Inuyasha: The Arianna Chronicles.
Once a year, Arianna was allowed to leave The Above, and venture back to the Mortal Realm to reflect on her life before she became a Goddess. And for the past fifty years she had come to the same place to remember her humanity. And old tree in the middle of a quaint wood near an old well, to visit a friend who had lost his way. So this time when descended in the middle of the wood, the wind rushing away from her as an exhale of breath, she noticed the tree was empty, a scar on the bark where Kikyo's sacred arrow had placed her unfaithful lover.
Arianna approached the tree, and raised a hand where the scar was. The demon's energy was still potent here, after fifty years of Kikyo's curse binding him to its wood. That's when Arianna heard a crude thump from behind her, and saw an oversized yellow bag outside of the well. From its depths emerged a young woman in a strange costume, but living in The Above, Arianna had grown use to strange clothing as those who had sacrificed their mortal lives to the well being of humanity came from all fields of time. Still Arianna was not prepared to see the face of her dearest friend, Kikyo.
It must be a test. Haru must be challenging her, using his light tricks to make her think that her friend had risen from the grave. Finally the girl caught sight of Arianna. She gave an awkward laugh and a half heartened wave. Suddenly there was a rush of movement, and Inuyasha appeared in front of the girl. Arianna found herself nearly pinned against the tree, such was the shock of seeing her dearest companions together again. Inuyasha caught the girl's line of sight, and saw Arianna. He put the girl behind him, defensively crouched in front of her.
"Inuyasha?" Arianna's voice cracked. She almost felt human again.
"Is it really you?" He asked.
Without thinking she rushed toward him, to which he rushed forward and grabbed her arms, his claws digging into her flesh. Arianna's eyes widened.
"Inuyasha! You're hurting her." The girl called.
"Kagome don't come any closer,"
Kagome paused hesitantly, so this wasn't Kikyo? Arianna relaxed her arms. And took a deep breath. A small breeze began to move through the trees.
"Are you doing this?" He asked.
"I'm fine, I'm back." Arianna said.
The wind picked up it's speed, carrying Inuyasha and Arianna in a brief wind tunnel, forcing Inuyasha to release his grip. They were suspended in air for a moment and Arianna laughed. A moment of recognition crossed Inuyasha's face. She lowered them both, the smile fading like a phantom as she caught sight of the tree.
"Inuyasha, what happened to you is the more pertinent question. They say you killed Kikyo and went after the Jewel. I visited this tree once every year for the past fifty years, and I've heard the villagers whisper of Inuyasha's forest. I have seen Kikyo's grave, and now I see a woman with her face. But I do not believe them when they say that you were the cause."
There was a silence.
"No. I'm not the cause for her death, but something worse has happened."
Arianna leaned against the tree, Kagome was staring at them her gaze growing more impatient.
"So how do you two know each other?"
"I was Kikyo's apprentice, and her closest friend," Arianna said.
"But wouldn't you be older?" Kagomea asked.
"She should be dead," Inuyasha said weary again.
"Should be, but I succeeded. Remember Haru?"
"The demon who killed you." Inuyasha said again.
"No, he wasn't a demon he was a God, and now I'm an air spirit, in training to take the place of Ari the current Air Goddess. She has served her term and will be granted a human life once I take over,"
"So you let us believe you were dead." Inuyasha said.
"I had to. I had to cut ties with my humanity. But Ari has sent me to his realm, to my human life again because Alaric the God of Darkness saw a great evil scatter across the land, and you were in his vision. She let me come back to help."
"No. Go back to where you came. This isn't your fight,"
"Inuyasha you told me something tragic has befallen Kikyo and it looks like both of you as well. You tell me what happened fifty years ago, and you tell me who this girl is, and about this evil and I will tell you how you can become a full demon."
Inuyasha was taken aback.
"Isn't that what you always wanted?" Arianna asked.