Here is the final chapter. Thank you to the guest who recommended this story in Seekers of the Sacred Jewel (What-if). Hopefully you enjoyed it, even though it was likely different than what you were expecting. Since it's a theme that has been done before, I really tried to write something unique and this happened.


Epilogue

He's dead. He's finally dead. Inuyasha let his head fall against his brother's fur. He wanted to sleep for a month, but first, "Sesshomaru?" He noticed his brother's eyes glance towards him. "There's a woman, a priestess at the top of the cliff. Naraku kidnapped her. Can you, I don't know, drop me off by her? I need to make sure she's ok." His brother didn't respond, but he felt the rush of air below them. He tried, he really did, but he couldn't fight the pull of sleep.

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He woke up slowly. Everything still felt bruised, but the sharp pain of his wounds had dulled.

"Inuyasha?" That was a woman's voice.

"Kikyo?" he asked. He felt something shift around him.

"Yes, your brother brought us back to the village. I tended to your wounds, but I imagine you're still rather sore."

He wasn't admitting that out loud. He forced himself to sit up and open his eyes to the blinding sun. "I'm fine." Taking a look around, he was surprised he wasn't in her hut, instead they were under Goshinboku.

She seemed to catch his confusion and gently laughed. "Your brother insisted on watching over you and refused to go into a human dwelling. Your wounds were serious, but not life threatening, for a hanyou." He took a sniff. He couldn't make out his exact location but Sesshomaru's scent permeated the area.

"What happened to the jewel?" He didn't see it on her.

"Here." His brother's voice came from behind him. I guess he really was close. His brother tossed him the jewel, which he scrambled to catch.

Inuyasha blinked, "why are you giving it to me?" He looked down at the jewel. It was still completely pure, Naraku nor Sesshomaru did anything to it.

His brother stepped closer, "the priestess failed in her duties to protect it."

Kikyo seemed to catch on first, "I have done all I can to protect it. Inuyasha cannot keep it pure and youkai will always come to claim the power it offers."

Sesshomaru seemed to contemplate it for a moment before looking to his brother, "Then why not eliminate the jewel by giving its power to one you… trust?"

Inuyasha spoke first, "I can't. I had considered once to use the jewel to become a full youkai, but it always seemed wrong. And father said the jewel felt malicious, that it would twist any wish."

Inuyasha was not prepared for his brother to approach him and punch him right in the face. And this time he didn't bother to hold back like when he was a pup. "The priestess only said that it offers power. You say in the form of a wish? Foolish hanyou. How can you desire to become full youkai? Such a wish would never work."

He tried to shake off the dizziness, "I said I had considered it. Obviously I never went through with it, you ass! Ugh, besides, if you know so little about the jewel, what makes you so confident that wish wouldn't work?" As his brother stepped closer, he was afraid he'd get punched again, but instead Sesshomaru's hand merely came up to rest gently on one twitching ear.

"Because even if the jewel granted your wish perfectly, it wouldn't work." At Inuyasha's confused look, he continued. "I have seen your strength little brother. You can compare with any pure blooded youkai, easily. What makes you hanyou is your heart. If you were to wish to be a full youkai, the you that exists now would have to die. Is a tiny bit of extra power worth dying for?"

Inuyasha gasped and froze for a moment. He then tackled his brother in a hug. "You really think I'm strong?"

Sesshomaru sighed. Awkwardly allowing one arm to wrap around his brother, he replied, "Yes. Anything the jewel could give you would be fake."

Fake? False desires. Kikyo, who had been quietly observing the brothers, came to a realization. "Inuyasha?" She noticed one of his ears twitch at the noise. "Tell us, what is your life's wish now?" The two had talked plenty before. She knew his true wish, even if he would never specifically say it. But seeing him, accepted, in his brother's embrace, made one fact clear.

Inuyasha's breath caught. He wanted his family, his pack. His mother had always been there for him. Even if they spent little time together, he knew his father would be there whenever he needed him, whether for aid or sometimes just comfort. And his brother, he was here! He accepted him. And Kikyo, she was proof that he could find those precious people that would accept him without false courtesy.

He wasn't alone. He looked down at the jewel and smiled. "Shikon no Tama. I already have what my heart wishes for. Anything more you could give me would be fake." He gripped it tight. "My only wish is for you to leave my life, everyone's lives. Disappear, forever."

The jewel pulsed violently before a blinding light filled the clearing. Moments later, the jewel was gone.

He looked over to Kikyo, and saw her shaking. Then tears started dripping down her face, but she was smiling. Well, it seemed the jewel unknowingly granted one real wish after all. A normal woman.

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50 years later…

Sometimes he wished Goshinboku didn't reach so high. From its canopy, he could see the smoke still rising. Tears pooled in his eyes, but she wouldn't have wanted them to fall. Kikyo. For the remainder of her life, they had remained close friends and allies. Despite their initial attraction, both realized they'd never be fully comfortable with the other. Inuyasha cared for her deeply, but occasionally, he'd still feel pain over her asking him to become human. And she had other focuses and desires in life. As long as they remained only friends, both could remain where they were. Over time, the entire village had grown comfortable with his presence and the knowledge that he was their protection. Inuyasha's Forest, they named it in tribute. And Kikyo, she had been happy. To her last breath, she had remained the village priestess, offering them guidance and protection. In the beginning she had thought to settle down and was even close to another human man for a while, but she never went further. After having responsibility for the Shikon no Tama, just being an ordinary priestess had been enough, and his protection had made even that easier. Nonetheless, it gave her comfort to know that being a simple priestess was her own choice, and not simply what was expected of her.

"Do not cry little brother."

He blinked. When did Sesshomaru arrive? He whispered, "I wasn't going to Sesshomaru. She may have died, but she lived." It hurt, but there was comfort. Trying to steady his voice, he asked, "Why are you here?"

"Kirinmaru will be arriving at the palace in four days. You are expected to be there. I was planning on flying you there today, but -"

"I'll come," he interrupted. He had already spoken with Kaede and done a sweep of the forest to make sure Kikyo's funeral went uninterrupted. "I can't just mope around in a tree forever," he said, putting on a fake smile.

Sesshomaru caught the false mood, but couldn't deny the accuracy of the statement. He didn't have a clue how to comfort someone, but perhaps being near father would help. "Very well."

The two went out of sight of the village before Sesshomaru took to his Inu form and both brothers traveled to the sky palace.

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After being thoroughly squished by his father who caught the scent of tears on him, Inuyasha returned to his room. His own room in his own home. It had still taken years, but eventually Sesshomaru convinced him to return to the palace. For a while, he'd felt his brother was stalking him, and everytime he heard hurtful words by those in the palace, the responsible party was missing by the next day. After the second week, he had confronted his brother and warned him that soon he wouldn't have a people to rule over if he kept 'taking care of' anyone that spouted nonsense about hanyous. Sesshomaru disagreed. As the pattern continued, he'd been about to leave again, when a wolf youkai lord visited with his son. Like all the others, the young wolf started talking, calling him names, and before his brother could start a war with the wolf youkai, he had tried stepping in.

"Keh. You talk big flea bag, but can you back it up?" he challenged, intentionally showing off his claws. It looked like the wolf was only a little younger than him, so it was a pretty fair fight.

The wolf smiled, "Oh, the mutt thinks he can fight?"

"Anytime, anywhere, wolf."

Koga took that answer seriously. After getting his ass handed to him, the wolf kept coming back again and again for a rematch, especially after he learned that Inuyasha was regularly found outside Kikyo's village. But he never badmouthed him again. Well he did, but it had a different tone to it, and he badmouthed him right back.

He smiled at the memory, but went back to the task at hand. He opened up his little hiding place in the wall and took out a key. He still didn't trust everyone. The key fit a hole in a large chest that held his most precious things. Some of the objects once belonged to his mother or were mementos of their travels together. One item that his father questioned immensely upon seeing it, was a broken wooden sword. It was the gift Sesshomaru left behind on his 10th birthday. It had gotten him through rough times when he was younger. Everytime a youkai called him weak, he remembered that his brother thought him worthy enough to hold a blade. 'Don't give up' the blade told him. It saddened him when it broke, but it was just a sign that he had grown strong enough to hold something real. The last item in the chest was a formal outfit. Sure, he had several outfits now, but this one was special. Sesshomaru's mother had it commissioned after hearing about his defeat over Ryukotsusei.

For once acting serious, she had congratulated Sesshomaru upon seeing Bakusaiga, not that he wanted any more congratulations after their father's reaction. Sesshomaru mostly ignored both his parent's reactions, but said enough for Inuyasha to pick out that he was disappointed about not defeating Ryukotsusei himself. That was what led to her questioning Inuyasha and learning about his triumph. He eventually had a chance to talk to his brother and apologize for taking away his fight, he'd just been in a rush to get Naraku. Fortunately, Sesshomaru was satisfied enough at getting Bakusaiga from the encounter and killing Naraku, plus the fight had originally been Inuyasha's. He was proud of him for finishing it. Besides, he'd just go after a threat worse than Ryukotsusei now that he had his true sword.

What made this outfit so precious, was that it was embroidered with the symbol of both the Tsuki and Taiyo clans. It was a joining requiring both blood and acceptance. That was also the true turning point for him within the palace. Once both his father and Sesshomaru's mother claimed him, very, very, few would dare try anything.

Resealing the chest, he left out the outfit. It would be appropriate to wear for Kirinmaru's introduction.

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Elsewhere in time, a nearly 15 year old girl took a moment to pause as she walked past the well on her shrine. Something felt like it was… stirring? She shrugged and responded to her mother's call.

Elsewhere, a demon slayer and a monk, previously unknown to each other, were both called to handle the same raging youkai.

Elsewhere, a mute young orphan girl went about trying to fish her dinner.

Even if the story may change, some fates are already known.


Thank you to everyone who read this story!