InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Every Heart ❯ Epilogue

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

Disclaimer: The Inuyasha concept, story, and characters are copyright Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.

The characters Snegura and Ryûtatsu are original to this story.

The title “House of the Moon” is original to Resmiranda’s Tales from the House of the Moon. It is used here in homage to said fantastic story.

This is merely one girl’s dream of life after “The End.”



Sango stood in the doorway of the small hut, her heart beating dully in her chest. “Are you sure?” she asked quietly, eyeing her brother with no small amount of concern.

He stared back at her with fierce determination. “Yes,” he replied, setting his jaw. “I will only be in your way if I stay with you.” He lowered his head slightly, his hair falling over his eyes. “You have a family now, and it is beyond time for me to set out on my own.”

You still have a lot to prove to yourself, don’t you? Sango mused, watching her brother fight to control his emotions. Five days had passed since the battle with Ryûtatsu at the House of the Moon, but it felt like only yesterday returning to this village, her husband slumped against her. Kohaku was welcomed as a hero – being the only human to return relatively unhurt – and the headman had been begging for him to stay, to complete the mission.

“There’s still a human girl on that mountain,” he’d said adamantly. “The youkai may be destroyed, but we can’t leave her there.”

It was no use trying to reason with the headman; he would not budge from this new mission. None of them cared to share Rin’s bizarre history with him, fearing it would only cause more trouble. It would be up to her to decide if she was ready to leave her lord’s stronghold.

Sango had spent most of her time caring for Miroku, who was slowly but surely recovering from his fatal injuries. It had been easier for her to focus on nursing him, to not think about the strain in her relationship with her brother. She was at a loss of how to mend it; Kohaku was more distant than ever with her.

Even now, as he stood on the doorstep of their makeshift hut, it was obvious to her that he was not at peace. He was hailed as hero, but he was not the one who destroyed the dragon taiyoukai. He’d wanted this mission to somehow atone for his past misdeeds, and he had failed in that.

“I will continue on this quest,” he said quietly, breaking her from her thoughts. “This is the only way I can ever forgive myself.”

“I wish my forgiveness was enough,” she replied remorsefully. “I love you, Kohaku.”

He reached out and took her hands, giving her a forceful squeeze. “I love you, too, my sister, and I thank you for the kind words. But this is something I must work out within myself. You can’t protect me anymore.”

She nodded. “I know.”

They stood silently for a moment, hands linked, before Kohaku turned away.

“Wait!” Sango cried, twisting around, reaching for something from within the hut. “Before you go…”

Kohaku looked back, surprise blossoming on his face as she thrust a small package towards him. “What’s this?” he asked.

“Just a little memento of your heritage,” she said with a smile. The brown knapsack, which had once been Kagome’s, was now packed to the brim with youkai extermination supplies. “It has everything you’ll need to be a traveling taijiya.”

Kohaku took the gift, momentarily surprised with the heft of it, and secured it around his shoulders. “So you were expecting this,” he said slowly, a hint of understanding gracing his features.

She didn’t answer his question directly. “I made the mask especially for you,” she murmured. “Be careful, Kohaku. And remember: you always have a home with me.”

For a moment he wanted to rush and embrace her, this woman who forgave him so easily, who loved him unconditionally. He had hurt her in so many different ways in the past, done things that he hadn’t yet forgiven himself for – and here she was, letting him fly freely, with her blessing. Only his guilty conscious kept him from indulging this childish wish; he settled for a bow and a wave as he turned away.

“I made the mask especially for you.” The words reverberated in his head and curiosity overwhelmed him. When he had moved out of sight of their small camp, he stopped and opened the pack, finding a small, silk-wrapped bundle at the very top. He unwrapped it with shaking fingers, finding a beautifully molded poison mask. The tassels on the strap were gold, matching his armor plates.

On impulse, he raised the mask to his face. Tears slipped from the corners of his eyes as he felt the metal and youkai-bone slide against his features in a perfect fit. He closed his eyes as the heady rush of emotion overwhelmed him. In his mind’s eye, he saw Sango looking down upon him, eyes shining with love and pride.

She’s always believed in me, he thought. Even when I was a little kid, scared of my own shadow.

“I won’t let you down,” he vowed, opening his eyes and pulling the mask away from his face. “I won’t let our father’s death have been in vain.”

I will find a way…

Miroku’s eyes fluttered open, his vision slowly blurring back into focus. He found himself staring up into a bright, cloudless sky, a gentle breeze wafting around him. He blinked once, twice, drawing in a slight sigh.

A warm hand cupped his cheek. “Miroku!” Sango said, her face now appearing above him. “You’re awake!”

There was a rumble at his back. “Good to hear, my lady,” came the happy trill of a second voice. “We’re almost back.”

Miroku smiled. “Hachi,” he whined, running his hand softly along the beige body that supported him. “I’m hungry.”

The raccoon-youkai laughed heartily in response, floating higher in the sky.

Sango lay beside him, curling herself into his prone body. He was still recovering from his injuries, but had felt strong enough to move – and so, they were headed home, back to the village of the demon-slayers, to put the pieces of their lives back together. They had stayed in their small campsite in the western lands, along with Kagome and Inuyasha, for a week while he recovered, and they searched for any signs of the jewel.

He clasped his wife’s hand close to his heart. Even though she wasn’t aware, he had witnessed her final moments with her brother, and knew the sting of regret she’d felt at his departure. She would never be a wildly, completely optimistic person, but it broke his heart to see her continued suffering, most of which she had unnecessarily brought upon herself.

“Sometimes, we have to let the ones we love go,” he said softly, gazing back into the afternoon sky. “You’re not to blame, Sango.”

Her fingers clutched at the front of his robes. “But I let you down. I left you alone, and you were killed because of it.”

He stroked the back of her hand. “And if it had been Kohaku whose life had been stolen instead…would you feel any different?”

She was silent for a long moment, her grasp not weakening as she contemplated his question. “No,” she finally whispered. “It seems no matter who I choose, I end up hurting someone I love.”

“Sango,” Miroku said, drawing his hand down the length of her arm. She sat up on Hachi’s back, looking down at him with troubled eyes. He gave her a soft smile. “We can’t regret our pasts, decisions we’ve made or actions we’ve taken. All we can do is continue living the best we can.” He brought her down so that her head rest against his chest. “The most important goal for us now is to care for our child.”

Sango smiled as her hand drifted down to her belly. “He must be strong, to have survived all of this,” she commented wryly. She burrowed further into her husband. But Kohaku…

“I’m confident we haven’t seen the last of your brother,” Miroku said, as if reading her thoughts. “He has found forgiveness from you, and perhaps in the eyes of men, but he has not yet been able to forgive himself. This is a journey he alone must complete, and in the end, it will be worth it.”

Sango nodded slightly, closing her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. Of course, he was right: she couldn’t afford to chase after her brother any longer. She’d done the right thing by him, and now it was time to afford her husband and unborn child the same courtesy.

Kagome sighed, dipping her hands into the cool water of the stream once again. Will I ever get all the stains out? she wondered silently, tugging at the resistant cloth of the haori.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Her heart seized and she gave a startled cry as she jerked to attention. “Koga?” she murmured, not quite believing her eyes.

The wolf prince stood on the far bank of the stream, gazing at her intently. He stood tall, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression carefully couched. “Took you long enough.”

Kagome shrugged, pulling the waterlogged haori from the stream, squeezing it to relieve the excess water. “What are you doing here?” she asked, carefully avoiding his direct gaze. The last time she’d seen him was at the House of the Moon, almost a fortnight ago. She and Inuyasha had slowly made their way back to Kaede’s village, quite a journey from Koga’s territory in the eastern mountains.

He moved closer, lowering himself to the bank of the river. “I told you, I’ve been waiting for you.” He settled himself across from her, letting his feet sway with the gentle current of the water. “You said when the battle was over…that we could talk.”

Her scrambled promise returned to her then; she winced a little, a slight blush rising to her face as she continued her ministrations with the robe. What could she say? She’d long made her choice, and she wasn’t going to back away from her promise to Inuyasha. At the same time, she didn’t want to hurt Koga…not after everything he’d done for her.

“Koga, I – ” she began.

He waved his hand, cutting her off. “Don’t say it, Kagome,” he interrupted. “The fact that it took you so long to return… That says it all.”

Her eyes rose to meet his over the soft tinkle of the stream that flowed between them. His expression was still neutral, though he couldn’t completely hide his disappointment. “Thanks for understanding,” she whispered, balling the damp cloth close to her chest.

He shrugged, pushing himself into the water, moving easily against the current. “What’s there to thank me for?” he mused, closing in on her. “You’ve made your choice.” He stopped directly in front of her, his arms falling to the bank on either side of her.

“Maybe I should be thanking you,” he said softly, his blue eyes gleaming as he smiled down at her.

Her heart thudded in her chest as he moved closer, imposing on her personal space. “What for?”

His eyes swept over her, filled with something akin to wistfulness. “For letting my last look of you be of a free woman,” he replied, easing down. His lips brushed across her cheek, and she felt his arms close around her in a gentle embrace.

Kagome exhaled in a rush, bittersweet relief flooding through her. She mirrored his actions, drawing her arms up to meet in the middle of his back. Thank you, she added silently. For everything you’ve done for me.

He pulled away, letting his claws twirl through the hair at her shoulder one last time. “I leave you in his protection, but if you ever need me, don’t hesitate to call.” He smiled one last time, turning to head back across the stream.

“Farewell, my love!” he called.

She nodded silently, tears welling behind her eyes as she watched him retreat. Goodbye.

Kagome sighed heavily, covering herself with the thin blanket as she sat on her futon in Kaede’s hut. Two whole weeks had passed since the battle with Ryûtatsu, and with each passing day, she only felt more melancholy. She thought that perhaps returning to the village would ease the anxious feeling in her gut, but it seemed the opposite was true: it only seemed to make it worse.

“Are ye okay, Kagome?” Kaede asked. She eyed the girl from her spot by the cooking fire. “Is your arm still troubling you?”

“No, it’s not that,” Kagome replied, glancing down at her right shoulder. Her arm would probably always be stiff; the sentinel’s sword had cut deeper into the muscle than she first realized. Her eyes rose again, trailing out past the flapping mat covering the doorway, and she sighed again.

Kaede followed her line of vision, her old eyes suddenly becoming wise. “Is it the jewel, my child?” she asked quietly, stirring the stew.

Kagome looked down, not immediately answering. Her worst suspicions had been confirmed; a complete search of the grounds of Sesshoumaru’s castle yielded no sign of the Shikon Jewel. The more she thought about it, the more she became convinced that the jewel had been destroyed by the combined blow of her arrow and Sesshoumaru’s sword. She and Inuyasha had even stayed behind for a whole week afterwards, just to make sure.

No youkai approached them; she could not sense its aura.

The jewel was gone, and with it…perhaps her only way back to the modern era.

“You’ve made your choice.” Koga’s words came back to her in a rush. Yes, she had made her choice – the entire time she’d spent in the modern era, she’d longed for her friends, and for Inuyasha. She had no regrets coming back to him, accepting him as her mate, fighting alongside him in such a terrible battle. She had made her choice – so was this her punishment? That she couldn’t return to her family, to say goodbye to them properly?

“Only the jewel let me travel through the well,” she said morosely. “I’ll never be able to return home, now that it’s gone.”

“Nonsense.” Kaede struck the floor with the stirring spoon.

Kagome looked at the old miko with incredulous eyes. “What do you mean, ‘nonsense’? After the jewel was complete – and I went home the first time – Inuyasha was barely able to come back for me! The well rejected him, remember! We all talked about it!” She curled her hand into a fist, though it wasn’t visible underneath the folds of the now-clean and partially-repaired haori. “It was the jewel that allowed me to travel between the worlds!”

Kaede smiled softly, shaking her head as she looked over the pot at her young companion. “Have ye not realized it yet, child? Even after everything you’ve been through?”

Kagome’s brow winkled. “I don’t understand.”

“The jewel is gone because it has served its purpose in this world,” Kaede explained. “Ye broke the vicious cycle of its ownership, and in return, ye received the power of the seal. You’ve inherited Midoriko’s abilities to their fullest extent, even if they yet lie dormant within you.”

Kagome still felt confused. “That may be true, but what does that have to do with the well?”

Kaede gave her a patient smile as she lowered the spoon into the pot once again. “Ye have to turn your thinking around, Kagome. The jewel never controlled you, for ye have always controlled the jewel.” She paused, tasting the broth. “Remember the time Inuyasha took your jewel shards and pushed ye into the well? Ye were still able to return, because ye wanted to badly enough.”

That’s right, Kagome thought, the memories of that moment coming back to her. She’d been so scared that Inuyasha was dead, and that’s why he hadn’t returned for her. “But even then, the jewel was nearby,” she recalled.

“That’s not the point,” Kaede insisted. “Ye can still cross through the well, if ye wish to. Ye have the power within you. You’ve always had the power over the jewel – ye just never had the confidence to believe it before now.” She lifted the heavy pot away from the fire. “So again, I ask: after everything you’ve been through these last few moons, do ye still not realize the extent of your powers?”

Kagome looked at the older miko with new eyes. Maybe she’s right, she thought. It was only after I changed my thinking that I was able to control the strike and seal..so,maybe, if I can do this…maybe if I can take ownership…

“Dinner’s ready!” Kaede announced cheerfully, proffering three bowls. “Go, Kagome, and bring Inuyasha home.”

She stood and moved to the door, new hope blooming in her heart. Maybe that is the answer.

“Are you sure about this?” Kagome asked softly, turning slightly to her right.

Inuyasha gripped her hand with redoubled confidence. “Yes,” he replied. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

She nodded slightly, bringing her focus back to her current mission. Her heart was beginning to pick up speed as they neared their destination, and yet she couldn’t stop the hope and fear that blossomed in her chest. Please, let this work.

They came to a stop a few feet from the well. Kagome dropped her faithful yellow bag at her feet, eyeing the ancient wooden structure with new determination. Drawing in a deep breath, she reached down and picked up an arrow.

Ashibumi.

“Thank you for coming here,” she said softly, closing her eyes. “Thank you for allowing me this chance.”

Dozukuri.

“I won’t hold you back from this,” he replied. “I love you, and I want you to be happy.”

Yugamae.

She climbed up on the ledge of the well, every fiber of her being steeled with fresh concentration.

Uchiokoshki.

“Are you ready?” she whispered, feeling the inherent power coursing over her veins.

Hikiwake.

His arms closed around her waist, his body pressing flush against her back.

Kai.

“I believe in you, Kagome,” he whispered in her ear, his voice rough.

Hanare.

She fired the arrow into the depths of the well, and together, they leapt.

A loud clatter woke Rin from the depths of her sleep. She bolted upright on the futon, her eyes immediately falling on the door. “Hello?” she called hesitantly.

Shippo sat up beside her, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What time is it?” he mumbled, shielding himself from the bright rays of the sun that streamed in from the window.

Rin sat on the futon for a long, silent moment, her stomach twisting in knots. A cold sweat began to trickle down the back of her neck as she stared at the door, wondering if she had somehow imagined the noise. “Is someone there?”

“I’m only doing this for your own good,” a muffled voice replied, followed hastily by the click of a lock-pin falling into place.

“Master Jaken, no!” Rin cried, streaming away from the bed and slamming against the door. “What are you doing?!”

She could hear the imp sucking in a breath on the other side of the locked door. “I’m only following orders, Rin! You will be nothing be trouble at the ceremony today, so I’ve been told to keep you away!” His voice rose higher and higher with each syllable, until he sounded almost hysterical.

Rin gasped and curled her hands around the handle of the door. “Why?” she called out. “Who gave you this order?” Not Lord Sesshoumaru…he would never…

Jaken didn’t respond to the girl’s pleas. He looked up with a resentful glare, clutching the key close to his chest, his knuckles turning white. Rin continued to bang on the door, demanding to know what exactly was going on. He closed his ears to her cries, moving a few steps away. “Was this really necessary?” he muttered under his breath.

The Most Venerable Lady of the West stepped out of the shadows, peering down at her son’s loyal servant with a satisfied smile. “I don’t know what this girl truly means to Sesshoumaru, but I will not allow her to stand in the way of his destiny.” She turned, taking slow, determined strides down the hall, away from the captive girl’s room. The commotion behind the door suddenly stopped, and she closed her eyes. Yes, I am only doing this for your own good, Sesshoumaru.

Jaken followed behind his lord’s mother, mumbling under his breath. He thought Rin the nuisance, yes, an annoying child clutching at Sesshoumaru’s proverbial apron strings, but this…this was truly going too far. Does she really see Rin as a threat? he wondered, eyeing her as she continued her slow pace down the hall. Does she truly not trust her son to make a proper decision in a matter of this importance?

Rin’s hands fell from the door as she heard the slow, calculating footsteps move away from the room. The canter was hauntingly familiar, and she felt a sharp stab through her heart as it continued. My lord…? Tears slipped down her cheeks as she stared at the locked door.

Could he truly despise her so much, to doubt her ability to sit through a mere ceremony? Did he not realize how much he meant to her, how much she adored him and wished him unadulterated happiness? Did he think so little of her, that she couldn’t comprehend the potential implications of this union with the Russian snow maiden?

“Lord Sesshoumaru,” she whispered brokenly, turning back to the unmade bed. She landed in a heap, curling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. Her tears trickled silently, landing on the soft cloth of her kimono. “How could you?”

“How could he what?” Shippo asked quizzically, looking back over his shoulder from his place by the window. “Rin, what’s wrong?”

She appeared to be at a loss for words. “He – he locked me in here!” she finally choked out, ducking her head against her knees.

Shippo turned back to the front. “But that’s impossible,” he said, pressing a finger against the windowpane. “He’s been outside the whole time!”

Snegura glanced at her reflection idly, pushing an errant strand of hair out of her face. She sat at the dressing table in the suite of rooms she had been granted at the newly reconstructed House of the Moon. However, her mind was not on her opulent surroundings, nor on the upcoming ceremony which would forever seal her fate. Come on, she groused silently. What’s taking you so long?

As if on cue, her most loyal maidservant appeared in the doorway of the room, falling into a hurried curtsy. “I’m sorry, my lady,” the woman said in a breathless voice. “I have only just now been able to break through the castle guard.”

“No matter,” Snegura replied, turning on her seat. Relief washed over her, drowning out any leftover annoyance at the strict guard around the castle. After all, no one knew that she’d sent her maid on an errand the night before her marriage ceremony was to take place. Besides, it was always wise to have even an idle show of strength to keep troublemakers at bay. “What news do you bring?”

The maid pushed the door closed, moving forward on silent feet as she approached her mistress. “It is as you feared, my lady,” she said quietly. “The remains have been desecrated.”

A sharp pain stabbed into her gut at the news. It was her worst nightmare: while she was here, wasting time on the formalities of an alliance, someone had stolen her grandfather’s body – and with it, a treasured memento, the key to his taiyoukai power. “It’s gone?” she whispered, struggling to control the raw panic that clawed up from her stomach.

The maid nodded remorsefully. “Yes, my lady,” she confirmed.

“But who? Who could’ve taken it?” she wondered softly, gazing into the servant’s face. “Who else knew of its meaning?”

A harsh, prompt knock on the door broke through their fearful conspiracy. Moments later, the door swung open, revealing a liveried servant from the House of the Moon. He gave a proper, formal bow to the pair of them, tactfully ignoring their casual state. “The ceremony is about to begin, my lady.”

Snegura took a deep breath, summoning her iciest expression and with it, every shred of inner composure. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice unwavering. She glanced down at her maid, who had also recovered in record time. “Please, bring the gift, and we shall go at once.”

The maid nodded, quickly moving to the trunk in the corner of the room. Snegura gave the servant waiting at the door a cool, assessing smile. “I would not want to keep my lord or his guests waiting.”

Five minutes later, the somber trio set off down the hall. Snegura walked in calm, even strides, even as she struggled to contain her inner apprehension. If someone else got their hands on her grandfather’s memento, and knew the secrets to unlocking it, they were all doomed. Only she had the knowledge to control her grandfather’s vast, inherited strength, but even she did not yet have enough experience handling such power.

Not even Sesshoumaru, her formidable ally and future husband, would be able to withstand the hypothetical destruction it could wreak.

Finally, they reached the grand hall where the ceremony would be held. She lifted her chin up a notch as the grand doors were opened, revealing a crowded yet pin-quiet room, populated with the elite families of the world’s taiyoukai. She did not cower under the fearsome gazes that bombarded her, keeping her concentration on the slightly raised dais at the fore of the room. On that platform stood the power players of her very near future: Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, and his mother, the Most Venerable Lady of the West and Head of the House of the Moon.

All inner turmoil drained from her body as she moved towards them. She could feel the small, cold barrier of ice close around her heart as she reached her spot on the dais, and she extended some measure of her youki over the crowd, sending out a warning. She would not be threatened by them.

Sesshoumaru gazed at her impassively, an expression he held for the duration of the ceremony. He stood at her right, but did not stand before her, bestowing the impression that they were entering this union on equal ground. Each of them repeated the vows of their contract to the other, in tones devoid of any warm emotion. His mother watched over them the whole time, her eyes displaying calculation and pride.

The ceremony culminated with the exchange of gifts, the outward sign of their commitment to this union. Snegura stood tall, gazing directly into her ally’s eyes as a portion of his mokomoko was swathed across her shoulders and trailed down her arms. The remainder of the pelt was in its usual place, over his shoulder. The presentation of the piece made a striking, lasting impact on their audience.

She bowed slightly, curling the ends of the luxurious fur around her wrists.

Next was the presentation of her gift to him. The long, yoked cloak was unfurled with a flourish and set upon Sesshoumaru’s shoulders, the heavy brocade sweeping around him. Snegura couldn’t help but beam a bit with pride as she noticed how well it fit, how well it masked his armor and swords when closed. It had taken her the better part of two months to finish it, embroidered with a bit of his youki fur. It would be enough to shield him from her wintry wrath, and she could only hope it would also be strong enough to protect his life, should matters come down to it.

He bowed before her in thanks, locks of his silvery hair falling over the dark silk, shining in complement against the deep green hue of the cloak.

Despite her best efforts, her heart began to pound in her chest as he straightened and took a step towards her, one arm rising from under the cloak to touch her face. A traitorous blush crept across the back of her neck as his hand cupped her cheek, his fingers brushing lightly against her earlobe. Her eyes fluttered shut as his lips descended, meeting hers with decisiveness.

It was a chaste kiss of promise, the seal of their formal alliance via a marital union. There was no turning back now.

A roar of applause met her ears as he moved away. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her intently, a small twinkle of curiosity behind his emotionally devoid expression. She could almost feel his satisfied question: Have I shocked you?

He took her arm, swiveling around so that they faced the crowd with a united front. The doors at the back of the room opened again, the sea of witnesses parting before them. “Shall we go, my lady?” he intoned, his voice somber, serious – as if he somehow divined the fate that awaited them.

“If you feel you are up to the challenge,” she replied, cutting a coy glance from the corner of her eye.

His mouth quirked in a small smile.

Together they moved forward, walking out the door, into the next chapter of their lives.


Author’s Note: And so, dear readers, we have come to the end of the story. I want to take a moment and thank each and every person who has taken the time to click through and give this piece a chance. If you’ve followed me since March, when I posted the humble first three chapters for the first time on Media Miner – it’s been a helluva ride, hasn’t it? This story has been a journey for me in more ways than one. For everyone who has read, reviewed, recommended, and nominated this fic for awards – THANK YOU.

I want to extend a special thanks, and to dedicate this final chapter (and new beginning) to my most faithful reviewers: kokoronagomu, wbk, Black&WhiteKirara, and KagomeInLove. You guys have been with me through thick and thin. Your words have inspired me, cheered me up, and given me the determination to see this thing through. I can never completely express just how much I appreciate your kind and thoughtful reviews.

If you wish to know more about the background of this story, and the (tentative) plans for its sequel, please visit me at LJ: my username is LuxKen27. Cheers!