Chapter Two

Tasogare no Tama


Her family stares at her with shock registered on their faces. The eighteen year old ignores their expressions and focuses on explaining the situation the best she could without causing them to worry too much. "What do you mean you've created your own version of the Jewel?" Souta asked with furrow brows.

The seriousness of the matter had just slap him in the face. If Kagome made a new Jewel, which he didn't know how yet, then that meant she had to protect two Jewels at once. Another thing that stirred him badly was what Midoriko had said about Kagome sacrificing something to save the world. "What did you sacrifice Kagome?" He asked suddenly with a grim frown on his face.

Kagome looks over to her brother with wide eyes before explaining the best she could. "Naraku had…h-he had given me a-an ultimatum," She started off in a light stutter as she fought to control her emotions. "I h-had to make a choice and I did for the world's safety." She added with cloudy eyes as she stares intently at the crystal gem in her palm. "I trapped Naraku inside this gem with Midoriko's help. I can never part with it." She revealed to them with sullen eyes.

More shock gasps fills the room.

It was quiet for several seconds before Hina made her way to her daughter and hugs her tightly. Tears fell down her face as she murmurs sweet words to the young miko in her arms and curses the kamis for doing this to her baby girl. "Why did they have to choose you?" She sobbed out in pain.

Kagome bit down on her bottom to keep herself from crying and found it to be difficult with her mother crying so near to her. She couldn't cry now, not when her mother was so broken at moment. "Mama, it's going to be okay…" She promised lightly with a smile on her lips. It was slightly force and strain, but that was because she was so very tired.

When she continued to cry she brought her gaze over to Souta and Hitomi. They could see the pleading in her blue eyes to take their mother home and obliges to her silent order. "Come on Hina let's let Kagome-chan rest." Hitomi chimed in softly as she pulls the older woman away from Kagome and onto her shoulder. Kagome sighs out in relief as she watches Hitomi walk her mother to the door before looking over to Souta.

She winces at the look in his eyes.

His eyes were hard and angry.

"Souta-" She didn't get another word out before he interrupts her, rather rudely, his words lace with a certain edge to it, "You are so selfless Kagome. One of these days it's going to get you killed." At that he left to help Hitomi with his mother. Kagome sat there with her eyes wide open and her mouth slightly agape at his words.

'Souta,' she thought in shock before leaning back into her bed and closing her eyes. 'I don't know about that Souta, I'm the most selfish person in this world.' She thought sadly and the empty void that now occupied her chest seems to grow larger by another inch. Back there in the Feudal Ear in the final battle she had been selfish and had only thought about running away.

She had wanted to run away with Sesshomaru, forgetting about everyone else and of the consequences if Naraku was left alive and with the completed Shikon no Tama. She hadn't care about her future or their past and had only thought about their present. But then Kanna took Inuyasha's soul into her mirror and his body was taken away by a demon off into the distance.

Kagome's chest tightens painfully at the thought of her friend's body being lost to rot in the middle of nowhere. An image of Miroku and Sango being killed crosses her mind's eye and the pain increases ten-fold. She felt like she was suffocating and had to gasp for air before shooting upright once again to breathe.

The burning sensations in her eyes gather tears that soon cloud her vision. She struggles to control her breathing and once it is under control she runs a hand through her hair in habit.

"They're deaths are going to haunt me for forever." She said in a deep, low tone and if someone else was in the room with her at the moment would think she was talking to herself all of a sudden.

The gem in her palm blinks repeatedly in quick session causing the side of Kagome's lip to turn up in an angry snarl. "Stop laughing you sick sadistic bastard." She murmurs out darkly and she promptly tightens her hold on the gem in a death grip. The blinking immediately stops and the gem's clear color turns slightly red. At the sight of the color of her rage Kagome quickly calms herself down. Any strong negative emotion that she felt was reflected within the crystal, which in turn made him stronger.

She could hear his words as if he were a part of her mind. He teased her and rubbed her pain in her face, causing more damage to her already shattered soul, but she didn't listen to him…at least half the time. 'You lied to your own family, how cruel of you to exclude the whole truth from them and here I thought you were a Miko.' Kagome's eyes narrow at his words. He wanted to make her feel guiltier than she already was.

"I did it to protect them something that you don't know anything about. They only needed to know the reasoning of why this gem was created and that you are trapped in there forever." She said emphasizing the forever part to annoy him before climbing out of bed to go to the bathroom. 'If that is what you want to think, but someday your family is going to find out the truth. Remember, I'm not the only one-' Kagome cuts him off sharply and set her brows in determination to never let him get that chance.

Whether she was alive or dead she will keep his evil from spreading into the world. It was the price she was willingly to pay and it didn't matter if it was what she wanted or not. She was the only one who was able to keep him restrained and it wasn't like she could part with the gem or hand it off to someone else. 'I'm stuck with him forever.' She thought miserably.

She turns on the faucet and washes her face with cool water. Once she was done she stood upright from her slight bending position to look into the mirror. The person staring back at her wasn't her. It was someone else, someone who had lost something far too precious to ever be without. You could see all too clearly in her eyes.

Oh Kami, her eyes!

Her eyes were so dull to look and she was surprise to learn that she couldn't look into her own eyes for more than a second without looking away. It was just too sad and painful to look into them. Her skin was so pale and she muses inwardly at the semblance between her and Kikyo. She looked like the dead miko more than ever now.

Going back to her bed she climbs in and covers herself while keeping the gem close by her. She thought back to the transaction needed to trap Naraku within the gem and the name Midoriko had called it after it was completed. "She had called it…" She murmurs out brokenly before interrupting her sentence with a tired yawn as she snuggles into the pillow before closing her eyes in tiredness, "Tasogare…no…tama." As darkness surrounded her and took her into unconsciousness she remembers wondering how befitting it was.


Three weeks later

Souta stares at the empty seat across from him with furrow brows and a frown etch on his face. Kagome was supposed to be sitting in front of him, bugging him about school or teasing him about Hitomi, but she wasn't. She was upstairs locked in her room. Their mother has been sending her three meals a day with an occasional snack that consisted of a large chocolate cake or an overly large cookie with a small carton of milk. She has been losing weight lately and mother has been urging her to eat often. She didn't want Kagome to waste away into skin and bones.

They all knew she was mourning her friends of the past and would come out when she was ready, but he also knew it wasn't healthy for her to be locked up in there for too long. She hasn't been outside since the day she came home from the hospital two weeks ago. He sighs before picking up his chopsticks and taking food from his plate and eating it slowly, almost thoughtfully.

He had to get her out the house one way or another. The annual summer festival was soon approaching and being a Higurashi of the Sunset Shrine along with the rest of his family they were obligated to go and attend. He smirks lightly at the idea of dragging Kagome down there against her will. For the past three years Kagome has missed out on it because of her travels to the past, but seeing as how she wasn't able to go back and was now stuck here in her time permanently it will be refreshing for his older sister. 'This will be good for Kagome.' He thought to himself silently. The summer festival was this weekend and he was more than sure all of Kagome's friends will be there.

It would be just what she needed for her to recover.

And hopefully to get that dull, empty look from her eyes.

He wondered what happened during the final battle for her to have that look in them. Her usually bright blue eyes were so different now. Something drastic and dramatic must have happened to her for them to be like that and he didn't know how to describe it.

It was almost dead-like.

Souta shook his head at the sudden description.

Kagome was anything from dead and he will help get them back to normal again.

She would move away from home to attend university at the end of the summer and he needed to make sure that she was fit to be on her own. If she wasn't then he would have a talk with his mother and grandfather. There was no way he was letting Kagome go off on her own if she continued on this way. "If she doesn't show improvement by the ending of the summer, she's staying here." He said out loud for the others to hear.

Hina and his grandfather both look up to stare at Souta in light awe. Hina's eyes warm slightly at how worry her son was about his sister. "I agree if she is still like this by the time she leaves for university she would waste away with no one to stop her. No granddaughter of mine is going to waste away if I could stop it!" The old monk exclaimed while raising his chopsticks in the air and flaring it around in passion.

"Fate may have Kagome's life already written down, but I'll be dammed if they ruin it anymore than they have!" He slammed his fist down on the table, causing it to tremor under the force. "Father please calm down, remember your blood pressure!" Hina exclaimed worriedly while helping her father to calm down.

After setting the old monk back down to his seat, Hina began to speak. "Souta's right, but I know Kagome and she will bounce right back up after she's done mourning." She started with furrow brows set in concern. "We have no idea what she has been through in the past and it may very well scar her for the rest of her life. Only Kagome can decide on whether or not to let them eat away at her or move on and beat it." The older woman finished with a grim frown on her face.

The table was silent and the Higurashi family ate their dinner in silence. All of them lost in their thoughts that centered on a certain blue eyed teen. The mood was sullen and heavy even as the family finished their dinner. Nothing will be normal for them until Kagome was back to her old self again.

The Kagome who only thought about school, math test, and going to the mall with her friends.


"Mom, do you need help with the dishes?" Hitomi asked while dropping the soiled dishes from dinner into the sink along with the other used utensils. Sayu smiles at her daughter and declines her offer. "I got it sweetheart, but why don't you take out the trash for me, neh?" She asked the teen while gesturing her eyes to the trash bag near the back door. Hitomi grimaces at the suggestion, but nods. "Sure…" She drawled out uneasily as she made her way to the bundle of foul smells.

She pulls her long hair up into a high bun before grabbing the bag and making her way out the kitchen to the front door. She passes by her father, seeing him lounging on his favorite chair with a newspaper in his hand. He glances over to her suddenly before breaking out into an amused smile. "My chibi warrior taking out the trash," He teases her while chuckling.

Hitomi glares at him sharply.

The chuckling stops.

Hitomi smirks pleased before leaving the house.

"That girl and her glare," Kyo mutters to himself while feeling the cold effects of her glare wearing off of him. That glare of hers could freeze all seven hells for at least a century at most. "I still don't know where she gets it from." He said to himself before returning back to his paper.

It was dark outside and the streets were empty of life. Hitomi walks down the block before crossing the street to drop off the trash into the large bin placed besides an ally. She closes the huge top and turns to leave when suddenly a soft mew catches her attention. She stops and waits for the sound again. It doesn't happen for several seconds and the brunette shakes her head and blames it on her hearing things.

She takes a step forward. "Mew," She freezes at the sound again and turns around in a flash to search for the sound. "I heard it for sure this time," She tells herself with furrow brows as she searches for the source of the mew. It has to be cat, but there was something different about it. It was much more high pitched and define than that of a regular cat's mews. It also had a sort of chime sound to it that was absolutely beautiful.

Hitomi bends down and scans the hard cement floor for any signs of the little kitty. She frowns when she sees nothing, but dark corners and a dirty ground. She stands up soon after disappointed. She didn't know why, but she really wanted to see the kitty. She wasn't going to give up since she couldn't see it, but she knew it was there somewhere.

She could feel it.

"Come out kitty I'm not going to hurt you." She cooed softly while continuing to scan the area for the feline. Nothing, not even a mew came her way and she pouted. 'It must be shy or something.' She thought to herself before folding her arms across her chest. 'Maybe if I come back with food it will come out.' She would have to do it tomorrow night.

"Alright, kitty, I will be back tomorrow with food for you." She said into the dark alley, knowing that the kitten had heard her for some strange reason. 'And hopefully you will show yourself.' She thought silently to herself before leaving the alley and going home, but not before glancing over her shoulder to see if the kitten had come out of hiding. She was disappointed when it didn't come out and pouted on her way back home.

As the teen walks away from the alley, bright red eyes appear from the far dark corner of the building.

The abnormally large eyes lit up in recognition before flashes into excitement.


The familiar room she grew up in had seemed foreign to her when she came home from leaving the hospital. She has never been in it for longer than three days in over three years before leaving to the Feudal Ear with Inuyasha. She had to re-familiarize herself with it again for she had felt uncomfortable being in it after a week. She had felt anxious and restless and had to convince herself that Inuyasha wasn't coming back to get her this time, or ever again…

Now she was fine with her anxiety and even moved the furniture around her room. Instead of her bed being near the wall by the window she had moved it horizontally against the window. It gave her constant sight of the well house and a glimpse of the Sacred Tree's leaves and her desk was now besides the door.

On top of it were a half eaten bowl of rice and the remaining bones of a baked fish. She would often forget that she hungry and her appetite wasn't as it used to be, her mind was so focus on her friends of the past that she only thought about them and not about her well being. If her mother didn't remind her to eat so often she would forget to feed herself and go the whole day without eating a single meal.

She knew she lost a few pounds from this habit, but she couldn't help it. She missed them and wondered what happened to them. Did Sango and the others get a proper burial or were their bodies just left there to rot on the battle field? Were there any survivors? Was Sesshomaru alright and well? Did he think of her like she was of him? Did he hate her for doing what she did? And what of Inuyasha had Sesshomaru found his body yet?

So many questions that were left unanswered and would probably go unanswered if by some miracle she was able to go back to the past again. She couldn't go back to the past no matter how much she tried and threw herself down the well. It wasn't working anymore and even the feel of its magic was gone. She only ended up getting a bruised backside and two swollen ankles from her attempts.

Twiddling the golden band ring on her finger the teen stares blankly at the ceiling. She wondered if she deserved to keep this symbolic piece of jewelry Sesshomaru had given her. Her brows furrow as she thought about what she did and places herself into Sesshomaru's shoes. She felt the light traces of anger for just suddenly throwing herself into Naraku's arms and then to see an explosion that could have possibly killed her made her feel heartbroken.

To just leave him like that and not know what happened to her must be killing him. If she knew Sesshomaru like she knew she did then the Taiyoukai will most likely be searching for her right now in the past. She just wonders how long he will actually search before giving up on her. He was stubborn, but even the strongest could succumb to a lost cause and give up. Bringing her gaze from the white ceiling the teen brings them to rest on the ring, Sesshomaru's promise to make her his wife. The gem that decorated her golden band was an amber colored gem. It was cut to make eight sides in total and it drew attention due to its size.

Her mother had asked her about the ring the day she left the hospital. She didn't say anything and had tightened her hand in which the ring was on. Her mother had taken the hint and left it alone at least until she was ready to speak about it to them. Kagome gazes at the gem's color and raises it up towards the light to see it shine brightly. Sango and Miroku wouldn't have that spring wedding they wanted and neither will she.

The color of the gem reminded her of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's unique eye color.

A pang of longing and hurt passes through her heart, but it was not as intense as the weeks before. Her solemn blue eyes droop slightly as she brings her hand down and places it on the bruise on her neck. Naraku's mark was gone now that his soul was trapped within the Tasogare no Tama, and his body was no more, but it was taking its time healing. Her flesh was extremely tender and sore.

The darken flesh was fading ever so slowly and Kagome wondered when it would finally return to normal.

She drags her fingertips down to her collar bone until it touches the silver chain that held the crystal. Her grandfather had gotten it for her once he learned of the newly created gem. A small smile forms on her lips as she recalled his vow to help her protect the accursed jewel. "I don't care how old I become I will help you protect that gem with my life. Even to the day of my last breath!" His words had brought her a sense of comfort. She wasn't alone in this and just like the Shikon no Tama she will have help protecting this gem as well.

Kagome sighs before deciding to go take a hot bath. She grabs her toiletries and towel before leaving to open the door. Once in the hallway she goes to close the door when Souta's voice catches her attention, "If she doesn't show improvement by the ending of the summer, she's staying here." His words caught her by surprise, her expression turning into one of confusion.

What was Souta talking about?

Her brows furrow and her lips turn down into a light frown while trying to figure out what they were talking about. It obviously concerned her since she wasn't exactly herself. She was about to go downstairs when her grandfather's voice stops her, "I agree if she is still like this by the time she leaves for university she would waste away with no one to stop her. No granddaughter of mine is going to waste away if I could stop it!" The miko stiffens at the mention of university while the voice of her mother agrees with Souta and calms down her grandfather.

Unconsciously Kagome narrows her eyes. 'I won't waste away like you say.' She thought suddenly with a fierce determination. She quickly turns away from the top of the stairs and goes to the bathroom in angry strides. She closes the door with a bit of force that causes the decorations on the wall to shudder lightly. She tosses her things into the empty sink carelessly and goes to turn on the water for her bath. Once the tub was filled she discards her clothing and enters the hot liquid without hesitation.

A pleased moan escapes her lips as she leans back and tries to relax. She thinks back on her family's words. She furrows her brows at the thought of her wasting away. "Can't I mourn my friends?" She asks herself. She didn't expect an answer to her question, but as always the dark hanyou had to make her life miserable. His laughter echoed through her mind and it only annoyed her. She wouldn't get angry because of his taunts. She wouldn't fall for it.

Finally after several seconds of laughing the dark hanyou spoke, "Why mourn them? They're dead what else can you do except to forget them?" Kagome grits her teeth at his response to her. It was a Naraku-like answer. Kagome breathes in deeply before passing her wet hands into her hair. "Unlike you I have a heart and care about them a lot." She told him with an edge to her tone. It only caused him to chuckle. "I'm not like you Naraku; I'm not a heartless monster." She retorted to his continuous laughter.

She was getting frustrated with his constant laughing at her. "Only you would take pleasure in someone else's pain." She seethed out before getting up and taking a shower. The oval shaped crystal flashes between its clear white color and a light orange color, signaling Kagome's annoyance and frustration. It was nearing the color of her anger and the miko cuts him off before he made her angry.

"Damn Naraku," She mutters out in a huff before washing her body and hair. At least she wasn't stuck inside the crystal with him…at least not entirely that is. Turning the shower off Kagome wraps her towel around her body and leaves for her room. As Kagome makes her way to her room her mother was climbing up the stairs.

Hina smiles at the sight of her daughter. "Kagome you're up, did you eat your dinner?" She asked while making her way to the top of the stairs. Kagome remembers the conversation. Her mother had sympathized with her, had understood her situation all so very well. "We have no idea what she has been through in the past and it may very well scar her for the rest of her life. Only Kagome can decide on whether or not to let them eat away at her or move on and beat it." Those words her mother spoke made her eyes open in realization.

She couldn't let her guilt take over her or else life would be miserable for her. She could never forget her friends, but she couldn't continue on being like this. It was unhealthy and if she didn't get hold of it she wouldn't be able to go to Yokohama National University in the fall. Her dream of being a doctor will never come true if that happens. 'Do I even want to become a doctor anymore?' She thought to herself suddenly. Her passion was lost and a sense of panic filled her suddenly.

"Kagome, are you alright?" The miko felt her mother place her cool hand onto her forehead before proclaiming she didn't have fever. "No, I-I'm fine mama." She said with a light stutter. "I was just thinking about college…" She drawls out while averting her gaze from her mother. Hina's eyes widen slightly before she let out a small strained smile. "In a little more than a month you will be going off to college and living on your own." She mused deeply.

Kagome detected the concern in her voice and tightened her hands into fists. "I know…" She mutters softly before unclenching her fists. It annoyed her greatly that her family's faith in her recovery was twiddling. She would get pass this stage, and it would be a difficult one to pass, but she will pass it all the same. Kagome brought her gaze to her mother's and her expression was serious. "I will get better mama and I will go to college this fall." She stated with conviction while informing her mother that she had overheard their conversations.

Hina's shoulder lax visibly before the older woman smiles in relief. "I know you will Kagome, we're just worry," She began with furrow brows that caused a deep crease to form on her forehead and pronounced the wrinkles at the ends of her eyes. It reminded Kagome yet again at how old her mother was becoming. "You haven't spoken about what happened in the Feudal Era." She finished with a frown tugging down her lips.

Kagome felt her spine stiffen at the mention of the Feudal Era and her eyes widen in remembrance of the final battle, of the all the deaths and mishaps that had occurred that faithful night. The change must have been noticeable because her mother's eyes suddenly flashed with concern. "Whatever happened has traumatized you Kagome…" Hina pointed out in a motherly tone as she sees the change in her daughter's eyes.

Kagome's usual blue eyes had changed into an almost unnatural icy blue. The pupils in her eyes had contracted drastically. It frightened her and she wondered if she should get Kagome a therapist. 'They would probably send her away instead of helping her.' She thought suddenly. Who would believe her daughter anyway? Falling into a magical well that transported you to the Feudal Era because of a mystical gem that was embedded into her daughter since birth, they would send her daughter to an asylum for insanity.

Kagome forces herself to calm down when she hears her mother's words about being traumatized. Her eyes widen at that the idea, but it made sense. It wasn't everyday a teenage girl was able to travel to the Feudal Era and collect shards of a powerful gem while fighting against an evil hanyou, to then lose everyone she cared about in one single night, especially on the night of her birthday.

Maybe she should see a therapist…maybe not. They'll probably send her away to the Looney Bin. Kagome brought her gaze to her mother while she contemplates on her next move. In order for her to move on she would need to talk about it.

"Mama,"

Telling her family was the best course of action, but she wouldn't tell them the whole truth regarding the Tasogare no Tama. If she told them how this gem was really created and what she had to sacrifice in order to create it, she didn't know how they would react.

She herself was still adjusting to it.

"I'm ready to tell you all what happened that night."


"Have you found where it is yet?" The young woman's voice was filled with impatience that caused her beautiful, smooth voice to falter slightly. The green demon scurries before her with his olive green eyes cowering in fear at what he was to tell her. It wasn't good news and he knew it will the end of him.

"N-no my lady, the aura is spontaneous and short lived. W-we can't locate it." The demon stuttered out and winced back fearfully. His mistress was known to strike out against those who lacked competence.

The demoness before him was eerily silent, her eyes glowing in suppressed rage at the report. It wasn't what she wanted to hear. Her shapely, painted lips were set in a frown that marred her beautiful face. Exotically narrow eyes glance over to the green demon in displeasure. How was she ever going to find him if incompetent, weaklings like him were lacking in following simple orders?

Furrowing her elegant dark brows the demoness flicked a beautifully decorated fan with her wrist. Sharp gales were created and charge towards the green demon, successfully cutting him into three halves. Each gale sent to a specific target, one at the neck, the other at his torso and the last through his pelvic.

Yellow colored blood stained the marble floors as a terrifying screech echoed along the spacious lounge.

A 'humph' resounded from the demoness throat at the mess she just created, but that was of little importance at the moment. What was of most importance was that she find him and soon.

She wanted to know about this Naraku.

And the only way she was going to do that was if she found him.

Legend has it that a little over five hundred years ago he had disappeared along with a powerful miko during the night of the red moon. There were no traces of their bodies anywhere. Even the Lord of the Western Lands had no clue as to what happened and he had searched all parts of Japan for his beloved miko.

The demoness didn't know how much the Legend held truth, but recently for the past few weeks she has been hearing a male's voice in her mind telling her to look for the one named Naraku. It also told her to search for a gem and that it was named the Tasogare no Tama. She had heard the name Naraku only once in her life and that had been when she was a youngling.

It had spiked her curiosity of why his name was forbidden whenever she was around, but it had died down over the centuries until the past few weeks that is. She wanted to know more about this Naraku and why his name was forbidden from reaching her ears when she was young.

Japan was a country created of many islands.

It would be a challenge to find it, but seeing as how the flares of the aura were spontaneous and near the area of Tokyo it would be best if she began her search there. Tokyo was only but a few hours away from Osaka.

"It shouldn't be too hard to search for this Tasogare no Tama." She said to herself while walking away from the mess and towards the dining room. Her mother was due to be home in a matter of minutes. She would have to clean the mess she made before she arrived. Turning to a demon she swiftly ordered him to clean up the mess in the lounge.

Her mother will be enraged if she ever found out she was seeking out Naraku.

She smirks suddenly and her eyes shimmer in bemusement.

Her curiosity will be her downfall one day, but at least she will go down feeling satisfy.


A/N: Sorry it took a while for chapter two, but the important thing is that it's up! I want to thank all of you who have reviewed and added this story to your favorites and alerts. My goal in this story is to bring out those silent readers and make them review. ;) Hopefully that is and I don't bite, promise!

So nicegresser was the first to review, A Single Tear, followed by many others. Thank you all so much and I hope to have your support till the end. I can't wait to see who reviews this chapter first. ;)

As you have read in this chapter you all have learned the name of the gem that Kagome created, Tasogare no Tama. In English it translates into Twilight Jewel. I took the definition of twilight and used it as a representation. You all will find out what I mean by that in the future chapters. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you all!

Also you all were introduced to a demoness who is set in seeking Naraku out. I wonder what you all will think and come up with regarding her appearance. Well that's it for this chapter and I hope you all review! ;)

Read and Review

Lady Manami