Miroku dropped his staff, his hands trembling as a dizziness hit him abruptly, his entire body trembling as if his cells were rewriting themselves. His brain felt like it was being ripped apart as new memories began to fill his brain. The lonely life of an orphan he had known was being rewritten, the memories of his family curse were being erased. The fate he had accepted long ago was now being changed, his lineage would continue without ever worrying about an early grave. The memory of watching his father being ripped apart by the wind tunnel, replaced with the smile of a loving father who was always present. Mushin the monk who had raised him, still a drunk but now able to maintain a friendship with Miroku's father. But that was impossible, his father had died when he was a boy, he witnessed it and Mushin tried to conceal it from him. He had firsthand witnessed his father being consumed and knew the same fate awaited him. He shivered, staring at his hand which was cursed with the wind scar, beads of sweat forming along his body, his heart in his throat. For the first time in his life he had hope, for the first time in his life he felt like he could be free. The very wish he had been fighting for all this time was finally achieved, the very mantle he had adopted so long ago was being lived up to. With trembling fingers, he slowly pulled away the beads, he felt a change, not only in the timeline, but in his past, his future. Of the curse that had plagued his family for generations, the one that every male in his family was forced to inherit, would die with him. Pulling off the sutrah beads which sealed away the curses power.

"Miroku?" Sango pressed, she had never seen Miroku so terrified, not even when he was facing the Saimyosho, Naraku's poisonous insects. What was happening? Something felt amiss. She was terrified that something had happened, or a tragic realisation had hit him unexpectedly. It was as if he was having an existential crises, the weight of his life was suddenly hitting him all at once.

Miroku took a deep breath, ripping off the beads and revealing his hand, terrified that he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life. He could possibly be about to rip himself and his friends into the wind tunnel and end their lives permanently. His eyes widened and a gasp escaped his lips, the wind tunnel slowly vanishing until it was gone, nothing but a plain palm before him. Naraku had been defeated, Naraku's life had come to an end thus his family lineage had been restored. His spiritual power could be channeled accurately and his fear of being consumed would end. InuYasha had done it, he had saved them all as he promised, he had faced his inner demons to enter the past and destroy him once and for all. InuYasha knew he wasn't the only one affected, he wasn't the only person who endured loss and suffering. But he was the only one who would kill Naraku, willing to bloody his hands so his friends would never have to. He had managed to kill Naraku, killing his human form.

Sango gasped, dropping the Hiraikotsu with a loud clatter, a sickening wave of relief and adrenaline hitting her all at once. Her hands trembling, tears welling up as she approached shakily, reaching out to take his hand, hoping her eyes didn't deceive her. Her love for Miroku pouring out of her all at once, the fear of knowing this was a fate she couldn't save him from until Naraku was destroyed. Just as her family had been harmed by Naraku, so had his, now his lineage would be freed from Naraku's shadow plaguing them. "M... Miroku... your... your hand" she gasped, gently running her fingers across it, as if she was meeting him again for the first time.

Kagome stared in awe, this was InuYasha's plan, he had been forced to keep it a secret in the fear that he may not succeed. Knowing the disappointment he would face if he failed and who he would have to return to. To save them all as he promised, allowing them to remain unharmed while he faced the danger alone. InuYasha had gone back in time to prevent Naraku from ever hurting his friends, from ever plaguing suffering onto others. To prevent their futures from ever occurring, to prevent them from ever losing what was precious to them as he had. She never believed he could actually do it, that he would have that kind of power over someone else's life. Meaning InuYasha had saved everyone who had ever been harmed by Naraku, they would never be traumatised and their lives would never be ruined. Which meant very soon Naraku himself in this timeline would cease to be, as would his incarnations.

Sango cupped her hand over her mouth, tears stinging her eyes as they spilled over her cheeks onto the ground. She had hoped this day would come, finally Naraku's crimes would be paid in debt. Her family could finally rest in peace knowing they had been avenged, they wouldn't have to watch over her anymore. Unable to stop the fountain that had been broken, salty tears hitting her lips. "Then... Kohaku will be... he'll be..." she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. Her people would never have been murdered, her father, her friends all of them. Alive, free of Naraku, still living in her village peacefully, her family would still live. She could go home to welcomed arms and they would never remember she was gone.

Kouga felt tears spike his eyes, anger, sadness, relief, gratitude and more. He bowed his head, refusing to allow the others to see him cry, he had his pride as a demon after all. He had never wanted to punch InuYasha as much as he had right now, while also wanting to hug him as tightly as possible. That jackass could have chosen to abandon them all and simply go and live peacefully with Kikyo. But his soul would never know peace, living with such guilt. So he chose to use his power to protect the people he loved most. His men, his pack, his family had been saved by him, they would never be tricked and slaughtered by Naraku, pitting him against InuYasha. Generations of the Eastern wolf tribe had been saved, preserved and protected all by ending Naraku's life.

Sesshoumaru watched them curiously, his arm was yet to grow back, but then that was because InuYasha severed it not Naraku, meaning it would grow back in its own time. He had been informed that somehow he was mentally blocking his growth, holding himself back. He had a lot of maturing to do which would lead to his own weapon and arm regrowth. He would merely need to understand how, but he could sense Naraku's power ebbing, weakening. He was sure Naraku himself would sense it too, that he had been outwitted by his enemies without ever seeing it coming. His power being leeched from him, that his origin had been erased and removed from history, he was being erased.

Suddenly, Kagome felt her legs buckle from beneath her, her body suddenly feeling weak as she collapsed. It hit her so abruptly she couldn't recognise what was happening to her all at once. It was as if she had suddenly lost the ability to walk, she couldn't lift her body from the ground. All of her strength was gone, all of her spiritual power was being sapped from her body, as if it was just sealed away.

Sango saw Kagome collapse, an expression of concern flooded her face as she saw the teenager fall to her knees "Kagome!" she panicked. This had been a very stressful day for her, everything happening all at once. She had to be exhausted from the storm of emotions running through her, her body must have reached its limit.

Kagome tried to focus, her friend's voices felt distant, as if she was hearing them from underwater. What happened? Why was this happening to her? She tried to think logically and focus while she still had the energy. Is this because Naraku had been killed? Because Kikyo lived? She desperately looked at her friends for help "I...M... Miroku... help...me" she begged, her voice a gasp. They were all she had left, they were the only familiar faces she had closest to her. She wanted them to hear her, she wanted them to see her, she needed their comfort, their support now more than ever. InuYasha was gone, he had left her behind and chosen Kikyo, he had gone back in time to save his lover and forgetting how much he meant to her. That she had come to care for him just as much as Kikyo had. The only reason she kept coming back to this world, that he was the first person she met when she found herself dragged into this world. He'd conspired with his brother to eradicate their mutual enemy at the risk of her existence.

Sango stared at her, her gaze blank and confused, as if she was looking at a stranger, suddenly her familiar tone and body language shifting. It was so subtle and so quick, Kagome almost missed it, like they hadn't been friends for years, as if she didn't recognise her. She still held Kagome in her arms to support her, holding the weakened girl closely "Who... are you?" she questioned. She tried to remember her face, she tried to think where she may have seen this girl before, but her mind was blank. No memories of this girl existed. Had this girl always been here? Why was she dressed in such odd clothes? What was wrong with her dialect?

Kagome stared in horror, the very thing she had been scared of was happening. By Kikyo surviving Onigumo, from preventing her death, meant her soul would never be reincarnated as herself. Her soul would never be transferred into the modern era, her soul would never be reborn. She would never inherit Kikyo's powers and there was no need for her to exist. Not only InuYasha, but now Miroku and Sango's memories of her were being erased.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no

This was the worst way to say goodbye, her friends didn't recognise her, due to her never being born meant she would never help them overcome their trauma. They would never leave their villages, their homes. They would never remember her, all she would be was a stranger with a face they would never remember. The people she had come to confide in, their memories had been wiped too. They had never met her, she never stopped InuYasha from trying to kill Miroku, they had never prevented Sango from hunting down InuYasha and the others. She had never left her village to avenge her family, she had never been corrupted by Naraku and had a jewel shard embedded in her back. She was never born, thus her friends would never know her, she never considered that.

Kouga approached, she was wearing some odd clothes but she had a pretty face. He wondered what she had done to travel all this way out in the woods alone. "She smells like a human, but none from around here, cute though" he muttered, she'd make someone a cute wife. He peered at the other woman and the monk, he knew their kind, they hunted down demons or purified them. He gave them a warning glare, assuring to keep his distance "Don't recall travelling with a monk or a demon slayer either" he huffed.

Sango hesitated, releasing the ghostly female, a sense of unease filling her, backing away from the translucent girl "Maybe she's a ghost" she asked. What other explanation was there? She was from no village she had ever seen, no kimono or other object of clothing.

Miroku softened, kneeling before Kagome, who was now pale, translucent and slowly growing weaker. The very least they could do was show her kindness, maybe then her soul would no longer haunt this plane. For one who was not used to dealing with spirits, the dead or demons, he could understand why they would be afraid. Maybe this girl had called them all to this place, seeking help as to help her move on. Holding up his hand regretfully "I'm sorry, I can't imagine how lonely and confused you must feel. Your soul has departed this plane. You no longer have a connection to this place, you don't belong in this mortal realm anymore, I hope your soul will know peace" he smiled. She appeared awfully young, maybe she had lost family members somehow, trying to find them.

Kagome's eyes welled up with tears, her vision becoming blurry, Miroku, the wise monk who always made perverse jokes had suddenly become wise. He was trying to encourage her soul to pass on, but she wasn't dead, she wasn't even dying. The friends she remembered couldn't even provide her comfort. She was the only one who remembered, she was the only one who knew about the past. Her friends didn't recognise her, InuYasha no longer needed her, they thought she was a ghost? What did this all mean? Her purpose was to collect the jewel shards, but what was the need now? She was being forgotten? Erased? Wiped from existence? Why? She was the reincarnation of Kikyo's soul, didn't that mean something? Was she no longer supposed to have an identity? She was no longer supposed to have a purpose or right to live? InuYasha chose to forget her over Kikyo? He pushed her away because he felt that he could be happier with another woman? To abandon her for a life he'd already lived?

Kaede gasped, collapsing to the ground, her body shaking, she may have been old but this was no heart attack nor ailment caused by old age. She could feel it in her bones, in her soul, time was being altered, erased. Her sister's soul within Kagome was being removed, erased. Time was being rewritten. What had InuYasha done?! She quietly stumbled from her hut, walking out into the evening air, passing by villagers, her gaze focused on her sister's grave. "What have ye done InuYasha? What reckless decision have you chosen now?" she babbled.

"Lady Kaede?" Villagers babbled with worry

Kaede stumbled to her sister's grave, gripping the headstone tightly. Her memories of her older sister still remained, her kind face and warm smile. The smell of blood, the pain her sister endured. She still remembered her sister and InuYasha falling in love, but the tale was being rewritten. Naraku was never born, Onigumo perished, memories of being told by her sister that the cave collapsed and that Onigumo was crushed within. InuYasha had gone back in time, saving her older sister's fate at being pitted against InuYasha, Naraku taking his face and form. She smiled bitterly, InuYasha was so loyal to her older sister, he had loved her so deeply. He was willing to rewrite time just to save her life. Killing the very man, not yet demon who was responsible for her suffering and her death. At the risk of losing his friends, altering this timeline and changing the future, he had gone to save her sister. Assuring that Kikyo's lineage would persist, Kaede would be raised by her sister, she would never be alone. She wouldn't have to live alone with the mere memory of her childhood. Kagome was the reincarnation of her sister's soul, projected from the love her sister had for InuYasha, reborn in the modern world. By InuYasha killing Onigumo, Naraku would never be born, Kagome wouldn't be born. Due to Kikyo never knowing that kind of betrayal and grief. Though her heart ached for the teenager, she knew that InuYasha's wish had saved so many.

"Lady Kaede what is wrong?" a villager protested

Kaede smiled sadly "Soon, this timeline won't exist, my sister's grave won't exist. InuYasha saved my sister, he saved so many from the corruption of Naraku. For a half demon, he truly hid that heart of his poorly" she laughed weakly.

InuYasha approached Kikyo, holding the Shikon Jewel in his grasp, this small bead had caused so much destruction and chaos since its creation, holding it protectively in his hand. Many had made wishes upon this jewel, many with pure intentions, many with corrupt.

Onigumo had wished to win the love of Kikyo, only to be corrupted by its power and the many demons who formed to create Naraku.

Many had wished for power

Tsubaki had wished to become eternally young, but had become narcissistic, corrupted by demon power to keep herself young. Blinded and erased of her humanity and compassion.

Kikyo had wished to be an ordinary woman, but had been weakened by her vulnerability and cursed by her desire for love

Kouga had used the jewel shards to increase his demonic power, but while the jewel had tempted him he had never lost his heart

He had wanted to wish to become a full demon, wishing to rid himself of his perceived human weakness. Instead of being able to accept himself in a world that hated him. Trying to become something he was not to appease others.

Kagura had wished for Naraku's demise, wishing to be freed of her connection to Naraku, wishing for independence. Hating to be controlled by him, hating that she had no identity outside of being his incarnation. Hoping InuYasha's older brother would be her saviour. Only to regain her heart after her many attempted betrayals of Naraku, who swiftly stabbed her through the heart and poisoned her.

Miroku wanted to end the curse of his family, he wished to be freed of the fear of his curse and live as an ordinary man

Sango would have wished to save her brother, to save him from Naraku's control and finally be reunited as a family again. To live in peace together, to free themselves of Naraku's shadow and torment.

Through seeing the corruption of the jewels power and its place in the world, he only had one correct wish, he was going to make a hard decision. To reject either part of him would only end badly, to rid himself of his human blood he would lose that compassion and that heart. Ridding himself of the mother who loved him and accepted him as he was. To become a full human he would deny himself of the power he used to protect his loved ones, the instincts he had honed. The father who had been curious of humans and never used his demonic power to become corrupt and wicked, only rule. He needed to find balance, peace and acceptance, he needed to live as his true self with the woman he loved most of all.

Kikyo stood opposite him, she knew what he wanted more than anything, InuYasha had wanted to use the jewel to find belonging in the world. The jewel could grant his wish to become a full demon lord, to shed himself of the human blood of his mother. She felt greatly saddened that the InuYasha she had come to know and love could disappear. But she could sense a change in him, something in his heart, his dreams had shifted. His previous desire for power had dissolved, replaced with something else. She knew Onigumo was dead, the wicked bandit she had shown mercy to whom had taunted her sister and craved her affections. She had pitied the man but she wasn't naive to his cruelty and mischief. She only hoped his death meant he would know peace. But what would InuYasha wish for now? What would he desire most in this world? "InuYasha?" she asked.

InuYasha gazed at the jewel, still a pure pink colour, purified and uncorrupt, no longer influenced by demonic power. This jewel was born of Midoriko's soul, the last piece of her to exist in the world. Naraku was gone for good, no doubt in his time, he was slowly being erased from the timeline. Kagura, Kanna and the others watching him fade and disintegrate before their very eyes. Knowing they would also die, knowing peace. Naraku's domination would never exist, his mad desire for power, to obtain Kikyo's heart and enact chaos. He would never enact any of his schemes, his twisted games and cruelty. Naraku would never exist now, nor would any of his incarnations, many demons would follow after him but none would ever know of his existence. He could live in this time with Kikyo, he could finally protect her as he had always wished. All of the moments he wanted to share with her he finally could. He needed to speak from the heart, he couldn't lie to her, he couldn't hide things from her. He needed to explain of the future they would have together. "You're the first woman I ever loved, the first person I ever cared for more than anything. The only woman I'll ever truly love" he reflected.

Kikyo blushed, as a priestess, emotional connections, romance, sexuality, marriage, all of it was forbidden. To become a truly pure priestess she had to disconnect herself from any human desires or corruption. But she couldn't deny her attraction and love for InuYasha, how he truly saw her for who she was and loved her. She had always wondered if InuYasha had anyone else in his heart, now she knew the truth. The moment she met InuYasha he could have killed her but he spared her life, though antagonistic he had never actively harmed her. Over time they earned one another's trust and a bond formed between them.

He gripped the jewel "But I can't lie to myself, I can't be selfish and I have to make the right wish. So you'll be safe, so Kaede will be safe" he explained. If he wished to become a demon the jewel would become corrupt from a selfish desire to gain power, if he wished to become a human the jewel would fall into the hands of a worse human.

Kikyo stared, he didn't want to become a human? As a human he could still be tempted by the jewel but it wouldn't be as corrupt as it would in the hands of a demon. But she could sense he didn't want to become a full blooded demon either. InuYasha had made a decision, he had consciously understood the influence he had over the jewel and the effect the wrong decision would have. Seeing him through new eyes, he was so different now, wondering what wish he would choose to make. InuYasha had never enjoyed battle, he hated senseless violence and much like herself he had washed blood from his hands. What was going through his mind? She wished she could see into his heart just a bit deeper. He wanted to stay with her but he didn't want to destroy her wish to become an ordinary woman, he wanted her to have that choice. InuYasha asked her to trust him, he had asked her to believe in him, knowing that a life with her was what he truly wanted.

She had seen the pain in his eyes, someone who had lived a long life, someone who had known trauma, heartache, grief and loss. From the death of his mother when he was young, to being neglected by his half brother, and never knowing his birth father. Rejected, isolated, abused, mocked and taunted by the world around him, never knowing peace. He was broken, more broken than she had ever seen him, someone who had known more battles. But she could see resolve in his eyes too, peace, acceptance, understanding, maturity. Someone or something had helped ease that pain, helped him forge that trust and become the person she saw standing before her. Something had happened while he was absent, she only hoped in time he would tell her what lingered in his heart.

But he chose her, he was making this wish for her

He'd grown up

She approached him, she cupped his face tenderly, gazing into his amber eyes with an expression of understanding and patience. InuYasha was the first person to ever understand her, to see behind the solemn face of the priestess and understand her. She could truly open her heart to him and known that she would always be safe. "What lies in your heart is still a mystery to me, I only know we share wounds. I trust you more than I have anyone before, I feel I can tell you anything. And I know more than anything I want to share my heart and my life with you. Whatever choice you make, I trust you" she soothed. InuYasha had never lied to her, he had never given her a reason to doubt him, he had his secrets but only as a form of self preservation. The same pain, the same tortured soul, she couldn't make this wish for him, he had to simply trust his gut.

InuYasha felt an ache in his chest, flowing with love for Kikyo, standing before him now, he could see the maturity beyond her years. And yet he could see the woman she would become, the girl she was. But he could see the compassion that Kagome had inherited. If Kikyo was to ever have a future, ever able to break free of the shackles of expectation as a priestess, he needed to make this choice. The jewel glowing a radiant pure pink, bright and powerful, he took a deep breath "Shikon jewel, vanish forever" he stated.

Kikyo's eyes widened in awe, how had he made this decision? Somehow the perfect wish and yet denying himself the wish to become a full demon as he had always wanted. Uncorrupted by the power of the jewel, so no demon or human would ever fall prey to its power again. Still harbouring both his human and demon blood, without becoming corrupt. Still loving her as he was, still accepting himself as he was, but without the desire to fight. That restless soul fighting for a place in the world. He'd purified and destroyed the jewel. The jewel glowed brighter and brighter like a star, nearly blinding them as it emitted a gleam. Soon bursting into pieces, vanishing before their eyes. Emitting a form of energy that they both felt flow through them. A power unlike any other radiating between them as it flowed through the air.

But without the jewel that meant?! She gasped, cupping her face as she felt relief, sadness and joy fill her. The burden she had been forced to bear, the duty she had always known, the weight of it all. Never having that choice or freedom, never being able to give into that part of herself. To know any form of negative emotion, any form of positive emotion, always balance.

InuYasha gazed at her warmly "You can be an ordinary woman, you'll never need to wield a bow and arrow again. You'll never be forced to fight demons again, no demon will ever fight for its power ever again. It's erased from reality. You can still have your power without the need to be a priestess" he smiled. Kikyo had only ever wanted to live as an ordinary woman, the day she met him she already knew in her heart she chose him. She no longer wanted the title of priestess only to be loved by him. Kikyo didn't need to sacrifice anything of herself, she simply would be released from her duties, she would never have to guard, protect or fight ever again. She could live among the villagers as a normal woman.

Kikyo's eyes welled up with tears, this would be the last time she would ever fight a demon, this would be the last time she would ever have to worry about demons being drawn to the village. The world would still be full of corruption and wickedness, but the temptation would be gone. The jewel would never be able to lure any threats to the village again. She would become a new person, she could raise her sister into a fine young woman, she could become a wife, a mother. She could be free to have fun, to explore and enjoy her hobbies. Her new life started now. "Oh InuYasha" she wept, throwing her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. This was what she wanted, to be in his arms.