Sanji: ::Greets reader at the door:: - Hello there, reader.
Tailz: ::Sobs hysterically in the background:: IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
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The morning dawns bright and cheerful, earlier than usual. The cloudless sky is a beautiful cerulean color, and it is almost unbearably hot out already. The people in the village are only just beginning to stir and move about, to see to their regular routine. For the first time in days, the flap-door of the sick house rustles, and someone other than the kitsune comes out, blinking innocently in the bright sunlight. Close behind her is the hanyou Inuyasha, who looks far more awake than she as he leads her across the village to Kaede's hut. There are many greetings of "Miko-sama!" and "You're all right!"
"Duh," mutters the insolent half-demon, only to be shot a warning glare from the young miko.
"Don't be sarcastic, Inuyasha. They're only being kind." She smiles to the villagers patiently, and waves, and answers to their inquires that she is fine and well, thank you for asking.
Just then a there is a stirring in Kaede's hut. First to immerge is the young kitsune, Shippo, who is awake at least two hours early so that he could get right back to the sick house. Close at his heels, telling him not to run and hurt himself, is the pretty demon-exterminator, Sango, acting the caring mother figure in Kagome's place. Just behind her is the monk Miroku, with a look too innocent to be merely following her. Indeed, a moment later there is a SLAP and a shout of "YOU HENTAI!" The villagers stare at the twitching monk on the ground, wondering.
Kagome and Inuyasha are just arriving on the scene. Kagome takes one look at Miroku and laughs, attracting the stare of Shippo who swears he would know that laugh anywhere. The young kit's green eyes go wide in disbelief and he steps forward, uttering a disbelieving, "K-kagome?" That catches the attention of Sango and Miroku, who stop bickering for a moment to look up in shock. Suddenly, the village seems very quiet and still.
"KAGOME!" Shippo, obviously ecstatic, runs forward and latches onto the smiling girl as though he's afraid she might disappear. "OH, KAGOME, I WAS SO WORRIED! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH, ARE YOU OKAY, ARE YOU BETTER, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, WHY DID YOU RUN AWAY?" He says all of this very fast and very loudly, and his crying makes it a little hard to understand. Inuyasha mutters something about overly dramatic brats, but Kagome only smiles patiently and pats him on the head, promising to explain it all later. She sets him down, and he lets go.
As soon as his feet are back on the ground, Kagome finds herself being crushed by yet another friend. "Kagome-chan...thank goodness..." Sango is crying too, but only a little, and she doesn't allow the villagers to see. She wipes away the only tear that managed to escape and holds her at arm's length, probably reminding Kagome of another young woman she'd met not long ago. "You're all right... we were so worried...." Kagome, all smiles, replies that she missed them, and would Sango like to go to the hot springs later, because she has a lot to tell her. Sango smiled and said that she would.
Kagome releases her friend and begins to take a step back, but finds herself enveloped, along with Sango, by the monk who still bears a telltale red slap mark on his left cheek. "Ah, Kagome-sama. It's wonderful to see you up again." He grins benignly, and Sango's eyes narrow in surprise. Miroku is trying his luck.
"HENTAI! YOU UNBELIEVABLE, PIGHEADED, RUDE—" She slaps him once for every adjective. Kagome and Inuyasha take a step back, looking surprised and faintly amused, and the villagers begin to disperse. Kaede comes out a moment later and looks genuinely pleased, and inquires after how Kagome is feeling. She says that they should stop by later for some herbs that might help speed the recovery along, and that Kagome shouldn't overtax herself. Kagome nods her head obediently and says that she will, while Inuyasha looks slightly offended, but says nothing.
The day passes by in a blur. Kagome wandered around the village for the rest of the day, walking through the forest, through the village, smiling at anything and everything. Though she doesn't complain once, Inuyasha notices her limping, and the tired look that comes into her lively eyes. He offers grumpily to carry her, and when she looks at him in bewilderment, he only mutters something about weak humans and repeats Kaede's warning that she shouldn't overtax herself. Kagome is touched, and accepts his offer gratefully. They walk back to the village and meet Sango, who then leads her friend to the hot springs.
Inuyasha stays behind and wanders around until he's needed again, with Shippo at his heels. "I'm glad Kagome's all right again," the kit says happily, and Inuyasha only mumbles, but his eyes, looking towards the heavens, are grateful. The two walk on out of sight, back to Kaede's to await Kagome and Sango's return.
High above them, in the trees, I smile, and my heart goes out to that stubborn hanyou, who's only just learned to trust again, and the innocent schoolgirl who's done nothing but trust her whole life. "Kagome," I whisper, though she can't hear me, "you've done so well and gone through so much already.... And you have so much more ahead of you...But I know you'll get through it. I wish you luck."
I can't stay any longer. Maseru will be wondering, and we have other tasks to attend to in the after life. Now that Kagome's Trials are completed, we are no longer needed, and we will be able to return to Nirvana once more. A simple life again, among the beautiful land of the dead. I smile one last time at the village blow and am gone with the breeze, uttering one final goodbye.
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Tailz: Okay, breathe... ::Gasp, inhale, exhale:: Okay...It's over...it's really over...do you feel gypped? I know it's short, but I got the point across, and there's a whole sequel ahead, so I hope you can forgive me... WAAAAAH!!! ::Cries hysterically into Kagome's shoulder::
Kagome: There, there, it's okay. ::Smiles, then pushes her to Sanji::
Sanji: ::Sweatdrop::
Tailz: Okay, guys...thank you so much for everything, for all your reading and encouragement! ::Sob:: My goal for reviews when I started this fic was 50, and he have passed 400....my golly... THANK YOU!! Someone asked me for the name of the sequel—I can do that. It's called Of Darkest Dawn, and it IS rather angsty....but that's all you'll get out of me... Hehe.... And there will be fluff, I promise...
Inu-tachi: ::Sweat:: Greaaat.....
Tailz: Anyway, one more time, thank you SO MUCH for everything, guys! See yah in the sequal! Love yah!!!!
Everyone: Ja!!!!!!!!!
Tailz: ::Sobs hysterically in the background:: IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
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The morning dawns bright and cheerful, earlier than usual. The cloudless sky is a beautiful cerulean color, and it is almost unbearably hot out already. The people in the village are only just beginning to stir and move about, to see to their regular routine. For the first time in days, the flap-door of the sick house rustles, and someone other than the kitsune comes out, blinking innocently in the bright sunlight. Close behind her is the hanyou Inuyasha, who looks far more awake than she as he leads her across the village to Kaede's hut. There are many greetings of "Miko-sama!" and "You're all right!"
"Duh," mutters the insolent half-demon, only to be shot a warning glare from the young miko.
"Don't be sarcastic, Inuyasha. They're only being kind." She smiles to the villagers patiently, and waves, and answers to their inquires that she is fine and well, thank you for asking.
Just then a there is a stirring in Kaede's hut. First to immerge is the young kitsune, Shippo, who is awake at least two hours early so that he could get right back to the sick house. Close at his heels, telling him not to run and hurt himself, is the pretty demon-exterminator, Sango, acting the caring mother figure in Kagome's place. Just behind her is the monk Miroku, with a look too innocent to be merely following her. Indeed, a moment later there is a SLAP and a shout of "YOU HENTAI!" The villagers stare at the twitching monk on the ground, wondering.
Kagome and Inuyasha are just arriving on the scene. Kagome takes one look at Miroku and laughs, attracting the stare of Shippo who swears he would know that laugh anywhere. The young kit's green eyes go wide in disbelief and he steps forward, uttering a disbelieving, "K-kagome?" That catches the attention of Sango and Miroku, who stop bickering for a moment to look up in shock. Suddenly, the village seems very quiet and still.
"KAGOME!" Shippo, obviously ecstatic, runs forward and latches onto the smiling girl as though he's afraid she might disappear. "OH, KAGOME, I WAS SO WORRIED! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH, ARE YOU OKAY, ARE YOU BETTER, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, WHY DID YOU RUN AWAY?" He says all of this very fast and very loudly, and his crying makes it a little hard to understand. Inuyasha mutters something about overly dramatic brats, but Kagome only smiles patiently and pats him on the head, promising to explain it all later. She sets him down, and he lets go.
As soon as his feet are back on the ground, Kagome finds herself being crushed by yet another friend. "Kagome-chan...thank goodness..." Sango is crying too, but only a little, and she doesn't allow the villagers to see. She wipes away the only tear that managed to escape and holds her at arm's length, probably reminding Kagome of another young woman she'd met not long ago. "You're all right... we were so worried...." Kagome, all smiles, replies that she missed them, and would Sango like to go to the hot springs later, because she has a lot to tell her. Sango smiled and said that she would.
Kagome releases her friend and begins to take a step back, but finds herself enveloped, along with Sango, by the monk who still bears a telltale red slap mark on his left cheek. "Ah, Kagome-sama. It's wonderful to see you up again." He grins benignly, and Sango's eyes narrow in surprise. Miroku is trying his luck.
"HENTAI! YOU UNBELIEVABLE, PIGHEADED, RUDE—" She slaps him once for every adjective. Kagome and Inuyasha take a step back, looking surprised and faintly amused, and the villagers begin to disperse. Kaede comes out a moment later and looks genuinely pleased, and inquires after how Kagome is feeling. She says that they should stop by later for some herbs that might help speed the recovery along, and that Kagome shouldn't overtax herself. Kagome nods her head obediently and says that she will, while Inuyasha looks slightly offended, but says nothing.
The day passes by in a blur. Kagome wandered around the village for the rest of the day, walking through the forest, through the village, smiling at anything and everything. Though she doesn't complain once, Inuyasha notices her limping, and the tired look that comes into her lively eyes. He offers grumpily to carry her, and when she looks at him in bewilderment, he only mutters something about weak humans and repeats Kaede's warning that she shouldn't overtax herself. Kagome is touched, and accepts his offer gratefully. They walk back to the village and meet Sango, who then leads her friend to the hot springs.
Inuyasha stays behind and wanders around until he's needed again, with Shippo at his heels. "I'm glad Kagome's all right again," the kit says happily, and Inuyasha only mumbles, but his eyes, looking towards the heavens, are grateful. The two walk on out of sight, back to Kaede's to await Kagome and Sango's return.
High above them, in the trees, I smile, and my heart goes out to that stubborn hanyou, who's only just learned to trust again, and the innocent schoolgirl who's done nothing but trust her whole life. "Kagome," I whisper, though she can't hear me, "you've done so well and gone through so much already.... And you have so much more ahead of you...But I know you'll get through it. I wish you luck."
I can't stay any longer. Maseru will be wondering, and we have other tasks to attend to in the after life. Now that Kagome's Trials are completed, we are no longer needed, and we will be able to return to Nirvana once more. A simple life again, among the beautiful land of the dead. I smile one last time at the village blow and am gone with the breeze, uttering one final goodbye.
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Tailz: Okay, breathe... ::Gasp, inhale, exhale:: Okay...It's over...it's really over...do you feel gypped? I know it's short, but I got the point across, and there's a whole sequel ahead, so I hope you can forgive me... WAAAAAH!!! ::Cries hysterically into Kagome's shoulder::
Kagome: There, there, it's okay. ::Smiles, then pushes her to Sanji::
Sanji: ::Sweatdrop::
Tailz: Okay, guys...thank you so much for everything, for all your reading and encouragement! ::Sob:: My goal for reviews when I started this fic was 50, and he have passed 400....my golly... THANK YOU!! Someone asked me for the name of the sequel—I can do that. It's called Of Darkest Dawn, and it IS rather angsty....but that's all you'll get out of me... Hehe.... And there will be fluff, I promise...
Inu-tachi: ::Sweat:: Greaaat.....
Tailz: Anyway, one more time, thank you SO MUCH for everything, guys! See yah in the sequal! Love yah!!!!
Everyone: Ja!!!!!!!!!