Chapter 12

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The group left the castle and walked towards Kaede's village. With Naraku vanquished, they didn't have anything left to do but gather the rest of the Shikon shards.

Miroku and Sango had decided to leave the group and go their separate ways.

"But where will you go?" Kagome asked.

Sango looked at Miroku. "We'll probably build a hut in Kaede's village and stick close to that."

"I see." Kagome thought about that for a moment. "Wait, did you say 'we'?"

"Yes. Miroku and I have decided to live together and get married."

"Wow, that quick?"

"Well, it took me a while to realize it, but I do love him, and it's obvious he loves me, so we decided to stay together."

"That's great!" Elli said.

"I know!" Miroku replied. Everyone rolled their eyes.

"What are you going to do, Elli?" Kagome asked.

"I'm going to stay with Koga."

"You're going to be his mate?"

"Yeah. He's a great guy, I don't know how you ever passed him up!"

Kagome laughed. "Good luck to you guys!"

"What will you, Inuyasha, and Shippo do?"

"Scour the countryside looking for the last of the Shikon shards."

"What are you going to do once you've got them all?"

"I'm going to become a full-fledged demon," Inuyasha said.

Kagome looked away. Elli looked at Kagome. "I see. Are you sure?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I? What reason do I have to stay like this?"

"She's standing right next to you."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. "Yeah right, like she cares."

"I do care, Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. "I like you just the way you are! Becoming a full-fledged demon won't make you happier! You'll lose everyone that you love or care for, and the friends you have now won't want to have anything to do with you! And plus, I really do like you as a half-demon."

"You mean that?"

"Of course! I've learned to say what I mean when I'm around you."

"Then I guess I'll stay like this for a while, for you, Kagome."

"Really?" Kagome's eyes watered.

"Yeah, just don't go gettin' all mushy on me, save the waterworks."

"Well, now that that's settled, what are we gonna do now?" Elli asked.

"Why don't we all spend the night together for old time's sake and talk about things," Miroku said. "Not to mention, I feel incomplete without my Wind Tunnel."

"I can imagine, but at least you have no reason to go around asking every woman to bear your child. And I'll leave you if you do," Sango said.

"Yes, but my lecherous ways won't change. Don't expect that."

"How could I?" Miroku was grabbing Sango's butt again. "And I won't stop doing this!" She slapped him and gave him a black eye.

"Ouch..."

"Well, Miroku had a good idea, about the spending the night together thing. I think we should do that," Elli said.

And so Inuyasha, Kagome, Elli, Koga, Shippo, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Elli's sabers stayed together that night, reminiscing. The next morning, everyone went their separate ways: Elli, Koga, and Elli's sabers to Koga's wolf den, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo into the woods, and Miroku, Sango, and Kirara off to Kaede's village. They made plans to meet up every now and then, and they surely will.