„You can finally die. You can finally be with Kikyou."
He looked at her shocked. What did she mean die? Being with Kikyou? He broke out of his trance and pushed the apparition away from him. It fell on the stairs behind it but was still smiling warmly at him. He was getting angry. How could he be fooled by such a simple trick?
„You are not her. She never would tell me stupid crap like that.", he pointed his sword at it.
The spirit got up, smiling:
„Don't try to be strong. I can look in your heart, you're tired of waiting, you are slowly giving up hope. You don't even believe that the bow can bring her back. You will never see each other again.", it got closer to him again, it was almost flying.
„She would be alright with it, you know. She most likely gave up hope as well. She wants you to be happy, even if it means your death."
„Shut up!", he yelled and pierced Tessaiga through the spirits chest. It hurt him al little bit, he knew that wasn't the real Kagome but seeing her getting impaled made him wince inside.
The spirit looked a little surprised. There was no blood. Suddenly the ground rumbled and big cracks appeared on the stairs. They started to get bigger as the ground continued to shake. Inuyasha wasn't quick enough to jump away and fell into it towards the darkness. The spirit remained floating in the air watching him fall.
He fell. He couldn't see anything, there was only darkness around him. He could feel his sword in his hands. This has to be an illusion, but it felt so real, either way he was in danger and didn't know what to do.
Suddenly the rocky wall of a cliff appeared next to him. He took Tessaiga and instinctively rammed it into the stone, his fall was stopped abruptly , something cracked in his shoulder. It hurt like hell, his shoulder must have been dislocated. He looked around. He was hanging on a wall of stone but he couldn't saw the top or the bottom do to thick mist. The sky was gray and he couldn't see the sun. Was this still an illusion? But the pain in his shoulder was real. He had to defeat the spirit and find the others.
„You really are strong willed aren't you, Inuyasha?", speaking of the devil. The apparition floated next to him, still using Kagome's face.
„You damn bastard. Stop your stupid games and stop using her face!", he shouted while trying to pull his sword out of the cliff. He grunted in pain. His shoulder hurt like hell.
„Why are you struggling so much? All you had to do was to fall to your death and be reunited with the woman you love the most. Kagome sure knows how you feel. She knows that she will always be the second best for you.", its face was emotionless.
„Quit your babbling! Kagome knows that she is the one I care about the most!"
„Are you sure about this? Let me show you something.", it turned to the right and pointed at something opposite of the cliff. Inuyasha looked in the direction.
Another stone formation could be seen. The eyes of the half demon widened, on the edge of the cliff hung Kagome. She wore her school uniform and held the bow of Mount Azusa in her other hand, clearly struggling. Above her, leaned over the edge, stood a figure in white robes and long white hair. The half demon couldn't see the face of the person but was almost sure that it was the spirit of the mausoleum. This must have been the test Kagome went trough. She never told him that this test included her hanging over a bottomless abyss.
„This was the time I tested the girl's heart.", the spirit confirmed his thoughts.
„She had such a pure heart, but there was a darkness deep within it."
He looked bewildered at the spirit.
„Let go, Kagome. I will give you the bow but only if you show me that your intent is selfless.", the white haired figure said to the young girl.
„You wish to safe that woman knowing that if she survives your beloved man will choose her. Do you really wish to safe her?"
Kagome looked at the bow with a sad look in her eyes.
„I know that I will always be in second place. But I want Inuyasha to be happy, even... even if it's without me.", she looked directly in Inuyasha's eyes when she let go and fell into the thick mist.
„Kagome! No!", the stone around his sword crumbled and gave Tessaiga free.
He also fell in the mist only to find darkness yet again behind it. He didn't know what to do. He swung aimlessly with Tessaiga hoping to hit something, when thorny vines shot out of the void, they wrapped themselves around him, cutting his flesh where he wasn't protected by the fur of the firerat. He growled and tried to struggle free only making the vines tighter. A flower field came into view. There were bloody red flowers everywhere and in the middle of it stood Kagome showing him her back. Wind made her hair flow lightly.
„She felt guilty.", the spirit of the mausoleum appeared next to him.
He looked at it, unsure what it meant. Why should Kagome feel guilty? All she ever did for him was being gracious, loving and selfless.
„She blamed herself that the miko had to die. She thought if she were a little bit stronger she could have saved her. Seeing you suffer made her feel like it was all her fault.", his heart throbbed when he heard this.
Kagome turned around with a sad look on her face. Bloody tears run down her checks as she looked at him.
Now he recognized the flower field. It was the flower field of that creepy demon who was using the sadness of people's hearts as fertilizer for the flowers.
„She saw it that day. That you wanted to be with her, with Kikyou. You would have gladly followed the miko in death if she didn't stop you. That's another thing she feels guilty about. Her love wasn't enough to help you out of your grief".
He shook his head. That was only because he was influenced by the demonic flowers. His grief of Kikyou's death was still so fresh back then, but he ... he sensed something wet on his face. He could smell his own blood. He knew what it was, bloody tears were falling from his eyes.
„I'm sorry, Inuyasha.", Kagome came closer, the vines now started to wrap around her legs, cutting her skin.
Inuyasha tried to get free and rip the vines which were hurting her into shreds. He knew that this was only an illusion but he couldn't stand it zu see her being hurt.
„I wasn't strong enough to safe Kikyou. I'm so sorry.", she fell on her knees in front of him, the vines now wrapping her waist.
„It's okay, Inuyasha. I understand. Follow Kikyou, my love for you was always unrequited. I'm just a shallow copy of your true love. We should've never met to begin with. You don't have to wait for me anymore."
He looked at her and clenched his fists. How dare this spirit.
„Shut up!", he yelled.
„How dare you using her face and say such things! What I made her go trough is unforgivable, I know that! I always pushed her aside, denying my own feelings but...", he looked at the illusion of Kagome in front of him. She gave him an emotionless look while the bloody tears still streamed down her face.
„She would never want me to die! Kikyou was the first women I ever loved, that is true! But the one who held my hand when I was lonely and grieving was Kagome! The reason I have friends now is her! She loves me the way I am! I'm an idiot for never telling her that, but she is the one I love the most!", the vines around him disappeared. He stumbled as he got free. There were no wounds. The flowers around him turned white.
He kneeled down to the false Kagome, which was looking on the ground, her face was hidden by her hair.
„I will wait as long as it takes. Even when the bow doesn't work I will wait, we all will wait for her. And she will wait for me, for us. Kagome is strong, she will find a way.", he said in a calm tone.
The illusion looked up. The bloody tears were gone and it was smiling. The flowers on the whole field turned white before a gush of wind made them disappear. Only Inuyasha and the illusion of Kagome were left behind in a bright warm light. The clothes of the illusion turned into the white robes of the spirit as it stood up. It stretched its arm out and let the bow appear in its hand.
„You are rather interesting. I will give you the bow, it already chose Kagome as its true wielder, there is no point in keeping it.", it hold the bow towards Inuyasha for him to take it.
„But there is no guarantee it will work, as powerful as the bow may be. Maybe you have to wait longer than you think.".
The half demon smiled as he took the bow.
„I would wait five hundred years if it's necessary. I was born to be with her."
„I wish both of you to meet each other again.", said the spirit smiling as it disappeared.
Inuyasha looked around he was on top of the stairs, in front of him was the mausoleum. He looked at the bow. He got it. He would bring her back for sure and tell her how much he loves her. He turned around and ran down the stairs. It wouldn't take long till he got to the bottom where Sango and Miroku looked at him relived.
„Inuyasha! Your okay. You suddenly vanished!", shouted Sango running towards him.
„So you got the bow.", Miroku remarked smiling at him.
„Yeah, piece of cake!", he waved with it.
The monk sighed as he turned around:
„Of course. Let's head back. If we hurry we can be back in the village before the sun sets.", he headed towards his wife and Kirara.
Inuyasha furrowed his brows and looked at the bow.
„It wasn't easy.", he began.
Miroku and Sango looked at him surprised. Normally he was to proud to admit something was difficult.
„The spirit showed me illusions of Kagome, who told me to forget her, that we will never meet again. I almost fell for them.", he grinned at them.
„I see, so your thick skull once again saved your butt.", said the monk slightly hitting the half demon's head with his staff.
The half demon pushed it away grinning.
„You could say so."
The journey back to the village was even easier. As the sun was setting they arrived at the outer skirts of the small village.
„You are so mean!", a voice whined as they got closer to Kaedes hut.
Shippou stood on the roof of the hut puffing his checks and crossing his arms. He got back yesterday only to be told that his friends were adventuring. He was left out yet again.
„Ah, Shippou! Welcome back!", Sango greeted him, feeling slightly guilty.
The young fox jumped down the roof and on Inuyashas head pulling his hair.
„You left me behind again! I could help you with whatever you were doing! I got a lot stronger!"
Inuyasha took him by the collar and smacked him on the head with the bow.
„Quit whining, you brat! We didn't need your help. Focus on growing bigger!"
The fox rubbed his head when he noticed the bow in the hand of the half demon.
„That's Kagome's bow! It's still here?", he yelled struggling free.
„Oh, I see you're back!", Kaede came out of her hut looking at the group.
Her eye widened when she saw the bow in Inuyasha's hand.
„You made it. You really got the bow.", she was slightly amazed.
„Why do you need the bow?", asked Shippou looking between Inuyasha and Kaede.
Miroku stepped forward after he climbed down from Kirara's back.
„Kaede-sama thinks that the bow might reopen the well.", he said.
Shippou's eyes grew larger and a smile was brightening up his faces. He jumped on Inuyasha's shoulder. He knew what this meant.
„So we can bring Kagome back?! That's great! She surely is waiting on the other side! Let's hurry", he looked in the face of the half demon.
Inuyasha smiled at him:
„Yeah, let's hurry!"
The group walked to the well. It was not far away, but when they arrived it was almost dark. Inuyasha looked at the bottom. It had to work.
He handed the bow to Kaede.
„Listen Inuyasha, there is no guarantee it will work.", she said taking the bow from him.
The hanyou nodded looking at the well again. He knew that.
„If it won't work I just have to wait a little longer. We all will wait. I know that she will return, she is as persistent as me, if not more."
Miroku, Sango and Shippou grinned. Yes, they would wait together.
Kaede stood in front of the well and stretched the string of the bow while aiming at the bottom.
All around her hoped. They all hoped to see their dear friend again.
The miko let go of the arrow. With a bright light the arrow was flying towards the bottom of the well. A bright flash erupted from the well as the group rushed towards it and looked at the bottom when the light ebbed. The arrow was gone. It worked!
„Go, Inuyasha! Go get Kagome!", Shippou yelled.
The half demon nodded. He jumped in the well, a warm light embraced him. It worked! It really worked! He would see her again and tell her what he feels for her. The light vanished. He looked up, hoping to see the wooden ceiling of the old well house in Kagome's era. But all he saw was the faces of his friends. They looked disheartened, Shippou was already crying.
„Well, now it is up to Kagome. We have to wait a little longer.", he said smiling sadly.
He would wait. As long as it would take.
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„I'm home!", Kagome yelled as she closed the front door behind her.
She had a long day. School was really getting crazy with midterm exams right around the corner.
Her mother looked out of the kitchen wearing an apron.
„Welcome back, Kagome. Dinner will be ready in an hour.", she smiled at her before returning in the room she came from.
Kagome went up the stairs to her room and put her bag on the desk. She still had homework to do, but first she had to make her daily visit to the well. It has already been a year since it closed, since she saw her friends. Since she saw him. She looked at her hands. There were still calluses on it resulting from using her bow to fighting demons. But they were slowly fading. Her new school had an archery club, but she couldn't bring her self to join. It would only remember her of her time fighting alongside her comrades against Naraku for the jewel shards. After the well closed it took her a week to leave her room and another to return to school. She was so sad, it was like a part of her self was still beyond the well.
She changed from her uniform into some comfortable clothes. She left her room again and ran out of the house towards the well house. She slowly opened the door. She did this almost every day, and every time she hoped that she would open the door and would see a men in a red. She was disappointed every time. She walked down the stairs towards the well and looked in the darkness.
„Why aren't you coming? Do you miss me? Are you even trying to get through the well?", she whispered.
She shook her head. Of course he was trying! Like she did. She sat on the edge of the well and jumped in it. And yet again nothing happened. She only fell on her knees.
„It's okay. We will meet again. We are waiting for each other, aren't we, Inuyasha?", she would wait as long as it would take, because he as well would never give up. She looked at the ceiling.
„Huh? Since when was there an arrow in the ceiling?"