14 – Farewell

It all just went on, day by day. Inuyasha had very little 'spirit power', as they called, left, and couldn't see Kagome in person. She still knew he was with her.

Kagome kept visiting her friends in the Feudal era every now and then. But now as Inuyasha wasn't there anymore, it meant her less. They had decided to stop gathering Shikon shards. Not only because it didn't really make any sense anymore – what would they do with the fewel anyway? And now that the strongest fighter of the group was gone... no.

So now they lived in Kaede's village. Miroku and Sango raised their three children, Kaede helping them. Rin and Shippo stayed with them, and even Jaken and Ah-Un had settled in.

Now Sesshomaru was dead. This meant Inutaisho had no protege. He had been looking over people of the land of the living – and found a hanyou boy...

"So, dad", Inuyasha mumbled his mouth filled with noodles. He, his parents and big brother were having their breakfast before getting to work. "Have ya already got your protege?"

"Oh yes", Inutaisho nodded. "I know you know him."

"...You're sure?"

"He is a hanyou, too... But he's got it 'worse' than you if you can put it that way", the man said and put down his empty bowl on the table. "His name is Jineji."

"...W-what? Jineji? How did you find him?" Inuyasha barked his eyes wide.

"Pretty easy. I searched all the villages around yours, and then I saw him, doing field work. I can see the lad needs help with surviving he villager's physical and mental abuse."

"I'd really want to go see him too!" Inuyasha smiled. "We have so much to share!"

"But remember your own protege", Inutaisho said.

"We are all a bit worried how much you spend your time visible", Izayoi said quiet. "We can see you are exhausted very often. You should reduce it."

"Yea, I know... And I have been thinking about something to tell Kagome... And everyone."

"And what is that?"

Inuyasha was slowly flying through the air towards the portal he usually used. It was a huge tree, on it's roots. Inuyasha landed on them and sighed, his ears drooping. Then he reached the tree and disappeared in a flash of light... Arriving at Higurashi family yard. He could sense Kagome was inside. He smelled something delicious. He followed the scent and found himself in the kitchen – where Kagome was making pancakes. She was quiet, with a vacant stare. Inuyasha got on her side, tried to look her in her eyes. Then, suddely, he placed his hand on her shoulder...

"Kya!" Kagome flinched. And so did Inuyasha. The girl looked around a few times, but returned to her cookings. Inuyasha started at his hands. What was that?

Kagome packed the pancakes in a lunch box and put it in her yellow backpack.

"Mama, I'm leaving!" Kagome shouted as she put the backback on her back. "I will be back by evening!"

And so the girl put on her shoes and got on her way towards the well. Inuyasha followed her. The girl jumped down the well, Inuyasha right after her. But then, in a flash of light, they arrived at the bottom of the well... And Inuyasha knew this was the moment!

So, the girl was just about to take her first step on the ladder, when suddenly she felt a touch against her back. She quickly turned around...

...And saw Inuyasha.

"A-are you... You... you are..." Kagome stammered. Inuyasha smiled a bit and turned around.

"Get on", he spread his white wings. For a while Kagome simply couldn't do anything, but when she realized it was him, she climbed on his back. Inuyasha shot up from the well, rising high up the sky.

"Okay now, Kagome. Here's the thing", Inuyasha said as they flew through the air, fast. "We must hurry. We don't have much time to lose. I will explain you all more when we get to the village."

"U-uh... Okay", the girl nodded. But just a few seconds from that, she reached out to Inuyasha's shoulders and hugged him. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"...Trust me, I do", Inuyasha nodded.

Soon they were at the village. Inuyasha landed agilely in front of Kaede's hut. Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other, and nodded. Kagome opened the door...

"Hiya..." she said.

"Hi, Kagome-chAA-!" Sango was about to greet, but after seeing angelic Inuyasha behind the girl, she felt like choking.

Everyone just stared at the teens standing at the door.

"Uh...C-come in!" Kaede said and pet the floor next to her. Inuyasha sat down. For a while everyone just sat still and quiet, when finally Inuyasha sighed.

"I know this is weird. You have no idea how many, err, 'arrangements' I have to do to see you in person these days. And we don't have any extra minutes before I have to go again."

"Go? Where?" Miroku asked.

"Y-you mean you actually still exist somewhere?" Kagome asked.

"Well... yea, kinda, I..."

"Are you in heaven?" Shippo asked his eyes wide.

"But that means we could revive you! If we'd gather the Shikon and-!" Kagome got excited, but Inuyasha grabbed her from her shoulders, looked deep in her eyes and said:

"Listen, Kagome. Listen!"

Everyone turned at Inuyasha.

"Listen ya all! I am dead. I will be dead. I will Never come back here, except now and then like this. There is no Shikon or sword like Tenseiga to revive me. I am permanently dead. But even though you can't see me, I will be here for you. And one day, we will be all together."

Now they all had a nice moment with Inuyasha and the pancakes. Even thogh Inuyasha couldn't eat anything, but he still enyoed this. He looked around the hut. The fire was crackling in the middle of the house, people around it were eating pancakes with smiles on their faces... Everything was just like before. Those days when they had returned to the village from one more adventure looking for Shikon shards. When it seemed that everything would be fine for Lord knows how long.

Suddenly Inuyasha started feeling weak. He turned his eyes to the window and saw the sun disappearing behind the mountains. He came here in the morning, so now it was time to go.

"Okay now", he said. Everyone turned at him. "I have to leave now. I don't know when I'll be back."

"We will never forget you", Miroku nodded.

Inuyasha smiled a little with a nod, spread his wings and started fading away.

And so everything settled down within years. Inuyasha did his best protecting Kagome and his friends. Miroku's and Sango's children were growing fast, and they actually had a fourth baby.

Back when Inuyasha was alive, it was meant that after Kaede passes away, Kagome would become the new leading prietess of the village. But now that she wasn't there anymore that much, Kaede had started to train Rin for that. Shippo also was about to reach puberty and had grown up a lot, even in size.

Kagome stood still with a few flowers in her hands. She was standing at the roots of Goshinboku in the Feudal era. She put the flowers down and sighed.

"I had never knewn this to happen... How it would end like this..." she spoke to herself... But Inuyasha was right there. He was floating above Kagome, smiling a bit. Then he had an idea. He started waving his wings to create a wind. And so the wind picked up from Kagome's skirt and made tree leaves swish.

"You said we will meet again somewhere out there... Someday. "

"Someday", Inuyasha nodded, slowly got down behind the girl and placed his hands on her shoulders. He closed his eyes.

"Yeah. Someday."

…...

The end.

I might write an epilogue. Maybe.