InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome's Return (sequel to Kagome! Where are you!? ❯ rebirth ( Chapter 10 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Kagome return chapter 10



Kagome grimaces. "Sango. Sesshomaru and I did something similar
to this during our travels. But, Tenseiga was with us." She licks
her lips. "I think, I hope, that my healing spells, which have
improved during my travels, will work. But, I can't promise you
anything."

Sango nods. Her body is tense, but, she is standing next to her
brother's body.

Kagome places her hands on Kohaku body. Her hands glow. His body
glows . . .

The glow fades. Kohaku's body is healed, but it is still dead.

"I wish that Tenseiga were here." Kagome whispers as she stands
up and looks at Kanna.

Kanna looks back at Kagome.

Sesshomaru frowns. "Wait." He orders.

"Huh?" everyone looks at him.

HE points up into the air. "Something is approaching."

Everyone looks up.

An oni is flying toward them. It crash-lands nearby.

"Tetsusaiga!" Inu-yasha yells. ‘I can feel it.' He thinks.

Kagome smiles. ‘The swords.' She thinks. ‘Somehow they came back.
Now. Everything will be all right.'

Kagome, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha rush to the Oni's body.

"How do you feel?" Miroku asks as he and Sango remain next to her
brother's body.

Sango looks at him, sharply. "Not right now, Monk."

Miroku stares back, "I meant nothing more with that question,
than what a friend would ask another friend."
Sango swallows, and looks down at her brother's body. "I. .. "
She begins, then continues, "I don't know. I wish, I hope."

Miroku reaches out and puts his hand on her shoulder, and only
her shoulder, and gently squeezes. "My hopes ride with yours."

Sango looks at his hand. She looks at his other hand, which, he
has placed behind him, as far away from her as possible. She
looks back at her brother and whispers, "thank you."


At the oni's body . . .


"Here is your sword." Sesshomaru says as he hands Kagome Jaa
Kalpa. His two swords are already in place at his side.

"Thank you," She replies, as she accepts the sword and begins to
place it around her waist.

"Kagome?" Inu-yasha asks, puzzled, as he places his sword around
his waist.

Kagome draws her sword, and holding it between her spread hands,
shows it to Inu-yasha. "May I present, Jaa Kalpa, Inu-yasha. I
found it during my travels. It saved my life and Sesshomaru's
life during them."

"Its not as powerful as our families swords," Sesshomaru says,
right on the heels of Kagome's statement, "but, it allows her to
focus her power in combat better. All in all, a very useful
weapon, that, as she said, has saved our lives."


Inu-yasha looks at the sword and then at Kagome and Sesshomaru.
He smiles, and begins to laugh.

"Inu-yasha!?" Kagome asks.


"You're so weak that you needed her?" Inu-yasha says between
chuckles. "She saved your life?"

Sesshomaru growls. He opens his mouth, but at Kagome's touch, he
shuts it.

"Inu-yasha, if you could, please tell me how you would have
survived, say, Yura, without me?" Kagome asks in a sweet-sounding
voice.

Inu-yasha stops laughing. He looks at Kagome. She smiles back,
sweetly, raising an eyebrow as a silent request for an answer.

He looks at Sesshomaru, standing behind her, in a supporting
position. Sesshomaru also raises an eyebrow.

Inu-yasha growls, a very ugly sound.

"Kagome!" Sango calls, interrupting them, from where her brother
is still lying. "Is everything ok?"

Inu-yasha spins and stomps toward Sango, angrily, his feet
kicking at the grass, and punting large divots into the distance.

Kagome sighs, heavily, but follows. Sesshomaru follows her.


At Kohaku's body . . .


Sango kneels next the body. Kagome kneels next to the head of the
body, as well.


Kanna places her mirror on the body. Kohaku's soul seeps out of
the mirror and floats, for a second, over the body.

Sesshomaru stands over the body and swings Tenseiga, swiftly and
cleanly through the soul and the body. The force of the swing
drags the soul through the body.

Kagome grips the head as she concentrates on her healing spell.

Kohaku's body shudders and flops, like electricity is being
driven through it.

The body stills . . .

He opens his eyes and screams, "NO! I wanted to stay dead!"
Sango instantly picks him up and hugs him. "You're alive!" she
cries.

"No! Please!" Kohaku cries, "I've done horrible things, please.
Let me die, so I can forget them!"

Kagome looks at Sesshomaru, Miroku, Inu-yasha, Kikyo and Kanna.

Kanna and Kikyo stare back, without emotion.

Inu-yasha grimaces, but doesn't do anything else.

Miroku grimaces, but says, "Kohaku, it wasn't your fault, you
were controlled."

Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, and he doesn't sheath Tenseiga.

"That doesn't matter!" Kohaku cries. "You don't know what I've
done!"

"Everything will be fine." Sango cries, as she continues to hug
him. "Now that we're together, we'll make it better."

"No! We can't!" Kohaku cries, then he begins to bawl, tears
falling down his cheeks as he hugs his sister.

Sango starts to rock back and forth, hugging him, and softly
crooning a child's lullaby, Kohaku favorite, from his childhood.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks, since she sees that he has not
sheathed his sword.

"I might be able to help." He replies. "Or rather, Tenseiga
might."

"How?" Miroku asks, before anyone else can.

"Tenseiga is a healing sword. His spirit is damaged and hurting."

Sango lifts her head from Kohaku shoulder. Her bloodshot and
crying eyes lock on Sesshomaru's. "Can you? What would be the
cost?"

Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, "Have I asked for anything? You are
Higurashi Kagome's best friend. For that alone, I would help you
to the fullest extent of my powers."

Sango, Miroku, Kikyo and Kanna look at kagome.
Kagome blushes purple.
Inu-yasha spins around and kicks a huge divot into the tree line,
far, far away.

Kohaku lifts his head off Sango's shoulder. "If you can help me,
please, do it . . . " he begs.

Sesshomaru looks at Sango.

Sango takes a deep breath, and then nods, once, sharply.

Tenseiga swings through Kohaku and Sango.

Sango stiffens.

Kohaku closes his eyes and slumps against his sister.

"What happened?" Sango asks as she gently places him on the
ground.

"I think, Sango, that what Sesshomaru did overwhelm him. And he
went to sleep, so his mind could adjust." Kagome slowly says.

Kanna scoops up her mirror, from where it fell, when Sango
started to hug Kohaku. She places a scroll in Sango's hand.

Sango looks at the group. Everyone, except Sesshomaru and Kikyo
nod.

Kanna looks at Kikyo. Kikyo looks back. "I am not part of their
group." Kikyo replies to her silent question. "However, I also
have no quarrel with you."

Kanna nods at Kikyo, then looks Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "I, too, have not been part of
their encounters with you." He raises a hand, preventing anyone
from interrupting him. (A glare at Inu-yasha, accompanies that
gesture, just too safe.) "However, I will swear with along with
them, IF you swear to have no dealings with my mother or any of
her agents, now or in the future."

Sesshomaru thinks, ‘My mother wasn't here earlier, nor was anyone
else from my clan. If she was, or they were, since I am still the
official head of the clan, they would have had to have made some
attempt to save me. By not showing up, they can always come up
with some excuse about why they weren't here. If Naraku had won,
they would have used one excuse. Since we won, should I ask,
they'll no doubt, say that they were planning a rescue, but
things happened so quickly, that it wasn't possible to accomplish
a rescue plan. If my mother bothers to give any explanation at
all, or I bother to ask.'


"Sesshomaru's mother?" Miroku mouths as he looks at Kagome.

Kagome grimaces and mouths, "later." Back to him.

The mention of Sesshomaru's mother, does cause Inu-yasha to
glare at Sesshomaru, his jaws grinding his teeth together in
anger.


Kanna looks at Sesshomaru, and her normally emotionless eyes
spark, with something . . .

He looks back at her, also, emotionlessly. His lips curl, showing
his fangs. "If you are spying for my mother, I will, of course,
destroy you, now." His hand caresses Tokijin's hilt.

A timeless pause.

Kanna nods, once. Her voice sounds like something long dead as
she says, "I agree to your terms, Lord of the Western Lands."
She waves her hand over her mirror.

Sesshomaru smiles as his mystical senses hear his mother scream
of rage as the connection to the mirror fades. He nods to Kanna
and removes his hand from his sword.

Miroku frowns as he thinks, ‘I wonder, exactly what is Kanna
doing? She saved Kohaku soul, why? And then, there is some
connection with Sesshomaru's mother? Why?'

He slowly nods, as he continues to think, ‘She must have planned
for Naraku's defeat. Kohaku's soul was to bribe her way away
from us, and to a drag a promise from us of not attacking her.
Sesshomaru's mother, though, was Kanna perhaps going to offer her
services to her? And if so, what was she going to get out of it?'

He purses his lips, ‘Hmm. Questions that I don't think that
she'll answer, now. So, I must remember them, and during our next
encounter with Kanna, see if I can solve them.'


Each one of the group reads the scroll that Kanna provided out
loud, agreeing to her terms. (Miroku, by the way, went first.
Inu-yasha, by the way, barely glanced at the scroll, before
parroting what Miroku and the others said.)

Kanna quickly leaves, after that.

Miroku looks at Sango, who is still holding onto to her brother's
unconscious body. He, then, asks, glancing at Kagome, "Kagome?
What about your family?"

Kagome, who had been kneeling next to Sango, trying to comfort
her best friend, looks at him. "They are next. I just don't know
what to with Kohaku."

Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha and Kikyo are standing off to one side,
Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha exchanging glares. Kikyo faintly
smiling.
"Could you explain?" Miroku asks.

Kagome sighs, "My first thought was to have you and Sango go
through the well with me."

"We cannot." He replies.

"I've found a way for you to go through the well, both of you."
Kagome replies. "But, with Kohaku unconscious, I don't know." She
grimaces. "I'd like to bring him through, as well. I think a real
doctor needs to look at him."

"Do you doubt Tenseiga's power?" Sesshomaru asks in surprise.

Kagome shakes her head, no. "I don't doubt that, Sesshomaru. But,
I would like to know exactly what Tenseiga did."

Sango looks at her friend. "Do you think it'll be dangerous?"

Kagome shakes her head, no. "I don't think so. Rin and Shippo
went through when they were unconscious. I just . . . I just
didn't know if that was what you wanted, Sango."

Sango looks at her brother, then back at Kagome. "You have told
stories at the doctors on your side of the well, Kagome." She
nods, sharply. "I would like to get my brother examined by them."


She nods to Sesshomaru. "While I trust the lord of the western
lands, I feel, that it is in my best interest, and the best
interest of my brother, to get him the best medical care
possible."

Sesshomaru nods. "Acceptable."

"Then, lets get to the damned well." Inu-yasha growls. "And get
this over with."

Kikyo smiles, "it is good to see that you are prepared for what
follows, Inu-yasha."

Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth, ‘that's not what I meant.'
He thinks. ‘I was talking about Sesshomaru and Kagome and what
happened during their trip. I want to know that, but until
Kagome's has her family back, she's not going to say a thing.'

He looks at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru allows his lips to quirks up.
Inu-yasha thinks, ‘he knows what I was thinking about, even if
Kikyo doesn't.'

Kagome looks at Kikyo. She looks at inu-yasha. "kikyo." She
states.

Kikyo looks at Kagome.

Kagome, with a little hesitation, begins to speak, "kikyo, the
method to get others through the well, requires mixing my blood
or inu-yasha's blood with a living creature."

"So, I will not be able to go with you." Kikyo states.

Kagome nods. ‘At least I think so.' She thinks, ‘although the
well has always been less strict about nonliving objects going
through it. My backpack, when totally full, weighs close to
Kikyo's weight. And since she's nonliving, she might be able to
go through, without any problem. But I'm not going to tell her
that.' Kagome finishes thinking.

Kikyo looks at Inu-yasha. Inu-yasha shrugs. "I don't know. She
probably figured it out, since the brat and Rin went through
covered with my blood." He replies to her unspoken question.


Kikyo purses her lips. "In that case, I want Inu-yasha to remain
on this side of the well."
"Huh!?" Kagome exclaims/questions.

"I do not know what is through that well, reincarnation." Kikyo
replies. "And, as you stated earlier, there have been, in the
past, too many tricks between us. I will not allow Inu-yasha out
of my sight."

Kagome thinks, ‘we could just ignore her. I know where the souls
are . . . but in that case, how are we better than Naraku or
her? I must show that I am, we are, trustworthy.'

"Inu-yasha?" Kagome asks.

Inu-yasha looks at Kagome. He looks at Kikyo. His eyes narrow as
he glares at Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru stays on this side, as
well." He growls. ‘No way am I letting Kagome and him together,
out of my sight.' He thinks.

Kagome looks at Sesshomaru. Everyone else looks at him as well.

‘My plans.' Kikyo thinks in a semi-panic. ‘Without Tenseiga, how
can they raise her family? And if her family isn't alive, then
Inu-yasha doesn't have to follow me to hell. Sesshomaru must go
thru the well.'


Kikyo opens her mouth to speak, but . . .

Sesshomaru removes Tenseiga from his side and places it in
Kagome's hands. "You have used Tenseiga before. You have my
permission to do so, again."


Kagome bows deeply to Sesshomaru. "Thank you, Lord of the western
lands."

Sesshomaru waves off the bow, "let us get you through the well."

Kagome starts to walk toward the well, but she stops, in her
tracks, "What about the bodies? They need to be on the other side
of the well!"


Miroku says, "dead bodies commonly vanish in the well. I believe,
that if they are with us, they will travel with us."

Kagome slowly nods. "That makes sense."
Kikyo's eyebrow raises, "Then, I can also travel through that
well. Since I am dead."

Miroku's eyes narrow, and he thinks, ‘I'm sure that Kagome would
not like Kikyo to travel through the well, so.'


"You might be dead, Miko Kikyo, but your body is not dead. It is
a creation of clay and magic. The well is full of magic. Do you
wish to take the chance that the magic of the well, might not
disrupt the magic that holds you to that body?" Miroku asks.

He smiles, "I am sure that I, at least, would be happy, if you
appeared on the other side of the well, and then you collapse, as
the magic of the well, destroys you."

Kikyo opens her mouth. She closes it, and looks at Inu-yasha.
Inu-yasha shrugs. "I don't know. There is a lot of magic in that
well. What it would do to you, I don't know." He says.

Kagome looks at Miroku, smiling. He smiles back at her, nodding
gently.

Kikyo huffs, then says, "Very well. Inu-yasha and I will remain
on this side of the well."

"Until you return, telling me that your family is alive, nothing
will happen." Inu-yasha tells Kagome.

"No. If your family is alive, you will bring them through the
well." Kikyo demands. "I'm not going to have you lie and say it
didn't work and keep Inu-yasha from going to hell with me."

Kagome glares at kikyo. "I wouldn't. But, I will bring them
through the well, If for no other reason than, I would like them
to attend Keade's funeral."

A pause . . .

"Since everything has been decided," Sesshomaru begins. "Inu-
yasha and I will bring Kagome's families bodies to the well, and
then everyone that is going thru will go through the well."

Sesshomaru and inu-yasha gather up the bodies, Kagome is going
with them to make sure everything is ok.

Kikyo stands off to one side, eyeing them, but she doesn't walk
with them.

Miroku goes over to Sango. "You haven't said much." He says, as
Sango stands up, carrying her brother's body.

"What?" Sango asks, as she looks at him. "I've been watching
Kohaku, not paying attention."

Miroku looks at Kohaku, "is there a problem?"

"His eyes. He might be asleep, but his eyes are rolling back and
forth." Sango whispers. "I don't know if that's a good or bad
sign."

Miroku looks at Kohaku. "It's good."

Sango looks at him. "Are you sure."

Miroku nods. "Of course, I am."

Sango allows a small smile on her face. "Thank you."

Miroku bows his head to her. "My pleasure."

He thinks, ‘I don't know is it's good or bad. But, she needed to
hear something good, so I told her that.'


With Kagome, Sesshomaru, and Inu-yasha, as they gather up the
bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather.

"Kagome?" Inu-yasha asks as he growls and glares at Sesshomaru.

Kagome looks at Inu-yasha and then, following his glare, at
Sesshomaru.

"Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers, tears forming in her eyes. "Please.
Can it wait? Please."

Sesshomaru, glaring at Inu-yasha, says, "if you're leaving with
the corpse does it matter?"

Inu-yasha growls, wordlessly.

"Please, Inu-yasha." Kagome begs. "Once things settle down, I do
want to talk to you and tell you what happened, please. Just
don't force it, now. Please." Tears begin to fall down her face.


Inu-yasha kicks a divot into the tree line. He closes his mouth
and doesn't speak.

At the well . . .

Sesshomaru, since without Kagome's blood he won't activate the
well, places the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather at the
bottom of the well.

Sango is carrying her brother's body. Inu-yasha, using his claws,
cuts Sango's palm and the palm of her brother. Kagome, her palm
already cut, grabs both of the hands with one hand.

Miroku and Kagome's bloody palms are already together in the
grasp of her other hand.

They stand on the edge of the well. Kagome says, "On three, we
jump."

Miroku and Sango chorus, "yes."

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

They jump into the well.

The well glows blue.

Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha and Kikyo look over the edge of the well.
It is empty.


Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha look at each other.

They growl, softly, at each other.

"Well, little brother?" Sesshomaru purrs.

"Well, what? Asshole." Inu-yasha growls back.

The glare between them heats up. . . .

"Why are you, upset, Inu-yasha?" Kikyo asks. "Soon, you'll be
with me, forever, not her."

Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth, as he tries to think of an
answer . . .

On the other side of the well . . .


"Are you sure, kid?" Ranma asks. "I've asked Kagome about finding
a cure many times, and she's always said no."

Shippo replies, hotly, "I'm not a kid. And Kagome was always
afraid of her magic, so she never really knew much. I'm a
kitsune, and changing shapes is easy."

He smirks, "I know that my father and mother changed humans into
other creatures. And I remember, once, father turning a squirrel
into a beautiful young woman, as a bribe to a samurai that had
him trapped. On the other side of the well, I've got their spell
book. Locating the spell that changes things into humans,
shouldn't be hard to find. Then, I can cast it on you, and
instant cure!"

Ranma grunts. "Ok. Kid. Shippo." He opens the well house door.
"Let's figure out a way through the well." He and Shippo enter
the well house.

"I don't know, Ranma." Akane says as she follows them. "Kagome
was always pretty straight forward about this, and she didn't
want anyone to disturb it."

Rin and Sota also enter the well house.

The well house glows blue . . .

Ranma, Shippo and Akane instantly stand on the edge of the well
and look down.

Kagome looks up. "Akane? Ranma?"

"What happened?" Akane cries. "Your mother? Your grandfather?"
she points at their bodies.

"Who are you?" Ranma asks Miroku and Sango.

"Sango! Miroku!" Shippo calls out, "Kagome! What happened?"

"Naraku is what happened." Kagome replies. She opens her mouth,
obviously about to scream at Shippo. Then she shakes her head,
no.

"Are they?" Sota whispers, as he and Rin finally make it to the
edge of the well.

Kagome swallows, but bows her head and doesn't say anything.

Miroku, speaking in a firm tone, says, "Everything will be fine.
Right now, Kagome's Mother's soul and her grandfather's soul are
missing from their bodies. We know where they are, and we know
how to reestablish their souls back into the bodies."

Sota looks at Kagome, his eyes clouding up, "is that true, sis?"

Kagome licks her lips and nods up at the top of the well.
"Basically."

Sota sighs.

"Sesshomaru?" Rin asks quietly.

"He's ok." Kagome replies. "He just had to stay on the other
side, Rin. You'll be with him soon."

Rin smiles.

"Hey, Kagome." Ranma asks. "Shippo, here." He places his hand on
Shippo's shoulder. "Was talking about some sort of magic to
change me into a full man? What do you know about that?"

Kagome looks at Shippo.

Shippo looks back, "We needed help getting through the well."

"And?" Kagome asks.

Shippo shrugs, "He'd be on this side of the well, before the
spell wore off, so I didn't see any problem."

Ranma's hand squeezes Shippo's shoulder. "You lied to me." He
hisses.


Shippo looks at him, "helping Kagome is far more important than
telling the truth."

Ranma's mouth opens at that bald statement.

"Since you two are here," Kagome calls up. "Akane and Ranma,
could you help me with their bodies? I need to get them as close
to the god tree as possible."

"Sure." Akane replies and she jumps down the well.

Ranma glares at Shippo. Shippo returns the glare. He smirks, "I
am a kitsune, Ranma. I wasn't lying about changing shapes. I did
lie about what I could change and how long it would last. Do you
want me to test those spells on you?" His eyes flick up and down
Ranma's body. "Say I turn you into a dog or a cat?"

Ranma quickly lets go of Shippo. He glares at him, but jumps down
the well.

Sota looks at Shippo. "Could you really?"

Shippo smiles, mysteriously, back.

Rin whispers in Sota's ears, "when he's older."

"Oh." Sota says in disappointment.

"Why did you have to tell him that, Rin?" Shippo pouts. His
sensitive hearing did hear her whisper.

Rin smiles back at Shippo, and doesn't say a word.

Down at the bottom of the well . . .

"Kagome?" Akane whispers, as she touches the body of Mrs.H, and
she glances up at Sota, Shippo and Rin at the top of the well.
"You know, I'm not feeling a pulse . . . "

"I know." Kagome says, hastily. "I can bring them back, Akane, I
just need their bodies to be next to the God Tree."

"But they're dead?" Ranma asks. "How?"

Kagome shakes her head. "I can do it. Please, Ranma, just bring
them next to the God tree."

Akane and Ranma look at each other, shrug, and pick up the bodies
of Kagome's mother and grandfather. They leave the well.

"Go ahead and climb out of the well, Miroku, Sango." Kagome says
to her two friends as she heals their cut palms. "I'll be right
behind you."

Kagome calls up to the top of the well, "Sota, Shippo, Rin, stay
there, I'll introduce everyone once we're out of the well."

"Ok." They chorus.

Sango, using her superhuman strength jumps out of the well, still
holding her brother.

Miroku easily climbs out of the well, especially after Sota
remembers to let down the rope ladder. (Almost hitting him on the
head with it, as it tumbles down the well.)

Kagome as she watches everyone climb out of the well, leans back
against the side of the well. She sighs heavily and almost moans,
‘I couldn't let them see it but, I feel awful.' She thinks. ‘I
was feeling great, even after all that happened tonight, my body
was feeling super, even supercharged, then I arrive on this side
of the well, and it's like half, or more than half of me is
missing.'

She purses her lips, ‘Do I have the strength to bring them back?'
After a deep breath, she thinks, ‘Yes. I will. No matter what, I
will have the strength. If necessary, Miroku can help.'

"Kagome?" Sango asks from the top of the well.

Kagome looks up, and replies, "I'm coming, Sango! I just wanted
to catch my breath. Things have been happening pretty quickly."

Sango nods, "fine."

"You're Sango?" Sota asks her.

Sango nods to him, "yes. And your Kagome's brother, Sota."

He nods, smiling.

"I am Miroku." Miroku says as he introduces himself. "And I'm
pleased you, Sota." He bows to him.

Sota bows back. "So you're Miroku. Huh."


Miroku raises an eyebrow. "Hmmm? I am a monk."


"You're a lecherous monk." Sango replies. "And I'm sure that
Kagome has told him about it."


"Not really." Kagome says as she climbs out of the well. "But,
sometimes, it slipped out."

"Slipped out?" Sota exclaims. "What about that time when you and
mom were arguing over that magazine. I could hear you all the way
up to the top of the stairs!"

"You were supposed to be asleep, Sota!" Kagome replies, hotly.
"And, mom finally agreed with me."

Miroku looks back and forth between Kagome and Sota, ‘I wonder,
what are they talking about?'

"But, that's not important right now." Kagome continues, "Let's
get to the god tree and help grandfather and mother."

"Ok." Sota replies.

Rin asks Sango, "Is he?" she points to Sango's brother, still in
her arms.

"He's alive and he's free of Naraku's control." Sango replies.
"But, the shock was too much and he's unconscious. Once we finish
with helping with Kagome's mother and grandfather, Kagome has
promised to bring him to a doctor, to find out what happened."

Rin nods. She smiles. "Sota showed Rin a book with many, many
flowers in it. He promised that when his mother was home, she'd
take Rin where the flowers are. Rin will bring him back some."


Sango smiles, "he'll like that, Rin."

"Come on." Kagome says as she opens the well house door. "Welcome
to my world." She smiles.

Sango and Miroku stop, their jaws dropping, as they gaze upon
modern Tokyo.

"Those buildings are man-made?" Miroku asks as he points to the
tallest buildings he can see.

"Yes, Miroku. Made by people. And there are much taller buildings
in the city as well."

Miroku bows, accepting her explanation. ‘I've known, from her
stories, about these huge buildings, but seeing them is a lot
different from hearing about them.' He thinks.

"The air." Sango begins, she coughs, "It seems foul. Is there
some evil demon in the area? I cannot sense it, but, I've only
smelled worse air around major demons."

Kagome sniffs. She looks at Sota, raises an eyebrow. "Sota? Did
you listen the weather, this morning?"

Sota shrugs, "not really. I think is pretty normal smog. I don't
remember hearing any special warning about air-pollution."

Kagome looks at Sango. "That's just how the air smells here,
Sango. It can get better and it can get worse."

"Your house." Miroku points to the Higurashi residence.

Kagome nods. "Once, we're finished at the god tree, Miroku. I'll
show you both around it." She smiles at Sango. "How would you
like to take a real bath?"

Sango smiles. "I'll enjoy that immensely, Kagome. Is it true that
there will be a thick door between us and Miroku?"

Kagome smiles. "Yes."

Miroku frowns. "Ladies. Please, I am not planning on spying on
you in the bath."

Sango and Kagome smiles grow larger.

"Hey! Kagome!" Ranma calls. "Is this ok?!" He points to were
Kagome's mother and grandfather's bodies are at. They are at the
base of the god tree.

Kagome calls, "They're fine, Ranma. I'll be there in a second."
She looks at everyone. They look at each other, then at her.
Everyone nods at Kagome.

Kagome and the others go to the god tree. "Miroku." Kagome
begins. "I might need to tap your spiritual strength."

Miroku bows. "It is yours, Lady Kagome."

Kagome looks at her mother's and grandfather's body as she stands
over them, trying to decide who is first. ‘Mother.' She thinks.

She kneels next to her mother's head. She gestures Miroku to sit
next to her. "Place your hands on me, Miroku." She states.

Miroku's eyebrow raises, "I never thought that hear you say that,
lady Kagome."

Sango, a death threat in her voice, says, "be careful where you
touch her."

Miroku sighs, heavily and places his hands on Kagome's shoulders.

Akane, how along with everyone else, has moved away from the
tree, looks at Sota. Sango takes this chance to gently place her
brother on the ground, near the god tree, but not near the bodies
of Kagome's family.

Sota looks back, "Did she ever tell you about Miroku and his
hands? How he is a pervert?"

Akane's eye change, becoming harder, she nods, once. "I remember
now. Monk." She orders Miroku, "If you touch her the wrong way,
you'll regret it." She waves her fist at Miroku.

Miroku sighs, the long suffering sigh of a person that has been
misunderstood all his life.

Ranma, catching the byplay, asks Shippo. "Shippo, you owe me, so
what's going on?"

Shippo looks around. "Miroku's hands . . . wander onto places
that men shouldn't touch. At least in public."

Ranma thinks about that for a second. "He gropes girls?" he asks
Shippo.

"I do not grope girls." Miroku says huffily. "I show my
appreciation for the beautiful women that the gods have placed on
this earth."

Ranma nods. "You grope girls."

"Quiet." Kagome orders. "I've got to concentrate." She places her
Tenseiga hilt nearby, so she can grab it and swing it in a hurry.
She places her hands on her mother's hand, closes her eyes and .
. .

In a timeless instant . . .


elsewhere, where the powers of Kagome and the Go-Shin-Boku-kami,
come together . . .

"Go-Shin-Boku-Kami." She telepathically calls.

"I am here." He replies, also telepathically.

"You know what I want."

He nods. "Of course. The souls of your mother and grandfather."
He waves his hand. Two glowing balls of light appear near him.


"What is the cost?" Kagome asks.

The god tree looks at Kagome. "You swallowed the acorn."

She nods.

He sighs, heavily. "That anchors you onto that reality."

Kagome slowly nods. "I'm feeling drained, weak."

He nods. "Yes. The longer you are away from that reality, the
weaker you will become. The more that you use your powers, the
weaker you will become, since you can't recover most of it on
this world."

"You were going to force me to swallow the acorn here, weren't
you." She states. "So, I would be forced to save this world, not
the other."

He sighs, "I was."

"Now?"


a pause . . .


"Holding onto their souls would be petty. Destroying them, would
be worse the petty." The Go-Shin-Boku-kami sighs. "They are
yours."

Both souls float to Kagome. She gathers them in each hand. "How
did you get them to agree to give you their souls?"

"I lied." The god tree replies. "It was part of the plan to force
you to swallow the acorn here." He shakes his head. "Too late
now."

"Too late." Kagome replies. She nods. Her eyes narrow as she
looks at him.

"You seem visibly weaker." She asks. The God tree's hair is
whiter, he is not standing, quite as straight as he was earlier.

He nods. He sighs, "before, I always had the hope that somehow,
someway, things would work out. And that hope . . . "

"Is gone." She says.

He nods.

Kagome moves next to him and hugs him. "I should hate you." She
whispers in his ear. "And to a degree I do." He stiffens at her
tone. "But, you've given me back my family. I suppose that evens
things out."

She releases him. "I don't think we'll ever be friends, Go-Shin-
Boku-kami. But, I won't be your enemy. And, if I can, I will help
you. Not out of friendship, but, simply because, I hate to see
anyone suffer."

He slumps, heavily. "Once, I considered telling you everything,
soon after you started your quest. And making my appeal to you,
directly, instead of trying to guide you into doing what I
wanted." He pauses. "That was a mistake, I see that now. I didn't
trust you enough to do what's right."

Kagome nods. "Good-bye Go-Shin-Boku-kami. I may talk to you
later, but, things are liable to get hectic."

He nods. "Be careful about the well, Higurashi Kagome. Do not
make any frivolous trips through it. While I am not at the end of
my strength that time is soon approaching."

Kagome nods. She turns her back to him and looks at the two souls
that he gave her. "Mother, grandfather?" She whispers, "I'm going
to reunite you with your bodies, soon. So, be prepared."

"Kagome." Her grandfather's voice whispers.

"Yes, grandfather?"

"I died a man, did I?"

Kagome nods. "Yes."

"Let that stand. If I return . . . the next time, I will not die
a man, but like the coward I was."

"Are you sure, father?" Kagome's mother whispers.

"Yes, daughter. And, can you make my body seem like it died a
peaceful death, my granddaughter?"

"Of course, grandfather. Fixing your body, even, when dead, is
easy. It is reuniting the souls that are difficult."

"Then do so. Make it seem like I had a heart attack. My life
insurance will help the family more than my presence."

"Mother?" Kagome asks. "What do I do?"

A pause.

"Let me die a man." Kagome's grandfather whispers. "Not as a
coward that bent to anyone's will. My mother, my father, my wife,
your husband, even yourself, my daughter, all of you controlled
me. Please let me die with dignity."

"I owe you that much, father." Mrs. H whispers.

Kagome holds her grandfather's soul in her hand. "I love you,
grandfather. And I will miss you." Tears begin to flow down her
cheek.

"I'll miss you, too, Kagome." He replies. "Perhaps, this old man,
might become a ghost and watch over you."

Kagome spins and looks at the Go-Shin-Boku-kami, who is still
behind her.

He nods and holds out his hand. Kagome places her grandfather's
soul in it. "Thank you." She whispers.

"My pleasure." He replies.

"Ready mother?" Kagome asks.

"One second, my daughter." Her mother's soul requests.

"Huh? Why?" she replies in surprise.

"Did you father her?" Mrs. H asks the god tree. "Your eyes. I
remember them. I don't remember much of my wedding night, I was
far too drunk, but I remember them."

A pause.

"I did."

"I see." Mrs. H's soul hisses. "I will speak to you, later."

"As you wish, my strength is limited, I may not answer."

"You will." She replies. "I'm ready, Kagome."

Back on earth, beside the body of her mother, Kagome opens her
eyes.

In her left hand is a glowing ball of energy. She grabs Tenseiga
and as she places her mother's soul on her body she swings
Tenseiga through the body.

Miroku groans as Kagome drains him of power as he clutches her
shoulders . . .

Mrs. H's body shudders. She opens her eyes. "I'm alive." She
croaks.

"Mother!" Kagome picks up her mother and hugs her, tightly.

Mrs. H hugs back, just as tight. "That was an experience that I'd
rather not do again." She says, her voice full of relief.

Kagome laughs, "Mom, do you know how many times, after an
adventure, that I've had that same thought?"


Mrs. h laughs, "every time?"

"Pretty much." Kagome replies. "Having someone wave a clawed fist
in your face and tell you that you're lunch, is not the sign of a
nice day."

"Mother? Kagome?" Sota says.

His mother breaks her hug of Kagome and grabs him and the three
of them hug. "What about grandfather?" Sota asks.

Mrs. h and Kagome exchange a glance. "He died a man. A real man,
Sota and he is resting peacefully after a good and long life."

"Well, he will probably watch over you." Kagome says. "He said
something like that."

"A ghost?" Sota whispers.

Kagome nods.

"Cool!" Sota exclaims. "We'll have a ghost in the house. Everyone
at school will love that!"

Kagome and her mother exchange another glance.

They both begin to laugh, loud and hard.

After a couple of minutes.


They stop laughing, and Kagome and Sota help their mother stand.

"Mother." Kagome begins as she waves her hand at Sango. "May I
present my best friend, Sango the demon exterminator."

Sango bows to Mrs. H.

"And, another of my friends, Miroku the monk."

Miroku bows, as well.

"I am pleased to finally meet you two in person." Mrs. H says,
formally.

She walks up to Sango and hugs her. "Thank you for saving the
life of my daughter." She whispers into Sango's ear.

"You . . . you're welcome." Sango replies, startled by the hug.

Mrs. H releases Sango and moves to Miroku. He raises an eyebrow.

She smiles and hugs him as well. "Thank you for helping to save
the life of my daughter in so many of her adventures."

Miroku, after a shocked pause, hugs her back. His hands, quickly
slide down Mrs. h's back.

"Miroku!" is growled out of the throats of three women. Kagome,
Sango and Akane.

Mrs. h releases Miroku from her hug and steps back. She waves her
hand at the three girls, stopping them. "Thank you for the
compliment, Miroku." She smiles at him.

His mouth opens . . .


She sighs, "If I was younger." She nods to Sango. "And if we were
alone, I'd probably take you up on that offer, but. I won't."

She smiles as she thinks, ‘besides I have something else in
mind.'

Sango looks at Mrs. H, her chin on her chest, her mouth wide
open.

Akane looks at Ranma in puzzlement. Ranma shrugs in even worse
puzzlement.

Kagome shakes her head, ‘mom, you're confusing them on purpose.'
She thinks.

"Where are Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru?" Mrs. H asks, as she looks
around.

Everyone looks at Kagome. She blushes, "They had to stay on the
other side of the well, Mother. And, you'll need to return with
me, through the well, as well."

"Why?"

Kagome licks her lips and looks at the ground, "In order to find
your soul, I had to make a deal with Kikyo."

"Stop." Mrs. h orders. She pauses, "do you have to return
quickly?"

"Huh?" After a few seconds confusion, Kagome continues, "I don't
think so, mom, but, they will get suspicious if we stay on this
side too long."

A pause . . .

"Mother?" Kagome asks. She can see her mother thinking hard.

Mrs. h nods, sharply, once. "I would like to speak with Sango and
Miroku, alone."

"May I ask why?" Miroku says.

Mrs. H smiles, "because, I owe you two something for all the
times that you've helped my daughter. And this might be the one
and only chance I have to say this to your face."

Miroku and Sango look at each other. After a quick glance. Sango
bows to her, "Of course, mother of Higurashi Kagome, we would be
honored."

Mrs. H bows back. She waves her hand at her house, "Come let's
show you my house. We can put your brother in a real bed, get
something to eat and drink, and then, we'll talk."

Miroku and Sango, after she picks up her brother, follow her
into the house, closely followed by Sota, Rin, and Shippo.

Kagome looks at Akane and Ranma. Akane smiles, "We'll go home, it
sounds like you've got enough to worry about."

"Thank you, Akane. I was going to ask that." Kagome sighs.

"I've still got problems with that Shippo." Ranma growls.

"Is Sango your best friend?" Akane asks in a soft voice.

Kagome nods. "You're also a very good friend." Kagome smiles,
"And she's probably stronger and a better fighter than you are."

Ranma's eyes spark, "Stronger and better than Akane, that's
nothing, anybody." He stops talking. It's hard to do that when
your flying away, from Akane's fist.

"Call me." Akane says, "I would like to meet her."

"I will, if I can." Kagome replies.

Akane nods and leaves.

Kagome enters her house.

End of the chapter.


Prevue chapter 11 the Higurashi family.


"For your friendship with my daughter, and for all the help that
you've given her, I want to give you something." Mrs. H begins.


"I want to give you the best thing that I can give you." Kagome's
mother continues.


"I would like to adopt you."


Authors' note: Thank you for the all warm responses to my
question last chapters. Most, the overwhelming majority, in fact,
were highly supportive. Thank you.

A couple mentioned that since I've gone beyond a simple kag/sess
storyline that might be the problem. Perhaps. But, Kagome Where
are you was strictly a kag/sess storyline.

Kagome's return is not. In addition to wrapping up the
sess/kag/inu triangle. (Which also means I've got to deal with
the kag/inu/kikyo triangle.) Kagome's return includes parts of
three other major storylines. The final fight with Naraku (that
part is over) A storyline with Mrs H, Sango and Miroku, which is
about to begin. (But it's short, so don't worry about that.) And
the set up for my major storyline: Kagome: goddess of Japan.
(Part is of it over, and the other part will finish this story.)

thank you for reading
jeff shelton