Chapter 11
- Rebirth -

Sealed away
Until the time is right
Returned to the Cauldron for another time
- The Prophecy of Ages

Inuyasha woke up in a gorgeous warmth, and slowly opened his eyes. Snapping up, he looked around. Nothing.

"What the..." he said. "Where am I?"

He got up and examined himself. No scratches, no bruises, no nothing, but he was wearing a strange white outfit of a loose shirt and

pants.

"Let's see...how could I have gotten here?" he thought aloud. "Umm...Naraku sent this weird miasma to us and...I got knocked out, and

now I'm here..."

He looked around confusedly.

"So...where is everyone?" he said. "What is this place, anyways?"

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, where are you?" he heard someone say.

"Kagome?" he said. "Kagome, is that you?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice said. "Where are you? I can't see you!"

"I can't either..." Inuyasha replied. "Just follow my voice,"

"Wait! I see you!" Kagome said, and instantly, she came into view. "Inuyasha!"

She jumped into his chest and hugged him tightly.

"Kagome!" he said. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she said. "but where are we?"

"Nirvana?" Miroku's voice suggested, as he and Sango ambled into view. "I have no idea,"

"Hey! Where is everybody?" Kaoru's voice called. "Anyone here?"

"Yeah! We're over here!" Inuyasha called. "You okay?"

"Just fine!" Kenshin replied, as he and the rest of them appeared. "Do you know where we are?"

"Nope," Miroku replied.

"You think we're...dead...?" Yahiko said.

"'fraid so," said Koga's voice, as the wolf demon appeared. "I bet Kikyo'd like to explain, eh priestess?"

The ethereal woman came into view and smiled.

"He's right," she said. "Hello, everyone, it's rather nice to see you again,"

Everyone gaped at her, before Kagome spoke.

"So...we're dead..." she said.

"Not as bad as I thought it would be," Miroku said.

"Not Nirvana, but just as nice," said a soft voice.

"Ma!" Inuyasha said, and ran into her arms. "Is it...is it really you this time?"

"Yes," she said with a smile. "I've been waiting for you,"

He almost started to cry as he fell into his mother's arms.

"My son, where is my son?" said a growly voice. The giant wolf appeared, with Rin still riding it.

"Mother!" Sesshoumaru cried, and reverted to his dog form as he nestled against the wolf. He was surprised to find that his missing arm

had returned.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin said, hugging the giant dog tightly around the neck. "I'm so happy to see you,"

Sesshoumaru growled contentedly.

"I suppose you must be confused," someone said. "My half-brother never told you about his mother, did he?"

The girl that had been riding the wolves into battle appeared with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you," she said. "but the circumstances are a bit...unlikeable. I'm San, Sesshoumaru's half-sister,"

"Half-sister?" they said. "Are you a demon?" Kagome asked.

"A wolf," she said with all seriousness.

"Actually, she's human," said the man with a smile. "She's not related to Sesshoumaru by blood, but she was raised by the same mother as

him,"

"Ashitaka!" she retorted.

"My apologies," said Ashitaka. "I am Ashitaka, last prince of the Emishi,"

"Wow, you're really old," Kagome said. "The Emishi were massacred at the beginning of the 9th century,"

"Actually..." Ashitaka explained. "a small tribe of us retreated to the East and lived there for 500 years,"

"You're kidding!" Kagome said. "Wow!"

"We actually lived at the same time as you, when the Jewel first shattered," San said. "I heard a lot about you from travelers who

happened to meet us,"

"Serious?" Inuyasha said. Both of them nodded.

"But none of that really matters now," Clow said, appearing nearby. "We're dead now, aren't we?"

"That is true," said Serenity's voice, and she appeared with her team of Soldiers. "but this isn't the end,"

"You're only gonna be reborn!" said the pink girl. "All of us are! We still have a job to do!"

"Wait...what?" said Sanosuke. "Reborn? LIke...reincarnation? So I could come back as a dog or something?"

"That's right, but you'll be a human for sure," laughed Captain Sagara. "When the time is right, we'll all come back, because there's still

darkness in the world,"

"I couldn't get rid of it completely, I'm afraid, " said a gothic looking Soldier, a sullen look on her face.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Saturn..." Serenity said. "You did your best, and it will take quite a while for them to heal and return,"

Saturn smiled a little.

"So...all of us are going to be together again?" said Inuyasha. Serenity nodded.

"You won't remember anything or anyone, but yes, you will," she said. "And hopefully, you'll start to remember things once the ball gets

rolling,"

"Ball...?" said a few people.

"A figure of speech," she said with a slight laugh. "There will be more, too,"

"Us!" said the military-robed people.

"Who are you?" Kenshin asked.

"We're from another world, but our souls are tied, nonetheless," said the blonde boy in the center. "So we'll meet again, in some way,"

"We will too," said one of the ninjas, appearing with the rest of them. "We won't remember anything, but we'll be helping you,"

"As will we," said one of the wolves. "Don't worry, you'll find us all again when the time comes,"

"So...when will it happen?" Inuyasha said. "When will we...melt into oblivion?"

"Pretty soon, so you should say your goodbyes," Serenity said.

"There's no need," Inuyasha said. "I think...I think that we're good,"

"Before we go...may I ask something?" Clow asked.

"Of course," Serenity said. Clow walked over and whispered something in her ear.

"Yes, you can do that," she said. "Just concentrate when you feel yourself being dissolved. It'll work,"

Clow smiled and rejoined everyone.

"Wait!" Kagome said. "Where's Shippo? Where's Kirara?"

"There were survivors," Serenity said. "Don't worry, they'll be fine. There's one last thing to do before we go, but you don't need to worry

about it. They'll be waiting for you when you return,"

"Goodbye," the purple Soldier said. "I'll see you again in a century or two,"

Each couple held each other tight, and Miroku and Sango gave each other their first and last kiss together.

Then, they were gone, their souls melted into the cauldron and asleep once more.

-/-

Shippo slowly opened his eyes, and horrifiedly gazed at the horrible scene around him. From the little light the moon provided, he could

see blood and a hazy mist everywhere, and Inuyasha's dead body was sprawled out next to Kagome, his robes stained from head to toe

in blood, and Tetsusaiga lying helplessly near his arm.

"Ki...kirara...?" he said meekly (because she was the last thing she remembered). "Kirara, where are you...?"

"Shippo? Shippo, are you alive?"

"Where are you!" Shippo called. "I can't see!"

He felt someone grab him, and his first reaction was to scream, but when he heard Kirara's familiar voice, he calmed down.

"Oh, thank god you're okay!" she cried. "I've been looking everywhere for survivors, and I thought you were dead..."

"Is there...is there anyone else?" Shippo said.

"Clow's Guardians, but nobody else..." Kirara said. "There's nothing but dead bodies and bare battlegrounds for miles. I spent all day

searching,"

"What happened...?" Shippo said, still in a bit of a daze.

"I don't know if it was that last blast or Naraku or both, but something managed to irradicate nearly all life for miles. Trees, animals,

humans, everything," Kirara said.

"Oh no..." Shippo said. "So everything...?"

"Everything," Kirara said mournfully. "Come on, I made a fire not too far away,"

The four guardians were huddled together sullenly with Clow's body not too far away.

"So, what are we going to do?" Yue said. "There's no life for miles around,"

"We'll just have to make do with what we have," Kirara said. "Maybe go get help later,"

"Oh! Look! Look at the sky!" Ruby Moon said, pointing to something. "The stars are falling!"

Everyone looked to see what she was pointing at, and she spoke the truth.

"Huh," Kirara said. "I heard once from a wise man that when a star falls from the sky, a soul is put to rest,"

"I've never heard that before," Yue said. "but it does seem comforting, that Clow-sama is at rest,"

"But what do you think we're gonna do now?" Cerberus said.

"If Yuuko's still alive, I suppose we'll have to go live with her," Spinel Sun said. "though it's highly unlikely, considering this damage,"

Shippo stared deeply into the fire as the stars continued to fall until morning.

The next morning, the four guardians stole away from the camp for a little privacy as they sat around Clow's body.

"Okay, we have to make a decision," Ruby Moon said. "Do we really wanna remember this?"

"I don't," Yue said mournfully. "Because Master is gone, we won't have much power left, and we'll fade away, eventually,"

"Why don't we modify our memories?" Spinel Sun said. "And I'm sure Master would not want a death like this imprinted in his soul,"

"So, it's agreed?" Cerberus said. "We'll modify our memories so that it seemed like Clow died at home,"

"Agreed," everyone said.

"But if I'm correct..." Spinel Sun said. "We won't have enough power to pull it off,"

"Don't worry," Yue said with a smile. "I'm going to give up my memories as Yukito,"

"Are you serious?" Ruby Moon said.

"Memories hold the most magic, it's a plain fact of life," Yue said. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. It's just that when I'm Yukito, I won't

remember when I'm Yue, if we're reborn or something,"

Ruby Moon looked at him worriedly.

"Don't worry!" he said again. "It's going to be fine,"

"I'll just have to agree with you," Ruby Moon said. "Okay, let's go,"

They closed their eyes.

"Memories of Clow, our Master," they chanted. "alter for a peaceful future, for the day when we return."

A pulse of energy surged through them, and they fell to the ground in their temporary forms. Kirara felt this disturbance and woke up, and

when she saw what had happened, rushed to them.

"Oh god!" she said urgently. "Oh god, oh god, oh god!"

She tried to get a hold on herself.

"They...they did some kind of magic," Kirara said. "They're almost out of energy,"

She looked at them sadly.

"I hope they're okay..." she thought aloud. "I should wait..."

"That won't be necessary," someone said.

"Serenity!" Kirara said, seeing the shining woman standing in front of her.

"They modified their memories," she said, looking at Yukito. "And they'll stay sleeping until Clow is reborn,"

"Reborn?" said Kirara. Serenity nodded peacefully.

"Yes, they still have a role to play," she said. "They'll revert to their Soul mode soon, and you'll be able to care for them easier."

"Care for them?" said Kirara. "I don't understand..."

"There is much to be explained, I know," said Serenity. "Clear your mind and I will show what needs to be done,"

She placed a pure white hand on her forehead, and although no words were spoken, she knew immediately what was to be done.

"I understand," she said. "But what of Shippo?"

"He has a role to play as well," said Serenity. "Now: look around you,"

Kirara obeyed, to find that...things had returned to the way they should be. She was standing in the shade of the tree, Yukito and the rest

of the Guardians slumped against the trunk.

"How did you...?" she began, but Serenity put a finger on her lips.

"This world's time is not over yet," she said. "Time has been placed back to how it should be...but unfortunately, your comrades can't be

revived,"

"A memorial service is to be performed, then?" said Kirara, looking at the ground. Serenity nodded.

"It would ease the pain," she said. "I must go now,"

"I understand," said Kirara. "My duty is clear,"

"Go, my child," said Serenity. "The Guardian and the Warrior must fufill their roles in order for the Chosen to return,"

"And perform my duty, I will," said Kirara. "Goodbye, my queen. I shall be on the watch,"

Serenity nodded and smiled, slowly fading away.

"Until next time..."

Kirara sighed and went off to find Shippo, who was still sleeping by the dead fire.

Next
- Honor