Death and Transfiguration

The Goshinboku

Izayoi awoke at dawn before anyone else, and quietly began breaking camp. "What's this all about? Why are we leaving?" yawned Shippou as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"We're leaving," said Izayoi simply, not turning away from her packing.

"Yes. That, I see. Why?" asked Shippou.

"Mom told me to," Izayoi said.

"Oh..." said Shippou. "Everything's going to be...OK, isn't it?" he asked gently.

Izayoi stopped packing for a moment and stared at the ground. "Yeah. At least...that's what Mom said..." She laughed unconvincingly. "And we're talking about Mom, right? She should know, right? If I can believe anybody, it's Mom...right?" Izayoi quietly began to cry.

Shippou took her in his arms. "My poor Za-chan...I believe Kagome. If she says it'll be OK, then it'll be OK, no matter what it is." Through her sobs, Izayoi haltingly told Shippou about what Kagome had told her the night before.

Shippou bowed his head for a moment, but then he looked up, and his face was calm, and his voice was kind and confident. "If Kagome says it's going to be wonderful, then it's going to be wonderful. That's all there is to it." He gently took Izayoi's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Have faith in your mother. I mean, like you say, she should know...right?"

"Right," said Izayoi, drying her eyes.

"Well, let's get to it. This place will be here when we get back...and we are coming back...right?"

"Right," agreed Izayoi, smiling again.

With the two of them working together, camp was packed up and ready to go in short order. Inuyasha awoke just before they were finished, and was a little puzzled at the flurry of activity. "What's going on?" he asked.

Izayoi couldn't answer; she coughed and looked towards Shippou, who quickly understood and replied, "We're off on an adventure! You're not going to let a little thing like a limp keep you down, are you?"

"Not a chance," said Inuyasha, a long-thought-lost twinkle returning to his eyes. "I've been sitting around here doing nothing for too long. When do we leave?"

"Right now," said Izayoi, and in a flash she transformed into her huge canine form. Shippou lifted Inuyasha onto her back, shouldered their knapsack, and jumped on behind him, and Izayoi soared effortlessly into the air.

"Y'know," shouted Inuyasha over the wind as Izayoi flew swiftly through the chill air, "My brother used to do this, and they tell me my dad could do this, but I never could." He crossed his arms and turned up his nose. "Keh. I was never impressed by this kinda thing. But I've got to admit," he said patting Izayoi's broad back, "It is kinda cool." He turned to Shippou and asked, "Where did she learn how to do this?"

"I think it's a little something she picked up from Uncle Sesshomaru," Shippou laughed, and in their thoughts they heard Izayoi's giggling. "Maybe I'd better let her explain it, though. It's...complicated."

"Keh. Who needs a long story? But I guess this means that she's my big princess, now." Inuyasha lovingly patted Izayoi, and in his thoughts, he heard her laughing voice: "Oh, Daddy."

The journey that had taken several days on foot and several more days floating on Shippou's back took only three days with Izayoi's speed. She landed just outside the Goshinboku's forest, and in a flash resumed her human form. Then, she took Inuyasha's right hand, and Shippou took his left, and the three of them walked into the forest, laughing and chatting happily about nothing in particular.

Together they entered the glade of the Goshinboku. The last time they had been there was to say their final farewells to Kagome and to scatter her ashes; but there was no gloom amongst the three of them, or in the air. The scent of the trees, the dappled sunlight, and the crisp winter air filled the air with life, and they felt that every breath filled them with new, fresh hope.

"Look!" said Inuyasha. "The stone circle from our wedding." They followed his pointing finger, and saw the circle of white stones, just barely visible under the moss, grass, and vines of the forest floor. "It's still there. I don't know why I never noticed it before."

"Kaede wouldn't let us take it down." They turned, and out of the forest came Miroku and Sango, astride the ever-ageless Kirara. Their hair was gray and their faces had been lined by the passing of years, but their voices were hale and strong. "She said it had become a living part of the forest," Miroku said, "and that the Goshinboku had told her that it was to stay up."

"What brings you here?" asked Shippou, as he helped them dismount.

"Kagome-sama came to us in a dream," said Miroku quietly. "She said that we were to be here today to meet you."

"I was afraid that it meant that something happened to Inuyasha," said Sango. "I'm so glad that he's OK."

"Of course I'm OK," said Inuyasha proudly, clenching his fist and cracking his knuckles. "You think some jerk youkai could get the best of me?"

Everyone laughed. Inuyasha made his way to Miroku and Sango, leaning on Izayoi for support, and he enthusiastically embraced them both.

"Inuyasha...you're hurt," said Sango, watching his limp with concern.

"Nah. It's nothing," he said with bravado. He let go of Izayoi and put his arms around Miroku and Sango's shoulders. "We've been through worse, eh?" They nodded, and Sango put her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. "But we always make it through together, don't we?"

"Together," said Sango.

"Together," said Miroku.

"Together," said Izayoi, putting her arm around Shippou.

Inuyasha sighed. "No matter what happens, we always keep coming back here—back to this stupid tree," he said. "I was sealed here. I met Kagome here. I married Kagome here." He blushed. "I, uh, think we might have... made our daughter here." Miroku sniggered, and Sango elbowed him in the side. "I even buried Kagome here. Everything always comes back to this stupid tree." He sighed again. "Kagome. I miss her...so much."

"But my dear one...you, of all people, should know that time and death aren't real. Only life and love are real." Kagome's clear voice came from the leaves of the Goshinboku; and suddenly, a blinding golden light burst forth from the great tree. And when their vision cleared, they looked at each other and laughed with joy. Miroku's and Sango's aged bodies were gone, and they were young and strong again. Sango ran her fingers through her glossy black hair, and then through Miroku's; but suddenly, her eyes grew wide with surprise, and a sly smile crept across her face.

"Houshi-sama," she chided him duskily. She gave Miroku a very half-hearted slap with one hand, and pushed his groping hand away from her backside with the other.

"For old time's sake," Miroku said, smiling.

"Not in front of the children," Sango scolded him playfully.

Izayoi looked at herself, and saw that she was nine years old again, wearing her favorite little red kimono that matched her father's. Shippou barely came up to her knees, and he scampered up her legs, sat on her shoulder, and kissed her cheek; then he crossed his arms and squeaked sternly, "Children? I'm older than I look, y'know."

Everyone laughed heartily, and Izayoi said, "Look at Daddy!"

There stood Inuyasha, tall and strong, his every hurt healed, his beautiful long hair blowing in a gentle wind, with a warm smile lighting his face. He smiled at his daughter and his friends—but then, his eye caught something behind them. He opened his mouth, but he could not speak; he swallowed, took a deep breath, and then said, incredulously, "... Kagome?"

Everyone turned; and behind them, wearing the green and white uniform that had seen her through so many adventures, stood Kagome, her lustrous black hair billowing in the breeze, her dark eyes sparkling with joy. "Are you...real?" Inuyasha asked haltingly.

Kagome walked into their circle, and took Inuyasha's hands, and said, "Yes, beloved... I'm real."

"Kagome..." sighed Inuyasha, tiny tears glittering in his eyes; and he threw his arms around her; and everyone cheered, and rushed up to her, and embraced both of them.

After many hugs and kisses all around, Kagome took Inuyasha by the hand and walked with him to the center of the stone circle. "Oh, my dear friends, I'm so happy that we all could be together!" Kagome said cheerily, as she stood with her arm around Inuyasha's waist. Inuyasha said nothing, but buried his face in her hair, and kissed her forehead.

"Kagome-chan," said Sango, "Aren't you... I mean, what is this?"

"This," said Kagome, "is the real world, not the shadow land that we always thought was real."

"Does that mean," said Sango tentatively, "That we are...all dead, too?"

"Oh, no no no!" laughed Kagome. "Under the Goshinboku, the veil between the worlds is very thin...especially when someone like Iza-chan is on one side and I'm on the other. You're just visiting, for now."

Izayoi blushed, but Shippou pounded her on the back and whispered "Way to go, Za-chan!" in her ear.

"Oh, my dear friends," said Kagome happily, "Our lives in the physical world are so very special, and so very precious, and there is nothing like them in all the universe! It's so wonderful to be alive, even on a bad day... and don't worry, your days on earth are not nearly over yet—so enjoy them while you can! But in time, I promise you, we will meet again, in a place where there is no sorrow, no weeping, in a place where those who were born to be together will be reunited forever." Miroku and Sango looked lovingly at each other, as did Izayoi and Shippou; and Miroku and Shippou each quickly stole a kiss from their beloved, and Sango and Izayoi each blushed and smiled.

"But what about ...you and me?" asked Inuyasha.

Kagome smiled, and took Inuyasha's face between her hands, and she said tenderly, "For you, my dear, dear, dearest beloved... your long night of sadness... is finally over."

Kagome embraced Inuyasha, and he rested his head on her shoulder, his face shining with bliss and contentment. A gleaming golden radiance streamed from the leaves of the Goshinboku, bathing the two lovers with a light that outshone the sun; but as Kagome tenderly kissed her beloved Inuyasha, the light that was their love shone even brighter still. And it seemed as though great wings reached out and gently enfolded Kagome and Inuyasha, wings refulgent with supernal glory; and the air itself quivered and shimmered with a song that was beautiful beyond all earthly music. And the purity of the light that shone from the two lovers and the sweetness of the music that filled the air was more than sight and hearing could bear, and for a moment, they all stood blinded and deafened by the beauty that was before them.

And in a flash, it was over, and they were back in the physical world, in the shade of the Goshinboku. They looked at each other, and found that their bodies were as before; but the weariness of age was gone, and even the venerable Sango and Miroku felt spry and youthful once again.

"Houshi-sama," said Sango, blushing and smiling as she brushed his groping hand away again.

"Now that I've had a chance to compare," said Miroku with a sly smile, "I like it better now."

"Oh, houshi-sama," said Sango, and she kissed him on the cheek; he giggled.

Shippou stood holding Izayoi's hand, back to his normal size. He looked lovingly at her and kissed her hand, but then he looked around. "Where's Inuyasha?" he asked.

Inuyasha was gone. His red robe lay empty on the ground; his necklace and swords lay at its side.

Miroku cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" but Izayoi stopped him.

"You can stop looking for him," she said quietly. "He's with Mom now. I can hear them. If you listen, so can you." And as they all stood silent, the leaves of the Goshinboku rustled in the wind, and they could indeed hear Inuyasha and Kagome's voices, laughing as happily and as carefree as children on the first day of summer vacation.

Miroku walked towards Inuyasha's robe, and knelt next to it, and folded it carefully. He set the necklace on the robe, and placed the swords across the bundle. "Please help me up," he said quietly to Shippou, who gently helped Miroku to his feet.

Miroku carried the robe and swords to Izayoi. He bowed before her, and presented them to her formally. "As your father received these from the hands of his own father...receive them now today. Bear them with courage and honor as he did, and with them bring honor to your name...and his."

"I will...I swear," said Izayoi, choking on her tears.

Miroku clasped Izayoi's shoulders gently, and kissed her on the forehead. Sango, her own eyes wet with tears, sobbed quietly on Izayoi's shoulder as she embraced her, then she walked with Miroku and Kirara out of the glade, to give Izayoi a moment by herself.

Shippou came up to Izayoi and gently put his hands on her shoulders. "Za-chan...are you OK?" he said tenderly.

"Why shouldn't I be OK?" she said, staring at the ground. "I mean, he's not even dead. He's with Mom. He's happy. I know...I can hear them. I don't think he's ever been this happy." Izayoi's voice came in a hushed whisper. "Just...give me a minute. Please, Po-chan?"

Shippou tenderly kissed her forehead, and walked slowly out of the glade to join Miroku and Sango. Just before he left the glade, he looked back; he saw Izayoi sink to her knees, clutching the red robe to her chest, and heard her choked, broken whisper, "Oh, Daddy..." He felt his own heart breaking, and he could bear to watch her no longer; he ran from the glade weeping, and did not stop running until he fell sobbing into Sango's arms, where she was waiting for him at the edge of the forest.