To make your dream come true by Symphonia

To make a wish

To make a wish

The sun peaked over the hill with the promise of a bright new day. However the group standing at the top of the hill knew that this might probably be the last sunrise they will ever see. Naraku had issued a challenge to them, either they complete the shikon and destroy him in the process or the world would plunge into darkness and despair. The group vowed that they would rather die than see the jewel fall into the hands of the crazed hanyou. Now as they waited for the final showdown, each group member was lost in their own thoughts.

Miroku clenched and looked at the rosary that sealed the wind tunnel, a curse that Naraku had placed on his family which consumed the men one after another. How fortunate that he was able to find such good friends who supported him through everything, especially Sango whom he had developed feelings of love for. Unfortunately he might not live to proclaim to let her know about them as he glanced over at the young woman, for once he made no move to grope the female. His only hope now was that she would be able to survive this and live out her life a happy woman.

Sango stared at the rising sun with a Kilala in battle form at her side. Her hold on the Hiratsu tightens as she anticipated the arrival of Naraku's army and her brother, Kohaku. She will save her brother and avenge her family for once and for all. Kilala nuzzled her mistress as if in understanding of Sango's feelings and giving her comfort. Sango smiled at her friend who had been with her through everything and thanking Kami for bringing her and her friends together. Kagome was like the sister she never had and Sango would do anything to keep Kagome from harm. Miroku, although his wandering hands often get the better of him, Sango could not help but fall in love with him.

Inuyasha stood with his arms crossed over his chest squinting into the distance. Naraku would pay for everything he has done. He stole both Kikyou's and his life away from them and he would not get away with it. He perked his ears up to hear what Kagome was saying to Shippou. He breathed in her scent and remembered how they had first met. He had mistaken her for his former love and almost killed her. Even though he knew the two women were completely different, he sees the face of Kikyou whenever he looks at Kagome. He knew of Kagome's feelings for him, but he had promised Kikyou and he would not go back on his promise to her.

Kagome looked at the rising sun with feelings of dread. She could sense the tainted portion of the jewel that Naraku holds as it got closer. The fragment she wore around her neck was pulsing as if in answer to the oncoming evil and issuing its own challenge. The strong auras were making her nervous and her palms sweaty. She hoped that the quiver of arrows she had on her back was enough and her purification abilities were as strong as Kaede said they were. Remembering what Kaede had told her about the jewel, it confirmed her suspicions that the jewel would not give her rest until it is completely purified or tainted. The jewel feeds on evil or good of the person who holds it and stored their power. The jewel would remain with the bearer as long as it can feed off the aura of the bearer and gave the impression that the bearer was growing stronger, driving the bearer to the point of obsession like Naraku and Kikiyo. However once the bearer outlived their usefulness, the jewel would radiate its auras to attract the next bearer. Unfortunately for her, Kagome seemed to have developed an affinity with the shikon and instead of just feeding off her purity, the shikon's power melds with her miko abilities when it was with her.

Shippou sensed his adopted mother's unease and patted her cheek with one hand from his spot on her shoulder. He was worried about her. Too many times he had seen the atrocities of Naraku and understood that for Naraku to issue them an outright challenge meant he was positive about his chances at winning. Shippou looked at his mother, knowing full well that they might never see each other again, but he was not worried since his momma always told him that good people would end up in heaven and be happy for eternity. So he was sure that Kagome would sure be one of those people and nothing would make him happier than to see his mother happy.

All of a sudden, a dark cloud rolled in shrouding everything in darkness. The group tensed up for they knew that Naraku had arrived and prepared themselves for the fight of their lives. Inuyasha pulled out the tetsusaiga and it transformed into his father's fang.

"Show yourself Naraku, you bastard, and stop the damn theatrics." yelled Inuyasha. "I can smell your stench so show yourself and fight like a real man." Sango, Kilala, and Miroku shifted into battle stance and looked warily at the surrounding darkness while Kagome held up her bow and arrow with Shippou at her side.

"Inuyasha, as hot tempered as always. I had thought that you would at least learn some patience during your imprisonment which your lover had inflicted on you" Said Naraku appearing in his baboon pelt.

"Shut up you bastard and fight" gritting his teeth, Inuyasha ran forward slicing the baboon pelt. Naraku dodged the attack easily and settled back where he was.

"Patience, patience, Inuyasha, I would not derive you from showing the power of your sword to the world" laughed Naraku as he faded into the mist and numerous demons appeared instead.

Inuyasha jumped right into the middle of the wave and released his attack. Sango threw the Hikarsu killing the demons that were coming towards her and Kagome. Miroku was stuck using his staff with the poison insects hovering on the battle field. Kagome released her arrows into the thick of the crowd of demons. Kilala was at her side protecting her and keeping Shippou out of harm's way. The battle raged on and Kagome was down to her last few arrows. Suddenly Kagome jerked into the air, as Kilala let out a roar of fury, she yelped and saw that Naraku had decided to attack her while her friends were busy with their own battles.

"Well, well miko, our battle should continue where we would be undistributed considering both you and I have something that could devastate this world. Let us join forces and we shall rule together dominating both human and youkai." Naraku said into her ear as he held her against him with his claws at her throat.

"LET GO OF HER, NARAKU!" snarled Inuyasha as he leapt up towards the pair, ready to cut Naraku in two while Kilala jumped to Kagome's rescue as well.

"Fools!" with that Inuyasha and Kilala were knocked back towards the ground, Naraku turned back to Kagome and asked "What do you say miko? Give me the shards and let's just end all of this useless bloodshed." Naraku reached towards the portions around Kagome's throat.

Kagome closed her eyes and readied to release a wave of purification when she felt herself being pulled from Naraku's grasp and heard Naraku roar in fury.

"So you have taken an interest in the shikon no tama as well, Sesshoumaru, the great taiyoukai of the west." sneered Naraku.

Kagome opened her eyes and saw that she was indeed held by Sesshoumaru's tail as they floated in mid air.

"Sesshoumaru, I don't know what in the hell you want, but take you ain't getting the jewel or my sword except over my dead body!"

Sesshoumaru ignored Inuyasha and turned his attention back to the filthy hanyou in front of him. "This Sesshoumaru has no interest or need for the shikon."

Naraku was surprised that Sesshoumaru would choose to fight him, he knew that the taiyoukai had no interest in the shikon and never interfered with his plans before, then why now? "Oh, then perhaps you have decided to follow in your father's and your wretched half brother's foot steps and had your eye on the human you are now holding."

Sesshoumaru's face revealed no thoughts as he lashed out his poison whip at the hanyou. Naraku was on alert for an attack from the taiyoukai, but he had no idea that he would be this fast. 'I must get the rest of jewel and become a full youkai.' thought Naraku as his regenerate the parts where it was hit with the whip.

Sesshoumaru frowned inwardly as Naraku healed from his wounds. He decided that having to drag around Inuyasha's wench was not going to benefit him in a fight with Naraku. Besides, it would not do his reputation good to have the news that he rescued a human girl, and his idiotic half brother's wench no less, from Naraku spread around. Kagome stifled a scream as she suddenly dropped to ground and landed on her bottom near Kilala and Shippou.

Kagome looked up at the taiyoukai who had tried to kill her and Inuyasha numerous times in the past. "You don't have to be such a jerk about dropping me, no one asked you to save me."

"Be quiet wench, where is the shikon in Naraku?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome was surprised that Sesshoumaru wanted the shikon himself, but didn't he just say that he had no interest in the damn thing? If she was asked to comment on that should get the jewel now, Sesshoumaru was much more preferable than Naraku.

There was no need for Kagome to concentrate in seeking out the jewel, for the evil formed a concentrated dark pulse in Naraku's aura. "It's in his left chest, where his heart should be"

Sesshoumaru nodded, pulled out Toukiji and jumped into the thick of battle. Just as he leapt into the air, his tail reached out and pulled Shippou up with him. Kagome heard Shippou's scream "MOMMA!" and cried out "What are you doing Sesshoumaru? Why did you take my son?" as Kilala killed a youkai that was about to attack her and pulled her out of harm's way.

Sesshoumaru tightened his tail's hold around the screaming and struggling kitsune until the child could no longer move. "Take what I will give you to Kagome, you must get it to her no matter what." Shippou nodded and with that said, Sesshoumaru slaughtered the demons in his way to Naraku.

Naraku looked onto the battle field and was pleased with the results that he saw. The monk and the exterminator were beginning to tire. The monk's refusal to use the wind tunnel because of the insects and the fear that he would kill the exterminator had greatly limited his choice for eliminating his army. The miko was not faring much better either, she was running out of arrows and the neko youkai was the only one around her capable of defending her. The fighting around Inuyasha was the thickest with even the tetsusaiga did not do much in eliminating the horde of youkai Naraku controlled. Soon he'll have the complete jewel and become a full blooded youkai. Just as he was about to order more youkai to attack Kagome, a flash of white caught his eye and he found himself locked in battle with the taiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru wasted no time in making his attack on the hanyou. Luckily with his speed and poison claws and the distraction which Inuyasha provided when in an attempt to cut up Naraku, Sesshoumaru was able to puncture Naraku's chest and grabbed the jewel. The move had stunned Naraku. Taking the advantage of Naraku's inattention, Sesshoumaru thrust the jewel into Shippou's hands and tossed him into air towards Kagome.

Meanwhile Kagome and Kilala have fended off the youkai which had been attacking them and took to the air to find out where Sesshoumaru had gone with Shippou. Once in the air, Kilala saw Shippou flying towards them and moved to catch him. The kitsune opened his eyes when he scent that his mother had caught him and promptly handed her what Sesshoumaru had thrust into his hands. "Momma, Sesshoumaru said for you to have this."

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were looking at the dying form of Naraku. They had realized that once the shikon left his body, Naraku can no longer hold himself together, and when the purifying light hit all of them, majority of Naraku's body demons were purified. Kagome came to a stop just before reaching Naraku. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru noticed that Kagome was surrounded by miko energy and around her neck was the completed shikon no tama.

Naraku knows that his end was near, he cannot fathom how was Sesshoumaru able to rip out the shard from his body and not have him notice. When he looked at Kagome, he realized that the jewel which he had harbored so long in his body had betrayed him. However it only made him want the jewel even more, he longed to completely dominate it, to have it surrender its power to him. He let a laugh of pure malice as his soul slipped away from his dead body.

In the gathering night, a lone figure stood under the Goushinboku remembering the events of the day. Kagome reached out one hand to touch the trunk of the god tree while the other held the now completed shikon no tama hanging around her neck and let out a sigh. Unbeknownst to her, a pair of golden eyes watched her every movement up in a tree.

"We all did it. It's finally over. My dream came true" said Kagome to the tree as she looked down at the softly glowing pink orb. Naraku had been defeated in battle earlier in the day. Her friends had given all they have, even Shippou, allowing her to purify the hanyou that caused so much pain and sadness. Kagome let out another sigh as she thought of the battle this morning. It seemed like a lifetime away. The tree above her rustled its branches in the evening breeze as if agreeing with her. "I am going to miss everyone when I go home" said Kagome feeling a little sad that the quest which had taken up so much of her life and gave her so much memories will now itself become a memory, a passing phrase in her life. "Why is it so hard to say good bye?" She asked the tree. "How do you bear it as you watch the world around you change so much and the people you love disappear from your life forever?" Putting her forehead against the tree, she let a tear fall onto the roots.

Kagome looked up when she felt a presence behind her. Turning around she saw the lord of the west was looking at her and quickly wiped her cheeks using her sleeves. Kagome smiled at the taiyoukai and approached him. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru, we couldn't have done it without you." With that Kagome turned to walk back to the village where the festivities were going into high gear.

"What are you going to do now, Kagome?" Kagome stopped when the taiyoukai spoke her name. She had no idea that he knew of her name, he had always called her wench, miko or other tasteless names when they met in the countryside.

"I have to make my wish and allow the shikon to be absorbed back into my body." Kagome replied. She hoped that he would just leave it at that, because she felt that any more questions about her current condition would just likely make what she planned to do even harder.

"You have chosen to leave." It was a statement. Kagome nodded "I don't belong in this time anyways, no matter what I do, I will only be Kikyou's shadow and nothing more. I want the best for my friends, I want them to live on, get married and have children. I will never forget anything that happened here, I will cherish all my memories here, both the good and the bad. But I will miss them."

Sesshoumaru looked on in disbelief during Kagome's narrative. This human only thinks about the happiness for others. Her refusal to be second best intrigued him. Here was a human who did not let the inferior traits of her race corrupt her spirit. Was that her key to inspire the rag tag group to remind together despite of everything? She was an interesting enigma. As he turned to leave, Kagome called out to him "And, by the way Sesshoumaru, tell Rin I'm sorry I didn't say good bye." Sesshoumaru was surprised that Inuyasha's wench would remember his ward considering they have only met for a few times and each meeting was short, anyway he nodded once and walked into the darkened forest.

'Always a youkai of few words' thought Kagome as she made her way back to the village, 'I wished Inuyasha would take a leaf out of Sesshoumaru's book regarding his mouth, it would have been so much easier when trying to tell him something.' Kagome returned to Kaede's huts, where she found the old miko sitting around her fire with Shippou sleeping nearby. "Why aren't ye at the festivities, child, you do know that they are held in your honor." Asked Kaede

"I know, but it would be easier when I make my wish if I didn't go." Kagome answered "besides I want to be alone for a bit." Kaede looked at the young woman in understanding. She knew that Kagome was preparing to sever all ties from the past when she makes her wish, including the ones with Inuyasha. "Will you explain it to them for me please Kaede? I can't do it myself because I'm afraid that I might lose courage to make the wish if I see them. I hope they won't hate me for me for this." Kagome pleaded to the old miko.

"They will understand child, your friends will not hold it against you." The old miko reached over and patted the young woman's arm. "Thank you, Kaede, I will miss you too. Take care of Shippou for me please." Kagome said. "Don't worry, I will, we all will." Smiled Kaede. With that said Kagome hugged the old miko and patted Shippou on the head and made her way to the old well. Standing at the side of the well, Kagome took a deep breath, cupped the shikon no tama in her hand, made her wish and leapt into the well.

Sesshoumaru was standing on the balcony of his room when he felt a breeze, carrying the scent of the miko and her voice, "I wish everyone would be happy and live the life that they ought to have lived."