InuYasha Fan Fiction / Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Miko ❯ My Wonderous Fate ( Epilogue )

MIKO

By L.O. a.k.a. azn_otaku

Crossover: Trigun and InuYasha

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A/N: Whoo....

Finals sucked. Just so you know.

Oh...my...I'm actually...done!!! Wow...it's my very first EVER finished fic! I'm so happy, I could die right NOW. Or NOW. But I won't. Because I won't be able to read tons more cool manga then. So yeah.

This has been a wonderful ride people. I'm so happy so many of you have stayed with me all the way. Hopefully with this last update, the last batch of new readers will come in and they'll say, "Hey! This is kinda cool!" I really hope that people will enjoy this. Really, really.

Well, this is really the end. *sniff*. I don't want to go...but I have so many more ideas that the pressure is killing me! I hope everyone here thinks the epilogue is satisfying enough. I know I'd hate to leave something behind if it didn't end well.

Reader's Responses:

Valdimarian: Hey, hey! Thanks for your input on the whole `Tetsusaiga' thing. I've known that for awhile, but I've been too lazy to actually do anything about it. But thanks to you, I've re-edited the note on Chapter 11! I said that I'll be keeping the whole slurring of the syllables for colloquial speech. Since "Tetsusaiga" and phrases like that are used mainly in "InuYasha", I took an artistic license for that ^__^; But for the other Japanese terms I left them like that since basic romanization calls for them to be spelled like that anyways...But thanks for your compliments!

IMPROVED Uber Rei Model 06: Heehee, arigatou! You old-timers are the best thing ever...

Inu the Stampede: Welp, here's the epilogue, thank you for staying with me!

midnight frost: Eheheheh, you're compliments flatter me. Hmm...just be warned if you read other stuff of mine that "Sunshine" is definitely not my best work. It's my baby because it's my oldest and longest work, but it's definitely not the best. But anyways, I really appreciate all your reviews!

kawaiililaznkitsune: Thanks! Wow, and your review is in all capitals too...

wheelers_hanyou: Would you like a cane for your old-timer's disease? Lol, I'm just joshin' with ya. So...is Knives going to mention Kikyou at all? *secret grin* Just you wait...I can't tell you how much I appreciate all those who keep on reviewing...

Alexz: Thank you so much! Especially for all your support in the past.

Niku: Wai! This is making me so teary-eyed...I hope this epilogue is fantastic enough for you! You people who just keep coming back for more...I lurv you guys!

skne: Thanks to my ingenious planning, I have Kagome's timeline all figured out! *sniff*...I'm going to miss all your reviewers so much (I sound like I'm going away on a permanent vacation...-__-)

animeotaku418: I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying! Wow, you're like, one of my oldest readers! I'm so happy...thanks so much for your support through this story, and all your comments...

Miss_Marilyn69: Like ao, you're one of my oldest readers on mm.org! I can't believe you guys would actually stick by me for this long. Haven't I annoyed you enough?! And science is magic all grown up? That's a cool concept! Hey, maybe you could use it in another fanfic or something...but that research on alchemy sounds cool. I don't know too much about it, but I always like the idea of turning things into gold. Being wealthy is always a plus.

Okaasan-7: Wow, you know, I've stopped counting how many times people have said that I made this crossover work! I'm so pleased. Yes, I am. It's always amazing when someone I don't know reviews, so I'm glad you took the time and effort to comment on `Miko'. It really means a lot to me. And I should hope people get a happy ending! Keep reading, and base your opinion off of that!

Anyways, this epilogue is based off of the last half of `Dearest', remember the chapter I had focusing on Hamasaki's song? This is the end. Truly, the end.

I'm going to miss everyone SOOOOOO much...

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"....." Dialogue

[.....] Thoughts

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Epilogue: My Wonderous Fate

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"Push Meryl-chan! Come on! You can do it!"

The sounds of a huffing woman filled the tense air as Shippou watched another nurse hurry in. He winced as his sensitive ears picked up the angry tirades coming from the once-small-but-now-quite-plumply-pregnant Insurance woman. He was still growing, but it wasn't hard to miss Meryl's shrieks and he could only imagine the pain Vash must be in. It was a good thing Rin was there to help the woman in labor because otherwise...

"GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL AND BACK VASH THE STAMPEDE!!! I WILL_NEVER_EVER_TOUCH YOU AGAIN!!! NOT WITH A TEN-FOOT POLE!!!"

"B-But Meryl...Honey..."

"I HATE YOU WITH A VICIOUS PASSION!!"

[Thank whatever lord is up there that I have a few centuries before I have to mate...]

Grimacing yet again, the slim kitsune with burnt auburn hair swung his foot up and down, tapping along to a recent tune he had heard on the radio. It was quite the new-fangled toy that had everyone up in a buzz, not even the old-old folks had remembered the days past when the old technology was so much more advanced than indoor toilets and plumbing. He could only imagine these great new inventions that seemed too common to Sesshoumaru and Kagome, as he hadn't had the chance to live in an advanced time like they had. But there were stories of something called a "tee-vee" which brought moving pictures from around the world! Shippou definitely couldn't wait for that to be created.

"Oy Kid, you still here?"

A deep voice met the adolescent youkai's ears, his forest green eyes whipping around to see a tall man with platinum blonde hair that looked slightly windswept walk casually into the waiting room with a newspaper in one hand and a cup of water in the other.

[Well, thank the lord for THAT too.]

It had been fifty years since the time a deep water spout had been found running throughout the planet, as if covered with layer after layer of dirt. It had taken much coaxing, but now almost every town had a good lasting supply of freshwater that seemed to pull the spirits of the new generation up. It was wonderful to see greenery again, the kistune had to admit. Granted the trees were still small compared to the gigantic forests he had been used to as a kit; but they'd grow up soon enough.

Shippou grinned, "I'm waiting for Rin-san, actually. She said we all had to be here to make plans for Kagome-chan's surprise birthday party."

"I expect she'll be a bit too stressed after helping Meryl through her pregnancy to plan much."

Nevertheless, Knives took a seat next to the younger male and began skimming through the paper with his ice-blue eyes. He glanced over to Shippou and seemed to size him up with his cool stare. Shippou bristled a bit in indignation.

"What?!"

A small smirk reached the tall Plant's lips, "Nothing Kid. I haven't seen you in a couple of years, that's all."

"That's it?"

"Well," Knives shrugged casually and seemed to smirk again, "You're still as scrawny as ever."

Pouting, Shippou folded his arms in a huff, "You know my growth spurt won't come till later."

"Two centuries is a long time Kid"

"It's still not long enough!"

It had been two centuries, yes, since Shippou had arrived upon Gunsmoke. His sleep on Kagome-chan's Earth never counted since Time had stopped for the Inu-tachi. But he looked only as old as a boy of fifteen years. Everyone else had longer lifetimes as well...except for...

"-ould always plan when we're visiting the cemetery"

"Eh?"

Knives gave his paper a small shake to straighten it out and appeared to be reading some article on transvestites and their place in society, "Their graves. You know, we were all supposed to be sending flowers today too."

[Right...]

Today was the day that everyone would go visit Millie-san, Sango-chan, and Miroku's graves. Normally they went once a month, and today was it. But with Meryl-san's birth...

"Do you think everyone will be up to it? I mean...the baby..."

"It's not like Meryl's dead"

"...You're so very considerate."

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Back then, when we met,

It was all awkward.

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Kagome sat on her favorite bench underneath the warm sun, watching several children ranging from young adult to tiny tot running around and about the large fountain that stood in the middle of Gunsmoke.

Much had changed in the last two centuries, she was happy that she was still herself even after that `incident'. Kagome was learning what it was like to live in a truly happy community, humble with small pleasures and joyous with love. Sometimes she would remember the horrible loneliness that kept her alive in Naraku's cavern, but then her children would smile at her and she would be lost in their small hands.

She turned to her companion with that warm grin that truly made her `Kagome'.

"It's a nice day out, ne, Sess-kun?"

He didn't look down at her, but Kagome could feel the relaxation rolling off of his tall frame in waves, "Hai. Gunsmoke has come far since the early days. Do you remember much?"

There was a minor pause in conversation as the woman with raven-black hair stared out at the homey buildings lining Youkai.

It had taken a little while for her to "regain her equilibrium", so to speak. Kagome had trouble dealing with her past for several years before finally coming to terms with it, and managing a steadily blossoming relationship with InuYasha at the same time. Two centuries past, and they were happily married with several children. Most of whom were the ones running about right now in front of her.

"It's wasn't a very healthy town back then, I only saw glimpses when I was...under Naraku's care...but I do remember the hot desert sun."

"Mmm...It did take a long time for the water to show up."

"And yet it came about so suddenly, that spout...I mean. Do you suppose it's coincidental?"

Sesshoumaru watched his nieces and nephews playing in the fountain with the other children. Everything seemed to peaceful now. Granted, some old and dear friends would never come back alive again. But they were in a calm place and he just knew that they were content.

"Iie."

"...Iie?" She giggled helplessly as her niece Haruko managed a back-flip in order to avoid the crashing cars made out of little carts from a pair of inu-hanyou. They were identical in every way, except for the deep black hair on one and snow-white hair on the other. Their tiny paws grasped at the handles as they chased after Haruko, her lithe form belting out curses when they nipped at her ankles.

Sesshoumaru nodded, "Iie. It's not coincidental at all. It's Fate."

"Fate? ...Care to explain a little more, Sess-kun?"

His ears twitched in annoyance at Kagome's constant pestering, but she knew that he was never quite as angry as he looked. He really was a softie once you got to know him.

"Gunsmoke was bound to have water. It's Fate. It was only a matter of time before humans found the spout, and you know it."

[Hai.]

Of course it all led up to Fate. That's what brought her here, didn't it? That's what caused her to fall down the well in the first place, to fall in love with InuYasha, to have so many adventures and to meet so many friends. That's what brought Knives-kun and Kikyou together. What helped her pull through her darkest hour to this paradise of happiness.

Kagome fidgeted as she commented softly under her breath, "Fate...ne?"

Sesshoumaru smiled. Just barely.

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We went the long way, didn't we?

We got hurt, didn't we?

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[I can't believe I'm really here...]

Her light amethyst eyes watched tiredly as they wrapped a small baby boy up in a light blanket, having washed him off and handing him to his mother. Meryl gave a brilliant smile to the tiny bundle in her arms, the kind of smile that only new mothers could make to their firstborn.

"He's...perfect..."

She could only vaguely make out her husband moving to her right and Rin-chan leaving the room to give them peace. She looked up with wonder in her expression. They shared secret grins before both turning back to the tiny child.

[Two centuries.]

Two hundred years ago, it hadn't taken long for Vash to propose to her. This was after several months traveling around the globe some more, and finally landing back in Youkai, where they would live for the rest of their lives. They had been traveling so much before, that it had been impossible to discuss raising a child.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how she managed to gain the long life span that the Plants and youkai had, just that Sesshoumaru had explained after the first ten years why she wasn't getting any older.

Of course, she had been worried when she had gotten together with Vash; that she would have to leave him behind one day because of old age. He had still been the light-hearted blonde man that he was now, and the thought had bugged her for quite a while after their first real kiss. Would she have to age like everyone else? Was there nothing such as a miracle?

[Turns out I didn't have anything to worry about, ne?]

The baby yawned and Meryl chuckled silently to herself. The mystery behind the living Plants had been solved that one day when she talked with Sesshoumaru. Was it coincidence? Or was it something more?

[A miracle.]

Because it turned out that it was a youkai on Earth before Project Seeds that actually had created the Plants in the first place. The original design was for them to be living, breathing, beings. However mortals had transformed the blueprints early on to create machinery to fit inside the ships before taking off into space. It had been luck that Vash and Knives remained upon one of the ships, the blood of the youkai running through them to keep their lives long and their power unbelievingly great. How lucky was she that Vash had the blood of the youkai in his veins, the power to keep his mate forever young until they died together?

Turning her face upwards, Meryl watched Vash's kind face for a minute before speaking.

"Vash..."

"-eh?"

His deep emerald eyes switched from the baby's bald head to his wife's soft smile. She shifted the bundle in her arms.

"What shall we name him?"

"Oh," Vash scratched his head, "I haven't really thought about that..."

Meryl giggled at his dumbfounded expression, and idea striking her at the same time, "Well, how about the youkai that made this possible for us? For us to be together for as long as you live? You know, the youkai Sesshoumaru told us about."

"And...who is that?"

"Jaken"

"Mm...sounds good to me..."

There was a long comfortable silence in which Meryl's thoughts turned back to how happy she was. To be sitting here like this, with the love of her life. To be ABLE to sit here like this. To not have to worry about getting old while Vash remains the ever-youthful man she knew from the olden days. Was it a dream come true? The woman flicked a soft lock of dark hair back from her forehead before breaking the quiet.

"Are we lucky, do you suppose? Having the chance to be together like this, for a long time?"

As the sunlight from the window hit Vash's bright yellow head, he appeared startled by the question. Meryl watched his face carefully as his expression went from surprised, to thoughtful, to content. His answer was unlike anything she had heard before.

"...No."

"No...?" She cocked her head in curiosity.

He grinned, then gently kissed her forehead with such love that Meryl felt like crying. When he finally looked into her eyes again, his voice was soft as it answered everything that had happened to them.

"...It wasn't luck. It was Fate."

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Until the day I reach eternal sleep,

That smiling face will,

Have to stay with me without fail.

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"I suppose I have to go now, InuYasha will need help in getting the picnic lunch made before we head out to the cemetery."

"Hai. Take care."

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome's form move through the small crowds of children playing and adults shopping. She was just like she was before, and he knew it was because of her loving nature that brought her and InuYasha together. They had had such a painful past, that he admitted it was nice to see them finally happy with each other. He wasn't normally the type to be sentimental, but he supposed it was just his softer side speaking out.

[Too much has changed.]

He was now...what...eight hundred years or more? His body was still limber; he had a few centuries to go before he died. Eight hundred years, and he had changed so much that it would be impossible to find the old Sesshoumaru inside of him now. The Sesshoumaru that didn't give a damn about others and who's only goal was to take the Tetsusaiga from his younger half-brother. It would be hard to search inside for that coldness now.

[That was my problem, spending so much time with mortals that I grew emotional.]

One mortal, in particular.

Rin had stayed by him for so long; it was a surprise to him that she could make him change so easily. She had been a determined young thing back then, and it showed in the way he treated others now. She was the very lifeline upon which he depended. Without her, he didn't know if he could survive. Her sunny smile was always there in the back of his mind.

"Sess!"

[Speak of the devil.]

There she was; the one who could grin so brightly that he couldn't help but smile back. She ran up to his spot on the warm bench, her long black hair flying behind her and her chocolate brown eyes shining.

"Rin."

Beaming as she came to a halt, Rin's laugh made him feel content, "Meryl-chan had her baby! It was a boy!"

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Back then, when we met,

It was all awkward.

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"I'm home!

InuYasha looked up, startled by the cheerful voice ringing from the hallway. He hastily stuffed the small gift halfway wrapped in the cabinet underneath him, mentally reminding himself to stash it somewhere safe later.

"O-Oy, you're back early!"

Kagome walked in with her cheeks flushed and her pink lips curved upwards in a smile, "I know, I thought you might like help with preparations for the picnic."

"You really didn't have to..."

"I want to!" Jutting her chin out stubbornly, InuYasha couldn't help but grin at the familiar obstinate look in her eyes.

"Fine, fine...You know I can't say no when you look like that..."

It was that fiery stare that caused so much trouble between them in the days of the Shikon quest, and that same look that made him fight for her like he had with no one else when she had been trapped under Naraku's care. That was the look he wanted to protect for the rest of his life.

Grinning to himself, InuYasha recalled her lively nature when they had still been collecting shards in the feudal era, and the spats they would have almost every few minutes. Their relationship had been a rocky one back then, full of bumps in the road. Both of them had butt heads because of his hot-tempered personality and her stubbornness that stood up to him.

"Mou...why does this door ALWAYS stick?"

"Aah!"

Kagome was trying to open the cabinet with her surprise birthday present within. InuYasha quickly slammed the door shut again just as she had managed to yank it open, earning a slightly irritated look from his mate.

"Why'd you do that?! I need a pan to make the eggs!"

"Er...um..." Sweating profusely, InuYasha cursed his lack of lying skills, "I-I'll go ahead and do that. Why don't you just go get some napkins and stuff?"

Giving him an incredulous look, Kagome tried peering over the hanyou's shoulder to the cabinet behind him, "InuYasha, you KNOW you can't cook eggs to save your life."

[Chikuso...]

Giving her a small glare, he defended his position, "Practice makes perfect."

"Two hundred years should have been PLENTY of time then. If you can't get it right by now, there's no reason to keep trying."

"Hey! I'll have you know..." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "That I'm not THAT bad..."

She shot him another disbelieving look.

"InuYasha...the last time you tried frying eggs caused two of my best pans to explode and your eyebrows to be singed off. Now, as amusing as you looked back then...I was rather fond of those pans..."

Growling, InuYasha knew that she was right. She always was when it came to that matter.

"Just...just...I'll get the pan for you then, okay?"

"I'm perfectly capable of fetching my own supplies, InuYasha."

"Feh! A clumsy onna like you? You'd smack yourself with the door before you had a chance to find what you're looking for."

[...Oops.]

He noted the unfortunate fact that her frown grew steely with determination. Why the hell did he have to choose THIS girl for his mate? Why not someone submissive? Her cloudy blue eyes narrowed in suppressed anger and InuYasha just KNEW by instinct what was coming.

"OSUWARI!"

Crash!

"God...damn...it..."

He glared mutinously at her as she flounced primly away, angry that she still hadn't removed this damn necklace from his neck.

[Of course, Rin DID advise her to leave it on me...]

He smiled.

She was kind-hearted enough to not use the binding spell as much as she had when he was the temperamental fool that threatened every living thing in his path. Yet she still had that stubborn streak a mile wide that wouldn't take any insults from him. She stood her ground, and he supposed it was only fair that she had something against him the way he did with her. Not that he'd ever attack her or anything with his powers as a hanyou. He never could.

But he did have quite a bit of growing up to do...."maturing", if you will. He was really quite young, being that the two sleeps Kikyou had placed him in never counted; probably the youngest youkai to mate. So it was no surprise that Kagome needed something to keep him in control until he was old enough to hold his temper.

He always knew by the burning look in her eyes when she was going to sit him. She never took any crap from him. Not submissive, there was definitely not a single, tiny, submissive bone in her body.

[And THAT...my friends...is the reason I love her.]

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We went the long way, didn't we?

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The dry wind met his face as Knives walked out of the hospital. It was clear that Meryl was going to be fine, and that the cemetery visit was still on. He hadn't managed to go with everyone else for a really long time, but it would be nice to have a reunion after so long.

He had been traveling for several years now, the itch to travel keeping him from settling down in one place. It had been hard to deal with Kikyou's farewell, and after over a century living with the people who were there to experience the same thing he had, Knives felt he had to leave to mull over some un-finished thoughts in privacy.

Now he was back, and a bit more secure.

His people skills had definitely improved over the last couple of centuries, he was used to the mortals running everywhere. That adventure had changed him for the better, and Knives couldn't help feeling grateful to Kikyou as well as Kagome for causing the change. Had he not had met them...perhaps it would have taken longer to accept the mortals. The way he had been going then, would have eventually just destroyed him as it was clear that the mortals were here to stay. Learning to co-exist had been one of the hardest things he had to pull through. But those priestesses really taught him what it was like to be different from others, and still have compassion and understanding.

[Kikyou...]

She was always in the back of his mind. At times he wondered whether it was luck or coincidence that he happened to come across Youkai, or that locket in the dirt. What had compelled him to scrape in the mud for a dirty old necklace that seemed to have little value to him at the time? Had there been something pulling him towards that ship where he found the locket? If he hadn't taken the time to dig the necklace out, would Kagome be just about dead right now? Would Gunsmoke be nothing more than a barren planet full of craters made from miko powers?

Now, he could always see her calm and composed face staring at him with acceptance. They had a connection that ran so deep, it had almost surprised Knives at the time. Two people from VASTLY different worlds, two souls that fit together with perfection.

[Are you happy, now?]

Was she still waiting for him in the underworld?

He knew his heart was loyal to her, two centuries and he hadn't so much as glanced at another woman with attraction in his eyes. He knew he couldn't, because none of them would be able to compare to Kikyou. No matter how short of a time he knew the priestess, it was that time that he would cherish always.

Walking past the fountain that Sesshoumaru and Rin were sitting next to, Knives nodded to them cordially and moved on. His feet carried him towards the small cemetery in the back of the town where Naraku's domain used to reside, feeling a tugging towards the graves of his old friends. He looked up towards the clear blue sky with his hands shoved into his pockets.

[Nice day.]

There was a young woman already standing across from the three graves. Knives blinked in surprise, the dredges of curiosity swirling upwards. He couldn't see her face, yet he felt a strange sensation jolting his heart at the long midnight black hair falling gracefully in waves across the stranger's back. She held a small bouquet of roses in her hand, the petals wet with dew.

[Is this...?]

[Was this...?]

Why did his heart suddenly start to pound faster? His legs felt shaky as he closed the distance between them, his feet controlling his body.

"Excuse me..."

She promised she'd wait for him in the underworld.

The young woman, startled out of her reverie whipped around with a small gasp of shock. She clearly hadn't been expecting anyone to come here. Her deep earthy brown eyes hit his and he stumbled backwards. Her voice, like the whisper of the wind, met his ears with soft humility.

"Oh! I didn't realize anyone was here...I'm sorry...I really didn't mean to come to THESE graves, I didn't mean to be disrespectful in any way." She bit her lip, "I just felt I had to come here for some reason..."

[She PROMISED...]

"It's...okay...I was just surprised, is all."

The young woman gave a soft smile, the kind that was sort of shy. She seemed so dignified, her back straight and her posture confident. Her eyes stared deeply into his ice blue ones.

"I'm truly sorry, nonetheless. My name is Kikyou. You are...?"

[Is there no such thing as luck? Coincidence?]

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We got there in the end.

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"Knives."

She nodded her head in the way he was familiar with, "It's a pleasure. I feel like I've met you before..."

"You have."

[Not luck. Fate.]

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A/N: Well! Did you all enjoy? The end to a long and thrilling roller-coaster ride?

Now, the next step I'd like you all to take is to go to my bio and read some of my fanfic ideas. It's not all of them, but it's the ones I'm really interested in writing. Please review this one last time about your thoughts on `Miko' as a whole, and what you'd like me to write next. I'm not promising I_will_write what you want, but I'd like to hear your opinions!

Until next time...

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JAPANESE DICTIONARY

-Chan - Suffix used for someone you're familiar with, someone younger than you. Mostly for females, but can be used for young males.

-San - Suffix used for someone you respect, someone older than you.

Kitsune - Fox. In this case, fox demon.

Youkai - Demon

-Tachi - As in `Inu-tachi'. `-Tachi' is actually `children', but most fanfic writers use `Inu-tachi' to mean something along the lines of `InuYasha's group', or "The InuYasha gang"

-Kun - Suffix used for male friends, males you're familiar with.

Ne - Right? Eh? Used to goad on an agreement from another party (That's as best as I can explain it...^__^;)

Hai - Yes. Right.

Inu - Dog

Hanyou - Half Demon

Iie - No

Mou - A sound used for exasperation, frustration, or annoyance.

Osuwari - Sit

Chikuso - Shit. Not as bad in Japan as you would think. At least, the connotation isn't as negative as it is in America.

Onna - Woman

Miko - Priestess

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