Disclaimer- Do not own.

Cherryblosomz- THANK-YOU! Anyway, the names... You mean like Kagome's Eternity, Miroku's Monk, and Inuyasha's Hanyou? If so... well... it's difficult to explain without giving away a lot. So SPOILERS! If you don't want SPOILERS, please don't read ahead! Kagome's brother, Houjo (or Dignity) is the head of a organization known as the 'Rebellions' or the 'Counsel' as it's referred to quite a bit. The Rebellion's purpose is to take Kikyou and Naraku off the throne and put someone better on. The names are to not give away their identities as 'innocent' citizens.

OKAY! The long awaited chapter 3 of A World Without of Hope and Courage.

A World Without Hope and Courage

Chapter 3: Kagome's Ceremony

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Kagome stood impatiently and worriedly in front of the top counsel.

"She knew that she was next in line! I say she murdered him!" One member objected.

Kagome looked at the member angrily. How dare he accuse her of killing the brother she loved?

"We all know that Eternity loved her brother dearly. Love is a powerful thing, it keeps us from doing many things, like murdering our own brothers. Must I remind you of Soujo's story?" Another member protested.

She gave an appreciating look at that member, who nodded. Everybody knew the story of Soujo. He was the eldest of a very large family of six brothers and four sisters. The second eldest brother was greatly jealous of Soujo, because he would become leader of the family when their father passed away. Their father got very sick, and Soujo had become leader of the family. The second eldest, Souko, had crepe into Soujo's room while he was sleeping with a knife, but had been unable to kill his brother, for his love for his elder brother overthrew the jealousy.

"Let's let Sapphira talk." The chief of the counsel announced.

Rin was led in, her head held high. There was a clink of her heels upon the marble as she walked toward them.

"Do you know what happened on the night of Dignity's murder?" A questioner asked.

"Of course. How could I forget? It haunts my dreams." Rin began. "We were all sitting around the fire in the living room...." Then she was cut off.

"Who's 'we all'?" the questioner interrupted.

"Eternity, Acura, Kit, Dignity, and I, were all sitting around the fire in the living room, listening to Eternity tell Acura and Kit a bedtime story. We had never heard her tell a story before, because I usually told them. But Acura and Kit begged Eternity to tell one, so we were all in a hushed silence. Her voice was so angelic, and the way she told it was wonderful." Rin said happily recalling the memory.

"But there was one detail that proves Eternity not guilty." Rin continued.

"And what would that be?" The questioner asked.

Rin smiled. "Eternity was clearly in front of Houjo, but the shots came from behind him."

"Thank you Sapphira." The counsel said before turning to Kagome.

"Higurashi Eternity, you have been appointed new leader by our former leader. May you life be a long and happy one, thank you for being here." The chief member said.

Kagome smiled, Houjo's wish had come true. "Thank you." She whispered.

The counsel dismissed her, the formal ceremony would be later. Kagome left the room, and rushed to Rin and hugged her.

"Thank you so much, Sapphira!" Kagome smiled through her tears.

"Dignity would have wanted it this way, and so do I." Rin replied, patting Kagome's back.

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Kagome was wearing the traditional ceremony clothes. For her it was a red shirt and skirt, see through material was covering her exposed arms and legs. She wore sandals with no socks. She was wearing a verity of jewelry, two necklaces, and two gold bracelets with one clamped on each wrist. Her ebony hair was cascading down her back, with two red hair clips on each side of her head.

She was ready. Physically, she was ready. Mentally, she was not. She could still remember the day of Houjo's ceremony. He had been wearing the men's ceremony clothes. He stood up there, all of his dignity and pride shining throughout the ceremony room.

What if she wasn't a good leader? What if she couldn't keep together the Rebellions like Houjo had? Millions of questions swirled around her head, and each time one was answered, a million more replaced it.

Kagome took a deep breath, and walked along the velvet red carpet that led into the ceremony room and up onto the stage.

Her feet made little noise, but when she entered the room, the crowed hushed. Two of Houjo's most trusted bodyguards stood at each of her sides, and everyone stared at her. Kagome forced herself to look ahead, slowly making her way down the walkway, as she had seen her brother do. As she passed, people shot her either resentful or respectful glances.

Kagome climbed the stairs leading to the stage. Here her bodyguards would be appointed and she would officially become leader. This was her destiny, and instead of embracing it, she tried to fight it, by hoping the impossible: That Houjo would live forever.

She nodded to the chief of the counsel, before taking her seat.

"We are gathered here today to mourn the death of our beloved leader... and honor our new leader." Kagome noticed that the chief paused between 'beloved leader' and 'and honor'. "Dignity was our dignity, pride, hope, and the key to our dreams. Dignity helped us mature, see what was right and what was wrong. He was our leader. Now he has left us one last parting gift... his younger sister, Eternity. Eternity will now be faced with situations she does not know how to react to, and a new sense of responsibility and leadership. For now we honor her, for Dignity has appointed her leader, and we will obey our beloved leader's last wish."

Kagome found the speech very boring compared to blushing and looking at her sandals in embarrassment. Kagome stood after 'wish' and approached the front of the stage.

"Eternity, you have been appointed leader. Do you except this responsibility and honor?"

"I except this responsibility and honor." Kagome echoed.

"Do you swear your loyalty and all of your effort on our cause?"

"I swear my loyalty and all of my effort on our cause." Kagome repeated.

"Now repeat after me: I have been appointed leader. I will serve the Rebellions until the day I die or the day the Rebellions win."

"I have been appointed leader. I will serve the Rebellions until the day I die or the day the Rebellions win." Kagome said strongly.

A reef of Sakura blossoms was placed upon her head, and the people in the room bowed low.

"Your bodyguards will now be appointed." The chief leader said. He pulled out a professional looking envelope. "Guard 1: Hanyou. Hanyou please come up onto the stage."

Kagome watched Hanyou climb the stairs to the stage.

"Repeat after me: I am Hanyou. I have been appointed bodyguard of Eternity-sama, and I swear to protect her under even death to death situations."

"I am Hanyou. I have been appointed bodyguard of Eternity. I will protect her even at the risk of my own life." Hanyou said. Kagome noticed he didn't use the exact words as the chief.

"Bodyguard 2: Monk." Monk repeated the same process as Hanyou. "And bodyguard 3: Taijiya." Taijiya, a serious looking girl about Kagome's age approached the stage and repeated the exact process of Hanyou and Monk.

"You are the Bodyguards of Eternity. Thank you for your service." The ceremony was over, and Kagome happily ran to Rin.

"Let's go... anywhere but here." Kagome said, tears in her eyes.

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Sorry it was soooooooooo short....

Next time on A World Without Hope and Courage: Risks Kagome still can't get over Houjo's death. But in order to led the Rebellions to victory, she must. Can she pull herself together? Plus, Naraku makes his move. Two heirs are adopted. There is two heirs, and Kagome doesn't want to kill two innocent children. So she does one risky move, one that might cost the Rebellions their lives.