Now, Kagome was most certainly not comfortable with sharing specific aspects of the last few years of her life. The shikon jewel, for example, was one hundred percent off limits – the last thing she needed was some all-mighty taiyoukai deciding it was his new mission in life to acquire even more power. And the time-travel thing as well. Sure, being from the future would prove to entice, would elicit a response she'd likely find quite satisfying, but the risk it carried, that someone would link when she was from to where, and destroy the well, was far too frightening for her to consider.

So instead, Kagome wove a tale of an arduous quest, undertaken out of a sense of duty, obligation, and a fair smattering of guilt, all to collect one of the rarest artifacts in the world. Highly coveted, and therefore with more than their fair share of rivals presented along the way, she tried to explain her abilities through her every fight, her every sharp turn and sudden enemy, through her struggles with being true to her values and with protecting those she loved –– the friends that had been alongside her for every trembling step, each firm move in what she hoped was the right direction. Humans and youkai who had come to be her family.

She told her story, censured though it was, and hoped it would be enough to tell him what he needed to hear.


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