And the end of a story is the but thee beginning of another one...
Epilogue. 1996-1999 After the Story
It had been quite strange for the pack to realize when they woke up that it was finally over...
The Shikon no Tama was gone, and Naraku with him – and they knew that for Tsukiko at least, it meant that her travels in the past were over.
Their return to Edo was slow, the four pack traveling together – no one pointing out that neither Sesshoumaru nor Kouga needed to come.
Ryoichi was gathering even more children than during his trip North, knowing that this may well be the last time he was coming – and praying for what he'd done to be enough to save the youkai...
They were well into January by the time they reached the small village, and on the way, they'd stopped by Sango's village, and the temple where Miroku's old master lived, to tell them that Naraku was gone, Tsukiko leaving behind plenty of notes she'd taken from the future about soul fire to help the village protect himself for the centuries to come.
Finally arriving to Edo, it had been quite clear from Tsukiko's and Ryoichi's face that they wouldn't like the news...
"The power around the well has weakened," Tsukiko was the one to announce "We can all go home," she added toward Kagome but once back in our time, there will be but one use left to it."
Kagome nodded somberly, understanding quite clearly what was being said – she had the chance to say goodbye to family, but her next trip to the past would be the last.
The pack mood was gloomy, as all realized that they were together for the last time in a long time...
"I'm... not coming back just yet," Kagome announced after a moment a reflection "I'll be finishing my training as a miko in the future," she explained to her friends – then turning toward InuYasha "Then I'll come back."
"We'll be waiting." the hanyou answered easily – then correcting himself softly "I'll be waiting..."
"I... I want to travel." Kagura announced, not really surprising any of them – she was a wind spirit after all "Traveling as a pack... even for those few weeks... It was great in a way I couldn't have imagined before." the youkai admitted with a soft smile "But right now, I still need to find myself, and while Kanna found herself among you, I think I need to so alone..."
"Then go." Tsukiko nodded with a smile "But know that as long as you wish for, this pack-mark will be there, and you'll have a place among us."
Kanna's choice was – both evident and surprising "I want to finish my training as a miko here." she announced "Kaede-sama said she'll train me..." a smile "Then I think I'll go back to the Sanctuary to help people from there."
"I'll stay here." Shippou affirmed without surprise, still as resolved as back in Nikko's area "Because we have to build that future you took us to see!"
"And it's not like the West lacks in jobs to do." InuYasha nodded along
"I..." Hakudoushi was rather torn, a clear proof of how much he'd changed since his birth – finally, glancing at his sisters, he announced to Tsukiko "I want to go with you."
"There will be no coming back, you realize?" she warned "You'll loose five centuries of History..."
"I understand that." the daiyoukai nodded "But... while I'll miss the pack, and my sisters... Alpha, you're the one who gave me a life. I want to grow up by your side." an amused smile "I'm already the youngest, so I don't really mind that it will be by several centuries rather than a few months or decades..."
Abi and Shinobu had been deep in thoughts too - realizing that the choice Shadow's pack was making right now was one they needed to go through too.
And while there was no doubt in the yama neko hanyou that he'd be following his alpha wherever he was going, the young daiyoukai hime was much more hesitant.
She'd changed already, in the few weeks she'd spent, first which Ryoichi's misfits, than with the four packs traveling together – but she also had a place still in this era, a House, however diminished it was, that Tsunade had let her keep rather than destroy...
Loosing five centuries also meant loosing all her clan History, meant that they would be forgotten and that she'd have to make her own place in the world in a future completely unknown to her. And that terrified her – yet at the same time, she wanted to follow Ryoichi just as much as Shinobu did, and the history of her clan was one full of bloodshed she'd come to realize wasn't much to be proud about.
"I'll come too." she finally made her mind
"We've got one request before you leave..." Miroku finally announced to Tsukiko, turning toward Sango with a soft smile she echoed "Will you wed us?"
"Will you give your blessing for our mating?" Sango completed as their alpha's eyes widened is surprise at the request
Kagome's gleeful squeal was, like always, ear-shattering.
And Tsukiko's smile blinding – even if after a moment she realized "While I'll gladly give my blessing for this mating," she remarked "I'm not sure I'm the most indicated to do a wedding?"
"You're our alpha." Sango contradicted lightly
"You're my goddess." Miroku added with an amused smile "And a miko in your own right."
And so – a wedding was celebrated in the middle of the snow, all four packs, but also the villagers, Kaede, Kohaku and even Rouyakan and Jinenji attending the simple ceremony – no one having expected reiki and youki to swirl and bind together, leaving behind a wedding tattoo pulsing slightly to the rhythm of both their heart, as if it had been magical vows exchanged rather than a simple ceremony...
¤.¤.¤
Tsukiko, Ryoichi and Kagome's return to the future had been bittersweet.
In the agitation of the first day, it had been easy to forget that their journey was over – but soon, the days turned to weeks, all the orphans had been settled in new homes...
And for the first time in a long while, Kagome was going back to school, now enrolled full-time at Mahoutokoro, having to get used to a sedentary rhythm once more, while Tsukiko and Ryoichi were once more going on hunts, with Ayame and Saiyuri – Shinobu, Abi and Hakudoushi by their side.
Kagome had a promise to keep, and as such she went through the Standard Course's four years by the end of that school year, having already progressed far faster than she'd realized on their journey.
When April came, she enrolled directly to the Holy Servant Specialty Course, and was surprise to find Tsukiko with her in the classroom.
"I haven't done it either." her alpha pointed out, amused "So I might as well." a shrug "Hakudoushi is also starting the Youkai Primary Studies Cycle with Kenshin and Isamu." a proud smile "They are the first of those from the past ready for it!"
"Of course they are with the House of Moon's crazy methods of training!" Kagome laughed, having dropped by numerous time during their training
"Well, you know how chichi-ue is..."
"You're just as bad Tsuki-chan."
The three year of studies of the Specialty Course – Kagome pulled off in two years, and managing to impress her classmates not simply for her status as the Shikon Miko but as a hard-working holy servant in her own right.
Finally, the young miko had two things left to do before going back...
"Well?"
Tsukiko smiled proudly as the pack of young canine in front of her turned as one toward a resolute miko – and youki swirling, she marked Kagome just like Shippou had once upon a lifetime, the lone human among youkai having managed to led them to victory...
[Event LV200 Complete! Coming of Age Trial...
you've proven your worth and completed the hunt
Reward: +100XP, Pack Marking obtained
Bonus Reward: +250XP, Alpha Marking obtained, "Alpha" title unlocked
[Kagome unlocked "Alpha" title
+1Strength, + 1Agility, +2 Charisma]
The shrine was bursting of agitation by the time Kagome was back home – and the young miko put her weariness to the side – because tonight was All Hallow Eve's night, and she had one last thing to do before leaving.
Soon, the night was falling, and the shrine grounds, brightly decorated, full of youkai, holy servants and other wizards. The celebration, she had been told, far more colorful and happier since Ryoichi had brought back so many youkai children, bringing a breath of youth and life to the long-lived and dying race...
As a miko as powerful as she was, it was difficult not to feel the exact moment, when midnight stroke, when the veil became the thinnest – with a smile, she headed to the shrine, and bowing her head, prayed.
"It's so cute!" a happy voice – and more importantly, powerful presence – was soon making her open her eyes back "I don't think I've ever had a chosen one thank me you know!"
"You changed my life." Kagome pointed out to the bubblegum-pink haired goddess "It's because you chose me that I met Tsukiko, InuYasha and everyone else... How could I not thank you?"
"Ah but you see, people tend to be afraid of change, and while they can be thankful for what they gain, they still don't think the suffering should have been included in the deal." the goddess explained, used to mortals lack of gratefulness toward her
"Well I guess free-will does make for a lot of idiots." Kagome mused "But nevertheless, I am thanking you."
"And going back."
"That too." she smiled
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Terrified." the miko admitted "I've tried to avoid looking for my own future... But it's hard not to realize that for most people nowadays, I'm just a mythological figure." her eyes were full of resolve "So I'm afraid of what can happens that make me disappear from History, yes... But the rest of our pack is back in the past, and we've made a pact." a smile "We'll go thought time the long way, together, and come back to Tsukiko. So History can says whatever it wants, we'll make our own fate this time."
"Then do so." the silver-eyed goddess nodded with a smile
[Event (LV:scaled) Complete! All Hallows Eves
your prayers and thanks were heard by the deities
Reward: +100XP, Fate Blessing unlocked]
[Holy Affinity updated!
- Fortune Art: 25/25
- Sun Art: 15/25 (unlocked by being Light's miko)
- Light Art: 5/25 (unlocked by being Light's miko)
- Nature Art: 5/25 (unlocked by being Light's miko)]
The next morning, the miko was in front of the well that had changed her life, her family around – but also Tsukiko, Ryoichi, Shippou and Sesshoumaru.
"Well... This is it." a smile "I'll see you all later!"
¤.¤.¤
Kagome's departure was followed by a rush of power, and they were all soon heading in the Higurashi family's kitchen, sipping tea in silence for a moment before Shippou finally talked "In the three years after you left, most of us split up to each do what we'd decide on the day you left, but we were all regularly in touch thanks to Chaos Communication Tab and meeting every few months, sometimes in Edo, other times in the Western shiro, the tajiya village or the Sanctuary."a smile "At first I was with Inu, Sango and Miroku, traveling around, InuYasha maintaining order as a General of the West and us all accepting hunting contracts. It was really fun, but was coming to an end by the time Kagome arrived."
A pause, as the kitsune was lost in his memories "As luck would have it, we were in Edo when she arrived, Sango and Miroku had dropped by to announce to Kohaku that they would be around for a while..." a large smile "Sango was pregnant, and we'd decided to settle in the Sanctuary for a while." a shrug "Anyway, with Kagome back, she came with us to the Sanctuary, where she soon took on the role of a miko. Miroku, InuYasha and I were still going around, but never staying far too long, because Inu missed Kagome and of course Miroku was worried for the birth of his first child."
"The houshi and tajiya gave birth to a hanyou child who had the same reiki abilities as her father." Sesshoumaru took over "Meanwhile my brother took a few years before finally mating the miko."
"Those first decades went really fast..." Shippou remembered "We were all saddened when Kaede died, far older than anyone else in Edo, but well, her time had come. Kanna stayed as their miko for a few years, before taking an apprentice of her own and eventually making her way to the Sanctuary when the girl was ready to take her place. Our own traveling had had a real impact on the country, what with the Havens popping around and Inu and Sango becoming well-known hanyou." a smile "The situation was far better for hanyou by the time the first century had gone by."
"But the first signs of unrest you'd warned us about were becoming visible." Sesshoumaru added "This time, the Cardinal Lords had to listen to my warning, the annoying wolf knowing better than to ignore something you'd told us about."
"So we started by reinforcing the Haven's wards, then those of the old domains around the country. By the time the Great Disappearance happened, the holy servants and magical beings came to us, as we'd been the first to go into hiding, and between all of us, Supernatural Japan as it is know today was born. But..."
Tsukiko smiled softly at the older youkai that was still at heart her kit – a kit still hurt by something that had happened when she wasn't there, hurt enough that he was foolishly acting as if she would blame him...
"They were taken too?" she guessed
"The kit was training with Yourei Tasei when it happened." Sesshoumaru answered "And Kagura, from what we know, was somewhere in Europa. But when the Great Disappearance happened... The whole Sanctuary was taken by it, just like haha-ue's shiro."
Tsukiko sighed.
She had expected it, somehow, because just like Kagome, she'd realized - that most of her pack-mates had either become mythological figures, or been forgotten by History, that she'd never seen or heard about her grand-mother from her father before today...
By her side, Ryoichi's hand tightened around hers.
"But they aren't gone." Tsukiko eventually stated
"They aren't." Sesshoumaru agreed "The family bonds aren't broken."
"Neither are the pack ones."
"Yeah, he said as much even back then..." Shippou sighed "But... It's been centuries, and we still haven't found them! We still don't know what the hell happened, and where are all those stolen youkai! Where is our pack!"
Putting her own worry to the side, Tsukiko was by Shippou's side, letting the grown kitsune finally break in her arms, and the tears he'd been holding on for so long finally coming out.
Because Kagura had chosen to leave, and while she may miss them, wherever she was, she was also content with her life, the bond told Tsukiko as much.
But it hadn't been Shippou's choice – the Great Disappearance had stolen his pack, and he'd been waiting ever since – to see his alpha again, to find his pack once more, never founding a pack of his own despite his own alpha mark because he was still hoping for the one he'd lost...
"Well," Ryoichi pointed out, even him not feeling up to bicker with his father in the state he was in – able to imagine only too well how he'd be feeling if he was in his place "Whatever happened to the Sanctuary, it still exists, but our permanent Recall Point doesn't work, so it must be out of this world, in a way or another."
"But is it out of this world, out of the Mortal Realms in general, or even out of time like Hourajima Island was, that's something we'll have to find out on our own." Tsukiko completed
Shippou nodded, now more collected. And somehow, simply hearing his alpha affirm it with absolute certainty made him believe – believe that once more the young goddess would come through, and their pack would find each other again...
[Hidden Quest update! Until we Meet Again...
First Goal Complete!
All the Pack survived through the centuries
Second Goal Complete!
Shippou and Kagura escaped the Great Disappearance
Third Goal Complete!
Shippou met with Tsukiko again
First Goal Reward:9*100XP per Tail, +1 Tail Perk
Second Goal Reward: +100XP, tittle unlocked
Third Goal Reward: +100XP, +1 Alternate Life Perk
Fourth goal: find where the Sanctuary disappeared
Fifth goal: meet with the rest of the pack again
Fourth Goal Reward: +100XP, +1 Legendary Enhancement Stone upon completion
Fifth Goal Reward:+100XP, +1 Specialty Emplacement unlocked]
[Shippou unlocked "the lonely Alpha" title
+1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +2 Endurance]
"See?" Tsukiko smiled "Even they are telling us to find them."
"Then we better do so." the golden kitsune nodded, eyes shinning just as much from tears as from hope "After all, we wouldn't want to anger the gods!"