CHAPTER NINE – ENDING TWO

The demon grinned as he lowered the blade, and turned his head to Kagome. "Another reason I wanted a human." He sneered. "So weak and pathetic…I could always overpower their spirits in the end and take control of their bodies. They have no strength of will or power to them. They're just trash. Actually, Sanhou wasn't making up lies about demons. He was merely stating my opinions regarding humans that I fed him."

Kagome stiffened, and tried to pull away a bit.

The monster clenched its hands into fists and glared in rage. It turned to Kagome and hissed angrily. It was livid with fury now, more angry than it had been yet.

"Damn you, stupid girl! Damn you to hell!" It bellowed. "I had ultimate power! I had the world…the cosmos at my fingers! But then you had to ruin it! You ruined everything!" It paused and hissed for a moment, breathing in deep and angrily. But then, after a moment…it managed a smile.

"But at least that troublesome boy is out of the way…and he's given me a new body. Now I can rebuild myself…and I'll start with your pathetic soul."

Kagome gaped at that…and began to struggle to get away. Her pain still crippled her, but she managed to start dragging herself back from the creature. The monster glared at her ravenously, and began to bring up Saphsaiga. It took a single step toward her…but then suddenly froze. Abruptly, it dropped its sword, as if a sudden pain had struck it. It raised its hands to its neck and clutched them, and began to gag. Kagome stopped in the middle of her fleeing, and looked to the creature in puzzlement as it began to change.

Abruptly, its already tall body became taller. Its face began to extend. Its clothes shredded and fell off of it, and brown hair began to spring up all over its body. However, it didn't in one place…its chest. The chest seemed to swell and grow a bit, protruding out. Its claws and talons became longer and crueler, and its eyes grew blood red. Horn crests sprang up from around its face, growing bony and sharp, as it grew taller and taller and bigger around. But as the horns came, its face continued to distort. It looked as if a growth was happening there as well. It rippled with more muscle than ever as thick hair covered it, but the central chest stayed bare. It continued to swell and bulge, along with the face. As it did, the red eyes vanished again. The horns pulled off from it. Lines began to come off of the bulge and grow as well…looking almost like growths from appendages. The thing gurgled and grunted, its voice twisting and distorting. The mass in its chest continued to protrude…and began to twist…as if moving of its own accord.

Finally, to Kagome's shock, an enormous sound like ripping of flesh came out. And in a huge eruption, the mass exploded from the face and chest of the creature. It was bloody, torn, and covered with horrible injuries, and to the girl's shock it sailed through the air before plopping right down on top of her legs. Kagome cupped her hands to her mouth and prepared to scream…until she looked at it again. Only then did she realize what it was.

It was Sanhou. His body had violently separated from the demon.

She looked back up to see what was left, and soon gasped again. The humanoid was gone. Now, a huge bear demon loomed over her, dripping drool out of its sharp-tooth-filled mouth and growling in rage. It looked at itself, shocked at what it had become, how it had returned to its former body. But then, it turned and looked back up to Kagome. Growling angrily, it began to step forward again.

Kagome began to quiver in fear. But she was helpless now. Her pain still crippled her, and she was still strained from all that had happened. Even if she could drag herself away, she'd abandon the bloody, naked Sanhou to the thing…assuming he was even still alive. Meanwhile, the towering demon walked forward much faster than than she could crawl away anyway. She couldn't do anything, but stare in terror at the beast. Its eyes blazed rage. Its mouth drooled hungrily.

But then, both stopped as a small voice spoke up from behind the thing.

"If you're using your sword…I'm going to use mine."

Then, in a flash, a massive glowing blade shot up from behind the creature and sliced into it, freely slashing into the flesh and hide of the beast. It cut straight through, slicing up from its hip to its opposite shoulder, leaving blazing light in its wake as it went through. Kagome blinked in astonishment, but then looked closer. As the monster gurgled and stiffened, bleeding out of its mouth and stunned in horror, Kagome saw a familiar, though blood soaked and ragged, hanyou behind him, brandishing Tetsaiga.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called in joy.

"Consider this, asshole." He seethed. "Tetsusaiga only shows itself when I'm defending a human, and right now neither Kagome or Sanhou have any shards on them."

The thing didn't answer. Instead, it slowly slid apart into its two halves, before completely falling to the ground. A look of horror was still frozen on its face. As it fell, blood and fluids gushed out and everywhere for a moment. But that only lasted a second. Then, suddenly, the creature shrank and withered. It wasn't like the others. This time, it seemed as if the body was burning up like a piece of paper. It withered and thinned and broke away into fragments, which themselves disintegrated into nothing. It continued to do so until the entire thing was a black cinder, and then it itself vanished. Only when this had happened did Saphsaiga fall to the ground and lay there, not vanishing like the others…but laying there. Only the sword was left at last.

Kagome herself paused a moment, and looked up to the hanyou. She smiled, even though he was frowning and looking down at the blade. It was over. It was finally over. The souls had been released, and everything was back to the way it was. Already, she began to hear sounds around her as the townspeople started to rise in confusion of what had happened. She turned and looked, and saw them standing and looking around in puzzlement. This meant that everyone else was alright too. Miroku, Sango, Kaede, and Kirara would all be back. For the first time in a long while, she smiled in relief. However, she soon remembered Sanhou. She looked down to his wretched body. It was horrible. It looked as if he had indeed ripped himself out of the larger demon. But his skin, though covered with tears, was still all around his body. He didn't have any major exposures of muscle or bone or interior. And somehow, the miko was still breathing.

As for Inuyasha, he ignored all of this. Instead, he walked over to the fallen Saphsaiga. He looked down on it for a moment and glared, seeing it shimmer against the ground. It looked unchanged for all that had happened to it. After a pause, he bent over and grasped its handle. He almost feared a draining touch…but none happened. It was cool and normal. He raised it up, and looked over it for a moment. So, this was the sword that gave you the power to make more of yourself. That made you invincible. He stared at it a moment longer, and briefly considered the power that it could give him…the strength and wisdom it meant…

Then, giving one snort, he tossed it to the ground again like it was so much garbage.

The boy felt in pain, but also dizzy and lightheaded. He wasn't sure what was causing that. Perhaps it was the pain…or something had drugged him so much he couldn't feel. When he began to swim back into consciousness, however, his mind was fried. He could barely remember who he was or what had transpired. It felt as if his brain was a massive vacuum…and empty cavern after all the knowledge and perspective that was in it had been destroyed. His body felt like one giant sore as well, and infinitely weaker than it had been. But somehow…he managed to crack open his eyes.

His vision swam for a moment, dizzy and twirling. But then, his eyes cleared, and his brain slowly began to register objects. It seemed as if he was in a house…or some sort of wooden building. He also had to be laying down, for he was looking up at the underside of a roof. He began to sense things about his body. Whatever wasn't swollen or torn had been bandaged up…which was pretty much all of his body. He was wrapped up like a corpse in bandages at this point. He had to struggle to move his face through all of them. He felt terribly weak, barely able to move. But he could sense he was in a bedroll and covered up. Most of all, though, he saw the people over him. Shippo looked at him with fear. Miroku and Sango both looked at him with anger. Inuyasha was turned away, glaring, and looking also bandaged up. Kagome too had a sling around one arm, and was the only one who gave him a smile.

Sanhou thought for a moment, remembering what had happened. And yet…he was still alive. Confusion stretched his face. "Why…did you spare…my life…?" He managed to croak through bloody, swollen lips.

"I was wondering that myself." Miroku darkly replied.

"If you think we shouldn't have, then by all means say the word." Sango spoke, her tone almost biting, and raising her weapon.

Kagome alone looked on the wretched specimen of a man with pity. "…It would have been a waste." She simply answered the man. "You're the last of your tribe, Sanhou. You're one of the last miko. Besides…I saw what had happened. You only did that because you were being manipulated as well. That thing was taking you over. It wasn't your fault."

Sanhou, however, merely smiled slightly and let out a small chuckle. He leaned back a little and coughed out a further laugh. He slowly shook his head from side to side as he did so, and then spoke up again.

"I'm sorry…but I can't feign innocence…" He simply answered. "The sword…it didn't make me feel the way I did… It just unlocked what was already there… It fed on my own hate…my own desires for revenge…and I let it. And in the end…it was my own lust for power it fed… It was my own dark nature…that led me to want that terrible goal. If I hadn't been so weak…so narrow minded…so obsessed with revenge…it never would have gotten this bad… I would have realized the sword for what it was earlier. But I wanted revenge against all youkai…and I couldn't see that not all were evil…and it made me the most evil of all…"

Sanhou turned his head weakly, looking up to Inuyasha. The hanyou turned and looked down on him, still frowning and cold. "Inuyasha…I don't deserve your mercy… I've done so much to you… You deserve the right to kill me…and I deserve death. Finish me."

Kagome turned up to Inuyasha at that. Her face became concerned immediately, and she looked to him with nervous anticipation. As for Inuyasha, he glared down at the pitiful wreck of a human underneath him. He could finish him now easily enough. He couldn't even move. And after all of Sanhou's abuse and torture, he was probably itching to finish him off. However…Kagome saw something else in him, now that he was human again. With no more evil or power to cover up the truth, she could see what he was originally…a scared, lonely boy. Perhaps that didn't excuse him…but it did let her see something else. It let her see a bit of Inuyasha in him. The hanyou too had once been alone, and cared only for his own power. There was a time when he might have taken Saphsaiga himself to gain the Jewel of Four Souls, or at least to get revenge on his tormenters. But he too had been alone as well…and unloved. And so, that made her pity the miko underneath her, and she expressed that pity to Inuyasha. In the end, it would be his decision. But he looked up and stared at Kagome for a moment. His face stayed cold and he said nothing. Then, at last, he looked back to the fallen Sanhou and snorted.

"Pft. Yeah right. You'd like that, wouldn't you? After all you've done to me, you expect me to just put you out of your misery?" He shot back. "You want me to prove myself as a bloodthirsty killer so that you can feel justified, don't you? Well it's not happening. You can live with yourself and your guilt."

Sanhou was stunned into silence. He thought for sure he would be dead. But Inuyasha was sparing him. As for Kagome, a smile began to spread on her face. Her eyes grew happy, and she flashed a silent thank you to Inuyasha. He only saw her out of the corner of his own vision, and he frowned and snorted when she said that. Nevertheless, Kagome realized what he had done. Despite his malicious-sounding intentions, Kagome knew the truth. She knew it was a big step for him to allow Sanhou to live. Anyone else, even a reasonable person, might have killed him. Indeed, Miroku made a sound under his breath and turned away. Sango crossed her arms and glared at him angrily. But for Inuyasha to do it…it showed a great character step to her. She was happy for him.

Inuyasha scowled. "Don't take this wrong. This is a punishment for you. Make it sound as if I'm doing you a favor, and I might kill you anyway."

After a moment, Lady Kaede spoke up as well and addressed him.

"It's easy to take the easy way out, Sanhou. You thought the same thing earlier, didn't you? Kagome told us you wanted to kill yourself when you first awoke."

Sanhou stiffened at that, and lowered his head a little.

"That is a cowardly way out, Sanhou, and not the way that you were brought up." Kaede went on. "You can't let your past sins dominate you. You did that first by seeking depression, then allowed this course of revenge to consume you. It is time to put away your grudges and rise to be the person your parents wanted you to be. They neither wanted you to be a monster, avenger, or a suicide. They wanted you to continue on doing what they couldn't, to save your race when all others were gone. Even as Naraku used you to kill them all, they knew that they would not die out because you lived. They did not tell you they loved you before you died just to make you feel horrible when you awoke. They told you that so that you could let them go and become more. So you have repented of your evil at last, and now you see the truth. Will you throw away a third chance? Or will you rise up to try and become the man you were born to be?"

Sanhou paused a bit longer. He took all of this in, and mused over it for a long while. With his mind clear, he was at last free to understand and digest all that had happened. But now, even he saw the wisdom in the words of Kaede, and he too realized what a waste it would be to give up now. In the end, he managed a weak smile.

"…Thank you…Lord Inuyasha." He paused, and then looked to the others as well. "…Thank you, everyone… This is so much more than I deserve…"

The hanyou merely snorted, crossed his arms, and looked away.

"Once I am healed…I'd still like to get Naraku. Let me join you…"

"I think not." Sango harshly snapped back.

"I think you've devoted quite enough time in your life to revenge." Miroku corrected immediately. "And unfortunately for you, you've made quite a few enemies by your own actions. You wouldn't be safe traveling around. However, you still have a great task left. You are the only surviving member of your tribe. It is now your duty to protect Saphsaiga from anyone else who would seek to use the same power that you had. You must return it to the shrine and do so."

Sanhou paused on hearing that. His face faltered a little, and his eyes lowered. "…Alone again…" He murmured aloud.

"You're not alone anymore." Kagome immediately replied in an encouraging voice. "You know us now, and we know the truth. I'm sure we could visit you every once in a while," She looked up to the others at this. "Right guys?"

Inuyasha and Sango both grit their teeth and growled. Miroku began to sweatdrop. Shippo frantically shook his head "no".

Kagome's face turned a bit angry. "Right guys?"

Sango sighed and rolled her eyes. Miroku grudgingly gave a nod. Shippo leapt back a bit, but then nodded out of fear. Inuyasha murmured a "whatever".

Sanhou chuckled slightly. "Don't worry about it… I know…I have a long time ahead of me before I earn anyone's trust again… I'm satisfied enough…that people will give me a chance." He paused again after that, but nodded. "I will guard Saphsaiga with my life, and warn off all who would listen to its voice."

"Fine. Then we don't need to talk anymore." Inuyasha flatly stated. With that, he turned and began to walk out. "I'm getting some air."

Sango rose as well, still irritated at this whole arrangement, but brushing it off for now. "I'm going to check on Kirara again."

"I'll come with you!" Miroku immediately announced, quickly springing up…and following Sango a little too closely behind.

Shippo, on his part, took one look at Sanhou, gulped, and then turned and ran off behind the others. Soon, only Kagome and Sanhou were left. They looked to each other again, and Kagome gave him a smile.

"Well…I'll make sure Kaede takes care of you until you're able to move. I need to head back too…" She held up her sling. "My arm needs a cast…" She muttered while sweating a little. "I guess this is goodbye."

Sanhou nodded slightly. "I guess so." He paused for a moment after that, but then sighed deeply, and spoke in a softer voice to her.

"I'm so sorry…for everything. But bless you, Kagome. Despite all the knowledge and all the different perspectives I had gained…you alone saw what my parents wanted…what my people wanted…when I could not. You saved what was left of my humanity. But more so…" He quieted down more here, growing more grim. "I want you to know…I was wrong about Inuyasha and you. No…he cares about you more than the shards. He proved it last night with Tetsusaiga, but he proved that before then too. On seeing you injured he attacked my body with more savage force than ever. It was for you and not for the shards that he fought. No…you were not a foolish child. I was the fool…I always had been…"

Kagome paused again for a moment. Her face twisted a bit, and her look was slightly anxious.

"What's wrong?" The miko asked.

"You…" She began slowly. "You wouldn't happen…to know anything about Naraku…or anything else that could help us, would you?"

Sanhou frowned and ruefully shook his head. "On freeing the souls…my knowledge was lost. Only things I specifically thought about remain…and then only vaguely. I could tell you where he is now…but he's probably already left. I'm sorry."

Kagome bowed her own head in disappointment, and sighed. "It's alright."

A pause lasted between the two for a moment. After that, however, Sanhou spoke up again, his tone gentler.

"You are…a true miko."

Kagome smiled and chuckled a bit at that, and then promptly frowned. "Me? I'm just a lost girl from the future. I barely know what's going on. I'm just remains of Kikyo in another body."

"You're wrong." Sanhou responded. "Perhaps you are what Kikyo once was…but you aren't what she is now. You're better. And you have a power inside you better than hers. I was telling the truth… I was so blinded before that I couldn't see anything but myself… But when you talked to me…last night…your voice made me remember. You made me remember…what it was to love…to care… I thought those emotions were dead…lost with my personality…but you brought them out." He paused and inhaled deeply for a moment. Kagome kept her eyes down, and though she smiled a bit at this she didn't respond. He looked at her a moment longer, but then closed his eyes and leaned back.

"Keep working at him… He'll break eventually…like he did last night."

Kagome's eyes expanded a bit at this in surprise. She turned and looked to Sanhou at that, almost about to insist what he meant by that. However, she was already too late. The miko was already asleep. She glared at him for a few moments longer, her face tight and her emotions high. However, in the end, she backed down, and she managed a small smile herself. After that, she turned and rose from his side, and walked out as well.

Kagome's arm still hurt. Feudal medicine wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. It had barely numbed her pain. She needed to get back to her own time, and after explaining to her mom why she had been gone for so long she could prepare herself for verbal abusing concerning how her arm had gotten broken in five places. She probably wouldn't be able to go back to the past for a week, but that might be a good thing. She needed time to heal.

After the conclusion of the battle, Inuyasha had paused only long enough to look around and make sure that the rest of the Sanhous were dead. As he did so, both he and Kagome had noticed that a body was missing. Somehow, Sesshomaru had managed to drag himself away at the conclusion of the battle. Kagome didn't know what had happened to him, and at the moment she had been in too much pain to care. A part of her was disappointed that Inuyasha couldn't have finished him off. However…another part of her was grateful for his help. Inuyasha merely uttered a curse and swore that he'd kill him next time, but then picked up Kagome…and with severe reluctance and growling, Sanhou…and took them back to the village. They ran into the revived Sango and Miroku on the way, and when they returned they saw that everyone was restored.

In the distance, she saw Sango cuddling with Kirara, no doubt overjoyed to see her back. As for Miroku, he was trying, as always, to cuddle with Sango, and not having much luck. It was a much more tasteful and satisfying scene than what Sanhou had shown the day before. It was still amazing how he had changed so much from two different personalities. As she thought about him, and thought of the evil he had inside him that drove him to his madness, she couldn't help but feel a cold ripple of fear. She knew that Inuyasha had a lot of aggression in himself as well, and she was afraid of what it could do if it could ever be unleashed. So far, it had been put back each time. But with the battle over and everything calmed down, she too began to fear what Miroku and Sango feared. What if he became a full demon? Would his anger and rage be unleashed then? Would a monster even worse than Saphomitso be unleashed?

Inuyasha…

"You're not still thinking about that jerk, are you?"

Kagome looked to the side, seeing the hanyou up and about. She frowned a bit at the sight. Inuyasha was so battered and bruised he needed to rest. But good luck making him do so. Bandaged and limping as he was, he was still up and about instead of confining himself to a week of rest, and now stood with his arms crossed and standing upright next to Kagome.

Kagome merely shrugged. "He did save my life, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha snorted. "I do that all the time, but you don't seem to care. I'm glad to be rid of him. The only thing I cared about was if he could tell me where Naraku was. But since his memories are gone he's no good to me."

Kagome paused a moment, but then turned to the ground. "I'm a little surprised that you didn't like him that much…"

Inuyasha perked up a bit to this, and turned to him in confusion.

"He was a lot like you, in many ways. He was trying to find out who he was. He hated being alone. On the inside, he was afraid after all that had happened to him. It made him the way he was."

Inuyasha snorted. "I'm just fine being alone, thank you. I don't need anything or anyone. And I'm the way I am because of how I made myself. I'm not some weak little human who gets manipulated by anything that happens to him or her."

Kagome didn't react in anger for once to Inuyasha's rude reply. She didn't even change her expression. She merely kept her face down, and a blank look on it, and gave a slow sigh. "…That's what I thought." She simply said, as if she was disappointed in him.

Inuyasha noticed this, and turned his head to it. Normally, he would have scowled immediately and told her to stop being so mopey. However…he too was still thinking of Sanhou. He was thinking of what he had accused him of. He was thinking of the terrible things he called him…and was wondering if it was true. That last phrase Kagome had said sounded far too much like him… In the end, he swallowed a bit, and turned away from her. Then, mumbling almost incoherently…he murmured a small phrase.

"…sorry…"

Kagome turned and looked to him at this, her face puzzled. "Excuse me?"

Inuyasha frowned, but then choked it out. "…I'm sorry I scratched you the other day, alright!" He sounded a bit exasperated by saying that, but he spat it out none the less. Then, after a pause, he groaned and gave out more. "And…you know about those nearby shards you sensed?"

Kagome paused for a moment at this, but then nodded. "Yes?"

"…Well…you…I…" He stumbled around a bit, and finally scowled and frowned. "You'll just drag me down with that broken arm and slow the whole thing…so…" He paused, and then softened a little. "You…you can take a few days to rest up… There's…no hurry."

Kagome blinked in astonishment. Was she dreaming? Inuyasha actually apologized for something, and now he was actually being considerate? It was overwhelming to her…but it was also the best surprise she had in a long time. She smiled in response, and leaned in a bit closer to the hanyou. He continued to frown…nearly blushing…as he looked to the ground. "You know…" She called out a little playfully. "You did tell Saphomitso that I didn't have any shards on me. You must have wanted him to know that you really cared about me…"

Inuyasha immediately flushed a shade redder. He perked up and gulped, and turned and saw Kagome almost leaning on him. Immediately, he shook his head and sprang back. Quickly, his tough attitude returned. "I mean…uh…well, I still needed you to find shards later. And I did want to protect you so that he didn't get another soul. So there's no reason to get all mushy on me about it. Don't read so much into it." He paused a moment, but then scowled and spat back more defensively. "And don't get lazy on me! I'm only giving you five days rest! On second thought, three days! And you better be ready to go after that!"

Normally, Kagome probably would have yelled at him in response to his rudeness until everything culminated in her bellowing, "Sit". However, whether it was due to being tired…or due to her still appreciating Inuyasha's gestures…or the fact that she knew the real reason behind Inuyasha's strike even if he denied it…she decided to let it slide for now.

Still smiling, the girl from the future turned and looked ahead, and enjoyed the feeling of the restored life of the forest around her as the sun rose.

THE END