InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten Memories ❯ Epilogue Part I ( Chapter 23 )

A/N: Part 1 of the Epilogue of FM. Originally, the ending of this was in one mega-chapter, but my friend talked me out of it. So now, instead of one Epilogue, it'd be two. Hope you all enjoy!

Epilogue Part 1

Tears coursed down Kagome's cheeks as she was brought through the well. Her hands clutched at her heart, as she willed herself to return to the past. To return to her love.

It's not fair, she thought as she tried to get out of the mist that surrounded her. They had just confessed their love to each other. They had found and recognized their love finally. Why? Why did the Fates have to be so cruel?

"Sesshoumaru!" She cried, as she was brought further and further from her love. His face completely disappeared behind the cloudy mist, as she was lifted from the ground. Her hands reached out and passed through the mist. Closing her hands around his clothing, she pulled, willing herself to remain close to him.

However, before her heart could alight with hope, she felt the fabric come loose and realized that she was being moved once again. Her hands held the silky fabric of the gi, as the mist cleared to allow her vision of him, one last time.

"Sesshoumaru...!" She cried, trying to go to him. Her hands reached out, wanting to touch him. Her heart broke when she saw the stricken look on his face. A second later, the mist closed on her again and brought her through the well.

Kagome felt the usual floaty feeling as she passed through the well. Nevertheless, this time, there was a strange and definite finality to it. As though there is no doubt that, this is the last time. She knew, without having to be told, that this would be the last time. There will be no next time for her in the Sengoku Jidai.

Her eyes opened and she stared at her surrounding with saddened heart. Transparent tears flowed freely down her cheeks and dusted at the blue and yellow gi. Her eyes closed, as she felt the shift between one world to the next.

A nano-second later, however, her eyes snapped back open, as she felt her heart being ripped out of her. "Arrgh!" she cried out, clutching tightly at the gi. My heart! It's going to burst! Unaware to anything but the pain, her eyes screwed shut, as her body passed through the well.

Her soul, however...

...her soul floated back...back to the Sengoku Jidai...

-----

InuYasha slowly walked over to Sesshoumaru. He didn't like to see that expression on Sesshoumaru's face. No matter what happened, he's still his brother. He'd tried to kill him, but... InuYasha had always suspected that Sesshoumaru never had any real intention to kill him.

I'd be dead, he thought, as he took another step. If he really wanted to kill me...I'd be dead...

They're brothers, and they had never wanted to kill each other. He'd always just wanted to prove to Sesshoumaru that he had worth. And Sesshoumaru? Perhaps his older brother had always wanted to help him-help him get stronger.

"Sesshoumaru..."

His brother chuckled. Low and strangely hollow, the entire meadow echoed with the sound. It bounced from one wind to the next, until everyone could hear the sad and ironic chuckle. InuYasha swallowed, as he averted his eyes towards the well.

What can he do, after all? No words of comfort mattered to the heartbroken.

"Gone..." Sesshoumaru whispered, as once again, InuYasha had the miraculous experience of viewing his brother try to work out his emotion. He'd lost her again.

For that single, one single moment...he'd thought everything would work out. For that one second when she opened her eyes and professed her love, he thought he could live his life with her...

"Gone..."

That's right...everything's gone. Everything's taken from him again.

He laughed again. Kagome left him. Back to where she came from...far away into the future. A part of his heart cracked again. The crack that had started to mend with the confession of Kagome's love opened again. It deepened, until he could feel the pieces of his heart crumbling to pieces.

There's nothing left of him. The remnants of his heart had died. How do you regain parts of yourself that had crumbled to a million pieces?

Sesshoumaru walked over to the Bone-Eater Well. His eyes looked down upon at the pile of empty bones all the way down at the bottom. Golden eyes stared blankly down at them, as slowly, one piece after another of his heart flowed through the well to follow his love.

He blinked, suddenly, when his eyes caught sight of a flash of blue coming down the bottom. Staring, he watched, as the light grew larger and larger. Widening, he backed away from the well just in time to see the blast of pure, white light flying out of the well.

It swirled around the entire field as though excited to be back, before stopping before a light of reddish, pinkish light.

Sesshoumaru stared, as the mist slowly disappeared from the figure at the center. It parted, to reveal the form of...

Of...

"Kikyo...!" InuYasha gasped, when he saw his lost love.

Everyone in the clearing stared, as the soul entered her body. The body stayed motionless for a moment before...

Blink.

Brown eyes greeted the world, as she swayed on her feet. InuYasha dashed forward, and quickly caught her before she could drop onto the ground. Brown eyes met gold, as finally, the two stared without a shred of hatred for the other.

Tears flowed down Kikyo's eyes, as she saw the love of her life hold her so tenderly in his arms. "InuYasha..."

How? InuYasha wanted to ask. How had Kikyo gotten her soul back?

"Back to normal, InuYasha," Kikyo whispered as though she had read his mind. "From before Naraku..."

Again, the hanyou remained silent. His wish... It had brought Kikyo back. His spirit lifted, as he realized that Fate had given them a second chance. He could still be with Kikyo. He could still live his life with her.

But...

What happens to Kagome now? Kikyo's...Kagome's soul...Without Kagome's soul...what happens now? Does this mean the sequence after this would be altered? Would Kagome exist?

Pain entered his heart, as he realized that his best friend might not exist. As he realized that she would never live, never become the truly magnificent woman she is.

Kikyo saw.

Sorrow went into her features, as she lowered her brown eyes. "I know, InuYasha, that even though everyone came back, things cannot go back to the way it was." One crystalline drops sprinkled down after the next, and slowly, she sat back onto the grass beneath. "Memories remain-it cannot be erased. No matter what, bonds are formed, others are severed."

She looked down at the ground, using her long dark bangs to cover her features. "We cannot go back to the past anymore."

Her eyes turned to the Demon Lord, who stared at her with something akin to desperate lost. "Kagome is my future. My time has already past. It is stopped, so I have no right to continue it." Slowly, she rose. "Demon Lord," she murmured, bowing to the grieving Sesshoumaru. "The soul of your beloved is here..."

A step, then another. "You will..."

Kikyo smiled. A ghost of the person she was flickered into her features. "There is no future for me like this, Demon Lord. I am but a shadow of who I was. And even so, this world is no longer the place for me. I was not strong enough in my trust for InuYasha. And so, Naraku was able to deceive me. But Kagome wasn't. She does not deserve to be sacrificed. We need her in this world. We need the existence of Kagome."

Did she want to sob? Did she want to break down, and just plead so that she could remain with her love? There was still a chance, was there not? There was a chance that she and InuYasha could live happily together, was there not? The Fates had given them the chance, had they not?

But one look at the stricken Sesshoumaru and the accepting InuYasha told her no. There is no longer a pathway to the past. No matter how long she lingered, the result will be the same.

Sesshoumaru stared at the woman who so resembles his beloved. She is not her, but the soul is the same. Kagome is somewhere inside that soul, waiting to be saved. Slowly, he drew Tenseiga, the Healing Sword.

"Kagome," Kikyo murmurs, as she closes her eyes. "Cannot become just a remnant of one's memory. She must live...she must be born..."

"Kikyo!" InuYasha called out, as Sesshoumaru prepared to strike. "Wait for me! I'll join you, eventually, in Hell!"

Kikyo smiled over at him, as the sword struck down to her heart. It pierced through her heart until the soul in her body flowed out. The large beam of pure white light burst through the air, happy to be free once again. The brilliant white light swirled around the Demonic Lord, twirling his silver strands around his person.

Looking at the excited spirit that resided so happily beside him, a slow sparkle returned to his eyes. A piece of his heart mended.

Here...she's still here...

She stopped before him. Her movements slowed, turning quite and serene. No specific feature could be seen, but he knew. It's her. She's watching him with the same love that he's smiling at in return.

Smiling...

...He's smiling again...

The few times that he'd smiled had been for her...

"Kagome," he whispered, raising Tenseiga towards the soul. "Kagome..."

Tenseiga glowed white. Slowly, swirls of mist protruded out of the brilliant diamonds of the sword. It continued to flow forward, until it encircled the soul entirely. When everything cleared once again, no brilliant white remained. And Tenseiga...

"She's in here," Sesshoumaru murmured, staring at the miracle of a sword his father had given to him. Had he known? Did InuTaisho know of Sesshoumaru's need of this? Had he somehow guessed? "She's here...in Tenseiga..."

And there's now no doubt in his mind. He had to go back to her. Her body is somewhere in the future. But her soul...

...her essence is here...

InuYasha saw his brother slowly return to his former self. The haunted fear was still remained, but it softens as seconds passed one by one. Softened by hope...and life...

Kagome? Is this all about Kagome after all?

But Sesshoumaru didn't care. Staring at Tenseiga, he closed his eyes to the world. All that mattered, in the end, is that she's here.

"We'll make it," he whispered. "We'll get you back to yourself..."

Author's Corner

This chapter is for all the bittersweet ending lovers out there!! If you're awaiting a completely happy ending, wait for Epilogue Part II!!!

Everyone seemed to have been expecting the Epilogue to be taken place in the 21st Century! I hope I'd managed to surprise at least a few of you. One of you DID guess at it, with your comment of "Kikyo's Return" and I salute you greatly!

Note About Tenseiga

In the series, I think Tenseiga's usage is that it forces the soul back into the body by slashing the body. I twisted that basic idea-of Tenseiga having the ability to hold the soul in the sword for that nano-second-into a prolonged length of time. So, yes, Kagome's soul is now residing inside Tenseiga, awaiting for the day when she could return to her body.

Fanfiction

Inu.-sess.fan: Heh, I didn't plan for Sesshoumaru to meet Kagome back in the future! ^.^ Hope this chapter came as a surprise! Although that tear idea was soooo fluffilicous...

Lechar132: Yup! Me too!! I mean, I realize that reality is not always perfect, but then what about miracles? I think people who says reality is not always perfect is just pessimists...^_^ Nehow, glad you liked and hope you'll await for Epilogue Part II!!!

Sayorian: Aw!! That's so sweet!! {blush} I'm so glad you enjoyed the fanfiction this much!

Dancing-by-moonlight: Still not the last chapter!! Wait for the ending!! And hope this chapter made you stop crying by the ending? Ah...

Kanemoshi: Heh, thanks for reviewing! Glad you enjoyed so much...!!!

Whitewolf: RIGHT!! Although all he sees right now is just her glowing white globby soul form!

Kura-sama: Hope this chapter was slightly different from your version of the epilogue...And {sigh} so sad that I was so predictable...

Sess'nekofiregoddess: Er, yes? I mean, no? He's with her soul, but not her body? Heh, yea...

Zeddy200: Thanks so much!! {bluuuush} And wait for the final chapter-Epilogue Part II for the happy ending!!

DemonWicca: Yes! Kikyo came back! I congratulate you on your observations-you were the only one that realized that she might have to come back to life!! Anywayz, I don't mention this in this chapter, but in the next one, you can pretty much infer that the Outlaws lives happily now! ^_^

ManGledBunNy: Heh, yea, I really wanted that bloody scene there...Anyhow, glad you liked! If you want a complete happy ending, please wait for Epilogue Part II!

Kai/Hilary all the way: Glad you liked! Sorry for updating so slowly!!

AngelMiko69: Glad you liked! Hope this chapter satisfied!

Wake-Robin: Yup, yup!! Finally got the thing outta the way!! Yay! School...bleh! Evil creature! I tell you, it's the devil in the building form!! O.O

Natsumi Tsuchi-Ookami: Glad you liked! Thanks for reviewing!

HellzAznGrl: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry for updating so late!!

Aznchiki: O.o Addition...?! {faints} I'm so flattered!! So glad you like!! Sorry for the slow update!

Mayukagurl: They're together, technically. But happy ending comes next chapter!!

Mediaminer

YAAH!!!: Thanks for reviewing! Glad you liked!

Purityz_darkness: I signed you up on my notification site. If you wish to get notification on any new stories in the future, please sign up in http://rhexi.notification.com. Glad you enjoyed! ^.~

Ni-chi-chan: Nope! Kind of different, since Kagome is going to be with Sess these 500 years-technically speaking! But, hey, glad to know you liked it though!

Sallyo129: {chokes while laughing} Well, hmz...I'd see to marrying you and Sess, except, well, I WANT HIM TOO!!! (and the million other girls out there too...x.X) {sigh} RUN!!! RUN AND GET YOUR SOCK BACK!!! Rofl.

Tonia: Thanks! Glad you liked! ^.~

Great Work: Thanks a million!

Lady-K: Ah, da lemon goodness-sorry! I'm not a very good lemon writer... (almost killed myself trying to write that previous lemon chapter!! O.O) Once I find a partner to collaborate with-that writes good lemon!!-I'll see to it, maybe? Sorry to disappoint!! >_<;;

A Single Spark

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm glad that you're all enjoying this story, and anticipating my updates!

End

Please remember to READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!

Happy Reading!

Lots of greets,

Yukisora and Hachigatsu

Edited by: Wake-Robin

Last Checked: October 17, 2004