A/N: I'd like to thank The 214th Rabid Fangirl, starfire1994, LoVe23, xxdarienchibaloverxx, foreveramuto98, impulse960, IchigoandInuyashaFan,and "cathy" for their reviews of chapter 25. And a thanks to those that added this to their lists. And yes, "cathy," there is more.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.
Her Knight
Ch. 26
Kirara was amused by the expressions of disbelief that overcame the senior Hojo's face. "The Taisho family?"
"Yes, Kagome is already engaged to Inuyasha Taisho, the younger Taisho brother. Surely your son told you. They have been seeing each other for most of the school year. Their betrothal became official not three weeks ago." The nekomata was getting perverse satisfaction in seeing the middle aged human flounder for something to say.
"Hello, Kirara-san, it's nice to see you again. As I was trying to explain, Hojo-san, Kagome and Inuyasha are scheduled to be married after she graduates." Mama gave a small smile, trying to soften the blow.
Kagome watched the whole scene silently, wondering exactly what was going on. The Hojos left disappointed that their attempt to connect to the shrine family had failed. "What was that about?"
"The Hojo family has been at odds with the Taisho clan ever since someone played a nasty trick on a young samurai four hundred years ago." Inuyasha, who had come down with Hojo, snorted at the emphasis on "someone." Kirara nodded, letting him know he was right in his assumption on who the culprit was.
"Let me get this straight. Hojo's dad tried to arrange a marriage between him and me because he heard Inuyasha was seeing me. All because somebody we all know decided to play a prank on an ancestor."
"That's right." Kagome turned to her fiancé.
"Remind me to ground him." Inuyasha grinned.
"Sure. What are you really here for, Kirara? I can't believe jerk face would have sent you here to negotiate marriage settlements."
"He didn't, I came merely to warn off Hojo-san. And to congratulate you on defeating Naraku. I wasn't able to express myself back then as well as I can now." The fire cat smiled affectionately.
"Oh, I don't know about that, Kirara. I always understood what you were trying to say just fine."
Kirara sighed, almost forgetting that she was speaking to an adolescent dog demon. Fixing her gaze on the two male Higurashis, she raised a delicate brow of inquiry. "You are Kagome's brother and grandfather. It's been an honor knowing her."
"You…you were the go between for my wife and I." Grandpa stood stunned, looking at a young woman who had not aged in over fifty years.
"Of course, I had to make sure my miko kitten was born." She shared a conspirator's look with Mama. "Well, if you don't need me anymore, I'm afraid I have to go back to being a silent observer. Do take care, little ones. The adventure is not quite over yet."
"Wait! Kirara-san, you're the nekomata who helped Sis fight all the bad demons, right?"
"Yes…" An eagerness lit Souta's eyes from the inside and she remembered that look on a young Kohaku many centuries ago. "You wish to see my saber toothed form, don't you?"
"Could I?" The young boy was now practically bouncing on his toes. His sister rolled her eyes while Grandpa looked curious. Mama waved a hand feebly at her son.
"Kirara-san is our guest, Souta. To ask that would be impolite."
"One demon around isn't enough, squirt?" Inuyasha was amused more than insulted that he had been pushed aside in favor of seeing a different kind of demon. One that didn't want to eat him.
"Oh, you're cool, nii-chan, but she's different. And she's a cat."
"All right. The young are so impatient." Kirara removed her charm so that they could see her real features.
"Cool! You still have two tails."
"Oh, my," Mama said softly.
"Ah! You really are a demon." Inuyasha and Kagome looked on the scene with amusement. The miko was happy her family got to meet at least one of her friends from the Feudal Era but at the same time she was sad that she couldn't share the others.
The group gathered outside to see Kirara's transformation. Again the reactions were predictable right down to Grandpa's, "Demon, be gone!"
"Oi, old man!"
"Grandpa!"
"Kagome, your grandfather has no power." Kirara lifted the sutra off of her head and tossed it to the ground.
"I know," was the sigh.
The two warriors returned to the Feudal Era three days later. After the spectacle her grandfather and brother made about the saber toothed form of Kirara, Kagome was having a hard time looking the past version of her feline friend in the eye. Embarrassed at the actions of her family, the young miko would have preferred to crawl under a rock. However, as that wasn't an option, she apologized in advance for any annoyance the nekomata may one day experience. Sango had looked at her oddly when she did it but it made her feel better.
Presently the ex-shard hunters were enjoying a lunch thanks to Kaede and discussing what should be done about the Jewel. Demons and people with evil intentions would be coming after the cursed bauble so destroying it as soon as possible was a must. The question remained what kind of wish could be made that wouldn't be selfish? Even a wish for someone else held personal meaning for either the wisher or the recipient of said wish. Either way, someone would be gaining something.
"I know what needs to be done," Kagome said after the bowls had been washed and the tea cups put away. "There's only one thing that can be done that wouldn't be a wish at all." She stood and went outside, the others following. Inuyasha placed a hand on her arm, lending what support he could. Not once had he touched the whole jewel, fearing that his youki would unbalance the power within it. The demon souls trapped inside were dormant thanks to Kagome's spiritual powers but that could change if they sense it was being held by a youkai.
"Kagome?" Sango questioned, wishing to know what her friend meant. There was nothing in the history of her village that had ever pointed to the right "wish." If the first protector of the jewel had known, he had forgotten to pass it down through the ages.
"This jewel has caused heartache, loneliness, pain, and suffering. It needs to be banished from existence." Her words caused the demonic souls within to come awake and struggle. As though it was a living entity, it rose up out of her hands and hovered away from her influence.
Villagers gathered to see what was going on and to bear witness to the destruction of the thing that had caused a paralyzed man to become a demon and kill their beloved priestess. "Kogame-sama, what is your wish?" one asked, and the others nodded eagerly.
"Shikon-no-Tama, be gone from this plane, and from all planes of existence forever more!" The jewel pulsed one then dissolved into pink dust until there was nothing left. Some of those particles landed on Miroku and Sango, although neither noticed at the time.
Kirara watched from Kaede's shoulder, feeling the presence of the jewel disappear completely. She mewed her happiness, sensing the spirit of the Priestess Midoriko finally rest in peace. Cheers went up throughout the village and another celebration was proclaimed a necessity.
The partying went on until well after dusk. And the girls, finding the chance to escape for a much needed bath in the hot springs, took the opportunity gratefully. Kirara once again sitting on a nearby rock so that she could listen in on the conversation and protect the two from unwanted spies. Shippou floated on his inner tube, having washed quickly so that he could play. He was happy to doze off in the company of the females of his pack, no longer worried that something would come after them because of the jewel.
Sango came up out of the water from rinsing off her hair and leaned against the rock at her back. She watched her younger friend do the same, smiling at the satisfied sigh that came from the miko. "Are you happy, Kagome?"
"Yes, it feels so much better not to have to worry about jewel shards or Naraku and his incarnations popping up unwanted and unexpectedly."
"I mean are you happy now that you're officially betrothed to Inuyasha?"
"Yes, just as happy as you are to be engaged to Miroku." A sly smile graced the priestess' lips. "Speaking of Miroku, you promised to tell me what happened between you two while Inuyasha and I were stuck in the future."
The demon slayer knew she wasn't going to get out of confessing this time, so with reluctance, she nodded. "Yes, all right. Let's get out though. It's a long story and I don't fathom looking like a dried fruit when I'm done. That and the longer we're away, the more Miroku's excuse to check on us will sound valid to your beloved half demon."
"True," Kagome admitted. "I love him but sometimes he can be overprotective."
"You agreed to marry him."
"I did," the miko replied and readied herself to hear the sister of her heart's own romantic tale. "That I did."
