These stark words...

A/N: The flashback scenes in here are in italic. And I know that the battle scene in here could be better but this is something I'm still working on.

"Tell us, Mommy how Inuyasha died," Mizu insisted.

"You don't want to hear such a tale. You're far too little. Just know that he was brave and died with great respect and honor."

Mizu looked at Sango slightly confused and pouting but decided not to press the issue. He instead just nods and plods off towards the back of the hut to his futon.

Miroku watches him go and looks at his other sons setting down to do the same. Sango sat staring out the window of their house, looking out it to the full moon outside, remembering back to the final battle and Inuyasha's death.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Haha Naraku! You're going down once and for all," Inuyasha exclaimed, getting ready to strike down Naraku with one last swing of his Tetsuaiga. The allies, or rather those that opposed Naraku had fought long and hard, well over 6 hours until finally wearing him down enough.

Sesshomaru had just finished up and attack with Tokijin. He had landed only a few seconds before, not even having much time nor warning to get out of the way of his hanyou half brother. Inuyasha charged at Naraku, raising Tetsuaiga over his head with both hands. Both Naraku and Sesshomaru get absorbed in the glow of Tetsuaiga's attack. A bluish light glowing from where Sesshomaru was standing. A black light is left where Naraku was standing then a pink glow takes over. The smoke and dust clears and all that was left where Naraku was standing was the jewel that was inside, glowing a dark pink.

Kikyou picks up the jewel and it purifies in her hands.

"I guess all that's left is to decide what to do with this," Kikyou stated.

Kagome runs over to Inuyasha who had collapsed after the last attack, all his energy expended. Kagome rolls him over and his eyes look lifeless.

"Kikyou look! Inuyasha."

Kikyou rushes over to Inuyasha and the two of them hold him until he regains consciousness.

"Is it over?"

Kagome nods as Kikyou holds up the jewel. Inuyasha scans around. Kanna's mirror lay broken on the ground not too far away. That was the spot where Koga and Kanna had been absorbed into Naraku's body. Kohaku had disappeared before he was about to be absorbed. Sesshomaru had taken some of the attack and laid on the ground unconscious, Rin and Jaken were standing over him. Jaken was scurrying around his master frantically.

"The jewel…ungh….what's going to happen now?" Inuyasha asked, "If no one has any objections, I'd like to keep my promise to Kikyou all those years ago and use it to become human."

Kagome sits back hurt and slightly annoyed by it. She sits there silently as Inuyasha takes the jewel from Kikyou's hand and encloses his hand around it. He closes his eyes and the jewel glows bright pink in his hand. His white hair and dog ears transform into human ears and long black hair. The pink glow disappeared and he opens his eyes again. The hand that held the jewel was now empty.

"The jewel is no longer."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sango sighs, walking away from the window and retreating to her futon.

"If only he had went with Kagome to her time. Then I wouldn't worry so much about her. Still, I can understand why he did what he did. Kikyou was the woman he loved. Kagome probably knew all along that he would choose her in the end."

Miroku had already fallen asleep next to her and she sighed, closing her eyes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kagome, forgive me but…I still love Kikyou." Inuyasha hugs Kagome close to him but Kagome shoves him away, running towards Sango. She gets on Kirara and flies away. They land at the Bone Eater's Well. Shippou looks up at her, pulling on the sleeve of Kagome's shirt.

"Do you really have to leave us now Kagome?"

Kagome nods. "Seven years, Shippou. I've loved a man who never loved me back for seven years. I can't take it anymore, I've been a fool. Stupid Inuyasha! He never had a clue!"

Shippou stands there clung to Kagome's leg. He knew how Kagome felt, they all did. Sango appears from the woods, giving Kagome a smile.

"I'm sorry to see you go, Kagome, but I understand. If it were me, I'm not sure I could stand being here either after all that happened."

Kagome nods. The day after the battle, Kikyou had announced she would return to the world of the dead and had asked Inuyasha to join her. Inuyasha had, of course, agreed. He had been ill since then end of the battle anyway and knew he didn't have much longer.

Inuyasha watched from the woods as Sango and Shippou comfort Kagome. He DID love Kagome and part of him wanted nothing more than to run out there to her and tell her how foolish he was. He instead sighs sadly and walks back towards the village where Kikyou was waiting. He met Miroku on the way and stops him.

"Hey um, Kagome probably won't believe me, but tell her I'm sorry…and give her this…" he takes off his necklace and hands it to him along with a piece of folded parchment. (A/N: He can get the necklace off now since he no longer has the demon blood in him)

Miroku nods. That would be the last time he saw Inuyasha alive. Three days later, he died in the arms of his beloved Kikyou who followed him shortly afterwards.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The possessed Kohaku jumps over the wall, landing on the dirt ground below just inside the slayer village.

"So much for top notch security," he scoffs, making his way into the living area of the village. "Now which house is yours, dear sister?"

He wanders around a bit until he senses his sister's presence and walks towards the house, slightly larger in size than the others around it. He sneaks up alongside it and peaks in the window to see two adults and three young boys sleeping peacefully. He jumps in through the window, squishing poor Hachi who was sleeping underneath it. Hachi awakes with a start and a yelp, causing Miroku and Sango to wake. Sango jumps up with typical slayer reaction and gets in a fighting stance on instinct. The darkness made it hard to see anything. Kohaku had moved away from the raccoon dog and towards Miroku and Sango. Sango had lit a lantern and shone it towards the intruder. She squints and nearly drops the lamp in shock when she sees who it is.

"K-kohaku?"

Kohaku doesn't respond. He just moves closer to Sango who had let her guard down at the sight of him.

"Nice to see you again, dear sister." Kohaku's voice was as cold as ice and his eyes were menacing.

By now, the boys had woken up.

"What's going on dad?" Taki asked, curious as always.

Miroku doesn't answer. He instead shoves Taki and his other two sons towards Hachi.

"Hachi, take them someplace safe. There's something wrong with Kohaku."

Hachi looks up at his master and nods, taking the boys and leading them out, carrying little Mizu the best he could. Kohaku just watches them leave then turns his gaze back to Miroku and Sango.

"Now then, where were we?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sesshomaru stops near a hot spring, the waterfall above it adding to the peaceful surroundings. Jaken struggles to pitch a tent under a few trees. Rin sighs, taking the tent from Jaken and pitching it in a matter of minutes. It was her tent anyway. Sesshomaru and Jaken always slept outside, even in the rain. Jaken huffs and walks off. He hated being shown up by Rin. Rin just chuckles and enters her tent. Sesshomaru had remained silent since his run in with Kagura. She didn't press the matter though, she knew better than that. She took off her sandals, placing them towards the entrance to her tent.

"Rin you ungrateful child get out here and eat your dinner!"

She sighs, shaking her head and coming out to get dinner. She looked around for Sesshomaru but as usual, he was nowhere to be found. Jaken hands her a plate and she eats it without much focus. She was in such a daze, she didn't notice when her plate was empty or that she was putting empty chopsticks into her mouth.

"Rin what on earth are you doing? Your plate is empty you silly girl. You always have your head in the clouds! Just what are thinking about anyway?"

Sesshomaru-san of course!

She doesn't respond to him. She just snaps out of it and puts her plate and chopsticks down then gets to her feet walking off towards the hot spring. She looks around before taking off her kimono and stepping into the hot spring. She sighs, letting the vapors and falling water soothe her.

Sesshomaru, who was nearby trying to regain control of his emotions, senses Rin approaching and hides himself. He didn't want Rin to see him like this, allowing himself to get so bent out of shape over something said by a weak demon like Kagura. How pathetic. He couldn't let her see him so weak.

Rin sighed and continued her thoughts from before. She loved Sesshomaru. She was convinced she always has, even as a little girl. He saved her when she had no one else to turn to. Indeed when she first saw him after being hurt from the Wind Scar. Even then as a little girl she cared so much for him, eventually growing to love him.

"Too bad he doesn't feel the same way. Sesshomaru-san will never love me," she sighs, sinking lower into the water.

Sesshomaru's ears perk up at the mention of his name. Rin said his name just now. He listens more intently now, hearing her say "Sesshomaru-san will never love me." He winces, the pang of Kagura's words ringing in his ears. He scoffs, once again shaking thoughts of Rin from his mind.

Rin sighs sadly before getting out of the hot spring, redressing and heading back to her tent. She lays down on her futon, burying her face in her pillow.

Sesshomaru returns to the camp shortly after Rin did and stands there next to the campfire staring at her tent. By now, Rin had fallen asleep as did Jaken, curled up next to the campfire. Sesshomaru walks past the sleeping imp and steps silently into Rin's tent, staring down at the sleeping teenager.

"Sorry, Rin, but I don't deserve you. You need to be with a human boy your own age that you can grow old together with. Staying with me will only bring you more pain."

He walks out of her tent and out of the camp again as Rin stirs in her sleep. She sits up with a confused look on her face.

"Sesshomaru?" She looks around her tent, "I could've sworn I heard his voice just now."

Wishful thinking. Like he'd come in my tent.

She looks around her tent a bit and notices shoeprints from Sesshomaru's boots by the entrance. He was there after all.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miroku steps in front of Sango as Kohaku instantly moved to attack her.

"Kohaku what's wrong with you? Snap out of it," Sango pleaded.

Miroku notices Kohaku's blank expression and places a sutra on the end of his staff.

"He appears to be possessed by a demon." Miroku attacks him with the sutra, driving the demon out temporarily.

"Kohaku?"

Kohaku's eyes revert back to normal as he stares into the worried eyes of his sister.

"S-sango. I've found you at last. Please…help me. Naraku he…"

Kohaku's eyes begin to change again as Miroku falls to his knees, unable to hold the spell any longer.

"Miroku!" Sango kneels down next to him for support.

"If…if your brother is possessed by Naraku's spirit, I doubt even I would be able to drive him out. Only a powerful priestess would be able to do so and we are sadly lacking any priestesses strong enough.

"Well couldn't we try to convince Sesshomaru to help us? I mean, Tensaiga can bring him back right?"

"Yeah but good luck trying to convince him to help."

"I'll convince Rin. She'll get Sesshomaru to go along with it."

Miroku shrugs, "Worth a try I guess. I can make a sutra to bind Naraku's soul to Kohaku. When Kohaku dies, so does Naraku's soul therefore allowing Kohaku's soul to become dominant again and return completely once revived."

Sango nods. "I'll hold him off. You make the sutra but he quick about it."

Miroku nods, getting to his feet and heading to the back of the house while Sango fights off Kohaku. A few minutes later, Miroku returns, throwing the sutra on Kohaku's forehead. A white glow surrounds the parchment before disappearing. Kohaku and Naraku were now stuck with each other. The sutra knocked out Kohaku and Miroku turns to Sango.

"Go find Rin. He'll be out for a few hours."
Sango nods and dresses in her kimono before running out of the house.

"Kirara, let's find Rin. Come on!"

Kirara takes to the air while Sango scans the ground below for any sign of Rin.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rin is now restless, wondering why Sesshomaru was in her tent since she didn't hear exactly what he said only that he said something. She sighs, walking out her tent just in time to see a woman and a large cat coming towards her.

"Sango-san? Is that you?"

"Sorry to bother you Rin but I have a favor to ask you."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sesshomaru lies under a tree restlessly when Kagura appears before him.

"You really are transparent, Sesshomaru-sama."

"Get lost, Kagura. I'm not in the mood."

"Aw why so cranky? Did little Rin reject you?"

"Watch yourself, Kagura. I already said I'm not in the mood."

Kagura sneers, hiding a smirk behind her fan.

"That girl has you completely wrapped around her little finger." She sighs, "You're really becoming pathetic you know. Then again, like father like son right?"

By now, Sesshomaru had had enough of Kagura and got to his feet, staring at her with death cold eyes. He was reaching for Tokijin with his right hand and getting ready to attack. Kagura was surprisingly one step ahead of him and was already air born. Sesshomaru growls before settling back down under the tree.

"Stupid demon."

Kagura is laughing. She now had the perfect plan to get Sesshomaru.

"He makes it almost too easy."

A/N: Not much of a cliffhanger but this was a good place to end it for now. I'll start working on the next chapter very soon. In fact, if it all works out, there might be a nice surprise in it heh.

Sayonara!

Love,

Sparkly-Sparkly