Summary: The last battle is fought and won. Kikyo is Inuyasha's choice and Kagome leaves to begin her formal Miko training. A new threat arises and so do new alliances and a possible new love for Kagome. Iny/Kik , San/Mir , Kag/OC

Authors Note: Ok everyone! The AMAZING DarkPriestessKiyo is back in a new exciting story! I am looking for a proof reader and if anyone is interested please let me know. I am not sure where this story is heading or when it will be fully finished but it might go up for adoption in a few months if it is not finished by then. I want to promise an update each week, but I won't because you will never know what life has in store for people! Please read and review! Let me know if I should continue on with this story. Oh and a little side note, the person who I am hooking Kagome up with is not from the manga/anime. He is a character of my own! Just fyi. Also this chapter is in the general perspective so I will be jumping between Kikyo and Kagome. If you don't like it well then you really don't have to read it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters but I do own my own story plot and my beautiful creations!

Forging a New Path for the Future

Her light blue eyes widened in shock as her eyes took in the scene before her. She stood in the tree's that circled a small clearing that held the man she loved, but he wasn't alone. In the clearing stood Kikyo, the person whom everyone believed was her incarnation, wrapped in Inuyasha's arms and locked in a passionate kiss with him. The two pulled away and Kikyo laid her head against Inuyasha's strong chest and he hugged her closer to his body. "Inuyasha, tell me. What does my little copy mean to you?" She asked as her eyes bore right into Kagome's, fully aware that she was there and watching.

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment before he answered her question, "I love her as a friend Kikyo, nothing more. You know it's you I love, but I could never harm Kagome. She is like a sister to me and she has always been there for me."

Kikyo felt a small pang of guiltiness at Inuyasha's words but pushed the feeling down. "I know Inuyasha; I just wanted to make sure it was me you loved and not her." Her eyes traveled to the spot where she knew Kagome stood watching them. In a way she did feel bad for the girl. It wasn't that she didn't want her to be happy, because she did. She just didn't want her to be happy with her Inuyasha. He was hers just as she was his.

It was then that Kagome began to back away slowly, not wanting to make any noises telling Inuyasha that she had seen and heard everything he had just said. She knew that he would be telling Kikyo that he chose her instead of Kagome; she just never expected to be present when he told her. As she retreated her eyes met Kikyo's one last time and she nodded slightly. 'He is your Kikyo. The love that I once had for him is no longer there. I love him as a brother and best friend. I wish for happiness for both of you.' She thought as she turned and walked away from the pair.

Kikyo watched Kagome as she turned and walked away. She nodded her head slightly, indicating she knew of Kagome's wishes. Though they shared part of the same soul, she knew without a doubt that Kagome was not her reincarnation. No, she was destined for something so great that not even she could wrap her mind around it. She turned her cold brown eyes back up to Inuyasha and smiled brightly as he kissed her softly once again.

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Kagome's weary eyes slid around the group that was nestled around the camp fire. Her eyes landed on the forms of Miroku and Sango and she found herself smiling at what she saw. The two had finally come to terms with their feelings for each other and where to be married soon. She felt a small pang of sorrow when she thought of Sango's younger brother Kohaku. They had not been able to save him in the last battle, but she knew that Sango's pain wouldn't last forever. They would have children after they married and the joy of having children would numb the pain of losing her last family member.

Her eyes then turned to the empty spot next to her own sleeping bag and she felt a small pang of loss in her heart. When she had first met Shippo she had never dreamed that he would be royalty.

About three weeks before the final battle a pair of kitsune youkia found their small group. Their attire was of the royal guard of the east, a crisp green and silver color. Their arrival had been a shock to everyone, especially Kagome. After speaking with them for a few hours, they unraveled the story of Shippo's Mysterious past. It turned out that the young kitsune was prince and heir of the Eastern lands. He was the missing prince and heir of the Eastern lands to be exact. His parents had sent him into hiding at a young age for his own protection, but after the death of his caregivers his parents had lost him and had no idea to his whereabouts.

The next morning Shippo, the loving kitsune whom she had began to call her son, had left with the guards. He had been eager to be reunited with his parents but did not want to leave Kagome and the rest of the group. It had been kagome's final decision that sent Shippo on his way. She knew that he was needed in his real home and she also knew it would be safer for him there.

Kagome sighed softly as she shoved those thoughts out of her mind. "No use thinking of the past, it will only bring sorrow." She said to herself softly as she slipped easily into her sleeping bed and let the exhaustion of that day take her into a dreamless sleep.

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As the first rays of the morning sun hit her eyelids, kagome groaned as she slowly began to sit up. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she yawned and began to gather her training cloths. It was something that she had started about four months ago because she knew in the last battle it could mean her life. So on one of her trips home she had visited a Kimono shop and had them make her the fighting Kimono she now used. It was similar to Sango's, the only differences where were Sango's kimono had pink kagome's was teal.

In that same trip she had also visited one of the sword smiths that she knew and had him forge her battle katana. That had been the start of her training. When she returned Inuyasha had been furious. She knew she would have a problem with him from the very beginning but she didn't realize that she would have had that big of a problem.

*Flashback*

"Where in the hell have you been wrench! You said you would only be gone a day, not four!" Kagome sighed when she heard her welcome back party and rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache she felt coming on.

"Inuyasha please, lower your voice. You're giving me a headache. I know I said I would only be gone for a day, but I had some things that I needed to do at home. I am sorry for delaying shard hunt." She said, rolling her eyes slightly. When Inuyasha began to growl she shot him her 'you better knock it off or I will sit you' look and it shut Inuyasha up, for now.

It wasn't until later that evening that the beast was unleashed, figuratively speaking. Kagome had been speaking with Sango when Inuyasha caught the words training and fighting. "Oye! Wrench! What are you talking about? Why do you need training in fighting? I'm here to protect you aren't I?"

Kagome sighed, knowing they would be fighting before soon. "I know you are Inuyasha, but we both know that the final battle is coming closer and closer and I don't want to be caught defenseless in something should happen to you." She saw the anger come into his eyes and she knew she was in for it.

"What do you mean 'if something should happen to me'? Nothing is going to happen to me and you don't need to be trained how to fight with a katana. You are fine with the bow." He scowled at her as he gritted his teeth saying it.

Kagome's eyes flashed in anger as she stood up to him, growling softly. "This is not your choice Inuyasha and whether or not you approve of it doesn't matter. I will train even if it means training by me! I won't be caught defenseless. What would happen if my bow got destroyed in the middle of a battle and you can't get to me in time? Wouldn't you want me to be able to protect myself? I'm not saying you can't protect me, I just want to make sure that if something should happen, IF, I will be ready for it."

At that Inuyasha folded his arm and glared at the tiny miko that was glaring darts at him. "I don't care what you say. You will not train and as alpha of this pack, my word is final." It was then that he knew he had said the wrong thing. His ears went flat against his head when he saw the look that entered into her eyes. This was not good.

"SIT! HOW CAN YOU BE SUCH A JERK INUYASHA! SIT! YOU THINK YOU'RE SO BIG AND BAD JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ALPHA OF THIS PACK! SIT! WELL I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU BUDDY! SIT! YOU CAN'T JUST BOSS ME AROUND LIKE YOU KNOW WHATS BEST FOR ME! SIT! I WILL TRAIN AND THAT'S THE END OF IT! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!"

By the time Kagome had finished her little rant Inuyasha was in a deep crater that his own body had formed. Kagome turned and stomped away, ticked beyond no other, muttering things about stupid, self-righteous hanyou's who thought they knew everything.

Shippo shuddered, "remind me never to get on her bad side." He whispered to Sango softly as he watched her storm off. "She is so scary when she is mad."

*End Flashback*

Kagome slipped into her training outfit and headed off into the still forest, knowing what she was looking for. As she walked she thought, 'I didn't see Inuyasha when I got up. I guess he never came back from last night.' She found herself smiling as she thought that. She was happy that Inuyasha was happy. He had been through so much suffering and he deserved a shot at true happiness, something she knew Kikyo could give him.

It was then that she reached up and felt the small bump that was under her kimono, hidden from prying eyes. She always kept the now completed Shikon No Tama on her body and never went anywhere without it. Her pure aura kept its presence hidden from the lower level youkia, but not from the more powerful Tai and Dai youkia that still, though few, roamed these lands. Only the truly powerful could sense the presence of the sacred jewel and even then there were so few who actually wanted to take it for its power. The other, more powerful, youkia weren't even phased by the jewels call.

Kagome pushed herself out of her thoughts when she entered the clearing that she had been looking for. Walking to the middle of the clearing she sat down and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply and then exhaling softly as she began to beginning session of meditation. During that process she let her aura out around her, covering the area for about two miles, seeking for any youkia that might be nearby that she hadn't sensed before. When she found none she erected a barrier around the clearing. It was strong, probably one of the strongest she had ever created before. The barrier wouldn't let anyone that her aura didn't know personally past it and it didn't let anyone who had evil intents towards her and there was no one that she had ever came across, excluding Inuyasha's half brother Sesshomaru, who could break her barriers.

After that was completed she pulled out her katana and began to go through the different that Sango had taught her. Soon the blade began to glow blue as Kagome began to channel her Miko powers into the sword, creating one of her most powerful attacks. "Blades of Purification," came her soft voice as she swung her katana in an arc around her body, turning with it. Small shards of blue light erupted from the blade and smashed into the barrier that was around the clearing.

Smiling as she felt her powers fade back into her body she was caught off balance. A youkia aura was approaching her fast and it was powerful, powerful enough to rival Sesshomaru's aura. She barely had enough time to swing her blade up to block the downward stroke of the youkia's katana. She stood shocked as silver eyes gleamed down at her. He had just shattered her barrier as if it were nothing. She gritted her teeth and quickly made an upwards arc, un-engaging the two swords and leapt back from him quickly.

Her eyes took in his form and her blue eyes widened in shock at what she saw. His long orange hair reached down to his backside and flowed freely, his silver eyes studied her as she studied him. He had the marking of the sun on his forehead and had two black stripes on each cheek. He was stunning to say the least.

He grinned as he sheathed his Katana, his silver eyes still boring into her blue ones. "So you must be the guardian of the Shikon No Tama. There are a lot of rumors going around about you and it's nice to see that at least some of them are true." His head cocked to the side and he smiled again, "and it seems like your trusty hanyou is coming to the rescue." And true enough, Inuyasha burst into the clearing waving around the transformed Tetsusaiga and yelling all the way. "Calm yourself pup." His voice took command and it made Inuyasha stop in his tracks, something that didn't happen very often. "If I wished her harm she would be dead by now."

Kagome frowned as she thought about what he said. "What rumors." She asked as she watched him. He just looked at her, sending her a look of lust and want that made her shiver slightly. She got the picture, to say the least.

It was then that Inuyasha broke out of his stupor and growled at him, "Just who do you think you are!" He all but screamed at the youkia that stood in front of him. He didn't back down when the youkia turned his silver eyes onto Inuyasha with a cold, hard look.

"I do as I wish in my own lands, hanyou." He said in a soft, dangerous voice.

It was then that Kagome stepped forward to defend her friend. Her voice sent shivers down his back when she talked. His beast decided the rear his ugly head right then. 'Mate' He frowned slightly at what his beast said before he turned his attention back onto Kagome.

"I don't know who you think you are but you have no right to call my friend that. His name is Inuyasha." Kagome all but growled at him. She had spirit, he would give her that.

He raised a brow at her, "Do you not know who I am?" When neither of them answered he chuckled softly and he all but grinned when he saw Kagome shiver slightly again. "I am Tamotsu, Lord of the North."

Bum Bum Bum! I just love cliff hangers! Don't you? Ok read and review please! Let me know if I should continue!