Song Of Hope: Ha, ha. I snuck Kaede and Kikyo into that last chapter without mentioning their names except for once. R&R.

"But, are you sure you want to do this Kagome? It will be dangerous. Your grandfather and your mother will need you, especially after what happened to your little brother around this time two years ago. I don't think they could survive another loss." Kagome shed a tear at the thought. Her brother had gone on a trip in the forest to cut some wood and had never returned. Some said a demon had him for his lunch, while others say he got lost and died of starvation.

"I'll do it. He was no miko, especially since he was a boy, but all three of us are. You and Kaede need me." Kikyo smiled.

"Very well then, but don't wander too far off from us. If you do, you might never return. Are you sure you're prepared for the risk?"

"I'm ready." Kikyo smiled and nodded.

"Go and inform your family. We will be leaving at noon, which isn't that long." Kagome nodded. She went off quickly to go to her family. Kikyo walked quickly back into the hut.

Kagome came into her home. Her mother was making some rice balls.

"Mom." Her mother looked up at her.

"Yes dear?"

"I'm going on a trip with Kikyo and Kaede. They're leaving for a nearby village with a miko. I'm not staying though." Her mother dropped the rice ball (which are actually triangular shaped, and 4kids has something against them) in her hand.

"What?"

"Don't worry. I will be with two of the most powerful mikos I know."

"They are the only mikos you know!"

"Mother! Please! I have to see them off, just to make sure they stay safe. Kaede's powers are faltering. If I don't go, they might be attacked by a hoard of demons! Please!"

"You remember what happened to your brother, right?"

"Don't worry, I have great enough spiritual powers, and even if I'm attacked by a human, my archery skills will cover that part. Also, if I get lost, I can use my ability to sense auras to find my way to a village. I have to make sure they return safely. I don't want what happened to Sota to happen to them." That hit her mother right where it hurt. She sighed and made the rice balls much quicker.

"Alright, but you'd better do it soon, or else. Once your grandpa gets back here, we won't let you leave if he finds out."

"We're leaving at noon."

"Then I can make a bento for you to have before you go. Do you have the bread?"

"Yes." She took it out of the basket and handed it to her mother. "Once I finish everything, you go and meet with Kikyo and Kaede. Right now, we just have rice and pickled vegetables. I can make some sandwiches real quick, but go and practice to sharpen your skills, and practice with your spiritual powers. I want every bit of reassurance I can find." She hugged her mother.

"Thank you!" Kagome went outside, and sat down on the grass cross-legged. She concentrated on the sensing demonic auras, but could only sense the ones coming to the nearby village, and the wolf demons, but she concentrated harder, and was shocked to sense a new kind of aura. She gasped. "That's not demonic, but it's not human either! What is it? Is it a ghost? No, they have human auras, just very weak ones. Could it possibly be an animal's? No, that's not right. Maybe it's a kami's? No, it's a different kind of aura all together, but I can't tell where it's coming from."

"Kagome!" She turned to see her mother holding up a bento. "I've got your lunch packed!" She ran up to her mother. Her mother handed her the bento, and then they hugged each other. "Be safe Kagome, and come back to me in one piece."

"I will." They let go of each other.

"Now go, the sun has almost reached its peak. By the time it does, you should be able to go without your grandpa finding out until it's too late." She nodded.

"Bye mom." She ran off to Kaede's hut. Her mother sighed.

"She's growing up so much. Please let Kami-sama bring you home safely."

Kagome quickly got to Kaede's hut. Kikyo and Kaede were on horses. There was one horse left.

"Kaede! Kikyo!" They turned to her.

"Kagome, so you made it." She nodded.

"Yeah." She got on the third horse. "So, how far is the village?"

"A days travel. You can be home by tomorrow afternoon, or maybe the morning after." She nodded.

"Well, let's not lose any daylight." They nodded. They flicked the reins on the horses, and they were off to the next village.

Little did they know how life changing this would be.

Song Of Hope: I kind of was going to make this story more like the Disney version, but after reading other versions in the InuYasha adaptation, decided against it, and threw in multiple twists of my own, just to make it more InuYasha, although the whole having Kikyo and Kagome friends things is hard to believe, but this is Kikyo without having Naraku disguised as InuYasha kill Kikyo, making her bitter.