A/N: So, once again, Takahashi-sama has to go all Kikyou/Inuyasha/Kagome love triangle on us. I had thought that with 50 chapters left (meaning its FINALLY ending in early 2007) that there would have been less of the angst and more Inu/Kagness.
Well, obviously not. With this week's chapter, she has to remind us ONE MORE TIME that Kikyou and Inuyasha once loved each other, and then died by Naraku, and Kagome thinks she can never break the bond between them, blah blah blah…
headdesk Kikyou, I like your character and all, you're really fun to write and work out, and you kick serious butt in the video game, but girl, you are DEAD. PLEASE let Inuyasha know he can move on so we won't have this constant angst!
I also think its partially Inu's fault as well. He needs to just learn to let go. I mean, come on! His girlfriend died, and is now back in a clay form driven by the memory of her hatred of him. Does he REALLY think he still has a chance with her?
I think it's mostly a guilt trip on his part, but still… headdesk I think that if anyone's still reading Inuyasha after 450 chapters, they would know the Kikyou/Inuyasha/Kagome love triangle very well.
And now after my rant, the chapter you've all been waiting for!
Chapter 27: A Hanyou is…
"Heh. That won't work on me." Naraku set up his barrier instantly as Hiraikotsu was once again thrown at him. The boomerang hit the red barrier, and was deflected, causing Sango to gasp just as her own weapon hit her, knocking her back several feet.
"Sango!" Miroku cried, running to her, but he knew he wouldn't be fast enough to catch Naraku as he shot out with his tentacles once again—
There was a loud cry of "Kaze no Kizu!" when suddenly, a flash of light followed by the Naraku's tentacles that were outside the barrier disintegrating. Naraku and everyone looked on in surprise at this happening, and even more when the dust cleared to reveal a very angry Inuyasha, still in battle position, with Kagome at his side.
"Inuyasha!" Miroku, Sango, and Shippou gasped, even though they had already heard from Kouga that he had survived and was back to being a hanyou.
The wolf rolled his eyes as Inuyasha joined them in the fight, with ferocity in his eyes. "Had to enter with a bang, did you mutt?"
"Keh, it's no better than what you do." Inuyasha retorted, glaring as Naraku surveyed them.
"Little brother, no matter how much you deny it, you always have to make a show of things." Sesshoumaru, whom Inuyasha and Kagome had just noticed was there, remarked.
The hanyou stared. "Wait…how did you get here?"
"He arrived shortly before you did, Inuyasha." Miroku explained. "He said he was looking for you as a youkai, but then decided to help us."
Inuyasha snorted. "Help?"
"I don't believe that this fight is strictly limited to you and our father's fang, Inuyasha." The youkai glared. "It has nothing to do with you, it is a settling of scores between Naraku and myself."
After a second of giving a small growl at his older half-brother, Inuyasha turned away, muttering "Keh."
Naraku had recovered from Inuyasha's attack and glared as an unpleasant frown appeared on his face. "Hn, so you were able to escape my trap, Inuyasha, and the girl with you."
"Yeah, that's right!" He yelled, putting a protective arm around Kagome as they looked up at Naraku. "Even your dirtiest tricks won't keep me from her!"
"Indeed." Naraku's eyes narrowed. "Not even my most elaborate of plans will keep you two from being all over each other like a pair of rabbits, I'm sure."
With that comment, Inuyasha glared, while Kagome put a calming hand on his shoulder, "Inuyasha…" it wouldn't do for him to get worked up now!
"No, Kagome," he said, brushing aside her comforting hand. "I know what I'm doing. For this…hurting you, trying to pull us apart…for everything that he's done…" he glared up at Naraku as he yelled, "It ends now!" by throwing a "Kaze no Kizu!" at him once more, only to be deflected by Naraku's barrier.
The corner's of Naraku's mouth twisted into a smirk. "Oh? So you wish to challenge me head on? That can be arranged."
Suddenly, a barrier sprung up around Inuyasha, and to their surprise, it separated him and Naraku from everyone else, including Kagome. "Inuyasha!" she cried, once she was separated, beating against the barrier, only to be forced back by a jolt of energy from it.
"Kagome!" he yelled, running to her, to discover with a jolt of energy that he could not escape from the barrier either, and not even Tessaiga's power could break it. Running out of options, Inuyasha told her, "Kagome, just stay there, all right? Tend to the wounded."
He surveyed his friends, and saw that Sango, Kohaku, and a few others were in need of some help.
"But Inuyasha…"
"No, Kagome." Inuyasha cut her off sharply. "You're safe. Leave him to me, I'll be fine. You just go help the others."
For a second, it looked like she was going to refuse, but with one last pleading look from him, Kagome turned away sharply, and ran over to the others, rushing to Sango's side first.
After he watched her go, Inuyasha turned back and faced Naraku, still encased in his own personal barrier, with a grin on his face as he watched the two torn lovers. Inuyasha tried not to think about Kagome as he raised his sword, intent of sending Naraku to hell.
Naraku asked coolly, "Still worried about your lover? Do not worry, Inuyasha. She is quite safe from me here. I do not have any use for her if I can defeat you easily."
Raising Tessaiga to strike, Inuyasha muttered, "Keh. Naraku, your death was sealed the moment you made an enemy of me." And with a flash of light from his sword, it had begun.
"How are you Sango, do you need anything else?" Kagome asked, using bandages and supplies from her kit that had been in her pack that had been taken there on Kirara.
The youkai exterminator shook her head. "I'll manage. Go tend to Kohaku. Naraku scraped him up pretty bad when he tried to get the shikon shard."
Kagome nodded and packed up her first aid kit, to run over to Kohaku, but suddenly, there was a large flash of light from inside of the barrier, that caught her eye. She gasped as the dust cleared, seeing Inuyasha falling to his knees and clutching his chest, the Tessaiga slumping in his grip. "Inuyasha!" she cried in horror, running back towards the barrier. Even in that short amount of time, Inuyasha wasn't looking good. Naraku had managed to give him tons of scraped, with his own blood staining his white shirt. The way he clutched his chest, it seemed that he might have broken a few ribs, each one paining him greatly.
"Inuyasha, Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, beating her fists against he red barrier, receiving only mild shocks of pain in return. "Inuyasha!"
He glanced at her, seeing the woman he loved frantically trying to come to him. "Ka…gome…"
"Fool of a miko." Naraku grinned. "You cannot come within this barrier. You will have to watch from outside.
"No!" Kagome yelled, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "I won't be separated from him! Inuyasha!"
An unfazed voice said, "Screaming like that will do you no good." Kagome turned and saw Kikyou beside her, surveying the barrier and Inuyasha within it, his figure slightly distorted because of it. "You do not have enough spiritual power now to dissolve this barrier, but with two mikos…" Kikyou raised her hand, pink light collecting in her palm. "It shall be easy."
Kagome reached inside herself, begging her miko powers to appear when she most needed them. They responded once more, as they always did when she was in dire need, and she copied Kikyou, allowing the purification energy to be emitted.
But as Kikyou tested dissolving the barrier, Kagome could see her eyes were on Inuyasha, looking worried…and…guilty about something? Kagome could barely believe her eyes. Why would Kikyou feel guilty about what had happened to him?
Naraku felt his barrier being weakened by the power of two mikos, and he glanced over, seeing Kikyou and Kagome ejecting their powers of purification on to it, causing the barrier to begin to flicker an weaken. His eyes narrowed, he couldn't have that, not now, when he was so close to getting what he wanted—And suddenly, Naraku's red eyes brightened up as he came up with an idea.
Raising his hand towards the two mikos, Naraku looked back down at Inuyasha, who was starting to get up. "Inuyasha, you said before that my dirtiest tricks won't even keep you from Kagome." The hanyou gasped as he heard her name, guessing what he would do. "But, I beg to differ."
Suddenly, Naraku sent a bolt of red light from no where, it flying right past Inuyasha and towards the barrier. Inuyasha only had time to take one step, screaming her name in terror, while Kagome gasped seeing the red light fly at her, unable to block it.
There was a great flash of red light as Kikyou found herself flying and landing hard on the dirt, being blasted away with the power of Naraku's attack. Kagome screamed in pain as the red light cut through her like knives, deep rips appearing in her blue skirt and shirt, and even slashes so powerful that they brought holes even to Inuyasha's haori still around her. Blood burst from every cut in her body, the sudden pain almost unbearable.
When the light cleared, Kagome could see Inuyasha inside the barrier, looking at what had happened in horror. A small line of blood tricked out of the corner of her mouth as she whispered, "Inu…yasha…" her vision blurring. She swayed, collapsing on the ground, trickles of blood following her in her wake.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, seeing his friends gather around her, not able to hear what they were saying. His heart clenched; he had just seen the woman he loved attacked so fiercely that it was probable that she was dead, and he was unable to do anything…All because of Naraku.
Amber eyes narrowed and clawed fists clenched as Inuyasha thought, It's all because of Naraku…everything happened because of him!
Growling, Inuyasha turned to face him, hatred filling his eyes as he could not control his intense rage. And as he raised his sword, intent of causing the one before him more pain then he had ever felt in his life, Naraku was sure he saw a flash of red in those amber eyes.
Inuyasha screamed in fury, running towards Naraku and his barrier, turning the Tessaiga into its crystal form, his eyes flickering dangerously from amber to red, Naraku smirking the whole time.
Slowly, unfased by Inuyasha's attack, just as the hanyou got close enough to release his wrath, Naraku slowly opened his palm, revealing the purple tainted shikon no tama, its aura pulsing eerily.
And all hell broke loose in Inuyasha's mind.
Screaming with the pain of the youkai trying to take over again, Inuyasha dropped his sword and fell to his knees, the nails in his clenched fists digging into his palms as he fought control.
But it was different from before. A second earlier, he had unknowingly been accepting the youkai in his with the rage of seeing his lover nearly killed, and now the youkai demanded his soul. Inuyasha thought of Kagome, and mentally screamed at himself to remain a hanyou for her, but thinking of Kagome only brought on the hate that had been released from him at seeing her hurt, driving him further to his youkai.
Kagome had just opened her eyes, after having been revived from her encounter by her friends, looked up to see him struggling with himself inside of the barrier while Naraku laughed. "Inuyasha!" she screamed, but he didn't hear her plea as he slowly fell to his youkai side.
Thinking of Kagome was no good now, the rage filling him up every time he tried. Now he had nothing to hold on to, no thing to grasp to keep him in his own conciousness. The deep growling emerged from Inuyasha's chest, his eyes starting to turn red, and he could feel his fangs and nails growing, the purple stripes appearing on his cheeks. He gave a cry of resistance, twitching while the battle raged in his mind. No…please…I can't turn…I can't turn!
The tragedy had returned to Kikyou's eyes as she watched Inuyasha turn youkai in horror. Covering her gasp, and feeling tears begin to return to her eyes. "Inuyasha…" she whispered, no one hearing her as she did.
Despite the pain, and the fact that she was still bleeding in some areas, her clothes badly torn and hanging off her limply, Kagome stood up and ran to the barrier, crying, "No, Inuyasha! Don't go youkai! Stay a hanyou! Please!" There was no change, and she continued, "I need you, Inuyasha! I need you as a hanyou! Don't give in! Stay a hanyou for me!"
It seemed that her voice worked. Inuyasha's convulsing and cries stopped, and he fell limp for a second, as if released from its hold. Slowly, he rose up, Kagome only seeing the back of his head, but he was all right now, that's all that mattered.
Hope broke out on her face covered in cuts as she asked, "Inuyasha…?" as he slowly turned.
Only to reveal crimson eyes, long fangs, and purple stripes spread across his cheeks.
Everyone gasped and Kagome screamed in terror of seeing him like this, "Inuyasha!"
Naraku gave a chuckle as Inuyasha walked slowly towards them, like a hunter waiting for his prey. "He cannot hear your voice anymore. His deep desire to destroy me has driven him to this state, and he will not wake this time. Kagome, his feelings for you drive him to madness, the curse still existing within him." Naraku said with a glance at Kikyou.
Inuyasha came closer, claws ready as an insane grin filled his face, his crimson and blue eyes flashing with bloodlust. There was nothing they could do, they were already weakened, and he was going to kill them, and they knew it.
Sesshoumaru was the only one that took action. He walked past Kagome, pointing Toukijin in front of him, aimed at Inuyasha. "Stand aside, girl. I will release my brother's soul here."
She gasped in terror. "You're going to kill him?"
"It is the only way now." The stoic youkai replied. "His soul has been devoured by the youkai, driven on by his hate against Naraku. Nothing can bring him back now, not even you."
As Sesshoumaru pointed his sword at youkai Inuyasha, and Inuyasha began to charge, Kagome whispered, "No…" she glanced at Inuyasha, running at full speed towards them, the barrier slightly dissolving so Inuyasha could pass through it, with intent to kill. "No…" Sesshoumaru leveled his sword at Inuyasha's chest, his amber eyes glaring as blue power began to fill Toukijin, charging up for its most powerful attack.
The daiyoukai glared at his younger brother, driven to madness. The blue light from Toukijin pulsed faster as Inuyasha was only yards away. Sesshoumaru only said one word as Inuyasha came closer. "Die."
"No!" Kagome screamed, just as light began to erupt from Toukijin, and without thinking of the ferocity in Inuyasha's crimson eyes, or the power that Sesshoumaru had just began to release, she ran towards Inuyasha, slamming into him, and wrapping her arms around him, gripping him tightly. "Inuyasha…"
In and instant, Sesshoumaru, stopped his attack, not wanting to get an innocent girl hurt, as Shippou screamed, "Kagome!"
"Kagome-chan!" Sango cried in horror.
But Kagome didn't let go. A single tear escaped her eyes as she continued clutching him, saying, "Don't give in, Inuyasha…"
Inuyasha had his claws raised, ready to kill her, but something stopped him, and he didn't know what. Suddenly, his mind which had been raging in bloodlust was assaulted with images of the girl that had just foolishly ran to him.
Kagome smiled and laughed…the laughter filling his heart after he had gone so long without hearing it…She lightly kissed him on the lips, whispering, "I love you, Inuyasha…"…She hugged him back, showing him how much she loved him, despite him being a hanyou that wasn't supposed to be loved…
Kagome had been the first person he had trusted…and he had opened up to her in a way that he had never opened up to anyone else…He had always wanted to protect her, to always be by her side…Never wanting to leave her…
No matter what he had done, Kagome had always stood by him…She had promised to never leave his side, and she never did…She was always there, for him…She had forgiven him when he hadn't treated her the way she deserved, and she had loved him despite all his faults…She, a human, had loved a hanyou that didn't deserve his love, despite everything.
Kagome…Inuyasha's mind thought, all thoughts of killing her fleeing his mind as he saw her, brave enough to come to him despite his form. Kagome… her beautiful scent enveloped him, making him remember the first time he had smelled it, when he was sealed to Goshinboku…and how he had lied at first, saying he hated it, but then later telling her the truth.
When he had first met her, still scarred with what happened to him and Kikyou, he only wanted to hate her, being the reincarnation of the woman that killed him. But slowly…she had somehow found her way into his heart, and though he didn't notice it right away, he had loved her for the longest time. Words could not explain how much he loved her now, and sometimes actions weren't enough…she would never know the extent of his love, how deeply and passionately he cared for her…He needed her, sometimes more than he knew…
His youkai side fought back, making him cringe and turn away as it assaulted once more on his mind, telling him to take the life of this girl, her blood only the beginning. The youkai urge to kill was strong in him, and it was taking all his strength to force his claws down.
Kagome…his one true love. The girl that had liberated him from a life of sorrow. There was no way he could ever repay what she did for him, yet she had never wanted him too. She was content to be with him, even with all his faults, and all she had ever asked for was his love in return, which he gladly gave.
Could he give her up now, after all that she meant for him?
He had always been afraid of his youkai blood, having been afraid of it to devour his soul. Inuyasha had always thought of it stronger, because it had so much of a hold on his mind, a hold that could take him over, and make him do what it wanted.
But he had been wrong. There was something stronger than youkai blood; a hanyou's love.
Suddenly, Inuyasha's long clawed hands pulled Kagome towards his chest to her surprise, as he used her love in return as his strength. He fought his youkai side, their combined, deep feelings starting to push it back. It retaliated mercilessly, sometimes making his youkai features appear again after they had begun to fade.
"I have faith in you, Inuyasha." Kagome said, her words echoing in his mind. He wasn't sure if she had them, or they were just a figment of his imagination, but nevertheless, her words gave him strength. "You can fight it, Inuyasha. I know you can."
Her smiling, laughing face that he had missed over four months, and had reappeared after so long burst into his mind, ejecting the youkai from him instantly.
Everyone who had been watching was holding their breath as they saw this, and suddenly, a pink light enveloped Inuyasha and Kagome, making them disappear in their eyes.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered, hugging him tighter as she felt his claws shrink down to their normal size.
"Kagome," he replied in his hanyou voice, nuzzling his nose slightly into her hair. "Thank you."
She looked up at him, with a puzzled look on her face, noticing that his cheeks still held the purple stripes, fading slowly. "What do you mean?"
Smiling, Inuyasha replied, "Thank you, for everything you've done. Without you…I wouldn't have been brought back."
A smile also came across her face. "I love you, Inuyasha." Kagome told him softly. "I'll always be there for you."
With that, Inuyasha hugged her tighter, as if holding on to her for dear life. "Kagome…I need you to do something for me...Please, promise me, that no matter what, you'll do it."
"I promise." she agreed. "What?"
Taking one last sniff at her beautiful scent, he told her, "Purify me."
She gasped, and pulled away, looking in his serious amber eyes. "But Inuyasha…" she whispered. "If I purify you…you'll die!"
"I am a hanyou right now, Kagome." Inuyasha told her. "Though it may kill me, because I'm only half youkai, it'll give me the time to destroy Naraku."
Tears began filling her eyes. "But why do you need to be purified?"
He pulled her back to his embrace, his chin resting on her head as he gently stroked her hair. "If I can break his barrier, then if you purify me, it'll kill him all in one…I went youkai once, the longer he's alive, there's more chance that he might do it again, and you might not bring me back the next time."
Kagome trembled. "I…I can't do it, Inuyasha…" Looking up at him with soggy eyes, she cried, "I can't do it…I can't kill you again, Inuyasha!"
"You promised, Kagome." He reminded her. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but it's the only way."
Tears began to fall down her cheeks, the memory of killing him the first time all too fresh in her mind. "No…Inuyasha, if you die, how could I live without you? Naraku would be defeated, but how could I live every day knowing that I had done it? How can you ask this of me when you know I can't—"
He cut her off with a gentle hand on her cheek, making her look into his eyes, which looked a little afraid. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I don't want to do this, but if we don't kill Naraku soon…I may end up killing you with my own hands. And it doesn't matter what happens to me, Kagome, if I did that to you…" he left off, not finishing, being too painful to even think about.
The pink light that had floated around them had begun to disappear, as they clung to each other desperately, knowing they might not have much time left. "I love you, Kagome." Inuyasha whispered once more. "And I want to protect you."
They were brought back into the scene of battle, once again surrounded by Naraku's barrier, though both of them were on his side now, looking up at a very annoyed Naraku. "So not even your foolish, human weakness is enough to keep you a youkai, Inuyasha?"
"Keh, that's right!" Inuyasha retorted, retrieving Tessaiga. "You just said, it was a human weakness. And a weakness is enough to remind me of who I am. Humans never give up, and are selfish in their desires." He glanced up at Naraku, with fierce eyes. "And I am half human, and not ashamed!"
"But didn't you hate your human side, at one time? A hanyou is nothing more than a weak, filthy mixture of two breeds." Naraku smirked. "I believe you once wanted the shikon no tama to turn yourself into a much stronger youkai. "
As he transformed the Tessaiga in a single swipe back to its true form, Inuyasha admitted, "I did, once. But youkai live a life of killing and blood, without remorse. I've lived that life, and I know, that is no way to live. To have someone to protect…" he stole a glance back at Kagome, standing next to him. "To have someone to love…that is what life should be about!"
Naraku raised an eyebrow at this noble speech, while Inuyasha continued, "Youkai have enough strength to do what they want, and humans have a heart that has the capability to love, and live life with joy despite their suffering. And when a human heart and youkai strength mix, you get a hanyou. And a hanyou is someone who has the strength to protect the one they love!"
Kagome knew that was her cue. She wrapped her arms around him, supporting him from behind, a single tear escaping her eyes once more. She grasped his right hand with her left, a soft golden light coming from their entwined hands as a pink light began to envelop them.
Inuyasha noticed only too late what she was doing. When their mating scars touched, their souls merged, allowing them to be one. She was going to purify him…but if he died, she would go with him, and he could do nothing about it.
But he had no time to argue, before Naraku realized what was going on. Raising Tessaiga and transforming it into its crystal form, Inuyasha yelled, "And I'll show you what kind of power a hanyou has!"
With that, he screamed louder than ever before, "Kongousouha!" and the diamond spears flew towards Naraku, followed by a flash of pink light coming from Tessaiga and both of them at the same time as Kagome did as she was asked. The pink light once again enveloped Kagome and Inuyasha, only this time, there was no assurance that they'd come out.
Naraku's red eyes went wide as he saw this, having not expected Kagome to have the inner strength to purify Inuyasha once more. Naraku didn't have a chance to do anything as the diamonds slammed into him, ripping his body to shreds, and then the pink light flew by, enhanced by Inuyasha and Kagome's deep feelings for each other, enveloping him completely.
The bystanders squinted as they watched, unable to see anything that had occurred. They saw within the light a shape…looking round and pulsing—Naraku's heart. One last diamond spear shot through it, impaling it instantly.
With that, there was a great roar, like that of a hurricane, as tentacles suddenly erupted from the impaled heart, flying in all directions, Kouga was able to outrun a few at him, and Sesshoumaru blocked them with his sword, but nothing could be done about the one headed for Sango. Miroku jumped for her to save her—
And there was a sudden squelching sound, the sound of someone having been impaled.
Sango opened her eyes in horror, to see something she didn't expect…Kohaku had jumped in front of her, trying to save his sister. As the tentacle dissolved away, he turned back to his sister, whispering while blood trickled from his wound and from his mouth. "Ane-ue…" He slumped to his knees. "Now father can…forgive me…" and fell to the ground, his sister gasping as she leaned over him in horror.
The pink light dispersed, Naraku having been dissolved by the power as the light of late afternoon shifted back to normal, the dark purple glow around the castle leaving, and the castle illusion dissolving back into what it really was; a plain, empty field.
The almost complete shikon no tama, now pink with purification, fell to the ground with a small plink, having been won from the clutches of evil.
And Kagome and Inuyasha were lying apart from each other on the ground, having been blown apart in the process. As they opened their eyes, they realized that they were alive, because their combined souls and innocent love was pure enough, they had been spared.
Everyone stared at the spot where Naraku had been, and where the shikon no tama now lay. Everything was silent as reality slowly sunk in—They had finally defeated Naraku. After so long, and so hard of a battle…they had won. He was dead, never to be brought back.
Now, they were free of the journey, free of the constant fear that he would take their lives.
Kirara transformed into her small form, and suddenly, Shippou ran up and hugged her, laughing with joy. Despite her worry over her younger brother, tears of joy, and not sadness fell from Sango's eyes. Miroku silently unwrapped the prayer beads from around his cursed hand, daring to hope…and suddenly, his indigo eyes went wide as he looked down at his right hand. A second later, he laughed in happiness, showing Sango a plain right hand, now free of the curse, and he hugged her tighter than ever, knowing their future was secured. While Sesshoumaru just rolled his eyes, sheathed his sword and left without a word, Naraku's defeat even brought a smile to Kouga and Kikyou's face.
And Inuyasha and Kagome—who had suffered so long, and who had thought they may never see this day—were perhaps the happiest of all. Kagome ran into Inuyasha's open arms, as he lifted her up and kissed her, spinning around in uncontrollable happiness until he put her down, kissing her again, hearing her joyful laughter as he pulled away, his heart melting at her smile.
Suddenly, a golden light seemed to glow from Inuyasha, and as they pulled away, puzzled, they saw it float out of his body, and disperse with the wind, leaving him for good. "Inuyasha…" Kagome gasped in realization. "It's the curse…it's been lifted."
"But…" he glanced around, looking for the miko that had originally cursed him. "How?"
Kikyou was on the tree line of the woods now, having left when everyone was having their celebration. She didn't belong in such ceremony, she was one of the dead, and now that Naraku was defeated, would have to return to that state.
She looked down at Inuyasha and Kagome, as they continued to kiss in joy, not caring if anyone was watching, and sighed. It's time…she realized. I should have done this long ago, and now it's pointless…
She extended her hand towards them, letting the curse that was within Inuyasha be destroyed for good. Kikyou remembered the time in between the worlds when the miko had left for death, and she soon discovered that the miko had left her the power to lift the curse.
"You're free now, Inuyasha." Kikyou whispered, her words being caught by the breeze. "You are free of the curse, and also of any feeling I had towards you or Kagome." Closing her eyes as she turned away, she added, "You can now live your life happily, not bound by any memory of me."
I shall finish up my work here, and then I will leave this earth forever. Kikyou smiled slightly as she looked up at the sky. I have longed for the peace of death for so long, and now, I shall finally go back.
Everyone's joy was cut short, as they heard Sango suddenly cry in anguish. At first, she thought Kohaku would live, but he had hidden from her how serious the injury was. Sango saw now how much blood he had lost. "Kohaku!" she cried, as everyone gathered around.
"Ane-ue…" he whispered, smiling slightly. "Please…be happy…don't be sad…I've seen you sad…over me so much…please don't be sad anymore…just be happy…I want to see you happy…Ane…ue…"
And he was gone.
Sango gave another cry, collapsing into Miroku's arms as she cried over her brother who had died once more.
Inuyasha and Kagome had come over as well, looking at the sight with pity in their eyes. Though they had defeated Naraku, they had lost much…
And it reminded them that though he was gone, they couldn't rest now. Kagome glanced at the shikon no tama lying in the grass. Naraku was dead, yet there was still much to be done.
A/N: The story's not over yet! …Man, it's 1:50 in the morning right now…I really don't know when to stop once I get into it…
I'll tell who won the contest in the last chapter (because It's way too late for me to check) and I have another contest for you. I want everyone to have their own defintion of a hanyou, and various prizes will be awarded for funny ones, or cool sounding ones, or just plain awesome ones. So, happy contesting!
