Demon's Inside

Summary: Kagome wasn't sure just how she ended up one hundred years into the future from Inuyasha's time...but she couldn't go back either way, so it didn't matter. What did matter, was finding the Shikon Jewel! Yeah, not even an hour into the era, and someone had stolen the Jewel of Four Souls, and now she had to find it...or risk it falling into the wrong hands, if ever its power is discovered.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha/Samurai Champloo

Pairing: Undecided...(actually, now that I think about it, I know who she'll end up with...now I just don't want to tell you).

Genre: Adventure/Romance

Rated: M for Mature Content, Violence, Verbal Nudity and Excessive Language

-x-x-x-

Nothing bad had happened after the fight with Naraku. There had been no dramatic death, no over the top lines, with 'you call that an attack' and 'I hope you weren't aiming at me' being the highlights of the fight; oh, as well as the classic, 'he's mine' and 'die Naraku!' that was shouted at least three times during the fight, which lasted longer than a few hours. No, nothing exciting happened, it was actually the exact opposite, and it was only after the fight that everyone had realized that...this was the end.

Kagome had chosen to spend one final week with her friends before leaving back to her time for good, those plans were going well too...all the way up to the point that Kikyou, who was still walking around with part of Kagome's soul, requested a word with her. Of course, Kagome knew what this was going to be about she had just hoped to avoid it for a while longer.

"Kagome,"

"..." Kagome looked down at her hands from where she stood in the clearing in Inuyasha's forest.

"I'm ready to sleep now, Kagome..."

Sighing, she looked up and met the murky brown eyes of her incarnation, "Kikyou, I can't do this."

"I know, that is why I'm not asking you to do anything. Just accept your soul...and let rest my heart."

From behind a tree stepped Sesshoumaru and Kagome understood what she meant. She had requested Sesshoumaru's help in killing her, since she knew Kagome would not be able to do so. "Lord Sesshoumaru," Tears were set in the corner of her eyes as she watched him draw his sword.

"I was never meant to return to this world, Kagome; you are my reincarnation, which means, my soul had already passed on. I don't belong here anymore, it's you soul now, your life, and that means that it's yours to live. Live Kagome, live the life we took from you, and live it for you. Inuyasha will be fine, Shippou will be taken care of with Rin by Sesshoumaru, Sango and Miroku will no doubt live a long life together, and have a family. Kouga and Ayame are to be mated soon, and even Sesshoumaru has found something akin to love in Kagura who was freed from Naraku's control."

"You've thought of everything..."

"Yes, all things have been taken care of by you; I have merely pointed them out. Now, all that's left is for you to get back the life you could have had. Naraku's half of the jewel..." Kikyou held out her hand and walked up to Kagome, placing it in her hands. "I want you to be happy, Kagome, like all of us, all of your friends who you've given so much to help, you deserve that much."

Kagome held the half of the Jewel that Kikyou had been holding onto. She placed her half together with the half given to her and watched the two merge together into one and form a sphere. The Shikon Jewel was once again whole...now what reason was there for her to stay?

"Take care...Kagome..."

She looked up in time to see a kneeling maiden, beautiful in her red and white miko garbs, fall lifeless to the forest floor with Sesshoumaru's blade embedded in her chest, his hand over her eyes as he closed them and withdrew his blade from her innocent form. "...goodbye Kikyou; have a safe journey..."

-x-x-x-

The rest of the day was uneventful. Apparently, Inuyasha and the others had already bid Kikyou farewell and were now talking away as if everything was normal. Kagome couldn't bring herself to enjoy anything at all, and in the end, she had stayed up all night at the Goshinboku, just crying...

What was really surprising, was when Kagura chose to join her and sat down beside her in silence.

"..." Kagome held the Shikon Jewel out in front of her and smiled sadly, "How can something so small, cause so much trouble..."

Kagura laughed halfheartedly at the inquiry, "You can blame Midoriko for that,"

"Right?"

It went silent for a while longer before Kagome stood up and turned to Kagura, "I owe you a thank you, Kagura...or, should I say, Lady Kagura?"

"I'm not a Lady of anything, so just Kagura."

Kagome nodded, "Understood...Kagura. I've decided to leave tonight, in fact, I'll only head back to grab my bag and go, but other than that, I can't say goodbye. That's why...I wish to ask a favor of you."

"I think I know what it is, and Sesshoumaru already said he would...but go ahead."

"I want you to take care of Shippou, but...I also want you to take care of Sesshoumaru and watch over the others for me too."

"Now you're asking a lot...I have to watch over all of them?" Kagura smiled, "I guess I could...they'll miss you though..."

"I'm not so sure...they don't seem all that upset about losing Kikyou, I wonder if my departure will even have an effect on them." Saying nothing else, she returned to the village for her bag, not wanting to hear the reply that Kagura would have most likely given her.

No, she wouldn't stay any longer, and she couldn't stand to see so many smiles after witnessing Kikyou die, for the second time. Grabbing her worn and torn yellow bag which looked to have seen better days from the discoloring it was receiving from always being out in the sun, she made her way to Shippou who was sitting by Rin. The only two not wearing a smile, with Sesshoumaru being the exception; he never smiled anyways. "Shippou, I'm leaving now..."

His eyes widened and he sprang forward, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he cried into the white fabric of her school uniform. "You can't leave Mama! You can't!" He cried. A second pair of arms found their way around her legs in a tight embrace and she looked down to see the teary eyes of Rin staring sadly up at her. That meant Sesshoumaru would no doubt be around shortly. Rin didn't cry without his knowing; Hell have mercy on the soul of the moron who caused the tears. Thankfully, she didn't think she had anything to worry about.

Kneeling down, she hugged both kids tightly to her. "I can't stay here, Shippou, Rin..." She pulled back and smiled sadly, "I'm no longer needed here, you have a family here, and friends, Sesshoumaru and Kagura will make sure both of you grow up beautifully,"

"But─"

"No buts, Shippou." She poked him on the nose, "I want you both to promise me something,"

Rin looked up curiously, "What is it, Sister Kagome?"

"I want you to promise me that you will both take care of one another, be there for each other, and maybe one day, we will all meet again."

"We will see you again, right?"

Nodding, she knew inside her heart that she wasn't lying, "We will see each other again, I promise you. Maybe not in this life, or the next, but we are all intertwined in one way or another now; we will find each other again...one day..."

Rin let go of her as Shippou released her and landed on his feet before Kagome. Standing tall, the female who had burrowed a spot in the hearts of the InuGami group, turned to take her leave. Two children stood watching as she vanished into the trees, with the Inu Taiyoukai of the West watching over them.

The battle was over, the adventures were finished, her soul was complete, and the Jewel was whole. No wishes would be made, for no wish was pure. Everyone in the feudal era who knew of the Bone Eaters Well's' magical properties and of the Miko who traveled through time, assumed that she was returning to her time when the knowledge of her departure began to circulate...but little did they know...that although her adventures in the feudal era had come and past, her adventures elsewhere were just about to begin...

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Me: So, here is a first for me...Samurai Champloo...Yeah, I finally got around to watching it...and finishing it...:P Anyways, I hope you all enjoy, and please, tell me what you think!