AN: here we are… the supposed last chapter… oooooOOOoooo…
You know there's this wonderful song that I think might just be the theme for this entire tale. It's called, "Dead Alive" … (WOW how could I have ever connected THAT with this story I wonder…) by Eve of Destiny. For Malice Mizer fans – that's the band with that crazy guy Közi. Go malice. Even though they've broken up. No sorry, on HIATUS, as Mana (mwa mwa 3) put it. Ahhhh well twas good (?-ish?) while it lasted. And personally I don't see the difference between them and Moi Dix Mois… Oh! Except M10M don't have Gakkun.
SORRY ABOUT THE BLABBING!!!! Yes story here it comes.
CHAPTER 19: ARGUING WITH DESTINY
"Kagome! Kagome!! You there?"
"Urrm," Kagome blinked. It was the first time in aeons that she was back in her body and feeling… fine. Not deathly tired or nauseous, not fainting straight away, and finally surrounded by familiar faces.
"Yeah, I'm sort of here… If I'm not there, that is." Kagome shielded her eyes from that harsh real sun. At last she could feel it!
"Huh?" Chorused the crowd of worried onlookers. Had Kagome been dreaming too long?
"Oh nothing, hehe, don't worry. Just checking that this is all actually real. Because you see if it wasn't, none of you would have balked at strange comments."
"Huh?"
"Nothing." Despite the silly looks on their faces, Kagome was so happy to just be back again. Her mind didn't bother bringing up any recent events, just the fact that she was back among her friends. It completely skipped out on the whole Kikyo/Tsubaki/Jewel episode.
"Shippo! Sango! Miroku! Ah… Kirara!!!" With each name she gave them a huge sleepy hug, full of happy smiles and general oblivion to the circumstances. Kirara mildly protested against being treated like a fluffy cushion, but couldn't really help it because Kagome was just so… energised. Everyone around her caught her giddy happiness, as happens with overly confident happy people, and also forgot about whatever pressing issues they were meant to be dealing with. After repeatedly ruffling everyone's hair or fur to the same horrible condition hers was in, she jumped up and took a good long look at her surroundings. That's when she noticed the little sparrow hopping about a few feet away.
"Yasei?"
"Chirrrr." Finally, you notice.
Kagome couldn't really say anything. Her eyes had rested upon Kikyo's form, covered with a light blanket – the same cold real self she always had been. Kagome had just never really looked at her sleep.
She was so different when her eyes were closed and her face relaxed. Almost… like a normal person with a normal not-that-good-but-okay life. Like someone she could have trusted from the start if she'd only seen her face like this. Someone she didn't have to treat like an offence to humanity… Simply for existing. Someone she could… talk things out with.
"Chir chi chirr." Dog-boy's having a huffy fit.
"Huh? Oh yeah… Where is Inuyasha?" Kagome couldn't believe she had failed to notice he wasn't there. How stupid can one get?! A strange sense of urgency filled her. She needed to find him, NOW.
"Up in one of his trees. That way I think," said Sango, pointing to behind them.
"Thanks," Kagome set off running towards where Sango had indicated. It seemed really important for an unknown reason – she just had to see him.
"Wait, Kagome!" Miroku yelled. He didn't think Kagome would stop even if she did bother hearing him. "Damn it…" he said, watching the running figure of Kagome dwindling out in the light. "Someone needs to talk to her."
Next to them all, unregarded, Kikyo lay still as always. As if it was her body's sole objective to never move again. Who knows? Perhaps it was.
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"Inuyasha! Die!" The flash of the arrow, the surprising force with which he had been slammed back into the tree. Never had he felt as confused as at that moment. Confused at himself, confused at why Kikyo was hurt, confused as to why he had stopped moving, confused…
Counterbalancing this memory was another, softer one: the happy hum of his mind as it realised it could actually have a happy life with Kikyo, he didn't need to be an outcast… it could all be fine. Not perfect, but fine. Kikyo had promised him the Jewel, he had promised him his humanity. If Naraku hadn't come along, would it have been?
Or was Naraku's interruption into all their lives as unavoidable as meeting Kikyo herself? Was it a part of Fate that they could never be together? Or was it all a blessing in disguise…
Inuyasha shook his head to clear the last stupid thought. Though from then, he couldn't stop thinking about all the little things that had gone so totally wrong, and he didn't even notice, because for the second time in his life, he had been loved and accepted. But for what? For himself, or what he could offer (which he wasn't sure that he could anyway)?
Had he been accepted? Or had he just been wanted… And used… for another to be happy? There was the memory of Kikyo, how she had always regarded him not as Inuyasha, but as a half-demon. Even when she didn't say it: from the start, and till the every end. Naraku in the fields that day… he had just voiced out Inuyasha's obvious fear.
"Half-breed!" What would have changed with him becoming fully human? WHAT? What the hell had Kikyo wanted from him?
He punched the tree in frustration. Why couldn't everybody be clear? Why did they all turn into cheating, lying, - and most alarmingly – vulnerable creatures, just as vulnerable as he was, the moment he decided to think about them?
This is why he preferred not to think. The world turned into a horrible, desperate, scared place, where people used hate and spilt blood to gain love and new blood. Really. What was the whole giant fuss about?
"Ah! Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" A relieved-sounding voice came from beneath his tree.
Kagome. She had found him. She was alive. Is that a good or a bad thing? His body answered for him as he instantly jumped down to meet her, saving her the problem of a) getting him out of his sulky mood and b) figuring out how to climb up the tree.
"Inu!!"
Kagome went straight for the lung-choking hug, fatal enemy of all males and little kids at family reunions. Was this a family reunion, and was he a little kid or a male? Both, in this case, judging from the little-kiddy rush of gladness at seeing her not comatose, as well as a sudden rush of blood to his cheeks; and Kagome was as close to family as he could ever wish for. Well. Maybe he could wish for a bit more, but that wasn't exactly appropriate in the choose-whether-you-or-Kikyo-will-die situation. And overall his family was just a great big disappointment so maybe it was better to keep things like this.
No, seriously. One of them hangs out with a toad-thing. And one of them is a giant pile of bones, while the other died –and lived- in apparent misery. And he never even heard about any others. Oh yeah and another one abandoned the one with the toad. Not blaming her, but really, he WAS her son. She could have at least kept in touch. WHY THE HELL AM I GOING THROUGH MY LIST OF FREAKY RELATIONS???
Inuyasha dropped the mental listing of his amazingly dysfunctional family. Did he mention that the one with the toad was the only one left he knew, who also wanted to kill him because their father –the bone pile- left HIM the nice sword? It wasn't HIS bloody fault that he was better so if that damned Sesshomaru wanted to come and fight for it could he please do it properly, without just turning up every once in a while and scaring the crap out of everybody with his toad?? And then promptly leaving without settling anything for sure, till the next time he wanted to bother them, didn't he have a life, and what was WITH the weird poofy thing-
"-and then I woke up and Kikyo was just lying there, I couldn't really do anything, while Tsubaki was muttering something about eternal beauty and world domination and I couldn't really stand it anymore – and you know, the scary thing was I didn't - I really didn't want to die. Not without seeing all of you first and even Kikyo! I wanted to tell Kikyo that I was sorry. Sorry for judging her. She's really okay when you're not around. I mean, oh, whatever. And I wanted to see you – and even if does all end, I want you to know that it was really, really nice being able to fight by your side, Inuyasha. It made me feel more like a real me than I had ever felt-"
"Kagome." Inuyasha held both of her wrists in his hands, looking down at her with golden amber eyes. He felt like he should say something… but couldn't really find anything but her name.
"Yeah..?" Kagome couldn't really focus on anything properly. She was exhausted - no food, no water, then that long run to find Inuyasha, and the whole speech... "Inuyasha, I feel dizzy."
Inuyasha could tell she was about to collapse on him in about five seconds flat. She didn't smell, look, or feel healthy at all. Looks like he'll just have to carry her back. To food, and water, and someone who actually knows how to take care of people, like Sango…
Damn. Does this mean I have to think some more? I really don't want to think about any faults Kagome might have and turn her into another Inutaisho, another Kikyo, another Sesshomaru – or really everyone I know who's let me down at some point.
Except Kagome hasn't really let me down. Yet. One thing that sets her apart from Kikyo is she just doesn't really want anyone to be different from what they are. She believes in second chances and good in everyone. I suppose she must even feel PITY for Naraku at times. Oh I don't know. How come when I want to find something bad about somebody I can't?? Why the hell do I even want to think badly of Kagome anyway?
Still, it can't be denied. Kikyo… was the first person who looked at me and got to know me when they didn't have to. She saw through the demon part of me anyway. Are there even two halves of me? Or is it just an excuse that people use to outcast me?
Well I can be happy without them and their stupid rules. Kikyo and Kagome have both taught me that.
Just then he approached his group, who were hanging around nervously waiting for him and Kagome to get back.
"What happened?" Sango asked, concerned, peering at the unconscious Kagome.
"Well, I think she hasn't eaten in a while. Or drank anything. In fact she should probably be dead by now…" Inuyasha ventured. Though it seems Tsubaki figured out a way to keep both Kikyo and Kagome alive while unconscious.
"Oh. Right. Here, I'll take care of her." Sango instantly went into protective mother-hen mode, and fussing over Kagome for the remainder of the day, all the while muttering why she hadn't stuffed Kagome full of food before... By then, Kagome had woken up and was not feeling all that bad after food, water and the comforting company. Shippo wouldn't stop complaining about Inuyasha, and spicing up his conversation with "I missed you so much!" every now and then. Even Yasei settled into the group by amiably chatting up other fowls around the place, and keeping a continuous host of fluttering wings about.
Everything was almost as if she had never disappeared with Kikyo at all. If it wasn't for a sombre Inuyasha, an unconscious Kikyo, a clearly worried pair of Miroku and Sango, an unsettled Kirara, and a Shippo that didn't even try to annoy the hell out of Inuyasha – she could have just believed she was Jewel-hunting as if nothing had happened.
Casting a worried glance at Kikyo, Kagome huddled around the fire with her friends, staring blankly into the fire while Miroku and Sango explained things to her.
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I can change things if I want. Was that your point? I can go back and change.
Kikyo remembered drawing the Sacred Arrow, feeling utterly lost and betrayed. Her only link to happiness had been shattered, and when that hope had died, the image of Kikyo as she had known herself – it had shattered like a twisted reflection in a breaking mirror. She hadn't planned any of it. She had wanted to catch up to Inuyasha – and at least get something sorted out. Sadly, in her case 'sorted' as applied to demons was different to what it meant for humans.
Especially demons that double crossed her. Still, she saved him. That much had been obvious. The real Kikyo must have shone through the confusion and the hatred somehow, because she knew that she could never kill Inuyasha.
He wasn't hers to kill.
Really?
I don't know.
But he had always felt… too distant for her. A dream that could only be glimpsed at. No matter if she wanted him or if he had even wanted her back, there was like an invisible barrier that had separated them. She had thought it was because he was half-demon. So she wanted to make him fully hers. A human.
Then they could live happily ever after…
Unfelt tears once again spilt onto Kikyo's face in the dark void. She didn't care.
She knew.
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"Stop." It was barely a whisper, but everyone could hear Kagome's word anyway.
After explaining the bare gist of things - Miroku, Inuyasha, Yasei, Shippo and Sango had gotten into a major debate about what should happen now. None of them really wanted to talk to Kikyo, except Yasei and Inuyasha – which started an entire saga of pros and cons on Kikyo's value as a human being. Which she wasn't, but the group was too inflamed to notice. Sango thought that Inuyasha would just use this as a chance to completely run away with Kikyo, while Miroku felt she should give Kikyo a chance – she's too smart for that. Meanwhile Inuyasha said he'd do no such thing – and was Miroku agreeing with Sango? How dare he! Shippo thought the dead broad could just stay that way – and Yasei said Shippo shouldn't talk like that, and really it escalated into a huge raucous half-brawl, pausing only when Kagome spoke up.
Everyone had now turned to Kagome, who still staring into the fire as she had at the start. "I think Kikyo should choose."
Taking a deep breath, she continued. "It would be unfair of us to choose life or death for anything over me – let alone someone we don't even know… and could never hope to understand. Out of all of us, I'd say she was the wisest." Kagome looked around for someone to disagree. No one did. Not openly anyway.
"Which is why I think we should talk to her as quickly as possible. If anything is decided, tell me… okay?" Her frightened eyes looked at these dear people once again, and before anyone could do anything she reached and took out her Sacred Jewel.
Kagome's body collapsed without the Jewel, which lay shining in her outstretched hand.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\
Everyone leaned over Kikyo as she woke up. Technically, just as Kagome was dehydrated and starving – Kikyo should have been needing souls. But she didn't. Because she had her soul. And Kagome's, though really they were one. So actually, Kikyo was the lucky one out of the whole ordeal fatigue-wise.
That didn't stand for much though, and was generally unnoticed by the onlookers.
"Kikyo…" Inuyasha said. He seemed to be thinking a lot, and was staring at Kikyo's face, though not really seeing it. Some people – Sango – translated this into unfaithfulness to Kagome, and promptly slapped Inuyasha on the cheek and took him aside for a Talk, which Inuyasha didn't pay the slightest attention to, still lost in the past and the future.
Meanwhile Kikyo stood up and dusted her clothes off, which were not entirely dirty – but close. She looked at the circle of beings around her, then at Sango and Inuyasha a bit off, and finally down to Yasei, who decided that everyone else had promptly lost their wits and that he was the only one who could properly explain things.
"Chirr!" Hiya!
"Where's Kagome, Yasei?" Kikyo chose to ignore everyone else, which irked the ignored very much.
"Chir chii chi chichirr…" Well, currently unconscious….
And while Yasei told a shortened version of events around the bofire – it was getting dark; Kikyo listened and nodded to parts she'd figured out herself. After a bit even Sango stopped glaring openly at her, though not for long. She'd seen Miroku getting his ready-to-make-the-child-bearing-speech-look, and turned her glare upon him instead. Miroku decided this was one opportunity he could pass on, considering that Inuyasha was getting as defensive as Sango. Well, honour among thieves… he'd stay away from Kikyo.
Kikyo politely ignored the silent looks exchange, and turned her attention to Yasei instead, currently going over all the possible ways of breaking out of this predicament. For a little bird, he sure knew a lot.
"So while you had the Jewel, both Kagome and I remained unconscious… only to be woken up once given the Jewel, right?"
"Chirr…" Yes…
"Chiri chii chiri." And we couldn't find a way to split the Jewel.
Kikyo sighed.
Just like I thought…A decision has to be made. She looked over to Inuyasha, who was now fidgeting uncomfortably with the seams in his sleeves, and felt nothing, but a hundred pangs of regret. He has changed. I have changed… But not in a way that would benefit us together.
Or would it? Is there still hope? Just as these rebellious little thoughts of Kikyo's mind broke in, she caught Inuyasha looking over at Kagome in that deep sleep, his face softening, catching the moonlight. Their childlike faces were like mirrors – which reflecting the other, it was unclear. Kagome was no doubt dreaming of Inuyasha, while Inuyasha watched and, and no doubt thought only of Kagome.
This was not entirely true. Inuyasha was indeed thinking of Kagome, but of Kikyo as well. How Kagome was more open than Kikyo; more comforting but also more hurtful when she chose, more dependable – yet unpredictable at times, less worrying but so much more troublesome than he had ever dared dream.
Inuyasha was surprised. Did he really just… compare between the two? It had seemed impossible for him to decide. But now that Kikyo WAS at his side and Kagome wasn't… it was like that knife that had been carving his heart had suddenly left; taking along his heart as well. He couldn't exactly feel anymore… A numbness set over all of him. Perhaps that was why he could think straight without reckless emotions getting in the way… And his mind had decided, in the absence of feeling, that somehow before it left, his heart had decided on Kagome.
But he knew that that wasn't possible either. He couldn't have Kagome; just like he couldn't have Kikyo at the start. Kikyo wanted him back; and it was his obligation to go. It never really mattered who he liked more; Kikyo was the default. Because he owed her so much. Now he was indebted to her and she was indebted to him; leaving no space for any others even though both might want to break free from this cruel contract. And she had died because of him… If only they'd had more faith in each other perhaps things would have gone differently.
Perhaps. Or was it fate?
He glanced towards Kikyo, who was startled by him seeing her staring at him staring at Kagome, and turned away quickly looking elsewhere, only to unnerve the rest of the group who had been startled by her seeing them staring at her staring at Inuyasha staring at Kagome.
A long, grave, awkward silence ensued in which even Yasei and Shippo kept their mouths shut. Everyone averted everyone else's eyes, except for Miroku and Shippo who shared a mutual gaze of long-suffering embarrassment of male involvement in emotional issues which they weren't really a part of.
Kikyo stood up then; deciding to break the silence before it broke someone first, possibly herself. "Ah, Inuyasha… I need to talk to you… Shall we take a walk?"
Inuyasha stared dumbly at Kikyo, unsure of what to do until Sango and Miroku had to physically pull him up, and shove him. "And, bring her." Kikyo gestured towards the sleeping Kagome. "I fear this talk will involve three of us."
Puzzled, but since he was beyond being puzzled any more by recent events, Inuyasha complied. This involved a tricky and difficult manipulation of hefting Kagome up into his arms and then trying to look decent about it.
They walked away quietly, disappearing into a little track into the forest.
The two of them, Kikyo and Inuyasha – had nothing, really, to say to each other. Everything they might have wanted to, they'd already said a thousand times to the Inuyasha or Kikyo in their head. Nevertheless, Kikyo had to get a hundred different things in her head out before she could continue.
"Am I dead or alive?" she asked Inuyasha.
As always, talking to Kikyo felt like a strain. "Alive, I suppose. Otherwise you wouldn't be here."
"No, to you. Kikyo the priestess that you knew – is she dead or alive to you?"
"Dead." Inuyasha was surprised at the answer – did he truly think that? Was it because Kikyo had just referred to herself in the third person? Did even she think so?
Kikyo was surprised too. His honesty was always cutting, but she didn't know she could still feel pain. Especially pain from something she knew was coming. And also – she wasn't living on hate any longer. The moment she had entered Tsubaki's realm her soul – had moved on. It had started blending with Kagome's portion of soul, finally making a pure, untainted Jewel, which she had now. Urasue's –and in a way, Tsubaki's – curse was finally lifted. Was she… free?
She felt a strange sense of elation at this. It was unbelievable. Had she really escaped the circumstances which bound her to her sad Destiny?
One look at Inuyasha though, and she wasn't so sure. Kagome's soul had freed her; but now her own heart held her back. Yes. This was not finished. Will it always be herself she has to blame for her mistakes? She knew she could leave now. But, as always – she wouldn't.
"Inuyasha, remember I said, that the day I die, is the day that you will die?"
"Yes." Inuyasha's voice felt disconnected; he seemed to be unable of coming to terms with what Kikyo was suggesting at while Kagome was in his arms. He had always thought of himself as living on borrowed time, at least until Naraku was dead and then he'd leave with Kikyo…
"Ah." Kikyo paused, unsure of how to say what she wanted to say next. "But yet you said that I am already dead."
Inuyasha wasn't at all sure where she was going with this. They both knew that this was going to end with them dying at either Naraku's hands – or in the flames of hell, together. Whatever is she on about??
"I think, Inuyasha… we both cling to what has never been."
You reckon??? Inuyasha fumed inside, his heart slowly reappearing with the short burst of anger. Wasn't that obvious from the start?
"I most of all."
Oh… A repentant Kikyo? This is different.
"Our paths crossed and intertwined, almost to the point of becoming one, until that day fifty years ago. I think, Inuyasha, you have already done everything you could for me."
Kikyo turned her life-like bright eyes on him, trying her hardest to say what she felt.
"I'm grateful. You have already been through hell with me, don't you see? Though it was tragic and ended full of hatred, my time with you, alive, was the first time in my life I felt alive."
She turned away, gazing at the stars as they continued their walk. "And the day you and I both believed we were betrayed by each other, was meant to be the happiest day of my life. The day I could be just a woman. But that wasn't how it turned out. And the only hope of me ever becoming happy, of fulfilling my duty and resting with peace, was dashed. The Kikyo that was within me, the Kikyo that just wanted to be free – she died. Her soul died, not just her body. When I was brought back, all that was left was hatred. Lost within my own abyss."
"Though now, I feel no hatred. Kagome has given me peace. She is… the person I could never be. She is the one I would have become once the Jewel was gone. Though I know I am more a part of her than she is a part of me. She is the beginning, somehow, of my story, rather than the ending."
"So… it is with her, that I leave my final wishes. She may not know them, but her heart - and her soul do. Kagome… please live the life I never did."
"Oh, and Inuyasha – I probably shouldn't have to tell you, but… Never make the same mistake twice." And here Kikyo smiled a mischievous smile that was somehow all Kagome, and leaned forward towards Inuyasha over Kagome, catching the poor dog-demon unawares by the lips.
Before he could react – in whichever way – she swiftly broke off the kiss and turned away.
"This is the belated goodbye, Inuyasha." Alone, Kikyo began the dark walk back, leaving a blundering, cherry-faced Inuyasha with Kagome.
With nothing left to feel – and nothing left to live – Kikyo seemed to evaporate before the eyes. Little shining bubbles of soul-particles left her fading form to rejoin with Kagome's, until there as a myriad of little shining spheres bobbing their way through the dark like enchanted lanterns lighting the way from Kikyo to Kagome.
The last Inuyasha saw of Kikyo, she was exactly as he had remembered her all these years- a solitary figure walking steadily. Alone, always alone…
Kagome… Even before you were, you were what I strived to be. Was I indeed the rough draft? Though this was her last thought, Kikyo didn't need an answer. Peace was hers at last… And she was giving Hell a miss, this time.
Fate had brought them together; Fate had separated them, and Fate had given them a second chance. These Gods were too much.
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"I can't see! What's happening?"
"Shh!"
"Miroku, your staff is in my face!"
"MIROKU-!" SLAP!
"DID SHE JUST KISS HIM?"
"AHHH YUCKKK!"
"Oh dear."
"Oh my."
"Can you see his face?"
"No- hey, she's walking away!"
"WHAT? Where? With the Jewel?"
"Chiri!" Shut up!
"Piu, piu piu PIUUU!"
"Oh sorry, Kirara - was that your tail?"
"Miroku, stop harassing everyone!"
"Holy Monks…"
"WHAT NOW?"
"She's evaporating. Or something."
"WHAAAAAAAA-?"
"Who?"
"Chiriririiririririirchichicihichicriirrhichihcichihc—" (this was untranslatable as Yasei seemed to go into a hiccuping fit.)
"Whoa, is the bird okay? You okay, Yasei?"
"Chi. Chiriiri…" Fine. Just got a funny worm stuck in my throat.
"Ew."
"Kikyo! She's… turning into soul particles!"
"I. CAN'T. SEEE!!!!!!!!"
"I can. She's… she's turning into shiny lights... slowly. Like when you kill a demon, only... slower… and prettier."
"I can sense her… Her soul is indeed departing."
"To where?"
"Um. Oh. Back into Lady Kagome."
At this point, the entire group overbalanced – they were all leaning forward and on each other as much as possible in order to see the goings-on – and fell out of the bushes they had been spying from.
Luckily, Inuyasha didn't notice. Even luckier, he had not noticed them the whole way as they had followed him and Kikyo and eavesdropped on the entire conversation. Inuyasha himself was too amazed at what was going on. What WAS going on? It seemed that Kikyo was… Disintegrating, and – Hey! Kagome's waking up!
"Kagome!" Forgetting the Kikyo-business, Inuyasha softly lowered Kagome to the ground, head propped against a tree as her eyes fluttered open.
She smiled painfully. "Inuyasha…"
Inuyasha got even redder as he realised how close his face was. He abruptly jerked back, straight into everyone else as they were approaching him and Kagome.
"Ouch! Watch it!" Miroku rubbed his sore head from where it impacted with Inuyasha's shoulder.
"Keh."
"How's Kagome?" Asked Shippo. "Kagome, Kagome, what happened? Do you want some water? Anything?"
"No thanks Shippo, I'm… fine. Just fine, now." Kagome smiled again. She wasn't sure what had happened, but she felt pretty good. Better than she had in days.
As the group settled down in that spot, most worrying about food and getting a fire going, Miroku sat down beside Kagome and Inuyasha, who had refused to budge from Kagome's side. "Kagome… You know that Kikyo… Well, she…"
"Left? Yeah. I could tell."
"I don't think she's gone anywhere," muttered Inuyasha under his breath, but too low for the others to hear.
They sat in silence after that, watching the sky., moon, stars...
"So… I have to ask. Where has Kikyo gone?"
"She… Well, Kagome, she simply… purified herself."
"What?"
"She purified herself, finally freeing her soul to go where it belonged."
"So, she went to Hell?" Kagome asked, with a trace of remorse.
"No. The soul returned to you."
"She wanted you to live the life she couldn't, Kagome." Inuyasha suddenly spoke up. "You are the one she wanted to be. You are the woman the priestess couldn't be. She left… so you could stay." With me, he added silently. Damn Naraku. His guts are so dead…
"Oh…" Kagome looked up into the sky. "I guess she's free to do whatever she likes now."
"Yes, Kagome. Whatever she likes. Destiny... can't control her anymore." Smiled Inuyasha.
AN: …. This is my interpretation of Kikyo. What I think she felt, dealt with, why she did things… I guess you could say it's my tribute to the Kikyo of old, and her final peace-making with her other self – Kagome. I just really reckon she doesn't deserve Hell, hence this entire fic. It starts out in accordance with the original storyline… but as you can see, it ends different.
yah it's a long chapter. I wanted SO BAD to finish this, and wow, guess I did. PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!! Tell me!!!! Everything! Was the conclusion satisfactory? Not? Too bland? Expecting bigger action? Was it an okay wrap-up? TIPS?? ONEGAI with cute Shippo-voice! Thankyou to EVERYONE who instructed/commented/helped me on the way. Really. It was appreciated. I'm sure I've told you all how I drool at reviews… Please review. No really. Please. Even if this is like, three years after I finished this. I love you even if you don't review, but review anyway. Feel free to ask one and many questions about the one and many random things that happened without cause in this fic. Such as the whole in-cave-weird-episode. I promise I'll answer them… or at least reply. Now, bye. Till the next time I get inspiration to write something.
Disclaimer/whatsits-I-do-not-hate-Sesshy-note: all views expressed thereby in this chapter against a certain youkai lord are not necessarily of the author of this FINISHED (OH YAH BABY!!!) fic, only of the character's as perceived by said author... even though the real author is Rumiko Takahashi... oh who cares?? I LOVE FLUFFY!!!
