The Crucible of Time
By Fujifunmum
Chapter 7
Kagome held the Shikon no Tama in her hand, along with the prayer beads that had both subdued Inuyasha and bound him to her. She had released him and given him the Shikon Jewel. She had trusted him to make the right choice.
His choice pleased her. She had not expected it, yet she was not surprised. He had always insisted that he wished to be full youkai. She remembered the barrier in the cave where the jewel was born casting him out when he made his boast that using the jewel to become a full youkai would put it to rest. She tore her gaze from the Jewel and smiled at him again, hoping he would see the love she felt for him glowing in her eyes. He did.
She put both necklaces around her own neck and took Inuyasha's hand. "Let's sit down and talk about what we do next. OK?" He nodded and they sat close together, sheltered by the Go-Shimboku tree and the circle of their intimate friends.
Miroku started the discussion. "Once it becomes known that you have the Jewel again Kagome-sama, demons will continue to seek it."
Sango asked the question they were all thinking. "Would that also be true in your own time, Kagome-chan?"
Inuyasha responded for her. "There are demons in Kagome's time, too. She will not be safe with it there either."
Kagome turned to Sango and softly took her hand. "Your village, the Taijiya home, gave the Jewel to a Miko for purification. It is now purified, so I think we should return it to your village, to the cave of its birth. Do you agree?"
Sango didn't answer Kagome immediately. Her eyes clouded in thoughtfulness. She looked over at her brother Kohaku, seeing the pain of remembrance in his eyes. The Jewel had brought her village nothing but pain and destruction. It had been used to force Kohaku to commit the vilest of crimes: crimes from which he might never recover.
Sango then looked to the familiar faces of her family for support, for guidance. Their calm concern was evident in their eyes. The decision was hers to agree or not. She nodded her assent to Kagome, "Let us lay the Jewel to rest, and with it the pain and losses of our shared past and grief. Let's rebuild from there, beginning anew in my village."
The band of friends prepared for the final task of their journey. They had faith in the strong Miko powers of Kagome. If she believed she could return the Jewel to the cave and set it to rest there, they would see it done.
Traveling to Sango's village was not a long journey after the exhausting and arduous work of finding the shards and Naraku. This trip was filled with joy. The freedom to consider a future without the dark influence of Naraku on their lives elevated their spirits and restored their belief in a brighter future.
Miroku was the most affected by the change. His fully healed hand an outward manifestation of the lifting of his family's curse. His powers remained intact, and his internal mysticism appeared to be healing the effect of the curse on his mortal soul. His healed hands no longer wandered and his mind was set on only one woman, one who needed more healing still to ease her own soul.
Miroku offered, and Sango accepted the help and healing that his spiritual side had to offer. Inuyasha and Kagome could only stand amazed at the surreal changes in the relationship of their dear friends. No longer was Sango wary of his closeness, nor did Miroku abuse the privilege. Instead, Miroku offered the spiritual guidance that was his true calling to both Sango and her brother. Sango's soul was on the mend, aided by the intensity and sureness of the love Miroku offered her now that he had a future to share. Mending her brother's soul would be a long hard journey, one that the two of them could take together, while rebuilding their lives as they rebuilt her village.
Upon reaching the once hidden Taijiya stronghold, they made camp in what was left of Sango's family home. She felt a peacefulness there that spread easily to the others as they helped restore such order as they could for a night's rest.
In the morning, they headed in silence to the cave, Inuyasha leading them, his hand resting on Tetsusaiga, a newfound sureness of purpose and pride in his stride.
The barrier stopped him abruptly, retaining the memory of his arrogant and hasty boast that his use of the Jewel to become full youkai would set the Jewel to rest. Kagome, wearing the purified Jewel around her neck, passed easily into the ancient birthplace of the Shikon no Tama. The purified Jewel broke the barrier, allowing all of them to pass, including Inuyasha. He had a brief moment of grief as he remembered the last time they had been here and the refusal of the cave to allow Myouga-jiji to pass within. He missed that worthless flea.
Kiara, transforming, curled at the feet of the crystallized Miko, Midoriko. Kagome and Sango were both surprised at the action, but reached out to stroke and comfort the feline youkai. Had Midoriko been a friend of youkai, too?
Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Shippou and Inuyasha ringed Kagome and watched in support and love as she removed the Shikon Jewel from around her neck. As she approached the crystallized Miko who was frozen in endless battle with the youkai demons, the crystalline structure began to glow, recognizing the child of its conflict, the Jewel of the Four Souls.
As Kagome held the Jewel on her outstretched hand, the crystallized hand of Midoriko moved to meet her. The two most powerful Miko's of all time, Kagome and Midoriko joined their hands and hearts the moment the Jewel came between them. The blinding light of their Miko powers flashed in a torrent of purifying, healing power.
Midoriko took the power of the purified Jewel within her, dissolving it in her hand and thereby ending the ancient battle with the youkai as she set their souls free at last. They disappeared in the blast of power, leaving only the shimmering specter of the long dead Miko, smiling in heartfelt thanks at her true reincarnation, Kagome. Kikyo had been a weaker shadow, yet a portent of the future.
Her figure began to disperse, dissolving into shimmering starbursts of light, her soft whispered message echoing throughout the cave.
"Stay."