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Parting Ways

And they took each other by the hand and went forth from the great castle.


Sesshomaru stared at the black jewel shard in his hand and grunted. He would never understand why demons still sought the damned things; they were obviously much more trouble than they were worth.

After so many decades, his father's mistake still plagued the land.

The human girl was screaming, holding the half-demon's upper body to her chest and cradling his head on her shoulder. The sword—his father's powerful fang—lay forgotten beside her. Sesshomaru turned his head and found his mother standing a few feet behind. Setsumi's eyes went from the shard in his hand to the passed out boy, a wrinkle showing between her brows.

Is it possible that she is worried? Sesshomaru mused with something akin to humor. After she brought him here, knowing Father would not have wished it?

He felt like laughing.

Sesshomaru, he recalled his father saying. Do you have something to protect?

He could understand why Lord Toga hadn't wanted Inuyasha to have anything to do with this castle. Sesshomaru always knew, even though he'd stated the contrary, that the Inu no Taisho hadn't hid his second son out of shame. The life of a general had brought his father nothing but pain; the white dogs had been vanishing after too many fights among themselves and others, and the boy—a half-breed—would have been easily hunted and killed. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing in Sesshomaru's opinion, but he respected his father's will.

Now that he had Rin, he understood things way better. Would he have left her to such a predicament, or would he have wanted her to live a peaceful life?

Sesshomaru knew the answer to that, which made him want to rip open his mother's throat for bringing Inuyasha there.

Has she done it to lure me back? He wondered for the hundredth time since his arrival. Or would she have truly given her precious throne to a half-demon? Sesshomaru knew he might never know the answer, just as he might never know his mother.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when the Tetsusaiga suddenly transformed in a flash of light. His weakened half-brother had managed to close his fingers around its handle.

The boy turned from the girl's embrace, blindly swinging the sword at him. He still couldn't stand up, but Sesshomaru saw the determination in his tired eyes, the will to protect.

Straightening, the demon lord easily stepped out of range. His hand was still dripping with the boy's blood, and he refused to enter a fight with his opponent in such a state. Truthfully, he had no desire to battle the half-demon at all.

Sesshomaru's eyes fell upon the scabbard lying beside the girl's folded leg. The spinning dial displayed the password, and the kanji he read there made his blood boil.

Many words could have been expected from his father: 'protection', 'strength', 'affection', and maybe even 'love'...

But no. No, the word his father had chosen just had to be the only thing he hadn't been able to give him.

'Eternity'.

Was this the Inu no Taisho's promise to Inuyasha? It was an empty promise, at best.

Inuyasha's shaking legs managed to support him. He stood in front of the human girl with both his hands holding the sword, pointing it at Sesshomaru's chest. His shoulders were slumped and he looked like he'd fall at any second, but his eyes were still burning holes in Sesshomaru's face. The blade hummed a warning—it would protect the boy.

Father was protecting him from his very grave. He would do so forever through the Tetsusaiga.

He would do so for eternity.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened.

"Stay… back… you… bastard!" The boy managed to say between ragged breaths.

Sesshomaru snapped his fingers in warning; couldn't the stupid child see he meant him no harm? Didn't he know the hole in his back would heal soon enough? Had he led such a peaceful life that he didn't know what his blood could do?

"You have no reason to further hurt the boy, Sesshomaru." Setsumi huffed. "Let them be."

He turned his head sideways, giving his mother a blank look. Were they all stupid? Even this snake of a woman, who managed to always, always turn things around in her favor?

"I will not, if he doesn't act like a fool," Sesshomaru said slowly so everyone would understand.

Inuyasha's trembling arms suddenly gave in. Turning his wrists, he managed to drop the sword diagonally in front of his body, driving it into the ground (and breaking a few tiles, Sesshomaru noticed with annoyance). He still held the handle, making it look as if the Tetsusaiga were a shield. His golden eyes were closed; it seemed his strength had finally ended.

Suddenly, every hair on Sesshomaru's body stood on end. The air seemed charged with electricity. Even the human girl, still kneeling behind his brother, couldn't help but shiver.

Anyone who tried to hurt them would die. The sword would make sure of it—the sword his father had denied him.

The girl was frowning at Inuyasha's back. She abruptly got up and ran for the stairs, pumping her legs as fast as her human nature would allow it. For a moment, Sesshomaru thought she was running away, but she merely stopped at the end of the stairs and whistled.

He looked back at his mother, then at Rin's sleeping—dead—form lying on the throne. He would never forgive himself if he couldn't bring her back to life. Sesshomaru was losing precious time with these people.

A nekomata came flying from downstairs to meet the peasant girl. She mounted it with no hesitation, guiding the cat demon back to where Inuyasha stood.

"We're leaving this place," she declared, looking from Sesshomaru to his mother with hate in her eyes. No human, male or female, had ever looked at him like that. "If you follow us, I'll make you regret it." She paused, her eyebrows lowering. "I don't care if I die doing it, I will keep you away from him."

Setsumi gave her a little smirk, apparently amused. Sesshomaru just blinked at the girl as she dismounted the cat to retrieve the sword scabbard.

He thought she was mentally unstable.

"Inuyasha," she called, touching his face with one hand. His eyes opened a slit. "I need you to climb on Kirara," she instructed. "We're going home—now."

The sword transformed back into its rusty self. Inuyasha's step faltered, but the girl held him by the waist and turned to nod at the nekomata, who maneuvered him into its back. Without so much as sparing them a second glance, she climbed on behind Inuyasha, supporting his back even though he was bigger.

The boy looked sideways at Setsumi with a frown on his pale, sweaty face.

"So, you and I part here." Setsumi sighed. Her cold eyes roamed his face. "Goodbye, Inuyasha."

The foolish child seemed to be looking for something to say.

Your rage and confusion do not matter, Sesshomaru thought. She only ever cared about one person, and not even enough to respect his wishes.

"Let's go, Kirara," the human girl ordered, acting as blunt as the Snow Queen had.

They flew away, their white and black locks whipping in the wind, leaving Sesshomaru alone with his mother at last.

He turned to face her, tightening his fisted hand which held the Shikon shard. "Revive Rin."

"Will you stay, then?" Setsumi probed, her golden eyes narrowing.

You won this battle, Mother, but not the war, he thought. Our game continues until I best you again. To her, though, he only nodded curtly.

As she put her pearl necklace around Rin's neck, Sesshomaru couldn't help but taunt her.

"Would you have married him, Mother?" He sneered. Setsumi's head snapped up. "He does look like Father, and there are no other white dogs... Or is it that you just wanted to buy this accursed dynasty a few more years with his life?"

"Watch it, son." She regarded him with wide, angry eyes. He revelled in such an honest response, at least for once. "I hate vulgarity."

The purple stone in the necklace shone, distracting her. Setsumi quickly put her impassive mask back into place.

"I would have married him off to a demoness with no animal blood." She tsked. "I did have a candidate in mind, but she would have to be… persuaded." Setsumi smiled. If Sesshomaru were still a child, it would have sent shivers down his spine. "Now that you are my heir again, she might be more willing, though. She's a wind sorceress."

Sesshomaru felt like spitting. A demoness with no animal blood… His mother did think of everything.

Before he could reply, Rin coughed and opened her brown eyes. Uncaring of his mother's presence, Sesshomaru leaned over her and touched her face.

"Lord Sesshomaru," the child murmured, offering him a tired smile. She placed her warm hand over his, and he had to suppress his urge to smile back.

Rin had come into his life without his wanting it, but he was responsible for her now.

"Where are we, my Lord?" She asked, struggling to sit. He put his hand on the small of her back to assist her.

"In Lord Sesshomaru's castle," the Snow Queen said before he could utter a word. The queen smiled at the child. "I am his mother." She briefly looked at Sesshomaru, satisfaction shining in her eyes. "You both will live with me now."

"Oh!" The girl blinked a few times at the queen. "Nice to meet you, my Lady." Rin smiled, unaware of the tension between mother and son.

Setsumi leaned down and gently lifted the necklace from the child's neck, putting it back on herself.

"And how did such a pretty little human thing like you die?" The Snow Queen asked sweetly.

"I opened a path to hell," Sesshomaru supplied. "I sought to straighten the Tenseiga. The guardian on the other side… caught Rin."

And it wasn't worth it, Sesshomaru mentally added. Although his freedom was a small price to pay for Rin's life, accidentally fulfilling his mother's plan wounded his pride.

He had been experimenting with the Meidou Zangetsuha, the technique of the dark portals. Sesshomaru had opened a meidou to hell, convinced that going inside it would help him better understand the nature of the sword his father had left him.

"That was good thinking," Setsumi conceded. "There's no better way to strengthen a sword that brings people back from the dead than going to the realm of the dead." She paused. "So, that's why they said you died…"

"It could have been because of the fight with Ryukotsusei's descendant before that," Sesshomaru said nonchalantly. "That dragon was a nuisance."

In fact, he'd almost died by killing that demon. Rin had been the only one to approach him during his recovery, coming into the forest every day and trying to give him food. When he'd found her dead on the dirt road a few days later, all bitten by wolves, something had stirred within him… he brought her back to life, and she followed him ever since.

"Well, enough of this gloomy subject," Setsumi stated, putting a comforting hand on Rin's shoulder. "Why don't you follow me, my dear? I'll show you to your new room."

Rin hesitated, turning her inquisitive gaze to Sesshomaru. He nodded once, assuring her that it was safe to follow the Snow Queen.

His mother had the gall to wink at him before taking Rin inside, leaving Sesshomaru alone in the courtyard. Staring at the throne he never wanted to sit on, he was overcome with rage once again.

He would absolutely never admit it out loud, but Sesshomaru would have come for his half-brother sooner or later. He would rather be eaten by demon birds than let his mother know it, but he would have come… Not for the throne, though, as she suspected. Not for righteous indignation, nor pride, nor for wanting to prevent a half-breed from inheriting what was left of the white dogs…

He would have come simply out of respect for his father's memory. The former Dog General would never have wanted his second son to be there—under the influence of a shard from the jewel he'd broken himself, no less.

It was all so ironic.

With a swipe of his arm, Sesshomaru tossed the frozen pieces of the Snow Queen's Tangram puzzle to the ground. One day, he would burn this castle down… But not without taking his mother out of it first, he admitted to himself.

Sesshomaru rubbed his temple, stifling a sigh. Opening his eyes, he caught sight of the black Shikon shard, lying on the ground along with the Tangram pieces.

He forgot he'd been holding it. Bending down to retrieve it, Sesshomaru thought the least his mother could do was freeze the damned thing.

He wondered if the world would end should she do more than one good deed in a row.


Kagome felt Inuyasha trembling where his back touched her front. She couldn't check his injury right there, flying so high above the ground.

"Lie back against me, Inuyasha," she urged, stopping herself from squeezing his middle in her worried state. "You're shaking!"

"Tch. This ain't no-nothing."

She almost didn't hear his reply over the roaring wind.

"Please, you need to rest!"

With a sigh, Inuyasha scooted a little farther, toward Kirara's neck. Before Kagome could protest, he leaned back against her, resting the nape of his neck on her shoulder.

"I-I've missed you," he mumbled, closing his eyes.

Kagome felt a lump in her throat. Turning her head slightly, she kissed his temple, nuzzling his white bangs for a moment. He was burning up.

"I've missed you, too."

She didn't know if he'd heard her, but she felt his ear twitch once against her hair.

With the comforting weight of his head on her shoulder and the warmth of his body in front of hers, Kagome managed to relax a little. She'd been on edge since leaving the castle. Looking back on it, the girl couldn't help but marvel at her own bravery (not to say foolishness).

I guess love really gives us courage, she mused, tightening her arms around Inuyasha's waist just a fraction.

Kirara didn't stop pumping her legs, flying even faster than she had that morning. It was still early afternoon.

Did we really wake up in Totosai's cave just today? She wondered. It seems it was so long ago...

Closing her eyes, Kagome tried to rest her tired mind. The sound of Inuyasha's breathing alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

He's really here.

Thank God.


The next days were spent in a tense mood. As the trio traveled back home across the Western Lands, Kagome was always waiting for something to attack them in the wilderness. Danger seemed to lurk everywhere, and sometimes she imagined Setsumi's golden eyes watching them.

Inuyasha was unusually disoriented and silent, which she guessed was only natural after so many months under the influence of the jewel shard.

An old demon tree named Bokuseno, who can listen to other trees around the land, heard the boy was impaled by a boar demon in a clearing—along with a stranger on his back, she remembered Master Totosai saying. How else could it have gotten inside him?

Kagome thought she should have taken Inuyasha to see Totosai, but his cave was too close to the floating castle's location, and they had wanted to be as far from it as possible in as little time as possible.

Upon telling Inuyasha of what Totosai had said about how he'd gotten the shard, she noticed he didn't look very surprised.

"Did you… already know?" She asked with caution.

"I-It's not so much that I knew, but—" He sighed. "I couldn't forget that half-demon's face. My chest started hurting after that thing in the clearing happened, too, so…"

Kagome only nodded, looking at his chest. She knew Inuyasha didn't like it when people fussed over him too much, but she couldn't help herself. He'd never been so badly injured in his life.

At least his wound is healing fast, she silently thanked God. Without her yellow satchel, which had stayed behind at the Robber Girl's hut, Kagome had nothing to help speed up the process. Old Kaede had taught her of a few herbs that could be used, but those were hard to find even in the forest back home. The only thing she could do for Inuyasha was cleaning his wound every time they passed by a river or creek, using her red scarf.

She wondered what it must have been like, having something so evil inside you for so long. Eventually, Inuyasha told her himself.

"It's like I was seeing and hearing things from underwater," he said one quiet evening as they sat near the fire. "I was there, obviously, but now… now that I think back on it, it all feels so strange." He sighed. "I feel so stupid for staying there, for going with her in the first place!"

Kagome put her hand on his shoulder and pushed it just enough for him to look at her. In the firelight, the bags under his eyes seemed even darker. She could see his guilt as clearly as she could see his face.

"I can't say I know what you've been through, Inuyasha," she started, offering him a tired smile. "But if it was anything like what I've been through without you…" She paused, swallowing. "We should just leave it behind us. It wasn't your fault."

He slowly put his hand over hers on his shoulder.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha frowned, shaking his head a little. "How can you be so strong?"

She felt that lump in her throat again, but bravely controlled her frustrated tears. Her whole journey seemed to flash before her eyes.

"You mean 'kind', right?" She bit back, unable to keep the resentment completely out of her voice. "How can I be so kind?"

Inuyasha flinched, and she immediately regretted her outburst.

"I-I'm sorry," Kagome said. "I know you didn't mean to disappear—"

"No, I'm the one who's sorry," Inuyasha interjected. He gulped, looking at the ground between them. "I remember wanting to see you again so badly, but…"

Kagome leaned in closer, begging him to finish speaking with her eyes. "But?" She probed.

"But I thought I'd become a monster, and you were better off without me." He shrugged. "Can't say I was wrong." He laughed humorlessly. "Still, I should have left that place anyways."

With an angry huff, Kagome grabbed his forelocks, bringing his face even closer.

"Now listen, Inuyasha, and listen well!" She yanked on his hair. "Even if you had turned into a giant dog yourself, I would never have rejected you. I never cared about what you are, and I wouldn't have started now!"

Kagome released him and sat back. The tears she had tried so hard to keep at bay were finally making an appearance.

Why can't I stop crying? And he says I'm strong…

"H-Hey, don't start with the tears now!" He pleaded gruffly, hugging her to his chest in what she recognized as a desperate move. It made her smile. "Listen, Kagome, I won't leave you again," he murmured against her hair. "It's a promise."

"Good." She sniffed. "Because I would rather have you in my life in any way I can than not have you at all."

Now you're not talking about the monster nonsense anymore, she berated herself.

Inuyasha's arms tightened around her. "Thank you... for not giving up on me."


It seemed everyone started breathing easier once they finally left the Western Lands. They kept their pattern of traveling during the day and stopping at sunset. Now that Inuyasha was healed, he and Kirara took turns carrying Kagome. Since Kirara was so tired from their journey, Inuyasha also offered to carry her, and the nekomata happily turned into her kitten size to snuggle on his shoulder.

They traveled incredibly faster with two demonic beings in the group. The progress I made when I traveled alone is laughable, Kagome thought sadly. Granted, I was stopped all the time, and Shippo was too little to carry me…

Thinking of the kit made her chest hurt. As if he could read her thoughts, Inuyasha asked, "How far are we from that Princess Sango's village?"

From her place on his back, Kagome managed to reach between them to tug Kohaku's map out of her obi. "Not far, really… But I want us to take the long route and avoid the forest."

"Why?" Inuyasha turned his head sharply to glare at her, almost dislodging Kirara from his shoulder. "You think I can't take on a couple of human robbers?"

Before she could answer him, Inuyasha abruptly stopped running. There was a horse coming their way—and fast.

"Damn it, I wasn't paying attention," he grumbled. "What if it's a damn bandit? I could have hid you in the bushes..."

"It'll be alright." Kagome squeezed his shoulder in sympathy. Inuyasha had told her that he felt as if his senses were duller without the Shikon shard, and she had assured him that it was only because the shard sharpened his perceptions.

You'll feel like yourself in no time.

Looking ahead, Kagome narrowed her eyes. Once she could distinguish the rider's features, she cursed, startling Inuyasha.

"Let me down," she urged. "Speaking of the devil…"

It seemed too much of a coincidence.

Inuyasha let her down, but kept himself in front of her. Kirara didn't turn bigger, but she hissed in the direction the rider was coming from.

"Is it her?" Inuyasha asked, touching the handle of the sword at his waist. Kagome knew he was just dying to use it.

Should I let him? She mused. The Robber Girl helped me escape, but she was the one who kidnapped me in the first place.

"My, hello there," the Robber Girl greeted, pulling at the reigns and stopping before them. She was wearing her old, tattered brown kimono; her hair was loose, and she had a strange sparkle in her brown eyes. Kagome thought Kikyo looked every bit the bandit she was.

"Hello, Kikyo," she greeted back. Crossing her arms, Kagome tilted her head and smiled tightly. "Are you going to rob me?"

"Not today. I'm in a hurry." Kikyo smirked. "But don't cross paths with me again. I thought I warned you about that."

"You did."

Kikyo turned her eyes to Inuyasha, who still had his hand on the sword handle. She lifted an eyebrow, adjusting the strap of her quiver.

Are they silently challenging one another? Kagome mused. This won't turn out well…

"You are a fine fellow to go wandering about like that," Kikyo told him, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Inuyasha scowled, but his blush was painfully obvious. "I wasn't wandering about!"

Kagome put her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her giggle. What a weird meeting!

Kikyo tilted her head a little. "I should like to know whether you deserve people running to the end of the world for your sake."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to retort, but Kagome stepped forward, putting her hand on his chest. Blurting the first thing that came to mind, she asked, "And how is your mother doing?"

Really? She mentally scolded herself. This is what you're asking her?

"Mother has recently passed away," Kikyo said, shrugging.

Looking into the Robber Girl's eyes, Kagome couldn't tell if she'd killed her mother or not. Would she have been capable of? If so, could she be blamed for doing it?

More importantly, is it any of my business?

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, feeling instantly ridiculous.

"Well, at least one of us is," Kikyo remarked offhandedly. Inuyasha snorted at that, having already been told all the story. The Robber Girl looked from one to the other, a small smile curving her lips. "One story gone right, at last… I'll leave this land happier now."

"Where will you go?" Kagome asked, fiddling with her hands. "Not that I plan on visiting, don't get me wrong, but—"

"Does it matter?" Kikyo laughed, and Kagome found herself smiling in response. "I'm free to do as I please. I'm an ordinary woman now."

Does this mean she won't steal anymore?

Kikyo winked at Inuyasha, much to his indignation, and left at full gallop. Kagome spun around to watch her go, her long black hair flying behind her like silk. The Robber Girl was riding into the wide world, and Kagome knew in her heart that she would never see her again…

Nor the yellow satchel she spotted on Kikyo's saddle.

Damn.

"She's nothing like you," Inuyasha decided, turning his back for her to climb on. "Let's go home."

Kagome laughed, putting her arms around his shoulders.

"We do have one more stop before going home, Inuyasha," she reminded him. "And I actually think you'll like the people there."

"Keh."

He tightened his grip on her legs before taking off.


A/N: Boy, I missed writing this story so much!

I'm sure Sesshomaru will find a way to win his freedom back, but since this isn't his story, it really doesn't concern us lol. His and his mother's dispute can go on, and probably has been going on, for centuries. One chapter couldn't settle it.

I've been waiting for forever to write this scene with Kikyo. Hopefully you liked it!

The next chapter will really be the last, guys. I can't believe it.

Make an author happy and review, please! It's almost over! Thank you once again for reading it. :')