Year: 1533 AD
Month: August
Kagome stared in stunned shock. They were all injured so badly. How could they all survive? She didn't think about the fact that her chest was completely speared open. It had happened after they had all fallen.
The jewel was basically gone. All she had left was one little shard. It was the last. No one had thought to look for it in the place it was hidden. It was hidden deep within herself. It was buried in her heart. It was the only thing keeping her moving.
Looking toward the sea, she pushed bloody hair back away from her face. Her entire body was stained in blood. Something caught her attention though. It was farther out in the waters. Pushing herself to her feet, she stumbled into the waves.
Inuyasha groaned as he awoke. He couldn't smell the others nearby. It was then that he realized that he was inside a building.
Pushing himself up, he moved to the door, already feeling that his body had healed. Where were the others? Descending down the stairs, he then scented the others. There was something missing. More like someone.
Entering, he saw Sango, Miroku and Shippo sitting on one side of the table. On the other side rested Kikyo and a woman. Surprisingly, Kikyo looked far healthier than she had in a long time.
"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha had a confused expression on his shook their head sadly. She was gone.
Shippo spoke up, his voice small. "Before I passed out, I saw Naraku grab her."
Inuyasha's fist tightened, piercing his palms. "Then we'll get her back."
Kikyo hesitated as she spoke up. "Inuyasha… I don't think it will be possible."
Inuyasha frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kikyo looked down. Inuyasha looked at his pack in bewilderment. Miroku spoke up as he hugged Sango. "The Lady Kikyo has regained her full soul."
Inuyasha's face paled. At that moment, Sango burst into tears as Shippo raced out of the building.
"Child… you must awaken. Your destiny has yet to be fulfilled."
Kagome turned her face away from the source of the voice. "I have no life left within me. I have no soul."
"There is yet a soul within you although it is not your own. It is the soul of another that has been awaiting to fill you. You must live though."
"There is no reason to though." Kagome opened her eyes and suddenly she saw Midoriko before her. She was stunning.
"I will give you mine Kagome. You will become my reincarnation. We will intertwine with each other and become one."Kagome blinked. "Your son Shippo needs you."
The will to live burst forth then."Yes! I will live."
She saw Midoriko smile and then she felt light fill her. The Shikon shard within her heart fell out into her palm. It was dull. Empty of power.
It was then Kagome realized that she was underwater. She then saw the mermaids. She had once thought them to be beautiful creatures. She could see now that they were not. They brought fear into her. They were so hideous and she could feel the darkness.
Scowling she raised her hands. "No!" Power soared out from her. Blue light spread out from her in a ring. Screams filled the air. Kagome struggled to stay afloat. She was so tired. She would die out here.
Suddenly one of the mermaid's body floated up to her. Something inside her told her to eat so she took a bite from the tail. It was sweet and juicy. She found herself clinging tightly to the corpse, taking bites here and there, every so often resting on the body.
6 months later
Inuyasha growled as he faced another puppet. In the last six months, Naraku had become manic in collecting youkai. They hadn't seen hide nor hair of the real Naraku.
Looking to his side, he watched Kikyo. She was stunning as usual. Forcing his mind from the thought of her, he glanced at the others.
Shippo had stopped journeying with them. He stayed back at the village, by the well. He was inconsolable. Sango had grown to accept Kikyo. Now that Kikyo had no duties as a priestess, she acted freely. It reminded them all of Kagome in some ways. Even Sesshomaru had come to offer condolences.
Inuyasha mentally laughed. That was Kagome. She had gotten even his bastard of a brother to respect her.
As he swung Tetsaiga, he watched the puppet shatter. Turning, he began to walk away. "Let's go home." The others looked at him and nodded.
Kagome woke to find herself staring at a coast. She could see a familiar mountain in the distance. She was home. Looking at the carcass, she held on tight and began to swim toward the coast. It was meat that she would need.
As she crawled on shore, she panted softly. Then without bothering to check over herself, she began to tear pieces off the carcass. The scales on the fin were sharp so she used them to cut slices. She used the hair to weave a basket with twigs nearby.
It was late into the night when she finished. Packing the meat in, she stood. She needed to go home. She needed to see her mother. She needed her son. "Mama… Shippo, I'm coming." Her voice was soft but strong and soothing. Her eyes, now an icy blue color, narrowed. Naraku would pay. Blue fire raced across her body, her miko powers reacting.
Sesshomaru tensed inside his castle. For a moment he had felt something powerful surge. It matched his own power. It also had the feel that youkai had when they used the cursed jewel. The one his brother had attempted to collect for so long before his miko had died. It was too quick for him to determine a direction though. Shrugging somewhat, he turned back to his paperwork.
Kikyo tensed. They were nearing the village. She had felt the Shikon Jewel. It was whole as well. But then it was gone. It had been no more than a flash. She recognized the pull of the jewel though. How, after so many months, had the jewel come back? She hadn't felt any sign of it and now merely just a flash of power. Shaking her head, she figured she was feeling things.
Shippo shot up as he felt the bond with his mother grow strong. It had grown faint, almost nonexistent when she had supposedly died. Because it had still been there, he knew she had to be alive still. He figured she had gone back to her time. She was back. He knew it. Something felt different about the bond but he didn't care. All he knew was that she was back. Thing was, it wasn't coming from the well. Before Kaede could stop him, he was out the door. He had to go to her. He just had to.