(A/N 1: WARNING: MAJOR KLEENEX ALERT towards the end of this chapter!! Don't say I didn't warn you!)
(A/N 2: Sorry for the delay, my computer froze up and crashed several timesThursday. Between that and doing maintainance, it put me off track. - Tamysan)
Kagome is safe at Inuyasha's camp! Sesshoumaru and Rin catch up to Kagome, all share the sorrow of the Ill-Fated Love of Inuyasha and Kikyo!
As always, Inuyasha and co belong to Takahashi Rumiko ::bows:: et al.)
Night: Inuyasha's Camp:
It was almost like old times again with Kagome's return. Shippo had been so happy to see her again. For a while he cuddled with her by the fire, falling asleep while everyone talked. This, the warm fire, and Kagome's presence soon lulled the kitsume to sleep.
"He's so cute when he's asleep.." Kagome scratched Shippo's ears.
She never did that for ME... Inuyasha thought jealously. Stupid kitsune!
"We're glad see you back, Lady Kagome!" Miroku edged closer to where Kagome was sitting.
"BONK!!"
"OW!!" Mirkou yelped. "What was THAT for, Sango?"
"I knew what you were going to do!!" Sango fumed.
"I, a humble monk?" Miroku replied.
"Who is also a hentai!" Kagome quipped. This got a laugh from everyone, even Shippo, who had been awakened.
"Uh, Kagome..." Inuyasha scratched his head, "Now that you're back, we can go shard hunting again."
"Oh, I'm not back." Kagome replied. "I'm on my way to the Bone Eater's Well - I'm going home - for good!!"
"WHAT!!???" Inuyasha fairly howled in protest.
"You heard right, Inuyasha!"
"Nooooooo, don't leave me!" Shippo whined.
"We've been lost without you!" Sango added.
Miroku kept his own council.
"YOU CAN'T!!" Inuyasha cried out. "YOU WON'T!!" He leaped up, anger in his eyes.
"Watch me, Inuyasha. I can't do this anymore! I have a life in the future where I belong!" Kagome felt her temper rising.
"You belong HERE, Kagome." Inuyasha replied. "Besides, all we have to do is find the few shards left - Kouga-crap's got two, you can get it out of him, then we get the rest, kill Naraku, and then -"
"Iye, Inuyasha. I'm not your 'shard dectector' anymore." Kagome crossed her arms.
"You bitch!" Inuyasha growled. "You're the one who broke the stupid thing with your stupid arrows!"
Kagome ignored Inuyasha's raving, which stopped abruptly, as if he sensed something.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha did not reply.
Night: Near Inuyasha's Camp:
The dirt, ah, how cool and moist it was. Rain. It had rained recently. Oh, it was - not - far to Inuyasha now. She crawled to the flickering light of the fire not long before her.
"I am so weak and I don't where they've gone. He took them too, I suppose." The young woman muttered to herself. "Oh, Inuyasha, I must reach you before I depart.."
The light of the fire drew ever nearer.
Night: Flying Above: Ah and Uh,Sesshoumaru and Rin:
"Sesshouschan! I see a fire down there!"Rin called out.
Sesshoumaru knew this already before Rin did, but he wanted to see how observant the child was.
She is becoming better at this - better than the usual human. Sesshounaru thought. He could also pick up some very familar scents, first and foremost being Kagome's. Sesshoumaru directed Ah and Uh to land near Inuyasha's camp.
Night,near the Bone Eater's Well, Kaede's village:
There. The village he knew once upon a time,fifty-odd years ago. The man, who had the appearance of a wealthy prince, went towards the village he remembered so well. The house he attempted to sack, the fire that charred his body, yet left his mind intact. A mind that yearned like any other man's. A heart that had wanted her, lusted to take her, innocence and her village away. but that had been denied him. The youkai had both saved him and damned him.
Onigumo the Thief had returned.
Night: Inuyasha's Camp:
The figure that staggered into Inuyasha's camp was still posessed of a certain beauty even though her pallor was that of a cadaver. With her last ounce of strength, she aimed her arrow at Kagome.
"Kikyo?" Inuyasha whispered.
Sango and Miroku rushed in front of Kagome to protect her, but Kikyo ignored them.
"Know this, inferior incarnate. You will die so that I may live!!" Kikyo swayed on her feet, pulled back her bow,and....
"Uuuuuhhhh..." Kikyo fell to the ground, her feet literally collapsing into dirt, clay, and shards of bone before their very eyes!
"KIKYO!!" Inuyasha rushed to her side. His golden eyes were wide as her legs were turning into clay and dirt, flattening out the lower half of her priestess' clothing.
"Inu - yasha..." Kikyo reached up to place her hand on his cheek. Kagome quietly came to where Inuyasha was letting Kikyou rest her head on his lap. His golden eyes were wide, and to Kagome, he looked like a frightened child.
Maybe he was like when his okkasan died. Kagome thought. She was not angry anymore. In fact she felt sorry for Inuyasha and Kikyo. All they been were two young lovers who had their future - their love and their lives cut short by the lust and jelousy of one man, Onigumo the Thief, who had become Naraku.
Kagome knelt by Kikyou, who smiled grimly. "Incarnate...Kagome...for-give me. I - was not true - to myself, to my duty as a miko..."
"Kikyo. Don't talk. I've forgiven you." Kagome's eyes widened as Kikyou was gradually turning back to what Ursa had created her out of, little by little.
"Iye.I - must." Kikyo said."Take the - shards, Kagome. Naruku has been defeated by Onigumo. Dead or alive, I know not. He has the rest. If you defeat him, his shards, the shards I gave and yours will make the Shikon no Tama complete. Guard - it, Kagome. The well, he knows all that Naraku knew, curse Onigumo!"
Kikyou weakly handed the shards to Kagome, where they floated to where the rest of Kagome's half of Tama was - in her breastbone.
"My incarnation, I wish to speak to Inuyasha. My time is short - please."
"Hai." Tears spilled down Kagome's cheeks. Now she understood how love could overcome all, even hate and death itself, yet this was still painful to witness. Kagome covered her face with her hands, her sadness overcoming her.
Night: The Arrival of Sesshoumaru and Rin
Sesshoumaru, with Rin behind him, came into the strangely quiet camp. It was as if it were under a spell. He was relieved to see Kagome safe and sound, but she was softly crying. Why?
He led Rin to where Shippo stood stock still. They all were staring in one direction.
Inuyasha. They were starring as his hanyou half-brother, who was holding someone. The miko, Kikyou.
Sesshoumaru slipped easily into detachment, as he sawKikyou vitually disolving before his eyes. It looked as if she was being buried in clay and mud, but in fact she was of the ciay and mud itself.
Inuyasha's Camp: The Ill-Fated Love of Inuyasha and Kikyo
"Inuyasha..."Kikyo brushed her cheek against his. "Don't cry. It is not your fault."
"Kikyo...don't leave me! I'll go to hell to be with you!"
"Iye, Inuyasha. I will not go -hell now. The gods have had mercy upon me. Live for me and yourself, for others..I - I love you, Inu - yasha. Kiss me - one last time. Smell the cherry blossoms? Spring..."
Their lips met, and then Inuyasha did smell the cherry blossoms - they all did. Inuyasha and Kikyo were still, seemingly frozen in time as a gust of wind blew stray cherry blossoms upon the ill-fated lovers.
And then...a soft wind blew, blowing away the miniscule specks of dirt,clay, and ashes in Inuyasha's hand - the one that had been cradling Kikyou's head.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha howled as Kikyo's ashes blew away with the cherry bloosoms. It had been useless to use Tensiaga to resurect her, for she had never truly been alive.
Sango, Kagome, and Shippo openly wept. Mirouku, for perhaps the first time in his life, said a sincere prayer - and didn't take advantage of the situation to grope at Kagome or Sango. Instead he came to Sango and offered what comfort he could.
And Sesshoumaru, the firstborn of the great inuyouki, Inutashio, felt his half-brother's intense pain. He couldn't remain detached now. As Kagome went towards where Inuyasha knelt, broken, Sesshoumaru joined her, as well as Sango, Miroku,Shippo and Rin.
Sesshoumaru gathered Kagome to him wrapping his fluffy 'tail' around her, his face impassive, never revealing the turmoil and sorrow inside him. Mirouku held a softly weeping Sango, Shippo held Rin's hand, wrapping his foxtail around them both.
Sesshoumaru placed his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, Inuyasha looked up at his older half-brother. If Sesshoumaru had wanted to, he could have dispatched Inuyasha into Death's embracequite easily, but he didn't feel the old anger, not now, perhaps not ever.
The youkai lord felt Kagome stiffen and then relax in his arms.
"She gave it back, Sesshou.." Kagome said with wonder. "A part of my soul - the last small piece that Ursa was to able toleave in Kikyo...she gave it back, Sesshou, she gave it back..."
"Iye..."Sesshoumaru gently kissed Kagome's lips, sharing her sorrow and wonder.
Above the group of humans, youkai, and demon-lord, the stars provided a backdrop for the stolen souls streaking to Heaven or Hell, escaping what was once a person named Kikyo, who had once loved a hanyou named Inuyasha.