The Necklace of Heart

Kagome stepped out of the well for the first time in about a year and a half. Looking around herself, she sat down on the well. She breathed in the fresh air of the feudal era - it was heaven compared to the polluted air of the future. She lifted the single Shikon shard which was hanging loosely around her neck alongside a long, heart shaped necklace which she hid in her kimono. The faint light pink glow of the shard matched the color of her blossom kimono. It had taken her a lot of courage to come back to the feudal era, and she wasn't going to risk looking like an outsider anymore. Now that she wasn't traveling with him anymore.

The young girl had matured well over the time. She was now sixteen years old, almost seventeen, and she was becoming a young lady. Kagome was somewhat taller and curvier than back them. Her hair now reached mid back, it had lightened to some extent as well - it was a darker brown now, rather than black. Before traveling to the feudal era, she was sure to drench herself in new scents. She for sure didn't want a someone to smell her from miles away. She wouldn't be able to fool him if he was close by. Her voice had deepened, also. Anyone who had known the young Kagome could tell her from this one only if they had know her very well. However, Kagome trusted her current appearances to deceive him, too.

She knew that there were still Shikon shards out there. She sensed them; she could feel where they were just as she felt the shard around her neck brush against her pale skin. Kagome held her dark red backpack, which was smaller than her older, yellow one. She took out her bow and arrows from within the bag. She placed her hand on the wooden bow, brushing her hand against it. Feeling a crack in the aged bow, Kagome closed her eyes as she tightened her grap. A pink light surrounded her hand, as she withdrew it from the bow.

"Good as new", she said to herself.

The bow was flawless once more. Kagome hadn't jut been a sitting duck while she stayed away from here. Despite putting all her effort into schoolwork, Kagome had used her spare time to learn how to improve her spiritual powers. In the beginning, she practiced on simple things such as mending a tear in her old school uniform, before advancing to fixing the kitchen door. It took a lot of her powers to remove the sutras she had placed on her side of the well to prevent him from coming back to her.

She pulled the bow around her arm, positioning it on her shoulder, soon followed by her arrows. She placed her bag on her other shoulder, as she stood up. Gazing around, she tried to locate the nearest shard. It was northeast. Kagome started walking, not looking back towards the well. This was her responsibility – she had broken the Shikon jewel, after all. Kagome had decided that after the jewel was complete and the villain had been killed, she would give the completed Shikon to the hanyou she used to travel with. She wasn't concerned with what he would to with it anymore. Turn into a full demon, use it to bring back her previous reincarnation, he could rot in hell with the aforementioned woman for all she cared.

"The shard…give me the shard. I must possess the powers of the Shikon!", she heard a low voice say behind her.

Seeing a fairly large snake demon lunge at her from the corner of her eye, she took her bow and struck it in its face. The touch of the bow started to purify the demon, as it screamed loudly. Kagome put her bow back on her shoulder and continued walking, as the snake lay withering in the ground.

"Yes, go that way," it screeched. "That is where a hanyou and his companions are. They are sure to finish you".

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. A single tear fell from her eye and slid down her right cheek. She didn't dry it away, just stood there for a moment. Kagome turned around, desperation in her eyes.

"Who are you talking about? Tell me at once!", she shouted, "Who is this hanyou you speak of? Let me know, and I will make it fast". She drew her bow and arrow, pointing them at the demons head.

"He goes by the name of Inuyasha", the demon said before falling limp. It was dead.

A few more tears slid down her cheeks as he heard his name. She froze once more, holding her attacking pose. He had hurt her so. Kagome never wanted to hear from him again, and her plan had just fallen apart. She shot the arrow at the snake's dead body. And another. And a third. Retreating her bow back onto her shoulder as she lowered her head and let the tears fall, wetting her kimono. Though, soon she regained her posture and wiped her tears away. Her eyes were slightly red, but she just continued on her way. Kagome had shed more than enough tears for him; if only she could fight her emotions and her feelings.

'My old companions are there. I will find the shard before them, though. How could they possibly know it was there, anyway? Where they using my previous reincarnation? Not that I care.', Kagome thought, making her way into a forest.

Kagome looked around herself, with great caution. She tied her long hair into a ponytail, and took her bow and arrow into her hands as she made her way through the woods. The tall trees blocked out most of the sunlight, and the air was very thick and musty. She stopped walking and drew her bow.

"Don't shoot me, fair maiden, I am only a mere human", said the voice of a young man. He stood a fair distance away from her, shielding his face. He seemed like an ordinary journeyman.

"Don't like to me, demon!", she cried out, shooting her arrow.

The arrow pierced it's heart, as the demon showed it's true form; a wolf demon. It howled achingly as Kagome had ended it's life. Walking to the demon, she took back her arrow, purifying the dead flesh of the wolf, as lacked concentration and inspiration right now.

The name of her past lover had done enough.