VERY IMPORTANT!!! I DO NOT OWN THE SONG 'MY LAST BREATH' WRITTEN BY EVANESCENCE, THAT WAS PLACED IN THIS STORY. THIS STORY BELONGS TO THE BAND THAT HAS WRITTEN THE SONG IN THE FIRST PLACE! BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BAND FOR WRITING SUCH A GREAT SONG, SO THAT I WAS THEN INSPIRED TO WRITE THE FANFICTION!
XxXxX
'Why would he do this to me?' Kagome thought as she ran blindly. Her soul was consumed in pain; pain she didn't think was humanly possible. But then again the one who caused this pain wasn't entirely human. That night had seemed so long ago now.
:: Flashback::
"In-Inuyasha?" she asked the hanyou. Said hanyou looked at Kagome. 'What's wrong with Kagome? She looks so exhausted' thought Inuyasha. 'Though I would too if I had just defeated Naraku single handedly.'
"What is it?" he asked. The others were sleeping, and healing; Sango and Miroku were sleeping next to each other while using Kirara as a pillow. Shippo was in Kagome's sleeping bag, dozing peacefully.
"I know your heart belongs to Kikyo, but I need to tell you this," she said as she stood and wrapped her arms around her stomach, she looked like she was trying to protect herself. Thinking she was cold, Inuyasha took off his haori and draped it across her shoulders.
"What is it?" he repeated, looking at her worriedly. Kagome, feeling the rough yet soft material that was Inuyasha's fire rat haori looked up at him then looked back down at the burning firewood.
"Somehow I think I knew that after I freed you from the Goshinboku, that my life would never be the same. I used to wish on those fake shikon jewel jii-chan had. I used to wish that I'd find, that I'd find you again…" she broke off and looked Inuyasha straight into his golden orbs. He looked back at her meeting her gaze.
"You know, I thought the same thing when I opened my eyes and you were there. I wish about you Kagome" he said letting his gaze drop back down to the fire.
"I think… I'm … I'm in love with you" Kagome said as she looked at him. He looked up at her, with wide eyes and shocked.
"You are?" was all he could say. She nodded, with tears glistening in her eyes.
"I'm … I'm sorry!" she said as she turned and ran into the forest. Inuyasha stood and chased after her. 'Why would Kagome run after saying the one thing I have been longing to hear? Is she disgusted with herself?' Inuyasha thought to himself as he ran, while following her scent. Kagome finally collapsed by a sakura tree and broke down into sobs. She didn't even notice when Inuyasha came up beside her and sat down.
"Why'd you run Kagome? Are you that disgusted with the fact that I'm a hanyou?" He asked her. She tried to wipe away her tears, and failing she let them run down her face.
"NO! No, it's just that I… don't deserve you…" she said between sobs. He looked at her in surprise.
"You're wrong… I don't deserve you. But I love you all the same…" He said. Kagome looked up at him, but before she could say anything Inuyasha captured her lips in their first REAL kiss. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek and slowly began to wipe away her tears. As they kissed the sakura tree blossoms began to fall around the two new found lovers.
::Flashback End::
Instead of warming her heart when she thought of Inuyasha, it just broke further. She never stopped running, as tears slowly leaked out the corner of her eyes, blinding her vision further. Her breaths came out ragged and uneven, but she didn't stop running. She knew what she wanted to do and no one was going to stop her.
::Flashback::
"Now child ye must be careful with this one attack" Keade said. Kagome looked at her confused. "Once ye do this there is no way to escape it" she said.
"Oh … ok…" Kagome said still a little confused. She had been training with Keade so she could master her miko powers. She had completely lost control when they were fighting Naraku.
"Ok … now try what I just taught ye on that dying stump" Keade said pointing at the stump. Kagome nodded. She closed her eyes summoning all of the energy she could; she held her hands out, one clasped above the other. Slowly she pulled them apart, as if something was holding them together. As her hands got further form one another, you could see a pinkish ball of pure miko energy. She brought her hands slowly behind the ball of power and shoved it in the direction of the stump. The ball exploded into a barrier around the stump. Nothing seemed to happen at first, but then slowly the stump began to wither and turn to ash.
"So what does this barrier do?" asked Kagome, as the barrier died down. Tthe stump was a pile of ashes.
"If that stump had been a giant tree it would have taken longer for it to turn to ash. The purpose of this barrier is to slowly pull the air out from inside the barrier. Ye must not lose your temper and turn it loose on a friend, for if ye do child there is no hope. That barrier will not open even if YE are trapped inside" Keade said.
"Oh! … So this is like … for final purposes?" Kagome asked, while looking at her hands in wonder and fright.
"Aye" Keade said, nodding her head.
::Flashback End::
Yes, that was what she must do. For she was beyond pain, if she were to fall now she would not feel it. She finally reached her destination. She stopped and looked up into the branches of Goshinboku, as if looking for the one that had broken her spirit, her heart, her very soul. Not seeing him, she settled herself into a hole between the roots. She closed her eyes and focused on the task at hand.
XxXxX
Inuyasha ran wildly through the forest, looking, searching for the one he truly loved. How could he have been so stupid! He should have known that Kagome was close by but NOOO he just had to tell Kikyo the truth! But Kagome had seen him and thought that he was telling the clay pot he loved Kikyo instead of her.
::Flashback::
"Kikyo … I don't know what to say …" Inuyasha stumbled to find the words that were so hard to say.
"It is alright Inuyasha … I know you no longer love me … go to Kagome" Kikyo said, without a hint of sorrow in her voice.
"But … I feel like … I'm somehow betraying you" Inuyasha stated, looking her in the eye.
"Do not feel as such … I am the dead walking in the world of the living. I know where I must go now … but to do as such you, a pure hearted warrior must first stab me in the place where my heart was, but now is gone from…" Kikyo said. Inuyasha stared at his past love in shock.
"I … I … could never do that…" Inuyasha said. Kikyo sighed then gathered a small amount of miko energy and shoved it into Inuyasha's hand. His hand glowed for a second then resumed its tan skin color. Kikyo let her hands fall to her side, to Inuyasha's surprise so did his own.
"Kikyo … what have you done?" asked Inuyasha. She touched her side, as did Inuyasha; he touched the side that held Tetsusaiga in its sheath. To anyone else it looked like Kikyo was just mimicking Inuyasha's movements. She grabbed around what looked like an invisible sword; Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga as well. She pointed the invisible sword at Inuyasha as he pointed his father's fang at her. She plunged forward, as did Inuyasha. The Tetsusaiga plunged deep into the dead miko's body. Her eyes didn't even register that she was supposed to be in pain. She just slowly slumped to the ground. Inuyasha resheathed his fang and caught Kikyo's clay body.
"Inuyasha … do not feel sorry for me … you must live and let the my young reincarnation know she is loved … every day … until you die … for if you don't my spirit may never be able to be laid to rest " Kikyo said. Inuyasha just held Kikyo close.
"Kikyo … you will always …always be my first love … I will always love you" Inuyasha said, as Kikyo closed her eyes. Kagome was standing right behind a tree that was downwind of Inuyasha. She had only caught the part where he had said that she was his first love and that he would always love her. That was all she needed to hear before her legs took over. Inuyasha suddenly picked up a scent after Kikyo's body disintegrated. It was Kagome's tears.
::Flashback End::
(A/N: I know there are a lot of flashback's but bear with me! Also The Song will be coming, you just have to wait!)
He ended up running in circles. 'Kagome must have masked her scent from me!' he soon realized. He had known Kagome had been training with the old hag to control her miko powers. He also knew why too, it was because Kagome had single handedly defeated Naraku. After the others had been knocked unconscious by him, Kagome had lost control of her body when her miko powers unlocked themselves. That memory still chilled his bones to the core.
::Flashback::
"AHH!" Kagome had screamed as her body started to tremble with unmanageable power.
"What is wrong with your little wench half-breed?" asked Naraku, as a tentacle whipped out to strike Inuyasha down. It missed, as Inuyasha ran over to Kagome. Her body was beginning to take a pink tint to her skin.
"Kagome? Kagome! What's wrong!?" shouted Inuyasha with worry in his voice.
"So …so … sor…sorry …Inu-Inu-Inuyasha! Can't keep … my powers …in … check … mu …much …long …longer …run…" Kagome struggled to get out.
"NO! Kagome! You have nothing to be sorry for and I'm NOT running … not now" he said back to her. He could see Kagome's eyes fill with tears of thanks; she smiled as they ran down her cheeks. A sudden burst of energy pulsed through her and she fell forward holding her head in her hands. Lighting like blasts erupted from Kagome and shot Naraku straight in the chest. He howled in pain. The energy didn't show any signs of slowing, striking Naraku each time he tried to get up. Finally a huge blast came up from her body and blasted Naraku's body to pieces, preventing him from regenerating. Kagome fainted in a pile on the ground. As pieces of the fallen hanyou fell Inuyasha scooped up Kagome and his friends and ran to an open clearing.
::Flashback End::
'Kagome' Inuyasha thought as he ran. 'Wait! Keade would be able to sense her! … Now where is that old hag?' thought Inuyasha. He quickly ran to the village and then Keade's hut. To his surprise she was there, sleeping.
"Keade! Where is Kagome!?" asked Inuyasha. Keade looked up from her pillow and stared at Inuyasha.
"I don't know child … can't ye smell Kagome?" asked Keade.
"No! She blocked her scent from me …you should have never trained her to do THAT!" Inuyasha stated.
"Sorry child … but she wanted to know" Keade said.
"Why?" Inuyasha asked. Keade just shrugged.
XxXxX
It was taking her longer to gather enough energy because her mind kept drifting and not staying focused. Also it took more energy because she was about the strongest miko alive or so the villagers said. 'Come on, Kagome, focus!' she thought attempting to motivate herself. She opened her eyes for a minute to help her focus. She looked up into the branches of Goshinboku; and stared at the branch that she had long ago claimed as Inuyasha's branch. A tiny tear trailed down her cheek. She lifted her finger to the tear and wiped it away. 'No more tears will be shed from these eyes for you Inuyasha' Kagome thought. She closed her eyes once more and focused on what she had started.
XxXxX
"Inuyasha … why must ye find Kagome right now?" asked Keade as she set up what she needed for sensing another miko. Inuyasha didn't answer right away.
"Sh-she saw me with Kikyo and I think she thought I was telling Kikyo I loved her instead of Kagome … I have a bad feeling about Kagome being gone" Inuyasha said, truthfully for once. Keade looked as if something had struck her.
"What is it Keade?" asked the hanyou.
"Go … now Inuyasha!" Keade said, shakily.
"Go where?" asked Inuyasha, looking worried.
"Go … to Goshinboku…" Keade said trying to sit down. Inuyasha helped Keade sit.
"Why?" asked Inuyasha.
"Kagome … I fear as well about her safety." Keade said. Inuyasha's eyes widened.
"Is it a demon? … That thing better not have laid a finger on her!" Inuyasha growled.
"No … Inuyasha … I fear for her safety from … herself," Keade said. Inuyasha stared at Keade, what did she mean? Then it clicked. 'Kagome!' Inuyasha thought as he ran out of the hut.
"Inuyasha, I hope ye reach her in time…" Keade said, as she blacked out. Kagome had been trying to block Keade from finding her; it didn't seem to work though it did knock Keade unconscious.
XxXxX
'Sorry Keade but I had to' thought Kagome as she realized Keade had told Inuyasha where she was. She could sense his youkai reaching out to find her. She began to pull her hands apart from each other. As the distance between her hands grew you could see the beginnings of a huge ball of pink miko energy. It took Kagome five minutes to gather the energy. Finally satisfied with that amount she slowly brought her hands in front of the orb, so if she were to release it, it would engulf her. She pressed the orb into her chest. She watched as if in a dream, as the pink barrier appeared around her.
"Now all I have to do is wait," she said to herself.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha screamed as he burst though the brush. Kagome looked at Inuyasha, half sad, half happy.
"You're too late Inuyasha! I trusted you! And … and … you betrayed me!" Kagome screamed at the hanyou. Inuyasha flinched; he hated it when someone close to him said that, it reminded him of what Kikyo said when she was first resurrected. Now he looked at what she had done.
"Ka-Kagome? Why are you inside your own barrier?" asked Inuyasha.
"You were there when I learned to do this! You should know what I'm doing!" Kagome said trying to keep her voice in check as well as her tears. Inuyasha looked confused for a second, and then he remembered when Keade had taught Kagome how to use a barrier called the Kyomu barrier. The barrier that turned the person or object inside it into just that. Nothingness. Kagome smiled as she saw Inuyasha recognize the barrier.
"Kagome! Why would you do something so stupid?" asked Inuyasha.
"Stupid? STUPID! That is not the question the question is why were you with Kikyo after saying you loved me!" Kagome screamed at the hanyou. Tears slowly welling up in her eyes.
"I … I…" Inuyasha looked at the young miko, who was slowly dying inside her own barrier.
"You can't tell me because you love her and you never loved me!" Kagome said unable to keep the pain out of her voice, or the tears at bay.
"Tha- that's not true…" Inuyasha groaned. Kagome's were ragged.
"Inu- Inuyasha,… you are a fool…" she said as she struggled to talk. Inuyasha noticed this and sighed. 'You have to tell her … baka!' Inuyasha thought.
"Kagome … when you saw me with Kikyo I was trying to tell her that I loved YOU! She said she understood. She also said that she was going back to hell, though I doubt hell anymore … Anyway she said she had to be stabbed by a pure hearted warrior, namely me. I told her I could never do that … and … and she gathered up some miko energy and shoved it into my sword wielding hand … she … she took over the movements of my hand and … she … she made me …KILL her!" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome let a tear run down her cheek.
"Oh … Inuyasha…" she said softly.
"And after I … she … got stabbed …she just fell like there was no pain! She told me to … to tell you that I love you everyday otherwise her soul would never be able to truly be at peace. I told her she was my first love and that I would always love her … but … not the way I love you Kagome! You are my life … my heart … my very soul … so why do something like this Kagome … why … do you wish to break my soul?" Inuyasha was now kneeling in front of the barrier with tears cascading down his face. Kagome looked into the golden eyes that she so loved. She knew Inuyasha would never betray her. But she also knew there was nothing she could do now.
"Inuyasha … I didn't wish to break your soul … I thought … I thought you didn't care. I'm … I'm sorry Inuyasha!" Kagome said as she silently let tears leak down her face. Inuyasha stood silently and picked up the small orb that held Kagome and sat down, holding the orb.
"Kagome … is there anything we could do to stop this?" Inuyasha asked. Sadly Kagome lifted her head and shook it once. Kagome remembered a song she heard before she left to the feudal era. She looked up at Inuyasha and smiled slightly. Then she started to sing.
"Hold on to me love.
You know I can't stay long.
All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid.
Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms?" Inuyasha nodded. He was happy at least that he got to hear Kagome singing as she disappeared from the world.
"Holding my last breath.
Safe inside myself.
Are all my thoughts of you.
Sweet raptured light.
It ends here tonight." Kagome let more tears leak down her face as she continued to sing. Inuyasha wanted to wipe away her tears, but if he could do that he would have pulled her out of the Kyomu.
"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered as he let another tear fall and hit the barrier.
"I'll miss the winter.
A world of fragile things.
Look for me in the white forest
Hiding in a hollow tree … Come find me.
I know you hear me.
I can taste it in your tears." Kagome stopped for a second and gasped for a breath. Inuyasha looked at her with worry, but she smiled and kept singing. 'I wish I was in that barrier instead of Kagome' thought Inuyasha. He knew what she was going to sing next, and he was able to sing with her.
"Holding my last breath.
Safe inside myself.
Are all my thoughts of you.
Sweet raptured light.
It ends here tonight." Their voices matched perfectly, just like Kagome thought they would.
"Closing your eyes to disappear.
You pray your dreams will leave you here.
But still you wake and know the truth.
No one's there." She paused long enough to catch her breath and continued. Inuyasha knew she was going, but he just held her content that he had her now.
"Say goodnight.
Don't be afraid.
Calling me. Calling me as you fade to black.
Fade to black.
Holding my last breath.
Safe inside myself.
Are all my thoughts of you.
Sweet raptured light.
It ends here tonight." Kagome stopped singing. Almost all her air was gone.
"Kagome…" Inuyasha said, a tear falling onto the one thing he couldn't save her from. The Kyomu.
"It …it is … alright … Inuyasha … I will … be with you … everywhere you go … I love … you…" She said her final words and closed her eyes.
"NO! KAGOME! I love you too! Don't leave me! Please … don't leave me!" Inuyasha looked once more at the girl … no, the woman he loved. The barrier around her dissolved, and as Inuyasha picked her up, her head slumped backwards. Inuyasha's eyes were downcast and glazed over as if he was possessed. In that small moment his heart and very soul broke. He let out a painful ear-shattering howl … one of pain and of loss.
XxXxX
"Miroku … what was that?" Sango asked the monk.
"I don't know… it came from Inuyasha's forest … let's go!" Miroku said, grabbing his staff.
"Right!" Sango said as she came out of the room in the back, in her slayers outfit. Miroku and Sango walked toward the entrance, but Keade stopped them at the door.
"Keade, why are you stopping us?" asked Miroku.
"Because … that howl ye heard … was Inuyasha" Keade said with sadness in her voice.
"Why…why would he howl like that?" asked Miroku.
"Because … he lost someone very close to him." Sango said as she realized what had happened. She slumped to the floor and cried, her tiny body shaking from the sobs that came from her. Miroku's eyes showed that he too knew as well and he raised his hand in front of him, saying a silent prayer.
"May … may you rest …rest in peace … Lady Kagome" Miroku said as he himself struggled not to cry.
XxXxX
"Kagome…" Inuyasha said, as he carried her to the well. He laid her down and hopped onto the ledge. He turned around before hopping down and said;
"I'll be back in a minute Kagome; I am the one who should tell your family." With that he hopped down the well, and let the time loop take him. Take him to a world where there were things beyond ones imagination. At least in his time that is. As the lights of time travel faded he looked up and saw, not the blue sky but a wooden roof. He leapt out of the well and walked with pain filled eyes to the house he knew as almost a second home. The door opened before he ever got there.
"Inuyasha?" asked Kagome's younger brother Souta. The young boy that was Souta was barley recognizable. He had grown into a fine teenage heartthrob, as Kagome would have said. 'Kagome…' thought Inuyasha as he thought that. Souta on the other hand had never seen Inuyasha look so … so … defeated. He looked at his hero with worry and concern etched into his young face.
"Where is your mother?" asked Inuyasha in an almost monotone voice. Souta looked at Inuyasha in shock. Never had he heard Inuyasha ask that or say it in such a strange voice either.
"You all right there Inuyasha?" asked Souta. Inuyasha didn't respond.
"Where is your mother?" he asked again.
"Did I hear someone call me? … Oh Inuyasha it's you how nice for you to visit … where's Kagome?" asked Ms. Higurashi. Inuyasha's eyes widened with a pained look. Inuyasha looked at Ms. Higurashi and then Souta.
"I … I think you and I should talk alone…" Inuyasha said again in his almost monotone voice. Ms. Higurashi noticed the change in his actions and voice.
"Ok…" she said, as she led Inuyasha into the living room. After Ms. Higurashi closed the doors to the living room and no one except her and Inuyasha were in there she let out a pent up breath.
"Inuyasha? What happened to my daughter?" she asked, afraid to know the answer.
"She … she … died…" he said as a tear leaked from his golden eyes.
"What?" she asked.
"She died because she thought I was telling Kikyo that I loved her and not your daughter. Even when I told her that a few day prior to what happened" Inuyasha said as more tears cascaded down his face, though his voice managed to stay calm.
"H-How?" was all she could manage as she struggled not to cry.
"She did it to herself … using the Kyomu barrier" Inuyasha said. Ms. Higurashi shut her eyes and put her head in her hands. She knew what the Kyomu barrier was and what it was capable of.
"Why?" she asked to no one in particular as she finally let her tears escape and run down her face. Inuyasha sat silently, not knowing what to say to calm her.
XxXxX
"Where do you think Inuyasha is?" asked Sango. She had known that Inuyasha should be left alone, but not for how long.
"I don't know dear Sango. I think it would be best if we just let him be for a time" the monk said though he wanted to run and find the mourning hanyou and tell him that being depressed was no way to atone for the loss of Kagome. They hadn't looked for Kagome's body or for Inuyasha. Not yet. Suddenly Shippo came bursting through the bamboo flap.
"Sango! Miroku! Keade!" cried the kitsune. He was near tears.
"What is it Shippo?" asked Sango.
"I … I found Kagome's body…" the kitsune said before he burst into tears. Sango rushed forward and held the kitsune.
"She … she was so … so lifeless … I asked her what was wrong … but she never answered" the kitsune said crying into Sango's clothes. Sango just cooed and held him; she looked up to Miroku who was staring at the crying kitsune. 'What a terrible way to find out about his one and only adoptive mom' thought Miroku with sad eyes.
"Where was she?" asked Keade.
"By … by th-the … well" he managed to get out through his tears. Sango looked at Miroku and Keade. Their thoughts collided as one. 'He went to tell her mother', but neither said it aloud.
XxXxX
After some time had pasted between the two, Ms. Higurashi stood and went over to the broken hanyou. During hearing her own sobs she had heard Inuyasha's as well. She rubbed his back trying to get him to realize it wasn't his fault.
"Inuyasha, you know I don't blame you. I know you loved my daughter with all your heart, she would have been faithful to you" she said. At that, Inuyasha stood and started to walk towards the door.
"Thanks… Mom" he said forcing a slight smile as he walked out the door. Inuyasha slowly closed the door, before sprinting to the well, where he soon broke down into tears again. He didn't want to go back, yet he had to. Kagome's mother had said she should be buried in his time, she said it was what she would have wanted. Inuyasha had nodded his head in agreement. 'Kagome why did you leave me?' thought Inuyasha. He knew that he had to hold strong. He had to be strong for the others as well. With those thoughts alone in his mind he hopped onto the ledge and jumped into the well. When he came out he saw the now grey sky, as if the sky knew it was a sad day as well. He also smelled tears from the kitsune and Kagome's now lifeless body. He picked her body up with the utmost care, and carried her to the Goshinboku. Laying her down near the roots he realized that he should get their friends for Kagome's sake. He sprinted off in the direction of Keade's hut. When he burst through the bamboo flap he knew that everyone in there knew what had happened to Kagome.
"I … I'm going to bury Kagome under Goshinboku … I wanted to tell you guys so you could come with me as … a funeral of sorts…" Inuyasha trailed off. Miroku stood and put a hand on the hanyou's shoulder.
"Thank you Inuyasha, we will go to the Goshinboku shortly," Miroku said, as he grabbed a shovel and gave it to Inuyasha.
"We will get her ready, all ye have to do is dig her grave" Keade said. He nodded, and then ran out. Within minutes Inuyasha came back with Kagome's lifeless body, holding it as if his dear life was inside her. In a way it was, at least to him. He laid her on a futon then giving her body one last look he ran outside to the Goshinboku. As he ran tears slowly coursed down his face. And they didn't stop even while he was digging her grave. Tears hit dirt as he shoved it away. 'At least my tears will be with her' thought Inuyasha. He quickly ran to the forest and cut down a tree. With the use of his claws he had a coffin done within minutes. He wrote with his index claw 'Kagome Higurashi, loving person, loyal friend.' He also put under it;
'My love for you will go on till the day I lie beside you – Inuyasha' He had just finished when Shippo came running to the hanyou he had thought of as a father figure.
"Keade said you should carry her," Shippo said quietly. Inuyasha walked past the kitsune, then realizing he wasn't behind him, turned around and scooped him up in his arms. Instead of wriggling out of the hanyou's arms he snuggled into them. Inuyasha walked back to the hut like that, with Shippo in his arms. As Inuyasha came in, he saw that they had put on a beautiful green kimono on her. The kimono had jasmine flowers on it and fit Kagome perfect.
"Are ye ready Inuyasha?" asked Keade. Inuyasha nodded his head. Shippo hopped out of the hanyou's arms and into Sango's. Inuyasha leaned down and picked up the body of the only one he would truly love. He had realized that the love he felt for Kikyo was nothing more but a pity love. As he walked with Kagome's body, Miroku, Sango and the others walked behind him with candles glowing bright. Each of them had tears in their eyes. The only one who would not let the tears come any longer was the hanyou. He had to be strong for the others; more so for Shippo then anyone else. After he had picked up Kagome, Shippo had hopped out of Sango's arms and onto Kagome's stomach and curled up and cried silently. They reached the Goshinboku after about 20 minutes. It was now nightfall as they reached the Goshinboku. Everyone gasped at the beauty of the coffin that Inuyasha had built.
"Inuyasha? Did … did you build that coffin?" asked Miroku. Inuyasha nodded curtly. Sango walked up to it and held the candle up to exam the handiwork. It had roses around the top. They were done with such persuasion that Sango looked up at the hanyou with a questioning look. Inuyasha nodded that he had done what Sango thought that some talented artist had. She then saw the writing on the top. As she read it, she slightly smiled with tears glistening around her eyes.
"What is it Sango?" asked Miroku. She turned around.
"It's beautiful, that's what. It's gorgeous Inuyasha" she said.
"Thanks" Inuyasha said, he carried Kagome forward and laid her in the coffin. She still had the smile she was wearing when she had died.
XxXxX
'Where was he? It was dark and cold that much he knew. Inuyasha started to walk, looking for something, or rather, someone. He suddenly heard a voice; he strained his ears to hear what or who it was. He immediately knew who it was. The name shot threw his head, as he uttered it aloud.
"Kagome…" he said as he struggled to get to her voice. He suddenly felt pain wrack his body and fell to the floor holding his chest. He smiled weakly. "Broken heart." he said, as he got back up and walked toward the voice again. Now he could make out what he soon realized was singing.
'Closing your eyes to disappear
You pray your dreams will leave you here
But still you wake and know the truth
No one's there.'
It started over again …and it just kept repeating, never stopping. He stopped dead in his tracks as he looked up at the vertical box - the coffin- that was blocking his path. 'Kagome's coffin' he thought. The lid slowly began to open. The sound of the lid opening slowly filled his ears. He was scared of what might be in the coffin. Finally it opened all the way and Inuyasha saw Kagome standing in the coffin with her arms crossed across her chest. His heart throbbed. He saw tiny tears make their escape from the corners of her closed eyes. Then he heard Kagome's voice, but her mouth wasn't moving.
"How could you betray me Inuyasha?!" he stumbled back a few steps as he saw a trickle of blood run down Kagome's chin from her mouth. He watched in horror as it fell to the ground. As it hit the ground Inuyasha saw a huge pool of blood appear. He knew whose blood it was. He stepped closer to the blood pool and looked into it as if suspecting it to reveal something to him. Without any warning a ghostly figure appeared behind him. It was Kagome! But she looked so dead and lifeless. Suddenly the figure became flesh and bone and fell onto him, making him lose his balance and fall into the pool of blood.
He awoke with a start, almost making him fall out of the Goshinboku. It had been about a month since Kagome's death. Inuyasha was still mourning over her. He was always by the Goshinboku and he never slept in the hut or anywhere near the village anymore. His eyes were filled with a pained look. Everything he looked at reminded him of Kagome. Today was no different. Inuyasha was sitting in Goshinboku, looking at the sky trying to figure out the meaning of his nightmare.
"Youkai!" the one word broke the silence. Inuyasha's ears perked but only slightly. Shippo came running in front of Goshinboku. Since Kagome's death there was no one to baby him, though Sango would occasionally, but he had become like a miniature, former Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha! What the hell are you doing just sitting there, there's a youkai coming straight toward the Goshinboku" Shippo yelled. Inuyasha hopped down and unsheathed Tetsusaiga and stood waiting. But he was different then he was before, he no longer had the look of a fighting spirit. It was now a dying spirit. Suddenly a giant cougar youkai launched itself into the clearing, Miroku and Sango coming in after it. Inuyasha had been guarding the jewel since Kagome's death. Youkai came from every corner of Japan since the hanyou Naraku had been destroyed. Even more had shown up when word got around that the miko had died as well.
"Inuyasha!" called an out of breath youkai exterminator, followed by the monk. Inuyasha raised his gaze to the youkai, instead of the normal glare he gave to the youkai he looked up with downcast eyes. The youkai wasn't looking at his eyes she was looking at his chest where the Shikon Jewel was residing, above his heart.
"Give me the Shikon Jewel!" said the cougar youkai. She stepped forward and swiped a giant paw at Inuyasha. Instead of dodging it, like he used to, Inuyasha just stood there.
"Ugh!" Inuyasha said as the paw connected with his abdomen. As he got back up blood began to gush out of his wounds. He put a clawed hand up to the wound, grabbed the area where the blood was coming from and flung it while saying, "Blades of Blood!" It struck the cougar on her right paw. She ended up toppling over, but still managed to get back up.
"I see that the death of your weak human miko has weakened you as well!" teased the youkai. Inuyasha's eyes flared a red.
"Don't … you ever … call Kagome weak!" he growled as he sprung forward, with red flaring eyes of rage. The youkai laughed and opened her mouth. She roared out a sonic boom that sent Inuyasha flying into a tree.
"Oh no!" said Sango. She stepped forward to help.
"Back off … she's mine" Inuyasha growled out as he rushed forward again. He was so blind with fury he didn't see the giant tail come and whip him across his back.
"Ahh!" Inuyasha yelled as his face was driven into the ground. Little did any of them know, the Goshinboku was pulsing as if it had a heartbeat. Slowly some of the life force soaked into the coffin, the coffin Kagome's dead body lie in. As the corpse soaked in life force from Goshinboku, her soul that had been wandering for a month was called back to her body. Her heartbeat thundered inside her chest.
"Argh!" Inuyasha yelled as the youkai yet again, struck his chest. Inuyasha struggled to get back up, but before he even was on his feet the youkai repetitively struck at his chest. He knew he couldn't take much more of this. He just lied there, finally giving into the pain, with one mere thought in his head. 'Kagome, I'm coming.' With one more swipe of the youkai's massive paw, Inuyasha's bleeding chest now had no more skin to cover the wound of his bleeding heart. No one moved, they were all in shock. The cocky hanyou known as Inuyasha had been struck down. It was dead quiet –except for the cougar youkai who was prowling around the group- no one spoke but, Shippo broke the silence. He sprinted to Inuyasha and collapsed at his side.
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha! You can't die! Damn you!" Shippo shook Inuyasha's getting his hands soaked with his blood. He yelled as tears brimmed in his eyes. No one saw the cougar come in to attack again, at least she thought. As she leapt up Shippo turned around.
"FOXFIRE!" He yelled. The cougar yelled in pain as the blue flames of his foxfire consumed her. Sango and Miroku rushed forward.
"Wow, Shippo I didn't know you could do that," said Miroku. Shippo turned to face the hanyou, who was lying on the ground.
"No one knew… except… Inuyasha" he said. They all looked at Inuyasha.
"Ka-Ka-Kago- ::cough:: Kagome…" said Inuyasha, he slowly shut his eyes as a trickle of blood ran down from his mouth. A sudden earthquake shook the ground.
"Wha-what was that!" yelled Shippo. They all looked at Miroku as he slumped to the ground.
"It-it can't be…" he said.
"What is it Miroku?" asked Sango as she sat next to him.
"I sense… Kagome…" he said. The others looked at him in shock. The ground continued to shake. They looked in the direction of the Goshinboku, and where Kagome's body lay. Then suddenly Kagome's body burst forth from the ground, surrounded by light. Her eyes incased in a pink light, as well as her body. As the light faded and her feet touched earth she slumped to the floor on her knees.
"Ka-Kagome?" asked Sango. The woman in question nodded.
"Kami… it's really you… Lady Kagome" said Miroku. The three of them were standing in front of Inuyasha's body. She looked at them with her eyes still glowing a light pink.
"Move… please… I know what lies behind you," she said. Miroku and Sango stepped away from Inuyasha. Instant tears welled up in her now chocolate brown eyes. She got up and ran to the dead body of her lover. She held him close to her chest, and then held a hand up to her mouth.
"Kagome…" said Shippo. She turned and held out her arm. Shippo instantly ran into her embrace.
"Oh Inuyasha! Now I know how you felt…" she cried silently into the kitsune's hair. The rest of them just held Kagome, happy to have her back, but sad to have to lose another friend in the process. All of a sudden Kagome stood, with Shippo still in her arms.
"What is it Kagome?" asked Sango.
"Sesshomaru…" Kagome said.
"Oh… great idea Kagome!" said Shippo as he hopped from her arms.
"But first lets take him to the hut so his wounds don't get worse" Kagome said. Miroku made a move to go pick up Inuyasha, but Kagome stopped him. "I want to carry him," she said. Miroku nodded and stepped aside. Kagome put one of Inuyasha's arms behind her head and started to drag his body to the hut.
XxXxX
After setting Inuyasha's body on a futon, Kagome grabbed her quiver and bow. She headed for the door, until someone stopped her.
"You aren't going alone… are you?" asked Miroku. She nodded.
"But you can't… we… don't want to lose you… again" Sango said silently. Kagome smiled a little.
"I won't be alone, Inuyasha's spirit will protect me, besides I am one of the strongest mikos alive" she walked out, leaving the others to stare after her shadow.
XxXxX
Kagome walked with a sense of dignity out into the direction of Sesshomaru's castle.
"Kagome! Wait!" said Sango as she and Kirara ran up in front of her. Kirara hopped into Kagome's arms. "Kagome take Kirara she will get you there faster" Sango said. Kagome nodded as tears glistened in her eyes.
"Thank you Sango… I will be back in time for lunch" Kagome promised. Kirara meowed and jumped from Kagome's arms. A giant fireball engulfed the small neko youkai, within seconds the flames died down and in the place of the small neko there was a huge neko youkai. Kagome climbed onto the now transformed Kirara.
"Bye Sango, have a lunch ready for five when I get back!" Kagome yelled as Kirara took off in the direction of the taiyoukai's castle. About an hour into their trip, Kagome began to cry again.
"Grr?" Kirara growled a question.
"Yes Kirara, I miss him. But there is still one way to get him back… But I miss him so much…" Kagome said, as she leaned into the neko's fur. Kirara flew on with a crying Kagome on her back.
XxXxX
"Lord Sesshomaru? What ales ye my lord?" asked Jaken.
"I smell the tears of Inuyasha's miko" Sesshomaru said simply.
"You mean Kagome my lord?" asked Rin. He simply nodded.
"Why would she be crying my lord?" asked the imp.
"I do not know but, she is coming our way" he said.
"Wha?" said Jaken, his mouth a gapping hole.
"Yes, she should be here in 10 minutes. Jaken! Take Rin outside the castle and wait for the miko" Sesshomaru ordered.
"Ye-Yes my lord!" Jaken said as he ran after Rin. 'Why would you be crying miko?' Sesshomaru thought.
XxXxX
"Kirara? Are we almost there?" Kagome asked from the youkai's back.
"Grr," growled Kirara. Kagome looked up from the youkai's fur, to see a giant castle about a mile away.
"Look Kirara! We're here! Oh Inuyasha…" Kagome said, as Kirara landed in front of an imp with a young girl.
"Kagome!" said the young girl.
"Hi Rin! Did you know I was coming?" she asked, hugging Rin.
"Lord Sesshomaru smelled your tears," Jaken said.
"Yes he did! Kagome? Why were you crying?" asked the small girl. Again tears welled up in her eyes as a picture of Inuyasha's mangled body came into her mind. She refused to let them fall though; she could bring him back! She just hoped Sesshomaru would help her. At the thought of the taiyoukai, Sesshomaru stepped outside.
"What are you doing here miko? And where is my hanyou brother?" he asked. Kagome stood, still with tears in her eyes.
"I'm here to ask you if I could borrow Tenseiga" Kagome stated without fear of the taiyoukai. That was what always surprised Sesshomaru, though he covered it, was the fact that almost all the youkai in the western lands bowed down to him, but this human, this miko stood up to him as if she were his equal.
"Why do you need my fang? Why not use my hanyou brother's?" asked Sesshomaru.
"I-I need the fang of life. Besides, the Tetsusaiga will no longer react to him… he is dead" a single tear fell from her eye as she said that.
"Ah I see. So my little brother has gone and died has he? Too bad." Sesshomaru turned around to walk away. That is until Kagome grabbed Momoko-sama.
"How could you not care for your own brother? He is your brother for Kamis sake! No wonder he was so cold when we first met! You are the worst, most hateful youkai I have yet to meet! You're… you're worse then Naraku!" this time she turned around to leave, but Sesshomaru, with eyes full of rage grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.
"You dare to insult THIS Sesshomaru? You are but a weak human! I could squash you where you stand!" He raised his hand to strike her with his poison whip, but an invisible source stopped him. "What is the meaning of this?" asked an enraged taiyoukai. He tried to strike her with his other hand, but that too was stopped.
(A/N: Sesshomaru got his arm back when Naraku was defeated because the world regained its yin and yang with good and evil, also because Naraku tainted Sesshomaru.)
'Inuyasha!' thought Kagome. She took this time so she could draw an arrow, and step out of his striking range. 'Thank you Inuyasha … I can handle this now' she thought. As she thought that Sesshomaru's hands followed threw with the poison whip he was going to give, but he entirely missed Kagome. He looked up from his crouching position to see the tip of an arrow.
"Now let me borrow Tenseiga or Kami help me I will purify you where you stand!" Kagome said. Sesshomaru stood up slowly, so as to not provoke the miko.
"Why do you need it when you can not wield it? Just answer me that miko," said Sesshomaru, while grabbing Tenseiga and taking it out from where it was normally to hand over to the miko. Kagome lowered her arrow, but was ready if anything was to happen.
"I can't wield it, true but I am one of the strongest mikos alive and Keade taught me a long time ago that your fang and my spiritual power could bring back someone who has died" Kagome said as she put away her bow and arrows. She gently took the fang that she knew Sesshomaru cared for, and held it close.
"I shall come for my fang when you are done, I will send Jaken with you. Jaken!" Sesshomaru said. At the mention of his name Jaken piped up.
"Ye-Yes my lord?" asked the imp.
"You will go with the miko and send word to me when she has done what she needed to do with my fang" Sesshomaru said.
"Ye-Yes my lord" said the imp. At that Rin peeped out from around a rock she had hide behind.
"Bye Kagome!" she said as she hugged her.
"Bye Rin." Kagome said.
"Rin … go with the miko … I have other matters to attend to anyway," Sesshomaru said.
"Yes my lord," said Rin as she bowed in front of him then followed Jaken and Kagome to Kirara.
XxXxX
"Sango we're back" Kagome said as she hurriedly ran into the hut.
Sango turned around and hugged her.
"Here. Feed Jaken and Rin … I must do this alone" Kagome said as she went in front of Inuyasha's still mangled body, though Sango and Keade had cleaned most of his wounds and wrapped them. She managed to drape Inuyasha's arm over her shoulder and drag him back to the Goshinboku. She laid him down under his favorite branch. She took Tenseiga out of its sheath, held it horizontally and held it just as Kikyo had with the jewel when she died. She began to say the incantation she had memorized long ago.
"Hear me Kami
You have taken a soul
That has yet to finish their journey" She started to glow a pink as did Inuyasha's body.
"He has yet to let his soul rest
This I know
The soul you took from the hanyou
Must return" Inuyasha's body rouse form the ground and was glowing brighter then Kagome.
"Take what power you need from me
Take what you want
What you need
I have enough
Leave enough though
So that I can live and be with the one soul
I most love" Inuyasha's body started to take giant amounts of miko energy from Kagome. She felt light-headed but kept going.
"TAKE WHAT POWER YOU NEED FROM ME
TAKE WHAT YOU WANT
WHAT YOU NEED
I HAVE ENOUGH
LEAVE ENOUGH THOUGH
SO THAT I CAN LIVE AND BE WITH THE ONE SOUL
I MOST LOVE!" Kagome screamed. With that her body jerk, with one movement most of her power shot into the sky, leaving her body with wide eyes looking at the sky. She fell forward, unconscious. Inuyasha's body jerked back and forth as the miko energy inside him struggled to call his soul back. After a minute a pure white soul, flew into his body. Little did Kagome know there was a spy amongst the brush. 'The miko has more power then anticipated' thought Sesshomaru as he walked back to his castle. Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurred.
"Wha? I'm … alive?" Inuyasha said astonished. Slowly raising his body, then wincing as pain shot through his chest. 'That's right! I was fighting that cougar youkai! I … I died?' thought Inuyasha. 'I remember protecting Kagome when Sesshomaru tried to whip her … wait … she's alive … but how?' It was then that Inuyasha looked up and to his left. There he saw an unconscious Kagome. 'Kagome! She's alive!' Inuyasha thought, he got up despite his wounds and ran to her.
"Kagome! Kagome?" Inuyasha said, lightly slapping her cheek. She didn't stir. He picked her up though he was in very much pain, and ran to the hut he hadn't seen in a while. He burst through the bamboo door, to see Jaken, Rin, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Keade staring at him.
"Inu-Inuyasha? You're alive? But how?" asked Sango.
"I don't know but when I woke up Kagome was just lying there not moving. Keade you gotta help her" Inuyasha pleaded.
"Alright child lie her on that futon" said Keade. Miroku just sat there with a hand under his chin, as if he was thinking.
"What are you thinking about Miroku?" asked Sango.
"Sango do you remember that one day when Kagome had asked Keade what would happen if a miko wanted to bring someone back from the dead?" asked Miroku. Sango nodded. "Well I think Lady Kagome has tried what Keade taught her" he stated. Sango gasped.
"She must be the most powerful miko alive if she is still lives after that" said Jaken. Rin nodded. Inuyasha turned around to look at the two.
"What are you doing here Jaken and Rin?" asked Inuyasha, as Rin ran over to help Keade with Kagome.
"Well that woman came to ask Lord Sesshomaru if she could borrow Tenseiga. He wanted Rin and me to send word when she was done with it. By the way where is Tenseiga?" asked Jaken, looking around for his master's fang.
"Here" said Inuyasha as he chucked the fang and its sheath into the imp's hands.
"Ahh!" said the imp as he dove to catch it before it fell to the ground. Inuyasha turned back around to face Kagome when he heard Rin.
"Kagome? Are you awake?" asked the little girl.
"Uh … what? Huh? Inuyasha? Did he come back? Is he here?" Kagome asked as she regained consciousness.
"Yes, I'm here. You brought me back," Inuyasha said gently.
"Oh Inuyasha!" Kagome said as she wrapped her arms around him. He winced but hugged her back.
"Lets let them be" Keade said as they left the hut. They ran into none other than Sesshomaru.
"L-Lord Sesshomaru? What are you doing here?" asked Jaken.
"I came to get my fang" he stated.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin said as she rushed forward and hugged his leg.
XxXxX
"Kagome … you were dead … how are you alive?" Inuyasha asked as the embrace broke.
"The … Goshinboku… it brought me back…" Kagome said. Inuyasha looked worried for a second. "What is it Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.
"Well … I went and told your mom that you had died and now we gotta go tell her you're alive" Inuyasha said while giving her a sheepish grin and rubbing his hand on the back of his head. Kagome suddenly broke out laughing. Inuyasha looked at her like she was crazy then he himself started laughing. 'Oh my god! … Inuyasha's laugh is so wonderful' thought Kagome. She suddenly grabbed his head and kissed him. Surprised at first, Inuyasha then closed his eyes and kissed back.
"Oh I missed you so much!" Kagome said against his lips.
"Mmm … Me too" he said against hers.
XxXxX
With the only draw back of their little experience being that they could only go through the well on the night of the new moon, Inuyasha and his mate Kagome lived a very full life, as the years rolled by Amaya came into their lives, their first. She was a wild little thing who never took no for an answer. Her hair had streaks of white and black, and her eyes were the strangest sight to be seen. The combining gold and brown color looked as if it was the colors themselves were ancient souls fighting one another. Late one night Inuyasha and Kagome had managed to slip away from their daughter leaving her with their friends Miroku and his wife Sango. Inuyasha climbed into the Goshinboku with Kagome on his back, they reached their favorite branch and settled themselves into it.
"Inuyasha, I love you" the miko said simply. Inuyasha smiled.
"I love you too koi" he whispered as he rubbed his nose to hers. Inuyasha let his lips travel over hers and watched her eyes close, as his own did the same. They shared a passionate kiss that shook, even the mighty inu-hanyou's senses. He leaned back into the tree as Kagome settled herself into him. One thought crossed their minds as they watched the stars. 'We've been through hell and heaven to be together… literally. Now who said happy endings were ever easy?'
XxxxXxxxX
Well their u go! I hope u like my first one-shot I do! It is really long huh? I worked very hard … so go easy on flamers otherwise I will kill u! ::Stares at computer evily daring someone to diss her story:: just kidding! Oh and tell me if I have portrayed the characters right!
Ja Ne!