InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Darkness Fades to Dawn ❯ Vanishing ( Chapter 36 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

“STOP! Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.”
The Bridge of Death ~ “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”


Vanishing


Salty air licked at her skin as she sheltered her eyes from the blinding light of the midday sun. Her friends frolicked in the sand, at ease in their now familiar surroundings. One month had past since their battle with Cernonnus. Kagome lifted a hand to wave at Shippo who had finally arrived at the base's beautiful sandy beach. She couldn't believe the peace that had settled into their lives. The apprehension of something new coming to shatter their well deserved rest was always with her but Kagome truly hadn't felt this good in a long time. She smiled again when Misery bounded out of the water to playfully tackle the kitsune into the sand. Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha all joined into the fun and soon Shippo was nothing more than a perplexed head sticking out of the sand.

What trials had they faced and overcome in order to obtain such simple pleasure? Surely they had witnessed enough pain and suffering. Peace. Kagome had once put such blind faith in the idea that good would always triumph. Her innocent mind had not been subjected to such harsh reality back then. She had put her trust in an idealism that only a child could fully believe. Time had changed everything. Altered her perceptions, changed her ideals, transformed her very soul. Today she was still Kagome Higurashi, the miko who had saved the world. The woman who had transcended time to free a tortured soul that began the conquest of a lifetime.

“Kagome! Surfs up!” She was drawn out of her deep thoughts by the energetic nephilim.

Misery waited at the edge of the ocean, a sleek surfboard under one arm. Kagome couldn't help but be cheered by the kindred spirit she had found in the woman. Together they had faced such troubles, been cursed to fight to the death and were blessed with the miracle of Tensaiga. Misery had come so far in the few months since she was no longer being victimized nightly by Cernonnus and his night terrors. Sesshoumaru and she had settled into a comfortable relationship; both tentatively exploring and learning about each other. They had been thrust together in the midst of an unsure future and only now where they actually enjoying a more traditional courtship. True they were mated but they had jointly decided on backtracking to familiarize their relationship. Kagome couldn't have been more happy for the couple.

The redhead had not waited for her to join her and was already halfway out into the surf in search of the perfect wave. Kagome had noticed that a group of young recruits had decided to enjoy their Sunday afternoon off and were beginning to accumulate on the shore to her left. The young youkai had only been on the base a week and had yet to meet many of the important figures. She smirked deciding to sit back and enjoy the inevitable. Inuyasha came to cuddle with her in silence, mischief dancing in his amber eyes.

“You wanna take a bet?” He waggled his eyebrows playfully.

Kagome snuggled under the arm he threw around her shoulder before checking her watch.

“Plane has definitely landed.” She responded. The recruits had already made the mistake of putting the moves on her and had met a nasty hanyou in return. Misery had been locked in her lab all week and Sesshoumaru was away, so things were looking interesting.

“Twenty minutes ago.” Inuyasha watched as Misery rose on the board and began her descent down the high wave. The young cadets were now openly ogling the researcher, sending her cat calls and wolf whistles in attempts to gain her attention. He openly laughed when Shippo scowled and tried desperately to pull himself from his sandy constraints. Inuyasha laughed even louder when the kitsune began cursing the cadets. It seemed the nephilim had still had an overly protective friend.

“This is getting good. Shippo might....” Kagome's words trailed off when the first surge of youki hit her senses.

The stoic Lord had indeed made is appearance and looked none too pleased at the group of males that had closely gathered around his barely clad, dripping wet beauty. Kagome could barely suppress her laughter when the first of the recruits laid eyes on the intimidating form of her brother in law.

“Betcha they're glad they're standing in water.” Inuyasha smirked and continued when Kagome gave him a questioning glance. “Harder to tell that they've pissed themselves!”

Kagome couldn't contain her mirth any longer and let out a burst of laughter. Inuyasha smiled and pulled her closer. He couldn't have been any happier than he was at that very moment. To hear her melodic laughter made his heart swell. His Kagome had survived. He had worried so much when she had failed to wake after her battle with Cernonnus. Worried that he would never see her smile again or hear her laughter. Worried that the twinkle in her eye would have vanished for eternity. She was stronger than any of them had thought. He placed a quick kiss to her head before turning his attention back to his brother.

Sesshoumaru scowled marching towards Misery as she emerged from the depths of the water. The group of men who had slowly wadded into the water awaiting her arrival made his beast rise to the surface. He let his eyes bleed red knowing it would be an effective scare tactic to the pups. A threatening growl ripped from his lips when one cadet dare offer his hand to his mate. The young soldier's eyes widened with terror as Sesshoumaru waded into the water, oblivious to his high ranking uniform that was unceremoniously being soaked. Misery was still blushing from the outlandish comments and praise that had spilled from the mouths of the new recruits when she caught sight of her magnificent mate clearing a path to her with no more than a look. His youki surged at the sight of her and she blushed harder knowing that the red that now filled his eyes was transforming into feral desire for her.

Kagome smiled warmly at the pair as she watched Sesshoumaru dip and throw the bikini clad female over his shoulder. She had to laugh again when he had hauled Misery away from the cadets and gave her a playful slap on her backside. The nephilim had feigned anger and drilled her elbows into his back but he showed no sign of pain or any intent of letting her down from her high perch. The miko shook her head as the pair disappeared into the thick foliage.

“That went better than I thought. I was sure that blood was going to flow. Those silly kids are damn lucky they hadn't tried anything sooner.” Inuyasha finally broke the silence. He stood and offered Kagome a hand in assistance.

“Me too. He's still as terrifying as ever.” Grasping his hand she let him haul her up and smiled as he crushed her small frame to his. Amber eyes burned with a raw intensity as she gazed lovingly into his face.

“Please don't play Tarzan and pack me off like that!” She whispered unsure if she would be lucky enough to escape the same fate as her friend.

“Feh! Tarzan is a wimp.” He grinned before sweeping her off her feet and quickly bounding away from the onlookers on the beach; laughing to Shippo's demanding then pleading they not leave without digging him out first.


That evening the group gathered in the control room to once again go over the UN's special youkai force's latest mission. Sesshoumaru and Kouga had spent the last two weeks in Tokyo overseeing the reconstruction of some areas and the magnificent memorial that had been developed there for all the lost souls. Kagome had been most pleased to learn that her family's shrine had escaped the destruction that obliterated most of Tokyo. Some of the city had been found to be salvageable though it would never again be the bustling metropolis of its former glory. Much had been leveled and was scheduled to be landscaped into a beautiful Federal natural reserve. The wilderness preserve would serve as a memorial for the city and the thousands who had lost their lives in the fury of the malicious oni. Misery was helping design the beautiful gardens that would cover acres of the the land that was currently being brought in to cover the burnt ruins. The Higurashi Shrine would be a central focal point for the main garden.

Kagome left the meeting feeling hope once again blossoming inside her chest. Things were looking up. The people that had suffered because of her and the jewel would be honoured in a glorious ceremony in two years time with the completion of the Tokyo project. The youkai guardians would hopefully have few battles from now on. The world was again changing and for once it was calming rather than being thrown into a giant upheaval. Peace was ascending onto the masses.

Tired from the emotional meeting the young miko retired early, lulled to sleep in the comforting embrace of her hanyou. She awoke suddenly with a sharp pain in her chest. The cracked jewel she continued to wear around her neck was sparkling with intensity. Sitting up she was shocked to feel the weight of the jewel lessening. Inuyasha soon joined her and held her tightly when the jewel lifted on the chain, floating in the air.

“Kagome? What is it doing? Isn't it dead already?” He eyed the jewel suspiciously.

“I'm not sure.” She whispered, her eyes widening as the jewel crackled and popped with static electricity. A large orb entered the room and circled above them. Waves of warmth and reassurance flooded into her as she stared up at it.

“Midoriko?” She whispered as it flowed above them. The orb pulsed before racing towards the jewel and collided within producing a blinding light. A sonic blast shook the very foundation of the building they were sheltered in. Kagome cried out in fear, clutching tightly to her mate. Her hands however slipped right through his form.

“Inuyasha!” Fear gripped her heart as his form flickered before her eyes.

Eerie silence chilled the air. She watch in horror as his mouth formed words but no sound came from his translucent lips. Again she tried to grasp his arm but the attempt proved futile. He was vanishing before her very eyes. Her world cracked. The jewel was vanishing and taking the only thing she truly needed. When his amber eyes were the only thing that remained she screamed for him. One more pulse from the jewel, her hanyou and the Shikon no Tama disappeared completely.

Kagome sat in stunned silence. Hot tears streaming done her shocked expression. What had happened? Why when she finally found peace was it taken all away from her? Her thoughts died when her door was suddenly forced open and an equally distraught redhead stood in the frame.

“Kagome... he's gone!” Misery whispered before collapsing to her knees. Leaning against the door frame for support she finally noticed the empty look in her friend's eyes. Quickly scanning the room she noticed that Inuyasha had also vanished. “What's happening Kagome?”

Kagome shook her head back in forth in utter disbelief. Finally recovering the miko pushed herself from the bed; half crawling to the distraught nephilim. Clinging to each other they pulled themselves up. Suddenly an understanding passed between them in the silence that had now enveloped them. They made their way down the hallway to the room of the monk and taijiya. Forcing the door open they were greeted by nothing but emptiness. Not a word was whispered between them as they turned and moved across the hallway to Shippo's room. Again the room was empty. The air was filled with unease and chilled them both to the bones.

“Damn that jewel!” Kagome finally cried.

“Nothing! Not one damn thing!” Misery sighed as she again scanned the multiple stacks of papers and screens in her lab.

“This is ridiculous!” Kagome growled in frustration.

She was exhausted from spending the last few days trying to figure things out. The vanishing of the jewel had been the first of their problems. They had found that not only had Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru and the other's vanished into thin air, but the base they were on had dramatically changed with the rising of the morning sun. No youkai who had been associated with Kagome in the feudal era had remained in existence. In fact Misery was the only non human being on the base who even knew about the jewel and the others.

They had reached the lab only to realize that their roles had changed as well. They both were now employees of the UN Special Forces; Misery the lead researcher and Kagome her intern. The only two who had access to the research lab. The last days had been spent trying to unravel the mystery that had unfolded with the disappearance of the cracked jewel. What they had discovered had been most disturbing. Not one historical bit of evidence from the past two hundred years could prove of the existence of Sesshoumaru, Shippo, Kouga or any other youkai that had vanished. No amount of investigation had hinted at the life of Cernonnus either. They had found many subsequent documents on themselves though. Misery, graduating from an esteemed university and becoming employed with the UN and Kagome enrolled in the same program at the university. Both trained at a reputable dojo from early on and were long standing friends. The only problem was that they had no memory of any of it. Misery had however breathed a sigh of relief when she had found traces of her life through the last two centuries. The last twenty years had only been altered.

“I don't understand what is happening. It's as if the jewel never existed. Or that I at least never went back in time.” Kagome drew a hand through her hair and leaned back in the chair she had long ago collapsed in. She sipped casually on the now cold coffee as she pondered the perplexing puzzle.

“What should we do now Kagome?” Misery stared determinedly at her friend. They would not give in so easily. There had to be an answer somewhere.

“I think its time we checked out the well. Maybe the portal has been opened again.” Kagome suggested lifting herself from the chair.

“Agreed. Let's pack. We'll hit the lab's reserves first and then grab some clothes. If there is the slightest chance we can make it through we need to be prepared. With all that has changed here, who knows what we'll find there.” Misery paused as she grabbed a large duffel bag from the storage room. “I may not be able to go through Kagome. We need to make sure that you are prepared in case of that.”

“I hadn't thought about that possibility. Let's focus on getting there first. I don't know if the well will even exist anymore.”

“Right. First off is some armour and weapons. Guns will be useless if we can't return. Once we're out of ammo that's it. I'll throw in a couple just in case and a few rounds but I think our best bet will be feudal period remakes.” Misery began sorting through the weapons room and selecting some suitable pieces.

“Bow for me please!” Kagome smiled, suddenly feeling energized as she wadded through the mess to find what she was looking for. She grabbed her collapsing staff as well as a few knives that could be concealed.

Next they headed to the adjoining room that sported Misery's many creations. The nephilim headed past all of the metal and leather pieces that lined the walls in favor of a large chest that was hidden in the back corner. Kagome watched as her friend tenderly dusted off the antique chest and carefully opened it. Rusty hinges creaked as the lid was raised. Carefully she pulled out a leather bound bundle and placed it in the bag.

“Should have something in here that would fit you Kagome.” Searching hands dug through the contents to at last pull out a similarly wrapped bundle. “This is the one.”

“What are those?” The miko questioned.

“Old battle fatigues. Inuyasha's jaws gonna drop when he sees you in this!” She grinned wickedly in the first bit of mischief Kagome had seen in a few days. Placing the bundle in the bag her hands again vanished into the chest to pull out two black bundles and a few other smaller wrapped packages. Closing the lid of the chest it was pushed back and she moved around to pull another chest from the opposite corner. This time she pulled a pair of tall boots and quickly shoved them into the large duffel. Another pair was brought forth and she motioned Kagome over.

“Try these on.” She ordered.

Sitting down on the now closed chest Kagome slid her 'mary jane' shoes off and pulled up her fleece plants. Carefully she pulled on the leather boot and was surprised to find it slip on easily. The leather boot came up to her knee and Misery quickly pulled tight the lacing on the inside of her leg. The boots were finely tooled and metal plating provided ample protection.

“These are beautiful Misery. Where did you get these?”

“The were my mother's Kagome. You are about the same size as she was.” Misery smiled, her eyes filling with a look of nostalgia.

“I couldn't Miss.” Kagome stuttered out, reaching down to unlace the boots. A gentle hand stopped her progress.

“Mother would have loved you Kagome. It would honour her greatly if you would wear them.” The soft voice came from a head that had lowered. Her red hair fell over her shoulder to conceal her face.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Her clothing is embroidered with spells of protection Kagome. They will aid you if I am unable to cross over.” She looked up to smile at the miko eyes misting with visible emotion.

Kagome only nodded and looked down to admire the boots once again. Slipping them off she carefully stowed them in the bag with the rest of their possessions. Arm in arm they left the lab and quickly made their way back to the barracks. Another bag was stuffed with a few personal items and limited clothing. Both girls were anxious to be packed on on their way back to Tokyo. They had called in a favor from one of the soldiers on the base and would be leaving shortly. A night flight back to the city where it had all began.

“Wake up Kagome.” A soft voice called out to her. “We'll be landing in a few minutes.”

Stirring from her seat in the small plane she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. They finally focused on the breathtaking horizon of the bustling city of Tokyo.

“Kami...” She whispered.

“I know.” Misery answered.

Before them lay the city that had been obliterated by fire and oni a few short months before. No evidence lingered of the destruction they had seen. In fact it was if it had never happened. Landing at the international airport both girls were awestruck at the transformation. Numb they cleared security and hailed a taxi to transport them to the shrine.

Standing at the bottom of the tall stairs, Kagome momentarily gave into the hope that pushed inside her chest. Slowly she began to climb. What else could have changed? Momma? Souta? Reaching the top her hope vanished when she recognized the young man sweeping the grounds. He was the same man who Sesshoumaru had hired to take over the shrine when they had been forced to leave. He raised his hand in greeting but continued to sweep the leaves from the paved entrance.

“Come on Miss, the well is over there.” Her heart bled with fresh pain as she recalled the tragedy that had transpired on those very stones. Their screams echoed in her mind as she passed the spot they had fallen. She paused momentarily before a soft squeeze of her hand pulled her from her trance. Misery's smiling face was full of concern and understanding.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I'll be fine.” Kagome took a step forward only to be halted by a familiar voice.

“It's about time you came back!”

Whirling around her composure came undone. Her knees weakened and she dropped her bag to the ground. The laughing eyes of her younger brother met hers briefly before her sight was blurred by the tears that filled them.

“Souta, leave your sister alone.” The warmth in that voice was like air to her lungs. She gasped sucking in the breath she had stopped taking when her brother had appeared.

“Momma! Souta!” She cried before embracing them tightly. The Kami had been merciful. Her eyes burned with her emotions as she sobbed. Her family held her with confused looks as she let go of her pain and new emotion. They were really here. Flesh and blood. Warm to the touch. Holding her and speaking loving words to calm her.

Misery watched the mix of emotions play out on everyone's faces as she stood slack jawed at the whole situation. Her heart soared for her friend. The jewel had both destroyed and revived with its vanishing. It had taken the ones they loved and gave back what it had destroyed. She was beginning to suspect that the jewel was never fated to have been in the modern era. History had been altered by Kagome returning to this time with the partially purified jewel intact. The possibilities seemed endless. Perhaps the bright and lighthearted miko had altered the past when she had first arrived in the feudal era. Fate was tricky and time travel seemed even worse. Her mind ached as she once again tried to unravel the mystery of the vanishing jewel. Her eyes strayed to the well house as Kagome was ushered inside by her mother. That was the one connection they had to the past. She prayed to God that the portal Kagome had found had reopened. Life without Sesshoumaru was a life she did not wish to live. She would transcend time herself to be reunited with him, no matter what the cost.

Hours later and astonished Mrs. Higurashi and Souta cleared off the kitchen table. They had listened to the girls' tale of everything that had transpired and both were having a hard time believing the far fetched story. Neither remembered the young miko traveling back in time or Inuyasha. It had taken a display of Kagome's reiki and Misery's abilities to convince them that there was truth to the story.

“It seems so familiar Kagome, but I can't recall any of it.” Mrs. Higurashi spoke as she settled a fresh pot of tea on the table. “What about you Missy? I remember the day you first befriended my dear Kagome.”

“I never knew Kagome until half a year ago. I'm not sure why I'm the only one besides Kagome who remembers the jewel and the others. I assure you that that I will do everything in my power to aid your daughter.” Misery replied, the cold and troubled edge returning to her features.

“Momma, I'm so happy that your here. When I reached the top I saw the man that Sesshoumaru had hired to look after the shrine after you passed, I was certain that you were still dead.” Kagome squeezed her mother's hand.

Mrs. Higurashi visibly paled at the talk of her death. She couldn't shake the feeling that she partially remembered the incident. The feeling of fear that crept inside every time it was mentioned. An overwhelming feeling of despair that flitted around inside her momentarily before vanishing completely.

“We hired him after your grandfather passed Kagome. He's been here for a few months now.” She responded.

“Grandpa is really gone then. I'll miss him so much.” Kagome sighed staring into her fresh cup of tea.

“What do you plan on doing girls?”

The pair looked at each other before turning to stare at their hands. Momma watched them with keen eyes and noted the uncertainty and fear that was mirrored in their actions.

“Your struggles will be great my child because you are the keeper of the jewel. Fear not your own weakness. To have weakness is to be human. Life is precious Kagome and you have been charged with the honourable task of preserving it. Fear is natural as well sweetheart. Your battles have been monumental and the darkness that threatens us all will seek you out. You must remember though Kagome, darkness fades to dawn. Always a new day is born. Life continues on. I believe in you Kagome. I love you.” She chose her words carefully as she spoke to her daughter.

“Momma?” Kagome remembered hearing those words shortly after awakening from her battle with Cernonnus.

“It's hard for me to believe what you have told me and it's even more difficult for me to understand. Grandfather often told me of the legend of the Shikon no Tama and the powerful miko that banished it from the world. Whatever fate the kami have in store for you I can not tell. I trust you though Kagome and I know that you would not lie about something like this. Try to return. Only then will you understand the intent of the jewel and why everything has transpired as such.”

“Thanks Momma.”

“Tell me, what are your thoughts on the events that have transpired.” The elder woman directed her question at the researcher.

“I'm not sure.” She paused deep in thought. Her hand came up to rub her eyes before she continued. “No traces of anything related to Kagome's time in the past remains. If the light she saw moments before the jewel disappeared was Midoriko I believe that our task is not done.”

Misery's mind whirled with ideas and she finally stood and began pacing in attempt to concentrate on her main theory. Again she rubbed her temples as the pain thumped loudly behind her eyes. The constant effort she was placing in attempting to unravel the mystery was giving her a migraine.

“It's as if the jewel never passed through time to the twenty first century. I wonder if Midoriko removed the jewel and somehow time was altered yet again. Returning the world to the way it would have been if Kagome had never been born with the jewel inside her. With that in mind I worry that her lack of influence in the feudal era has brought about some changes. Or her absence there has impacted the way our time turned out.”

“Perhaps Kagome was never meant to return to this time period. That would explain why she remembers everything. Kagome? Did you get the impression that Midoriko was trying to tell you something before she reentered the jewel?”

“All I remember was feeling a slight brush against my consciousness. It was warm and comforting. Then the orb moved into the jewel.” Kagome looked perplexed.

“What if you were suppose to remain with Inuyasha and your absence has drastically altered time. God only knows what that hot headed baka would do without you there to ground him. ” Misery suddenly visibly paled. “What if you were meant to stop something from happening... something that was critical to their survival. Oh Kagome, what if the reason we couldn't find traces of them is because they're dead?”

Kagome's heart jumped. She couldn't lie. She had already thought of that possibility. Before the jewel vanished, Inuyasha and the others had skipped five hundred years. Inuyasha not having to live through the last few hundred years to reach the twenty first century could have seriously tampered with history. His presence may have been detrimental in the creation of the time she had known before. Skipping those years would have surely had consequences. Perhaps the jewel had returned things to the way they were suppose to be. Suddenly she had hope though.

“We have to go back. If time was altered to the way it should be, we wouldn't remember any of it. Why did the jewel not erase you too? Forget about the 'what if's'. Let's concentrate on the right now. It's time to change Misery. We can't wait any longer. The sooner we check the well the sooner we can finish this. I truly believe the jewel is gone. I agree that it was never meant to come to this age and I have faith that Midoriko is giving us one last chance to fix the wrongs of the jewel. She must have found some way to reverse the destruction it caused in my world. She gave me the greatest gift of all. My family is alive. I'm tired of all the darkness it has caused. Midoriko was a miko of light as well. Trust in her Misery. She would not have appeared to me if this wasn't fixable. We'll find them again.” Kagome stood and the air crackled around her with the intensity of her resolve.

“I trust in you Kagome. If no one else, I do trust you.” Misery held her head high and refused to give into the panic that had grasped at her before. Kagome's faith and conviction was hard not to believe in. They had been united by their trials and she was more than willing to follow the miko into the fiery pits of hell if she had to. Kagome had freed her and shown her that life was indeed worth living. They would do this together. Time be damned.

“It fits good.” Misery smiled at the miko who had emerged from her bedroom.

The younger girl was carefully dressed in her mother's warrior dress. The white and red tunic was bound at the waist by a large band of silver material. The skirt hung to her knees but the sides remained open to the hips to allow her full movement in battle. Knee high boots made from dragon's hide to provide her with sturdy footing. Well toned arms were adorned with heavily armoured gold and silver upper arm brands extending from armpit to elbow. Her forearms skillfully covered with the same white fabric that concealed more armour and knives. Elegant folds of red hung at her elbows reminiscent of the popular gowns of Misery's mother's time. An intricately carved chest plate provided more protection in battle.

“It's beautiful.” Kagome picked up her staff and quickly went through a set of jabs and lunges. “Movement is really easy too.”

“I knew it would suit you.”

Kagome smiled back at the nephilim amazed at the transformation that the redhead had taken. Misery had told her that their clothing was what she and her mother had worn in centuries before as pagan priestesses. Daerean had designed them both to be worn as ceremonial pieces that provided ample protection and maneuverability for fighting. Those days had not been peaceful and many ceremonies had been interrupted by the crown's armies looking to persecute anyone not of the Christian faith.

Misery's garments were of similar design. Her silver embroidered black tunic was sleeveless coupled with stunning armbands and sturdy leather gauntlets on her forearms. Again a split skirt allowed for a range of movement paired with her trademark leather boots that housed her two short blades. Misery had also revealed the contents of the other bundles she had packed. She wore two leather pouches slung low on each hip secured with leather strings around her thighs. They provided storage for some medical supplies and food. A matching set would soon adorn Kagome's slender hips.

The black bundles were now unrolled and were in fact heavy cloaks that would offer warmth and concealment. Two small leather sacks would be the only other bags that accompanied them. Misery advised on taking only one change of clothes so that they would have room for a bed roll and personal effects. Kagome tucked her tiny photo album carefully into her side pack hell bent on remembering all the good times she and her friends had shared in their short reunion in her time. Mrs. Higurashi had rummaged through the storage shed to provide them with replicated money from a few different time periods to accompany them. Once their bundles where neatly packed with all their belongings the pair prepared for the trip through the well.

Nervous hands twisted as the girls waited at the lip of the well, anxious to learn of its functionality. The pinnacle moment came when Kagome sat on the ledge and flipped her legs over. Misery took a seat beside her and with one deep breath they linked arms and jumped. Blackness engulfed them as they fell deep inside the shrine's well.





A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! There were so many saddened by the end that I decided to go with my original idea and expand the story.

Thanks again to Kokoronagomu for the wonderful beta work!