into the gap.
Songo and Kagome gasped in shock, and Inuyasha reached for the Tetsaiga again, "Why you-", he said, but the woman had appeared behind him and pushed him, too. Next, she pushed Kagome and Songo. "Well wishes.", the woman said, and stood to wait.
The group fell into the darkness, but did not hit any type of bottom. Suddenly, they could not see each other.
Each of them fell into a vision of their worst fear. Songo faced Kohaku. His eyes were cold, and he stood in front of Naraku and Kagura. Naraku raised his hand. Crying out, Songo saw a knife in his hand. "No!", she cried. But, as she ran to aide her brother, she saw a pleading look in his eyes. "Please, sister...", he said. "Why do you fight them?", he asked. Songo stopped, confused.
Miroku saw Songo, sitting with another man, whom he did not know. As he watched , she leaned over to kiss him, and Miroku looked away. When he looked back, they were locked in a tight embrace. The man began running his hands over her back, and Miroku heard Songo laugh. Suddenly, they were standing in front of him. "The man laughed at Miroku. "Why do you look so sad?", he asked, jeering at Miroku. "Please, don't leave, Songo.", Miroku said. The other man hit Miroku square in the jaw, and they began a long fight.
Inuyasha was standing a couple yards away from the well, where Kagome had first entered his time. Looking up, he saw Kagome walking toward the well. "Kagome?", he cried. Kagome did not look back. Chasing after her, he saw her disappear into the well. "Kagome, no!", he cried. He sat on the ground, with his head in his hands, and the hardened, half-demon began to cry. She was gone.
Kagome watched as Inuyasha fought Naraku. Cheering for him, Kagome laughed and jumped. Inuyasha turned to smile at her, and Naraku took his chance. In one swift movement, Naraku forced his hand through Inuyasha's chest, and slapped him to the ground. Kagome screamed as Inuyasha fell to the ground.
Each of the four had realized what their worst fears were, but did not understand how to conquer them. They struggled long and hard in their visions, but not one of them could figure it out. The young woman laughed. "They will never conquer their worst fears, and they will be forever trapped within them!", she laughed again, shaking her head. "The fools.", she said.
Though the woman thought they would never succeed, Kagome and Miroku turned things around. Miroku punched the man in the stomach, and jabbed him in the neck, causing him to black out. Standing weakly, he took Songo's hand. "But, why so much trouble, Miroku?", she asked.
Kagome knocked an arrow in her bow, and shot it at Naraku. It missed, but as he was distracted with it, pinned in his arm, she quickly shot another. Naraku screamed, a terrible, gut-wrenching sound, and lay, twitching in death, on the ground. Running to his side, Kagome stroked Inuyasha's face. "Inuyasha? Please, answer me. Inuyasha!", she cried. Inuyasha's eyes opened. "Kagome, I-" Kagome put a hand on his arm, "It's okay.", she said.
In the darkness, Miroku reached for Songo's hand, and Kagome took Inuyasha's in hers. Suddenly, Songo and Inuyasha knew what had to be done. Songo looked into her brother's eyes, and new at once how to free him.
Inuyasha stood, and leapt down the well after Kagome. When he emerged in her time, he saw her by the door. Scooping her up in his arms, he hugged her. "Kagome, I am sorry.", he said.
And, all at once, in their visions, Kagome, Miroku, Songo, and Inuyasha said the three words that would conquer their fears. In unison their voices said one thing. "I love you." In a rush of wind, they were back on the ledge, in front of the young woman. Her face looked saddened. "You have all succeeded as one, though I can only grant one wish.", she said. "Between the four of you, you must all agree on one wish.
They all thought hard, and even threw out a few suggestions, quietly of course. Kagome, though stayed quiet. Miroku turned to her. "Kagome? Any suggestions?", he asked her. Kagome nodded. "Let me make the wish.", she said. Miroku looked at Inuyasha nad Songo. "What do you think?", he asked. Looking at Songo, she said, "Please? Trust me on this." Songo nodded, and looked to Inuyasha, who in turn nodded back. Miorku nodded as well. "Ok, there you have it Kagome."
Standing, Kagome stood in front of the woman. "I am ready to make the wish.", she said. The woman nodded, and took Kagome's hand. Suddenly, Kagome's wish was in the group's mind, as if they were making the wish as well.
When it was over, they stood in front of Kayade's once again. "Kagome,", Songo asked, "What happened?"
Kagome shook her head. "I'm not sure."
That week, they rescued Kohaku from Naraku, while defeating him, and the war was over. Songo and Kohaku were laughing and talking the whole way to Kayade's hut, while Miroku smiled. Kagome smiled as they walked. Inuyasha, however seemed distraught. "What is it, Inuyasha? You should be happy. Our wishes all came true.", Kagome said. He shook his head. "Mine didn't.", he said. "Well, what did you wish for?", Kaagome asked, puzzled. He looked at her then, with only love in his eyes. "I wished I could be what you wanted me to be.", he said softly. Kagome laughed and threw her arms around him. "You are everything I wanted you to be. You are yourself.", she said, snuggling against him. He smiled slowly, and put his own arms around her. The sun set behind them, warming their backs, and Songo and Kohaku's laughs could be heard for miles.