I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

- Orion Mountain Dreamer, The Invitation

…………………………

As disclaimed earlier, Inuyasha does not belong to me.

………………………..

New Year was around the corner.

Kagome shuffled towards her closet to retrieve her jeans and shirt, and then faltered as her eyes wandered off to the table where the Shikon No Tama lay seated inside the glass vial.

New Year bought good luck and that was the only time of the year where humans cast aside their shell of doubt and sent their heartfelt wishes towards the Gods. Somehow it seemed wrong to go and pray in the shrine with only jeans and a shirt, despite the fact that the shrine was practically in her backyard.

A year ago, she would have been busy going out with her friends as they giggled over the minute happenings in school. She would have been drinking hot chocolate with Mama and Jiji while Souta sought to irritate the hell out of her.

But now, everything had changed.

Remembering the fight from earlier on, Kagome sighed. In a way, the coming New Year was to blame.

"Come on, Inuyasha! Just 2 days! I promise to be back by 2 days!" Kagome had pleaded.

"No! Stupid wench! Not when we're so close to kicking that damn Naraku's butt! He'll be back for the rest of the shards and he's so close! I can smell his filthy scent more than ever now!" Inuyasha snarled, his amber eyes flashing as he looked out at the vast forest.

"New Year's around the corner, Inuyasha. Is it too much to ask for? It's been almost a week since we last saw him! We haven't even caught sight of Kagura! It means a lot to me…Please, Inuyasha?" Kagome pleaded again, hoping that she wouldn't have to use that word.

For a moment, something flashed in Inuyasha's eyes. Something akin to sadness but then it passed off as swiftly as it came.

"No! Why can't you stay here and celebrate New Year here? You can just stay here and pray! Kikyou would never have thought of shirking her duty! All you think about is going back-"

Inuyasha never got to finish his words for they were eaten by the ground. The word echoed around the forest and the dust began to settle down again. Kagome stood there with the tears that was heavy on her lashes and looked down at the sad red heap.

"I will be back in 2 days…"

Unpleasant memories and more tears. That always resulted from their fights. Determined not to cry again, and secretly wondering if the tears would ever stop, she hit the showers.

Undressing, she left her pajamas on the floor of the bathroom, the cold tiles making her shiver. Winter was ending soon but the snow showed no signs of melting. Her heart longed for summer too soon.

Stepping into the warm water, she allowed the water to soak her through.

Last year, it had been a big deal for her. She had been a normal girl then but now she was changed. New Year took on a more important role.

Stepping out of the shower after almost 30 minutes, she dried off and wrapped the towel around herself.

The kimono waited for her on the bed, laid out and smelling faintly of moth balls and old perfume.

It had been a long time since she had dressed so formally and it took her some time to get ready properly.

Each knot was tied with precision; each crease was corrected with firm resolve.

Finally, she was done. Hair pinned up and the kimono was given one last check over. A simple blue kimono with sakura blossoms added at the bottom, it fit her to a tee.

Early morning on a wintry spring sent a shiver through her but she endured and made her way through the crisp snow towards the small shrine.

Clap Clap Clap

The sound echoed loudly in the empty shrine. Kagome stood there, her head bowed and her hands pressed together, eyes closed.

A feeling of peace settled inside her and she felt calm; a feeling she had always taken for granted.

Kami-sama, I know that today is a bit early for New Year but I hope you will understand. Today, I come to you to pray for the well-being of my families; one of which I was born into and another which you bestowed upon me.

I try so hard to protect both of them but I know I am lacking.

The final day seems so near and yet so far. I'm scared that I will somehow mess up and everything I ever loved will be gone, so please give me the strength to be strong and to be able to help them.

The small figure of a girl looked beautiful as she looked into the old well. She gathered her kimono about her and threw down a large yellow bag and shortly after, jumped in herself.

Ah, New Year was indeed here.