Chapter Three

The next day Kagome's wounds had healed completely and her strength had returned to her, leaving her free to get ready to head to Edo.

"Thanks again for your help." She said to Sesshomaru as she finished packing up her things.

"You would leave so soon Miko?" He asked.

"I'm sorry but I have to get to Edo." She said. "Besides I'm sure you have more important things to do rather than sitting around in a cave with me."

He cocked his head to the side as he pondered that. "We will take you to Edo."

"We will milord?" Jaken squawked in surprise before cowering as Sesshomaru glared at him. "Forgive me milord."

"Thanks but that really isn't necessary, Edo isn't more than a few days from here. I'll be fine on my own, really." She said as she tucked the sheath of Tesseiga into her obi.

"Nonsense Miko, or have you forgotten so quickly that you possess the Jewel and are unable to defend yourself." He said pointedly.

"I'm not entirely defenseless you know." She said as she held up her bow. "I still have my powers and I know how to make a purifying barrier."

"Nevertheless I am not willing to take the risk." He said.

She bit her lip against the retort that wanted to break free of her mouth, and besides with his help you will get there faster. Not only that you made a promise. She frowned at that thought. Just what was the promise and when did I make it?

She got the distinct feeling something had happened while she slept the other night but couldn't for the life of her remember what it was, it was frustrating because she felt something important had happened. Along with that there were things she seemed to know without ever recalling when she'd been told them.

"What is the matter Miko?"

"It's nothing." She shook her head. "I just seem to have forgotten something."

"And that would be?"

"If I knew what it was then it wouldn't have been forgotten." She said pointedly.

"Hn," He mused as he climbed to his feet. "Let us leave, Miko you will ride with the children on Ah Un."

"Okay then." She sighed; knowing arguing with him about anything was pointless since he could be just as stubborn as she.

This is so weird, why is Sesshomaru being so nice to me all of a sudden? She thought as she grasped Kohaku's arm so he could pull her onto the saddle behind him. The fact of the matter was she couldn't even begin to understand why the mighty Dai was even helping her to begin with, for so long his hatred of humans and her in particular had been prominent. Even when we saw him shortly before the final battle his opinion of me hadn't changed, so what's different this time around?

When no answers were forthcoming she put the thought out of her mind as they left the cave and took to the sky with Sesshomaru flying ahead of them. But as she watched the Dai take a kneeling position on his cloud she couldn't help but cock her head to the side to study him.

I made a promise that concerns him, and though I don't remember what it was I get the feeling it was really important. That and I'm not really afraid of him anymore. She realized, sure she hadn't really been afraid of him in the past, but there was always the slightest bit of fear that warned her not to mess with the mighty Dai. It's almost as if I trust him now.

For his part, Sesshomaru wasn't exactly sure what it was that had driven him into aiding the Miko. At first he'd thought it was because she reminded him of someone else but after that first night he put the thought out of his head; the Miko had always been a unique individual and despite the fact he cared little, he knew of her distaste for being compared to someone else.

He knew not why he was even considering it to begin with, but the thoughts concerning the Miko had been topmost in his mind since he found her so wounded and weak in that field. She is human and not worthy of my consideration… but nevertheless I have given it to her and I don't know why.

As if unbidden he glanced over his shoulder to gaze at her only to find she was looking straight at him, but by the absent look in her eyes he got the feeling she really wasn't seeing him. It reminded him that she had changed in some way, perhaps even irrevocably and who knew if it was for the better.

She is immortal now. He thought as he watched the way her hair swayed in the wind caused by their passing and he noted that it had grown considerably since the first time he'd seen her. In the time she'd been travelling with his brother she'd matured physically as well; the remaining softness of childhood had abandoned her features, leaving her features well defined and rather striking. She was tiny but not in a sickly kind of way, and her porcelain skin was flawless.

It was her eyes though that drew his attention the most; he'd never seen a human with eyes the color of the sky before. Add the shine that occupied them when she was happy and they were the most intriguing eyes he'd ever seen; well they had been before her world was turned upside down, the shine was no longer there and had been replaced with that strange glint that set his instincts on edge.

He shook himself free of the feeling and refocused his gaze to find she'd cocked her head to the side in a peculiar way while continuing to study him. This time though the absent look was gone and he could tell she was really seeing him; he frowned slightly and turned away, berating himself for losing his focus.

The sooner he got the Miko to her destination, the sooner he could be free of her and these frustrating thoughts. And now that Naraku was defeated he could return to the west and begin the task of building his empire.

Thinking on that provided reprieve from the puzzle that was the Miko and took up the rest of their journey to Edo. By the time they came within sight the sun was in the western sky, preparing to rest itself until the next day when it would rise to shine once more.

Kagome's focus turned to the matter at hand as she prepared herself to tell the story of her friend's tragic end to the elder Miko. It was a task she was not looking forward to but knew it could not be avoided; it was strange really, ever since she'd awoke she felt detached from the pain in her heart. It was almost as if someone were shielding her from it; she knew that shield would not last forever and the sooner she confronted it, the sooner she could begin the healing process.

"We are here Miko." Sesshomaru said as they landed on the outskirts of the village.

"Thank you." She said as she shook herself and grabbed her things before leaping off of Ah Un's back.

"Will we ever see you again Kagome-chan?" Rin asked softly.

"Oh I'm sure you will one of these days." She said with a sad smile. "You take care now you hear and try not to drive Sesshomaru to crazy with your pranks."

"We'll try Kagome-chan." Kohaku promised.

Her smile grew and she nodded before straightening and turning to face Sesshomaru. "I owe you a debt for your aid, and I know it may not mean much, but if you ever need the help of a Miko I'll be around."

"Understood Miko."

Now I really know there's something different about him, in the past he would have snorted and told me that he would never need the assistance of a pathetic human. She thought as she studied him a moment before offering a tight smile and nodding once. But then again, I'm sure he likes the debts owed to him be repaid at some point in time.

"Well, see you around then." She said as she shouldered her gear and set off in the direction of the village.

Sesshomaru watched her as she went about her way for several moments before turning and heading in the direction of his lands. "Come, we have much to do."

~*~

Kaede had been overjoyed to see Kagome when she returned, but the joy was quickly replaced by sadness as the futuristic Miko began spinning her tale of the final confrontation with Naraku.

"What do ye intend to do now child?" Kaede asked after the tale was done.

"I want to go home, but I don't think I'll be able to." She said softly.

"Why do ye say that?"

"I don't know; it's just a feeling." She shrugged.

"Are ye going to try anyway?"

She was silent for several moments as she pondered that; on one side she wanted to do nothing more than jump down the well to see if it would work, but on the other she was afraid. "I don't know."

"Give it some time child." The elder Miko said as she patted her on the hand. "Now come it's time for dinner and tomorrow we will begin thy training to ensure ye are able to protect the jewel."

"Right," She said as she turned her thoughts to more important matters. Granted Kaede had been giving her lessons from time to time, she still wasn't familiar with the usage of her powers. And since it would be some time before she could find someone to help teach her the ways of the sword, she would need the power that resided in her soul to help protect the jewel.

After dinner she retreated to the hot spring to take a nice long bath and that was when the shield guarding her from her pain broke. She'd never taken a bath in the spring by herself; always having Sango, Shippo, and Kirara for company. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she brought her knees up to hug them, the forest was silent save for her sobs and the sounds of her tears hitting the water.

Sometime later though the feeling of comfort washed over her and she opened her eyes then gasped before whipping around, hoping the reflection she'd seen in the water had been real and not a dream. But when she spied out the forest beyond her she realized that it had only been her imagination.

I could've sworn it was real. She thought as she continued to gaze around, after a moment she gave up and sighed before straightening and gazing back down at the water. She froze then, because once more she saw the reflection; it was the faintest of outlines but there was no mistaking the fact that it was Sango, and the elder girl was resting an invisible hand on her shoulder.

We'll always be with you. A voice whispered in the back of her mind, taking a bit of the pain and making it slightly more bearable. She took a deep, shaky breath and nodded slightly as she placed her hand over the imaginary one on her shoulder while the tears continued to fall.

It wasn't what she would have preferred but for the moment it was enough.

~*~

Several days later she worked up the courage to try the well; the pressing need to know finally outweighed the fear of the outcome. So after a goodbye to Kaede and a promise to return if it failed, she shouldered her pack and headed out.

She was wearing her own clothes once again while the kimono Sesshomaru had given her had been washed then carefully placed in her pack. If the well did work she didn't want to show up in the future looking like she'd just returned from the past.

As always the clearing that the well rested in was quiet, and the well itself looked no different than it did every other time she'd been there. She could still remember the time Inuyasha had shoved a tree in it to keep her from returning and after a million sits and a lost voice once she'd returned, he removed the tree and fixed it.

When she reached the side of the well she stood there for several moments while peering down into its darkened depths. Finally after a good half hour of just standing there she climbed onto it and prepared to jump.

"Well, here goes nothing." She muttered before leaping and by the time she'd reached halfway she knew her fears were confirmed, the well would no longer take her home.

Bearing that in mind she managed to land at least somewhat gracefully before sinking to her knees and peering up at the bright sky above her. I can't go home anymore, I'm stuck here forever.

Despair overwhelmed her then; it would have been nice to go home at least once more to tell her family what had happened. After fifteen minutes of gut wrenching sobs a thought struck her and she managed to pull herself together.

Midoriko said it would take centuries before Naraku would fade away, and I'm immortal now. That means I'll live to see them again… it's just going to take a really long time.

It was a small comfort, but it was there nonetheless. So with an overused sigh she shouldered her pack and climbed back out; but instead of returning to the village she set off for the Goshinboku, needing the comfort it could offer her just then.

The magnificent tree stood tall and proud as always, its branches swaying gently in the warm summer breeze. She set her stuff off to the side then stepped up to it to rest her hand against the worn spot where Inuyasha had been sealed for fifty years.

"Why did it have to turn out this way?" She asked it softly. "What did we do wrong to have things end so horribly? Weren't we good enough to warrant a happy ending?"

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the trunk; don't be silly Kagome, there's going to be a happy ending it's just that the story isn't over yet. At least not for you.

She would have been content to remain that way for the rest of the day but fate seemed to have a different idea in mind. She didn't have her senses extended as she should have and her only clue that she was no longer alone was thanks to the twig snapping.

Quick as she could she whipped around while pulling and arrow free of her quiver as she brought her bow up. "Who's there? Show yourself."

"You have the jewel." A voice hissed from the cover of the forest. "Give it to me and I may let you live."

"How about you just give up and go away. If you do I'll let you live." She growled as she extended her senses to seek out the oni.

Laughter was the only response she got before the oni struck, too fast for her to avoid in time. She cried out as its claws tore through her midsection, missing the place where the jewel rested by the slimmest of margins.

She hit the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her as her nerves screamed in pain. Then before she could move the lizard youkai had pounced on her to wrap its slimy hands around her neck.

"You will die." It hissed as its red eyes bore into her.

Kagome struggled for air as her hands frantically searched the area for something to use as a weapon, after a moment and just as her vision began to dim her fingers brushed over the arrow she'd dropped. She scrambled to grasp it while calling on her powers and before the oni could do more than raise its claws to skewer her, she put the arrow point first into its temple and watched as it was purified to ash.

That was to close. She thought dimly as she struggled to regain her breath while her body twitched in pain. So this is it, I don't have any more time to indulge in childish fantasies. I need to learn how to protect myself now.

Mind made up she struggled to rise and collected her things before stumbling in the direction of the village, the trek was excruciating and only the knowledge that this couldn't kill her kept her on her feet. I don't have the luxury of being weak, there's no one left to protect me. I have to do this on my own from now on, no matter how much it hurts.

~*~