Kagome took a deep breath, as deep as she could, gleefully filling her lungs to the brim with the cleanest air she'd tasted in weeks. Being around a battle camp full of latrines, sweaty men, and horses didn't exactly make for a fresh atmosphere, but they were away from all the now, half a day's journey towards Xia's mountain.

She caught Sango's eye and grinned at her. "It's nice, huh?"

Sango smiled back, albeit a little less exuberantly. "Yes. I cannot wait to be home." She said it wistfully, but her eyes lit up brilliantly. "I think I'm going to rebuild my village."

Kagome felt her grin get even wider. "Really? That's great, Sango! We'll all help you, of course."

"Thank you! I want to bring in the orphans of the nearby villages and train them, if they choose." She gazed off into the middle distance and Kagome knew that she was picturing her slayer village shiny and new, filled with laughter and the sound of training.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Kagome told her, meaning it. "The land needs slayers."

"That's true, and so many children out there need a home. This way, if I train them, they can support themselves as they grow up." Sango was practically starry eyed, twirling the end of her ponytail gently in her hands, and it made Kagome happy to see her friend feeling upbeat again. She and Miroku still weren't really talking, but she seemed to be okay.

Kagome, however, was not okay, though she really didn't want to admit how weak she was feeling; she just wanted to move as fast as possible towards Xia, get everything here figured out, and then go home. She wanted a bubble bath so bad she could taste it. So she tried to control her breathing and pushed herself to keep up with the group as they traveled, ignoring the constant twinging of her wrist. It was neatly wrapped with fresh linens, the cleanest things she'd seen in a while, but the pretty outside didn't make whatever was under the bandages hurt any less. What would her mother think when she saw it? Would Souta be frightened? In the past she hadn't had any injuries she couldn't hide under her clothes, or write off as a result of something innocent, like falling off her bike. A severed hand couldn't be hidden, however. Shippou would cry when he saw it, of course, but then he cried at most things.

Her mom was going to be so upset, no doubt about it. Knowing her, she'd get very quiet and try to force feed Kagome ridiculous amounts of food, and then come back to scold her a few hours later after she'd stewed about it for a while. She'd probably try to make Kagome promise that she wouldn't go back to the feudal era.

Kagome's feet stuttered a little at that thought. She frowned. What were they all going to do once they got back home? Would another quest like this one pop up again, more people that needed saving? Would she finish her education in her own world, or work with Kaede to become a person who could help those living in this time? What would Inuyasha want?

"My head hurts," she muttered to no one in particular, sighing. Well, she knew she didn't want to be apart from either her friends or her family, so she'd probably just end up shuttling back and forth like she always had. If her mom and grandpa let her live, anyway. Oh, gods, what on earth would she tell her friends? The school had probably expelled her by now. She'd have to get her diploma some other way.

Someone's hand dropped onto her shoulder and she started, turning to see Huojin. "Changchang is rather offended and hurt," he said idly. The horse in question put her nose over his shoulder and snorted loudly and messily in Kagome's direction.

"Why?" Kagome said in confusion.

Huojin raised a brow at her. "Because you're tired but you won't ride her."

Kagome blinked and eyed Changchang, who perked her ears prettily. Well, her arm was hurting almost non-stop at this point, and she was beginning to feel lightheaded. She really missed her bike. "Uh. Okay," she said reluctantly. As soon as the words left her mouth Changchang trotted up next to her and stopped, peering at her through liquid brown eyes as if she had never stomped an enemy to death. "How do I get up?" she asked.

Inuyasha materialized out of nowhere and practically flung her up; she squeaked and grabbed for a handful of black mane, feeling entirely awkward and out of place so high up off the ground. He and Huojin both smirked at her, looking almost like brothers for a moment. It had to be the demon blood in them that found her discomfort so amusing. "There, woman, since apparently I ain't good enough to haul you around anymore," Inuyasha said airily.

"That is so not what this is about," she protested. He just snorted, though he took a moment to unabashedly eye her chest before bounding up ahead of everyone else. She felt herself blush, though she was also pleased.

Huojin strolled beside them and she was glad of his presence. Changchang was indeed moving very carefully and smoothly, but her brown fur was slick and the terrain they were covering was rocky and uphill; she couldn't help but jostle Kagome around a bit.

"Hold on with your legs. No, not like that, you'll squish her. Just wrap them around. Move your hips with her. There, that's better. If you're stiff you're more likely to fall off," Huojin told her. She did as he advised and did indeed feel more secure, but she didn't let go of Changchang's mane.

"I can't believe how different she looks from when we found you," Sango said idly, having watched the process of Kagome trying to ride as though it were the funniest thing she'd ever seen.

"Yes. She was very hungry," Huojin answered, giving his mare a fond pat on the neck. Wandering a little ways ahead, Miroku shot a dismal glance over his shoulder at them all, the rings of his staff jingling in a way that was somehow depressed.

Poor guy, Kagome thought sympathetically. She snuck a look sideways and saw that Sango was apparently thinking the same thing; her dark eyes were fixed on the monk's back, brows drawn in thought. Well, I guess Sango will have a decision to make once we get back home. It looks like she's thinking stuff over in the meantime; that's good. I hope she ends up happy.

They kept moving, and for the most part everyone's spirits grew as they got further and further away from the battlefield. That night around the campfire, Miroku even cracked a joke. They stayed up far too late, laughing and celebrating their freedom and victory and the sheer fact that they'd survived, and Kagome and Inuyasha celebrated again, later, on their own, quite enthusiastically.

"This is so stupid! So unbelievably rude!" Kagome spat, putting her hand on her hip and staring daggers at the little hut tucked into the side of the mountain. "We hike all the way back here and she's gone? She's not even here?"

"Xia!" Huojin shouted, apparently ignoring the fact that he'd been doing so already for nearly fifteen minutes to no avail. "Xiaaaaa!" He looked a little wild, hair sticking up in every direction.

Inuyasha joined Kagome's tirade, punctuating her sentences with especially inventive curses. Sango, Changchang, and Miroku appeared to be the only calm ones of the bunch, or at least resigned to waiting. "She'll show up eventually. I'm sure she knows of our arrival already, after all, she is a dragon," Miroku injected deftly when Kagome took a moment to breathe.

She glowered at him, but finally relented and joined everyone as they entered the hut. It looked exactly as it had three-and-a-half months ago when they'd met Xia; dusty and with a mound of old scrolls piled messily in one corner. They all sat down, except for Inuyasha and Huojin, who positioned themselves at the door and proceeded to stare intently outside.

Kagome propped her chin on her drawn-up knees, sighing. She wanted to get this over with so bad. On the way here, the skies in the distance had been as clear and blue as ever, showing that the drought over the mainland hadn't let up.

"Why are you back?" someone said, very close to her, in a beautifully melodic voice.

"Well, we- aah!" Kagome jumped up in shock. Xia stared at her, looking as impossibly gorgeous as ever, smoky gray hair a wild tumble of curls around her perfect face.

"You guys didn't exaggerate," Miroku whispered, looking positively awestruck. Sango rolled her eyes exasperatedly, though she wasn't above staring at the dragon who'd suddenly popped up in their midst like everyone else.

"At least she remembered clothes," Kagome said to herself.

"Why are you here?" Xia repeated firmly, looking directly at Kagome.

"You don't know?" Kagome said in confusion. Wasn't it obvious?"

"I have been otherwise occupied," Xia said smoothly. Before Kagome or anyone else could answer, Huojin stepped up, giving a short and rather awkward bow.

"We did as you asked. We fought in the battle, uh, the general has been telling everyone. About Inuyasha and I, fighting. The troops accepted us, more or less, they'll go home now and tell their families and word will spread even furthur." He scrubbed a hand nervously through his dark hair, looking at the ground as Xia rose smoothly to her feet.

"Well done, then, children," Xia said approvingly. She smiled, for the first time any of them had seen, and it was blinding; her blue eyes were almost too bright to look at. "My lands will be reborn! The rains will come again and the Jade Emperor will pay for his impudence!"

She held up her hands, throwing her head back, and shut her eyes. A humming filled the air, so low in pitch that it went straight through everyone's bones, and a keening wind rose outside. Kagome felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck from the sheer power she sensed.

What did a dragon's soul look like? Curiousity overwhelmed her. She shut her eyes and reached for the colors. She felt dizzy when she reached them, because Xia's soul was so large that it filled the entire hut and well outside it as well, a drifting gleaming vortex of sparkling blues. Kagome opened her eyes, astonished and not a little intimidated. Inuyasha was right beside her, eyeing the dragon in front of them with flared nostrils, ears flat to his head. That humming probably hurt them. It certainly felt strange.

No one moved or said anything; something in Xia's posture, even with her attention obviously somewhere else, made it clear that causing distractions wouldn't be a good idea. Her smooth white arms were reaching for the heavens and Kagome realized with surpise that her entire outline was vibrating, every inch of her skin quivering wildly with the power of whatever she was doing. Kirara had her head under Sango's arm; apparently she didn't like it either.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the strange humming stopped and Xia lowered her arms, turning exultant blue eyes on them all in turn. It was not unlike being under a magnifying glass, or the scope of a gun. Her gaze was like a laser. "The Lords have lifted their decree. I have rain to make," she whispered passionately, and the ringlets of her hair lifted around her, crackling visibly with static. Kagome realized with a start that she had her back pressed up against the wall, as did everyone else.

Xia turned to walk away, but then paused, turning back to them, moving like liquid lighting. She was smiling again, and it was almost too much to take. "My lands thank you for all you have done. They will live again, now, and the dragons can once again give our children to watch over them without fear. You have truly done well." As she spoke, she passed by all of them, one by one. She touched Sango on the forehead as she passed, and Sango gasped, falling to her knees. Xia touched Miroku on his hand where the wind tunnel had once been, and Kirara on one tiny black paw, and they both froze, eyes dilating.

Inuyasha received a fingertip to one of his ears, which, oddly enough, were pricked attentively. He didn't protest at all, shockingly, though as she took her hand away he raised a clawed hand halfway to her. Huojin shook as she stepped to him, and she put a hand gently to his cheek. His blue eyes widened, staring straight into hers, both so alike, and she nodded to him before he slid gently down the wall as if his legs had turned to jelly. She came to Kagome last, like a goddess giving a benediction, putting a cool finger on the bandages wrapping her wrist.

Suddenly Kagome was floating in a vast, starry emptiness, though she wasn't afraid. She turned her head and was met with Xia's electric eyes set in the skull of a massive white reptile; her true form, and it was violently beautiful. Kagome felt her breath catch. "What is this?" she asked the dragon. Her voice echoed.

"I felt you touch my soul, little one, not long ago," Xia answered. In this dark gorgeous place, wherever it was, her dragon voice didn't make Kagome pass out, or hurt her at all; it was rather beautiful, though different from the way she sounded as a human. It was louder, a little deeper, and had a sibilant hissing quality. Her tongue flicked from behind her teeth as she spoke, and Kagome saw that it was black and forked.

"Yes. I found out I can do this thing with colors now. I healed Miroku." This was so comfortable. For the first time in a long time, Kagome was warm and didn't hurt, and it was making her sleepy. Xia gave a rippling undulation that spoke strangely of laughter.

"Yes, I could tell, your energy is still in him. You have been very brave. I am sorry about your hand." Xia added the last as almost an afterthought, though it sounded sincere. Kagome got the impression that her puny human body was very foreign to the dragon. Maybe Xia took the shape of a human, but she hadn't truly lived as one. Seeing her now, a massive spiral of muscular whiteness, it only drove home how very inhuman she actually was.

"It's okay," Kagome told her, though she felt tears prickle at the back of her eyes. "My mom will be upset. That's kind of the worst part. It's worth it to help everyone who lives in this land, anyway."

The dragon gave a languid twist, claws shining. "I could fix it, if you want."

Kagome blinked at her in astonishment. "Really? You could give me my hand back?"

"I'm a dragon, girl, does it truly surprise you?

Kagome smiled, elated; it felt like a balloon of joy was inflating in her chest. "Yes, please! Can you- wait." She stopped herself, staring at her bandaged hand in confusion. She wanted her own hand back, desperately, with a fervor she hadn't really been able to admit to herself until now, but something else had occurred to her in the face of Xia's casual offer to work a miracle.

"What is it, child?" Xia asked, flipping onto her back like a playful puppy and casting Kagome a sapphire stare. Her eye alone was as large as Kagome's body.

"I- I don't- I don't want to be greedy," Kagome said slowly, trying to gather her thoughts. "But everyone here has been through so much- can you give Sango back her ear? And help Huojin get back to his own time? It's just I'd rather see them happy, I mean-"

Xia gave a great, rumbling laugh. "So selfless of you. They had their own rewards, I promise you."

"They came here too? When you touched them?" Kagome asked in confusion. She looked at the vast space around them.

"Yes. We dragons do not like be indebted, therefore I paid them back. So what would you like, little priestess?"

This was unreal. Just like that, Kagome could have her hand back? Her own hand, in the flesh, good as new? She thought about it, biting her lip, and she wanted it, but something in her wouldn't allow it. What she was about to ask was crazy, and probably Xia would laugh in her face, but she had to do it.

"I want to be by Inuyasha's side as long as I can," she said firmly, trying to force the trembling from her voice. She forged on, despite how absolutely ridiculous she felt asking such a thing. "Is there anyway you could- uh, I don't know, give me an extra decade with him or something, or keep me healthy when I get old?"

The dragon's massive pearly head turned to better regard Kagome, and she felt very, very small. "Why, that's amusing, your hanyou asked for the same thing," she said in her velvety voice. "I'll do my best. Thank you, priestess. Long life and happiness."

Then the stars around them began to shake and Kagome was falling, shrieking, Xia's great white shape arrowing away above her in the dark emptiness. She tumbled down, down, and back into her body with a disorienting suddenness. She looked around, putting her hand to her head, a little nauseous; everyone else appeared similarly awestruck. Xia was gone. Inuyasha's ears gave a flicker, and Kagome listened hard. In the distance, she heard a thunderclap, and smiled in spite of herself.

"It was all worth it," she said into the stunned silence filling the ramshackle hut. "Right? People are going to live now!" She stood up and started laughing. There was so much happiness inside that she felt like she might burst. She wanted to dance, to sing, to run around like a child. Inuyasha was simply staring at her, mouth hanging open, like he'd seen a ghost. "What?" she asked him smilingly.

"You smell different," he said after a moment, nose working wildly.

"Did you go to the big empty black place?" she asked him, grabbing his hand with her good one and pulling him to his feet exuberantly.

"Yeah," he said, still squinting at her curiously. She grabbed him and kissed him, as hard as she could, and the knowledge that she'd have a little extra lifetime to do so over and over again was so amazing that she wanted to cry. Then she realized that she actually was crying, from overstimulation and an excess of emotions running wild.

She pulled away and looked around. Miroku was staring at his hands contemplatively and Sango was cradling Kirara, staring off into space. Her ear was still partially gone, and Kagome wondered what reward she'd received from the dragon. Huojin was nowhere to be seen, but she heard his voice coming from outside and assumed he was talking to Changchang. Inuyasha distracted her by carefully wiping a tear off her cheek.

"You okay?" he asked seriously. She giggled a little.

"Yes! Xia said we asked for the same thing, so I guess it got doubled," she beamed, and he looked thunderstruck.

"What? Damn, that's-" It appeared he couldn't find words, so he just trailed off, but his eyes told her everything, and she kissed him again.

"Let's go home," she said when they finally separated. "Let's just go home."

Author says: Okay, there will be more, the story isn't over yet! They still have to get home, check on Kagome's family, try to help Huojin get back to his own time, Sango has to figure her stuff out... It's almost over, though. Getting there, anyway, I think.

Please review if you have a moment, it really makes my day. Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading! :)