Kagome stood up quietly.

It was one of the only nights Inuyasha decided to sleep for a time, which meant, in a sense, freedom.

She slipped away from the camp and walked through the trees with soft footsteps.

She walked through what could have been an enchanted world, with glowing fireflies and moonlit trees everywhere.

Her mind wandered though.

She recalled when she was a small child and her father listened to music with her.

A particular song was in her mind and she hummed the tune, but couldn't for the life of her remember the words.

She remembered her time in the feudal era of Japan.

A little Kitsune pup jumping into her arms with a welcome warmth every time she came back from her own time.

A woman with a tragic past that somehow managed to still be the best friend anyone could wish for.

A monk, who, despite his 'hand habit', was a wise and caring friend that Kagome would never want to loose.

And lastly, a Hanyou who was never accepted, and had experianced hatred and betrayal like none of them.

But then she had to think of others she had met also, or it wouldn't be a fair evaluation.

There was Kaede, who was always trying to help and in the beginning, no matter how hard it was upon her, helped them out.

Naraku who seemed to have no heart and could only act upon the emotion of revenge, evil, and hatred.

Rin, whom Kagome had observed and seen that she was eager to please and pleasant to spend time with, what with her energy and fun nature.

Then Sesshomaru. What did Kagome think of Sesshomaru? She used to think he was just a strong, silent, cold blooded killer, but then Rin was 'adopted'. She could not say what she thought of the demon, because every time she thought she might have him figured out, he changed.

Then the people she had met along the way. All had a set purpose it seemed. Lucky them. Fate just loved to play games with her.

Kagome climbed to the top of a barren hill encased in fireflies before she realised she was not walking through forest anymore.

She looked around curiously, a few lights burned in the village below her but all else was quiet.

A wind picked up her hair and blew it about her face.

She smiled against it like an old friend.

Suddenly she heard running footsteps behind her.

Her smile vanished and she spun around.

Rin was running towards her, waving her hand around.

"Konbanwa, Rin-chan." Kagome said softly, her smile lighting her face again.

"Konbanwa Kagome-chan!" She replied happily.

"Aren't you tired? It's late out. Where is-" The realization shook Kagome and she stood up from her crouching position next to Rin.

Sesshomaru stood many paces away and Kagome put a fisted hand over her chest.

"Sesshomaru-sama." She said softly. Perhaps it was best to show respect, so she might live, what, a few more minutes?

He simply stared at her.

Kagome shifted.

"Ano. Inuyasha isn't here with me." Kagome said looking down.

"I see." Sesshomaru said with his monotone voice.

"Are you going to let me go back to him?" She asked, looking back up at him.

He looked at her and she couldn't read his eyes, except they looked calm as ever.

"Come Rin." He said finally and turned away.

Rin blinked and ran to catch up with him, saying a brief goodbye over her shoulder.

Kagome blinked again and when he was out of sight she sighed and dropped her hand.

"Does it serve me right? Why does destiny always like to do this to me?" Kagome said, getting the edge to her voice again.

As she walked briskly back to the campsite she couldn't help but think of their first meeting, "You tried to kill me didn't you!?" it echoed in her mind and laughed at her.

She had grown a lot from that time. It had only been one year.

She had taken an extra class on history, and read up. She learned how you properly resected one of higher class in this time and other things that might become useful.

She wasn't as quick to yell at Inuyasha and make him "sit", but they still had their squabbles.

Kagome still had her fiery attitude but it was under control, and she knew when she had met her match and when she should back down.

She insisted on visiting her time, but the periods between kept getting longer and the period there shorter, and soon the feudal era was more like a home to her and she found herself yearning for it while she walked the modern streets of Japan.

Kagome had respectively come out of school, and her mother made off that she was starting home school. Her grandfather still made crazy stories to ward off her curious friends but sometimes her mother would spare her and say she was seeing and old friend or relative for a while.

Kagome had also become stronger. Kaede had taught her even better how to use the bow and arrow and Kagome had next to perfect aim.

Kouga still obsessed, Miroku still touched, Sango still punished, Inuyasha still fought, Shippo still laughed, and Kirara still sat around watching it in silent amusement. It was a good life.

She re-entered the camp site and breathed a tiny sigh of relief that no one had woken up and she hadn't been killed on her trek there and back from 'freedom'.

She curled up on the ground and went to sleep then.

*** The Next Day ***

Kagome woke up along with the rest of the group.

Kagome smiled and began breakfast as they gathered themselves together and woke up completely.

Kagome no longer dressed in her school uniform, instead, she wore either modern, modest clothing if they were travelling, or a beautiful kimono Kagome's mother had given to her (passed down for generations) if they were passing through a village that day. Sometimes she would wear miko clothing, except with black pants with white kanji down one side instead of red, that was an alternative to either so she wore them when she chose.

Today, Kagome knew they would be travelling to the village she saw last night, but she also knew it was a very religious-based village because of the vague glimpse she saw of red and white, no doubt from a patrolling miko.

She wore her miko clothes and put her longer hair up in a high ponytail. Her looks had changed over that year, her glossy ebony hair now dropped just below her rear, and her brown eyes had strangely lightened to a light brown color. They all assumed it as from the ever developing magic that now freely flowed through her veins.

She was more filled out and her pale skin never tanned, it seemed to only get lighter with the sun. She had high, cheekbones and well defined features. Her red bow had been replaced by a sharp black one, and Kagome made it a hobby of making strange arrows, used not of the chipping stone but rather of hard black stone, rich brown rod, and beautiful feathers.

Sango sometimes said they were too beautiful to kill with and dispose of, but Kagome laughed and said she could always make more.

Emerald eyeshadow and shiny lipgloss was the only make up she ever wore.

Her hair always smelled of cinnamon sticks and dried cherry blossoms, and the same scent always hung about her.

Indeed she had changed.

As soon as they had finished the common favorite breakfast food, Ramen, they packed up and left.

Another change was when Kagome never carried around her yellow pack anymore, just a silken black book back that she slung over her shoulder and put the essentials in, also sometimes she would pick up little things to give to her grandfather when she visited.

They moved through the forest, Kagome and Sango chatted a little bit, while Miroku tried to find a quicker way to touch and run, which always ended the same way, and another bump to relay to his grandchildren, if he ever persuaded a female to have children with him.

Inuyasha walked in the front, quiet except when he tossed some comment back to either add to a conversation or start a new one.

Finally they made it to the hill that Kagome had stood upon when Sesshomaru had spared her.

Kagome shook her head and walked down the steep hill, which soon turned to a tumble, skip, jog, then full out run.

She caught her breath as she reached the bottom of the hill and strained not to fall over.

They walked the rest of the way in cautious silence, and continued as they walked through the village, past the market place, past prying eyes.

Nothing interesting or out-of-the ordinary happened surprisingly, they passed through the village without any trouble.

The busy sounds vanished behind them and Kagome grinned despite herself, "Congradulations comrades! We finally passed through a village without nearly bringing it to ruin!"

Sango laughed with her while Inuyasha glared and Miroku smiled.

They walked the rest of the day and by sunset they found themselves surrounded by hills and a very deserted, burnt up village.

"We could take one of them, just for shelter." Miroku suggested.

Kagome's eyes widened considerably and she practically yelled, "Somebody LIVED in one of those houses, and now they are DEAD and what if they still stay there to protect it or whatever? Dang it, I don't know bout you guys but the next to last thing I want is a vengeful ghost chasing us around this forsaken era."

"You know you love this time Kagome, don't try to decieve us." Miroku winked.

"Then I will sleep on the ground. I hope a strange mammal with large jaws died in the hut you decided to sleep in Miroku." Kagome tossed over her shoulder as she pulled a strained rectangular blanket out of her bag and tossed it out, curling up on top of it and bringing it around her.

Shippo joined her and Inuyasha sat cross legged across from her.

Miroku grinned and lay on the ground on top of the scrawny blanket Kagome grudgingly threw at him.

Kagome passed Sango another one to spare her sleeping with Miroku, and Shippo curled up with her.

They were all about to relax and go to bed when another cool silken voice was heard, "Inuyasha."