>gapes open mouthed at reviews> Four reviews? Thank you so much! Yey for Firyfeline, xoxsilver moonxox, Shiori Tachibana and powermeee! >Starts running around yelling and vanishes around corner>
And a belated Merry Xmas to everyone! (In case you haven't gathered, that's why I'm hyper.)
Disclaimer: If I owned anything besides the plot (I think I own that, anyway) then I wouldn't have put Inuyasha on my Christmas list! (I didn't get him either.)
>
One for sorrow,
Two for joy.
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy.
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
And…Seven for a secret never to be told.
It was dark and warm. The world was spinning, though it might have been her. She couldn't hear, couldn't see. She drifted in the darkness, having no strength to fight the soothing calls. Silence engulfed her, and she closed her eyes.
Then the pain hit her.
Red hot lances tore at her soul, her body helpless against the relentless attack. She could feel the hard, cold floor underneath her and the rough woollen blanket that covered her. Her head swam and her thoughts drifted in and out of focus.
Voices surrounded her, and faces seemed to swim in and out of her vision with the voices. She knew that she should be able to put a name to them, but the names slid out of her grasp even as she tried to hear them.
"… thank you, Sess…"
"… Miroku and Kagome should be…"
"… Kiara knows what happened, don't…"
One belonged to a tall man with long silver hair, another to a girl with dark brown eyes and the other to an old woman with one eye.
She opened her eyes against her body's protests. She had to know where she was…
Intense gold met chocolate brown as a boy with dog ears held her gaze.
"Inu… Inuyasha…"
"Go to sleep, Kagome. Nothing'll come, I promise."
The soft darkness called to her, but she didn't answer as sleep took her.
>
The door closed with a gentle click, and Sango, Shippou, Kaede and Inuyasha all breathed a sigh of relief.
He might be Inuyasha's brother, but he's still really scary. Although he did bring Mamma back to life. He can't be all that bad, then, I suppose.
The kitsune was sitting close to Kagome, next to Inuyasha. The hanyou was sitting with his eyes closed, idly playing with Kagome's hand. Sesshomaru had left, his deed done, but neither Miroku nor Kagome had woken up, a fact that troubled the hanyou slightly.
However, Kiara had given a loud 'meow,' stretched, and jumped into Sango's arms. It was like she knew what had happened.
Probably did. Youkai senses are so much better than those pathetic human ones.
Kohaku was bonding with her outside, and Kaede was bandaging Miroku's hand. The kazanna had been formed by a thrust through the hand, and although the wind tunnel had vanished, the cut was still clear. It was amazing, really, that they had managed to kill Naraku. The evil hanyou had managed to kill Miroku's grandfather and father, and Sango's family, not to mention the others.
Including Kikyo.
Sango, meanwhile, was waiting patiently for Miroku to open his eyes. She too was sitting by his side, hands in lap, eyes closed.
She suddenly felt a touch at her rear end. Without even thinking, she slapped the monk's face – hard – and snapped at him.
"Stupid hentai! Keep your hands to yourself."
Inuyasha and Shippou looked over, slightly surprised, to see Miroku with a large red handprint on his cheek and a fumming Sango standing above him. Kaede looked positively shocked – but then again, she had not had as much of the monk's lecherous nature as the others had.
Behind, unnoticed, Kagome sat up, taking in the scene that was unfolding.
Figures. Miroku is such a leech.
She looked around, puzzled. Okay… how did I get here? The last think I remember was Naraku, and now…
Sango caught her eye. I remember Sango was wounded; on the floor, yet now she looks totally fine. How long have I been out!
"Ummm… Sango," Kaede held up Miroku's hand. "Could ye refrain from attacking him until after he is bandaged please."
Okay… that's weirder. Sango, Inuyasha and Shippou are fine, but Kiara looks… battered and so does Miroku… and if I'm lying here then I have to be hurt somewhere. Strange though. I don't feel any pain anymore.
Kagome suddenly noticed the hand that Kaede was bandaging. I guess Naraku's dead though… Miroku's lost his wind tunnel now.
"Hey… Inuyasha," The hanyou jumped when the miko placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sheesh wench! You're meant to be asleep."
"What's going on, why am I here?"
Inuyasha hesitated.
Why do I make such a bad liar?
"Ye remember nothing?" Kaede finished Miroku's hand. The monk in question hastily stood up, trying to find some excuse to go outside. In the end, he just walked out. No one noticed. Sango was too busy thinking of decent excuses.
Luckily, Kaede saved them all.
"That is only to be expected. The fever that you caught left you very weak."
"Fever?" Kagome winced. "Oh. I'm sorry."
"What the hell are you sorry for?" Inuyasha looked at her with some surprise.
"I… Huh?" Kagome replied intelligently. "How long have I been out?"
"Over a month." The elderly miko supplied as Sango, confused, looked around for Miroku.
Where is he?
The door knocked slightly with a summer breeze.
Aha!
Sango made her excuses and left. She did not expect what she found.
"Kikyo!"
The dead miko was panting slightly, and looked dishevelled.
What's she been doing! Anyone would think that she had been running for hours!
Little did she know the truth of that statement.
>
The occupants of the hut all heard her surprised cry and Kagome smiled at Inuyasha.
"Go on. Since Naraku's dead, you can go."
Inuyasha hesitated.
Why is she always so selfless?
"Go on!"
The hanyou grimaced, but he knew his decision was already made. Standing, he swiftly walked out of the room.
Kagome blinked back tears.
Goodbye. You were the only one I could ever love. Goodbye and good luck.
She ignored the stabbing pains at her heart.
>
Miroku smiled at the birds flying in the sky. Magpies. The monk had always felt a certain bond with them. (Possibly because he was, by nature, a bit of a thief. Magpies are renown for that particular quality.)
I've never seen so many! Seven!
The magpies scattered as someone came running up behind him.
"Miroku!"
Ah.
"My darling Sango! I am glad to be able to look upon your beautiful face once more."
Sango looked at the sky for help. How did he manage to be so charming and yet such a hentai?
"But now that I am healed," Miroku continued, ignoring Sango's lack of eye contact, "I feel it necessary to ask your feelings on something."
Sango did a double take. What does he mean, healed? He wasn't there when Kagome asked… so, could he know?
She decided not to press the issue.
"Do you truly love me?"
Sango gaped at the monk like a fish.
W…what?
"Because you said yes when I asked if you would bear my children, but I need to know if you love me."
"Oh… Miroku!" Sango flung herself on him, tears flying behind her. The monk pressed his arms around her back and for once didn't grope her.
I think that I should take that as a yes. He smiled.
>
Kagome was far from smiling. She sat by the river, staring into the clouds. She was kind of wishing that she could be one, actually.
Clouds don't have troubles.
The problem was, clouds don't love either.
As Kagome put her hands over her heart, she felt the all too familiar bump of the Shikon no tama resting against her neck.
Since Inuyasha has gone to hell, I might as well take the wish.
Now, what to wish for? The jewel would only be purified by something selfless. For most people, there is no such thing as a selfless wish. Of course, Kagome wasn't 'most people.'
I… I wish…that everyone could be happy. That Miroku and Sango can get together, and Kouga won't be unhappy with Ayame. That Shippou can move on from his parents. And that Kikyo and Inuyasha are happy.
A little badly said maybe, but the spirit was there. The jewel's pink glow intensified, then slowly that glow dimmed and the stone changed to a clear colour, tinted with all the colours of the rainbow.
Thus ended the Shikon no tama and the battle that raged inside it.
>
Inuyasha could see Kagome quite clearly from where he was standing. Speaking with Kikyo had been tough, but what was through was through. And now… he couldn't bear the thought of leaving Kagome.
The miko in question must have heard his approach, because she turned sharply around and looked at him, question evident in her brown eyes. Around her neck, a sparkling jewel hung.
Inuyasha remembered something that Kikyo had once said:
"The jewel. Pink. A mix of red, for the blood shed in the battle that formed it, and the blood given to try and claim a simple wish, and white, the colour of purity, both for Midoriko and the mikos that guard it."
But what the jewel would change to, Inuyasha had had no clue. Until now.
"Kagome…" She had tried to hide the tears in her eyes; he could see that.
"Why aren't you with Kikyo?"
"I…"
Inuyasha struggled for words as he remembered their two recent meetings.
>
"Inuyasha." The miko's was soft and the hanyou's golden eyes widened slightly. "I loved you and wanted to be yours."
Inuyasha remained silent.
"But all things must end." Kikyo continued. "I am no long er able to stay in this world; you can. You must make your choice."
Inuyasha hesitated. "I have nothing left to live for, not now Kagome's gone."
"But love follows all paths. The path of our love has ended and we have gone our separate ways. Tales have been told of walked through death for love."
The silver haired boy looked at her. "Kikyo. It's true that I love Kagome. But I loved you too – and my oath…" He fell silent at the look on her face.
The miko gave a twisted smile. "Oaths are made to be broken. But if you will not do that, then I release you from yours. Love… I do not feel it for you any longer. And I know that all you feel for me is pity.
"Kagome is my reincarnation, and perhaps the better part of me. She still has a chance. I have none."
"A… a chance?"
"A young boy has recently been restored to life. Surely another three souls could be as well?"
Inuyasha was shocked. Why is she doing this? He thought.
"Who… and how…?"
"His name," replied the girl with dead eyes, "was Kohaku. And I think you know how. Your brother, with his sword the Tensaiga."
Inuyasha gasped.
"Give me your answer later… go now, you still have time. Their souls will remain on this earth until the new moon. You have until then."
>
I realise now. Kikyo knew that I was better off with Kagome and gave me a chance. So when I went back to her, she knew my answer. I only went back to say goodbye…
"Inuyasha?" Kagome looked worriedly at the hanyou.
"I… she… I picked you, damn it!"
"You… picked me?"
"Unless you don't want me any more..."
Inuyasha had no time for words as a delighted Kagome kissed him square on the lips.
>
Much later that night, the gang sat together planning their futures.
"You'll have to ask your mum, Kagome," Sango was saying, "But I think that you and Inuyasha could manage the time difference easily."
"Yeah."
"Sango and Miroku…" Inuyasha started talking.
Kagome switched off. The day had been too much for her and she looked around smiling happily. The only think left to unravel was why she couldn't remember anything. Kohaku had seemed very confused at the thought of her having a fever.
Suddenly, she caught sight of seven dark shapes winging their way west. Seven magpies.
Hmmm… Grandpa has a rhyme for magpies… what's seven again? Oh, yeah.
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Ah. I guess I'll never know what happened then.
It doesn't really matter. As long as I'm with my friends. Nothing can hurt me.
Nothing at all.
In the darkness, before she completely disintegrated, Kikyo smiled.
>
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Whew! My first chaptered fic's finished! And I discovered that Kikyo's evil to portray. Evil.
Anyways, a big hug to those who reviewed!
CN.