Well I have my new chapter and I have to apologize for it now. Ummm…I don't want to give anything away, but you'll understand after you read this.

I do not owe either the InuYasha character or those of YuYu Hakusho.

Warning!!! Graphic gory scenes to ensue, please avoid reading this fic if you are not of a suitable age, or do not have parent consent! You have been warned!

Bitter Memories

Chapter two : Gifts from the dead

The sunlight had faded. The evening's cool breath licked the miko's prone figure. Her heavy lids peeled away, revealing the area around her to be mysteriously bright. It was odd but comforting. There was a reason she didn't want to wake, a reason that made her wish to be in an eternal sleep of death. Her mind throbbed dully, trying desperately to remind her. Finally giving into the ache she focused on recalling the past events. In a rush they invaded her mind. Pictures of her friends dying horrible, gruesome deaths. She felt to tired to cry actual tears, but on the inside she sobbed. Forcing herself onto her elbows, she pushed away from the ground. She needed the burn the bodies of her deceased loved ones, and set to rest all those that had lost their lives to Naraku, and the Shikon No Tama. Images of Kohoku, and Kouga filtered through her head. They had both fallen protecting Kagome and Sango. Looking down into her clenched fist she was greeted with the whole Shikon. It glittered harmlessly, innocently, as though it hadn't caused everyone that had ever come into contact with it pain, or death. She had a strong urge to throw the crystal into the surrounding woods and walk away. Burn her friends and forget that the damned jewel ever existed. But if the jewel itself was damned, then surely it protectress was damned also.

The eerie glow was radiating off of her. she realized with a slight shock. Looking down she found her body engulfed in a white light. Her entire body shone, like a bodysuit made of energy. Finding her clothes missing she hastened to find herself some before her power refused to preserve her modesty. Crouching down in the rubble of the fight, she searched for a certain yellow backpack, all the time praying to Kami that it hadn't been destroyed. Shifting the massive weight of a pig youkai, she saw a sunflower yellow material peeking back at her.

Digging the backpack out proved to be a great feat. Once the massive youkai was moved enough to pull the bag out, she tugged till it was released sending her to the ground in a heap. Quickly forgetting about her butt, she tore into the backpack. Relieve rushed over her in waves as she produced a set of clean under ware and bra. The next item she pulled from the bag made her eyes well up in tears and her throat go dry. A package hastily wrapped in leaves with a note attached to it, seemed the most precious thing in the world at that moment. Forgetting her state of undress, she flipped open the card to see Miroku's neat and prestige script. Miroku had been the only one other than herself that could write. The note read…

Dearest Kagome,

Indeed this present is from the graceful hands of the lovely Sango, but it carries with it all of our thoughts. Last year when you came with presents for us all we had felt horrible not having anything for you. So for once, InuYasha came up with a good idea. He claimed that it was only due to the way that you dress that he would even suggest such a thing, but we know the truth. Kagome, InuYasha suggested that we buy you a proper kimono. Sango refused. She thought it would mean so much more to you if you were to get one bore of her own hands. Every time you went home she would stay up late into the evenings sewing and designing the perfect dress to outfit your personality. But this is not to say that Shippo and myself did nothing. Shippo and I were in charge of finding the perfect silks to create your dress. It took Shippo forever to find a color that her agreed with and smelt like you. Then when your present was all finished, we had InuYasha distract you while we put this in your bag. When you decide to come back to visit us, would you please wear the kimono for us? I know it would make InuYasha, Sango, and Shippo very happy.

Yours till the day Sango says yes to becoming my wife,

Miroku

The writing was splattered and deformed by her tears, they rained from her eyes. Right before Kagome had jumped into the well to visit home she had felt the strong pull of Shikon shards. Not being able to give up the chance to gather such an amount, Kagome informed InuYasha about it, and indirectly killed every one of her friends. With careful fingers she untied the twine holding the package closed. The leaves folded back to reveal Sango's masterpiece.

The main silk of the dress was black. But all over the silk were silvers, gold's, emerald greens, crimson reds, and aqua blues. The delicate silk colors were sewn into the shapes of majestic silver dogs, flaming cats, gold foxes, green dragons, and blue roses. Sango's expert hand had sewn the creatures over and over again, their details identical every time. She couldn't help but trace her finger a crossed the figures of the creatures adorning her most treasured gift. At the bottom of the package were drawings that Shippo had been hoarding over the last three months. His drawings were of her and the group. It was obvious who was supposed to be who, but the memories of when he had drawn these only seemed to scar her heart further. Placing the kimono in her bag she pulled out her spare set of school clothing. Dressing quickly, she set to work building a pyre. She whispered death prayers into the night. She gathered the wood needed, and laid her son and Kilala's kitten form onto the pyre. Miroku was a little harder to move but she somehow found the strength to do so. It took her all night of dragging and tugging InuYasha and Sango to their places in the funeral. Covered in dirt, sweat, and blood, Kagome said a final send off for them before lighting the pyre. As the smoke rose she curled up into a ball and watched the flames flicker higher into the sky. When the blaze was about to reach her friends' bodies, she rose to her feet. The flickering, flames illuminated her eyes. Sparkling tears reflected the fire, setting her eyes a glow. As silent tears escaped her, the inferno engulfed her loved ones. Turning away she went into the forest almost daring any youkai foolish enough to approach her to do so. Even if they brought her death, it would be a release from the pain. That's all she wanted now, a release. It wasn't fair that the ones she cared most about got to leave all their pain and suffering behind, that they got to leave her behind. As the midnight hour approached, she crawled into a tree and from the highest limb watched the blaze she had set dance above the trees. All night she watched the fire, shortly before dawn she watched it's majestic beauty die and fade, smothering it's self out of existence. Even flame had a way out.

Returning to the scene she surveyed her work. Small flames were still dancing around the smoldering ashes, they being all that remained. Letting the flames die out completely, she went to her bag and emptied a large glass perfume bottle. Heading off in the direction of the nearest stream she cleansed the bottle, hoping that the sensitive hanyou would forgive her for her impromptu urn. She wanted to take the ashes back to her time where she would have a funeral for every lost soul, ending by scattering the ashes at the base of the god tree where she had first laid eyes on her first true love. That way she could end their journey the exact same place where it had truly begun. Gathering her things, she struck out for the well, for one final trip though.

She was going home and for once InuYasha wasn't there to stop her, she never thought that such a simple thing as his yelling could be missed with such vigor.

Eeep! I'm sorry! I just thought that this was a really important part of the story! I promise the next chapter will not only have the gangs true funeral, but it will also introduce the YuYu gang to Kagome. I swear! Please don't get mad at me, well if you do get mad I guess you'll just have to write me a review and tell me what a horrible person I am. * Shrugs * Hey I'm not picky, I'll take any review I can get! Okay, let me hear for you guys!

Ciao!