Chapter 31

Inuyasha seemed dazed after Naraku vanished. He was exhausted and wounded and now alone. Realizing that Kagome was gone, he figured the curse had been lifted. But why was he still here? Did he fail to kill Naraku before dusk of the second day?

As he sat down to wait to be revived, he realized he could hear something. No. Somebody. It was ... Kagome. And not just Kagome, but Miroku, Kohaku, Kaede and Tamae. He closed his eyes and listened. He heard Kagome crying. Why was she crying?

"NO! Miroku you can't just kill him! There has to be another way!", Kagome screamed, as Kaede tried to calm her down.

"There is no other way, child.", Tamae said, "I warned Inuyasha of that before he took the potion. He agreed to proceed anyway, even with the risk."

"Kagome, Inuyasha made it clear what I was supposed to do. He didn't want to live like this. No ... he didn't say that. He said he didn't want to exist like this.", Miroku said quietly.

"Kagome, come with me. Let's go see Yasha.", Kaede said, in a soothing voice, "You need to be with your son right now."

Kaede put her arm around Kagome's shoulders and walked her to Sango's hut, as Kagome wept bitterly.

Inuyasha silently thanked Kaede for removing Kagome from the situation. She didn't need to witness his death at the hands of Miroku. He didn't realize what had happened, but suddenly the fog began to clear and he realized where he was as he saw the huge skeleton in front of him.

'My old man', he thought, realizing the deed had been done. Miroku had carried out his final wish. He was now dead and in the place between this world and the next. What he didn't know, was why was he here?

"You don't belong here." Inuyasha heard a voice say.

"What? Who said that?"

"I did.", a man said as he walked into view, "You don't belong here, Inuyasha."

Recognition filled Inuyasha's face. He had only seen this person once before and that moment was fleeting. But the moment had seared itself into his memory.

'Father', he thought, as he stared at the older man, but his disrespectful self wasn't far behind, "HMPH! So whaddya know? My old man is here to greet me in the afterlife.", he scoffed.

"Welcome you? No. As I said, you don't belong here. It was not your time to die, my son."

"Well, I'm here now. Nothing I can do about it now, can I?"

"I doubt you will remain here. That is why you are here and your spirit hasn't moved on."

Confused, Inuyasha looked at his father and queried, "Moved on to where? And why are you here?"

"Your soul should move on to either heaven or hell but it hasn't. Your soul has remained anchored here because you do not belong in either netherworld yet. I am here simply as a guide. I will not be able to remain here very long. I requested to see you when I realized you were here and my wish was granted.

"Why did you request that, old man?"

"So we could talk, my son."

Back in the present day world, Miroku and Kaede began to prepare Inuyasha's body for his funeral. A fire pyre had been erected, one fit for the warrior that Inuyasha was. Kagome stayed hidden in Sango's house the whole time, spending her time with Yasha. Yasha tried to be a big boy about it all. He talked to his mama and told her what his papa had told him before Inuyasha had left for the final time.

"Papa said he might not come back, Mama. He told me that if dat happened dat I would be da man of da house and I was to take care of you and the baby. I want to do dat, mama."

This only made Kagome feel worse. How could Inuyasha lay such an enormous burden on such a small child? But, then, she remembered that Inuyasha had been on his own from a very young age. She hugged Yasha and said to him,

"I know you want to take care of me and the baby. After Papa's funeral, we are going back to Grandmama's home and we'll stay there forever, ok, sweetie?" Miroku had told Kagome about Inuyasha's final request for her and Yasha and, knowing Inuyasha had their best interests at heart, agreed. Tamae had informed her to visit her in the modern era and she would train Kagome in the powerful demon ninja witchcraft that Tamae had been trained in. With Kagome's pure heart and soul, Tamae knew she could entrust such powerful secrets to Kagome.

The villagers gathered for Inuyasha's funeral. As Kagome and Yasha left the sanctuary of Sango's house, Miroku and Kaede came to her. Protocol dictated that, if possible, the wife of the fallen soldier was to light the funeral pyre. As Kagome took the lighted torch, she prepared to light the wood beneath the pyre, when she heard a loud, audible gasp from the crowd. Turning around, she heard Kohaku, in a scolding voice, say,

"RIN! Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you and Uyeda!", he exclaimed, as Rin dismounted Kirara. Ignoring her husband, Rin shouted,

"Kagome! Don't light that!", Rin yelled, urgently. As Kagome and the others tried to comprehend what was happening, a pinkish ball encircled Rin and settled to the ground, exposing the occupant.

"Sesshoumaru!", Kagome breathed his name.