This work is complete. It's one of the greatest fanfics I've found on the Web. I'm posting it here with the permission of the author. I found it at http://www.geocities.com/inuyashakarma . Enjoy. Tim Seltzer
Disclaimer: Corisu Li: And nowww....the end is near.....
Miroku: Please, don't go there.
Corisu Li: Sorry, Miroku, I'm just excited! This will be the last chappie of my first fic! And judging by the statements of the people who have already asked for a sequel, it probably won't be my last fic! Sigh...As you know already (and if you don't, shame on you because I've said it 14 times) I don't own anybody except Ayako. That said, on with the finish:
"Don't you feel bad about leaving a guy behind who loves you?"
"I'll get over it! Besides, there's already someone waiting for me at home."
"Well, Kagome, I know that nothing that I can say will make you stay if you don't want to. Just know that you'll always have someone here." With this, the person stood and folded Kagome into a tight embrace, finally allowing tears to fall.
Kagome sniffled, mentally cursing herself for allowing her to cry. She had wanted to make this painless. "Tell S-- (I left it blank on purpose) that I love him, and tell him not to grieve for me. I'm going where I belong."
"It's just so hard to let you go, Kagome!"
"I know. It's hard to let go of this place, this time, as well. I've spent so much time here that it's very hard to leave it behind."
"Well, you'll come back to visit, ne?"
"Umm...that's what I wanted to tell you..."
"Nani?"
"I won't be coming back. Ever."
"But...but...NO! Then...then I forbid you to go back! I'll go down there and seal off the well!"
"As much as you don't like it, you know you can't do that. You know that this is for the best."
"I...I can't believe that you're really leaving us all!"
"I have to. Tell everyone good-bye for me."
The person brushed away tears and watched as Kagome departed. Running to catch a final glimpse, this person could just catch a flash of the girl and her yellow backpack vanishing through the well....never to return again.
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Kagome sat at the bottom of the well, trying to stop her tears and straighten her face before dealing with the time that she had chosen. Of course, she had no time to do so...
"Oi, wench! What took you so damn long? I gave you two of these hour thingies!"
Kagome looked up to see a red-clad hanyou holding up her stopwatch, and laughed. Getting to her feet and bending her powerful legs, she sprang from the well and landed softly on the grass. "Calm down, Inuyasha! I had to say good-bye to my mom." Stepping forward, she planted a kiss on his lips, immediately halting his anger.
"Yeah, well. Come on, we're having a celebration at Kaede's."
"A celebration? For what?"
Inuyasha smirked. "You'll see!" With this, he snatched up the girl's huge backpack and began to race away. Kagome smiled, allowing her sharp fangs to show. Her silver eyes followed Inuyasha's progress, and when he'd gotten sufficiently far away, she took up the chase. Sprinting through the forest, her black hair streamed out behind her, glinting occasionally when a sunbeam hit one of the many white strands that were scattered through it. The wind rushed through her dog-like ears as she sped up. A few yards from Kaede's, she managed to catch up to Inuyasha.
"Grrrr, you let me win again!" she whined, playfully tugging his hair as they walked the remaining distance.
Inuyasha laughed. "What fun is it if I beat you every time?"
Kagome stuck out her tongue at him and Inuyasha grabbed it. "How about I slit this off for you? Then I won't have to hear your complaining any more." He released her tongue and laughed.
Kagome let a seductive smile play across her lips. "Yeah, I suppose that's an upside...but the downside would be the lack of..." Here she pulled him into a passionate kiss, her hands locked around his neck. Inuyasha responded by placing his hands around her waist and drawing her closer.
When they broke apart, Inuyasha gulped and said, "Nevermind. I would kind of miss that..."
Shippou burst from the hut at that moment and threw himself into Kagome's arms. "Kagome!!!!! Are you really going to live here now?"
"Hai, Shippou-chan." Kagome affectionately patted the kitsune on the head as the three entered Kaede's.
Kagome was shocked to find the hut completely empty. "Inuyasha," she began. "I thought you told me there was a celebration going on!"
"There is," he answered, ushering her out of the back door.
Immediately, there arose a huge group shout of, "Welcome home, Kagome!" Kagome shrieked and nearly fell on her butt with surprise. Every person that she'd met since arriving in the Sengoku Jidai (minus youkai and dead people) were all standing around the yard, beaming at her. Even the real Misa and her mother had shown up for the festivities. Kagome's initial shock faded into misty appreciation.
"Wow! Thanks everyone!" she cried, running to hug the people that she hadn't seen for ages, including Nobunaga and the chief of the village that they'd saved from the kappa that had stolen the water goddess's staff. Nostalgia overwhelmed everyone, and they couldn't help but recount their adventures. Kagome noticed, with a small smile, that Sango and Miroku were never more than a few feet apart.
The celebration lasted well into the night, until finally, well-fed and slightly fuzzy headed from sake, everyone waved good-bye to Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kaede, and left.
There was still one person that hadn't shown up, however. While Kagome was helping tidy up after the party, she felt a presence very close to her. Looking around, she saw that none of her friends were close enough to give that sort of impression. Kagome quickly regained the company of the others and asked them if they sensed anything strange.
"Strange, Kagome-san? Like a youkai?" Miroku inquired.
"Sort of," Kagome answered biting her lip. "Oh! I've got it!" Concentrating, she forced her vision into the sort of blue haze that she'd used in Inazuma's castle. Looking around her, she saw the figures of her friends and the six orbs that represented their souls.
Wait- six?!!? Peering closer, Kagome realized that one of the souls wasn't contained in a body. It hovered just over Inuyasha's head. Reaching out, she pulled it to her body gently. It seemed to move without her help; she didn't even need to make contact for it to follow her hands.
"What is it, Kagome?" Kaede asked. The old woman could sense something, but she was nowhere near as Aware as the young miko. The others, who had very little Awareness themselves, were completely lost.
"A soul," Kagome whispered. She felt a strong sense of deja-vu as she peered into the globe of light, and then, realization dawned on her. "It's Ayako!"
Everyone was now looking at her with interest. "You mean the youkai that helped you defeat Inazuma?" Sango said incredulously.
Kagome nodded. "She asked me to spare her soul after she was killed." The girl spread her palms and allowed the soul float up and away while she returned her vision to normal. "And she had a message. It was strange, though. It was something like, "You will meet me, but you will not know me. From beyond the grave, I shall live.'"
Miroku thought hard. "Maybe she is hinting at her reincarnation."
Kagome brightened. "Yes! That has to be it! She's saying that her reincarnation will join us!"
Kaede had remained very silent after Kagome had revealed the name of their spectral visitor. Now, she spoke: "Be ye sure, child, that the name of the soul was Ayako?"
"Hai, Kaede-baa-chan. Why?"
"Ayako was the one to whom the sword ye now wield belonged."
"What? Impossible! That's a miko blade!" Inuyasha interrupted.
"And Ayako was a miko. She was the same age as my sister when she lived. Her weapon of choice was the katana that was called the Sora-Ki, or the Spirit of the Sky."
"Well, how did you come to possess it?" Kagome asked, very interested now.
"Ayako disappeared a few months before Naraku caused the calamity between Inuyasha and Kikyou. At least, she disappeared to everyone but me. One day, she returned to me and gave me the Sora-Ki, telling me to offer it to Kikyou. If my sister refused, I was to wait for another to claim it."
"Just one problem," Inuyasha jumped in. "The Ayako that we're talking about was youkai, and this Ayako seems to be ningen."
"When Ayako returned to me, Inuyasha, she was hanyou. I strongly suspect that she fell victim to her own curse."
"You mean-" Kagome started.
"Hai, child. Ayako was prey to Siaku powder."
Everyone fell silent and became deep in thought. This was unexpected! No one had ever suspected that Ayako once was a miko, but now it explained her knowledge of potions, poisons, and everything else.
The brooding was abruptly ceased when Shippou began snoring loudly from Sango's lap. Laughing heartily, the girl picked him up and brought him into the hut, followed by Miroku and Kaede. Kirara was already asleep inside. Turning, Kaede faced Inuyasha and Kagome. "Be ye ready to turn in?"
Kagome shared a look with Inuyasha. "No offense, Kaede-baa-chan, but we'll sleep in the trees tonight."
Kaede smiled. "Sleep well." She entered the hut and closed the door behind her.
Kagome grinned as she turned to Inuyasha. "What a day, huh?"
Inuyasha smiled back at her. "Yeah, I guess it was. Ready for bed?" He asked this because Kagome had just let out a yawn that looked as if it could have cracked her face open. She regarded him blearily.
"Guess so."
The pair walked through the forest until they reached the Goshinboku. There, Inuyasha picked Kagome up and leapt into the branches, settling down against a tree trunk. He still held Kagome in his arms, and she snuggled up against his chest. "Oyasumi nasai, Kagome," Inuyasha said, placing a kiss on her forehead.
Kagome mumbled a reply. She was already falling asleep against his warmth. Her last coherent thought before lapsing into the world of dreams was, 'Tadaima.'
'I'm home.'
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Corisu Li: *stares at computer, eyes wide*
Inuyasha: Oi, what's wrong with the wench there?
Miroku: Hmm, she appears to be in shock.
Kagome: But what could've done that?
Sango: Maybe- *is cut off by a shriek welling up in Corisu Li's throat*
Corisu Li: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! I did it!!!! *does the 'I did a cliffie dance', only now it's the 'I finished the story' dance* Who's the authoress!?!?! W00t!!!!! *keeps dancing*
Everyone: *sweatdrops*
Corisu Li: What? It's a major accomplishment!! Everyone who's reading this, thanks for sticking through until the end! Mwah! Major glompies! The SEQUEL IS NOW UP! It's called "Two Months to Live". You can find it at my author's page. I hope you enjoy!
THE END
OWARI
FINI
ANY OTHER LANGUAGES YOU
WANT TO ADD!!!!!
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