Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter Seven : Strength Renewed

Footsteps like a cat's, silent and graceful, treaded through the ocean of trees. Though it was night, in this part of the forest not toad nor cricket roused a noise, staying quiet as if standing in awe of the beautiful miko. Kikyou walked on, looking much like a celestial maiden descended straight from her heavenly throne: not one jet black hair was out of place, no dirt smudged her kimono.

Behind her, Kohaku followed, the boy lost in thoughts of his long-lost sister. An expression too old for his eleven years was on his face, and a deep sadness and a maturity that no child Kikyou had ever known to possess could be seen in his eyes. After traveling with him for this short time the miko had realized how unfit for this battle Kohaku was, not in skill or experience, but in spirit. He truly is not a fighter, she thought, but a peaceful boy.

A twig cracked ahead, and Kikyou snapped back to attention, gray eyes centering to the front. She waited only a split second more before drawing her an arrow and taking aim in the darkness. "Come out, mononoke, I know you're there."

"Awh," came a gentle voice, though flawed by the double echo, "You spoil all the fun, miko-sama." Out of the shadows appeared a beautiful, white-skinned woman. Kikyou's eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar attire the woman wore; it was not that of Japanese origin, and her hair was done in the most peculiar style she'd ever seen, the long white strands woven very meticulously into beads of every shade of red there was. Despite the unassuming, childlike smile, Kikyou was not deterred.

"Kohaku," she commanded gently, and in silent obedience, behind her she heard the clinking of chain as the young demon hunter readied his weapon. He came up beside her, bowed down low, his eyes never leaving the beautiful demon.

"Kohaku," the woman said comfortingly, her words doubling as if in echo, spoken at the same time. "The child with no future... Whose life depends on a tiny shard in his back..." Both miko and taijiya tensed, wondering how the demon knew that particular detail of Kohaku's existence. Kikyou's fingers tightened at the end of the arrow shaft as, from the shadow of the trees, appeared another demon.

This one was enormous, a looming monster with dark, glistening skin and a grinning, gaping maw full of serrated teeth. The hair on its head was shaggy and red, curling around two large black horns that swept back. The limbs were long and gangly, the knuckles dragging the ground. And on its back was the immediately recognizable burn scar in the shape of a spider.

Naraku's mark!

"Naraku sent you." It was not a question.

"I don't really remember if that happened," the woman teased, the sweet smile turning devilish. "You'll beat it out of me now, then?"

"Fool!" Kikyou's cry was accentuated by the sound of the bowstring snapping back. The woman didn't move as the arrow shot straight towards her, purifying spiritual energy coming off it in waves. Kikyou grit her teeth, both confused and vaguely horrified that the demon wasn't making any attempt to defend itself from what would be a lethal shot...

At the last second the calmly woman stepped a single pace to her right, her eyes never leaving Kikyou's as if trying to prove something to her. The arrow struck the woman's upper arm, lodging itself deeply in the flesh. She let out a soft cry of pain, but still didn't look away. The miko got the message.

She's... not a demon!

"What do you think of that... Kikyou..?" the woman growled out, ripping the arrow out of her arm and leaving a stream of blood rushing down the pale skin. "Did I just put a hitch in your plans?"

"What are you?" Kikyou demanded, and the woman just smiled.

"Attack, Shikage."

The inhuman demon ran forward, slashing out with his claws towards Kohaku. The boy darted backwards to dodge, drawing the battle away from Kikyou. The miko gasped as the demon, without so much as a glance towards her, followed Kohaku. "Kohaku!" She started after him, reaching up for an arrow to purify the demon.

"Oh no you don't," came that irritating double-voice, and Kikyou turned back to the woman to find her charging towards her. Unused to martial combat, the undead miko barely was able to stumble out of the way, landing hard on the ground and dropping her bow. It slid out of reach, and as she flipped around to regain her footing, the woman was at her again. She had no weapons, but as a fierce punch whizzed back her cheek, Kikyou quickly realized the white woman may not need one.

My spiritual power won't work against her because she's human... Then...

In an amateurish swing, Kikyou punched at her attacker, and the white woman laughed. "You're a miko, you foolish woman, you don't have any experience in hand-to-hand combat!" With ease the white woman caught Kikyou's wrist and twisted it. The miko made a soft noise of pain, scrabbling at the iron-like grip of her opponent. The woman centered cold red eyes on her, the expression disgusted. "Don't try to cross over into my territory of fighting."

.n.

Meanwhile, Kohaku glanced behind him. The demon, Shikage, was still following him, letting out a guttural roar as it clomped and stomped behind him. This should be far enough, the boy thought, spinning to face his enemy and letting fly the chain-blade.

The creature dodged, rushing forward and swinging its long, deadly claws for Kohaku's head. The exterminator easily dodged the cumbersome maneuver, running to the side where the creature against swiped at him arbitrarily. The lack of fighting spirit was more than enough to confuse Kohaku.

It's hardly attacking me, the eleven-year-old realized, yet again dodging a lame attempt at an attack. If Naraku sent it to capture me, or the Shikon shard in my back, wouldn't it be trying harder to kill me? Unless...

Kohaku leapt upwards, landing nimbly on a thick tree branch as Shikage went pounding in the dirt and rocks beneath him. He dropped back down just as quickly, throwing out the blade again and shanking off Shikage's head. It let out a short, terrible screech as the blade's edge cut deep into the flesh of its throat, and then went silent as the head dropped to the ground. The body followed suit.

Kohaku caught his blade, shaking it once to clear off the blood, then took off for the clearing where the demons had first appeared. It's not me! Kikyou-sama is the target, not me!

.n.

Kikyou grit her teeth, eyes flitting back and forth as she struggled to recall where her bow had fallen. Not too far, but still too far to reach while this eerie, pale wench had her. The many battles she'd had with Inuyasha on her side rushed through her mind's eye, and with a strange growl, she kicked out, sweeping the woman's legs out from underneath her.

"Aah!" She went down hard, her guard dropped, and Kikyou hurried to her bow, snatching up the wooden weapon. She could already sense the woman behind her, and she swung around, bringing the bow around, fingers already catching an arrow and setting it to the bow. In the span of about two seconds she'd aimed and fired.

Even as the woman's pained grunt sounded in her ears, a paper talisman was slapped upon her mouth. Kikyou felt a sickening jolt of numbness sweep through her, and her arms dropped limply to her sides. Sweat beading her forehead, the woman smiled, kneeling to catch Kikyou as her legs gave out.

"Shh..." she whispered, laying the miko down, "Sweet little Kikyou... How cruel of you to shoot me... Just for that... The dream I'll give you..." She smirked, "...it won't be pleasant. Toki no naka no yami wa kokoro o nomeru, yami no naka no maboroshi wa me ga mienai ni naru."

Kikyou's gray eyes slipped shut. The woman smirked as she released Kikyou's shoulders, letting her fall unceremoniously to the ground like a limp rag doll. She stood to her full height, wincing when the movement in her stomach muscles caused a fresh rush of white-hot pain. Blood was already soaking her white robes, and she whimpered as she pulled the arrow out of her side. A rustle in the bushes caught her attention, and deep red eyes met those of Kohaku.

"Ki...Kikyou-sama!"

He rushed towards her, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his weapon when she slid behind him as quickly as a shadow, and chopped the back of his neck. Kohaku gasped once and collapsed. After a moment, the woman bent down to ruffle his dark hair.

"Sorry kiddo, your part in this show is over."

.n.

As the faint sounds of morning stirred into her hearing, the crickets and toads giving way to the birds, Kagome found herself not wanting to move. A deep warmth fixed her in place, softness below and around her, a gentle familiarity and hominess to the bed on which she slept. Just the same, she began to rouse, and opened her eyes slowly.

Only to flinch wide awake suddenly and lean back a little.

Sitting at the side of the bed, his face resting on the mattress of fur, was Inuyasha. Her entire body tensed, afraid she'd woken him when she jerked awake, but he simply nuzzled against the bed and went still. Oh.. he's still asleep, she thought, relaxing. She settled back against the pillow, studying his face. From up close, it was even more obvious how much he'd grown.

His face user to be a little wider, and the line of his nose wasn't that long. She half-smiled, stifling a giggle that bubbled up. And the lines under his eyes deepened. A couple more years and he'll start looking like an old man.

Kagome sombered, looking away.

I didn't want you to ever come back. I wish you hadn't.

Why did he have to say something so mean to me? It's not as if I didn't already know he hates me, but he had to dig in his claws? Figuratively speaking of course... She started to sit up, already going through in her mind the next step. They had to find Myouga-jiichan, since according to Inuyasha he'd given it to the flea who'd sealed it away. Let's just hope he remembers where he sealed it.

As she slid off the bed, Kagome realized her hand was caught. She tugged gently at it, but when that failed, she tugged harder. Whatever held her fast tightened, not hard enough to hurt, but certainly hard enough to keep her from pulling away. She glanced down momentarily to see what it was, and was surprised by the sight of Inuyasha's hand clasping hers.

What.. she half-thought, Didn't he just tell me last night that he didn't want me here?

"...nmh... Kagome..."

Inuyasha nuzzled deeper into the pelt on his bed, his sleepy murmurs dying in the strands of brown fur. Kagome blushed, a tempest of emotions fighting for dominance in her mind. Confusion, embarrassment, relief, and more confusion-- why is he holding my hand? Doesn't he... hate me?

Could it be... he's lying to me?

All thought processes screeched to a complete halt when Inuyasha awoke. For a moment she considered slumping backwards and pretending to be asleep, but that idea went directly down the drain when he looked up drowsily to meet her face. Sinking into the floor was out, so dashing into the forest and hiding seemed to be her only acceptable option.

"Kagome..." The girl in question saw the very moment he snapped back to complete consciousness; a familiar insecure scowl that made him look like a pouting child slammed into place and he snatched his hand back as if he'd touched something scalding hot.

"What..." He mumbled, looking around for an explanation to his being there, and Kagome shook her head, looking away. "You were there when I woke up."

"Keh," was his only reply as he stood, going to the line over the now-cold embers of last night's fire and retrieving their clothes. He tossed hers at her --which Kagome only now remembered she wasn't wearing-- and grabbed his own robe. "Let's go back to the village."

Kagome nodded, but grimaced as she looked over her clothes. The mud had dried on, and dead leaves and pine needles were now sticking out of the dried clods. She pulled them on slowly, her insides curling like plastic against a flame at the feel of the scratchy, itchy, dirty cotton. When we get back, I'm shipping these out for washing and taking a nice long bath! This is just gross.

As she grabbed her shoes and socks, out of the corner of her eye she saw Inuyasha standing in front of the niche where Tessaiga was shoved out of sight. The hanyou neither moved nor spoke until one wavering hand reached out and closed around the sheathe. For a long moment he held the katana in both hands, feeling the weight, the shape of it.

Kagome pressed her lips together, silently watching him. He seemed nostalgic, and the look in his eyes as he gazed at the sword was almost apologetic. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, he slipped it into his belt and turned to her. "Let's go already, Kagome. Hurry up."

"R-right! Wait for me, I'm coming." As she tugged on her socks and shoes, holding herself up against the cave wall, she glanced up to see him standing against the light, his silhouette dusky. The extension of Tessaiga at his hip, sorely missed from this first week, made her smile.

Still a long way before he's his old self again though, whispered a tiny voice. She acknowledged its existence, but pushed it back, not wanting to let go of the small delight she took in his much-welcomed first step.

.n.

The end of the rains brought a glorious new morning, the black clouds dispersing and the sun stretching out warm rays reassuringly to the world below. Bathed of anger and grief, the world began anew again, glittering golden from the drops scattered everywhere.

"Thank the gods you're alright!"

As Inuyasha and Kagome emerged from the forest, Miroku was standing by the door of his house. At his feet was Kirara, whom Kagome had yet to see in the days since she returned. The little cat-demon seemed as cute and energetic as ever, because she gave a mew and pounced over to the miko's feet.

"Kirara!" Kagome knelt to pick the feline up, and Kirara nuzzled into her throat, mewling and purring. It was apparent that she'd missed Kagome just as much as everyone else, and the teenager smiled sadly. "I missed you too. Where have you been?"

"A few days before you came back, one of our students was on a mission with Kirara several villages back. I went to pick them up yesterday," Miroku explained, and Kagome made a soft mouthing, Oh. His light-hearted expression changed then, becoming more fatherly and stern. "You gave us a scare though, not coming back last night. Where were you?"

Kagome laughed sheepishly, biting the end of her tongue. "Sorry to have worried you, Miroku-sama."

"Kagome-chan's back?" Sango's relieved voice wafted out from the house, and she appeared at the door as she rolled up the shade. Immediately her eyes fell on the girl's muddy appearance, and she looked her over with a grimace before finally looking up to meet Kagome's eyes. "Kagome-chan, what happened? You're covered with mud." Kagome blushed, reaching up to scratch at her cheek.

"Well…It's sort of hard to explain." Telling Sango that she had been sitting in the mud crying like a baby when Inuyasha found her suddenly seemed very ridiculous.

The ex-taijiya shrugged, obviously not too concerned after all. Ignoring her filthy state completely Miroku gesturing towards the back of the house. "By the way, Kagome-sama, Kohaku was asking about you. He was rather worried. You might want to go back and let him know you're alright."

"I'll do that now!" Kagome said, setting Kirara down and heading to the yard in the back of the house where the houshi had indicated. The three of them watched her head behind the house, and then Miroku sighed. "Kohaku's really taken with Kagome-sama."

"We'd better nip that in the bud now, don't you think?" Sango wondered, and abruptly Inuyasha cleared his throat. It startled the two of them, causing them to both turn to face him with sheepish grins.

"Did you forget I was here?" he wondered dangerously, the huskiness of his tone covered by Miroku's nervous laugh. Despite the hurried "Of course not" Miroku provided, the hanyou cursed under his breath and folded his arms. "If you guys are just going to ignore me, why the hell am I here again, anyway?"

Sango tipped her head sympathetically, opening her mouth to speak, but her husband beat her to the punch. "Because we need you here, with us."

Inuyasha looked up, and Miroku gave him a sincere smile. "It's been a very long time."

"Yeah... it has." The hanyou grinned as well.

.n.

Considering the time they lived in, and the meager existence of most of the village, Sango and Miroku actually had quite a fine home. It was bigger than the standard, partly because of the many children they had, and partly because Sango's classes as a taijiya instructor. In addition, the back yard was an exercise station for the exterminators in training.

It was there Kagome found Kohaku. He'd slipped out of the top of his red clothing, tucking it into his belt. Three other students, one girl and two boys, were adorned in their taijiya armor, standing around him in a circle. The young miko stood at the corner for a long time, watching. It was obvious Kohaku was helping train his mother's students.

"Kohaku-senpai, this armor is heavy."

"And hot," whined one of the boys.

"Don't complain," he reprimanded, "You have to get used to wearing it. Now. Amaya, when Matsu attacks me, you will come in from behind," he instructed, speaking to the girl. Then he turned to the smaller of the boys. "Aki, you will attack me from my front left while Matsu attacks from the front right."

"In all this heavy stuff we're not going to land any hits."

"Boy, you three are pessimistic today," Kagome heard him say. He sounded disappointed. "Just shut your mouths and do what I tell you. Now... GO!"

Any dissent was gone immediately as the three of them launched towards the oldest, and Kohaku stood still for a moment. Then he slipped to the right, grabbing nine-year-old Matsu by the back of his uniform and leaving seven-year-old Amaya to crash into her brother Aki, who was the same age.

Kohaku flipped Matsu over his head, slamming him into the ground. Recovering from their bonked heads, Amaya and Aki darted at Kohaku's exposed back, attacking the backs of his knees. Kohaku wobbled for a moment, regained his balance and flipped backwards, executing a perfect handstand. The kids slipped off his legs and crashed down onto Matsu.

Kohaku flipped back up and raised one judgmental eyebrow at them. "That was pitiful," he stated matter-of-factly. Matsu peered past Aki and Amaya's legs up at the older exterminator with a wilted expression.

"Senpai, you cheated."

"What, did you think I was going to stand there and let you beat me up? I told you this was an exercise to get you used to wearing the armor, not to coddle you into thinking this would be simple. Fighting demons is hard and dangerous. And if you can't even be serious when fighting me, how do you expect to fight a youkai?"

The crumpled pile of kids just whimpered.

Kagome laughed, surprised that nice, thoughtful Kohaku-kun could be so serious, and the boy heard it. A worried, surprised expression crossed his face, covered by the fierce blush coloring his cheeks. "Kagome-sama...?"

"Ah, I'm caught," the girl said teasingly, coming out from the corner. She walked over to the clearing and stopped by the taller boy. "Good morning, Kohaku-kun. I didn't mean to interrupt your class--" Kagome was cut off, because quite suddenly Kohaku's arms were wrapped around her. A blush to match his rose on her face, and she turned to look up at him. "Ko.. haku-kun...?"

"I was so worried about you, Kagome-sama. When you didn't come back last night I thought something might've happened to you." She heard a relieved sigh. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Kohaku-kun..."

From the same corner of the house Kagome had been standing, Inuyasha watched silently.

.n.

"So let me get this straight..."

The fire crackled around the new logs that had been put on it, and Miroku stirred at them with the poker. Sitting with him around the hearth was everyone but Inuyasha, who was sitting in the corner wearing his trademark quiet scowl, and the youngest of the children, who had been sent to bed already. Kagome had bathed and was wearing her pajamas until her clothes finished drying.

Shippou paused to sip the tea Sango had served and then looked at Inuyasha. "Okay, so you gave the hourglass to Myouga-jii?"

"Years ago," Inuyasha admitted, "It was getting rough on me."

"I thought it might. We should never have given it to you," Miroku said dismally, a pessimistic frown crossing his aged features. Inuyasha growled under his breath, recognizing the houshi's mood.

"Don't get all mushy on me, monk. What's done is done. The point is, I gave the thing to Myouga, I don't have it anymore. He told me he was going to seal it away."

"Right," Kagome added, looking over at Shippou. "So I was thinking, if we get Myouga-jiichan to unseal it, then we could deal with it."

"Kagome-chan, I hate to be the one to break your optimism, but really what is your plan of 'dealing with it?'" Sango gave the girl an uncertain glance. "The goal is to break the spell, but we all tried to destroy the hourglass twenty years ago. I still don't see the point of searching for the hourglass."

"Well, I've been thinking about it. You guys all said that Inuyasha tried attacking it, right? If its jyaki was so powerful, wouldn't a barrage of negativity --like an attack-- only add to its strength?" The young woman looked at Miroku. "I was thinking, if Miroku-sama and I combine our spiritual power we might be able to destroy it."

"So we're laying all our hopes on 'might.'" Kagome raised her eyes to Inuyasha's, and the hanyou's glare stayed on her, the blank chill unwavering in his eyes. The tension in the room was slowly creeping past palpable, and the others all fidgeted in the sudden uneasy silence. Kagome grit her teeth, her eyes dropping to stare at the wood. There's no reason to cry, she reassured herself, taking a deep breath. She swallowed.

"No. Not might. It will work." She looked up at him. "I have to make it work." The determination in her voice earned her a reaction from the blasé hanyou; he raised one eyebrow, giving her a look-over before sighing and turning away.

"Do what you want, I don't care."

Sango could practically hear the death rattle of the optimism in the room. The maternal instincts that had been nurtured and fine-tuned to perfection over eighteen years of raising children desperately wanted to kick in, grab an ear in each hand --one belonging to Inuyasha, the other to Kagome-- and give sharp yanks before demanding an apology and that they play nice with each other.

These two were not her son and daughter however; they were her friends. Moreover, the situation was far more complicated than Minoru or Satoru refusing to share a sweet treat with Suzuno or Misa and Choumei getting into a fight; this was a lovers' quarrel that had been stretched through twenty years and a broken trust.

Much harder to mend than a sibling rivalry spat... the ex-taijiya nodded to herself. At her side, she heard her husband, obviously feeling the tension as much as she, clear his throat. "So.. How are we going to work this out?"

" 'Work this out?'" Kagome repeated, looking at him with a look of wonder. "Meaning...?"

"What I mean is that someone has to go to Myouga and get the Hourglass," Miroku elaborated, "This isn't exactly the search for the Shikon shards, it shouldn't need that much of a party. But I don't imagine you and Inuyasha would want to go by yourselves, would you Kagome-sama?"

At that simple suggestion, Kagome's mental processes screeched to a halt the way a semi screeches to a halt to spare a squirrel from a fate as greasy roadkill: harshly and with whiplash injuries. Not the way we are now, no!

Seeing the horrified look on her face, Shippou grinned sheepishly at the houshi. "Don't think that's such a good idea, Miroku. Someone should definitely go with them."

"I'll go," Kohaku offered.

"NO!" Both Miroku and Sango yelled, startling everyone. Each instantly realized the confusion such an overreaction caused, and Sango cleared her throat, elbowing Miroku in the ribs. The houshi gave her a half-glare. "I mean.. No. Kohaku, I need you here."

"What for?" The boy asked, obviously not placated with a simple order on his mother's part; he wanted a reason. Sango grit her teeth, hiding what would've been a bitten lip instead; she hadn't thought that far ahead.

"You'll do as your mother says," Miroku assisted, his expression stern. "If she says she needs you here, she does." Sango gave her husband an appreciative half-glance for exerting his paternal authority and then looked back at her eldest child with a gentler expression.

"Kohaku, I have class. And the kids to take care of. And you usually help me with the latter, so you can't go traipsing all over the place. Best to let Shippou go."

Across the room, the kit was nodding along up until the last part, at which his head snapped up. "Wait, what?" He sat up, his expression one of pure mortification, clawed hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "Why me?"

Sango made a deep growling noise in her throat, one that Shippou had learned over the years meant she was getting aggravated. It was her Angered Mother noise. He winced at the noise, and cooled down for all of a moment before she slowly stood up, taking up the pail. "Oh, look at that," she began without even the remotest tone of surprise, "We're out of water. Shippou, come with me to fetch some?"

The kit blinked for a moment and then stood up and went to the door. "Uhm.. Sure."

.n.

Once outside and safely out of Inuyasha's earshot, Sango turned to Shippou. "Shippou, please do this for me. I need you to go with them."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The kit demanded, "The tension in there is enough to choke me. I feel like if either of them say anything, his head or her head or my head-- someone's head is gonna explode. And you want me to spend possible weeks searching the terrain for a potentially-harmful relic that is this big--" he pinched his forefinger and thumb together, "--that happens to be covered in so much jyaki that it almost turned Inuyasha into a demon when he touched it, much like what it might do to me?"

"Shippou, please. I can't send Kohaku."

"Why not? The kid's tough. You can't baby him forever, Sango; I know he's your brat and all, but he's a man already--"

"Right, a man who has feelings for Kagome-chan."

At this Shippou frowned, his eyes turning to ice. For a long moment he regarded Sango with an uncertain glance, trying to find some humor in what she was saying. He found none, and that bothered him.

"Are you sure...?"

"Watch him with her. You'll know."

Shippou tried to swallow, but his throat had closed up with Sango's statement. He was suddenly acutely aware of how unfair it would be to Kohaku, to send him on a journey with a woman who by all rights should be twenty years his elder. Kagome could never look at Kohaku as anything other than her best friend's child, even if she hadn't been in love with Inuyasha.

How unfair was it to Kohaku to make him accompany a man who --despite all his desperate attempts to hate her-- still loved Kagome? Inuyasha was a jealous, fight-happy maniac, and that was on a good day, when he wasn't a discombobulated mess of confused emotion.

That didn't even delve into the injustice of sending Kohaku to look for the very thing that created this alternate time. They were going to destroy it, in essence destroying him, destroying everything that he knew. Of course he couldn't let him go. It seemed like some sick game of suicide for the boy.

Sango could see when Shippou consented: his tail sagged a bit behind him and his expression wilted. She spoke again, this time to say the words that would lay it in stone for him. "They need someone who traveled with them before all this. Someone who understands them, who loves them, to go with them."

Shippou nodded in mute accord. Sango continued. "Kohaku doesn't understand what they used to be like, and it would confuse him. Not to mention the situation it would create with Inuyasha."

Shippou couldn't help but smile, though it was grim. "He'd kill him."

Sango clicked her tongue under her breath, a ghost of an eyeroll following. "Yes well, he's never been all that good at reining in his temper." Shippou gave her a knowing glare, one that reminded the ex-taijiya how often in his youth Shippou had been reminded of that particular trait of Inuyasha's. Blows to the head over an ill-spoke word was just a part of Shippou's daily routine as a child, so it was no wonder he was wary of traveling with the hanyou again.

To herself, Sango thought dismally, Who would want to?

.n.

The next morning broke much like the previous day: without the stormclouds hovering in the area, it was a gorgeous, sun-lit morning. The ground was still wet from the days of rain, but the mud had hardened a little thanks to yesterday's full day of hot sunshine, and today's weather was moderate. A little wind from the east, a few fluffy white clouds hanging in the direction the black rainclouds had fled.

Kagome had spent the evening sorting through her backpack, removing the items she wouldn't need. Wistfully she looked at her schoolbooks. She'd brought them to study for the tests she had in the present day: a history exam, math test and a review exam in science.

For the first time since her journey to the past had begun, studying was far from the front of her mind. Like the unwarranted guilt that had plagued her for the past several days, she felt an unaccustomed disgust take hold in her mind. Disgust at herself, for running home all the time to study. Wasn't Inuyasha right? Finding the Shikon shards and Naraku was infinitely more important than her stupid books, wasn't it?

No, part of her disagreed, one day this will be over, and I'll go home. I have to have a life there.

You're wrong, the newer part said, gaining voice for the first time. You're a dishonest, untrustworthy bitch. You left them because you don't care. You disgust me.

"Kagome-sama?"

Kagome snapped out of her trance, dropping the books on the floor with a shrill squeak of surprise. She lifted her gaze to meet Miroku, who was standing in the doorway, gawping at her with a wide-eyed stare, one hand over his heart. He looked startled. "Miroku-sama!" She cried, "You scared me."

"I scared you?" the monk repeated incredulously, "Don't yelp like that so suddenly, I'm an old man." Kagome rolled her eyes, picking up her dropped books and moving them aside along with the other things she'd decided to leave behind, mostly school-related items. She rechecked the bag, confirming that everything on her list --including food and first aid kit-- was inside and properly stowed. Then she tied it closed and got to her feet, swinging up the pack and slipping her arms through the loops. Over that went her quiver and bow, which she slung more loosely than the pack; she needed to be able to draw it quickly,

"By the way, what did you need?" She asked, and the monk shook his head. "Nothing. Inuyasha and Shippou asked me to tell you that they're ready to leave whenever you are." Kagome nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Are you nervous?" Miroku asked, and Kagome shook her head. "Nope. Fine." Her friend raised his eyebrows questioningly and she flushed. "Okay, maybe a little . I think I'm being too optimistic, too naive, in thinking I'll be back within a week or so. What if this takes a long time? What if we can't find it at all?"

"Keep your optimism, Kagome-sama," Miroku said gently, "It is, after all, your strong point. You were always a ray of light when we were together before, and I'm sure that you will be as strong now." The reassuring smile he gave her reminded Kagome of her father's, and she nodded once energetically.

"Thank you Miroku-sama. I'll do my best."

"That's all anyone can ask of you."

The miko followed the monk out of the house and paused for a moment at the top of the hill to look out over the village. Down the stream bed was the fork of the crossroads, where the two paths separated into the western road that led to town and the southern road that led to elsewhere. It was here that Inuyasha and Shippou were waiting for her.

Beyond the stream, the pathway south continued off into the distance, so far out that Kagome couldn't see the end. All that lay in sight was a long breadth of fields, patches of scattered forest and shrubbery clustering on the landscape. The wide unknown was briefly terrifying, but the desire to return to her time was ever so much stronger. She straightened her shoulders and then followed Miroku down the hill.

At the banks of the stream, she noticed Sango and the children were also there to see them off, and Shippou was saying goodbye to the twins. All of the children seemed terribly displeased that their playmate was leaving for an undisclosed amount of time, especially Misa. The sixteen-year-old wore a heartbroken expression.

"Shippou-san, do you have to go...?"

The kit grinned at her. "Misa, I won't be gone long. Besides, Kagome is my friend. Friends help each other." He gently petted her hair, and the junior exterminator sniffled as unbidden tears warmed in her eyes. The kit gave hair-touslings to each of the boys --Choumei, Minoru and Satoru-- and then looked tall Kohaku square in the eye. Little Suzuno was in his arms. "Kohaku, keep an eye on them, 'kay?"

"I will," the boy replied. Shippou grinned at him, "Don't do anything I wouldn't." By now Kagome and Miroku had reached the foot of the hill, and Inuyasha opened his eyes to focus a bored glare on her. He snorted.

"Took you long enough."

"We can't all have our pants in a wad," Kagome replied, which caused the hanyou to raise an eyebrow in irritation, but he had no retort ready.

Shippou turned to the young miko. "Are we all ready to go?" He asked, to which she responded with an ardent nod.

Inuyasha stepped forward, arms still folded. "Then let's go." He started down the path, Shippou and Kagome following hesitantly. The schoolgirl turned back once, eyes fixing on the little family who watched them leave, and bit her lip.

I wonder if this is the last time I will see them...? She shook her head, chasing those thoughts away. Whether she failed or succeeded, she knew she would see them again one day. With a bright smile, she lifted her arm in a wave.

"See you later!"

The seven of them waved back, voices raising in a hopeful cheer of goodbyes. Strength renewed, Kagome turned towards Inuyasha and Shippou, and didn't look back again.

…To be continued

a/n :

Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I love the compliments!

;p

.Tessen.