Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters; that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Final Fantasy (any of the titles), that right belongs to the game developers, Artist, storyboard writers and Sony/Square soft!


The day had finally come for them. With the Jewel of four souls complete and Naraku now dead, all that remained was for her to make the wish. With world-weary, tired cobalt blue eyes, Kagome looked at the battered and dirty ragtag group around her. Well, all but the infamous Daiyoukai of the West Sesshomaru. A faint smile curved her lips as she made eye contact with each person, before looking down at the small pink pearl-like Jewel pulsating in her hand. Nodding her head, she quickly peeked up at them all through her bangs. It was a bit hard to believe that it had been almost three full years now since her journey had started that fateful day, on her fifteenth birthday, when she fell the old seal shrine well.

She gave a soft sigh that was mixed with a small snort of laughter, making the others look at her with curiosity, and lifting her head, Kagome met the eyes of each person once more, ending on her adoptive son's beautiful green orbs. Giving a small nod of her head, she closed her eyes, lifting the Jewel, so it rested over her heart. Kagome took a deep breath and summoned her own Ki from deep within her body, allowing it to flow out around her and into the Jewel, when she was hit with the sudden sensation of being sucked into a void, reminiscent of when she was pulled down the well, and each time she traveled through it.

"You are ready to make your wish now, Kagome?" a definitive female voice echoed around her.

Once more, Kagome nodded her head as she opened her mind's eye to see a white and black void around her floating body. Her eyes shifted to the left and right, before catching on a tall, dark-haired woman with cobalt blue eyes like hers. Her mental self smiled at the woman in warm understanding, but still, she didn't say a thing, as the woman raised her eyebrows to her hairline, her own eyes showing that understanding of what the girl wanted.

"Are you sure you want this, Kagome? There will be no return once you make this wish, and it isn't completely selfless either, so the Jewel will continue to remain in existence," the woman spoke, as she took a few steps forward toward Kagome.

Taking a deep breath and letting out a long, exaggerated sigh, Kagome stared up into the eyes of her true ancestor, the one that she was a reincarnation of, Midoriko, the Priestess from whom the Jewel of four souls originated.

"Yes, Midoriko. I am sure of this wish. My reasoning is this, I no longer belong in my future time, or here in the past, and while I care deeply for my companions, the truth is that the one I want to be with, will never love me for who I am, but the person I look like," Kagome replied softly.

Midoriko looked at her descendant with worry in her blue eyes as they darkened to an almost midnight hue. Reaching out, she pulled Kagome into a hug, stroking her now waist-length, curly black hair.

"Then child, speak your wish so that the Kamis will hear it. Speak without hesitation in your heart, soul, and mind. Remain true to what you want, and we shall see if they are feeling gracious," Midoriko whispered.

Kagome waited till Midoriko stepped away from her, her own eyes darkening as she pulled on more of her power.

"I wish on thee, Jewel of four souls. Please hear what I say, and grant the wish to the best of your abilities," Kagome intoned in a voice laced with her miko powers.

Soon, the Jewel against her breast flashed brightly, blinding those that stood around her still body as they watched her physical form begin to glow with the pink touch of her Miko power. Her mouth moved, speaking her wish silently as the others tried to read what her lips were saying.

"The wish I ask you to grant is to let everyone have what their heart of hearts truly desire. For love, I feel for them is a reflection of me wanting them to be happy. That my family and friends both past and future are taken care of and never forget me, for I wish to be taken to a place, away from here, where I will be needed, and I can find my happiness on my own," Kagome gasped as she felt her body become encompassed in a massive wave of pressure.

That pressure made her feel very small and tiny, as she began to hear many voices in her head. The loud, cacophonous drone was almost deafening, making her want to scream out in pain, but she knew that she had to endure, since it was a test of her resoluteness. She let her eyes search out Midoriko, who was staring at her with sad, yet happy looking eyes. Then, it was all over, and her mind was silent, once more her own, the pressure no longer pressing her body. Blinking a few times, she just looked in confused awe at her companion, who smiled warmly.

"Your wish was granted, but there is a price that must be paid for a selfish wish, young lady. Go now. Tell your friends goodbye, and see what changes you have wrought in their eyes. I will be here waiting to explain some details of your new life when you're ready." Midoriko curled her lips into a slightly sardonic smile as she turned her back to Kagome.

Understanding that she was being dismissed, Kagome called her power back to her, allowing her mind to reconnect to her physical body. As she started to come to, Kagome felt a sharp pain just under her breast bone, causing her to gasp and clasp at it. Opening her eyes, she looked down to see the faint glow of the Jewel from under her shirt before it finished merging with her body once more. Lifting her cobalt eyes to the scene before her, she found a mixed reaction on all her friends' faces, and her lips lifted in a small, sad smile.

Miroku and Sango looked the same, except that they were holding hands, and Miroku wasn't showing any inclination that he was going to grope Sango. Her eyes traveled down to Kirara and Shippo, who were standing there looking at her with pain written into their faces, making Kagome's heart skip a beat. Soon enough, she turned away from them, almost as if in shame, to see a look of apparent anger on Sesshomaru's face. There were no visible signs of him having changed, making her wonder what exactly the man who wanted nothing would wish for. Beside him, Rin and Jakken just stared at her, the latter with his toad mouth hanging open in shock, while Rin sniffled as silent tears began to fall down her cheeks. Once more, she turned her face away with shame more clearly written across it, only to have her gaze land on the man she had come to love, InuYasha, and her jaw dropped open at what she was seeing.

There he stood arms crossed, tapping his foot in his normal irritated and impatient attitude. Unable to believe her eyes, Kagome walked towards him, lifting her hands, and rubbed the two small white triangle ears on his head, causing his face to turn an embarrassing shade of red. It was clear to her that he was still a hanyou. When she finished, Kagome took a few steps back, her face showing the curiosity that she felt as she just looked at him.

"What!? You act as if you haven't seen them before. As to why I am still a hanyou, it is because this is how you met me and fell in love with me. But I have a feeling that it doesn't matter now, does it Kagome?" he barked, baring his fangs in anger at her.

Kagome knee pain was written across her face; she took several more steps back so she could see them all in her gaze. When she stopped, Kagome just looked at them, feeling the hot sting of tears as they began to fall from her eyes unheeded, leaving twin burning trails down her cheeks. Her shame caused her cheeks to flame red, only confirming InuYasha's insinuation, making the others' reaction more defined. Not hanging her head this time, Kagome stood up straight to her full height.

"No, you are correct, InuYasha. I made my wish that all of you, along with all my friends and family in the future, are happy, protected, and get what you want most, but I also made a wish for myself." Her voice trailed off as she lifted her head, showing she had no regrets. "To the Kamis, I asked that I be sent to another place and time where I am needed and can find love on my own, a love that doesn't come with any requirements or strings attached. Truth be told, I am exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. I do not belong in my own time anymore, and here have a lot of bad memories. Can you honestly tell me Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and you too Lord Sesshomaru, without any of your emotions clouding your opinion, that I would be happy here with all that has happened? That everything would be peachy and perfect?"

Her words were met with complete silence. She looked at them, noting that Inuyasha's ears had gone flat against his head, while Miroku and Sango honestly averted their eyes. Sesshomaru just narrowed his gaze as Rin hid behind him, trying to smother her sobs in his haori pants. When her gaze came to Kirara and Shippo, there was a pain tearing at heart so strong, to see the loss and hurt in their eyes, making her shoulders slump ever so slightly as she sighed.

"Mama... would you like to know what my wish was?" A small child-like voice came from the little kitsune as she watched him take a few tentative steps forward.

Looking at him as he did so, almost like he was scared of her or what was to come, she nodded her head as she knelt, holding her arms out to him. At the action, she found the small kit running into her arms, along with the fire cat as well. She knew that Kirara had taken to her quite a bit over the last few years, but to this extent was a bit shocking. Hugging them close, she looked down at the ginger hair of her adopted son, waiting for him to speak. She had a feeling that she knew what he had wished for, but hearing it would make a difference.

"Mama, I wished that I would always be with you. No matter what happened, I would always go with you wherever you went. That way, I could make sure you were okay, cause I love you so much." His voice trembled as he lifted his green eyes, wavering with unshed tears.

His words were the final nail in the cracked dam, causing Kagome to sob aloud, tightening her hold onto Shippo and Kirara. It took her a few minutes to regain her composure, but when she did, Kagome stood up and looked at her friends and companions once more. All the emotions she felt, both the ones she had openly shared and kept hidden all this time, showed there in her dark cobalt eyes as her body became rigid.

"Your choice has been made, your wish granted. There is a resoluteness in you that I haven't previously seen. If this is what you truly wish, Lady Kagome, then all we can do is accept it and allow you this small bit of happiness. But do, before you decide to leave, say proper goodbyes. Rin and even Jakken will miss you," a deep yet mellow voice half growled at her.

It wasn't often that any of them got to hear Sesshomaru speak, more than a single sentence in one breath. So all six turned their eyes to him in shock, while a soft sputtering of indignation could be heard from the area around his feet. This caused a small soft giggle laced with sobbing to come from behind him, which in turn made Kagome and the others chuckle softly aloud. The mood was now lightened as they all looked at each other.

"Well, I do hate long goodbyes, but I have Midoriko waiting for me. So I guess it is time to do that, and thank you, Lord Sesshomaru, for your words," she mumbled shyly all of a sudden as she knelt once more to set Shippo and Kirara on the ground.

She stood back up, her usual bright sunny smile on her lips, making her blue eyes dance, and with a small soft laugh, she walked forward, lifting her arms and open, in Miroku and Sango's direction. Neither hesitated as they met her halfway, embracing her in a warm hug of their own. It was familiar and yet alien to Kagome as she released them, to look at the couple that had a huge struggle to be together. This was especially true considering Miroku had a habit of being a pervert with a wandering hand, while Sango was a proper lady who refused to grieve until all the souls of her village were laid to rest. Knowing that they would have a chance to have a healthy relationship, or as much as possible, if Miroku didn't change his way, made her very happy.

Next, she walked to Inuyasha, who still had his ears laid flat against his head. The smile was still on her lips as she looked at the man or rather hanyou she had fallen in love with, traveled all of feudal japan with, and fought alongside with. A bit of hesitation showed in his movements before he strolled towards her. Kagome felt a small wave of trepidation as she lifted her arms to hug him, slightly tilting her head down, but when his arms wrapped around her, Kagome exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. Lifting her eyes, she looked at Inuyasha's sad and apologetic golden eyes. The words that were on his lips, she didn't want to hear but knew she had to listen to them, even if they would only cause the hurt in her heart to deepen.

"K-Kagome, I am sorry. It took me a long time to realize that I cared deeply for you. I don't like you leaving like this, but I understand that, like you, I know we could never have a relationship truly deserve since I cannot love you like you truly deserve." As he finished, Inuyasha dropped his arms and stepped back, a faint smile on his lips, showing his small fangs.

"Thank you, Inuyasha, for understanding. It does mean a lot that you understand why in part I am doing this," Kagome said, as she lifted a hand to wipe away some errant tears that had spilled over again.

A faint tugging sensation came from where the Jewel was now embedded in her chest, letting her know that time was getting short, so not wanting to continue looking in his eyes, she turned to face Inuyasha's brother Lord Sesshomaru. Kagome was at a loss for what to do. As she looked at the Daiyoukai for a few silent seconds, his own golden eyes bored into hers, and the smile on her lips became a bit hesitant. She was letting her eyes travel over him, down his body to the small imp Jakken and the little girl with black hair and soft doe brown eyes standing behind him. As her gaze went back up, inspiration bit her in the butt, and she gasped, causing the Taiyokai to blink once.

Throwing away her hesitation, Kagome clapped her hands and walked forward. She knelt, grabbing Rin in a hug as she whispered her goodbye to the small girl, who just hiccuped and grinned as she looked down at Jakken. The small imp visibly shuddered under that grin, then without warning, threw his hands up in the air and ran away screaming, Rin following closely behind him. Neither would go too far from where Sesshomaru was, which was a good thing for Kagome. Standing up, she looked the Daiyoukai in the face with her smile, as she lifted her left hand to indicate that she wanted to shake his hand. What he did next shocked not only her, but all others in the clearing as he stepped forward and took her hand in his only one, and shook her hand firmly.

Feeling her face grow ten degrees hotter, her instincts kicked in, and she hugged him back. Kagome began to release a small stream of her Ki, letting it down her arm and Sesshomaru's, before focusing it on his left arm, the arm that he had lost in his encounter in Inuyasha's and his father's tomb. As she did so, she felt him release his own Youki, as if mimicking her, letting it wrap down his arm before it circled up her own. It confused her as it focused on two spots, one being her forehead and the other where the Jewel now rested. Their powers synced up and merged as they did their task, leaving each feeling strange, but once it was done, Kagome stepped away first, letting go of his right hand, her eyes wide in amazed shock as she looked up at the smirking Lord of the west, who was now flexing his new left arm.

"Am I to take it, Lord Sesshomaru, that you like what I have given you?" she whispered, her eyes hooded.

In response to her question, he leaned in and whispered into her ears, so only she could hear. "Yes, Lady Kagome, I do indeed like what you have given me. I hope you like what I have given you in return, since no matter where you go, you are mine."

With those cryptic words, he turned and walked towards the edge of the clearing, his intent obvious, as he called for Rin and Jakken to follow him, leaving Kagome to stand there with confusion and consternation written on her face. With a slightly annoyed huff, she placed her hands on her hips and spun to look at the others. That tugging sensation in her chest was getting a bit more painful, but the looks on their faces made her stop, drop her arms, and wrinkled her brow further in confusion.

"Okay... Uh, everyone, this is odd, but um it is time for me to go now. I will always remember you and miss you all. Please live good lives and take care of each other, okay." Her words trailed off as a soft pulse was felt at her chest.

Looking down, she saw its soft glow, then with a glance up, Kagome smiled that faint, sad smile. Bending down, she grasped her yellow backpack, along with her bow and quiver of arrows. Then she felt that familiar sucking sensation as she was pulled physically into the Jewel of four souls, not crying out in either shock or pain. It made her glad at how far she had come since their journey had started. When the world became still once more, Kagome noted that she was once more in that white and black void, her only companion being her ancestor Midoriko. With raised eyebrows and amusement in her dark cobalt eyes, the woman stared at her, focusing on her forehead, making Kagome feel a bit insecure as she lifted her hand to rub at the spot where Sesshomaru's Youki had concentrated.

TBC!