Faded Memories by Chie

Prologue - The End of All Things

Humor/Drama/Romance - Kagome & Sesshomaru - Originally Published: 1st Jan 2006 - Originally Completed: 27th June 2006 - Edited in 2009

Summary: A very tragic event occurs and in order to protect the carrier of the Shikon, Kagome's memory is sealed, making her forget all about her travels in the past. She lives in her own time now, and everything's going just fine. Until she starts having weird dreams and one day meets a familiar face. 

Rating: MA

Chie: This is the first fanfic I ever wrote, and to my surprise it even was fairly popular. My own feelings towards it are mixed: it is a relic of the time when I was a young aspiring writer trying my hand at something new - writing a long, public story in English, which is not my first language. Thus is seems clumsy to me, and there are some things in this story that feel naïve and stupid to me now... But it was the first step I ever took on the road of a fanfiction writer, and writing this story taught me a lot about many things. For that, it will always remain precious to me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. The series was created by, as we all know, Takahashi Rumiko-san. I am not making any money on her characters, never have, never will be. I stole the title of this prologue from the Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King soundtrack (LOTR songs by Howard Shore), track 16. I love the song.

Faded Memories

The Prologue: End of all things

"Kagome!"

At the shout of her name, the woman turned her head to see the small fox demon running towards her. His tiny hands were tightly wrapped around Naraku's almost completed Shikon no Tama.

She couldn't help him in any way, all she could do was to watch him fall.

"Shippou!" she cried out in distress when she saw one of their vicious enemy's tentacles beat the little fox kit down.

Nearly completed Shikon no Tama rolled over from his over palm all the way to her and stopped right at her feet.

Unshed tears in her eyes she watched the silent form of Shippou, lying in the cold hard ground. She waited him to get up again but he didn't. The kitsune would never again rise from where he now lay.

"Kagome! Take the Shikon no Tama and run!" Inuyasha shouted. The silver-haired hanyou evaded one of Naraku's attacks, blocking another one with Tessaiga.

Kagome felt throbbing pain in her heart, but she did as she had been told to do.

She bent down, grabbed Shikon no Tama and ran.

Behind her back Inuyasha was thrown aside. She turned to look back over her shoulder and saw how Inuyasha got back up to his feet.

Naraku was staggering. One final slash. They both fell down.

"Inuyasha!"

His voice was hoarse as he yelled back in response.

"RUN!"

And so she did. Tears blurred her vision and she ran, ran all the way back to Kaede's hut.

The old miko calmly took in her disheveled appearance.

"Is it over now?"

Kagome could only nod before her knees gave in under her.

She had something clenched inside her fist... She opened her hand. Shikon no Tama rested on her palm.

"You got it!" Kaede celebrated, patting the younger miko's shoulder.

Moving almost involuntarily, like in a dream, Kagome took the shards she carried around her neck and added them to the jewel.

It was done. The Shikon no Tama was completed.

Suddenly she gave a loud gasp as a sharp pain hit her.

Kaede gave her a quick glance and then left the hut in a hurry.

"Go to look what has happened," Kaede ordered one of the mikos who were now circling her. "Rest of you, come with me."

* * * * *

"They're all dead," the miko informed as soon as she returned.

Kaede sighed.

"Is Naraku dead as well?"

"That is most probable, but we did not find his body."

Kagome was lying on the floor, curled up in a lonely corner. There was a blank expression on her face and her tear-filled eyes were staring aheas without really seeing anything.

All dead, the words echoed in her mind. All dead save for me...

"Kagome," the old miko called out softly.

The young time-traveler did not respond in any way as her name was called.

"Kaede-sama, what happened to the Shikon no Tama?" one of the gathered mikos asked.

"It returned to whence it once came," Kaede said slowly, and turned to give Kagome a long glance. "It was absorbed into her body."

"Is she... Is she going to be all right?"

Worried glances were exchanged all over the small room.

"I... I don't really know. It is quite a shock for her. All of her friends are dead... She in very vulnerable and very broken right now."

"There is a way to heal her."

"You would not mean...!" Kaede's eyes widened.

"But Kaede-sama, we have no options. Or do you wish to see her like this? Her heart broken, her mind collapsed and her soul shattered? Her current state could have bad effects on Shikon no Tama. Her brokenness could taint the jewel! She could turn... To something else."

"Kaede-sama. It is most unfortunate, but it is the only choice."

Kaede watched the girl for awhile, in silence.

"Very well."

* * * * *

Inuyasha panted and breathed heavily. Tessaiga had transformed back to an old rusty katana. He had done it, Naraku was lying dead in front of him. A victorious grin spread over his face, but it quickly turned into a grimace as he felt the throbbing pain. He should go and get his wounds tended. Looking around now, sadness filled him as he saw everyone little further away.

Shippou's cooled body. Sango and Miroku lying close to each other. He could see the marks on the ground and knew that Sango had dragged herself over the monk with her last strength.

He saw a sudden movement in the corner of his eyes and turned to face the dead priestess.

 "Kikyo."

"I have come to bid you farewell, Inuyasha", Kikyo said quietly.

"What?"

"Shikon no Tama is completed. There is no reason for me to roam in the world of living anymore."

"But... Kikyo... Why don't you stay?"

"I'm tired, Inuyasha. I wish to finally rest in peace as I should have. And I have been revenged as well, since you killed Naraku for me."

"Kikyo..."

"Goodbye, Inuyasha."

"Wait!"

The woman turned to look over her shoulder.

"Are you not taking me to hell with you?"

Kikyo smiled, but it was an empty smile.

"I'll go alone for I know that you have another woman in your heart now."

She walked away.

Inuyasha stood there, rooted to his spot as he watched her leave.

It hurt him, it really hurt him deep to watch her go.

But he knew that he had Kagome...

Where was Kagome?

He started to run to the direction Kagome had run.

* * * * *

He reached Kaede's hut which seemed peaceful and quiet.

"Kaede-baba!"

Kaede hurried out of her hut to meet him and paled at the sight of him.

"Inuyasha? You're... alive?"

"Feh! Like some dirty hanyou like Naraku could have beaten me up." he paused to flash a stupid grin. "Now, where's Kagome?"

Kaede was still staring at him.

"Where is she?" Inuyasha repeated, impatience clearly present in his voice.

"She... We... We thought not one of you had survived and did what we saw to be the best thing to do," she said quietly, avoiding his inquiring stare.

Inuyasha's grin faded.

"What did you do to her?"

"We sealed away her memory and sent her back through that well."

Inuyasha did not say a word. He turned on his heels and started to run towards the well.

"Inuyasha! Your wounds!" the old miko shouted after him.

He blocked her voice out of his ears, all he could think about now was Kagome...

He reached the well and jumped in.

The hanyou's bare feet soon hit the sand-covered bottom. He stood there, frozen, not wanting to believe what was happening. The well was not letting him through. He tried several times, but it was all in vain. The well had closed.

Kaede reached him at the well.

"The well is closed. Shikon no Tama returned into Kagome's body. That must be why."

Inuyasha looked up to her from the bottom of the well. He jumped out and drew his sword.

"This cannot be! I want Kagome!"

"And what about Kikyo-nee?"

"The hell with Kikyo! I want Kagome!"

The feeling of loss was overwhelming. He had lost his friends, he had lost Kikyo, he had lost Shikon no Tama... He had lost his Kagome. He turned around and ran.

* * * * *

Few days later, some of the villagers returned from the forest carrying someone.

"Kaede-sama! Kaede-sama!"

The old miko stepped out of her hut to meet them.

"What is it?" she inquired

"It's Inuyasha, miko-sama. We found him dead."

"What did you say," Kaede hissed, not believing her ears.

"We found him in the forest, Kaede-sama. It seems that he has committed Seppuku."

* * * * *

Chie: For those who do not know, "seppuku" is a word Japanese themselves use for what we Westerners refer to as a "hara-kiri" i.e. ritual suicide.

You might hate me now, I know it's not fun killing off everyone and it's not like I had personally enjoyed it... But it's very, very essential for the plot.

... I hope you will understand. Please keep reading.