Kagome sighed as she and her group walked along the rocky trail away from Edo, she had just been home to see her mother and to her great surprise, her dad was there.
Her dad, of all people, she hadn't seen him since she was twelve!
Yes it was really nice to see him again but he had immediately noticed the prominent dual scars running down over her left eye and began questioning how she had gotten them.
It was quite easy to say he had not been amused at what had happened to her when they had to explain what had gone on since her fifteenth birthday.
Infact he had gone into overprotective dad mode, Souta had laughed and said he was just watching over his 'hatchling' but Kagome didn't find that funny.
He had then proceeded to give her a bunch of items to keep her as safe as possible other than himself because he had 'things to do' this mainly just included guns and a random blanket to keep her warm.
He had stayed there the entire week she was home and when Inuyasha had come through the well to come and get her, he had threatened the poor hanyou by waving a gun in his face.
He had found it funny when she sat him, so she had made a display of that.
She had rather enjoyed the time with her dad, but as always all good things must come to an end.
Thus she and her group walked together to find more shards, hoping that it would be over soon, that they could live their lives in peace.
Kagome knew that when this ordeal was over, she wouldn't get that peace, that she would no longer fit in, the modern world was harsh on those with different opinions or people who acted differently, but this didn't stop her.
Maybe she'd go with her dad?
She knew what he did wasn't exactly legal or well, good in the general term, but she loved him and knew he had a heart, if he didn't, he wouldn't want her and it was very obvious that he actually wanted her to come and stay with him, for two reasons she could assume. The first being because he loved getting to spoil her and just hug her, although he wasn't always thrilled when she randomly used him as a body pillow out of nowhere. The second reason being because he wanted to teach her how to use her powers properly and have her next to him in a fight. He knew she could hold her own and he knew he'd be very protective, but he had always told her that one day he'd find a way to have a fight, them two against whatever happened.
It also wouldn't be the first time she was caught up in a fight between his group and whoever he was fighting, although she was much younger at the time, so he just had her sit off to the side and watch, he'd also told her if someone she didn't know came up to her to scream as loud as she could and he would come.
Shaking her head she focused on the present, looking around, she noticed they had entered a rather large clearing and the sun was setting.
"Good to see you've joined us in the realm of the living, Kagome." Came a sarcastic yet playful comment from Miroku.
"Yeah, yeah, how long have we been walking?" She questioned him.
"About 3 hours." He responded.
She blinked, had she really been lost in thought for that long? Sighing, she looked around and called out.
"Hey, Inuyasha, lets stop here for the night." He stopped and looked back.
"Keh, fine." He muttered just loud enough for them to hear, he turned to look at her. "Kagome, are you alright, you've been kind of down since we started walking.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just lost in thought, lets set up camp." He nodded and ran off to find some firewood and hopefully something nice and meaty to add to the ramen noodles that she had bought.
It had been three months since she had been home, the final battle had been and gone yet it had not been without casualties. Inuyasha had sacrificed himself to keep them all alive so that they could end the vile hanyou's life.
Sighing, Kagome slid down the wall of Kaede's hut, they had just held his funeral, his life was proclaimed with the status of a hero. picking up the glass bottle of sake that she had gotten from said event, she took a swig of it, she could hear the chatter of the village women, they were upset as they had grown used to the presence of the rash dog-eared boy.
Yet even with the unsettling event that took place, there was something to look forward to.
Sango and Miroku were to be married the following day, Kagome had been asked to bless their wedding, it was such a high honour and yet she couldn't help but have an awful feeling about what was to come. She knew that after the wedding, she'd have to go back to her own time, Sesshoumaru had promised her that he'd look after Shippo for as long as possible and teach him things he wouldn't be able to learn on his own.
Tilting her head up, she faced the vast night sky, taking in the vision of the thousands of stars twinkling above head, it'd be something she would never likely see again.
Having another swig of the alcoholic drink, she closed her eyes, just thinking of what she may do when she got home, slowly drifting off to sleep, unaware that she even did.
The following day came around quick and before she knew it, she was saying the six words that would tie her two friends together for life.
"You may now kiss the bride." Cheering made its way around the village center as the couple shared a deep kiss and Kagome smiled at her friends. They were happy and that's exactly what the village needed to bring their spirits up, standing at the end of the aisle at a wooden podium, she scrolled the large print of writing back up, the traditional miko clothes that she wore to do the ceramony were rather baggy against her skin. Sango looked beautiful in her wedding kimono and Miroku, although uncomfortable was quite handsome in his wedding hakama.
She watched as Miroku carried Sango into the center of the crowd and swung her around happily before looking up at the woman she had started to think of as a grandmother.
"It's time, Kaede, I cannot put it off any longer, I can feel the souls getting restless." The older woman looked at her before nodding and leading her into her hut.
"Do ye know what you shall wish for child?" Kagome nodded.
"I wish that the souls stuck in the jewel would be set free, to do as they wish, should they want to pass onto the next life or remain in this realm for some reason." She looked at her only to see her nod of approval before turning back to the jewel in slight shock.
Three of the souls had left the jewel before her eyes, she knew from experience that normal humans could not see souls, yet it was always a sight to behold. Yet she paused.
"One of them remains." She muttered, overcome with an odd feeling as she felt a sort of snuggling pressure curl up to her from the jewel. "You want to stay with me?"
The strange presence shifted in what felt like a ghostly nod.
"Why?" She couldn't help but mutter down at it, what seemed to be a whisper spoke to her.
"Because, child, my soul is near infinite, always growing and always restoring, I can feel your hunger child, you're starving yourself from what you need because you wish not to harm anyone, and so I shall be with you, young one, so that you may feed off of me, this is my choice." Kagome blinked, looking down, she could see the soul take on a translucent form that resembled what seemed to be a cat with antlers.
"What's your name?" She questioned him.
"My name is Katsuo." Came his whispery voice, she could tell that Kaede couldn't see him from her look, but she seemed to understand what was happening.
"Thank you, Katsuo." She muttered, tucking the jewel under her top, as that was where the soul of Katsuo resided, she held onto it as though it was the best thing she had been given.
She had waited until the following day to return to her own time, stood infront of the well, she looked over at her friends, the people who had been her second family.
"Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, Kaede, everyone, this is goodbye." Kagome let her tears fall, as they all embraced her.
"Kagome, before you go, we all pitched in together and got you a gift." Sango broke away from the hug to pass her a box covered in a cloth.
"It's a new bow set, it even has a quiver and some enchanted arrows, they'll never run out!" Shippo spoke excitedly, but his voice shook and he couldn't hide his tears.
"Thank you, everyone." She muttered, embracing them all in a hug that lasted a whole five minutes, yet felt like a lifetime.
"I guess..." She took a step onto the lip of the well, her poorly sewn back together backpack on her back and her new bow and arrow set under one arm. Turning to look back at them, she smiled a tearful grin.
"This is goodbye." She fell forwards, passing through time for the last time before landing safely on the other side.
Sighing, she climbed up the rope ladder hanging down and walked over to the door, there was no light coming from the gaps so she could only assume it was night-time, pulling the door open, she looked around and noticed the house lights were still on, so it was probably still sort of early.
Making her way to the door, she hesitated for a moment, before feeling a comforting nudge from Katsuo and opened the door.
"I'm home."