Yay, here we go with the second last chapter!!! This one has got to be one of my favorites… but I'm sure it will be replaced by the next chapter once I'm done with that.
Also, I was reading through my older stories and I want to apologize to anyone who might have been offended by my author's notes! I'm SO SORRY! It just seemed funny to me at the time, I guess, but I look at them now and shudder. I can't believe how rude I was! I mean, I know I meant it as a joke, because I would never be that seriously mean, but I doubt it looked that way to a lot of people. Shame on me!!!! I want you to know that I appreciate all of you so much, and that I 'heart' you for reading my works!!
Okay, so now that that is out of the way, let's continue on.
Disclaimer: Don't own squat…
Obsession of Sin
The Solution
It just didn't seem fair… to any of them. For so long they had lived in fear and sadness, and finally they were given what seemed to be a momentary reprieve from their sorrows. Yet it was fleeting. Naraku's demise was a joyous thing indeed, but the occasion was overshadowed by the despair that lingered with them upon Kagome's sudden and heartbreaking departure.
Shippou had cried himself to sleep in the taijiya's arms, every once and a while mumbling something incoherent or whispering her name. It seemed that even in sleep he could not escape the pain of losing her.
Sango wondered to herself how the kit would cope. Kagome had been his surrogate mother for years, and now he was without her. Would he ever feel safe enough to love again, after Fate had taken not only his biological parents but Kagome as well?
Of course the slayer was feeling her fair share of emotional turmoil at the moment, as well. The miko had been her sister, her closest confidant and her pillar of strength. Whenever she was in need, or felt even the slightest hint of doubt, Kagome was there to reassure her that everything would be alright in the end.
But now she was gone, and it was difficult to focus on the positives.
"We should not despair," Miroku sighed, clutching the slayer tightly to his chest. His fingers combed through her chocolate bangs, sweeping them from her eyes and tucking a few, loose strands behind her ear. "She would not want us to be sad. Kagome would want us to be happy that Naraku is finally gone and that we can all move on with our lives."
"That's so true," Sango laughed softly, "She would tell us all to cheer up, because in reality we would never truly be apart."
Miroku nodded, adding, "Despite the time that separates us, we will always be together, because true friends never leave one another. Their memories will forever be in our minds, and their love held closely to our hearts. She would want us to remember all of our time together, and think of that, instead."
"And what a grand time it was," Sango whispered, thinking back to all of the wonderful things she had experienced with the young miko.
Sesshomaru had yet to return… and truly, no one knew if he would. His only real tie to the group was Kagome, and now that she was gone he had no reason to linger.
Inuyasha stared at the jewel cradled so precariously in his palm, frowning deeply in thought. Kagome's absence left the group disoriented and silent. She had been a sort of glue to their odd little assembly, and now that she had vanished they were all beginning to fall apart. No one really knew what to do.
His mind was so muddled. He was supposed to be making a wish on the Shikon… but how was he supposed to do that when all he could think about was Kagome?
"Wait?!" he cried, his voice tinged with hope, "What if I were to use the jewel to bring Kagome back?"
Miroku cast a sad smile at his friend, shaking his head and reasoning, "That isn't a good idea. The well is closed now, and for you to bring Kagome back here and away from her family would be cruel."
Inuyasha frowned again, trying to rethink the wish. "Well… what if I just wished that the well would open again?"
"Too risky," the monk said slowly, adding afterward "Once the jewel had been wished upon properly it should cease to exist… and what I mean by properly is selflessly. That is somewhat of a selfish desire. If the wish is impure… who knows what could happen. You may end up corrupting it and starting this entire ordeal all over again."
Inuyasha sighed, searching his brain for a way to bring her back.
"Besides that," the monk went on, "the only thing that allowed Kagome to use the well was the Shikon, and so if it disappeared she would be unable to use it regardless."
"Well… what if I wished for the well to allow her passage without the help of the jewel?"
"You must think rationally, my friend. If there was no catch to using the well, all manner of demons could cross over into her time, and that would be disastrous. And… again, the wish is somewhat selfish."
The hanyou clenched his eyes shut tightly, hoping… no… needing to figure out some way to see her again.
Miroku thought for a moment, his mind coming to a single, sad conclusion, one that he doubted his hanyou friend would enjoy hearing. "Inuyasha… as much as we all miss Kagome… I think that wishing for her to return is not the greatest thing to do."
"What?" Inuyasha hissed, his eyes narrowing at the monk's words. "Are you saying you don't want to see her again?!"
Miroku raised his hands, stating calmly, "No, not at all. I, as much as any other, would love to see Kagome return to us. However… for me to want such a thing… it is self-centered. I would want for her to return because it would make me happy… and that is not a pure wish. The same goes for all of us. We all want her back so that she can be with us… and that is, in essence, greedy."
The hanyou gaped, understanding now. It tore him, but Miroku was right. None of them could wish for her to come back without it being selfish of them. They would have to accept the fact that she was gone and live with the ache of her absence.
Sango nodded, knowing her love was right. They could never see Kagome again. "She will be missed," she began softly, "and it pains me to know that I will never have the joy of seeing her again. Yet we must be strong. All of us have lost those who we love… and we have survived. The ache never goes away… but it gets easier to bear with time."
She laughed a little then, going on, "If you think about it, we really haven't lost her at all. Though we cannot see her, we know she is there, and that she is safe. And of course she will always remember us. Our hearts connect through time, a bond that can never be broken, no matter the distance. We should be happy in knowing that she is alive and well, back where she belongs."
Miroku smiled, agreeing completely with his woman's insightful words. Kagome was safe, and now she was free to live her life peacefully and happily. She would want them to do the same.
Inuyasha smiled too, nodding his head. He would never forget the woman who had stolen his heart and stood loyally next to him through thick and thin… and there was no doubt in his mind that Kagome would remember him as well.
And yet… he still wondered about the jewel. What would he do with it, and more importantly, why had it sent Kagome away before the wish had been made? "I just cannot understand why it forced her back so soon. Shouldn't she have stayed until it disappeared? I mean… Kagome and the jewel are connected… or were.
"Me thinks it is not so simple as that, Inuyasha," Kaede mumbled from her corner of the hut, having pondered the matter herself for some time. She believed that she had come up with the reason.
"The Shikon-no-Tama was a relic of power. No such magics exist in Kagome's time, as far as we know. I do not think that the jewel was meant for that time."
"What do you mean, Kaede?" Miroku inquired curiously, interested to hear the old woman's theory.
"You see," she went on, "the Shikon has been in existence for quite some time, and is always under the protection of a priest or priestess. However… when that guardian dies, it has been tradition to simply pass it down to the next in line; whoever was pure and worthy enough to be charged with its safe keeping. Kikyo was different. She believed that she would be able to rid the world of the jewel's threat by burning it with her body, and taking it to the afterlife."
Each active member that occupied the hut listened fervently, hoping that the elder miko's notion would shed a bit of light on their question.
"I believe that the jewel was never meant to leave… and that is why it transported Kagome here; so that it might return to its rightful place in time once more. It used her as a vessel of sorts. Of course once it was removed from her body it had already become tainted by the evil Mistress Centipede, and therefore was unfit for use. When it was shattered, it longed to be complete once again; and in order for that to occur, it needed the power of a miko who might locate each shard and bring them together."
"I see," Miroku confirmed, lifting a hand to his chin as he concluded, "It makes sense. I mean… the jewel was reborn into this world through her body… so who would have a better chance at finding it than Kagome?"
"Indeed," Kaede conceded, "and once it became whole once more and was purified… it no longer had use for her."
"So she was never meant to come here… just as the jewel was never meant to leave. Kikyo created a type of flaw in the fabric of fate, and the jewel used Kagome to right that wrong. And then, once that error was corrected… there was no need for Kagome to remain." Miroku thought it was a very likely theory.
"Yes, exactly," the elderly woman nodded, praising, "Ye are quite perceptive, Miroku."
"So then, Kagome isn't meant to come back…" Inuyasha added quietly.
"Nay, child… she is where she belongs, now."
The hanyou furrowed his brows, unable to think straight. He was still so caught up on Kagome that he was having a hard time focusing on anything else… and he had to get rid of the jewel.
Deciding he needed some fresh air, the hanyou stood and walked wordlessly from the hut, his destination clear. The Goshinboku had always provided him with a sense of calm and clarity when he needed to think, and so he set off for the mighty tree to which he had been pinned nearly half a decade ago, hoping it would offer him the solace it usually did.
He had almost reached the God Tree when he felt something that made him pause. Sesshomaru's aura danced along the edges of his senses, lingering in the direction of the well.
His aura was clouded with sorrow, and Inuyasha couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He was torn about whether or not he should go to him… The asshole had never really been his favorite person, so Inuyasha doubted he would enjoy a visit.
Then again, perhaps it was high time that he made amends with his brother… After all, it would be what Kagome wanted them to do.
That final thought made up his mind, and he veered to the right to change course. His hurried gate brought him swiftly to the well, where he found his brother standing next to the small, wooden structure, staring longingly into its depths.
He did not look up as Inuyasha skidded to a stop next to him. In fact, Sesshomaru hadn't even noticed the boy until he cleared his throat awkwardly. He had been so completely engrossed in confusion and agony that nothing else truly existed to him in that moment. All he could think about was his lost love.
"Sesshomaru… I didn't expect you to still be here," Inuyasha stammered. He had not really been expecting a response from his elder brother, and so he was rather surprised at the slowly spoken words that followed his comment.
"Until I met Kagome… I had no true place in life. I was just another Lord, another demon… another man. When I fell in love with her… I was given a purpose. It was my duty, no, my destiny to ensure her happiness. I would have spent every waking moment thinking only of ways to please her. And now she is gone, and I am without purpose once again."
Inuyasha swallowed, the lump in his throat thick and burdensome. He was somewhat awestruck by Sesshomaru's heartfelt confession, and also slightly saddened. He seemed to be suffering more than any of them.
"Don't be stupid. I mean, I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but you'll live through this. There are going to be a lot of matters back in the west that require your attention."
Sesshomaru sighed, muttering, "Yes… I suppose I cannot escape that. I will go back… back to the mundane, joyless existence that awaits me, and to the tedious droning of my councilmen. Back to the same, fixed schedule and tightly drawn rules. And I will be miserable."
The hanyou blinked rapidly. He had never, in his life, heard the taiyoukai sound so utterly broken. He even looked it; vulnerable and almost pitiful as he stood over the well, gazing down into the dry pit as though trying to will it to life.
Now, he didn't like Sesshomaru… hell, he would sooner have one of his legs gnawed off by a rabid squirrel youkai than be in the same room as the guy for too long… but no one deserved such infinite sorrow.
He knew how it felt, to have nothing to look forward to, and to be miserable. He had lived through such an ordeal himself. Yet Kagome had dragged him from the depths of depression and showed him that there was more to life than regret and lament. Now, thanks to her, he had a future to look forward to. He had friends that he could always rely on… and in time, he may even find love again.
Yet Sesshomaru… he saw no hope for the man. He was not the type to give his love freely, nor was he the type to be fickle with his emotions. He had given Kagome his heart… and Inuyasha knew that he would never get it back. No woman could ever take her place.
Even someone as cold as the taiyoukai should not have to go through that agony, and Inuyasha wished there were some way he could save his brother from that suffering.
And then, an idea struck him, and he looked down at the jewel that he clenched tightly in his hand. He thought it over for a moment, trying to think to himself if it would work.
Now… he could not wish for Kagome to come back to them… no one could, because it would be an impure wish. However… what if he were to wish for something… that would benefit a rival? To do such a thing would be one of the most selfless acts a being could commit. It simply had to work!
He cradled the Shikon precariously in his palms, staring into the swirling pink depths as he furrowed his brows. "Please let this work," he whispered.
He drew in a deep breath, and made his wish. "Jewel of Four Souls… I wish that Sesshomaru would find happiness again."
There luminous explosion of light and ancient magic that followed was so intense that it knocked both inu's to the ground; washing through the clearing like a tidal wave of power. Inuyasha was the first to rise.
He smiled, satisfied with his work. The jewel was no where to be found, and therefore his wish had been pure.
He watched as Sesshomaru got to his feet fluidly, giving his silver head a small shake before he stared coldly at the hanyou.
"What did you do?"
"I made my wish," Inuyasha told him plainly, shrugging. He wasn't sure what exactly Sesshomaru's happiness entailed, or how the future would pan out from here on in. However, he had a pretty strong feeling that the taiyoukai's 'happy ending' would result in a wonderful outcome for them all.
"Your wish…?" Sesshomaru delved into his mind, trying to recall what the hanyou had said. He had not truly been paying attention at the moment, so the memory was foggy. After a moments concentration it came to him, and surprise did not even begin to describe the emotion that surged through him.
'I wish that Sesshomaru would find happiness again.'
"Why?"
Inuyasha crossed his arms, blushing a little and turning away as he huffed, "I know what it feels like to be alone… and no matter what we've been through I would never want that for you, or for anyone else, for that matter. I had to make an unselfish wish on the jewel… and letting you get everything you wanted in life was probably the farthest thing from selfish as I could get."
The taiyoukai deliberated that for a moment, thinking to him self what that meant. The only thing that could bring him happiness again was Kagome, and now she was gone. It was not possible. "Your wish was in vain."
"Whaddya mean, in vain?!" Inuyasha snapped, irritated that his brother was being so stubborn and ungrateful.
"Kagome can never come back… it is not meant to be."
"Yeesh, for someone who pride's himself on being really smart, you sure are acting like a moron right now, Sesshomaru."
"Insulting me will not better my mood, hanyou. And do not think that simply because I am in mourning that I will not hesitate to rip your throat out. In fact, that might even help me to feel less depressed," Sesshomaru clipped, his voice tight.
"I'm not trying to insult you! Just look at the facts for a second. Yeah, Kagome can never come back… but that doesn't mean you'll never see her again! It isn't like she's dead… she just lives five-hundred years in the future! You're a demon, Sesshomaru, and a powerful one at that! Five-hundred years shouldn't be too long a wait… as long as you think you can stay true to her."
He was in the air before his eyes registered the movement, his throat gripped tightly in Sesshomaru's claws. The taiyoukai was furious, snarling at him through a row of lethal fangs.
"You dare insinuate that this Sesshomaru's love is false?! Kagome will always be the only woman I desire… never forget that, pup."
Inuyasha grinned, despite the vice like hold around his neck. "Well then… all you have to do is wait."
He was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, falling on his backside with a groan. Dusting himself off, he got to his feet again, staring up into the now unreadable expression of his elder sibling.
"Do not think that simply because you have decided to use the wish on me that things will be different, mutt," he droned.
"Yeah, yeah, 'my life is still yours to end' and all that crap!" the hanyou barked as he rolled his eyes, "It's what I expected of you. However, I'm beginning to wish that I had held off for a year or so… you know, to let you stew in your misery for a while. Maybe the experience would have made you more humble."
"Perhaps," Sesshomaru concurred, letting his lips tilt in a rare smile, "And then again, perhaps not. Either way… I owe you my thanks."
He was gob smacked. Had Sesshomaru just said 'thank you' to him? He tried not to grin too widely, not wanting to spoil the moment. He simply nodded, keeping his face as straight as he could.
Sesshomaru turned from him then, looking to the sky as he murmured, "Five-hundred years…"
"S'not so bad," Inuyasha put in, folding his hands into the sleeves of his haori. "I mean… if I can make it, you certainly can. Just don't do anything stupid and get yourself assassinated."
He ignored the last comment, inquiring dubiously, "You intend to remain alive for that long?"
Inuyasha frowned a bit. "Well, yeah! I mean I don't know if it's ever been achieved by a hanyou or not, but who cares. I'm just as stubborn as you are. Besides, I don't want to die with this damn subjugation necklace around my neck! Kagome is the only one who can take it off!"
"Ah, yes," Sesshomaru recalled, images of the miko subduing his brother flashing vividly behind his eyelids.
It had been a very comical occurrence, as rare as it had been during his travels with the group. From what he'd learned the girl used to do it far more often… though Inuyasha had been far more immature back then as well. Five-hundred years without seeing it seemed too long for his taste… but he would be patient; confident in knowing that he would get to witness the act again. After all, his miko never disappointed.
Yay!!! Everything is going to be okay!! I know a lot of you were like 'WTF?!?!', but fear not, this ChaoticReverie would never do something so cruel to you.
Okay, so the next one might be a while, I intend to make it long. Also, the dance tournament in Saskatchewan is this coming weekend, so I'll be gone all Saturday and Sunday. Yeah, wish me luck!! My team brought home first place last year, so cross your fingers for me that they'll do it again! Woot!
Please, review…
P.S. I'm debating which of my stories to post next, and I think I'll let all of you decide. I have a series of short stories and oneshots that I'll be posting first, but then afterwards I'll start up another long one. I have several in mind, so vote in your review as to which one you would like me to post.
Angel Mine-Kagome/Kouga-Kagome is transformed into a demon after taking a spell that was meant for Inuyasha
Sangria-Sesshomaru/Kagome-an alternate universe vampire fiction
Deranged Azure-Sesshomau/Kagome-an alternate universe fiction in which Kagome and Sesshomaru work together to solve a string of gruesome murders and bring down one of the most notorious psychopaths in history
Remind Me of Rainbows-Sesshomaru/Kagome-no wish can be made upon the jewel and this leads to a series of events both tragic and unexpected
I'm giving two weeks at the longest to tally votes, so hurry and put yours in!!