'So beautiful', the young girl sighed as sapphire her eyes swept across the scenery. Standing next to a stream the young woman watched the playful water tag and giggle as it skimmed past rounded stones. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, the smell of pine, wild flowers, and crispness giving a sense of freedom that isn't present in the future, 'Present in the future' she thought with a smile.

As if on cue, jewel of four souls securely tied around her neck pulsed and the smile turned pained. With her calloused hand she grasped the pink stone and took a step closer to the clear water stream, "Tonight is the night isn't it?" she whispered to the nearly completed jewel. The small chipped orb pulsed again and soft sigh escaped her lightly chapped lips, 'You know, you've always been a thorn in my side,' she thought with a drained smile.

Squatting down the young priestess studied her reflection in sparkling water, 'I really do look like her don't I?'Dark blue eyes traced the line of her soft facial features and long raven hair. Closing her eyes once more she stood tilting her face to the sky letting the late morning sun warm her lightly freckled skin, 'For some reason that doesn't bother me as much as it use to.' Almost a year ago the clay priestess Kikyo sacrificed herself to save Inyuasha and the rest of the group from one of Naraku's detachments and in the process recovering a large portion of the jewel from the evil half-demon.

"Since then time seems to have moved so fast," she whispered aloud, as a faint giggle escaped her lips at the irony. Between the relentless collecting jewel shards and a substantial amount of miko training, the last year Kagome found her time was less spent in the future and more in the past to focus on her duty. Now she couldn't help but feel like the feudral era was now home and the future was the fantasy world. If it wasn't for ache of missing her family, she would have considered not heading back at all. Less bound her to the future especially when she was forced to drop out of school due to her lack of attendance.

She rarely saw her 'normal' friends much, and when she did all she could do was sit quietly and fiddle her thumbs not able to find the urge to care about the latest gossip. When she visited home the constant noise prevented sleep and the fast movement of vehicles put her on edge, making her jumpy and irritable. Over all she found herself rarely leaving the shrine grounds, just to get supplies, when she traveled through the bone eater's well.

Like a persistent child the jewel pulsed again in her hand, a constant reminder of task she had in front of her. The grip on the pink stone tightened as she attempted to fight the tell tale burning in her eyes. The past few months were merciless; instinctually the group new the end was near making everyone tense.

But Kagome was aware of something the rest were not; a truth that she knew she couldn't share with er loved ones. The priestess felt like it was eating away her insides. And it only worsened when Inuyasha promised her a beautiful life after the destruction of the jewel and Naraku. That night under the moonlit sky he came to her and said the three little words that have her heart soring. Hidden with a joyous smile, tears filled with soul wrenching guilt fell down her cheeks. 'I'm so sorry Inuyasha, but our dream… my dream… cannot come true.'

Kagome stood by the stream for an unknown amount of time, allowing the smells and sounds calm down her heavy emotions. The sun comfortingly caressing her face as she let the nature around her sooth her spirit; focusing on the sounds of the group a few yards in the trees behind in hope of bringing back memories when times were a bit more simple. A smile returned to her face.

A wave of demonic aura brushing her senses alarmed her of an intruder in her secluded meadow. Glancing away from the stream, her smile showed a playful tilt as she lightly bowed her head to the new visitor, "Lord Sesshomaru."

The western lord didn't comment as he silently moved to stand next to the petite woman. Kagome continued to smile while her gaze returned to the serene flow of the stream. A loose truce formed between the brothers' packs when it was clear the final battle was on the horizon. Kagome found an amusing past time, together with the lecherous monk, to lightly push their limits with the lord.

Peeping at him from the corner of her eye she waited for the reason of his appearance. The lord stood like a stone gazing at the stream; feminine eyes narrowed, she knew there was a purpose of him being here. She diverted her attention back to the stream, but for now she will let his silence reign.

The quiet moment between the two was broken when the miko gasped as the jewel pulsed strong enough to startle her. The young woman glared down the offending stone draped around her neck when a wary smile formed on her lips, 'Funny, I forgot I was still holding it.'

"Miko."

Kagome blinked and looked up at the dog-demon whose golden eyes seared into hers, she allowed a few moments past before replying "Yes, Sesshomarou-sama?" the young woman's tone holding a faint trace of teasing. The lord raised a silver brow while his eyes drifted to the jewel which innocently laid in her palm in unspoken demand.

A light breeze past through the clearing before her soft but absolute reply, "The battle will be tonight."

The demon's eyes snapped back up to the miko's face only to find that she had returned her gaze back to the stream. Sesshomaru shifted his stance to face the water once more while watching the priestess from the corner of his eye. He watched as she calmly closed her hand, holding the jewel of four souls near to her beating heart. Closing her eyes, a gentle smile appeared on her lips as she lifted her face to the sky; the same position her found her in just moments before. The western lord narrowed his eyes.

"Miko."

Kagome couldn't help the widening of her smile as she replied in the same tone from earlier, "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" Silence followed, 'Maybe I shouldn't push my luck,' opening her eyes but keeping otherwise in the same position she peeked at the demon.

He stood there practically the embodiment of cold death, untouchable and horrifically beautiful, she always admired his beauty, 'I mean what woman wouldn't,' she mused 'but I think that long hair would drive me nuts.' Studying the demon lord she finally looked into eyes that held a hue of irritation, 'Yea, shouldn't push my luck'.

The young woman sighed and gracefully crouched staring into the water in attempt to distract herself from the information she was going say, "The jewel knows it will be whole soon," dipping her hand into the chilly water, smiling at the way the sparkles winked at her, "and it knows what I plan to do with it."

"Hn."

'Lord of so many words' Kagome thought as she inwardly rolled her eyes. She let out a sigh when she felt him continue to stare at the back of her head. She heard him shift a step closer to her in voiceless intimidation. Closing her eyes, her secret bubbled and filled her throat.

"…I'm going to die tonight as well," she softly whispered to the tranquil stream. Another breeze swept through the clearing, this one bringing the smell of an oncoming storm.

"You are human Miko, it is expected," was the emotionless reply. Kagome smiled at the characteristic remark and stood to face the western lord to find him already walking back towards the group, "whether you remain that way is entirely up to this Sesshomaru."

The miko sadly smiled at the western lord's back.

The sun peeked over the horizon reflecting on the remains of the earlier rain storm looking like earthly bound stars. The sound of dripping water and the smell of wet grass amplified the feeling of cleansing that dominated the battle field. Only the labored breathing belonging to a gravely wounded miko disrupted the pure moment. She was sitting alone in the middle of the field, a glowing ball of pink pulsed in her left hand, while her right was place over the gaping hole in her left shoulder. Kagome stared at the jewel in awe, every sight, sound, and smell faded into the background.

The sound of her name partially broke her from the trace, "Kagome?" "Ka-chan!" muffled like someone was trying to shout from another room. The priestess numbly looked up to see why someone was calling her name. What met her eyes were blurry forms, she blinked a few times and tried to focus. After a few moments she began to remember the faces, the names, and memories.

Tears began to fall from her eyes as she watched the gravely injured Inuyasha beat against the barrier that encompassed the battle field. She watched as Shippo cried at her attempting to stop the flow of blood from Miroku's chest while Sango lay unconscious beside him. Dragging himself back into the battle field from she watched Kouga stumble forward as his legs gave way when he caught sight of her. Her gaze traveled to the haggard white form of Lord Sesshomaru as he pulled himself to his feet looking at her with shocked eyes.

"KAGOME!" the scream of her name made her numbly turn her head back to the half-demon. "Inuyasha," her voice weak from the blood that was filling her lungs, Inuyasha fell to his knees as he listened. Kagome gave him gentle smile, "Please be happy… I want you to be happy," she watched his eyes widen then start screaming and pounding on the barrier with new vigor. The pink dome stood as strong as it did when it trapped Naraku, as strong as is it did to shield the rest of the land from purification, and as strong as it will have to be in order to prevent her friends from saving her and Lord Sesshomaru from reviving her.

Her duty was going to come to a bitter sweet end. 'Ready my friend?' The completed orb lightly pulsed, 'Our time is done. Our existence, no matter the intention, brings pain.' The glow in her had receded leaving a simple pink sphere in her hand. Kagome looked down at the jewel and sadly smiled, a tear fell from her eyes and splashed against the pink smooth surface, 'and what brings so much pain should be destroyed.'

Movement in the corner of her eye caused her head to snap to the left, 'is he still alive?' The young woman blinked at what she saw; currently floating on a stick beside her was a little blue haired girl. The little girl fiddled with the sleeves of her light pink kimono and shyly looked at Kagome in the eyes then quickly looked away. 'A part of Naraku? I don't sense anything from her,' Kagome tensed as she quickly stood to face the strange girl.

"Hello-my-name-is-Botan-I'm-here-to-take-you-away," the little girl shouted in a rush as she hid behind one of her kimono sleeves.

The priestess paused, "Take me away?" she whispered, continuing to watch the little girl. The blue haired girl nodded eagerly behind her kimono sleeves.

"Uh huh it's time for you to be reborn!" the girl replied in a chirpy voice like a small excited bird. Kagome smiled as she watched the little girl lower her kimono sleeves to reveal a young shy face, 'she really is a cute little thing.'

In response to the lady's smile Botan smiled back; she liked this lady, she was pretty and had kind eyes. The spirits she usually escorted were just spastic balls of light, the lady standing before her appeared in a full human form and had a light pink glow matching her favorite kimono.

The priestess took a curious look at her surroundings; it seems like she was standing in some sort of battle field surrounded by dense golden clouds. Kagome smiled, she liked those clouds they shimmered and reminded her of something she loved. Continuing her perusal she saw a kneeling raven haired girl just a few steps away, her eye furrowed in concern, the girl seemed to be bleeding bad from her left shoulder. Quickly Kagome crouched by the injured girl to help, "Miss? Are you ok? Excu-," just as she was reaching out to steady the gravely hurt girl, Kagome looked at what she held in her left hand. There sitting innocently was a small pink marble, 'No… not a marble… a jewel.'

Botan watched the spirit rush to her own body with interest, she tilted her head in confusion when the pretty lady started to ask her own empty body if it was alight. When the spirit froze in realization the blue haired girl began to lift her hands to her sensitive ears, ready to block out the customary shrieking about the unfairness of death. After a few moments of quiet Botan lowered her hands and watched as the lady paced her left hand over the matching hand of her body.

"I'm sorry Botan," the lady said softly as she looked up, Botan's eyes widened 'she's crying, but smiling?' "I won't be able to go with you." The lady gave her a gentle smile, "but it was nice to meet you." Then a pink flash erupted from where the two hands were joined.

When the light subsided the blue haired girl uncovered her eyes she blinked, and then rubbed them just in case. The lady along with her body disappeared, not leaving a trace. The little girl blinked and then smacked her head with her palm, 'I'm going to be in so much trouble.'