" 'It's too late to correct it,' said the Red Queen: 'when you've once said a thing, that fixes it, and you must take the consequences.' "
Kagome's vision hazed, as if a screen of smoke had suddenly been dropped before her eyes. She blinked and her eyes watered, stinging softly, burning smoke rolling up her nose and down her throat when she tried to take a breath causing her to double over with a coughing fit. When she straightened the long path was gone. The door they had come through was gone. The forest was gone. In fact everything was gone except for the endless violet sky and a plain of lavender grass below them. She edged back slowly and bumped against Inuyasha's shoulder.
"Inuyasha?" She murmured softly, shifting nervously. He was frowning, not at her but seemingly at the air, tensed into the stance she knew so well, when he was preparing to fight.
"Move back Kagome." His voice was low and Kagome knew arguing that she should stay by his side was pointless so she obeyed and moved behind him. "And stay back."
He cracked his right hand softly and the sound was almost like a challenge horn because there was a rumble and suddenly flames burst forth from the ground, stunning red and gold against the world of lilac and purple. A roar split the air; full of terror and malicious power and Kagome flinched from the sound not able to stop the light whimper. The ground split, wide long cracks in the earth and suddenly a red-scaled claw appeared at the rim as a huge crimson dragon drug himself up from below like a creature from the underworld.
Blood red scales slid over violet grass like ruby on amethyst. It's huge head reared back giving a flash of cruel teeth like shards of jagged iron and roared again. And Kagome was caught by the majestic beauty of the thing despite the pungent evil it reeked of.
"Don't worry Kagome." Inuyasha growled. "It'll be over in no time." And he attacked, lunging at the scarlet beast, claws poised to strike, but quick as a whip the dragon whipped it's tail around, catching Inuyasha in the gut and flinging him backwards to skid across the grass, the red beast's sharp scales having torn through Inuyasha's kimono to draw blood from the skin beneath.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped then as one blood red eye of the beast was turned towards her and the dragon slithered in her direction.
"Don't you touch her!" Inuyasha screamed as he launched another attack on the beast, this time his claws landing tearing away 3 scales that fell to the grass to lie there like pools of blood.
The dragon snarled and whipped its head in Inuyasha's direction sending a storm of flames in Inuyasha's direction, golden fire engulfing the hanyou's form. Kagome stifled a cry then nearly wept with relief when Inuyasha shot from the midst of the flames unscathed to strike down, raking claws over the beast's backside. That was the last hit he managed to make however because the crimson creature stuck out with a claw, talons flashing dangerously, the tips smoking acidicly as he caught Inuyasha across the face and neck.
Inuyasha grunted and skidded across the ground; the bleeding wound smoking and bubbling an ugly yellow green color, the skin around the wound turning sickly violet. The beast turned and moved towards Inuyasha, it's huge jaws opening slowly. The thing was going to eat Inuyasha! Kagome's heart stopped. What could she do? What could she do when Inuyasha failed?
She looked down, Midoriko's bow and arrows in her hands. Something Amatsuichi said returned to her. 'The King of Hearts has no need of the Queen. Is Inuyasha your King of Hearts.' Kagome's fingers tightened around an arrow. You need me Inuyasha. You need me.
She knocked an arrow and drew back steadily then released. The bolt flew, erupting into the violet light that outshone everything and struck the beast in the neck as the thing was leaning over to devour Inuyasha. The dragon threw its head back and roared, turning a red eye in her direction. She knocked another arrow and released, this on striking the creature's flanks and Kagome noticed where her arrows stock the scales started to go dark gray and sizzle hotly.
Kagome knocked another arrow. "Leave him alone!" And let it fly. It stuck the dragon in the eyes and dark black blood dripped from around the protruding shaft to the ground where it burned away grass and ground alike.
The red beast whipped its tail around then backed away slithering down into the flaming cracks in the ground to disappear amid smoke and fire. Kagome dropped the weapons and ran over to Inuyasha, lifting his head into her lap. He didn't move, didn't open his eyes, and his breath was coming in short, shallow jerks.
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha." She cradled his head against her, stroking his cheek, careful not to touch the wound. Tears clouded her eyes and she sobbed his name helplessly.
"That's enough Kagome." A soft voice murmured from behind her. Kagome spun to find her grandmother standing some distance away, the flaming cracks in the ground now gone. Kagome let out a cry, slid Inuyasha's head from her lap and flung herself into her grandmother's arms.
"He's dying!"
Her grandmother stroked her hair gently. "I know. I know. Come now. It's time for you to go home."
Kagome blinked tearfully. "Go?"
Her grandmother nodded. "Yes. Go home. People are waiting for you Kagome."
Kagome stiffened then and felt a frown spread over her lips. Something was wrong with this. It always had been wrong. She straightened and drew back to look at the woman she called grandmother, studying her for a moment then stepped back further.
"He could see you." She murmured. Her grandmother lifted her eyebrow saying nothing. "He could see you. You're not my memory! You aren't mine because he can't see my memories. You are not my grandmother!"
The woman smiled and inclined her head and as she did her form seemed to shimmer, skin smoothing and softening gently, hair darkening to a sunny gold color that curled gently over her shoulders. And now a younger woman stood before Kagome, one of loveliest women Kagome had ever seen. Her eyes were gently almond shaped and the clear color of a perfect morning sky. Her skin was soft dusty gold like darkened honey.
"Very good Kagome."
"Who are you?"
The woman tilted her head slightly. "I am known as Izanami. I believe you met my nephew previously."
Kagome blinked in surprise. "Izanami! The Goddess of Creation!?"
"Yes. That is what I'm called here anyhow. Now that introductions are finished." She turned and extended a hand and as Kagome watched two doors of pale white wood appeared in thin air, both with glimmering gold handles. "It's time for you to go home Kagome."
"But...but what about Inuyasha?"
The goddess smiled. "Oh yes." She looked towards Inuyasha and made a beckoning gesture and the half demon suddenly rose and floated towards her as if he were a puppet being controlled by strings. Izanami leaned over to study him and flicked her wrist and the long wound sealed itself slowly the decaying flesh turning fresh and healed once more. "There."
Kagome's eyes teared with relief. "Thank you! We can really go home now?"
The goddess nodded. "Yes Kagome. However. You are going home."
"What...what do you mean?"
"All this trouble began when you brought the jewel to the feudal era. If you return now back to the time of the battle both you and Inuyasha will be killed. The events of that current day you fought assured it. The only way to stop this fate is to undo everything. Including your ever going to the feudal era."
"No!"
"Yes Kagome! Give your jewel shards to Inuyasha then return. I will assure the jewel is made whole then wipe away any memory of you or any of the events you set into motion from everything's mind. Inuyasha will wake safe in the forest with good memories of living his life, as will Sango and Miroku. Naraku will still bear his grudge but there will be nothing he can do but rage. I cannot bring back the dead but I will compensate for that. You will return home and you and yours will have no memory of your frequent absences. This is your choice. This...or death. Both yours and Inuyasha and possibly that of your friends as well."
Kagome sank to her knees as tears coursed down her cheeks. To never see Inuyasha again. To never even know he existed. Was that better then death? Her death maybe not but it was far, far better then Inuyasha's death. And so what other choice did she have? She rose and pulled the remaining jewel shards from around her neck and hung the necklace they were set on around Inuyasha neck instead then stepped back.
The goddess smiled and opened the door on the left and Inuyasha disappeared through it, still unconscious. The door closed then disappeared. The goddess looked to Kagome again and smiles, laying a hand on her cheek.
"It is a hard fate child. But you will feel no pain once your forget."
She laid a kiss on Kagome's forehead then moved away to open the door on the right and pushed Kagome through it.
" 'and you must take the consequences.' "