War is over, if you want it. War is over now.

After ten years of tracking down the shards, fighting demons for them, losing them to Naraku, stealing them back from Naraku, getting stronger, making new allies, killing new foes, making new allies from old foes... and ten years of getting older and more mature... the jewel was finally finished. It was whole, and it was pure as it sat so innocently between Kagome's finger and thumb.

Ten years of her life, down the drain over a bauble that, by now, none of them dared even think of wishing on. Not even InuYasha. Ten years that she wouldn't trade for anything, granted, but...

"I guess it's time for me to go home at last then," Kagome said as she stood up straight.

"Go home?" Shippo asked, green eyes wide.

Kagome smiled, a little sadly, at the young fox. "Yeah," she answered. "Home to my time. You're a big boy now Shippo. You'll be just fine, I'm sure. But I knew from the beginning that I couldn't stay here."

"That's why she was always goin' on about bein' in her time for her tests," InuYasha groused unhappily. He didn't look the slightest bit different to the day they'd met.

"And why you didn't want me to," Kagome countered sharply. "Me not making my tests wasn't going to induce me to stay, InuYasha," she pointed out. "I love it here, really I do, and I love all of you, but..."

"But your time is not this one," Sesshoumaru finished solemnly. "To remain could well tear apart the very fabric of reality."

Kagome nodded. In the ten years they'd been after the jewel, Kagome had actually gotten to know the stoic demon lord. They'd stayed up late together a few times discussing philosophy, or he'd teach her a few tricks that he had been taught about controlling and manipulating his youki that she could potentially apply to her reiki. She wouldn't say it, and he definitely wouldn't, but Kagome liked to think that they'd managed to become friends.

"Sango, Miroku, this is goodbye," Kagome said, a little sadly. In her time, after all, they were well and truly dead. She didn't like to think of it, but it was true.

"Oh Kagome," Sango said sadly, and wrapped the other woman up in a tight hug.

Miroku joined them, his arms also tight around their shoulders. The occasion too solemn even for him to let his hand wander.

Kagome sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes when they separated, and turned to the demons. "If you're still alive in the year twenty-seventeen, look me up," she told them with a smile. "Unless something goes off when I go back down the well, I should be living in Tokyo, the Higurashi Shrine."

All of her friends with longer lifespans – Shippo, Sesshoumaru, InuYasha – nodded in agreement.

"Kirara, will you take me to the well?" Kagome requested.

The two-tail nodded and stepped up for Kagome to climb onto her back. Kagome's last view of ancient Japan would be from the sky. When they reached the well, Kagome gave Kirara one last hug, and then jumped into the well.

~oOo~

"Kagome?!" her mother's voice called frantically from beyond the well. "Are you alright? Souta said that Buyo made you trip and fall into the old well when you were fetching him," the woman continued, even as she started to lower a ladder down into the well.

Kagome blinked and looked down at herself. She barely stopped herself from screaming. She was in her old middle-school uniform again! The jewel was still in her hand, but -!

"Kagome?" her mother called again.

"I'm fine," she answered. "A little shook up, and I think I bumped my head," she added, even as she started to climb the ladder out. "But I'm fine. And look! I even found something at the bottom of the well!" she added with false cheer as she showed her mother the jewel. "Think I could make myself a necklace with it?" she suggested.

Her mother smiled. "I'm sure you could," she agreed. "I'll look for some jewellery making things when I do the shopping," she promised.

"Thanks Haha," Kagome said, and gave her mother a quick hug. "I'm going to be late for school, I think."

"You're staying home," Mrs Higurashi countered. "It's your last year of middle-school, and you haven't missed a single day from injury or sickness yet. I'm sure they can forgive you this one."

Kagome smiled gratefully. "And I can use the day to look at which high-school I want to attend," she suggested.

Her mother smiled back, and nodded in agreement.

Kagome followed her mother back into the house and settled down with a sigh. Before, as soon as she had graduated middle-school, Kagome had dropped out. It was the minimum education she could receive legally, which was why not flunking out had been so important. Coming back to her education after everything was over would have been possible provided she'd passed.

This time, things were clearly going to be different. She would get into a good high-school, and if she could swing it, one away from Eri, Yuka, Ayumi and Hojo. Especially away from Hojo. Now, she just had to remember where they'd all decided to go last time, check that they still intended to make the same choices this time, and apply to none of those high-schools.

~oOo~

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome yelped quietly once the door was closed behind her and she turned to see just who was in the principle's chair of what she hoped would be her high school when she graduated from middle-school. His hair was black, his eyes a golden brown, and his markings were gone, but it was definitely Sesshoumaru.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru answered, and actually blinked in surprise. "I recall you complained to me once that you could not attend high school due to InuYasha's nagging over your duties to the jewel."

Kagome smiled. "Something went funny when I jumped down the well after the jewel was restored," she informed him as she took a seat. "I have the memories of everything that happened, ten years worth of memories... and I'm fifteen again. The very day Mistress Centipede dragged me down the well, and I was at the bottom of the well, even, but... No centipede demon, no time travel, just the bottom of the well. Like it never happened, except that the jewel was still in my hand," she explained.

Sesshoumaru nodded in acceptance and understanding. "I see," he said. "You are taking advantage of the opportunity you have been granted?"

Kagome nodded. "I am," she agreed firmly. "I don't know what I'll do with a normal life, but I figure that everybody has to figure it out on their own, and there isn't a better place to do that than in high-school."

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru agreed.

Kagome bit her lip, then plunged forward. "I'd never have picture you as a teacher," she admitted, the words soft but leaving her mouth in a rush.

Sesshoumaru smirked a little. "Indeed," he said again. "After you left, this Sesshoumaru took over the task of raising your son. After raising Rin, I was able to make a more qualified judgement as to my opinion of the profession. This Sesshoumaru enjoys teaching. I was promoted, however, and now the only place I have teaching is in the school's kendo club and as an extra when the P.E. classes leaves school grounds for orienteering or marathons."

Kagome smiled sympathetically. Paperwork. The administration nightmare. "How is Shippo?" she asked.

"At peace," Sesshoumaru answered solemnly. "I am the last of those you knew."

Kagome's eyes widened and her hands came up to her mouth – to stifle a gasp or keep her mouth from falling open in horror she wasn't sure.

"He was not a taiyoukai," Sesshoumaru said flatly, though not unfeelingly. "He became powerful, and lived a long life, but he passed on two years ago. He was happy though," he added. "Most especially on the days you visited his oden cart. I believe it is run by his son now."

Kagome smiled as tears glazed her eyes as she recalled the oden cart she had always loved to visit, because the old man there told her wonderful stories as she ate the very best oden in the world. "He had a family," she said softly.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "They are less powerful than Shippo was, and cannot hold an illusion of humanity as well as he did, so they hide their cart instead from those who do not have a certain amount of spiritual power. If you find the cart again, I do not doubt that you will know it," he said.

"Thank you," Kagome answered, bowing her head slightly. "I'm sure that I will."

Sesshoumaru nodded again as he reached for some papers on his desk. "Now, about your wish to enrol here. There are entrance exams and a minimum score requirement which I am confident you will easily pass."

"I managed to pass middle-school without teachers the first time, with teachers this time, I should be top of the class," she agreed with a smile, welcoming the distraction of the actual reason she was there.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru agreed. "You will be joining the archery club," he stated, as though it were fact. "You spent ten years perfecting your skill with the bow. You will not waste such, even if your body does not remember what your mind does."

"Hai," Kagome agreed. "I set up targets behind the shrine yesterday, and intend to purchase a bow and some arrows on my way home today."

"You will continue to train your powers as well," Sesshoumaru informed her. "Demons still exist in this age, and you are still the holder of the Tama."

Kagome nodded. "I carry a pen-knife up my sleeve and already purified two lesser demons seeking it just today. Using my powers is thankfully a mental discipline, so my control there does not have to be re-learned."

"Merely continually improved upon," Sesshoumaru countered. "Very well," he agreed. "You will take these forms to fill in, and this Sesshoumaru will make a note of your name among those who wish to sit the entrance exam when that date is upon us."

"Thank you Sesshoumaru," Kagome said with a smile as she accepted the papers and stood. She bowed politely and began to turn for the door.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru said, catching her before she had taken a step.

"Yes?"

"You cannot call this one Sesshoumaru in public," he stated. "Passing centuries and human bureaucracy have forced this Sesshoumaru to change his name several times."
Kagome smiled. "The name on the door was Takahashi Ichimaru," she agreed. "I'll see you around though, ne, Takahashi-sensei?" she asked hopefully.

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. "Not often," he warned. "It would not be good for a teacher and a student to be seen to have anything but a professional relationship unless they were related. We are not."

Kagome nodded in understanding. "I know," she answered. "Still, I'm glad you're here to talk to, sensei. I would have missed our talks."

Sesshoumaru's expression softened, just a bit, and a hint of a smile graced his lips. "I have missed our talks," he countered, and with a wave dismissed her from his office.

Kagome smiled as she left. She would have to return to her middle-school tomorrow, but for now... she had a bit of shopping to do. She was a good shot with the bow. Was being the operative word, since her muscles currently sucked. All that conditioning, lost. She'd have to build it up all over again.

~oOo~

"Higurashi-san?"

Kagome looked up from her notebook. She was planning out her exercise regime. She liked being as fit as ten years of running around after demons had made her. It was a nasty shock to discover, or re-discover, just how soft she'd been at fifteen. "Yes, Hojo-san?" she answered politely.

"I was wondering if you'd go on a date with me on Friday?" he asked hopefully.

Kagome blinked. "I thank you for your interest, Hojo-san, but it is not returned. I wish you well," she answered and with a polite, but clearly dismissing nod, returned to her notebook. No, even if she had wanted to go on a date with Hojo – which she didn't, she really, really didn't – Friday was just out of the question. She'd be catching a bus out to Sesshoumaru's private country estate on Friday where, with his permission, she'd be forcing herself through the obstacle course.

Sesshoumaru wouldn't be there. He had an apartment in the city that he lived in. But he was happy for her to make use of the course his grandfather originally built for his father to learn on. A course that had been subsequently used by Sesshoumaru himself, Shippo, and even by Kirara a few times over the years before she had also died of old age.

She'd gotten permission from him in a letter. After having to post back the papers she'd filled in for him, they'd kept up correspondence. Letters were really the best way for them to communicate outside of school hours when he would (eventually) address her as one of the students under his care. Kagome had, of course, asked if his own children had ever used the training course on his estate.

Sesshoumaru had responded that he had never taken a mate, and was not so dishonourable as his father as to take a mistress and sire bastards. He was powerful enough, and the times peaceful enough, that he had no fear of being killed by anything – and he, like his father before him, would not die naturally. InuYasha had, but he was only a half-breed. He may yet find love and a mate, but he did not feel the need to actively seek them out for himself at present.

Kagome felt a little sorry for him about that, but understood where he was coming from. After all, everybody around him thought he was about thirty, not the near millennia he actually was. Kagome was having trouble adjusting to the idea that it was alright for her to be romantically interested in teenagers again, and she'd only been in her mid-twenties when she'd been sent back.

Well, her last year at middle-school would be her adjusting period, but there was no way she was going out with Hojo.

"What did you do that for Kagome?" Yuka demanded quietly – they were in a room filled with their peers after all. "Hojo's a nice guy! He's going to inherit his family's business some day! Just about any girl in the school would be glad to be asked out by him! Why'd you turn him down?"

Kagome raised an eyebrow at the other girl. "Every other girl in the school can have him," Kagome answered, "because I'm not interested in him."

The three other girls slumped a little. Ayumi in disappointment – the girl really was a romantic – and Eri and Yuka in disbelief.

"Why not?" Yuka wanted to know.

"Yeah, what's not to like about him?" Eri added, expression incredulous.

"Ugh," Kagome groaned. "More like what is there to like about him?" she countered. "'Nice' does not a personality make."

Before her friends could question her further, the teacher entered the room and called them all to order.

~oOo~

'Nice' might not have made for much personality, but Hojo also had persistence going for him. Or against him. Persistence hadn't done Koga any favours either, after all. The boy also had Kagome's friends on his side. Some friends. But Kagome had already known that, and was slowly (deliberately) drifting away from them.

"Come on Kagome, why don't you go?" Eri asked one sports lesson when Hojo had (again) asked her out. "You're not scared to go on one itsy-bitsy date, are you?"

Kagome wasn't going to fall for that trick this time though. "Yeah," she answered. "Scared I'll strangle him to relieve my boredom."

"No way it could possibly be that bad," Yuka objected. "He's offering to take you to the movies and then to eat. You'd at least enjoy the film and the food!"

Kagome shook her head. "The only things showing right now are badly dubbed American romantic comedies. No thank you," she said firmly.

"There's that horror film about the little girl who died and vowed vengeance on her little brother for living," Ayumi offered. "That's a Japanese film. You wouldn't have to worry about bad dubbing then."

"I'd just have to worry about Hojo either expecting me to cling to him in fright, or having to put up with him clinging to me in fright when he figures out that I'm just not scared by horror films," Kagome countered dryly. "Not interested."

And in truth, she wouldn't be scared by a horror film any more. After having real life experience of all that stuff, she could look at horror films and critique where the film makers had clearly not done their research. If she ever went to a horror film again, she'd need to find someone to go with who wouldn't mind her laughing through it. For preference, someone who'd laugh with her. Actually laugh too, not just scoff like Sesshoumaru would.

"But..." Eri objected.

"Kagome, I'm beginning to wonder if it's something wrong with him, or if it's something wrong with you," Yuka stated bluntly. "Hojo is kind, thoughtful, is going to inherit a stable family business, and he's handsome on top of all that!"

Kagome snorted. "If by 'handsome' you mean he's got a face that looks like it would fit in with my little brother's class," she quipped. "If you like him so much, why don't you ask him out?"

"Higurashi! Take the starting position!" barked the sensei then, saving her from her friends as he ordered her to the track.

"Hai Sensei!" she answered. She would improve her running. There were still demons and such in this time, and since there were less of them that had Sesshoumaru's strength, more of them wanted the jewel. Being able to run until she could dispose of them safely was important.

~oOo~

Kagome doubted that she would ever enjoy tests the way that Ayumi did, but she didn't feel as terrible about them as she had the first time around – or as terrible as Eri and Yuka still did. This time, Kagome knew, she'd aced those tests. She didn't enjoy the tests themselves, but she could enjoy basking in the knowledge that she'd gotten perfect scores. And not because she'd memorised them from when she'd done the tests the first time around – because she hadn't. She hadn't thought she would ever be taking these tests again, so she hadn't bothered. No, she was confident because she knew the stuff this time around. Really properly knew it.

It was a good feeling.

So while Eri and Yuka slumped together, bemoaning their fate and complaining about having had to sit a test at all, and Ayumi was all bubbling over with how fun it was, Kagome just stretched leisurely and smiled a small, proud smile. Especially since it was the last test she would have to take until it was time to sit her high-school entrance exam.

Goodbye middle-school! Goodbye green skirt and sailor-top! Goodbye Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi! And best of all – goodbye Hojo!

Yeah, that bit of knowledge felt really good.

Almost as good as figuring out how to purify a lesser demon when her only weapon was a sharpened pencil.

"So, what are you guys planning to do?" Kagome asked the girls as they walked out of the school building. They hadn't, in the past year, broached any topic of the future that didn't revolve around boys or shopping trips, except for the times that Kagome had asked each of them (individually, without the others listening in) which high-schools they planned on applying for.

"I'll be getting a summer job," Eri answered. "Start saving up for my own car or something. I probably won't have it before I start attending Seika, but it will be good to have something."

"But isn't Seika an all boys school?" Ayumi asked, confused.

"Not any more," Yuka answered with a smile. "It's just gone co-ed. I'll be taking the entrance exams for it with Eri. Ah, all those boys..."

Kagome shook her head. "You two are boy crazy," she grumbled. "What about you, Ayumi?"

Ayumi shrugged. "I'm applying for as many technical colleges as I can," she answered. "I'll start studying information systems, and when I graduate from there, I'll go on to Tokyo-U."

Kagome nodded. Ayumi was the most sensible of her friends really, except for romance. There, she was purely supportive of your choices, even if they were bad ones.

"What are you going to do Kagome?" Eri asked.

Kagome smiled. "An old friend is the principle Cross Private School, and says it would be a personal insult if I didn't at least take the entrance exam. I'll apply to a couple of other schools as well, just in case, but that's the one I really wanted to get into even before I found out he was principle there," she answered.

"Old friend?" Yuka asked slyly, clearly hoping for juicy gossip or a forbidden romance between a teacher and student. She hadn't approved of InuYasha in Kagome's first teenager-hood, but on the grounds that he was a 'bad boy' and a 'two-timing scoundrel'. Teachers were stable, and something she could approve of, even if it was a slightly taboo romance. "Is this old friend why you weren't interested in dating Hojo? You've been dating a man rather than a boy?"

Kagome tried not to laugh. Really she did. But the giggles grew into chuckles and soon she was holding her stomach as she shook her head. "Haha! Oh, no! Ha! Dating him? Oh, oh Yuka, you're hilarious!"

"Is he ugly?" Eri guessed.

Kagome had just about gotten her laughter under control, but Eri's comment set her off again. It wasn't her fault, the girl had no idea what she was talking about, but seriously? Sesshoumaru? Ugly? It was even more ridiculous than the idea of Kagome dating him! Even when he'd only had one arm, he'd still been an Adonis!

"Then is he married?" Ayumi tried when Kagome started to calm down again.

"Ahh, confirmed bachelor," Kagome answered as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. "I swear, he's just an old friend. He's more like an older brother, really!"

And then they were at the lights where Kagome parted ways with them, and that was that. She would probably never see them again.

Kagome smiled to herself as she walked home. High-school would come soon enough, and the chance to meet new people and make new friends. Friends that were not as shallow as her middle-school friends had been – she was determined.