Kagome stepped outside Kaede’s hut; she had to get away from her friends. She couldn’t take looking them in the face any longer, and not being able to tell them of her fate. Sesshoumaru had insisted that she not tell them, being it might weaken them in the upcoming battle with Naraku. She had no intentions of telling them anyway, but she didn’t tell him that.
Sesshoumaru had changed so much since he had first begun to follow her around. Sure he was still the cold lord of the west, but she knew that that giant chunk of ice surrounding his heart had dramatically shrank in its size. They way he stood by her side when she told her family of her death, was proof of that. Yet, she still didn’t know what he considered her.
Was he still seeking her death? Most likely, even though he does care for her in his own way. Its hard to want something so badly for so long and then to just let it go as if it never existed in the first place, even for the great demon lord.
Kagome walked to the outskirts of the village and saw the man she longed for. Standing a distance away upon a small hill, just looking off into the distance, unmoving. The occasional breeze would cause his long silver hair to fly around him, and his silken kimono to flutter ever so slightly. She looked on at him amazed at how someone so deadly could be so beautiful.
Every time she looked at him, she wondered what he was thinking of her, or if he was thinking of her at all. He was going to be the hardest to leave when the time came. Sure she had loved Inuyasha, but what she felt for Sesshoumaru transcended that simple puppy love she had for the hanyou. Her love for the demon lord cut into her very soul, longing, demanding, and begging, for him and for that love to be returned. She knew he couldn’t though; it just wasn’t him to give into his feelings so easily as she did. Sure she had glimpsed into what he considered caring, but that wasn’t love. If he could just release what holds him back, then we could at least share what little time we have together. That was a wish that she knew no matter how many times she wished it, it would never come true.
She walked up to the demon, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her head into his back. “The final battle is coming soon.” She whispered.
“Hai”
“Then I will die, and forever be gone from this world.” A single tear escaped her eye. “Gone from you.”
Sesshoumaru lifted his lip in a slight snarl. He couldn’t stand what he felt for the girl, but didn’t want those feelings to leave him either. The thought of her death drove him mad, yet somewhere deep in the back of his mind it kept echoing that her death was exactly what he wanted. He was confused and angry.
He placed his hand atop her clasped ones around his waist, and they just stood there together lost. Lost in emotions, and lost to each other.
XX
A large group of warriors stood around the empty field where the final battle was to take place. The air was thick with tension, fear, and above all anger. So many had come to assist the small band of warriors in their final stand against the evil hanyou Naraku. Each for their own reasons, but wanting for the same outcome. Enemies set aside their differences in order to join together in battle. The battle plan was simple, attack or be attacked, live or die, the way you fought dictated your future. They all knew this, so there was no need to form a battle plan.
The nine warriors who suffered the most at the hands of the evil one stood to the front of the gathered army. This was their fight more than anyone’s was, and it was them that would dictate in which direction the future of the world would take.
Far off in the distance a black could be seen, indicating the coming of the evil one and his army. Everything went quiet in anticipation of the arrival of the vile hanyou. The air hung around them; it was heavy and suffocating seemingly an omen.
Kagome stood stalk still, her breath coming in short gasp. This was it for her, her final stand, and her final day. She fought to keep her tears from falling and was failing miserably. She felt alone, lost, and afraid. Her body began to tremble as the warmth of the jewel shards she had began to surround her, trying to comfort her. She would find no comfort from them however; they were the reason she was here, and the reason for what was to become of her. She hated the jewel, she wanted to throw the shards from her person and run away from them and the oncoming battle.
Sesshoumaru stood next to the little miko feeling her pain and fear. He placed his hand on her shoulder trying to give her the strength to face her destiny. She turned her head and looked up at him with those wide fearful blue eyes drowning in an ocean of tears. He couldn’t save her or protect her from her fate; all he could do was try to give her the strength to face it. He was still unclear of his feelings for her, but he knew with certainty that he no longer wished for her death.
At some point during their long four-year journey with each other, she managed to tap into his heart and bring forth feelings that he didn’t know existed within him. He couldn’t put a name to most of those feelings, but every one of them was for her. He gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze and then turned to face the approaching hoard of Naraku’s demons headed straight for them. The battle was about to ensue.
XX
There was no battle tactics to the oncoming demons except for attack the enemy using chaos. Naraku was surprised to see that so many had come to the aid of the warriors in their final battle. Not that it mattered he was sure that he was going to be victorious against them and gain the completed jewel by sundown. He sat back behind his army of demons, and the dead called forth by the wind witch, waiting patiently for the warriors to wear down so that he himself could attack. Sure it was cowardly to fight this way, but you do what is necessary to gain what you desire, no matter how you go about it.
Screams of death rang through the air, from both sides of the battle. The stench of blood swirled around those still standing. A young girl worked her way through the battle towards her enemy with the help of the demon lord in front of her. He would attack those who got to close to her, and then continue to cut a path through the enemy lines towards the evil hanyou so that the girl could complete her mission.
Kagome was struggling to stay on her feet; she was tired and hurting. No matter how many demons she and Sesshoumaru killed, twice as many would replace them. She had a serious gash across her back, and many little ones on her legs, arms and face. Sesshoumaru on the other hand showed no signs of any injuries or any sign of exhaustion. She figured he wouldn’t, he was much to powerful for such low-level youkai. He didn’t have to put forth much effort to eradicate those that tried to attack him. Kagome wished that she had that kind of power and strength in battle, but alas she was just a human miko with a destiny to fulfill.
Sesshoumaru felt something crash into his back, it wasn’t heavy like an attack, but more like something or someone was pushed into him. He looked over his shoulder to see what it was after he did away with the enemy that was in front of him, and noticed Kagome laying on the ground struggling for breath. She had two puncture wounds, one through her stomach and the other through her side. They were given to her from the tail of the lizard demon standing behind her with a victory smirk on his face. Sesshoumaru wasted no time in removing the head from the worthless creature.
He grabbed Kagome around the waist, threw her over his shoulder, and took to the sky. He had to wake her up so that she could continue the battle and defeat Naraku. He landed a ways off from the battleground and laid her in the cool grass under a tree. “Kagome.” She let out a slight moan. “Sess….Sesshoumaru?” She whispered. Sesshoumaru gave a slight nod. “Wha….what… has happened?”
“You were attacked from behind. I have slew that which has attacked you.” Kagome tried to give him a thank you smile, but through the pain, she found it to be quite difficult. Her breath was hitching, and her heat beat was weak. “I’m…” she took a deep breath. “I’m dying. I… I am going… going to….fail.” Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her. “Nonsense. You have destiny to fulfill. I will not let you die no matter what happens.” Sesshoumaru looked at the pale white girl leaning against the tree. He couldn’t loose her, he wouldn’t. It didn’t matter if Midoriko told her that she was going to die once she completed the jewel. He was going to keep her alive and keep her by his side, by using tenseiga if necessary.
“Why has the power of the jewel not healed you of your injuries?”
Kagome slightly shook her head. “It won’t heal me until I…” She gave a coughing choke. “Until I die.” Her eyes turned painful as a thought struck her. “Or not at… at all. Seeing as how this is… is the final battle.”
Sesshoumaru let a growl escape his throat.
Kagome slowly lifted her hand and placed it on the side of his face. “I….will al…” she gasped for another breath. “always….love you.” Sesshoumaru placed his hand on top of hers. “Will you do me a fav…favor before I…die?” Sesshoumaru placed his hand on the tenseiga. “You are not going to die. I will bring you back.”
Kagome gave what sounded like a chuckle but he wasn’t sure. “I told you I will… die no matter what. Please Sess…Sesshoumaru please do me… this one simple… request.” Sesshoumaru gave a nod, which made her smile at him. “Will you….” She choked in another breath. “Will you….kiss me?”
Sesshoumaru looked deep into her eyes and saw beyond the death in them but a love for him and him alone. He leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to hers. He could feel the heat of her body leaving her, causing her lips to feel very cold against his. He placed his hand against the back of her head in order to pull her closer and deepen the kiss. His heart pounded against his chest at the feel of his tongue against hers, and the need to keep her with him overwhelmed his senses.
He never realized what she truly was to him until this very moment. She was his, a missing part of himself, the thing his father tried to explain to him all those years ago. Something to protect, that's what she was, his something to protect, to love to cherish, to hold onto for all eternity. No she couldn’t die, he wouldn’t let her. How could he let something he has just found go? He couldn’t.
He picked her up and placed her on his lap without breaking the kiss. He was going to hold her there with him forever. She was his, body and soul. He released his self to her completely as she did to him, entwining their bodies, minds and souls. “You are mine as I am yours.” He whispered against her lips. She smiled at him. “Together forever.”
Kagome reached her hand up and placed it around the jewel shards around her neck. “Sesshoumaru….I’m….sorry.” Before he could respond she closed her eyes and a pink light erupted from her hand.
XX
Naraku was looking around for the miko that held the jewel shards he was ready to destroy her completely, he could feel her life force leaving her, which would make the jewel shards she had easier to obtain. He also noticed that the great demon lord was missing as well. “Kagura!” He bellowed. The wind witch turned and looked at him from the corner of her red eyes. “Find the miko bitch and the jewel shards.” Kagura nodded her head and leapt on her feather taking to the sky.
Naraku continued to look around the battlefield searching for the missing fighters, when he felt a strong burning sensation in his chest. Looking down he could see the faint glow of the almost completed jewel in his chest. The heat from the jewel continued to increase as the black light slowly began to turn to the purifying pink. Naraku pulled the jewel from his chest. “She is calling to it.” He scanned the battlefield again, when he noticed a light pink light coming from the forest. Ignoring the screams of the hanyou Inuyasha, who was getting closer to him with every demon he slaughtered, Naraku took off towards the pink light. Soon the jewel is going to be mine. He thought with an evil chuckle.
XX
Sesshoumaru could feel the evil of Naraku approaching and made to get up so that he could fight against the vile filth. Kagome placed a hand on his chest and shook her head. “No. It will end now.” She said breathlessly. Kagome turned her head in the direction in which the hanyou would come from. A tear slid down her cheek, this was it, her final moments of life.
Sesshoumaru reached up, wiped the tear from her cheek, and pulled her closer to him. “I will keep you safe forever.” Kagome smiled at him, she didn’t have the strength to argue with him. She just wanted to feel the warmth of his body while she could. She leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. As she was pulling away from him, Naraku burst through the trees.
Naraku smirked at the two sitting against the tree, looking as if they were two lovers just having a leisurely sit under a tree. “Give me your shards and I will make your death quick and painless.”
Sesshoumaru tensed up, ready to attack, but Kagome laid her head on his chest. “No” She whispered. Neither of them knew who she was talking to, but both assumed it was the other. “Naraku your time of…” She coughed and blood ran down her chin. “Your reign of evil….ends now.”
She reached a trembling hand out towards him, and Naraku could feel the jewel trying to get away from him. He shot out a tentacle towards her but it was stopped by the pink light erupting from her hand. He could feel the purifying heat from the jewel in his hand, and tried to hold onto it with all his might. He wasn’t going to let it go, now that he was so close to obtaining the completion of it.
Kagome pulled harder, but her strength was weakening by the second. If Naraku didn’t let go of the jewel soon he would win. Sesshoumaru could feel her body trembling to maintain its strength and knew she wouldn’t last much longer. He placed his hand on her chest and sent his power through her, her body gave a jerk, as his power flowed through her body.
Naraku fought against the pull and the burn of the jewel. He watched as Sesshoumaru placed his hand on her chest, and felt the increase of her power pulling against him. The jewel burned through his hand trying to make it back to its owner, where it belonged. Naraku placed his other hand over the hole that the jewel was making in his hand, in order to keep it from leaving him. It was a futile attempt, the three of them were working together, and he couldn’t fight against that which gave him his power in the first place. As the jewel slowly purified itself, his power weakened.
“Let go Naraku.” Kagome said in a ragged whisper. “Give me back… what’s mine.” Kagome clenched her teeth against the pain coursing through her weakened body. She knew he couldn’t hold on for much longer, but neither could she, even with Sesshoumaru’s help. “Let…go!” She said through her clenched teeth. Naraku glared at her. “Never”
Kagome clenched her teeth even tighter, feeling pain shoot through her jaw, and closed her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks from the pain in her weakened body. Sesshoumaru was stuck, if he removed his hand from her she would loose all her power and Naraku would win, but she couldn’t hold on much longer anyway. For the millionth time, he cursed Inuyasha for taking his arm.
He felt her body-stiffen and she let out a cry of anguish, rage, and desperation. A huge blast of pink light shot out of her hand and covered the hanyou turning him into nothing but a pile of ash that was swept away in the breeze.
The almost complete stone landed in her hand, along with the shards from around her neck. Instantly they fused together. Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, her eyes drowning in an ocean of clear water. Sesshoumaru tightened his arm around her. He was going to keep her with him and he meant it.
Kagome’s hand tightened around the jewel, as she pressed her cold lips to his. “Goodbye” She whispered against his lips, as her body slowly became limp in his arm. “No this Sesshoumaru forbids you to die.” She said nothing, and closed her eyes with a smile gracing her lips, as her last breath escaped her body she whispered. “Together forever.”
Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl he loved, and pulled her limp body closer trying to keep her soul from leaving her body. “I will not let you go. Your soul belongs to this Sesshoumaru.”
The pink stone in her hand let off one last burst of pink light and all was silent.
XX
“The jewel removed all youkai’s and hanyou’s from the earth that day. I watched as they all passed through here discarding their bodies so that their souls could move on. All except for one youkai. When he realized how much he truly loved the human miko, he couldn’t bare to let her go. So, he wrapped his soul around hers so that he could keep her with him forever. He didn’t know that when the jewel was complete that all youkai’s and hanyou’s would die. He thought that if he bound her soul to his, that one day he would be able to find a way to bring her back. I know that until they are able to be together as they both desire, they will remain here in a dead sleep… waiting. I wish I could awaken them and fulfill their wish, but I can’t. So I stay here in the place between the living and the dead, guarding them, wishing for my own release from this place. I hope that someone hears this story and finds a way to release them from their torment of being apart. And that one day we could all find happiness.”
Housenki closed his eyes to sleep and failed to see the twitch of a pale clawed finger of the lifeless demon lord lying next to his eternal love.
Suspension by Keva