A/N: Whew! (wipes sweat off of brow) Working overtime here…shimatta…anyway…Urasue is here to read the disclaimer…
Urasue: Ah my beautiful creation is still alive! I adore you so much!
Me: Damare! Just read the damn disclaimer, chikusho!
Urasue: Fine…Aki doesn't own Inuyasha…or my beautiful creation, 'Kikyou'. So that's all I really have to say…one line…Aki wants shorter disclaimers so there can be more story…so I'll go away now…
Me: Thank you! Alright, reviews! I'm writing this ASAP so you all don't get too comfy while waiting and plot my death because of that last cliffhanger, alright? Good.
Dragon Man, LMFAO! I just realized that! Wind sorceress getting the wind knocked out of her! OMG I wasn't even thinking when I wrote that! I just full-out cracked up when I read your review…holy kuso…that was so funny…EEP! Don't kill Inu-kun! Then he won't be able to show up for the-I didn't say anything…ignore that…all of it…anyway…this chapter will only tick you off more, I'm afraid…don't you just love my vague hints that are never solved until the next chapter? I'm sure you don't. Alright, I'll shut up and go away…(gives you a free admission to a psychiatrist's office for anger management) Your first 15 sessions are free.
Jane-chan, wow your guess is so close it's not even funny. (snickers) No one knows what we're talking about…communicating via email is so much fun! You can say what you want and everyone will be in the dark except us! Ok, I'm sure you'll enjoy this next chapter. Hopefully not too long…although you read so freaking fast…so does Dragon Man…he's cool…anyway…yeah, I'll shut up here too…
Riku, that's ok…it was being stupid earlier saying there was no chapter 43…oh why thank you…it was so hard to write…trust me, I spent hours slaving over trying to write it…it was one of the most miserable moments of my life…I've had this chapter along with the epilogue done for quite some time…In fact, I'm already writing Ch. 1 of the sequel…yeah, let's just say Kyo went temporarily brain-dead because a certain author was lacking sleep…again…yeah, I had to bring Kohaku back…lol…I was really frustrated…when frustrated, I rant…pointlessly…in all the wrong places, at the most awkward moments…like now…and I'll shut up now…
Ghost-Chick, Thank you! Here is an update, please enjoy. I like this chapter a lot…very emotional…
Chapter Forty-Four: Sayonara
Inuyasha returned to camp, his head hanging low, the decision he was about to make, weighing on his thoughts. Without even realizing it, his feet led him straight to his elder brother.
"Is there something you want, whelp?" Sesshoumaru asked.
The hanyou looked up, suddenly realizing where he had stopped.
"Sesshoumaru…don't expect this kind of shit from me too much, but with your infinite wisdom that you've gained from your incredible old age and senility, I need to talk to you and maybe get a little advice…" He said with a bit of a sarcastic tone.
The taiyoukai looked at him curiously.
"You're joking, right?"
"No…I'm not…don't rub it in!"
Sesshoumaru sighed lightly, and softly whispered something into Hana's and Rin's ears. He stood and took a few steps.
"I was under the impression that you wished to speak with me…if I am mistaken, I will return to my family…"
"Yeah, yeah, shut up pansy-ass…I'm coming…"
Inuyasha walked off, returning to the spot he had been with Kikyou moments before.
There was a long, still silence between the two of them.
"If you have nothing to say…" Sesshoumaru began.
"Oi! I do want to say something damn it! Just wait! I need to just get the words together…" Inuyasha snapped back irritably.
Sesshoumaru waited in silence, until finally Inuyasha sighed.
"Ok…" He began.
"Is that all?"
"Will it kill you to wait just one, god damn minute?! Shit! You're so fucking hopeless!"
And again, Sesshoumaru waited.
"I promised something…I promised Kikyou, that no matter the circumstances, I would go with her…as a favor…"
Sesshoumaru sighed again.
"You are asking me what to do about this? I cannot help you…it is your own decision, Inuyasha…I can only advise that you stay where you feel the most content with…the rest it to be left up to you, Ototo-chan…"
The taiyoukai began to walk away. Inuyasha stood, thinking, following his brother out of the trees, upon reaching camp, leapt up to a high branch above Kagome's sleeping bag.
Mei Lhi watched her brother, studying his face, she concluded that something was wrong. She finished bandaging the wounds she had received from Kagura earlier, and jumped up into the branch with him.
"What's up with you?" She asked.
"Hm?" He grunted, looking at her from the corner of his eyes.
"You seem troubled…so…what's up?"
"It's nothing…"
"Nii-chan…tell me…I can tell…you've got anxiety all over your scent."
"It's nothing!"
"Nii-chan…tell me…now…"
"No! Look, I've just got something on my mind, and I'll be telling everyone in the morning, so just go away and get some sleep!"
Mei Lhi sighed, reluctantly obliging. Returning to the grassy floor, she curled into a ball to keep warm, trying to shake out the thoughts now plaguing her now-troubled mind.
All soon became drowsy and fell under the blanket of sleep as the night dragged on. Inuyasha kept his eyes open, occasionally his eyes would survey the surroundings of the camp, only to meet Kikyou's stare every single time. Turning on his side, he shut his eyes, hoping that all of his problems would somehow be solved that way. Eventually, Inuyasha found that he had fallen into a restless slumber, his subconscious troubled by nightmares. Nightmares that Inuyasha would not soon forget…
-
The group awoke the following morning, but Inuyasha hadn't said a single word of his plans at all. Kikyou had been giving him glances all throughout the day, and she kept doing so for the next month or so as they made their slow journey home.
Another three weeks passed by. They still traveled, but they moved slower now, Hana's pup grew more each passing day, and the more it grew, the more tired the miko-youkai became. She was being constantly fussed over by Kikyou, Kagome, and Sesshoumaru. Occasionally Sango would check up on her as well. This hindered their progress immensely.
Another week, and another, and another. They still continued to journey, resting more and more frequently due to Hana's condition, and the fact that if Inuyasha refused to stop Sesshoumaru would be ready to rip off his head at a moment's notice. By now, Inuyasha had learned well enough not to face his brother's wrath.
It was spring now. The group was not too far from Kaede's village. So at long last, they settled down for the night and made camp.
"Inuyasha…" Kikyou said to him.
"Hai…?" He asked.
"It's been three months at least. You cannot avoid this forever. You must tell them…all of them…before it's too late…"
The hanyou's throat suddenly went dry as he nodded.
"Oh, and Kouga and his companions decided to continue on to their caves…so you needn't deal with them any longer…"
Inuyasha nodded again in reply.
"Good night, Inuyasha…rest well…"
Kikyou turned and walked away, going off to check on Hana.
Inuyasha took a quick leap into a high branch in a tree, and closed his eyes, an uneasy slumber settling over him once more.
-
The sun rose over the horizon, the sky a rainbow of pastels. The morning dew had settled on the grass, giving it a glossy, cool feel.
A dew drop from one of the leaves in Inuyasha's tree dripped onto his nose.
The cold water woke him with a start. After jumping from the branch to the ground, he woke everyone quickly, refusing to let them eat before he set off in the direction of Kaede's village.
All of them followed, reaching the Goshinboku Tree some two and a half hours later.
"Nii-chan! What is the meaning of this?!" Mei Lhi asked, gasping for air.
Kikyou looked to her with a blank stare.
"Mei Lhi…right?" She asked.
The hanyou girl nodded.
"Inuyasha must tell you all something…" She said, clearly not going to let Inuyasha avoid the subject any longer.
All eyes were on the hanyou boy.
"Tell us what?" Kagome asked.
Inuyasha turned away from the group.
"I can't do it Kikyou!" He ground out.
"But you promised me. You swore it."
The hanyou's shoulders slumped low as he sighed from frustration.
'I never thought that it would hurt this much…to just not only tell them…but actually just go and leave them like this…' He thought.
"Inuyasha? Hana-sama? Kikyou? Is that ye?" Kaede's voice asked.
The elderly miko approached, observing the entire group, taking in all the changes in everyone's persona to poise.
Kikyou turned to Kaede and smiled.
"Kaede…I will be finally going to rest now…you won't have to worry anymore…" She said.
Kaede smiled in return.
"Ah, I am glad that ye could finally be at peace, Onee-san…"
"Now…Inuyasha was just saying…"
"Shut up! I said I'd tell them!"
Kikyou sighed.
"At this rate, it will not be done…hurry and get it out in the open, Inuyasha…"
Inuyasha took a deep breath, and fisting his hands, he walked over to the two people that meant everything to him…Mei Lhi and Kagome.
He tried to speak, but each time his mouth opened to say something, his throat froze up and he made choking noises instead.
Sesshoumaru looked thoroughly annoyed as he stood there waiting impatiently.
"…what my pathetic excuse for a brother is trying to tell you both is that he is planning on leaving…"He said.
"Nani?!" Almost everyone exclaimed.
Mei Lhi looked to both of her brothers.
"It's not true, right? You're not gonna leave us are you?" She asked.
Inuyasha looked away from his sister's sorrow-filled eyes and hesitantly nodded his head. He glanced upwards at Kagome's face. The miko girl did appear hurt, but yet she understood why he was going to do this.
"Why?" His sister asked.
"…I…I made a promise…before you ever came here…I made a promise…that once Naraku had been defeated…that I…that I'd go on one final journey with Kikyou as a favor to her for letting me go…letting me learn to care, to love, and to support the people that are closest to me…" He finally said.
There was silence as his words sunk in. Everyone but Mei Lhi, Shippou, and Hana knew what his speech was leading to.
Inuyasha flattened his ears to his head, trying to anticipate his sister's next question which he could already feel that she would ask it.
"Where are you going…?" Mei Lhi asked as if on cue.
The hanyou looked at the ground, until meeting his sister's gaze with his eyes.
"I'm sorry…"
He nodded at Kikyou, who also nodded.
"I will miss all of you…" She said simply. "And do take care of yourself Hana-chan…"
Inuyasha turned to Kagome and embraced her tightly.
"Kagome…just know this one thing…the one I love, and always have loved is you…"
He released her and patted Shippou on the head as a way to say "Be good." He nodded at Sango and gave Miroku a warning glance reading "Behave yourself." He nodded at his brother, Hana, Rin, Jaken, Kaede, and Kyo before he turned to his sister and also hugged her tight.
"You still haven't told me where you're going…"
"Imouto-san…gomen…"
"For what?"
"I'm leaving like this all of a sudden…and it's not right for me to…but I have to do it…"
"But…you'll come back won't you?"
"Iie…I don't know…I don't think I will be…"
He sighed deeply before his next words.
"…Go on and live your life, and be happy with Kyo…I care a lot about you…please be happy for me…Imouto-chan…"
He turned away, quickly pulling out of the hug, feeling his eyes burning from wanting to cry. Gritting his teeth, he fought them back, one stray tear slipped from his eyes, which he quickly wiped away.
He nodded once more at Kikyou, and the ground split open before the Goshinboku.
"Inuyasha…we must go…" The undead miko said.
Kagome began to cry, and Inuyasha sensed her tears, and doubled back to taste her lips once more.
"Don't cry Kagome…be strong…"
Another tear slipped from Inuyasha's eyes. Kagome looked up and softly brushed it away. She smiled at him sadly, nodding.
The hanyou turned and joined Kikyou where she stood waiting on a platform. Looking into the cracked earth, he saw the depths of hell that awaited him.
He looked to see that his sister finally understood where this last journey of his was going to take him. Her eyes were wide with shock and confusion, yet her eyes were full of sadness and lacked warmth. She was frozen standing there unblinkingly until she regained her senses, and ran, trails of tears streaming down her face.
'Imouto-chan…gomen…I never meant for it to be like this…'
The platform began its descent, and the ground grew nearer at each moment.
The two of them continued to sink lower and lower into the ground, Kikyou's Shinindama-chuu flew around them, the undead miko's souls flew out of her body.
"Inuyasha! Wait…the Shikon no Tama…don't you want it?" Kagome asked.
The hanyou looked up at her and shook his head.
"Iie…I don't need it…you keep it…" He replied.
"Demo…I thought you wanted to be a full youkai…"
"I have something more powerful than the Shikon no Tama…and it grants wishes too…"
"Nani?"
Inuyasha reached into his haori and pulled out the locket. Kagome began cry again, but at the same time she also smiled.
"Don't forget what I told you…"
"I won't…"
He tucked the locket away and waited.
'Kagome…Imouto-chan…forgive me…'
The last thing he heard before the ground swallowed him was his sister's anguished scream.
-Owari
Completed 4:45 PM PST, Friday November 19, 2004
A/N: It is over at last…now I realize that you wish to kill me because of the ending, don't you? But…anyway…you can't. If I'm dead, then you'll never know what happens next. Chapter 45 is going to be an epilogue of sorts…it'll be pretty short, but oh well…I'll give you the title of the sequel as well. So please look forward to the last thing you'll see from me for a while…well, at least until December…please review. I hope you enjoyed my story as much as I have. I hope to see you again as a fellow reviewer for the sequel. I don't think I have any words to translate, so I guess, this'll wrap it up. Except for 'Sayonara' which means 'goodbye', and 'Owari' which means 'end'. Thank you all for reading.
-Aki