InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome's Realization ❯ Chapter 24 ( Chapter 29 )

Chapter 24

Inuyasha stared at Kikyo it total shock and confusion. "You have Kagome's soul?" He asked.

"Our soul, it was once mine, but to answer your question directly; yes." Kikyo replied.

"How is this possible?" Inuyasha turned and asked Yunigie.

"She had a part of the soul so instead of crossing over it joined with the rest of itself. It would work both ways." It was the only answer he could come up with. He had never before tried to revive someone who had a piece of his or her soul sustaining another.

"Her soul just came to you?" Sango asked Kikyo stepping forward, Shippo still on her shoulder.

"My shinidama brought it to me. I knew it was different from any other soul I have collected the moment I saw it. It wasn't till I absorbed it that I realized who the soul came from" Kikyo answered with the usual blank look in her eyes and emotionless expression.

"You said that you haven't been collecting souls?" Miroku said coming to stand next to Sango, who immediately moved over a foot. Miroku took a moment to look at Sango with a hurtful expression before turning his attention back to the matter at hand. He would just have to deal with smoothing things over with Sango later.

"Having all my soul has made it unnecessary to collect the souls of others." Answered Kikyo.

"We can't bring Kagome back now, can we?" Shippo asked Sango with tears streaming down his face.

"Oh, Shippo, I.." Sango paused for a moment trying to keep herself from crying as well. "I don't know." Sango whispered and it was the truth.

"Are you alive then?" Miroku asked.

"I will never be of flesh and bone again."

"What are you doing here, Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked.

"Kagome died. I wanted to know more."

"More about what?" Inuyasha questioned further.

"More about what you plan to do now."

"Now that Kagome is dead, huh?" Inuyasha asked feeling some of his anger rising.

"I came to find out what happened to her as well."

"She was murdered that's what happened to her. Not that you really care because Kagome has never been a friend of yours. Though she wouldn't tell me, I am sure that you have tried to kill Kagome as well. When you stole her shards from her." Inuyasha accused.

"If I had wanted to kill her then I would have done so. Easily." Kikyo said in her defense though her expression never changed.

"Easy? Because I wasn't there to protect her?" Inuyasha asked.

"You have nothing to do with it, Inuyasha. Even if you had been there I still would have the shards." Kikyo answered.

"To give to Naraku so that you can ultimately send him to hell?" Inuyasha asked feeling his lose of control over the situation more and more. This was not how things were supposed to work out. Kagome was to be alive again already and Kikyo wasn't to be a part of the situation.

"He will end up in hell." Kikyo said simply.

"Yes, because I will send him there." Inuyasha said fuming. How he wished Kagome was here he thought as he turned back to look at her. I wish she was alive and standing here by my side, he corrected.

"Inuyasha?" The wizard said coming to stand next to him. "Speak privately with me." And he gestured with his hand the path they had come from.

"Of course." Inuyasha said with one last glance at Kagome and then Kikyo and the others. "I'll be back," Inuyasha said softly to Shippo and Sango as he passed them.

Sango moved to stand next to Miroku and watched as Inuyasha disappeared from sight. "Should we move Kagome back to the cave?" She asked him softly while looking sadly at Kagome.

"I don't know." Miroku replied.

Shippo looked from Kikyo to Kagome and then back to Kikyo again. They may be similar in appearance if, in his opinion, they were dressed alike, but he would always know Kagome when he saw her. Unlike Kikyo who always appeared cold and distant Kagome gave you the most wonderful feeling of warmth and acceptance. The love she felt for her friends and her world around her shone clear in her eyes for all to see. When he looked at Kikyo he felt cold and almost afraid. He sure would hate to be left alone with her. With a shiver running up his spine he turn his attention back to Kagome. Seeing her lying lifelessly on the ground made his throat tighten and tears fill his eyes. Unable to stand it anymore he let out a gut-wrenching wail.

"Aww." Sango said gathering him up in her arms. "Don't cry."

"She's gone." He cried.

"Oh, Shippo" Sango whispered tears of her own streaming down her face.

Miroku observed the two and longed to offer his comfort as well but decided against going near Sango for the rest of today at least. So he settled for staring at the ground.

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Inuyasha's ears twitched when he heard the distant cries of Shippo. He knew why he was crying and it tore at his heart because he understood completely. "It's over, right?" Inuyasha asked the wizard who was walking in front of him.

Still walking Yunigie said, "Let me start with admitting that this is a first for me. I've never encountered anyone who came from the future. I've also never seen the soul of one person being shared with another, sustaining both. When Urasue revived Kikyo by giving her back her soul that had been reincarnated into Kagome, what happened to Kagome?" Suddenly he stopped and turned around.

Inuyasha thought about that for a moment before answering, "She was a shell of a person. She wasn't dead but she wasn't alive either."

"How did Kikyo loose most of the soul?"

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows and relieved the tension in his neck by turning it side to side. "Kikyo was full of all the hatred for me that she died with. There is so much that you don't know. Naraku tricking Kikyo and I into thinking we tried to kill one another. It lead me to stealing the jewel and nearly destroying the village it resided in and it lead Kikyo to pinning me to a tree with the last of her strength before she died and was burned with the Shikon no Tama. Which, with the passing of time ended up safe and sound within Kagome in her time."

"You told me of the well that connects your times." The wizard supplied.

"Kikyo died believing that I gave her the wound that took her life. She believed that I tricked her into thinking that I would use the jewel to become human and live a life with her so that she would bring it to me willingly." Inuyasha said.

"What did she think you would do with it?" He asked.

"Destroy the village and become full demon." Inuyasha answered.

"Do you wish to become human, Inuyasha?"

"No." Inuyasha said after a moments pause. "And I don't want to be a full demon either. I've experienced what it's like and I didn't care for it too much."

"You were going to become human for Kikyo?"

"Yes. The jewel would be purified and Kikyo could live a normal life with me."

"That would purify the jewel?"

"Kikyo said it would. I've never given it much thought." Inuyasha admitted. "At that time I had only wanted it to become full demon but then Kikyo and I …" He trailed off.

"Yes. So Kikyo died thinking you betrayed her? I take it then she was angry?"

"Very. She wanted to know what I was doing alive. She called me all sorts of names. It was then that I started to piece together what happened that day. Till then I believed that Kikyo tried to kill me so when she accused me of killing her I was confused. Her sister was with us and she tried to aid her sister but instead armed her for Kikyo took her bow and arrow and tried to kill me again."

"She does not appear to be a woman who misses." The wizard observed.

"She didn't. It was at that moment. When my life was on the line that Kagome found strength to stop Kikyo by somehow calling her soul back to her. Kikyo ran away, preventing Kagome from taking it all. I went after her; in her unsteadiness on her feet she stumbled and was about to go over a cliff when I caught her by the wrist. She tried to take me over with her but failed."

"Kagome will not be able to take her soul back this time, I'm afraid." Yunigie ran a hand over his face. "I will not be able to split the soul, Inuyasha."

"I know." Inuyasha said simply.

"Your choices aren't very good either." He continued. "Kagome will not live again without her soul. I do not know Kikyo well enough to say that she would simply give up the soul, but that is also a choice. Or…" He trailed off not liking his train of thought.

"Or?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Or you take it from her." He supplied.

"Kill Kikyo?" Inuyasha's brow furrowed.

The wizard put his hands up in defense. "You could but I'm afraid that wouldn't do you any good."

"It won't?" Inuyasha asked.

"It won't because I wouldn't revive Kagome for you if you murdered another."

Inuyasha let out a heavy sigh, "I couldn't kill Kikyo any more than I could kill Kagome."

"Do you think Kikyo will give up the soul?"

"I doubt it."

"It seems that your choice is made for you then."

Inuyasha felt tears sting at his eyes. "Kagome dies."

"She's all ready died. You bury her and you mourn her. You complete the task that has been set before you." Yunigie placed a comforting hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"With Kikyo?" Inuyasha whispered.

"That is your decision." Yunigie said with a shrug.

Inuyasha felt his whole world spin out of control, making him dizzy. He could barely see straight. "I want Kagome."

"I know." He said softly as he watched Inuyasha make his way back to his companions.

Inuyasha nodded his head but he wasn't listening. Kagome and their friends consumed his thoughts. How was he supposed to explain to them that Kagome wasn't going to be able to come back? And that Kikyo was to live with her soul? How was he going to tell her mother? Oh, he thought, I can't believe that I forgot about her family. Surely they knew something bad had happened, the well was in shambles. How would he ever be able to look Kagome's mother in the eye?

Overcome by all the depressing thoughts Inuyasha did the only thing that he could do, he walked over to the mountain and punched it with his fist. He ignored the pain that shot through his hand, and the small bits of rock that feel from the force of his blow. "Damn it all to hell." And then Inuyasha did the one thing he hadn't done since his mother died. He sat on the ground and drew his knees up to his chest, crossed his arms over his knees, placed his head on his arms and cried his heart out.

Author's note: I'm sorry that was so sad. And a huge thanks to all who have reviewed my story. When I started this story I never thought so many would like it.