A/N: Well this is the last chapter of this story, I'm making it long so you'd better grab a snack and sit back. Now I had a realization last night. When I wrote this story and how I portrayed Sesshomaru I made him out to be much like my friend Srdjan. I met him at the beginning of my high school experience shortly after my grandpa died and I broke up with my boyfriend. Bad times. But then a year passed and I started to really like him as more than a friend. He wasn't every emotional and hardly ever talked but with me he'd tell me things that he would never tell anyone and he felt most comfortable around me and that made me feel good. Like I mattered to him more than most people. We both ended up liking one another at different times. When he liked me I had no clue so I kept my mouth shut. But when I finally got up the nerve to tell him he had moved on. So now we're pretty good friends. During sophomore and junior year I had realized that I loved him. I've been away from him for a few months now and it's like hell. So I just thought that I'd share that will yeah so you understand why I wrote Sesshomaru as I did. I remember the first time that he showed me any real raw emotion, well two. Our birthdays were pretty close to one another, mine on January 21 and his on February 25 so the first year we were friends he had given me my first ever Metallica Cd for my birthday. He remembered that I had taken an interest in them and wanted to get me something. So I had to figure out what to get him. I thought about how he kept his drawing all scattered in his folder. So when this club I was in went on our California trip I bought him a leather sketch book. But my brother ruined it so I went to this art store that I love and got him a bigger one and he still wanted to keep the ruined one because he thinks that my little brother is so cool. Well anyway yeah so um…go ahead and read the story that I've finally about to finish!
Chapter Twelve
By: Mirei
Kagome lay awake still, thinking about the next day. Could she handle actually placing herself in a situation that she knew would cause her death? How was it that she was calm about it? I mean any other person would find this thought unsettling but it didn't seem to unhinge her sanity. Her mind was set on other matters.
She was looking forward to the prospects of meeting her friends and starting over her life. Her first life had been a disaster and because of time travel she had done poorly on her exams in high school and couldn't get into Tokyo University like she wanted. Instead she went to Sanyo University, which was the sister school to TU. It was for the students who couldn't get into TU but had good enough grades to go to a university. She couldn't complain though, she did own her own businesses and was very successful in life. But when she thought of her life up to this point she couldn't find one time that she'd actually been happy. Until this moment. She had everything that she could ever want and that was where she was in her musings.
She would have to give this entire world up because of Azulu. He had been her friend, or so she thought. How was it possible that someone so sweet natured could turn into something so evil? Maybe it was her naive nature, but for a brief time she had believed so strongly in his friendship. It could be because she at the time wanted some sort of attention from a male. But then she would have killed him in the forest if it hadn't been for the fact that he knew her. Plus he wasn't any real threat to her in the first place.
Death was unfair. She remembered when her best friend died. Only she wasn't there for her. She knew about her best friends pregnancy but couldn't do anything for her or even be there for her. Uri had died while giving birth and the baby was given to an orphanage. Kagome remembered that day, she was only sixteen and she had come back to her house. Her mother was standing in the kitchen cutting up some carrots. When Kagome walked in her mother pulled her into a hug and told her that Uri, her friend had passed on. Ten years had passed since that day, and she only now thought of it. She never told anyone about it and kept her mind from wandering off to those thoughts. Uri had been her friend since childhood and was like the sister that she'd never had. But still she couldn't tell Uri about her time traveling and about InuYasha or Sesshomaru or any of her friends. Uri wasn't in her little circle of friends, but went to a different school completely. Their moms had been collage roommates and figured that their children would be able to become fast friends. But sadly Uri's mother died of cancer shortly after they turned fourteen and Uri had to live with her father. He was rather disappointed in her getting pregnant. Uri never told her father about how her boyfriend at the time had forced himself on her and raped her. Uri had always wanted to keep that to herself and only revealed this to Kagome.
She turned over and watched the fire, missing her childhood friend. It was sort of symbolic really if you thought about it. Her best friend dies and so does all of her adolescents. She wondered what ever happened to the child. Was she safe and warm with a loving family? She shook her head and looked to the sky. Sleep wasn't going to be kind to her, so she sat up and went over to where Sesshomaru was sitting. He was actually sleeping. She wondered if he would mind her sitting down beside him. His body warmth made her feel better. He knew she was there but didn't say anything. He half expected her to come over, since tonight would be the last night that they'd be together. Tomorrow they would meet up with Azulu or Zualuu whoever he was and then they'd all have to start their lives from the beginning again.
She leaned against his arm and let his scent fill her senses. Something about his scent seemed to draw her to him. It made her want him so, but knew better than to say anything. He knew how she felt about him without saying a word and she preferred it that way. What was the point in complicating the situation? Maybe in the next life he'll be less afraid to express how he felt. And by then she'd be ready. She allowed his scent to take her off into a peaceful sleep.
Sesshomaru sat there for sometime listening to her breathing and her heart beat. It was much like a song to his ears, and it was one that he could never tire from. With each beat would come an exhale of breath in perfect motion. He sometimes wondered what she thought, if she thought at all about him. Or if there was someone else occupying her thoughts. Sometimes he wondered why it would matter to him at all, he wasn't her mate and he refused to stake a claim upon her and force her to be forever his. She might not even be the same person when the meet up in their next life. She might turn out to be a total wench or even worse. He was sure that the fates would push them back together, it seemed that it was destined that they'd be together, but maybe it wasn't fair to just assume this. Fate and Destiny. They were the same thing wrapped up in pretty colored paper. But no matter how it was unraveled they'd still be the same tired old thing. He wasn't quite sure why it bothered him so that a bunch of sages got to decide what he did with his life after the battle. Maybe he didn't want to be reborn. But then he'd have to wait four hundred years just to see Kagome again. And if she couldn't remember him then it wouldn't matter too much whether he lived or died. What was the point in living in a world where the only person to capture him so wouldn't be allowed in his life? He shook his head and cleared out all of the cob webs.
Koga watched then with mild amusement. He couldn't believe that of all people Sesshomaru would fall for Kagome. He had also fallen for her at one time but now he had his own family. He knew the reasoning behind Sesshomaru's interest in Kagome but he couldn't quite put together exactly how it happened. If he had met Sesshomaru before he joined the group then he would have thought that the guy had no emotions at all. But then there was this guy who could care for Kagome and really respect her. He thought that if she had ended up with InuYasha she would have been miserable. InuYasha was now his friend but he knew him well enough to see that he couldn't make her happy. He still had a lot of growing up to do. Sesshomaru privately understood her and Koga could see their common bond to each other. It wasn't as if they were mates or anything but he had watched them all night and could see how Sesshomaru cared for her. When he had arrived that day they explained what was going on and at first he was furious with what Kagome had to do. But then when she mentioned that they would all e able to be together again it was something he looked forward to.
He watched as Kagome shifted on Sesshomaru's arm. Sesshomaru seemed a bit uncomfortable but didn't move or show his discomfort. Kagome smiled slightly and held onto his arm like a teddy bear. He could see that she found some sort of comfort with his presence one that he could never have provided her. Maybe it was maturity kicking in but he suddenly realized that Kagome may have been special to him but now she was something for him to protect. He looked at her once more and could see her happiness flowing off of her face like a fresh waterfall.
Sango could feel Miroku's breath on her neck it was obvious to her that he was asleep. If they were to meet in a whole new time would they still be the same? Would their child also exist? She gripped onto his arms, which could be found around her waist. Ten years have passed and she still loved him so. She had always loved him but finally having him was like breathing for the first time. She sighed and fell asleep.
Sesshomaru could feel eyes on him, many in fact. He would have opened then and glared but then Kagome would wake up and he would rather her sleep for the night. Tomorrow she had something to finish and if he could help in any way he would. She must have been tired, since they started their journey she skipped out on sleep most of the time. He never understood why she did this but thought to ask before morning. He had his own theories on her misplaced sleep. The main one was that she was afraid that something would attack while she was asleep, but maybe that was completely off. He looked down at Kagome and sighed. For the life of him he would never understand how something so perfect as Kagome could love a creature like him.
Kagome looked around her and knew exactly where she was. It was the same dreamscape that she was always brought to. She just wondered who would be presenting themselves this time. She had always met someone during sleep and that was the reason she tried to stay awake. What more could she need to know? Maybe it was Sahori again. But then she would have just sent her a mental message. Sighing she headed for the village ahead. It was larger than the one that Sesshomaru and InuYasha looked over, it had many more houses and the lord's home was huge. The next thing that caught her attention was a young girl being chased by a half demon. He looked much like InuYasha except for his hair color. The girl ran past Kagome laughing as the half demon followed. She turned on her heel and followed them also.
When she caught up with them the half demon was sitting up in a tree while the girl stood below looking angry.
"InuYasha that isn't fair! I still don't know how to climb trees." She whined and stuck her lip out in a pout.
"Stop your pouting Kagome and get up here; if you want to play tag then you'll have to catch me."
"But I'm not strong enough." He stopped for a moment and then looked down at her.
"Yes you are, otherwise you wouldn't be able to out run me."
"Kahoru told me that it was because of my origin."
"What do you mean?" He jumped down for the tree and sat down like a cat next to his friend.
"She said that I was a gift from the sages."
"Is that possible?"
"Yeah, the sages of this world watch over us all. They take the good souls to their kingdom and give them a new life."
"Then how are you a gift from the sages?"
"That's what Kahoru calls it. I don't have any parents. I don't think that I ever really did."
"What about Kahoru and Akio? Aren't they your parents?"
"Yes and no. They told me years ago when I was just three or four that I was created by the sages." He looked confused.
"Can they do that?"
"I guess so. What shocks me the most is that I'm not human."
"Then what are you?" He looked at her and sniffed the air as if trying to figure it out.
"I am a dog demon, but was given the power to change my form."
"Then why would you choose to be human?"
"Because then no one would question why I'm here."
"But don't you feel like you're just hiding?"
"Sometimes, but I feel comfortable like I am. Plus I have you as my friend so the world is great." She smiled at him and he did the same.
"You know Kagome just when I think you make since you go and throw something in that completely confuses me." She punched his arm.
"You're it!" She dashed off into the forest with him running after her.
Kagome laughed at their antics and went back toward the village. For some reason it was vital for her to come here at this one time. Maybe somewhere in this reenactment she could find it. But sadly all she found were a few children running about, elderly people perched in front of their homes and people doing work. The normal things that you would find in a functioning village. Then the InuYasha and her younger counterpart ran past her. InuYasha must still have been it. But as he past her he dropped something. She bent down to see if she could pick it up and she could. It was a bracelet made out of yarn. Through it there were bits of different colors and then the words 'friends forever' trailing toward the end to the part where the two pieces met. She clasped it in her hand as InuYasha came back to where she was.
"Are you sure you dropped it here?" her young self asked looking around the ground for the bracelet.
"Yeah I felt something here and then I didn't feel my bracelet anymore."
"I could always make you a new one."
"But I liked that one, it had the spell you placed on it."
"Don't worry even without it we'll always be friends."
"But what if you get married?"
"We'll still be friends."
"Okay then, you're it." He poked her in the arm and ran off toward the lord's house.
"Hey I'm telling on you InuYasha!" she yelled and ran after him.
Kagome looked down at the bracelet and then felt a jolt on her arm. She opened her eyes and looked around her.
"What's going on?" she asked Sesshomaru who was shaking her arm.
"Its morning, we need to get started on the rest of our journey." She nodded and stood but then went over to InuYasha who was dusting himself off. "Um InuYasha."
"Yeah." He said a little confused.
"Um here." She held out the bracelet in her hands. He looked down at it then at her.
"What's that?"
"It's a bracelet; here give me your hand." He held out his hand to her and she placed the bracelet around his wrist. He looked down at it and read what it said.
"Why are you giving this to me?" She smiled up at him.
"Because you're such a good friend, plus it belongs to you."
"Huh?"
"It's a long story come on let's go."
They had traveled for hours, until they came upon the thing they'd been searching for. It was the simplest thing in the world. What stood before them was a tree stump, except that this particular one was a different color; purple. Kagome was the only one who could feel the power coming from the stump. She had everyone step back while she approached it. She stood in front of it and looked down on the surface.
"Come out now and face me." She spoke to the center of the surface. At first nothing happened. She folded her arms and huffed.
"Don't pout Kagome dear, it's very annoying." Came Azulu's voice. She stepped back a little. The others gasped when the mist appeared before Kagome. "It's so nice to see you Kagome." He reached out his hand from the mist and grabbed her by the neck. She muttered something under her breath and the others couldn't move. She pretended that he was hurting her, which earned her with a chuckle.
"Let go!" She yelled but he gripped onto her tighter.
"Why don't you show the world Kagome who you really are." She didn't know what he was talking about.
"What are you talking about?" He stepped out from the mist and held her by her shoulders, feet dangling a foot from the ground.
"Why are you hiding who you really are?" Damn he must have known then. But she couldn't change her form could she?
"I don't know how to change back." She admitted to him. He looked shocked by her sudden confession.
"You are so foolish. I don't believe you Kagome." He dropped her on the ground and scanned the group behind her. They were all trying to get to Kagome but couldn't. He raised an eye brow. Then his eyes landed on the only demon in the group. Koga. Then shot from Koga to Sesshomaru. He growled. Sesshomaru looked a little shocked by his actions. "How dare you show your face you damn dog!" he yelled a Sesshomaru who took it as an insult. He started to bang on what he found was Kagome's barrier.
"Trapped." Kagome said and Sesshomaru became stiff. He looked at her, eyes filled with sadness. She mouthed an apology.
"I demand to know why of all the demons in the world you had to choose him!" he yelled at Kagome.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She stood and brushed herself off.
"You belonged to me. That dog stole your heart from me and I want what's mine!" she looked over at Sesshomaru for a second and then back at Azulu.
"I don't remember ever belonging to you."
"It was two thousand years ago, you and I had spent years together, but then that dog over there came into the village and you completely forgot about me. You were promised to me! Kahori and Aiko told me that you would be my mate and I refuse to allow that dog to keep you."
"Hey I'm not so piece of material that you can trade off. I'm a human being and I refuse to be told who I may love. I believe that you and I were nothing more than friends in the first place Zualuu." He looked taken aback by her words.
"How could you love a man who will never tell you he loves you?" he asked. "I love you Kagome and yet you refuse my love. Tell me Kagome why you waste all of your feelings on someone like him?" He stepped near her so that they were only a few inches from each other.
"It's something that can't be explained. You can't just explain love, it doesn't work that way. But how I feel for him is between us and doesn't concern you at all." She glared at him and folded her arms over her chest.
"Then you must parish along with your friends for you decision." This was it; this was the moment that she'd been waiting for. She closed her eyes and called upon her counterpart. She had a conversation with her shortly before Koga had arrived. Kagome opened her eyes and saw that Zualuu was shocked. But then a smirk graced his face. Her long hair felt different. She waved it around her and then touched it, it was soft. She looked down at her hands and found marks on them. She touched her face and then ears to feel that both were pointed. She turned her head to the side to see a five foot long black tail trailing behind her. She lifted it with little difficulty and swished it around. Then the last thing she noticed was her clothes, they were black.
"How's that?" she asked him. He almost lost his composure.
"It just makes it easier to kill you." He then disappeared. He had made a decision before they arrived, instead of having his army attack he'd rather get it over with right away so that he could claim the lands. The mist that had surrounded him now reappeared and started to come toward her. She watched as it surrounded her looking for a place to attack. This was the end. She looked over at her friends once more, her eyes then landed on Sesshomaru, she mouthed something to him and he did the same. She smiled warmly at him and blinked back her tears. She turned her head back toward the mist and felt it enter her body. She could feel the mist turn into liquid as it entered her veins. Once it shut down her system it would be trapped.
She could feel her body start to fall over, become weak. But something caught her body. She looked around her but didn't see anyone near her. It was as if she was floating above the ground.
Before he could blink she was gone, as if she never existed at all. One moment her body was floating and then without any warning it disappeared. But before he could think he felt himself being pulled through a hole. In this hole he couldn't see anything. All of his companions were nowhere in sight. He closed his eyes as he felt himself drift off to sleep.
A/N: Um…well there you go. LOL sorry that it was super lame but hey I finally can say I finished a story! WooHoo! Now that I've finished this you can move on to my sequel, which might suck, but it's worth checking out right? Well I hope all of you will read it. I think I told you the name of my story but it's called 'The Future Looks Brighter' I hope you enjoy it!
Please review k. I'd like to know what you thought of my story as a whole. Then after you've read this go and check out my sequel!