Times of Change

Disclaimer:  Inuyasha and all of its characters don't belong to me.  Neither does Kurama (he's from the cast of Yu Yu Hakusho).  I do claim all original characters though, even the bad ones.  Well that about wraps it up, let me know what you think at the end!

Learian Words and their translated/loosely translated meanings:

Kreelie- idiot

Tione- sister

Tionto- brother

Eliree- lover

Lireeh-tionto- Heart-brother

Lireeh-tione- Heart-sister

Lonii- Son

Lanii- Daughter

Ceriee- Mother

Cireen- Father

Chapter 23:  Bittersweet Goodbye's

            Destiny watched happily as Kagome and Inuyasha spoke softly to one another, lost in their own little world.  Finally.  She thought in amusement.  It'd only taken nearly forever to get those two together.  "Did you take leave of your senses and forget to tell me?"  Kurama demanded softly.

            Destiny winced slightly and shook her head.  "No."  She answered cautiously.

            "Then what did you mean by, 'your life for hers'?" 

            "Oh, Kurama."  Destiny sighed and kissed his throat and looked up at the man who'd held her to him throughout the night.  "I knew we weren't going to die but I had to tell Inuyasha something that would calm him down."

            "How about that she wasn't going to die."  He replied, still trying to be stern but his hands stroked her hair softly.

            "My way sounded better."  She answered sassily.

            Kurama glared at her and leaned down to capture her lips with his own.  If you ever scare me so badly ever again I will never let you out of our house!  He told her in mind-speech.

            Destiny smiled against his lips and pulled back a bit.  "Promise?"  She asked and Kurama chuckled quietly and pulled her to him again.

            A few days later Miroku and Sango were joined together in marriage.  And while it may have seemed a little rushed to some, there's had been a love years in the making and to those closest to them, it was perfect.  Kagome and the other village women cried while the men grinned.  Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Kurama all watched politely and attentively as did Destiny and Shadow.  Unsurprisingly, both her heart-mate and heart-brother had kept very close to her these past days but she wasn't alone in that.  Almost as though he finally realized just how very mortal Kagome was, Inuyasha had kept her by his side almost constantly.  Not even allowing her to bathe unless Destiny and Sango were present.

            Kagome, like Destiny, thought this was very sweet of the guys but knew that it couldn't go on forever.  She just might lose her mind!  When it came time for the ceremony to finish by Miroku kissing Sango, Shad decided to interrupt.  "Wait!"  He called out, once again in his human form for the occasion.  Seeing the death glares he was getting from all the women and Miroku he quickly sprinted to where they stood and took out a wine glass and filled it with wine and handed it to Miroku.

            Apparently he'd been speaking to Miroku in mind-speech because after a moment the monk grinned an took the glass from Shad, filled his mouth with the liquid, and then pulled Sango up to him and shared the drink with her.  Shad grinned then and scampered back to his spot beside Destiny and Kurama and looked smugly at them.

            "What was that all about?"  Kagome asked since Destiny was having trouble keeping her laughter in check.

            "Learian custom; it's how we seal the promise kiss."  Shad answered.

            Kagome shook her head but she smiled anyway.  So much had happened because of Kurama, Destiny, and Shad's arrival.  They'd all changed so much yet somehow, everyone had also managed to remain the same in their hearts.  There was no way to deny it, they'd become a family that could depend on one another for now and always…

            "What's wrong?"  Inuyasha asked her when the villages began to cheer when Miroku finally broke off the kiss with his bride.

            "Nothing."  Kagome answered contentedly, unaware that both Shad and Destiny were watching her and smiling their agreement.

            It was nighttime again.  Shad left Kaede's home and made his way to the river to look up at the stars.  It was time… in his heart of hearts he knew that it was time for him to go but this time he would continue on alone.  Destiny and Kurama needed to remain where they were and help Inuyasha and the others.  It was a fact that nearly broke Shadow's heart as he knelt on the ground and bowed his dark head.  He felt adrift and completely alone; so very alone…

            Then from behind he felt someone's arms wrap around him and for an instant he went very still before pulling Destiny into his arms and held onto her tightly.  For so many years they'd stood as one; one heart, one body, one soul, and one mind.  They'd been each other's family when they'd forgotten what family was, each had been the others salvation when the madness of mortals had threatened to overcome the children they'd once been.

            "I don't want to go."  He whispered, his face buried in her shoulder.

            "I know."  She whispered back, her heart crying out in pain.

            Hot tears spilled out of both their eyes as they sought to comfort one another.  Shad would have to leave what he loved most in this world, his heart-sister, to seek out his own heart-mate.  And although he trusted Kurama completely he was afraid that she would be taken from him, just as their parents had been taken away.

            "You won't lose me."  She said softly.

            "I know."  He answered quietly.  "I think my heart is breaking, lireeh-tione." 

            "Shad, listen to me.  You have to leave for a little while to find me a new sister who is your heart-mate but you'll come back."  She said and stroked his hair tenderly.  "And when you do Kurama and I will both be waiting for you to come back."

            Shad looked up at her his jade green eyes locking with her sapphire blue ones.  "I love you, lireeh-tione."  He said.

            "And I you, lireeh-tionto."  She answered with a smile.

            For a few long moments they stood like that but eventually they both stood and Shad bent his head so that her forehead touched hers.  "You'll wait until I return to be married?"  He asked.

            "Of course, and you had better do the same!"  She warned him, causing a smile to come to his face.

            "I wouldn't dare!"  He teased but the somber look came back into his eyes all too soon.

            "Shad,"  Destiny sighed and hugged him tightly.  "You're not alone, I'll always be with you."  She said.

            Shad hugged her back just as tightly for a few moments and then pulled away from her a bit and kissed her forehead.  "Tell Kurama that if he doesn't take good care of my little heart-sister I'm going to come back and eat him."

            "I will."  She said with a smile.

            "Dest…  I don't want to say goodbye."

            "Then don't.  Say 'til we meet again' instead."  She suggested.

            Shad nodded and said, "Till we meet again."  Then he stepped back from her and in a soft green flash he disappeared, thus beginning his search.

            When Destiny finally returned to Kaede's home Kurama was there to hold her as she cried for the brother she was already missing…

            But even with Shadow leaving them it still wasn't the end.  Although Naraku had been defeated Inuyasha and the others still had many trials to face.  But this time they were stronger than ever before and not just physically; they were finally and truly united and ready to do battle with any evil that stood before them.

            The time that they were being given now was to be a time of rest and peace, and not just for them but for Kurama and Destiny as well.  Because they still had a traitor to catch and also because there was still evil lurking about.  Watching, waiting, for the perfect chance to strike…

And thus concludes Times of Change.  But don't worry!  There is a sequel in the making!  I want to thank all of those who've stuck with me and this story for so long.  You're all truly wonderful, wonderful people.  I did end this in a bit of a cliff hangar but I hope everyone enjoyed it anyway.  I'm pleased with this story and I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  This is probably the most bittersweet chapter I've ever written because of Shadow leaving his lireeh-tione (heart-sister) and having to search for his own heart-mate.  Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and I hope I'll see you all again in the sequel to this.  *winksAnd don't worry there will be another evil villain to take Naraku's place as the tormentor of the Inuyasha gang.  So like Shad I won't say goodbye but instead, "Till we meet again."

                        Silver Destiny