Day of Destiny
Written by MT
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and co. and I never said I did. They were created by the all-amazing Rumiko Takahashi. That crazy girl, how she comes up with these things I'll never know XP
Authors Notes: This fic is my view on what will happen when the final fight with Naraku comes. I know Rumiko-sensei will make it completely different, but since, let's face it, it's going to take forever for her to finish the manga, it's all up to me to speculate! *evil cackle* Onto chapter 1!
The smell of ozone was strong in the darkened air. Blood lay strewn about the landscape, as decaying flesh littered the area where a horrific battle was taking place. Battle cries had scared away any surrounding animals, be they Youkai or otherwise, as the final battle which would decide the final fates of these people took place. Both Youkai and human fighting together against a terror which had caused destruction throughout the Sengoku Jidai. Each had their own reason to be there, and each was contributing all they had to this battle of destiny.
The wolf Youkai howled as he was thrown back against a tree, the feeling of his arm shattering strong in his senses.
"Kouga-kun!" A young girl with black hair and a school fuku shouted out to the young wolf prince.
Kouga scowled and lifted himself off the ground, mindful of his newly broken arm. No one hurt a Yourouzoku and got away with it, no less this creature who was a disgrace to all Youkai kind. This being was the reason Youkai were so feared among humans.
"Keep your guard up, Kagome!" He shouted, his eyes filled with blue fire.
The girl nodded and turned around to face the continuing battle. There stood an indescribable creature, which looked like it could kill a person in a million ways.
Naraku.
He longer hid behind his human appearance, or even the baboon pelt he so often chose to wear. Instead, now he stood in his true form, A monster which was constructed of so many different Youkai appendages it was hard to tell what was what. This was what the evil man, Onigumo who lay at its soul had wanted all those 60 years ago. To be consumed by all the demons that would accept this new form, to be given ever-lasting power, and immortality.
Naraku cackled once more, a sound which intensity caused Kagome's ears to hurt.
"Just hand over the Shikon no Tama and I may spare your friends, young Miko" Naraku barked, preparing himself for another attack that one of her friends may attempt.
"Kagome!" The child Kitsune Youkai, Shippou, cried and stood as tall as his little body could, trying to form a human shield in front of the girl.
"Shippou, no!" Kagome cried, but it was too late as an ugly smirk formed on Naraku's face, and with a flick, caused Shippou pass out even before he slammed into a tree.
Tears prickled at the back of Kagome's eyes as another of her true friends fell to the incredible power. Drawing in trembling breaths, she turned defiantly to face Naraku.
"Okay… I'll do it," She said, desperately trying to keep her voice from breaking and removed the other half of the Shikon no Tama from around her neck.
"No! Don't be stupid!" Inuyasha, the Hanyou with Silver hair and golden eyes shouted out to her, then grabbing her wrist which held the Jewel of the Four souls tightly.
"Don't you get it?! If he combines his half of the Jewel with your half, he'll be invincible! He'll kill everyone including us!" He squeezed her wrist a little tighter; his sharp nails digging into her skin.
Now that Inuyasha's face was so close to hers she noticed how exhausted he was. He was breathing heavily, most likely because of a couple of broken ribs, sweat beaded down his dirt-smudged face and blood poured profusely from numerous cuts and burns. He was always good at concealing his weaknesses.
Kagome bit her lip as he cursed and letting go of her returned to his desperate attempts to decapitate the demon, Naraku.
"Sango," Miroku said turning to face the Young Taiji-ya "We need to end this now. Any longer and Inuyasha will not be able to help us"
"Nani?" Sango asked, out of breath herself as she caught her retrieving weapon once more. She could feel the dark blood running down her back where she her shoulder had been sliced.
Miroku nodded in the direction where the Inu Hanyou was continually swiping Tetsusaiga at Naraku, only succeeding in scathing him.
"I do not want to ask too much of you. But do you think you could create a distraction for Naraku?"
Sango surveyed the area around Naraku, looking for an area of weakness where she could make a strategic move.
"Hai. But it will only be short"
Miroku nodded. "Yes. That's all I will need," He pulled out an Ofuda Scroll from his robes and holding it to his forehead began to close his eyes in meditation.
Sango stared at the Houshi for a second, wondering what he was planning on, but then thought no more of it as she called for Kirara, her voice slightly muffled by the gas mask she wore.
The giant two-tailed cat Youkai trotted over to her Mistress, multiple cuts on her sleek body, including a broken fang. Sango massaged the side of Kirara's face.
"Gomen, Kirara. This will be the last thing I ask of you,"
She seated the saber-toothed cat as Kiara jumped into the air and ran across it, sparks of ember flailing from the cat's body. Sango tugged on her mane as the reached a point directly above Naraku.
"Kirara!" She shouted, as Kirara now understood what her mistress was intending. With a ferocious roar, a stream of fire emanated from her mouth, and began to surround Naraku in a burning whirlwind of fire.
He let out a roar, not so much of pain but of frustration as he snapped his attention at the Taiji-Ya and her pet Youkai.
"Stupid Wench!" Naraku yelled, as he sent his poisoned insects flying up to met Kirara, as they only barely managed to avoid their fatal stings.
"Now, Houshi-sama!" Sango cried as Kirara began to rapidly descend towards the ground.
With a quick glance to make sure Sango was safe, Miroku nodded and began to run towards the distracted Naraku.
"Ofuda!!" He shouted as he managed to get close enough to Naraku to place the scroll directly between his eyes. Immediately Naraku froze, his eyes glazed over not a part of him moving, not even his breathing.
"Inuyasha! Kagome! I've paralyzed him, but only temporarily! Hit him with the Tetsusaiga and Purity arrow combined," Miroku shouted, trembling as sweat rolled down his face. The Ofuda was channeling his spiritual power to paralyze Naraku.
"You idiot! You could have got yourself killed!" Inuyasha shouted
"JUST DO IT!!" Miroku screamed, stumbling away as he felt all his energy draining away.
Gripping Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha ran to stand next to Kagome, whose tears were now falling freely.
"You heard him!" Inuyasha said his knuckles turning white as he held the sword's hilt so tightly.
"I..I can't!" Kagome cried, covering her face with her hands "I always miss, he's going to kill us all! I've brought nothing but suffering on all of you, it's my fault he has half the Jewel,"
Inuyasha growled deep in his throat and dropping Tetsusaiga, removed her hands from her face to grip them tightly.
"Listen to me! We all need you right now! You're the only one of us who can make those arrows pure enough to destroy evil. I need you in every way possible. And I wouldn't care about you this much if I knew you were worthless, dammit!"
"Inuyasha.." Kagome whispered barely audible.
From a short distance further back watched a Miko, Kikyou, with cold brown eyes, her expression unchanging, long black hair floating behind her as if it were a spirit itself. Her hakama rustled in a gust of wind which kicked up, as a roar expelled from Naraku, the Ofuda burning up as it's spiritual hold on him broke.
But Kikyou's gaze was on the Hanyou and the teenage girl, as Inuyasha never wavered his eyes from Kagome's face. She had seen that look before, so many years before when she was still alive. It was one of pure love.
She closed her eyes, as her mind finally rest at peace, a newfound realization setting in. When she opened them again, this time she was focused solely on Naraku, who was slowly advancing on the couple. She may be dead, she may be an embodiment of her last emotion she ever felt, the hatred that consumed her and ended her life. But she was still a Miko; a Miko whose sole purpose in life when she was alive was to protect the innocent from evil.
She quickly strode forward gracefully towards Naraku, and her true death which would inevitably follow.
"…Kikyou?" Kagome said, as she watched the woman who had tried to kill her so many times walk nonchalantly up to Naraku.
Inuyasha gritted his teeth. He knew Kikyou. She wouldn't go walking into death unless she knew what she was doing.
"Onigumo!" Kikyou shouted, a hand raised towards Naraku. For that moment, Naraku hesitated as the disgusting Onigumo's soul which lay within him stared at her lustfully.
"Kagome!" shouted Kikyou, never turning her gaze away from the creature "If you're the true Miko, you'll know what to do"
Kagome was silent for a moment, but then with a determined face she nodded, even though Kikyou couldn't see her.
"Hai"
Inuyasha grinned as Kagome picked up her bow and arrow and aimed them at Naraku, and swiftly picked up his own weapon as the Tetsusaiga reverted back to its true, powerful form.
"Thank you, Kikyou" Kagome said, as she pulled the arrow back. Kikyou turned around and slowly nodded as the two shouted a deafening battle cry, the power in their weapons growing dramatically. Naraku blinked, his red pupils falling out of their daze to focus on the two's tremendous attack, although it was too late.
With a scream so loud it hurt their throats, Kagome released the purity arrow, which flew at a deadly precision and at light speed, and Inuyasha released his most powerful blow from Tetsusaiga, in a whirlwind of energy so strong it created a prisma of color as the arrow struck Naraku's chest, the strike from Tetsusaiga countering it, to extend the damage of the purity throughout his whole body.
The cacanophy of power surrounded both Naraku and Kikyou, and both cried out in pain as a rainbow of lights surrounded them, consuming them entirely and destroying all evil within the tornado of spiritual purity surrounding them.
Kikyou closed her eyes and fell backwards, falling out of the void which was consuming Naraku. The stolen souls which provided her with life where each slowly escaping from her body and she continually coughed at the sensation which was slowly causing her demise. A faint smile crossed her lips as she saw the sight before her. Within the curtain of purity Naraku's Youkai were slowly deteriorating, as the evil beings were overwhelmed by the light. Soon, all that would be left of him would be the decaying body of an old man, one that looked so horribly familiar. Onigumo. Vengeance could be sweet.
"Of course! Kagome-sama! Get the Shikon no Tama, you're the only one of us pure enough to reach through the veil" Miroku shouted over the anguished cries of a slowly dying Onigumo.
"Right!" Kagome answered and ran through the veil. She looked around and soon saw the other half of the jewel, which glowed an eerie dark purple. She picked it up, and slowly it changed into a shining pale lavender. "I've got it!" She said, running as far away from the putrid smell of decay as she could.
"Good, now everyone stand back!" Miroku shouted, clenching the rosary beads in his right hand.
"NO!" Sango shouted and threw herself onto Miroku in a moment of impulse.
"S-Sango?" Miroku gasped.
"Houshi-sama! You said yourself, if you open up the Kazaana one more time you'll be killed!" She said, a look of desperation in her eyes.
Miroku smiled softly "It is the only way we can be sure none of his remains regenerate him. It's all a matter of fate now. Either he dies and my Kazaana disappears forever, or I die consumed by the curse as I would have eventually. Either way, No matter what you say Sango I will protect you,"
Sango shook her head furiously, her high ponytail swishing from side to side. Why did he always have to reason himself out of things?
"At least…" She cried, her voice shaky "At least…let me get rid of the Poison Insects lest they kill you too"
Miroku squeezed her shoulder gratefully and slinging her giant boomerang over her shoulder, Sango ran over to where Naraku was being consumed, making sure her gas mask was on tightly to repel the vile smell of rotting flesh.
"Hiraikotsu!" She shouted, with a burst of strength throwing the giant Youkai bone boomerang over her shoulder. In a swift circular movement she managed to slice all of the flying insects with the sharp edge of the boomerang. They had all huddled together in fear as they witnessed their dying master, making it easier for her to destroy them, only needing a couple of throws to make sure they were all dead. Sango caught Hiraikotsu as it returned causing her to stumble back with the sheer force. She silently prayed to her dead father, thanking him for teaching her to be so accurate.
Moving as far away from Naraku as she could she looked over at Miroku and removed her iron mask. Miroku took that as his cue and uncovered his hand, extended it towards the dying old man Onigumo which stood in place of the former terror, Naraku.
"Kazaana!" Miroku shouted triumphantly as his dark wind tunnel began to suck in everything in its path, the force of its pull causing pain to shoot up and down his arm.
A shrill cry of terror betrayed Onigumo as he was helplessly pulled into the black hole, his shriveled form disappearing with a force of wind, leaving behind nothing but a dead silence.
Miroku fell to his knees as a stinging sensation pained his hand, trying to support the cursed hand with his other. His breathing quickened as he felt as if his hand were deteriorating from the inside out. Then, just as abruptly as it had started, the pain stopped. His heart pounding in his chest, he touched the ground with his cursed hand. He was alive. And for the first time in his life, he could touch something with his right hand without it being consumed. Slowly he turned his hand around and traced around the new flesh. The curse was gone. A million emotions ran through him, so much that he didn't know what to feel.
A satisfied smile crossed his features. "Consumed by his own curse…"
Suddenly a woman's scream caught his attention and he looked up to see hundreds of Youkai infiltrating them. It wasn't over yet.
"Where did they come from?!" Kagome shouted, as Inuyasha protected her killing them one by one.
"They must have escaped when they saw that bastard Naraku, dying. Feh! No wonder he died so easily, his own youkai betrayed him," He scowled as another demon uselessly tried to attack them, batting it away easily.
"Move, Sango!" Inuyasha shouted at the Taiji-Ya who was now using her short sword to exterminate the weak demons. She obediently moved out of the way and Inuyasha raised his sword.
"Tessaiga!" He shouted as the fang-sword performed its attack it was legendary for; killing one Hundred Youkai in a single swipe. Except in this swipe it killed much more than One hundred. In fact, not a single Demon was left standing when the attack was over.
'Nani…I must not know my own strength' Inuyasha thought looking confused at Tetsusaiga.
"Look out, Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, and he swiftly turned around to directly face a spider Youkai behind him, defiantly much taller than him, only to have it explode suddenly, splattering a mixture of guts and blood all over him.
When its innards had finished landing on the floor, Kouga spat on the remains, wiping blood from his claw. "You owe me, inu-korro," He grunted. Inuyasha smirked.
Kagome yelped again and held a hand to her mouth, but this time it wasn't because of fear. "Shippo-chan!"
Inuyasha's eyes widened and the next second he was sprinting to the tree he saw Shippou crash against. He would never admit it, but the child youkai had grown to be like a little brother to him.
He knelt down next to the tiny body which lay face down on the dirt, his sensitive hearing picked up Kagome's footsteps behind him.
"Shippou! Oi, Shippou!" He shouted, cradling the boy in his arms, trying to wake him up. He didn't move. At all.
"SHIPPOU!" He screamed at the tiny Kitsune. Suddenly a boot caused him to jump as it stood in his vision, picking up dust.
"He's dead." A deep voice said, calmly.
Slowly Inuyasha looked up and saw the expressionless face of his Taiyoukai half brother, Sesshoumaru.
"No! You're lying!" Inuyasha shouted back, although his heart was now in his throat. He knew he was dead. He could smell it in the air.
A dead silence filled the air, as emotions turned to angst.
"I'm surprised you're not all dead. I was counting on it" Sesshoumaru spoke, breaking the tension.
Inuyasha grinded his teeth so hard he was sure his brother could hear it standing over him. He could feel pure rage rising in his chest as he slowly looked up at the Inu Taiyoukai with icy eyes.
"You… You, unimaginable Bastard. You were watching the whole time and didn't do anything," He spoke so low in his throat that it almost sounded like a growl.
Sesshoumaru's facial expression never faltered.
"My strategy was to wait until you were all dead, then kill the worn down Naraku myself. Unfortunately I made a poor assumption on my behalf. When I realized that you may actually have a chance of defeating him I stepped in."
Inuyasha snorted, "Did you just hear me, Inu-korro!" He said, borrowing one of Kouga's lines "You weren't there! At all! It was Kagome and I who killed him"
Faster than Inuyasha could blink Sesshoumaru grabbed Tetsusaiga from it's sheath, and held it's shining blade in the dying sun. Both Inuyasha and Kagome stared open mouthed at him as he calmly admired the craftsmanship of the legendary sword.
"How… I thought Sesshoumaru couldn't touch it?" said Kagome.
Then a red light surrounded the Tetsusaiga, and it began to melt into two separate forms, the aura then turning back into two rusted fang swords, one clattering to the ground, the other remained in Sesshoumaru's steady grip.
"Tenseiga!" Inuyasha gasped "So that means… Of course! You connected Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga."
"When the sword of light and the sword of darkness are connected, the two will create the true blade of legend, one which has the power to obliterate all evil. Another stupid ploy created by our father, Inutaishou to get us to work together."
He grunted as he watched Inuyasha's shocked reaction.
"Surely you didn't actually believe you were that powerful."
Inuyasha's face flushed red at that last comment. True, the sword had become considerably heavier, but he thought it was because he was tired. No wonder the purity arrow had created such an incredible force when combined with the sword's attack.
Sesshoumaru raised the Tenseiga, prepared to strike.
"Unlike you, I am still faithful to my father's commands. Even though I don't understand why he wishes me to revive some creatures."
There was a loud crack in the air as Sesshoumaru struck the sword at Shippou, then plunging the blade into the ground next to the small fox child.
With a twitch, Slowly Shippou's green eyes opened again, as he blinked quickly trying to regain focus. He lay there for a couple of seconds, before his face broke into a fit of tears and sobs and he leapt into Inuyasha's arms, crying into his clothes. Inuyasha's face went even redder as he pat the crying boy's head. The last thing he wanted was Sesshoumaru to prove he was above him.
Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose in disgust as he sheathed Tenseiga again.
"Wait! There's just one more thing I need to know." Inuyasha spoke up as Sesshoumaru turned to walk away. He stood up to face the Taiyoukai, detaching Shippou from him and the Kitsune ran over to Kagome.
Sesshoumaru looked back at him, his face almost looked bored.
"When did you do it?" asked Inuyasha.
Sesshoumaru smirked "When you were comforting that human of yours, you dropped Tetsusaiga. Stupid move. I could have killed you easily if I so wished.
Inuyasha didn't feel his face could go any redder to suit his outfit, as this time Sesshoumaru walked out of the forest and completely out of his line of vision.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin's girlish voice cried out as she skipped behind trying to catch up to her master.
"Wait for your loyal servant, Sessh- AUGHH!!" Jaken was cut off mid sentence as Inuyasha punted the green toad deeper into the forest. The Hanyou smirked, feeling a little better. Well, at least he didn't have stupid followers like that.
"Shippou-chan… I'm so glad your safe," said Kagome happily, rubbing her cheek against the small boy's soft hair as he cried into her shoulder. She held him up in her arms to face her and smiled brightly at him.
"You were very brave. And you know what, I bet your father's really proud of you"
At that comment a smile fell on Shippou's lips, although sobs still escaped him.
"Right!"
Kagome gave him a light hug before she looked over at Inuyasha, who looked like he was searching the area for something.
"Ano…Inuyasha?"
He didn't answer her as he continued looking.
"Here, Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted out towards them and Inuyasha immediately ran over to where the Houshi stood. Kagome slowly followed, and felt a needle in her heart as she beheld the sight before her.
There lay Kikyou, kneeling against a tree, her face more pale than usual as the eerily beautiful souls continued to pour out of her slowly, drifting away.
"Kikyou…" Inuyasha whispered, kneeling next to her, supporting her shoulders with his arm.
"This area is too pure now. The stolen souls are returning to their original owners." Miroku said quietly.
Kikyou burst into a nasty fit of coughs, which Inuyasha knew would have consisted of blood if she had any.
"Kikyou! Kikyou, hold on! We'll get you more souls, just tell me where-" He was cut off as Kikyou placed a cold slender finger over his lips.
"Inu…yasha… Listen to me" She said, her voice sounding exhausted. "It is my time now. I have come to an important realization, and I think the Houshi knows it too."
Kagome looked over at Miroku in shock. His face wore a peaceful smile as he watched the dying Kikyou.
"Truly an amazing Miko…" He awed, the rings on the Shakujou clinking together in the soft breeze.
Kikyou began to speak once more. "When I was revived, I was an embodiment of only part of my soul. The hatred and anger which consumed me and led me into my death. Since then, I slowly collected more of my former self and more emotions belonging to my soul as I experienced a second chance at life. But I knew it was only a borrowed one."
She winced, her face full of pain as she tried to stand up. "Kikyou!" said Inuyasha worriedly trying to help her up, but Kikyou raised a hand to his face to silence him.
Kagome's heart raced. She could almost feel within her where this was going. She put Shippou on the ground and he walked over to stand next to Miroku.
Slowly Kikyou advanced towards Kagome, until she was standing right in front of her. "I never did this sooner, because it would have been perilous. I have the hatred and anger part of our soul. And you were left with only the purest part of it."
"And that's why… I was the only one able to pass through the veil," Kagome breathed. Kikyou nodded and smiled at her.
"If the negative part of your soul had not been taken from you, you would have eventually succumbed to it, because you were not born in this era.
But the separation was also why Inuyasha's heart was so confused. He could not stop loving both of us… Because we're both the same soul."
Simultaneously, the two women lifted their arms until their hands were parallel to each other, but not yet touching.
Kagome smiled confidently. Everything seemed to make sense now. The reason she could instantly purify Shikon shards. The reason for Inuyasha's two-timing. The reason she could always sense the good side of people.
"The Shikon no Tama" They both said at the same time. Kagome took the half of the jewel she had taken from Naraku out of her pocket and handed it to Kikyou, and snapped her own half from the necklace she wore around her neck.
The two aligned the broken halves of the Jewel of the four souls, and looked at each other, each with the same identical eyes, windows to the soul.
"The two halves will," Kikyou said
"Finally be rejoined." Kagome finished.
No sooner had they connected the jewel than they were engulfed in an incredibly bright light of the purest white.
Both Inuyasha mind and heart swan in confusion as he watched the incredible event taking place before his eyes. The light that suddenly emitted from the two women blinded him.
"KAGOME!" He screamed, the first name which came to his mind, surprising even himself.
"Sukebe! What's happening to them?!" Inuyasha cried desperately.
Miroku chuckled. "Patience Inuyasha. I have heard the legend of a union of troubled souls but never actually witnessed one. Truly remarkable"
Suddenly the blinding light began to wear down, and shrunk down from the forms of two people, until it had adapted to the shape of only one. The light began to die, and the person's features came into focus through the light, part by part until eventually, all that stood there was a woman, her eyes closed peacefully, hands clasped together in front of her chest.
"Kag…Kik…?" Inuyasha stuttered, not sure what to call this new woman.
She had the peach colored young skin of Kagome, the same black hair that had always belonged to her, but now it was long enough to reach her rear, as Kikyou's had, with two long bangs framing the side of her face. Her outfit was a combination of both Kagome's school fuku, and Kikyou's Miko garb, creating a truly incredible sight. At her feet lay a pile of dirt and bones, and on her now more mature face lay a smile, her soul finally at peace. Slowly her eyes began to open, seductive lashes over beautiful chocolate brown eyes. She lowered her hands to her side and looked over at Inuyasha, smiling brightly at him.
"It's still Kagome," She said, her voice smoothly running along the breeze.
Inuyasha stared at her blankly for a moment before his face went slack and he fell head first into the ground, unconscious.
Kagome giggled. "He must have been exhausted. That's just like him, pushing himself completely to the edge" Turning Inuyasha's body onto his back so he could breath she lightly planted a kiss on his forehead.
She felt a small tug on her leg and looked down into Shippou's bright green eyes.
"Is it really you, Kagome?" He asked timidly, still not sure what the 'zombie lady' had done.
Kagome nodded and patted him on the head.
"Hai, Shippou-chan. The only thing different about me is I have Kikyou's memories."
"Aah" Shippou answered, pretending he understood, but didn't really.
"I know it's still you, Kagome" A gruff voice spoke from behind her.
Kagome laughed softly and turned around to face the Wolf Youkai she knew would be standing there.
"I could never imagine to fool you, Kouga-kun"
Kouga was silent for a moment, searching her serene face.
"You still have that amazing scent"
A silence hovered in the air.
"…You know, I really meant it when I said I wanted you to be my woman." said Kouga.
Kagome smiled sadly "I know…"
Kouga lightly kicked Inuyasha's unconscious form, his pride still wounded. He had sworn to kill Naraku, but instead his rival had killed him while here he stood with a broken arm.
"I know you've chosen this banished Hanyou son of a Taiyoukai rather than a worthy Yourouzoku Prince, as much as I don't understand it. But if you ever want to reconsider, you know where to find me."
Kagome nodded, as Kouga softly kissed her hand, his fangs tickling her skin. He slowly began to walk away from the area of destruction, his feet kicking up dust as he walked, defeated.
"Kouga, I can fix that arm if you like."
Kouga raised his other healthy arm in the air, never turning to face her
"No need. I managed well enough before I met you" And with that he sprinted off into the nearby dark forest. Kagome knelt down once more beside Inuyasha, absent-mindedly pushing stray strands of hair away from his eyes. She looked up at the sky and laughed.
"Miroku. Correct me if I'm wrong, but tonight is the new moon isn't it?"
Miroku grinned as he too followed her gaze up at the sky, surprised he had missed this information himself.
"Why yes. I believe you're right, Priestess."
Kagome looked back at Inuyasha and ran her fingers along the soft fur of his dog-ears.
Miroku blinked, suddenly realizing in all the confusion that he had forgotten something. Something very important. He swiftly turned around and began scouting the area. His hold on the shakujou tightening in anticipation.
There in the distance he saw what he was looking for and began to walk towards it. His mind couldn't help but relay everything that had transposed before they arrived here, on this day of destiny. Finally he saw it. He saw her. Sango.
Although when he saw her, his stomach leapt in his belly.
Of course. How could he have forgotten.
She sat kneeling on the blood stained ground, her shoulders heaving as soft sobs could be heard. Her high ponytail lay over her shoulder as her back was lowered, head bowed as Kirara gazed up at her sadly, back in her original small form.
Sango immediately wiped at her face with the back of her hand as she heard the familiar clinking of the Houshi's staff as he approached, although it was all too noticeable she had been crying.
Miroku let a deep sigh escape his lungs. He had been dreaming of the moment they would defeat Naraku, dreaming of the moment he would spin Sango around in his arms and they would share their incredible first kiss. How selfish he felt right now.
Naraku had killed Kohaku and taken the Shikon no Tama from his back just before they had arrived. He was already dead when the fight began. Unlike everyone else fighting the battle, Sango had no reward to look forward to.
"Sango.." Miroku uttered and knelt on the other side of Kohaku's lifeless body to face her.
Sango, breathed deeply for awhile looking only at the ground.
"Forgive me, Houshi-sama. I should be happy for you now that your curse is gone, and here I am crying like a baby"
Miroku smiled at her, and slowly lifted her head up with his hand, thrilled at the sensation as his formerly cursed hand touched her soft skin for the first time.
"Sango. I have the rest of my life to celebrate. Right now, I would be honored if you allowed me to ensure Lord Kohaku's spirit safely reaches the other realm"
A small smile crossed Sango's face and she nodded as a single tear trickled down her face to land on Miroku's hand.
"Arigatou.." She whispered.
Miroku leaned over the boy's body to embrace Sango tightly. Her back trembled as she sobbed into his shoulder. He looked up at the darkening sky, trying hard to keep a steady face as his heart broke listening to his love's sorrowing tears. His dream would have to wait. But he would wait as long as it took for her to smile once more.
After all, the new moon tonight would bring with it a new life for all of them.
Authors Notes: Yatta! Chapter one is finally done! ^__^ I am so happy with the direction this fic is heading in, and I have to thank my girl, Myst-chan. She gave me a lot of ideas, the only thing I did was write them into a story. I plan on having a lot of art to illustrate this fic too, so I'll post the links in the AN when they're done. I've got all the storyline planned out, so please come back soon for updates. Warning: A lot of WAFF ahead X3
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