InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Reckoning ( Chapter 83 )

Disclaimer: Don't own…don't sue. Tormenting them purely for my own sadistic pleasure. All characters and most situations owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Publishing, and VIZ is in the dog-pile somewhere, too.

 

A/N: `I am become Death, the shatterer of worlds' - Naraku's triumphant declaration, borrowed from the Bhagavad-Gita. This same line was famously quoted by Dr. R. Oppenheimer after the first successful atomic test in the New Mexican desert. The iconic image of the sinister mushroom cloud hovering over the destroyed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has made an indelible impression on the Japanese psyche, judging by how often it appears in anime depictions of Armageddon-type battles.

 

Warnings: Lemon about a quarter of the way through, plus character death and buckets of angst.

 

Bouquets: Many, many thanks to the ladies who made this chapter much better through their excellent suggestions and tireless encouragement. Wrapping up an epic is much harder than you might think!

 

Aijou means `beloved daughter', aisai `beloved wife', while anata is `dear one'.

 

KryptoInuyasha recently created her conception of what the final scene of `Time Lapse' would look like. Her image turned out to be close enough to reality that I gave her permission to post it as an approved spoiler; check it out at http (colon) (double backslash) kryptoinuyasha (dot) deviantart (dot) com (backslash) art (backslash) Final (hyphen) Resting (hyphen) Place (hyphen) 84473673. Also don't miss her `Reconnection' from Ch. 42 and `A Little Sword Play' from Ch. 15.

 

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter 83: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns, Part Two

 

`Reckoning'

 

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Present Day

 

“Are you sure he's home?”

 

“Yes, I'm sure.” Touma grinned at the young woman as she peered through the streaming windshield up at the apartment building. “Here; this is Kioko's set of keys that she uses to make sure Yash isn't starving to death or being attacked by dust bunnies… and her cell,” he said, handing over a key fob adorned with an enamelled white dog's head as well as a shiny red phone.

 

“Why do I need this?” Kagome asked, dangling the digital device from her fingers.

 

“Shimano is picking you up at 0430 hours, sharp, and he'll give you a call five minutes before he arrives. Make sure it's somewhere you can reach in a hurry, all right?”

 

“Acknowledged,” she replied, “See you in the morning.” Tugging the knit hat lower on her brow to hide the glowing markings and donning the pair of dark glasses, Kagome pulled up the collar of the jacket around her ears. She popped the car door and scuttled through the driving rain around the front of the vehicle to reach the covered entrance. Touma watched her fumble the keys to gain entry to the lobby, then wave before heading towards the elevator. He waited until she disappeared inside the metal sliding doors before flipping open his cell.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Yashita had just pulled the mass of his hair out of the zippered neckline of his sweater when his cell phone went off. Cursing the perky little J-pop boy-band tune now warbling through the apartment, courtesy of Akagane's warped sense of humour, he dashed out of the bedroom and lunged for the device merrily vibrating on the kitchen counter. Without checking the display first, he barked, “Nishiyori,” into the receiver, belatedly hoping it wasn't his brother. The bastard's nagged me to fucking death over the past few days, thank you very much.

 

“Hey, son-in-law!”

 

“Aw, shit. Fuck off, Git; I'm not in the mood.”

 

“No kidding?”

 

“What the hell do you want?”

 

“Just called to see how you were doing.”

 

“Depressed, cranky, irritable, balls bluer than your fucking stripes… the usual.”

 

“I'd say `bite me', but you probably would. What're your plans tonight?”

 

“Staying as far away from Sess as possible.”

 

“Besides that?”

 

“I'm heading over to Shimano's; I'll distract myself by playing with his kids until they're too wound up to sleep… and make Akagane change this fucking ring tone!”

 

“You have to admit it was pretty funny when it went off during the staff meeting. Have you had dinner yet?”

 

“No, but tell Okaa-san not to worry; I'll grab something on the way.”

 

“Would you be interested in a dinner guest?”

 

“Who? You? I thought you were on guard duty at the shrine tonight?” Yashita's dark mood instantly blackened further at this apparent change in the plans which had been carved in stone six months earlier. “Who the fuck authorized this?”

 

“Executive decision.”

 

“Executive… what the fucking hell? Why wasn't I consulted? It's only my fucking wife and our fucking future…” The doorbell interrupted his tirade, but Yashita continued to pour a steady stream of invective into the receiver as he stormed across the apartment and flung open the door without bothering to look through the peephole first. Lucky for him, it was someone he knew, because he also forgot to invoke his concealment spell in the split-second before the shock of recognition stunned him mid-expletive.

 

In the sudden silence from the other end of the line, Touma cleared his throat. “You can keep her until 0430 hours, Yash. Send her home on time and in good condition, or Sessaki will have all our asses on a silver platter. Good night.”

 

Yashita slowly lowered the phone, staring at the young woman hesitating in the doorway. Kagome smiled uncertainly as she removed the dark sunglasses, revealing metallic silver eyes and facial bruising that instantly took him back five hundred years to a very unhappy chapter in his life. “Um… may I come in?” she finally asked, when he continued to gape at her with an undecipherable expression on his handsome face.

 

He reached out and grasped her arms, gently tugging her towards him and into his embrace. “You came to see me,” he whispered in a tone of wonder. “You came to see me,” he repeated as he pressed her to his heart, but only for a moment. Drawing her further into the foyer so he could kick the door shut, he waited for her to step out of her footwear, then took the black leather jacket after she pocketed the sunglasses. Smiling so broadly that he thought his jaw might crack, he swiped the knit hat off her head and stuffed it into the sleeve of the jacket before hanging it up.

 

Through it all, Kagome said nothing, watching him with those strange eyes, admiring his broad shoulders and lean build, shown off to advantage by the slim-cut sweater. Fingering her own baggy fleece top, she momentarily wished she'd worn something different. However, when he held out his arms, she quickly moved forward until she snuggled into his chest, a powerful thrum vibrating against her cheek as he wordlessly expressed his contentment. This is what and who I need tonight.

 

Yashita buried his nose in her hair; underneath the clean scents of shampoo and soap, the sour stink of miasma lingered, tinged with notes of poisonous smoke. Coupled with her eyes and the markings, the time lapse between their shared experiences dissolved as if it had never existed; unfortunately, the olfactory memory promptly dragged out of his sub-conscious some long-buried memories. With a heroic effort, he shoved those unpleasant images into his mental broom closet and locked the door. “I can't believe it… I'm so glad that you're here,” he murmured, squeezing her tightly. “It's been a fucking nightmare for the past few weeks…”

 

“I'll bet; it must have been awful, to know what was going to happen but not be able to do anything about it… except worry that something might go wrong,” she answered, nuzzling his chest.

 

“Have you eaten anything yet?” he asked, running his hands up and down her back.

 

“Mom fed me a few rice balls at home, but I'm starving. Didn't have much time to eat for the past couple of days.”

 

“Shall we go out?”

 

She shook her head. “I don't think I should be out in public tonight, especially looking like this. Better not push our luck; we're breaking enough regulations as it is to give Sessaki apoplexy.”

 

Yashita lightly touched her cheek with his claw tips. “Good point; I'll run across the street to the take-out. Is oden okay?”

 

Kagome chuckled, “You know my weakness!”

 

“It isn't as good as your mom's, but it'll do.” Yashita's eyes were heavy-lidded as he tangled a handful of dark hair and tilted back her head. Kagome rose up on tiptoe to meet him halfway for a kiss that quickly went from gentle to intense until they were clinging desperately to each other. When they broke apart, Yashita pressed his forehead to hers and whispered, “I'd better leave now, or we'll have stale ramen for dessert.”

 

“Dessert…?”

 

He gave her a dark, simmering look, and she blushed before stealing another kiss. “Hentai,” she said fondly, bumping her nose against his. “I'll set the table and make some tea.”

 

He reluctantly let her go and moved to the foyer. Sliding into a pair of boots and pulling on a long leather coat, he swept his unbound hair out of the collar to cascade down his back as he invoked his concealment spell. Kagome blew him a kiss as he opened the door; his answering smile lit up his entire face.

 

When Yashita returned half an hour later with a bulging plastic bag in his hand, Kagome not only had the table set and the tea pot warmed, but had also produced a container of steamed rice. At his bemused look, she said, “Found the electric cooker in the cupboard and decided to give it a try.”

 

“You'll be domesticated yet,” he grinned as she took the bag from him.

 

“Don't get your hopes up, dog-boy. Took me five minutes to figure out how to set it up and push the right buttons.”

 

While she made tea and transferred the oden into a suitable pot, he ignited the portable propane burner in the centre of the table to keep the stew warm. He carried the pot over and centred it over the flame; she brought the teapot, then served him a bowl of rice accompanied by a kiss on the cheek. As he ladled out the stew, sniffing appreciatively at the fragrant stock, she commented, “This reminds me of our first date; we had oden then, too, even though it was out of season.”

 

“This is so much better,” he replied, stroking the hair bracelets binding her wrist. “I can kiss you any time I want.” His voice deepened, and she watched his facial stripes darken while his golden irises became haloed with red.

 

“Are you all right?” Kagome asked, gripping his hand; Yashita nodded.

 

“I haven't fully transformed in centuries; the worst time was right after the well closed, but the traces of your aura that were part of Sess' energy kept my youki under control.” Kissing her knuckles, he continued, “When I'm riled up, it wriggles slightly loose.”

 

She looked puzzled. “What are you `riled up' about?”

 

His slow smile made her knees go weak; it was fortunate that she was already sitting down. “I'll show you later.”

 

Kagome ate a few more bites, watching her hanyou closely. “It sounds like you've changed your mind about finishing what we started the last time,” she ventured.

 

Yashita swallowed the dumpling he was chewing and took a sip of tea. “Someone pointed out that I'd have to `let you go' every morning when you went to work, because I have to trust that you'll come back to me. Our situation isn't exactly that simple, but it's a good metaphor.”

 

“By any chance, was it Touma who imparted this good advice?”

 

“Your mother, actually.”

 

“Hmph. They seem to be working from the same script,” she grumbled, fishing for another slice of lotus root in the pot. His chopsticks made the catch and dropped the broth-slicked vegetable into her rice bowl.

 

“They've watched me slowly fall apart over this past year; they just want both of us to be happy, koishii. What did Touma say to you?”

 

“That it didn't really matter if we decided to be together tonight, because it's only a matter of hours before the well closes.” She stirred her soup. “I'm glad that I came home; it would have been so hard to be with you on the other side, knowing what you'll be facing alone. I don't think I could have kept my mouth shut.” When she glanced up, she was caught by his intense expression as surely as the fingers that gently trapped her chin. Yashita kissed her thoroughly, giving her the distinct sense that he was barely holding himself in check. However, he backed off after a final nibble on her bottom lip.

 

“Eat up, Kagome,” he urged, spooning more oden into her bowl. “Okaa-san will have my hide if she doesn't think I've fed you enough.” Chuckling, she snatched a squid dumpling and popped it in his mouth before refilling his rice bowl.

 

Daintily slurping from her spoon, she remembered something. “I wonder what happened to Kagura and Kanna?” she mused.

 

Yashita waved his chopsticks. “We went back to Mount Hakurei a few days after the well closed; Sess was obsessive about making sure that all traces of Naraku were gone. One of the guardsmen found Kagura's fan in the same vicinity as the crevasse where Kikyo died. She's never turned up, not once in five hundred years, so we assume that she was finished off somehow.”

 

“That's too bad; she wanted to be free of Naraku so very much. She must have kept your secret up to the very end.”

 

He gave up chasing a slippery piece of carrot around his bowl and speared it with his claw. “We found Kanna's broken mirror buried in the rubble below Bankotsu's Banryu; best guess is that Naraku reabsorbed her at some point, just like he did Muso.”

 

“Waitaminute… you found Banryu? You mean that really was Bankotsu's zhan ma dao we were manhandling that day in class?”

 

“Of course not. That was a replica; the real one is kept at the fortress, along with the fan and the mirror. Momiji's dying to see you, so maybe over the New Year's holiday we'll go visiting.”

 

Kagome firmly squashed the little niggling voice in the back of her mind that insisted future plans were a waste of time for someone destined to spend eternity enclosed in a small, pink, spherical room, and waited until Yashita set down his bowl. Wrapping her fingers around his wrist, she said in a low voice, “I'm sorry that we couldn't save Kikyo,” and watched his expression become solemn.

 

“Kaede-baba always said that Naraku actually did Kikyo a favour by ending her false existence,” he said slowly, covering her slender hand with his own. “I… we didn't tell her that Kikyo's soul returned to you instead of ascending.” Examining Kagome's face, he ventured, “Can you talk to her, like Midoriko?”

 

She shook her head. “No. Without Jewel shards, we can't communicate. Fenik's too busy protecting himself against their combined spiritual power to relay any messages, and I'm glad of that.” Withdrawing her hand, she turned off the burner and began piling up the empty dishes. “Let's clean up… what do you normally do on a work night?”

 

“Do paperwork, watch some television, and go to bed.”

 

Kagome grinned as she carried the dishes to the sink. “Speaking of domestication…”

 

“I do laundry, too,” he bragged, striking a heroic pose with a dish towel.

 

“My mother's lessons on separating fabrics and colours obviously sunk in,” she teased, chortling as she dodged snapping cotton. He helped her to mould balls out of the leftover rice, then they washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen in between kisses. As the soapy water drained away, Yashita pinned her up against the counter for a longer clinch that involved hip-thrusts and tongue-duelling until they were both panting lightly. “Is the news really that interesting these days…?” Kagome asked breathlessly.

 

His eyes were so very dark that the golden iris was reduced to a bright rim; he pressed his hard body up against her, and she was reminded of how much taller he was now as he towered over her. “An early night suits me just fine,” he growled, all pretence of holding back gone as his hands found their way under her clothing, one sliding up her back and the other down into her trousers to cup her behind. He arched an eyebrow when the one hand encountered nothing but bare skin. “What's this? No bra?”

 

Trying not to squirm from the tickling sensations of his claw tips, she replied, “Underwire sucks; I tried, but it just wasn't comfortable.”

 

His aura flared, haloing him in light red. “Let me see,” he rasped, pulling up on the hem. She helped him roll up the soft fleece, but his eager expression changed the moment he glimpsed the faded rings of bruises marring both of her breasts. Swallowing hard, he smoothed the garment down into place and took several steps back. Plainly agitated, he raked his claws through his hair, turned away and retreated to one of the couches. The television clicked on; a perfectly-coiffed news anchor gained voice in mid-sentence.

 

Completely baffled, Kagome examined the back of his head, noting how his ears were flattened into his hair. Frowning a little, she poured herself a glass of water and sipped it, considering her next move. I could always leave, I suppose; that would be the simplest route… but since when have I ever taken the easy way out? She crossed the room and seated herself at the other end of the couch, then pretended to focus on the television.

 

They sat like that for several long minutes, until a commercial break gave her a reason to let her attention wander. The hanyou continued to stare intently at the screen, apparently finding a kung-fu movie trailer highly fascinating. His entire posture radiated extreme tension; his jaw was set so hard she thought she could hear his teeth crack under the pressure. As his claws flexed on his thigh, she noticed that the tips were piercing his jeans. Dammit… what's going on inside that thick skull of his?

 

Her eye was caught by the leather cuff peeking out of his sleeve; unsure of what to say to bridge the strained atmosphere, she settled on action instead. Setting her glass on the coffee table, she slid across the cushions, caught hold of his hand and pulled it into her lap. His entire body tensed, but she kept unbuckling the closures until she eased the cuff away from his wrist, revealing the slightly frayed hair bracelets. Tossing the piece of leather onto the low table, she rubbed the two-toned braids between her thumb and forefingers. “You don't need to hide them any more,” she ventured.

 

Yashita grunted in a noncommittal fashion, but he glanced down as she first pressed their palms together, then laced her fingers with his. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the feel of her warm hand wrapped around his, wanting her so desperately that he could almost taste it… but the faint scent of miasma churned up memories of the attacks five centuries before and froze his desire. Kagome shifted beside him; as his eyes flew open, her grip tightened and slender fingertips came to rest on his cheek, turning his face towards her. Her featureless eyes came alive; the molten silver swirled and eddied, easily communicating her love and concern.

 

“You used to hide in the Goshinboku when you didn't want to talk, and then I'd `sit' you out of it,” she said softly. “Instead of pretending to watch the television, I can rub your ears if that will help you to relax…” He snorted weakly, but didn't pull away, so she threaded her fingers through his silver hair. Yashita hesitated, but then inclined his head so that she could easily reach the drooping velvety triangle, the longing on his face enough to break her heart. “I know that you blame yourself for not being able to protect me from Mukotsu, but that was beyond your control. Even if you were there, you wouldn't have been able to do a thing…”

 

“If I hadn't left you…”

 

“I probably would have gone up that hill to refill the canteens anyhow,” she said firmly, “and you would have been badly injured or even killed by the poison smoke.” She reached to turn off the television so she could concentrate on him instead of being distracted by a hugely annoying advertising jingle that was setting her teeth on edge.

 

Yashita squeezed his eyes shut. “My problem isn't just that, although it's a big part of it,” he murmured. His expression was shuttered, blocking her out.

 

“What else?” she prompted. “You weren't affected by the bruises on my face, also courtesy of Mukotsu. What's the difference between them and the ones on my chest?”

 

He shuddered and then his aura sparked violently. Kagome stared at him for a moment as his agitation brightly whirled around them, causing her own aura to rise. Taking a huge risk because of her increased spiritual power, she threw herself into his lap and pinned him against the deep cushions while trying to coil her own energy around him.

 

“Don't fucking touch me!” Yashita roared, shoving her away with enough force to knock the wind out of her; she skidded awkwardly across the low table and thumped onto the floor along with her water glass.

 

“Oof! That hurt, dog-boy… oh, shit…” She trailed off as she looked up into the face of a demon. The hanyou stood over her, his red and blue eyes burning, his fangs bared and his elongated claws flexing menacingly. “Y-yash?” What the fucking hell?

 

Wreathed in brilliant flames, he continued to glare down at her for several more heart-stopping moments, until a deep, commanding thrum shook the room. His head snapped up, breaking the tension between them as he narrowed his fiery gaze at something. The vibration repeated itself; Kagome held very still until Yashita gave himself a shake and stalked away. Surrounding herself with a small barrier as she sat up, she was astonished when he took down the Tetsusaiga and clutched it against his chest with both hands. Frowning, she watched his shoulders heave as he obviously fought for control. Touma said he'd been suffering flashbacks… what the hell kind of memory did I trigger? The threatening aura dissipated, but it was a long time until he spoke in a flat, dull tone.

 

“I'm sorry, Kagome; I really lost it… I wasn't talking to you. Your scent… you smell like miasma, and the last time I was that close to one of them...”

 

Slowly standing upright, she studied him carefully, weighing the risks of continuing this confrontation before she asked, “Your youki certainly reacted badly. What happened?” He shook his head, still facing the wall. Kagome bit her lip, but curiosity and concern got the better of her. Kikyo… do not fry the poor bastard! Making sure he could hear her approach to avoid another mishap, she cautiously laid her hands on his back. His muscles twitched under her touch and he stiffened, but she persisted. Sliding her arms around his waist, she embraced him from behind, pressing herself against him as she called up her aura. I hope this works!

 

Yashita shivered as Kagome's frighteningly powerful energy acted as an extension of her concerns as it wrapped soothingly around him… and released even more painful memories. Hanging his head in shame, he whispered, “I'm so fucking sorry, Kagome. You've always forgiven me… but I can't keep asking you to overlook the fact that I'm an asshole.”

 

Her arms tightened as she murmured, “I have a feeling that both of us will require some patience and understanding once this is over.” His stance relaxed ever so slightly; she retracted her aura as she moved around to stand before him. Tugging Tetsusaiga out of his grip, she pressed a kiss to the tattered hilt before replacing it on the wall bracket above the framed photographs of happier times; the sword hummed softly, then quieted.

 

Taking Yashita's limp hand, she guided him back to the couch and sat down beside him. He refused to meet her steady gaze, instead studying her slender fingers as they wrapped tightly around his clenched fist. “Would it help if I had another shower?” she asked.

 

He shook his head. “Sango and Miroku ingested less of Mukotsu's poison than you did, but it was still leaching out of their pores weeks later. The miasma lingered, too.”

 

Kagome lightly stroked his arm as she sorted through her memories of the recent battles until she found a large hole. “What happened inside the shield?” she asked abruptly. He instantly recoiled, which told her all she needed to know. Moving slowly, so that he could divine her intentions, she curled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder.

 

It took a long time, but he finally spoke so softly that she had to strain to catch his words. “I've never told anyone this, but after what I just did, you have the right to know. When I entered the barrier, I managed to cover about half of the distance to the mountain's base before the spiritual pressure became too much… then Renkotsu found me. He blasted me further into the shield and I was purified into human form.”

 

At that moment, her past and present hanyou irrevocably merged into a single person, the one with a hollow voice and trembling hands seated beside her. “Purified? Oh, Inuyasha…” she whispered, squeezing his fingers.

 

“At least I was still alive, and could run from the bastard. I made it inside the mountain, but then…” his voice dropped even lower, “I ran into Jakotsu.”

 

Horrified, she sat up straight. “Jakotsu? And you were in human form? Oh, gods… how did you manage to survive?” He ducked his head, his cheeks flushing and his ears disappearing into his hair. Studying his face, she put two and two together. “He played with you, like a cat with a mouse, until you were weak from blood loss… I scared the hell out of Tsu and Kohire, not to mention Koga, when I nearly fainted.”

 

The hanyou bared his fangs, the long-suppressed anger breaking free. “The fucker groped me while telling me all the disgusting things he was going to do to me… and I couldn't stop him.” He shot her a sideways glance as her aura flared; he was gratified to see fury instead of pity etched on her face.

 

“How dare he!” she snarled, feeling ridiculously possessive and protective of the hanyou seated beside her. Her eyes were positively blazing as she added, “Purification would have been too damn good for him!” When Yashita snorted, she gave him a sharp look, but her rage drained away at his soft expression.

 

Gently brushing her cheek with the back of his claws, he raised her hand to his lips. “You don't know how good it makes me feel to hear you say that, koishii,” he said, then sighed before continuing, “Your bruises as well as your scent took me right back there. Jakotsu had me cornered, too, and when you crowded me a few minutes ago, I just… snapped. That sure as hell doesn't excuse what I did to you, though.”

 

She tucked her head against his shoulder again, then began playing with the hair bracelets circling his wrist. “How far did he get?” When he tensed up again, she hastily added, “Never mind; you obviously killed him in the end.”

 

“Miroku and Sango brought down the shield in the nick of time, and I transformed. Blew the freak away with the `Wind Scar', but I was in too much of a hurry to take his shard because I smelt Naraku. Paid for it later when Bankotsu tracked me down.”

 

“Damn, Inuyasha… up against the three toughest members of the Band of Seven, one right after the other?” There was no mistaking the light of admiration shining in her silver eyes, as well as her concern over his ordeal.

 

He relaxed a little, smiling with more confidence. “Keh. Bankotsu was the toughest, especially since Banryu had your shards embedded in it, and he had packed himself with all seven shards…”

 

“Wait… he had seven? How did Renkotsu die?”

 

“I dunno; I suppose he came to a sticky end somehow. He was a sneaky bastard, so I wouldn't be surprised if Bankotsu did him in to keep him from taking off or stabbing him in the back.”

 

“That definitely sounds plausible; now, I want to know how you defeated Bankotsu,” Kagome urged, and he told her about the fight deep in the bowels of the mountain, feeling more and more calm again in her company. The fact that she was deeply impressed by how he managed to destroy the leader of the Band by using a combination of tactics and brute force didn't hurt. “Wow,” she breathed. “Then Naraku grabbed you and we all ended up in the same place, even if it was only briefly.”

 

“Your turn,” he said. “Exactly what happened to Tsu and Kohire?”

 

Her face fell, but Kagome told him what happened to the two guardsmen, describing their final moments in a hushed voice before finishing with, “My best guess is that Koga was harder to digest because of the shards, fortunately for him and for us.” He nodded, his expression guarded, just as she shrank down in her seat. “Tell me about Kumo?” she asked.

 

She sounded so unhappy that he couldn't help but slip his arm around her shoulders before replying, “You don't really want to know the gory details. He died quickly and cleanly, Kagome; he didn't suffer.”

 

“I'm really going to miss him,” she mumbled, wiping at her eyes.

 

“His descendents are at the fortress; one of them is a chip off the old tenbaryu in both looks and attitude,” Yashita said, kissing the crown of her head. Kagome nestled closer, exhaling softly. When he tightened his grip, she looked at him with liquid eyes. “Are we… okay?” he asked.

 

The young woman chuckled wryly. “There were a few times in the past couple of weeks when I thought that you were growing up, but then you'd do something totally asinine. In a way, it's a relief that you haven't changed all that much… if that makes any sense. You're still very much you, but I won't hold what happened against you because I can't imagine the emotional hell you experienced after the well closed.”

 

“I'm both dreading and anticipating tomorrow,” Yashita mumbled, stroking his claws through her hair. “Wanting everything to be over but fearing the outcome at the same time.”

 

She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. “You always told me that we're going to win; trust in your own convictions, koibito.”

 

They had a shared moment of comfortable silence, finding strength in each other's presence, until he asked, “Do you forgive me?”

 

Kagome reached up to lightly stroke his ear. “For being a jerk then, or now?” she gently teased. When he gave her a strained smile, she grinned, “Hell of a way to make sure we don't go to bed angry!”

 

Yashita's ears twitched. “Bed…? You'll stay?”

 

“Unless you think I should leave,” she replied earnestly.

 

He hugged her tightly, his chest feeling tight. “I don't deserve this or you, but I really want to be with you tonight.”

 

“Shall we get ready? I have an early start tomorrow for my, um, `last day of work'… so to speak.” Wriggling loose, she extended her hand; Yashita was on his feet and enfolding her in his arms before she could say anything else.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice trembling.

 

Kagome gave him an extra squeeze. “I just hate sleeping by myself,” she said with a very straight face. “You're a convenient warm body.”

 

“Keh. Buyo could have filled in, if that's the case.”

 

“He doesn't purr as nicely as you.”

 

“So… you only want me for my body?” Yashita smirked.

 

“You've just figured that out, dog-boy?” she cheeked. “Took you long enough!”

 

Chuckling, he ushered her to the bedroom door. “I'll lock up; help yourself to anything in the bathroom.”

 

“Are you sure you don't want me to wash up again?” she asked. When he shook his head, Kagome winked and disappeared inside the room; he flicked his ears a few times as his stomach did flips, but from excitement or dread or both he wasn't sure, then made his rounds.

 

Giving Tetsusaiga a pat on the way past, he checked the terrace doors and squinted out at the driving rain. It's shitting snow on the other side; thank the gods for those tents. Circling the room, he locked the entry door and gave the kitchen a final check to make sure everything was secure. Flicking off the main lights, he firmly closed the bedroom door behind him and shut out the world.

 

The long-dreamed-of sight of a certain young woman tucked into his bed brought him up short. My Kagome… fuck, I didn't deserve you then and I probably don't deserve you now, but I'll do whatever it takes to be worthy of you. Padding across the room, he brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her cheek. Kagome drowsily mumbled, “Really comfy bed, dog-boy….”

 

“Join you in a minute,” he promised, stroking his claws through her long hair and arranging the dark strands over her pillow, then headed to the bathroom.

 

Yashita quickly cleaned himself up, noting that his toothbrush was already wet and a spare towel hung on the rack next to his. Her clothes were piled neatly on the edge of the bathtub. Pulling his sweater over his head, he examined himself in the mirror. “You are one lucky bastard,” he told his reflection. The wedding bands suspended around his neck glinted in the overhead light; he unclasped the silver chain and carefully arranged the jewellery on the glass shelf. Contemplating the rings for a long moment, he finally muttered, “No need to hide any more,” and slipped them free of the chain. Sliding his band into place, he headed back into the bedroom.

 

Stowing his folded sweater in the chest of drawers, he grinned when he realized that Kagome had taken possession of the same side of the bed as in her own room. Old habits die hard; I'm no better, since I tend to sleep on the `wall side'! Stripping out of the rest of his clothing and putting the garments away before setting the alarm clock for 0400, he slid between the blankets next to the object of his desires. Insinuating his arms around her, he purred, “Wake up, aisai,” against her ear.

 

“Hmmm?” she sighed, and then his brain shorted out when her warm, naked body snuggled against his. One long, slim leg became rather friendly with his thigh while one arm draped around his waist as her head came to rest on his shoulder. Her soft breasts pressed against his skin, and he was attacked by goose-bumps at the reality of finally holding her in his arms. Other parts of his anatomy sprang to immediate attention, so hard and fast that he swore he felt the blood draining out of his skull to join the rush south.

 

If her ring hadn't clinked gently against his inside his fist at that moment, it would have probably ended up poking someone in the back at an inopportune moment later on. Slipping his hand down her arm, he placed the band on her finger. “You can wear this now, too,” he said as she lifted her hand to admire the mokume pattern in the dim light of the bedside lamp. “We're not legally married so far as this era is concerned, but that'll be fixed in another month or two.”

 

“So I'm still not an `honest woman', huh?” she asked archly. As he snickered, she rose up onto one elbow and kissed him very slowly and very wetly. Yashita tried to keep his eyes open, which was a damned hard thing to do, because he needed to reassure his sub-conscious of exactly who was touching him.

 

Kagome easily detected his tension and kept her caresses gentle, imagining all too well what Jakotsu had done to her hanyou so long ago… an encounter brutal enough that he remembered it as clear as yesterday, judging from the way his pulse leapt in his throat and his muscles clenched.

 

It was the claws in her backside, however, that made her break off the kiss with a startled yip.

 

“Shit! Sorry!” he gasped, but she just shook her head while studying his face.

 

“It's me, Inuyasha, not him. I feel awful knowing that a lecherous dead freak was the last person to touch you like this, but how do I get past your nightmares?”

 

“The same goes for you,” he pointed out, lightly rubbing his thumb over the marks on her breast.

 

She smoothed his bangs away from his forehead. “The fact that Mukotsu was squat and ugly certainly helps, but I figured that nothing would stop you from pouncing on me after so many centuries…”

 

Yashita chuckled before sobering slightly. “I'd actually planned our first time together after the well closed; rose petals on the sheets, candlelight, room service… the works.”

 

The silver-eyed girl smiled softly and kissed his chin. “I'm perfectly happy right now, cuddling with you in our own bed after a take-out dinner. However, how'm I supposed to seduce you if you keep thinking I'm Jakotsu?” When he visibly flinched, she lightly traced his lips with her fingertip. “Let me give you some better memories, koibito?”

 

He struggled to overlay the reality of Kagome's soft expression on the memory of revenant's blood-smeared leer as she gently kissed him. When she moved lower, her lips skimming the vulnerable skin of his throat down to his collarbone, he barely managed to stop himself from pushing her away. Breathe, idiot… relax… it's Kagome, for fuck's sakes. That's her mouth, her tongue, her hand… “Oi!”

 

She held his gaze as she stroked his erection while dropping a kiss on the centre of his chest. “Is this all right?” she asked, slowly pumping his shaft.

 

“Had too much of that for the past five hundred years, to be quite honest,” he muttered even though his hips jerked in response to her touch.

 

“Stop me if you're too uncomfortable.” She began slowly kissing and licking her way down his torso while she continued gliding her hand up and down his most sensitive flesh. Her hair tickled as she settled herself between his thighs, her tongue tracing the markings curling up over his hips. Yashita balled up a pillow and shoved it under his head, breathing hard as he watched and experienced her sensuous touch. When Kagome gave the length of his shaft a long, wet lick, he let out a deep groan.

 

Repeating the erotic caress before moving on to the matching marking, she slowed the motions of her tongue until he was whining and his hips undulating. She returned to his shaft, laying little nibbling wet kisses all over the silky skin until a constant stream of moans, growls and whimpers poured out of Yashita's throat. His hands, which had been fisted in the bedding, finally came up to tangle softly in her hair.

 

“K-kagome… don't stop…”

 

As she licked his tip and then slowly engulfed him, he sat upright with a sharp cry. Kagome worked him with her lips and tongue while he bucked helplessly, repeatedly moaning her name. When he tensed under her hands and mouth, all his muscles tightening, his breath hissing between his teeth, she picked up the pace until he shouted as his hips snapped. Gasping loudly, he flopped backwards, throwing his arm across his eyes while jerkily running his fingers through her hair. Kagome smiled to herself as she pressed a final kiss to his softened erection before resting her head on his abdomen. I hope that worked, so that he can see me instead of his nightmares.

 

Long-fingered hands slid under her arms, carefully gripped her ribs and lifted her onto his chest. Those same hands then began stroking up and down her back while he pressed kisses to the crown of her head and a powerful thrum vibrated beneath her. Smiling, she nuzzled his skin before wriggling up a little higher to nibble along his jaw. “All right?” she asked.

 

“Much better than I remember,” he replied, his breathing ragged. Hugging her close, he dipped to catch her lips in a soft kiss, moaning a little when he tasted himself in her mouth. “That's the first century taken care of…”

 

“You're not serious?” she squeaked, pushing herself up to see the expression on his face. “I have to be able to walk tomorrow!” His heavy-lidded eyes and lazy smirk made her grin. With a teasing poke she challenged, “You don't look like you're ready for round two, never mind five!”

 

“Then we'd better get busy; gimme a minute or two, wench. That was pretty damn amazing.”

 

She waggled her eyebrows. “Really? I only did it so that you'd last longer the next time.”

 

“Last longer? Do I look like a fucking rabbit youkai?” he growled, winding himself around her. “Have some respect for my endurance…”

 

“Again with the rabbit youkai comment… how, exactly, do you know so much about them?”

 

“In the old days, they were everywhere; they hardly ate or slept in the spring because they were so busy humping each other every ten seconds. The hawk youkai had a field day… anyways, you had to be careful not to trip over `em.” His golden eyes took on a deeper tint. “Have you forgotten what it's like to make love with me?”

 

“No, but it has been a few weeks since we've had any privacy,” Kagome murmured regretfully.

 

“Too much stress and too many bad-tempered chaperones,” he grumbled before rolling both of them over and kissing her fiercely until he had her moaning into his mouth.

 

When he pulled back, she caught her breath at the intensity in his gaze and the softness of his mouth. Reaching to cup his face with both hands, she whispered, “I love you, Inuyasha.”

 

“Koishii…” Kissing her again, he began covering the marks of his failure with tender expressions of his love. First he pressed tiny butterfly kisses around her blackened eye, then carefully brushed his lips over her injured cheek. Kagome understood what he was about and obligingly arched her neck as he moved lower. The necklace of bruises marring her slender throat was thoroughly kissed; he nibbled lightly on her collarbone before kissing the scars left by the Jewel and the snake. Nuzzling her soft curves, he ran his tongue over the discoloured rings circling both of her breasts until her nipples peaked and her breathing sped up. Yashita lightly sucked on each of the hardened buds in turn until she was writhing in his arms and his erection had returned in full force.

 

Moving lower still, he kissed the hazy outline of a vicious punch on her midriff, then swirled his tongue around her navel. Her hands tightened in his hair as he kissed the other mark of the snake and then licked a line along her hipbone before crawling back up her body. Lingering over her breasts, he shifted to the side and pressed the knuckle of his forefinger between her slick folds. Kagome gasped as her body jerked at the contact; he began rubbing in time with the motions of his tongue until she was pulling at his hair, her body tensed in anticipation. Hoping he had judged the timing correctly, he slid back into place between her thighs.

 

“N'ya-sha…?” came her breathy query, her cheeks flushed and her eyes gone dark with arousal.

 

“I want to be inside you when you come,” he growled heatedly. In response, Kagome raised her knees and ran her hands down his back. Hanging onto his waist with one hand, she caught hold of his erection with the other and brought him inside with an eager thrust of her hips.

 

Yashita nearly put his elongated fang through his lip as the sensations of velvet heat and wet wrapped around his brain as surely as her body tightened around his erection. Gasping her name, he buried his face in her shoulder as he sank deeply into her willing warmth, her legs wrapping around his hips and her arms around his shoulders. “D-dammit… might not last longer than a f-fucking r-rabbit a-after all…”

 

Kagome found the breath to giggle softly, “There's always next time, koibito. Weren't you threatening several rounds?”

 

He took her lips in a hungry kiss as he held still, trying to make this long-awaited intimacy last as long as possible. Kagome was unsympathetic; she began grinding against him, searching for the missing contact on her bundle of nerves. “Gods…” he hissed as he pushed himself up onto his hands, curling in on himself as he breathed through his mouth, concentrating on her whimpered words and the heat of her body as she urgently moved.

 

Oblivious to Yashita's struggle, Kagome planted her feet on either side of his thighs and rocked her hips hard and fast, winding herself tighter and tighter as she tried to pull him even closer, her fingernails scratching his back. So fucking beautiful… He would have admired her flushed cheeks, the way her damp hair curled at her temples, even the soft circle of her parted lips, but at that moment Kagome let out a keening wail at the same time as her body clenched and rippled hard around him. Uttering a snarl as his tenuous control completely vanished, Yashita drove into her with a series of short, sharp, frantic thrusts.

 

Kagome clung to his sweat-slicked shoulders as he plunged into her, feeling a little faint from the strength of her orgasm. Forcing her eyes open, she watched her hanyou's dear face contort in the throes of pleasure; she felt a thrill of possessive pride that she had caused that look of pained enjoyment. Stroking her thumbs along his fraying cheek stripes, she whispered, “Let go, Inuyasha,” and that soft command was enough to put him over the edge.

 

With a hoarse scream, he pinned her hips to the mattress, clutching her to him as he rode out the mind-blowing waves of an incredible orgasm. Snarling and gasping, his hips continued to pulse as he slowly came back to reality. Rising up onto his elbows, he stroked Kagome's face with trembling fingers, then lowered his head to kiss her. Pressing his forehead to hers, he whispered, “Thank you, aisai… thank you for being with me tonight.”

 

Glowing silver eyes slowly opened as she smiled crookedly. “My pleasure, anata.” Reaching up for a kiss, she hugged him tightly. “Can we have a nap before the next round?”

 

Yashita glanced over at the alarm clock as he reluctantly withdrew. “Looks like you'll have to owe me a few,” he grumbled as he reached to turn out the bedside lamp. In the darkness, they shared a long, sweet kiss, then arranged themselves for sleep. Yashita curled himself around her as Kagome sighed contentedly, snuggling against his chest.

 

A very tiny and very sharp sliver of conscience pricked her. “Inuyasha… what did you think caused my heart to beat so fast… when you were on the other side tonight?”

 

His lips moved against her brow as he sighed, “Thought you were having another nightmare.”

 

Turning that over in her mind a few times and experiencing a guilty twinge, she finally whispered, “Good night, Inuyasha.” His arms tightened, but a soft snore was his only response. It isn't quite over, but at least I had the chance to feel safe in his arms one last time. Despite the nameless fears hovering on the edge of her consciousness, she followed him into a mercifully dreamless slumber.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Very early morning

 

Kagome's eyes snapped open; she had a moment of disorientation as she blinked at a bedroom ceiling she didn't recognize, but the lean muscled body draped over hers and the warm breath on her neck was achingly familiar. Turning her head, she smiled at Yashita's sleeping visage, clearly visible even in the darkness of the bedroom. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she looked for the clock. 0355… guess I'd better get up before the alarm goes off. Shimano will be here in half an hour.

 

Stretching, she began working her way out from under Yashita's arm and leg, becoming a bit frantic when her bladder gave a warning twinge. Drank too much tea… damn, but he's heavy! The hanyou was indeed deeply asleep, his limbs dead weights pressing her into the mattress, but she managed to squirm free, turn off the alarm before it sounded and scamper for the toilet. Very glad of the heated floor in the bathroom, she decided to have a quick shower.

 

Fifteen minutes later, she smeared the steam from the mirror and brushed her teeth with Yashita's toothbrush, then combed her hair with her fingers. The wedding band gleamed on her finger; she almost took it off, then decided to keep it. If the battle commences in an hour or so, there won't be time to explain it to anyone.

 

At the thought of the upcoming battle, her heart rate immediately surged and her stomach tied itself into a knot, but she fought down the negative sensations as she quickly dressed in her fleeces. Tidying up the bathroom, she did her best to stay in the present and continue pretending that today was just another normal day… or else she might hide in a corner and quietly lose her mind. Turning off the light before she opened the bathroom door, she smiled softly. He's out cold! Probably a good thing, because I don't know if he could let me leave when it comes right down to it. Tiptoeing across the bedroom, she looked down at her sleeping hanyou. Her throat closed and tears threatened, but she choked them back enough to brush his hair away from his face and lean down to place a gentle kiss on his cheek stripe before silently backing away.

 

With her hand on the doorknob, she gazed at him for a long moment. Goodbye, Inuyasha… until we meet again. Swallowing hard, she slipped out of the room and closed the door with the softest of `clicks'. She raided the refrigerator for a couple of rice balls and quickly ate them over the sink without bothering to heat them up first. Wiping her sticky fingers on the damp dishcloth, she headed into the foyer to don Inuyasha's motorcycle jacket and check the cell phone, coming to a dead stop when her fingers closed over the rosary. Extracting the strand, she bit her lip as she decided what to do. I'm not waking him up to give it to him; damn, why didn't I remember last night? Her gaze wandered around the apartment, settling by chance on a particular item, and suddenly she knew exactly what to do.

 

Five minutes later, when Shimano called, she was already in the lobby with her knit cap pulled down and sunglasses in place, staring at the rain bouncing off the sidewalk.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Yashita wrinkled his nose as he burrowed into the pillow, the scent on the cotton tugging at his sub-conscious. He puzzled over this for a moment until the previous night's memories asserted themselves and he sat upright. “Kagome?” he called, but the stillness of the room answered his question even as he ran his hands over the rumpled bedding beside him. Cold… fuck it all to the fifth hell! Springing out of bed, his eye was caught by the clock's red glow. 0430… maybe…! Bolting out of the room without bothering to throw on a robe, he raced for the terrace doors, threw them open with enough strength to crack the tempered glass and hung over the railing to peer through the driving rain down at the sidewalk over a dozen stories below.

 

He was just in time to see the top of Kagome's head disappear into Shimano's sedan and the passenger door slam shut. His youki immediately howled, demanding that they prevent her return to the other end of time, where the Jewel was perhaps setting its nets. Watching the tail lights disappear into the stream of traffic at the intersection, he acknowledged that there was nothing he could do to change her destiny… or his, for that matter. This is it; the end game against Naraku. He'd never been the sort for prayers, but he said one now. If it's to be our destiny, allow us to die together. I don't want to live without her.

 

The hanyou stayed outside until he was thoroughly soaked, hoping somehow that the freezing rain would chill his raging emotions. Finally, he went back into the apartment, leaving pools of water in his wake. He walked right by the kitchen table, too lost in his morose thoughts to notice, but he spun around as soon as its contents registered. The framed photograph of the two of them, taken at Yukihime and Shikoro's wedding, had been placed in the centre. It was his favourite shot; Kagome tucked under his chin, smiling softly at the camera, her slender fingers buried in his sidelock, the wedding ring prominently displayed on her hand. I was so fucking happy that day… everything I ever wanted was literally within arms reach. The same smile as he wore in the picture curved Yashita's lips when he realized what else was on the tabletop.

 

A familiar strand of black beads and white fangs, arranged in a heart shape.

 

He reverently lifted the rosary with both hands, sliding the cool, heavy stone beads through his fingers. After a cursory examination of Kaede's handiwork and noting the absence of any residual power, he dropped it over his head. Pulling his sopping hair out of the way, he shook himself until the strand settled into place below his collarbone. Patting it with an air of finality, Yashita strode back into the bedroom to prepare for what was going to be either the last or the best day of his life.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Shimano pressed a thermos full of hot tea into Kagome's hands as soon as she secured her seatbelt, and the drive to the shrine was accomplished in comfortable silence… until they reached the entrance. A pair of sentries heaved open the heavy gates and smartly saluted as the car rolled past.

 

“While I appreciate not having to get out of the car in this downpour, what's all that about?” Kagome asked, scanning the courtyard for more personnel.

 

“Precautions,” Shimano replied. “We have no idea of what might come through the well with you, so we've cordoned off the area and Kosaru's slapped enough wards on the boundaries to repel the Master of Hell himself.”

 

“If Miroku's wind tunnel disappeared, it means Naraku died, right?”

 

“We assume so; the hypothesis that he's dead and didn't jump a dimension will be proven today.” The kitsune parked the car next to Touma's sedan and without further ado, they dashed for the door. Inside, they shucked their boots and hung up their streaming coats; Shimano allowed her to precede him, but nearly tripped over her when she came to a stop in the middle of the threshold.

 

Touma was humming to himself as he plugged in the electric rice cooker, looking very much as if he belonged in the Higurashi kitchen. Kagome took in the rumpled winter yukata and the mussed hair and decided she'd better pick her jaw up off the floor before he noticed. At least Mom and Sota will be looked after if the worst happens today. “Er… I take it congratulations are in order?” Shimano asked over her head.

 

Touma turned, a brilliant smile lighting up his handsome face. “Thank you, Shimano! Or should I say… grandson?” While the kitsune groaned and rolled his eyes, Touma laughed as he moved forward, holding out his hands to Kagome. “Good morning, aijou.”

 

Startled by the term of endearment last used by her long-dead father, Kagome was too disconcerted to resist when Touma eschewed the polite bow and hugged her instead. “Um… good morning, honoured father,” she finally managed to squeak out.

 

He chuckled deep in his throat. “So formal this morning?” he asked genially, giving her an extra squeeze. “Surely this was not unexpected?”

 

“No… not really,” she replied, then gave Shimano a sharp look. “Please tell me my brother didn't complete the family grand slam last night with Akagane.”

 

As the kitsune choked, Touma tilted up her chin. “Today marks a watershed in our lives, Kagome. I won't forget our anniversary, will I?” When she snorted, he turned her loose. “You have about twenty minutes before you must go through the well, so go get dressed.” As Kagome started for the stairs, he smugly added, “Try not to wake up your mother; she's a little tired out,” while he whisked the kitsune into the kitchen.

 

The young woman shook her head as she headed up the stairs, but she made sure to walk softly in the hallway and not slam her door. Glancing at her gear, she moved across the room to look out at the rain-whipped Goshinboku. Its winter-bare branches were barely visible against the pre-dawn sky; she caught a glimpse of another sentry behind the trunk. It'll be whiteout conditions on the other side; better not forget my shooter's glasses.

 

She found comfort in the familiar process of girding for battle, in the rhythms of buttons, buckles and straps. Pulling on thick socks to go inside her combat boots, then wriggling into the dragon-hide trousers, she hesitated over wearing the matching tunic as she pulled on a black sleeveless tee-shirt. I don't think staying warm is going to be a problem; ease of movement is more important.

 

Shouldering into her body armour, she secured the three sturdy buckles around her ribs and then strapped on her gauntlets. Flexing her fingers, she contemplated the slim wedding band for the second time in an hour and considered the future it represented… then chickened out of tempting the fates. Not only that, but there's a risk that the released energy will melt the ring into my finger. If I survive, that would suck. Pulling off the jewellery and carefully placing it on her desk, she picked up her sword. “Ready to rumble, Fenik?”

 

Drawing the gleaming weapon, she broke open her cleaning kit and ran an oiled rag over the blade. Inspecting the honed edge with a critical eye, she nearly dropped the katana when the hilt vibrated in her hand. “Hello to you, too, ya tufty-eared brat,” she murmured, missing the sword-demon's brash confidence and good-natured teasing. Probably too busy fending off the ladies. The image of Fenik beleaguered by Midoriko and Kikyo, like a celebrity plagued with squealing fangirls, made her snicker as she slid the weapon back into its leather-covered scabbard. Winding the scarlet and gold obi around her waist, she firmly knotted it and tucked in the ends, then shoved her sword into place at her hip as she looked around for her quiver.

 

You don't need your bow, Nixie.

Fenik! Long time, no hear!

It's a little crowded in here.

I can imagine… what do you mean, I don't need my bow?

This is a straight-up sword brawl; if we're successful, you won't need an arrow to purify Naraku.

`If' we're successful? I thought…?

Midoriko says not to sweat it and to worry about conserving your spiritual energy.

All right, but it feels weird to go into battle with only half of my arsenal.

I have your back, sweetheart.

Thanks, Fenik. It means everything to me that you do.

 

Carefully propping her bow in the corner of her room and hanging her quiver over the arm of her kimono stand, Kagome took a minute to look around the cozy room. For as long as she could remember, this had been her haven; squaring her shoulders, she closed the door behind her with a sense of finality and headed for the stairs.

 

“Kagome?” came a sleepy voice, and she halted in mid-stride.

 

Pivoting in place, the young woman's eyebrows arched at her mother's thoroughly tousled appearance and flushed cheeks as she leaned against the doorframe of her bedroom. “Morning, mom… er… looks like you enjoyed yourself last night.”

 

Kioko giggled girlishly, causing Kagome's brows to disappear under her bangs. “Touma is very thorough, dear, in everything he does!” While Kagome squirmed, Kioko came forward and hugged her tightly. “Do your best today; we all await your return.”

 

Kagome briefly clung to her mother, but forced herself to let go. “If I don't come back, be happy… and look after Inuyasha, if he'll let you.”

 

Kioko gave her a gentle smile. “Inuyasha will be fine, because failure is not an option. I'm more worried about Lord Sessaki if something goes wrong; Rin says he's been an absolute bear these past few weeks.”

 

“The best-laid plans of dogs and men,” Kagome mumbled before planting a kiss on her mother's cheek. “See you soon.” With a quick wave, she thumped down the stairs.

 

Touma and Shimano were waiting for her. “I'm off,” she announced, feeling faintly ridiculous, but needing to fill the silence to disguise the madly-gyrating butterflies that suddenly filled her stomach.

 

Her newly acquired step-father hugged her first. “Be strong; the gods will grant us victory and return you to us.”

 

Shimano rolled his eyes at Touma's formal phrasing. “Sometimes you sound so much like Sessaki, I momentarily doubt your mother's morals,” he snorted. “C'mere, Kagome. Give us a hug and go kick some tentacles.” She laughed at that and complied. Shimano tweaked her nose, grinning, then sobered. Pulling a length of red-twisted gold silk cord out of his pocket, he held it up for her inspection. “From the Armoury.”

 

“What's it for?” she asked, fingering the long tassels.

 

“Draw your sword,” he directed, then proceeded to wrap the cord around her hand and the hilt, binding her to her weapon.

 

“In the old days, this was a signal that the fight was without quarter… a battle to the death,” Touma said quietly. “It seems appropriate today to use this gesture rooted in samurai tradition… and also prevent Naraku from separating you from your weapon if he's somehow found out about the three fangs.”

 

Kagome looked from her captive sword to the two youkai and back again. “Sounds logical to me.” Carefully raising the sword in order to avoid the rafters, she formally saluted. “Thank you. Guess I'd better get on with it… destiny awaits, and all that.” Bowing, she turned to leave.

 

“Wait! Aren't you wearing your cloak? It's freezing out there!” Touma fussed, eyeing her bare biceps and throat.

 

“Catching a cold is the least of my concerns today,” she replied with a wry grin, donning her tinted glasses before disappearing into the foyer. The outer door opened and closed a few minutes later, sending a blast of cold air across their feet. Hurrying into the kitchen, they watched through the window as the young woman ran through the pelting rain across the dark courtyard and up the well house steps.

 

“When do the others arrive?” Shimano asked, waiting for the blue flash.

 

“Within the hour; however, I expect Yashita any minute.”

 

“Let's hope she's made the jump before that or we'd have to restrain him, and that's a job I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.”

 

Touma reached into the sleeve of his yukata and produced a stack of paper strips, fanning them for Shimano's benefit. “Kosaru left these with me yesterday; I think you remember how to use them, yes?”

 

“Sealing sutras… haven't used those on him since Ryokan,” the kitsune replied, fingering the thick paper.

 

“I don't know that story; care to share?”

 

Keeping one eye on the open well house door, Shimano began, “Sesshomaru had punched a hole through Inuyasha's guts, and we'd returned to the village so he could recover. Because he's an idiot, he blocked the well to keep Kagome in the future. Naraku caught wind of the situation and implanted a shard of the Jewel…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Inside the well house, Kagome's teeth chattered, but not from the cold or wet. She stood at the bottom of the inner staircase, staring at the ancient well and working up the courage to start what might be the final minutes of her life. Kikyo? I apologize for every snide comment I ever made about you shirking your duty. As a small kitsune once said, destiny sucks and I want a new one.

 

She wrapped her free arm around herself, chewing her lip as she contemplated the portal. Bowing her head, she tried to control the sick feeling taking over her stomach and avoid giving in to the wrenching fear stalking closer with each shaking breath. I must follow through; the others are relying on me, and if I don't… Naraku wins. Swaying forward, she had to take a step in order not to stumble, but immediately strong arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled her against a hard body. Silver and black strands of silky hair spilled over her shoulders as Fenik held her tight.

 

`Silly Nixie… you should have brought your cloak. Think of how dashing we'd look!'

 

“Fenik…” Kagome relaxed in his embrace, exhaling as the fear receded and the butterflies quieted.

 

The sword-demon hummed deep in his throat as he nuzzled her temple. `Feh. The kitsune has a good idea, but crappy execution. Is he trying to cut off my circulation?' He kept her within the circle of his arms as his long fingers loosened the knot and unwrapped the silken cording. As Kagome wriggled her fingers to stave off pins-and-needles, Fenik deftly knotted one end of the cord around the blade just below the guard, then looped the other end around her wrist. `There… that keeps us attached, but gives you a greater range of movement.' He also pulled the scabbard out of her obi and dropped it onto the planking. `Don't need that, either.'

 

Kagome tried a few experimental thrusts and jabs. “Thanks, buddy.” His arms again wrapped around her for a tight hug, and then he sighed quietly before gently turning her to face him. Kagome tilted her head way back to look up. He's taller than Yashita by a couple of inches; damn, I feel so short! Claw tips lightly prickled as he carefully cupped her face in his hands and studied her features. “Fenik, what…?”

 

`Just in case I won't be able to talk to you again, I wanted to tell you something,' he whispered, his silver eyes glowing brightly in the darkness, and her stomach flipped at his expression. `Inuyasha's protectiveness, loyalty, passion… every emotion of his was literally hammered into my blade; that's what blood-forging is all about. When I was presented to you, I was fated to feel the same way.'

 

“Uh… are you saying you… love me?” she asked, edging away.

 

He grinned at her discomfort. `Not like that, Nixie… Sessaki's influence kept things in perspective. Otherwise, I probably would have tried offing Inuyasha to keep you all to myself.'

 

“Oh… um, okay,” she stammered. “Er, what about Sessaki…?”

 

Fenik's eyes twinkled. `It was his incredible demonic power that was the main contribution. Sessaki loves you like a sister; since his blood is stronger than Inuyasha's, I only wanted to protect you, not romance you. Tease, flirt, cuddle, annoy… but not seduce.' Stooping, he lightly rubbed his cheek against hers before pulling back to grin at her wary expression. Resting his hands on her shoulders, he continued, `I was forged with only one purpose, and that was to protect you; having said that, take it easy when slicing and dicing Naraku. The fucker's miasma is murder on my delicate complexion!'

 

Rolling her eyes, she poked him in the chest with her free hand. “You are such a brat, Fenik.”

 

`At least you're smiling instead of having a conniption,' he winked.

 

Kagome wrinkled her nose at him as her heart abruptly accelerated in her chest. Gasping out a curse, she wheezed, “I-it's s-starting.”

 

His hand cupped the back of her head, and he tilted up her face to look her in the eye. `I will protect you, even at the cost of my own existence.'

 

“Don't say that, Fenik,” she protested, clutching the front of his robes as the tempo of Inuyasha's heartbeat increased until it was pounding in her ears. He pushed her glasses up her nose, peeled her fingers loose and spun her to face the well. Scooping her into his arms, he leapt up onto the rim and balanced as he gave her a comforting squeeze and a very cheeky grin.

 

`C'mon, baby, light my fire…'

 

She stared at him.

 

`Ignite me, sweetheart!' When she groaned dramatically, he chortled, `Would you prefer something more serious, along the lines of `Damn the torpedoes'?'

 

“Something like that…” Kagome fought down a jolt of pure terror as they were swallowed by the shimmering light.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“She's gone.” Shimano broke off in mid-sentence, his eyes riveted on the rapidly-fading blue flash.

 

Touma dropped his hand onto the kitsune's shoulder and squeezed. “It'll be over soon, for better or for worse. I'll phone Sessaki…”

 

“What for? He's had this date circled on his calendar for the last twenty years!”

 

“So he can check on Yash… speak of the hanyou.”

 

Both fell silent as a familiar figure strode across the slick courtyard and took up a position facing the well house. The wind picked up, whipping his long silver hair around his tall form and tugging at his hanging sleeves as he unsheathed his sword. For the first time in two hundred years, Tetsusaiga blossomed to its full size, shining brilliantly against the gloom. The huge weapon was briefly pointed at the well house, as if gauging the distance, before it was propped on a red-clad shoulder. Yashita remained impervious to the winter storm's stinging lash, ignoring the icy water pouring over him as he waited for his fate to be decided on the other end of time.

 

Inside the house, Touma asked warily, “What's he doing?” as he eyed the white vapours whirling around Tetsusaiga's blade.

 

“Planning to storm the hell-gates, from the looks of it.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

At the bottom of the well, Kagome looked up at the square of snow-filled sky and strained her ears for the sounds of battle to go with the heartbeat vibrating her entire body. Fenik set her on her feet and nudged her brow with his chin; when she looked up, he grinned carelessly. `Ready?'

 

She smiled gamely. “Born ready, or so I've been told.”

 

`That's my girl!' Silver energy webbed with blue boiled up around her and she was out of the well in a breathless rush, landing in knee-deep slush a dozen feet away… and found herself under verbal attack.

 

“Ah, so that's where you've been hiding,” an oily voice mocked as she dropped into a stance. Against a dark winter dawn, Naraku's deep purple barrier hung like a corrupted sun in the snow-filled sky. Inuyasha was between her and the crackling sphere, but Sesshomaru was nowhere in sight. “It's been so boring toying with these idiots until the Protector of the Jewel chose to arrive.”

 

“Kagome! Stay back!” Inuyasha shouted, not taking the chance of looking away from Naraku to ascertain whether she was really there or if this was a ploy to put him off-guard. She's down-wind, so I can't tell… A moment later, there was absolutely no doubt that the young woman was in the vicinity as a tremendous blast of distinctive energy rocked his footing. When Naraku's jaw dropped, his attention firmly fixed in the direction of the well, Inuyasha risked a quick glance over his shoulder.

 

A gigantic silver dog towered over the young woman, its ears flattened into its skull and its black-tipped hackles bristling. Enormous fangs bared in a feral snarl, Fenik's fiery eyes were locked on his opponent as deadly intent radiated from every inch of his massive body. Inuyasha yanked his focus back to Naraku when the demon laughed scornfully and sent a sheaf of tentacles racing towards Kagome. In the split-second before they reached striking distance, she and her ghostly protector were already gone.

 

A moment after that, a sword burning like a silver torch slashed through the clump of tentacles, severing it from Naraku's body. Unfortunately, the follow-through released a poisonous cloud of miasma that engulfed Kagome. Before Inuyasha could even curse, the churning gas exploded outward as a massive pink barrier erupted, instantly purifying the noxious vapours. Kagome landed beside him, her silver eyes glowing brightly and her entire body wrapped in a silver veil like an extra layer of armour. “Where's Sesshomaru?” she demanded as another barrier surrounded them.

 

The level of power contained within the barrier made the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up and his youki snarl, but he ignored all that to reply, “Dealing with that stupid wolf!”

 

“Koga?”

 

“He got too close to Naraku's tainted chunk of the Jewel, and the shards in his legs turned black.”

 

“But… why didn't they become corrupted when he was inside Naraku's shield at Mount Hakurei?”

 

“Hell if I know; maybe that cocoon-thing protected him? Keh; anyways, he instantly lost his mind and transformed, then attacked us from the rear.”

 

The ground shook and a familiar, yet not, demonic aura struck Kagome's senses. Spinning around, she let out a startled yell at the sight of an enormous black wolf bursting out of the white-frosted trees on the other side of the meadow, with Sesshomaru in hot pursuit. Pausing in his headlong charge, Koga threw back his head and howled, dappling his black fur with white spittle. The shards in his legs, which had always shone bright pink, were now as dark as the nearly-complete Jewel malevolently gleaming in the centre of Naraku's chest. Burning red eyes came to rest on the glowing pink barrier; baring his long, wickedly-curving fangs, Koga pounced.

 

“Shit!” Inuyasha grabbed Kagome around the waist and yanked them both out of the way as she dropped the barrier to prevent the wolf prince's instant purification. Razor-sharp tentacles jabbed towards them, only to turn to ash against yet another crackling shield. Naraku shouted something, but it was lost in Koga's furious baying as Sesshomaru threw himself against the transformed youkai's shoulder and sent him tumbling across the meadow. As the wolf found his feet and shook, sending white flakes flying, Sesshomaru alighted outside the barrier; Kagome hastily dropped the shield.

 

The rumpled taiyoukai's eyes were red-tinged as he rammed Tokijin into the ground. “Useless,” he snarled. “The wolf cannot distinguish friend from foe.”

 

With an enraged snarl, Koga flung himself at the trio. Kagome found herself on the other side of the meadow with Inuyasha crouched in front of her and Sesshomaru hovering overhead; Tokijin had been left embedded in the earth, the tassels attached to the hilt whipping in the wind. The wolf curled his lips back from his fangs and slunk forward, oblivious to the dark sphere floating above his head.

 

“We could play this game all day, I suppose, but unfortunately I have other plans,” Naraku smirked. “My destiny awaits; but first, I will take pity on this poor creature and remove his shards before his mind is destroyed.” Naraku's hands warped into nightmarish talons that stretched outside his shield and plunged into Koga's body just as the wolf youkai gathered himself for another leap. The transformed wolf prince screamed in agony as he was impaled, then twisted his massive body to futilely snap at the pinioning appendages.

 

“I believe that `now' would be appropriate,” Sesshomaru intoned, and placed himself at Kagome's side as he drew Tenseiga. Inuyasha leapt backwards and without asking, hooked his fingers into his brother's obi, bracing the young woman between them. Kagome let her sword fall from her hand as she grasped both of their wrists, their auras beginning to whirl… just as Naraku's claws ripped open Koga's hind legs and snatched the last two shards of the Shikon Jewel in a spray of blood. The wolf's body was tossed away over the trees like so much garbage; through the obscuring snow, it appeared that he landed in the vicinity of the Goshinboku.

 

“You are now privileged to witness my transformation, you pathetic creatures!” Naraku flourished the shards before extracting the rest of the Jewel from his flesh. Cradling the blackened sphere, he triumphantly pressed the tiny slivers into place and avidly watched as the Jewel fluoresced dramatically before thumping with an insistent beat. The demon laughed wildly as he triumphantly brandished the completed Jewel. “I am become Death, the shatterer of worlds!” he shouted as he shoved the corrupted heart back into his chest where it resounded with a false pulse.

 

There was a moment of utter stillness, and then Naraku's entire body convulsed as his transformation began. His armour broke apart and grew into fantastical bony structures while the human veneer borrowed from the lord of the Hitomi clan peeled away, revealing a skull-like mask. Naraku's eyes became blank, glowing orbs, his ear tips sharpened and prominent fangs extended over his lower lip. His limbs continued to grow and become multi-jointed even as his torso shortened and rounded.

 

“A giant fucking spider!” Inuyasha yelled in her ear. “Stomp the bastard while he's still transforming!”

 

Giving a sharp nod, she determinedly gripped their wrists and brought the tips of their swords together. As the enchanted fangs roared their challenge, sucking the red and green energy away from their wielders and sending it hurtling down their blades, Kagome sighted along the colourful stream.

 

“Increase elevation!” she shouted, pulling up on their arms to aim the energy just below the throbbing Jewel. “Target acquisition complete!” Pushing her glasses back into place, gripping Fenik with both hands as the sword erupted into silver flames, she brought the flaming weapon down on top of the other two. “Locked and loaded… FIRE!”

 

Naraku may or may not have tried to avoid the thunderous blast; it is far more likely that he stood his ground, arrogantly sure of the superior power of the Jewel to protect him as the howling energies bore down on him. Kagome dimly realized that she was screaming at the top of her lungs while the devastating energy poured into Naraku's body, but the roaring of the swords drowned out everything in a deafening cacophony. It may have been only seconds, but it felt like hours passed as Naraku shuddered and jerked under the relentless attack, until his arachnid form expanded and cracked wide open. Kagome thought she saw his glowing eyes widen and his mouth open in a soundless scream, but she forgot that despairing impression in the next moment as Naraku's body came apart.

 

There was a dark flash, instantly replaced by pure white light that quickly took the form of a massive orange fireball shot through with red and green lightning. They instinctively hunched and then the shockwave struck with the force of a tsunami; Kagome was lifted off her feet, torn away from the brothers and hurled through the turbulent air. As she spun like a leaf in a whirlwind, a towering mushroom-shaped cloud climbed up into the frigid sky.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

D-dammit… h-hurts… c-cold…

 

Kagome slowly swam back to a consciousness full of sharp-edged objects insistently digging into the cheek wounded by Mukotsu's fist a few days and a lifetime ago, and realized that her mouth was full of dirt and an unpleasant coppery taste. Her gag reflex immediately kicked in, and she ended up vomiting right on the spot. There was a fair amount of red mixed in with the dirt; she vaguely wondered if she'd bitten her tongue or lost some teeth and attempted shifting to the side to avoid the mess. Searing pain ripped through her; letting out a pained cry, she squeezed her eyes shut as nausea again threatened. What's all that about?

 

Wearily lifting her head, she blinked slowly at a world gone soft and white, then cautiously pushed herself up on her hands. Tiny flakes trickled over her shoulders as the movement dislodged a blanketing layer of snow. More pain shot through her; as she hunched in agony, she saw the pool of blood she'd been laying in. Her stomach immediately heaved, and she vomited again, this time bringing up bright red spattered with dark clots that stood out against the snow. As she wiped her mouth on the back of her gauntlet, she ran trembling fingers down her torso. The densely-woven material of her body armour was slick with blood as she encountered the perpetrator.

 

A long, thin, jagged piece of wood had been driven right through her abdomen. Gingerly reaching behind her, she found the other end of the crude stake protruding from her back and gave way to nausea yet again, the bile burning her throat.

 

“You have awakened, miko.” It was a statement, not a question, as she peered through the swirling snow with eyes dulled by pain. A faint movement, almost lost in the wind, caught her attention. Sesshomaru held her gaze over his shoulder for a brief moment before turning back to look straight ahead. Setting her jaw, Kagome began laboriously crawling towards him, dragging her sword along behind while doing her best to ignore the agony caused by the movement.

 

“Stay still,” he admonished as she came abreast of him, but she was too astonished by what she saw to listen. Awkwardly pushing herself up onto her knees, Kagome stared open-mouthed at the blasted landscape. The lush forest that had once surrounded the well meadow, not to mention the meadow itself, had simply vanished. They were at the edge of a vast, saucer-shaped depression that stretched all the way across to the Goshinboku, the harsh edges of destruction already softening under a featureless blanket of snow.

 

The ancient tree had been battered and burned; several branches hung at odd angles or were missing altogether, but it still stood like a dark sentinel over the battleground. A large, snow-covered lump huddled near the base of its trunk; she was squinting at it when Sesshomaru said, “It is the wolf prince… unfortunately alive.”

 

Kagome carefully pivoted on her knees to search for Inuyasha as fresh blood continued to trickle inside her clothing. She spotted him about twenty feet away, lying on his back in an ungainly sprawl, rumpled folds of red fire-rat and a tatty hilt poking out of the coating of snow. Relieved at the sight even though his heartbeat reassuringly thumped within her chest, she turned to inspect Sesshomaru's condition. The taiyoukai gazed calmly at her despite looking as if he'd been `Wind Scar'-red repeatedly. His armour was missing, his robes were shredded and his hair was not quite so sleek-looking. Tenseiga lay across his thighs; she guessed that it had intervened to save him, as Tetsusaiga had Inuyasha. Struck by a random thought, she asked, “Where's Tokijin?”

 

A long finger, the claw shortened almost to the quick, pointed across the snowscape. Following the direction of the gesture, she glimpsed the sword's familiar hilt leaning at a crazy angle on the other side of ground zero. Kagome was about to comment on its intact appearance when faint movement out in the middle of the empty expanse caught her eye. Frowning, she shaded her eyes to get a better look, then let out a surprised yip when she recognized the object disturbing the snowy blanket. Just like that long-ago night when a centipede youkai had been defeated after devouring it, the Shikon Jewel bumped, rolled and jounced its unerring way towards her.

 

Sesshomaru leaned forward, his expression unnervingly intent as the large blackened stone zigzagged to avoid several obstacles. The snow-covered lumps stirred, wriggled and abruptly slithered after the Jewel, but a well-placed energy whip reduced them to sizzling puddles. Kagome edged forward, her palms glowing pink as the Jewel drew near. “Stay there,” she called to Sesshomaru. “I have no idea of what's going to happen.”

 

“Continue,” he replied, but she noticed he had Tenseiga in a white-knuckled grip.

 

As the Jewel rolled to a stop, she quailed at its oozing malevolence, but bravely flamed her hands as she scooped it up. She barely had time to cry out before she was swallowed by roaring pink and blue energy. Sesshomaru drew back, shielding his eyes, as he watched the young woman hunch over her clasped hands. The shrouding spiritual energy crackled loudly before suddenly curling back on itself and vanishing between Kagome's fingers. A light, brighter than a thousand suns, momentarily blinded him before it was extinguished. Blinking rapidly to clear the spots dancing through his vision, Sesshomaru watched Kagome slowly straighten and open her cupped hands.

 

An unblemished, pure and whole Shikon Jewel glowed softly against her palms, all traces of taint completely erased.

 

The young woman sighed deeply. “So many lives lost and so much blood spilled for this… it doesn't seem fair.” She held up the Jewel for his perusal; the wind whirled between them, kicking up a monochromatic screen.

 

He fried another gelatinous lump sneaking towards her knees. “What now?”

 

“I have a date with a well, I suppose.” She didn't sound too enthusiastic as she hugged the Jewel against her chest and looked around, frowning when she realized the wooden structure's absence. Wincing, she identified the probable source of the stake driven through her body.

 

“Will you make the wish?”

 

Kagome considered her next move while she thought that over. “I don't think I'm qualified.”

 

“If not the Protector, then who?”

 

She gave him a very sad, very old look. “Guess we'll find out… on the other end of time, sir.” Gritting her teeth, she inclined her head before staggering to her feet, cursing as her body violently objected to the change in altitude and she nearly collapsed again as she retched a bright red stream. Smearing her mouth clean, she glanced towards Inuyasha at his weak explosion of highly lurid swearing.

 

“Dammit, wench… didja have to try and kill us, too?” he huffed as he wobbled to his feet, wiping snow from his face with the back of his sleeve.

 

“Miko!”

 

She brought up her sword on reflex, but the motion ruined her precarious balance. As she took a step backwards, her foot found nothing but empty air and she flailed for a heart-stopping second while Sesshomaru's energy whip destroyed a distinctly tentacle-shaped missile. Plunging into the well shaft, the darkness smothered her despairing scream.

 

On the opposite ends of time, the same hanyou was driven to his knees, clutching his chest.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Between the centuries…

 

`You can stop fretting, Fenik; she's waking up.'

 

At the sound of the muffled voice, Kagome slowly opened her eyes to dim blue light, wrinkling her nose at an unpleasant smell. Dark hair brushed over her bare bicep as her blurred visual field was filled with a sweet-faced woman wearing a pleased smile. An unusual diamond-shaped pattern marked the newcomer's forehead; beneath that, her dark eyes were soft.

 

“M-midoriko?”

 

`We meet again, Kagome.'

 

The young woman tried to sit up; she immediately felt light-headed, but tucked her chin against her chest and breathed through her mouth until the sensation passed. The first thing she noticed was that she was no longer perforated by a piece of the well structure; the second thing was the absence of the Jewel. “Where are we? Where's the Jewel?”

 

`We are suspended within the flow of time. The Jewel is gone, but I wanted to say good-bye before I ascend.'

 

“Ascend…? Wait… what? The wish has been made?”

 

Midoriko's smile became positively serene as she softly stroked Kagome's cheek. `You were right about the necessity of another priestess' soul to seal the Jewel; Kikyo took your place.'

 

“If her soul… our soul is now inside the Jewel, why am I still alive?”

 

`The same reason why you survived once most of her soul was pulled from you. At the time of her resurrection, I'm sure you noticed that several orbs were extracted from your body, and all returned except for the piece that remained with Kikyo. When Kanna tried to remove your soul again, it could not be contained by her mirror.' Midoriko tilted her head at the thunderstruck expression on Kagome's face. `Your body houses at least three souls, including your own, Kikyo's… and mine. Mine has always been aware due to the Jewel's presence; however, hers was only awakened by Inuyasha's call. Destiny brought the Jewel to you, and you freed us. Thank you.'

 

“But… the wish?”

 

`In return for her sacrifice, Kikyo's wish was granted.' Midoriko's expression became solemn. `Unfortunately, your child could not be saved.'

 

Kagome's mouth fell open and her eyes widened as the colour drained from her face. Her hand covered her belly as she hid herself behind a curtain of hair; when she spoke, her voice shook. “I-I really was…”

 

A calloused hand covered hers and an arm went around her shoulders as Midoriko hugged her sympathetically. `The child's humanity was destroyed at the same time as Naraku, and its demonic side was purified along with the Jewel. I'm very sorry.'

 

“In other words, I killed my own child in the course of duty,” the young woman said bitterly, shaking off Midoriko's comforting touch and wrapping her arms tightly around her drawn-up legs. “Waitaminute… Kikyo's wish was to live with Inuyasha as an ordinary woman…”

 

`Apparently the Jewel decided to apply the full meaning of `ordinary' in return for preserving your life.'

 

Her muffled hearing, blurred vision and blunted nose suddenly made sense, and the bottom dropped out of Kagome's stomach. She desperately tried to call up her spiritual power, but there was nothing, not even a tingle. Her demonic power was also simply gone; anger and fear flooded in. “I've lost everything… my friends… my powers… my baby…!”

 

`You are alive, with your husband and your kit awaiting your return along with your family.'

 

“That's hardly the point,” Kagome snarled. “For the past year and a half, I've been part of a team of humans and youkai that became my family. Kaede's arthritis will feel worse without the painkillers we supplied, Shiori won't live long enough to taste ice pops again, Kumo's foal will be born… hell, Sango can't be my baby's `oba-san' because as of now… they're all dead, as if Naraku wiped them all out in one blow!”

 

`Allow your heart to heal, Kagome; do not cling to despair. Perhaps you and I will cross paths in the centuries to come, when and if I am reincarnated.' With a final squeeze to Kagome's hand, Midoriko rose to her feet. `Farewell, my Phoenix. You were magnificent.'

 

Her emotions whirling so fast that she felt faint, Kagome vaguely noted that the warrior-priestess had lost her armour and sword somewhere and was instead clad in a soft green kosode, tied with a simple blue sash. Midoriko stopped a few feet away, gracefully kneeling in front of a hunched shape barely discernible from the surrounding darkness and leaned forward on her hands, peering upward. `Fenik…' she murmured softly, and Kagome was jerked out of her own pity party as the sword-demon raised his head and revealed his ravaged countenance.

 

Glancing down at the sword still attached to her wrist by a charred length of silk, she finally noticed the blackened blade as her stomach instantly tied itself in a Gordian knot. With a deepening sense of horror, she realized that his skin had been burned black; when he glanced her way, his silver eyes glittered in a scorched face. Oh, gods, what have I done?

 

Midoriko bowed deeply. `I must go now, Fenik, but know that your company was the greatest joy I have ever experienced.' As she straightened, sooty fingers gently circled her wrist.

 

`If I had a wish, it would be to follow you,' he whispered thickly.

 

Kagome clapped her hands over her mouth as Midoriko cupped his cheek with her other hand. `It is not our destiny,' she murmured sadly. `If there were any other way…'

 

`I am yours forever,' he choked, pressing his lips to her palm. An intense moment passed between them before Midoriko leaned in, her gaze intent, and Fenik met her half-way. Kagome looked away, her heart aching for herself and them. She closed her ears to the gentle words being exchanged and hid her face in her knees.

 

`Kagome… come say goodbye to Fenik; the flow of time will soon sweep you away.' She looked up to see Midoriko rising to her feet, her cheeks tinted a becoming shade of pink even as shining tears trickled down. The warrior-priestess bowed, then bestowed a final, loving glance on the sword-demon before fading away into the shimmering blue. Kagome stared at Fenik for a long moment, sick to heart, then crawled towards him. Without a word, she rose up onto her knees and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly as her tears ran into his tattered hair.

 

His hands came up to press her close. `Don't cry, Nixie… I told you that the entire reason for my existence was to protect you. I don't regret what happened, not for one single moment.'

 

“But… but… you've lost her!” she sobbed. “Because of me…!”

 

Fenik's chest shook with a low chuckle. `I met her because of you, Nixie. I suspected that I couldn't keep her, but at least I had this time with her. Now, you need to calm down, or the people waiting for you will think you aren't happy to see them.' He briskly wiped her cheeks with his thumbs, his motions slowing at the bleakness of her expression.

 

“I'm losing you, too….”

 

The sword-demon carefully tucked her hair behind her ears. `I'll always be at your side, Kagome, even if you can't hear or see me any more… however, if you want to honour my part in the quest, I have a suggestion.'

 

“Anything…”

 

`Name one of your pups after me,' he said slyly, then pulled her into a warm hug. `If Yashita ever gets out of hand, remember one thing… the rosary might not work, but I do!' Kagome held on tight, tears leaking from under her lashes. When he finally released her, she couldn't stop her lip from trembling or the tears from falling. There was a low rumbling sound and their small blue bubble shrank. `Time to go… don't forget to smile, Nixie. Sango, Miroku and the others wouldn't want you to be sad for very long.' As Fenik began to shimmer, Kagome lunged forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He was smiling as he vanished into a swirl of silver sparkles.

 

Sitting back on her heels, she wrapped her arms around herself as an onslaught of memories and emotions battered her mind and her heart. Numb and shivering, she lay down, curled herself around her injured sword and waited for the end.

 

The darkness greedily reached for her with grasping fingers.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Present day, courtyard of the Sunset Shrine

 

“Breathe, Yash… c'mon, old man! Pull yourself together!” Shimano's voice held the shrill edge of fear as he chivvied the hanyou to a seated position.

 

The object of his rough attentions clutched his chest, gasping painfully. “I'm fine, dammit! She's alive and that's all that…” Yashita broke off as the wet paving shook violently beneath their feet. Sessaki immediately drew Tokijin, the dark blade streaming vapours as if celebrating its release after a century and a quarter of confinement. The shaking continued, increasing in intensity, until it became apparent that the epicentre was the well house.

 

“By the fifth hell!”

 

The walls of the aged structure blew out, spewing wooden shrapnel and boiling blue energy in all directions. The roof creaked and groaned until it briefly lifted on a phosphorescent wave before sliding off into the bushes behind the building in a cascade of wooden tiles. The stunned audience stared at the massive geyser towering above their heads as the ancient magic linking two eras poured into the damp atmosphere, filling the very air with glimmering motes. As the surging power died down like a sea after a storm, Sessaki was there, a gleaming figure floating in mid-air as he stared into the depths of the ruined building.

 

“What's he waiting for?” Yashita demanded, pushing his rain-soaked bangs out of his eyes while he felt around for Tetsusaiga's hilt, dropped when he collapsed a few moments before.

 

After a brief interval, the taiyoukai sheathed his sword and dropped out of sight. The next few minutes were long and nerve-wracking for the anxious observers before he reappeared. Long dark hair trailed over his arm as he slowly descended the stairs, his face impassive; however, he cradled the young woman like she was made of the most fragile porcelain. Her sword dangled from her limp wrist on a fraying cord, its blackened tip catching on each wooden step with a measured `tac, tac, tac' that carried above the steady drumming of the rain.

 

Yashita held out his arms as Sessaki approached, impatiently wondering why his brother was taking so long. The taiyoukai knelt and carefully transferred Kagome into her husband's embrace. He gave Yashita a speaking glance, then withdrew. Shimano crowded in close, then gasped quietly.

 

Under the blood, dirt and tears, the skin of her left cheek was as smooth and unmarked as the day she was born. The distinctive cross-shaped scar had vanished. Exchanging a stunned glance with the hanyou, the kitsune bent to examine the young woman's bicep; with trembling fingers, he traced a line where the thick scar marking Kohaku's attack used to be. “What the hell happened?” Yashita muttered. As Shimano shook his head, Kagome's lashes fluttered and her eyes slowly opened.

 

Storm-grey eyes lacking even a single speck of enlivening silver.

 

The young woman stared blindly for a long moment, then she focussed on red fire-rat. Frowning a little, her eyes tracked upwards until they squinted at a familiar rosary. Slowly tilting back her head, she followed the line of Yashita's throat up to his face. As dull grey met bright amber, fresh tears spilled down filthy cheeks.

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

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