InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Journey of the Half-Immortal ❯ Chapter 24 ( Chapter 24 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter Twenty-Four

Everything had turned alright in the end. Hakudoshi was still alive and he was Aniu's new ward. Aniu had removed Kohaku's shard and kept him alive. He would always be Aniu's ward too but he would live out the next twenty years with his sister. Kikyo's job was done and she had decided to go back to where she came from. But not without an argument between her and Inuyasha.

“You have to stay, Kikyo!”

“Inuyasha, my job is done.”

“But I can't stand to stay without. I'd kill myself first.”

“When I died before you were doing fine. Kagome was there and you were starting to be happier than I had seen you in fifty years. You don't need the past to drag you down, Inuyasha. I'm going and you are going to live and be happy. You are going to move on and forget the past. I want you to live a happy life without regrets. I forgive you, Inuyasha. You don't need to bear a burden that exists no longer. Go and be happy.”

“But…”

“Inuyasha,” Kikyo said. She leaned up and gave him a small kiss. “Be happy.” She smiled and her body started to fade.

“Kikyo!”

Kikyo's body vanished and the orbs of her soul returned to Kagome. The young girl felt like something inside her was complete again. She looked at Inuyasha who was looking at her. His eyes were sad but then he smiled at her.

“Kagome,” he whispered. “Lets go home.”

Kagome and Inuyasha had gone back to her era to gather some things and so she could say goodbye to her family.

“Kagome, you be careful now,” her mother said softly. She gave her a small kiss on the head and released her to her grandfather.

“There, there, Kagome,” he whispered in her ear. He pulled back. “Now don't forget these sutras. They will keep big, strong demons away from my granddaughter. Oh, and don't forget this bow! And these arrows!...”

Kagome laughed. “I won't grandpapa.”

Souta hugged his sister and cried a little.

“There, there, Souta.”

“Will we ever see you again?”

“I recon so. We'll visit every once in a while.”

Souta looked up at Inuyasha. “You'll take care of her won't you?”

“Sure will, Souta,” Inuyasha said. He grinned at the little boy when he wrapped his arms around his waist. “Hey! You heard Kagome. We'll visit.”

Souta nodded and released his legs.

Inuyasha lifted his chin up. “You have to be strong now and protect your grandfather and mother, alright, kid?”

Souta nodded and Inuyasha looked satisfied.

They returned back to the feudal era and the village started to build them a cabin. Inuyasha helped out along with Aniu and Sesshoumaru. Even Hakudoshi pitched in. Sango and Miroku couldn't help because they had taken Kohaku back to the village.

The young demon slayer and regained all his memories when Aniu had given him back life. He had been hit hard by the memories and had collapsed but Aniu was right there. She had coaxed him through the harder memories and helped him be able to control the rest. So far, he had been pretty good at controlling his memories.

Sango and Miroku had, of course, married. They wasted no time in starting to have children. In a matter of ten years, they would have six daughters and four sons. The village was filling up with people. Miroku was the head monk and Sango and Kohaku both became the master instructors. In the span of ten years, the village had grown to a population of over five hundred people.

Kohaku remained unmarried because he knew that he would outlive all the villagers. Aniu had told him of the consequences when she saved his life. He didn't mind. He had grown since she had saved him. He was now twenty-two and he would stay the same age for the rest of his life. He was boyishly handsome and his hair had grown out a little longer, so that he had to pull it back into a pony tail. He was tall and lean and all muscle. The young demon slayer knew that now was the time to join up with Aniu. He bid Sango and Miroku farewell and left in search of the golden half-immortal.

Hakudoshi had grown as well. He now looked about twenty. He still had the long white hair and the naginata that he always carried. But his body had changed tremendously. He wasn't boyishly handsome like Kohaku. He was just handsome. He was shorter than Aniu but he was still lean. He didn't look like he had much muscle but he didn't need it because he was already demon strong. The young incarnation hardly ever left Aniu's side. Only when she told him to, did he leave her be and went about his own things.

Kouga had given the wolves a new leader so that he could spend his time with Aniu. He hadn't left his wolves in the care of some nitwit though. The wolf demon he had picked was strong and well known to all his wolves. He had followed Aniu since then. He barely let her out of her sight, even when she bathed. Because of that he had also been forced to help that mutt-faced Inuyasha in building his hut. Kouga had given up on chasing Kagome. Aniu was the only one he needed now. And he wasn't about to let her go without a fight.

This was the reason why Sesshoumaru and Kouga were constantly fighting. Aniu had always had to step in when the fight proved to be a violent one. More than half of them ended with fists in the air. Aniu would freeze them both and shout at them and set them in opposite side of the clearing until the unfroze and learned their lessons. She felt more like a mother than a lover around them.

Sesshoumaru had become a tender heart. That was, except when other people were around. Aniu rolled her eyes when he put on his cold act. The taiyoukai had accepted that he and Kouga were both mated to the half-immortal. He had also accepted that he had to share in more ways than one. He didn't like it a lot but he accepted it. Aniu was still his and that was all that counted. They still had lots of love for each other and they were constantly enjoying each other's company.

Aniu had become even stronger with the help of her triumvirates and wards. The scar on her back had not disappeared and in fact, it caused her such pain. All of a sudden she would be racked with the pain and pass out. Bronze doesn't heal on an immortal. But the scar shouldn't be causing her this level of pain. She had said many spells to find out how to fix it but nothing worked. Aniu had concluded that Naraku had used a spell on her, one that she wouldn't know about. She had asked Hakudoshi but he had no clue.

Over the years, Aniu had not been able to produce a baby. The damage done to her by Naraku had left her childless. She would never be able to make Kouga or Sesshoumaru a happy father. It made her sad and some days her depression got the best of her. In those days, Isis would visit her. Isis constantly reminded her that life had troubles but that she shouldn't carry them with her or one day they would drag her soul to hell and she would regret her actions forever.

Ten years had passed and Aniu the day was soon approaching. She had gotten messages from Isis that she was going to be moved again. Her job was done here but she was needed elsewhere. Aniu became fidgety and on edge. She was constantly spending her days and nights with Kouga and Sesshoumaru. They were her only comfort. Her only protection until He came. Time to go, she kept hearing in her mind.

*****