:Disclaimer:

Leiko: Inuyasha belongs to Takahashi-sama, not to us.

Akana: But I really really wish we at least owned Sesshy or something!
Leiko: But we don't, so there.

:End Disclaimer:

Perhaps that wasn't as funny as my other disclaimers, but that's only because this story isn't funny at all. I've actually had the idea for over a year now, and I've written a few different versions of it, but only now have I decided to actually put it up. This story will be 7 chapters long. It's completely planned out, and I've almost finished with chapter 6. It's written in 1rst person POV (Point of View), but the narrarator changes often. You will be told when it switches from one character to the other, but you'll have to guess who's talking each time. It should be easy, so you probably won't get too confused. I will (or at leas should) be updating weekly.

Enjoy, and please review.

Dominoes
Prolouge
This is our story. This is our thoughts, our feelings, our situations. We've gone through hell and back, and this is the tale of our journey. Sometimes we were helped by friends and family; other times... we weren't. There are no promises we can make to you about this story except that it's a tragic one. Some of us will die. Others will live. None will be happy. You should enter our thoughts knowing all of this. You should be prepared. Then again, nothing could prepare you for what lay ahead. We thought we were prepared, but it turned out that we weren't. You can stop reading now, if you wish to. We wouldn't blame you. If we were the ones reading, we wouldn't go on. If you still wish to continue, then, by all means, do so. We're just letting you know.

This is our story.

Chapter 1: Defeated!
I held my breath. Did I dare hope? Was it true? Could it be possible? If all was as it seemed, then it would mean that our fight was over. But what if I was wrong? What if it was all for naught?

My eyes scanned the horizon quickly, but I tried not to miss a thing. It was nearly impossible to see through all the dust that had been raised by our fierce battle. I couldn't tell if he was there... or not. I unconsciously moved closer to my companions, not wanting to become a target for our enemy if he was still there. I stayed there, clutching my bow tightly in my hand until a gasp from somewhere to the left of me made me turn around.

Miroku was standing there, looking down at his hand with an amazed expression. The rosary beads weren't on, and the wind tunnel wasn't there. That could only mean one thing...

Naraku was dead.

When all cleared, I realized with delight that my suspicions were true. He was! He was gone! We wouldn't ever have to deal with the evil demon again! I looked at Inuyasha, and even he couldn't hide his smile. Looking over, I saw Sango hug Miroku out of delight. Miroku wasn't the pervert for once and instead hugged her back warmly. I looked at Inuyasha again. I wanted to hug him like that, but I couldn't quite bring myself to do it. I just smiled at him instead and said, "We did it!"

A large feather suddenly came down from the sky. Atop it was, of course, Kagura. Who else would it be? She leapt off and stood before us. For a moment, I clutched my bow tightly again, not knowing what she was planning. Was she going to attack? Was she going to congratulate us? What?

"Finally," she said simply. "I didn't think you'd ever defeat him."

"That all you got to say?" Inuyasha asked, growling slightly. He was obviously untrusting of the wind demoness who'd tried to take our lives numerous times. She'd been following orders, true, but who was to say that she didn't enjoy trying to kill us?

"Thanks," she said after a minute or so. "Now I'm free." Was it just me, or did she actually smile? It must've been my imagination, for it disappeared instantly. "This doesn't make us friends or anything. If we meet again, I'll probably try to kill you for those jewel shards of yours."

"Then we'll just have to beat you again," Inuyasha replied. There was no hostility in either voice. It seemed more like there was a mutual agreement between the two; I don't try to kill you, you don't try to kill me.

It was Shippou who asked a very important question at that time. "How do we know he's really dead?" he asked timidly, jumping onto my shoulder. "I mean, last time..." He needn't remind us of when Naraku only pretended to be dead to lure out another demon that he'd wanted to absorb and become stronger.

Sango and Miroku had stopped hugging by now. Sango looked at the ground, depressed, thinking of how Naraku used her brother's body to hide himself away in. Miroku was staring with a grim face at that hand where his wind tunnel had previously been, thinking of his shock and surprise when it'd re-appeared after being gone.

"It feels... different this time," Kagura responded. She looked to the sky, letting the wind brush against her cheeks. "It feels like he's gone for good this time, like he's never coming back."

I grinned. I was ecstatic. In my mind, that one little question had been repeating over and over again. Now that I was sure Naraku was gone, I felt... lighter. Happier. Like a huge burden had just been lifted from my shoulders. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to run. I wanted to leap for joy. I controlled myself, though, and was content to just grin.

This time, I was sure I saw Kagura smile. "See ya," she said, leaping back on her feather. It lifted high into the air and started to zoom off. "Let's hope not, though!"

I turned to the others, the sun shining on us all. "Let's go back to the village and tell everyone!" I said, my eyes glittering in delight.

"This food is delicious, Kagome!"

I beamed. "It's only a bento box I made," I responded modestly. "Nothing big. I just figured that we should have something good to eat for a change!"

"You're a great cook," Shippou continued. "This is the best food ever!"

I blushed, saying a quick thanks before turning to Inuyasha, who was busy chomping away at his food. "So? What do you think?" I asked him eagerly. "Is it good? What's your favorite?"

"It's okay," he said when he paused eating to take a breath. "There's something better, though..." He immediately grabbed my bag from the wall where it was and started digging through it, searching for something. I just stared at him until he pulled out...

"Ramen?" I shouted. "You'd rather have ramen than the delicious meal I worked so hard to make for you? You're so inconsiderate!"

He shrank down quite a bit. He looked so pathetic that I took pity on him and decided not to sit him. It probably wouldn't have helped that stomach wound of his, either. Besides, we'd just defeated Naraku! It was a happy day, not a day to get mad on! Instead, just I smiled, confusing him greatly, and proceeded to cook his food while talking with the others. "So, what's everyone planning to do now?" I asked.

"I should probably check up on Master Mushin," Miroku replied first. "Who knows what kind of trouble he's gotten himself into by now? After that, I will travel around the world and ease the hearts of young women everywh --- " Sango's glare suddenly made the room feel a lot colder. "Er, I mean, I must continue the duties of a humble monk such as myself."

"I see," I said. Are we all going to split up again? I wondered vaguely. I didn't want that to happen. "Sango? What about you?"

"The village needs to be tended to," she said. "I should return home and fix it up a little. It's the least I can do for father and the others. I need to look for Kohaku, as well..." She sighed slightly, drawing her legs up. "I wonder if he remembers anything now that Naraku's actually gone? It'll be hard on him whether he remembers or not..."

"Don't worry, Sango," I said, smiling kindly. "He'll make it."

"Thanks, Kagome," she said, smiling back at me. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide as a certain monk's hand wandered where it shouldn't. A loud slap resounded throughout the hut as the monk got his punishment. "Pervert," Sango muttered.

I looked at Inuyasha. "Let me guess," I said. "You and me are still going to look for the shards, right?"

"Duh," he replied simply, his arms crossed. "What else would we do?"

"Shippou, you're going to stay with us, right? Or would you rather stay here, in the village?"

"I'm going with you, Kagome!" Shippou said happily. I smiled at him. He was like a son to me, almost. I guess he sort of thought of me as his mother.

It's the same as last time, I thought. We are going to all split up again. But... I don't want that to happen... I want us to stay together! We will, for a few days, at least... I sighed unconsciously. Suddenly, though, I perked up a little, thinking of something that I'd brought along. "Everyone, head outside!" I said excitedly as I grabbed my bag and started digging through, forgetting all about Inuyasha's ramen.

"Why?" Inuyasha asked, standing up. "What's up with you?"

"Oh, just go!" I told him. "Please!"

"Feh. Whatever." Inuyasha cooperated and walked outside along with the others, all of them wondering what I was doing. They'd understand it soon enough.

I pulled out what I was looking for a minute later and ran out after them. They all recognized my camera that I'd brought a few times before, and they got into positions near the tree that stood outside Kaede's hut. When they were ready I brought the camera (which I'd described to them as a really fast picture-drawing machine) to my eyes and made sure they were all in the photo before clicking the button. The flash went off. The picture was taken.

That was the last day everything was normal.