The Tale of the Princess of the Crescent Moon
New Beginnings
The sunrise shone redly on the hills as they climbed out of the bone-eater's well, and they breathed deeply of the fresh fragrance of the feudal era as they crawled out of the well and stretched their legs.
"Well..." said Kagome, "Here we are." There was a long silence; then she laughed. "Oh, why am I moping like this? Obviously, this isn't 'goodbye,' and you'll be coming back home all the time, I'm sure." Kagome held out her arms and smiled warmly, and Izayoi lovingly embraced her, and then embraced Inuyasha.
There was a rustle in the thicket, and out of the forest stepped Shippou, who had never before looked so tall and proud as he did today; a broad smile was on his handsome face, and his arms were outstretched in welcome. He ran to embrace Izayoi, then did the same for Kagome and Inuyasha. Izayoi put her arm around Shippou's waist and rested her head on his shoulder, then she said to her mother, "Oh, I'll be back, all right. You won't get rid of me that easily. Just keep Souta's kids out of my stuff—if I come back and find a single cup broken or a brush with a single bristle out of place, they'll be sorry they were ever born." She laughed, then looked at Shippou and continued, "But 'coming home'...I don't know about that. This may be home, now. Or maybe both places are home. We'll see."
"We'll see," agreed Shippou.
"Well, goodbye, Mom! Goodbye, Dad! I'll come see you soon!" said Izayoi gaily. She turned to Shippou and asked, "You want to carry me, or should I carry you?"
"It's been a while," he said. "This time, you carry me."
Shippou shouldered Izayoi's knapsack and her bow. He hopped onto Izayoi's back, and they both waved at Inuyasha and Kagome; then, in a flash, Izayoi bounded away, and the last thing that Kagome and Inuyasha saw was the beautiful smile on their daughter's face as she raced out of sight.
"Goodbye, my little princess," said Inuyasha, so softly that Kagome barely heard him.
Kagome sighed heavily, and took Inuyasha's hand in hers. "Well, I guess this is it...Now I know how my mother felt when I jumped into the well on our wedding day." Inuyasha tenderly drew her head to his shoulder and kissed her forehead.
"Well, let's go," Kagome said, and she hopped on Inuyasha's back and pointed off into the distance. "That way."
"Huh?" said Inuyasha. "Don't you want to go back to your time?"
"No. Why would I want to do that?" said Kagome. "I want to go that way."
"Why?" said Inuyasha. "The village is in the other direction. The Goshinboku is over there. We never go that way."
"That's why I want to go that way," said Kagome. She suddenly gave a whoop of glee and playfully kicked Inuyasha in the ribs. "C'mon, Inuyasha! Adventure awaits! Let's go!"
"They always say that having kids changes you," Inuyasha, shaking his head. "I didn't know it changed you into one." But then he smiled devilishly, and said, "You're right. We never have gone in that direction!"
Inuyasha shouted, "Let's go!" and he bounded away with his beloved on his back, a smile on his face, and the wind in his hair: racing boldly into the rising sun.