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They knew their roles. It had become second nature. In each new battle they assumed the formation, knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses, inwardly hoping that this could all make a difference someday in a fated battle with Naraku himself.
Inuyasha was the front-line fighter. Always the first to enter the battlefield and the last to leave it, he used his inhuman strength and speed to engage the enemy. Size, power, or rank didn't matter—if their opponent planned to harm any member of their group, the half-demon would always fight to the bitter end. He was fearless, vicious, and determined.
Ever by his side was Miroku. He had earned his place the hard way, having to repay the debt caused by his less-than-honest first impression. But the first time he had been allowed to fight back-to-back with the half-demon, he knew all the effort had been worth it. Miroku had proven himself; Inuyasha valued him as a partner, a comrade, a protector—a friend.
Sango and Kirara were the essential backup team. Quick to attack, quick to defend, and with the confidence of seasoned fighters, they had saved the lives of their companions countless times. Sango invoked an easy trust that went without saying: if it needed to be done, she did it; if it needed to be said, she said it. Her fighter's spirit connected with Inuyasha, her soft heart connected with each new villager they saved, and her hand often connected with the side of Miroku's face.
Shippo was the reason. When weariness shook their resolve and the need for revenge was hazy in their minds, the little fox demon was always there. His innocent smile was a thing to be protected. For all of them, the goal was mutual: their peaceful lives had been shattered, but at the very least, his must stay intact.
And Kagome… she was the wild card.
She was strange and backwards and everything the other warriors least expected. She had shocked them all so many times, they almost couldn't feel it anymore. She knew nothing of normal customs and survival… and yet she knew everything about complex science, math, and literature. After battle, they came back to her, and she worked magic with her medicine and white gauze of the future.
She defied Inuyasha's stubbornness. She defied Koga's nature. She defied Kanna's mirror. She defied Hakudoushi's corruption. She defied Naraku's manipulation. She defied time— its flow was stern and unrelenting, and yet for her, it had bent inward on itself.
"Look! A shooting star! Quick, make a wish."
There it was: the smile that held them all together like glue.
Because of her, the Sacred Jewel would one day be pure and whole once more. They knew it.
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