Kagome avoided the tentacle thrown her way as Naraku tried to crush her. He couldn't believe the fact that she returned after he has painstakingly plotted her demise. Why can't the girl stay dead?!

Miroku noticed Naraku's expression and held a chuckle, "I'm thinking that he's starting to understand how we felt about his constant regeneration," Sango shook her head as she manoeuvred Kirara in the air and swung her Hiraikotsu. Inuyasha slashed at one of the tentacles with his new spear.

Just last week they went to Toutosai to order a spear for Inuyasha. The old codger was surprised that a son of Inu no Taishou wasn't using a sword like his predecessor but a spear instead. Inuyasha explained that he felt more compatible and flexible with a spear over a large sword. Besides, he explained that Tetsusaiga no longer see him as acceptable to wield it. The sword now belonged to his brother Sesshoumaru.

To their surprise, Toutosai explained that Sesshoumaru has long surpassed their father in strength and just started to show his wisdom. The new sword that he was been sporting after Tokijin was actually grown with his left arm, aptly named Bakusaiga. It was ten times stronger than Tetsusaiga by its normal attack and furthermore, Tenseiga finally recognised Sesshoumaru as matured enough to use its attack; Meido Zangetsuha. It was an attack that slices open a doorway to the afterlife and sucked its enemy right into death's lair.

Kagome had berated the hanyou, "I told you he has grown into a bigger puppy," But with that information, she recalled a memory about Inu no Taishou who wield three swords just as Sesshoumaru was doing. One of it opened the doorway to Jigoku and now that Tenseiga wasn't just a healing sword, it does something that was quite similar to So'ounga.

She wondered what this Bakusaiga can do as she dodged another of Naraku's attack.

Naraku gritted his teeth when suddenly she blew him a reiki charged blizzards, burning his tentacles. Sharp ices flew toward him like frozen missiles, and he can see that within it like poison filled hollow darts were reiki. He tried to escape but the darts of ices cut through his armoury.

An arrow filled with tainted reiki flew toward Kagome but it was dispersed by her barrier. Inuyasha turned toward the intruder and, although heavy hearted, threw his strongest attack with his spear that was designed to be able to throw attacks like Tetsusaiga, "KAZE NO KIZU!"

Kikyo looked his way in shock just as her Soul Stealers took her away in the nick of time. As she watches him, she noted the flowing tears on his face. But as he looked up, it wasn't the eyes of someone that has been forced but those that has been betrayed beyond forgiveness. She realised that there was no turning back with Inuyasha after what she has made him do.

Naraku felt the pull of Kazaana and his Saimyoushou flew around him only to freeze. He glared at Kagome, recognising her troublesome new ability. As a last attempt, he tried to escape. However, Kagome's strongest attack shattered his barrier and straight to the Shikon Jewel within him.

Soon, as the after debris of the fight disappeared, there was no sign of either Naraku or Kikyo. Inuyasha's ear flattened over his skull as he sighed. Kagome looked at the ground before her and noticed a shimmering darkness. She kneeled and plucked the item off the ground.

There between her index and thumb was half of Naraku's collected Shikon Jewel.

Miroku stared at his hand and sighed, "It didn't disappear," He meant the Kazaana. Sango sat next to him, "What should we do now? He's still out there somewhere," She wondered silently as well about the wellbeing of her younger brother, Kohaku. He was still within the grasp of Naraku and there was nothing that any of them could do.

Kagome answered, "The least we could do now is to purify this shard until it can never be tainted anymore,"

Miroku looked at her, "Can we do that?"

Kagome nodded, "Remember that the Shikon has two spirits residing within it, Naohi that was accumulated goodwill and Magatsuhi the accumulated malice. If we could strengthen Naohi then maybe we could destroy the Magatsuhi residing within the Jewel," She then sighed, "But as I am now, that will take longer time than when I am human,"

Sango smiled, "Take your time Kagome. We will lend help anyway that we can,"

Kagome looked at her, "I had hoped that I have time. However…"

She looked at her lap where she placed a box that held the tainted half of the Shikon Jewel. Miroku frowned, "What is it, Kagome-dono?" Kagome looked at him with a pinched face, "My family is moving soon,"

Inuyasha's ears perked and turned to her, "Move? Where?"

Kagome sighed, "Far away from Tokyo,"

Inuyasha scowled, "But we still have more shards to hunt!" And you can't possibly leave so soon just when I'm starting to get used to you living once more! His heart added. Kagome smiled, "Don't worry, we'll get all the shards together before I move,"

Inuyasha shook his head, "No! If you move, then…" He couldn't continue. There were many reasons why Kagome can't move, but most of all he just want his best friend by his side. He drew in sharp breath, "Besides the shards, you have to keep coming back to get the half of Shikon from Naraku! If you move so far away, how are you supposed to come back here? I don't think there's a Bone Eater Well that you can jump through in a place far from the shrine!"

Kagome stood and walked toward him. She reached out and touched his ear in kind fondness, "I'm not leaving you, Inuyasha,"

Inuyasha bit his lip and with a violent sharp pull, he turned away from her and walked off. Kagome stared at his back, knowing that he needed some time alone. She knew too that it wasn't easy for someone who was used to being considered complicated be seen as transparent by another. Inuyasha's deepest hurt was being neglected the kind of motherly love after his mother's death. In his hanyou age, it was untimely.

The group recollected themselves the next day and Inuyasha continued on with his usual slave driving. Kagome followed without a word, the fact that she would soon be leaving them hung heavy in the air. It was something that wasn't foreign to the group, but to be brought into the open by said person herself was something unexpected. It was also the one subject that everyone knew and shared of yet never discussed as if some sort of taboo. It was worse than her unexpected 'death'.

After the last battle with Naraku, the group hardly hear a buzz of his whereabouts. It seemed that Kagome's blow on him was much greater than they had thought. So the group continued on with their search for the remaining shards.

One night, as she knew that the finality of her stay draw closer by the days, Kagome waded in the cool river. She watched the full moon hanging amidst the thousand stars in the night heaven. She felt a sting of tear near her eye and quickly turned away, banishing all thoughts of leaving just for the night when her eyes caught sight of a familiar pale shadow.

Sesshoumaru watched her in deep silence. He then walked toward her as she bowed in acknowledgement of him. He nodded in return as he asked, "Was it true, the news brought by the wind? That you are leaving to a land farther than the one that you came from?"

Kagome nodded, "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama,"

He noticed that she refused to look at him directly in the face, favouring instead the spiked shoulder protector of his armour. He then asked, "How about the matter with the spider?"

Kagome's answer was short, "It was unknown, My Lord,"

Sesshoumaru felt his eyebrow ticked with impatience, "The Shikon Jewel still in need of its guardian," She nodded, "I will remain steadfast to my role as its priestess,"

Feeling something akin to dissatisfaction welling within him with the way she was behaving and her short answer as well as her open avoidance of him, Sesshoumaru hummed and turned sharply to leave. Kagome looked up as the wind gently caressed her cheek, a simple statement that he has left. Trailing behind him was the scent of the high mountains and spring rain, proves that he was once there and not the trick of her mind.