Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi-san (Takahashi-sama?) and Viz media have legal possession and licensing rights, etc, etc. I'm just borrowing the characters and settings for a bit and I promise I'll give them back when we're done playing! (I also can't believe I forgot to do a disclaimer until now; my apologies!)

DAY 8

Kagura: Free to Rejoice

The miasma burned but she wasn't bleeding anymore. It hadn't touched her heart. She would be fine in a day. Surely this was not the end.

Her wounds reopened and Kagura stumbled through a field of white flowers, falling to her knees. The miasma swirled around her in waves and her blood stained the flowers. She was free, but she was dying. I want to see you, just one last time… No god would answer her prayer, but Kagura released her desperate wish into the universe anyway.

Her wish did not reach Sesshōmaru, but the smell of her blood and the miasma did. He paused in his battle with Mōryōmaru, shocked and worried. Rage overcame him when Mōryōmaru gloated over her death and laughed at her pain. He cracked the amalgamation's armor as well as his Tōkijin. The battle was not over, but Sesshōmaru did not care and he tossed the useless sword aside. Kagura was dying, so he flew to her.

Sesshōmaru landed, approaching Kagura. She wasn't long for this world. Half of her blood had already poured out onto the flowers.

"Are you disappointed I'm not Naraku," Kagura asked, laughing in the face of death.

"No. This one knew it was you."

Kagura smiled. He had come for her. Maybe someone was listening after all. If all I can have is one last look at him, it will be enough. Kagura was dying, but at least she was free.

Sesshōmaru drew the Tenseiga. It pulsed, ready to revive her. Another cloud of miasma escaped from her wounds. Would it still work? The imps of Hell swarmed around her, eager to take Kagura's soul to the world beyond. He swung first at the miasma. It disintegrated upon contact with the Fang of Heavenly Rebirth, instantly purified. His hope renewed, Sesshōmaru swiftly dispatched the imps, pulling Kagura back from the brink of death. She gasped as her fleeing spirit returned to her body and her wounds closed.

"I wanted to see you again," Kagura whispered, tears escaping from her eyes, "Thank you for saving me."

He knelt down before her, heedless of the bloody flowers that stained his white clothes. "You wanted to see this one again? Why?"

"Because…" Because I think I am beginning to love you. Because I desire you. Because there is a red thread stretched taut between us, connecting our hearts. "Do I need a reason?"

"Must you be so coy? Surely you can tell this one," he asked, a rare smile on his lips.

"Sesshōmaru!"

Inuyasha's interruption saved Kagura from confessing. She was grateful, but also a little annoyed. Would it really be so bad to admit her feelings to Sesshōmaru? The worst he could do was coldly reject her. The best he could do was…

"Must you interrupt?" Sesshōmaru glared at his younger half-brother with disdain.

"Hey! We only came because Kagura's hurt!"

"She is fine now, thanks to this one's Tenseiga. See for yourself."

Kagura stood up and turned slowly in a circle, revealing the lack of miasma and the healed skin peeking out from the holes in her kimono, before snapping her fan open and shielding her chest. "I could provide further proof, but I don't want to put on a show." At least not for you.

Inuyasha blushed and stuttered. "I wasn't asking ya to strip!"

Miroku wisely decided to keep his mouth shut for once. Sesshōmaru laughed. He was greatly shaken from the ordeal and his usual control slipped.

"Save me, Kagome," Shippō leapt into her arms and cowered in fear, "I think the world is ending!"

"Have you ever seen him laugh before," Sango whispered to Inuyasha.

"No. And I don't want to witness it ever again." He shuddered. Sesshōmaru laughing just seemed wrong.

So he has a sense of humor after all… Kagura smiled and threw her head back laughing, joining him. This was what it meant to be free. To laugh freely and to be in the company of those she chose. To feel relief and joy for the first time in her life. She was the wind, the free wind. Free to laugh, free to love, and free to go wherever she pleased. Kagura rejoiced in the moment, for everything was bright and beautiful.

A/N: When thinking of what to write, I remembered Kagura's death and looked up the episode summary (I apologize that the lines aren't accurate - Viz no longer has the episodes up on their website and I am very sad about that). According to the summary, Sesshōmaru was ready to revive her with the Tenseiga but knew it would be useless against Naraku's miasma. That honestly did not make sense to me - it's translated name is the "Heavenly Rebirth Fang," and it is implied to have divine power, so why couldn't the Tenseiga defeat a bit of miasma? Of course, the plot necessitated Naraku's incarnations dying off and I appreciate the symbolism of it and all, but I also ship Sesshōmaru/Kagura, which resulted in this indulgent little piece. Anyways, let me get off my little soapbox here...

I already have the Kōga + Co piece written, it just needs some editing and I'll post it tomorrow (at which point I'll be all caught up because I haven't watched Yashahime yet). If you have a request or a suggestion for one of the free days, please let me know in the comments because I'm having a hard time deciding! Thank you very much for reading this far!