Aftermath

A/N: This is my first oneshot so go easy on me, it is probably a little rough around the edges due to my lack of a beta, but i hope i did well enough to not have so many mistakes. Anyways, this was just a thought that occured to me one night with i was watching Family Guy... don't ask me how i got an idea like this watching Family Guy 'cause I have no idea how that happend myself lol. Well I hope you enjoy the reading of Aftermath....

AFTERMATH
Written By: Shadow


Who am I?

I believe the proper question would be,

‘Who WAS I…’

I was once a friend, a lover, a sister, a mother and a protector…

I was once the Shikon Miko…

But not anymore…

No I gave all that up.

Now… now I am no one.

I am nothing more than an empty version of my former self.

You see, I am no longer a mother, nor a friend.

I am no longer a sister, or a protector, but worst of all…

I am no longer a lover.

All of that was taken from me.

But sometimes…

Sometimes if I try hard enough, if I look hard enough, I can still hear them, I can still see them, I can almost feel them.

The Shikon Jewel is gone from this world.

It has been taken to the pits of hell with my former incarnation.

She made the final wish and she rid this world of its evil for good.

No longer will I be hunted for the cursed little thing…

No longer will I be forced to be aware of my surrounding all the time…

No longer will I be forced to sacrifice my life, my happiness, for the protection of everyone else from the power of the terrible jewel.

But now it doesn’t matter…

Because now I have no life and I have no happiness.

Now this life is empty and pointless to me.

I stand here often…

Whether it is because this is where he used to sit, or because I find some form of comfort here, I do not know.

What I do know, however, is that if I stand here and look down on this forsaken field long enough, I can see them.

I can hear them laughing and talking almost as if they were still here with me.

Almost as if they had never been taken from me.

I miss them…

I miss them so much it kills me sometimes.

But I move on…

I move on even though I am alone.

The well…

That old bone eater’s well closed itself with the wish that took Kikyou and that damnable jewel to hell.

So now…

Now I am stuck here, in the Feudal Era of Japan…

Alone.

Yet still I stand here, I stand here and watch as images of my old friends flash before my eyes…

I watch as Sango, the sister of my heart ran and twirled in the field of colorful flowers.

Her two-toned pink kimono shirt and green skirt twirled along with her.

Her sandals long forgotten along with the hirikotsu tossed carelessly to the side on her way to the flowery valley.

Her long black hair flowed gracefully behind her as she moved.

Her beautiful dark eyes sparkled with happiness and mischief.

I watch as she falls on her bottom dizzy and laughing.

A small smile curves up the corners of my lips.

Sango…

She was always there for me…

She gave her life to keep me safe, and I…

I find it funny that she did such a thing without a second thought...

Miroku…

I stand and watch as Miroku, the brother of my heart, ran to Sango’s side to make sure she was okay.

He smiled when he noticed her silent laughter, and soon after he reached her side they both burst out in loud friendly laughs.

Oh how I missed such a sound…

He was taken from me in an attempt to save Sango and Kirara from the deaths they so willingly dove into to keep me safe.

And Shippou...

My little Shippou…

He was my Adopted kitsune son.

His flaming orange hair…

Impossible to tame, bounced with him as he bound towards the happy couple.

His blue outfit stood out in bright contrast to the red, orange, and yellow flowers around him.

He rushed toward the two with an excited Kirara close on his heels. Her Yellowish-tan fur ruffled with the wind as she ran.

The darker brown stripes on her tail and the dark diamond shape on her forehead distorted by the rush of air as she ran.

Both Shippou and Kirara leapt into the air as they got close to the two and joined in the laughter when they crashed down on top of the dazed Sango and Miroku, knocking both of them onto their backs.

Even my little Shippou was taken from me, ripped from my arms by that vile Naraku!

I stand here and watch my little family of misfits play and laugh in the field but someone is missing…

The most important one of them…

InuYasha…

My lover.

Oh how I miss him so!

I look for him on the side lines and find him sitting in the shadows of the forest surrounding the little valley.

His red haori billowed in the light breeze; his long silver hair flowed behind him.

His ears…

Those adorable little dog ears that rested so perfectly atop his head twitched ever so slightly, monitoring the area for any signs of danger.

He looked up and smiled at me, that wonderful smile that he saved only for me. I watched as he waved to me, beckoning me near…

But I dare not go near, lest they disappear from my sight once again.

Tears fall from my eyes as I watch him start to run towards me.

My heart almost soared, and I was almost tempted to jump into his arms.

Just as I was about to give into my temptation, give into my imagination and go to them, they were gone…

InuYasha was lost to me in that final battle as well…

Pierced by that evil hanyou’s disgusting tentacles.

He died in efforts to save us all, the world around from that horrible beings presence.

In the end I was left alone to fend for myself.

I was so angry…

So hurt!

I drew my bow and notched an arrow…

I was so blinded by my fury, so blinded by my hatred, so blinded by my sorrow…

I released the arrow and it soared with deadly accuracy, deadly aim, and deadly purification…

It struck true and pierced the vile creature straight through his heart, purifying the jewel and the clumps of flesh that were the evil hanyou Naraku.

The demon that plagued these lands for years was no more, but at the most costly of prices.

I made my way slowly back down the path…

The path that I used to travel frequently on my journey from this time to my old home in the future.

The path that led from the old bone eater’s well down to the village of Edo where I currently reside alone on the outskirts of the village.

I stood on the top of the hill looking down on the old village and an image of the elderly priestess Kaede came to me.

Her smiling face was as friendly and welcoming as it had ever been, her traditional priestess garb consisting of a white haori and red hakama flowed slightly from the breeze that passed by.

Her old wrinkled face complete with the eye patch she always adorned watched me knowingly.

She raised an arm and waved and at that moment the vision began to fade.

Kaede was lost to me as well, but not from battle…

No…

The old priestess was lost to her age.

She was the last of my family here in the warring era.

When I lost everyone else she was the one to comfort me…

I still remember her words when I came back to her, my heart shattered and my mind in hysterics from the loss of my friends and family.

She said simply…

“Worry not child, for ye will be reunited with them in the next life. Do not tear yourself apart; it is not your fault Kagome. They gave their lives so that you could live, so go child, go forth and live… if not for yourself then for them…”

From that day on I did just as old Kaede said.

I lived.

I did not however, live for myself…

No…

I live life for Sango, my brave taijiya sister, and Miroku, my intelligent houshi brother.

I live for Shippou, my kitsune son who barely had a life to live…

I live for InuYasha, the only person I have ever loved.

I live for them because they gave up their lives for me.

Now… back in my worn out hut in the old village of Edo, I prepare my supper and get ready for bed… I nightly routine I never stray from.

Tomorrow I will retrieve herbs for medications because, even though I gave up being the Shikon miko and protector of all, I am still seen as village priestess…

As it was my dear friend Kaede’s dying wish for this to be so.

I finished my supper of rice and a bit of boar meat and go lay on my small futon in the corner of my small dark hut…

Once again I prepare myself for the onslaught of emotions and realizations I know are going to come…

As I lie in on my make-shift bed I realize…

I will never see Sango’s smiling face or Miroku’s worried frown.

I will never hear Shippou’s happy laughter or Kirara’s excited mew.

I will never feel InuYasha’s lips on mine nor will I ever smell his masculine scent of pine and leaves.

I will never be able to go to Kaede for advice or help.

I will never be able to hear my Jii-chan’s terrible stories or hear Souta’s excited voice calling my name as I walk out of the old well house.

I will never feel my mother’s strong caring arms holding me and welcoming me home again…

I am all alone…

All by myself…

I will never see anyone, hear anyone, feel anyone…

Ever…

Ever again…


A/N: That was it for my little oneshot story... I know its not that long but it wasn't really supposed to be. I don't usually ask and of my readers to rate or review because I don't usually care, but this time I find that I would greatly appreciate some reviews, simply because I would like to know what people thought of this particualr story and I would also like to know what I did wrong and what needs to be corrected. So please, whether you enjoyed the story or not any feedback would be appreciated. Domo Arigato!

Ja Ne,
Shadow