Tetsusaiga's Spirit

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Memories

Stressed

Kagome held the Tetsusaiga she wept over something she knew nothing about. She shouldn't have felt remorse for a traitor. The Tetsusaiga pulsed and she gasped as it floated in the air in front of her. Suiichi pulled her away from the katana as a white flame emerged from it. Hiei appeared inside the well house and watched the scene with little interest. Kagome stared at the flame and she gasped as it took shape. A sorrowful smile was on the figure's face as he softly smiled at her. Kagome stood up and faced the figure with little confidence; her memories were falling apart.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. He reached out and laid his hand on the side of her face.

"It's time," Inuyasha whispered.

"For what?" Kagome questioned.

"Remember," he whispered as she screamed and fell to the dirt floor.

"Kagome!" She heard her name shouted out before everything went black.

Kagome groaned as she pushed herself off the cool grass. Darkness surrounded the area as the moonlight cut through the trees. Her eyes searched the area and came upon the Goshinboku. She ran over to it and laid a hand on the root. Confusion was the only thing she felt. A rough grunt soundedthrough the air and she froze with dread. Another grunt and she swallowed the lump in her throat and stepped around the tree. A shriek left her lips as a body was thrown past her. The red material ripped as it slid along the bark of the Goshinboku.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called out as she went to help him up. Her hands passed through him and she quickly pulled them back. A dark laughter filled the air and caught her attention.

"Naraku."

Inuyasha wiped the blood from his mouth and propped himself up on his Tetsusaiga. She watched as the Hanyou's eyes widened with regret and sorrow. Kagome followed her gaze and instantly froze. She watched herself walk out of the forest; her hands were covered in blood. Inuyasha grunted as he stood up.

'I'm in a memory,' Kagome thought.

"Do you like my new toy Inuyasha?" Naraku questioned as he affectionately ran a finger along her jaw.

"Bastard!" Inuyasha growled.

"Come now, surely you should have learned a new word within the time she was with me," Naraku taunted.

"Let her go!" Inuyasha shouted. Naraku chuckled and shook his head.

"Even if I did let her go…she wouldn't go to you," Naraku coldly informed.

"What did you do to her?" Inuyasha demanded as Naraku laughed. "Damn it! Answer me!"

"Why don't you ask her what you did to her?" Naraku advised with another chuckle.

He stared into her blue-gray orbs and shuddered at the blankness within them. She crouched low in order to attack him again.

"Why did you do it? Why did you kill Miroku and attack me?" Inuyasha growled as he let his anger best him.

"Answer him," Naraku cooed. Her gaze hardened even more and she stood up with an air of spite.

"You. You were all worthless! How dare you ask me these thing!" Kagome shouted. "It's his fault Sango's dead! He used her!"

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha questioned with confusion.

"He used Sango for her body! She killed herself and her child over him!" Kagome shouted as she cried.

"Sango is visiting her village with Shippo," Inuyasha reasoned.

"I saw her! I held her dying body!" Kagome cried even more as she sobbed.

"Then what did I do?" Inuyasha softly questioned. The tears were fresh on her cheeks and glistened in the moonlight as she glared at him. She pointed at him and growled.

"You killed Shippo! You tried to kill me for my soul…for Kikyo!" Kagome shouted as she shook with anger.

"I never…I promised to protect you always," Inuyasha shouted as he felt the grief.

"Liar," Kagome hissed as she stepped toward him.

"I would never hurt you!" Inuyasha pleaded as his own eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Then why did you use me?" Kagome demanded.

"I would never use you," Inuyasha firmly assured.

"Liar!" Kagome screamed as she grabbed him by the shoulders.

His screams pierced the air as she erupted with Miko ki. The energy burned away at his youkai. It felt like someone was slowly peeling him alive. Tears flowed from her dulled eyes as she watched him revert to his human form. He dropped the Tetsusaiga and fell face first to the ground. His breathing was shallow as he watched her kneel beside him.

"Why Kagome…I thought you loved me?" Inuyasha whispered to her.

"I can't love those who want me dead," Kagome coldly whispered.

"Remember…I would never hurt you…even if you hurt me," Inuyasha whispered as he felt her hands on his shoulders.

Naraku walked around and leaned over so he could whisper into her ear. She felt his breath caress her ear as he spoke.

"All he told you were lies. Use your anger to release yourself from his lies. Hate him…hate them all…be free!"

"Lies!" Kagome whispered as the Miko ki twisted in a black color. The ki twisted and became a light mist like miasma. She could feel the anger within begging for release. It fueled her rage as she let it pour into Inuyasha. Another scream pierced the air as she watched his body turn to ash. His clothes were smoking and she picked up the Tetsusaiga and tossed into the well as Kouga approached them.

Kagome pushed away from the Goshinboku as she studied her other self. Regret pierced her like a dagger as she studied herself. If it was true, if this memory was true then she had killed the love of her life. She had killed her friends and loved ones in vain. She fell to the ground and began to sob as she thought of all the deeds she had done.

"Woman, get up!" A cold voice hissed.

Kagome remained on the ground and continued to sob. She could feel the other next to her watching her with disgust.

"Stand up!" He growled at her.

"No!" Kagome snapped at him.

"Stand up now or else I will burn you alive!" He threatened.

"Leave me be Hiei," Kagome growled as she turned her head to glare at him.

Hiei's crimson eyes flashed and he roughly pulled her to her knees. She whimpered and snatched her arm back from him. Her eyes filled with tears as she surveyed the destruction she caused.

"Get up and go back out to reality," Hiei ordered.

"No! I deserve to rot in here!" Kagome snapped as she glared at him. He glared back at her and growled.

"We all deserve to rot…you are not the only one with a tarnished past," Hiei snapped at her.

"I could have prevented it! It's my fault!" Kagome shouted at him. She didn't want to go out there and face anything anymore.

"Don't be so pious, we all have sins," Hiei calmly informed. "Are you willing to repent for them? Or are you going to hide in your mind and run like a coward?"

Kagome sat there stunned for a few moments as she thought about it.

'Do I really have to go back? I could stay in here and be safe,' she reasoned. She sighed and stood up with a growl.

"No, I have things to do," Kagome whispered.

Inuyasha sadly watched as the girl whimpered on the floor. Hiei sat beside her with his palm on her hand. Even in this calm state, he still wore a scowl. Kurama held her close and glanced at the Inu hanyou.

"What did you do?" Kurama demanded.

"She had to remember," Inuyasha said. "She has to have a reason to fight."

"She would have fought him regardless," Kurama hissed.

"Your spirit is old and yet you can't see," Inuyasha sighed. "Kagome must find her reality and accept it or else she could easily fall prey to Naraku once more."

"What if she doesn't find it?" Kurama questioned with a bit of anger.

"She'll find it, the girl's too stubborn for her own good," Inuyasha assured with a fanged smile.

Hiei opened his eyes and glared at the spirit before he stood up and wordlessly walked out of the well house. Kagome's own eyes fluttered open and she searched the roof with her eyes. Her gaze focused on Kurama before she smiled at him. She pushed herself and looked up at Inuyasha.

"I'm sorry," Kagome whispered.

"Don't be sorry…just go kick Naraku's ass," Inuyasha said with a grin.

"I will avenge all of your deaths," Kagome firmly assured. Inuyasha reached out and patted her head with a smile.

"Don't hurt yourself," Inuyasha warned.

"Do you…do you hate me?" Kagome whispered.

"No, I could never hate you. I'm a little upset you believed it but I don't hate you," he assured.

"I'm glad you don't hate me," Kagome softly said.

Inuyasha nodded and handed her the Tetsusaiga. She took it and looked up at him with a confused look.

"I've been waiting inside that sword so I could talk to you, it's yours now," Inuyasha seriously said.

"Thank you," Kagome whispered as he smiled. He turned into a white orb and shot off into the sky.

Kagome stared at the roof of the well house and imagined his spirit floating away. A tear fell from the corner of her eye, she was relieved. He could truly rest now and move on in anyway he chose. Kagome felt Kurama's fingers brush her hand and she looked over at him. She offered him a smile and his breath stopped. It wasn't one of her sorrowful filled smiles; it was a true smile of content.

"That was Inuyasha?" Kurama knowingly questioned.

"Yes…that was the one I once loved…the one I killed," Kagome whispered.

Kagome pulled away from Kurama's soft touch and walked outside of the well house. The sun was setting and it cast a warm glow on her skin. Her eyes traveled to the house and she softly smiled. She had found a new reason to live and fight against Naraku. Her will before was like a flicker, but now she had ignited a flame. Kagome knew she had a family even if she didn't remember, she had Inuyasha's forgiveness, and she had Kurama.

Souta smiled as he watched his sister and the boy walk down the shrine steps. It had seemed like forever since he had seen her. She looked the same and it stunned him to know end. He would have never believed Sesshoumaru's words, but the proof was walking away into the sunset. Souta rested against the door as he sighed; it had been a long time.

"Understand that when she comes back…if she comes back she won't be the same," the calm voice explained to the family. "She is broken."

"Where's my sister? What happened to her?" Souta questioned as he stared at the Inugami.

"I'm sorry," was the solemn reply.

"Where is my daughter Sesshoumaru-sama?" The mother questioned.

"As Inuyasha informed you, she was taken by Naraku," Sesshoumaru said.

"He told us that five years ago!" Souta growled, he didn't care what status this youkai had.

"Inuyasha is dead," Sesshoumaru calmly stated as the family tensed.

"How?" Souta questioned.

"It was Naraku's doing," Sesshoumaru firmly clarified.

"How long has she really been missing?" Jii-chan questioned.

"Kagome has been with Naraku for five hundred years now," Sesshoumaru answered.

"My poor baby," the mother sobbed as she broke down into tears.

Author's Note:
I guess that rumor about responding to reviews is true
Please leave a review and I hope everyone had a good holiday